cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in colorectal cancer screening with home-based fecal occult blood tests in adults ages 50 to 64 years, 2000-2008.

BACKGROUND: National surveys have reported declines in rates of home-based fecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the last decade. However, socioeconomic status (SES) and racial/ethnic differences in FOBT trends and their changes relative to endoscopic CRC screening have not been evaluated. METHODS: Data on adults ages 50 to 64 years from the 2000, 2005, and 2008 National Health Interview Surveys were used. Weighted analyses and multivariate logistic regression were used to study trends in the use of FOBT and endoscopic CRC screening during this period. RESULTS: Between 2000 and 2008, significant declines in FOBT prevalence occurred in higher SES groups, but not in lower SES groups (uninsured and publicly insured, those without a usual source of care, lower educated, lower income, and immigrants to the United States) or Hispanics. Endoscopic CRC screening during the period studied consistently increased in all higher SES subgroups. In contrast, few lower SES subgroups (publicly insured, lower educated, near poor individuals, long-term immigrants) and Hispanics experienced increases in CRC endoscopic screening, and these increases were smaller than those observed in higher SES subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: Socially and economically disadvantaged groups experienced little or no change in FOBT prevalence, and few of these groups experienced contemporaneous increases in CRC endoscopic screening. These trends suggest the continued availability and acceptance of FOBT in these groups. If national CRC screening goals are to be achieved in populations with lower access to colonoscopy, then annual high-sensitivity FOBT should be promoted as an immediately accessible and viable alternative. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Synthesis and Characterization of Potassium Complexes Containing Terminal η2-Pyrazolato Ligands

The potassium complexes [K(η2-3,5-R2pz)(η6-18-crown-6)] (R = Ph, tBu; pz = pyrazolato) were prepared by treatment of 3,5-diphenylpyrazole or 3,5-di-tert-butylpyrazole with potassium hydride in the presence of 18-crown-6. These complexes contain η6-18-crown-6 and terminal η2-pyrazolato ligands, and constitute the first examples of group 1 metal complexes with this pyrazolato ligand coordination mode. In contrast to [K(η2-3,5-Ph2pz)(η6-18-crown-6)] and [K(η2-3,5-tBu2pz)(η6-18-crown-6)], the aqua complex [K(η2-3,5-Me2pz)(H2O)(η6-18-crown-6)] was obtained when 3,5-dimethylpyrazole was treated with potassium hydride and 18-crown-6 in the presence of a small amount of water. [K(η2-3,5-Me2pz)(H2O)(η6-18-crown-6)] contains an η2-pyrazolato ligand that is bent towards being co-facial with the best plane of the 18-crown-6 ligand, to allow hydrogen bonding between the pyrazolato ligand nitrogen atoms and the coordinated aqua ligand. The hydrogen bonding thus confers a novel terminal π-facial η2-bonding mode to the pyrazolato ligand. All compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. (© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2004)
Elastic radiation from explosively-loaded axisymmetric cavities.

Summary. Our earlier calculations of the radiation spectra from explosivelydriven ellipsoidal cavities in an unbounded medium have been extended to axisymmetric cavities of a more general shape. These calculations are based on a finite element description of conditions on the cavity surface, together with a numerical implementation of the elastodynamic integral representation theorem to determine the far field. In addition, a simple, analytical model was developed which provides very good agreement with the numerical results. Elongated cavities are found to be effective low-pass filters for seismic radiation in the direction parallel to the long axis. For the cylinder, the ‘corner’ frequency varies inversely with length or, relative to a sphere with the same volume, with the 2/3-power of the aspect ratio. Ellipsoidal cavities behave similarly. Separated spheres, cylinders connected to spheres and annular configurations were also investigated. Most of the calculations were for an unbounded medium, but free surface effects were studied as well for ellipsoidal cavities. The significance of the results is discussed in connection with the potential use of large cavities for decoupling underground nuclear explosions.
Blocking and routing discrete solitons in two-dimensional networks of nonlinear waveguide arrays

We show that discrete solitons can be navigated in two-dimensional nonlinear waveguide arrays. This can be accomplished by using vector interactions between two classes of solitons - signals and blockers. Disrete solitons in such two dimensional array networks exhibit a rich variety of functional operations, e.g. blocking, routing, logic functions, and time-gating.
A model of acute kidney injury in mice with cirrhosis and infection

