cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thinking Outside the Box: Novel Delivery Methods for Treating Hoarding

Hoarding is a serious psychiatric problem associated with a poor response to behavior treatment and medications demonstrated to be effective for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While commonly associated with OCD, hoarding patients often have higher rates of comorbid depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety. A specialized cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) for hoarding was developed. Trials testing this individual, manualized treatment have shown positive results; however, this protocol is limited by long treatment periods, problems with feasibility and excessive cost of home visits, and limited access to clinicians that are well-trained in CBT for hoarding. Thus, alternative methods of CBT delivery for hoarding are being developed and tested, including group, web-based, self-help, and coaching approaches. Specialized CBT for hoarding, focusing on innovative alternatives and adaptations of these methods, are reviewed. New advances addressing the home-based component may be considered with...
Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: Clinical Overview and Update on Management

Sepsis is among the oldest themes in medicine; however, despite modern advances, it remains a leading cause of death in the United States. Every clinician should be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of sepsis, along with early management strategies, to expeditiously provide appropriate care and decrease resultant morbidity and mortality. This review addresses the definitions, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, management, and outcomes of patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock.
Commentary on ‘Biochemical mechanism of action of the dopaminergic neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)’

Since its discovery in a batch of an illicit street drug several years ago, the neurotoxicant I-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6_tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) has proved to be a very useful experimental model for in vitro and in vivo studies of Parkinson’s disease. A number of metabolic and biochemical events have been described or suggested to be involved in MPTP-induced neurotoxicity, including its metabolic activation by monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) to form the putative toxic metabolite I-methyl-4phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+) via the l-methyl-4-phenyl-2,3_dihydropyridinium species (MPDP+) [l], the uptake of MPP+ by the dopaminergic system of neurons [2], and the binding of MPP+ to neuromelanin within selectively damaged neurons [31. Our interest in MPTP stemmed mainly from the fact that the generation of oxygen radicals had been implicated in its cytotoxic effects and that MPP+ had been suggested to resemble the bipyridynium herbicide paraquat (PQ2+) in generating these radicals via a mechanism of redox cycling with molecular oxygen. By using a cellular model system (which was manipulated in order to be more susceptible to the biochemical and toxic consequences of oxygen radical formation) we cast doubt upon the original hypothesis and concluded that: (a) PQ*+ and MPP+ caused cell death via different mechanisms [4]; (b) oxygen radical generation did not seem to be responsible for the cytotoxicity of either MPTP or MPP+ [5]; and (c) a dramatic depletion of cellular energy supplies in the form of ATP clearly preceded the onset of MPTP-
Label free detection of phospholipids by infrared absorption spectroscopy

We present our study on compact, label-free dissolved lipid sensing by combining capillary electrophoresis separation in a PDMS microfluidic chip online with mid-infrared (MIR) absorption spectroscopy for biomarker detection. On-chip capillary electrophoresis is used to separate the biomarkers without introducing any extrinsic contrast agent, which reduces both cost and complexity. The label free biomarker detection could be done by interrogating separated biomarkers in the channel by MIR absorption spectroscopy. Phospholipids biomarkers of degenerative neurological, kidney, and bone diseases are detectable using this label free technique. These phospholipids exhibit strong absorption resonances in the MIR and are present in biofluids including urine, blood plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid. MIR spectroscopy of a 12-carbon chain phosphatidic acid (PA) (1,2-dilauroyl-snglycero- 3-phosphate (sodium salt)) dissolved in N-methylformamide, exhibits a strong amide peak near wavenumber 1660 cm-1 (wavelength 6 μm), arising from the phosphate headgroup vibrations within a low-loss window of the solvent. PA has a similar structure to many important phospholipids molecules like phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and phosphatidylserine (PS), making it an ideal molecule for initial proof-of-concept studies. This newly proposed detection technique can lead us to minimal sample preparation and is capable of identifying several biomarkers from the same sample simultaneously.
Transport Modulation in Ge/Si Core/Shell Nanowires through Controlled Synthesis of Doped Si Shells

Appropriately controlling the properties of the Si shell in Ge/Si core/shell nanowires permits not only passivation of the Ge surface states, but also introduces new interface phenomena, thereby enabling novel nanoelectronics concepts. Here, we report a rational synthesis of Ge/Si core/shell nanowires with doped Si shells. We demonstrate that the morphology and thickness of Si shells can be controlled for different dopant types by tuning the growth parameters during synthesis. We also present distinctly different electrical characteristics that arise from nanowire field-effect transistors fabricated using the synthesized Ge/Si core/shell nanowires with different shell morphologies. Furthermore, a clear transition in the modification of device characteristics is observed for crystalline shell nanowires following removal of the shell using a unique trimming process of successive native oxide formation/etching. Our results demonstrate that the preferred transport path through the nanowire structure can be modulated by appropriately tuning the growth conditions.
Modulation of reactivation of latent herpes simplex virus 1 in ganglionic organ cultures by p300/CBP and STAT3

