cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic diseases and natural hazards: impact of disasters on diabetic, renal, and cardiac patients.

Background:Inadequately controlled chronic diseases may present a threat to life and well-being during the emergency response phase of disasters. Chronic disease exacerbations (CDE) account for one of the largest patient populations during disasters, and patients are at increased risk for adverse outcomes.Objective:The objective of this study was to assess the burden of chronic renal failure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease during disasters due to natural hazards, identify impediments to care, and propose solutions to improve the disaster preparation and management of CDE.Methods:A thorough search of the PubMed, Ovid, and Medline databases was performed. Dr. Miller's personal international experiences treating CDE after disasters due to natural hazards, such as the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, are included.Discussion:Chronic disease exacerbations comprise a sizable disease burden during disasters related to natural hazards. Surveys estimate that 25–40% of those living in the regions affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita lived with at least one chronic disease. Chronic illness accounted for 33% of visits, peaking 10 days after hurricane landfall. The international nephrology community has responded to dialysis needs by forming a well-organized and effective organization called the Renal Disaster Relief Task Force (RDRTF). The response to the needs of diabetic and cardiac patients has been less vigorous.Patients must be familiar with emergency diet and renal fluid restriction plans, possible modification of dialysis schedules and methods, and rescue treatments such as the administration of kayexalate. Facilities may consider investing in water-independent extracorporeal dialysis techniques as a rescue treatment. In addition to patient databases and medical alert identification, diabetics should maintain an emergency medical kit. Diabetic patients must be taught and practice the carbohydrate counting technique. In addition to improved planning, responding agencies and organizations must bring adequate supplies and medications to care for diabetic, cardiac, and renal patients during relief efforts.Conclusions:By recognizing and addressing impediments to the care of chronic disease exacerbations after natural disasters, the quality, delivery, and effectiveness of the care provided to diabetic patients during relief efforts can be improved.
Practical Considerations for the Use of the Pedobarograph

The pedobarograph functions as a device for the dynamic, quantitative measurement of pedal pressures. To date, little attention has been paid to various practical questions concerning its operation. For example, the number and timing of trials sufficient to provide meaningful information upon which to reliably base investigational or management decisions has yet to be addressed. Twenty volunteers were used for the measurement of pedal pressures for 15 trials during three separate sessions. Statistical analysis for the determination of MIVQUE(0) estimates and maximum likelihood estimates were used to determine the individual variability, the variability of the specific area of the foot, the daily variability, and the trial-to-trial variability. This analysis indicated that for the assessment of pedal pressures in a clinical setting, the variance factors were sufficiently minimized by obtaining multiple measurements. The improvement in the estimate of error by obtaining trials on different days was overshadowed by the potential benefit of doing extra trials on a single day. Three trials on 1 day should sufficiently reduce estimates of error for both clinical and investigational purposes.
The Effects of Feeding Antimitotic Substances to Adult Female Habrobracon (Microbracon Hebetor (Say); Hymenoptera, Braconidae)

Except at an extreme dilution of 0.0005%, colchicine proved toxic to adult Habrobracon and to trophocyte-oocyte units. Oviposition and hatchability records are presented. With 0.0005% colchicine, a compensatory type of oviposition curve was obtained in which eggs laid late in life nearly compensated for a lag during young adulthood. Completely compensatory oviposition was obtained by feeding 0.8% heparin. Egg hatchability exceeded control values significantly for the come pensatory period not only for this, but also for lower heparin dosages. These results differ from those obtained with enzyme inhibitors or antimetabolites. Altered protoplasmic viscosity is favored in explanation.
Macroergonomic Challenges in Implementation of Healthcare Information Technology

The proposed Macroergonomics and Patient Safety panel will address the particular challenges of healthcare information technology (HIT) and Patient Safety. The development of information technology in health care remains a driving force in American health care facilities, yet little human factors and systems engineering information is available to improve the implementation of HIT. Given the complexity of clinical informatics technology and the intricacy of modern medical care, human factors (HF) and macroergonomic analysis (MA) are especially important in the design, implementation, and use of various HIT. HF and MA should be used to better understand the challenge of developing multi-perspective evaluations for this technology. The panel of experts' presentations and the discussion to follow will address current research on patient safety and integration of HIT.
Membrane emulsification and solvent pervaporation processes for the continuous synthesis of functional magnetic and Janus nanobeads.