Background & Aims Infectious acute kidney injury (AKI) is a life threatening complication of cirrhosis with limited therapeutic options. The aim of this study was to develop a model of infectious AKI in cirrhotic mice. Methods Cirrhosis was established by intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Systemic haemodynamics was assessed invasively while cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography. AKI was induced using varying doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) titrated to produce 50% lethality. Renal function was assessed from serum creatinine and urine output (UOP). Renal injury was evaluated by urinalysis (proteinuria and casts) and renal histology. These mice were compared to: (i) normal mice, (ii) normal mice + LPS, and (iii) mice treated with CCl4 alone. Results Cirrhosis with increased cardiac output, decreased systemic vascular resistance, activation of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone axis developed after 12 weeks of CCl4 administration. LPS injection produced a dose-dependent increase in mortality (33% at 2 mg/kg vs. 80% at 6 mg/kg) without urine (casts or proteinuria) or histological evidence of tubular injury. 2 mg/kg LPS injection produced a rise in creatinine (0.79 ± 0.27 mg/dl in CCl4+LPS compared to 0.45 ± 0.14 in CCl4 alone, P < 0.05) and a decrease in UOP (0.86 ± 0.4 ml/16 h in CCl4 + LPS compared to 1.70 ± 0.7 ml/16 h in CCl4 mice, P < 0.05). UOP remained low in mice that died while it recovered over 48–72 h in those that recovered. Control mice treated with 2 mg/kg LPS did not experience AKI. Conclusions Cirrhotic CCl4 treated mice develop functional AKI and mimic most of the features of infectious AKI following LPS injection.
Impact of Robotics and CAD/CAM on an Industrial Technology Curriculum

Robotics and CAD/CAM are probably two technologies today that have made a tremendous impact in the manufacturing field. This impact has resulted in an increase in the job opportunities for people with expertise in the Robotics and the CAD/CAM area. The demand will continue to rise as the technology develops further and is implemented on a much wider scale than its current state. But tomorrow’s experts have to be educated today. A subject common to debate is which of the traditional engineering or technology fields is to provide experts in the Robotics and CAD/CAM fields. There is no one answer. This paper looks at Robotics and CAD/CAM from an Industrial Technologist’s point of view.
Be Not Content to “Sleep and Feed”

To the Editor: You have missed the point. As an editor who appears to be conversant in the liberal arts, you will appreciate the analogy in Hamlet's final soliloquy to the battle in which manual therapists and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) are embroiled: …What is a man If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused… I applaud your advocacy of enhancing specialty training through an achievement of higher levels of skill based on “credible science, not on cults and fads” (Editor's Note, November 1995). The movement away from specialization within the medical arena in today's managed care environment is all too painfully clear.… [ ARTICLE][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/75/936?iss=11
Interferon-free therapy for genotype 1 hepatitis C in liver transplant recipients: Real-world experience from the hepatitis C therapeutic registry and research network

Recurrent infection with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) after liver transplantation (LT) is associated with decreased graft and patient survival. Achieving sustained virological response (SVR) with antiviral therapy improves survival. Because interferon (IFN)-based therapy has limited efficacy and is poorly tolerated, there has been rapid transition to IFN-free direct-acting antiviral (DAA) regimens. This article describes the experience with DAAs in the treatment of posttransplant genotype (GT) 1 HCV from a consortium of community and academic centers (Hepatitis C Therapeutic Registry and Research Network [HCV-TARGET]). Twenty-one of the 54 centers contributing to the HCV-TARGET consortium participated in this study. Enrollment criteria included positive posttransplant HCV RNA before treatment, HCV GT 1, and documentation of use of a simeprevir (SMV)/sofosbuvir (SOF) containing DAA regimen. Safety and efficacy were assessed. SVR was defined as undetectable HCV RNA 64 days or later after cessation of treatment. A total of 162 patients enrolled in HCV-TARGET started treatment with SMV+SOF with or without ribavirin (RBV) following LT. The study population included 151 patients treated with these regimens for whom outcomes and safety data were available. The majority of the 151 patients were treated with SOF and SMV alone (n = 119; 79%) or with RBV (n = 32; 21%), The duration of therapy was 12 weeks for most patients, although 15 patients received 24 weeks of treatment. Of all patients receiving SOF/SMV with or without RBV, 133/151 (88%) achieved sustained virological response at 12 weeks after therapy and 11 relapsed (7%). One patient had virological breakthrough (n = 1), and 6 patients were lost to posttreatment follow-up. Serious adverse events occurred in 11.9%; 3 patients (all cirrhotic) died due to aspiration pneumonia, suicide, and multiorgan failure. One experienced LT rejection. IFN-free DAA treatment represents a major improvement over prior IFN-based therapy. Broader application of these and other emerging DAA regimens in the treatment of posttransplant hepatitis C is warranted.
Vasectomy and Coronary Disease in Men less than 50 Years Old: Absence of Association

AbstractBecause recent experiments in primates suggest a relationship between vasectomy, and the development and promotion of atherosclerosis a case control study was performed to explore this possibility in humans. The prevalence of prior vasectomy was determined in 55 men less than 50 years old with onset of documented coronary disease and in a matched control group of close relatives (45 brothers and 10 first cousins) free of coronary disease. The prevalence was the same in each group, 25.5 per cent (14 of 55), and there was no significant difference between study groups in the mean interval since vasectomy. Thus, within the limitations of this study no association of coronary disease with prior vasectomy was found. Further work is needed to evaluate whether the animal findings pertain to humans.
The Uncertain Future of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act

Although the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) received nearly unanimous support when enacted, only a few years thereafter its wisdom is increasingly being questioned and its supporters are having to stave off attempts to recraft the legislation. SOX has produced a barrage of complaints, particularly for imposing unwarranted costs, especially on smaller firms, and for contributing to a decline in the competitiveness of U.S. capital markets. After providing a context by reviewing the political dynamics that produced SOX, mapping out the positions of commissioned reports that have recommended revising it and empirical research bearing upon the recommendations, the paper examines media coverage by national journalists and national and regional newspapers to gauge better the political salience of SOX's critics and the increasing support in Congress to revise the legislation, including an analysis of floor votes on exempting small firms. It concludes with a prognosis on SOX's future.
An exceptional 5:4 enantiomeric structure.

