cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of frailty and sarcopenia in predicting outcomes among patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery

According to the United States census bureau 20% of Americans will be older than 65 years in 2030 and half of them will need an operation - equating to about 36 million older surgical patients. Older adults are prone to complications during gastrointestinal cancer treatment and therefore may need to undergo special pretreatment assessments that incorporate frailty and sarcopenia assessments. A focused, structured literature review on PubMed and Google Scholar was performed to identify primary research articles, review articles, as well as practice guidelines on frailty and sarcopenia among patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery. The initial search identified 450 articles; after eliminating duplicates, reports that did not include surgical patients, case series, as well as case reports, 42 publications on the impact of frailty and/or sarcopenia on outcome of patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were included. Frailty is defined as a clinically recognizable state of increased vulnerability to physiologic stressors resulting from aging. Frailty is associated with a decline in physiologic reserve and function across multiple physiologic systems. Sarcopenia is a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength. Unlike cachexia, which is typically associated with weight loss due to chemotherapy or a general malignancy-related cachexia syndrome, sarcopenia relates to muscle mass rather than simply weight. As such, while weight reflects nutritional status, sarcopenia - the loss of muscle mass - is a more accurate and quantitative global marker of frailty. While chronologic age is an important element in assessing a patient's peri-operative risk, physiologic age is a more important determinant of outcomes. Geriatric assessment tools are important components of the pre-operative work-up and can help identify patients who suffer from frailty. Such data are important, as frailty and sarcopenia have repeatedly been demonstrated among the strongest predictors of both short- and long-term outcome following complicated surgical procedures such as esophageal, gastric, colorectal, and hepato-pancreatico-biliary resections.
TH‐EF‐BRA‐10: High Spatiotemporal Resolution Self‐Sorted 4D MRI

Purpose: To describe a novel method for self-sorted 4D-MRI and to characterize the output image quality as measured by signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), spatiotemporal resolution, and level of artifact. Methods: A three-dimensional radial sampling function with a quasi-random distribution of polar/azimuthal k-space angles was implemented in a standard pulse sequence. Acquisition time was approximately 2 minutes. The DC component of the k-space signal was used to estimate and sort the breathing cycle into ten respiratory phases. For a given respiratory phase, the k-space data were combined with the periphery of the k-space data from all phases and reconstructed with the re-gridding algorithm onto a 1283 matrix. The extent of data sharing was controlled by the average breathing curve. The sampling and reconstruction technique were tested and validated in simulation, dynamic phantom, animal, and human studies with varying breathing periods/amplitudes. Results: The signal at the k-space center accurately measures respiratory motion over a large range of breathing periods (0.5–7.0 seconds) and amplitudes (5–30% of FOV). Sharing of high frequency k-space data driven by the average breathing curve improves spatial resolution and artifact level at a cost of an increase in noise floor. Although equal sharing of k-space data improves resolution and SNR, phases with large temporal changes accumulate considerable distortion artifacts. In the absence of view-sharing, no distortion artifacts are observed while spatial resolution is degraded. Conclusion: The use of a quasi-random sampling function and view-sharing driven by the average breathing curve provide a feasible method for self-sorted 4D MRI at reduced acquisition times. This approach allows for the extent of data sharing to be inversely-proportional to the average breathing motion hence improving resolution and decreasing artifact levels. NIH-1R21CA165384
Capture of Nontarget Flies (Diptera: Lauxaniidae, Chloropidae, and Anthomyiidae) on Traps Baited with Volatile Chemicals in Field-Crop Habitats

Volatile chemicals increased trap catch of flies from the families Lauxaniidae [Homoneura bispina (Loew) and Camptoprosopella borealis Shewell], Chloropidae (Olcella sp.), and Anthomyiidae (Delia spp.) in field crops. With lauxaniids, baiting with 2-phenylethanol on cotton-roll dispensers increased catch of H. bispina in two corn plot tests, and methyl salicylate increased trap catch in one test. Traps baited with methyl salicylate increased the catch of C. borealis. When using plastic-sachet dispensers, traps baited with methyl salicylate caught more H. bispina than ones baited with 2-phenylethanol, whereas traps baited with 2-phenylethanol caught more C. borealis than those with methyl salicylate. For chloropids, traps baited with 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine greatly increased catch of Olcella flies in corn and soybean. With anthomyiids, catch of male Delia flies in wheat increased with 2-phenylethanol on cotton rolls and with either 2-phenylethanol or methyl salicylate using plastic dispensers. In soybean, 2-phenylethanol formulated on cotton rolls or in plastic dispensers increased catch of male Delia flies, but methyl salicylate did not affect trap catch. Trap catch of female Delia flies did not vary among chemicals. In another test in soybean, trap catch of both male and female Delia flies was greater with 2-phenylethanol than with other volatile chemicals.
Vision health disparities in blindness and visual impairment in Nigeria: A review of the Nigerian National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey

Purpose: Blindness and visual impairment have become public health problems with prevalence increasing year after year. Nigeria, the most populated country in Africa, is also very diverse in terms of geographical location, ethnicity and culture. This study looks at and considers the vision health disparities in blindness and visual impairment in Nigeria using socio-demographic factors such as gender, geopolitical zones, place of residence and literacy. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed and Google Scholar databases from May 2014 to May 2015. The search included articles from 2001 to May 2015 as well as a review of the Nigerian National Blindness and Visual Impairment Survey. Results: The male dominance culture and lower literacy levels among women in Nigeria have led to a higher prevalence of blindness and visual impairment among women compared to men. In Nigeria, eye diseases that lead to blindness and visual impairment occur more in certain geopolitical zones and ecological regions than others. More Nigerians live in remote rural areas, with little or no access to health care, rather than in urban areas where there are more eye care practitioners and better facilities for care. Conclusion: Differences in gender, geopolitical zones, place of residence and literacy are responsible for existing vision health disparities in blindness and visual impairment in Nigeria.
Epitaxy on polycrystalline substrates.

Motivated by combinatorial and high-throughput approaches to the discovery of antibodies and drugs in pharmaceutical research, efforts like the Materials Genome Initiative ( 1 ) have been envisioned to develop similar algorithms for the discovery, design, and realization of next-generation materials, such as superconducting ( 2 ), magnetoresistive ( 3 ), dielectric ( 4 ), and luminescent ( 5 ) materials. However, such experimental approaches have not become pervasive across all classes of materials. For example, in the study of thin-film, functional complex oxides, systematic, small-scale exploration has remained the standard. However, studies like that of Wittkamper et al. ( 6 ), which explore many different substrates by using a polycrystalline substrate, stand poised to open the door for high-throughput studies of complex materials.
Can India Adopt Strategic Flexibility Like China Did

Some emerging markets have been leaders in the world and have grown at a higher rate benefiting from higher Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) by Trans National Corporations (TNCs) and some have been laggards and have not able to attract as much FDI and grow that efficiently. Why China gets 60 billion dollars FDI annually as compared to India that does not even get 6 billion dollars is an intriguing question? This paper explores the determinants of FDI in such emerging economies to answer the above question. What has India done till now to attract FDI? What has been China’s strategy to become the most FDI attracting country in the world? What lessons India can learn from China and improve its FDI inflow? The study attempts to theorize what lessons emerging markets that are laggards in attracting FDI, such as India, can learn from leader countries in attracting FDI, such as China in the global economy.
Cultivating consubstantiality with the land institute: Organizational rhetoric and the role of place-making in generating organizational identification

This essay examines the organizational rhetoric of the Land Institute in order to address the ways place-making contributes to the inducement of organizational identification (OI). In addition to d...
LEARNING A WARPED SUBSPACE MODEL OF FACES WITH IMAGES OF UNKNOWN POSE AND ILLUMINATION

In this paper we tackle the problem of learning the appearances of a person’s face from images with both unknown pose and illumination. The unknown, simultaneous change in pose and illumination makes it difficult to learn 3D face models from data without manual labeling and tracking of features. In comparison, image-based models do not require geometric knowledge of faces but only the statistics of data itself, and therefore are easier to train with images with such variations. We take an image-based approach to the problem and propose a generative model of a warped illumination subspace. Image variations due to illumination change are accounted for by a low-dimensional linear subspace, whereas variations due to pose change are approximated by a geometric warping of images in the subspace. We demonstrate that this model can be efficiently learned via MAP estimation and multiscale registration techniques. With this learned warped subspace we can jointly estimate the pose and the lighting conditions of test images and improve recognition of faces under novel poses and illuminations. We test our algorithm with synthetic faces and real images from the CMU PIE and Yale face databases. The results show improvements in prediction and recognition performance compared to other standard methods.
What We Instagram: A First Analysis of Instagram Photo Content and User Types

Instagram is a relatively new form of communication where users can easily share their updates by taking photos and tweaking them using filters. It has seen rapid growth in the number of users as well as uploads since it was launched in October 2010. In spite of the fact that it is the most popular photo capturing and sharing application, it has attracted relatively less attention from the research community. In this paper, we present both qualitative and quantitative analysis on Instagram. We use computer vision techniques to examine the photo content. Based on that, we identify the different types of active users on Instagram using clustering. Our results reveal several insights about Instagram which were never studied before, that include: 1) Eight popular photos categories, 2) Five distinct types of Instagram users in terms of their posted photos, and 3) A user's audience (number of followers) is independent of his/her shared photos on Instagram. To our knowledge, this is the first in-depth study of content and users on Instagram.
Excitotoxic programmed cell death involves caspase-independent mechanisms

