cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geographic Access to Physician Services

Prior to the last decade, it was widely accepted that physicians were geo­ graphically maldistributed; indeed, a major federal initiative, the National Health Service Corps, was based on that premise (24). The maldistribution most commonly referred to was between urban and rural areas, although there was some reference to maldistribution within urban areas as well. The usual evidence cited to show the existence of mal distribution was unequal physician/population ratios between urban and rural areas, examples of which are in Table 1 . (Although the data that I and others cite in fact distinguish metropolitan and nonmetropolitan communities, I use the less exact, but more familiar terms, urban and rural.) In addition, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were examples of towns that werc losing physicians; that is, physicians were retiring and not being replaced. The conventional view of maldistribution was not undergirded by a well­ articulated theory of how physicians chose to locate their practices; numbers analogous to those in Table 1 were believed to speak for themselves. To the degree a theory of physician location existed, it seemed to be of the following sort: Physicians prefer to locate in cities. Because of virtually unlimited demand for their services, or their ability to create demand, physicians can afford to locate in cities and thus can continue to indulge their preferences. (See Ref. 19, Appendix A, for examples of quotations along these lines.) Moreover, it was probably the case that during the 1960s, maldistribution, as conventionally defined, was worsening; that is, the inequalities in physician/population ratios were growing. This, however, is difficult to
Novel diamond X-ray crystal optics for synchrotrons and X-ray free-electron lasers

Abstract The most common applications of diamond crystals in X-ray optics are high-heat-load monochromators for synchrotron beamlines and phase retarders for polarization control. Here, less common applications of diamond at the frontier of X-ray crystal optics are reviewed and summarized. These include a sub-meV-bandwidth X-ray monochromator with high spectral efficiency [1] and all-diamond optical assemblies for a beam-multiplexing double-crystal monochromator at the Linac Coherent Light Source [2]. Also, novel applications for the realization of fully coherent hard X-ray sources are discussed, such as, diamond crystal optics for self-seeding of hard X-rays in the Linac Coherent Light Source [3,4] and Bragg mirrors for the highly anticipated X-ray free-electron laser oscillator [5,6]. These examples present diamond as a material for the next generation of X-ray optics, optics which can provide unique characteristics and capabilities to modern X-ray sources. In addition, details of practical importance on fabrication and characterization methods of diamond crystals with the suitable quality are presented.
Percutaneous pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator lead removal in an attempt to improve symptomatic tricuspid regurgitation.

Aims Pacemaker and implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) leads can cause tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR). Few data are available on the best management of significant TR that develops after pacemaker or ICD implantation and regarding any benefits of right ventricular (RV) lead extraction. We sought to determine the impact of RV lead removal on lead-induced TR. Methods and results We reviewed all patients between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2010 at the tertiary care hospital who had a preoperative indication of TR and underwent percutaneous extraction of an RV lead with the intent of trying to correct moderate or severe TR. Pre- and post-procedure echoes and clinical data were retrospectively reviewed. In the four patients identified, the RV lead was removed and placed in the coronary sinus to try to improve moderate or severe TR due to lead impingement. There was no significant improvement in the degree of TR except one patient where TR improved slightly from moderate to mild–moderate. All patients had a dilated tricuspid valve annulus by the time of lead extraction. Tricuspid annulus dilatation appeared to account for the persistent TR after RV lead removal. Conclusion A greater degree of tricuspid valve annulus dilatation may be a marker and mechanism for irreversible lead-induced TR. Further studies are needed to determine whether surgical tricuspid valve repair or replacement combined with RV lead extraction would result in better outcomes than a percutaneous lead extraction approach.
Integrating information across sections and between groups in group decision support systems

The authors elaborate on the opportunities for integration of relevant information across sessions and between groups by the effective application of GDSS (group decision support systems). The construction of a GDSS database is presented. Aspects of the system described include real-time analysis of group activity and the use of a data browsing system to ease the viewing of external information and/or previous meeting information during a GDSS meeting. >
Consequences of Lysine 72 Mutation on the Phosphorylation and Activation State of cAMP-dependent Kinase

