cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Home Bias at Home: Local Equity Preference in Domestic Portfolios

The strong bias in favor of domestic securities is a well-documented characteristic of international investment portfolios, yet we show that the preference for investing close to home also applies to portfolios of domestic stocks. Specifically, U.S. investment managers exhibit a strong preference for locally headquartered firms, particularly small, highly levered firms that produce nontraded goods. These results suggest that asymmetric information between local and nonlocal investors may drive the preference for geographically proximate investments, and the relation between investment proximity and firm size and leverage may shed light on several well-documented asset pricing anomalies.
Is there a fatty acid taste

Taste is a chemical sense that aids in the detection of nutrients and guides food choice. A limited number of primary qualities comprise taste. Accumulating evidence has raised a question about whether fat should be among them. Most evidence indicates triacylglycerol is not an effective taste stimulus, though it clearly contributes sensory properties to foods by carrying flavor compounds and altering texture. However, there is increasing anatomical, electrophysiological, animal behavior, imaging, metabolic, and psychophysical evidence that free fatty acids are detectable when non-taste cues are minimized. Free fatty acids varying in saturation and chain length are detectable, suggesting the presence of multiple transduction mechanisms and/or a nonspecific mechanism in the oral cavity. However, confirmation of “fatty” as a taste primary will require additional studies that verify these observations are taste specific. Oral exposure to free fatty acids likely serves as a warning signal to discourage intake and influences lipid metabolism.
Effect of environmental temperature on the response of mice to whole-body roentgen radiation

SummaryThe net effect of a sufficiently cold environment is to lower the resistance of mice to the lethal action of X-rays.Subjection to a 10° or 30°C environment for 2 weeks prior to irradiation favors survival of irradiated mice maintained in those environments.Mice kept in a 30° environment that die following irradiation frequently show fatty changes in the liver.
HABITAT USE AND PREFERENCES OF BREEDING FEMALE WOOD DUCKS

Abstract Female wood ducks (Aix sponsa) feed primarily on plant foods in the prelaying period and switch to a diet of mostly invertebrates during egg production. If nutrient acquisition is habitat-specific, then selection and use of habitats may differ between these reproductive stages. A better understanding of these processes is needed to assist future habitat conservation and management efforts. In January–May 1999 and 2000, we monitored movements and habitat use of radiomarked females (n = 47) during the prelaying and egg-production periods of first nests. Home-range size averaged 367 ha and did not vary with reproductive period, year, or female age. Habitat use did not differ between periods of prelaying and egg production; consequently, data were combined. Habitat use varied between years, female age, and periods of nest initiation (i.e., early vs. late). Use of beaver ponds (BP), temporary wetlands (TW), managed impoundments (MI), and lake habitats (LK) declined in 2000 compared to 1999, possibly d...
Using Markov Chains to Analyze a Volleyball Rally

We examine a volleyball rally between two volleyball teams. Using the archived statistics of Carthage matches, we calculate the transition probabilities of the match. Results indicate the validity of our model.
Clinical safety of ondansetron

The safety of intravenous (IV) and oral ondansetron has been evaluated in over 7,000 cancer patients in world-wide clinical trials. In adult patients receiving single-day chemotherapy, the incidence of adverse events was 45% with IV ondansetron (n = 317) and 59% with metoclopramide (n = 279). Headache occurred in 17% of ondansetron patients and 10% of metoclopramide patients, whereas diarrhea symptoms were reported in 15% of the former and 29% of the latter. The incidence and types of adverse events were similar following three 0.15 mg/kg IV ondansetron doses and 8- or 32-mg single IV doses. There was a slight increase in the incidence of headache following a single 32-mg dose (25%) compared with a single 8-mg dose (18%) or three 0.15 mg/kg doses (18%). The safety profile of oral ondansetron was similar to that of the IV formulation. Following an 8-mg oral dose administered three times a day for 3 days, the most frequently reported adverse events were headache (21%), constipation (7%), and abdominal pain (5%). In a group of 209 pediatric patients receiving chemotherapy, the incidence of adverse events following IV and oral ondansetron was 19%. The most commonly reported adverse event was headache (4%). In comparative clinical trials, extrapyramidal symptoms were reported in 5% of the metoclopramide patients but none of the ondansetron patients. In open-label trials, two patients who received ondansetron reported symptoms consistent with, but not diagnostic of, extrapyramidal reactions. The incidence of vascular occlusive events and seizure disorders was identical for ondansetron and comparative agents. Serum transaminase values increased significantly in 6% to 8% of ondansetron patients and 2% of metoclopramide patients who received cisplatin. There was no apparent relationship between the dose of ondansetron administered and the incidence of increased transaminase abnormalities. However, there was an apparent relationship between the dose of cisplatin administered and the incidence of transaminase abnormalities. In patients who received non-cisplatin chemotherapy, there was no difference in serum transaminase values between oral ondansetron and placebo. These data demonstrate that ondansetron is better tolerated than metoclopramide and is safe for IV and oral administration to patients receiving chemotherapy. In addition, ondansetron is well tolerated when administered as a single 32-mg infusion over 15 minutes.
The Bilski Oral Argument

