cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bernard Mandeville's Defense of Imperfection and Human Flourishing

Instead of arguing on the grounds of the ultimate perfection or natural character of markets, Mandeville focuses on the ways in which markets serve as tools of measurement as well as cushions against human failure and ineradicable empirical uncertainty. He understands that human life is characterized simultaneously by the potential for progress and the reality of limits, and thus he offers markets (where individuals can freely pursue their self-interest) as a means for humans to survive more comfortably than they would otherwise. I attempt to show that instead of promising perfection at the end of history, Mandeville's free market (properly understood) represents an attempt by humans to work within a flawed, uncertain world. Put simply, the free market makes opportunities of calamities, and promotes the sort of activity that makes progress (measured against nearly any standard, economic, political, social, scientific, or otherwise) possible. Conceiving of the market in terms of motion, activity, and expansion instead of in terms of balance and equilibrium is central to Mandeville's understanding of the best human economic life. The market is frenzied, full of activity, and impulsive, but it does offer a means of translating individual self-interest into measurable social benefit. In Mandeville's marketplace, individuals engage in economic life to better achieve their self-interested ends, and this is all we can expect or hope for.
The development of Bithynia tentaculata (Prosobranchia, Gastropoda) after removal of the polar lobe.

The polar lobe of the egg of Bithynia , with a volume of less than 1% of that of the egg, was surgically removed. Lobeless embryos form no mesentoblast cell nor mesoderm bands. They fail to establish bilateral symmetry and to form eyes, foot, operculum, shell, etc. They always differentiate larval head cells, ganglia, larval liver and mesenchyme and sometimes columnar epithelium, stomodeal entrance cells, endodermal tubes and muscles. These results are discussed in relation to the structure of the lobe, the analysis of development of Bithynia and to similar experiments in other species.
57 – Stable Isotopes

The use of stable isotopes as tracers dates to the early 1930s and the groundbreaking work of Schonheimer. These early studies utilized a mass spectrometer to quantitate abundance of stable isotope tracers in biological samples. The same basic analytical approach is used today, with few conceptual differences. Although the isotope ratio of any number of gases can be measured, most instruments designed for use in metabolic studies are set up to conveniently analyze H 2 , N 2 , or CO 2 gas. The inlet system to the mass spectrometer is usually a vacuum-line/gas-handling system with holding cells for both a reference gas and the sample gas. The pressures of the reference and sample gases can be equilibrated to eliminate pressure variation as a potential source of error. Capillary “leak” lines are attached to the gas-holding cells and lead to a pair of switching valves that admit the sample and the reference alternately to the ion source. The gas molecules stream from the holding chamber via the molecular “leaks” into the mass spectrometer, which is under high vacuum. This “dual-inlet” system allows for the almost simultaneous analysis of a sample and a reference standard.
Abstract 5000: Spinster 2 exports S1P, an important player in lymph node metastasis.

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a ligand for five specific receptors, is a potent lipid mediator that plays important roles in cancer cell proliferation, migration, and cancer-induced angiogenesis/lymphangiogenesis. S1P is produced inside cells and therefore must be secreted in order to exert its effects through these receptors. We have reported that E2-induced export of S1P mediated by ABCC1 and ABCG2 transporters and consequent activation of S1P receptors may contribute to nongenomic signaling of E2 important for breast cancer pathophysiology. Spinster 2 (Spns2) is one of the cell surface transporters thought to secrete S1P, thus it is important to elucidate its physiological role. Although lymphatic endothelial cells contribute to regulation of S1P levels in lymph, little is known how S1P levels are maintained in the lymphatic system. Spinster 2 knockout mice were used, and the lymphatic system was examined by flow cytometry and immunofluorescent staining. Sphingolipids in the blood, lymph, and organs were determined by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). We found that S1P secreted by breast cancer cells promotes tumor progression in a syngeneic model by stimulating angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis. Interestingly, suppression of tumor S1P production resulted in less lymph node metastasis. Further, we found that serum S1P levels are elevated in breast cancer patients with lymph node metastasis. We confirmed that Spns2 can export endogenous S1P from cells and also dihydro-S1P, which is active at all cell surface S1P receptors. Moreover, Spns2-/- mice have decreased levels of both of these phosphorylated sphingoid bases in blood, accompanied by increases in very long chain ceramide species, and have defective lymphocyte trafficking. Surprisingly, levels of S1P and dihydro-S1P were increased in lymph from Spns2-/- mice as well as in specific tissues, including lymph nodes, and interstitial fluid. Moreover, lymph nodes from Spns2-/- mice have aberrant lymphatic sinuses, which appear collapsed, with reduced numbers of lymphocytes. Our data suggest that Spns2 is a S1P transporter in vivo that regulate not only of blood S1P but also lymph node and lymph S1P levels, which may implicate a role in lymph node metastasis. M.N. is a Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Postdoctoral Fellow. S.S. is supported by NIH R37GM043880, and K.T. by NIH R01CA160688 and Susan G. Komen for the Cure Investigator Initiated Research Grant. Citation Format: Masayuki Nagahashi, Eugene Y. Kim, Akimitsu Yamada, Subramaniam Ramachandran, Jeremy C. Allegood, Nitai Hait, Michael Maceyka, Sheldon Milstien, Sarah Spiegel, Kazuaki Takabe. Spinster 2 exports S1P, an important player in lymph node metastasis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5000. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5000
The Sustainable House: A Framework for Organization Development for Sustainability (ODFS)

