cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A test of Brown's principle in the intertidal limpet Collisella scabra (Gould, 1846)

Aim Brown’s principle predicts that a species will peak in density near its range centre, and decline gradually towards the margins of its geographical distribution. The decline is assumed to reflect a decrease in individual performance near range margins. I test this abundance–performance hypothesis by comparing patterns in density and size across the northern half of the geographical distribution of the marine patellogastropod Collisella scabra (Gould, 1846). Location Collisella scabra is a high intertidal patellogastropod species distributed along the Pacific coast of North America from Cape Mendocino (CA, USA) to southern Baja California (Mexico). I surveyed 11 research sites spanning c. 36–44� N. Methods In each of the 11 research sites I surveyed four distinct microhabitats, and compared spatial patterns in density and in the size of solitary limpets. Results Both density and size were highly variable across the species range. Density peaked near the northern range margin, and showed greater variance at small spatial scales ( 100 km). In contrast, large size occurred uniformly across the survey area, and size was strongly associated with microhabitat. Main conclusion Collisella scabra does not show spatial patterns of density or performance that are consistent with Brown’s principle. The underlying assumptions of Brown’s principle may conflict with specific characteristics of C. scabra’s life history and/or patterns of environmental variation across its range. Because such conflicts may be common in a large number of marine and terrestrial species, the generality of Brown’s principle is questioned.
Iterative Flattening: A Scalable Method for Solving Multi-Capacity Scheduling Problems

One challenge for research in constraint-based scheduling has been to produce scalable solution procedures under fairly general representational assumptions. Quite often, the computational burden of techniques for reasoning about more complex types of temporal and resource capacity constraints places fairly restrictive limits on the size of problems that can be effectively addressed. In this paper, we focus on developing a scalable heuristic procedure to an extended, multi-capacity resource version of the job shop scheduling problem (MCJSSP). Our starting point is a previously developed procedure for generating feasible solutions to more complex, multi-capacity scheduling problems with maximum time lags. Adapting this procedure to exploit the simpler temporal structure of MCJSSP, we are able to produce a quite efficient solution generator. However, the procedure only indirectly attends to MCJSSP’s objective criterion and produces sub-optimal solutions. To provide a scalable, optimizing procedure, we propose a simple, local-search procedure called iterative flattening, which utilizes the core solution generator to perform an extended iterative improvement search. Despite its simplicity, experimental analysis shows the iterative improvement search to be quite effective. On a set of reference problems ranging in size from 100 to 900 activities, the iterative flattening procedure efficiently and consistently produces solutions within 10% of computed upper bounds. Overall, the concept of iterative flattening is quite general and provides an interesting new basis for designing more sophisticated local search procedures.
Occurrence of Cocaine in Urine of Substance-Abuse Treatment Patients

As part of ongoing research efforts to improve methods of monitoring drug use in treatment patients, the presence of cocaine in urine specimens was evaluated as a possible marker for recent illicit cocaine use. A total of 2327 urine specimens collected during a 17-week clinical trial of a cocaine-abuse treatment study were tested. Cocaine was measured by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and benzoylecgonine (BZE) equivalents were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA). More than one-third of the specimens were positive (> 25 ng/mL) for cocaine (36.8%), and nearly two-thirds were positive (> 300 ng/mL) for cocaine metabolite by FPIA (62.7% ). Median concentrations of cocaine and BZE equivalents were 235 and 14,900 ng/mL, respectively, and maximum concentrations were 112,025 and 1,101,190 ng/mL in cocaine- and BZE-positive specimens, respectively. There were 52 specimens that contained cocaine in equal or higher concentrations than BZE equivalents. No significant differences in cocaine or BZE concentrations between Caucasian and African-American or between male and female patients were found. Cocaine was present less frequently and at lower concentrations than BZE but more frequently than expected based on an average half-life of approximately 1 h, which suggests that cocaine may exhibit a longer terminal half-life and/or that accumulation of cocaine can occur in chronic, heavy users.
Is juvenile delinquency related to an abnormal EEG? A study of EEG abnormalities in juvenile delinquents and adolescent psychiatric inpatients

A consecutive series of violent juvenile delinquents and a consecutive series of adolescent psychiatric inpatients were studied with respect to their electroencephalograph (EEG), demography, psychiatric diagnosis, physical diagnosis, and intelligence. No difference was found in the prevalence of EEG abnormalities between the two groups and an association between EEG abnormality and juvenile delinquency was not established. These findings are discussed.
Laser-induced fluorescence measurements of ion distribution functions

Ion velocity distribution functions are often measured in experiments in basic plasma, fusion plasmas, and plasma processing. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is a technique for making these measurements locally, without perturbing the plasma, by measuring the ions’ Doppler-broadened spectral line shape and correcting for other causes of broadening. A narrow-bandwidth tunable laser is required for the’sub-Doppler” measurements.
Cooperative Spectrum Sensing in the Presence of Correlated and Malicious Cognitive Radios

