cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A gel-free proteomic-based method for the characterization of Bordetella pertussis clinical isolates

Bordetella pertussis (Bp) is the etiologic agent of pertussis or whooping cough, a highly contagious respiratory disease occurring primarily in infants and young children. Although vaccine preventable, pertussis cases have increased over the years leading researchers to re-evaluate vaccine control strategies. Since bacterial outer membrane proteins, comprising the surfaceome, often play roles in pathogenesis and antibody-mediated immunity, three recent Bp circulating isolates were examined using proteomics to identify any potential changes in surface protein expression. Fractions enriched for outer membrane proteins were digested with trypsin and the peptides analyzed by nano liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (nLC-ESI-MS), followed by database analysis to elucidate the surfaceomes of our three Bp isolates. Furthermore, a less labor intensive non-gel based antibody affinity capture technology in conjunction with MS was employed to assess each Bp strains' immunogenic outer membrane proteins. This novel technique is generally applicable allowing for the identification of immunogenic surface expressed proteins on pertussis and other pathogenic bacteria.
Topography and Stratigraphy of the Northern Martian Polar Layered Deposits Using Photoclinometry, Stereogrammetry, and MOLA Altimetry

We present two photoclinometric profiles across a trough in the martian northern polar layered terrain. Complications caused by albedo variations were avoided by using an early springtime Viking image with a thin cover of seasonal CO2 frost. The topographic profiles were constrained with stereogrammetric elevations derived from summertime Viking images of the same region. We find that the photoclinometric profiles are consistent with a nearby MOLA (Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter) track crossing the same polar trough. The trough is asymmetric, with higher relief and a steeper slope on the equatorward-facing wall. Individual layers are subdued and difficult to observe in the profiles. A decrease in both relief and elevation toward the eastern end of the trough suggests that layers become thinner to the east. Declining equatorward slopes in the eastern portion of the trough imply that erosion rates have varied along the trough. The variation in erosion rate may be linked to the change in layer thickness along the trough. Layers have an average thickness of 19§ 8 m in the center of the trough and 59§ 32 m on the northern wall. The northern wall is most likely composed of thinner layers that are obscured. To first order, we find that a 19-m layer requires 16,000 years of deposition to form. Although this timescale does not coincide with orbital variation periods of 10 5 and 10 6 years, deposition rates may not be constant and thus the 16,000-year layer formation time does not preclude layer formation during part of each orbital oscillation. c ∞ 2000 Academic Press
Affine Extension of Supergravity

The affine extension of supergravity is investigated. We discuss only the loop algebra since the affine extension of the super-Poincare algebra appears inconsistent. The construction of the affine supergravity theory has been carried out by the group manifold method and leads to an action describing infinite towers of gravitons and gravitinos that interact subject to the symmetries of the loop algebra. The equations of motion satisfy the usual consistency check.
Population Dynamics of White-Tailed Prairie Dogs during an Epizootic of Sylvatic Plague

Three populations of white-tailed prairie dogs ( Cynomys leucurus ) were studied during an epizootic of slyvatic plague in a complex of colonies near Meeteetse, Wyoming, during 1984–1988. Densities changed significantly between years on all colonies, but only decreased to zero on one. Survivorship declined to zero for at least one sex or age class on each town. All declines were short-lived and populations increased within 1–2 years. The response of these populations to plague differed greatly from other colonies within this complex and for other species of prairie dogs.
The importance of proteinuria as a determinant of mortality following percutaneous coronary revascularization in diabetics.

OBJECTIVES The aims of this study were to compare mortality and clinical events following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between nondiabetics and diabetics with and without proteinuria. BACKGROUND Diabetics have increased rates of late myocardial infarction, repeat revascularization and mortality when compared with nondiabetics following PCI. Proteinuria is a marker for diabetic nephropathy and potentially a surrogate marker for advanced atherosclerosis. It is unknown if proteinuria is a predictor of outcome in diabetics following PCI. METHODS We performed an observational study of 2,784 patients who underwent PCI at the Cleveland Clinic between January 1993 and December 1995. There were 2,247 nondiabetics and 537 diabetics with urinalysis and follow-up data available (proteinuria n = 217, nonproteinuria n = 320). The diabetic proteinuria group was further prospectively stratified into low concentration (n = 182) and high concentration (n = 35). The end points were all-cause mortality and the composite end point of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI) and need for revascularization. RESULTS The mean follow-up time was 20.2 months. The two-year mortality rate was 7.3% and 13.5% for nondiabetics and diabetics, respectively (p < 0.001). The two-year mortality rate was 9.1% and 20.3% for the nonproteinuria and proteinuria groups, respectively (p < 0.001). There was a graded increase in mortality comparing the diabetic group. The two-year mortality rate was 9.1%, 16.2% and 43.1% for the nonproteinuria, low concentration and high concentration groups, respectively (p < 0.001). The difference in survival between the nondiabetic and nonproteinuric diabetics was not significant (p = 0.8). CONCLUSIONS The presence of proteinuria is the key determinant of risk following PCI for diabetics. Diabetics without evidence of proteinuria have similar survival compared with nondiabetics.
Enhanced Vibration Suppression in Hard Disk Drives Using Instrumented Suspensions