It is agreed that the main factors in sustainability are the environment, economy and the society; however, it is still largely undecided how organizations can best transform themselves to incorporate consideration of these factors. Successful integration of sustainability into the business plan will require an organization-wide effort. A proven technique in organizations for creating systemic change is Organization Development (OD). Unfortunately, OD has not yet been extended to include the key areas of sustainability and organized within a practical framework for implementation. This paper extends OD for Sustainability (ODFS), creating a conceptual model called here “the Sustainable House.” The conceptual model clarifies sustainable organizational characteristics and interdisciplinary interactions. The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) approach is introduced as a framework for implementing ODFS. It is demonstrated that ODFS requires a substantial support structure and a dynamic learning process for accumulating knowledge. This article identifies key areas of ODFS and provides a conceptual model and a framework for operationalizing sustainability into organizations. Various sustainable tools, methodologies, interacting concepts and gaps in ODFS are also included.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Abstract 659: Inhibiting autophagy improves the efficacy of VN/12-1 over all-trans retinoic acid in a HER2 over-expressing SK-BR3 breast cancer xenograft model

Purpose: Autophagy is a critical physiological process of cell survival in the presence of stress and is an important cause of resistance to anti-cancer therapy. Drugs that inhibit autophagy (e.g. chloroquine) deprive the cells of this protective mechanism and therefore are promising agents in a combination therapy of breast cancer. Our group has designed and synthesized a novel retinoic acid derivative, VN/12-1. We reported previously that VN/12-1 is a potent inducer of autophagy in estrogen independent, HER2 over-expressing breast cancer cell line SK-BR3 in vitro. In the present study, we used chloroquine in combination with VN/12-1 in an SK-BR3 xenograft model to test the hypothesis that the combination of VN/12-1 and chloroquine would result in greater efficacy against SK-BR3 tumors compared to VN/12-1 alone or all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) alone. Experimental Design: To test this hypothesis, 64 female SCID mice (8 mice per group) were inoculated with SK-BR3 cells. Once the tumors formed, the mice were treated with vehicle (control), VN/12-1 and ATRA alone or in combination with chloroquine for 30 days. The two dosages of VN/12-1 for the groups involving VN/12-1 were 2.5 mg/kg and 5 mg/kg. The doses of ATRA and chloroquine were 5 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg, respectively. All the agents were administered subcutaneously (s.c) twice a week. Results: Out of all the treatment groups, both the dosages of VN/12-1 (2.5 mg/kg and 5mg/kg) when used in combination with chloroquine were the most effective in inhibiting the growth of SK-BR3 tumors (70% and 80% growth inhibition respectively compared to vehicle control). The combination of ATRA with chloroquine did not show statistically significant inhibition of tumor growth. The effect of each treatment on the body weight and the weights of uteri was also determined. No toxicities were observed as noted by no significant changes in the weight of the mice. The data about the tumor samples’ analysis for the effect of each treatment on the expression of various tumor markers and autophagy markers and pharmacokinetic studies on VN/12-1 will be presented. Conclusion: Our studies have demonstrated for the first time that the combination of VN/12-1 and chloroquine can be used to treat estrogen independent breast cancer. It is hoped that this combination therapy would solve the problem of the development of acquired resistance due to autophagy that typically follows therapeutic treatment of breast cancer. We envision further advanced preclinical development of this combination therapy as potential therapy for breast cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 659. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-659
Monolayer Reactions of Protected Au Nanoclusters with Monothiol Tiopronin and 2,3-Dithiol Dimercaptopropanesulfonate

The novel thiol bridging “staple motif RS-Au-SR” discovered at the Au−thiolate interface has tremendously advanced the structural understanding of monolayer protected Au clusters (AuMPCs). In this paper, multidentate dithiol ligands are introduced into the monolayer of the Au clusters. The impacts of dithiols on the Au−monothiolate interfacial bonding and related physical properties are explored. A correlation is established of the near-IR luminescence with Au−tiopronin monothiol interactions that are constrained by the dithiol molecule structures. Two types of monolayer reaction are studied: (1) monothiol tiopronin AuMPCs with dithiol molecule 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS) and (2) DMPS Au dithiol clusters (AuDTCs) with tiopronin monothiol ligands. Upon the addition of excess DMPS molecules into tiopronin MPC solution, tiopronin molecules are efficiently liberated from the original AuMPCs monitored by proton NMR. The process is accompanied by the decrease of near-infrared luminescence of the tiopr...
Resistance to Acute Macrophage Killing Promotes Airway Fitness of Prevalent Community-Acquired Staphylococcus aureus Strains

