cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A population genetic signature of human releases in an invasive ladybeetle.

Biological invasions have been accelerated by a variety of human activities. Propagule pressure, the number of introduced individuals and independent introductions, is probably to be influenced by these human activities and may be an important factor for successful range expansion in new environments. We tested whether the current distribution of the predatory ladybeetle Coccinella septempunctata in the introduced range (USA) is the result of multiple historical human introductions or natural range expansion from the first established populations in the USA. To test this hypothesis, we compared historical records of propagule size, propagule number, specific introduction locations and the date of each introduction, with estimates of genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA (cytochrome oxidase I). Our results indicated that genetic diversity in the introduced range was positively correlated with historical records of propagule size and number and negatively correlated with distance to nearest introduction point, suggesting that multiple human releases were successful. Higher genetic diversity in populations found near introduction points suggest that initial founder effects were limited, but lower genetic diversity found farther from introduction points is probably the result of serial founder effects during secondary range expansion. These results suggest that the current distribution of C. septempunctata in the introduced range is the result of a combination of human releases and short-range expansion from multiple established populations in the introduced range.
Factors associated with topical retinoid prescriptions for acne.

Background: Topical retinoids are recommended as the main therapy for most acne patients. Objective: To examine the factors associated with topical retinoid prescriptions for acne. Methods: Retrospective analyses used data from the 2005–2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) and the 2004–2007 Marketscan Medicaid Database. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the impact of patient and physician factors on the probability of getting a topical retinoid prescription. Results: Results from analyzing the NAMCS data showed that topical retinoids were prescribed in 40.9% of acne-related physician visits. Older age, male gender, and having Medicaid insurance were associated with a lower likelihood of getting a topical retinoid prescription. Moreover, we found in the Medicaid dataset that seeing a pediatrician or family doctor was associated with lower odds of getting a topical retinoid prescription than seeing a dermatologist (OR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.25). Limitations: The av...
Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm as a Complication of Carotid Artery Stenting

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has been adopted more in the treatment of carotid artery stenosis recently. The vast majority of studies about this procedure have concentrated mainly on the short- and long-term clinical complications, that is, stroke, myocardial infarction, and restenosis. However, mechanical complications including both stent fracture and carotid pseudoaneurysm are under-reported. In the present report, we present a patient with a common carotid artery psuedoaneurysm as a complication of CAS.
An activity stain for dihydroxy-acid dehydratase.

Abstract An activity stain has been devised for the dihydroxy-acid dehydratase. When applied to polyacrylamide gel electropherograms of crude soluble extracts of Escherichia coli, it detected a single electromorph. The intensity of staining increased with the amount of extract protein applied to the gel. Activity staining demonstrated that (a) anaerobically grown cells contain more extractable dehydratase activity than do aerobically grown cells; (b) exposure of E. coli to 4.2 atm 02 caused virtually complete loss of activity; (c) exposure of cells to paraquat or plumbagin in the presence of dioxygen, but not in its absence, caused a massive loss of activity. These data illustrate the utility of this activity stain and demonstrate that the dehydratase is inactivated by O2− generated within cells.
Advances and New Technology

HIGH-RESOLUTION MICROSCOPY Confocal microscopy is experiencing an emergence of excitement about the new possibilities it offers. Although this technology has been available for decades, recent developments (and cost reduction) of multiwavelength lasers, dichromatic mirrors, more sensitive photosensors, as well as faster computers and better image analysis software has fueled the adaptation of confocal technology to many fields. The key advantage of the confocal principle is the ability to collect high-resolution serial optical sections from thick specimens. This offers significant advantages over traditional microscopy. In traditional microscopy, fluorescence can interfere with image clarity, especially in thick (>2 Am) specimens. Confocal microscopy overcomes this problem with a pinhole placed in front of the detector to block unwanted (out of focus) light resulting in a clear image corresponding to a specific layer of the specimen. One or more beams of light (e.g., from a laser) are focused at specific depths in a tissue sample to generate discrete optical sections corresponding to the various depths within the tissue. The resulting multileveled images, which are captured independently, are then processed by a computer program and reconstructed into a 3-dimensional arrangement representing the tissue specimen with very high resolution. Laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) is a common form of optical sectioning of fluorescent labeled tissues. This method uses a single beam of laser light that is scanned across a tissue sample with oscillating micromirrors. The fluorescent emissions are separated by a dichroic mirror, passed through a pinhole aperture and collected by a photomultiplier, which transmits pointby-point signals to a computer for image assembly. LSCM has been instrumental in the analysis of living
Comparison of WAIS and WAIS—R Scaled Scores for an Outpatient Clinic Sample Retested over Extended Intervals

High correlations were obtained between WAIS and WAIS-R scores for an outpatient clinic sample tested and retested over extended periods. While the WAIS-R scores were generally lower than the WAIS values, the decrements were slight, suggesting that a previously administered WAIS can serve as a good estimate of what might be obtained from a second administration of the WAIS-R for this type of sample.
Why do Policy Frames Change? Actor-Idea Coevolution in Debates over Welfare Reform

