cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vattikuti Institute Prostatectomy: Contemporary Technique and Analysis of Results

Abstract Objectives Contemporary techniques of radical prostatectomy achieve excellent oncologic outcomes; erectile dysfunction is the most common adverse effect. We have modified our technique of robotic radical prostatectomy (Vattikuti Institute prostatectomy [VIP]) in an attempt to minimize decrease of erectile function while maintaining the excellent oncologic outcomes achieved by the radical retropubic prostatectomy. We present our current technique of VIP with preservation of the lateral prostatic fascia ("veil of Aphrodite"). Methods A total of 2652 patients with localized carcinoma prostate underwent VIP. The salient features of our current technique are early transection of the bladder neck, preservation of the prostatic fascia, and control of the dorsal vein complex after dissection of the prostatic apex. Oncologic and functional outcomes were obtained through a questionnaire collected by a third party not involved in patient care. Results Complete follow-up information was obtained in 1142 patients with a minimum follow-up of 12 mo (range: 12–66 mo; median: 36 mo). The actuarial 5-yr biochemical recurrence rate was 8.4% and the actual biochemical recurrence rate was 2.3%. Median duration of incontinence was 4 wk; 0.8% patients had total incontinence at 12 mo. The intercourse rate was 93% in men with no preoperative erectile dysfunction undergoing veil nerve-sparing surgery, although only 51% returned to baseline function. Conclusions VIP with veil nerve sparing offers oncologic and continence results that are comparable to the results of conventional nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy. Early potency results are encouraging.
Rapid expansion of natural gas development poses a threat to surface waters

Extraction of natural gas from hard-to-reach reservoirs has expanded around the world and poses multiple environmental threats to surface waters. Improved drilling and extraction technology used to access low permeability natural gas requires millions of liters of water and a suite of chemicals that may be toxic to aquatic biota. There is growing concern among the scientific community and the general public that rapid and extensive natural gas development in the US could lead to degradation of natural resources. Gas wells are often close to surface waters that could be impacted by elevated sediment runoff from pipelines and roads, alteration of streamflow as a result of water extraction, and contamination from introduced chemicals or the resulting wastewater. However, the data required to fully understand these potential threats are currently lacking. Scientists therefore need to study the changes in ecosystem structure and function caused by natural gas extraction and to use such data to inform sound environmental policy.
Cadmium in northeast Pacific waters 1

Northeast Pacific water was collected by five different methods and the Cd in it was preconcentrated by both chelex-ion exchange and chelation-organic extraction techniques. All sampling and preconcentnation methods yielded essentially the same data. Cadmium was very significantly correlated with phosphate and nitrate at all depths and it appears that the resulting equations, ng Cd* liter-’ = -3.6 + 34.9 (Mmol PO,. liter-‘) and ng Cd. liter-l = 5.1 + 2.45 (pmol NOR-liter-‘), can be used to predict oceanic Cd values. Cadmium concentrations are lowest in nutrient-depleted surface waters (4.5 5 0.4 ng*liter-‘) and greatest (125 ng Cd. liter-‘) at the depths of the PO., and NOs maxima. Hence, Cd has one of the highest deep enrichment:surface depletion ratios (~30) yet observed. Cadmium and phosphorus are also correlated in microplankton, and it is apparent that these organisms and their organic remains are a dominant factor in the biogeochemical cycling of this element.
“First Among Equals”: Abraham Lincoln's Reputation During His Administration – By Hans L. Trefousse

Few figures in American memory either command the reverence or approach the stature of Abraham Lincoln. Positioned at the epicenter of America's epic struggle, his unique place among the nation's l...
Successful Remission Rates and Survival after Lymphodepleting Chemotherapy and Donor Lymphocyte Infusion for Relapsed Hematologic Malignancies Postallogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

Few therapeutic strategies exist for hematologic malignancies relapsing post allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. We present outcomes on 35 patients with nonchronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) hematologic malignancies, the majority having acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndromes/myeloproliferative disorders (MDS/MPD) (n = 22) receiving lymphodepleting chemotherapy followed by donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) at 2 T cell dose levels (0.5 and 1.0 × 108 CD3/kg). Forty-nine percent of patients achieved complete remission (CR), with a median duration of remission of 6 months (range: 2-71+). CR rates were similar between the 2 groups. The incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) of any grade was 49%. We saw a higher incidence of grade II-IV aGVHD, with a rate of 66% using the higher-dose DLI (grade III, 33% and grade 4, 20%) versus only 25% (10% grade III-IV) with the lower-dose DLI (P = .06). Overall survival at 1 and 2 years was 30% (95% confidence interval [CI], 16%-45%) and 19% (95% CI, 8%-34%); however, for those achieving CR, 1- and 2-year survival was improved at 44% (95% CI, 20%-66%) and 28% (95% CI, 8%-52%) (P = .03), respectively. These results demonstrate that DLI after lymphodepleting chemotherapy for relapsed hematologic malignancies results in frequent CRs. The lower DLI dose regimen improved the tolerability of this therapeutic approach, with modest rates of severe aGVHD.
Exercise induces hippocampal BDNF through a PGC-1α/FNDC5 pathway