The Bilski case has understandably generated an enormous wealth of commentary, including eighty-plus amicus briefs, dozens of thoughtful articles, and hundreds of blog posts, CLE seminars, and the like. Here at IP Colloquium, we therefore thought that the best way for us to add value would be to do something admittedly unconventional. Specifically, the Supreme Court has released a transcript of the Bilski oral argument but has not yet released actual audio of the event. Our thought was that one of the best ways to learn about the case would be to listen to the arguments the parties actually made and to hear the questions that Chief Justice Roberts and his colleagues actually posed. So, in this podcast we stage a reading of the transcript, with a dozen UCLA law students lending their voices for each relevant attorney or Justice. UCLA law professor Doug Lichtman hosts. (Podcast available for free in the archives at ipcolloquium.com.)
Dilemmas in post-crisis bank regulation: Supranationalization versus retrenchment

The US financial crisis that started in 2007 ultimately had global reach, but those countries most severely affected were the advanced industrialized states. In the United States and Europe, banks, many of which had regional or global profiles, were the source of nearly unprecedented economic instability. This special issue therefore examines the politics behind the re-regulation of banks after the crisis, focusing on the Transatlantic community. The volume finds competing impulses for enhanced international regulatory coordination on the one hand versus national retrenchment on the other. From these two dueling agendas flow three notable developments. First, despite evident functional pressures for a coordinated and global approach to bank regulation following the crisis, regional arrangements have dominated instead. Second, reduced international capital flows and bank activity were as much the result of national and regional regulatory measures as they were a function of market conditions. Third and finally, where national retrenchment has prevailed at the expense of international regulatory harmonization, we see risks for further international financial instability.
PRACTISE: demonstrating a neural network based framework for robust prediction of data center workload

We present a web based tool to demonstrate PRACTISE, a neural network based framework for efficient and accurate prediction of server workload time series in data centers. For the evaluation, we focus on resource utilization traces of CPU, memory, disk, and network. Compared with ARIMA and baseline neural network models, PRACTISE achieves significantly smaller average prediction errors. We demonstrate the benefits of PRACTISE in two scenarios: i) using recorded resource utilization traces from private cloud data centers, and ii) using real-time data collected from live data center systems.
Approximate solution of an impulsively loaded long cylinder governed by an elastic-plastic material law

The transient response of a uniformly expanding, impulsively loaded, long cylinder is obtained in terms of elementary functions for an elastic perfectly-plastic von Mises material. The solution is obtained by utilizing a linearizing assumption on the plastic flow behavior. It is generally shown that differences in elastic-plastic response of (plane strain) long cylinders with various values of Poisson's ratio,v, are slight over a wide range ofv. However, differences in response between long cylinders and (plane stress) rings undergoing plasticity are quite significant.
CRT-200.18 Prevalence and Clinical Implication of T-wave Inversion in Patients With Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The current guidelines for the management of non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome include T-wave inversion and ST-segment depression as a manifestation of ischemia. However, the clinical implication of T-wave inversion has not been evaluated specifically in patients with non-ST-segment elevation
Beam-hardening effects of wedges on a spoiled 6 MV beam

Abstract The beam-hardening effects of the wedges on a 6-MV spoiled beam has been studied. The beam quality of all the wedged beams was found to be the same as the open beam. The dmax also stayed unchanged for all the wedges at all field sizes. The relative wedge factors were found to reflect the beam-hardening effect, which is a function of the wedge angles, depths, and field sizes. For the 15° and 30° wedges, the relative wedge factor at depths less than 15 cm were found to deviate less than +2% for all fields, while those for the 45° and 60° wedges for the same depth range from +3% to +4%. The surface doses were found to decrease with the wedged fields. For 15°, 30°, and 45° wedges, the decreases were found to be from 0 to −2.0%. For 60° wedges, the largest deviation was found to be −2.5% for a field size of 10 cm × 10 cm at a depth of 2 mm. The wedges factors at dmax were found to depend slightly on the field sizes. The use of an averaged wedge factor for each individual wedge was found to produce less than ±1.2% of error for all field sizes.
Epidemiological measurement of bronchial responsiveness in polyurethane workers