We discuss the integration of membrane emulsification and pervaporation processes for the continuous production of functional materials, such as silica-encapsulated magnetite nanoparticle clusters and asymmetric Janus nanoparticles, by the emulsion droplet solvent evaporation method, which has traditionally been performed in small-scale batch systems. An organic solvent containing primary magnetite nanoparticles (∼10 nm) coated with oleic acid was dispersed in a continuous aqueous phase by membrane emulsification, which enabled the consistent production of nanoparticle-laden solvent droplets of well-controlled size with narrow size distributions. The solvent was removed from the emulsion by pervaporation. Prior to complete solvent removal, the nanoparticle packing density within the clusters was a function of the residence time in the pervaporation unit. The final clusters formed, ∼100–300 nm in size, exhibited the same superparamagnetic behavior as the primary nanoparticles, and were stable in aqueous me...
Rapid and high yield synthesis method of colloidal nano faujasite

Abstract Conventional synthesis methods of isolated, colloidal nano faujasites (nanoFAU) have been limited by low yield (typically 2 O: 2.40 (TMA) 2 O(2OH): 1.2 (TMA) 2 O(2Br): 4.35 SiO 2 : 1.0 Al 2 O 3 : 249 H 2 O, TMA + is tetramethylammonium). Using this composition in a hydrothermal process, nanoFAU with 5% yield is obtained in 96 h. With microwave heating for 4 h, micron-sized zeolite A crystals and nanoFAU are formed with yields of 13% and 7%, respectively. With DRHT, nanoFAU of Si/Al ratio 2.23 is formed in 20 h with yield of 7%. It has been reported that supernatant of composition A after the hydrothermal process can be cycled with mid-synthesis addition of NaOH, resulting in yield of nanoFAU of 43% in 10 cycles in 576 h. A synthesis protocol involving 29 h of continuous DRHT process with mid-synthesis addition of NaOH over 6 cycles produced nanoFAU with a yield of 93%, average particle size of 29 ± 7 nm, as measured by TEM, a Si/Al ratio of 1.76, and surface area of 625 m 2 /g. Practical implications, like cost and TMA + removal for the reported synthesis method is also included.
Side effects after laser photocoagulation for retinopathy of prematurity and their risk factors

Objective To study the variety,appearing time and risk factors of side effects after laser photocoagulation for retinopathy of prematurity(ROP)infants and to provide basis for effectively preventing the side effects.Methods 64ROP infants with stage 3threshold lesion were selected and divided into side effect group(n=26)and non-side effect group(n=38)according to whether any side effects such as apnea,necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC),sepsis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage accompanied.The WBC,Hgb,PLT,CRP level,screening times,laser points,weight,corrected gestational age and anaesthesia style were compared between two groups.Results 38(59.4%) infants had no side effect after laser photocoagulation,but 26(40.6%) infants had side effects including NEC(53.8%),apnea(23.1%),sepsis(15.4%) and gastrointestinal hemorrhage(7.7%);the side effects appeared on the(3.05±1.95) d after photocoagulation.The WBC,Hgb,PLT,CRP level,laser points and corrected gestational age had no significant difference between two groups(P0.05).However,the screening times in side effect group were more than that in non-side effect group(P0.05) and the weight was less than in non-side effect group(P0.05).The rate of general anesthesia in non-side effect group(26.3%) was higher than that in side effect group(15.4%)(P0.05).Conclusion Apnea,necrotizing enterocolitis,sepsis and gastrointestinal hemorrhage are the most common side effects after laser photocoagulation.More screen times and less weight are the risk factors of side effects.General anesthesia could help decrease the side effect of laser photocoagulation.
The Exercise Test as a Guide to Management and Prognosis

The exercise stress test is one of the most useful procedures available in the management of ischemic heart disease. It can provide a good deal of information, in addition to ST segment changes, for the clinician to interpret. Analysis of test results allows more accurate diagnosis, estimation of the severity of disease, and establishment of prognosis.
Osteolipoma: radiological, pathological, and cytogenetic analysis of three cases

Osteolipoma is a rare variant of lipoma consisting of mature adipose tissue and mature lamellar bone. The presence of non-fatty elements may lead to a wide differential diagnosis on radiology including benign and malignant lipomatous and nonlipomatous entities. The pathological diagnosis is also confounded by the presence of heterologous differentiation. Fortunately, most lipomas harbor classic cytogenetic aberrations, and the finding of translocations involving 12q13-15 may aid in the correct diagnosis. We report three cases of osteolipoma with radiological, histological, and cytogenetic correlation.
BIMAAPC3, a component of the Aspergillus anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome, is required for a G2 checkpoint blocking entry into mitosis in the absence of NIMA function

