cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Review of Project Connect

Project Connect — a planning consortium sponsored by the City of Austin, Capital Metro, the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, and Lone Star Rail — proposes to build a 9.5-mile, high-capacity transit line in Austin from East Riverside & Grove to Austin Community College’s Highland campus. Transit vehicles would follow a dedicated guideway — either rails or an exclusive busway — with trains or buses stopping about every one-half mile. Although buses are being considered as an alternative, it is clear that Project Connect planners already favor rail; as a presentation by Project Connect concludes: “Urban Rail is the appropriate mode to meet system needs.”There are several problems with this proposal. First, the proposed rail line is not truly high-capacity transit; though Project Connect has failed to admit it, buses can actually move more people than light rail. Second, the line is projected to cost $1.38 billion, but planners have failed to demonstrate the need for an expensive, dedicated guideway system of either bus or rail. In fact, the peak-hour demand projected for the line is well below the capacity of either buses or light rail. Finally, project planners have greatly overestimated the benefits of the proposed line. For example, far from relieving congestion, light rail will make it worse as it will have priority at traffic signals, disrupting the flow of traffic for everyone else. For much less than the cost of a single fixed-guideway transit line serving a few travelers, Austin can both improve bus service and relieve traffic congestion for all travelers. Traffic signal coordination, staggered bus stops in high-demand areas, increased bus frequencies, double-decker buses on high-demand routes, and the construction of more HOT lanes will smooth traffic flows and provide better transportation for everyone in the Austin area.
Superposition of Substitution Operators

The present section forms a bridge leading to the second part of our material — integral operators. There is no implication that integral operators in general (or even Integral operators of any particular type) have to be introduced as superposition of substitution operators. The situation is simply that the present section belongs most properly here. The method we are going to use is essentially the same as in Section 3.
Coordinating International Payments and Incomes

A fundamental argument developed in this volume is that any balance of payments problem can be resolved more easily via internationally coordinated incomes and exchange rate policies designed to achieve the maximum degree of stickiness in flow-supply prices (and hence incomes claims). To enunciate this as a guiding principle is relatively easy. To transfer this principle into the arena of practical policies which are acceptable is more difficult, but not impossible.
Studies on the structure of thyrotropin: its relationship to luteinizing hormone.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the structure of thyrotropin and its relationship to luteinizing hormone (LH). The pituitary peptide hormones were among the first compounds to yield evidence for probable evolutionary relationships among proteins and peptides with different functions—that is, oxytocin and vasopressin; the corticotropins, melanotropins, and β-lipotropin; and more recently prolactin and growth hormone. The likelihood that follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) contains subunits was recognized by Gray, and Papkoff and Ekblad reported that the FSH chain of LH may have common properties with a subunit of FSH. The dissociation of TSH and LH into two subunits raises a number of biological questions—for example, those concerning the control of biosynthesis of individual chains and the possible effects of releasing factors.
Empathic Virual Assistant for Healthcare Information with Positive Emotional Experience

Searching for health-related information online can cause negative emotions such as confusion or frustration. We propose a virtual chat assistant that can answer health-related questions empathically on the basis of a doctor-patient communication model. We plan to show that our proposed assistant is not only informative but also provides the positive user experience.
Near-IR-induced dissociation of thermally-sensitive star polymers

Responsive systems sensitive to near-infrared (NIR) light are promising for triggered release due to efficient deep tissue penetration of NIR irradiation relative to higher energy sources (e.g., UV), allowing for spatiotemporal control over triggering events with minimal potential for tissue damage. Herein, we report star polymers containing thermally-labile azo linkages that dissociate during conventional heating or during localized heating via the photothermal effect upon NIR irradiation. Controlled release during conventional heating was investigated for the star polymers loaded with a model dye, with negligible release being observed at 25 °C and >80% release at 90 °C. Star polymers co-loaded with NIR-responsive indocyanine green showed rapid dye release upon NIR irradiation (λ ≥ 715 nm) due to the photothermally-induced degradation of azo linkages within the cores of the star polymers. This approach provides access to a new class of delivery and release systems that can be triggered by noninvasive external stimulation.
A dynamical systems approach to obstacle navigation for a series-elastic hexapod robot

This paper emphasizes reliability in designing controllers to enable a blind, modular series-elastic hexapod robot to autonomously navigate (climb over) obstacles such as steps and curbs. Specifically, we suggest that it is not only important to limit the complexity of controllers, but also to limit the number of operating controllers to reduce potential failure points. As such, this paper presents a two-tiered control scheme with a high-level behavioral and a mid-level, modified admittance controller. The behavioral controller, based on a dynamical systems approach, is easy to implement - it is modelless, and may be realized using only analog circuitry. At its core, two oscillators coordinate the phasing of the robot's legs in open loop for nominal locomotion and climbing behaviors. A simple bistable dynamical system accepts torque feedback to decide the active mode and smoothly transition between behaviors - an alternating tripod gait for nominal walking and a quadrupedal gait in climbing mode. Finally, the mid-level, modified admittance controller naturally generates discrete motions as a byproduct of regulating compliant interactions. The proposed controller avoids unnecessary complexities that would be required in switching between discrete motion controllers or primitives in a state machine. It allows the robot to adapt to different obstacle heights while minimizing open parameters.
Innate Immunity and Mobilization of Hematopoietic Stem Cells.

