cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary Vascular Resistance of Children Treated With Nitrogen During Early Infancy

Abstract Background . We have empirically used supplemental nitrogen in newborns with a functional single ventricle and ductal-dependent systemic perfusion to prevent pulmonary vasodilation and deliver a greater proportion of flow to the systemic circulation. Thus, we reviewed patient outcome to determine whether adverse pulmonary vascular effects may be associated with this therapy. Methods . From December 1991 to December 1995, the fraction of inspired oxygen was adjusted, with supplemental nitrogen if necessary, to maintain an oxygen saturation near 75% in 20 newborns awaiting heart transplantation. Medical records were reviewed to evaluate (1) the duration of nitrogen therapy, (2) pulmonary vascular histology, (3) postoperative pulmonary hemodynamics, and (4) survival. Results . Thirteen patients underwent heart transplantation, 4 patients died without surgical intervention, and 3 patients underwent late aortic reconstruction. Supplemental nitrogen was used without exceeding a fraction of inspired oxygen of 0.21 for 38 ± 6 days. One patient had evidence of changes of potentially irreversible pulmonary vascular disease. Pulmonary vascular resistance was not increased long-term in surviving patients. Conclusions . Supplemental nitrogen can be used to maintain a systemic oxygen saturation near 75% for an extended period in newborns with ductal-dependent systemic perfusion with no long-term adverse effect on pulmonary vascular resistance.
Bond strengths of resin-bonded metal castings.

Abstract Composite resin-retained appliances are susceptible to failure at the resin-metal interface. The objective of this study was to evaluate bond strengths of perforated and electrolytically etched framework designs by subjecting them to tensile and shear loading. Shear bond strengths were always higher than tensile bond strengths. Etched castings were consistently stronger than perforated designs. Castings that were both perforated and etched were stronger in tension than all other retentive designs.
Isolation of an intestinal metallothionein induced by parenteral zinc.

Abstract An intestinal zinc-binding protein, induced by parenteral zinc administration, has been isolated and characterized. Based upon its elution behavior in two chromatographic systems, Zn 2+ /protein ratio of 5.0–5.6 gram atoms/mole, a Zn 2+ /SH ratio of about 3.0, paucity of both aromatic amino acids and absorbance at 280 nm, abundance of cysteic acid residues (28–31%), and low molecular weight (6,000–7,000 daltons), the protein meets the criteria for classification as a metallothionein and is more properly named zinc-thionein. Orally administered 65 Zn was found to bind to intestinal zinc-thionein and thus this intracellular protein may function as a component of the mechanism responsible for mammalian zinc homeostasis at the level of intestinal absorption.
Cytokines in alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is associated with a spectrum of liver injury ranging from steatosis and steatohepatitis to fibrosis and cirrhosis. While multifactorial pathogenesis plays a role in the disease progression, enhanced inflammation in the liver during ethanol exposure is a major feature of ALD. Dysregulated cytokine metabolism and activity are crucial to the initiation of alcohol-induced liver injury. The pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) has been demonstrated to be one of the key factors in the various aspects of pathophysiology of ALD. The immunomodulatory cytokines such as interleukin 10 and interleukin 6 play roles in exerting hepatic protective effects. Adiponectin is an adipose tissue–derived hormone, which displays protective actions on ethanol-induced liver injury. Treatment for mice with adiponectin decreases TNF-α expression, steatosis and prevents alcohol-induced liver injury. Adiponectin exerts its anti-inflammatory effects via suppression of TNF-α expression and induction of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10. Adiponectin attenuates alcoholic liver injury by the complex network of multiple signaling pathways in the liver, leading to enhanced fatty acid oxidation and reduced steatosis. Interactions between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα and adiponectin and other cytokines are likely to play important roles in the development and progression of alcoholic liver disease.
An efficient linear‐precision partition of unity basis for unstructured meshless methods

We describe an approach to construct approximation basis functions for meshless methods, which is based on the concept of a partition of unity. The approach has the following properties: (i) the grid consists of scattered nodes, (ii) the basis reproduces exactly complete linear polynomials, (iii) only the values of the approximated function at the nodes are used as unknowns, (iv) the construction of the basis is only slightly more expensive than the Shepard constant-precision method, and finally, (v) the method is applicable in any number of spatial dimensions.
Preliminary Study of Attention Training to Threat and Neutral Faces on Anxious Reactivity to a Social Stressor in Social Anxiety

Cognitive theories of anxiety emphasize attentional bias to threat contributes to the maintenance of anxiety disorders (e.g., Williams et al. in Cognitive psychology and emotional disorders, 2nd edn. Wiley, Chichester, 1997). For example, anxiety may be the result of bias that interacts with vulnerability characteristics and stress (e.g., Mathews in Behav Res Ther 28:455–468, 1990; Mathews in The Psyochologist 6:493–499, 1993). Yet, few studies have experimentally directed attention towards threat to investigate its role in anxiety to stress. This study examined attention training effects on stress response in moderately socially anxious individuals. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three probe detection conditions: (1) attention training away from threat, (2) attention training to threat, or (3) attention randomly directed to threat and away from threat with equal frequency (control condition). Afterwards, participants completed a speech challenge and rated their anxiety level. Results indicate attention training to threat or away from threat, compared to no training, attenuated anxiety in response to a social stressor in socially anxious individuals.
Neuroprotection and acute spinal cord injury: a reappraisal.