While cooperative spectrum sensing improves sensing reliability when secondary users (SUs) have independent measurements, these gains are limited in the presence of correlated or malicious SUs. In this paper, we propose algorithms to improve spectrum sensing performance when the system contains both honest and malicious SUs all of whom may be experiencing correlated fading channels. We show that, when the SUs’ reports at each time slot are independent and identically distributed, it is impossible to distinguish between malicious collaboration, i.e., collusion, and correlations caused by the environment. Thus, the optimal test statistic for cooperative spectrum sensing depends on the correlations in the SU reports but not on the source of these correlations. We propose two algorithms: one to identify SUs whose reports are correlated and another to infer the spectrum occupancy by using the learned structure of correlations. Groups of SUs whose reports are correlated are identified by learning the structure of the underlying Bayesian network model. This structure is implemented as a factor graph to infer the spectrum occupancy using a loopy belief propagation algorithm. We derive an upper bound of the error probability of the proposed structure learning algorithm and prove convergence of our loopy belief propagation algorithm.
Preferential expression of functional IL-17R in glioma stem cells: Potential role in self-renewal

Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumor and one of the most lethal solid tumors. Mechanistic studies into identification of novel biomarkers are needed to develop new therapeutic strategies for this deadly disease. The objective for this study was to explore the potential direct impact of IL-17-IL-17R interaction in gliomas. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry analysis of 12 tumor samples obtained from patients with high grade gliomas revealed that a considerable population (2-19%) of cells in all malignant gliomas expressed IL-17RA, with remarkable co-expression of the glioma stem cell (GSC) markers CD133, Nestin, and Sox2. IL-17 enhanced the self-renewal of GSCs as determined by proliferation and Matrigel® colony assays. IL-17 also induced cytokine/chemokine (IL-6, IL-8, interferon-γ-inducible protein [IP-10], and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1]) secretion in GSCs, which were differentially blocked by antibodies against IL-17R and IL-6R. Western blot analysis showed that IL-17 modulated the activity of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and β-catenin in GSCs. While IL-17R-mediated secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 were significantly blocked by inhibitors of NF-κB and STAT3; NF-κB inhibitor was more potent than STAT3 inhibitor in blocking IL-17-induced MCP-1 secretion. Overall, our results suggest that IL-17-IL-17R interaction in GSCs induces an autocrine/paracrine cytokine feedback loop, which may provide an important signaling component for maintenance/self-renewal of GSCs via constitutive activation of both NF-κB and STAT3. The results also strongly implicate IL-17R as an important functional biomarker for therapeutic targeting of GSCs.
Breadth of tuning in taste afferent neurons varies with stimulus strength

Gustatory stimuli are detected by taste buds and transmitted to the hindbrain via sensory afferent neurons. Whether each taste quality (sweet, bitter and so on) is encoded by separate neurons (‘labelled lines') remains controversial. We used mice expressing GCaMP3 in geniculate ganglion sensory neurons to investigate taste-evoked activity. Using confocal calcium imaging, we recorded responses to oral stimulation with prototypic taste stimuli. Up to 69% of neurons respond to multiple tastants. Moreover, neurons tuned to a single taste quality at low concentration become more broadly tuned when stimuli are presented at higher concentration. Responses to sucrose and monosodium glutamate are most related. Although mice prefer dilute NaCl solutions and avoid concentrated NaCl, we found no evidence for two separate populations of sensory neurons that encode this distinction. Altogether, our data suggest that taste is encoded by activity in patterns of peripheral sensory neurons and challenge the notion of strict labelled line coding.
Art and Vision in the Inca Empire: Andeans and Europeans at Cajamarca

In 1500 CE, the Inca empire covered most of South America's Andean region. The empire's leaders first met Europeans on November 15, 1532, when a large Inca army confronted Francisco Pizarro's band of adventurers in the highland Andean valley of Cajamarca, Peru. At few other times in its history would the Inca royal leadership so aggressively showcase its moral authority and political power. Glittering and truculent, what Europeans witnessed at Inca Cajamarca compels revised understandings of pre-contact Inca visual art, spatial practice, and bodily expression. This book takes a fresh look at the encounter at Cajamarca, using the episode to offer a new, art-historical interpretation of pre-contact Inca culture and power. Adam Herring's study offers close readings of Inca and Andean art in a variety of media: architecture and landscape, geoglyphs, sculpture, textiles, ceramics, featherwork and metalwork. The volume is richly illustrated with over sixty color images.
Prospective Study of Pregnancy and Newborn Outcomes in Mothers with West Nile Illness during Pregnancy

