cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty on pulmonary hypertension in mitral stenosis.

Abstract Percutaneous mitral balloon valvuloplasty (PMBV) has been useful in decreasing mitral valve obstruction in mitral stenosis; however, the long-term effects of valvuloplasty on pulmonary artery pressure have not been extensively studied. Thirty-three patients underwent PMBV in our institution between January 1988 and December 1991. There were significant reductions in peak (19 ± 1 to 12 ± 1 mm Hg) and mean (10 ± 0.7 to 6 ± 0.4 mm Hg) mitral valve gradients estimated by Doppler techniques immediately after PMBV. The mitral valve area, as assessed by the pressure half-time method, increased from 1.06 ± 0.05 to 1.98 ± 0.08 cm 2 ( p 2 ) at 17 ± 2 months. Right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) was estimated in patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR) using the modified Bernoulli equation. There was a good correlation between Doppler and catheterization for RVSP ( r = 0.83 pre valvuloplasty; r = 0.87 post valvuloplasty). Right ventricular systolic pressure by Doppler was 56 ± 4 mm Hg before valvuloplasty and 48 ± 4 mm Hg immediately afterwards ( p p = NS compared with pre- and postvalvuloplasty values). Six of these nine patients had moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR), compared with one patient without TR at follow-up ( p
Historical changes in sediments of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, USA: consequences of changes in the water balance of a terminal desert lake

Sediment cores from the shallow and deep basins of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, revealed variations in composition with depth reflecting changes in lake level, river inflow, and lake productivity. Recent sediments from the period of historical record indicate: (1) CaCO3 and organic content of sediment in the shallow basin decrease at lower lake level, (2) CaCO3 content of deep basin sediments increases when lake level decreases rapidly, and (3) the inorganic P content of sediments increases with decreasing lake volume. Variations in sediment composition also indicate several periods for which productivity in Pyramid Lake may have been elevated over the past 1000 years. Our data provide strong evidence for increased productivity during the first half of the 20th Century, although the typical pattern for cultural eutrophication was not observed. The organic content of sediments also suggests periods of increased productivity in the lake prior to the discovery and development of the region by white settlers. Indeed, a broad peak in organic fractions during the 1800's originates as an increase starting around 1600. However, periods of changing organic content of sediments also correspond to periods when inflow to the lake was probably at extremes (e.g. drought or flood) indicating that fluctuations in river inflow may be an important factor affecting sediment composition in Pyramid Lake.
Cardiovascular reactivity to the cold pressor test as a predictor of hypertension

Cardiovascular reactivity to stress is hypothesized to be a marker for subsequent neurogenic cardiovascular disease, but few prospective studies of this hypothesis are available. We studied 910 white male medical students who had their blood pressure and pulse rate measured before and during a cold pressor test in the years 1948-1964. Hypertensive status (requiring drug treatment) was ascertained by annual questionnaires in the 20- to 36-year follow-up period. An association was observed between maximum change in systolic blood pressure and later hypertension, with a cumulative incidence of hypertension by age 44 of 6.7%, 3.0%, and 2.4% for a change in systolic blood pressure in the upper, middle two, and lowest quartiles, respectively (Kaplan-Meier, p less than 0.02). After adjustment for study entry age, Quetelet Index, cigarette smoking, pretest systolic blood pressure, and paternal or maternal history of hypertension in a Cox model, the association persisted. The excess risk associated with systolic blood pressure reactivity was not apparent until the population aged some 20 years and was most apparent among those in whom hypertension developed before age 45 (relative risk = 2.5, 95% confidence intervals = 1.47, 4.71 for a 20 mm Hg change). Diastolic blood pressure and heart rate changes were not associated with later hypertension. These data suggest that persons prone to later hypertension manifest an altered physiology at a young age.
A highly efficient multifunctional tandem affinity purification approach applicable to diverse organisms

Determining the localization, binding partners, and secondary modifications of individual proteins is crucial for understanding protein function. Several tags have been constructed for protein localization or purification under either native or denaturing conditions, but few tags permit all three simultaneously. Here, we describe a multifunctional tandem affinity purification (MAP) method that is both highly efficient and enables protein visualization. The MAP tag utilizes affinity tags inserted into an exposed surface loop of mVenus offering two advantages: (1) mVenus fluorescence can be used for protein localization or FACS-based selection of cell lines; and (2) spatial separation of the affinity tags from the protein results in high recovery and reduced variability between proteins. MAP purification was highly efficient in multiple organisms for all proteins tested. As a test case, MAP combined with liquid chromatography-tandem MS identified known and new candidate binding partners and modifications of the kinase Plk1. Thus the MAP tag is a new powerful tool for determining protein modification, localization, and interactions.
Space, time and learning in the hippocampus: How fine spatial and temporal scales are expanded into population codes for behavioral control

