cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phylogenomic inferences from reference-mapped and de novo assembled short-read sequence data using RADseq sequencing of California white oaks (Quercus section Quercus).

The emergence of next generation sequencing has increased by several orders of magnitude the amount of data available for phylogenetics. Reduced representation approaches, such as restriction-sited...
Survival Outcomes of Radical Prostatectomy Versus Radiotherapy in Intermediate-Risk Prostate Cancer: A NCDB Study.

Abstract Background Studies of various prostate cancer patient cohorts found men receiving external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) had higher mortality than men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP). Conversely, a recent clinical trial showed no survival differences between treatment groups. We used the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to evaluate overall survival in intermediate-risk (T2b-T2c or Gleason 7 [grade group II or III] or prostate-specific antigen 10-20 ng/mL) prostate cancer patients undergoing EBRT with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), RP, or no initial treatment. Patients and Methods We analyzed 268,378 men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer from 2004 to 2012. Kaplan-Meier estimates and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare survival between treatments. Results After adjusting for patient and facility covariables, men receiving no initial treatment averaged greater adjusted mortality risk than men receiving EBRT (hazard ratio [HR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.62-1.80; P Conclusion Men treated with RP experienced significantly lower overall mortality risk than EBRT with or without ADT and no treatment patients, regardless of patient, demographic, or facility characteristics. The results are limited by the lack of cancer-specific mortality in this database.
Effects of the Preparation Process on the Properties of Amorphous Solid Dispersions

The use of amorphous solid dispersions to improve the bioavailability of active ingredients from the BCS II and IV classifications continues to gain interest in the pharmaceutical industry. Over the last decade, methods for generating amorphous solid dispersions have been well established in commercially available products and in the literature. However, the amorphous solid dispersions manufactured by different technologies differ in many aspects, primarily chemical stability, physical stability, and performance, both in vitro and in vivo. This review analyzes the impact of manufacturing methods on those properties of amorphous solid dispersions. For example, the chemical stability of drugs and polymers can be influenced by differences in the level of thermal exposure during fusion-based and solvent-based processes. The physical stability of amorphous content varies according to the thermal history, particle morphology, and nucleation process of amorphous solid dispersions produced by different methods. The in vitro and in vivo performance of amorphous formulations are also affected by differences in particle morphology and in the molecular interactions caused by the manufacturing method. Additionally, we describe the mechanism of manufacturing methods and the thermodynamic theories that relate to amorphous formulations.
Poster: A New Scalable, Programmable and Evolvable Mobile Control Plane Platform

We propose a new scalable, programmable and evolvable mobile control plane platform running on realtime stream frameworks for future mobile networks. We build our prototype and show its feasibility by using Cellular Internet of Things (CIoT) as an example use case in a realistic mobile networking testbed.
The White kid can do whatever he wants: the racial socialization of a gifted education program

Drawing from a 14-month ethnographic study at an elementary school in the US South, I examine the role that the gifted and talented (GT) program played in racial socialization at the school. I use ...
Fluorescent labeling of endoplasmic reticulum.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the fluorescent labeling of endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A large fraction of the intracellular membranes is ER. The ER is an extensive network of tubular and cisternal membranes which is known to have several different functions, principally protein synthesis, lipid synthesis, and calcium sequestration. The use of the fluorescent dye DiOC 6 (3) to observe the ER in living cells is elaborated. At certain concentrations, this dye stains all, or almost all, intracellular membranes, most probably by a simple partitioning process. The dye therefore does not specifically label the ER, but the ER is easily recognized by its distinctive morphology in the stained cells. The method is relatively simple and gives a bright clear image in optimum conditions. The major drawback of the use of DiOC 6 (3) is that it has some toxic effects on live cells. A significant practical limitation of the technique lies not in the labeling itself, but rather in the fact that ER is densely distributed in the cell. DiOC 6 (3) is positively charged and at low concentrations, its distribution in cells seems to be governed by a combination of this charge and its lipophicity. DiOC 6 (3) accumulates in mitochondria, due to the negative mitochondria1 membrane potential which is in turn generated by the metabolic activities of the mitochondria.
How to Be a Pyrrhonist: The Practice and Significance of Pyrrhonian Skepticism

What was it like to be a practitioner of Pyrrhonist skepticism? This important volume brings together for the first time a selection of Richard Bett's essays on ancient Pyrrhonism, allowing readers a better understanding of the key aspects of this school of thought. The volume examines Pyrrhonism's manner of self-presentation, including its methods of writing, its desire to show how special it is, and its use of humor; it considers Pyrrhonism's argumentative procedures regarding specific topics, such as signs, space, or the Modes; and it explores what it meant in practice to live as a Pyrrhonist, including the kind of ethical outlook which Pyrrhonism might allow and, in general, the character of a skeptical life - and how far these might strike us as feasible or desirable. It also shows how Pyrrhonism often raises questions that matter to us today, both in our everyday lives and in our philosophical reflection.
Help Me Search: Leveraging User-System Collaboration for Query Construction to Improve Accuracy for Difficult Queries

