cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adaptive regulation of a class of uncertain nonlinear systems by output feedback

This paper studies the problem of global stabilization by output feedback for a family of uncertain nonlinear systems without zero dynamics. The class of uncertain systems under consideration is assumed to be dominated by a bounding system, which is of polynomial growth in the unmeasurable states and can be a polynomial function of the system output, with unknown growth rate. To achieve global state regulation in the presence of parametric uncertainty, we propose a non-identifier based output feedback control scheme by employing the idea of universal control integrated with the design of a linear high-gain observer, whose gains are composed of two components, both of them are not constant and need to be dynamically updated. The novelty of this paper is that a universal-type adaptive output feedback controller is numerically constructed by using a sum of squares (SOS) optimization algorithm, which can globally regulate all the states of the uncertain systems while maintaining global boundedness of the closed-loop system. An example is presented to show the effectiveness of this methodology.
Physical Characteristics of Frozen Desserts Made from Ultrafiltered Milk and Various Carbohydrates

Abstract Ultrafiltered whole milk retentate was used to make UF frozen desserts. All frozen desserts had 12% fat, 11.5% milk SNF, 13% sucrose, 4% corn syrup solids, .25% stabilizer, and .25% salt. Traditional ice cream, in which NDM provided milk SNF, was the control. Lactose, glucose, and fructose (1.65 and .85% by weight) were added to UF frozen desserts to replace, in part, lactose lost during UF. One UF frozen dessert was made without the addition of alternative sugars. Mixes were pasteurized (74°C for 30 min), homogenized (13,800 kPa, first stage; 3450 kPa, second stage), and frozen in a batch freezer. Generally, UF frozen desserts had 2.24 times as much protein and 65% less lactose than the NDM ice cream. Lactose concentrations in UF desserts were 2.2% compared with 6.6% for the NDM ice cream. The NDM ice creams were significantly softer than all of the UF desserts. Hardness was reduced, and melt (measured by conversion to liquid) was influenced by the type and amount of alternative carbohydrate added to the mix. Fructose had the greatest effect.
Immunodynamics of methylprednisolone induced T-cell trafficking and deactivation using whole blood lymphocyte proliferation techniques in the rat.

Glucocorticoids have diverse effects on various components of the immune system and assessment of such activities in vivo often involves complex techniques and numerous animals. We developed a whole blood technique for determining proliferation rate of lymphocytes in minute amounts of rat blood (5 microL as opposed to a whole rat spleen) (Fasanmade AA, Jusko WJ. J Immunol Methods 1995; 184: 163-167). This method was used in assessment of in vivo T-cell deactivation by methylprednisolone (MP). The blockade of this process by the anti-glucocorticoid, RU 40555, also allows measurement of T-lymphocyte trafficking between vascular and extravascular pools. Blood samples were taken over several hours after iv MP administration to adrenalectomized rats, MP concentrations and lympho-proliferative activities were determined ex vivo after mitogen activation with and without blocking MP with RU 40555. MP disposition was mono-exponential with a t(1/2) of 34 min. The pharmacodynamics (PD) of T-cell trafficking was modeled with a physiological indirect model to generate the IC(50) (0.4 ng/mL) for the inhibitory action of MP on return of T-cells to blood as well as cell trafficking rate constants. The overall suppression of blood T-cells was modeled with an equation which accounts directly for inhibition of the proliferation activity of available blood T-cells with an DC(50) of 0.37 ng/mL. MP produced an initial influx of T-cells to blood within 1 h of infusion, a later marked T-cell depletion with a nadir at 4 h, and return to baseline by 9 h. Lymphocyte deactivation occurred within minutes of MP infusion and returned to baseline in 9 h. MP action was prolonged owing to the low IC(50). This approach for assessing dual features of corticosteroid effects on T-cell trafficking and deactivation allows quantitative PK/PD modeling in small animals such as the rat.
Thickness dependence of sensor response for CO gas sensing by tin oxide films grown using atomic layer deposition

Ultrathin tin oxide films were deposited on flat hotplate templates using atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques with SnCl4 and H2O2 as the reactants. The resistance of the SnOx ALD films across an electrode gap on the hotplate template was observed to oscillate and decrease versus the number of sequential SnCl4 and H2O2 reactions at 250 ◦ C. The resistance also varied with exposure to O2 and CO pressure at 300 ◦ C and 325 ◦ C. A wide range of SnOx ALD film thicknesses between 15.9 A and 58.7 A was prepared by varying the number of sequential, self-limiting SnCl4 and H2O2 reactions. The CO gas sensor response was then measured for these SnOx ALD film thicknesses at 300 ◦C. The CO gas sensor response increased for increasing thicknesses between 15.9 A and 26.2 A and decreased for increasing thicknesses between 26.2 A and 58.7 A. The results were interpreted in terms of the Debye length and resistance for the SnOx ALD films. The Debye length is comparable with the SnOx ALD film thickness of 26.2 A corresponding to the maximum responsivity for CO gas sensing. For film thicknesses >26.2 A, the responsivity decrease was explained by a larger fraction of the film with thickness greater than the Debye length that is not affected by the O2 and CO chemisorption. For film thicknesses <26.2 A, the responsivity decrease was attributed to the increasing resistance of the SnOx ALD film. The gas sensor response was temperature dependent and displayed its highest responsivity at temperatures between 250 ◦ C and 325
Comparison of different classification algorithms for underwater target discrimination

