cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Forecasting Ability of a Periodic Component Extracted from Large‐Cap Index Time Series

We develop a method to extract periodic variations in a time series that are hidden in large non-periodic and stochastic variations. This method relies on folding the time series many times and allows direct visualization of a hidden periodic component without resorting to any fitting procedure. Applying this method to several large-cap stock time series in Europe, Japan and the USA yields a component with periodicity of 1 year. Out-of-sample tests on these large-cap time series indicate that this periodic component is able to forecast long-term (decade) behavior for large-cap time series. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Liver Metastasis From Extra-Hepatic Carcinomas After Recurrence-Free Interval of More Than 5 Years

Five-year recurrence-free interval after complete surgical resection for most carcinomas is generally considered curative. Hence, metastasis would be clinically unlikely if a liver mass develops in a patient after 5 recurrence-free years of carcinoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and characteristics of extra-hepatic carcinomas metastasizing to the liver after a 5 year recurrence-free interval. Departmental archives …
Pregnancy urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and gestational diabetes risk factors

Abstract Background Epidemiologic studies suggest phthalate metabolite concentrations are associated with type 2 diabetes. GDM is a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Little is known about phthalates and GDM risk factors (i.e. 1st trimester body mass index (BMI), gestational weight gain (GWG), and 2nd trimester glucose levels). Methods A total of 350 women participating in Lifecodes pregnancy cohort (Boston, MA), delivered at term and had pregnancy urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations. Nine specific gravity-adjusted urinary phthalate metabolites were evaluated. General linear regression was used to assess associations between quartiles of phthalate metabolites and continuous 1st trimester BMI and late 2nd trimester blood glucose. Linear mixed models were used for total GWG. Multivariable logistic regression was used for phthalate concentrations and categorized GWG and impaired glucose tolerance defined as glucose ≥140 mg/dL based on a 50-gram glucose load test. Models were adjusted for potential confounders. Results There were no associations between 1st trimester urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations and 1st trimester BMI. Mono-ethyl phthalate concentrations averaged across pregnancy were associated with a 2.17 increased odds of excessive GWG (95% CI: 0.98, 4.79). Second trimester mono-ethyl phthalate was associated with increased odds of impaired glucose tolerance (adj. OR: 7.18; 95% CI: 1.97, 26.15). A summary measure of di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate metabolite concentrations were inversely associated with impaired glucose tolerance (adj. OR: 0.25; adj. 95% CI: 0.08, 0.85). Conclusions Higher exposure to mono-ethyl phthalate, a metabolite of the parent compound of di-ethyl phthalate, may be associated with excessive GWG and impaired glucose tolerance; higher di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate was associated with reduced odds of impaired glucose tolerance.
Transpapillary (Nipple) Delivery of Macromolecules to the Breast: Proof of Concept Study.

Localized drug delivery to the breast can maximize drug concentration at the target site and minimize systemic drug distribution. To this end, the study explored the feasibility of delivering macromolecules to the breast through mammary papilla (nipple). The in vitro penetration of model macromolecules (inulin, dextran, ovalbumin, and bovine serum albumin) varying in molecular weight from 5 to 67 kDa was studied using excised porcine and human mammary papilla. The penetration of macromolecules decreased with increase in molecular weight. The penetration of the macromolecules was significantly higher through the mammary papilla in comparison to breast skin. In vitro penetration of the macromolecules was similar in human and porcine mammary papilla. Iontophoresis was used to enhance the transport of bovine serum albumin (BSA) through the mammary papilla. The flux and cumulative amount permeated was increased by 2- to 4-fold by iontophoresis. The macromolecules were transported through the ducts and the surr...
The Two Worlds of Teaching.

At a recent conference at Boston University on the liberal arts and teacher education, several in attendance noticed that there was a distinct difference in the ways that teachers from "higher" and "lower" education made their presentations. The professors lectured. At the end of their talks, they entertained questions, answering queries with long, expert responses which served as mini-lectures. The school teachers began by splitting the participants up into small groups to discuss the issues at hand. The groups' responses were used as a springboard for the presenters' talks, which were often interrupted by questions and comments from the audience. As a teacher educator whose daily concerns are the theory and the practice of teaching, I became determined to learn more about the basis for this distinction in instructional methods.
Widely tunable infrared semiconductor Mie resonators(Conference Presentation)

