cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A critical role for CCR2/MCP-1 interactions in the development of idiopathic pneumonia syndrome after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

Idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS) is a major complication after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) and involves the infiltration of donor leukocytes and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that leukocyte recruitment during IPS is dependent in part upon interactions between chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) and its primary ligand monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). To test this hypothesis, IPS was induced in a lethally irradiated parent --> F1 mouse BMT model. Compared with syngeneic controls, pulmonary expression of MCP-1 and CCR2 mRNA was significantly increased after allo-BMT. Transplantation of CCR2-deficient (CCR2-/-) donor cells resulted in a significant reduction in IPS severity compared with transplantation of wild-type (CCR2+/+) cells and in reduced bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid cellularity and BAL fluid levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and soluble p55 TNF receptor (sTNFRI). In addition, neutralization of MCP-1 resulted in significantly decreased lung injury compared with control-treated allogeneic recipients. Experimental data correlated with preliminary clinical findings; patients with IPS have elevated levels of MCP-1 in the BAL fluid at the time of diagnosis. Collectively, these data demonstrate that CCR2/MCP-1 interactions significantly contribute to the development of experimental IPS and suggest that interventions blocking these receptor-ligand interactions may represent novel strategies to prevent or treat this lethal complication after allo-BMT.
In vivo modulation of a cortical functional sensory representation shortly after topical cholinergic agent application.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether cholinergic increase in the size of a functional representation (collective evoked response from a large population of neurons) can be observed shortly (within an hour) after treatment onset and whether nicotinic receptors can participate in this type of modulation. Cholinergic agonist application has been found previously to increase the response of a single cortical neuron to a stimulus. Also, pairing cholinergic basal forebrain stimulation with delivery of a tone has been reported to increase the size of that tone's functional representation. Whereas the increase in a single cortical neuron response can occur within seconds after cholinergic agonist application, to date the increase in the size of a functional representation has only been investigated within one to several weeks after the onset of pairing basal forebrain stimulation with tone delivery. Furthermore, primarily muscarinic receptors have been implicated in these types of changes in cortical activity. By using optical imaging of intrinsic signals in vivo, we found that the size of a whisker's functional representation in the primary somatosensory cortex of the rat increases substantially within 69 or 46 minutes after topical application of either a muscarinic or nicotinic agonist to the exposed cortex, respectively, and decreases within 23 minutes after topical application of a muscarinic antagonist. For each cholinergic agent, we verified that delivery of a cholinergic agent by means of topical application can lead to the agent's successful penetration through the cortical layers in the time allotted to complete an imaging experiment. Furthermore, the time course of penetration for each agent was characterized. Based on the combined imaging/penetration results, we speculate on potential sites of cholinergic action in the cortex. Irrespective of the exact mechanism of action, we demonstrate here that an increase in the size of a functional sensory representation can occur shortly by means of activation of either nicotinic or muscarinic receptors.
An MNS light sensitive memory element

This paper describes an MNS device that performs the functions of both light detection and memory. It is based on the previously described variable, threshold MNS FET (1). It Will be shown, that under the proper conditions the rate at which the FET gate is charged with a writing pulse of given amplitude depends upon the intensity of the illumination incident on the device. Therefore, in an array of such devices selective illumination of certain regions during the writing cycle will implement charge storage, while in the nonilluminated area writing will be inhibited. Thus this behavior is immediately applicable to image and character storage, and can provide a direct optical input to a memory array.
A Multivariate Investigation Of Transaction Cost Analysis Dimensions: Do Contract Types Differ?

Our study explored the effects of contract type on transaction cost analysis dimensions for research and development projects. Hypotheses from transaction cost analysis theory were tested using archival data from completed contracts used to govern the procurement of defense products. Our results indicate that the type of contract used in an economic exchange is associated with differences in asset specificity, uncertainty, and contract incompleteness. Two underlying dimensions were evident at the multivariate level that indicate how individual transaction cost indicators combine as a set based on the degree of contract impediments and human asset specificity. Results are also discussed in the context of contract type differences on each transaction cost analysis indicator.
Does Geographic Location Matter on the Prevalence of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers

Background:There has been a significant amount of research in the prevention of throwing injuries. However, one area of research that is lacking is geographic location of play. Warm climates may pe...
Comparing the unmatched count technique and direct self-report for sensitive health-risk behaviors in HIV+ adults.

