cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A CFD-Radial Motion Coupled Model for the Evaluation of the Features of Journal Bearings in External Gear Machines

This paper presents an approach for the evaluation of the effects related to the behavior of the journal bearings on the operation of external gear machines (EGMs). In EGMs journal bearings usually support shafts of both gears. The prediction of their instantaneous axis of rotation is a key feature of EGMs, affecting the displacing action of the inter-teeth volumes and the leakages at the tip of each tooth. Past approaches presented in the literature for the evaluation of the radial micro-motions of the gears are based on classic simplified models for the hydrodynamic journal bearings based on steady-state solutions of the fluid film neglecting important hydrodynamic effects due to film squeeze — which can be relevant in case of significant radial loads variations — or they concentrate the focus of the study on the journal bearing itself regardless of the impact on the global machine operation. This work presents a CFD model coupled with a rigid model for the evaluation of the radial motions of the journal that permits to overcome the above-mentioned limitations of the existing approaches of study. The paper details the proposed model, in particular as concerns the CFD approach to solve the film flow and its coupling with a previously developed model (HYGESim) developed by the authors’ team for the evaluation of the overall operation of the EGM, used also to find the instantaneous loads on the gears. The potentials of the proposed approach are shown for the case of a pump for high pressure applications. For this case the results show how it is necessary to have a detailed approach for the evaluation of the journal bearings for a correct evaluation of the overall EGM behavior. In particular, the importance of hydrodynamic squeeze effects are shown, by comparing the model prediction with those given by the commonly used simplified steady-state approach. The comparison of simulation results with experimental data is also shown as pertain to pump case wear associated to the break in process.© 2015 ASME
Minimally invasive procedures for neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain is "pain arising as a direct consequence of a lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system". The prevalence of neuropathic pain ranges from 7 to 11% of the population and minimally invasive procedures have been used to both diagnose and treat neuropathic pain. Diagnostic procedures consist of nerve blocks aimed to isolate the peripheral nerve implicated, whereas therapeutic interventions either modify or destroy nerve function. Procedures that modify how nerves function include epidural steroid injections, peripheral nerve blocks and sympathetic nerve blocks. Neuroablative procedures include radiofrequency ablation, cryoanalgesia and neurectomies. Currently, neuromodulation with peripheral nerve stimulators and spinal cord stimulators are the most evidence-based treatments of neuropathic pain.
Short-Term Complications of Distal Humerus Fractures in Elderly Patients: Open Reduction Internal Fixation Versus Total Elbow Arthroplasty.

Background:The purpose of this study was to evaluate 30-day postoperative complications of open reduction and internal fixation [ORIF] and total elbow arthroplasty [TEA] for the treatment of distal...
City Sustainability Reporting: An Emerging and Desirable Legal Necessity

The goal of this article is to explain why, correctly understood, publishing environmental, societal, governance, and economic indicators – a practice known as sustainability reporting, among other names – is both good public policy and may quietly be evolving into an expectation of municipalities in the United States in the early 21st century. First, this article begins by summarizing the growth of sustainability reporting – now standard practice in the private sector but at an earlier stage of adoption in the public sector. This article then considers two major developments. First, that the exemption that shielded municipalities from the requirements of U.S. securities laws has eroded and second, that sustainability data, as reflected by investor demand, is now a material disclosure that all securities issuers should make. Considered together, these two trends clearly indicate that cities which finance themselves by issuing securities should, as a matter of law, publish regular sustainability reports. Finally, the author concludes that the trend of sustainability reporting by cities should be embraced as a pragmatic development that ought to be supported by all stakeholders with an interest in good governance.
The emergence of cardiac surgery: I. Personal recollections of the 1940s and 1950s

"Personal recollections" is given temporal torture back to the pessimism of Aristotle, Bilroth, and Paget. The delightful triumph of the "doers" in Rehn's suture of a stab wound and Souttar's intracardiac mitral valve manipulations is saluted. The brave but disappointing adventures of Doyan, Duval, Tuffier, Carrel, Graham, Beck, and Cutler are noted. The unique role of heart surgery in the change from extirpative to physiologic surgery is illustrated by the spectrum ranging from Blalock and Taussig to intracardiac surgery to pacemakers. The question of "why not?" have cardiac surgery before World War II led to experimental designs for extirpation of bacterial endocarditic vegetations. These studies became obsolete because of the merciful correction by penicillin. They were reapplied to the removal of shell fragments in World War II. This was the first consistently successful intracardiac surgery and led to the closed correction of mitral stenosis and other conditions. Heart surgery now stands as the model for physiologic surgery and the actuarial forms of follow-up to tell all medical and surgical successors more about the basic "what and when" for better health care delivery.
Searching for Axionlike Particles with Ultraperipheral Heavy-Ion Collisions

