cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac and Thermal Homeostasis in the Aging Brown Norway Rat

The cardiovascular and thermoregulatory systems are considered to be susceptible in the aged population, but little is known about baseline cardiac and thermoregulatory homeostasis in rodent models of aging. Radiotransmitters were implanted in male, Brown Norway rats obtained at 4, 12, and 24 months to monitor the electrocardiogram (ECG), interbeat interval (IBI), heart rate (HR), core temperature (Tc), and motor activity (MA). There was no significant effect of age on resting HR and MA. Daytime Tc of the 24-month-old rats was significantly elevated above those of the 4- and 12-month-old groups. Variability of the IBI was highest in the 24-month-old rats. The elevation in daytime Tc beginning around 8 months of age may be a physiological biomarker of aging and may be an important factor to consider in studies using caloric restriction-induced hypothermia to increase longevity.
Modeling a Secure Sensor Network Using an Extended Elementary Object System

A sensor network consists of a large number of sensor nodes, which are spread over a geographical area. Sensor networks have found their way into many applications, from military domains to traffic or environmental monitoring, and as sensor networks reach toward wide spread deployment, security becomes a major concern. In this regard, one needs to be sure about the confidentiality, authenticity and tamper-proof of data. The research thus far has focused on how to deploy sensor networks so that they can work efficiently; however, the focus of this paper is on sensor networks' security issues. In this paper, the authors propose a formal model to design and analyze the secure sensor network system. The model is based on an augmented Petri net formalism called Extended Elementary Object System. This proposed secure sensor network model has a multi-layered structure consisting of sink node layer, sensor node layer and security mechanism layer. At the security mechanism layer, a synchronous firing mechanism is utilized as a security measure to detect malicious node attacks to sensor data and information flow. In addition, the model applies SNEP protocol for authentication and confidentiality of sensor data.
Time to Reassess Blood-Pressure Goals

Hypertension is a major public health problem, but experts disagree on blood-pressure targets. For many patients, the SPRINT study suggests, target blood pressure in treating hypertension should be lower than is now recommended, but achieving that goal won't be easy.
Physical Activity in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological factors associated with engaging in regular physical activity (PA) in adults with type 1 diabetes.MethodsSecondary cross-sectional analysis based on data from the Type One Diabetes Exchange clinic registry was conducted. Adults ≥18 years old enrolled in the clinic registry who had completed PA self-report data (n = 7153) were included in this study.ResultsMean age was 37.14 ± 17 years, and 54% (n = 3840) were men. Type 1 diabetes duration was 19.5 ± 13.5 years, and mean A1C level was 7.9% ± 1.5% (62 mmol/mol). Twelve percent (n = 848) of the sample reported no PA; 55% (n = 3928) reported PA 1 to 4 days per week; and 33% (n = 2377) reported PA ≥5 days per week. Factors that were associated with increased odds of no PA were older age, less-than-excellent general health, increased body mass index, longer duration of diabetes, and increased depressive symptoms. More blood glucose meter checks per day decreased odds o...
Climate Change Implications and Use of Early Warning Systems for Global Dust Storms

With increased changes in land cover and global climate, early detection and warning of dust storms in conjunction with effective and widespread information broadcasts will be essential to the prevention and mitigation of future risks and impacts. Human activities, seasonal variations and long-term climatic patterns influence dust storms. More research is needed to analyse these factors of dust mobilisation to create more certainty for the fate of vulnerable populations and ecosystems in the future. Early warning and communication systems, when in place and effectively implemented, can offer some relief to these vulnerable areas. As an issue that affects many regions of the world, there is a profound need to understand the potential changes and ultimately create better early warning systems for dust storms.
Impact of panniculectomy on transplant candidacy of obese patients with chronic kidney disease declined for kidney transplantation because of a high-risk abdominal panniculus: A pilot study

Background Obese patients can develop a large lower abdominal panniculus (worsened by significant weight loss). Patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) affected by this obesity-related sequela are not infrequently declined for kidney transplantation because of the high risk for serious wound-healing complications. We hypothesized that pretransplant panniculectomy in these patients would (1) render them transplant candidates, and (2) result in low posttransplant wound-complication rates. Methods In a pilot study, adult patients with CKD who had a high-risk panniculus as the only absolute contraindication to kidney transplantation subsequently were referred to a plastic surgeon to undergo a panniculectomy in order to become transplant candidates. We analyzed the effect of panniculectomy on (1) transplant candidacy and (2) wait list and transplant outcomes (04/2008–06/2014). Results Overall, 36 patients had panniculectomy (median prior weight loss, 38 kg); all were wait-listed with these outcomes: (1) 22 (62%) patients were transplanted; (2) 7 (19%) remain listed; and (3) 7 (19%) were removed from the wait list. Survival after panniculectomy was greater for those transplanted versus not transplanted (at 5 years, 95% vs 35%, respectively; P = .002). For the 22 kidney recipients, posttransplant wound-complication rate was 5% (1 minor subcutaneous hematoma). Conclusion For obese CKD patients with a high-risk abdominal panniculus, panniculectomy was highly effective in obtaining access to the transplant wait list and successful kidney transplantation. This approach is particularly pertinent for CKD patients because they are disproportionally affected by the obesity epidemic and because obese CKD patients already face multiple other barriers to transplantation.
Turnover and excretion of streptococcal surface components.

