cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated synthesis of microprogrammed control units in DIADES

Presents the automatic synthesis of microprogrammed control units in the DIADES design automation system. The optimization of the microcode is incorporated into a comprehensive process of data path scheduling and allocation and of control unit design. A new microprogrammed controller model that is suitable for design automation and formal description is described. This new model permits design and optimization of controllers ranging from a very basic microcontroller to a very complex one. The micro-sequencer architecture is retargetable. A symbolic intermediate microcode (SIMC) is generated as a high-level intermediate microassembly language. In SIMC, some high-level control constructs from the behavioral input language ADL of DIADES and GRAPH88 are preserved and can either be implemented in hardware or converted into lower-level microinstructions. An object-oriented HyperCard-based user interface has been designed to simplify user access to the system. >
Transosseous-Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair: A Systematic Review on the Biomechanical Importance of Tying the Medial Row

Purpose Double-row and transosseous-equivalent repair techniques have shown greater strength and improved healing than single-row techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine whether tying of the medial-row sutures provides added stability during biomechanical testing of a transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff repair. Methods We performed a systematic review of studies directly comparing biomechanical differences. Results Five studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the 5 studies, 4 showed improved biomechanical properties with tying the medial-row anchors before bringing the sutures laterally to the lateral-row anchors, whereas the remaining study showed no difference in contact pressure, mean failure load, or gap formation with a standard suture bridge with knots tied at the medial row compared with knotless repairs. Conclusions The results of this systematic review and quantitative synthesis indicate that the biomechanical factors ultimate load, stiffness, gap formation, and contact area are significantly improved when medial knots are tied as part of a transosseous-equivalent suture bridge construct compared with knotless constructs. Further studies comparing the clinical healing rates and functional outcomes between medial knotted and knotless repair techniques are needed. Clinical Relevance This review indicates that biomechanical factors are improved when the medial row of a transosseous-equivalent rotator cuff is tied compared with a knotless repair. However, this has not been definitively proven to translate to improved healing rates clinically.
Organophosphorus pesticides decrease M2 muscarinic receptor function in guinea pig airway nerves via indirect mechanisms.

Background: Epidemiological studies link organophosphorus pesticide (OP) exposures to asthma, and we have shown that the OPs chlorpyrifos, diazinon and parathion cause airway hyperreactivity in guinea pigs 24 hr after a single subcutaneous injection. OP-induced airway hyperreactivity involves M2 muscarinic receptor dysfunction on airway nerves independent of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, but how OPs inhibit neuronal M2 receptors in airways is not known. In the central nervous system, OPs interact directly with neurons to alter muscarinic receptor function or expression; therefore, in this study we tested whether the OP parathion or its oxon metabolite, paraoxon, might decrease M2 receptor function on peripheral neurons via similar direct mechanisms. Methodology/Principal Findings: Intravenous administration of paraoxon, but not parathion, caused acute frequencydependent potentiation of vagally-induced bronchoconstriction and increased electrical field stimulation (EFS)-induced contractions in isolated trachea independent of AChE inhibition. However, paraoxon had no effect on vagally-induced bradycardia in intact guinea pigs or EFS-induced contractions in isolated ileum, suggesting mechanisms other than pharmacologic antagonism of M2 receptors. Paraoxon did not alter M2 receptor expression in cultured cells at the mRNA or protein level as determined by quantitative RT-PCR and radio-ligand binding assays, respectively. Additionally, a biotinlabeled fluorophosphonate, which was used as a probe to identify molecular targets phosphorylated by OPs, did not phosphorylate proteins in guinea pig cardiac membranes that were recognized by M2 receptor antibodies. Conclusions/Significance: These data indicate that neither direct pharmacologic antagonism nor downregulated expression of M2 receptors contributes to OP inhibition of M2 function in airway nerves, adding to the growing evidence of non-cholinergic mechanisms of OP neurotoxicity.
A testbed for evaluation and analysis of stepping stone attack attribution techniques

This paper describes a testbed for experimentally evaluating stepping stone attack attribution techniques. There is a lack of comprehensive experimental evaluation of many different stepping stone attack detection schemes. Therefore, there are no objective, comparable evaluation results on the effectiveness and limitations of these schemes. In this research, we designed and built a scalable testbed environment that can evaluate all existing stepping stone attack attribution schemes reproducibly, provide a stable platform for further research on this area and be easily reconfigured, expanded, and operated with user-friendly interface. This testbed environment has been established in a dedicated stepping stone attack attribution research laboratory. An evaluation of proposed stepping stone techniques is currently underway.
Depositional Environments and Petroleum Potential of Miocene Lacustrine Deposit, West-Central Nevada: ABSTRACT

