cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tactical Asset Allocation with Macroeconomic Factors

Tactical asset allocation is explored using an economic-based factor pricing model. Using a filtering method based on asset responses to the economy and current economic data, alternative optimization methods are considered including equally-weighted, low-volatility, and mean-variance (maximum Sharpe ratio) allocations. Using exchange-traded funds as proxies for asset classes, portfolios were constructed and rebalanced every half year from 2006 through 2013. We find that the economic response filtering with the maximum Sharpe ratio optimization provided the best overall performance in terms of returns while the low- (economic) volatility portfolio had the least volatility.
Changes in Attitudes Toward Antiviral Medication: A Comparison of Women Living with HIV/AIDS in the Pre-HAART and HAART Eras

To examine potential changes in attitudes toward antiviral medication since the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), focused interviews were conducted with two samples of women living with HIV/AIDS; one in the pre-HAART era (1994–1996) and a second matched sample in the HAART era (2000–2003). Women in the pre-HAART era held highly negative attitudes toward antiviral medications, perceived them as ineffective with few benefits and viewed side effects as intolerable. In contrast, women in the HAART era were less likely to report negative attitudes, which were balanced by more frequent reports of perceived benefits and more likely to view side effects as temporary and manageable. African American women in both eras were more likely to hold negative attitudes and less likely to perceive benefits than White and Puerto Rican women. These findings suggest that views of antiviral medication have improved since the advent of HAART, but that negative attitudes and side-effect concerns remain which should be addressed in interventions to promote treatment acceptance and adherence.
Qualitative Rigor or Research Validity in Qualitative Research

Column Editor: Lauren Clark Scientific Inquiry provides a forum to facilitate the ongoing process of questioning and evaluating practice, presents informed practice based on available data, and innovates new practices through research and experimental learning.
High formation of secondary organic aerosol from the photo-oxidation of toluene

Abstract. Toluene and other aromatics have long been viewed as the dominant anthropogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) precursors, but the SOA mass yields from toluene reported in previous studies vary widely. Experiments conducted in the Carnegie Mellon University environmental chamber to study SOA formation from the photo-oxidation of toluene show significantly larger SOA production than parameterizations employed in current air-quality models. Aerosol mass yields depend on experimental conditions: yields are higher under higher UV intensity, under low-NOx conditions and at lower temperatures. The extent of oxidation of the aerosol also varies with experimental conditions, consistent with ongoing, progressive photochemical aging of the toluene SOA. Measurements using a thermodenuder system suggest that the aerosol formed under high- and low-NOx conditions is semi-volatile. These results suggest that SOA formation from toluene depends strongly on ambient conditions. An approximate parameterization is proposed for use in air-quality models until a more thorough treatment accounting for the dynamic nature of this system becomes available.
Including Conservative Women’s Rhetorics in an “Ethics of Hope and Care”

The significant remapping of the rhetorical terrain within women’s rhetorical studies has created well-worn grooves toward the same destination: women participating in feminist endeavors in traditional, subtle, or surprising ways. Amid smart calls for and descriptions of expansiveness by feminist scholars, binary constructions of women as either feminist or not persist, perpetuating the practices we strive to dismantle and restricting possibilities for meaning-making, particularly with regard to conservative women who may not seek to empower themselves or others but still hold rhetorical sway. Employing Royster and Kirsch’s “ethics of hope and care” can bring opportunities for the field’s greater capaciousness.
Development of molecular diagnostic markers for sharpshooters Homalodisca coagulata and Homalodisca liturata for use in predator gut content examinations

To aid in identifying key predators of Proconiini sharpshooter species present in California, we developed and tested molecular diagnostic markers for the glassy-winged sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata (Say), and smoke-tree sharpshooter, Homalodisca liturata (Ball) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae). Two different types of markers were compared, those targeting single-copy sequence characterized amplified regions (SCAR) and mitochondrial markers targeting the multicopy cytochrome oxidase subunit genes I (COI) and II (COII). A total of six markers were developed, two SCAR and four mitochondrial COI or COII markers. Specificity assays demonstrated that SCAR marker HcF5/HcR7 was H. coagulata specific and HcF6/HcR9 was H. coagulata/H. liturata specific. COI (HcCOI-F/R) and COII (HcCOII-F4/R4) markers were H. coagulata specific, COII (G/S-COII-F/R) marker was H. coagulata/H. liturata specific, and lastly, COII marker (Hl-COII-F/R) was H. liturata specific. Sensitivity assays using genomic DNA showed the COI marker to be the most sensitive marker with a detection limit of 6 pg of DNA. This marker was 66-fold more sensitive than marker Hl-COII-F/R that showed a detection limit of 400 pg of DNA. In addition, the COI marker was 4.2-fold more sensitive than the COII marker. In predator gut assays, the COI and COII markers demonstrated significantly higher detection efficiency than the SCAR markers. Furthermore, the COI marker demonstrated slightly higher detection efficiency over the COII marker. Lastly, we describe the inclusion of an internal control (28S amplification) for predation studies performing predator gut analyses utilizing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). This control was critical in order to monitor reactions for PCR failures, PCR inhibitors, and for the presence of DNA.
The Economic Case for State-Level Land Use Decision-Making