General strategies to obtain inactive kinases have utilized mutation of key conserved residues in the kinase core, and the equivalent Lys72 in cAMP-dependent kinase has often been used to generate a "dead" kinase. Here, we have analyzed the consequences of this mutation on kinase structure and function. Mutation of Lys72 to histidine (K72H) generated an inactive enzyme, which was unphosphorylated. Treatment with an exogenous kinase (PDK-1) resulted in a mutant that was phosphorylated only at Thr197 and remained inactive but nevertheless capable of binding ATP. Ser338 in K72H cannot be autophosphorylated, nor can it be phosphorylated in an intermolecular process by active wild type C-subunit. The Lys72 mutant, once phosphorylated on Thr197, can bind with high affinity to the RIalpha subunits. Thus a dead kinase can still act as a scaffold for binding substrates and inhibitors; it is only phosphoryl transfer that is defective. Using a potent inhibitor of C-subunit activity, H-89, Escherichia coli-expressed C-subunit was also obtained in its unphosphorylated state. This protein is able to mature into its active form in the presence of PDK-1 and is able to undergo secondary autophosphorylation on Ser338. Unlike the H-89-treated wild type protein, the mutant protein (K72H) cannot undergo the subsequent cis autophosphorylation following phosphorylation at Thr197. Using these two substrates and mammalian-expressed PDK-1, we can elucidate a possible two-step process for the activation of the C-subunit: initial phosphorylation on the activation loop at Thr197 by PDK-1, or a PDK-1-like enzyme, followed by second cis autophosphorylation step at Ser338.
Myocyte Volume and Function in Response to Osmotic Stress Observations in the Presence of an Adenosine Triphosphate-Sensitive Potassium Channel Opener

Background— Hypothermic hyperkalemic cardioplegia results in significant myocyte swelling and impaired contractility. These detrimental effects may be eliminated by the addition of an adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (K ATP ) channel opener. This study evaluated the hypothesis that a K ATP channel opener (diazoxide) would benefit volume homeostasis by limiting volume and subsequent contractility changes during osmotic stress. Methods and Results— Isolated rabbit ventricular myocyte volume and contractility were evaluated using video microscopy and field stimulation after exposure to osmotic stress at 37°C. Myocytes were exposed to Tyrode’s physiological solution for 20 minutes and test solution for 20 minutes, and then reexposed to Tyrode’s for 20 minutes. Test solutions included control Tyrode’s (1T) and osmotically altered Tyrode’s (2.6T, 0.9T, and 0.6T) solutions with or without the K ATP channel opener diazoxide. Severe osmotic stress (2.6T and 0.6T) resulted in significant cell shrinkage and swelling, respectively. This was unchanged by the addition of diazoxide. Mild hyposmotic stress (0.9T) resulted in significant cell swelling that was eliminated by the addition of diazoxide. Cell swelling was associated with reduced contractility. Conclusions— Cell swelling, but not shrinkage, was detrimental to myocyte contractility. Diazoxide eliminated volume change due to mild hyposmotic stress, similar to that previously noted with hyperkalemic cardioplegia, but did not alter volume change secondary to severe osmotic stress.
Genomic and Metabolic Studies of the Impact of Probiotics on a Model Gut Symbiont and Host

Probiotics are deliberately ingested preparations of live bacterial species that confer health benefits on the host. Many of these species are associated with the fermentation of dairy products. Despite their increasing use, the molecular details of the impact of various probiotic preparations on resident members of the gut microbiota and the host are generally lacking. To address this issue, we colonized germ-free mice with Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, a prominent component of the adult human gut microbiota, and Bifidobacterium longum, a minor member but a commonly used probiotic. Simultaneous whole genome transcriptional profiling of both bacterial species in their gut habitat and of the intestinal epithelium, combined with mass-spectrometric analysis of habitat-associated carbohydrates, revealed that the presence of B. longum elicits an expansion in the diversity of polysaccharides targeted for degradation by B. thetaiotaomicron (e.g., mannose- and xylose-containing glycans), and induces host genes involved in innate immunity. Although the overall transcriptome expressed by B. thetaiotaomicron when it encounters B. longum in the cecum is dependent upon the genetic background of the mouse (as assessed by a mixed analysis of variance [ANOVA] model of co-colonization experiments performed in NMRI and C57BL/6J animals), B. thetaiotaomicron's expanded capacity to utilize polysaccharides occurs independently of host genotype, and is also observed with a fermented dairy product-associated strain, Lactobacillus casei. This gnotobiotic mouse model provides a controlled case study of how a resident symbiont and a probiotic species adapt their substrate utilization in response to one another, and illustrates both the generality and specificity of the relationship between a host, a component of its microbiota, and intentionally consumed microbial species.
Determinants of e-communication adoption: The internal push versus external pull factors

Firms are engaging in the adoption and implementation of electronic communication tools to facilitate exchange between partners. Although extant studies have argued that market orientation is one of the key forces in driving a firm's adoption of innovation, the current study based on the responses of senior managers in four industries suggests otherwise in the context of e-communication adoption. In particular, we examine a firm's adoption of e-communication based on two forces: (1) internal push factors, namely customer orientation and competitor orientation, and (2) external pull factors, namely customer pressure and normative pressure. Structural equation modeling is used to test the model. Our findings indicate that external factors, particularly customer pressure and normative pressure, are far more critical in driving the intensity of e-communication adoption than internal factors. The results suggest a reactive nature of organizations' behavior towards the adoption of e-communication.
2. Electoral Supply and Voter Engagement 1

