cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corrected QT Interval in Children With Brain Death

Prolongation of the QT interval is a well-documented finding in adults with severe brain injury. However, QT prolongation has not been well documented in the pediatric population with brain injury. Our objective was to determine the range of QT intervals in children with the diagnosis of brain death, hypothesizing that the QT interval corrected for heart rate (QTc) is longer in this population than in a normal population. All previously healthy children (<18 years) dying in our hospital from 1995 to 2007 with a diagnosis of brain death and at least one electrocardiogram (ECG) with normal anatomy by echocardiogram were included. Admission details, past medical and family history, demographic data, and laboratory data were collected. The QT and preceding RR intervals from three sinus beats on a standard 12-lead ECG were measured. The QTc was calculated with the Bazett method, and the values were averaged. Thirty-seven patients met inclusion criteria. Five had event histories concerning for possible underlying rhythm disturbances; data analysis was performed with and without these patients. The QTc data were normally distributed. The mean (SD) QTc for the entire cohort was 452 (61) ms. Excluding the five patients, it was 449 (62) ms. On multivariate analysis, sex (QTc female < male) and hypokalemia were associated with QTc prolongation. QTc in children with brain death is normally distributed but significantly longer than QTc in normal children. Until rapid genetic testing for channelopathies is universally available, our findings suggest that potential pediatric cardiac donors with isolated prolongation of the QTc in this setting may be acceptable in the absence of other exclusionary criteria.
Pathogenesis of herpes simplex virus-induced ocular immunoinflammatory lesions in B-cell-deficient mice.

The role of B cells and humoral immunity in herpes simplex virus (HSV) ocular infections was studied in immunoglobulin μ chain gene-targeted B-cell-deficient mice (μK/O). At doses of virus well tolerated by immunocompetent mice, heightened susceptibility of μK/O mice to herpetic encephalitis as well as to herpetic stromal keratitis (HSK) was observed. An explanation was sought for the increased severity of HSK in the μK/O mice. First, the lack of antibody responses in μK/O mice resulted in longer viral persistence and dissemination to the corneal stroma, the site of inflammation. Prolonged virus expression in the corneal stroma was suggested to cause bystander activation of Th1-type CD4+ T cells, further contributing to the severity of HSK lesion expression in μK/O mice. Second, μK/O mice generated minimal Th2 cytokine responses compared to wild-type mice. Such responses might serve to downregulate the severity of Th1-mediated HSK lesions.
The Bender Classroom Structure Questionnaire: A Tool for Placement Decisions and Evaluation of Mainstream Learning Environments

We hope that the information presented in New Products introduces our readers to something that can be readily utilized in the special or remedial classroom. The articles in this section are written by the authors or publishers of recently published teaching materials or tests. Readers are invited to offer suggestions for this regular column in Intervention. Suggestions or manuscripts should be sent to Dr. Ann Ryan, New Products Column Editor, 964 Lincoln Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105—GW
Creating Safe Environments for Students with Disabilities Who Identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, or Transgender.

Adolescence is an important time in human development. Teenagers spend much time questioning their core belief structures and developing the foundations of their identity. For students who identify...
Hierarchical Structure of Abilities: Factorial Validation of Higher Order Constructs in Thurstone's Primary Mental Abilities

Vernon and Humphreys have advocated the use of the hierarchical model as a means of conceptualizing the organization of human abilities and of thinking about tests. In this study, Thurstone's primary mental abilities (1938/1968) involving some 57 tests were factor analyzed to produce a comprehensive hierarchical model. Thurstone's study of primary mental abilities was designed for the measurement of individual differences and the development (or the use) of tests. Applying the hierarchical model, a test constructor might be able to select, according to his needs for measurement, factors or constructs at any level in the hierarchy.
Application of genetic algorithms to state estimation of tethered systems

The class of intelligent systems tools known as genetic algorithms is applied to the problem of state estimation, specifically, to predict the orbital dynamics of a tethered satellite system. Emphasis here is placed on cases of tethered motion in which only a short arc of observational data is available. For several example cases of tethered system motion, the performance of a genetic algorithm-based method is compared with that of a conventional differential corrections filtering technique. Measures of comparison include orbit determination accuracy, computational speed, and overall ease of use.
Multi-institutional profile of adults admitted to pediatric intensive care units.

