cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intravenous therapy for hypertensive emergencies, part 1

Purpose. Intravenous antihypertensive agents for the treatment of hypertensive emergencies are reviewed. Summary. An estimated 500,000 people in the United States experience a hypertensive crisis annually. Hypertensive emergency is associated with significant morbidity in the form of end-organ damage. Rapid controlled reduction of blood pressure (BP) may be necessary to prevent or minimize end-organ damage. I.V. antihypertensive agents available for the treatment of hypertensive emergencies are, in general, characterized by a short onset and offset of action and predictable responses during dosage adjustments to reach BP goals, without excessive adjustment or extreme fluctuations in BP. Nicardipine, nitroprusside, fenoldopam, nitroglycerin, enalaprilat, hydralazine, labetalol, esmolol, and phentolamine are i.v. antihypertensive agents recommended for use in hypertensive emergency by the seventh report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure. Since the publication of these recommendations, another i.v. antihypertensive agent, clevidipine, became commercially available. The selection of a specific agent should be based on the agent’s pharmacology and patient-specific factors, such as comorbidity and the presence of end-organ damage. Conclusion. The rapid recognition and initiation of therapy are key to minimizing end-organ damage in patients with hypertensive emergency. Tailoring drug selection according to individual patient characteristics can optimize the management and potential outcomes of patients with hypertensive emergency.
A Misinterpreted Nomen Sacrum in P9

The Oxyrhynchus Papyrus fragment 402 (Greg. P9) is located in the Semitic Museum of Harvard University. Its text is transcribed by Grenfell and Hunt in Oxyrhynchus Papyri III, pp. 2–3.
Medical futility and physician discretion

Some patients have no chance of surviving if not treated, but very little chance if treated. A number of medical ethicists and physicians have argued that treatment in such cases is medically futile and a matter of physician discretion. This paper critically examines that position. According to Howard Brody and others, a judgment of medical futility is a purely technical matter, which physicians are uniquely qualified to make. Although Brody later retracted these claims, he held to the view that physicians need not consult the patient or his family to determine their values before deciding not to treat. This is because professional integrity dictates that treatment should not be undertaken. The argument for this claim is that medicine is a profession and a social practice, and thus capable of breaches of professional integrity. Underlying professional integrity are two moral principles, one concerning harm, the other fraud. According to Brody both point to the fact that when the odds of survival are very low treatment is a violation of professional integrity. The details of this skeletal argument are exposed and explained, and the full argument is criticised. On a number of counts, it is found wanting. If anything, professional integrity points to the opposite conclusion.
Stress-Strain Relations of High-Strength Concrete under Triaxial Compression

Three types of stress-strain relations of high-strength concrete under triaxial compression, axial stress–axial and lateral strain, octahedral normal stress–volume change, and octahedral shear stress-strain curves, are studied in this paper. The influence of different load paths is also addressed. The Saenz equation is found to be appropriate to represent the octahedral shear stress-strain relation of high-strength concrete under low confining pressures. A relation between peak octahedral shear stress and peak octahedral shear strain is developed, which can be used to define the peak point on the curve from the peak stresses obtained from the stress failure surface. The high-strength concrete is found to experience degradation in elastic and shear modulus in cyclic loading under triaxial compression.
Meeting report: Dissertations in chemical oceanography

A continuing concern of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR) is the effective utilization of young scientists who gain their degrees through federally supported research. We want to know what is happening to individuals graduating from our universities and to make better information available to young graduates about the research climate and opportunities in their respective fields. E. D. Goldberg of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography suggested that it would be useful to have a symposium which would be completely dedicated to soon-to-be or recent Ph.D. graduates; after discussions at some length with members of the scientific community we began preparations for such a meeting in the field of chemical oceanography.
Evaluation of implantable telemetry system performance using the CCETS software

A computer code called CCETS for the evaluation of telemetry system performance is presented. The program was developed over several years and represents a major aid in the development, design, and analysis of implantable telemetry systems which involve radio frequency powered coils for the establishment of bi-directional communication links with implantable tissue stimulators. The program includes three main modules: preprocessing, solution, and postprocessing. The program currently can run on any VAX computer and will soon be available for IBM or compatible microcomputers. It contains several desirable features which enable the user to reach efficiently an optimum design, verify it, and obtain telemetry performance before laboratory time and effort is spent. The program features are given with examples. >
Structural equivalence in a psychology journal network

Two journal-to-journal matrices for psychology in 1950 and 1960 are analyzed in terms of structural equivalence. Structurally nonequivalent positions have a strong correspondence with a categorization based on the intended audiences and objectives of these journals, supporting the hypothesis that journals of a discipline function as a status-role relational system. The hypothesis that interdisciplinary journals are distant from journals of a field is also supported. However, the hypothesis that journal networks have a core-periphery structure is not supported. The network of psychological journals has a discernable core, but not a clear core-periphery structure. Some propositions concerning the causes and consequences of the structure of journal-to-journal networks for fields are advanced.
An Iterative Solution for Anisotropic Radiative Transfer in a Slab