The dynamic nature of bacterial cell surface components is a major factor in their relationship to the immune system. The processes of bacterial growth and division require expansion of cell surface area while maintaining the protective properties of the wall in order to contain internal osmotic pressures of as much as 20 atmospheres (1). Furthermore, the bacterial wall must protect its protoplast from adverse, or at least non-supportive, conditions that bacterial cells may meet in the intermittently changing environments in vivo in which they can survive, and sometimes grow. Obviously, these physiological parameters vary with bacterial species and probably contribute to the type of microbial flora found in the various ecological niches of the body, including the oral cavity. In addition, the ability of streptococci to continue to synthesize and excrete biologically active substances when they are exposed to environments that do not support balanced growth has implications particularly relevant to the “feast or famine” type of environment present in the oral cavity. Currently, little information is available on the kinds and amounts of extracellular products produced in vivo. Although conditions found in vivo cannot be exactly duplicated, the effects of some of the potentially important variables on surface components and extracellular products can be individually studied in the test tube.
Magnetic properties of GdBa2Cu3O7−x in the normal and superconducting states

The magnetic properties of superconducting GdBa2Cu3O7−x withTc∼95 K are measured. In the normal state, its susceptibility closely follows the Curie law with an effective moment of 7.77μB.Hc1 is determined to be 650 Oe. No superconducting fluctuation can be delineated. Flux pinning indicated behavior of type II superconductors. A 25–405 diamagnetic state indicating bulk superconductivity in GdBa2Cu3O7−x.
Country Equity: South Africa, a Case in Point

The idea of country branding, while controversial, has gained broad acceptance and is actively practiced at the national and regional levels. A number of new research studies are indicative of the growing interest and importance of the topic. This article focuses on practical opportunities for South Africa to become more adept at using marketing communications to promote itself to critical international audiences.
Chemical Analysis of the Defensive Scent Fluid from the Cactus Bug Chelinidea vittiger

Throughout much of the southwestern portion of the continental United States, prickly pear cactus, Opuntia sp., offers food and shelter to a small coreid bug, Chelinidea vittiger Uhler, whose presence is revealed by the yellowish spots produced when the insect feeds on the outer layers of the cactus' broad surfaces.
Study on the Sustainable Development for Famous Tea Industry in Zhejiang Province

Recent years,the yield and output value of famous tea product reached its new peak and the development situation was good for the rational famous tea industry structure in Zhejiang province.However,the problems of severe shortage of labor forces,substantial increase of enterprise operation cost,low level of industry organization and low added value and so on,were still outburst in Zhejiang tea industry.This paper focused on the situation and problems in the development of famous tea industry in Zhejiang province,and the several strategies and solutions solving those problems were proposed in order to promote its sustainable development.
Interrupt for the treatment of TB track work

Objective In recent years,the incidence of refractory pulmonary tuberculosis,drug resistant tuberculosis is on the rise,refractory pulmonary tuberculosis,drug resistant tuberculosis low cure rate,high mortality,cause everyone's attention. Refractory,drug-resistant tuberculosis morbidity of tuberculosis patients and some irregular treatment,some patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in the process of treatment,because of some reasons such as intolerance,the side effects of chemotherapy drugs interrupted treatment such as financial difficulties,they may become intractable tuberculosis patients, drug resistant pulmonary tuberculosis patients,for more contagious to people around,more subtle,etc. Methods To prevent the adverse consequences,our county,township and village level three patients was carried out on such a track work. Results Take the first doctor aclls interrupt the treatment of pulmonary patients timely supervisory review,medicine,doctors.home track and so on,to allow completion of anti-tuberculosis treatment,reducing its turn into intractable resistance,TB patients as possible. Conclusion Interruption of treatment for tuberculosis pationts were analyzed the reasons put forward for modern TB chemotherapy strategy to track the word of some of the thinking.
Comprehension of narratives, non-fiction, and complex syntax as predictors of science achievement

Background and Aims: Each academic subject requires a specific set of language skills, termed disciplinary literacy, for mastery. Educational reforms in the United States have focused on the need to integrate teaching of language concepts within the core academic subjects. Science educators recognize the need to teach science literacy within the science curriculum. Despite the acknowledgement of the role of language in science mastery, few studies have empirically investigated the relation between science and language ability. This investigation assessed the contribution of written language ability to performance on a science achievement measure.Methods and Procedures: The current investigation analyzed data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study-Kindergarten Class eighth-grade wave (N = 8928). Students completed individual direct paper-and-pencil testing in science and written language.Results: Student scores on evaluating non-fiction, evaluating complex syntax, and evaluating narratives were entere...
Pd-Ir Core-Shell Nanocubes: A Type of Highly Efficient and Versatile Peroxidase Mimic

