cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety of Dynamic Intravenous Iron Administration Strategies in Hemodialysis Patients

Background and objectives Intravenous iron therapy for chronic anemia management is largely driven by dosing protocols that differ in intensity with respect to dosing approach (i.e., dose, frequency, and duration). Little is known about the safety of these protocols. Design, setting, participants, & measurements Using clinical data from a large United States dialysis provider linked to health care utilization data from Medicare, we constructed a cohort of patients with ESKD aged ≥65 years who initiated and continued center-based hemodialysis for ≥90 days between 2009 and 2012, and initiated at least one of the five common intravenous iron administration strategies; ranked by intensity (the amount of iron given at moderate-to-high iron indices), the order of strategies was 3 (least intensive), 2 (less intensive), 1 (reference), 4 (more intensive), and 5 (most intensive). We estimated the effect of continuous exposure to these strategies on cumulative risks of mortality and infection-related events with dynamic Cox marginal structural models. Results Of 13,249 eligible patients, 1320 (10%) died and 1627 (12%) had one or more infection-related events during the 4-month follow-up. The most and least commonly initiated strategy was strategy 2 and 5, respectively. Compared with the reference strategy 1, more intensive strategies (4 and 5) demonstrated a higher risk of all-cause mortality (e.g., most intensive strategy 5: 60-day risk difference: 1.3%; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.8% to 2.1%; 120-day risk difference: 3.1%; 95% CI, 1.0% to 5.6%). Similarly, higher risks were observed for infection-related morbidity and mortality among more intensive strategies (e.g., strategy 5: 60-day risk difference: 1.8%; 95% CI, 1.2% to 2.6%; 120-day risk difference: 4.3%; 95% CI, 2.2% to 6.8%). Less intensive strategies (2 and 3) demonstrated lower risks of all-cause mortality and infection-related events. Conclusions Among dialysis patients surviving 90 days, subsequent intravenous iron administration strategies promoting more intensive iron treatment at moderate-to-high iron indices levels are associated with higher risks of mortality and infection-related events.
Tuning the composition of conductive thermoplastics for stiffness switching and electrically activated healing

We introduce a class of stiffness-tuning polymer composites and carefully examine the influence of electrical activation and temperature on stiffness for a wide range of use cases. The composites a...
Biopolymer-Delivered, Maternally Sequestered NF-κB (Nuclear Factor-κB) Inhibitory Peptide for Treatment of Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that causes significant acute and long-term risk to the mother and the baby. The multifaceted maternal syndrome is driven by overproduction of circulating anti-angiogenic factors, widespread inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) is a transcription factor that plays a central role in the inflammatory response. Its activity is increased in the preeclamptic placenta, and it promotes the systemic endothelial dysfunction present in preeclampsia. There is an acute need for new therapeutics targeted to the causative pathways of preeclampsia. Our group has developed a drug delivery system based on the bioengineered protein ELP (elastin-like polypeptide) that is capable of stabilizing therapeutics in the maternal circulation and preventing their placental transfer. Here we used the ELP carrier system to deliver a peptide known to inhibit the NF-κB pathway. This polypeptide, containing a cell-penetrating peptide and an NF-κB inhibitory peptide derived from the p50 nuclear localization sequence (abbreviated SynB1-ELP-p50i), blocked NF-κB activation and prevented TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor alpha)-induced endothelin production in vitro. Fusion of the p50i peptide to the SynB1-ELP carrier slowed its plasma clearance and prevented its placental transfer in pregnant rats, resulting in increased deposition in the maternal kidney, liver, and placenta relative to the free peptide. When administered in a rat model of placental ischemia, SynB1-ELP-p50i partially ameliorated placental ischemia-induced hypertension and reduced placental TNF-α levels with no signs of toxicity. These data support the continued development of ELP-delivered NF-κB inhibitors as maternally sequestered anti-inflammatory agents for preeclampsia therapy.
Remembering Emmett Till

Dave Tell’s Remembering Emmett Till is not simply another historiographical project about the 1955 killing of the black teenager from Chicago. It is about how issues of race, class, geography, and ...
A Patient with Nephrotic Syndrome and Acute Flank Pain

### Case Answer A 58-year-old man with nephrotic syndrome (8 g of protein per 24 hours and serum albumin 1.6 g/dl) due to biopsy-proven idiopathic membranous nephropathy (Figure 1A) diagnosed 3 weeks prior developed acute onset of right flank pain. Serum creatinine was 1.9 mg/dl (baseline, 0.9 mg/dl). Urinalysis demonstrated 1+ blood and 3+ protein, whereas urine microscopy revealed 30 isomorphic red blood cells per high power field. A computed-tomography angiogram of the abdomen (Figure 1B) was undertaken and it revealed an extensive right renal vein thrombus (RVT) (yellow arrow) extending into the inferior vena cava (white arrow) on venous phase imaging. The patient underwent percutaneous catheter thrombectomy and local thrombolytic therapy with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator followed by a heparin drip, which was transitioned to warfarin. …
Robust Error-State Kalman Filter for Estimating IMU Orientation

