cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematic errors in middle-aged women's estimates of energy intake: comparing three self-report measures to total energy expenditure from doubly labeled water

PURPOSE: To evaluate energy intake (EI) derived from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), seven-day dietary recall (7DDR), and seven 24-hour dietary recall interviews (24HR) for reporting errors associated with social desirability and social approval. METHODS: The FFQ and 7DDR were administered once before and once after a 14-day metabolic period during which total energy expenditure was determined using the doubly labeled water method (TEEdlw). Seven 24HR were conducted over the 14-day period. Data obtained from 80 healthy women (mean age = 49.1 years) were fit to linear regression models in which the EI estimates were the dependent variables and estimates of social desirability and social approval traits, body mass index [weight (kg)/ height (m)2], and TEEdlw were fit as independent variables. RESULTS: indicated that in college-educated women there was an underestimate associated with social desirability on the FFQ (-42.24 kcal/day/point on the social desirability scale; 95% CI:–75.48, -9.00). For college-educated women with an average social desirability score (∼17 points) this would equal an underestimate of 507 kcal/day compared to women with the minimum score (4 points). The 7DDR was associated with a differential effect of social approval when comparing by education; i.e., there was a difference of 36.35 kcal/day/point between the two groups (-14.69 in women with ≥college and 21.66 in women with <college) (95% CI: 10.25, 62.45). CONCLUSIONS: Social desirability and social approval distort energy intake estimates from structured questionnaires, in a manner that appears to vary by educational status. Results observed have important implications for subject recruitment, data collection, and for methods of detection and control of biases in epidemiologic studies.
An Observational Study of Sleep of the Aged

9 males and 10 females with a mean age of 77 yr. and with only the general debilities of aging were observed for two 36-hr. periods in 15-min. intervals. Sleep and waking behavior was recorded. Ss ...
A Homomorphic Approach for Through-Wall Sensing

Using low microwave frequencies (up to 2 GHz) through a monostatic analysis, the signature of a metallic target behind a thick brick wall is detected and resolved. An alternative approach using cepstral analysis is introduced for resolving the target's signature from that of the wall, which is particularly beneficial at close proximity when both signatures merge in the time domain. The use of lower frequencies combined with the monostatic analysis provides for greater flexibility in operational requirements, frequency spectrum constraints, and cost of transceivers, as well as a better wall penetration of the electromagnetic waves. Additionally, the introduction of the cepstrum-domain analysis opens a new window for detection and identification research in the field of through-wall remote sensing.
Rapid inventory of the ant assemblage in a temperate hardwood forest: species composition and assessment of sampling methods.

Abstract Ants are key indicators of ecological change, but few studies have investigated how ant assemblages respond to dramatic changes in vegetation structure in temperate forests. Pests and pathogens are causing widespread loss of dominant canopy tree species; ant species composition and abundance may be very sensitive to such losses. Before the experimental removal of red oak trees to simulate effects of sudden oak death and examine the long-term impact of oak loss at the Black Rock Forest (Cornwall, NY), we carried out a rapid assessment of the ant assemblage in a 10-ha experimental area. We also determined the efficacy in a northern temperate forest of five different collecting methods—pitfall traps, litter samples, tuna fish and cookie baits, and hand collection—routinely used to sample ants in tropical systems. A total of 33 species in 14 genera were collected and identified; the myrmecines, Aphaenogaster rudis and Myrmica punctiventris, and the formicine Formica neogagates were the most common an...
Maximal Oxygen Intake and its Relationship to Endurance Capacity on a Bicycle Ergometer

Abstract The relationship between maximal oxygen intake (Max V02) and the capacity for endurance performance was investigated in a sample of 30 male university students. Each subject performed two work capacity tests on a bicycle ergometer from which continuous, minute-by-minute oxygen intake values, the amount of work performed (kilopond-meters), and the length of the ride (seconds) were obtained. In addition, lean body weight and percent body fat were measured in order to ascertain their importance in the above relationship. The results indicate a fairly high correlation (r = .84) between Max VO2 (liters/min.) and endurance capacity, but this relationship was reduced considerably when Max VO2 was expressed relative to body weight (r=.37) and lean body weight (r = .18). However, when the influence of body weight and lean body weight were held statistically constant, the correlations of endurance capacity with Max VO2 (ml/kg per min.) and Max VO2 (ml/LBW/ min.) increased to r=.78 and r = .64 respectively....
Patient-Side Surgeons: The Unsung Heroes of Robotic Surgery

There is much truth to the statement “The console surgeon is only as good as their assistant.” As the only surgeon scrubbed during the procedure, the patient-side assistant is in large part responsible for the efficient and safe progression of the surgical procedure.
Employer Convenience, Telecommuting, and the Constitution: The Empire State Really Strikes Back

The author says New York State's convenience of the employer rule is unconstitutional and that Congress should pass legislation barring states from taxing the income of nonresidents who work in their out-of-state homes for New York employers. Zelinsky criticizes a recent New York State Department of Taxation and Finance memorandum on the rule.
Observations on the Mode of Action of Sulfapyridine on Pneumococcus.

