cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Safety of Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in Patients With Heart Failure and Chronic Kidney Disease

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) improve clinical outcomes in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and reduce risk of heart failure (HF) hospitalization in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, the benefit and risks of MRA use are not clear in HF patients and chronic kidney disease (CKD) with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m2. We conducted a systematic review evaluating the efficacy and safety of MRA in patients with HF and CKD. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases were searched for relevant studies on patients with HF and reduced renal function (defined as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Seven studies with 5,522 patients were included. We found 3 studies in patients with HFrEF, 1 study with HFpEF, and 2 in acute HF and 1 with mixed patient population of HF. Post hoc analyses from randomized controlled trials demonstrated reduction of risk in the primary end point (adverse cardiovascular outcomes and/or all-cause mortality and/or HF hospitalization) with MRA use in the CKD subgroup (eGFR 30 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) despite a greater risk of hyperkalemia and higher rates of drug discontinuation. In 3 observational studies, propensity score matching was performed to compare patients treated with and without MRA and did not identify benefits, but conclusions from these studies were limited due to residual confounding and concern for bias. In conclusion, benefits of MRA use in HF appear to be consistent in patients with reduced renal function (eGFR 30 to 60 mL/min/1.73 m).
Neurotoxicity in adult patients with cystic fibrosis using polymyxin B for acute pulmonary exacerbations.

We present four case reports that describe neurotoxicity experienced in adult patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) receiving intravenous polymyxin B. Paresthesia was observed after the first dose of polymyxin B in all patients. These symptoms resolved after discontinuation of polymyxin B and switching treatment to colistin. All four patients completed therapy with colistin without experiencing additional adverse reactions. This report contributes to the small body of literature currently available on the use of polymyxin B in the CF population.
Does The Transatlantic Alliance Have A Future

No doubt the early progress in European integration was supported by the pax Americana, the stability of the Bretton Woods system and the ideological front formed by the Western world against the Soviet Union (USSR). An increasingly united Europe was also seen as necessary to avoid yet another world war. Long considered America’s most important alliance and a benchmark by which a president’s foreign policy skill is measured, the US-European relationship has been shaken over a series of disputes that culminated during George W. Bush’s presidency. While the years 2004 and 2005 witnessed a gradual recovery of transatlantic relations, the future remains uncertain. Have these problems arisen because of Bush’s presidential style? Or are there other deeper factors underlying transatlantic tensions? What does the future hold for the political and military alliance that bonded Europe and America for over half a century?
A Critical Commentary on the AAG Geography and Military Study Committee Report

The formation of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Geography and Military Study Committee by the AAG Council in April 2017 and the submission of the report by the Committee to Council i...
Structural Biases in Structural Constitutional Law

Structural constitutional law regulates the workings of government and supplies the rules of the political game. Whether by design or by accident, these rules sometimes tilt the playing field for or against certain political factions—not just episodically, based on who holds power at a given moment, but systematically over time—in terms of electoral outcomes or policy objectives. In these instances, structural constitutional law is itself structurally biased. This Article identifies and begins to develop the concept of such structural biases, with a focus on biases affecting the major political parties. Recent years have witnessed a revival of political conflict over the basic terms of the U.S. constitutional order. We suggest that this phenomenon, and a large part of structural constitutional conflict in general, is best explained by the interaction between partisan polarization and structural bias, each of which can intensify the other. The Article also offers a typology of structural biases, keyed to the contemporary United States but potentially applicable to any system. To date, legal scholars have lagged social scientists in investigating the efficiency, distributional, and political effects of governance arrangements. The concept of structural bias, we aim to show, can help bridge this disciplinary gap and thereby advance the study of constitutional design and constitutional politics.
Dynamic Bayesian Networks for Prognosis

In this paper, a methodology for probabilistic prognosis of a system using a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) is proposed. Dynamic Bayesian networks are suitable for probabilistic prognosis because of their ability to integrate information in a variety of formats from various sources and give a probabilistic representation of a system. Further, DBNs provide a platform naturally suited for seamless integration of diagnosis, uncertainty quantification, and prediction. In the proposed methodology, a DBN is used for online diagnosis via particle filtering, providing a current estimate of the joint distribution over the system variables. From this state estimate, future states of the system are predicted using the DBN and sequential Monte Carlo sampling. Prediction in this manner provides the necessary information to estimate the distribution of remaining use life (RUL). The DBN-based recursive prediction procedure may be used to estimate the system state between available measurements, when filtering is not possible. The prognosis procedure, which is system specific, is validated using a suite of offline hierarchical metrics. The prognosis methodology is demonstrated on a hydraulic actuator subject to a progressive seal wear that results in internal leakage between the chambers of the actuator.
Mental health literacy in Changsha,China