The only crystals that could be grown from racemic solutions of the PF6− salt of the resolvable cation [Ru(2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline)2(dipyrido[3,2-d:2′,3′-f]quinoxaline)]2+ have translational symmetry only (space group P1), contain nine independent sets of ions, and include numerous independent solvent molecules (11 acetone, one diethyl ether and possibly several water molecules). Layers of hydrophobic cations alternate with layers containing most of the anions and solvent molecules. All nine cations have the same basic conformation, which is distorted by the presence of the methyl substituents on the two 1,10-phenanthroline ligands. Four pairs of enantiomeric cations within a layer are related by approximate inversion centers; the ninth cation, which shows no sign of disorder, makes the layer chiral. Within the cation layers stripes parallel to [110] of six cations alternate with stripes of three; the local symmetry and the cation orientations are different in the two stripes. These stripes are reflected in the organization of the anion/solvent layer. The ca 80:20 inversion twinning found indicates that enantiomeric preference is transmitted less perfectly across the anion/solvent layer than within the cation layer. The structure is exceptional in having nine independent formula units and an unbalanced set (ratio 4:5) of resolvable enantiomers. The difficulty in growing crystals of this material is consistent with its structural complexity.
Excitation Energy Dependence of the Photoluminescence Quantum Yields of Core and Core/Shell Quantum Dots

The photoluminescence (PL) intensity of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) is routinely monitored to track the chemical and physical properties within a sample or device incorporating the QDs. A dependence of the PL quantum yields (QYs) on the excitation energy could lead to erroneous conclusions but is commonly not considered. We summarize previous evidence and present results from two methodologies that confirm the possibility of a dependence of the PL QYs on the excitation energy. The data presented indicate that PL QYs of CdSe and CdSe/ZnS QDs suspended in toluene are highest for excitation just above the band gap, Eg, of each. The PL QYs decrease with increasing excitation energies up to 1 eV above Eg. The PL intensity decay profiles recorded for these samples at varying emission and excitation energies indicate that the changes in the PL QYs result from the nonradiative relaxation pathways sampled as the charge carriers relax down to the band edge.
Opportunistic Response of a Benthic Midge (Diptera: Chironomidae) to Management of California Seasonal Wetlands

The effects of seasonal flooding on larvae of Chironomus stigmaterus Say were studied in 12 managed wetlands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River estuary, California. Six pairs of wetlands were flooded artificially on 5 and 19 August; 2, 16, and 30 September; or 14 October 1991. One member of each wetland pair was dominated by pickleweed, Salicornia virginica L., and the other by alkali bulrush, Scirpus robustus Pursh. Densities of midge larvae were significantly higher in wetlands flooded earlier than later. The numerical patterns exhibited by C. stigmaterus populations suggest opportunistic responses. Midges thrived in habitats 1st flooded in August, yet such habitats would not naturally exist in the California Mediterranean climate because the rainy season does not begin until late autumn. Although this midge probably evolved in freshwater habitats, it readily colonized habitats dominated by pickleweed, a salt marsh plant. Populations of the beetle Berosus ingeminatus d'Orchymont also were higher in pickleweed than in alkali bulrush habitats; these predators appeared to affect midge populations in pickleweed wetlands during autumn. Because C. stigmaterus larvae are an important food resource for dabbling ducks, their opportunistic response to the artificial conditions in California seasonal wetlands has benefits in terms of waterfowl management.
Perceived Risk in Mail-Order and Retail Store Buying:

This study investigates differences in risk perception between buying by mail and buying from a store and/or salesman. For 20 products studied, consumers perceived more risk in the mail-order situa...
Comparative Study on the Tectorial Tissue Structure of Gekko gecko and Eumeces chinensis

By comparing the cell form and the cell in each zone of Gekko gecko with Eumeces chinensis,the differences of optic structure between the two animals with different behaviour are studied.Using the Nissl-stained and HRP labeling methods,the areas,forms and dendrites' orientation of the neurons in tectum were measured and noted for a statistical analysis.The results show that the two animals' tectums have some similarities in project fashion and the comparison of cells within zones.The differences between the two animals' tectums include that the cells' areas of C zone in Eumeces chinensis's tectum is more larger than Gekko gecko's.The cells' dendrites divarication of S zone are abroader than Gekko gecko's;the proportion of tectorial cells in different sizes and forms are different within 3 zones.These results indicate that there are some differences between the tectorial structure of nocturnal Gekko gecko and diurnal Eumeces chinensis.
Modeling of Radiation-Induced Segregation in Austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni Alloys