The lacustrine Esmeralda Formation (Miocene) of Nevada was studied with the purpose of determining the depositional environment of petroliferous laminated rocks that are interbedded with volcaniclastic sands and localized carbonate units. Fine-grained petroliferous shales make up a 40-m section at the inferred depositional center of the basin and interfinger laterally with volcaniclastic mudstones, sandstones, and breccias. The areal extent and geometric shape of this unit were determined by detailed geologic mapping and measurement of stratigraphic sections. This unit and other units of the Esmeralda Formation have undergone extensive folding and faulting which produced possible reservoir structures. The depositional environment is interpreted as beginning as a freshwater lake that evolved through time into a saline lake environment. This basin received volcaniclastic sediments from surrounding volcanic highs. Influx of these sediments slowed during periods of carbonate deposition. Unusual stromatolites and large tufa mounds with pseudomorphs of evaporite minerals are associated with dolostone and limestone layers. This study provides a depositional and structural context for evaluating the petroleum potential of the Esmeralda Formation in Stewart Valley, as well as an aid in understanding similar Tertiary deposits in the Basin and Range province of Nevada. End_of_Article - Last_Page 613------------
Coplanar waveguide varactors with bottom metal trenched in silicon

This paper reports the effects of embedding the bottom metal of a thin-film ferroelectric varactor into the wafer substrate. By embedding the bottom metal to a height flush with the surrounding dielectric, a smooth surface remains for the ferroelectric and top metal layers. This parallel stack of layers reduces the coupling between the two metal layers and the resulting capacitance. The design of the device and measured data of etched and non-etched varactors is also presented.
Plasmid rolling‐circle replication: recent developments

It is now well established that a large majority of small, multicopy plasmids of Gram-positive bacteria use the rolling-circle (RC) mechanism for their replication. Furthermore, the host range of RC plasmids now includes Gram-negative organisms as well as archaea. RC plasmids can be broadly classified into at least five families, individual members of which are spread among widely different bacteria. There is significant homology in the basic replicons of plasmids belonging to a particular family, and there is compelling evidence that such plasmids have evolved from common ancestors. Major advances have recently been made in our understanding of plasmid RC replication, including the characterization of the biochemical activities of the plasmid initiator proteins and their interaction with the double-strand origin, the domain structure of the initiator proteins and the molecular basis for the function of single-strand origins in plasmid lagging strand synthesis. Over the past several years, there has been a 'renaissance' in studies on RC replication as a result of the discovery that many plasmids replicate by this mechanism, and studies in the next few years are likely to reveal new and novel mechanisms used by RC plasmids for their regulated replication.
Neuropeptides and Angiogenesis

Neuropeptides are one of the most conserved proteins across different species and are ubiquitously expressed in different organs. In the peripheral nervous system, neuropeptides are secreted by the sensory and autonomic nerves and participate in a wide range of functions including immune surveillance, cardiovascular homeostasis, regulation of endocrine function, cytokine and growth factor release, and importantly angiogenesis. Neuropeptides including neuropeptide Y, substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and somatostatin (SS) are some of the neuropeptides that have been investigated regarding their role in modulating the vascular system and angiogenesis. All of these neuropeptides are pro-angiogenic except SS, which has anti-­angiogenic properties. This chapter aims to present up-to-date evidence on the various mechanisms of action of the aforementioned neuropeptides and their clinical implications.
Is Case Management Effective for People with Serious Mental Illness? A Research Review

Recent literature on caring for people with serious mental illnesses reflects a growing belief in the effectiveness of case management services for this population. This article reviews recent outcome studies on case management to assess the extent to which prevailing claims that it is effective are supported empirically. Based on this review, the author concludes that the hypothesis that case management is effective remains plausible, but conclusive claims that its efficacy has been empirically demonstrated are premature. The outcome studies reflect diversity and ambiguity in the ways case management is conceptualized and implemented, problems in the research methodologies employed, and inconsistencies in outcomes. Consequently, implications for further research are drawn.
Legal Regulation of Employment Reference Practices

A lively debate has raged in recent years about how to regulate employment reference practices. According to the conventional account, employers refuse to provide candid references because they fear defamation liability and perceive only the most speculative benefits from exposing themselves to the risk of suit. As a result, almost everyone appears to agree that employers are getting too little information about prospective employees. An intuitively appealing response to this problem would be to impose on the former employer a duty to disclose. Another obvious possibility is to reform defamation law so as to reduce the threat of liability that employers face when they provide candid references. Although these are plausible policy options, prior commentators have seriously underestimated the difficulty of designing appropriate legal reforms. The framework that I develop in this Article highlights the unique problems associated with regulating information flows and reveals complex interactions among the various legal and economic forces that influence employment reference practices. In particular, I examine three potential inefficiencies arising from employee turnover -- mismatching, churning, and scarring. Contrary to the conventional wisdom, I conclude that defamation law functions reasonably well in its present form, that disclosure obligations might well produce more harm than good, and finally that the most promising legal reforms are those that focus on the problems associated with hiring for high-risk occupations. I also explore how the law might facilitate both preexisting and innovative market mechanisms for information sharing.
GenAp: a distributed SQL interface for genomic data

