cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Should Diabetes Be a Contraindication to Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery Grafting

Background This study evaluates the influence of bilateral internal mammary artery (BIMA) versus single internal mammary artery (SIMA) grafting on postoperative morbidity and long-term survival among diabetic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods A multicenter, retrospective analysis of 47,984 consecutive CABGs performed from 1992 to 2014 at 7 medical centers was conducted. Among the study population, 1,482 CABGs with BIMA were identified, and 1,297 BIMA patients were propensity-matched to 1,297 SIMA patients. The study cohort for this analysis, drawn from matched data, included 430 diabetic patients: 217 SIMA and 213 BIMA. The primary endpoint was long-term survival. Secondary endpoints included postoperative morbidity, length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Results The median duration of follow-up was 9.3 (range, 4.3 to 13.9) years. Among propensity-matched diabetic patients, there was no significant difference in age, body mass index, or major baseline comorbidities. The groups were also well matched on the number of diseased coronary arteries and number of distal anastomoses performed. There was no difference in the rate of mediastinitis or sternal dehiscence ( p = 0.503) or in-hospital mortality ( p = 0.758) between groups. Both groups had a similar median length of stay of 5 (range, 4 to 7) days. Diabetic patients who received a BIMA had significantly improved long-term survival when compared with SIMA patients (hazard ratio 0.75 [95% confidence interval 0.57 to 0.98], p = 0.034). Conclusions Among diabetics undergoing CABG, use of BIMA grafting does not result in increased in-hospital morbidity or mortality and confers a long-term survival advantage when compared with SIMA grafting. Thus, diabetic patients should be considered for BIMA grafting more frequently.
Hypermetabolic macrophages in rheumatoid arthritis and coronary artery disease due to glycogen synthase kinase 3b inactivation.

Objectives Accelerated atherosclerotic disease typically complicates rheumatoid arthritis (RA), leading to premature cardiovascular death. Inflammatory macrophages are key effector cells in both rheumatoid synovitis and the plaques of coronary artery disease (CAD). Whether both diseases share macrophage-dependent pathogenic mechanisms is unknown. Methods Patients with RA or CAD (at least one myocardial infarction) and healthy age-matched controls were recruited into the study. Peripheral blood CD14+ monocytes were differentiated into macrophages. Metabolic profiles were assessed by Seahorse Analyzer, intracellular ATP concentrations were quantified and mitochondrial protein localisation was determined by confocal image analysis. Results In macrophages from patients with RA or CAD, mitochondria consumed more oxygen, generated more ATP and built tight interorganelle connections with the endoplasmic reticulum, forming mitochondria-associated membranes (MAM). Calcium transfer through MAM sites sustained mitochondrial hyperactivity and was dependent on inactivation of glycogen synthase kinase 3b (GSK3b), a serine/threonine kinase functioning as a metabolic switch. In patient-derived macrophages, inactivated pGSK3b-Ser9 co-precipitated with the mitochondrial fraction. Immunostaining of atherosclerotic plaques and synovial lesions confirmed that most macrophages had inactivated GSK3b. MAM formation and GSK3b inactivation sustained production of the collagenase cathepsin K, a macrophage effector function closely correlated with clinical disease activity in RA and CAD. Conclusions Re-organisation of the macrophage metabolism in patients with RA and CAD drives unopposed oxygen consumption and ultimately, excessive production of tissue-destructive enzymes. The underlying molecular defect relates to the deactivation of GSK3b, which controls mitochondrial fuel influx and as such represents a potential therapeutic target for anti-inflammatory therapy.
Neighborhood crime and access to health-enabling resources in Chicago.

Abstract Neighborhood crime may be an important social determinant of health in many high-poverty, urban communities, yet little is known about its relationship with access to health-enabling resources. We recruited an address-based probability sample of 267 participants (ages ≥35 years) on Chicago's South Side between 2012 and 2013. Participants were queried about their perceptions of neighborhood safety and prior experiences of neighborhood crime. Survey data were paired to a comprehensive, directly-observed census of the built environment on the South Side of Chicago. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine access to health-enabling resources (potential and realized access) as a function of neighborhood crime (self-reported neighborhood safety and prior experience of theft or property crime), adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported health status. Low potential access was defined as a resident having nearest resources >1 mile from home; poor realized access was defined as bypassing nearby potential resources to use resources >1 mile from home. Poor neighborhood safety was associated with low potential access to large grocery stores (AOR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.04, 2.87), pharmacies (AOR = 2.24, 95% CI = 1.33, 3.77), and fitness resources (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.15, 3.24), but not small grocery stores. Any prior experience of neighborhood crime was associated with higher adjusted odds of bypassing nearby pharmacies (AOR = 3.78, 95% CI = 1.11, 12.87). Neighborhood crime may be associated with important barriers to accessing health-enabling resources in urban communities with high rates of crime.
Tax compliance and fiscal externalities: Evidence from U.S. diesel taxation