Temperature sensitive (ts) nimA mutants of Aspergillus nidulans arrest at a unique point in G2 which is post activation of CDC2. Here we show that this G2 arrest is due to loss of nimA function and that it is dependent on BIMAAPC3, a component of the anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C). Whereas nimA single mutants arrested in G2 with decondensed chromatin and interphase microtubule arrays, nimA, bimAAPC3 double mutants arrested growth with condensed chromatin and aster-like microtubule arrays. nimA, bimAAPC3 double mutants entered mitosis with kinetics similar to bimAAPC3 single mutants and wild-type cells, indicating a checkpoint-like role for BIMAAPC3 in G2. Even cells which had been depleted for NIMA protein and which contained insignificant levels of NIMA kinase activity entered mitosis on inactivation of bimAAPC3. BIMAAPC3 was present in a >25S complex containing BIMEAPC1, and bimAAPC3 mutants were sensitive to elevated CYCLIN B expression, consistent with BIMAAPC3 being a component of the APC/C. Inactivation of bimAAPC3 had little affect on the steady state levels of the B-type cyclin, NIMECyclin B. Our results indicate that BIMAAPC3, and most likely the APC/C itself, is activated in G2 in nimA mutants. We propose that APC/C activation is part of a novel, late G2 checkpoint, which responds to a defective process or structure in nimA mutants, and which prevents inappropriate entry into mitosis.
The Quest for Objectivity: Secondary Qualities and Aesthetic Qualities

Etude du relativisme et de l'objectivite presumee des jugements esthetiques, a travers l'analyse des attributions de la couleur comme normes de l'objectivite chez F. Sibley. Adoptant le point de vue commun sur les concepts esthetiques selon lequel: 1) ceux-ci sont premierement descriptifs, 2) ne necessitent pas de conditions d'application, 3) designent des qualites perceptibles, l'A. examine certaines differences entre le langage esthetique et le langage de la couleur, d'une part, et definit les formes de relativisme (perceptuel, de la valeur) qui peuvent affecter les jugements esthetiques sans toutefois conclure a leur non-objectivite, d'autre part. Avancant la these relativiste liee a la variabilite de la preference du paradigme, l'A. conclut a l'abandon de l'objectivisme au profit du subjectivisme
Design with Nature: Ian McHarg’s ecological wisdom as actionable and practical knowledge

Abstract Ian McHarg’s influential book Design with Nature (1969) synthesizes and generalizes his ecological wisdom in informing landscape planning and design. In this paper, we suggest that his design process leads to the expression and application of his ecological wisdom as actionable and practical knowledge. Key features of his design process include: (1) multidiscipline integration to provide holistic design strategies, (2) ability to tackle wicked design problems residing in a wide range of scales, and (3) targeting landscape performance in a quantitative manner. We review the development of McHarg’s ecological wisdom in the context of his education, teaching, and practice, as well as the influence from scientific theories of Charles Darwin and Lawrence Henderson. Then, we illustrate McHarg’s design process using The Woodlands, Texas, a 117-km 2 town development that McHarg considered to be the most ecologically based in the United States in the 1970s. Four decades of empirical examinations reveal the outstanding performance of The Woodlands, highlighting the credibility of McHarg’s ecological wisdom. Compared with adjacent Houston communities, The Woodlands shows significantly less stormwater runoff during 100-year storms, substantially lower pollutant loadings (e.g., NO 3 –N, NH 3 –N, and TP), lower levels of forest fragmentation, an average of 2 °C lower land surface temperature, and higher walkability and pedestrian access to open space. We conclude that McHarg’s design process fosters the application of his ecological wisdom in an actionable and practical manner in The Woodlands case.
Rapid Recall Ability of Memory T cells is Encoded in their Epigenome

Even though T-cell receptor (TCR) stimulation together with co-stimulation is sufficient for the activation of both naive and memory T cells, the memory cells are capable of producing lineage specific cytokines much more rapidly than the naive cells. The mechanisms behind this rapid recall response of the memory cells are still not completely understood. Here, we performed epigenetic profiling of human resting naive, central and effector memory T cells using ChIP-Seq and found that unlike the naive cells, the regulatory elements of the cytokine genes in the memory T cells are marked by activating histone modifications even in the resting state. Therefore, the ability to induce expression of rapid recall genes upon activation is associated with the deposition of positive histone modifications during memory T cell differentiation. We propose a model of T cell memory, in which immunological memory state is encoded epigenetically, through poising and transcriptional memory.
Self-Perceptions of Plus-Size Consumers and the Effect on Fashion and Fit Preferences

Fifty-four percent of the US female population have been defined as being overweight, obese or extremely obese (Mintel Group, 2013). The apparel industry has taken some initiative to provide clothing for women of large sizes through retailers such as Ashley Stewart and Lane Bryant. There continues to be some inconsistencies in current apparel offerings specific to the lack of variation in body shape. This pilot study was conducted to analyze the self-perceived fashion and fit preferences of plus-size females in relation to current retail offerings. Statistics showed a significant relationship among participant-perceived body shape and figure type. A statistical significance was also seen among body size and the level of comfort with the waist. Fifty-two percent of all participants acknowledged that they were uncomfortable with their waist. When offered a visual image, the majority of the participants would choose fashion over fit, however when approached logically, fit was more preferred.
Abstract W P105: Lipopolysaccharide Exacerbates Stroke Severity and Compromises Mitochondrial Function in Cerebral Endothelium

Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S, with many cases leading to severe disabilities. Statistics reports present that more than 40% of ischemic stroke patients have recent prior infections. Acute infections initiate rapid inflammation and can be a trigger for acute ischemic stroke in people. Ischemia-reperfusion injury following ischemic stroke induces blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown, hyperpermeability and brain edema. Cerebral vascular endothelial cells (CVEC) lining the BBB play a key role in fluid leakage into the brain tissue. The expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4, specific for bacteria-sourced lipopolysaccharide, LPS) on CVEC implicates that acute bacterial infections may directly target CVEC and regulate BBB permeability and integrity. High mitochondrial contents in BBB capillaries suggest mitochondrial mechanisms are important to maintain BBB integrity. In order to test the hypothesis that bacterial infections regulate BBB permeability via mitochondrial mechanisms in stroke, we designed a series of studies both in vivo and in vitro. First, we used LPS challenged mice, then evaluated stroke outcomes including: infarct size, neurological deficits, BBB permeability and infiltration of neutrophils in the brain after transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Second, we treated cultured CVEC with various concentrations of LPS and evaluated their mitochondrial function. Third, we impaired mitochondrial function in CVEC and investigated the BBB permeability in vitro. Our results demonstrated that LPS (100ug/kg) prior to tMCAO administration significantly exacerbates stroke infarct volume, BBB permeability and neutrophil infiltration in the brain, and worsens neurological deficits in murine experimental stroke in vivo. In vitro, LPS significantly impaired mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and decreased maximal respiration and spare capacity in CVEC. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of mitochondria respiration disrupted tight junctions in CVEC monolayers and increased CVEC monolayer permeability in vitro. These data are particularly important because they suggest a novel mitochondrial mechanism of the interactions between stroke and infections on BBB integrity.
Invertebrates and the Study of Learning and Memory Mechanisms

If it were possible for each of us to fabricate an experimental subject best suited for our particular research interests, the result would be a bizarre array of specimens. For one of my own research projects, for instance, I would stipulate that my specimens have only one sensory modality, which would avoid sensory interaction problems and allow easier control of unwanted influences in the experimental situation. The central nervous system would be anatomically and functionally differentiated, easily accessible, and the entire system encased in a tight-fitting bony shell to allow the chronic implantation of electrodes at any point. The effector side would be quite simple—one rigid leg to stand on so as to limit movement and one arm with enough torque to depress a lever. It would also be necessary that the beast be furless, since I have a particular affection for furred animals, and that it be unable to vocalize or exhibit other signs of discomfort when in pain.
An efficient ATMS for equivalence relations

We introduce a specialized ATMS for efficiently computing equivalence relations in multiple contexts. This specialized ATMS overcomes the problems with existing solutions to reasoning with equivalence relations. The most direct implementation of an equivalence relation in the ATMS—encoding the reflexive, transitive and symmetric rules in the consumer architecture— produces redundant equality derivations and requires Θ(n3) label update attempts (where n is the number of terms in an equivalence class). An alternative implementation is one that employs simple equivalence classes. However, this solution is unacceptable, since the number of classes grows exponentially with the number of distinct assumptions. The specialized ATMS presented here produces no redundant equality derivations, requires only Θ(n2) label update attempts, and is most efficient when there are many distinct assumptions. This is achieved by exploiting a special relationship that holds among the labels of the equality assertions because of transitivity. The standard dependency structure construction and traversal is replaced by a single pass over each label in a weaker kind of equivalence class. The specialized ATMS has been implemented as part of the logic programming language FORLOG.
DIURNAL VARIATION OF SURFACE PHYTOPLANKTON IN THE PATUXENT RIVER

Abstract Data were taken at two-hour intervals over a 24-hour period at a station near the mouth of the Patuxent River, a sub-estuary of the Chesapeake Bay. This station was occupied on July 13-14, 1983 and the sequence was repeated on June 25-26, 1984 with similar results. Measurements of surface beam transmittance indicated a diurnal variation with a minimum occuring at about 1800 and a maximum after midnight. The late afternoon transmittance was about half that during nighttime. Optical measurements were correlated with concentration of suspended particles, and changes in the size distribution of the suspended material were associated with changes in transparency. Through the use of optical measurements, particle counts, chlorophyll α measurements, and phytoplankton analyses, we determined that phytoplankton populations are probably changing by at least an order of magnitide over each diurnal cycle. Examination of tidal movement and the entire water column led us to conclude that these daily variations were due to grazing, and were not associated with horizontal advection or sinking. A mathematical model using a bimodal grazing pattern coupled with an exponential solar-controlled growth rate fitted the data reasonably well.
Exercise, Fitness, and Cancer Outcomes

Abstract This chapter focuses on physical activity and exercise among cancer patients. Physical inactivity and poor fitness level are known to have multiple deleterious effects in healthy individuals, and there are data for similar effects among cancer patients. The prognostic value that poor baseline cardiorespiratory fitness/exercise and obesity have on the future risk of developing cancer is discussed. Additionally, there are extensive data on the impact of exercise on outcomes with several different types of cancer that include breast cancer, prostate cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung and gynecologic malignancies. We discuss the safety of exercise in this patient population and the beneficial impact that exercise imparts on this group of patients.
Second Opinions from the Perspective of the Patient and the Physician

Guidelines are discussed to assist patients in obtaining second opinions when contemplating a neurosurgical procedure and guidelines are given for physicians in providing a second opinion.
Androgens and depression: a review and update.