The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) pneumonia in otherwise healthy individuals is increasing. To investigate the mechanism underlying the epidemiological success of predominant community-associated (CA)-MRSA strains, we examined their fitness traits during the initial interaction between bacteria and the host occurring in the lower airway. Using a mouse respiratory infection model, we show that clinical isolates often responsible for CA infections are highly resistant to clearance from healthy airways, whereas S. aureus strains not as prevalent or traditionally associated with hospital-associated infections are relatively susceptible. Mechanistically, the competitive fitness of S. aureus is a result of both agr-dependent and -independent resistance to innate bacterial killing. Furthermore, we show that rather than evasion from neutrophil-dependent bactericidal process, the observed S. aureus fitness in the lower airways is due to its intrinsic resistance to resident alveolar macrophage-mediated intracellular killing. Importantly, we demonstrate that the virulence determinants responsible for bacterial persistence in immune-competent mice are dispensable in mice with predisposing conditions such as influenza infection. Taken together, these novel findings of the improved competence of predominant CA-MRSA strains to survive innate killing in healthy hosts, particularly at the very beginning stage of infection, provide a unique insight into their epidemiological success.
The Growing Integration of Physician Practices: With a Medicaid Side Effect.

Background:Strategic alignment and integration is currently in vogue throughout the health care industry, but its diffusion and pace have not been documented in recent years. The full range of downstream implications from greater alignment between hospitals and physicians has also not been completel
Intestinal Manometry Force Sensor for Robotic Capsule Endoscopy: An Acute, Multipatient In vivo Animal and Human Study

Goal: Development of a new medical device class generally termed robotic capsule endoscopes (RCE) is currently being pursued by multiple research groups. These maneuverable devices will allow minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment of intestinal pathologies. While the intraluminal pressures related to the migrating motor complex (MMC) are well understood, no previous study has measured the active contact forces exerted by the human small bowel wall on a solid, or near solid bolus such as an RCE. Understanding and quantifying the active contact force are critical for the advancement of RCE technology. Methods: In this study, the authors develop a novel manometric contact force sensor for human studies and validate the feasibility of the design, sterilization method, and minimally invasive surgical procedure in a multianimal study, followed by a multihuman study. Results: Four porcine tests of the sensor were conducted. The mean porcine myenteric contact force measured using the new sensor is 1.20 ± 0.08 N·cm−1. The mean myenteric contact force recorded for all five human test subjects is 0.18 ± 0.33 N·cm−1. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the feasibility of operating an MMC force sensor in a live human with a minimally invasive surgical technique and presents force data necessary for RCE design. Significance: This study represents the first known myenteric contact force measurements on a solid bolus in the human small intestine.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Family Therapy in Advanced Cancer Continued Into Bereavement

PurposeSystematic family-centered cancer care is needed. We conducted a randomized controlled trial of family therapy, delivered to families identified by screening to be at risk from dysfunctional relationships when one of their relatives has advanced cancer.Patients and MethodsEligible patients with advanced cancer and their family members screened above the cut-off on the Family Relationships Index. After screening 1,488 patients or relatives at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center or three related community hospice programs, 620 patients (42%) were recruited, which represented 170 families. Families were stratified by three levels of family dysfunction (low communicating, low involvement, and high conflict) and randomly assigned to one of three arms: standard care or 6 or 10 sessions of a manualized family intervention. Primary outcomes were the Complicated Grief Inventory-Abbreviated (CGI) and Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Generalized estimating equations allowed for clustered data in an i...
Unconditional Quantile Regressions Under Endogeneity

This paper proposes an extension of the Unconditional Quantile Regression approach under strict exogeneity restriction (Firpo et al. (2009)) and allowing endogenous regressors in a nonseparable model (Rothe (2010)) by developing the asymptotic properties of the Unconditional Quantile Partial Effect (UQPE) estimator and the RIF (Re-centered Influence Function) regression function using the control variable approach in a triangular nonseparable model. Further, we show the robust inference procedure of the UQPE estimator. These results are not specific for only nonseparable model, but also apply to both linear and nonlinear additive separable models. Two empirical applications of estimating demand elasticity of fish and heterogeneous returns to education illustrate the usefulness of the UQPE estimator.
Regional high-affinity [3H]choline accumulation in cat forebrain: selective increase in the caudate-putamen after corticosteroid pretreatment.

