cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clusterin Is Widely Expressed in Systemic Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma but Fails to Differentiate Primary From Secondary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma

A recent study by Wellmann et al (Blood. 2000;96:398-404) detected clusterin expression in all 36 systemic anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCLs) tested, but not in any of 9 primary cutaneous ALCLs. Our purpose was to confirm the diagnostic usefulness of clusterin in systemic ALCL and to evaluate its efficacy in distinguishing primary cutaneous ALCL from secondary skin involvement by systemic ALCL. We examined clusterin expression by paraffin immunohistochemical analysis in 41 systemic ALCLs (18 ALK-1+ and 23 ALK-1–), 9 primary cutaneous ALCLs, and 4 secondary cutaneous ALCLs. Clusterin was positive in 95% of systemic ALCLs (39/41), including 100% (18/18) of the ALK-1+ cases and 91% (21/23) of the ALK-1– cases. Five (56%) of 9 primary and 3 (75%) of 4 secondary cutaneous ALCLs were positive for clusterin. Our observations confirm the diagnostic usefulness of clusterin in systemic ALCL, especially in the ALK-1– cases. However, our data fail to demonstrate its value in distinguishing primary from secondary cutaneous ALCL.
New cascaded lattice structures for FIR filters having extremely low coefficent sensitivity

It is shown that any arbitrary FIR transfer function can be implemented in the form of a passive structure, resulting in low coefficient sensitivity. The building blocks are planar-rotation operators, and internal signal nodes are automatically L 2 -scaled. Denormalized versions of the building blocks are also shown. Design examples are included.
DIET OF SYMPATRIC PATTERN CLASSES C AND E OF THE PARTHENOGENETIC WHIPTAIL LIZARD ASPIDOSCELIS TESSELATA AT SUMNER LAKE, DE BACA COUNTY, NEW MEXICO

Abstract The diploid checkered whiptail lizard, Aspidoscelis tesselata, is a parthenogenetic species that occupies semiarid habitats in the southwestern USA. It comprises several morphologically distinct pattern classes that occasionally coexist within the same geographical area. Two pattern classes, C and E, coexist on both sides of Sumner Lake and the Pecos River in Sumner Lake State Park, De Baca County, New Mexico. Individuals of pattern class C are larger than individuals of pattern class E (they also produce larger clutches and take longer to reach reproductive maturity). Herein we present analyses of the stomach contents of specimens collected at Sumner Lake to determine if these 2 pattern classes show differences in their diets. Termites made up over 70% of the prey items found in the stomachs of both pattern classes, but when analyzed by volume, the most important prey were cicadas, planthoppers, and short-horned grasshoppers for pattern class C, and short-horned grasshoppers, cicadas, long-horne...
Foraging Ecology of Pileated Woodpeckers in Coastal Forests of Washington

In the Pacific Northwest, providing adequate habitat for pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) has been a key component of federal forest management strategies for over 20 years. Although their nesting and roosting ecology has been well studied, information on their foraging ecology is limited. From 1990 to 1995, we studied food habits of pileated woodpeckers in coastal forests (with scat analysis); estimated the relative abundance of their primary prey, carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.), associated with logs and cut stumps; and investigated selection of forest structures and site characteristics used by pileated woodpeckers for foraging. Pileated woodpeckers primarily consumed carpenter ants (54% of diet), but round-headed beetle larvae (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae) and dampwood termites (Isoptera, Termopsidae) were important food items during the breeding season (Mar–Jun). Selection of foraging structures was related to wood characteristics and microsite conditions that influence the presence and abundance of arthropod prey. Pileated woodpeckers foraged almost exclusively (95%) on standing structures, selecting tall, large-diameter snags in early to moderate stages of decay. Contrary to previous studies, pileated woodpeckers rarely (2%) foraged on logs. Carpenter ants were scarce at logs in closed-canopy habitats, which suggested that in coastal forests logs are too cool and wet to support abundant populations of carpenter ants. Selection of foraging sites by pileated woodpeckers was influenced by the abundance of potential foraging structures; 0.4-ha plots with recent foraging activity had greater densities of large snags (>51 cm dbh and ≥7.5 m tall) than plots without recent foraging. The efficacy of management strategies designed to provide habitat for pileated woodpeckers would be enhanced if they included specific provisions for foraging habitat and accounted for regional differences in the types of structures that provide suitable conditions for wood-dwelling arthropods.
Coffee and the moral order: Ethiopian Jews and Pentecostals against culture

For Ethiopian Jews and (formerly Jewish) Pentecostals in Israel, coffee (buna) is more than just a stimulant, a cultural symbol, or even a social lubricant. It is a material medium for disputes about the limitations of moral agency, the experience of kin relations that have been broken or restructured, and the eruption of dangerous—but also healing—potencies in the social world. Buna consumption has become a focal point for at least three different forms of moral compulsion (physical addiction; zar, or spirit, affliction; and kinship obligations) that are experienced as isomorphic with “culture” and from which freedom is sought. The decision to drink or to refrain from drinking buna has therefore emerged as a fulcrum of moral experience around which different Ethiopian groups in Israel negotiate the limits of “culture” and the quest for an elusive moral freedom. [African Pentecostalism, Ethiopian Jews, existential anthropology, moral experience, religious conversion, culture theory, freedom]
The effects of objectively measured sedentary behavior on all-cause mortality in a national sample of adults with diabetes.