ABSTRACTResearchers often rely on self-report measures to assess sensitive health-risk behaviors in HIV+ individuals, yet the accuracy of self-report has been questioned, particularly when inquiring about behaviors that may be embarrassing, risky, and/or taboo. We compared an anonymous reporting method – the unmatched count technique (UCT) – to direct self-report (DSR) in order to assess reporting differences for several health-risk behaviors related to medication adherence and sexual risk. Contrary to hypotheses, the UCT only produced a significantly higher estimated base rate for one sensitive behavior: reporting medication adherence to one's physician, which may have been contextually primed by our study design. Our results suggest that anonymous reporting methods may not increase disclosure compared to DSR when assessing several health-risk behaviors in HIV+ research volunteers. However, our results also suggest that contextual factors should be considered and investigated further, as they may influen...
Financing Victory: Credit Access and War Outcomes

States have limited fiscal resources and are forced to find additional revenue sources to pay for wars. With access to inexpensive credit, states can finance wars without overburdening their economies or constituents, and face relatively small short term conflict costs compared to states that have to borrow expensive credit or extract resources directly from society. As a result, states with a credit access advantage will be more likely to win a war against a state with a poor credit rating, ceteris paribus. This paper seeks to generalize previous credit access theories to determine how a state's credit access will affect its prospects in war. To empirically validate this hypothesis, this paper uses binomial logistic and multinomial logistic ordered probit analysis.
The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food

First paragraphs: I picked up the book The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food with a healthy dose of skepticism. The title sounds like a booster for how the local food movement can bring prosperity, not to mention salvation, to a hard-scrabble town. In this case the town in question is Hardwick, a rural, working-class town in northern Vermont where the unemployment rate is high and the median income low. I recently moved to Vermont to start teaching at Bennington College, a small liberal arts college in the southern part of the state. The gossip about Hardwick was immediate. The buzz carried one message: Hardwick is a local food mecca where local agricultural development really is bringing social cohesion and economic growth to the town. Vermont in general has a very active and thoughtful local agriculture movement made up of farmers, food processors, chefs, wholesale distributors, food service directors, individual consumers, municipal and state government officials, activists, scholars…the list goes on. It would not be surprising that such a model town exists in Vermont. I had yet to see the evidence or understand what is going on in Hardwick. So along with my skepticism I started the task of reviewing this book with great curiosity....
The Influence of Summer Temperatures on the Rate of Growth of Chickens

Abstract THE phenomenon of growth in chickens is of utmost importance both from the standpoint of research and the economic production of poultry. Growth, data are widely used as a measure of experimental results and the relation of body weights to other behavior has been a field for fundamental research. At the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station data relative to the growth of White Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, and White Rock pullets have been accumulating since 1929. From these data Kempster and Parker (1936) established normal growth curves for these breeds. By normal growth is meant growth limited by hereditary factors which birds should attain under average normal conditions. To establish a normal growth curve for a variety or strain of chickens necessitates the accumulation of data distributed throughout the growing season and over a sufficient number of years to eliminate the effects of management and uncontrollable environmental conditions. This study revealed . . .
Studies of the Stability of Amorphous Silicon Thin Film Transistors

Our experimental studies confirm that changes in a-Si Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) under voltage stress occur in the device channel and not in the contacts. We demonstrate that stressing an a-Si TFT not only shifts the device threshold voltage but can also changes the slope of the semilog subthreshold current dependence on the gate voltage. In addition, stressing can decrease the minimum leakage current. The creation of new localized states in the amorphous silicon under voltage stress qualitatively explains all these effects, while carrier tunneling and trapping in the gate insulator layer cannot by itself explain our data. At large negative gate voltages, the leakage current increases due to the holes injected into the channel. This hole current is also affected by voltage stress as can be predicted by the state creation mechanism.
Isolation and culture of alveolar type II cells

The alveolar type II cell performs many important functions within the lung, including regulation of surfactant metabolism, ion transport, and alveolar repair. Because type II cells comprise only 15% of all lung cells, it is difficult to attribute specific functions to type II cells from studies of whole lungs or mixed cell cultures. At the present time, there is no passaged line that exhibits the full range of known type II cell functions. For these reasons, investigators have used isolated type II cells to study alveolar cell biology, biochemistry, and molecular biology. This review addresses many of the issues involved in isolating and culturing type II cells, including the choice of a method of isolating cells, the importance of using specific markers of the differentiated type II cell phenotype, and the problems of maintaining these differentiated phenotypic characteristics in tissue culture.
MR discography: a comparison with CT discography

Gadopentetate dimeglumine was demonstrated to be an effective contrast agent for use in MR discography. A combined agent was developed consisting of a mixture of 0.5 mM gadopentetate dimeglumine, iohexol 300 mg I/ml, and 0.06% Fast green dye. Examination of the lumbar discs in two cadaver spines injected with 1–2 ml of this mixture enabled characterization of the disc with MRI, CT and cryomicrotomy in the same specimen. Images from each of the three modalities were obtained in identical sections for axial and sagittal planes. These images display excellent correspondence in the distribution of injected agent. MR T1-weighted images appear to give sharper, more compact representations of the contrast agent as well as details of the annulus and nucleus which were not observed on CT.
The Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel: A Resource for Systems Genetics Analyses of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Traits