We show that ultraperipheral heavy-ion collisions at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) can be used to search for axionlike particles with mass below 100 GeV. The Z^{4} enhanced photon-photon luminosity from the ions provides a large exclusive production rate, with a signature of a resonant pair of back-to-back photons and no other activity in the detector. In addition, we present both new and updated limits from recasting multiphoton searches at LEP II and the LHC, which are more stringent than those currently in the literature for the mass range 100 MeV to 100 GeV.
The Failure of American Automobile Manufacturers to Successfully Compete with Foreign Automobile Manufacturers in Projecting their Nameplates as Status Symbols - An Analysis Based on Socio-Economic Variables

The study examines the American automobile manufacturers’ success in perfecting their products as status symbols compared to foreign automobile manufacturers’ success in the U.S. market in projecting their products as status symbols. Also, the study investigates the issue of whether the automobile is still currently perceived by the consumer as a status symbol.
Introduction: Philosophies, Politics, and Policies

American attitudes toward the use of natural resources, and the policies which flow from those attitudes, have changed markedly over time.1 For most of American history, those who shaped natural resource policies were inspired by the Biblical injuncture to, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion … over every living thing that moves upon the earth.”2 A secular version of that attitude emerged with Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations in 1776, and ever since has been developed by a succession of economic theorists.3 Virtually all early Americans were “cornucopians” who saw the earth’s resources as endless, and there to be exploited by humanity for its material needs. Cornucopians idealize conceptions of private property, free enterprise, and a government with powers confined to protecting Americans from internal and foreign violence.
Towards a Visual Vocabulary for Privacy Concepts

Designing privacy controls that are intuitive for end users involves several challenges. Graphic representations could certainly contribute to tackle such challenges, however, a visual vocabulary for privacy solutions is currently lacking. To contribute to that end, in this paper we report a review of online images related to privacy. We identify graphic representations that illustrate privacy objects, mechanisms and actions, and categorize them according to the concepts covered. Seeking to develop a set of icons to illustrate privacy concepts, we analyze online contents publicly available from social media and extract representations that commonly refer to privacy concepts. The contributions of this paper include: (1) a set of graphics that represent privacy mechanisms, objects and actions; and (2) a vocabulary for such graphic representation. The evidence is drawn from the analysis and discussion of 241 images selected by the authors from ten online image repositories.
Depressive symptoms modify age effects on hippocampal subfields in older adults.

Aim Major depression is associated with hippocampal volume changes, especially in late-life depression. These changes usually consist of volume reductions, but depression-related increases in hippocampal volume have also been reported. Subfield analysis has identified structural changes primarily in the cornu ammonis (CA) 1, CA2–3 and subiculum of the hippocampus in individuals with major depression; however, it is unclear whether lower levels of depressive symptoms are also associated volume reduction, or if depressive symptoms interact with age to impact hippocampal subfields. The current study addressed these questions. Methods A total of 43 community-dwelling older adults completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and underwent magnetic resonance imaging. Hippocampal subfield segmentation was carried out using an automated procedure, and left and right volumes from CA1, CA2-3, and the subiculum served as outcome measures. Multiple hierarchical regressions were carried out with age, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores and their interaction as the independent variables, and sex and total intracranial volume as covariates. Results Higher Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale scores were associated with less age-related volumetric decreases in the right subiculum and right CA1. Conclusions Age-related atrophy in the hippocampus might be counteracted by depressive symptom-related enlargement of CA1 and the subiculum. More research is required to better understand the functional significance of this relationship. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; ••: ••–••.
Integrating Service Learning into Early Childhood Teacher Education: A Theoretical Perspective

Service learning is defined as a teaching and learning method that connects meaningful community service with academic learning, personal growth, and civic responsibility. In recent years, service learning has been presented as an effective pedagogy for early childhood education. This chapter will present a rationale for integrating service learning into early childhood education. Theoretical perspectives drawn largely from cognitive psychology and social learning theories will be considered along with national standards for effective practices in early childhood and teacher education. Then, drawing on these theories, principles for effective integration of service learning into early childhood teacher education will be outlined.
A study of the nonlinear response of the upper atmosphere to episodic and stochastic acoustic-gravity wave forcing