One shortcoming in the literature on policy framing has been the absence of analytic models through which to explicate change. This paper advances research in this area in three related ways. First, it links policy frames to the actors who employ them. Second, based upon this linkage it proposes two complementary approaches for examining longitudinal change in policy framing: an actor representation approach and a frame adoption approach. Third, it assesses the relative contribution of each process using demographic decomposition analysis. This analytic framework is illustrated using the case of debates over welfare reform in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. The findings are consistent with expectations from the frame adoption approach, suggesting that ideational diffusion was largely responsible for changing discourse during this period.
Skeletal muscle intracellular Po 2assessed by myoglobin desaturation: response to graded exercise

The relationship between skeletal muscle intracellular Po 2 (iPo 2) and progressive muscular work has important implications for the understanding of O2 transport and utilization. Presently there i...
Young Children's Knowledge of the Symbolic Nature of Writing

Two experiments with one hundred and fourteen 3- to 5-year-old children examined whether children understand that a printed word represents a specific spoken word and that it differs in this way from a drawing. When an experimenter read a word to children and then a puppet used a different but related label for it, such as "dog" for the word ‹puppy›, children often stated the puppet's label was incorrect. In an analogous task with drawings, children were more likely to state that the puppet was correct in using an alternative label. The results suggest that even young children who cannot yet read have some understanding that a written word stands for a specific linguistic unit in a way that a drawing does not.
Are Financial Crises Becoming More Contagious?: What is the Historical Evidence on Contagion?

The recent series of financial crises in emerging markets, the Mexican crisis of 1994–95 and the Asian crisis of 1997–98, closely followed by the devaluations of the ruble and the real, have been decried for their virulence and their far-reaching effects beyond their epicenters. Certainly this recent batch of crises has been particularly severe.1 Yet, that crises can spread across international borders should not, of its own accord, be surprising; it is merely a reflection of the interdependence of cross-country fortunes in the presence of real and identifiable channels of transmission. Moreover, in the face of macroeconomic imbalances and/or structural weaknesses, crises, when they arrive, may simply be a reflection of unsound economic policies or inefficiencies that are fostered in an underdeveloped financial infrastructure. As the October 1997 crash on the Hong Kong Exchange demonstrated, however, good fundamentals alone cannot insulate a country from the effects of financial contagion.2 Moreover, the sharp drops on the Brazilian exchange and the eventual devaluation of the real, following the Russian crisis, are difficult to attribute to bad fundamentals or cross-country linkages.3
Nuclear oncoprotein expression as a function of lineage, differentiation stage, and proliferative status of normal human hematopoietic cells.

Relative levels of the nuclear oncoproteins c-myb, c-myc, and c-fos were determined in selected subpopulations of normal human bone marrow (BM) cells using a flow cytometric assay which simultaneously detects a cell-surface antigen (as a marker of lineage and stage of maturation) and levels of an intracellular protein. At least two monoclonal antibodies directed against each oncoprotein and specific peptide inhibition controls were used for these determinations. Hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+) express the highest levels of c-myb and c-myc, whereas c-fos levels in CD34+ progenitor cells are similar to c-fos levels in mature monocytes and granulocytes. Granulocytes are the only hematopoietic cells examined which do not express detectable levels of c-myb and c-myc. The levels of these oncoproteins in these normal, unstimulated BM cell populations were more closely linked to lineage and maturation stage than to the proliferative status of the given population, as determined by either DNA staining or expression of the cell-cycle specific nuclear protein, Ki67. This flow cytometric assay helps in interpreting the significance of oncoprotein levels in leukemia cells by allowing direct comparisons of a leukemia with the phenotypically similar “normal counterpart control” cell population in normal BM.
Numerical Computation of Buckling Loads by Finite Differences

After introducing the concept of central differences of a function to approximate its derivatives by simple numerical expressions, the writer shows how a problem involving a linear differential equ...
Death and Religion in the Southern Moche Periphery: Funerary Practices at Huambacho, Nepeña Valley, Peru

This article explores religion, death, and mortuary practices in the Southern Moche (A.D. 1-800) periphery as viewed through the excavation of grave contexts at the site of Huambacho, Nepena Valley, Peru. Moche influence reached Nepena as is visible in the construction of religious buildings at the site of Panamarca and the presence of Moche style ceramics at several sites. In 2003 and 2004, scientific excavations at Huambacho, an Early Horizon center mainly built and occupied during the first millennium B.C., yielded a series of intrusive graves containing Gallinazo, Viru, and Moche style objects. This contribution contextualizes these discoveries and focuses on the analysis of funerary patterns of burial, osteological evidence, and symbolic meanings with the objective of understanding local funerary practices and Moche religious and cultural expressions. Symbolic references to coast-highland interactions, inversions in body positioning, and possible human sacrifices bring insights into the complex and potentially tense sociohistorical cirmcumstances in Nepena during the Moche phase.
Chemical Control of Sorghum Shoot Fly on a Susceptible Variety of Sorghum in Uganda

