cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating Sources of Toxicity in Stormwater: Algae Mortality in Runoff Upstream of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

A source evaluation case study is presented for observations of algae toxicity in an intermittent stream passing through the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory near Livermore, California. A fiv...
Exploring Professional Boundaries in End-of-Life Care: Considerations for Hospice Social Workers and Other Members of the Team

Hospice social workers and members of the interdisciplinary team develop close therapeutic relationships with patients and families as they journey toward death. During this process, situations can develop that challenge professional boundaries and blur the line between a professional and personal relationship. This article will examine professional boundaries within the context of hospice care through case studies identifying challenges that hospice social workers and members of the interdisciplinary team may encounter with recommendations for how to manage boundary concerns.
Therapeutic monitoring of vancomycin in adult patients: a consensus review of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists.

Vancomycin is a glycopeptide antibiotic that has been in clinical use for nearly 50 years as a penicillin alternative to treat penicillinase-producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus . It is one of the most widely used antibiotics in the United States for the treatment of serious gram-positive
On the equations of mathematical hydraulics

The relation between classical hydraulics and modern turbulence modelling is discussed for the case of two-dimensional open channel flow down an inclined plane. A second order turbulence model describing the flow is treated asymptotically for the parameter rangeF≥O(1),δ≪1,β≪1, andδ=O(β2), whereF is the Froude number,δ is the aspect ratio, andβ is the square root of a characteristic drag coefficient. The Chezy law formulation of mathematical hydraulics is derived as the lowest order approximation to the solution for the flow outside bore regions, and the transverse variation of the longitudinal velocity component is determined at the next stage of the analysis. It is shown that flow discontinuities calculated using the equations of mathematical hydraulics are resolved in bore regions of transverse length scaleO(Ho), whereHo is the characteristic fluid depth. The bore structure is found to consist of a highly turbulent outer region with transverse length scaleO(Ho) in which the turbulence intensity isO(1), and a bottom boundary layer of transverse length scaleO(β2Ho), in which the turbulent stresses decrease rapidly to satisfy the bottom boundary conditions. The jump conditions of mathematical hydraulics at flow discontinuities are verified, and it is inferred that classical hydraulics provides an acceptable approximation to the flow outside bore regions for the parameter range considered in the theory.
Application-specific network-on-chip architecture customization via long-range link insertion

Networks-on-chip (NoCs) represent a promising solution to complex on-chip communication problems. The NoC communication architectures considered so far are based on either completely regular or fully customized topologies. In this paper, we present a methodology to automatically synthesize an architecture where a few application-specific long-range links are inserted on top of a regular mesh network. This way, we can better exploit the benefits of both complete regularity and partial customization. Indeed, our experimental results show that inserting application-specific long-range links significantly increases the critical traffic workload at which the network state transits from a free to a congested regime. This, in turn, results in a significant reduction in the average packet latency and a major improvement in the network achievable throughput.
Endovascular repair of hemodialysis graft-related pseudoaneurysm: An alternative treatment strategy in salvaging failing dialysis access

Introduction Hemodialysis access-related pseudoaneurysm is a known complication in patients requiring hemodialysis via prosthetic arteriovenous grafts (AVGs). The traditional treatment strategy of AVG-related pseudoaneurysms is either AVG ligation or interposition replacement with another prosthetic graft segment or autogenous veins. Patients and methods From June 2002 to August 2007, 32 self-expanding stent grafts were implanted in 26 patients with AVG pseudoaneurysms. Indications for treatment consisted of large AVG pseudoaneurysm size, localized pain at pseudoaneurysm site, enlarging pseudoaneurysm, and skin site breakdown. AVG pseudoaneurysm exclusion was accomplished with Wallgrafts, Viabahn endoprosthesis, and Fluency endograft. Technical success was achieved in all patients. Nineteen patients experienced a marked decrease in the size of their pseudoaneurysm following endograft exclusion. Successful hemodialysis was resumed through endograft-excluded AVG in all patients within 48 hours. Conclusions Endoluminal exclusion of AVG pseudoaneurysms using endografts is a safe and effective treatment strategy in patients with hemodialysis-related pseudoaneurysm.
Properties of Chicken Salt-Soluble Protein and Whey Protein Concentrate Gels as Influenced by Sodium Tripolyphosphate

Abstract Sodium tripolyphosphate (NaTPP) is used to optimize the functional properties of poultry products and whey protein concentrates (WPC). Our objective was to determine whether NaTPP can improve the properties of model gels systems composed of WPC and chicken breast salt-soluble protein (SSP). As NaTPP concentration increased, free calcium was chelated and decreased in SSP, WPC, and combination sols. In all combination gels heated to 65 and 90 C, NaTPP increased gel hardness and deformability and decreased expressible moisture, except that hardness of 4% WPC combination gels with NaTPP heated to 90 C did not differ from the control. Sodium tripolyphosphate may enhance the functionality of WPC when used as a nonmeat binder in processed poultry products.
The increasing use of nonablative radiofrequency in the rejuvenation of the skin