Electoral institutions shape the potential costs and benefits of participation. We argue that their effect on voter turnout is indirect by shaping the differentiation and stability of choices available to voters. Specifically, electoral institutions can produce political conditions that pull citizens into the democratic process by making voting meaningful, but that also push away those predisposed to abstain. Our analyses of data from 31 contemporary democracies around the world collected by the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems project suggest that a differentiated electoral supply powerfully influences voter engagement, and that these effects are contingent on a citizen’s sense of external efficacy. Citizens who feel that voting and who is in power makes a difference are more likely to vote if they live in countries where parties present more differentiated policy profiles. By contrast, those who are less efficacious are substantially less likely to vote if the party system is highly differentiated.
Use Tax Collection on Interstate Sales: The Need for Federal Legislation

The collection of use tax on interstate mail-order and Internet sales is a long-standing tax policy issue. Purchasers rarely pay use tax, and current constitutional doctrine prevents a state from requiring use tax collection by sellers without a physical presence in the state. In the last few years, some states have adopted laws that aggressively test the constitutional restrictions, and support has increased for proposed federal legislation to ease those restrictions. In this article, I argue that the time has come for Congress to authorize states to require use tax collection by out-of-state sellers.
Characterizations of Noncentral Chi-Squared-Generating Covariance Structures for a Normally Distributed Random Vector

Let \({\mathbf {y}} \sim N_{n}\left ({\boldsymbol {\mu }}, {\mathbf {V}} \right )\), where y is a n×1 random vector and V is a n×n covariance matrix. We explicitly characterize the general form of the covariance structure V for which the family of quadratic forms \(\left \{{\mathbf {y}}^{\prime } {\mathbf {A}}_{i}{\mathbf {y}} \right \}^{k}_{i=1}\) for \(i \in \left \{1,...,k \right \}\), 2≤k≤n, is distributed as multiples of mutually independent non-central chi-squared random variables. We consider the case when the Ai’s and V are both nonnegative definite, including several cases where the Ai’s have special properties, and the case where the Ai’s are symmetric and V is positive definite. Our results generalize the work of Pavur (Sankhyā 51, 382–389, 1989), Baldessari (Comm. Statist. - Theory Meth. 16, 785–803, 1987), and Chaganty and Vaish (Linear Algebra Appl. 264, 421–437, 1997).
United States--Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp Products - WTO Appellate Body ruling on import ban on shrimp harvested without devices permitting turtles to escape

United States—Import Prohibition of Certain Shrimp and Shrimp Products. World Trade Organization, Appellate Body, October 12, 1998. In May 1996, the United States effectively prohibited imports of shrimp and shrimp products from all countries that do not require commercial shrimp trawlers to use turtle-excluder devices (TEDs) to permit endangered species of sea turtles to escape from trawling nets to avoid drowning. In January 1997, India, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand requested that the WTO Dispute Settlement Body establish a panel to determine whether this import ban, among other things, violates the prohibition on quantitative restrictions in Article XI of GATT (1994). The United States maintained that its import ban was permitted under the exceptions set forth in paragraphs (b) and (g) of GATT Article XX. Four turtle species that migrate in and out of waters subject to the complaining parties’ jurisdiction are listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and are covered by the relevant U.S. regulation.
Regional-Spatial Analysis in Marketing

Regional-spatial analysis should be part of the framework of micro-macro marketing, in order to fully portray the basic hetereogeneity and entrepreneurship of modern markets and marketing. In recen...
Vaccination as a provoking factor in poliomyelitis; an experimental approach.

These experiments were carried out by vaccinating rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) with pertussis (Lederle) vaccine alone (exp. 1) or with pertussisdiptheria-tetanus combined (Squibb) vaccine (exp. 2). The Y-SK strain of poliomyelitis virus was used in the form of monkey spinal cord. In the first experiment, 1 ml vaccine was given intramuscularly and subcutaneously on days 1 and 2 in the right leg, followed on day 2 by an intravenous inoculation into the left leg of 2 ml of 10-1 cord suspension containing about
HIGH SENSITIVITY C REACTIVE PROTEIN IS AN INDEPENDENT MARKER OF CORONARY ENDOTHELIAL DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH NONOBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Inflammation plays a role in the development of coronary endothelial dysfunction (CED), however the association between circulating C-reactive protein levels and CED remains uncertain. We aimed to determine if C-reactive protein measured with a high sensitivity assay (hs-CRP) is associated with CED
Inter- and intra-specific nursery characterization of three wild Pistacia species

SummaryTurkey has a huge wild Pistacia germplasm that mainly includes P. terebinthus, P. atlantica and P. eurycarpa species. In this study, seed and seedling behaviour of these species are characterized at intra- and inter-specific level. Seed and seedlings of 63 Pistacia genotypes: 10 P. terebinthus, 45 P. atlantica and eight P. eurycarpa genotypes from different parts of Turkey were evaluated as their characteristics of germination, seedling growth and budding success. Correlations between morphological traits of maternal trees and seed/seedling characteristics of their progeny were performed as well. There was a large variability for each of the evaluated character at the inter- and intra-specific level. However, in the average, P. eurycarpa had the highest germination percentage, whereas P. terebinthus had the lowest. The seedling growth of P. atlantica was better than P. terebinthus and P. eurycarpa. Budding success was not significant between species. Correlation coefficient values suggested that a ...
215 LUMBAR SPINAL FUSIONS: A RETROSPECTIVE COMPARISION OF COMBINED ANTERIOR/POSTERIOR FUSION, POSTERIOR LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION, AND TRANSFORAMINAL LUMBAR INTERBODY FUSION.