Summary Exercise can improve cognitive function and has been linked to the increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms driving the elevation of this neurotrophin remain unknown. Here we show that FNDC5, a previously identified muscle protein that is induced in exercise and is cleaved and secreted as irisin, is also elevated by endurance exercise in the hippocampus of mice. Neuronal Fndc5 gene expression is regulated by PGC-1α, and Pgc1a −/− mice show reduced Fndc5 expression in the brain. Forced expression of FNDC5 in primary cortical neurons increases Bdnf expression, whereas RNAi-mediated knockdown of FNDC5 reduces Bdnf . Importantly, peripheral delivery of FNDC5 to the liver via adenoviral vectors, resulting in elevated blood irisin, induces expression of Bdnf and other neuroprotective genes in the hippocampus. Taken together, our findings link endurance exercise and the important metabolic mediators, PGC-1α and FNDC5, with BDNF expression in the brain.
A Parametric Model Approach to Arc Fault Detection for DC and AC Power Systems

Arc faults can arise in any electrical system as a consequence of loose connections, inadvertent damage during maintenance and/or insulation aging. In this paper, a new approach to the detection of arc faults is discussed. By using the proposed parametric models of the fault signals, an arc fault can be identified quickly and reliably, so that action can be taken to prevent the arc from escalating into a serious fire and causing loss of life and/or property. One model was obtained for DC power systems and another model was obtained for AC power systems. These proposed models were able to distinguish arc faults from normal operation of the various electrical loads that were tested.
Manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: epidural pannus and atlantoaxial subluxation resulting in basilar invagination.

Atlantoaxial instability results from cartilaginous destruction, periarticular erosions, and ligament and tendon attenuation. Instability affects 19%-70% of patients, and basilar invagination from vertical odontoid subluxation through the foramen magnum occurs in 38% of patients. This phenomenon occurs twice as often in women than men, whose age at diagnosis typically ranges from 30-50 years. Along with bony compression, the pannus further decreases the space available for the cord by 3 mm or more in approximately 66% of patients (Figures 1-7). The earliest and most common symptom of cervical subluxation is pain radiating up into the occiput with associated headaches. Episodes of medullary dysfunction that represent severe but less common patterns of progressive myelopathic symptoms provide an even more grim prognosis. When cervical myelopathy is established, 50% of these patients die within 1 year. The incidence of sudden death from the combination of basilar impression and atlantoaxial instability is 10%. Preoperative neurological deficits provide a guarded prognosis, and basilar impression is associated with poorer recovery of function [1,2]. McRorie et al [3] researchedsurgicaloutcomesandfoundthatnoclearfactorsemergedtopredictthegreatest risk of operative mortality. Neurological compromise did not correlate with immediate perioperative death, and early surgery to correct symptomatic atlantoaxial subluxation may prevent the progression of instability.
Cell Wall Core Galactofuran Synthesis Is Essential for Growth of Mycobacteria

The mycobacterial cell wall core consists of an outer lipid (mycolic acid) layer attached to peptidoglycan via a galactofuranosyl-containing polysaccharide, arabinogalactan. This structural arrangement strongly suggests that galactofuranosyl residues are essential for the growth and viability of mycobacteria. Galactofuranosyl residues are formed in nature by a ring contraction of UDP-galactopyranose to UDP-galactofuranose catalyzed by the enzyme UDP-galactopyranose mutase (Glf). In Mycobacterium tuberculosis the glf gene overlaps, by 1 nucleotide, a gene, Rv3808c, that has been shown to encode a galactofuranosyl transferase. We demonstrate here that glf can be knocked out in Mycobacterium smegmatis by allelic replacement only in the presence of two rescue plasmids carrying functional copies of glf and Rv3808c. The glf rescue plasmid was designed with a temperature-sensitive origin of replication and the M. smegmatis glf knockout mutant is unable to grow at the higher temperature at which the glf-containing rescue plasmid is lost. In a separate experiment, the Rv3808c rescue plasmid was designed with a temperature-sensitive origin of replication and the glf-bearing plasmid was designed with a normal original of replication; this strain was also unable to grow at the nonpermissive temperature. Thus, both glf and Rv3808c are essential for growth. These findings and the fact that galactofuranosyl residues are not found in humans supports the development of UDP-galactopyranose mutase and galactofuranosyl transferase as important targets for the development of new antituberculosis drugs.
Glutamate receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell control feeding behavior via the lateral hypothalamus