Objective:Assess public awareness about mental health and the prevention of mental illnesses in Changsha,China.Methods:A multistage cluster-sampling method identified 1 660 households in two rural and two urban communities in the Changsha Municipality.One family member 15 years of age or older randomly selected from each household was asked to complete a standardized 20-item survey about mental health awareness developed by the Chinese Ministry of Health(MOH).Results:1 563 valid surveys were completed by 676 males and 887 females who had a mean(SD) age of 41.9(15.9) years.The mean(SD) proportion of correct responses in the total sample was 68.5%(46.4%);the proportion correct in urban respondents [70.5%(13.6%)] was higher than that in rural respondents [66.2%(13.5%)](t=6.18,p0.001).The proportion of correct responses had a significant negative correlation with age(r=-0.21;p0.001),a significant positive correlation with level of education(r=0.28,p0.001) and varied by occupation and marital status.A stepwise regression analysis found that level of education,age and occupation(farmer or worker versus other occupations) were independently related to the level of mental health literacy.The overall internal consistency of the 20 items in the survey and of the four subscales in the survey were weak(alpha=0.27-0.57).Conclusion:The overall level of awareness about mental health issues in Changsha residents is relatively high but there are still some areas,particularly regarding the causes of mental disorders,that are in need of improvement.The level of mental health literacy varies substantially by demographic characteristics so cohort-specific educational interventions will be needed to effectively improve community awareness.Further revision of the MOH survey will be needed to improve its reliability,validity and internal consistency.
Higher-Order Expectations

We study higher-order expectations paralleling the Harsanyi (1968) approach to higher-order beliefs — taking a basic set of random variables as given, and building up higher-order expectations from them. We report three main results. First, we generalize Samet's (1998a) characterization of the common prior assumption in terms of higher-order expectations, resolving an apparent paradox raised by his result. Second, we characterize when the limits of higher-order expectations can be expressed in terms of agents' heterogeneous priors, generalizing Samet's expression of limit higher-order expectations via the common prior. Third, we study higher-order average expectations — objects that arise in network games. We characterize when and how the network structure and agents' beliefs enter in a separable way.
“I’m Not Really in It for the Pay. I’m in It to Help Inspire Other Students.” Why Latinx Male High School Students Aspire to Become Teachers

While the number of students of Color enrolling in U.S. schools continues to grow, educators, particularly male teachers of Color, are not. Many efforts aim to recruit more teachers of Color, but little is known about what motivates them to become teachers, and exceptionally less about Latinx male teachers. This qualitative study explores how high school Latinx boys (N = 9) describe why they aspire to become teachers. The three themes that emerged were: (1) interpersonal impacts; (2) societal impacts; and (3) supporting of family. The first refers to participants aspiring to create personal connections with their future students, as some of their teachers have done with them. The second theme is that they view becoming teachers as a way to create an impact in their community and across generations. The third theme explained the role families play in providing support, inspiration, career choice autonomy to the students, and a desire to give back for their sacrifices. This study is an important step in understanding why Latinx boys aspire to become teachers. Doing so would help inform recruitment efforts by highlighting what Latinx males aspiring to become teachers find appealing about the career and ultimately help diversify the teacher labor market.
When Does It Matter? The Effect of Three-generational Household Arrangement on Children’s Well-Being across Developmental Stages

Recent social-demographic trends predict a growing importance of grandparents’ role in family wellbeing. Over the past years, the three-generational household arrangement has become more prevalent in western countries. However, the implications of three-generational household arrangements for children’s development are less known, particularly over children’s different ages. Using five waves of data from the British Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), we examine whether a three-generational arrangement influences children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes and how these effects vary from early childhood to adolescence. Fixed effects regressions results reveal that three-generational household arrangement has a negative effect on children’s cognitive and behavioral outcomes in early childhood (ages 3 and 5), and such arrangement matters less for children during middle childhood and adolescence (ages 7, 11 and 14). This study illustrates heterogeneous influences of multigenerational household arrangement on children’s wellbeing across different developmental stages and calls for more thorough research on various multigenerational interactions and mechanisms that may underly such changing patterns.
Teacher subjectivities and multiplicities of enactment: Agential realism and the case of science teacher learning and practice with multilingual Latinx students

The case of two middle school science teachers engaged in a long-term professional learning project is used to complicate the story of teacher change and agency and the presumed relationships betwe...
Developing a Methodology to Assess and Prioritize Culvert Conditions on County Roads

As hydraulic analysis technology increases and funds become more and more limited, the investment in culvert pipes becomes more substantial. However, even with this considerable investment, transportation agencies at every level in Wyoming, as well as other states, lack a formal methodology for assessing the condition of culvert pipes. Over time, as these pipes are ignored, they deteriorate without the government agency responsible for them taking necessary maintenance steps. In most cases, deteriorated states are not noticed until a larger problem arises. Counties in Wyoming are currently suffering a lack in funding. With an ample methodology in place, funds could be more adequately appropriated to pipes that are in need of maintenance. A systematic procedure for rating culverts would also aid in obtaining additional funding. Through an examination of the inspection procedures of other agencies across the nation and the Wyoming Department of Transportation’s bridge inspection procedure, a comprehensive m...
A Disease Without History? Evidence for the Antiquity of Head and Neck Cancers

