cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current state of palliative and end-of-life care in home versus inpatient facilities and urban versus rural settings in Africa.

OBJECTIVE Because palliative care in sub-Saharan Africa may not fit the style of delivery of palliative care in the global north, exploring the evidence can serve to reduce existing barriers and help streamline national policies that determine the optimal setting to implement formal palliative and end-of-life services. METHOD A search was conducted in Ovid MEDLINE®, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases using the search terms nursing care, terminal care, end of life care, palliative care, dying, death, hospice, opioids, morphine, Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, caregivers, and place of death. Eighty-seven relevant articles were found using the search terms. Of these, 22 matched inclusion criteria and were reviewed. RESULTS Opioid availability and distribution is best accessed at the inpatient level, and hence, pain and end-of-life symptoms are best managed at the inpatient level. Despite the great need, nurses' lack of prescription power in the home-based setting is a shortcoming. Home deaths have not been adequately studied, but research suggests that palliative care generally causes economic strain, psychosocial distress on family members, and increased risk of transmission of communicable disease. Hospice is understudied but shows favorable outcomes. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS Funding and research need to focus on development of inpatient palliative and hospice care units in urban areas. In rural areas, the priority should be a home-based care model that involves nurses who are privileged to prescribe opioids and adjunctive medication therapies.
The strain gradient effect in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

Metallic materials display strong size effect when the characteristic length of deformation is of the order of microns. The theory of mechanism-based strain gradient (MSG) plasticity established from the Taylor dislocation model has captured this size dependence of material behavior at the micron scale very well. The strain gradient effect in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) is investigated in this paper via the MSG plasticity theory since the typical size of MEMS is of the order of microns (comparable to the internal material length in MSG plasticity). Through an example of a digital micromirror device (DMD), it is shown that the strain gradient effect significantly increases the mechanical strain energy in the DMD, and reduces the rotation time of the micromirror. However, the strain gradient has no effect on the critical bias voltage governing the fast rotation of the micromirror.
Radial Velocity Confirmation of a Binary Detected from Pulse Timings

A periodic variation in the pulse timings of the pulsating hot subdwarf B (sdB) star CS 1246 was recently discovered via the observed minus calculated (O–C) diagram and suggests the presence of a binary companion with an orbital period of two weeks. Fits to this phase variation, when interpreted as orbital reflex motion, imply CS 1246 orbits a barycenter 11 lt-s away with a velocity of 16.6 km s–1. Using the Goodman spectrograph on the SOAR telescope, we decided to confirm this hypothesis by obtaining radial velocity measurements of the system over several months. Our spectra reveal a velocity variation with amplitude, period, and phase in accordance with the O–C diagram predictions. This corroboration demonstrates that the rapid pulsations of hot sdB stars can be adequate clocks for the discovery of binary companions via the pulse timing method.
Use of and Interests in Complementary and Alternative Medicine by Hispanic Patients of a Community Health Center

Introduction: We evaluated complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among a medically underserved, predominately Hispanic community at the University of California Irvine Family Health Center, a federally qualified health center. Methods: A cross-sectional, anonymous survey assessed patient use of, interest in, and communication preferences concerning CAM. Results: The 150 respondents primarily self-identified as Hispanic (74%), were born outside the United States (55%), were medically insured (56%), and had a high school education or less (55%). Of these respondents, 63% used at least 1 type of CAM; the most commonly used were: vitamins/supplements (32%), herbal medicine (29%), dietary/nutritional therapy (26%), massage (24%), meditation/relaxation (15%) and chiropractic (11%). Therapies that patients most desired to see provided at the clinic included massage, healthier cooking, guidance on herbs/supplements, and diet/nutrition. Among respondents, 61% were comfortable disclosing CAM use to physicians, 58% agreed physicians should have basic knowledge of CAM, and 47% desired that physicians ask about CAM use. Conclusions: Results demonstrate that CAM use is common among patients, and a large proportion of patients have interest in accessing CAM through their primary care clinic. Patients recognize the importance of communicating CAM use with their providers and seem receptive to discussing such topics.
Automating mathematical program transformations

Mathematical programs (MPs) are a class of constrained optimization problems that include linear, mixed-integer, and disjunctive programs. Strategies for solving MPs rely heavily on various transformations between these subclasses, but most are not automated because MP theory does not presently treat programs as syntactic objects. In this work, we present the first syntactic definition of MP and of some widely used MP transformations, most notably the big-M and convex hull methods for converting disjunctive constraints. We use an embedded OCaml DSL on problems from chemical process engineering and operations research to compare our automated transformations to existing technology—finding that no one technique is always best—and also to manual reformulations—finding that our mechanizations are comparable to human experts. This work enables higher-level solution strategies that can use these transformations as subroutines.
Simulations of Conposit, a supra-connectionist architecture for commonsense reasoning

