cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the potential role of glufosinate-tolerant rice in integrated pest management programs for rice water weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The impact of a herbicide-tolerant rice, Oryza sativa L., variety was assessed for its resistance to rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus Kuschel (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), and its place in current integrated pest management (IPM) programs. Greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the resistance of a glufosinate-tolerant rice variety and its glufosinate-susceptible parent line Bengal to the rice water weevil in the presence and absence of glufosinate applications. The LC50 dose–response and behavioral effects of glufosinate on adult rice water weevils also were studied. Field studies investigated the impacts of glufosinate-tolerant rice on rice water weevil management in the presence and absence of glufosinate under early and delayed flood conditions. Greenhouse studies demonstrated that in the absence of glufosinate, oviposition was 30% higher on the glufosinate-tolerant rice line than on Bengal rice or on glufosinate-tolerant line treated with recommended rates of commercially formulated glufosinate. Applications of glufosinate to glufosinate-tolerant rice resulted in a 20% reduction in rice water weevil larval densities compared with nontreated glufosinate-tolerant rice. The LC50 of glufosinate against adult rice water weevil was nearly 2 times the concentration recommended for application to glufosinate-tolerant rice. There was no difference in the amount of leaf area consumed by adult rice water weevils on glufosinate-treated and nontreated foliage. The absence of direct toxicity of glufosinate to rice water weevil at recommended glufosinate use rates and lack of behavioral effects suggest that the reduction in rice water weevil densities observed after glufosinate applications resulted from herbicide-induced plant resistance. Field experiments showed that neither rice variety nor herbicide use affected larval densities; however, delaying flood and applying insecticide effectively reduced numbers of rice water weevil larvae.
The comparison of the commonly used surrogates for baseline renal function in acute kidney injury diagnosis and staging

Baseline serum creatinine (SCr) level is frequently not measured in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of various methods of baseline SCr determination measurement on accuracy of acute kidney injury (AKI) diagnosis in critically ill patients. This was a retrospective cohort study. All adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients admitted at a tertiary referral hospital from January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011, with at least one measured SCr value during ICU stay, were included in this study. The baseline SCr was considered either an admission SCr (SCrADM) or an estimated SCr, using MDRD formula, based on an assumed glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 75 ml/min/1.73 m2 (SCrGFR-75). Determination of AKI was based on the KDIGO SCr criterion. Propensity score to predict the likelihood of missing SCr was used to generate a simulated cohort of 3566 patients with baseline outpatient SCr, who had similar characteristics with patients whose outpatient SCr was not available. Of 7772 patients, 3504 (45.1 %) did not have baseline outpatient SCr. Among patients without baseline outpatient SCr, AKI was detected in 571 (16.3 %) using the SCrADM and 997 (28.4 %) using SCrGFR-75 (p < .001). Compared with non-AKI patients, patients who met AKI only by SCrADM, but not SCrGFR-75, were significantly associated with 60-day mortality (OR 2.90; 95 % CI 1.66–4.87), whereas patients who met AKI only by SCrGFR-75, but not SCrADM, had a non-significant increase in 60-day mortality risk (OR 1.33; 95 % CI 0.94–1.88). In a simulated cohort of patients with baseline outpatient SCr, SCrGFR-75 yielded a higher sensitivity (77.2 vs. 50.5 %) and lower specificity (87.8 vs. 94.8 %) for the AKI diagnosis in comparison with SCrADM. When baseline outpatient SCr was not available, using SCrGFR-75 as surrogate for baseline SCr was found to be more sensitive but less specific for AKI diagnosis compared with using SCrADM. This resulted in higher incidence of AKI with larger likelihood of false-positive cases.
Overthrust Emplacement of Numidian Flysch Complex in the Westernmost Mogod Mountains, Tunisia

INTRODUCTION The Oligocene-Miocene Numidian Complex forms the highest structural unit in the Mahgreb fold and thrust belt, which extends along the northern coast of Africa Major tectonic activity along this belt occurred during Miocene time. The Mahgreb orogenic belt trends east-west in Algeria and turns northeastward in Tunisia. Only the most external and less complex parts of the orogen are exposed in Tunisia, because the fold belt is south vergent; structural complexity increases toward Algeria, where more internal parts of the belt are exposed. Considerable difference of opinion exists concerning the structural position, the stratigraphic relationship, and the style and nature of emplacement of the Numidian Complex in Tunisia. In the western Mogod Mountains (Fig. 1), rocks of the Numidian Complex generally overlie older, Maestrichtian to Eocene limestone and marl, classically termed the Tellian sequence by French and Tunisian geologists. This arrangement of younger over older rocks has resulted in a controversy about whether the Numidian is allochthonous or autochthonous that has been difficult resolve in this region.
Respiratory infections in the immunocompromised host

