cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxic Shock Syndrome Following Ureterolithotomy

AbstractToxic shock syndrome is a much publicized disease that has been reported most often in menstruating female subjects who use tampons. It has been linked to infection with certain strains of staphylococci. We describe the first case, of which we are aware, of this syndrome occurring as a complication of urologic surgery.
Tissue-specific isoform regulation of Na+-K+-ATPase by thyroid hormone in ferrets.

We have shown previously that in the ferret heart there are two isoforms of Na+-K+-ATPase, alpha(+) and alpha, and that these isoforms undergo developmental changes. In the present study, we examine regulation of the isoenzymes by thyroid hormone, which is well known to increase activity of Na+-K+-ATPase in different tissue preparations. Ferrets were injected with L-thyroxine (T4) (0.5 mg/kg, sc) for 3 wk. The T4-treated ferrets gained 58 +/- 32 g body wt compared with 366 +/- 24 g for the control ferrets. Plasma 3,5,39-triiodothyronine concentrations of the T4-treated animals increased about eightfold 16-18 h after the last injection. The number of alpha(+)- and alpha-subunits in heart homogenates estimated by [3H]ouabain binding was 3.5 +/- 0.1 and 2.5 +/- 0.1 pmol/mg protein, respectively [alpha(+)/alpha = 1.40]. In the T4-treated ferrets, there was no significant increase of the alpha(+)-isoform (3.2 +/- 0.2 pmol/mg protein), whereas the number of alpha-isoform increased significantly to 4.1 +/- 0.3 pmol/mg protein [alpha(+)/alpha = 0.78]. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of partially purified cardiac plasma membrane preparations reveals similar pattern of changes of the isoenzymes. In the kidney, however, there was no significant change in the number of alpha-isoform, which is the predominant isoform in the kidney, and T4 does not appear to induce synthesis of alpha(+)-isoform in the kidney. It is concluded that thyroid hormone induces both isoform- and tissue-specific regulation of the Na+-K+-ATPase alpha-subunits in the ferret. These specific regulations of the isoforms seem to suggest important physiological roles of the isoenzymes.
Metaphysics of Engineering

The central questions of this chapter are: What is the setting of a learned work of engineering? Is that setting unique to engineering? The chapter argues that there are at least two settings: one, the real world in which engineering employs methods that seem to simulate the methods of mathematics and science; the other, the hyperreal world known as the assigned world in which engineering employs no simulations. While the question of uniqueness invites a more exhaustive inquiry into many learned disciplines than ventured herein, it can be said that when engineering is done in the real world it is done differently in some ways from mathematics and science, and that neither mathematics nor science is done in a hyperreal world whose natural laws are made from authoritative imperatives.
Bits and Bases: An Analysis of Genetic Information Paradigms

The objective of this work is to form a general understanding of biological communication mechanisms by applying Shannon information theory and coding theory concepts to study the complex system of information transmission in biological organisms. We assess the viability of a biological coding theory framework by exploring coding theoretic characteristics of the genetic system that parallel traditional communication systems. We present results of channel capacity studies for prokaryotic and eukaryotic replication processes and explore connections between capacity and cellular aging.
Arabic word processing and morphology induction through adaptive memory self-organisation strategies

Aim of the present study is to model the human mental lexicon, by focussing on storage and processing dynamics, as lexical organisation relies on the process of input recoding and adaptive strategies for long-term memory organisation. A fundamental issue in word processing is represented by the emergence of the morphological organisation level in the lexicon, based on paradigmatic relations between fully-stored word forms. Morphology induction can be defined as the task of perceiving and identifying morphological formatives within morphologically complex word forms, as a function of the dynamic interaction between lexical representations and distribution and degrees of regularity in lexical data.In the computational framework we propose here (TSOMs), based on Self-Organising Maps with Hebbian connections defined over a temporal layer, the identification/perception of surface morphological relations involves the alignment of recoded representations of morphologically-related input words. Facing a non-concatenative morphology such as the Arabic inflectional system prompts a reappraisal of morphology induction through adaptive organisation strategies, which affect both lexical representations and long-term storage.We will show how a strongly adaptive self-organisation during training is conducive to emergent relations between word forms, which are concurrently, redundantly and competitively stored in human mental lexicon, and to generalising knowledge of stored words to unknown forms.
Injury to the Thymic Niche for DN2/DN3 Developing T Cells Impairs Reconstitution.