Perturbations caused by geophysical and anthropogenic events on the ground have been observed to propagate upward and impact the upper atmosphere. Gravity waves with wavelengths less than 750 km are known to be responsible for the total electron content (TEC) perturbations and to play a significant role in the mass, momentum, and energy budgets of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT). These waves are however difficult to continuously measure, globally resolve, and deterministically specify in first-principle ionosphere-thermosphere (IT) models. In this study, we investigate IT response to induced acoustic-gravity waves (AGWs) resulting from strong time-varying lower atmospheric wave forcing, including a traveling wave packet (TWP) and stochastic gravity wave (SGW) fields using the nonlinear Global Ionosphere Thermosphere Model (GITM) with high-resolution grids of 0.08° in longitude and latitude. When TWP and SGW forcing occurs concurrently, the induced gravity waves (GWs) cause variation of ±8.8% in neutral, ±6.2% in electron density, and ±1.5% in TEC. The magnitudes decrease by 2.4% (from ±8.8% to ±6.4%) with the SGW effects simulated separately and subtracted; importantly interactions between TWP and SGW contribute to ±1.4% of the perturbations. On the other hand, the induced acoustic waves (AWs) cause variation of ±13.9% in neutral, ±2.1% in electron density, and ±0.4% in TEC. Furthermore, GWs sustain tens of minutes after the TWP has passed through the lower atmosphere and clear TIDs and TADs are developed. We demonstrate that clear wave structures from an episodic event can be isolated even under a ubiquitously and overwhelmingly perturbed atmosphere.
Need for Cognition and Motivation Differentially Contribute to Student Performance

The need for cognition and motivation are related to performance in school and standardized tests. In this study, 422 students completed a battery of individual difference measures and reported their scores on the American College Testing (ACT) exam, Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), high school grade point average (GPA), major GPA, and overall college GPA. Need for cognition was positively related to ACT and SAT scores, respectively, but not GPA. Achievement motivation was positively correlated with high school GPA, major GPA, overall college GPA, ACT score, and SAT score. The results showed that need for cognition may be related to standardized testing performance, whereas motivation, particularly achievement motivation, is related to performance in the classroom and in the major. Our results indicate that the need for cognition is distinct from the enjoyment of thinking and motivation toward challenge.
A Preclinical Course to Develop Clinical Reasoning Skills of First-year Medical Students

Background and Objectives: Clinical reasoning is developed sometime during medical school training. When and how this knowledge is attained is less clear. This study looks at clinical reasoning development after initiation of a rural experiential course for first-year medical students at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth (regional) Campus. Methods: The Rural Medical Scholars Program course (RMSP) was developed to create a longitudinal rural family medicine experience for first and second-year students at the University of Minnesota Medical School Duluth. Sixty-three first year medical students participated in this required course and their clinical reasoning levels were measured using the Diagnostic Thinking Inventory (DTI). The DTI was given to the medical students after one year of participation in the RMSP course. A previous cohort before the RMSP course was developed was used as a control. A literature search was used for comparison to other schools that measured the DTI in their students. Results: Student diagnostic thinking performance as measured by the DTI after one year of the Rural Medical Scholars Program course significantly increased when compared to a previous cohort of first-year students who did not take the RMSP course. When compared to previously published DTI data, students after one year of RMSP had clinical reasoning levels of second through fourth-year students from other schools. Conclusions: The addition of a rural experiential course with family medicine preceptors significantly increased clinical reasoning levels of first-year medical students. Financial support: None Conflicts of Interests: No conflicts to report
Magnetic resonance–guided, high-intensity focused ultrasound sonolysis: potential applications for stroke

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and a significant source of long-term morbidity. Unfortunately, a substantial number of stroke patients either are ineligible or do not significantly benefit from contemporary medical and interventional therapies. To address this void, investigators recently made technological advances to render transcranial MR-guided, high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRg-HIFU) sonolysis a potential therapeutic option for both acute ischemic stroke (AIS)-as an alternative for patients with emergent large-vessel occlusion (ELVO) who are ineligible for endovascular mechanical thrombectomy (EMT) or as salvage therapy for patients in whom EMT fails-and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH)-as a neoadjuvant means of clot lysis prior to surgical evacuation. Herein, the authors review the technological principles behind MRg-HIFU sonolysis, its results in in vitro and in vivo stroke models, and its potential clinical applications. As a noninvasive transcranial technique that affords rapid clot lysis, MRg-HIFU thrombolysis may develop into a therapeutic option for patients with AIS or ICH. However, additional studies of transcranial MRg-HIFU are necessary to ascertain the merit of this treatment approach for thrombolysis in both AIS and ICH, as well as its technical limitations and risks.
Male antisocial behaviour in adolescence and beyond

Male antisocial behavior is concentrated in the adolescent period of the life course, as documented by the curve of crime over age. This article reviews recent evidence regarding the hypothesis that the age-crime curve conceals two groups with different causes. Life-course persistent males show extreme, pervasive, persistent antisocial behavior from early childhood to adulthood. They are hypothesized to be rare, with pathological risk factors and poor life outcomes. In contrast, adolescence-limited males show similar levels of antisocial behavior but primarily during the adolescent stage of development. They are hypothesized to be common and normative, whereas abstainers from offending are rare. This article recaps the taxonomy's 25-year history, concluding that it is standing the test of time in research, and making an impact on policy in early-years prevention and juvenile justice. Research is needed into how the taxonomy relates to neuroscience, health, genetics, and changes in modern crime, including digital crime.
A General Framework for Monitoring Image Acquisition Workflow in the Radiology Environment: Timeliness for Acute Stroke CT Imaging

