cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The First 150 Endovascular AAA Repairs at a Single Institution: How Steep Is the Learning Curve?

l l Purpose: To determine whether increasing experience with endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair in a single institution will result in improved outcome. Methods: A retrospective review was undertaken of 150 consecutive cases of endovascular AAA repairs performed using the AneuRx device between October 1996 and April 2000 in a university-based medical center. The population was divided into early and late groups of 75 patients each. Endpoints included technical success; complications; early (#30-day) morbidity, mortality and rupture; endoleak at discharge and at 1 month; early secondary intervention; proximal neck and iliac tortuosity; extender cuff placement; femoral recon- structions beyond primary repair; total fluoroscopy time; and contrast load. Results: Baseline patient and aneurysm characteristics were similar between the 2 groups. Technical success was 98.7%; 2 cases were converted intraprocedurally owing to difficult iliac access (early group) and a severely angulated proximal neck (late group). There was a tendency toward more frequent use of intraoperative proximal extender cuffs in the early group (12% versus 4% in the late group, p50.13). Femoral reconstructions were more frequent in the early group (36% versus 19%, p,0.025). While total contrast volume was similar (111 6 56 versus 105 6 45 mL, p5NS), total fluoroscopy time was significantly reduced (p,0.05) between the early and late groups. Conclusions: With attention to detail and careful patient selection, successful endovascular AAA repair can be achieved with very few conversions and low perioperative mortality even during the center's early experience. Evidence indicates, however, that a learning curve definitely exists, as shown by fewer access site problems, more accurate device deployments, and decreased fluoroscopy times as proficiency is attained. J Endovasc Ther 2002;9:269-276
Boundary Layer Fracture in Composite Solder Joints

Composite solder connections, modeled as miniature single-lap shear layers between copper plates, were fabricated and pulled to fracture. The solder layers (3.1 × 3.1 × 0.50 mm) were eutectic lead-tin/particulate Cu6 Sn5 composites. Under load, shear fractures extended along paths about 10 µm inside of the interfaces from opposite edges. These boundary layer fractures were characterized and a fracture model was developed. A corresponding test method for measuring JII and δII , the crack extension energy and crack tip shear displacement for Mode II crack growth, is given, and the results are discussed. Composite strengthening is shown to significantly improve the ductility and the creep life, properties associated with improved reliability and creepfatigue life.
Stochastic localization of CBRN releases

We present a novel methodology for chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear (CBRN) source localization in urban environments. Our approach uses only information reported by CBRN sensors monitoring the environment and thus does not rely on solving any challenging inverse plume dispersion problems. We illustrate and evaluate our technique using three-dimensional CBRN release simulations.
Mental Health Disorders In Childhood: Assessing The Burden On Families

It is well known that caring for a sick child creates an economic burden for families. Less is known about how this burden differs by condition. We found that caring for a child with mental health care needs affects financial well-being more than caring for a child with other special health care needs. Parents of children with mental health disorders are also more likely than other parents to cut work hours, to quit work, and to spend more time arranging their child’s care. Equalizing private insurance coverage and providing cash support could play a vital role in easing the economic toll of care for children with mental health disorders.
Beneficial effects of warmed humidified oxygen combined with nebulized albuterol and ipratropium in pediatric patients with acute exacerbation of asthma in winter months.

Background: The objective of this study was to determine whether a combination of nebulized albuterol and ipratropium with warmed humidified oxygen would be more beneficial when compared to the same combination with humidified oxygen at room temperature. Albuterol alone was tested in the same settings. Methods: All patients between 6 and 17 years of age who presented to a pediatric emergency department in the winter months with acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma were given a combination of nebulized albuterol and ipratropium with warmed or room temperature humidified oxygen. Peak flow was measured before and after the treatment. Results: Sixty patients were enrolled in the study, with 15 subjects in each group. The mean increase in peak flow in the albuterol-ipratropium with warm humidified oxygen group was 52.6, and in the albuterol-ipratropium with humidified oxygen at room temperature group, it was 26.2. The results of the albuterol with warmed humidified oxygen and with humidified oxygen at room temperature groups were 20.6 and 34.3, respectively. The differences between the groups were statistically significant. Conclusion: Our study shows that warmed humidified oxygen given along with the combination of nebulized albuterol and ipratropium is more beneficial for pediatric patients having an acute exacerbation of bronchial asthma in the winter months when compared to nebulized albuterol alone with warmed humidified oxygen, nebulized albuterol alone with room temperature humidified oxygen, or a combination of nebulized albuterol and ipratropium with room temperature humidified oxygen.
Guidelines and global risk: a U.S. perspective