Purpose of reviewThe aim of this study is to summarize recently published literature examining androgens and depression.Recent findingsThe impact of androgen levels, androgen replacement therapy and pharmacologic androgen deprivation on depression and depressive symptoms remain active areas of inves
Innovations in Monitoring With Water-Quality Sensors With Case Studies on Floods, Hurricanes, and Harmful Algal Blooms

Abstract High-temporal frequency monitoring with in situ water-quality sensors was made possible by innovations in four major areas of science and technology: (1) the instrument revolution in chemistry that led to the development of water-quality sensors; (2) digital electronic data devices to record, store, and satellite systems to transmit data to monitoring organizations; (3) computerized databases and software systems with which to store, manage, and retrieve data; and (4) the Internet to deliver and disseminate data in a timely manner. The first water-quality monitors measuring two parameters were installed in 1955 on the Delaware River estuary. Sensors and digital electronic data storage devices quickly evolved so that by 1966 as many as 10-continuous variables could be measured and their analog signals could be digitally recorded and then machine processed for computer entry. In 1971, the first national computer system for input, management, storage, and retrieval of continuous data came into use. In 1975, geostationary satellites began to continuously receive sensor readings from data-collection platforms and transmit those readings to ground stations from which data were relayed to computerized databases. By 1994, water-quality sensor data became available over the Internet within 4 h or less of data collection. In 2018, continuous water-quality data are used to support all important water uses that rely on quality as well as fundamental research in earth system science.
Lunar soil simulants alter macrophage survival and function

Lunar regolith samples collected during previous Apollo missions were found to contain components that were established to be toxic to humans; however, the health effects due to inhalation of lunar soil as a whole are still unknown. Macrophages residing in the alveolar sacs of the lungs constitute one of the last lines of defense against inhaled particulates before entry into the bloodstream. Here, we examine the macrophage response to lunar simulants that are similar in chemical composition to the lunar regolith. We assess cytotoxicity, cellular morphology, phagocytosis of simulants and expression of inflammatory markers. Overall, the exposure of macrophages to lunar simulants results in moderate cytotoxicity and marked alteration of cell morphology and uptake of the simulants. Interestingly, simulant exposure decreased proinflammatory gene expression, but may induce an anti-inflammatory phenotype in the cells. These results illustrate that although macrophages phagocytose lunar simulants as a protective response, the simulants do induce a degree of macrophage cell death. Our study reveals some toxicity associated with lunar simulants and supports further evaluation of the inhalation of lunar regolith to understand the risks of exposure fully.
Computational estimates of mechanical constraints on cell migration through extracellular matrix

Abstract Cell migration through a three-dimensional (3D) extracellular matrix (ECM) underlies important physiological phenomena and is based on a variety of mechanical strategies depending on the cell type and the properties of the ECM. By using computer simulations, we investigate two such migration mechanisms – ‘push-pull’ (forming a finger-like protrusion, adhering to an ECM node, and pulling the cell body forward) and ‘rear-squeezing’ (pushing the cell body through the ECM by contracting the cell cortex and ECM at the cell rear). We present a computational model that accounts for both elastic deformation and forces of the ECM, an active cell cortex and nucleus, and for hydrodynamic forces and flow of the extracellular fluid, cytoplasm and nucleoplasm. We find that relations between three mechanical parameters – the cortex’s contractile force, nuclear elasticity and ECM rigidity – determine the effectiveness of cell migration through the dense ECM. The cell can migrate persistently even if its cortical contraction cannot deform a near-rigid ECM, but then the contraction of the cortex has to be able to sufficiently deform the nucleus. The cell can also migrate even if it fails to deform a stiff nucleus, but then it has to be able to sufficiently deform the ECM. Simulation results show that nuclear stiffness limits the cell migration more than the ECM rigidity. Simulations of the rear-squeezing mechanism of motility results in more robust migration with larger cell displacements than those with the push-pull mechanism over a range of parameter values. Author summary Computational simulations of models representing two different mechanisms of 3D cell migration in an extracellular matrix are presented. One mechanism represents a mesenchymal mode, characterized by finger-like actin protrusions, while the second mode is more amoeboid in that rear contraction of the cortex propels the cell forward. In both mechanisms, the cell generates a thin actin protrusion on the cortex that attaches to an ECM node. The cell is then either pulled (mesenchymal) or pushed (amoeboid) forward. Results show both mechanisms result in successful migration over a range of simulated parameter values as long as the contractile tension of the cortex exceeds either the nuclear stiffness or ECM stiffness, but not necessarily both. However, the distance traveled by the amoeboid migration mode is more robust to changes in parameter values, and is larger than in simulations of the mesenchymal mode. Additionally cells experience a favorable fluid pressure gradient when migrating in the amoeboid mode, and an adverse fluid pressure gradient in the mesenchymal mode.
Differential expression of PHACTR1 in atheromatous versus normal carotid artery tissue