Inertial measurement units (IMUs) are increasingly utilized as motion capture devices in human movement studies. Given their high portability, IMUs can be deployed in any environment, importantly those outside of the laboratory. However, a significant challenge limits the adoption of this technology; namely estimating the orientation of the IMUs to a common world frame, which is essential to estimating the rotations across skeletal joints. Common (probabilistic) methods for estimating IMU orientation rely on the ability to update the current orientation estimate using data provided by the IMU. The objective of this work is to present a novel error-state Kalman filter that yields highly accurate estimates of IMU orientation that are robust to poor measurement updates from fluctuations in the local magnetic field and/or highly dynamic movements. The method is validated with ground truth data collected with highly accurate orientation measurements provided by a coordinate measurement machine. As an example, the method yields IMU-estimated orientations that remain within 3.7 degrees (RMS error) over relatively long (25 cumulative minutes) trials even in the presence of large fluctuations in the local magnetic field. For comparison, ignoring the magnetic interference increases the RMS error to 12.8 degrees, more than a threefold increase.
The spinal distribution of metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Support for locoregional rather than arterial hematogenous mode of early bony dissemination.

Abstract Background Quantifying the degree to which spinal involvement of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is a locoregional phenomenon vs. a hematogenous, bone-specific affinity has implications for prognosis and antimetastatic therapy. Objective To investigate the distribution of spinal metastasis in mRCC and to explore relationships between clinical factors and patterns of spinal spread. Methods Patients with mRCC and spinal involvement from June 2005 to November 2018 were identified. Clinical and biologic features including primary tumor size and degree of spinal and nonbony metastatic involvement were collected. Spinal distributions were evaluated by the permutation test, with the null hypothesis that metastases are distributed uniformly across levels. Results One hundred patients with 685 spinal levels involved by mRCC were evaluated. A nonuniform spatial distribution was observed across the cohort (P Conclusions These data support a dominant locoregional as opposed to arterial hematogenous mechanism for early spinal dissemination of mRCC. Characterizations of the biologic molecular features contributing to osseous tropism and aggressive tumor biology (as seen in the subset of outlier patients with small tumors who appear to have more uniform spread), have implications for surveillance and are an area of active investigation.
Paper trails: Using letter writing to understand social isolation and poverty in a rural community:

SummaryLetter writing was used as a qualitative research strategy to access the narratives of individuals living in rural poverty. Undergraduate social work students in a freshman seminar course we...
Physical and psychosocial comorbidities of pediatric hidradenitis suppurativa: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is understudied in the pediatric population. Adult HS patients are known to have a high comorbidity burden. We aimed to describe physical and psychosocial comorbidities in a cohort of pediatric HS patients. METHODS A retrospective chart review of pediatric HS patients at a single academic institution was conducted. Data on patient demographics, disease characteristics, and physical and psychosocial comorbidities in pediatric patients with HS were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Seventy-three pediatric patients were included in this study, 81% female. Mean (SD) age of HS disease onset was 12.6 (2.9) years. Comorbid conditions were reported in 68 of 73 (93%) patients. Significantly increased rates of several comorbidities were seen in our cohort as compared to the general US pediatric population. Metabolic and endocrine abnormalities were prevalent, with 52% (22/42) patients with obesity and 10% (6/59) with polycystic ovary syndrome. The most common cutaneous comorbidity was acne vulgaris, seen in 37% (27/73) of patients. Over one quarter (21/73, 29%) of patients had either an anxiety or depression disorder. Almost one-fifth (14/73, 19%) of our cohort had a diagnosis of asthma and other reactive airway diseases. Only one-third (24/73, 33%) of patients had documentation regarding impact of HS on their daily life. Overall, comorbidities largely did not significantly differ based on race, gender, or disease severity. CONCLUSIONS Pediatric patients with HS face a high-comorbidity burden, especially with psychiatric conditions. Early identification, including routine mental health screening, and management of comorbidities is warranted in the pediatric HS population.
Causality: Actions, Plans, and Direct Effects

He whose actions exceed his wisdom, his wisdom shall endure. Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa (1st century a.d. ) Preface So far, our analysis of causal effects has focused on primitive interventions of the form do(x) , which stood for setting the value of variable X to a fixed constant, x , and asking for the effect of this action on the probabilities of some response variables Y . In this chapter we introduce several extensions of this analysis. First (Section 4.1), we discuss the status of actions vis-a-vis observations in probability theory, decision analysis, and causal modeling, and we advance the thesis that the main role of causal models is to facilitate the evaluation of the effect of novel actions and policies that were unanticipated during the construction of the model. In Section 4.2 we extend the identification analysis of Chapter 3 to conditional actions of the form “do x if you see z ” and stochastic policies of the form “do x with probability p if you see z .” We shall see that the evaluation and identification of these more elaborate interventions can be obtained from the analysis of primitive interventions. In Section 4.3, we use the intervention calculus developed in Chapter 3 to give a graphical characterization of a set of semi-Markovian models for which the causal effect of one variable on another can be identified. We address in Section 4.4 the problem of evaluating the effect of sequential plans – namely, sequences of time-varying actions (some taken concurrently) designed to produce a certain outcome.
Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention of Hepatitis B Reactivation