A key property of herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) is their ability to establish latent infection in sensory or autonomic ganglia and to reactivate on physical, hormonal, or emotional stress. In latently infected ganglia, HSV expresses a long noncoding RNA and a set of microRNAs, but viral proteins are not expressed. The mechanism by which latent HSV reactivates is unknown. A key question is, what is the mechanism of reactivation in the absence of tegument proteins that enable gene expression in productive infection? Elsewhere we have reported the use of ganglionic organ cultures that enable rapid reactivation in medium containing antibody to NGF or delayed reactivation in medium containing NGF and EGF. We also reported that in the ganglionic organ cultures incubated in medium containing antibody to NGF, all viral genes are derepressed at once without requiring de novo protein synthesis within the time frame of a single replicative cycle. Here we report that latent HSV in ganglia immersed in medium containing NGF and EGF is reactivated by (i) broad spectrum as well as specific histone deacetylase 1 or histone deacetylase 4 inhibitors, (ii) activation of p300/CBP, and (iii) either STAT3 carrying the substitution of tyrosine 705 to phenylalanine or an inhibitor of STAT3. Conversely, reactivation of latent HSV was blocked by p300/CBP inhibitor in medium containing antibody to NGF. The results suggest that (i) STAT3 is required for the maintenance of the latent state and interference with its functions leads to reactivation and (ii) p300/CBP is essential for HSV reactivation.
Cdk5 Modulation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Signaling Regulates Neuronal Survival

Cdk5, a cyclin-dependent kinase, is critical for neuronal development, neuronal migration, cortical lamination, and survival. Its survival role is based, in part, on "cross-talk" interactions with apoptotic and survival signaling pathways. Previously, we showed that Cdk5 phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)1 inhibits transient activation induced by nerve growth factor (NGF) in PC12 cells. To further explore the nature of this inhibition, we studied the kinetics of NGF activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk)1/2 in cortical neurons with or without roscovitine, an inhibitor of Cdk5. NGF alone induced an Erk1/2-transient activation that peaked in 15 min and declined rapidly to baseline. Roscovitine, alone or with NGF, reached peak Erk1/2 activation in 30 min that was sustained for 48 h. Moreover, the sustained Erk1/2 activation induced apoptosis in cortical neurons. Significantly, pharmacological application of the MEK1 inhibitor PD98095 to roscovitine-treated cortical neurons prevented apoptosis. These results were also confirmed by knocking down Cdk5 activity in cortical neurons with Cdk5 small interference RNA. Apoptosis was correlated with a significant shift of phosphorylated tau and neurofilaments from axons to neuronal cell bodies. These results suggest that survival of cortical neurons is also dependent on tight Cdk5 modulation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway.
A stable isotope study of a neotropical stream food web prior to the extirpation of its large amphibian community

Rapid and massive amphibian population declines have been reported throughout upland areas of the Neotropics. The abundance and species richness of Neotropical amphibian communities suggest that losses of this magnitude are likely to have strong effects at the ecosystem level. To improve understanding of the implications of their loss we used stable isotope analysis to examine trophic relationships in an ecosystem in which amphibians are dominant in a second-order forest stream at 750 m asl in Parque Nacional Omar Torrijos Herrera, Panama. We analysed δ 13 C, δ 15 N and C:N ratios of major biotic components (basal resources, invertebrates, amphibians, fish and reptiles) in the stream and of the adjacent riparian food web. Tadpoles (mean δ 15 N = 4.49%o) and adult amphibians (mean δ 15 N = 5.45‰) were intermediate links in the aquatic and terrestrial food web respectively. High δ 15 N signatures identified fish as top predators in the aquatic food web and snakes and the toad Bufo as top predators in the terrestrial food web. Isotopic signatures clearly distinguished between trophic groups of tadpoles: microbial feeders (Centrolenidae, δ 15 N range = 1).91-3.05‰), herbivores (Rana and Hyla, δ 15 N range = 4.74-5.15‰) and neuston feeders (Colostethus, δ 15 N range = 5.31-6.40%o). Dependence on autotrophic production was indicated by enriched signatures of carbon isotopes in pool dwellers versus those that reside in faster-flowing sections of the stream. High nitrogen concentrations in detrital matter (average 0.8%, C:N = 10.3) suggested that grazing tadpoles enhanced nitrogen fluxes and improved the quality of organic matter available to detritivores.
Advancing from two to four valued logic circuits

To further increase the speed of computation, this paper proposed to increase from binary to four-valued logic circuits. Four-valued logic circuits allow each wire to carry two bits at a time, each logic gate to operate two bits at a time, and each memory cell to record two bits at a time. The speed of communication between devices is also increased due to the increase in bandwidth of each wire. To make the base-four computations possible, this paper described the design and implementation of four-valued logic gates, memory cells, and flip-flops. To allow for future developments, the design of the memory cell and the flip-flop provided in this paper can be extended to be used for infinite-valued or Fuzzy logic circuits, for fully exploiting many-valued logics and fuzzy paradigms in hardware.
CpG methylation of DNA restricts prereplication complex assembly in Xenopus egg extracts.