Several mechanisms have been postulated to orchestrate mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), and still more work is needed to better understand this process and to gain better mechanistic insight. Evidence accumulated that mobilization of HSPCs is a part of innate immunity response to tissue organ injury, stress, and infection. This evolutionary ancient process is orchestrated by granulocytes and monocytes that trigger activation of complement cascade and the coagulation cascade. We will present data from our laboratory that initiation of complement cascade activation and subsequently activation of the coagulation cascade during mobilization process are dependent on mannan-binding lectin (MBL). The mannan-binding pathway activates MBL-associated serine proteases (MASP-1 and MASP-2) that cleave the third complement component C3 and prothrombin. Cleavage of C3 leads to formation of classical C5 convertase and cleavage of prothrombin generates thrombin, which has “C5-like convertase” activity. Finally, both C5 convertase and thrombin cleave the fifth complement component C5, and activate distal part of the complement cascade that is crucial for egress of HSCPs from bone marrow niches into peripheral blood.
Computational abstractions for interactive design of robotic devices

We present a computational design system that allows novices and experts alike to easily create custom robotic devices using modular electromechanical components. The core of our work consists of a design abstraction that models the way in which these components can be combined to form complex robotic systems. We use this abstraction to develop a visual design environment that enables an intuitive exploration of the space of robots that can be created using a given set of actuators, mounting brackets and 3d-printable components. Our computational system also provides support for design auto-completion operations, which further simplifies the task of creating robotic devices. Once robot designs are finished, they can be tested in physical simulations and iteratively improved until they meet the individual needs of their users. We demonstrate the versatility of our computational design system by creating an assortment of legged and wheeled robotic devices. To test the physical feasibility of our designs, we fabricate a wheeled device equipped with a 5-DOF arm and a quadrupedal robot.
A Study of Velocity-Tapered Slow Wave Structures for High-Efficiency Backward Wave Oscillators

In this paper, we present a comprehensive study of multisection, velocity-tapered slow wave structures (SWSs) for highly efficient backward-wave oscillators (BWOs). The SWS velocity variation profiles are characterized by mathematical functions. Using particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations, the efficiencies of these SWSs are obtained along with their oscillation frequency response to variations in beam voltage. This paper is aimed at determining the optimum SWS profiles for high-efficiency BWO operation along with the corresponding tunability. The profile with the highest possible efficiency is fabricated and cold tested to experimentally determine and validate the underlying efficiency enhancement mechanisms. This resulting cold test experiment demonstrates higher order dispersion in the form of multiple secondary inflection points. PIC simulations using this SWS design predict an output power of 8.25 MW at 2.62 GHz corresponding to a peak power conversion efficiency of 70%.
Cyclic di-GMP Positively Regulates DNA Repair in Vibrio cholerae.

ABSTRACT In Vibrio cholerae, high intracellular cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) concentration are associated with a biofilm lifestyle, while low intracellular c-di-GMP concentrations are associated with a motile lifestyle. c-di-GMP also regulates other behaviors, such as acetoin production and type II secretion; however, the extent of phenotypes regulated by c-di-GMP is not fully understood. We recently determined that the sequence upstream of the DNA repair gene encoding 3-methyladenine glycosylase (tag) was positively induced by c-di-GMP, suggesting that this signaling system might impact DNA repair pathways. We identified a DNA region upstream of tag that is required for transcriptional induction by c-di-GMP. We further showed that c-di-GMP induction of tag expression was dependent on the c-di-GMP-dependent biofilm regulators VpsT and VpsR. In vitro binding assays and heterologous host expression studies show that VpsT acts directly at the tag promoter in response to c-di-GMP to induce tag expression. Last, we determined that strains with high c-di-GMP concentrations are more tolerant of the DNA-damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate. Our results indicate that the regulatory network of c-di-GMP in V. cholerae extends beyond biofilm formation and motility to regulate DNA repair through the VpsR/VpsT c-di-GMP-dependent cascade. IMPORTANCEVibrio cholerae is a prominent human pathogen that is currently causing a pandemic outbreak in Haiti, Yemen, and Ethiopia. The second messenger molecule cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP) mediates the transitions in V. cholerae between a sessile biofilm-forming state and a motile lifestyle, both of which are important during V. cholerae environmental persistence and human infections. Here, we report that in V. cholerae c-di-GMP also controls DNA repair. We elucidate the regulatory pathway by which c-di-GMP increases DNA repair, allowing this bacterium to tolerate high concentrations of mutagens at high intracellular levels of c-di-GMP. Our work suggests that DNA repair and biofilm formation may be linked in V. cholerae.
Functional Status Change Among Children With Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation to Support Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in a Pediatric Cardiac ICU: A Single Institution Report.