There has been a long-running debate in anthropological, archaeological, and medical literature regarding the prevalence of cancer in various ancient human populations. At one extreme, some scholars have claimed that past human societies had rates of cancer roughly equivalent to those seen among modern peoples; at the other extreme, some researchers have effectively claimed that cancer is a disease of modernity. The present study aims to shed further light on this topic, at least insofar as cancers of the head and neck are concerned. A review of ancient art, medical texts, and paleopathological reports revealed somewhat discordant accounts of the age, geographical distribution, and prevalence of head and neck cancers. While representations of these neoplastic conditions in art are relatively rare and patchy in geographic distribution, descriptions of suspect lesions in ancient medical texts are rather more widespread, if unevenly distributed geographically, and the paleopathological record was found to contain surprisingly abundant evidence for cancers of the head and neck, especially as compared to what are, in modern societies, more ubiquitous cancers of the breast, lung, or prostate. While establishing the absolute prevalence of any of these conditions in antiquity is impossible, the present work establishes that cancers of the head and neck have long been present, and perhaps even prevalent, in human societies.
Animation of VZV DNA

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a ubiquitous neurotropic alphaherpesvirus that typically causes childhood varicella (chickenpox) on primary infection and zoster (shingles) after reactivation. During latency most of the ~70 virus genes are transcriptionally silent; however, analysis of latent VZV gene transcription in its natural setting requires analysis of human ganglia removed at autopsy. Recognizing the problems associated with such samples, we have observed that as the post-mortem time interval increases, so do the number of VZV genes transcribed. Based on our data and recent similar findings concerning reactivation of HSV-1, we propose an interesting testable model to describe epigenetic control of neurotropic alphaherpesvirus gene transcription during latency and early reactivation.
From localized to extended states in a time-dependent quantum model

The problem of a particle inside a rigid box with one of the walls oscillating periodically in time is studied quantum mechanically. In the classical limit, this model was introduced by Fermi in the context of cosmic ray physics. The classical solutions can go from being quasiperiodic to chaotic, as a function of the amplitude of the wall oscillation. In the quantum case, we calculate the spectral properties of the corresponding evolution operator, i.e.: the quasi-energy eigenvalues and eigenvectors. The specific form of the wall oscillation, e.g. \(\ell (t) = \sqrt {1 + 2\delta \left| t \right|}\), with |t| ≤ 1/2, and l(t + 1) = l(t) , is essential to the solutions presented here. It is found that as ℏ increases with δfixed, the nearest neighbor separation between quasi-energy eigenvalues changes from showing no energy level repulsion to energy level repulsion. This transition, from Poisson-like statistics to Gaussian-Orthogonal-Ensemble-like statistics is tested by looking at the distribution of quasi-energy level nearest neighboor separations and the Δ3(L) statistics. These results are also correlated to a transition between localized to extended states in energy space. The possible relevance of the results presented here to experiments in quasi-one-dimensional atoms is also discussed.
"Trust Me. I'm a Doctor.".

The 2004 John Conley Ethics Essay Contest Winner believes medical students must balance their desire to gain experience with clarifying their status as students to patients when there is a potential for harm. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Industry 'Closeness' and the Contagion Effects of Accounting Information Announcements