Importance Growing numbers of persons with childhood-onset chronic illnesses are surviving to adulthood. Many use pediatric hospitals for their inpatient needs. To our knowledge, the prevalence and characteristics of adult pediatric intensive care unit patients have not been reported. Objectives To estimate the proportion of adults admitted to pediatric intensive care units (PICUs), characterize them, and compare them with older adolescents. Design One-year cross-sectional analysis. Setting Pediatric intensive care units in the United States that participated in the Virtual Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Systems. Participants Pediatric intensive care unit patients 15 years or older admitted in 2008. Main Outcome Measures We compared adults with adolescents across clinical characteristics and outcomes. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to estimate the independent association of age with PICU mortality. Results Seventy PICUs had 67 629 admissions; 1954 admissions (2.7%) were patients 19 years or older; and 9105 admissions (13.5%) were patients aged 15 to 18 years. The proportion of adults (≥19 years) varied considerably by PICU (range, 0%-9.2%). As age increased, the proportion of patients who had a complex chronic condition and planned or perioperative admissions increased; the proportion of trauma-related admissions decreased. Patients aged 21 to 29 years had a 2 times (95% CI, 1.3-3.2; P = .004) greater odds of PICU mortality compared with adolescent patients, after adjusting for Paediatric Index of Mortality score, sex, trauma, and having a complex chronic condition. Being 30 years or older was associated with a 3.5 (95% CI, 1.3-9.7; P = .01) greater odds of mortality. Conclusions and Relevance In this multi-institutional study, adults constituted a small but high-risk proportion of patients in some PICUs, suggesting that these PICUs should have plans and protocols specifically focused on this group.
The selection of the most appropriate airflow model for designing indoor air sensor systems

Abstract Current indoor air sensor system design is mostly by intuition or experience rather than by design. Sensor systems that are intended to ensure the safety and well-being of building occupants should be systematically designed and their performance evaluated. The literature shows that selection of an airflow model for sensor system design has been either out of convenience (thus choosing a simpler multizone model) or for proven accuracy (thus choosing a more complex computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model). In this study, the most appropriate airflow model for use in designing indoor air sensor systems was selected without compromising design objectives for 12 test zones. The test zones differed in the diffuser location, furniture presence and location, and airtightness level. Simulated contaminant concentrations from multizone, zonal, and CFD models were used to design sensor systems that either minimized detection time or occupant exposure. In lieu of experimental data, the performance of the sensor systems designed using multizone and zonal model data were benchmarked using CFD data. The sensor systems designed using CFD data were considered the “best-performing” in lieu of actual performance data. It was found that multiple-sensor systems designed using multizone model (the simplest of the three airflow models tested) data performed just as well as the best-performing sensor systems. For 1-sensor systems, common engineering practices resulted in performance comparable to the best-performing ones. These results applied even though the test zones were not considered well-mixed, and furniture and infiltration was modeled.
A Robust Strategy for Managing Congestion at Locks on the Upper Mississippi River

The Mississippi River is an important waterway in national and global supply chains, especially for agricultural commodities. The tools available for managing traffic congestion on the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) include operational policies such as sequencing vessels at locks, tactical decisions such as using helper boats to speed lockages, and strategic decisions such as constructing new larger locks. We describe the use of our detailed multi-lock discrete event simulation model to evaluate operational, tactical and strategic congestion mitigation measures for the UMR. With a focus on policy issues surrounding lock expansion, we evaluate the national net economic benefits of different congestion mitigation measures and identify a robust strategy for implementing measures that maximizes the national net economic benefit. We also highlight the importance of traffic forecasts for future inland waterway infrastructure investments.
Stretchable fingernail sensors for measurement of fingertip force

This paper describes a novel stretchable fingernail sensor for measuring fingertip forces for human-computer interaction. The fingernail sensor uses photoplethysmography to measure the change in blood perfusion in the fingernail bed when the fingerpad touches a surface with various forces. The original fingernail sensor was rigidly attached to the human fingernail, necessitating a customized fabrication for each individual user. Using novel fabrication techniques, a new stretchable sensor has been developed, where optoelectronic components are embedded within a soft rubber substrate, connected by stretchable conductors. This stretchable sensor can conform to the two-dimensional curvature of any human finger, eliminating the need for individual customization. In this paper, we demonstrate the successful fabrication of a prototype sensor with two LEDs and two photodetectors
CERN LHC phenomenology of an extended standard model with a real scalar singlet

Gauge singlet extensions of the standard model (SM) scalar sector may help remedy its theoretical and phenomenological shortcomings while solving outstanding problems in cosmology. Depending on the symmetries of the scalar potential, such extensions may provide a viable candidate for the observed relic density of cold dark matter or a strong first order electroweak phase transition needed for electroweak baryogenesis. Using the simplest extension of the SM scalar sector with one real singlet field, we analyze the generic implications of a singlet-extended scalar sector for Higgs boson phenomenology at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). We consider two broad scenarios: one in which the neutral SM Higgs and singlet mix and the other in which no mixing occurs and the singlet can be a dark matter particle. For the first scenario, we analyze constraints from electroweak precision observables and their implications for LHC Higgs phenomenology. For models in which the singlet is stable, we determine the conditions under which it can yield the observed relic density, compute the cross sections for direct detection in recoil experiments, and discuss the corresponding signatures at the LHC.
Dynamic processors demand dynamic operating systems