Variation in the phosphatase and actin regulator-1 (PHACTR1) gene, a downstream regulator of the endothelin-1 (EDN1) gene, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several related vascular phenotypes including atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, non-atherosclerotic coronary artery dissection, and carotid artery dissection, though it has not been studied in carotid atherosclerosis. We analyzed differential expression of PHACTR1 and EDN1 between atheromatous and non-atheromatous carotid artery tissue within the same individual and found lower levels of PHACTR1 expression in the atheromatous carotid tissue.
Influence of Chinese eye exercises on myopia control in an East Asian population: a meta-analysis

Abstract Objective The rates of myopia (−0.50 diopter), and high myopia (≥ −6.0 diopter) have been increasing in East Asian populations; the reasons for which may include the combinations of genetic, environment and behavioural factors. The most affected demography point to the young elite population of intellectuals produced from universities. Of the several recommendations to address the myopia epidemic, the influence of Chinese eye exercises (CEE) have been examined. However, reports have been inconsistent, prompting a meta-analysis to obtain more precise estimates. Methods Eight articles were included in the meta-analysis where we operated on the hypothesis that CEE either increased or reduced myopia control. We compared the subjects that performed CEE against those that did not. We used and estimated odds ratios [ORs] and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using the generic inverse variance method. Subgroup analysis involved quality (high/serious and low/non-serious) and frequency (> 5 times/week) of performing CEE comprised. Heterogeneity was subjected to outlier treatment which split the findings into pre- (PRO) and post- (PSO) outlier. The strength of evidence in our findings were based on high significance (Pa Results Our core findings were found in the PSO overall indicating elevated myopia control (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.61-0.86, Pa = 0.0002) and CEE subgroups (Serious: OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.68-0.84, Pa Conclusions This meta-analysis found that CEE afforded 28% greater control of myopia. Enabled by outlier treatment, this finding was homogeneous and consistent. Subgroup effects elevated myopia control to 62% when CEE was done up to 5 times a week. Improper CEE performance implied reduced myopia control of up to 57%.
Analysis on function of the humoral immunity in patients with hand ,foot and mouth disease in acute stage

Objective To investigate the humoral immune function status of children with hand,foot and mouth disease(HFMD) in acute stage,and discuss the relation between the onset and severity of illness.Methods The data of 668 children who were diagnosed as HFMD in Hangzhou Children's Hospital from April 2010 to March 2011 were recruited in the study.According to the severity of illness,the patients were divided into 2 groups:the severe case group (with encephalitis,n=140) and the mild case group (without encephalitis,n=528),and 140 cases of children with other diseases as controls in the same period.The comparisons between groups of ages and groups of severity disease into the levels of serum globulin,IgG,IgM,IgA,C3 and C4,which were measured by immunoturbidimetric assay were studied.Results The median levels of globulin,IgG,IgA,IgM,C3 and C4 in severe case group were 24.95,7.91,0.50,1.51,1.19 and 0.41 g/L,and there were significant differences observed among 3 groups (x2=28.213,18.884,6.954,26.157,47.117 and 14.136;P all＜0.05).Compared with the mild group,all the observed values in severe case group were higher(Z=-3.481,-3.627,-2.670,-3.915,-2.800,-3.048;P all＜0.05).In the children who were under 2 years old,the level ofIgG in the severe case group was(7.80±4.21) g/L,and was higher than the mild case group (t=-2.196,P＜0.05).While in the children who were 2-6 years old,the levels of serum globulin,IgG,IgM,C3 and C4 in the severe case group were (27.75±4.91),(9.69 ±3.57),(1.84±0.63),(1.24±0.18),(0.43±0.09)g/L respectively,and all higher than the mild case group (t =-3.626,-2.897,-3.674,-2.337,-3.098 ;P all＜0.05).Conclusions The severe HFMD cases especially who are more than 2 years old have the hyperimmunefunction with the higher levels of globulin,IgG,IgM,C3 and C4.The humoral immune level is associated with disease severity. Key words: Hand, foot and mouth disease; Humoral immune function; Immunoglobulin; Complement
Performing nationalist populism in Turkey: an exploration of anti-Western, anti-elite and Muslim conservative undercurrents

The growing body of research on populism has recently turned its attention towards global populisms, populist leaders and their political communication strategies. This article introduces a non-wes...
A Spectral Clustering Approach for the Classification of Waveform Anomalies in High-Dimensional Brain Signals

