cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Liturgical Past in Byzantium and Early Rus

The chroniclers of medieval Rus were monks, who celebrated the divine services of the Byzantine church throughout every day. This study is the first to analyze how these rituals shaped their writing of the Rus Primary Chronicle, the first written history of the East Slavs. During the eleventh century, chroniclers in Kiev learned about the conversion of the Roman Empire by celebrating a series of distinctively Byzantine liturgical feasts. When the services concluded, and the clerics sought to compose a native history for their own people, they instinctively drew on the sacred stories that they sang at church. The result was a myth of Christian origins for Rus - a myth promulgated even today by the Russian government - which reproduced the Christian origins myth of the Byzantine Empire. The book uncovers this ritual subtext and reconstructs the intricate web of liturgical narratives that underlie this foundational text of pre-modern Slavic civilization.
Marriage of topology and magnetism.

A monolayer topological insulator is magnetized by proximity to a layered antiferromagnetic insulator.
Progression to hypertension in youth and young adults with type 1 or type 2 diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study

Central obesity may contribute to the development of hypertension in youths with diabetes. The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study followed 1518 youths with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and 177 with type 2 diabetes (T2D) diagnosed when <20 years of age for incident hypertension. Incident hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥95th percentile (or ≥130/80 mm Hg) or reporting antihypertensive therapy among those without hypertension at baseline. Poisson regression models were stratified by diabetes type and included demographic and clinical factors, clinical site, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Youths with T2D were more likely to develop hypertension than those with T1D (35.6% vs 14.8%, P < .0001). For each 0.01 unit of annual increase in WHtR, adjusted relative risk for hypertension was 1.53 (95% CI 1.36-1.73) and 1.20 (95% CI 1.00-1.43) for youths with T1D and T2D, respectively. Effective strategies targeted toward reducing central obesity may reduce hypertension among youths with diabetes.
The Allure of ISIS: Media Effects on Empathy, Attitudes, and Behavioral Intention

This study examines the effects of exposure to Islamic State media content and its effect on behavioral intention (support for ISIS). A survey of Muslim adults living in the United States was condu...
Impairment and Longitudinal Recovery of Older Adults Treated with Radical Cystectomy for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Purpose:Treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer includes radical cystectomy, a major surgery that can be associated with significant toxicity. Limited data exist related to changes in patient ...
An Update on In Utero Gene Therapy for Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an inherited, chronic disease caused by a gene mutation that leads to a malfunctioning CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR) protein channel in cells. The life expectancy for individuals with CF has continually increased in recent decades, but is still only around 40 years of age. Current treatment guidelines call for a focus on symptom management and complication reduction. New advances in scientific research with regard to prenatal screening, viral vectors for gene therapy, and CFTR-correcting treatments are making in utero gene therapy a possibility for the first time. In utero gene therapy would allow for an early correction of the gene mutation, preventing the subsequent complications in the development of the fetus and creating the opportunity for a cure for CF as opposed to only symptomatic treatment. In this article, we review recent developments in CF gene therapy and detail the current state of the science of CF screening as well as treatment.
Dusty Explosions from Dusty Progenitors: The Physics of SN2008S and the 2008 NGC300-OT

SN2008S and the 2008 NGC300-OT were explosive transients of stars self-obscured by very dense, dusty stellar winds. An explosive transient with an un-observed shock break-out luminosity of order 10^10 Lsun is required to render the transients little obscured and visible in the optical at their peaks. Such a large break-out luminosity then implies that the progenitor stars were cool, red supergiants, most probably ~9 Msun extreme AGB (EAGB) stars. As the shocks generated by the explosions propagate outward through the dense wind, they produce a shock luminosity in soft X-rays that powers the long-lived luminosity of the transients. Unlike typical cases of transients exploding into a surrounding circumstellar medium, the progenitor winds in these systems are optically thick to soft X-rays, easily absorb radio emission and rapidly reform dust destroyed by the peak luminosity of the transients. As a result, X-rays are absorbed by the gas and the energy is ultimately radiated by the reformed dust. Three years post-peak, both systems are still significantly more luminous than their progenitor stars, but they are again fully shrouded by the re-formed dust and only visible in the mid-IR. The high luminosity and heavy obscuration may make it difficult to determine the survival of the progenitor stars for ~10 years. However, our model indicates that SN2008S, but not the NGC300-OT, should now be a detectable X-ray source. SN2008S has a higher estimated shock velocity and a lower density wind, so the X-rays begin to escape at a much earlier phase.
Abstract 293: Detection of Pseudo-Pulseless Electrical Activity with Electrical Impedance Tomography

Introduction: Pseudo-Pulseless Electrical Activity (p-PEA) is a lifeless form of profound cardiac shock characterized by measurable cardiac mechanical activity without clinically detectable pulses....
Towards an Anti-Racist Child Welfare Future

