cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are antibiotics necessary during routine cystoscopic stent removal

Background: The 2008 American Urological Association (AUA) Best Practice Statement on antimicrobial prophylaxis states that prophylaxis is not warranted for subjects with normal risk profile undergoing cystourethroscopy unless manipulation such as ureteral stent removal is performed. To date no studies have specifically assessed the need for antimicrobial prophylaxis during cystoscopic ureteral stent removal. We sought to determine the risk of infectious complications following cystoscopic stent removal with and without antimicrobial prophylaxis. Methods: A retrospective review identified 70 subjects who underwent cystoscopic ureteral stent removal following kidney stone treatment, under the care of two separate urologists with differing practice patterns. Each cohort consisted of 35 subjects: with and without prophylactic antibiotics. Clinical variables assessed included demographics, type of stone intervention, prior urinary tract infection (UTI) history, immunocompromising comorbidities, antimicrobial class at time of stone intervention, and antimicrobial administration at cystoscopic stent removal. The primary outcome assessed was development of symptomatic UTI within 4 weeks after stent removal. Results: Overall, 35 patients (50%) received antimicrobial prophylaxis at the time of stent removal and 35 (50%) did not receive antimicrobial prophylaxis, with no demographic or clinical differences between cohorts. Two patients in the antimicrobial cohort (6%) developed a UTI and none of the patients who did not receive antimicrobial prophylaxis developed a UTI (P=0.15). Conclusions: In our cohort study antimicrobial prophylaxis at the time of cystoscopic stent removal did not appear to provide a significant benefit in UTI prevention. Prospective studies would assist in validating these findings.
Results and lessons learned from a prevention of weight gain program for low-income overweight and obese young mothers: Mothers In Motion.

Mothers In Motion (MIM), a community-based lifestyle behavioral intervention, was designed and conducted to help low-income overweight and obese young mothers prevent further weight gain via promotion of stress management, healthy eating, and physical activity. This paper presents intervention effect on body weight (primary outcome) and summarizes lessons learned. Participants (N = 612) were recruited from 7 Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) offices in Michigan and were individually randomized to an intervention n= 410) or a comparison (n =202) group (2: 1 ratio). During the 16-week intervention, intervention participants watched theory-based culturally sensitive videos (in DVD format) featuring peers from the target audience to learn skills for managing stress, eating healthier, and being more physically active. They also dialed into peer support group teleconferences to enhance skills learned in the videos and increase motivation for lifestyle behavioral changes. Body weight, the primary outcome, was measured at baseline, immediately after the 16-week intervention, and 3 months after the 16-week intervention. Intervention effect was tested via general linear mixed model for repeated measures, using baseline measures as adjusting covariates. At baseline, the mean age of the participants was 28.5 ± 5.0 years (intervention: 28.4 ± 5.0, comparison: 28.9 ± 5.0); the mean body weight was 190.2 ± 1.4 lbs (intervention: 191.8 ± 30.0, comparison: 188.5 ± 29.1); and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 32.2 ± 4.4 (intervention: 32.2 ± 4.4, comparison: 31.7 ± 4.2). Of sample, 64.7% were obese. At 3 months after the 16-week intervention, no significant weight differences were found between the intervention (188.3 ± 10.6 lbs, BMI: 31.6 ± 1.8) and comparison groups (187.7 ± 10.6 lbs, BMI: 31.53 ± 1.8) when controlling for baseline body weight. This lifestyle behavioral intervention that focused on stress management, healthy eating and physical activity was not effective in helping low-income overweight and obese young mothers prevent further weight gain. Clinical Trials NCT01839708 . This trial was registered retrospectively on February 28, 2013.
Exploring Impacts of Taxes and Hospitality Bans on Cigarette Prices and Smoking Prevalence Using a Large Dataset of Cigarette Prices at Stores 2001–2011, USA

In the USA, little is known about local variation in retail cigarette prices; price variation explained by taxes, bans, and area-level socio-demographics, and whether taxes and hospitality bans have synergistic effects on smoking prevalence. Cigarette prices 2001-2011 from chain supermarkets and drug stores (n = 2973) were linked to state taxes (n = 41), state and county bar/restaurant smoking bans, and census block group socio-demographics. Hierarchical models explored effects of taxes and bans on retail cigarette prices as well as county smoking prevalence (daily, non-daily). There was wide variation in store-level cigarette prices in part due to differences in state excise taxes. Excise taxes were only partially passed onto consumers (after adjustment, $1 tax associated with $0.90 increase in price, p < 0.0001) and the pass-through was slightly higher in areas that had bans but did not differ by area-level socio-demographics. Bans were associated with a slight increase in cigarette price (after adjustment, $0.09 per-pack, p < 0.0001). Taxes and bans were associated with reduction in smoking prevalence and taxes had a stronger association when combined with bans, suggesting a synergistic effect. Given wide variation in store-level prices, and uneven state/county implementation of taxes and bans, more federal policies should be considered.
Intersectional harassment and deviant embodiment among Autistic adults: (dis)ability, gender and sexuality