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is a global public health problem and is the leading cause of cirrhosis and liver cancer worldwide. Despite significant morbidity and mortality of CHB, there remains lack of knowledge and awareness in screening patients at risk. HBV reactivation is well documented in patients previously exposed to HBV receiving immunosuppressive agents and is characterized by a rise in serum HBV DNA with ALT elevation. The delayed recognition of reactivation can lead to significant clinical consequences, including liver failure and death, and can be prevented with antiviral treatment. The challenges surrounding the management of HBV reactivation include a lack of awareness of this phenomenon, heterogeneity in clinical practice for CHB, and a paucity of data to guide clinicians in the prevention and treatment of reactivation. Collaboration and partnership across medical specialties will be essential in the development of consensus guidelines.
A Flouroscopic X-Ray Registration Process for Three-Dimensional Surgical Navigation

We describe a system involving a computer-instrumented fluoroscope for the purpose of 3D navigation and guidance using pre-operative diagnostic scans as a reference. The goal of the project is to devise a computer-assisted tool that will improve the accuracy, reduce risk, minimize the invasiveness, and shorten the time it takes to perform a variety of neurosurgical and orthopedic procedures of the spine. For this purpose we propose an apparatus that will track surgical tools and localize them with respect to the patient’s anatomy and pre-operative 3D diagnostic scans using intraoperative fluoroscopy for in situ registration. The resulting system leverages equipment already commonly available in the Operating Room (OR), allowing us to provide important new functionality that is free of many current limitations, while keeping costs contained.
The mathematical modelling of continuous emulsion polymerization reactors: Prediction of multiple steady states and sustained oscillations in methylmethacrylate polymerization

Abstract A mathematical model is developed which is shown to represent available literature data on continuous methylmethacrylate polymerization reactors—for
The effects of student verbal and nonverbal responsiveness on teachers' liking of students and willingness to comply with student requests

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of student verbal and nonverbal responsiveness on teachers' liking of students and willingness to comply with student requests. Rather than students' verbal and nonverbal responsiveness interacting, only students' nonverbal responsiveness significantly affected teachers' liking of students and willingness to comply with student requests. Students' nonverbal responsiveness accounted for 66% of the variance in teachers' liking of students and 31% of the variance in teachers' willingness to comply with student requests. It was also hypothesized that teachers' liking of students would moderate the effect of student responsiveness on teacher compliance. This hypothesis was not supported.
Transient loading-related settlement of a square foundation on geogrid-reinforced sand

Laboratory model test results are presented that determine the effectiveness of using layers of geogrids as reinforcement in sand to reduce the settlement of square surface foundations subjected to transient loading. The model tests were conducted with only one type of geogrid at one relative density of compaction of sand. The maximum intensity of the transient load applied always exceeded the static ultimate bearing capacity of the foundation when supported by unreinforced sand. The settlement reduction factors for various depths of reinforcement have been determined.
Metal-catalyzed oxidation of immunoglobulin G impairs Fc receptor-mediated binding to macrophages

Enhanced oxidative stress is a feature of inflammatory and infectious conditions. Proteins may be important targets of oxidation and this may alter their function. We evaluated whether metal-catalyzed oxidation of IgG could alter its ability to bind to Fc receptors on macrophages. Human IgG incubated with an FeCl3/EDTA/ascorbate metal-catalyzed oxidation system resulted in a significant increase in carbonyl content, a measure of protein oxidation, compared to IgG treated with EDTA alone (control). Western blot analysis using an antibody to oxidized protein revealed an increase in antibody binding to both the heavy (Fc portion-containing) and light chains of IgG treated with the oxidizing system. Western blot analysis of papain-digested IgG confirmed oxidative modification of the Fc portion. Binding studies carried out with J774.16 macrophages demonstrated significantly diminished ability of the oxidized IgG to bind to macrophage Fc receptors compared to control IgG. These data demonstrate that IgG is susceptible to metal-catalyzed oxidation and that this impairs its ability to bind to macrophage Fc receptors. Oxidation of IgG might play a role in modulating immune function in infection and disorders associated with immune complex formation by diminishing IgG binding to phagocytic cells.
A Systematic Desensitization Paradigm to Treat Hypersensitivity to Auditory Stimuli in Children with Autism in Family Contexts

Many children with autism display reactions to auditory stimuli that seem as if the stimuli were painful or otherwise extremely aversive. This article describes, within the contexts of three experi...
Effect of Host Response on Feeding and Digestion in Hematophagous Insects

