cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interval estimation of the attributable risk in case-control studies with matched pairs

OBJECTIVE The attributable risk (AR), which represents the proportion of cases who can be preventable when we completely eliminate a risk factor in a population, is the most commonly used epidemiological index to assess the impact of controlling a selected risk factor on community health. The goal of this paper is to develop and search for good interval estimators of the AR for case-control studies with matched pairs. METHODS This paper considers five asymptotic interval estimators of the AR, including the interval estimator using Wald9s statistic suggested elsewhere, the two interval estimators using the logarithmic transformations: log(x) and log(1–x), the interval estimator using the logit transformation log(x/(1–x)), and the interval estimator derived from a simple quadratic equation developed in this paper. This paper compares the finite sample performance of these five interval estimators by calculation of their coverage probability and average length in a variety of situations. RESULTS This paper demonstrates that the interval estimator derived from the quadratic equation proposed here can not only consistently perform well with respect to the coverage probability, but also be more efficient than the interval estimator using Wald9s statistic in almost all the situations considered here. This paper notes that although the interval estimator using the logarithmic transformation log(1–x) may also perform well with respect to the coverage probability, using this estimator is likely to be less efficient than the interval estimator using Wald9s statistic. Finally, this paper notes that when both the underlying odds ratio (OR) and the prevalence of exposure (PE) in the case group are not large (OR ⩽2 and PE ⩽0.10), the application of the two interval estimators using the transformations log(x) and log(x/(1–x)) can be misleading. However, when both the underlying OR and PE in the case group are large (OR ⩾4 and PE ⩾0.50), the interval estimator using the logit transformation can actually outperform all the other estimators considered here in terms of efficiency. CONCLUSIONS When there is no prior knowledge of the possible range for the underlying OR and PE, the interval estimator derived from the quadratic equation developed here for general use is recommended. When it is known that both the OR and PE in the case group are large (OR ⩾4 and PE ⩾0.50), it is recommended that the interval estimator using the logit transformation is used.
Lectins as Pattern Recognition Molecules: The Effects of Epitope Density in Innate Immunity#

The innate immune response of multicellular organisms is initiated by the binding of soluble and membrane-bound host molecules including lectins to the surface of pathogenic organisms. Until recently, it was believed that the epitopes recognized by host molecules were uniquely associated with the pathogenic organisms. Hence, the term pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) was used to describe their binding specificities. However, with an expanding number of lectin classes including C-type lectins, siglecs, and galectins recognized as PRRs, it is apparent that many of the glycan epitopes recognized on foreign pathogens are present in the host and involved in cellular functions. Hence, the molecular basis for pattern recognition by lectins of carbohydrate epitopes on pathogens is in question. A number of studies indicate that the density and number of glycan epitopes in multivalent carbohydrates and glycoprotein receptors determine the affinity of lectins and their effector functions. This paper reviews lectins that are involved in innate immunity, mechanisms of enhanced affinity and cross-linking of lectins with density-dependent glycan epitopes, density-dependent recognition of glycan receptors by lectins in host systems and lectin-glycan interactions in foreign pathogens. Evidence indicates that lectin pattern recognition in innate immunity is part of a general mechanism of density-dependent glycan recognition. This leads to a new definition of lectin receptor in biological systems, which considers the density and number of glycan epitopes on the surface of cells and not just the affinity of single epitopes.
Substitutable habitats? The biophysical and anthropogenic drivers of an exotic bird’s distribution

The spread and distribution of exotic species depends on a number of factors, both anthropogenic and biophysical. The importance of each factor may vary geographically, making it difficult to predict where a species will spread. In this paper, we examine the factors that influence the distribution of monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus), a parrot native to South America that has become established in the United States. We use monk parakeet observations gathered from citizen-science datasets to inform a series of random forest models that examine the relative importance of biophysical and anthropogenic variables in different regions of the United States. We find that while the distribution of monk parakeets in the southern US is best explained by biophysical variables such as January dew point temperature and forest cover, the distribution of monk parakeets in the northern US appears to be limited to urban environments. Our results suggest that monk parakeets are unlikely to spread outside of urban environments in the northern United States, as they are not adapted to the climatic conditions in that region. We extend the notion of “substitutable habitats,” previously applied to different habitats in the same landscape, to exotic species in novel landscapes (e.g., cities). These novel landscapes provide resources and environmental conditions that, although very different from the species’ native habitat, still enable them to become established. Our results highlight the importance of understanding the regionally-specific factors that allow an exotic species to become established, which is key to predicting their expansion beyond areas of introduction.
Simulating school closure strategies to mitigate an influenza epidemic.

