cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The importance of classifying initial co-morbidity in evaluating the outcome of diabetes mellitus

Abstract The associated co-morbid diseases present at the time of discovery of adult maturity-onset diabetes mellitus have not hitherto been quantitatively related to the subsequent course of the patients. From existing medical records and other solicited data, complete 5-yr follow-up was obtained for an ‘inception cohort’ of 188 patients who were treated during the years 1959–1962 at the West Haven VA Hospital and whose diabetes was first diagnosed within 6 months before ‘zero time’, which was the date of discharge for the ailment that had provoked hospitalization. A special classification was developed for categorizing the zero-time co-morbidity of the patients as prognostically cogent or non-cogent, and for dividing cogent co-morbidity into vascular and nonvascular types, with functional severity graded as none, moderate, and severe. The fatality rate at 5 yr after zero time was 40 per cent (76/188) for all patients, but distinctive gradients of fatality were noted for age, for type of co-morbidity, and particularly for severity of co-morbidity. The 5-yr fatality rate after zero time was 7 per cent in forty-one patients with no cogent co-morbidity, 33 per cent in seventynine patients with moderate co-morbidity and 69 per cent in sixty-eight patients with severe co-morbidity. Of the sixty-eight patients with severe initial co-morbidity, 53 per cent later died of the same or a related ailment; in the seventy-nine patients with moderate co-morbidity, the analogous death rate was 13 per cent. Death was due to ‘vascular causes’ in 52 per cent of seventy-seven patients who initially had vascular co-morbidity, in 7 per cent of seventy patients with nonvascular co-morbidity, and in 2 per cent of forty-one patients with no cogent co-morbidity. Among 5-yr survivors, the occurrence rate of new vascular events (or ‘diabetic complications’) was directly related to the same features of age and co-morbidity that seemed to affect fatality. These data indicate that the outcome of patients with maturity-onset diabetes mellitus depends on the type and functional severity of the co-morbid diseases present when the diabetes is detected. An appropriate analysis of co-morbidity, although omitted from existing statistical studies of diabetes, is pre-requisite to evaluating the results of different modes of therapy.
Developmental Cascade Effects of the New Beginnings Program on Adolescent Adaptation Outcomes

Using data from a 6-year longitudinal follow-up sample of 240 youth who participated in a randomized experimental trial of a preventive intervention for divorced families with children ages 9-12, the current study tested alternative cascading pathways by which the intervention decreased symptoms of internalizing disorders, symptoms of externalizing disorders, substance use, and risky sexual behavior and increased self-esteem and academic performance in mid- to late adolescence (15-19 years old). It was hypothesized that the impact of the program on adolescent adaptation outcomes would be explained by progressive associations between program-induced changes in parenting and youth adaptation outcomes. The results supported a cascading model of program effects in which the program was related to increased mother-child relationship quality that was related to subsequent decreases in child internalizing problems, which then was related to subsequent increases in self-esteem and decreases in symptoms of internalizing disorders in adolescence. The results were also consistent with a model in which the program increased maternal effective discipline that was related to decreased child externalizing problems, which was related to subsequent decreases in symptoms of externalizing disorders, less substance use, and better academic performance in adolescence. There were no significant differences in the model based on level of baseline risk or adolescent gender. These results provide support for a cascading pathways model of child and adolescent development.
Thermocapillary migration of bubbles and droplets

A discussion is presented concerning the motion of droplets in a surrounding fluid induced by a temperature gradient. Such 'thermocapillary migration' may be characterized as the tangential stress at the interface that is induced by the temperature gradient's variation of interfacial tension, causing motion in the neighboring fluid both inside and outside the droplet. As a result, the droplet moves in the direction of the pole with the lower interfacial tension. An analysis is conducted in the creeping flow limit, for the case of small Marangoni number values. The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used for the solution of the field equations.
Vitamin E Deficiency in the Monkey. VI. Metabolism of Greatine-1-G14.∗:

SummaryAfter creatine-1-C14 injection half-times of body creatine of 38, 40, and 51 days were found in 3 normal rhesus monkeys. Three vitamin E-deficient monkeys had shortened half-times of body cr...
Integrating Demographic and Epidemiological Approaches to Research on HIV/AIDS: The Proximate-Determinants Framework

This article presents a conceptual framework for the study of the distribution and determinants of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in populations, by combining demographic and epidemiological approaches. The proximate-determinants framework has been applied extensively in the study of fertility and child survival in developing countries. Key to the framework is the identification of a set of variables, called "proximate determinants," that can be influenced by changes in contextual variables or by interventions and that have a direct effect on biological mechanisms to influence health outcomes. In HIV research, the biological mechanisms are the components that determine the reproductive rate of infection. The proximate-determinants framework can be used in study design, in the analysis and interpretation of risk factors or intervention studies that include both biological and behavioral data, and in ecological studies.
Inhibition of AMPA receptor trafficking at hippocampal synapses by β-amyloid oligomers: the mitochondrial contribution