The Hybrid Mouse Diversity Panel (HMDP) is a collection of approximately 100 well-characterized inbred strains of mice that can be used to analyze the genetic and environmental factors underlying complex traits. While not nearly as powerful for mapping genetic loci contributing to the traits as human genome-wide association studies, it has some important advantages. First, environmental factors can be controlled. Second, relevant tissues are accessible for global molecular phenotyping. Finally, because inbred strains are renewable, results from separate studies can be integrated. Thus far, the HMDP has been studied for traits relevant to obesity, diabetes, atherosclerosis, osteoporosis, heart failure, immune regulation, fatty liver disease, and host-gut microbiota interactions. High-throughput technologies have been used to examine the genomes, epigenomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, metabolomes, and microbiomes of the mice under various environmental conditions. All of the published data are available and can be readily used to formulate hypotheses about genes, pathways and interactions.
Should Firms Look to an Insider or an Outsider When Hiring a New CEO? Evidence from China

ABSTRACTUsing survey data from China, we demonstrate that the performance consequences of managerial turnover depend on firm characteristics and managerial ties outside of the firm. An insider CEO has better knowledge of the organization but may be bound by existing social ties within the firm. An outsider CEO may turn around the firm more efficiently and possess valuable business and political ties. The author finds outside CEOs are associated with higher efficiency gains in state-owned firms with a large labor force and dependent on government support. The finding is robust after controlling for the selection of CEOs.
Study on the optimization of determination and extraction of pyrethroid pesticide in Tilapia

Objective To research the the best extraction method of pre- treatment of 9 pyrethroid pesticide residuals in tilapia.Methods Optimizing the extraction conditions of samples,including:types of organic solvent,extraction method,dosage of organic solvent,extraction time,extraction times,etc.At last,verifying this method.Results The best extraction solvent was acetonitrile-ethyl acetate(9:1,V/V).The extraction method was ultrasonic extraction,the extraction agent dosage was20 ml,the extraction time was 7 min,and the extraction times choosing 2 times.9 pyrethroids pesticides had a recovery of76.3%- 113.2%.The precision was within 3.22%- 14.60%.And the detection limit was in 0.4 μg/kg-3.2 μg/kg.Conclusion With the establishing of the optimum analysis conditions in the experiment,both of the recovery of pyrethroid pesticides and the measurement results of samples could meet the requirements of pesticide residues detection standard.
Complex Litigation: The Costs of CAFA

Commentary and analysis discussing the problem of the award of plaintiffs’ costs and fees after a defendant’s an unsuccessful attempt to remove a class action case from state court to federal court under the Class Action Fairness Act of 2005 (CAFA). CAFA provides for removal of state-based class action so to federal court under 28 U.S.C. § 1453. If CAFA jurisdiction is not satisfied, the federal court may remand the removed case back to state court. The article discusses the emerging case law in CAFA cases where plaintiffs have sought attorneys’ fees after federal courts have granted remand to state court, especially in cases where the plaintiff believes that the removal was frivolous or vexatious. CAFA does not itself provide for an award of attorney fees; the provision for attorney fees must be found among the general removal provisions. 28 U.S.C. § 1447(c), or 28 U.S.C. § 1927. In CAFA cases, the Seventh Circuit has announced an “objectively reasonable” standard to attempted CAFA removals.
Water Handling In Patients Receiving Haloperidol Decanoate

Objective:To determine whether water handling in patients receiving haloperidol decanoate (HD) was impaired.Design:Prospective, controlled trial of water handling in patients without symptomatic hyponatremia receiving HD. Eligibility for study inclusion required that patients had received HD for at least 4 months, were not taking any medication reported to cause inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion or hyponatremia (excluding haloperidol), and would agree to participate in the study. An age- and gender-matched healthy control subject was enrolled for each study patient. Baseline laboratory values were obtained within 48 hours prior to the standard water-loading test to screen for abnormalities in electrolytes, kidney function, and liver function. A 20-mL/kg water-load test was administered to each patient. Urine volume and osmolality were measured every hour for 4 hours.Setting:A community mental health (CMH) outpatient psychiatric facility for the patients receiving HD and Saint Mary's Health Serv...
Induction of heat shock protein 70 protects intestinal epithelial IEC-18 cells from oxidant and thermal injury.