A computation architecture called 'Conposit' is outlined. Composit manipulates very-short-term complex symbolic data structures of types that are useful in high-level cognitive tasks such as commonsense reasoning, planning, and natural language understanding. Conposit's data structures are, essentially, temporary configurations of symbolic occurrences in a two-dimensional array of registers. Each register is implementable as a neural subnetwork whose activation pattern realizes the symbol occurrence. The data structures are manipulated by condition-action rules that are realizable as further neural subnetworks attached to the array. In simulations, Conposit performs symbolic processing of types previously found difficult for connectionist/neural networks. A version of Conposit, simulated on the massively parallel processor, embodying core aspects of P. Johnson-Laird's mental model theory (1983) of human syllogistic reasoning is concentrated on. This version illustrates Conposit's power and flexibility, which arises from two unusual data-structure encoding techniques: relative-position encoding and pattern-similarity association. >
Lethal Effects of Elevated pH and Ammonia on Early Life Stages of Walleye

Abstract Elevated pH may be lethal to larval fish and can affect the toxicity of ammonia. Fry of walleye Stizostedion vitreum propagated in a controlled hatchery environment are often stocked, despite little knowledge of their tolerance to high pH or ammonia. A series of 6-h static bioassays was performed with walleye fry of various ages to determine their tolerance to elevated pH and the effect of ammonia on pH tolerance, The 6-h mortality threshold pH (the lowest pH at which significant mortality occurs) was between 10.0 and 10.3 for 3-d-old walleyes, and between 9.8 and 10.0 for both 8- and 12-d-old walleyes, when no measurable ammonia was present. Sublethal concentrations of un-ionized ammonia increased the toxicity of elevated pH, indicating an interaction between ammonia and pH. Values of pH that caused statistically significant mortality were well below values measured in some fish culture ponds and nutrient-rich impoundments. Elevated pH at the time of stocking walleye fry may result in extensive ...
Normal Ontogeny of α1-Adrenergic Receptor in Rat Liver Is Thyroid Hormone Dependent

Postnatal ontogeny of rat liver α1-adrenergic receptor was examined using α1-specific radioligand [3H]prazosin in control and propylthiouracil-treated congenital hypothyroid rats at various ages. Partially purified rat liver membranes prepared by the Neville method had 8-fold purification of 5′-nucleotidase from the crude homogenates from postnatal day 5 to adulthood. [3H]Prazosin binding was typical of an α1-adrenergic receptor, and (−)epinephrine affinity for the [3H]prazosin-binding sites was not altered in the presence of 10–5 M guanylyl-imidodiphosphate. The receptor density was lower in 5- and 15-day-old rats than in 28-day-old or older rats in both control and hypothyroid groups. (P < 0.01). At 28–34 days of age, hypothyroid pups had significantly lower α-receptor density than controls (399 ± 10 vs. 869 ± 40 fmol mg protein−1; P < 0.01). Replacement therapy with daily T4 injection from postnatal days 16–27 restored 54% of the deficit in PTU-treated hypothyroid pups at 28 days. The dissociation cons...
A Divergent Member of the Transforming Growth Factor β Receptor Family from Schistosoma mansoni Is Expressed on the Parasite Surface Membrane

Abstract To optimize reproductive success under the limitations determined by conditions within an individual host, parasitic helminths have evolved mechanisms that allow them to detect and respond to host factors such as species, age, sex, reproductive condition, and immune status. Using the model helminthSchistosoma mansoni, we have explored the possibility that parasitic helminths express signal-transducing receptor molecules on their surfaces. Here, we present the identification of a schistosome member of the transforming growth factor β receptor family of cell-surface receptors, the first member of this family to be identified in a platyhelminth. The putative protein kinase domain of the schistosome receptor displays up to 58% amino acid identity to kinase domains of other type I receptor serine-threonine kinases, and contains a potential “GS domain,” suggesting it is a divergent member of the type I receptor subfamily. This receptor is expressed on the surface of the parasite’s syncytial tegument and expression of receptor messenger RNA and protein is up-regulated following infection of the mammalian host. The receptor protein can be isolated in a phosphorylated form from adult parasites, which together with its surface location, suggests that it functions in transducing signals across the parasite surface membrane.
Overlay Node Placement: Analysis, Algorithms and Impact on Applications

Overlay routing has emerged as a promising approach to improving performance and reliability of Internet paths. To fully realize the potential of overlay routing under the constraints of deployment costs in terms of hardware, network connectivity and human effort, it is critical to carefully place infrastructure overlay nodes to balance the trade-off between performance and resource constraints. In this paper, we investigate approaches to perform intelligent placement of overlay nodes to facilitate (i) resilient routing and (ii) TCP performance improvement. We formulate objective functions to accurately capture application behavior: reliability and TCP performance, and develop several placement algorithms, which offer a wide range of trade-offs in complexity and required knowledge of the client- server location and traffic load. Using simulations on synthetic and real Internet topologies, and PlanetLab experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the placement algorithms and objective functions developed, respectively. We conclude that an approach, hybrid of random and greedy approaches, provides the best tradeoff between computational efficiency and accuracy. We also uncover the fundamental challenge in simultaneously optimizing for reliability and TCP performance, and propose a simple unified algorithm to achieve the same.
Potassium Loss, Ventricular Irritability, and the Risk of Sudden Death in Hypertensive Patients