Several studies have shown that coronary heart disease is poorly controlled in the U.S.A. In particular, in a significant proportion of patients, cholesterol levels are not being measured, and individuals who have been prescribed lipid-lowering medication usually fail to achieve recommended targets. The National Cholesterol Education Program has recently published the recommendations of its third Adult Treatment Panel (ATP III). These guidelines differ from earlier guidelines in several ways. They advocate assessment of global risk in order to determine the type and intensity of treatment employed. Global risk calculation is based on a modified version of the Framingham algorithm, with a point-score system. Although low-density lipoprotein cholesterol continues to be highlighted as the primary target of therapy, ATP III for the first time officially defines the metabolic syndrome and considers it a secondary target for treatment. ATP III also recommends non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol as a secondary target for patients with high triglyceride levels, because data indicate that hypertriglyceridaemia is an independent risk factor for coronary heart disease. Under these new guidelines, three times as many people will qualify for treatment as compared with previous guidelines, representing a large increase in health care expenditure and important new challenges for clinicians. (Eur Heart J Supplements 2002; 4 (Suppl F): F7‐F11)
Does Evidence Presentation Format Affect Judgment? An Experimental Evaluation of Displays of Data for Judgments:

Information relevant to a prediction was presented in one of eight formats: a table of numbers, a brief text, a longer biographical story, and five different types of bar graphs. Experimental participants made judgments of marathon finishing times based on information about the runners' ages, prior performance, training, and motivation. A regression analysis was used to assess the individual judges' relative weighting of the various types of information relevant to their predictions. The different formats for displaying information yielded different levels of accuracy and patterns of information utilization. In accordance with an explanation-based decision model, the text and story displays induced the heaviest reliance on information about runners' motivation and prior performance and produced the most accurate judgments of marathon finishing times.
Human mucosal T-cell cytotoxicity

Non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxicity triggered by antibodies to the CD3 component of the human T-cell receptor complex is thought to be an indirect measure of in vivo primed cytotoxic T-cell activity. We have used this technique to examine the lytic activity of freshly isolated T cells from noninflamed human colonic mucosa. Anti-CD3-triggered T-cell (anti-CD3-T) cytotoxicity was found in all mucosal specimens studied. The mucosal anti-CD3-T effectors do not have Fc receptors for immunoglobulin G, and are therefore distinct from T gamma cells, which mediate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The surface antigen phenotype of mucosal anti-CD3-Ts is CD2+, CD3+, CD8+, CD4-, CD16-, and Leu7-. In contrast, peripheral blood anti-CD3-T effectors are Leu7+. Although non-major histocompatibility complex-restricted, mucosal anti-CD3-T cytotoxicity has considerable target specificity, which differs from that of natural killer and lymphokine-activated killer cells. The profile of target cell susceptibility and the inhibitory effects of anti-CD45 antibody suggest that the CD45 molecule on the effector cell may be an important determinant of anti-CD3-T sensitivity. As anti-CD3-triggered lysis may be a marker of in vivo primed mucosal T cells of undetermined antigen specificity, this technique might have important implications in inflammatory bowel disease, where the antigen(s) inciting the mucosal immune reactivity is not certain.
Wildfires, Communities, and Agencies: Stakeholders' Perceptions of Postfire Forest Restoration and Rehabilitation

After wildfire, land managers are often called on to undertake complex restoration activities while also managing relations with wildfire-devastated communities. This research investigates the community‐US Forest Service agency relations in the postwildfire period in three western US communities. In each community, we interviewed key informant representatives from government, business, environmental organizations, and recreation groups and conducted focus groups to gather input from residents located near burn areas. The goal was to understand how forest restoration and rehabilitation efforts and agency outreach were perceived by stakeholders who were recently affected by wildfire and how these perceptions were related to underlying community and fire conditions. Our findings suggest that four vectors interact to determine the level of expectations and need for agency‐community engagement in the postfire period: (1) the extent and characteristics of the fire; (2) community economic, recreational, and emotional connection to the forest; (3) the history of agency‐community relations; and (4) the level of volunteerism in the community. We provide a schematic of different types of collaboration relevant to the postfire period in which, generally, residents preferred action-oriented collaboration, while other agency personnel were more amenable to collaborative planning. On-theground volunteer restoration activities helped restore community spirit and improve agency‐community relations, and increased education and outreach were desirable. The model developed in this research argues for agency responses that consider both the social and the ecological communities when planning postfire restoration projects.
Cruella : Developing a scalable tissue microarray data management system