Becoming an anti-racist child welfare future where racial disproportionality and disparities no longer exist will require bold action and a fundamental reimagining of the child welfare system. Although improvements have been made over the last several decades, and reductions in the involvement children of color have been observed, racial disproportionality and disparities persist in child welfare systems across the country. This chapter envisions an anti-racist future where the policies and practices that promote and maintain racial inequities no longer exist. In the context of the child welfare system, these policies and practices are those that support the forced separation and involuntary removal of children from their parents. Ultimately, the elimination of racial disproportionality and disparities will only be achieved when the forcible separation of children from their parents is no longer used as an acceptable form of intervention for families in need.
Does inhibitory control training reduce weight and caloric intake in adults with overweight and obesity? A pre-registered, randomized controlled event-related potential (ERP) study

Abstract A cognitive intervention that may reduce weight and caloric intake is inhibitory control training (ICT; having individuals repeatedly withhold dominant responses to unhealthy food images). We conducted a randomized controlled trial where 100 individuals with overweight or obesity were assigned to complete a generic (n = 48) or food-specific ICT (n = 52) training four times per week for four weeks. Weight and caloric intake were obtained at baseline, four-weeks, and 12-weeks. Participants also completed high-calorie and neutral go/no-go tasks while N2 event-related potential (ERP) data, a neural indicator of inhibitory control, was measured at all visits. Results from mixed model analyses indicate that neither weight, caloric intake, nor N2 ERP component amplitude towards high-calorie foods changed at post-testing or at the 12-week follow up. Regression analyses suggest that individuals with smaller N2 difference amplitudes to food may show greater weight loss and reductions in caloric intake after a generic ICT, while individuals with larger N2 difference amplitudes to food may show greater weight loss and reductions in caloric intake after a food-specific ICT. Overall, multiple food-specific or generic ICT sessions over the course of a four-week period do not affect overall weight loss, caloric intake, or N2 ERP amplitude.
Manager Divestment in Leveraged Buyouts: Manager Divestment in Leveraged Buyouts

We examine changes in managers' investment in the firm around leveraged buyouts and find agency costs counter to those described in extant literature. In majority of deals during 1997–2008, managers divested a portion of their pre-LBO shareholdings while maintaining an ownership stake in the post-LBO firm. Such divestment opportunities encourage managers to behave in a way that benefits existing shareholders but is costly to new investors. We report a positive relation between management's divestment and pre-LBO earnings management, market timing, and better buyout pricing. Although managerial divestment also leads to subpar post-buyout performance, the involvement of private equity mitigates it.
Abstract P24: Assessing Tpa Eligibility Using Mr-Witness and Wake-Up Trial Criteria May Substantially Improve Post-Discharge Outcomes in Acute Ischemic Stroke

Early administration of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) improves morbidity and mortality in acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the strict NINDS exclusion criteria, especially the emphasis on ...
Harnessing P450 Enzyme for Biotechnology and Synthetic Biology

Cytochrome P450 enzymes (P450s, CYPs) catalyze the oxidative transformation of a wide range of organic substrates. Their functions are crucial to xenobiotic metabolism and steroid transformation in humans and other organisms. The enzymes are promising for synthetic biology applications but limited by several drawbacks including low turnover rates, poor stability, the dependance of expensive cofactors and redox partners, and the narrow substrate scope. To conquer these obstacles, emerging strategies including substrate engineering, usage of decoy and decoy-based small molecules auxiliaries, designing of artificial enzyme cascades and the incorporation of materials have been explored based on the unique properties of P450s. These strategies can be applied to a wide range of P450s and can be combined with protein engineering to improve the enzymatic activities. This minireview will focus on some recent developments of these strategies which have been used to leverage P450 catalysis. Remaining challenges and future opportunities will also be discussed.
Impact of Counselling on Academic Achievements of Low Grade Commerce Students