The effect of acute and chronic gluco- and mineralocorticoid treatment on high-affinity [ 3 H]choline accumulation (HACA) was investigated in cat brain synaptosomes. HACA in forebrain synaptosomes was found to be Na + - and energy-dependent, hemicholinium-3 sensitive (K i ≅ 2.5 nM), and of high affinity (apparent K T = 0.43-0.63 µM). The rank order of regional HACA at 0.04 µM choline (4 min at 37°) was: caudate-putamen-anterior perforated space > hippocampus > prefrontal neocortex. HACA in caudate-putamen synaptosomes was significantly elevated 37-75% after daily treatment for one week with either triamcinolone diacetate (8 mg/kg), hydrocortisone acetate (4 or 32 mg/kg), or deoxycorticosterone acetate (32 mg/kg), but not with l1α-epicortisol (8 mg/kg), a biologically inert epimer of hydrocortisone. Treatment-induced increases in caudate-putamen HACA were attributable to an increase (45-53%) in the maximal transport velocity ( V max ) and not in the apparent transport constant ( K T ). Significant increases in HACA were not seen in the hippocampus-fornix, anterior perforated space, or prefrontal cortex. Acute treatment of cats with a single intravenous dose of methylprednisolone sodium succinate (90 mg/kg) produced 75-84% increases in HACA in caudate-putamen and hippocampus-fornix three hours after treatment. At 24 hours HACA was increased (70 & 76%) in the caudate-putamen and anterior perforated space. Increases in HACA found in the caudate-putamen after in vivo treatment could not be produced by in vitro addition of steroids or alterations of the Na + /K + environment. We conclude that the velocity of high-affinity transport of choline into cat brain synaptosomes is strongly and selectively increased in the caudate-putamen after acute or chronic gluco- or mineralocorticoid treatment. The possible explanations for this selectivity are discussed with reference to the neurochemistry and neuropharmacology of the caudate-putamen.
Challenges in Prevention and Care Delivery for Women with Cervical Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Virtually all cases of invasive cervical cancer are associated with infection by high-risk strains of human papilloma virus (HPV). Effective primary and secondary prevention programs, as well as effective treatment of early stage invasive cancer have dramatically reduced the burden of cervical cancer in high-income countries; 85% of the mortality from cervical cancer now occurs in low- and middle-income countries. This article provides an overview of challenges to cervical cancer care in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and identifies areas for programmatic development to meet the global development goal to reduce cancer related mortality. Advanced stage at presentation and gaps in prevention, screening, diagnostic and treatment capacities contribute to reduced cervical cancer survival. Cost-effective cervical cancer screening strategies implemented in low resource settings can reduce cervical cancer mortality. Patient- and system-based barriers need to be addressed as part of any cervical cancer control program. Limited human capacity and infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa are major barriers to comprehensive cervical cancer care. Management of early stage, locally advanced or metastatic disease cervical cancer involves multi-specialty care including gynecology oncology, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, radiation oncology and palliative care. Investment in cervical cancer care programs in low- and middle-income countries will need to include effective recruitment programs to engage women in the community to access cancer screening and diagnosis services. Though cervical cancer is a preventable and treatable cancer, the challenges to cervical control in SSA are great and will require a broadly integrated and sustained effort by multiple stakeholders before meaningful progress can be achieved.
Electrodynamics in computational chemistry

Publisher Summary This chapter gives a synoptic view on the interaction of light with particles that are sufficiently large in size that classical electrodynamics can be used to describe the optical properties of the particle. Most of the review is concerned with metal nanoparticles (silver and gold), where the linear optical properties (extinction, absorption, and scattering) are strongly dependent on particle size, shape, and local dielectric environment. To describe such problems, there has been much recent progress in the use of computational electrodynamics methods including the discrete dipole approximation, the finite difference time domain method, and other methods, and one can review recent applications of these methods that have been used to interpret the experiments. The chapter describes the development of electronic structure methods for describing the Raman spectra of molecules adsorbed on the surface of the metal particles, including methods that explicitly include the electric fields from classical electrodynamics calculations in the calculation of Raman intensities.
Gender Differences in CDC Guideline Compliance for STIs in Emergency Departments.