Background Combined anterior/posterior fusions (CAPFs), posterior lumbar interbody fusions (PLIFs), and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions (TLIFs), a modification of the PLIF procedure, are surgical procedures used in the treatment of a variety of spinal disorders. The purpose of this study is to determine if there are any significant differences in blood loss, operating time, or length of hospital stay between the procedures. Methods This was a retrospective study of 120 patients treated by a single surgeon at one institution from 2000-2005 with an average follow-up of 11.2 months: 50 CAPFs, 27 PLIFs, and 43 TLIFs. Each group was further divided by the number of levels fused. The clinical measures compared include blood loss, operating time, and length of hospital stay. Two-tailed Student9s t-tests were performed to compare the different groups and significant p values (p Results Operating time for CAPFs was significantly longer than PLIFs, TLIFs, and all PLIF and TLIF patients combined for single and multi-level fusions (p Conclusion PLIFs and TLIFs have significantly shorter operative times than CAPFs and thus are attractive options for spinal fusion with anterior column support. However, the findings of this study demonstrate that for single-level procedures, the blood loss for CAPFs is less than PLIFs, which may make CAPFs a good alternative in this situation.
Remarks on the Connection between Positive Feedback and Instability in Regard to Model Selection in Population Biology

The connection between positive feedback and instability has been widely observed in network theory. In this paper several points are made regarding this connection from the point of view of developing a criteria for determining which models from a class of possible models are unstable or admit an exchange of stabilities. The criteria may be used as a preliminary test of model design.
Interactions between temperature and intercellular CO2 concentration in controlling leaf isoprene emission rates.

Plant isoprene emissions have been linked to several reaction pathways involved in atmospheric photochemistry. Evidence exists from a limited set of past observations that isoprene emission rate (I(sub s)) decreases as a function of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration, and that increased temperature suppresses the CO2 effect. We studied interactions between intercellular CO2 concentration (C(sub I)) and temperature as they affect I(sub s) in field-grown hybrid poplar trees in one of the warmest climates on earth - the Sonoran Desert of the southwestern United States. We observed an unexpected midsummer down regulation of I(sub s) despite the persistence of relatively high temperatures. High temperature suppression of the I(sub s):C(sub I) relation occurred at all times during the growing season, but sensitivity of I(sub s) to increased C(sub I) was greatest during the midsummer period when I(subs) was lowest. We interpret the seasonal down regulation of I(sub s) and increased sensitivity of I(sub s) to C(sub I) as being caused by weather changes associated with the onset of a regional monsoon system. Our observations on the temperature suppression of the I(sub s):C(sub I) relation are best explained by the existence of a small pool of chloroplastic inorganic phosphate, balanced by several large, connected metabolic fluxes, which together, determine the C(sub I) and temperature dependencies of phosphoenolpyruvate import into the chloroplast.
The Effect of Robot Kinematic Parameter Errors on Joint Torques

Research on improving robot positioning accuracy due to link/joint parameter errors has concentrated mostly on the effects of these errors on the kinematic performance of the robot. This paper extends this error-related analysis to the dynamic performance of the robot, by presenting the deviations in robot manipulator torque for several cases in which link/joint kinematic parameter errors exist. The deviation in manipulator joint torque due to robot link/joint kinematic parameter errors was studied for a two-link revolute robot manipulator. Algorithms have been developed that successfully compute such joint torque deviations. A simple robot task cases was studied. The results shows the contribution of joint torque deviation due to the small kinematic parameter errors.
Performance of coherent receivers with hybrid selection/equal-gain combining in Nakagami-m fading

The symbol error rates of several linear M-ary modulations are derived for a coherent receiver employing hybrid selection/equal-gain combining (SC/EGC), in a Nakagami-m fading channel. The L-branch receiver selects the two diversity branches with the strongest signals, and then performs equal-gain combining on these signals. Closed-form expressions are obtained for the symbol error rates and the outage probability for integer values of the Nakagami-m fading parameter.
A heavy ion and proton radiation belt inside of Jupiter's rings