In a Xenopus egg replication system, the origin recognition complex (ORC) does not bind to CpG methylated DNA and DNA replication is inhibited. Insertion of low density CpG DNA of at least 1.2 kb into methylated plasmids rescues both replication and ORC binding. Using this pseudo-origin, we find that ORC binding is restricted to low-CpG-density DNA; however, MCM is loaded onto both weakly and highly methylated DNA and occupies at least ∼2 kb of DNA. Replication initiates coincident with MCM, and even the most distally bound MCM is associated with sites of replication initiation. These results suggest that in metazoans MCM is loaded onto and initiates replication over a large region distant from ORC.
Coronary Bypass Grafting With Bilateral Internal Thoracic Arteries and the Right Gastroepiploic Artery

Now that coronary artery bypass grafting has entered its fourth decade, cardiac surgeons unanimously agree that arterial grafts yield a more satisfactory long-term clinical outcome than do autologous saphenous vein grafts. With time, venous grafts are vulnerable to accelerated atherosclerosis, which may necessitate high-risk repeat coronary bypass surgery. In contrast, arterial grafts are highly resistant to atherosclerosis. If patent immediately after surgery, they tend to remain patent indefinitely ; if angina recurs, it is usually manageable with medical therapy, so repeat coronary bypass may be avoided. Why do arteries offer superior long-term patency? Apparently, the elastic and smooth muscle elements in the arterial wall are better able to withstand pulsatile flow. An important key appears to be the integrity of the arterial endothelium, which serves as a barrier between the blood and vascular smooth muscle. After implantation as bypass conduits, arteries continue to have a basically intact endothelium1; any endothelial defects that do develop are essentially nonthrombogenic. Moreover, the arterial endothelium releases vasoactive mediators that confer additional protection.2 These mediators include prostacyclin and nitric oxide, vasodilators that prevent atherogenesis and thrombogenesis by limiting platelet aggregation and cell adhesion. Saphenous vein grafts also produce these vasodilators but not to such a great extent. The arterial conduit of choice is the internal thoracic artery (ITA), also known as the internal mammary artery. Use of the ITA as a bypass graft was pioneered by Green and associates3 in 1968. Critics doubted its ability to provide sufficient flow, and early experience …
Structure of Si60. Cage versus network structures

A generalized tight-binding molecular dynamics technique which was used to obtain complete agreement with ab initio results for small silicon clusters is used to optimize the Si60 cage without any symmetry restrictions. The perfect icosahedral cage is found to be unstable, distorting to a lower symmetry C2h structure with no change in the threefold coordination. The relaxed geometry shows increasing tendency for tetrahedral arrangement of atoms, and is energetically unfavorable compared to relaxed bulk-like fragment. This is in contrast to carbon, where the cage is favored.
Use of protective eyewear in U.S. children: results from the National Health Interview Survey.

Purpose: To study use of protective eyewear in children who participated in activities that can cause eye injury. Methods: National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data from 2002 were used to analyze protective eyewear use by children who participated in activities that can cause eye injury. Weighted percentages and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of the sociodemographic characteristics of children who wore protective eyewear were analyzed. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated in logistic regression models. Results: In the 2002 NHIS, 3,901 children aged 6-17 years (51% of interviewed children) participated in activities that can cause eye injury, but while doing so, only 14.5% of children wore protective eyewear. After controlling for potentially confounding effects of study variables, females were less likely to wear protective eyewear than males (OR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.48-0.76) and children aged 12-17 years were more likely to wear protective eyewear than children aged 6-8 years (12-14 year olds: OR = 1.72, 95% CI: 1.20-2.46; 15-17 year olds: OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.11-2.31). Race/ethnicity, parent's education, family structure, poverty status, and region of United States residence did not have significant influence on protective eyewear use. Conclusions: To achieve the Healthy People 2010 objective of 20% of children using protective eyewear in recreational activities and hazardous situations around the home, intervention/education programs must continue to be improved and implemented. Language: en
Knowledge-based Color And Texture Analysis Of Skin Image

The color and texture of the surface pigmentation pattern of skin-images provides important diagnostic and prognostic features for detection of lethal skin-cancer. Since intensity as well as texture are important in this application, the segmentation algorithm is required to incorporate both of them in the process of region extraction and description. In the multi-channel segmentation scheme, presented in this paper, the intensity-based segmentation is obtained using the modified pyramid-based region extraction algorithm while the texture-based segmentation is obtained by a bi-level shiftedwindow processing algorithm that uses new generalized cooccurrence matrices. The results of each channel, based on individual segmentations, are then analyzed using heuristic rules to obtain the final color and texture based segmentation. The extracted regions are then described through a multilayered neural net for a model-based classification for predicting malignancy.
Significance of the 686 Program for China and for global mental health.

