cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new algorithm and theory for penalized regression-based clustering

Clustering is unsupervised and exploratory in nature. Yet, it can be performed through penalized regression with grouping pursuit, as demonstrated in Pan et al. (2013). In this paper, we develop a more efficient algorithm for scalable computation and a new theory of clustering consistency for the method. This algorithm, called DC-ADMM, combines difference of convex (DC) programming with the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM). This algorithm is shown to be more computationally efficient than the quadratic penalty based algorithm of Pan et al. (2013) because of the former's closed-form updating formulas. Numerically, we compare the DC-ADMM algorithm with the quadratic penalty algorithm to demonstrate its utility and scalability. Theoretically, we establish a finite-sample mis-clustering error bound for penalized regression based clustering with the L0 constrained regularization in a general setting. On this ground, we provide conditions for clustering consistency of the penalized clustering method. As an end product, we put R package prclust implementing PRclust with various loss and grouping penalty functions available on GitHub and CRAN.
Moving from parked to neutral(izing).

In this issue of Blood, Cannavo et al report on a cohort of children with severe hemophilia A. They found that anti-factor VIII (FVIII) nonneutralizing antibodies (NNAs) were present prior to exposure to FVIII concentrates, and that the presence of these NNAs was associated with subsequent development of high-titer inhibitory anti-FVIII antibodies (inhibitor).1
Financial impact of cancer care on survivors: Results from the 2015 LIVESTRONG survey.

10Background: The cost of cancer care in the U.S. was $124.5 billion in 2010, and is projected to increase by 27% to $158 billion in 2020. With an estimated 1.7 million new cancer cases every year, it is imperative to understand the financial impact of cancer care on survivors’ decision-making and daily living. Methods: In August of 2015, LIVESTRONG conducted an online survey to learn more about the financial impact of treatment on cancer survivors and their loved ones. Two similar surveys were distributed for survivors (n = 1,704) and loved ones (n = 739). Our analyses focus on the results from the survivor survey. Results: Fifty-nine percent of survivors reported that they experienced a lot of or some financial problems as a result of cancer. Eighty-five percent of survivors reported that their provider did not discuss the costs of care with them, and 12% reported that they would have altered decisions about treatment if they had known then what they know now about the financial impact of cancer. Most s...
Acute Unilateral Vision Loss in a Female Adolescent Due to Ocular Bartonellosis.

AbstractAcute worsening of visual acuity with optic disc edema is commonly assumed to be due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Bartonella henselae is an unusual cause to abrupt vision loss that is associated with optic disc edema and exudative macular stars seen on examination. It is an impor
An improved total variation regularized SENSE reconstruction for MRI images

In parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the quality of image reconstruction is very important. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) of reconstruction image would be obviously reduced with the increase of the acceleration factors because of the ill-posed problem in the sensitivity encoding (SENSE) reconstruction. Through in-depth analysis of the total variation (TV) regularized SENSE reconstruction model, an efficient Bregman iteration algorithm was introduced to obtain the optimal solution and improve the image reconstruction quality. In this paper, the simulation experiments were performed on the real cardiac data and brain data of MRI, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm can alleviate the aliasing artifacts and has a better image reconstruction effect. Compared with the conventional TV regularized SENSE reconstruction algorithm, under the condition of the higher acceleration factors, the SNR has also been improved and the normalized mean squared error (NMSE) of reconstruction image is also decreased. This shows that the proposed iteration TV SENSE image reconstruction algorithm is effective and feasible.
Types of Trauma and Self-Reported Pain That Limits Functioning in Different-Aged Cohorts:

There is a growing body of literature that childhood or adult trauma exposure can have lifelong mental and physical health impacts. In this large cross-sectional analysis, authors investigated combinations of trauma types and pain resulting in functional limitations among women recruited into a statewide health registry. Combinations of traumas such as child physical abuse (CPA), child sexual abuse (CSA), and adult violence were hypothesized to be associated with greater likelihood of limiting pain and earlier symptom onset, relative to women with no or singular trauma exposures. Pain prevalence rates (PRs) and adjusted prevalence rate ratios (aPRRs) were highest among women experiencing multiple forms of violence (43.3% among women disclosing CPA, CSA, and adult violence; aPRR = 2.06, p < .001), intermediate for women experiencing CPA or CSA yet no adult violence (37.0%; aPRR = 1.76, p < .001), and lower among women experiencing adult violence only (27.1%; aPRR = 1.29, p < .001), relative to women never experiencing violence (20.7%). As hypothesized, the effect of combinations of trauma on chronic pain was consistently greatest for those reporting limiting pain at younger ages. Implications include the need to identify combinations of traumatic events across the life span, and to intervene early to reduce the impact of trauma on health and functioning.
YouTube Videos on Botulinum Toxin A for Wrinkles: A Useful Resource for Patient Education.