Abstract Fiscal externalities across jurisdictions can arise from tax evasion and avoidance. While the tax competition literature has generally focused on base shifting and the resulting positive fiscal externalities, we show theoretically and empirically that negative fiscal externalities can dominate when the tax base is apportioned across jurisdictions. This can lead to a negative relationship between jurisdiction size and the desired tax rate. Interstate truckers in the United States owe state diesel taxes based on diesel consumption, which is apportioned based on the miles driven in each state. We find that own-state diesel sales fall when the diesel tax rates of other states rise, suggesting that tax base evasion is the predominant source of externalities. We then estimate a tax reaction specification, finding that the own-state tax rate is negatively correlated with the tax rates set in other states and with state size, both consistent with the sign of the estimated fiscal externality.
Dietary polyphenols enhance optogenetic recall of fear memory in hippocampal dentate gyrus granule neuron subpopulations

Grape-derived polyphenols have been investigated for their role in promoting memory in model systems of stress, but little is known about select subpopulations of neurons that are influenced by polyphenols to improve memory performance. Granule neurons in the hippocampal dentate gyrus are vulnerable to stressors that impair contextual memory function and can be influenced by dietary polyphenols. We utilized a c-fos-tTA/TRE-ChR2 optogenetics model in which neurons activated during fear learning are labeled with ChR2-mCherry and can be optically reactivated in a different context to recapitulate the behavioral output of a related memory. Treatment with dietary polyphenols increased fear memory recall and ChR2-mCherry expression in dentate gyrus neurons, suggesting that dietary polyphenols promote recruitment of neurons to a fear memory engram. We show that dietary polyphenols promote memory function and offer a general method to map cellular subpopulations influenced by dietary polyphenols, in part through the mechanism of c-Fos expression enhancement. Chad Smith et al. show that dietary polyphenols, compounds found in grapes, enable mice to remember fearful events more effectively and map this function to the hippocampal dentate gyrus neurons. This study offers a way to identify the cellular subpopulations regulated by dietary polyphenols.
National Treatment in the NAFTA Trucking Case

The NAFTA Trucking decision is the first major case decided under NAFTA's Chapter Twelve (on services). Cross-border trucking is not just any service - it is perhaps the essential service in functionally establishing the North American market NAFTA seeks to create. The Trucking panel found itself in rather untested waters as it confronted NAFTA's National Treatment principle in the context of services. It succeeded, more or less well, in transporting notions established in GATT and NAFTA trade-in-goods jurisprudence to the relatively unexplored service regime. That said - it is not clear how well some of these principles transfer. The concept of National Treatment is well developed in the treatment of goods. Applying National Treatment principles to services, such as cross-border trucking, is problematic, at least on first impression. The NAFTA treaty language tests whether the treatment accorded to foreign service providers is "no less favorable" than the treatment accorded national service providers in "like circumstances." This language is meant to be a functional analog to the well-worn GATT test used to analyze whether imported and domestic goods are being treated alike under national regulation. The express commitments made by the United States to phase-out the restrictions on access for Mexican trucking firms were difficult for the Trucking panel to ignore. The challenged U.S. measure (a categorical denial of access to all Mexican trucks) was so beyond the pale that the panel did not have to reach in finding the United States to be in noncompliance with its NAFTA obligations. But the panel used the occasion of the Trucking decision to provide some useful guidance as to the nature of NAFTA's service obligations. This essay makes three observations about the operation of the National Treatment principle as it is developed in the Trucking decision: 1. A NAFTA Party's National Treatment obligation with respect to services may be "harder" than is the case with respect to goods. Pacta sunt servanda applies with more force where the operation of the National Treatment principle is precisely negotiated with respect to a specific service sector. 2. In testing host country regulation of a foreign service provider for National Treatment, the design and efficacy of the regulatory scheme of the home country of the service provider is relevant. 3. A perception of protectionist intent will doom arguments seeking to justify departures from National Treatment. Nothing is new under the sun here.
HIV Entry and Tropism

Specific chemokine receptors have recently been identified as the elusive“coreceptors” mediating HIV entry and tropism for different target cells (reviewed in1). Beyond the obvious implications for understanding the entry mechanism, these discoveries have dramatically influenced perspectives on the broader issues of HIV transmission, pathogenesis, and therapy. This chapter summarizes the discovery of the coreceptors, the expansion of the coreceptor repertoire, and the ways in which these findings have illuminated our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying HIV fusion and tropism.
Chemistry of nonmetallic elements III. Groups VIA-VIIIA

Abstract The chemistry of nonmetallic elements in Groups VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of the periodic table involves virtually all aspects of the chemistry of nonmetals. Sulfuric acid is used in the largest quantity of any compounds. Numerous compounds of the halogens are both commonly encountered and important. Compounds that contain the noble gases have become more than a laboratory curiosity. In this chapter, the preparation, reactions, and uses of compounds that contain the elements in Groups VIA, VIIA, and VIIIA of the periodic table are discussed.
Automatically generating security models from system models to aid in the evaluation of AMI deployment options