Classification of underwater targets from the acoustic backscattered signals is considered. Several different classification algorithms are tested and benchmarked not only for their performance but also to gain insight to the properties of the feature space. Results on a wideband 80-kHz acoustic backscattered data set collected for six different objects are presented in terms of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and robustness of the classifiers wrt reverberation.
Significance of Achromobacter nematophilus Poinar and Thomas (Achromobacteraceae: Eubacteriales) in the development of the nematode, DD-136 (Neoaplectana sp. Steinernematidae).

By culturing Galleria mellonella, Neoaplectana sp. (DD-136) and Achromobacter nematophilus separately under axenic conditions in the laboratory, it was possible to study the relationship between the bacterium and nematode during nematode parasitism of the insect.The infective-stage juveniles of the nematode were able to penetrate and kill the insect host without the presence of A. nematophilus or any other bacterium. However, without accompanying bacteria the nematode was unable to reproduce. Only when A. nematophilus or a possible replacement, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, was added to the blood did reproduction occur.The relationship between A. nematophilus and the nematode is considered a mutualistic one, since the bacterium lives and is protected inside the intestine of the free-living stage of the nematode and is transported and released by the nematode to the haemolymph of a host insect. The nematode, in turn, is dependent on the bacterium for reproduction.
ADAPTATION IN HAIR CELLS

Hair cells adapt to sustained deflections of the hair bundle via Ca(2+)-dependent negative feedback on the open probability of the mechanosensitive transduction channels. A model posits that adaptation relieves the input to the transduction channels--force applied by elastic tip links between stereocilia--by repositioning the insertions of the links in the stereocilium. The tip link insertion and transduction channel are dragged by myosins moving on the stereocilium's actin core. This model accounts for many aspects of adaptation in hair cells of the frog saccule, where adaptation time constants are tens of milliseconds. Adaptation in hair cells of the turtle cochlea is much faster, possibly reflecting a more direct mechanism such as Ca2+ binding to the transduction channel. Adaptation mechanisms attenuate the transduction current at low frequencies and may be tuned to different corner frequencies according to the stimulus demands of the inner ear organ. Other sites of adaptation in the inner ear include accessory structures, voltage-dependent properties of hair cells, and afferent transmitter release. A remaining challenge is to understand how these processes work together to shape the output of the inner ear to natural stimuli.
DIRECT, INDIRECT, AND RESIDUAL TOXICITIES OF INSECTICIDE SPRAYS TO WESTERN SPRUCE BUDWORM, CHORISTONEURA OCCIDENTALIS (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE)

The toxicities of acephate, aminocarb, carbaryl, chlorpyrifos, chlorpyrifos-methyl, methomyl, mexacarbate, permethrin, and trichlorfon to last instar western spruce budworm, Choristoneura occidentalis Freeman, were significantly altered by the presence of host-plant foliage. The pyrethroid permethrin was significantly more toxic when sprayed directly on fully exposed larvae than when first sprayed on foliage. However, all other toxicants were more toxic sprayed on foliage. A toxicologically-based method was used to assess the residual toxicities of the nine chemicals. Each chemical was applied to potted seedlings at its respective LD90-foliage, then weathered for up to 7 days. Significant differences in toxicity were related to both insecticide and weathering interval. The toxicities of carbaryl and permethrin were least affected by weathering.
A W-band SiGe 1.5V LNA for imaging applications

This paper presents a 4-stage SiGe W-band amplifier for imaging applications designed in a 200 GHz ft SiGe BiCMOS process (IBM 8HP). The amplifier exhibits a gain of 19 dB at 85-89 GHz, a 3-dB bandwidth of 17 GHz, a NF of 8-10 dB over the measurement band, and consumes only 25 mW of DC power. The amplifier is very small (0.1 mm2 without pads), making it ideal for 8 or 16-element imaging arrays on a single chip. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a high-gain, high-bandwidth W-band amplifier using SiGe technology.
sarU, a sarA homolog, is repressed by SarT and regulates virulence genes in Staphylococcus aureus.