Background A previous case report of West Nile virus (WNV) illness during pregnancy suggested that WNV could be a cause of congenital defects. We performed a prospective, longitudinal cohort study of pregnant women with WNV illness to increase our knowledge of the effects of WNV illness during pregnancy. Methods Participants were enrolled in 2005 to 2008 from pregnant women with serologically confirmed WNV illness reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Comparison was made to WNV-uninfected women, matched on maternal age and enrollment month. Pregnancy and newborn data were collected; cord blood WNV serology was obtained. Pediatric exams and the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-Third Edition (Bayley-III) were performed. Results Twenty-eight WNV-infected mothers and 25 WNV-uninfected mothers participated. Maternal demographics were similar except for a higher rate of planned pregnancies, education, and household income in the WNV-uninfected mothers. There were no differences in pregnancy and delivery characteristics except that infected mothers had a higher incidence of febrile illnesses and used more medications. Birth weight, length, head circumference, and rate of congenital malformations were similar in babies born to WNV-infected and -uninfected mothers. Follow-up physical exams were generally normal. The Bayley-III assessments, available for 17 children born to mothers with WNV illness, showed performance at or above age level across domains. Conclusion The risk for adverse pregnancy and newborn outcomes in women experiencing WNV illness in pregnancy appears to be low, but future studies with larger numbers are needed to rule out a small risk. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:716–723, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular Pathways: Targeting the PI3K Pathway in Cancer—BET Inhibitors to the Rescue

The PI3K signaling pathway is a complex and tightly regulated network that is critical for many physiologic processes, such as cell growth, proliferation, metabolism, and survival. Aberrant activation of this pathway can occur through mutation of almost any of its major nodes and has been implicated in a number of human diseases, including cancer. The high frequency of mutations in this pathway in multiple types of cancer has led to the development of small-molecule inhibitors of PI3K, several of which are currently in clinical trials. However, several feedback mechanisms either within the PI3K pathway or in compensatory pathways can render tumor cells resistant to therapy. Recently, targeting proteins of the bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family of epigenetic readers of histone acetylation has been shown to effectively block adaptive signaling response of cancer cells to inhibitors of the PI3K pathway, which at least in some cases can restore sensitivity. BET inhibitors also enforce blockade of the MAPK, JAK/STAT, and ER pathways, suggesting they may be a rational combinatorial partner for divergent oncogenic signals that are subject to homeostatic regulation. Here, we review the PI3K pathway as a target for cancer therapy and discuss the potential use of BET inhibition to enhance the clinical efficacy of PI3K inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 22(11); 2605–10. ©2016 AACR .
Kerr Effect from Diffractive Skew Scattering in Chiral p x ± i p y Superconductors

We calculate the temperature dependent anomalous ac Hall conductance ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{H}(\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}},T)$ for a two-dimensional chiral $p$-wave superconductor. This quantity determines the polar Kerr effect, as it was observed in ${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}{\mathrm{RuO}}_{4}$ [J. Xia et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 167002 (2006)]. We concentrate on a single band model with an arbitrary isotropic dispersion relation subjected to rare, weak impurities treated in the Born approximation. As we explicitly show by detailed computation, previously omitted contributions to the extrinsic part of an anomalous Hall response, physically originating from diffractive skew scattering on quantum impurity complexes, appear to the leading order in the impurity concentration. By direct comparison with published results from the literature we demonstrate the relevance of our findings for the interpretation of the Kerr effect measurements in superconductors.
Perioperative β-Blockade in Noncardiac Surgery: A Cautionary Tale of Over-reliance on Small Randomized Prospective Trials.

Abstract Purpose Our aim was to analyze the current scientific literature relevant to the use of β-adrenergic receptor antagonists for the prevention of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery. Methods A PubMed search was conducted for the following concepts: pre- or perioperative, β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, treatment outcome, and cardiovascular complication. Randomized clinical trials measuring the effect of β-adrenergic blocking agents against that of placebo on cardiovascular outcomes after noncardiac surgery were included in the review. Findings Two small randomized controlled trials published in 1996 and 1999 reported associations between perioperative β-blockade and significant reductions in long-term and 30-day cardiac mortality, respectively. These 2 studies prompted guideline changes in 2002 encouraging perioperative β-blockade in subsets of noncardiac surgery patients. However, subsequent trials failed to validate these results. In 2008, the first large randomized controlled trial on the topic was published and found an association between perioperative β-blockade and an increase in perioperative mortality. Furthermore, in 2011, the lead author of the 1999 study was dismissed from his academic position for scientific misconduct, casting doubt on the validity of guidelines based on his work. Existing studies are highly heterogeneous, making comparisons difficult. Current literature does not support initiating perioperative β-blockade in noncardiac surgery patients not already receiving these medications. Implications Future research on the topic should account for the influence individual genetic variation can have on outcomes and β-blocker metabolism. Additionally, the relationship between outcomes and the β-1 selectivity of different β-blockers should be explored.
The Use of Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers and the Risk of Developing Venous Thromboembolism in Patients with Atherosclerotic Disease.