System architects should use security models to gain insight into how different design choices impact the overall security of a system. However, it is often difficult for those who do not possess a security modeling background to construct such models. To overcome this challenge we present a case study that demonstrates a novel approach that uses an ontology-assisted model generator to automatically create ADVISE security models from intuitive hand-built system models. More specifically, we consider a case study of a hypothetical utility that wishes to select the most cost-effective of several different intrusion detection system approaches to defend its Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) deployment. We construct an AMI-focused ontology that consists of system model elements, security model elements, and the mapping between the two. We then use the ontology in conjunction with the generator to create security models from a system model. Finally, we discuss the benefits of the use of the approach relative to previous approaches, including an explanation of how it significantly eases the burden of creating complex security models for users without prior security modeling experience.
Survival outcome and prognostic model of patients with colorectal cancer on phase 1 trials

Background Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) who progress on standard therapies may be eligible for phase I trials. To better delineate the risk-benefit ratio, we assessed toxicities, clinical outcomes and prognostic factors. Methods Records of mCRC patients on phase I trials at our institution over 18 years were reviewed. Univariable (UVA) and multivariable analyses (MVA) were undertaken and a prognostic model developed. Results There were 187 enrollments on 37 phase I trials. Median age was: 59 (29–83) years and number of prior therapies: 3 (0–8). The clinical benefit rate (CBR): response (5.6%) + stable disease, was 43.1%. Median progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was 7.7 weeks and 43.7 weeks, respectively. The MVA identified age > 60 years (HR 1.63, p ULN (HR1.69, p < 0.01), and WBC ≥ 5.2 k/uL (HR 1.97, p < 0.001) as negative prognostic factors. A risk score based on the MVA revealed that patients with a score of 0–1 had an improved OS (58.7 weeks) compared to a score of 2 (49.9 weeks, p < 0.01) and 3 (14.1 weeks, p < 0.001). Conclusions Phase 1 trials may offer similar or better clinical outcome for mCRC patients than standard third line therapies; the prognostic model could assist in selecting appropriate patients.
Active full-length DNA Aβ 42 immunization in 3xTg-AD mice reduces not only amyloid deposition but also tau pathology

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most well-known and most common type of age-related dementia. Amyloid deposition and hyperphosphorylation of tau protein are both pathological hallmarks of AD. Using a triple-transgenic mouse model (3xTg-AD) that develops plaques and tangles in the brain similar to human AD, we provide evidence that active full-length DNA amyloid-β peptide 1–42 (Aβ42) trimer immunization leads to reduction of both amyloid and tau aggregation and accumulation. Immune responses were monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (antibody production) and enzyme-linked immunospot (cellular activation, cytokine production). Brains from 20-month-old 3x Tg-AD mice that had received DNA Aβ42 immunotherapy were compared with brains from age- and gender-matched transgenic Aβ42 peptide-immunized and control mice by histology, Western blot analysis, and ELISA. Protein kinase activation and kinase levels were studied in Western blots from mouse hemibrain lysates. Quantitative ELISA showed a 40% reduction of Aβ42 peptide and a 25–50% reduction of total tau and different phosphorylated tau molecules in the DNA Aβ42 trimer-immunized 3xTg-AD mice compared with nonimmunized 3xTg-AD control animals. Plaque and Aβ peptide reductions in the brain were due to the anti-Aβ antibodies generated following the immunizations. Reductions of tau were likely due to indirect actions such as less Aβ in the brain resulting in less tau kinase activation. The significance of these findings is that DNA Aβ42 trimer immunotherapy targets two major pathologies in AD—amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles—in one vaccine without inducing inflammatory T-cell responses, which carry the danger of autoimmune inflammation, as found in a clinical trial using active Aβ42 peptide immunization in patients with AD (AN1792).
Managing Risks with Biologics

With a rapidly evolving complement of advanced targeted therapies in inflammatory bowel disease, additional safety and side effect concerns emerge. It is the purpose of this review to consider various risks with biologic therapies in inflammatory bowel disease and discuss mitigating strategies. Two recently approved monoclonal antibodies (vedolizumab and ustekinumab) and a Janus kinase inhibitor small molecule (tofacitnib) have introduced a number of novel safety and risk considerations. We review the clinical trial and real-world safety data to date on these agents as well as review new data and considerations with anti-tumor necrosis factor agents. New vaccines for varicella zoster virus, hepatitis B virus, and high-dose influenza have been studied, and we discuss the clinical importance of these findings. Lastly, we make management recommendations in the event of particular side effects or complications. Understanding the risks of new agents in inflammatory bowel disease, potential mitigating strategies, and management considerations is important to achieving and maintaining clinical outcomes in IBD patients.
Are we who we follow? Computationally analyzing human personality and brand following on Twitter

