cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects on Children of Treating Their Mothers' Depression: Results of a 12-Month Follow-Up

Objective:This study used a controlled research design to examine the effects on children of treating their mothers' depression and of remission of the mothers' depression. Method:The sample consisted of 60 low-income women with major depression, who were predominantly from minority racial-ethnic groups, and their children ages four to 11. Women were randomly assigned to receive one of two active treatments (medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy) or a referral to existing community services. The mothers' depression was assessed by self-report on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and the children's symptoms and adaptive skills were assessed by their mothers at baseline and six-month and 12-month follow-ups with the Behavior Assessment System for Children. Results:Mixed-effects random intercept and random slope repeated-measures analyses using an intent-to-treat approach indicated that active treatment of mothers did not result in improvement in their children's behavior problems or adaptive skills...
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus Masquerading as Chronic Blepharoconjunctivitis

Purpose To recognize discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) as a treatable cause of chronic blepharoconjunctivitis. Design Retrospective observational case series. Participants Records of 5 patients with biopsy-proven DLE were reviewed. Methods Clinical and pathology records were examined. Main Outcome Measures Patients' clinical and histopathological characteristics and response to treatment were assessed. Results Clinical features included meibomian gland dysfunction, blepharitis, chalazia, trichiasis, madarosis, conjunctivitis, chronic eyelid edema, and eyelid plaques. Histopathology showed hyperkeratotic epithelium, degeneration of the basal cell layer, and a perivascular lymphocytic infiltrate. There was delayed diagnosis in all cases, ranging from 4 months to 25 years. All of the patients responded to systemic hydroxychloroquine therapy. Conclusions Heightened awareness of eyelid DLE may lead to earlier detection and specific therapy for this chronic disorder.
Root system response of C4 grass seedlings to CO2 and soil water

Aboveground growth of C4plants responds more strongly to atmospheric CO2 concentration when soil water is limiting rather than abundant. Whether the same is true of root growth and morphology, however, remains to be evaluated. We investigated interactive effects of CO2 and soil water on root growth and morphology of two C4 grasses. Seedlings of the dominant C4 grasses from tallgrass prairie, Schizachyrium scopariumand Andropogon gerardii, were grown for 8 weeks in an elongated, controlled environment chamber at CO2 concentrations of 368 (ambient) and 203 (subambient) mol mol 1 . Seedlings were maintained at either high (ca. 90%) or low (ca. 50%) soil relative water holding capacity (RWC). Both root and shoot systems of C4 grass seedlings responded similarly to CO2 enrichment irrespective of whether soil water was limiting or abundant. Root growth was affected primarily by increased RWC (40‐51% increases) and secondarily by higher CO2 (15‐27% increases). The relative distribution of root surface area, number of root tips and length and volume of roots were significantly affected by CO2 enrichment with proportional increases of 55‐61%, 39-52%, 50‐55% and 53‐58%, respectively, occurring in very fine (0‐0.3 mm) roots. The indirect effect of CO 2 enrichment on conservation of soil water in grasslands may be as important as direct photosynthetic response effects in the CO2-induced enhancement of whole-plant growth in C4 grasses.
Dosimetric errors during treatment of centrally located lung tumors with stereotactic body radiation therapy: Monte Carlo evaluation of tissue inhomogeneity corrections

Abstract Early experience with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) of centrally located lung tumors indicated increased rate of high-grade toxicity in the lungs. These clinical results were based on treatment plans that were computed using pencil beam–like algorithms and without tissue inhomogeneity corrections. In this study, we evaluated the dosimetric errors in plans with and without inhomogeneity corrections and with planning target volumes (PTVs) that were within the zone of the proximal bronchial tree (BT). For 10 patients, the PTV, lungs, and sections of the BT either inside or within 2 cm of the PTV were delineated. Two treatment plans were generated for each patient using the following dose-calculation methods: (1) pencil beam (PB) algorithm without inhomogeneity correction (IC) (PB − IC) and (2) PB with inhomogeneity correction (PB + IC). Both plans had identical beam geometry but different beam segment shapes and monitor units (MU) to achieve similar conformal dose coverage of PTV. To obtain the baseline dose distributions, each plan was recalculated using a Monte Carlo (MC) algorithm by keeping MUs the same in the respective plans. The median maximum dose to the proximal BT and PTV dose coverage in the PB + IC plans were overestimated by 8% and 11%, respectively. However, the median maximum dose to the proximal BT and PTV dose coverage in PB − IC plans were underestimated by 15% and 9%. Similar trends were observed in low-dose regions of the lung within the irradiated volume. Our study indicates that dosimetric bias introduced by unit tissue density plans cannot be characterized as underestimation or overestimation of dose without taking the tumor location into account. This issue should be considered when analyzing clinical toxicity data from early lung SBRT trials that utilized unit tissue density for dose calculations.
Demographic Trends of Adults in New York City Opioid Treatment Programs—An Aging Population