Many facets of an image acquisition workflow leave a digital footprint, making workflow analysis amenable to an informatics-based solution. This paper describes a detailed framework for analyzing workflow and uses acute stroke response timeliness in CT as a practical demonstration. We review methods for accessing the digital footprints resulting from common technologist/device interactions. This overview lays a foundation for obtaining data for workflow analysis. We demonstrate the method by analyzing CT imaging efficiency in the setting of acute stroke. We successfully used digital footprints of CT technologists to analyze their workflow. We presented an overview of other digital footprints including but not limited to contrast administration, patient positioning, billing, reformat creation, and scheduling. A framework for analyzing image acquisition workflow was presented. This framework is transferable to any modality, as the key steps of image acquisition, image reconstruction, image post processing, and image transfer to PACS are common to any imaging modality in diagnostic radiology.
Opportunities for Fundamental Research in Drying

Physical phenomena at the molecular level, such as van der walls interactions, can be used effectively for understanding and modeling drying relationships. Drying can be modeled utilizing fundamental phenomena, in contrast to most of the previous work in which these phenomena were used to explain empirical relationships.
Differential expression of the complement regulatory proteins in the human eye.

PURPOSE: The presence of complement activation products in the human eye during infection or inflammation has been well described. During complement activation the host must be protected from attack against self tissue; this is achieved by three membrane-bound complement regulatory proteins: membrane cofactor protein (MCP, CD46), decay accelerating factor (DAF, CD55), and membrane attack complex inhibiting protein (CD59). This study was undertaken to analyze the expression of these proteins in the normal human eye. METHODS: Tissues were sectioned by cryostat and both polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to MCP, DAF, and CD59 were used. Control stains were performed with nonrelevant antibodies of the same immunoglobulin subclass and normal rabbit serum as well as by omission of the primary and secondary antibodies. RESULTS: All three proteins were found to be differentially expressed in the human eye. With anti-MCP, strong staining of the corneal epithelium and weak staining of the corneal keratocytes in stroma and photoreceptor cells was observed. Staining with anti-DAF was very strong in the corneal epithelium and the ciliary body and moderate in the corneal stroma (keratocytes) and iris. In contrast, anti-CD59 stained very strongly in the corneal epithelium, corneal stroma (keratocytes), iris, choroid, and all layers of the retina, and moderately in the ciliary body. CONCLUSIONS: Identification of MCP, DAF, and CD59 in the human eye provides evidence that a regulatory system exists to protect these cells from destruction by complement-activating events. It remains to be determined if other more specialized functions exist for these proteins, especially in the case of CD59 because of its extensive expression in the retina.
Murine orthotopic corneal transplantation in high-risk eyes. Rejection is dictated primarily by weak rather than strong alloantigens.

Purpose. Using a model of orthotopic corneal transplantation in which allografts were placed in normal eyes of mice, the authors previously reported that grafts bearing minor H antigens alone are more likely to be rejected (approximately 50%) than are grafts displaying only major histocompatibility (MHC) alloantigens (20%). These studies have been extended to include corneal grafts placed in neovascularized high-risk eyes of recipient mice. Methods. Neovascularization was induced by placing sutures in the central cornea of one eye of recipient mice. Two weeks later, MHC class I only, class II only, minor H only, or MHC + minor H disparate corneas were grafted into these sutured eyes, and their rejection rates were examined. Results. Although MHC + minor H disparate corneal allografts were rejected uniformly in neovascularized graft beds in 12 (100%) of 12, MHC class I only disparate grafts were rejected in 8 (66.7%) of 12 and MHC class II only disparate corneal allografts were rejected in 7 (58.3%) of 12. Surprisingly, the rejection rate of minor H only disparate corneal allografts was 10 (90.9%) of 11. Conclusions. These findings indicate that for orthotopic corneal allografts placed in high-risk graft beds, minor H antigens offer a more formidable barrier to graft acceptance than do MHC-encoded antigens. The authors speculate that this unexpected outcome may reflect a reduced level of MHC expression on corneal tissue. Moreover, because the cornea as a graft lacks bone marrow-derived dendritic cells, allorecognition by recipient T cells must occur by way of the indirect pathway of alloantigen processing, and in this situation, minor H antigens may compete favorably with MHC antigens for presentation by recipient antigen-presenting cells that infiltrate the graft.
Identifying fenofibrate responsive CpG sites.