In searching the Staphylococcus aureus genome, we previously identified sarT, a homolog of sarA, which encodes a repressor for α-hemolysin synthesis. Adjacent but transcribed divergently to sarT is sarU, which encodes a 247-residue polypeptide, almost twice the length of SarA. Sequence alignment disclosed that SarU, like SarS, which is another SarA homolog, could be envisioned as a molecule with two halves, with each half being homologous to SarA. SarU, as a member of the SarA family proteins, disclosed conservation of basic residues within the helix-turn-helix motif and within the beta hairpin loop, two putative DNA binding domains within this protein family. The transcription of sarU is increased in a sarT mutant. Gel shift and transcriptional fusion studies revealed that SarT can bind to the sarU promoter region, probably acting as a repressor for sarU transcription. The expression of RNAII and RNAIII of agr is decreased in a sarU mutant. As RNAIII expression is up-regulated in a sarT mutant, we hypothesize that sarT may down regulate agr RNAIII expression by repressing sarU, a positive activator of agr expression. We propose that, in addition to the quorum sensing effect of the autoinducing peptide of agr, the sarT-sarU pathway may represent a secondary amplification loop whereby the expression of agr (e.g., those found in vivo) might repress sarT, leading to increased expression of sarU. Elevated sarU expression would result in additional amplification of the original agr signal.
Physical and biological responses of streams to suburbanization of historically agricultural watersheds

We investigated whether suburbanization influenced the physical and biological characteristics of ten 3 rd -or 4 th -order streams that drain historically agricultural watersheds in the southern Appalachians near Asheville, North Carolina. Five watersheds had areas of recent suburban development proximal to stream sites, and 5 watersheds were not currently undergoing suburban development. We estimated 5 hydrological, 10 geomorphological, 6 erosional, and 3 depositional (i.e., substrate) variables, and 13 fish and 8 macroinvertebrate metrics in the study sites. We used Student's t-tests and multivariate analysis of variance to compare the 45 variables between sites in agricultural and suburban watersheds. We used Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) to detect subtle differences in taxonomic composition and abundance among watersheds. Stormflow total suspended solids were significantly lower and substrate inorganic matter content was significantly higher in streams influenced by suburban development. Fish taxa richness and the density of nonguarding fishes were significantly higher in sites in suburban watersheds than in sites in agricultural watersheds. No other fish or macroinvertebrate metric differed with respect to watershed land use, but ordination of sites by fish and macroinvertebrate species abundance suggested that biotic assemblages at sites in suburban watersheds were distinct from those at sites in agricultural watersheds. Therefore, some taxa may have been influenced by suburban development. Our results suggest that watershed hydrology, sediment delivery, and sediment composition might be important factors influencing biota in streams draining agricultural vs suburban watersheds. Biological assemblages in streams differed structurally with respect to watershed land use, but streams did not appear to be otherwise influenced by suburban development. We conclude that suburbanization near historically agricultural southern Appalachian streams induces subtle changes to inorganic sediment dynamics, substrate composition, and fish and macroinvertebrate assemblage structure.
The Policy, Consumer, and Ethical Dimensions of Covert Marketing: An Introduction to the Special Section:

Consumers are barraged on a daily basis with marketing communications in many different forms. While this situation is not new, circumstances in today's market are unique in that consumers are more difficult to access and have the ability to exert more control over the flow of communication through technology (Kaikati and Kaikati 2004). In response to this challenging environment, some firms are employing covert marketing activities to weave marketing actions seamlessly and stealthily into the lives of consumers. For the purpose of this special section of Jour nal of Public Policy & Marketing (JPPM firms such as
State-dependent and site-directed photodynamic transformation of HCN2 channel by singlet oxygen

Singlet oxygen (1O2), which is generated through metabolic reactions and oxidizes numerous biological molecules, has been a useful tool in basic research and clinical practice. However, its role as a signaling factor, as well as a mechanistic understanding of the oxidation process, remains poorly understood. Here, we show that hyperpolarization-activated, cAMP-gated (HCN) channels–which conduct the hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih) and the voltage-insensitive instantaneous current (Iinst), and contribute to diverse physiological functions including learning and memory, cardiac pacemaking, and the sensation of pain–are subject to modification by 1O2. To increase the site specificity of 1O2 generation, we used fluorescein-conjugated cAMP, which specifically binds to HCN channels, or a chimeric channel in which an in-frame 1O2 generator (SOG) protein was fused to the HCN C terminus. Millisecond laser pulses reduced Ih current amplitude, slowed channel deactivation, and enhanced Iinst current. The modification of HCN channel function is a photodynamic process that involves 1O2, as supported by the dependence on dissolved oxygen in solutions, the inhibitory effect by a 1O2 scavenger, and the results with the HCN2-SOG fusion protein. Intriguingly, 1O2 modification of the HCN2 channel is state dependent: laser pulses applied to open channels mainly slow down deactivation and increase Iinst, whereas for the closed channels, 1O2 modification mainly reduced Ih amplitude. We identified a histidine residue (H434 in S6) near the activation gate in the pore critical for 1O2 modulation of HCN function. Alanine replacement of H434 abolished the delay in channel deactivation and the generation of Iinst induced by photodynamic modification. Our study provides new insights into the instantaneous current conducted by HCN channels, showing that modifications to the region close to the intracellular gate underlie the expression of Iinst, and establishes a well-defined model for studying 1O2 modifications at the molecular level.
Predicting Outcomes after Salvage Reirradiation of Recurrent Head and Neck Cancer