To improve the ability to predict radiation-induced segregation (RIS) in austenitic Fe-Cr-Ni alloys, a model for predicting RIS is developed which calculates diffusion parameters based on local atomic configuration. Comparisons of RIS measurements in austenitic iron-base and nickelbase Fe-Cr-Ni alloys with calculations using the Perks vacancy-driven RIS model have shown that to accurately predict segregation trends, composition specific diffusion parameters must be used. This requirement limits the ability of the Perks model to predict segregation in Fe-Cr-Ni alloys for which no prior segregation measurements exist. To overcome this limitation, the improved model calculates migration energies using pair interaction energies to account for composition dependent diffusivities. The advantages of this approach are that a single set of input parameters can be used to describe a wide range of bulk alloy compositions, and the effects of local order can be easily incorporated into the calculations. A description of the model is presented, and model calculations are compared to segregation data to show that significant trends in the measured segregation data can be modeled using a single set of input parameters.
A pattern-matched Twitter analysis of US cancer-patient sentiments

Abstract Background Twitter has been recognized as an important source of organic sentiment and opinion. This study aimed to (1) characterize the content of tweets authored by the United States cancer patients; and (2) use patient tweets to compute the average happiness of cancer patients for each cancer diagnosis. Methods A large sample of English tweets from March 2014 through December 2014 was obtained from Twitter. Using regular expression software pattern matching, the tweets were filtered by cancer diagnosis. For each cancer-specific tweetset, individual patients were extracted, and the content of the tweet was categorized. The patients' Twitter identification numbers were used to gather all tweets for each patient, and happiness values for patient tweets were calculated using a quantitative hedonometric analysis. Results The most frequently tweeted cancers were breast (n = 15,421, 11% of total cancer tweets), lung (n = 2928, 2.0%), prostate (n = 1036, 0.7%), and colorectal (n = 773, 0.5%). Patient tweets pertained to the treatment course (n = 73, 26%), diagnosis (n = 65, 23%), and then surgery and/or biopsy (n = 42, 15%). Computed happiness values for each cancer diagnosis revealed higher average happiness values for thyroid (h_avg = 6.1625), breast (h_avg = 6.1485), and lymphoma (h_avg = 6.0977) cancers and lower average happiness values for pancreatic (h_avg = 5.8766), lung (h_avg = 5.8733), and kidney (h_avg = 5.8464) cancers. Conclusions The study confirms that patients are expressing themselves openly on social media about their illness and that unique cancer diagnoses are correlated with varying degrees of happiness. Twitter can be employed as a tool to identify patient needs and as a means to gauge the cancer patient experience.
Evolutionary Biology of Human Stress

“Stress” is a modern word for an ancient phenomenon, related to evolved adaptations that detect threats or damage to well-being and to mobilize responses to them. As such, it lies at the heart of adaptation at the phenotypic level, so that the study of stress has become a major venue for tracking not only the sources of human health disparities, but also adaptive processes and life history evolution. This is especially true for humans, whose evolution has been shaped by sociocultural specializations integrally related to cognition and behavior along with their corresponding biology. Therefore, stress responses are being intensely studied, and are increasingly well characterized. The multidisciplinary field of stress research has elucidated molecular, genetic, systemic, organismic, cognitive, behavioral, developmental, life course, and intergenerational processes involved in meeting the continuous daily challenges of living by detecting and responding to demands and threats. This exciting, rapidly moving field is revealing how cognition and behavior are modulated by neuroendocrine-driven adaptive mechanisms that integrate genetic, epigenetic, and experience-derived cues. Such insights have shed light on old questions or revised existing views of concepts like homeostasis and phenotypic adaptation, biological inheritance, development, and pathogenesis. Studies of stress will continue to shape our understanding of human adaptive design as well. They have enriched our knowledge of the human condition. Most profoundly, stress research has revealed the power of social factors, from personal to structural, in human functioning and well-being. This work, more than any other, demonstrates our common stake in issues of social structure, culture, and allocation of resources at the roots of human welfare and health disparities.
Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) and the Law

“It happens without warning and I have no control over it. I will suddenly feel tired with such heaviness that it’s as if I’m bearing the weight of the whole world. It starts with feeling irritable but then this dark feeling comes over me where almost anything that wouldn’t otherwise bother me makes me fly into a rage. When that happens, I don’t care what I destroy or who I hurt. I really get angry and I’m mortified with guilt and shame afterwards but nobody seems to understand.”
Psychodrama and the Training of Trial Lawyers: Finding the Story

Go to any courthouse in the country just about any day of the week and you’ll hear it – the sounds of lawyers droning on and on with their technical arguments, their redundant questioning of reluctant witnesses, the subtle points which are relevant only to them. Look at the poor helpless jurors who are tied to their seats by civic duty, by law. They struggle to pay attention but fade in and out as the noise continues to wash over them – numbing them. Look at the litigants whose lives will be directly affected by the result of the proceedings. Even their stake in the outcome cannot hold their attention. Their eyes glaze over despite a valiant effort to appear interested. As Thomas A. Mauet says, “Boredom is the enemy of effective communication . . . .” 1
From Delinquency to Foreclosure a Model of Loan Workout