Abstract Despite recovery of most hematopoietic functions, prolonged defects in generating functional T lymphocytes is a common occurrence after T cell depleted bone marrow transplant. While the mechanisms of these defects have not all been elucidated, contributing factors include age, T cell depletion of the graft, therapy with radiation and cytotoxic agents, and graft versus host disease (GvHD). We have designed an in vivo functional assessment of the ability of thymic stroma to support de novo T lymphocyte development. Mice deficient for the alpha chain of the IL-7 receptor (IL7Rα−/−) support robust thymic reconstitution after transplant of limited numbers of congenic precursors. We demonstrated that this capacity for reconstitution of immunodeficient strains depends on the paucity of specific endogenous precursors (DN3) cells in the IL7Rα−/− thymus and reflects the presence of functionally normal but empty stromal niches in this immunodeficient strain. We have proceeded to demonstrate that a variety of chemotherapeutic agents as well as aging, impair the ability of IL7Rα−/− thymic stroma to support de novo T cell development. Some agents allow donor chimerism in the thymus, but not rescue of the hypocellularity (eg cyclophosphamide) while others do not affect reconstitution (eg fludarabine). Multi-agent regimens have been administered and in some instances demonstrate an additive detrimental impact on thymic reconstitution. For several agents, damage has been localized to specific stromal niches by isolating changes in lymphoid subsets and stromal keratin expression. Decreased availability of the stromal niche for DN3 progenitors is associated with a decreased frequency of DN3s and an absolute block in recipient IL7Rα−/− T cell development. In addition, RNA from treated and untreated thymic stromal cells has been used to evaluate the gene expression pattern in thymic stroma of IL7Rα−/− mice treated with cytotoxic agents. In one example to be presented we find decreased thymic reconstitution in mice treated with Busulfan with sustained changes in stromal elements. These findings are consistent with sustained damage to thymic stromal cells. Among other changes, busulfan leads to decreased expression of laminin 5 by cortical thymic epithelial cells. The integrin heterodimerα6β4 is a binding partner for laminin 5 and is expressed uniformly by DN2 thymocytes. The significance of laminin 5/α6β4 signaling during T cell development was assessed using mice with a targeted mutation in the integrin β4 signaling domain. In these experiments mutant fetal liver was used to create hematopoietic chimeras and evaluate T cell development. Our studies provide insight into the nature of damage to thymic stroma by cytotoxic regimens and an understanding of the effect of this damage on subsequent immune reconstitution.
Mixed-Metal Carbonate Fluorides as Deep-Ultraviolet Nonlinear Optical Materials

Noncentrosymmetric mixed-metal carbonate fluorides are promising materials for deep-ultraviolet (DUV) nonlinear optical (NLO) applications. We report on the synthesis, characterization, structure–property relationships, and electronic structure calculations on two new DUV NLO materials: KMgCO3F and Cs9Mg6(CO3)8F5. Both materials are noncentrosymmetric (NCS). KMgCO3F crystallizes in the achiral and nonpolar NCS space group P62m, whereas Cs9Mg6(CO3)8F5 is found in the polar space group Pmn21. The compounds have three-dimensional structures built up from corner-shared magnesium oxyfluoride and magnesium oxide octahedra. KMgCO3F (Cs9Mg6(CO3)8F5) exhibits second-order harmonic generation (SHG) at both 1064 and 532 nm incident radiation with efficiencies of 120 (20) × α-SiO2 and 0.33 (0.10) × β-BaB2O4, respectively. In addition, short absorption edges of <200 and 208 nm for KMgCO3F and Cs9Mg6(CO3)8F5, respectively, are observed. We compute the electron localization function and density of states of these two c...
Immunotherapy for Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder in which memory and cognitive dysfunctions are the earliest symptoms. Pathologically, the disorder is characterized by neuron loss in hippocampus and multiple cortical regions, along with the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. The amyloid in this disorder is comprised largely of a peptide called As, which is a degradation product of a protein with unknown function referred to as the amyloid precursor protein. The genetics of dominant inherited forms of Alzheimer’s disease implicate increased production of the long form of the As peptide as the critical feature leading to unavoidable development of the disease. This recognition has led many to consider anti-amyloid therapeutics as a means of slowing or arresting the disease. One approach that may become the first to test the so-called “amyloid hypothesis” is immunotherapy. Both vaccination and monoclonal antibody therapies have been tested with considerable success in mouse models of amyloid deposition. These approaches can prevent the formation of amyloid deposits, remove already existing deposits, and reverse the memory deficits associated with amyloid deposition in these mice. A human clinical trial was cut short due to an apparent autoimmune reaction in a fraction of the patients, but the results from this truncated trial still suggest that there may be therapeutic benefits of the approach. Current research is focusing on trying to understand the mechanisms by which antibodies directed against As aid in clearing the amyloid deposits, how the vaccines might be constructed to overcome self-tolerance without evoking autoimmune reactions, and testing various monoclonal antibody preparations for efficacy in clinical trials. Even partial success in slowing the progression of this disease can have considerable societal and economic impact. Furthermore, verification of the amyloid hypothesis will encourage development of a number of other anti-amyloid therapies that may synergize with the immunotherapeutic approach.
The effects of patient positioning when interpreting CT dose metrics: A phantom study

PurposeReview of dose metrics as part of the routine evaluation of CT protocols has become commonplace and is required by the Joint Commission and the American College of Radiology for accreditation. Most CT quality assurance programs include a review of CTDIvol and/or SSDE, both of which are affect
Reconstruction of the Fossa Navicularis