Harassment scholarship increasingly attends to the intersectional nature of harassment and its function within systems of domination. However, little of this work includes disability. In-depth inte...
Introduction to the healing herbs

For centuries, man has used plants for their healing properties. Today we refer to these plants as herbs. These plants play a principal part in all treatment modalities, both ancient and modern. The gentle, nourishing, and synergistic actions of herbal medicine make it an excellent treatment choice for all systems. Properties of ten commonly used herbs will be discussed. The herbs will be reviewed for their history, actions, indications and safety.
Microanatomical diversification of the zona pellucida in aplochelioid killifishes

This study investigates zona pellucida (ZP) ultrastructure in fertilized eggs of annual killifishes (suborder Aplocheiloidei), a group of highly specialized fishes that are able to survive desiccation for several weeks to months before they hatch. Little is known about ZP or chorionic ultrastructure sustaining these life-history modes, so scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to describe this trait in a large number of aplocheiloids with a focus on the family Rivulidae and the genus Hypsolebias. New images of ZP ultrastructure for 52 aplocheiloid species are provided, more than doubling the number characterized thus far. The evolution of chorionic structure within this group is studied using these new data. Characters were coded into a morphological matrix and optimized onto a consensus phylogeny to assess phylogenetic signal and reconstruct ancestral character states. Although ZP characters seem highly homoplastic and exhibit a large amount of structural convergence among lineages, aplocheiloid killifishes have evolved a number of unique structures associated with the chorion. Some annual species seem to have lost long filaments because eggs are deposited in the soil instead of being adhered to aquatic plants.
The Inca Khipu: Knotted-Cord Record Keeping in the Andes

The knotted-stringed instrument used for record keeping in the Inca empire, known as khipu, from Quechua, “knot” [Note 1], was the subject of considerable interest from the earliest days following the Spanish invasion of the Andes, beginning in 1532. Early postconquest reports of encounters with Inca record keepers tell of old men carrying bundles of strings with which they recounted all manner of information pertaining to the Andean past—from census figures for this or that province to details of the deeds performed by each of the dozen kings that had ruled before the arrival of the Europeans (Cieza 1967; Pizarro 1920). The recording device in question was a construction of knotted, colorful strings made of spun and plied camelid hair or cotton fiber (Figure 41.1). These devices were used by Inca state record keepers for retaining different types of administrative records and for registering information consulted in the production of historical and other types of narrative performances (Cobo 1983; Garcilaso de la Vega 1966; Mackey et al. 1990; Quilter and Urton 2002; Urton 1998). While it remains uncertain how narratives were produced from the knotted-string registers, we understand a good deal about how quantitative information and statistical data were recorded.
Limited mutagenicity of electronic cigarettes in mouse or human cells in vitro.

Abstract Objectives Electronic cigarettes (e-cig), which are promoted as safe alternatives to tobacco cigarettes or as aides to smoking cessation, are becoming increasingly popular among adult chronic smokers and adolescents experimenting with tobacco products. Despite the known presence of toxicants and carcinogens in e-cig liquid and vapor, the possible carcinogenic effects of e-cig use in humans are unknown. Materials and methods We have utilized two validated in vitro model systems to investigate whether e-cig vapor induces mutation in mouse or human cells. We have exposed transgenic mouse fibroblasts in vitro to e-cig vapor extracts prepared from three popular brands, and determined the induction of mutagenesis in a reporter gene, the cII transgene. Furthermore, we have treated the pSP189 plasmid with e-cig vapor extract, transfected human fibroblast cells with the e-cig-treated plasmid, and screened for the induced mutations in the supF gene. Results and conclusion We observed no statistically significant increases in relative mutant frequency in the cII transgene or supF gene in the e-cig treated mouse or human cells, respectively. Our data indicate that e-cig vapor extracts from the selected brands and at concentrations tested in this study have limited mutagenicity in both mouse and human cells in vitro .
Welfare and conservation of UK wildlife.

