cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
HATCH, Laurie Russell, BEYOND GENDER DIFFERENCES: Adaptation to Aging in Life Course Perspective

HATCH, Laurie Russell, BEYOND GENDER DIFFERENCES: Adaptation to Aging in Life Course Perspective. Amityville, NY: Baywood Press, 2000, 268 pp., $44.00 hardcover. Reviewed by: JUDITH G. GONYEA* Interest in how we adapt to aging is a relatively new area of inquiry. Throughout the first half of the twentieth century, the study of human development was largely the study of child development. The emergence of the field of social gerontology brought to the forefront questions about the nature of the aging experience. Early gerontologists questioned whether adaptation was facilitated by older persons withdrawing from their social roles (disengagement theory) or by elders remaining active and involved (continuity theory). More recently, research has focused on how differential access to health, economic and social resources impacts the aging experience. In Beyond Gender Differences, Laurie Russell Hatch notes that throughout these investigations there has been a tendency to frame the aging experience along gender dichotomies.: "Depending upon the explanation at hand and the specific dimension of adaptation under consideration, one or the other gender has been portrayed as adapting more effectively or encountering greater difficulties in the aging process." The central aim of Hatch's book is to challenge this "simple, often misleading" dichotomy and to suggest that debates regarding which gender adapts better (or suffers more) in aging are fundamentally flawed and unproductive. Rather, she proposes the adoption of a "multilevel life course model" which is organized around four interrelated levels of human experience: personal biographies, social location and membership in social groups, birth cohort, and social context. Hatch begins her book with a review of the two dominant theoretical approaches to the study of gender differences - traditional gender role theory and gender differences in resource access and allocation (Chapter 2). Although acknowledging that a focus on gender differences can be useful as it underscores diversity in the aging experience, Hatch emphasizes that it largely ignores other hierarchies of privileges that shape individuals' lives. Moreover, Hatch criticizes the researchers, who guided by these frameworks, either overemphasize (alpha bias) or minimize (beta bias) differences between women and men in their interpretations of findings. She presents the life course perspective as offering a heuristic device to view the multiple and interacting dimensions of the human life experience. Hatch accepts the often-voiced criticism that life course perspective is atheoretical, but suggests that this is a strength as it offers a valuable framework for conceptualizing research and interpreting findings." In the subsequent three chapters, Hatch examines adaptation to aging as a broad process (Chapter 3), to the death of a spouse (Chapter 4), and to retirement (Chapter 5). …
Spontaneous corneal perforation in pellucid marginal degeneration

Purpose: We present a report of a spontaneous corneal perforation in a patient with pellucid marginal corneal degeneration. Methods: We describe the presentation and management of a 74 year old male with spontaneous corneal perforation related to pellucid marginal corneal degeneration. Results: The corneal perforation was repaired with a 3 mm penetrating patch graft. The cornea has remained stable for 7 years with no further progression of corneal ectasia in either eye. Conclusions: Although rare, spontaneous corneal perforations in patients with pellucid marginal corneal degeneration can occur, and patients should be cautioned about this possibility.
Parallel algorithm for detonation wave simulation

A parallel algorithm which has sufficient scalability for time accurate solution of a propagating detonation wavefront is developed. The emphasis is placed on reduction of computational time without compromising accuracy. The flow was assumed to be unsteady, inviscid and non-heat-conducting and coupled with finite-rate chemistry. A finite volume formulation was employed to ensure conservation and proper handling of discontinuities. A Runge-Kutta second order scheme was utilized for a time accurate solution, with Roe second order flux splitting scheme for spatial solution. For additional higher order spatial accuracy, van Leer MUSCL technique was employed. Equation stiffness was overcome by point implicit treatment of the source terms. The parallel algortihm was developed using Message Passing Interface standard.
Milton Friedman and Anna J. Schwartz on the Inherent Instability of Fractional Reserve Banking

Throughout their long collaboration Milton Friedman and Anna J. Schwartz consistently argued that fractional reserve banking was “inherently unstable.” This paper traces the evolution of their ideas, the policies that they advocated to reduce the problems created by the inherent instability, and the implications of their views for current attempts to strengthen the banking system. Recent attempts to reform banking have incorporated some of the ideas that they advocated, but in some cases have moved in a different direction.
Systematic review/meta-analysis comparing successful outcomes after single vs. double-stage laryngotracheal reconstruction.

