cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A simulation of the shortgrass prairie ecosystem

Ecosystem modeling for simulation and systems analy sis is complicated by (i) size and complexity of ecosystems, (ii) lack of data and methods for obtain ing needed measurements, and (iii) inadequacies of modeling theory for macrosystem applications. This paper presents an S/360 CSMP simulation of a gener alized shortgrass prairie scaled large enough to preserve meaningful biological detail, but still small enough for computer implementation. Both nomi nal and small perturbation behaviors are described, together with a modeling rationale tied to the closed-loop recycling structure of ecosystems. The model, which is piecewise linear and piecewise stationary, demonstrates in the context of system complexity and insufficient data the potential of linear methods for successfully characterizing ecosystem dynamics.
A Three-Stage Load-Balancing Switch

Recently there has been a great deal of interest in load-balancing switches due to their simple architecture and high bandwidth. In this paper we propose a three-stage load- balancing switch along with output load-balancing to address the mis-sequencing problem. We show that our proposed scheme provides a delay guarantee bounded by the delay of an OQ switch with the same input traffic plus a constant while achieving 100% throughput for admissible traffic with (sigma, rho) -upper constraint.
Classification of radar targets using synthetic neural networks

Radar target classification performance of neural networks is evaluated. Time-domain and frequency-domain target features are considered. The sensitivity of the neural network algorithm to changes in network topology and training noise level is examined. The problem of classifying radar targets at unknown aspect angles is considered. The performance of the neural network algorithms is compared with that of decision-theoretic classifiers. Neural networks can be effectively used as radar target classification algorithms with an expected performance within 10 dB (worst case) of the optimum classifier. >
Imagined Commodities: Video Game Localization and Mythologies of Cultural Difference:

Broadly interested in the agents and institutions that structure social imaginations and subjectivities by mediating which images are available to what audiences to imagine through, this paper spec...
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis presenting with pachymeningitis.

Abstract Observations This case report describes a 75 year-old Caucasian male who initially presented with persistent daily headaches. Physical exam elicited multiple cranial nerve palsies. Gadolinium-enhanced brain MRI demonstrated pachymeningitis. Labs revealed elevated proteinase-3 antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (PR3-ANCA) and cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (c-ANCA), confirming a diagnosis of GPA. Conclusion GPA should be considered in older patients presenting with persistent daily headaches and pachymeningitis. Contrast-enhanced brain MRI is an important diagnostic tool.
Using an agent-based model to simulate children’s active travel to school

Background: Despite the multiple advantages of active travel to school, only a small percentage of US children and adolescents walk or bicycle to school. Intervention studies are in a relatively early stage and evidence of their effectiveness over long periods is limited. The purpose of this study was to illustrate the utility of agent-based models in exploring how various policies may influence children’s active travel to school. Methods: An agent-based model was developed to simulate children’s school travel behavior within a hypothetical city. The model was used to explore the plausible implications of policies targeting two established barriers to active school travel: long distance to school and traffic safety. The percent of children who walk to school was compared for various scenarios. Results: To maximize the percent of children who walk to school the school locations should be evenly distributed over space and children should be assigned to the closest school. In the case of interventions to improve traffic safety, targeting a smaller area around the school with greater intensity may be more effective than targeting a larger area with less intensity. Conclusions: Despite the challenges they present, agent based models are a useful complement to other analytical strategies in studying the plausible impact of various policies on active travel to school.
Evaluating performance costs of sexually selected traits

1. Aspects of locomotor performance are thought to be important in a variety of natural contexts, including foraging and escaping from predators. The role of locomotor abilities in sexual selection is less well documented, but is probably of wide importance. 2. Sexual selection may exaggerate traits beyond their optimum with respect to biomechanical or physiological function, thus imposing 'costs' of various types. Locomotor performance, in conjunction with its lower-level determinants and its behavioural and ecological consequences, constitutes an ideal set of phenotypes with which to study such costs. 3. Organisms may possess traits that compensate for the negative effects of sexually selected traits on performance abilities. Ignoring these may lead to erroneous conclusions about the cost of a putatively sexually selected trait. At the same time, ignoring the effects of sexual selection on functionally important traits may lead us to underestimate their functional significance. 4. Many properties of organisms are affected by, or at least correlate with, overall body size, so this must be considered in any study of adaptation or sexual selection. For interspecific or interpopulation comparative studies, phylogeny must also be considered in statistical analyses. 5. We present a hypothetical data set that illustrates the perils of ignoring potential compensatory mechanisms when studying the costs of a sexually selected trait. We also discuss different ways of studying costs, including analyses of a single sex and of the differences between the sexes.
Resequencing of the CETP gene in American whites and African blacks: Association of rare and common variants with HDL-cholesterol levels