Langley (1967) showed that laboratory-reared tsetse flies, Glossina morsitans Westwood, (reared from fieldcaught pupae) excrete more slowly after feeding, secrete proteases more slowly after feeding, and are less willing to feed again, several days after feeding, than wild-caught adult flies. In general, digestive activity in laboratory reared flies is slower than in field-captured flies. Langley attributed this difference to a lessening of neuro secretory activity in the laboratory-reared flies, although this lessening is toi) slight to be detected histologically. Neurosecretions of the brain-corpora cardiaca have been shown to be important in the regulation of proteolytic enzymes (Wigglesworth 1964, Novak 1966).
Using Anchored Instruction to Teach about Assistive Technology

This investigation reports about the development and formative evaluation of an assistive technology instructional module that was developed in an integrated hypermedia format according to principles of anchored instruction. The module was field-tested with undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals. Revisions were made in the module on the basis of feedback from the field tests. It was concluded that people respond positively to anchored instruction on the topic of assistive technology and that anchored instruction appears to have utility for both preservice and inservice training. A number of implications are described for those who are involved in the development and delivery of instruction about assistive technology.
Relaxation energies in UV-photoelectron spectroscopy of chemisorbed hydrogen

Abstract The adsorption of a proton on metal (jellium) surfaces has been investigated using a similar approach to that described in a previous paper for hydrogen chemisorption. The screening parameter of the induced electronic charge around the proton was determined by minimizing the total interaction energy variationally. This parameter was then used to obtain the induced electronic charge density and to evaluate the electrostatic potentials involved in chemisorption. The calculated binding energy was then regarded as the excited final state energy in the case of photoemission from the chemisorbed hydrogen. Incorporating the initial state energies and chemical shifts which were obtained in a previous paper, the resonance levels and relaxation energies associated with the hydrogen chemisorbed on different jellium substrates have been obtained.
Lotus Cell Walls and the Genes Involved in its Synthesis and Modification

The lotus genome (Nelumbo nucifera (Gaertn.)) lacks the paleo-triplication found in other eudicots and has evolved remarkably slowly with fewer nucleotide mutations. It is thought to have greater retention of duplicated genes than other angiosperms. We evaluated the potential genes involved in cell wall synthesis and its modification, and ethylene synthesis and response. In many cell wall transferases and hydrolases families, lotus had fewer members in most families when compared to Arabidopsis. Lotus had similar or fewer members in each family as found in poplar, grape and papaya. The exceptions were in the sialyl and beta-glucuronsyl transferases where similar number were found as in the core eudicots. Lotus had similar numbers of polygalacturonase and pectin methyl esterases as found in Arabidopsis but fewer in all other hydrolases families. For starch degradation, lotus had only two alpha amylases predicted genes versus eight to ten in other eudicots, with similar numbers of beta amylase genes predicted. Lotus also had less than half the number of genes predicted for the enzymes involved in lignin and tannin synthesis compared to Arabidopsis. The stress plant growth regulator ethylene’s synthesis, reception and response predicted genes were fewer in lotus than other eudicots. Only two ethylene receptor genes were predicted in lotus with five reported for Arabidopsis and six for tomato. Our analysis does not supports the conclusion that this species has greater retention of duplicated genes though our data does support the conclusion that lotus split occurred at the base of the eudicots.
Effects of gonadal steroids on nerve growth factor receptors in sympathetic and sensory ganglia of neonatal rats

Abstract The numbers of neurons in the rat superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCG) differ in males and females, with the males having 30% more SCG neurons than females at 60 days of age. This sex difference arises during the early postnatal period, when testosterone administration increases the numbers of neurons and alters the nerve growth factor (NGF) content of the rat SCG. In contrast, there is no gender difference in number of neurons in the L1 dorsal root ganglion. In both males and females, the amount of NGF bound per ganglion increased between postnatal days 5 and 15 (P5 and P15) in both dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) and the SCG. There is also a gender difference in NGF binding: SCGs and DRGs of female rats at both P5 and P15 bind more NGF per ganglion than do those of males. This effect was more marked in DRGs than in the SCG. Treatment of neonatal females with testosterone reduced NGF binding in both SCGs and DRGs to levels comparable to males at P5, and in DRGs at P15. In contrast, treatment of males with testosterone from birth resulted in a 2–3 fold increase of NGF binding in both SCGs and DRGs as compared to controls at P15. At P15, testosterone treatment of females increased NGF binding in the SCG. Males and females had opposing responses to neonatal exposure to estradiol. Treatment with estradiol from birth increased NGF binding in SCGs and DRGs of females, but had no effect on NGF binding of SCGs, and reduced NGF binding in DRGs of males. These data suggest that there are more NGF receptors in sensory and sympathetic ganglia in developing females as compared to males, and that neonatal exposure to gonadal steroids affects the expression of NGF receptors.
Case studies in asynchronous data parallelism

Is the owner-computes style of parallelism, captured in a variety of data parallel languages, attractive as a paradigm for designing explicit control parallel codes? This question gives rise to a number of others. Will such use be unwieldy? Will the resulting code run well? What can such an approach offer beyond merely replicating, in a more labor intensive way, the services and coverage of data parallel languages? We investigate these questions via a simple example and “real world” case studies developed using C-Linda, a language for explicit parallel programming formed by the merger of C with the Linda coordination language. The results demonstrate owner-computes is an effective design strategy in Linda.
IMPAIRED PYROGEN PRODUCTION BY FETAL AND NEWBORN RABBIT LEUKOCYTES