Excitotoxicity is a common pathological process in many neurodegenerative disorders; and this process involves over-stimulation of glutamate receptors and an excessive influx of calcium into cells. Cell death in excitotoxicity is unique in that it does not involve caspase dependent pathways. Overactivation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is an early pathological event in excitotoxicity that leads to a unique form of cell death called parthanatos. Biochemical events in parthanatos include early accumulation of poly (ADP-ribose) (PAR) and nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) from the mitochondria.
The Relationship Between Psychological Functioning in a College Sample and Retrospective Reports of Parental Loyalty Conflicts and Psychological Maltreatment

Two-hundred forty participants completed questionnaires that explored parental unions, experiences of parental loyalty conflict behaviors, psychological functioning, and frequency of exposure to ma...
The Urban Development Corporation’s “Imaginative Use of Credit”: Creating Capital for Affordable Housing Development:

Heralded as an innovative if short-lived builder of affordable housing, in 1975, the New York State Urban Development Corporation (UDC) defaulted on more than $2 billion in debt obligations and nar...
C–H Activation of Methane by Nickel–Methoxide Complexes: A Density Functional Theory Study

Density functional theory is used to analyze methane C–H activation by neutral and cationic nickel–methoxide complexes. This research seeks to identify strategies to reduce high barriers through evaluation of supporting ligand modifications, solvent polarity, overall charge of complex, metal identity, and counterion effects. A Ni–OMe pincer complex was substituted at the para positions of the phenyl and pyridine rings with different electron-donating and -withdrawing groups, and the results showed that resonance effects did not significantly change the ΔG⧧act and ΔGrxn compared to the reference complex, which was confirmed by frontier orbitals plots and Hammett graphs. The effect of solvent polarity is greater upon the thermodynamics more than transition state energies. Among modeled supporting ligands, bipyridine was the most promising. Overall, neutral complexes are calculated to have lower activation barriers than the cationic complexes. For both neutral and cationic complexes, the methane C–H activati...
Contactless magnetocardiographic study of age- and gender-related variability of ventricular repolarization parameters in guinea pigs

Abstract Guinea pigs (GPs) are used for preclinical investigation of the ability of new drugs to induce QT alterations and arrhythmias. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of multi-site magnetocardiographic mapping (MCG) for the assessment of age-related variation of ventricular repolarization (VR) maps in GPs. 18 adult GPs (8 males and 10 females) were investigated with an unshielded 36-channel MCG instrumentation, at the age of 5 months. Only 12 survived until the age of 14 months and were restudied. RR, PR, QRS, QTpeak, QTend, JTpeak, JTend and Tpeak-end intervals were measured from MCG waveforms. Magnetic field (MF) maps and the Equivalent Current Dipole (ECD) inverse solution were automatically computed. At the age of 5 months, average values of VR intervals were slightly longer in males. At the age of 14 months, a statistically significant age-related prolongation of the PR (p
Neuronal phase consistency tracks dynamic changes in acoustic spectral regularity

The brain parses the auditory environment into distinct sounds by identifying those acoustic features in the environment that have common relationships (e.g., spectral regularities) with one another and then grouping together the neuronal representations of these features. Although there is a large literature that tests how the brain tracks spectral regularities that are predictable, it is not known how the auditory system tracks spectral regularities that are not predictable and that change dynamically over time. Furthermore, the contribution of brain regions downstream of the auditory cortex to the coding of spectral regularity is unknown. Here, we addressed these two issues by recording electrocorticographic activity, while human patients listened to tone-burst sequences with dynamically varying spectral regularities, and identified potential neuronal mechanisms of the analysis of spectral regularities throughout the brain. We found that the degree of oscillatory stimulus phase consistency (PC) in multiple neuronal-frequency bands tracked spectral regularity. In particular, PC in the delta-frequency band seemed to be the best indicator of spectral regularity. We also found that these regularity representations existed in multiple regions throughout cortex. This widespread reliable modulation in PC - both in neuronal-frequency space and in cortical space - suggests that phase-based modulations may be a general mechanism for tracking regularity in the auditory system specifically and other sensory systems more generally. Our findings also support a general role for the delta-frequency band in processing the regularity of auditory stimuli.
Health literacy, cervical cancer risk factors, and distress in low-income African-American women seeking colposcopy.