An iterative method is applied to solve the integral form of the equation of radiative transfer for the cases of isotropic scattering, highly forward, and backward anisotropic scattering in plane-parallel slab with reflecting boundaries. Calculations are performed for the values of single scattering albedo from ω = 0.7 to 1.0 where the convergence was previously reported to be poor. It is found that the convergence is significantly improved for most cases if the P-1 approximation of the spherical harmonics method is used for the initial guess. Results are presented for the hemispherical reflectivity and transmissivity of the slab over a wide range of parameters.
Stationary velocity distributions in traffic flows

We introduce a traffic flow model that incorporates clustering and passing. We obtain analytically the steady state characteristics of the flow from a Boltzmann-like equation. A single dimensionless parameter, R=c_0v_0t_0 with c_0 the concentration, v_0 the velocity range, and 1/t_0 the passing rate, determines the nature of the steady state. When R >1, large clusters with average mass ~ R^{\alpha} form, and the flux is J ~ R^{-\gamma}. The initial distribution of slow cars governs the statistics. When P_0(v) ~ v^{\mu} as v->0, the scaling exponents are \gamma=1/(\mu+2), \alpha=1/2 when \mu>0, and \alpha=(\mu+1)/(\mu+2) when \mu<0.
Positive and negative effects of nitric oxide on Ca2+ sparks: influence of β-adrenergic stimulation

Nitric oxide (NO) can have a positive or negative effect on cardiac contractility and the ryanodine receptor (RyR). This dual effect has been explained as being dependent on the concentration of NO...
M13 Bacteriophage-Polymer Nanoassemblies as Drug Delivery Vehicles

Poly(caprolactone-b-2-vinylpyridine) (PCL-P2VP) coated with folate-conjugated M13 (FA-M13) provides a nanosized delivery system which is capable of encapsulating hydrophobic antitumor drugs such as doxorubicin (DOX). The DOX-loaded FA-M13-PCL-P2VP assemblies had an average diameter of approximately 200 nm and their structure was characterized using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and dynamic light scattering. The particles were stable at physiological pH but could be degraded at a lower pH. The release of DOX from the nanoassemblies under acidic conditions was shown to be significantly faster than that observed at physiological pH. In addition, the DOX-loaded FA-M13-PCL-P2VP particles showed a distinctly greater cellular uptake and cytotoxicity against folate-receptor-positive cancer cells than folate-receptor-negative cells, indicating that the receptor facilitates folate uptake via receptor-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, the DOX-loaded particles also had a significantly higher tumor uptake and selectivity compared to free DOX. This study therefore offers a new way to fabricate nanosized drug delivery vehicles.
The importance of transurethral resection in managing patients with urothelial cancer in the bladder: proposal for a transurethral resection of bladder tumor checklist.

‘‘Do no harm’’ is one of the precepts of medicine. However, iatrogenic errors in health care often result in an adverse patient outcome. These errorsmay occur in the perioperative setting. A large proportion of perioperative complications are, regrettably, avoidable. In the aviation industry, similar errors can have devastating consequences. That industry has been working for decades on crew resource management (CRM) systems to improve air safety [1]. A CRM systemmakes the optimum use of resources—procedures, equipment, and people—to promote safety and efficiency. Adaptation of the CRM system for health care can improve patient care. Safety in the surgical field was formally addressed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2008. A checklist was designed. The most convincing evidence of the success of the WHO checklist was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2009. In this prospective cohort study, surgical mortality and morbidities were significantly lowered by the introduction of the checklist. Despite its success, the WHO checklist has not been universally adopted. To our knowledge, there is no procedure-specific checklist in the field of urology.
Synthesis of functionalized polyisobutylenes using the propylene epoxide/TiCl4 initiating system

In this paper, we report the synthesis of symmetric and asymmetric telechelic polyisobutylenes (PIBs). A PIB with a primary hydroxy head group and an allyl end group (HO–PIB–Allyl, Mn = 4300 g mol−1; Mw/Mn = 1.2) was synthesized by living carbocationic polymerization of isobutylene (IB) using propylene epoxide as an initiator and allyltrimethylsilane as a terminating agent. Thiol–ene click chemistry using 2-mercaptoethanol and 1,2-ethanedithiol yielded an asymmetric HO–PIB–SEt–OH (Mn = 4646 g mol−1; Mw/Mn = 1.18) and a symmetric HO–PIB–OH (Mn = 8594 g mol−1; Mw/Mn = 1.2) respectively. A symmetric allyl telechelic PIB (Mn = 8669 g mol−1; Mw/Mn = 1.2) was prepared by enzymatic transesterification of divinyl adipate with the primary hydroxy group of HO–PIB–Allyl.
Chloroplast Division Protein ARC3 Regulates Chloroplast FtsZ-Ring Assembly and Positioning in Arabidopsis through Interaction with FtsZ2