Background: The population of adults accessing opioid treatment is growing older, but exact estimates vary widely, and little is known about the characteristics of the aging treatment population. Further, there has been little research regarding the epidemiology, healt h status, and functional impairments in this population. Objectives: To determine the utilization of opioid treatment services by older adults in New York City. Methods: This study used administrative data from New York State licensed drug treatment programs to examine overall age trends and characteristics of older adults in opioid treatment programs in New York City from 1996 to 2012. Results: We found significant increases in utilization of opioid treatment programs by older adults in New York City. By 2012, those aged 50–59 made up the largest age group in opioid treatment programs. Among older adults there were notable shifts in demographic background including gender and ethnicity, and an increase in self-reported impairments. Conclus...
Vitamin A and D deficiencies affect antibody isotype distribution and the respiratory virus-specific immune response (VIR5P.1161)

Vitamins A and D are highly interactive in their binding of receptor complexes RAR-RXR and VDR-RXR, which regulate genes essential for normal immune function. To determine how vitamins impact the immune response toward respiratory viruses, we employed mice deficient in vitamin A (VAD), vitamin D (VDD), or both. Analysis of virus-specific antibody-forming cells (AFCs) in VAD mice following influenza virus infection revealed a reduction in IgA-producing AFCs in the respiratory tract mucosa, a first line of defense against respiratory viruses. The IgG/IgA ratio was increased in VAD, but not VDD mice. Interestingly, in double-deficient mice, inhibition was exacerbated to the extent that there were virtually no detectable virus-specific AFCs in the lower respiratory tract. To determine if vitamin deficiencies impact antibody isotypes in humans, we examined blood samples from residents of Memphis, TN. A substantial fraction of individuals exhibited low levels of vitamin A, D or both. As in mice, vitamin A and IgA levels were correlated. When vitamin A was low, antibody isotypes encoded by CH genes at the 3’ end of the heavy chain locus (IgA and IgG2) were poorly represented relative to those encoded at the 5’ end (IgM, IgG3 and IgG1), indicating abnormal CH switching or improper maturation or stability of switched AFCs. Results help explain how vitamin deficiencies render humans vulnerable to respiratory virus disease and encourage rapid implementation of corrective measures.
Roundoff Error and Double Precision

As we have seen, most applications of computers to calculus involve the evaluation of several terms in a sequence. The evaluations continue until some criterion is satisfied. In Figure 1–5 for example, the criterion was that the terms of two sequences differ by less than 10-3. In EXERCISE 5–5 the values of the sequence \( \frac{{f(1.8 + {{10}^{{ - n}}}) - f(1.8)}}{{{{10}^{{ - n}}}}} \) was computed for some specific values of n, namely, n = 1,2,3,4,5,6. In neither of these examples did we try to compute the actual limit of the sequence involved. Indeed, as we have noted in Section 6, limits cannot actually be computed because arbitrary smallness cannot be achieved on a computer. Instead we seek to use the computer to approximate the limit involved. As we also remarked in Section 6, it is highly desirable to know that a given sequence has a limit before we attempt to approximate it with a computer. However, even when we know that a given sequence has a limit, it may be difficult to approximate its value. In this Section we discuss the problem and suggest both FORTRAN and mathematical devices to reduce the problem.
Natural history of apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and novel surgical treatment

From the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine and Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Disclosures: Authors have nothing to disclose with regard to commercial support. Received for publication Jan 28, 2016; revisions receivedMarch 1, 2016; accepted for publication March 5, 2016; available ahead of print April 5, 2016. Address for reprints: Rick A. Nishimura, MD, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905 (E-mail: rnishimura@ mayo.edu). J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2016;152:626-7 0022-5223/$36.00 Copyright 2016 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jtcvs.2016.03.017
Mass failures associated with the passage of a large tropical cyclone over the Swatch of No Ground submarine canyon (Bay of Bengal)

Acoustic surveys collected six months before and after the passing of a major tropical cyclone over the Swatch of No Ground submarine canyon (Bay of Bengal) revealed the formation of widespread mass failures 30 km offshore of the Ganges-Brahmaputra river delta. Mass sediment flows several kilometers wide with minimal run-out distances ( 1 km wide × 5–60 m thick) developed in areas with preexisting subsurface sediment deformation and evidence for active submarine fluid discharge. In contrast, narrow, steep-walled (7°–10°) gullies present before the storm did not fail, suggesting that the gully walls may be shear hardened by the preferential funneling of gravity flows from the Bengal shelf. Combined, the widespread mass failures and gullies are part of a rapidly accreting (5–50 cm/yr), net-aggradational canyon system that supports multiple mechanisms for sediment transport from the active river mouth to the canyon.
Age and Species Variation in the Acute Toxicity of Alpha-Naphthyl Thiourea.

SummaryMarked age variation in the susceptibility of wild Norway rats to acute poisoning with a-naphthyl thiourea has been found, with suckling rats about 7 times as rehistant as adults. This reGst...
The Many Facets of Interface Motion.