In the past, potassium depletion in both non-digitalised patients and in patients without cardiac disease was thought to cause no adverse cardiac effects. However, several studies have now demonstrated a significant incidence of ventricular ectopic activity (VEA) with diuretic-induced hypokalaemia, even in hypertensive patients without overt heart disease. Additional evidence suggests that sudden death may occasionally result from this VEA. Potassium repletion with potassium-sparing diuretics or with potassium chloride supplementation has generally demonstrated a beneficial therapeutic effect in reducing VEA. However, after diuretic therapy occasional patients may have persistent VEA which may result from focal myocardial lesions associated with potassium depletion. In contrast, diuretic therapy in which normokalaemia is maintained has only been associated with a very low occurrence of VEA. Thus, with the preservation of normokalaemia, diuretic therapy for hypertension does not appear to be associated with the significant hazards of VEA.
New Aspects of Siglec Binding Specificities, Including the Significance of Fucosylation and of the Sialyl-Tn Epitope

The siglecs (sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin superfamily lectins) are immunoglobulin superfamily members recognizing sialylated ligands. Most prior studies of siglec specificities focused on alpha2-3- and alpha2-6-sialyllactos(amin)es and on one or two of the siglecs at a time. Here, we explore several new aspects of specificities of the first six reported siglecs, using sialylated glycans presented in multivalent form, on synthetic polyacrylamide backbones, or on mucin polypeptides. First, we report that binding of siglec-1 (sialoadhesin), siglec-3 (CD33), siglec-4a (myelin-associated glycoprotein), and siglec-5 to alpha2-3 sialyllactosamine is affected markedly by the presence of an alpha1-3-linked fucose. Thus, while siglecs may not interfere with selectin-mediated recognition, fucosylation could negatively regulate siglec binding. Second, in contrast to earlier studies, we find that siglec-3 prefers alpha2-6-sialyllactose. Third, siglec-5 binds alpha2-8-linked sialic acid, making it the siglec least specific for linkage recognition. Fourth, siglecs-2 (CD22), -3, -5, and -6 (obesity-binding protein 1) showed significant binding to sialyl-Tn (Neu5Acalpha2-6-GalNAc), a tumor marker associated with poor prognosis. Fifth, siglec-6 is an exception among siglecs in not requiring the glycerol side chain of sialic acid for recognition. Sixth, all siglecs require the carboxyl group of sialic acid for binding. Finally, the presentation of the sialyl-Tn epitope and/or more extended structures that include this motif may be important for optimal recognition by the siglecs. This was concluded from studies using ovine, bovine, and porcine submaxillary mucins and Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with ST6GalNAc-I and/or the mucin polypeptide MUC1.
Enzyme activities of aerobic lignocellulolytic bacteria isolated from wet tropical forest soils.

Lignocellulolytic bacteria have promised to be a fruitful source of new enzymes for next-generation lignocellulosic biofuel production. Puerto Rican tropical forest soils were targeted because the resident microbes decompose biomass quickly and to near-completion. Isolates were initially screened based on growth on cellulose or lignin in minimal media. 75 Isolates were further tested for the following lignocellulolytic enzyme activities: phenol oxidase, peroxidase, β-d-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, β-xylopyranosidase, chitinase, CMCase, and xylanase. Cellulose-derived isolates possessed elevated β-d-glucosidase, CMCase, and cellobiohydrolase activity but depressed phenol oxidase and peroxidase activity, while the contrary was true of lignin isolates, suggesting that these bacteria are specialized to subsist on cellulose or lignin. Cellobiohydrolase and phenol oxidase activity rates could classify lignin and cellulose isolates with 61% accuracy, which demonstrates the utility of model degradation assays. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, all isolates belonged to phyla dominant in the Puerto Rican soils, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria, suggesting that many dominant taxa are capable of the rapid lignocellulose degradation characteristic of these soils. The isolated genera Aquitalea, Bacillus, Burkholderia, Cupriavidus, Gordonia, and Paenibacillus represent rarely or never before studied lignolytic or cellulolytic species and were undetected by metagenomic analysis of the soils. The study revealed a relationship between phylogeny and lignocellulose-degrading potential, supported by Kruskal–Wallis statistics which showed that enzyme activities of cultivated phyla and genera were different enough to be considered representatives of distinct populations. This can better inform future experiments and enzyme discovery efforts.
Delirium during acute illness in nursing home residents.

