cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metapopulation dynamics guide marine reserve design: importance of connectivity, demographics, and stock enhancement

The concepts of metapopulation persistence and source-sink dynamics are central and often untested tenets of marine reserve networks. Effective application of these concepts to marine reserves is limited by data on demographic rates within reserves and larval connectivity among reserves. Using a network of reserves established to restore eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, USA as our model system, we integrated empirically based demographic rates and regional hydrodynamic-based connectivity estimates within a metapopulation model to (1) evaluate the potential for the reserve network to function as a self-persistent oyster metapopulation, (2) determine the relative importance of demographics vs. connectivity on reserve source-sink dynamics, (3) assess the efficacy of stock enhancement in promoting metapopulation persistence, and (4) evaluate whether application of a Few Large or Several Small reserves—a modification of the Single Large or Several Small concept—promoted greater metapopulation retention of larvae within the reserve network (i.e., local larval retention within reserves + larval connectivity among reserves). The reserve network failed to function as a self-persistent metapopulation, despite exceptional demographic rates within reserves. When considering only larval supply from reserves, local retention and connectivity were insufficient to provide annual replacement (≥~0.25 recruits per adult). Accordingly, reserves contributed to the metapopulation primarily via production, not dispersal, of larvae and reserve source-sink dynamics were influenced more by demographics within reserves, particularly adult growth and survival, than larval connectivity among reserves. Addressing recruitment limitation via stock enhancement was not effective at augmenting projected metapopulation declines. Several small reserves initially promoted greater metapopulation retention of larvae than a few large reserves, however, as the number or area of reserves increased, metapopulation retention was equivalent among designs, suggesting that Few Large and Several Small reserves may be the best network design. Marine reserves can be an effective restoration tool for improving demographic rates within reserve boundaries, but designation of multiple reserves does not guarantee a functional reserve network metapopulation. Both demographics and larval connectivity are important considerations to successful application of metapopulation concepts to the design of reserve networks.
Magnesium cations assist with unpairing hydrogen-bonded 2-deoxyribose trinucleotides.

2-deoxyribose trinucleotides are essential units for storage and transfer of the genetic information. Nucleotide transpositions in trinucleotide sequences affect production of different amino acids. The study focuses on the mechanism of unpairing initially H-bonded trinucleotides. In living cells, the unpairing proceeds through DNA polymerase operating only in the presence of Mg cations. The DNA polymerase is a very complex system to be studied quantum chemically. In our simplistic approach, the polymerase is replaced by two Mg cations attached to both sides of the complementary trinucleotides. A distinguished feature of Mg in cell is in its easiness to accept and donate the electron density. In a particular molecular configuration, this makes Mg singly charged. As to the current case, we observe an unpaired electron on the Mg(+) and an unpaired electron on the trinucleotide - totally, a radical pair which coupling produces either triplet or singlet state. The study, based on the DFT B3LYP (6-311G** basis set) computations, shows that the singlet state energetically is less preferable than the triplet state. The latter is unstable and makes the trinucleotide strands unpair in the region where the singlet and triplet states cross.
Examination of the Extent to which Employment Factors are Associated with Reduced Child Maltreatment Potential and Drug Use

Job assistance programs are commonly recommended for parents of children who have been victimized by child maltreatment, particularly when illicit drugs are indicated. However, the relationship between employment factors, substance abuse and risk of child maltreatment has received limited empirical attention. Therefore, the current study examines employment factors in a sample of 72 mothers who were referred by Child Protective Services (CPS) for treatment of substance abuse and child neglect. Child maltreatment potential was found to be negatively associated with number of hours employed and self-reported happiness with employment. The association between child abuse potential and personal income of participants approached significance (p = .057), and the results were not influenced by social desirability. Employment satisfaction significantly contributed to the prediction of child maltreatment potential over and above other employment factors and control variables. These findings suggest that when mothers are involved in CPS their risk of perpetrating child maltreatment may be reduced when they are assisted in gainful employment that is personally satisfying. Happiness with employment was the only employment factor correlated (inversely) with substance use (biological testing, self-report of participants). Future directions are discussed in light of the results, including the importance of considering employment satisfaction when conducting vocational assistance programs in this population.
Economic Crisis and Corruption in the European Union

Although significant attention has been paid to the impact of the recent economic crisis on European economies, less attention has been devoted to the association between the economic crisis and corruption. Utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM), the present study investigated the structural relationship between the economic crisis and perceptions of corruption in the European Union. Standard and multilevel SEM was used to estimate the relationship between the economic crisis and perceptions of corruption utilizing data from the 2011 Eurobarometer. The results confirmed the hypothesized model. Specifically, the study found a moderately strong direct positive relationship between the economic crisis and perceptions of corruption. The results indicated that a one-size-fits-all policy aimed at combating corruption, or perceptions thereof, is likely to yield inconsistent results.
ITRI mmWAVE access technology development