Many dynamic growth processes are shown to involve changes in more than one of the nine geometric variable that describe the geometry of a planar interface between crystals. Even simple examples illustrating changes in each one of the nine are found to involve some of the others. A generalized concept of crystal-crystal interface motion, using all nine variables, is suggested.
Pulmonary vein contracts in response to hypoxia

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) is an important regulatory mechanism in matching regional blood flow and ventilation. The HPV response has been well documented on the arterial side, but the response of pulmonary veins to hypoxia has received little attention. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether isolated rat pulmonary veins contract in response to decreased PO2 and, if so, to compare the venous response with that of the pulmonary artery. Rat pulmonary venous and arterial rings were attached to force transducers and precontracted with either a submaximal dose of KCl or norepinephrine under normoxic conditions and then made hypoxic. The pulmonary venous hypoxic response consisted of a single sustained contraction, whereas the arterial response to hypoxia was biphasic, consisting of an initial rapid contraction and then a slowly developed but sustained contraction. The venous hypoxic contraction was significantly greater in magnitude than either phase 1 or phase 2 of the arterial response. Endothelium denudation did not affect the venous hypoxic response. However, the venous hypoxic response was dependent on the level of precontractile tone and also appeared to be dependent on the specific contractile agonist. Unlike the isolated arterial phase 1 hypoxic response (but similar to the arterial phase 2 response) the pulmonary venous hypoxic contraction was inhibited in Ca(2+)-free media or by Ca2+ channel blockers. In summary, pulmonary venous smooth muscle contracts to a relatively greater degree in response to severe hypoxia than does pulmonary arterial smooth muscle. The venous hypoxic response is endothelium independent, as is phase 2 of the arterial response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Development Status and Prospects of Pesticides Suspension Concentrates(SC) Formulation

Suspension concentrates offer a number of benefits over the wettable powder formulation.These include:an absence of dust, improved suspensibility on dilution,improved wetting,lower packing volume and enhanced biological efficacy.The development status and prospects of pesticides SC formulations are described.We discussed in more detail the physical stability and the choice of dispersing agent and the main technical obstacle affect the physical stability-particle reaggregation and summarized the multi- layer electrostatic shield system of this new technology from the principle、structure design、processing techniques etc.
Management of Thyroid Diseases in Pregnancy

This review focuses on the interpretation of thyroid tests and management of common thyroid disorders such as hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, and goiter. Management of pregnant women taking thyroid medications is discussed, along with the adverse effects on the fetus of maternal ingestion of medications that contain iodide.
Inhibition of ovarian, placental, and adrenal steroidogenesis in the rhesus monkey by trilostane.

Trilostane inhibits adrenal, ovarian, and placental steroidogenesis when administered orally to rhesus monkeys. By inhibiting 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity, it causes an increase in circulating levels of pregnenolone. Trilostane reverses the stimulation of luteal progesterone production and the delay in onset of menstruation induced by human chorionic gonadotropin. In pregnant monkeys it reduces circulating progesterone levels and is an effective interceptive agent if given for 5 days beginning on day 16, 25, or 50 of gestation. Concurrent administration of progesterone prevents this interceptive effect. Trilostane reduces plasma cortisol levels at doses lower than those necessary to terminate pregnancy.
Formation of Pattern Generalization Involving Linear Figural Patterns Among Middle School Students: Results of a Three-Year Study

This chapter provides an empirical account of the formation of pattern generalization among a group of middle school students who participated in a three-year longitudinal study. Using pre-and post-interviews and videos of intervening teaching experiments, we document shifts in students’ ability to pattern generalize from figural to numeric and then back to figural, including how and why they occurred and consequences. The following six findings are discussed in some detail: development of constructive and deconstructive generalizations at the middle school level; operations needed in developing a pattern generalization; factors affecting students’ ability to develop constructive generalizations; emergence of classroom mathematical practices on pattern generalization; middle school students’ justification of constructive standard generalizations, and; their justification of constructive nonstandard generalizations and deconstructive generalizations. The longitudinal study also highlights the conceptual significance of multiplicative thinking in pattern generalization and the important role of sociocultural mediation in fostering growth in generalization practices.
Addressing and Modulation for Frequency-Hopping Multiple Access

This paper describes the common structure of a large class of frequency-hopping multiple-access address sequences of the so-called "one-coincidence" type. We show methods for expanding the address sets to great size without compromising performance, and compare frequency and phase modulation methods. We also describe methods for dealing with unsynchronizable signalling alphabets, which arise as a result of expanding the MFSK sets.
Filozoficzne zarzuty stawiane hipotezie inteligentnego projektu: odpowiedź na krytykę

Author is a proponent of intelligent design theory which states that some biochemical systems were designed by an intelligent designer. He considers the issue of falsifiability of this theory and tries to remove misunderstandings regarding the notion of irreducible complexity (irreducible complexity is a feature thanks to which, according to the author, one can recognize whether a given biochemical system was designed). Author takes into consideration also the issue of soundness of postulating methodological naturalism in science and opts for the opposite position.
Embedded fiber Bragg grating sensor in composite for bandwidth modulation