Abstract Context.—Compared with DNA microarray technology, relatively little information is available concerning the special requirements, design influences, and implementation strategies of data systems for tissue microarray technology. These issues include the requirement to accommodate new and different data elements for each new project as well as the need to interact with pre-existing models for clinical, biological, and specimen-related data. Objective.—To design and implement a flexible, scalable tissue microarray data storage and management system that could accommodate information regarding different disease types and different clinical investigators, and different clinical investigation questions, all of which could potentially contribute unforeseen data types that require dynamic integration with existing data. Design.—The unpredictability of the data elements combined with the novelty of automated analysis algorithms and controlled vocabulary standards in this area require flexible designs and...
ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education

“It’s easier to move a cemetery than to change a curriculum.” When these words were originally spoken, dental education probably wasn’t the focus. However, numerous authors and speakers over the past twenty years are convinced that these words describe the reality of curriculum reform in a
Potential Adverse Effects of Statins on Muscle

Many people have high blood cholesterol that may lead to coronary heart disease (CHD). A multifaceted approach consisting of diet, exercise, and pharmacological management is recommended to lower the risk of CHD.1 Elevated low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) has been established as a major cause of CHD.1 The group of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A [HMG-CoA] reductase inhibitors) are widely and successfully used in the management of atherosclerotic disease processes that include CHD, myocardial infarction, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.2 Statins inhibit the formation of HMG-CoA reductase, which is essential in forming mevalonate, a precursor to cholesterol and other compounds. Lowering LDL-C is the goal of statin therapy, and multiple studies indicate that lowering LDL-C decreases the risk for CHD in people without a history of CHD and decreases the risk for cardiovascular events in people with a history of CHD.1 Six statins are currently available, and they are known by a variety of brand names: atorvastatin (Lipitor*), fluvastatin (Lescol†), lovastatin (Mevacor,‡ Altoprev§), pravastatin (Pravachol‖), rosuvastatin (Crestor#), and simvastatin (Zocor‡)2–4 (Table). Although these drugs have been very successful in managing the cardiovascular health of many patients, there are also potential adverse effects that have been identified. The most common adverse effects reported include muscle pain or weakness that can progress to rhabdomyolysis and mortality.5 If detected early, statin-related symptoms are reversible after withdrawal of the statin.6,7 Early identification of these potentially serious adverse effects makes the information in this update critical for physical therapists, because they frequently screen patients with musculoskeletal complaints. View this table: Table. Available Statins and Recommended Dosages Considering that more than 76 million prescriptions for statins were filled in 2000,8 there was increased concern in the medical and lay …
Absence of evidence for increase in risk for autism or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder following antidepressant exposure during pregnancy: a replication study

Multiple studies have examined the risk of prenatal antidepressant exposure and risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with inconsistent results. Precisely estimating such risk, if any, is of great importance in light of the need to balance such risk with the benefit of depression and anxiety treatment. We developed a method to integrate data from multiple New England health systems, matching offspring and maternal health data in electronic health records to characterize diagnoses and medication exposure. Children with ASD or ADHD were matched 1:3 with children without neurodevelopmental disorders. Association between maternal antidepressant exposure and ASD or ADHD liability was examined using logistic regression, adjusting for potential sociodemographic and psychiatric confounding variables. In new cohorts of 1245 ASD cases and 1701 ADHD cases, along with age-, sex- and socioeconomic status matched controls, neither disorder was significantly associated with prenatal antidepressant exposure in crude or adjusted models (adjusted odds ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.50-1.54 for ASD; 0.97, 95% confidence interval 0.53-1.69 for ADHD). Pre-pregnancy antidepressant exposure significantly increased risk for both disorders. These results suggest that prior reports of association between prenatal antidepressant exposure and neurodevelopmental disease are likely to represent a false-positive finding, which may arise in part through confounding by indication. They further demonstrate the potential to integrate data across electronic health records studies spanning multiple health systems to enable efficient pharmacovigilance investigation.
Use of Google Street View to Assess Environmental Contributions to Pedestrian Injury

Objectives. To demonstrate an information technology–based approach to assess characteristics of streets and intersections associated with injuries that is less costly and time-consuming than location-based studies of pedestrian injury.Methods. We used imagery captured by Google Street View from 2007 to 2011 to assess 9 characteristics of 532 intersections within New York City. We controlled for estimated pedestrian count and estimated the relation between intersections’ characteristics and frequency of injurious collisions.Results. The count of pedestrian injuries at intersections was associated with the presence of marked crosswalks (80% increase; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2%, 218%), pedestrian signals (156% increase; 95% CI = 69%, 259%), nearby billboards (42% increase; 95% CI = 7%, 90%), and bus stops (120% increase; 95% CI = 51%, 220%). Injury incidence per pedestrian was lower at intersections with higher estimated pedestrian volumes.Conclusions. Consistent with in-person study observations, th...
Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome limits the inflammatory injury following myocardial ischemia-reperfusion in the mouse