Abstract Background Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) plays a crucial role in lipid metabolism. Associations of common CETP variants with variation in plasma lipid levels, and/or CETP mass/activity have been extensively studied and well-documented; however, the effects of uncommon/rare CETP variants on plasma lipid profile remain undefined. Hence, resequencing of the gene in extreme phenotypes and follow-up rare-variant association analyses are essential to fill this gap. Objective To identify common and uncommon/rare variants in the CETP gene by resequencing the entire gene and test the effects of both common and uncommon/rare CETP variants on plasma lipid traits in two genetically distinct populations. Methods and results The entire CETP gene plus flanking regions were resequenced in 190 individuals comprising 95 non-Hispanic whites (NHWs) and 95 African blacks with extreme HDL-C levels. A total of 279 sequence variants were identified, of which 25 were novel. Selected variants were genotyped in the entire samples of 623 NHWs and 788 African blacks and 184 QC-passed variants were tested in relation to plasma lipid traits by using gene-based, single-site, haplotype and rare variant association analyses (SKAT-O). Two novel and independent associations of rs1968905 and rs289740 with HDL-C were identified in African blacks. Using SKAT-O analysis, we also identified rare variants with minor allele frequency P = 0.024) and African blacks ( P = 0.009). Conclusions Our results point out that in addition to the common CETP variants, rare genetic variants in the CETP gene also contribute to the phenotypic variation of HDL-C in the general population.
Increasing canopy shading reduces growth but not establishment of Elodea nuttallii and Myriophyllum spicatum in stream channels

Submersed macrophytes are often important drivers of instream structure and function, but can be problematic when overabundant. The establishment success, growth rates, and morphology of submersed macrophytes could be affected by alteration of instream light levels during riparian restoration (via removing or planting canopy-forming vegetation), potentially influencing the success of riparian restoration projects aimed at improving aquatic habitats. To examine the effects of canopy shading on two common submersed macrophytes—Elodea nuttallii (native) and Myriophyllum spicatum (non-native)—I conducted experiments in artificial stream channels in two locations in California, USA. Initial establishment of stem fragments of both species was close to 100% in all shade levels, including shade that reduced incident light by 94%. Growth rates of the two species were similar across shade levels, and lowest in the highest shade. Full light appeared to have a photoinhibitory effect on E. nuttallii at the higher elevation site. Higher shade increased the length:biomass ratio and decreased the branching of E. nuttallii. My findings suggest that altering canopy cover during riparian restoration is unlikely to affect the ability of these species to establish, but higher shade levels should slow their growth and create more favorable conditions for other instream organisms.
A Data Stream Mining System

On-line data stream mining has attracted much research interest, but systems that can be used as a workbench for online mining have not been researched, since they pose many difficult research challenges. The proposed system addresses these challenges by an architecture based on three main technical advances, (i) introduction of new constructs and synoptic data structures whereby complex KDD queries can be easily expressed and efficiently supported, (ii) an integrated library of mining algorithms that are fast & light enough to be effective on data streams, and (iii) support for Mining Model Definition Language (MMDL) that allows users to define new mining algorithms as a set of tasks and flows. Thus, the proposed system provides an extensible workbench for online mining, which is beyond the existing proposals for even static mining.
Impedance manometry with viscous test solution increases detection of esophageal function defects compared to liquid swallows.

Objective. Multichannel intraluminal impedance and manometry (MII-EM) is performed using ten 5-ml swallows each of a liquid and a viscous solution. However, the manometric diagnosis is based solely on results from the 10 liquid swallows. The aim of this study was to compare esophageal function evaluated with 10 liquid versus 10 viscous swallows using combined MII-EM in patients with various symptoms. Material and methods. Consecutive studies performed in 300 patients (211F, mean age 54.5 years) were analyzed. The manometric diagnoses were separated into normal and abnormal manometry. MII findings included the number of complete and incomplete transits and total bolus transit time. Results. Manometric diagnosis for liquid and viscous solutions was consistent in 231 (77%) and inconsistent in 69 (23%) patients (p<0.0001). Overall, the number of manometric abnormalities detected with the viscous solution (n=91, 30.3%) was significantly higher (p=0.03) than that detected with the liquid solution (n=60, 20%). I...
Toward a definition of generalized anxiety disorder as an anxious temperament type

