cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the stand-alone Cox-Maze IV procedure to the concomitant Cox-Maze IV and mitral valve procedure for atrial fibrillation

Background: The majority of patients undergoing surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) worldwide receive a concomitant mitral valve (MV) procedure. This study compared outcomes of the Cox-Maze IV (CMIV) in patients with lone AF to those with AF and MV disease. Methods: A retrospective review of 335 patients receiving either a stand-alone CMIV for AF (n=151) or a CMIV with a MV procedure (n=184) was performed from January 2002 through December of 2012. Data were obtained at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 months and patients were evaluated for recurrence of AF. Twenty-four preoperative and perioperative variables were evaluated to identify predictors of AF recurrence at one year. Results: The two groups differed in that stand-alone CMIV patients were younger, had AF of longer duration and had more failed catheter ablations, while patients with AF and MV disease had larger left atria and worse New York Heart Association class (P≤0.001). Operative mortality was higher in the concomitant MV group (1% vs. 5%, P=0.015). Freedom from AF and antiarrhythmic drugs at 12 and 24 months were similar between the two groups (73% and 76% at 12 months; 77% vs. 78% at 24 months). Predictors of recurrence included failure to use a box-lesion to isolate the pulmonary veins and posterior left atria, early recurrence of atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATAs) and the presence of a preoperative pacemaker (P=0.001). Conclusions: The efficacy of the CMIV procedure was similar in patients with and without co-existent MV pathology. Patients receiving a concomitant CMIV and MV procedure represented an older and sicker patient population and had higher mortality rates than those receiving a stand-alone CMIV procedure.
Evidence-Based Practices for Students With Visual Disabilities:

Forty years of peer-reviewed research in literacy and 50 years of research in mathematics were systematically analyzed to determine the evidence supporting instructional pedagogy for students with visual disabilities. Review teams identified 30 intervention studies that utilized an appropriate comparison group. Although some studies had large effect sizes, none of the qualifying studies had been replicated. The analysis failed to establish the highest standard of evidence recommended by the What Works Consortium, but does suggest several promising practices that should be subjected to further study.
A comparison of the cerebral protective effects of isoflurane and mild hypothermia in a model of incomplete forebrain ischemia in the rat.

The present study was undertaken to examine the cerebral protective properties attributed to isoflurane and at the same time to compare its protective effects with those of mild hypothermia (temperature reduction by 3° C). Twenty-one fasted Wistar-Kyoto rats were assigned to one of three groups (n = 7): 1.3 MAC (end-tidal) isoflurane-normothermia (pericranial temperature 38.0° C), 1.3 MAC halothane-normothermia, and 1.3 MAC halothane-hypothermia (pericranial temperature 35.0° C during ischemia). In each animal the trachea was intubated and the lungs were mechanically ventilated. Each animal was subjected to temporary incomplete forebrain ischemia induced by 10 min of bilateral carotid artery occlusion with simultaneous hypotension (mean arterial pressure 35 mmHg) induced by trimetaphan and blood withdrawal. After a 3-day survival period, perfusion-fixation was performed, and two blinded observers assessed histopathologic injury according to a four-point scale (0 = no damage; 1 = 50% damaged). The assessment was performed at two points in the rostrocaudal axis chosen to permit evaluation of regions with varying levels of ischemic damage. In the rostral sections, in the isoflurane- and halothane-normothermia groups, moderate to severe injury was observed in striatum, cerebral cortex, hippocampus (CA1 and CA3 areas), and reticular nucleus of the thalamus (e.g., the median scores for the CA1 area were 3 in both the halothane-normothermia and the isoflurane-normothermia groups), and there were no differences between the two groups. By contrast, the halothane-hypothermia group showed significantly less damage (e.g., the median score for the CA1 area was 1) in all but the hippocampal CA3 area. In the caudal section, the injury was significantly less severe in portions of the cortex and hippocampal CA1. As in the rostral sections, the degree of damage did not differ between the two normothermia groups, but was significantly less severe in the halothane-hypothermia group. The data indicate that in the circumstances of the present study, isoflurane did not confer protection relative to control animals anesthetized with an eouipotent concentration of halothane, but that mild intraischemic hypothermia (by 3° C) was markedly protective.
Anomalous Dispersion and Attractive Pulse Interaction in the 1,4-Cyclohexanedione Belousov-Zhabotinsky Reaction †

We report the formation of stable bound wave packets in a modified Belousov−Zhabotinsky reaction. These densely stacked structures arise from an attractive interaction between oxidation pulses that is not known from the classical Belousov−Zhabotinsky system. The characteristic stacking period increases with the initial concentration of bromate but decreases with cyclohexanedione. Wave stacking can also induce cascades of bunching events in which internally dense but mutually well segregated wave clusters are formed. For different initial concentrations, we observed the apparent merging of waves in front-to-back collisions. All three modes of wave dynamics are analyzed in terms of their dispersion behavior. The dispersion relations proved to be anomalous in each case and revealed the existence of an attractor which induces the formation of stable wave packets. The underlying mechanism has a pure reaction−diffusion character since wave propagation is not affected by fluid convection. At high initial concent...
Application of Fractional Derivatives to Modeling the Quasi-Static Response of Polyurethane Foam