The potential importance of inducible heat shock proteins (HSPs) in conferring protection to intestinal epithelial cells was investigated using IEC-18 cells. To establish optimal HSP induction, [35...
Copyright in a Nutshell for Found Footage Filmmakers

Found footage is an existing motion picture that is used as an element of a new motion picture. Found footage filmmaking dates back to the origins of cinema. Filmmakers are practical and frugal, and happy to reuse materials when they can. But found footage filmmaking gradually developed into a rough genre of films that included documentaries, parodies, and collages. And found footage became a familiar element of many other genres, which used found footage to illustrate a historical point or evoke an aesthetic response.It can be difficult to determine whether found footage is protected by copyright, who owns the copyright, and whether particular uses of found footage infringe copyright, especially in the case of unpublished motion pictures. This article argues that copyright doctrine is unacceptably indeterminate and effectively restrictive in relation to the use of found footage.
Will Doherty continue to rule for 5G

High data rate 5G systems are expected to operate at frequencies between 15GHz and 100GHz, and utilize large numbers of antennas in both base-stations and handsets. Representative power amplifier scenarios differ from those in commercial wireless today: there will be many more power amplifiers operating at much low power levels. Yet signal peak-to-average ratios will remain high, and efficiency will remain a critical consideration. Doherty amplifiers will be a prime contender for these applications, although they are not the only possibility. This paper reviews the emerging requirements for power amplifiers in mm-wave 5G systems, describes the status of mm-wave Doherty ICs in different device technologies, lists challenges for amplifier designs, and provides a glimpse of approaches other than Doherty amplifiers to meet the needs.
Linear and nonlinear PT-symmetric waveguide couplers

Directional optical couplers have attracted a lot of attention in the fields of integrated and fiber optics owing to their versatile applications, including spectral filters, optical switches, signal multiplexers and modulators, power dividers, and optical cross-connects. Recently, studies of socalled parity-time (PT) symmetric directional couplers attracted a lot of attention. PT-symmetric systems belong to a more general class of pseudo-Hermitian systems, which despite of being non-Hermitian still may possess real eigenvalues.
False-Positive Newborn Screen Using the Beutler Spot Assay for Galactosemia in Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency

Classical galactosemia is detected through newborn screening by measuring galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) in the USA primarily via the Beutler spot assay. We report on an 18-month-old patient with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency that was originally diagnosed with classical galactosemia. The patient presented with elevated liver function enzymes and bilirubinemia and was immediately treated with soy-based formula. Confirmatory tests revealed deficiency of the GALT enzyme, however, full-sequencing of GALT was normal, suggestive of a different ideology. The Beutler spot assay uses three other enzymatic steps in addition to GALT. A deficiency in either of these enzymes can result in suspected decreased GALT activity when using the Beutler assay. Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation screening for phosphoglucomutase-1 deficiency was negative. Quantitative analysis of G6PD enzyme in red blood cells showed a severe deficiency and a deletion in G6PD. Soy-formula, the standard treatment for galactosemia, has been reported to trigger hemolysis in G6PD deficient patients. G6PD and phosphoglucomutase-1 deficiencies should be considered when confirmatory tests are negative for pathogenic variants in GALT and galactose-1-phosphate level is normal.
Characterizing and Predicting Enterprise Email Reply Behavior

Email is still among the most popular online activities. People spend a significant amount of time sending, reading and responding to email in order to communicate with others, manage tasks and archive personal information. Most previous research on email is based on either relatively small data samples from user surveys and interviews, or on consumer email accounts such as those from Yahoo! Mail or Gmail. Much less has been published on how people interact with enterprise email even though it contains less automatically generated commercial email and involves more organizational behavior than is evident in personal accounts. In this paper, we extend previous work on predicting email reply behavior by looking at enterprise settings and considering more than dyadic communications. We characterize the influence of various factors such as email content and metadata, historical interaction features and temporal features on email reply behavior. We also develop models to predict whether a recipient will reply to an email and how long it will take to do so. Experiments with the publicly-available Avocado email collection show that our methods outperform all baselines with large gains. We also analyze the importance of different features on reply behavior predictions. Our findings provide new insights about how people interact with enterprise email and have implications for the design of the next generation of email clients.
Management of Adolescent–Parent Dyads’ Discordance for Willingness to Participate in a Reproductive Health Clinical Trial

The objective of this study is to understand the resolution of discordance between adolescent-parent dyads about participation in research. Adolescent (14-17 years) and parent dyads were recruited from NYC pediatric clinics to assess attitudes toward research participation. A subset of dyads participated in videotaped discussions about participation in a hypothetical study. Videos from dyads that held strongly discordant opinions about participation ( n = 30) were content-coded and analyzed using a thematic framework approach. Strategies used to resolve discordance included asserting authority, granting autonomy, or recognizing inaccurate assumptions using a variety of communication behaviors. Missed opportunities to enroll initially discordant dyads may be avoided by allowing time for adolescents and parents to elicit information, clarify a situation, or convince the other.
Where Are They Now? Winners of a Library Prize for Undergraduate Research: A Survey at the University of California, Berkeley