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is defined as an uncontrollable disposition to worry about one's welfare and that of one's immediate kin. Associated manifestations include arousal, vigilance, tension, irritability, unrestful sleep and gastrointestinal distress. There is growing evidence for the lifelong nature of this condition among many of its sufferers. This and other evidence reviewed in the present paper provide further support for the thesis that the chronic disposition to worry should probably be classified under constitutional or trait anxiety. GAD is best considered an exaggeration of a normal personality disposition that can be named 'Generalized anxious temperament' (GAT). Despite some overlap with anxious-phobic, inhibited and avoidant-sensitive temperaments, GAT seems to have a distinct profile with altruistic overtones; on the other hand, GAT is less easily distinguished from harm-avoidant and obsessive traits. That worrying would increase upon relaxation is not a paradox at all, and is understandable in an ethological perspective as subserving the defensive function of being vigilant of ever present yet uncertain external dangers--to oneself and one's kin--in day-to-day living. GAT can thus be considered as 'altruistic anxiety', subserving hypothetically the survival of one's extended phenotype in a 'kin selection' paradigm. Only when extreme does worrying manifest in a clinical context, impairing one's interpersonal life and functioning at work, and increasing use of general health care resources. Furthermore, generalized anxiety appears to predispose to and is often associated with depression, and a spectrum of phobic disorders, as well as alcohol and sedative use. These considerations place GAD (and the putative GAT) in the limelight and underscore the need for more research into its fundamental characteristics. Towards this aim, a self-rated GAT measure under development in our center is provided in an appendix to this paper.
PARTIAL REPRODUCTIVE ISOLATION IN THE GENUS PARTULA (GASTROPODA) ON MOOREA.

The polymorphic land snails of the genus Partula provide unusual opportunities for the study of evolution in natural populations. At the species level, the diversity of forms permits the investigation of the control of gene frequencies in populations. Above the species level, the occurrence of a number of similar species invites the study of speciation and reproductive isolation in the group. In his classic monograph on the members of the genus Partula inhabiting the island of Moorea, Crampton (1932) recognized 10 separate species. These taxonomic entities represent very different degrees of relatedness to one another. On the one hand, P. suturalis and P. taeniata are broadly sympatric and quite distinct. On the other, P. suturalis and P. dendroica are allopatric populations which should certainly be included within a single superspecies (Mayr, 1931), if not within the same species. Two groups of populations, inhabiting a few valleys in northeastern Moorea, present special problems which we wish to discuss. Each group consists of a closely related pair of entities which were accorded specific status by Crampton. While reserving judgment on the taxonomic relationships, we have found it convenient to use Crampton's names to refer to these groups as the Partula suturalis/aurantia and Partula taeniata/exigua complexes. In each case our field collections show a range of variation in the degree of distinctiveness of the members of the pairs. After failing in our attempt to separate the entities into meaningful conventional specific categories, we have turned to the method of rank correlation for our analysis. This paper explores some of the relationships revealed by this technique.
Surgeons' Decisions and the Financial and Human Costs of Medical Care

A popular animated Web video is circulating among members of my anesthesia department. It depicts a fictional exchange between an orthopedic surgeon and an anesthesiologist. The surgeon wants to book a case for the operating room: “There is a fracture; I need to fix it.”1 The anesthesiologist pushes him for more details, but the surgeon simply repeats his line: “There is a fracture; I need to fix it.” Finally, the surgeon is asked whom the fracture belongs to, and he responds: “The fracture belongs to . . . a femur.” The dialogue eventually reveals that the patient is a 97-year-old woman who . . .
Pt Hillock Formation and Decay

The formation of Pt hillocks during high temperature processing is a problem when using Pt as a bottom electrode for high dielectric constant materials. The hillock height is frequently larger than the dielectric thickness, degrading the leakage current of the device. In this work, Pt was deposited by electron beam evaporation on in-situ formed 40 nm ZrO2 coated SiO2 / Si substrates. The samples were then annealed at temperatures between 400°C and 700°C for times ranging from 2 min to 40 min. The surface roughness was measured by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The surface was characterized using Ra, RMS and Zmax over 5 μm x 5 μm regions. Zmax is sensitive to hillock formation and Ra is sensitive to changes in general surface roughness. Analysis of Zmax indicates that 100 nm Pt / ZrO2 deposited at 315°C forms hillocks above 450°C during initial heatup. Subsequently, the hillocks decay for temperatures of 600°C and above such that they are almost gone after a 30 min air anneal. In-situ wafer stress measurements of Pt / ZrO2 were performed in O2 at temperatures up to 650°C. The Pt relaxes above 500°C in O2.
Executives, Professionals, and the Morality of Single-Sex Clubs