Chloroplast division is initiated by assembly of a mid-chloroplast FtsZ (Z) ring comprising two cytoskeletal proteins, FtsZ1 and FtsZ2. The division-site regulators ACCUMULATION AND REPLICATION OF CHLOROPLASTS3 (ARC3), MinD1, and MinE1 restrict division to the mid-plastid, but their roles are poorly understood. Using genetic analyses in Arabidopsis thaliana, we show that ARC3 mediates division-site placement by inhibiting Z-ring assembly, and MinD1 and MinE1 function through ARC3. ftsZ1 null mutants exhibited some mid-plastid FtsZ2 rings and constrictions, whereas neither constrictions nor FtsZ1 rings were observed in mutants lacking FtsZ2, suggesting FtsZ2 is the primary determinant of Z-ring assembly in vivo. arc3 ftsZ1 double mutants exhibited multiple parallel but no mid-plastid FtsZ2 rings, resembling the Z-ring phenotype in arc3 single mutants and showing that ARC3 affects positioning of FtsZ2 rings as well as Z rings. ARC3 overexpression in the wild type and ftsZ1 inhibited Z-ring and FtsZ2-ring assembly, respectively. Consistent with its effects in vivo, ARC3 interacted with FtsZ2 in two-hybrid assays and inhibited FtsZ2 assembly in a heterologous system. Our studies are consistent with a model wherein ARC3 directly inhibits Z-ring assembly in vivo primarily through interaction with FtsZ2 in heteropolymers and suggest that ARC3 activity is spatially regulated by MinD1 and MinE1 to permit Z-ring assembly at the mid-plastid.
Engagement in risk behaviors among adolescents who misuse prescription drugs: Evidence for subgroups of misusers

AbstractBackground: This study examines whether there is variation in selected risk behavior engagement (multiple sexual partners, binge drinking, vandalism, self-harm and suicide ideation) among groups of high school students who report misusing prescription drugs.Methods: Data were taken from the Minnesota Student Survey. Participants (n = 64 997) were categorized into four groups: non-drug users; prescription-only users; prescription and marijuana (cannabis) users; and prescription and other illicit drug users. Risk behavior engagement was compared across groups using general linear modeling.Results: Significant variation in externalizing risk behaviors (number of sexual partners, binge drinking, vandalism) was found, with greater variation among females. Variation was also found for internalizing risk behaviors (self-harm and suicide ideation), though the differences between drug use groups were less drastic.Conclusions: Distinct subgroups exist among adolescents who misuse prescription drugs. Researc...
Simulation Model for Flow Augmentation Costs

A generalized mathematical model is being developed at the University of Florida to permit the simulation of the economic and physical interactions of sewage treatment and low flow augmentation, and subsequent evaluation from a water quality standpoint. An essential phase of this project, a study of low flow augmentation storage costs, is analyzed. The main objective was to obtain a functional relationship between the storage volume required and those variables which were found to affect it. The variables considered were statistical parameters describing the nature of the streamflows and the demands. The results could then be integrated with regional cost curves to give generalized cost expressions. Initially, monthly streamflow and demand records of a desired length were generated from historical data by a computer program. The operation of various reservoir sizes was simulated and the number of deficiencies during the time period considered were counted. After this process was repeated for several combinations of values of the variables, the desired regression equation was derived.
A 2D automatic converted-wave static-correction algorithm

Although multicomponent data acquisition opens the door for sharper seismic images and more accurate subsurface characterization, it also brings many challenges into multicomponent data processing. Among these challenges, converted-wave (S-wave) static correction is significant. Due to the fact that the earth may have dramatically different velocity responses to P- and S-waves, P-wave statics and S-wave statics should be treated as two independent problems; as a result, approximating S-wave statics by a simple scaling of the P-wave statics is not a satisfying solution. A new automatic S-wave static-correction algorithm is proposed and has been successfully applied on a full-fold Arabian Gulf ocean-bottom-cable (OBC) data set with promising results.
Deep Posterior Compartmental Syndrome: A Serious Complication of the Lithotomy Position