Evaluation of: Elsaie ML, Choudhary S, Leiva A, Nouri K. Nonablative radiofrequency for skin rejuvenation. Dermatol. Surg. 36, 577–589 (2010).The field of body contouring and tissue tightening has grown very rapidly over the past several years, with many new devices appearing on the market that utilize radiofrequency (RF) energy to effectively tighten and rejuvenate the skin. What originally began with a single monopolar RF device has progressed into a world in which there are skin-tightening devices that utilize, besides monopolar RF energy, bipolar energy and tripolar energy, and newer machines that boast five and eight poles of RF energy. Each of these devices claims to have positive effects on the skin, which can lead to tissue tightening and ultimate rejuvenation of the skin.
Measurement of Regional Bone Blood Flow in the Rabbit Mandible Using the Hydrogen Washout Technique

This investigation involved quantitating blood flow in rabbit mandible using the hydrogen washout technique. The animal was ventilated with a H2/O2 gas mixture. Hydrogen concentration was monitored by surgically implanted platinum electrodes. The Fick principle was used to interpret the H2 washouts. The following mean flows were obtained: Cortical bone, 4.49 ml/100g/min; condylar bone, 8.22 ml/100g/min; and alveolar bone, 18.33 ml/100g/min. This technique proved repeatable and compared well with other studies.
Function Extraction Technology: Computing the Behavior of Malware

Current methods of malware analysis are increasingly challenged by the scope and sophistication of attacks. Recent advances in software behavior computation illuminate an opportunity to compute the behavior of malware at machine speeds, to aid in understanding intruder methods and developing countermeasures. The behavior computation process helps eliminate certain forms of malware obfuscation and computes the net effects of the remaining functional code. This paper describes behavior computation technology and provides an example of its use in malware analysis.
Effect of Prescribed Fire for Tick Control in California Chaparral

Prescribed fire was investigated as a method for controlling ixodid and argasid ticks in chaparral habitats in northern California. Two experimental and two adjacent control plots within a wildlife preserve were monitored for 1 yr postburn. Ticks were collected by flagging vegetation, by CO2-baited pitfall trap, and by live-trapping rodents. Twice as many rodents were caught at control sites compared with burn sites and no dusky-footed woodrats, Neotoma fuscipes Baird, were found in the treatment sites postburn. This species is known to be a reservoir of the agents of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, and human granulocytic anaplasmosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum Dumler, Barbet, Bekker, Dasch, Palmer, Ray, Rikihisa, Rurangirwa. Six ixodid tick species were removed from rodents (Ixodes pacificus Cooley & Kohls, Ixodes jellisoni Cooley & Kohls, Ixodes spinipalpis Hadwen & Nuttall, Ixodes woodi Bishopp, Dermacentor occidentalis Marx, and Dermacentor parumapertus Neumann), two of which transmit bacterial zoonotic agents to people in the far-western United States. There was no decrease in number of ticks per animal trapped at either burn site compared with controls; in fact, the mean number of immature I. pacificus per rodent was significantly higher at one burn site than its control site. Soil refugia may protect ticks from fire-induced mortality; the argasid tick Ornithodoros coriaceus Koch, which lives in soil, was unaffected by the prescribed fire as were I. pacificus and D. occidentalis buried in packets 2.5 cm below ground. We conclude that although prescribed fires in chaparral habitats may diminish local rodent abundance, it does not decrease tick loads on rodents. Furthermore, burning chaparral does not result in a decreased abundance of adult ixodid ticks on vegetation and apparently does not affect argasid or ixodid ticks that are sheltered within soil refugia.
Ideology, Framing Processes, and Islamic Terrorist Movements

We argue that the monolithic use and application of the concept of ideology to Islamic terrorist movements is of questionable analytic utility because it tends not only to ignore ideological variation and flexibility among these movements, but also glosses over the kind of discursive work required to articulate and elaborate the array of possible links between ideas, events, and action. Drawing on the framing perspective in the study of social movements, we examine the development and articulation of mobilizing ideas associated with Islamic militancy and terrorist movements, ranging from the Iranian revolution of the late 1970s to more recent movements, such as al Qaeda, originating within the Middle East and Central Asia. By focusing on framing processes as key discursive mechanisms, we attempt to advance our understanding of the diverse ideological work required to facilitate the mobilization of jihadi militants as well as provide the motivation to commit sensational acts of violence such as suicide bom...
Funding Drug Elimination Programs in Public Housing: Effective or Wasteful?