BACKGROUNDPatients interested in botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) for wrinkles search for videos on YouTube, but little is known about the quality and reliability of the content.OBJECTIVEThe authors examined the quality, reliability, content, and target audience of YouTube videos on BTX for wrinkles.M
Photochemical upconversion in water

A major challenge remaining in photochemical upconversion lies in identifying appropriate chromophore combinations that function in pure water in the absence of hydrophobic hosts or surfactant additives. The current investigation achieves this goal using combinations of water soluble Ru(II) metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) sensitizers in concert with 9-anthracenecarboxylate (AnCO2−) and 1-pyrenecarboxylate (PyCO2−) in neat H2O.
Predictive Power of Different Types of Experimental Restraints in Small Molecule Docking: A Review.

Incorporating experimental restraints is a powerful method of increasing accuracy in computational protein small molecule docking simulations. Different algorithms integrate distinct forms of biochemical data during the docking and/or scoring stages. These so-called hybrid methods make use of receptor-based information such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) restraints or small molecule-based information such as structure–activity relationships (SARs). A third class of methods directly interrogates contacts between the protein receptor and the small molecule. This work reviews the current state of using such restraints in docking simulations, evaluates their feasibility across broad systems, and identifies potential areas of algorithm development.
Timely Execution on Intermittently Powered Batteryless Sensors

Tiny intermittently powered computers can monitor objects in hard to reach places maintenance free for decades by leaving batteries behind and surviving off energy harvested from the environment--- avoiding the cost of replacing and disposing of billions or trillions of dead batteries. However, creating programs for these sensors is difficult. Energy harvesting is inconsistent, energy storage is scarce, and batteryless sensors can lose power at any point in time--- causing volatile memory, execution progress, and time to reset. In response to these disruptions, developers must write unwieldy programs attempting to protect against failures, instead of focusing on sensing goals, defining tasks, and generating useful data in a timely manner. To address these shortcomings, we have designed Mayfly, a language and runtime for timely execution of sensing tasks on tiny, intermittently-powered, energy harvesting sensing devices. Mayfly is a coordination language and runtime built on top of Embedded-C that combines intermittent execution fragments to form coherent sensing schedules---maintaining forward progress, data consistency, data freshness, and data utility across multiple power failures. Mayfly makes the passing of time explicit, binding data to the time it was gathered, and keeping track of data and time through power failures. We evaluated Mayfly against state-of-the art systems, conducted a user study, and implemented multiple real world applications across application domains in inventory tracking, and wearables.
BIOMASS PRODUCTION OF INTENSIVELY MANAGED FOREST ECOSYSTEMS

Abstract Trees are destined to regain an eminent role in meeting mankind's demands for food, fiber and fuel. In some regions population pressures and agricultural patterns will necessitate intensive management of forests to increase yields from limited land areas. In the Southeastern United States above-ground biomass yields for 10-year-old Pinus taeda stands have been increased from about 35 tons of fresh weight/hectare in natural stands to up to 100 tons/ha with current practices of plantation establishment. Intensively cultivated research plots have produced as much as 166 tons/ha. Genetic improvement is forecast to increase yields by 50% over unimproved stock. In broadleaved stands, the accelerating acceptance of full tree utilization has facilitated the emergence of intensive management schemes. One such system increases biomass yields by planting broadleaved species with rapid juvenile growth rates at close spacings, harvesting them at short (less than 10 year) intervals and regenerating stands with the rapidly growing sprouts (coppice, Niederwald) emerging from stumps or root systems. Four-year-old coppice stands of Platanus occidentalis have produced about 87 tons fresh weight of unfoliated, above-ground biomass per hectare and the suitability of Eucalyptus , Liquidambar , Populus , Salix and other genera is being assessed in various countries. Species and site selection, rotation length and maintenance of soil productivity are especially critical for short-rotation coppice forestry. Possible lines for future investigation are outlined.
Computer-aided qualitative gis (caq-gis) for critical researchers: an integration of quantitative and qualitative research in the geography of communities

This project begins with the general question of how well-grounded contextual qualitative data can be included in GIS (Geographic Information Systems). I use the emerging concept of "Qualitative GIS" to approach this issue. By defining the meanings of this term, and pulling together diverse practices of Qualitative GIS, I suggest that Qualitative GIS has led to new forms of mixed-methods research between GIS and qualitative research. I argue that qualitative data have not yet been holistically integrated with GIS. This project explores a new approach of blending qualitative research with GIS by creating two software-level strategies. The first strategy is to include qualitative data directly into a GIS database from the beginning of research, thereby aiding in the comprehensive analysis of multiple forms of data. This is achieved by developing an 'imagined-grid' for qualitative data and creating a 'social-relational database' in the GIS. The second strategy meshes GIS with CAQDAS (Computer-Aided Qualitative Data Analysis Software), specifically the ATLAS ti ® program. The value of GIS is in its ability to represent both qualitative and quantitative data along with their spatial information, and the value of CAQDAS lies in its ability to provide better means of storing, managing, and analyzing qualitative data. I demonstrate that the key concept in the integration of the two is to use the qualitative 'code' function as a bridge between them. I also propose that CAQ-GIS can be not only part of mixed-method research, but can also be used as mixed-method research. In this dissertation, I demonstrate these issues through two case studies involving both children's and adults' perceptions of their neighborhoods in the Eastside and Westside of Buffalo, NY. Keywords. critical GIS, qualitative GIS, mixed-methods research, CAQ-GIS, geography of communities, community studies, children's urban geographies
Effects of sample preparation conditions on biomolecular solid-state NMR lineshapes