Energetic charged particle measurements by the JEDI instrument onboard Juno have revealed a radiation belt of hundreds of keV ions up to the atomic mass of sulfur, located between Jupiterâ's rings and atmosphere. Proton energy spectra display an unusual intensity increase above 300keV. We suggest that this is because charge exchange in Jupiterâ's neutral environment does not efficiently remove ions at such high energies. Since this innermost belt includes heavy ions, it cannot be exclusively supplied by cosmic ray albedo neutron decay (CRAND), which is an important source at Earth and Saturn but only supplies protons and electrons. We find indications that the stripping of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) in Jupiterâ's high atmosphere might be the ion source. Since the stripped off electrons are of low energy, this hypothesis is consistent with observations of the ratio of energetic electrons to ions being much less than 1.
The Online House Numbering Problem: Min-Max Online List Labeling

We introduce and study the online house numbering problem, where houses are added arbitrarily along a road and must be assigned labels to maintain their ordering along the road. The online house numbering problem is related to classic online list labeling problems, except that the optimization goal here is to minimize the maximum number of times that any house is relabeled. We provide several algorithms that achieve interesting tradeoffs between upper bounds on the number of maximum relabels per element and the number of bits used by labels.
The Effects of Clawbacks on Auditors’ Propensity to Propose Restatements and Risk Assessments

Both the Sarbanes–Oxley Act of 2002 and the Dodd-Frank Act of 2010 include clawback provisions that require executives to pay back incentive compensation earned on financial statements that are restated in a subsequent period. Such provisions intend to reduce unethical reporting behavior by executives who otherwise might be more inclined to misstate financial statements to boost incentive-based compensation. However, such provisions could promote rather than deter unethical behavior. In particular, Pyzoha (Account Rev 90(6):2515–2536, 2015) finds that, under certain conditions, executives are less willing to restate financial statements in the presence of a clawback policy. Similarly, auditors might also act unethically by being less likely to propose restatements in the presence of clawbacks to avoid upsetting management. To examine this possibility, this study reports the results of three experiments that examine the effect of clawback provisions on auditor judgment. Contrary to expectations, our three experiments, along with supplemental qualitative evidence (surveys and interviews of practicing auditors) consistently indicate that clawbacks do not affect auditors’ propensity to propose restatements. These results suggest that a decrease in the number of restatements in a clawback environment will not be due to auditors acting unethically to appease management. The effects of clawbacks on auditors’ risk assessments, however, are less conclusive. As such, we offer potential post hoc explanations to guide future research.
Grey wolf optimization based sense and avoid algorithm in a Bayesian framework for multiple UAV path planning in an uncertain environment

Abstract Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs), which have been popular in the military context, have recently attracted attention of many researchers because of their potential civilian applications. However, before UAVs can fly in civilian airspace, they need to be able to navigate safely to their goal while maintaining separation with other manned and unmanned aircraft during the transit. Algorithms for autonomous navigation of UAVs require access to accurate information about the state of the environment in order to perform well. However, this information is often uncertain and dynamically changing. In this paper, a Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) based algorithm is proposed to find the optimal UAV trajectory in presence of moving obstacles, referred to as Intruder Aircraft (IAs), with unknown trajectories. The solution uses an efficient Bayesian formalism with a notion of cell weighting based on Distance Based Value Function (DBVF). The assumption is that the UAV is equipped with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and is provided with the position of IAs either via the ADS-B or ground-based radar. However, future trajectories of the IAs are unknown to the UAV. The proposed method is verified using simulations performed on multiple scenarios. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in solving the trajectory planning problem of the UAVs.
Implementation and assessment of a naloxone-training program for first-year student pharmacists.

Abstract Background and purpose Develop a naloxone training activity and assess the activity's impact on increasing student pharmacist knowledge and confidence to counsel about management of opioid overdose and naloxone administration. Educational activity and setting First-year student pharmacists participated in a naloxone training activity in an abilities laboratory course. The students completed pre-lab questions, received a brief lecture about responding to an opioid overdose, and then practiced counseling and administering intranasal and intramuscular naloxone using training kits. An Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) was conducted to assess students’ ability to counsel on intranasal naloxone use in response to opioid overdose. Students completed self-assessments about their confidence in counseling patients about management of opioid overdose and naloxone administration following the OSCE and at course end. Findings 158 students participated and the average OSCE score was 82%. In the post-encounter self-assessment, 93% of students agreed or completely agreed that the OSCE improved their confidence in counseling about management of an opioid overdose and intranasal naloxone administration. Fifty-nine students completed the end-of-course survey and >90% of respondents reported they were somewhat or very confident in their ability to administer intranasal or intramuscular naloxone, recognize the opioid overdose symptoms, and counsel about intranasal naloxone use. Confidence in counseling about use of intramuscular naloxone was slightly lower. Summary Further study of training programs to increase future healthcare professionals’ ability to respond to opioid overdoses is warranted. Incorporation of a short training activity can increase student pharmacists’ knowledge and confidence in counseling patients about opioid overdose and naloxone administration.
Sodium Transport Mechanisms in the Mammalian Nephron

