cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elastic, Viscous, and Mass Load Effects on Poststroke Muscle Recruitment and Co-contraction During Reaching: A Pilot Study

Background: Resistive exercise after stroke can improve strength (force-generating capacity) without increasing spasticity (velocity-dependent hypertonicity). However, the effect of resistive load type on muscle activation and co-contraction after stroke is not clear. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of load type (elastic, viscous, or mass) on muscle activation and co-contraction during resisted forward reaching in the paretic and nonparetic arms after stroke. Design: This investigation was a single-session, mixed repeated-measures pilot study. Methods: Twenty participants (10 with hemiplegia and 10 without neurologic involvement) reached forward with each arm against equivalent elastic, viscous, and mass loads. Normalized shoulder and elbow electromyography impulses were analyzed to determine agonist muscle recruitment and agonist-antagonist muscle co-contraction. Results: Muscle activation and co-contraction levels were significantly higher on virtually all outcome measures for the paretic and nonparetic arms of the participants with stroke than for the matched control participants. Only the nonparetic shoulder responded to load type with similar activation levels but variable co-contraction responses relative to those of the control shoulder. Elastic and viscous loads were associated with strong activation; mass and viscous loads were associated with minimal co-contraction. Limitations: A reasonable, but limited, range of loads was available. Conclusions: Motor control deficits were evident in both the paretic and the nonparetic arms after stroke when forward reaching was resisted with viscous, elastic, or mass loads. The paretic arm responded with higher muscle activation and co-contraction levels across all load conditions than the matched control arm. Smaller increases in muscle activation and co-contraction levels that varied with load type were observed in the nonparetic arm. On the basis of the response of the nonparetic arm, this study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that viscous loads elicited strong muscle activation with minimal co-contraction. Further intervention studies are needed to determine whether viscous loads are preferable for poststroke resistive exercise programs.
Deep venous thrombosis and superficial venous reflux.

Abstract Objective: Although superficial venous reflux is an important determinant of post-thrombotic skin changes, the origin of this reflux is unknown. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency and etiologic mechanisms of superficial venous reflux after acute deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Methods: Patients with a documented acute lower extremity DVT were asked to return for serial venous duplex ultrasound examinations at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, every 3 months for the first year, and every year thereafter. Reflux in the greater saphenous vein (GSV) and lesser saphenous vein (LSV) was assessed by standing distal pneumatic cuff deflation. Results: Sixty-six patients with a DVT in 69 lower extremities were followed up for a mean of 48 (SD ± 32) months. Initial thrombosis of the GSV was noted in 15 limbs (21.7%). At 8 years, the cumulative incidence of GSV reflux was 77.1% (SE ± 0.11) in DVT limbs with GSV involvement, 28.9% (± 0.09%) in DVT limbs without GSV thrombosis, and 14.8% (± 0.05) in uninvolved contralateral limbs ( P P =.06). In comparison with uninvolved contralateral limbs, the relative risk of GSV reflux for DVT limbs with and without GSV thrombosis was 8.7 ( P P =.5), respectively. The relative risk of LSV reflux in thrombosed extremities compared with uninvolved extremities was 3.2 ( P =.07). Despite these observations, the fraction of observed GSV reflux that could be attributable to superficial thrombosis was only 49%. Conclusions: Superficial venous thrombosis frequently accompanies DVT and is associated with development of superficial reflux in most limbs. However, a substantial proportion of observed reflux is not directly associated with thrombosis and develops at a rate equivalent to that in uninvolved limbs. (J Vasc Surg 2000;32:48-56.)
Automatic coronary artery tree labeling in coronary computed tomographic angiography datasets

In this paper, an automatic coronary tree labeling algorithm is developed for labeling the extracted branches with their anatomical names for CCTA datasets. A two-step matching algorithm is implemented by means of a statistical coronary tree model. The main branches are first identified in a registration step. Then all the segments including proximal, middle and distal parts of the main branches and all side-branches in the coronary tree are labeled. Additional clinical criteria are used to generate the final result. Fifty-eight CCTA datasets with right-dominant coronary trees were used for the evaluation. Compared with manually corrected results by an expert, 37 labels (4.76%) in the automatic results were needed to be changed or removed. For the remaining 741 labels obtained by the automatic method, the average overlap measurement between the expert reference and automatic results was 91.41%.
Probing Field-Induced Tissue Polarization Using Transillumination Fluorescent Imaging