Objectives The purpose of this study is to describe the functional status of survivors from extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation instituted during in-hospital cardiac arrest using the Functional Status Scale. We aimed to determine risk factors leading to the development of new morbidity and unfavorable functional outcomes. Design This was a single-center retrospective chart review abstracting patient characteristics/demographic data, duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, as well as maximum lactate levels within 2 hours before and after extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Cardiac arrest was defined as the administration of chest compressions for a nonperfusing cardiac rhythm. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation was defined by instituting extracorporeal membrane oxygenation during active chest compressions. Functional Status Scale scores were calculated at admission and on hospital discharge for patients who survived. Setting Patients admitted in the pediatric cardiac ICU at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2015. Patients Children less than 18 years who underwent extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Interventions Not applicable. Measurements and main results Of 608 extracorporeal membrane oxygenation events during the study period, 80 were extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (14%). There were 40 female patients (50%). Median age was 40 days (interquartile range, 9-342 d). Survival to hospital discharge was 48% (38/80). Median Functional Status Scale score at admission was 6 (interquartile range, 6-6) and at hospital discharge 9 (interquartile range, 8-11). Out of 38 survivors, 19 (50%) had a change of Functional Status Scale score greater than or equal to 3, that is consistent with new morbidity, and 26 (68%) had favorable functional outcomes with a change in Functional Status Scale score of less than 5. Conclusions This is the first extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation report to examine changes in Functional Status Scale from admission (baseline) to discharge as a measure of overall functional outcome. Half of surviving patients (19/38) had new morbidity, while 68% (26/38) had favorable outcomes. Lactate levels, duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and duration of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation were not found to be risk factors for the development of new morbidity and poor functional outcomes. Functional Status Scale may be used as a metric to monitor improvement of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcomes and help guide research initiatives to decrease morbidity in this patient population.
Why the Percentage of Sharks Caught in the Mediterranean Sea Rose Dramatically during World War I

In the mid-1920’s the Italian biologist Umberto D’Ancona was studying variations in the population of various species of fish that interact with each other. In the course of his research, he came across some data on percentages-of-total-catch of several species of fish that were brought into different Mediterranean ports in the years that spanned World War I. In particular, the data gave the percentage-of-total-catch of selachians (sharks, skates, rays, etc.) which are not very desirable as food fish.
Perioperative Arrhythmia Prophylaxis for Major Lung Resection

Perioperative arrhythmia is one of the most common complications following general thoracic surgery. The most common types are atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter and premature ventricular contractions. Sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmias are very rare after thoracic surgery and will not be discussed in this chapter. The reported incidence of postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias ranges between 4–33%, and onset typically peaks within the first 3 postoperative days.1 Although considered by some a minor, self-limited event, perioperative arrhythmia has been shown in recent studies to be associated with greater numbers of complications, longer hospital stays, and increased overall hospital costs.2–7 Furthermore, when arrhythmias persist or are recurrent, the risk of thromboembolic events, including stroke or transient neurological injury, increases. This warrants anticoagulation that can lead to bleeding complications and increased healthcare expenditures.
Western Blot Analysis of the Delta (δ)-Opioid Receptor in Activated Murine T Cells

Although it has been known for many years that opioids are immunomodulatory in vivo and can modulate immune related functions in isolated cells in vitro (reviews include 1–3) it has proven difficult to confirm the absence or presence of neural type opioid receptors in the immune system. Using sequence information made available by the recent cloning of all of the known major opioid receptor types (4) it has been possible to document mRNA expression for δ, K, and e opioid receptors, as well as for an orphan opioid receptor, in different immune cell populations (5–11). In this laboratory (12), δ opioid receptor mRNA that was apparently identical to the δ opioid receptor cDNA originally cloned from NG108-15 cells (13,14), was found to be induced in CD41 and CD8+ T cells purified from concanavalin A (Con A) stimulated splenocyte cultures, δ opioid receptor mRNA was not detected in unstimulated T cells (12).
Entertainment Law and Media Regulation

The chapter deals with “non-market” forms of competition with rivals in the public sphere—litigation, lobbying, public relations, and regulation. The legal function in media firms is discussed first, with the dimensions of compliance management and investment calculus for litigation. The next themes are the management of lobbying and of public relations, and how much to spend on them. The chapter then covers the regulatory process, both by industry self-regulation and by government, and how it is used strategically by companies. The concluding sections cover substantive media law: content restrictions such as libel and slander, morality and child protection, the regulating of advertising, antitrust and anti-monopoly law, rules against price discrimination, profit and investment regulation, regulation of “universal connectivity,” support for national industry, spectrum allocation, privacy protections, and the future of video regulation. The case discussion covers the non-market competition between Comcast and Google.
Precision: Toward a meaning-centered view of language use with English learners in the content areas

