cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comment on: Measurement of resting energy expenditure in healthy children.

Background: The role that the components of energy expenditure play in the etiology of childhood obesity has highlighted the need for greater accuracy and standardized protocols for the measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE). However, protocols used to assess REE in children are varied, and consensus on a suitable method for measuring REE in children has not been reached. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of measurement time and measurement device (mask or mouthpiece) on REE in healthy children. Design: Following a 12-hour fast and abstinence from exercise, 23 children (age, 7–12 years) completed two 35-minute protocols: one with a face mask and the other with a mouthpiece/noseclip. Energy expenditure was measured continuously via indirect calorimetry, while device acceptability was assessed using a 6-point comfort rating scale. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA indicated that there was no significant difference in REE when measured after 10, 15, 20, or 25 minutes of rest compared ...
Haptic Interaction of Touch and Proprioception: Implications for Neuroprosthetics

Somatosensation is divided into multiple discrete modalities that we think of separably: e.g., tactile, proprioceptive, and temperature sensation. However, in processes such as haptics, those modalities all interact. If one intended to artificially generate a sensation that could be used for stereognosis, for example, it would be crucial to understand these interactions. We are presently examining the relationship between tactile and proprioceptive modalities in this context. In this overview of some of our recent work, we show that signals that would normally be attributed to two of these systems separately, tactile contact and self-movement, interact both perceptually and physiologically in ways that complicate the understanding of haptic processing. In the first study described here, we show that a tactile illusion on the fingertips, the cutaneous rabbit effect, can be abolished by changing the posture of the fingers. We then discuss activity in primary somatosensory cortical neurons illustrating the interrelationship of tactile and postural signals. In this study, we used a robot-enhanced virtual environment to show that many neurons in primary somatosensory cortex with cutaneous receptive fields encode elements both of tactile contact and self-motion. We then show the results of studies examining the structure of the process which extracts the spatial location of the hand from proprioceptive signals. The structure of the spatial errors in these maps indicates that the proprioceptive-spatial map is stable but individually constructed. These seemingly disparate studies lead us to suggest that tactile sensation is encoded in a 2-D map, but one which undergoes continual dynamic modification by an underlying proprioceptive map. Understanding how the disparate signals that comprise the somatosensory system are processed to produce sensation is an important step in realizing the kind of seamless integration aspired to in neuroprosthetics.
Compositional characterization of volcanic products from a primarily sedimentary record: The Oligocene Espinaso Formation, north-central New Mexico

Direct evidence for the style and composition of volcanism associated with magmatic centers of the Oligocene Ortiz porphyry belt, New Mexico, has been largely removed by erosion. Careful study of volcaniclastic sediments of the coeval Espinaso Formation provides an indirect record of the composition of erupted materials and mode of eruptive activity associated with the Cerrillos Hills and Ortiz Mountains eruptive centers. Petrographic and major-element chemical analyses of conglomerate clasts from near Cerrillos and at Espinaso Ridge confirm the progression from calc-alkaline to alkaline magmatism, as suggested by earlier work on Ortiz intrusive rocks. Based on modal mineralogy, three distinct stratigraphic intervals are recognized at the Cerrillos Locations. The lowest is dominated by a phenocryst assemblage of hornblende + clinopyroxene + plagioclase; in the second interval, clinopyroxene is almost completely absent. The stratigraphically highest interval contains variable amounts of clinopyroxene with repeated trends from hornblende-rich to clinopyroxene-rich compositions. Similar hornblende-to-clinopyroxene trends can be seen in the lower part of the section at Espinaso Ridge, but these rocks are compositionally distinct from those near Cerrillos. At a stratigraphic break high in the section, interpreted to be the calc-alkaline-to-alkaline transition, hornblende + clinopyroxene gives way to biotite + clinopyroxene. Major-element data on clasts from Espinaso Ridge suggest that these clasts can be related by fractionation of plagioclase ± hornblende and/or clinopyroxene and are consistent with the hypothesis that Espinaso Ridge material was derived from the Ortiz eruptive center. In contrast, Cerrillos-area clasts generally have less silica than those of Espinaso Ridge, compatible with the observation that the Cerrillos section contains less pyroclastic debris. Cerrillos data show the effects of fractionation by an Fe-Ti phase and, possibly, plagioclase. These rocks were probably derived from the Cerrillos Hills eruptive center. Differences between compositions of volcanics from the two eruptive centers may be related to the depths of emplacement of their subjacent magma chambers. The mineralogy of the reworked pyroclastic material suggests that explosive eruptions originated from a deeper magma body than the ones that provided lavas that are represented by conglomerate clasts.
Stable isotopes, mesocosms and gut content analysis demonstrate trophic differences in two invasive decapod crustacea