Since newborns often do not respond to infection with fever, their white cells may not be capable of producing pyrogens. We investigated this possibility in leukocytes obtained from 23 and 26 day gestation fetal rabbits and term (31-33 days gestation), 2 day old, 4 day old, and adult rabbits. Their leukocytes were incubated with E. coli endotoxin and the resultant supernatants, possibly containing pyrogen, were injected into adult rabbits (recipients) whose rectal temperatures were being monitored. Blood samples were drawn from the recipients before and 2 1/2 hours after the injection for the determination of total neutrophil counts. The recipients developed fever following supernatant injections of leukocyte preparations from some fetal, term, and 2 day old rabbits, and all 4 day old and adult rabbits. When there was no febrile response, there was nevertheless a 2 to 4 fold increase in the total neutrophil count. Both the PMN and febrile responses were suppressed by administering pregnant adult plasma to the recipient.
The Ovarian Tumor Index predicts risk for malignancy.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, TheUniversity of Texas Southwestern Medical Centerat Dallas, Dallas, Texas.Address for reprints: Diane M. Twickler, M.D.,Department of Radiology, University of TexasSouthwestern Medical Center, 5323 Harry HinesBoulevard, Dallas TX 75235-8896.Received January 8, 1999; revision received July14, 1999; accepted July 14, 1999.
Uncertainty and markets for renewable resources

Abstract The market allocation of renewable resources is examined when growth rates are affected by random disturbances. Given free access to a renewable resource, environmental disturbances are shown to affect the biological survival of the resource. The optimal solution is then examined and it is shown to be achieved by a competitive allocation when property rights are clearly defined given rational expectations or a complete set of contingent futures markets. The stochastic dynamics are shown in each case to differ considerably from the deterministic model.
Comparison of the bedform distribution and dynamics of modern and ancient sandy ephemeral flood deposits in the southwestern Karoo region, South Africa

Abstract During January 1981, unusually high rainfall patterns in the semi-arid southwestern Karoo region of South Africa gave rise to catastrophic floods in the area, the most devastating of which was the ephemeral flash-flood that partially destroyed the town of Laingsburg. Flood waters at Laingsburg spread from a dry river bed, rising to a depth of 12 m within 7 h, washing away houses and burying the town with up to 3.5 m of sand and silt. Facies sequences and bedforms in the Laingsburg flood deposits are related to specific subenvironments and flow conditions during the flood event. Two large-scale sedimentary units in erosive contact with each other were deposited by two major discharge pulses within the same flood event. Vertical and lateral variations in the bedform distributions reflect fluctuations in flow velocity and turbulence. Comparison is drawn between the Laingsburg flood deposits and fluvial sandstones of the Permian Lower Beaufort in the southwestern Karoo. The multistoried sandstone bodies, composed mainly of a horizontally laminated lithofacies, are interpreted as the products of a complex series of ephemeral flooding events. Individual storey units in the palaeochannel sequences are generally envisaged as the deposits of different floods. However, evidence from the modern flood shows that separate pulses of a single flooding episode can also produce a sequence of storey units bounded by erosive scours. Spectacular palaeosurfaces in the Lower Beaufort also have modern analogues in the Laingsburg overbank deposits. Discussion on the preservation potential of delicate sedimentary structures and biogenic traces on these surfaces emphasizes the necessity for pulsatory deposition of bedload and suspended-load material over short intervals of time. By comparing facies profiles and surface bedforms the ephemeral fluvial facies model for the Lower Beaufort is critically appraised.
On integral domains with no atoms

Antimatter domains are defined to be the integral domains which do not have any atoms. It is proved that each integral domain can be em-bedded as a subring of some antimatter domain which is not a field. Any fragmented domain is an antimatter domain, but the converse fails in each positive Krull dimension. A detailed study is made of the passage of the“an-timatter”property between the partners within an overring extension. Special attention is given to characterizing antimatter domains in classes of valuation domains, pseudo-valuation domains, and various types of pullbacks.
NEW GENERA AND SPECIES OF CHRYSOBALANACEAE FROM MALESIA AND OCEANIA

Two new genera of Chrysobalanaceae are described.Hunga distributed in New Caledonia, the Loyalty Islands and Papua and New Guinea, contains eight species, three new, and five formerly placed in the generaAngelesia, Licania andParinari.Kostermanthus is described to accommodate two species with united filaments formerly placed inParinari andAcioa. Both new genera are quite as distinct as others of the family and have been overlooked by undue emphasis placed on the single character of a bilocular ovary.Licania palawanensis Prance is also described; it is the second species of its genus from Malesia.
Keepin’ It Real in Hip Hop Politics: A Political Perspective of Tupac Shakur