Recently, I have increasingly enjoyed the wide and more controversial range of subjects covered in Veterinary Record . In a recent editorial ( VR , October 21, 2017, vol 181, p 410), Adele Waters raised some of the important issues and even sacred cows that are often kept out of sight. She raised the problems there are in bringing together the vets with wide differences in their …
Supramolecular Chemistry within Dendritic Structures

This chapter describes reports on supramolecular interactions, i.e., molecular recognition, between dendritic hosts and guest molecules, and non-covalent self assembly of branched monomers. The emphases are associated with the chemistry within dendrimers rather than on the periphery. A brief introduction to the field of supramolecular chemistry is accompanied by a short overview of dendrimers as well as a brief analysis of the syntheses of these macromolecules. Initially, accounts of random molecular inclusion or preliminary non-specific, hydrophilic/hydrophobic-based binding interactions between small guests and dendritic molecules are described, followed by examples of physical encapsulation of guest(s) molecules and their shape selective release. Molecular recognition processes via site-specific interactions including H-bonding host-guest complexations are discussed. Reports dealing with electro- and photo-active dendrimers will be considered. The self-assembly processes involving dendrimers or dendritic building-blocks assisted by forces such as those associated with hydrophilic and lipophilic behavior of amphiphilic species, π-π interactions, and liquid crystalline behavior are reviewed. This is supplemented by a section based on self-assembly processes of dendrons, mediated by intermolecular H-bonding, and mono- and multi-layer aggregation processes of dendritic structures. Lastly the construction and supramolecular chemistry of metallo-dendrimers are considered.
Evaluating of the benefits of allowing flight level and mach number adjustment for fuel efficiency for flight operations in oceanic airspace

Satellite-based technologies (e.g., Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) — Contract and space-based ADS — Broadcast) have been introduced to improve the surveillance and communication over the airspace in remote areas. In this paper, we evaluated two improvements that could improve the flight operations in remote oceanic airspace. The first one is to allow more step climbs for fuel efficiency. The second one is to allow Mach number adjustment for fuel efficiency. We believe that both of them could be enabled by satellite-based surveillance and communication technologies. A microscopic simulation model is developed to evaluate the benefits of the two improvements in terms of fuel and time consumptions. We evaluated the benefits of three possible implementations of the two improvements (i.e., allow step climbs only, allow Mach number adjustment only, and the combination of the two) for flight operations in the oceanic airspace (i.e., ZNY) managed by New York air traffic control centers.
Rules and Normativity in Law

Two of the persistent questions in the philosophy of law concern the relationship between law and rules and the relationship between law and morality. Both topics are most sharply raised through the topic of “legal normativity.” Many contemporary legal theorists purport to “explain legal normativity,” but often fail to articulate what it means to say that law is normative or in what way that property requires explanation. As a way of resolving some problems of legal normativity, this article offers a reading of Hans Kelsen’s legal theory as a limited claim about the logic of normative claims: that when one reads the actions of legal officials normatively, this assumes or presupposes the validity of the foundational norm of that legal system, a Kelsenian “Basic Norm.” This article also looks at a different aspect of legal normativity through a focus on the work of H. L. A. Hart. Legal norms frequently prescribe what one ought to do or ought not to do. However, the rush of legal theorists to describe law as thus making moral claims seems ungrounded and unnecessary.
Use of online tools for antimicrobial resistance prediction by whole-genome sequencing in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE)

Abstract Objectives The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis represents a serious threat to public health and has resulted in concentrated efforts to accelerate development of rapid molecular diagnostics for AMR. In combination with publicly available web-based AMR databases, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) offers the capacity for rapid detection of AMR genes. Here we studied the concordance between WGS-based resistance prediction and phenotypic susceptibility test results for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) clinical isolates using publicly available tools and databases. Methods Clinical isolates prospectively collected at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between December 2016 and December 2017 underwent WGS. The AMR gene content was assessed from assembled genomes by BLASTn search of online databases. Concordance between the WGS-predicted resistance profile and phenotypic susceptibility as well as the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each antibiotic/organism combination, using the phenotypic results as gold standard. Results Phenotypic susceptibility testing and WGS results were available for 1242 isolate/antibiotic combinations. Overall concordance was 99.3%, with a sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of 98.7% (95% CI 97.2–99.5%), 99.6% (95% CI 98.8–99.9%), 99.3% (95% CI 98.0–99.8%) and 99.2% (95% CI 98.3–99.7%), respectively. Additional identification of point mutations in housekeeping genes increased the concordance to 99.4%, sensitivity to 99.3% (95% CI 98.2–99.8%) and NPV to 99.4% (95% CI 98.4–99.8%). Conclusion WGS can be used as a reliable predicator of phenotypic resistance both for MRSA and VRE using readily available online tools.
The Assessment of Workaholism as Behavioral Tendencies: Scale Development and Preliminary Empirical Testing

