cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Na-channel blockers and lumen Ca on K secretion by rat renal distal tubule.

In previous studies the effectiveness of amiloride (AML) in reducing K secretion has been variable. Based on studies by Cuthbert and Wong (Mol. Pharmacol. 8: 222-229, 1972) in which the Na-channel-blocking action of AML in frog skin was found to require the availability of Ca ions in extracellular fluid, we postulated that the ability of AML and its analogue, benzamil (BZA), to inhibit distal tubule K secretion depends on the presence of Ca in luminal fluid. We found that addition of Ca to a perfusion solution containing 50 microM BZA did reduce K secretion more than BZA alone. Maximal inhibition was observed with 2.5 mM free ionic Ca. Graded increases in luminal Ca in presence of AML or BZA reduced K transport in a dose-dependent manner. The decrease in K secretion with increasing luminal Ca was paralleled by a decrease in transepithelial voltage. These results support our hypothesis that the effectiveness of Na-channel blockers to reduce K secretion by the rat distal tubule depends on presence of lumina...
DNA sequences from a ligninolytic filamentous fungus Phanerochaetechrysosporium capable of autonomous replication in yeast

Abstract Five different DNA sequences of Phanerochaete chrysosporium capable of supporting autonomous replication of yeast integration plasmid (YIp5) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae were isolated. These hybrid plasmids with the autonomous replication sequences from P . chrysosporium are maintained extrachromosomally, are mitotically unstable and transform Ura 3 deletion mutant of S . cerevisiae to Ura + phenotype with high frequency. The autonomous replication sequence in pRR2, one of the recombinant plasmids, was further characterized and was shown to be homologous to P . chrysosporium genomic DNA. Restriction analyses showed that this plasmid has unique PvuII and SalI restriction sites for cloning.
Flowing Liquid He II: Critical Velocities and Dissipation Functions

In Chapter 1, we remarked that the two-fluid equations of motion $${\rho _s}D{v_s}/{D_t} = - ({\rho _s}/\rho )\nabla P + {\rho _s}s\nabla T $$ (8.1) and $${\rho _n}D{v_n}/Dt = - ({\rho _n}/\rho )\nabla P - {\rho _s}s\nabla T - {\eta _n}\nabla \times \nabla \times \nabla {v_n}$$ (8.2) where $$Dv/Dt = \partial v/\partial t + (v \cdot \nabla )v$$ (8.3) are generally valid only in the limit of vanishing velocities. However, if, for example, v n becomes large, we expect, in analogy with ordinary hydrodynamics, that the laminar flow described by equation (8.2) will be modified by the onset of turbulence. Similarly, with increasing values of v s , it is physically reasonable that the frictionless character of the superfluid flow should be violated by the appearance of some sort of dissipation process. And, finally, at sufficiently large relative velocities, v r = v n - v s , the assumption that the two velocity fields are independent ought to fail, and we should see some evidence for the mutual interaction between these fields. In other words, associated with each of the velocities v n , v s , and v r , will be a sort of critical velocity, which we call v n,c , v s,c , and v r,c , respectively, each signaling the onset of a flow regime different from that described by the steady-state linear equations of motion and therefore indicating the necessity for including one or more additional terms into these equations.
Managing Conflict of Interest

Whether we are innovator-inventors or users of well-marketed products, our public, our lawmakers, and our professional societies demand extra careful actions from every surgeon. We suggest that our treasured patients deserve the full and unabashed disclosure of any potential conflict of interest that may affect their decisions. They deserve unbiased care—the type we would readily provide to our most beloved relatives. Ethical surgical care requires full disclosure and, to the extent possible, influence-free actions from all surgeons.
A15 Can exercise and physical therapy alter disease progression in huntington’s disease?

While exercise has emerged as an important contributor to maintaining function and potentially altering disease progression in Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis, relatively little is known about its potential to benefit people with Huntington’s disease (HD). Preliminary studies suggest that exercise in people with HD is safe, feasible and may improve quality of life, fitness and motor impairments, although long-term functional changes as well as improvements in cognition have not been demonstrated. Inpatient, multidisciplinary rehabilitation programs have been generally well tolerated and associated with improvement in movement, cognition and mood alongside health-related quality of life; however, most of the published studies have been non-randomised and uncontrolled, and importantly involved extended hospital stays. The aims of this presentation are to: 1) overview the current exercise and physical therapy literature in HD with regards to their short term and long term efficacy, 2) discuss possible mechanisms by which exercise may have a disease-modifying effect in HD, and 3) highlight the need for systematic research to evaluate the optimal mode, intensity and dose of exercise, as well as facilitate adherence and uptake in both premanifest and manifest HD. If shown to be effective, exercise programs have the potential to be used in combination with disease-modifying drugs, cell replacement therapy or genetic manipulations, when available, to maximise the functional benefits of these interventions by facilitating adaptive neuroplasticity. The option of a low cost, widely available, non-pharmacological treatment for people with HD, which either modifies or slows down the rate of progression of HD, will be of immense benefit to people with HD and their families.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with functional decline and falls in frail elderly women despite supplementation