Abstract Background Diabetes is a highly prevalent chronic disease that has been increasing globally and is the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. Sedentary behavior is associated with increased risk of diabetes and is unfavorably related to all-cause mortality, but there are limited studies examining the sedentary–mortality relationship among those with diabetes, which was the purpose of this study. Methods Using data from the 2003–2006 NHANES, 712 adult participants with evidence of diabetes had complete data on the study variables. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to examine the association between objectively measured sedentary behavior and all-cause mortality among this diabetic sample. Results Results showed that for every 60 min/day increase in sedentary behavior, independent of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and other covariates, adults with diabetes had a 13% increased risk of all-cause mortality (HRadjusted = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.03–1.24; P = 0.01). However, after adjusting for total physical activity (light and MVPA), sedentary behavior was no longer associated with mortality risk (HRadjusted = 1.04; 95% CI = 0.92–1.16; P = 0.46). Conclusion Among those with diabetes, sedentary behavior may not have increased mortality risk independent of total physical activity behavior.
Neuronal pathways involved in abdominal surgery-induced gastric ileus in rats

The 20-min rate of gastric emptying of a noncaloric solution and c-fos expression detected by immunohistochemistry in the brain were monitored 3 h after abdominal surgery performed under 10-min enflurane anesthesia in rats. Abdominal surgery (laparotomy and 1-min manipulation of the cecum) decreased gastric emptying from 60.8 +/- 3.4 to 25.9 +/- 3.4%. Capsaicin applied to the celiac/superior mesenteric ganglia 2 wk before the experiment reduced the delay in gastric emptying induced by abdominal surgery (46.3 +/- 3.4%), whereas perivagal capsaicin application had no effect (23.6 +/- 7.9%). The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) antagonist [D-Phe12, Nle21,38,C alpha MeLeu37]CRF-(12--41) injected intracisternally (10-20 micrograms) prevented postoperative gastroparesis induced by surgery, while having no effect on basal gastric emptying. Abdominal surgery increased the number of Fos-positive cells in brain nuclei regulating autonomic outflow: the nucleus of the solitary tract, locus ceruleus, paraventricular nucleus, and supraoptic nucleus of the hypothalamus. These data indicate that capsaicin-sensitive splanchnic afferent fibers and activation of CRF receptors in the brain are part of the neuronal circuitry mediating gastric stasis 3 h after abdominal surgery.
Law Schools Can Defeat Our Bar Pass Problem - Do the Work!

The bar pass rate for law graduates peaked in 1994. Since the mid-1990s this rate has declined precipitously. In 1999 and 2000 first-time test takers passed at a rate of only seventy-five percent; in 2002 first-time test takers who graduated from ABA-approved schools had a seventy-four percent pass rate. The decline in Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) scores foreshadowed these failures. Many students with LSAT scores below 157 are at considerable risk of failing the bar exam, as this essay demonstrates. The failure to pass the bar exam has devastating consequences for the applicant and may have serious consequences for law schools as reputations decline. Law schools have a moral and professional obligation, not only to graduate their increasingly heterogeneous student body, but also to enable graduates to practice by preparing them to pass the bar. This essay explains why strategies to improve the bar pass rate by increasing selectivity, either through admissions or attrition, may not succeed. It argues that law schools must work with the students they admit. The essay concludes by offering a number of common sense tactics and strategies to raise exam pass rates without turning law schools into bar schools.
Nocturnal increase of type II thyroxine 5'-deiodinase activity in the Syrian hamster harderian gland is abolished by light exposure and induced by isoproterenol.

AbstractThe presence of type II 5′-deiodinase activity in the Syrian hamster Harderian gland was investigated. This enzyme exhibited an increase of its activity after animals entered the normal dark phase, with maximal activity occurring at 04.00 hr (8 hr after lights off). The nocturnal increase was prevented by maintaining the animals in light during the night. Isoproterenol subcutaneously injected every 2 hr (1.0 mg/kg body wt) from 20.00 hr through 0.400 hr to animals exposed to light during the normal dark period mimicked the effect of darkness, i.e., with this treatment an increase in 5′-deiodinase activity with maximal peak values at 02.00 hr was observed. The results show that 5′-deiodinase activity in the Syrian hamster Harderian gland exhibits a nyctohemeral profile dependent on β-adrenergic activation of the gland.
Ultrastructural morphology of intermediate forms and forms suggestive of conjugation in the life cycle of Pneumocystis carinii