The soil systemic insecticides, phorate, Compound 4072 (2-chloro-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl) vinyl diethyl phosphate), and carbofuran controlled A therigona varia soccata Rondani in sorghum. Carbofuran proved to be economically practical but would require too much care in handling for local use in Uganda. A population (CK-60) of 55,000 plants/acre was near optimum in the Teso district of Uganda.
Variable-length channel codes with probabilistic delay guarantees

Variable-length channel codes over discrete memoryless channels subject to probabilistic delay guarantees are examined in the non-vanishing error probability regime. Fundamental limits of these codes in several different settings, which depend on the availability of noiseless feedback and a termination option, are investigated. In stark contrast with average delay guarantees, the first-order terms of the fundamental limits turn out to be the same as those for fixed-length codes in all cases. Further, feedback is shown to improve the second-order term, even in the absence of a termination option.
Endoscopic approach to cricopharyngeal hypertonicity and hypopharyngeal diverticulum

Cricopharyngeal (CP) muscle dysfunction may be an etiology for oropharyngeal dysphagia. The CP muscle may fail to relax fully, or in a coordinated fashion during the swallowing reflex. Alone this may cause dysphagia, but may also precipitate a pulsion diverticulum, known as Zenker's diverticulum. When symptom severity and radiographic and endoscopic evaluation warrant intervention, endoscopic and open surgical options to manage these issues are available. This article strives to describe the techniques of endoscopic CP myotomy and Zenker's diverticulostomy. Patient selection, contraindications for the surgery, and potential complications are described.
Amyloid Beta-Induced Neuronal Death is Bax-Dependent but Caspase-Independent

Fibrillar amyloid beta (Abeta) peptides are major constituents of senile plaques in Alzheimer disease (AD) brain and cause neuronal apoptosis in vitro. Bax and caspase-3 have been implicated in the pathogenesis of AD and are components of a well-defined molecular pathway of neuronal apoptosis. To determine whether Abeta-induced neuronal apoptosis involves bax and/or caspase-3 activation, we examined the effect of Abeta on wild-type, bax-deficient, and caspase-3-deficient telencephalic neurons in vitro. In wild-type cultures, Abeta produced time- and concentration-dependent caspase-3 activation, apoptotic nuclear changes, and neuronal death. These neurotoxic effects of Abeta were not observed in bax-deficient cultures. Caspase-3 deficiency, or pharmacological inhibition of caspase activity, prevented caspase-3 activation and blocked the appearance of apoptotic nuclear features but not Abeta-induced neuronal death. Neither calpain inhibition nor microtubule stabilization with Taxol protected telencephalic neurons from Abeta-induced caspase activation or apoptosis. These results have potential implications regarding the underlying pathophysiology of AD and towards AD treatment strategies.
Amiodarone-Associated Epididymitis: Drug-Related Epididymitis in the Absence of Infection

AbstractAn atypical epididymitis syndrome developed in 6 of 56 men (11 per cent) treated with amiodarone, an effective new anti-arrhythmic agent. Of the 6 patients 5 (87 per cent) had bilateral epididymal enlargement and pain. The mean dosage in the patients with epididymitis was 700mg. per day compared to 377mg. per day in all patients (p less than 0.01). No infectious etiology was implicated in any patient. Temporary discontinuation or decrease in dosage is recommended for patients who suffer noninfectious epididymitis while on amiodarone therapy.
Health sector reform and the Health Management Reform Project in Fiji.

The article discusses the Fiji Health Management Reform Project, which is aimed at improving the management of the health system. On conclusion of this project, the governments of Fiji and Australi...
Conjugated Dopamine in Human Ventricular Fluid

Measurement of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) constituents is the most direct approach available for study of cerebral neurotransmitter release and turnover in man. Numerous studies have demonstrated that neurotransmitter amines and their metabolites in CSF derive from the central nervous system and not from peripheral tissues (Pletscher et al., 1967; Moir et al., 1970; Garelis et al., 1974). CSF amine metabolite concentrations have also been shown to reflect neuronal aminergic activity in adjacent brain structures (Portig and Vogt, 1969; Moir et al., 1970; Papeschi et al., 1971). Because sensitive fluorometric methods have been available for measuring homovanillic acid (HVA), the major metabolite of dopamine, there have been numerous studies of lumbar CSF concentrations of HVA in patients with psychiatric or neurological disorders (for reviews, see Wood, 1980). Due to the presence of mediated transport systems for removal of organic acids from CSF (Wolfson et al., 1974), there have been questions about the extent to which lumbar CSF acid metabolite concentrations reflect cerebral aminergic activity. The nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway, which is important in regulation of movement, terminates in the caudate nuclei directly adjacent to the lateral ventricles.
Factors associated with severe aortic dilation in patients with Fontan palliation