This paper summarizes work that has been completed to evaluate the use of high-resolution thin-film strain sensors for vibration suppression in hard disk drives (HDDs). In particular, we demonstrate the viability and necessity of symmetrical sensors for cancellation of common non-off-track modes in the measurement. Thin-film ZnO strain sensors have been successfully integrated into instrumented suspension prototypes, and strain signals were extracted from operating disk drives. High-resolution strain sensing allowed us to investigate the nature of airflow excitation of the suspension structure. Experimental measurements were used to construct both ideal and realistic models. Using the ideal model that ignored non-off-track modes, multirate nominal H 2 control synthesis and simulation were employed to evaluate potential improvements in closed-loop vibration suppression in a multisensor framework. These simulations projected improved tracking performance using auxiliary high-resolution strain sensing with increased sample rate. However, when a robust H 2 damping controller was designed using a more realistic model of the available hardware, performance in simulation and experiment was limited by numerous non-off-track modes in the sensor signal.
On interframe coding models for volumetric medical data

Volumetric medical imaging data presents a special challenge in terms of storage and communication. Even the smallest sets of volumetric data are many times larger than most single medical images, and the onset of new applications that link data-sharing with video conferencing and multi-media make efficient and flexible coding of volumetric data an important task. Here the authors explore motion-like models for the coding of volumetric data. They first visit the affine interframe model, which was recently used to code MRI sequences effectively. Motivated by the encouraging results from the affine coder, the authors performed a comparative study of motion vs. 3-D spatial optimal autoregressive predictors. The results of this study indicate that motion analysis indeed leads to improved predictor performance in volumetric medical images, compared to the optimal 3-D predictor.
Management of pelvic abscess after Le Fort colpocleisis

We report the case of a 75-year-old woman who developed pelvic abscess following Le Fort colpocleisis. After drainage and completion of treatment with intravenous antibiotherapy, the patient returned with persistent signs of infection, which responded to outpatient gentamicin irrigation through Le Fort vaginal tunnels.
Hemostatic and Inflammatory Risk Factors for Intracerebral Hemorrhage in a Pooled Cohort

Background and Purpose— The purpose of this study was to identify novel risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhagic stroke (ICH). Methods— Risk factors were assessed at baseline in a pooled cohort of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) involving 21 680 adults aged 45 or over. Over 263 489 person-years of follow-up, we identified 135 incident ICH events. Results— In multivariable models, for each SD higher baseline level of fibrinogen, the relative rate of incident ICH increased 35% (95% CI, 17% to 55%). Fibrinogen was more strongly related to ICH in ARIC than in CHS. In multivariable models, those with von Willebrand factor levels above the median were 1.72 (95% CI, 0.97 to 3.03) times more likely to have an incident ICH as those below the median. Factor VIII was significantly positively related to ICH in ARIC (relative rate per standard deviation of 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.62), but not in CHS. There was no relation in multivariable models between ...
Galactorrhea, Oligo/Amenorrhea, and Hyperprolactinemia in Patients with Craniopharyngiomas

We report three patients with craniopharyngiomas who had galactorrhea, oligo/amenorrhea, and abnormal sellar tomograms, clinically suggesting the presence of a prolactinoma. One patient had an intrasellar craniopharyngioma (Rathke's cleft cyst) diagosed during surgical exploration of the pituitary fossa for removal of a suspected prolactinoma, and two had suprasellar caraniopharyngiomas whose presence was suspected on the basis of computed tomography. This finding emphasizes the importance of computed tomography in the evaluation of patients with the clinical presentation of a prolactinoma. In two patients, PRL levels were elevated before surgery and remained elevated after removal of the craniopharyngioma. In the third case, an initially normal serum PRL level became elevated after removal of the tumor.
The induction and activity of sperm immobilizing antibody in rabbit cervicovaginal secretion.