The intrapulmonary life cycle of Pneumocystis carinii has been proposed to include asexual reproduction of haploid trophic forms and sexual reproduction to form cysts or ascospores containing 8 intracystic bodies or spores. This study presents the ultrastructural morphology of trophic forms and developing ascospores. Nuclear-associated organelles (NAO) were observed in these various forms and in a binucleated trophozoite. The unique configuration of the nuclei and NAO in this binucleated trophic form were similar to ultrastructural features observed in conjugation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. NAOs in developing ascospores were present in pairs and were associated with multiple nuclei. In more mature ascospores, NAO were associated with individual spores. The intermediate forms described in this study support an asexual and sexual reproductive process in P. carinii.
The Turnover of Rat-Liver Folate Pools

SummaryAfter a single tracer dose of tritiated pteroylglutamic acid, the uptake, excretion and turnover of radioactivity was measured in the adult rat under steady-state conditions up to 7 weeks after injection. The half-life time of four peaks containing reduced folate pentaglutamates ranged from 3.3 to 4.3 days, indicating a rapid utilization of these liver pools in contrast to the half-life time for plasma radioactivity. The half-life time of the radioactivity excreted in urine is larger than that of liver folates and smaller than that of plasma folates. In view of their rapid turnover and high concentration and variability, it is possible that the pentaglutamate forms in liver serve specific metabolic functions other than simply of a reserve and that folate depletion proceeds at a more rapid rate than previously expected from observations on rates of decrease in plasma folate concentrations.
Flow Control Device for Branching Arteries of the Aortic Arch in a Mock Circulatory Loop

The highly pulsatile flow conditions in the arch of aorta and the branching nature of this anatomy create a complex flow regime that catheter-based surgical devices and left heart medical devices may impact. Disturbance of flow to the carotid arteries, which lead to the brain, may result in hypoxic conditions or elevated blood pressure that may result in stroke. The severity of these issues necessitates a practical means of replicating the flow rate in the bifurcations of the aorta, within a mock circulatory system (MCS). In this research, this problem was addressed by analyzing the effects of precisely controlling a series of four pinch valves in order to replicate the blood flow in the branches of the aorta and into the brachial and carotid arteries. Following a verification and validation (V&V) methodology, a PID controlled, closed loop, hydraulic system was created using Simulink® Simscape. Subsequently, empirical testing of this method was conducted in a benchtop hydraulic loop with a 3D printed arch of aorta. Utilizing this approach, the flow rate through the branching arteries were controlled, via a microcontroller. The pressure differential across each pinch valve was characterized with respect to the position of the pinch valve, providing data which allowed the flow rate to be determined in run time for both steady state settings, as well as time variant conditions. Empirical verification of the aortic bifurcation simulator's performance and validation of the control architecture support this methodology as an effective means of reproducing the complex dynamics of aortic flow.
Active transforming growth factor-β is associated with phenotypic changes in granulomas after drug treatment in pulmonary tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) chemotherapy clears bacterial burden in the lungs of patients and allows the tuberculous lesions to heal through a fibrotic process. The healing process leaves pulmonary scar tissue that can impair lung function. The goal of this study was to identify fibrotic mediators as a stepping-stone to begin exploring mechanisms of tissue repair in TB. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson’s trichrome stain were utilized to determine levels of collagenization in tuberculous granulomas from non-human primates. Immunohistochemistry was then employed to further interrogate these granulomas for markers associated with fibrogenesis, including transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ), α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA), phosphorylated SMAD-2/3, and CD163. These markers were compared across states of drug treatment using one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s test was used to determine the association of these markers with one another. TGFβ and αSMA were present in granulomas from primates with active TB disease. These molecules were reduced in abundance after TB chemotherapy. Phosphorylated SMAD-2/3, a signaling intermediate of TGFβ, was observed in greater amounts after 1 month of drug treatment than in active disease, suggesting that this particular pathway is blocked in active disease. Collagen production during tissue repair is strongly associated with TGFβ in this model, but not with CD163+ macrophages. Tissue repair and fibrosis in TB that occurs during drug treatment is associated with active TGFβ that is produced during active disease. Further work will identify mechanisms of fibrosis and work towards mitigating lung impairment with treatments that target those mechanisms.
Periurethral Polytetrafluoroethylene Injection for Urinary Incontinence

AbstractWe have treated 165 patients with urinary incontinence from a wide variety of causes with periurethral polytetrafluoroethylene injections. Results have been good to excellent in approximately 75 per cent of the cases. Injections have averaged less than 2 per person. Complications have been minimal and the procedure is well tolerated. Polytetrafluoroethylene injections do not contradict subsequent surgery should it become necessary.
The relationship between autism symptoms and arousal level in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder, as measured by electrodermal activity