We examined the impact of daily supplementation on vitamin D deficiency, function, and falls in female long-term care residents. Initial vitamin D deficiency was associated with greater functional decline and increased fall risk despite guideline-recommended supplementation, highlighting the importance of preventing vitamin D deficiency in frail elderly. Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines recommend 800 IU vitamin D daily for older adults and maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH) D] above 20 ng/ml for optimal skeletal health. The adequacy of IOM guidelines for sustaining function and reducing falls in frail elderly is unknown. Female long-term care residents aged ≥65 enrolled in an osteoporosis clinical trial were included in this analysis (n = 137). Participants were classified based on baseline 25(OH) D levels as deficient ( 30 ng/ml, n = 71). Deficient women were provided initial vitamin D repletion (50,000 IU D3 weekly for 8 weeks). All were supplemented with 800 IU vitamin D3 daily for 24 months. Annual functional assessments included Activities of Daily Living (ADLs), Instrumental ADL (IADL), physical performance test (PPT), gait speed, cognition (SPMSQ), and mental health (PHQ-9). We used linear mixed models for analysis of functional measures and logistic regression for falls. Daily supplementation maintained 25(OH) D levels above 20 ng/ml in 95% of participants. All groups demonstrated functional decline. Women initially deficient had a greater decline in physical function at 12 (IADL −2.0 ± 0.4, PPT −3.1 ± 0.7, both p < 0.01) and 24 months (IADL −2.5 ± 0.6, ADL −2.5 ± 0.6, both p < 0.01), a larger increase in cognitive deficits at 12 months (1.7 ± 0.4: p = 0.01) and more fallers (88.5%, p = 0.04) compared to those sufficient at baseline, despite supplementation to sufficient levels. IOM guidelines may not be adequate for frail elderly. Further study of optimal 25(OH) D levels for maintaining function and preventing falls is needed.
ATP-independent, DNA synthesis by DNA polymerase II in toluenized Bacillus subtilis

Phleomycin stimulates ATP-independent DNA repair synthesis by polymerase II in toluenized B. subtilis cells. In the presence of ATP it also increases the synthesis, with BrdUTP, of DNA with a density between that of normal DNA and hybrid DNA, and it enhances replicative DNA synthesis by polymerase III.
General Overview of the Laparoscopic Adjustable Band

The laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) is one of the several weight loss procedures performed in the USA today. The history of gastric banding dates back to 1978 when Dr. Wilkinson wrapped a Marlex mesh around a portion of the stomach to create a smaller gastric pouch. The first gastric banding in the USA was performed in 1980 in Texas by Dr. Molina with Dacron material [1]. Since the work of these pioneers, many technological advances have been made, and the band material is currently made from silicone. There are currently two laparoscopic adjustable bands in the market, the LAP-BAND System by Allergan and the REALIZE Band produced by Johnson & Johnson.
Towards the 10-year milestone of Journal of Biological Engineering

October 10th, 2016 marked the 9th anniversary for the Journal of Biological Engineering (JBE), the official journal of Institute of Biological Engineering (IBE), published by BioMed Central. We are entering into the 10th year of its exciting and productive history. In this editorial, a brief history of JBE is summarized, along with a series of analyses on average number of citations, breakdown of topical subjects, geographical representations and so forth for all published articles in JBE. Future prospects and new directions of JBE are also described in this editorial.
Letter Writing Differences: Relative Status Effects:

This paper is concerned with the relationship between the contents of written messages and the relative status of the letter writer and the addressee. University students, under the guise of assisting in a survey, individually composed two letters of request, one supposedly to a high school student and the other presumably to an individual with a master's degree. The letters were coded as to their degree of formality, the strength of the request, and the extent to which the writers identified with the survey project. The results clearly indicated that the writers adjusted their letters as a function of the supposed relative status of the addressees. Moreover, by considering only two variables, Formality and Identification, it was possible to correctly classify 76% of the letters as to the status of the intended recipient. These findings are discussed in terms of communicative devices that reflect asymmetrical status relationships.
Evolving JPEG color data compression standard