In recent years private single-sex clubs have been subjected to a great deal of moral criticism. They have been condemned as sexist, as illegitimately withholding social and professional benefits from the sex that they exclude, and (in their masculine form) as the remnants of a morally bankrupt patri archal system that should finally be swept away. Unfortunately for such clubs, the sound and fury that is currently directed at them signifies some thing rather than nothing. In Britain, legal steps have been taken to require that if such clubs admit persons of the excluded sex as Associate members, then the Associate members must receive the same club benefits as the Full members.1 More drastically, Lord Watson of Invergowrie, the Scottish Tourism, Culture, and Sport Minister, proposed that single-sex golf clubs be disbarred from hosting the British Open, while the all-male Augusta Nation al Golf Club in the United States has been subject to considerable public pressure to admit female members.2,3 Even single-sex clubs that are not so clearly in the public eye have been subjected to pressure to change. For ex ample, the all-male Kate Kennedy Club of St. Andrews University (dedi cated to maintaining the traditions of the university and the town, improving town-gown relations, and raising money for charity) has been criticized in the Scottish Parliament for its "discriminatory" membership policies.4 Moreover, the moral disapproval of such clubs is not only restricted to their traditional opponents on the political left. In 2001, for example, Iain Dun can Smith, the then leader of the Conservative Party, refused an invitation toj?in the all-male Car lton Club on the grounds that the membership of this
VANCOMYCIN-RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS : AN EMERGING PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT

Three reported cases of infection with strains of Staphylococcus aureus that had only intermediate susceptibility to vancomycin raise fears that high-level vancomycin resistance may soon be seen. To forestall this occurrence, physicians need to limit their use of vancomycin, and hospitals need to intensify their infection-control efforts. We review treatment options and the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to identify and slow the spread of resistant strains.
The perinatal unit at the University of Illinois Hospital at Chicago.

The authors describe their new perinatal center, outline the special considerations they faced in planning, and evaluate the unit.
Neutrino Factory and Muon Collider Fellow

Muons are fundamental particles like electrons but much more massive. Muon accelerators can provide physics opportunities similar to those of electron accelerators, but because of the larger mass muons lose less energy to radiation, allowing more compact facilities with lower operating costs. The way muon beams are produced makes them too large to fit into the vacuum chamber of a cost-effective accelerator, and the short muon lifetime means that the beams must be reduced in size rather quickly, without losing too many of the muons. This reduction in size is called "cooling." Ionization cooling is a new technique that can accomplish such cooling. Intense muon beams can then be accelerated and injected into a storage ring, where they can be used to produce neutrino beams through their decays or collided with muons of the opposite charge to produce a muon collider, similar to an electron-positron collider. We report on the research carried out at the University of California, Riverside, towards producing such muon accelerators, as part of the Muon Accelerator Program based at Fermilab. Since this research was carried out in a university environment, we were able to involve both undergraduate and graduate students.
Validation of the MUSIC® Model of Academic Motivation Inventory for use with student pharmacists

Abstract Objective To assess the reliability and construct validity of the MUSIC Model of Academic Motivation Inventory in a student pharmacist population. Methods The MUSIC Inventory was administered via Qualtrics two weeks prior to mid-semester examinations in three required pharmacy courses, representing three distinct cohorts. Cronbach's α reliability estimates were calculated to measure reliability. Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the overall sample to measure construct validity. Results Students returned 154 usable responses (response rate=75%). Cronbach's α values for the overall sample were close to or above 0.9 for all subscales. Exploratory factor analysis found that the items loaded to five distinct factors. The median completion time across the three cohorts was 119.8 seconds. Conclusions These preliminary findings suggest that the MUSIC Inventory may have sufficient reliability, validity, and ease of administration to be a useful tool for pharmacy faculty desiring to adjust their instructional design to maximize student motivation to learn.
Unification of Approximate Methods

It seems that the approximate analysis of physical problems started with the calculus of variations, was raised with the finite differences and matured with the finite element method, depending upon the nature of a problem; however, each has its own merit and sometimes neither one alone is sufficient. Preference for one over the other two often becomes evident at the start (during the formulation of the problems). For some problems, for instance, the functional is extremely difficult to formulate. Going from the functional form to the differential form can always be achieved by the Euler-Lagrange minimization procedure; the reverse, however, is often not possible. Yet for some problems the direct formulation of the differential equation is easier. Most linear solid mechanics problems, for instance, can be handled by the direct stiffness or flexibility approach without referring to the minimization techniques explicitly.
Variational Study of a 3He Impurity Near a 4He Vortex Core

We have carried out variational calculations of the properties of a quantum vortex line4He using a shadow wave-function, which generates a distributed vorticity. Based on these calculations we present a microscopic of study the binding of a single3He to the vortex using both the Lekner-Feynman formalism and a correlated variational wave-function. Both approaches predict that the impurity should be bound. Lekner-Feynman model, however, does not appear to describe correctly some of the correlation effects within the vortex core. To remedy this defect, we propose a variational wave-function, and a preliminary calculation based on it predicts a binding energy in agreement with experiment.
The Projective Technique in Consumer Research: Comparison of Structured and Unstructured Response Approaches to Alternative Shopping Lists