BACKGROUND: There remains substantial debate over the impact of school closure as a mitigation strategy during an influenza pandemic. The ongoing 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic has provided an unparalleled opportunity to test interventions with the most up-to-date simulations. METHODS: To assist the Allegheny County Health Department during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, the University of Pittsburgh Models of Infectious Disease Agents Study group employed an agent-based computer simulation model (ABM) of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, to explore the effects of various school closure strategies on mitigating influenza epidemics of different reproductive rates (R0). RESULTS: Entire school system closures were not more effective than individual school closures. Any type of school closure may need to be maintained throughout most of the epidemic (ie, at least 8 weeks) to have any significant effect on the overall serologic attack rate. In fact, relatively short school closures (ie, 2 weeks or less) may actually slightly increase the overall attack rate by returning susceptible students back into schools in the middle of the epidemic. Varying the illness threshold at which school closures are triggered did not seem to have substantial impact on the effectiveness of school closures, suggesting that short delays in closing schools should not cause concern. CONCLUSIONS: School closures alone may not be able to quell an epidemic but, when maintained for at least 8 weeks, could delay the epidemic peak for up to a week, providing additional time to implement a second more effective intervention such as vaccination. Copyright © 2010 Wolters Kluwer Health | Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
An algorithm for a selective nearest neighbor decision rule (Corresp.)

A procedure is introduced to approximate nearest neighbor (INN) decision boundaries. The algorithm produces a selective subset of the original data so that 1) the subset is consistent, 2) the distance between any sample and its nearest selective neighbor is less than the distance from the sample to any sample of the other class, and 3) the subset is the smallest possible.
Moore And Philosophical Analysis

Occasionally there has appeared in the history of philosophy a thinker who has become aware of the chaotic condition of philosophy and of the intellectual anarchy that exists in all of its branches, and has attempted to remedy the situation. Descartes cast about for a guiding principle, a compass which would show him the way through the treacherous terrain of philosophy. As is well known he devised the method of systematic doubt, by means of which he hoped to discover an axiom on which he could securely erect a system of basic and reassuring beliefs. Leibniz had before his mind the notion of an ideal language which would by calculation solve problems with certainty. With this he thought we “should be able to reason in metaphysics and morals in much the same way as in geometry and analysis.” Descartes' attempt was a failure; and nothing came of Leibniz's ideal, even with the development of modern symbolic logic. Russell's claim that “logic is the essence of philosophy” frightened many philosophers and gave new hope to others; but his claim was as empty as the proverbial political promise. With G. E. Moore we have a further attempt to introduce sobriety and certainty into philosophy and to make fruitful research possible in it. He has made prominent a method for obtaining results in philosophy; and he has also formulated a philosophical platform, i.e., set out a list of Common-sense propositions which he says are known to be true by everyone, philosopher as well as non-philosopher, and are not, therefore, open to debate. The method, which he used extensively and with great skill, is the method of analysing concepts.
Regulation of root-wave response by extra large and conventional G proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana

Heterotrimeric G proteins composed of alpha, beta and gamma subunits regulate a number of fundamental processes concerned with growth and development in plants. In addition to the canonical heterotrimeric G proteins, plants also contain a small family of extra large G proteins (XLGs) that show significant similarity to the G-protein alpha subunit in their C-terminal regions. In this paper we show that one of the three XLG genes, XLG3, and the Gbeta subunit (AGB1) of the Arabidopsis G-protein heterotrimer are specifically involved in the regulation of a subset of root morphological and growth responses. Based on analysis of T-DNA insertional mutant phenotypes, XLG3 and AGB1 each positively regulate root waving and root skewing. Since these responses are regulated by physical as well as physiological cues, we assessed the roles of AGB1 and XLG3 in gravitropism, thigmotropism and hormonal responses. Our data show that mutants lacking either XLG3 or AGB1 genes are hypersensitive to ethylene and show growth responses consistent with alterations in auxin transport, while maintaining an essentially wild-type response to the physical cues of gravity and touch. These results suggest that XLG3 and AGB1 proteins regulate the hormonal determinants of root-waving and root-skewing responses in plants and possibly interact in a tissue-specific or signal-specific manner. Because plants harboring knockout mutations in the Galpha subunit gene, GPA1, exhibit wild-type root waving and skewing, our results may indicate that the AGB1 subunit functions in these processes without formation of a classic Galphabetagamma heterotrimer.
Recent progress and critical issues in thin film polycrystalline solar cells and modules