Abstract Objective To compare operation-specific decannulation rates between single-stage (SSLTR) and double-stage laryngotracheal reconstruction (DSLTR) when controlling for grade of airway stenosis. Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed using PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane databases from 1970 to 2015 to examine primary SSLTR and DSLTR for subglottic stenosis in patients 18 years or younger. Primary outcome was decannulation or extubation after LTR. Failures included patients not decannulated or requiring additional open airway procedures prior to decannulation. Only studies providing outcomes delineated by airway stenosis grade were included. Non-English language studies and case reports were excluded. Results There were 712 abstracts reviewed and 16 studies with 663 pooled patients included in the systematic review analysis. The metaanalysis included 5 studies. Overall, the operation-specific decannulation success was statistically significantly different between SSLTR [93.2% (N = 221)] and DSLTR [83.7% (N = 442)] (P Conclusion No difference in decannulation rates was seen between SSLTR and DSLTR when comparing similar grades of stenosis except in grade 3 stenosis. With worsening stenosis, the success rate declines with both methods. Prospective studies with standardized enrollment criteria and reported outcomes are needed to better understand the advantages and disadvantages of each approach.
Multi-objective versus single-objective optimization of batch bioethanol production based on a time-dependent fermentation model

Traditional process simulators, such as Aspen Plus, are inadequate for optimizing multiple-objective systems in fermentation-based processes. This work uses a novel integrated platform of the robust genetic algorithm optimization in MATLAB linked with an Aspen Plus unsteady-state batch fermentation simulation to optimize the batch ethanolic fermentation process with respect to initial substrate concentration, fermentation time, and in situ product removal. A time-dependent fermentation model that utilizes both glucose and xylose, the major sugars present in lignocellulosic hydrolysate, with Monod cell growth kinetics, substrate and product inhibitions, is used as a model system. The optimized design variables from the multi-objective optimization (MOO) and single-objective optimization (SOO) suggest the typical concentrations of sugars from lignocellulosic hydrolysate must be concentrated to optimize the performance of the batch fermentation process. Furthermore, time-dependent information from an unsteady-state simulation was used to design an integrated batch fermentation with in situ product recovery, allowing higher initial sugars concentrations to be used in the fermentation process (about 50%, for the best optimal solution in the MOO). This resulted in 15% ethanol productivity, 143% total ethanol produced, and 67% fraction of sugar converted improvements relative to the batch fermentation without product recovery. Unlike the single optimal solution from the SOO, MOO presents many equally optimal solutions that can be used as a decision-support tool to guide the choice of design variables for optimum process performance. This study creates a platform that can be used to optimize integrated biorefinery and refinery processes.
The effect of lithium on the progression‐free and overall survival in patients with metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer undergoing radioactive iodine therapy

Objective Pretreatment with lithium (Li) is associated with an increased residence time of radioactive iodine (RAI) in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) metastases. There are no data translating this observation into long-term outcomes. The study goal was to compare the efficacy of three methods of preparation for RAI therapy in metastatic DTC-thyroid hormone withdrawal (THW), THW with pretreatment with Li (THW+Li), and recombinant human TSH (rhTSH). Design/patients/measurements We performed a cohort study comparing overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) between the three groups: THW (n = 52), THW+Li (n = 41) and rhTSH (n = 42). Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to compare OS and PFS between the groups. Cox proportional hazards regression model with a stepwise variable selection was performed to study the contribution of age, gender, histology, TNM status, a location of distant metastases and RAI dose. Results During the follow-up of median 5.1 (IQR = 3.0-8.1) years, 52% of patients had disease progression and 12.6% died. Although THW+Li group was characterized by the longest OS (P = 0.007), only age (HR 1.05, CI 1.01-1.09, P = 0.01) and widespread disease (HR 3.8, CI 1.2-11.8, P = 0.02) were found to affect OS in a multivariate model. There was no difference in PFS between the groups (P = 0.47). Presence of distant metastases limited to the lungs only was associated with longer PFS (PFS HR 0.35, CI 0.20-0.60, P = 0.0002). Conclusion The older age is associated with shorter OS, while disease burden affects OS and PFS in patients with metastatic thyroid cancer. The method of preparation for RAI therapy does not affect the outcome.
The Life Cycle in Antiquity

Human beings have always had a profound need for a comprehensive perspective of their lives, and writings from diverse cultures and religions speak to these issues in terms that are astonishingly consistent with contemporary thought.
Analyses of Stress Intensity Factor for Three-Dimensional Cracked Body by the Variational Method

By using the minimum potential energy theorem and Hellinger- Reissner generalized variational principle, this paper calculates the stress intensity factor (SIF) of the crack-border of three-dimensional body and compares some results with those of the reference [l]. We use the method of eigenfunction expansions to the vicinity of the crack-tip on a slice along the direction normal to the crack-border, then by using and changing the results of two dimensional Mode I-II and Mode III fitly, we get the displacement function and stress function. The calculation results show that the method of this paper is convenient and efficient. It has a comparatively great practical value to the calculation of the SIF in a three-dimensional crack problem.
Effect of a soft sediment layer over elastic basement on normal mode dispersion

The effect of shear on dispersion of acoustic normal modes was investigated in a previous study (Potty and Miller, 2010). Modal dispersion was calculated using a bottom model consisting of a liquid layer over an elastic basement. The modal travel times corresponding to the Airy Phase regions were found to be extremely sensitive to shear. Simple inversion schemes were developed to estimate the shear speed in the sediment by comparing theoretical predictions with experimental data. Modal dispersion characteristics of broadband data collected during experiments conducted in Middle Atlantic Bight and New England Mud patch were analyzed, and bottom shear speeds were estimated. The estimated shear speeds were also compared with shear speeds calculated from core data. In this study, the bottom model will be revised to include a soft sediment layer over the elastic basement. The modal dispersion will be calculated using this bottom model corresponding to the New England Mud patch environment using propagation models such as ORCA and KRAKENC. The effect of the addition of the soft mud layer on dispersion of lower order modes will be investigated and presented. [Work supported by the Office of Naval Research.]
Urinary arsenic concentration, airway inflammation, and lung function in the U.S. adult population.