Sample preparation conditions with the 46 kDa enzyme complex of 5-enolpyruvyl-shikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase, shikimate-3-phosphate (S3P) and glyphosate (GLP) have been examined in an attempt to reduce linewidths in solid-state NMR spectra. The linewidths of 13P resonances associated with enzyme bound S3P and GLP in the lyophilized ternary complex have been reduced to 150 ± 12 Hz and 125 ± 7 Hz respectively, by a variety of methods involving additives and freezing techniques.
The Burden of Untreated HCV Infection in Hospitalized Inmates: a Hospital Utilization and Cost Analysis.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is highly prevalent in incarcerated populations. The high cost of HCV therapy places a major burden on correctional system healthcare budgets, but the burden of untreated HCV is not known. We investigated the economic impact of HCV through comparison of length of stay (LOS), frequency of 30-day readmission, and costs of hospitalizations in inmates with and without HCV using a 2004–2014 administrative claims database. Inmates with HCV had longer LOS, higher frequency of 30-day readmission, and increased cost of hospitalizations. Costs were higher in inmates with HCV even without advanced liver disease and in inmates with HIV/HCV compared to HCV alone. We conclude that although HCV treatment may not avert all of the observed increases in hospitalization, modest reductions in hospital utilization with HCV cure could help offset treatment costs. Policy discussions on HCV treatment in corrections should be informed by the costs of untreated HCV infection.
Structural Properties of the San Jacinto Fault Zone at Blackburn Saddle from Seismic Data of a Dense Linear Array

We image the San Jacinto fault zone at Blackburn Saddle using earthquake waveforms recorded by a ~ 2-km across-fault linear array with 108 three-component sensors separated by ~ 10–30 m. The length and spatiotemporal sampling of the array allow us to derive high-resolution information on the internal fault zone structure with spatial extent that can be merged with regional tomography models. Across-fault variations in polarization, amplitude, and arrival time of teleseismic P waves indicate abrupt changes in subsurface structure near the surface trace of the fault (sensor BS55) and ~ 270 m to the northeast (sensor BS34). Analysis of fault zone head waves from local events reveals the existence of a deep bimaterial interface that extends from the array to at least 50 km southeast and has a section with > 10% velocity contrast. This analysis also corroborates the teleseismic results and indicates a broad damage zone primarily northeast of the fault bounded by a shallow bimaterial interface near BS34 that merges with the deep interface. Detection and waveform inversions of Love-type fault zone trapped waves generated by local events indicate a trapping structure within the broader damage zone with width of ~ 150 m, velocity reduction of ~ 55% from the surrounding rock and depth extent of ~ 2 km. The performed analyses provide consistent results on the subsurface location of the main seismogenic fault and properties of a major bimaterial interface and damage structure. The imaged fault zone properties are consistent with preferred propagation direction of earthquake ruptures in the area to the northwest.
Photo-Magnetic Irradiation-Mediated Multimodal Therapy of Neuroblastoma Cells Using a Cluster of Multifunctional Nanostructures.

The use of high intensity chemo-radiotherapies has demonstrated only modest improvement in the treatment of high-risk neuroblastomas. Moreover, undesirable drug specific and radiation therapy-incurred side effects enhance the risk of developing into a second cancer at a later stage. In this study, a safer and alternative multimodal therapeutic strategy involving simultaneous optical and oscillating (AC, Alternating Current) magnetic field stimulation of a multifunctional nanocarrier system has successfully been implemented to guide neuroblastoma cell destruction. This novel technique permitted the use of low-intensity photo-magnetic irradiation and reduced the required nanoparticle dose level. The combination of released cisplatin from the nanodrug reservoirs and photo-magnetic coupled hyperthermia mediated cytotoxicity led to the complete ablation of the B35 neuroblastoma cells in culture. Our study suggests that smart nanostructure-based photo-magnetic hybrid irradiation is a viable approach to remotely guide neuroblastoma cell destruction, which may be adopted in clinical management post modification to treat aggressive cancers.
Reductive Metabolism of Xanthohumol and 8-Prenylnaringenin by the Intestinal Bacterium Eubacterium ramulus.

