cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A New Electrically Reversible Depassivation/Passivation Mechanism in Polycrystalline Silicon

An electrically reversible depassivation/passivation phenomenon, recently found for hydrogen passivated polysilicon [1] is further explored in this report. This reversible effect is seen in both ECR and RF hydrogen passivated n-channel thin film transistors (TFTs) but is not seen in the corresponding hydrogen passivated p- channel TFTs, nor is it seen in either n- or p-channel TFTs before hydrogenation. This phenomenon has been observed when room temperature bias stressing TFTs fabricated on solid phase or laser crystallized polysilicon films on quartz substrates [1]. A model involving hydrogen release or capture at defects, positively charged hydrogen motion in device electric fields, and subsequent hydrogen capture at other defects has been proposed. This phenomenon has significant implications for polycrystalline silicon TFT design and operation. By extension, it also offers significant insight into the stability problems of hydrogenated amorphous silicon.
THE REVIEWERS HATED IT! WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR RESULTS DON'T ADD UP

This essay explores the reasons why studies with non-significant results often do not get published, by looking back on a subset of submissions from the past 15 years. Suggestions are then provided to authors who face the dilemma of non-significance.
Isolation of osteogenin, an extracellular matrix-associated, bone-inductive protein, by heparin affinity chromatography

Implantation of demineralized diaphyseal bone matrix in subcutaneous sites induces a sequence of events resulting in the local differentiation of endochondral bone. Demineralized bovine bone matrix was dissociatively extracted in 4.0 M guanidine hydrochloride and the bone-inductive proteins were purified greater than 12,000-fold. The purification steps include affinity chromatography on heparin-Sepharose, hydroxyapatite chromatography, gel filtration, and C18 reverse-phase HPLC. Since the purified protein in conjunction with insoluble collagenous bone matrix induced new bone differentiation in vivo we have designated this component osteogenin. The osteogenic potential is specific for osteogenin and is not exhibited by previously isolated growth factors.
Cognitive Development and Learning: Analyzing the Building of Skills in Classrooms

This article explores the unique and personal experience of learning within a broader framework of development called skill theory. The framework offers a perspective for recognizing within a diversity of experiences a stable order of increasing complexity in skills that individuals display as they execute or demonstrate changes in their understanding. This order is described in terms of a scale, or ruler, that quantifies across domains the achievement of greater levels of complexity in ability. In particular, we explore the process adults follow as they attempt to understand and apply ideas from science and leadership to allow the reader to witness how individual experiences can map onto a “universal” scale of learning and development.
Point-Counterpoint: Reflex cultures reduce laboratory workload and improve antimicrobial stewardship in patients suspected of having urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequent and lead to a large number of clinical encounters. A common management strategy for patients suspected of having a urinary tract infection is to test for pyuria and bacteria by urine analysis (UA) of midstream urine, with initiation of antibiotic therapy and urine culture if one or both tests are positive. Although this practice was first used in an outpatient setting with midstream urine samples, some institutions allow its use in the management of catheterized patients. The ideas behind the reflex urine culture are to limit laboratory workload by not performing culture on negative specimens and to improve antimicrobial stewardship by not giving antimicrobials to patients with negative UA results. The questions are, first, whether reflex urine culture reduces workloads significantly and, second, whether it improves antimicrobial stewardship in the era of increasing numbers of urinary tract infections due to extensively drug-resistant Gram-negative bacilli. Romney Humphries from UCLA supports the idea that reflex urine cultures are of value and describes what reflex parameters are most useful, while Jennifer Dien Bard of Children's Hospital Los Angeles discusses their limitations.
A stochastic model for Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 absorber growth during selenization/sulfization

The optical and electronic properties of Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 absorbers are functions of the gallium and sulfur fractions, defined as the mole fractions Ga/(In+Ga) and S/(Se+S). During absorber growth, through-film composition gradients arise, and these gradients affect the photovoltaic performance of the solar cell. However, there has been little effort in quantitative prediction of the through-film composition. In this work, we present a stochastic model to simulate film growth during selenization and sulfization processes. Our goal is to predict the through-film composition of a Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 absorber film, especially the gallium and sulfur gradients. Our model can predict the steep gradient in gallium that is observed during the selenization reaction and the gallium homogenization that occurs with the sulfurization reaction. Although the model requires a large number of parameters, we show how they can be estimated from simplifying assumptions and related to physical properties. We believe that this method is the first attempt to model explicitly the through-film composition of a Cu(InGa)(SeS)2 produced via selenization.
Swelling Properties of Montmorillonite and Beidellite Clay Minerals from Molecular Simulation: Comparison of Temperature, Interlayer Cation, and Charge Location Effects