In this paper, we address the problem of difficult queries by using a novel strategy of collaborative query construction where the search engine would actively engage users in an iterative process to continuously revise a query. This approach can be implemented in any search engine to provide search support for users via a "Help Me Search" button, which a user can click on as needed. We focus on studying a specific collaboration strategy where the search engine and the user work together to iteratively expand a query. We propose a possible implementation for this strategy in which the system generates candidate terms by utilizing the history of interactions of the user with the system. Evaluation using a simulated user study shows the great promise of the proposed approach. We also perform a case study with three real users which further illustrates the potential effectiveness of the approach.
Valuable strategy and firm performance in the O2O competition

Abstract When the manufacturer opens an online channel to compete with its traditional retailer, what valuable strategy can be utilized to alleviate the O2O (online to offline) competition and conflict and improve the performances of all channel members? Our research addresses this important question by initiating an innovative strategy considering the retailer's sales effort and the manufacturer's support in local advertising simultaneously in a manufacturer – retailer O2O supply chain. Our results show that although the retailer's sales effort helps improve the channel coordination and leads to a win-win solution for both the manufacturer and the retailer, investing in both the retailer's sales effort and manufacturer's support in local advertising is a more effective strategy to be employed to coordinate the O2O distribution and achieve higher profits for all parties in the manufacturer - retailer supply chain. In addition, our results also show that compared to the simultaneous mode, the Stackelberg leader-follower mode provides no competitive advantage to the manufacturer or the retailer when the retailer's sales effort and manufacturer's support in local advertising strategy is implemented to coordinate the O2O distributions.
Steryl Glycosides in Fungal Pathogenesis: An Understudied Immunomodulatory Adjuvant.

Invasive fungal infections pose an increasing threat to human hosts, especially in immunocompromised individuals. In response to the increasing morbidity and mortality of fungal infections, numerous groups have shown great strides in uncovering novel treatment options and potential efficacious vaccine candidates for this increasing threat due to the increase in current antifungal resistance. Steryl glycosides are lipid compounds produced by a wide range of organisms, and are largely understudied in the field of pathogenicity, especially to fungal infections. Published works over the years have shown these compounds positively modulating the host immune response. Recent advances, most notably from our lab, have strongly indicated that steryl glycosides have high efficacy in protecting the host against lethal Cryptococcal infection through acting as an immunoadjuvant. This review will summarize the keystone studies on the role of steryl glycosides in the host immune response, as well as elucidate the remaining unknown characteristics and future perspectives of these compounds for the host–fungal interactions.
Artificial Turf Infill: A Comparative Assessment of Chemical Contents.

Concerns have been raised regarding toxic chemicals found in tire crumb used as infill in artificial turf and other play surfaces. A hazard-based analysis was conducted, comparing tire crumb with o...
National policy and limits to popular dissent: the case of the F-35

Grassroots movements protecting the environment in the US may gain local political traction when conceptualised as demands for discrete policy modification to remedy local impacts. In such cases, harm is visible and victims motivated. When local demands for reform contradict a national bipartisan consensus however, they are easily blocked irrespective of evidence or local democracy. At that point, activists must directly challenge fundamental tenants of national policy in order to succeed. Opposition to the basing F-35 fighter/bombers in Vermont exemplifies this dynamic. Opponents won municipal victories but were defeated at the federal level. Hesitant to be called unpatriotic, they failed to initially challenge American exceptionalism or the arms industry as foundations for national security and prosperity. Using participant observation, this paper explores the tactical and idelogical constraints faced by local environmental movements whose success requires deep structural change in national ideology and the economy.
Studying the effects of thermally diffusing Ce into the surface of YAlO3 for associated particle imaging

Abstract Active radiation environments and high-rate backgrounds pose a significant challenge towards improving the detection and characterization of Special Nuclear Material (SNM) using Associated Particle Imaging (API). Ongoing research seeks to reduce the sensitivity of a charged particle, or associated particle, detector to x-ray backgrounds through the creation and characterization of an alpha-sensitive, Ce-doped surface region of Yttrium Aluminium Perovskite (YAP). A wet-chemical layer of trivalent cerium (III) acetylacetonate hydrate was thermally diffused with a reducing atmosphere into single YAP crystals for a temperature range of 800 °C to 1500 °C. The diffusion concentration profile of the cerium compound was assayed with Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS), where the Ce diffusion activation energy and the pre-exponential factor within YAP were found to be 1.02 ± 0.10 eV and 9.7 ± 2.0 × 10 - 15 m 2 s - 1 , respectively. Resulting transient polycrystalline structural features at the surface of the YAP crystals were investigated with X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). YAP, Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG), and Yttrium Aluminium Monoclinic (YAM) phases were identified, as well as contributions from Y2O3, CeO2, Ce2O3, and the metastable hexagonal polymorph of YAlO3 (YAH). The luminescent responses of the complex surface layers to x-ray and α excitement were examined as functions of annealing temperature. Radioluminescence emissions typical of the Ce3+ 4f → 5d transition occupying both the Y3+ and Al3+ sites in YAP and YAG were observed. The brightness of the samples under alpha radiation increased as a function of diffused Ce concentration until the point of optical darkening.
Abstract 273: Exploring the Role of the Emergency Medical System in Promoting Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation During Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrests

Introduction: Early bystander initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) is a key link in the cardiac arrest chain of survival. Prior work indicates that BCPR has a greater impact on survival o...
Quantification of iPSC-derived vascular networks in novel phototunable angiogenic hydrogels

ABSTRACT Vascularization of engineered scaffolds remains a critical obstacle hindering the translation of tissue engineering from the bench to the clinic. Previously, we demonstrated the robust micro-vascularization of collagen hydrogels with induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived endothelial progenitors; however, physically cross-linked collagen hydrogels compact rapidly and exhibit limited strength. To address these challenges, we synthesized an interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) hydrogel comprised of collagen and norbornene-modified hyaluronic acid (NorHA). This dual-network hydrogel combines the natural cues presented by collagen’s binding sites and extracellular matrix (ECM)-mimicking fibrous architecture with the in situ modularity and chemical cross-linking of NorHA. We modulated the stiffness and degradability of this novel IPN hydrogel by varying the concentration and sequence, respectively, of the NorHA peptide cross-linker. Rheological characterization of the photo-mediated gelation process revealed that the stiffness of the IPN hydrogel increased with cross-linker concentration and was decoupled from the bulk NorHA content. Conversely, the swelling of the IPN hydrogel decreased linearly with increasing cross-linker concentration. Collagen microarchitecture remained relatively unchanged across cross-linking conditions, although the mere addition of NorHA delayed collagen fibrillogenesis. Upon iPSC-derived endothelial progenitor encapsulation, robust, lumenized microvascular networks developed in IPN hydrogels over two weeks. Subsequent computational analysis showed that an initial rise in stiffness increased the number of branch points and vessels, but vascular growth was suppressed in high stiffness IPN hydrogels. These results suggest that an IPN hydrogel consisting of collagen and NorHA is highly tunable, compaction resistant, and capable of stimulating angiogenesis. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE We have synthesized the first tunable collagen and norbornene functionalized hyaluronic acid (NorHA) interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel. This unique biomaterial allows for control over hydrogel stiffness, independent of the total polymer concentration, by varying the concentration of a peptide cross-linker and was specifically designed to produce a biomimetic vasculogenic microenvironment. Using the system, we performed a detailed study of the vasculogenesis of induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (iPSC) endothelial progenitors, a poorly studied cell source with considerable therapeutic potential. Our results show that vascular growth can be tuned by altering the stiffness and degradability of the scaffolds independently. Finally, we improved upon our open-source computational pipeline programmed in ImageJ and MATLAB to further quantify vascular topologies in three dimensions. Graphical abstract
Association Between Liver Fat and Bone Density is Confounded by General and Visceral Adiposity in a Community‐Based Cohort

Objective Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with low bone mineral density (BMD); however, it is not known whether early-stage NAFLD may be associated with BMD after accounting for BMI or visceral adipose tissue (VAT). Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 3,462 Framingham Heart Study participants who underwent computed tomographic measurement of liver fat, VAT volume, volumetric spine BMD, vertebral cross-sectional area (CSA), and vertebral compressive strength. This study excluded heavy alcohol consumers. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the association between NAFLD and volumetric BMD, CSA, and vertebral compressive strength after accounting for covariates, including BMI or VAT. Results A total of 2,253 participants (mean age, 51.2 [SD 10.7] years; 51.1% women) were included. In multivariable-adjusted models, positive associations between NAFLD and integral BMD, trabecular BMD, and vertebral compressive strength were observed. However, results were attenuated and no longer significant after additionally adjusting for BMI or VAT. NAFLD was observed to be weakly associated with a lower vertebral CSA in adjusted models. Conclusions In a community-based cohort, the associations between NAFLD and BMD and vertebral strength were confounded by BMI and VAT. However, NAFLD was associated with a reduced vertebral CSA in adjusted models.
The Drug War in Colombia

This chapter focuses on the war on drugs in Colombia. It begins by examining the linkages between cocaine trafficking between Colombia and South Florida, which elevated the drug trade on the security agenda of the United States. This chapter then examines the Medellin and Cali cartels and their role in drug trafficking and organized crime. It also analyzes Plan Colombia, a multi-billion-dollar foreign aid package designed to combat drug production and trafficking. This chapter explores how the goals of Plan Colombia evolved over time and the consequences of this policy. The chapter focuses on recent trends in coca production and the evolution of criminal groups, such as the criminal bands. Finally, it examines the impact of the peace process and the return to the war on drugs during the Duque administration.
Infrared imaging and machine learning techniques for plant root location and depth prediction