There are a wide range of pathogens that affect the respiratory tract in patients with abnormal immune system; typically this is referred to as pneumonia. In general, these infections can be divided into community-acquired pathogens and opportunistic pathogens. The clinical presentation and microbiologic causes of pneumonia in the different immunocompromised hosts will be reviewed. Special attention will be paid to the community respiratory viruses, Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), and tuberculosis.
Dispersion and Habitat Use by Sympatric Columbian White-Tailed Deer and Columbian Black-Tailed Deer

Sympatric Columbian white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus leucurus ) and Columbian black-tailed deer ( O. hemionus columbianus ) maintained a local geographic and habitat segregation within the interior valleys of the Umpqua River Basin, Oregon during May 1978–December 1980. O. v. leucurus occurred more often in portions of the study area within 1 km of the North Umpqua River than O. h. columbianus. Distributional patterns indicated that at least one species demonstrated interspecific avoidance. Densities of O. v. leucurus and O. h. columbianus were inversely correlated throughout their sympatric range. O. v. leucurus densities within the study area varied directly with percent woodland cover; the highest densities occurred in portions of the study area supporting ≥50% woodland cover. O. v. leucurus used lowland Quercus associations more often and lowland grassland and grass-shrub associations less often than O. h. columbianus. O. h. columbianus used lowland habitats more often in comparable environments supporting few or no O. v. leucurus. High densities of O. v. leucurus may preclude the use of corresponding habitats by O. h. columbianus .
A Case of Complete Resolution of Hemiballismus After Carotid Endarterectomy

Background Hemiballismus is a rare presentation of symptomatic carotid stenosis that is underreported in the neurosurgical literature. It is characterized by severe large-amplitude movements that are classically caused by lesions of the subthalamic nucleus. Given the arterial border zone position of the subthalamic nucleus between the anterior and posterior circulation, hemodynamically compromising carotid stenosis can lead to hypoperfusion in this location. Case Description We describe the case of a patient who presented with acute-onset hemiballismus that had complete resolution of symptoms after carotid endarterectomy. Conclusions We suggest that neurovascular imaging should be part of the initial workup of this condition and that prompt diagnosis and treatment of carotid artery stenosis in patients who present with new-onset hemiballismus are essential for reducing risk of imminent stroke.
Improved Thermal Stability and Methane-Oxidation Activity of Pd/Al2O3 Catalysts by Atomic Layer Deposition of ZrO2

The effect of modifying Pd/Al2O3 catalysts by atomic layer deposition of 1 nm ZrO2 films was studied. For deposition on oxidized, PdO/Al2O3 catalysts, TEM imaging, EDS mapping, and metal-dispersion measurements confirmed the presence of the thin ZrO2 over both the Al2O3 support and the metal particles. The ZrO2 films were surprisingly stable, forming a well-crystallized phase only above 1173 K. The ZrO2 coating over the PdO particles created a semicore–shell-like structure that stabilized the metal against sintering in air at 1073 K. Steady-state, methane oxidation rates on unmodified PdO/Al2O3 decreased with increasing catalyst calcination temperature, but rates on the ZrO2-covered surfaces increased with increasing calcination temperature.
An Observation for Comparison of Adverse Reaction by Two Kinds of Purified Vaccine against Japanese Encephalitis

Objective For comparison of adverse reaction after both basic and booster immunization separately with JE live attenuated vaccine and vero cell-derived one Methods A total of 1,864 healthy babies aged 8 months to 3 years were recruited in 2 counties of Hunan Province. Axillary temperature, diameter of swelling on injection site as well as skin rash was checked before vaccination and in 6h, 24h, 48h and 72h of vaccination. The adverse reaction was graded in accordance with the Instructive Principle for Standard Grading of Adverse Reaction in Clinical Trial of Vaccine for Preventive Use issued by China State FDA in document GSYJZ[2005]493. Result One hundred twenty-five children were characterized with fever in adverse reaction after being vaccinated, followed by 17 with skin rash all over the body, and 7 with red swelling on injection site. None reaction was found potentially life-threatening and all was transient. The occurrence rate of adverse reaction by JE live attenuated vaccine was 5.21% (4.69% in basic immunization, and 5.72% in booster), that by vero cell-derived one was 8.75% (7.10% in basic immunization, and 10.40% in booster), showing a statistical significance of difference in the two group.
Epidemiological Study of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in the Non-Local Population in Heyuan City