Since the 1950 publication of Mason Haire‘s: projective technique shopping list article, a number of studies have been conducted to test various aspects of the Haire study. In this article, the effects of the type of data gathering instrument (unstructured vs. structured) and the nature of the shopping list (traditional vs. contemporary) on results of a shopping list projective test were examined. Analysis of the data gathered indicate both have an impact on the projective technique, although results varied most depending on the type of questionnaire utilized.
Site response implications associated with using non-unique Vs profiles from surface wave inversion in comparison with other commonly used methods of accounting for Vs uncertainty

Abstract This paper discusses variability and accuracy of site response predictions performed using shear wave velocity (Vs) profiles derived from non-unique surface wave inversions and other commonly used statistical methods of accounting for epistemic uncertainty and aleatory variability in Vs. Specifically, linear and equivalent linear site response analyses were performed on the following three classes of Vs profiles: (1) 350 Vs profiles developed by performing multiple surface wave inversions, each with a unique set of layering parameters, on a common dispersion dataset, (2) two upper/lower range base-case Vs profiles developed by systematically increasing or decreasing the solution Vs profile by 20%, and (3) 100 Vs profiles developed using the Vs randomization procedure proposed by Toro (1995) [26]. Vs profiles derived from surface wave inversions generally yielded accurate site response estimates with minimal variability, so long as their theoretical dispersion data fit the experimental dispersion data well. On the other hand, the upper/lower range and randomized Vs profiles generally produced inaccurate and highly variable site response predictions, although the inclusion of site-specific parameters in the randomization model improved the results. At real sites where substantial aleatory variability is anticipated and/or the epistemic uncertainty is quite high, the site response estimates associated with the randomized and/or upper/lower range Vs profiles may be deemed acceptable. However, if the experimental dispersion data and horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios are shown to be consistent over the footprint of a site, it may be possible to significantly reduce the uncertainty associated with the input Vs profile and the resulting uncertainty in the site response.
Automatic assets identification for smart cities: Prerequisites for cybersecurity risk assessments

Generally speaking, an asset is something that has a potential or actual value for an organization. In the context of this paper the concept of the “organization” has to be extended to comprise a smart city or a compound structure of smart cities interrelated at different administrative, legislative, geographical and technical levels. The management of an asset portfolio is generically introduced by ISO 55000. Management of fixed assets is a process that seeks to track assets for the purpose of financial accounting, theft prevention, preventive maintenance etc. Software asset management (SAM), as covered by ISO/IEC 19770-5, addresses processes and technology for managing software and related IT assets. These digital assets are key enablers for most activities in a world of smart cities. The fact that systematic asset management is currently enforced only in a few, heavily regulated business domains indicates that, at a smart city level, this will be a daunting challenge. The focus of this paper is on the manual and automatic asset identification, annotation and tracking as well as on the assignment of graded application security controls (ASCs) that can benefit from a comprehensive and formalized asset management. This includes the availability and integrity of fixed and mobile information technology (IT) assets connected to wired and wireless networks and the reliability and integrity of software assets installed on servers and cloud environments. Asset identification is a precondition for the safe application of security patches and for conducting risk assessments with consideration of version and patch-level specific dependencies between software components. Rigorous and pervasive asset management provides value beyond security, for example with regard to a more efficient use of software license pools or other temporarily assigned resources (like exchangeable battery packs) or resources needed on demand (like smart healthcare robots). Unfortunately, new concerns are also raised, as semi-formal asset descriptions, enhanced details on links between assets and the simplified tracking of assets may be misused for sophisticated attacks targeting combinations of version specific vulnerabilities. For selected ongoing smart city related projects this paper addresses the stringent need of adding a semi-formal asset management, the immediate benefits and the expected progressive benefits derived e.g. from model-based guidance that relies on the asset specific intelligence.
Haemophilus Influenzae As A Rare Cause Of Acute Suppurative Thyroiditis With Thyrotoxicosis And Thyroid Abscess Formation In A Patient With Pre-Existent Multinodular Goiter

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this case report was to highlight the importance of isolating the thyroid as the source of infection in toxic-appearing patients with pre-existent thyroid nodules who present with neck pain. Methods: The clinical presentation, evaluation, laboratory results, imaging findings, and management of a patient with acute suppurative Haemophilus influenzae thyroiditis are presented. Results: A 55-year-old female with known nodular goiter presented with an acute increase in the size of her thyroid, neck pain, fever, and symptoms of hyperthyroidism. Laboratory studies were remarkable for leukocytosis, elevated inflammatory markers, and elevated free thyroid hormones. A computed tomography scan of the neck showed possible areas of abscess formation in the left thyroid lobe, and a radioactive iodine uptake showed a diffuse uptake of 0.9% at 5 hours and 0.5% at 24 hours. Blood cultures and culture from a left thyroid nodule aspirate grew H. influenzae. Initial management included b...
The effect of manganese exposure in Atp13a2-deficient mice.