Abstract The effectiveness of inducing sperm-antibodies, and their activity in female rabbits was studied. The site of injection of the spermadjuvant serum was varied, and proved that local administration of the adjuvant was essential. Tests of sperm-migration, sperm-immobilization and fluorescent antibody absorption showed the antibody to be of the immobilizing type. It is postulated that an immunological reaction between rabbit sperm and female secretions does form and is effective enough to inhibit pregnancy.
Using genetic algorithms to assess the impact of pricing activity timing

Abstract Current methods of assessing competitive structure from aggregate sales data, such as the estimating of marketing mix elasticities, offer insight into the magnitude and direction of competitive actions. However, this level of analysis offers no insight into the impact that the timing of such mix activity has on one’s market share. In this research, I illustrate a method of assessing market structure by utilizing the timing of competitive mix activity. Specifically, using a genetic algorithm approach, I estimate marketing mix timing rules for a consumer product market. This research illustrates the ability of these marketing mix timing rules to assess the impact that the timing of competitive mix activity has on one’s market share. In addition, I show that these marketing mix timing rules offer strategic insight that can complement existing methods of assessing competitors using aggregate sales data, such as elasticity analysis, thereby improving the brand manager’s understanding of the competitive structure of the market.
ready for success in kindergarten: a comparative analysis of teacher, parent, and administrator beliefs in Hawaii

In Hawaii, state agencies and foundations are poised to support readiness efforts to improve educational outcomes for children. Developing a shared understanding of the construct of readiness is ke...
Tectonic History of the Fiji Plateau

The Fiji Plateau is a high, hot area of young oceanic crust. It is bounded on the north by a Cretaceous Pacific archipelago, and to the east and west by the Tonga and New Hebrides island arcs which go back to the Eocene. The Fiji Islands are an Eocene and younger continental mass formed within the ocean basin. Plate tectonics provides the key for understanding the area. Marine geological and geophysical data from Scripps Institution of Oceanography expeditions, especially Nova, and published seismic, gravity, and island geologic information provide the basis for the interpretation. Fiji is now flanked by three active sea-floor spreading centers which are part of a very complicated transform linking the Tonga and New Hebrides crustal consumption zones. Extension in the Lau Basin is also taking place. Magnetic anomalies and seismicity permit six small blocks and the large Pacific and Australian plates to be distinguished, and some idea of their relative motions to be gained. From published magnetic anomaly and fracture zone data, a detailed history of the Tertiary motions of the Pacific and Australian plates with respect to Antarctica has been deduced. By a suitable choice of plate boundaries, horizontal movements of the larger tectonic units of the Fiji Plateau region can be worked out for the entire Tertiary. This reconstruction successfully accounts for many hitherto unexplained bathymetric and geologic features of the area. The history proposed for the Fiji area is probably unique among the world9s oceans.
Nonenzymatic Destruction of Thiamine: A Chromatographic Study of the Degradation Products

A paper chromatographic method was developed for separating and staining the degradation products of thiamine. A study of the behavior of this vitamin as a function of pH showed a progressive formation of the carbinol form of thiamine, thiochrome, probably thiamine disulfide, two pyrimidine derivatives, and two still unknown products. The same method proved satisfactory for the identification and isolation of “glucothiamine”, a product which is formed when thiamine is heated in presence of glucose.
Nondigestible Carbohydrates and Mineral Bioavailability

Generally, fiber and compounds associated with fiber in cereal products (e.g., phytates) have been found to reduce the apparent absorption of minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, zinc and manganese) in humans, livestock and animal models. The effects of "soluble" forms of fiber (specifically pectins, gums, resistant starches, lactulose, oligofructose and inulin) on mineral absorption are more difficult to characterize. The addition of these soluble forms of fiber has been found in various studies to add viscosity to the gut contents, promote fermentation and the production of volatile fatty acids in the cecum, have a trophic effect on the ceca of animals and increase serum enteroglucagon concentrations. Thus it is not surprising that the addition of soluble forms of fiber to diets often has been found to improve absorption of minerals. This may reflect absorption of electrolytes from the large intestine. Future work should address the mechanisms by which ingestion of nondigestible carbohydrates improves mineral absorption in humans.
MORE THAN YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT INTELLIGENT DESIGN1

The so-called evolution wars (Futuyma 1995; Pigliucci 2002) between the scientific understanding of the history of life on earth and various religiously inspired forms of creationism are more than ever at the forefront of the broader ‘‘science wars,’’ themselves a part of the even more encompassing ‘‘cultural wars.’’ With all these conflicts going on, and at a time when a potentially historical case on the teaching of Intelligent Design (ID) in public schools is being debated in Pennsylvania, it may be useful to consider a number of books that have come out recently to help scientists and the public at large to understand what all the fuss is about. Let me make clear at the outset that creationism is not going to go away just because it will be defeated on intellectual grounds. If that were the case, we would not have this problem at the onset of the 21st century, long after Copernicus and Galileo ought to have paved the way. This is a problem deeply rooted in psychological fears, religious ideology, political opportunism and widespread anti-intellectualism, the latter itself with complex and profound roots (Hofstadter 1963). However, it is important to understand what the intellectual issues are, if one is to honestly make a case for science to the general public. Moreover, it is important for scientists to come to terms with the fact that most of the discussion is inextricably connected with issues about the very nature of science; that is, with philosophy. That is why the first book to be considered in this review is about philosophy of science, though it was written by a biologist. We will then examine what an actual philosopher has to say about the issue, and conclude with two edited volumes, one of which attempts to give a ‘‘balanced’’ view, the other unapologetically proscience.
Hope, Belief and Wizardry Three different perspectives on project management