Optical antenna metasurfaces have attracted substantial attention in recent years, as they may enable new classes of planar optical elements. However, actively tuning nanoantenna resonances, whether dielectric or plasmonic, remains an unresolved challenge. In this work, we investigate tuning mid-infrared (MIR) Mie resonances in semiconductor subwavelength particles by directly modulating the permittivity with free charge carriers. Using femtosecond laser ablation, we fabricate spherical silicon and germanium particles of varying sizes and doping concentrations. Single-particle infrared spectra reveal electric and magnetic dipole, quadrupole, and hexapole resonances. We first demonstrate size-dependent Si and Ge Mie resonances spanning the entire mid-infrared (2-16 μm) spectral range. We subsequently show doping-dependent resonance frequency shifts that follow simple Drude models. Taking advantage of the large doping dependence of Si and Ge MIR permittivities, we demonstrate a huge tunability of Mie resonance wavelengths (up to ~ 9 μm) over a broad 2-16 μm MIR range. This tuning range corresponds to changes of permittivity as large as 30 within a single material system, culminating in the emergence of plasmonic modes at high carrier densities and long wavelengths. We also demonstrate dynamic tuning of intrinsic semiconductor antennas using thermo-optic effects. These findings demonstrate the potential for actively tuning infrared Mie resonances, thus providing an excellent platform for tunable metamaterials.
Abstract P237: Dysregulation of Hypothalamic mTORC1, Sympathetic Nerve Activity and Vascular Reactivity in the Hypertensive Obese Prone Rats

Neurogenic mechanisms play a major role in obesity-induced increase in sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and arterial pressure, but the molecular pathways involved remain ill defined. Mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling in the hypothalamus has emerged as a critical molecular regulator of SNA, vascular function and arterial pressure. To analyze the status of hypothalamic mTORC1 signaling in obesity we compared the phosphorylated levels of ribosomal protein S6, a downstream effector of mTORC1, in the brain between obesity prone (OP) and obesity resistant (OR) rats. Body weight was elevated (P<0.05) in OP rats (763±22 g) relative to OR rats (575±19 g). OP rats also had higher fat mass. Interestingly, OP rats exhibited increased phospho-S6 in the mediobasal hypothalamus including the arcuate nucleus, but not in other nuclei such as the paraventricular nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus or the subfornical organ. Next, we assessed the hemodynamic and sympathetic parameters in OP and OR rats. Radiotelemetry systolic arterial pressure was greater in OP rats (133±1 mmHg) compared to OR rats (119±2 mmHg) at 8 weeks of age and remained elevated at 42 weeks of age. Ganglionic blockade with hexamethonium produced a dose-dependent decrease in arterial pressure in both the OP and OR rats, but the response was more pronounced (P<0.05) in OP rats. Direct SNA recording revealed elevated (P<0.05) renal and splanchnic SNA in OP rats (86±3 and 55±6 spikes/sec, respectively) compared to OR rats (48±2 and 22±4 spikes/sec). Using ultrasound Doppler, we found that OP rats have altered regional blood flows. Sodium nitroprusside-induced dilation was attenuated and phenylephrine-evoked constriction was potentiated in the hindquarters vasculature of OP rats relative to OR rats. However, there were no differences in the renal, mesenteric or abdominal aorta vascular beds. Acetylcholine (ACh)-mediated relaxation was impaired in isolated coronary arteries from OP rats (relaxation to 10 μM ACh: 41±8% in OP rats vs 67±10% in OR rats, P<0.05). These studies raise the possibility that overactivation of hypothalamic mTORC1 signaling contributes to the altered hemodynamic, sympathetic and vascular functions associated with the obesity prone phenotype.
Lipid Protein Interaction Mediates Ion Transport in P2X Receptors

ATP a ubiquitously prevalent biomolecule, apart from being the principal energetic source for living cells, also plays a crucial role in inter-cellular communication, acting as a signaling molecule. One of the major receptors in this signaling cascade are the P2X receptors which are are trimeric, non-selective cation channel activated by ATP and are responsible for key processes such as muscle contraction, neurotransmission, inflammatory response, pain, and taste signal transduction. As a result of their extensive prevalence and important implications in human physiology, P2X receptors serve as important pharmacological targets for cardiovascular, neuronal, and inflammatory diseases. Recently our collaborator Dr Eric Gouax was successful in crystallizing full P2X (human P2X3), which provided us an unprecedented opportunity to explore different facets of ion permeation mechanism and pathway exploration in a lipid rich environment. We have performed an all atom MD simulation of a full P2X channel, embedded in a POPC bi-layer. In order to accelerate the ion permeation, process a constant electric field of 1 V was applied along the membrane normal. Upon the application of external electric field we observed multiple ion permeation events, with the ion entering through the extracellular fenestrations And exiting through the lateral fenestrations that was deeply embedded in the membrane. Interestingly the ion permeation pathway was lined with the lipid head groups which had entered through the lateral fenestrations. The negatively charged phosphate head groups of the POPC lipids interacts with the Sodium ion and assisted in the permeation of the ion through the pore. Thus through this work we were able to propose a unique ion permeation architecture for P2X receptors where the pathway was made of both protein and lipids.
Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular Disease