Firm closeness or comparability is an important concept to investors. Knowing that two firms have been historically close and observing an information announcement by one of the firms gives the investor cues as to the future performance of the other firm. Furthermore, from a methodological point of view, researchers commonly control for firm-group closeness by using industrial classification schemes such as the SIC. To the extent that these schemes group dissimilar firms, the advantage of using these schemes is undermined.This paper more formally examines the comparability concept and develops a new measure of firm -- group accounting closeness. The measure is based on the co-movement of accounting fundamentals. This measure adds to the De Franco et al. measure in the sense that it is designed to judge the closeness of a group of firms, rather than just firm-pairs. I provide insight regarding the extent to which the SIC scheme groups similar firms. The mean SIC two-digit industry closeness over the time period 1999-2010 is 0.15 (on a scale of 0 to 1). I demonstrate that this is only slightly better than if the groups were randomly chosen. Furthermore, a trading strategy utilizing information in the measure is developed and tested. Results indicate that, when industry closeness is high enough, abnormal returns in the range of 1-3% over a 1-3 day window can be earned around leader information announcement dates. Finally, I replicate Gleason et al. (2008) and document that the industry contagion effect of an accounting restatement is increasing with the closeness of that industry.Together, these two results contribute to the contagion/information transfer literature by empirically establishing a positive relationship between the industry contagion effects of an accounting information announcement and the closeness of that particular industry. These two results also help to bolster the construct validity of the closeness measure.
The role of microtubules and microfilaments in lysosomal enzyme release from polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of cytoskeletal elements and calcium in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) prior and after the lysosomal enzyme release by ultrastructural means. PMNs are dramatically altered when exposed to chemotactic stimuli in the absence of cytochalasin B. Seconds after exposure to such stimuli, the PMN becomes polarized. The cytocenter—in which are found all the cell's visible microtubules and the bulk of its granule population—appears to constrict, moving the granules closer to each other and to the centrioles. Morphometric methods of analysis showed that microtubules are present in greater numbers in cells stimulated to secrete than in resting cells. The chapter discusses the effects of cyclic nucleotides and colchicine and the role of calcium in lysosomal enzyme release. Electron microscopic stereology demonstrates that lysosomal enzyme release in response to receptor-ligand interactions is associated with the assembly of microtubules. Colchicine concentrations that affect microtubule assembly also inhibit lysosomal enzyme release in a dose-related fashion, but concentrations that cause the virtual disappearance of microtubules inhibit enzyme release by no more than 40%.
On the Origins of Granites

Granites make up a large part of the continental crust. New data reveal their complex and diverse formation history, calling for a revision of the geological histories of many granites.
A scalable bottom-up data mining algorithm for relational databases

Machine learning induction algorithms are difficult to scale to very large databases because of their memory-bound nature. Using virtual memory results in a significant performance degradation. To overcome such shortcomings, we developed a classification rule induction algorithm for relational databases. Our algorithm uses a bottom-up rule generation strategy that is more effective for mining databases having large cardinality of nominal variables. We have successfully used our algorithm to mine a retail grocery database containing more than 1.6 million records in about 5 hours on a dual Pentium processor PC.
Race Bias in the Administration of the Death Penalty: The Florida Experience

T WICE in the past fifteen years, federal courts of appeals I have been urged to reverse death sentences on the ground that the death penalty was administered along racially discriminatory lines. The first time, in Maxwell v. Bishop,' a petitioner submitted data to show discrimination against black offenders. The second time, in Spinkellink v. Wainwright,2 a petitioner submitted data to show bias against murderers of white victims. The Spinkellink data indicated that such offenders were substantially more likely to end up on death row than were murderers of black victims. Both times, the courts refused to find proof of racial discrimination. Data that have since become available, provided by the criminal justice system itself, make it clear that both kinds of discrimination existed.
Liquid phase oxidation of octanal by cumene hydroperoxide

Abstract Reactions that lead to fuel instability can be closely linked to the presence of active oxygen species. An increasing body of evidence links oxidation reactions of hydroperoxides to the instability observed in fuels. The active oxygen compounds present in fuels are alkyl and aromatic hydroperoxides. Cumene hydroperoxide represents a logical choice for an active oxygen compound that could be present in a middle distillate fuel. This paper reports on the reactions of cumene hydroperoxide with octanal in benzene solvent at 140°C for various time periods. The complete slate of products is presented along with a suggested mechanism to explain the observed products and the implications for fuel instability reactions.
Ro 40-5967, a novel calcium channel antagonist, protects against ventricular fibrillation.

Ro 40-5967 is a new calcium channel antagonist that binds at the same membrane sites as verapamil, yet has minimal negative inotropic effects. The effects of Ro 40-5967 on the susceptibility to ventricular fibrillation were investigated and compared to diltiazem. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced in 40 mongrel dogs with healed myocardial infarctions by a 2-min coronary occlusion during exercise. Twenty-four animals were found to be susceptible to VF and were given the treatments described below. Pretreatment with Ro 40-5967 (n = 17, 1000 μg/kg i.v.) significantly (P < 0.001) reduced the incidence of VF (13 of 17 protected) during the exercise plus ischemia test. Diltiazem (n = 8, 1000 μg/kg) completely suppressed VF. Lower doses of diltiazem and Ro 40-5967 did not prevent VF. The hemodynamic effects of Ro 40-5967 were also compared to diltiazem and verapamil. Diltiazem and verapamil, but not Ro 40-5967, increased PR interval in a dose-dependent manner. Even when reflex tachycardia was controlled by β-adrenoceptor blockade, Ro 40-5967 still exerted only minimal effects on PR interval. Verapamil, but neither Ro 40-5967 nor diltiazem, provoked a dose-dependent negative inotropic response. All three drugs elicited large increases in coronary blood flow. These data support the hypothesis that calcium entry may play a critical role in the development of malignant arrhythmias during ischemia. Further, Ro 40-5967 can protect against ventricular fibrillation without significant negative inotropic or dromotropic effects.
RELATION OF BAR-PRESSES TO MAGAZINE APPROACHES