AbstractFossa navicularis strictures have troubled urologists for years. Although several flap procedures have been described none truly leaves a normal-appearing penis postoperatively. A new technique is described of the reconstruction of the fossa navicularis with a ventral transverse island flap on a broad, dependable pedicle. All 5 patients who have undergone the procedure have excellent cosmetic and functional results. The appearance of the penis postoperatively is normal, with a median followup of 17 months. Early reconstruction of fossa strictures may avoid the sequelae of more conservative attempts at management, thus, correcting the fossa stricture itself before the occurrence of penourethral stricture disease secondary to repeated dilations, meatotomy and internal urethrotomy.
Implementing Marketing Analytics

This note supports cases used in Darden's "Marketing Analytics" course elective. Marketing analytics powered by "big data" holds the promise to transform marketing strategy from a discipline based mostly on intuition to a fact-based decision-making process. Based on interactions with more than 100 executives in conferences, executive education seminars, case study development, and consulting projects, this technical note serves as a road map for improving implementation of marketing analytics within organizations. Excerpt UVA-M-0869 Rev. Oct. 11, 2019 Implementing Marketing Analytics Marketing analytics powered by "big data" holds the promise to transform marketing strategy from a discipline based mostly on intuition to a fact-based decision-making process. Despite the potential of data analytics in marketing, its widespread adoption within organizations remains a challenge. Fewer than half the respondents in a survey conducted by Deloitte and Duke University reported being able to leverage marketing analytics for decisions. The trend, however, is positive: the percentage of survey respondents using marketing analytics for decisions increased from 30% in early 2013 to 42% in early 2018. The roadmap for improving implementation of marketing analytics shown in Figure 1 is based on interactions with more than 300 executives in conferences, executive education seminars, case-study development interviews, and consulting projects. The launching pad for implementation of marketing analytics is support from top management and the integration of the marketing analytics function in business processes. Firms must address issues related to organizational structures, analytics processes, and organizational change in order to foster implementation of analytics (Figure1). Within this framework, managers should ask seven key questions to start the journey toward a marketing analytics–driven culture. Figure 1. Roadmap for implementing marketing analytics. . . .
Navigating an Uncertain Journey of Pregnancy After Perinatal Loss

The purpose of this qualitative data analysis was to gain insights into women's experiences over the course of pregnancy subsequent to prior perinatal loss. Diaries from 19 pregnant women with a hi...
The Political Organism: Carl Vogt on Animals and States in the 1840s and ’50s

How do the discourses of biology and politics interact? This article uses the case of Carl Vogt (1817–1895), the notorious German “radical materialist” zoologist and political revolutionary, to analyze the traffic across these discourses before, during, and after the revolutions of 1848. Arguing that metaphors of the organism and the state did different work in the discourse communities of German political theorists and biologists through the 1840s, it then traces Vogt’s life and work to show how politics and biology came together in his biography. It draws on Vogt’s political rhetoric, his satirical post-1849 writings, and his scientific studies to examine the parallels he drew between animal organization and human social and political organization in the 1840s and ’50s. Broadening back out, I suggest that the discourses of organismal and state organization, both somewhat transformed, would align more closely over the 1850s and thereafter—yet asymmetrically. Although the state metaphor became more attractive for biologists, the organism as state did not harden into a dominant concept in biology. On the political side, a new wave of political theorizing increasingly viewed the state as resembling a biological organism. These shifts, I speculate, brought the discourses closer together in the post-revolutionary era, and may be seen as contributing to a new configuration of mutual legitimation between science and the state. This essay is part of a special issue entitled REVOLUTIONARY POLITICS AND BIOLOGICAL ORGANIZATION IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY FRANCE AND GERMANY edited by Lynn K. Nyhart and Florence Vienne.
School Psychologists and Social-Emotional Assessment Techniques: Patterns in Training and Use

This article presents the results of two national surveys investigating how school psychologists assess the social-emotional functioning of children and adolescents. The first survey involved schoo...
Fuzzy classifiers: Opportunities and challenges

Several issues arise when we consider building classifiers in general, and fuzzy classifiers in particular. These issues include but are not limited to attribute/feature selection, adoption of a specific approach/algorithm, evaluate the classifier performance, etc. We consider the opportunities that such classifiers have to offer and contrast them with the challenges they pose.
Sample average approximation with sparsity-inducing penalty for high-dimensional stochastic programming

The theory on the traditional sample average approximation (SAA) scheme for stochastic programming (SP) dictates that the number of samples should be polynomial in the number of problem dimensions in order to ensure proper optimization accuracy. In this paper, we study a modification to the SAA in the scenario where the global minimizer is either sparse or can be approximated by a sparse solution. By making use of a regularization penalty referred to as the folded concave penalty (FCP), we show that, if an FCP-regularized SAA formulation is solved locally, then the required number of samples can be significantly reduced in approximating the global solution of a convex SP: the sample size is only required to be poly-logarithmic in the number of dimensions. The efficacy of the FCP regularizer for nonconvex SPs is also discussed. As an immediate implication of our result, a flexible class of folded concave penalized sparse M-estimators in high-dimensional statistical learning may yield a sound performance even when the problem dimension cannot be upper-bounded by any polynomial function of the sample size.
Direct low-energy measurement of 37 Ar and 127 Xe in a radiotracer gas using low-background proportional counters