In this paper, we have demonstrated that the spectral bandwidth of a FBG can be modulated by embedding a single Fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensor in a composite laminate. The bandwidth modulation was achieved by exploiting the birefringence of the embedded – FBG sensor, which was sensitive to the transverse strain and thus varies with temperature or axial load. Combining the bandwidth changes with the Bragg wavelength shift may enable measuring the simultaneous changes in temperature and axial strain using a single FBG sensor.
A New Method for Controller Reduction Using Linear Matrix Inequalities

Abstract In this paper, a new approach is proposed for designing low-order controllers for large-scale systems. The method is based on Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI), and uses a preliminary low-order controller as the initial step. It is shown that appropriate LMI preconditioners for large-scale systems can be obtained using the relationship between balanced realizations and epsilon decomposition. Simulation results obtained for a large space structure demonstrate the validity of the proposed approach.
Talking about Global Migration: Implications for Language Teaching. Theresa Catalano: Tonawanda: NY: Multilingual Matters, 2016, 220 pages, ISBN 978-1-78309-554-4, $44.92

In her book Talking about Global Migration: Implications for Language Teaching, Theresa Catalano has a threefold purpose: to break entrenched immigrant stereotypes, to capture the diversity of the ...
A framework for pollination systems thinking and conservation

AbstractWe conducted interviews with 16 postsecondary students at a large public university on pollination systems knowledge. A semi-structured interview protocol was developed with open-ended prompts to elicit student explanations of pollination systems. Congruent themes were developed through coding of the interview transcripts into low, medium, and high sophistication of responses. From this, we developed a framework of pollination knowledge informed by systems thinking models that describe structures of plants and pollinators, conservation behaviors, and the function of pollination systems. The framework described can be used to explain students’ understanding of pollination systems and identify strengths and gaps in this knowledge. We propose this framework may also be used as the basis for instrument development evaluating the impacts of educational programming designed to improve students’ pollination knowledge.
Non-Keplerian Motion

We have emphasized the relative 2-body solution to the trajectory problem for four reasons:
Prostate specific antigen levels in men older than 50 years without clinical evidence of prostatic carcinoma

In their derivation of normal prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels (0 to 4.0 ng./ml.) Hybritech used almost exclusively men less than 60 years old. The purpose of this study was to define PSA levels by age decade in men older than 50 years without clinical evidence of prostatic carcinoma or so-called cancer-free. We define the cancer-free population as men with a PSA less than or equal to 4.0 ng./ml. and nonsuspicious digital rectal examination, and those with an abnormality in either parameter with a nonmalignant prostate biopsy. A total of 755 men was recruited for a prostate cancer detection study using serum PSA and digital rectal examination, of whom 728 fulfilled our criteria of cancer-free. Newly derived mean and standard deviation were 1.32 +/- 1.10 ng./ml. in the 50 to 59-year group, 1.91 +/- 1.72 ng./ml. in the 60 to 69-year group and 2.36 +/- 1.98 ng./ml. in the 70 to 79-year group. The upper limits for PSA (mean+2 standard deviations) by age were 3.5 ng./ml. in the 50 to 59-year group, 5.4 ng./ml. in the 60 to 69-year group and 6.3 ng./ml. in the 70 to 79-year group. The apparent accuracy of these new limits is strong in the 60 to 69-year group but it declines in the next decade. The data support further attempts at using PSA, age and digital rectal examination to establish selection criteria for prostate biopsy with adequate sensitivity and specificity.
Lymphocyte adhesive interactions with lacrimal gland acinar epithelial cells in primary culture.

Purpose. In lacrimal glands, cell-cell interactions control the localization of lymphocyte populations that play a role in immune defense at the ocular surface. This study describes lymphocyte adhesive interactions with cultured lacrimal gland acinar epithelial cells. Methods. Primary cultures of lacrimal gland epithelial cells were used as targets for in vitro lymphocyte binding assays. The relative adherence of lymphocyte populations was determined. Various physiologically active agents and putative ligand analogs were tested for their effect in the binding assay. Results. Thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) bound to cultured lacrimal acinar epithelial cells in greater numbers than did thymocytes (54 cells/mm 2 versus 8 cells/mm 2 ). B cells showed preferential adherence compared with T cells (75% sIg + , 14% W3/13+). Thoracic duct lymphocyte binding required intact metabolic and membrane-cytoskeletal function and was inhibited by treating the lymphocytes with sodium azide, formaldehyde, or cytochalasin B (23%, 12%, and 10% of control binding, respectively). Further, adherence was dependent on divalent cations. Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-mediated inhibition (42% of untreated) was restored by replacing calcium (89%) but not magnesium (41%). Lymphocyte adherence was inhibited in the presence of fucoidin or phosphomannan polysaccharides (36% and 48% of control binding, respectively). Fibronectin peptides, which are involved in certain types of integrin-mediated adherence, had no effect in this system. Lacrimal culture supernatants contained a factor that was inhibitory for TDL adherence (more than 50% inhibition when concentrated 5 or 10 times). Conclusions. Thoracic duct lymphocyte adherence to cultured lacrimal gland acinar epithelial cells shows good correlation with previously reported adherence to lacrimal gland frozen sections. Further, lacrimal cell culture supernatants contain soluble factors that inhibit TDL adherence to epithelial cells. These findings suggest that the lacrimal molecules involved in lymphocyte localization are shed and that lacrimal epithelial cell cultures will be useful for ligand isolation and characterization. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :2246-2253.
GAAP versus Street Earnings: Making Earnings Look Higher and Smoother