Electrodermal activity was examined as a measure of physiological arousal within a naturalistic play context in 2-year-old toddlers (N = 27) with and without autism spectrum disorder. Toddlers with autism spectrum disorder were found to have greater increases in skin conductance level than their typical peers in response to administered play activities. In the autism spectrum disorder group, a positive relationship was observed between restrictive and repetitive behaviors and skin conductance level increases in response to mechanical toys, whereas the opposite pattern was observed for passive toys. This preliminary study is the first to examine electrodermal activity levels in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder during play-based, naturalistic settings, and it highlights the potential for electrodermal activity as a measure of individual variability within autism spectrum disorder and early development.
A prospective study of clinically and endoscopically documented colonic ischemia in 100 patients undergoing aortic reconstructive surgery with aggressive colonic and direct pelvic revascularization, compared with historic controls

Clinically and endoscopically proved ischemia of the colon complicates elective aortic reconstruction in 1% to 2% and 6% to 7% of cases, respectively. Operative mortality exceeds 60% when transmural infarction occurs. A prospective study of colonic ischemia was undertaken in 100 male patients (mean age, 62.4 +/- 7.9 years) undergoing operation for aortic aneurysms (58) or aortoiliac occlusive disease (42). Conventional aortic surgery was undertaken in 88 patients, and in 12 patients adjunctive procedures to enhance colonic perfusion were performed 14 times, including IMA reimplantation (8), direct bypass to the internal iliac artery (4), and anastomosis of an aortofemoral bypass limb to adjacent common iliac artery (2). Colonoscopy was performed within 24 to 48 hours of aortic reconstruction. Three patients had endoscopic evidence of colonic ischemia. Transmural infarction did not develop in any patient, and bowel resections or diverting colostomies were not necessary. Three patients died, none manifesting colonic ischemia. The 12% utilization of adjunctive procedures to enhance blood flow in the colon was substantially greater than the 4% frequency of an earlier experience from our institution in which nearly half of the 5.7% operative mortality was attributed to colonic infarction. Attention to factors contributing to ischemia of the colon, and more frequent adjunctive revascularization of the colon, may lessen this complication of aortic reconstructive surgery.
Enhancing best practices in ophthalmology for prevention of nosocomial epidemic keratoconjunctivitis infections

Epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC) outbreaks were reported as early as the 1940s in the United States. Nearly 80 years later, EKC remains a major eye health concern in the US and worldwide. Of particular concern is that a significant number of EKC cluster outbreaks in the US are healthcare acquired infections (HAIs) at ophthalmology offices. Therefore, immediate attention to enhancing best practices of standardization and universal precautions in ophthalmology is paramount.
A primer of facial chemical peel

Facial chemical peel encompasses a plethora of procedures. With the use of trichloroacetic acid (TCA), chemical peel is a safe, effective, and elegant method for treating some common skin problems, particularly in fair, photoaged skin. This article describes the authors’ approach and histologic studies demonstrating the efficacy of TCA at various concentrations, including decreased efficacy when TCA is occluded with tape.
Humans Have Always Been Posthuman: A Spiritual Genealogy of Posthumanism

This article wishes to unveil the relevance of spirituality in the genealogy of Cultural, Critical and Philosophical Posthumanism. In its genealogical endeavor, this article expands the lens of the posthuman outside of Western academia, to Eastern traditions of thought such as Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Yoga and Tantrism. This article wishes to recognize the important contribution of different spiritual traditions in the development of Posthuman Studies. In order to do so, it first provides an introduction to the topic of Posthumanism and spirituality. Secondly, it highlights ancient spiritual traditions which are in tune with the posthuman approach; lastly, it elaborates on the development of the spiritual politics of the posthuman, by emphasizing the relevance of Posthumanism as a contemporary philosophy of life. This article argues that spirituality, in its all-encompassing signification, corresponds to the core meaning of the posthuman post-dualistic perspective. In this sense, humans have always been posthuman. And still, this article also wishes to emphasize that no specific tradition can be regarded as fully representative of the posthuman, as most of these traditional systems of thought, once systematized, have adapted to the anthropocentric paradigm. This is why, although Posthumanism is deeply indebted to the spiritual realm, its offerings are unique, original and very much needed. In the age of the Anthropocene, Posthumanism is required to develop daily ethics of living based on an integral investment of its post-anthropocentric premises. The notion of spirituality helps us answer these questions, as it dramatically broadens our understanding of the posthuman, allowing us to investigate not only technical technologies (robotics, cybernetics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, among others), but also, technologies of existence. In this sense, we have always been posthuman.
Dispelling Assumptions about Stocked‐Trout Fisheries and Angler Satisfaction

AbstractWe investigated three assumptions about stocked-trout fisheries: (1) stocking densities (trout/km or trout/ha) correlate with angler catch rates, (2) catch rates decline with time after stocking, and (3) angler satisfaction correlates with catch rates. We interviewed 5,689 anglers on 14 put-and-take trout waters in Virginia from October 2013 to May 2014 and from October 2014 to May 2015 to assess their fishing effort for stocked trout, catch, and level of satisfaction with their fishing experience that day. Stocking density did not affect the stocked-trout catch rate on streams or lakes, and catch rates remained relatively constant from the day after stocking up to 1 month after stocking. The type of water body affected both angler effort and catch rate. We found that catch rates above thresholds (0.46 trout/angler-hour on lakes; 1.21 trout/angler-hour on streams) had minor effects on angler satisfaction, but below those threshold values, satisfaction increased greatly with increasing catch rates ...
Parents Just Don't Understand: Why Teens Don't Talk to Parents about Their Online Risk Experiences