Although all land use is local, few problems require the more urgent attention of state legislators than that of land use. How land is used has important economic, social and environmental consequences that may affect all residents of a state. States must take on more active roles as coordinators and conveners in the arena of land use planning if they are to address the challenges of growth, development and environmental protection in urban and rural areas. In so doing, they have to tread cautiously and thoughtfully given the historically entrenched bias towards local control of land use decisions and the potential for intergovernmental distrust and animosity (Nicholas 1999).
A user-customizable energy-adaptive combined static/dynamic scheduler for mobile applications

In mobile applications, the energy consumed by operating system (OS) and application tasks primarily comes from a limited DC battery source, which imposes an upper bound to the amount of time available for execution of tasks. To achieve the best energy-aware quality of service (EQoS), it is important to prioritize the scheduling of critical tasks over non-critical tasks to improve overall performance while extending the battery life. Using the CSD (Combined Static/Dynamic) scheduler in the EMERALDS operating system as a basis, we developed EA-CSD (Energy-Adaptive CSD) with an energy-aware scheduling algorithm that executes tasks to achieve the effective use of limited energy by favoring low-energy and critical tasks. Our simulation of the EA-CSD shows that battery life can be extended up to about 100% with varying degrees of performance degradation of up to about 40%, and the actual values of both are fully customizable by the user through parametric adjustment.
Phase I and pharmacologic evaluation of intraperitoneal 5-fluoro-2'-deoxyuridine.

Intraperitoneal (i.p.) 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine (Floxuridine, FUdR, FdUrd) was evaluated in a phase I study at a starting level of 500 mg given on 1 day in 2 I 1.5% dialysate. Escalations within patients were allowed every other cycle. A total of 23 patients (age, 32–78 years) received 108 treatment courses. Local tolerance at all dose levels was excellent, with no cases of drug-related peritonitis being observed. Nausea and vomiting increased in severity in relation to dose and was universal at >3,000 mg ×3 days. One patient each developed grade 1 mucositis as well as diarrhea at a dose of 3,000 mg×3 days and leukopenia and thrombocytopenia at 5,000 mg×3 days. Peritoneal fluid (PF) and plasma (PL) FdUrd profiles were monitored by an HPLC method in 13 subjects, with 7 being studied serially at 2–4 increment doses for up to 6 h. Profiles that exhibited apparent linear pharmacokinetics gave PF drug levels 2–4 logs higher than the PL counterparts, with the latter essentially declining in parallel to the former, indicating that the disposition of FdUrd from the peritoneal compartment is rate-determining. The mean terminal half-life for PF FdUrd was found to be 115 min and mean peritoneal clearance was 25 ml/min. The vast differences in drug levels and AUC found between the PF and the PL profiles suggests a high systemic clearance of FdUrd, which was confirmed in two patients receiving 2 g FdUrd by short i.v. infusion. A disproportionate increase in the plasma FdUrd levels and the corresponding AUC values was found with increasing dose, suggesting a disproportionate increase in the systemic partitioning of FdUrd when doses were escalated within a patient. Substantial levels of peritoneal 5-fluorouracil (FUra) were also detected in most of the subjects. Thus, FdUrd was found to have several desirable properties for i.p. administration: (1) a 2- to 4-log pharmacologic advantage, (2) the absence of local toxicities, and (3) a favorable antitumor spectrum and some evidence of antitumor effects in this phase I and pharmacology study. A 3,000-mg dose given in 2 l 1.5% dialysate for 3 consecutive days exhibited antitumor activity and produced no systemic toxicity except nausea and vomiting, which was controlled by antiemetics. This dose schedule is therefore recommended for phase II trials directed against small-volume disease in the peritoneal cavity, such as may be found in some stages of ovarian and gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, it is suitable for further exploration as a part of regimens including systemic therapy or drugs that modulate the action of fluoropyrimidines.
SMT-Based model checking

It is widely recognized that the field of model checking owes much of its great success and impact to the use of symbolic techniques to reason efficiently about the reachable states of a hardware or software system. Traditionally, these techniques have relied on propositional encodings of transition systems and on propositional reasoning engines such asBDDs and SAT solvers. More recently, a number of these techniques have been adapted, and new ones have been devised, based instead on first-order encodings and reasoners for Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMT).
One year with kim: From nonreader to reader

Abstract Poor or disabled readers are typically treated differently from good or more skillful readers. Curricula for disabled readers involve more of a decoding emphasis than a meaning emphasis, and poor readers receive fewer opportunities to read connected text than do good readers. In addition, teacher behavior toward poor readers differs significantly from their behavior toward good readers: poor readers are afforded less wait time when attempting to pronounce difficult words; and poor readers are directed more often to graphophonic cues as opposed to meaning cues. Because of the different type of instruction poor readers receive, several authors have suggested that poor readers are poor readers because we treat them so, not because there is something peculiar about them. This article presents a case study of an eighth grade girl who received one year of nontradi‐tional remedial reading instruction in which she was treated more like a good reader than a disabled reader. The good reader, meaning‐focuse...
Validity of model simplification