Thin film CdTe and CuInSe/sub 2/ based solar cells have reported efficiencies of over 15% and 17% respectively for small area laboratory devices and over 10% for prototype modules. In the present article, an approach to translate laboratory results to the development of large scale module manufacturing facilities is discussed, and with the development of CulnSe/sub 2/ and CdTe thin film polycrystalline module manufacturing are identified. For CulnSe/sub 2/ based PV, the analysis and modeling used in the design and development of a continuous, commercial scale deposition system is presented. For CdTe based PV, the issues associated with the back contact are discussed with particular emphasis on the development of a diffused Cu contact.
Mass Spectrometric Analysis of a High Pressure, Inductively Coupled Plasma During Diamond Film Growth

Determination of the gas phase composition at or near a substrate surface during plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition presents a challenging problem. The species located at a growing surface include highly reactive radicals which are difficult to detect in atmospheric plasma conditions. A system has been designed which consists of an inductively coupled rf plasma reactor linked to a quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) via a supersonic convergent-divergent nozzle. Differential pumping in the transient stages allows the plasma chamber to be operated at or near atmospheric pressures, while facilitating the detection of reactant species present in the growth boundary layer with the QMS.
Sensitivity of pertussis-inoculated mice to serotonin.

SummaryPertussis vaccine sensitizes mice to the lethal effects of serotonin. The LD50 of serotonin in pertussis-inoculated NLA mice was 12.6 mg/kg as compared with 602 mg/kg in uninoculated NLA controls. The LD50 of serotonin in pertussis-inoculated TF mice was 7.9 mg/kg as compared with 364 mg/kg in uninoculated TF animals.
The Role of Astrocytes, Oligodendrocytes, Microglia and Endothelial Cells in TMEV Infection

Chronic TMEV infection in susceptible strains leads to an inflammatory demyelinating disease modeling MS. TMEV antigen can be found abundantly in microglia and infiltrating macrophage, but viral growth is restricted in these cells. Viral persistence has been seen in astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes. However, infiltrating macrophage and, to some extent, resident microglia play an important role in antigen presentation, inflammation and epitope spreading.
IPPW: A yearly forum for presentation of planetary entry missions

For the past 13 years, we have conducted the International Planetary Probe Workshop (IPPW) at venues in the United States and Europe. Our yearly meetings are attended by engineers, technologists, scientists, mission designers, space agency leaders, and students from around the world. We review the state-of-the-art in science, mission design, engineering implementation and technologies for the in situ robotic exploration of Solar System bodies. We feature discussions on innovative methodologies and techniques for upcoming probe and surface science missions. Student participation in our workshops is emphasized by the scholarships we offer to attract early career scientists and engineers to the field of entry, descent and flight in planetary atmospheres, as well as surface science exploration of other worlds. Through their interaction with professionals, we enable students to learn from experienced researchers and practitioners. During the weekend preceding the week-long workshop, we conduct a Short Course taught by community leaders, on topics pertinent to planetary probes. Examples of past courses include Extreme Environments Technologies, Probe Science Instrument Technologies, and Planetary Protection. Beginning with our 11th workshop in 2014, we have published a summary of the findings during the various sessions. The reports, as well as the materials from all workshops, are available on our public archive, and distributed to the world's national space agencies to serve as a basis for future international collaborations. Our presentation will review the history of the yearly IPPWs as well as the findings of IPPW-11 and IPPW-12, as documented in their Science and Technology Progress Reports on Planetary Probes.
Biosensors in Tissue and Organ Fabrication

We begin this chapter by looking at the role of sensors during tissue and organ fabrication. We provide a working model for sensor technology to support different parts of the tissue fabrication pathway. We next look at biological sensors in nature, with IGF-1 signaling as an example and study the intracellular signaling events which take place in response to IGF-1 signaling. Next, we look at the design requirements for sensors to support the culture and fabrication of 3D artificial tissue. The next three sections are dedicated to three specific sensing mechanisms, which include acoustic sensors, magnetic sensors and optical sensors. For each of the three sensor mechanism, we provide an overview of the theory, along with some applications to illustrate the principles of operation. We then look at flexible sensors and how they have been used for various applications and the potential role of flexible sensors in tissue engineering. We conclude this chapter by providing a case study from the Artificial Heart Laboratory; the case study is focused on the development of novel sensors to record the EKG properties of 3D artificial heart muscle.
Ultrafast Dynamics Using Free Electron Laser Sources

As avid readers of SRN know, free electron lasers have recently emerged as important synchrotron-radiation-based tools for a broad range of scientific studies. The combination of their short wavelength (from VUV to hard X-ray) with their exceedingly brief pulses (down to a few femtoseconds), high pulse energy, and coherence makes them particularly useful tools for studying ultrafast dynamics with chemical specificity and atomic-scale structural sensitivity.
Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy. Volume I

(1980). Research in Corporate Social Performance and Policy. Volume I. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 238-240.
Rapamycin-induced miR-21 promotes mitochondrial homeostasis and adaptation in mTORC1 activated cells