The following essay explores the decision to terminate a federally funded program, Drug Elimination Program (DEP), in public housing developments. This case study of one public house development incorporates qualitative and quantitative data derived from a program evaluation performed in year 2000. A feminist framework directs this research with findings suggesting that the DEP efforts had substantially decreased drug activity and crime in this research setting.
The Plan for the Restoration and Adaptive Use of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio

(1979). The Plan for the Restoration and Adaptive Use of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio. Housing and Society: Vol. 6, No. 2, pp. 130-131.
Abstract LB-289: A novel role for the p19ARF tumor suppressor in chromosome segregation

The p19ARF tumor suppressor (p14ARF in humans) is part of the ink4a locus and has been implicated in a variety of cancers. The traditional role for p19ARF has been in the stabilization of p53, a protein which is inactivated or mutated in 50% of tumors. However, it has been suggested that p19ARF has roles outside of this pathway. Evidence for this comes from mouse model studies that found mice lacking p19ARF and p53 develop a wider tumor spectrum and are more likely to have multiple tumors than mice lacking p53 alone. We have found that loss of p19ARF in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) leads to a weakened mitotic checkpoint and aneuploidy. The mitotic checkpoint is the major cell cycle checkpoint regulating chromosome segregation and progression through mitosis. Defects in chromosome segregation produce progeny that are aneuploid, meaning they contain an abnormal chromosome number that deviates from a multiple of the haploid. The majority of cancers are aneuploid, which suggests that a dysfunctional mitotic checkpoint could play a role in tumorigenesis or cancer progression. In addition to a weakened mitotic checkpoint, loss of p19ARF leads to other mitotic defects including multipolar spindles, supernumerary centrosomes, and lagging chromosomes in anaphase. Future work will define the mechanism by which p19ARF functions in mitosis and establish an additional role in which p19ARF acts as a tumor suppressor. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-289. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-289
Visual image analysis by square wavelets: empirical evidence supporting a theoretical agreement between wavelet analysis and receptive field organization of visual cortical neurons.

Summay.-It was proposed that the human visual system analyzes images into square wavelets. To test this view, comparisons were made between the perceived similarity-dissimilarity of alphabet letters and the wavelet analyses of those same letters. For the proposal to be considered tenable, the coefficients of the wavelet analysis of similar letters must be similar, and the coefficients of the wavelet analysis of dissimilar letters must be dissimilar. From a selection of 12 letters, four pairs of letters had been reported by Van der Heijden, Malhas, and Van den Roovaart as very similar, and four other pairs of letters dissimilar. Each oE the 12 letters was separately depicted in 8 x 8 matrices, and the signal represented by each of the matrices was analyzed into square wavelets using a new and original procedure which yielded a single set of coefficients for each m;~trix. Correlations benveen sets of coefficients were high (r ranged from .88 to 561 lor those letter pairs judged high in similarity; correlations were low (r ranged Irom - 02 to .29) for those letter pairs judged low in similarity. When the correlations between the coefficients of wavelets of all eight-letter pairs were compared with the judged similarity-dissimilarity of all eight-letter pairs, the linear Jgrcement was statistically significant. Agreement was found between the neuroph>s~olug~cal mapping of receptive fields of visual cortical neurons and the vectors or the pattern of pluses and minuses which characterized the wavelet analysis. Furthermore, regeneration of the visual image, or the pattern of neural activity representing the image, could be described by a tree-like flow of information among visual cortical neurons which received response data From visual receptive fields, the response data being wavelet coefficients. Results indicate the analysis accurately produces reliable transformations of visual patterns and may be a process used by rhe visual system.
The Construction of the System of Military Teaching Quality Evaluation in Colleges and Universities

Due to the lack of scientific and effective system of teaching and learning quality evaluation of National Defenses Education,practical supervision and stimulation in accomplishing the task cannot be guaranteed. Thus,to make the teaching and learning quality of National Defenses Education better,the first imperative is to do some researches on it and build up a system of scientific teaching and learning quality evaluation.
Nephron-Sparing Surgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma with Venous Involvement

AbstractA nephron-sparing operation recently has been shown to provide extended survival free of disease in selected patients with localized renal cell carcinoma, particularly for tumors of lower stage. To define better the role of conservative surgical treatment in more locally advanced renal cell carcinoma we reviewed 9 patients with venous tumor involvement in solitary functioning kidneys who underwent a nephron-sparing operation. Complete tumor resection with adequate preservation of renal function was accomplished in all cases. Of the 9 patients 5 had no evidence of disease 7 to 93 months (mean 33.2 months) postoperatively. The remaining 4 patients died of metastatic renal cell carcinoma 17 to 47 months (mean 35.5 months) postoperatively, 2 of whom had concomitant local recurrences in the renal remnant. Based on previously reported results of total nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma with venous involvement and the morbidity associated with renal replacement therapy, we believe that a nephron-sparin...
A Research for Finding Relationship Between Mass Media and Social Media Based on Agenda Setting Theory