Abstract Background Successful reperfusion is the most effective strategy to reduce ischemic injury in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Ischemic injury, however, also triggers a secondary ischemia–independent injury, known as reperfusion injury, contributing to the overall infarct size. We hypothesize that inhibition of the Nod-like Receptor Protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome limits infarct size following myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), by inhibiting the inflammatory component of the reperfusion injury. Methods CD-1 male mice underwent transient ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery for 30 or 75min followed by reperfusion. Infarct size was measured at 1, 3 and 24h. A NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitor (NLRP3inh) or vehicle was administrated immediately at time of reperfusion or with a delay of 1 or 3h of reperfusion. Results A time-dependent increase in infarct size was measured at 1, 3, and 24h after reperfusion (11±2%, 30±5% and 43±4% of the area at risk respectively; P Conclusions Pharmacological inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome within 1h of reperfusion limits the secondary inflammatory injury and infarct size following myocardial ischemia–reperfusion in the mouse.
The effectiveness of Pilates on balance and falls in community dwelling older adults.

Summary Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine whether Pilates is more effective than traditional strength and balance exercises for improving balance measures, balance confidence and reducing falls in community dwelling older adults with fall risk. Method Thirty-one participants with fall risk were randomly assigned to the Pilates group (PG) or the traditional exercise group (TG). Both groups participated in 12 weeks of exercise, 2 times/week for 1 h. Results There was significant improvement in the Fullerton Advanced Balance Scale for both the PG (mean difference = 6.31, p Conclusion Both Pilates and traditional balance programs are effective at improving balance measures in community dwelling older adults with fall risk, with the Pilates group showing improved balance confidence.
Some Viewpoints on the Phylogeny of Rust Fungi. III. Origin of Grass Rusts

Serious economic losses caused by cereal rusts to our grain crops and field grasses are well known facts of much concern to plant growers. For example, it is estimated that six species of the genus Puccinia, which attack our main cereals, are causing more losses every year than all other rusts combined (Arthur, 1929, p. 326). This is due to the fundamental value of these crops, which form the main basis of the food supply for both man and domestic animals, and also to the wide-spread and aggressive nature of the rusts involved. Therefore, it is no wonder that the cereal rusts have been the object of most intensive study for centuries. In spite of the importance and the increasing scientific interest of the grass rusts, little is known about the phylogeny and evolution of this group of fungi. In most existent monographs and manuals, referred to at the end of this paper, little information is given about the origin and genetic relationships of grass rusts. Up to the present time, no generally accepted phylogenetic system has been proposed either for taxonomic classification or for practical identification of the enormous number of rusts on gramineous plants. Yet our most effective control measure, the breeding of rust-resistant varieties, depends ultimately upon our knowledge of the genetic constitution and phylogenetic relationships of the rusts involved. Through a series of genetic studies on the flax rust, Flor (1955, 1956) has recently shown that the host and parasite possess complementary genetic systems, which are based upon a series of multiple alleles at several gene loci. Any gene for resistance in the host plant acts only when there is a cor-
Monitoring/Baiting Station To Detect and Eliminate Foraging Populations of Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Near Structures

Commercial prototype monitoring/baiting stations were used to detect, bait, and elminate field populations of the Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes fornwsanus Shiraki, and the eastern subterranean termite, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), near structures. Because of the durable plastic housing, the station can be used by pest control professionals for ongoing monitoring and baiting programs to provide continuous protection of structures from subterranean termites.
Detecting Ordinaries, Extremes, Similarities, and Differences: Univariate Descriptions of Urban Layouts

This first analytic chapter of the book describes the ordinaries, extremes, similarities, and differences in the geometry of urban layouts of the downtown areas of all the cities in the study sample, and of the cities in developed and developing countries separately. For its purpose, it uses univariate statistics of the data on the geometric measures of the street and street centerline maps, the urban block maps, and the axial and segment maps identified in the previous chapter.
Impacts of second-generation biofuel feedstock production in the central U.S. on the hydrologic cycle and global warming mitigation potential

Biofuel feedstocks provide a renewable energy source that can reduce fossil fuel emissions, however, if produced on a large scale they can also impact local to regional water and carbon budgets. Simulation results for 2005-2014 from a regional weather model adapted to simulate the growth of two perennial grass biofuel feedstocks suggest that replacing at least half the current annual cropland with these grasses would increase water use efficiency and drive greater rainfall downwind of perturbed grid cells, but increased evapotranspiration (ET) might switch the Mississippi River basin from having a net warm-season surplus of water (precipitation minus ET) to a net deficit. While this scenario reduces land required for biofuel feedstock production relative to current use for maize grain ethanol production, it only offsets approximately one decade of projected anthropogenic warming and increased water vapor results in greater atmospheric heat content.
Using history of technology to promote an understanding of the impact of engineering solutions among practitioners at the university level