Introduction: Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a common reason for Emergency Department (ED) visits. The objective of this study was to see if there were gender differences in CDC diagnosis and treatment guidelines as documented by emergency physicians. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed to idenitfy patients treate for urethritis, cervicitis, and PID in the EDs of three hospitals in a PA network during a calendar year. Cases were reviewed to assess for compliance in documentation with CDC guidelines. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the distributions of study variables by patient sex. Student t-tess, chi-square tests, and logistic regression were used in the analysis. Statistical significance was set at p less than or equal to 0.05. Results: 286 patient records were identified, of these 39 were excluded due to incorrect disease coding, the patient was admitted and treated as an inpatient for their disease, or the patient left the emergency department after refusing care. Of the 247 participangs, 159 (64.4%) were female. Females were significantly younger (26.6 years, SD=8.0) than males (31.2, SD=11.5%), (95%CI:2.0-7.0, p=0.0003). All of the males (n=88) in the cohort presented with urethritis;25.8% of females presented with cervicitis and 75.2% with PID. Compliance with documentation for the 5 CDC criteria ranged from 68.8% for patient history to 93.5% for patient diagnostic testing including urine pregnancy, and gonorrhea/chlamydia cultures. Significant differences were obesrved by patient sex. 54% of the charts had symptoms recorded for female patients that were consistent with CDC characteristics for diagnostic critera compared to over 95% for males , (OR=16.9, 95% CI 5.9-48.4, p less than 0.001). Similar results were observed for patient discharge instructions, with physicians completely documenting deliver of discharge instructions to 51.6% females compared to 97.7% of complet documentation in males OR=42.3;95%CI;10.0-178.6, p <0.001). No significant sex differences in documentaion were observed for exam or fo therapeutic antibiotic treatment. Conclusion: This retrospective study found patient gender differences in documentaiton compliance with CDC guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of urethritis, cervicitis and PID
A variational approach to dual methods for constrained convex optimization

We approach linearly constrained convex optimization problems through their dual reformulation. Specifically, we derive a family of accelerated dual algorithms by adopting a variational perspective in which the dual function of the problem represents the scaled potential energy of a synthetic mechanical system, and the kinetic energy is defined by the Bregman divergence induced by the dual velocity flow. Through application of Hamilton's principle, we derive a continuous-time dynamical system which exponentially converges to the saddle point of the Lagrangian. Moreover, this dynamical system only admits a stable discretization through accelerated higher-order gradient methods, which precisely corresponds to accelerated dual mirror ascent. In particular, we obtain discrete-time convergence rate O(1/kp), where p − 1 is the truncation index of the Taylor expansion of the dual function. For practicality sake, we consider p = 2 and p = 3 only, respectively corresponding to dual Nesterov acceleration and a dual variant of Nesterov's cubic regularized Newton method. This analysis provides an explanation from whence dual acceleration comes as the discretization of the Euler-Lagrange dynamics associated with the constrained convex program. We demonstrate the performance of the aforementioned continuous-time framework with numerical simulations.
Taking Advantage of Scale by Analyzing Frequent Constructed-Response, Code Tracing Wrong Answers

Constructed-response, code-tracing questions ("What would Python print?") are good formative assessments. Unlike selected-response questions simply marked correct or incorrect, a constructed wrong answer can provide information on a student's particular difficulty. However, constructed-response questions are resource-intensive to grade manually, and machine grading yields only correct/incorrect information. We analyzed incorrect constructed responses from code-tracing questions in an introductory computer science course to investigate whether a small subsample of such responses could provide enough information to make inspecting the subsample worth the effort, and if so, how best to choose this subsample. In addition, we sought to understand what insights into student difficulties could be gained from such an analysis. We found that ~5% of the most frequently given wrong answers cover ~60% of the wrong constructed responses. Inspecting these wrong answers, we found similar misconceptions as those in prior work, additional difficulties not identified in prior work regarding language-specific constructs and data structures, and non-misconception "slips" that cause students to get questions wrong, such as syntax errors, sloppy reading/writing. Our methodology is much less time-consuming than full manual inspection, yet yields new and durable insight into student difficulties that can be used for several purposes, including expanding a concept inventory, creating summative assessments, and creating effective distractors for selected-response assessments.
Selenium metabolism: III. Serum proteins, lipoproteins and liver injury☆

Abstract The amount of carrier SeO42− had a significant effect on the distribution of 75Se, after 75SeO42− inhection, in the serum lipoproteins and serum proteins. This effect could not be due to simple dilution of 75Se by the carrier Se. After the administration of 75SeO42−, the lipid fraction of serum lipoproteins was firmly labeled with 75Se both in the rat and in man. There was a higher association of 75Se with α2 globulins than with other serum protein fractions both in the rat and in man. In patients with liver disease, which was associated with alcoholism, there was an increased binding of 75Se by serum lipoproteins after the injection of 75SeO42− of high specific activity. In a patient with cirrhosis hepatoma the 75Se concentration was the highest in the kidney and the largest amount was in the liver 8 days after injection. No significant 75Se uptake was found in the hepatoma.
Money, Decisions, and Control