The hippocampus participates in multiple functions, including spatial navigation, adaptive timing and declarative (notably, episodic) memory. How does it carry out these particular functions? The present article proposes that hippocampal spatial and temporal processing are carried out by parallel circuits within entorhinal cortex, dentate gyrus and CA3 that are variations of the same circuit design. In particular, interactions between these brain regions transform fine spatial and temporal scales into population codes that are capable of representing the much larger spatial and temporal scales that are needed to control adaptive behaviors. Previous models of adaptively timed learning propose how a spectrum of cells tuned to brief but different delays are combined and modulated by learning to create a population code for controlling goal-oriented behaviors that span hundreds of milliseconds or even seconds. Here it is proposed how projections from entorhinal grid cells can undergo a similar learning process to create hippocampal place cells that can cover a space of many meters that are needed to control navigational behaviors. The suggested homology between spatial and temporal processing may clarify how spatial and temporal information may be integrated into an episodic memory. The model proposes how a path integration process activates a spatial map of grid cells. Path integration has a limited spatial capacity, and must be reset periodically, leading to the observed grid cell periodicity. Integration-to-map transformations have been proposed to exist in other brain systems. These include cortical mechanisms for numerical representation in the parietal cortex. As in the grid-to-place cell spatial expansion, the analog representation of number is extended by additional mechanisms to represent much larger numbers. The model also suggests how visual landmarks may influence grid cell activities via feedback projections from hippocampal place cells to the entorhinal cortex.
Multiprocessor cache synchronization: issues, innovations, evolution

Many options are possible in a cache synchronization (or consistency) scheme for a broadcast system. We clarify basic concepts, analyze the handling of shared data, and then describe a protocol that we are currently exploring. Finally, we analyze the evolution of options that have been proposed under write-in (or write-back) policy. We show how our protocol extends this evolution with new methods for efficient busy-wait locking, waiting, and unlocking. The lock scheme allows locking and unlocking to occur in zero time, eliminating the need for test-and-set. The scheme also integrates processor atomic read-modify-write instructions and programmer/compiler busy-wait-synchronized operations under the same mechanism. The wait scheme eliminates all unsuccessful retries from the bus, and allows a process to work while waiting.
Binding of polymyxin B to the lipid A portion of bacterial lipopolysaccharides.

Abstract The cationic polypeptide polymyxin B, has been demonstrated to form a stable molecular complex with the lipid A region of bacterial lipopolysaccharides. The interaction between polymyxin B and LPS appears to be stoichiometric, with several lines of evidence suggesting that one molecule of polymyxin B binds one monomer unit of LPS. The formation of LPS-polymyxin B complexes results in the generation of higher mol. wt aggregates with decreased isopynic density.
Quasistatic Moment Measurements for Airfoils in an Annular Cascade.

Abstract : Typical aerodynamic moment measurements are presented for airfoils in an annular cascade executing very slow pitching oscillations. Parameters which are varied are mean incidence, interblade phase angle and amplitude of oscillation. The measurements take the form of a continuous loop of moment versus angular displacement. In more exhaustive tests many other governing variables may be varied systematically. The characteristics of the experimental data are discussed and the need is pointed out for an analytical technique for converting the quasistatic data to dynamic moment loops for application to flutter prediction.
Identification of Restriction Factors by Human Genome-Wide RNA Interference Screening of Viral Host Range Mutants Exemplified by Discovery of SAMD9 and WDR6 as Inhibitors of the Vaccinia Virus K1L−C7L− Mutant

ABSTRACT RNA interference (RNAi) screens intended to identify host factors that restrict virus replication may fail if the virus already counteracts host defense mechanisms. To overcome this limitation, we are investigating the use of viral host range mutants that exhibit impaired replication in nonpermissive cells. A vaccinia virus (VACV) mutant with a deletion of both the C7L and K1L genes, K1L−C7L−, which abrogates replication in human cells at a step prior to late gene expression, was chosen for this strategy. We carried out a human genome-wide small interfering RNA (siRNA) screen in HeLa cells infected with a VACV K1L−C7L− mutant that expresses the green fluorescent protein regulated by a late promoter. This positive-selection screen had remarkably low background levels and resulted in the identification of a few cellular genes, notably SAMD9 and WDR6, from approximately 20,000 tested that dramatically enhanced green fluorescent protein expression. Replication of the mutant virus was enabled by multiple siRNAs to SAMD9 or WDR6. Moreover, SAMD9 and WDR6 clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 knockout HeLa cell lines were permissive for replication of the K1L−C7L− mutant, in agreement with the siRNA data. Expression of exogenous SAMD9 or interferon regulatory factor 1 restricted replication of the K1L−C7L− mutant in the SAMD9−/− cells. Independent interactions of SAMD9 with the K1 and C7 proteins were suggested by immunoprecipitation. Knockout of WDR6 did not reduce the levels of SAMD9 and interactions of WDR6 with SAMD9, C7, and K1 proteins were not detected, suggesting that these restriction factors act independently but possibly in the same innate defense pathway. IMPORTANCE The coevolution of microbial pathogens with cells has led to an arms race in which the invader and host continuously struggle to gain the advantage. For this reason, traditional siRNA screens may fail to uncover important immune mechanisms if the pathogens have already developed effective responses. However, host-restricted viral mutants have lost one or more defense genes needed for their replication in nonpermissive cells. By screening human genome libraries of short RNAs that inhibit the expression of individual host genes in nonpermissive cells, we identified SAMD9 and WDR6 as major restriction factors that prevented replication of a vaccinia virus mutant and suggest that host range screening can be generally useful for the investigation of host-pathogen interactions.
Comparison of field portable measurements of ultrafine TiO2: X-ray fluorescence, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