SUMMARY 1. Improving our understanding of dietary differences among omnivorous, benthic crustacea can help to define the scope of their trophic influence in benthic food webs. In this study, we examined the trophic ecology of two non-native decapod crustaceans, the Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) (CMC) and the red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) (RSC), in the San Francisco Bay ecosystem to describe their food web impacts and explore whether these species are functionally equivalent in their impacts on aquatic benthic communities. 2. We used multiple methods to maximise resolution of the diet of these species, including N and C stable isotope analysis of field data, controlled feeding experiments to estimate isotopic fractionation, mesocosm experiments, and gut content analysis (GCA). 3. In experimental enclosures, both CMC and RSC caused significant declines in terrestrially derived plant detritus (P 50% relative to controls. 4. Plant material dominated gut contents of both species, but several sediment-dwelling invertebrate taxa were also found. GCA and mesocosm results indicate that CMC feed predominantly on surface-dwelling invertebrates, suggesting that trophic impacts of this species could include a shift in invertebrate community composition towards sedimentdwelling taxa. 5. Stable isotope analysis supported a stronger relationship between CMC and both algae and algal-associated invertebrates than with allochthonous plant materials, while RSC was more closely aligned with terrestrially derived detritus. 6. The trophic ecology and life histories of these two invasive species translate into important differences in potential impacts on aquatic food webs. Our results suggest that the CMC differs from the RSC in exerting new pressures on autochthonous food sources and shallow-dwelling invertebrates. The crab’s wide-ranging foraging techniques, use of intertidal habitat, and migration out of freshwater at sexual maturity increases the distribution of the impacts of this important invasive species.
A practical cost-effective management strategy for gallstone pancreatitis

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of various surgeon strategies used to evaluate and treat common duct stones (CDSs) in patients presenting with mild to moderate gallstone pancreatitis (GP). METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients admitted for mild to moderate GP. Data variables included laboratory values and radiology images, indications for and findings of intraoperative cholangiogram (IOC) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), length of stay
The Importance of the Precipitation Mass Sink in Tropical Cyclones and Other Heavily Precipitating Systems

Abstract When water vapor is converted to cloud and precipitation and subsequently removed to the surface via precipitation, there is a corresponding hydrostatic pressure decrease due to the reduction of mass in the overlying column. Pressure changes resulting from the addition or removal of water vapor are currently neglected in most meteorological applications. However, in heavily precipitating systems such as tropical cyclones, where precipitation rates may exceed 250 mm day−1, the pressure equivalent of the precipitation mass sink is not negligible (∼25 hPa day−1). Pressure decreases due to this mechanism are most pronounced in the lower troposphere, particularly below the melting level. The resulting unbalanced pressure-gradient force can enhance convergence, which precludes full realization of the pressure decrease but may contribute to vorticity generation and moisture convergence. The importance of the precipitation mass sink is investigated for the case of Hurricane Lili (2002) through the comput...
Effects of rumen-protected polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on performance and physiological responses of growing cattle after transportation and feedlot entry.

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of rumen-protected PUFA supple- mentation on performance and inflammation measures in beef calves after truck transportation and feedyard entry. In Exp. 1, 30 weaned Braford steers (BW = 218
Transmembrane Regulation of Intracellular Calcium by a Plasma Membrane Sodium/Calcium Exchanger in Mouse Ova

Regulation of cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+)]i) is a key factor for maintenance of viability of cells, including oocytes. Indeed, during fertilization of an ovum, [Ca2+]i is known to undergo oscillations, but it is unknown how basal [Ca2+]i or calcium oscillations are regulated. In the present study we investigated the role of the plasma membrane in regulating [Ca2+]i of metaphase II-arrested mouse oocytes (ova). Ova were collected from B6C3F1 mice treated with eCG (10 IU) and hCG (5 IU), and intracellular calcium was determined by means of fura-2. Extracellular calcium flux across the zona pellucida was detected noninvasively by a calcium ion-selective, self-referencing microelectrode that was positioned by a computer-controlled micromanipulator. Under basal conditions ova exhibited a calcium net efflux of 20.6 +/- 5.2 fmol/cm2 per sec (n = 69). Treatment of ova with ethanol (7%) or thapsigargin (25 nM-2.5 microM) transiently increased intracellular calcium and stimulated calcium efflux that paralleled levels of [Ca2+]i. The presence of a Na+/Ca2+ exchanger was indicated by experiments employing both bepridil, an inhibitor of Na+/Ca2+ exchange, and sodium-depleted media. In the presence of bepridil, a net influx of calcium was revealed across the zona pellucida, which was reflected by an increase in the [Ca2+]i. In addition, replenishment of extracellular sodium to ova that had been incubated in sodium-depleted media induced a large calcium efflux, consistent with the actions of Na+/Ca2+ exchange. Sodium/calcium exchange in mouse ova may be an important mechanism that regulates [Ca2+]i.
Predictors of need-driven behaviors in nursing home residents with dementia and associated certified nursing assistant burden