It has long been recognized that much of the post-traumatic degeneration of the spinal cord following injury is caused by a multi-factorial secondary injury process that occurs during the first minutes, hours, and days after spinal cord injury (SCI). A key biochemical event in that process is reactive oxygen-induced lipid peroxidation (LP). In 1990 the results of the Second National Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (NASCIS II) were published, which showed that the administration of a high-dose regimen of the glucocorticoid steroid methylprednisolone (MP), which had been previously shown to inhibit post-traumatic LP in animal models of SCI, could improve neurological recovery in spinal-cord-injured humans. This resulted in the registration of high-dose MP for acute SCI in several countries, although not in the U.S. Nevertheless, this treatment quickly became the standard of care for acute SCI since the drug was already on the U.S. market for many other indications. Subsequently, it was demonstrated that the non-glucocorticoid 21-aminosteroid tirilazad could duplicate the antioxidant neuroprotective efficacy of MP in SCI models, and evidence of human efficacy was obtained in a third NASCIS trial (NASCIS III). In recent years, the use of high-dose MP in acute SCI has become controversial largely on the basis of the risk of serious adverse effectsversus what is perceived to be on average a modest neurological benefit. The opiate receptor antagonist naloxone was also tested in NASCIS II based upon the demonstration of its beneficial effects in SCI models. Although it did not a significant overall effect, some evidence of efficacy was seen in incomplete (i.e., paretic) patients. The monosialoganglioside GM1 has also been examined in a recently completed clinical trial in which the patients first received high-dose MP treatment. However, GM1 failed to show any evidence of a significant enhancement in the extent of neurological recovery over the level afforded by MP therapy alone. The present paper reviews the past development of MP, naloxone, tirilazad, and GM1 for acute SCI, the ongoing MP-SCI controversy, identifies the regulatory complications involved in future SCI drug development, and suggests some promising neuroprotective approaches that could either replace or be used in combination with high-dose MP.
Intergenerational Wealth Transfers and the Educational Decisions of Male Youth: An Alternative Interpretation

Donald 0. Parsons' recent article in this Journal raises several important questions.' Using a statistical model that has been employed by numerous sociologists for over ten years, Parsons illustrates the effects of various measures of family background on male youths' schooling and earnings.2 Parsons' original contribution to this literature is to employ a human-investment model in order to separate the total schooling effect of a given family characteristic into productivity, cost, and consumption components. For example, one of Parsons' most intriguing results is that a mother's educational attainment has its main influence on her son's labor market achievement through its effects on the structure of the child's tastes for schooling and through the productivity effect of schooling on earnings. Father's schooling, on the other hand, has its effect primarily through reducing the cost of schooling arising apparently from the greater subsidies more educated fathers bestow on their children.3 If this is true, exactly what is it that well-educated mothers do in the home that gives their children an earnings advantage in the labor market? Further, if this advantage reflects primarily environmental rather than genetic factors, can some type of social policy be used to replicate in families with low parental levels of education the process (whatever it is) of intergenerational wealth transmission enjoyed by high-status families? Parents can transmit income and wealth to their offspring in a variety of ways. At one extreme, transmittal occurs directly through bequests and gifts of financial assets. On the other hand, biological parents supply the genetic endowments that may affect skills useful in school and the labor market. Finally, parental time devoted to the rearing of children can also augment a child's skills and traits.4 It is these parental investments of time and goods in the children-particularly in the preschool years-which we wish to discuss here. If it could be shown, for example, that there is a consistent relationship between the well-known family background variables (e.g., parental education, occupational status, family size) used by Parsons, investments of parental time in preschool human capital, and the outcomes of the investment (the child's schooling and earnings), we could an-
Correlations between cell-cycle perturbations and survival levels after exposure to adriamycin for two Chinese hamster cell lines☆

The cell-cycle perturbation and cell inactivation after adriamycin (ADR) exposure were measured in two Chinese hamster cell lines differing in ADR sensitivity. Based on DNA distribution analysis, it was found that the rate of G1 fraction depletion following low-dose ADR treatment was related to the level of cell inactivation. The results indicate that gross cellular sensitivity to ADR can be predicted rapidly by this approach.
Biased ballots? The impact of ballot structure on North Carolina elections in 1992"

North Carolina state election law gives county election boards broad authority to determine the form of the ballot used in federal, state, and local races. This paper examines the extent to which ballot formats appear to be strategically chosen and the impact of ballot design on 1992 North Carolina elections. Our results indicate that the form of the ballot influenced the decisions of some voters in statewide races in 1992 and that the design of the ballot may have been chosen strategically by county election boards dominated by the members of one party.
Aortic allograft valve reoperation: surgical challenges and patient risks.