As part of GAW20, we analyzed the familiality and variability of methylation to identify cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites responsive to treatment with fenofibrate. Methylation was measured at approximately 450,000 sites in pedigree members, prior to and after 3 weeks of treatment. Initially, we aimed to identify responsive sites by analyzing the pre- and posttreatment methylation changes within individuals, but these data exhibited a confounding treatment/batch effect. We applied an alternative indirect approach by searching for CpG sites whose methylation levels exhibit a genetic response to the drug. We reasoned that these sites would exhibit highly familial and variable methylation levels posttreatment, but not pretreatment. Using a 0.1% threshold, posttreatment sibling correlation (scor) and standard deviation (SD) distributions share 16 outliers, while the corresponding pretreatment distributions share none. Comparing the pre- and posttreatment CpG outliers, 36 (8%) of SD distributions, and 449/450 (nearly 100%) of scor distributions differ. Combined, these results identify methylation sites within the KIAA1804 and ANAPC2 genes. Each gene also has a highly significant methylation quantitative trait locus (meQTL) (KIAA1804: p < 1e-200; ANAPC2: p < 3e-248), indicating that methylation levels at these CpG sites are driven by meQTL and fenofibrate.
The Reagan Space Legacy

Ronald Reagan’s enthusiasm for the space program as a frontier activity was a genuine part of his personality and of his ability to lead. However, that enthusiasm was held in check both by Reagan’s concern for government fiscal responsibility and by his “bottom up” decision-making approach, which often gave space skeptics equal voice with fellow enthusiasts in preparing issues for presidential decision. This reality led to a persistent gap between Reagan’s space-related rhetoric and the actual policies and programs of his administration. The Reagan space legacy, then, is a combination of memorable rhetoric and largely pragmatic practice. The Reagan administration was a period during which the space shuttle went from the centerpiece of access to space to an extremely capable system carrying out cutting edge NASA missions and serving to help construct a permanent outpost in orbit; during which the program to develop that outpost was begun; during which the foundational policies to support private sector space activities were first developed; and during which lasting international space partnerships were forged.
Surgical Treatment of Developmental Spondylolisthesis: Contemporary Series With a Two-Surgeon Team.

Abstract Study Design Retrospective case series. Objectives To report operative outcomes of contemporary surgical treatment of spondylolisthesis in the pediatric population. Summary of Background Data Surgical treatment of developmental spondylolisthesis is controversial, with limited data on complication and reoperation rates. Methods A retrospective study followed pediatric patients with either L5–S1 high-grade spondylolisthesis (HGS) or L5–S1 symptomatic low-grade spondylolisthesis (LGS) for a minimum of two years. All patients underwent a contemporary, single-stage decompression, partial reduction, and posterior instrumented fusion (DRPF) or in situ stabilization by a combined orthopedic and neurosurgeon team at a single institution during 2005–2015. Clinical examination and radiographic data were collected preoperatively and at discharge, 1 year, 2 years, and terminal visit (defined as the last follow-up at >2 years). Results Thirty-four patients (79% HGS), mean (±standard deviation) age at surgery 13.5 (±3.3) years, were followed for 4.8 (±2.3) years. The patients who underwent DRPF (n = 26) had mean lumbosacral angle increase from 79.8° (±20.8) to 92.5° (±16.1) (p Conclusions Surgical reduction and decompression of spondylolisthesis in the pediatric population restores spinopelvic alignment. We found no evidence that a greater amount of reduction was associated with a higher incidence of postoperative complications. However, patients should be advised that prominent instrumentation may require future removal. Although previous reports suggest complication rates and permanent neurologic sequelae in up to 20% after operative treatment of spondylolisthesis, our results suggest that a contemporary approach with a two-surgeon team may provide improved results. Level of Evidence Level IV.
Does Gender Leave an Epigenetic Imprint on the Brain

The words "sex" and "gender" are often used interchangeably in common usage. In fact, the Merriam-Webster dictionary offers "sex" as the definition of gender. The authors of this review are neuroscientists, and the words "sex" and "gender" mean very different things to us: sex is based on biological factors such as sex chromosomes and gonads, whereas gender has a social component and involves differential expectations or treatment by conspecifics, based on an individual's perceived sex. While we are accustomed to thinking about "sex" and differences between males and females in epigenetic marks in the brain, we are much less used to thinking about the biological implications of gender. Nonetheless, careful consideration of the field of epigenetics leads us to conclude that gender must also leave an epigenetic imprint on the brain. Indeed, it would be strange if this were not the case, because all environmental influences of any import can epigenetically change the brain. In the following pages, we explain why there is now sufficient evidence to suggest that an epigenetic imprint for gender is a logical conclusion. We define our terms for sex, gender, and epigenetics, and describe research demonstrating sex differences in epigenetic mechanisms in the brain which, to date, is mainly based on work in non-human animals. We then give several examples of how gender, rather than sex, may cause the brain epigenome to differ in males and females, and finally consider the myriad of ways that sex and gender interact to shape gene expression in the brain.
Increasing the accuracy of nanopore DNA sequencing using a time-varying cross membrane voltage.