Abstract To support English learners (ELs) in attaining rigorous content standards, U.S. federal legislation requires that English language proficiency (ELP) standards align with content standards. Whereas language use in content learning has traditionally been defined in terms of structure, content and language educators have devoted increased attention to precision. Precision goes beyond the structural elements of language to the disciplinary meaning that those elements communicate. In this article, we define precision and distinguish it from vocabulary, accuracy, and complexity. Then, we highlight divergent conceptions of precision in content standards and ELP standards. In light of these divergent conceptions, we present work samples from an elementary science classroom to illustrate how precision of disciplinary meaning is essential to engaging in disciplinary practices of content standards. We close by proposing the need for a more meaning-centered view of language use with ELs in the content areas.
Early and Late Fusion Machine Learning on Multi-Frequency Electrical Impedance Data to Improve Radiofrequency Ablation Monitoring

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a popular modality for tumor treatment. However, inexpensive real-time monitoring of RFA within multiple tissue types is still an ongoing research topic. The objective of this study is to utilize multi-frequency electrical impedance data within real-time RFA depth estimation through data fusion schemes that include non-linear machine learning (ML) models. Multi-frequency tissue complex electrical impedance measurements are used to provide input data to the data fusion schemes. Our results show that the fusion schemes significantly decrease both the spread of residuals and the mean of the residuals for depth estimation. Thus, data fusion can be a significant tool for use in improving the performance of ML-based monitoring for RFA.
Erosive Esophagitis Portends a Benign Clinical Course in the Majority of Patients

Indefinite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and endoscopic evaluation for Barrett’s esophagus is recommended for erosive esophagitis (EE). However, the clinical course of EE remains undefined. Adults with EE on esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) were identified at Mayo Clinic Rochester between January 2003 and September 2005. Patients with repeat EGD performed after index endoscopy were included. Patients with a history of upper gastrointestinal surgery, esophageal cancer, achalasia, or Barrett’s on initial EGD were excluded. Of 219 patients identified, 98 had LA grade A, 72 LA grade B, and 49 LA grade C esophagitis. Persistent EE was found in 27% on repeat endoscopy. No patients progressed to more severe grades of esophagitis. While discontinuation of PPI was associated with persistent esophagitis, long-term healing of esophagitis occurred in the majority of patients despite discontinuation of PPI. Grade A or B esophagitis and the absence of hiatal hernia were also independent predictors of esophagitis healing on multivariate analysis. The rate of Barrett’s esophagus was similar among patients with LA grade A/B and C esophagitis on initial EGD (5% vs. 14%, p = 0.6). The majority of patients with EE demonstrated healing at follow-up endoscopy regardless of continued PPI use. A small proportion developed Barrett’s esophagus, including those with LA grade A and B esophagitis, highlighting a potential role for repeat endoscopy in all grades of EE. A more conservative long-term PPI strategy may be reasonable in patients with LA grade A or B esophagitis in the absence of hiatal hernia.
Fixed-Time Gradient-Based Extremum Seeking

In this paper, we present the first averaging-based extremum seeking controller able to achieve semi-global practical fixed-time asymptotic stability in static maps, where by fixed-time asymptotic stability we mean convergence via a KL bound that has a finite-time convergence property with a uniformly bounded settling time. In general, this property cannot be achieved by standard smooth extremum seeking algorithms having a Lipschitz continuous average system. The extremum seeking dynamics are based on an underlying average system that is a perturbed version of a continuous gradient flow with prescribed finite-time convergence properties, recently studied in the literature. In order to study the stability properties of the ES dynamics, we make use of averaging tools for nonsmooth dynamical systems, which allow us to link the KL bound of the average system with the KL bound that characterizes the convergence properties of the ES dynamics. Numerical simulations illustrate our results.
Successful Treatment of Metastatic Refractory Gestational Choriocarcinoma with Pembrolizumab: A Case for Immune Checkpoint Salvage Therapy in Trophoblastic Tumors

•Cure rates are high for choriocarcinoma, however chemoresistant disease often leads to death.•High expression of PD-L1 suggests a role for checkpoint inhibitors in choriocarcinoma.•Pembrolizumab should be considered for salvage therapy for chemoresistant choriocarcinoma.
Chemotherapy and dysphagia: the good, the bad, the ugly.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Dysphagia is a debilitating, depressing and potentially life-threatening complication in cancer patients that is likely underreported. The purpose of this review is to critically synthesize the current knowledge regarding the impact of chemotherapeutic regimens on swallowing function. RECENT FINDINGS Those patients with cancers involving the aerodigestive tract, head and neck cancer and oesophageal cancer are at highest risk of developing dysphagia. The most common dysphagia causing toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents is mucositis/stomatitis. The use of cisplatin is correlated with increased incidence of mucositis. Similarly, the addition of melphalan is also associated with worsening mucositis and dysphagia. In some cases of oesophageal cancer, thyroid cancer, metastatic lung or breast cancer the use of chemotherapy can improve swallow function as obstructive lesions are reduced. SUMMARY There is limited literature regarding the role of chemotherapy in the development or treatment of dysphagia. Most dysphagia that occurs during cancer treatment is attributable to radiation or the synergistic effect of radiation and chemotherapy. Patients with disordered swallowing prior to treatment have the greatest risk of developing posttreatment dysphagia. Studies are needed to determine whether acute inflammation associated with oropharyngeal mucositis predisposes for late dysphagia.
Hepatitis C Antiviral Treatment Decreases All-Cause Complications After Total Joint Arthroplasty Regardless of the Presence of Fibrosis.