Conclusions1. Sulfapyridine did not affect the capsule of the pneumococcus either in vivo or in vitro in such a way as to be ascertainable by capsule-staining or by affecting the “quellung” reaction in the presence of immune serum. 2. In vivo and in vitro experiments using sulfapyridine in pneumococcal infections or pneumococcal cultures containing leucocytes did not indicate an increase in phagocytosis of the diplococci in the presence of the drug. 3. In vitro there was only slight bacteriostatic effect of 10 mg% sulfa-pyridine in broth cultures of pneumococcus Type I until the culture neared the close of the logarithmic phase of growth. At that time a bactericidal effect was apparent along with increased bacteriostasis and the length of the phase of decline was decreased markedly. 4. In vivo a similar effect was noted. In mice treated with sulfa-pyridine there was a short period of increase in the number of organisms in the peritoneal exudate followed by a rapid decrease in the number of bacteria found ...
Current-Noise-Power-Spectra for Amorphous Silicon Photodiode Sensors

Pixelated imaging arrays consisting of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photodiode sensors and field effect transistors are under development for x-ray imaging. For such arrays it is important to quantify the sensor noise characteristics as these may, in some cases, limit the array performance for certain applications. The current-noise-power-spectra of ~1 μm thick a-Si:H p-i-n sensors of various areas are presented. The power spectra were measured for different reverse bias voltages over a frequency range of ~0.01 to 1.0 Hz. The power spectra revealed the noise to be composed primarily of flicker noise. The flicker noise showed a l/fb dependence where b ranged from ~1.1 to 1.2. The magnitude of the flicker noise as a function of the sensor leakage current and the sensor area has been investigated and is presented.
Cancer-targeting potential of small interference RNA expression vector containing hTERT/U6 chimeric promoter

AIM:To study the tumor-targeting potential of siRNA-EGFP-hTERT/U6-PTZU6+1 expression vector in vitro. METHODS:Hepatocellular carcinoma cell SMMC-7721 and human normal fibrocytes HELF, both expressing fluorescence protein (EGFP-7721, EGFP-HELF) stably were cultured. The cells transfected with plasmid PTZU6+1, siRNA-EGFP-PTZU6+1 and siRNA-EGFP-hTERT/U6-PTZU6+1 were employed respectively as the empty vector groups, experimental control groups and experimental groups. Real-time SYBR green PCR and Western-Blot were applied to investigate the differential influences of plasmid siRNA-EGFP-hTERT/U6-PTZU6+1 on the EGFP gene expressions in EGFP-7721 and EGFP-HELF cells. RESULTS:The results of real-time SYBR green PCR and Western Blot showed that there was no significant difference in the EGFP gene expression between the recombinant plasmid siRNA-EGFP-hTERT/U6-PTZU6+1 (either oppositely or positively inserted) and the empty vector transfected EGFP-HELF cells. On the contrary, only the opposited inserted siRNA-EGFP-hTERT/U6-PTZU6+1 recombinant plasmid inhibited the EGFP gene expression in the EGFP-7721 cells (P0.01). As compared with the empty plasmid, the plasmid siRNA-EGFP-PTZU6+1 significantly inhibited the EGFP gene expression in both EGFP-7721 and EGFP-HELF cells (P0.01). CONCLUSION: The oppositely inserted recombinant plasmid siRNA-EGFP-hTERT/U6-PTZU6+1 has the ability to target the malignant tumor cells, which provides the foundation for tumor gene-targeted therapy.
Isolation and characterization of collagen in Peyronie's disease

Peyronie's disease is characterized histologically by excessive collagen deposition in the lesion. We examined the collagen types in Peyronie's disease plaque tissues compared to unaffected tissues from the same patient, other control tissues, and Dupuytren's contracture. Gel electrophoresis of pepsin-solubilized collagen demonstrated the presence of type I collagen and an increased content of type III collagen in plaque tissue. Increased type III collagen was detected in apparently normal tissue adjacent to the plaque and in Dupuytren's lesion, confirming previous findings. Although the cause of excessive collagen accumulation of Peyronie's disease is unknown, the results suggest an imbalance in the regulation of extracellular matrix production leading to pathologic fibrosis.
From Marginality to Mattering: Linguistic Practices, Pedagogies and Diversities at a Community-Serving Senior College