We are living in a flood of information. We hear about lots of social issues such as politics and economies in every day from the mass media. Before the appearance social media, it is difficult to interact people’s opinions with the others about the social issues. However, we can analyze important social issues using big data generated from social media. We tried to apply the relationship between agenda setting theory and social media because we have received social issues from official accounts like news using social media, and then users shared social issues to other users, so we choose tweets of Baltimore Riot to analyze. We collected tweets related with Baltimore Riot, and then we extracted term keywords using text mining technologies such as TF-IDF. Actually, we analyzed tweets of 04-27-2015 Based on detected important words, we analyzed tweets at 5-min intervals, and we extracted tweets of mass media and others. Based on user’s profiles, we found relationship of mass media and social issues. About initial phase of the social issues as it happened, local mass media leaded about incidents, and tweets exchanged and shared in local area. After writing an influence Twitter user, social issues of Baltimore Riot spread to other areas. As a result, we could detect agenda setting theory in social media using big data technology. It implies that the local mass media led the social issues, the Baltimore Riot became one of major social issues to people at the end.
Occupational and environmental medicine.

Specialists in occupational and environmental medicine focus on recognizing, treating, and, most important, preventing illness and injury caused by workplace and environmental hazards. Only 1501 practicing specialists are board certified in occupational medicine (Ron Cornick, MALS, oral communication, December 7, 1993). However, annually there are an estimated 6 345 700 cases of work-related illness and injury among the 90 million Americans who work in private industry, and there are no comprehensive estimates of the prevalence of environmental illness. 1 Patients may therefore present to physicians of any specialty. Yet, too few physicians are adequately trained to recognize these illnesses. Brancati et al 2 studied 94 patients admitted to the general medical wards of a university-affiliated veterans' hospital. They found that 62% of the patients had at least one probable occupational disease; of that subgroup, 68% had a history of an occupational exposure that was relevant to their disease. In contrast,
Judgment and decision making: Behavioral approaches

The area of judgment and decision making has given rise to the study of many interesting phenomena, including reasoning fallacies, which are also of interest to behavior analysts. Indeed, techniques and principles of behavior analysis may be applied to study these fallacies. This article reviews research from a behavioral perspective that suggests that humans are not the information-seekers we sometimes suppose ourselves to be. Nor do we utilize information effectively when it is presented. This is shown from the results of research utilizing matching to sample and other behavioral tools (monetary reward, feedback, instructional control) to study phenomena such as the conjunction fallacy, base-rate neglect, and probability matching. Research from a behavioral perspective can complement research from other perspectives in furthering our understanding of judgment and decision making.
Marek’s disease vaccines: Current status, and strategies for improvement and development of vector vaccines

Marek's disease (MD) is a lymphoproliferative viral disease of chickens, which has been controlled through vaccination since 1969. MD vaccines protect against tumors but do not provide sterilizing immunity, and thus it is generally believed that their use has contributed to increase virulence of field strains with the ability to cause MD in vaccinated chickens. Traditional methods of developing vaccines, like cell culture attenuation, have proved unsuccessful for the development of improved vaccines to protect against highly virulent MD virus (MDV) field strains. With the advent of recombinant DNA technology, it is now possible to study MDV gene function and develop rational vaccines that protect against highly pathogenic strains. In addition, the long term protection conferred by MD vaccines, their excellent safety profile, their efficacy when administered early (at hatch or in ovo), and their ability to overcome maternal antibodies, has made MDV an excellent candidate vector to protect not only against MD but also against other important viral poultry diseases. In this review we will discuss the current status of MD vaccines and their use as vector vaccines to control important viral poultry diseases.
Fire up the atom forge.

Rethink electron microscopy to build quantum materials from scratch, urge Sergei V. Kalinin, Albina Borisevich and Stephen Jesse.
Effective Lagrangian Density in Gauge Supersymmetry

In the framework of gauge supersymmetry proposed by Arnowitt and Nath, an effective Lagrangian density is formally rewritten in terms of a spontaneously broken vacuum metric and the remaining perturbative part in the gauge metric tensor. Tensor notations in the superspace are revised so that all sign factors of Grassmann parities appear more systematically. (AIP)
Perpendicular Electron Transport Through Magnetic Multilayers

This lecture is based on papers by the author and describes different aspects of the magnetic tunneling valve effect. In the section 1 [1] the role of interface in magnetic tunneling is discussed. Section 2 [2] deals with the current-driven excitation of magnetic multilayers. Some questions of a theory for interlayer exchange energy is presented in section 3 [3].
Hepatic safety of galcanezumab in patients with migraine: Results of three Phase 2 double-blind placebo-controlled trials (P2.164)