The rise of multicore processors has lead to techniques that dynamically vary the set and characteristics of cores or threads available to the operating system. For example, Core Fusion merges multiple cores for faster processing. While the mechanics of the change, such as merging two cores into a more powerful core, can be handled by a virtualization layer, operating systems still have an interest in the exact set of cores available. For example, the read-copy-update mechanism in Linux must contact all cores to complete an update. Thus, the OS must be informed when the set of CPUs changes. We demonstrate through an analysis of a recent Linux kernel that (i) there are over 15 subsystems - each subsystem can have multiple callbacks registered - that depend on knowing the set of cores, and (ii) the existing hotplug mechanism is poorly suited to handling dynamic processors due to its poor performance and scalability. Based on this analysis, we propose two mechanisms, processor proxies and parallel and deferred hotplug to provide low-latency reconfiguration. In initial experiments, we show that we can reduce the latency of reconfiguration in Linux by 95 percent.
The cloning and characterization of the human transcobalamin II gene.

Transcobalamin II (TCII) is a plasma protein that binds vitamin B12 (cobalamin; Cbl) and facilitates the cellular uptake of the vitamin by receptor-mediated endocytosis. In genetic disorders that are characterized by congenital deficiency of TCII, intracellular Cbl deficiency occurs, resulting in an early onset of megaloblastic anemia that is sometimes accompanied by a neurologic disorder. To define the genetic basis for TCII deficiency, we have cloned and characterized the human gene that encodes this protein. The gene spans a minimum of 18 kbp and contains nine exons and eight introns, with a polyadenylation signal sequence located 509 bp downstream from the termination codon and a transcription initiation site beginning 158 bp upstream from the ATG translation start site. The 5′ flanking DNA does not have a TATA or CCAAT regulatory element, but a 34-nucleotide stretch beginning just upstream of the CAP site contains four tandemly organized 5′-CCCC-3′ tetramers. This sequence is a motif for a trans-active transcription factor (ETF) that regulates expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor gene (EGFR), which also lacks TATA and CCAAT regulatory elements. A GC-rich sequence that binds the SP1 protein is located 356 nucleotides upstream from the first of the series of CCCC tetramers. Although this GC sequence is at an unusual location with respect to the CAP site, a 507-bp fragment containing this GC box drives the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene after transient transfection into NIH 3T3 cells. No CAT activity was observed when a 420-bp fragment lacking this GC box but containing the ETF-binding domains was similarly transfected into this cell line. One consensus and two atypical motifs for the c-myc ligand are located downstream and upstream, respectively, of the GC box, and this could explain the elevated plasma TCII observed in some patients with multiple myeloma, as the c-myc product is overexpressed in some myeloma cells. Restriction endonuclease digestion of genomic DNA from eight normal subjects with Taq I, Hinfl, Msp I, and Bgl I identified three patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). A number of the exon/intron splice junctions of human TCII, TCI, and IF genes are located in homologous regions of these proteins, providing evidence that these genes have evolved by duplication of an ancestral gene. This characterization of the TCII gene and the RFLP should facilitate the identification of the mutation(s) responsible for the genetic abnormalities of TCII expression.
Crystal structure of bis­(1-methyl-1H-imidazole-κN3)(5,10,15,20-tetra­phenyl­porphyrinato-κ4N)iron(II)–1-methyl-1H-imidazole (1/2)

The title compound, [Fe(C44H28N4)(C4H6N2)2]·2C4H6N2, is a six-coordinate FeII–porphyrinate complex with the metal located on a center of inversion and coordinated by two axial 1-methyl­imidazole ligands; the complex crystallizes as a 1-methyl­imidazole disolvate. The 1-methyl­imidazole group bonded to the FeII atom [occupancy ratio 0.789 (4):0.211 (4)] and the unbound 1-methyl­imidazole mol­ecule [0.519 (4):0.481 (4)] were disordered. The average Fe—N(porphyrinate) bond length is 1.998 (3) A and the axial Fe—N(imidazole) bond length is 1.9970 (12) A. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked into a three-mol­ecule aggregate by two weak C—H⋯N inter­actions.
Operative hysteroscopy: American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists' 1993 membership survey

The 1993 American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists' membership survey on operative hysteroscopy had 713 respondents reporting 14,707 procedures. Directed biopsy and endometrial ablation were the most commonly reported. The majority of operative hysteroscopies were performed for a complaint of abnormal bleeding (78%). The most frequent reported complication was uterine perforation not requiring transfusion (14.2/1000 procedures). The rates of water intoxication and pulmonary edema stayed essentially unchanged from 1991: 2/1000 in 1993 compared with 1.4/1000 in 1991. No deaths were reported this year. The consistency in rates of procedures performed and complications within the three surveys conducted in 1988, 1991, and 1993 add credibility to the data from these retrospective studies.
Non-linearity of apparent mass for multi-element bodies