Normally, I’m not too much into project management. However, over the last couple of years, I have come across several projects that use hope, belief and wizardry as their primary management tools. You will probably not have heard about these specific projects – and you probably never will. They have gone out of existence, maybe because of too successful management techniques. However, if you’re a consultant or a developer, I’m sure you have experienced your own hope/belief/wizardry project and you could probably tell the same story as I do here.
On the Role of Consciousness in Random Physical Processes

Extensive data from a variety of man/machine experiments indicate that human operators can influence random device output distributions in accordance with pre-stated intentions. Deviations of these output distribution mean values from theoretical expectations or calibration data accumulate in individually characteristic and repli- cable patterns of achievement, many of which achieve high statistical significance. Despite wide variations in individual performance, the composite data base for 33 operators also departs substantially from chance expectation. Histograms of the deviations achieved in 87 separate experimental series confirm the significant mean shifts in the intended directions, and in addition distribute with greater than chance variance. In contrast, the histogram of baseline deviations, obtained under null intentions of the operators, centers on the appropriate chance mean, but with a variance considerably smaller than chance. When all such baseline and directional mean deviations are combined in an appropriately balanced mixture, a normal chance histogram is reconstituted. Such behavior raises the possibility that the basic combinatorial processes undergirding classical or quantum statistical mechanics may reflect, at least to a marginal degree, some processes of human consciousness. This hypothesis, along with the empirical data on which it is based, is consistent with a quantum wave mechanical model of the interactions of consciousness with its physical environment that predicts experiential eigenfunctions indexed by appropriate quantum numbers of both the consciousness and the physical system, and influenced by the degree of resonance between them, in much the same fashion as the Heitler-London treatment of molecular bonds.
Typologies of architectural interaction: a social dimension

Interactive architecture is concerned with exchanges between humans, environmental factors, and the built environment. These systems are commonly presented as instruments to a) maintain adequate levels of interior lighting and temperature adapting to occupants' needs, and b) reduce building energy consumption by autonomously regulating solar intake in response to environmental factors (Cardoso et al. 2011). While these approaches have yielded promising questions and applications, in this paper we are more interested in exploring interactive architecture's potential role as catalyst for social activity. First, we analyze a selection of contemporary, interactive architecture projects, proposing a set of typologies of architectural interaction driven by the kind of exchanges each project establishes with both occupants and the environment. Second, we test these typologies through a controlled experiment with a responsive artifact that we use as a platform to investigate different types of interactivity and their effects on social activity. In one study, for instance, our responsive artifact is programmed to respond solely to environmental factors. In the second study, it is programmed to respond exclusively to human input. By presenting the typologies, the prototypes, and our observations about the interactions they enable, this paper proposes a new way of thinking "socially" about interactive systems, expanding on a crucial ongoing discussion about the relationship between interactive buildings, humans, and the environment.
Robust-to-dynamics linear programming

We consider a class of robust optimization problems that we call “robust-to-dynamics optimization” (RDO). The input to an RDO problem is twofold: (i) a mathematical program (e.g., an LP, SDP, IP, etc.), and (ii) a dynamical system (e.g., a linear, nonlinear, discrete, or continuous dynamics). The objective is to maximize over the set of initial conditions that forever remain feasible under the dynamics. The focus of this paper is on the case where the optimization problem is a linear program and the dynamics are linear. We establish some structural properties of the feasible set and prove that if the linear system is asymptotically stable, then the RDO problem can be solved in polynomial time. We also outline a semidefinite programming based algorithm for providing upper bounds on robust-to-dynamics linear programs.
The flame photometer in determination of sodium and potassium.