Materials/Methods: The records were reviewed for all 105 patients with locally recurrent HNC without evidence of distant metastasis who underwent reirradiation at MSKCC between 7/96 and 9/05. Comorbidity was assessed by Charlson index. Organ dysfunction was defined as feeding tube dependency, functioning tracheostomy or soft tissue defect. OS was estimated by KaplanMeier methods. Factors were included in the multivariate model only if significant on univariate analysis. Each nomogram was constructed from the multivariate model and concordance probability was produced to assess the model performance. Results: Patient/disease characteristics: 80% age\70; 66% male; 81% non-nasopharynx; 87% SCC. The median interval since prior radiation was 4.6 years. Recurrent disease prior to reirradiation was staged as rT4 in 66% of patients and N+ in 45% of patients. Regarding their reirradiation course, 76% of patients received .50 Gy and 70% were treated with IMRT. Prior to reirradiation, 32% underwent surgical resection and 71% received concurrent chemotherapy with reirradiation. By Charlson index, 36 pts had an index $1 excluding cancer. Organ dysfunction was noted in 56 pts. With a median follow-up of 48 months for surviving patients, the 5 year OS rate was 25%. Two year cumulative incidence of LRF was 0.46. A number of factors were highly significant for OS on univariate, but not multivariate, analysis. These variables, including Charlson index, organ dysfunction and isolated neck recurrence, were previously incorporated into the Trotti OS nomogram. Four different factors predicted OS - Karnofsky performance scale (KPS), Nasopharynx (NPX) primary, SCC histology and surgery prior to reirradiation. The concordance index (CI) was 0.75. Three factors independently predicted incidence of LRF: tumor stage, IMRT, and organ dysfunction (CI 0.66).
Female Sexual Function Improves After Endometrial Ablation

Abstract Background: Many women have heavy menstrual bleeding during perimenopause that may interfere with overall quality of life and contribute to sexual dysfunction. We aimed to determine whether sexual function in women improves after endometrial ablation for heavy menstrual periods. Methods: Validated surveys (Female Sexual Function Index [FSFI], Female Sexual Distress Scale [FSDS], and Short-Form Health Survey [SF–12]) were administered to 136 women before and after endometrial ablation from August 2008 through June 2013. Scores at baseline and 6 months after surgery were compared using the paired t test. Results: A total of 97 women completed the FSFI and FSDS surveys at baseline and 6 months after ablation. Mean full-scale FSFI score increased from 26.5 to 28.8 (p < .001), with improvement in 5 of 6 FSFI domains. Mean FSDS score decreased from 13.6 to 9.7 (p < .001), showing decreased personal distress regarding sexual function. In assessing quality of life, SF–12 scores improved for global physic...
Mitochondrial-targeted aryl hydrocarbon receptor and the impact of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on cellular respiration and the mitochondrial proteome

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor within the Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain superfamily. Exposure to the most potent AHR ligand, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), is associated with various pathological effects including metabolic syndrome. While research over the last several years has demonstrated a role for oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction in AHR-dependent TCDD-induced toxicity, the role of the mitochondria in this process has not been fully explored. Our previous research suggested that a portion of the cellular pool of AHR could be found in the mitochondria (mitoAHR). Using a protease protection assay with digitonin extraction, we have now shown that this mitoAHR is localized to the inter-membrane space (IMS) of the organelle. TCDD exposure induced a degradation of mitoAHR similar to that of cytosolic AHR. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated knockdown revealed that translocase of outer-mitochondrial membrane 20 (TOMM20) was involved in the import of AHR into the mitochondria. In addition, TCDD altered cellular respiration in an AHR-dependent manner to maintain respiratory efficiency as measured by oxygen consumption rate (OCR). Stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) identified a battery of proteins within the mitochondrial proteome influenced by TCDD in an AHR-dependent manner. Among these, 17 proteins with fold changes≥2 are associated with various metabolic pathways, suggesting a role of mitochondrial retrograde signaling in TCDD-mediated pathologies. Collectively, these studies suggest that mitoAHR is localized to the IMS and AHR-dependent TCDD-induced toxicity, including metabolic dysfunction, wasting syndrome, and hepatic steatosis, involves mitochondrial dysfunction.
Book & Resource Reviews

Reviews the book “Leading Corporate Citizens: Visions, Values, Values Added,” by Sandra Waddock.
Functional significance of myosin transitions in single fibers of developing soleus muscle.

The maximal velocity of shortening and myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of single, chemically skinned fibers from neonatal and adult rat soleus muscles were examined to determine the relationsh...
Evidence for Inefficient C4-Cycle Function in C3-C4 Intermediate Flaveria Species: Implications for C4 Evolution

Approximately twenty species of plants have been characterized as exhibiting photosynthetic and photorespiratory traits intermediate between the more typical C3 and C4 plants (1). In the genus Flaveria (Asteraceae) at least 30% of the species exhibit C3-C4 intermediate traits. In many of the Flaveria intermediates atmospheric CO2 is assimilated through co-functioning C3 and C4 pathways (2,3). Two questions that arise concerning these intermediate traits are 1) how efficiently do the C3 and C4 pathways co-function in assimilating atmospheric CO2 and, 2) what are the adaptive advantages of possessing these intermediate traits? In this paper I address these two questions, as well as their importance to a broader question of why C4 photosynthesis has evolved in vascular plants.
Tieback Retaining Wall in High Plasticity Expansive Soil