Abstract Objectives To ascertain the incidence of delirium during acute illness in nursing home residents, describe the timing of delirium after acute illness onset, describe risk factors for delirium, and explore the relationship between delirium and complications of acute illness. Design Prospective observational cohort study. Setting Three nursing homes in metropolitan New York. Participants Individuals who were expected to remain in the nursing home for at least 2 months, who, as part of a parent study, were receiving opioids, antidepressants, or antipsychotics on a routine basis, and who did not have an acute medical illness at the time of screening. Acute illness surveillance was performed twice weekly through communication with nursing home nursing staff and medical providers using established clinical criteria for incipient cases. Measurements We followed patients for 14 days after illness onset, and, if applicable, an additional 14 days each after hospital admission and hospital discharge. Delirium was assessed 3 times weekly using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM). Physical function decline was calculated using change in the Minimum Data Set Activities of Daily Living Scale (MDS-ADL) and cognitive function decline using change in the Minimum Data Set Cognitive performance scale (MDS-CPS). Falls were ascertained by record review. Results Among 136 nursing home patients followed for a mean of 11.7 months, 78 experienced 232 acute illnesses, of which 162 (71%) were managed in the nursing home. The most common diagnoses were urinary tract infection (20%), cellulitis (15%), and lower respiratory tract infection (9%). Subjects experienced delirium during 41 (17.7%) of 232 acute illnesses. Female sex was associated with a greater risk of delirium (odds ratio 2.59; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–6.43) but there were no other risk factors identified. Delirium was a risk factor for cognitive function decline (odds ratio 4.59; 95% CI 1.99–10.59; P = .0004), but not ADL function decline or falling. Conclusion Delirium occurred frequently as a complication of acute illness in the nursing home, and was a risk factor for cognitive function decline. This finding supports the rationale to target individuals at the onset of an acute medical problem in the design of interventions to prevent delirium in the nursing home setting.
Methods for Multiple Objective Decision Making

This means that methods following this approach do not need any interobjective or other subjective preference information from the DM once the problem constraints and objectives have been defined. Thus this approach requires that the DM be able to accept the solution obtained from the method. The advantage of this route is that in the process of obtaining the solution the DM will not be disturbed by the analyst, which is preferable from the point-of-view of the DM. But a major disadvantage then is the necessity for the analyst to make many assumptions about the DM’s preference. This is difficult to do with even the best and most knowledgeable analyst.
Design and gait control of a rollerblading robot

We present the design and gait generation for an experimental ROLLERBLADER. The ROLLERBLADER is a robot with a central platform mounted on omnidirectional casters and two 3 degree-of-freedom legs. A passive rollerblading wheel is attached to the end of each leg. The wheels give rise to nonholonomic constraints acting on the robot. The legs can be picked up and placed back on the ground allowing a combination of skating and walking gaits. We present two types of gaits for the robot. In the first gait, we allow the legs to be picked up and placed back on the ground while in the second, the wheels are constrained to stay on the ground at all tunes. Experimental gait results for a prototype robot are also presented.
COMPLICATIONS OF LAPAROSCOPIC PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY IN 200 CASES

ABSTRACTPurpose: We analyzed complications of the initial 200 cases treated with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for a suspected renal tumor.Materials and Methods: Since August 1999, 200 consecuti...
"It's Good to Be Shifty": The Local Democracies of Old Southwestern Humor

Emerson's essay reassesses representative texts of the popular antebellum tradition known as Old Southwestern Humor-among them Augustus Baldwin Longstreet's Georgia Scenes (1835), Johnson Jones Hooper's Adventures of Captain Simon Suggs (1845), and George Washington Harris's Sut Lovingood: Yarns Spun by a Durn'd Fool (1867)- arguing for a new point of departure from the level of locality and with special attention to democratic decision making. Most nation-oriented readings portray the humor of the Old Southwest either as a regional subset supplementing nationalization via print culture or as reactionary polemics rejecting the impingements of nation, market capitalism, urbanization, or modernity. This essay, instead, reads these fictions in terms of locality and for their articulations of alternative democratic socialities. These socialities, Emerson argues, evidence local decision making existing alongside or outside the abstracting, normalizing tendencies of elitist republican ideology; they are unreceptive to traditional social hierarchies and civic institutions that supplement the Constitutionally managed nation-state; and they often engage in a more radical version of democracy characterized by dialogical negotiations in immediate spaces and temporalities. Unyoked from the nation and its norms, these local episodes yield an unexpected trove of alternative democratic positions in the mid-nineteenth century. In addition to new readings of the primary texts, Emerson concludes with some consideration of their circulation in print culture across the country and their subsequent impact on democracy in the national imaginary.
Adaptive bug isolation

Statistical debugging uses lightweight instrumentation and statistical models to identify program behaviors that are strongly predictive of failure. However, most software is mostly correct; nearly all monitored behaviors are poor predictors of failure. We propose an adaptive monitoring strategy that mitigates the overhead associated with monitoring poor failure predictors. We begin by monitoring a small portion of the program, then automatically refine instrumentation over time to zero in on bugs. We formulate this approach as a search on the control-dependence graph of the program. We present and evaluate various heuristics that can be used for this search. We also discuss the construction of a binary instrumentor for incorporating the feedback loop into post-deployment monitoring. Performance measurements show that adaptive bug isolation yields an average performance overhead of 1% for a class of large applications, as opposed to 87% for realistic sampling-based instrumentation and 300% for complete binary instrumentation.
The recruitment of chromatin modifiers by long noncoding RNAs: lessons from PRC2