Nanopore DNA sequencing is limited by low base-calling accuracy. Improved base-calling accuracy has so far relied on specialized base-calling algorithms, different nanopores and motor enzymes, or biochemical methods to re-read DNA molecules. Two primary error modes hamper sequencing accuracy: enzyme mis-steps and sequences with indistinguishable signals. We vary the driving voltage from 100 to 200 mV, with a frequency of 200 Hz, across a Mycobacterium smegmatis porin A (MspA) nanopore, thus changing how the DNA strand moves through the nanopore. A DNA helicase moves the DNA through the nanopore in discrete steps, and the variable voltage moves the DNA continuously between these steps. The electronic signal produced with variable voltage is used to overcome the primary error modes in base calling. We found that single-passage de novo base-calling accuracy of 62.7 ± 0.5% with a constant driving voltage improves to 79.3 ± 0.3% with a variable driving voltage. The variable-voltage sequencing mode is complementary to other methods to boost the accuracy of nanopore sequencing and could be incorporated into any enzyme-actuated nanopore sequencing device. The accuracy of nanopore DNA sequencing is substantially improved by application of a variable-voltage sequencing mode.
Statin therapy increases lipoprotein(a) levels.

AIMS Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is elevated in 20-30% of people. This study aimed to assess the effect of statins on Lp(a) levels. METHODS AND RESULTS This subject-level meta-analysis includes 5256 patients (1371 on placebo and 3885 on statin) from six randomized trials, three statin-vs.-placebo trials, and three statin-vs.-statin trials, with pre- and on-treatment (4-104 weeks) Lp(a) levels. Statins included atorvastatin 10 mg/day and 80 mg/day, pravastatin 40 mg/day, rosuvastatin 40 mg/day, and pitavastatin 2 mg/day. Lipoprotein(a) levels were measured with the same validated assay. The primary analysis of Lp(a) is based on the log-transformed data. In the statin-vs.-placebo pooled analysis, the ratio of geometric means [95% confidence interval (CI)] for statin to placebo is 1.11 (1.07-1.14) (P 1 indicating a higher increase in Lp(a) from baseline in statin vs. placebo. The mean percent change from baseline ranged from 8.5% to 19.6% in the statin groups and -0.4% to -2.3% in the placebo groups. In the statin-vs.-statin pooled analysis, the ratio of geometric means (95% CI) for atorvastatin to pravastatin is 1.09 (1.05-1.14) (P < 0.0001). The mean percent change from baseline ranged from 11.6% to 20.4% in the pravastatin group and 18.7% to 24.2% in the atorvastatin group. Incubation of HepG2 hepatocytes with atorvastatin showed an increase in expression of LPA mRNA and apolipoprotein(a) protein. CONCLUSION This meta-analysis reveals that statins significantly increase plasma Lp(a) levels. Elevations of Lp(a) post-statin therapy should be studied for effects on residual cardiovascular risk.
Predicting Special and General Educators’ Intent to Continue Teaching Using Conservation of Resources Theory:

Retaining teachers is an important priority for school leaders, especially in special education, a field with chronic shortages. We analyzed a nationally representative survey using conservation of...
Elderly Sexual Offenders Admitted to a Maximum-Security Forensic Hospital

The purpose of the study was to determine the clinical and demographic characteristics of elderly sexual offenders at a maximum-security forensic hospital. Charts of male elderly patients charged with sexual offenses were reviewed to obtain clinical and demographic data. The majority of sexual offenders had mood or psychotic disorders. Almost one third had a history of violent or assaultive behavior. 57% had significant medical history. A history of violence and sexual assaultive behavior may be risk factors for future sexual offenses.
Amiodarone-Induced Neutropenia: An Uncommon Side Effect of a Common Drug.