Objective: To determine the hepatic safety of galcanezumab injection compared with placebo. Background: Galcanezumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), is being developed for migraine prevention. In previous studies, small-molecule CGRP compounds have been associated with drug-induced liver injury (DILI); thus, development of those compounds was discontinued. Design/Methods: Results from three Phase 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled studies were pooled. The pooled galcanezumab treatment group (n=505; subcutaneous [SC] injection of either 150 mg every 2 weeks or 5, 50, 120, or 300 mg every 4 weeks) was compared with placebo (n=353; SC injection of 0.9% sodium chloride, USP; volume matched); duration of all treatments totaled 12 weeks. Frequency of treatment emergent elevation of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≥3x upper limit of normal (ULN) and total bilirubin (TBL) ≥2x ULN was compared between treatment and placebo groups. A visual analytical tool for evaluation of drug-induced serious hepatotoxicity (eDISH) was used to graphically display post-baseline serum ALT and TBL results during the double-blind treatment phases. Results: Two of 858 patients (0.23%) had treatment emergent elevations of ALT to ≥3x ULN. One received galcanezumab (0.20%; ALT=3.63x ULN [week 12]); the other received placebo (0.28%; ALT=8.09x ULN [week 8]). These two data points were displayed in the eDISH lower-right quadrant (Temple’s Corollary). No patients had an elevation of TBL≥2x ULN during the clinical trial. No data points were displayed in the eDISH upper-right quadrant, indicating the absence of Hy’s Law cases in this database. Conclusions: These data suggest no association between galcanezumab and DILI. Based on these data, DILI is unlikely to be related to the inactivation of CGRP. Longer term studies with greater numbers of patients will be required to confirm these results. Disclosure: Dr. Regev has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly and Company as an employee. Dr. Regev holds stock and/or stock options in Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Campreale has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly Italia as an employee. Dr. Campreale holds stock and/or stock options in Eli Lilly. Dr. Skljarevski has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly and Company as an employee. Dr. Skljarevski holds stock and/or stock options with Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Wang has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly and Company as an employee. Dr. Wang holds stock and/or stock options in Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Carter has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly and Company as an employee. Dr. Carter holds stock and/or stock options in Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Due has received personal compensation for activities with Eli Lilly and Company as an employee.
Which is more nephrotoxic for kidney transplants: BK nephropathy or rejection?

Little data exist comparing outcomes following BK nephropathy (BKN) vs acute rejection. We reviewed outcomes among recipients who had a primary diagnosis of biopsy-proven BKN or rejection between 1 and 18 months post-transplant. There were 96 cases of BKN and 256 cases of rejections. We compared outcomes of BKN with all rejection combined and also with cellular rejection. Seven of 256 (2.7%) patients developed BKN after treatment of rejection. Conversely, 8 of 96 (8.3%) developed rejection after BKN. The eGFR at time of diagnosis in the BKN group (33.7 ± 12.6) was lower than the rejection group (44.8 ± 23.3, P < .001). The eGFR at 6 months after diagnosis of BKN was 32.7 ± 14.9 and for rejection was 48.8 ± 20.7 (P ≤ .001). The mean eGFR at 3 years postdiagnosis was 41.6 ± 18.5 in BKN and 53 ± 21.3 for rejection (P = .001). The graft failure incidence rates were similar between 2 groups. A similar pattern was observed comparing BKN with cellular rejection. While the difference in rate of graft loss between BKN and rejection did not reach statistical significance, kidney function up to 3 years after diagnosis was worse for BKN than for rejection, suggesting that BKN is at least as damaging to kidneys as rejection.
Gastric carcinoids: Does type of surgery or tumor affect survival?

139Background: Gastric carcinoids are rare neuroendocrine tumors of the GI tract. They are typically managed according to their etiology. However, there is little known about the impact of surgical...
Controller and EMI filter design for modular front-end solid-state transformer

This paper discusses the details of the control scheme and EMI filter design for a modular front-end solid-state transformer (SST). The multi-cell configuration is achieved by connecting the active-front-end (AFE) cells in series, with the voltage from the MV evenly distributed among the cells. The isolated outputs of the dc-dc converters are tied in parallel. The EMI filter is designed to reduce line impedance and switching noise. Simulations showed the EMI filter reduced noise below FCC Class A standards. The SST controller consists of a voltage controller, current controller, and a phase lock loop (PLL) with an ideal duty feedforward. The implementation of these subsystems is explained and its integration in the system is shown. The results show that at low voltage level, the input current waveform is nearly sinusoidal.
The bridge between precipitation and temperature – Pressure Change Events: Modeling future non-stationary precipitation

Abstract Anthropogenic warming may change precipitation patterns, impacting infrastructure performance and reliability. Future precipitation statistics generated using General Circulation Models (GCM) are, however, often biased and not easily applied to problems such as runoff estimation. Stochastic weather generation is hence used as an alternative to GCMs in hydrology and hydraulic modelling. This paper explores the dependence of fine temporal precipitation characteristics on air pressure and air temperature using historic observations. The goal is to develop, based on the key causes of precipitation, a climatological basis for a stochastic precipitation generator for non-stationary precipitation under climate change conditions. The analysis focuses on precipitation in the urban Northeast United States and utilizes pooled observations from meteorological stations in New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston over 60 years. A negative correlation between hourly Probability of Precipitation (POP) and air pressure is observed. When the historical records are discretized using air Pressure Change Events (PCE), Decreasing Pressure Change Events (DePCEs) had a higher POP and a higher Precipitation Depth (PD) than Increasing Pressure Change Events (InPCEs). Temperature was more strongly associated with PD during DePCEs than InPCEs; this association was more pronounced during high magnitude PCEs and extreme events. The potential for simulating future hourly precipitation by associating historic hourly precipitation patterns with PCE’s and monthly temperature is assessed.
Microbial Degradation of Atmospheric Halocarbons

