cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Receptor for advanced glycation end products activation injures primary sensory neurons via oxidative stress.

The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) may promote diabetic vascular and renal disease through the activation of intracellular signaling pathways that promote oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is a mediator of hyperglycemia-induced cell injury and a unifying theme for all mechanisms of diabetic complications, but there are few studies on the expression and potential contribution of RAGE in diabetic neuropathy. The current study demonstrates that dorsal root ganglia neurons express functional RAGE and respond to the RAGE ligand S100 with similar downstream signaling, oxidative stress, and cellular injury as other diabetic complication-prone tissues. RAGE-induced phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase activity is associated with formation of reactive oxygen species, caspase-3 activation, and nuclear DNA degradation. These events are prevented by treatment with the antioxidant α-lipoic acid. Our data indicate that therapies aimed at decreasing RAGE ligands, blocking RAGE signaling, or preventing oxi...
Imaging of Pancreatic Neoplasms

Ductal adenocarcinoma accounts for 85% to 90% of all solid pancreatic neoplasms, is increasing in incidence, and is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. There are currently no screening tests available for the detection of ductal adenocarcinoma. The only chance for cure in pancreatic adenocarcinoma is surgery. Imaging has a crucial role in the identification of the primary tumor, vascular variants, identification of metastases, disease response assessment to treatment, and prediction of respectability. Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms can have a distinctive appearance and pattern of spread, which should be recognized on imaging for appropriate management of these patients.
Bridging morphological transitions to the metazoa.

SYNOPSIS. Our inability to answer many questions regarding the development of metazoan complexity may be due in part to the prevailing idea that most eukaryote ‘‘phyla’’ originated within a short period of geologic time from simple unicellular ancestors. This view, however, is contradicted by evidence that larger groups of eukaryotes share characters, suggesting that these assemblages inherited characters from a common ancestor. Because molecular analyses have had limited success in resolving the relationships of higher eukaryote taxa, we have undertaken a phylogenetic analysis based primarily on morphological characters. The analysis emphasizes characters considered to have a high probability of having evolved only once. Transitions between taxa are evaluated for the likelihood of character-state transformations. The analysis indicates that the evolutionary history of the clade containing the Metazoa has been complex, encompassing the gain and loss of a secondary and perhaps a primary photosynthetic endosymbiont with accompanying changes in trophic level. The history also appears to have included a hetero-autotrophic ancestor that possessed a ‘‘conoid’’ feeding apparatus and may have involved a transformation from a flagellate to an amoeboid body form, a trend toward increased intracellular compartmentation, and the development of complex social behavior. Such changes could have been critical for establishing the underlying complexity required for a rapid diversification of cell and tissue types in the early stages of metazoan evolution.
Establishing authenticated channels and secure identifiers in ad-hoc networks

In this work, we describe a method for establishing authenticated channels in a wireless ad-hoc network. The presented protocol is fully self-organized, and it also provides an identiflcation framework. The two main contributions are (1) a fully self-organized protocol that establishes an authenticated communication channel between nodes of a wireless ad-hoc network and (2) a secure identifler framework that is resilient to impersonation. The authenticated channel provided by the protocol can then be used to establish a secret communication channel between nodes. The authentic identiflers established can be used to associate network (and upper) layer identiflers to prevent spooflng. They can also serve as a reliable basis for reputation management protocols. The paper analyzes the proposed approach in terms of security and complexity (both communication and storage).
Iron-Deficiency Anemia and the Cycle of Poverty among Human Immunodeficiency Virus—Infected Women in the Inner City

The prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia appears to be extremely high among female injection drug users in the inner city who have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and/or hepatitis C (HCV) infections. Iron deficiency and its associated anemia may contribute to reduced energetic efficiency, lower aerobic capacity, decreased endurance, and fatigue. In practical terms, the functional limitations of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anemia may affect the ability of women to participate in work, school, social, and family activities. Iron deficiency may contribute to the cycle of poverty in the inner city by limiting the ability of women to work, earn money, and afford iron-rich sources of food. Although iron supplementation may prevent or treat iron deficiency, the use of iron supplements needs to be approached with caution in women with HIV and HCV infections.
Importing the Bomb: Sensitive Nuclear Assistance and Nuclear Proliferation

Why do nuclear weapons spread? Using new data on sensitive nuclear transfers, this article analyzes the determinants of nuclear proliferation. The author first describes a simple logic of the technical and strategic advantages that potential nuclear proliferators can gain by importing nuclear materials and technology from more advanced nuclear states. The author then shows that sensitive nuclear transfers are an important determinant of nuclear proliferation. In broader terms, the author find strong support for a supply-side approach to nuclear proliferation. States that are better able to produce nuclear weapons, due to either international assistance or domestic capacity, are more likely to do so.
An improved dynamic model of photosynthesis for estimation of carbon gain in sunfleck light regimes