A plant’s root system absorbs water and necessary nutrients, and synthesizes organic matter, which is essential for plant growth and regeneration. Therefore, investigating root system architecture (RSA) can potentially provide deep understanding and useful information about plant growth. Current approaches involve soil-coring and use of mini-rhizotrons, which can damage the root or be time consuming. Groundpenetrating radar has been employed but is not suitable for small plants because of the resolution needed. Nuclear magnetic resonance could provide valuable information of tiny roots, but the equipment is costly. In this study, infrared imaging—a-non-destructive method—was used to reveal the shape and position of small root systems, such as sugar beet roots. The finite element analysis (FEA) methodology was implemented toA plant’s root system absorbs water and necessary nutrients, and synthesizes organic matter, which is essential for plant growth and regeneration. Therefore, investigating root system architecture (RSA) can potentially provide deep understanding and useful information about plant growth. Current approaches involve soil-coring and use of mini-rhizotrons, which can damage the root or be time consuming. Ground-penetrating radar has been employed but is not suitable for small plants because of the resolution needed. Nuclear magnetic resonance could provide valuable information of tiny roots, but the equipment is costly. In this study, infrared imaging, a-non-destructive method, was used to reveal the shape and position of small root systems, such as sugar beet roots. The finite element analysis (FEA) methodology was implemented to validate the practicality of applying infrared imaging to detect roots. Artificial neural network (ANN) methods were used to determine the existence of a root system. Support vector machine (SVM) and ANN were employed to predict root depth and statistical tests were used to compare the results. The results of these experiments suggest that infrared imaging can be used to predict the presence and depth of roots. validate the practicality of applying infrared imaging to detect roots. Artificial neural network (ANN) methods were used to determine the existence of a root system. Support vector machine (SVM) and ANN were employed to predict root depth and statistical tests were used to compare the results. The results of these experiments suggest that infrared imaging can be used to predict the presence and depth of roots.
The Effects of Implementing a “Waterfall” Emergency Physician Attending Schedule

Author(s): Spiegelman, Lindsey; Jen, Maxwel; Matonis, Danielle; Gibney, Ryan; Soheil, Saadat; Sakaria, Sangeeta; Wray, Alisa; Toohey, Shannon | Abstract: Introduction: Increases in emergency department (ED) crowding and boarding are a nationwide issue resulting in worsening patient care and throughput. To compensate, ED administrators often look to modifying staffing models to improve efficiencies.n Methods: This study evaluates the impact of implementing the waterfall model of physician staffing on door-to-doctor time (DDOC), door-to-disposition time (DDIS), left without being seen (LWBS) rate, elopement rate, and the number of patient sign-outs. We examined 9,082 pre-intervention ED visits and 8,983 post-intervention ED visits.n Results: The change in DDOC, LWBS rate, and elopement rate demonstrated statistically significant improvement from a mean of 65.1 to 35 minutes (P l0.001), 1.12% to 0.92% (P = 0.004), and 3.96% to 1.95% (P l0.001), respectively. The change in DDIS from 312 to 324.7 minutes was not statistically significant (P = 0.310). The number of patient sign-outs increased after the implementation of a waterfall schedule (P l0.001).n Conclusion: Implementing a waterfall schedule improved DDOC time while decreasing the percentage of patients who LWBS and eloped. The DDIS and number of patient sign-outs appears to have increased post implementation, although this may have been confounded by the increase in patient volumes and ED boarding from the pre- to post-intervention period.
Sleep quality and heart rate variability in adolescents with type 1 or type 2 diabetes

Abstract Introduction Decreased sleep quality and lower heart rate variability (HRV) have both independently been associated with diabetes and may contribute to risks for cardiovascular disease. Although poor sleep quality has been associated with lower HRV in adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D), studies of sleep quality in adolescents with (T2D) or studies examining the possible association of poor sleep quality with lower HRV in adolescents with T2D or T1D are not available. Aim Thus, we conducted a secondary analysis of data from an existing study to determine if there were associations between sleep quality and HRV in adolescents with T1D or T2D. Methods Adolescents with T1D (n = 101) or T2D (n = 37) completed 24-h HRV Holter monitoring and analysis and a self-reported global measure of sleep quality. Results: Poor sleep quality was significantly associated with lower HRV, a known predictor for CV risk. Those with T2D had lower measures of HRV. Conclusions The evaluation of sleep quality and early signs of cardiovascular autonomic changes should be considered in routine assessments of adolescents with diabetes. Future research is warranted to examine more robust measures of sleep and HRV in adolescents with diabetes.
Outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest in COVID-19 patients: A proportional prevalence meta-analysis.