Polycomb repressive complex-2 (PRC2) is a histone methyltransferase required for epigenetic silencing during development and cancer. Among chromatin modifying factors shown to be recruited and regulated by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), PRC2 is one of the most studied. Mammalian PRC2 binds thousands of RNAs in vivo, and it is becoming a model system for the recruitment of chromatin modifying factors by RNA. Yet, well-defined PRC2-binding motifs within target RNAs have been elusive. From the protein side, PRC2 RNA-binding subunits contain no known RNA-binding domains, complicating functional studies. Here we provide a critical review of existing models for the recruitment of PRC2 to chromatin by RNAs. This discussion may also serve researchers who are studying the recruitment of other chromatin modifiers by lncRNAs.
New Results on Neutrino Magnetic Moments and on Democratic Neutrinos

I discuss the two separate issues on neutrino physics. First, the new bounds on tensorial couplings of neutrinos to charged fermions from the existing limits on neutrino transition magnetic moments. Second, explanation of the atmospheric and solar neutrino data in the democratic neutrino theory with only one free parameter (in the leading order), using the effect of incoherence.
Morphologic Spectrum of Desmoid-Type Fibromatosis.

Objectives: Desmoid-type fibromatosis is a locally aggressive neoplasm composed of long sweeping fascicles of bland fibroblasts/myofibroblasts. Tumors with classic features are easy to identify, but the morphologic spectrum of this entity spans beyond the conventional histologic pattern. Since sampling of an unrecognized histologic variant may lead to misdiagnosis, especially on small needle biopsy specimens, we sought to fully characterize the morphologic spectrum of this entity. Methods: We examined 165 cases of desmoid-type fibromatosis and catalogued the morphologic patterns and percentage of those patterns identified in each case. Clinicopathologic variables, including age, sex, location, and recurrence, were analyzed and correlated with pattern frequency. Results: Seven morphologic patterns were identified, including conventional, hyalinized/hypocellular, staghorn vessel, myxoid, keloidal, nodular fasciitis-like, and hypercellular. The mean number of patterns per case was two, but some cases harbored up to five patterns. The greatest morphologic variability was seen in the intra-abdominal lesions, with these tumors having a significantly higher percentage of the keloidal and staghorn patterns compared with extra-abdominal and abdominal wall sites. No significant correlation between patient outcome (recurrence) and presence of variant morphologic pattern was observed ( P = .549). Conclusions: The morphologic spectrum of desmoid-type fibromatosis is deceptively broad, and awareness of the variety of histologic patterns is critical for accurate diagnosis.
Early repeat imaging is not warranted for high-grade blunt cerebrovascular injuries.

Background The current management for blunt cerebrovascular injuries (BCVIs) includes repeat imaging 7 days to 10 days after initial diagnosis. This recommendation, however, has not been systematically evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of early repeat imaging on treatment course. We hypothesized that a minority of patients with high-grade injuries (Grades III and IV) have complete resolution of their injuries early in their treatment course and hence repeat imaging does not alter their therapy. Methods Our prospective BCVI database was queried from January 1, 1997, to January 1, 2013. Injuries were graded according to the Denver scale. Injuries, treatment, and imaging results were analyzed. BCVI healing was defined as a complete resolution of the injury. Results During the 16-year study, 582 patients sustained 829 BCVIs; there were 420 carotid artery injuries and 409 vertebral artery injuries. The majority (78%) received antithrombotic therapy. For the 296 carotid artery injuries (70%) with repeat imaging, there was complete healing of the injury in 56% of Grade I, 20% of Grade II, 5% of Grade III, and 0% of Grade IV injuries. For the 255 vertebral artery injuries (62%) with repeat imaging, there was a resolution of the injury in 56% of Grade I, 17% of Grade II, 14% of Grade III, and 3% of Grade IV injuries. For BCVIs overall, there was healing documented in 56% of Grade I, 18% of Grade II, 8% of Grade III, and 2% of Grade IV injuries. Conclusion Injury grade of BCVIs is associated with the healing rate of the injury. While approximately half of Grade I BCVIs resolved, only 7% of all high-grade injuries healed. Early repeat imaging may not be warranted in high-grade BCVI; the vast majority of injuries do not resolve. The cost, radiation, and transport risk of early repeat imaging should be weighed against the potential treatment impact for individual patients. Level of evidence Therapeutic/care management study, level IV.
THE INTERACTION PHENOTYPE IN THE DROSOPHILA WILLISTONI-SPIROPLASMA SYMBIOSIS.