Street earnings are compared to GAAP earnings for over 29,000 annual observations and 100,000 quarterly observations from 1990 to 2000. Analysis is performed after separating firms by profitability and earnings volatility. Although there is little difference between the two types of earnings for firms with GAAP profits, firms with GAAP losses report significantly higher Street earnings. Firms with annual GAAP losses are also about 20 times more likely to report annual Street profits than firms with annual GAAP profits are likely to report annual Street losses. Additionally, firms with volatile GAAP earnings tend to report higher, smoother Street earnings. The results suggest that some managers attempt to make financial performance look healthier.
Chronoendocrinology of Vertebrates

Research in biological rhythms has grown rapidly since 1960. However, the study of biological clocks is a relatively old area of research having begun almost 250 years ago. Bunning (1967) has attributed the first demonstration of an endogenous time sense within living systems to de Mairan, an astronomer, in 1729. De Mairan discovered that the daily alternation of the opening and folding of the leaves of a plant persisted underground in the absence of external photoperiodic cues.
Alginate microparticles loaded with basic fibroblast growth factor induce tissue coverage in a rat model of myelomeningocele.

Abstract Background/Purpose We sought to develop a minimally invasive intra-amniotic therapy for prenatal treatment of myelomeningocele (MMC) in an established rat model. Methods Time-dated pregnant rats were gavage-fed retinoic acid to induce MMC. Groups received intraamniotic injections at E17.5 with alginate particles loaded with fluorescent dye, basic fibroblast growth factor (Alg-HSA-bFGF), fluorescently tagged albumin (Alginate-BSA-TR), free bFGF, blank alginate particles (Alg-Blank), or PBS. Groups were analyzed at 3 h for specific particle binding or at term (E21) to determine MMC coverage. Results Alginate microparticles demonstrated robust binding to the MMC defect 3 h after injection. Of those specimens analyzed at E21, 150 of 239 fetuses (62.8%) were viable. Moreover, 18 of 61 (30%) treated with Alg-HSA-bFGF showed evidence of soft tissue coverage compared to 0 of 24 noninjected (P = 0.0021), 0 of 13 PBS (P = 0.0297), and 0 of 42 free bFGF (P = P Conclusions Injection of microparticles loaded with bFGF resulted in significant soft tissue coverage of the MMC defect compared to controls. Alginate microparticles without growth factors might result in scaffold development over the fetal MMC. Type of study Basic science. Level of evidence N/A.
Information privacy

When using the Internet, we reveal much personal information both willingly and indadvertedly. Companies use this information for targeted advertisement and thereby to finance the services they offer to users. The mechanisms used today to protect users' personal information are lacking resulting in far too frequent privacy and security breaches that put the users at risk. In this article we argue that applications on the Internet should be built with privacy and security as a mandatory requirement, then provide an overview of the state of the art in privacy-enhancing mechanisms, and conclude with a roadmap towards a privacy-enhanced digital world, and pointing out a number of challenges that need to be solved.
Applying Terror Management Theory to Art, Film, and Media: A Theoretical and Empirical Review

Abstract One of the ubiquitous characteristics of human art, throughout history and across cultures, is the attempt to come to terms with mortality and to achieve symbolic forms of immortality. A unique interdisciplinary contribution of terror management theory (TMT) has been its recent role in shedding light on this recurrent aspect of aesthetic creativity and experience. This chapter reviews the growing literature relevant to this particular contribution. It focuses on two main bodies of work: (1) theoretical literature employing TMT to enrich scholarly analyses of art, particularly in the area of film studies; and (2) empirical literature that draws on the TMT framework to examine psychological motivations for the creation and consequences of consumption of art. We further consider research on the role of death anxiety in processing commercial media, and the potential for artistic activity to temporarily liberate individuals from anxious defensiveness.
Efficient exciton transport between strongly quantum-confined silicon quantum dots.

Many-body Green function analysis and first-order perturbation theory are used to quantify the influence of size, surface reconstruction, and surface treatment on exciton transport between small silicon quantum dots. Competing radiative processes are also considered in order to determine how exciton transport efficiency is influenced. The analysis shows that quantum confinement causes small (∼1 nm) Si quantum dots to exhibit exciton transport efficiencies far exceeding that of their larger counterparts for the same center-to-center separation. This surprising result offers the prospect of designing assemblies of quantum dots through which excitons can travel for long distances, a game-changing paradigm shift for next-generation solar energy harvesting. We also find that surface reconstruction significantly influences the absorption cross section and leads to a large reduction in both transport rate and efficiency. Further, exciton transport efficiency is higher for hydrogen-passivated dots as compared wit...
Metabolite profiles in heart failure: Looking for unique signatures in a heterogeneous syndrome

Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly among the elderly [(1)][1]. Despite established criteria for HF, substantial interindividual variation in symptoms and signs may cloud the clinical diagnosis [(2)][2]. Circulating biomarkers, such as natriuretic peptides
Prognostication Accuracy, Confidence, and Decisional Conflict Across Training Levels of Internal Medicine Providers.

