cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climates of the Late Triassic: Perspectives, Proxies and Problems

The majority of paleoclimate evidence, including climate-sensitive lithofacies, paleobotanical evidence and a lack of evidence of glaciation, indicates a climate that was significantly warmer during the Late Triassic than at present. Multiple proxies demonstrate higher atmospheric pCO2 during the Late Triassic as the driver for this warmth. Historically, the results of pCO2 estimates from measurements of stomatal indices and calculations from the isotopic composition of pedogenic carbonate have produced differing results. More recent estimates based on improved methodologies and sampling constraints yield more consistent results, indicating pCO2 levels well over 1000 ppm, potentially higher, with excursions to even higher levels. Sedimentary evidence, particularly paleosols, indicate a highly seasonal climate for broad areas of Pangaea, suggesting a strongly monsoonal climate controlled by the arrangement of land areas. Most of the seasonal precipitation was limited to coastal regions, while the interior was largely semi-arid to arid at low to mid-latitudes. Humid climates were limited to mid- and higher latitude. The middle Carnian experienced a brief interval of increased warmth and humidity, with high-resolution records indicating that the event occurred as multiple pulses. A trend of aridification from the late Carnian to the Norian is evident across much of Pangaea, generally explained as the result of either weakening monsoonal flow due to the northward shift of Pangaea, or the drifting of regions between latitudinally-controlled climate zones. Biotic events at the end-Triassic have been attributed to CO2-forced warming caused by outgassing of flood basalts, although initial SO2-aerosol forced cooling followed by warming is more likely.
LUMBAR PUNCTURE AND CSF EXAMINATION : ANSWERS TO THREE COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The incidence of post-lumbar puncture headache has been shown to be reduced by using a higher-gauge (smaller-bore) needle and orienting the needle bevel parallel to the dural fibers. Incidence of headache is the same in patients given bed rest as in patients who are mobilized immediately. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination of patients with seizures of unclear cause is indicated. However, pleocytosis can be a result of the seizure alone. Other causes of pleocytosis must be ruled out by clinical evaluation and CSF studies. Although lumbar puncture is often advocated for patients presenting with dementia, it usually is not helpful in finding a specific cause if the dementia is long-standing.
Statistical inverse problems on graphs with application to flow volume estimation in computer networks

Estimation of flow volumes in computer networks involves the use of data that are either highly aggregated or fairly noisy. We address several conceptual and practical aspects of the use of such data for flow volume estimation in this work. The results presented are often of general statistical interest in addition to their application in computer networks context. First, we study the problem of identifiability of joint distribution of flow volumes in a computer network from aggregate (lower dimensional) measurements collected on its edges. Conceptually, this is a canonical example of a statistical inverse problem. In a significant departure from previous approaches we investigate settings where flow-volumes exhibit dependence. We introduce a number of models that capture spatial, temporal and inter-modal (i.e. between packets and bytes) dependence between flow-volumes. We provide sufficient, sometimes necessary, conditions for the identifiability of the flow volumes distribution (up to mean) under these models. Next we use these results and models to perform computer network tomography using joint modeling for packet curl byte volumes. We highlight various technical challenges, propose different estimating procedures and investigate their properties. Finally, we examine the problem of optimal design in the context of filtering multiple random walks. Specifically we define the steady state E-optimal design criterion and show that the underlying optimization problem is convex. The developed methodology is applied to tracking network flow volumes using sampled data, where the design variable corresponds to controlling the sampling rate.
Enfleshing Aesthetics: Theological Anthropology in M. Shawn Copeland’s Enfleshing Freedom and Mayra Rivera’s Poetics of the Flesh

ABSTRACTTo contend with the racist scaling of bodies seems to tend toward the ontological and metaphysical. Counter-strategies entail engagement with the predominant framework – i.e., with its categories of being and its grounds of analysis – however, much subjected to critique and deconstruction. Shawn Copeland and Mayra Rivera both identify and accept this “risk” in their theological projects. I argue that, although each does it with differing relative emphases, their political theologies trade upon an alternation between practical and poetical modes of critical reflection – the one is more negative and formal, the other is more positive and material; and this unitary alternation is what staves off failure in ideology and foundationalism. I furthermore suggest that the practical-poetical alternation I describe represents a contemporary politicization of the aesthetical.
National patterns of physician management of sleep apnea and treatment among patients with hypertension.