This paper investigates the impact of recourse on the workout process of portfolio commercial mortgage loans. A generalized model of mortgage workout with stochastic property value appreciation is developed and closed form expressions are derived for the relations between recourse and credit spreads. We find that the recourse provision is effective in offsetting borrower's unwillingness to cooperate by keeping the borrower engaged during the workout process. The prospect of negative equity through a deficiency judgement poses a threat to borrowers thus incentivizing them to resolve distress constructively. As expected, credit spreads exhibit an inverse relationship with respect to recourse with higher recourse loans having lower credit spreads. Somewhat surprising is that we find that this relationship is nonlinear with steep drops in spreads at low levels of recourse. This suggests that relatively low levels of recourse can be used as a substitute to collateral quality.
Empty Space: Historical Memory in the Contemporary City

The translation and publication of Henri Lefebvre’s The Production of Space signals an important turning point in urban sociology (Lefebvre 1992; although first published in 1974, Lefebvre’s work would not become known to most English-speaking sociologists until the 1990s). While geographers would claim that “Lefebvre’s project is aimed at a reorientation of human inquiry away from its traditional obsession with time and toward a reconstituted focus on space” (Dear 1997: 49), this view neglects Lefebvre’s larger body of work and, more directly, does not take into account his earlier writings on historical materialism and political economy (Lefebvre 1940) and his continuing reference to the work of Nietzsche and Heidegger (Lefebvre 1975).
Transmission mechanisms of fish electric signals

Fishes utilize electric signals for passive and active electrolocation and communication at night in murky water. To our knowledge, the mechanism of transmission of fish electric signals through water has not been addressed. In such a medium, the transmission of electrical signals can occur by movement of ions (ion conduction) under the influence of a generated electric field, or through its perturbation by nearby objects that have electric permittivity different than water. This latter property refers to the ability of a medium to resist the formation of electric fields with no involvement of ion transport. In this study, we discuss the relevance of each mechanism in the context of previous reports on transmission of signals by electric fishes in water environments.
Organizing symmetry-protected topological phases by layering and symmetry reduction: A minimalist perspective

It is demonstrated that fermionic/bosonic symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases across different dimensions and symmetry classes can be organized using geometric constructions that increase dimensions and symmetry-reduction maps that change symmetry groups. Specifically, it is shown that the interacting classifications of SPT phases with and without glide symmetry fit into a short exact sequence, so that the classification with glide is constrained to be a direct sum of cyclic groups of order 2 or 4. Applied to fermionic SPT phases in the Wigner-Dyson class AII, this implies that the complete interacting classification in the presence of glide is ${\mathbb{Z}}_{4}\ensuremath{\bigoplus}{\mathbb{Z}}_{2}\ensuremath{\bigoplus}{\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ in three dimensions. In particular, the hourglass-fermion phase recently realized in the band insulator KHgSb must be robust to interactions. Generalizations to spatiotemporal glide symmetries are discussed.
The Pharmacy Student Population: Applications Received 2015-16, Degrees Conferred 2015-16, Fall 2016 Enrollments

This report presents data that describe the 2015-16 pharmacy application pool, degrees conferred in 2015-16, and fall 2016 pharmacy program enrollments. Data for this report were requested from 138 U.S. colleges and schools of pharmacy recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (
Histologic Patterns of Hepatotoxic Injury

This chapter describes and illustrates the histologic manifestations of adaptive and degenerative hepatic responses to injurious drugs and chemicals in humans and animals. The histologic appearance of adaptive changes such as cytochrome P450 induction and peroxisome proliferation in hepatocytes is described, as well as patterns of degeneration and necrosis. The chapter also describes alterations in the biliary epithelium and cholestasis, reviews vascular disorders, and discusses preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions.
Somewhere Over There: The Letters, Diary, and Artwork of a World War I Corporal

Review of: "Somewhere Over There: The Letters, Diary, and Artwork of a World War I Corporal," by Francis H. Webster, edited by Darrek D. Orwig.
Intrinsic processing gains in noise radar

In continuous wave noise radar, pseudo-pulse compression is typically accomplished through a simple cross-correlation of the received and reference signals. We consider the use of adaptive filtering algorithms in pseudo-pulse compression for air-to-ground noise radar. Through analysis and simulations, we compare the SNR performance of cross-correlation to channel estimation via the LMS algorithm. The LMS algorithm was found to provide improved performance, relative to cross-correlation, as the number of observed targets increases.
Proinflammatory macrophage ablation in CD11b-diphtheria toxin receptor (DTR) transgenic mice impairs skeletal muscle regeneration