AbstractThis study evaluated the impact of moisture-induced swelling pressure on a tieback wall constructed in high plasticity expansive soil. The study was based on laboratory soil characterization, field monitored seasonal fluctuation of moisture content, and numerical simulation. Soil samples were retrieved from a construction site at the intersection of I-35 and Walters Street in San Antonio, Texas, and two boreholes were installed to monitor the moisture profile at the site. Considering the field setting, a numerical model was developed to simulate the construction and performance of a tieback wall subjected to significant lateral earth pressure due to swelling. The model further assessed the impacts of different factors on the behavior of the tieback wall, such as moisture profile, surcharge, unbonded length of the soil anchor, and wall rigidity. The study indicated that more drastic changes in soil suction profiles between construction and in-service conditions may generate lateral stresses that re...
Homogeneous Directed Graphs

The classification of the (countable) homogeneous directed graphs is complete. It has been known for almost two decades that there are 2ℵ0 homogeneous directed graphs. We use methods devised by Lachlan and Woodrow, and applied by them to the case of homogeneous undirected graphs, and by Lachlan to the case of tournaments. Ours is the first case in which an uncountable collection of structures is handled by these methods. The methods used will first be sketched in the context of tournaments, then in our case. They combine a rather artificial inductive procedure with a timely use of Ramsey’s theorem introduced by Lachlan in his work on tournaments. We also describe some examples, including a rather strange one uncovered by the classification procedure, and some related problems, for the most part open. We devote considerable attention to a decision problem connected with the classification which remains open. This problem has been studied by Brenda Latka, and is equivalent to a recognition problem for well quasi-ordered families of tournaments defined by finitely many constraints.
Epilogue: The Sinister After Milton

The epilogue summarizes the book’s analysis of how early modern authors made aesthetic use of the appeal of evil, and how the sinister aesthetics they developed affected their religious piety and theodicy. It then briefly considers the life of the sinister after John Milton’s Paradise Lost. The rise of the sublime as a major aesthetic paradigm in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries offered a theoretical validation for taking pleasure in artistic representations of evil, one that ultimately allowed sinister aesthetics to become more independent from religious concerns. Finally, the epilogue suggests some of the uses of—and anxieties about—the sinister in the modern era.
Behavioral Claim Construction

Existing proposals for enhancing predictability in patent claim interpretation focus primarily on the process of adjudication and doctrinal issues, while rarely delving into the underlying psychological and environmental factors that might influence different readers to interpret the same claim very differently. Drawing on lessons from behavioral economics and cognitive psychology, this Article undertakes the first detailed exploration of the behavioral elements — such as cognitive biases, priors, and situational factors — that may affect how a given reader interprets a claim. To mitigate the influence of behavioral elements in claim construction, this Article proposes the extension of means-plus-function analysis to all claim terms. Means-plus-function analysis may be more resistant to behavioral influences than the current interpretive regime for non-means-plus-function claims, because it limits the realm of plausibility for answers molded through motivated reasoning, while also accommodating certain cognitive biases that may help yield a construction that the vast majority of the readers of a patent claim are likely to reach naturally as a “cognitive default.”
Measurement of selected preventable adverse drug events in electronic health records: Toward developing a complexity score.

Purpose The defining of a select number of high-priority preventable adverse drug events (pADEs) for measurement in the electronic health record (EHR) and the estimation of pADE incidences in two tertiary care facilities are described. Methods This study was part of a larger effort aimed at developing an automated electronic health record (EHR)-based complexity-score (C-score) that ranks hospitalized patients according to their risk for pADEs for clinical intervention. We developed measures for 16 high-priority pADEs often deemed preventable using discrete clinical and administrative EHR data. For each pADE we specified inclusion and exclusion criteria that were used to define risk populations for each specific pADE. The incidence of each type of pADE was then measured during a designated follow-up period considering all adult admissions to 2 large academic tertiary care hospitals, who were eligible for the pADE-specific risk populations during any of their first 5 hospital days. Results Utilizing the data from 83,787 admissions who were at risk for at least one pADE during at least one of their first five hospital days, we found that 27,193 admissions (32.5%) developed at least one pADE. Uncontrolled postsurgical pain, uncontrolled pneumonia, and drug-associated hypotension had the highest incidences with the following number of days with pADE per number of patients at risk: 13,484 of 19,640; 527 of 1,530; and 13,394 of 43,630, while drug-associated falls (446 of 75,036), drug-associated acute mental status changes (262 of 66,875) and venous thromboembolism (214 of 74,283) had the lowest incidence rates. Conclusion EHR-based definitions of clinically important pADEs were developed, and the incidence of the pADEs was estimated. These definitions will be advanced for the creation of prediction models to develop a C-score for identifying patients at risk for pADEs to prioritize pharmacist intervention.
Estrous and Menstrual Cycles