The validity of model simplification is defined in statistical terms. Two models, the reference model and the simplified model, are compared. The simplified model is called 1- gamma acceptable if it is not rejected with probability 1- gamma , by a statistical test which uses data generated by the reference model. The model is called a valid simplification on the validity level nu if the ratio of the probability of its acceptance to the probability of acceptance of the reference model is equal to nu . This definition takes into account a possibility of observing the reference model rather than the data. The application of the Kolmogorov test to validity testing is discussed. >
Joking market women: Critiquing and negotiating gender and social hierarchy in Kankossa, Mauritania

The streets of Kankossa’s busy daily market often ring with laughter as female vegetable vendors joke with each other and passersby. This joking comes at a time when gender roles are shifting in Mauritania since it has become challenging for many men to provide for their families, causing women to take on roles as significant income earners. Likewise, as slavery has diminished over the last century, Ḥarāṭīn, a group consisting of ex-slaves or descendants of slaves, have been negotiating their places in the polity. To gain insight into the shifting social order, this article analyses examples of joking by Ḥarāṭīn market women who in this way engage with issues of gender and the social hierarchy. The social space of the market is a critical setting for such practices since it both facilitates their occurrence and also gives women’s words weight because they are spoken in the presence of an audience. While jokes are always ambiguous, women’s joking in front of others in this space makes their jokes bite, thus enabling them to give voice to deeply personal anxieties and make sense of changes in the social order. Abstract: Les rues du marche quotidien tres frequente de Kankossa vibrent souvent au son des rires des vendeuses de legumes, qui plaisantent entre elles et avec les passants. Ces plaisanteries interviennent a une periode ou le role des sexes change en Mauritanie; la difficulte, pour beaucoup d’hommes, de subvenir aux besoins de leur famille pousse les femmes a assumer le role de soutien de famille. De meme, face au declin de l’esclavage au cours du dernier siecle, les Ḥarāṭīn, qui regroupent des anciens esclaves ou descendants d’esclaves, negocient leur place dans l’organisation etatique. Pour mieux comprendre ce changement d’ordre social, cet article analyse des exemples de plaisanteries echangees au marche par les marchandes harāṭīn, qui traitent de genre et de hierarchie sociale. L’espace social du marche est un cadre critique pour ces pratiques, car il facilite leur occurrence et donne du poids aux paroles des femmes parce qu’elles sont prononcees en presence d’un public. Les plaisanteries sont toujours ambigues, mais le fait que les femmes plaisantent ouvertement dans cet espace donne du mordant a leurs plaisanteries et leur permet ainsi d’exprimer des anxietes extremement personnelles et de donner un sens aux changements de l’ordre social.
Sensory Impairments and Subjective Well-Being Among Aged African American Persons

The limited number of studies concerning the prevalence of hearing loss and vision impairment and their causes, and the lack of strategies to prevent or treat the deleterious effects of hearing loss and vision impairment, point to a significant gap in the knowledge base concerning aged minority populations. This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between vision and hearing impairment and psychological well-being among a sample of 988 elderly African American persons. Fair or poor vision or hearing was reported for 36.5% and 26% of our sample, respectively. Reported prevalence rates for these impairments are considerably higher than rates previously documented in comparable studies of elderly people conducted in general (i.e., predominantly White) populations. Eighty-four percent of our study participants attempted to improve their vision through the use of eyeglasses. By contrast, only 4.3% of individuals in the study who described their hearing as poor reported using hearing aids. Using multivariate analysis and other related variables that have previously been identified as common predictors of psychological well-being, the findings of this study suggest that poor vision is independently associated with a lower level of psychological well-being among aged African Americans even after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, functional limitations, perceived health status, and cognition. Poor hearing was also found to be associated with a lower level of psychological well-being; however, this relationship was not independent but was mediated by the effect of hearing on functional status. These data indicate considerable potential for improved psychological well-being for African American elderly people through visual and audiological rehabilitation.
Use of Intraoperative Indocyanine Green to Facilitate Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Upper Pole Partial Nephroureterectomy

Abstract Introduction: During partial nephrectomy, identifying and occluding the appropriate segmental vessels that supply the diseased parenchyma before resection are critical to minimizing blood loss. While it is sometimes possible to identify vascular changes visually, the presence of complicated renal vascular anatomy may complicate appropriate identification of polar vessels. We now report the use of near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) with intravenous indocyanine green (ICG) to confirm appropriate vascular occlusion before parenchymal resection during a robot-assisted laparoscopic partial nephroureterectomy. Materials and Methods: A left robot-assisted laparoscopic upper pole partial nephroureterectomy was performed for an obstructed, minimally functional left upper pole moiety in the setting of persistent left flank pain using the da Vinci Si System. The patient was positioned, prepped, draped, and trocars placed in the typical manner. The colon was reflected medially. A complex renal hilum was ident...
Regeneration and Embryonic Development

