cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the spatial pattern of July temperature departures (1943 1972) over Canada and estimates of the 700 MB midsummer circulation during middle and late holocene

The pattern of July temperature variability over Canada north of ∼50°N for the period 1943–1972 has been analysed by means of principal component analysis. Our objective was to assess the spatial similarities between modern temperature fluctuations at the interannual scale and those derived from paieotempe nature records encompassing a period of the last 6000 14C years. A comparison of the first four principal components from each data set suggests that contemporary midsummer temperature variations offer a reasonable analogue to Holocene fluctuations on the order of a few centuries. The Keewatin-Baffin Island-Ungava Peninsula region appears to be within the area of maximum temperature response.
Kinetics of salmon quality changes during thermal processing

The kinetics of reactions leading to changes in salmon quality during thermal processing were evaluated. Small samples (D 30 mmH 6 mm) cut from pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) fillets were sealed in aluminum containers (internal dimension: D 35 mmH 6 mm) and heated in an oil bath at 100, 111.1, 121.1, and 131.1 C for different time intervals up to 180, 150, 120, 90 min, respectively. A fractional conversion model was used to describe the increase in cook loss during heating; and a quadratic rela- tionship to correlate cook loss with area shrinkage ratio. Color changes (CIE L * , b * and DE) involved whitening and browning phases. In the browning phase, the changes of CIE L * , b * and DE followed a zero-order reaction. The progressive change of texture with time as indicated by shear force during heating went through four different phases, and the second (rapid tenderizing) and third phases (slow toughening) were modeled using a first-order reaction kinetic model. The decay of thiamin during heating was modeled with two different relationships: a second-order reaction in which the temperature dependence of the rate constant followed an Arrhenius relationship; and a Weibull-log logistic model recently proposed. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Translumbar hemodialysis catheters in patients with limited central venous access: does patient size matter?

Abstract Purpose To describe a single institutional experience with translumbar tunneled dialysis catheters (TDC) and compare outcomes between patients with normal and abnormal body mass index (BMI). Materials and Methods Translumbar TDCs placed between January 2002 and July 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. There were 33 patients; 18 had a normal BMI 25. Technical outcome, complications, indications for exchange or removal, and BMI were recorded. Catheter dwell time, catheter occlusion rate, frequency of malposition, and infection rates were collected. Results There were 92 procedures (33 initial placements) with 7,825 catheter days. The technical success rate was 100%. Two minor (2.2%) and three major (3.3%) complications occurred. The complication rate did not differ significantly between patients with a normal BMI and patients with an abnormal BMI. Median catheter time in situ (interquartile range) for all patients was 61 (113) days, for patients with normal BMI was 66 (114) days, and for patients with abnormal BMI was 56 (105) days ( P = .9). Primary device service intervals for all patients, patients with normal BMI, and patients with abnormal BMI were 47 (96) days, 63 (98) days, and 39 (55) days ( P = .1). Secondary device service intervals for all patients, patients with normal BMI, and patients with abnormal BMI were 147 (386) days, 109 (124) days, and 409 (503) days ( P = .23). Catheter-related central venous thrombosis rate was 0.01 per 100 catheter days (n = 1). Conclusions Translumbar TDC placement can provide effective hemodialysis in patients with limited venous reserve regardless of the patient’s BMI. An abnormal BMI (>25) does not significantly affect complication rate, median catheter time in situ, or primary or secondary device service interval of translumbar TDCs.
Cooperative amplification of energy transfer in plasmonic systems

We study cooperative effects in energy transfer (ET) from an ensemble of donors to an acceptor near a plasmonic nanostructure. We demonstrate that, in the cooperative regime, ET takes place from plasmonic super-radiant and subradiant states rather than from individual donors leading to a significant increase in ET efficiency. The cooperative amplification of the ET relies on the large coupling of superradiant states to external fields and on the slow decay rate of subradiant states. We show that superradiant and subradiant ET mechanisms are efficient in different energy domains and, therefore, can be utilized independently. We present numerical results demonstrating the amplification effect for a layer of donors and an acceptor on a spherical plasmonic nanoparticle.
Structure and dynamics of micelle-associated human immunodeficiency virus gp41 fusion domain