An international team of technical experts, the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG), has been working for the past four years on a color image data compression standard for use worldwide in a variety of still image applications. This joint committee operated under ISO/IEC JTCl/SC2/Working Group 8 (Coded Representation of Picture and Audio Information) until it recently moved to a new working group, ISO/IEC JTC1/SC2/WG10 (Photographic Image Coding). The work is being done jointly with a special rapporteur group on image communication within CCITT Study Group VIII. Within the United States, work in support of this international activity is focused within the U.S. picture coding committee, Accredited Standards Committee X3 Technical Committee X3L3 (formerly Task Group X3L2.8). Other standards applications groups are eagerly awaiting the completion of JPEG in order to effectively incorporate color images into their application environments. JPEG's intensive technical research and refinement stages have been completed and an International Standards Organization (ISO) Committee Draft for the evolving JPEG data compression standard has been submitted for international balloting. Extensive testing of the applicability to various environments is in progress. Companies are beginning to announce JPEG software or hardware availability, even though they recognize that the JPEG algorithm may change. This paper will provide a critical review of the evolving JPEG color image data compression standard. A history of JPEG is given first, followed by the steps still needed for adoption of JPEG as an international image data compression standard. Then the JPEG "toolkit" is explored with additional detail on the entropy coders and data interleave conventions. In the results section, the compression performance numbers on the JPEG test images are given for the baseline Huffman sequential coding system both with and without resynchronization. The arithmetic coding results are given for the sequential DCT-based mode with and without resynchronization, several progressive DCT-based processes and the sequential lossless mode. The final section briefly notes some applications and implementations of JPEG.
Abstract 605: Diastolic Blood Pressure Predicts Coronary Plaque Volume in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Introduction: Hypertension is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The effect of systolic vs. diastolic blood pressure (BP...
Comparative empirical analysis of temporal relationships between construction investment and economic growth in the United States

The majority of policymakers believe that investments in construction infrastructure would boost the economy of the United States (U.S.). They also assume that construction investment in infrastructure has similar impact on the economies of different U.S. states. In contrast, there have been studies showing the negative impact of construction activities on the economy. However, there has not been any research attempt to empirically test the temporal relationships between construction investment and economic growth in the U.S. states, to determine the longitudinal impact of construction investment on the economy of each state. The objective of this study is to investigate whether Construction Value Added (CVA) is the leading (or lagging) indicator of real Gross Domestic Product (real GDP) for every individual state of the U.S. using empirical time series tests. The results of Granger causality tests showed that CVA is a leading indicator of state real GDP in 18 states and the District of Columbia; real GDP is a leading indicator of CVA in 10 states and the District of Columbia. There is a bidirectional relationship between CVA and real GDP in 5 states and the District of Columbia. In 8 states and the District of Columbia, not only do CVA and real GDP have leading/lagging relationships, but they are also cointegrated. These results highlight the important role of the construction industry in these states. The results also show that leading (or lagging) lengths vary for different states. The results of the comparative empirical analysis reject the hypothesis that CVA is a leading indicator of real GDP in the states with the highest shares of construction in the real GDP. The findings of this research contribute to the state of knowledge by quantifying the temporal relationships between construction investment and economic growth in the U.S. states. It is expected that the results help policymakers better understand the impact of construction investment on the economic growth in various U.S. states.
Making the green economy: Politics, desire, and economic possibility

The green economy is put forward as an apposite remedy to both economic crisis and ecological devastation. Policy makers, academics, corporate interests and activists are advancing their goals as part of and through the green economy, a discursive terrain full of circulating and competing ideas about, dispositions towards, and desires for the economy. In Massachusetts, broad-based coalitions involving labor, environmentalists and community groups have emerged to capture funding, influence policy and launch their own economic initiatives. This paper explores and compares the activities of two green economy coalitions. I investigate how social actors, including myself, have been negotiating, responding to, and producing the meaning of the green economy, and the meaning of "the economy" writ-large, through our political efforts. I aim to move beyond a project that only critiques capitalism or maps out capitalist hegemony. Instead, taking inspiration and drawing from J.K. Gibson-Graham I look to theorize and amplify non-capitalist initiatives and enterprises. I am particularly interested in thinking about the ways in which the expression of different desires for economy can lead to openings, or closures, for the construction of non-capitalist relationships, initiatives, and enterprises Key words: green economy, economic subjectivity, Gibson-Graham, non-capitalism, fantasy
Outdoor Radon Dose Conversion Coefficient in South-Western and South-Eastern United States