Na transport is highly coordinated and regulated along the length of the renal nephron. The proximal tubule reabsorbs the majority of filtered Na. The majority of Na transport is transcellular, through the action of Na-antiporters and Na-coupled cotransporters. The proximal tubule is responsible for the majority of Na reabsorption by the renal nephron. In the thick ascending limb of Henle, Na is cotransported with other ions. This nephron segment is critical for urine concentration. The distal tubule and collecting duct make the smallest contribution to renal Na reabsorption. However, Na transport in these segments is subject to stringent regulation and is critical for external Na balance under normal physiological conditions. The basic structure and function of the renal Na transporters are evaluated. Hormonal and signaling pathways that regulate Na transport in the nephron and collecting duct are also discussed.
A gateway to easily integrate simulation platforms for co-simulation of cyber-physical systems

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) research leverages the expertise of researchers from multiple domains to engineer complex systems of interacting physical and computational components. An approach called co-simulation is often used in CPS conceptual design to integrate the specialized tools and simulators from each of these domains into a joint simulation for the evaluation of design decisions. Many co-simulation platforms are being developed to expedite CPS conceptualization and realization, but most use intrusive modeling and communication libraries that require researchers to either abandon their existing models or spend considerable effort to integrate them into the platform. A significant number of these co-simulation platforms use the High Level Architecture (HLA) standard that provides a rich set of services to facilitate distributed simulation. This paper introduces a simple gateway that can be readily implemented without co-simulation expertise to adapt existing models and research infrastructure for use in HLA. An open-source implementation of the gateway has been developed for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) co-simulation platform called the Universal CPS Environment for Federation (UCEF).
Clavanins and Styelins, α-Helical Antimicrobial Peptides from The Hemocytes of Styela clava

Many different antimicrobial peptides are expressed by mammalian and avian leukocytes [reviewed in 1]. These peptides, which serve as endogenous antibiotics, are amphipathic and cationic molecules comprised of 12-40 amino acid residues. Most, if not all, target and perturb microbial membranes, often by forming voltage-gated channels. Many antimicrobial peptides have a-helical secondary structures, while others contain cystine-stabilized (β-sheets. A few antimicrobial peptides are histidine or prolinerich.
Topics Related to Complex Analysis

The subject of quasiconformal mappings exists for at least four reasons. First, there is the remarkable theorem of Liouville (which we shall prove later): except for isometries, dilations, and inversions (to be defined below), there are no smooth conformai mappings in dimension three or greater. Thus one seeks a natural generalization of conformai mappings to higher dimensions. Second, many properties that are commonly proved for conformai mappings (in dimension two) are really properties of quasiconformal mappings. Mathematical facts, particularly geometric ones, are often most clearly understood when the fewest hypotheses are used. Third, taking the first remark into account, any basic geometric property that distinguishes among dimensions—particularly among Euclidean spaces—is of a priori interest. Fourth, the theory is used in the study of differentials on, and moduli for, Riemann surfaces—work pioneered in Teichmuller [1].
Potentials for progress in laser medicine

Abstract Lasers could come to occupy a highly important position in the armament of medicine. They are the brightest known sources of light, man-made or natural, and emit light having such properties as coherence and monochromaticity. Furthermore, lasers have the ability to deliver very brief pulses of light which can cause unique alterations in biological materials. The major obstacle to the increased use of lasers in medicine and surgery is not the availability of laser devices, but the dearth of basic information about laser-tissue interactions. We have recently demonstrated that, even in turbid tissue such as the dermis, it is possible simultaneously to induce microscopically selective thermal damage, localized to millions of selectively absorbing targets, while sparing surrounding tissues. These "targets" may be as small as organelles or as large as blood vessels. Such localized thermal damage is truly unique to pulsed laser exposures. The scope and medical utility of these lesions has yet to be fully understood. Thus, there is much research to be done in describing and characterizing laser-induced injury. There is, however, ample evidence that several laser therapies could be improved by using selectively absorbed, short pulses that lead to the spatial confinement of thermal injury. Treatment of port wine stains, pigmented lesions, atheromatous arterial plaques, and the fragmentation of kidney and gall stones are examples. It should also be possible to use a variety of systems to deliver exogenous laser targets on or within individual types of cells or organelles. Such chromophores may lead to new forms of cancer therapy, for example.
Alfred Schütz and George Shackle: Two Views of Choice

Within the Austrian school of economics, Ludwig Lachmann identified Alfred Schutz and George Shackle as master “subjectivists.” Subjectivists trace aggregate economic phenomena back to the subjective thoughts and expectations of individuals. Schutz was a member of the “Mises Circle” of Austrian economists. Shackle was a student of the Austrian economist F.A. Hayek, but a follower of Hayek's great rival, John Maynard Keynes. Austrians respect both figures as important subjectivists who offered valuable accounts of the role of uncertainty in human action. The paper serves two purposes. First, it is a useful primer on the distinct theories of Schuts and Shackle. Second, it draws attention to the problem of change and novelty in the work of Schutz and Shackle. Schutz underemphasized the role of novelty in society. Shackle, by contrast, exaggerated the role of novelty in choice. A middle ground position is defended.
The role of Copper (II) ions in Cu-BiOCl for use in the photocatalytic degradation of atrazine