Abstract 1078 Poster Board I-100 Objectives: Arterial and venous thrombosis may share common pathophysiology involving the activation of platelets and inflammatory mediators. A growing body of evidence suggests prothrombotic effect of renin angiotensin system (RAS) including vascular inflammation and platelet activation. We hypothesized that the use of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), therefore, plays a role in protecting against venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with history of atherosclerosis. Whether ACEIs and ARBs actually prevents VTE has never been studied in a clinical setting. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study, reviewing 596 consecutive patients admitted to Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC), Philadelphia with a diagnosis of either myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke during September 2007 to January 2009. Patients were followed up to maximum of 30 months. Patients who had been treated with anticoagulation therapy before or after the first visit at AEMC were excluded. The occurrence of VTE during the follow up period, risk factors for VTE on admission, and use of ACEIs and ARBs during the follow up period were recorded. Results: The mean age of the entire study population was 68.1 years. 52.0% of the patients were female and 76.5% were African American. The overall incidence of VTE was 13.4% (n=80); and 68.8% (n= 410) were on RAS inhibitors [either ACEIs only (n=348, 58.4%) or ARBs only (n=89, 14.9%) or both (n=27, 4.5%)]. Among patients on RAS inhibitors, 11.0 % (45/410) developed a VTE, compared with 18.8% (35/186) in the nonuser group [OR (Odd ratio), 0.53; 95% CI (confidence interval), 0.33 – 0.86; P=0.01]. Even after controlling for factors related to VTE (smoking, history of cancer, and immobilization, hormone use) and diabetes, the use of RAS inhibitors was still associated with lower risk of developing VTE [OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.34 – 0.90; P=0.02]. Although statitistically not significant due to small sample size, the OR of VTE for ACEI only users were 0.66 [CI, 0.37-1.16, p=0.15], whereas the OR for ARB only users was 0.75 [CI, 0.30-1.85, p=0.53]. Interestingly, Among patients using both ACEI and ARB, no one developed VTE (0/27), compared with 10.9% (38/348) in ACEI only users and 7.9% (7/89) in ARB only users. Conclusions: The use of RAS inhibitors appears to be associated with a reduction in the risk of VTE. This possible antithrombotic effect of antagonizing RAS warrants further prospective clinical investigation. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
BCS-MPI: A New Approach in the System Software Design for Large-Scale Parallel Computers

Buffered CoScheduled MPI (BCS-MPI) introduces a new approach to design the communication layer for large-scale parallel machines. The emphasis of BCS-MPI is on the global coordination of a large number of communicating processes rather than on the traditional optimization of the point-to-point performance. BCS-MPI delays the inter-processor communication in order to schedule globally the communication pattern and it is designed on top of a minimal set of collective communication primitives. In this paper we describe a prototype implementation of BCS-MPI and its communication protocols. Several experimental results, executed on a set of scientific applications, show that BCS-MPI can compete with a production-level MPI implementation, but is much simpler to implement, debug and model.
Trait and goal similarity and discrepancy in romantic couples

Abstract Past research has suggested that romantic partners tend to be more similar than expected by chance and similarity in certain personality variables has been associated with relationship satisfaction. The present study investigated the existence of similarity and the association of similarity among romantic partners with relationship satisfaction (N = 125 couples). Couples who were similar in traits also showed higher levels of similarity in personal goals. Similarity and discrepancy in personality traits were associated with relationship satisfaction in females (positively) and males (negatively) respectively. Similarity and discrepancy in personal goals were not significantly related to relationship satisfaction. Facets of the Big Five assessed did not show any evidence of greater or lesser discrepancy than would be expected by chance. Personal goals that related to religion and spirituality showed lower levels of discrepancy than by chance, but the results were inconsistent for other personal goals. Implications for relationship satisfaction are discussed.
Relationship Between Excessive Gestational Weight Gain and Neonatal Adiposity in Women With Mild Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the relationships among excessive gestational weight gain, neonatal adiposity, and adverse obstetric outcomes in women with mild gestational diabetes mellitus.METHODS:This is a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized clinical trial of women with mild gestational diabetes
Apolipoprotein E and amyloidogenesis

Alzheimer's amyloid beta-protein (A beta) is a modified, pathogenic form of a constitutive host protein, soluble amyloid beta-protein (sA beta). Both are conformational isomers encoded by the gene for the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP), located on chromosome 21. sA beta and A beta have identical sequence but are thought to differ in their secondary structure and physicochemical properties, hence they are conformational isomers. sA beta is easily degraded, while A beta is particularly resistant. A beta has a high beta-pleated sheet content, while sA beta is thought to be more random-coil and/or alpha-helical. A beta, unlike sA beta, adopts an amyloidogenic conformation, forms aggregates and gives rise to fibrils. Most early-onset forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been linked to mutations of the presenilin 1, presenilin 2 or APP genes, located on chromosomes 14, 1 and 21, respectively. Their relationship to amyloidogenesis is being investigated. On the other hand, the major risk factor for the most common form, sporadic and familial late-onset AD, is the presence of the apoE epsilon 4 allele. Recent studies have shown that a 10 kDa C-terminal fragment of apoE is complexed to A beta in neuritic plaques and that apoE isoforms can modulate amyloid formation in vitro. Moreover, thrombin cleavage of apoE generates a similar C-terminal fragment that can form amyloid-like fibrils. Thus neuritic plaques may contain both A beta and apoE amyloid fibrils. AD can be neuropathologically defined by the presence of several interacting proteins that can adopt an amyloidogenic conformation. This has led us to hypothesize that in AD, amyloidosis may be reactive rather than causative.
Social Disparities in the Relationship Between Depression and Unintended Pregnancy During Adolescence and Young Adulthood