The nucleus accumbens in a brain region considered to be important in the regulation of appetitive behavior and reinforcement. The accumbens receives afferent input from corticolimbic and thalamic structures, which is primarily coded by excitatory amino acids (EAAs). The present studies investigated the role of EAA input to the nucleus accumbens in feeding behavior in rats, in two recently characterized subregions of the accumbens, the "core" and "shell". In the first series of experiments, it was shown that blockade of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) and kainate glutamate receptors in the medial part of the accumbens, corresponding to the medial shell subregion, resulted in a pronounced feeding response. Bilateral microinfusion of 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX, 0.25-0.75 micrograms/0.5 microliters), 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline (CNQX, 0.75-1.5 micrograms), and 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo-(F) quinoxaline (NBQX, 0.2-1.0 micrograms) markedly stimulated food intake immediately following infusion, in a dose-dependent manner. Infusion of DNQX into the central accumbens region, corresponding to the core, did not elicit feeding. Infusion of the NMDA antagonists 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5) and MK-801 (dizocilpine maleate) did not elicit feeding in either region. The feeding response to DNQX was blocked by local coinfusion of AMPA. Systemic pretreatment with naltrexone (5 mg/kg) had no effect on the DNQX-feeding response; however, prior systemic administration of both D-1 and D-2 antagonists reduced the response by half, suggesting a modulatory role for dopamine in the response. Moreover, the feeding response was completely inhibited by concurrent infusion of the GABAA agonist muscimol (10, 25 ng) into the lateral hypothalamus, a major projection area of the accumbens shell. These findings demonstrate a selective role for non-NMDA receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell in ingestive behavior, and suggest an important functional link between two major brain regions involved in reward, the nucleus accumbens and lateral hypothalamus.
Defining and identifying sustainable harvests of resources: Archaeological examples of pinniped harvests in the eastern North Pacific

Summary Archaeologists and resource managers are starting to recognize the value of studying ancient cultures for examples of how resources have, and have not, been sustainably utilized in the past as a way of understanding current trends in environmental degradation. These studies do not provide sweeping generalizations about aboriginal resource use but, rather, identify the range of conditions under which sustainable harvests may be possible. The hypothesis of sustainable harvests must be tested using variables that can be measured equally well in ancient (e.g., archaeological) and modern contexts. These factors are carefully considered in this analysis of pinniped (seal and sea lion) remains from two archaeological sites on the eastern North Pacific (ENP) coast, where pinnipeds have been hunted for millennia. Reconstruction of the age composition, or harvest profile, of Callorhinus ursinus at the Ozette Village Site, Washington, shows that males and females of all ages were harvested, and supports the hypothesis that it was done so sustainably for over 500 years. After this period of apparent stability, C. ursinus abandoned local breeding colonies in the early historic period. In contrast, harvests of this species at the Moss Landing Hill Site, California, primarily targeted young of the year, and sub-adult and adult females. While this harvest is also inferred to have targeted a local breeding colony, C. ursinus appear to have been extirpated nearly 2000 years earlier at Moss Landing than at Ozette. The causes of these extirpations are not known, but the timing does not correspond well with known climatic changes, suggesting that subsistence, and perhaps commercial, hunting may have played a role. These examples underscore the need to recognize that patterns of resource use are highly variable – different cultures have had varying levels of effects on economically important species, and these effects have varied temporally, spatially, and taxonomically.
Some anatomical and physiological aspects of anal sexual practices

Anal manipulation and penetration produce stimulation enjoyed as sexual by some people. Although this type of sexual activity is not new, the current social climate of sexual freedom and experimentation has brought it out into the open. This paper reviews some of the anatomical, physiological, and behavioral aspects of this variation of human sexual gratification, and provides the practicing professional, who has to deal with questions on anal sexuality, with information on the subject and suitable background material and literature references for further study.
Environmental Reviews and Case Studies: Ensuring Compliance with Interstate Water Compacts at the State and Local Levels: A Case Study of the Arkansas River Compact

In the United States (US), interstate water compacts are used to ensure the equitable division of water resources. It is necessary to understand how interstate water compacts affect intrastate water management so that administrators of water resources can effectively manage state water resources and comply with the agreed-upon allocation schemes. Although interstate compacts are more prevalent in the western US, concerns surrounding changing climate conditions, as well as water scarcity issues, have increased disputes over the management of shared water resources throughout the US. Drawing upon a case study from Colorado, the question this article seeks to answer is, how effectively does Colorado implement compliance of interstate compacts? More specifically, this report assesses implementation at the local level of government: water divisions. Using a modified version of Denise Scheberle's implementation model, this article examines how Colorado's Water Division 2 ensures compliance by water users party ...
Production and distribution lot sizing in a two stage supply chain

We develop a two stage model of a manufacturing supply chain. This two stage production transportation model features capacitated production in two stages, and a fixed cost (or concave cost) for transporting the product between the stages. We prove several properties of this model, which we call the Two Stage Production Distribution Problem (2SPDP) model. By placing "non-speculative" assumptions on production and transportation, we show that our model reduces to a related model, with one capacitated production stage with linear production cost, and transportation between two inventory locations with non-linear transportation cost. Finally, we present polynomial algorithms for this model under several different transportation cost structures and capacity assumptions.
Liberal Privilege in Academic Psychology and the Social Sciences: Commentary on Inbar & Lammers (2012).