A dynamic model of leaf photosynthesis for C 3 plants has been developed for examination of the role of the dynamic properties of the photosynthetic apparatus in regulating CO 2 assimilation in variable light regimes. The model is modified from the Farquhar-von Caemmerer-Berry model by explicitly including metabolite pools and the effects of light activation and deactivation of Calvin cycle enzymes. It is coupled to a dynamic stomatal conductance model, with the assimilation rate at any time being determined by the joint effects of the dynamic biochemical model and the stomatal conductance model on the intercellular CO 2 pressure. When parametrized for each species, the model was shown to exhibit responses to step changes in photon flux density that agreed closely with the observed responses for both the understory plant Alocasia macrorrhiza and the crop plant Glycine max. Comparisons of measured and simulated photosynthesis under simulated light regimes having natural patterns of lightfleck frequencies and durations showed that the simulated total for Alocasia was within ±4% of the measured total assimilation, but that both were 12-50% less than the predictions from a steady-state solution of the model. Agreement was within ±10% for Glycine max, and only small differences were apparent between the dynamic and steady-state predictions. The model may therefore be parametrized for quite different species, and is shown to reflect more accurately the dynamics of photosynthesis than earlier dynamic models.
How Hard Are the Sceptical Paradoxes

The sceptic about the external world presents us with a paradox: an apparently acceptable argument for an apparently unacceptable conclusion—that we do not know anything about the external world. Some paradoxes, for instance the liar and the sorites, are very hard. The defense of a purported solution to either of these two inevitably deploys the latest in high-tech philosophical weaponry. On the other hand, some paradoxes are not at all hard, and may be resolved without much fuss. They do not contain profound lessons about the human condition. Where should we place the sceptical paradoxes?
Reverse link capacity of CDMA systems with imperfect beamforming using different types of antenna arrays

The reverse link capacity of a direct-sequence code-division multiple-access (DS-CDMA) system in a multicell environment with both perfect and imperfect beamforming has been studied recently. In a practical implementation, the design of the antenna array may be constrained by the available space or the number of antennas. We investigate the maximum reverse link capacity of CDMA systems using different types of arrays, including linear, circular and rectangular arrays, with a fixed size. The CDMA capacity for different types of arrays with a fixed number of antennas is also examined. The capability of antenna arrays to combat the impairments of beamforming, such as arrival angle estimation errors and angular spreads, is closely related to their geometries. The impact of array geometry on system performance considering beamforming impairments is also examined and illustrated through numerical results.
Weighted least mean square design of 2-D FIR digital filters: the general case

This paper solves the weighted least mean square (WLMS) design of two-dimensional (2-D) finite impulse response (FIR) filters with general half plane symmetric frequency responses and nonnegative weighting functions. The optimal solution is characterized by a pair of coupled integral equations, and the existence and uniqueness of the WLMS solution for 2-D FIR filter design are established. Two efficient numerical algorithms using a 2-D fast Fourier transform (FFT) are proposed to solve the WLMS solution. One is based on the contraction mapping and fix point theorem characterizing the coupled integral equation; the other uses conjugate gradient techniques, which guarantees finite convergence. The associated computational complexity is analyzed and compared with existing algorithms. Examples are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed design algorithms. The selection of weighting functions to improve the minimax performance of the filter is also discussed.
Viral diseases of the respiratory system

Infectious bronchitis, Newcastle disease, infectious laryngotracheitis, avian influenza, and pneumovirus are the viruses that more frequently affect the respiratory tract of chickens. Because of the tendency to change its antigenic properties, infectious bronchitis is currently the viral disease present in most poultry producing areas of the world. New serotypes and variant strains are reported in several countries. Current commercially available vaccines do not always provide protection against new field isolates. Vaccination programs are constantly adjusted in an attempt to improve protection against this disease. Infectious laryngotracheitis has appeared in the broiler industry as a serious disease. Improved vaccines are needed to control the disease in broilers. In the U.S., the control of the highly pathogenic forms of avian influenza and the velogenic forms of Newcastle disease have been achieved by eradication. In other countries, effective vaccines have been used to control Newcastle and avian influenza. Avian pneumovirus infection is also an emerging disease of chickens and turkeys.
Application of a graphic method of analysis to hydrographs of runoff‐plots of various lengths

To determine the effect of length and percentage-slope on soil- and water-losses, the Soil Conservation Service installed equipment for recording rainfall and runoff from various lengths of plots on slopes of five and nine per cent at the Dixon Springs Experiment Station in Pope County, Illinois. The station is located in the loess area of the lower Mississippi, which area is unglaciated badly eroded, and low in productivity. Plots are located on four different sites or locations. The slope of two sites is five per cent, and of the remaining two, nine per cent. Five individual plots of various lengths each 42 feet in width are located on each of the four sites. Two plots 85 feet in length and single plots 70, 140, and 210 feet in length are represented on each site. Recording equipment for measurement of runoff was installed in the summer of 1940 on one plot of each length on each site. All sites were equipped with one recording and two or more standard rain-gages. Runoff is measured by type-H and type-HS flumes equipped with water-stage recorders. A three-year crop rotation of corn, winter wheat (lespedeza seeding), and lespedeza was followed. The winter wheat and lespedeza stands were grazed.
Effects of cardiotonic steroids on trabecular meshwork cells: search for mediator of ouabain-enhanced outflow facility.