Outside of his most incendiary critics, Tupac Shakur is generally perceived as a socially conscious artist whose political credibility is located in his lyrical critiques of racism and his mother’s membership in the Black Panther Party. Popular and academic writers have failed to examine Tupac’s distinct political ideas and identifiable activism. This article serves as a prolegomenon to the necessary dialogue on the politics of Tupac Shakur. Drawing from interviews, public statements, and lyrical analyses, the author expands the discourse on Shakur’s contribution to the African American fight against racism and injustice.
Ex-Prisoners' Re-Entry: An Emerging Frontier and a Social Work Challenge

ABSTRACT The statistics about incarceration in America during the past three decades indicate soaring numbers of people in prisons and jails. Upon release, ex-prisoners today have had longer incarceration periods, possess low levels of education or job skills, and often have significant physical and mental health problems and/or drug addiction. As a result, their re-entry into society is largely unsuccessful. In this policy analysis, we review the data on incarceration, its impact on those incarcerated, and the challenges of re-entry. We suggest methods for coping with this emerging social problem. Paramount will be the challenge to many social service systems to develop comprehensive sets of services such as independent housing and jobs alongside counseling and rehabilitation.
Family Puppet Interview

At the Pittsburgh Child Guidance Center and the Family Therapy Clinic of Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, a number of expressive modalities have been utilized in work with individuals, groups and families. One technique that has been clinically rewarding in diagnosis as well as in therapy has been the Family Puppet Interview, a symbolic and interactive procedure that involves the whole family simultaneously. The value of this activity lies not only in the wealth of interactive data but in the symbolic family fantasy material that the interview generates. This paper will describe the procedure and present several case examples to illustrate its application.
Intergenerational gamete donation: Ethical and societal implications☆☆☆★

Cases of daughter-to-mother oocyte donation, niece-to-aunt oocyte donation, and father-to-son sperm donation are presented. Comparisons to sibling gamete donation and organ donation, potential ethical conflicts, and societal implications are examined in an attempt to aid decision making when these procedures are requested.
The Impact of APA and AERA Guidelines on Effect Size Reporting

Given the long history of effect size (ES) indices (Olejnik and Algina Contemporary Educational Psychology, 25, 241–286 2000) and various attempts by APA and AERA to encourage the reporting and interpretation of ES to supplement findings from inferential statistical analyses, it is essential to document the impact of APA and AERA standards on ES reporting practices. In this paper, we investigated the impact by examining findings from 31 published reviews and our own review of 451 articles published in 2009 and 2010. The 32 reviews were divided into two periods: before and after 1999. A total of 116 journals were reviewed. Findings from these 32 reviews revealed that since 1999, the ES reporting has improved in terms of its rate, variety, interpretation, confidence intervals, and fullness. Yet several inadequate practices still persisted: (1) the dominance of Cohen’s d, and the unadjusted R 2/η2, (2) the mere labeling of ES, (3) the under-reporting of confidence intervals, and (4) a lack of integration between ES and statistical tests. The paper concludes with resources on Internet and recommendations for improving ES reporting practices.
Performance of efficiently-encodable iteratively-decodable block codes

Principles for designing efficiently-encodable (EE) iteratively-decodable block codes are investigated. We assumed encoding is performed by an erasure-filling decoder and are interested in minimizing encoding time, subject to maintaining good error performance in decoding. We focus on a design parameter, called the recovery vector n, which controls the encoding speed of EE codes. When designing powerful block codes, this vector affords great flexibility in setting the encoding speed. Both analytic and simulation results indicate that faster encoding speed eventually implies a degraded error floor performance, and in practice the tradeoff between encoding speed and error floor performance should be evaluated to meet the actual application. In addition, an extra design rule is proposed for EE low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, and we show that the popular irregular repeat accumulate (IRA) codes and efficiently-encodable rate-compatible (EERC) codes can be obtained by using such rule.
An investigation of power flow in the mid-frequency range for systems of co-linear beams based on a hybrid finite element formulation

A hybrid finite element analysis (hybrid FEA) is employed for investigating power flow characteristics for systems of co-linear beams in the mid-frequency range. The importance of capturing power re-injection and power re-radiation effects in the solution is demonstrated. The dependency of the power flow characteristics of a system in the mid-frequency range on the rigidity, mass, and damping properties of its components is determined. Both the hybrid FEA and analytical solutions are employed for analyses in order to establish the viability of the hybrid FEA as a simulation technology in the mid-frequency range. Results from a high-frequency method are compared to hybrid FEA solutions in order to demonstrate the importance of capturing the resonant effects in mid-frequency computations.
Novel Inhibitors of Human Histone Deacetylase (HDAC) Identified by QSAR Modeling of Known Inhibitors, Virtual Screening, and Experimental Validation

Inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACIs) have emerged as a new class of drugs for the treatment of human cancers and other diseases because of their effects on cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. In this study we have developed several quantitative structure−activity relationship (QSAR) models for 59 chemically diverse histone deacetylase class 1 (HDAC1) inhibitors. The variable selection k nearest neighbor (kNN) and support vector machines (SVM) QSAR modeling approaches using both MolconnZ and MOE chemical descriptors generated from two-dimensional rendering of compounds as chemical graphs have been employed. We have relied on a rigorous model development workflow including the division of the data set into training, test, and external sets and extensive internal and external validation. Highly predictive QSAR models were generated with leave-one-out cross-validated (LOO-CV) q2 and external R2 values as high as 0.80 and 0.87, respectively, using the kNN/MolconnZ approach and 0.93 and 0.87, re...
Mineralocorticoids, dietary conditions, and sodium appetite.