Study objectives Sleep apnea is associated with hypertension, and treatment may improve outcomes. We examine national burden of sleep apnea, rates of sleep apnea treatment, and whether racial/ethnic disparities exist among patients with hypertension. Methods Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey/National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS/NHAMCS), 2005-2012, were analyzed (N = 417,950). We identified hypertension patient visits where sleep apnea diagnosis or complaint was recorded. Primary outcome measures were sleep study, medication, or behavioral therapy (diet, weight loss, or exercise counseling). We used multivariate logistic regression to examine treatment by demographic/clinical factors. Results Among patients with hypertension, sleep apnea was identified in 11.2-per-1,000 visits. Overall, patients with hypertension and a sleep disorder were referred for sleep study in 14.4% of visits, prescribed sleep medication in 11.2% of visits, and offered behavioral therapy in 34.8% of visits. Adjusted analyses show behavioral therapy more likely to be provided to obese patients than normal/overweight (OR = 4.96, 95%CI[2.93-8.38]), but less likely to be provided to smokers than nonsmokers (OR = 0.54, 95%CI[0.32-0.93]). Non-Hispanic blacks were less likely to receive medications than non-Hispanic whites (OR = 0.19, 95% CI[0.06-0.65]). Conclusions In the U.S., sleep apnea were observed in a small proportion of hypertension visits, a population at high-risk for the disorder. One explanation for the low prevalence of sleep apnea observed in this patient population at high risk for the disorder is under-diagnosis of sleep related breathing disorders. Behavioral therapy was underutilized, and non-Hispanic Blacks were less likely to receive medications than non-Hispanic Whites.
Making an impression in traffic stops: Citizens’ volunteered accounts in two positions:

When citizens are pulled over by police for traffic violations, they often volunteer accounts for their driving conduct. These accounts convey important character qualities about the citizen, as we...
TRACK MEASUREMENTS VS. TRACK THEORY IN EMULSION

ABSTRACT Difficulties encountered in the application of track theory to photometric measurements of thin tracks in nuclear emulsions appear to arise from different circumstances in the thin-down end of the track, and at ranges of several millimeters and more. In all cases it is necessary to accommodate the theory of track formation to grain growth on development and to both light scattering and optical problems with the microscope photometer, though the emphases are different in the different regions of the track. At the thin-down end grain growth can lead to swelling of the developed track beyond the dimensions of the latent image. The track is subsequently distorted by fixing. Occasional collapse of the silver column in the thin-down region testifies to this distortion. There is a further problem of non-uniform development, especially in the thin-down end, where there is a potential for “developer starvation”. At higher ranges photometric measurements of “track width” and of track profiles must correct for light scattering, and for optical problems associated with contributions to the image from delta rays which are out of focus. A power series correction devised at Lund has been used to obtain excellent agreement between theory and corrected track measurements for thick tracks, though departure of theory and experiment from each other have been found for thin tracks in G.5 emulsion, using the same correction procedure. When the measured width of these tracks,–unoorrected for light scattering is compared to theory we find agreement with theoretical calculations, suggesting that the correction procedure may be inapplicable to the measurement of thin tracks and that a new correction procedure should be devised.
Strand-Specific Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization: CO-FISH and COD-FISH

The ability to prepare single-stranded target DNA allows innovative uses of FISH technology for studies of chromosome organization. Standard FISH methods require functionally single-stranded DNAs at the beginning of the hybridization step to allow nucleotide base pairing between the probe and the complementary chromosomal target sequence. This usually involves denaturation of double-stranded probe and target DNAs to induce a temporary separation of the DNA strands. The strand-specific FISH method involves selective removal of one of the strands from the DNA helixes within metaphase chromosomes and/or interphase nuclei. The result, for the purposes of hybridization, is single-stranded target DNA. Single-stranded probes can then be hybridized to the single-stranded target DNA without the denaturation step, resulting in strand-specific hybridization. In the context of this chapter, “single-stranded probe” refers to nucleotide sequences without complementary strands present, not denatured double-stranded probes.
Illness Representation and Self-Care Ability in Older Adults with Chronic Disease

Chronic illness affects >50% of adults in the United States and accounts for >80% of healthcare spending. The purpose of this study was to determine whether beliefs about one's chronic disease (illness representation) are associated with self-care activation, emergency department (ED) visits, or hospitalizations. Using a cross-sectional design, we recruited older adults with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and chronic kidney disease. The Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ-R) measured perceptions about disease. The Patient Activation Measure measured self-care activation. ED visits and hospitalizations were measured by self-report. IPQ-R scores were analyzed using latent profile analysis to identify subgroups. Participants included 187 adults (mean age 65 years, 54% female, 74% Black). We found three subgroups (stable, overwhelmed, and confident). Groups did not differ demographically or by disease. The stable group (few consequences, non-fluctuating pattern) had the fewest hospitalizations. The overwhelmed group (many consequences, fluctuating pattern, high negative emotion) had high hospitalizations and low self-care ability. The confident group (high disease control, well-understood) had the highest self-care ability, but also high hospitalizations. ED visits did not differ by group. We found three subgroups that differ in their illness representation and health outcomes. Findings suggest that assessing patients' illness representations may have important implications for subgroup-specific interventions.
Plastic responses to diel thermal variation in juvenile green sturgeon, Acipenser medirostris.