This article reports on the development and preliminary empirical testing of two new scales designed to assess workaholic behavioral patterns. One scale assessed employee tendencies to perform nonrequired work (typically, spending time thinking of ways to perform work better), and the other measured tendencies to intrude on and attempt to control the work of others. These scales seem consistent with both conceptual definitions and anecdotal accounts of workaholism. Moreover, the scales were designed to assess behavioral tendencies rather than work attitudes, to circumvent the possibility of rationalization and denial among workaholic respondents, and to be applicable across multiple work contexts. Evidence from a sample of 278 employed respondents indicated that the scales were internally consistent, and represented distinct constructs. The scales also demonstrated evidence of convergent and discriminant validity. For example, scores on the nonrequired work scale correlated positively with hours worked and with the needs for achievement, autonomy, and affiliation. Scores on the control of others scale correlated positively with job involvement, stress, work-nonwork conflict, role conflict, dominance needs, and self-monitoring. In summary, the workaholism scales developed for this investigation appear both reliable and valid and thus potentially able to shed light on the phenomenon of workaholism.
Trends in Sedentary Behavior, Physical Activity, and Motivation during a Classroom-Based Active Video Game Program.

The purpose of this preliminary study was to investigate trends in children’s sedentary behavior (SB), physical activity (PA), and motivation during a 12 week classroom-based Active Video Game (AVG) program. A sample of 16 children, recruited from an elementary school, participated in AVG for 30 minutes per school day for 12 consecutive weeks. School day time in SB and PA, in addition to step counts, were assessed across 12 weeks using accelerometers and motivation was assessed via questionnaires. Mixed effects models with a quadratic time parameter were employed to examine time trends. A significant negative trend was observed for SB, while light and vigorous PA and step counts yielded positive trends until approximately 8–9 weeks where a quadratic inflection point was observed (p < 0.001). Regarding motivational variables, enjoyment and social support from teachers significantly increased across 12 weeks (p < 0.05). A 12 week classroom AVG program yielded a positive trend in school day light and vigorous PA and step counts, and a negative trend in SB until 8–9 weeks into the program. This study supports the use of low-cost classroom-based AVG programs to improve children’s physical and mental health, but favorable PA trends were attenuated past 8–9 weeks.
Lead Location as Assessed on Cardiac Computed Tomography and Difficulty of Percutaneous Transvenous Extraction.

Abstract Objectives This study sought to retrospectively investigate outcomes of lead extraction by using pre-operative computed tomography (CT) scans to identify risk of complicated lead extraction to aid in pre-procedural planning. Background Transvenous lead extractions remain high-risk procedures requiring specialized operators, equipment, and surgical backup. Data are lacking for how to identify difficult lead extractions. CT scans, which can illustrate the proximity of the lead to adherent venous structures can potentially aid in identifying difficult lead extractions. Methods All cases of patients who were undergoing transvenous lead extractions at the authors’ institution between 2015 and 2018, who had a pre-operative CT scan prior to lead extraction, were reviewed. The images were retrospectively reviewed to examine adherence of leads to the surrounding vein and obtained procedural outcomes. Results A total of 203 cases were reviewed of patients undergoing transvenous lead extraction who had a pre-operative CT scan, and scans were separated based on lead location in the superior vena cava, as assessed by CT imaging. Scans were divided into 3 groups: those in a central location or 1 cm (n = 137); or those that had at least 1 lead outside the vein contour (n = 38). Although there was only 1 serious complication requiring vascular surgery intervention, patients with at least 1 lead outside the vein contour required significantly longer procedural time (190.8 ± 86.6 min vs. 158.1 ± 73.7 min vs. 142.8 ± 52.2 min; p = 0.019) and fluoroscopy time (33.1 ± 24.2 min vs. 19.6 ± 18.4 min vs. 18.3 ± 16.4 min; p = 0.0006) than those with leads adhering >1 cm and centrally located leads, respectively. Conclusions Pre-operative CT scanning can identify difficult lead extractions prior to performing the procedure. This information may aid electrophysiologists in the planning of extraction procedures. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Disentangling quantum matter with measurements

Measurements destroy entanglement. Building on ideas used to study `quantum disentangled liquids,' we explore the use of this effect to characterize states of matter. We focus on systems with multiple components, such as charge and spin in a Hubbard model or local moments and conduction electrons in a Kondo lattice model. In such systems, measurements of (a subset of) one of the components can leave behind a quantum state of the other that is easy to understand, for example in terms of scaling of entanglement entropy of subregions. We bound the outcome of this protocol, for any choice of measurement, in terms of more standard information-theoretic quantities. We apply this quantum disentangling protocol to several problems of physical interest, including gapless topological phases, heavy fermions, and scar states in the Hubbard model.
Ehrlichia canis in dogs experimentally infected, treated, and then immune suppressed during the acute or subclinical phases.