Abstract Photocatalysis has increasingly been used as a response to pollution by organic compounds. One pressing issue faced by photocatalytic systems is lack of activity with persistent pollutants. A strategy that has been employed by researchers in the field is to add transition metal dopants to known photocatalysts to increase their catalytic activity. Here, based on recent reports, we synthesize Cu-BiOCl to target degradation of atrazine, which represents the model organic pollutant. The prepared photocatalyst is characterized via XRD, SEM-EDAX, UV–vis DRS, and photoluminescence measurements. Photocatalytic activity studies have been conducted to assess the potential of Cu-BiOCl to degrade atrazine in the absence of sacrificial donors such as hydrogen peroxide. The results from this investigation indicate successful synthesis of copper-modified photocatalysts which exhibit a decrease in atrazine removal when compared to pure BiOCl. Active species trapping experiments were used to propose a mechanism that suggests the copper-modified systems produce electron vacancies more efficiently than pure BiOCl systems yet are most effective in the presence of sacrificial agents.
On the third moment of L(12,χd) I: The rational function field case

Abstract In this note, we prove the existence of a secondary term in the asymptotic formula of the cubic moment of quadratic Dirichlet L-functions ∑ d 0 − monic & sq . free deg ⁡ d 0 = D L ( 1 2 , χ d 0 ) 3 over rational function fields on the order of q 3 4 D . This term is in perfect analogy with the x 3 4 -term indicated in our joint work [18] for the corresponding asymptotic formula over the rationals.
Hospital Volume Matters: The Volume-Outcome Relationship in Open Juxtarenal AAA Repair.

OBJECTIVE We studied whether the volume-outcome relationship would persist in more complex aortic operations. BACKGROUND Despite the added complexity of the involvement of the renal arteries in open juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, the volume effect in these difficult operations has yet to be defined. METHODS We identified all patients in the Vascular Quality Initiative (VQI) who underwent open AAA repair from 2003 to 2016. We calculated each hospital's average annual volume for total open AAA repairs, and total open juxtarenal AAA repairs. We compared adjusted perioperative and long-term survival across quintiles of hospital volume, and constructed models including both volume metrics to evaluate the cross-volume effects. RESULTS Of 8880 total open AAA repairs, there were 3470 open juxtarenal cases. Centers with low ( 14) volumes of open juxtarenal repair demonstrated adjusted perioperative mortality of 9.0%, 4.9%, and 3.9%, respectively (P < 0.01). When both volume metrics were considered, open juxtarenal volume, but not total open AAA volume was associated with perioperative mortality (lowest quintile of juxtarenal volume: OR 2.36 [1.29-4.30], P < 0.01). Hospital volume was not associated with adjusted long-term mortality. High volume centers were more likely to use renal protective strategies such as mannitol and cold renal perfusion (both P < 0.01). Low volume centers performed a similar proportion of cases each year, but 22 centers (13%) did stop performing repairs during the study period. CONCLUSION Hospitals with low annualized volumes of open juxtarenal repair have higher perioperative mortality, irrespective of their total open aortic volume. Complex open AAA repairs should be performed at experienced centers, and future efforts should focus on centralization of complex aortic care.
Abstract 4: Disparities in the Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulant Treatment of Venous Thromboembolism in the United States, 2010-2016

Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) occurs in approximately 100 persons per 100,000 each year in the United States, and for decades warfarin had been the mainstay of therapy. However, beginnin...
Amino Acid Organotin Polymers from Diglycine-Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Initial Anticancer Activity

Poly(amine esters) were synthesized from reaction of organotin dichlorides with the dipeptide diglycine. The products were generally high polymers and produced in high yield with yield increasing as the organotin alkyl chain increases in length. Reaction is rapid. Bands characteristic of the formation of the Sn–O–(C=O) and Sn–NH are found in the infrared spectra of the product. MALDI MS and NMR results are consistent with the proposed structure. The products show decent inhibition of all of the tested human solid cancer cell lines including two human pancreatic, two human breast and two human brain cancer cell lines.
On a 2D Model of Avascular Tumor with Weak Allee Effect

Recent studies reveal that Allee effect may play important roles in the growth of tumor. We present one of the first mathematical models of avascular tumor that incorporates the weak Allee effect. The model considers the densities of tumor cells in three stages: proliferating cells, quiescent cells, and necrotic cells. We investigate how Allee effect impacts the growth of the avascular tumor. We also investigate the effect of apoptosis of proliferating cells and necrosis of quiescent cells. The system is numerically solved in 2D using different sets of parameters. We show that Allee effect and apoptosis play important roles in the growth of tumor and the formation of necrotic core.
1,2-Bis(arylthio)arene synthesis via aryne intermediates.