Amiodarone is widely used as an antiarrhythmic agent for the treatment of both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias in various inpatient as well as outpatient settings. Classified as a class III antiarrhythmic agent, it acts mainly by inhibition of potassium channels in the cardiac muscle. Adverse effects are quite common and usually involve pulmonary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, dermatologic, or neuromuscular systems. Although hematologic side effects including thrombocytopenia have also been reported, amiodarone-induced neutropenia is quite rare. We present a case of amiodarone-induced neutropenia in a 66-year-old Caucasian gentleman. He presented to our hospital with cardiac arrest due to ventricular-fibrillation and had received amiodarone as a part of his therapy. His hospital course was complicated by neutropenia which was found to have a clear temporal relation with amiodarone. His initial white blood cell count was 6400/mm3 with an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) of 4800/mm3. His ANC started to downtrend and reached a nadir of 400/mm3 at day six of therapy. This improved significantly after stopping amiodarone, without any change in other medications. Given the rapid improvement of his neutropenia with the discontinuation of amiodarone, further workup with a bone marrow biopsy was not performed. Severe selective neutropenia, also known as agranulocytosis, is a life-threatening condition due to increased risk of severe infections. Antiarrhythmic agents such as tocainamide, procainamide, and flecainide are generally known to cause agranulocytosis. The mechanism of agranulocytosis or neutropenia is thought to be mediated by either immune-mediated destruction or direct and indirect toxicity to myeloid precursors. Although amiodarone has been in use for over 20 years in the management of tachyarrhythmias, agranulocytosis as a direct side effect of amiodarone therapy has been rarely reported. It is important to keep in mind this rare but potentially life-threatening adverse effect of amiodarone when initiating therapy.
Income Dynamics, Economic Rents, and the Financialization of the U.S. Economy:

The 2008 collapse of the world financial system, while proximately linked to the housing bubble and risk-laden mortgage backed securities, was a consequence of the financialization of the U.S. economy since the 1970s. This article examines the institutional and income dynamics associated with the financialization of the U.S. economy, advancing a sociological explanation of income shifts into the finance sector. Complementary developments include banking deregulation, finance industry concentration, increased size and scope of institutional investors, the shareholder value movement, and dominance of the neoliberal policy model. As a result, we estimate that between 5.8 and 6.6 trillion dollars were transferred to the finance sector since 1980. We conclude that understanding inequality dynamics requires attention to market institutions and politics.
Early modern clouds and the poetics of meteorology: An introduction

Since antiquity, philosophers and poets have understood clouds to be principles of generation and procreation. They can turn, Aristophanes tells us, “into anything they want.” They are bound up wit...
Subjectivity in the Creation of Machine Learning Models

Transportation analysts are inundated with requests to apply popular machine learning modeling techniques to datasets to uncover never-before-seen relationships that could potentially revolutionize safety, congestion, and mobility. However, the results from such models can be influenced not just by biases in underlying data, but also through practitioner-induced biases. To demonstrate the significant number of subjective judgments made in the development and interpretation of machine learning models, we developed Logistic Regression and Neural Network models for transportation-focused datasets including those looking at driving injury/fatalities and pedestrian fatalities. We then developed five different representations of feature importance for each dataset, including different feature interpretations commonly used in the machine learning community. Twelve distinct judgments were highlighted in the development and interpretation of these models, which produced inconsistent results. Such inconsistencies can lead to very different interpretations of the results, which can lead to errors of commission and omission, with significant cost and safety implications if policies are erroneously adapted from such outcomes.
The power of peer networking for improving STEM faculty job applications: a successful pilot program

In order to successfully obtain a faculty position, postdoctoral fellows or postdocs, must submit an application which requires considerable time and effort to produce. These job applications are often reviewed by mentors and colleagues, but rarely are postdocs offered the opportunity to solicit feedback multiple times from reviewers with the same breadth of expertise often found on an academic search committee. To address this gap, this manuscript describes an international peer reviewing program for small groups of postdocs with a broad range of expertise to reciprocally and iteratively provide feedback to each other on their application materials. Over 145 postdocs have participated, often multiple times, over three years. A survey of participants in this program revealed that nearly all participants would recommend participation in such a program to other faculty applicants. Furthermore, this program was more likely to attract participants who struggled to find mentoring and support elsewhere, either because they changed fields or because of their identity as a woman or member of an underrepresented population in STEM. Participation in programs like this one could provide early career academics like postdocs with a diverse and supportive community of peer mentors during the difficult search for a faculty position. Such psychosocial support and encouragement has been shown to prevent attrition of individuals from these populations and programs like this one target the largest leak in the pipeline, that of postdoc to faculty. Implementation of similar peer reviewing programs by universities or professional scientific societies could provide a valuable mechanism of support and increased chances of success for early-career academics in their search for independence.
Muscle fibrosis and maladaptation occur progressively in CKD and are rescued by dialysis.