Objective: We examined predictors of staff-reported need-driven behaviors and resistiveness to care in nursing home residents with dementia and predictors of certified nursing assistant (CNA) burden related to both constructs. Background and proximal factors from the need-driven dementia-compromised behavior model [Algase, D.L., Beck, C., Kolanowski, A., Whall, A., Berent, S., Richards, K., et al. (1996). Need-driven dementia-compromised behavior: An alternative view of disruptive behavior. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, 5, 10–19] were examined as potential predictors of need-driven behaviors (NDBs) and resistiveness to care and CNA burden. Method: We used secondary data analysis of prospective data from 10 nursing homes in Birmingham, Alabama. One-hundred and sixty-one residents (83.43 ± 8.56 years) with mini mental state examination (MMSE) score = 6.41 (± 6.66) were assessed via chart review, resident surveys, and surveys of CNAs. Results: Multiple regression models revealed that cognitive fun...
Questioning the validity of the 4+/5+ binge or heavy drinking criterion in college and clinical populations

Background and Aims The terms ‘binge drinking’ and ‘heavy drinking’ are both operationalized typically as 4+/5+ standard drinks per occasion for women/men, and are used commonly as a proxy for non-problematic (<4/<5) versus problematic (4+/5+) drinking in multiple research contexts. The Food and Drug Administration in the United States recently proposed the 4+/5+ criterion as a primary efficacy end-point in their guidance for trials examining new medications for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Internationally, similar cut-offs have been proposed, with the European Medicines Agency having identified reductions in the number of heavy drinking days (defined as 40/60 g pure alcohol in women/men) as a primary end-point for efficacy trials with a harm reduction goal. Analysis and evidence We question the validity of the 4+/5+ cut-off (and other similar cut-offs) on multiple accounts. The 4+/5+ cut-off has not been shown to have unique predictive validity or clinical utility. The cut-off has been created based on retrospective self-reports and its use demonstrates ecological bias. Given strong evidence that the relationship between alcohol consumption and problems related to drinking is at least monotonic, if not linear, there is little existing evidence to support the 4+/5+ cut-off as a valid marker of problematic alcohol use. Conclusions There is little empirical evidence for the 4+/5+ standard drinks per occasion threshold for ‘binge’ or ‘heavy’ drinking in indexing treatment efficacy. Further consideration of an appropriate threshold seems to be warranted.
A Correlation Between Patch Clamp and Fluorescence Anisotropy Experiments to Study Alterations on the Acethylcholine Channel Induced by Cholesterol Enrichment in Chick Myocytes

The present work compares a series of results obtained by [Lasalde et al., 1992] and [Lasalde & Zuazaga, 1991] in order to show the potential use of the patch clamp methodology in combination with fluorescence polarization spectroscopy to study lipid induced alterations of a biological membrane and its effect at the single channel level. The system selected for this particular study was chick myocytes in culture since this preparation contains only one acethylcholine receptor (AChR) channel conductance (50 pS) and cells can be grown at high density attached to glass. Diphenylhexatriene (DPH) was the probe used to perform membrane microviscosity estimations and lifetimes by the phase demodulation method. The results of fluorescence polarization suggest that after cholesterol enrichement there is more than one lipid microenvironment in the plasma membrane of these cells. The patch clamp data from cholesterol enriched myocytes showed a heterogeneous distribution of AChR channels. Both results suggest that the current from a single AChR channel opening can sense dramatic changes in the normal lipid compositions of the cell membrane.
Biochemically Silent Pheochromocytoma Presenting with Hypertensive Crisis During Surgery

ABSTRACT Objective: Pheochromocytomas (PHEOs) are tumors of the adrenal medulla, and paragangliomas (PARAs) are tumors of the sympathetic, or parasympathetic chain. Adrenal PHEOs and sympathetic PARAs commonly secrete catecholamines. Elevated plasma free metanephrines or 24-hour urinary fractionated metanephrines are the gold standards to diagnose a secreting PHEO or PARA, and if secreting, pretreatment with alpha-blockade is indicated to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with anesthesia and surgery. However, if the tumor is nonsecreting, alpha-blockade is generally not recommended. Methods: We present a case of a 65-year-old man who presented with an incidentally noted 1.9-cm right adrenal nodule. Workup showed this to be a nonsecreting adrenal mass, with normal plasma free metanephrines. However, he experienced a hypertensive crisis at the time of induction of anesthesia when he presented for elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. He was stabilized and treated with alpha-blockade. Afte...
The Challenges of Integration in an Innovative Modern Medical Curriculum