We present a model of human decision-making that can be used to design future financial services. The purpose of our model is to collate a wide variety of observed financial practices of the privileged and the poor into a common framework that can be applied in different contexts. Think of it as a vocabulary with which to organize our financial behavior and a set of design principles for financial services that can accommodate and facilitate this behavior. Such services will offer greater control to customers and will generate greater value for the businesses serving them.
The Klimablog www.cambioclimatico-bolivia.org: Personal Reflections After 5 Years of Blogging on Climate Change from, for and About Bolivia

Over the past five years, I have blogged about climate change with weekly updates, touching on scientific and political issues mostly in Bolivia but also including topics from global research. This paper is a personal account of this experience and is intended to illustrate the process of climate change communication in one of the poorest countries in South America by means of a specialized blog. It gives account of the motivation for creating the “Klimablog”, describes its basic characteristics, leads through its development and highlights its main achievements over the past years. It is a personal account, and thus purely testimonial, without intention to contribute to theoretical discussions on the role of the internet in climate change communication. How it all started—Living in La Paz and working on Sustainable Mountain Development meant that climate change was a daily presence. Information in Spanish, however, was very limited. So I began reading scientific papers published in international journals with the intention of translating and publishing the contents for a Spanish-speaking audience. The idea was to reach fellow scientists, decision makers, and a generally interested public. As expressed in the first blog post, the Klimablog was created as “a space in the internet dedicated to all things climate change in Bolivia. The blog facilitates access to reliable and up-to-date scientific information and also to information and commentary about climate change policy at international and national levels”. The blog posts follow a standardized format of two to three pages in length, two or three illustrations (photos or graphics), with a two-paragraph introduction and numerous links to other websites. There are also listed primary sources of information, providing transparency and the chance to further pursue any given topic. All articles remain online and may be accessed via a search function, thus building an archive on climate change information. The Klimablog over the years has grown from a few thousand to presently 90,000 visits per month, and it is now a major reference on climate change related issues in Bolivia.
Incidence trends of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors in the United States from 1975 to 2012.

231Background: Although multiple studies document a rise in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (GEP-NET) incidence over the past several decades, there are limited national data regarding ...
Micromechanical resonator with dielectric nonlinearity

Nonlinear response of dielectric polarization to electric field in certain media is the foundation of nonlinear optics. Optically, such nonlinearities are observed at high light intensities, achievable by laser, where atomic-scale field strengths exceeding 106–108 V/m can be realized. Nonlinear optics includes a host of fascinating phenomena such as higher harmonic frequency generation, sum and difference frequency generation, four-wave mixing, self-focusing, optical phase conjugation, and optical rectification. Even though nonlinear optics has been studied for more than five decades, such studies in analogous acoustic or microwave frequency ranges are yet to be realized. Here, we demonstrate a nonlinear dielectric resonator composed of a silicon micromechanical resonator with an aluminum nitride piezoelectric layer, a material known to have a nonlinear optical susceptibility. Using a novel multiport approach, we demonstrate second and third-harmonic generation, sum and difference frequency generation, and four-wave mixing. Our demonstration of a nonlinear dielectric resonator opens up unprecedented possibilities for exploring nonlinear dielectric effects in engineered structures with an equally broad range of effects such as those observed in nonlinear optics. Furthermore, integration of a nonlinear dielectric layer on a chip-scale silicon micromechanical resonator offers tantalizing prospects for novel applications, such as ultra high harmonic generation, frequency multipliers, microwave frequency-comb generators, and nonlinear microwave signal processing.
Economic base theory and applied geography

Economic base theory belongs to both economics and geography. The theory per se belongs to economics but it is geographers who have brought it to life by tieing it to real places and their economic landscapes. This paper identifies seven economic development problems commonly faced by development practitioners and illustrates how “best practice” solutions can be drawn from economic base studies. A number of studies are used to illustrate problems and approaches but two are featured; one is a regional economic base study that looks at both a large rural region and at five individual communities within the region. The other is a study of a single community that was initially completed in 1974 and replicated three times between 1974 and 1995.
MODELING THE EDGE OF A TOKAMAK PLASMA