The present experiments show that desoxycorticosterone-, aldosterone-, and furosemide-induced sodium deficiency will elicit a sodium appetite in rats raised either on a high sodium diet or on a normal sodium diet. Rats were injected for 2 consecutive days with either desoxycorticosterone (5.0 or 10.0 mg/100 g body weight), aldosterone (0.5 and 0.75 mg/100 g body weight), and furosemide (10.0 mg/100 g body weight). The results provide evidence against the theory that mineralocorticoid-induced sodium appetite is contingent upon prior associations between body sodium deficiency and elevated endogenous mineralocorticoid levels.
Effects of hypercapnia and hypoxia on laryngeal resistance to airflow

Ventilation, laryngeal resistance and electromyograms of the diaphragm, posterior cricoarytenoid (PCA) and thyroarytenoid (TA) muscles were recorded in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing cats during 100% O2 administration and during steady state inhalation of hypercapnic and hypoxic gas mixtures. As shown previously, hyperoxic hypercapnia lowered expiratory laryngeal resistance (RlarE). Isocapnic hypoxia also lowered RlarE, and hypercapnia superimposed on hypoxia decreased it further. Hypocapnia raised RlarE. Changes in inspiratory laryngeal resistance (RlarI) were similar to those in RlarE, but smaller. When ventilation was stimulated to the same extent by hypoxia and by hypercapnia, RlarE was lower under hypoxic than hypercapnic conditions in most animals. The electromyograms showed that the respiratory oscillations in laryngeal resistance and the laryngeal responses to hypercapnia and hypoxia were determined chiefly by the activity of the PCA muscle, the abductor of the vocal cords. The TA-a representative adductor muscle-was silent under all conditions studied. The results, considered with previous work, indicate that the larynx plays a part in determining the breathing pattern under resting conditions and during respiratory stimulation by hypercapnia and hypoxia.
Development of an Intra-oral Single-section Remineralization Model

An intra-oral model system has been developed which uses a single-section technique for before-and-after measurements on the same tissue. This model allows for placement of sections of enamel at both buccal and approximal sites. These sections may be sound or possess white-spot lesions. This allows for the evaluation of lesion initiation, lesion progression, and/or lesion remineralization. The sections are appropriate for measurement by polarized light microscopy, and, although not included in this study, they are also suitable for microradiographic evaluation. With ten human volunteers, the model system was evaluated by means of three rinse regimens in a cross-over design. The distilled water rinse showed the whole range of possible changes (e.g., demineralization, no change, and remineralization). More consistent remineralization was observed when a fluoride rinse or a remineralizing fluid was used. This model system should prove to be quite useful in evaluation of demineralization and remineralization phenomena in the oral environment.
Confirmational identification of Escherichia coli, a comparison of genotypic and phenotypic assays for glutamate decarboxylase and beta-D-glucuronidase

Genotypic and phenotypic assays for glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) and beta-D-glucuronidase (GUD) were compared for their abilities to detect various strains of Escherichia coli and to discriminate among other bacterial species. Test strains included nonpathogenic E. coli, three major groups of diarrheagenic E. coli, three other non-coli Escherichia species, and various other gram-negative and -positive bacteria found in water. The genotypic assays were performed with hybridization probes generated by PCR amplification of 670- and 623-bp segments of the gadA/B (GAD) and uidA (GUD) genes, respectively. The GAD enzymes catalyze the alpha-decarboxylation of L-glutamic acid to yield gamma-aminobutyric acid and carbon dioxide, which are detected in the phenotypic assay by a pH-sensitive indicator dye. The phenotypic assay for GUD involves the transformation of 4-methylumbelliferyl-beta-D-glucuronide to the fluorogenic compound 4-methylumbelliferone. The GAD phenotypic assay detected the majority of the E. coli strains tested, whereas a number of these strains, including all representatives of the O157:H7 serotype and several nonpathogenic E. coli strains, gave negative results in the GUD assay. Both phenotypic assays detected some but not all strains from each of the four Shigella species. A strain of Citrobacter freundii was also detected by the GUD assay but not by the GAD assay. All E. coli and Shigella strains were detected with both the gadA/B and uidA probes. A few Escherichia fergusonii strains gave weak hybridization signals in response to both probes at 65 degrees C but not at 68 degrees C. None of the other bacterial species tested were detected by either probe. These results were consistent with previous reports which have indicated that the GAD phenotypic assay detects a wider range of E. coli strains than does the GUD assay and is also somewhat more specific for this species. The genotypic assays for the two enzymes were found to be equivalent in both of these respects and superior to both of the phenotypic assays in terms of the range of E. coli strains and isolates detected.
Liraglutide-induced autoimmune hepatitis.