Quietly, with little apparent notice from even the strongest advocates for global mental health, China is undertaking the world’s largest – and arguably most important – mental health services demonstration project, a project focused on providing comprehensive care for persons with severe mental illnesses. As Professor Ma indicates in her short report,
Some Epithelial Metabolic Factors Affecting Airway Smooth Muscle

Airway epithelium contains multiple mechanisms for affecting airway smooth muscle tone and responsiveness. Inflammatory diseases of the airways exhibit extensive changes in the epithelium (1, 2). Thus, alterations of airway epithelium may play important roles in the pathogenesis of bronchospasm in disease states.
A Homotopy Approach for Multirate Spectrum Estimation

We present a technique for spectral analysis in the context of multi-rate sampling by a collection of sensors. Correlation of the time-domain samples gives rise to moment constraints for the power spectrum. A homotopy-based technique is then used to identify consistent power spectra. The spectra we obtain are at a minimum distance in the Kullback-Leibler sense to a given "prior" and the "maximum entropy" power spectrum corresponds to the special case where the prior is white.
Laboratory Identification of Arthropod Ectoparasites

The collection, handling, identification, and reporting of ectoparasitic arthropods in clinical and reference diagnostic laboratories are discussed in this review. Included are data on ticks, mites, lice, fleas, myiasis-causing flies, and bed bugs. The public health importance of these organisms is briefly discussed. The focus is on the morphological identification and proper handling and reporting of cases involving arthropod ectoparasites, particularly those encountered in the United States. Other arthropods and other organisms not of public health concern, but routinely submitted to laboratories for identification, are also briefly discussed.
Crosswell electromagnetic inversion using integral and differential equations

The crosswell electromagnetic (EM) inverse problem is solved with an integral‐equation (IE) formulation using successive Born approximations in the frequency domain. Because the inverse problem is nonlinear, the predicted fields and Green’s functions are continually updated. Updating the fields and Green’s functions relates small changes in the predicted data to small changes in the model parameters through Frechet kernels. These fields and Green functions are calculated with an efficient 3-D finite‐difference solver. Since the resistivity is invariant along strike, the 3-D fields are integrated along strike so the 2-D kernels can be assembled. At the early stages of the inversion, smoothing of the electrical conductivity stabilizes the inverse solution when it is far from convergence. As the solution converges, this smoothing is relaxed and more effort is made to reduce the data misfit. Bounds on the conductivity are included in the solution to eliminate unrealistic estimates. The robustness of the inver...
Alliances in a Unipolar World

Unipolarity is a novel condition in world politics, and its effects on international alliances have yet to receive sustained theoretical attention. Tracing its impact requires a careful distinction between the purely structural features common to any unipolar system and the unique characteristics of the current unipole (the United States) or the policies undertaken by particular U.S. leaders (such as George W. Bush). In general, the unipole will enjoy greater freedom of action and be less dependent on allied support, enabling it to rely more readily on ad hoc “coalitions of the willing.” Lesser powers will be concerned about the concentration of power held by the unipole, but they will also face larger barriers to concerted action to contain it. Hard balancing against the unipole will be unlikely—unless the unipole begins a major effort to expand—but lesser powers will engage in soft balancing to contain the latter's influence. Medium powers may pursue alliances with others in order to reduce dependence on the unipole, but weaker states are likely to ally with the unipole in order to use its power against local security challenges. Bandwagoning will remain rare even under unipolarity, but disputes over burden sharing and alliance leadership will continue. Weaker states will prefer multilateral arrangements that enhance their own influence, while the unipole will prefer bilateral or ad hoc coalitions of the willing that it can more readily dominate.
Evaluation of amine- and amide-terminated self-assembled monolayers as 'Molecular glues' for Au and SiO2 substrates

A series of organic monolayers containing amine and amide functional groups on silicon and gold substrates were characterized using x-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopies. It was determined that the amine-terminated monolayers had 70% of the amine groups in the —NH2 chemical state after removal from pure water. Next, Escherichia coli bacteria were exposed to the surfaces in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the monolayers as molecular adhesive agents. It was determined that the bacteria adhere readily to all of the amine monolayers but did not interact with the amide- containing monolayer. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
‘Sculpsit Cellinius Neptunam’: the biography of the Neptune fountain in Cellini's Vita