It is our central hypothesis that periodontal diseases, which are chronic Gramnegative infections, represent a previously unrecognized risk factor for atherosclerosis and thromboembolic events. Previous studies have demonstrated an association between periodontal disease severity and risk of coronary heart disease and stroke. We hypothesize that this association may be due to an underlying inflammatory response trait, which places an individual at high risk for developing both periodontal disease and atherosclerosis. We further suggest that periodontal disease, once established, provides a biological burden of endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) and inflammatory cytokines (especially TxA2 , IL-1β, PGE2 , and TNF-α) which serve to initiate and exacerbate atherogenesis' and thromboembolic events. A cohort study was conducted using combined data from the Normative Aging Study and the Dental Longitudinal Study sponsored by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Mean bone loss scores and worst probing pocket depth scores per tooth were measured on 1,147 men during 1968 to 1971. Information gathered during follow-up examinations showed that 207 men developed coronary heart disease (CHD), 59 died of CHD, and 40 had strokes. Incidence odds ratios adjusted for established cardiovascular risk factors were 1.5, 1.9, and 2.8 for bone loss and total CHD, fatal CHD, and stroke, respectively. Levels of bone loss and cumulative incidence of total CHD and fatal CHD indicated a biologic gradient between severity of exposure and occurrence of disease. J Periodontol 1996;67:1123-1137.
Rotation and Negative Torque in Electrodynamically Bound Nanoparticle Dimers.

We examine the formation and concomitant rotation of electrodynamically bound dimers (EBD) of 150 nm diameter Ag nanoparticles trapped in circularly polarized focused Gaussian beams. The rotation frequency of an EBD increases linearly with the incident beam power, reaching mean values of ∼4 kHz for relatively low incident powers of 14 mW. Using a coupled-dipole/effective polarizability model, we reveal that retardation of the scattered fields and electrodynamic interactions can lead to a “negative torque” causing rotation of the EBD in the direction opposite to that of the circular polarization. This intriguing opposite-handed rotation due to negative torque is clearly demonstrated using electrodynamics-Langevin dynamics simulations by changing particle separations and thus varying the retardation effects. Finally, negative torque is also demonstrated in experiments from statistical analysis of the EBD trajectories. These results demonstrate novel rotational dynamics of nanoparticles in optical matter usi...
Jane Haldimand Marcet (1769–1858): The Queen of the Familiar Format

The queen of the familiar format scientific text is generally agreed to be Jane Haldimand Marcet (1769–1858). One of twelve children born to Swiss parents, wealthy London merchant Anthony Francis Haldimand and his wife Jane, she was educated at home by tutors in subjects ranging from astronomy and mathematics to history, Latin, and the arts (Polkinghorn 1993; Rosenfeld 2001). She was also exposed to the social scene in Geneva, where she frequently visited her paternal relatives. At age 15 Jane assumed the role of lady of the house (and surrogate mother to her brothers), including serving as hostess at her father’s frequent dinner parties, when her mother passed away due to complications from childbirth (Polkinghorn 1993). Her father was said to have been a major influence on her, “a man of learning and culture, an ardent lover of truth, and hater of all pettiness [who] strengthened and deepened the naturally and serious nature of the young girl. Though not deficient in the sense of humour, she could never throughout life reconcile herself to the least appearance of insincerity, even in jest” (Field 1895: 344).
Ecologically unequal exchange and the carbon intensity of well-being, 1990–2011

Carbon intensity of well-being (CIWB) quantifies the relationship between carbon emissions and human well-being and is a way to represent and compare the sustainability of nation-states. Reducing C...
10 Tera Hertz operation in one-dimensional quantum interference transistor (1-D QUIT) devices

A high performance quantum interference transistor (QUIT) realized using high mobility 1-D MODFET channels is presented. The operation of this 1-D QUIT is based on electrostatic Aharonov-Bohm quantum interference effect. The channel length of the device is smaller than the inelastic coherence length of the electrons in the quantum well wire channel, otherwise scattering will randomize electron's phase and destroy the quantum interference effect. Transport characteristics of the 0.2 μm channel 1-D QUIT are calculated at 4.2 °K and compared with a two-dimensional QUIT device reported in literature. Our calculations show a significant improvement of the transconductance in one-dimensional transistors compared with its two-dimensional counterpart. The maximum frequency of operation of the 1-D QUIT is in the Tera Hertz regime, which makes it very attractive device for high frequency applications.
Chronic myelocytic leukemia--Part I: History, clinical presentation, and molecular biology.