Synaptic defects represent a major mechanism underlying altered brain functions of patients suffering Alzheimer's disease (AD) [1–3]. An increasing body of work indicates that the oligomeric forms of β-amyloid (Aβ) molecules exert profound inhibition on synaptic functions and can cause a significant loss of neurotransmitter receptors from the postsynaptic surface, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated a potential contribution of mitochondria to Aβ inhibition of AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking. We found that a brief exposure of hippocampal neurons to Aβ oligomers not only led to marked removal of AMPARs from postsynaptic surface but also impaired rapid AMPAR insertion during chemically-induced synaptic potentiation. We also found that Aβ oligomers exerted acute impairment of fast mitochondrial transport, as well as mitochondrial translocation into dendritic spines in response to repetitive membrane depolarization. Quantitative analyses at the single spine level showed a positive correlation between spine-mitochondria association and the surface accumulation of AMPARs. In particular, we found that spines associated with mitochondria tended to be more resistant to Aβ inhibition on AMPAR trafficking. Finally, we showed that inhibition of GSK3β alleviated Aβ impairment of mitochondrial transport, and effectively abolished Aβ-induced AMPAR loss and inhibition of AMPAR insertion at spines during cLTP. Our findings indicate that mitochondrial association with dendritic spines may play an important role in supporting AMPAR presence on or trafficking to the postsynaptic membrane. Aβ disruption of mitochondrial trafficking could contribute to AMPAR removal and trafficking defects leading to synaptic inhibition.
IMTAS: Intelligent Multimedia Travel Agent System

This paper introduces IMTAS, an architecture enhancing existing tourist information systems with modern AI and multimedia technologies. IMTAS allows for a more flexible access to up-to-date information and supports new means of distribution in the tourism market.
The Law and Finance of Bank and Insurance Insolvency Regulation

In the bank and insurance company contexts, the insolvency framework has long been pervasively regulatory in nature. Regulators determine whether and when to initiate an insolvency proceeding; and they control nearly aspect of the insolvency process, including the ultimate issue of how to resolve the financial distress. The savings and loan, banking and insurance company crises in the past two decades underscored some of the limitations of a regulator-driven system. Regulators were widely viewed as having waited too long to initiate insolvency proceedings for many financial intermediaries, for instance, due at least in part to perverse incentives they have to delay rather than initiating in a timely fashion. Commentators also were critical of regulators' disposition decisions. In the banking context, commentators proposed a variety of alternatives to the existing framework, each of which would give creditors or the market a much greater role, particularly at the initiation stage. While the proposals might plausibly improve on the existing regime, each also raises significant concerns. Rather than opting for such an approach, Congress retained the existing framework but sought to impose much greater restrictions on regulatory discretion. In contrast to either of these approaches, I argue in this article that managers should be given the authority to initiate an insolvency proceeding. Although managers have little incentive to initiate an insolvency proceeding under existing law, lawmakers could alter this by giving them a "bonus" in connection with the initiation decision. The question how best to structure the bonus leads me to a consideration of whether lawmakers should add a reorganization option to the existing alternatives for resolving insolvent intermediaries. I conclude that reorganization is an attractive option in the insurance context, since it both would act as a bonus to managers and could be an effective disposition option. Although reorganization is less attractive for banks, I conclude that managers should be permitted to propose prepackaged purchase and assumption transactions (i.e., sales to third parties). Following my consideration of these initiation and disposition questions, I use a simple investment analysis drawn from the finance literature to assess several important priority issues. In a subsequent draft, I will conclude by briefly considering whether bank and insurance insolvency should be brought within the Bankruptcy Code, and will argue that they should not.
FUNCTIONAL ACTIVITY OF THE NOVEL ALZHEIMER’S AMYLOID β–PEPTIDE INTERACTING DOMAIN (AβID) IN THE APP AND BACE1 PROMOTER SEQUENCES AND IMPLICATIONS IN ACTIVATING APOPTOTIC GENES AND IN AMYLOIDOGENESIS

Abstract Amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) plaque in the brain is the primary (post mortem) diagnostic criterion of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The physiological role(s) of Aβ are poorly understood. We have previously determined an Aβ interacting domain (AβID) in the promoters of AD-associated genes (Maloney and Lahiri, 2011. Gene. 15,doi:10.1016/j.gene.2011.06.004. epub ahead of print.). This AβID interacts in a DNA sequence-specific manner with Aβ. We now demonstrate novel Aβ activity as a possible transcription factor. Herein, we detected Aβ–chromatin interaction in cell culture by ChIP assay. We observed that human neuroblastoma (SK–N–SH) cells treated with FITC conjugated Aβ1–40 localized Aβ to the nucleus in the presence of H2O2-mediated oxidative stress. Furthermore, primary rat fetal cerebrocortical cultures were transfected with APP and BACE1 promoter–luciferase fusions, and rat PC12 cultures were transfected with polymorphic APP promoter–CAT fusion clones. Transfected cells were treated with different Aβ peptides and/or H2O2. Aβ treatment of cell cultures produced a DNA sequence-specific response in cells transfected with polymorphic APP clones. Our results suggest the Aβ peptide may regulate its own production through feedback on its precursor protein and BACE1, leading to amyloidogenesis in AD.
PVT-tolerant 7-Transistor SRAM Optimization via Polynomial Regression