In this study, we present a computational method for analyzing the congruence between personality of a brand’s Twitter account and the personality of their followers. We investigated attachment to ...
Responsive and Degradable Highly Branched Polymers with Hypervalent Iodine(III) Groups at the Branching Points

A hypervalent (HV) iodine(III)-containing crosslinker, (diacryloyloxyiodo)benzene, is synthesized and its crystal structure is reported. Highly branched polymers with hypervalent iodine(III) groups as the building blocks present at the branching points are synthesized by copolymerization of tert-butyl acrylate and the diacrylate crosslinker (up to 12 mol% vs the monovinyl monomer), under reversible deactivation radical polymerization (iodine transfer polymerization) conditions, which are employed to ensure that the incorporation of the crosslinker into the polymer chains is slow and gradual, that is, to limit the average number of pendant double bonds per chain and delay gelation. The branched polymers with (diacyloxyiodo)benzene-type linkers are responsive and react with monocarboxylic acids, for example, acetic acid, which participate in ligand-exchange reactions with the HV iodine(III) centers, and with reducing agents, for example, tributylphosphine, which reduce iodine(III) to iodine(I); both reactions lead to polymer degradation with the formation of random linear copolymers of tert-butyl acrylate and acrylic acid.
Synthesis of functionalized cyclic imines by addition of Grignard reagents to ω-bromonitriles and γ,δ-unsaturated nitriles

Abstract Trimethylsilyloxy ω-bromonitriles and trimethylsilyloxy-γ,δ-unsaturated nitriles give clean 1,2-addition products with Grignard reagents that can be induced to undergo subsequent cyclization either directly or by addition of N -bromosuccinimide, respectively.
Addressing Disparities in Mother's Milk for VLBW Infants Through Statewide Quality Improvement.

OBJECTIVES: Among very low birth weight infants born from January 2015 to December 2017, the Massachusetts statewide quality improvement collaborative aimed to increase provision of (1) any mother’s milk at discharge or transfer from a baseline of 63% to ≥75%, (2) exclusive mother’s milk at discharge or transfer from a baseline of 45% to ≥55%, and (3) to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in provision of mother’s milk. METHODS: We used the Institute for Healthcare Improvement Breakthrough Series framework in which our main process measures were receipt of prenatal education regarding human milk education, first milk expression within 6 hours after birth, and any skin-to-skin care on 4 weekly audit days in the first month. We examined changes over time among all very low birth weight infants and for 3 racial and ethnic subgroups (non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic) using control and run charts, respectively. RESULTS: Of 1670 infants eligible to receive mother’s milk at 9 hospitals, 43% of their mothers were non-Hispanic white, 19% were non-Hispanic black, 19% were Hispanic, 11% were of other races or ethnicities, and 7% were unknown. Hospital teams conducted 69 interventions. We found improvement in all 3 process measures but not for our main outcomes. Improvements in process measures were similar among racial and ethnic subgroups. Hospitals varied substantially in the rate of any mother’s milk at discharge or transfer according to race and ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Our collaborative achieved similar improvements in process measures focused within the first month of hospitalization among all racial and ethnic subgroups. Reduction in racial and ethnic disparities in mother’s milk at discharge was not reached. Future efforts will focus on factors that occur later in the hospitalization.
In vitro assays for effector T cell functions and activity of immunomodulatory antibodies

The recent clinical success of cancer immunotherapy with checkpoint blockade has led to renewed interest into the development of immune modulatory agents with the capacity to activate anti-tumor T cell responses. Standardization of optimized in vitro assays for efficient assessment of immune function of such new drugs is thus needed to facilitate clinical development of the optimal drug candidates. Here, we describe an optimized version of T cell suppression assay designed to test the effect of immunomodulatory agents on T cell function and activation. We apply this assay to investigate the agonist activity of the T cell co-stimulatory molecule glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR). We detail a protocol for concurrent assessment of multiple levels of T cell functional modulation upon GITR engagement, including T cell priming, activation and effector function, in a single assay. As human GITR agonist antibodies are currently under development, availability of standardized cell-based functional assays of GITR agonism is instrumental to translate anti-GITR therapy into the clinical setting.
Decomposing supply-side and demand-side impacts of climate change on the US electricity system through 2050