The exceptional growth in areas of mobile subscriber, wireless network access, mobile services and applications shows evidences of the continuous expansion of cellular communication. The 5G (fifth generation) mobile communication standard, the formulation of which is still in incubation, aims to solve the avalanche of traffic volume. One of the promising candidates is to use the millimeter wave frequency band to get the wide available spectrum. To overcome these unfavorable channel properties, i.e. high path loss, propagation loss, rain fading…, e.t.c., the beam-forming, beam tracking together with phased array antenna are the most crucial key technologies. In this paper, we developed an integrated 38GHz 5G millimeter-wave radio access experiment platform which adopts the hybrid beam-forming architecture designed with a 8-by-8 64-antenna phased antenna array for eNB and a 1-by-8 8-antenna phased antenna array for UE to implement the beam-forming technology, also a beam-tracking algorithm is developed to support the mobile transmission up to 30Km/hr. To be specific, this highly flexible and scalable millimeter platform is developed to achieve a data rate higher than 1Gbps data rate in millimeter wave band supporting up to 30Km/hr mobile transmission in the outdoor scenario over 100m coverage.
Egg White or Sun-Kissed: A Cross-Cultural Exploration of Skin Color and Women’s Leisure Behavior

The present study explores how culture-based meanings and values toward skin color, which are associated with women’s body image ideals and gender-role expectations, profoundly influence women’s leisure behaviors. Using in-depth interviews with East Asian, Asian American, and Euro-American women (n = 43), results revealed how leisure behaviors are tied to cultural perceptions of skin color. People from different cultural backgrounds construct meanings and values pertaining to skin color, including beauty-related standards, social class, gender roles, and lifestyles. Culture-based values, such as the preference for tanned skin among Euro-Americans and for lighter skin among East Asians, affect a wide range of daily behaviors. These behaviors include conscious as well as subtle daily decision-making regarding sun-seeking, sun-avoidance, and sun-protection behaviors; indoor versus outdoor leisure participation; and appearance modifications. The study’s results add knowledge to how perceptions and attitudes toward skin color and appearance manifest in women's daily behavior in general and leisure behavior in particular. In addition, the current study shows how individual behaviors reflect cultural meanings and values toward body image, specifically skin color, by emphasizing the links between cultural values and women’s day-to-day lives.
Reproductive Effects of the Anti-Psychotic Drug, Lithium:A Comparative Endocrinological Study Utilizing both Acute and Chronic Treatment

Lithium (Li) is a well-known drug in clinical psychiatry and is widely used in the treatment of affective disorders, especially bipolar patients with manic-depressive psychosis. A series of experimental studies from our laboratories over the last many years, however, have shown that the administration of this anti-manic drug, either acutely or on a chronic basis, leads to a number of adverse reproductive effects.
Echocardiographic Risk Factors for Stroke and Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Anticoagulated With Apixaban or Warfarin

Background and Purpose— Few data exist on the long-term outcomes of patients with spontaneous echo contrast (SEC), left atrial/left atrial appendage (LA/LAA) thrombus, and complex aortic plaque (CAP), in patients with atrial fibrillation receiving oral anticoagulation. We explored the relationship between these 3 echocardiographic findings and clinical outcomes, and the comparative efficacy and safety of apixaban and warfarin for each finding. Methods— Patients from the ARISTOTLE trial (Apixaban for Reduction in Stroke and Other Thromboembolic Events in Atrial Fibrillation) with SEC, LA/LAA thrombus, or CAP diagnosed by either transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography were compared with patients with none of these findings on transesophageal echocardiography. Results— A total of 1251 patients were included: 217 had SEC, 127 had LA/LAA thrombus, 241 had CAP, and 746 had none. The rates of stroke/systemic embolism were not significantly different among patients with and without these echocardiographic findings (hazard ratio, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.25–3.60 for SEC; hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval, 0.23–6.86 for LA/LAA thrombus; hazard ratio, 2.21; 95% confidence interval, 0.71–6.85 for CAP). Rates of ischemic stroke, myocardial infarction, cardiovascular death, and all-cause death were also not different between patients with and without these findings. For patients with either SEC or CAP, there was no evidence of a differential effect of apixaban over warfarin. For patients with LA/LAA thrombus, there was also no significant interaction, with the exception of all-cause death and any bleeding where there was a greater benefit of apixaban compared with warfarin among patients with no LA/LAA thrombus. Conclusions— In anticoagulated patients with atrial fibrillation and risk factors for stroke, echocardiographic findings do not seem to add to the risk of thromboembolic events. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00412984.
Noise removal by nonlinear synapses