We find, using a time-dependent coronal model, that radiation from stationary (i.e., non-diffusing) low Z impurities cannot account for the experimentally observed radiation losses in tokamaks, whereas recycling low Z impurities might. Thus, we infer from this and other circumstantial evidence that impurities recycle from the wall into the plasma and out again, on time scales not much longer than the energy containment time. The (neo)classical influx of impurities provides an inward transport mechanism; the outward transport process is unknown. However, a recent and more exact (no mass ratio expansion) impurity transport calculation1has shown that a “temperature-screening” effect may inhibit or reverse at least the influx of low charge states of low mass impurities. Another quandry occurs in gas puffing experiments where the electron density at the plasma center rises rapidly. We have investigated neutral transport in the plasma edge in a number of different models, including an ANISN-type (NUTRLSN) transport code. The effects considered include geometry, energy-cascading, reflection and a proper accounting of the (small) power lost via charge-exchange. We find that the observed density rise cannot be explained by a combination of neutral influx and particle diffusion. In order to resolve these quandries relating to the plasma edge, we hypothesize a “new” transport model based on the developing, generalized theory of dissipative trapped-electron instabilities. In this model, the anomalous transport adds to neoclassical transport and affects only the “cross-field” processes. In the resultant model the electron temperature is determined by the anomalous electron heat transport, as usual. However, the particle density is determined by balancing the inward Ware pinch with the outward anomalous particle diffusion; the impurity density results from balancing the inward classical diffusion against the outward anomalous diffusion. The inward Ware pinch is found to be sufficiently rapid to explain the density increases observed in ORMAK gas puffing experiments and in ALCATOR up to 3 × 1014 cm−3.
Studies Comparing Haploidentical and Cord Blood Transplantation

Patients lacking a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched donor have alternative stem cell sources, including HLA-haploidentical relatives, partially HLA-mismatched unrelated adult donors, or unrelated donor umbilical cord blood (UCB). Historically, the main challenge for UCB transplantation (UCBT) has been delayed posttransplant immune reconstitution, whereas the main challenge for HLA-haploidentical allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT; haplo-HSCT) has been bidirectional alloreactivity resulting in high incidences of graft failure and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Recent phase II trials established clinical equipoise for the currently active, randomized phase III trial of either double unrelated donor UCBT or haplo-HSCT. In this chapter, we will review the results of studies of UCBT and haplo-HSCT and the lessons we hope to learn from this first randomized comparison.
PedHITSS: A Screening Tool to Detect Childhood Abuse in Clinical Settings.

Background and objectives Though child abuse is prevalent and detrimental, health care providers fail to screen for abuse at sufficient rates to detect or preempt events. Current child abuse screening tools lack brevity and usefulness in clinical settings. To validate the Pediatric Hurt-Insult-Threaten-Scream-Sex (PedHITSS) screening tool, a 5-item questionnaire designed to detect and prompt provider investigation into child abuse in clinical settings, the PedHITSS was compared to the Conflict Tactics Scale: Parent-Child Version (CTSPC) screening measure. Methods Participants included 422 pediatric patients (n=242 nonabused; n=180 abused subsample) recruited from an ambulatory care setting, a medical center at-risk referral clinic, or homeless shelter clinic. Parents were asked to complete a cross-sectional survey, including PedHITSS and CTSPC questionnaires. Concurrent validity of PedHITSS was tested with 242 participants identified as nonabused. Construct validity was assessed with 180 participants previously identified as victims of child abuse. Results Concurrent validity between the CTSPC and PedHITSS was strong, rs=.70 (Pl.01). Sensitivity and specificity for correctly identifying abuse victims (≤12 years) was optimal at a cutpoint of one or greater. There was no significant difference in sensitivity and specificity of HITSS and CTSPC in correctly identifying victims of child abuse. Conclusions This study indicates that PedHITSS performs as well as CTSPC in identifying and differentiating victims and nonvictims of child abuse. PedHITSS allows health care providers to confidently screen and report suspected cases of child abuse and serves as a mechanism to confirm abuse status through validated means.
Bleeding rates of Veterans taking apixaban or rivaroxaban for atrial fibrillation or venous thromboembolism.

This study examined potential differences in bleeding between apixaban and rivaroxaban, the most commonly utilized direct oral anticoagulants at the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. Additionally, the analysis included a comparison between observed and literature-reported bleeding rates. This retrospective chart review examined 452 (39%) Veterans receiving rivaroxaban and 716 (61%) Veterans receiving apixaban. Bleeding rates were expressed per 100 patient-years and the overall rates were analyzed as the primary analysis. Secondary objectives included comparisons based on indication and severity, as well as comparisons to literature-reported bleed rates, time to bleeding event, and location of the bleed. The analysis did not detect any statistically significant differences between apixaban and rivaroxaban in terms of overall, (ARR 0.90% per 100 patient-years, 95% CI − 0.58 to 2.38%, p > 0.05) major, (ARR 0.22% per 100 patient-years, 95% CI − 0.74 to 1.17%, p > 0.05) or non-major clinically relevant (ARR 0.35% per 100 patient-years, 95% CI − 0.57 to 1.27%, p > 0.05) bleeding. Observed bleeding for both rivaroxaban and apixaban in the Veteran population exceeded the rates reported by the literature when used for atrial fibrillation (1.96% vs. 0.15%, p < 0.05; 1.08% vs. 0.16%, p < 0.05) but the opposite was seen for long term venous thromboembolism (VTE) treatment (3.97% vs. 8.03%, p < 0.0001; 0.14% vs. 15.51%, p < 0.0001) or extended VTE prophylaxis (0.07% vs 5.98%, p < 0.0001; 0.07% vs 1.88%, p < 0.01). Results from this study suggest these agents impart similar levels of risk, but variations in bleeding risk between the Veteran population and the patients in the original clinical trials may exist.
Temporal Changes in Esophageal Cancer Mortality by Geographic Region: A Population-based Analysis.