Peroxidase mimics with dimensions on the nanoscale have received great interest as emerging artificial enzymes for biomedicine and environmental protection. While a variety of peroxidase mimics have been actively developed recently, limited progress has been made toward improving their catalytic efficiency. In this study, we report a type of highly efficient peroxidase mimic that was engineered by depositing Ir atoms as ultrathin skins (a few atomic layers) on Pd nanocubes (i.e., Pd–Ir cubes). The Pd–Ir cubes exhibited significantly enhanced efficiency, with catalytic constants more than 20- and 400-fold higher than those of the initial Pd cubes and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), respectively. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, the Pd–Ir cubes were applied to the colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of human prostate surface antigen (PSA) with a detection limit of 0.67 pg/mL, which is ∼110-fold lower than that of the conventional HRP-based ELISA using the same set of antibodies and the ...
Concordance of Brain and Core Temperature in Comatose Patients After Cardiac Arrest.

Comatose patients after cardiac arrest should receive active targeted temperature management (TTM), with a goal core temperature of 32–36°C for at least 24 hours. Small variations in brain temperature may confer or mitigate a substantial degree of neuroprotection, which may be lost at temperatures near 37°C. The purpose of this study was to define the relationship between brain and core temperature after cardiac arrest through direct, simultaneous measurement of both. We placed intracranial monitors in a series of consecutive patients hospitalized for cardiac arrest at a single tertiary care facility within 12 hours of return of spontaneous circulation to guide postcardiac arrest care. We compared the absolute difference between brain and core (esophageal or rectal) temperature measurements every hour for the duration of intracranial monitoring and tested for a lag between brain and core temperature using the average square difference method. Overall, 11 patients underwent simultaneous brain and core temp...
Selection, Design and Implementation of Decentralized Infrastructure

Decentralized infrastructure involves approaches, technologies and systems that are selected based on project goals and requirements under a specific set of circumstances. For a particular project, one or more decentralized systems can be configured from compatible unit operations. System design and implementation needs to satisfy technical and deployment viability and sustainability requirements. Management is essential to successful deployment of decentralized systems. This chapter describes how decentralized systems can be selected, designed, and implemented to achieve project goals and satisfy requirements in a sustainable fashion.
Experience with Fludarabine, Cyclophosphamide, Rituximab (FCR) Plus GM-CSF in Frontline Therapy for Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL)

Abstract Combination chemoimmunotherapies with purine analogues are frequently used as initial therapy of patients with CLL. We investigated the efficacy and tolerability of the combination of FCR plus GM-CSF (sargramostim, Leukine) as initial therapy of patients with CLL based on the following rationale: high response rates of FCR in frontline CLL as previously reported; ability of GM-CSF to stimulate granulocyte and macrophage natural cytotoxicity and therefore to potentiate antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (Voso MT, Haematol. 2002); ability of GM-CSF to increase surface CD20 expression on CLL cells making them a better target for rituximab (Venugopal P, Leuk. Res. 2000); and the potential to reduce the myelosuppressive effect of the FCR combination. Patients with untreated CLL, who met NCI-WG criteria for initiation of therapy, were eligible for this trial. We limited accrual to patients with standard risk disease as determined by beta-2-microglobulin ≤ to 4 mg/dL. Patients received fludarabine 25 mg/m2 i.v. days 2–4, cyclosphosphamide 250 mg/m2 i.v. days 2–4, rituximab 375 mg/m2 i.v. day 1. GMCSF was given sc at 250 mcg/m2 on day -1 and days 5–11. For courses 2–6, FCR started day 1 together with rituximab 500 mg/m2, and GM-CSF was given sc at 250 mcg/m2 on day -1 and days 5–11 or until neutrophil recovery. Courses were repeated every 4–6 weeks. Patients were trained to self-administer GM-CSF during course 1 and therefore required to receive course 1 at our center. Local oncologists administered courses 2–6. All patients received standard anti-viral and PCP prophylaxis throughout the duration of therapy. Sixty patients were enrolled of whom 46 are evaluable for response and toxicity. The median age was 55 years (range 35–77). Twelve patients (20%) had Rai stage III–IV. Median beta-2-microglobulin was 2.8 mg/L (1.7–4.2). Seventeen patients (28%) had 11q deletion and 2 patients (3%) had 17p deletion by FISH. Unmutated IgVH occurred in 57% of the patients and ZAP-70 immunohistochemistry was positive in 53%. Thirty-three patients (72%) achieved CR, 5 patients (11%) nPR, and 8 patients (17%) PR, with an OR rate of 100%. Twenty-four patients (52%) had /= 3 neutropenia occurred in 35 (76%) of the patients, thrombocytopenia in 8 (17%). Infectious episodes were seen in 5 patients (11%) including one patient who died after 4 cycles because of pneumonia. Nine patients (20%) discontinued GM-CSF after 1 (2 patients), 3 (3 patients) and 4 (4 patients) courses, because of pain/erythema at the injection site (7 patients), fever (1 patient) and syncope (1 patient). Thirty-nine patients (85%) completed all 6 planned courses and only 2 patients (4%) received less than 4 courses. In conclusion, FCR plus GM-CSF has a high CR rate in symptomatic frontline patients with CLL. This regimen has a favorable toxicity profile and was easily administered in the community setting. This study has completed accrual and time-to-event parameters and a comparison with FCR will be presented.
Congenital mesoblastic nephroma with distant metastasis in a premature twin gestation