Abstract Background Inorganic arsenic (iAs) is ubiquitous in the environment and has been linked to lung cancer and a number of non-malignant lung disease in both adults and children. However, most studies were conducted in populations with higher arsenic exposure levels in drinking water and relatively little epidemiologic research evaluated the impacts of low levels iAs exposure on non-malignant lung disease among populations that are not primarily exposed to arsenic through drinking water. Objectives We assessed the associations of arsenic exposure with airway inflammation and lung function among U.S. adults aged 20–79 years using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2012 cycles. Methods Two measures of arsenic exposure, urinary total arsenic and dimethylarsonic acid (DMA), were used. We calibrated these two exposure measures by regressing their concentrations by arsenobetaine and extracting the residuals to calculate estimated total arsenic and estimated DMA. Arsenic exposures were modeled as log-transformed continuous variables as well as quartile categories. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), an indicator of respiratory inflammation, was available for participants. For lung function, the best forced expiratory volume in the first one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flow rate (FEF) 25–75%, their percent estimated values, ratios of FEV1 to FVC, and FEF 25–75% to FVC were used (i.e. FEV1/FVC and FEF/FVC). Weighted multivariable linear regression models, adjusted for potential confounders, were used to evaluate the association of arsenic exposure with airway inflammation and lung function overall, and among males and females. Results Significant associations between arsenic exposure and increased airway inflammation were found. A two-fold increase in urinary total arsenic and DMA was associated with 23.87% (95% CI: 2.66, 49.46) and 14.05% (95% CI: 1.77, 27.81) higher levels of FENO, respectively. In addition, participants in the highest quartile of urinary total arsenic had FENO levels 8.49% (95% CI: 1.13, 16.39) higher than those in the lowest quartile. These associations were similar between males and females. Limited evidence was found for the association with respect to lung function and potential modification effect of sex. Conclusions Arsenic exposure was related to increased risk of airway inflammation but there is limited evidence of an association in relation to lung function. Future research conducted in populations with relatively lower exposure levels that are not primarily exposed to arsenic through drinking water is needed to confirm our findings.
Business Survival Analysis Using SAS: An Introduction to Lifetime Probabilities

There has been growing interest in making predictions from business survival data. Survival models could be used to predict the time-to-next-purchase in marketing, model churn or attrition rates in...
Aliovalent substitutions of the 2D layered semiconductor GeAs

Abstract Layered tetrel pnictides have shown promise as thermoelectrics (TEs) due to their anisotropic crystal structure and weak van der Waals interactions between layers. The binary GeAs is a p-type semiconductor with a narrow indirect bandgap of 0.57 eV and a high Seebeck coefficient (∼250 μV/K at 300 K). This work probes the limits of the aliovalent substitutions of GeAs to modify charge carrier concentration. GaxGe1-xAs (x = 0.005, 0.01, and 0.02) and GeAs1-ySey (y = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, and 0.05) samples were synthesized to study the structure-property relationships in this system. Hole doping of GeAs via Ga-substitution increases carrier concentration resulting in the decrease in both resistivity and Seebeck coefficient. Se-substituted samples show more complex behavior related to defect chemistry. Overall, the thermoelectric power factor (S2/ρ) was significantly enhanced (up to 89%) for Ga0.005Ge0.995As as compared to pristine GeAs.
A Study of Factors Affecting α-(N-Carbamoyl)alkylcuprate Chemistry

The effect of Cu(I) salt (i.e., CuCN, CuCN.2LiCl, CuI), cuprate reagent, sec-butyllithium quality, solvent, and temperature upon the chemical yields obtained in the reactions of alpha-(N-carbamoyl)alkylcuprates [i.e., N-Boc-protected alpha-aminoalkylcuprates] with (E)1-iodo-1-hexene, 5,5-dimethyl-2-cyclohexenone, methylvinyl ketone, crotonate esters, and an acid chloride has been examined. Cuprate conjugate addition and vinylation reactions can succeed with low-quality sec-butyllithium, presumably containing insoluble lithium hydride and lithium alkoxide impurities, although yields are significantly lower than those obtained with high-quality s-BuLi. alpha-(N-Carbamoyl)alkylcuprates prepared from high-quality sec-butyllithium are thermally stable for 2-3 h at room temperature and are equally effective when prepared from either insoluble CuCN or THF-soluble CuCN.2LiCl. Use of the latter reagent permits rapid cuprate formation at -78 degrees C, thereby avoiding the higher temperatures required for cuprate formation from THF-insoluble CuCN that are problematic with solutions containing thermally unstable alpha-lithiocarbamates.
A Security Framework for Scientific Workflow Provenance Access Control Policies