A shortened protocol was developed for the epidemiological measurement of bronchial responsiveness to methacholine without compromising sensitivity, power, precision or safety, and without distorting the numerical value of the PD20.FEV1 (the cumulative dose from a doubling incremental sequence which provokes a 20% decrement in FEV1). It was used in a survey of 254 polyurethane workers (83% of the eligible workforce) exposed occupationally to toluene diisocyanate. The mean duration of each test proved to be 38 min, it was well tolerated and 64 workers (25%) proved to be reactors. PD20.FEV1 appeared to be distributed unimodally. It was significantly correlated with questionnaire records of shortness of breath, chest tightness, and wheeze; and with pre-shift FEV1 and FEF25-75. Even the reactors requiring the highest dose of 640 cumulative inhalation units (1 unit = one 8.9 microliters inhalation of methacholine 1 mg.ml-1) to generate a PD20 measurement reported significantly more wheeze than the non-reactors. This indicates that the test had clinical meaning throughout its dose range of 0.3-640 units. No correlation was found between PD20 and individual changes in ventilatory function across the working shift, but mean shift changes were negligible and not statistically significant. PD20 was also found to be unrelated to age, sex, race, smoking, cough and atopy.
Mechanism of pH-dependent activation of the sodium-proton antiporter NhaA

Escherichia coli NhaA is a prototype sodium-proton antiporter, which has been extensively characterized by X-ray crystallography, biochemical and biophysical experiments. However, the identities of proton carriers and details of pH-regulated mechanism remain controversial. Here we report constant pH molecular dynamics data, which reveal that NhaA activation involves a net charge switch of a pH sensor at the entrance of the cytoplasmic funnel and opening of a hydrophobic gate at the end of the funnel. The latter is triggered by charging of Asp164, the first proton carrier. The second proton carrier Lys300 forms a salt bridge with Asp163 in the inactive state, and releases a proton when a sodium ion binds Asp163. These data reconcile current models and illustrate the power of state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulations in providing atomic details of proton-coupled transport across membrane which is challenging to elucidate by experimental techniques.
Network-based relevant feature identification and early detection of impending faults

As more electronic sensors for control units are added into next generation vehicles, and linked to communication infrastructure, greater amount of operational data has become unprecedentedly available close to real time. The ability to extract patterns in such real-time massive operational data to detect, isolate, predict, and mitigate faults is the key to enhance vehicle ownership experiences. In this paper, we present a Network Predictive Analytics (NPA) methodology for individualized, evidence-based, preventive vehicle health management. We leverage a recent novel measure called the Maximal Information Coefficient (MIC) — a method that computes an information-theoretic score for quantifying the association strength between two time-series, regardless of the type of relationship. Built upon MIC, we develop an automated method to extract fault-specific relevant features from Association Feature Networks by clustering and ranking dynamic feature relations. By monitoring identified features, our novel rate-based spectral Early Warning Signal (EWS-rate) signals further detects impending faults prior to their repairs. We study the effectiveness of our methodology over a set of data collected from real vehicles. The result shows the proposed Network Predictive Analytics (NPA) methodology can provide significant lead time in early detection of impending faults with high accuracy.
Incidence and Predictors of Poststroke Depression: Results from the Framingham Heart Study (P5.034)

OBJECTIVE: We assessed incidence and prestroke determinants of risk for developing depression after incident stroke in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS). BACKGROUND: Despite the emerging use of antidepressants following stroke, poststroke depression occurs often and adversely affects stroke recovery. DESIGN/METHODS: Using FHS, a longitudinal study following men and women ages 55 to 84, we focused on individuals who at baseline were stroke-free and experienced a stroke in 1980 or later. Poststroke depression was determined using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies of Depression (CES-D) Scale or antidepressant medication use. Using multiple logistic regression, we examined prestroke factors as possible predictors of poststroke depression after adjusting for age, sex, and time since stroke. RESULTS: Among 94 adults assessed for new depressive symptoms within 5 years poststroke, 36[percnt] developed new depression. Mean age at incident stroke was 78 years (SD=9); 51[percnt] were women. Those who were female (OR, 3.30; p = 0.012), had advanced age (OR, 1.08; p = 0.009), and smoked (OR, 8.87; p = 0.033) were more likely to develop poststroke depression. CONCLUSIONS: Poststroke depression is common. These data suggest that patients at particularly high risk can be identified at the time of stroke and may benefit from targeted prevention strategies. Disclosure: Dr. Salinas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Beiser has nothing to disclose. Dr. Himali has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rosand has nothing to disclose. Dr. Seshadri has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dunn has nothing to disclose.
Creating Unidimensional Global Measures of Physician Practice Quality Based on Health Insurance Claims Data.