// Hilaire C. Lam 1 , Heng-Jia Liu 1 , Christian V. Baglini 1 , Harilaos Filippakis 1 , Nicola Alesi 1 , Julie Nijmeh 1 , Heng Du 1 , Alicia Llorente Lope 1 , Katherine A. Cottrill 2 , Adam Handen 2 , John M. Asara 3 , David J. Kwiatkowski 1 , Issam Ben-Sahra 4 , William M. Oldham 1 , Stephen Y. Chan 2 and Elizabeth P. Henske 1 1 Department of Medicine, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 2 Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Center for Pulmonary Vascular Biology and Medicine, Pittsburgh Heart, Lung, Blood, and Vascular Medicine Institute, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA 3 Department of Medicine, Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA 4 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Correspondence to: Elizabeth P. Henske, email: // Keywords : tuberous sclerosis complex, mTORC1, rapamycin, miR-21, mitochondria Received : June 20, 2017 Accepted : June 25, 2017 Published : August 04, 2017 Abstract mTORC1 hyperactivation drives the multi-organ hamartomatous disease tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Rapamycin inhibits mTORC1, inducing partial tumor responses; however, the tumors regrow following treatment cessation. We discovered that the oncogenic miRNA, miR-21, is increased in Tsc2-deficient cells and, surprisingly, further increased by rapamycin. To determine the impact of miR-21 in TSC, we inhibited miR-21 in vitro . miR-21 inhibition significantly repressed the tumorigenic potential of Tsc2-deficient cells and increased apoptosis sensitivity. Tsc2-deficient cells’ clonogenic and anchorage independent growth were reduced by ~50% ( p <0.01) and ~75% ( p <0.0001), respectively, and combined rapamycin treatment decreased soft agar growth by ~90% ( p <0.0001). miR-21 inhibition also increased sensitivity to apoptosis. Through a network biology-driven integration of RNAseq data, we discovered that miR-21 promotes mitochondrial adaptation and homeostasis in Tsc2-deficient cells. miR-21 inhibition reduced mitochondrial polarization and function in Tsc2-deficient cells, with and without co-treatment with rapamycin. Importantly, miR-21 inhibition limited Tsc2-deficient tumor growth in vivo , reducing tumor size by approximately 3-fold ( p <0.0001). When combined with rapamcyin, miR-21 inhibition showed even more striking efficacy, both during treatment and after treatment cessation, with a 4-fold increase in median survival following rapamycin cessation ( p =0.0008). We conclude that miR-21 promotes mTORC1-driven tumorigenesis via a mechanism that involves the mitochondria, and that miR-21 is a potential therapeutic target for TSC-associated hamartomas and other mTORC1-driven tumors, with the potential for synergistic efficacy when combined with rapalogs.
Developing and Maintaining Inclusive Identities: Understanding Student Teaching through de Certeau’s Framework of Tactics and Strategies

ABSTRACTThe article describes how a group of student teachers understood and enacted inclusion in noninclusive school placements during a year-long teaching residency. It examines, within de Certeau’s framework of tactics and strategies, how students made meaning of their placements, their understanding of university practice in relation to inclusion, and their developing teaching identities as inclusive educators. The fissure between university and school praxis, and the student’s relationship to that disconnect, is at the heart of this research. Moreover, the tension between the participants’ pedagogical underpinnings of what constitutes effective teaching practice’ and the ways they experienced their school sites through the adoption of an inclusive ideological framework, informed how participants resisted and negotiated daily interactions within established systems and structures.
How Deviations from Performance Norms Impact Charitable Donations

AbstractAlthough the actions of others can influence a consumer’s behavior, these actions are often at odds with performance norms. For example, charities can experience relatively low rates of support (resulting in a negative deviation from a performance norm) or relatively high rates of support (resulting in a positive deviation from a performance norm). Previous research provides evidence of the equivocal effects of these deviations, with both positive and negative deviations motivating prosocial behaviors. The current research reconciles these competing findings by introducing construal as a moderator. Across four studies, the authors find that positive deviations from performance norms motivate prosocial behavior for independent donors, whereas negative deviations from performance norms motivate prosocial behavior for interdependent donors. They further show that these effects are driven by a prevention focus associated with interdependent consumers and a promotion focus associated with independent c...
Infection history of the blood-meal host dictates pathogenic potential of the Lyme disease spirochete within the feeding tick vector.