Abstract Background Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have an increased risk of complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). There is a limited but growing body of evidence on the benefit of preoperative antiviral treatment to reduce complications after TJA. What has not been well established is the effect of preoperative antiviral treatment among those with advanced disease as indicated by hepatic fibrosis. Methods In total, 270 patients at 2 urban medical centers were reviewed for patient demographics, comorbidities, HCV treatment, hepatic fibrosis status, surgical information, and postoperative complications. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on their antiviral treatment status prior to TJA: Treated (n = 129) and Untreated (n = 141). Pearson’s chi-squared test, Student’s t-test, and multivariate logistic regressions were used to analyze complications between groups. Results Patients in the Treated group had significantly fewer all-type complications (4.7% vs 14.9%, P = .007), infections (2.3% vs 12.1%, P = .002), and reoperations (0.8% vs 9.9%, P = .001) compared to the Untreated group. After controlling for hepatic fibrosis, we found that Treated patients still had significantly lower odds of experiencing all-type complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10-0.88; P = .028), infection (OR 0.19, 95% CI 0.04-0.87; P = .033), and reoperation (OR 0.11, 95% CI 0.01-0.90; P = .039) following TJA. Conclusion HCV antiviral treatment reduces postoperative complications after primary TJA, even among those who have progressed to hepatic fibrosis. Surgeons can use this information in shared decision making prior to TJA to counsel patients about the benefits of preoperative antiviral treatment even in the presence of hepatic fibrosis.
An Isocurvature Cold Dark Matter Cosmogony. I. A Worked Example of Evolution through Inflation

I present a specific worked example of evolution through inflation to the initial conditions for an isocurvature cold dark matter (ICDM) model for structure formation. The model invokes three scalar fields: one that drives power-law inflation, one that survives to become the present-day CDM, and one that gives the CDM field a mass that slowly decreases during inflation and therefore "tilts" the primeval mass fluctuation spectrum of the CDM. The functional forms for the potentials and the parameter values that lead to an observationally acceptable model for structure formation do not seem to be out of line with current ideas about the physics of the very early universe. I argue in an accompanying paper that the model offers a not unacceptable fit to main observational constraints.
The Four-Year COBE Normalization and Large-Scale Structure

We present an analysis of the four-year data from the COBE DMR experiment. We use a Karhunen-Loeve expansion of the pixel data to calculate the normalization and goodness-of-fit of a range of models of structure formation. This technique produces unbiased normalization estimates and is capable of determining the normalization of any particular model with a statistical uncertainty of 7%. We present a parameterization of the normalization and likelihood function which summarizes our results for a wide range of models. We use the COBE normalization to compute small-scale fluctuation amplitudes for a variety of models and discuss the implications of these results for theories of large-scale structure.
Retrospective evaluation of association between perioperative antimicrobial protocol and complications following elective equine synovial endoscopy.

BACKGROUND Prophylactic perioperative antimicrobial protocols in equine synovial endoscopy have been described but not compared with respect to post-operative outcomes and complications. Increasing antimicrobial resistance in equine practice and interest in promoting judicious use of antimicrobials has prompted reevaluation of drug selection and dosing strategies. OBJECTIVES To determine the frequency of and compare post-operative complications following elective synovial endoscopy between horses receiving different perioperative antimicrobial protocols. METHODS Records from the Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital were evaluated (2014-2018) and equine patients undergoing elective synovial endoscopy were identified. Patients undergoing endoscopy for sepsis or internal fixation were excluded. Patient signalment, clinician, joint and limb involved, perioperative antimicrobial regimen, number endoscopic portals and closure technique, and post-operative complications including incidence of joint infection were recorded. Generalized linear models were used to estimate the odds of post-operative complications. RESULTS Elective synovial endoscopies of 516 horses in 537 procedures evaluating 761 synovial structures were performed. No horses developed post-operative septic synovitis. Administration of post-operative antimicrobials, type used and patient sex were all significantly associated with increased risk of complications, which were predominantly gastrointestinal-related. Complication rates in horses receiving a single preoperative dose of cefazolin were lower than in horses receiving potassium penicillin, gentamicin or multiple doses. Complication rates were lower in females compared to castrated or intact males. Other factors evaluated (breed, age, surgeon, anaesthesia duration or hospitalization, joint/limb operated, number endoscopic portals) were not associated with increased risk of complications post-operatively in this case population. CONCLUSIONS Prophylactic perioperative antimicrobial protocols in equine practice deserve periodic reconsideration due to increased antimicrobial resistance. Prolonged antimicrobial usage beyond the time of surgery was unnecessary to prevent septic synovitis following synovial endoscopy in this case population and was furthermore associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal complications.
Review of Situational Leadership® After 25 Years—A Retrospective (Blanchard, Zigarmi, & Nelson, 1993)