Objective To explore the extent to which commonly used claims-based process quality indicators can be used to create an internally valid global composite measure of physician practice quality. Data Sources Health insurance claims data (October 2007–May 2010) from 134 physician practices in Seattle, WA. Study Design We use confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis to develop theory- and empirically driven internally valid composite measures based on 19 quality indicators. Data Collection Methods Health insurance claims data from nine insurance companies and self-funded employers were collected and aggregated by third-party organization. Principal Findings Our results did not support a single global measure using the entire set of quality indicators. We did identify an acceptable multidimensional model (RMSEA = 0.059; CFI = 0.934; TLI = 0.910). The four dimensions in our data were diabetes, depression, preventive care, and generic drug prescribing. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that commonly used process indicators can be used to create a small set of useful composite measures. However, the lack of an internally valid single unidimensional global measure has important implications for policy approaches meant to improve quality by rewarding “high-quality physicians.”
Thermionic refrigeration at CNT-CNT junctions

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation is used to study carrier energy relaxation following thermionic emission at the junction of two van der Waals bonded single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). An energy-dependent transmission probability gives rise to energy filtering at the junction, which is predicted to increase the average electron transport energy by as much as 0.115 eV, leading to an effective Seebeck coefficient of 386 μV/K. MC results predict a long energy relaxation length (∼8 μm) for hot electrons crossing the junction into the barrier SWCNT. For SWCNTs of optimal length, an analytical transport model is used to show that thermionic cooling can outweigh parasitic heat conduction due to high SWCNT thermal conductivity, leading to a significant cooling capacity (2.4 × 106 W/cm2).
Electromagnetic analysis of external cavity design for high power semiconductor lasers

To achieve high power single mode output from an edge emitting semiconductor laser diode, we made an approach to use external cavities to improve the beam quality by providing optical feedback into the laser. By performing both simulation and experiments, we have found out that the external cavity works well to generate single mode laser beams.
Management of Distal Tibial Metaphyseal Bone Defects With an Intramedullary Nitinol Scaffold: A Novel Technique

Difficult problems that are faced when reconstructing severe pilon fractures include filling metaphyseal defects and supporting an impacted, multifragmented articular surface. Supplements to plate fixation currently available in a surgeon’s armamentarium include cancellous bone autograft, structural bone allograft, demineralized bone matrix, and calcium-based cements. Cancellous autograft possesses limited inherent mechanical stability and is associated with graft site morbidity. Structural allografts incorporate inconsistently and are plagued by late resorption. Demineralized bone matrix also lacks inherent structural stability. Calcium phosphate cements are not rigidly fixed to bone unless fixation is applied from cortical bone or through a plate, which must be taken into consideration when planning fixation. The Conventus DRS (Conventus Orthopaedics, Maple Grove, MN) implant is an expandable nitinol scaffold that takes advantage of the elasticity and shape memory of nitinol alloy. Once deployed and loc...
When Imagining "What If" is Problematic: Complexities of IRB Teacher Research Approval

"I.R.B.," three diminutive letters that readily conjure up frustration at best, anxiety at worst, for graduate students who are teacher practitioners, conducting action research for course credit, conference presentations, or academic assignments. This article explores the complexities among Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, ethical PK - 12 classroom educational practice, and scholarly research - specifically the tensions inherent in getting MS. Ed. thesis projects approved by the campus IRB committee. Several cases illustrate how problematic these conflicts can be for practicing teachers seeking an advanced degree. In particular, the line the IRB committee draws when defining normal educational practice versus research becomes an often arbitrary or even capricious boundary that delays both degree completion and impedes the classroom action research needed to improve PK - 12 education.
Surgical Considerations for Open Placement of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters

Renal replacement with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis allows patients the freedom to perform dialysis independently and improving their daily life. Peritoneal catheters are placed using variety of modalities by surgeons, nephrologists and interventional radiologists. The technique used for catheter placement plays an important role in the success of peritoneal dialysis, as mechanical complications related to the insertion technique are among the leading causes of peritoneal dialysis failure and need for hemodialysis. With the introduction of less invasive techniques, the use of open insertion technique has fallen to 27% in the United States; however, it continues to remain the main technique used at certain hospitals worldwide and for certain patient populations. One benefit of open peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion is the ability to perform the operation under local anesthesia. This technique, however, is not ideal for patients with severe intraabdominal adhesions, obesity, and abdominal wall defects. Catheter-related outcomes of open peritoneal dialysis catheter placement technique are superior to blind percutaneous insertion method, but inferior to basic and advanced laparoscopic insertion techniques. In this chapter, we describe the history, peri-operative considerations, operative technique and outcomes of open peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion method.
Observation of Single Molecule Plasmon-Driven Electron Transfer in Isotopically Edited 4,4′-Bipyridine Gold Nanosphere Oligomers

We clarify mechanistic questions regarding plasmon-driven chemistry and nanoscale photocatalysis within optically confined near-field plasmonic systems. Using surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS), we directly monitor the photoinduced reaction dynamics of 4,4′-bipyridine molecules, localized in plasmonic hot spots within individual gold nanosphere oligomers. Our experiment generates surface electrons from the gold nanoparticle using an intense off-molecular resonance continuous wave pump field, and detects radical anion products via SERS. This is done by adopting a dual-wavelength spectroscopic approach. Empirical evidence of plasmon-driven electron transfer is provided for the first time by direct detection of the 4,4′-bipyridine radical anion species localized in the plasmonic hot spots of individual gold nanosphere oligomers, corroborated by open-shell density functional theory calculations. An isotopologue approach using both protonated and deuterated 4,4′-bipyridine molecules demonstrates the sing...
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression Symptom Severities Are Differentially Associated With Hippocampal Subfield Volume Loss in Combat Veterans.