When many synaptic inputs convergence onto a neuron the pooled noise can overwhelm sparse input signals. However, thresholding the inputs can remove noise and signal quality can be maintained. We present here how this mechanism applies to photon detection in the retina.
The buffering effect of belonging on the negative association of childhood trauma with adult mental health and risky alcohol use

More than half of the American population has experienced at least one childhood traumatic event in their lifetime, which can lead to alcohol misuse and mental and physiological health issues. A sense of belonging in close relationships is hypothesized to promote resiliency against the negative outcomes of childhood trauma experiences. Using a sample of 654 adults aged 26-40years old, this study examined the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and adult risky alcohol use mediated by mental health status and perceptions of belonging. Results indicated that having a greater sense of belonging was associated with greater mental health and reduced reports of risky alcohol use. The negative total association of childhood trauma on adult mental health was partially mediated by a sense of belonging, indicating that a sense of belonging may buffer the impact of childhood trauma on later mental health outcomes and therefor potentially decrease later risky alcohol use in adulthood. Recommendations for systemic treatment and increasing close relationships across the lifespan as resiliency factors are explored. Implementations for public policy changes for Marriage and Family Therapists are discussed.
Anti-thermal grain growth in SrTiO3: Coupled reduction of the grain boundary energy and grain growth rate constant

Abstract The dihedral angles at grain boundary thermal grooves in SrTiO3 were measured and used to determine the relative grain boundary energy at several temperatures where the grain growth rate constant displays anti-thermal properties (it decreases with increasing temperature). The measurements indicate that at temperatures in the anti-thermal region (1390 °C–1400 °C), the average grain boundary energy is less than at a lower temperature (1350 °C) where grain boundaries move more rapidly. Three-dimensional electron backscatter diffraction was used to measure the geometries of internal triple junctions in a sample where the slow and fast grain boundaries co-exist. Based on the dihedral angles at triple junctions, the ratio of the energies of slow boundaries to fast boundaries is 0.86. The results indicate that at temperatures between 1350 °C and 1425 °C, the higher and lower energy boundaries coexist. The coexistence of the two boundary types in this temperature range is likely because there is a range of grain boundary energies and the temperature at which a boundary transforms from the slow type to the fast type depends on its grain boundary energy.
Coping with adversity: Individual differences in the perception of noisy and accented speech

During speech communication, both environmental noise and nonnative accents can create adverse conditions for the listener. Individuals recruit additional cognitive, linguistic, and/or perceptual resources when faced with such challenges. Furthermore, listeners vary in their ability to understand speech in adverse conditions. In the present study, we compared individuals’ receptive vocabulary, inhibition, rhythm perception, and working memory with transcription accuracy (i.e., intelligibility scores) for four adverse listening conditions: native speech in speech-shaped noise, native speech with a single-talker masker, nonnative-accented speech in quiet, and nonnative-accented speech in speech-shaped noise. The results showed that intelligibility scores for similar types of adverse listening conditions (i.e., with the same environmental noise or nonnative-accented speech) significantly correlated with one another. Furthermore, receptive vocabulary positively predicted performance globally across adverse listening conditions, and working memory positively predicted performance for the nonnative-accented speech conditions. Taken together, these results indicate that some cognitive resources may be recruited for all adverse listening conditions, while specific additional resources may be engaged when people are faced with certain types of listening challenges.
Technology Issues For High-Speed Civil Transports

Current efforts to prepare the technology for a new generation of high-speed civil transports are focused primarily on environmental issues. This paper reports on studies to provide: (1) acceptable engine emissions; (2) reduced airport/community noise; and (3) sonic-boom minimization. Attention is also given to technologies that allow a lighter, more efficient vehicle and to other high-payoff technologies, such as supersonic laminar flow; these have the potential for yielding not only better mission performance but also enhanced environmental compatibility for these new vehicles. The technology issues are reviewed in terms of the technologies themselves and their impact on the equally crucial need for economic success.
Regional productivities of plant species in the Great Plains of the United States

Few studies have analyzed the production of plant species at regional scales in grassland ecosystems, due in part to limited availability of data at large spatial scales. We used a dataset of rangeland surveys to examine the productivities of 22 plant species throughout the Great Plains of the United States with respect to three environmental factors: temperature, precipitation and soil texture. Productivity of plant species was obtained from Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) range site descriptions. We interpolated climate data from 296 weather stations throughout the region and used soil texture data from NRCS State Soil Geographic (STATSGO) databases. We performed regression analyses to derive models of the relative and absolute production of each species in terms of mean annual temperature (MAT), mean annual precipitation (MAP), and percentage SAND, SILT and CLAY.
An Elephant and An Enigma

This intriguing metaphor has since become popular and has been applied to a number of serious but unacknowledged issues. I apply it now to a major problem that plagues America’s youths and the country’s education system. This problem is known to ruin lives for millions of young people, to plague a host of educators and the schools in which they work, and to generate endless miseries for the country at large.
Revising mental models to accommodate expectation failures in human-computer dialogues