The swelling properties of smectite clay minerals are relevant to many engineering applications including environmental remediation, repository design for nuclear waste disposal, borehole stability in drilling operations, and additives for numerous industrial processes and commercial products. We used molecular dynamics and grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations to study the effects of layer charge location, interlayer cation, and temperature on intracrystalline swelling of montmorillonite and beidellite clay minerals. For a beidellite model with layer charge exclusively in the tetrahedral sheet, strong ion–surface interactions shift the onset of the two-layer hydrate to higher water contents. In contrast, for a montmorillonite model with layer charge exclusively in the octahedral sheet, weaker ion–surface interactions result in the formation of fully hydrated ions (two-layer hydrate) at much lower water contents. Clay hydration enthalpies and interlayer atomic density profiles are consistent with the sw...
Rebound Body Mass Index Growth in Year-Round Elementary Education Students of Largely Hispanic Descent Undergoing Obesity Interventions.

BACKGROUND Body mass index (BMI) increases when students are away on summer vacation. Evaluation of serial BMI measurements on year-round students allows new insight into the reasons children gain weight seasonally. METHODS The 206 first and second graders of 2-year-round elementary schools with obesity intervention programs were weighed and measured every 6 months from April 2011 until April 2013. BMI and BMI percentiles were recorded. RESULTS Children 95th percentile, BMI gain continued without significant changes year-round. CONCLUSIONS School-wide interventions to induce BMI growth limitations are associated with significant rebound BMI gain with possible wintertime augmentation in nonobese children of year-round education programs. Obese children do not display rebound BMI gain, BMI seasonal change, or BMI limitations in response to school-based interventions. School weight control programs should consider off-campus sources of weight gain and be vigilant for rebound and delayed seasonal BMI gains.
A quarter century of reaping what we SOE

Gene Splicing by Overlap Extension (SOE), described in a BioTechniques Research Report 23 years ago, is still widely used today in spite of changes in technology and scientific fashion. The history of SOE offers practical lessons for those who seek the best techniques, and for those who strive to develop them.
Studies on Raw and Heated Unextracted Soybeans for Layers

Abstract CARVER et al. (1946) reported that raw extracted soybeans supported excellent egg production in all-mash diets containing 13 percent protein. Fisher et al. (1957), using soybean protein exclusively in a semipurified diet, stated that raw extracted soybeans, properly supplemented with methionine and vitamin B12, would support equally good egg production as heated soybeans. Later, Griminger and Fisher (1960) concluded that egg production and egg weight could be maintained on a practical diet in which the major source of protein was unextracted raw soybeans. Recently, Saxena et al. (1963, a, b) reported no differences in egg production or pancreas size between hens fed raw extracted soybeans supplemented with methionine and hens fed heated soybeans. In contrast, Hill and Renner (1963) observed a reduction in egg production and metabolizable energy values for raw unextracted soybeans and extracted soybean flakes as compared to heated soybeans and soybean flakes. A comprehensive review of the…
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in octogenarians: A population-based study using the nationwide inpatient sample

Background and study aims: In the elderly population, there is a growing demand for minimally invasive procedures as the incidence of pancreaticobiliary disease increases with age. Patients with advanced age offer unique challenges for any procedure because they also tend to have a higher rate of baseline comorbidities and malignancy. The aim of the current study was to characterize the mortality and length of stay of octogenarians undergoing inpatient endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Patients and methods: Using the 2007 – 2010 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), we performed a retrospective analysis of health-related outcomes among 80- to 89-year-old patients undergoing inpatient ERCP. Surgical patients were excluded. Results: An estimated 61,322 octogenarians underwent inpatient ERCP in the United States from 2007 to 2010. The mean age was 84.2 (SE 0.02) with 59.5 % (n = 36,460) of the patients being female. A large majority of the patients were white (79. %, n = 41,144) and 63.5 % (n = 38,940) had a comorbidity index of at least 2. The mean length of stay was 7.1 days (SE 0.08) with an in-hospital mortality of 3.1 % (n = 1,919). The primary discharge diagnosis was most often biliary stone disease (55.9 %, n = 34,263). A diagnosis of any infection was recorded in 45.0 % (n = 27,609) of patients. Infection was associated with a significantly higher risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 3.3, 95 % CI 2.6 – 4.2, P Conclusions: ERCP is now routinely being performed during inpatient admissions for octogenarians with diseases of the biliary tract. The mortality of octogenarians undergoing inpatient ERCP is higher than previous reports and is likely due to superimposed infection during the same admission.
Clinical evaluation of frameless stereotaxy in minimally invasive neurosurgery