Despite major successes of biophysical theories in predicting the effects of electrical shocks within the heart, recent optical mapping studies have revealed two major discrepancies between theory and experiment: 1), the presence of negative bulk polarization recorded during strong shocks; and 2), the unexpectedly small surface polarization under shock electrodes. There is little consensus as to whether these differences result from deficiencies of experimental techniques, artifacts of tissue damage, or deficiencies of existing theories. Here, we take advantage of recently developed near-infrared voltage-sensitive dyes and transillumination optical imaging to perform, for the first time that we know of, noninvasive probing of field effects deep inside the intact ventricular wall. This technique removes some of the limitations encountered in previous experimental studies. We explicitly demonstrate that deep inside intact myocardial tissue preparations, strong electrical shocks do produce considerable negative bulk polarization previously inferred from surface recordings. We also demonstrate that near-threshold diastolic field stimulation produces activation of deep myocardial layers 2–6 mm away from the cathodal surface, contrary to theory. Using bidomain simulations we explore factors that may improve the agreement between theory and experiment. We show that the inclusion of negative asymmetric current can qualitatively explain negative bulk polarization in a discontinuous bidomain model.
Multiple periodic solutions for a second-order problem on periodic time scales

Abstract Green's function for a second-order delta dynamic equation is found, then used as the kernel in an integral operator to guarantee the existence of positive periodic solutions to a second-order periodic boundary value problem with periodic coefficient functions.
Tax Evasion and Perceptions of Tax Fairness: A Research Note:

This research note addresses the debate as to whether tax evasion resultsfrom increased tax rates and economic incentives-as many economists claim -orfrom other factors as well, specifically taxpay...
Devising a pathway for hyaluronan catabolism. Are we there yet

Hyaluronan is a negatively charged, high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan found predominantly in the extracellular matrix. Intracellular locations for hyaluronan have also been documented in cytoplasm, nucleus, and nucleolus. The polymer has an extraordinarily high rate of turnover in vertebrate tissues. The focus here is to formulate a metabolic pathway for hyaluronan degradation using all available data, including the recently acquired information on the hyaluronidase gene family. Such a catabolic scheme has defied explication up to now. In somatic tissues, stepwise processing occurs, from the extracellular high molecular weight space filling, antiangiogenic approximately 107-kDa polymer, to intermediate sized highly angiogenic, inflammatory, and immune-stimulating fragments, and ultimately to tetrasaccharides that are antiapoptotic and potent inducers of heat-shock proteins. It is proposed that the high molecular weight extracellular polymer is tethered to the cell surface by the combined efforts of hyaluronan receptors and hyaluronidase-2 (Hyal-2). The hyaluronan is cleaved to a 20-kDa intermediate-sized fragment, the limit product of Hyal-2 digestion. These fragments are delivered to endosomal- and ultimately lysosomal-like structures. Further catabolism occurs there by Hyal-1, coordinated with the activity of two lysosomal beta-exoglycosidases, beta-glucuronidase and beta-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase. A membrane-associated mini-organelle is postulated, the hyaluronasome, in which coordinated synthetic and catabolic enzyme reactions occur. The hyaluronasome can respond to the physiological states of the cell by a series of membrane-bound and soluble hyaluronan-associated receptors, binding proteins, and cofactors that trigger enzymatic events and signal transduction pathways. These in turn can be modulated by the amounts and sizes of the hyaluronan polysaccharides generated in the catabolic cascade. Most of these highly dynamic interactions remain to be determined. It is also proposed that malignant cells can commandeer some of these interactions for facilitating tumor growth and spread.
Learn how to develop software using the toy LEGO Mindstorms

The use of the toy LEGO Mindstorms has been used more often in engineering and computer sciences courses in several countries. Undergraduate students at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi implemented seven robotics applications as the final project for the Software Analysis and Design course. The students applied the knowledge acquired in other courses such as Software Engineering, Databases, and several programming courses. The students used Microsoft Project for the planning phase and the CASE tool Visible Analyst for the design phase. At the end of the semester there was a robot competition. Two projects are described in this paper.
The Review of Natural Products. Eighth edition, edited by Ara DerMarderosian and John A. Beutler

To address the interest in nature-based pharmaceuticals, the Facts & Comparisons group publishes The Review of Natural Products monograph as a resource for evidence-based, scientific information on...
The limited capacity of malignant glioma-derived exosomes to suppress peripheral immune effectors

Tumor-derived microvesicular exosomes permit intercellular communication both locally and systemically by delivering a snapshot of the tumor cell's constituents. We thus investigated whether exosomes mediate malignant glioma's facility for inducing peripheral immunosuppression. In Western blot and RT-PCR analyses, glioma-derived exosomes displayed exosome-specific markers, but failed to recapitulate the antigen-presentation machinery, surface co-modulatory signals, or immunosuppressive mediator status of their parent tumor cells. Treatment with glioma-derived exosomes promoted immunosuppressive HLA-DR(low) monocytic phenotypes, but failed to induce monocytic PD-L1 expression or alter the activation of cytotoxic T-cells from patients' peripheral blood by FACS and RT-PCR analyses. Our results suggest that malignant glioma-derived exosomes are restricted in their capacity to directly prime peripheral immunosuppression.
The Influence of Race on T-Cell Subset Distributions

To investigate the influence of race on the cellular immune system, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cell subsets in 266 healthy nonsmoking adults and 112 healthy children. Among adults, blacks had a significantly higher proportion of B cells, a lower proportion of T cells, and a higher proportion of HLA-DR positive cells and activated T cells than whites. Among children, the proportion of HLA-DR positive cells and activated T cells were significantly higher in blacks than in whites, but the proportion of T cells and B cells were similar in blacks and whites. An apparent decrease in the proportion of CD4+ (T-Helper) cells was observed in black women age 50 and older compared to white women and younger black women. These and other race-related immunologic alterations may provide clues to the etiology of diseases and conditions which exhibit significant racial differences.
Case records of the Massachusetts General Hospital. Weekly clinicopathological exercises. Case 33-2004. A 34-year-old man with a seizure and a frontal-lobe brain lesion.