Background Aortic valve allograft reoperation is a challenge for the surgeon and a risk to the patient. We examined our experience to identify these challenges and risks. Methods From April 1987 to January 2006, 130 patients underwent first-time allograft-related reoperations. Prior implant was subcoronary 32 (25%), inclusion-root 28 (22%), and root 70 (53%). Reoperative indications were technical failure 11 (8.4%), endocarditis 31 (24%), and structural valve deterioration 88 (68%). Reoperative technique was allograft repair 7 (5.4%), simple valve replacement 80 (62%), and root replacement 43 (33%). Median follow-up was 3.1 years. Results Surgical challenges: 10 adverse intraoperative events occurred (7.7%), 3 allograft specific, with rescue from all. Reoperative procedure was highly dependent on original implantation technique (31 of 43 root replacements after previous roots) and reoperative indication (24 of 43 root replacements for endocarditis). Implanted valve prostheses were small for patient size, less so in intact native roots (previous subcoronary or inclusion root) than retained allografts (Z-value, −1.1 versus −1.6; p = 0.08), but allograft root re-replacement allowed normal-sized valves. Patient risks: Relevant postoperative morbidities included reoperation for bleeding 7 (5.4%), new pacemaker 6 (5.2%), stroke 1 (0.8%), and no myocardial infarction. Hospital mortality was 3.8% (5 of 130), 6.5% (2 of 31) for endocarditis. Late patient survival was substantially worse for endocarditis than for structural valve deterioration (60% versus 90% at 5 years, p = 0.0006). Five-year freedom from further reoperation was 94%. Conclusions Surgical challenges, even with endocarditis, can be surmounted and patient risks minimized by thoughtful preparation and appropriate reoperative procedure. An intact native root maximizes surgical options.
The future of human embryonic stem cell research: addressing ethical conflict with responsible scientific research

Embryonic stem (ES) cells have almost unlimited regenerative capacity and can potentially generate any body tissue. Hence they hold great promise for the cure of degenerative human diseases. But their derivation and the potential for misuse have raised a number of ethical issues. These ethical issues threaten to paralyze pubic funding for ES cell research, leaving experimentation in the hands of the private sector and precluding the public's ability to monitor practices, research alternatives, and effectively address the very ethical issues that are cause for concern in the first place. With new technology being inevitable, and the potential for abuse high, government must stay involved if the public is to play a role in shaping the direction of research. In this essay, I will define levels of ethical conflict that can be delineated by the anticipated advances in technology. From the urgent need to derive new ES cell lines with existing technology, to the most far-reaching goal of deriving genetically identical tissues from an adult patients cells, technology-specific ethical dilemmas can be defined and addressed. This staged approach provides a solid ethical framework for moving forward with ES cell research. Moreover, by anticipating the moral conflicts to come, one can predict the types of scientific advances that could overcome these conflicts, and appropriately direct federal funding toward these goals to offset potentially less responsible research directives that will inevitably go forward via private or foreign funding.
Genome sequencing and our understanding of chlamydiae.

A driving force in the evolution of a microorganism is the ability to colonize a niche. A vertebrate organism represents a unique niche, but to an infecting microbe it is simply an environment to be exploited. Many pathogens explore yet another opportunity—the intracellular environment. The
Comparing Suicide Attempters, Suicide Ideators, and Nonsuicidal Homeless and Runaway Adolescents

This study considers variables that best distinguish among attempters, ideators, and nonsuicidal youth in a sample of 527 homeless and runaway adolescents from four Midwestern states. Univariate results indicate that attempters are significantly more likely than ideators and nonsuicidal youth to have experienced physical or sexual abuse by an adult caretaker, to have experienced sexual victimization while on their own, and to have a friend who attempted suicide. Multivariate analyses reveal five variables that best distinguish among the three groups: self-esteem, depression, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and having a friend who attempted suicide. Further analysis suggests that the accumulation of these risk factors greatly increases the chance that these youth will engage in suicidal behavior.
Effects of a Preschool Mathematics Curriculum: Summative Research on the Building Blocks Project

This study evaluated the efficacy of a preschool mathematics program based on a comprehensive model of developing research-based software and print curricula. Building Blocks, funded by the National Science Foundation, is a curriculum development project focused on creating research-based, technology-enhanced mathematics materials for pre-K through grade 2. In this article, we describe the underlying principles, development, and initial summative evaluation of the first set of resulting materials as they were used in classrooms with children at risk for later school failure. Experimental and comparison classrooms included two principal types of public preschool programs serving low-income families: state funded and Head Start prekindergarten programs. The experimental treatment group score increased significantly more than the comparison group score; achievement gains of the experimental group approached the sought-after 2-sigma effect of individual tutoring. This study contributes to research showing that focused early mathematical interventions help young children develop a foundation of informal mathematics knowledge, especially for children at risk for later school failure.
Carbon nanotubes based nanoelectrode arrays: Fabrication, evaluation, and application in voltammetric analysis