Results: Forty-five percent of women had a low level of health literacy (9th grade). Low health literacy was related to fewer risk factors (P.01) and higher levels of distress on the Impact of Events avoidance subscale (P.05) after controlling for covariates. Forty-three percent of women with low literacy had excessive levels of distress as compared to 25% in women with high literacy (P.05). Conclusions: Alow level of health literacy is associated with increased levels of distress among women at high risk for developing cervical cancer. To the extent that distress serves as a barrier to treatment, culturally informed, effective interventions are needed. (Ethn Dis. 2002;12:541–546)
Displacement-based dynamometer for milling force measurement

Abstract This paper presents a novel method for measuring cutting forces during milling using a flexure-based dynamometer. The flexure displacement is measured and the force is determined by structural deconvolution. In this approach, the force is extracted from displacement by filtering the displacement signal in the frequency domain using the flexure’s displacement-to-force frequency response function. It is shown that, for a range of excitation forces, the measured displacement can be used to reconstruct the force profile. First, a single degree of freedom flexure system is used to determine the excitation forces. Second, the structural deconvolution technique is applied to a multiple degree of freedom flexure system. Finally, a cutting force comparison is made between a multi-axis piezoelectric dynamometer and the reconstructed displacement-based force profile. Good agreement between measured and reconstructed forces is demonstrated.
Teacher Hiring and Fit within a Diverse School District.

Research examining the teacher hiring process is scant and has largely ignored the principal’s role. This qualitative, comparative case study uses Person-Environment fit to explore teacher hiring i...
Predator-prey interactions and venom composition in a high elevation lizard specialist, Crotalus pricei (Twin-spotted Rattlesnake)

The Twin-spotted Rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei) is a small lizard specialist restricted to higher montane habitat in the Sky Islands of Arizona and Mexico. Though this species is restricted to high elevations and dispersal between mountaintops is impossible, few studies have investigated venom composition or the predator-prey relationship between C. p. pricei and its primary prey source, Yarrow's Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus jarrovii). Because of current isolation of populations in disjunct mountain ranges, it is possible that populations show local adaptation to prey and/or environmental conditions, as reflected by distinct venom phenotypes. Here we characterize venom composition of C. pricei from several different Sky Island mountain ranges and its relationship with S. jarrovii by using various analytical techniques and comparative toxicity tests. Results of venom analyses indicate that there is limited geographic variation in venom composition, occurring primarily in venoms of C. pricei from Durango, Mexico, which had unusual PLA2 isoforms that are lacking from venoms of U.S. populations. Toxicity assays reveal that S. jarrovii has not developed resistance specific to C. p. pricei venom but does display a general tolerance to venom of several snakes in the genus Crotalus. These results provide insight into the evolutionary relationship between a lizard specialist and its natural prey, in addition to novel information on the venom composition of a little-studied species with a narrow range in the United States.
A photovoice empowerment intervention for women living with HIV

AbstractTwenty-three women living with HIV participated in a photovoice-based group research study aimed at increasing their self-esteem, self-efficacy and decreasing depression. The intervention m...
A Tale of Two Tournaments: The Red Cross Games and the Early NCAA-NIT Relationship

The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between the National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). To do so, the author explores the Red Cross War Benefit Games, which pitted the champions of the two tournaments against one another, with the proceeds benefiting the Red Cross. These contests represented the only times the two tournaments or their teams interacted. The author explores the Games’ significance and the manner in which they helped propel the NCAA men’s basketball tournament to preeminent status.
Digital Phenotyping to Quantify Psychosocial Well-Being Trajectories After Spinal Cord Injury.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to explore feasibility of smartphone-based digital phenotyping methods to examine depression and its relation to psychosocial well-being indicators after spinal cord injury. DESIGN Smartphone research platform obtained smartphone sensor and survey data among community-living adult wheelchair users with spinal cord injury. Weekly measurements for 4 mos included Patient Health Questionnaire 8, Spinal Cord Injury-Quality of Life Satisfaction with and ability to participate in social roles and activities, global positioning system-derived community mobility metrics, health conditions, and physical activity. RESULTS Forty-three individuals were enrolled. Study retention was higher among individuals offered financial incentives (78%) compared with participants enrolled before incentives (50%). Participants who dropped out more commonly had nontraumatic or acute spinal cord injury, were older, and had less satisfaction and lower participation in social roles and activities. Among 15 individuals with complete data, half had 1 wk or more of mild depression. Those with depression had frequent health issues, less satisfaction, and lower participation in social roles and activities. Those without depression experienced increased social engagement over time. Average community mobility was similar across depression groups. Relationships were typically in-phase but also varied by individual. CONCLUSIONS Smartphone-based digital phenotyping of psychosocial well-being after spinal cord injury is feasible but not without attrition challenges. Individual differences in depression patterns highlight clinical utility of scaling these methods.
SimTrace: Capturing over Time Program Phase Behavior