Halocarbons are present in the atmosphere at parts-per-trillion (ppt) mixing ratios and are represented by such substances as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlolofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and methyl halides like methyl bromide (MeBr) and their further substituted halomethane analogues (e. g., dibromomethane, bromoform). Many Halocarbons have only an anthropogenic origin (e.g., CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs) whereas others are of mixed anthropogenic and natural origin (e.g., MeBr). The molecular composition of the various CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs can be deduced from their numerical classification by adding 90 to their designated numbers. The first digit (hundreds place) refers to the number of carbon atoms, the second to the number of hydrogens, and the third to the number of fluorines. For example, the molecular structure of CFC-12 is obtained from the resultant number of 102, and refers to a one carbon molecule containing no hydrogens and two fluorines. By inference from its CFC designation two chlorines must also be included. Similarly, the compound HFC-134 has a resultant sum of 224, which implies a two carbon molecule containing two hydrogens and four fluorines (tetrafluoroethane).
Computer-Generated Proofs

The first counting devices were counting boards. The most primitive of these may be as old as 1200 BCE and consisted of a board or stone tablet with mounds of sand in which impressions or marks could be made. Later counting boards had grooves or metal disks that could be used to mark a position. The oldest extant counting board is the Salamis tablet, dating to 300 BCE. See Figure 7.1.
Evidence against local control of intestinal tissue oxygenation by myogenic mechanisms.

The proposed basis for the myogenic theory of local blood flow control is that vascular smooth muscle will actively contract if stretched by increased transmural pressure. Critical experiments to test the myogenic hypothesis have employed elevated venous pressure to raise transmural pressures in the microvasculature. In isolated loops of small bowel, elevated venous pressure has been reported to cause an increase in total resistance to blood flow (1). Subsequent studies of capillary filtration showed that the increase in resistance occurred on the precapillary side. Such resistance changes in response to elevated venous pressure are thought to result from a myogenic constriction of resistance vessels (2). In addition to resistance vessels, precapillary sphincters are thought to respond to elevated venous pressure. By measuring the rate of fluid filtration at various venous pressures, and by determining the isogravimetric capillary pressure with a stop-flow technique, Johnson (3) was able to calculate capillary filtration coefficients for small intestine. His study showed that, although the filtration rate increased with increased venous pressure as expected, the cal-cualted capillary filtration coefficients fell with increased venous pressure. The proposed mechanism to explain the reduction in capillary filtration coefficients was a myogenic constriction of precapillary sphincters in response to the increased venous pressure.
Using Combined Features to Analyze Atomic Structures derived from Cryo-EM Density Maps

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has become a major technique for protein structure determination. Many atomic structures have been derived from cryo-EM density maps of about 3A resolution. Side-chain conformations are well determined in density maps with super-resolutions such as 1-2A. It is desirable to have a statistical method to detect anomalous side-chains without a super-resolution density map. In this study, we analyzed structures derived from X-ray density maps with higher than 1.5A resolutions and those from cryo-EM density maps with 2-4 A and 4-6 A resolutions respectively. We introduce a histogram-based outlier score (HBOS) for anomaly detection in protein models built from cryo-EM density maps. This method uses the statistics derived from X-ray dataset (
Sakis Gekas, Xenocracy: State, Class and Colonialism in the Ionian Islands, 1815–1864

Review of Sakis Gekas, Xenocracy: State, Class and Colonialism in the Ionian Islands, 1815–1864. New York/Oxford: Berghahn, 2017. 380 pp.
Transient synaptic potentiation in nucleus accumbens shell during refraining from cocaine seeking