10 rats were trained and extinguished in a 2-bar Skinner box. Responses on only one of the bars were rewarded with water. Three measures were taken during extinction: responses on the rewarded bar; responses on the non-rewarded bar; and approaches to the water magazine. It was possible to identify presses on the rewarded bar which were not followed by water approach with responses on the non-rewarded bar. These 2 measures corresponded in over-all magnitude, temporal distribution, and within animals. It is concluded that bar-presses not followed by water approach are of a different character from bar-presses followed by water approach. Further, not all presses during extinction can be considered the result of previous reward contingencies.
A Multi-Sectoral Analysis of Feed Grain Exports in the Cornbelt Economy

Large feed grain export variations adversely impact the agricultural sector and the Cornbelt economy. A multi-sectoral input-output linear programming model is developed to measure the cross industry effects of a 10 percent increase in feed grain exports. Base model, elastic labor supply, and full employment labor supply results are presented.
MONITORING FACULTY CONSULTANT PERFORMANCE IN THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT ENGLISH LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION PROGRAM WITH A MANY-FACETED RASCH MODEL

The purpose of this study was to examine, describe, evaluate, and compare the rating behavior of faculty consultants who scored essays written for the Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition (AP® ELC) Exam. Data from the 1999 AP ELC Exam were analyzed using FACETS (Linacre, 1998) and SAS. The faculty consultants were not all interchangeable in terms of the level of severity they exercised. If students' ratings had been adjusted for severity differences, the AP grades of about 30 percent of the students would have been different from the one they received. Almost all the differences were one grade or less. Adjusting ratings for faculty consultant severity differences would not impact some student subgroups more than others.
Accumulation, metabolism and toxicity of parathion in tadpoles

Earlier work exposing tadpoles to organophosphorus pesticides indicated the great resistance of tadpoles of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) to these chemicals and their surprising ability to accumulate parathion and fenthion from water. These qualities seemed to make them an ideal model with which to test a hypothesis advanced by Burke and Ferguson, who noted that parathion is more toxic to resistant mosquitofish in static water than in flowing water--a reversal of the pattern normally seen. They believed that highly toxic metabolite paraoxon was produced by the fish and that its buildup in static systems resulted in the unexpected mortality. Amphibians have been shown to produce paraoxon and to accumulate the parent compound parathion to levels that are potentially hazardous to other organisms. In the course of examining paraoxon production by tadpoles, it would also be possible to learn more about their patterns of parathion uptake and elimination. Retention of residues is also a matter of concern given the high levels observed in the earlier studies.
"Hall crystal" versus Wigner crystal.

We consider the possibility of coexistence of the quantized Hall effect (QHE) and a weak charge-density wave. For suitably chosen interactions between the fermions, there is a crystalline ordered state (''Hall crystal'') exhibiting QHE. Unlike the standard Wigner crystal, the energy of the Hall crystal does not have a cusp minimum when the fermion density is precisely an integer per unit cell of the structure. The density is locked onto a multiple of the magnetic flux density, while the period of the charge-density wave can vary continuously. The normal modes of the Hall crystal show separate transverse and longitudinal modes, with linear dispersion at long wavelengths. We propose a model for which the Hartree approximation is accurate and which exhibits a Wigner-crystal phase, a Hall-crystal phase, and a translationally invariant quantized--Hall-''liquid'' phase, as the coupling constant is varied. We study the one-particle band structure and its associated Diophantine equations, the Hall conductance, and the normal modes of this model, in its various regimes, exploiting the existence of two topological invariants (Chern numbers) which characterize the system. We also examine the transitions between different phases.
Material removal model for chemical–mechanical polishing considering wafer flexibility and edge effects

Abstract This paper describes a two-dimensional, multiscale, material removal model for chemical–mechanical planarization that includes: (i) asperity deformation; (ii) bulk pad deformation; (iii) wafer compliance; (iv) carrier film deformation; (v) slurry flow; (vi) material removal by abrasive particles in the slurry. A finite element method is used to establish the relationship between the contact stress and the deformation of an idealized asperity made of a hyperelastic material. The total local stress due to the multitude of asperities is computed using the Greenwood–Williamson approach. The wafer deformation, bulk pad deformation, and slurry film thickness are then evaluated from the estimated contact stresses and hydrodynamic fluid pressures. The material removal rate on the wafer is computed as a function of position on the wafer. The wafer scale material removal rate results show large changes in rate near the wafer’s edges, as often seen in practice, with very uniform removal across most of the wafer surface. The computational algorithm used to calculate the contact stresses, slurry fluid pressures, material removal rates, and the global force and moment balances is summarized.
A coherent moral relativism