Lithium 1,1-diadamantylamide (LDAM) base-promoted insertion of arynes into disulfide S–S bonds is described. After generation of arynes from readily available aryl halides and triflates, reactions with diaryl and diisopropyl disulfides afford the insertion products in moderate to excellent yields. Use of 1-cyclohexenyl triflate gave an excellent yield of 1,2-bis(phenylthio)cyclohexene.
From Code to Data: AI at Scale for Developer Productivity

The last decade has seen three great phenomena in computing - the rebirth of AI algorithms and AI hardware; the evolution of cloud computing and distributed software development; and the explosive growth of open source software that has led to the availability of code as data, and its associated metadata, at scale. In this talk, we will describe how we take advantage of innovations in these dimensions to improve developer productivity and infuse AI and automation into software processes. We will discuss examples of how we built intelligent software by creating AI algorithms driven by deep understanding of code as data. In addition, we will talk about how data can also be treated as code for the next-generation AI-infused software development.
Pancreatitis in pre-adolescent children: a 10 year experience in the pediatric emergency department.

The diagnosis of pediatric pancreatitis has been increasing over the last 15 years but the etiology of this is uncertain. The population of pre-adolescent patients with pancreatitis in the emergency department has not been specifically described. Our objective was to determine the characteristics of these patients to illuminate this population and disease in order to better identify them and avoid a delay in diagnosis and treatment. This was a retrospective descriptive study of consecutive pediatric patients under the age of 13 years between 2006 and 2016 who presented to our pediatric emergency department with a diagnosis of atraumatic pancreatitis. Patient characteristics, lab and imaging results, identified etiology of pancreatitis, and recurrence rates were recorded and evaluated. There were 139 visits, of which 85 were for a first episode of acute pancreatitis, and 54 were patients with an episode of recurrent pancreatitis. The median age for all visits was 8 years (IQ range 5–11). Of the acute cases, 26% had uncertain or undetermined etiologies of which half were thought to likely be viral related; 20% had systemic inflammatory or autoimmune diseases; 19% were associated with medications, with the most common being valproic acid; 16% were cholelithiasis-related; and 15% were found to have a genetic, congenital or structural etiology. No patients had elevated triglycerides. Those with cholelithiasis and genetic or structural defects were found to have a higher recurrence rate than those with other etiologies. There were only four patients diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. The etiology of pancreatitis in pre-adolescent children has a different distribution than in adolescents and adults, with gallstone disease less frequent and concurrent contributing illness more common. Patients on pancreatitis-causing medications or with known genetic risk or structural pancreatic problems should be tested for pancreatitis if presenting with concerning symptoms. Hypertriglyceridemia and chronic pancreatitis with evidence of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is uncommon in this population.
Education for Pioneers of the Future

E ducation for the rst colonists to become Americans did not exist in Europe. New skills had to be developed for living off the land—and sharing that land with, or taking it from, a people who occupied it. Survival was the prime objective. Just stay- ing alive depended on understanding and adapting to a new environment. Those who wrote our Constitution and installed our new Republic had few books and fewer rules. They read Greek, Roman, French, and English classics containing concepts and phi- losophy of democracy, freedom, and what it means to be human. Thomas Jefferson’s personal library became our national Library of Congress. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i3_box
A Qualitative Analysis of Stay-At-Home Parents’ Spanking Tweets

This qualitative study used Twitter to examine stay-at-home parents’ publicly available postings to Twitter about discipline and spanking. Many adults still support the use of spanking despite a substantial body of evidence demonstrating that spanking is linked to a range of negative child outcomes. Little is currently known about how parents think about spanking as a disciplinary practice and how parents express these beliefs online. Five million publicly available tweets were collected from self-identified stay-at-home parents. Tweets were screened for discipline and spanking content. A qualitative analysis was conducted on the final set of tweets (N= 648). Stay-at-home parents were most likely to tweet about information related to discipline and spanking compared to tweets that made up other global themes (e.g., discipline tips). Parents most commonly posted tweets that reflected their anti-spanking beliefs compared to tweets that made up other subthemes (e.g., pro-spanking). Tweets in support of spanking emerged as well, with fathers being more likely than mothers to tweet about pro-spanking beliefs and desires. However, mothers were more likely than fathers to tweet about pro-spanking behaviors. Our results provide evidence that stay-at-home parents turn to Twitter to obtain disciplinary information and disclose their anti-spanking and pro-spanking beliefs. Anti-spanking tweets potentially reflect changing social norms and suggest that some stay-at-home parents on Twitter may be engaging in selective self-presentation. Thus, Twitter may be one avenue to use for interventions to set social norms that aim to reduce parental corporal punishment.