A 34-year-old man was found unconscious and apparently having a seizure. Imaging studies showed a lesion in the right frontal lobe of the brain, with characteristics of a malignant tumor. The authors discuss new approaches to the diagnosis and management of malignant glial tumors.
Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy among HIV-infected Patients in UBTH, Benin City, Nigeria

BACKGROUND Evidence from, clinical studies has shown that for most HIV positive patients near perfect adherence (> 95%) are required for virological suppression and clinical success. This degree of adherence is far greater than that commonly associated with other chronic diseases and this is quite difficult for most patients to maintain over the course of a lifelong illness. The study was therefore carried out to determine the level of adherence to antiretroviral therapy and to identify predictors of adherence and non- adherence. METHODOLOGY A descriptive cross-sectional study design was utilized for the study and it was carried out over a period of four months (Oct 2007 to Feb 2008). Systematic sampling was used to select 273 HIV positive patients receiving treatment at PEPFAR clinic, UBTH, Benin City. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Adherence was assessed using patients self-report on the percentage of prescribed doses taken within a one month period. Adherence score of95% was taken as the cut-off point. Data analysis was by SPSS version 15.0, and the level of significance was set at p 95%. This adherence gap remains a source of concern, therefore adherence counseling is strongly recommended.
THE ROLE OF LANGERHANS ISLETS IN PANCREATIC DUCTAL ADENOCARCINOMA

An intimate relationship between the exocrine and endocrine pancreas has been convincingly demonstrated in recent years. Animal experiments have shed some light into the complex dialog between the two tissues. This interaction is pronounced in diseases of the pancreas, especially in experimentally-induced and human pancreatic cancers. New evidence highlights the importance of intact islets in the development of exocrine pancreatic cancer. Although tumors arise from large and small ducts, invasive and malignant adenocarcinomas of ductal phenotype also derive from stem cells within islets. Development of cancer within islets explains the association between pancreatic cancer and impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes. Hence, the previous epidemiological studies suggesting that diabetes is a predisposing factor for pancreatic cancer are refuted. The available evidence suggests that pancreatic cancer in a large number of pancreatic cancer patients ultimately leads to diabetes, and that removal of the tumors improves or cures the diabetes. Both in the hamster pancreatic cancer model and in patients, the development of cancer is associated with elevated plasma levels of islet amyloid polypeptide, which may be used as a tumor marker.
23 PERICARDIUM: RISK FACTOR FOR POST-PERICARDIOTOMY SYNDROME?

Background In congenital heart surgery post-pericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) is most often noted after repair of simple ASD (atrial septal defect). The etiology of PPS remains unknown. PPS often presents as a significant pericardial effusion after ASD repair. We hypothesize after heart surgery PPS is caused by an immunologic reaction against the pericardium, due to exposure of this normally immunologically privileged tissue to the blood stream. Moreover, we hypothesize glutaraldehyde-treated (GLUT) pericardial patch would further increase the antigenicity, leading to a greater immunologic reaction. Methods A retrospective review of patients that had undergone ASD repair from 1996 to 2003 was performed. Preoperative and postoperative echocardiograms were reviewed for ASD size, degree of RV enlargement, and size of pericardial effusions. In addition clinical symptoms of PPS were noted. Operative reports were reviewed for type of ASD repair technique. Three repair techniques, primary closure, GLUT patch closure, and non-GLUT patch closure, were compared using a generalized linear model with Poisson link function while controlling for potential confounders. Results Among the 186 patients, 44.1% (82/186) underwent primary closure while 55.9% (104/186) underwent patch closure. Among the patch closure patients 67.3% (70/104) were repaired with a GLUT-patch, while 32.7% (34/104) were repaired with a non-GLUT patch. Age, sex, ASD size, and degree of RV enlargement were not significant variables on multivariate analysis. The incidence of pericardial effusion varied between groups: 2.4% (2/82) in primary, 2.9% (1/34) in non-GLUT patch, and 12.9% (9/70) in GLUT patch. The relative risk of developing pericardial effusion with a GLUT patch when compared to non-GLUT patch and primary was 4.4 (CI -0.5, 34.5) and 5.3 (CI 2.2, 24.4), respectively. Finally, the incidence of moderate to large effusions also varied significantly between groups: GLUT patch group 8.6% (6/70) versus non-GLUT patch group 0.0 % (0/34), p = 0.03, and primary 0.0% (0/82), p = 0.007. Conclusions The use of pericardial patch in repair of ASD substantially increases the risk of PPS. The risk is further exacerbated with GLUT treatment of the pericardium. An autoimmune reaction against novel antigens created by GLUT cross-linking of pericardial proteins may be involved. Further studies are warranted to explore potential immunologic mechanisms involved.
Review of Task-based language learning and teaching with technology