This comment is in two parts. The first presents some implications of Inbar and Lammers’ (2012, this issue) findings by making salient many of the advantages and privileges enjoyed by scientists when they extol the moral and intellectual superiority of liberals, liberal beliefs, liberal attitudes, and liberal policy preferences over conservatives, conservative beliefs, conservative attitudes, and conservative policy preferences. The second part of this comment refutes (or, at least, vigorously contests) some of the most common arguments that have attempted to defend social psychology from charges of unscientific and distorting liberal biases.
Nanofilms as universal coatings for biosensors

Ultrathin nanofilm coatings can play a key role for micro/nanoscale biosensor applications. Most flux-based enzymatic biosensors require incorporation of a diffusion-limiting coating to balance the flux of incoming substrates with reaction kinetics to obtain a measurable signal. Furthermore, the outer surface requires resistance to nonspecific adsorption of protein to prevent cell adhesion and host response initiation when deployed in vivo. However, materials suited for application to micro/nanoscale sensors are difficult to find. Polyelectrolyte mutilayers (PEMs) deposited via layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly are attractive solutions, as they offer nanocomposite films with tunable properties such as permeability and biocompatibility. In this paper, we explored the diffusion characteristics of nanofilms with different compositions including biocompatible surfaces, and investigated multiple analytes such as glucose, urea, and L-lactate to assess universal applications of these nanofilms as biosensor coatings.
Analysis of the Correlation Between Population Growth and Economic Development in Asian Countries

Population size, as an important factor to economic growth, determines supply of human resources directly. The proportion of skilled labor to human resources exerts great influence on a nation’s economy. This essay analyzes and elaborates the correlation between labor— which consists of skilled labor and unskilled labor, and economic growth based on the Solow model. This essay also analyzes factors affecting economic growth of ten Asian countries through statistical analysis of public data, elaborates the causal relationship between population growth and economic development, and puts forward corresponding suggestions.
Mutual Fund Boards: A Failed Experiment in Regulatory Outsourcing

The Investment Company Act of 1940 anticipated mutual fund boards would remedy a dysfunctional market of fund investors. Rather than the SEC, the fund board (and its independent members) would regulate the conflicts between fund investors and management firms by negotiating the management contract, approving advisory fees and other expenses, and generally serving as a regulatory compliance office.The fund board has not fulfilled its promise. A large and uniform body of empirical studies in the finance literature finds the fund board has failed as outsourced regulator. As fund families have grown, economies of scale have redounded mostly to management firms, not investors. Negotiation of most management contracts has been perfunctory, with boards passively accepting management-proposed fee levels, sales expenses, and marketing programs. Investors find little protection from other quarters. The SEC has generally assumed that fund boards, with periodic infusions of more outside members, are working. The courts have viewed management services and fees as beyond their purview. The current investor market has responded only marginally to high fund fees, return-sapping portfolio turnover, and the misleading marketing of past fund performance.Other investment intermediaries, such as hedge funds and mutual funds outside the United States, do not use boards. Alternatives to board oversight through invigorated SEC and judicial standards, along with more investor education and investor-appropriate disclosure, merit consideration. The illusion of investor protection by a docile watchdog may be worse than no protection at all.
Aggregate Statistics of National Traffic Management Initiatives

Balancing traffic demand and capacity in the National Airspace System is accomplished through the use of various Traffic Management Initiatives. In this paper, data from the National Traffic Management Log is accessed and examined to provide aggregate statistics on the implementation of Traffic Management Initiatives. Analysis of Monitor Alerts, Reroutes, Ground Delay Programs, Miles-in-Trail Restrictions, Ground Stops, and Airspace Flow Programs is provided. It is shown, for example, that in current-day operations Newark International Airport has the most Ground Delay Programs of any airport, Chicago Center requests the most Miles-In-Trail restrictions, Indianapolis Center implements the most Miles-In-Trail restrictions, and flights into Denver International Airport are the most likely to be rerouted compared to other destinations. Ultimately, the goal of analyzing this database is to improve the performance of traffic flow in the future. To this end, a visualization of the set of initiatives for a given day is developed, which could prove useful in developing decision support tools for national-level Traffic Flow Management.
VALIDATION OF CROSS-SHORE TRANSPORT FORMULATIONS

Seymour and King (1982) evaluated eight models for predicting cross-shore transport using beach profile data from the Torrey Pines experiment of the Nearshore Sediment Transport Study (NSTS). None of the models showed useful skill in predicting the sense, or direction, of transport. Three more data sets were acquired under NSTS and have been used in the present work to re-evaluate the original four models as well as another six not previously tested. The three new data sets include two nominally plane West Coast beaches and a barred beach on the Atlantic coast, each under a variety of wave conditions. Six of the models evaluated claimed a capability to predict the sense of the cross-shore transport, two predicted the beach slope as a result of cross-shore movement, and two gave detail predictions of changes to the beach profile position and shape. The performance of the six models predicting direction of transport ranged from a skill factor of 0.49 (less than chance) to only 0.68. Five of the models required large changes to their calibration factor (usually based upon laboratory data) in order to have approximately the same skill in predicting erosion or accretion. One of the slope models was validated and the other gave no useful results. One of the two generalized models gave interesting results in predicting the time history of profile changes on the plane beaches for which it was developed. The other general model was not evaluated because it exhibited the lowest skill in predicting direction of transport.
The Effect of Acoustic Forcing on Instabilities and Breakdown in Swept-Wing Flow over a Backward-Facing Step