Moral relativism is an attractive position, but also one that it is difficult to formulate. In this paper, we propose an alternative way of formulating moral relativism that locates the relativity of morality in the property that makes moral claims true. Such an approach, we believe, has significant advantages over other possible ways of formulating moral relativism. We conclude by considering a few problems such a position might face.
Mortality in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder: an Olmsted County, Minnesota cohort: 1950-2005

Introduction Increased mortality in people with schizophrenia, compared to the general population, has been consistently reported worldwide. This mortality has been attributed predominantly to “unnatural” deaths-suicide, accidents, and homicide. Recent studies have shown an increase in natural causes of death. Our objective is to compare the mortality of schizophrenic and schizoaffective subjects to the general US population. Methods 319 Olmsted County residents meeting DSM-IV-TR criteria for schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder seen at the Mayo Clinic between 1950 and 1980 were followed until February 2005 for a median of 23.5 years. Results At the end of follow-up, 44% of patients were deceased. Mortality was significantly (p < 0.001) increased compared to the Caucasian population in the US for persons of like age, gender, and calendar year of birth. The median survival following diagnosis was 36.2 years. Death certificate cited cause of death was cardiac (29%), cancer — including lung (19%), and pulmonary disease (17%). Concerningly, there was no association with the year of diagnosis to survival. Conclusions Tsuang and colleagues showed in 1975 that mortality in schizophrenics and later, those with schizoaffective disorder was significantly increased compared to the US general population. Thirty years later, with a demographically similar population, we have found the same pattern of increased mortality. In light of continued improvements in the general population's lifespan, the survival gap in schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder appears to be increasing.
The role of spinal neurokinin-1 and glutamate receptors in hyperalgesia and allodynia induced by prostaglandin E2 or zymosan in the rat

Abstract Recent research has focused on prostaglandins in the central nervous system and their contribution to hyperalgesia and allodynia. This study sought to establish whether neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptors and glutamate receptors are involved in the hyperalgesic and allodynic effects of spinally administered prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) in rats, and also to determine if the same receptors are involved the hyperalgesia induced by intraplantar administration of zymosan, an inflammatory agent which is known to evoke spinal PGE 2 release. Spinal application of antagonists of the NK-1 receptor, the α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/kainate glutamate or metabotropic glutamate receptor significantly attenuated the decrease in mechanical paw withdrawal response thresholds produced by either spinal administration of PGE 2 or intraplantar administration of zymosan. The decrease in thermal paw withdrawal response latencies induced by PGE 2 , but not by zymosan, was significantly attenuated by spinal administration of an N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, an AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist, or a metabotropic glutamate receptor antagonist. Allodynia induced by PGE 2 was significantly alleviated by antagonists of NMDA or AMPA/kainate receptors. These results suggest that both PGE 2 -induced and zymosan-induced mechanical hyperalgesia are mediated in part through activation of NK-1, AMPA/kainate and metabotropic glutamate receptors. PGE 2 -induced, but not zymosan-induced, thermal hyperalgesia is mediated in part by activation of NMDA, AMPA/kainate and metabotropic glutamate receptors. Activation of both NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors contribute to PGE 2 -induced allodynia.
Cost Complexity-Based Pruning of Ensemble Classifiers

In this paper we study methods that combine multiple classification models learned over separate data sets. Numerous studies posit that such approaches provide the means to efficiently scale learning to large data sets, while also boosting the accuracy of individual classifiers. These gains, however, come at the expense of an increased demand for run-time system resources. The final ensemble meta-classifier may consist of a large collection of base classifiers that require increased memory resources while also slowing down classification throughput. Here, we describe an algorithm for pruning (i.e., discarding a subset of the available base classifiers) the ensemble meta-classifier as a means to reduce its size while preserving its accuracy and we present a technique for measuring the trade-off between predictive performance and available run-time system resources. The algorithm is independent of the method used initially when computing the meta-classifier. It is based on decision tree pruning methods and relies on the mapping of an arbitrary ensemble meta-classifier to a decision tree model. Through an extensive empirical study on meta-classifiers computed over two real data sets, we illustrate our pruning algorithm to be a robust and competitive approach to discarding classification models without degrading the overall predictive performance of the smaller ensemble computed over those that remain after pruning.
Metalloinitiation Routes to Biocompatible Poly(lactic acid) and Poly(acrylic acid) Stars with Luminescent Ruthenium Tris(bipyridine) Cores