Past research has shown that parents tend to underestimate the frequency with which their teens experience online risks. However, little is known about whether and how teens communicate with their parents when online risks do occur. In a two-month, web-based diary study of 68 teen-parent pairs, participants provided separate accounts of the teens' weekly online risk experiences. We found that most teens had little or no communication with their parents regarding their online risk experiences, and parents and teens shared very different perceptions and reactions when risks were reported, helping explain why communication was so poor. We discuss the implications of our results and make recommendations for how researchers and designers may work to improve the state of family communication regarding adolescent online risks in the future.
Critical Thinking in Collaboration: Talk Less, Perceive More

Collaborative learning technology has been used across disciplines in support of argument development. These technologies allow multiple users to concurrently analyze and edit documents in the same online virtual space, and can offer richer cues for collaboration awareness. However, little is known about how such synchronization mechanisms work together to support small group collaborative argumentation. This exploratory study reports the experiences and reactions of 14 dyads that worked together using Critical Thinker, a web application that allows learners to collaboratively develop structured arguments in a synchronous workspace with collaboration affordances. Our qualitative data shows how the structural juxtaposition provided by the tool can scaffold dialectical construction of arguments, while the synchronization mechanisms can facilitate collaborative learning tasks. We use these findings to inform ongoing design efforts to deploy Critical Thinker as classroom technology.
Motor unit diversity during elbow flexion

Understanding how multiple muscles are recruited across a joint has typically been approached from relating muscle activity to resultant forces. New tools are now available to look deeper into a muscle's recruitment by observing groups of single motor units. Identifying changes in the motor unit activity both within a muscle and between muscles the redundancies in motor control can be better understood. Motor units from biceps brachii and brachioradialis were decomposed from surface electromyography to determine firing rate and timing behaviors. Biceps peak firing rates, recruitment time and time to reach peak firing rate had positive correlation with increases in resultant force, while brachioradialis data had no such correlation. In addition the brachioradialis firing rate distribution was significantly different from the biceps. The stark differences in firing behavior show differences in function for both muscles, with the biceps acting more as a primary force producer, and the brachioradialis acting as a force modulator.
The Transsternal Extension

In some cases, the chronic obstructive fibrotic process involving the subclavian vein extends far medially. In this instance, the standard incision is inadequate to expose the normal innominate vein or to properly lay the patch at its proximal end. The problem is not so much the actual length of the obstructed segment of vein, but that, if the segment has obviously extended into the innominate vein behind the manubrium of the sternum, the exposure needed to lay a patch appropriately or to connect proximal and distal normal vein is impossible to achieve. Therefore the regular incision needs to be extended into the sternum in order to expose the innominate vein, in some cases even up to the origin of the superior vena cava (Fig. 20.1a, b). The surgeon must keep in mind several caveats and injunctions when contemplating the use of this extension. First, once the sternum is entered, it is of the utmost importance in the postoperative period to keep the patient’s arm immobilized for a minimum of 6 weeks postoperatively to allow the sternum to heal and to prevent a dehiscence. This will almost certainly occur if the patient is allowed to move the arm freely in all directions even if a proper sternal repair has been achieved at the end of the operation. Second, the extension should not be done until an attempt is made to use the regular incision to try to mobilize the vein into the operative field for placement of the venous patch (Fig. 19.11). Even when the clamps are already on the vein and the vein has been opened, extension of the incision can be carried out with the clamps in place until the manubrium of the sternum is divided. Because the patient has already been Heparinized, no thrombosis will occur.
Effectiveness of involving the industrial and business professions into mechanical engineering capstone course

Capstone design, along with the last courses before graduation, is one of the major performance indicators of the student outcome in an undergraduate mechanical engineering program. Educational top...
Regulation and utilization of cell division for bacterial cell differentiation

Bacteria employ various strategies to differentiate, many of which are influenced by the compartmentalization that results from cell division. Cell differentiation can be regulated through gene expression cascades, where one step in expression is dependent on a previous step. These cascades are initiated by external and internal stimuli, and may ensure the ordered expression of genes as they are required during the course of the bacterial life cycle. Once a division septum is formed and the cytoplasm of progeny cells becomes distinct, compartment-specific transcription of genes can be established. In addition to transcriptional control, gene products are also influenced post-translationally. The activity of many proteins is regulated by proteolysis, either by proteolytic processing of pre-proteins into their active forms, or through degradation of those proteins that no longer serve a purpose (Gottesman, 1999). The formation of a division septum can again be exploited by the bacterium to carry out differentiation, since proteolysis of a particular protein can be constrained to a specific cell compartment. Perhaps the most important discovery in bacterial differentiation in recent years
Pensions: the impact of migrations and cross-border workers in a small open economy