Faulty mental models of device operation may lead to expectation failure in human-computer dialogues. This paper presents an integrative modeling formalism for representing users and devices, and employs this formalism to describe a two-phase process of model strengthening and model weakening in response to expectation failure. During weakening, selected components of the mental model are tagged as “uncertain.” The task plan is re-executed on the weakened mental model, and the mental model is strengthened as particular suspicions are eliminated. The revised mental model may then be used as the basis for the development of an alternative task plan.
A Midwestern Frontier University’s Readiness to Support Student Veterans

America’s veterans are driven to success and that drive does not end when they leave the military. They want to continue to be productive and accomplish their goals in a new way and for many; higher education is their new battleground. In 2016, over 700 student veterans (SVs) attended a Midwest frontier University and SV enrollment continues to increase each semester. The goal of this study was to assess how prepared a Midwest Frontier University is to address student veteran (SV) needs using a cross-sectional convenience sample of faculty & staff members ( N=114 ) who completed an anonymous quantitative survey. The findings are divided into three major sections: support, needs and barriers as identified by faculty and staff members. The support area is focused on existing specific services offered to student veterans. The needs section is further focused on what student veteran needs are at the University as perceived by staff and faculty members. The final section, barriers, explains obstacles that the university currently faces to address student veteran needs as highlighted by the participants. Results indicate that the university is supportive of SV needs, but both groups agree that training for faculty and staff on the SV population and a centralized online resource is an area of utmost need.
Education for Family-Centered Practice:

Current trends threaten a shift in focus from family-centered to individually oriented practice. The author makes a case for resisting these forces and for the continued development of graduate cur...
The Soft-Selling of World-Class Education

British private schools are perceived by Nigerian elite parents as ‘world-class’ educational institutions. However, this chapter reveals how this perception of ‘Education UK’ as a global brand is based on unsubstantiated facts and visceral feelings, which are rooted in, and have emerged from, parents’ colonial habitus. However, while the collective belief in the value of British private boarding schools may have helped these schools to attain their current dominant position in the field of international education, the increased competition within the international education marketplace has meant British private schools have devised ways of maintaining and projecting their ‘world-classness’. More specifically, the chapter argues that British private schools in Nigeria (BPS-NIG) and British private boarding schools in the UK (BPBS-UK) adopt a soft-sell technique, which allows them to sell themselves to prospective parents by appealing to their wealth and social status.
Multicultural Social Justice and Human Rights: Strategic Professional Development for Social Work and Counseling Practitioners

Social work and counseling practitioners routinely provide services to clients of diverse cultural backgrounds. Multidimensional issues related to human diversity, social justice and human rights often prevent practitioners from providing competent and effective services to all populations. It is vital that these professionals focus on individual leadership development from a multicultural social justice perspective. The concept of social justice challenges existing structures and when paired with the human rights paradigm can significantly impact competent and ethical service delivery and practice. A focus on professional development among students, new professionals, and experienced practitioners can aid individuals in implementing human rights and social justice strategies within individual practice, organizations and communities.
Open vs robotic infant ureteroureterostomy.

Summary Introduction A ureteroureterostomy (UU) is often used to manage some duplication anomalies. The operation is commonly performed through a Pfannenstiel incision, but other minimally invasive approaches have been described. The objective of this study is to compare open vs robotic infant UU with regards to operative time, complications, and operative success. Methods and materials This is a retrospective institutional review board approved study of all infant UUs performed from July 2013 to January 2019. Before the DaVinci Xi became available (November 2017), UUs were primarily done open. All UUs after November 2017 were robotic. Surgery was recommended electively at 6 months in suspected cases of ectopic ureters or earlier for history of febrile UTI's or worsening hydronephrosis. Both open and robotic cases were started with cystoscopy and lower pole ureteral stent placement. A 5-0 polypropylene suture was tied in between in the stent and the Foley catheter. Foley and stent were removed 3–7 days after surgery in the clinic or at home by the parents. For both open and robotic approaches, patients were discharged on postoperative day (POD) 1 with the Foley draining into a double diaper on antibiotic prophylaxis. Results From July 2013 to January 2019, 12 open and eight robotic infant UUs were performed. One patient in each group had a ureterocele, and the rest had ectopic ureters. Median age was 7 months for both the open and robotic groups. All patients except one had a 3.7 Fr by 10–12 cm stent placed attached to an 8–10 Fr silicone Foley catheter. The exception was the first robotic case who had a 3 Fr stent with no dangler placed after failed attempts with a 4.7 Fr stent (there were no 3.7 Fr stents that day). Median surgery time was 129 min (range 100–188, mean 133 min) for open and 130 min (range 79–226 min, mean 137 min) for robotic (P-value 0.8). In addition to the robotic case who had a 3 Fr stent placed with no dangler, an additional robotic case had to have her stent removed under anesthesia because the dangler broke or the knot got undone when the Foley was removed. One patient in the robotic arm who had the surgery done for a ureterocele had two postoperative febrile UTI's. Evaluation with VCUG and renal ultrasound (US) did not reveal hydronephrosis or reflux. She was managed conservatively. Other than the two cystoscopy and stent removals, no patient required a reoperation. Discussion These data indicate that the laparoscopic robotic-assisted UU can be safely performed in infants with similar operative time compared with the traditional open Pfannenstiel approach. The two complications in the robotic arm were not related to the approach itself but to issues with the stents, which would have not been prevented by an open approach. There were no complications specific to the robotic approach. Conclusions Laparoscopic robotic-assisted infant UUs are safe, effective, and can be done in a similar time compared with the traditional open Pfannenstiel approach. Download : Download high-res image (390KB) Download : Download full-size image
La democracia humillada. El orden político en tiempos de apaciguamiento