Instability interaction and breakdown were experimentally investigated in the flow over a swept backward-facing step. Acoustic forcing was used to excite the Tollmien-Schlichting (TS) instability and to acquire phase-locked results. The phase-averaged results illustrate the complex nature of the interaction between the TS and stationary cross flow instabilities. The weak stationary cross flow disturbance causes a distortion of the TS wavefront. The breakdown process is characterized by large positive and negative spikes in velocity. The positive spikes occur near the same time and location as the positive part of the TS wave. Higher-order spectral analysis was used to further investigate the nonlinear interactions between the TS instability and the traveling cross flow disturbances. The results reveal that a likely cause for the generation of the spikes corresponds to nonlinear interactions between the TS, traveling cross flow, and stationary cross flow disturbances. The spikes begin at low amplitudes of the unsteady and steady disturbances (2-4% U (sub e) (i.e. boundary layer edge velocity)) but can achieve very large amplitudes (20-30 percent U (sub e) (i.e. boundary layer edge velocity)) that initiate an early, though highly intermittent, breakdown to turbulence.
Ways to Help Physician Assistant Students Value Textbooks - New Faculty Primer

48 Perspective on Physician Assistant Education, Vol. 12, No. 1, Winter 2001 Medical textbooks are expensive, heavy, difficult to store and never where you need them, but we know that textbooks form the basis of what we teach and what students need to learn in PA school. We also know that many students don’t read the texts if they can get away with it. So what are we to do to increase the way students appreciate and value books. Some suggestions:
Crystallization Kinetics of Partially Crystalline Emulsion Droplets in a Microfluidic Device

We measure the crystallization kinetics of petrolatum-hexadecane emulsion droplets as they are produced in a microfluidic device. After droplets form, they are cooled, causing an interior network of wax crystallites to grow. Polarized light microscopy is used to quantify the droplet crystallinity as a function of residence time in the device. Two wavelengths and two polarization orientations are used to decouple the wavelength dependence of the optical retardation, the crystallite orientation, and the crystallite number density. The droplet crystallinity follows the Avrami kinetic model with parameter values in agreement with the theoretically expected values. These results provide a means to engineer the crystallization kinetics, stability, and arrested coalescence of partially crystalline emulsion droplets.
Structural Analysis of JJ160/41-K Type Derrick Model

Aiming at structural problem on JJ 160/41-K type,derrick used in Daqing Oil Field is presented,the static analysis and the dynamic analysis of the model derrick are done by the I-DEAS finite element program.The result shows that front two columns of derrick being the most unsubstantial components are subject to the maximum weight,and the front two are not with adequate rigidity but more vibration.
The Armature of the American Novel: The Antebellum Sketch and Tale in Literary History

Abstract This essay calls attention to the genre of the sketch, which played a critical role in the early nineteenth-century US literary market. Later when developments in printing technology made it easier to publish longer works, Hawthorne, Melville, and Stowe used the sketch as the basis for hugely important mid-century novels.
Orexin-A/Hypocretin-1 Mediates Cocaine-Seeking Behavior in the Posterior Paraventricular Nucleus of the Thalamus via Orexin/Hypocretin Receptor-2.

Orexin/hypocretin (Orx/Hcrt) projections from the lateral hypothalamus (LH) to the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT) are implicated in drug addiction. Specifically, the posterior region of the PVT (pPVT) innervates brain structures that modulate motivated behavior. This study investigated the role of pPVT-Orx/Hcrt transmission in cocaine-seeking behavior. Because the effects of Orx/Hcrt are mediated by two Orx/Hcrt receptors (Hcrt-r1 and Hcrt-r2), we examined the extent to which Hcrt-r1 and Hcrt-r2 are involved in Orx/Hcrt-induced cocaine seeking. Male Wistar rats were made cocaine dependent by self-administering cocaine 6 h/day (long access [LgA]) for 21 days. Following self-administration training, the animals were subjected to daily extinction training, during which cocaine was withheld. Following extinction, the rats received intra-pPVT microinjections of Orx-A/Hcrt-1 (0-2 µg) alone or, using a single dose of 0.5 µg, in combination with an Hcrt-r1 antagonist (SB334867; 0-15 µg) or an Hcrt-r2 antagonist (TCSOX229; 0-15 µg). Orx-A/Hcrt-1 alone reinstated (primed) cocaine-seeking behavior. Unexpectedly, co-administration of Orx-A/Hcrt-1 with SB334867 did not have any effects on Orx-A/Hcrt-1-induced reinstatement, whereas co-administration of Orx-A/Hcrt-1 with TCSOX229 prevented cocaine-seeking behavior. These results suggest that Hcrt-r2 in the pPVT mediates the reinstating effect of Orx-A/Hcrt-1 in animals with a history of cocaine dependence and further identify Hcrt-r2 as a possible molecular target that can guide future therapeutic approaches for the prevention of drug seeking.
Spekl: A Layered System for Specification Authoring, Sharing, and Usage