DATA SOURCES: Current literature. DATA SYNTHESIS: Chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) was initially described in 1845 and is considered one of the first leukemias to be discovered. Diagnosis of CML was dramatically improved with the discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome by Nowell and Hungerford in 1960. However, the rudiments of our understanding of the molecular cause of CML began in 1973 when Janet Rowley discovered that the Philadelphia chromosome is a reciprocal translocation between chromosomes 9 and 22. The leukemogenic mechanisms of CML were hypothesized 20 years later when it was discovered that the t(9;22) translocation produced a fusion gene involving the BCR gene from chromosome 9 and the ABL protooncogene from chromosome 22. Multiple breakpoints in BCR produce fusion genes that are translated into chimeric protein products of different lengths that are associated with different leukemic subtypes. CONCLUSION: Although CML has a rich history of interest to hematologists, it also represents a leukemogenic paradigm to the molecular biologist. Nearly all malignancies result from a series of mutagenic events, which culminate in full malignant transformation. However, it appears that CML results from a single mutagenic event involving the t(9;22) translocation leading to the development of the BCR/ABL fusion gene and the corresponding fusion protein. The successful transcription and translation of the BCR/ABL fusion protein led researchers to carefully study its involvement in leukemogenesis. The BCR/ABL fusion protein exhibits increased and constitutive tyrosine kinase activity that differs depending on which BCR breakpoint is expressed, resulting in varying clinical presentations. ABBREVIATIONS:ABL = Ableson oncogene found in a strain of mouse leukemia virus; ALL = acute lymphocytic leukemia; BCR = breakpoint cluster region; CML = chronic myelocytic (myelogenous) leukemia; FAB = French-American-British; FAK = focal adhesion kinase; GEF = GDP-GTP exchange factor; JAK-STAT = janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription; PI-3 Kinase = phosphoinositide-3 kinase; RAC GAP = RAS-like GTPase GTP activator; WHO = World Health Organization.
PTHrP and Skeletal Metatasis

Skeletal metastasis is a common event in many advanced-stage cancer patients, with half of the common primary tumors eventually metastasizing to bone (Rubens, 2000). In most cases, it is the metastasis rather than the primary tumor that is responsible for the cancer-associated mortality (Chambers et al., 2002). Certain solid tumors such as cancer of the prostate, breast, and lung preferentially metastasize to bone (Rubens, 2000; Mundy, 2002). All of these tumors have been found to produce parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) (Keller et al., 2001; Martin and Moseley, 2000; Kakonen and Mundy, 2003). The levels of PTHrP produced by tumors in the bone marrow are dramatically higher than what is normally produced by cells resident in bone and bone marrow thus setting up a scenario where the bone is exposed to supraphysiologic levels of this highly bone active cytokine. The precise levels of PTHrP in the bone marrow microenvironment in metastatic lesions and among various tumors are as yet unknown. Most studies have focused on circulating levels of PTHrP that are readily measurable but do not necessarily reflect the levels in the metastatic environment, and on the production of PTHrP by various tumor cell lines in vitro that may be very different than what the tumor produced in situ. Once in the bone marrow microenvironment, PTHrP is localized to its key target tissue, which is bone. For most tumors, PTHrP may be the most ‘boneactive’ cytokine produced in this lesion and hence understanding the actions of PTHrP are critical to the pathophysiology of bony metastases.
Parametric estimation of association in bivariate failure-time data subject to competing risks: sensitivity to underlying assumptions.

There has arisen a considerable body of research addressing the estimation of association between paired failure times in the presence of competing risks. In a 2002 paper, Bandeen-Roche and Liang proposed the conditional cause-specific hazard ratio (CCSHR) as a measure of this association and a parametric method by which to estimate it. The method features an interpretable decomposition of the CCSHR into factors describing the association between a pair’s times to first failure among multiple failure causes and the association in pair members’ propensities to fail due to a common cause. There were indications of sensitivity to model assumptions, however, in the 2002 work. Here we report a detailed study of the method’s sensitivity to its parametric assumptions. We conclude that the method’s performance is most sensitive to mis-specification of temporality in the association between pair members’ first-failure times and of correlation between propensity to fail early or late and the propensity to fail of a specific cause. Implications for methods development are highlighted.
Proteomic Profiling of Burkholderia thailandensis During Host Infection Using Bio-Orthogonal Noncanonical Amino Acid Tagging (BONCAT)

Burkholderia pseudomallei and B. mallei are the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively, and are often fatal to humans and animals. Owing to the high fatality rate, potential for spread by aerosolization, and the lack of efficacious therapeutics, B. pseudomallei and B. mallei are considered biothreat agents of concern. In this study, we investigate the proteome of Burkholderia thailandensis, a closely related surrogate for the two more virulent Burkholderia species, during infection of host cells, and compare to that of B. thailandensis in culture. Studying the proteome of Burkholderia spp. during infection is expected to reveal molecular mechanisms of intracellular survival and host immune evasion; but proteomic profiling of Burkholderia during host infection is challenging. Proteomic analyses of host-associated bacteria are typically hindered by the overwhelming host protein content recovered from infected cultures. To address this problem, we have applied bio-orthogonal noncanonical amino acid tagging (BONCAT) to B. thailandensis, enabling the enrichment of newly expressed bacterial proteins from virtually any growth condition, including host cell infection. In this study, we show that B. thailandensis proteins were selectively labeled and efficiently enriched from infected host cells using BONCAT. We also demonstrate that this method can be used to label bacteria in situ by fluorescent tagging. Finally, we present a global proteomic profile of B. thailandensis as it infects host cells and a list of proteins that are differentially regulated in infection conditions as compared to bacterial monoculture. Among the identified proteins are quorum sensing regulated genes as well as homologs to previously identified virulence factors. This method provides a powerful tool to study the molecular processes during Burkholderia infection, a much-needed addition to the Burkholderia molecular toolbox.
The CDE property for skew vexillary permutations