Abstract Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is a rare renal tumor of infancy. Here, we present a case of CMN presenting in a 29 week premature male in a twin gestation. An abdominal mass had been noted on prenatal ultrasound. He was initially treated with right radical nephrectomy. Pathology was consistent with cellular type CMN. Three months postoperatively, the patient developed pulmonary metastasis and underwent wedge resection of the right lung lesion. He subsequently underwent adjuvant chemotherapy, to which he has responded well. We discuss the presentation and management of patients with CMN and address the indications for postoperative chemotherapy.
Non–Clostridium difficile Bacterial Infections Are Rare in Patients With Flares of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background & Aims Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) causes flares in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We investigated the frequency and outcomes of non-CDI bacterial enteric infections in symptomatic patients with IBD. Methods We performed a retrospective study of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) from whom stool samples were collected and analyzed by PCR or culture for bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter jejuni or C coli, Salmonella species, Shigella species, enteroinvasive Escherichia coli, shiga toxin–producing E coli, or Yersinia species) from November 19, 2011, through June 30, 2014. Patients were excluded if they had nonbacterial infections or no symptoms. Data were collected from medical records on IBD duration, treatment, age at diagnosis, and presence of concurrent CDI. Patients were followed for 1 year after the date of infection resolution or until date of last follow-up in the health record. Each patient with an enteric infection was matched with 2 patients with IBD flares and negative results from stool tests (non-infected control) and 2 patients with IBD and CDI (CDI control), adjusted for age (within 5 years at the time of stool test), sex, and IBD subtype. Outcome measures included IBD therapy escalation and hospitalization. Results Of 9247 patients with IBD seen during the study period, stool samples were tested from 1345 patients (50% with UC and 50% with CD). There were 3 positive results (detection of bacterial pathogens) from 339 PCR analyses of stool samples from 296 patients with UC (0.88%) and 12 positive results from 486 cultures of stool samples from 418 patients with UC (2.5%). There was 1 positive result from 355 PCR analyses of stool samples from 311 patients with CD (0.28%) and 9 positive results from 496 cultures of stool samples from 413 patients with CD (1.8%). Of the 19 patients followed beyond infection, 9 patients required escalation of their IBD therapy (47%)—most commonly addition of an immunomodulator (5 patients) or a biological agent (3 patients)—compared with 34% of CDI controls and 66% of non-infected controls (P Conclusions In a retrospective study of patients with an IBD flare, we detected non-CDI bacterial infections in fewer than 3% of those who were tested. Higher proportions of patients with non-CDI bacterial infections were in remission in the year after their infection than patients with CDI.
Designing an External Collar Torsional Damper Based on the Backlash Excitation Measurements and the Calculated Torsional Elastic Properties of the Engine Cold Test Driveline

The elastic properties of the cold test driveline are essential in predicting the torsional dynamic behavior of the system. The occurrence of torsional vibrations compels designers to apply several approaches to shift the critical speeds away from the machine operating range. This study reviews existing conventional methods for reducing the torsions deformation caused by the compliance backlash. A systematic approach is proposed for the backlash calculation through the torque signatures differentiation and for designing an external collar dampener for the suppression of backlash periodic impact.
High-temperature dehydrogenation of Brønsted acid sites in zeolites.

We present evidence for the dehydrogenation of zeolite Bronsted acid sites at temperatures above 500 °C forming hydrogen gas and a [AlO4]0 site that could participate in one-electron oxidations or react further to form extraframework aluminum.
Synthesis of new analogs of tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac) as novel angiogenesis inhibitors for treatment of cancer

In the angiogenesis process, integrins, which are members of a family of cell surface transmembrane receptors, play a critical role particularly in blood vessel formation and the local release of vascular growth factors. Thyroid hormones such as l-thyroxine (T4) and 3,5,3'-triiodo-l-thyronine (T3) promote angiogenesis and tumor cell proliferation via integrin αvβ3 receptor. At or near an arginine-glycine-aspartate (RGD) recognition site on the binding pocket of integrin αvβ3, tetraiodothyroacetic acid (tetrac, a deaminated derivative of T4) is a thyrointegrin receptor antagonist and blocks the actions of T3 and T4 as well as different growth factors-mediated angiogenesis. In this study, we synthesized novel tetrac analogs by modifying the phenolic moiety of tetrac and tested them for their anti-angiogenesis activity using a Matrigel plug model for angiogenesis in mice. Pharmacological activity results showed that tetrac can accommodate numerous modifications and maintain its anti-angiogenesis activity.
Adoption of thermal behavior as an indicator for enhancement of the EIS analysis for NCR 18650B Commercial Lithium-ion batteries system