The pension system brings challenges in many high-income countries. While the system was set up at the time of economic growth, policymakers are facing both economic slowdown and aging population. Moreover, there is an incentive mis-match between short to medium term popularity and re-election versus taking necessary decisions to affect long-term sustainability of the system. In a small open economy, the situation is further accentuated by high volatility driven by migrations and cross-borders workers. This paper aims to address the policymakers’ challenges and develops an innovative model, whose main contribution is the way it reflects the cross-border workers’ contribution and impact. Therefore, it allows to not only assess the state liabilities, but also the evolution of the age pyramid with a significant portion of new migrants and cross-border workers, considering the high volatility of workers. It also provides an approach to analyze issues at stake and remove decision biases faced by politicians through policy options and their impact under various economic scenarios. With the model in hand, we analyze three different scenarios for the future evolution of Luxembourg's pension system. In all three scenarios, the results reflect a significant imbalance of the pension system over time (to 2060), going from 1.6% of gross domestic product (GDP) surplus in the best scenario to 14.2% of GDP deficit in the worst scenario. The probability of this worst scenario is related with a worsening of the economic situation, with job destruction and a drop in economic growth impacting cross-border commuters and net migrations.
Successful aging: Social theory, scripture, church teaching

Thanks to medical progress and better overall living conditions, a greater number of people are living well into old age, many more than in previous generations. However, we feel instinctively that...
PD-1 Inhibition Minimally Affects Cisplatin-Induced Toxicities in a Murine Model:

Immune checkpoint inhibition used in combination with standard cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens is currently under evaluation in clinical trials for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSC...
Integrated Exposure Therapy and Exercise Reduces Fear of Falling and Avoidance in Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the safety and acceptability of a novel 8-week intervention integrating exercise, exposure therapy, cognitive restructuring, and a home safety evaluation, conducted by a physical therapist, in reducing fear of falling and activity avoidance. To collect preliminary evidence of efficacy. Design: Randomized pilot study comparing the intervention to time- and attention-equivalent fall prevention education. Setting: Participants' homes. Participants: 42 older adults with disproportionate fear of falling (high fear, low to moderate objective fall risk). Measurements: Falls Efficacy Scale-International, modified Activity Card Sort, satisfaction, falls. Results: Relative to education, the intervention reduced fear of falling ( d = 1.23) and activity avoidance ( d = 1.02) at 8 weeks, but effects eroded over a six-month follow-up period. The intervention did not increase falls, and participants rated the exercise, exposure therapy, and non-specific elements as most helpful. Conclusion: An integration of exercise and exposure therapy may help older adults with disproportionate fear of falling, but modifications to the intervention or its duration may be needed to maintain participants' gains.
Quality of clinical care and bypassing of primary health centers in India

In many low and middle-income countries patients often bypass the nearest government health center offering free or subsidized services and seek more expensive care elsewhere. This study examines the role of quality of care, in particular clinician competence and structural quality of the health center, on bypassing behavior. Data for this study comes from a survey of 136 primary health centers (PHCs) and 3517 individuals living in the PHC's immediate vicinity in rural Chhattisgarh, India. Overall, the majority (67%) of patients bypassed the local PHC when seeking treatment. Bypassing decreased as provider competence increased, up to a point, after which, improvements in competency did not reduce bypassing. The clinical competence of the health care provider had a greater effect on reducing bypassing compared to PHC structural quality such as the building condition and drug stock-outs. However, the regular presence of clinical providers in the PHC was associated with lower bypassing. Patients that visited the local PHC spent half as much out-of-pocket as those that were treated at private clinics. Poor patients were less likely to bypass the local PHC compared to non-poor patients. These findings suggest that improving structural quality is not sufficient to reduce bypassing of PHCs. While better provider competency can substantially reduce bypassing, beyond a threshold competency level there is little effect. Efforts to strengthen facility-based primary care services need to go beyond simply focusing on improving infrastructure or quality of clinical care. There is a need to rethink how PHCs can be made more relevant to the health care needs of the communities they serve.
Random Exchange Spin Chains

The subject of random exchange spin chains started in earnest in 1972, when BULAEVSKII, SHCHEGOLEV, and co-workers [1] published their measurements of the low temperature electron spin susceptibility (x) and magnetization (M) of the TCNQ charge transfer salts Qn(TCNQ)2, Ad(TCNQ)2, and NMP-TCNQ, and interpreted the observed physical properties as those of a random exchange Heisenberg antiferromagnetic chain (REHAC) with spin S = 1/2. Their theoretical model, which is discussed in more detail below, employed the Hamiltonian $$H = 2\sum\nolimits_{\rm{i}} {{{\rm{J}}_{\rm{i}}}} {\mathop {\rm{S}}\limits^ \to _{\rm{i}}}{\mathop {\rm{S}}\limits^ \to _{{\rm{i + 1}}}} - g{\mu _{\rm{B}}} {\rm{H }}\sum\nolimits_{\rm{i}} {{{\rm{S}}_{\rm{i}}}^{\rm{z}}}$$ (1) where i is the site index on a one-dimensional (1-d) chain, J. is the random, antiferromagnetic (Ji > 0), nearest neighbor exchange with random probability distribution P(J), \({\mathop{\text{S}}\limits^\to_{\text{i}}}\) is the spin operator for the electron at site i, g is the electronic g-value, μB is the Bohr magneton, and H the externally applied magnetic field.
Tangent Bundles and Tangent Sphere Bundles