Abstract We prove a conjecture of Reiner, Tenner, and Yong which says that the initial weak order intervals corresponding to certain vexillary permutations have the coincidental down-degree expectations (CDE) property. Actually our theorem applies more generally to certain “skew vexillary” permutations (a notion we introduce), and shows that these posets are in fact “toggle CDE.” As a corollary we obtain a homomesy result for rowmotion acting on semidistributive lattices in the sense of Barnard and of Thomas and Williams.
Germline heterozygous BLM mutations and prostate cancer risk.

321Background: The BLM gene encodes a RecQ DNA helicase that is involved in homologous recombination. Biallelic BLM inactivation leads to Bloom syndrome, an inherited genetic disorder marked by chr...
Mn2+ Doping Enhances the Brightness, Efficiency, and Stability of Bulk Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Interest in organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite (ABX3) LEDs has exploded over the past several years, yet significant gains in stability, efficiency, and brightness are required before commercialization is possible, particularly for blue devices. The perovskite composition has been shown to play a crucial role in its performance, yet to date nearly all existing reports focus on tuning the A-site composition. Here, we find that doping the B-site with manganese allows us to achieve bright, efficient, and stable LEDs regardless of A or X composition. By doping with Mn, we demonstrate ultrabright sky-blue, green, and red perovskite LEDs with a maximum brightness of 11800, 97000, and 1470 cd/m2 and quantum efficiencies of 0.58%, 3.2%, and 5.1%, respectively. Crucially, these devices show excellent operational stability, with the sky-blue devices lasting for 20 min and red devices over 5 h with strong spectral stability. Moreover, the green devices showed over 1% efficiency even at higher current densities, ∼20...
TCTAP C-113 Troubles Rarely Come Singly - Precise Hemostasis with Glue Embolization for Coronary Perforations During CTO PCI

### Patient Initials or Identifier Number Mr. C ### Relevant Clinical History and Physical Exam Mr. C was a 79-year-old man with a history of hypertension and smoking for decades. He presented with acute cholangitis and was admitted to the surgical ICU for shock and impending respiratory failure
The potential cost of nudges

‘Nudge’ interventions, such as green energy defaults, may be simple and cost-effective ways to address climate change and can complement more substantive climate policies. But, new research finds that information about a nudge policy lowers support for a carbon tax, unless that nudge policy is described as part of a comprehensive approach.
A closer look at the staging of soft tissue sarcomas in an era of personalized medicine.

We read with enthusiasm the editorials by Rick Hass and William Tseng in response to our recently published manuscript, “ A novel, simplified, externally validated staging system for truncal/extremity soft tissue sarcomas: An analysis of the US Sarcoma Collaborative database ” (1). These editorials, along with a considerable array of recent publications, review articles, and other editorials over the past few years, represent a re-invigorated interest for this rare, and previously somewhat ignored, malignancy amongst the oncology community.
Threshold Ring Signatures: New Definitions and Post-quantum Security.

A t-out-of-N threshold ring signature allows t parties to jointly and anonymously compute a signature on behalf on N public keys, selected in an arbitrary manner among the set of all public keys registered in the system.
The myths and realities of portopulmonary hypertension

Portopulmonary hypertension (POPH), defined as an increased mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in the setting of portal hypertension, is a commonly misunderstood pulmonary vascular complication of liver disease. Recent literature has expanded our knowledge regarding disease pathogenesis, the role of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) targeted therapy and liver transplantation (LT) in management, and long-term outcomes. However, many myths and misconceptions regarding POPH prognosis and treatment remain. The aim of this review is to examine the prevailing myths and current realities regarding POPH.
Discrete Fourier transform tensors and their eigenvalues

We study the eigenvalue problem for the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) and the recently introduced collapsed DFT (CDFT). For the CDFT we in certain cases compute its symmetric rank, show it is no...
Investigating the Chronology of Meniscus Root Tears: Do Medial Meniscus Posterior Root Tears Cause Extrusion or the Other Way Around?