Transient electrophysiological anomalies in the human brain have been associated with neurological disorders such as epilepsy, may signal impending adverse events (e.g, seizurse), or may reflect the effects of a stressor, such as insufficient sleep. These, typically brief, high-frequency and heterogeneous signal anomalies remain poorly understood, particularly at long time scales, and their morphology and variability have not been systematically characterized. In continuous neural recordings, their inherent sparsity, short duration and low amplitude makes their detection and classification difficult. In turn, this limits their evaluation as potential biomarkers of abnormal neurodynamic processes (e.g., ictogenesis) and predictors of impending adverse events. A novel algorithm is presented that leverages the inherent sparsity of high-frequency abnormalities in neural signals recorded at the scalp and uses spectral clustering to classify them in very high-dimensional signals spanning several days. It is shown that estimated clusters vary dynamically with time and their distribution changes substantially both as a function of time and space.
Internet Use and Resilience in Adolescents: A Systematic Review:

Objectives:The purpose of this systematic review is to examine ways a resilience framework might inform social workers’ understanding about how to mitigate risks for youth who use Internet and Comm...
Electron Bubbles in Superfluid $$^3$$ 3 He-A: Exploring the Quasiparticle–Ion Interaction

When an electron is forced into liquid $$^3$$ He, it forms an “electron bubble”, a heavy ion with radius, $$R\simeq 1.5$$ nm, and mass, $$M\simeq 100\,m_3$$ , where $$m_3$$ is the mass of a $$^3$$ He atom. These negative ions have proven to be powerful local probes of the physical properties of the host quantum fluid, especially the excitation spectra of the superfluid phases. We recently developed a theory for Bogoliubov quasiparticles scattering off electron bubbles embedded in a chiral superfluid that provides a detailed understanding of the spectrum of Weyl Fermions bound to the negative ion, as well as a theory for the forces on moving electron bubbles in superfluid $$^3$$ He-A (Shevtsov and Sauls in Phys Rev B 94:064511, 2016). This theory is shown to provide quantitative agreement with measurements reported by the RIKEN group (Ikegami et al. in Science 341(6141):59, 2013) for the drag force and anomalous Hall effect of moving electron bubbles in superfluid $$^3$$ He-A. In this report, we discuss the sensitivity of the forces on the moving ion to the effective interaction between normal-state quasiparticles and the ion. We consider models for the quasiparticle–ion (QP–ion) interaction, including the hard-sphere potential, constrained random-phase-shifts, and interactions with short-range repulsion and intermediate-range attraction. Our results show that the transverse force responsible for the anomalous Hall effect is particularly sensitive to the structure of the QP–ion potential and that strong short-range repulsion, captured by the hard-sphere potential, provides an accurate model for computing the forces acting on the moving electron bubble in superfluid $$^{3}$$ He-A.
Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade normalizes coronary resistance in obese swine independent of functional alterations in Kv channels

Impaired coronary microvascular function (e.g., reduced dilation and coronary flow reserve) predicts cardiac mortality in obesity, yet underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies remain poorly understood. Mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonism improves coronary microvascular function in obese humans and animals. Whether MR blockade improves in vivo regulation of coronary flow, a process involving voltage-dependent K+ (Kv) channel activation, or reduces coronary structural remodeling in obesity is unclear. Thus, the goals of this investigation were to determine the effects of obesity on coronary responsiveness to reductions in arterial PO2 and potential involvement of Kv channels and whether the benefit of MR blockade involves improved coronary Kv function or altered passive structural properties of the coronary microcirculation. Hypoxemia increased coronary blood flow similarly in lean and obese swine; however, baseline coronary vascular resistance was significantly higher in obese swine. Inhibition of Kv channels reduced coronary blood flow and augmented coronary resistance under baseline conditions in lean but not obese swine and had no impact on hypoxemic coronary vasodilation. Chronic MR inhibition in obese swine normalized baseline coronary resistance, did not influence hypoxemic coronary vasodilation, and did not restore coronary Kv function (assessed in vivo, ex vivo, and via patch clamping). Lastly, MR blockade prevented obesity-associated coronary arteriolar stiffening independent of cardiac capillary density and changes in cardiac function. These data indicate that chronic MR inhibition prevents increased coronary resistance in obesity independent of Kv channel function and is associated with mitigation of obesity-mediated coronary arteriolar stiffening.
Inflammation resolution circuits are uncoupled in acute sepsis and correlate with clinical severity