The situational leadership theory holds that leaders should change their style based on the competence and commitment of followers. This precis critiques Blanchard, Zigarmi, and Nelson’s (1993) research article on the subject, which offered a 25-year retrospective of the Situational Leadership Model, one of the more widely recognized approaches to leadership.
Transonic Aeroelastic Modeling of the NACA 0012 Benchmark Wing

This work considers aeroelastic modeling of the NACA 0012 benchmark wing, a configuration previously tested in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel for flutter. Numerical modeling is conducted within the ...
COVID-19 Impact on Intern Exposure to Common Inpatient Diagnoses.

OBJECTIVE We sought to understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the clinical exposure of pediatric interns to common pediatric inpatient diagnoses. METHODS We analyzed electronic medical record data to compare intern clinical exposure during the COVID-19 pandemic from June 2020 through February 2021 with the same academic blocks from 2017 to 2020. We attributed patients to each pediatric intern on the basis of notes written during their pediatric hospital medicine rotation to compare intern exposures with common inpatient diagnoses before and during the pandemic. We compared the median number of notes written per intern per block overall, as well as for each common inpatient diagnosis. RESULTS Median counts of notes written per intern per block were significantly reduced in the COVID-19 group compared with the pre-COVID-19 group (96 [interquartile range (IQR): 81-119)] vs 129 [IQR: 110-160]; P < .001). Median intern notes per block was lower in the COVID-19 group for all months except February 2021. Although the median number of notes for many common inpatient diagnoses was significantly reduced, they were higher for mental health (4 [IQR: 2-9] vs 2 [IQR: 1-6]; P < .001) and suicidality (4.5 [IQR: 2-8] vs 0 [IQR: 0-2]; P < .001). Median shifts worked per intern per block was also reduced in the COVID-19 group (22 [IQR: 21-23] vs 23 [IQR: 22-24]; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Our findings reveal a significant reduction in resident exposure to many common inpatient pediatric diagnoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Residency programs and pediatric hospitalist educators should consider curricular interventions to ensure adequate clinical exposure for residents affected by the pandemic.
Cytokine-enhanced expression of glycoprotein Ib alpha in human endothelium.

Platelet glycoprotein Ib is a major platelet membrane protein composed of two disulfide-linked chains, termed the alpha and beta chains. The larger alpha chain (GpIb alpha), a platelet receptor for von Willebrand factor, plays a major role in mediating platelet adhesion to the subendothelium. Our laboratories have previously reported synthesis of a protein in human endothelial cells that is immunoprecipitated with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies to platelet GpIb alpha. Lopez et al. (Lopez, J. A., Chung, D. W., Fujikawa, K., Hagan, F. S., Papayannopoulou, T., and Roth, G. J. (1987) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 84, 5615-5619) have reported the cloning of GpIb alpha from a human erythroleukemia (HEL) cell cDNA library. Using this clone as probe, we have isolated two partial GpIb alpha clones from a human umbilical vein endothelial cell lambda gt11 cDNA library. These clones were localized within HEL-derived GpIb alpha cDNA by sequence and restriction enzyme analysis. Additionally, they detected the same message species in HEL and tonsilar RNA that was detected with the HEL GpIb alpha cDNA. Low level GpIb alpha mRNA expression was detected in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells, which was increased by treatment of the cells with tumor necrosis factor-alpha. This effect was enhanced by pretreatment with interferon-gamma. Additionally, localization of GpIb alpha in endothelium of fresh tonsilar tissue was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. GpIb alpha may play a role in mediating platelet or other effector cell adhesion to activated endothelium.
Assessment of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) on the development of osteoarthritis (OA): An animal study

OA is characterized as articular cartilage degeneration, & a recent study shows that MSM supplementation is clinically effective (1). The mechanism, however, is still unclear. We examined the effect of MSM in OA.
Sobrino, Jaime (2010), Migración interna en México durante el siglo XX, México, Consejo Nacional de Población

Sobrino, Jaime. (2010). Migracion interna en Mexico durante el siglo XX , Mexico, Consejo Nacional de Poblacion.
Mechanisms of asbestos-induced nitric oxide production by rat alveolar macrophages in inhalation and in vitro models