Classical, and recent expositions of aerodynamic force history of unsteady incompressible problems segregate the forces into those due to the relative acceleration between the body immersed in a fluid, and everything else. Loads due to acceleration are referred to as inertial, noncirculatory, or apparent (or added) mass, since their cause is imputed to acceleration of a volume of bulk-fluid of some density (hence, inertia), to causes other than circulation, or to what mathematically looks like a slug of fluid moving with the accelerating body, respectively. The everything else lumps together forces due to bound or shed circulation, forces due to flow separation, and viscous traction. Ultimately all aerodynamic loads are from integration of pressure distribution and viscous traction, so the distinction into ∗Aerospace Systems Directorate, AIAA Senior Member, kenneth.granlund@wpafb.af.mil †Aerospace Systems Directorate, AIAA Associate Fellow ‡Department of Aerospace Engineering, AIAA Senior Member
Development and implementation of a clinical pharmacist training and assessment program.

Over the years, the scope and role of the clinical pharmacist, as defined by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy,[1][1] have grown and expanded in a manner that has surpassed our institution’s current method of training. Before implementation of a consistent training program, the quality and
Cytochrome c phosphorylation: Regulation of mitochondrial respiration and apoptosis

Mammalian cytochrome c (Cytc) functions as an electron carrier in the electron transport chain (ETC) and is also central in apoptosis. Considering the key role of Cytc in cellular life and death decisions, it should be tightly regulated. We have previously shown that Cytc is phosphorylated on two distinct tyrosine residues in heart and liver. We show here that the major fraction of Cytc isolated from kidneys is phosphorylated on yet another residue, Thr28, highlighting the importance tissue-specific adaptations in metabolic control. To study this phosphorylation we generated phoshomimetic Thr28Glu Cytc. The replacement leads to alterations in numerous Cytc functions including redox potential, partial inhibition (‘controlled respiration’) in the reaction with cytochrome c oxidase, and reduced respiration rates, mitochondrial membrane potential, and ROS production in intact cells. These results suggest that under healthy conditions Cytc is phosphorylated to partially inhibit electron flux in the ETC, preventing a hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential, a known cause of ROS production and trigger of apoptosis. Our data further suggest, for the first time, that ETC flux can be controlled at the level of the small electron carrier Cytc, making it an attractive target for therapeutic intervention in conditions of mitochondrial dysfunction.
Pre-evaluation of Occupational Hazards of Tungsten Carbide Technical Transformation Project in A Company

[Objective] To identify,evaluate and analyze the occurrence of possible occupational hazards in this construction project in order to confirm the type of occupational hazards;to evaluate the effects of the equipment on occupational hazard control in order to provide scientific evidences for the inspection by health administrative departments on this construction project.[Methods] The assessment was conducted by using analogy.[Results] This construction project was ordinary occupational hazard items,including the selection of site,the arrangement and layout of the facilities,occupational disease prevention and protection measures,hygiene equipment of auxiliary workplaces met the requirements of the national laws and regulations;the main occupational hazard factors which might exist in the item were dust,noise and tungsten carbide.[Conclusion] The occupational hazards,which possibly present in the productive process of the project,can be prevented.However,the design of some occupational prevention needs to be improved.From the view of occupational health,this constructive project is feasible.
Analysis of drug susceptibility test results of mycobacterium tuberculosis in Zhenjiang city

Objective To understand the drug resistance situation of TB patients in Zhenjiang city,in order to provide the basis for TB control and prevention. Methods Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains were isolated,cultured and identified in accordance with the " Laboratory testing procedures for TB diagnosis",and the susceptibility testing was conducted using the proportional method. Results There were 680 mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in 712 isolates( 95. 5%),and the other 32 isolates were non- tuberculous mycobacteria( NTM)( 4. 5%). In 680 mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates,the total drug resistance rate was 31. 9%,the initial treatment resistance rate was 17. 3%,and re- treatment resistance rate was 56. 7%; Drug- resistant strains accounted for 34. 1% of drug- resistant strains in initial treatment; total MDR rate was 18. 7%,re- treatment MDR rate( 42. 9%) was significantly higher than that of initial treatment( 4. 4%). Conclusion It is very important for the differential diagnosis and treatment of NTM and TM by culturing TB sputum and identifying mycobacteria isolates. Studies show that the management and treatment of tuberculosis over the past few years need improvement in Zhenjiang. Furthermore,the centralized management of TB patients and careful treatment programs selection should be strengthened to reduce drug- resistant strains.
Discussion on Main Problems of Multimedia Teaching Methodology in the Courses of Biopharmacetical Technology

The quality of teaching Biopharmaceutical Technology depends on the quality of multimedia coursewares,the combination of multimedia and traditional blackboard writing as well as the multimedia teaching measures.The author finds out a entire teaching measure which is suitable for the course.This teaching measure can improve students' study interests,help students to comprehend the keystones and difficulties.This teaching measure has got good effects.
Research on the Additional Damping Control of STATCOM with Parallel Double Channel to Restrain Low Frequency Oscillation