Thai-society puts enormous efforts and emphasis on levels of academic achievements of their children. Parents are showing very keen interest on their children education and to graduate their children from one of the prestigious instates of Thailand. Whether it is a government university or private university or college, but they want to be their children in position to compete with other Thia-students and international students. In Thailand, educational institutes are competing each other to offer their best educational programmes with academic excellence. In order to pursue their commerce degrees with academic excellence, in this process most of the institutes has the tendency to focus on the who are excel and how to make them perfect and competitive. The purpose of the study is to provide counselling and determine the impact of counselling on academic achievements of low grade commerce students. Results of the study revealed that there were no significant developments in physical, family relations, inferiority. There were significant differences in mental and social discomforts, learning capacity, unhappiness, extraversion and thirst towards study (p < 0.001) whereas no significant variance was found in physical conditions (P= 0.166) after the counselling. high achievers had learning capacity than the low achievers in commerce (P<0.002). Illiterate parents and lack of knowledge and negative thoughts about education all together were sneak in to the children’s education. On the other hand, socio-economic condition of parents, single parent culture and substandard relationship with their kids are also lacerating and influencing the academic achievements of undergraduates.
Oral Cyanobacteria and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: Gut microbial alterations have been linked to chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The role of the oral microbiome in liver cancer development has not been widely investigated. Methods: Bacterial 16S rRNA sequences were evaluated in oral samples from 90 HCC cases and 90 controls who were a part of a larger U.S. case–control study of HCC among patients diagnosed from 2011 to 2016. Results: The oral microbiome of HCC cases showed significantly reduced alpha diversity compared with controls (Shannon P = 0.002; Simpson P = 0.049), and beta diversity significantly differed (weighted Unifrac P = 0.004). The relative abundance of 30 taxa significantly varied including Cyanobacteria, which was enriched in cases compared with controls (P = 0.018). Cyanobacteria was positively associated with HCC [OR, 8.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.22–62.00; P = 0.031] after adjustment for age, race, birthplace, education, smoking, alcohol, obesity, type 2 diabetes, Hepatitis C virus (HCV), Hepatitis B virus (HBV), fatty liver disease, aspirin use, other NSAID use, laboratory batch, and other significant taxa. When stratified by HCC risk factors, significant associations of Cyanobacteria with HCC were exclusively observed among individuals with negative histories of established risk factors as well as females and college graduates. Cyanobacterial genes positively associated with HCC were specific to taxa producing microcystin, the hepatotoxic tumor promotor, and other genes known to be upregulated with microcystin exposure. Conclusions: Our study provides novel evidence that oral Cyanobacteria may be an independent risk factor for HCC. Impact: These findings support future studies to further examine the causal relationship between oral Cyanobacteria and HCC risk.
Re-socializing effects of a highly diversified program of physical education for the mentally ill

(1932). Re-Socializing Effects of a Highly Diversified Program of Physical Education for the Mentally Ill. Research Quarterly. American Physical Education Association: Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 58-74.
Culture and Psychiatric Epidemiology

This chapter reviews the cultural aspects of psychiatric epidemiology. Psychiatric epidemiology, as indicated by its name, is a subfield of psychiatry with a special focus on the frequency of mental disorders. It reviews the frequency of mental disorders in certain communities or societies and the social demographic variables of the subjects examined, such as age, gender, educational level, occupation, marital status, socioeconomic status, social class, and ethnic or racial background, to reveal the variables that contribute to the frequency of mental disorders. This helps in generating useful clinical knowledge and community information on which public health policies and measurements can be based. It is generally found that except for some culture-related specific or unique psychiatric syndromes, most psychiatric disorders or abnormal behaviors recognized by contemporary psychiatric classification systems exist in most of the societies investigated, regardless of geographical location, the nature of the society, its culture, and its level of economic development. However, there are certain disorders that are prevalent in some societies and rare in others, which can be attributed to certain diagnostic criteria, social sensitivity to the fluctuation of certain psychopathologies, or to the vicissitude of psychopathology. Several social parameters are recognized as contributing factors for certain groups of mental disorders, particularly those that are susceptible to sociocultural environment, such as social class, urban/rural environmental differences, social disintegration, and migration.
The Urban University: An Opportunity for Renewal in Higher Education.

The American system of higher education is under attack from critics who charge that universities and faculty have disengaged from teaching and abandoned basic relationships with communities. There is continuing need for development of insight and knowledgeable responses to these criticisms and challenges. The urban universities in America have an opportunity to demonstrate the characteristics claimed to be missing from higher education. A discussion of the urban university as an institution in partnership with the community is provided together with recommendations for reform in scholarship, curriculum, teaching, and service.
Implementing coteaching in childbirth education classes.

In response to the article “Innovative Service: Quality Perinatal Nursing Education Through Coteaching” [Journal of Perinatal Education, 8(4), 27-35], the author of this column conducts an interview with two Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educators who share their experiences as coteachers.
On Verification in Secret Sharing

Verifiable Secret Sharing (VSS) has proven to be a powerful tool in the construction of fault-tolerant distributed algorithms. Previous results show that Unverified Secret Sharing, in which there are no requirements when the dealer is faulty during distribution of the secret, requires the same number of processors as VSS. This is counterintuitive: verification that the secret is well shared out should come at a price. In this paper, by focussing on information leaked to nonfaulty processors during verification, we separate a certain strong version of Unverified Secret Sharing (USS) from its VSS analogue in terms of the required number of processors. The proof of the separation theorem yields information about communication needed for the original VSS problem. In order to obtain the separation result we introduce a new definition of secrecy, different from the Shannon definition, capturing the intuition that "information" received from faulty processors may not be informative at all.
Parallelism of iterative CT algorithm based on local reconstruction