A fractional derivative model of dissipative effects is combined with a nonlinear elastic model to model the response of polyurethane foam in quasi-static compression tests. A system identification method is developed based on a separation of the elastic and viscoelastic parts of the response, which is possible because of symmetries in the imposed deformation timehistory. Simulations are used to evaluate the proposed identification method when noise is present in the response. The system identification technique is also applied with some success to experimental data taken from several compression experiments on two types of polyurethane foam blocks.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Using Targeting Outcomes of Programs as a Framework to Target Photographic Events in Nonformal Educational Programs

Targeting Outcomes of Programs (TOP) is a seven-step hierarchical programming model in which the program development and performance sides are mirror images of each other. It served as a framework to identify a simple method for targeting photographic events in nonformal education programs, indicating why, when, and how photographs would be useful to inform other evaluation strategies. In two case studies, photographs enhanced the formative story of a geoscience project being developed and tested, and contributed to the outcome narrative of a 10-year partnership project between two universities. In both cases, TOP proved to be an efficient and easy-to-use framework. Us ing TOP in this fashion has the potential to help evaluators address challenges posed by the subjectivity of photography and possible biases of the photographer in the research
Brain metabolism differs in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease dementia.

Abstract Background Few comparative studies exist of metabolic brain changes among neurodegenerative illnesses. We compared brain metabolic abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and in Parkinson's disease with dementia (PDD) as measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Methods Twelve patients with idiopathic PDD, 22 patients with probable mild AD, and 61 healthy older controls underwent posterior cingulate MRS. Results Patients with AD exhibited reduced N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) ( P P myo -inositol (mI)/Cr ( P P P P Conclusions Patients with AD and patients with PDD exhibited distinct brain metabolic MRS profiles. Findings suggest that comparison of brain MRS profiles across dementias provides useful direction for future study.
Singular stress fields at corners in flip-chip packages

Abstract An electronic device integrates diverse materials, and inevitably contains sharp features, such as interfaces and corners. When the device is subject to thermal and mechanical loads, the corners develop intense stress and are vulnerable sites to initiate failure. This paper analyzes stress fields at corners in flip-chip packages. The stress at a corner is a linear superposition of two modes of singular fields, with one mode being more singular than the other. The amplitudes of the two modes are represented by two stress intensity factors of dissimilar dimensions. To determine the stress intensity factors, we analyze the flip-chip structures under two loading conditions: stretching of the substrate and bending of the substrate. We show that the thermal loading of the flip-chip package is equivalent to the stretching of the substrate in generating the singular stress fields. We further show that the less singular mode may prevail over the more singular mode for some stretching-bending combinations. The relative significance of the two modes of stress fields also varies with materials, and with the substrate-to-chip thickness ratio.
Single leg walking with integrated perception, planning and control

Describes an integrated system capable of walking over rugged terrain using a single leg suspended below a carriage that rolls along rails. To walk, the system uses a laser scanner to find a foothold, positions the leg above the foothold, contacts the terrain with the foot, and applies force enough to advance the carriage along the rails. Walking both forward and backward, the system has traversed hundreds of meters of rugged terrain including obstacles too tall to step over, trenches too deep to step in, closely spaced rocks, and sand hills. The implemented system consists of a number of task-specific processes (two for planning, two for perception, one for real-time control) and a central control process that directs the flow of communication between processes. Implementing this integrated system is a significant step toward the goal of the CMU Planetary Rover project: to prototype a autonomous six-legged robot for planetary exploration. >
Histamine selectively interrupts VE-cadherin adhesion independently of capacitive calcium entry

Histamine is an important agent of innate immunity, transiently increasing the flux of immune-competent molecules from the vascular space to the tissues and then allowing rapid restoration of the i...
Accounting for non-linear dependence using function driven component analysis

Majority of practical multivariate statistical analyses and optimizations model interdependence among random variables in terms of the linear correlation among them. Though linear correlation is simple to use and evaluate, in several cases non-linear dependence between random variables may be too strong to ignore. In this paper, We propose polynomial correlation coefficients as simple measure of multi-variable non-linear dependence and show that need for modeling non-linear dependence strongly depends on the end function that is to be evaluated from the random variables. Then, we calculate the errors in estimation which result from assuming independence of components generated by linear de-correlation techniques such as PCA and ICA. The experimental result shows that the error predicted by our method is within 1% error compared to the real simulation. In order to deal with non-linear dependence, we further develop a target function driven component analysis algorithm (FCA) to minimize the error caused by ignoring high order dependence and apply such technique to statistical leakage power analysis and SRAM cell noise margin variation analysis. Experimental results show that the proposed FCA method is more accurate compared to the traditional PCA or ICA.
Interactive image analysis programs for quantifying injury-induced axonal beading and microtubule disruption