The notion of collaborative scientific workflow is coined to address the increasing need for collaborative data analytics using the scientific workflow paradigm. In collaborative environments, access control policies are necessary for controlling the sharing of workflows, data products, and provenance information among collaborating parties. In particular, the protection of workflow provenance because it often encodes the detailed protocol of a scientific experiment and constitutes the intellectual property of the respective stakeholders. In addition, since scientific workflows often evolve quickly, the corresponding access control policies for workflow provenance have to evolve as well. It is important to ensure that the evolution of workflow provenance access control policies maintain certain properties in order to guarantee the correctness and performance of the policy enforcement engine. In this paper, we 1) propose a role-based access control model for scientific workflow provenance; 2) define three quality requirements for scientific workflow provenance access control policies - consistency, completeness, and conciseness; 3) develop a mechanism for the mapping from specifications of workflows to their counterparts in a provenance that preserves these quality properties, and 4) conduct a case study on a scientific workflow for autism behavioral data analysis that demonstrates the feasibility of our proposed analysis algorithms.
Cardiovascular Disease in Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by venous, arterial or microvascular thrombosis or obstetric events in the presence of persistently positive antiphospholipid antibodies and constitutes a major cause of cardiovascular events in young people. Τhis review highlights the pathophysiology of cardiovascular complications in patients with APS and possible treatment options. Patients with APS have endothelial dysfunction, accelerated endothelial proliferation and intimal hyperplasia, atherogenesis, platelet activation, inflammatory products secretion and coagulation-fibrinolytic dysregulation. Cardiovascular complications include accelerated atherosclerosis, acute coronary syndrome, Libman-Sacks endocarditis, cardiomyopathy and venous, arterial or intracardiac thrombi. Moreover, pulmonary hypertension and peripheral microvascular dysfunction are common findings. Management of these patients is not well documented. The role of primary thrombosis prevention remains controversial in individuals with positive antiphospholipid antibodies. Treatment of traditional cardiovascular risk factors according to current guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in the general population is recommended for primary prevention of APS. Anticoagulation therapy with unfractionated or low-molecular-weight heparin overlapped with a vitamin K antagonist remains the mainstay of the treatment for APS patients with venous thrombosis, whereas direct oral anticoagulants are not yet recommended. Data are scarce regarding the secondary arterial thrombosis prevention and it is not clear whether dual or triple antithrombotic therapy is necessary. To date, it is recommended to follow current guidelines for the management of acute coronary syndrome in the general population. New treatment targets are promising options for patients with catastrophic APS.
Challenges and Limitations of CMOS Scaling for FinFET and Beyond Architectures

Scaling trends of FinFET architecture, with focus on Front-End-of-Line (FEOL), and Middle-of-Line (MOL) device parameters, is systematically investigated. It is concluded that the combined requirements of device electrostatics together with the demands on contact resistance, presents a Contacted-Gate-Pitch (CGP) scaling limit for horizontal-transport FETs. FET drive is expected to significantly degrade below this CGP ~ 40 nm as a result. Good agreement between hardware data and TCAD simulations is achieved and employed to estimate the contact resistance values for aggressively scaled FinFETs. These observations show that FinFETs scaled below CGP of 40 nm will require the contact resistivity (ρ C ) of ~8 × 10 -10 Ω-cm 2 , while fully ohmic contacts i.e., ρ C of ~1 × 10 -10 Ω-cm 2 will be required if FinFETs are to extend performance below CGP of 30 nm. Ultimately, transition to new device architectures in which contact area is independent of CGP and/or Fin-Pitch will be necessary.
Entertaining Beliefs In Economic Mobility

Americans have long believed in upward mobility and the narrative of the American Dream. Even in the face of rising income inequality and substantial empirical evidence that economic mobility has declined in recent decades, many Americans remain convinced of the prospects for upward mobility. What explains this disconnect? I argue that Americans’ media diets play an important role in explaining this puzzle. Specifically, contemporary Americans are watching a record number of entertainment TV programs that emphasize “rags-to-riches” narratives. I demonstrate that such shows have become a ubiquitous part of the media landscape over the last two decades. National surveys as well as online and lab in-the-field experiments show that exposure to these programs increases viewers’ beliefs in the American Dream and promotes internal attributions of wealth. Media exemplars present in what Americans are watching instead of news can powerfully distort economic perceptions and have important implications for public preferences for redistribution.
Fuel property effects on knock propensity and thermal efficiency in a direct-injection spark-ignition engine