The impressively low cost and improved quality of genome sequencing provides to researchers of genetic diseases, such as cancer, a powerful tool to better understand the underlying genetic mechanisms of those diseases and treat them with effective targeted therapies. Thus, a number of projects today sequence the DNA of large patient populations each of which produces at least hundreds of terra-bytes of data. Now the challenge is to provide the produced data on demand to interested parties. In this paper, we show that the response to this challenge is a modified version of Spark SQL, a distributed SQL execution engine, that handles efficiently joins that use genomic intervals as keys. With this modification, Spark SQL serves such joins more than 50× faster than its existing brute force approach and 8× faster than similar distributed implementations. Thus, Spark SQL can replace existing practices to retrieve genomic data and, as we show, allow users to reduce the number of lines of software code that needs to be developed to query such data by an order of magnitude.
Prevalence of Anthrax in Aba Prefecture,1958-2010

Objective By analyzing the incidence of anthrax in Aba prefecture from year 1958 to 2010,to find out the rules and features of the incidence,and explore effective measures to reduce the incidence of anthrax.Methods Data of anthrax epidemics in 53 years(1958-2010) was analyzed with epidemiological methods.Results Totally l 349 anthrax cases were reported in 53 years,with 21 death cases.The annual incidence rate was 3.47/105,and case mortality rate was 0.06/105.Cases were reported throughout the year,and concentrated in period of April to October,89.03% cases were from 3 pastoral counties.Professional was mainly pastoralists,and cases concentrated in 20-44 years old.Annual incidence rate during 1958-2001 fluctuated within 0.8/105-2.52/105,and annual incidence rate was from 6.33/105 to 12.66/105 during 2002-2010.Conclusions The incidence of anthrax was stable in Aba prefecture during 1958-2001,followed by the increasing since 2002 year by year,and mainly in pastoral areas.Health education and animal husbandry management should be strengthened,with epidemic focus and external environment disinfection and vaccination,to control the prevalence of anthrax effectively.
Endoscopic ultrasonography-guided portal injection chemotherapy for hepatic metastases.

Introduction We hypothesized that endoscopic ultrasonography-guided portal injection chemotherapy (EPIC) using irinotecan-loaded microbeads may achieve increased intrahepatic concentrations, while decreasing systemic exposure. This may achieve enhanced efficacy for the treatment of diffuse liver metastases, while decreasing systemic toxicities. Materials and methods In eight anesthetized 35 kg pigs, EPIC was performed transgastrically using the linear-array echoendoscope and a 22 g fine-needle aspiration. In four animals, irinotecan (100 mg) loaded onto 75-150 micron liquid chromatography (LC) beads was injected. In four animals, saline was injected into the portal vein and unloaded irinotecan (100 mg) was injected into the jugular vein. Plasma (every 15 min), and at 1 h bone marrow, liver and skeletal muscle samples were obtained. Irinotecan and SN-38 (active metabolite) concentrations were assayed by LC/mass spectrometry. Results The procedure was performed safely in all eight animals. Compared with systemic administration, EPIC resulted in almost twice the hepatic concentration of irinotecan (6242 vs. 3692 ng/g) and half the systemic concentrations in plasma (1092 vs. 2762 ng/mL), bone marrow (815 vs. 1703 ng/mL) and skeletal muscle (521 vs. 1058 ng/g). SN-38 levels were lower with EPIC (liver: 166 vs. 681 ng/g; plasma: 1.8 vs. 2.4 ng/mL; bone marrow: 0.9 vs. 1.4 ng/mL; muscle 4.6 vs. 9.2 ng/g). Liver histology showed the beads within small portal venules. Conclusions EPIC using irinotecan-loaded microbeads can enhance hepatic exposure to irinotecan, while decreasing systemic concentrations. SN-38 levels were lower with EPIC indicating that a substantial portion of the irinotecan was still loaded onto beads. The microbeads may act as a reservoir resulting in prolonged hepatic drug exposure.
Meta-analysis of California Spotted Owl ( Strix occidentalis occidentalis ) territory occupancy in the Sierra Nevada: habitat associations and their implications for forest management