Scope The intestinal microbiota transforms a wide range of available substrates, including polyphenols. Microbial catabolites of polyphenols can contribute in significant ways to the health-promoting properties of their parent polyphenols. This work aims to identify intestinal metabolites of xanthohumol (XN), a prenylated flavonoid found in hops (Humulus lupulus) and beer, as well as to identify pathways of metabolism of XN in the gut. Methods and results To investigate intestinal metabolism, XN and related prenylated flavonoids, isoxanthohumol (IX), and 8-prenylnaringenin (8PN) were added to growing cultures of intestinal bacteria, Eubacterium ramulus and E. limosum. Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used to identify metabolites of the flavonoids from the cultures. The metabolic capacity of E. limosum appears to be limited to O-demethylation. Evidence from the study indicates that E. ramulus hydrogenates XN to form α,β-dihydroxanthohumol (DXN) and metabolizes the potent phytoestrogen 8PN into the chalcones, O-desmethylxanthohumol (DMX) and O-desmethyl-α,β-dihydroxanthohumol (DDXN). Conclusion Microbial metabolism is likely to affect both activity and toxicity of XN and derivatives. This study along with others highlights that attention should be focused on metabolites, in particular, products of intestinal microbial metabolism.
CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY FOR CARDIOGENIC SHOCK: BEYOND THE BOX

There is no current data available on the use of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) in order to wean mechanical circulatory support. A 46 year old male presented with cardiac arrest with no prior medical condition and EKG showing wide QRS of 185msec (Fig1). Cardiac catheterization revealed
Effects of historic wildfire and prescribed fire on site occupancy of bats in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, USA

Given the likelihood of regional extirpation of several once-common bat species in eastern North America from white-nose syndrome, it is critical that the impacts of forest management activities, such as prescribed fire, are known in order to minimize potentially additive negative effects on bat populations. Historic wildfires may offer a suitable surrogate to assess long-term burn impacts on bats for planning, implementing and assessing burn programs. To examine the effects of historic fire on bats, we sampled bat activities at 24 transect locations in burned and unburned forest stands in the central Appalachian Mountains of Shenandoah National Park (SNP), Virginia, USA. There was limited evidence of positive fire effects over time on hoary bats (Lasiurus cinereus Beauvois) and big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus Beauvois) occupancy. Overall, there were few or mostly equivocal relationships of bat occupancy relative to burn conditions or time since fire in SNP across species using a false-positive occupancy approach. Our results suggest that fire does not strongly affect bat site occupancy short- or long-term in the central Appalachians.
Analysis of hurricane extremes and record values in the Atlantic

People who live in the state of Florida recognize the impact of hurricanes have on their lives. With the hurricane season taking up 6 months of the year, Floridians feel that their lives are divide...
Solution processable liquid metal nanodroplets by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization.

Eutectic gallium indium (EGaIn) is a liquid metal alloy at room temperature. EGaIn microdroplets can be incorporated into elastomers to fabricate highly stretchable, mechanically robust, soft multifunctional composites with high thermal stability1 and electrical conductivity2–4 that are suitable for applications in soft robotics and self-healing electronics5–7. However, the current methods of preparation rely on mechanical mixing, which may lead to irregularly shaped micrometre-sized droplets and an anisotropic distribution of properties8. Therefore, procedures for the stabilization of sub-micrometre-sized droplets of EGaIn and compatibilization in polymer matrices and solvents have attracted significant attention9–12. Here we report the synthesis of EGaIn nanodroplets stabilized by polymeric ligand encapsulation. We use a surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization initiator to covalently functionalize the oxide layer on the surface of the EGaIn nanodroplets13 with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PBMA), poly(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) and poly(n-butyl acrylate-block-methyl methacrylate) (PBA-b-PMMA). These nanodroplets are stable in organic solvents, in water or in polymer matrices up to 50 wt% concentration, enabling direct solution-casting into flexible hybrid materials. The liquid metal can be recovered from dispersion by acid treatment. The nanodroplets show good mechanical, thermal and optical properties, with a remarkable suppression of crystallization and melting temperatures (down to −80 °C from 15 °C). Eutectic Ga-In droplets can be functionalized with various polymers and co-polymers using atom transfer radical polymerization. The droplets are ready for direct solution processing to form liquid-metal nanocomposites for potential applications in soft robotics.
Orbitofrontal Circuits Control Multiple Reinforcement-Learning Processes

Summary Adaptive decision making in dynamic environments requires multiple reinforcement-learning steps that may be implemented by dissociable neural circuits. Here, we used a novel directionally specific viral ablation approach to investigate the function of several anatomically defined orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) circuits during adaptive, flexible decision making in rats trained on a probabilistic reversal learning task. Ablation of OFC neurons projecting to the nucleus accumbens selectively disrupted performance following a reversal, by disrupting the use of negative outcomes to guide subsequent choices. Ablation of amygdala neurons projecting to the OFC also impaired reversal performance, but due to disruptions in the use of positive outcomes to guide subsequent choices. Ablation of OFC neurons projecting to the amygdala, by contrast, enhanced reversal performance by destabilizing action values. Our data are inconsistent with a unitary function of the OFC in decision making. Rather, distinct OFC-amygdala-striatal circuits mediate distinct components of the action-value updating and maintenance necessary for decision making.
Automated Study Challenges the Existence of a Foundational Statistical-Learning Ability in Newborn Chicks:

What mechanisms underlie learning in newborn brains? Recently, researchers reported that newborn chicks use unsupervised statistical learning to encode the transitional probabilities (TPs) of shape...
Exploring the decoy effect to guide tobacco treatment choice: a randomized experiment.