Background:Meniscus root tears are increasingly being recognized. Meniscal extrusion has previously been associated with medial root tears; however, the relationship between secondary meniscal rest...
Evaluating Perioperative Glycemic Control of Non-cardiac Surgical Patients with Diabetes

INTRODUCTION Hyperglycemia during the perioperative period has generally been accepted as a contributor of poor outcomes in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing surgery. Although an optimal glycemic range has not been clearly established in the literature, a consensus among national medical organizations generally recommends serum glucose levels to be maintained less than 180 mg/dL during the perioperative period. MATERIALS AND METHODS The primary purpose of this evidence-based project was to identify the range of blood glucose values obtained from adult patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing non-cardiac surgery at a large military medical facility. The secondary purpose of this project was to assess the need for change in future practice. A retrospective review of the electronic medical record was conducted to identify adult surgical patients with diabetes scheduled for non-cardiac surgery. Preoperative and postoperative blood glucose values were obtained from the electronic medical record. The frequency of blood glucose values maintained within the recommended range of 140-180 mg/dL was recorded. Additional demographic data were collected to include age, height, weight, body mass index, length of surgery, and insulin/oral glycemic medications. RESULTS Of the 9,449 surgeries performed between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013, there were 762 (8%) adult non-cardiac surgical patients identified with either a diagnosis of diabetes or a blood glucose value reported during the perioperative period. The recommended blood glucose range of 140-180 mg/dL was achieved in 31.3% (179 of 572) of patients before surgery and 28.6% (71 of 248) after surgery. A blood glucose value was not recorded before or after surgery in 24.9% (190 of 762) of patients identified as having pre-diabetes or diabetes. CONCLUSION Diabetes is a frequent finding in surgical patients. Monitoring blood glucose values during the perioperative period may allow for early treatment and prevent complications related to poor glycemic control. The results of this project revealed 2 potential areas of improvement in the care of non-cardiac surgical patients with diabetes: (1) improving compliance with obtaining blood glucose values before and after surgery and (2) reducing the incidence of postoperative hyperglycemia (>180 mg/dL) which potentially could prevent avoidable complications related to poor glycemic control.
Composites for Marine Structures

Composite materials are being used increasingly in marine structures due to many advantages. These applications challenge the designers, in view of the unique marine environment, with the presence of sea water and moisture, varying temperatures, and time-dependent three-dimensional loading due to wave slamming and other factors. In addition, Naval structures are required to withstand highly dynamic loading during combat situations, due to weapons impact, or to air or underwater explosions. The major factors governing the design of future Naval structures include: Affordability, Combat Effectiveness, Survivability, Reliability, Durability, and Structural Integrity. The “Composites for Marine Structures” research program at the Office of Naval Research provides the scientific basis for the effective design of affordable Naval structures utilizing composites and composite sandwich construction. It deals with the response of glass fiber and carbon fiber reinforced composites and composite sandwich structures to static, cyclic, and dynamic multi-axial loading conditions. An overview will be provided of this research program, with a discussion of its objectives, research issues, recent accomplishments, and future directions. Topics discussed will include: failure modes and failure criteria (3D); delamination growth under fatigue loading; dynamic constitutive behavior; dynamic failure modes; intersonic crack growth; the effect of moisture and sea water absorption; coupling effects between sea water absorption and mechanical fatigue; effect of hydrostatic pressure on constitutive behavior; failure modes in sandwich structures; impact damage in sandwich structures. The use of innovative experimental techniques for the real-time assesment of damage and failure will also be discussed. For example, coupling high speed photography, capable of 100 million frames per second, with advanced optical techniques for mapping full field deformations, and with infra-red sensor arrays for determining thermal fields in the vicinity of failure surfaces and crack fronts, have shown the importance of accounting for thermodynamic effects during dynamic failure. Examples of current and planned composite marine structures and structural components in the U.S. and Europe, will also be provided.
Graptolite zone calibrated stratigraphy and topography of the late Ordovician-early Silurian Wufeng-Lungmachi shale in Upper Yangtze area, South China

Stratigraphic architecture and topography of the Late Ordovician-Early Silurian Wufeng-Lungmachi shale in the Upper Yangtze area, South China, are analyzed based on calibration of graptolite zones and integrated interpretation of data sets of 3D seismic, drilling wells, and outcrops. The lithostratigraphic architecture is well correlated with graptolite zones. Going upwards, the Wufeng Formation is equivalent to graptolite zone WF1–4, layer 1 to LM1, layer 2 to LM2–3, layer 3 to LM4, layer 4 to LM5, sub-member 2 to LM6–8, and member 2 to LM9 of the Lungmachi Formation. During this depositional period, the Upper Yangtze area was bordered by Chuangzhong thickness zero area (CZZA) in the northwest and Qianzhong-Xuefeng thickness zero area (QXZA) in the southeast and the zero lines migrated southeastwards progressively. The Upper Yangtze area had southwest (SDA) and northeast (NDA) depositional areas separated along Zuo3-FL-TH1. The SDA has fairly smaller shale thickness and distribution area relative to the NDA. In addition, both the SDA and the NDA had depocenters which migrated away from the QXZA progressively. The locations of the CZZA and QXZA may show the possible positions of the Chuanzhong Paleo-uplift and the Qianzhong-Xuefeng Old Land. During this period, the topography of the Upper Yangtze area was fairly rough and a submerged high might occur along Zuo3-FL-TH1. Because of sustained compression from the Cathaysia block, the depocenters migrated northwestwards and the sedimentation rate increased continuously.
Stakeholder Perceptions in the Context of Community Risk Reduction (CRR): Self-reported Hazards as Two-Way Communication Between First Responders and the Communities They Serve