Purpose To analyze differences in esophageal cancer survival by geographic region of the U.S. from the 1970s to the 2000s, and attribute the causes of these discrepancies. Methods Raw data were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute. Patients were stratified by decade of diagnosis and by geographic region (East, Hawaii/Alaska, Midwest, Southwest, and West), containing SEER registries. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was used to compare the overall survival (OS) among these geographic groups. A multivariate Cox Proportional Hazard analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of the following factors on differences in survival: patient age, gender, race, tumor stage, site, histology, treatment method, and metropolitan size. Results A total of 87,834 patients were identified. OS has increased significantly since 1973, with five-year OS improving from 4.9% (the 1970s) to 15.3% (2000s) (P<0.001). Residence in the East was prognostic for higher OS compared to all the other regions, with a median OS of six months in the 1970s and 12 months in the 2000s (P<0.001). The multivariate analysis revealed increased age, African American race, distant disease, non-distal tumor location, squamous cell histology, and no radiation therapy were associated with worse OS. The West and East had the highest amount of cancer centers (12 and seven, respectively). And the East had the highest number of cancer centers per person (5.7E-07) while the South had the lowest (1.6E-07). Conclusions There are disparities in esophageal cancer survival and quality of care through different geographic regions of the U.S., which may be attributed to a combination of the unbalanced distribution of medical resources, the regional differences in cancer biology, and other lifestyle and socioeconomic factors. More research should be conducted to further characterize regional differences and guide the implementation of improvements in survival.
Long-Term Economic Distress, Cultural Backlash, and Support for Brexit:

Economic and cultural factors are often presented as alternative explanations of Brexit. Most studies have failed to recognize the interplay between contextual economic factors and individual attit...
Natriuretic Factors in Arterial Hypertension

the possible roles of natriuretic factors in arterial hypertension are addressed in this chapter. We suspect that natriuretic factors are most important in the low-renin forms of arterial hypertension, i.e., those forms with 1) low plasma renin activity, 2) relative insensitivity to angiotensin antagonists and converting enzyme inhibitors, 3) relative sensitivity to dietary salt restriction and natriuretic-diuretic medication, and 4) absolute or relative volume expansion. Typical examples of these forms of hypertension are, in humans, primary aldosteronism, renal parenchymal disease, and low-renin essential hypertension in black male patients; examples in animals are reduced renal mass-saline hypertension; one-kidney, one clip hypertension; and one-kidney, deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA), saline hypertension. In this chapter we present our reasons for suspecting important roles for natriuretic factors in low-renin hypertension. Only two natriuretic factors are considered: one (de Wardener) that operates by inhibiting the sodium pump and one of atrial origin (de Bold) that does not.
An adult female with 5q34-q35.2 deletion: A rare syndromic presentation of left ventricular non-compaction and congenital heart disease

Abstract Terminal and interstitial deletions of the 5q35 region have been rarely reported in the literature. While a delineated phenotype has been suggested, the range of clinical presentations is unknown due to overall rarity. Cardiac features are of interest because haploinsufficiency of the NKX2-5 gene, located at 5q35.1, has been implicated in congenital heart defects with or without conduction disease. Previous case reports of similar deletions included primarily infants and young children and longitudinal clinical and developmental phenotypic data are currently lacking. We report on a 24-year-old female, the first described adult case with an interstitial 5q34-q35.2 deletion and the third reported case where the cytogenetic abnormality is specified using chromosomal microarray analysis. We include details of her cardiac, developmental, and craniofacial phenotypes. The patient is diagnosed with mild intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, limitations in fine and gross motor skills, minor malformations of facial features, and a cardiac phenotype with conduction disease, congenital heart disease, and left ventricular non-compaction dilated cardiomyopathy. This report also reviews the overlapping features in previously published 5q35 deletions and, importantly, provides deeper insight into distal 5q deletions.
Rare Earth-Free Dual Mechanical Port Machine with Spoke-Type PM Outer-Rotor for Electric Variable Transmission system

This paper presents performance analysis of a new rare-earth-free dual mechanical port machine with spoke-type ferrite PM outer- rotor for electric variable transmission system. The principle of operation, system configuration, and control issues are illustrated firstly. Important Design issues, including sizing equation, magnetic equivalent circuit, and torque pulsation reduction, were discussed as well. Finally, the advanced finite element method was employed to calculate and verify the electromagnetic performance of proposed dual mechanical port machine with spoke-type ferrite PM outer-rotor.