Macrophages can be beneficial or detrimental to regeneration following muscle injury and macrophage polarization states are not well-defined during this process. We previously demonstrated that macrophage ablation with diphtheria toxin (DT) given at day 1 after cardiotoxin injury increased residual necrotic myofibers and resulted in smaller regenerated myofibers in DTR mice compared to control mice that received mutant DT while mice receiving DT at day 4 were similar to controls. We used flow cytometry to evaluate the kinetics of macrophage surface markers to investigate the role of macrophage subtypes in muscle regeneration. In control mice, the majority of macrophages (CD11b+/F480+) were Ly6C+7/4+proinflammatory macrophages at day 1–2 after injury and switched to Ly6C−7/4−macrophages at day 4 after injury. M2 markers CD206+ or CD301+ were present on a small percentage of cells. Interestingly, the predominate macrophage population present from day 3–6 was negative for all 4 markers (Ly6C, 7/4, CD206 and ...
The influence of prescription monitoring programs on chronic pain management

Background Abuse of prescribed controlled substance has become a serious social as well as health care issue over the past decade. A particularly alarming trend exists among patients aged 12 to 17. Common abuse behaviors include doctor shopping, drug theft, feigned pain symptoms to gain health care access, drug sharing, prescription forgery, and improper prescription practices. In response to this epidemic of abuse, many states have adopted prescription monitoring programs (PMPs). Such programs first originated in the early twentieth century. As of 2006, 38 states had such programs, many of which are supported by federal grants. As PMPs become more widespread, they have also increased in sophistication. By keeping a record of the prescription and dispensing of narcotics, these programs are able to build a comprehensive data network for tracking prescription medications. These databases aid law enforcement agencies in investigations of narcotic trafficking; they also help state regulatory boards to monitor improper prescription practices. Objective This manuscript examines the basic structure of a PMP, including the way the data are collected and the way these data are stored and used. It also looks at the organizational differences amongst state programs. NASPER and Harold Rogers are two federal programs that provide funding to the state PMPs, and the current study examines the differences as well as similarities between these 2 programs. This study also compares the results of 2 reports: the U.S. General Accounting Office Study and the Twillman study.& Both studies have evaluated the efficiency of the PMPs. Discussion The U.S. General Accounting Office Study showed that while considerable differences exist among the state PMPs, these programs not only reduce the time and effort for law enforcement agencies to conduct investigations, but also cut the supply of prescription medications. However, the Twillman report suggests that prescription programs caused a shift in prescription practice, while the actual rate of abuse may not have been reduced. These 2 studies both point to the challenges the PMPs face. However, more recent data suggest that proactive use of the PMPs results in the decreased growth of prescription medication sales. Finally, a number of states have also begun to objectively evaluate the efficiencies of the system. Conclusion Many states have developed PMPs to help regulatory agencies as well as physicians detect prescription drug abuse. Limited data so far suggest that such programs reduce abuse practices. In addition, proactive usage of the data further prevents abuse.
Principles of Imaging

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) imaging of free radicals in objects is performed from projections using magnetic field gradients. Low frequency (2 GHz or less) continuous-wave EPR instrumentation with capability for up to three-dimensional spatial and up to four-dimensional spectral-spatial imaging are commonly used for biological samples. Image reconstruction is performed by filtered-backprojection methods. The basic concepts of EPR imaging, instrumentation, data acquisition, signal processing, and image reconstruction are discussed. Strategies for enhancement of image quality and resolution have also been discussed in this Chapter. A few examples that are representative of biological applications are presented.
Experimental Studies of the Pathogenesis of Feline Leukemia Virus Infection

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) infection is transmissible by contact exposure, by oral-nasal or parenteral inoculation, and by congenital exposure of outbred cats to FeLV. The susceptibility vs resistance of cats to FeLV is determined by early containment vs amplification of retroviral replication in target hemolymphatic cells. The course of these pivotal early events is age-dependent, macrophage-dependent, and corticosteroid-sensitive. Either of two host-virus relationships ensue in cats exposed to FeLV: (a) progressive infection characterized by persistent viral replication in hemolymphatic and epithelial cells, persistent viremia, minimal anti-viral immune response, and a high risk of subsequent disease, or (b) regressive infection characterized by transient retroviral replication in hemolymphatic cells, abrogation of viremia, and a low incidence of subsequent disease. Some regressively infected cats harbor persistent latent FeLV infection in certain hemolymphatic cells. Such residual non-productive FeLV infections may be reactivated, transmitted congenitally, or be involved in the genesis of virus-negative leukemias. Although less notorious than leukemogenesis, it is the cytosuppressive disease syndromes which constitute the predominant pathogenic manifestations of FeLV infection in cats.
Introduction: Understanding Blood Vessel Assembly in the Embryo

As we approach the end of the 1900s we are rediscovering the elegant embryology that flourished at the beginning of the century. Modern developmental biologists are beginning to place earlier embryological studies on a firm cellular and molecular basis. Sophisticated probes for specific molecules have stimulated a renaissance in the use of the light microscope. Fluorescent markers, digital image processing, and intravital labeling methods have had a major affect on understanding vascular morphogenesis. Targeted mutation of genes related to vascular development in mice bring the powerful tools of molecular biology to bear on understanding assembly of the vascular system. Recent progress is so rapid that keeping up with the latest discoveries is difficult.
Automated Detection of Influenza Epidemics with Hidden Markov Models