Two hundred and forty samples of radon ( 222 Rn) gas concentration, together with unattached and attached-to-ambient-aerosol radon progeny concentrations, were collected at 16 outdoor sites in four US states. The effective dose rate (to the lungs) was calculated with ICRP's recently recommended lung dosimetry model (ICRP Publication 66) using the measured potential alpha energy concentration (PAEC) and unattached fraction (f P ). The measurement procedure for f P assumed a characteristic particle diameter of 1.1 nm for the unattached progeny. The site-average value of the conversion coefficient between radon gas concentration and effective dose rate was found to be 6.7 nSv.h -1 per Bq.m -3 , with a standard deviation of 1.3 nSv.h -1 per Bq.m -3 . The correlation coefficient (r) of effective dose rate with respect to radon gas concentration between these 16 sites was 0.98. Thus, the radon gas concentration alone was a good predictor of effective dose rate in outdoor air, at least when the dose calculation was based on a known PAEC and the assumption of discrete unattached and attached particle size modes. For an average outdoor occupancy of 5 h.d -1 together with the average radon gas concentration, the annual effective dose rate averaged for outdoor exposure at these 16 sites was approximately 80 μSv.y -1 , with a median value of 54 μSv.y -1 and a geometric standard deviation between sites of about 1.9. The average effective dose rate from outdoor radon progeny found in this study is approximately one-tenth the value of 740 μSv.y -1 from indoor exposure, which is based on the EPA's value of 46.3 Bq.m -3 for the average radon gas concentration in US homes, and ICRP's recommended dose conversion convention of 1.1 mSv per mJ.h.m -3 (3.8 msv.WLM -1 ). Correlations between the outdoor dose rate and a number of meteorological and environmental variables were examined : equivalent uranium concentration in soils, wind speed, terrain roughn
Personhood and the Three Branches of Government

Personhood and the Three Branches of Government The personhood movement has attempted to achieve legal recognition that the rights of human beings begin before birth, at the moment of conception or fertilization. In so doing, it threatens to radically change the practice of assisted reproduction.
Pharmacological Therapies of Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome in children and adolescents correlates with increased cardiovascular risk in adulthood. This cardiometabolic risk may be modified by treatment of insulin resistance, obesity, and dyslipidemia. Lifestyle modification is the most effective treatment of metabolic syndrome. However, in children and adolescents who continue to have significant comorbidities despite intensive lifestyle treatment, pharmacological therapy may be added to lifestyle management. Metformin is approved for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and may lead to weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity in patients with metabolic syndrome. Orlistat is the only weight loss medication approved for the pediatric age group. In adults, bupropion, exenatide, and pramlintide in addition to others are currently under investigation for the treatment of obesity and may be available for children and adolescents in the future. Lipid-lowering medications targeting hypertriglyceridemia and low serum HDL in metabolic syndrome may be effective when lifestyle modification has failed. However, lipid-lowering agents in children and adolescents are not currently approved for the treatment of dyslipidemia in metabolic syndrome. The addition of drug therapy to lifestyle management in metabolic syndrome should be initiated and carefully monitored by medical team familiar with expected outcomes and possible side effects.
Electrochemical Assay of Oxidoreductase Enzymes

Because many coenzymes are electroactive this property can be used to provide an electrical signal related to the activity of a corresponding oxidoreductase enzyme. An example of the coupling of an enzymatic reaction and an electrochemical reaction involves the coenzyme NAD (1). The NADH is oxidized to NAD+ at the anode and within the surrounding electrolyte solution. The enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) catalyzes the reduction of NAD+ to NADH by ethanol. If the electrolyte solution contains at first only NAD+ and ethanol but no enzyme, then neither enzymatic nor electrochemical reaction will occur until enzyme is added. It is this electrochemical reaction which starts only after addition of enzyme, which is the basis for the assay methods to be described.
Some Non-Standard Clustering Algorithms

This paper is a (non-exhaustive) survey of the theory of fuzzy relations and partitions as it has been applied to various clustering algorithms. More specifically, the structural models discussed will be object and relational criterion functions, convex decompositions, numerical transitive closures, and generalized k-nearest neighbor rules. We first discuss the role clustering plays in the development of pattern recognition systems, which generally involve feature analysis, clustering, and classifier design. Then selected clustering algorithms based on each of the above methodologies will be reviewed. Recent applications from various fields which use these algorithms are documented in the references.
The Roles of Surface Membrane Enzymes and Transporters in the Survival of Leishmania

The means by which Leishmania survive within their several hosts remain unknown. However, as their surface membrane interfaces with host environments, it must fulfill numerous vital functions requisite for maintaining the parasite. Thus, knowledge of the biochemistry and physiology of these membranes is relevant to defining the mechanisms of parasite survival. This topic has been reviewed recently (Dwyer & Gottlieb, 1983, 1985) and the current report concerns some recent advances in this area.
Brain Connectivity Studies of Joint Attention Using Frequency-Domain Diffuse Optical Imaging

Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. A primary trait of autistic population is that they show robust signs of impairment in joint attention development from as early as 12 to 18 months of age. Joint attention is imperative for social skill at all ages, lack of which is a primary feature used to distinguish autistic from non- autistic. In this study, diffuse optical imaging is used for the first time to probe the joint attention experience in normal adults and to establish the neural basis of connectivity during the activation of the brain. Imaging studies are performed in the frontal regions of the brain in order to study the differences in the brain activation in response to video clips corresponding to joint attention based skills. The frontal region of the brain is non-invasively imaged using a novel optical cap coupled to a frequency-domain optical imaging system. The activation data obtained is then used to perform the connectivity study which elucidates the interaction among the regions of brain during the activation. The recent work is an attempt to perform frequency-domain analysis of the activation signal of the brain. This study has the potential to explicate the directional information on the interaction between the activated regions of the brain. The result has significant implication for research in neural basis of autism and diffuse optical imaging.
On the Social Construction of Health Care Ethics Consultation

Bioethics fancies itself as the field that offers reasoned and reasonable justification for medical advancements in science; clinical ethicists offer reasoned and reasonable reflection on the deployment of those technologies at the patient’s bedside. The latter now hope to ensconce in policy and procedure, as well as in new institutions, a set of skills to facilitate between the patient and the health care team, a skill-set that all clinical ethicists should deploy in order to keep medical practitioners on the straight and narrow. All the while, the field also wants to suggest that it does not offer moral expertise. Health Care Ethics Consultation appears only to have a set of goals, but no a clear set of goods that it promotes, unlike the practices of medicine or nursing. The goals articulated by clinical ethics consultants are in some way related to the goods of medical care. Ultimately, however, the highest goods are the goods of efficiency and effectiveness. The clinical ethicist then is a bureaucratic manager, guiding a process toward unknown and interchangeable ends and goods. For Health Care Ethics Consultants, the supreme good is efficiency and effectiveness of the process, the intermediary goals, not the goods, of a valued practice.
Birth Mothers Now Birth Grandmothers: Intergenerational Relationships in Open Adoptions

Despite growing trends in openness between birth and adoptive families, little is known about what happens when adopted children become parents and birth mothers become birth grandmothers. These ne...
Analysis of Adversarial Learning of Reactor State

With the recent successful attack attempts against the digital control systems of critical infrastructures, there is a need to develop new defense strategies that take into account two important realities: state-sponsored attackers can rely on a number of techniques including espionage, social engineering, and brute force techniques, etc. to gain access to the raw data used to control system behavior; and attackers can falsify operational data in manners that do not trigger conventional outlier/anomaly detection techniques in order to remain undetected, which is referred to as false data injection attacks. This paper explores the use of model-based techniques which have been recently promoted as potential approach for identifying data injection attacks. Specifically, we explore whether attackers can emulate the predictions of the models used by the defender. For demonstration, we employ a simplified point kinetics models with a number of unknown parameters and explore how inference techniques may be used to fully determine the dynamical behavior of the system. Results indicate that attackers can emulate the model predictions with high accuracy, indicating that the brute force application of model-based defenses is not effective and must be supplemented by other defense measures.
The Work and Influence of Wernicke

The following paper consists primarily of sections of two previous publications dealing with Carl Wernicke and his influence. The first section is based on the paper ‘Carl Wernicke, The Breslau School and The History of Aphasia’ (Geschwind, 1966), while the second is based on ‘Wernicke’s Contribution to the Study of Aphasia’ (Geschwind, 1967).1
A retrospective analysis of tumor lysis syndrome management in a quaternary care hospital.

PurposeDue to an increased use of rasburicase, the study’s purpose was to evaluate both the management of tumor lysis syndrome and the utilization of rasburicase in the hospital system. Additionall...
New aryl/heteroaryl CN bond cross-coupling reactions via arylboronic acid/cupric acetate arylation

Abstract A new aryl/heteroaryl CN bond cross-coupling reaction via the arylboronic acid/cupric acetate arylation of NH containing heteroarenes has been discovered. This new methodology is mild, proceeds at room temperature exposed to air, and works for many heteroarenes and arylboronic acids providing good yields of N-arylated heteroarenes.
Measuring and Manipulating Functionally Specific Neural Pathways in the Human Motor System with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

Understanding interactions between brain areas is important for the study of goal-directed behavior. Functional neuroimaging of brain connectivity has provided important insights into fundamental processes of the brain like cognition, learning, and motor control. However, this approach cannot provide causal evidence for the involvement of brain areas of interest. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a powerful, noninvasive tool for studying the human brain that can overcome this limitation by transiently modifying brain activity. Here, we highlight recent advances using a paired-pulse, dual-site TMS method with two coils that causally probes cortico-cortical interactions in the human motor system during different task contexts. Additionally, we describe a dual-site TMS protocol based on cortical paired associative stimulation (cPAS) that transiently enhances synaptic efficiency in two interconnected brain areas by applying repeated pairs of cortical stimuli with two coils. These methods can provide a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying cognitive-motor function as well as a new perspective on manipulating specific neural pathways in a targeted fashion to modulate brain circuits and improve behavior. This approach may prove to be an effective tool to develop more sophisticated models of brain-behavior relations and improve diagnosis and treatment of many neurological and psychiatric disorders.
Identifying Expert Intent Queries