Repeated exposure to drug-associated cues without reward (extinction) leads to refraining from drug seeking in rodents. We determined if refraining is associated with transient synaptic plasticity (t-SP) in nucleus accumbens shell (NAshell), akin to the t-SP measured in the NAcore during cue-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. Using whole cell patch electrophysiology, we found that medium spiny neurons (MSNs) in NAshell expressed increased ratio of AMPA to NMDA glutamate receptor currents during refraining, which normalized to baseline levels by the end of the 2-hour extinction session. Unlike t-SP observed in NAcore during reinstated drug seeking, neither dendrite spine head enlargement nor activation of matrix metalloproteases (MMP2/9) accompanied the increased AMPA:NMDA in NAshell during refraining. Refraining was also not associated with changes in paired pulse ratio, NMDA receptor current decay time, or AMPA receptor rectification index in NAshell MSNs. Our preliminary data in transgenic mice suggest that t-SP may increase D2-MSN inputs relative to D1-MSN inputs.
TRNA-derived fragments as sex-dependent circulating candidate biomarkers for Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Introduction Parkinson's Disease (PD) is diagnosed clinically. Reliable non-invasive PD biomarkers are actively sought. Transfer RNAs produce short non-coding RNAs, the tRNA-derived fragments (tRF). tRF have been shown to play diverse roles, including in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the response to ischemic stroke. Rich tRF populations are being reported in biofluids. We explored the possibility that tRF can serve as non-invasive biomarkers for PD. Methods We collected existing RNA-seq samples and re-analyzed a total of 254 legacy datasets from 3 previous studies, from male and female PD patients and controls that belong to three categories: prefrontal cortex samples from 29 patients and 33 controls; cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 63 patients and 64 controls; and, serum samples from 34 patients and 31 controls. First, we identified tRF exhaustively and deterministically in every dataset. Second, we determined tRF that are differentially abundant (DA) between PD and control samples, using uncorrected t-tests. Lastly, we assessed all the DA tRF from the previous step with Partial Least Squares – Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) to stringently sub-select tRF that can distinguish PD patients from controls. Results We show that PLS-DA identified tRF from prefrontal cortex, CSF, and serum that can distinguish PD patients from controls. A handful of identified tRF were previously investigated in neurological contexts. Signatures built from relatively few tRF suffice to distinguish PD from control in each category of samples with high sensitivity (89-100%) and specificity (79-98%). Conclusion: tRF-based signatures are promising candidates that warrant further evaluation as non-invasive PD biomarkers.
The role of transporters and synaptic cleft morphology in glutamate and GABA homeostasis and their effect on neuronal function

Abstract The spatiotemporal dynamics of glutamate and gama-aminobutyric acide (GABA) in the synaptic cleft plays a key role in the signal integration in the brain. Since there is no extracellular metabolism of glutamate and GABA, cellular uptake through transporters and diffusion to extracellular space (ECS) regulates the concentration of both neurotransmitters in the cleft. We use the most up to date information about the transporters and synaptic cleft to model the homeostasis of both glutamate and GABA. We show that the models can be used to investigate the role played by different isoforms of transporters, uptake by different neuronal compartments or glia cells, and key parameters determining the morphology of synaptic cleft in the neurotransmitter concentration in the cleft and ECS, and how they shape synaptic responses through postsynaptic receptors. We demonstrate the utility of our models by application to simple neuronal networks and showing that varying the neurotransmitter uptake capacity and synaptic cleft parameters within experimentally observed range can lead to significant changes in neuronal behavior such as the transition of the network between gamma and beta rhythms. The modular form of the models allows easy extension in the future and integration with other computational models of normal and pathological neuronal functions.
Outcomes Measures and Data

There are two forms of disciplined inquiry that examine impacts of training or educational interventions on performance outcomes: Research and Evaluation. Although similar in many practical respects, the purposes of each are quite different. The criteria for designing and implementing controls when examining study outcomes are distinct and much more rigorous for research than they are for evaluation. Evaluation examines outcomes that target specific interventions in specific contexts, the results of which are not intended to be interpreted as broadly generalizable to other contexts. Research leads to conclusions across multiple contexts through the deliberate definition of variables and methodological controls. This chapter will focus on Educational Research associated with performance outcomes in healthcare contexts. Apart from the generalizability requirements, the information and processes presented in the chapter are equally applicable to program evaluation, wherein multi-site data may provide substantive information for meta-analyses. The chapter includes determining the type of research design to implement based on the outcome variables of interest (performance, clinical, financial, etc.) and their relationships to directed interventions. It also addresses identifying and operationalizing the variables of interest for study; optimizing the precision of measurement for outcomes variables; and choosing from several quantitative research designs that examine the relationships between outcomes variables of interest in healthcare education contexts: (1) Quasi-Experiment; (2) Correlational; (3) Meta-Analysis. Example studies are provided for each of the explicated research designs. Detailed methodological attributes, such as sampling, operationalization, statistical analyses, etc. are addressed elsewhere in this book and are not covered in depth.
Pain and Dysfunction with Sexual Activity after Inguinal Hernia Repair: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background The reported incidence rates of sexual dysfunction (SD) and pain with sexual activity (PSA) after inguinal hernia repair in males vary considerably. This meta-analysis explores the rates of SD and PSA after different surgical and anesthesia types to understand patient risk after inguinal hernia repair. Study Design We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to search 3 databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library). We identified retrospective, prospective, and randomized controlled trial studies, published on or before March 1, 2019, reporting on SD and PSA after inguinal hernia repair. We used random-effects models to calculate pooled estimates of incidence rates of SD and PSA after inguinal hernia repair. Subgroup meta-analyses and meta-regression were used to explore sources of variation. Results A total of 4,884 patients from 12 studies were identified. Study-level median age at the time of repair was 52.3 years old, and study-level median follow-up was 10.5 months. Definitions of SD and PSA focused on completion of intercourse for the former and pain with erection/ejaculation for the latter. The overall incidence of new-onset, postoperative SD was 5.3% (95% CI 3.6% to 7.9%) and of PSA was 9.0% (95% CI 5.8% to 13.6%). Rates of SD associated with minimally invasive surgical (MIS) and open repair were, respectively, 7.8% (95% CI 5.4% to 11.3%) and 3.7% (95% CI 2.0% to 6.8%); rates of PSA were 7.4% (95% CI 4.7% to 11.5%) and 12.5% (95% CI 6.4% to 23.3%), respectively. Conclusions Sexual dysfunction and PSA are not rare after inguinal hernia repair. They should be included in preoperative discussions and as standard metrics in reporting outcomes of repair in large cohorts or trials.
Benzodiazepine Treatment and Fracture Risk in Young Persons With Anxiety Disorders