Both the population and coevolutionary dynamics of hereditary male-lethal endosymbionts, found in a wide range of insect species, depend on host fitness and endosymbiont transmission rates. This paper reports on fitness effects and transmission rates in three lines of Drosophila willistoni infected with either male-lethal spiroplasmas or a spontaneous nonmale-lethal mutant. Overall fitness measures were reduced or unaffected by the infection; however, some infected females produced more offspring in early broods. Maternal transmission rates were high, but imperfect, and varied with a female's age, host line, and spiroplasma type. No evidence for paternal or horizontal transmission was found. If an altered temporal pattern of reproduction is not a factor in countering the loss of spiroplasma hosts through imperfect maternal transmission, persistence of this endoparasitism remains unexplained. Tolerance of the infection and ability to transmit bacteria varied with both host and spiroplasma line. Analysis of the interaction between the spontaneous nonmale-lethal mutant and its host suggests this symbiosis has undergone coevolution under laboratory culture.
Female Sex Pheromone of the Lesser Cornstalk Borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Heptane extracts of ovipositors from lesser cornstalk borer females were found to contain 10 compounds: 3 C14 acetates, 3 C16 acetates, 2 C14 alcohols, and 2 C16 alcohols. Field-trapping studies showed that a mixture of these 10 compounds was as effective as virgin females in luring males into traps. Tests with combinations of these 10 compounds showed that a mixture of only 4 compounds, (Z)-7-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, (Z)-ll-hexadecen-1-ol acetate, and (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol, was as effective as virgin females in causing male trap captures. Deletion of anyone of these compounds from the four-component mixture resulted in diminished male captures. Thus, male perception of the quaternary mixture is important for elicitation of behavior that results in trap capture, and the four compounds are essential components in the insect's pheromonal communications.
Accumulation and Regulation of Elastin in the Rat Uterus

The relative levels of elastin-specific mRNA were used as a measure of tropoelastin expression in uteri from pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats. The levels of elastin-specific mRNA were also correlated with values for net tropoelastin production and net deposition of mature, crosslinked elastin. The total content of uterine elastin increased throughout gestation, reaching maximal levels at Day 19 of gestation, which were three times those of nongravid tissue. Following involution, the elastin content decreased rapidly to near baseline values by 5 days postpartum. The content of soluble elastin, estimated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, paralleled in part the increase in elastin deposition and elastin mRNA levels. Uterine elastin metabolism appears to be unlike that in other elastic tissues, e.g., lung and large blood vessels. In most elastin containing tissues, the protein is synthesized during discrete developmental periods and is not readily degraded. However, uterine elastin is continuously expressed, and appears to be in a continual cycle of degradation and replacement.
Risks & Rewards: Understanding Management Influences on Employee Engagement during Mgmt Transitions

In spite of enormous changes occurring routinely within organizations and the resulting movement of managers, there is only limited research on management transitions and even less research on the ...
Comparison of birth certificates and hospital-based birth data on pregnancy complications in Los Angeles and Orange County, California.

The incidence of both gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia is on the rise; however, these pregnancy complications may not be systematically reported. This study aimed to examine differences in reporting of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes between hospital records and birth certificate data, and to determine if such differences vary by maternal socioeconomic status indicators. We obtained over 70,000 birth records from 2001 to 2006 from the perinatal research database of the Memorial Care system, a network of four hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California. Memorial birth records were matched to corresponding state birth certificate records and analyzed to determine differential rates of reporting of preeclampsia and diabetes. Additionally, the influence of maternal socioeconomic factors on the reported incidence of such adverse pregnancy outcomes was analyzed. Socioeconomic factors of interest included maternal education levels, race, and type of health insurance (private or public). It was found that the birth certificate data significantly underreported the incidence of both preeclampsia (1.38 % vs. 3.13 %) and diabetes (1.97 % vs. 5.56 %) when compared to Memorial data. For both outcomes of interest, the degree of underreporting was significantly higher among women with lower education levels, among Hispanic women compared to Non-Hispanic White women, and among women with public health insurance. The Memorial Care database is a more reliable source of information than birth certificate data for analyzing the incidence of preeclampsia and diabetes among women in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, especially for subpopulations of lower socioeconomic status.
Immediate reconstruction following mastectomy for cancer.

Several variables involved in early or immediate reconstructive breast surgery should be thoroughly discussed with the patient. These concerns include: the possibility that consideration of reconstruction would result in incomplete extirpative surgery; the possibility that the breast prosthesis would mask tumor recurrence or destroy the patient’s immune competence reaction to breast cancer; and the possibility that, should the tumor recur, the results of curative surgery would be compromised by the reconstruction.
Voltage Sensors in Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

Researchers at the National Hospital, Queen Square, London, UK, conducted automated DNA sequencing of the S4 regions of CACNA1S and SCN4A in 83 patients with hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP).
Analysis of Key Techniques for Satellite Information Supporting Maritime Sensing

Several key techniques are analysed according to the development and application of earth observing satellites.The information assurance requirement from maritime forces and military operations is emphasized.The important problems include time effect of satellite information assurance,information fusion of dissimilar sensors,satellite cooperation with other battlefield sense method,etc.The key techniques are discussed,including aircraft carrier formation-oriented information rapid reaction,task-oriented dissimilar platforms cooperating,effect-based multiple platforms cooperating policy optimization,target information fast processing,submarine detecting by remote sensing.
Ileal and jejunal conduit urinary diversion.