This chapter discusses how regeneration, especially that of the limb, shares many similarities with embryonic development. The most obvious feature of limb regeneration is that whatever is going to regenerate is, by necessity, connected to an already existing body. The cut surface of an amputated limb, or the site at which a supernumerary limb is induced to form, is vastly different from the part of the body wall of the embryo that creates a limb bud. A similarity between early limb development and regeneration is that neither process will occur in the absence of an ectodermal/epidermal covering. A significant difference is that limb development is initiated in an aneural environment, whereas the initiation of regeneration is dependent on the presence of nerves. The early blastema is a homogeneous-looking mass of cells beneath an overlying epidermal covering that can self-differentiate, as can the embryonic limb bud. The overall differentiation of individual tissues in the regenerating tail follows a morphologic sequence quite similar to that in the embryo. In regenerating muscle, both the pattern of dystrophin expression and the sequence of expression of acting genes resemble those seen earlier in normal development.
Nocardiosis in 132 patients with cancer: microbiological and clinical analyses.

Objectives: To correlate the microbiological and clinical features of infections caused by Nocardia species. Methods: We determined the species and drug susceptibility of 138 Nocardia strains isolated from 132 patients at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center (Houston, TX) from 2002 through 2012 and analyzed the clinical features. Results: The 132 patients included 82 men and 50 women with a mean age of 59.1 years. All except two had underlying cancer, and 47 (35.6%) also received a stem cell transplant. These patients experienced 136 episodes of Nocardia infection, including pulmonary infection, abscess of deep skin and soft tissue, bacteremia and dissemination, and brain abscess. The 138 Nocardia strains involved 27 species, of which 20 species have been described since 2000. Common species included Nocardia nova, Nocardia cyriacigeorgica, Nocardia farcinica , and Nocardia abscessus , together accounting for 59.4%. N nova caused most bacteremia cases, whereas N farcinica caused most of the skin and brain infections. Infections with a few recent species likely represented first confirmation or report of human infections. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests of 117 strains showed that they were all susceptible to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and linezolid but variably susceptible to other drugs depending on species. Most patients who were treated for the infection showed improvement or resolution. Conclusions: Diverse Nocardia species can cause secondary infections in patients with cancer. Timely species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility tests may guide treatment.
The Curious Case of Advance Conflicts Waivers

Are broad advance conflicts waivers enforceable? This short article, which appears as the Correspondent's Report from the United States in the journal Legal Ethics, describes two recent cases in which U.S. courts upheld broad advance waivers of conflict of interests made by sophisticated clients.
Electronic Buffer Memories

The paper covers the classification and functional description of electronic buffer memories (i.e., buffers made of semiconductor store and logic). The classification is made according to the servicing policies imposed upon the input stream. Within each class various buffering schemes are examined taking into consideration the input stream characteristics, speed and buffer size requirements, types of memory and circuit technology. Application areas of the buffers, such as computer channels and information distribution systems are cited.
Effect of feeding Bacillus thuringiensis to caged layers for fly control.

Commercially prepared spore powders containing 3 × 109, 25 × 109 and 47 × 109 spores of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner per gram were fed in the ration of caged layers. There was considerable variation in fly ( Musca domestica L.) control obtained in the droppings when the different formulations were fed at the same spore levels. A reduction in feed consumption, body weight and egg production of caged layers was noted when the most effective material (Rohm & Haas) was fed in the ration at and above 53 × 106 spores per gram of feed.
The Communist Party of the Soviet Union

A salient feature of the Soviet order set up in Russia by the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917 is the provision for a single, mobilized political center, striving to organize all social processes to conform with its particular ideology and program. The Communist party is this political center of the Soviet Union, enjoying a monopoly of legality in respect of organization. Only an outline of the methods by which this political machine exercises its leadership is possible within the limits of the present note. The emphasis will be on the structure which the Communists have given to their party, in order more effectively to carry the responsibility of leadership assumed by them. The word “party” is used, but one has here an organization which differs sharply from political parties of parliamentary systems. Also in its relations to the formal governmental bodies the Communist party presents several features which differentiate it from the party systems of other countries.The special methods of organization adopted and the peculiar position enjoyed by the Communist party in the Soviet Union permit of several theoretical interpretations. One of these is that the Revolution contemplated by the Communists has three distinct stages, of which only the second has as yet been reached. There was the successful seizure of power, finally consolidated after some three years of civil war. Then came the present period of transition, the length of which will depend upon the success of the party in the exercise of its leadership. Only the successful achievement of the present party leadership will bring the final triumph of the Revolution as the third and last period.
Mindfulness, Obsessive–Compulsive Symptoms, and Executive Dysfunction