Abstract Engine knock remains one of the major barriers to further improvement in thermal efficiency of Direct-Injection Spark-Ignition (DISI) engines. While Research Octane Number and Motor Octane Number are often used as standard rating methods for knock resistance of fuels, the impacts of other fuel properties on knock propensity in modern engines such as heat of vaporization (HoV) and laminar flame speed (LFS) require better understanding in order to co-optimize fuels and engine designs to achieve higher thermal efficiency and lower CO2 emission. In the present study, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used to model a boosted DISI engine with a focus on knock prediction and fuel property effects. A level-set G-equation model is employed to capture turbulent premixed combustion, and is coupled with a transported Livengood-Wu (L-W) integral approach to predict auto-ignition in the unburnt region. A criterion associated with the L-W integral is developed to accurately predict knock onset and knock-limited spark-advance. This model is then applied to a sensitivity analysis of HoV and LFS on knock tendency and thermal efficiency. The pressure-temperature trajectory framework is applied and extended to study the fuel effects on auto-ignition process in the engine. An existing efficiency-based merit function, which is derived from experiments for boosted SI engines, is evaluated and improved based on the current CFD results.
Evaluation of Lower Leg Muscle Activities During Human Walking Assisted by an Ankle Exoskeleton

Wearable robots like ankle exoskeletons have demonstrated the capability to enhance human mobility and to reduce biological efforts of human locomotion. The type of assistance provided by ankle exoskeletons could influence the lower leg muscle activities during human walking. This article aimed to systematically evaluate the lower leg muscle activities under different ankle exoskeleton assistance conditions. We measured multiple electromyography-based metrics of five lower leg muscles, while the participants walked with an ankle exoskeleton on a treadmill. Nine assistance conditions, which combined three peak times (46%, 49%, and 52% of stride time) and three peak torque levels (0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 N $\cdot$ m $\cdot$ kg $^{-1}$ ), are applied to assist plantarflexion during ankle push-off. Nine healthy subjects participated in the experiments. Of all investigated muscles, the activity level of l.SOL is influenced the most when exoskeleton assistance is applied. The root mean square of l.SOL activity reduces by 33.6 $\pm$ 14.0% under one assistance condition compared to walking without the exoskeleton. Our results can be used to guide studies on mechanical and control designs to improve neuromuscular interactions between exoskeletons and wearers.
Public reporting of hydraulic fracturing chemicals in the USA, 2011–18: a before and after comparison of reporting formats

Summary Background Hydraulic fracturing often involves the injection of millions of gallons of fracturing fluids into underground shales to extract oil and natural gas, raising health concerns over potential water contamination. Many state and federal governmental agencies rely on the third-party FracFocus online registry for disclosure of chemical ingredients in fracturing fluids, but withholding chemicals as trade secrets is common. In 2016, a new format, known as the systems approach was widely encouraged as a method of reducing withholding by decoupling disclosed chemicals from their functions, protecting against reverse-engineering of fracture fluid formulas by competitors. In this study, we assess the extent to which elevated use of the systems approach in FracFocus version 3.0 translated into greater chemical disclosure. Methods We analysed 108 137 disclosure forms submitted to FracFocus between Jan 1, 2011, and Dec 31, 2018, to estimate the effect of expanded use of the systems approach on chemical withholding. We compared the proportion of forms withholding at least one chemical ingredient across time, between approaches, and by state and drilling operator. Findings Since the 2016 expansion of the systems approach, 15 677 (82%) of systems approach forms have withheld an ingredient. 13 462 (89%) of 15 062 traditional FracFocus version 3.0 forms withheld an ingredient. In the quarter following the transition (July, to September, 2016), 1211 (93%) of 1304 traditional forms withheld an ingredient, compared with only 958 (76%) of 1262 systems approach forms. However, withholding rates increased throughout 2017 and, by 2018, 6949 (87%) of 8016 systems approach forms were withholding ingredients. At the end of our analysis period in the fourth quarter of 2018, systems approach forms had even greater withholding (903 [88%] of 1025 forms) than did traditional forms (855 [85%] of 1004 forms). We did not find that states or operators that submitted more systems approach forms had lower withholding. Interpretation The systems approach has not reduced FracFocus chemical withholding, which continues to occur in around 87% of well fracture disclosures. FracFocus might not be an appropriate substitute for regulatory action, and measures are urgently needed for environmental and public safety. Funding University of Chicago Argonne National Laboratory Seed Grant.
Roots and Coefficients from the Integral Solution of the Reactor Kinetic Equations Applicable to Uranium-235 Fueled, Heavy Water Moderated Reactors

The characteristic parameters necessary to describe the kinetic behavior of D2O moderated reactors have been calculated for various prompt-neutron lifetimes. Comparison is made of the reactor respo...
Validation of a Novel Clinical Criteria to Predict Candidacy for Aortic Occlusion: An Aortic Occlusion for Resuscitation in Trauma and Acute Care Surgery Study.

For trauma patients with noncompressible truncal hemorrhage (NCTH), aortic occlusion (AO) is attempted with either resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) or the resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion...
Considerations for Gut Microbiota and Probiotics in Patients with Diabetes Amidst the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Narrative Review.