La diversificacio cultural d'universitats dirigides en els seus origens a les necessitats d'una minoria provoca preguntes sobre la inclusio de cada individu mentre que es mantinguin els avencos aconseguits per a la poblacio original. Aquest article investiga la interseccio de la diversificacio linguistica i racial a Medgar Evers College de la Universitat de la Ciutat de Nova York (CUNY). Historicament connectat al Black Campus Movement, la institucio esta compromesa amb ser un agent de la transformacio social a la comunitat de Brooklyn. Per comprendre les diferents perspectives sobre llengua i diversitat, entrevistem alguns representants dels principals grups de la universitat. Sobre la diversificacio linguistica es va mostrar una tensio entre la conviccio que existeix un angles normatiu o 'ideal' i el reconeixement de la variacio linguistica. Pel que fa al clima racial i etnic, es va manifestar una percepcio d'exclusio entre estudiants de color que no s'identificaven com negres. Conceptes existents aixi com les bones actituds i practiques entre els participants prometen camins que podrien donar suport a tots. Suggerim que educadors, administradors i empleats en Medgar Evers han de fomentar el dialeg entre estudiants diversos, tant a les aules com fora d'elles. Alhora, s'ha de mantenir l'espai segur i l'atmosfera d'empoderament creat per als estudiants negres. Tambe recomanem mes conceptualitzacio teorica sobre la diversificacio d'institucions no-predominantment blancs.
Anesthesia for Liver Transplantation

Summary Liver transplantation has allowed 70 per cent of patients who otherwise had no chance of survival to survive at least 1 year, and more than 50 per cent of them currently survive longer than 5 years. The technology, methods, and knowledge resulting from liver transplantation have made a remarkable contribution to medicine. Future investigation by anesthesiologists in this field will not only help patients with and without liver disease, but also improve our understanding of hepatic physiology and its relation to anesthesia practice.
Some Applications of Multiplier Ideals

The machinery developed in the previous chapter already has many substantial applications, and we present a number of these here. We start in the first section with several results involving singularities of divisors. In Section 10.2 we prove Matsusaka’s theorem following the approach of Siu and Demailly. The next section is devoted to a theorem of Nakamaye describing the base loci of big and nef divisors. Results and conjectures concerning global generation of adjoint linear series occupy Section 10.4, where in particular we prove the theorem of Angehrn and Siu. Finally, in Section 10.5 we discuss applications of Skoda’s theorem to the effective Nullstellensatz.
An approach to intelligent monitoring

An approach to intelligent monitoring called AIM and its experimental model are presented. This approach constitutes a departure from conventional methodologies. The capabilities of the approach are described, and an application of AIM involving the monitoring of a file access is discussed. The development of this approach still remains in its early stages. Although a more detailed implementation based on the initially constructed model is under development, the major efforts are being shifted to represent the temporal behavior of a monitored system through the framework of dynamically constructing representational models. >
Novel copolymers of styrene. 10. Bromo and chloro ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates

ABSTRACTNovel trisubstituted ethylenes, ring-disubstituted propyl 2-cyano-3-phenyl-2-propenoates, RPhCH = C(CN)CO2C3H7 (where R is 2-bromo-4-methyl, 2-chloro-6-methyl, 3-chloro-4-methyl, 2,5-dibromo, 3,5-dibromo, 2,3-dichloro, and 2,4-dichloro) were prepared and copolymerized with styrene. The monomers were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-substituted benzaldehydes and propyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C-NMR. All the ethylenes were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70°C. The composition of the copolymers was calculated from nitrogen analysis, and the structures were analyzed by IR, 1H and 13C-NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA. Decomposition of the copolymers in nitrogen occurred in two steps, first in the 200-500°C range with residue (7-12% wt.), which then decomposed in the 500-800°C range.
Silent Data Corruption Resilient Two-sided Matrix Factorizations

This paper presents an algorithm based fault tolerance method to harden three two-sided matrix factorizations against soft errors: reduction to Hessenberg form, tridiagonal form, and bidiagonal form. These two sided factorizations are usually the prerequisites to computing eigenvalues/eigenvectors and singular value decomposition. Algorithm based fault tolerance has been shown to work on three main one-sided matrix factorizations: LU, Cholesky, and QR, but extending it to cover two sided factorizations is non-trivial because there are no obvious \textit{offline, problem} specific maintenance of checksums. We thus develop an \textit{online, algorithm} specific checksum scheme and show how to systematically adapt the two sided factorization algorithms used in LAPACK and ScaLAPACK packages to introduce the algorithm based fault tolerance. The resulting ABFT scheme can detect and correct arithmetic errors \textit{continuously} during the factorizations that allow timely error handling. Detailed analysis and experiments are conducted to show the cost and the gain in resilience. We demonstrate that our scheme covers a significant portion of the operations of the factorizations. Our checksum scheme achieves high error detection coverage and error correction coverage compared to the state of the art, with low overhead and high scalability.
Biodegradation of insensitive munition formulations IMX101 and IMX104 in surface soils