Objective To describe the range of aortic dimensions and severity of aortic valve regurgitation (AR) in patients after the Fontan operation, examine rate of growth over time and identify risk factors for severe aortic dilation. Methods This was a single-centre retrospective study of Fontan patients who underwent magnetic resonance angiography. Results Between 2005 and 2014, there were 235 patients (median age 18.8 years). The aortic root (median Z-score 3.2) and ascending aorta (AAo) (median Z-score 4.1) were dilated. Severe aortic root or AAo dilation (Z-score ≥6.0) was present in 8.5% and 22%, respectively. Multivariable analysis identified older age at Fontan (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 1.1 per year; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.2; p=0.002), male gender (AOR: 16.3; 95% CI 1.8 to 144.9; p=0.01) and higher mean blood pressure (AOR: 1.5 per 10 mm Hg; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.3; p=0.05) as factors associated with severe aortic root dilation. Older age at Fontan (AOR: 1.1 per year; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.1; p=0.01), male gender (AOR: 3.3; 95% CI 1.5 to 7.5; p=0.004) and left ventricular morphology (AOR: 2.6; 95% CI 1.3 to 5.1; p=0.007) were associated with severe AAo dilation. Over a median of 3.3 years, there was no significant increase in aortic dimension. Most patients (96%) had mild or less AR. Conclusions The Fontan aorta is enlarged at the aortic root and AAo. Older age at Fontan, male gender, elevated blood pressure and left ventricular morphology are associated with severe aortic dilation. Although trivial-mild AR is common, significant regurgitation is infrequent.
Transient arterial phase respiratory motion-related artifact in MR imaging of the liver: an analysis of four different gadolinium-based contrast agents.

Abstract Purpose The purpose was to compare hepatic arterial phase (HAP) respiratory motion artifact (RMA) between gadoxetate, gadobutrol, gadopentetate, and gadobenate. Materials/methods Two hundred cases of each gadolinium agent were included. RMA was assigned using 5-point Likert scale (1= no motion , 5= extreme motion ) on precontrast and HAP. RMA increase (increase ≥1 on HAP from precontrast) was the outcome in logistic regression. Results Odds of RMA increase for gadoxetate were 5.5 ( P P =.034), and 9.5 ( P Conclusion Gadoxetate has increased odds of RMA compared with other gadolinium agents; tight contrast bolus is not a contributor.
Designing Signs that Build the Required Semantics into the Needed Syntax

Building signs on purpose is a challenge of a special kind. It calls for something more than a descriptive analysis of sign systems. Practical choices, sometimes very delicate choices, must be made so that the right properties will be combined to serve the right purposes.
Hadamard-Walsh random projection for hyperspectral image classification

The rich spectral information in hyperspectral imagery gives rise to huge storage and transmission costs. Dimensionality reduction aims to reduce the space complexity in hyperspectral imagery by projecting data into a low-dimensional subspace. There has been an increasing interest in dimensionality reduction driven by random projections due to its data-independent representation as well as desirable qualities such as the preservation of important information and low computational costs. The performance of a random projection derived from a Hadamard-Walsh matrix is investigated, with experimental results demonstrating classification performance superior to other random dimensionality-reduction methods when deployed in conjunction with a composite-kernel support vector machine that exploits both spatial and spectral information for the classification of hyperspectral imagery.
Gravitational Reflux Does Not Correlate with Clinical Status of Venous Stasis

Objective:To quantify venous reflux by a standard duplex ultrasound technique and correlate the data obtained with clinical grades of severity of venous disease.Design:A prospective study in a sing...
Image Guidance to Aid Pedicle Screw Fixation of a Lumbar Fracture-Dislocation Injury in a Toddler.

Background Pedicle screw fixation of the lumbar spine in children age Case Description A 19-month-old female presented with a fracture-dislocation injury of L1-2. Intraoperative imaging using the O-arm multidimensional imaging system was networked to a workstation, and neuronavigation was used to place pedicle instrumentation with 3.5-mm-diameter polyaxial screws designed for posterior cervical fixation. At a 48-month follow-up, the patient was neurologically intact, demonstrated normal physical development, and was engaging in normal physical activity for her age. Radiographs obtained approximately 4 years postsurgery showed no evidence of loss for fixation. Conclusions Image-guided placement of pedicle screws may be a useful aid in achieving accurate and safe fixation in the small dimensions of the infant spine.
Abstract WP257: Metabolic Profiling in the Plasma of Rats in Response to Aging and Ischemic Stroke by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Introduction: Metabolic dysfunction is a common hallmark of aging, and it influences the neurodegenerative diseases including stroke incidence and outcome. Several metabolomics-based studies have r...
Improved ENSO Forecasting using Bayesian Updating and the North American Multi Model Ensemble (NMME)

AbstractThis study assesses the forecast skill of eight North American Multimodel Ensemble (NMME) models in predicting Nino-3/-3.4 indices and improves their skill using Bayesian updating (BU). The forecast skill that is obtained using the ensemble mean of NMME (NMME-EM) shows a strong dependence on lead (initial) month and target month and is quite promising in terms of correlation, root-mean-square error (RMSE), standard deviation ratio (SDRatio), and probabilistic Brier skill score, especially at short lead months. However, the skill decreases in target months from late spring to summer owing to the spring predictability barrier. When BU is applied to eight NMME models (BU-Model), the forecasts tend to outperform NMME-EM in predicting Nino-3/-3.4 in terms of correlation, RMSE, and SDRatio. For Nino-3.4, the BU-Model outperforms NMME-EM forecasts for almost all leads (1–12; particularly for short leads) and target months (from January to December). However, for Nino-3, the BU-Model does not outperform N...
Protease-Activated Receptor-1 Signaling: The Big Picture.