BackgroundTwo decades of human neuroimaging research have associated volume reductions in the hippocampus with posttraumatic stress disorder. However, little is known about the distribution of volu...
Experimental Analysis and Investigation of Machining Parameters in Finish Hard Turning of AISI 4340 Steel

Abstract Hard-turning is alternative machining process to the cylindrical grinding. It produced surface finish as good as cylindrical grinding with higher material removal rates by keeping small feed and depth of cut. It avails machining process in machining cost, high quality, less down machining time, lower investment, and smaller tooling inventory while get rid of non-value added activities. The optimum selection input parameters results into reduced tool wear and surface roughness and wearing of tool. The present work evaluates effect of input Parameters such as nose radius, cutting speed, feed and depth of cut and output parameter surface roughness on hardened AISI 4340 steel material. Taguchi’s technique is used as experimentation method and multiple regression method is used in order to optimize machining parameter for minimum surface roughness. The results showed that nose radius is more influencing parameter than feed, cutting speed, depth on surface roughness in finish hard turning. A total 9 experimental runs were conducted using an orthogonal array In order to verify result multiple regression analysis has modelled. Optimize cutting parameters which give high surface finish is obtained. Thus, it is possible utilization of machine and decrease production cost in an automated manufacturing environment.
Divergent antioxidant capacity of human islet cell subsets: A potential cause of beta-cell vulnerability in diabetes and islet transplantation.

Author(s): Miki, Atsushi; Ricordi, Camillo; Sakuma, Yasunaru; Yamamoto, Toshiyuki; Misawa, Ryosuke; Mita, Atsuyoshi; Molano, Ruth D; Vaziri, Nosratola D; Pileggi, Antonello; Ichii, Hirohito | Abstract: BackgroundType 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM and T2DM) are caused by beta(β)-cell loss and functional impairment. Identification of mechanisms of β-cell death and therapeutic interventions to enhance β-cell survival are essential for prevention and treatment of diabetes. Oxidative stress is a common feature of both T1DM and T2DM; elevated biomarkers of oxidative stress are detected in blood, urine and tissues including pancreas of patients with DM. Islet transplantation is a promising treatment for diabetes. However, exposure to stress (chemical and mechanical) and ischemia-reperfusion during isolation and transplantation causes islet loss by generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Human intracellular antioxidant enzymes and related molecules are essential defenses against ROS. Antioxidant enzyme levels including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) have been shown to be low in islet cells. However, little is known about the expression and function of antioxidant enzymes within islet cell subsets. We evaluated the expression of the key antioxidant enzymes in β- and alpha(α)-cell and accessed effects of oxidative stress, islet isolation and transplantation on β/α-cell ratio and viability in human islets.MethodsHuman pancreata from T1DM, T2DM and non-diabetic deceased donors were obtained and analyzed by confocal microscopy. Isolated islets were (I) transplanted in the renal sub-capsular space of streptozotocin-induced diabetic nude mice (in vivo bioassay), or (II) exposed to oxidative (H2O2) and nitrosative (NO donor) stress for 24 hrs in vitro. The ratio, % viability and death of β- and α-cells, and DNA damage (8OHdG) were measured.Results and conclusionsCatalase and GPX expression was much lower in β- than α-cells. The β/α-cell ratio fells significantly following islet isolation and transplantation. Exposure to oxidative stress caused a significantly lower survival and viability, with higher DNA damage in β- than α-cells. These findings identified the weakness of β-cell antioxidant capacity as a main cause of vulnerability to oxidative stress. Potential strategies to enhance β-cell antioxidant capacity might be effective in prevention/treatment of diabetes.
Toenail manganese as a potential biomarker for in utero and early childhood exposure studies.

Elevated in utero and early childhood exposure to manganese may have adverse effects on neurodevelopment. We conducted preliminary analyses to evaluate toenails as a matrix for investigating manganese exposure in infants. Infant and maternal toenail and hair samples were collected from 25 infants (7 months old) and their mothers. A subset of mothers was recruited in the third trimester of pregnancy and some also provided pre-natal toenail, hair, and blood samples, cord blood, and additional post-natal samples. Collected samples were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry. Toenail manganese levels in infants ranged from below the limit of detection (LOD) to 2.80 µg/g. Only 1 toenail sample and 4 hair samples contained levels of manganese below LOD. Associations between infant and maternal biomarkers were not statistically significant. Analysis of multiple post-natal toenail samples from a single infant-mother pair showed an increase in the infant’s toenail manganese and a decrease in maternal toenail manganese over the first year of the infant’s life. Overall, our findings suggest that toenails may serve as a valuable biological matrix for measuring manganese exposure in newborns and infants; however, additional studies are needed to determine the impact of the timing of toenail sample collection on its utility in assessing early life exposure and health outcomes.
Like a jar of flies? A study of self-control in an organizational social dilemma with large stakes.