It is of great significance to understand and monitor the condition of the commercial batteries in EVs/HEVs and stationary applications under their real working situations. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has been proved to be a powerful technique for investigating the kinetics and redox reactions at the interfaces, as well as the diffusion behavior in the bulks of every electrochemical systems. Focusing on tracing the temperature of the commercial batteries during the EIS tests at different stages in a well-designed four-week driving simulation, the value of temperature profile during the EIS test as an enhanced indicator to help analyzing the formation of the passivation layers, electrolyte impedance development as well as lithium plating on the anode through EIS analysis have been found.
Improving revisitation in graphs through static spatial features

People generally remember locations in visual spaces with respect to spatial features and landmarks. Geographical maps provide many spatial features and hence are easy to remember. However, graphs are often visualized as node-link diagrams with few spatial features. We evaluate whether adding static spatial features to node-link diagrams will help in graph revisitation. We discuss three strategies for embellishing a graph and evaluate each in a user study. In our first study, we evaluate how to best add background features to a graph. In the second, we encode position using node size and color. In the third and final study, we take the best techniques from the first and second study, as well as shapes added to the graph as virtual landmarks, to find the best combination of spatial features for graph revisitation. We discuss the user study results and give our recommendations for design of graph visualization software.
Cancer incidence among patients of the U.S. Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

ABSTRACTObjective: Approximately 40,000 incident cancer cases are reported in the Veterans Affairs Central Cancer Registry (VACCR) annually (approximately 3% of U.S. cancer cases). Our objective was to provide the first comprehensive description of cancer incidence as reported in VACCR. Methods: Data were obtained from VACCR for incident cancers diagnosed in VA. Analyses focused on 2007 data. Cancer incidence among VA patients was compared to the general U.S. cancer population. Results: In 2007, 97.5% of VA cancers were diagnosed among men. Approximately 78.5% of newly diagnosed patients were White, 19.0% Black, and 2.5% were another race. Median age at diagnosis was 66 years. The geographic distribution of cancer patients in VA aligns that of VA users. The most commonly diagnosed cancers were similar between VA and the U.S. male cancer population. The five most frequently diagnosed cancers among VA cancer patients were: prostate (31.8%), lung/bronchus (18.8%), colon/rectum (8.6%), urinary bladder (3.6%),...
Treatment of Advanced Stage and Recurrent Endometrial Cancer in Elderly Women

Most women who develop endometrial cancer are postmenopausal and over 40 % are over the age of 65. As the population ages, the burden of endometrial cancer is likely to increase. Age remains a poor prognostic factor with older women often presenting with higher stage and adverse pathology features with subsequent higher recurrence risk and worse survival. Though there is limited data on direct efficacy and toxicity for elderly patients, many significant trials in gynecologic oncology have naturally included older women. Treatment options for elderly women in the advanced and recurrent setting include combination chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy and combined treatment modalities. Balancing the comorbid conditions in the elderly population with treatment tolerance remain challenging for the treating oncologist.
Wire Removal in a Network of Plas

So far, we have demonstrated that a circuit implementation based on a network of approximately equal-sized PLAs yields a fast, compact, and cross-talk resistant design. The use of minimum-sized transistors in the PLA core results in a fast and dense layout, while a structured arrangement of wires guarantees an effective shielding among signals. The speed and area of each PLA in this design style was reported to be about 50% less than the corresponding standard-cell based implementation.
Kidney biopsy findings in children with sickle cell disease: a Midwest Pediatric Nephrology Consortium study.

Renal damage is a progressive complication of sickle cell disease (SCD). Microalbuminuria is common in children with SCD, while a smaller number of children have more severe renal manifestations necessitating kidney biopsy. There is limited information on renal biopsy findings in children with SCD and subsequent management and outcome. This is a multicenter retrospective analysis of renal biopsy findings and clinical outcomes in children and adolescents with SCD. We included children and adolescents (age ≤ 20 years) with SCD who had a kidney biopsy performed at a pediatric nephrology unit. The clinical indication for biopsy, biopsy findings, subsequent treatments, and outcomes were analyzed. Thirty-six SCD patients (ages 4–19 years) were identified from 14 centers with a median follow-up of 2.6 years (0.4–10.4 years). The indications for biopsy were proteinuria (92%) and elevated creatinine (30%). All biopsies had abnormal findings, including mesangial hypercellularity (75%), focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (30%), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (16%), and thrombotic microangiopathy (2%). There was increased use of hydroxyurea, angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors, and angiotensin receptor blockers following renal biopsy. At last follow-up, 3 patients were deceased, 2 developed insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 6 initiated chronic hemodialysis, 1 received a bone marrow transplant, and 1 received a kidney transplant. Renal biopsies, while not commonly performed in children with SCD, were universally abnormal. Outcomes were poor in this cohort of patients despite a variety of post-biopsy interventions. Effective early intervention to prevent chronic kidney disease (CKD) is needed to reduce morbidity and mortality in children with SCD.
Legitimate Public Policies on Electro-magnetic Cognitive Enhancements

Drugs are not the only means of brain modulation. Indeed, medical devices have long since known to be able to modulate, and perhaps even improve, cognition. However, there has been a considerable amount of speculation regarding what kinds of medical devices might offer cognitive enhancement (CE) and what would be the accompanying ethical and regulatory challenges.
Diffuse melanosis cutis: a rare manifestation of metastatic melanoma.