Objective To evaluate the utility of frameless stereotaxy in minimally invasive neurjosurgery.Method The patients had a MRI or CT and the information of the MRI or CT was analyzed in the neuronavigation systems before operations.Here3-D simulation of design of operative approach must be done.During the operations,the accurate location of the lesions could be obtained.A retrospective review of200cases of the craniotomy and the laminotomy procedures using frameless stereotaxy systems,from December1999to June2001,was made,including43AVMs,39aneurysms,30meningiomas,27cavenous malfomations,19gliomas,8neuronomas,5pitutary tumors,4angioreticulomas,3matastatic tumors,14others and8spinal tumors.Re sult The lesions and important anatomy structues were accurately located and the computer estimated errors were within2mm.The postoperative neurological complications occurred in10cases(5.0%).No operative death.Conclusion The frameless stereotaxy is valvuable and very helpful for brain and spinal surgery,expecially the cases with lesions locating in the deep center of the brain.In addition,its accuracy of location is very important for protecting normal brain tissues.The neuronavigation systems are changing the way in which surgeons perform the traditional neurosurgical procedures and ensure the minimally invasive neurosurgery.
Complete Genome Sequence of Cupriavidus basilensis 4G11, Isolated from the Oak Ridge Field Research Center Site.

Cupriavidus basilensis 4G11 was isolated from groundwater at the Oak Ridge Field Research Center (FRC) site. Here, we report the complete genome sequence and annotation of Cupriavidus basilensis 4G11. The genome contains 8,421,483 bp, 7,661 predicted protein-coding genes, and a total GC content of 64.4%.
Analysis on epidemiological characteristics of mumps in Hongze county of Jiangsu province from 2004 to 2013

Objective The aim of this study was to understand the epidemiological characteristics of mumps at Hongze county from2004 to 2013, in order to provide a reference for the development of prevention and control strategies against mumps. Methods Mumps epidemic data from China disease surveillance information reporting system was collected from 2004 to 2013. Descriptive epidemiological methodology was adopted for analysis. Results From 2004 to 2013, there were cumulatively 652 incidences of mumps reported at Hongze county. The average annual reported incidence rate was 17.77/lakh. The cases reported on people below15 years old accounted for 88.34% of the total cases. For students and kindergarten children, the number of cases was 577,accounting for 88.50% of reported cases. March to June was the peak of incidence. Reported incidence for males was higher than that for females. In ten years, the number of mumps outbreak in primary school, kindergarten was 15 in total, with an incidence of256 cases, accounting for 39.26% of the total cases. Conclusion Elementary schools and preschools are the main units for mumps primary prevention. Mumps epidemic monitoring should be strengthened in schools and preschools. And targeted measures should be taken against people below 15 years old for prevention and control of mumps.
The Revolt of the Reviewers: Towards Fixing a Broken Publishing Process

The sociology review process is broken. There are too many reviews per paper and the norm that all papers go through a revise and resubmit process burns through reviewers, slows down the publication process, creates distorted papers as authors try to satisfy incompatible demands, and puts too high a premium on novelty over methodological rigor. Editors should get fewer reviews per paper and make editorial decisions. No new reviewers should be added in reviewing a revised manuscript. Peer review should not be treated as an opportunity to receive editorial assistance and mentoring and instead should be focused on ensuring that published papers are correct. Asking for large numbers of reviews will not solve the problem that sociologists do not agree on their standards. The reviewer problem points to larger questions about the structure of sociology as a field, the need for more venues for publishing solid empirical work, and the importance of replications. It also points to the structure of academic publishing in which for-profit publishers make money by selling to university libraries the products of the free labor of university professors.
Maude Abbott Lecture. Hematopathology: a crescendo of scholarly activity.

This lecture traces the evolution of hematopathology from the time of Thomas Hodgkin to the modern era of hybridoma antibodies, immunophenotyping, and molecular biology. It highlights the early concepts of Ludwig Aschoff and his school based on the observations of Metchnikoff, Ehrlich, and Maximow and the changes in concepts and terminology that have occurred in the ensuing 80 yr. The ongoing controversy on terminology and classifications of the malignant lymphomas from their first descriptions by Rudolf Virchow, Hans Kundrat, and Theodore Billroth is reviewed with reference to the development of the Working Formulation of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas for Clinical Usage and other classifications that are currently in vogue. Special attention is paid to the remarkable insight showed by Dorothy Reed in her morphologic descriptions of Hodgkin's disease, her thoughtful discussion on the nature of this disorder, and the conformation of her proposals inherent in the subsequent classification of Lukes and Butler. Acknowledgement is given to the remarkable discovery of Kohler and Milstein resulting in the advent of monoclonal antibodies that have revolutionized the field of hematopathology; to the many immunopathologists who have been responsible for the production of more than 1100 monoclonal antibodies comprising 78 clusters of differentiation; and to many of the leading molecular biologists who have (in the words of Berard) "helped to transform hematopathology from a difficult morphologic exercise into a functionally oriented biologic science."
Intraepithelial (Stage O) cancer of the cervix

Abstract The concepts of the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of intraepithelial cancer in our clinic are presented. The data are based on 485 patients with intraepithelial cancer of the cervix studied during the past 13 years from Jan. 1, 1947, through Dec. 31, 1959.
Atrial natriuretic peptide differentially modulates T- and L-type calcium channels