Abstract Purpose We investigated the influence of depression on subsequent risk of unintended pregnancy and social disparities within this relationship, during adolescence and young adulthood. Methods Drawing upon 15-year, nationally representative data from 8,810 young U.S. women in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we estimated associations between depression and time to first pregnancies reported as unintended, overall and stratified by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age with Cox proportional hazard models. Results Moderate/severe depression symptoms were associated with an increased risk of unintended first pregnancy (hazard ratio [HR], 1.21; confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.44). In stratified models, depression increased the pregnancy risk for all minority groups (HRs, 1.36–3.25) but not white women. Depression increased the pregnancy risk for women with $0–$19,999 (HR, 1.48; CI, 1.11–1.98) and $20,000–$49,999 (HR, 1.33; CI, 1.05–1.68) income levels but not those at higher levels. Depression increased the pregnancy risk for adolescents 24 years (HR, .47; CI, .25–.86). Conclusions Findings may inform more equitable, holistic public health strategies that target depression as a modifiable risk factor for adverse reproductive outcomes during adolescence and young adulthood.
Alliances Without Nuclear Weapons? (I)

Nuclear weapons have played a crucial role in America’s sense of power and influence in international politics since World War II. And this applies to how the USA has thought about entering into and maintaining the credibility of its alliances as well. Without the bomb, the USA might not have had the appetite for creating alliances in the late 1940s and early 1950s with so many countries, some half a world away.1 Any thought of backing such commitments only with conventional forces may well have been quickly abandoned as politically infeasible and unsustainable. In addition, new archival material from allied countries about American nuclear strategy shows that US nuclear weapons have been central to how at least America’s most important allies think about their security, even if their relationship with extended nuclear deterrence is sometimes complex, ambiguous, distant, and multi-layered.2 As such, we should be careful about the implications of deep reductions and any future marginalization of nuclear weapons in America’s posture for these alliances. This chapter focuses on how nuclear weapons have shaped some of the thinking about alliances. It examines the types of capabilities that were required in the pre-nuclear age to demonstrate alliance commitments. It discusses issues of alliance credibility, including vulnerability and cohesion, and how nuclear weapons have influenced these, conceptually and in operational terms as well.
Struggling in the Dark to Help My Child: Parents' Experience in Caring for a Young Child with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to describe parents' experiences in caring for 2–5-year-old children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Design and methods A qualitative study using single-occasion in-depth interviews was conducted. Nine parents (eight mothers and one father) were interviewed in-person or via telephone. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Methods used to protect the trustworthiness of study results included maintenance of an audit trail, peer debriefing, and member checks. Results The core construct Struggling in the Dark to Help My Child explained parents' experience in six domains: not knowing, trying to reach out in the dark, feeling my child's pain, working out the kinks to stay on top to manage, feeling drained by the whole process, and being hard on the entire household. Parents struggled with the unknown, searched for resources, witnessed their child's suffering without knowing how to help, and tried every possible way to stay on top of the child's illness and treatment, even when they felt drained physically and emotionally. JIA not only consumed their lives, but also affected the entire family, including the siblings and spouse, and the relationships among family members. Conclusion and implications Findings highlight the day-to-day lived challenges parents face when caring for a young child with JIA. Healthcare providers including nurses need to assess the particular needs of an ill child and parents as well as the impact of the illness on the physical and psychosocial health of the entire family so that proper resources can be provided.
What Congress Had to Say: Legislative History as a Rehearsal of Congressional Response to Stern v. Marshall

Congress regularly makes judgment calls of constitutional dimension. One important example of the interaction between the constitutional analysis of the Court and that of Congress involves disputes over the broad grant of jurisdiction exercised by untenured bankruptcy judges. The legislative history preceding the Supreme Court’s decisions in Northern Pipeline Co. v. Marathon Pipe Line Co. and Stern v. Marshall suggest that Congress’s constitutional interpretation is different in kind from that of the Supreme Court. Because Congress is a political, not a deliberative, body, its constitutional analysis is infused with political judgments. The political compromises reached in enacting the bankruptcy court provisions in 1978 and 1984 may well have contributed to the Court’s constitutional rulings. This essay looks at congressional interpretation of the constitutionality of proposed bankruptcy legislation. Its focus is on the politics of bankruptcy court design and the implications of this political brand of constitutional interpretation for Congress’s response, first, to Northern Pipeline and, eventually, to Stern v. Marshall. Consideration of what Congress had to say on the topic of the constitutionality of an untenured bankruptcy court can help predict congressional reaction to the Court’s most recent decision in Stern. Broader insights into the Court’s Article III jurisprudence, as well as the interaction of the constitutional interpretation of Congress and the Supreme Court in this context, are also suggested, albeit tentatively given the bankruptcy-centered focus of this essay.
Early effect of Medicare Shared Savings Program accountable care organization participation on prostate cancer care.