Review by Jim Ranalli, Iowa State University It is interesting to consider that task-based learning and teaching (TBLT) and computer-assisted language learning (CALL) both originated in the 1980s, were long considered marginal to mainstream language education (though this has thankfully changed), and more recently have been the focus of increasing scholarly attention, and yet to date no book has explicitly addressed the potential links between these two fields. What antecedents and principles do they share, and how can they mutually inform each other’s contributions to second language pedagogy and research? Task-based language learning and teaching with technology, edited by Michael Thomas and Hayo Reinders, attempts to answer such questions and “initiate a closer dialogue between these areas of theory, research and practice in order to explore synergies and differences as well as potential future directions” (p. 1).
Target selection for saccadic eye movements: prelude activity in the superior colliculus during a direction-discrimination task.

We investigated the role of the superior colliculus (SC) in saccade target selection while macaque monkeys performed a direction-discrimination task. The monkeys selected one of two possible saccad...
Mitigating jamming attacks in mobile cognitive networks through time hopping

5G wireless networks will support massive connectivity mainly due to device-to-device communications. An enabling technology for device-to-device links is the dynamical spectrum access. The devices, which are equipped with cognitive radios, are to be allowed to reuse spectrum occupied by cellular links. The dynamical spectrum availability makes cognitive users switch between channels. Switching leads to energy consumption, latency, and communication overhead in general. The performance degrades even more when the network is under jamming attack. This type of attack is one of the most detrimental attacks. Addressing jamming while maintaining a desired quality of service is a challenge. While existing anti-jamming mechanisms assume stationary users, in this paper, we propose and evaluate countermeasures for mobile cognitive users. We propose two time-based techniques, which, unlike other existing frequency-based techniques, do not assume accessibility to multiple channels and hence do not rely on switching to countermeasure jamming. We achieve analytical solutions of jamming, switching, and error probabilities. Based on our findings, the proposed techniques out perform other existing frequency-based techniques. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Machine learning and its application in microscopic image analysis

Machine learning has attracted increasing interest in medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention, and plays an important role in image-based computer-aided diagnosis in digital pathology. In particular, machine learning is able to effectively and efficiently handle the complexity and diversity of microscopic images. This chapter presents several popular machine learning techniques and their applications in microscopic image analysis. It starts by introducing the background of automated microscopic image analysis and explaining the reasons why machine learning is in urgent need of data analysis in biology and medicine. Next, it specifically discusses two supervised learning methods for automated nucleus and cell detection on various microscopy images, and then explains another two popular machine learning techniques and describes their applications in nucleus and cell segmentation on different staining pathology images. Finally, it presents one major challenge of nucleus/cell detection and segmentation and provides a potential trend of algorithm design.
Stochastic image reconstruction for non-proliferation applications

The stochastic origin ensembles (SOE) method has been implemented for the reconstruction of neutron and gamma-ray images from a dual-particle imager (DPI). SOE image reconstruction is an iterative stochastic process that creates images using Markov-chain Monte-Carlo sampling with event origins from the reconstructed backprojection cones. This method has been shown to produce image quality comparable to that of the widely implemented maximum-likelihood expectation-maximization (MLEM) algorithm. SOE can be advantageous because the method is simple to implement and thorough definition of spatial efficiency or resolution is not required. The SOE algorithm also reaches a steady-state solution after iterating, as opposed to MLEM solutions, which can degrade with over-iteration. This paper shows photon and neutron images images reconstructed using the SOE algorithm for an experiment with multiple neutron and gamma-ray sources.
Being Your Actual or Ideal Self? What It Means to Feel Authentic in a Relationship:

Relational authenticity-which refers to subjective feelings of authenticity in a specific relationship-confers well-being; yet little is known about what gives rise to it. The present research tested competing hypotheses about the basis of relational authenticity, whether it arises from being one's actual self in a relationship (actual-relational selves overlap), ideal self (relational-ideal selves overlap), or both. A pilot study examined lay beliefs about the basis of relational authenticity. Study 1 then showed that relational-ideal, but not actual-relational, overlap predicts relational authenticity. The remaining studies experimentally manipulated relational-ideal overlap, and showed that low overlap reduced relational authenticity compared with a control condition (Study 2), with varying actual-relational overlap (Study 3), and with varying actual-ideal overlap (Study 4). Several alternative accounts (e.g., negative general relationship perceptions) were addressed. We conclude that relational authenticity emanates largely from being one's ideal self in the relevant relationship, and discuss implications and future directions.
[The Greeks] 'called it KOSMOS, which means ornament'