The biodegradation potential of insensitive munition melt cast formulations IMX101 and IMX104 was investigated in two unamended training range soils under aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions. Changes in community profiles in soil microcosms were monitored via high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing over the course of the experiments to infer key microbial phylotypes that may be linked to IMX degradation. Complete anaerobic biotransformation occurred for IMX101 and IMX104 constituents 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) and 3-nitro-1,2,4-triazol-5-one during the 30-day incubation period with Camp Shelby (CS) soil. By comparison, soil from Umatilla chemical depot demonstrated incomplete DNAN degradation with reduced transformation rates for both IMX101 and IMX104. Aerobic soil microcosms for both soils demonstrated reduced transformation rates compared to anaerobic degradation for all IMX constituents with DNAN the most susceptible to biotransformation by CS soil. Overall, IMX constituents hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine and 1-nitroguanidine did not undergo significant transformation. In CS soil, organisms that have been associated with explosives degradation, namely members of the Burkholderiaceae, Bacillaceae, and Paenibacillaceae phylotypes increased significantly in anaerobic treatments whereas Sphingomonadaceae increased significantly in aerobic treatments. Collectively, these data may be used to populate fate and transport models to provide more accurate estimates for assessing environmental costs associated with release of IMX101 and IMX104.
Cyber attacks on estimation sensor networks and iots: Impact, mitigation and implications to unattacked systems

Estimation of an unknown deterministic vector from quantized sensor data is considered in the presence of spoofing and man-in-the-middle attacks. First, asymptotically optimum processing, which identifies and categorizes the attacked sensors into different groups according to distinct types of attacks, is outlined in the face of man-in-the-middle attacks. Necessary and sufficient conditions are provided under which utilizing the attacked sensor data will lead to better estimation performance when compared to approaches where the attacked sensors are ignored. Next, necessary and sufficient conditions are provided under which spoofing attacks provide a guaranteed attack performance in terms of the Cramer-Rao Bound regardless of the processing the estimation system employs. It is shown that it is always possible to construct such a highly desirable attack by properly employing an attack vector parameter having a sufficiently large dimension relative to the number of quantization levels employed, which was not observed previously. For unattacked quantized estimation systems, a general limitation on the dimension of a vector parameter which can be accurately estimated is uncovered.
Corporal Punishment and Worse

“Flogging” treats this punishment, which was common in homes, schools, the armed forces, and prisons. Shaw loathed its cruelty and the moral debasement of those who clamor for its infliction. Some plays refer to it, but his views appear mainly in non-dramatic works. “Laws, Trials, and Imprisonment” demonstrates our inequality before the law. Unlike laborers, the rich can afford lawyers to search for exonerating evidence and plead before appellate courts. The law, Shaw shows, is an agent of the l.c. (government). The subsection examines The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet and Saint Joan, plus Shaw’s non-dramatic writings on judges and juries; and it analyzes imprisonment, including the treatment of suffragettes and the effectiveness of the penal system’s goals: punishment, deterrence, and reform. Shaw favors “Capital Punishment,” common in his lifetime, since society has the right to protect itself from irredeemably wicked people who might continue to kill and since it does not waste society’s financial resources or the lives of those who tend to the needs of those incarcerated. This chapter also explores his approval of non-judicial execution of social undesirables in the Soviet Union.
Associations of aerobic and strength exercise with clinical laboratory test values.

Objectives Physical exercise may affect levels of blood-based biomarkers. However, exercise status is seldom considered in the interpretation of laboratory results. This study reports the associations between habitual exercise participation and clinical laboratory test results. Methods The effects of days per week of aerobic and strength exercise participation on laboratory test results for 26 biomarkers in young adults aged 18 to 34 years (n = 80,111) were evaluated using percentile distribution analyses and multivariate regression. Results In both men and women, more days per week of either aerobic or strength exercise were significantly associated with lower levels of glucose, hemoglobin A1c, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, estimated glomerular filtration rate, globulin, and C-reactive protein, and significantly higher levels of HDL cholesterol, creatinine, iron, and percent saturation (all p < .05). Type of exercise or gender influenced the observed relationships with exercise frequency for total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, alkaline phosphatase, uric acid, bilirubin, and iron binding capacity. Conclusions Physical exercise shifted the distribution of results into the direction suggestive of better health. Reported relationships may help clinicians and patients to better understand and interpret laboratory results in athletic populations and possibly re-evaluate interpretation of reference intervals for physically active populations.
Compositional variability in Mediterranean archaeofaunas from Upper Paleolithic Southwest Europe

Abstract Recent meta-analyses of Upper Paleolithic Southwestern European archaeofaunas (Jones, 2015, 2016) have identified a consistent “Mediterranean” cluster from the Last Glacial Maximum through the early Holocene, suggesting similarities in environment and/or consistency in hunting strategy across this region through time despite radical changes in climate. However, while these archaeofaunas from this cluster all derive from sites located within today's Mediterranean bioclimatic region, many of them are from locations far from the Mediterranean Sea – Atlantic Portugal, the Spanish Meseta – which today differ significantly from each other in biotic composition. In this paper, I explore clustering (through cluster analysis and non-metric multidimensional scaling) within the Mediterranean archaeofaunal group. I test for the influence of sample size as well as the geographic variables of site elevation, latitude, and longitude on variability in the large mammal portions of archaeofaunal assemblages. ANOVA shows no relationship between cluster-defined groups and site elevation or longitude; instead, site latitude appears to be a primary contributor to patterning. However, the overall compositional similarity of the Mediterranean archaeofaunas in this dataset suggests more consistency than variability in Upper Paleolithic hunting strategy in this region.
Paul: Proprietor of the Gospel