ABSTRACT We assessed the occupancy dynamics of 275 California Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis occidentalis) territories in 4 study areas in the Sierra Nevada, California, USA, from 1993 to 2011. We used Landsat data to develop maps of canopy cover for each study area, which we then used to quantify annual territory-specific habitat covariates. We modeled the relationships between territory extinction and colonization using predictor variables of habitat, disturbance (logging, fire), climate, and elevation. We found that forests with medium (40–69%) and high (≥70%) canopy cover were the most important predictors of territory occupancy in all study areas, and that both canopy cover categories were positively correlated with occupancy. We used analysis of deviance to estimate the amount of variation explained by the habitat covariates (primarily medium and high canopy cover) and found that these covariates explained from 35% to 67% of the variation in occupancy. Climatic covariates were not correlated with o...
Articulated Solutions for Mannequins in the Circle of Dance Exhibition at National Museum of the American Indian – New York

The exhibition, Circle of Dance, which opened at National Museum of the American Indian – New York in September 2012, showcases dances of 10 Native communities from 10 geographical locations in the...
Identification of small molecule inhibitors of the LINE1 endonuclease

Long interspersed element-1 (L1) is the only active autonomous retroelement in the human genome. Studies characterizing L1 function show that the L1 endonuclease activity is associated with the for...
Decreasing Improper Payments in a Complex Federal Program

Since the early 2000s, the U.S. federal government has placed increasing focus on combating improper payments. Implementing policies to control improper payments is no easy task. Federal programs are often large, complex, riddled with moral hazard concerns, and jointly implemented. In 2011, the U.S. Department of Labor adopted a national strategy to combat improper payments in the Unemployment Insurance program. This article examines the effect that the Department of Labor's strategic initiative had on lowering states’ improper payments. Findings show that two of its tools—mandatory cross matching of employment records between the National Directory of New Hires and State Directories of New Hires and a communication strategy known as messaging—played a statistically significant role in halting the rise of improperly paid unemployment insurance claims. These results suggest that information technology tools and increased communication among stakeholders can be effective in lowering improper payments and improving government performance.
Chromatic photo-thermal actuators based on 2H-MoS2 based nanocomposites

The ability to convert photons of different wavelength directly into mechanical motion is of significant interest in many energy conversion and reconfigurable technologies. Using few layer 2H-MoS2 nanosheets, layer by layer process of nanocomposite fabrication, and strain engineering, we demonstrate a reversible and chromatic mechanical response in MoS2-nanocomposites between 405 nm to 808 nm with large stress release. The chromatic mechanical response originates from the d orbitals and is related to the strength of the direct exciton resonance A and B of the few layer 2HMoS2 affecting optical absorption and subsequent mechanical response of the nanocomposite. The unique photomechanical response in 2H-MoS2 based nanocomposites is a result of the rich d electron physics not available to nanocomposites based on sp2 bonded graphene and carbon nanotubes, as well as nanocomposite based on metallic nanoparticles. The reversible strain dependent optical absorption suggest applications in broad range of energy conversion technologies.
Urban-Rural Comparisons in Hospital Admission, Treatments, and Outcomes for ST-Segment-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in China From 2001 to 2011: A Retrospective Analysis From the China PEACE Study (Patient-Centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events).

Background— In response to urban–rural disparities in healthcare resources, China recently launched a healthcare reform with a focus on improving rural care during the past decade. However, nationally representative studies comparing medical care and patient outcomes between urban and rural areas in China during this period are not available. Methods and Results— We created a nationally representative sample of patients in China admitted for ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction in 2001, 2006, and 2011, using a 2-stage random sampling design in 2 urban and 3 rural strata. In China, evidence-based treatments were provided less often in 2001 in rural hospitals, which had lower volume and less availability of advanced cardiac facilities. However, these differences diminished by 2011 for reperfusion therapy (54% in urban versus 57% in rural; P =0.1) and reversed for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers (66% versus 68%; P =0.04) and early β-blockers (56% versus 60%; P =0.01). The risk-adjusted rate of in-hospital death or withdrawal from treatment was not significantly different between urban and rural hospitals in any study year, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.13 (0.77–1.65) in 2001, 0.99 (0.77–1.27) in 2006, and 0.94 (0.74–1.19) in 2011. Conclusions— Although urban–rural disparities in evidence-based treatment for myocardial infarction in China have largely been eliminated, substantial gaps in quality of care persist in both settings. In addition, urban hospitals providing more resource-intensive care did not achieve better outcomes. Clinical Trial Registration— URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01624883.
Mechanistic kinetic modeling generates system-independent P-glycoprotein mediated transport elementary rate constants for inhibition and, in combination with 3D SIM microscopy, elucidates the importance of microvilli morphology on P-glycoprotein mediated efflux activity

ABSTRACTIntroduction: In vitro transporter kinetics are typically analyzed by steady-state Michaelis-Menten approximations. However, no clear evidence exists that these approximations, applied to m...
1986 American Heart Association Bugher Program Pivotal to Current Management and Research of Heart Disease.