Integration is natural to the art and science of medicine and has historically underpinned ancient (TCM and Ayurveda) and modern (allopathic) medical philosophies. The modern history of medicine is traceable to the Flexner intervention of 1908 which not only reaffirmed integration but also produced the dichotomous (preclinical/clinical) traditional medical curriculum which by the middle of the twentieth century became disfavored for its inconsistency with integration. This gave birth to the innovative integrated curriculum with attendant challenges, including defining integration. The challenges posed to and by integration at the levels of curriculum strategic planning, delivery, assessment, and evaluation are discussed with suggested solutions.
A Fatal Mis-Match: Employer-Centric Benefits in a Boundaryless Workplace

In this article, Katherine V. W. Stone traces the origins of the uniquely American system of private, employer-centered welfare institutions and argues that the prevailing model must be replaced with an alternative that is both more portable and more affordable for the vast majority of workers. Stone shows how the current employer-centric system of benefits originated in the industrial era of the last century when employers sought to secure a stable workforce through internal labor markets. She argues that this employer-centered model of social insurance and welfare benefits has largely outlived its usefulness in the new "boundaryless" workplace of the twenty-first century. In response to the aging of the population and a rapidly changing economy characterized by global competition, shorter production cycles, increased use of contingent and temporary employment and rising healthcare costs, in the last two decades employers have reduced their benefits coverage, shifted away from risk-pooling plans, such as defined benefits plans, in favor of a personal responsibility approach characterized by more portable but riskier defined contribution plans. She shows that these changes have generally shifted the costs and risks of healthcare and old age assistance onto their employees. As a result, the U.S. system of employer-centered benefits is irrelevant for large numbers of employees who have no coverage and increasingly inadequate, uncertain and costly for those who are covered.
FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH GLUCOSE TOLERANCE IN ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES

Glucose tolerance data from the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed to determine factors predicting fasting plasma glucose levels and glucose tolerance in a representative US population. Central adiposity (subscapular skinfolds), age, and family history of diabetes were the major predictors of fasting levels and of glucose tolerance. For women, having a diabetic mother was significantly related to fasting glucose and glucose tolerance, but for men the proportion of siblings with diabetes was positively related. Multiple regression analyses, after adjustment for age and subscapular skinfolds, identified white cell count, systolic blood pressure, natural logarithm total iron binding capacity, and family history variables as being significant predictors of glucose tolerance in both sexes. In addition, several other variables were predictive for men or women, but not for both. These data confirm the importance of the major predictors of glucose tolerance and suggest provocative new associations in the general population.
Law Firm Copying and Fair Use: An Examination of Different Purpose and Fair Use Markets

In several recent lawsuits, publishers sued law firms for copyright infringement. The lawsuits focused on making unlicensed copies of scholarly articles to file with patent applications, including copies for the firms’ internal use and for the firms’ clients. In two of these cases, lower court judges determined that the making of unlicensed copies was fair use. The decisions hinged on transformative use, focusing on the defendant’s purpose for using the works. There was no alteration or change in the works. The judges found fair use, despite the possible availability of licensing.These patent application cases fit within a larger category of cases involving the use of copyrighted works in judicial and quasi-judicial proceedings. This article uses these cases as a vehicle to review the use of purpose in fair use analysis. It advocates that the review of the character and purpose of a use should include a deeper examination of the policies and societal interests underlying the use. This broader consideration is especially important if a plaintiff asserts the presence of a ready market for the payment of fees for use of a copyrighted work. This article explores the determination of a fair use market as a way to support the unlicensed use of copyrighted works although a ready market exists for the payment of fees. These cases offer an excellent model for the analysis necessary to determine a fair use market.
Abstract 18734: KLF4 Regulates Aortic Aneurysm Morphology and Deletion Attenuates Aortic Aneurysm Formation

Objective: Kruppel-like Factor 4 (KLF4) is known to play a role in inducing phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) following ischemia reperfusion injury and in atherosclerosis; however, its role in aortic aneurysms (AA) remains unknown. The study objective was to evaluate the role of genetic deletion of KLF4 on development of experimental AAs. Methods: 8-12 week male (n=12) KLF4 flx/wt ERT tamoxifen Cre+ mice (“KLF4 conditional het KO mice”) and KLF4 flx/wt ERT tamoxifen Cre- (WT) mice underwent elastase perfusion following tamoxifen injection. In separate experiments, 8-12 week male (n=13) KLF4 flx/flx Smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (Myh11) Cre+(“SMC specific conditional KLF4 KO mice”), and KLF4 wt/wt SM-MHC Cre+ (“Myh11 Cre WT”) underwent elastase perfusion following tamoxifen administration. At 14 days, maximal aortic dilation was measured with video micrometry. Aortic samples were evaluated with histology for α-actin, macrophages, neutrophils, T lymphocytes and elastin. Results: Maximal aortic dilation was significantly reduced in KLF4 conditional het KO mice compared to WT controls (42.9 ± 7.3% versus 78.9 ± 12.6%, p Conclusions: KLF4 plays a critical role in promoting AA formation, since heterozygous KLF4 KO mice showed reduced aneurysm formation. At least part of this effect is due to loss of KLF4 in SMC since SMC specific conditional KLF4 KO mice also showed reduced AA formation as well as decreased immune cell recruitment and greater preservation of elastin and SMCs. Taken together, results identify KLF4 as a novel therapeutic target for treatment of aneurysms.
High-Fidelity Simulation Effect on Nurses' Identification of Deteriorating Pediatric Patients