Due to rapid advances in technology, particularly location-based services, there has been an increase in the availability of self-reporting hazard tools and mobile applications. However, many challenges remain in understanding stakeholders’ perceptions of community risk reduction (CRR) information systems and the impact these self-reports have on emergency response. This paper addresses the gap in the existing literature by combining theories and data from multiple disciplines. Existing research has traditionally focused on Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), citizen science for Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and participatory mapping. Still, the extant literature does not comprehensively evaluate community stakeholders’ perceptions and engagement in emergency preparedness efforts, particularly for applications intending to engage both civilians and first responders. More importantly, there is little existing research to better understand the relationships that exist between the first responders, technology, and residents they serve in their first-due areas. Consequently, this paper aims to provide an overview on how to best support multiple stakeholders and to foster more constructive communication between first responders and the communities they serve through technology mediated self-reporting tools.
Mixed Acid Fermentation of Carbohydrate-Rich Dairy Manure Hydrolysate.

Dairy manure (DM) is an abundant agricultural residue that is largely composed of lignocellulosic biomass. The aim of this study was to investigate if carbon derived from DM fibers can be recovered as medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs), which are mixed culture fermentation products of economic interest. DM fibers were subjected to combinations of physical, enzymatic, chemical, and thermochemical pretreatments to evaluate the possibility of producing carbohydrate-rich hydrolysates suitable for microbial fermentation by mixed cultures. Among the pretreatments tested, decrystalization dilute acid pretreatment (DCDA) produced the highest concentrations of glucose and xylose, and was selected for further experiments. Bioreactors fed DCDA hydrolysate were operated. Acetic acid and butyric acid comprised the majority of end products during operation of the bioreactors. MCFAs were transiently produced at a maximum concentration of 0.17 mg CODMCFAs/mg CODTotal. Analyses of the microbial communities in the bioreactors suggest that lactic acid bacteria, Megasphaera, and Caproiciproducens were involved in MCFA and C4 production during DCDA hydrolysate metabolism.
Novel Inhibitory Brainstem Neurons with Selective Projections to Spinal Lamina I Reduce Both Pain and Itch

Chronic pain and itch afflict millions of patients, and current treatments are largely ineffective. We do not fully understand the neural control of pain and itch, and are thus limited in developing therapies targeting the underlying circuitry in the brain or spinal cord. Current models show that lamina I of the spinal cord contains the neurons that transmit pain and itch information from the skin up to the brain. However, it is not well understood how the brain modulates pain and itch sensations in a top-down fashion. The simplest and most direct way for the brain to suppress pain and itch would be a direct, inhibitory projection to lamina I sensory neurons, but prior investigations have focused on brainstem regions that project axons nonspecifically across many laminae of the spinal cord. In addition to top-down inhibition of pain, pharmacological studies suggest the possibility of top-down itch control, but this has no known neural substrate. Therefore, the specific neural pathway the brain uses to modulate pain remains incompletely understood, and whether the brain can inhibit itch in a top-down fashion is unknown. Here we identify a novel population of GABAergic neurons in the ventral brainstem, distinguished by prodynorphin expression, which we named LJA5. LJA5 neurons provide the only known inhibitory projection specifically to lamina I of the spinal cord, which contains sensory neurons that transmit pain and itch information up to the brain. Chemogenetically activating LJA5 neurons reduces pain and itch. Identifying this new top-down pathway opens new treatment opportunities for chronic, refractory pain and pruritis.
Litigation Analytics: A Framework For Understanding, Using & Teaching

This article, appearing in the American Association of Law Libraries bimonthly member magazine, provides a brief introduction (under 2000 words) to litigation analytics. It contains a definition, common uses of litigation analytics, a brief history, as well as why litigation analytics should be taught in law school. The author provides his framework for teaching and understanding litigation analytics which includes types of analytics, pivot points (perspectives from which the analytics may be understood), and contextualizes the various analytics offerings by insight-needs categories: (1) categorizing and clustering; (2) ordering, ranking, and sorting; (3) distribution; (4) comparison; (5) trends; (6) geospatial location; (7) composition; and (8) relationships. Additionally, the article contains a cautionary hypothetical as to how the predictive nature of analytics might stifle the development of the law in a particular area.
Continuum-based and cluster models for nanomaterials

As a result of the rapid advances in the synthesis of nanomaterials, developing robust modeling methods for evaluating the physical properties of nanomaterials is becoming increasingly important. Nanomaterials are distinguished by their near-perfect molecular structures at the nanometer scale and outstanding mechanical properties defined at the macroscopic level. Correspondingly, hierarchical modeling approach has the unique advantage in its ability to describe the structure-property relations. In this work, two different hierarchical approaches for describing the mechanics of nanomaterials are presented. The first model is a continuum-based model derived from the theory of crystal elasticity. The second is the virtual atom cluster (VAC) model recently proposed in [1, 2]. In the proposed continuum-based model, it is shown that the deformation measures introduced in the model strongly depend on the underlying atomistic model. As a result, the significances of these measures are fundamentally different from those in the classical continuum theory. The VAC model, on the other hand, is a discrete model that is extracted directly from the atomistic model. Following the presentation of the two models, a systematic comparison is presented in terms of the accuracy and range of applicability. Finally, the robustness of both models and their link to the atomistic model are discussed and shown through benchmark problems.
Involvement of the mandible and oral mucosa in a case of rectal adenocarcinoma with generalized metastases; report of a case.