The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), the primary accreditation organization for post-secondary engineering and technology departments in the United States, requires that all engineering curriculum include courses that teach students about the relationship between engineering practice and society. This paper first argues that many engineering schools are having difficulty meeting this requirement in a meaningful way. This paper then argues that history offers a wonderful stage on which to illustrate the engineering-society relationships. This paper then goes to present the results of the IEEE History Center's efforts to develop history of technology courses for engineering students
Computational Hemodynamics of Cerebral Aneurysms

Stroke is the third cause of death after heart attack and cancer, and the leading cause of long-term disabilities in the western world. It consists in the death of a part of the brain due to oxygen deficiency. The complete understanding of the genesis and development of the cerebrovascular diseases that lead to stroke requires measuring physical quantities, like arterial wall shear stress, elasticity properties of the vessels and blood flow velocity field in regions of complex flow, which is not possible with current neuroradiological techniques. While experiments with animals, human replicas and in-vitro have significant limitations, patient-specific image-based numerical models have demonstrated to be a reliable, fast and inexpensive way to study the problem. Studies using those models have the potential to replicate the exact anatomy of specific patients in order to connect specific hemodynamic factors to clinical events. A methodology to carry out these studies is presented in this work. It includes image processing and segmentation algorithms, unstructured 3D grid generation, finite element solver for Navier-Stokes equations, rheological models and visualization techniques. The main purpose of this work is to use this methodology to study cerebral aneurysms, which are pathological dilatations of arterial walls whose rupture may produce stroke. Previous studies have identified some factors involved in the initiation, growth and rupture, such as arterial hemodynamics, wall biomechanics, mechanobiology, and intracranial environment. In this work, possible associations between the hemodynamic characterization and rupture were investigated. Part of this work was devoted to extending the methodology in order to create models of arterial networks from multiple rotational angiography images. This is particularly useful to study aneurysms fed by more than one vessel. Particularly, a very detailed study of anterior communicating artery aneurysms is presented. Aneurysms located in this artery receive blood from both internal carotid arteries, which may produce complex intra-aneurysmal flow patterns. In addition, the methodology was analytically and in-vivo validated and several sensitivity studies were carried out to analyze the dependence of the intra-aneurysmal flow pattern and wall shear stress characterizations on some of the parameters and assumptions of the model.
Abstract PR02: Targeting NOTCH1 and C-MYC in humanized models of relapsed and induction failure pediatric T-ALL

Although prognosis has improved for children with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), 20-30% of patients undergo induction failure (IF) or relapse. Leukemia-initiating cells (L-ICs) are hypothesized to be resistant to chemotherapy and to mediate relapse. We and others have shown that Notch1 directly regulates c-Myc and c-Myc is a known regulator of quiescence in stem and progenitor populations, leading us to examine whether c-Myc inhibition results in efficient targeting of T-ALL-initiating cells. We demonstrate that c-Myc suppression by shRNA or pharmacological approaches prevents leukemia initiation in mice by reducing the L-IC population. Consistent with its anti-L-IC activity in mice, treatment with the BET bromodomain BRD4 inhibitor JQ1 reduces C-MYC expression and inhibits the growth of relapsed and induction failure (IF) pediatric T-ALL samples in vitro. Although treatment of relapsed T-ALL cells with gamma secretase inhibitors (GSI) or JQ1 reduces, it does not abrogate C-MYC mRNA levels, indicating a role for dual NOTCH and MYC inhibition in relapsed disease. To test this possibility, we engrafted immunodeficient NSG mice with relapsed pediatric T-ALL cells and treated them with vehicle, GSI, JQ1 or with GSI and JQ1 and monitored survival. Although JQ1 or GSI treatment alone significantly prolonged survival, the combination therapy was more effective at extending survival. These findings reveal a requirement for MYC in mouse and human L-IC maintenance and provide evidence that NOTCH1 and MYC inhibition may be an effective therapy for relapsed/IF T-ALL patients. This abstract is also presented as Poster A48. Citation Format: Justine E. Roderick, Jessica Tesell, Alejandro Gutierrez, Thomas Look, Jun Qi, James E. Bradner, Michelle A. Kelliher. Targeting NOTCH1 and C-MYC in humanized models of relapsed and induction failure pediatric T-ALL. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: The Translational Impact of Model Organisms in Cancer; Nov 5-8, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr PR02.
Semivolatility of Returns as a Measure of Downside Risk