Fabrication, electrochemical characterization, and applications of low-site density carbon nanotubes based nanoelectrode arrays (CNTs-NEAs) are reported in this work. Spin-coating of an epoxy resin provides a new way to create the electrode passivation layer effectively reducing electrode capacitance and current leakage. Cyclic voltammetry showed the sigmoidal shape curves with low capacitive current and scan-rate-independent limiting current. Squarewave voltammetry showed well-defined peak shapes in voltammograms of K3Fe(CN)6 and 4-acetamidophenol (acetaminophen) and the peak currents to be proportioned to their concentrations, demonstrating the feasibility for voltammetric analysis of the CNTs-NEAs. The CNTs-NEAs were also used successfully for voltammetric detection of trace concentrations of lead(II) at ppb level at first-time. The CNTs-NEAs provide an excellent platform for ultra sensitive electrochemical sensors for chemical and biological sensing.
Hidden Markov Model Inversion for Audio-to-Visual Conversion in an MPEG-4 Facial Animation System

MPEG-4 standard allows composition of natural or synthetic video with facial animation. Based on this standard, an animated face can be inserted into natural or synthetic video to create new virtual working environments such as virtual meetings or virtual collaborative environments. For these applications, audio-to-visual conversion techniques can be used to generate a talking face that is synchronized with the voice. In this paper, we address audio-to-visual conversion problems by introducing a novel Hidden Markov Model Inversion (HMMI) method. In training audio-visual HMMs, the model parameters {?av} can be chosen to optimize some criterion such as maximum likelihood. In inversion of audio-visual HMMs, visual parameters that optimize some criterion can be found based on given speech and model parameters {?av}. By using the proposed HMMI technique, an animated talking face can be synchronized with audio and can be driven realistically. The HMMI technique combined with MPEG-4 standard to create a virtual conference system, named VIRTUAL-FACE, is introduced to show the role of HMMI for applications of MPEG-4 facial animation.
Pain management is like cooking.

There are a surprising number of similarities between cooking and the results of the consumption of food and pain management and the effectiveness of pain treatment methods. Being a chef and a pain management provider requires education. Education is very important especially if you want to be paid for preparing food or providing pain management. Education has been the rallying cry for pain care advocates for the last four decades. There are many recipes for both the cook and the pain management provider. In any book store the cooking section always seems to be massive and have something new on the shelf. There are books for everything from slow cooking to many, many ethnic foods. Pain management providers can use equianalgesic tables, algorithms, a myriad of drug books, the drug manufacture insert, and by consulting with a pharmacist. People have allergies to some types of food and to some analgesics. The severity of the reaction varies for both. I once saw a patient have a severe anaphylactic reaction to anchovies. He knew he was severely allergic but didn’t realize his pizza box was below another customer’s who had anchovies on that pizza! A milder reaction to food could be vomiting after eating scallops or pruritis after eating the offending food. In pain management many patients will say they are allergic to an opioid. When further questioned about the reaction, some will claim nausea or constipation. We know those are side effects. Other people may have an anaphylactic reaction to a particular opioid. Science is another similarity. Anyone who bakes knows there is a big difference between baking soda and baking powder- they aren’t interchangeable. There is a lot of chemistry research in both cooking and pain management. Many other sciences are necessary for both areas. Agriculture, farm management, veterinary medicine, proper storage, and preparation sciences are necessary for cooking and consuming food safely. Pain management requires the science gleaned from pathophysiology, pharmacology, chemistry, engineering and medical technology. There are more. Addiction to food consumption is possible and also with addictive analgesics. The former may be more difficult to manage since everyone needs to eat while there are many other ways to relieve pain. Both require cognitive behavioral techniques to conquer the addiction. Practice makes perfect in both the kitchen and in pain management. Education is part of practice but the more one comes into contact, the broader the area of knowledge and subsequent skills. Chefs learn how to properly fold or chop ingredients while people who manage pain learn how to give injections, calculate doses, and manage the equipment that may be necessary to deliver the analgesic. With practice the results improve. Some people really enjoy cooking and some people do not enjoy caring for people in pain. The reasons could relate to some of the similarities mentioned; education, experience, degree of the translation of science into practice or unfamiliarity with the wide number of methods needed. The science behind pain management is always
Is there a relationship between wound infections and laceration closure times