Guidelines recommend that smokers participate in four or more counseling sessions when trying to quit, but smokers rarely engage in multiple sessions. The “decoy effect” is a cognitive bias that can cause consumer preferences for a “target” product to change when presented with a similar but inferior product (a “decoy”). This study tested the use of a decoy to guide smokers’ selection of a target number of counseling sessions. During an online survey, adult tobacco users (N = 93) were randomized to one of two groups that determined the answer choices they saw in response to a question assessing their interest in multi-session cessation counseling. Group A choose between two sessions or a “target” of five sessions. Group B was given a third “decoy” option of seven sessions. Binary logistic regression was used to compare groups on the proportion of participants selecting the “target.” Among 90 participants with complete data, a decoy effect was not found. There was no significant difference between groups in the proportion of participants selecting the target of five sessions (47% in Group B vs. 53% in Group A; aOR = 0.76, 95%CI 0.48–1.19). Trial Registration This study was retrospectively registered at clinicaltrials.gov on December 13, 2019 (NCT04200157)
Quenching Aluminum for Residual Stress and Distortion Control

Abstract The heat treatment of aluminum (Solution Heat Treatment, Quenching and Aging) are critical processes to insure that the desired mechanical and corrosion properties are achieved. Of these s...
Three Techniques of Contained Morcellation for the Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgeon

Since 1993 (and prior, WISAP® [WISAP Medical Technology GmbH, Brunnthal, Germany] hand morcellators), laparoscopic power morcellation has been an indispensably employed technique for minimally invasive gynecologic surgery, contributing both to laparoscopic myomectomies and hysterectomies. However, the technique was highlighted with concern by the FDA for the given potential to disseminate neoplastic and non-neoplastic cells by morcellating an unexpected uterine sarcoma (Fig. 1). Given this concern, many gynecologists are either resorting to performing traditional laparotomies or risking dissemination with uncontained power morcellation techniques. The purpose of this article is to address these concerns by illustrating three techniques to perform contained power morcellation, thereby reaping the benefits of the technique without the disadvantage of possible dissemination of neoplastic cells. The techniques outlined in this article include the use of trans-abdominal mini-laparotomy manual contained morcellation, trans-vaginal manual contained morcellation, and the new Contained Tissue Extraction (CTE) System (Olympus America, Inc., Center Valley, Pennsylvania) for power morcellation.
Retrospective analysis of The Two Sister Study using haplotype-based association testing to identify loci associated with early-onset breast cancer

ABSTRACT Breast cancer is a polygenic disorder and is the leading cause of cancer related mortality among women. Early-onset breast cancer (EOBC) is diagnosed in women prior to 45 years-of-age and is associated with worse clinical outcomes, a more aggressive disease phenotype, and poor prognosis for disease-free survival. While substantial progress has been made in defining the genetics of breast cancer, EOBC remains less well understood. In the current study we perform a retrospective analysis of data derived from The Two Sister Study. The use of alternate strategies for handling age-at-diagnosis in conjunction with haplotype-based methods yielded novel findings that help to explain the heritability of EOBC. These findings are validated through comparison against discordant sibs from The Two Sister Study as well as using data derived The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).
Hospitalizations among adults with chronic kidney disease in the United States: A cohort study.

Background Adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are hospitalized more frequently than those without CKD, but the magnitude of this excess morbidity and the factors associated with hospitalizations are not well known. Methods and findings Data from 3,939 participants enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study between 2003 and 2008 at 7 clinical centers in the United States were used to estimate primary causes of hospitalizations, hospitalization rates, and baseline participant factors associated with all-cause, cardiovascular, and non-cardiovascular hospitalizations during a median follow up of 9.6 years. Multivariable-adjusted Poisson regression was used to identify factors associated with hospitalization rates, including demographics, blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and proteinuria. Hospitalization rates in CRIC were compared with rates in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2012. Of the 3,939 CRIC participants, 45.1% were female, and 41.9% identified as non-Hispanic black, with a mean age of 57.7 years, and the mean eGFR is 44.9 ml/min/1.73m2. CRIC participants had an unadjusted overall hospitalization rate of 35.0 per 100 person-years (PY) [95% CI: 34.3 to 35.6] and 11.1 per 100 PY [95% CI: 10.8 to 11.5] for cardiovascular-related causes. All-cause, non-cardiovascular, and cardiovascular hospitalizations were associated with older age (≥65 versus 45 to 64 years), more proteinuria (≥150 to 65 years. Limitations of the study include possible misclassification by diagnostic codes, residual confounding, and potential bias from healthy volunteer effect due to its observational nature. Conclusions In this study, we observed that adults with CKD had a higher hospitalization rate than the general population that is hospitalized, and even moderate reductions in kidney function were associated with elevated rates of hospitalization. Causes of hospitalization were predominantly related to cardiovascular disease, but other causes contributed, particularly, genitourinary, digestive, and endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic illnesses. High levels of proteinuria were observed to have the largest association with hospitalizations across a wide range of kidney function levels.
Surgery and risk of non-hodgkin lymphoma (NHL): A preliminary analysis from the NCI-SEER case-control study.