In Benvenuto Cellini's autobiographical account of his proposed Neptune fountain for Cosimo I, the artist verbally re-fashioned his quest for this commission. This essay presents the Neptune passage as an alternative demonstration of Cellini's creative genius, and considers the episode as part of the series of unexecuted masterworks described in the Vita. Cellini's description also provides evidence for his technical facility with marble, associates the author with the legacies of Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, and serves a self-promoting function as Cellini attempted to re-establish himself as a major court sculptor in the competitive group surrounding the Medici Duke. The Neptune occupied the artist in the concluding months of the period narrated in the Vita, and Cellini's description of it functions as a summation of the central themes of his autobiography. The Neptune description thus bears witness to the role of Cellini's Vita as a work of art in its own right and as a self-conscious contribution to the burgeoning genre of theoretical writing on art in the sixteenth century. (pp. 604–618)
Optical Guided-Wave Focusing and Diffraction*

One-dimensional focusing and diffraction techniques for thin-film optical waveguides are examined in terms of their effectiveness and fabrication requirements. Impetus for the study is derived from potential application of optical planar guided waves to analog signal-processing systems. Methods of altering modal-phase velocities to achieve ray deflection are investigated and include the use of substrate and film-embedded refractive-index discontinuities, multilayer films, thickness-profiled layers, and absorptive-material deposition on the guiding films. Thin-film lenses having f numbers as low as 2 to 3 may be fabricated by vacuum deposition of high-index materials, such as CeO2. Experimental results obtained with glass-sputtered films illustrating basic operation of thin-film lenses, gratings, and prisms are presented.
Fluoroquinolones and the risk for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in hospitalized patients.

To determine whether fluoroquinolone exposure is a risk factor for the isolation of Staphylococcus aureus and whether the effect is different for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) versus methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), we studied two case groups. The first case group included 222 patients with nosocomially acquired MRSA. The second case group included 163 patients with nosocomially acquired MSSA. A total of 343 patients admitted concurrently served as controls. Outcome measures were the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for isolation of MRSA and MSSA after fluoroquinolone exposure. Exposure to both levofloxacin (OR 5.4; p < 0.0001) and ciprofloxacin (OR 2.2; p < 0.003) was associated with isolation of MRSA but not MSSA. After adjustment for multiple variables, both drugs remained risk factors for MRSA (levofloxacin OR 3.4; p < 0.0001; ciprofloxacin OR 2.5; p = 0.005) but not MSSA. Exposure to levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin is a significant risk factor for the isolation of MRSA, but not MSSA.
Clear anterior rhinorrhea in the population.

Clear anterior rhinorrhea is commonly observed in older adults and is widely known as "senile rhinorrhea." Although appreciated in the literature, no studies support that clear rhinorrhea increases with age. Our goal was to determine the prevalence of clear rhinorrhea in adults and the variation between young and old. Additionally, we sought to determine if clear rhinorrhea was bothersome enough for patients to seek treatment.A questionnaire was randomly distributed to 158 adults, 76 young adults on the University of Pittsburgh Undergraduate campus, and 82 older adults at Longwood Retirement Community in 2011.Older subjects reported more drip and an increase in rhinorrhea over time regardless of gender (p < 0.05). Participants wanting to seek treatment reported drip occurred more often, that they used more tissues, and were more bothered by drip compared to those not wanting treatment (p < 0.05).Clear, anterior rhinorrhea affects older adults regardless of gender significantly more often and more severely than young adults (p < 0.05). The more frequent and bothersome the nasal drip, the more likely individuals would elect treatment.
Harnessing the power of the ACC chapters: uniquely positioned for grassroots advocacy and member engagement.

![Figure][1] As we begin implementing the 5-year strategic plan for the American College of Cardiology (ACC), I believe that it is with our local ACC chapters that we can make the most impactful, genuine, personalized engagement with our members. Our plans are ambitious, and the College will
Initial acquisition for MANET with simultaneous transmissions

As the next generation mobile ad hoc network (MANET) evolves to allow for multiple simultaneous transmissions within one-hop for higher spectral efficiency, the interferences from the peer nodes will pose a challenge to the initial acquisition in the MANET. In this paper, we propose a maximum likelihood (ML) method of initial acquisition of the preamble sequences. Simulations show that this proposed method is robust against the interferences. We also propose to use a pair of Zadoff-Chu (Z-C) sequences as the preamble. By exploiting the unique structure of the Z-C sequences, we can estimate both timing and frequency offsets through two fast Fourier transforms (FFT). The estimation of the channel response and the interference covariance is also obtained as a by-product. Simulation results verified that the presented method is efficient in interference suppression and may allow for dozens of simultaneous transmissions.
Keep Your Government Hands Off My Medicare: An Analysis of the Tea Party's Paradoxical Health Care Politics

It is no coincidence that the rise of the Tea Party occurred at the same time as the US debated national health care. In many ways, health care came to represent for the movement a critical example of its claim that American liberty is under attack; its small government sloganeering was largely refracted and amplified through health care politics. Despite the Tea Party's longing for small government, the movement in fact has a complex relationship with health care that has led to famously paradoxical statements such as, when one Tea Partier cried, "Keep your government hands off my Medicare." In this paper I argue that the Tea Party's relationship with health care stems from several different ideological and internally contradictory threads, each of which helps us to understand a peculiarly American approach to health care. I show that - more than any other policy issue - the health care debate serves as a critical lens for making sense of the Tea Party's ideological compass, while simultaneously helping us explain why, as Judith Butler puts it, - in the United States "socialized medicine is largely understood as a communist plot," whereas it is understood in other nations as a matter of national commitment and even human rights. Given these tensions, how does the Tea Party navigate health care politics when Medicare cuts are still considered a third rail in American politics?
Simultaneous analysis of vascular norepinephrine and ATP release using an integrated microfluidic system.