Background Limited epidemiological data are available on the outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) in COVID-19 patients. Methods We performed literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Ovid to identify research articles that studied outcomes of in-hospital cardiac arrest in COVID-19 patients. The primary outcome was survival at discharge. Secondary outcomes included return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and types of cardiac arrest. Pooled percentages with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for the prevalence of outcomes. Results A total of 7,891 COVID patients were included in the study. There were 621 (pooled prevalence 8%, 95% CI 4-13%) cardiac arrest patients. There were 52 (pooled prevalence 3.0%; 95% CI 0.0-10.0%) patients that survived at the time of discharge. ROSC was achieved in 202 (pooled prevalence 39%;95% CI 21.0-59.0%) patients. Mean time to ROSC was 7.74 (95% CI 7.51-7.98) min. The commonest rhythm at the time of cardiac arrest was pulseless electrical activity (pooled prevalence 46%; 95% 13-80%), followed by asystole (pooled prevalence 40%; 95% CI 6-80%). Unstable ventricular arrhythmia occurred in a minority of patients (pooled prevalence 8%; 95% CI 4-13%). Conclusion This pooled analysis of studies showed that the survival post in-hospital cardiac arrest in COVID patients is dismal despite adequate ROSC obtained at the time of resuscitation. Nonshockable rhythm cardiac arrest is commoner suggesting a non-cardiac cause while cardiac related etiology is uncommon. Future studies are needed to improve the survival in these patients.
Nutrition Management of Maple Syrup Urine Disease

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is caused by a deficiency in the branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase enzyme complex that metabolizes the keto acids of leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Infants with classical MSUD can present with intoxication syndrome and require aggressive nutrition support to prevent or reverse catabolism. Nutrition management includes use of medical foods devoid of branched-chain amino acids, dietary leucine restriction, supplemental valine and isoleucine, and provision of adequate energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. The goal of therapy is to maintain plasma leucine concentrations of 100–200 μmol/L for infants and children <5 years and 100–300 μmol/L for those over 5 years of age.
Activated solar filaments and flares

Activations and disruptions of dark Ha filaments are very common phenomena on the Sun. They precede the most powerful two-ribbon solar flares, but they also appear far from any active region without any chromospheric flaring. Therefore, until very recently, filament disruptions were considered as interesting, but physically insignificant, flare precursors. Only Skylab observations have shown that the filament disruptions actually represent one of the basic and most important mechanisms of solar activity. These observations have revealed (1) that many coronal transients originate in eruptive filaments without chromospheric flares, (2) that Bruzek’s slow-mode waves originate in disrupted filaments and not in flares themselves, and (3) that many coronal X-ray enhancements outside active regions are also tops of newly formed loops, similar to the post-flare loops observed after filament disruptions in active regions. An interpretation of these data stems from Kopp & Pneuman’s theory of postflare loops: the process that disrupts a filament opens the magnetic field and causes a greatly enhanced mass-flow along the field lines. The open field lines subsequently reconnect, starting from the bottom of the corona and proceeding upwards. This process can last for many hours. Hot loops are first seen in X-rays, later in extreme ultraviolet (e.u.v.) lines, and, after an appropriate cooling time, in Hx as the loop prominence systems. The visibility of loops depends on plasma density. Several observed properties of solar flares indicate that the primary acceleration occurs as the field lines reconnect. Thus the process of particle acceleration in two ribbon flares can last for hours. Because reconnection is accomplished after essentially all filament disruptions, ‘disparitions brusques’ outside active regions should also accelerate particles.
The pediatrician in community dental health.

Dental disease in children is one of the most common health problems encountered.1-3 Fifty percent of children have one or more carious teeth by the age of 2 years. Gingivitis occurs in a major portion of the child population and may lead to periodontal disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Cleft palate, with or without cleft lip, occurs once in every 700 births. Half of the school-age population has some form of malocclusion. So prevalent are these problems and so great is the backlog of dental neglect, that treatment of these defects is beyond the capabilities of the limited dental manpower we have in this country. In addition, treatment is time-consuming and expensive and the costs of dental services are constantly rising. It is obvious from these facts that dental disease cannot be controlled by treatment alone. It is only by preventing the occurrence of new disease, beginning with the child, that the problem of dental disease can be brought into a manageable form. Pediatricians are in a unique position to have a significant impact on the dental health of their patients and communities. Since the pediatrician gives care to the child from birth, he can detect any existing abnormality early in life and promptly refer or treat the problem. Control of dental disease can best be accomplished if preventive measures are started shortly after birth. It is interesting to note that few children are seen by the dentist at the recommended age of 2½ to 3 years.
Selling Prices/Sq. Ft. of Office Buildings in Down town Chicago—How Much Is It Worth to Be an Old But Class A Building?