The N-terminal fusion domain of the HIV-1 gp41 envelope glycoprotein is responsible for initiating the fusion of viral and cellular membranes, leading to the subsequent infection of the host cell by HIV-1. We have investigated the backbone structure and dynamics of the 30 N-terminal residues of HIV-1 gp41 in membrane-mimicking environments using NMR spectroscopy and 15 N- and 15 N, 13 C, 2 H- labeled peptides. Similar 15 N- 1 H HSQC spectra were obtained in a variety of detergents, including SDS, DPC, mixed DPC/SDS, and LPPG micelles, indicating that the peptide structure is not strongly influenced by the type of detergent used. Detailed characterization was carried out in SDS micelles, where the long- term sample stability was found to be optimal. In addition to J-coupling and NOE restraints, a nearly complete set of backbone residual dipolar coupling restraints was recorded for the fusion domain-micelle complex aligned with respect to the magnetic field using a stretched polyacrylamide gel. Backbone amide 15 N spin relaxation and amide hydrogen exchange rates with the solvent were also measured. The ensemble of NMR structures reveals an uninterrupted R-helix for the least mobile residues (S 2 > 0.65), Ile-4 to Met-19, with transient helical character extending up to Ala-22. A 12-residue (Ile-4 to Ala-15) segment is fully shielded from solvent, with Gly-3 and Gly-16 found at micelle-solvent interfaces. Residues external to the micelle exhibit enhanced picosecond to nanosecond time scale dynamics relative to the residues buried in the micelle, and their mobility increases with the distance from the micelle.
Surgical management of aortic aneurysm and coexistent horseshoe kidney: Review of a 31-year experience

Abstract Purpose: The coexistence of horseshoe kidney and aortic aneurysm poses a technical challenge to the vascular surgeon at the time of aneurysm repair. Clinical experience with this problem was reviewed to assess the results of treatment and to develop guidelines for the treatment of patients with horseshoe kidney and aortic aneurysm. Methods: From 1960 through 1991, 19 patients with associated horseshoe kidney (HSK) required repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm at the Cleveland Clinic. Seventeen men and two women, with a mean age of 67 years, underwent 16 elective and three urgent operations. The HSK was found before operation in 16 patients (84%), whereas the remaining three were discovered at operation. Computed tomography and intravenous pyelography were the most reliable means of preoperative diagnosis, whereas ultrasonography and aortography were less dependable. Mean size of abdominal aortic aneurysm was 6.1 cm. The mean preoperative creatinine level was 1.5 mg/dl. The surgical approach was transperitoneal in 16 patients and retroperitoneal in three. Division of the renal isthmus was avoided in all patients. Results: Renal artery anomalies were encountered in 14 patients (74%). Renal arterial continuity was established by a variety of techniques, including branch grafts or reimplantation into the aortic graft. Abnormal preoperative renal function was associated with a significantly increased risk for early postoperative hemodialysis ( p = 0.02). There were three postoperative deaths, and the mortality rate for patients who required dialysis (67%) was significantly higher ( p = 0.05) than that for patients who did not (6.3%). There were six late deaths at a mean follow-up interval of 57 months. Conclusions: The most important aspect of HSK, therefore, is the appropriate surgical management of frequent renal artery anomalies. We currently believe this is best achieved with retroperitoneal exposure. (J VASC SURG 1993;17:940-7.)
Comparison of indicators measuring the proportion of human immunodeficiency virus–infected persons with a suppressed viral load

Abstract Purpose The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses the last viral load to estimate the proportion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected persons with a suppressed viral load. Several recent studies report that it may overestimate viral suppression in the population and have suggested using sustained viral suppression. The objective of this analysis is to compare these indicators. Methods Using New York City HIV surveillance data, two indicators were compared with a new one, weighted viral suppression, which accounts for both the status and duration of viral suppression. Results Among 72,315 HIV-infected persons with at least one viral load measurement in New York City in 2013, 62,829 had at least one suppressed viral load, 58,041 had a suppressed last viral load, and 47,948 had sustained viral suppression. Compared with the weighted proportion (77.5%), the proportion based on last viral load suppression (80.3%) was slightly higher, and the proportion based on sustained viral suppression (66.3%) was substantially lower. Conclusions The indicator based on last viral load suppression is the most straightforward to calculate and understand and also approximates the weighted indicator, which measures viral suppression for the entire analysis period. Therefore, we support using the indicator based on last viral load suppression to monitor the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.
Natural History of Renal Artery Stenosis