A radiotracer gas with a blend of 37Ar and 127Xe was created for a gas migration experiment and was characterized at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory using ultra-low-background proportional counters. This paper describes the direct low-energy measurement of 37Ar and 127Xe in a dual-isotope sample. Using this low-energy technique, the dual-isotope radiotracer gas was determined to have activity concentrations of 483 Bq/cc and 1435 Bq/cc for 37Ar and 127Xe, respectively, and a ratio of 1:3 on the reference date of 7/11/2016.
‘The eatables were of the slightest description’: Consumption and Consumerism in Cranford

Examining consumption and consumerism in Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford (1851–53), Longmuir shows that Cranford is not an exclusively nostalgic text, but is cognizant of the major economic shifts beginning to occur in the 1850s. Responding to changes in consumer habits in the wake of the 1851 Great Exhibition, the novel anticipates John Ruskin’s groundbreaking writing on consumption, particularly The Political Economy of Art (1857) and Unto this Last (1860). Challenging mid-nineteenth-century separation of feminine domestic sphere and masculine commercial sphere, Cranford’s ‘elegant economy,’ Longmuir suggests, can be understood as political economy. Like Ruskin, Gaskell’s female characters implicitly challenge two of the processes associated with the rise of commodity culture in industrial Britain: the abstraction of commodities into money value and the spectacularization of consumer goods.
Low-temperature homoepitaxial growth of two-dimensional antimony superlattices in silicon

The authors present a low-temperature process for the homoepitaxial growth of antimony superlattices in silicon. The all low-temperature superlattice doping process is compatible as a postfabrication step for device passivation. The authors have used low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy to embed atomically thin (2D), highly concentrated layers of dopant atoms within nanometers of the surface. This process allows for dopant densities on the order of 1013–1014 cm−2 (1020–1021 cm−3); higher than can be achieved with three-dimensional doping techniques. This effort builds on prior work with n-type delta doping; the authors have optimized the growth processes to achieve delta layers with sharp dopant profiles. By transitioning from a standard effusion cell to a valved cracker cell for antimony evaporation, the authors have achieved carrier densities approaching 1021 cm−3 with peak distribution at ∼10 A FWHM for single delta layers. Even at the highest dopant concentrations studied, no deterioration in carrier mobility is observed, suggesting the upper limit for dopant incorporation and activation has not yet been met. The authors will discuss the details related to growth optimization and show results from in situ monitoring by electron diffraction. They will also report on elemental and electrical characterization of the films.The authors present a low-temperature process for the homoepitaxial growth of antimony superlattices in silicon. The all low-temperature superlattice doping process is compatible as a postfabrication step for device passivation. The authors have used low-temperature molecular beam epitaxy to embed atomically thin (2D), highly concentrated layers of dopant atoms within nanometers of the surface. This process allows for dopant densities on the order of 1013–1014 cm−2 (1020–1021 cm−3); higher than can be achieved with three-dimensional doping techniques. This effort builds on prior work with n-type delta doping; the authors have optimized the growth processes to achieve delta layers with sharp dopant profiles. By transitioning from a standard effusion cell to a valved cracker cell for antimony evaporation, the authors have achieved carrier densities approaching 1021 cm−3 with peak distribution at ∼10 A FWHM for single delta layers. Even at the highest dopant concentrations studied, no deterioration in carrie...
Institution initiatives and support related to faculty development of open educational resources and alternative textbooks.

ABSTRACTEvidence exists that American institutions of higher education are well-entrenched in the consideration of mechanisms for supporting the implementation of Open Educational Resources (OER) a...
Preserving Genome Integrity and Function: The DNA Damage Response and Histone Modifications

Modulation of chromatin templates in response to cellular cues, including DNA damage, relies heavily on the post-translation modification of histones. Numerous types of histone modifications including phosphorylation, methylation, acetylation, and ubiquitylation occur on specific histone residues in response to DNA damage. These histone marks regulate both the structure and function of chromatin, allowing for the transition between chromatin states that function in undamaged condition to those that occur in the presence of DNA damage. Histone modifications play well-recognized roles in sensing, processing, and repairing damaged DNA to ensure the integrity of genetic information and cellular homeostasis. This review highlights our current understanding of histone modifications as they relate to DNA damage responses (DDRs) and their involvement in genome maintenance, including the potential targeting of histone modification regulators in cancer, a disease that exhibits both epigenetic dysregulation and intrinsic DNA damage.
Factors associated with health facility delivery in West and Central Africa: A multilevel analysis of seven countries.