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) biomaterials with luminescent ruthenium tris(bipyridine) centers couple drug delivery and imaging functions. Hydrophobic [Ru(bpyPLA2)3](PF6)2 (1) was generated from [Ru{bpy(CH2OH)2}3](PF6)2 in bulk monomer using 4-(dimethylamino)pyridine as the catalyst. The bromoesters, [Ru{bpy(CH2OR)2}3](PF6)2, [Ru{bpy(C13H27)2]{bpy(CH2OR}2](PF6)2(4), and [Ru{bpy(PLAOR)2}3]2+ (9) (R = C(O)CBr(CH3)2), served as initiators for tert-butyl acrylate (tBA) polymerization. Conversion of PtBA to PAA via hydrolysis affords water soluble materials, [Ru(bpyPAA2)3]2+ (7) and [Ru{bpy(C13H27)2}(bpyPAA2)2]2+ (8) and the amphiphilic star polymer [Ru{bpy(PLA-PAA)2}3)](PF6)2 (11), which is soluble in a H2O/CH3CN (1:1) mixture. Luminescence excitation and emission spectra of the Ru polymers were in agreement with the parent [Ru(bpy)3]2+ chromophore (λex = 468, λem = 621 nm). Lifetimes of τ ∼ 700 ns in both air and nitrogen atmospheres are typical for most materials; however, the amphiph...
Platonic solids in Z3Z3

Abstract Text Extending previous results on a characterization of all equilateral triangle in space having vertices with integer coordinates (“in Z 3 ”), we look at the problem of characterizing all regular polyhedra (Platonic Solids) with the same property. To summarize, we show first that there is no regular icosahedron/ dodecahedron in Z 3 . On the other hand, there is a finite (6 or 12) class of regular tetrahedra in Z 3 , associated naturally to each nontrivial solution ( a , b , c , d ) of the Diophantine equation a 2 + b 2 + c 2 = 3 d 2 and for every nontrivial integer solution ( m , n , k ) of the equation m 2 − m n + n 2 = k 2 . Every regular tetrahedron in Z 3 belongs, up to an integer translation, permutation of the coordinates and symmetries within the planes of coordinates, to one of these classes. We then show that each such tetrahedron can be completed to a cube with integer coordinates. The study of regular octahedra is reduced to the cube case via the duality between the two. This work allows one to basically give a description of the orthogonal group O ( 3 , Q ) in terms of the seven integer parameters satisfying the two relations mentioned above. Video For a video summary of this paper, please click here or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYSpCzrguPM .
Mapping of HPV-11 E1 Binding Site and Determination of Other ImportantcisElements for Replication of the Origin

The viral proteins E1 and E2 are essential for the replication of the HPV-11 origin. We have now mapped the E1 binding site (E1BS) and show by mutation analysis that the E1BS and an adjoining poly(A)-rich region are necessary for efficient replication of the origin. We have also shown, using suboptimal levels of E1 protein, that enhancement of E1 binding by E2 partially protects the E1BS. Finally, we show that E1 can enhance the binding of E2 even in the absence of the E1BS.
Gender Remembered: The Ghost of “Unisex” Past, Present, and Future

For a brief time during the second wave of the U.S. women’s movement, the goal of gender blending was twinned to that of sexual equality; however, this challenging ideal soon faded from consciousness as 1970’s austerity replaced the economic prosperity of the earlier decade. This essay reflects on why that was so and how the present conflict between traditional gender roles, particularly motherhood, and sexual equality can only be resolved by accepting the inevitability of blending genders.
Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) has independent excitatory and modulatory actions on lamina IX neurons of lumbosacral spinal cord slices from adult rats.

Abstract Coronal and horizontal slices of the lumbar and sacral spinal cord, respectively, of ovariectomized adult rats, either treated with estrogen (OVX + E) or untreated (OVX), were used to test the neuronal actions of TRH and its metabolite, cyclo(His-Pro) (or cHP). Both coronal slices, which possess only short stumps of ventral roots (VRs), and horizontal slices, in which long sections of VRs were preserved, were used for extracellular recording of single motor and other types of neurons. Methodological comparisons between these two types of slices showed that the length of VRs preserved had no significant effect on the characteristics of motoneurons (MNs). In coronal slices, MNs in medial and lateral lamina IX (MN M and MN L , respectively) were identified by antidromic activation. Of these lumbar MNs, estrogen treatment lowered the antidromic activation threshold for MN M but not MN L . Because MN M innervate the back muscles crucial for the execution of the estrogen-dependent lordosis, the observed estrogen effect may contribute to the hormone's induction of the sexual behavior. The recorded MNs and other types of neurons were subjected to bath applications of TRH, cHP, and neurotransmitters. TRH was found to be capable of evoking an early, shorter-lasting neuronal excitation and/or a late, longer-lasting modulation of neuronal responses to transmitters. Each neuronal action could occur with or without the other, and the occurrence of the excitation did not affect the probability of whether a modulation would occur later. The modulatory, but not the excitatory, action appeared to be shared by cHP, because cHP could also modulate neuronal responses in similar, if not identical, ways as TRH did, but could neither stimulate neurons nor mimic TRH in desensitizing TRH-evoked excitation. The modulatory actions of the two peptides were not affected by estrogen. Although the excitatory action was desensitized by repeated TRH applications, the modulatory action did not appear to be attenuated but instead was often enhanced by repeated administrations of TRH and/or cHP. These results, together with the essentially identical findings from our previous study on hypothalamic neurons, indicate that the excitatory and the modulatory actions of TRH are independent of each other and, hence, are mediated by different subcellular mechanisms.
myEpi. Epidemiology of One