An iterative algorithm is suited to reconstruct CT images from noisy or truncated projection data. However, as a disadvantage, the algorithm requires significant computational time. Although a parallel technique can be used to reduce the computational time, a large amount of communication overhead becomes an obstacle to its performance [1]. To overcome this problem, we proposed an innovative parallel method based on the local iterative CT reconstruction algorithm [2-3]. The objects to be reconstructed is partitioned into a number of sub-regions and assigned to different processing elements (PEs). Within each PE, local iterative reconstruction is performed to recover the sub-region. Several numerical experiments were conducted on a high performance computing cluster. And the FORBILD head phantom [4] was used as benchmark to measure the parallel performance. The experimental results showed that the proposed parallel algorithm significantly reduces the reconstruction time, hence achieving a high speedup and efficiency.
What is the value of sell-side analysts? Evidence from coverage changes – A discussion

Li and You (this volume) study public firms’ common stock return reactions to two events: when analysts’ initiate coverage of the firm and when they terminate coverage. They test the returns for evidence of three sources of value added by analysts: (1) more monitoring of the firm, (2) reduced information asymmetry about the firm, and (3) greater demand for the firm’s common stock. They find consistent support for analysts adding value by increasing demand, but not monitoring or by reducing information asymmetry. Their findings also indicate that analysts’ initiations supply little new information. I review these findings, put them in perspective with related research, and note research directions.
The Fatal Disease of the Byzantine Emperor Andronicus III Palaeologus (1328–1341 AD):

Abstract The Byzantine Emperor Andronicus III Palaeologus (1328-1341 AD) died at age 45 from a disease the nature of which is unknown. However, light is thrown on this by the texts of the Byzantine historians John Cantacuzenus (who became Emperor under the name of John VI) and Nicephorus Gregoras, both of whom belonged to the immediate entourage of the Emperor. From their descriptions of the symptoms it appears that Andronicus suffered from malaria for 20 years (1321-1341). The coma that preceded the Emperor's death was probably a cerebral manifestation of chronic malaria.
Abstract 369: Symptom Type and Characteristics Differentiate Early from Late Treatment Seekers for Symptoms of Atrial Fibrillation

Background: Delay in seeking treatment for symptoms of atrial fibrillation (AF) represents a missed opportunity for early treatment that is critical for reducing serious complications of AF such as stroke and heart failure. Delays ranging from a few days to years after symptom onset have been reported. Little is known about the symptom experiences and cognitive behavioral responses that differentiate those who seek treatment early after symptom onset from those who delay treatment-seeking. Purpose: This study compared symptoms and cognitive behavioral responses of early and late (up to 24 hours versus greater than 24 hours after symptom onset) treatment seekers with symptoms of AF. Methods: A descriptive design was used. Participants (N = 150) were recruited from a Midwest academic medical center. Data regarding 1) type and character of symptoms 2) cognitive and behavioral responses to the symptoms and 3) time from symptom onset to seeking treatment were collected using a structured interview. Independent t-tests for continuous variables and Chi-square tests for categorical variables were used to compare treatment seeking groups. Results: Participants were 51% female, with a mean age of 66.5 SD = 11.1) years. Early treatment seekers (n = 27) were more likely to experience a rapid heartbeat (p <.01), unremitting symptoms (<.001), report fear associated with symptoms (p = .005), and appraise symptoms as very serious (p <.001). They were less likely to believe symptoms could be self-managed (p <.001). Late treatment seekers (n = 123) were more likely to experience fatigue and dyspnea as primary symptoms (p≤ .01), report intermittent symptoms (p <.001), attribute symptoms to stress (p ≤ .02), deconditioning (p <.001), or lack of sleep (p = .009), and take a “wait and see” approach to managing symptoms (p <.001). There were no differences between early and late treatment seekers for age, sex, marital status, education level, and history of coronary artery disease or heart failure. Conclusions: Symptom type and characteristic, and cognitive behavioral responses of early treatment seekers differed from those of late treatment seekers. Experiencing a rapid heartbeat and unremitting symptoms may have helped participants form a cognitive appraisal and behavioral response conducive to early treatment-seeking. Experiencing intermittent symptoms less identifiable with a cardiac origin may have hindered development of cognitive appraisals and behavioral responses that promote early treatment- seeking. Education to promote early treatment-seeking for symptoms should include information about the diverse type and characteristics of symptoms of AF.
The classification of SU(2)2 biquotients of rank 3 Lie groups

Abstract We classify all compact simply connected biquotients of the form G ⫽ SU ( 2 ) 2 for G = SU ( 4 ) , SO ( 7 ) , Spin ( 7 ) , or G = G 2 × SU ( 2 ) . In particular, we show there are precisely 2 inhomogeneous reduced biquotients in the first and last case, and 10 in the middle cases.
Commons-Based Strategies and the Problems of Patents

The effects of patents on scientific research and access to medicine are hotly debated. While providing incentives for R&D, patents increase the costs of research tools and raise cost barriers on access to drugs. This Policy Forum reviews the experience of free software, distributed computing, and other forms of commons-based peer production. It then proposes two complementary avenues open to scientists and universities to alleviate the costs of overly protective patent systems.
Design of a silicon-on-silicon multi-chip module for a high-performance Ps/2 workstation