Lyme disease in humans is caused by several genospecies of the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) complex of spirochetal bacteria, including B. burgdorferi, B. afzelii and B. garinii. These bacteria exist in nature as obligate parasites in an enzootic cycle between small vertebrate hosts and Ixodid tick vectors, with humans representing incidental hosts. During the natural enzootic cycle, infected ticks in endemic areas feed not only upon naive hosts, but also upon seropositive infected hosts. In the current study, we considered this environmental parameter and assessed the impact of the immune status of the blood-meal host on the phenotype of the Lyme disease spirochete within the tick vector. We found that blood from a seropositive host profoundly attenuates the infectivity (>104 fold) of homologous spirochetes within the tick vector without killing them. This dramatic neutralization of vector-borne spirochetes was not observed, however, when ticks and blood-meal hosts carried heterologous B. burgdorferi s.l. strains, or when mice lacking humoral immunity replaced wild-type mice as blood-meal hosts in similar experiments. Mechanistically, serum-mediated neutralization does not block induction of host-adapted OspC+ spirochetes during tick feeding, nor require tick midgut components. Significantly, this study demonstrates that strain-specific antibodies elicited by B. burgdorferi s.l. infection neutralize homologous bacteria within feeding ticks, before the Lyme disease spirochetes enter a host. The blood meal ingested from an infected host thereby prevents super-infection by homologous spirochetes, while facilitating transmission of heterologous B. burgdorferi s.l. strains. This finding suggests that Lyme disease spirochete diversity is stably maintained within endemic populations in local geographic regions through frequency-dependent selection of rare alleles of dominant polymorphic surface antigens.
Video head impulse test for follow up of cranial nerve 3, 4, or 6 paresis (P6.051)

Objective: We seek to use the efferent arm of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and measure the gain value of head impulse test (HIT) to assess cranial nerve 3, 4, and 6 function. Background: Quantification of ocular misalignment is performed using prism-alternative cover technique in neuro-ophthalmology clinics. An objective device-based measurement of ocular misalignment that is not operator dependent would be the next step in improving evaluation of ophthalmoplegia due to cranial nerve palsies or strokes. VOR gain measured by video-oculography is calculated by dividing eye velocity by head velocity during HIT. Design/Methods: A prospective study on a convenience sample of patients with unilateral cranial nerve 3, 4, or 6 paresis diagnosed by a neuro-ophthalmologist at Illinois Neurological Institute Neuro-Ophthalmology clinic. Patients with prior history of vestibular disorders, unstable cervical spine, or history of rheumatoid arthritis will be excluded. Patients will be followed at 4, 8, 12 weeks. Participants will undergo thorough neuro-ophthalmologic examination, including prism-alternative cover test. We will measure HIT gain for all 6 canals, saccade velocity, and latency using video-oculography. Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis will be used to analyze the correlation between HIT gain and eye misalignment measured using prism-alternative cover test. Results: Plan to enroll 20 subjects as power calculations revealed it will be a sufficient sample to test the study hypothesis. The study is in preliminary phase. Full results will be available to report by AAN meeting. Conclusions: We hypothesize the HIT gain is reduced in patients with cranial neve 3, 4, or 6 palsies, and correlates with the magnitude of phoria measured by prism-alternative cover test. Furthermore, improvement in HIT gain correlates with improvements in extra-ocular movement velocity and prism-diopters of misalignment in time. We are hoping to show HIT gain can be an objective, non-operator dependent alternative to prism-alternative cover test, with potential for numerous future applications. Study Supported by: This study is supported by a grant by Illinois Neurological Institute. Disclosure: Dr. Saber Tehrani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Newman-Toker has received personal compensation for activities with Sun Pharma Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Newman-Toker has research support from GN Otometrics and Interacoustics. Dr. Kattah has received personal compensation for activities with Pfizer as a consultant. Dr. Kattah has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity as an editor for E-Medicine.
Multidisciplinary strategies in bloodless medicine and surgery for patients undergoing pancreatectomy

Abstract Background Bloodless pancreatic surgery (BPS) is rarely performed and/or reported. We aim to characterize perioperative and anesthetic strategies in BPS. Materials and methods A literature search was performed on MEDLINE looking for case reports/case series using search terms (“Jehovah's Witness” [All Fields]) AND (“Pancreatic Surgery” [All Fields] OR “Pancreaticoduodenectomy” [All Fields] OR “Distal Pancreatectomy” [All Fields]). Data regarding categorical variables are reported as proportions and quantitative continuous variables as medians with ranges or means with standard deviation. Forty-one patients requiring BPS are reported in the literature with three additional cases from our institution (n = 44). The data analyzed included clinicopathologic factors, BPS strategies, patient complications, and in-hospital mortality. Results The most common procedure and diagnosis were pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 34, 77.3%) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (n = 12, 27.3%), respectively. Transfusion reduction strategies in BPS fell into three categories: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative. Preoperative strategies included iron supplementation (n = 24, 54.5%) and erythropoietin administration (n = 14, 41.2%). Intraoperative strategies included acute normovolemic hemodilution (n = 30, 68%) and cell saver (n = 4, 9.1%). Postoperative strategies included erythropoietin (n = 16, 48.5%) and iron supplementation (n = 16, 48.5%). Complications occurred in 21 (60%) patients. There was no in-hospital mortality among the 44 patients in this cohort. Conclusions A broad spectrum of bloodless medicine and surgery practices were used based on patient selection, multidisciplinary practice, and preference. With careful perioperative and anesthetic management, BPS can be performed with good outcomes.
Spider community responses to grassland restoration: balancing trade‐offs between abundance and diversity