Liberal democracy –as a system and as a "state of things"– and the international order after 2001 go through a global crisis. The author claims that the break with the achievements of liberal democracy, if only there is integrity in ideas or "pure" political regimes and does not take into account the imperfect goods, is an error that we can pay dearly. We have clear where the world is going? First presents a tour of what has happened since the fall of the Berlin wall until the September 11, 2001 and then is analyzed the reaction after these events, both in the United States of America and the European Union. In its most thoughtful and purposeful, the author makes a critique of the "paradigms of equidistance" and of the so–called "policy of appeasement". In conclusion, he reacts vigorously against those who rashly criticize liberal democracy. The disappearance or deterioration of this would result in the loss of freedom and the possibility of Justice.
Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting – The Current State –

The optimal strategy for coronary revascularization remains controversial. Currently, most surgical revascularizations are performed with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (ONCAB), yet over the past 20 years off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) has been increasingly used because of the increased awareness of the deleterious effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic manipulation. Small, prospective, randomized controlled trials have lacked sufficient sample size to demonstrate differences in early and long-term outcomes. Larger observational studies that are better powered to statistically compare outcomes have shown more favorable in-hospital outcomes and equivalent long-term outcomes with OPCAB and ONCAB. The benefits of OPCAB techniques may be more apparent for patients at high risk for complications associated with CPB and aortic manipulation. Recent studies have demonstrated improved outcomes in higher-risk patients undergoing OPCAB, as well as improved neurological outcomes. The purpose of this review is to outline the recent literature comparing OPCAB with ONCAB, and to demonstrate efficacy of OPCAB as a useful technique for coronary revascularization. (Circ J 2012; 76: 784-790)
Review of Long Lost Blues: Popular Blues in America, 1850–1920 by Peter C. Muir

The development of the blues has enjoyed renewed attention from scholars. Examples include Elijah Wald's Escaping the Blues: Robert Johnson and the Invention of the Blues (New York: Amistad, 2004),...
Antipsychotics: Nonmotor Side Effects

Nonmotor side effects of antipsychotics are as important as motor side effects of antipsychotics since they reduce quality of life and increase morbidity and mortality. The main side effects reviewed in this chapter include weight gain and metabolic complications, prolactin elevation and sexual side effects, cardiac side effects including sudden death, and anticholinergic side effects. It is often overlooked that antipsychotics also have effects on the eye and teeth.
Rigorous characterization of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) in the low centrifugation pellet - a neglected source for uEVs

Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) provide bio-markers for kidney and urogenital diseases. Centrifugation is the most common method used to enrich uEVs. However, a majority of studies to date have focused on the ultracentrifugation pellet, potentially losing a novel source of important biomarkers that could be obtained at lower centrifugation. Thus, the aim of this study is to rigorously characterize for the first time uEVs in the low speed pellet and determine the minimal volume of urine required for proteomic analysis (≥9.0 mL urine) and gene ontology classification identified 75% of the protein as extracellular exosomes. Cryo-Transmission Electron Microscopy (≥3.0 mL urine) provided evidence of a heterogeneous population of EVs for size and morphology independent of uromodulin filaments. Western blot detected several specific uEV kidney and EV markers (≥4.5 mL urine per lane). microRNAs quantification by qPCR was possible with urine volume as low as 0.5 mL. Particle enumeration with tunable resistive pulse sensing, nano particles tracking analysis and single EV high throughput imaging flow cytometry are possible starting from 0.5 and 3.0 mL of urine respectively. This work characterizes a neglected source of uEVs and provides guidance with regard to volume of urine necessary to carry out multi-omic studies and reveals novel aspects of uEV analysis such as autofluorescence of podocyte origin.
Data-Centric Edge Computing to Defend Power Grids Against IoT-Based Attacks