In 1961, philanthropist Fred Bugher, under the guidance of his lawyer Nelson Adams, established the Henriette B. and Frederick H. Bugher Foundation, dedicated to funding cardiovascular research within the District of Columbia. On Fred’s passing, Adams—an inaugural trustee of the Foundation—saw to it that much of his fortune was allocated to his family’s organization. With the foundation’s resources drastically increased, the Board of Trustees decided the scope should be increased as well. Rather than being limited to the nation’s capital, they contacted the American Heart Association (AHA) to seek guidance on how best to contribute to the fight against heart disease. In response to this request, the AHA, led by Dr Howard Morgan, took a refreshing view that would, in part, change the direction of cardiovascular research and management of heart disease in this country and internationally for decades to come. The AHA traditionally funds cardiovascular research selected by the peer review committees from applications submitted by investigators. In general, less than one third of the research applications can be funded. The usual response to a donor was to accept financial contributions to maintain this level of funding for the ongoing research portfolio. However, the Bugher Foundation wanted something novel and more engaging on a sustained basis. This stimulated Howard Morgan and his AHA colleagues to think outside the box. There was on the horizon the techniques of molecular biology and recombinant DNA. These techniques appeared to offer significant advantage over conventional techniques and were being embraced in the basic research disciplines and to a minor extent in cancer research. The cancer research community recognizing these techniques are DNA-based knew they would be essential to the core of cancer research, namely, the pursuit of abnormal cell growth. The cardiovascular community, particularly adult cardiology, had neither the training nor education to …
American Indian women cancer survivors' perceptions and experiences with conventional and non-conventional mental health care for depressive symptoms.

ABSTRACTBackground: Despite cancer and depression being disproportionately high for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women, such cancer survivors’ help-seeking practices and perceptions re...
Extracting the surface tension of soft gels from elastocapillary wave behavior

Mechanically-excited waves appear as surface patterns on soft agarose gels. We experimentally quantify the dispersion relationship for these waves over a range of shear modulus in the transition zone where the surface energy (capillarity) is comparable to the elastic energy of the solid. Rayleigh waves and capillary-gravity waves are recovered as limiting cases. Gravitational forces appear as a pre-stress through the self-weight of the gel and are important. We show the experimental data fits well to a proposed dispersion relationship which differs from that typically used in studies of capillary to elastic wave crossover. We use this combined theoretical and experimental analysis to develop a new technique for measuring the surface tension of soft materials, which has been historically difficult to measure directly.
Vampires in the Technological Mist: The Sharing Economy, Employment and the Quest for Economic Justice and Fairness in a Digital Future

The gig economy, the sharing economy, or collaborative consumption; these are all synonyms for a technologically enhanced mechanisms for linking independent contractors with consumers for the purpo...
Unknown landscape identification with CNN transfer learning

Unknown landscape identification is the problem of identifying an unknown landscape from a set of already provided landscape images that are considered to be known. The aim of this work is to extract the intrinsic semantic of landscape images in order to automatically generalize concepts like a stadium, roads, a parking lot etc., and use this concept to identify unknown landscapes. This problem can be easily extended to many security applications. We propose two effective semi-supervised novelty detection approaches for the unknown landscape identification problem using Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Transfer Learning. This is based on the use of pre-trained CNNs (i.e. already trained on large datasets) already containing general image knowledge that we transfer to our domain. Our best values of AUROC and Average Precision scores for the identification problem are 0.96 and 0.94, respectively. In addition, we statistically prove that our semi-supervised methods outperform the baseline.
Life-style-induced metabolic derangement and epigenetic changes promote diabetes and oxidative stress leading to NASH and atherosclerosis severity

Energy imbalance resulting from high calorie food intake and insufficient metabolic activity leads to increased body mass index (BMI) and sets the stage for metabolic derangement influencing lipid and carbohydrate metabolism and ultimately leading to insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. 70% of cardiovascular disease (CVD) deaths occur in patients with diabetes. Environment-induced physiological perturbations trigger epigenetic changes through chromatin modification and leads to type 2 diabetes and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and CVD. Thus, in terms of disease progression and pathogenesis, energy homeostasis, metabolic dysregulation, diabetes, fatty liver, and CVD are interlinked. Since advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and low-grade inflammation in type 2 diabetes play definitive roles in the pathogenesis of liver and vascular diseases, a natural checkpoint to prevent diabetes and associated complications appears to be the identification and management of prediabetes together with weight management, since 70% of prediabetic individuals develop diabetes during their life time, and every kg of weight increase is associated with up to 9% increase in diabetes risk. A good proportion of diabetes and obesity population have fatty liver that progresses to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis, and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. Diabetes and NASH both have elevated oxidative stress, impaired cholesterol elimination, and increased inflammation that leads to CVD risk. This review addresses life-style-induced metabolic pathway derangement and how it contributes to epigenetic changes, type 2 diabetes and NASH progression, which collectively lead to increased risk of CVD.
Use of aprepitant in uncontrolled delayed nausea and vomiting associated with preparative regimens in stem cell transplantation: A retrospective analysis.