Within statistics, semistandard deviation is a well-known measure used to analyze the dispersion of probability distributions. In finance, semistandard deviation of returns is sometimes defined consistently with its statistical definition, but it is sometimes defined differently. The ambiguity emanates from whether the number of observations in its calculation is specified as T , the total number of observations in a sample, or T *, the number of negative deviations. The authors show that the use of T is consistent with the statistical definition but generates a measure that cannot be directly compared to standard deviation. Practitioners should be aware of the implications of using either T or T * both as a stand-alone risk measure and as the denominator of the Sortino ratio. The authors derive an alternative measure of downside risk based on T * that provides several advantages over semistandard deviation. They term that measure semivolatility and demonstrate its usefulness.
Aging Populations and Master Bedroom Location in Housing

In this study, we analyze the price and time-on-market effects related to the location of the master bedroom within single-family houses. As the “graying” of the U.S. population continues, it seems reasonable to investigate how those demographic changes might impact residential real estate markets. Toward that goal, we analyze sold property data obtained from the multiple listing services of two different markets: one with a relatively younger population and one with a relatively older population. The results indicate that houses with the master bedroom located upstairs exhibit a significant discount in both markets, with a larger discount observed in the market with the older population. The results also indicate that houses with upstairs master bedrooms exhibit reduced marketing time in the market with an older population, but that marketing time is unrelated to master bedroom location in the market with a younger population.
Plasma sphingolipids in HIV-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Introduction Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant cause of morbidity in persons living with HIV (PLWH) and HIV appears to uniquely cause COPD, independent of smoking. The mechanisms by which HIV leads to COPD are not clear. The objective of this study was to identify metabolomic biomarkers and potential mechanistic pathways of HIV-associated COPD (HIV-COPD). Methods We performed case–control metabolite profiling via mass spectrometry in plasma from 38 individuals with HIV-COPD (cases), comparing to matched controls with/without HIV and with/without COPD. Untargeted metabolites of interest were identified with liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/mass spectrometry (MS)), and targeted metabolomics for tryptophan (Trp) and kynurenine (Kyn) were measured by selective reaction monitoring (SRM) with LC-MS/MS. We used mixed-effects models to compare metabolite concentrations in cases compared with controls while controlling for relevant biological variables. Results We identified 1689 analytes associated with HIV-COPD at a false discovery rate (FDR) of 10%. In PLWH, we identified 263 analytes (10% FDR) between those with and without COPD. LC MS/MS identified Trp and 17 lipids, including sphingolipids and diacylglycerol. After adjusting for relevant covariates, the Kyn/Trp ratio measured by SRM was significantly higher in PLWH (p=0.022), but was not associated with COPD status (p=0.95). Conclusions There is a unique metabolite profile in HIV-COPD that includes sphingolipids. Trp metabolism is increased in HIV, but does not appear to independently contribute to HIV-COPD. Trial registration numbers NCT01810289, NCT01797367, NCT00608764.
Familial thyroid carcinoma: the road less traveled in thyroid pathology – an update

Abstract This paper reviews the pathologic and clinicopathologic aspects of thyroid cancers and neoplasms which occur in familial settings. The data and details of C cell lesions are reviewed and a brief overview of the molecular-morphological correlations is presented. Familial tumors of follicular derivation are also described with a review of the many syndromes associated with these lesions. These tumors which may be papillary, follicular or Hurthle cell can occur solely as thyroid neoplasms without extrathyroidal manifestations or may accompany syndromes in which the extrathyroidal lesions are of primary prognostic importance (e.g. familial adenomatous polyposis). The pathologist may play a critical role in the identification of these syndromes by recognizing particular patterns of thyroid tumors (e.g. cribriform morular variant of papillary carcinoma). These issues are reviewed in this article.
Plasma is more sensitive than cellular analysis for detecting JAK2 mutations and determining zygosity