We describe a case of deep compartmental syndrome after use of the dorsolithotomy position. This condition is associated with significant morbidity unless recognized and treated immediately. This patient suffered a slight residual neuromuscular impairment. We review the pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this condition, which in its early stages often mimics deep venous thrombosis.
Peers promoting physical activity among breast cancer survivors: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE Although studies have shown that physical activity (PA) can reduce some treatment-related side effects of breast cancer, there is a need to offer PA programs outside of research settings to reach more cancer survivors. We partnered with the American Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery (RTR) program to train their volunteers (breast cancer survivors) to deliver a 12-week PA intervention to other breast cancer survivors. METHOD We conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare the PA intervention delivered by RTR volunteers (PA plus RTR) with contact control (RTR control). Eighteen RTR volunteers/coaches (Mage = 54.9 years; Mtime since diagnosis = 7.0 years) delivered the contact control condition or the PA intervention. Seventy-six breast cancer survivors in New England (Mage = 55.6 years; Mtime since diagnosis = 1.1 years) were randomized to 1 of the 2 groups. At baseline, 12 weeks (postintervention), and at 24 weeks, participants wore an accelerometer for 7 days, were interviewed about their PA, and reported their motivational readiness for PA. RESULTS Adjusted, mixed-effects longitudinal regression models showed significant group differences favoring the PA plus RTR group in minutes of moderate to vigorous PA at 12 weeks (Mdifference = 103 min/week, p < .001) and at 24 weeks (Mdifference = 34.7 min/week, p = .03). Results were corroborated with significant group differences in accelerometer data favoring the PA plus RTR group at both time points. CONCLUSION Peer volunteers were able to significantly increase PA among cancer survivors relative to contact control. Partnerships with existing volunteer programs can help to widen the reach of behavioral interventions among cancer survivors. (PsycINFO Database Record
EFFICACY OF ANTICOAGULATION IN PREVENTING THROMBOEMBOLISM AFTER BIO PROSTHETIC AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT: A META-ANALYSIS

The efficacy of oral anticoagulation (AC) after bio prosthetic aortic valve replacement (BPAVR) remains unclear. Current guidelines recommend AC for first three months after BPAVR, but there is significant variation in clinical practice. We performed a meta-analysis of studies comparing AC to
Bilingual lexical skills of school-age children with Chinese and Korean heritage languages in the United States:

This cross-sectional study investigated the bilingual lexical skills of 175 US school-age children (5 to18 years old) with Cantonese, Mandarin, or Korean as their heritage language (HL), and Englis...
Two dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of Tetrahymena mitochondrial tRNA

Two dimensional (2D) urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of tRNA isolated from Tetrahymena mitochondria separated at least 36 spots, while more than 45 major and minor spots were resolved with cytosolic tRNA. Co-electrophoresis of mitochondrial and cytosolic tRNAs revealed that many spots co-migrate. When radioactive mitochondrial tRNA was hybridized to mtDNA under various conditions and tRNA melted from the hybrid was analyzed by 2D gel electrophoresis, only 10 tRNA spots were found. Identified as mtDNA-encoded were 2 spots for tRNAleu, 2 for tRNAmet, and 1 each for tRNAphe, tRNAtrp and tRNAtyr. The remaining three were unidentified. Mitochondrial tRNA spots that correspond to the tRNAs for arg, gly, ile, lys, ser, and val do not hybridize with mtDNA, and in gel positions they correspond to the cytoplasmic tRNA spots for the same respective amino acids. These mitochondrial tRNAs isolated from the gel can be acylated either by the mitochondrial or cytostolic enzymes. Mitochondrial tRNA isolated from a Tetrahymena cell homogenate which was pretreated with RNase A and Micrococcus nuclease exhibited the same 2D gel pattern as a nontreated control. Mitochondrial tRNAs from old and young cells showed generally similar tRNA spots in 2D gels, though more variable spots were seen with old cells. 3H-labeled whole-cell tRNA added to the cell homogenate prior to the mitochondrial isolation procedure did not remain associated with the final mitochondrial tRNA preparation. The present studies also showed mitochondrial tRNAs bound to the mitochondrial 80S monosome and polysome fractions. Radioactive tRNA added to the mitochondrial lysate does not adhere to the ribosomes, suggesting that the ribosome-bound tRNAs are not contaminating cytoplasmic tRNAs. These results are generally in good agreement with our previous data showing that only a small number of tRNAs are coded for by the mitochondrial DNA, while the others are a selected set of imported cytoplasmic tRNAs.
Evaluation of 5 μm Superficially Porous Particles for Capillary and Microfluidic LC Columns

Large-size (4-5 µm) superficially porous particles yield lower plate heights (e.g., the minimal reduced plate height or hmin ≈ 1.5) than fully porous particles of a similar size when packed into large-bore columns. This property allows for better chromatographic performance without the higher pressures required for smaller particles. This study explores the use of such particles in microfluidic LC columns where materials and fitting pressure limits can constrain the size of particle used. The theoretically predicted performance improvements compared to fully porous particles were not demonstrated in capillary columns (with hmin ≈ 2 for both particle types), in agreement with previous studies that examined smaller superficially porous particles. Microfluidic columns were then compared to capillary columns. Capillary columns significantly outperformed microfluidic columns due to imperfections imposed by microfluidic channel asymmetry and world-to-chip connection at the optimal flow rate; however, superficially porous particles packed in microfluidic LC columns had flatter plate height versus flow rate curves indicating potential for better performance at high reduced velocities.
Techniques for Studying Actual Use of Personal Communication Prototypes