Context:Providing patient care at the end of a patient’s life is a humbling and sacred experience for both patient and provider. Without a truthful and meaningful conversation about end-of-life car...
Targeting hyperarousal: Mantram Repetition Program for PTSD in US veterans

Background: Hyperarousal appears to play an important role in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, but current evidence-based treatments appear to address this symptom type less effectively than the other symptom clusters. The Mantram Repetition Program (MRP) is a meditation-based intervention that has previously been shown to improve symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may be especially helpful for hyperarousal. If MRP is an effective tool for decreasing this often treatment-resistant symptom cluster, it may become an important clinical tool. Objective: The goal of this secondary analysis was to examine the effect of the MRP on hyperarousal and other PTSD symptom clusters and to examine hyperarousal as a mediator of treatment response. Method: Secondary analyses were conducted on data from a randomized controlled trial in which Veterans with PTSD (n = 173) were assigned to the MRP or a non-specific psychotherapy control and assessed pre-treatment, post-treatment and 8 weeks after treatment completion. The impact of the interventions on PTSD symptom clusters was examined, and time-lagged hierarchical linear modelling was applied to examine alternative mediation models. Results: All PTSD symptom clusters improved in both treatments. MRP led to greater reductions in hyperarousal at post-treatment (Hedge's g = 0.57) and follow-up (Hedge's g = 0.52), and in numbing at post-treatment (Hedge's g = 0.47). Hyperarousal mediated reductions in the composite of the other PTSD symptom clusters. Although the reverse model was significant as well, the effect was weaker in this direction. Conclusion: Interventions focused on the management of hyperarousal may play an important role in recovery from PTSD. The MRP appears efficacious in reducing hyperarousal, and thereby impacting other PTSD symptom clusters, as one pathway to facilitating recovery.
Implementation of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Program is Associated with Improved Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy

Cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has been associated with increased postoperative complications and a prolonged length of stay (LOS). We report on our experience following implementation of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program for CRS and HIPEC. Patients were divided into pre- and post-ERAS groups. Modifications in the ERAS group included routine use of transversus abdominis plane blocks, intra- and postoperative fluid restriction, and minimizing the use of narcotics, drains, and nasogastric tubes. Of a total of 130 procedures, 49 (38%) were in the pre-ERAS group and 81 (62%) were in the ERAS group. Mean LOS was reduced from 10.3 ± 8.9 days to 6.9 ± 5.0 days (p = 0.007) and the rate of grade III/IV complications was reduced from 24 to 15% (p = 0.243) following ERAS implementation. The ERAS group received less intravenous fluid during hospitalization (19.2 ± 18.7 L vs. 32.8 ± 32.5 L, p = 0.003) and used less opioids than the pre-ERAS group (median of 159.7 mg of oral morphine equivalents vs. 272.6 mg). There were no significant changes in the rates of 30-day readmission or acute kidney injury between the two groups (p = non-significant). On multivariable analyses, ERAS was significantly associated with a reduction in LOS (− 2.89 days, 95% CI − 4.84 to − 0.94) and complication rates (odds ratio 0.22, 95% CI 0.08–0.57). Implementation of an ERAS program for CRS and HIPEC is associated with a reduction in overall intravenous fluids, postoperative narcotic use, complication rates, and LOS.
Preoperative bleeding requiring transfusion: An under-reported indication for hemorrhoidectomy.

Abstract Background Though hemorrhoids commonly cause minor gastrointestinal bleeding, major hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion is believed to be rare. We sought to identify the prevalence and risk factors for preoperative transfusion in surgical hemorrhoidectomy patients. Methods Patients undergoing surgical hemorrhoidectomy at a single institution (2012–2017) were evaluated for preoperative bleeding requiring transfusion. Bivariate analysis compared patients requiring transfusion to those who did not, and multivariable analysis evaluated for independent risk factors for transfusion. Results Out of 520 patients, 7.3% experienced hemorrhoidal bleeding requiring transfusion, and 80.6% reported bleeding. On multivariable analysis, the use of either an anticoagulant or non-aspirin antiplatelet agent was associated with transfusion (OR 3.08, p = 0.03). Patients requiring transfusion had extensive preoperative workups, including colonoscopy (94.7%), flexible sigmoidoscopy (7.89%), upper endoscopy (50%) and capsule endoscopy (26.3%). Conclusions Bleeding requiring transfusion is an under-reported complication of hemorrhoids. Increased recognition could lead to expeditious surgical treatment and less costly diagnostic workup.
Redox-Inactive Metal Cations Modulate the Reduction Potential of the Uranyl Ion in Macrocyclic Complexes