9613 Background: Aprepitant, a well tolerated antiemetic, is indicated for the prevention of acute and delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of highly emetogenic ch...
Preapproval Information Exchange: Perspectives of U.S. Population Health Decision Makers on Preferences for Early Engagement with Investigational Therapies.

BACKGROUND: Preapproval information exchange (PIE) is the communication of clinical and health care economic information (HCEI) on therapies in development between U.S. population health decision m...
Association of Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signs With Cognitive Outcomes in Persons With Nonimpaired Cognition and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Importance Brain atrophy and vascular lesions contribute to dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in clinical referral populations. Prospective evidence in older general populations is limited. Objective To evaluate which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signs are independent risk factors for dementia and MCI. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based cohort study included 1553 participants sampled from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study who had brain MRI scans and were dementia free during visit 5 (June 2011 to September 2013). Participants’ cognitive status was evaluated through visit 6 (June 2016 to December 2017). Exposures Brain regional volumes, microhemorrhages, white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volumes, and infarcts measured on 3-T MRI. Main Outcomes and Measures Cognitive status (dementia, MCI, or nonimpaired cognition) was determined from in-person evaluations. Dementia among participants who missed visit 6 was identified via dementia surveillance and hospital discharge or death certificate codes. Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate the risk of dementia in 3 populations: dementia-free participants (N = 1553), participants with nonimpaired cognition (n = 1014), and participants with MCI (n = 539). Complementary log-log models were used for risk of MCI among participants with nonimpaired cognition who also attended visit 6 (n = 767). Models were adjusted for demographic variables, apolipoprotein E e4 alleles, vascular risk factors, depressive symptoms, and heart failure. Results Overall, 212 incident dementia cases were identified among 1553 participants (mean [SD] age at visit 5, 76 [5.2] years; 946 [60.9%] women; 436 [28.1%] African American) with a median (interquartile range) follow-up period of 4.9 (4.3-5.2) years. Significant risk factors of dementia included lower volumes in the Alzheimer disease (AD) signature region, including hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and surrounding structures (hazard ratio [HR] per 1-SD decrease, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.89-3.04), lobar microhemorrhages (HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.30-2.77), higher volumes of WMH (HR per 1-SD increase, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.23-1.69), and lacunar infarcts (HR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.20-2.31). The AD signature region volume was also consistently associated with both MCI and progression from MCI to dementia, while subcortical microhemorrhages and infarcts contributed less to the progression from MCI to dementia. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, lower AD signature region volumes, brain microhemorrhages, higher WMH volumes, and infarcts were risk factors associated with dementia in older community-based residents. Vascular changes were more important in the development of MCI than in its progression to dementia, while AD-related signs were important in both stages.
Catalyst-free, aza-Michael polymerization of hydrazides: polymerizability, kinetics, and mechanistic origin of an α-effect.

Despite the powerful nature of the aza-Michael reaction for generating C–N linkages and bioactive moieties, the bis-Michael addition of 1° amines remains ineffective for the synthesis of functional, step-growth polymers due to the drastic reduction in reactivity of the resulting 2° amine mono-addition adduct. In this study, a wide range of commercial hydrazides are shown to effectively undergo the bis-Michael reaction with divinyl sulfone (DVS) and 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDA) under catalyst-free, thermal conditions to afford moderate to high molecular weight polymers with Mn = 3.8–34.5 kg mol−1. The hydrazide-Michael reactions exhibit two distinctive, conversion-dependent kinetic regimes that are 2nd-order overall, in contrast to the 3rd-order nature of amines previously reported. The mono-addition rate constant was found to be 37-fold greater than that of the bis-addition at 80 °C for the reaction between benzhydrazide and DVS. A significant majority (12 of 15) of the hydrazide derivatives used here show excellent bis-Michael reactivity and achieve >97% conversions after 5 days. This behavior is consistent with calculations that show minimal variance of electron density on the N-nucleophile among the derivatives studied. Reactivity differences between hydrazides and hexylamine are also explored. Overall, the difference in reactivity between hydrazides and amines is attributed to the adjacent nitrogen atom in hydrazides that acts as an efficient hydrogen-bond donor that facilitates intramolecular proton-transfer following the formation of the zwitterion intermediate. This effect not only activates the Michael acceptor but also coordinates with additional Michael acceptors to form an intermolecular reactant complex.
A study on Bonded Block Model (BBM) complexity for simulation of laboratory-scale stress-strain behavior in granitic rocks