Lowering intraocular pressure (IOP) is currently the only strategy documented to slow the onset and progression of glaucomatous blindness. Ouabain, a cardiotonic glycoside inhibitor of Na(+), K(+)-activated ATPase, was recently reported to enhance outflow facility in porcine anterior segments at concentrations as low as 30 nM for ≥4 h, suggesting a novel approach to lowering IOP. The underlying mechanism is unknown, but associated cytoskeletal changes were observed in porcine trabecular meshwork cells. We have previously found that changes in ATP release and subsequent ectoenzymatic conversion to adenosine may play a role in linking cytoskeletal remodeling with modulation of outflow resistance. We now tested whether altered ATP release might also be a mediator of ouabain's effect on outflow facility. ATP release from transformed human TM5 and explant-derived human trabecular meshwork cells was measured by the luciferin-luciferase reaction. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were studied by zymography, cell Na(+) concentration by SBFI fluorometry, gene expression of ATP-release pathways by real-time PCR, cell volume by electronic cell sorting and cell viability by the LDH and MTT methods. Actin was examined by confocal microscopy of phalloidin-stained cells. Contrary to expectation, ouabain at concentrations ≥10 nM inhibited swelling-triggered ATP release from TM5 cells after ≥4 h of exposure. Inhibition was enhanced by increasing ouabain concentration and exposure time. Similar effects were produced by the reversible cardiac aglycone strophanthidin. Ouabain also inhibited swelling-activated ATP release from explant-derived native human TM cells. Ouabain (4 h, 30 nM and 100 nM) did not alter gene expression of the ATP-release pathways, and cell viability was unchanged by exposure to ouabain (30 nM-1 μM). Preincubation with 30 nM ouabain for 4 h did not detectably change Na(+) level, the regulatory volume decrease (RVD) or the actin cytoskeleton of TM5 cells, but did inhibit hypotonicity-elicited ATP release. Moreover, even when N-methyl-d-glucosamine replaced Na(+) in the extracellular fluid, ouabain still inhibited swelling-initiated ATP release at 100 nM. In the absence of ouabain, extracellular ATP stimulated MMP secretion, which was largely blocked by inhibiting conversion of ATP to adenosine, as expected. In contrast, ouabain reduced ATP release, but did not alter secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 from cells pretreated for ≤4 h. The results suggest that: (1) ouabain can trigger enhancement of outflow facility independent of its transport and actin-restructuring effects exerted at higher concentration and longer duration; (2) ouabain exerts parallel independent effects on ATP release and outflow facility; and (3) these effects likely reflect ouabain-induced changes in the scaffolding and/or signaling functions of Na(+), K(+)-activated ATPase.
Spongiform Leukoencephalopathy Induced in Mice by Oral Benzidine Administration

Small foci of spongy change, often bilaterally symmetric, were observed in the brains of mice exposed to benzidine dihydrochloride. These vacuoles were most frequent in the superior thalamic radiation of the internal capsule. They possibly represent swollen glial cells and intramyelinic vacuoles. No consistent relationship was observed between the presence of vacuoles in the brain and hepatic lesions in these mice, and this change may be attributable to benzidine treatment unrelated to toxic effects of the liver.
Narrow linewidth high power thermally tuned sampled-grating distributed Bragg reflector laser

We demonstrate a thermally tuned SGDBR laser with high thermal tuning efficiency; 300kHz spectral linewidth, +16dBm fiber-coupled output power, 40dB SMSR, and millisecond timescale tuning are achieved over a 40nm wavelength range across the C-band.
Shape distributions of protein topography.

A method is presented for measuring protein surface shape. It is an improvement of an earlier method that intersects a sphere with the solvent-excluded volume of a protein molecule. The new method, called a shape distribution, produces a more sophisticated description of the region of the sphere inside the protein than is provided by simply measuring the region's area or solid angle. This method is applied to the prediction of molecular complexes in three systems: the hemoglobin nonallosteric interface, trypsin and trypsin inhibitor, and heme and apomyoglobin. It does not uniquely predict the correct structure, even though the individual structures are taken from the experimentally determined complex structure. However, it does provide a list of several hundred predicted complexes, one of which is correct, and from which the correct complex might be extracted by a subsequent chemical filter. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Some Conceptual and Methodological Issues in Expectancy Models of Work Performance Motivation

Expectancy-type models are the dominant paradigm for research in work-related motivation, although empirical support for these models has been uneven. Part of the variability of empirical support is probably due to problems of concept and methodology associated with these formulations. Drawing on the critical literature, the apparent central problems are identified and directions for their resolution are suggested.
Antipsychotics for BPSD: an audit of prescribing practice in a specialist psychiatric inpatient unit.