B53 The dominant gain-of-function V617F point mutation in the JAK2 gene is considered the most important molecular abnormality, characterizing patients with non-chronic myeloid leukemia (CML)-myeloproliferative disease (MPD). Recently, 4 somatic gain-of-function mutations affecting JAK2 exon 12 have been reported in patients with V617F-negative polycythemia vera (PV). We previously reported that plasma is enriched with tumor-specific DNA and RNA and provides more sensitive detection of homozygous/hemizygous V617F mutation, relative to cellular analysis. To expand on these findings, we tested 634 consecutive, paired plasma and cell samples for V617F and exon 12 JAK2 mutations in patients clinically suspected of having MPD other than CML. All testing was performed using direct bidirectional sequencing of RNA. We also quantified the level of V617F mutant RNA in all plasma and cell samples by measuring the intensity of the mutant (T) peak relative to the wild-type (G) peak_after normalization to the surrounding similar (T or G) peaks_using Surveyor software (Softgenetics, State College, PA). The V617F mutation was detected in 151 plasma samples but only 140 (93%) cell samples. No sample was positive by cells but negative by plasma. Of the 151 V617F-positive plasma samples, 58 (38%) were classified as homozygous/hemizygous by plasma analysis, but only 36 (24%) by cell analysis. None of the 634 samples had exon 12 mutations, in cells or plasma. Additional testing of 130 plasma samples from patients with confirmed MPD also failed to demonstrate exon 12 JAK2 mutations. The relative level of mutant JAK2 transcript was significantly higher in plasma than in cell samples ( P JAK2 mutation in patients with MPD. Furthermore, the exon 12 JAK2 mutations are extremely rare.
The Critique of Historicism and Weltanschauung Philosophy in “Philosophy as Rigorous Science”

Husserl’s next major confrontation with the relativism problematic takes place in the 1911 Logos article, “Philosophy as Rigorous Science.” Despite the rather polemical and popular character of this text, it reflects a number of important developments in Husserl’s position, both on the systematic and the historical levels. Whereas in the Prolegomena the main concern is to defend the non-relativity of logic, in the Logos essay the focus has shifted to philosophy. Further, although here too Husserl presents a number of formal arguments reminiscent of the Prolegomena treatment, these are now supplemented by ethical arguments and at least references to phenomeno- logical ones. These two developments are by no means unrelated. For in the time between the largely pre-phenomenological Prolegomena and the Logos essay, Husserl more clearly realizes the impossibility of grounding logic through logic alone, and hence the inadequacy of purely formal arguments when taken in isolation. Rather, the drive to found logic leads Husserl from logic to phenomenology. This latter is employed by him as a method but not explicitly thematized in the main text of the Logical Investigations (1901), and then first presented systematically as a discipline in Ideas I (1913). According to this more mature view, only philosophy — and indeed, only philosophy in the form of phenomenology — has the resources to combat the relativism and skepticism against which even logic, that most rigorous of sciences, has proven no match.
Response by Boulouis and Schwamm to Letter Regarding Article, "Immediate Vascular Imaging Needed for Efficient Triage of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke Initially Admitted to Nonthrombectomy Centers".

We thank Gross et al for their thoughtful comments and think we share many of the concerns raised in their letter. The authors present their view that a policy requiring pretransfer vascular imaging would promote a decline rather than improvement in the efficient triage of and timely access to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) for stroke patients with suspected large vessel occlusion. It is abundantly clear that timely and efficient access to EVT is a high priority for all eligible patients. However, in resource-constrained healthcare environments, it is critical to consider all performance characteristics of a screening test when triaging patients for a time-critical treatment of proven efficacy when the consequences of not treating eligible patients is so profound. Selecting potentially EVT-eligible subjects by using National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) threshold and noncontrast computed tomography (CT) alone will increase sensitivity and frequency of transfers, and likely shorten the time to EVT for treated patients, but may also amplify the cost, inconvenience, and potential harm to the many subjects who will turn out not to be EVT-eligible on arrival. It will also reduce emergency medical …
Integrating Ab Initio Simulations and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy: Toward A Realistic Description of Oxidized Solid/Liquid Interfaces

Many energy storage and conversion devices rely on processes that take place at complex interfaces, where structural and chemical properties are often difficult to probe under operating conditions. A primary example is solar water splitting using high-performance photoelectrochemical cells, where surface chemistry, including native oxide formation, affects hydrogen generation. In this Perspective, we discuss some of the challenges associated with interrogating interface chemistry, and how they may be overcome by integrating high-level first-principles calculations of explicit interfaces with ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and direct spectroscopic simulations. We illustrate the benefit of this combined approach toward insights into native oxide chemistry at prototypical InP/water and GaP/water interfaces. This example suggests a more general roadmap for obtaining a realistic and reliable description of the chemistry of complex interfaces by combining state-of-the-art computational and ex...
The directional character of the piperazine double addition product, e{N(CH2CH2)2N}2C60, as a building block for forming crystalline fullerene polymers

The piperazine double addition product, e{N(CH2CH2)2N}2C60, has its donor atoms positioned to bind Lewis acids in a defined fashion in two orthogonal directions. It has been used to construct crystalline, one- and two-dimensional polymers through reactions with diiodine and the rhodium(II) acetate dimer.
Policy and the K–12 Music Teacher: A Literature Review:

Music teaching lies at the intersection of policy, research, and practice. An awareness of policy context and how policies affect teachers is essential for those in the music education profession. ...
“She's woke”: The paradoxical effects of the 2016 election on an individual client

The purpose of this article is to present a case history of an individual client deeply affected by the 2016 election of Donald Trump: an unexpected key to her self-empowerment. Raised in poverty and with a history of being sexually abused, the client's anger and frustration at Hillary Clinton's loss in the election led to an examination in therapy of the role of gender in her life and enabled her to strengthen her sense of agency in her world.
The Flint Food Store Survey: combining spatial analysis with a modified Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores (NEMS-S) to measure the community and consumer nutrition environments.

OBJECTIVE The goal of the present study was to use a methodology that accurately and reliably describes the availability, price and quality of healthy foods at both the store and community levels using the Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores (NEMS-S), to propose a spatial methodology for integrating these store and community data into measures for defining objective food access. SETTING Two hundred and sixty-five retail food stores in and within 2 miles (3·2 km) of Flint, Michigan, USA, were mapped using ArcGIS mapping software. DESIGN A survey based on the validated NEMS-S was conducted at each retail food store. Scores were assigned to each store based on a modified version of the NEMS-S scoring system and linked to the mapped locations of stores. Neighbourhood characteristics (race and socio-economic distress) were appended to each store. Finally, spatial and kernel density analyses were run on the mapped store scores to obtain healthy food density metrics. RESULTS Regression analyses revealed that neighbourhoods with higher socio-economic distress had significantly lower dairy sub-scores compared with their lower-distress counterparts (β coefficient=-1·3; P=0·04). Additionally, supermarkets were present only in neighbourhoods with <60 % African-American population and low socio-economic distress. Two areas in Flint had an overall NEMS-S score of 0. CONCLUSIONS By identifying areas with poor access to healthy foods via a validated metric, this research can be used help local government and organizations target interventions to high-need areas. Furthermore, the methodology used for the survey and the mapping exercise can be replicated in other cities to provide comparable results.
Optimization of CO2 Laser Cutting Parameters Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS)

Laser cutting is a manufacturing technology that uses laser light to cut almost any materials. This type of cutting technology has been applied in many industrial applications. Problems seen with a laser is the cutting efficiency and the quality wherein these two parameters are both affected by the laser power and its process speed. This study presents the modelling and simulation of an intelligent system for predicting and optimising the process parameters of CO2 laser cutting. The developed model was trained and tested using actual data gathered from actual laser cut runs. For the system parameters, two inputs were used: the type of material used and the material thickness (mm). For the desired response, the output is the process speed or cutting rate (mm/min). Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) was the tool used to model the optimisation cutting process. Moreover, grid partition (GP) and subtractive clustering were both used in designing the fuzzy inference system (FIS). Among the training models used, GP Gaussian bell membership function (Gbellmf) provided the highest performance with an accuracy of 99.66%.
Artificial neural network modelling: a summary of successful applications relative to microbial water quality

Artificial neural networks (ANN) are modelling tools that can be of great utility in studies of microbial water quality. The ability of ANNs to work with complex, inter-related multiparameter databases and provide superior predictive power in non-linear relationships suits their application to microbial water quality studies. To date ANNs have been successfully applied (a) for the prediction of peak microbial concentrations, (b) to sort land use associated faecal pollution sources and relative ages of runoff and (c) towards the selection and study of surrogate parameters. Predictions of peak microbial contamination or faecal pollution sources have been greater than 90% accurate. The importance of a subgroup of organisms that are isolated by the total coliform membrane filter test on m-Endo media in defining faecal sources was revealed through parameter selection exercises. The result is the definition of a new bacterial ratio that can be directly related to the age of faecal contamination in animal impacted runoff.
Storytelling in a Fifth Grade Mathematics Classroom: Matters of Content and Personhood

Grounded in an analysis of “storytelling” in a fifth grade mathematics classroom, this chapter highlights the importance of explicitly attending to matters of personhood as well as content in mathematics classrooms. Data sources include field notes based on ethnographic observations of 60 lessons across a year, and semi-structured interviews with the teacher and two focal students. The teacher regularly told stories to the students in which numbers, mathematics operations, and/or procedures were anthropomorphized in an effort to spark students’ interest and engagement in the content and to serve as resources for the students to draw on when solving mathematics problems. However, the stories told served to construct mathematics and personhood in problematic ways. On the basis of this case, I suggest the importance of putting front and center concerns with personhood when making pedagogical decisions; and of employing a critical lens in doing so.