Drawing heavily on the pioneering work of Steve Mason, Garroway upends previous scholarship regarding the origin of the term euangelion, or gospel, in the early Jesus movement by proposing that Paul himself coined the term to describe his unique interpretation of Christ’s death and resurrection. As Garroway demonstrates, Paul gives every indication that he thinks the gospel belongs to him alone. Paul strikes an unmistakably proprietary tone when speaking about the gospel in all his epistles, while in his epistle to the Galatians he emphasizes that he received the gospel straight from the risen Christ. Garroway shows that even in 1 Corinthians 15:1–3, the passage so often understood to say that Paul received the gospel from his apostolic predecessors, Paul styles himself the sole proprietor of the gospel.
Limits and Possibilities of Family and School as Educators

Questions are increasingly being raised about the limits and possibilities of family and school in the development of the child and in the service of society. Issues related to the nature and purpose of education and who shall control education are being raised at various points on an ideological spectrum, ranging from tighter programmatic controls at state and federal levels, to virtually complete control by parents over the education of their children (McGraw, 1978) and disestablishment of state schools (Gardner, 1975).
ENVIRONMENTALLY ENHANCED CRACKING OF ENGINEERING ALLOYS—ITS SCOPE AND INFLUENCE ON LARGE SCALE ENGINEERING PROJECTS

ABSTRACT Stress corrosion cracking and corrosion fatigue are reviewed with respect to technological problems which face the construction and operation of large engineering systems. There is a great incentive to pay progressively more attention to the factors which control SCC/CF as the international engineering community embarks upon new projects aimed at producing energy or new materials. New SCC/CF phenomena will continuously appear. However, the phenomenon is becoming increasingly susceptible to correlation through now partially established continuous dependencies upon principal engineering variables. The outlines of such continua are now apparent and major emphasis should be given to clarifying the nature of such correlations. A major cause of failure continues to relate to adventitious circumstances, and more attention needs to be given to identifying such circumstances and appropriately changing new designs. In the near future, additional scientific and technological work needs to be undertaken to develop rigorous design equations which can be used with confidence by the design community. Further, more particular attention needs to be paid to preventing SCC/CF during all stages of equipment manufacture and operation, from the early stages of manufacturing to the final stages of steady state operation and shutdown.
Molecular Pathology and Diagnostics of Thyroid and Parathyroid Malignancies

Malignancies of the thyroid and parathyroid glands are rare oncologic entities that range in clinical behavior from relatively indolent to extremely aggressive malignancies. Presently, establishing a diagnosis and prognosis for thyroid and parathyroid malignancies largely depends on histology supplemented with immunohistochemical analysis. Over the past 20 years, different histologic subtypes of thyroid cancer have been shown to carry specific genetic alterations, which are often preferentially associated with, or unique to, each subtype. In many cases, these genetic alterations have been analyzed via molecular-genetic testing techniques to help establish a diagnosis in cases where histology and immunohistochemistry alone cannot. In addition, such testing has occasionally been used to determine prognosis. Presently, clinical molecular diagnostic testing is not performed on parathyroid tumors. However, differences between parathyroid hyperplasia, adenomas, and carcinomas have been detected via molecular testing. With additional research, these differences may become more fully understood and applied to molecular diagnostics. Thus, although presently not extensively employed, molecular diagnostics of the thyroid and parathyroid are likely to become increasingly important in determining the diagnosis and prognosis of these malignancies, especially for histologically difficult cases. Furthermore, pharmacologic inhibitors of many of the oncogenes mutated in these malignancies are being developed. With time, molecular diagnostic testing for these mutations is likely to be implemented to aid in choosing optimal chemotherapeutic treatment regimens.
Part and Whole in Aristotle‘s Political Philosophy

It is often held that according to Aristotle the city is a natural organism. One major reason for this “organic” interpretation is no doubt that Aristotle describes the relationship between the individual and the city as a part-whole relationship, seemingly the same relationship that holds between the parts of a natural organism and the organism itself. Moreover, some scholars (most notably Jonathan Barnes) believe this view of the city led Aristotle to accept an implicit totalitarianism. I argue, however, that an investigation of the various ways Aristotle describes parts and wholes reveals that for Aristotle the city has a unity (and thus a nature) quite different from that of a natural organism.
Intravascular ultrasound of normal left main arteries: Insights for stent optimization and standardization.

Left main (LM) lumen diameters >4 mm are the norm and diameter >4.5 mm is present in almost 50% of patients by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Normal LM minimum lumen area averages 14.1 mm2 for women and 16.2 mm2 for men, requiring an area stenosis of 57-63% for LM lesion to be hemodynamically significant using the prevailing criterion of 6 mm2 as a cut-off for revascularization. Incomplete LM visualization with IVUS is common (68%) without dedicated and specific LM IVUS techniques.
From the Pages of Allergy Watch: November 2019.