Importance Use of incretin-based hypoglycemic agents is increasing, but safety data remain limited. We treated a woman with marker-negative autoimmune hepatitis associated with the glucagon-like peptide 1 agonist liraglutide. Observations A young woman with type 2 diabetes mellitus and vitiligo presented with a 10-day history of acute hepatitis. Other than starting liraglutide therapy 4 months prior, she reported no changes in medication therapy and no use of supplements. At admission, aspartate aminotransferase level was 991 U/L; alanine aminotransferase level, 1123 U/L; total bilirubin level, 9.5 mg/dL; and international normalized ratio, 1.3. Results of a liver biopsy demonstrated interface hepatitis with prominent eosinophils and rare plasma cells. The patient’s liraglutide therapy was withheld at discharge but her symptoms worsened. A second biopsy specimen revealed massive hepatic necrosis. She started oral prednisone therapy for presumed liraglutide-induced marker-negative autoimmune hepatitis. Conclusions and Relevance This case represents, to our knowledge, the first report of liraglutide-induced autoimmune hepatitis. Hepatotoxicity may be an incretin analogue class effect with a long latency period. This case raises prescriber awareness about the potential adverse effects of glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists. Postmarketing studies are needed to define the hepatotoxic potential of these agents.
Diagnostic Efficiency and Material Specificity of the Warrington Recognition Memory Test: A Collaborative Multisite Investigation

Two studies examined the Warrington Recognition Memory Test (RMT) discrepancy index (Words-Faces) in a large sample of patients heterogeneous with respect to age, education, gender, and neurological diagnosis. In Study 1 (N = 504) we used cutoffs from the Words-Faces discrepancy scores derived from Warrington's original validation sample to attempt to accurately classify patients with left, right, or diffuse brain damage. Sensitivity for left hemisphere patients (Faces > Words) was 10% with a specificity of 88%, whereas sensitivity for right hemisphere patients (Words > Faces) was 48% with a specificity of 86%. For patients with diffuse brain damage (Words = Faces) sensitivity was 69% and specificity was 38%. In Study 2 (N = 263), we examined the relationship between the Words-Faces discrepancy score and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R; Wechsler, 1981) Logical Memory and Visual Reproduction subtests. Contrary to predictions, patients with Words > Faces performed better on both WMS-R subtests; the Faces > Words discrepancy was not related to Visual Reproduction performance. Potential reasons for these negative findings are discussed, as well as cautions for future RMT discrepancy index use.
Stimulated Brillouin scattering suppression through laser gain competition: scalability to high power

We demonstrate stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) suppression in a Yb-doped fiber amplifier by seeding with a combination of broad- and single-frequency laser beams that are separated sufficiently to suppress four-wave mixing and to allow for efficient laser gain competition between the two signals. In the experiment, a monolithic fiber configuration was used. With appropriate selection of seed power ratio, we were able to generate single-frequency 1064nm light with a slope efficiency of 78% while simultaneously suppressing the backscattered Stokes light. We discuss scalability to high power wherein a large thermal gradient can be induced at the output end of the fiber via quantum defect heating, leading to an SBS suppression factor comparable to counterpumping.
Autonomic cardiovascular state after severe brain injury and brain death in children

ObjectiveTo study and compare the autonomic cardiovascular state of children after severe brain injury and brain death.DesignProspective clinical study.SettingPediatric ICU.PatientsPediatric patients suffering severe brain injury caused by trauma, anoxia, or hemorrhage.InterventionNone.Measurements
A return to time, cells, systems and aging: II. Relational and reliability theoretic approaches to the study of senescence in living systems.

Abstract In this paper, we approach the problem of attempting to understand senescence by understanding the complexity and hierarchical structure of mammalian organisms. To do this, we make use of some concepts from abstract relational biology; in particular, graph theory. We subsequently utilize these concepts to develop the idea of an irreplaceable element in a mammalian system. We then make use of these elements, and some concepts from reliability theory, to show how senescence processes in mammalian systems may be related to the failure of a critical number of irreplaceable elements. Finally, we show how we may derive formulas for the expected number of elements which fail by a given time, and how this time is related to actual lifespan and expected lifespan of the organism. In particular, we relate this to some recent work by Cutlet on the evolution of longevity.
Designing everyday technologies with human-power and interactive microgeneration

This paper creatively explores and critically inquires into power and energy at scales at which it can be generated by human bodily kinetic motion, with goals of promoting more engaging, meaningful, and sustainable interactions with and through interactive technology and electricity. To do so we delineate and name the research and design space of interactive microgeneration (IμG) and the subarea of human-power microgeneration(HPμG). We then present findings from a qualitative study employing (i) novel design prototypes we designed (e.g., a hand-powered mobile phone), (ii) commercially available products (e.g., a solar phone charger), and (iii) common everyday products (e.g., a kitchen knife, a food processor). Our empirical study and design explorations point to new design and research opportunities and challenges related to the generation and consumption of electrical energy in everyday life.