angle capillary tube whence it is atomized into an electrically heated glass cham­ ber. The fine spray is carried into a flame of oxygen and propane gas by a steady current of ] 5 to 25 pounds of compressed air. The light emitted by the combusted material is admitted into the spectrophotometer where it is resolved into its spectrum by means of a quartz prism. Adjustment of the prism permits selec­ tion of the wave length characteristic of the element under analysis. The band of light, whose width is determined by a slit opening, then impinges on a photo­ cell and the resultant current is measured. The current is proportional to the quantity of the element activated by the flame, and is quantitatively expressed as per cent emission. The rate of flow of the sample through the capillary must be constant. It was found that the tips of all capillaries received from the manufacturer were far too constricted and consistently caused bubbles, with decreased delivery. The tips were carefully broken off and filed until a rate of flow of approximately 0.4 ml. per minute was obtained. It is a recommended practice when placing the sample under the capillary tube to note if the stream contains any bubbles, which can usually be discharged from the capillary by the quick removal and replacement of the sample a number of times. If bubbles persist, the tube is disconnected, attached to a suction apparatus and cleaned by aspirating dichromate solution through it. To obviate any contamination of the sample by dirt or moisture in the com­ pressed air line, a porous stone filter is placed between the air valve and the air port on the machine.
Crowdsourcing as Reflective Political Practice: Building a Location-based Tool for Civic Learning and Engagement

Many platforms for civic engagement, whether online or offline, are inconvenient and disconnected from the source of issues they are meant to address. They require that citizens leave the places they normally inhabit physically or virtually and commit to a separate space and set of processes. Town hall meetings are still a key point of engagement, occurring during specific times and in specific places. Online forums function similarly, in that deliberation occurs within profile-based websites for which you need to sign up and regularly return. This paper responds to the design challenge and research question: How do you address barriers to “minimum effective engagement” in community projects, and ensure that all citizens can have their voice heard on how to improve their local communities?In order to raise levels of participation in community projects and expand the range of voices heard in governmental decision-making, there is a need for civic technology that is lightweight and compelling enough to enjoy continued use and to promote civic learning. In this paper, I develop a theoretical basis for effective citizenship through crowdsourcing monitorial activity by finding connections between several theories of citizenship and learning, which point to this activity fostering civic learning through reflective political practice.Using a needs assessment of Boston-area municipalities, I reinforce my argument and concretize a set of design goals for a new socio-technical system to foster local civic learning and engagement around issues like urban planning. In the end, I respond to the research challenge and design goals by introducing a prototype for a location-based survey platform for Android smartphones called Action Path, and discuss early-stage user feedback and future work.
Evil by Any Other Name: Defining Witchcraft

Over a hundred years ago, Cologne archivist Joseph Hansen essayed an answer to the question of the origins of witch hunting in Europe.1 Hansen argued that the late medieval Inquisition essentially invented the witch doctrine: the idea of the diabolic witch who had forged a pact with the Devil and sealed it with her flesh, who flew through the night to the witches’ sabbath, was the sworn enemy of ordinary society, and together with an invisible legion of other witches exercised her undying malice through individual acts of evil magic. This witch doctrine was expressed clearly in Heinrich Kramer’s infamous Malleus Maleficarum of 1486, but had already coalesced in trials and demonology by 1440. Although Hansen’s thesis has been much revised and the roles of popular ideas and secular courts have since been emphasized, an examination of the events between 1420 and 1440 lends much strength to his contention. Three interrelated events in particular, in the western Alpine region, bear examination in this regard. The first is a series of heresy trials in Fribourg, a persecution of Waldensians which metamorphosed into witch trials. The second is the anonymous Errores Gazariorum, a manuscript that is one of the earliest known articulations of the composite doctrine of the diabolic witch. The third is a series of witch trials in the area of Lausanne.
Human Placental and Decidual Organ Cultures to Study Infections at the Maternal-fetal Interface

The placenta shows a large degree of interspecies anatomic variability. To best understand biology and pathophysiology of the human placenta, it is imperative to design experiments using human cells and tissues. An advantage of organ culture is maintenance of three-dimensional (3D) structural organization and extracellular matrix. The goal of the method described here is successful establishment of ex vivo human gestational tissue organ cultures and their healthy culture maintenance for 72-96 hr. The protocol details the immediate processing of research-consented, placental and decidual specimens fresh from the operating suite. These are abundant specimens that would otherwise be discarded. Detailed instructions on the sterile collection of these samples, including morphologic details on how to select appropriate tissues to establish 3D organ cultures, is provided. Placental villous and decidual tissues are microdissected into 2-3 mm3 pieces and placed separately on matrix-lined transwell filters and cultured for several days. Villous and decidual organ cultures are well suited for the study of human host-pathogen interaction. As compared to other model organisms, these human cultures are particularly advantageous to examine mechanism of infection for pathogens that demonstrate variable patterns of host specificity. As an example, we demonstrate infection of placental and decidual organ cultures with the clinically relevant, facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.
Postcolonial-feminism: Transformative possibilities in thought and action, heart and soul

What a pleasure it is to read this special issue! The interview with Ann Tickner and Phillip Darby, in particular, adds a special bonus. To learn how each persevered in a field that's hostile to an...
The Relationship Between Liberian CSOs and International Donor Funding: Boon or Bane?