A new Annals feature in 2018, “From the Pages of AllergyWatch” is devoted to publishing synopses of Allergy and Asthma literature relevant to a topic of emphasis. These unbiased synopses and comments by our Editors have been previously printed in the AllergyWatch bimonthly newsletter, and it is our hope that presenting carefully selected article summaries and comments in the Annals will serve as a valuable educational resource for practicing allergists.
Brain stimulation as an emerging treatment for addiction

Abstract A wealth of preclinical research has shown that altering activity in frontostriatal circuits can modulate drug-taking behavior. The challenge now is to translate these basic science discoveries into a safe and effective treatment for our patients. This chapter will introduce transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) as a noninvasive brain stimulation tool that is currently being used to advance therapeutic options for patients with substance use disorders. As this field develops, the primary questions will likely be (1) what cortical location should we target to maximally affect the circuitry we are interested in changing? and (2) what stimulation frequency should we choose? From the perspective of addiction, it is possible to differentially activate frontostriatal circuits involved in limbic control from those involved in executive control through stimulating the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), respectively. The data presented in this chapter demonstrate that while most of the efforts for rTMS in addiction have been focused on increasing activity in the DLPFC, decreasing activity in the MPFC and ventral striatum may also be a feasible and fruitful target to consider. It seems plausible that either increasing neural firing in the executive control circuit (via high-frequency TMS in the DLPFC) or decreasing firing in the limbic circuit in the presence of cues (via low-frequency TMS in the MPFC) may be valuable strategies for decreasing vulnerability to drug-related cues. Before moving forward with slow and expensive clinical trials, it is important to have a comprehensive understanding of limbic and executive circuit modulation in a diverse cross section of substance-dependent individuals.
Examining the role of a retail density ordinance in reducing concentration of tobacco retailers

Neighborhood characteristics and the built environment are important determinants in shaping health inequalities. We evaluate the role of a retail density ordinance in reducing concentration of tobacco stores based on neighborhood characteristics and land use pattern in San Francisco. The study evaluated the spatial distribution of tobacco retailers before and after the ordinance to identify geographic pockets where the most significant reduction had occurred. A generalized additive model was applied to assess the association between the location of the closure of tobacco retailer and socio-demographic characteristics and land use pattern. We did not find a meaningful change in the overall concentration of retailers based on neighborhood income and ethnicity but found a significant association based on patterns of land use. Our findings suggest that future polices must account for the differential distribution of retailers based on land use mix to lower concentration in areas where it is needed the most.
The Importance of Past MJO Activity in Determining the Future State of the Midlatitude Circulation

AbstractThe Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is one of the most important sources of predictability on subseasonal to seasonal (S2S) time scales. Many previous studies have explored the impact of th...
Dynamic Response of Polymers Subjected to Underwater Shock Loading or Direct Impact

During the last decade, our research has focused on developing experimental techniques to better understand the dynamic response of Navy relevant polymers. Two types of dynamic loading conditions were considered in this research: underwater shock wave loading and direct impact. The underwater shock load experiments utilized convergent water-filled sections of varying thickness and materials in which the fluid structure coupling during and after the shock event could be studied in detail using simultaneous strain gages and high-speed imaging techniques. The impact experiments were performed using a projectile launched from a gas gun that impacted the edge of the specimen. Also, in this case, detailed analysis was performed of the dynamic response using strain gages and high-speed imaging techniques. In particular, this later type of experiments was used to probe the mode-I and mode-II dynamic fracture response. The samples were either dry or had been subjected to an aging process while submerged in water thus leading to a significant water uptake, in some cases resulting in more than 1 wt%.
Pathologic Complete Response Despite Nodal Yield Has Best Survival in Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

BACKGROUND Controversy exists regarding the ability of neoadjuvant chemoradiation (nCR) to diminish lymph node yield (LNY) and how that relationship is influenced by tumor response in patients undergoing proctectomy for locally advanced rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with rectal adenocarcinomas from 2004 to 2014. Patients that received nCR were compared with those that underwent surgery alone. LNY was stratified into <12 and ≥12 groups to determine their differences in stage specific overall survival. RESULTS Of 56,812 patients 46.5% underwent surgery alone and 53.5% were administered nCR. There were more patients with LNY<12 in the nCR group compared to surgery alone, across all stages (44.1% versus 36.5%, P < 0.001). nCR improved OS regardless of LNY (P < 0.001). Although patients with LNY≥12 had improved overall survival, patients who had a pathologic complete response (pCR) achieved the greatest survival. In patients that did not achieve a pCR, LNY≥12 was a marker of improved OS but LNY did not impact OS in patients that attained pCR (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Although nCR diminished LNY, LNY≥12 improved OS demonstrating the importance of quality total mesorectal excision. However, LNY did not impact patients that achieved pCR. These patients, who achieved the best OS, demonstrated that tumors' biologic response to nCR had the greatest impact on patient outcomes.
Impact of Microbiome on Hepatic Metabolizing Enzymes and Transporters in Mice during Pregnancy