For the weak interconnected system,it can be solved by installing STATCOM additional damping control to inhibit low frequency oscillation.In the paper,the control effects of traditional STATCOM additional damping control at different operational mode with several common signals were compared and analyzed.In order to avoid the problems may occur due to using signal control signal,two appropriate signals were selected as the input signal to design the additional damping controller of STATCOM with parallel double channel.The results show that,compared with the traditional STATCOM additional damping controller,the additional damping controller of STATCOM with parallel double channel has better effect in restraining low frequency oscillation and has more strong robustness when system operation styles changes.
Optimal beam focusing through turbulence

Beam spread and beam wandering are the most perceptible effects of atmospheric turbulence on propagating laser beams. The width of the mean irradiance profile is typically used to characterize the beam spread. This so-called long-term (LT) statistic allows for a relatively simple theoretical description. However, the LT beam size is not a very practical measure of the beam spread because its measurements are sensitive to the movements of the source and detector, and to the large-scale variations of the refractive index that are not associated with turbulence. The short-term (ST) beam spread is measured relative to the instantaneous position of the beam center and is free of these drawbacks, but has not been studied as thoroughly as the LT spread. We present a theoretical model for the ST beam irradiance that is based on the parabolic equation for the beam wave propagation in random media, and the Markov approximation for calculation of the statistics of the optical field, and discuss an approximation that allows introduction of the isoplanatic ST point spread function (PSF). Unlike the LT PSF, the ST PSF depends on the overall beam geometry. This allows optimization of the initial beam field in terms of minimizing the ST beam size at the observation plane. Calculations supporting this conjecture are presented for the simple case of the coherent Gaussian beam, and Kolmogorov turbulence.
Effect of an oxygen-enriched solution and multiple dosing of antegrade crystalloid cardioplegic solution on myocardial metabolism during coronary artery bypass graft operations.

The metabolic effect of excessive oxygenation and frequency of administration of antegrade crystalloid cardioplegic solution was assessed in 33 patients undergoing routine coronary artery bypass graft operations. Four patient groups were designed in which the initial aortic root injection was 1000 ml and then 100 ml administered through the vein grafts after completion of each distal anastomosis. The groups were divided as follows: group 1, single dose, normally oxygenated cardioplegic solution infused via the aortic root; group 2, single dose, high oxygen content cardioplegic solution infused via the aortic root; group 3, normally oxygenated cardioplegic solution with additional 250 ml doses via the aortic root every 20 minutes; group 4, high oxygen content cardioplegic solution with additional 250 ml doses via the aortic root every 20 minutes. In all groups myocardial mean septal temperature showed an immediate fall to approximately 11° C with the initial aortic root doses and then a gradual rewarming to approximately 20° C during the crossclamp period (mean 58.6 minutes). Metabolic parameters measured or calculated from the coronary sinus effluent were myocardial oxygen extraction, lactate production, base deficit, inorganic phosphate, glucose, potassium, creatine kinase (total and myocardial band fraction), and catecholamine production. There was no statistically significant difference in any of these determinations between each patient group. Furthermore, myocardial recovery, myocardial performance, and postoperative recovery characteristics were not different. We conclude that single or multidose aortic root crystalloid cardioplegic solution (either oxygen enriched or normally oxygenated) is equally effective in routine coronary artery bypass graft operations when septal temperatures are maintained between 15° and 21° C for a total arrest time of 60 minutes or less. In this study, increasing the volume of cardioplegic solution given in multiple doses appeared to offer no significant metabolic or functional advantage in patients without complications who had satisfactory left ventricular function. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;104:1148-57)
Expansion of the Press

The third quarter of the nineteenth century witnessed an unparalleled expansion of the press. In Britain, the increase in the number of daily newspapers considerably outstripped per capita growth in population. The repeal of the remaining penny duty on newspapers in 1855 (coinciding with the end of the Crimean War) brought scores of new papers into existence. Only 14 daily papers existed in 1846, all of them in London; by 1890, the number had jumped to nearly 200, with well over half published in provincial cities and Scotland. It has been estimated that 50,000 copies of newspapers were printed daily in Britain in 1854 and about one million 15 years later.1 The expansion of the press was even more notable in the United States. Reliable statistics are harder to come by because of significant regional variations. But the figures for daily newspaper consumption per capita continued to be much higher than in Britain. The overall growth in circulation exceeded 250 per cent between 1850 and 1870, while the number of daily newspapers published soared from 387 in 1860 to 1,731 in 1890.2
Self-Reported Benefits and Adverse Outcomes of Hot Yoga Participation.