We conducted a survey of the winners of University of California (UC) Berkeley’s Library Prize for Undergraduate Research (2003-2016) to learn about the long-term impact of undergraduate research p...
Controlled Pore Silica Bodies Gelled From Silica Sol-Alkali Silicate Mixtures

Abstract: Mixtures of potassium silicate and colloidal silica sol have been shown to possess reasonable resistance to spontaneous gelation. When caused to gel by addition of a latent acid reagent such as formamide, controlled pore silica structures were obtained. These structures ranged in pore size from 100A to about 3600A, and each specified composition had a relatively narrow pore size distribution. This technique is useful in forming high purity silica bodies with intricate geometric shapes.
Regulation of transcription of the human MRP7 gene: Characteristics of the basal promoter and identification of tumor-derived transcripts encoding additional 5′ end heterogeneity

Studies focusing on the transcriptional regulation of MRP7 (multidrug resistance associated protein 7) gene expression in human tumor cells are described. As shown by real-time RT-PCR, expression of the MRP7 gene compared to the expression of the MRP1, 2 and 3 genes was less variable among the different cell types. MRP1, 2, 3 and 7 gene expression was highest in HepG2 cells compared to expression in CWR22Rv1 and TSU-PR1 cells. MRP7 gene expression was less than expression of the MRP1 and 2 genes in HepG2 cells but similar to MRP3 gene expression in this cell type and similar to or greater than expression of the MRP1, 2 and 3 genes in CWR22Rv1 and TSU-PR1 cells. Functional deletion analysis, in situ mutagenesis and electromobility shift assays (EMSA) showed that basal MRP7 promoter activity relied upon a proximal segment of the 5' flanking region 169 to 257 nt in length bearing an E2F site acting cooperatively with two closely positioned Sp1 sites. Two additional Sp1 sites further downstream were of secondary importance. The sequence of the E2F site was noncanonical and its interaction with E2F protein was confirmed by a competitive EMSA using a consensus E2F oligonucleotide probe and by demonstrating a supershift with the antibody against the E2F4 and E2F5 pocket protein, p107. 5' RACE carried out with CWR22Rv1 and HepG2 cells detected a single transcription start site (tsp) distal to the basal promoter and identified two new MRP7 transcripts with very short 5' UTR sequences compared to transcripts found by others in nontumorous human tissue. This 5' end heterogeneity infers a more complex intron-exon composition than hitherto shown.
Provability-based semantic interoperability via translation graphs

Provability-based semantic interoperability (PBSI) is a kind of interoperability that transcends mere syntactic translation to allow for robust, meaningful information exchange across systems employing ontologies for which mappings or matchings may not exist, and which can be evaluated by provability-based (PB) queries. We introduce a system of translation graphs to formalize the relationships between diverse ontologies and knowledge representation and reasoning systems, and to automatically generate the translation axioms governing PB information exchange and inter-system reasoning. We demonstrate the use of translation graphs on a small number of simple systems to achieve interoperability.
School violence, perceptions of safety and school attendance: results from a cross-sectional study in Rwanda and Uganda

# Background Adolescents displaced by conflict face a number of risks, and access to education has potential to have multiple protective aspects in humanitarian settings. Yet, the impact of violence experienced at school by adolescents in humanitarian contexts is poorly understood, especially in terms of impacts on educational outcomes. # Methods A household survey of adolescents in a refugee camp in Rwanda (n=274) and in two refugee settlements in Uganda (n=763) was conducted. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the influence of violence experienced at school on school attendance, feelings of fear and feelings of safety at school. # Results In multiple logistic regression models, adjusting for socio-demographic variables, exposure to school violence was significantly associated with feelings of safety at school (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=2.29, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.20-4.38) and days of school missed (AOR=3.28, 95% CI=1.54-7.01) in Rwanda. In Uganda, exposure to violence was significantly associated with all outcomes: school fear (AOR=2.26, 95% CI=1.48-3.44), school safety (AOR=1.90, 95% CI=1.23-2.92) and school attendance (AOR=2.39, 95% CI=1.52-3.74). Gender-stratified analyses indicated that in both contexts exposure to school violence is significantly associated with school attendance, school fear, and school safety for girls, but the association is weaker amongst boys (with experience of violence significantly associated with school attendance for boys in Uganda, but not for other outcomes and not in Rwanda). # Conclusions This study presents some initial and novel findings on the relationships between violence experienced at school and educational outcomes amongst adolescents displaced by conflict.
Field performances of nanosized TiO2 coated limestone for a self-cleaning building surface in an urban environment