Developing new prototypes for supporting personal communication raises many challenges when studying them in actual use. Personal communication tools are often used only with specific people (i.e., close friends and relatives) and often rely on the context of the home or other locations of personal interest. Thus, these prototypes are not readily studied in the lab with strangers. We report on three methods we have employed to study how social communication prototypes are used in the wild. One method was to embed ourselves along with a prototype into an intact social group. Another method was to observe the use of a prototype in shared activities happening outside the home whenever and wherever the activities that people do occurred. The third method was to passively capture shared experiences that people have on their own time and analyze them at a later point. We reflect on our experiences and the opportunities and challenges we have identified in this research area.
HeLa Nuclear Extract: A Modified Protocol

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on HeLa nuclear extracts. The chapter presents a method that is used for the growth of HeLa cells. HeLa S3 cells (human epithelioid carcinoma, cervix) were obtained from ATCC stocks. The cells are adapted to grow in Joklik's MEM medium; containing 5% defined Bovine Calf Serum, supplemented with penicillin-streptomycin and NaHCO3 at 37°C. The cells were grown in suspension and stirred using magnetic bars at medium speed. All flasks should be tightly sealed in order to keep the carbon dioxide (CO2 ) at appropriate levels. HeLa cells are grown at an ideal density of 5–8 × 105/ml (minimum density should be 3 × 105/ml in 20 l of medium. HeLa cells double approximately every 24 h, and to keep a density of 5–8 × 105/ml, half of the volume of the cell suspension should be discarded daily and the same amount of fresh medium should be added until expansion is required. This chapter also discuses the extract preparation including: materials, methods, and nuclear extraction.
Perceived Weight Discrimination and 10-Year Risk of Allostatic Load Among US Adults.

Background Discrimination promotes multisystem physiological dysregulation termed allostatic load, which predicts morbidity and mortality. It remains unclear whether weight-related discrimination influences allostatic load.
Collective Bargaining, Social Insurance, and the Minimum Wage: A Program for a Living Wage

This chapter addresses the question of whether advocates for a living wage felt they had succeeded in accomplishing their goal. It will look at how supporters of a living wage such as The New Republic and John Ryan interpreted the overall accomplishments of the New Deal. It will then review the legacy of the New Deal to consider why the components of its program for a living wage did not result in all workers attaining that standard. The finding of the chapter is that the rise of Keynesian economics and consumerism shifted the focus of the Progressives away from the achievement of a living wage. Still, the New Deal legacy of social programs gave a base for current advocates for a living wage to build on.
MDMA decreases glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 67-immunoreactive neurons in the hippocampus and increases seizure susceptibility: Role for glutamate

3,4-Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA) is a unique psychostimulant that continues to be a popular drug of abuse. It has been well documented that MDMA reduces markers of 5-HT axon terminals in rodents, as well as humans. A loss of parvalbumin-immunoreactive (IR) interneurons in the hippocampus following MDMA treatment has only been documented recently. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that MDMA reduces glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 67-IR, another biochemical marker of GABA neurons, in the hippocampus and that this reduction in GAD67-IR neurons and an accompanying increase in seizure susceptibility involve glutamate receptor activation. Repeated exposure to MDMA (3×10mg/kg, ip) resulted in a reduction of 37-58% of GAD67-IR cells in the dentate gyrus (DG), CA1, and CA3 regions, as well as an increased susceptibility to kainic acid-induced seizures, both of which persisted for at least 30days following MDMA treatment. Administration of the NMDA antagonist MK-801 or the glutamate transporter type 1 (GLT-1) inducer ceftriaxone prevented both the MDMA-induced loss of GAD67-IR neurons and the increased vulnerability to kainic acid-induced seizures. The MDMA-induced increase in the extracellular concentration of glutamate in the hippocampus was significantly diminished in rats treated with ceftriaxone, thereby implicating a glutamatergic mechanism in the neuroprotective effects of ceftriaxone. In summary, the present findings support a role for increased extracellular glutamate and NMDA receptor activation in the MDMA-induced loss of hippocampal GAD67-IR neurons and the subsequent increased susceptibility to evoked seizures.
Behavioral Response by Hylobius pales, Pachylobius picivorus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Xylotrechus sagittatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) to Trap Visual and Olfactory Cues and an Estimate of Trap Efficiency