Human-induced thermal variability can disrupt energy balance and performance in ectotherms; however, phenotypic plasticity may play a pivotal protective role. Ectotherm performance can be maintained in thermally heterogeneous habitats by reducing the thermal sensitivity of physiological processes and concomitant performance. We examined the capacity of juvenile green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) to respond to daily thermal variation. Juveniles (47 days post-hatch) were exposed to either stable (15 ± 0.5 °C) or variable (narrowly variable: 13-17 °C day-1 or widely variable 11-21 °C day-1) thermoperiod treatments, with equivalent mean temperatures (15 ± 0.5 °C), for 21 days. Growth (relative growth rate, % body mass gain), upper thermal tolerance (critical thermal maxima, CTMax) and the thermal sensitivity of swimming performance (critical swimming speed, Ucrit) were assessed in fish from all treatments. Accelerated growth was observed in fish maintained under widely variable temperatures compared to narrowly variable and stable temperatures. No significant variation in CTMax was observed among thermoperiod treatments, suggesting all treatment groups acclimated to the mean temperature rather than daily maximums. The widely variable treatment induced a plastic response in swimming performance, where Ucrit was insensitive to temperature and performance was maintained across a widened thermal breadth. Maximum Ucrit attained was similar among thermoperiod treatments, but performance was maximised at different test temperatures (stable: 4.62 ± 0.44 BL s-1 at 15 °C; narrowly variable: 4.52 ± 0.23 BL s-1 at 21 °C; widely variable: 3.90 ± 0.24 BL s-1 at 11 °C, mean ± s.e.m.). In combination, these findings suggest juvenile A. medirostris are resilient to daily fluctuations in temperature, within the temperature range tested here.
Crypto-Aided Bayesian Detection of False Data in Short Messages

We propose a crypto-aided Bayesian detection framework for detecting false data in short messages with low overhead. The proposed approach employs the Bayesian detection at the physical layer in parallel with a lightweight cryptographic detection, followed by combining the two detection outcomes. We develop the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) rule for combining the cryptographic and Bayesian detection outcome, which minimizes the average probability of detection error. We derive the probability of false alarm and missed detection and discuss the improvement of detection accuracy provided by the proposed method.
Aerodynamic Instability of Suspension Bridges

A general linearized analytical theory for the flutter of suspension bridge decks under uniform steady wind is presented. In this theory, the essential aerodynamic forces are presumed to be obtained, in real coefficient form from wind tunnel tests on section models, as explained in an earlier paper by the same authors. In light of the theory given and the experimental observations reported in the writers' previous paper, the following questions are critically examined: (1) The present state of suspension bridge flutter studies; (2) the exact representativeness of bridge section models; (3) the general inapplicability of airfoil aerodynamics to bridge flutter; (4) a critique of forced resonance, autorotation theory, and (5) Dicker's theory as applied to bridge aerodynamic instability. An extensive bibliography of the subject matter is appended.
Corticotropin-releasing Hormone Projections From the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus to the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Increase Blood Pressure

Optogenetic stimulation of paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)-containing somas or nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) CRH-containing fibers orig...
Characterizing the dynamics and evolution of incentivized online reviews on Amazon

During the past few years, sellers have increasingly offered discounted or free products to selected reviewers of e-commerce platforms in exchange for their reviews. Such incentivized (and often very positive) reviews can improve the rating of a product which in turn sways other users’ opinions about the product. Despite their importance, the prevalence, characteristics, and the influence of incentivized reviews in a major e-commerce platform have not been systematically and quantitatively studied. This paper examines the problem of detecting and characterizing incentivized reviews in two primary categories of Amazon products. We describe a new method to identify explicitly incentivized reviews (EIRs) and then collect a few datasets to capture an extensive collection of EIRs along with their associated products and reviewers. We show that the key features of EIRs and normal reviews exhibit different characteristics. Furthermore, we illustrate how the prevalence of EIRs has evolved and been affected by Amazon’s ban. Our examination of the temporal pattern of submitted reviews for sample products reveals promotional campaigns by the corresponding sellers and their effectiveness in attracting other users. We also demonstrate that a classifier that is trained by EIRs (without explicit keywords) and normal reviews can accurately detect other EIRs as well as implicitly incentivized reviews. Finally, we explore the current state of explicit reviews on Amazon. Overall, this analysis sheds insightful light on the impact of EIRs on Amazon products and users.
Selected Basics of Optics and Information Theory

The following chapter summarizes basics of optics and information theory. For the sake of compactness, only limits and relations are described, which play an important role in the physical and information theoretical optimization of the introduced sensor. Elaborate explanations and mathematical derivations are widely avoided. For a detailed explanation related literature is cited.
Molecular investigation of sub-to-supercritical transition of hydrocarbon mixtures: Multi-component effect