AbstractWe examined associations between individual and community socioeconomic status (SES) and childbirth in a health facility in West and Central Africa using data from the 2009–2011 United Nati...
Survival analysis of hospital length of stay of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia patients in Sichuan, China

ABSTRACT Objective Allocation of medical resource is essential to a strong public health system in response to COVID-19. Analysis of confirmed COVID-19 patients’ hospital length of stay in Sichuan can be informative to decision-making in other regions of the world. Design A retrospective cross-sectional study. Data and Method Data from confirmed COVID-19 cases in Sichuan Province were obtained from the National Notifiable Diseases Reporting System (NNDRS) and field survey. We collected information on demographic, epidemiological, clinical characteristics, and the length of hospital stay for confirmed patients. We conducted an exploratory analysis using adjusted multivariate cox-proportional models. Participants A total of 538 confirmed patients of COVID-19 infection in Sichuan Province from January to March 2020. Outcome measure The length of hospital stay after admissions for confirmed patients. Results From January 16, 2020 to March 4, 2020, 538 human cases of COVID-19 infection were laboratory-confirmed, and were hospitalized for treatment. Among these, 271 (50%) were 45 years of age or above, 285 (53%) were male, 450 (84%) were considered as having mild symptoms. The median hospital length of stay was 19 days (interquartile range (IQR): 14-23, Range: 3-41). Adjusted multivariate analysis showed that longer hospital length of stay was associated with factors aged 45 and over (HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.60-0.91), those admitted to provincial hospital (HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.54-0.99), and those with serious illness (HR: 0.66, 95% CI: 0.48-0.90); living in areas with more than 5.5 healthcare workers per 1000 population (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.05-1.65) was associated with shorter hospital length of stay. There was no gender difference. Conclusions Preparation control measures of COVID-19 should involve the allocation of sufficient medical resources, especially in areas with older vulnerable populations and in areas that lack basic medical resources. Strengths and limitations of this study ▸Patients at least 45 years, those with serious illness, those living in areas with fewer healthcare workers per 1,000 people, and those admitted to higher levels of hospitalization had longer lengths of hospitalization, while gender, time interval from onset to visit the hospital had no effect on the length of the hospital stay. ▸Preparation of timely evidence-based prevention and control measures for COVID-19 involve allocation of sufficient medical resources, especially in areas with older vulnerable populations and in areas that lack basic medical resources. ▸Based on findings, it is of great significance to strengthen the construction of multi-level medical institutions in response to public health emergencies and occupation of medical resources. ▸The characteristics of inpatients can be further subdivided to obtain more detailed inpatient characteristics.
Organic Photovoltaics: Relating Chemical Structure, Local Morphology, and Electronic Properties

Substantial enhancements in the efficiencies of bulk-heterojunction (BHJ) organic solar cells (OSCs) have come from largely trial-and-error-based optimizations of the morphology of the active layers. Further improvements, however, require a detailed understanding of the relationships among chemical structure, morphology, electronic properties, and device performance. On the experimental side, characterization of the local (i.e., nanoscale) morphology remains challenging, which has called for the development of robust computational methodologies that can reliably address those aspects. In this review, we describe how a methodology that combines all-atom molecular dynamics (AA-MD) simulations with density functional theory (DFT) calculations allows the establishment of chemical structure–local morphology–electronic properties relationships. We also provide a brief overview of coarse-graining methods in an effort to bridge local to global (i.e., mesoscale to microscale) morphology. Finally, we give a few examples of machine learning (ML) applications that can assist in the discovery of these relationships.
Bridging-Controlled Network Microstructure and Long-Wavelength Fluctuations in Silica-Poly(2-vinylpyridine) Nanocomposites: Experimental Results and Theoretical Analysis

We have performed small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements to study the evolution of length-scale-dependent nanoparticle (NP) correlations over a wide range of loadings in miscible silica–p...
Lightening the mood: evidence for blue light exposure in the treatment of post-concussion depression

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), or concussion, is an exceptionally common injury during sports activities, but can also occur from falls, moving vehicle accidents, physical violence, or even ex...
A new zombie ant behavior unraveled: Aggregating on tree trunks

Hosts can be manipulated by parasites to move to locations advantageous for onward transmission. To investigate the role of behavioral manipulation in creating transmission hotspots, we studied the distribution of zombie turtle ants in the Amazon rainforest. The turtle ant Cephalotes atratus nests and mostly forages in the canopy, but is found at the base of trees when infected with the zombie ant fungus Ophiocordyceps kniphofioides. We found 626 infected cadavers on 14.8% of 162 trees sampled. Cadavers were highly aggregated on the surface of the trees, explained by behavioral observations indicating infected ants as slightly attracted to zombie ant cadavers on a tree. From 1,726 h of camera footage, we recorded the removal of three zombie ant cadavers by live ants. The number of removals compared to the density of infected individuals indicates the base of a tree as an escape from the evolved ability of social insects to recognize and treat disease inside the nest, allowing the parasite to continuously remain in the environment.
Age at Initiation of Cigarette Use in a Nationally Representative Sample of US Youth, 2013-2017.