This paper examines office building sales in downtown Chicago for the period 1996 to 2007. Our analysis provides a conventional OLS approach and an exploration of spatial dependence. We find some evidence of spatial lag and spatial autocorrelation in our dataset but the results are similar to the OLS approach. The results indicate that high occupancy is a statistically significant factor only for Class B properties, suggesting that a low occupancy rate is a negative sign for these buildings of lower quality. Class A property receives a 44% price/sq. ft. boost due to the premium classification. This increase becomes more pronounced (90%) for floor plate efficient, neoclassical/revival facade and/or famous Class A properties built before 1972 when the comparison is with Class B properties of the same age.
Cerebrovascular disease: Carotid endarterectomy versus stenting—long live the king?

Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) is considered the gold standard for treatment of stenosis, but carotid artery stenting (CAS) is a less invasive procedure that offers a promising alternative. Short-term data from ICASS suggest that CEA is superior to CAS; however, features of the study design may have affected the results, and long-term data are needed before conclusions can be made.
Capture of negative K-mesons in diamond-loaded emulsions.—II

Nuclear emulsions loaded with small diamond crystals were exposed to a stopping beam of K−-mesons. A total of 43 K−-capture events in carbon were found. Comparisons were made between the K− absorptions in carbon and normal G-5 emulsion. The results showed that charged Σπ-pair production is depressed in carbon. In addition, an excess of Σ− to Σ+ hyperons was observed. If carbon is representative of light emulsion nuclei, then the conventional techniques used for separating events into capture by light and heavy nuclei are shown to be inadequate.
Control of antennal versus leg development in Drosophila

During the evolution of insects from a millipede-like ancestor, the Hox genes are thought to have promoted the diversification of originally identical body structures. In Drosophila melanogaster, antennae and legs are homologous structures that differ from each other as a result of the Hox gene Antennapedia (Antp), which promotes leg identities by repressing unknown antennal-determining genes. Here we present four lines of evidence that identify extradenticle (exd) and homothorax (hth) as antennal-determining genes. First, removing the function of exd or hth, which is required for the nuclear localization of Exd protein, transforms the antenna into leg; such transformations occur without activation of Antp. Second, hth is expressed and Exd is nuclear in most antennal cells, whereas both are restricted to proximal cells of the leg. Third, Antp is a repressor of hth. Fourth, ectopic expression of Meis1, a murine hth homologue, can trigger antennal development elsewhere in the fly. Taken together, these data indicate that hth is an antennal selector gene, and that Antp promotes leg development by repressing hth and consequently nuclear Exd.
Regulation of Brain Atrial Natriuretic Peptide and Angiotensin Receptors: Quantitative Autoradiographic Studies

Publisher Summary The quantitative autoradiography determines that specific alterations in brain ANG II and ANP receptors occur when blood pressure or fluid consumption are modified and at least some of these central alterations are directly or indirectly related to changes in the peripheral peptide systems. The results indicate a role for the central ANG II and ANP systems in fluid and cardiovascular control and suggest that peripheral and central peptidergic systems are associated, perhaps through peptidergic receptors located outside the blood-brain barrier in contact with the general circulation. The circumventricular organs are connected to some other brain areas that belong to the endogenous brain ANG II and ANP systems. The ANG II and ANP receptor distributions overlap in many areas related to cardiovascular and fluid regulation as well as to the central control of sympathetic activity and pituitary function. Changes in peripheral peptide systems influence the brain directly through their circumventricular organ receptors and influence the central peptide systems as well. Brain receptor numbers can be modulated by alterations in peripheral peptide metabolism. The alterations in brain ANG II receptors during stress provide the first concrete evidence for a role of the peptide in the central control of the pituitary-adrenal axis.
Genetic analysis of the Alteromonas macleodii [NiFe]-hydrogenase

Alteromonas macleodii Deep ecotype is a marine, heterotrophic, gammaproteobacterium isolated in the Mediterranean Sea between depths of 1000 and 3500 m. The sequenced strain was previously reported to contain a [NiFe] hydrogenase. We verified the presence of this hydrogenase in other strains of A. macleodii Deep ecotype that were previously isolated from several bathypelagic microenvironments. We developed a system for the genetic manipulation of A. macleodii Deep ecotype using conjugation and used this system to create mutant strains that lack the [NiFe] hydrogenase structural genes (hynSL). The mutants did not possess hydrogenase activity, and complementation of the mutant strain with the hynSL genes successfully restored hydrogenase activity. Both the mutant and the wild-type strains grew at the same rate in a variety of media and under different environmental conditions, indicating little effect of the hydrogenase mutation under the conditions tested.
Surface Correspondence and Motion Computation from a Pair of Range Images