In the first two sections of this chapter we discuss the geometry of the tangent bundle and the tangent sphere bundle. In Section 3 we briefly present a more general construction on vector bundles and in Section 4 specialize to the case of the normal bundle of a submanifold. The formalism for the tangent bundle and the tangent sphere bundle is of sufficient importance to warrant its own development, rather than specializing from the vector bundle case. In Section 5 we discuss briefly a contact structure on the projectivized tangent bundle of the hyperbolic plane and the geodesic flow on this bundle rather than on the unit tangent bundle, which is its usual setting.
Fish Viruses and Viral Infections

The advent of fish cell and tissue culture in the mid-1950s provided the technical impetus for expanding fish virology beyond the confines of disease transmission studies. A variety of fish viruses and viruslike agents have now been recognized, and most are associated with pathological conditions. Not unexpectedly, research interests have focused on those fish viruses which impact most significantly on economic and aesthetic sensitivities. As a result, some of the fish viruses have been well characterized and classified into established viral taxonomic groupings while others have been only partly characterized or demonstrated solely by electron microscopy and their classification is tentative.
Grief, depressive symptoms, and inflammation in the spousally bereaved.

Abstract Grief is conceptualized by strong negative emotions, which include longing, sadness, and preoccupations with thoughts, recollections, and images of the spouse. In the initial months after the loss of a spouse, those who are widowed are at risk for cardiovascular problems and premature mortality. In the general population, depression is characterized by chronic low-grade inflammation, a key predictor of cardiovascular problems, morbidity, and mortality. Although depression and grief share similarities, they are distinct constructs. We aimed to identify if grief was related to inflammation among those who had a spouse recently die. We also sought to determine if those who are widowed and already experience elevated levels of depressive symptoms compared with the general population had higher levels of inflammation compared with those who are widowed who report fewer depressive symptoms. Ninety-nine recently bereaved individuals (M = 84.74 days since passing, SD = 18.17) completed a blood draw and psychological assessments. Proinflammatory T cell-derived cytokines were assessed, which included interferon gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL17-A, and IL-2. Bereaved individuals with a higher grief severity (using an established cut-score) had higher levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-6, and TNF-α than those with less grief severity. Those who experienced higher levels of depression exhibited elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines compared with those who had lower levels of depression (using a continuous measure of depressive symptoms, as well as an established cut score). This is the first study to demonstrate that inflammatory markers can distinguish those who are widowed based on grief severity such that those who are higher on grief severity have higher levels of inflammation compared with those who are lower on grief severity. These findings also add to the broader literature on depression and inflammation by showing that even in a population with high levels of depressive symptoms, there is a positive relationship between depression and inflammation.
Tricuspid Valve Biomechanics: A Brief Review

The mechanics of the tricuspid valve are poorly understood. Today’s unsatisfying outcomes of tricuspid valve surgery, at least in part, may be due to this lack of knowledge. Therefore, the tricuspid valve in general, and its mechanics specifically, have recently received an increasing interest. This chapter briefly summarizes what we currently know about tricuspid valve mechanics. To this end, we separately review tricuspid leaflet mechanics, annular mechanics, and the chordae’s mechanics. Moreover, we categorize our discussion by the experimental environment in which these tissues were studied: in vivo, in vitro, and in silico. Finally, we make suggestions as to which areas of tricuspid valve mechanics should receive additional attention from the biomechanics community.
Professional development in evidence-based practice: course survey results to inform administrative decision making.

Objective: To understand librarians’ evidence-based practice (EBP) professional development needs and assist library administrators with professional development decisions in their own institutions, the study team surveyed past participants of an EBP online course. This study aimed to (1) understand what course content participants found valuable, (2) discover how participants applied their course learning to their work, and (3) identify which aspects of EBP would be beneficial for future continuing education. Methods: The study team distributed an eighteen-question survey to past participants of the course (2011–2017). The survey covered nontraditional demographic information, course evaluations, course content applications to participants’ work, additional EBP training, and EBP topics for future CE opportunities. The study team analyzed the results using descriptive statistics. Results: Twenty-nine percent of course participants, representing different library environments, responded to the survey. Eighty-five percent of respondents indicated that they had prior EBP training. The most valuable topics were searching the literature (62%) and developing a problem, intervention, comparison, outcome (PICO) question (59%). Critical appraisal was highly rated for further professional development. Fifty-three percent indicated change in their work efforts after participating in the course. Ninety-seven percent noted interest in further EBP continuing education. Conclusions: Survey respondents found value in both familiar and unfamiliar EBP topics, which supported the idea of using professional development for learning new concepts and reinforcing existing knowledge and skills. When given the opportunity to engage in these activities, librarians can experience new or expanded EBP work roles and responsibilities. Additionally, the results provide library administrators insights into the benefit of EBP professional development.
"By the Way"… How People With Aphasia and Their Communication Partners Initiate New Topics of Conversation.