A silicon-on-silicon multichip module design, which addresses several issues unique to low-end machines, is described. Among these are mixing bipolar and CMOS chips, practicing flip-chip and wirebonding on the same substrate, and customizing the power plane to supply multiple voltage levels. Following a description of the module design, the issue of performance in microprocessor-based machines as a driver for multichip module technology is discussed. >
Bivalirudin versus heparin and eptifibatide in patients undergoing rescue percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) reduce restenosis and target lesion revascularization (TLR). The safety and effectiveness of DES in Hispanic patients presenting with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are not well known. Methods: A nonrandomized, retrospective analysis was performed between 8/2002 and 10/2007 at an academic tertiary care hospital serving a primarily indigent population. A total of 170 patients received a DES (all paclitaxelcoated stents) and 98 received an uncoated stent (BMS). The incidence of cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), TLR, subacute stent thrombosis (SAT), and a composite of these events (MACE) was assessed at 1 year. Results: There were no differences in baseline clinical characteristics. There were significant reductions in MI [2.9% (n=5 DES) vs. 11.2% (n=11 BMS), P=.037] and TLR [6.0% (10) vs. 18.4% (18), P=.04]. SAT was increased in the DES group [6.5% (11) vs. 2.0% (2); P=.03]. MACE was 17.6% in the DES group and 33.6% in the BMS group (P=.017). Premature clopidogrel discontinuation (b6 months) was the etiology of SAT in nine of the 11 patients. All of the deaths in the DES group were associated with SAT. Conclusions: Use of DES is associated with lower rates of MI and TLR in Hispanics presenting with STEMI. There is an increased incidence of SAT in this population primarily due to premature clopidogrel discontinuation. The role of socioeconomic factors in premature antiplatelet discontinuation and its effects on SAT need further evaluation.
Genetic algorithm optimization and blending of composite laminates by locally reducing laminate thickness

Composite panel structure optimization is commonly decomposed into panel optimization subproblems, with specified local loads, resulting in manufacturing incompatibilities between adjacent panel designs. A new method proposed here for constructing globally blended panel designs uses a parallel decomposition antithetical to that of earlier work. Rather than performing concurrent panel genetic optimizations, a single genetic optimization is conducted for the entire structure with the parallelism solely within the fitness evaluations. A genetic algorithm approach, based on locally reducing a thick (guide) laminate, is introduced to exclusively generate and evaluate valid globally blended designs, utilizing a simple master-slave parallel implementation, implicitly reducing the size of the problem design space and increasing the quality of discovered local optima.
National Forest Management and Private Land Development: Historical, Political, and Planning Considerations

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) identified the loss of open space as a core threat to the health of national forests. Widely acknowledged are the ecological interconnections between public and private lands. But there is also an important historical and political relationship between national forest management and private land development. There is ample historical precedent for the USFS to consider what is happening outside its jurisdiction and respond accordingly on national forests. We expect national forests to become more politically contested in the future, as a result of the fragmentation taking place on private lands. If the agency fails to consider the larger landscape when making decisions, we also expect a growing number of interests to challenge it politically and legally. There are several policy tools and strategies that can be used to deal with the private land development problem, and we focus on some that have received less attention.
Measurement of dialkyl phosphate metabolites of organophosphorus pesticides in human urine using lyophilization with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and isotope dilution quantification.

Urinary dialkylphosphate (DAP) metabolites have been used to estimate human exposure to organophosphorus pesticides. We developed a method for quantifying the six DAP urinary metabolites of at least 28 organophosphorus pesticides using lyophilization and chemical derivatization followed by analysis using isotope-dilution gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS). Urine samples were spiked with stable isotope analogues of the DAPs and the water was removed from the samples using a lyophilizer. The dried residue was dissolved in acetonitrile and diethyl ether, and the DAPs were chemically derivatized to their respective chloropropyl phosphate esters. The chloropropyl phosphate esters were concentrated, and analyzed using GC–MS/MS. The limits of detection of the method were in the low μg/l (parts per billion) to mid pg/ml range (parts per trillion) with coefficients of variation of 7–14%. The use of stable isotope analogues as internal standards for each of these metabolites allows for sample-specific adjustment for recovery and thus permits a high degree of accuracy and precision. Use of this method with approximately 1100 urine samples collected from pregnant women and children indicate that the low limits of detection allow this method to be used in general population studies.
Differentiation of interlayer and adsorbed water in hydrated portland cement by thermal analysis

Abstract Work leading to the new model of hydrated portland cement has shown that much of the water previously considered to reside on free surfaces exists as interlayer water. In the present work samples were conditioned at various relative humidities for times varying from 1 1 2 to 14 months and were dried to two different levels before conditioning, one being d-dry. Conditions were chosen, based on the model, so that the different states of water could be clearly illustrated. It was concluded that thermal analysis allows differentiation of interlayer and physically adsorbed water and that the different degrees of drying and very long times allowed for equilibration support all sorption results on which the new model of hydrated portland cement was based.
Age-related differences of outcomes in patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia are not explained by differences in immune response