BACKGROUND Accountable care organizations (ACOs) can improve prostate cancer care by decreasing treatment variations (ie, avoidance of treatment in low-value settings). Herein, the authors performed a study to understand the effect of Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs on prostate cancer care. METHODS Using a 20% Medicare sample, the authors identified men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer from 2010 through 2013. Rates of treatment, potential overtreatment (ie, treatment in men with a ≥75% chance of 10-year mortality from competing risks), and Medicare payments were measured using regression models. The impact of ACO participation was assessed using difference-in-differences analyses. RESULTS Before implementation of ACOs, the treatment rate was 71.8% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 70.2%-73.3%) for ACO-aligned beneficiaries and 72.3% (95% CI, 71.7%-73.0% [P = .51]) for non-ACO-aligned beneficiaries. After implementation, this rate declined to 68.4% (95% CI, 66.1%-70.7% [P = .017]) for ACO-aligned beneficiaries and 69.3% (95% CI, 68.5%-70.1% [P<.001]) for non-ACO-aligned beneficiaries. There was no differential effect noted for ACO participation. The rate of potential overtreatment decreased from 48.2% (95% CI, 43.1%-53.3%) to 40.2% (95% CI, 32.4%-48.0% [P = .087]) for ACO-aligned beneficiaries and increased from 44.3% (95% CI, 42.1%-46.5%) to 47.0% (95% CI, 44.5%-49.5% [P = .11]) for non-ACO-aligned beneficiaries. These changes resulted in a significant relative decrease in overtreatment of 17% for ACO-aligned beneficiaries (difference-in-differences, 10.8%; P = .031). Payments were not found to be differentially affected by ACO alignment. CONCLUSIONS The treatment of prostate cancer and annual payments decreased significantly between 2010 and 2013, but ACO participation did not appear to impact these trends. Among men least likely to benefit, Medicare Shared Savings Program ACO alignment was associated with a significant decline in prostate cancer treatment. Cancer 2018;124:563-70. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Public social policy and families in the 1970s

Partial, inexpensive programs addressed primarily to changing people rather than systems can not meet the problems created by a supertechnological society
Fractones: Home and Conductors of the Neural Stem Cell Niche

Throughout life, neural stem cells proliferate and differentiate in restricted zones of the brain, termed niches, to produce new neurons and glial cells. In these niches, growth factors and extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules determine the fate of neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPC). However, the precise compounds and the mechanisms that regulate growth factors and other signaling molecules in the niches are unknown. Based on the evidence that NSPCs proliferate next to blood vessels in the dentate gyrus, the concept of a vascular niche for neurogenesis has been initially proposed. In the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle, the most neurogenic zone in adulthood, we have found that NSPC directly contact a novel type of ECM structure that we have named fractones. Fractones contain heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG) that collect and concentrate the neurogenic growth factor FGF2 at the NSPC surface and likely direct its signaling via tyrosine kinase receptors. Our preliminary results indicate that FGF2 binding to fractone-HSPG is essential for activating FGF2 at the NSPC surface. Moreover, we have found fractones express diverse HSPG at the surface of proliferating NSPC during development, even before the brain vasculature emerges. Therefore, fractones hold considerable promise for promoting growth factors at the stem cell surface to ultimately regulate neurogenesis during development and adulthood.
Possible reserves and sources for the development of region in term of labour market

Districkt Tabor has thanks his position in Czech Republic the big developing potential. Basic precondition for its economic growth and development is especially efficient usage of his strengths and opportunities and minimalization of negative pages (weakness and threats) that are formulated in paper for labour market. The paper was created thanks solving the research programme MSM 6007665806.
China’s New Road for Tobacco Control: Tobacco Crop Substitution.