Abstract The emergent macroscopic behaviors of Bonded Block Models (BBM) are governed largely by the properties assigned to their three components – blocks, contacts and zones (blocks are discretized using finite-difference zones). Over the years, different representations of these components, including elastic/inelastic zones and heterogeneous/homogenous blocks and contacts (corresponding to different mineral grains and associated mechanical properties), have been employed to simulate various aspects of rock behavior. However, there is a lack of understanding of the capabilities of these model representations with respect to their ability to replicate specific rock mechanical attributes. The goal of this study was to test a variety of model representations and evaluate their capabilities in terms of reproducing mechanical behaviors observed for a granitic rock type. It was found that inelastic zones were necessary to capture high confinement peak strengths while incorporation of heterogeneity was necessary to replicate the micro-cracking process. The heterogeneous, inelastic BBMs could match all the calibration targets and is identified as the best representation for modeling the full range of granitic rock behaviors. To help researchers select an appropriate BBM representation for modeling different aspects of rock behavior, a summary table outlining the capabilities of the different model representations is also provided.
Evaluation of a change in cytomegalovirus prevention strategy following pediatric solid organ transplantation.

Background An optimal cytomegalovirus (CMV) prevention strategy following solid organ transplantation (SOT) remains uncertain. This study reports on the rates of CMV events following a change in a local prevention guideline involving increased surveillance, earlier transition to oral valganciclovir, and decreased CMV-immunoglobulin use. Methods A retrospective cohort study utilizing historical controls evaluated the rates of CMV invasive disease pre- and post-intervention among pediatric heart, liver, and kidney recipients. Outcomes were recorded for the 4 years pre- and post-intervention, 9/2009-10/2017. Logistic regression was used to estimate the risk of a CMV event. Results There was no difference in the rates of CMV invasive disease between the two study groups (P = 1). An increase in the detection of CMV events occurred (P = .04), predominantly asymptomatic CMV infection. This increase was independently associated with increased surveillance testing among high-risk heart and liver recipients, aOR 1.08 (1.06-1.12). Surprisingly, 28.9% of CMV events occurred during antiviral prophylaxis. Conclusions Modification of the local CMV prevention guideline did not result in an increase in CMV invasive disease. CMV events occurred while on prophylaxis, highlighting a potential difference from adult solid organ transplant (SOT) and emphasizing the potential need for monitoring on prophylaxis in the pediatric population.
A Rational Choice Approach to the Rise and Decline of Ethnoregional Political Parties

The reemergence of ethnoregionalism in the advanced industrial democracies presented a paradox to scholars. Diffusion theories of national development anticipated that the spread of markets, industrialization, urbanization, and national systems of education, politics, administration, and conscription would diminish regional political, economic, and cultural distinctiveness. This chapter presents the cautious beginning of such a project. The ethnoregional party itself must be able to supply benefits potential members value, or else nonparticipation would be the more rational choice. Although the cultural division of labor (CDL) may account for why people perceive it in their interest to engage in collective action around questions of ethnicity, one of the most important findings of the literature on social movements is that interest is not sufficient to sustain political organization. The existence of a CDL alone should explain most of the variation in the geographical distribution of the ethnoregional political parties.
Searching for Scalar Dark Matter with Compact Mechanical Resonators.

Ultralight scalars are an interesting dark matter candidate that may produce a mechanical signal by modulating the Bohr radius. Recently it has been proposed to search for this signal using resonant-mass antennas. Here, we extend that approach to a new class of existing and near term compact (gram to kilogram mass) acoustic resonators composed of superfluid helium or single crystal materials, producing displacements that are accessible with opto- or electromechanical readout techniques. We find that a large unprobed parameter space can be accessed using ultrahigh-$Q$, cryogenically cooled centimeter-scale mechanical resonators operating at 100 Hz--100 MHz frequencies, corresponding to ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}--{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{eV}$ scalar mass range.
Will you be covered during the next recession? Unequal safety-nets for private health insurance in the United States