To evaluate the contribution of reactive nitrogen species to inflammation by asbestos, Fischer 344 rats were exposed to crocidolite or chrysotile asbestos by inhalation to determine whether increases occurred in nitric oxide (NO·) metabolites from alveolar macrophages (AMs). AMs from animals inhaling asbestos showed significant elevations ( p < .05) in nitrite/nitrate levels which were ameliorated by NG-monomethyl-l-arginine (NMMA), an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity. Temporal patterns of NO· generation from AMs correlated with neutrophil influx in bronchoalveolar lavage samples after asbestos inhalation or bleomycin instillation, another model of pulmonary fibrosis. To determine the molecular mechanisms and specificity of iNOS promoter activation by asbestos, RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage-like line, and AMs isolated from control rats were exposed to crocidolite asbestos in vitro. These cells showed increases in steady-state levels of iNOS mRNA in response to asbestos and more dramatic increases in both iNOS mRNA and immunoreactive protein after addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After transfection of an iNOS promoter/luciferase reporter construct, RAW 264.7 cells exposed to LPS, crocidolite asbestos and its nonfibrous analog, riebeckite, revealed increases in luciferase activity whereas cristobalite silica had no effects. Studies suggest that NO· generation may be important in cell injury and inflammation by asbestos.
Molecular breeding of viruses.

Genetic recombination is a major force driving the evolution of many viruses. Recombination between two copackaged retroviral genomes may occur at rates as high as 40% per replication cycle1. This enables genetic information to be shuffled rapidly, leading to recombinants with new patterns of mutations and phenotypes. The in vitro process of DNA shuffling2,3 (molecular breeding) mimics this mechanism on a vastly parallel and accelerated scale. Multiple homologous parental sequences are recombined in parallel, leading to a diverse library of complex recombinants from which desired improvements can be selected. Different proteins and enzymes have been improved using DNA shuffling4,5,6. We report here the first application of molecular breeding to viruses. A single round of shuffling envelope sequences from six murine leukaemia viruses (MLV) followed by selection yielded a chimaeric clone with a completely new tropism for Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHOK1) cells. The composition and properties of the selected clone indicated that this particular permutation of parental sequences cannot be readily attained by natural retroviral recombination. This example demonstrates that molecular breeding can enhance the inherently high evolutionary potential of retroviruses to obtain desired phenotypes. It can be an effective tool, when information is limited, to optimize viruses for gene therapy and vaccine applications when multiple complex functions must be simultaneously balanced.
Emittance and beam size distortion due to linear coupling

At injection, the presence of linear coupling may result in an increased beam emittance and in increased beam dimensions. Results for the emittance in the presence of linear coupling will be found. These results for the emittance distortion show that the harmonics of the skew quadrupole field close to /spl nusub x/v+/spl nusub y/ are the important harmonics. Results are found for the import driving terms for the emittance distortion. It is shown that if these driving terms are corrected, then the total emittance is unchanged, /spl epsivsub x/+/spl epsivsub y/=/spl epsivsub 1/+/spl epsivsub 2/. Also, the increase in the beam dimensions is limited to a factor which is less than 1.414. If the correction is good enough, one can achieve /spl epsivsub 1/=/spl epsivsub x/, /spl epsivsub 2/=/spl epsivsub y/, where /spl epsivsub 1/, /spl epsivsub 2/ are the emittances in the presence of coupling, and the beam dimensions are unchanged. Global correction of the emittance and beam size distortion appears possible. >
On a Fractional Representation Approach to Closed-Loop Experiment Design

In this paper we propose a plant model, based on a fractional representation of the loop, which is uniquely suited to the closed-loop experiment design problem. The advantage of this model is that it substitutes a open-loop problem (for which there has been extensive work) for the original closed-loop problem. We also present the results of Monte Carlo simulations which suppport the utility of this approach.
A comparison of the organic chemical composition of indoor aerosols during woodburning aero non-woodburning periods

Abstract Concentrations of respirable particulate matter (RSP), extractable organic matter (EOM) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were compared in seven Wisconsin homes during woodburning and non-woodburning periods. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two periods for RSP concentrations. Concentrations of EOM, however, were approximately two times higher and concentrations of PAH were 2 to 46 times higher during the periods when the wood stoves were in operation. The average source strength for emissions or particulate organic matter for the airtight stoves in five of the homes was estimated to be 1.8 mg - h −1 .
Optical coherence tomography of choroidal osteoma in 22 cases: evidence for photoreceptor atrophy over the decalcified portion of the tumor.

Purpose To evaluate the retinal status overlying choroidal osteoma using optical coherence tomography (OCT). Design Retrospective noncomparative case series. Participants Twenty-two eyes with choroidal osteoma. Methods Choroidal osteoma was studied with fundus photography, ultrasonography, and OCT. Main Outcome Measure Retinal status over the calcified and decalcified portions of choroidal osteoma. Results There were 8 completely calcified and 14 partially decalcified choroidal osteomas. Optical coherence tomography was performed over the calcified portion in 21 eyes and over the decalcified portion in 10 eyes. The calcified portion displayed an overlying intact inner retina (n = 21 [100%]), intact outer retina (n = 20 [95%]), and intact photoreceptor layer (n = 21 [100%]). In contrast, the decalcified portion showed an intact inner retina (n = 9 [90%]) and markedly thinned to absent outer retina and photoreceptor layers (n = 10 [100%]). Of the 18 eyes with subfoveolar choroidal osteoma, visual acuity (VA) was 20/20 to 20/50 in all 11 eyes with calcified tumor, and OCT confirmed preservation of retinal architecture. In contrast, VA was 20/200 or worse in all 7 eyes with subfoveolar decalcified tumor, correlating with OCT findings of outer retinal thinning and photoreceptor loss. Conclusions The retina shows profound outer layer thinning and photoreceptor loss over decalcified choroidal osteoma. These findings correlate with poor VA over decalcified subfoveolar choroidal osteoma compared with good VA over calcified subfoveolar tumor.
Moral responsibility to attain thorough pediatric drug labeling