The article explores tobacco control in China as of 2018, focusing on whether or not tobacco crop substitution could aid the cause. Additional topics discussed include how China sets a quota for tobacco leaf production to ensure revenue to the state, the health impact of China's transition to a developed country and world economic power, and social conditions for farmers in China. The WHO (World Health Organization) and the United Nations Development Program are also noted.
Spinal arachnoid cysts in adults: Diagnosis and management. A single-center experience

OBJECTIVEAdult spinal arachnoid cysts (SACs) are rare entities of indistinct etiology that present with pain or myelopathy. Diagnosis is made on imaging studies with varying degrees of specificity. In symptomatic cases, the standard treatment involves surgical exploration and relief of neural tissue compression. The aim of this study was to illustrate features of SACs in adults, surgical management, and outcomes.METHODSThe authors searched medical records for all SACs in adults in the 10-year period ending in December 2016. Radiology and pathology reports were reviewed to exclude other spine cystic disorders. Recurrent or previously treated patients were excluded. Demographic variables (age, sex) and clinical presentation (symptoms, duration, history of infection or trauma, and examination findings) were extracted. Radiological features were collected from radiology reports and direct interpretation of imaging studies. Operative reports and media were reviewed to accurately describe the surgical technique. Finally, patient-reported outcomes were collected at every clinic visit using the SF-36.RESULTSThe authors' search identified 22 patients with SACs (mean age at presentation 53.5 years). Seventeen patients were women, representing an almost 3:1 sex distribution. Symptoms comprised back pain (n = 16, 73%), weakness (n = 10, 45%), gait ataxia (n = 11, 50%), and sphincter dysfunction (n = 4, 18%). The mean duration of symptoms was 15 months. Seven patients (32%) exhibited signs of myelopathy. All patients underwent preoperative MRI; in addition, 6 underwent CT myelography. SACs were located in the thoracic spine (n = 17, 77%), and less commonly in the lumbar spine (n = 3, 14%) and cervical/cervicothoracolumbar region (n = 2, 9%). Based on imaging findings, the cysts were interpreted as intradural SACs (n = 11, 50%), extradural SACs (n = 6, 27%), or ventral spinal cord herniation (n = 2, 9%); findings in 3 patients (14%) were inconclusive. Nineteen patients underwent surgical treatment consisting of laminoplasty in addition to cyst resection (n = 13, 68%), ligation of the connecting pedicle (n = 4, 21%), or fenestration/marsupialization (n = 2, 11%). Postoperatively, patients were followed up for an average of 8.2 months (range 2-30 months). Postoperative MRI showed complete resolution of the SAC in 14 of 16 patients. Patient-reported outcomes showed improvement in SF-36 parameters. One patient suffered a delayed wound infection.CONCLUSIONSIn symptomatic patients with imaging findings suggestive of spinal arachnoid cyst, surgical exploration and complete resection is the treatment of choice. Treatment is usually well tolerated, carries low risks, and provides the best chances for optimal recovery.
Construction of a hexanuclear cluster composed of spatially separated Co3 and Ru3 units: X-ray diffraction structure of Co3(CO)9[μ3-CCO2CH2CC{HRu3(CO)9}]

Treatment of the tricobalt cluster $${\text{Co}}_3 ({\text{CO}})_9 (\mu _3 - {\text{CCO}}_{\text{2}} {\text{CH}}_{\text{2}} {\text{C}} \equiv {\text{CH)}}$$ with the activated triruthenium cluster Ru3(CO)10(MeCN)2 affords the acetylide-bridged hexanuclear cluster Co3(CO)9[μ3–CCO2CH2CC{HRu3(CO)9}] in moderate yield. The new cluster was characterized in solution by IR spectroscopy and molecular structure was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. Co3(CO)9[μ3–CCO2CH2CC{HRu3(CO)9}] crystallizes in the triclinic space group P(−1), a = 8.728(1) A, b = 12.916(2) A, c = 14.663(2) A, α = 82.950(2)°, β = 82.465(2)°, γ = 86.199(2)°, V = 1624.2(4) A3, Z = 2, d calc = 2.207 mg/m3; R = 0.0263, R w = 0.0623 for 3596 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I). The coordination of the triruthenium cluster to the acetylene ligand of Co3(CO)9(μ3–CCO2CH2C≡CH) is confirmed, and the structural details associated with the acetylide-bridged triruthenium frame are contrasted with other structurally characterized Ru3 clusters bound by a 5e-acetylide ligand.
Editorial Commentary: Return to Play Following Revision Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

In many cases, athletes return to play after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. In such cases, after a second ACL tear, these athletes may again expert full return to play after ACL revision. Unfortunately, results after revision ACL reconstruction are inferior to results after primary surgery. Sport specific data is difficult to determine, as are predictors of positive outcomes which include concomitant pathology or psychological factors. Chances of return to the same level may be 60% or less.
Advances in Disability Research: Toward Greater Understanding of Inclusive Organizations

This presenter symposium features five research studies by well-known disability scholars on the inclusion and workplace experiences of persons with disabilities. The studies represent disability-s...
The black Mediterranean reimagined: Counterfactual world-building in francophone speculative fiction