Spiders (Araneae) play key roles in ecosystems, not only as common and abundant generalist predators, but also as major contributors to biodiversity in many areas. In addition, due to their short generation times and high mobility, spiders respond rapidly to small changes in their environment, potentially making them useful indicators for restoration monitoring. However, few studies have focused on spider responses to grassland restoration in the United States. We compared degraded, native, and restored grassland sites to examine how spider communities and habitat respond to arid grassland restoration. We also examined how responses varied with the age of the restoration project. Spider communities in native sites differed from those in restored and degraded sites in several ways: native sites had fewer spiders and a different community composition than degraded and restored sites. However, native and restored sites had more species than degraded sites. Chronosequence data showed trends for lower abundance, higher species richness, and changing community composition as restoration projects mature. Several habitat variables were closely linked to variation in spider communities including cover of invasive annual grasses, litter, and biological soil crusts. Our data suggest that spider and vegetation responses to grassland restoration efforts can be successful in the long term—with resulting communities becoming more similar to native ones—and that spiders are useful indictors of grassland restoration. Our results also suggest that restoration may involve balancing trade‐offs between ecosystem services, with potential losses in predatory control offset by increases in biodiversity with restoration effort.
Suggested Simulation of the First Copper-Chlorine Reactor Step for Solar Hydrogen Generation Process

Hydrogen as an alternative energy source is being seriously considered due to its clean byproducts. Several cycles in the literature have been provided for splitting water and producing hydrogen. This work looks at the CuCl cycle proposed and looks at providing a suggested reactor and its simulation for the first reaction of this multistep cycle which produces the hydrogen. It was found that the use of a honeycomb geometry for the shape of the introduction of the solid copper can be used whereby the gaseous HCl reactant would go through that structure to achieve the reaction that frees the hydrogen in this cycle. The dynamic simulation tracks the mass history of the solid and the gas concentration as the gas goes through the reactor. Also the simulation provides a history of the temperatures of both reactants copper chloride and the hydrochloric acid.
The Alternative Minimum Tax & its Implications on Real Estate Investment

This article examines the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) from its initial incarnation as an add-on wealth tax, to its present status as a dual system of taxation that threatens to encroach on more and more middle-class Americans each year. The present controversy and recent reform efforts are discussed, focusing on the failure to index the AMT for inflation. Finally, some specific provisions, such as depreciation and state and local real estate tax, are discussed in relation to real estate investment, as well as some opportunities that the AMT may provide to some taxpayers.
The affordability of antiretroviral therapy in developing countries: what policymakers need to know.

The ideal treatment strategy for people with AIDS (PWAs) involving the use of one or more protease inhibitors and 2 reverse transcriptase inhibitors is known as highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). HAART is greatly helping PWAs sometimes enabling patients in the final stages of AIDS to regain enough health and strength to again actively and productively participate in society. With such successes in developed countries policymakers in developing countries are increasingly being pressured to provide HAART for their own populations. The drugs needed for HAART however are very expensive and may require administration throughout the remainder of the life of the PWA. Few if any similarly expensive drugs are currently available in developing countries. The author reviews existing experiences of policymakers in developing countries on the purchase of drugs needed for HAART identifies the issues to address and data needed to make more informed decisions on the subject develops a cost-benefit model which could be used to design an economic research project evaluating the economic costs and benefits of HAART and tests the model with data from Costa Rica. Political legal and budgetary pressures are mounting for countries to make viable decisions on buying drugs for HAART. An economic model describing the costs and benefits of HAART is proposed although much of the required data for using such a model is currently neither available nor being collected.
Enabling prefix sum parallelism pattern for recurrences with principled function reconstruction