Abstract Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were conducted to better understand the evaporation and mixing behavior of liquid hydrocarbon fuels in ambient gases of varying temperatures and pressures. The emphasis was to understand the multi-component effect of both the liquid fuel and the ambient on the transition from the classical two-phase evaporation regime to the diffusion-controlled mixing regime. Mixture critical point were calculated using the Heidemann and Khalil method to connect the MD observations to the critical locus criterion. Furthermore, vapour-liquid equilibrium (VLE) using the Peng-Robinson equation of state (PR-EOS) were also calculated to understand the phase equilibria. The results show for binary fuel at low ambient temperatures and pressure, evaporation is first dominated by the lighter species and then followed by the heavier species. However, under supercritical conditions, preferential evaporation does not occur and both the lighter and heavier species dominate the evaporation process concurrently. For binary ambient, the results show that the presence of helium has very minimal effect on the mixture critical temperature and pressure and does not change the transition behavior. However, the increasing presence of water in the ambient reduces the mixture critical pressure and promotes sub-to-supercritical transition. These observations support the critical locus criterion suggesting this criterion can be used to determine the exact state of a mixture at given temperatures and pressures.
Human volunteer, in vitro, and molecular level evaluation of an optimized taste-masked isoniazid-chitosan spray-dried microparticle matrix.

Abstract For the first time, isoniazid (INH) bitterness value, threshold, and sensitivity (low, moderate, high, and extremely high) was determined in six human volunteers. INH demonstrated a large range in bitterness sensitivity. The current work demonstrates the design of a taste-masked isoniazid (INH)-loaded chitosan microspheres (INH-LCM) using an ionic-gelation and spray drying technique. A 24 full factorial design with three center points was employed to optimize and study the independent variables (chitosan concentration, sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP)-volume, feed rate, and air inlet temperature) effects on the critical quality attributes (percent yield [PY] and entrapment efficiency [EE]). Statistically significant models were developed for PY (p = 0.0357; adjusted R2 = 0.6078) and EE (p = 0.0190; adjusted R2 = 0.6713). A multicriteria prediction profiler was utilized to determine the optimum formulation and process parameters. Two verification batches confirmed excellent predictability and lot-to-lot consistency. In vitro dissolution was used to evaluate the taste masking ability of INH-LCM. The in vitro dissolution test of the optimized INH-LCM suggested that taste masking would be accomplished for the “low” and “moderate” bitterness taste sensitivity groups. Further in vitro and human volunteer taste panel studies with INH-LCM are required for better understand the potential taste masking capability for the “high” and “extremely high” bitterness taste sensitivity groups. The in vitro dissolution method and FTIR data analysis support that TPP crosslinked chitosan may provide taste masking by two mechanisms: (1) acts as a physical barrier and delays INH dissolution; and (2) provides a chemical barrier by forming hydrogen bonds between INH's bitter tasting amino group and chitosan.
Under Threat? Methodological Pluralism in Public Administration

A consensus appears to be emerging on the desirability of methodological pluralism in public administration research. Scholars as diverse as Riccucci and Meier see it as inevitable in a multidiscip...
Re-thinking Kernelized MLS Database Architectures in the Context of Cloud-Scale Data Stores

We re-evaluate the kernelized, multilevel secure (MLS) relational database design in the context of cloud-scale distributed data stores. The transactional properties and global integrity properties for schema-less, cloud-scale data stores are significantly relaxed in comparison to relational databases. This is a new and interesting setting for mandatory access control policies, and has been unexplored in prior research. We describe the design and implementation of a prototype MLS column-store following the kernelized design pattern. Our prototype is the first cloud-scale data store using an architectural approach for highassurance; it enforces a lattice-based mandatory information flow policy, without any additional trusted components.We highlight several promising avenues for practical systems research in secure, distributed architectures implementing mandatory policies using Java-based untrusted subjects.
Student Tobacco Use Behaviors on College Campuses by Strength of Tobacco Campus Policies.

Purpose:To examine the association between strength of policy and self-reported tobacco use behavior, controlling for demographic characteristics, polytobacco use, knowledge of campus tobacco polic...
The Welfare Implications of Bankruptcy Allocation of the Colorado River Water: The Case of the Salton Sea Region

This paper focuses on assessing a policy for reallocation of Colorado River water for major stakeholders in the state of California, to set a standard for sustainable long-term public and environmental use. We address the policy of allocating scarce water resources to competing stakeholders of different sectors in the Salton Sea region under over-committed water rights agreement. We determine the value of water applied to the agricultural, urban and tourist sectors to estimate the regional welfare under different allocation frameworks. We use two models for allocation: one involving a social planner approach that maximizes regional welfare, the second focusing on the bankruptcy rules of proportional deficit (cutback), and constrained equal award. We find the proportional cutback framework to be less conducive to regional welfare, although it presents a more politically feasible and robust option.
Phagocytosis drives NAD+ reduction-induced dendrite degeneration in Drosophila