As computers and the workloads they run have grown in size and complexity, it has become difficult to test the performance and power of future products under design. These products are often designed on simulators that are orders of magnitude slower than the final product. For this reason, industry and academia have developed methodologies to reduce run times. However, in order to study runtime adaptive techniques for performance and power/energy management, it is important to capture the over time phase behavior of workloads. One technique, SimPoint, has been demonstrated to capture average behavior accurately, but it is not known how well a sequence of SimPoints can capture over time program phase behavior. To explore this, we replay the sequence of SimPoints and evaluate the sequence’s accuracy. Using SPEC CPU 2017 benchmarks as a case study, we discover good accuracy for the replayed sequence: with less than 5% performance error (Instructions Per Cycle) for four time-series metrics.
Identifying and Understanding Transfusion Reactions in the Oncology Population

Abstract Objectives To provide an overview of transfusion reactions, their underlying pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and recommendations for nursing management. Data Sources We researched peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, Internet, and lecture proceedings. Conclusion Transfusion reactions are adverse reactions to blood products frequently seen in the oncology population and can significantly vary in severity and etiology. Oncology nurses are in a critical position to assist with prevention, early detection, and time-sensitive treatment of transfusion reactions. Implications for Nursing Practice : The oncology nurse's comprehensive understanding of possible transfusion reactions and management recommendations is key for optimal care of the oncology patient.
Clinico-pathologic findings in patients with median arcuate ligament syndrome (celiac artery compression syndrome).

Abstract Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome (MALS) is a rare entity characterized by severe post-prandial epigastric pain, nausea, vomiting, and/or weight loss. Symptoms have been attributed to vascular compression (celiac artery compression syndrome, CACS), but it remains controversial whether they could be secondary to neural compression. Literature review identified rare description of pathologic findings in surgery journals. The clinico-pathologic findings of four MALS patients who underwent robotic or laparoscopic surgery in our hospital are described. All our patients were female with a median age of 32.5 (range 25–55 years), and a median BMI of 23.5 kg/m2. They presented with chronic often post-prandial abdominal pain (4/4), nausea (3/4), emesis (2/4), anorexia (1/4), and weight loss (1/4). Two patients had a history of Crohn's disease. At intraoperative exploration, the celiac artery and adjacent nerves and ganglia were encased and partially compressed by fibrotic tissue in each patient. In each case laparoscopic excision of fibrotic tissue, celiac plexus and ligament division and was performed; celiac plexus nerve block was also performed in one patient. After surgical intervention, symptoms improved in three of the patients whose specimens show periganglionic and perineural fibrosis with proliferation of small nerve fibers. Our findings support neurogenic compression as a contributing factor in the development of pain and other MALS symptoms, and favor the use of MALS rather than CACS as diagnostic terminology. To further study the pathogenesis of this unusual syndrome, surgeons should submit all tissues excised during MALS procedures for histopathologic examination.
Foucault’s Analytics of Sovereignty

The classical theory of sovereignty describes sovereignty as absolute and undivided yet no early modern state could claim such features. Historical record instead suggests that sovereignty was alwa...
Factors influencing rates of genetic testing in African American Women with heritable gynecologic cancers in a racially diverse academic institution

Objectives: The purpose of this retrospective study is to determine racial and social determinants associated with use of genetic testing for heritable cancer mutations in a high risk, low community resource academic institution population. Methods: Women with a personal or family history of heritable cancer (ovarian, fallopian tube, primary peritoneal, breast, colorectal, and endometrial) were identified through the electronic medical record database from August 2015 through August 2019. Demographics (age, sex, race, ethnicity), insurance, and clinical parameters including medical, surgical, social determinants, prior cancer, and family cancer history were evaluated. Patients without a heritable cancer history were excluded.Summary statistics and exact binomial testing were used for comparisons of the rate of genetic testing at the study hospital versus that of reported normative data. To examine whether the internal rates of testing are associated with either demographic or clinical factors, both bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed. For bivariate analyses, chi-square or fisher exact tests for categorical measures and either t-tests or Wilcoxon rank sum tests for continuous measures were used. The effect of the integration of panel testing, which was instituted in August 2017, was determined using a bivariate analysis comparing the groups of patients that were seen before or after August 2017. Results: Of the 344 patients analyzed, only 54 (16%) underwent genetic testing, which is significantly lower than the national average (p Conclusions: The findings of this study highlight a lower rate of genetic testing among African American women diagnosed with heritable cancers relative to national recommendations. Our results indicate that despite inclusion of panel testing, racial disparities in rates of testing persist in our vulnerable, high risk population. Interventions to overcome implicit bias and patient education should be further developed.
Pott Disease: A Tale of Two Cases.