Abstract Over the last few years, photocatalytic titanium dioxide coatings have been explored in laboratory conditions to create building materials with self-cleaning and depolluting abilities. Assessing the performances of the photocatalytic surfaces under real conditions may provide basic knowledge to evaluate the potential of real applications of TiO2 coatings in buildings. In this study, the performance of photocatalytic limestone surfaces obtained through coating with water-dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles were investigated in an urban environment. Coated and uncoated samples were exposed to an urban site for one year. Before the exposure and periodically afterwards, optical microscopy observations, colour and contact angle measurements were performed on the sample surface. At the end of the exposure period, samples underwent a capillary water absorption test and self-cleaning efficiency was evaluated by a Rhodamine B photodegradation test. Ti and soluble fraction amounts on the sample surfaces were determined by X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and ion chromatography, respectively. The overall results showed the TiO2 coating was better able to preserve the surface colour properties early after exposure. After eight months, this effect was lost and the self-cleaning efficiency was reduced to negligible final rates. No clear wettability results and no meaningful capillary behaviour were recorded. A decrease of the photocatalytic activity was due to both partial titania loss and deactivation phenomena. The role of soluble salt ions either adsorbed from the environment or produced by the photocatalytic abatement of pollutants was recognized in the deactivation of the photocatalysts and their accumulation deserves attention for possible stone damage risk implications.
Association Between Performance on an Interdisciplinary Stroke Assessment Battery and Falls in Patients With Acute Stroke in an Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract Objective To explore the association between demographic factors and functional performance measures of patients with acute stroke in an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) and falls during the IRF stay and to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of functional outcome measures in identifying fallers. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Inpatient rehabilitation facility. Participants Individuals with acute stroke admitted to hospital-based IRF (N=139). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Odds ratios were used to examine the relationship between fall frequency and functional outcome measures (National Institute of Stroke Scale, neglect [Item #11], Berg Balance Scale, Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement mobility and Stroke Rehabilitation Assessment of Movement lower extremity subscales [STREAM-LE], Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Dynamic Gait Index, and Stroke Impact Scale). Receiver operator characteristic analysis with area under the curve, sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratio were used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of each functional outcome measure to distinguish patients who fell vs those who did not fall in the IRF. Results A total of 23 patients (16.2%) fell during the IRF hospitalization. Patients who did and did not fall did not differ in terms of age, sex, stroke type, or stroke location. Only the STREAM-LE was associated with falls (odds ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.86-0.99). Area under the curve was 0.67 (95% CI, 0.51-0.82). With a positivity cutoff point of 12, sensitivity and specificity were 73.3% (95% CI, 54.6%-92.2%) and 50.0% (95% CI, 39.9%-59.2%), respectively. The diagnostic odds ratio was 3.4. Conclusions The STREAM-LE score at admission to IRF may identify patients with acute stroke who are more likely to fall during their stay. However, the search for measures with greater diagnostic accuracy should continue.
Stepwise Pharmacological Approach to Severe Childhood Asthma

The stepwise approach to pharmacological therapy for severe asthma in children and adolescents is largely based on national and international guidelines, and the mainstay of therapy for this population remains inhaled corticosteroids with the addition of another controller medication. The preferred additional controller medication in older (school-age) children and adolescents is long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) delivered in a combination device, and if needed, additional therapies include a leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA), theophylline if levels can be monitored and drug-drug interactions minimized, or the addition of tiotropium. In younger (preschool) children, the preferred step-up is to double the inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dose and assess response after 3 months. Alternatively, an LTRA may be added to low-dose daily ICS, but this is extrapolated from data of older children. Atopy and blood eosinophils can predict greater short-term response to moderate-dose ICS than to LTRA. The next step-up includes biologic therapies, currently only licensed for school-age children. For children that remain poorly controlled with these regimens, oral corticosteroids as a controller therapy can be considered for a brief period of time, and once symptoms are controlled, every effort should be made to step-down therapy to avoid adverse effects. More comparison studies are needed to identify the most efficacious treatment regimens by clinical phenotype in children with severe asthma.
Earthing Arrangements Impacts on Protection Schemes for a Commercial Microgrid

Conventional distribution systems typically utilize TN earthing systems with overcurrent time-trip protection. However, in microgrids overcurrent protection alone is inadequate for fault discrimination. A combination of differential, directional overcurrent and overcurrent time-trip protection is required. This paper represents a practical microgrid model and investigates fault behaviour of the microgrid during one phase to chassis ground fault (L-G), called insulation fault, which is the most common type of fault in distribution systems. The results will be presented for three different earthing systems, TN, TT and IT, in both grid connected and islanded mode. The restrictions of protection scheme for each earthing system is presented and eventually, proper protection scheme will be proposed. All models of the generators and controllers and eventually the grid, are built using PSCAD V6.4.2.
Intrauterine Substance Exposure and the Risk for Subsequent Physical Abuse Hospitalizations.