Abstract Background We evaluated the effects of high-fidelity pediatric simulation experiences on nurses' early recognition of deterioration and patient outcomes. Method Pediatric nurses (n = 83) participated in a 12-month quality improvement project. Results Among 92 rapid response team/Code Blue events, 72.2% resulted in pediatric intensive care unit transfers; 84.8% of nurses' prior Pediatric Early Warning Score scores were accurate. The number of simulations that nurses completed during the study was not related to Pediatric Early Warning Score accuracy or pediatric intensive care unit transfer rates. Conclusions Although simulations did not affect these outcomes, this is the first study to link pediatric high-fidelity simulation experiences to individual nurses' clinical decision-making practices and patient outcomes.
Secret operatives, clandestine trades: the thriving black market for weapons

Legal arms sales have flagged in recent years, but illegal and semilegal traffic has kept weapons flowing steadily to world trouble spots.
"I was just trying to stick it out until I realized that I couldn't": a phenomenological investigation of support seeking among older adults with complicated grief.

Complicated Grief (CG) is a prolonged, impairing mental health condition affecting about 7% of the bereaved. CG may be especially prevalent in older adults. Though evidence-based treatments for CG have been developed, little is known about support-seeking in older adults with CG. This study used the descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the CG support-seeking process. In-depth interviews were conducted with 8 CG-positive older adults who had completed participation in a randomized clinical trial of CG treatment. Five primary themes arose: observing that grief was causing a great deal of distress and impairment; grief not meeting expectations of what grief “should be”; an important influence of social relationships on support-seeking; lack of effectiveness of grief support groups and/or care from mental health professionals prior to study enrollment; and strong reactions to the label of CG. Themes may hep inform efforts to engage older adults with CG in effective care.
Prolyl hydroxylation regulates protein degradation, synthesis and splicing in human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes

Aims Protein hydroxylases are oxygen- and α-ketoglutarate-dependent enzymes that catalyse hydroxylation of amino acids such as proline, thus linking oxygen and metabolism to enzymatic activity. Prolyl hydroxylation is a dynamic post-translational modification that regulates protein stability and protein–protein interactions; however, the extent of this modification is largely uncharacterized. The goals of this study are to investigate the biological consequences of prolyl hydroxylation and to identify new targets that undergo prolyl hydroxylation in human cardiomyocytes. Methods and results We used human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes in combination with pulse-chase amino acid labelling and proteomics to analyse the effects of prolyl hydroxylation on protein degradation and synthesis. We identified 167 proteins that exhibit differences in degradation with inhibition of prolyl hydroxylation by dimethyloxalylglycine (DMOG); 164 were stabilized. Proteins involved in RNA splicing such as serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 2 (SRSF2) and splicing factor and proline- and glutamine-rich (SFPQ) were stabilized with DMOG. DMOG also decreased protein translation of cytoskeletal and sarcomeric proteins such as α-cardiac actin. We searched the mass spectrometry data for proline hydroxylation and identified 134 high confidence peptides mapping to 78 unique proteins. We identified SRSF2, SFPQ, α-cardiac actin, and cardiac titin as prolyl hydroxylated. We identified 29 prolyl hydroxylated proteins that showed a significant difference in either protein degradation or synthesis. Additionally, we performed next-generation RNA sequencing and showed that the observed decrease in protein synthesis was not due to changes in mRNA levels. Because RNA splicing factors were prolyl hydroxylated, we investigated splicing ± inhibition of prolyl hydroxylation and detected 369 alternative splicing events, with a preponderance of exon skipping. Conclusions This study provides the first extensive characterization of the cardiac prolyl hydroxylome and demonstrates that inhibition of α-ketoglutarate hydroxylases alters protein stability, translation, and splicing.
Analysis for inpatients cost and medical insurance coverage of pneumonia in China