Background Concerns for recrudescence of Ehrlichia canis infection arise when immunosuppressive drugs are used to treat immune-mediated diseases in dogs previously infected with E. canis. Objectives Determine whether administration of prednisolone and cyclosporine would reactivate E. canis infection in dogs previously treated with doxycycline during the acute or subclinical phases. Animals Seven beagles previously experimentally infected with E. canis and administered doxycycline for 4 weeks were included. Three of the 7 dogs were incidentally concurrently infected with Anaplasma platys and Babesia vogeli and were administered 2 doses of imidocarb 2 weeks apart before enrollment in the current study. Methods Experimental study. Each dog was administered prednisolone and cyclosporine for 6 weeks. Clinical signs, complete blood cell count (CBC), polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays for E. canis, A. platys, and B. vogeli DNA in blood, E. canis indirect fluorescent antibodies (IFA) titers, and flow cytometry for antiplatelet antibodies were monitored. Results All dogs completed the immunosuppressive protocol. No evidence for recrudescence of E. canis, A. platys, or B. vogeli were detected based on clinical signs or results of CBC, PCR, IFA, and flow cytometry for antiplatelet antibodies. E. canis IFA titers were negative in 5/7 dogs at the end of immunosuppressive protocol and were negative 6 months after the protocol in 5/5 dogs available for testing. Conclusions and clinical importance Dogs administered with a 4-week course of doxycycline with or without imidocarb failed to show evidence of activation of E. canis infection after administration of a commonly used immune suppressive protocol.
El malestar de la política

The last general elections in Spain in March of 2008 have given us the opportunity to take a fresh look at politics. The term “unrest” here refers to the general perception of the public, but is based on the growing bipolar conflict characterising today’s politics. This bipolarity has nothing to do with ideological differences, but is in fact depriving the public government of the effectiveness that should characterise it. The problem becomes more complicated in Spain due to its territorial debate and also the unsuccessful attempts that have been made to redirect the situation through “governance” channels. This terribly paradoxical situation demands a strategy of small short term goals to lead public opinion about politics back to a more positive outlook.
Spectroscopic Assessment of WISE-based Young Stellar Object Selection Near λ and σ Orionis

We have conducted a sensitive search down to the hydrogen burning limit for unextincted stars over ~200 square degrees around Lambda Orionis and 20 square degrees around Sigma Orionis using the methodology of Koenig & Leisawitz. From WISE and 2MASS data we identify 544 and 418 candidate young stellar objects (YSOs) in the vicinity of λ and σ respectively. Based on our followup spectroscopy for some candidates and the existing literature for others, we found that ~80% of the K14-selected candidates are probable or likely members of the Orion star-forming region. The yield from the photometric selection criteria shows that WISE sources with K_S - w_3 > 1.5 mag and K_S between 10 and 12 mag are most likely to show spectroscopic signs of youth, while WISE sources with K_S - w_3 > 4 mag and K_S > 12 were often active galactic nuclei when followed up spectroscopically. The population of candidate YSOs traces known areas of active star formation, with a few new "hot spots" of activity near Lynds 1588 and 1589 and a more dispersed population of YSOs in the northern half of the H ii region bubble around σ and Є Ori. A minimal spanning tree analysis of the two regions to identify stellar groupings finds that roughly two-thirds of the YSO candidates in each region belong to groups of 5 or more members. The population of stars selected by WISE outside the MST groupings also contains spectroscopically verified YSOs, with a local stellar density as low as 0.5 stars per square degree.
Bleeding, Thromboembolism, and Clinical Outcomes in Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Objectives Bleeding and thromboembolism are common during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The relative frequency of these complications and their impact on clinical outcomes have not been described, and no randomized trials exist to guide anticoagulation strategies in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Our objective was to examine the relative frequencies of bleeding and thromboembolic events and their associations with survival among a cohort of consecutive patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting A single academic medical center. Patients Adult patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and anticoagulation. Eligibility criteria for this analysis were selected to emulate the population that would be recruited for a randomized trial of anticoagulation strategies during venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Patients were excluded if they had active bleeding or thromboembolism prior to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation, a history of trauma or surgery in the 7 days prior to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation initiation, an arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation cannula, or if they received greater than 48 hours of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support at another institution. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Outcomes included bleeding and thromboembolic events, duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital survival among 55 patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Bleeding events occurred in 25 patients (45.5%), and thromboembolism occurred in eight patients (14.5%). Bleeding events were associated with longer duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support (p = 0.007) and worse in-hospital survival (p = 0.02). Thromboembolic events did not appear to be associated with clinical outcomes. Conclusions In this cohort of patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and anticoagulation, bleeding occurred more frequently than thromboembolism and was associated with worse survival. These results highlight the need for randomized trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of continuous IV anticoagulation among patients receiving venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.
People & Culture in Ice Age Americas: New Dimensions in Paleoamerican Archaeology: edited by Rafael Suárez and Ciprian F. Ardelean, Salt Lake City, University of Utah Press, 2019, xvii + 268 pp., $60.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-1-60781-645-4.