Lacerations account for a large number of ED visits. Is there a “golden period” beyond which lacerations should not be repaired primarily? What type of relationship exists between time of repair and wound infection rates? Is it linear or exponential? Currently, the influence of laceration age on the risk of infection in simple lacerations repaired is not clearly defined. We conducted this study to determine the influence of time of primary wound closure on the infection rate. This is a prospective observational study of patients who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) with a laceration requiring closure from April 2009 to November 2010. The wound closure time was defined as the time interval from when the patient reported laceration occurred until the time of the start of the wound repair procedure. Univariate analysis was performed to determine the factors predictive of infection. A non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test was performed to compare the median differences of time of laceration repair. Chi-square (Fisher's exact) tests were performed to test for infection differences with regard to gender, race, location of laceration, mechanism of injury, co-morbidities, type of anesthesia and type of suture material used. Over the study period, 297 participants met the inclusion criteria and were followed. Of the included participants, 224 (75.4%) were male and 73 (24.6%) were female. Ten patients (3.4%) developed a wound infection. Of these infections, five occurred on hands, four on extremities (not hands) and one on the face. One of these patients was African American, seven were Hispanic and two were Caucasian (p = 0.0005). Median wound closure time in the infection group was 867 min and in the non-infection group 330 min (p = 0.03). Without controlling various confounding factors, the median wound closure time for the lacerations in the wound infection group was statistically significantly longer than in the non-infection group.
Glycobiology on the fly: Developmental and mechanistic insights from Drosophila

Drosophila melanogaster offers many unique advantages for deciphering the complexities of glycan biosynthesis and function. The completion of the Drosophila genome sequencing project as well as the comprehensive catalogue of existing mutations and phenotypes have lead to a prolific database where many of the genes involved in glycan synthesis, assembly, modification, and recognition have been identified and characterized. Recent biochemical and molecular studies have elucidated the structure of the glycans present in Drosophila. Powerful genetic approaches have uncovered a number of critical biological roles for glycans during development that impact on our understanding of their function during mammalian development. Here, we summarize key recent findings and provide evidence for the usefulness of this model organism in unraveling the complexities of glycobiology across many species.
Older adults: should the paradigm shift from standard therapy?

For older adults (ie, those age 60 and above) with acute myelogenous leukemia, patient and clinician have three choices: standard therapy, ie, a “3 + 7” regimen or low-dose ara-C, investigational therapy, or palliative care. Investigational treatments sponsored by pharmaceutical companies tend to exclude the 10–20% of older patients who have a poor performance status (Zubrod > 2), an increased bilirubin, or creatinine (> 1.9 mg/ml) and who are thereby unlikely to do well with standard therapy. However, even excluding such patients, standard treatment offers little obvious benefit for most older patients. Nonetheless, these older patients are not uniform and can be stratified to receive investigational therapy, which is mandatory for most, or standard therapy, which is not inappropriate for some.
The distribution of campaign spending benefits across groups

Coleman and Manna (2000) argue that campaign spending boosts the quality of democracy by increasing citizen knowledge about and affect toward candidates. If politically and socially advantaged groups disproportionately capture these knowledge benefits, however, then campaign spending merely perpetuates political inequality. Examining challenger and incumbent spending in 1996, I estimate the distribution of campaign spending benefits and find that these benefits are distributed broadly across advantaged and disadvantaged groups. In this regard, campaign spending is a democratizing force.
Nurse bait: strategies hospitalized patients use to entice nurses within the context of the interpersonal relationship

Patients on medical-surgical and psychiatric inpatient units long for more and deeper connections with nurses. Patients' dependence on the nursing staff, as well as their perceived powerlessness, creates a situation where patients believe they have to actively find ways to seek needed nursing care. This paper will describe active strategies used by medical-surgical patients to entice nurses within the context of the nurse-patient relationship; strategies designed to mitigate vulnerability and increase interpersonal connection. Implications for nursing practice and for Peplau's Theory of Interpersonal Relations will be presented.
Texas Alderflies (Megaloptera: Sialidae): New Records, Distributions, and a Key to Adults in Texas

Abstract Texas has five species of alderflies (Sialis). A key to adult males and females and their known distributions in the state is presented. New county records are included, as well as the first state record of Sialis vagans (Ross).
RACE AND CAUSE SPECIFIC SURVIVAL WITH PROSTATE CANCER: INFLUENCE OF CLINICAL STAGE, GLEASON SCORE, AGE AND TREATMENT