The Internet of Things (IoT) introduces new attack surfaces to power grids through Wi-Fi-enabled high-wattage appliances, rendering security mechanisms ineffective. We propose a data-centric edge-computing infrastructure to host defend mechanisms in IoT clouds by integrating physical states in decentralized power-grid regions.
Considerations about Non-Metastatic Bladder Cancer Management during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Bladder cancer is the sixth most common malignancy in the United States and is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. To date, no guidelines have been published that clearly establish bladder cancer management recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this short commentary, we strive to outline recommendations for treatment of both muscle invasive and non-muscle invasive disease based on data from various trials and prior studies while taking into account the potential lack of hospital resources available to physicians depending on their practice location.
Single-docking transperitoneal robotic-assisted nephroureterectomy: surgical techniques and outcomes

Objective To introduce and discuss the efficacy of a new technique to perform transperitoneal single-docking robot-assisted laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (RNU). Methods A total of 44 patients diagnosed with urothelial neoplasm of the renal pelvis or were investigated from January 2016 to November 2019. RNU was performed by a single surgeon. Among the 44 patients, 31 were male, and 13 were female. The median age was 63 (IQR: 58-71). The median body mass index (BMI) was 23.08 (IQR: 21.55-24.60) kg/m2. All operations were performed with general anesthesia. The patients were positioned 80 degrees flank with the diseased side up, and the head was tilted 10 degrees downwards. The camera port was placed one finger lateral to the umbilicus. For the right-sided tumors, robotic arm 1 was inserted through the trocar on the right pararectus line, 8 cm above the umbilicus, and robotic arm 2 was inserted through the trocar on the same line, 8 cm below the umbilicus. Assistant trocar 1 was placed where the anterior midline joins the perpendicular bisector of the camera port and robotic 2, and assistant trocar 2 was placed below the xiphoid process. For the left-sided tumors, all trocars were centrosymmetric to that of the right-sided tumors, except that assistant port 2 was placed 3 finger width above the pubic symphysis. The peritoneum was incised along the Toldt line, and the inferior vena cava was isolated (for left sided tumor, the abdominal aorta was isolated instead). The renal artery and vein were clipped with Hem-o-lok and ligated, and the kidney were isolated. The ureter was identified and isolated downwards across the common iliac artery and then clipped distal to the tumor site. The bladder cuff was resected and sutured under the laparoscopy. Results The median operation time was 145 (IQR: 130-175) min, with the median console time of 119 (IQR: 108.5-136.0) min, the anastomosis of bladder cuff of 12 min, and the median estimated blood loss of 50(20-100)ml. After the surgery, 6 Clavien-Dindo grade 2 complications occurred, including 2 chylous leakage, 1 hemostasis, 1 blood transfusion, 1 deep vein thrombus, and 1 acute coronary syndrome. The median length of stay (LOS) was 8 (IQR: 6.5-10.0) d. The median length of follow-up was 12 months. In total, 5 patients were dead, including 3 cancer-specific death. Four recurrence occurred and caused 3 death. The 2-year overall survival and progression-free survival were 68.2% and 77.9%, respectively. Conclusions The technique of RNU with simultaneous bladder cuff excision (BCE). Our technique improved the surgical outcome. The perioperative complication rate was low, and the short-term survival outcomes were satisfactory. Key words: Ureteral neoplasms; Upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC); Nephroureterecto-my; Robotic surgery; Laparoscopic surgery
GRAVITO-TURBULENT DISKS IN THREE DIMENSIONS: TURBULENT VELOCITIES VERSUS DEPTH

Characterizing turbulence in protoplanetary disks is crucial for understanding how they accrete and spawn planets. Recent measurements of spectral line broadening promise to diagnose turbulence, with different lines probing different depths. We use three-dimensional local hydrodynamic simulations of cooling, self-gravitating disks to resolve how motions driven by "gravito-turbulence" vary with height. We find that gravito-turbulence is practically as vigorous at altitude as at depth. Even though gas at altitude is much too rarefied to be itself self-gravitating, it is strongly forced by self-gravitating overdensities at the midplane. The long-range nature of gravity means that turbulent velocities are nearly uniform vertically, increasing by just a factor of two from midplane to surface, even as the density ranges over nearly three orders of magnitude. The insensitivity of gravito-turbulence to height contrasts with the behavior of disks afflicted by the magnetorotational instability (MRI); in the latter case, non-circular velocities increase by at least a factor of 15 from midplane to surface, with various non-ideal effects only magnifying this factor. The distinct vertical profiles of gravito-turbulence versus MRI turbulence may be used in conjunction with measurements of non-thermal linewidths at various depths to identify the source of transport in protoplanetary disks.
Developing a Penal Abolitionist Application to Drug Treatment Drawing from Insider Perspectives and Lived Experiences