Background Skeletal muscle maladaptation accompanies chronic kidney disease (CKD) and negatively impacts physical function. Emphasis in CKD has historically been placed on muscle fiber intrinsic deficits, such as altered protein metabolism and atrophy. However, targeted treatment of fiber intrinsic dysfunction has produced limited improvement, whereas alterations within the fiber extrinsic environment have scarcely been examined. Methods We investigated alterations to the skeletal muscle interstitial environment with deep cellular phenotyping of biopsies from patients with CKD compared to age-matched control participants and performed transcriptome profiling to define the molecular underpinnings of CKD-associated muscle impairments. We further examined changes in the observed muscle maladaptation following initiation of dialysis therapy for kidney failure. Results Patients with CKD exhibited a progressive fibrotic muscle phenotype, which was associated with impaired regenerative capacity and lower vascular density. The severity of these deficits was strongly associated with the degree of kidney dysfunction. Consistent with these profound deficits, CKD was associated with broad alterations to the muscle transcriptome, including altered extracellular matrix organization, downregulated angiogenesis, and altered expression of pathways related to stem cell self-renewal. Remarkably, despite the seemingly advanced nature of this fibrotic transformation, dialysis treatment rescued these deficits, restoring a healthier muscle phenotype. Furthermore, after accounting for muscle atrophy, strength and endurance improved after dialysis initiation. Conclusion These data identify a dialysis-responsive muscle fibrotic phenotype in CKD and suggest that the early dialysis window presents a unique opportunity of improved muscle regenerative capacity during which targeted interventions may achieve maximal impact. Trial registration NCT01452412FUNDING. NIH.
Body Studies: An Introduction

In recent years, body studies has expanded rapidly, becoming an increasingly popular field of study within anthropology, sociology, and cultural studies. This groundbreaking textbook takes the topics and theories from these disciplines, and combines them into one single, easily accessible text for students. Body Studies is a comprehensive textbook on the social and cultural uses and meanings of the body, for use in undergraduate college courses. Its clear, accessible chapters explore, among other things: the measurement and classification of the human body illness and healing the racialized body the gendered body cultural perceptions of beauty new bodily technologies. This book investigates how power plays an important role in the uses, views, and shapes of the body—as well as how the body is invested with meaning. Body Studies provides a wealth of pedagogic features for ease of teaching and learning: ethnographic case studies, boxes covering contemporary controversies, news stories, and legislative issues, as well as chapter summaries, further reading recommendations, and key terms. This book will appeal to students and teachers of sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, women’s studies, gender studies, and ethnic studies.
Performance of MOL for Surface Motion Driven by a Laplacian of Curvature

We analyze the performance of the method of lines when solving a partial differential equation system describing microstructural evolution in a sintering process. The system involves a fourth order nonlinear partial differential equation with a moving boundary. Both sequential and parallel ordinary differential equation solvers are applied.
Direct segmentation of multiple 2-D motion models of different types

We propose a closed form solution for segmenting mixtures of 2-D translational and 2-D affine motion models directly from the image intensities. Our approach exploits the fact that the spatial-temporal image derivatives generated by a mixture of these motion models must satisfy a bi-homogeneous polynomial called the multibody brightness constancy constraint (MBCC). We show that the degrees of the MBCC are related to the number of motions models of each kind. Such degrees can be automatically computed using a one-dimensional search. We then demonstrate that a sub-matrix of the Hessian of the MBCC encodes information about the type of motion models. For instance, the matrix is rank-1 for 2-D translational models and rank-3 for 2-D affine models. Once the type of motion model has been identified, one can obtain the parameters of each type of motion model at every image measurement from the cross products of the derivatives of the MBCC. We then demonstrate that accounting for a 2-D translational motion model as a 2-D affine one would result in erroneous estimation of the motion models, thus motivating our aim to account for different types of motion models. We apply our method to segmenting various dynamic scenes.
Team Negotiation and Decision-making: Linking Leadership to Curricular and Instructional Innovation

AbstractThis report presents the findings of research on innovation and decision-making at the team level. Two interdisciplinary teams were studied to understand how reform at the school level gets translated into classroom practice. A set of field notes was developed from the interviews, observations, and impressions gathered at the research site between December, 1992 and June, 1993.Four research questions guided the research, and results were analyzed using a constant comparative method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). Both teams in the study had moved away from traditional curriculum and instruction in favor of a more integrated, active approach. The teams negotiated decisions and accommodated personal preferences in a culture of collegiality and support. A core of teachers had remained constant on each team for the past several years enabling them to build a level of trust and rapport identified as critical by participants to implement changes. Decisions were made by consensus; however, dissension was allow...
Polarographic behaviour of halide ions: II. Bromide

Abstract The a.c. wave of bromide consists of two distinct portions, one, at more negative potentials, arising from the adsorption of bromide ion and the other resulting from the electron transfer process involved in the formation of mercurous bromide. Diffusion-control of adsorption of bromide ion can be detected at low concentrations. Evidence obtained from the shape of the a.c. wave and from current-time curves, both a.c. and d.c., for individual drops suggests that the faradaic process is reversible only over a narrow potential range corresponding to the formation of a mono-layer of mercurous bromide. Bromide ion gives a d.c. pre-step of origin similar to that of chloride.