496 Background. The incidence of NHL, a cancer of the immune system, has increased dramatically since at least the 1950s, and only a fraction of this increase can be explained by established risk factors. During this timeframe, there has been a major increase in the use of invasive surgical procedures, and surgery is known to have multiple immunologic effects. We evaluated whether a history of surgeries increased the risk of NHL in a population-based case-control study conducted in Detroit, Iowa, Los Angeles, and Seattle. Methods. Incident, HIV-negative NHL cases aged 20-74 years diagnosed from 1998-2000 were rapidly reported through the SEER registries in each area (N=1321). Controls were identified through random digit dialing and Medicare files, and were frequency matched to cases on sex, age, race, and study site (N=1057). Data on surgeries >1 year before diagnosis were collected during in-home interviews on a subset of participants (759 cases and 589 controls), and included type, frequency and age of first surgery for 21 anatomic regions. Unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusting for age, gender, race and study site. NHL subtypes (follicular and diffuse) were derived from the SEER database, and risk of each subtype was estimated using polychotomous logistic regression. Results. There was a mean of 4.4 surgeries among cases and 4.0 surgeries among controls (p=0.052). Compared to participants who reported no history of surgeries (9.5% of cases and 11.2% of controls), those reporting 1 had no elevated risk (OR= 0.89; 0.57-1.39), but there were elevations for 2-3 (OR=1.16; 0.76-1.77), 4-6 (OR=1.17; 0.76-1.82) or 7 or more (OR=1.23; 0.78-1.96) (p-trend=0.17). Surgery involving the spleen (OR 7.43; 0.92-60) and appendix/stomach/bowel (OR=1.25; 0.98-1.59) approached statistical significance, while surgery on the other 19 regions had associations close to the null value. Analysis restricted to diffuse NHL showed no association with number of surgeries (p-trend=0.66), but follicular NHL showed a positive association, with a statistically significant trend (p=0.041). Compared to participants who reported no surgeries, those reporting 1 (OR=0.99; 0.45-2.18), 2-3 (OR=1.43; 0.69-2.98), 4-6 (OR=1.65; 0.78-3.47) and 7 or more (OR=1.67; 0.77-3.63) surgeries had increased risk of follicular lymphoma. Positive associations with follicular NHL were only seen for surgeries of the neck (OR=1.37; 0.95-1.96), appendix/ stomach/ bowel (OR=1.38; 0.95-2.01), and bone (OR=1.39; 0.96-2.01). Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest a positive association of number of surgeries with risk of follicular NHL. We will next investigate of use of anesthetics and transfusions in the setting of surgical procedures to more comprehensively evaluate these preliminary associations.
Planning the Coverage of Solar System Bodies Under Geometric Constraints

Scheduling the coverage of a celestial body by scientific instruments onboard multiple spacecraft under observational constraints is central in a significant number of current and future missions f...
Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery in United States Ophthalmology Residency: Surgical Case Log Cross-sectional Analysis and Proposal for New Glaucoma Procedure Classification.

PRECIS A cross-sectional sample of the US ophthalmology residency graduating class of 2018 revealed that 18.4% of residents logged <5 traditional glaucoma surgeries, and 63.4% logged at least 1 microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS). PURPOSE Describe the state of MIGS in US ophthalmology residency training and propose a glaucoma procedure classification system for residents' surgical case logs. METHODS Deidentified case logs from residents graduating in 2018 were requested from US residency program directors. RESULTS Case logs were received for 152/488 (31%) residents from 36/115 (31%) programs. The mean number of traditional glaucoma surgeries per resident was 9.0±5.9 (range: 0 to 31). The mean number of MIGS per resident was 5.2±8.9 cases (range: 0 to 58). There were 28/152 (18.4%) residents from 16/36 (44.4%) programs who logged <5 traditional glaucoma surgeries as primary surgeon, and 3/152 (2.0%) residents from 3/36 (8.3%) programs who logged zero traditional glaucoma surgeries as primary surgeon. There were 98/152 (64.5%) residents from 32/36 (88.8%) programs who logged <5 MIGS as primary surgeon, and 48/152 (31.6%) residents from 25 of 36 (69.4%) programs who logged zero MIGS as primary surgeon. There were 104/152 (63.4%) residents from 33/36 (91.6%) programs who logged at least 1 MIGS as primary surgeon; there were 3/36 (8.3%) residency programs where no resident logged any MIGS as primary surgeon. CONCLUSIONS US ophthalmology residents' MIGS experience varies widely. Residents can satisfy glaucoma surgery requirements with some MIGS, even in the absence of adequate traditional glaucoma surgeries. We propose a residency case log classification system that better reflects the growing role of MIGS in clinical practice and helps ophthalmic educators more accurately track procedures requiring related skills.
Recent Developments in Nanomaterial-Based Shear-Sensitive Drug Delivery Systems