Diffuse melanosis cutis (DMC) is an extremely rare and late complication of metastatic melanoma (MM). It involves the progressive blue-grey discolouration of the skin and mucous membranes, occurring approximately 1 year after diagnosis of MM. The pathogenesis of DMC is unknown, although specific growth factors, such as alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone, hepatocyte growth factor and endothelin-1, released by cancer cells, along with release of melanin precursors in the bloodstream and dermal MM micrometastases producing melanin have been attributed. Even with appropriate therapy, DMC seems to be a poor prognostic factor, with a mean survival time of 4-5 months. Here, we report a case of BRAF-mutated MM who presented with DMC. The patient underwent BRAF/MEK inhibition followed by anti-PDL1 therapy, yet passed away approximately 1 year after diagnosis.
The Intrahospital Transport of Neurosurgical Patients

Neurosurgical intensive care unit (NICU) patients often require multiple transports for diagnostic studies and interventions over the course of their hospitalizations. While the majority of these transports proceed uneventfully, they are fraught with risk, particularly in the context of a rapidly deteriorating patient. Urgent transports are frequently required at night when staff experience and numbers may be less robust than during daytime shifts. Given the potential for patient injury, many institutions are now moving toward the establishment of a team of professionals who provide both scheduled and emergent transport and continued care during invasive studies. These teams represent an entirely new (and thus far under-recognized) specialty of transport medicine.
Leveraging Google search data to track influenza outbreaks in Africa

Background: Traditionally, public health agencies track seasonal influenza activity by collecting information from clinics, hospitals, and laboratories. The inherent slowness of the processes used to collect influenza activity data limits the ability of public health agencies to adapt to unexpected changes in influenza activity in near real-time. In recent years, new influenza surveillance methods that use nontraditional data sources, such as Google searches, have been proposed to successfully estimate influenza activity in near real-time. However, most of these methods have been designed for and implemented in high-income countries even though influenza disease burden remains high in low- to middle-income countries. Here, we seek to predict influenza activity in near real-time in Africa using machine learning models that combine Google searches with traditional epidemiological data. Methods: We extend the AutoRegression with Google search data (ARGO) model to track influenza activity in near-real-time in Africa. The ARGO model, which was originally designed to predict influenza activity in the United States, combines influenza-related Google searches with historical laboratory-confirmed influenza trends. We evaluate the predictive performance of the ARGO model and compare it with several benchmark models in Algeria, Ghana, Morocco, and South Africa. We also explore the advantages and limitations of using Google search data to monitor influenza activity. Results: In South Africa, Algeria, and Morocco, the ARGO model outperforms all benchmark models, suggesting that incorporating influenza-related Google search information in predictive models in these countries leads to improved predictions. In Ghana, however, the ARGO model and the autoregressive model of historical influenza activity have comparable performances. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the quality of the ARGO predictions is higher in regions where influenza activity is seasonal, historical influenza activity is recorded consistently, and the volume of influenza-related Google search queries is enough to appear as non-zero in the Google Trends tool.
On maps preserving Lie products equal to a rank-one nilpotent

Abstract Let ϕ be a bijective linear map on the algebra of n × n complex matrices such that ϕ ( e 12 ) = e 12 and [ ϕ ( A ) , ϕ ( B ) ] = e 12 whenever [ A , B ] = e 12 . The purpose of this paper is to describe ϕ. Surprisingly, ϕ has a different description from maps preserving zero Lie products.
Errant Learning for a Foam World: Glissant, Sloterdijk, and the Foam of Pedagogy

Through an educational reading of Edouard Glissant and Peter Sloterdijk, this article draws out and develops latent pedagogical philosophies that bear distinct relationships to colonialism and struggles against and beyond colonialism. In particular, it identifies two related educational philosophies that propel colonization and, in turn, proposes a theory of errant learning that might undergird decolonization. It focuses on Glissant’s minor remarks about different conceptions of understanding in order to identify the grasping drive (and its relationship to opacity and transparency) as the educational foundation of the colonizing apparatus. After articulating the other form of understanding he offers, giving-on-and-with (which turns away from enclosures and opens into Relation), I point to a potential contradiction in this division as it relates to his overall project. By freeing grasping from the grasping drive, I reconfigure the relationship between grasping and giving-on-and-with in a way that allows for certain kinds of enclosures. This introduces the question of pedagogical form, a question explored in Sloterdijk’s sphereological investigations. Reading the colonizing phase of globalization through Sloterdijk’s notion of lordly imagining—which I link with the grasping drive—the article draws out how different educational processes produce different kinds of spheres. Finally, it articulates errant learning as a pneumatic process of grasping and giving-on-and-with that values opacity over transparency to produce foam formations with attention to the history of inequality and injury through immune deprivation.
What Is the Effect on Kinesio Taping on Pain and Gait in Patients With Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome

Introduction Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is one of the leading causes of anterior knee pain treated by orthopedists and physical therapists. This syndrome predominantly affects young, active individuals, and remains a challenging syndrome to manage due to the lack of quantitative diagnostic criteria to monitor during treatment. The etiology of this syndrome is believed to be multifactorial, with the gait and movement patterns of a patient potentially contributing to pain due to increased stress on the knee. In this study, we investigated the gait of participants with PFPS using the GaitRite system (CIR Systems Inc., Clifton, NJ) before and after the application of Kinesio Tape in order to assess the impact of Kinesio Tape on cadence, stance time, and pain. Methods A convenience sample of 10 participants were recruited for this study, with five participants without PFPS serving as controls, and five with PFPS in the Kinesio Tape group. Participants in the Kinesio Tape groups served as their own internal control, ambulating both before and after taping. All participants ambulated across the GaitRite carpet three times and completed a visual analogue scale pain score for each trip. Results The results of our study found there to be no significant difference in the cadence for gait between the participants without PFPS and participants with PFPS (105.2 seconds vs. 105.1 seconds, p = 0.272), or in the stance time between the control and PFPS group (1.43 seconds vs. 1.44, p = 0.907). Similarly, no significant difference was found in participants with PFPS before and after Kinesio Taping in the cadence and stance times (105.1 seconds vs. 107.4 seconds, p =0.288, and 1.44 vs. 1.40, p = 0.272). There was a significant difference in pain in PFPS participants before and after taping, with a 112.5% reduction in pain reported after taping (3.4 vs. 1.6, p < 0.05). Discussion and conclusion This study is one of the first studies to utilize the GaitRite system in order to analyze the impact of Kinesio Tape on gait in participants with PFPS. While our study failed to demonstrate a significant difference in the gait of participants with PFPS in comparison to those without PFPS, we did demonstrate a significant reduction in pain after the application of Kinesio Tape. These results suggest other variables addressed by the Kinesio Tape may be causing the pain associated with PFPS.
People You Care about in and out of the System: The Impact of Arrest on Criminal Justice Views, Choice of Major, and Career Motivations

Borrowing from intersectionality theory, this study aims to understand how experiences of arrest – alone or in combination with victimization and criminal justice ties – inform students’ attitudes ...
The Relationship Between Reproductive Status and Metallothionein mRNA Expression in the Common Killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus

Metallothionein (MT), a ubiquitously distributed cysteine-rich metal binding protein, is considered to play an essential role in the regulation of intracellular metals and may serve as a defense mechanism as well as a biomarker of environmental exposure to toxic metals. In this study, basal expression of MT mRNA was characterized in male and female killifish Fundulus heteroclitus during non-spawning and spawning seasons. Hepatic, gill, and intestinal MT mRNA (copy number per μg total RNA) was assessed by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and electrochemiluminescence (ECL). There were no observed differences in MT mRNA expression between male and female killifish during either season. The median MT copy numbers for both non-spawning and spawning killifish decreased in the order of liver>intestine>gill. In addition, there were no significant differences in liver, gill and intestine tissue MT mRNA copy numbers within each season. However, a significant increase in gill and intestine MT mRNA induction was observed in spawning compared to non-spawning killifish (p<0.05). While these results indicate a reproductive seasonal difference in Fundulus basal MT expression, this difference was irrespective of sex. The results of this study demonstrate the variability of basal MT mRNA expression in three killifish tissues and confirm the need for further research prior to the use of MT mRNA as a biomarker of xenobiotic exposure in Fundulus heteroclitus.
Prevalence and Consequences of Sport Specialization Among Little League Baseball Players.

Background:Baseball is one of the most popular boy’s youth sports, and there has been a rise in the rates of certain overuse injuries among players. Specialization has been identified as a risk fac...
Warming spins up the Southern Ocean

Eastward flow in the Southern Ocean is the primary conduit between ocean basins. A comprehensive study of multi-decadal observational records and model experiments reveals that warming in the upper ocean is causing this flow to accelerate.
Environmental Effects on Fatigue of Structural Materials for a Supersonic Transport

Environmental effects on SST structural materials fatigue, discussing Ti alloys studies involving temperature effects, crack propagation and residual strength
Estrogens in pregnancy.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the estrogens in pregnancy. A notable characteristic of normal human pregnancy is the extensive production of a variety of biologically active substances. These include (1) the protein hormones human chorionic gonadotropin and human placental lactogen, (2) the enzymes heat-stable alkaline phosphatase and diamine oxidase, and (3) the progestational and estrogenic steroid hormones. Considerable interest has been generated in the biosynthesis, production rate, metabolic clearance, and relationship to the status of the pregnancy of each of these substances. However, the estrogens have evoked the greatest interest. Estrogen synthesis in pregnancy is highly complex, involving interaction with the placenta of precursors made by specific organs of the fetus and mother. A deeper appreciation of the qualitative and quantitative aspects of estrogen synthesis in pregnancy may be gained from comparison with the nonpregnant state. Because the placenta is particularly rich in the enzyme activities responsible for estrogen synthesis and a limitless supply of fresh tissue is available to interested investigators, it is not unexpected that there is a copious literature on the isolation and purification of these enzymes.
Iron on the brain.