Background: Antipsychotics are widely used for the treatment of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). In the light of the increased risk of cerebrovascular events, many countries have issued guidelines concerning their use in treating BPSD. Methods: We carried out an audit of antipsychotic prescribing practice for inpatients with BPSD at a tertiary referral centre using standards derived from two U.K. dementia guidelines. We collated case note and prescription data and interviewed consultant psychiatrists. Results: Of the 60 patients with dementia 50 (83%) had BPSD; of these, 28 (56%) were receiving antipsychotics. Those prescribed antipsychotics were more likely to have severe BPSD and to be aggressive and/or agitated. Audit of the 28 patients receiving antipsychotics for BPSD showed generally satisfactory results but there was room for improvement in case note documentation of off- label usage, screening for risk factors of cerebrovascular disease, consultation with relatives and use of an appropriate starting dose and slow titration of the antipsychotic. Conclusion: Audit of the use of antipsychotics for BPSD is important given the increased mortality associated with their use. Simple audit tools as used in this study can inform clinical practice. Even at a tertiary referral centre prescribing practice could be improved.
Effects of Estrogen on Feather Phaeomelanin Intensity in the Fowl

Abstract LIKE many other physiological processes, feather melanization has been shown to be influenced by the endocrine system. Most thoroughly studied in this respect are the roles of the thyroid and the gonads in the development of the sexually dichromatic pattern of the Light Brown Leghorn (see Smyth, 1965, for description of plumage pattern). These studies have been reviewed in detail by Trinkaus (1953) and indicate that estrogen and thyroxine interact to produce the pigment pattern of the adult female Light Brown Leghorn. The absence of estrogen rather than the presence of androgen results in the adult male pattern. Although the sexual dichromatism in this breed involves within-feather-tract synthesis of eumelanin vs. phaeomelanin, the presence of the latter is not necessary for eumelanin suppression as shown by such silver wild types as the Silver Duckwing Game, in which white feathers normally occur in place of the red. There is less information …
Neuromorphic Pitch Attitute Regulation of an Underwater Telerobot

Previous research performed in the Space Systems Laboratory has demonstrated the feasibility of teaching neural networks to regulate dynamic systems. This neuromorphic control algorithm is a direct application of the back propagation entrainment method, with those modifications required to pose the problem in a control systems framework. Prior work has been limited to computer simulation of the properties of the regulators developed by these networks: this paper presents the experimental results of using trained neural networks to regulate the pitch attitute of an underwater telerobot. The networks perform as predicted by the simulation results, however it is observed that the complexity of the calculations required can create unacceptable delays when using a single serial microprocessor to compute the control. This problem becomes especially acute when scalling the architecture to more complex neural topologies. Special purpose hardware, which directly implements the neural equations and hence realizes the benefits of the natural parallelism of these models, is seen as a necessary development for the effective use of neural controllers.
Assessment of Mental Retardation

Publisher Summary The diagnosis of mental retardation can have a profound impact on a person's life. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) distinguishes four categories of mental retardation based on degrees of severity: mild mental retardation, moderate mental retardation, severe mental retardation, and profound mental retardation. The diagnosis of mental retardation requires documentation that an individual displays diminished levels of intelligence as well as significant deficits in adaptive behavior during the developmental period. Adaptive behavior generally refers to a person's ability to meet the standards of personal behavior and independence expected from peers of their age within their culture. Measures of adaptive behavior typically ask respondents who know the person well to indicate whether the person displays important behaviors associated with a variety of adaptive behaviors. Individuals with mental retardation differ in their adaptive skill strengths and deficits and, except for those with severe and profound levels, are unlikely to show signiﬁcant deﬁcits in all areas of functioning.
Endometrial aspiration in fertility control: a report of 500 cases.

Abstract Outpatient endometrial aspiration was offered to patients who suspected that they were pregnant, but were within 5 to 21 days after failure of expected menstruation and had a uterus of normal size on pelvic examination. This is a report of 500 consecutive cases treated between September 1973, and April 1975. Histologic examination of the aspirated tissue was obtained on all 500 cases (100 per cent). Follow-up examination and urine pregnancy test at 2 weeks were obtained on 407 patients (81.4 per cent). Histologic evidence of pregnancy was obtained in 323 patients (64.6 per cent). Complications were limited to five infections (1 per cent), only one of which led to hospitalization of the patient, and failure to completely evacuate the pregnant uterus in 39 patients (12.1 per cent of the 323 pregnant). Thirty-four of these had the uterus emptied by a second outpatient procedure and five patients were hospitalized to complete their abortion.
On the demonstration of circulating human endogenous pyrogen.