Abstract Loss of function mutations in the P5-ATPase ATP13A2 are associated with Kufor-Rakeb Syndrome and Neuronal Ceroid Lipofuscinosis. While the function of ATP13A2 is unclear, in vitro studies suggest it is a lysosomal protein that interacts with the metals manganese (Mn) and zinc and the presynaptic protein alpha-synuclein. Loss of ATP13A2 function in mice causes sensorimotor deficits, enhanced autofluorescent storage material, and accumulation of alpha-synuclein. The present study sought to determine the effect of Mn administration on these same outcomes in ATP13A2-deficient mice. Wildtype and ATP13A2-deficient mice received saline or Mn at 5–9 or 12–19 months for 45 days. Sensorimotor function was assessed starting at day 30. Autofluorescence was quantified in multiple brain regions and alpha-synuclein protein levels were determined in the ventral midbrain. Brain Mn, iron, zinc, and copper concentrations were measured in 5–9 month old mice. The results show Mn enhanced sensorimotor function, increased autofluorescence in the substantia nigra, and increased insoluble alpha-synuclein in the ventral midbrain in older ATP13A2-deficient mice. In addition, the Mn regimen used increased Mn concentration in the brain and levels were higher in Mn-treated mutants than controls. These results indicate loss of ATP13A2 function leads to increased sensitivity to Mn in vivo.
α1A-Subtype adrenergic agonist therapy for the failing right ventricle.

Right ventricular (RV) failure is a serious disease with a poor prognosis and no effective treatments. In the mouse bleomycin model of RV failure, we tested the efficacy of a treatment using the α1...
Roads and Schools: Parallel Paths in the Government Role to Education for Students with Disabilities

This Article provides a broad historical overview of federal policies on roads and special education, identifies important areas that need attention, and suggests a strategy for going forward to do so. It discusses where we should be going and how to get there.
How to Align Individual Goals with Institutional Goals

Leading a worklife as an academic medical faculty that is balanced with your goals and values and allows for the realization of your professional potential has the capacity to be a uniquely satisfying and rewarding experience. Medical faculty members engage in a multitude of tasks around the academic missions of clinical care, medical education, and biomedical research. Aligning your personal strengths as a faculty member with the goals of the school and department is critical for long-term personal motivation and, ultimately, success in an academic career.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF CHLORINATED HYDROCARBON INSECTICIDES

ABSTRACT Studies of the chemical plants manufacturing chlordane and heptachlor conducted in 1976 and 1977 failed to reveal any unusual mortality patterns among workers who had been employed three months or more in the Marshall or Memphis plants of the Velsicol Corporation. An update of such studies was undertaken in 1979 and 1980. A follow-up rate of 97.4% was achieved in the Marshall study, and the Memphis follow-up is continuing as of the date of this report. A cohort of 783 individuals representing 6,790 person-years of employment and 16,881 person-years of survival since commencement of employment was examined. A comparison of the observed to expected mortality and morbidity reveals no evidence of any long-term latent effect on health related to employment over the 34-year period the plant has been engaged in the production of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides.
Diurnal Pattern of Chloroplast Coupling Factor Oxidation Kinetics in Leaves of Intact Sunflower

In green plants light energy is stored in the form of redox free-energy and a proton gradient generated by light driven electron transport. The proton motive force (pmf) across the thylakoid membrane, in turn, drives the phosphorylation of ADP to ATP catalyzed by the CF1,-CF0-ATP synthase or coupling factor (ATP-ase). The regulation of the chloroplast ATP-ase is important since this enzyme can catalyze not only the synthesis of ATP from ADP and Pi, driven by a pmf across the membrane, but also the reverse reaction, hydrolysis of ATP with the formation of a pmf (1) to passive dissipation of ΔGaATP as protons across the thylakoid membrane. Work on this regulation using isolated systems has been summarized by a model presented by Junesch and Graber (2). Briefly, this model states as follows. The ATP-ase is not enzymatically active until a pmf, either as a ΔpH or as ΔΨ, or their sum, is imposed across the thylakoid membrane. In addition, regulation is governed by the redox state of a pair of sulfhydryl groups on the -subunit of the ATP-ase. Both the oxidized and reduced forms of the enzyme apparently have the same maximal catalytic rate, but the magnitude of the pmf required to activate the reduced form is less than for the oxidized form.
Psychology, Economics, and Settlement: A New Look at the Role of the Lawyer