The estimation of the motion transformation of a moving object from a sequence of images is of prime interest in computer vision. In this paper, the issues in estimating the motion parameters from a pair of range images are addressed. The motion estimation task, in the domain of range image sequences, has two components: (1) extract the surfaces and establish the correspondence of the surfaces over the frames in the sequence of range images, and (2) compute the motion transformation using these surface correspondences. A novel procedure based on a hypergraph representation is presented for finding surface correspondence. Two scenes are modeled as hypergraphs and the hyperedges are matched using a subgraph isomorphism algorithm. The hierarchical representation of hypergraphs not only reduces the search space significantly but also facilitates the encoding of the topological and geometrical information used to direct the search procedure. Results obtained from real range image pairs show that the algorithm is robust and performs well in presence of occlusions and incorrect segmentations. Motion transformation between image frames is computed using the planar and the quadric surface pairings. A least-squares minimization procedure is formulated that estimates the best motion transform, subject to the constraints of rigid motion. For the case of linear feature pairings, the motion computation becomes tractable because the rotation and the translation computations become independent of each other. However, for quadric surfaces this is not true. The equation to be minimized is highly nonlinear and the uniqueness of solution cannot be guaranteed. The solution obtained computes the motion by extracting unique linear features from the quadric surfaces and using them to compute the motion transformation. The main contribution of the work is a surface-based framework for motion estimation from a sequence of range images. The primary issues of correspondence and motion computation are formulated and solved in terms of the surface descriptions.
Success of Crowd-Based Online Technology in Fundraising: An Institutional Perspective

The use of crowd-based online technology for raising funds is gaining popularity and credibility. This paper seeks to provide a better understanding of the effects of formal and informal institutions on the success of a crowdfunding project. It also analyzes how the effects of different types of institutions are likely to vary across the four different types of crowdfunding projects: (1) crowdlending, (2) crowdequity, (3) reward-based crowdfunding and (4) donation-based crowdfunding. A practical implication of this work is that the ease with which entrepreneurs and other types of fundraisers can raise money via crowdfunding platforms to fund a project depends upon the nature of formal and informal institutions in the economy. A theory of crowdfunding is proposed that explains these developing relationships.
Kinetic Isotope Effect in the CH[2Π] + O2 Reaction

The reaction rates for CH and CD with O2 have been measured for temperatures between 293 and 720 K. The rate constant has a slight negative temperature dependence which can be well fit over the tem...
Urine chemokines indicate pathogenic association of obesity with BPH/LUTS.

High prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) consistent with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is associated with obesity and prostatic inflammation. Here, we investigated whether chemokines associated with obesity and prostatic inflammation can be measured in normally voided urine of BPH/LUTS patients to demonstrate the mechanistic association between obesity and BPH/LUTS. Frozen urine specimens of BPH/LUTS patients enrolled in the Nashville Men’s Health Study were sent for blinded analysis to University of Pittsburgh. Thirty patients were blocked by their AUA-SI (>7 or ≤7) and prostatic enlargement ( 60 cc). Clinical parameters including age, prostate size, and medications were derived from chart review. CXC chemokines (CXCL-1, CXCL-8, and CXCL-10), CC chemokines (CCL2 and CCL3), and sIL-1ra were measured in thawed urine using Luminex™ xMAP® technology and ELISA for NGF. Urinary CCL2 levels were several fold higher compared with the other six proteins, of which CCL3 was detectable in less than one-fourth of patients. Urine levels of sIL-1ra and CXCL-8 were significantly associated with increasing BMI and waist circumference in BPH patients. CXCL-8 showed a marginal association with overall AUA-SI scores, as well as obstructive (p = 0.08) symptom subscores. Prostate volume was inversely and marginally associated with urinary CXCL-10 (p = 0.09). Urine levels of CXCL-8, CXCL-10, and sIL-1ra were associated with varying degrees with LUTS severity, prostate size, and obesity, respectively. These findings in urine are consistent with past studies of chemokine levels from expressed prostatic secretions and demonstrate the potential of noninvasively measured chemokine in urine to objectively classify BPH/LUTS patients.
Subcutaneous morphine pump for postoperative hemorrhoidectomy pain management.

PURPOSE: Many anorectal procedures are currently being performed on an outpatient basis, hemorrhoidectomy being the exception because of the need for parenteral narcotics postoperatively. We investigated the effectiveness of a subcutaneous morphine pump (SQMP) for outpatient posthemorrhoidectomy pain control. METHODS: In Phase 1 of our study, 22 patients undergoing radical hemorrhoidectomy were started on an SQMP protocol postoperatively. Twenty-nine patients received conventional postoperative narcotic dosing. In Phase 2, 19 patients enrolled in an SQMP protocol underwent hemorrhoidectomy in an ambulatory setting. Length of hospitalization, catheterization rate, and pain control were evaluated. RESULTS: In Phase 1, zero patients in the study group and two in the control group required additional hospitalization beyond 23 hours for pain control. The rates of catheterization were similar between the two groups. Pain control was considered satisfactory in 21 of 22 study patients. There was no correlation between pain level and morphine dose. Eighteen of 22 patients experienced minor side effects, necessitating pump removal in two patients. In Phase 2, 18 of 19 patients on the SQMP were discharged from the recovery room. Cost analysis shows the combination of outpatient hemorrhoidectomy and the SQMP to be cost-effective in comparison with an inpatient stay. CONCLUSIONS: The SQMP enables hemorrhoidectomy to be done on an outpatient basis. It provides effective pain control, enjoys high patient acceptance, and is cost-effective.
Refraction effects on x-ray and ultraviolet interferometric probing of laser-produced plasmas