Culminating from a 2014 Society for American Archaeology symposium, People & Culture in Ice Age Americas flips the script on the typically North America-focused First Americans narrative. Most Pale...
When the Good Syndrome Goes Bad: A Systematic Literature Review.

Background Good syndrome is a rare adult-onset immunodeficiency characterized by thymoma and hypogammaglobulinemia. Its clinical manifestations are highly heterogeneous, ranging from various infections to autoimmunity. Objective This study was to summarize patient characteristics, identify prognostic factors and define clinical subgroups of Good syndrome. Methods A systematic literature review was conducted to include patients with Good syndrome identified in PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases between January 2010 and November 2020. Logistic and Cox regressions were used to identify prognostic factors impacting outcomes. Clinical subgroups were defined by multiple correspondence analysis and unsupervised hierarchical clustering. A decision tree was constructed to characterize the subgroup placement of cases. Results Of 162 patients included in the current study, the median age at diagnosis was 58 years and 51% were male. Type AB was the most common histological subtype of thymoma, and infections as well as concurrent autoimmune disorders were identified in 92.6% and 51.2% patients, respectively. Laboratory workup showed typical findings of combined immunodeficiency. Thymoma status (odds ratio [OR] 4.157, confidence interval [CI] 1.219-14.177, p = 0.023), infections related to cellular immunity defects (OR 3.324, 95% CI 1.100-10.046, p = 0.033), infections of sinopulmonary tract (OR 14.351, 95% CI 2.525-81.576, p = 0.003), central nerve system (OR 6.403, 95% CI 1.205-34.027, p = 0.029) as well as bloodstream (OR 6.917, 95% CI 1.519-31.505, p = 0.012) were independent prognostic factors. The 10-year overall survival was 53.7%. Cluster analysis revealed three clinical subgroups with distinct characteristics and prognosis (cluster 1, infections related to cellular immunity defects; cluster 2, infections related to other immunity defects; cluster 3, infections related to humoral and phagocytic immunity defects). A decision tree using infection types (related to humoral and cellular immunity defects) could place patients into corresponding clusters with an overall correct prediction of 72.2%. Conclusions Infection type and site were the main prognostic factors impacting survival of patients with Good syndrome. We identified three subgroups within Good syndrome associated with distinct clinical features, which may facilitate the study of underlying pathogenesis as well as development of targeted therapy.
Becoming a Poet in Anglo-Saxon England

Combining historical, literary and linguistic evidence from Old English and Latin, Becoming a Poet in Anglo-Saxon England creates a new, more complete picture of who and what pre-Conquest English poets really were. It includes a study of Anglo-Saxon words for 'poet' and the first list of named poets in Anglo-Saxon England. Its survey of known poets identifies four social roles that poets often held - teachers, scribes, musicians and courtiers - and explores the kinds of poetry created by these individuals. The book also offers a new model for understanding the role of social groups in poets' experience: it argues that the presence or absence of a poetic community affected the work of Anglo-Saxon poets at all levels, from minute technical detail to the portrayal of character. This focus on poetic communities provides a new way to understand the intersection of history and literature in the Middle Ages.
Area Function Imaging in Two-Dimensional Ultrasonic Computerized Tomography

In ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) studies, impulse response is often used to evaluate internal defects. Under the far-field Born approximation [1], the impulse response can be written as the product of the second derivative of the area function with respect to the coordinate along the line-of-sight and a scattering constant which depends on the material properties as well as scattering directions [2]. The line-of-sight is a straight line along the illumination direction for pulse-echo tests, and the area function is an artificial time domain waveform equal to the target cross-sectional area intersected by an imaginary transverse plane travelling along the line-of-sight. Hence the double integration of the impulse response yields the product of the area function and the scattering constant. This product is also known as the ramp function response or the ramp response. Dividing the ramp response by its integral results the area function per volume of the target (normalized area function) [2] thus eliminating the unknown scattering constant. Since the area function (or its normalized form) contains the geometric information about the target, it has been employed in studies of both radar [3–5] and ultrasonic signal imaging [6]. In this paper, an ultrasonic CT algorithm is develped, using the area function from the Born approximation previously suggested by Tam [7]. A similar imaging technique for radar signals can be found in an earlier work done by Das and Boerner [5].
Prophylactic Administration of Immune Lymphokine Derived From T Cells of Salmonella Enteritidis-Immune Pigs