Laboratory measurements of ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO2) particulate matter loaded on filters were made using three field portable methods (X-ray fluorescence (XRF), laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy) to assess their potential for determining end-of-shift exposure. Ultrafine TiO2 particles were aerosolized and collected onto 37 mm polycarbonate track-etched (PCTE) filters in the range of 3 to 578 μg titanium (Ti). Limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and calibration fit were determined for each measurement method. The LOD's were 11.8, 0.032, and 108 μg Ti per filter, for XRF, LIBS, and FTIR, respectively and the LOQ's were 39.2, 0.11, and 361 μg Ti per filter, respectively. The XRF calibration curve was linear over the widest dynamic range, up to the maximum loading tested (578 μg Ti per filter). LIBS was more sensitive but, due to the sample preparation method, the highest loaded filter measurable was 252 μg Ti per filter. XRF and LIBS had good predictability measured by regressing the predicted mass to the gravimetric mass on the filter. XRF and LIBS produced overestimations of 4% and 2%, respectively, with coefficients of determination (R2) of 0.995 and 0.998. FTIR measurements were less dependable due to interference from the PCTE filter media and overestimated mass by 2% with an R2 of 0.831.
Networks Traffic Control Based on ABR Communication

Rate-based traffic control problem for ABR communication in ATM network is discussed by means of control theory. The deadbeat control is provided aiming at the propagation delay in the network, which makes system response reach stabilization in the limited beat strictly. Therefore, it can be achieved that the sent rate of sources responses to the changes of network status rapidly, and the adverse effect in rapidity and stability caused by the delay is overcome. The proposed method can avoid the congestion effectively, reduce cell loss rate and have a simple structure. The simulation result shows the efficiency of the scheme.
A TWO-PARAMETER MODEL OF ELASTIC WAVE VELOCITIES IN ROCKS AND NUMERICAL AVO MODELING

Acoustic wave propagation is sensitive to many rock properties including fluid content, porosity, and pore structure, among others. Pore structure is one of the important parameters in controlling both seismic wave velocity and permeability in sandstones and carbonate rocks. For a given porosity of two similar rocks with different pore structure, their acoustic wave speeds can differ 2 km/s and permeability can span nearly six orders of magnitude from 0.01 mD to 20 D in both sandstones and limestones. In this paper, we introduce a two-parameter velocity model defined by porosity and a new pore structure parameter called as frame flexibility factor. Using this model, we define three pore structure types (PST) to quantify the pore structure effects on elastic properties of sedimentary rocks. These three PSTs have their distinct characteristics on synthetic shot gathers and common midpoint gathers. This study indicates that it may be feasible to use this new concept and method to detect pore structure variations in reservoir rocks from field seismic data. This study also helps explain why analysis of amplitude variation with offset (AVO) in some cases fails for fluid detection: pore structure effect on seismic waves can mask all the fluid effects, especially in carbonate rocks.
Syndication in Venture Capital Financing

We examine syndication in venture capital (VC) investments between 1980 and 2005. We argue that VC firms syndicate investments to mitigate human capital and financial constraints within individual VC firms and to reduce uncertainty about firm value. Our results are consistent with those arguments. We find that syndication is more likely for firms in the earliest stage of development and firms in the last stage of development as private firms (when human capital investments are greatest), for firms requiring the largest amounts of financial capital, and for firms with greater growth opportunities (those that are most difficult to value).
A true zero-load stable CMOS capacitor-free low-dropout regulator with excessive gain reduction