Reproduction in female mammals is cyclic in nature occurring either as estrous cycles or menstrual cycles. These cycles depend on a tightly regulated interplay between the hypothalamus–pituitary–ovarian axis and involve both negative and positive feedback regulation of the GnRH pulse generator by the ovarian steroid hormones LH and FSH. Females differ from males in that estradiol can have both negative and positive feedback effects on the hypothalamus and pituitary. The positive feedback of estradiol is manifested in the hypothalamus at the kisspeptin neurons, which respond to rapidly rising estradiol levels by stimulating increased pulsatility of GnRH. This increased GnRH pulse pattern leads to stimulation of LH production by pituitary gonadotropes and results in the ovulatory surge. The corpus luteum formed from the ovulated follicle secretes progesterone which exerts negative feedback on the GnRH pulse generator. The menstrual cycle differs from the estrous cycle in that the follicular phase is significantly longer and there is shedding of the uterine endometrium in response to declining progesterone levels resulting in menses (menstruation). The endometrium undergoes characteristic changes in morphology during the menstrual cycle which allows accurate dating of the endometrium. Mammalian species may be polyestrous, or seasonally polyestrous or monoestrous.
Theoretical and empirical limits of Scandinavian Exceptionalism: Isolation and normalization in Danish prisons:

Drawing on interviews with 76 prisoners, 47 prison staff, and 14 experts, we document lived experiences of punishment in the Danish prison context. We argue that, regardless of “humanizing” elements of normalization and humanity, prisoners and staff may experience the power of the carceral state in Denmark in ways similar to those under more obviously harsh confinement regimes, as exist in the United States and, to a lesser extent, in the United Kingdom. Ultimately, macro-level theories like Scandinavian Exceptionalism serve as a rhetorical tool, implying that harsher prison systems are fixable, but fail to reflect the micro-level realities of incarceration.
Establishing an Association between West Nile Virus Exposure and the Development of Lymphohistiocytic Proliferative Syndrome of American Alligators, Alligator mississippiensis

ABSTRACT Lymphohistiocytic Proliferative Syndrome of Alligators is characterized by the presence of 1 – 2 mm, gray foci on the skin of American alligators, Alligator mississippiensis. Histopathology from affected animals reveals lymphohistiocytic infiltrates in the dermis and epidermis, as well as other tissues. The emergence of this syndrome at the time West Nile virus was first reported in South Florida and Louisiana led to an investigation on the association between Lymphohistiocytic Proliferative Syndrome and West Nile virus. A total of sixty alligators were sampled from three different alligator farms. Alligators were selected based on the presence or absence of Lymphohistiocytic Proliferative Syndrome skin lesions. Serum from each animal was submitted for detection of West Nile virus antibodies. The results revealed that alligators with Lymphohistiocytic Proliferative Syndrome skin lesions were 476 (95% CI: 79.6, 2845.2) times more likely to be seropositive to West Nile virus than those without lesi...
Werhane’s Role in the Development of the Discipline of Business Ethics: A Critical Appreciation

Patricia Werhane has made an important and lasting impact on the academic field of business ethics. She was co-editor of one of the first two anthologies that helped define the field. She was one of the first officers of the Society of Business Ethics, which helped professionalize the field. She was one of the founders and the first Editor-in-Chief of the Business Ethics Quarterly, which provides a highly regarded vehicle for publication in the field. Through her publications and collaboration with a great many others she has helped stamp the field as an interdisciplinary one. Substantively, her prolific writing on and use of moral imagination, mental mind sets, and systems thinking have influenced a generation of younger scholars. And her approach to writing on normative ethics without moralizing has provided an example that many have followed. This chapter details these accomplishments, and while noting that hers is not the only approach to academic business ethics, it highlights the importance of her contributions and provides an appreciative evaluation that may help spur others on to further develop what she has begun.
The geometry and spectra of hyperbolic manifolds

This paper is a self-contained discussion of the relationship between spectral and geometric properties of a class of hyperbolic manifolds. After a review of the fundamentals of hyperbolic manifolds, aspects of the theory for the compact case and the finite-volume case are discussed. The main emphasis of this work is on a class of infinite-volume hyperbolic manifolds ℳ which arise as quotients of hyperbolic spaceH n by discrete subgroups Г, i.e. ℳ =H n/Г. This paper describes joint work with R G Froese and P A Perry. For these infinite-volume hyperbolic manifolds, there are very few eigenvalues, so most of the spectral information in carried by the generalized eigenfunctions of the Laplacian. These eigenfunctions can be constructed from the asymptotics of the Green’s function. It is shown how the asymptotic geometry of the manifold determines the asymptotic behavior of the Green’s function, and hence the eigenfunctions, near infinity. This information is used to construct anS-matrix for the manifold which is a pseudo-differential operator acting on sections of a fibre bundle over the boundary of the manifold at infinity. The meromorphic properties of this operator and its inverse, as a function of the spectral parameter, are described. A functional relation between theS-matrix and the generalized eigenfunctions is derived. An important consequence of this relation and the meromorphicity of theS-matrix and its inverse is the existence of the meromorphic continuation of the Eisenstein series associated with the discrete group Г. Finally, an overview of recent progress and some open problems are presented, including a discussion of the asymptotic behavior of the counting function for the scattering poles.
When Oil Is Not Enough: Sino-Saudi Relations and Vision 2030

This paper explores how cultural developments help us to better understand Sino-Saudi ties in the 21st century, Saudi “Vision 2030”, and China’s “One Belt and One Road Initiative” (OBOR). For much ...
Mass shootings: Are children safer in the streets than in the home?