Experiments involving 132 weaned piglets were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a Salmonella enteritidis-immune lymphokine (PILK) derived from the T cells of Salmonella enteritidis (SE)-immunized pigs to protect weaned piglets from Salmonella choleraesuis (SC) infection. Fourteen-to-seventeen day-old piglets were weaned and randomly placed into 1 of 5 groups: (1) noninfected controls, (2) PILK 3X nonin-fected, (3) SC infected controls, (4) PILK IX SC infected, and (5) PILK 3X SC infected. PILK was given orally either one time (PILK IX) or three times (PILK 3X) over 14 days. One hour after the first PILK administration on day 0, piglets were orally challenged with 107cfu of SC. Weights were recorded on day 0, day 7, and day 14. On day 14, pigs in groups 3,4, and 5 were sacrificed and organs and lymph tissue were cultured for the presence of SC. Three replicates of this experiment were pooled and analyzed. A significant reduction in the number of pigs positive for SC in the liver, lung, and spleen was found in group 5 (PILK 3X) when compared to group 3 (inf. cont. [p < 0.001]). The number of SC positive cecal contents was dramatically reduced in group 5 group when compared to group 3, with the PILK 3X group showing 13% positive pigs versus 55.2% in the infected controls (p < 0.05). Weight gain over the 14 day study in the infected PILK 3X group (group 5) was found to be comparable to the gain observed in the group 1 (noninfected controls). The pigs receiving PILK 3X (group 2) with no SC challenge gained significantly more weight than all other groups, including the noninfected controls (group 1 [p < 0.05]). The results of these experiments indicate that PILK protects against SC infection in weaned pigs while enhancing performance in the presence of an SC infection.
Teaching Pretend Play Skills to a Student with Autism Using Video Modeling with a Sibling as Model and Play Partner.

We taught a four-year-old boy diagnosed with autism and his older brother to engage in four pretend play scenarios using video modeling. The older brother acted in the video models with a typically developing peer. Both the participant and his sibling successfully engaged in the four scenarios during intervention as well as maintenance and generalization probes conducted in their home. This case study illustrated that siblings of children with autism can perform in video models as well as engage in pretend play with their sibling with autism. In addition, the child with autism may benefit from sibling-oriented interventions as indicated by the intervention data and the parent and sibling survey questions presented in the current study. K�� W����: video modeling, pretend play, autism, sibling
Shiitake-Derived β-Glucan, Lentinan, Reduces CCL3/MIP-1α Production via Down-Modulation of TLR2- And TLR4-Mediated NFκB Activation And TLR2 Expression in Human THP-1 Monocytes

High levels of the chemokine CCL3/MIP-1α are associated with various human diseases. In our previous study, shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes), consumed as a whole food, had an inhibitory effect...
A Posteriori Error Estimation for Discontinuous Galerkin Approximations of Hyperbolic Systems

This article considers a posteriori error estimation of specified functionals for first-order systems of conservation laws discretized using the discontinuous Galerkin (DG) finite element method. Using duality techniques, we derive exact error representation formulas for both linear and nonlinear functionals given an associated bilinear or nonlinear variational form. Weighted residual approximations of the exact error representation formula are then proposed and numerically evaluated for Ringleb flow, an exact solution of the 2-D Euler equations.
Enzymatic synthesis of the protein-hexosamine linkage in sheep submaxillary mucin

Abstract A particulate enzyme preparation, obtained from sheep submaxillary gland, catalyzed the transfer of N-acetyl-d-galactosamine from its uridine diphosphate derivative to certain protein acceptors. The proteins were prepared from sheep submaxillary mucin by enzymatic or chemical treatments that removed the disaccharide residues from the mucin. Only these proteins served as N-acetylgalactosamine acceptors. The N-acetylgalactosamine glycosidic bonds in the product were alkali-labile, suggesting that they were linked to the hydroxyamino acid residues. The high degree of specificity exhibited by the transferase indicates that it catalyzes the first step in the conversion of the protein to this type of glycoprotein.
The Analogue of Kuroda’s Theorem for n-Tuples

Let H denote a complex, separable, infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, and denote by CSA(n,H) the set of commuting n-tuples of selfadjoint operators on H. A normed ideal (J, | |J) of operators on H will be called a diagonalization ideal if for every t in CSA(n,H) there is a diagonalizable t′ in CSA(n,H) such that t-t′ ∈ Jn (where the exponent indicates the Cartesian product of n copies of J). An ideal which is not a diagonalization ideal will be called an obstruction ideal. We shall only consider symmetrically normed ideals (or s.n. ideals); cf. [1].
Defending against statistical steganalysis