Abstract Objective To describe the relative risk for a physical abuse hospitalization among substance exposed infants (SEI) with and without neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Methods We created a nationally representative US birth cohort using the 2013 and 2014 Nationwide Readmissions Databases. International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes were used to identify newborns, predictor variables, and subsequent hospitalizations for physical abuse within 6 months of discharge from newborns’ birth hospitalization. Predictor variables included newborn demographics, prematurity or low birth weight, and intrauterine substance exposure: non-SEI, SEI without NAS, and SEI with NAS. Multiple logistic regression calculated adjusted relative risks and 95% confidence intervals. A subanalysis of newborns with narcotic exposure was performed. Results There were 3,740,582 newborns in the cohort; of which 13,024 (0.4%) were SEI without NAS and 20,196 (0.5%) SEI with NAS. Overall, 1247 (0.03%) newborns were subsequently hospitalized for physical abuse within 6 months. Compared to non-SEI, SEI with NAS (adjusted relative risks: 3.84 [95% confidence intervals: 2.79–5.28]) were at increased risk for having a subsequent hospitalization for physical abuse, but SEI without NAS were not. A similar pattern was observed among narcotic-exposed infants; infants with NAS due to narcotics were at increased risk, but narcotic-exposed infants without NAS were not. Conclusions Our results suggest that newborns diagnosed with NAS are at increased risk of physical abuse during early infancy, above that of substance-exposed infants without NAS. These results should improve the identification of higher-risk infants who may benefit from more rigorous safety planning and follow-up care
Incorporating Job Demand Variability Into Job Demands Theory: A Meta-Analysis:

A rich history of research on job demands suggests that employees’ demands at work are related to their strain and engagement. This research often considers job demands to be fixed and stable over ...
Health literacy and its association with adherence in pediatric liver transplant recipients and their parents.

Objective Non-adherence to pediatric regimens is a common concern. Low health literacy is correlated with poor outcomes in adults but is understudied in pediatrics. The current project aimed to determine the relationship between health literacy, adherence, and outcomes in pediatric liver transplant recipients. Hypotheses included a) parent and patient health literacy would be positively correlated; and b) low patient and/or parent health literacy would be negatively correlated with adherence and health outcomes. Patients and methods Eligible participants were recruited during routine follow-up visits in a pediatric liver transplant clinic. Parents and patients (>13 years old) completed 2 measures of health literacy. Patients ≥18 years completed health literacy measures without corresponding parent surveys. Adherence variables and health outcomes were obtained from medical records. Results Seventy-nine patients across two sites completed the study. Variance in classification of health literacy between measures was observed; however, most parents (82%-100%) scored within an "adequate literacy" range. More adolescents scored in lower health literacy ranges relative to the parents. Markers of SES were positively correlated with health literacy. Parent health literacy was negatively associated with biopsy-proven rejection episodes and the number of hospitalizations; however, it was not associated with measures of tacrolimus adherence. There were no relationships observed between parent and adolescent health literacy. Conclusions Health literacy is an important consideration in managing patient care; however, available measures demonstrate variability in capturing the skills of patients. Effective communication strategies may ameliorate admittedly small, but negative, impacts of limited health literacy on outcomes.
Distributed File System

The main objective of this chapter is to provide information and guidance for building a Hadoop distributed file system to address the big data classification problem. This system can help one to implement, test, and evaluate various machine-learning techniques presented in this book for learning purposes. The objectives include a detailed explanation of the Hadoop framework and the Hadoop system, the presentation of the Internet resources that can help you build a virtual machine-based Hadoop distributed file system with the R programming platform, and the establishment of an easy-to-follow, step-by-step instruction to build the RevolutionAnalytics’ RHadoop system for your big data computing environment. The objective also includes the presentation of simple examples to test the system to ensure the Hadoop system works. A brief discussion on setting up a multi node Hadoop system is also presented.
Systemic considerations with pigmented fundus lesions and retinal pigment epithelium hamartomas in Turcot syndrome.