Abstract Purpose Though the total fatality and injury count in mass shootings is known, the burden on the pediatric population remains undefined. We sought to define the impact of domestic vs. public mass shootings in the pediatric population. Methods Open-source databases, Everytown for Gun Violence, and Mother Jones were cross-referenced and used to review domestic and public mass shootings from 2009 to 2016. Mass shootings were defined as four or more fatalities and any injuries. Domestic mass shootings were defined as ones that occurred in the home where the assailant was either a family member or a past or present intimate partner of a family member. Public mass shootings occurred in a public space where the shooter was unknown to the victim. The number of incidents in each group, fatalities and injuries, and effect on children Results There were 71 Domestic and 31 Public mass shootings accounting for 331 vs. 281 fatalities and 28 vs. 217 injuries (p Conclusion The pediatric fatality rate in mass shootings is alarming, especially among Domestic shooting events. This is a public health issue and requires vigilance to protect at-risk youth. Type of study Epidemiology study, retrospective review. Level of evidence Level IV.
Drink Beer for Science: An Experiment on Consumer Preferences for Local Craft Beer

The U.S. and global beer industries include a great many smaller-scale craft breweries supplying numerous differentiated products as well as a few macro-breweries with less diverse beer portfolios. The craft and macro segments of this industry have become quite distinct, with little substitutability between the two types of beer. Furthermore, since the early 2000s the craft segment has realized consistent growth whereas large breweries have seen a steady decline in sales. Macro-breweries have responded by acquiring smaller breweries to capture a share of the craft market. This study implements an experimental approach to measure consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for locally produced and independently owned beer. Regression analysis clearly indicates that consumers prefer locally owned and independently produced beer, and how much they are willing to pay for those attributes. (JEL Classifications: D12, L66)
The effect of magnetic field on flow induced-deformation in absorbing porous tissues

In order to understand the interaction between magnetic field and biological tissues in a physiological system, we present a mathematical model of flow-induced deformation in absorbing porous tissues in the presence of a uniform magnetic field. The tissue is modeled as a deformable porous material in which high cavity pressure drives fluid through the tissue where it is absorbed by capillaries and lymphatics. A biphasic mixture theory is used to develop the model under the assumptions of small solid deformation and strain-dependent linear permeability. A spherical cavity formed during injection of fluid in the tissue is used to find fluid pressure and solid displacement as a function of radial distance and time. The governing nonlinear PDE for fluid pressure is solved numerically using method of lines whereas tissue solid displacement is computed by employing trapezoidal rule. The effect of magnetic parameter on fluid pressure, solid displacement and tissue permeability is illustrated graphically.
Bushmeat biogeochemistry: hunting tropical mammals alters ecosystem phosphorus budgets

Wild meat (or 'bushmeat') hunting is nearly ubiquitous across the tropics and is very often unsustainable-driving declines and extirpation of numerous mammal populations. Loss of these animals can alter the transport of nutrients within and between ecosystems. But whether the physical removal of vertebrate carcasses and the nutrients that they store can reduce overall nutrient availability in ecosystems has been little explored. At 32 sites on three continents, we show that annual phosphorus (P) loss via mammal exploitation was low relative to the rate of atmospheric P deposition. But at four sites in Africa and Southeast Asia, removal of P in the skeletons of hunted mammals exceeded the atmospheric input of this nutrient by 10-fold or more. Because P is the growth-limiting nutrient for many tropical terrestrial ecosystems and certain large mammals, the imbalance created by the removal of mammal biomass under very high hunting scenarios could reduce ecosystem carrying capacity if no compensatory P additions occur in the system. This biogeochemical perspective on bushmeat exploitation raises further concerns about harvest sustainability and human food security in areas where hunting rates are high and ecosystem P inputs low.
Creation of a Venous Thromboembolism Risk Prediction Tool for Critically Ill Children - the Cleveland Score