We hypothesized that the higher risk of severe sepsis and mortality observed after infection in prior epidemiologic studies are due to age-related differences in immune response.
Role of erythrocytes in leukocyte-endothelial interactions: mathematical model and experimental validation

The binding of circulating cells to the vascular wall is a central process in inflammation, metastasis, and therapeutic cell delivery. Previous in vitro studies have identified the adhesion molecules on various circulating cells and the endothelium that govern the process under static conditions. Other studies have attempted to simulate in vivo conditions by subjecting adherent cells to shear stress as they interact with the endothelial cells in vitro. These experiments are generally performed with the cells suspended in Newtonian solutions. However, in vivo conditions are more complex because of the non-Newtonian flow of blood, which is a suspension consisting of 20–40% erythrocytes by volume. The forces imparted by the erythrocytes in the flow can contribute to the process of cell adhesion. A number of experimental and theoretical studies have suggested that the rheology of blood can influence the binding of circulating leukocytes by increasing the normal and axial forces on leukocytes or the frequency of their collision with the vessel wall, but there have been no systematic investigations of these phenomena to date. The present study quantifies the contribution of red blood cells (RBCs) in cell capture and adhesion to endothelial monolayers using a combination of mathematical modeling and in vitro studies. Mathematical modeling of the flow experiments suggested a physical mechanism involving RBC-induced leukocyte dispersion and/or increased normal adhesive contact. Flow chamber studies performed with and without RBCs in the suspending medium showed increases in wall collision and binding frequencies, and a decrease in rolling velocity in the presence of erythrocytes. Increased fluid viscosity alone did not influence the binding frequency, and the differences could not be attributed to large near-wall excesses of the lymphocytes. The results indicate that RBCs aid in the transport and initial engagement of lymphocytes to the vascular wall, modifying the existing paradigm for immune cell surveillance of the vascular endothelium by adding the erythrocyte as an essential contributor to this process.
Regulation of granulocyte and monocyte differentiation by CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α

Abstract CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α (C/EBPα)-ER induces 32Dcl3 neutrophilic differentiation and inhibits 32DPKCδ maturation to macrophages in response to phorbol ester. In 32Dcl3 cells, C/EBPα-ER rapidly induces the PU.1 and C/EBPα RNAs even in the presence of cycloheximide, suggesting that these are direct C/EBPα genetic targets. C/EBPα strongly binds and modestly activates the murine PU.1 promoter via an evolutionarily conserved binding site. C/EBPα-ER variants incapable of binding DNA still slow G1 progression but do not induce differentiation. N-terminally truncated C/EBPα variants, including the p30 isoform expressed in a subset of AMLs, also retain the ability to slow 32D cl3 proliferation, whereas the C/EBPα(BRM2)-ER variant does not slow G1 progression, has a reduced capacity to induce early granulocytic markers, and does not induce terminal maturation. In 32DPKCδ cells, C/EBPα-ER strongly inhibits endogenous or exogenous JunB induction, dependent upon the outer surface of the C/EBPα basic region, but does not inhibit c-Jun, PU.1, or C/EBPβ expression. Exogenous JunB restores AP-1 DNA binding but does not overcome inhibition of monopoiesis by C/EBPα-ER. In summary, we propose that while C/EBPα is required for development of immature granulocyte–monocyte progenitors, C/EBPα subsequently inhibits monopoiesis, via inhibition of JunB express and via additional activities, and induces granulopoiesis, via induction of PU.1, C/EBPe, and cell cycle arrest.
Ultrastructure of Leydig cell paracrystalline inclusions, possibly related to Reinke crystals, in the normal human testis.

One of two types of paracrystalline inclusions, other than Reinke crystals, was encountered in the Leydig cells of the normal mature testes of 9 out of 10 patients. The basic ultrastructure of these formations was that of parallel arrays of fine filaments (8 cases) or tubules (1 case). The filamentous structures, designated as type A paracrystals, consisted of fascicles of parallel rows of 4 or 5 dense fibrils. The latter typically contained dense granules or banded striations spaced at regular intervals. In 4 cases the inclusions were found in the cytoplasm while in 4 others they were confined to the nuclei. The tubular type of paracrystal, type B, was observed in only one patient. Here, groups of closely packed tubular inclusions occupied large portions of cytoplasm. The tubular walls were composed of closely applied, small, circular profiles. In no instance were paracrystals and Reinke crystals encountered in the same cell. A possible role of the former as precursors of the latter is discussed but there is no strong supporting evidence for this despite certain suggestive similarities in unit and subunit measurements.
On the Variability of Anger Cross-Culturally: An Assessment of General Strain Theory's Primary Mediator