Search engines assess the quality of their results using nDCG@k for the queries in regular judgement sets. Since these sets are human annotated, the judgement sets are limited in size. Hence, these sets may not have proper representation from “Expert Topics”, e.g., , if an Expert Topic represents a tail segment. Therefore, query sets specific to expert topics are prepared to assess the search quality on such topics, which are judged by the domain experts. Such expert judgements are typically 5X-10X more expensive compared to regular judgements. Hence, “Expert Query Sets” must be prepared such that these queries are likely to be judged differently by an expert and a regular judge. In this paper, we define a novel problem, to identify a sub set of users queries, from a topic specific query set, such that the judgement difference between expert judges and regular judges, called yield rate, is high. Our results, across different expert topics, show that the expert query sets identified through our methodology have ∼15% more yield rate.
USPSTF recommends screening adults 18 to 79 years for hepatitis C virus infection (moderate certainty).

SOURCE CITATION Owens DK, Davidson KW, Krist AH, et al. Screening for hepatitis C virus infection in adolescents and adults: US Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation Statement. JAMA. 2020;323:970-5. 32119076.
Tunable Terahertz Light Emission from Current-Driven Graphene Plasmonic Oscillators

Pronounced terahertz emission peaks originating from current-driven plasmonic oscillations in graphene nanoribbons are measured. The emission frequency can be tuned by design through the ribbon width and actively by varying the applied gate voltage.
Melanoma Diagnosis and Treatment in the Elderly

While the overall incidence of melanoma has remained stable in younger populations, the rate of diagnosis in the elderly is rising. Diagnosis and treatment of melanoma presents a major public health challenge for providers, patients, and caretakers. In this paper, we address unique considerations for diagnosis and management of melanoma in the elderly population. There are clinically significant differences in the presentation of melanoma in the elderly. Diagnosis is often delayed, thus screening is crucial and should focus on the atypical presentation of melanoma in this population. Sentinel lymph node biopsy may provide useful prognostic information, although nodal involvement is less likely in the elderly due to age-related changes in lymphatic flow. Several clinical trials have supported the efficacy and better side effect profile of targeted melanoma therapies compared with chemotherapy. Additionally, topical and local treatment, including imiquimod and talimogene laherparepvec, are useful for older patients who cannot tolerate systemic therapy or surgical excision. With a limited number of clinical trials in the elderly, and a steady increase in the incidence of disease, there is a need for development of better diagnostic and management strategies for older patients with melanoma. Elderly patients are underrepresented in clinical trials, and trial outcomes from younger patients may not be directly applicable to an older population. This population requires personalized care and consideration of toxic adverse effects on quality of life.
Social Media Information Search Behavior in Consumption Decisions: Consumer Segmentation and Discriminant Factors

Given the ever-increasing importance of social media in today’s consumption decisions, this study identified consumer segments with distinctive social media information search behavior (SMISB) across four information search stages (ISSs) throughout the consumption decision-making process and profiled the segments’ demographic and psychographic characteristics using data from an online survey with 501U.S. consumers. We found that consumers’ SMISB was most intensively done in ISS1(the non-purposeful ISS prior to purchase need recognitions) with decreasing trends as they progressed through more purposeful search stages for alternative evaluation (ISS2), purchase decisions (ISS3), and post-purchase evaluation(ISS4). Further, hierarchical cluster analysis results revealed four consumer segments, Maximizers, Diggers, Slackers, and the Disinterested, with varying SMISB intensity levels across the four ISSs, and demonstrated their differences in age, gender, innovativeness, and impulse buying tendencies. Academic and managerial implications are discussed.
The Impact of Regional Trade Agreements on the Global Orientation of Emerging Market Multinationals

We analyze how an aspect of institutional change — regional integration in the form of regional trade agreements (RTAs) — affects the degree of global orientation (DGO) of emerging market (EM) multinational enterprises (MNEs). We decompose regional integration into three key dimensions reflecting variations among RTA member countries — RTA Diversity, RTA Potential Market Size, and RTA Experience. We conceptualize and test how these three RTA characteristics determine firms’ DGO on a sample of 421 MNEs from 27 EMs worldwide during 2000-2006. We find that greater RTA Diversity and RTA Experience increase EM MNEs’ global orientation, while greater RTA Potential Market Size influences the EM MNEs to be more regionally oriented. Conversely, our post-hoc analyses revealed that the results do not hold for MNEs based in the three most developed nations in the European Union- Germany, France, and the UK — emphasizing important differences of the effects of RTA characteristics on EM vs. Triad MNEs’ DGO.
The Rise of Multiple-Measures Rules in the House of Representatives

Through most of the modern partisan era, the House Rules Committee adhered to a norm of One Measure, One Rule. Starting in the 1990s, majorities violated this norm on rare occasions, but after 2010...
Reidentification of a major impurity in illicit amphetamine.