External capacitor-free low-dropout regulators (LDO) are popular power management modules within integrated circuits (IC) for space-limited, low Bill-of-Material (BoM) applications. Conventional Miller pole-split based CMOS capacitor-free LDOs, however, suffer from zero-load oscillation, and shortcut solution such as using “stay alive” output current degrades the power efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to solve the oscillation problem without sacrificing efficiency, and a true zero-load stable (TZLS) design with excessive gain reduction is proposed. Two otherwise identical, 2.5–5 V to 2.3 V, 0–100 mA capacitor-free LDOs are designed and implemented in ON Semi 0.5 µm CMOS process, one using the conventional method, and the other using the proposed design. Though both methods are effective when “stay alive” current is available, only the proposed LDO remains stable when “stay alive” is removed under tighter efficiency requirement. This research enables CMOS capacitor-free LDOs to be truly robust and power efficient, ideal for future “green” electronic products.
The growth of InAlP using trimethyl amine alane by chemical beam epitaxy

The growth of InAlP and related compounds such as InGaP lattice matched to GaAs has attracted a great deal of interest for optoelectronic devices emitting in the range from 638 to 700 nm and for electronic devices such as the heterojunction bipolar transistor. Although some gas source MBE work has been performed in this material system, very little CBE work has been done, largely attributable to the lack of a suitable aluminum source. This is the first report of trimethyl amine alane (TMAA) being used to grow InAlP. TMAA offers advantages of less carbon incorporation and less oxygen sensitivity compared to triethyl aluminum, tri-isobutyl aluminum, or trimethyl aluminum. Trimethyl amine alane has been used to grow AlGaAs HBTs and more recently to grow InAlAs/InGaAs HEMTs by CBE. One of the principal strengths of CBE is its ability to handle phosphorus based compounds efficiently, offering excellent interface control. InAlP films with carbon concentrations below 7×1017 cm-3 lattice matched |δaa|<2×10-3 with good surface morphology have been grown. Double crystal X-ray diffraction exhibits a single epi-peak with a full width at half max of 46 arc sec with multiple Pendellosung fringes. The epitaxial films are semi-insulating, completely depleted for thicknesses up to 1.6 μm. Oxygen levels measured by secondary ion mass spectroscopy are comparable to levels measured in InAlAs films (∼2.5×1018 cm-3) lattice matched to InP. The likely source of this oxygen is the hydride precursor as has been shown for the growth of InAlAs. As the substrate temperature is raised, the films become increasingly indium-rich. Breaking the growth rate down into its constituent binaries indicates an enhanced TMI incorporation rate. The quality of the films as measured by X-ray full width at half max and the surface morphology is extremely sensitive to substrate temperature. A very narrow window exists for the growth of good quality material in the range from 535 to 545°C.
Fostering social agency in multimedia learning: Examining the impact of an animated agent’s voice ☆

Consistent with social agency theory, we hypothesized that learners who studied a set of worked-out examples involving proportional reasoning narrated by an animated agent with a human voice would perform better on near and far transfer tests and rate the speaker more positively compared to learners who studied the same set of examples narrated by an agent with a machine synthesized voice. This hypothesis was supported across two experiments, including one conducted in a high school computer classroom. Overall, the results are consistent with social agency theory that posits that social cues in multimedia messages, including the type of voice, can affect how much students like the speaker and how hard students try to understand the presented material.
Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) utility models under expected utility and rank dependent utility assumptions

Abstract Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) utility models are multiattribute utility models of survival duration and health quality. This paper formulates six classes of QALY utility models and axiomatizes these models under expected utility (EU) and rank-dependent utility (RDU) assumptions. The QALY models investigated in this paper include the standard linear QALY model, the power and exponential multiplicative models, and the general multiplicative model. Emphasis is placed on a preference assumption, the zero condition, that greatly simplifies the axiomatizations under EU and RDU assumptions. The RDU axiomatizations of QALY models are generally similar to their EU counterparts, but in some cases, they require modification because linearity in probability is no longer assumed, and rank dependence introduces asymmetries between the domains of better-than-death health states and worse-than-death health states.
Variation in plumage, molt, and morphology of the Whiskered Auklet (Aethia pygmaea) in Alaska

Abstract We studied molt and size variation in Whiskered Auklets collected at sea in August from the Aleutian Islands in 1992 and 1993. We evaluated size differences from external and skeletal measurements. Adults were molting extensively in August, indicating that molt began in July. Primaries 1–5 had been completely replaced, while primaries 6–8 were in various stages of replacement, and primaries 9 and 10 were old in most birds. We also found that juveniles were not molting. This pattern is similar to other species of small auklets where breeding and molt in adults overlap, but juveniles do not molt until the following summer. This suggests that Whiskered Auklets are subjected to similar ecological constraints as other auklets. We provide the first skeletal measurements of Whiskered Auklets and some new external measurements. Results of statistical analyses indicate that there is no sexual dimorphism in adults. A small sample of juveniles suggests that they are similar in size to adults.
A Call to Arms: How 'Fighting' Words Mobilize Political Participation with Aggression