The Liberian environment is characterized by enormous reliance on international aid, substantial amounts of which is channeled through civil society organizations (CSOs). These civil society organizations have played an important role in Liberia’s redevelopment since the end of the civil war in 2003, despite the fact that international aid to Liberia is increasingly characterized by unstable funding patterns and shifting donor priorities. This makes it vital to deepen our understanding of international aid funding to Liberian CSOs. This study uses mixed methodology to examine what impacts the ability of Liberian CSOs to attract aid funding, the nature of the donor–CSO relationship, and how this relationship impacts the capacity and behavior of CSOs. Results indicate CSO competence and efficiency are associated with ability to attract aid funding. Pressures and imbalance in the donor–CSO relationship contribute to high levels of environmental uncertainty for Liberian CSOs in the sample, leading to adaptive behaviors related to activities and funding streams.
Relative Significance of Background Erosion and Spreading Losses: An Aid for Beach Nourishment Design

The evolution of beach nourishment projects includes the background (pre-nourishment) erosion effects, herein referred to as ‘background erosion’ and the project evolution in the absence of background erosion, namely the ‘spreading out’ effects and profile adjustment. This paper examines the relative significance of background erosion and volumetric spreading for idealized initial nourishment planforms. According to approximate beach nourishment theory, it is possible to simply superimpose these two effects. It is useful in the design process to develop estimates of the approximate relative contributions of these two components. It will be shown that in addition to the magnitude of background erosion, the relative effects of background erosion are more significant for the longer projects and increase with time. The interpretation is that the spreading out losses are less for the longer projects and, after evolving for some time, the project behaves as a longer project and thus the relative importance of the background erosion is greater under these two scenarios.
Holistic Quota Management: The Natural Path to a Better, More Efficient Quota System

Disk quota systems exist to protect a limited resource and ensure that users can share it. However, existing quota management systems concentrate on controlling user privileges, rather than protecting resources. This paper suggests a new management model based upon a holistic view of resources and their controls. By acting upon a resource globally rather than upon individual users, the new approach exposes trends, allows for better resource planning, and allows for easy understanding of the impact of changes on a user's ability to accomplish work. A new tool 'Qualm' is the first component of a new system for dynamic resource management that allows for decisions based not upon fixed limits for resource usage, but upon limits that change with usage patterns and demand.
Brian Honyouti: Send in the Clowns

Hopi Brian Honyouti's "clown" sculptures stem from his personal and political views and comment on commercialism, big business, greed, over indulgence, and irresponsible and sexual behavior. This essay explores the meaning of these carvings to Honyouti, to Hopiit, and to the buying public, as well as their relationship to tithu the carved representations of Katsinam. Working in the contact zone and in the realm of transculturation, Honyouti's carvings emphasize his perceptions of the confluence of the Hopi world and that of dominant America in an attempt to discern commonalities in how all people express certain human traits.
Is It Ethical to Treat Pain Differently in Children and Adults with Burns

This commentary discusses ethical implications of the common practice of treating children's and adults' burn pain differently. Physicians have obligations to ensure that (1) their own discomfort with children's pain doesn't lead them to make pain management decisions that could place a patient at greater risk and (2) to engage in thoughtful, individualized pain management strategies. Long-term consequences of overzealous pain medication administration, for example, could include delayed recovery and integration or opioid dependence. The need to create individualized approaches to pain management, based on published guidelines, is discussed along with uses of nonpharmacological treatment for both adults and children.
Atomistic modeling of grain boundary motion as a random walk

Mechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials, such as creep and microstructural evolution, is dramatically impacted by the mobility of grain boundaries. Existing methods for extracting mobility that combine atomistic simulations with conventional Brownian-like random walk model for grain boundary motion miss critical insights and are reliable only above very high (and unrealistic) temperatures. In this paper, we present a computational method based on the classical Green-Kubo relation for computing interface mobility over a wide range of temperatures. Our study makes an intriguing revelation that the severe time limitation of molecular dynamics simulations warrants the use of a generalized diffusion equation for Brownian particles not accounted for in current studies. Moreover, the method furnishes analytical expressions for the interface mobility in terms of the velocity autocorrelation functions. Taken together, our results possibly provide the first reliable estimates for interface mobility in the limit of zero driving forces. This is in sharp contrast to studies based on the widely used interface random walk approach, which extracts mobility by fitting the conventional Brownian motion equation to atomistic simulations. The efficiency of the method and applicability over a range of temperatures should open avenues for integration of computations and experiments to understand and engineer material systems with desired properties.
Impact of Balloon Diameter on Dilation Outcomes in a Model of Rabbit Subglottic Stenosis.