Objective To determine the current tuberculosis epidemic situation in non-local population and to develop strategies for the disease control in Heyuan.Methods Retrospective analysis on the occurrence of tuberculosis in the non-local population in the Yuancheng area,between 2002 and 2006,was conducted.Several parameters were analyzed.These included the morbidity,severity,and the treatment methods.Results The number of cases was increasing from 2002 to 2006.A total of 118 TB patients,accounting for 24.7% of total TB cases,were from the non-local population.The male to female ratio was 3.58 ∶ 1.The peak age for the occurrence was in the range of 20 to 39-year-old.Most of the patients are workers with a low level of education.The curative rate for the smear positive cases was 95%.For the patients receiving compulsory treatment,the curative rate was only 66%.Conclusion Treatment and management of tuberculosis patients in the non-local population have become a major task in Heyuan.According to the characteristics of the non-local population,appropriate approaches should be applied to ensure a high curative rate.
Behavioral Predictors Of Substance-Use Initiation In Adolescents With And Without ADHD

Substance-use initiation was examined in 28 healthy adolescents and 50 with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, followed longitudinally for 4 years at the National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD; National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD; and Neuropsychiatrie Institute, Los Angeles, CA.
Chapter 10: Unobtrusive Supplementation: Katz, Whalen , and the New Era of Informational Privacy

The term informational privacy doesn’t make an appearance in a Supreme Court opinion until the early twenty-first century. In looking back, one can readily discern its relevance to early cases, even to those decided in the eighteenth century. To employ the term to talk about the Bill of Rights, however, is to engage in conceptual anachronism, for although informational privacy is pertinent to the words of the Fourth Amendment—i.e., persons, houses, papers, and effects—it’s pertinent as well to non-tangible data whose existence the framers couldn’t have anticipated (and that early twentieth-century judicial opinions assumed to be constitutionally unprotected). In this chapter and those that follow, we consider the doctrinal framework created by the Court’s mid-twentieth-century opinions. Privacy now looms as a category important in itself—indeed, as a category more important in some respects than the category (property) from which it emerged. This chapter examines the approach to interpretive supplementation employed in late twentieth-century cases that have made informational privacy a critically important category in modern constitutional law.
B Corporation: A New Sustainable Business Model

This note provides background on a new certification process for B Corporations that enables companies to assess, compare, and protect the sustainability practices they integrate into corporate strategy. B Corporation status explicitly acknowledges stakeholder strategies and helps companies preserve triple bottom line accountability when and if they are sold/acquired. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0155 May 10, 2010 B Corporation: A New Sustainable Business Model “We envision a new sector of the economy which harnesses the power of private enterprise to create public benefit.” —B Lab, “Declaration of Interdependence,” 2010 Introduction . . .
Material driven machining process modeling

Abstract A material driven machining process modeling framework is proposed to incorporate thermal-mechanical-microstructural coupling in which the material microstructure dynamics and process mechanics are computed simultaneously. The material microstructure evolution in the machining process is obtained from dynamic recrystallization model which takes the strain, strain rate and temperature history as input. A microstructure sensitive flow stress model is used to correlate the material microstructure with material mechanical properties. The detailed implementation of the proposed framework is illustrated by the machining of titanium alloy. As the output of the model, the machining forces, residual stress profile and machined surface microstructure states are validated against the experiments.
Ricoeur’s askēsis : textual and gymnastic exercises for self-transformation

This essay examines what the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur can contribute to current debates on the role of spiritual exercise, or askēsis, in philosophical life. The influential work of Pierre Hadot and Michel Foucault has sparked a widespread interest in the ancient model of philosophy, variously described as a way of life, art of living, or care of the self. Ricoeur’s potential contribution to this conversation has been overlooked, largely because he does not discuss these themes explicitly or often. However, Ricoeur’s early phenomenology of embodiment in The Voluntary and the Involuntary offers valuable insights regarding the exercises of self-transformation. After a brief survey of Ricoeur’s concept of askēsis, this essay draws on Ricoeur to demonstrate the merits of physical exercise, or gymnastic, in ethical and spiritual formation. Gymnastic, Ricoeur shows, can be a form of spiritual exercise. The final section of the paper then makes a similarly counterintuitive claim: namely, that reading is an embodied practice that can facilitate the ethical formation of the lived body.
Pragmatic Continuities in Empirical Science: Some Examples from the History of Astronomy

The present work constitutes an attempt at identifying those pragmatic aspects of empirical science that contribute to its continuity. The source of scientific continuity has remained unclear after the incommensurability thesis dramatically challenged the truth-cumulative view of science (which was developed within the traditional view of empirical science as a corpus of theories). The first part of the paper provides a clarification of the pragmatic approach adopted here, in many points close to Nicholas Rescher’s methodological pragmatism. Although, as opposed to it, truth and usefulness are kept totally separate on the present account, being the latter just related to empirical soundness instead. The second part of the paper offers an application of such account to some historical examples, which will illustrate the pragmatic continuities displayed by the development of astronomy, from the Babylonian period to Copernicus.
Treatment utilization and barriers to treatment among individuals with olfactory reference syndrome (ORS).