SummaryAcclimatized rabbits were injected intravenously with 10 ml/kg plasma aliquots from patients febrile with Rocky Mountain spotted fever (104–105°F). Prior to assay, the febrile phase human plasma was processed by repeated absorptions with packed washed rabbit erythrocytes at 4° to remove all detectable heterophile agglutinins. The latter were found in all human plasma samples tested and accounted for their febrile and lethal activity in the rabbit. Ten of 11 absorbed febrile phase human plasma aliquots failed to evoke any febrile response. These negative findings could not be attributed to depression of rabbit thermoregulatory mechanisms or to absorption of human endogenous pyrogen during heterophile agglutinin removal. Since the negative findings might be related to relative insensitivity of the rabbit to human endogenous pyrogen, additional attempts to demonstrate circulating human endogenous pyrogen were performed with human recipients. Five hundred milliliters whole heparinized blood drawn from ...
Innate Human Serum Cidal Activity Against Clinical Yeast Isolates

Data were collected retrospectively on the incidence of several species of yeasts. Inherent human serum cidal activity was then determined for the most common clinical yeast isolates. The most prevalent clinical isolates were Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis and Candida glabrata. The least amount of innate serum activity was seen against Candida albicans, Candida glabrata and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.
The role of computational physics in the liberal arts curriculum

The role of computational physics education varies dramatically from department to department. We will discuss a new computational physics course at Randolph-Macon College and our attempt to identify where it fits (or should fit) into the larger liberal arts curriculum and why. In doing so, we will describe the goals of the course, and how the liberal arts curriculum conditions the exploration of computational physics.
ORGANIC FOODS–ANOTHER CONSUMER HOAX?1

Today's food industry is under great consumer attack. Consumer demands have served to increase the number of food products to 7,800; about 3,300–3,500 new products are introduced annually. Nearly all new products can be classified as convenience foods. With such a rapidly changing market, consumer confidence in the food industry has been lost and, because of confusion created, the consumer has become increasingly fearful of chemically contaminated foods. This fear is substantiated by increased public interest in so-called organic foods or organically-grown foods, proliferation of health food stores, and introduction of health food sections into supermarket chains. It is estimated that there are some 7 million organic food consumers, and that sales of natural foods (organic) will reach $500 million in 1972. Today only a limited number of organic farms and wholesalers of organic foods exist. The opportunity for fraud is great. A sign over an organic food section, or a label claiming “organic,” does not guar...
Diagnosis and Staging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common tumor in the world, and its incidence is increasing. It is second most common cause of cancer related death worldwide and fastest growing cause of cancer death in the United States. Cirrhosis is the most important clinical risk factor for HCC, with approximately 80% of cases of HCC developing in patients with a cirrhotic liver. HCC differs from most malignancies because it is commonly diagnosed on the basis of imaging features alone, without histologic confirmation. The prognosis of HCC depends largely on the stage at which the tumor is detected. The detection of HCC early in its development, therefore, is critical to improve the survival of affected patients. In this talk, we discuss surveillance strategies with ultrasonography (US) as the primary screening imaging test as well as current state of the art for the imaging-based diagnosis and staging of HCC.
Evaluating the impact of irrigation on surface water – groundwater interaction and stream temperature in an agricultural watershed

Changes in groundwater discharge to streams caused by irrigation practices can influence stream temperature. Observations along two currently flood-irrigated reaches in the 640-square-kilometer upper Smith River watershed, an important agricultural and recreational fishing area in west-central Montana, showed a downstream temperature decrease resulting from groundwater discharge to the stream. A watershed-scale coupled surface water and groundwater flow model was used to examine changes in streamflow, groundwater discharge to the stream and stream temperature resulting from irrigation practices. The upper Smith River watershed was used to develop the model framework including watershed climate, topography, hydrography, vegetation, soil properties and current irrigation practices. Model results were used to compare watershed streamflow, groundwater recharge, and groundwater discharge to the stream for three scenarios: natural, pre-irrigation conditions (PreIrr); current irrigation practices involving mainly stream diversion for flood and sprinkler irrigation (IrrCurrent); and a hypothetical scenario with only groundwater supplying sprinkler irrigation (IrrGW). Irrigation increased groundwater recharge relative to natural PreIrr conditions because not all applied water was removed by crop evapotranspiration. Groundwater storage and groundwater discharge to the stream increased relative to natural PreIrr conditions when the source of irrigation water was mainly stream diversion as in the IrrCurrent scenario. The hypothetical IrrGW scenario, in which groundwater withdrawals were the sole source of irrigation water, resulted in widespread lowering of the water table and associated decreases in groundwater storage and groundwater discharge to the stream. A mixing analysis using model predicted groundwater discharge along the reaches suggests that stream diversion and flood irrigation, represented in the IrrCurrent scenario, has led to cooling of stream temperatures relative to natural PreIrr conditions improving fish thermal habitat. However, the decrease in groundwater discharge in the IrrGW scenario resulting from large-scale groundwater withdrawal for irrigation led to warmer than natural stream temperatures and possible degradation of fish habitat.
Biocompatible, large-format, inkjet printed heterostructure MoS 2 -graphene photodetectors on conformable substrates