Proteases serve an essential role in blood clotting, inflammation, angiogenesis, wound healing, and other vascular processes. The endothelium must be able to sense and respond to vascular proteases to coordinate these activities. Protease-activated receptors (PARs) are G-protein–coupled receptors responsible for sensing proteases, and PAR1 is a critical family member on endothelium. Like other PARs, endothelial PAR1 is able to sense the proteolytic environment by virtue of an unusual feature: an N terminus that serves as a substrate for many different proteases. Cleavage of the N terminus reveals a tethered ligand capable of activating the receptor via an intramolecular signaling mechanism (Figure).1 More recent studies have shown that different proteases have unique cleavage sites, leading to distinct tethered ligands. Cleavage of endothelial PAR1 by thrombin results in apoptosis, release of granules, surface expression of inflammatory markers, and loss of barrier function.3 In contrast, cleavage of PAR1 by activated protein C (APC) can result in protection from apoptotic stimuli, suppression of inflammatory markers, and fortification of barrier function.3 These observations raise the complex question of how endothelial cells integrate PAR1 stimulation to mediate such varied responses. Figure. The N-terminus of protease-activated receptor (PAR1; red) is cleaved revealing a tethered ligand (yellow), which interacts with the ligand-binding site. Ligation of this binding site results in a conformational change in the receptor that …
Guidelines for stereotactic body radiation therapy treatment of lung cancer highlight important research questions: what is the next step?

Over the past decade, stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) has become increasingly accepted as a safe and effective therapy for stage I lung cancer for medically inoperable patients.
Abstract 18111: Flecainide Exerts its Antiarrhythmic Action in CPVT Through Blockade of Neuronal Na+ channel-mediated Arrhythmogenic Diastolic Ca2+ Release

Background: Flecaininde is an effective antiarrhythmic in management of CPVT. Its antiarrhythmic action has been attributed to direct effect on RyR2 and reduced cellular excitability through the inhibition of cardiac-type Na + channels. Recently we demonstrated that neuronal Na + channels (nNa v s) colocalize with the ryanodine receptors (RyR2) Ca 2+ release channels on the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Here we explore a novel mechanism that may contribute to the antiarrhythmic effect of flecainide, mainly uncoupling of aberrant Na + /Ca 2+ signaling through nNa v inhibition. Methods: To study the effects of flecainide on Ca 2+ signaling we used a murine model of cardiac calsequestrin-associated CPVT. We performed confocal microscopy in intact isolated ventricular myocytes to assess Ca 2+ handling and recorded late Na + current (I Na ) during various pharmacological interventions. Surface electrocardiograms were performed during catecholamine challenge to monitor arrhythmic activity in vivo . Results: During catecholamine stimulation with isoproterenol (Iso; 100 nM) disruption of the cross-talk between nNa v s and RyR2 by nNa v blockade with 100nM tetrodotoxin (TTX) and riluzole (10μM) as well as flecainide (2.5μM) reduced Iso-promoted late I Na and DCR in isolated intact CPVT cardiomyocytes. To further examine the role of nNa v -mediated late I Na in genesis of DCR we augmented nNa v channel activity with β-Pompilidotoxin (β-PMTX, 40μM). Effects of β-PMTX in CPVT cardiomyocytes were reversed by nNa v blockade with TTX and riluzole as well as flecainide. This reduction in late I Na and DCR frequency with riluzole and flecainide in the presence of β-PMTX on cellular level translated to decreased ventricular arrhythmias in CPVT mice. Conclusion: These data suggest that disruption of nNa v -mediated late I Na can prevent arrhythmogenic DCR in CPVT. Importantly, the antiarrhythmic effects of flecainide can be attributed, at least in part, to its nNa v blocking properties.
Projection of landfalling-tropical cyclone rainfall in the eastern United States under anthropogenic warming

AbstractLandfalling–tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall is an important element of inland flood hazards in the eastern United States. The projection of landfalling-TC rainfall under anthropogenic warming provides insight into future flood risks. This study examines the frequency of landfalling TCs and associated rainfall using the GFDL Forecast-Oriented Low Ocean Resolution (FLOR) climate model through comparisons with observed TC track and rainfall over the July–November 1979–2005 seasons. The projection of landfalling-TC frequency and rainfall under the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 4.5 scenario for the late twenty-first century is explored, including an assessment of the impacts of extratropical transition (ET). In most regions of the southeastern United States, competition between increased storm rain rate and decreased storm frequency dominates the change of annual TC rainfall, and rainfall from ET and non-ET storms. In the northeastern United States, a prominent feature is the striking incre...
The Thue-Siegel-Roth Theorem