Renal artery stenosis secondary to atherosclerosis is a cause of both hypertension and renal failure. Since ultrasonic duplex scanning can be used to detect the presence of renal artery stenosis, it is possible to use this modality for follow-up purposes. This study was designed to determine the relationship between the degree of renal artery narrowing and its effects on kidney size. Serial measurements of renal length were taken as a part of the prospective duplex ultrasound measurements of renal artery narrowing. Fifty-four patients (22 men and 32 women with a mean age of 65.8 years) were included in the study. There were 101 renal arteries and kidneys available for follow-up (average, 14.4 months; range, 4 to 24 months). The patients had repeat duplex studies every 6 months. There were no kidneys with normal renal arteries or a less than 60% diameter-reducing stenosis that had a decrease in renal length of more than 1 cm during follow-up. In those kidneys with a > or = 60% diameter-reducing stenosis, 26% had a decrease in renal length of greater than 1 cm. The average decrease in length was 1.9 cm (range, 1.2 to 3.4 cm). The estimated risk of a loss of more than 1 cm length was 19% at 1 year. Loss of renal mass is an important consequence of high-grade renal artery stenosis.
Retinoic Acid Receptors and Cancer

Retinoids have been shown to inhibit the growth of many human tumor cells. Although the exact molecular mechanism of retinoid-mediated growth suppression remains known, the importance of the retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) has been in established a number of tumor cell models. We wanted to determine if modulation of RAR/RXR function would alter the retinoid sensitivity of oral squamous carcinoma cells (SCCs). Growth of SCCs was significantly suppressed by treatment with either all-trans retinoic acid (RA) or the synthetic, conformationally restricted RAR-gamma-selective retinoids SR 11254 and SR 11389. In contrast, stable oral SCC clones that constitutively overexpressed the mouse dominant negative mutant, RAR-beta (R269Q), were shown to exhibit reduced RAR/RXR transcriptional transactivation function and reduced sensitivity to growth inhibition by RA, SR 11254 and SR 11389. Likewise, the RAR-gamma antagonist SR 11253 was found to block the ability of SR 11254 and SR 11389 to inhibit SCC growth. These results indicate that modulation of RAR function through the use of either an RAR-gamma-selective antagonist or a pan-RAR dominant negative mutant significantly alters the growth inhibitory response of oral SCCs to retinoids.
Convergence of Stochastic Iterative Dynamic Programming Algorithms

Recent developments in the area of reinforcement learning have yielded a number of new algorithms for the prediction and control of Markovian environments. These algorithms, including the TD(λ) algorithm of Sutton (1988) and the Q-learning algorithm of Watkins (1989), can be motivated heuristically as approximations to dynamic programming (DP). In this paper we provide a rigorous proof of convergence of these DP-based learning algorithms by relating them to the powerful techniques of stochastic approximation theory via a new convergence theorem. The theorem establishes a general class of convergent algorithms to which both TD(λ) and Q-learning belong.
The mechanical properties of thermally treated 73/27 HBA/HNA copolyester