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) inhibits the secretion of aldosterone stimulated by any of these major physiological agonists: angiotensin II, adrenocorticotropic hormone, or K+. The stimulatory actions of each of these agonists depend on calcium influx through voltage-dependent calcium channels. Because two types of calcium channels have been previously described in bovine glomerulosa cells (T- and L-type), the patch-clamp technique was used to evaluate the effect of ANP on each voltage-dependent calcium channel type. ANP was found to differentially modulate these two channel types, stimulating L-current while inhibiting T-current. Inhibition of T-current resulted from a shift in the voltage dependence of inactivation to more negative potentials within the physiological range. These results indicate that the ANP-induced inhibition of aldosterone secretion may be partially mediated via a reduction of the calcium current through T-type channels.
Function of the spindle dynamic response in stiffness regulation—a predictive mechanism provided by non-linear feedback

Autogenetic reflex responses that act to regulate muscle stiffness are initiated too soon and are too large to be explained solely on the basis of linear feedback from muscle spindle receptors and Golgi tendon organs. In this article we present several lines of evidence that the unexpected efficacy is due to the unique non-linear response properties of primary endings. Several of these non-linear features of spindle dynamic responses are well matched to assist in the maintenance of stiffness during the transient phases of response to muscle stretch and release. As a consequence of these spindle and muscle properties, appropriate reflex actions can actually occur in advance of the failures in stiffness for which they provide compensation. This result is interpreted to mean that the system is endowed with a predictive mechanism.
Effect of Methylphenidate on the Immune System

The effects of methylphenidate (MPH) on the immune system was studied in laboratory mice and in 6 healthy boys treated for ADHD with 30-45 mg/day MPH at the Kings County Hospital, Brooklyn, NY.
Space and Place and the “American” Legacy: Female Protagonists and the Discovery of Self in Two Novels for Young Adults

This qualitative literary analysis explores the intersection of place, space, and identity in two novels for young adults to explore how the provision of a new physical place provides space for independence development among female teen protagonists and the implications of this development given the authors’ identities as non-US authors writing about the US. Through the application of theories centered on conceptions of space and place and how they work together to influence the identity development of characters in literature, the piece examines how experiences in new places can provide space to redefine one’s personal identity and foster a sense of belonging. It recognizes the value of place-based narratives as stories that offer hope and inspiration to those longing to visit while simultaneously encouraging educators to support students in a critical reading of place to challenge misconceptions and romanticized views and build more complex understandings of communities and cultures that lie beyond the national borders in which they reside.
Peuvent-ils les Enfants de l’Age Préscolaire Construire un Modèle pour la Flottaison et l’Immersion?

Dans cet article, nous etudions la capacite d’enfants de 5 a 6 ans d’approcher un modele precoce d’un sujet complexe comme la flottaison et l’immersion des objets. Nous introduisons un recueil de donnees qualitatif visant a identifier les idees de 128 d’eleves de l’ecole maternelle sur le phenomene et leur evolution au cours d’une discussion a visee modelisatrice. L’etude montre que le dispositif utilise permet de recueillir un certain nombre d’idees des enfants. Cependant, la majorite ne semble pas arriver a la construction d’un modele precoce, indispensable a la comprehension des phenomenes « flottaison et immersion ».
NATIONWIDE CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN ADJUNCTIVE ANGIOPLASTY AND STENTING AT THE TIME OF CATHETER DIRECTED THROMBOLYSIS IN PATIENTS WITH PROXIMAL LOWER EXTREMITY DEEP VEIN THROMBOSIS

Background: Catheter directed thrombolysis (CDT) is being increasingly utilized in the treatment of patients with proximal lower extremity (LE) deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Although angioplasty and stenting may be required at the time of CDT, the nationwide trends in the use of these adjunctive
Failure Predictions for Graphite Reflector Bricks in the Very High Temperature Reactor with the Prismatic Core Design

Abstract Graphite is used in nuclear reactor cores as a neutron moderator, reflector and structural material. The dimensions and physical properties of graphite change when it is exposed to neutron irradiation. The non-uniform changes in the dimensions and physical properties lead to the build-up of stresses over the course of time in the core components. When the stresses reach the critical limit, i.e. the strength of the material, cracking occurs and ultimately the components fail. In this paper, an explicit crack modeling approach to predict the probability of failure of a VHTR prismatic reactor core reflector brick is presented. Firstly, a constitutive model for graphite is constructed and used to predict the stress distribution in the reflector brick under in-reactor conditions of high temperature and irradiation. Fracture simulations are performed as part of a Monte Carlo analysis to predict the probability of failure. Failure probability is determined based on two different criteria for defining failure time: A) crack initiation and B) crack extension to near control rod channel. A significant difference is found between the failure probabilities based on the two criteria. It is predicted that the reflector bricks will start cracking during the time range of 5–9 years, while breaching of the control rod channels will occur during the period of 11–16 years. The results show that, due to crack arrest, there is a significantly delay between crack initiation and breaching of the control rod channel.
Association of intratumoral regulatory T-cell accumulation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with poor survival: Effect of autologous dendritic cell immunotherapy on selective reduction of regulatory T cells and survival.