Capture and activation of the water-soluble uranyl dication (UO22+) remains a challenging problem, as few rational approaches are available for modulating the reactivity of this species. Here, we r...
Security Analysis of \(\textit{SPAKE2}+\)

We show that a slight variant of Protocol \( SPAKE2 +\), which was presented but not analyzed in [17], is a secure asymmetric password-authenticated key exchange protocol (PAKE), meaning that the protocol still provides good security guarantees even if a server is compromised and the password file stored on the server is leaked to an adversary. The analysis is done in the UC framework (i.e., a simulation-based security model), under the computational Diffie-Hellman (CDH) assumption, and modeling certain hash functions as random oracles. The main difference between our variant and the original Protocol \( SPAKE2 +\) is that our variant includes standard key confirmation flows; also, adding these flows allows some slight simplification to the remainder of the protocol. Along the way, we also (i) provide the first proof (under the same assumptions) that a slight variant of Protocol \( SPAKE2 \) from [5] is a secure symmetric PAKE in the UC framework (previous security proofs were all in the weaker BPR framework [7]); (ii) provide a proof (under very similar assumptions) that a variant of Protocol \( SPAKE2 +\) that is currently being standardized is also a secure asymmetric PAKE; (iii) repair several problems in earlier UC formulations of secure symmetric and asymmetric PAKE.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Dark Cloud With Silver Lining During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In December 2019, China reported a cluster of pneumonia patients infected by a new virus from the coronavirus family called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus quickly spread around the world and infected millions of people, and the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Although some patients show only mild or even asymptomatic response to this infection, severe disease with rapid progression to acute respiratory distress and multiorgan failure is also commonly seen. In this report, we discuss three cases of HIV patients who survived COVID-19.
Melting Curves of H 2 , D 2 , and T 2 up to 3500 kg/ cm 2

The melting pressure-temperature relationship of the three hydrogen isotopes has been determined accurately to 3500 kg/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ by the blocked-capillary method. The data were fitted with fair success to the Simon-type equation, $P=a+b{T}^{c}$. The melting curves of ${\mathrm{H}}_{2}$, ${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$, and ${\mathrm{T}}_{2}$ are displaced downward on the pressure axis in that order and, at identical temperatures, exhibit approximately equal slopes.
CARD8 inflammasome mediates pyroptosis of HIV-1-infected cells by sensing viral protease activity

Abstract HIV-1 has high mutation rates and exists as mutant swarms in the host. Rapid evolution of HIV-1 allows the virus to outpace host immune system, leading to viral persistence. Novel approaches to target immutable components are needed to clear HIV-1 infection. Here we report a pattern-recognition receptor CARD8 that senses enzymatic activity of the HIV-1 protease, which is indispensable for the virus. All subtypes of HIV-1 can be sensed by CARD8 despite substantial viral diversity. HIV-1 evades CARD8 sensing because the viral protease remains inactive in infected cells prior to viral budding. Induction of premature intracellular activation of the viral protease triggers CARD8 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis of HIV-1-infected cells. This strategy leads to clearance of latent HIV-1 in patient CD4+ T cells after virus reactivation. Taken together, our study identifies CARD8 as an inflammasome sensor of HIV-1 that holds promise as a strategy for clearance of persistent HIV-1 infection.
A study of ψ-Hilfer fractional differential system with application in financial crisis

Abstract This paper considers the fractional-order system in the sense of ψ -Hilfer fractional differential equations. In order to investigate the existence and uniqueness of the mild solution, the Banach contraction mapping principle and the measure of non-compactness are applied. As an application, the financial crisis model in the sense of ψ -Hilfer fractional differential equation will be used to prove the existence of solution and global stability of it. In addition, to illustrate the feasibility and validity of our results, the numerical simulation of the financial crisis model in the sense of Caputo will be shown in four different cases. Our results indicate that for non-integer order, the system behaves to be asymptotically stable and periodic (chaotic) at a certain limit order and the other part stabilizes to a fixed point.
A Real-Time Fault Localization in Power Distribution Grid for Wildfire Detection Through Deep Convolutional Neural Networks

Fault localization in power distribution systems plays an important role in the resiliency of large-scale power distribution grids since its accuracy can influence the restoration time that needs to be minimized. In this article, we proposed a real-time deep learning algorithm to classify and localize the faults that occurred in the system based on measured data. To get the accurate fault location that may cause the potential fire, we extracted the feature vectors with the measured values of the distribution lines and applied a deep convolutional neural network classifier on them. Also, the presented method was able to detect the fault type, and compute its released energy that can contribute to wildfire based on the measured voltages and currents of the distribution nodes. Unlike prior data-driven methods, the proposed classifier was based on the single observability of the sensor measurement devices due to the limited access to the data and a limited number of measurement units. The performances of our scheme were validated through simulations of four types of faults in a real distribution test feeder under varying system observability, measurement attribute with and without distributed generation units. The proposed classifiers were able to determine the possible fire due to different fault types under 100% accuracy and find the possible fire location with an average accuracy of 85%.
French and Indian Cruelty? The Fate of the Oswego Prisoners of War, 1756-1758