Purpose of review To illustrate retinal pigment epithelium hamartomas (RPEHs) in a patient with known Turcot syndrome and to demonstrate the significance of these lesions in other colonic polyposis syndromes. Recent findings The presence of multiple, bilateral RPEHs is a specific marker for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Recent studies have noted RPEHs in associated syndromes including Gardner and Turcot syndromes. Herein, we illustrate an 18-year-old male patient with known brain medulloblastoma who was documented 7 years later to have asymptomatic RPEHs in both eyes, demonstrating hypo-autofluorescence. Summary This patient with previous medulloblastoma and known Turcot syndrome was later found to have typical RPEHs, a feature that is important in family screening. Confirmation of RPEHs related to Turcot syndrome was made, and genetic evaluation confirmed germline mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. Observation was advised. Due to the fairly rapid progression to colorectal cancer if untreated, ophthalmologists should be aware that RPEHs can be the first extracolonic manifestation of FAP, Gardner syndrome, and Turcot syndrome.
Cancer and Referred Facial Pain

Orofacial pain may be a symptom of diverse types of cancers as a result of local or distant tumor effects. The pain can be presented with the same characteristics as any other orofacial pain disorder, and this should be recognized by the clinician. Orofacial pain also can arise as a consequence of cancer therapy. In the present article, we review the mechanisms of cancer-associated facial pain, its clinical presentation, and cancer therapy associated with orofacial pain.
Clinicopathological characterization of mammary analogue secretory carcinoma of salivary glands.

Chiosea S I, Griffith C, Assaad A & Seethala R R (2012) Histopathology 61, 387–394 Clinicopathological characterization of mammary analogue secretory carcinoma of salivary glands Aims: Mammary analogue secretory carcinoma (MASC) is a recently described tumour with ETV6 translocation. We aimed to characterize the clinical significance of recognizing MASC. Methods and results: Thirty-six patients with MASC (27 identified retrospectively and nine prospectively) are presented. Historically, MASC mimicked other salivary tumours, as follows: 14 of 37 (37.8%) adenocarcinoma, not otherwise specified, 11 of 89 (12.4%) acinic cell carcinomas (AciCC), one of five (20%) mucin-producing signet ring adenocarcinomas, and one of 165 (0.6%) mucoepidermoid carcinomas. Demographically, MASC affected males more commonly (1.4:1). The average age at diagnosis was 45.7 years. Parotid gland was the most common site of involvement (26 of 36, 72.2%), although other head and neck sites, including the base of tongue, were affected. Of 18 patients with neck dissection, lymph node involvement was identified in four patients (four of 18, 22.2%). Survival analysis of MASC cases presented here, combined with those reported previously, revealed a mean disease-free survival for patients with MASC of 92 months [n = 29; 95% confidence interval (CI) 71–115 months], compared with a mean DFS of 121 months for patients with AciCC (n = 38; 95% CI 92–149, P = 0.43). Conclusions: Although perhaps slightly more aggressive, MASC clinical outcome mimics that of AciCC.
Composition and oxidative stabilities of oils extracted from hybrid hazelnuts grown in Nebraska, USA

Summary Recently, hybrid hazelnuts have emerged as a potential oilseed crop in Nebraska for food and value-added industrial applications. As with all hazelnuts, Nebraska hybrid hazelnuts were characterised by the high oil content with the average oil content of 54.3%. Oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid. Oleic acid and linoleic acid accounted for more than 90% of the total fatty acid composition, whereas small quantities of palmitoleic and linolenic acids were found. Four major tocopherols (α-, β-, γ- and δ-tocopherols) were identified with α-tocopherol as the most dominant isomer. The average total tocopherol content was 235.4 mg kg−1 oil with α-tocopherol constituting approximately 97.5% of the total tocopherols. β-sitosterol was the most abundant sterol of the three identified sterols representing, on average, 93.1% of total sterols, followed by campesterol and stigmasterol. The oil oxidative stability was affected by the presence of high levels of natural antioxidants and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). Genotype 16–177 was superior to the other genotypes, when combining high levels of MUFA, tocopherols and phytosterols, and high oxidative stability.
Assessment of Self‐Injurious and Aggressive Behavior

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the structural and functional assessment methodologies relevant for self-injurious behavior (SIB) and aggressive behavior in individuals with intellectual disability. Structural and functional assessment techniques are not mutually exclusive and can complement each other. Psychometric weaknesses are in the nature of problem behavior in persons with intellectual disabilities. Low incidence skewed-distribution phenomena create technical challenges for the construction of assessment instruments and for statistical data analysis. For instance, it is an axiom of classical test theory that scales with fewer items, which have lower reliability than scales with more items. Inferential statistics require normal distribution of variables, an assumption that tends to be violated in group based on such instruments. There is an ongoing debate over the best, most accurate, and the most feasible strategy to identify functional properties of target behaviors. However, the precision, cost, and potential risk of an experimental functional analysis (EFA) must be carefully weighted against the lessened immediate risk and cost.
Why Are PVM and MPI So Different

PVM and MPI are often compared. These comparisons usually start with the unspoken assumption that PVM and MPI represent different solutions to the same problem. In this paper we show that, in fact, the two systems often are solving different problems. In cases where the problems do match but the solutions chosen by PVM and MPI are different, we explain the reasons for the differences. Usually such differences can be traced to explicit differences in the goals of the two systems, their origins, or the relationship between their specifications and their implementations.