Nanomaterial-based drug delivery systems (DDSs) increase the efficacy of various therapeutics, and shear stress has been shown to be a robust modulator of payload release. In the past few decades, a deeper understanding has been gained of the effects of flow in the body and its alteration in pathological microenvironments. More recently, shear-responsive nanomaterial DDSs have been developed. Studies on this subject mainly from the last decade are reviewed here, focusing on innovations of the material design and mechanisms of the shear response. The two most popular shear-controlled drug carriers distinguished by different release mechanisms, that is, shear-deformable nanoparticles (NPs) and shear-dissociated NP aggregates (NPAs), are surveyed. The influence of material structures on their properties such as drug loading, circulation time, and shear sensitivity are discussed. The drug development stages, therapeutic effects, limitations, and potential of these DDSs are further inspected. The reviewed research emphasizes the advantages and significance of nanomaterial-based shear-sensitive DDSs in the field of targeted drug delivery. It is also believed that efforts to rationally design nanomaterial DDSs responsive to shear may prompt a new class of diagnostics and therapeutics for signaling and rectifying pathological flows in the body.
Acute Migraine Interventions and Evidence

The treatment of acute migraine is nuanced, as specific therapy is largely dependent on individual factors such as patient preference, headache characteristics, associated symptoms, convenience, and cost. This chapter discusses the pharmacologic options and their associated evidence in the management of acute migraines. The risks, benefits, contraindications, and limitations of the various treatments are also discussed. The chapter concludes with a review of published practice guidelines for acute migraine treatment.
Airborne ascospore discharge with co-dispersal of attached epihymenial algae in some foliicolous lichens

PREMISE Lichen-forming fungi that colonize leaf surfaces must find a compatible algal symbiont, establish lichen symbiosis and reproduce within the limited life span of their substratum. Many produce specialized asexual propagules that appear to be dispersed by rain and runoff currents, but less is known about dispersal of their meiotic ascospores. In some taxa, a layer of algal symbionts covers the hymenial surface of the apothecia, where asci discharge their ascospores. We examined the untested hypothesis that their ascospores are ejected into air currents and carry with them algal symbionts from the epihymenial layer for subsequent lichenization. METHODS Leaves bearing the lichens Calopadia puiggarii, Sporopodium marginatum (Pilocarpaceae) and Gyalectidium viride (Gomphillaceae) were collected in southern Florida. The latter two species have epihymenial algal layers. Leaf fragments with apotheciate thalli were affixed in petri dishes, with glass cover slips attached inside the lid over the thalli. Subsequent discharge of ascospores and any co-dispersed algae was evaluated with light microscopy. RESULTS All three species discharged ascospores aerially. Discharged ascospores were frequently surrounded by a halo-like sheath of transparent material. In the two species with an epihymenial algal layer, most dispersing ascospores (>90%) co-transported algal cells attached to the spore sheath or wall. CONCLUSIONS While water may be the usual vector for their asexual propagules, foliicolous lichen-forming fungi make use of air currents to disperse their ascospores. The epihymenial algal layer represents an adaptation for efficient co-dispersal of the algal symbiont with the next genetic generation of the fungus. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Evidence for Evolving Toll-IL-1 Receptor-Containing Adaptor Molecule Function in Vertebrates

In mammals, Toll-IL-1R-containing adaptor molecule 1 (TICAM1)-dependent TLR pathways induce NF-kappaB and IFN-beta responses. TICAM1 activates NF-kappaB through two different pathways involving its interactions with TNFR-associated factor 6 and receptor-interacting protein 1. It also activates IFN regulatory factor 3/7 through its interaction with TANK-binding kinase-1, leading to the robust up-regulation of IFN-beta. In this study, we describe the role of zebrafish (Danio rerio) TICAM1 in activating NF-kappaB and zebrafish type I IFN. Zebrafish IFN is unique in that it cannot be categorized as being alpha- or beta-like. Through comprehensive sequence, phylogenetic, and syntenic analyses, we fully describe the identification of a zebrafish TICAM1 ortholog. Zebrafish TICAM1 exhibits sequence divergence from its mammalian orthologs and our data demonstrate that these sequence differences have functional consequences. Zebrafish TICAM1 activates zebrafish IFN; however, it does so in an apparently IFN regulatory factor 3/7-independent manner. Furthermore, zebrafish TICAM1 does not interact with zebrafish TNFR-associated factor 6, thus NF-kappaB activation is dependent upon its interaction with receptor-interacting protein 1. Comparative genome analysis suggests that TICAM1 and TICAM2 evolved from a common vertebrate TICAM ancestor following a gene duplication event and that TICAM2 was lost in teleosts following the divergence of the rayfin and lobefin fishes 450 million years ago. These studies provide evidence, for the first time, of the evolving function of a vertebrate TLR pathway.
SOLAR ENERGY IN LATIN AMERICA: AN OVERVIEW

Abstract This paper analyzes in general terms the energy problem in Latin American countries, emphasizing the strong dependence of the Region on oil. An outline of the available alternative energy sources is presented and it is concluded that solar energy, on account of the special geographic and social characteristics of the region, could contribute substantially to the development of isolated rural communities. There is also, for each country, a brief report of the state of the art in solar energy and a list of the main institutions working in research and development.
The Real Effects of Foreign Investment: Productivity and Growth