Di-(1-phenylisopropyl) formamide (I) has been identified as a by-product in the Leuckart synthesis of N-formylamphetamine [1,2], a reaction precursor to dl-amphetamine. Significantly, it has been detected as an impurity in exhibits of illicitly manufactured dl-amphetamine [3,4] but identified incorrectly as tri-(1-isopropylphenyl) amine (II) [3].
Acoustical measurements in some Canadian homes

The means and standard deviations of several acoustical quantities are presented from measurements in 602 multiple residence homes. Although not a random sample, the homes included approximately equal numbers of apartment blocks and row housing as well as owners and renters from three different urban areas. The acoustical values included background noise levels and complete transmission loss measures of common walls.
Pioglitazone protects against thrombosis in a mouse model of obesity and insulin resistance.

Summary. Background: As arterial thrombosis accounts for the vast majority of cardiovascular complications in obese, insulin resistant patients, we hypothesized that improving insulin sensitivity may be effective in reducing the thrombotic response following vascular injury. Objectives: We investigated the effect of the thiazolidinedione drug, pioglitazone, on the thrombotic response to injury in obese, insulin resistant mice. Methods: Insulin-resistant, obesity-prone mice (KK strain) were treated with pioglitazone, placebo, or the sulfonylurea compound, glipizide, for 2.5 weeks and then subjected to photochemical injury of the carotid artery. Results: KK mice have a significant increase in adiposity (7 weeks: 25.6%; 15 weeks: 34.4%; P < 0.0001) and thrombotic tendency (7 weeks: 21.2 ± 1.9 min; 15 weeks: 13.7 ± 1.7 min; P < 0.01) with age. Pioglitazone provided significant protection from thrombosis at both time points, prolonging the time to occlusive thrombosis by 40% and 68%, at 7 and 15 weeks of age, respectively (P < 0.05). Similarly, following a diet-challenge to promote diabetes, pioglitazone provided protection from occlusive thrombus formation (Placebo: 11.3 ± 1.0 min; Pioglitazone: 22.3 ± 3.9 min; P < 0.05). However, despite a salient effect of glipizide on the hyperglycemia of the mice, there was no effect on the time to occlusive thrombus formation (13.2 ± 0.9 min, n ¼ 4) compared with placebo-treated mice. The pioglitazone protection was paralleled by significantly lower soluble Pselectin and platelet P-selectin expression providing evidence of an antiplatelet effect. Conclusions: We conclude that pioglitazone treatment provides protection against arterial thrombosis in an obese, insulin resistant, prothrombotic mouse model.
NDE standards for high temperature materials

High temperature materials include monolithic ceramics for automotive gas turbine engines and also metallic/intermetallic and ceramic matrix composites for a range of aerospace applications. These are materials that can withstand extreme operating temperatures that will prevail in advanced high-efficiency gas turbine engines. High temperature engine components are very likely to consist of complex composite structures with three-dimensionality interwoven and various intermixed ceramic fibers. The thermomechanical properties of components made of these materials are actually created in-place during processing and fabrication stages. The complex nature of these new materials creates strong incentives for exact standards for unambiguous evaluations of defects and microstructural characteristics. NDE techniques and standards that will ultimately be applicable to production and quality control of high temperature materials and structures are still emerging. The needs range from flaw detection to below 100 micron levels in monolithic ceramics to global imaging of fiber architecture and matrix densification anomalies in composites. The needs are different depending on the processing stage, fabrication method, and nature of the finished product. The standards are discussed that must be developed in concert with advances in NDE technology, materials processing research, and fabrication development. High temperature materials and structures that fail to meet stringent specifications and standards are unlikely to compete successfully either technologically or in international markets.
Remotely Manned Systems for Operation and Exploration in Space

A brief overview is presented of Remotely Manned Systems with emphasis on their use as tools for exploration and operation in space. Remotely Manned Systems missions and functions in space are described and classified in relation to other existing or planned space systems. Problem areas of large-scale man-machine systems are identified based on experience in the Surveyor program, the Mariner 9 Mars orbiter project and the Apollo program. The effects of communication time delay on system performance are investigated using the average velocity of a Martian rover as performance indicator. A substantial performance increase can be achieved by providing certain autonomous capabilities to the remote system.
Toward a Gender‐Responsive Restorative Correctional Health Care Model