Background: There is little to no scientific data about the health benefits or risks to participating in hot yoga, in particular distinguishing it from the practice of non-hot yoga. Aims: This study aims to provide some preliminary evidence about the risks and benefits of participating in hot yoga. Future studies will be able to build off the findings herein. Methods: This study utilized online survey software (Qualtrics) and recruited participants through convenience sampling (n = 157) by targeting yoga websites and online forums. As there is currently no known questionnaire that has been developed to assess the risks and benefits of hot yoga participation, an exploratory measure was designed to gain more detailed responses from participants. Descriptive epidemiological analyses we re conducted. Results : Participants of hot yoga had a number of pre-existing health conditions. Both benefits and adverse outcomes were reported. The most frequently reported health benefits of hot yoga in this sample include...
There are Different Kinds of Retinal Light Damage in the Rat

In the following, I will review experimental results of our laboratory during the last 15 years on the damaging effect of light. My purpose will be to distinguish between at least two different kinds of retinal pathology caused by light. The question whether light exerts its damaging effect by one or several mechanisms has plagued us from the very beginning of our study, i.e. once it had been ascertained that the visual cells and the pigment epithelium of common breeds of albino or pigmented rats are irreversibly affected and destroyed by prolonged exposure to visible light of moderate or even weak intensity. The question inhibited the planning of experiments for the analysis of the mechanism of the effect and for the evaluation of physical and biological factors that influence the magnitude of the effect for which a reliable quantitative measure had to be found.
Attenuation of neointimal formation with netrin-1 and netrin-1 preconditioned endothelial progenitor cells

Restenosis after angioplasty is a serious clinical problem that can result in re-occlusion of the coronary artery. Although current drug-eluting stents have proved to be more effective in reducing restenosis, they have drawbacks of inhibiting reendothelialization to promote thrombosis. New treatment options are in urgent need. We have shown that netrin-1, an axon-guiding protein, promotes angiogenesis and cardioprotection via production of nitric oxide (NO). The present study examined whether and how netrin-1 attenuates neointimal formation in a femoral wire injury model. Infusion of netrin-1 into C57BL/6 mice markedly attenuated neointimal formation following wire injury of femoral arteries, measured by intimal to media ratio (from 1.94 ± 0.55 to 0.45 ± 0.86 at 4 weeks). Proliferation of VSMC in situ was largely reduced. This protective effect was absent in DCC+/− animals. NO production was increased by netrin-1 in both intact and injured femoral arteries, indicating netrin-1 stimulation of endogenous NO production from intact endothelium and remaining endothelial cells post-injury. VSMC migration was abrogated by netrin-1 via a NO/cGMP/p38 MAPK pathway, while timely EPC homing was induced. Injection of netrin-1 preconditioned wild-type EPCs, but not EPCs of DCC+/− animals, substantially attenuated neointimal formation. EPC proliferation, NO production, and resistance to oxidative stress induced apoptosis were augmented by netrin-1 treatment. In conclusion, our data for the first time demonstrate that netrin-1 is highly effective in reducing neointimal formation following vascular endothelial injury, which is dependent on DCC, and attributed to inhibition of VSMC proliferation and migration, as well as improved EPC function. These data may support usage of netrin-1 and netrin-1 preconditioned EPCs as novel therapies for post angioplasty restenosis.
Massive Expansion of Gypsy-Like Retrotransposons in Microbotryum Fungi

Transposable elements (TEs) are selfish, autonomously replicating DNA sequences that constitute a major component of eukaryotic genomes and contribute to genome evolution through their movement and amplification. Many fungal genomes, including the anther-smut fungi in the basidiomycete genus Microbotryum, have genome defense mechanisms, such as repeat-induced point mutation (RIP), which hypermutate repetitive DNA and limit TE activity. Little is known about how hypermutation affects the tempo of TE activity and their sequence evolution. Here we report the identification of a massive burst-like expansion of Gypsy-like retrotransposons in a strain of Microbotryum. This TE expansion evidently occurred in the face of RIP-like hypermutation activity. By examining the fitness of individual TE insertion variants, we found that RIP-like mutations impair TE fitness and limit proliferation. Our results provide evidence for a punctuated pattern of TE expansion in a fungal genome, similar to that observed in animals and plants. While targeted hypermutation is often thought of as an effective protection against mobile element activity, our findings suggest that active TEs can persist and undergo selection while they proliferate in genomes that have RIP-like defenses.
Does a treatment delay affect the survival of octogenarian patient population

149Background: The cancer management of the elderly patient is an increasingly important and challenging issue. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to evaluate the impact of treatment delay on survival outcome of cancer in octogenarian patients. Methods: From 2006 to 2015, established cancer patients age 80 and above who received treatment at our comprehensive cancer center were retrospectively reviewed. We evaluated the relationship between a delay in cancer treatment of more than 30 days in the octogenarian patient and survival using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards models. Results: There were 235 octogenarian cancer patients available for evaluation and 115 of these had a delay in initiation of cancer treatment ( > 30 days). Mean age was 83.7 years the treatment delay (TD) group and 83.9 in the no treatment delay (NTD) group (p = 0.70) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score of 2 or more was present in 22.6% of the TD group and 18.3% of the NTD group (p = 0.42). Metastat...
Drug Repositioning using Disease Associated Biological Processes and Network Analysis of Drug Targets