Objective To determine the appropriate balloon size for dilation using a previously described reproducible survival animal model of subglottic stenosis. Study design Prospective animal study. Methods We conducted a prospective study including 16 New Zealand White rabbits. The airway of each animal was sized with an endotracheal tube (ETT), and subglottic stenosis (SGS) was endoscopically induced using Bugbee electrocautery to 75% of the circumference of the subglottis, followed by 4-hour intubation. Two weeks postoperatively, the rabbits' airways were sized and then dilated using a 6-, 7-, 8-, or 9-mm balloon, with four animals in each experimental group. Following dilation, animals were again sized and subsequently euthanized. The cricoid lumen was measured microscopically in each animal. Results Prior to inducing stenosis, all animals were sized with a 3.5 ETT. After inducing injury but prior to dilation, airways showed grade 2 SGS that sized with a 2.5 ETT with no leak. Postdilation, animals dilated with 6- or 7-mm balloons (n = 8) sized with a 3.0 ETT, and animals dilated with an 8- or 9-mm balloon (n = 8) sized with a 3.5 ETT. Postdilation median cricoid lumen measurements were 12.5 mm2 (6-mm balloon), 13.92 mm2 (7 mm), 16.83 mm2 (8 mm), and 17.15 mm2 (9 mm); two cricoid fractures occurred in the 9-mm group. Conclusion The postdilation cricoid lumen diameter increased with increased balloon size, and the use of an 8-mm balloon achieved the largest cricoid lumen diameter without causing fracture. Further research is necessary to determine the ideal duration of dilation and optimal intervals between dilations. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 129:2409-2413, 2019.
Trends in Utilization of Statin Therapy and Contraindicated Statin Use in HIV‐‐Infected Adults Treated With Antiretroviral Therapy From 2007 Through 2015

Background HIV is associated with an increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, which may result in many people living with HIV taking a statin. Some statins are contraindicated wit...
The Impact of Marijuana Legalization on Law Enforcement in States Surrounding Colorado

Since the legalization of recreational marijuana occurred in Colorado, politicians, academics, and the public have been paying close attention to what impact, if any, the legalization of recreation...
An fMRI-adaptation study of phonological and orthographic selectivity to written words in adults with poor reading skills

Typical readers rely on two brain pathways for word processing in the left hemisphere: temporo-parietal cortex (TPC) and inferior frontal cortex (IFC), thought to subserve phonological decoding, and occipito-temporal cortex (OTC), including the "visual word form area" (VWFA), thought to subserve orthographic processing. How these regions are affected in developmental dyslexia has been a topic of intense research. We employed fMRI rapid adaptation (fMRI-RA) in adults with low reading skills to examine in independently-defined functional regions of interest (ROIs) phonological selectivity to written words in left TPC and IFC, and to orthographic selectivity to written words in OTC. Consistent with the phonological deficit hypothesis of dyslexia, we found responsivity but not selectivity to phonology, as accessed by written words, in the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG) of the TPC. On the other hand, we found orthographic selectivity in the VWFA of the OTC. We also found selectivity to orthographic and not phonological processing in the IFG, a finding previously reported for typical readers. Together our results demonstrate that in adults with poor reading skills, selectivity to phonology is compromised in pSTG, while selectivity to orthography in the VWFA remains unaffected at this level of processing.
Compactification of semi-simple Lie groups

We discuss the `hd-compactification' of a semi-simple Lie group to a manifold with corners; it is the real analog of the wonderful compactification of deConcini and Procesi. There is a 1-1 correspondence between the boundary faces of the compactification and conjugacy classes of parabolic subgroups with the boundary face fibering over two copies of the corresponding flag variety with fiber modeled on the (compactification of the) reductive part. On the hd-compactification Harish-Chandra's Schwartz space is identified with a space of conormal functions of rapid-logarithmic decay relative to square-integrable functions.
Unplanned Early Reoperation Rate Following Thumb Basal Joint Arthroplasty