An inkjet printed, biocompatible, heterostructure photodetector is described that was constructed using inks of photo-active molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and electrically conducting graphene which facilitated charge collection of the photocarriers. The importance of such devices stems from their potential utility in age-related-macular degeneration, which is a condition where the photosensitive retinal tissue degrades with aging, eventually compromising vision. The absence of effective therapeutic remedies for patients with this disorder has motivated the development of such devices to restore some degree of visual function. Inkjet printed, flexible prosthetic devices offer design simplicity where additive manufacturing can enable large format, low-cost arrays. The biocompatible inkjet printed two-dimensional heterojunction devices were photoresponsive to broadband incoming radiation in the visible regime, and the photocurrent I ph scaled proportionally with the incident light intensity, exhibiting a photoresponsivity R ~ 0.30 A/W. This is 103 times higher compared to prior reports, and detectivity D was calculated to be ~3.6 × 1010 Jones. Strain-dependent measurements were also conducted with bending, indicating the feasibility of such devices printed on flexible substrates. Drop cast and printed CT-MoS2 inks were characterized using techniques, such as Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence measurements and scanning electron microscopy. Both mouse embryonic fibroblast and human esophageal fibroblast were used for the biocompatibility analysis for inks drop cast on two types of flexible substrates, polyethylene terephthalate and polyimide. The biocompatibility of inks formed using two-dimensional graphene and MoS2 on polyimide substrates was extremely high, in excess of 98% for mouse embryonic fibroblast. Photodetectors based on inkjet-printed MoS2/graphene heterostructures show a remarkable degree of biocompatibility and cell survival rates. A team led by Anupama B. Kaul at University of Texas El Paso devised photosensitive pixels based on heterostructures of inkjet-printed two-dimensional materials. Using photosensitive and semiconducting MoS2 in combination with electrically conducting graphene, biocompatible inks were synthesized and inkjet printed on flexible, conformable PET and polymide substrates. Exposing the photodetectors to different cell lines allowed testing their applicability to biomedical scenarios. The MoS2/graphene heterostructures printed on polymide showed favorable conditions for cell proliferation when exposed to mouse embryonic and human esophageal fibroblasts, indicating a high degree of biocompatibility. These results show promise for the application of 2D materials for retinal prosthetic devices.
Management of Fluid Balance and Perioperative Renal Complications

Heart disease is associated with chronic and acute kidney disease. Decreased glomerular filtration rate negatively affects the prognosis of heart failure. Renal and liver dysfunctions often improve after left ventricular assist device placement, but complications in the postoperative period—especially hemodynamic instability, considerable blood loss and blood product replacement, prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time, right heart failure, and increased central venous pressure—are associated with postoperative kidney injury and the need for renal replacement therapy. Left ventricular assist device placement in patients with a higher INTERMACS (Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support) score of 2 or 3 vs. 1 may reduce the incidence of postoperative renal complications. Up to 50% of patients who develop acute kidney injury or acute tubular necrosis after left ventricular assist device placement may not recover adequate renal function to discontinue dialysis. In addition, patients who initially recover renal function may have late deterioration in glomerular filtration rate and require long-term renal replacement. These two groups of patients, once stable after the index admission, can remain exceptionally stable on long-term dialysis and undergo standard outpatient hemodialysis with arteriovenous access or peritoneal dialysis.
Use of Proprietary Names by Prescribers When Prescribing Over-the-Counter (OTC) Drug Products

Background:To identify if proprietary names are used by health care practitioners when prescribing over-the-counter (OTC) drug products. These findings can inform evaluation of proposed proprietary...
Nontypical Salmonella meningitis in an infant.