ABSTRACT During Wallerian degeneration, severed dendrites or axons expose the “eat-me” signal phosphatidylserine (PS) on their surface, thus initiating phagocytosis. Although neurite breakdown is believed to result from self-destruction, whether phagocytosis also contributes to Wallerian degeneration in vivo remain unknown. Here we show that in Drosophila sensory dendrites, phagocytosis is the main driver of dendrite degeneration induced by both genetic NAD+ disruptions and injury. Specifically, NAD+ reduction induced by Sarm activation in uninjured dendrites causes PS exposure and phagocytosis-dependent degeneration. In injured dendrites, PS-mediated phagocytosis is sufficient but not required for dendrite breakdown due to self-destruction triggered by catastrophic NAD+ depletion. Surprisingly, axon-death factors Axed, Peb, and JNK signaling are not involved in neuronal PS exposure nor in dendrite self-destruction. Lastly, injured dendrites exhibit rhythmic calcium flashing, which is dependent on NAD+ reduction. These results underscore the importance of phagocytosis in pathological neurite degeneration in vivo.
Response Variations to Survey Items About Firearms in the 2004 and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Purpose:The aim of this investigation was to document the prevalence and correlates of refusing to answer a US federal health survey item about firearms in the household.Design:The cross-sectional ...
The Impact of National Office Governance on Audit Quality

We investigate whether national office governance is associated with audit quality provided by local audit offices. We proxy for national office governance using two measures of geographical proximity, distance and frequent, direct airline routes between a practice office and the national office of the firm, where the latter introduces exogenous variation. We predict and find closer proximity strengthens national office governance through more monitoring and knowledge transfer, resulting in better audit quality, captured by lower propensity of restatements. Cross-sectional analyses confirm that the relation varies with national office’s sensitivity to costs. Finally, we find that smaller audit firms benefit less from national office governance, consistent with theory that suggests smaller partnership structures have less moral hazard costs and less knowledge transfer benefits from national office governance. Collectively, our results help to explain one avenue that develops audit quality within audit firms.
Center Reputation and Experience Relate to Industry Payments to Congenital Heart Disease Providers.

BACKGROUND The Physician Payments Sunshine Act was enacted to understand financial relationships with industry that might influence provider decisions. We investigated how industry payments within the congenital heart community relate to experience and reputation. METHODS Congenital cardiothoracic surgeons and pediatric cardiologists were identified from the Open Payments Database. All payments from 2013 through 2017 were matched to affiliated hospitals' U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) rankings, The Society of Thoracic Surgeons-Congenital Heart Surgery Public Reporting Star Ratings, and Optum Center of Excellence (COE) designation. Surgeon payments were linked to years since terminal training. Univariable analyses were conducted. RESULTS The median payment amount per surgeon ($71; interquartile range [IQR], $41-$99) was nearly double the median payment amount per cardiologist ($41; IQR, $18-$84; P < .05). For surgeons, median individual payment was 56% higher to payees at USNWR top 10 children's hospitals ($100; IQR, $28-$203) vs all others ($64; IQR, $23-$140; P < .001). For cardiologists, median individual payment was 26% higher to payees at USNWR top 10 children's hospitals ($73; IQR, $28-$197) vs all others ($58; IQR, $19-$140; P < .001). Findings were similar across The Society of Thoracic Surgeons-Congenital Heart Surgery star rankings and Optum Center of Excellence groups. By surgeon experience, surgeons 0 to 6 years posttraining (first quartile) received the highest number of median payments per surgeon (17 payments; IQR, 6.5-28 payments; P < .001). Surgeons 21 to 44 years posttraining (fourth quartile) received the lowest median individual payment ($51; IQR, $20-132; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Industry payments vary by hospital reputation and provider experience. Such biases must be understood for self-governance and the delineation of conflict of interest policies that balance industry relationships with clinical innovation.
A single institution experience with proximal junctional kyphosis in the context of existing classification schemes - Systematic review.

Abstract Background Proximal junctional kyphosis is a kyphotic deformity following spine instrumentation, predominantly seen in scoliosis patients. There have been previous attempts to develop classification schema of PJK. We analyzed the factors contributing to PJK based upon our own clinical experience with the goal of developing a clinical guidance tool which took into account both etiology and mechanism of failure. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all re-operation thoracolumbar surgeries at a single institution over a 14-year period. Patients with PJK were identified and categorized based upon the etiology, mechanism of failure, and an indication of revision. Next, we conducted a systematic review on articles emphasizing a classification system for PJK. Results: Fourteen PJK patients were identified out of 121 patients who required revision spine surgery. The average age was 64.9 ± 10.2 years, with 10 males (71%) and 4 females (29%). Three primary etiologies were identified: 6/14 (47%) overcorrection, 6/14 (47%) osteopenia, and 2/14 (14%) ligamentous disruption. The mechanism of failure was likewise divided into three categories: 9/14 (64%) compression fracture, 1/14 (7%) hardware failure, and 4/14 (29%) disc degeneration. The relationship between osteopenia and the development of a compression fracture leading to PJK was statistically significant (p = 0.031). Conclusion: There are multiple current classification systems for PJK. Our study findings were in line with previously published literature and suggest the need for a future classification system combining both etiology, mechanism of failure, and severity of disease.
Robust estimation of heterogeneous treatment effects: an algorithm-based approach

Heterogeneous treatment effect estimation is an essential element in the practice of tailoring treatment to suit the characteristics of individual patients. Most existing methods are not sufficient...
Orthopedic considerations and surgical outcomes in Ehlers-Danlos syndromes.

The Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of connective tissue disorders with varying physical manifestations. There are no clear guidelines for addressing orthopedic concerns or reporting surgical outcomes in this population. This article reviews the literature, reports on a new study, and offers considerations prior to surgical intervention. The new study seeks to determine the effectiveness of surgical intervention in individuals with EDS. It is a retrospective chart review of 154 individuals clinically diagnosed with EDS who had orthopedic surgery >2 years ago at Hospital for Special Surgery. A total of 120 individuals were included in the study. One hundred eleven females and 9 males underwent a total of 320 orthopedic surgeries, of which 204 surgeries had available post-operative follow-up. The average age at surgery was 38.2 years (range: 7.6-83.3). Multiple post-operative complications (290) were reported in 91% of cases. Common complications were persistent pain/discomfort (45), continued subluxation/dislocation (20), instability (19), pain/discomfort from hardware (17), and infection (16). Our results suggest that surgical outcomes are worse for individuals with EDS compared to the general population, a finding which is similar to other studies. Complications occurred more frequently in the EDS population than the average population, suggesting that surgery should be undertaken by a multidisciplinary team of clinicians with careful pre-operative planning and full knowledge of the risks and benefits. Guidelines for the care of this unique population must be established.
Social Categories Create and Reflect Inequality: Psychological and Sociological Insights

Social categories both create and reflect inequality. Macro, overarching forces, and individual, perceiver biases each contribute. First, we review perspectives deriving from classic sociological and prevailing psychological social psychology, including both interpersonal fluidity and cognitive economy. Social psychologists have implicated several specific categories in social inequality. We then discuss the two that have garnered the most focus (race and gender), and next the less-studied ones (age disability, sexuality, social class, and weight). Afterward, we focus on a theory that ties together all these categories, the stereotype content model. Other structural, group-based hierarchy perspectives compliment these perspectives. Broader perspectives from social cognition highlight how categories are often automatic, at times ambiguous and ambivalent, often complex, and ultimately driven by stereotype content and sociostructural forces. Clearly much remains for social psychologists interested in hierarchy.
Attitude stabilization of rigid spacecraft with minimal attitude coordinates and unknown time-varying delay

The delayed feedback stabilization of rigid spacecraft attitude dynamics in the presence of an unknown time-varying delay in the measurement is addressed. The attitude representation is parameterized using minimal attitude coordinates. The time-varying delay and its derivative are assumed to be bounded. By employing a linear state feedback controller via a Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional, a general delay-dependent stability condition is characterized for the closed-loop parameterized system in terms of a linear matrix inequality (LMI) whose solution gives the suitable controller gains. An estimate of the region of attraction of the controlled system is also obtained, inside which the asymptotic stability of parameterized system is guaranteed.
Responding to the Causes of Unhealthy Behavior

(1976). Responding to the Causes of Unhealthy Behavior. Health Education: Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 32-33.
Abnormal antepartum fetal heart rate tracings, failure to intervene, and fetal death: Review of five cases reveals potential pitfalls of antepartum monitoring programs☆

The goal of antepartum fetal heart rate monitoring is to identify which infants among high-risk obstetric patients are at risk for intrauterine death and which are not. Effective programs, by appropriately selecting cases for intervention and nonintervention, should contribute to lowering of perinatal morbidity and mortality rates. A review of five fetal deaths preceded by abnormal antepartum FHR tracings suggests effective programs require strict control. Individuals performing the testing should be experienced and knowledgeable in regard to instrumentation characteristics and recognition of normal and abnormal fetal heart rates. Dual responsibility of antepartum testing and providing primary patient care to labor and delivery patients is undesirable. Test interpretation should be based on strict criteria.
Quasi-Optical Millimeter-Wave Power Combiner

A millimeter-wave combiner using quasioptical open resonators to effectively combine the power output of two InP Gunn oscillators at 60 GHz is described. A combining efficiency of 52% has been achieved in initial measurements.
Numerical Methods for a One-Dimensional Interface Separating Compressible and Incompressible Flows