Focal axonal beading and focal disruption of microtubule structure are characteristic to traumatic axonal injury. We have recently reproduced these morphological and structural changes in our in vitro model system [D. Kilinc, G. Gallo, K.A. Barbee, Mechanically induced membrane poration causes axonal beading and localized cytoskeletal damage, Exp. Neurol. 212 (2008) 422-430]. In order to measure bead formation objectively, an observer-independent quantification of beading was necessary. In addition, a quantitative measure for the extent of co-localization of axonal beads and microtubule disruptions was required to establish a causal relationship between focal cytoskeletal damage and bead formation. In this paper we describe Matlab-based, interactive image analysis programs for axonal beading quantification and co-localization analysis. Injury-induced increases in the axonal beading could be successfully detected using the bead analysis program.
Celestial Incorruptibility in Medieval Cosmology 1200-1687

Prior to the introduction of Aristotle’s physical works into the Latin West during the late twelfth and early thirteenth centuries, the idea of celestial incorruptibility was probably a minority opinion. It was not uncommon for scholars in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages to assume that the heavens were composed of one or more of the four elements. Since the elements were thought of as changeable entities, those who held that the whole world, including the heavens, was composed of one or more of them were committed, implicitly or explicitly, to the idea of a changeable or corruptible heaven.1 The introduction of Latin translations of Aristotle’s works during the twelfth and thirteenth centuries radically altered this tradition. A vital ingredient of Aristotle’s ‘new’ cosmology was the belief in celestial incorruptibility.
Brodalumab for the Treatment of Psoriasis: A Review of Phase III Trials.

Introduction Interleukin (IL)-17 inhibitors are the most recent class of monoclonal antibodies approved by the FDA for psoriasis treatment. Preclinical and phase II studies of brodalumab, a high-affinity IL-17 receptor monoclonal antibody, have been encouraging.
Cultural Informational Components of Adolescents

Much has been written about the appearance of a separate youth-culture or counterculture (Roszak, 1969; "Scranton Report," 1970). Research has generally focused on the background, attitudes, customs, and values of adolescents, neglecting the cultural informational component. In an attempt to explore the extent to which adolescents share the same basic cultural information that is part of the American culure, a multiple-choice questionnairg was designed, covering the areas of business and economics, history, current events, music and art, and literature. All items were correctly answered by a pretest sample of adult high school graduates. The questionnaire was then distributed to 250 high school students in the New York-Metropolitan area. An over-all analysis showed that only 68% of the items were correctly identified by at least two-thirds of the students. The degree of cultural awareness among the five categories was quite varied. At least twothirds of the Ss correctly answered 80% of the items in the current events and business and economics areas. Ss did slightly more poorly in history, answering only 70% of the items. In the literature field, two-thirds were only able to correctly identify 60% of the items. Ss showed the lowest level of awareness in the music and art areas, with two-thirds of the Ss correctly answering only half of the items. Over-all, there seems to be a reasonable amount of participation in the current events, historical, and economic and business areas of the society. Perhaps there is less cultural stress on youth in arts. Further research would have to determine whether this lower level of participation by the adolescents in the literature, and music and art areas represents a turning away from h e arcs, a genuine counter-culture in the arts, or faulty teaching, and whether this observation was reliable across groups and time.
Representing Computer-Aided Design: Screenshots and the Interactive Computer circa 1960

This paper describes how a culture, a technology, a design process, and a type of image coincided historically and depended on one another to produce their social effects. The conventions of screenshots – photographs of screens – were developed to describe the experience of using computer-aided design on an interactive computer. What was at stake was nothing less than what the word “computer” meant around 1960. While many architects at the time thought of computers as “mere tools,” protagonists of the Computer-Aided Design Project at MIT thought of computers as active partners and simulation environments. Describing screenshots as what Shapin (1984) calls a “literary technology of virtual witnessing” requires explaining how images are used in practice and taking what Latour (2014) derisively calls “iconographic conventions” seriously.
Study on the Fast Testing Strategy for identifying the wild poliovirus I

Objective To explore the Fast Testing Sstrategy (FTS) for wild poliovirus Ⅰ (WP1).Methods Epidemiological investigations were carried out on 671 students from WP1 epidemic areas in China.A set of real time RT-PCR assays,including panenterovirus testings (PE) assay,poliovirus serotypings(PS) assay and the assay distinguishing wild strain from vaccine strain of poliovirus Ⅰ (DWV) were introduced into the screening program for WPV1 to replace the conventional RT-PCR,recommended by the China National Polio Laboratory (GNPL).Additionally,sensitivities of all the assays were assessed by poliovirus type Ⅰ to Ⅲ (Sabin stain) and the isolated WPV I.Results ( 1 ) 33 non-poliovirus enterovirus (NPEV) cases were detected,with 16 polio vaccinerelated cases including 5 polio Ⅰ,1 polio Ⅱ,3 polio Ⅲ,1 polio Ⅰ +Ⅱ,4 polio Ⅰ + Ⅲ and 2 polio Ⅰ + Ⅱ + Ⅲ.Three WPV 1 cases were also detected in this study and confirmed by GNPL.(2) For polio virus vaccine strain,sensitivities of the set of real time RT-PCR assays ranged from 1 to 100 times than that of the in-housc RT-PCR assay.The sensitivities of PE and PS assays for the detection of polio Ⅱ were 100 times than that of the RT-PCR assay and the sensitivity of DWV assay used for the detection of polio Ⅰ were 10 times than that of the RT-PCR assay.For WPV1,the sensitivity of three real time RT-PCR was 10 times higher than that of the RT-PCR assay.Conclusion The novel FTS for WPV I suggested by this study would include PE,PS and DWV.It not only could greatly shorten the testing time but also more sensitive than the RT-PCR and suited for emergency detection for WPV1. Key words: Poliovirus; Poliomyelitis, wild poliovirus; Real time RT-PCR
Peirce, Pragmatism and the Logic of Scripture: A pragmatic reading of Peirce's lectures on pragmatism