e14023 Background: The immune status of the tumor microenvironment influences tumor progression in HCC. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) inhibit effector cell responses, and play a pivotal role in effective cancer surveillance. This study examines the role on overall survival of intratumoral Tregs in patients with HCC, and evaluates the impact of autologous dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy on Treg depletion, tumor progression, and overall survival in an orthotopic murine HCC model. Methods: The expression of Foxp3 and CD4 in 63 paired tumor and non-neoplastic liver resection tissue specimens of HCC patients was evaluated using RT-PCR. Orthotopic murine HCC was established by implanting Hepa1-6 cells in the liver. The effect of DC immunotherapy loaded with Hepa1-6 cell lysate on tumor progression, survival, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and cytokines was examined. Results: High intratumoral Foxp3 expression in HCC patients treated with resection was associated with poor overall survival. DC immunotherapy in HC...
A Pathway to Enable Exponential Scaling for the Beyond-CMOS Era: Invited

Many key technologies of our society, including so-called artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, have been enabled by the invention of transistor and its ever-decreasing size and ever-increasing integration at a large scale. However, conventional technologies are confronted with a clear scaling limit. Many recently proposed advanced transistor concepts are also facing an uphill battle in the lab because of necessary performance tradeoffs and limited scaling potential. We argue for a new pathway that could enable exponential scaling for multiple generations. This pathway involves layering multiple technologies that enable new functions beyond those available from conventional and newly proposed transistors. The key principles for this new pathway have been demonstrated through an interdisciplinary team effort at C-SPIN (a STARnet center), where systems designers, device builders, materials scientists and physicists have all worked under one umbrella to overcome key technology barriers. This paper reviews several successful outcomes from this effort on topics such as the spin memory, logic-in-memory, cognitive computing, stochastic and probabilistic computing and reconfigurable information processing.
Milk Vending Does Not Improve College Students' Milk and Calcium Intakes.

In the transition from adolescence to young adulthood, overall diet quality decreases, including a reduction in both dairy and calcium consumption. The objective of this pilot study was to determine the impact of milk vending on milk and calcium intakes in college students. Participants were 124 college students living in dorms at a large public university (Fall 2012). Milk vending machines were installed in two campus dorms. Before and 2 months after installation, students were surveyed about milk and calcium intakes, as well as attitudes regarding milk vending. Sales data for the newly installed machines were also collected between the pre- and posttest surveys. Students reported similar milk and calcium consumption before and after the intervention. Mean calcium intakes were lower than the recommended dietary allowance for students in either life stage group (18 years old or 19 years and older). Milk vending sales data showed that during the study period, approximately nine bottles of milk were bought ...
IDH Mutant Gliomas Escape Natural Killer Cell Immune Surveillance by Downregulation of NKG2D Ligand Expression

Background Diffuse gliomas are fatal primary brain tumors that are poorly immunogenic. The basis for insufficient anti-tumor immunity in diffuse gliomas is not understood. Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenases (IDH1 and IDH2) promote diffuse glioma formation through epigenetic reprogramming of a number of genes, including immune-related genes. Here, we identify epigenetic dysregulation of natural killer (NK) cell ligand genes as significant contributors to immune escape in glioma. Methods We analyzed the TCGA database for immune gene expression patterns in IDH mutant or wild-type gliomas and identified differentially expressed immune genes. NKG2D ligands expression levels and NK cell-mediated lysis were measured in patient-derived glioma stem cells and in genetically engineered astrocytes. Finally, we assessed the impact of hypomethylating agent Decitabine as a potential NK cell sensitizing agent in IDH mutant cells. Results All IDH mutant glioma stem-like cell lines exhibited significantly lower expression of NKG2D ligands compared with IDH wild-type cells. Consistent with these findings, IDH mutant glioma cells and astrocytes were resistant to NK cell-mediated lysis. The hypomethylating agent Decitabine increased NKG2D ligand expression, and restored NK- mediated lysis of IDH mutant cells in an NKG2D-dependent manner. Conclusions IDH mutant glioma cells acquire resistance to NK cells through epigenetic silencing of NKG2D ligands ULBP1 and ULPB3. Decitabine-mediated hypomethylation restores ULBP1 and ULBP3 expression in IDH mutant glioma cells and may provide a clinically useful method to sensitize IDH mutant gliomas to NK cell-mediated immune surveillance in patients with IDH mutated diffuse gliomas.
Impact of leucovorin on mucositis and skin reactions in pts with peripheral t-cell lymphoma (PTCL) and cutaneous t-cell lymphoma (CTCL) treated with pralatrexate.