Politicians on the campaign trail regularly communicate with metaphors of fighting and war, yet little is known about how citizens respond to such appeals. This study demonstrates that violent political rhetoric substantially changes citizens’ motivations to participate in politics by channeling aggression. I field two nationally-representative survey experiments preceding the 2010 midterm elections in which subjects are randomly assigned to different forms of the same political advertisements. I find that violent metaphors increase participation motivations among citizens with aggressive personalities who trust the electoral process, especially for higher-cost acts like voting. Aggressive citizens who distrust elections are demobilized by violent rhetoric. These results uncover new mechanisms by which political campaigns mobilize citizens and show that violent language and aggression in politics can encourage democratically desirable behavior. However, the same processes also promote troubling orientations toward violence in politics, revealing a double-edged sword.
The Relationship Between Asthma, Sleep Apnea, and Other Respiratory Disorders and Childhood Metabolic Syndrome

Introduction: Obesity and the metabolic syndrome are associated with increased morbidity from chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma and sleep-disordered breathing, as well as increased risk of perioperative respiratory complications.
How should the infertility of interspecies crosses be designated

Infertility is widely used in fungi as a cri? terion for distinguishing sibling species and mating populations. Whether a cross is called fertile or sterile may depend on the frame of reference. The terms are relative rather than absolute. Failure to recognize this had led to apparent contradictions where none exist. In many situations the unqualified terms are insuffi- ciently precise and descriptive modifiers will be re? quired, for example, "highly or sparingly fertile, nearly or completely barren." Precision is also needed in de? scribing the reduction in fertility that is characteristic of certain genotypes when crosses are made between individuals of the same species.
Family Buying Decisions: A Cross-Cultural Perspective:

This study presents cross-cultural comparisons of husband-wife interaction in specific house-buying decisions. The findings indicate that perceived roles vary more by sex of the respondent and stag...
Single Network Adaptive Critic (SNAC) Architecture for Optimal Tracking Control of a Morphing Aircraft during a Pull-up Maneuver

In this paper, we discuss the application of a Single Network Adaptive Critic (SNAC) tracking controller on a morphing fighter aircraft modeled as a time-varying system. The performance of the aircraft is investigated from a flight dynamics perspective during a pull-up maneuver; and the time scale over which the morphing occurs is of the same order as the flight dynamics, due to which the influence of time-varying effects is significant. The time varying dynamical equations are adopted for a fighter aircraft which is assumed to be equipped with a variable-sweep wing. The SNAC controller is implemented on the longitudinal dynamic model of this aircraft. The neural network is trained to provide optimal tracking control over the aircraft flight envelope state space as the wing is swept along a specific morphing trajectory during the maneuver.
Drip Irrigation System Design

This chapter focuses on the design of a dual feed subsurface drip irrigation system, which is the most common agricultural drip system. The first example demonstrates the procedure for design and economic comparison of alternative mainline and submain designs for subsurface drip irrigation. Uniformity is calculated for an entire irrigation zone rather than an individual lateral. Submains are designed with lateral flow rate vs. pressure curves just as laterals are designed with emitter flow rate vs. pressure curves. The economic analysis includes water, energy, and pipe costs. One of the major advantages of a dual feed system is the automated flushing process; however, if the system will not maintain an adequate flow velocity in the laterals, then it is impossible to flush debris out of the laterals. The economic evaluation evaluates the sum of pipe and present value energy costs and selects the lowest cost alternative. The next examples focus on the economic comparison of several agricultural in-line drip products. The economic analysis includes frequency of replacement, cost, and degradation over time. Examples include the irrigation of a watermelon crop (high value with no yield reduction from overirrigation) and a cotton crop (lower value with yield penalty from overirrigation)
Functional properties of spinal interneurons activated by muscular free nerve endings and their potential contributions to the clasp-knife reflex