A modified Tilles trap and the pyramidal Tedders trap alone or in combination with 2-way pitfall traps were used in north Florida to determine trap capture efficiency and the roles of visual and ol...
Narrating Crisis, Constructing Policy: Economic Ideas and Institutional Change in Syria

ABSTRACTDuring crises, ideas play a decisive role in shaping radical paradigm shifts in economic governance. However, not all crises immediately produce such ‘great transformations’. Why do some ideas result in incremental rather than abrupt change after crisis? To identify mechanisms potentially explaining this variation, I conduct an exploratory process tracing of an understudied case of incremental institutional change: post-independence Syria. Competing political actors in Syria converged on identical policy responses to crisis despite their very different interpretations of its causes. Although power oscillated between these increasingly bitter rivals in the early 1950s, their ideational consensus on economic issues nevertheless led to a decade of steady institutional change that transformed previously fragile government institutions into powerful vehicles of statism. I derive from this analysis the potential causal significance of two new variables – crisis narrative and crisis response – and hypoth...
Effect of TTC Treatment on Immunohistochemical Quantification of Collagen IV in Rat Brains after Stroke.

Although used extensively in stroke research, there is limited knowledge of how 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-treated rat brain sections are altered and if they can be used for immunohistochemical quantification after staining with TTC. In the present study, we hypothesized that TTC treatment (TTC+) would not interfere with collagen IV immunohistochemical staining compared with non-TTC-treated (TTC−) brain slices. We further hypothesized that there would be no difference in autofluorescence or nonspecific secondary antibody fluorescence between TTC+ and TTC− brain slices. Coronal brain sections of male Wistar rats (n = 5/group) were either treated with TTC or not after middle cerebral artery occlusion or sham surgery, and processed for immunohistochemical staining with mouse anti-collagen IV as the primary antibody, and goat anti-IgM as the secondary antibody. Four images were taken in the cerebral cortex of the contralateral side of infarction in each brain slice using an Olympus BX50 fluorescence microscope, and average intensity of the entire image was quantified using the Metamorph software. Compared with TTC− brain slices, TTC+ brain slices showed a significantly lower autofluorescence (P < 0.05), but was unchanged for nonspecific secondary antibody fluorescence. In addition, TTC+ brain slices had similar collagen IV staining intensity compared with TTC− brain slices. These results demonstrate that TTC+ brain slices are usable for immunohistochemical quantification.
The Rate of Change in Money Stock as a Leading Canadian Indicator

The purpose of this paper is to examine the behaviour of the rate of increase in the money stock as a leading indicator of the Canadian economy over the period 1924–58. The study was suggested by work done by Milton Friedman for the United States showing that changes in the rate of increase in the stock of money lead changes in economic activity. Section I presents the theoretical framework underlying the concept of “leading monetary indicator.” Section II presents the specific cycles of the seasonally adjusted rate of change in the Canadian stock of money and the relation of this series to Canadian reference cycles. Section III presents the conclusions. An appendix discusses the sources of the Canadian stock of money and its components. The quantity theory of money is the theoretical framework underlying the “leading monetary indicator” approach. This theory argues that the stock of money is an important determinant of economic activity. On this view individual non-bank holders of money cannot change its nominal quantity, but they can in the aggregate change the real value of their cash balances. Thus, holders of money may decide that they are holding excessive cash balances which they may individually attempt to reduce by an increase in their rate of spending. In the aggregate, however, they cannot do so for the money disposed of by one holder will be acquired by another so that the nominal stock of money will remain unchanged. The attempts by holders of money to reduce their nominal cash balances will raise the flow of expenditures and so money income and prices.
A Natural Experiment for Efficient Markets: Information Quality, Behavioral Measurements and Influential Agents

We test the integration of repeated decision making of influential agents in asset prices. Our approach exploits a natural experiment in the MLB betting market, in which umpire assignments are revealed only for certain games, using over 2.5 million influential decisions made by these officials. Estimations reveal only partial adjustment to information related to umpire behavioral heterogeneity. We show that this is exploitable by informed bettors, providing advantages over more salient, lower quality information. These results suggest underlying information on influential individual decision making can serve as a high quality indicator of asset values due to its persistence across time.
“Kingston Full of Them”: Madwomen at the Crossroads

In this chapter, Kelly Baker Josephs focuses on madwomen in Jamaican urban spaces, specifically at busy crossroads, and the different ways these familiar figures find themselves portrayed in literature, specifically Slade Hopkinson’s “The Madwoman of Papine” (1970 and 1976), Roger McTair’s “Ganja Lady” (1977), Jean “Binta” Breeze’s “Riddim Ravings” (1988), Olive Senior’s “You Think I Mad, Miss?” (1995), and Marcia Douglas’s “One-Girl Half Way Tree Concert” (2012). Josephs considers how the figure of the vocal, yet questionably visible, madwoman embodies the primary concerns of the writers—religion, colonialism, post-colonial government, education, or sexuality—that question the weight of social respectability for Anglophone Caribbean women. By reading the crossroads as simultaneously material and symbolic, the author locates these women as markers of both cultural and social geographies.
Incidence and characteristics of depression in cancer patients with chronic hepatitis C infection.