We study the practice of self-control in an organizational social dilemma when the stakes are large, using 47 years of vital census data from 18th century Sweden. From 1750 to 1800, eighty percent of Sweden lived in a simple-structure organization called a bytvang or village commons. The amount of resources a village family received was a function of their size. During this period, crop failures left the population facing starvation. Using autoregressive time-series modeling, we test whether the people of Sweden continued to take steps toward increasing the stress on the commons by marrying and birthing children or practiced self-control. We find evidence that the peasantry–with little education, archaic agricultural practices, strong barriers to abortion and infanticide, and pressures by the Church and State to procreate–were less likely to marry and birth children (in or outside of wedlock) when the quality of the previous year’s harvest was poor compared to when it was bounteous. Post hoc analyses support the idea that the reason behind declining fertility after a famine was human decision rather than human physiology. Our findings are consistent with the idea that human population growth is not a social dilemma called a collective trap–which has been the assumption for 50 years. Rather, human population growth may be an individual dilemma–suggesting that members of simple-structured organizations can unilaterally exercise self-control and manage resources through self-organizing.
Boosting landfill gas production from lignin-containing wastes via termite hindgut microorganism.

Lignocellulose comprises a significant portion of municipal solid waste (MSW) - 40-70% in developed countries, including paper, wood, and yard waste. Cellulose and hemicellulose are often shielded by lignin, posing a barrier to waste decomposition and landfill gas generation. Unfortunately, lignin is resistant to microbial degradation under low-oxygen conditions that normally occur in MSW landfills. The bacterium strain TAV5, microaerophilic and member of phylum Verrucomicrobia, isolated from the hindgut of the Reticulitermes flavipes termite, the most widely distributed subterranean termite in North America. Its genome contains genes associated with methylotrophic competency which code for enzymes that structurally modify lignin. The overall goal of this research was to use TAV5 to modify lignin and boost methane production from MSW. Batch-scale reactors (125 mL) were filled with paper, yard, or wood waste, and four ratios of mixed of waste. Reactors were seeded with different ratios of TAV5 to anaerobic digester (AD) microorganisms (representing landfill anaerobic microorganisms). Based on batch tests, optimal ratios of TAV5 to AD microorganisms were used to seed wastes (mixed, yard, and wood) in 6-gallon reactors. Addition of TAV5 increased methane production from mixed waste, yard waste, and wood, by 49%, 34%, and 297%, respectively. TAV5 decreased acid soluble lignin by 7-39%, depending on waste type. TAV5 grown under aerobic conditions and room temperature (not requiring a heated anaerobic chamber) was found to remain viable and increase methane production under low-level oxygen conditions (1-2%). This finding will potentially lessen costs for growing large volumes of it for seeding landfills.
Orthotopic liver transplantion for end stage liver disease——10 years follow-up from a single center

Objective To investigate the survival condition of the liver transplant recipients and determine the factors which influence the long time survival. Methods Retrospective study of the follow-up data of the orthotopic liver transplantation recipients during 1999-2009 was performed.The survival rate of different primary disease was analyzed respectively. The recurrence of the primary disease, mortality and morbidity was also analyzed. Results 331 recipients were follwed up. The follow-up duration ranged from 8-120 months. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rate of patients with benign end-stage liver disease was 86 %, 85 %, 83 %, and 83 %, respectively. There was no difference in the long- term survival rate between the patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and severe liver failure. The 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-year survival rate of patients with HCC matching Millan criteria was 96 %, 87 %, 87 %, and 87 0%, while those of HCC exceeding Millan criteria were 42 % ,26 % ,24 % ,24 % resepectively. There was significant difference between them at the same period (P＜0. 01). The total recurrent rate of HCC recipient was 54. 3 %, and that of HCC matching and exceeding Millan criteria was 4.3 % and 72. 7 0% respectively (P＜0. 01 ). Tumor recurrence was the main cause of death of the malignancy. The HBV recurrent rate was 6. 0 0%, and all the cases were controlled by changing the antivirus regimen. The morbidity of billiary complication was 11.8 %, and intrahepatic biliary stricture was the most common type. CNIs-related renal impairment morbidity was 8. 2 % and the damage was reversible in condition of early diagnosis and treatment. Conclusion Orthotopic liver transplantation is an effective and safe treatment for end stage liver disease. The LTx recipients can get long time survival with perfect quallity life under proper medical supervision. Key words: Liver transplantation; End-stage liver disease; Survival analysis
Nuclear pore blockade reveals that HIV-1 completes reverse transcription and uncoating in the nucleus.