Abstract Background Sympathetic nerves are known to release three neurotransmitters: norepinephrine, ATP, and neuropeptide Y that play a role in controlling vascular tone. This paper focuses on the co-release of norepinephrine and ATP from the mesenteric arterial sympathetic nerves of the rat. New method In this paper, a quantification technique is described that allows simultaneous detection of norepinephrine and ATP in a near-real-time fashion from the isolated perfused mesenteric arterial bed of the rat. Simultaneous detection is enabled with 3-D printing technology, which is shown to help integrate the perfusate with different detection methods (norepinephrine by microchip-based amperometery and ATP by on-line chemiluminescence). Results Stimulated levels relative to basal levels of norepinephrine and ATP were found to be 363 nM and 125 nM, respectively ( n = 6). The limit of detection for norepinephrine is 80 nM using microchip-based amperometric detection. The LOD for on-line ATP detection using chemiluminescence is 35 nM. Comparison with existing method In previous studies, the co-transmitters have been separated and detected with HPLC techniques. With HPLC, the samples from biological preparations have to be derivatized for ATP detection and require collection time before analysis. Thus real-time measurements are not made and the delay in analysis by HPLC can cause degradation. Conclusions In conclusion, the method described in the paper can be used to successfully detect norepinephrine and ATP simultaneously and in a near-real-time fashion.
Nutritional pharmacology in surgery and critical care: 'you must unlearn what you have learned'.

Purpose of reviewThis review highlights the rapidly evolving field of ‘pharmaconutrition’ by discussing the mechanistic and clinical data for calorie delivery and nutrients shown to improve outcome in surgical and ICU care.Recent findingsInternational survey data reveals patients in acute care setti
Highly specific radiographic marker predates clinical diagnosis in progressive supranuclear palsy.

Abstract Introduction The diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy is often challenging early in the course of the disease, when clinical signs of the condition may be less apparent and patients do not clearly meet diagnostic criteria. In this study, we examine a potential radiographic marker in progressive supranuclear palsy, and assess the timing of its presence in relation to diagnosis. Methods A retrospective review of patients fulfilling clinical research criteria for multiple system atrophy, Parkinson's disease, and progressive supranuclear palsy (total n = 75) was performed. Midbrain and pontine diameters, and the midbrain to pons ratio were calculated by a neuroradiologist blinded to the clinical diagnosis. The timing of the presence of a midbrain to pons ratio of less than or equal to 0.52 was assessed in the progressive supranuclear palsy group in reference to the time of diagnosis. Results The midbrain to pons ratio was significantly reduced in the progressive supranuclear palsy cohort (p Conclusions The midbrain to pons ratio is an easily applied and highly specific tool in the diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, and is frequently present before the diagnosis is made.
P-th Mean Almost Periodic Random Functions

Chapter 4 introduces the concept of p-th mean almost periodicity is introduced. It is shown that each p-th mean almost periodic stochastic process defined on a probability space (\(\Omega, \mathcal{F}, \mathbf{P}\)) is uniformly continuous and stochastically bounded. The collection of such stochastic processes is a Banach space when it is equipped with its natural norm. Moreover, two composition theorems for p-th mean almost periodic processes (Theorem 4.4 and Theorem 4.5) are established. They play a crucial role in the study of the existence (and uniqueness) of p-th mean almost periodic solutions to various stochastic differential equations on \(L^{P} (\Omega, \mathbb{H})\) where \(\mathbb{H}\) is a real separable Hilbert space.
Labeling, Certification, and Consumer Trust

Increased interest in ethical consumption has promoted the creation of incentives for product differentiation, which has been adopted by the market in terms of a variety of labels and certificates to describe a whole collection of product attributes related to health, social, or environmental sustainability. In this chapter, we describe and compare six coffee certifications in terms of their certification processes, governance mechanisms, and market penetration. Our comparison shows that leading certifications reassert their trustworthiness by emphasizing transparency, legitimacy, and accountability of their practices and governance processes. To demonstrate transparency, it is common that certification authorities openly publicize their standards and principles to demonstrate the transparency. To show legitimacy, they get accreditations from reputable national or international organization. Unfortunately, most of this information is not always at the reach of final consumers.
Dedication: In memory of Todd Christian Feeley (1961–2015)