As evidence of a failing war on drugs mounts and a deadly opioid crisis continues, U.S. drug policy is slowly changing to less punitive responses to drug use. Collaborations between treatment progr...
Mental Health Considerations After Sexual Assault

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in five women in the United States will be sexually assaulted at some point during their lifetime, creating a greater burden on the health care system than any other type of crime [1, 2]. However, understanding the scope of the sexual assault problem in the United States may be limited due to inherent underreporting. Approximately 60–70% of sexual assaults are not disclosed to the police, according to the Department of Justice [3–5], and only half of those who report to the police receive any medical treatment.
Testing the Efficacy of Different Common Household as Baits on Diptera Using Baited Flytraps

There are many diseases and pathogens that can be transmitted by dipteran species. There is ample opportunity for fly pest species to do so because they can contaminate food and water sources. Scientist aim to reduce the and prevent the contact pest species have with places humans inhabit, however are not sure what the main attract is because pest flies can be found in a variety of environments. One of the most prevalent environments pest species are found are in homes. In this experiment, we investigated whether pest flies were more attracted to feces, fruit or meat. These three things can be found in the typical American home and distinguishing which one has more of an attract to pest flies can help deduce more ways to reduce their presence or even prevent it. There is no difference in efficacy between the three different baits that were tested most likely because each bait can provide nutrition and a breeding site for dipteran species.
Automated Weather Sensor Quality Control.

In this paper, we investigate the application of data mining to existing techniques for quality control/anomaly detection on weather sensor observations. Specifically we adapt the popular Barnes Spatial interpolation method to use time-series distance rather than spatial distance to develop an online algorithm that uses readings from similar stations based on current and historical observations for interpolation and we demonstrate that this new algorithm exhibits less model error than the Barnes Spatial interpolation-based method. We focus on interpolation, which is a basis for this popular quality control method and other related methods, and examine a dataset of over 233 million temperature observations from California and surrounding areas. Our approach shows improved performance as indicated by mean squared error reduced by approximately one half for predicted values versus reported values.
The Second Generation of Cholinesterase Inhibitors: Clinical and Pharmacological Effects

One potentially important and widely studied approach to cholinomimetic therapy in Alzheimer disease (AD) is the use of substances that inhibit acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Acetylcholinesterase is the enzyme that inactivates acetylcholine (ACh) and thereby terminates the activity of the neurotransmitter. The rationale of the use of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in AD is based on the finding that the loss of cholinergic neuronal function results in a deficiency in ACh concentrations in the CNS (Whitehouse et al., 1981; Struble et al., 1982; Coyle et al., 1983; Arendt et al., 1985). This can be regarded as a relative overactivity of AChE. AChE inhibitors reduce AChE activity and increase the duration of survival of released ACh (Giacobini 1991). The increased concentration of ACh can then stimulate the post synaptic cellular matrix, which is regarded as being relatively more intact in AD (Whitehouse et al., 1981).
On the \(\Gamma \)-Convergence Theory and Its Application to Block Copolymer Morphology

The \(\Gamma \) -convergence theory deals with a singular limit phenomenon in the calculus of variations. It provides a rigorous notion for a family of functionals to converge to a functional of seemingly a different type, while still retaining vital properties in the limiting functional. For instance, global minimizers of the functionals in the family converge to a global minimizer of the limiting functional. Near an isolated local minimizer of the limiting functional, there exist local minimizers of the functionals in the converging family that are sufficiently close to the limiting functional. This theory has found a surprising application in the study of block copolymer morphology. Block copolymers are soft materials characterized by fluid-like disorder on the molecular scale and a high degree of order at a longer length scale. This chapter presents a description of the Ohta–Kawasaki theory density theory for block copolymer morphology and applies the \(\Gamma \) -convergence theory to reduce the Ohta–Kawasaki theory to a geometric problem containing perimeter minimization and nonlocal interaction. As an application of \(\Gamma \) -convergence, one determines all the global and local minimizers in one dimension. Consequently global and local minimizers are also characterized for the Ohta–Kawasaki theory.
Chest Pain, Syncope, and Palpitations in the Pediatric Patient

Chest pain, syncope, and palpitations are the most common chief complaints in children that might be cardiac in origin. Although all three are often associated with significant heart disease in adults, they usually represent benign conditions in children, do not require aggressive treatment, and may be considered to some degree “functional.” Nevertheless, parents of children with any of these complaints are often anxious that their child may be the exceptional case with life-threatening (usually cardiac) disease. The purpose of this chapter is to provide the primary care practitioner with a practical office approach to the child with chest pain, syncope, or palpitations of a semiacute or chronic nature. For each complaint the most common noncardiac, as well as the rarer cardiac causes will be reviewed. A discussion follows that emphasizes important aspects of the history and physical examination that will help to differentiate cardiac from less serious, noncardiac causes. The main objective is to help the practitioner to evaluate each complaint effectively, reassure patients and families appropriately, and avoid unnecessary testing and referrals to an emergency department or subspecialists.
Convergence of Sequences of Random Variables