Recent investigations have included mindfulness as a component of intervention for OCD. However, the extent to which processes underlying OCD interfere with mindfulness has not been examined. Limited research has examined neuropsychological functions as mechanisms to explain different levels of mindfulness across individuals. Research in OCD highlights impairment in visual/spatial working memory as possible unique deficits; these and other components of executive functioning may also be important for mindfulness. Participants (N = 103) exceeding clinical cutoffs on measures of OCD, depressive, or generalized anxiety symptoms, or were healthy controls, completed a self-report measure of mindfulness and computerized measures of working memory and cognitive inhibition. Results demonstrated the OCD group scored significantly lower than the anxiety and control groups on some facets of mindfulness. The OCD group performed significantly worse on visual but not spatial working memory compared to verbal working memory. Additionally, the OCD group showed significantly poorer performance on all working memory tasks compared to the control group but not in comparison to other groups. There were no significant differences between the OCD group and the depression group on any measure. Finally, regression models examining working memory and cognitive inhibition as predictors of mindfulness found some support for two of the five facets of mindfulness, though the individual predictors were not significant. Implications are discussed in the context of mindfulness and executive functioning in OCD in terms of future research and treatment.
140 UTEROPLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY AFFECTS HIPPOCAMPAL INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR 1 MESSENGER RIBONUCLEIC ACID LEVELS IN JUVENILE RATS.

Background Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) predisposes affected human and rat newborns toward persistent hippocampal dysfunction. This often occurs in association with low circulating insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels. Both circulating IGF-1 and locally produced IGF-1 are required for normal hippocampal development and adult cognitive function. However, the effects of IUGR upon hippocampal IGF-1 expression are not known. Objective We hypothesized that uteroplacental insufficiency (UPI) and subsequent IUGR would decrease postnatal hippocampal IGF-1 mRNA levels. IGF-1 expression involves multiple promoters (P1, P2) and multiple exon variants (IGF-1A, IGF-1B). Each exon variant produces a different E peptide. Design/Methods We used a well-characterized rat model of UPI-induced IUGR: briefly, bilateral uterine artery ligation was performed on day 19 of gestation (term-21.5 d). Litters were culled to six after birth, and brain was harvested and dissected at day 21 of postnatal life (D21). In this model, we have shown that IUGR animals perform poorly on tests of hippocampal function at adulthood. They also have abnormal anatomic and functional hippocampal markers, as well as low serum IGF-1 levels. IGF-1 mRNA variants and total IGF-1 mRNA were quantified by real-time RT-PCR (n = 6-8 litters). Results Data are expressed as % of control. IUGR significantly decreased D21 hippocampal P1 IGF-1 mRNA levels in both male and female rats to 87% of control values (p = .02). As expected, male rats were more severely affected than the female rats. Expression of the IGF-1B mRNA was also significantly decreased in D21 IUGR hippocampal samples to 77.3% of control values (p = .01). Surprisingly, the IGF-1B mRNA levels were more severely in the female IUGR rats versus the male rats. Conclusion Despite low serum levels of IGF-1, hippocampal IGF-1 expression is not up-regulated in P21 IUGR rats. In addition, P1, an IGF-1 mRNA that predominates in the brain and is believed to be the paracrine form of IGF-1, is decreased by IUGR. Finally, IGF-1B, an mRNA variant thought to encode the EB peptide, a peptide that may be important in neuronal differentiation, is also decreased by IUGR. These findings are interesting in the up-regulation of cerebral IGF-1 normally occurs in response to acute hypoxia-ischemia. We speculate that the failure of the IUGR hippocampus to increase IGF-1 mRNA levels contributes to the neurocognitive dysfunction observed in both the IUGR human and rat. (CHRC)
Resistance of Musca domestica to insecticides and control measures in Jiangsu province from 2004 to 2006

Objective To study resistance of Musca domestica to insecticides in Jiangsu province and provide basic information for using insecticides reasonably. Methods Topical application for housefly. Results Musca domestica had developed the highest resistance to DDVP in Rugao and Taizhou.It also had developed the highest resistance to deltamethrin in Yizheng,Rugao and Qidong.It had developed high resistance to DDVP in Yizheng,Yangzhong,Zhangjiagang and Qidong.And it had developed high resistance to permethrin in Rugao and Qidong.In Yizheng and Rugao it also had developed high resistance to cypermethrin.It had developed middle resistance to permethrin in Yizheng,Yangzhong and Zhangjiagang.And it had developed middle resistance to cypermethrin in Yangzhong,Zhangjiagang and Qidong.In Taizhou,it hadn't developed resistance to permethrin and cypermetrin. Conclusion It was essential to use insecticides reasonably based on the results of resistance investigation and call for integrated pest management.
Digoxin and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors in chronic heart failure.