The “PLUTONS: Investigating the Relationship between Pluton Growth and Volcanism in the Central Andes” themed issue of Geosphere is dedicated to the memory of Todd Christian Feeley, our friend, colleague, and mentor. He distinguished his career with a long string of insightful papers that integrated the geology and petrology of volcanic rocks. His work was always soundly based in field geology, and his coworkers remember him for his outstanding skills in the field.
Role perception of consultants in Iowa nursing homes

A study comparing the differences between consultant dietitians' and foodservice supervisors' perceptions of the role of the consultant dietitian was conducted. Since it was believed that the role of the consultant could vary with the nursing home, 150 facilities were randomly selected from the population of 419 licensed intermediate-care facilities in Iowa. The administrator of each of the nursing homes was contacted by mail and was asked to distribute questionnaires to the consultant dietitian and foodservice supervisor in the facility. Consultant dietitians (no. = 69) indicated desired and actual frequency of performance of 46 selected duties. Foodservice supervisors (no. = 84) indicated desired frequency for consultant dietitian performance for the same 46 duties. Significant differences were found between actual and desired frequency of performance for 32 duties. For all of those duties except one, the desired mean was greater than the actual mean. The reasons for those differences need to be determined. Significant differences were found between the means for frequency of performance for 21 duties desired by the foodservice supervisors and desired by the consultant dietitians. The one duty with a higher food-service supervisor mean could indicate an area in which assistance is needed from the consultants. When means for frequency of performance of duties desired by food-service supervisors and actually carried out by consultant dietitians were compared, significant differences were found for 13 duties. Of them, 6 had a higher foodservice supervisor mean. That could also indicate areas in which consultants need to provide assistance to the supervisors. With additional data, the role of the consultant dietitian may be defined in terms of the 46 duties in this study.
Simple Signed-Distance Function Depth Calculation Applied to Measurement of the fMRI BOLD Hemodynamic Response Function in Human Visual Cortex

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) often relies on a hemodynamic response function (HRF) elicited by a brief stimulus. At conventional spatial resolutions (≥3 mm), signals in a voxel include contributions from various tissue types and pia vasculature. To better understand these contributions, full characterization of the depth dependence of the HRF is required in gray matter as well as and its apposed white-matter and pial vasculature. We introduce new methods to calculate 3D depth that combines a signed-distance function with an algebraic morphing definition of distance. The new scheme is much simpler than methods that rely upon deformable surface propagation. The method is demonstrated by combining the distance map with high-resolution fMRI (0.9-mm voxels) measurements of the depth-dependent HRF. The depth dependence of the HRF is reliable throughout a broad depth range in gray matter as well as in white-matter and extra-pial compartments apposed to active gray matter. The proposed scheme with high-resolution fMRI can be useful to separate HRFs in the gray matter from undesirable and confounding signals.
The Adaptation Process of Jewish Philanthropies to Changing Environments: The Case of the UJA-Federation of New York Since 1990

This paper considers the process of organizational adaptation that took place at the UJA-Federation of New York (UJAFED) between 1990 and 2014. It aims to enhance theoretical understanding about the process of adaptation by philanthropic organizations to their changing environments, the strategies they develop to cope with these changes, and the implications of these changes. Findings demonstrate that over the last two decades, the UJAFED has operated in turbulent and unstable environments, characterized by a reduction in resources and increasing needs in the communities. These changes have led UJAFED to establish a new domain for its activities that prioritize its mission of Jewish continuity by funding services and programs that emphasize Jewish identity, education, and culture. In this new domain, UJAFED has expanded activities to reach diversified client populations in New York and in Israel. The development of a new domain of activity has had implications for UJAFED’s traditional and new roles, since it has influenced its operating strategies, reshaped its mission-driven goals, and changed UJAFED’s relationships with its peer organizations and partners.
Acute mediastinal widening

Mediastinal abscess resulting from descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a rare infectious process. Odontogenic infections are the most commonly implicated underlying process. Descending necrotizing mediastinitis is a rapidly progressive infectious process that spreads through the fascial planes of the neck to gain access to the mediastinum. Early recognition of descending necrotizing mediastinitis is important because the reported mortality rate is 30% to 50% even in the antibiotic era. Clues to the diagnosis of descending necrotizing mediastinitis include evidence of severe oropharyngeal infection, neck swelling and crepitations, and complaints of dysphagia and odynophagia. Lateral radiographs of the neck sometimes show gas pockets, but chest films are often negative early in the disease process. A late chest x-ray finding is widening of the superior mediastinum. Therefore, computed tomography (CT) is the imaging procedure of choice. Optimal treatment includes adequate drainage of the neck and mediastinum and broad spectrum intravenous antibiotics. Commonly implicated organisms are alpha-hemolytic streptococci and Bacteroides fragilis.
Bioeffects of Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Injudicious use of shock wave lithotripsy can lead to unwanted effects. The acute bioeffects of shock waves such as renal hemorrhage can be reduced by a number of measures, which include pretreatment with shockwaves, slowing the firing rate, and reducing the total number of shock waves delivered and the power of the shock. Improving the coupling between the patient and machine also improves effectiveness and reduces harm. Long-term effects include renal scarring and new-onset hypertension. This chapter explores the mechanisms by which these bioeffects are produced.
Trace fossils and fluvial-lacustrine ichnofacies of the Eocene Uinta and Duchesne River Formations, northern Uinta Basin, Utah