Purpose The ability to initiate new topics of conversation is a basic skill integral to communicative independence and agency that is susceptible to breakdown in aphasia (Barnes, Candlin, & Ferguso...
The rise in non-fatal and fatal overdoses involving stimulants with and without opioids in the United States.

AIMS: To examine trends and recent changes in non-fatal and fatal stimulant overdose rates with and without opioids to improve the descriptive characterization of the US overdose epidemic. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of non-fatal (2006-16) and fatal (2006-17) drug overdose trends, focusing on the most recent years of data available to examine rate changes by demographics (2015-16 for non-fatal and 2016-17 for fatal). SETTING: Non-fatal drug overdoses from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Emergency Department Sample; drug overdose deaths from the National Vital Statistics System. PARTICIPANTS/CASES: International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification/Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-CM/PCS) codes for cocaine, psychostimulants and opioids were used to classify non-fatal drug overdoses. Drug overdose deaths were identified using ICD-10 multiple cause-of-death codes for cocaine, psychostimulants, all opioids, heroin and synthetic opioids. MEASUREMENTS: Percentage of changes in age-adjusted non-fatal and fatal rates of cocaine and psychostimulant-involved drug overdose with and without opioids. FINDINGS: Overall, cocaine-involved non-fatal overdose rates with an opioid increased from 2006 to 2016 [annual percentage change (APC) = 14.7], while rates without an opioid increased from 2006 to 2012 (APC = 11.3) and then remained stable (APC = -7.5). Psychostimulant-involved non-fatal rates with and without an opioid increased from 2006 to 2016 (APC = 49.9 with opioids; 13.9 without opioids). Cocaine-involved death rates with and without opioids increased from 2014 to 2017 (APC = 46.0 with opioids, 23.6 without opioids). Psychostimulant-involved death rates with opioids increased from 2010 to 2015 (APC = 28.6), with a dramatic increase from 2015 to 2017 (APC = 50.5), while rates without opioids increased from 2008 to 2017 (APC = 22.6). In 2016, 27% of non-fatal cocaine- and 14% of psychostimulant-involved overdoses included a reported opioid; 72.7% of cocaine- and 50.3% of psychostimulant-involved deaths involved an opioid in 2017. From 2015 to 2016, cocaine-involved and psychostimulant-involved non-fatal overdose rates with an opioid increased 17.0 and 5.9%, respectively; cocaine-involved and psychostimulant-involved non-fatal overdoses without opioids decreased 13.6 and increased 18.9%, respectively. Death rates involving stimulants increased with and without opioids from 2016 to 2017 (cocaine with and without opioids = 37.7 and 23.3%; psychostimulants with and without opioids = 52.2 and 23.0%). Death rates involving stimulants with synthetic opioids increased dramatically from 2016 to 2017 (1.3-2.3 per 100 000 for cocaine and 0.3-0.8 for psychostimulants). CONCLUSIONS: While increases in cocaine-involved deaths in the United States from 2006 seem to be driven by opioids, particularly synthetic opioids, increases in non-fatal and fatal overdoses involving psychostimulants are occurring with and without opioids.
Split-vacancy defect complexes of oxygen in hcp and fcc cobalt

One of the most ubiquitous and important defects in solids is oxygen. Knowledge about the solubility and diffusivity of oxygen in materials is crucial to understand a number of important technological processes, such as oxidation, corrosion, and heterogeneous catalysis. Density-functional theory calculations of the thermodynamics and kinetics of oxygen in cobalt show that oxygen diffusing into the two close-packed phases, namely $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ (hcp) and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ (fcc), strongly interacts with vacancies. We observe the formation of oxygen split-vacancy centers (V-${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathrm{i}}$-V) in both phases, and we show that this defect complex exhibits a similar migration energy barrier to the vacancy and oxygen interstitials. In contrast to the vacancy and oxygen interstitials, the oxygen split-vacancy centers exhibit an anisotropic strain field that couples to applied stress, making it possible to observe them through an internal friction experiment on quenched cobalt.
Polydopamine-Assisted Modification of Anion-Exchange Membranes with Nanomaterials for Improved Biofouling Resistance and Electrodialysis Performance

The present study is the first to systematically investigate the impact of membrane modification on antifouling propensity and desalination performance of anion-exchange membranes (Ionics AR204) by...