Abstract Objective: To review data implicating microbiota influences on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with diabetes. Methods: Primary literature review included topics: “COVID-19,” “SARS,” “MERS,” “gut micro-biota,” “probiotics,” “immune system,” “ACE2,” and “metformin.” Results: Diabetes was prevalent (~11%) among COVID-19 patients and associated with increased mortality (about 3-fold) compared to patients without diabetes. COVID-19 could be associated with worsening diabetes control and new diabetes diagnosis that could be linked to high expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors (coronavirus point of entry into the host) in the endocrine pancreas. A pre-existing gut microbiota imbalance (dysbiosis) could contribute to COVID-19–related complications in patients with diabetes. The COVID-19 virus was found in fecal samples (~55%), persisted for about 5 weeks, and could be associated with diarrhea, suggesting a role for gut dysbiosis. ACE2 expressed on enterocytes and colonocytes could serve as an alternative route for acquiring COVID-19. Experimental models proposed some probiotics, including Lactobacillus casei, L. plantarum, and L. salivarius, as vectors for delivering or enhancing efficacy of anti-coronavirus vaccines. These Lactobacillus probiotics were also beneficial for diabetes. The potential mechanisms for interconnections between coronavirus, diabetes, and gut microbiota could be related to the immune system, ACE2 pathway, and metformin treatment. There were suggestions but no proof supporting probiotics benefits for COVID-19 infection. Conclusion: The data suggested that the host environment including the gut microbiota could play a role for COVID-19 in patients with diabetes. It is a challenge to the scientific community to investigate the beneficial potential of the gut microbiota for strengthening host defense against coronavirus in patients with diabetes.
O-linked N-acetylglucosamine transferase (OGT) regulates pancreatic α-cell function in mice

The nutrient sensor O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) catalyzes posttranslational addition of O-GlcNAc onto target proteins, influencing signaling pathways in response to cellular nutrient levels. OGT is highly expressed in pancreatic glucagon-secreting cells (α-cells), which secrete glucagon in response to hypoglycemia. The objective of this study was to determine whether OGT is necessary for the regulation of α-cell mass and function in vivo. We utilized genetic manipulation to produce two α-cell specific OGT-knockout models: a constitutive glucagon-Cre (αOGTKO) and an inducible glucagon-Cre (i-αOGTKO), which effectively delete OGT in α-cells. Using approaches including immunoblotting, immunofluorescent imaging, and metabolic phenotyping in vivo, we provide the first insight on the role of O-GlcNAcylation in α-cell mass and function. αOGTKO mice demonstrated normal glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity but displayed significantly lower glucagon levels during both fed and fasted states. αOGTKO mice exhibited significantly lower α-cell glucagon content and α-cell mass at 6 months of age. In fasting, αOGTKO mice showed impaired pyruvate stimulated gluconeogenesis in vivo and reduced glucagon secretion in vitro. i-αOGTKO mice showed similarly reduced blood glucagon levels, defective in vitro glucagon secretion, and normal α-cell mass. Interestingly, both αOGTKO and i-αOGTKO mice had no deficiency in maintaining blood glucose homeostasis under fed or fasting conditions, despite impairment in α-cell mass and function, and glucagon content. In conclusion, these studies provide a first look at the role of OGT signaling in the α-cell, its effect on α-cell mass, and its importance in regulating glucagon secretion in hypoglycemic conditions.
Traumatic Brain Injury

This chapter covers three aspects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that may involve neurologists: the mild injury in the emergency room, the spectrum of problems of severe TBI, and the office management of mild TBI, including that of the patient who never recovers.
Fallopian tube cancer– challenging to diagnose but not as infrequent as originally thought

Background: Primary fallopian tube carcinoma (PFTC) is a rare gynecological malignancy though its prevalence may be underestimated given that most 'ovarian' serous cancers originate in the fallopian tube. Its diagnosis is challenging due to its vague signs and symptoms on presentation and it is frequently under-diagnosed pre-operatively. Case Presentation: We present a case of a pre-menopausal woman who presented with vaginal bleeding. Her laboratory testing and physical examination were grossly unremarkable. Gynecologic ultrasound demonstrated multiple uterine fibroids and a double layer endometrium measuring 4.5 mm. More importantly, the left ovary was seen with a complex cyst with mildly echogenic fluid and a solid excerscence. These findings were suspicious for malignancy. The clinical and radiological findings with elevated CA-125 were consistent with a malignant process. Patient subsequently underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy, which required conversion to exploratory laparotomy, supracervical hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, right ureteral lysis, right para-aortic and right pelvic lymph node debulking and omentectomy. Biopsy of left fallopian tube and ovary revealed invasive high-grade serous carcinoma of fallopian tube, with involvement of lymphovascular spaces and with surface involvement. Peritoneal washings were negative for malignancy. She was diagnosed with a high-grade serous carcinoma of the fallopian tube after undergoing an endometrial biopsy, multiple imaging tests and finally surgical intervention that yielded the diagnosis. She was started on chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel. Conclusion: Our aim is to highlight the importance of having PFTC among the differential diagnosis when women present with vaginal bleeding or abdominal pain, as the clinical presentation of PFTC tends to be non-specific, and is often under-diagnosed; reviewing the diagnosis and management, and characterizing the similarities and differences of PFTC with other gynecological malignancies such as ovarian cancer.
Green Rules to Drive Innovation