Low power consumption, stability, and PVT-tolerance in Static Random Access Memories (SRAM) is essential for nanoscale System-on-Chip (SoC) designs. In this paper, a novel design flow is presented for optimizing a figure of merit called Power to Static-Noise-Margin (SNM) Ratio (PSR). The minimization of PSR results in power minimization and SNM maximization of nano-CMOS SRAM circuits which are mutually conflicting objectives. A 45 nm single ended 7-Transistor SRAM is used as an example circuit for demonstrating the effectiveness of the optimal design flow presented in this paper. Worst case temperature analysis is performed on a baseline SRAM circuit for all three Figures of Merit (FoMs): power, SNM, and PSR. After accurate characterization of the FoMs for worst case temperature and process variation analysis, the baseline SRAM circuit at worst case temperature is subjected to a polynomial regression based optimization algorithm. Simulation results demonstrate that the optimal SRAM design is PVT-tolerant with optimized power consumption, SNM and PSR.
Multi-Doppler Measurements of Atmospheric Rotors and Turbulent Mountain Waves

Radar measurements of reflectivity and Doppler velocity for selected cases of rotors and turbulence associated with mountain waves from 2006 T-REX and NASA06 field campaigns are analyzed. The data were collected with the Wyoming Cloud Radar (WCR, http ://atmos .uwvo .edu/wcr) on board the University of Wyoming King Air research aircraft (UWKA, https://atmos.uwvo.edu/n2uw'). The retrieval of single- Doppler vertical velocity at 30 m resolution above and below the aircraft and two-dimensional (2-D), high-resolution (on the order of 40x40 m ) Dual-Doppler, vertical velocity fields below the aircraft are discussed. The results demonstrate complex dynamics occurring within mountain cap and roll/rotor clouds. Turbulent dynamics and small-scale vortices, without the presence of a larger-scale organized vortex, appear to be more prevalent below mountain wave crests at low levels. The analysis of radar data from consecutive passes during mountain wave events also suggests that while the terrain-induced waves exhibit both stationary and non-stationary behavior, there is a significant evolution in the turbulent dynamics under mountain wave crests and individual features/vortices have a variable life span (on the order of minutes to tens of minutes). The reflectivity fields reveal a disorganized and turbulent structure of the scatterers in the roll clouds. When scatterers are present below the roll cloud (e.g., due to precipitation) their distribution is highly non-uniform. Our radar data does not resolve the 3rd dimension (across these flight tracks) and thus some 2-D assumptions are made. The three-dimensionality of the terrain may influence the mountain wave structure and dynamics, but our assumptions are reasonable for flow structures generated by long mountain ranges.
Influenza A and Influenza B virus infections in the same season: How unlucky can a bone marrow transplant recipient be?

Sir,Sequential infection with influenza A and B, and infections in the same season with different subtypes of influenza A are uncommon phenomena, occurring in 1.2% [1], and 4% [2], respectively, of...
Factors associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in infants with congenital heart disease.

Abstract Objective To review reported neurodevelopmental outcome data for patients with congenital heart disease, identify risk factors for adverse neurodevelopmental sequelae and summarize potential neuromonitoring strategies that have been described. Methods: A Medline search was performed utilizing combinations of the keywords congenital heart, cardiac, neurologic, neurodevelopment, neuromonitoring, quality of life, and outcome. All prospective and longitudinal follow-up studies of patients with congenital heart disease were included. Additionally, studies that examined neuroimaging, neuromonitoring, and clinical factors in relation to outcome were examined. Case reports and editorials were excluded. Additional references were retrieved from selected articles if the abstract described an evaluation of neurodevelopmental outcomes and/or predictors of outcome in patients with congenital heart disease. Results: Overall, patients with CHD have increased rates of neurodevelopmental impairments, although intelligence appears to be in the normal range. Preoperative risk stratification, intraoperative techniques, postoperative care, and neuromonitoring strategies may all contribute to ultimate long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes in patients with CHD postsurgical repair. Conclusions: As advances in the medical and surgical management improves survival in patients with CHD, increasing knowledge about neurodevelopmental outcomes and the factors that affect them will provide for strategies to optimize long-term outcome in this high-risk population.
More than One Way to Get There: Pathways of Change in Coparenting Conflict after a Preventive Intervention.