Law and economics models of litigation settlement, based on the behavioral assumptions of rational choice theory, ignore the many psychological reasons that settlement negotiations can fail, yet they accurately predict that vast majority of lawsuits will settle short of formal adjudication. What explains this? We present experimental data that suggests lawyers might evaluate the settlement vs. adjudication decision from a perspective more closely akin to "rational choice theory" than will non-lawyers and, consequently, increase the observed level of settlement. We then evaluate whether the hypothesized difference between lawyers and non-lawyers is likely to lead to more efficient dispute resolution, concluding that lawyers are efficiency enhancing when differences between lawyers and non-lawyers can be attributed to "cognitive error" on the part of the latter but not when those differences are due to differences in preference structures and litigation goals. Finally, we suggest a framework that lawyers concerned with efficient dispute resolution should adhere to when counseling clients during settlement negotiations.
What Makes Uninformed Traders Tick

Using New York Stock Exchange ticker subscriptions, we find that the dissemination of market prices by the stock ticker strengthens return predictability and momentum by stimulating uninformed trading. Variation in ticker subscriptions is not explained by population growth, economic growth, or market returns. Instead, lower operating costs for a stock ticker increase ticker subscriptions and strengthen momentum. Higher idiosyncratic return volatility and lower systematic risk are also associated with an increase in ticker subscriptions. Therefore, the dissemination of firm-level market prices induces a trade-off between price efficiency and systematic risk.
TIME-WEIGHTING OF THE MOMENTUM EQUATION IN EXPLICIT WAVE EQUATION MODELS OF SURFACE WATER FLOW.

Much research effort has been directed toward finding numerical solutions to the shallow water equations (see Pritchard, 1971, for a clear derivation of these equations). Although finite difference modelers have enjoyed much success in solving these equations, finite-element modelers have experienced many difficulties in obtaining stable, accurate solutions (Gray, 1980). Recently Lynch and Gray (1979) have reported on a wave equation formulation which seems to provide significant numerical advantages for finite element simulations.
Action plan for improving cardiac rehabilitation-related outcomes in a university hospital based on a review of previous interventions.

Although referral to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is considered the standard of care and demonstrably reduces both mortality rates and hospital admissions after cardiac events, rates of referral continue to be suboptimal. In fact, national reports reveal rates ranging from approximately 60% to 85% depending on the type of cardiac event. At an urban teaching hospital in Tennessee, efforts to increase referral rates were launched during the first quarter of 2018 as part of the Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, Control (DMAIC) Project: Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) Transition of Care. The goal of this Action Plan is to review the interventions taken and the outcomes data from this project in order to propose future deliverables that can address areas of improvement within the DMAIC project. A list of the DMAIC project’s interventions, which were varied and multidisciplinary, were obtained from the university hospital as well as the project’s data. Data from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR)-ACTION Registry show that referral rates at this hospital have been on the rise since the initiation of the DMAIC project. Peak referral rates in the year before the interventions were implemented were approximately 39%; whereas, the peak referral rate in the year these interventions were launched rose to 86.4%. While the interventions of the DMAIC project are hypothesized to have contributed to this increase in referral rates, based on their collaborative nature and the types of referral strategies employed, there are still opportunities for improvement and growth. Thus, this Action Plan proposes future projects to increase inclusivity of CR referral pathways, improve physician education, and establish support for outpatient CR programs.
Calcium-Activated Chloride Channels in Newly Differentiating Mouse Lens Fiber Cells and Their Role in Volume Regulation.

Purpose Chloride channels have been proposed to play an important role in the regulation of lens volume. Unfortunately, little information is available about the molecular identity of these channels or how they are regulated in the lens due to the difficulties in isolating mouse fiber cells. Recently, our laboratory has developed a new technique for isolating these cells by using transgenic mouse lenses that lack both Cx50 and Cx46. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that newly differentiating mouse fiber cells express calcium-activated chloride channels (CaCCs) by using this technique. Methods Differentiating fiber cells were isolated from lenses of double knockout mice that lack both Cx50 and Cx46 by using collagenase. Membrane currents were studied using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. The molecular identity and distribution of CaCCs were investigated using RT-PCR and immunofluorescence. Results Our electrophysiologic experiments suggest that peripheral fiber cells express a calcium-activated chloride current. The voltage gating properties, calcium sensitivity, and pharmacologic properties of this current resembled those of TMEM16 CaCCs. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated the presence of TMEM16A and TMEM16B transcripts in wild-type and double knockout mouse lenses. Both TMEM16A and TMEM16B proteins were detected in the differentiating epithelial cells and newly elongating fiber cells near the equator of the lens by immunohistochemistry. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that membrane conductance of peripheral fiber cells contain CaCCs that can be attributed to TMEM16A and TMEM16B. Given their critical role in volume regulation in other tissues, we speculate that these channels play a similar role in the lens.
Deletion 20q12 is associated with histological transformation of nodal marginal zone lymphoma to diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma

The genetic and molecular abnormalities underlying histological transformation (HT) of nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) are not well known. While del(20q12) is commonly deleted in myelodysplastic syndrome it has not previously been associated with DLBCL. We recently described a case of DLBCL harboring del(20q12) in a patient with a history of MZL involving lymph nodes and skin. Here we report eight matched cases of transformed MZL(tMZL): six from nodal MZL (tNMZL) and two from splenic MZL (tSMZL). We found >20% del(20q12) in 4/6 tNMZL, but not in tSMZL, nor in unmatched DLBCL, MZL with increased large cells (MZL-ILC), or MZL cases. To examine whether transformation is associated with a specific gene signature, the matched cases were analyzed for multiplexed gene expression using the Nanostring PanCancer Pathways panel. The differential gene expression signature revealed enrichment of inflammatory markers, as previously observed in MZL. Also, tMZL and de novo DLBCL were enriched for extracellular matrix proteins such as collagen and fibronectin, vascular development protein PDGFRβ, DNA repair protein RAD51, and oncogenic secrete protein Wnt11. A subset of genes is expressed differentially in del(20q12) tMZL cases vs non-del(20q12) tMZL cases. These results suggest a specific pathway is involved in the histological transformation of NMZL, which could serve as an indicator of aggressive clinical course in this otherwise indolent neoplasm.
Abstract P2-08-30: Association between skeletal muscle mass and mammographic breast density

Background: Mammographic density (MD) of the breast and body mass index (BMI) are positively associated with the risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but they are inversely associated with each other. We supposed that the reason for this paradox may be due to the heterogeneity of BMI. Therefore, we calculated the skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), and evaluated whether SMI was an independent predictor for MD. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 143,456 women who underwent comprehensive examinations from 2012 to 2016. Mammographic density was assessed using Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, and the breasts were classified as dense or non-dense. The association between SMI, anthropometric factors, and MD were estimated using logistic regression models after adjustment for potential confounders. Results: In all, 115,013 premenopausal women (80.2%) and 28,443 postmenopausal women (19.8%) were included in the analysis. In both pre and postmenopausal women, weight, BMI, SMI and waist circumference were associated with MD. After adjustment for confounding factors including BMI, the odds ratios (ORs) for MD with 95% confidence interval for the dense breasts was between the highest and lowest quartiles of SMI at 2.65 (2.52–2.79) for premenopausal women and at 2.39 (2.02–2.82) for postmenopausal women. Conclusions: SMI was related to MD independent of BMI, which could be due to the similar growth mechanism of the skeletal muscle and breast parenchymal tissue. The positive correlation between the muscularity and breast density might explain the reason for the paradoxical relationship between BMI, MD and breast cancer risk in previous studies. Citation Format: KwanHo Lee, HyeWon Bang, SeungHye Choi. Association between skeletal muscle mass and mammographic breast density [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2019 Dec 10-14; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-08-30.
Configurable Culture in Wealthy and Developing Markets: A Comparative Cross-National Perspective

This chapter tracks the awareness and consumption of, engagement with, and attitudes surrounding new, digital, “configurable” cultural forms and practices, using data from surveys conducted across a diverse range of nations. Respondents included English-speaking, online adults in the USA, Canada, Australia, the Philippines, South Africa and the UK. These data are analyzed to examine the correspondences and differences between media consumers living within different cultural, technological and legal regimes. The analysis pays special attention to demographic factors such as age, and geographic divides such as the delta between “advanced economies” and “emerging markets and developing economies.” The data show that these factors have significant, measurable consequences for access to knowledge and cultural participation, in ways that threaten to compound these social inequities in the future. In fact, the data show that user age and national wealth are far greater factors in personal use of digital culture than the size of individual markets, the prevailing copyright law, or the overall level of engagement with digital media among the population at large.
A Comparative Case Study of Alumni of Two Multi-Term Civic Learning Programs

This paper presents a comparative case study of the alumni of two multi-term civic learning programs that combine academic service learning with a series of other student experiences such as the creation of online portfolios and capstone experiences over at least four semesters of an undergraduate education. Findings of this study suggest that alumni perceive substantial impact on their civic and professional experiences after graduation because of their participation in such programs while undergraduates.
Renal insufficiency in patients on PARP inhibitors: Case-based review of possible mechanisms and management:

Background:PARP inhibitors are a new class of drugs that are being widely used in treatment of various cancers including advanced ovarian cancer. Based on new promising data and impending approvals...