Abstract Objective Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) is characterized by a preoccupation that one is emitting a foul or offensive odor. Despite the profound psychosocial impact of ORS, many patients do not receive appropriate treatment, and there is no empirical research on treatment-seeking behavior in ORS. This study investigated treatment utilization patterns and barriers to treatment in individuals with ORS. Method 253 subjects completed an online survey between January–March 2010. Data were obtained from the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Modified for ORS (ORS-YBOCS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS), Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), and questionnaires specific to treatment utilization and barriers. Results The sample was ethnically diverse, predominately male (67%), with an average age of 33.7 years, and moderately severe ORS symptoms. Most participants first sought care from a medical specialist (44%), and mental health services were underutilized (14%). Higher functional impairment was significantly correlated with seeking care from a mental health provider, compared to a medical specialist. Nearly all participants endorsed multiple barriers to treatment, including (a) logistical/financial, (b) stigma/discrimination, and (c) treatment perception barriers. ORS symptom severity was significantly, positively correlated with number of logistical/financial and stigma/discrimination barriers. Treatment barriers were significantly influenced by ethnic group, ORS symptom severity, and source of odor. Conclusion Results highlight the importance of increasing awareness and enhancing access to care for individuals with ORS.
Comparison of the Effectiveness of Whole Body Vibration in Stroke Patients: A Meta-Analysis

Objectives. The goals of this study were to assess the effectiveness of WBV (whole body vibration) training through an analysis of effect sizes, identify advantages of WBV training, and suggest other effective treatment methods. Methods. Four databases, namely, EMBASE, PubMed, EBSCO, and Web of Science, were used to collect articles on vibration. Keywords such as “vibration” and “stroke” were used in the search for published articles. Consequently, eleven studies were selected in the second screening using meta-analyses. Results. The total effect size of patients with dementia in the studies was 0.25, which was small. The effect size of spasticity was the greatest at 1.24 (high), followed by metabolism at 0.99 (high), balance, muscle strength, gait, and circulation in the decreasing order of effect size. Conclusions. The effect sizes for muscle strength and balance and gait function, all of which play an important role in performance of daily activities, were small. In contrast, effect sizes for bone metabolism and spasticity were moderate. This suggests that WBV training may provide a safe, alternative treatment method for improving the symptoms of stroke in patients.
CUSTOMER PRESENT DISSATISFACTION AND FUTURE SATISFACTION WITH AUGMENTED REALITY USED IN SHOPPING AND ENTERTAINMENT

Augmented reality technology is intended to enhance user’s experience in shopping or seeking entertainment. If enhancement is low or non-existent, it may not be because augmented reality (AR) is faulty; it may be because AR did not provide sufficient attributes to satisfy customers. Based on a study with adult consumers, this study examines the level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction achieved by some users of AR in shopping and entertainment. The results show a significant discrepancy between what consumers expected to be offered when engaging augmented reality in shopping or entertainment and what they actually experienced. Consumers expected high levels of interactivity, high quality of augmentation (realistic view and telepresence), high levels of information, and the availability of crucial utilities (search features, narration, quick response, and need for touch). Consumers experienced fun, pleasure, connectivity, but they also encountered low levels of interactivity, and low levels of information. Important implications for researchers and managers are drawn from this discrepancy.
NATURAL HISTORY OF TICK-BORNE AMERICAN SPOTTED FEVER

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the natural history of tick-borne American spotted fever. In a program to re-evaluate the ecological factors responsible for persistence and distribution of Rickettsia rickettsi in western Montana, susceptibility to virulent strain was determined quantitatively for various small, wild mammals known to serve as hosts for the immature stages of the tick vector, Dermacentor andersoni . When bitten by infected ticks, Columbian ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, chipmunks, and meadow mice developed rickettsemias that appeared as early as three days and lasted as long as 5–9 days. In analyzing significance of the host animals as sources of infection for larval D. andersoni , it was found that only ticks that fed on Columbian ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, chipmunks, meadow mice, and snowshoe hares during peak of rickettsemias showed high infection rates; those that fed during initial or final stages ingested small numbers of rickettsiae but did not become infected permanently.
A Case for Triangulation in Argument Research

This essay articulates a case for triangulation as a research strategy to aid in the development of theoretical claims and the integration of theory. Data, investigator, theoretical, and methodological types of triangulation are described. The potential and actual uses of these types of triangulation are demonstrated for argumentation by examining research in everyday argument and argument fields.
Medicaid Expansion Improved Health Insurance Coverage For Immigrants, But Disparities Persist

The Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion provisions have been credited with overall improvements in insurance coverage, access to care, and health. However, recent studies have found that racia...
Adapting an Automatic Speech Recognition System to Event Classification of Electroencephalograms 1