Trace fossil assemblages in a fluvial-lacustrine sequence stratigraphic context hold significant poten-tial for expanding our understanding of environmental controls and continental basin-fill history. The succession of the Eocene Uinta Formation and four members of the Duchesne River Formation is ex¬tremely well-exposed in the Uinta Basin of northeastern Utah, revealing a robust stratigraphic framework to document broad-scale fluvial-lacustrine facies architectures and associated trace fossil assemblages. Greenish- and gray-colored mudstone beds with interbedded tabular sandstone representing lacustrine environments contain the trace fossils Arenicolites and Gordia (= Haplotichnus). In contrast, red mudstone beds with interbedded channelized sandstone representing upstream fluvial and alluvial environments contain a variety of insect trace fossils, including Scoyenia, Ancorichnus, and nest structures. Transitional, interfingering lithologies of wetland or shallow, short-lived lacustrine environments on the alluvial plain contain the trace fossil Steinichnus. Although there are many small-scale (bed-scale) physical sedimen¬tary structures and trace fossils from continental subenvironments, this study focuses on the large-scale (member-scale) change in trace fossil assemblages, with results indicating that the ichnofacies corroborate continental sequence stratigraphic interpretations in a fluvial-lacustrine setting.
Environmental oestrogens cause predation-induced population decline in a freshwater fish

Understanding population-level effects of environmental stressors on aquatic biota requires knowledge of the direct adverse effects of pollutants on individuals and species interactions that relate...
Optimization of lignocellulosic biomass-to-biofuel supply chains with mobile pelleting

Abstract Mobile pelleting machines (MPMs) provide an as-yet-unexplored opportunity to reduce logistic costs associated with biomass-to-biofuel supply chains. We develop an optimization model to minimize the overall cost of producing ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass. We present results from a case study that considers multiple biomass types (switchgrass and corn stover) and forms (round and rectangular bales) and the potential for mobile pelleting. Our analyses offer insight into conditions under which mobile densification is economically viable. Results indicate that MPM utilization is sensitive to changes in biomass densification costs, transportation distances, satellite storage location fixed cost, and the number of MPMs.
Multinational Firms, Global Diversification, Value and Governance

This paper investigates the valuation of multinational firms. Using a unique dataset capturing foreign direct investment of 251 UK multinational firms and 4,676 subsidiaries to investigate global diversification, the results show that multinational firms are associated with large value premia. These premia increase with global diversification and are, on average, 19\%. Further, value premia are positively associated with the gap in corporate governance between the UK and the country of foreign direct investment. The results are robust to alternative governance mechanisms, and continue to obtain in regressions controlling for endogeneity and self-selection.
Comment on “The impact of the tax cut and jobs act on the spatial distribution of high productivity households and economic welfare”, by Daniele Coen-Pirani and Holger Sieg

Abstract As part of the Tax Cut and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, a $10,000 cap on state and local tax deductions (SALT) was imposed for federal tax returns. The authors first show that this increased the relative tax burden of the highest earners in high tax states by 3%. Motivated by this fact, the authors develop a spatial equilibrium model where individuals choose to live in “superstar” cities, which offer higher chances of becoming a highly productive worker but have higher taxes, or ordinary cities, where it is less likely to become a high type worker but taxes are lower. In their model, one’s income profile is determined when young. Therefore, there is an incentive to live in the superstar city when young, to increase the chance of becoming a high type. After one's income profile is fixed, the high types have an incentive to move to the ordinary city due to the tax differentials. They calibrate this model to understand the effects of the SALT deduction cap as part of the TCJA. The results depend on the extent of the endogeneity of the productivity advantage in the superstar city.
Assessing the US sulfur reduction programme in Massachusetts from an environmental justice framework: is there evidence of disproportionality?

ABSTRACTThis study reviews the impact of a sulfur cap-and-trade programme on distributions of sulfur from commercial electricity utility generators within Massachusetts from 1990 thru 2014. The res...
Fano resonance photonic crystal filters and modulators

Abstract In this chapter, we introduce narrow spectral band Fano filters based on single layer or bilayer 2D photonic crystal slabs (PCSs). The quality factor can be controlled by lattice parameters, as well as the coupling between two coupled PCS cavities. Based on charge-induced index change properties, high speed spatial light modulators were proposed and demonstrated as well. Finally, optical forces in these coupled bilayer PCS cavities are investigated, for optomechanical control of the optical cavities.