This pragmatic reading assumes a style, and argues from out of a context, in between those of the pragmatic readings of Peirce's “Illustrations” (Chapter 4) and “Pragmaticism” (Chapter 8). Like the former reading, this one situates Peirce's pragmatism in the empiricist tradition of philosophy whose tensions it shares. Like the latter reading, this one also situates Peirce's pragmatism in a sub-community of pragmatic empiricists, whose errors it criticizes. The principal difference between the pragmatisms of the “Illustrations” and of the Lectures is that, in the latter, Peirce re-evaluates pragmatism rather than simply formulating it. The argument of the Lectures is decidedly apologetic, however, which marks its principal difference from the argument of the 1905 Monist essays. In the essays, Peirce writes as if he wants simply to recover the logic embedded in the practices of pragmatic inquirers. In the Lectures, he writes as if he wants still to prove that this is the logic of what his empiricist peers would want to practice, if they only reflected more soberly on what they do. The pragmatic reading of Peirce's Lectures is therefore doubly complex, because it portrays Peirce as masking, on at least two levels, his uncertainties about the empiricist practice of philosophy. On one level, it portrays his masking the radical character of his critique of empiricist logic: as if, in this way, he could get his empiricist peers to approve his thoroughly redefining their science. On a second level, the pragmatic reading portrays Peirce's masking an ambivalent relationship to the empiricists.
Dating layered websterite formation in the lithospheric mantle

Abstract Pyroxenites are often documented among exhumed mantle rocks, and can be found in most tectonic environments, from supra-subduction to sub-continental and sub-oceanic mantle. In particular, websterites, i.e. orthopyroxene–clinopyroxene bearing pyroxenites, are found in parallel layers in most orogenic and ophiolitic peridotites. Their formation is often ascribed to melt infiltration and melt–rock reaction processes accompanied by variable amount of deformation. One outstanding question is whether the ubiquitous occurrence of layered websterites in exhumed rocks is generally linked to the exhumation process or truly represents large-scale melt infiltration processes at depth prior to exhumation. These two hypotheses can be distinguished by comparing the exhumation and formation ages of the websterites. However, determination of the layered websterite formation age is challenging. Here we present a novel approach to constrain the formation age of websterite layers using samples from the Lherz massif (France), where layered websterites and lherzolites have formed through melt–rock reaction. By combining high-resolution REE variations, isotope model ages, and diffusive re-equilibration timescales using REE closure temperatures across the websterite layers, we constrain a minimum age and a maximum age for the formation of layered websterites. We show that layered websterites in Lherz formed 1,500–1,800 Ma ago, and are thus clearly disconnected from the process of exhumation at 104 Ma. Multiple generations of layered websterites commonly found in ultramafic massifs, along with the evidence for ancient melt–rock reaction in Lherz, indicate that melt–rock reactions can happen episodically or continuously in the mantle and that layered websterites found in exhumed mantle rocks record ubiquitous melt infiltration processes in the mantle.
Supercoiling Induced by Transcription

The biological implications of supercoiling by transcription are potentially significant (Pruss and Drlica 1989; Lilley and Higgins 1991), and a fundamental question is the extent to which transcription determines the level of DNA supercoiling in vivo. Transcription can induce supercoiling of the template by virtue of the topological relationship between DNA and elongating RNA polymerase (Liu and Wang 1987). In some models, transcription elongation requires that polymerase follows the helical screw of the DNA such that there one 360° rotation between the enzyme and DNA for each 10.5 bp transcribed (Gamper and Hearst 1982). Since RNA polymerase elongates at the rate of about 40 nucleotides/s, an efficiently anchored transcription complex should introduce approximately four negative super-turns upstream and four positive superturns downstream from an actively expressed gene each second. This would suggest extraordinarily fast rates of localized supercoiling after the onset of transcription. The goal of this chapter is to summarize and examine our understanding of the kinetics and mechanisms of supercoiling induced by transcription and to relate these insights to the mechanics of transcription elongation.
Hydraulic fracturing mechanisms in coal: a review