Abstract Introduction The incidence of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in critically ill children with central venous catheters (CVCs) is increasing. VTE in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit patients with CVCs (VTE-PICU) have been associated with fewer ventilation free days, prolonged length of stay (LOS) and higher risk of mortality. Screening and prophylaxis practices vary amongst clinicians due to the lack of a simple and reliable risk stratification tool. A validated bedside prediction tool could help clinicians improve outcomes by identifying patients who may benefit from screening and prophylaxis. Method With IRB approval, the Virtual Pediatric Systems, LLC database was interrogated for children Results There were 1623 VTE-PICU amongst 158,299 PICU patients who had a CVC during their admission (10.3 per 1000 patients). A logistic regression model was generated and internally validated; Bootstrapped C-index was 0.832. Figure 1 shows the area under the receiver operator curve [82.55% (95% CI: 80.71%-84.38%)]. The decision curve analysis showed that across the range of reasonable threshold probabilities, the predicted model has a higher net benefit than "treat all" and "treat none" approach. Figure 2 shows the nomogram (the "Cleveland Score") generated from the logistic regression model by rescaling the model's coefficients to a point scale to allow users of the model to make predictions of probability. The major categories in the Cleveland Score are age, sex, race, primary diagnosis, post-op status and type of surgery, past medical history, type of central venous line, airway/ventilation status, and presence of cardiac catheterization. Using the Cleveland Score, a hypothetical 1-month-old white male, with a past medical history of sepsis, who remains intubated after a cardiac catheterization and congenital heart disease repair and has a percutaneous central venous catheter, has a high risk probability of 4.526% of developing a VTE. Conclusion Using a large multicenter database we were able to build and validate a nomogram to predict the risk of developing a VTE in critically ill hospitalized children. Furthermore, we created an easy to use bedside application for the prediction model - The Cleveland Score. We plan to prospectively validate the Cleveland score using the same database. Download : Download high-res image (62KB) Download : Download full-size image Download : Download high-res image (122KB) Download : Download full-size image Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Machine learning in quantum computers via general Boltzmann Machines: Generative and Discriminative training through annealing.

We present a Hybrid-Quantum-classical method for learning Boltzmann machines (BM) for generative and discriminative tasks. Boltzmann machines are undirected graphs that form the building block of many learning architectures such as Restricted Boltzmann machines (RBM's) and Deep Boltzmann machines (DBM's). They have a network of visible and hidden nodes where the former are used as the reading sites while the latter are used to manipulate the probability of the visible states. BM's are versatile machines that can be used for both learning distributions as a generative task as well as for performing classification or function approximation as a discriminative task. We show that minimizing KL-divergence works best for training BM for applications of function approximation. In our approach, we use Quantum annealers for sampling Boltzmann states. These states are used to approximate gradients in a stochastic gradient descent scheme. The approach is used to demonstrate logic circuits in the discriminative sense and a specialized two-phase distribution using generative BM.
SGLT2 INHIBITORS ARE NOT ASSOCIATED WITH RISKS FOR AMPUTATION-A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Sodium glucose cotransporter-2(SGLT2) inhibitors are an insulin-independent class of oral anti-hyperglycemic medication with promising cardiovascular and renal outcome benefits. One of its safety concerns is a perceived increase in the risk of lower extremity amputation, mainly put forth by the
Use of Virtual Breastfeeding Support Among Underserved, Rural Mothers

Direct-to-consumer telelactation is an innovative telemedicine service that connects women with remotely-located lactation consultants for breastfeeding support via personal devices. Telelactation may offer certain advantages relative to in-person support, including improved convenience and timeliness and reduced costs. Given documented unmet need for lactation support in the US, these services also have the potential to increase access to professional breastfeeding support in underserved communities; however, to date, there is no published research on use of direct-to-consumer telelactation among underserved mothers. In 2016, we began recruitment for a randomized controlled trial of …
Peripheral nerve block use in inpatient and outpatient shoulder arthroplasty: a population-based study evaluating utilization and outcomes

Background Peripheral nerve block (PNB) is an effective pain management option after shoulder arthroplasty with increasing popularity over the past decade. Large-scale US data in shoulder arthroplasties are lacking, especially regarding impacts on opioid utilization. This population-based study aimed to evaluate PNB utilization patterns and their effect on outcomes after inpatient and outpatient shoulder arthroplasty. Methods This retrospective cohort study used data from the nationwide Premier Healthcare claims database (2006–2016). This study includes n=94 787 and n=3293 inpatient and outpatient (total, reverse and partial) shoulder arthroplasty procedures. Multivariable mixed-effects models estimated associations between PNB use and opioid utilization in oral morphine equivalents and cost of hospitalization/stay. For the inpatient group, additional outcome measures were length of stay (LOS), admission to a skilled nurse facility, 30-day readmission, combined complications and naloxone use (as a proxy for opioid-related complications). We report OR (or % change for continuous variables) and 95% CIs. Results Overall, PNB was used in 19.1% (n=18 144) and 20.8% (n=685) of inpatient and outpatient shoulder arthroplasties, respectively, with an increasing trend for inpatient procedures. PNB utilization was consistently associated with lower (up to −14.0%, 95% CI −15.4% to −12.5% decrease, with median 100 and 90 oral morphine equivalents for inpatient and outpatient procedures) opioid utilization on the day of surgery with more potent effects seen for inpatient shoulder arthroplasties. Other outcomes were minimally impacted. Discussion In this first national study on PNB use in shoulder arthroplasty, we found increasing PNB use among specifically, inpatient procedures, resulting in particularly reduced opioid use on the day of surgery. While our findings may support PNB use in shoulder arthroplasty, its current low utilization and trends towards more outpatient procedures necessitate continuous monitoring of more extensive benefits.