We shall give an exposition of this important theorem under axioms which are valid in number fields and function fields, namely, the product formula and a weak Riemann-Roch condition. We also need characteristic 0. In §1 we state the theorem. In §2 we reformulate it by a formal argument in a more manageable form (because we consider approximations at several absolute values). This should not be confused with the deep problem of simultaneous approximations at one absolute value solved by Schmidt. In §3 we give the proof, basing it on two propositions. We then prove Proposition 3.1 in §4 and §5, and Proposition 3.2 in §6, §7, §8 and §9. Finally, in §10, we give a geometric formulation adapted to the applications to algebraic geometry and possible generalizations to varieties of arbitrary dimensions.
‘So shiny, so chrome’: images and ideology of humans, machines, and the Earth in George Miller’s Mad Max: Fury Road:

Mad Max: Fury Road has been critiqued for its feminist, masculine, biblical, and environmental themes, but these critiques fail to engage with the connection between humans, machines, and the Earth...
Cell nucleation in solid-state polymeric foams : evidence of a triaxial tensile failure mechanism

The mechanism for nucleation phenomenon in solid-state microcellular foams is identified as a solid-state failure process. This process originates at internal flaws within the gas-polymer matrix, where it is induced by the presence of a state of hydrostatic tensile stress within the polymer matrix. The hydrostatic tensile stress is caused by the presence of the saturating gas within the polymer. The nucleation phenomenon is thermally activated at the effective glass transition temperature of the gas-polymer mixture. At this critical temperature, the hydrostatic tensile stress within the gas-polymer mixture is sufficient to cause the polymer matrix to fail, thereby creating a foam cell nucleus. In general, the nucleation sites are observed to be flat, approximately circular, fracture sites. After the appearance of the initial fracture, gas diffuses from the gas-polymer matrix into the fracture. The fracture seam inflates during the growth process, in which growth begins with the appearance of a disk shaped fracture and concludes with an approximately spherical cell. The results and conclusions presented herein suggest a new avenue to explain the cell nucleation phenomena observed in this process.
The co-occurrence of diabetes and adverse childhood experiences and its impact on mortality in US adults.

Abstract Background Diabetes is a leading cause of death in the US. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have also been linked to increased mortality. ACEs are associated with the development of diabetes however the amplified effect on mortality has not been studied. Methods Data from Midlife development in the United States (MIDUS), from 1995 to 1996 (Wave 1), 2004–2006 (Wave 2), and 2011–2014 (Wave 3) were used with a total of 3023 participants. Survey Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to calculate all-cause mortality. Univariate and multivariable Cox models were performed for the four combinations of diabetes and ACE categories, with estimation of hazard ratio completed for each. Results After adjusting for covariates and comorbidity burden, ‘ACE only’ was not significantly different in mortality compared to ‘no diabetes and no ACE’. ‘Diabetes only’ had a 78% higher mortality (HR 1.78, 95% CI 1.04–3.04) compared to ‘no diabetes and no ACE’. ‘Diabetes and ACE’ had a 132% higher mortality (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.64–3.28) compared to ‘no diabetes and no ACE’. Limitations ACE and diabetes measures are self-report, and while longitudinal a temporal relationship cannot be established. Therefore, future research should collect prospective data to investigate mechanisms for this association based on observational data. Conclusions Results showed a strong association between ‘diabetes and ACE’ and mortality with a pronounced difference between both ‘ACE only’ and ‘diabetes only’ after 20-year follow-up. These results suggest an amplified effect of diabetes and ACE on mortality for adults who have experienced ACEs.
Current and emerging therapies for hand eczema

Although hand eczema (HE) and chronic hand eczema (CHE) are common conditions with significant disease burden, they traditionally have had limited treatment options beyond topical and short-term systemic corticosteroids. We reviewed published and preliminary evidence on the current and emerging topical and systemic therapeutic agents for HE and CHE. The etiologies of various HE subtypes are discussed, and remaining knowledge and practice gaps are highlighted to encourage further investigations. A comprehensive search of ClinicalTrials.gov and PubMed was completed for clinical trials that utilized known and emerging treatment options for HE and CHE. Several agents that target IL-4 and IL-13 signaling, keratinocyte proliferation, inflammatory cytokine production, bacterial protein synthesis, and inflammatory mediator (TNF-α, JAK1, JAK2, and JAK3) proliferation are shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of CHE. Systemic agents include dupilumab, alitretinoin, acitretin, cyclosporine, azathioprine, and probiotics. Topical agents include delgocitinib, retapamulin, halometasone/triclosan, calcipotriol/betamethasone, tacrolimus, and pimecrolimus. These modalities have demonstrated varying degrees of clinical efficacy, evaluated by subjective assessments and scoring indexes. Targeted therapies are emerging for HE, but options are still limited, partially due to our narrow understanding of this heterogeneous condition. Additional and targeted therapeutic options are needed to match the rising prevalence and burden of HE. KEYPOINTS: Hand eczema (HE) is a heterogenous dermatosis with limited therapeutic options due to a lack of international guidelines regarding classification of HE subtypes and treatment. This review discusses current and emerging topical and systemic agents and their efficacies in the treatment of different types of hand eczema.
Loss of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine immunohistochemical expression is a useful diagnostic aid for distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma in cytology fine needle aspiration specimens