"The addition of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors to digoxin and diuretics is effective in improving and prolonging the lives of patients with severe heart failure. Our next goal is to prevent the progression of heart failure in patients with asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction."
The Latissimus Dorsi Muscle for Detrusor Assistance: Functional Recovery after Nerve Division and Repair

The treatment of choice for bladder atonia is clean intermittent catheterization. To eliminate the catheter-related morbidity and increase the quality of life for patients with an atonic bladder, the restoration of bladder contractility would be desirable. Based on our hypothesis that skeletal muscle might augment bladder contractility, we designed the present study to examine the ability of the latissimus dorsi muscle in situ to empty a bladder-like reservoir and to regenerate after division and repair of the supplying motor nerve. In 4 dogs, the left latissimus dorsi muscle was dissected, mobilized and wrapped around a bladder substitute (100-ml. silicone reservoir). Stimulation of the thoracodorsal nerve resulted in the evacuation of 63.8 +/- 6.2% of the reservoir's volume and a maximum pressure of 109.5 +/- 18.6 cm. H2O. Four months later, the thoracodorsal nerve supplying motor control to the muscle was transected and microsurgically reanastomosed. Using transcutaneous stimulation, we recorded the pressure generation and resulting evacuation at regular intervals for 8 months (that is, 12 months after the initial surgery). At the end of this period, the pressure was 79.3 +/- 12.1 cm. H2O (72.4% of the initial value), expelling 48.3 +/- 6.7% of total volume. This long-term study demonstrates: (1) the ability of the transposed latissimus dorsi muscle to evacuate a bladder-like reservoir; and (2) the regenerative potential of muscle and nerve after nerve transsection and repair. Use of skeletal muscle, which can be readily stimulated, may serve to facilitate bladder emptying and provide a treatment alternative to intermittent catheterization in the future.
A new approach to the experimental measurement of mean tissue PO2.

We have developed a method for the estimation of the total amount of reversibly bound + dissolved O2 in a tissue based upon the differential exchanges of 16O2 and 18O2 between blood and the tissues through which it passes. While both isotopes enter the tissues and are metabolized to the same extent (the isotope effect is negligible), any O2 outside the capillaries will appear as a distribution or dilution pool to the labelled but not the unlabelled O2. This will cause a delay in the passage of a pulse of 18O2 through the tissue relative to an indicator. Steady state conditions are maintained so that there is no significant alteration in the total concentrations of O2 in blood or tissue.
Pattern of Failure and Survival of Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Tumors Relapsing after Cis-Platinum-Based Chemotherapy

Cis-platinum-based chemotherapy combinations have improved the outcome of patients with metastatic urothelial tumors, since two-thirds of these patients respond to treatment. Nevertheless, the majority of such patients have relapse within a median of 12 months. To define the pattern of failure and subsequent outcome, we retrospectively assessed 58 consecutive patients with relapse after prior response to cis-platinum-based combination chemotherapy. Of the patients who presented initially with local-regional metastases, 74% had relapse with involvement of a similar site, while only 26% of these patients had visceral metastases at relapse. The median survival after relapse was 9 months, and parameters associated with longer survival were local-regional relapse (10.7 months) and response to salvage chemotherapy (12.6 months). These data suggest that select patients with urothelial tumors and local-regional metastases may benefit from consolidation therapy with surgery or radiotherapy after maximum response to chemotherapy.
Experimental Trichostrongylus colubriformis Infection in Adult Goats

SUMMARY The experimental infection with Trichostrongylus colubriformis of 3-year-old goats reared and maintained free of helminths is described, and the results are compared with an earlier experiment in which 4- to 5-month-old goats were used. Six 3-year-old goats were infected in pairs with a single dose of 600,000, 200,000 or 60,000 T. colubriformis larvae. A fourth pair served as uninfected controls. Acute fatal disease with marked anorexia was caused by the largest dose, and severe chronic disease with anorexia by the smaller doses. Anaemia was not a feature of either the acute or chronic disease, but eosinophilia and neutrophilia were sometimes noted. There was a drop in total serum protein in acute cases and a marked loss of serum albumin in chronic cases. A sharp drop in serum calcium and phosphorus was seen in acute cases, and in chronic cases the bone calcium and phosphorus were drawn upon to replace deficiencies in the serum. The 2 acutely affected animals died 15 days after infection, at which time up to 30% of the infecting dose was recovered as young adult worms. Surviving animals were slaughtered 152 days after infection, when only a few worms were found. The most significant macroscopic and microscopic post-mortem abnormalities were damage to the intestinal mucosa and the biliary system. No evidence was obtained to indicate that an age immunity to T. colubriformis exists in adult goats.
Cu seed optimization for minimum pitch wiring in 10nm and beyond