1. The goal of this study was to characterize the functional properties of spinal interneurons that are excited by muscular free nerve endings and to assess their contributions to the clasp-knife reflex. 2. The patterns of activity of 82 spinal interneurons that were excited by squeezing the Achilles tendon or manipulation of the muscle surfaces, preferential stimuli for muscular free nerve endings, were extracellularly recorded in lamina V-VII of the L5-S1 spinal cord in decerebrated and spinalized cats. 3. Interneurons were uniformly excited by increases in muscular length and force. Responses to muscle stretch exhibited gradual decay during maintained stretch, afterdischarge after stretch release, and adaptation to repeated stretch. Responses to isometric contraction induced by electrical stimulation of motor axons was also prolonged after contraction, but did not decay during maintained contraction. For similar increases in force, stretch evoked greater excitation than contraction, indicating that both stretch and contraction contributed to interneuronal activity. Overall, the time course and magnitude of the interneuronal responses to stretch and contraction paralleled the time course and magnitude of the clasp-knife reflex. 4. Interneurons were powerfully excited by muscular free nerve endings, which mediate the clasp-knife reflex, and by cutaneous receptors. Only occasionally were they excited by primary spindle or Golgi tendon organ afferents, which suggests that activation of muscular free nerve endings mediated the interneuronal responses to stretch and contraction. 5. Simultaneous recordings of interneuronal activity and the clasp-knife reflex revealed a broad correlation between interneuronal activity and clasp-knife inhibition. 6. Because the patterns of activity of free nerve ending-responsive interneurons during stretch and contraction were similar to the clasp-knife reflex, were closely correlated with clasp-knife inhibition during simultaneous interneuronal and reflex recordings, and were powerfully excited by muscular free nerve endings, it is likely that the interneurons described above contributed to the clasp-knife reflex. 7. In contrast, a small number (n = 16) of interneurons were recorded that were only weakly excited by muscular free nerve endings but strongly excited by group I afferents, exhibited less spontaneous and evoked activity, and had significantly different responses to stretch and contraction. These interneurons are less likely to have contributed to the clasp-knife reflex.
Infertility and Sexual Dysfunction (SD) in the Couple

A diagnosis of infertility in the male or female partner within a couple can cause significant stress, leading to sexual dysfunction in either or both partners. The causes of infertility and the related sexual dysfunction can be organic or psychosocial in nature, but are frequently linked. As such, having a more complete understanding of the interplay between the organic and psychosocial factors relating infertility and sexual dysfunction, as well as an understanding of treatments addressing both types of causes, is essential to successful treatment of these patients. Here, we discuss the interplay between infertility and sexual dysfunction in the man, woman, and the couple and focus on psychosocial interventions in the setting of the couple.
Dynamics of the Action of a CAT(0) Group on the Boundary

The main theorem here gives a geometric condition on the fixed point sets of two hyperbolic isometries of a CAT(0) group which guarantees that the subgroup generated by the two elements contains a free subgroup. A result in section 3 shows that an element extends to the identity on the boundary if and only if the element is virtually central in the CAT(0) group. Finally, the two dimensional case is considered in the last section of the paper and there it is shown that powers of two hyperbolic isometries commute if and only if a geometric condition on the fixed point sets is satisfied.
Nonlinear Analysis of Composite and FGM Shells using Tensor-Based Shell Finite Elements

In this paper, a finite element model for the nonlinear analysis of laminated shell structures and through-thickness functionally graded shells is presented. A tensor-based finite element formulation is presented to describe the deformation and constitutive laws of a shell in a natural and simple way by using curvilinear coordinates. In addition, a family of high-order elements with Lagrangian interpolations is used to avoid membrane and shear locking; no mixed interpolations are employed. A first-order shell theory with seven parameters is derived with exact nonlinear deformations and under the framework of the Lagrangian description. This approach takes into account thickness changes and, therefore, 3D constitutive equations are utilized. Numerical comparisons of the present results with those found in the literature for typical benchmark problems involving isotropic and laminated composite plates and shells as well as functionally graded plates and shells are found to be excellent and show the validity of the developed finite element model. Moreover, the simplicity of this approach makes it attractive for applications in contact mechanics and damage propagation in shells.
Penile Lengthening, Girth, and Size Preservation at the Time of Penile Prosthesis Insertion.

Abstract Introduction Penile prosthetic devices are the gold standard treatment of medication-refractory erectile dysfunction. Inflatable penile prosthetic (IPP) devices have been available and used for more than four decades. Oftentimes, medical conditions causing erectile dysfunction also cause penile shortening, causing decreased patient quality of life. Aim To identify and review all available penile lengthening procedures that can be performed at time of IPP insertion. Methods An extensive, systematic literature review was performed using PubMed searching for key terms penile lengthening, inflatable penile prosthesis, penile girth, corporoplasty, glans augmentation, and penile enhancement ; all articles with subjective and/or objective penile length outcomes were reviewed. Main Outcome Measures A review of various techniques for penile length and girth preservation and enhancement during penile prosthesis insertion. Results Several advanced and novel techniques were found for penile length preservation and enhancement at time of IPP insertion, including the sub-coronal IPP insertion technique, and adjuvant maneuvers during insertion, such as the sliding technique, modified sliding technique, multiple slice technique, and circumferential incision and grafting. Other adjuvant techniques that can enhance perception of increased length include ventral phalloplasty, suprapubic lipectomy, and suspensory ligament release. Further enhancement can be obtained using augmentation corporoplasty and glans augmentation with hyaluronic acid and other fillers. The different techniques vary in complexity and could require specialized training and experience. Maximum length gain appears to be limited by the length of the neurovascular bundles. Conclusion Overall, surgical penile lengthening procedures at time of IPP insertion appear safe and effective for treatment of patients with penile shortening and severe erectile dysfunction. These therapies can significantly improve patient self-esteem and quality of life in properly selected patients. Tran H, Goldfarb R, Ackerman A, Valenxuela RJ. Penile Lengthening, Girth and Size Preservation at the Time of Penile Prosthesis Insertion. Sex Med Rev 2017;5:403–412.
Insurgência, planejamento e a perspectiva de um urbanismo humano | Insurgency, planning and the prospect of a humane urbanism