Summary Many drugs used in children have not been labeled for pediatric use. While this was the standard for many years, recent regulations and incentives have improved the depth and breadth of pediatric drug labeling. Nonetheless, common pediatric drugs have not been adequately labeled, particularly generic and orphaned drugs and drugs that were approved for one age group but never tested in other age groups. Anesthesiologists have a moral responsibility to encourage government, pharmaceutical companies, and researchers to study drugs in children.
Analysis of the stress field in a threshold-galling test

The wear phenomena of galling is characterized by macroscopic roughening and deformation of the surfaces of mated materials. Currently, the ASTM G98 button-on-block test method is the only standardized testing procedure for determining the galling resistance of material couples. The pattern of surface damage resulting from performing the ASTM test tends to be predicable. In particular, the galling generally occurs near the outer edge of the button and migrates inwards. In this study, the stress distribution between the mated specimens leading up to the onset of galling was investigated. A suitable analytical model of the system geometry and loading conditions was developed and applied. The results of the model show that a stress concentration exists along the edge of the button specimen when loaded. The stress concentration is believed to contribute to the initiation of galling at this site. The results of the analytical model have also shown that the magnitude of the stress concentration is dependent on the size of the corner radius. An alternative testing arrangement is presented and preliminary results are shown.
Focus issue: diabetes--fighting fat on multiple fronts.

Diabetes, an increasing problem worldwide, involves both insulin resistance and deficiencies in insulin secretion. This week’s issues of Science and Science’s STKE explore genetic factors that predispose to the development of diabetes as well as the links between diabetes and obesity.
Effect of starvation on adrenal cortical function in obese subjects.

The effect of starvation on adrenal cortical function was studied in 12 obese female subjects. Measurements of plasma and urine 17-hydroxycorticoids (17-OHCS) as Porter-Silber chromogens, urine 17-ketosteroids (17-KS), and increase in plasma 17-OHCS after ACTH infusion, were made before and after a 13-day period of starvation. Before starvation mean levels for plasma 17-OHCS at 8:00 pm, 8:00 am, and after ACTH, and urinary excretion of 17-OHCS and 17-KS were within the normal range. After 13 days' starvation, during which the average weight loss was 23 lb, the mean 24-hr urinary excretion of 17-OHCS and 17-KS was reduced by 27 and 47%, respectively. Both the evening and morning levels of plasma 17-OHCS became elevated after starvation, reaching values as high as 150 μg/100 ml (mean values: 8:00 pm, 52.4 μg/100 ml; 8:00 am, 61.9 μg/100 ml). Comparisons of the differences between 8:00 pm and 8:00 am plasma 17-OHCS and increases after ACTH stimulation, before and after starvation, revealed that no significan...
Fos-like immunoreactivity increases in the lumbar spinal cord following a chronic constriction injury to the sciatic nerve of rat

A chronic constriction injury (CCI), transection injury, or sham injury to the sciatic nerve was induced in 30 rats. Rats were then sacrificed at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 20 days following injury, and the number of cells immunohistochemically labeled for Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) was determined in random sections from the lumbar 4 and 5 (L4 and L5) spinal segments. Non-parametric statistics (Wilcoxon) were used to compare the number of labeled cells ipsilateral to the injury to the number of labeled cells on the contralateral side. At 1 and 5 days following injury, in all treatment groups, significantly more labeled cells (P < 0.05) were observed ipsilaterally. In addition, at 3 and 10 days following injury, the CCI groups exhibited significantly more labeled cells ipsilaterally. The significant increases for the CCI groups ranged from 161% to 360%. Generally, increases were greater for the CCI groups. These results indicate that Fos-LI increases to a greater extent and for a longer duration following the CCI than following either a transection or sham injury.
Lower bounds for two call control problems

Abstract We present lower bounds for two call control scheduling problems. For the problem of scheduling infinite-duration calls deterministically without pre-emption on a linear array of processors, in which the goal is to use as many edges as possible, we show a 2 Φ + 1 ≈ 4.2 lower bound on the competitive ratio (where Φ is the golden ratio). For the problem of scheduling infinite-duration calls on an edge of capacity 1 with randomization but no pre-emption, such that calls have bandwidth between 1 B and 1, we show a (log B) 2 lower bound.