This article examines what happened to approximately 1,200 prisoners of war taken by the French and their Indian allies at the British post Fort Oswego in August 1756. Their experiences illuminated the contrast between traditional methods of warfare in colonial America and the new rules of war being introduced by European armies fighting in the French and Indian War. Although European armies claimed to treat POWs more humanely than Native Americans, their supposedly civilized rules of warfare actually increased the suffering of the Oswego prisoners.
Poisoning the Well, or How Economic Theory Damages Moral Imagination

Contemporary mainstream economics has widely “poisoned the well” from which people get their ideas about the relationship between economics and ethics. The image of economic life as inherently characterized by self-interest, utility- and profit-maximization, and mechanical controllability has caused many businesspeople, judges, sociologists, philosophers, policymakers, critics of economics, and the public at large to come to tolerate greed and opportunism, or even to expect or encourage them. This essay raises and discusses a number of counterarguments that might be made to the charge that current dominant professional practice is having negative ethical effects, as well as discussing some examples of the harms inflicted in the areas of law, care work, the environment, and ethics itself.
Cutting edge: Dendritic cells prime a high avidity CTL response independent of the level of presented antigen

CTL that possess a high functional avidity are known to be optimal for the clearance of pathogens in vivo. We have shown that the amount of peptide encountered by a CD8+ CTL determines its functional avidity. Notably, in these studies nonprofessional APC were used. However, it is mature dendritic cells (DC) that are predominantly responsible for the activation of naive T cells in vivo. Whether DC also direct dose dependent-differences in avidity is unknown. In this work we examined the ability of mature DC presenting a high vs low level of peptide to generate CTL of distinct avidities. In contrast to what was observed with nonprofessional APC, CTL generated by stimulation with mature DC were of high avidity regardless of the amount of peptide presented. This DC property may promote generation of highly effective CTL that retain plasticity, which would allow the tuning of avidity in the periphery to promote optimal pathogen recognition and clearance.
Natural D-glucose as a biodegradable MRI relaxation agent.

Purpose Demonstrate applicability of natural D-glucose as a T2 MRI contrast agent. Methods D-glucose solutions were prepared at multiple concentrations and variable pH. The relaxation rate (R2 = 1/T2) was measured at 3, 7, and 11.7 T. Additional experiments were performed on blood at 11.7 T. Also, a mouse was infused with D-glucose (3.0 mmol/kg) and dynamic T2 weighted images of the abdomen acquired. Results The transverse relaxation rate depended strongly on glucose concentration and solution pH. A maximum change in R2 was observed around physiological pH (pH 6.8-7.8). The transverse relaxivities at 22°C (pH 7.3) were 0.021, 0.060, and 0.077 s−1mM−1 at 3.0, 7.0, and 11.7 T, respectively. These values showed good agreement with expected values from the Swift-Connick equation. There was no significant dependence on glucose concentration or pH for T1 and the diffusion coefficient for these solutions. The transverse relaxivity in blood at 11.7 T was 0.09 s−1mM−1. The dynamic in vivo experiment showed a 10% drop in signal intensity after glucose infusion followed by recovery of the signal intensity after about 50–100 s. Conclusion Glucose can be used as a T2 contrast agent for MRI at concentrations that are already approved for human use. Magn Reson Med 72:823–828, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SOME EVIDENCE ON PRICE ELASTICITIES IN INTERNATIONAL TRADE

THIs paper reports the results of statistical measures of demand for U.S. dollars in Brazilian foreign exchange auctions between 1953 and 1957. The present results are almost unique when contrasted with previous elasticity estimates in international trade.' For a variety of functions tested, elasticities of demand were, without exception, above unity at high confidence levels. The high elasticities found here, in contrast with those estimated by using similar techniques in the past, are partly explained by the relative absence of biases in the Brazilian data.2 The Brazilian system operated under unusual circumstances which reduced, or in some instances virtually eliminated, the fundamental downward biases that are believed in other cases to have caused a large discrepancy between the 'true' and measured elasticities. Two such fundamental biases are of note. The first involves identification. Where both supply and demand functions vary over time, observations of price-quantity points trace out a mixture of both functions rather than one or the other, thus producing a bias. As demonstrated by Orcutt, this bias is clearly downward where the shifts in supply and demand are positively correlated. This has been an unavoidable bias elsewhere; but was of lesser consequence in the present case because with auctions the exchange authorities offered for sale at any point in time a fixed quantity of foreign currency.3 With supply a vertical function at all times, it was possible to identify, separate, and then test for shifts in supply and demand functions. The second fundamental bias in previous estimates stems from too little variability over time in the values of the independent variables. This problem was not present under the auction system. The exchange authority determined the amount of currency to be auctioned; this decision was based largely upon Brazil's export earnings and foreign