Objective:To analyze the difference on inpatients' direct medical costs of pneumonia among regions,levels of cities,and types of the hospitals.Methods:Systematic sampling was used to collect data on direct medical costs of inpatients with pneumonia and relevant statistics methods were used to analyze the data combining with health statistical yearbook.Results:There was significant difference in direct medical costs among different regions and medical insurance systems.The hospitalization expense of pneumonia in province-capital cities,prefectural-level cities was 3.48 times of the average expense in whole China.The reimbursement rate of basic insurance system for urban residents was much lower than system for urban employees.Drug cost was an important part of pneumonia treatment,which counted about 60% of the total expense.Conclusion:The government needs to further promote the pilot on clinical pathway,standardize the process of diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia and control the growth of health expenditure.It needs to raise the level of basic medical insurance gradually and distribute and use medical resources rationally for the well-being of the people.
The Power of d Choices for Redundancy

An increasingly prevalent technique for improving response time in queueing systems is the use of redundancy. In a system with redundant requests, each job that arrives to the system is copied and dispatched to multiple servers. As soon as the first copy completes service, the job is considered complete, and all remaining copies are deleted. A great deal of empirical work has demonstrated that redundancy can significantly reduce response time in systems ranging from Google's BigTable service to kidney transplant waitlists. We propose a theoretical model of redundancy, the Redundancy-d system, in which each job sends redundant copies to d servers chosen uniformly at random. We derive the first exact expressions for mean response time in Redundancy-d systems with any finite number of servers. We also find asymptotically exact expressions for the distribution of response time as the number of servers approaches infinity.
The Application of the Peircean Semiotic to Logic

The loose and sloppy explanation of the difference between Induction and Deduction,--the explanation which is sometimes still taught to freshman English students--is that Deduction moves from general to specific, while Induction moves from specific to general. This account has been sufficiently discredited that I do not need to dwell on the arguments here. The more often accepted explanation is that in Deduction the conclusion follows from the premises with certainty while in Induction the conclusion follows only with some degree of probability. Of course we cannot claim that the conclusion of a Deductive argument really is certain, since the conclusion can be no better than the premises upon which it rests. What we mean is that the conclusion of a Deductive argument would be certain if we could first lay to rest any conceivable doubt concerning the truth of the premises. Any argument in which the premises fail to provide this kind of support must fall into the category of Induction. The unfortunate consequence of this account, however, is that invalid Deductions cannot be called Deductions at all, but are rather Inductions, since the conclusion does not follow from the premises with absolute certainty. This shows the need for a way of distinguishing kinds of reasoning which will provide an independent criterion for distinguishing good from bad examples of each kind of reasoning.
Proust’s Sacred Grove: A Study in Spatial Poetics

In this paper I propose a close reading of selected passages of Proust’s masterpiece A la recherche du temps perdu (Remembrance of Things Past) in which the sacred grove image surfaces and creates metaphorical constructs of great thematic complexity, particularly with reference to the Platonic cave myth and the Ovidian landscapes blending innocence and desire. Proust’s networks of mythological associations are often hidden in the dense fabric of his metaphorical prose, as Marie Miguet-Ollagnier explained in her book La Mythologie de Marcel Proust: As for the overt references to Ovid’s Metamorphoses,they were more numerous in previous versions (of Proust’s novel). Proust removed several of them almost as if he wished to conceal one of the deepest sources of his own imagination (Ollagnier, p. 152; my translation).
Fludarabine, Idarubicin and High Dose Cytarabine (FLAG-IDA) Followed by Allogeneic Transplantation: A Successful Strategy for Remission Re-Induction in High Risk Pediatric Patients with Relapsed, Refractory and Secondary Acute Leukemias.

Despite significant advances in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic (ALL) and acute myeloid (AML) leukemias, the prognosis of those with primary refractory, secondary and early relapsed disease remains extremely poor with survival reported in most studies at less than 20%. Salvage rates are particularly poor in children with ALL who relapse on therapy and in children with AML who relapse post autologous bone marrow transplant. Encouraging results using the re-induction combination regimen of Fludarabine, high dose Cytarabine and Idarubicin (FLAG-IDA) have been reported, however the majority of data is in adult patients. Here we report the largest series of pediatric patients with high risk acute leukemias receiving this regimen in combination with allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation as salvage therapy. Between 1999–2005 a toal of 32 patients at 2 Australian Pediatric Cancer Centers were given Fludarabine (30mg/m2 IV over 1 hour for 5 days); Idarubicin (8mg/m2 IV over 1 hour for 3 days); Cytarabine (2000mg/m2 IV over 4 hours for 5 days) and GCSF (5mcg/kg/day). There were 21 males and 11 females, with a median age of 10.4 years (range 1.7 to 15.5 years). All patients had high risk leukemias; relapsed ALL (n=13), primary refractory ALL (n=3), relapsed AML (n=13), primary refractory AML (n=1) and secondary AML (n=2). For the overall cohort median duration of first complete remission (CR1) was 16 months (range 2–34 months). Relapsed ALL patients were all considered extremely high risk with a CR1 duration of 22 of the 23 patients (10 AML and 12 ALL) who achieved remission proceeded to an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, following a further 2–3 courses of FLAG (without IDA) for consolidation. 70% of patients received an unrelated donor transplant. Stem cell source was MUD BM (n=9), unrelated UCB (n=6) and HLA-ID sibling donor (n=7). Overall 17 of the 22 (77.3%) remain alive and leukaemia free (9 AML and 8 ALL patients) with a median duration of 36.5 months (9–84 months). Cause of death in the transplanted patients was progressive disease (n=4) and Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonitis (n=1). In summary, for this group of high risk, early relapsed and heavily pretreated pediatiric patients, re-induction chemotherapy with FLAG-IDA followed by allogeneic transplantation has provided an excellent strategy in the achievement of long term cure.
Cannabis Use as an Independent Risk Factor for, or Component Cause of, Schizophrenia and Related Psychotic Disorders