Identification of clinically significant events in electroencephalograms (EEGs) is a time-consuming task for neurologists [1]. EEG signals contain a variety of morphologies which relate to a combination of brain signals and noise/artifacts. Automated classification of such events has the potential to speed up the interpretation process and provide valuable input to other types of EEG decision-making software. Because of the similarities between EEGs and speech signals, both of which contain temporal/sequential information, one of our long-term goals has been to apply well-developed concepts from speech recognition to EEG processing. We have previously approached this by applying hidden Markov Models (HMMs) [2] [3] using a toolkit known as HTK [4]. In this poster, we discuss the application of a new high-performance speech recognition system known as Kaldi [5] to this task. Adaptation of this technology to the EEG problem has not been as straightforward as previously thought.
Impact of Benign Hematology Didactic Lectures on In-service Exam in a Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Program: a Cross-sectional Longitudinal Study

It remains unclear on whether the traditional formal didactic lecture sessions improve knowledge acquisition with conflicting data in the literature. This study evaluates the impact of an additional benign hematology didactic curriculum on the American Society of Hematology In-Service Exam (ASHISE). During the first 5 years of the study (2012–2016), formal didactic lectures consisted of medical oncology and malignant hematology topics only. Formal benign hematology didactic lectures were added during the last 2 years of the study (2017–2018). All fellows are required to take the ASHISE annually. All fellows’ ASHISE scores from 2012 to 2018 were collected. The mean total and Coagulation scale score were calculated by year of fellowship training. Pre-intervention (2012–2016) and post-intervention (2017–2018) scores were analyzed using a Student’s t test. Over a 7-year period, 34 hematology-oncology fellows took the ASHISE. There was no statistical difference in the mean total and Coagulation scale score for the ASHISE in the pre-intervention and post-intervention group. The addition of a benign hematology curriculum did not improve fellows’ performance on the ASHISE.
Solomon, Sheba, and the haunting of race in the Church and biblical interpretation:

In order to counteract racial polarization within and among US churches and society today, this article proposes remembering, confessing, and repenting of traditions of racialized biblical interpre...
PSEUDO-SCOTUS ON THE SOUNDNESS OF CONSEQUENTIAE

Publisher Summary The term consequentia, as used by Pseudo-Scotus, refers to something that seems to be intermediate between an argument and a conditional. According to the definition he gives, a consequentia is a hypothetical proposition composed of an antecedent and a consequent, joined by a conditional conjunction. Some of the most interesting parts of the commentary by Pseudo-Scotus are found in his discussion of the quaestio whether in every sound consequentia the negation of the antecedent follows from the negation of the consequent. In the course of Pseudo-Scotus's treatment of this topic, he is quite naturally led to a more fundamental question regarding the necessary and sufficient conditions for the soundness of a consequential. He considers various possibilities and in a subtle analysis disposes of nearly all of them by means of counter examples. After presenting an illuminating classification of consequentiae, he applies his distinctions in answering the principal quaestio itself. This chapter presents some ingenious counter examples that are used against various plausible possibilities for a satisfactory definition of soundness.
Introductory Note to the United States Supreme Court: Graham v. Florida & the Federal Court of Australia: Habib v. Australia

This introductory note considers two different and completely unrelated cases: Graham, a U.S. Supreme Court criminal case on the cruel and unusual punishment clause of the U.S. Constitution and Habib, an Australian civil case involving a former Guantanamo Bay detainee. This note focuses on one aspect of the disparate nature of the cases, starkly contrasting judicial attitudes towards the role of “foreign law” in domestic jurisprudence. Juxtaposed, the two cases offer an interesting view of not only the obvious differences between the U.S. inward and the Australian outward looking judicial philosophies, but perhaps a broader sense of how the two legal systems view their role in and contribution to the international rule of law.
Weak convergence of spectral shift functions for one-dimensional Schrödinger operators†

We study the manner in which spectral shift functions associated with self-adjoint one-dimensional Schrodinger operators on the finite interval (0, R) converge in the infinite volume limit R ∞ to the half-line spectral shift function. Relying on a Fredholm determinant approach combined with certain measure theoretic facts, we show that prior vague convergence results in the literature in the special case of Dirichlet boundary conditions extend to the notion of weak convergence and arbitrary separated self-adjoint boundary conditions at x = 0 and x = R.
Behavioral and immunohistochemical characterization of rapid reconditioning following extinction of contextual fear