Importance Cigarettes are still a commonly used tobacco product among youth despite recent declines in cigarette use. Objective The aim of this study was to prospectively estimate the age of cigarette use initiation among youth (aged 12-17 years) overall, by sex, and by race/ethnicity. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used data from waves 1 through 4 of the nationally representative Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, conducted from September 12, 2013, to January 3, 2018. Two subpopulations of youth were assessed: (1) those nonsusceptible to cigarette use and (2) never users of cigarettes at their first wave of PATH participation. Weighted interval-censoring survival analyses were used to prospectively estimate the age of initiation of cigarette use outcomes. Weighted interval-censoring Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate differences in the age of initiation by sex and by race/ethnicity. Statistical analyses were performed from October 7, 2019, to May 1, 2020. Exposures Differences in the age of initiation by sex and race/ethnicity. Main Outcomes and Measures Age of initiation of susceptibility to cigarette use, ever use, past 30-day use, and fairly regular cigarette use overall, by sex, and by race/ethnicity. Results A total of 15 776 youth never users and, among them, 11 022 youth who were nonsusceptible to cigarette use, were included in this study (weighted mean [SE] age, 13.5 [0.01] years; 58.6% [SE, 0.46%] non-Hispanic White; and 51.0% [SE, 0.32%] boys) and 15 776 were never users of cigarettes at their first wave of PATH participation (weighted mean [SE] age, 13.7 [0.01] years; 55.0% [SE, 0.29%] non-Hispanic White; and 51.0% [SE, 0.15%] boys). By age 18 years, among those who were nonsusceptible, 46.2% (95% CI, 44.3%-48.2%) became susceptible to cigarette use. Among never users by age 18, 24.3% (95% CI, 20.7%-28.0%) initiated ever cigarette use, 16.4% (95% CI, 14.5%-18.3%) initiated past 30-day cigarette use, and 3.5% (95% CI, 2.3%-4.7%) initiated fairly regular cigarette use. Boys had a higher risk of initiating ever (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; 95% CI, 1.08-1.36) and past 30-day cigarette use (HR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.10-1.47) at earlier ages compared with girls. Non-Hispanic White youth had a higher risk of an earlier age of initiation of susceptibility to cigarette use (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.68-0.88), ever use (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.49-0.71), past 30-day use (HR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.77), and fairly regular cigarette use (HR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.14-0.43) compared with non-Hispanic Black youth. Conclusions and Relevance The results of this cohort study suggest that, despite current interventions and existing laws, a large number of youth initiated cigarette use before the legal age to purchase tobacco products.
Temporal improvements in renal surgery outcomes across surgical approaches.

To evaluate patient outcomes in a contemporary cohort of patients undergoing partial nephrectomy (PN) or radical nephrectomy (RN). The NSQIP database was used to identify patients undergoing PN or RN for renal neoplasms between 2010 and 2018. The SEER database was also queried to assess changes in tumor staging during the study period. Logistic regression was used to assess the independent relationship between surgery year and approach on postoperative complications. Between 2010 and 2018, NSQIP captured 58,020 cases, including 26,745 (46%) PN and 31,275 (54%) RN. The proportion of PN increased annually, from 39.8% in 2010 to 48.7% in 2018. This rise in PN coincided with a decrease in the proportion of patients experiencing complications, irrespective of surgical approach (20.4% of total cases to 14.2% of total cases). While limited by a lack of information on tumor characteristics, multivariable analysis controlling for patient characteristics demonstrated that RN was associated with an increased risk of complications, OR 1.42 (95% CI 1.35–1.49). Here, we report an 8.9% increase in the proportion of patients undergoing PN between 2010 and 2018, with no associated increase in perioperative morbidity/mortality. Given that there was no concurrent shift in stage or size of kidney tumors undergoing resection during the study period, these data therefore suggest markedly improved surgical technique and perioperative management nationally. Furthermore, the relative burden of complications has shifted from patients undergoing PN to those undergoing RN. Therefore PN, when technically feasible, should be increasingly considered.
Body mass index and adverse outcomes among singletons with cerclage.