SUMMARY The indications for urinary diversion have changed in recent years, and it is most often required in association with radical surgery for pelvic malignancies. Many patient with lower urinary tract dysfunction can be managed satisfactorily without diversion by use of intermittent catheterization, administration of specific pharmacologic agents, and, when necessary, implantation of artificial sphincters. For patients who require urinary diversion, the ureteroileal conduit remains the standard by which other methods should be judged. If satisfactory results are to be obtained, it is clear that meticulous attention to indications, operative technique, and careful follow-up are essential. As many of these patients have other disabilities, the management of the urinary tract must be integrated with other aspects of patient care. The introduction of the colonic conduit and recently the continent types of urinary diversion represent a search for the ideal method that has yet to be achieved.
Cold induced mortality of the Burmese Python: An explanation via stochastic analysis

Abstract The Burmese python (Python bivitatus) is an invasive species, wreaking havoc on indigenous species in the Florida everglades. Data suggests an exponential growth in their population from 1995 to 2009, with a sharp decline however in 2010–2012 (Dorcas et al., 2012). In Mazzotti et al. (2011) an explanation is provided, citing the unusually cold winter that year, as the primary reason for this decline. We provide a first mathematical model, in the form of a system of stochastic differential equations, that supports the explanation in Mazzotti et al. (2011), by accurately matching the field data presented in Dorcas et al. (2012). More generally, our model provides a tool to predict the population dynamics of rapidly growing alien species, in the advent of climate change.
Feasibility studies for extracting an input function for quantitative positron emission tomography using a wrist scanner

The wrist scanner is a small radioactivity detector being developed to image arteries in the wrist for non-invasive estimation of an input function for quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) studies. A prototype four detector LSO-APD array was characterized and tested in a clinical setting. The scanner has a sensitivity of 4 cps/nCi/cc and a resolution at the arterial position of the wrist is 2.3 mm. Tomographic images of the human wrist were acquired using the MicroPET R4 scanner. These images were used to measure the tissue radioactivity interference, study partial volume effects and to estimate an image-derived input function from the radial and ulnar arteries. The metabolic rate of glucose calculated using an image derived input function from the wrist was compared to the values calculated using the invasive arterial input function. A paired two tailed t-test showed that these values did not differ at a significance level of p<0.05.
A multimodal approach to image-derived input functions for brain PET

Many methods have been proposed for generating an image-derived input function (IDIF) exclusively from PET images. The purpose of this study was to assess the viability of a multimodality approach utilizing registered MR images. 3T-MR and HRRT-PET data were acquired from human subjects. Segmentation of both the left and right carotid arteries was performed in MR images using a 3D level sets method. Vessel centerlines were extracted by parameterization of the segmented voxel coordinates with either a single polynomial curve or a B-spline curve fitted to the segmented data. These centerlines were subsequently re-registered to static PET data to maximize the accurate classification of PET voxels in the ROI. The accuracy of this approach was assessed by comparison of the area under the curve (AUC) of the IDIF to that measured from conventional automated arterial blood sampling. Our method produces curves similar in shape to that of blood sampling. The mean AUC ratio of the centerline region was 0.40±0.19 before re-registration and 0.69±0.26 after re-registration. Increasing the diameter of the carotid ROI produced a smooth reduction in AUC. Thus, even with the high resolution of the HRRT, partial volume correction is still necessary. This study suggests that the combination of PET information with MR segmented regions will demonstrate an improvement over regions based solely on MR or PET alone.
Mechanisms of Drug-Induced Hepatotoxicity

Drug-induced hepatotoxicity (DIH) is a significant cause of acute liver failure and liver transplantation. Diagnosis is challenging due to the idiosyncratic nature, its presentation in the form of other liver disease, and the lack of a definite diagnostic criteria. Generation of reactive metabolites, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction are common mechanisms involved in DIH. Certain risk factors associated with a drug and within an individual further predispose patients to DIH.
One amino acid in mouse activated factor VII defines its endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) binding and modulates its EPCR-dependent hemostatic activity in vivo.