A fundamental property of extinction is that the behavior that is suppressed during extinction can be unmasked through a number of postextinction procedures. Of the commonly studied unmasking procedures (spontaneous recovery, reinstatement, contextual renewal, and rapid reacquisition), rapid reacquisition is the only approach that allows a direct comparison between the impact of a conditioning trial before or after extinction. Thus, it provides an opportunity to evaluate the ways in which extinction changes a subsequent learning experience. In five experiments, we investigate the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of postextinction reconditioning. We show that rapid reconditioning of unsignaled contextual fear after extinction in male Long-Evans rats is associative and not affected by the number or duration of extinction sessions that we examined. We then evaluate c-Fos expression and histone acetylation (H4K8) in the hippocampus, amygdala, prefrontal cortex, and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. We find that in general, initial conditioning has a stronger impact on c-Fos expression and acetylation than does reconditioning after extinction. We discuss implications of these results for theories of extinction and the neurobiology of conditioning and extinction.
Totally Thoracoscopic Surgical Ablation or Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: A Systematic Review and Preliminary Meta-Analysis

This article provides results of a preliminary meta-analysis of the stand-alone atrial fibrillation (AF) surgical publications from 2009 to 2011. In 6 studies with postoperative freedom from AF as primary end point, the meta-analysis indicated an overall success rate of 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 80.0-88.0). For the 7 studies with the primary end point of postoperative return to normal sinus rhythm, the success rate was 83% (95% CI, 79.0-87.0). These data are compared with 3 comprehensive meta-analyses of catheter ablation. Based on comparison, it is recommended that initial treatment of long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation be minimal access surgery.
Shining a Light in a Dark Corner: EDGAR Search Activity Reveals the Strategically Leaked Plans of Activist Investors

We provide evidence of a network of information flow between activists and other investors prior to 13D filings. We match EDGAR search activity to investor IP addresses, identifying specific investors who persistently download information on an individual activist’s campaign targets in the days prior to that activist’s 13D disclosures. This apparent leaking of activist campaign plans seems to benefit both parties: the informed investor, unnamed in the 13D, increases its holdings in the targeted stock prior to the price surge upon 13D disclosure, while the activist earns voting support that increases their likelihood of pursuing and winning a proxy fight.
Robotic surgery in giant multilocular cystadenoma of the prostate: A rare case report.

Background Giant multilocular cystadenoma (GMC) of the prostate gland is a very rare benign tumor. Although the benign nature has been known, complete surgical excision is the major treatment consensus because of its high recurrence rate. We report a rare case of GMC with accompanying lower urinary tract symptoms and repeated urine retention initially thought to be symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia, which was treated with robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Case summary A 65-year-old man presented with a 2-year history of lower urinary tract symptoms that had deteriorated gradually within the previous six months, even though he had received treatment with a selective alpha-blocking agent. He had undergone two transurethral resections of the prostate (TURP) at a local hospital during a 4-mo interval because initial ultrasound imaging and prostatic core needle biopsy showed benign prostate hyperplasia. Upon the third recurrence, the patient underwent TURP with a green-light laser at our institution. The diagnosis was a tumor composed of variously sized dilated glandular and cystic structures lined by blended prostatic type epithelia positive for prostate-specific antigen; the final diagnosis was giant multilocular cystadenoma. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a large multilocular retrovesical mass 8.0 cm × 7.3 cm × 6.4 cm, with heterogeneous enhancement. A coexisting malignant part could not be excluded. Considering the high recurrence rate, risk of coexisting malignancy, and possible sequelae of open surgery for radical excision, the patient decided to undergo robot-assisted radical prostatectomy, with good outcomes at the 2-year follow-up. Conclusion Robot-assisted surgery for the treatment of prostate GMC provides another choice for simultaneous attention to disease-control and postoperative quality of life.
Neoadjuvant therapy is associated with lower margin positivity rates after Pancreaticoduodenectomy in T1 and T2 pancreatic head cancers: An analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Abstract Background Neoadjuvant therapy (NAT) for T1/T2 pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) prior to pancreaticoduodenectomy remains controversial. We compared positive margin rates in patients with clinical T1T of which, 774 (9.1%) received NAT and 435 (5.1%) received both chemotherapy and radiation therapy. NAT was found to lower positive margin rates from 21.8 to 15.5% (p Conclusions NAT is associated with a reduced positive margin rate in patients with T1 and T2 tumors. These findings support ongoing and future clinical trials of NAT in T1 and T2, early stage PDAC to determine impacts on survival.
Probing Narrative Cognition: How Do Policy Elites and the General Public Internalize Competing Policy Narratives on Hydraulic Fracturing?