Tuberculosis is considered one of the great masqueraders alongside syphilis and vasculitis. Pott disease is recognized as a classic manifestation of tuberculosis, yet it stands as a rare infectious syndrome in regions with low tuberculosis disease burden. To illustrate the challenges of diagnosing Pott disease in these settings, we report two cases and offer a brief overview of management recommendations for vertebral osteomyelitis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Case one concerns an 81-year-old man with a remote history of incarceration who presented with altered mental status and new pleural effusions. Case two is a 49-year-old man with well-controlled HIV who was transferred to our institution after being found to have extensive destruction of L3–L5 vertebrae and bilateral iliopsoas abscesses on outpatient imaging. These stand as illustrative examples of low and high suspicion for tuberculosis, respectively, and both cases required complex diagnostic and management decisions.
Contribution of maternal oxygenic state to the effects of chronic postnatal hypoxia on mouse body and brain development.

Abstract 1–2% of live births are to very low birth weight, premature infants that often show a developmental trajectory plagued with neurological sequelae including ventriculomegaly and significant decreases in cortical volume. We are able to recapitulate these sequelae using a mouse model of hypoxia where early postnatal pups are exposed to chronic hypoxia for one week. However, because the timing of hypoxic exposure occurs so early in development, dams and pups are housed together in the hypoxic chamber, and therefore, dams are also subjected to the same hypoxic conditions as the pups. To understand the relative contribution of hypoxia directly on the pups as opposed to the indirect contribution mediated by the effects of hypoxia and potential alterations in the dam’s care of the pups, we examined whether reducing the dams exposure to hypoxia may significantly increase pup outcomes on measures that we have found consistently changed immediately following chronic hypoxia exposure. To achieve this, we rotated dams between normoxic and hypoxic conditions, leaving the litters untouched in their respective conditions and compared gross anatomical measures of normoxic and hypoxic pups with non-rotating or rotating mothers. As we expected, hypoxic-rearing decreased pup body weight, brain weight and cortical volume. Reducing the dam’s exposure to hypoxic conditions actually amplified the effects of hypoxia on body weight, such that hypoxic pups with rotating mothers showed significantly less growth. Interestingly, rotation of hypoxic mothers did not have the same deleterious effect on brain weight, suggesting the presence of compensatory mechanisms conserving brain weight and development even under extremely low body weight conditions. The factors that potentially contribute to these compensatory changes remain to be determined, however, nutrition, pup feeding/metabolism, or changes in maternal care are important candidates, acting either together or independently to change pup body and brain development.
A Critical Appraisal of the Supreme Court’s Decision in J. Mcintyre Machinery, Ltd. v. Nicastro

This Article presents a critical assessment of the Supreme Court’s recent decision in J. McIntyre Machinery, Ltd. v. Nicastro. The focus of the Article is less on doctrine than it is on the Court’s collective lack of craftsmanship in rendering a decision. At issue in that J. McIntyre was whether New Jersey courts could exercise personal jurisdiction over a foreign manufacturer of industrial machines, one of whose machines was sold in New Jersey, where it allegedly injured an employee who was using it in the normal course of business. The jurisdictional issue revolved around the “stream of commerce” doctrine. U.S. courts have used that doctrine for several decades as a basis for justifying the exercise of personal jurisdiction in products liability suits brought against out-of-state manufacturers whose products are sold in the forum state and cause injury there. The law in this critical area, however, has been in a state of confusion for many years. The Supreme Court granted certiorari in J. McIntyre, ostensibly to ameliorate that confusion. The J. McIntyre Court issued no majority opinion, and the three opinions that it did issue (a plurality, a concurrence, and a dissent) exacerbated rather than ameliorated the doctrinal confusion. Moreover, each of the opinions, to varying degrees, demonstrated a deplorable level of judicial competence well below that which we can rightfully expect from Supreme Court justices. Parts I-III of this article set the foundation for Part IV’s critical assessment of the Court’s performance.
Wikipedia and academic peer review: Wikipedia as a recognised medium for scholarly publication?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to engage in a thought experiment, exploring the use of Wikipedia or similar content‐malleable systems for the review and dissemination of academic knowledge.Design/methodology/approach – By looking at other sources, the paper considers the current state of the academic peer‐review process, discusses Wikipedia and reflects on dynamic content creation and management applications currently in use in academia.Findings – The traditional peer review process must be updated to match the rapid creation and diffusion of knowledge that characterises the 21st century. The Wikipedia concept is a potential model for more rapid and reliable dissemination of scholarly knowledge. The implications of such a concept would have a dramatic effect on the academic community.Originality/value – This paper promotes a radical idea for changing the methods by which academic knowledge is both constructed and disseminated.
Nonlinear classification by backprojection