Conferencia de Abertura do IV World Planning Schools Congress (WPSC), realizada no Rio de Janeiro, em 3 de julho de 2016. Traducao de Ester Limonad, docente do Programa de Pos-Graduacao em Geografia da Universidade Federal Fluminense (POSGEO/UFF).
“A Problem of Humanity”: The Human Rights Framework and the Struggle for Racial Justice:

While the historical and ongoing symbolic and material inequalities and violence faced by African Americans can be understood as a human rights violation, the efficacy of the human rights framework...
City and Society

This chapter sets out a broad contextual framework for urban analysis with special reference to three main phases of capitalist development. These are as follows: the nineteenth-century factory and workshop system, twentieth-century mass production, and the emerging twenty-first-century system of cognitive-cultural capitalism.
How Would You Manage This Patient With Gout?: Grand Rounds Discussion From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder characterized by reduced bone strength that increases the risk for fracture. Approximately 10 million men and women in the United States have osteoporosis, and more than 2 million osteoporosis-related fractures occur annually. In 2016, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists issued the "Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis," and in 2017, the American College of Physicians issued the guideline "Treatment of Low Bone Density or Osteoporosis to Prevent Fracture in Men and Women." Both guidelines agree that patients diagnosed with osteoporosis should be treated with an antiresorptive agent, such as alendronate, that has been shown to reduce hip and vertebral fractures. However, there is no consensus on how long patients with osteoporosis should be treated and whether bone density should be monitored during and after the treatment period. In this Beyond the Guidelines, 2 experts discuss management of osteoporosis in general and for a specific patient, the role of bone density monitoring during and after a 5-year course of alendronate, and treatment recommendations for a patient whose bone density decreases during or after a 5-year course of alendronate.
Reactive Transport Modeling of Geologic CO2 Sequestration at Sleipner

Publisher Summary Reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions ranks high among the grand scientific challenges of this century. In the near-term, significant reductions can only be achieved through innovative sequestration strategies that prevent atmospheric release of large-scale CO2 waste streams. Among these, injection into confined geologic formations—in particular, saline aquifers, given their immense storage capacity and widespread geographic distribution—represents one of the most promising alternatives. Successful implementation of this approach hinges on the ability to predict the relative effectiveness of subsurface CO2 migration and sequestration as a function of key target-formation and cap-rock properties, which will enable us to identify optimal sites and evaluate their long-term performance. Quantifying this functional relationship requires a modeling capability that explicitly couples multiphase-flow processes and kinetically controlled geochemical processes. Reactive transport modeling of prograde and retrograde saline-aquifer CO2 storage at Sleipner has revealed the fundamental processes, trapping mechanisms, sequestration partitioning, and parametric dependencies that will characterize shale-capped sandstone environments. Intra-aquifer permeability structure controls the path of immiscible CO2 migration, thereby establishing the spatial framework of plume-aquifer interaction and the potential effectiveness of solubility and mineral trapping. Actual effectiveness of these trapping mechanisms is determined by compositional characteristics of the aquifer and cap rock.
VDR and RXR Subcellular Trafficking

During the past decade, a new dynamic perspective of vitamin D receptor (VDR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) functions has emerged. The ability to monitor receptor movement in living cells by fluorescent techniques in real time has led to the realization that VDR, RXR, and most other nuclear receptors (NRs) and transcription factors constantly shuttle between the cytoplasm and the nucleus as well as between subnuclear compartments, and revealed the transient nature of receptor–DNA interactions. In this review, the significance of receptor trafficking is first highlighted, along with diseases associated with abnormal receptor localization. The significance of spatial and temporal control of transcription for the regulation of cell growth and differentiation is emphasized. Next, our current knowledge of the nuclear import and export machinery is summarized. Regulation of NR transport is discussed at the level of the receptor (nuclear localization sequence and nuclear export sequence modifications), at the level of import and export receptor expression, and at the level of signal-dependent changes in nuclear pore complex conformation. An understanding of how nuclear architecture and intranuclear NR mobility contribute to gene regulation concludes the review of the general aspects of NR trafficking. Then, information specific for VDR and RXR import, export, and intranuclear trafficking is presented in detail. Conclusions emphasize that understanding the spatial and temporal aspects of VDR functions is important, and express hope that rapid initial progress in this area will not be halted by economic and ideological pressure.
Internet-Based Distribution Channel for Product Diversion with Potential Manufacturer’s Intervention