Kent Bloomer, Yale University Kent Bloomer (MFA) is the founder and principal of the Bloomer Studio in New Haven Connecticut and a professor on the Faculty of Architecture at Yale University. He studied physics and architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Ethnicity and English Proficiency: Teacher Perceptions of Academic and Interpersonal Competence in European American and Latino Students

Little research investigates the academic and interpersonal competence of Latino students in classroom settings. As such, the current study seeks to better understand how language proficiency and e...
Mathematical modelling of the evolution of the particle size distribution during ultrasound-induced breakage of aspirin crystals

Abstract While the effects of ultrasound on crystals have been heavily investigated experimentally, population balance models that describe the effects of all physical parameters such as solution viscosity and applied power on the crystal size distribution have been lacking. This article presents one of the first population balance models for describing the crystal breakage that results from ultrasound. Aspirin crystals dispersed in various solvents, dodecane and silicon oils of known viscosity, were subjected to ultrasound to study this sonofragmentation that occurs due to cavitation when bubbles violently collapse, creating extreme conditions in the immediate vicinity of the bubbles. Population balance models are developed with three models for binary breakage events and cavitation rate proportional to the applied power and exponentially related to solvent viscosity. The resulting population balance models provide reasonable agreement with the experimental data over the ranges of applied power and solvent viscosity investigated, with nearly overlapping crystal size distributions for applied power between 10 and 40 W. The statistical analysis supports the breakage model in which cavitation bubbles cause the aspirin crystals to break into two equal-sized particles.
Mid-infrared second-harmonic generation in ultra-thin plasmonic metasurfaces without a full-metal backplane

We report the design and operation of a nonlinear intersubband polaritonic metasurface for mid-infrared second harmonic generation. The metasurface is made of plasmonic nanoresonators filled with a multiple-quantum-well semiconductor heterostructure. Unlike the previously reported nonlinear intersubband polaritonic metasurfaces that employ full-metal backplanes below the etched metal–semiconductor nanoresonators, the metasurface reported here employs an incomplete backplane that is complementary to the pattern of the top metallization of the etched semiconductor heterostructure nanoresonators. The new approach produces high-electric-field localization and enhancement in the nanoresonators, while requiring simplified fabrication and allowing the metasurface to operate in both transmission and reflection regimes.
Cigarette Smoke Exposure to Pig Larynx in an Inhalation Chamber.

Summary Objectives This study investigated the effects of cigarette smoke exposure on the pig larynx using an inhalation chamber. Specifically, we compared the effects of cigarette smoke exposure from either 3 cigarettes per day (3cd) or 15 cigarettes per day (15cd) for 20 days. Study design In vivo prospective design. Methods Female pigs were exposed via an inhalation chamber to cigarette smoke (3R4F research cigarettes) from 3cd (n = 6) or 15cd (n = 6) for 20 days. Outcomes included histopathology of vocal fold and airway tissues; gene expression of interleukins, TNF-α, and VEGF; protein levels of TNF-α and IL-6; and number of coughs recorded in the chamber. Results Pigs exposed to cigarette smoke from 15cd exhibited mild vocal fold edema as compared to the 3cd group on histopathological evaluation. There was also minimal inflammation of nasal and tracheal tissue characterized by presence of more granulocytes in the 15cd group compared to the 3cd group. Cough frequency was significantly greater for the 15cd group compared to the 3cd group. Conclusions A custom-designed large animal inhalation chamber successfully challenged pigs repeatedly, to varying levels of cigarette smoke. Future studies will combine such low levels of smoke exposure with other common challenges such as acid reflux to understand the multifactorial causation of laryngeal pathologies.
Deficiency of adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein, A-FABP, suppresses tumor metastasis (88.9)

An association between inflammation and cancer is well-established and it has been shown that tumor infiltrating macrophages (TIM) play a supportive role in tumor development. Recent studies have found that expression of A-FABP by macrophages promotes their inflammatory function. Thus, in the present study we evaluated the influence of A-FABP expression on tumor growth and metastasis. Upon transplantation of the of the murine tumor cell lines LL/2, MC38 and E0771, we found significantly lower levels of tumor metastasis to the lung in A-FABP-/- mice as compared to wild-type mice. In the LL/2 model, decreased metastasis in A-FABP-/- mice was not associated with decreased growth of the primary tumor. Concentrating on the role of macrophages, we found that although wild-type and A-FABP-/- mice showed equal numbers of TIM, A-FABP-/- TIM were poor producers of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, TNFa and IL-23 as compared to wild-type TIM. Activation of the MAPKs p38, ERK1/2 and JNK, as well as activation of IKK and NFkB in response to interaction with tumors was diminished in A-FABP-/- macrophages. In addition, A-FABP-/- macrophages produced significantly lower levels of MMP, an established mediator of tumor metastasis, both in vitro and in vivo as compared to wild-type macrophages. These results suggest a critical role for A-FABP in macrophage activities that promote tumor metastasis.
Association between Age and Early Mortality Risk after Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator Implantation within The Veteran Affairs Health System