Hydraulic fracturing mechanisms in coal differ in many aspects from those in inorganic rocks. Due to the lower Young's modulus and higher Poisson's ratio, the stress state in coal is higher than in adjacent formations. This leads to wider and shorter fractures than in inorganic rocks. Fractures are affected by the cleat system in coal, so that multiple fractures may follow in tortuous paths the coal cleats. Coal often has a fracture treatment pressure in excess of 22.6 kPa/m (1 psi/ft.). Several hydraulic fracturing mechanisms may account for that, namely fracture blocking by coal chips, fracture tip plugging by coal or the development of a complex multi fracture system. The orientation of the hydraulic fractures is predominantly horizontal at shallow depths ( 600 m. In between these depths, fracture orientation may be either horizontal or vertical. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of the proposed hydraulic fracturing mechanisms in coal. [Received: July 28, 2015; Accepted: January 14, 2016]
Mandarin Bare Classifier-Nouns: Towards a Universal Structure for Classifiers and Plurals

Mandarin, as other classifier languages, usually requires a classifier when numerals, quantifiers, or demonstratives are present, but also allows bare classifier-nouns (CL-N) without any determiners. This paper examines two empirical questions: (i) What is the structure of CL-N that can account for its behavior? (ii) Under what conditions are bare CL-Ns acceptable? Following Borer’s Exo-Skeletal framework, I draw a parallel between Mandarin classifiers and the English plural. Mandarin ben shu ‘CL book’ and English books both are CLASSIFIER PHRASES carrying no quantity information. Numeral-classifier-nouns (Num-CL-Ns), such as san ben shu ‘three books,’ are QUANTITY
Non-monotonic dependence of Pickering emulsion gel rheology on particle volume fraction

The microstructure of Pickering emulsion gels features a tenuous network of faceted droplets, bridged together by shared monolayers of particles. In this investigation, we use standard oscillatory rheometry in conjunction with confocal microscopy to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the role particle bridged interfaces have on the rheology of Pickering emulsion gels. The zero-shear elastic modulus of Pickering emulsion gels shows a non-monotonic dependence on particle loading, with three separate regimes of power-law and linear gel strengthening, and subsequent gel weakening. The transition from power-law to linear scaling is found to coincide with a peak in the volume fraction of particles that participate in bridging, which we indirectly calculate using measureable quantities, and the transition to gel weakening is shown to result from a loss in network connectivity at high particle loadings. These observations are explained via a simple representation of how Pickering emulsion gels arise from an initial population of partially-covered droplets. Based on these considerations, we propose a combined variable related to the initial droplet coverage, to be used in reporting and rationalizing the rheology of Pickering emulsion gels. We demonstrate the applicability of this variable with Pickering emulsions prepared at variable fluid ratios and with different-sized colloidal particles. The results of our investigation have important implications for many technological applications that utilize solid stabilized multi-phase emulsions and require a priori knowledge or engineering of their flow characteristics.
Taking Stock of Retinal Gene Therapy: Looking Back and Moving Forward

Over the past 20 years, there has been tremendous progress in retinal gene therapy. The safety and efficacy results in one early-onset severe blinding disease may lead to the first gene therapy drug approval in the United States. Here, we review how far the field has come over the past two decades and speculate on the directions that the field will take in the future.
Linking ADHD to the Neural Circuitry of Attention

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex condition with a heterogeneous presentation. Current diagnosis is primarily based on subjective experience and observer reports of behavioral symptoms – an approach that has significant limitations. Many studies show that individuals with ADHD exhibit poorer performance on cognitive tasks than neurotypical controls, and at least seven main functional domains appear to be implicated in ADHD. We discuss the underlying neural mechanisms of cognitive functions associated with ADHD, with emphasis on the neural basis of selective attention, demonstrating the feasibility of basic research approaches for further understanding cognitive behavioral processes as they relate to human psychopathology. The study of circuit-level mechanisms underlying executive functions in nonhuman primates holds promise for advancing our understanding, and ultimately the treatment, of ADHD.
Exploring the relations between self-monitoring, authenticity, and well-being

Abstract The self-monitoring literature often describes those high in the construct as social chameleons, thereby implying they lack authenticity. However, direct examination of this assumption within the literature remains scant. The current study examines this relation and further explores how these constructs relate to well-being. In a cross-sectional study ( N = 629), participants completed measures of self-monitoring, authenticity, and well-being. Total self-monitoring scores were inversely related to authenticity, however the relationship was small because the public performance and other-directedness dimensions of self-monitoring related to authenticity in different directions. Public performance related moderately and positively to authenticity, whereas other-directness related strongly and negatively to authenticity. Authenticity mediated the effects of these self-monitoring dimensions on well-being. Moreover, authenticity and public performance interacted such that public performance related positively to well-being when authenticity was high, but not when authenticity was low. Similarly, total self-monitoring scores related positively to positive relationships with others when authenticity was high, and related positively to well-being when authenticity was held constant. The results have implications for self-monitoring theory, challenging the general notion that those on the high end of self-monitoring are not authentic, and highlighting the conditions under which self-monitoring relates to well-being.
Prognostic value of histopathology, stromal tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) and adjuvant chemotherapy (AdjCT) in early stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC).