The microbiome and pregnancy are known to alter drug disposition, yet the interplay of the two physiologic factors on the expression and/or activity of drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters (DMETs) is unknown. This study investigated the effects of microbiome on host hepatic DMETs in mice during pregnancy by comparing four groups of conventional (CV) and germ-free (GF) female mice and pregnancy status, namely, CV nonpregnant, GF non-pregnant, CV pregnant, and GF pregnant mice. Transcriptomic and targeted proteomics of hepatic DMETs were profiled by using multiomics. Plasma bile acid and steroid hormone levels were quantified by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. CYP3A activities were measured by mouse liver microsome incubations. The trend of pregnancy-induced changes in the expression or activity of hepatic DMETs in CV and GF mice was similar; however, the magnitude of change was noticeably different. For certain DMETs, pregnancy status had paradoxical effects on mRNA and protein expression in both CV and GF mice. For instance, the mRNA levels of Cyp3a11, the murine homolog of human CYP3A4, were decreased by 1.7-fold and 3.3-fold by pregnancy in CV and GF mice, respectively; however, the protein levels of CYP3A11 were increased similarly ∼twofold by pregnancy in both CV and GF mice. Microsome incubations revealed a marked induction of CYP3A activity by pregnancy that was 10-fold greater in CV mice than that in GF mice. This is the first study to show that the microbiome can alter the expression and/or activity of hepatic DMETs in pregnancy. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: We demonstrated for the first time that microbiome and pregnancy can interplay to alter the expression and/or activity of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters. Though the trend of pregnancy-induced changes in the expression or activity of hepatic drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters in conventional and germ-free mice was similar, the magnitude of change was noticeably different.
DeepNNK: Explaining deep models and their generalization using polytope interpolation

Modern machine learning systems based on neural networks have shown great success in learning complex data patterns while being able to make good predictions on unseen data points. However, the limited interpretability of these systems hinders further progress and application to several domains in the real world. This predicament is exemplified by time consuming model selection and the difficulties faced in predictive explainability, especially in the presence of adversarial examples. In this paper, we take a step towards better understanding of neural networks by introducing a local polytope interpolation method. The proposed Deep Non Negative Kernel regression (NNK) interpolation framework is non parametric, theoretically simple and geometrically intuitive. We demonstrate instance based explainability for deep learning models and develop a method to identify models with good generalization properties using leave one out estimation. Finally, we draw a rationalization to adversarial and generative examples which are inevitable from an interpolation view of machine learning.
Area-Level Predictors of Tobacco 21 Coverage in the U.S. Before the National Law: Exploring Potential Disparities.

Introduction The goal of the paper is to characterize the geographic and sociodemographic patterns of policies prohibiting tobacco sales to people aged Methods This study assessed area-level markers for region, race/ethnicity, education, poverty status, and smoke-free law coverage as predictors of Tobacco 21 passage as of December 20, 2019, using modified Poisson and negative binomial regression models with robust SEs. Data were analyzed in 2020. Results Before the passage of the national policy, 191 million people were covered by Tobacco 21 laws. Counties with higher percentages of non-Hispanic Blacks and individuals living below the poverty line had a lower probability of coverage, whereas counties with higher percentages of Hispanics/Latinxs and individuals with a college degree had a higher probability of coverage. Tobacco 21 coverage also varied by region, with far greater coverage in the Northeast than in the Midwest and South. Conclusions The national Tobacco 21 law may address disparities in coverage by SES, race/ethnicity, and region that could have lasting implications with regard to health equity.
Nd:YAG capsulotomy for Ahmed glaucoma drainage implant occlusion by the anterior capsule: a case report

Glaucoma drainage implants have been used with increasing frequency for the management of glaucoma. Patients who are candidates for glaucoma drainage devices often have more severe disease and are at risk of vision loss with post-operative elevations in intraocular pressure (IOP). One post-operative complication that can result in IOP elevation after glaucoma drainage device implantation is occlusion of the tube lumen. Here, we present a novel case of tube occlusion by the anterior capsule in a patient who underwent combined phacoemulsification and Ahmed glaucoma valve implantation. The tube occlusion was successfully managed with Nd:YAG capsulotomy with immediate IOP lowering. While there have been previous reports of occlusion of the tube lumen by vitreous, iris, blood and fibrin, to our knowledge this is the first report of tube occlusion by the anterior lens capsule and the first report to describe its successful management.
The Effect of Split-Belt Treadmill Interventions on Step Length Asymmetry in Individuals Poststroke: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