This article assesses general strain theory's (GST) primary mediator, anger, as a process that exhibits important variability across cultures. It presents data from structured interviews and fieldwork in India and the United States that suggest variations in the understanding and experience of anger across three samples: Americans, lay Tibetans, and Tibetan Buddhist clergy. Findings suggest cultural differences in normative social approval of anger, perceived effects for self of becoming angry, reaction tendencies, and emotional memory. Future research should test and map variations in anger across and within populations and explore implications for macro-level GST in explaining cross-cultural differences in crime.
Reliability of Meat, Fish, Dairy, and Egg Intake Over a 33-Year Interval in Adventist Health Study 2

We studied Adventist Health Study 2 (AHS-2) cohort members to determine the reliability of long-term recall of adult dietary intake that occurred 33 years ago. Establishing the reliability of these measures supports studies of how dietary exposure across the life course affects risk of cancer and other noncommunicable disease outcomes. Among 1816 AHS-2 cohort members, we conducted a statistical comparison of long-term recall of meat, fish, dairy, and eggs at AHS-2 baseline with their report of current diet 33 years before AHS-2 baseline at an age of 30-60 years. Major findings are as follows: 1) a high correlation for frequency of red meat (R = 0.71), poultry (R = 0.67), and fish (R = 0.60); lower correlations for dairy (R = 0.19) and eggs (R = 0.28); 2) good concordance for dichotomous measures of red meat [sensitivity: 0.70; specificity: 0.92; positive predictive value (PPV): 0.91], poultry (sensitivity: 0.76; specificity: 0.87; PPV: 0.83), fish (sensitivity: 0.61; specificity: 0.93; PPV: 0.89), dairy (sensitivity: 0.95; specificity: 0.57; PPV: 0.99), and eggs (sensitivity: 0.95; specificity: 0.41; PPV: 0.96); negative predictive value for dairy and eggs was poor. Among older AHS-2 cohort members, we found good reliability of recall of red meat, poultry, and fish intake that occurred 33 years earlier.
Anemia in Patients With Cancer or Undergoing Cancer Therapy: Impact and Current Treatment Practice

SUMMARY Anemia is a multifactorial and global problem in cancer patients and negatively impacts quality of life (QOL) and treatment outcomes. This article provides an update on several aspects of anemia, including its etiology, prevalence, and broad impact; goals of anemia treatment; available treatment options; published treatment guidelines; and future areas of investigation, with the aim of providing information to guide optimal anemia management in cancer patients. Based on clinical practice and trial data over the last decade, treatment with epoetin alfa 150–300 U/kg three times weekly or 40,000–60,000 U once weekly (QW) results in mean hemoglobin (Hb) increases of μ1 g/dL after 4 weeks and μ2 g/dL after 8 weeks that are associated with significant reductions in transfusion requirements and QOL improvements in anemic cancer patients. Darbepoetin alfa 2.25-4.5 μg/kg QW or 3.0–5.0 μg/kg every 2 weeks results in mean Hb increases of μ1.5 g/dL by end of treatment and significantly reduces transfusion requirements; QOL endpoints are promising. Ultimately, anemia treatment should be guided by experience and anemia treatment guidelines, such as those provided by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and the American Society of Hematology/American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASH/ASCO).
God’s Random Selection: Reply to Steinberg

In this reply to Jesse Steinberg’s ‘God and the possibility of random creation’, I suggest a procedure whereby a being such as God could randomly select a number from an infinite set.
Second harmonic generation by oppositely travelling long range surface polaritons

Abstract We analyze the nonlinear mixing of two oppositely propagating long range surface plasmon polaritons in an ATR geometry. Typical efficiencies for the second harmonic signal radiated normal to the metal films are calculated.
Elective surgery of the diabetic foot

Surgical management of the diabetic foot has been limited historically to treatment of ulceration and acute infection. More practitioners now appreciate the role of elective surgery in the treatment and prevention of ulceration, infection, and amputation. This article discusses various elective surgical techniques used to treat the diabetic foot.
Exciton migration with end detectors: calculation of time-dependent luminescence

Abstract We present explicit plots of the time dependence of the detector luminescence intensity in surface quenching observations. They are obtained with the aid of numerical inversion methods applied to exact consequences of a master-equation theory of exciton migration. The existing disparity in reported values of the singlet diffusion constant in aromatic hydro-carbon crystals is one of the main issues addressed. It is shown how the theory can be used to extract the exciton diffusion constant without prior knowledge of the (detector) trapping rates, by combining information obtained from steady-state (yield) and time-resolved experiments.
Fusion cross sections for 46,50Ti+90Zr,93Nb and some systematics of heavy-ion fusion at barrier and subbarrier energies.