We develop 1D numerical methods for treating an interface separating a liquid drop and a high speed gas flow. The droplet is an incompressible Navier-Stokes fluid. The gas is a compressible, multi-species, chemically reactive Navier-Stokes fluid (Fedkiw et al., 1996; Fedkiw, 1996). The interface is followed with a marker particle, although the level set method will be used for the eventual 2D extension (Sussman, 1995). Away from the interface, we solve the equations with TVD Runge Kutta schemes in time and conservative finite difference ENO schemes in space (Shu and Osher, 1988). Near the interface, we cannot apply this discretization, since the equations differ in both number and type across the interface. Instead we use the interface location for domain decomposition, and apply a moving control volume formulation nearby. This is done in a conservative framework, compatible with the outer finite difference scheme. Full details are given for a simple forward Euler time stepping scheme, and this has direct, although algorithmically complicated, extensions to 2nd and 3rd order Runge Kutta methods. Future work will focus on the extension to 2D, and simplifications of the higher order time stepping algorithms.
Developmental capacity of porcine nuclear transfer embryos correlate with levels of chromatin-remodeling transcripts in donor cells

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) still retains important limitations. Impaired epigenetic reprogramming is considered responsible for altered gene expression and developmental failure in SCNT-derived embryos. After nuclear transfer the donor cell nucleus undergoes extensive changes in gene expression that involve epigenetic modifications and chromatin remodeling. We hypothesized that SNF2-type ATP-dependent chromatin factors contribute to epigenetic reprogramming and the relative amount of these factors in the donor cell affects developmental potential of the reconstructed embryos. In order to test this hypothesis, we assessed the relative amount of SNF2-type ATPases (Brahma, Brg1, SNF2H, SNF2L, CHD3, and CHD5) in three different donor cells as well as in porcine metaphase II oocytes. We performed SCNT with fetal fibroblast cells, olfactory bulb (OB) progenitor cells, and porcine skin originating sphere stem cells (PSOS). We found that OB-NT embryos and PSOS-NT embryos resulted in a higher morulae/blastocysts ratio as compared to fibroblast-NT embryos (23.53%, 16.98%, and 11.63%, respectively; P < 0.05). Fibroblast cells contained a significantly higher amount of SNF2L and CHD3 transcripts while Brg1 and SNF2H were the most expressed transcripts in all the cell lines analyzed. Metaphase II oocyte expression profile appeared to be unique compared to the cell lines analyzed. This work supports our hypothesis that an array of chromatin-remodeling proteins on donor cells may influence the chromatin structure, effect epigenetic reprogramming, and developmental potential. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 766–776, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Microdynamics of chemical reactions in solution: unscrambling heterogeneities in a contradiffusion-controlled limit

Abstract Energetically rich molecules having a measurable spectral shift between two different pure solvents may, in the mixed solvent, reveal dynamics that depend on detection wavelength. Picosecond and quantum yield studies provide the rate of exchange of solvent and reactant molecules and other aspects of the microdynamics, including the “cage effect”.
The efficacy of early intervention programs for children with organic impairment: A quantitative review

Abstract The results of studies examining the effectiveness of early intervention for infants and children with organic impairment and developmental delay were reviewed using recently developed quantitative methods that treat the literature review process as a unique type of scientific inquiry. Thirty-eight studies meeting certain predetermined criteria were included in the review. The 38 studies contained a total of 118 statistical hypothesis tests that evaluated the effectiveness of early intervention. An analysis of these tests based on the calculation of effect sizes revealed that subjects receiving early intervention performed better on a wide range of dependent measures than subjects not receiving intervention. The outcomes were found to be related to several design and study characteristics. Larger effect sizes were associated with preexperimental designs, and also with studies in which the internal validity was rated as poor. Several other design variables such as how subjects were assigned to conditions and how the dependent measure was recorded were related to study outcome as measured by effect size. The conclusion was made that an accurate interpretation of the early intervention research literature cannot be made without consideration of specific design variables and study characteristics.
Dynamical Coupled-channels Effects on Pion Photoproduction

The electromagnetic pion production reactions are investigated within the dynamical coupled-channels model developed in {\bf Physics Reports, 439, 193 (2007)}. The meson-baryon channels included in this study are $$\gamma N$$, $$\pi N$$, $$\eta N$$, and the $$\pi\Delta$$, $$\rho N$$ and $$\sigma N$$ resonant components of the $$\pi\pi N$$ channel. With the hadronic parameters of the model determined in a recent study of $$\pi N$$ scattering, we show that the pion photoproduction data up to the second resonance region can be described to a very large extent by only adjusting the bare $$\gamma N \rightarrow N^*$$ helicity amplitudes, while the non-resonant electromagnetic couplings are taken from previous works. It is found that the coupled-channels effects can contribute about 10 - 20 $$\%$$ of the production cross sections in the $$\Delta$$ (1232) resonance region, and can drastically change the magnitude and shape of the cross sections in the second resonance region. The importance of the off-shell effects in a dynamical approach is also demonstrated. The meson cloud effects as well as the coupled-channels contributions to the $$\gamma N \rightarrow N^*$$ form factors are found to be mainly in the low $Q^2$ region. For the magnetic M1 $$\gamma N \rightarrow \Delta$$ (1232) form factor, the results are close to that of the Sato-Lee Model. Necessary improvements to the model and future developments are discussed.
Is value-free sex talk valuable?