OBJECTIVE Disruption of the DNA methylation pathway involving 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) has been implicated in hepatic tumour development. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of 5hmC in malignant and benign hepatic mass lesions and evaluate the diagnostic utility of deficient 5hmC expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS Our study consisted of 48 fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytological cases (30 cases positive for HCC, 18 cases negative for malignancy) and 39 liver resection specimens (30 HCCs and nine hepatic adenomas [HAs]). A 5hmC immunohistochemistry score (range 0-9) was calculated by multiplying the percentage (0 = no staining; 1 = 1%-10%; 2 = 11%-50%; 3 = 51%-100%) and intensity scores (0-3+). A score of ≤2 was considered deficient for 5hmC. RESULTS In resection specimens, 5hmC expression was deficient in 90% of HCC cases. Surrounding cirrhotic nodules and 78% of HA cases exhibited intact 5hmC expression. In FNA cytological specimens, expression of 5hmC was deficient in nearly all cases of HCC (96.7%, 29/30 cases). Admixed benign hepatocytes exhibited predominantly intact expression of 5hmC with moderate to strong nuclear staining in the majority of the benign hepatocytes. 5hmC was strongly expressed by endothelial cells, lymphocytes and neutrophils in the background. Many 5hmC-negative HCC clusters were highlighted by characteristic endothelial wrapping with strong 5hmC expression in the endothelial cells. CONCLUSIONS 5hmC can serve as an important diagnostic tool for the diagnosis of HCC by aiding in the distinction of HCC from HA or cirrhotic nodules in both liver resection and FNA specimens.
Modeling of Tracer Transport Delays for Improved Quantification of Regional Pulmonary 18F-FDG Kinetics, Vascular Transit Times, and Perfusion

18F-FDG-PET is increasingly used to assess pulmonary inflammatory cell activity. However, current models of pulmonary 18F-FDG kinetics do not account for delays in 18F-FDG transport between the plasma sampling site and the lungs. We developed a three-compartment model of 18F-FDG kinetics that includes a delay between the right heart and the local capillary blood pool, and used this model to estimate regional pulmonary perfusion. We acquired dynamic 18F-FDG scans in 12 mechanically ventilated sheep divided into control and lung injury groups (n = 6 each). The model was fit to tracer kinetics in three isogravitational regions-of-interest to estimate regional lung transport delays and regional perfusion. 13NN bolus infusion scans were acquired during a period of apnea to measure regional perfusion using an established reference method. The delayed input function model improved description of 18F-FDG kinetics (lower Akaike Information Criterion) in 98% of studied regions. Local transport delays ranged from 2.0 to 13.6 s, averaging 6.4 ± 2.9 s, and were highest in non-dependent regions. Estimates of regional perfusion derived from model parameters were highly correlated with perfusion measurements based on 13NN-PET (R 2 = 0.92, p < 0.001). By incorporating local vascular transports delays, this model of pulmonary 18F-FDG kinetics allows for simultaneous assessment of regional lung perfusion, transit times, and inflammation.
Urban Transportation System Resilience and Diversity Coupling using Large-scale Taxicab GPS Data

In this study, moving towards enabling the development of a platform for dynamic performance assessment of roadway networks, we have proposed to leverage coarse GPS data from probe vehicles such as taxis to quantify the resilience of road network using a multi-dimensional approach. The method is applied to a dataset of taxi trips in the Washington metropolitan area to analyze the roadways resilience to recurrent traffic jams during rush hours. Further, the influence of the diversity of transportation system, that quantifies the availability and distribution of transportation modes in an urban community, on the resilience of roadways to congestions is explored. The results indicate that the resilience of trips in all zones is highly correlated with the transportation diversity of those zones. Specifically, the pick-up and drop-off hubs of taxi trips in the District of Columbia are mainly located in areas with low transportation diversity that highlights the impact of transportation diversity on addressing mobility demand. The proposed approach could potentially be used as a benchmark for transportation planning and optimization as well as traffic monitoring and alleviation to allocate resources and adjust the schedule of transit modes in real-time.
CHAPTER THREE – Percents

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses percents. Many transactions in the business world involve a calculation in which a percentage is found. Such transactions can include interest paid to a bank, sales tax, a salary increase, and a discount on the price of an item. A multiplication statement can be translated to an equivalent statement. Finding a percentage is the most frequently used mental calculation. When a base figure changes over a period of time, this change is generally reported as either a percent increase or percent decrease. For example, if the enrollment at Rawlings University increases from 14,200 in 1984 to 14,555 in 1985, the percent increase can be found by calculating the increase in the number of students.
Multislice spiral CT of left pulmonary artery sling with tracheobronchial anomaly