Background Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy improves outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) but current guidelines advise against placement of ICDs in patients with a life expectancy of less than 1 year. We examined the association between age and early mortality rate in patients who underwent primary or secondary prevention ICD in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health System. Methods The analysis included US veterans with a diagnosis of heart failure and reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and a new implantation of primary or secondary prevention ICD. Patients treated nationwide in the VA-Health System from January 2007 to January 2015 were included. Diagnosis of HFrEF and ICD implantation was established through ICD9-codes. Mortality data were obtained fromthe VA's death registry. The patient cohort was divided in age quartiles and the 1-year and 8-year all-cause mortality were examined. Results A total of 17,901 patients with HFrEF and new ICD placement were identified. Distribution of age across quartiles (Q) was as following: Q1 23-61 years, mean 56; Q2 61-67 years, mean 64; Q3 67-76 years, mean 71; Q4 76-99 years, mean 82. The comorbidity burden (i.e. coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, chronic kidney disease and diabetes mellitus) was higher in Q3 and Q4 compared to Q1 and Q2. One-year and 8-year mortality are presented in the Figure . In the Q4 group, 32% of patients died within 1 year. Higher age quartiles were associated with significantly worse 1 and 8-year mortality when compared to Q1 (p Conclusion Elderly veterans with HFrEF and a new ICD implantation experience a high early mortality. Knowledge of clinical features associated with early mortality in the elderly population could help in the selection of appropriate ICD candidates in the VA population.
Effects of Tooth Geometry on the Operating Characteristics of Linear Variable Reluctance Motors with Coupled Flux Paths

This paper is concerned with the modeling and characterization of a set of coupled linear variable reluctance motors and the associated data generation and management. The motors in the family have the same tooth pitch but are distinguished by tooth width. Magnetic coupling of flux paths among the phases and a corresponding increase in independent variables results in higher modeling complexity and higher requirements on the amount of data needed for characterization as compared to rotary variable reluctance (VR) motors and uncoupled linear variable reluctance (LVR) motors. The study first focuses on building a motor model based on a database of stored 2D magnetostatic finite element analysis (FEA) data and 4-D cubic spline interpolation of the data. The model relates input variables (displacement and phase currents) to corresponding outputs (force, coenergy and phase flux linkages) using the stored data, which accounts for saturation and harmonics. The stored data serves an additional purpose by facilitating comparisons of the motors under study using three force production attributes: the root mean square (RMS) averaged force (averaged over one tooth pitch); the RMS force density and the ratio of RMS force density to copper loss. The comparison shows which distinct tooth geometry is more favorable for each attribute. The second focus of the study is the validation of the model's accuracy in predicting motor force by comparing FEA to the model's force results from three current profiles different from those used and stored for characterization. The two models are shown to give comparable results; this is critical because the model is intended for optimal commutation design and motor operation under feedback control.
A basic tool to assess tax administration strength in emerging Europe

Large tax compliance gaps, together with the need to generate additional tax revenue have put a premium on tax administration reform in emerging Europe. The key features of an efficient tax administration are well established, but an objective assessment of the relative strengths and weaknesses of tax administrations have been lacking. This paper proposes a simple index of tax administration strength, based on objective indicators reflecting key organizational and operational aspects of revenue administrations relative to international best practice. A diagnostic test is then conducted to assess the performance of the proposed index in its ability to predict variations in tax collection efficiency in emerging Europe.
The Mind-Body Study: study design and reproducibility and interrelationships of psychosocial factors in the Nurses' Health Study II

Associations between psychosocial factors and biomarkers are increasingly investigated in studies of cancer incidence and mortality. Documenting optimal data/biospecimen collection protocols and scale properties are fundamental for elucidating the impact of psychosocial factors on biologic systems and ultimately cancer development/progression. Between 2013 and 2014, 233 Nurses’ Health Study II women (mean age: 60.6) participated in the Mind–Body Study. Participants completed a detailed online psychosocial assessment and provided hair, toenail, timed saliva over 1 day, urine and fasting blood twice, 1 year apart. Additionally, two separate microbiome collections for stool and saliva were conducted between the psychosocial assessments. We assessed correlations between various psychosocial measures and evaluated their 1-year reproducibility using intraclass correlations (ICC). Compliance with the protocols was high among participants. Psychosocial measures showed moderate-to-high reproducibility over 1 year (ICCs = 0.51–0.81). There was clear clustering of psychosocial factors according to whether they were querying positive (e.g., optimism, mastery, mindfulness) or negative (e.g., anxiety, depression, discrimination) emotion-related or social constructs. Results suggest feasibility for self-administered collection of various biospecimens and moderate-to-high reproducibility of psychosocial factors. The Mind–Body Study provides a unique resource for assessing inter-relationships between psychosocial factors and biological processes linked with long-term health outcomes, including carcinogenesis.
Inhibition of Erythroid Colony Formation by Autologous Bone Marrow Adherent Cells From Patients With the Anemia of Chronic Disease