533Background: Current guidelines define TNBC as complete absence of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), without HER2 amplification. However, the prognostic impact of clinical and histopathological factors, sTILs, and AdjCT in TNBC meeting these strict criteria is unknown. Methods: From a cohort of 9985 women who underwent upfront surgery for M0 breast cancer (BC) at Mayo Clinic Rochester from 1985-2012, 1159 pts with ER negative or low (≤10%) BC were identified for central ER/PR/HER2 staining and HER2 FISH (IHC2+ only) to select those with TNBC by modern definitions. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the impact of clinicopathological variables on invasive disease-free (IDFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: Tumors from 605 pts (median age 56.3 yrs) met criteria for TNBC (ER 15%. Histologically, 39% were anaplastic, 26% invasive ductal, 16% medullary, 8% metaplastic, 6%...
Addressing Obesity in Aging Patients

Obesity in older adults affects not only morbidity and mortality but, importantly, quality of life and the risk of institutionalization. Weight loss interventions can effectively lead to improved physical function. Diet-alone interventions can detrimentally affect muscle and bone physiology and, without interventions to affect these elements, can lead to adverse outcomes. Understanding social and nutritional issues facing older adults is of utmost importance to primary care providers. This article will also discuss the insufficient evidence related to pharmacotherapy as well as providing an overview of using physiologic rather than chronologic age for identifying suitable candidates for bariatric surgery.
Bioaccumulation of PAHs in the Zebra Mussel at Times Beach, Buffalo, New York

The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, was utilized in an in situ study in the Times Beach Confined Disposal Facility (CDF) located in Buffalo, New York, Mussels, placed both in the water column (upper position) and at the sediment surface (lower position), survived a 34-day exposure to the CDF. At the CDF, total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the water column were below detection limits (<0.010 mg 1-1), mean total PAH concentrations in the sediment were 164.41 mg kg-1, and mean total PAH concentrations in mussel tissues after the 34-day exposure were 6.58 mg kg-1. PAH concentrations in mussels exposed for 34 days at the CDP were compared to a baseline PAH concentrations in mussel tissue prior to study initiation (Day 0), and mussel tissue from the reference site (Black Rock Channel Lock). There was a significant increase in total PAHs in mussel tissues over the 34 Day period at the CDF. No significant accumulation occurred at the reference site. PAHs which increased significantly in mussel tissue at the CDF were fluoranthene, pyrene, chrysene, and benzo(a)anthracene. Benzo(a)anthracene concentrations increased significantly in mussels at the upper position overall at Times Beach. Concentrations of Total PAHs, fluoranthene, pyrene, and chrysene were not related to position.
A 13-ENOB 2 nd -order noise-shaping SAR ADC realizing optimized NTF zeros using an error-feedback structure

The noise-shaping (NS) SAR ADC is an emerging hybrid architecture that achieves high resolution and power-efficiency simultaneously by combining the merits of the SAR ADC and the AIADC, making it attractive to sensor readout and healthcare applications. To implement NS, most prior works adopted the classic cascaded integrator feed-forward (CIFF) structure for noise filtering [1-5]. Opamp-based integrators were used in [1-3] to achieve a relatively sharp noise transfer function (NTF), but at the cost of power and scaling friendliness. Reference [4] demonstrated 2nd-order NS using fully passive switched-capacitor (SC) integrators, but has limited NS and thermal noise performance. Reference [5] combines passive SC filters with a dynamic amplifier (D-amp) to achieve good noise and power, but is vulnerable to process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variations. In addition, no prior NS SAR has realized complex NTF zeros for optimum NS. This presents a need for an NS SAR ADC that can combine optimized NTF, power efficiency and PVT robustness. To overcome the limitations of existing work, instead of adopting the CIFF structure, this paper presents a 2nd-order NS SAR ADC using an error-feedback (EF) structure. It highlights the capability of realizing optimized complex NTF zeros by simply using charge sharing summation, a passive SC FIR and a comparator-reused dynamic amplifier with PVT tracking. This work achieves sharp NS performance while maintaining both hardware and power efficiency merits of the NS SAR with improved robustness. The prototype chip, fabricated in 40nm CMOS, achieves a 79dB SNDR at an OSR of 8 using a 9b SAR, resulting in a peak Schreier FoM of 178dB.
Agroforestry in the Sahel

West African farmers adjust tree cover to realize the co-benefits of agroforestry, according to analyses of remote sensing data.
CHAPTER 49 – Vitamin D

Vitamin D is known to play an important role in normal skeletal growth and development, and in the prevention of rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Considerable interest has focused on understanding the biologic actions of vitamin D on bone. Extensive clinical and animal studies support the concept that vitamin D deficiency and altered vitamin D metabolism contribute to bone loss and fracture in aging. This chapter reviews the evidence for age-related alterations in vitamin D metabolism and the efficacy of vitamin D, vitamin D metabolites, and analogues in preventing fractures. A major action of vitamin D is to increase the efficiency of intestinal Calcium (Ca) absorption. Therefore, the chapter also considers Ca intake as it may influence vitamin D metabolism and intestinal Ca absorption.
An Inchworm-inspired Robot Based on Modular Body, Electronics and Passive Friction Pads Performing the Two-anchor Crawl Gait