A previously healthy 3-month-old girl was admitted to the hospital after 1 day of fever, decreased oral intake, irritability, lethargy, and decreased activity. Examination disclosed a bulging anter...
The smart money: driving shareholder value through better capital allocation

As shareholder activism has grown both in its scope and influence, management teams are under increasing pressure to justify their decisions around the allocation of capital – whether it be through dividends, share buybacks, an expansion project, M&A or a greenfield project. However, for the oil and gas sector, much like the mining sector, it has been historically difficult to demonstrate continued excellence in capital decision making. In the past, capital intensive, long-dated projects (multi-billion dollar LNG developments) and large-scale M&A saw returns and pay-offs that were both distant and uncertain. Now, with so much investor scrutiny and focus on short term performance, demonstrated capital discipline is paramount – oil and gas leaders must think very carefully about where they allocate capital. Although they present their own challenges, capital allocation decisions, unlike commodity prices or the macroeconomic climate, are within the control of companies, and if a model can be developed to deliver long-term value, these decisions will position shareholders and their management teams well for the future. This paper will chart the performance of a sample of oil and gas companies against their decisions around capital allocation and cost-reduction. The paper will demonstrate to oil and gas leaders the importance of aligning their organisational strategies and balance sheet investments to create future value for shareholders.
Incorporating Uncertainty in Intrusion Detection to Enhance Decision Making

Network security defense often involves uncertain data which can lead to uncertain judgments regarding the existence and extent of attacks. However, analytic uncertainty and false positive decisions can be integrated into analysis tools to facilitate the process of decision making. This paper presents an interactive method to specify and visualize uncertain decisions to assist in the detection process of network intrusions. Uncertain decisions on the degree of suspicious activity for both temporal durations and individual nodes are integrated into the analysis process to aide in revealing hidden attack patterns. Our approach has been implemented in an existing security visualization system, which is used as the baseline for comparing the effects of newly added uncertainty visualization component. The case studies and comparison results demonstrate that uncertainty visualization can significantly improve the decision making process for attack detection.
Hemoglobin MKankakee, A New Variant of Hemoglobin M

1. A new variant of hemoglobin M (hemoglobin MKankakee) has been detected in a family in Illinois. 2. The spectroscopic and electrophoretic features of this new mutant are described. 3. Hybridization with canine hemoglobin indicates the presence of abnormal α chains.
A Case of Intravenous Leiomyomatosis with Involvement of a Renal Vein

Our patient is a 44-year-old woman who underwent exploratory laparotomy with total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy by gynecologic oncology for a suspected malignancy. The diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) was made instead. She was followed by her gynecologist and remained asymptomatic until 2 years later when she complained to the GYN of leg heaviness, and 2 months later also complained of palpitations. She was treated with a short course of megestrol without any clinical response. She was then referred to Vascular Surgery. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast demonstrated intraluminal lesions in the inferior vena cava (IVC) extending to the mid-portion of the retrohepatic vena cava and into the left renal vein which could be followed to the blind end of the remnant of the left gonadal vein. Transabdominal resection was performed via a midline incision with reflection of the right colon and hepatic flexure to the left in conjunction with a Kocher maneuver and mobilization of the liver anteriorly, exposing the IVC from the bifurcation to the hepatic veins. Tumor inside the IVC could be palpated extending from the point of origin of the remnant of the right gonadal vein to below the level of the hepatic veins. The most superior portion of the tumor was mobile inside the IVC and was milked down to just above the renal veins. Control was obtained below and above the tumor as well as of the bilateral renal veins and lumbars. The patient was given systemic anticoagulation and after 3 min blood flow was interrupted. The IVC was opened via a longitudinal venotomy. The segment into the left renal vein could not be removed, and the left renal vein was amputated leaving a blind segment in the left renal vein without connection to the central venous circulation. The tumor originated inferiorly from the remnant of the right gonadal vein, and the venotomy was extended inferiorly to encircle the origin of the right gonadal vein. The remnant of the right gonadal vein was then resected en-masse with the tumor and a small island of IVC around it. The venotomy in the IVC was then closed. On follow-up, the patient is asymptomatic and without radiographic evidence of recurrence 22 months after surgery. On planning for resection of IVL, it is of critical importance to consider the proximal and distal extent of the tumor, but also the various routes through which the tumor may reach the central venous circulation, to include the bilateral hypogastric veins, the right gonadal vein, and the left renal vein via the left gonadal vein.
Behind the Bandstand: Jay G. Sims and the Internal Workings of the Sousa Band

From 1919 to 1932 trombonist, Jay G. Sims, served as the personnel manager for the Sousa Band. The Harry Ransom Center at University of Texas at Austin holds Sim's business correspondences which divulge his crucial role in the band’s operations, shedding light on his contributions to the band's success as a touring group. Notwithstanding so, there is relatively little information about him in the existing scholarship on John Philip Sousa and the Sousa Band. This paper explores Sims’ position as personnel manager for the Sousa Band through an examination of his correspondences. There is particular focus on his day-to-day functions, including his input on hiring decisions and recruitment of members, as well as purchasing of equipment for the band’s performances. Furthermore, Sims’ correspondence offers a rare, behind-the-scenes glimpse of the Sousa Band, one of the most famous touring musical groups of the early-twentieth century. By using Sims’ own documents as a primary source, it is possible through letters and invoices, not only to determine the exact nature of Sims’ role within the Sousa Band, but also how his administrative position impacted the band’s operations.
External beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy boost versus radical prostatectomy and adjuvant radiation therapy for high-risk prostate cancer.