The mechanical properties of fiber molded samples and monofilaments of thermally treated 73/27 4-hydroxy benzoic acid/2-hydroxy-6-napthoic acid (HBA/HNA) copolyester have been investigated using both tensile tests and flexural three-point bending tests. The thermal treatment which involves step annealing at temperatures well below the degradation temperature of the 73/27 system has been shown to produce branching and crosslinking in the crystalline regions of these polymers. The flexural strength of the degraded sample decreased up to 10% of the untreated fiber molded sample. In case of tensile strength of a single fiber, the values for the degraded samples are in line with the untreated fiber in the low draw ratio region while a slight decrease in tensile strength was observed in the high draw ratio region. The decrease in flexural and tensile strength appears to result from a small amount of branching and crosslinking reactions which arise uniquely in the orthorhombic phase of the 73/27 HBA/HNA copolyester. The branching and crosslinking would prevent the molecular orientation along flow direction in the molten state. For the fiber molded samples of degraded 73/27 HBA/HNA the destruction of the chain regularity along fiber axis direction was observed by wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The 73/27 HBA/HNA copolyester including 1 wt% of a crosslinked oligomer was used to simulate the branching and crosslinking of the degraded 73/27 HBA/HNA copolyester. Plots of tensile strength versus draw ratio were similar for the degraded 73/27 HBA/HNA and a copolyester which included 1 wt% of a crosslinkable oligomer. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insulin release in pregnancy: studies on adenylate cyclase, phosphodiesterase, protein kinase, and phosphoprotein phosphatase in isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

The adenylate cyclase-cAMP system and related phosphorylating and dephosphorylating enzymes have been studied in islets of Langerhans from pregnant and nonpregnant Wistar rats to ascertain if changes in these enzymes might be related to the increase in insulin secretion observed late in pregnancy. Islets of Langerhans were isolated by collagenase digestion from 20-day-pregnant rats and age-matched female controls. Islets of each group were perifused to measure rates and patterns of insulin release when they were exposed to 2.8 mM, and subsequently 16.7 mM, Dglucose. The remaining islets were sonicated and assayed for adenylate cyclase, phosphodiesterase, phosphoprotein phosphatase, and protein kinase activities. Basal insulin secretion under perifusion conditions (2.8 mM glucose) was the same in both groups of islets (9.2 ± 2.4 pg insulin released-islet-1 min-1 from pregnant rats compared with 10.2 ± 1.8 for controls). In response to 16.7 mM glucose, both phases of insulin release were increased in islets...
Association between celiac sprue and cryopyrin associated autoinflammatory disorders: a case report

Cryopyrin-associated diseases may be characterized by rashes, fever, and sensorineural deafness, while celiac disease may present with symptoms of malabsorption and fatigue. Arthritis is seen in both conditions. We report a young child with histologically diagnosed celiac disease and a cryopyrinopathy.
Synthesis and Structure–Activity Relationships of Tambjamines and B-Ring Functionalized Prodiginines as Potent Antimalarials

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of 94 novel bipyrrole tambjamines (TAs) and a library of B-ring functionalized tripyrrole prodiginines (PGs) against a panel of Plasmodium falciparum strains are described. The activity and structure–activity relationships demonstrate that the ring-C of PGs can be replaced by an alkylamine, providing for TAs with retained/enhanced potency. Furthermore, ring-B of PGs/TAs can be substituted with short alkyl substitutions at either 4-position (replacement of OMe) or 3- and 4-positions without impacting potency. Eight representative TAs and two PGs have been evaluated for antimalarial activity against multidrug-resistant P. yoelii in mice in the dose range of 5–100 mg/kg × 4 days by oral administration. The KAR425 TA offered greater efficacy than previously observed for any PG, providing 100% protection to malaria-infected mice until day 28 at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg × 4 days, and was also curative in this model in a single oral dose (80 mg/kg). This study presents the fir...
Mediation: An Essential Component in Undergraduate Business Law Curriculum

Litigation is slow and inefficient. It’s expensive, unpredictable, and airs problems in full public view. It’s adversarial and can destroy longtime relationships. On the other hand, mediation has long been recognized as an effective and efficient process to resolve legal disputes, and has benefits specific to business that litigation cannot offer. Mediation offers reduced cost, privacy, and a trained mediator. In spite of mediation’s prominence in the business world, current undergraduate business law and legal environment courses generally pay it short shrift. These courses may include a brief discussion of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including mediation and arbitration, but that is not enough. Even the popular media suggests to students “if you have a dispute you should take ‘em to court.” Mediation is too ubiquitous in the “real world” to relegate to a small cameo in undergraduate business law curriculum. This article will discuss why mediation training is essential, explore how our current teaching methodology falls short, and propose practical classroom.
Spiritual leadership in the entrepreneurial business: a multifaith study, by Mario Fernando