To determine the role marrow-adherent cells may play in the anemia of chronic diseases, marrow samples were collected from ten patients with the anemia of chronic disease, seven control patients with cancer but without the anemia of chronic disease, and five normal volunteers. Marrow was either cultured directly or first depleted of adherent cells and then cultured. Plasma clots containing 6 X 10(4) nonadherent marrow cells were cocultured with marrow-adherent cells prepared by incubating 6 X 10(4)-6 X 10(2) unfractionated marrow cells in microtiter plates and removing the nonadherent cells. Adherent cell depletion of marrow from patients with anemia of chronic disease significantly increased erythroid colony formation. Coculture of adherent cells from anemic patients with autologous nonadherent marrow cells inhibited erythroid colony-forming unit (CFU-E) proliferation in patients with the anemia of chronic disease. In contrast, adherent cells from control patients did not affect autologous erythroid colony formation, and adherent cells from normal volunteers stimulated autologous erythroid colony formation. Coculture of adherent cells from anemia patients with nonadherent marrow from control patients failed to inhibit allogeneic erythroid colony formation. Media conditioned by adherent cells from patients with the anemia of chronic disease failed to suppress consistently the formation of allogeneic erythroid colonies. These data suggest that marrow-adherent cells normally stimulate erythropoiesis, but suppress erythroid progenitors, in patients with the anemia of chronic disease and may in part be responsible for their anemia.
Quantitative analysis of oncology professional learning preferences

PURPOSE:ASCO is the premier and largest global professional society for oncology care professionals. In 2015, ASCO launched a longitudinal Learning Cohort Pilot Project to catalog and better unders...
Where do the electrons go? How numerous redox processes drive phytochemical diversity

Plants produce structurally and functionally diverse metabolites that are key to many physiological processes such as growth and development, reproduction, defense, and stress responses. Underlying this chemical diversity are numerous enzyme-catalyzed (oxidoreductase) reactions that transfer electrons between molecular species altering their respective oxidation states. Many of these oxidoreductases require redox-active components such as redox-associated electron carriers and/or redox-active metals. Furthermore, many oxidoreductases contain amino acids that are susceptible to redox-driven post-translational modifications. These redox reactions and redox-active components are widely distributed throughout primary and specialized (secondary) metabolism using electrons derived from photosynthesis, respiration, and acquired nutrients. This review illustrates the criticality of collectively analyzing the redox state of plants including the phytochemical reactions that rely on redox components, the redox state of oxidoreductases, and the balance of oxidants and antioxidants. This redox-focused perspective is essential to understanding how plants harness the power of electrons to drive phytochemical diversity for essential functions in dynamic environments. Furthermore, the increasing likelihood of adverse environmental conditions on future plant systems will inevitably alter the production and distribution of electrons resulting in escalating levels of oxidative damage. Therefore, additional protection strategies, likely involving metabolic engineering, will need to be developed to maintain a favorable redox state for plant health and the phytochemical products required for life.
Moral Critiques to Religion

“Moral Critiques to Religion” This is the first of three chapters in which the author focuses on problems caused by religious dogma. In this chapter, Lorkowski turns to common religious themes that lead to pernicious morality. However, to avoid stereotyping or overgeneralizing religion, the author first distinguishes the forms of religion more likely to cultivate bad morality—those that focus on belief over action and those that allow only one correct religion or one correct path to the ultimate. After doing so, Lorkowski then briefly discusses the kinds of actual, historical harm that religious dogma has caused before isolating the major contributors that must be avoided—intolerance, fanaticism, textual fundamentalism, and a focus on principles other than morality.
Special issue of Bryophyte Diversity & Evolution: 50 th anniversary of IAB

In 1969, an international group of bryologists established an association welcoming everyone seeking to further our knowledge on the biology of bryophytes. Fifty years later, the International Association of Bryologists (IAB) has slightly over 350 active members worldwide. Over the past decades, IAB has promoted bryology by establishing bryonet, a forum for discussions and questions, managed by Dr. Janice Glime, by publishing a regular newsletter, The Bryological Times sharing information about various developments in bryology, by publishing major reviews on specific subjects through the Advances in Bryology, by disseminating contributions to the diversification of bryophytes through Bryophyte Diversity and Evolution, by organizing biennial meetings, including in association with the sexennial International Botanical Congress, and by honoring colleagues for their achievements and stimulating research through grants. All these are made possible through the exemplary commitment by colleagues serving on the council, the editorial boards and the various ad hoc adjudication committees. To all, my and the members’ sincere gratitude.
Interactive All-Hex Meshing via Cuboid Decomposition.