This paper studies the direct effect of foreign investment on target firm operating performance and growth. Foreign-invested firms grow in size but not in productivity compared with non-invested firms over a four-year horizon. Decomposing foreign investment into foreign direct investment and foreign institutional investment reveals that the results are attributable to institutional investment. The effect is attenuated under weak corporate governance conditions, with foreign investment in business group firms resulting in little effect on productivity or growth but leading to growth in stand-alone firms. Foreign-invested firms in industries dependent on external financing experience superior growth, suggesting that foreign investment relaxes credit constraints.
RNA processing control in avian retroviruses

Upon integration into the host chromosome, retroviral gene expression requires transcription by the host RNA polymerase II, and viral messages are subject RNA processing events including 5'-end capping, pre-mRNA splicing, and polyadenylation. At a minimum, RNA splicing is required to generate the env mRNA, but viral replication requires substantial amounts of unspliced RNA to serve as mRNA and for incorporation into progeny virions as genomic RNA. Therefore, splicing has to be controlled to preserve the large unspliced RNA pool. Considering the current view that splicing and polyadenylation are coupled, the question arises as to how genome-length viral RNA is efficiently polyadenylated in the absence of splicing. Polyadenylation of many retroviral mRNAs is inefficient; in avian retroviruses, approximately 15 percent of viral transcripts extend into and are polyadenylated at downstream host genes, which often has profound biological consequences. Retroviruses have served as important models to study RNA processing and this review summarizes a body of work using avian retroviruses that has led to the discovery of novel RNA splicing and polyadenylation control mechanisms.
Faunal turnovers of Palaeogene mammals from the Mongolian Plateau

Most orders and many families of modern mammals were established during the Palaeogene. Mammalian evolution during this period of time has been correlated with global climatic events1,2,3,4, although the timing, mode and scale of such a climate–evolution link remain debatable1,5,6. The Palaeogene global climate was step-punctuated by a warming across the Palaeocene/Eocene boundary about 55 Myr ago and a cool-off throughout the late Eocene and early Oligocene epochs1,2,7,8,9,10. The most severe cooling was at 33.5 Myr, slightly after the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, and was characterized by a drop in the mean annual temperature and by changes in vegetation from Eocene dense forests to Oligocene more open country5. Here we analyse 33 Palaeogene mammal faunas from the Mongolian Plateau of China and Mongolia. There is a distinct pattern of faunal turnovers: perissodactyl-dominant faunas of the Eocene were abruptly replaced by rodent/lagomorph-dominant faunas of the Oligocene. We interpret the turnovers as having been effected by global climatic shifts and name the prominent biotic reorganization across the Eocene/Oligocene boundary the Mongolian Remodelling, which correlates to the European Grande Coupure.
Law enforcement responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic: Selected findings and suggestions for future research

Much attention is given to the topic of HIV/ AIDS within the general population and several specific professions, namely the medical and related health‐care fields. By comparison, little serious attention is devoted to the implications this deadly disease poses for the law enforcement profession and its practitioners. In response to this situation, a study was undertaken to assess the nature, accuracy and extent of officers’ beliefs, perceptions and attitudes about HIV/AIDS as it relates to the performance of their daily law enforcement responsibilities. Preliminary results from this empirical effort indicate that officers do in fact possess a range of personal views that are expected to directly influence the profession’s future development. Selected findings and their implications for both training and policy initiatives, as well as suggestions for additional empirical research endeavours, are presented and discussed.
Contentious Land Narratives and Electoral Violence in Kenya

Scholars of political violence are beginning to look closely at why violence escalates during election periods. Theories tend to focus on elite-level incentives to destabilize elections. Yet there is far less known about how and why ordinary citizens join in election-time violence. Why do people join together to fight and kill their neighbors and fellow citizens during an election season? This paper argues that contentious land narratives - or competing land claims between groups - provide a crucial yet overlooked mechanism linking various explanatory variables with the escalation in electoral violence. Land narratives act in two ways: 1) they provide a mechanism for violent collective action; and 2) they provide a mechanism for aligning the interests of local leaders, ordinary citizens, and national elites. The paper draws on 12 months of mixed-methods field research that combined in-depth interviews with 230 rural Kenyans, focus group discussions, and an original household-level survey with 750 respondents across the Rift Valley and the Coast Regions.
On Control Flow Testing of Active Rules in a Declarative Object-Oriented Framework

Advances in active database technology offer more powerful systems than conventional passive databases. However, the introduction of production rules and autonomous reactive responses in active databases also adds complexity to such systems. To assure the quality of active database systems, a testing methodology has to be developed. In this paper, we describe the architecture of an active rule testing tool set and the implementation of the control flow test data generator, which generates the constraints on test data in the form of test scripts. The work, which is adapted from the testing theory and test data generation techniques for control flow testing of imperative programs, represents the first step in the development of an effective active database testing framework.