Infectious and chronic diseases are disproportionately greater among detained women than among women in the population at large. The overall punitive, male-based, one-size-fits-all approach to health care and the variant overall health care standards across correctional systems call for a new model of correctional health care. The assumptions, constructs, strategies, and future research implications of the restorative health care model are described.
A Case Study of Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar Signatures of Spatially Evolving Atmospheric Convection over the Western Atlantic Ocean

A case study of a particularly intense cold air outbreak over the northAtlantic Ocean extending from the northeast coast of the UnitedStates to the Gulf Stream is described. A RADARSAT satellite synthetic apertureradar (SAR) image of this outbreak dramatically illustrates the spatialevolution of convection. Nearly coincident images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Advanced Very HighResolution Radiometer are used to compare many interesting features.In addition, National Weather Service rawinsonde data, National Data Buoy Center buoy data, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Coastal Mixing and Optics mooring data arepresented. We use these data to help describe the spatial evolution of the atmospheric boundary-layer processes involved in this outbreak.
Sustainable and Efficient Pathways for Bioenergy Recovery from Low-Value Process Streams via Bioelectrochemical Systems in Biorefineries

Conversion of biomass into bioenergy is possible via multiple pathways resulting in the production of biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. Efficient and sustainable conversion of biomass, however, requires consideration of many environmental and societal parameters in order to minimize negative impacts. Integration of multiple conversion technologies and inclusion of upcoming alternatives, such as bioelectrochemical systems, can minimize these impacts via production of hydrogen, electricity or other forms of energy from the low value streams and improve conservation of resources, such as water and nutrients via recycle and reuse. This report outlines alternate pathways integrating microbial electrolysis in biorefinery schemes to improve energy efficiency, while evaluating environmental sustainability parameters.
Closing the Door on Malaria

Synergies between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and other infectious diseases generally threaten the health of the human host. For example, malaria coinfection I increases the amount of HIV in the body and consequently heightens the risk of transmission to an uninfected partner. Other coinfections—sexually transmitted diseases in particular—also are known to increase the risk of acquiring HIV. As a result of these synergies, regions of the world that have a high burden of infectious diseases in general often also have a high HIV burden. In an innovative study, Achan and colleagues report the effect of both HIV and malaria treatment on reducing recurrent episodes of malaria among children, a welcome outcome for synergies. The authors followed 170 HIV-infected children who received either antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV that boosts the levels of standard malaria medication (lopinavir-ritonavir–based ART) or ART that does not interact with malaria drugs (nonnucleoside-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitor–based ART). In this cohort, malaria cases were treated with artemether-lumefantrine, and lumefantrine concentrations were boosted by lopinavir-ritonavir. The number of new cases of malaria and the risk of malaria recurrence were significantly lower (41 and 59%, respectively) among children on the lopinavir-ritonavir–based ART. The decrease in new cases of malaria stemmed largely from the reduction in recurrent malaria after treatment. The authors hypothesized that this effect resulted from higher concentrations of lumefantrine, which they observed (on treatment day 7) in the lopinavir-ritonavir–based ART group relative to the group treated with nonnucleoside-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitor–based ART. There was a trend toward more series side effects in the lopinavir-ritonavir–based ART group; however, the study size was too small to assess adverse effects completely. Children with HIV infection face serious health challenges from other infectious diseases, such as malaria. In areas of the world where malaria transmission is high, use of lopinavir-ritonavir–based ART may have the advantage of preventing malaria recurrences after malaria treatment. There are challenges with cost and storage requirements of the lopinavir-ritonavir–based ART, but new heat-stable formulations may make more widespread use of these regimens possible. Indeed, synergies between infectious disease treatments that work in favor of the human host would be a welcome turn of events. J. Achan et al ., Antiretroviral agents and prevention of malaria in HIV-infected Ugandan children. N. Engl. J. Med . 367 , 2110–2118 (2012). [[PubMed]][1] [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23190222
Nanopore formation by low-energy focused electron beam machining.

The fabrication of nanopores in thin silicon nitride and aluminum oxide membranes by water vapor assisted, low-energy (0.2?20?kV) electron beam machining using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) is described. Using this technique, pores with diameters ranging in size from < 5 to 20?nm are easily formed. The nanopores are characterized by SEM, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The mechanism of etching is briefly discussed.
Multisource X-Ray and CT: Lessons Learned and Future Outlook

Distributed X-ray sources open the way to innovative system concepts in X-ray and computed tomography. They offer promising opportunities in terms of system performance, but they pose unique challenges in terms of source and system technologies. Several academic and industrial teams have proposed a variety of concepts and developed some unique prototypes. We present a broad review of multisource systems. We also discuss X-ray source components and challenges. We close with our perspective on the future prospects of multisource imaging.