A new method to construct a classification network, called the backprojection network, by learning from a given set of training exemplars is proposed. The method is derived from an analogy with the idea of image reconstruction by backprojection in computer-aided tomography. The backprojection network is able to correctly classify any distribution of training exemplars; can be incrementally constructed; has simple weights and low connectivity; and gives predictable generalization. >
Increasing access with a low-cost robotic wheelchair

Many people who are mobility impaired are incapable, for a variety of reasons, of using an ordinary wheelchair. In some instances, a power wheelchair also cannot be used, usually because of the difficulty the person has in controlling it (often due to additional disabilities). This paper describes a low-cost robotic addition to a power wheelchair that assists the rider of the chair in avoiding obstacles, going to predesignated places, and manoeuvring through doorways and other narrow or crowded areas. This system can be interfaced to a variety of input devices, and can give the operator as much or as little moment by moment control of the chair as they wish. >
Comment on ‘On Saltiel's isopolarizability approach and its applicability to diphenylpolyenes’ by J. Catalán, Chem. Phys. Lett. 635 (2015) 56–59

Abstract This is in response to Catalan's objection to our use of isopolarizability conditions in the resolution of the absorption and fluorescence spectra of the s-cis and s-trans all- trans -1.6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene ( ttt -DPH) conformers and the resolution of the fluorescence spectrum of the s-trans conformer to 2 1 A g → 1 1 A g and 1 1 B u → 1 1 A g spectra. Contrary to Catalan's assertion, we did not assume identical solvatochromic and thermochromic responses of ttt -DPH to medium changes. Those responses depend on a complex combination of factors that can differ from molecule to molecule.
The reduction of protein disulfide bonds in the absence of denaturants.

The ability of dithiothreitol to effect the reduction of the disulfide bonds in five proteins (lysozyme, ribonuclease, bovine serum albumin, insulin, and ovine prolactin) under mild conditions and in the absence of denaturant has been examined. In general, reduction was carried out for one hour at room temperature in 0.1 M KCl, pH 8.1, using dithiothreitol in a twenty molar excess over protein disulfide content. The extent of reduction was evaluated both by alkylation of the reduced protein with iodoacetamide followed by amino-acid analysis and by direct assay of the sulfhydryl content of the reduced protein using 5,5′-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid). Lysozyme, prolactin, and insulin appeared to be quantitatively reduced. Fourteen of the eighteen disulfide bonds in bovine serum albumin were cleaved, whereas ribonuclease was not reduced to any significant extent under these conditions.
Sleep disturbance and Alzheimer's disease: relationship to behavioral problems.

We studied the sleep characteristics of 108 outpatients with probable Alzheimer’s disease and found that sleep disturbance was significantly related to daytime behavioral disturbance but not to cognitive impairment. Possible treatment strategies and neu-ropathological and neurochemical mechanisms are discussed. (Aging 3: 193-196, 1991)
Conflict, enactment, empowerment: conditions of independent therapeutic nursing intervention

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the use of independent therapeutic nursing interventions by registered nurses in a variety of health care delivery agencies The process used to integrate nursing interventions into the daily routines of agencies that did not formally require their use, the conditions in which they were implemented, and the consequences of their use, were examined Data collection methods included observations and interviews of 36 participant nurses, employed in five health care agencies, for 1 year The organizational culture of each environment was observed and its impact on the enactment of independent therapeutic nursing interventions was evaluated Data analysis, done by using the constant comparative method, generated a proposal of a substantive theory that integrates conditions and consequences of therapeutic nursing intervention Intra-role conflict, the product of incompatible expectations of the professional conception of nursing and task oriented/medically controlled work environments, served as the motivating force behind strategies of enactment utilized to overcome barriers to implement therapeutic nursing interventions As a consequence of using therapeutic nursing interventions, participants perceived empowerment in relation to clients, peers and other health care professionals
HOSPITAL UTILIZATION IN ADULTS WITH SINGLE VENTRICLE CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE AND CARDIAC DYSRHYTHMIAS

Most patients with single ventricle congenital heart disease (SV) are now expected to survive to adulthood. Cardiac dysrhythmias are common in SV and should impact healthcare cost. We used nationally distributed data from the 2004 to 2011 Pediatric Health Information System database to identify
Self-interstitial solute complexes in e--irradiated dilute Al-Ag and Al-Si alloys.