BACKGROUND: Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed to treat anxiety disorders and have been associated with falls and fractures in older adults. It is unknown whether benzodiazepines increase fracture risk in youth. We examined whether youth with anxiety disorders initiating benzodiazepine treatment have an increased risk of fractures compared with youth initiating selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). METHODS: We used claims from commercially insured children (6–17 years) and young adults (18–24) with a recent anxiety disorder diagnosis, initiating benzodiazepines or SSRIs (2008–2016). Youth were followed until fracture, treatment discontinuation or switching, disenrollment, 3 months, or December 31, 2016. The primary end point was diagnostic codes for upper and lower limb fractures. Incident fracture rates, incident rate ratios (IRRs), and incident rate differences (IRDs) were estimated with propensity score inverse probability of treatment weighting. RESULTS: The cohort included 120 715 children and 179 768 young adults. In children, crude fracture rates during treatment were 33.1 per 1000 person-years (PYs) for benzodiazepine initiators and 25.1 per 1000 PYs for SSRI initiators. Adjusted IRR and IRD were 1.53 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.94–2.50) and 13.4 per 1000 PYs. Risk was heightened in children initiating long-acting benzodiazepines versus SSRIs (adjusted IRR = 2.30 [95% CI: 1.08–4.91]). Fracture rates were lower in young adults, with minimal differences between treatments (adjusted IRR = 0.85 [95% CI: 0.57–1.27]; adjusted IRD = −1.3 per 1000 PYs). CONCLUSIONS: An increased rate of fractures in children, but not young adults, with anxiety disorders initiating benzodiazepine treatment compared to SSRI treatment suggests a need for increased caution in the weeks after benzodiazepine initiation in children.
Muting Black girls: how office referral forms mask dehumanising disciplinary interactions

Within US public schools, Black girls are increasingly overrepresented in exclusionary discipline. Typically, this disproportionality has been examined through the analysis of district wide discipl...
Living with Impunity: Unsolved Murders in Oakland and the Human Rights Impact on Victims' Family Members

An epidemic of murders in Oakland, California, has claimed hundreds of lives in the past decade, and the victims’ families often face discriminatory treatment by police, devastating financial burdens, and psychological trauma, with inadequate government support. “Living with Impunity: Unsolved Murders in Oakland and the Human Rights Impact on Victims’ Family Members” presents work by Berkeley Law International Human Rights Law Clinic Co-Director Roxanna Altholz and other researchers who found that surviving family members often were victimized a second time as law enforcement and other agencies treated them with indifference — and even hostility. The impact of this “impunity” falls most heavily on African Americans in low-income neighborhoods, the study found. Oakland has been one of the most violent cities in the country since the 1990s. Over the last decade, approximately 76% of the city’s homicide victims were black. During that time, Oakland police made arrests in just 40% of murder cases when the victim was black, compared to 80% when the victim was white. As a result of high rates of violence yet low arrest rates, the Oakland Police Department has over 2,000 cold homicide cases on its books. For families in Oakland, the report describes a troubling reality in the aftermath of murder: “lackluster police responsiveness and often disrespectful and discriminatory treatment, checkered availability of crime-victim services and restrictions on who can take advantage of them, and stigma and safety concerns that not only often go unaddressed but are exacerbated by the criminal justice system’s cramped approach to justice.” The report uses the concept of “impunity” — the idea, commonly used in the field of international law, that the failure to bring perpetrators of a violent crime to justice creates continuing trauma for survivors — to expose underexamined impacts of these unsolved murders on the families of homicide victims. The “Living with Impunity” report calls on federal, state, and local authorities to invest in the well-being of family members and ensure better treatment and improved communication by the police during the criminal investigation. The report urges officials to provide all family members, including individuals who are on probation, access to wraparound services and long-term care to specifically address the complex needs of family members of homicide victims.