We present a study detailing the effects of refraction on the analysis and interpretation of line-of-site optical probe characterization techniques within laser-produced plasmas. Results using x-ray laser backlit grid deflectometry and ray-tracing simulations illustrate the extent to which refraction can be a limiting factor in diagnosing high-density, short-scale-length plasmas. Analysis is applied to a recent experiment in which soft-x-ray interferometry was used to measure the electron density within a fast-evolving Al plasma. Comparisons are drawn between extreme ultraviolet and ultraviolet probe wavelengths.
An autoradiographic study of retinogeniculate pathways in the cat and the fox.

The distribution of retinal afferents to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat and the fox has been studied using ocular injections of 3(H)-leucine and autoradiographic techniques. Whereas fiber degeneration methods have shown only five distinct layers in the lateral geniculate nucleus, autoradiographs show six well defined layers in both species. Laminae A and C receive afferents from the contralateral eye, while laminae A1 and C1 receive from the ipsilateral eye. A retinal input to the region lying between lamina C1 and the optic tract could not be demonstrated by fiber degeneration methods, but this region can now be divided into two distinct layers. The antero-dorsal of these two layers (lamina C2) receives afferents from the contralateral eye, while the postero-ventral layer, nearest the optic tract, appears to receive no direct afferents from either eye. Since the rapid component of the axoplasmic transport labels axon terminals to a greater extent than fibers of passage, the autoradiographic method demonstrates, more successfully than fiber degeneration methods, that there is no significant binocular overlap between the retinal projections to alternate geniculate layers.
Further Delineation of Hypothalamic Dysfunction Responsible for Menopausal Hot Flashes

Abstract An association exists between pulsatile LH release and hot flashes (HFs). To further delineate the hypothalamic mechanism(s) responsible for HF, the basal levels and pulsatile release of LH, FSH, estradiol, and estrone and the rate of occurrence of HFs (measured objectively) were evaluated in patients with a defect of GnRH secretion [isolated gonadotropin deficiency (IGD)], patients with abnormalities of afferent input to GnRH neurons [hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA)], and postmenopausal women with severe HFs. Patients with IGD had received estrogens, which were discontinued before study. Patients with HA had experienced regular menses before disease onset, which followed emotional stress or weight loss. Studies were limited to HA patients with estrogen levels in the postmenopausal range. Pulsatile LH release was absent in patients with IGD and was absent or greatly reduced in women with HA. Objectively measured and subjectively experienced HFs occurred in IGD but not in HA patients. These results s...
Factors affecting the final grain size of decarburized lamination steels

A study was made of the effects of carbon content, strain, initial grain size, carbide morphology, annealing time, and temperature on the final grain size produced after the decarburization anneal. The results show that columnar grains form only in higher carbon (0.05/0.06 Pct C) steels with low initial grain sizes (<20 µm) when decarburized at 1450 °F (788 °C). Equiaxed grains, however, are obtained in low carbon (0.02/0.03 Pct C) lamination steels for all processing conditions. It was found that the formation of both equiaxed and columnar final grain size (GS f ) was dependent upon percent strain (e), initial grain size (GS i ), and carbide distribution (D c ) according to the following regression equations (all grain size measurements in µm):G5 f (columnar grain) = 204 + 0.9GSi - 12.3e + 37.8D C logGS f (equiaxed grain) = 2.151 + 0.022GSi - 0.038e - 0.0005GS i · e- 0.0002(GS i )2 + 0.079D c
The Prevalence of Occult Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma at Autopsy

Context: The prevalence of occult medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in the general population is unknown but may be important when considering strategies to diagnose clinically relevant MTC in nodular goiter or other populations. Objective: Our objective was to determine the prevalence of occult MTC in a series of autopsies. Design: We conducted a systematic review of autopsy series from 1970 to present using a PubMed search. Patients: The patients came from 21 countries, ages ranged from 6–95 yr, both genders were represented, and none had clinical evidence of thyroid disease before autopsy. Intervention: Three series were excluded based on tumor size less than 500 μm, non-English language, or insufficient information. Main Outcome Measure: Prevalence of occult MTC was calculated. Results: An average prevalence of 0.14 and 7.6% for occult MTC and papillary thyroid carcinoma, respectively, was found among 7897 autopsies from 24 published series. Greater than 75% of patients with MTC were more than 60 yr o...