Compositional reuse of software libraries is important for productivity. To promote reliability and correctness, the field also needs a way to compose specifications for reuse. How-ever, specifications cannot be adapted by the use of wrappers in the same ways as code can, which leads to specifications being copied and modified. This copying and modification of specifications leads to poor maintainability and technical debt. We propose a system, Spekl, that solves these problems and makes compositional reuse of specifications possible in a way independent of the choice of specification languages and tools.
Civic Life in the Divided Metropolis: Social Capital, Collective Action, and Residential Income Segregation:

Social capital is presumed to help individuals who lack financial or human capital achieve collective action through their social ties and networks of relationships. But does it help individuals ov...
Breaking Bad Delirium: Methamphetamine and Boric Acid Toxicity with Hallucinations and Pseudosepsis.

Objectives A 30-year-old patient presented with hallucinations and profound shock. He was initially misdiagnosed as having severe sepsis; once ingestions were considered, he was diagnosed as potentially having arsenic toxicity. Summary The clinical story reveals many instructional lessons that could aid in the evaluation and management of future patients. This man presented with large amounts of blue crystals around his nose and lips from inhaling and eating boric acid (an ant poison) so he could, as he put it, kill the ants "pouring into my mouth and nose and up into my brain." His profound pseudosepsis and sustained delirium were induced by co-ingestion of methamphetamine and a large quantity of boric acid. Delirium is a form of acute brain dysfunction that often is multifactorial in critical illness and, when seen in septic shock, is associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation, increased length of hospital stay, medical costs, higher mortality, and long-term cognitive impairment resembling dementia. Pseudosepsis is a noninfectious condition most commonly seen with ingestions such as salicylate (aspirin) toxicity. Conclusions This report emphasizes the need to recognize agents that contain boric acid as an etiology of unexplained delirium and profound shock.
Lower Back Injuries

Low back pain is a common, debilitating problem for athletes as well as the general population. It is the number one cause for athletes to miss a professional sporting event. Most cases of lower back pain are self-limiting, lasting no more than a few weeks. Occasionally, however, back pain lasts longer than 3 months, at which point it is termed chronic back pain. There are many potential pain generators in the lower back. The discs, facet joints, sacroiliac joint, bones, ligaments, muscles, tendons, and soft tissues can all cause pain. In younger athletes who have axial back pain with trunk flexion, the disc is often suspected as the potential underlying cause. Younger athletes with pain on extension may be suspected of having a pars interarticularis fracture. Older patients may be more likely to have facet joint disease as an underlying cause, particularly if their pain is more extension based. Of course, these are very broad brush strokes and are just meant to keep in the back of your mind to give you a framework within which to work. Each athlete must naturally be treated as an individual and interrogated appropriately. This chapter is aimed to help guide you along that path.
Abstract 3021: Areas of Chronic Infarct Associated with Impaired Verbal Working Memory

Background: Functional imaging studies consistently show activation of Broca9s area (Brodmann9s area 44 and 45) in verbal working memory (VWM) tasks such as backward digit span, indicating that this area is an important node in the network underlying VWM. We have recently shown acute infarcts in Brodmann’s area (BA) 45 are associated with impaired VWM. However, there is surprising little evidence that chronic lesions of Broca9s cause deficits in VWM, although there are case reports and small series of patients with both with normal and impaired VWM. Other areas of the brain might assume this function during recovery. We tested the hypothesis that chronic infarcts in BA 44 and 45 are associated with reduced backward digit span. Methods: Patients had tests of backward digit span and MRI at least 6 months after first left supratentorial ischemic stroke. Technicians blinded to digit span results analyzed FLAIR sequences for infarct in BA 4, 6, 10, 11, 19, 20, 21, 22, 37, 38, 39, 40, 44, 45, anterior and posterior insula. Associations between between VWM and ROIs were identified using Fisher9s exact tests for dichotomous data. Differences in mean span length between those with and without lesions in each area were identified with t-tests. Additionally, using linear regression analysis (adjusted for age and education level), we determined which areas, when infarcted, predicted backward span length. Results: 79 patients (mean age 57.2 years; mean education 13.6 years) were included. Reduced VWM (defined as backward digit span Conclusion: Left BA 44, 45 (Broca’s area) and 39 and 40 (inferior parietal lobule) are crucial brain regions for recovery of VWM.
Of Goodness and Healthiness: a Viable Moral Ontology

Definition d'une ontologie morale viable propre a resoudre les problemes traditionnels du realisme, en montrant que les proprietes de la bonte morale et de la sante physique ont les memes statuts ontologiques et epistemiques. Soumettant la bonte et la sante aux trois tests -cosmologique, cognitif et socratique- pour le realisme definis par C Wright dans son ouvrage intitule «Truth and objectivity» (1992), l'A. defend la these metaethique du realisme moral socratique fondee sur l'existence de standards moraux realistes (naturels)
Pathogenesis-Related Proteins and Disease Resistance