21Background: Previous studies have suggested that combination external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) with brachytherapy boost (BT) for high-risk prostate cancer is associated with equivalent overa...
Retrospective Comparison of Appropriate Statin Use Between Patients With Diabetes in the Primary Care Setting Managed by Pharmacists or Internal Medicine Providers

Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare statin prescribing practices according to the American Diabetes Association’s Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2017 between diabetes patients managed by pharmacists versus those managed by internal medicine providers. Design and methods. A retrospective observational study was completed using the electronic health record of a multispecialty private practice. A total of 176 patients were included in the study, with 88 each in the pharmacy and internal medicine groups. Patients were ≥40 years of age with diabetes and managed by an internal medicine provider or a pharmacist between January and December 2017. Descriptive statistics, χ2, and unpaired t tests were used to describe between-group differences. Results. More pharmacy than internal medicine patients were prescribed appropriate statin therapy (47.7 vs. 34.1%, P = 0.092), particularly those needing high-intensity statins (44.3 vs. 27.4%, P = 0.03). Females, patients 40–75 years of age, and patients with no history of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the pharmacy group were more likely to receive appropriate treatment (37.5 vs. 15.0%, P = 0.022; 46.8 vs. 29.7%, P = 0.039; and 45.3 vs. 23.5%, P = 0.015, respectively). Overall, more males than females were prescribed appropriate statin therapy (53.1 vs. 26.3%, P = 0.001). Conclusion. Although there were no overall significant differences in statin prescribing between the pharmacy and internal medicine groups, patients needing high-intensity statins, those who were female, and those who were younger were more likely to receive appropriate therapy when managed by a pharmacist. Appropriate statin prescribing remains low among diabetes patients, and optimization of this therapy should be prioritized.
Fertilizers, BT technology, and insecticides contributed to 60%, 23%, and 17%, respectively to the increase in BT cotton yield: An analysis from 2000 to 2014 in India

Complementary technologies and agricultural practices capable of sustaining profitability to the farmers cultivating BtCotton in India require urgent attention. In India, approval of Btcotton, cultivation of fertilizer-intensive hybrids, higher dose of fertilizer application by farmers, usage of novel pesticides all happened simultaneously during the same period (2002-04) which makes very difficult to identify the individual effect in the yield gain of cotton. In this background, we attempted to understand the proportionate contribution of fertilizers, BT technology and novel group of pesticides in enhancing cotton yield in India. For the analysis, linear regression model and change in partial factor productivity (PFP) of cotton was considered in four different scenarios for yield estimation between 2000 and 2014, i.e. Scenario I: Cotton yield in the absence of technology and enhanced fertilizers usage, Scenario II: Cotton yield only due to enhanced fertilizer usage, Scenario III: Cotton yield with enhanced fertilizer and application of novel pesticides for the insect control, and Scenario IV: Cotton yield due to BT technology, enhanced use of fertilizer, and novel insecticides (actual yield of Cotton in India during Bt phase).Their comparison showed that the individual effect of fertilizers, BT technology and insecticides contributed to 60%, 23% and 17% of cotton yield, respectively in India. Further, 18% reduction in PFP was observed recently as compared to 2003-08. Besides, 125 Kg/ha of fertilizers was identified as optimum dose for sustaining high yield in cotton. Thus, present analysis identified the individual effect of different technologies contributing to the yield of cotton in India which can be used in decision making processes for crop improvement. Further, in our opinion, three strategies namely drip fertigation, intercrossing Bt and non-Bt hybrids for resistance management in bollworms, and IPM for sucking pests will primarily drive the research priorities and policy actions for the next 5 to 10 years in sustaining the economic benefits of the six million cotton farmers in India.
Developmental Attenuation of Neuronal Apoptosis by Neural-Specific Splicing of Bak1 Microexon

Continuous neuronal survival is vital for mammals because mammalian brains have limited regeneration capability. After neurogenesis, suppression of apoptosis is needed to ensure a neuron's long-term survival. Here we describe a robust genetic program that intrinsically attenuates apoptosis competence in neurons. Developmental downregulation of the splicing regulator PTBP1 in immature neurons allows neural-specific splicing of the evolutionarily conserved Bak1 microexon 5. Exon 5 inclusion triggers nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) and unproductive translation of Bak1 transcripts (N-Bak mRNA), leading to suppression of pro-apoptotic BAK1 proteins and allowing neurons to reduce apoptosis. Germline heterozygous ablation of exon 5 increases BAK1 proteins exclusively in the brain, inflates neuronal apoptosis, and leads to early postnatal mortality. Therefore, neural-specific exon 5 splicing and depletion of BAK1 proteins uniquely repress neuronal apoptosis. Although apoptosis is important for development, attenuation of apoptosis competence through neural-specific splicing of the Bak1 microexon is essential for neuronal and animal survival.