Climate change may affect the US electricity system through changes in electricity demand, mediated by increases in average surface temperature, and through changes in electricity supply, mediated by changes in both surface temperature and regional water availability. By coupling projections from four general circulation models (GCMs) with a state-of-the-art US electricity system model—the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS)—this study evaluates both the isolated and combined effects of different climate-mediated drivers of US electricity system change through 2050. Comparing results across climate models allows us to evaluate which effects are robust to uncertainty in projected climate outcomes. Comparing effects of different drivers in isolation and in combination allows us to determine the relative contributions of the climate-mediated effects on system evolution. Our results indicate that national-level energy and economic impacts are largely driven by increases in electricity demand that follow from a consistent increase in surface air temperature that is largely robust to the choice of climate model. Other electricity system changes can be equally or more significant in some regions, but these effects are more regionally variable, less significant when aggregated to the national scale, and less robust to the choice of climate model. The findings show that the impacts of climate change on the electricity system can be understood in terms of fewer drivers and with greater certainty at the national level than at the regional level.
Anti-chemotactic activity in the secretory/excretory products of Lepeophtheirus salmonis

The ectoparasite, Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Kroyer 1837), is effective at avoiding elimination from its host, Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., by inhibiting the recruitment of immune cells to the site of attachment. In other ectoparasitic arthropods, numerous factors have been identified that bind or neutralize chemokines preventing their interaction with receptors on the surfaces of immune cells. To determine if L. salmonis is utilizing a similar mechanism of immune modulation, the chemotactic activity of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) to leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and the secreted/excreted products (SEPs) of the sea louse were investigated in vitro. The results showed that incubation of LTB4 with SEPs reduced leukocyte migration compared to LTB4 immune stimulation alone. Data suggests that one of the mechanisms L. salmonis may be using to regulate immune cell recruitment in Atlantic salmon is by inhibiting or neutralizing the activity of chemokines.
Ordalia: Deep Learning Hyperparameter Search via Generalization Error Bounds Extrapolation

We introduce Ordalia, a novel approach for speeding up deep learning hyperparameter optimization search through early-pruning of less promising configurations. Our method leverages empirical and theoretical results characterizing the shape of the generalization error curve for increasing training data size and number of epochs. We show that with relatively small computational resources one can estimate the dominant parameters of neural networks’ learning curves to obtain consistently good evaluations of their learning process to reliably early-eliminate non-promising configurations. By iterating this process with increasing training resources Ordalia rapidly converges to a small candidate set that includes many of the most promising configurations. We compare the performance of Ordalia with Hyperband, the state-of-the-art model-free hyperparameter optimization algorithm, and show that Ordalia consistently outperforms it on a variety of deep learning tasks. Ordalia conservative use of computational resources and ability to evaluate neural networks learning progress leads to a much better exploration and coverage of the search space, which ultimately produces superior neural network configurations.
Resurgence of sport in the wake of COVID-19: cardiac considerations in competitive athletes.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the global world of sports to a staggering halt. In unprecedented fashion and with few exceptions, professional leagues, mass participation endurance events, and youth sport around the globe went silent. In the face of a rapidly evolving health crisis, the decision to cancel or postpone sporting events was a logical and necessary step. COVID-19 is a highly contagious, potentially fatal virus that is transmitted primarily through contact with aerosolised or surface-dwelling respiratory secretions, a process that requires close human contact.1 Competitive sport as we know it, from athletes ‘elbowing’ one another for position on the pitch to arenas packed with fans, may be the quintessential antithesis of social distancing. There is concern that the Champions League match between Atalanta and Valencia in Milan may have influenced the trajectory of COVID-19 cases in Europe.2 In the absence of a vaccination or curative intervention, physical distancing emerged as the key step to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19. Thus, the decision to turn off the lights and to silence competitive athletics represented a logical, essential and highly visible component in the global fight against COVID-19. This has been an unusually quiet time for the sports medicine community. Athletic training rooms have gone dark, and many clinicians have been repurposed to meet the needs of patients with COVID-19. Fortunately, this will not last forever. The great American …
Multi-Physics Analysis of Electromagnetic Valves Based on Volumetric Energy Conversion

Ferrofluids have been used in development of active dampers due to their controllable magnetic and mechanical properties. However, design and control of these actuators are far from exhausted. The fluid nature of volumetric energy converters using ferrofluids provides additional degrees of freedom in design and operation, yet numerical analysis of such devices includes inherent multi-physics computations that can be complex. Control of a three-dimensional motion can result in substantial reduction in cost and design of electro mechanic actuators. In this paper, a ferrofluid valve is proposed. Ferrofluid is used as an actuator to open and close water flow through a channel. By changing the distribution of ferrofluid, the cross-section area of the open passage in the flow channel is controlled. To reduce the deterioration of ferrofluid in the presence of water, the ferrofluid and the controlled flow are separated by a nitrile rubber film. By varying the strength of magnetic field, the ferrofluid valve can be fully closed and opened. A multi-physics numerical simulation of the valve has been carried out to determine the opening and closing time of the valve, maximum cut off flow rate, pressure drop and resolution. The valve closing time is simulated to be 125ms in a 4 inches by 2 inches prototype. This prototype has been built to validate the simulation results.
Impact of smallmouth bass predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon over a broad river continuum

Smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) predation on subyearling fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) was examined in the Snake River (USA) to identify seasonal and habitat-related changes in bass diets, and associated subyearling consumption and loss in various riverine and impounded reaches. Smallmouth bass diets reflected opportunistic foraging that at times showed predation on subyearlings is influenced by the consumption of other prey such as crayfish, sand roller (Percopsis transmontana), and smaller invertebrates. Estimated loss of subyearlings was influenced by bass abundance and consumption rates. The highest bass abundances (> 1,000 bass/river kilometer) were observed in the upper reach of Hells Canyon early in April and May, and in Lower Granite Reservoir. Peak consumption rates of subyearlings (≥ 0.12 subyearlings/bass/day) occurred in the upper reach of Hells Canyon during May and in most reservoir reaches in June. Predation losses accumulated evenly along the river continuum from riverine to reservoir habitats. We estimated that 869,371 subyearlings could be lost to smallmouth bass predation between riverine production areas and Lower Granite Dam in a given year. To provide a context for this estimated loss, we provide an illustration of its potential effect on the adult population. Assuming no juvenile mortality occurred downstream of the dam and depending on smolt-to-adult return rates, this represented up to 3.9–16.0% of the potential adult run that could have returned to Lower Granite Dam had no subyearling predation by smallmouth bass occurred upstream of the dam. Although this study was limited by a number of assumptions and constraints, it does provide an illustration of how predation affects juvenile and adult salmon loss over a broad, changing river landscape.
Hole-Trapping-Induced Stabilization of Ni4 + in SrNiO3 /LaFeO3 Superlattices.

Creating new functionality in materials containing transition metals is predicated on the ability to control the associated charge states. For a given transition metal, there is an upper limit on valence that is not exceeded under normal conditions. Here, it is demonstrated that this limit of 3+ for Ni and Fe can be exceeded via synthesis of (SrNiO3 )m /(LaFeO3 )n superlattices by tuning n and m. The Goldschmidt tolerance constraints are lifted, and SrNi4+ O3 with holes on adjacent O anions is stabilized as a perovskite at the single-unit-cell level (m = 1). Holding m = 1, spectroscopy reveals that the n = 1 superlattice contains Ni3+ and Fe4+ , whereas Ni4+ and Fe3+ are observed in the n = 5 superlattice. It is revealed that the B-site cation valences can be tuned by controlling the magnitude of the FeO6 octahedral rotations, which, in turn, determine the energy balance between Ni3+ /Fe4+ and Ni4+ /Fe3+ , thus controlling emergent electrical properties such as the band alignment and resulting hole confinement. This approach can be extended to other systems for synthesizing novel, metastable layered structures with new functionalities.
Basis profile curve identification to understand electrical stimulation effects in human brain networks

Brain networks can be explored by delivering brief pulses of electrical current in one area while measuring voltage responses in other areas. We propose a convergent paradigm to study brain dynamics, focusing on a single brain site to observe the average effect of stimulating each of many other brain sites. Viewed in this manner, visually-apparent motifs in the temporal response shape emerge from adjacent stimulation sites. This work constructs and illustrates a data-driven approach to determine characteristic spatiotemporal structure in these response shapes, summarized by a set of unique "basis profile curves" (BPCs). Each BPC may be mapped back to underlying anatomy in a natural way, quantifying projection strength from each stimulation site using simple metrics. Our technique is demonstrated for an array of implanted brain surface electrodes in a human patient. This framework enables straightforward interpretation of single-pulse brain stimulation data, and can be applied generically to explore the diverse milieu of interactions that comprise the connectome.
Hydroxyapatite cement cranioplasty for reconstruction of translabyrinthine approach: aesthetic results, long-term satisfaction, quality of life, and complications.

BACKGROUND Translabyrinthine approaches (TLAs) for resection of skull base neoplasms are complex with variable reconstruction techniques. Fat grafts in conjunction with hydroxyapatite bone cement techniques have seldom been described in terms of possible superiority to other skull base reconstruction techniques. We sought to determine the impact of this skull base reconstruction technique on clinical outcomes and patient's satisfaction. METHOD We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent translabyrinthine approaches for resection of CPA lesions over a 5-year period. Both post-op objective and subjective markers of reconstruction, as well as postoperative complications, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Sixty-nine patients were included, 34 underwent reconstruction with hydroxyapatite and fat (rHAC) and 35 with fat alone (rF). rHAC was associated with fewer cranial wound superficial infection/dehiscence (0% vs 14.3%; p = 0.029) and shorter length of stay (mean ± standard deviation) (6.9 ± 7.4 vs 4.4 ± 3.7 days, p = 0.008). Postoperative subjective characterization of rHAC demonstrated improved satisfaction scores (1.38 ± 0.5 vs 1.83 ± 1; p = 0.049) and fewer reports of post-operative irregularities (11.5% vs 37.5%; p = 0.017). CONCLUSION The use of hydroxyapatite for cranial reconstruction after translabyrinthine approaches has improved patient satisfaction and decreased cranial defects in our small series. Postoperative complications are consistent with other described methods, but with shorter hospital stay, decreased risk of superficial wound dehiscence/infection, and a perceived superiority in preventing percutaneous post-op CSF leaks.
Individual Differences in Frustration and Performance with Online Shopping Activities