Accumulations of iron are often detected in the brains of people suffering from neurodegenerative diseases. But it is often not known whether such accumulations contribute directly to disease progression. The identification of the genes mutated in two such disorders suggests that errors in iron metabolism do indeed have a key role.
Nicotine reduces established levodopa-induced dyskinesias in a monkey model of Parkinson's disease

Although 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (levodopa) is the gold-standard treatment for Parkinson's disease, it can lead to disabling dyskinesias. Previous work demonstrated that nicotine reduces levodopa-induced dyskinesias (LIDs) in several parkinsonian animal models. The goal of this study was to determine whether the duration of nicotine administration affects its ability to reduce LIDs in levodopa-primed and levodopa-naive monkeys and also to test whether tolerance develops to the beneficial effects of nicotine. Monkeys were injected with MPTP (1.9-2.0 mg/kg subcutaneously) over 3 to 5 months until parkinsonism developed. Nicotine (300 μg/mL) was administered in drinking water (over 4-6 months) to levodopa-primed or levodopa-naive monkeys, with levodopa/carbidopa (10/2.5 mg/kg) gavaged twice daily. One set of MPTP-lesioned monkeys (n = 23) was first gavaged with levodopa and subsequently received nicotine 4 weeks later, when dyskinesias plateaued, or 8 weeks later, when dyskinesias were established. A 60% to 70% decrease in LIDs was observed after several weeks of nicotine treatment in both groups. A second set of monkeys (n = 26) received nicotine 8 or 2 weeks before levodopa. In the 8-week nicotine pretreatment group, there was an immediate reduction in LIDs, which plateaued at 60% to 70%. In the 2-week nicotine pretreatment group, there were initial small decreases in LIDs, which plateaued at 60% to 70% several weeks later. Thus, nicotine pretreatment and nicotine post-treatment were similarly efficacious in reducing LIDs. The beneficial effect of nicotine persisted throughout the study (17-23 weeks). Nicotine did not worsen parkinsonism. These data suggest that nicotine treatment has potential as a successful antidyskinetic therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease.
Randomized routing and PRAM emulation on parallel machines

This paper shows the power of randomization in designing efficient parallel algorithms for the problems of routing and PRAM emulation. We show that with randomization techniques optimal routing can be obtained for a large class of processor interconnection networks called leveled networks. This class includes well-known networks (e.g., mesh, hypercube and de Bruijn) as well as new ones (e.g., star graph, for which the network diameter is sub-logarithmic in the network size). Using the obtained routing algorithms, optimal emulations of the CROW PRAM on the leveled network and mesh are also given.
Atherosclerosis in Cebus monkeys. II. Arterial metabolism.

Abstract Some aspects of arterial metabolism have been studied in young and adult male and female Cebus albifrons which had been maintained on either a control diet or a similar diet that included 0.5% cholesterol. Using a perfusion technique, it has been possible to show that isolated segments of the aorta, as well as the coronary arteries, are capable of synthesizing fatty acids from acetate-1- 14 C. The rate of such synthesis appears to be more rapid in the areas of the arterial tree that show the greatest extent of atherosclerotic involvement—i.e., coronary arteries > thoracic aorta > abdominal aorta. The newly synthesized fatty acids are found primarily in the phospholipid and triglyceride fractions. Using mevalonic acid-2- 14 C in perfusion studies, the synthesis of labeled squalene has also been established for both thoracic and abdominal aorta and for the carotid arteries. In addition to this sterol precursor, unidentified digitonin-precipitable substances are synthesized, but which, to a large extent, do not appear to be cholesterol. Somewhat less than 3% of this material was purified as the dibromide and may indeed represent cholesterol. The aortas of Cebus monkeys contain cholesterol and cholesterol esters in increased amounts as atherosclerotic involvement becomes more extensive, with the free cholesterol form predominating over the ester form in a ratio of about 3:1 (in contrast to the 1:3 ratio found in the plasma of these animals). When 14 C-cholesterol is administered to these animals intravenously, after 37 days the isotope is found in the artery in a free:ester ratio of 3:1, resembling the actual concentration of these forms in the artery, and unlike the distribution in blood. These findings suggest that the artery, in the early stages of atherosclerosis seen here, is selective in either admission of or the retention of certain forms of cholesterol.