Health insurance coverage for working-age adults in the United States is still predominantly determined by their jobs or their spouse's jobs. This article revealed that SES disparities in access to a spouse's coverage as a safety-net significantly contributed to the inequities in coverage loss during economic instability. Using the longitudinal Survey of Income and Program Participation (1996-2012), this article examines insurance transitions between socioeconomic groups during the two most recent recessions in the United States. The SES disparity in private coverage spiked during periods of high job-loss. Higher SES men's and women's coverages were barely affected as they became insured by their spouses even as they lost their own. Wives' insurance plans played a large role in mitigating declines in higher SES men's coverages during the 2008 recession.
Using crop simulation model to evaluate influence of water management practices and multiple cropping systems on crop yields: A case study for Ethiopian highlands

Abstract Low soil fertility, soil water stress and deteriorating natural resources are among the causal factors to low crop productivity in Africa. In this study, impact of cropping systems and water management practices on yield of different crops were simulated using the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer-Cropping System Model. The treatments included continuous cropping (monoculture) of three different crops [wheat, WT; barley, BA; chickpea, CP]; and rotation systems (WT-BA, and WT-BA-CP). Crops were treated with three different water management practices (a) rainfed; (b) tied ridging; and (c) irrigation. Five years (2013−2017) average actual yields were obtained and average short-term (2013−2017) and long-term (1984−2019) yield gaps, relative yields and yield changes were calculated. The yield gap (Yg) [the difference between actual (Ya) and simulated rainfed yield (Yw)] for wheat, barley and chickpea were 0.0 to 0.6, 0.1 to 1.7 and 0.2 to 2.1 Mg/ha, respectively. The large Yg value for chickpea was mainly attributed to the water stress. Whereas barley and wheat yield were less affected by the water stress when compared to chickpea. The rotation WT-BA-CP was more responsive to water management than WT-BA. Tied ridging or irrigations can be considered as an option for improving yield in water scarce areas. Chickpea fixed substantial amount of nitrogen (90–246 kg N/ha) in the soil, which could result in yield benefits and reduced use of inorganic nitrogen. Overall, the rotation WT-BA-CP may be a better option than WT-BA or continuous cropping as it can provide multiple benefits via enhanced crop diversity, improved soil fertility and more resilience to pest and diseases. This simulation case study and discussion of results showed the importance of integration of crop rotations with soil and water conservation practices for improving overall yields and contributions to ecological intensification.
Novel strategies to target chemoresistant triple-negative breast cancer

Previous studies from our group and others have shown that current drug treatment(s) strategies eliminate bulk of tumor cells (non-CSCs) but it had a minimal effect on cancer stem cells (CSCs) leading to resistance and tumor recurrence. We studied the effects of CFM-4.16 (CARP-1 functional mimetic) and/or cisplatin on four Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-468, MDA-MB-231, CRL-2335 and BR-1126, two cisplatin resistant CisR/MDA-231 and CisR/MDA-468 and cancer stem cells (CSCs) from resistant cell lines. TNBC cells treated with CFM-4.16 plus cisplatin inhibited the expression of FZD8, LRP6 and c-Myc and significantly enhanced cell death in all the cell lines by ~70%-80% compared with the control(s). When Cisplatin resistant CisR/MDA-231 and CisR/MDA-468 were treated with CFM-4.16 plus cisplatin, they also showed a reduction in FZD8 and LRP6 and increased apoptosis compared to control group. Similarly, CFM-4.16 plus cisplatin treatment reduced mammospheres formation abilities of CSCs by 80-90% compared to control group, increased PARP cleavage and apoptosis. Data shows CFM-4.16 plus cisplatin treatment significantly increased apoptosis/cell death in parental, cisplatin resistant and CSCs. Taken together the data suggests that FZD8-mediated Wnt-signaling plays a major role in mediating CSCs growth and resistance to chemotherapy and its inhibition enhances the chemotherapeutic response in TNBC.
Dermatoethics in Pregnancy

Most ethical conflicts in pregnancy revolve around the maternal-fetal relationship. While physicians have moral obligations towards patients and their best interests and need to carefully and sensitively navigate situations that create moral uncertainties, this is even more complex in scenarios involving the pregnant patient and her fetus. This chapter explores and analyzes ethical dilemmas in the dermatological care of pregnant women and the application of ethical analysis to resolving these dilemmas.
Affording Access: Pathways to Reducing Textbook Costs

After piloting an Open Educational Resources (OER) grant program, librarians from the University of Scranton’s Weinberg Memorial Library OER Committee conducted a survey of librarians about the inclusion of library resources in OER initiatives. The survey examined if institutions defined library resources as OER, why libraries chose not to include library resources, and, if included, the types of library-licensed or purchased content. The survey found that most (18 of 27) respondents did not include OER and library resources together and, of the institutions that did, a majority (5 of 9) used licensed library resources in addition to open educational and open access resources. The conclusion of this article looks at the pilot grant program and the OER Committee’s decision to realign and rebrand the grant in light of the survey results.