Individual differences in user responses and interactions with technology are important to consider when examining frustration and expectations for technology performance. This research expanded on...
The evolution of successful service-learning courses in the computing curriculum: from infancy to innovation

The purpose of this paper is to relate the evolution of successful service-learning courses in a school of computer science and information systems spanning over a 20-year period. The authors share their experiences in developing technology-based service-learning courses for both majors and non-majors. Most recently, these courses have enabled undergraduate first-year students to be exposed to exciting technologies, such as robotics and mobile app development. The challenges, benefits, and lessons learned are discussed.
Pathology of the Nervous System in Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease is a tumor syndrome that frequently involves the central nervous system (CNS). It is caused by germline mutation of the VHL gene. Subsequent VHL inactivation in selected cells is followed by numerous well-characterized molecular consequences, in particular, activation and stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors HIF1 and HIF2. The link between VHL gene inactivation and tumorigenesis remains poorly understood. Hemangioblastomas are the most common manifestation in the CNS; however, CNS invasion by VHL disease-associated endolymphatic sac tumors or metastatic renal cancer also occur, and their differentiation from primary hemangioblastoma may be challenging. Finally, in this review, we present recent morphologic insights on the developmental concept of VHL tumorigenesis which is best explained by pathologic persistence of temporary embryonic progenitor cells.
Cosmic Gamma-Ray Bursts

Gamma-ray bursts are an exotic class of astronomical sources that are currently extremely topical within the astrophysical community; their enigmatic nature has provoked considerable controversy over the years. This paper briefly reviews the generic properties of these transient sources, obtained from observations accumulated over the last two decades, and then discusses some of the latest observations, focusing on recent interpretations of the data, and theoretical approaches that may help unravel the mysteries of gamma-ray bursts.
Exploiting similarity for multi-source downloads using file handprints

Many contemporary approaches for speeding up large file transfers attempt to download chunks of a data object from multiple sources. Systems such as BitTorrent quickly locate sources that have an exact copy of the desired object, but they are unable to use sources that serve similar but non-identical objects. Other systems automatically exploit cross-file similarity by identifying sources for each chunk of the object. These systems, however, require a number of lookups proportional to the number of chunks in the object and a mapping for each unique chunk in every identical and similar object to its corresponding sources. Thus, the lookups and mappings in such a system can be quite large, limiting its scalability. This paper presents a hybrid system that provides the best of both approaches, locating identical and similar sources for data objects using a constant number of lookups and inserting a constant number of mappings per object. We first demonstrate through extensive data analysis that similarity does exist among objects of popular file types, and that making use of it can sometimes substantially improve download times. Next, we describe handprinting, a technique that allows clients to locate similar sources using a constant number of lookups and mappings. Finally, we describe the design, implementation and evaluation of Similarity-Enhanced Transfer (SET), a system that uses this technique to download objects. Our experimental evaluation shows that by using sources of similar objects, SET is able to significantly out-perform an equivalently configured BitTorrent.
Valuing Emerging Market Equities -- The Empirical Evidence

Though practitioners and academics rely on similar conceptual frameworks when valuing international equities in general and emerging market equities in particular, they emphasize different aspects of the framework. In contrast to academics, practitioners adjust discount rates as opposed to cash flows, and use the US as opposed to the global equity market risk premium. After summarizing the arguments on the academic and practitioner sides, this paper lets the data do the judging and presents evidence that US dollar returns on emerging market equities (American Depository Receipts, ADRs) primarily are a function of returns on the broad US equity market (e.g., the S&P 500) and on the corresponding country’s credit default swap (CDS) spreads. Because CDSs are standardized contracts that are far more liquid than dollar-denominated emerging market bonds, we use them in our empirical work. Analyzing emerging market equities from a different perspective, we also find evidence that international valuation multiples are statistically dependent on CDS spreads and macroeconomic growth rates. As macroeconomic conditions in an economy become more volatile, US dollar returns on a specified foreign equity start becoming more statistically dependent on the specified country’s CDS spreads. Moreover, the US and European-sparked financial crisis of 2007-2010 have caused practitioners to de-emphasize the “market is correct” viewpoint in favor of “the markets may periodically under or over-react” viewpoint. In this light, the paper presents evidence on the warning signals of international under or overvaluation. The logical extension of this view is that asymmetric currency expectations need to be modeled in cash flows
Distribution of human leukocyte antigen-ABC and -D/DR antigens in the unfixed human testis.