Technology scaling necessitates interconnect structures (metal and vias) in the back end of the line (BEOL) module to sub 50nm pitch. This presents significant challenges to the conventional metallization scheme, consisting of liner, seed deposition and Cu plating. Seed layer deposition particularly is quite challenged because of increasing aspect ratio. Additionally, the presence of hard mask in the local metal interconnects (Mx) induces undercut in the metal line profile making metallization even more challenging. The consequence is a significant increase in metal voiding defects as compared to previous technology nodes. Hence the conventional metallization scheme requires reengineering to suit the needs of advanced nodes. In this paper, a systematic approach to tune and optimize the copper seed deposition and its effect on metal electrical yield is presented. Through design of experiments (DOE) the metal open yield (post high temperature anneal-hammer test) improved from less than 10% to greater than 50% for the optimized seed deposition recipe (post stress). The optimized recipe reduced the void related defects responsible for the lower metal open yield. Results from current ramp test, via chain yield and electromigration data will be presented for the optimized seed recipe.
Chapter 9 – Spectroscopic Detectors for Identification and Quantification

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the spectroscopic detectors that are used for identification and qualification. A chromatogram provides information about the complexity, quantity, and identity of the components in a mixture. Of these parameters, the certainty of identification based solely on retention is considered suspect, even for simple mixtures. When the identity can be firmly established, the quantitative information from the chromatogram is authoritative. Spectroscopic techniques are plagued by the opposite problem. These techniques provide a rich source of qualitative information from which identity may be inferred with reasonable certainty. Spectroscopic techniques, however, are limited by two practical considerations: it is often difficult to extract quantitative information from their signals, and for reliable identification, pure samples are generally required. Since chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques provide complementary information, their combination provides a more powerful analytical tool than either technique alone. This provided the driving force for the development of combined or “hyphenated” systems. Most combined instruments require the construction of an interface to enable comprehensive automated operation that in turn has been one of the main problems in the design of user friendly systems.
State-level medical and absenteeism cost of asthma in the United States

ABSTRACTObjective: For medically treated asthma, we estimated prevalence, medical and absenteeism costs, and projected medical costs from 2015 to 2020 for the entire population and separately for children in the 50 US states and District of Columbia (DC) using the most recently available data. Methods: We used multiple data sources, including the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, U.S. Census Bureau, Kaiser Family Foundation, Medical Statistical Information System, and Current Population Survey. We used a two-part regression model to estimate annual medical costs of asthma and a negative binomial model to estimate annual school and work days missed due to asthma. Results: Per capita medical costs of asthma ranged from $1,860 (Mississippi) to $2,514 (Michigan). Total medical costs of asthma ranged from $60.7 million (Wyoming) to $3.4 billion (California). Medicaid costs ranged from $4.1 million (Wyoming) to $566.8 million (California), Medicare from $5.9 million (DC) to $446.6 million (California), and cost...
An electric motor thermal management system for hybrid vehicles: modelling and control

The HEV e-motor's internal temperature significantly influences its torque/power capabilities. The dominant heat sources are located within the e-motor stator windings and create 'hot spots'. To keep the motor functioning properly without exceeding the established temperature limits, a new cooling concept for PM e-motors featuring advanced controllers is proposed. Firstly, a reduced-order finite element model describes the e-motor's thermal behaviour. Next, an optimal regulator calculates the ideal (target) heat removal rate at its cooling surface. Lastly, a nonlinear tracking controller governs the cooling system operation. Numerical simulation has been conducted to validate the cooling concept. In the urban assault cycle, the stator hot-spot temperature is stabilized with an average error of 0.13°C and a 68% power consumption reduction achieved when compared to classical control. Similarly, the cooling system power consumption is reduced by 28.9% with the proposed controllers for the convoy escort driving cycle.
Comparison of sample types and diagnostic methods for in vivo detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae during early stages of infection

Detection of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in live pigs during the early stages of infection is critical for timely implementation of control measures, but is technically challenging. This study compared the sensitivity of various sample types and diagnostic methods for detection of M. hyopneumoniae during the first 28days after experimental exposure. Twenty-one 8-week old pigs were intra-tracheally inoculated on day 0 with M. hyopneumoniae strain 232. Two age matched pigs were mock inoculated and maintained as negative controls. On post-inoculation days 0, 2, 5, 9, 14, 21 and 28, nasal swabs, laryngeal swabs, tracheobronchial lavage fluid, and blood samples were obtained from each pig and oral fluid samples were obtained from each room in which pigs were housed. Serum samples were assayed by ELISA for IgM and IgG M. hyopneumoniae antibodies and C-reactive protein. All other samples were tested for M. hyopneumoniae DNA by species-specific real-time PCR. Serum antibodies (IgG) to M. hyopneumoniae were detected in challenge-inoculated pigs on days 21 and 28. M. hyopneumoniae DNA was detected in samples from experimentally inoculated pigs beginning at 5days post-inoculation. Laryngeal swabs at all samplings beginning on day 5 showed the highest sensitivity for M. hyopneumoniae DNA Detection, while oral fluids showed the lowest sensitivity. Although laryngeal swabs are not considered the typical M. hyopneumoniae diagnostic sample, under the conditions of this study laryngeal swabs tested by PCR proved to be a practical and reliable diagnostic sample for M. hyopneumoniae detection in vivo during early-stage infection.
Imaging in Pediatric Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) commonly occur in children, and the clinical presentation varies depending on the child's age. The infection may affect only the bladder or may involve the kidneys and ureters. Multiple imaging modalities may be used to evaluate for underlying anomalies and complications of the infection. Here we discuss current imaging in pediatric UTI.
Roderick Peattie’s Mountain Geography – A Critique and Field Study (1936):