This article analyses francophone speculative literature and cinema and the way it mobilizes counterfactuals to challenge historical teleologies and spatial orders by exploring possible worlds and contingencies. The analysis will focus on four works of fiction from the francophone African diaspora including Bertene Juminer’s La revanche de Bozambo (2000), Boubacar Boris Diop’s Le temps de Tamango (1981), Abdourahman A. Waberi’s Aux Etats-Unis d’Afrique (2006) and Sylvestre Amoussou’s film Africa Paradis (2007). The four narratives erode conventional geographies and migration patterns through a counterfactual lens, depicting African countries either as imperial powers that have conquered European territories or as revolutionary forces that put an end to European interference. They thus create alternative versions of what Alessandra di Maio calls the black Mediterranean, an intercontinental space constituted by, and constitutive of, the cultures and histories of the African diaspora. Going beyond a purely aesthetic effect, these authors imagine a change of paradigm and intentionally cultivate an atmosphere of alienation for their readership. However, despite their disruptive potential, the speculative narratives remain limited in their world-building efforts because the African futures that they project remind readers more of what is than of what could be.
Genetic Diversity of Selected Bacterial Populations in North Carolina

Important bacterial diseases in North Carolina include bacterial spot of stone fruits (Xanthomonas arboricola pv. pruni), angular leaf spot of strawberry (X. fragariae), black rot of crucifers (X. campestris pv. campestris), and bacterial speck of tomatoes (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato). Our objective was to characterize strains representative of these pathogens and to compare and contrast the genetic diversity and structure of the bacterial populations and to appraise implications for disease management strategies.
A roadmap to build a phenotypic metric of ageing: insights from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging.

Over the past three decades, considerable effort has been dedicated to quantifying the pace of ageing yet identifying the most essential metrics of ageing remains challenging due to lack of comprehensive measurements and heterogeneity of the ageing processes. Most of the previously proposed metrics of ageing have been emerged from cross-sectional associations with chronological age and predictive accuracy of mortality, thus lacking a conceptual model of functional or phenotypic domains. Further, such models may be biased by selective attrition and are unable to address underlying biological constructs contributing to functional markers of age-related decline. Using longitudinal data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), we propose a conceptual framework to identify metrics of ageing that may capture the hierarchical and temporal relationships between functional ageing, phenotypic ageing and biological ageing based on four hypothesized domains: body composition, energy regulation, homeostatic mechanisms and neurodegeneration/neuroplasticity. We explored the longitudinal trajectories of key variables within these phenotypes using linear mixed-effects models and more than 10 years of data. Understanding the longitudinal trajectories across these domains in the BLSA provides a reference for researchers, informs future refinement of the phenotypic ageing framework and establishes a solid foundation for future models of biological ageing.
Spontaneous Pneumothorax Following COVID-19 Pneumonia

Patient presents with dyspnea after recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia and is found to have pneumothorax. This represents an under-reported sequelae of COVID-19.
Weaponization: Ubiquity and Metaphorical Meaningfulness

Conceptual metaphor theory implies that ubiquitous metaphors become mere descriptions or concepts if they are not embedded in competing discursive communities. This paper demonstrates that weaponiz...
Prioritizing COVID-19 vaccination by age.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the spread of a novel coronavirus to be a pandemic. Subsequently, and only 272 d afterward, the Pfizer vaccine started to be applied in the United Kingdom. Never before had a vaccine been developed in such a short time. Currently, four COVID-19 vaccines are approved for full use, and another eight are in early or limited use (1). However, the supply of vaccines is still inadequate to meet current needs. In such a scenario, prioritization strategies are required, ideally guided by ethical values (2). In many countries, health care professionals were initially prioritized, followed by different groups (depending on the country) such as individuals with comorbidities associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 mortality, elderly people living in crowded settings, K-12 teachers and school staff, people in homeless shelters, people in prisons, and critical workers in high-risk … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: bhsinger{at}epi.ufl.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Poverty and Nongovernmental Organizations in Nepal: Some Distributional Observations

Since the early 1990s, the number of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) has been growing rapidly in Nepal but Nepal remains a very poor country. In examining the distribution of NGOS, this study finds that districts with higher poverty levels have fewer local NGOs. Although NGOs play an important role in poverty reduction, poverty itself limits their growth in various districts in Nepal. While local NGOs provide an important contribution to the margin of poverty reduction, they alone cannot engineer national poverty reduction. This paper suggests that the Government of Nepal expand its poverty reduction program, streamline foreign aid and infrastructure development, but continue to attract both national and international NGOs for help in reducing poverty.
Competition between Phase Transformation and Fracture at Grain Boundaries in Oligocrystal Shape-Memory Alloy Wires with Bi-Crystal Structure: A Micromechanics-Based Simulation Study

We use a micromechanical single-crystal model of phase transformation to investigate the competition between elastic and transformation strain incompatibility as sources of premature fracture in olligocrystalline bamboo-shaped fine CuZnAl wires. Finite element simulations of the tensile response of bi-crystals of both high and low elastic incompatibility show that significant stress concentrations arise at the grain boundary at very low strains when the elastic incompatibility is high, and are likely responsible for premature fracture, as previously suggested. However, even in the case of low elastic incompatibility, significant fracture-inducing stress concentration can result from incompatibility of transformation strain.