We have created an inchworm robot capable of the two-anchor crawl gait on level ground and inclined plane. The main novelty is in the design of the inchworm: (1) three-part body that is 3D printed and actuated by two servo motors to allow a looping and lengthening action, (2) passive friction pads to anchor the feet, each of which may be disengaged using a servo motor actuated lever arm, and (3) modular body and electronics. The robot is about 2 feet (61 cm) in length, has a mass of about 4 kg, and uses an open-loop controller to achieve steady crawling gait. The inchworm robot achieved a speed of 2.54 cm·s−1 on level ground as well as on an incline plane of 19°. The energy usage as measured by the Mechanical Cost of Transport (a non-dimensional number defined as the energy used per unit weight per unit distance moved) is 3.34. Our results indicate that simple robotic designs that copy the basic features of natural organisms provide a promising alternative over conventional wheeled robots.
Epicardial Area in the Short Axis: a Simple Means of Recognizing Elevated Left Ventricular Mass

Background Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is strongly associated with the development of heart failure. The two-dimensional left ventricular mass (LVM) algorithms suffer from measurement variability that can lead to misclassification of patients with LVH as normal, or vice versa. Among the four echocardiographic measurements required by the two-dimensional LVM algorithms, epicardial and endocardial area have the lowest inter-observer variation and could be used to corroborate LVM calculations. We sought cut-off values able to discriminate between elevated and normal LVM based on endocardial or epicardial area alone. Methods Using data from 664 men enrolled in the Mind Your Heart Study, we calculated the correlation of left ventricular mass index (LVMI) with epicardial area and endocardial area. We then used receiver operator characteristic curves to identify epicardial and endocardial area cut-points that could discriminate among individuals with normal LVM and LVH. Results LVMI was more strongly correlated with epicardial area compared to endocardial area, r = 0.70 versus r = 0.27, respectively. As a screening test for LVH, epicardial area significantly outperformed endocardial area as reflected by a considerably higher area under the ROC curve, 0.90 (95% CI = 0.86 to 0.93) versus 0.63 (95% CI = 0.57 to 0.71). An epicardial area cut-point of ≥ 38.0 cm2 corresponded to a sensitivity of 95.0% and specificity of 54.4% for detecting LVH. The seven participants who had epicardial areas below our cut-point but still met criteria for LVH by LVMI (false negatives), had lower body surface areas and lower left ventricular cavity volumes than the cohort average. Conclusions Epicardial area showed promise as a method of rapid screening for LVH and could be used to validate formal LVM calculations. Figure 1
A phylogenetic examination of host use evolution in the quinaria and testacea groups of Drosophila.

Abstract Adaptive radiations provide an opportunity to examine complex evolutionary processes such as ecological specialization and speciation. While a well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis is critical to completing such studies, the rapid rates of evolution in these groups can impede phylogenetic studies. Here we study the quinaria and testacea species groups of the immigrans-tripunctata radiation of Drosophila, which represent a recent adaptive radiation and are a developing model system for ecological genetics. We were especially interested in understanding host use evolution in these species. In order to infer a phylogenetic hypothesis for this group we sampled loci from both the nuclear genome and the mitochondrial DNA to develop a dataset of 43 protein-coding loci for these two groups along with their close relatives in the immigrans-tripunctata radiation. We used this dataset to examine their evolutionary relationships along with the evolution of feeding behavior. Our analysis recovers strong support for the monophyly of the testacea but not the quinaria group. Results from our ancestral state reconstruction analysis suggests that the ancestor of the testacea and quinaria groups exhibited mushroom-feeding. Within the quinaria group, we infer that transition to vegetative feeding occurred twice, and that this transition did not coincide with a genome-wide change in the rate of protein evolution.
Sarco-endoplasmic reticulum ATPase participates in the regulation of mitochondrial calcium