Retroviral infection involves the reverse transcription of the viral RNA genome into DNA, which is subsequently integrated into the host cell genome. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other lentiviruses mediate the infection of non-dividing cells through the ability of the capsid protein1 to engage the cellular nuclear import pathways of the target cell and mediate their nuclear translocation through components of the nuclear pore complex2–4. Although recent studies have observed the presence of the capsid protein in the nucleus during infection5–8, reverse transcription and disassembly of the viral core have conventionally been considered to be cytoplasmic events. Here, we use an inducible nuclear pore complex blockade to monitor the kinetics of HIV-1 nuclear import and define the biochemical staging of these steps of infection. Surprisingly, we observe that nuclear import occurs with relatively rapid kinetics (<5 h) and precedes the completion of reverse transcription in target cells, demonstrating that reverse transcription is completed in the nucleus. We also observe that HIV-1 remains susceptible to the capsid-destabilizing compound PF74 following nuclear import, revealing that uncoating is completed in the nucleus. Additionally, we observe that certain capsid mutants are insensitive to a Nup62-mediated nuclear pore complex blockade in cells that potently block infection by wild-type capsid, demonstrating that HIV-1 can use distinct nuclear import pathways during infection. These studies collectively define the spatio-temporal staging of critical steps of HIV-1 infection and provide an experimental system to separate and thereby define the cytoplasmic and nuclear stages of infection by other viruses. HIV-1 reverse transcription is found to be completed in the nucleus of the cell using an HIV-1 nuclear import kinetic assay that takes advantage of a nuclear import blockade method to monitor the kinetics of HIV-1 entry and infection.
Early mortality after hip fracture surgery in COVID-19 patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Structured Abstract Objective The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the risk of early mortality in hip fracture patients with COVID-19 infection who undergo surgical intervention. Data sources MEDLINE (PubMed) and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) databases. Study selection Studies were included in the systematic review if they reported postoperative mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection who underwent operative intervention for hip fracture. From this selection of studies, only investigations that reported postoperative mortality in a COVID-positive and a non-COVID group were included in the meta-analysis. Data extraction Data regarding patient demographics, age, and sex were recorded. Additional data that was extracted included study location, data collection period, length of follow-up, COVID testing methodology, COVID testing results, and number of patients who underwent operative versus nonoperative management. The primary outcome of interest was postoperative mortality. Data synthesis Random effects meta-analyses were performed to assess the pooled relative risk of postoperative mortality according to COVID status. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Conclusions The overall pooled mortality rate in the early postoperative period for hip fracture patients with concomitant COVID-19 infection was 32.6%. The relative risk for postoperative mortality in COVID-positive patients compared to non-COVID patients was 5.66 (95% CI 4.01–7.98; p Level of evidence Therapeutic Level IV.
A comprehensive characterization of ecological and epidemiological factors driving perennation of Podosphaera macularis chasmothecia on hop ( Humulus lupulus ).

Hop powdery mildew, caused by the ascomycete fungus Podosphaera macularis, is a consistent threat to sustainable hop production. The pathogen utilizes two reproductive strategies for overwintering ...
Interleukin 6 and Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage. A Narrative Review

Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a prominent proinflammatory cytokine. Neuroinflammation in general, and IL-6 signaling in particular, appear to play a major role in the pathobiology and pathophysiology of aneurysm formation and aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Most importantly, elevated IL-6 CSF (rather than serum) levels appear to correlate with delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI, "vasospasm") and secondary ("vasospastic") infarctions. IL-6 CSF levels may also reflect other forms of injury to the brain following SAH, i.e., early brain damage and septic complications of SAH and aneurysm treatment. This would explain why many researchers have found an association between IL-6 levels and patient outcomes. These findings clearly suggest CSF IL-6 as a candidate biomarker in SAH patients. However, at this point, discrepant findings in variable study settings, as well as timing and other issues, e.g., defining proper clinical endpoints (i.e., secondary clinical deterioration vs. angiographic vasospasm vs. secondary vasospastic infarct) do not allow for its routine use. It is also tempting to speculate about potential therapeutic measures targeting elevated IL-6 CSF levels and neuroinflammation in SAH patients. Corticosteroids and anti-platelet drugs are indeed used in many SAH cases (not necessarily with the intention to interfere with detrimental inflammatory signaling), however, no convincing benefit has been demonstrated yet. The lack of a robust clinical perspective against the background of a relatively large body of data linking IL-6 and neuroinflammation with the pathophysiology of SAH is somewhat disappointing. One underlying reason might be that most relevant studies only report correlative data. The specific molecular pathways behind elevated IL-6 levels in SAH patients and their various interactions still remain to be delineated. We are optimistic that future research in this field will result in a better understanding of the role of neuroinflammation in the pathophysiology of SAH, which in turn, will translate into the identification of suitable biomarkers and even potential therapeutic targets.
Timing of Anticoagulation after Stroke in Patients with Non-Valvular Atrial Fibrillation Assessment of Provider Practices.