Purpose: We assess the influence of race on stage stratified cause specific survival of men with prostate cancer, and Gleason score, age at diagnosis and treatment on potential racial differences in survival. Materials and Methods: A total of 524 black and 396 white men were diagnosed with prostate cancer at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center between January 1982 and December 1992. Clinical stage was determined by retrospective review of the medical records and Gleason score of biopsy material as assigned by a single uropathologist. Of 611 patients who died the cause of death was determined by retrospective or prospective review of hospital records in 493 and by review of the death certificates in 102. In 16 cases the cause of death was indeterminate. Median potential followup was 112 months (range 60 to 182) and median period of observation was 61 months (range 1 to 182). Results: Cause specific survival with stage T1b-2 cancer was lower in 231 black than in 264 white men of all ages (p = 0.02) and lower in 110 black than in 170 white men younger than in 70 years at diagnosis (p = 0.04). Gleason 7 to 10 cancer, which was associated with a less favorable cause specific survival compared to Gleason 2 to 6 cancer (p Conclusions: Our data indicate that local stage prostate cancer is more lethal in black than in white men and the difference is most pronounced in men younger than 70 years. The survival disadvantage of black men with local stage cancer is due in part to a propensity for development of less differentiated and more aggressive malignancies.
Liability structure in small-scale finance : evidence from a natural experiment

Microfinance, the provision of small individual and business loans, has witnessed dramatic growth, reaching over 150 million borrowers worldwide. Much of its success has been attributed to overcoming the challenges of information asymmetries in uncollateralized lending. Yet, very little is known about the optimal contract structure of such loans -- there is substantial variation across lenders, even within a particular setting. This paper exploits a plausibly exogenous change in the liability structure offered by a microfinance program in India, which shifted from individual to group liability lending. The analysis finds compelling evidence that contract structure matters: for the same borrower, required monthly loan installments are 6 percent less likely to be missed under the group liability setting, relative to individual liability. In addition, compulsory savings deposits are 19 percent less likely to be missed under group liability contracts.
Risk assessment and integrity in system design

All systems, regardless of how carefully they have been constructed, suffer failures. This paper focuses on developing a formal understanding of failure with respect to system implementations. Furthermore, we would like the system design process to be able to leverage off of this understanding. It is important to deal with failures in a system context, rather than a priori limiting the solution to a particular technology, such as software alone. Our approach is limited to the class of systems that can be modeled by hybrid finite state machines (HFSMs) as described V.L. Winter. The purpose of this paper is to lay out a process, or framework, that can aid in identification and characterization of techniques for dealing with the different types of system threats. This framework leads naturally to a taxonomy of technologies and strategies for dealing with the various types of threats. In this process technologies are used to identify a priority list of technical capabilities for dealing with threats. The technologies are prioritized according to their analyzability and predictability. Strategies are then used to identify specific implementations that are best suited to dealing with the threat.
Anesthetic Management of an Adolescent With Diamond-Blackfan Syndrome During Posterior Spinal Fusion

Diamond-Blackfan syndrome (DBS) is a rare autosomal dominant ribosomal disorder. Patients present primarily with severe hypoplastic anemia and reticulocytopenia. Due to the craniofacial defects, cardiac pathology, short stature, and skeletal abnormalities, surgical and anesthetic care are frequently required. The associated structural anomalies and end-organ involvement may impact the perioperative care. We present an 18-year-old adolescent with Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) who required anesthetic care for posterior spinal fusion. Previous reports of anesthetic care for these patients are reviewed, the end-organ involvement is discussed, and options for anesthetic care are presented. J Med Cases. 2015;6(12):580-585 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2370w
Import Substitution as an Economic Strategy

Inward orientation, or import substitution as it is often called, is an economic strategy that aims to accelerate economic growth and industrialization by substituting domestic production for existing imports and by forestalling future imports as demand grows. In most countries, inward orientation has been an interventionist strategy that shifted incentives away from agriculture and toward industry. It can be achieved through altering relative prices, for example, by levying tariffs or imposing quotas to restrict external sources of industrial goods. Either form of intervention causes domestic prices of industrial goods to rise and creates additional incentives for domestic investment in manufacturing plant, equipment, and other inputs. Alternatively, inward orientation can be achieved through intervention in the domestic economy to reduce the prices received for agricultural produce and/or to subsidize production of industrial output.
Victorian Cougar: H. Rider Haggard’s She“, Ageing and Sexual Selection in Marriage

H. Rider Haggard's late nineteenth-century novel She (1887) details the adventures of two British explorers who venture deep into the heart of Africa, where they encounter an ageless, white African queen. The novel has fascinated Victorian scholars with its depictions of race, gender and power, but I argue that what distinguishes this novel is the way that Darwinian arguments infuse the narrative with male anxieties about older women and female choice in marriage. The ageless, white queen Ayesha promotes a narrative that is ripe for exploration about the nexus of age and power. While my book The January-May Marriage in Nineteenth Century British Literature (Palgrave Macmillan 2009) argues that age is an aspect of gender by focusing on the figure of the ageing male husband in nineteenth-century literature, I turn here to the less common figure of the older wife. Ayesha, also called ‘she who must be obeyed', challenges typical readings of Victorian power distribution in marriage. Using Darwin's theories of mate selection, Haggard engages this female character to pique Victorian anxieties about female choice in marriage. What is revealed is not a renewed sense of "natural" male selection, but overlapping anxieties about women's power, the ageing female body and degeneration.
Hidden technical debt in Machine learning systems