Abstract Objective To compare the neonatal and maternal adverse outcomes among women with cerclage and prepregnancy body mass index (BMI) > 30 kg/m2 Study Design This retrospective cohort study utilized the U.S. Vital Statistics Datasets from 2011−2013. Inclusion criteria were women with non-anomalous singletons, with cerclage placement, without diabetes or hypertensive disorders, and who delivered at 20–41 weeks. The primary outcome was the composite neonatal adverse outcome (Apgar score below 5 at 5 min, birth injury, assisted ventilation for more than 6 h, neonatal seizure, or neonatal death). The secondary outcomes included the composite maternal adverse outcome (admission to intensive care unit, maternal transfusion, ruptured uterus, unplanned hysterectomy, or unplanned operating room procedure), chorioamnionitis, and cesarean delivery. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust error variance were used, while adjusting for confounders. Adjusted relative risk with 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Results Of the 22,466 live births that met the inclusion criteria during the study period, 6427 (28.6 %) had cerclage and prepregnancy BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2. The composite neonatal adverse outcome was significantly increased (aRR 1.45; 95 % CI 1.33−1.60) among women with cerclage and BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 when compared to those with BMI Conclusion Among pregnancies with cerclage and delivery at 20–41 weeks, the risk of the composite neonatal adverse outcome was modestly increased in newborns delivered by women with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 than those delivered by women with BMI
Relationship between socioeconomic status, exposure to airborne pollutants, and chronic rhinosinusitis disease severity

BACKGROUND Air pollution directly interacts with airway mucosa, yet little is known about how pollutants affect upper airway inflammation. Studies have shown increased incidence of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), rhinitis, and asthma in areas with higher traffic pollution, and these neighborhoods are often associated with lower socioeconomic status (SES). The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) assesses neighborhood-level SES by zip code. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between SES and exposure to inhaled pollutants and CRS disease severity. METHODS CRS patients with and without nasal polyps (CRSwNP and CRSsNP, respectively) were identified (total patients = 234; CRSwNP patients = 138; CRSsNP patients = 96). Pollutant concentrations, including particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5 ), black carbon (BC), and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), were measured at 70 sites within the defined countywide sites and used to estimate patient exposures. SES was measured by ADI state deciles. Disease severity metrics included the modified Lund-Mackay score (LMS), the need for systemic steroids, and functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Associations were analyzed and identified using linear, logistic, and Poisson multivariable regression. RESULTS The distribution of CRSsNP and CRSwNP patients across ADI state deciles was similar. ADI, however, was a predictor of exposure to airborne pollutants (PM2.5 , BC, and NO2 ) with a 1.39%, 2.39%, and 2.49% increase in PM2.5 , BC, and NO2 per increasing decile increment (p < 0.0001), respectively, which demonstrated a direct correlation between deprived neighborhoods and higher levels of exposure to PM2.5 , BC, and NO2 with an increase in pollutant levels per increase in ADI decile. Furthermore, ADI was a predictor for increased steroid treatment. CONCLUSION Lower SES predicted higher exposure to air pollution and increased disease severity in patients with CRS as demonstrated by the increased need for steroid treatment.
Role of Coulomb interactions in dark-bright magnetoexciton mixing in strained quantum wells

Coupled magnetoexciton states between allowed (``bright'') and forbidden (``dark'') transitions are found in absorption spectra of strained ${\mathrm{In}}_{0.2}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.8}\mathrm{As}∕\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{As}$ quantum wells with increasing magnetic field up to $30\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{T}$. We find large $(\ensuremath{\sim}9\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{meV})$ energy splittings in the mixed states. The observed anticrossing behavior is independent of polarization, and sensitive only to the parity of the quantum confined states. Detailed experimental and theoretical investigations indicate that valence band complexity does not play a role. We find that the excitonic Coulomb interaction is a necessary condition for the anticrossing to occur, while the magnitude of the energy splitting correlates with strain. In addition, we determine the spin composition of the mixed states.
Respiratory syncytial virus immunoprophylaxis: impact on epidemiology.

Objective: To better understand the spectrum of disease among hospitalised children infected with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and to assess the potential impact of passive immunoprophylaxis on RSV hospitalisation rates, we analysed all patients infected with RSV who were admitted to a paediatric teaching hospital over a 3-year period. Design: We performed a retrospective chart review of all paediatric patients from whom RSV was isolated between October 1, 1994 and April 30, 1997. Results: A total of 255 children infected with RSV were hospitalised during this 3-year period. 246 (96%) patients had community acquired infections and 9 (4%) had nosocomial infections. Excluding patients with nosocomial infections, the mean length of hospital stay was 4.7 days. 70 (28%) children were admitted to the intensive care unit, 32 (13%) were intubated and there was a total of 4 deaths (1.6%). 48% of hospitalised patients were in 1 of 4 previously recognised high risk groups. Of the 52% of patients not in a defined high risk category, 42% were otherwise healthy infants (>6 weeks of age) and 10% had chronic underlying illnesses generally not associated with an increased risk of severe RSV disease. Patients not in a defined high risk category accounted for 46% of total hospital days. Conclusion: In order to reduce overall RSV hospitalisation rates and the economic burden to society, programmes for disease prevention must be directed at healthy infants as well as children in recognised high risk categories. Even if all currently eligible candidates were to have received passive immunoprophylaxis, which yields about a 50% reduction in hospitalisation rates, the number of RSV hospitalisations in our 3-year study would have been reduced by no more than 9%. Without development and widespread use of an effective RSV vaccine, a major impact on RSV-induced hospitalisation is unlikely.
Translational treatment of aphasia combining neuromodulation and behavioral intervention for lexical retrieval: implications from a single case study.