This study explored pathways of change in the levels of conflict couples experienced after Supporting Father Involvement, an evidence-based, prevention-oriented couples and parenting intervention that included a diverse low-income and working class group of participants. Pathways of change were examined for couples with baseline conflict scores that were initially low, medium, and high. The growth mixture model analysis found that the best-fitting model for change in couples' conflict was represented by three distinctly different change patterns. The intervention was most successful for High-Conflict couples. This finding contributes to a growing literature examining variations in how relationships change over time and the process of change, especially for couples in distress. This study supports further investigation into the impact and costs associated with universal interventions versus those that target specific groups of higher risk families. Language: en
THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL NATURE OF UNIVERSITY INCUBATORS: CAPABILITY/RESOURCE EMPHASIS PHASES

Recognizing the potential of institutional entrepreneurship, public universities are actively establishing university incubators. Literature on university entrepreneurship, university incubators, and entrepreneurship education allows us to develop a conceptual framework, identifying the multi-dimensional nature of incubator tenant firm development. Building on the precepts of resource based view theory, this paper posits the existence of dynamic element of incubator activity and relates it to the dynamic element of entrepreneurship education. Further, the role of entrepreneurship education and a community network are presented as instrumental in enabling effective collaborations. This framework contributes to the literature by highlighting the need for a multi-dimensional approach in research of incubator tenant firms. The framework also suggests effective university involvement with incubator tenant firms, as a potential university capability.
Discrete choice models

Discrete choice models have played an important role in transportation modeling for the last 25 years. They are namely used to provide a detailed representation of the complex aspects of transportation demand, based on strong theoretical justifications. Moreover, several packages and tools are available to help practionners using these models for real applications, making discrete choice models more and more popular.
Local Time- and Space Scales of Organized Tropical Deep Convection

The time- and space scales of tropical deep convection are estimated via analysis of 3-hourly Global Cloud Imagery (GCI) data for 3 yr at 35‐70-km resolution. The emphasis is on estimating local time- and space scales rather than traditional zonal wavenumber‐frequency spectra. This is accomplished through estimation of local spatial lag autocorrelations, the conditional probability of convection at neighboring points, and the expected duration of convective events. The spatial autocorrelation scale is found to be approximately 130 km, and the mean duration of convective events approximately 5.5 h, in the convectively active areas of the Tropics. There is a tendency for the spatial autocorrelation scales to be shorter over the continents than oceans (95‐155 versus 110‐170 km). The expected duration of convective events likewise tends to be shorter (4‐6 versus 5‐7 h). In the far western Pacific, these differences are sharp enough to legitimize the notion of the Indonesian archipelago as an extended maritime continent with a distinctive shape. Consistent with many other studies, the diurnal variation of the convection is also found to be strikingly different over the continents and oceans. The diurnal amplitude over land is comparable to the long-term mean, raising the possibility of significant aliasing across timescales. The simple analysis of this paper should be useful in evaluating and perhaps even improving the representation of convective processes in general circulation models.
Right coronary autoregulation in conscious, chronically instrumented dogs

Right coronary (RC) autoregulation and right ventricular (RV) function were assessed in conscious dogs, chronically instrumented to measure RC flow and RC pressure (RCP) as a hydraulic occluder on the RC was inflated. Dogs were then anesthetized, and RC autoregulation and RV function were again assessed. In the conscious state, moderate RC autoregulation was present with closed loop gains (Gc) of 0.59–0.27 as RCP was reduced from 100 to 40 mmHg. In the anesthetized state, Gc was not significantly less than in the conscious state at RCP >50 mmHg. The range and potency of RV autoregulation were greater in both groups than for previously reported findings in anesthetized dogs with RC perfused by an extracorporeal system. RV contractile function was well maintained in conscious and anesthetized dogs at RCP >45 mmHg. We conclude the following:1) modest RC autoregulation is present in the conscious dog, 2) anesthesia limits the range but not the degree of RC autoregulation,3) extracorporeal perfusion systems ap...
Nurse Staffing Hours At Nursing Homes With High Concentrations Of Minority Residents, 2001–11

Recent increases in state Medicaid payments to nursing homes have the potential to reduce disparities in nurse staffing between facilities with high and low concentrations of racial/ethnic minority residents. Analyses of nursing home and state policy survey data for the period 2001-11 suggest that registered nurse and licensed practical nurse staffing levels increased slightly during this period, regardless of racial/ethnic minority resident concentration. Adjusted disparities in registered nurse hours per resident day between nursing homes with high and low concentrations of minority residents persisted, although they were reduced. Certified nursing assistant hours per patient day increased in nursing homes with low concentrations of minorities but decreased in homes with high concentrations, creating a new disparity. Overall, increases in state Medicaid payment rates to nursing homes were associated with improvements in staffing and reduced staffing disparities across facilities, but the adoption of case-mix payments had the opposite effect. Further reforms in health care delivery and payment are needed to address persistent disparities in care between nursing homes serving higher proportions of minority residents and those serving lower proportions, and to prevent unintended exacerbations of such disparities.
Unsupervised Solution Post Identification from Discussion Forums