Machine learning offers a fantastically powerful toolkit for building useful complex prediction systems quickly. This paper argues it is dangerous to think of these quick wins as coming for free. Using the software engineering framework of technical debt, we find it is common to incur massive ongoing maintenance costs in real-world ML systems. We explore several ML-specific risk factors to account for in system design. These include boundary erosion, entanglement, hidden feedback loops, undeclared consumers, data dependencies, configuration issues, changes in the external world, and a variety of system-level anti-patterns.
Duration of prophylaxis against fungal infection in kidney transplant recipients

Objective—To compare the efficacy of 2 strategies that use nystatin to prevent thrush and Candida esophagitis in kidney transplant recipients. Methods—A retrospective chart review was conducted of adult kidney transplant recipients at our center, where the protocol for prophylaxis against fungal infection was changed in March 2013. Before the protocol change, kidney transplant recipients received nystatin for 1 month (before group) and after the change they received nystatin for the duration of admission (after group). The primary outcome measure was the incidence of thrush and Candida esophagitis within 3 months after transplant. Analyses were conducted on all kidney transplant recipients (intention to treat) and on only those kidney transplant recipients who received at least 1 dose of nystatin (modified intention to treat). Additional data collected included the duration of nystatin and immunosuppression regimens. The Student t test and Fisher exact test were used to calculate P values for continuous a...
Finite Earthquake-Response of Inelastic Structure

A numerical procedure based on an absolute minimum principle has been developed for investigating the dynamic response of an inelastic structure at finite deformation. The inelastic response of a wide flange steel column, which is built in at the base and attached to a heavy mass at the top, to combined vertical and horizontal earthquake-type excitations, has been investigated. It has been shown that when the weight of the tip mass is much less than the Euler buckling load of the column, the dynamic response of the structure subjected to combined vertical and horizontal excitation does not deviate much from that caused by the horizontal excitation alone. However, when the tip mass is comparatively large, the vertical inertia force of the tip mass caused by the vertical excitation may influence the resultant motion of the structure under a combination of vertical and horizontal excitations, and consequently, the mode and time of collapse of the structure.
Genome-wide association and identification of candidate genes for age at puberty in swine.

Reproductive efficiency has a great impact on the economic success of pork production. Gilts comprise a significant portion of breeding females and gilts that reach puberty earlier tend to stay in the herd longer and be more productive. About 10 to 30 % of gilts never farrow a litter and the most common reasons for removal are anestrus and failure to conceive. Puberty in pigs is usually defined as the female’s first estrus in the presence of boar stimulation. Genetic markers associated with age at puberty will allow for selection on age at puberty and traits correlated with sow lifetime productivity. Gilts (n = 759) with estrus detection measurements ranging from 140–240 days were genotyped using the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip and SNP were tested for significant effects with a Bayesian approach using GenSel software. Of the available 8111 five-marker windows, 27 were found to be statistically significant with a comparison-wise error of P < 0.01. Ten QTL were highly significant at P < 0.005 level. Two QTL, one on SSC12 at 15 Mb and the other on SSC7 at 75 Mb, explained 16.87 % of the total genetic variance. The most compelling candidate genes in these two regions included the growth hormone gene (GH1) on SSC12 and PRKD1 on SSC7. Several loci confirmed associations previously identified for age at puberty in the pig and loci for age at menarche in humans. Several of the loci identified in this study have a physiological role for the onset of puberty and a genetic basis for sexual maturation in humans. Understanding the genes involved in regulation of the onset of puberty would allow for the improvement of reproductive efficiency in swine. Because age at puberty is a predictive factor for sow longevity and lifetime productivity, but not routinely measured or selected for in commercial herds, it would be beneficial to be able to use genomic or marker-assisted selection to improve these traits.
Construction material properties of slag from the high temperature arc gasification of municipal solid waste

Slag from the high temperature arc gasification (HTAG) of municipal solid waste (MSW) was tested to evaluate its material properties with respect to use as a construction aggregate. These data were compared to previously compiled values for waste to energy bottom ash, the most commonly produced and beneficially used thermal treatment residue. The slag was tested using gradations representative of a base course and a course aggregate. Los Angeles (LA) abrasion testing demonstrated that the HTAG slag had a high resistance to fracture with a measured LA loss of 24%. Soundness testing indicated a low potential for reactivity and good weathering resistance with a mean soundness loss of 3.14%. The modified Proctor compaction testing found the slag to possess a maximum dry density (24.04 kN/m3) greater than conventionally used aggregates and WTE BA. The LBR tests demonstrated a substantial bearing capacity (>200). Mineralogical analysis of the HTAG suggested the potential for self cementing character which supports the elevated LBR results. Preliminary material characterization of the HTAG slag establishes potential for beneficial use; larger and longer term studies focusing on the material’s possibility for swelling and performance at the field scale level are needed.
Quantification of body coloration for the lesser earless lizard, Holbrookia maculata: Evidence for interpopulational differences