We present a method for automated detection of influenza epidemics. The method uses Hidden Markov Models with an Exponential-Gaussian mixture to characterize the non-epidemic and epidemic dynamics in a time series of influenza-like illness incidence rates. Our evaluation on real data shows a reduction in the number of false detections compared to previous approaches and increased robustness to variations in the data.
Rank and Performance in Dynamic Tournaments: Evidence From the PGA Tour:

Using data from the final round of golf tournaments, we analyze the effect of player rank on performance. The identification of varying levels of pressure is possible due to the detailed nature of ...
Triplet therapies – the new standard of care for multiple myeloma: how to manage common toxicities

Introduction: Multiple three drug combination regimens have been approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma in the last few years. Triplets have become the new standard of care for transplant eligible and ineligible patients with newly diagnosed as well as relapsed multiple myeloma. Novel agents have a unique profile of side effects. The management of toxicities is important to maintain quality of life and maximize treatment duration and benefit. Areas covered: This article reviews efficacy data, incidence of key adverse events and provide recommendations and expert opinion regarding how to manage common toxicities in triplet therapies. Relevant publications and abstracts were searched in PubMed, ASH, ASCO and EHA meetings. Guidelines from IMWG, NCCN, ESMO and ASCO, published trial protocols and prescribing information were used to formulate recommendations for the management of toxicities. Expert commentary: Side effects are a critical factor guiding the selection of optimal chemotherapy regimens for multiple myeloma. The majority of toxicities encountered with triplet therapies are reversible and can be readily managed with supportive care and dose modifications.
Circulating cortisol and cognitive and structural brain measures: The Framingham Heart Study

Objective To assess the association of early morning serum cortisol with cognitive performance and brain structural integrity in community-dwelling young and middle-aged adults without dementia. Methods We evaluated dementia-free Framingham Heart Study (generation 3) participants (mean age 48.5 years, 46.8% men) who underwent cognitive testing for memory, abstract reasoning, visual perception, attention, and executive function (n = 2,231) and brain MRI (n = 2018) to assess total white matter, lobar gray matter, and white matter hyperintensity volumes and fractional anisotropy (FA) measures. We used linear and logistic regression to assess the relations of cortisol (categorized in tertiles, with the middle tertile as referent) to measures of cognition, MRI volumes, presence of covert brain infarcts and cerebral microbleeds, and voxel-based microstructural white matter integrity and gray matter density, adjusting for age, sex, APOE, and vascular risk factors. Results Higher cortisol (highest tertile vs middle tertile) was associated with worse memory and visual perception, as well as lower total cerebral brain and occipital and frontal lobar gray matter volumes. Higher cortisol was associated with multiple areas of microstructural changes (decreased regional FA), especially in the splenium of corpus callosum and the posterior corona radiata. The association of cortisol with total cerebral brain volume varied by sex (p for interaction = 0.048); higher cortisol was inversely associated with cerebral brain volume in women (p = 0.001) but not in men (p = 0.717). There was no effect modification by the APOE4 genotype of the relations of cortisol and cognition or imaging traits. Conclusion Higher serum cortisol was associated with lower brain volumes and impaired memory in asymptomatic younger to middle-aged adults, with the association being evident particularly in women.
QoS-Aware Fog Resource Provisioning and Mobile Device Power Control in IoT Networks

Fog-aided Internet of Things (IoT) addresses the resource limitations of IoT devices in terms of computing and energy capacities, and enables computational intensive and delay-sensitive tasks to be offloaded to the fog nodes attached to the IoT gateways. A fog node, utilizing the cloud technologies, can lease and release virtual machines (VMs) in an on-demand fashion. For the power-limited mobile IoT devices (e.g., wearable devices and smart phones), their quality of service may be degraded owing to the varying wireless channel conditions. Power control helps maintain the wireless transmission rate and hence the quality of service (QoS). The QoS (i.e., task completion time) is affected by both the fog processing and wireless transmission; it is thus important to jointly optimize fog resource provisioning (i.e., decisions on the number of VMs to rent) and power control. This paper addresses this joint optimization problem to minimize the system cost (VM rentals) while guaranteeing QoS requirements, formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem. An approximation algorithm is then proposed to solve the problem. Simulation results demonstrate the performance of our proposed algorithm.
Long-Term Cropping System, Tillage, and Poultry Litter Application Affect the Chemical Properties of an Alabama Ultisol