Since the publication of initial reports in the 1960s linking cannabis use to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders, the nature and strength of this relationship have been areas of controversy. In this chapter, we present four possible explanations for the robust association between cannabis use and schizophrenia. First, we present evidence for direct causality; that is, that cannabis use makes its own unique contribution to the risk of developing schizophrenia. We then present limited evidence for reverse causation (i.e., the “self-medication hypothesis”), meaning that schizophrenia causes cannabis use; that is, those already experiencing early symptoms use cannabis in an attempt to cope with negative or depressive symptoms, or in an attempt to reduce the side effects of antipsychotic medication. Next, we present evidence for a shared etiology between cannabis use and schizophrenia; specifically, that both cannabis use and schizophrenia are brought about by one or more common etiological factors, such as childhood trauma, low socioeconomic position, urbanicity, adverse prenatal environment, and/or tobacco use. We then discuss evidence for gene-by-environment interactions, providing evidence that cannabis use may trigger schizophrenia only in persons already at genetic risk of developing schizophrenia. Finally, we conclude with a section on plausible biological mechanisms of how the use of cannabis could set off biological processes that could lead to schizophrenia.
Bacteriuria following extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy of infection stones.

AbstractExtracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy effectively pulverizes infected (struvite) renal calculi. However, after treatment minute residual fragments that may harbor bacteria and cause persistent bacteriuria remain in the renal collecting system for months. We investigated prospectively the incidence of persistent Proteus mirabilis bacteriuria after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy among 15 consecutive women with Proteus mirabilis urinary tract infections and struvite calculi. All patients received parenteral gentamicin for 3 to 8 days (mean 4.7 days) immediately before and after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy. Oral antimicrobials then were administered for 14 to 34 days (mean 25 days). Ten patients have maintained a sterile urine or experienced urinary reinfection by other organisms during 8 to 19 months (mean 13 months) of subsequent bacteriological surveillance. Of these 10 patients 9 had residual fragments. Five patients had Proteus mirabilis bacteriuria after 1 to 7 months of surveil...
Increasing diagnostic yield by RNA-Sequencing in rare disease— bypass hurdles of interpreting intronic or splice-altering variants

Whole exome sequencing (WES) has proven to be a powerful tool for the diagnosis of Mendelian disorders. Most studies on the application of WES have reported a diagnostic yield of 25–50% (1-4), leaving a significant number of undiagnosed cases.
The impacts of complaint efforts on customer satisfaction and loyalty

This study identifies the depth structure of customer complaint efforts and investigates the roles of each dimension in the structural relations with customer satisfaction and loyalty. Three dimens...
Recent Population Movements on the Great Plains

Chapter 2 proposes a relationship between a society’s complexity and the specific environment that that society exploits, but the specific locations of the recent occupants of the Great Plains changed dramatically during the centuries just before and after white contact. It is therefore necessary to consider these changes in studying the relationship between the eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Plains grasslands and the people living in them. This chapter discusses the pattern of hunter—gatherer migration across the Plains between a. d. 1650 and 1850, summarizing the tribal movements and the accepted explanations for them and identifying several points for which these explanations do not account. Chapter 8 tests the hypothesis proposed in Chapter 2 against data on the final distribution of the Plains tribes and then considers the migrations summarized here in light of the results of this test.
Stereoelective Anionic Polymerization of Chiral Vinyl Monomers Via Interconverting Ion Pair Epimers

The consequences of the possible one and three center controlled stereoelctive polymerizations of chiral monomers are considered. In this treatment, all of the possible diastereomeric ion pair epimers are assumed to be formed initially. Stereoelection is assumed to be absolute and controlled by the chiral centers at the end of the growing chain. The ion pair is considered the last chiral center. The resulting diastereomeric dyads, triads, and tetrads are given for each mechanism. Many of these mechanisms predict that by controlling the optical purity of the monomer feed one may control the stereoregularity of the resulting polymer.
Control of Cell Polarity and Shape