Objective To discuss the value of MSCT in diagnosis of left pulmonary artery sling (LPAS) with tracheobronchial anomaly.Methods MSCT was performed in 9 children with LPAS and tracheobronchial anomalies,CT findings were analyzed retrospectively. Results According to the Wells classification of LPAS,which includes two main types and two subtypes,there were 2 patients of type 1A,3 patients of type 1 B,2 patients of type 2A and 2 patients of type 2B.All of children had tracheobronchial stenosis.Local tracheobronchial stenosis was found in 4 patients ( all were type 1 ) and long tracheobronchial stenosis in 5 patients ( 1 patient with type 1 and 4 patients with type 2).Conclusions MSCT is an ideal imaging modality for simultaneously identifying LPAS and associated tracheobronchial anomalies.The Wells classification is very useful for operation planning. Key words: Pulmonary artery; Cardiovascular abnormalities; Tracheal stenosis ; Tomography,X-ray computed
Using Focus Group Feedback to Identify Patient-Centered Initiatives for Older Persons with HIV.

This study assessed how few community-based programs target older people living with HIV. We conducted four focus groups comprised of people 50 and older with HIV (N = 32; gay/bisexual men, heteros...
Incoherence in L2 writing: A comparison of expert insider and non-expert outsider ratings

Abstract Current knowledge of the functional dimensions (e.g., coherence) of L2 written performance is mainly based on expert readers’ views. Non-expert native readers’ perspectives of L2 written productions are not often examined, which prevents a comprehensive and objective understanding of how an L2 writer’s performance may be perceived and evaluated by the target discourse community. Studies to date also lack clear findings of both the types of incoherence phenomena that may exist in L2 texts and the factors that may contribute to such incoherencies. The current study investigates how expert and non-expert native readers evaluate incoherence in L2 Chinese argumentative essays, as well as how their evaluations may differ quantitatively or qualitatively. The findings reveal that although expert readers marked incoherence in L2 writing significantly more frequently than non-expert readers did, expert and non-expert readers displayed similar patterns and tendencies in their judgments pertaining to the frequency with which incoherence instances appeared in the essays and in the severity of the incoherence.
Why Do Internet Commerce Firms Incorporate Logistics Service Providers in Their Distribution Channels? The Role of Transaction Costs and Network Strength

The Internet has redefined information-sharing boundaries in distribution channels and opened new avenues for managing logistics services. In the process, firms have started to incorporate new service providers in their commercial interactions with customers over the Internet. This paper studies conceptually and empirically why Internet commerce firms (ICFs) have established relationships with these providers. Focusing on logistics services in outbound distribution channels, we rely on transaction cost theory to reveal that low levels of asset specificity and uncertainty drive Internet commerce firms to establish these relationships. Moreover, we apply strategic network theory to show that Internet commerce firms seek these providers because they offer access to relationship networks that bundle many complementary logistics services. In addition, logistics service providers make these services available across new and existing relationships between the Internet commerce firms, their customers, and their vendors.
A theory of nonmonotonic rule systems I

We introduce here the study of generalnonmonotonic rule systems. These deal with situations where a conclusion is drawn from a "system of beliefs"S (and seen to be inS), basedboth on some "premises" being inS and on some "restraints" not being inS. In the monotone systems of traditional logic there are no restraints, conclusions are drawn solely based on premises being inS. Nonmonotonic rule systems capture the essential syntactic, semantic, and algorithmic features of many nonmonotone systems such as default logic, negation as failure, truth maintenance, autoepistemic logic, and also important combinatorial questions from mathematics such as the marriage problem. This reveals semantics and syntax and proof procedures and algorithms for computing belief sets in many cases where none were previously available and entirely uniformly. In particular, we introduce and study deductively closed sets, extensions and weak extensions. Semantics of nonmonotonic rule systems is studied in part II of this paper and extensions to predicate classical, intuitionistic, and modal logics are left to a later paper.
Machine Learning Enhanced Blockchain Consensus with Transaction Prioritization for Smart Cities.

In the given technology-driven era, smart cities are the next frontier of technology, aiming at improving the quality of people's lives. Many research works focus on future smart cities with a holistic approach towards smart city development. In this paper, we introduce such future smart cities that leverage blockchain technology in areas like data security, energy and waste management, governance, transport, supply chain, including emergency events, and environmental monitoring. Blockchain, being a decentralized immutable ledger, has the potential to promote the development of smart cities by guaranteeing transparency, data security, interoperability, and privacy. Particularly, using blockchain in emergency events will provide interoperability between many parties involved in the response, will increase timeliness of services, and establish transparency. In that case, if a current fee-based or first-come-first-serve-based processing is used, emergency events may get delayed in being processed due to competition, and thus, threatening people's lives. Thus, there is a need for transaction prioritization based on the priority of information and quick creation of blocks (variable interval block creation mechanism). Also, since the leaders ensure transaction prioritization while generating blocks, leader rotation and proper election procedure become important for the transaction prioritization process to take place honestly and efficiently. In our consensus protocol, we deploy a machine learning (ML) algorithm to achieve efficient leader election and design a novel dynamic block creation algorithm. Also, to ensure honest assessment from the followers on the blocks generated by the leaders, a peer-prediction-based verification mechanism is proposed. Both security analysis and simulation experiments are carried out to demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of our proposed scheme.