Discussion forums have evolved into a dependable source of knowledge to solve common problems. However, only a minority of the posts in discussion forums are solution posts. Identifying solution posts from discussion forums, hence, is an important research problem. In this paper, we present a technique for unsupervised solution post identification leveraging a so far unexplored textual feature, that of lexical correlations between problems and solutions. We use translation models and language models to exploit lexical correlations and solution post character respectively. Our technique is designed to not rely much on structural features such as post metadata since such features are often not uniformly available across forums. Our clustering-based iterative solution identification approach based on the EM-formulation performs favorably in an empirical evaluation, beating the only unsupervised solution identification technique from literature by a very large margin. We also show that our unsupervised technique is competitive against methods that require supervision, outperforming one such technique comfortably.
Abstract 218: Impact of Electronic Health Record Components on Hospitals’ Performance in Heart Failure and Myocardial Infarction Mortality and Readmission Rates

Background: Cross-sectional studies have identified an association between the use of electronic health records (EHRs) and the quality of cardiovascular care; however, there is little longitudinal data to support this association. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of EHR implementation on heart failure (HF) and myocardial infarction (MI) 30-day mortality and 30-day readmission rates in the following two years. Methods: To measure hospitals’ implementation of EHR and its specific components, we used national data from the American Hospital Association (AHA) Health IT survey representing data for years 2009 and 2010. Hospitals which did not use EHRs in 2009 but did in 2010 were considered newly implemented. Hospitals which did not use an EHR system in either 2009 or 2010 were considered as not yet implemented and hospitals which were using EHRs in both 2009 and 2010 had already implemented EHRs. We examined the use of specific EHR components including clinical decision support tools, electronic clinical documentation, computerized provider order entry, the ability to generate quality data and the ability to electronically share patient data with outside hospitals. To assess hospital performance in HF and MI 30-day mortality/readmission rates, we used data from CMS Hospital Quality Initiative, Hospital Compare. We used baseline performance in 2010 and tracked change to 2012. We used a difference-of-difference statistical analysis to compare the change over time between hospitals with EHR components newly implemented to ones who had not yet implemented EHRs. We adjusted for hospital characteristics including bed size, region, profit-status and their baseline performance. Results: This study included 3300 hospitals that responded to both 2009 and 2010 surveys. In general, large, not-for-profit, and southern hospitals were significantly more likely to have implemented the different EHR components. For HF, implementation of two EHR components, ‘Clinical Discharge Summaries’ and ‘Electronic Exchange of Patient Data’ were significantly associated with slower increase in 30-day mortality as compared to hospitals who had not yet implemented them (p=0.01 and 0.002 respectively). Only the EHR component ‘Computerized Provider Order Entry of Lab Tests’ was significantly associated with a faster decrease in HF readmissions (p=0.03). For MI, none of the EHR components’ implementation was associated with changes in 30-day mortality. ‘Clinical Provider Order Entry for Radiology and Lab Tests’ were significantly associated with a slower increase in 30-day MI readmissions (p=0.03). Conclusion: Select components of EHRs have positive impact on heart failure 30-day mortality and myocardial infarction 30-day readmission rates. As hospitals and physician practices continue to adopt and expand their EHR systems these components and their potential benefits should be considered.
Biomimetic Process for Preparing Magnetite Fibers

Two different biomimetic strategies were utilized in the formation of magnetite fibers. The first strategy utilized natural ( Sphaerotilus natans sheaths) or synthetic (hollow fibers) matrices for magnetite formation. The second strategy made use of an iron-hydroxide intermediate that was subsequently chemically converted to magnetite within the biomimetic matrix. The formation of magnetite was determined by both visual and x-ray diffraction analysis. This process has advantages over conventional routes because of the expense and handling problems associated with the production of ceramic whiskers and fibers. The magnetite formed by this process may prove to have unique properties due to its unusual fiber structure.
Letter by Robinson Regarding Articles, "Bringing Back Targets to 'IMPROVE' Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes: The Duel for Dual Goals; Are Two Targets Better Than One?" and "Achievement of Dual Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Targets More Frequent With the Addition of Ezetimibe to Simvastatin and Associated With Better Outcomes in IMPROVE-IT".

Bolula et al1 report the rates of major cardiovascular events for groups of patients achieving low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) <70 mg/dL or ≥70 mg/dL and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) <2 mg/L or ≥2 mg/L after 1 month of follow-up for participants in the Improved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial (IMPROVE-IT). The results not surprisingly are consistent with the reports of others, in that patients with both LDL-C <70 mg/dL and hs-CRP <2 mg/L on treatment are at lower …
Toward an integrated physiological theory of microbial growth: from subcellular variables to population dynamics.