The analysis of disease using protein-protein interaction networks and network pharmacology has enabled better understanding of disease etiology and drug action. New insights into disease etiology and a better understanding of biological subsystems have opened up the possibility of finding new uses for existing drugs besides their original medical indication. We present an approach which makes use of the biological processes associated with diseases along with their known drugs and drug targets to predict Biological Process-Drug relationships. Network analysis is used to further refine these associations to eventually predict new Disease-Drug relationships. The approach is validated by the observation that, out of 2078 predicted disease-drug relationships, 401 (18.1%) have been used in a clinical trial.
Interplays of Sustainability, Resilience, Adaptation and Transformation

This chapter analyzes the complex interplays between and among sustainability, resilience, adaptation and transformation, key paradigms and analytical concepts that have emerged from the human-environmental interactions, social-ecological systems, and global environmental change literatures. Specifically, this chapter provides a summary of how these key paradigms and analytical concepts have evolved over time and synthesizes current debates about their interplays. Our findings reveal certain theoretical synergies between and among sustainability, resilience, adaptation and transformation, as well as epistemological tensions and practical tradeoffs when actions are taken to promote ostensibly desirable attributes of social-ecological systems through on-the-ground actions. These findings highlight the need for scholars, practitioners and policy makers to be explicit about the normative assumptions associated with sustainability, resilience, adaptation and transformation as they complement or contradict each other in local contexts, and how they may affect or be affected by the characteristics of and processes within local communities. Such understanding will be crucial for moving towards developing adaptation or transformation interventions that maximize the achievement of sustainability or resilience policy goals and minimize potential negative outcomes on both human well-being and environmental conditions.
Linearity characterization of RF-input Chireix outphasing power amplifier

This work demonstrates a complete Chireix system in which an analog signal component separator (SCS) is used to control the outphasing angle and amplitudes of the branch power amplifiers (PAs). The branch PAs are designed using load pull simulation as inverse class F amplifiers to obtain high efficiency. The branch PAs are directly connected to a signal combination network in one board to eliminate the phase error. The RF-input Chireix PA is demonstrated at 2.11GHz with peak output power 43.0 dBm and drain efficiency 73%.
Maintaining Quality in Lower Volume Cardiac Surgery: A Blueprint From a Military Program:

Although there is a clear volume–outcome relationship in the field of cardiac surgery, the existence of high-performing programs with relatively low case volumes is well established. This report de...
Weird Machines, Exploitability, and Provable Unexploitability

The concept of exploit is central to computer security, particularly in the context of memory corruptions . Yet, in spite of the centrality of the concept and voluminous descriptions of various exploitation techniques or countermeasures, a good theoretical framework for describing and reasoning about exploitation has not yet been put forward. A body of concepts and folk theorems exists in the community of exploitation practitioners; unfortunately, these concepts are rarely written down or made sufficiently precise for people outside of this community to benefit from them. This paper clarifies a number of these concepts, provides a clear definition of exploit, a clear definition of the concept of a weird machine , and how programming of a weird machine leads to exploitation. The papers also shows, somewhat counterintuitively, that it is feasible to design some software in a way that even powerful attackers—with the ability to corrupt memory once—cannot gain an advantage. The approach in this paper is focused on memory corruptions . While it can be applied to many security vulnerabilities introduced by other programming mistakes, it does not address side channel attacks , protocol weaknesses , or security problems that are present by design .
Prevalence and risk of skeletal complications and use of radiation therapy in elderly women diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer.

OBJECTIVE Real-world data regarding patient factors associated with the occurrence of spinal cord compression (SCC) or pathological fracture (PF), or need for bone surgery (BS), or use of radiation therapy (RAD) (i.e. skeletal complications and radiation therapy; SCRT) are limited for women with metastatic breast cancer (BCa). Given the substantial clinical and economic burden of these events in advanced BCa, we conducted the present study to understand the prevalence and identify the risk factors associated with these events among elderly women presenting with de novo metastatic BCa. METHODS Using linked Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results and Medicare data, we identified women with incident metastatic BCa diagnosed during 2005-2009. Associations between patient demographics and select clinically relevant factors, and SCRT were examined using the Cox proportional hazards model, accounting for death as a competing risk. RESULTS Of 3,731 Medicare beneficiaries with incident metastatic BCa, 1,808 (48.5%) experienced at least one SCRT event during a median follow-up of 13.2 months; a majority (69%) experienced a subsequent SCRT event. The proportions of women who had RAD, PF, BS, and SCC were: 32%, 28%, 8%, and 4%. Older women (80+ years), or those with more comorbid conditions (CCI≥2) had a statistically significant lower risk of SCRT (HR 0.78 [CI: 0.67-0.92, p<0.01]; HR 0.77 [CI: 0.67-0.89, p<0.01], respectively), primarily due to lower frequency of radiotherapy (p<0.01). Compared to Caucasians, African Americans had lower risk of SCRT (HR 0.70 [CI: 0.60-0.82, p<0.01]), as well as all SCRT subtypes defining this group except for SCC, which was the same for both race groups. CONCLUSION This study highlights that certain patient characteristics and clinical factors are associated with the risk of spinal cord compression or pathologic fractures, or need for bone surgery or radiation among women with metastatic BCa. In future studies, it will also be important to consider the clinical and economic burden based on these components of skeletal complications and radiation therapy use in order to guide and improve the management of women with advanced BCa.
Substance Use Among American Indian Youths on Reservations Compared With a National Sample of US Adolescents