Roderick Peattie’s book, Mountain Geography – A Critique and Field Study (1936), is a classic work that established a format for English-language books on the subject of mountain geography that largely persists to the present day. Peattie’s work was based primarily on an extended period of study in the mountains of western Europe. His book reflects a strong Eurocentric view of mountain landscapes that carries over into late-20th century and 21st century English-language books on mountain landscapes.
The Under- and Over-Identification of Autism: Factors Associated With Diagnostic Referral.

As reported prevalence and public awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have grown in recent years, clinicians will likely see increased referrals for suspected ASD. The current study sought to elucidate factors associated with referral for possible ASD, as well as diagnostic outcome among youth referred for suspected ASD. Youth referred for psychological evaluations at an outpatient clinic (N = 69, 6–18 years, 48 male) were categorized into four groups: referred for suspected ASD and diagnosed as such, referred for ASD and not diagnosed as such, not referred for ASD but diagnosed as such, and neither referred for nor diagnosed with ASD. Approximately half of cases referred for suspected ASD did not meet diagnostic criteria. A significant effect of group was found for cognitive ability and anxiety. Youth receiving ASD diagnoses, regardless of whether they were referred for suspected ASD, demonstrated lower cognitive ability than children not receiving ASD diagnoses. Youth neither referred for nor di...
Contrasting Root and Photosynthesis Traits in a Large-Acreage Canadian Durum Variety and Its Distant Parent of Algerian Origin for Assembling Drought/Heat Tolerance Attributes.

In Canada, the world’s top exporter of high-protein durum, varietal development over its nearly six-decade history has been driven by a quest for yield improvement without compromise on grain protein content and other quality aspects. Pelissier, a landrace selection from Algeria that was introduced into North America more than a century ago and the variety Strongfield that was released in 2004 are notable. Pelissier, known to elaborate more roots and considered as drought tolerant, has been cultivated commercially and thus deemed adapted. Strongfield has Pelissier in its pedigree, and it remains a high-acreage variety. Strongfield was found to elaborate only about half of the root biomass of Pelissier at maturity in greenhouse trials under well-watered conditions. Extended drought stress caused a significant reduction in the root biomass of both lines. However, Pelissier under drought maintained at least as much root biomass as that of Strongfield under well-watered conditions. In comparison to Pelissier, it had a superior photosynthesis rate (27.16 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1), capacity for carboxylation (Vcmax: 132.83 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1) and electron transport/ribulose-1,5--bisphosphate (RuBP) regeneration (Jmax: 265.40 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1); the corresponding values for Pelissier were 19.62 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, 91.87 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, and 163.83 µmol CO2 m-2 s-1, respectively, under well-watered conditions. Under short-term/mild drought conditions, the carbon assimilation rate remained stable in Pelissier while it declined in Strongfield to the Pelissier level. However, Strongfield succumbed to extended drought sooner than Pelissier. Photosynthesis in Strongfield but not Pelissier was found to be sensitive to high temperature stress. These results provide encouraging prospects for further exploitation of beneficial physiological traits from Pelissier in constructing climate-resilient, agronomically favourable wheat ideotypes.
The Design and Development of Prediction Models for Maximizing Students’ Academic Achievement

To enable early identification and intervention for students at risk for academic failure and for failure on the USMLE Step 1 Examination, three predictive models (pre-matriculation, end of M1, and end of M2) were developed that include both behavioral attributes (Learning and Study Strategies Inventory: LASSI subscale scores) and performance measures (internal examinations and National Board of Medical Examiners [NBME] Comprehensive Basic Science Examination [CBSE] progress tests). Pearson product moment correlation coefficients and multivariate regression modeling were used to determine optimal combinations of independent variables. The pre-matriculation prediction model includes MCAT scores and undergraduate overall GPA. The end of M1 model includes the progress test scores on the NBME CBSE administered at the end of first year medical school (M1), LASSI subscale scores, and weighted performance on M1 internal examinations. Finally, the end of M2 model includes CBSE progress test scores at the end of M1 and second year medical school (M2), LASSI subscale scores, and weighted performance on M1 and M2 internal examinations. Our pre-matriculation, end of M1, and end of M2 models explain 24, 62, and 81% of the variation in USMLE Step 1 performance, respectively. The inclusion of LASSI subscale scores improves the end of M1 model from 60 to 62% and end of M2 model from 79 to 81% in explaining variation in USMLE Step 1 scores. Continuous monitoring of student performance based on these multiple measures supports a holistic perspective on progress, areas of ongoing weakness, and potentially, identification of yet-undetected weakness for targeted interventions.