Standard PolyCube-based hexahedral (hex) meshing methods aim to deform the input domain into an axis-aligned PolyCube volume with integer corners; if this deformation is bijective, then applying the inverse map to the voxelized PolyCube yields a valid hex mesh. A key challenge in these methods is to maintain the bijectivity of the PolyCube deformation, thus reducing the robustness of these algorithms. In this work, we present an interactive pipeline for hex meshing that sidesteps this challenge by using a new representation of PolyCubes as unions of cuboids. We begin by deforming the input tetrahedral mesh into a near-PolyCube domain whose faces are close but not perfectly aligned to the major axis directions. We then build a PolyCube by optimizing the layout of a set of cuboids with user guidance to closely fit the deformed domain. Finally, we construct an inversion-free pullback map from the voxelized PolyCube to the input domain while optimizing for mesh quality metrics. We allow extensive user control over each stage, such as editing the voxelized PolyCube, positioning surface vertices, and exploring the trade-off among competing quality metrics, while also providing automatic alternatives. We validate our method on over one hundred shapes, including models that are challenging for past PolyCube-based and frame-field-based methods. Our pipeline reliably produces hex meshes with quality on par with or better than state-of-the-art. We additionally conduct a user study with 20 participants in which the majority prefer hex meshes they make using our tool to the ones from automatic state-of-the-art methods. This demonstrates the need for intuitive interactive hex meshing tools where the user can dictate the priorities of their mesh.
Mathematical Foundations of Informational Macrodynamics

The processes of interaction of microlevel stochatsic elements are modeled by solving the n-dimensional controlled stochastic Ito equation (given in the random process theory [1] with regular limitations), which is considered as an initial object: where U t is the n-dimensional Wiener’s process, C=C(Δ, R n ) is the space of the continuous on Δ, n -dimensional vector-functions with operations in R n ; U is σ - algebra in C, created by all possible opened (in C metric) sets; ∠ (R n ) is the space of linear operators in R n . The functions shift a(t, x t , u t ) = a u (t, x) and diffusion σ (t, x t ) satisfy the following conditions of smoothness: for example, C1 (Δ0, R1) and C (R n , R n ) are the space of continuous differential functions, and the continuous and twice differential functions accordingly. Control (u t )is formed as a function of time and macro variables (x t ), which are nonrandom with respect to set Ω”, and are measured by some physical instruments.
The Effect of Updating the Trade Matrix on MERM Weights and Calculated Effective Exchange Rates

The sensitivity of Multilateral Exchange Rate Model (MERM) weights for calculating effective exchange rates is examined with respect to more recent trade data. Existing weights, using 1977 trade flows, are compared to weights calculated using data for the years 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983. The results indicate no large differences, nor does the comparison of existing MERM exchange rates with those calculated from weights based on average 1980-83 trade flows.
Multi-channel Attacks

We introduce multi-channel attacks, i.e., side-channel attacks which utilize multiple side-channels such as power and EM simultaneously. We propose an adversarial model which combines a CMOS leakage model and the maximum-likelihood principle for performing and analyzing such attacks. This model is essential for deriving the optimal and very often counter-intuitive techniques for channel selection and data analysis. We show that using multiple channels is better for template attacks by experimentally showing a three-fold reduction in the error probability. Developing sound countermeasures against multi-channel attacks requires a rigorous leakage assessment methodology. Under suitable assumptions and approximations, our model also yields a practical assessment methodology for net information leakage from the power and all available EM channels in constrained devices such as chip-cards. Classical DPA/DEMA style attacks assume an adversary weaker than that of our model. For this adversary, we apply the maximum-likelihood principle to such design new and more efficient single and multiple-channel DPA/DEMA attacks.
Eigenvector centrality reveals the time course of task-specific electrode connectivity in human ECoG

Connectivity measures provide a quantification of information flow across electrodes in human subject electrocorticography (ECoG). They do not, however, lend themselves to direct interpretation due to the combinatorial size increase of the feature space. We utilize time-varying dynamic Bayesian networks (TV-DBN) as a model of the individual ECoG electrode activity based on the activation of the electrode array. Using the high gamma power TV-DBN connectivity matrices, we determine if eigenvector centrality can objectively highlight the important interactions between electrodes. The statistically thresholded centrality measure reveals task-related differences in the significant electrode subsets during distinct task phases (p<0.05; 13 significant electrodes overall: 2 exclusive to the cue processing phase, 3 exclusive to the motor output phase). These results suggest that TV-DBN and centrality analysis can be used in an online brain-mapping system to show regions of the brain relevant to real-time task performance.
Cirrhotic portal hypertension: morbidity of continued alcoholism.

Abstract The morbidity of continued alcoholism was examined among 172 cirrhotic patients participating in controlled trials of portacaval shunts. Of 159 surviving more than 30 days, 76 continued drinking (group A), 68 became abstinent (group B), and 15 (group C) were chronically institutionalized (without potential access to alcohol). The mean number of days in hospital postrandomization and prevalence of bleeding varices, ascites, and encephalopathy were similar for A and B ( P > 0.05 for each comparison). Jaundice at hospital readmission, however, occurred in 50% of group A but in only 28% of group B ( P