Abstract Sustainable agricultural practices have been steadily increasing in the last couple of decades. These management practices frequently involve cover crops, less or no-tillage, and organic fertilization. In this study, we evaluated the effects of cropping systems, tillage and no-tillage, and the application of poultry litter (PL) on selected soil physicochemical properties and soil test nutrients. Soil samples were collected from the topmost surface (0–5 cm) and subsurface (5–10 cm) layers. The general effect trend was PL application > no-tillage > cover crop > cropping type. There were more statistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) correlations between the 18 soil attributes at the topmost surface than at the subsurface. This could be due to the accumulation of external C inputs and nutrients by crop residues and PL application as well as the retaining effects of no-tillage on less mobile nutrient components. Because of their high mobility and volatile nature, total nitrogen (N), ammonia-N (NH4+-N), and nitrate-N (NO3−-N) levels varied greatly (high standard deviations), showing no consistent patterns among the treatments. Compared to the soybean cropping system, corn, especially with the wheat cover crop, contributed more to the total carbon (C) and sulfur (S) in the topmost surface soils (0–5 cm). Poultry litter application greatly increased pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation, magnesium (Mg), phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium (K), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in both soil layers. Contrast comparisons revealed that PL application had more of an effect on these soil chemical properties than no-tillage and cropping systems. These results will shed light on developing better nutrient management practices while reducing their runoff potentials.
Synthesis and growth inhibitory properties of glycosides of 1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycerol, analogs of the antitumor ether lipid ET-18-OCH3 (edelfosine).

Glycosylated antitumor ether lipids (GAELs), analogs of 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (1, ET-18-OCH3, edelfosine), were synthesized in good overall yields by glycosylation of 1-O-alkyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycerol and tested for in vitro antineoplastic activity against a variety of murine and human tumor cell lines. Stereospecific glycosylation was achieved by the use of 2-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzylglucopyranosyl and -mannopyranosyl trichloroacetimidates as donors, with trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate as catalyst in the presence of molecular sieves at −78 °C. The GAELs differ from 1 in having the sn-3-phosphocholine residue replaced by one of the following monosaccharide residues: β- and α-2-deoxy-d-arabino-hexopyranosyl, α-d-mannopyranosyl, 2-O-methyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl, and 2-O-methyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl. 1-O-Hexadecyl-2-O-methyl-3-O-(2‘-deoxy-β-d-arabino-hexopyranosyl)-sn-glycerol (2) was more effective than 1 in inhibiting the growth of MCF-7 (human breast cancer) and its ad...
High-Resolution Stratigraphic Architectures, Facies Anatomies of the Lower Cretaceous Biyadh and Shu’aiba Formations, and Their Implications on Platform Evolution and Global Correlation

The Early Cretaceous Biyadh and Shu’aiba formations form giant carbonate reservoirs with complex architectures and heterogeneous reservoir characteristics. This paper presents an integrated research where, core data, wireline logs, biostratigraphy and stable isotope data are integrated to constrain the stratigraphic architectures for reservoir characterization. The study also provides a new regional and global correlation that has significant implications on the evaluation of paleo climate and glacio-eustatic controls of the Lower Cretaceous systems. The Biyadh Formation consists of a composite sequence and four high-frequency sequences. S1 and S2 formed the TST with chalky mudstone facies that shallow up to skeletal grainstone of S3 and S4. The Shu’aiba Formation consists of a 2nd-order sequence, comprised of four 3rd-order sequences and ten high-frequency sequences. S1–S3 record the initial TST followed by the regional MFS (K70) and the deposition of an extensive Lithocodium/coral facies. S4–S6 marks the onset of rudist buildup that changed laterally to fore-bank, slope and basinal settings with basinward clinoform geometry, followed by HST of shallow lagonnal milliolids packstone facies of S7 and S8. S9 and S10 occured on the platform edge recording progradational systems formed during a major forced regression in the Late Aptian. They composed of a lowstand wedge of argillaceous mudstone that shallow upward to grainy marginal facies. A refined position of K70 and K80 and their relation with the global sea-level changes and perturbations in the Earth system have been proposed. Evidences of glacial events during the Aptian are recorded within the Shu’aiba sequences alternating with warming events associated with nannoconids crisis and Oceanic Anoxic Event (OAE 1a). The stratigraphic record in this study and their global correlation suggests that the Barremian stage was dominated by warm greenhouse interval, followed by rapid climate change of possibly more transitional interval in the Aptian associated with glacial events.
Harnessing the biocatalytic potential of iron- and α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases in natural product total synthesis

Covering: up to the end of 2019Iron- and α-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenases (Fe/αKGs) represent a versatile and intriguing enzyme family by virtue of their ability to directly functionalize unactivated C-H bonds at the cost of αKG and O2. Fe/αKGs play an important role in the biosynthesis of natural products, valuable biologically active secondary metabolites frequently pursued as drug leads. The field of natural product total synthesis seeks to contruct these molecules as effeciently as possible, although natural products continue to challenge chemists due to their intricate structural complexity. Chemoenzymatic approaches seek to remedy the shortcomings of traditional synthetic methodology by combining Nature's biosynthetic machinery with traditional chemical methods to efficiently construct natural products. Although other oxygenase families have been widely employed for this purpose, Fe/αKGs remain underutilized. The following review will cover recent chemoenzymatic total syntheses involving Fe/αKG enzymes. Additionally, related information involving natural product biosynthesis, methods development, and non-chemoenzymatic total syntheses will be discussed to inform retrosynthetic logic and synthetic design.