Purpose Thumb basal joint arthritis is a common degenerative condition of the hand that is often managed with thumb basal joint arthroplasty (BJA). This procedure generally results in a high level of patient satisfaction; however, the rate and cause of early unplanned reoperation after thumb BJA are not well-understood. Therefore, we performed a review to better understand the rate and cause of early reoperation. Methods A retrospective review of all thumb BJA cases performed at a single private academic center between 2014 and 2016 yielded 637 patients and 686 primary thumb BJAs with a minimum 1-year follow-up (mean, 2.4 years). Data collection included patient demographics, surgical technique and type of thumb BJA performed, time to reoperation, reason for early reoperation (within 2 years), and type of reoperation. Results Of 686 patients undergoing thumb BJAs, 10 had unplanned early reoperation (1.5%). Mean duration between the index procedure and reoperation was 5.2 months (range, 0.5–14.3 months). Of the 10 unplanned early reoperations, 4 thumbs in 4 patients required revision arthroplasties owing to persistent pain. Time to reoperation for revision arthroplasty was 9.6 months (range, 3.9–14.3 months). Three of 10 reoperations resulted from early infection, 2 from unplanned early removal of symptomatic K-wires, and one from radial sensory neuritis. Conclusions In this series of nearly 700 consecutive cases, we identified an unexpected early reoperation rate of 1.5%, with only a 0.6% reoperation rate specifically for painful subsidence requiring a revision arthroplasty. Mean time to revision was 9.6 months. These rates are lower than those published previously and should be considered by patients and surgeons when planning thumb BJA. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic IV.
Intraaortic Balloon Pump vs Peripheral Ventricular Assist Device Use in the United States.

Background The objective of this study was to characterize practical use trends and outcomes for intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) and percutaneous left ventricular assist device (pVAD) use in cardiogenic shock at a national level. Methods An analysis of all adult patients admitted nonelectively for cardiogenic shock from January 2008 through December 2017 was performed using the National Inpatient Sample. Trends of inpatient IABP and pVAD use were analyzed using survey-weighted estimates and the modified Cochran-Armitage test for significance. Multivariable regression models and inverse probability of treatment weights were used to perform risk-adjusted analyses of pVAD mortality, a composite of adverse events (AE), and resource use, with IABP as reference. Results Of an estimated 774,310 patients admitted with cardiogenic shock, 143,051 received a device: IABP, 127,792 (16.5%); or pVAD, 15,259 (2.0%). IABP use decreased (23.8% to 12.7%; P for trend Conclusions Over the study period, the rate of pVAD use for cardiogenic shock significantly increased. Compared with IABP, pVAD use was associated with increased mortality, higher costs, and several AEs. Multi-institutional clinical trials with rigorous inclusion criteria are warranted to evaluate the clinical utility of pVADs in the modern era.
Ligand-induced gene activation is associated with oxidative genome damage whose repair is required for transcription

Among several reversible epigenetic changes occurring during transcriptional activation, only demethylation of histones and cytosine-phosphate-guanines (CpGs) in gene promoters and other regulatory regions by specific demethylase(s) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), which oxidize DNA and other cellular components. Here, we show induction of oxidized bases and single-strand breaks (SSBs), but not direct double-strand breaks (DSBs), in the genome during gene activation by ligands of the nuclear receptor superfamily. We observed that these damages were preferentially repaired in promoters via the base excision repair (BER)/single-strand break repair (SSBR) pathway. Interestingly, BER/SSBR inhibition suppressed gene activation. Constitutive association of demethylases with BER/SSBR proteins in multiprotein complexes underscores the coordination of histone/DNA demethylation and genome repair during gene activation. However, ligand-independent transcriptional activation occurring during heat shock (HS) induction is associated with the generation of DSBs, the repair of which is likewise essential for the activation of HS-responsive genes. These observations suggest that the repair of distinct damages induced during diverse transcriptional activation is a universal prerequisite for transcription initiation. Because of limited investigation of demethylation-induced genome damage during transcription, this study suggests that the extent of oxidative genome damage resulting from various cellular processes is substantially underestimated.
Resilience among Cisgender and Transgender Women in Street-Based Sex Work in Baltimore, Maryland

Abstract Introduction Resilience represents adaptability and empowerment and can buffer against the consequences of traumatic events. Cisgender and transgender women in street-based sex work are at high risk for trauma, yet data on their resilience are sparse. A clearer understanding of resilience and its correlates is useful for informing sex worker-centered interventions. Methods Using the Connor-Davidson 10-item Resilience Scale (range, 0–40), we describe resilience among 165 cisgender and 42 transgender street-based women sex workers in Baltimore, Maryland. Longitudinal cohort data were used to examine correlates of resilience in each population. Analyses are conducted using multiple linear regression. Results The mean resilience score was 24.2 (95% confidence interval, 23.6–24.8) among cisgender women sex workers and 32.2 among transgender women sex workers (95% confidence interval, 30.8–32.7). Among cisgender participants, positive correlates of resilience were being Black, Hispanic, or other race (s = 2.7; p = .004), having housing (s = 1.9; p = .034), social cohesion score (s = 0.18; p = .047), and daily drug injection (s = 3.7; p Conclusions This study is the first to characterize factors that may influence resilience among cisgender and transgender women sex workers. Results highlight tangible intervention targets for promoting mental health and safety among a uniquely vulnerable population of women.