e20569 Background: Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is the most common blood-borne infection in the United States. The prevalence of HCV infection in cancer patients ranges from 1.5% to 32%. At MD Anderson ...
Ocular and Orbital Malignancies

Radiotherapy for low-grade gliomas in children has always been controversial due to the high control rates and long potential timeline for the development of late toxicities. The use of effective cytotoxic regimens like carboplatin and vincristine [1], thioguanine, procarbazine, lomustine, and vincristine (TPCV) [2], and single-agent vinblastine [3, 4] means that radiotherapy may often be delayed to a more favorable age allowing for continued normal development. Many children who are not surgical cases will ultimately need radiotherapy for disease control, and thus conformal treatment methods are required. Merchant et al. demonstrated reduced target margin (1 cm CTV) radiotherapy for low-grade gliomas results in excellent disease control and acceptable rates of vasculopathy [5]. ACNS0221 is evaluating the use of 0.5 cm CTV margins for low-grade gliomas, but has not yet been reported. Optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) represent a special case of low-grade glioma and often require treatment due to threatened vision. The response rate of OPGs with vision symptoms is substantial, with greater than 75% having either stabilization or improvement in vision with radiotherapy [6]. Radiotherapy is potentially curative in 80–90% of low-grade gliomas; however, given the potential for late effects, radiotherapy is often used as a last resort after progression following multiple chemotherapy or targeted therapy regimens or when vision is threatened.
Online Vehicle Routing: The Edge of Optimization in Large-Scale Applications

With the emergence of ride-sharing companies that offer transportation on demand at a large scale and the increasing availability of corresponding demand data sets, new challenges arise to develop ...
High Throughput Sequencing For Plant Virus Detection and Discovery

Over the last decade, virologists have discovered an unprecedented number of viruses using high throughput sequencing (HTS), which led to the advancement of our knowledge on the diversity of viruses in nature, particularly unraveling the virome of many agricultural crops. However, these new virus discoveries have often widened the gaps in our understanding of virus biology; the forefront of which is the actual role of a new virus in disease, if any. Yet, when used critically in etiological studies, HTS is a powerful tool to establish disease causality between the virus and its host. Conversely, with globalization, movement of plant material is increasingly more common and often a point of dispute between countries. HTS could potentially resolve these issues given its capacity to detect and discover. Although many pipelines are available for plant virus discovery, all share a common backbone. A description of the process of plant virus detection and discovery from HTS data are presented, providing a summary of the different pipelines available for scientists' utility in their research.
Tlaxcala’s ‘redondez’ and the making of new worlds: from global empire to Indian province in Descripción de la ciudad y provincia de Tlaxcala (1581–1585)

Tlaxcala, an indigenous province in New Spain, was an ally to Hernan Cortes and an active participant in the wars of conquest against the Mexica Empire. In their position and identity as Indian con...
Election Fairness and Government Legitimacy in Afghanistan

Abstract Elections can enhance state legitimacy. One way is by improving citizens’ attitudes toward government, thereby increasing their willingness to comply with rules and regulations. We investigate whether reducing fraud in elections improves attitudes toward government in a fragile state. A large, randomly assigned fraud-reducing intervention in Afghan elections leads to improvement in two indices, one measuring attitudes toward their government, and another measuring stated willingness to comply with governance. Thus, reducing electoral fraud may offer a practical, cost-effective method of enhancing governance in a fragile state.
Endogenous viral element-derived piRNAs are not required for production of ping-pong-dependent piRNAs from Diaphorina citri densovirus

Partial integrations of DNA and non-retroviral RNA virus genomes, termed endogenous viral elements (EVEs), are abundant in arthropod genomes and often produce PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) speculated to target cognate viruses through the ping-pong cycle, a post-transcriptional RNA silencing mechanism. Here we describe a Diaphorina citri densovirus (DcDV)-derived EVE in the genome of Diaphorina citri. We found that this EVE gives rise to DcDV-specific primary piRNAs and is unevenly distributed among D. citri populations. Unexpectedly, we found that DcDV is targeted by ping-pong-dependent viral piRNAs (vpiRNAs) in D. citri lacking the DcDV-derived EVE, while four naturally infecting RNA viruses of D. citri are not targeted by vpiRNAs. Furthermore, a recombinant Cricket paralysis virus containing a portion of the DcDV genome corresponding to the DcDV-derived EVE was not targeted by vpiRNAs during infection in D. citri harboring the EVE. These results represent the first report of ping-pong-dependent vpiRNAs outside of mosquitoes.
Resection of a colonic mass following trauma: a diagnostic dilemma