BackgroundIndividuals poststroke experience gait asymmetries that result in decreased community ambulation and a lower quality of life. A variety of studies have utilized split-belt treadmill train...
Iniciativa agencial o espejismo en 'El lago en las pupilas', de Luis Goytisolo

espanolUna pregunta persistente en los estudios literarios y culturales contemporaneos es la relativa a la capacidad de pensar y actuar de modo deliberado. Las paginas que siguen analizan la capacidad agencial de iniciativa en El lago en las pupilas, de Luis Goytisolo. La novela presenta situaciones en las que las emociones, creencias e ilusiones prevalecen sobre hechos constatables a partir de los datos aportados. Llevados por su preocupacion de llevar a cabo actos deliberados, los personajes a veces consideran irrelevantes determinadas circunstancias que, si se atiende al texto en su conjunto, cuestionarian su capacidad agencial. De ahi la importancia que tiene estudiar como diferentes formas de escritura generan espacios de conocimiento que a la vez crean puntos ciegos y espejismos sobre la propia capacidad de iniciativa. EnglishOne of the most persistent questions in contemporary literary and cultural studies is related to the ability to think and perform actions in a deliberate way. To help answer this question, this study analyzes El lago en las pupilas by Luis Goytisolo. The novel presents situations in which emotions and personal beliefs prevail over objective facts. Moved by preoccupations to perform deliberate acts of agency, the characters sometimes regard as irrelevant circumstances that question or undermine the agency of some actions. Therefore, it is important to analyze the role of language to generate knowledge that coexist with delusions about the capacity to bring about initiative.
Characterizing the Richness of Maternal Input for Word Learning in Neurogenetic Disorders

Promoting language abilities, including early word learning, in children with neurogenetic disorders with associated language disorders, such as Down syndrome (DS) and fragile X syndrome (FXS), is a main concern for caregivers and clinicians. For typically developing children, the quality and quantity of maternal language input and maternal gesture use contributes to child word learning, and a similar relation is likely present in DS and FXS. However, few studies have examined the combined effect of maternal language input and maternal gesture use on child word learning. We present a multidimensional approach for coding word-referent transparency in naturally occurring input to children with neurogenetic disorders. We conceptualize high-quality input from a multidimensional perspective, considering features from linguistic, interactive, and conceptual dimensions simultaneously. Using case examples, we highlight how infrequent the moments of word-referent transparency are for three toddlers with DS during play with their mothers. We discuss the implications of this multidimensional framework for children with DS and FXS, including the clinical application of our approach to promote early word learning for these children.
The New Dad: The Career-Caregiving Conundrum

This chapter draws mainly from “The New Dad” studies, a decade long research series done by the Boston College Center for Work & Family which studied the changing role of primarily college-educated, white-collar fathers working in large US-based corporate settings. The series explored the experiences of these fathers on a wide range of issues including their transition to fatherhood, work roles, definitions of success, attitudes on paternity leave and caregiving, and work-family issues.
Differentiation of Jugular Foramen Paragangliomas versus Schwannomas Using Golden-Angle Radial Sparse Parallel Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Accurate differentiation of paragangliomas and schwannomas in the jugular foramen has important clinical implications because treatment strategies may vary but differentiation is not always straightforward with conventional imaging. Our aim was to evaluate the accuracy of both qualitative and quantitative metrics derived from dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging using golden-angle radial sparse parallel MR imaging to differentiate paragangliomas and schwannomas in the jugular foramen. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective study of imaging data was performed on patients (n = 30) undergoing MR imaging for jugular foramen masses with the golden-angle radial sparse parallel MR imaging technique. Imaging data were postprocessed to obtain time-intensity curves and quantitative parameters. Data were normalized to the dural venous sinus for relevant parameters and analyzed for statistical significance using a Student t test. A univariate logistic model was created with a binary output, paraganglioma or schwannoma, using a wash-in rate as a variable. Additionally, lesions were clustered on the basis of the wash-in rate and washout rate using a 3-nearest neighbors method. RESULTS There were 22 paragangliomas and 8 schwannomas. All paragangliomas demonstrated a type 3 time-intensity curve, and all schwannomas demonstrated a type 1 time-intensity curve. There was a statistically significant difference between paragangliomas and schwannomas when comparing their values for area under the curve, peak enhancement, wash-in rate, and washout rate. A univariate logistic model with a binary output (paraganglioma or schwannoma) using wash-in rate as a variable was able to correctly predict all observed lesions (P < .001). All 30 lesions were classified correctly by using a 3-nearest neighbors method. CONCLUSIONS Paragangliomas at the jugular foramen can be reliably differentiated from schwannomas using golden-angle radial sparse parallel MR imaging-dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging when imaging characteristics cannot suffice.
Listening to the Well, Listening to Each Other, and Listening to the Silence—New Safety Lessons from Deepwater Horizon

It is common for accident reports and the analysis of large-scale disasters, such as the Deepwater Horizon blowout, to point to communication failures. This narrow explanation implicitly assumes th...
Detection of Soilborne Disease Utilizing Sensor Technologies: Lessons Learned from Studies on Stem Rot of Peanut

Soilborne plant diseases are a major constraint to crop production worldwide. Effective and economical management of these diseases is dependent on the ability to accurately detect and diagnose the...
Anesthesia for Operative Vaginal Delivery

Vaginal delivery which necessitates instrumentation and/or complicated manipulation of the fetus, poses special problems and requires certain specific anesthetic conditions. Operative deliveries which will be considered in this chapter include forceps, breech, multiple births and malpositions.