Abstract An unusual case of adenocarcinoma of the rectum, with involvement of the oral mucosa and mandible as a feature of generalized metastasis, is presented. From a review of the literature, this form of metastatic involvement from rectal adenocarcinoma appears to be unique. The similarity in microscopic pattern between the rectal lesion and the oral metastasis is noted, and the possible routes of metastasis are discussed. From the available evidence, it could not be decided whether the primary oral involvement occurred in the buccal mucosa or in the mandible.
Enhancement of Wound Healing with Dietary Ketosis: in vivo and in vitro Experiments

Chronic wounds create a substantial burden to patients and health care professionals, affecting 1.8 million new patients per year and costing $25 billion annually. The majority of chronic wounds occur in the elderly. Key features associated with age-related impairment of wound healing include limited energy and nutrient exchange, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and diminished blood flow. Ketone bodies, including β-Hydroxybutyrate (βHB), are naturally occurring energy substrates. We previously reported that oral ketone supplementation without dietary restriction enhanced wound closure and increased blood flow in young and aged Fisher rats. We hypothesized that improved wound closure was due to a ketone-induced favorable shift in metabolic parameters and a decrease in ROS production. Following a 28-day administration of oral ketone supplements in young rats, serum was analyzed by Metabolon using GC/MS. Ketone supplementation significantly increased TCA cycle intermediates, antioxidants carnosine an...
Devaluation, stabilization policies and the developing countries: A macroeconomic analysis

Abstract This paper analyzes the short-run effects of traditional balance-of-payments policies for a small developing country. The country is assumed to be running persistent payments deficits under a fixed exchange rate regime. This paper illustrates how conventional results are affected by the presence of (a) imported intermediate inputs, (b) partial wage indexation, and (c) a large initial trade deficit. Stagflationary effects of a currency devaluation are particularly noteworthy. A tariff/subsidy policy that leaves the price of imported inputs unaffected is shown to be likely to achieve the payments objectives without creating significant adverse supply-side effects.
Reduced triphosphopyridine nucleotide oxidase-catalyzed alterations of membrane phospholipids. V. Use of erythrocytes to demonstrate enzyme-dependent production of a component with the properties of a free radical.

Abstract Evidence is given for the generation of a component having the properties of a free radical during the oxidation of TPNH by liver microsomes. The component is apparently responsible for the peroxidative chain scission of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the microsomal membrane which occurs during TPNH-dependent electron transport. The component is also capable of causing rapid lysis of erythrocytes when the latter are added to the reaction system. The hemolysis is prevented (a) by inhibitors of TPNH oxidation, (b) by prior heat denaturation of the microsomes, (c) by including free radical trapping agents in the incubation system, and (d) by elevating the level of α-tocopherol intake of the erythrocyte donors for several days. Hemolysis, when in progress, stops abruptly whenever the enzyme activity ceases, demonstrating that the component has a very short half-life. The hemolysis was shown not to be caused by the microsomal phospholipids which had undergone peroxidative cleavage. The hemolysis occurred even under conditions in which there was no alteration of microsomal phospholipids at all. The results indicate that the mechanism of electron transport from TPNH by microsomes involves free radical intermediates. The course of production of the radical-like component can be followed by observing its lytic action on erythrocytes.
Global sensitivity analysis of terrain effects in geolocation systems

The design of geolocation systems has traditionally used linearized models or one-at-a-time sensitivity analyses, which ignore most of the design space. Global sensitivity analysis algorithms enable more complete system characterization for more complex, nondifferentiable models, such as a digital elevation model (DEM). This paper develops the necessary framework for applying global sensitivity analysis methods to geolocation systems and demonstrates the algorithm’s enhanced fidelity by applying it to an example angle of arrival and DEM geolocation system. Terrain roughness is found to be a significant parameter solely through interaction effects with other parameters, effects that would have been missed by simpler analyses.
Assessment of Supportive, Conflicted, and Controlling Dimensions of Family Functioning: A Principal Components Analysis of Family Environment Scale Subscales in a College Sample:

A principal components analysis of the Family Environment Scale (FES) was performed on a sample of 113 university undergraduates. Although the FES is extensively used to assess family environment, little research has investigated the empirical combination of FES subscales into composites. Results supported three broad components encompassing the 10 FES subscales; these components replicated previous findings in other samples. The similarity of results across these groups supports generalization of the FES components to college samples.