The use of hydraulic fracturing (HF) technologies to extract oil and gas in the United States has sparked contentious policy debates. Constituting these debates, competing policy narratives position HF as either a threat to the environment or as an opportunity to realize economic gain. This paper examines how policy elites and the general public cognitively internalize competing HF policy narratives, comparing their cognitive patterns of semantic narrative elements. Based on original survey data, structural topic modeling (STM) is applied to extract latent topics from open-ended text responses and to unpack relationships between narrative cognition and theory-driven correlates including socially constructed worldviews, party identity, trust, and demographic characteristics. We find that worldviews guide the cognitive selection of narrative elements for both policy elites and members of the general public in similar but distinct ways. We then discuss how our findings contribute to the advancement of the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF) and our understanding of the policy process more generally, as well as highlight practical and methodological implications of the study.
Progress outside of paradise: Old and new comparative approaches to contentious politics:

Descriptive or ethnographic studies were once the stock-in-trade of the comparative politics of non-Western areas and illiberal states. The last few decades have seen a dramatic growth in quantitat...
Evaluation of the anatomical and functional consequences of repetitive mild cervical contusion using a model of spinal concussion

Spinal cord concussion is characterized by a transient loss of motor and sensory function that generally resolves without permanent deficits. Spinal cord concussions usually occur during vehicular accidents, falls, and sport activity, but unlike brain concussions, have received much less attention despite the potential for repeated injury leading to permanent neurological sequelae. Consequently, there is no consensus regarding decisions related to return to play following an episode of spinal concussion, nor an understanding of the short- and long-term consequences of repeated injury. Importantly, there are no models of spinal concussion to study the anatomical and functional sequelae of single or repeated injury. We have developed a new model of spinal cord concussion focusing on the anatomical and behavioral outcomes of single and repeated injury. Rats received a very mild (50 kdyn, IH impactor) spinal contusion at C5 and were separated into two groups three weeks after the initial injury--C1, which received a second, sham surgery, and C2, which received a second contusion at the same site. To track motor function and recovery, animals received weekly behavioral tests--BBB, CatWalk™, cylinder, and Von Frey. Analysis of locomotor activity by BBB demonstrated that rats rapidly recovered, regaining near-normal function by one week after the first and second injury, which was confirmed using the more detailed CatWalk™ analysis. The cylinder test showed that a single contusion did not induce significant deficits of the affected limb, but that repeated injury resulted in significant alteration in paw preference, with animals favoring the unaffected limb. Intriguingly, Von Frey analysis demonstrated an increased sensitivity in the contralateral hindlimb in the C2 group vs. the C1 group. Anatomical analyses revealed that while the lesion volume of both groups was minimal, the area of spared white matter in the C2 group was significantly reduced 1 and 2mm rostral to the lesion epicenter. Reactive astrocytes were present in both groups, with the majority found at the lesion epicenter in the C1 group, whereas the C2 group demonstrated increased reactive astrocytes extending 1mm caudal to the lesion epicenter. Macrophages accumulated within the injured, dorsal and ipsilateral spinal cord, with significant increases at 2 and 3mm rostral to the epicenter in the C2 group. Our model is designed to represent the clinical presentation of spinal cord concussion, and highlight the susceptibility and functional sequelae of repeated injury. Future experiments will examine the temporal and spatial windows of vulnerability for repeated injuries.
An Approach to the Functional Optimization of the CELSS Test Facility

An optimization of the CELSS Test Facility (CTF) subsystems and the entire CTF is necessary in order to meet strict limitations imposed on mass, volume, and power. Depending on the subsystem, other requirements must also be met. This paper shows the way to examine compatibility of requirements, to define an area of existing solutions (an operational envelope), and to find an optimal solution. The workability of the method is shown using problems of heat load on the Plant Growth Chamber, of optimization of the Vapor-Air Membrane Separation Device, and of finding a CTF configuration with minimum air pressure drop.
The role of the Common Agricultural Policy in maintaining High Nature Value farming systems in Europe

Human interference of European landscape by the cultivation of land for agriculture and forestry is significant for the state of landscapes and biodiversity. The so-called High Nature Value (HNV) farming systems are important in the maintenance of landscapes and biodiversity. They are often referred to as low-intensity farming systems with highly diverse habitat types (Baldock and Beaufoy 1993). They may, however, also be high-intensive farming systems with rich natural potential, like the Dutch Peat-lands. Some examples of farmland with high natural values are semi-natural grasslands, breeding areas for birds, areas for migratory birds, areas with many natural features and the dehesas and montados which are agroforestry systems with rotation of arable and livestock production under trees (Van Dijk 1996). Intensification of agriculture and abandonment of agricultural land are the main threats to HNV areas. This has to be avoided. This article investigates the role present and alternative Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) measures can play in maintaining farming systems responsible for the high natural value of the areas throughout the EU.
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate-specific Glutamate Dehydrogenase of Neurospora I. ISOLATION, SUBUNITS, AMINO ACID COMPOSITION, SULFHYDRYL GROUPS, AND IDENTIFICATION OF A LYSINE RESIDUE REACTIVE WITH PYRIDOXAL PHOSPHATE AND N-ETHYLMALEIMIDE