Background Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive method of brain stimulation, is an adjunctive research-therapy for aphasia. The concept supporting translational application of tDCS is that brain plasticity, facilitated by language intervention, can be enhanced by non-invasive brain stimulation. This study combined tDCS with an ecologically-focused behavioral approach that involved training nouns and verbs in sentences. Method Participant: A 43-year-old, right-handed male with fluent-anomic aphasia who sustained a single-left-hemisphere-temporal-parietal stroke was recruited. Treatment: Instrumentation included the Soterix Medical 1x1 Device. Anodal tDCS was applied over Broca’s area. Behavioral materials included: sentence production, naming in the sentence context, and implementation of a social-conversational-discourse treatment. Design and Procedures: The independent variable of this crossover case-study was tDCS, and the dependent variables were language and quality-of-life measures. In each session the subject received language treatment with the first twenty minutes additionally including tDCS. Results Performance in naming nouns and verbs in single words and sentences were obtained. Verb production in the sentence context increased after active anodal tDCS and speech-language treatment. Conclusion Aphasia treatment that involves naming in the sentence context in conjunction with translational application of tDCS may be a promising approach for language-recovery post stroke.
Casting a net to better understand fisheries management: An affiliation network analysis of the Great Lakes Fishery Commission

Abstract Natural resource governance, and fisheries management in particular, includes multiple governmental jurisdictions and stakeholders. For many fisheries, however, an understanding of the numbers of organizations involved in management and the relationships among those organizations remains lacking. Using an email survey, we investigated the affiliation network of formal and informal relationships of Great Lakes Fishery Commission (GLFC) policy and decision makers (i.e., organizations involved in the management of Laurentian Great Lakes fisheries). The 63 respondents identified 1516 relationships with 149 organizations which provide numerous opportunities for groups to share resources and information. Important organizational roles that can be identified through network analysis include the coordinating role of the GLFC׳s staff and connections through stakeholder representatives. Informal relationships are an important aspect of the affiliation network with more than one-third of all relationships identified as informal relationships and 16 organizations identified only through informal relationships. Identification of affiliation networks could be a useful tool for understanding the connection between diverse stakeholder organizations and natural resource managers.
Clarification of the Diverse Actions of Iodide on Antithyroid Effect of Sulfonamides and Thionamides.

SummaryRats fed sulfadiazine (SD) or propylthiouracil (PTU) for 14 days developed thyroid hypertrophy. Addition of 1 mg KI daily did not affect the SD-induced goiter but greatly reduced that due to PTU. Neither SD nor PTU alone, in the doses employed, blocked organic binding of iodine completely. Iodide added to SD completely inhibited organic binding of iodine. Iodide added to PTU did not change the degree of inhibition of thyroidal biosynthesis due to PTU alone but increased the absolute amount of thyroxine and triiodothyronine formed.
The effect of carbon dioxide on the diameter of brain capillaries.

Abstract Cerebral capillaries in cats subjected to variations in carbon dioxide tensions were studied using carbon black perfusion fixation. Five animals each were grouped into hypocapnia, normocapnia, and hypercapnia and 500 cortical, 250 white matter and 250 caudate nucleus capillaries per group were analyzed at 400 × magnification. Capillary diameters were found to change significantly in the cortex (6.1–10.0 μm), white matter (6.5–9.6 μm) and caudate nucleus (6.3–8.8 μm) from hypocapnia to hypercapnia, respectively. These findings suggest that capillary vasomotion occurs and that capillaries are not rigid tubes as previously portrayed.
Performance of real-time distributed arrival time control in heterarchical manufacturing systems

A highly distributed feedback control algorithm for autonomous part entities in heterarchical manufacturing systems is presented in this paper. A difference equation-based model is developed to analyze the discrete time dynamics of the resulting nonlinear control system. Control parameters are found analytically that guarantee that the system is bounded under disturbances. The dynamic response to: (i) changes in due dates; and (ii) the bulk arrival of parts is presented. The ability of the system to exponentially reduce the mean and variance of due-date deviation in the single machine case makes it an attractive option for real-time control of just-in-time production.
Chronic venous insufficiency

Chronic venous insufficiency of the lower extremities is a complicated disorder that affects the productivity and well-being of millions of people worldwide. Management requires careful differential diagnosis and a systematic long-term multidisciplinary care effort directed toward realistic goals within the context of the patient's lifestyle. Optimal therapy requires control of abnormal venous physiology combined with adjunctive treatments to correct secondary skin ulceration, infection, and lymphedema. Fundamental management tools are limb elevation, simple dressings, antibiotics, and elastic compression garments. Patients with large leg ulcers may benefit from split-thickness skin grafting. Other selected patients may benefit from ligation and stripping of superficial veins or subfascial interruption of perforating veins. New endoscopic methods have dramatically reduced morbidity from subfascial perforator surgery. Surgery directed at correcting valvular reflux and venous occlusion is possible in highly selected patients.