Importance American Indian adolescents attending schools on or near reservations are historically at high risk for substance use. Objective To compare rates of substance use among reservation-based American Indian adolescents vs rates among national US youths. Design, Setting, and Participants Population-based survey study of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students attending participating schools on or near reservations, stratified by region, during the 2016-2017 school year. Substance use rates were compared with those of a national sample of comparably aged students from the Monitoring the Future study. Main Outcomes and Measures Lifetime and last-30-day self-reported use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs, using relative risk (RR) ratios with 95% confidence intervals to compare American Indian student rates with Monitoring the Future student rates. Results Participants included 570 students in eighth grade (49.6% girls; mean age, 13.5 years), 582 in 10th grade (50.0% girls; mean age, 15.4 years), and 508 in 12th grade (53.5% girls; mean age, 17.4 years). American Indian students reported substantially higher lifetime and last-30-day substance use rates compared with the Monitoring the Future students, with greatest disparity at eighth grade: last-30-day substance use RRs for grade 8 were 2.1 (95% CI, 1.4-3.0) for alcohol, 4.2 (95% CI, 3.1-5.8) for marijuana, and 2.4 (95% CI, 1.7-3.3) for other illicit drugs. Compared with 2009 to 2012 data, the RRs between American Indian and Monitoring the Future students for lifetime alcohol and marijuana use did not change substantially from the 2016-2017 school year (alcohol: RR, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.4-1.6] vs RR, 1.3 [95% CI, 1.2-1.4], respectively; marijuana: RR, 2.0 [95% CI, 1.8-2.1] vs RR, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.9-2.3], respectively), but increased substantially for other drugs (RR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.7-1.9] vs RR, 3.0 [95% CI, 2.9-3.2], respectively). Conclusions and Relevance Reservation-based American Indian students are at high risk for substance use compared with US youths in general, making prevention efforts critical. Cultural and value-based characteristics unique to American Indian populations may provide beneficial targets for prevention, but there is limited evidence on how cultural factors work to prevent risky behaviors. Without increased attention to these disparities, the costs to American Indian youths and their communities will remain high.
Energy Efficient Control Methods of HVAC Systems for Smart Campus

The incorporation of advanced sensor data acquisition techniques, concepts of cyber physical systems, and the Internet of Things (IoT) devices into infrastructures and building energy management systems is enabling the smart city deployments. The main emphasis of this paper is to design and implementation of energy efficient controls into the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of the commercial buildings. These systems are responsible for providing acceptable indoor air quality and thermal comfort to the occupants. By tuning and implementing advanced control systems into the existing HVAC systems, energy consumption can be reduced by 20-30%. The traditional control techniques are compared with two advanced control techniques: Pattern Recognition Adaptive Controller (PRAC) and Model Predictive Control (MPC). The salient features of the advanced control techniques are presented. By utilizing the existing hardware and software systems, the proposed control techniques are implemented on one of the academic buildings of the Texas Tech University campus. The preliminary results obtained in the minimization of simultaneous heating and cooling and energy savings of the HVAC systems are presented in the paper.
Some Comparative Morphological Aspects of Renal Neoplasms in Rana pipiens and of Lymphosarcomas in Amphibia

Those who first began to compare neoplasms of man with those of other animals had practical expectations in mind. One was that neoplasms resembling each other and arising from homologous organs and cells might have the same etiology, regardless of species differences among the hosts. While this hope springs eternal in the breast of the comparative oncologist, it has been learned from experience that such hope is not to be Scized upon without a good deal of circumspection, though it ought not be abandoned.
Variation in foliar elemental composition in Vaccinium crosses

Highbush blueberry culture is limited primarily to low pH coarse-textured soils high in organic matter. Lowbush blueberry species are used in U.S. breeding programs for the improvement of several characters including adaptation to a broader range of soil physical and chemical properties. The objective of this study was to determine the influence of various levels of lowbush ancestry on the mineral nutrition of progeny plants. The crosses had lowbush ancestry levels of 0%, 25%, 50%, and 100%. Recently matured leaves on 8-year-old plants were sampled during the middle of the fruiting season.