Plants grown in the field are subjected to an array of abiotic and biotic stresses, such as drought, flooding, extreme temperatures, heavy metals, UV irradiation, high salt concentrations, and insect and pathogenic attacks. Plants are provided in their genetic makeup with the ability to adjust metabolically and structurally to circumvent these adversaries and ensure survival. For example, when soybean seedlings are subjected to an immediate shift from 30 to 40 °C, there is a dramatic and rapid change in the pattern of protein synthesis. Many proteins synthesized at normal temperatures rapidly decline, and a new set of heat-shock proteins is rapidly induced (Key et al., 1981). Synthesis of these heat-shock proteins gradually disappears when high temperatures are maintained or the plant is returned to normal temperature. Similarly, when exposed to gradually increasing concentrations of NaCl, cultured tobacco cells synthesize and accumulate a 26-kD protein known as osmotin and exhibit increased tolerance to osmotic stress (Singh et al., 1987). Although the precise functions of these stress proteins are not fully understood, some experiments strongly indicate that the presence of stress proteins confers tolerance to the stress conditions.
Einweihung der baulichen Erweiterungen am 26. Mai 1989

Als ich von Hannover aufgebrochen bin, um mit Ihnen zusammen die neuen Gebaudeteile des Mathematischen Forschungsinstituts Oberwolfach einzuweihen, wuste ich naturlich einiges uber das Institut. Aber ich wuste es vom Papier. Jetzt weis ich, das man Oberwolfach einmal erleben mus, um es wirklich zu kennen.
Observed and self-reported assessments of caregivers' feeding styles: Variable- and person-centered approaches for examining relationships with children's eating behaviors

Abstract Background Demandingness and responsiveness are dimensions used in general parenting as well as the feeding literature to measure parent attitudes and behaviors. These dimensions can be treated as continuous variables (variable-centered) or used to form groups of parents based on scores on each dimension (person-centered). Research focusing on these dimensions in the feeding domain has relied exclusively on maternal self-reports; observational studies of feeding styles have yet to be conducted. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of variable-centered versus person-centered analyses in examining relationships between maternal feeding styles, child eating behaviors, and child weight status using both self-reported and observational methods for assessing parental feeding style. Methods Participants included 137 low-income Head Start mothers and their preschoolers. Mothers completed the Caregiver's Feeding Styles Questionnaire and the Children's Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Parent/child interactions were observed during dinner meals at home and were coded using a previously developed coding system. Results Maternal demandingness during feeding was negatively associated with child BMI z-scores and positively associated with slowness in eating and satiety responsiveness. Maternal responsiveness was associated positively with enjoyment of food and associated negatively with food fussiness. Significant demandingness by responsiveness interactions showed that children of authoritarian mothers showed the highest levels of food fussiness and the lowest enjoyment of food. Overall, the findings were stronger for the self-report than for the observational measures and the variable-centered approach was clearly superior to the person-centered approach. Conclusions The current results indicate that for research purposes the variable-centered approach may be the most powerful for examining relationships between maternal feeding and child eating. However, for clinical purposes, the person-centered approach might be most informative.
Extended neuromuscular blockade in acute respiratory distress syndrome does not increase mortality.

Abstract Background Neuromuscular blockade (NMB) is often utilized in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Its use for a period of 48 h has been shown to improve mortality in randomized control trials. We aimed to characterize outcomes associated with a prolonged NMB. We hypothesized that the duration of NMB would not be associated with increased mortality. Materials and methods This was a retrospective review from June 2014 to October 2016 of patients admitted to the surgical intensive care unit and receiving cisatracurium for ARDS. Patients paralyzed for ≤ 48 h (SHORT) were compared to those paralyzed for longer durations (LONG). Primary outcome was mortality. Parametric and nonparametric tests were utilized for the purposes of the comparison. A multivariate logistic regression model was utilized to adjust for differences. Results Of 73 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 32 (44%) were SHORT and 41 (56%) LONG. Compared to the LONG cohort, those in SHORT were older (60 versus 52 years, P = 0.04) but were comparable with respect to sex, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation IV scores, presence of concurrent pneumonia, and the use of vasopressors. SHORT patients were less likely to require rescue therapy with inhaled nitric oxide (28% versus 66%, P Conclusions Extended NMB for ARDS was not associated with increased mortality. Discontinuation of this modality should not be based solely on the duration of therapy.
Class I Graft-Versus-Host Mismatch Based on Predicted Indirectly Recognizable HLA Epitopes (PIRCHES) Is Associated with Worse Post-Transplant Outcomes in Patients Receiving Peripheral Blood, T-Cell Replete Haploidentical Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation with Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide

Introduction High dose post-transplant cyclophosphamide has improved the outcomes and expanded the use of haploidentical hematopoietic cell transplantation (haplo-HCT). The impact of HLA disparity in this setting, however, is unclear and is traditionally measured at the antigen or allele level. The Predicted Indirectly Recognizable HLA Epitopes (PIRCHES) model provides a novel tool to calculate the number of mismatched HLA peptides between donor and host that can be processed and presented by shared HLA antigens for T cell recognition. No data exist on the relationship between PIRCHES mismatch and clinical outcome in haplo-HCT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide. Methods 148 patients who received a peripheral blood, T-cell replete haplo-HCT with post-transplant cyclophosphamide at a single center between 2009 and 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The PIRCHES mismatch load was calculated using the PIRCHES matching tool online and was categorized by class and vector. The primary outcome was incidence of relapse. The association between PIRCHES mismatch and outcome was analyzed using the Cox proportional hazard model or Gray's sub-distribution method for competing risk as appropriate. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Results The median follow-up for survivors was 34.0 months (range, 14.5-78.3 months). One-hundred (67.6%) patients were deceased and 61 (41.2%) patients relapsed during follow-up. Class I graft-versus-host (GvH) PIRCHES mismatch had a median of 11 with a range of 0 to 56. Class II GvH PIRCHES mismatch had a median of 29 with a range of 0 to 122. Class I GvH PIRCHES mismatch was associated with worse acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD) (grades II-IV) (HR 1.021 per unit PIRCHES mismatch increase; 95% CI 1.001-1.040; p=0.036). Class I GvH PIRCHES mismatch was not associated with treatment-related mortality (TRM), but was associated with a trend towards worsened overall survival (OS) (HR 1.015 per unit PIRCHES mismatch increase; 95% CI 0.999-1.033; p=0.073). Class I host-versus-graft (HvG) PIRCHES mismatch was associated with worse relapse-free survival (RFS) (HR 1.018; 95% CI 1.001-1.035; p=0.036) and worse OS (HR 1.018; 95% CI 1.001-1.035; p=0.036) but not relapse. Class II PIRCHES mismatch was not associated with relapse, OS, RFS, TRM, or aGvHD. Both class I and II PIRCHES mismatch were not associated with chronic GvHD or engraftment. Discussion Class I GvH PIRCHES mismatch was associated with greater aGvHD and a trend towards worsened OS, while class I HvG PIRCHES mismatch was associated with worsened RFS and OS. Class II PIRCHES mismatch was not associated with outcomes and appears to be tolerated by this patient cohort. PIRCHES mismatch represents a novel strategy to predict clinical outcome in haplo-HCT. Further studies using registry data and prospective studies are needed to validate these findings.
Examining the Nature of the Association Between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Nicotine Dependence: A Familial Risk Analysis

Objective:To use familial risk analysis to examine the association between attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and nicotine dependence (ND).Method:Subjects were children with (n = 257) and without (n = 229) ADHD of both sexes ascertained from pediatric and psychiatric referral sources and their first-degree relatives (N = 1627).Results:ND in probands increased the risk for ND in relatives irrespective of ADHD status. There was no evidence of cosegregation or assortative mating between these disorders. Patterns of familial risk analysis suggest that the association between ADHD and ND is most consistent with the hypothesis of independent transmission of these disorders.Conclusions:These findings may have important implications for the identification of a subgroup of children with ADHD at high risk for ND based on parental history of ND.Examiner la nature de l'association entre le trouble de deficit de l'attention avec hyperactivite et la dependance a la nicotine: une analyse de risque familial
Understanding the decline in self-employment among individuals nearing retirement

This paper examines the sources of the decline in self-employment among near-retirees over 1994–2012. Using Current Population Survey data, tabulations imply that the decline was driven by an increase in the exit rate to wage and salary employment, a decline in the rate of self-employment among new entrants into this age cohort, and an increase in the share of these new entrants. Multinomial logits suggest that health insurance coverage and after-tax prices of health insurance were significantly associated with these three rates. However, counterfactual simulations suggest that only the changes in after-tax prices of health insurance were found to appreciably influence the trends in these rates, though in the opposite direction of the actual declining trend for the rate of self-employment of new entrants.
An update on the use of hydroxychloroquine in cutaneous lupus erythematosus: A systematic review

Background Hydroxychloroquine is widely used for the treatment of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE). Although new recommendations exist for hydroxychloroquine dosing, there is still uncertainty about the dosage that will elicit a satisfactory response in CLE while limiting adverse effects, specifically retinopathy. Objective To summarize hydroxychloroquine dosages, outcomes, and adverse effects in the treatment of CLE, focusing on retinopathy. Methods A comprehensive literature search from inception to December 2018 was performed in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, and The Cochrane Library (Wiley). Studies were screened against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results Twelve studies were selected and included 5 retrospective studies, 3 prospective studies, 2 case series, and 2 randomized controlled trials. These studies show that a hydroxychloroquine dosage up to 400 mg/d is effective for most CLE patients (range of effectiveness, 50%-97%), with few adverse effects. One incidence of retinopathy, after a very high cumulative dose, was reported across all 12 studies (852 total patients). Limitations Because retinopathy and other serious adverse effects may not appear until much later, many of these studies are limited by short follow-up time. Conclusions This evidence suggests that hydroxychloroquine for CLE is effective at 400 mg/d, with an exceedingly low incidence of retinopathy and other adverse effects.