Background Although sarco-endoplasmic reticulum ATPase-2 (SERCA) is located in close proximity to mitochondria, its role in the regulation of mitochondrial calcium ([Ca2+]m) is not clear. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 can oxidize SERCA at C674, thereby inhibiting its activity and potentially affecting [Ca2+]m in conditions associated with oxidative stress in the myocardium. Methods In adult rat ventricular myocytes (ARVM) we used the SERCA inhibitor thapsigargin (TG) or H2O2 to inhibit SERCA and measured the effects on [Ca2+]m using a mitochondrially-targeted [Ca2+] probe (CAMmito). CAMmito was excited at 446nm and emission was detected at 480nm/535nm to derive a CFP/YFP ratio. WT and C674S SERCA, and CAMmito were expressed in (ARVM) using adenoviral vectors. Results TG (1 uM, 30 min) increased the CFP/YFP ratio 11 + 5% (p=0.07, n=4). H2O2 (100 uM, 10 min) similarly increased the ratio by 11 + 1% (p=0.02, n=7). The basal CFP/YFP ratio was not different in ARVM expressing WT vs. C674S SERCA (p=0.89, n=4). In ARVM expressing WT SERCA, H2O2 increased the CFP/YFP ratio 21 + 4% (p=0.02, n=4), whereas in ARVM expressing C674S SERCA the H2O2-stimulated increase was decreased to 12 + %, (p=0.03 vs. baseline, 0.2 vs. WT SERCA, n=4). Conclusion In cardiac myocytes, SERCA inhibition with TG increased [Ca2+]m, indicating that SERCA participates in regulation of [Ca2+]m under basal conditions. ROS also increased [Ca2+]m, although to a greater magnitude (21 vs. 11%) than TG. The redox-insensitive SERCA mutant C674S decreased the ROS-stimulated increase to 12%, suggesting that oxidative inhibition of SERCA contributes to the ROS-stimulated increase in [Ca2+]m. SERCA may be an important regulator of [Ca2+]m in cardiac myocytes in health and in disease states associated with increased oxidative stress.
When courts refuse to play by the rules (of law): the failure of public administration theory in securing constitutional rights

AbstractIf there is any area of government in which one would expect to locate the rule of law, it would be in the courts. And, if there is any group of people deserving the protections of the rule...
SOUTH-SOUTH AND NORTH-SOUTH ECONOMIC EXCHANGES: DOES IT MATTER WHO IS EXCHANGING WHAT AND WITH WHOM?: SOUTH-SOUTH AND NORTH-SOUTH ECONOMIC EXCHANGES

This paper surveys the literature on costs and benefits of South–South versus North–South economic exchanges. Unlike the case for North–South exchanges, academic work on South–South economic relations has been historically limited given their marginal importance in the global economy. After the 1990s, the literature has changed in two main ways. First, South–South trade and finance since then has increased dramatically, leading to a bourgeoning literature on the topic. Second, the rise of the Emerging South has opened up new lines of inquiry to include not just the traditional topics of trade and preferential trading agreements, but also cover technology transfer, capital flows, labor migration, institutions, and environment. We discuss how this literature has evolved to take into account the greater complexity of South–South relations with a focus on China in Africa as well as the blurring of the lines between heterodox and mainstream analysis of South–South relations. We end the review by showing how the empirical and theoretical literature is exploring the increasing divergence within the global South between what we refer to as the Emerging South and the Rest of South.
Mitochondrial UPR repression during Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection requires the bZIP protein ZIP-3

Mitochondria generate most cellular energy and are targeted by multiple pathogens during infection. In turn, metazoans employ surveillance mechanisms such as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) to detect and respond to mitochondrial dysfunction as an indicator of infection. The UPRmt is an adaptive transcriptional program regulated by the transcription factor ATFS-1, which induces genes that promote mitochondrial recovery and innate immunity. The bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa produces toxins that disrupt oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), resulting in UPRmt activation. Here, we demonstrate that Pseudomonas aeruginosa exploits an intrinsic negative regulatory mechanism mediated by the Caenorhabditis elegans bZIP protein ZIP-3 to repress UPRmt activation. Strikingly, worms lacking zip-3 were impervious to Pseudomonas aeruginosa-mediated UPRmt repression and resistant to infection. Pathogen-secreted phenazines perturbed mitochondrial function and were the primary cause of UPRmt activation, consistent with these molecules being electron shuttles and virulence determinants. Surprisingly, Pseudomonas aeruginosa unable to produce phenazines and thus elicit UPRmt activation were hypertoxic in zip-3-deletion worms. These data emphasize the significance of virulence-mediated UPRmt repression and the potency of the UPRmt as an antibacterial response.
El exilio interior y sus máscaras: Voaxa e Carmín de Esther F. Carrodeguas

In Santiago de Compostela, La Alameda is a place frequented by students and tourists. The passerby discerns within the crowd a statue of two small women, arm in arm, dressed in bright colors and we...
A decision tree to guide long term venous access placement in children and adolescents undergoing surgery for renal tumors.

Abstract Background/Purpose While many children with renal tumors require long term venous access (VA) for adjuvant chemotherapy, certainly not all do. This study develops and tests a VA decision tree (DT) to direct the placement of VA in patients with renal tumors. Methods Utilizing data readily available at surgery a VADT was developed. The VADT was tested retrospectively by 2 independent reviewers on a historic cohort. The ability of the VADT to appropriately select which patients would benefit from VA placement was tested. Results 160 patients underwent renal tumor surgery between 2005 and 2018. 70 (43.8%) patients met study criteria with median age of 45.1 months (range 1.1–224); 73% required VA. Using the VADT, VA placement was “needed” in 67.1% of patients and “deferred” in 32.9%. Interrater reliability was very high (kappa = 0.97, 95% CI 0.91–1, p Conclusions These preliminary data support the continued study of this VADT to guide intraoperative decisions regarding VA placement in patients with renal tumors. Level of evidence III — Study of diagnostic test.