A 53-year-old Caucasian male presented with a 2-week history of abdominal distension, pain, nausea and lethargy. His symptoms began 1 day after an all-terrain vehicle accident during which he suffered blunt-force trauma to his mid-right abdomen. CT scan demonstrated abnormal thickening of the ascending colon and terminal ilium with surrounding inflammation within the retroperitoneum and colonic mesentery. Given his likely mechanism and symptomatic improvement, he was initially managed conservatively. However, he was readmitted with recurrence of symptoms, and a repeat CT scan demonstrated no interval improvement. An exploratory laparotomy was performed and a firm, fixed mass of the right-colon and colonic mesentery was found. Final histopathology of the mass revealed a diffuse lymphoid infiltrate with numerous mitotic figures and apoptotic cells. Immunohistochemical staining was positive for CD45, CD20, CD10, and BCL-6 and negative for CD3, TdT, and BCL-2, indicating a diagnosis of Burkitt lymphoma.
Are species lists derived from modeled species range maps appropriate for macroecological studies? A case study on data from BIEN

Abstract Because survey-based species lists for fine-scale areas are generally lacking, ecologists have been using species lists derived from modeled range maps in macroecological studies. Here I evaluate whether it is appropriate to use species lists derived from modeled range maps in macroecological studies. I compared species lists derived from about 90,000 range maps in the Botanical Information and Ecology Network (BIEN) for over 180 geographic regions (12 broad regions covering the whole of the New World; 172 smaller regions, i.e. Taxonomic Databases Working Group units) with those representing complete or nearly complete species lists obtained from the literature for the regions. I determined the completeness of native species composition and proportion of false presences and exotic (non-native) species in species lists derived from range maps in BIEN. I determined whether errors in species lists derived from modeled range maps affect macroecological inferences by comparing the relationships of α- and β-diversity with geographic and climatic variables between different datasets (i.e. species lists derived from range maps versus complete or nearly complete species lists derived from the literature). The completeness for native species lists derived from range maps was 60–74%, depending on spatial scale. On average, 65% of the species in a species list derived from BIEN for a geographic area are false presences or non-native species to the area. The relationships of α- and β-diversity derived from the BIEN dataset with geographic and climatic variables differ significantly from those derived from complete species lists. This study shows that the results of a macroecological study based on species lists derived from modeled range maps may be substantially incorrect due to high percentages of missing native species, and high numbers of non-native species and false presences. Thus, it may not be appropriate to use species lists derived from modeled range maps in the macroecological studies that require complete or nearly complete species lists.
High performance level-set based topological data analysis

Topological Data Analysis requires efficient algorithms to deal with the continuously increasing size and level of details of data sets. In this manuscript, we focus on three fundamental topological abstractions based on level sets: merge trees, contour trees and Reeb graphs. We propose three new efficient parallel algorithms for the computation of these abstractions on multi-core shared memory workstations. The first algorithm developed in the context of this thesis is based on multi-thread parallelism for the contour tree computation. A second algorithm revisits the reference sequential algorithm to compute this abstraction and is based on local propagations expressible as parallel tasks. This new algorithm is in practice twice faster in sequential than the reference algorithm designed in 2000 and offers one order of magnitude speedups in parallel. A last algorithm also relying on task-based local propagations is presented, computing a more generic abstraction: the Reeb graph. Contrary to concurrent approaches, these methods provide the augmented version of these structures, hence enabling the full extend of level-set based analysis. Algorithms presented in this manuscript result today in the fastest implementations available to compute these abstractions. This work has been integrated into the open-source platform: the Topology Toolkit (TTK).
Psychometric Properties of the Climate Change Worry Scale.

Climate change worry involves primarily verbal-linguistic thoughts about the changes that may occur in the climate system and the possible effects of these changes. Such worry is one of several possible psychological responses (e.g., fear, anxiety, depression, and trauma) to climate change. Within this article, the psychometric development of the ten-item Climate Change Worry Scale (CCWS) is detailed in three studies. The scale was developed to assess proximal worry about climate change rather than social or global impacts. Study 1 provided evidence that the CCWS items were internally consistent, constituted a single factor, and that the facture structure of the items was invariant for men and women. The results from Study 1 also indicated a good fit with a Rasch model of the items. Study 2 affirmed the internal consistency of the CCWS items and indicated that peoples’ responses to the measure were temporally stable over a two-week test–retest interval (r = 0.91). Study 3 provided support for the convergent and divergent validity of the CCWS through its pattern of correlations with several established clinical and weather-related measures. The limitations of the studies and the possible uses of the CCWS were discussed. The current work represents a starting point.