7558Background: Pralatrexate (Pral,) is a novel folic acid analog with activity in T cell lymphomas. In the clinical trial of Pral in relapsed PTCL, treatment modification occurred frequently due t...
Upper extremity arterial endovascular interventions for symptomatic vascular access-induced steal syndrome

Abstract Background Critical hand ischemia owing to vascular access-induced steal syndrome (VASS) continues to be a significant problem. The aim of this study was to examine the outcomes of arterial endovascular interventions in the upper extremity of patients presenting with VASS. Methods A database of patients presenting with documented VASS between 2006 and 2016 was retrospectively queried. Patients who underwent isolated endovascular intervention in the upper extremity were analyzed. Results Ninety-eight patients (66% female; average age 65 years) presented with VASS: 28 presented with upper arm atherosclerotic disease above the arteriovenous (AV) anastomosis (above elbow) and the remaining 70 patients with below AV anastomotic atherosclerotic disease at the elbow (below elbow). Sixty-three percent of the entire patient cohort (N = 65) presented with rest pain and the remainder (n = 33 [34%]) with minor digital ulceration. Of those with upper arm disease above the AV anastomosis, one-third of patients had subclavian occlusive disease and two-thirds had brachial artery occlusive disease. Patients with subclavian disease underwent stent placement, and patients with brachial artery disease underwent balloon angioplasty. Technical success was 100% (n = 28). Ninety-one percent of these patients (n = 25) had symptomatic success at 30 days and the remainder (n = 3) required proximalization of the access. Of those with below AV anastomosis at the elbow disease, all had disease in the forearm vessels with 42% (n = 29) having either the ulnar or radial artery occlusion. Balloon angioplasty was performed in one vessel in 55% (n = 38) and in two vessels in 45% (n = 32) of patients. Technical success was 79% (n = 81 of 102 vessels) with 51% of the patients (n = 36) having symptomatic success at 30 days; of those who remained symptomatic, 80% (n = 27) required proximalization of the access and 20% (n = 7) required ligation. The major adverse cardiovascular event rate for the entire patient cohort was 4% (n = 4). The 30-day complications for the entire patient cohort included continued steal (38%; all resolved with secondary procedures), thrombosis (3%; all forearm vessels treated for occlusion), bleeding (0%), infection (0%), and mortality (1%). Primary clinical success defined as the relief of distal ischemic symptoms and the preservation of a functional access site for dialysis showed rates of 42 ± 9% (mean ± standard error of the mean) and 0 ± 0% at 5 years (above and below elbow groups, respectively). Conclusions Upper extremity interventions for VASS owing to above elbow disease are associated with a high rate of success, whereas interventions for below elbow disease have a poor clinical success with more patients requiring secondary procedures and low long-term survival for the access site. Male patients presenting with rest pain, larger forearm vessels (approximately 3 mm), short occlusive lesions (
Identification of diabetes risk in dental settings: Implications for physical and mental health

The risk for diabetes is significantly elevated in persons who are older, overweight, and have serious mental illness. However, primary care practitioners (PCP) tend to underestimate this risk. Although there are few opportunities for early detection of diabetes, blood exuded during routine oral exams in dental settings can be used to assess glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. The current study sought to understand how primary care practitioners would react to patients who screened positive for elevated HbA1c, how they estimated risk, and whether they provided treatment recommendations or counseling. Semistructured telephone interviews were conducted on 61 subjects three months after demonstrating elevated HbA1c levels from dental screenings. Data were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. Qualitative analyses revealed the following four themes according to patients: (1) “Being told I needed to make lifestyle changes” (41%); (2) Realizing I needed a new health care provider or medicatio...
Illuminating prey selection in an insectivorous bat community exposed to artificial light at night

1.Light pollution has been increasing around the globe and threatens to disturb natural rhythms of wildlife species. Artificial light impacts the behaviour of insectivorous bats in numerous ways, including foraging behaviour, which may in turn lead to altered prey selection. 2.In a manipulative field experiment, we collected faecal samples from six species of insectivorous bats in naturally dark and artificially lit conditions, and identified prey items using molecular methods to investigate effects of light pollution on prey selection. 3.Proportional differences of identified prey were not consistent and appeared to be species specific. Red bats, little brown bats, and gray bats exhibited expected increases in moths at lit sites. Beetle-specialist big brown bats had a sizeable increase in beetle consumption around lights, while tri-colored bats and evening bats showed little change in moth consumption between experimental conditions. Dietary overlap was high between experimental conditions within each species, and dietary breadth only changed significantly between experimental conditions in one species, the little brown bat. 4.Policy implications. Our results, building on others, demonstrate that bat-insect interactions may be more nuanced than the common assertion that moth consumption increases around lights. They highlight the need for a greater mechanistic understanding of bat-light interactions to predict which species will be most affected by light pollution. Given differences in bat and insect communities, we advocate biologists, land stewards, and civil planners work collaboratively to determine lighting solutions that minimize changes in foraging behaviour of species in the local bat community. Such efforts may allow stakeholders to more effectively craft management strategies to minimize unnatural shifts in prey selection caused by artificial lights. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Testing genetic modifiers of behavior and response to atomoxetine in autism spectrum disorder with ADHD.