The main purpose of steganography is to hide the occurrence of communication. While most methods in use today are invisible to an observer's senses, mathematical analysis may reveal statistical anomalies in the stego medium. These discrepancies expose the fact that hidden communication is happening. This paper presents improved methods for information hiding. One method uses probabilistic embedding to minimize modifications to the cover medium. Another method employs error-correcting codes, which allow the embedding process to choose which bits to modify in a way that decreases the likelihood of being detected. In addition, we can hide multiple data sets in the same cover medium to provide plausible deniability. To prevent detection by statistical tests, we preserve the statistical properties of the cover medium. After applying a correcting transform to an image, statistical steganalysis is no longer able to detect the presence of steganography. We present an a priori estimate to determine the amount of data that can be hidden in the image while still being able to maintain frequency count based statistics. This way, we can quickly choose an image in which a message of a given size can be hidden safely. To evaluate the effectiveness of our approach, we present statistical tests for the JPEG image format and explain how our new method defeats them.
Capacity Expansion of Fiber Optic Infrastructure Networks Using Wavelength Division Multiplexing Systems

For the last decade, carriers have been aggressively installing optical fiber in their backbone and metro networks, replacing aging copper plant to improve capacity and network services. Nevertheless, explosive growth in Internet diffusion and advances in Internet based voice and data applications has resulted in unprecedented demand for additional bandwidth. To satisfy this demand in a cost effective manner, carriers are deploying Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) systems to leverage existing optical infrastructure. A WDM system allows transmission of multiple wavelengths (lambdas) over a single fiber strand, substantially increasing bandwidth while incurring much less cost compared to the huge investment of adding new fiber cables to the fiber plant. This paper develops a cost minimization model for capacity expansion of optical networks using WDM systems. The model assumes that an existing optical network is in place and therefore takes into consideration the technological constraints on placing and operating new WDM components for capacity expansion. An LP-based heuristic solution procedure is proposed and tested on sample problems. Proposed improvements to the solution procedure are also discussed in conclusion.
A compositional framework for programming stochastically interacting robots

Large collections of simple, interacting robots can be difficult to program due to issues of concurrency and intermittent, probabilistic failures. Here, we present Guarded Command Programming with Rates, a formal framework for programming such multi-robot systems. Within this framework, we model robot behavior as a stochastic process and express concurrency and program composition using simple operations. In particular, we show how composition and other operations on programs can be used to specify increasingly complex behaviors of multi-robot systems and how stochasticity can be used to create programs that can tolerate failure of individual robots. Finally, we demonstrate our approach by encoding algorithms for routing parts in an abstract model of the Stochastic Factory Floor testbed (Galloway et al. 2010).
Desegregating the Dollar: African American Consumerism in the Twentieth Century

Capitalism and slavery stand as the two economic phenomena that have most clearly defined the United States. Yet, despite African Americans' nearly $500 billion annual spending power, surprisingly little attention has been devoted to the ways U.S. businesses have courted black dollars in post-slavery America. Robert E. Weems, Jr., presents the first fully integrated history of black consumerism over the course of the last century. The World War I era Great Migration of African Americans from the rural South to northern and southern cities stimulated initial corporate interest in blacks as consumers. A generation later, as black urbanization intensified during World War II and its aftermath, the notion of a distinct, profitable African American consumer market gained greater currency. Moreover, black socioeconomic gains resulting from the Civil Rights movement which itself featured such consumer justice protests as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, further enhanced the status and influence of African American shoppers. Unwilling to settle for facile answers, Weems explores the role of black entrepreneurs who promoted the importance of the African American consumer market to U.S. corporations. Their actions, ironically, set the stage for the ongoing destruction of black-owned business. While the extent of educational, employment, and residential desegregation remains debatable, African American consumer dollars have, by any standard, been fully incorporated into the U.S. economy. Desegregating the Dollar takes us through the "blaxploitation" film industry, the vast market for black personal care products, and the insidious exploitation of black urban misery by liquor and cigarette advertisers. Robert E. Weems, Jr., has given us the definitive account of the complicated relationship between African Americans, capitalism, and consumerism.
Mismatch modeling and compensation for robust speaker verification

In this study, primary channel mismatch scenario between enrollment and test conditions in a speaker verification task are analyzed and modeled. A novel Gaussian mixture modeling with a universal background model (GMM-UBM) frame based compensation model related to the mismatch is formulated and evaluated using National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) speaker recognition evaluation (SRE) 2008 data, along with a comparison to the well-known eigenchannel model. Proposed compensation method show significant improvement versus an eigenchannel model when only the supervector of the UBM is employed. Here, the supervector of the enrollment speaker model is not included for estimation of the mismatch since it is difficult to obtain the real supervector of the speaker based on the limited 5min, channel dependent speech data only. The proposed mismatch compensation model, therefore show that construction of the supervector obtained from a UBM model can more accurately describe the mismatch between enrollment and test data, resulting in effective classification performance improvement for speaker/speech applications.