It has been seen that the inclusion of the ideal points creates worrisome details in measurability; we will be mollifying this somewhat. In this lesson and the next, we combine properties of measurable functions and sequences of real numbers; we include some specific results which will be needed later but we do not include all the interesting facts about sequences.
Capacity Crisis After the 2001 Earthquake in Gujarat, India

The state of Gujarat in India faced a deadly earthquake in 2001, which killed over 13 thousand people, affected nearly 28 million, and damaged 1.2 million houses. In the worst-affected region of the state, Kutch district, over 90 % population was affected and 70 % buildings destroyed. While the world has witnessed even worst impacts from deadly earthquakes before, what makes this disaster different is the adoption of a massive government-led and donor-supported reconstruction and capacity building program after the earthquake. Although the country and the state were not at all prepared for such a disaster in 2001, enormous international and national attention after the earthquake led to fundamental changes in how disasters are managed across the country. The government of Gujarat acted swiftly in establishing a new state disaster management agency within a month. New state and national disaster management laws were passed in 2003 and 2005, respectively, defining federal, state, and district level institutional arrangements for disaster management. Most importantly, these laws provided dedicated funding not only for disaster response but also disaster risk mitigation. This chapter starts with an overview of the need to focus on Gujarat case along with an overview of disaster trends in India, Gujarat state, and Kutch district. A brief description of the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat is followed by capacity building efforts that were undertaken by the government and donors. Towards the end of the chapter, a crucial question is raised. More than a decade later, and with $1.7 billion spent in targeted capacity building program, is the region any safer?
Chapter 5. Antidepressants

Publisher Summary Although reviews on neuropeptides, neurotransmitter precursors, and hormones as antidepressants (ADs) have appeared, the role of neurotransmitter amines in depression has remained a central theme. The pharmaco-electro-encephalography (EEC) profiles of ADs have been discussed in the chapter. Although numerous new chemical entities are predicted to be ADs based upon the findings in animals and human, the final verdict as to whether such agents are truly advances must await results from extensive, carefully controlled clinical trials. The clinical use, toxicity, and continuation and maintenance therapy of some established tricyclic compounds (TCAs), such asamoxapine, trimipramine, maprotiline, mianserin, and dimexiptiline are extensively studied. Amitriptyline- n -oxide is shown in clinical trial to give a more rapid improvement with less severe side effects than amitriptyline and imipramine. The solution conformation of the alkylamino side chain in a series of polycyclic amitriptyline analogs is found to be folded toward the polycyclic rings with the positively charged nitrogen situated above an aromatic ring. Several mianserin analogs are studied whose clinical evaluation might clarify the role of antagonism and concomitant NE uptake inhibition in mianserin's mode of AD activity. They could also provide a test of the AD predictive value of human EEC studies.
Input to Releasing Factor Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter talks about input to releasing factor cells. Hypothalamus, median eminence, and pituitary contain the various cellular elements necessary for transforming neural inputs into hormonal outputs. The outputs of the hypothalamus are the hypothalamic hypophysiotrophic hormones which are involved in the regulation of the release of trophic hormones from the anterior pituitary. The confusion and discrepancies that revolve around neurotransmitters as modulators of releasing factor cells may be due in part to the use of different experimental conditions and different animal models. Although neurotransmitters, for example, certain biogenic amines, are believed to act as modulators linking neural stimuli and the cells which produce hypophysiotrophic substances the precise role of such transmitters is equivocal. The demonstration of osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus that regulate the release of the antidiuretic hormone from the neurohypophysis led us to consider the hypothesis that strain receptors may be involved in the release of trophic hormones from the anterior pituitary
The convexity lattice of a poset

The authors investigate the lattice Co(P) of convex subsets of a general partially ordered set P. In particular, they determine the conditions under which Co(P) and Co(Q) are isomorphic; and give necessary and sufficient conditions on a lattice L so that L is isomorphic to Co(P) for some P.
Accelerating the convergence of message passing on loopy graphs using eigenmessages

We present the "'eigenmessage algorithm" for accelerating the convergence of message passing algorithms used for decoding LDPC codes. In the eigenmessage step, elements of a message along a cycle of edges are expressed as a linear combination of that message itself, giving rise to an eigenequation whose solution - the eigenmessage - is equivalent to the fixed point of the closed loop message passing algorithm, where the other edges incident on the nodes in the cycle are held fixed. The decoding algorithm iterates among the eigenmessage steps for the cycles in the graph and conventional message passing for edges not in the cycles. The eigenmessage algorithm results in faster convergence (approximately 70 percent) without any compromise in error performance compared with conventional message passing algorithms.