The dynamics of microbial growth is a problem of fundamental interest in microbiology, microbial ecology, and biotechnology. The pioneering work of Jacob Monod, served as a starting point for developing a wealth of mathematical models that address different aspects of microbial growth in batch and continuous cultures. A number of phenomenological models have appeared in the literature over the last half century. These models can capture the steady-state behavior of pure and mixed cultures, but fall short of explaining most of the complex dynamic phenomena. This is because the onset of these complex dynamics is invariably driven by one or more intracellular variables not accounted for by phenomenological models. &nbsp In this paper, we provide an overview of the experimental data, and introduce a different class of mathematical models that can be used to understand microbial growth dynamics. In addition to the standard variables such as the cell and substrate concentrations, these models explicitly include the dynamics of the physiological variables responsible for adaptation of the cells to environmental variations. We present these physiological models in the order of increasing complexity. Thus, we begin with models of single-species growth in environments containing a single growth-limiting substrate, then advance to models of single-species growth in mixed-substrate media, and conclude with models of multiple-species growth in mixed-substrate environments. Throughout the paper, we discuss both the analytical and simulation techniques to illustrate how these models capture and explain various experimental phenomena. Finally, we also present open questions and possible directions for future research that would integrate these models into a global physiological theory of microbial growth.
Intestinal blood flow and oxygen consumption.

AbstractIn this study, we examined the effects of both pharmacologically and mechanically induced increases in intestinal blood flow on intestinal oxygen consumption. Intraarterial infusions of prostacyclin (1-20 ng-kg-1 -min-1) significantly increased both blood flow and oxygen consumption under free flow conditions. However, the increase in oxygen consumption appears to be due to the corresponding increase in blood flow rather than a direct effect of prostacyclin on intestinal metabolism. This conclusion is supported by the finding that a mechanically induced increase in intestinal blood flow (60%) can also produce an increase in intestinal oxygen consumption (24%). These findings support the hypothesis that intestinal oxygen consumption is flow-dependent over a wide range of blood flows.
Reducing Contact Resistance in Graphene Devices through Contact Area Patterning

Performance of graphene electronics is limited by contact resistance associated with the metal–graphene (M–G) interface, where unique transport challenges arise as carriers are injected from a 3D metal into a 2D-graphene sheet. In this work, enhanced carrier injection is experimentally achieved in graphene devices by forming cuts in the graphene within the contact regions. These cuts are oriented normal to the channel and facilitate bonding between the contact metal and carbon atoms at the graphene cut edges, reproducibly maximizing “edge-contacted” injection. Despite the reduction in M–G contact area caused by these cuts, we find that a 32% reduction in contact resistance results in Cu-contacted, two-terminal devices, while a 22% reduction is achieved for top-gated graphene transistors with Pd contacts as compared to conventionally fabricated devices. The crucial role of contact annealing to facilitate this improvement is also elucidated. This simple approach provides a reliable and reproducible means of...
Flatness parameter influence on scintillation reduction for multi-Gaussian Schell-model beams propagating in turbulent air.

Reduction in the scintillation index of multi-Gaussian Schell-model beams propagating in turbulent air is demonstrated as a function of two source parameters: the r.m.s. coherence width and the summation index. The beams were generated with the help of a nematic phase-only, reflective spatial light modulator at a cycling rate of 333 frames per second and recorded after propagating through a weakly turbulent air channel over a distance of 70 m. Experimental results are in good agreement with theory.
Method of Equivalent Wind Coefficient for Overhead Conductor Ampacity

The dynamic ampacity of overhead line conductor can be calculated by the methods of IEEE 738 standard,etc.However,when the wind speed and direction changes rapidly,there occurs larger errors in the results of dynamic ampacity by these methods,therefore,it is required to seek a more appropriate method.The relationship between the conductor temperature and the speed and direction of the wind relative to the line was studied in detail,accordingly,the equivalent wind speed coefficient deduced from conductor temperature was provided,and a method was put forward to calculate the wind speed and direction to replace the convection heat loss.The results show that the method makes the overhead line conductor dynamic ampacity to be calculated more correct and more convenient.The results also indicate that the equivalent wind speed coefficient method is a new efficient calculation method for the dynamic ampacity calculating of overhead line conductor.
A Pentacoordinate Mn(II) Precatalyst That Exhibits Notable Aldehyde and Ketone Hydrosilylation Turnover Frequencies.