Abstract Background Optimal timing of oral anticoagulation (TOAC) in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. The risk of recurrent ischemic events when treatment is delayed is often weighed against that of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) when anticoagulation is started in the subacute phase, especially in moderate to large infarctions. Despite substantial evidence for the benefit of oral anticoagulation (OAC) in reducing stroke recurrence, current nationally recognized practice guidelines do not provide clear recommendations on the TOAC after AF-related AIS. Materials and Methods We surveyed neurologists on therapeutic approaches to timing of anticoagulation after stroke in patients with AF (without moderate or severe mitral stenosis or a mechanical heart valve) using an online questionnaire. Several ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke scenarios with various stroke sizes, locations, and high-risk thrombotic complications were presented, and survey respondents were asked to provide post-stroke timeframe for TOAC. Practice background, specialty and years of experience of respondents were recorded. Results Majority of participants favored early initiation of OAC in small infarcts. In moderate to larger infarct burden, or when ischemia was complicated by HT, there was an overall trend to delay any initiation of OAC, irrespective of specialty or years of experience. The overt presence of an additional cardiac embolic source such as cardiac thrombus led decisions for early anticoagulation. Conclusion Although general practice trends were captured, optimal TOAC following AIS in AF remains unknown. Further research is warranted to determine optimal timing and anticoagulant selection.
Age moderates the relationship between affective response inhibition and bipolar disorder in adults.

BACKGROUND Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) often have impairments in neurocognition, including affective processing and affective response inhibition. While studies suggest that cognitive control in general may decline with age in BD, less is known about age-related changes in response inhibition to emotionally salient information. METHODS 258 participants with BD and 54 healthy controls, ages 18-70, completed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) Affective Go/No-Go task to assess affective response inhibition to positive and negative valenced stimuli. We examined the relationship between BD and affective response inhibition (number of commission and omission errors and reaction time), as well as a potential moderating effect of age, using mixed effects linear regression models. RESULTS The BD group made more omission and commission errors overall than the control group (p < 0.018). We observed a significant 3-way group-by-age-by-valence interaction for reaction time (p = 0.006). Within BD, a slower reaction time to negative than positive stimuli was found in middle and older age groups (p < 0.012), but not in the younger age group. No significant moderating effect of age was observed within the control group. CONCLUSIONS These cross-sectional findings indicate that compared with healthy controls, individuals with BD display differential and age-related effects in inhibition to emotionally salient information that is valence-dependent. The observed pattern of a switch in bias from negative to positive stimuli with age in BD may aid in our understanding of the progression of neurocognitive changes with aging in BD, as well as inform targeted treatments for cognitive symptoms.
Stock Investing in the Digital Age

This chapter provides an overview of the transformation of the market for individual investments over the past twenty-five years, drawing upon interviews, media discourse, and social theory. The distinction between kinematic and entrepreneurial investor is used as an analytical tool to emphasize the most salient features of the digital investing experience as it has evolved through the emergence of the Internet as a primary vehicle for investing, trading, and researching financial markets. The concept of the kinematic investor is introduced, with a focus on the speed of money, and the aesthetics of investing. Then, the entrepreneurial investor is described, with some thoughts on how the notion of the entrepreneurial investor can be seen as part of a more general emergence of the entrepreneurial consumer. The chapter concludes with a discussion of aspects of the fintech revolution that is rapidly transforming how consumers digitally invest.
The Challenges to Library Learning: Solutions for Librarians

Introduction Chapter 1. The Rules of Engagement Chapter 2. E-Learning for Library Staff Chapter 3. Developing a Personal Learning Plan Chapter 4. The Substitute Librarian-Providing a Mechanism for the Library Learner to Lear Chapter 5. Marketing Your Library Learning Program to Staff Chapter 6. The Community Learning Program for Library Staff-The SEFLIN Case Study Chapter 7. Teaching and Measuring Information Literacy Training Appendix. PowerPoint Presentation on Design and Implementation of a Training Program for Library Staff Notes Index
SPECT imaging of iodine-131 distribution in the head

The performance of a pinhole collimator for I-131 SPECT of the head was evaluated. The evaluation included planar and SPECT spatial resolution, sensitivity in air and in water, reconstructed image quality, and activity quantitation within a simple phantom that models tumor uptake in the head. The pinhole collimator was compared to medium and high energy parallel hole collimators. The pinhole collimator showed improved resolution/sensitivity trade-off compared with the parallel hole collimators over the range of distances relevant to head imaging. Penetration artifacts were not apparent in the reconstructed pinhole images. The accuracy of activity quantitation with the pinhole and parallel hole collimators was dependent on the segmentation threshold and calibration procedure. These results indicate that pinhole collimation can provide improved performance over conventional parallel hole collimators for I-131 imaging in the head.