Cell polarity results from asymmetric cell growth (polarized growth) and cell division from a specific plane (polarized division), two phenomena fundamental for the development of organisms ranging from yeasts to humans. Polarized growth leads to the formation of unique cell shapes and subcellular structures required for many cell types to carry out specialized functions. Sensory transduction by the neurites of neurons, nutrient absorption by the microvilli of intestinal epithelial cells and plant fertilization by navigation of pollen tubes are examples of cellular processes that require polarized growth (Mooseker 1985; Bedinger et al. 1994; Eisen 1994). The ability to undergo morphological change is essential for the virulence of many pathogenic fungi (Shepherd 1988; see also Chap. 5, this Vol.). Appropriate division plane selection is important for the equal distribution of essential organelles, such as the nucleus and mitochondria, as well as the generation of differential cell fates.
Multiple Discriminant Analysis

The objective of discriminant analysis is to determine group membership of samples from a group of predictors by finding linear combinations of the variables which maximize the differences between the populations being studied, with the objective of establishing a model to sort objects into their appropriate populations with minimal error.
Species Tree and Reconciliation Estimation under a Duplication-Loss-Coalescence Model

Gene duplication and loss are two evolutionary processes that occur across all three domains of life. These two processes result in different loci, across a set of related genomes, having different gene trees. Inferring the phylogeny of the genomes from data sets of such gene trees is a central task in phylogenomics. Furthermore, when the evolutionary history of the genomes includes short branches, deep coalescence, or incomplete lineage sorting (ILS), could be at play, in addition to duplication and loss, further adding to the complexity of gene/genome relationships. Recently, researchers have developed methods to infer these evolutionary processes by simultaneously modeling gene duplication, loss, and incomplete lineage sorting with respect to a given (fixed) species tree. In this work, we focused on the task of inferring species trees, as well as locus and gene trees, from sequence data in the presence of all three processes. We developed a search heuristic for estimating the maximum a posteriori species/locus/gene tree triad, as well as their associated parameters, from the sequence data of independent gene families. We demonstrate the performance of our method on simulated data and a data set of 200 gene families from six yeast genomes. Our work enables new statistical phylogenomic analyses, particularly when hidden paralogy and incomplete lineage sorting could be simultaneously at play.
Voices of Conflict: Desegregating South African Universities

The South African higher education system has historically been characterized by racial and gender inequities inherited from the discriminatory policies of the apartheid era. Emerging from a higher education history plagued with deeply entrenched racial disparities, Voices of Conflict examines how academic programs and structures at the historically white universities have responded to the increasing enrollment of black students since the enactment of the Universities Amendment Act in 1983. Dr. Mabokela specifically seeks to understand the perceptions and attitudes of students, faculty, and administrators and to determine how these respective constituents have responded to changes in student demographics. Her study brings to light, with clarity and thoroughness, many too often overlooked and neglected issues in higher education in South Africa.
Description of low back pain clinical trials in physical therapy: a cross sectional study.

Abstract Objective To describe the main characteristics of low back pain randomized controlled trials on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database, and to rank the journals where these trials were published according to their Impact Factor. Methods This is a cross sectional study based on a collection of randomized controlled trials. A random sample of 200 low back pain trials published between 2010 and 2015 were selected from Physiotherapy Evidence Database in February 2016. We collected the following main characteristics of trials: 2015 journal Impact Factor; if the paper was published as open access; CONSORT recommendations endorsement by the journal; methodological quality and statistical reporting measured by the 0–10 items Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale. Data was analyzed descriptively. Results Trials were published in journals with a mean Impact Factor of 2.5 (SD 2.5), from which 55.5% endorsed the CONSORT recommendations. The methodological quality was moderate with 5.8 points (SD 1.6). The top 3 journals according to Impact Factor were: (1) British Medical Journal; (2) Annals of Internal Medicine; and (3) BMC Medicine. Only 6 out of 97 journals publishing low back pain trials combined the following factors: journal Impact Factor higher than 2.0, mean trial methodological quality higher than 6.0 points, endorse CONSORT recommendations and offering papers as open access. Conclusion Clinicians interested in low back pain trials must look for a wide variety of healthcare journals. A substantial number of low back pain randomized controlled trials did not follow adequate reporting and methodological recommendations.
A Case of Multiple Myeloma Misdiagnosed as Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis and Review of Relevant Literature

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant plasma cell proliferation producing large numbers of monoclonal immunoglobulins. Typical MM symptoms include anemia, renal failure, hypercalcemia, and bone pain. Atypical symptoms have rarely been reported in the literature. We report a case of a 58-year-old male who presented with symmetrical inflammatory polyarthritis and was misdiagnosed with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA). After failing many RA treatments and with further workup, the diagnosis of MM was made. This rare manifestation of MM carries a diagnostic challenge and causes a significant delay in treating such patients. Here, we report this unusual initial presentation with review of several cases in the English literature describing similar presentations.