RAZO-MENDIVIL, U., J. P. LACLETrE, AND G. PEREZPONCE DE LE6N. 1999. New host and locality records for three species of Glypthelmins (Digenea: Macroderoididae) in anurans of Mexico. Journal of the Helminthological Society of Washington 66:197-201. SALGADO-MALDONADO, G., R. PINEDA-L6PEZ, V. M. VIDAL-MARTINEZ, AND C. R. KENNEDY. 1997. A checklist of metazoan parasites of cichlid fish from Mexico. Journal of the Helminthological Society of Washington 64:195-207. VOGT, R. C., J.-L. VILLARREAL BENITEZ, AND G. PEREZHIGAREDA. 1997. Lista anotada de anfibios y reptiles. In: Gonzal6z Soriano, E., R. Dirzo, and R. C. Vogt, editors. Historia Natural de Los Tuxtlas. Instituto de Biologia, Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Aut6noma de M6xico and Com-
TRANSPLANT IMMUNITY TO POLYOMA VIRUS INDUCED TUMORS. I. CORRELATIONS WITH BIOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF VIRUS STRAINS.

SummaryEvidence is presented to show that 2 polyoma strains, 3049-H+ and 210-H-, which differ in a number of biological characteristics, induce similar degrees of transplant immunity in adult hamsters, and induce similar “antigens” in tumors produced in neonatal animals. A third strain, Dulbec-co's “large plaque” virus, is nearly identical with the 3049-H+ strain, but fails to stimulate transplant immunity against tumor cells induced by the 3049-H+ virus; instead, it appears to enhance tumor growth. Evidence is also presented to show that polyoma virus replicates poorly in the hamster (as measured by virus content of liver, spleen, and kidney) and may localize more specifically in an immunologically active organ, the spleen.
Is multiple sclerosis caused by Spirochaeta myelophthora (Steiner)

SummaryUsing technics very similar to those proposed by Ichelson, a study was made of 28 persons with well documented diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, and 14 persons with other conditions which involved the central nervous system. We attempted to isolate a spirochete similar to the one which Ichelson claims to have found. We were unable to confirm her work. The possibility that this result could have occurred by chance alone is statistically invalid.
Monitoring Global Risk of Cardiovascular Morbidity in an Emergency Department-Based Hypertension Registry

Background Emergency Departments see a unique population of patients who, for a variety of reasons including socio-economic status and access to health care, may be at greater risk for cardiovascular morbidity than the general population. Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey demonstrates that Emergency Departments (ED) are being used increasingly as a primary source of health care for patients. Objective To assess the global risk of cardiovascular morbidity in patients seen in a busy community-based ED utilizing a newly established Hypertension Registry. Setting A university hospital with 65,000 annual emergency patient visits; 44 percent of patients are minorities. Methods All patients presenting to the emergency department age18 years or older are screened for hypertension in addition to race, sex, and history of cardiovascular disease. The charts of all patients with blood pressure over 130/85 mm Hg or a history of hypertension (including medications) are assessed for the concomitant presence of cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes, smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and prior complications of hypertension including stroke, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. Home medications are recorded. ED course variables include cardiovascular medications given, subsequent blood pressures, diagnoses, admission status, discharge diagnosis and counseling. Results 3,923 patients were screened over 60 days. Twenty-nine percent gave a history of hypertension, and 37.4% had a blood pressure meeting at least stage 1 criteria (> 140/90 mm Hg). The majority of patients meeting Stage 1 criteria were unaware of their hypertension (52.7%). The table shows the increased frequency of both co-morbidities and prior complications of hypertension with advancing stages of hypertension in ED patients. The frequency of hypercholesterolemia did not vary with hypertension. Conclusions In this assessment of emergency department patients, global risk factors for cardiovascular morbidity increase with increasing stage of hypertension, and the frequency of known complications increase with the level of blood pressure. These risk factors are found in higher frequency than national averages. Reflecting the national changes in health care utilization, ED based hypertension registries may provide more timely and accurate information on cardiovascular risk and complications in community populations. Hypertension Stage Smoking Diabetes Mellitus Heart Failure (known) Stroke (known) Renal Disease (known) Stage 1 22.5% 14.1% 3.1% 2.6% 2.6% Stage 2 28.7% 18.4% 2.3% 4.6% 5.8% Stage 3 33.8% 24.6% 6.1% 9.2% 26.2%
Surgical treatment for aneurysm of aberrant subclavian artery based on a case report and a review of the literature

Experiences with the recent successful treatment of a patient with an aneurysm arising from an aberrant subclavian artery are described. The reported experiences with surgical treatment by others were reviewed in detail: Only 16 such patients were found, with a surprising frequency of serious complications. These data led to the conclusion that a two-stage approach, through right cervical and left thoracotomy incisions, seems to offer the ideal method of treatment for this unusual problem.