Frequent non-pathogenic genetic variants may act as moderators of phenotypic severity for complex disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We previously identified polymorphisms affecting mRNA expression of candidate genes, including tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2), dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH), and dopamine transporter (DAT, SLC6A3). We compare genotypes and (1) clinical response to atomoxetine, (2) scores from the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R), and (3) severity of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a cohort of patients with ASD from multiple study sites. There was no association between CYP2D6 metabolizer status and atomoxetine response. TPH2 rs7305115 genotype was associated with ADI-R Restrictive/Repetitive Behavior score (p = 0.03). DBH rs1611115 genotype was associated with ADI-R Social score (p = 0.002), and Restrictive/Repetitive Behavior score (p = 0.04). The DAT intron 8 5/6 repeat was associated with ADHD symptoms (ABC Hyperactivity p = 0.01 and SNAP ADHD p = 0.03), replicating a previous finding. We find associations between ASD phenotypes and regulatory variants in catecholamine biosynthesis genes. This work may help guide future genetics studies related to ASD.
Towards the Design of a Forensic Tool for Mobile Data Visualization

The growing popularity and use of mobile devices over the past decade has provided law enforcement agencies with new types of evidence to aid them in solving crimes. These devices can store a great deal of data that can be instrumental in digital investigations. Equally important is the acquisition and analysis of this data, which can be used to connect individuals or organizations to an incident or crime involving cell phone communication.
A New Perspective to Analyze Organizational Strategies in Business Convergence.

Convergence in information and communication technologies has great socio-economic impact not only on the industries involved but also on consumers and the entire global economy. Companies accustomed to practicing their business activities in discrete industries – computer, internet, telephony, wireless, television broadcasting – are confronting transformed environments with new competitors from other industries. Organizations need to drastically change their strategies in order to survive, and researchers need to develop new frameworks to analyze these changes. This paper proposes a novel perspective that integrates analysis of different industries and focuses on understanding the context of organizations in their discrete industries in order to understand their strategies in the phenomenon of convergence. The concept of “thick description,” introduced by anthropologist Clifford Geertz, will be adopted to analyze and understand the importance of organizational context. One of the major contributions of this research is to offer a breakthrough perspective with which to study the complex phenomenon of business convergence in information and communication technologies.
Communities of Exclusion and Excluded Communities: Barriers to Neighboring

All animals have a need to regulate distance between themselves, and between themselves and other animals. Territoriality is a basic concept of animal behavior by which an animal lays claim to an area and defends it against members of its own species. Territoriality regulates density. It provides a framework in which things are done – places to learn, places to play, and safe places to hide (Hall AQ: Kindly confirm the reference included in Abstract is appropriate as citations are not allowed in Abstract., The hidden dimension. Doubleday, Garden City, NY, 1966). It keeps animals within communicating distance of each other. Territoriality also offers protection from predators – it provides a safe home base – and protects against the exploitation of the particular environment that a species has selected to live. Finally, territoriality is associated with status; it is, according to Hall, “…a hidden band that contains the group” (p. 13).
Treatment of pacemaker patients with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy: experience from 2 continents.

AbstractPatients with cardiac pacemakers currently are treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy only by agreement between individual physicians and patients. We present the results of a survey of patterns of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy treatment (or nontreatment) of patients with pacemakers in the United States and Europe. Letters of inquiry regarding treatment of pacemaker patients were sent to 141 United States extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy sites and 55 sites in Europe. Responses were received from 81 (57%) and 17 (31%) sites, respectively. A total of 131 patients received 142 treatments and pacemaker-related complications occurred in 4 (none was lethal, 3 were minor and all were corrected immediately). No patient required replacement of the pacemaker. No correlation existed between complications and pacemaker type or manufacturer. Urologists who treat patients with a pacemaker required previous clearance of the patients by the cardiologist, a cardiologist in or near the extrac...
Alterations in hair shaft morphology in the cretin rat

Hair samples were obtained from rats rendered hypothyroidin utero, when these animals reached 35 days of post-gestational age. The hairs were examined by scanning electron microscopy at a point on the shaft 340 μ from the bulb. All hairs, in the anagen phase, when compared, indicated that cretin rats had thinner hair shafts, more closely spaced cuticle, cells, and more cuticle cells per unit of hair shaft. The surfaces of hairs from cretin rats were cornal, acuminated, and had dentate margins. It is therefore apparent that congenital hypothyroidism in rats affects the density, thickness, and surface characteristics of the hair.
Diffusion of the Innovation