Much research work has been done to parallelize loops with recurrences over the last several decades. Recently, sampling-and-reconstruction method was proposed to parallelize a broad class of loops with recurrences in an automated fashion, with a practical runtime approach. Although the parallelized codes achieve linear scalability across multi-cores architectures, the sequential merge inherent to this method makes it not scalable on many core architectures, such as GPUs. At the same time, existing parallel merge approaches used for simple reduction loops cannot be directly and correctly applied to this method. Based on this observation, we propose new methods to merge partial results in parallel on GPUs and achieve linear scalability. Our approach involves refined runtime-checking rules to avoid unnecessary runtime check failures and reduce the overhead of reprocessing. We also propose sample converge technique to reduce the number of sample points so that communication and computation overhead is reduced. Finally, based on GPU architectural features, we develop optimization techniques to further improve performance. Our evaluation results of a set of representative algorithms show that our parallel merge implementation is substantially more efficient than sequential merge, and achieves linear scalability on different GPUs.
Why Poor Families Move (And Where They Go): Reactive Mobility and Residential Decisions

Despite frequent moves, low–income black families are more likely than any other group to churn among disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the least likely to escape them. Traditional explanations for ...
Food Insecurity Is Associated with Lower Cognitive Functioning in a National Sample of Older Adults.

BACKGROUND Food insecurity, a social and economic condition of inadequate food resources, is known to affect cognitive development in children. However, research is sparse among adult populations, particularly older adults who may be more susceptible to accelerated cognitive decline. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine the associations between food insecurity and cognitive functioning among older adults. METHODS Data came from 1823 older adults (≥60 y) with incomes ≤300% of the federal poverty level (FPL) from the 2011-2014 NHANES. Food security was measured using the 10-item Adult Food Security Survey Module. Cognitive function was measured using the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) word learning subtest and delayed word recall, the Animal Fluency Test (AFT), and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST). The cognitive assessments were then standardized and an overall cognitive function z score was created by averaging across all cognitive assessments. Associations with food insecurity were examined using multivariate linear regression models, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics. RESULTS In the analytic population, the prevalence of food insecurity was 23.7%. Across all cognitive assessments, the mean scores among food-insecure adults was significantly lower than the mean scores among food-secure adults. After adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics, food insecurity was associated with lower scores on the CERAD word learning subtest (β = -0.14, 95% CI: -0.26, -0.01), the AFT (β = -0.13, 95% CI: -0.25, -0.002), and the DSST (β = -0.24, 95% CI: -0.33, -0.15). Food insecurity was also associated with a lower score on the overall cognitive function z score (β = -0.15, 95% CI: -0.26, -0.05). CONCLUSIONS In this national sample of 1823 adults aged ≥60 y, food insecurity was inversely associated with cognitive function, which may translate into higher risk of cognitive impairment over time.
A description of eosinophilic esophagitis in the Southwestern state of Nevada.

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a rare immune-mediated esophageal disorder that has been documented worldwide. Prior to this study, eosinophilic esophagitis had not been described in the Southwes...
Participation is the fuel

Adoption of photovoltaic systems has been thought of in some countries as a choice influenced by political preferences. In the US, this polarization may be even stronger due to political polarization around climate change. Now, research shows that photovoltaic adopters can be found in both parties and they are politically active.
Exploring the wet granulation growth regime map – validating the boundary between nucleation and induction

Abstract A methodological approach to define the regime map boundaries does not exist, and while some experimental data has been reported previously the boundaries have not been “validated”. The present study explored and quantified the boundary between the nucleation and induction growth regimes for a model high drug load formulation. It was postulated that the induction period could be decreased by increasing the liquid saturation of the system, with the effect of introducing additional binder liquid to the surface of the granules, which facilitates consolidation and growth. An increase in liquid saturation was achieved by increasing the liquid to solid ratio, or by densifying the granules to squeeze intragranular liquid to the surface. The densification was achieved by subjecting the granules to an extended wet massing period and by varying the impeller speed. By characterizing the response in granule porosity as a function of liquid to solid ratio, wet massing time and impeller speed the boundary between the nucleation and induction growth regimes was defined. Granules formed in the induction growth regime were shown to suffer significantly reduced compactibility. Further analysis of liquid saturation and compactibility data allows a critical granule porosity to be established as a basis for developing a control strategy. The attention to granule porosity allows a mechanistic interpretation of the growth behavior, rather than simply relying upon size measurements. The porosity based approach was successfully superimposed onto the existing growth regime map framework, and established that the boundary between regimes is a gradual transition rather than the conventionally visualized abrupt binary state.
Unique presentation of Aggregatibacter aphrophilus in a superficial left temporal abscess

Aggregatibacter aphrophilus, previously Haemophilus aphrophilus, is an uncommon organism that historically has been associated with HACEK infective endocarditis and brain abscesses. This organism is most often isolated as part of normal oral flora, and patients with A. aphrophilus infection usually have an underlying periodontal infection or immunocompromised state allowing for infection. This case report outlines a unique presentation of left superficial temporal abscess due to A. aphrophilus infection in an immunocompetent individual.
Using an Exemplar to Teach Attitudinal Formation, Attitudinal Change and Consumer Defense Mechanisms: The Motel Selection Problem

This teaching innovation addresses the complexity of introducing attitudinal formation and attitudinal change to students in advertising courses. It does so by using an exemplar framework that stud...
Hybrid Robotic Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery Approach to Large and Low-Lying Rectal Polyps.