A new concept of within-individual epidemiology termed “myEpi" is introduced. It is argued that traditional epidemiological methods, which are usually applied to populations of humans, can be applicable to a single individual and thus used for self-monitoring and forecasting of “epidemic” outbreaks within an individual. Traditional epidemiology requires that results be generalizable to a predefined population. The key component of myEpi is that a single individual may be viewed as an entire population of events and thus the analysis should be generalizable to this population. Applications of myEpi are aimed for, but not limited to, the analysis of data collected by individuals with the help of wearable sensors and digital diaries. These data can include physiological measures and records of healthy and risky behaviors (e.g., exercise, sleep, smoking, food consumption, alcohol and drug use). Although many examples of within-individual epidemiology exist, there is a pressing need for systematic guidance to the analysis and interpretation of intensive individual-level data. myEpi serves this need by adapting statistical methods (e.g. regressions, hierarchical models, survival analysis, agent-based models) to individual-level data.
A discrete random effects probit model with application to the demand for preventive care

I have developed a random effects probit model in which the distribution of the random intercept is approximated by a discrete density. Monte Carlo results show that only three to four points of support are required for the discrete density to closely mimic normal and chi-squared densities and provide unbiased estimates of the structural parameters and the variance of the random intercept. The empirical application shows that both observed family characteristics and unobserved family-level heterogeneity are important determinants of the demand for preventive care.
Approximation Algorithms for NP-Hard Problems

Approximation algorithms have developed in response to the impossibility of solving a great variety of important optimization problems. Too frequently, when attempting to get a solution for a problem, one is confronted with the fact that the problem is NP-hard. This, in the words of Garey and Johnson, means "I can't find an efficient algorithm, but neither can all of these famous people." While this is a significant theoretical step, it hardly qualifies as a cheering piece of news.If the optimal solution is unattainable then it is reasonable to sacrifice optimality and settle for a "good" feasible solution that can be computed efficiently. Of course, we would like to sacrifice as little optimality as possible, while gaining as much as possible in efficiency. Trading-off optimality in favor of tractability is the paradigm of approximation algorithms.The main themes of this book revolve around the design of such algorithms and the "closeness" to optimum that is achievable in polynomial time. To evaluate the limits of approximability, it is important to derive lower bounds or inapproximability results. In some cases, approximation algorithms must satisfy additional structural requirements such as being on-line, or working within limited space. This book reviews the design techniques for such algorithms and the developments in this area since its inception about three decades ago.
Temporal and spatial patterns of growth in mussels Mytilus edulis on an offshore platform: relationships to water temperature and food availability

Abstract Temporal and spatial (depth) patterns of shell growth were studied in the mussel Mytilus edulis in relation to water temperature and potential food availability, at an offshore oil platform, Holly (ARCO), in the Santa Barbara Channel, California. Length-specific growth rates were highest from late May to July and at a depth of 9 m. The time to achieve a length of 50 mm from recruitment was estimated at 6–8 months. Growth rates were not correlated with water temperature, using multiple regression and correlation analysis. Temporal variation in the growth of 20- and 35-mm mussels correlated with chlorophyll a concentration at time lags of 2 and 4 wk, respectively. Variation in growth of mussels with depth was more closely associated with the concentration of particulate organic carbon than with chlorophyll a . Our results indicate that water temperature can be disregarded as an important factor in regulating mussel growth in California waters, but that growth could vary in association with well-documented regional variation in phytoplankton biomass.
The effect of α-amanitin on passive and active avoidance acquisition in mice

α-Amanitin, a specific and potent inhibitor of form II DNA-dependent RNA polymerase, produced greater than 98% inhibition of the enzyme in mouse brain within 2 h of intracerebroventricular (icv.) injection. Mice were given one trial passive avoidance training and retested on the task 4 h later. Mice treated with α-amanitin 2 h before training or immediately after training demonstrated a retention deficit when compared to non-injected or saline injected controls. Active avoidance was trained for 1 h using a Sidman schedule with a drumturning response. Performance during the last 15 min of training was compared to performance in the first 15 min of a retesting session, 4 h after training. α-Amanitin, 2 h prior to training reduced the number of responses, per cent escapes and per cent avoidances in the retesting session. Post-training injection of α-amanitin significantly reduced the number of responses and per cent avoidances. Rotarod and spontaneous motor activity were not affected by α-amanitin. Whole body temperature was slightly and transiently reduced in icv. administration of α-amanitin.