Heating (THF)2MnCl2 in the presence of the pyridine-substituted bis(imino)pyridine ligand, PyEtPDI, allowed preparation of the respective dihalide complex, (PyEtPDI)MnCl2. Reduction of this precursor using excess Na/Hg resulted in deprotonation of the chelate methyl groups to yield the bis(enamide)tris(pyridine)-supported product, (κ5-N,N,N,N,N-PyEtPDEA)Mn. This complex was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and found to possess an intermediate-spin (S = 3/2) Mn(II) center by the Evans method and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, (κ5-N,N,N,N,N-PyEtPDEA)Mn was determined to be an effective precatalyst for the hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones, exhibiting turnover frequencies of up to 2475 min–1 when employed under solvent-free conditions. This optimization allowed for isolation of the respective alcohols and, in two cases, the partially reacted silyl ethers, PhSiH(OR)2 [R = Cy and CH(Me)(nBu)]. The aldehyde hydrosilylation activity observed for (κ5-N,N,N,N,N-P...
Universal Relationship between Conductivity and Solvation-Site Connectivity in Ether-Based Polymer Electrolytes

We perform a joint experimental and computational study of ion transport properties in a systematic set of linear polyethers synthesized via acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) polymerization. We measure ionic conductivity, σ, and glass transition temperature, Tg, in mixtures of polymer and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) salt. While Tg is known to be an important factor in the ionic conductivity of polymer electrolytes, recent work indicates that the number and proximity of lithium ion solvation sites in the polymer also play an important role, but this effect has yet to be systematically investigated. Here, adding aliphatic linkers to a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) backbone lowers Tg and dilutes the polar groups; both factors influence ionic conductivity. To isolate these effects, we introduce a two-step normalization scheme. In the first step, Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) fits are used to calculate a temperature-dependent reduced conductivity, σr(T), which is defined as the conductivity o...
QSAR Models at the US FDA/NCTR

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) has been used in the scientific research community for many decades and applied to drug discovery and development in the industry. QSAR technologies are advancing fast and attracting possible applications in regulatory science. To facilitate the development of reliable QSAR models, the FDA had invested a lot of efforts in constructing chemical databases with a variety of efficacy and safety endpoint data, as well as in the development of computational algorithms. In this chapter, we briefly describe some of the often used databases developed at the FDA such as EDKB (Endocrine Disruptor Knowledge Base), EADB (Estrogenic Activity Database), LTKB (Liver Toxicity Knowledge Base), and CERES (Chemical Evaluation and Risk Estimation System) and the technologies adopted by the agency such as Mold(2) program for calculation of a large and diverse set of molecular descriptors and decision forest algorithm for QSAR model development. We also summarize some QSAR models that have been developed for safety evaluation of the FDA-regulated products.
Diffusion of Robotic Technology Into Urologic Practice has Led to Improved Resident Physician Robotic Skills.

Objective To investigate whether propagation of robotic technology into urologic practice and training programs has improved baseline urology resident trainee robotic skills. Design Questionnaires were completed by each urology resident trainee participating in a training course and asked about access to robotic simulation, robot experience, and console time. Baseline resident trainee scores on the Mimic Robotic Simulator (Mimic Technologies, Inc., Seattle, WA) from 27 participants of 2012 course were compared with the 2015 scores of 34 trainees on 4 standard Mimic exercises using Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. p = 0.05 or less were considered statistically significant. Participants and Setting Totally, 34 resident trainees from 17 programs in the Southeast Section of the American Urological Association participated in an annual 2-day robotic training course. Results Overall score, economy of motion score, and time to complete exercise were all significantly better in the 2015 trainee group compared with the 2012 trainee group (p Conclusions Baseline resident trainee performance on basic robotic simulator exercises has improved over the past 3 years irrespective of robotic simulator access or console time.
Hypophosphatemia in Enterally Fed Patients in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction: Hypophosphatemia has been associated with refeeding malnourished patients, but its clinical significance is unclear. We investigated the incidence of refeeding hypophosphatemia (RH) in the surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and its association with early enteral nutrition (EN) administration and clinical outcomes. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of a 2-year database of patients receiving EN in the SICU. RH was defined as a post-EN phosphorus (PHOS) level decrement of >0.5 mg/dL to a nadir <2.0 mg/dL within 8 days from EN initiation. We investigated the risk factors for RH and examined its association with clinical outcomes using multivariable regression analyses. Results: In total, 213 patients comprised our analytic cohort. Eighty-three of 213 (39%) individuals experienced RH and 43 of 130 (33%) of the remaining patients experienced non-RH hypophosphatemia (nadir PHOS level <2.0 mg/dL). Overall, there was a total 59% incidence of hypophosphatemia of any cause (N = 126). Nutrit...
Durable response to lenvatinib in progressive, therapy-refractory, metastatic paraganglioma

Paragangliomas are rare, often vascular, endocrine tumors that are sometimes malignant. Antiangiogenic agents may play a role in treating advanced disease. We report a case of a 49-year-old woman with metastatic and rapidly progressive secretory paraganglioma (with germ line SDHB p.V140F–c.418G>T mutation) who responded rapidly and durably to the VEGFR- and multi-targeted kinase inhibitor, lenvatinib, despite progression through prior cytotoxic and kinase inhibitor therapy. She incurred dramatic response within 48 h of lenvatinib initiation, but developed parallel transient mild tumor lysis syndrome and, later, localized radiation ‘recall’ pneumonitis. Follow-up assessments demonstrated a confirmed response evaluation criteria in solid tumors response as well as symptomatic and biochemical improvement. Lenvatinib may represent a promising therapeutic for further development in treating metastatic paraganglioma.
Eculizumab refractory thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura secondary to post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis in a patient