Abstract 1. An improved procedure, utilizing affinity chromatography in the final step, has been devised for the purification of the NADP-specific glutamate dehydrogenase of Neurospora crassa. 2. The molecular weight of the native protein is 288,400 by sedimentation-equilibrium measurements. In 6 m guanidine HCl and 0.5% mercaptoethanol, the subunit molecular weight is 48,800, consistent with a native molecule composed of six subunits of identical size. 3. The enzymic activity is abolished by reaction with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, the reaction occurring preferentially at a single lysine residue. Only one fluorescent spot is observed on tryptic peptide maps of the enzyme inactivated with this reagent and reduced with borohydride. 4. All six of the free sulfhydryl groups in each subunit can be carboxymethylated or carboxamidomethylated with no effect on catalytic activity. 5. Treatment of the enzyme with N-ethylmaleimide results in loss of activity, whether or not the sulfhydryl groups have been previously blocked by carboxymethylation. The pKa of the group involved is 7.60 at 34° and 8.70 at 2°. The calculated heat of ionization is 12.6 ± 2.0 Cal per mole. Present evidence indicates that the reaction with N-ethylmaleimide probably involves the same e-amino group as in the reaction with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate.
A class I transgene reveals regulatory events on chromosome 1 marking peripheral T cell differentiation and memory.

T cells respond to external signals by altering patterns of gene expression. Our characterization of a transgenic mouse revealed a genetic locus that is specifically regulated in T cells. Elucidation of the factors controlling the expression of the marker transgene may reveal basic regulatory mechanisms used by T cells as they differentiate from naive to primed/memory T cells. Although endogenous MHC class I K q expression is normal in these animals, expression of the K b transgene differentiates naive from primed/memory T cells. K bHigh T cells bear the phenotypic and functional properties of primed/memory T cells, while K bLow T cells have naive phenotypes. The transition from K bLow to K bHigh appears to involve signals resulting from engagement of the TCR. We show that transgene integration has occurred on chromosome 1, between D1Mit365 and D1Mit191. The gene regulatory mechanisms directing expression of the locus marked by the transgene are distinct from those controlling other known T cell-related genes within this locus. Stimulation of K bHigh T cells results in the up-regulation of both the endogenous K q gene and the K b transgene. However, the same stimuli induce increased expression of only K q on K bLow T cells. This indicates that even though the transcription factors necessary for class I expression are present in K bLow T cells, the K b gene appears not to be accessible to these factors. These findings suggest a change in chromatin structure at the transgene integration site as cells progress from a naive to a primed/memory differentiation state.
Africa and the World Trade Organization: AID FOR TRADE

given the declaration that the doha round was to be a development round, it was only a matter of time before aid became a central issue in the WTO negotiations. However, from the standpoint of the WTO, aid had to be linked to trade. An “aid for trade” initiative was formally launched in December 2005 at the WTO Ministerial Conference in Hong Kong. An appeal for “aid for trade” was carefully crafted in the Hong Kong Ministerial Declaration to emphasize the role of aid without losing sight of the importance of removing trade barriers (WTO, 2005b: 11): Aid for Trade should aim to help developing countries, particularly LDCs [least-developed countries], to build the supply-side capacity and trade-related infrastructure that they need to assist them to implement and benefit from WTO Agreements and more broadly to expand their trade. Aid for Trade cannot be a substitute for the development benefits that will result from a successful conclusion to the DDA [Doha Development Agenda], particularly on market access. However, it can be a valuable complement to the DDA. We invite the Director-General to create a task force that shall provide recommendations on how to operationalize Aid for Trade. The Task Force will provide recommendations to the General Council by July 2006 on how Aid for Trade might contribute most effectively to the development dimension of the DDA. The emphasis on more aid comes from African and other developing countries.
Verification of the security of a secure network component

The author formally proves using a mechanical verifier that a security multiplexer for a network is secure and has no timing channels. While this multiplexer is only a small piece of a system, it handles multiple security levels and contains a process and two procedures that interact with other parts of the system. Security is expressed using an information flow model, extended to handle time. He shows how the multiplexer is specified in this model, describes the synchronous deterministic security model used, and discuss the security proof. >
Grade Inflation: Too Much Talk, Too Little Action

Grade inflation in academic institutions. Is it a subject so complex and pervasive in education that it defies resolution? The issue of grade inflation is of concern to college students, faculty, administrators and future employers. There is much gnashing of teeth, some veiled threats, wringing of hands, and both written and oral discussion of the topic but grade inflation persists. A few colleges have attempted to curb grade inflation through various grading policies that are often rejected by faculty and unfair to students. If the problem is generally universal among academic institutions and a threat to the validity of grades as an indicator of true academic performance, then why not establish grading guidelines, monitor adherence to the guidelines, and quit making such a fuss over grading? The purpose of this paper is to bring attention to the various questions that bear on the discussion, should be addressed in working toward a solution that may still be too elusive or contentious, and suggest actions to curb grade inflation.