Measurements of the fusion cross sections in the barrier and subbarrier regions are presented for the four heavy-ion systems $^{46,50}\mathrm{Ti}$${+}^{90}$Zr${,}^{93}$Nb. The measured cross sections varied from 0.04 to 400 mb. The evaporation residues were detected by the use of a velocity filter. Procedures are described for extracting fusion cross sections from such measurements. The observed differences in the subbarrier fusion cross sections for the $^{90}\mathrm{Zr}$ and $^{93}\mathrm{Nb}$ nuclei, both of which have small collectivity, have led us to question the view that excursions of the strong nuclear force due to collective motions of the colliding nuclei are the primary enhancement mechanisms for the observed heavy-ion subbarrier fusion cross sections.A simple formula is presented, based on a flat distribution of barriers, which is applied to the near-barrier region (10--200 mb). This formula states that the quantity (\ensuremath{\sigma}E${)}^{1/2}$ vs E is linear in the near-barrier region with a zero intercept defining a threshold energy for fusion. These threshold values reflect variations in the binding energies of the valence neutrons. We also point out that the far-subbarrier region (10 mb) shows large variations in fusion cross sections and that these variations reflect differences in the collectivities of the colliding nuclei (especially noticeable differences are seen between permanently deformed nuclei and ``vibrational'' nuclei). These systematics of heavy-ion subbarier fusion suggest that neck formation is playing an important role. The barrier for neutron transfer vanishes at distances typically 1.5 fm beyond the typical barrier distance and this distance could vary with the binding energy of the valence neutrons. The presence of neutrons in the region between the nuclei could promote neck formation which provides a force strong enough to overcome the Coulomb force. The collective properties of the colliding nuclei are then interpreted as a modulation of the threshold for neck formation and thereby reflect the large observed differences in the far-subbarrier cross sections. Formulas are presented for ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}_{\mathit{L}}$ which result from a flat distribution of barriers. These formulas predict a broad bell-shaped spin distribution and are compared to the measured distribution in the subbarrier region for the system $^{64}\mathrm{Ni}$${+}^{100}$Mo.
Intralaminar and medial thalamic influence on cortical synchrony, information transmission and cognition

The intralaminar and medial thalamic nuclei are part of the higher-order thalamus, which receives little sensory input, and instead forms extensive cortico-thalamo-cortical pathways. The large mediodorsal thalamic nucleus predominantly connects with the prefrontal cortex, the adjacent intralaminar nuclei connect with fronto-parietal cortex, and the midline thalamic nuclei connect with medial prefrontal cortex and medial temporal lobe. Taking into account this connectivity pattern, it is not surprising that the intralaminar and medial thalamus has been implicated in a variety of cognitive functions, including memory processing, attention and orienting, as well as reward-based behavior. This review addresses how the intralaminar and medial thalamus may regulate information transmission in cortical circuits. A key neural mechanism may involve intralaminar and medial thalamic neurons modulating the degree of synchrony between different groups of cortical neurons according to behavioral demands. Such a thalamic-mediated synchronization mechanism may give rise to large-scale integration of information across multiple cortical circuits, consequently influencing the level of arousal and consciousness. Overall, the growing evidence supports a general role for the higher-order thalamus in the control of cortical information transmission and cognitive processing.
Measurement of Total DNA to Assess Lung Cancers

an DNA ploidy alone be used to discriminate beC tween metastases and second primary neoplasms? Ichinose and associates [l] suggest that difference in DNA ploidy as measured by flow cytometry can be used as a criterion by which to distinguish between second primary lung adenosquamous carcinomas and metastases from a primary neoplasm. This contention is an example of a general problem, and therefore it deserves close By their own criteria, Ichinose and associates state that primary adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung occurs at a low frequency (2%). Because this is such an uncommon tumor, on statistical grounds alone, one must question the frequency with which a second primary adenosquamous cancer of the lung could be expected to occur. This consideration alone may make the results of their study questionable. The weakness of flow cytometry as a method for detecting low-frequency aneuploid clones was not addressed by Ichinose and associates. In alleged second primary tumors, in which the ploidy of the second clone appears to differ from the ploidy in the initial primary tumor, it is possible that the second clone was present in scrutiny.
An open-source compiler and runtime implementation for Coarray Fortran

Coarray Fortran (CAF) comprises a set of proposed language extensions to Fortran that are expected to be adopted as part of the Fortran 2008 standard. In contrast to prior open-source implementation efforts, our approach is to use a single, unified compiler infrastructure to translate, optimize and generate binaries from CAF codes. In this paper, we will describe our compiler and runtime implementation of CAF using an Open64-based compiler infrastructure. We will detail the process by which we generate a high-level intermediate representation from the CAF code in our compilers front-end, how our compiler analyzes and translate this IR to generate a binary which makes use of our runtime system, and how we support the runtime execution model with our runtime library. We have carried out experiments using both an ARMCI- and GASNet-based runtime implementation, and we present these results.
Solid-State Interactions in Photochromic Host−Guest Inclusion Complexes†

Photochromic host−guest inclusion compounds were obtained by growing crystals of γ-cyclodextrin in the presence of substituted photochromic spiropyrans. The relative stabilities of the photogenerated photomerocyanine guests inside the host structure were determined. Interactions in the solid state selectively enhanced the aldehyde-substituted photomerocyanine relative to other substituents in the host−guest crystals.