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a rare multisystem microvascular disorder, which is characterized by pentad of thrombocytopenia, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, and organ dysfunction due to occlusive thrombi. The proposed pathophysiology involves an imbalance between unusually large von Willebrand factor multimers and the cleaving protease ADAMTS13. Acute pancreatitis is a well-described consequence of TTP, but TTP secondary to acute pancreatitis is a rare phenomenon. We present a patient who developed TTP due to post-ERCP pancreatitis with hematologic, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and renal complications and is the first case of this kind. Despite early initiation of therapy, the patient did not recover making it among the 10% of cases of TTP that prove fatal despite appropriate therapy.
Tissue-based chimerism analysis enhances detection of donor-derived neoplasia in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients.

Tissue-based chimerism analysis enhances detection of donor-derived neoplasia in allogeneic stem cell transplant patients
Studies in Physical Efficiency of College Students

(1944). Studies in Physical Efficiency of College Students. Research Quarterly. American Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 211-224.
Neurosurgery quality: pay-for-performance, guidelines, and outcome measures.

The healthcare quality movement can trace its origins back to the man considered to be the architect of healthcare quality, Avedis Donabedian (1919–2000), who did his major work on defining quality in healthcare from the 1960s through 1985, and who published three seminal volumes, entitled Explorations in Healthcare Quality and Monitoring between 1980 and 1985 (21–23). Donabedian first classified and characterized healthcare quality characteristics into Structural, Process, and Outcomes measures. The work of Donabedian launched initial forays into the healthcare “quality assurance” (QA) movement. Eventually, the healthcare QA movement became strongly influenced by the “continuous quality improvement” (CQI) aspects of “total quality management” (TQM),18,20,41 and the result was a shift to more of a systems-based “quality improvement” (QI) approach.6,8,25,44–47 “Pay-for-performance” (P4P) is the latest quality initiative to come along in the continuing evolution of healthcare QI. Although the general origins of healthcare quality have already been outlined above, P4P arose from two very specific root sources. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) Quality Initiative that began in 1996 collided with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) strategic planning initiative stemming from the Medicare prescription drug improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA 2003), to produce the CMS QI Roadmap of 2005, which included P4P as one of its five system strategies. P4P affects both hospitals and physicians, but this chapter deals only with physicians. The interplay of elected versus government officials and agencies as well as private institutes and organizations in the P4P development, implementation, and oversight processes can be dizzyingly complex and very confusing, as can the new array of organization abbreviations involved. The schematic outlined in Figure 27.1 as well as the abbreviation list in Table 27.1 are provided to assist the reader in navigating this interactive maze. Elected government officials are indicated in royal blue, appointed government officials and agencies in light blue, and private agencies and organizations in green. Formal lines of influence are indicated with solid arrows, whereas less formalized relationships are indicated with dashed arrows. Areas with lobbying potential and important impact on neurosurgical practice are indicated with asterisks. Figure 27.1 is not intended to represent an organizational chart. Rather, it represents one person’s perception at one snapshot in time of perceived lines and directions of influence between the various agencies, organizations, and officials involved. These relationships have shown themselves to be very liquid and dynamic during the last 12 months, and a similar chart created 6 to 12 months from now might differ in certain details, particularly as they relate to private organizations and agencies. It is hoped that Figure 27.1 will assist the reader in maintaining overall orientation and perspective as we proceed through a reductionist analysis of the individual agencies involved.
Au@TiO2 nanocomposites synthesized by X-ray radiolysis as potential radiosensitizers

Abstract Gold nanoparticles decorated onto titania (anatase) supports were produced through X‐ray radiolysis, at ambient temperature and pressure in a method that departs from traditional routes, providing an outstanding control of Au nanoparticle size and dispersion. Au@TiO 2 nanocomposites (NCs) were fabricated using different absorbed doses in the presence of NaOH, or urea, supported by 5–10 or 10–30 nm titania, to determine their effects on the Au particle size distribution and loading. Au@TiO 2 NCs fabricated at high absorbed doses (>7 kGy) had average Au NP size of 1.1 ± 0.1 nm. Large absorbed doses control Au NP size by generating an abundance of reducing species (e − aq , H•) resulting in an increase of Au seeds. At a lower absorbed dose (0.72 kGy), the ligand affected the Au particle size distribution and a reduction in size by 20% of the Au was observed using NaOH. Au NPs were tethered to titania through oxygen as indicated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The Au@TiO 2 NCs were tested for their radiosensitizing effect by monitoring decomposition of methylene blue under X-ray irradiation where the decomposition was increased by a factor of 1.8 after 15 min compared with pristine TiO 2.