Sepsis is a critical illness characterized by dysregulated inflammatory responses lacking counter-regulation. Specialized proresolving mediators are agonists for antiinflammation and for promoting resolution, and they are protective in preclinical sepsis models. Here, in human sepsis, we mapped resolution circuits for the specialized proresolving mediators resolvin D1 and resolvin D2 in peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes, their regulation of leukocyte activation and function ex vivo, and their relationships to measures of clinical severity. Neutrophils and monocytes were isolated from healthy subjects and patients with sepsis by inertial microfluidics and resolvin D1 and resolvin D2 receptor expression determined by flow cytometry. The impact of these resolvins on leukocyte activation was determined by isodielectric separation and leukocyte function by stimulated phagolysosome formation. Leukocyte proresolving receptor expression was significantly higher in sepsis. In nanomolar concentrations, resolvin D1 and resolvin D2 partially reversed sepsis-induced changes in leukocyte activation and function. Principal component analyses of leukocyte resolvin receptor expression and responses differentiated sepsis from health and were associated with measures of sepsis severity. These findings indicate that resolvin D1 and resolvin D2 signaling for antiinflammation and resolution are uncoupled from leukocyte activation in early sepsis and suggest that indicators of diminished resolution signaling correlate with clinical disease severity.
Volunteer police: History, benefits, costs and current descriptions

People in free societies are best governed when members of the community take active participation in the oversight of the community. One mechanism for participation in such oversight is volunteer police. Volunteer police have been part of western policing since the inception of the concept of police, and the practice currently continues. Of benefit to police organizations, modern volunteer police provide financial, personnel and strategic benefits to police agencies. The communities policed benefit from having greater community participation in the policing process. Those who volunteer, as auxiliary or reserve police officers or sheriff’s deputies, gain from the participation as well. And the world of security can benefit from having members volunteering with police agencies. After presenting a discussion on such benefits, this article discusses the potential costs and problems of volunteer police. It continues with data on national estimates of volunteer police in the United States, in addition to a more detailed presentation of volunteer police policies and data from a single state and data from single local agency within that state. It also suggests future research needs.
Spatial–Temporal Queuing Theoretic Modeling of Opportunistic Multihop Wireless Networks With and Without Cooperation

In this paper, we characterize the average end-to-end delay in an opportunistic multihop secondary cognitive radio network overlaid with a primary multihop network. The nodes in both networks use a random medium access control scheme with exponentially distributed backoff. We first model the network as a two-class priority queuing network and use queuing theoretic approximation techniques to obtain a set of relations involving the mean and second moments of the interarrival and service times of packets at a secondary node. Then, applying these parameters to an equivalent open single-class G/G/1-queuing network, we obtain expressions for the average end-to-end delay of a packet in the secondary network using a diffusion approximation. Next, we extend the analysis to a case where secondary nodes cooperatively relay primary packets to improve their own transmission opportunities. The mathematical results are validated against extensive simulations.
Electromagnetic source reconstruction by reversed-TLM method

Classical methods for source synthesis are iterative, time consuming and not always adapted to the desired problem. In this paper we present a new method of electromagnetic source synthesis based on the time reversal technique. This approach employs the Reversed-TLM method and permits the reconstruction of an unknown source distribution, from its electromagnetic far-field radiation. Point-like source reconstruction results show that by using this method, the "classical" half-wavelength resolution limit is overcome.
On restrictions of modular spin representations of symmetric and alternating groups

Let F be an algebraically closed field of characteristic p and H be an almost simple group or a central extension of an almost simple group. An important problem in representation theory is to classify the subgroups G of H and FH-modules V such that the restriction V↓ G is irreducible. For example, this problem is a natural part of the program of describing maximal subgroups in finite classical groups. In this paper we investigate the case of the problem where H is the Schur's double cover Ă n or S n .
Democracy in America: Labour Mobility, Ideology, and Constitutional Reform

Constitutional democracy in the United States emerged slowly through a longer series of constitutional reforms than most lawyers, economists, and political scientists appreciate. The first major reform was adopted in 1619, and reforms continued for the next three centuries. No evolutions or revolutionary threats were necessary or evident during most of the transition to constitutional democracy with universal adult suffrage. As in Europe, legislative authority gradually increased, wealth-based suffrage laws were gradually eliminated, the secret ballot was introduced, and the power of elected officials increased. This paper suggests that a theory of constitutional exchange grounded in rational choice models provides a good explanation for the distinctive features of American constitutional history, as it does for much of the West, although it does less well at explaining the timing of some reforms.
Penetrative convection in sublayer of water including density inversion

Numerical solutions of stability and convective flow in an infinite horizontal water layer, including density inversion, have been obtained using a finite element code. The evolution of the temperature field and flow pattern near the onset of convection are studied in detail. It is known that natural convection develops primarily in the lower unstably stratified layer. Of interest is the penetration of the convection rolls into the upper stably stratified layer and concurrent liquid entrainment as a function of the increasing Rayleigh number at different aspect ratios. Individual convection rolls may grow and expand before splitting up into two roll cells. It is shown that changing the aspect ratio influences critical Rayleigh number, flow symmetry, flow pattern, and transitions between flow patterns. Numerical results on heating from above or from below, agree well with available results in the literature. A correlation to predict critical Rayleigh numbers is given for the case of heating from above.