Imagine being the inventor of, say, a clock radio but not having enough money or marketing knowledge to introduce the product to the marketplace. This is supposedly what happened when GE developed the clock radio. Similarly, some 40 years ago there was a rumor that the inventor of the Xerox machine tried to sell his product for 10 years and died broke. These stories may be apocryphal, but as Samli and Weber (2000) pointed out, of 147 potential breakthroughs only 29 survived for 10 years. They called these 29 products “breakthroughs.” Serious radical innovations are even rarer and their survival is not at all guaranteed, as it depends on whether the marketplace is ready to accept them. About 40 years ago the marketplace was more conservative. It did not adopt new products readily, and the more different and unusual the innovation was, the slower the market was in adopting it. Some four decades later, the marketplace is not nearly as conservative. But today it is even more difficult to introduce a radical innovation and expect a quick success, because of the sophistication of the consumers, the complexity of competing products, and higher technological capabilities.
Moments of the Population Vector

The basic population equation (4.1.1) is linear and this linearity ought to be of some use. This chapter shows that for both the I.I.D. and the (finite) Markov models, the linearity allows us to compute moments of the population vector.
In Vitro Culture of Cotton Ovules

In vitro culture of developing cotton ovules is a significant achievement in the continuing investigation of cotton and its agronomic properties. Pioneering work on in vitro growth of cotton ovules met with limited sucess, as ovule growth was abnormal and fiber development did not occur (Joshi 1960). Later, the effects of hormones, casein hydrolysate, and yeast extract on the development of the cotton embryo and integuments were reported (Joshi and Johri 1972). Beasley and coworkers began development of the cotton ovule culture system in 1971 (see Beasley 1977) in order to conduct investigations on fiber development. Eid et al. (1973) were successful in culturing 10-day postanthesis ovules on MS medium (Murashige and Skoog 1962), but the resulting embryos did not develop normally. Beasley and Ting (1973) subsequently developed a phytohormone-supplemented medium (BT) derived from the MS medium which supported the development of the ovules in a manner close to that observed in vivo. The BT medium could be utilized for both fertilized (Beasley and Ting 1973) and unfertilized (Beasley and Ting 1974) ovules. While this medium supported normal growth of the ovule and fiber during the first 2 weeks of development, the embryos did not continue to develop normally, and subsequently degenerated. Stewart and Hsu (1977) resolved this problem by inclusion of an ammonium ion amendment to the medium; by making this medium modification, 50% of the ovules produced physiologically mature embryos.
The Technical Values in the Expert Judgment of Risk

At the first United States’ biotechnology conference in 1975, molecular biologists unanimously consented to follow regulations established by the Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to review, monitor, and approve all research projects in the brave new field of genetic manipulation. Notwithstanding the incredible economic potential of biotechnology for pharmaceutical and agricultural companies, the RAC recommended that industry experts refrain from some experiments and follow stern restrictions for others. For example, in 1984, when the advisory committee introduced “non-scientific and non-objective considerations into the guidelines about genetic transfer experiments,” it declared that research involving the transfer of genetic traits between animal and human germ lines to be “morally and ethically unacceptable” (Naik, 2000, 38). In 1986, at the suggestion of the RAC, the United States government created a coordinated framework of governmental agencies and industry experts to ensure that biotechnology-derived food products are substantially familiar or equivalent to their non-biotech counterparts. By maximizing many of the political benefits while minimizing most of the societal risks, the RAC successfully monitored the ethical impacts of genetically modified organism research and development (Naik, 2000, 59). According to some risk scholars, strict governmental scrutiny of biotechnology research, corresponding deliberate industry development, and the transparent public actions of the RAC represent a now lamented past that is conspicuously different from the present (Krimsky, 1991, 183–184).
Interesting, Provocative, and Enigmatic: Morphological Observations on Southeastern Quillworts (Isoetes Isoetaceae, Lycopodiophyta)

ABSTRACT The unique morphology of quillworts has received limited attention, and such studies have been limited to only a few species. Our extensive field work during the past two decades has revealed variation in the structures of the plant, including the rhizomorph, scales, phyllopodia, and abscission caps. Polarity of the axes of southeastern quillwort rhizomorphs varies from discoid (most species), to elongate, to upright with axis branching in several species. In species of intermittent streams, these branched rhizomorphs produce plantlets that break off in running water. Scales are tiny brown or black structures in alternating whorls with sporophylls (leaves). They are often overlooked and easily removed when rinsing specimens. Found in most southeastern terrestrial/amphibious species, scales are absent from aquatic species. Scales are distinct from phyllopodia, the sclerified bases of sporophylls, but intermediates between scales and phyllopodia occur. Not all species with scales have phyllopodia....