(1991). Is Value-Free Sex Talk Valuable? Journal of American College Health: Vol. 40, AIDS Education on the College Campus, pp. 99-100.
Qualification of 300 mm SOI CMOS substrate material: readiness for development and manufacturing

Abstract SOI substrates with 300 mm diameter have recently become available for use in circuit development. Little is known at present about the quality of these substrates and how they compare to the well-established 200 mm substrates. This paper outlines several physical and electrical characterization techniques and their use in comparing both bonded and SIMOX 300 and 200 mm SOI material.
Protein kinase CK2 mediates TGF-β;1-stimulated type IV collagen gene transcription and its reversal by estradiol1

Protein kinase CK2 mediates TGF-β;1-stimulated type IV collagen gene transcription and its reversal by estradiol. Background We have previously shown that the transcription factor Sp1 mediates the stimulatory effects of transforming growth factor-β;1 (TGF-β;1) on type IV collagen gene transcription and protein synthesis, and that estradiol reverses these effects by down-regulating Sp1 activity. Protein kinase casein kinase II (CK2) phosphorylates Egr-1 and prevents its binding to Sp1. We hypothesized that TGF-β;1 stimulates CK2 activity, which in turn activates type IV collagen gene transcription via increased availability of free Sp1. Methods The effects of TGF-β;1 and of estradiol on murine mesangial cell type IV collagen gene transcription were measured using a reporter mini gene construct and on collagen IV protein synthesis by Western blotting. Nuclear Egr-1, phosphorylated Egr-1, Sp1, Egr-1/Sp1 complexes and unbound Sp1 were measured using co-immunoprecipitation and Western blotting techniques. Results TGF-β;1 stimulated CK2 activity in murine mesangial cells. Although TGF-β;1 failed to alter total Egr-1 protein, it increased phosphorylated Egr-1. This led to decreased Egr-1/Sp1 complex formation, increased unbound Sp1, increased binding of nuclear extracts to the collagen IV promoter, and increased type IV collagen gene transcription and protein synthesis. Physiologic concentrations of estradiol reversed these effects. Conclusions These studies suggest that activation of CK2 mediates the stimulatory effect of TGF-β;1 on type IV collagen gene transcription. Moreover, the ability of estradiol to reverse TGF-β;1-stimulated type IV collagen synthesis is mediated by down-regulating CK2 activity, which ultimately limits the availability of unbound Sp1 to activate gene transcription.
A Determination of e m for an Electron by a New Deflection Method

To fill the need of a new deflection determination and to provide a more accurate value, a new measurement of $\frac{e}{m}$ is being made. The method used was conceived by Professor E. O. Lawrence. The essential points of the method are: acceleration of electrons to a continuous range of velocities by a radiofrequency electrostatic field, choice of a particular velocity by magnetic field resolution, measurement of this velocity through radiofrequency fields applied to a pair of accelerating slits and a pair of decelerating slits. A most important advantage of this method is that no acceleration voltage need be measured. This, combined with other properties of the method, practically eliminates errors due to contact potentials. Another advantage is the very high observational precision the method makes possible. The present results, although not considered final, are of an accuracy comparable with published values. The value obtained from two groups of observations made at different electron velocities (the corresponding electron voltages being about 1420 and 844 volts) is $\frac{e}{{m}_{0}}=(1.7571\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0015)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7} \mathrm{e}.\mathrm{m}.\mathrm{u}.$ The uncertainty stated is a conservatively calculated probable error. A comparison of six recent and probably most reliable $\frac{e}{m}$ determinations is made. The spectroscopic and free electron averages are now in good agreement. The weighted average of these six determinations is $\frac{e}{{m}_{0}}=(1.7598\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0005)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{7} \mathrm{e}.\mathrm{m}.\mathrm{u}.$
Energy minimization versus pseudo force technique for nonlinear structural analysis

The effectiveness of using minimization techniques for the solution of nonlinear structural analysis problems is discussed and demonstrated by comparison with the conventional pseudo force technique. The comparison involves nonlinear problems with a relatively few degrees of freedom. A survey of the state-of-the-art of algorithms for unconstrained minimization reveals that extension of the technique to large scale nonlinear systems is possible.
Investor Ignorance in Markets for Worthless Stocks

Abstract We examine stocks of bankrupt firms after the court confirms they will receive nothing. While trading volume is negligible for most worthless stocks, some have sizable trading volume, indicating investor ignorance of their zero intrinsic value. Prices respond irrationally to news in several instances, and they are higher for more liquid worthless stocks, which are more likely to attract uninformed investors. Our analysis includes the first empirical examination of short-selling in bankrupt firms. Short-covering cannot account for the anomalous price and trading volume. Short-sellers are active in these stocks and play a useful role in pushing prices down toward intrinsic value.