: The distribution of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens in the unfixed human testicle was studied by indirect immunofluorescence. Three murine monoclonal antibodies to the common determinants of class I MHC antigens (human leukocyte antigen [HLA]-ABC) and three against class II MHC antigens (HLA-D/DR antigens), respectively, were utilized. No class I MHC antigens were identified on developing testicular germ cells including spermatozoa, but interstitial cells between the seminiferous tubules (including Leydig cells) and blood vessel endothelium expressed the antigen. Class II MHC antigens were not found on any cells within the seminiferous tubules. However, the class II antigen was identified on dendritic-like cells between the seminiferous tubules and on vessel endothelium, although its expression was expectedly limited. These findings indicate that human testicular germ cells express minimal or no MHC antigens.
Anesthetic considerations for rapid-onset obesity, hypoventilation, hypothalamic dysfunction, and autonomic dysfunction (ROHHAD) syndrome in children

Rapid-onset obesity, hypoventilation, hypothalamic dysfunction, and autonomic dysfunction is an increasingly common diagnosis in patients who are being seen at tertiary care children's hospitals. We present two cases of anesthetics from the authors' own experience in addition to a comprehensive review of the disorder and anesthetic implications.
An Evolutionary Approach to the Use of Neural Networks in the Segmentation of Handwritten Numerals

Neural networks are now widely and successfully used in the recognition of handwritten numerals. Despite their wide use in recognition, neural networks have not seen widespread use in segmentation. Segmentation can be extremely difficult in the presence of connected numerals, fragmented numerals, and background noise, and its failure is a principal cause of rejected and incorrectly read documents. Therefore, strategies leading to the successful application of neural technologies to segmentation are likely to yield important performance benefits. In this paper we identify problems that have impeded the use of neural networks in segmentation and describe an evolutionary approach to applying neural networks in segmentation. Our approach, based upon the use of monotonic fuzzy valued decision functions computed by feed-forward neural networks, has been successfully employed in a production system.
Dietary sodium regulates angiotensin AT1a and AT1b mRNA expression in mouse brain.

Abstract Previous results showed that angiotensin (Ang) AT1a and AT1b receptor mRNA are expressed in mouse hypothalamus (HYP), brainstem (BS) and anterior pituitary (PIT). To extend these findings, we developed a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to differentiate and quantify Ang AT1a and AT1b mRNA in mouse brain. An experiment was conducted in male C57Bl/6J mice to determine the effects of low and high dietary salt (0.04 or 8% NaCl for 2 weeks) on mRNA expression. Physiological measurements showed that high salt increased water intake (15.1 ± 0.6 ml/day), whereas low salt decreased water intake (3.2 ± 0.1 ml/day). There were no significant changes in body weight, hematocrit or plasma osmolality. Real-time PCR was effective in distinguishing AT1a and AT1b receptor mRNA. The PCR efficiencies for AT1a, AT1b and 18S ribosome were tested to be identical, making it possible to quantify mRNA levels. There were differences in angiotensin receptor expression, related to diet and brain region. In hypothalamus, both the high salt and low salt diet decreased AT1a expression (to 63 ± 4% and 62 ± 1%), although there were no changes in AT1b. In brainstem, there was a marked increase in AT1a (to 365 ± 60%) and AT1b (to 372 ± 23%) after high salt, although there was only a marked decrease for AT1b (to 23 ± 5%) after low salt. In anterior pituitary, both high salt and low salt diet increased AT1a expression (to 152 ± 8% and 123 ± 9%), although there were no changes in AT1b. Results document that both AT1 receptor subtypes are present in mouse hypothalamus, brainstem and anterior pituitary, and that there is differential regulation of expression in response to changes in dietary salt.
FFT-based algorithms for the string matching with mismatches problem

The string matching with mismatches problem requires finding the Hamming distance between a pattern P of length m and every length m substring of text T with length n. Fischer and Paterson's FFT-based algorithm solves the problem without error in O(@snlogm), where @s is the size of the alphabet @S [SIAM-AMS Proc. 7 (1973) 113-125]. However, this in the worst case reduces to O(nmlogm). Atallah, Chyzak and Dumas used the idea of randomly mapping the letters of the alphabet to complex roots of unity to estimate the score vector in time O(nlogm) [Algorithmica 29 (2001) 468-486]. We show that the algorithm's score variance can be substantially lowered by using a bijective mapping, and specifically to zero in the case of binary and ternary alphabets. This result is extended via alphabet remappings to deterministically solve the string matching with mismatches problem with a constant factor of 2 improvement over Fischer-Paterson's method.
The Atlantic Enlightenment

The Atlantic Enlightenment, ed. Susan Manning and Francis D. Cogliano, Aldershot, UK and Burlington, Vermont, Ashgate, 2008, 224 pp., US $99.95 (hardback), ISBN 978–0–7546–6040–8 Beginning in Janua...