Background Transanal excision is the surgical treatment of choice for low-risk rectal pathology such as endoscopically unresectable polyps, very select early rectal cancers, as well as other benign and low-risk tumors. Robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery enhances the surgeon's ability to work in the confined space of the rectum and helps overcome the limitations of other modalities for transanal excision. Large lesions that extend to the dentate line and cannot be excised transanally impart a particular challenge. Herein, we describe a hybrid robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery approach for excising large rectal lesions that extend to the dentate line and cannot be excised by utilizing traditional transanal techniques. Technique With the use of a standard transanal approach, the distal margin of the lesion is marked and lifted off of the internal sphincter muscle. The dissection is continued until above the anorectal ring, and a 5.5-cm transanal platform is introduced transanally. Insufflation with an 8-mm trocar is initiated and the robotic platform is docked transanally. A 1-cm circumferential proximal margin is marked, and the excision is continued robotically until en bloc resection of the lesion is completed. The defect is closed in a transverse fashion using barbed suture. For rare cases of circumferential or nearly circumferential full-thickness defects, interrupted barbed sutures are placed equidistant, the robot is undocked, the transanal platform is removed, and a handsewn coloanal anastomosis is performed allowing complete closure of the defect. Results A hybrid robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery approach to large and low-lying rectal lesions is feasible and safe, and it has advantages over standard transanal excision including enhanced ergonomics, dexterity, and optics, as well as reduced rates of specimen fragmentation. Conclusion A hybrid robotic transanal minimally invasive surgery approach allows for complete resection of very large polyps, which would otherwise be extremely challenging with standard transanal approaches. See Video at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B231.
Medical Student Perspectives on the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Practice of Medicine.

Abstract Introduction Concerns about radiologists being replaced by artificial intelligence (AI) from the lay media could have a negative impact on medical students’ perceptions of radiology as a viable specialty. The purpose of this study was to evaluate United States of America medical students’ perceptions about radiology and other medical specialties in relation to AI. Methods An anonymous, web-based survey was sent to 32 radiology interest groups at United States medical schools. The survey was comprised of 6 questions assessing medical student perceptions of AI and its potential impact on radiology and other medical specialties. Responses were voluntary and collected over a 6-month period from November 2017 to April 2018. Results A total of 156 students responded with representation from each year of medical school. Over 75% agreed that AI would have a significant role in the future of medicine. Most (66%) agreed that diagnostic radiology would be the specialty most greatly affected. Nearly half (44%) reported that AI made them less enthusiastic about radiology. The majority of students (57%) obtained their information about AI from online articles. Thematic analysis of free answer comments revealed mostly neutral comments towards AI, however, the negative responses were the strongest and most detailed. Conclusions US medical students believe that AI will play a significant role in medicine, particularly in radiology. However, nearly half are less enthusiastic about the field of radiology due to AI. As the majority receive information about AI from online articles, which may have negative sentiments towards AI's impact on radiology, formal AI education and medical student outreach may help combat misinformation and help prevent the dissuading of medical students who might otherwise consider the specialty.
Heart Best Research Paper Award 2020

Each year, the Heart editorial team selects the most meritorious research paper to receive the Heart Best Research Paper Award. Primary considerations are the relevance of the clinical question addressed by the research, the quality of the research study design and data presentation, and the interest generated by the paper among other researchers, clinical cardiologists and the general public. This year, we are pleased to announce the winner and two finalists for the 2020 Heart Best Paper Research Award, highlighting the first author of each paper and sincerely congratulating the entire research team on their outstanding research contribution (table 1). View this table: Table 1 Heart best research paper Award winner and Finalists 2020 Ralph K. Akyea MPH, MBChB (figure 1) is a second-year doctoral student and part-time research associate with the Primary Care Stratified Medicine Research Group, Division of Primary Care, University of Nottingham, UK. He received his medical degree from the University of Ghana Medical School and earned his master’s degree in public health from …
‘Remember the Sabbath’: a history of technological decisions and innovation in Orthodox Jewish communities

The relationship of Modern Orthodox Jewish communities to technology is mediated by the calendar, following requirements to keep the Sabbath holy. As nineteenth-, twentieth-, and twentyfirst-centur...