Environmental policies must be carefully structured and predictable if they are to enhance rather than undermine competitiveness. On this score the United States falls woefully short.
Equivariant Stable Homotopy Theory and the Kervaire Invariant Problem

The long-standing Kervaire invariant problem in homotopy theory arose from geometric and differential topology in the 1960s and was quickly recognised as one of the most important problems in the field. In 2009 the authors of this book announced a solution to the problem, which was published to wide acclaim in a landmark Annals of Mathematics paper. The proof is long and involved, using many sophisticated tools of modern (equivariant) stable homotopy theory that are unfamiliar to non-experts. This book presents the proof together with a full development of all the background material to make it accessible to a graduate student with an elementary algebraic topology knowledge. There are explicit examples of constructions used in solving the problem.Also featuring a motivating history of the problem and numerous conceptual and expository improvements on the proof, this is the definitive account of the resolution of the Kervaire invariant problem.
Older Adult Peer Support Specialists' Age-Related Contributions to an Integrated Medical and Psychiatric Self-Management Intervention: Qualitative Study of Text Message Exchanges.

Background: Middle-aged and older adults with mental health conditions have a high likelihood of experiencing comorbid physical health conditions, premature nursing home admissions, and early death compared with the general population of adults aged 50 years or above. An emerging workforce of peer support specialists aged 50 years or above or “older adult peer support specialists” is increasingly using technology to deliver peer support services to address both the mental health and physical health needs of middle-aged and older adults with a diagnosis of a serious mental illness. Objective: This exploratory qualitative study examined older adult peer support specialists’ text message exchanges with middle-aged and older adults with a diagnosis of a serious mental illness and their nonmanualized age-related contributions to a standardized integrated medical and psychiatric self-management intervention. Methods: Older adult peer support specialists exchanged text messages with middle-aged and older adults with a diagnosis of a serious mental illness as part of a 12-week standardized integrated medical and psychiatric self-management smartphone intervention. Text message exchanges between older adult peer support specialists (n=3) and people with serious mental illnesses (n=8) were examined (mean age 68.8 years, SD 4.9 years). A total of 356 text messages were sent between older adult peer support specialists and service users with a diagnosis of a serious mental illness. Older adult peer support specialists sent text messages to older participants’ smartphones between 8 AM and 10 PM on weekdays and weekends. Results: Five themes emerged from text message exchanges related to older adult peer support specialists’ age-related contributions to integrated self-management, including (1) using technology to simultaneously manage mental health and physical health issues; (2) realizing new coping skills in late life; (3) sharing roles as parents and grandparents; (4) wisdom; and (5) sharing lived experience of difficulties with normal age-related changes (emerging). Conclusions: Older adult peer support specialists’ lived experience of aging successfully with a mental health challenge may offer an age-related form of peer support that may have implications for promoting successful aging in older adults with a serious mental illness.
CHAPTER 2 – The Main Theorems of Decision Theory

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the theorems of Decision Theory. The main theorems of decision theory involve two notions, namely, the admissibility of a decision rule and the completeness of a class of decision rules. The chapter describes these notions and explains the relations between them. In any linear ordering of the decision rules, there is a minimal requirement that the linear ordering shall not disagree with the natural ordering “as good as.” Both the minimax and Bayes orderings satisfy this requirement. A rule δ is said to be admissible if there exists no rule better than δ. A rule is said to be inadmissible if it is not admissible. An advantage the Bayes principle has over most other principles leading to optimal rules, including the minimax principle, is that it leads to rules that are relatively easy to compute. Thus, it is important to know whether the statistician can restrict his attention to the class of Bayes rules, as he or she may if it forms a complete class or an essentially complete class.
Polycrystalline Diamond (PCD) Tool Material: Emerging Applications, Problems, and Possible Solutions

This chapter first discusses the challenges with the tool material selection for machining of high-silicon aluminum-matrix composites. It is shown that the combination of a soft easy-to-adhere Al-matrix and highly abrasive particles limits the use of cemented carbide tools due to high rate of adhesion and abrasion wear. The issue becomes intolerable in high-speed machining applications. As a result, polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is slowly becoming a material of choice for such applications. The chapter presents the major research advances in PCD as a tool material. The wear mechanism of PCD is discussed at macro- and micro levels. A discussion on the need and a report on the progress in the development of thermal stable grades of PCD conclude the chapter.
The Co-Occurrence of Substance Abuse and Domestic Violence: A Comparison of Dual-Problem Men in Substance Abuse Treatment and in a Court-Ordered Batterer Program