Ultrasonic attenuation and velocity measurements were performed to probe the structure and annealing behavior of self-interstitial solute complexes in electron-irradiated (T70 K) dilute Al-Ag and Al-Si alloys. In both alloy systems, a similar attenuation peak structure is observed. Three peaks are observed to anneal in unison during stage II, suggesting that they arise from the presence of a single defect structure. The annealing of this defect structure follows a first-order rate equation which has a prefactor proportional to the solute concentration. The diaelastic effect associated with this defect is found to be comparable in magnitude and anisotropy to that attributed to 〈100〉 self-interstitial dumbbells in pure aluminum. A 〈110〉 monoclinic mixed dumbbell model which can account for much of the observed behavior of this defect structure is proposed.
Actin filament severing by cofilin dismantles actin patches and produces mother filaments for new patches.

Summary Background: Yeast cells depend on Arp2/3 complex to assemble actin filaments at sites of endocytosis, but the source of the initial filaments required to activate Arp2/3 complex is not known. Results: We tested the proposal that cofilin severs actin filaments during endocytosis in fission yeast cells using a mutant cofilin defective in severing. We used quantitative fluorescence microscopy to track mGFP-tagged proteins, including early endocytic adaptor proteins, activators of Arp2/3 complex, and actin filaments. Consistent with the hypothesis, actin patches disassembled far more slowly in cells depending on severing-deficient cofilin than in wild-type cells. Even more interesting, actin patches assembled slowly in these cofilin mutant cells. Adaptor proteins End4p and Pan1p accumulated and persisted at endocytic sites more than ten times longer than in wild-type cells, followed by slow but persistent recruitment of activators of Arp2/3 complex, including WASP and myosin-I. Mutations revealed that actin filament binding sites on adaptor proteins Pan1p and End4p contribute to initiating actin polymerization in actin patches. Conclusions: We propose a ‘‘sever, diffuse, and trigger’’ model for the nucleation of actin filaments at sites of endocytosis, whereby cofilin generates actin filament fragments that diffuse through the cytoplasm, bind adaptor proteins at nascent sites of endocytosis, and serve as mother filaments to initiate theautocatalytic assembly of the branched actinfilament network of each new patch. This hypothesis explains the source of the ‘‘mother filaments’’ that are absolutely required for Arp2/3 complex to nucleate actin polymerization.
Numerical Simulations of the Formation of Hurricane Gabrielle (2001)

Abstract This study examines the formation of Hurricane Gabrielle (2001), focusing on whether an initial disturbance and vertical wind shear were favorable for development. This examination is performed by running numerical experiments using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–National Center for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model (MM5). Gabrielle is chosen as an interesting case to study since it formed in the subtropics only a few days before making landfall in Florida. Three simulations are run: a control run and two sensitivity experiments. The control run is compared with observations to establish the closeness of the model output to Gabrielle’s observed formation. The two sensitivity experiments are designed to test the response of the developing tropical cyclone to alterations in the initial conditions. The first sensitivity experiment removes the initial (or precursor) disturbance, a midtropospheric vortex located over Florida. The second sensitivity experiment reduces the vertica...
Recurrence patterns after radical retropubic prostatectomy : Clinical usefulness of prostate specific antigen doubling times and log slope prostate specific antigen

ABSTRACTPurpose: We studied the correlation between prostate specific antigen (PSA) doubling time or, equivalently, log slope PSA and clinical recurrence in patients with detectable PSA after radical retropubic prostatectomy who were followed expectantly.Materials and Methods: In patients with PSA recurrence after radical retropubic prostatectomy log slope PSA was determined from the difference in the 2 log PSA values divided by the time between readings in months. For a given slope the corresponding PSA doubling time was calculated as log × 2 divided by the slope of the log PSA line. When the initial PSA value was considerably greater than 0.4 ng./ml., the log slope PSA plot was extrapolated to determine the time point at which PSA would have become detectable (0.4 ng./ml.). The relationship between these values, and the time and pattern of clinical recurrence were studied.Results: In this series of 77 patients 80% with PSA doubling time of 6 months or greater remained clinically disease-free compared to...
Quantitative Reconstruction of Refractive Index Distribution and Imaging of Glucose Concentration Using Diffusing Light

A two-step reconstruction method is adapted to improve the quantitative accuracy of refractive index reconstruction in phase contrast diffuse optical tomography (PCDOT). The possibility of PCDOT for recovering glucose concentration is demonstrated through phantom experiments.