Background Human activated Factor VII (hFVIIa), used in hemophilia treatment, binds to the endothelial Protein C (PC) receptor (EPCR) with unclear hemostatic consequences. Interestingly, mice lack the Factor VIIa (FVIIa)-EPCR interaction. Therefore, to investigate the hemostatic consequences of this interaction in hemophilia, we previously engineered a mouse FVIIa (mFVIIa) molecule that bound mouse EPCR (mEPCR) using 3 substitutions from mouse Protein C (mPC, Leu4→Phe, Leu8→Met and Trp9→Arg). The resulting molecule, mFVIIa-FMR, modeled the EPCR-binding properties of hFVIIa and showed enhanced hemostatic capacity in hemophilic mice vs. mFVIIa. These data inferred a role of EPCR in the action of hFVIIa in hemophilia treatment. However, the substitutions in mFVIIa-FMR only broadly defined the sequence determinants for its mEPCR interaction and enhanced function in vivo. Objectives Determine the individual contribution of the mPC Phe4, Met8 or Arg9 in the in vitro/in vivo properties of mFVIIa-FMR. Methods The mEPCR binding properties of single amino acid variants of mFVIIa or mPC at position 4, 8 or 9 were investigated. Results and Conclusions Phe4 in mFVIIa or mPC was solely critical for interaction with mEPCR. In hemophilic mice, administration of mFVIIa harboring a Phe4 showed a 1.9-2.5 fold increased hemostatic capacity vs. mFVIIa that was EPCR binding-dependent. This recapitulated previous observations with triple mutant mFVIIa-FMR. Since Leu8 is crucial for the human FVIIa-EPCR binding, we describe the sequence divergence of this interaction in mice, now allowing its further characterization in vivo. We also illustrate that modulation of the EPCR-FVIIa interaction may lead to improved FVIIa therapeutics. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A comparative study of real-time spaceborne synthetic aperture radar processing techniques

A review of various spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing algorithms and their associated real-time SAR processor architectures is given in this paper. The processing complexity for each real-time SAR processor is presented next. A complexity comparison is then given based on the Seasat SAR parameters. It is shown that the frequency/time domain hybrid fast correlation and the two-stage fast Fourier transform (FET) approaches are the two most cost-effective choices for real-time spaceborne SAR processing. Finally, a discussion on future development trends in real-time spaceborne SAR processing is given.
Influence of Intracranial Pressure on the Lamina Cribrosa

Glaucoma is an eye disease related with vision field loss. Although previous study has investigated the influence of intraocular pressure (IOP) on the glaucoma damage to the lamina cribrosa (LC), the intracranial pressure’s (ICP) effect on the LC has never been elucidated. The goal of this work is to determine the effect of ICP on the LC.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Crisis in Carceral City: American Correctional Services at the Cusp of the 21 st century

As other forms of institutionalisation decrease the prison is becoming increasingly identified as the central and dominant form of confinement. The punishment paradigm, with its emphasis upon increased use of prisons and greater penal austerity, has become the operative social response to reduce crime and increase public safety. The current incarceration solution for crime is comparable to approaches used in Victorian times (Simon 1993:207).
Patient Safety Organizations Are Step 1; Data Sharing Is Step 2

Patient safety organizations are a useful tool for learning, and confidentiality is appropriate to increase the amount and quality of data collected. To reach their full potential, however, patient safety organizations must aggregate their findings.
Historical Virtualization: Analog and Digital Concerns in the Recreation, Modeling and Preservation of Contemporary Piano Repertoire

Modern efforts to preserve and reinterpret canonic musical works in the contemporary piano repertoire often take advantage of new technologies, fundamentally changing core aspects of the works themselves. By approaching preservation as a form of virtualization—in this case the creation of a functional interpretative model of each musical work—artists and researchers can create robust and performable digital versions of important musical systems. This paper introduces the idea of virtualization as a compositional modeling technique and offers three case studies in which digital versions of contemporary piano repertoire were designed and developed.
Evaluation of the Effects of Waste Engine Oil on the Rheological Properties of Asphalt Binders

AbstractThis study evaluated the feasibility of using waste engine oil (WEO) to partially replace virgin asphalt binder. Two base asphalt binders (PG 64-28 and PG 76-22) were blended with three dif...
Utilizing Geo-located Sensors and Social Media for Studying Population Dynamics and Land Classification

The ability to understand where, when, and why humans move across space and time has always been essential to research areas such as urban planning, transportation, population dynamics, and emergency preparedness and response. The increasing sources of activity data is generating novel opportunities to understand human dynamics that previously was not possible; Geo-located user generated content from mobile devices and sensors allow a level of spatial and temporal granularity that could possibly answer the reasons for human movement at a high-resolution. This work discusses a broad array of research agenda in human dynamics and land use by proposing an explicit model that assists in delineating and articulating the opportunities, challenges, and limitations of using new forms of unauthoritated data, such as social media in main-stream GIS research. We study mobile phone call volume and GPS locations to characterize human activity patterns and provide inference on land use. Later, we demonstrate the ability of geo-located social media posts to provide insight on population density estimates for special events and Points of Interest detection. The chapter underpins the need to utilize new forms of data collection mechanism as well as their use to augment our understanding of human dynamics research and future application of geographical information systems.
It’s Really About Quinlan and Cruzan: Whose Life Is It, Anyway? (1981)

Any curriculum that comprises teaching withdrawal of life sustaining treatment or life support must include a discussion of the 1976 Karen Ann Quinlan case (re: Quinlan 1976), which will subsequently lead to the 1990 Nancy Cruzan case (Cruzan v. Director 1990). Whose Life Is It, Anyway?—the film adaptation of the 1979 Broadway play—is the film you need to enhance these concepts, while showing students the timeframe in which they were conceived.