Substance abuse and domestic violence tend to co-occur in about half of the men seen in either substance abuse treatment or batterer intervention programs. The existence of so many dual-problem men suggests that screening for co-occurring problems should occur in all settings serving either substance abusers or batterers, but this is not the case. This study sampled 49 men in treatment at a publicly funded substance abuse treatment center who self-reported battering and 84 men adjudicated for battering who met eligibility criteria for substance abuse. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to test hypotheses that dual-problem men in substance abuse treatment would show significantly greater levels of substance abuse behavior than dual-problem men in batterer intervention, but that no differences in domestic violence would be found between the 2 groups. Both hypotheses were supported. Implications for social work practice, including the need for collaboration across fields, universal screening for both...
Schedulable online testing framework for real-time embedded applications in VM

The paper suggests a VM-based online testing approach in which software testing is piggybacked at runtime on a system that operates to serve actual mission. Online testing in VM is facilitated with a framework that uses persistence service to initialize the testing operation with a consistent system state. The testing operation then runs in an isolated domain which can be scheduled independently of the operating version. Thus, testing operation cannot cause unbounded pause time nor spoil the normal operation. We evaluate the feasibility of schedulable online testing with a prototype developed in MONO CLI (Common Language Infrastructure) and the experiment on the prototype.
Control of the mitochondrial genome in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The fate of mitochondrial membrane proteins and mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid during petite induction.

Abstract A mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae which issues cytoplasmic petite (ρ-) progeny at 18° or during growth at 28° on medium containing 3 mg per ml of chloramphenicol was examined to determine the fate of mitochondrial membrane proteins and mitochondrial DNA during the petite induction process. Labeling of mitochondria in vivo with radioactive leucine in the presence of 200 µg per ml of cycloheximide and subsequent separation of the labeled proteins on sodium dodecyl sulfate acrylamide gels yields a gel pattern consisting of seven or eight protein species ranging in molecular weight from 13,000 to 45,000. This pattern is much simpler than that obtained from mitochondria isolated from cells labeled in vivo without drugs and presumably represents products of mitochondrial protein synthesis. The mitochondrial gel profile of the mutant strain 1121, when compared with that of parent strain 55-R5-3C, undergoes striking alterations during petite induction at 18° which include (a) a loss of a molecular weight 41,000 component, (b) a decrease in the synthesis of a 24,000 component, and (c) an apparent increase in low molecular weight (13,000) material. Changes in the mitochondrial gel profile of strain 1121 during petite induction by growth at 28° in the presence of chloramphenicol are restricted to a decrease in the appearance of a molecular weight 41,000 component. Growth of strain 1121 at 18° results in an apparent decrease of mitochondrial DNA from the bulk population. The subcloning of randomly selected cytoplasmic petites issued at 18° by strain 1121 gives two types of cells, those with detectable mitochondrial DNA and those apparently lacking mitochondrial DNA, illustrating a genetic heterogeneity in the 18° petite population. We suggest that the alterations in the 1121 gel profiles of mitochondria obtained from cells during 18° growth or growth at 28° with chloramphenicol reflect the improper formation of a membrane component related to the maintenance of the ρ+ genotype.
Knowing What To Do: Imagination, Virtue, and Platonism in Ethics, by Timothy Chappell

Timothy Chappell's Knowing What To Do is a tour de force of ethical anti-theory. At every stage, the incompleteness of extant ethical and moral theorizing is exhibited, and a thoughtful reader woul...
Simulation of Real-world Development Processes in Computer Science Classes

Educators have long recognised that learning takes place most effectively in an environment in which the student is engaged in the process of their own education. One method for doing so is to put more control over the teaching and learning of course material into the hands of the students themselves. This paper describes an approach to learner-centred learning that involves the simulation of industrial software development practices as the central teaching technique. Our initial experiences with two courses — Web programming and systems analysis — are discussed in this paper.
CONFOCAL MICROSCOPY OF THE SHOOT APEX

This chapter focuses on confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). In CLSM, a sample is treated with a fluorescent dye, and a laser beam is focused on a point in the sample, causing the emission of fluorescent light. The use of CLSM in the study of plant development has many advantages over conventional histological techniques. Because CLSM data are stored digitally, the data can not only be reconstructed in three dimensions, but also animated or displayed as stereo images, to aid in visual interpretation. Once the sample is reconstructed on a computer, virtual sections can be made from any orientation. Specimen preparation for CLSM is also much less labor intensive compared to serial sectioning, and avoids problems such as recovering and mounting individual sections, a time-consuming and error-prone task. The integrity of the sample is preserved in CLSM, allowing rescanning using different parameters. The chapter describes the method of examining plant tissue using CLSM, particularly in studies of the structure, cell number, and cell pattern of shoot apical meristems and floral meristems. The development of this technique is timely because of the recent explosion of interest in developmental mutants that affect apical and floral meristem structure.