We study a setting in which two channels of distribution are used by retailers for selling their merchandise. The first is the traditional channel of retail stores, which the retailers use early in the product lifecycle, and the second is an Internet-based channel, which is used by the retailers later on to reach new market segments for disposing of their excess inventories. In addition, we investigate the implications of the manufacturer’s decision to intervene by offering additional units for sale through the online channel. It is assumed that demand in the secondary market – the market that the retailers and manufacturer reach through the online channel of distribution – is mainly price driven and that the equilibrium unit price in this market is determined endogenously so as to equal demand and supply and clear the market. Thus, through their inventory replenishment decisions, the retailers and manufacturer can collectively influence future demand level and the equilibrium unit price in the secondary market. We assume a large number of retailers, an assumption that is appropriate for an Internet-based market. To simplify the analysis, we further assume that all retailers are identical. We derive the retailers’ optimal order quantity, the manufacturer’s optimal number of units to offer for sale in the secondary market, and the resulting secondary market equilibrium unit price. We show that when the retailers are the only ones to use the online channel, all entities along the supply chain benefit, including the retailers, manufacturer, and primary and secondary-market customers. Intervention in the secondary market will not always be in the manufacturer’s best interest, as it may reduce her total expected profits. Furthermore, the retailers as well as primary-market customers will always be worse off from the manufacturer’s intervention, while the secondary-market customers will always benefit from this move.
American Cancer Society Guidelines for the Early Detection of Cancer, 2006

Each January, the American Cancer Society (ACS) publishes a summary of its recommendations for early cancer detection, including guideline updates, emerging issues that are relevant to screening for cancer, and a summary of the most current data on cancer screening rates for US adults. In 2005, there were no updates to ACS guidelines. In this issue of the journal, we summarize the guidelines, discuss recent evidence and policy changes that have implications for cancer screening, and provide an update of the most recent data pertaining to participation rates in cancer screening by age, sex, and insurance status from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.
Assessing the global poverty effects of antimicrobial resistance

Abstract As a result of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), economies will experience an increase in mortality, reduced productivity for labor and the livestock sector, and increased health care costs. This paper assesses the potential global poverty impacts of AMR using a unique macro-micro framework. To estimate poverty effects of AMR, price, wage, and employment results from a dynamic, multi-country, multi-sector computable general equilibrium CGE model are used in a microsimulation model that integrates household surveys from 104 countries. The analysis in this paper advances other studies of AMR in two ways: (1) it links macro results to a microsimulation model to provide insight on poverty impacts for the world economy and countries of different income levels; and (2) it uses a global multi-sector model, rather than an aggregate global model, to generate macroeconomic results with structural details for capturing the economy-wide impact within countries and the spread across countries via trade flows. Relative to a world without AMR, the progression of antimicrobial resistance is expected to make it more difficult to eliminate extreme poverty, potentially adding 24.1 million people to become extremely poor, of whom 18.7 million live in low-income countries. The expected losses during 2015–50 may sum to $85 trillion in gross domestic product and $23 trillion in global exports (in present value). By 2050, the global gross domestic product could deviate negatively by 3.8 percent from the baseline (in the worst-case scenario considered). Because it is a global public bad, the optimal policy response will require global cooperation. The poverty outcomes induced by AMR in all country groups will deteriorate with short-sighted isolationist policies. Moreover, assistance from high-income countries to improve the economic resiliency of lower-income countries will also benefit the higher-income countries and world economy in general.
A Unified Framework for Period and Priority Optimization in Distributed Hard Real-Time Systems

Modern embedded systems, such as automotive, are physically distributed with an increasing number of microcontrollers and buses. They support complex functions such as active safety and autonomous driving features with a high degree of data dependencies. The most common configuration uses periodic activation of tasks and messages coupled with priority-based scheduling. Selecting task and message parameters so that end-to-end deadlines are met can be very challenging, since such deadlines are enforced across a set of microcontrollers and buses. In this paper, we address the problem of optimal selection of task and message activation periods and priorities. Existing approaches cannot scale to large designs and have to settle to optimize period or priority separately, largely due to the complexity of response time analysis techniques. Instead, we present a new, unified framework that simultaneously optimizes period and priority assignment. It avoids the pitfalls of existing approaches by abstracting the response time calculation with the new concept of maximal unschedulable period and deadline assignment. We demonstrate with two industrial case studies that our approach runs magnitudes faster than existing approach on period optimization, while providing substantially better solutions.