Northampton, MA, Edward Elgar, 2007, US$94.50, 165 pp., ISBN 978‐1‐84720‐350‐2 As a detailed study of the spiritual leadership behaviors of multi‐faith entrepreneurial leaders in Sri Lanka, this bo...
Spironolactone blocks Epstein–Barr virus production by inhibiting EBV SM protein function

Clinically available drugs active against Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and other human herpesviruses are limited to those targeting viral DNA replication. To identify compounds directed against other steps in the viral life cycle, we searched for drugs active against the EBV SM protein, which is essential for infectious virus production. SM has a highly gene-specific mode of action and preferentially enhances expression of several late lytic cycle EBV genes. Here we demonstrate that spironolactone, a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist approved for clinical use, inhibits SM function and infectious EBV production. Expression of EBV viral capsid antigen is highly SM dependent, and spironolactone inhibits viral capsid antigen synthesis and capsid formation, blocking EBV virion production at a step subsequent to viral DNA replication. In addition, spironolactone inhibits expression of other SM-dependent genes necessary for infectious virion formation. We further demonstrate that molecules structurally related to spironolactone with similar antimineralocorticoid blocking activity do not inhibit EBV production. These findings pave the way for development of antiherpesvirus drugs with new mechanisms of action directed against SM and homologous essential proteins in other herpesviruses.
A MAPLE APPLICATION FOR TESTING SELF-ADJOINTNESS ON QUANTUM GRAPHS

In this paper we consider linear ordinary elliptic dierential oper- ators with smooth coecients on nite quantum graphs. We discuss criteria for the operator to be self-adjoint. This involves conditions on matrices rep- resentative of the boundary conditions at each vertex. The main point is the development of a Maple application to test these conditions.
Finding structural anomalies in star graphs using quantum walks.

We develop a general theory for a quantum-walk search on a star graph. A star graph has $N$ edges each of which is attached to a central vertex. A graph $G$ is attached to one of these edges, and we would like to find out to which edge it is attached. This is done by means of a quantum walk, a quantum version of a random walk. This walk contains $O(\sqrt{N})$ steps, which represents a speedup over a classical search, which would require $O(N)$ steps. The overall graph, star plus $G$, is divided into two parts, and we find that for a quantum speedup to occur, the eigenvalues associated with these two parts in the $N\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\infty}$ limit must be the same. Our theory tells us how the initial state of the walk should be chosen, and how many steps the walk must make in order to find $G$.
The Socio-Economic Determinants of Popular-Authoritarian Electoral Behavior: The Case of Peronism

In several highly mobilized Third World societies, rising levels of working-class political activism seem to have encouraged the development of political movements which are both popular and authoritarian. This popular authoritarianism melds intensive political mobilization of previously excluded social sectors with political structures which severely limit these groups' ability to affect public policy. Much of the research on popular authoritarianism has attempted to explain the phenomenon by identifying the socioeconomic determinants of popular-authoritarian electoral behavior. In an effort to clarify the relative merit of contending explanations, this study uses data from the prototypic case of Argentine Peronism to test six common hypotheses and then to construct a model which optimizes the explanatory ability of five major socioeconomic variables. The results indicate that an area's rate of industrial growth and the size of its working-class population account for more than four-fifths of the variation in Peronisi electoral behavior that can be attributed to socioeconomic variables.
Cards of virulence and the global virulome for humans

Pathogenic microbes can be put into two general categories: those acquired from the environment and those acquired from other humans and animals. Microbes that are acquired from the environment typically can survive in environmental niches and also in their hosts. In contrast, microbes acquired from other human and animal hosts usually have complex relationships with the originating host, and may utterly depend on their hosts to replicate and survive. Furthermore, diseases caused by environmentally acquired microbes may not be communicable, whereas those caused by host-derived microbes may depend on host-to-host spread for survival of the microbe.
Treatment of clinical local failure after radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma.

AbstractFrom a base population of 634 patients with prostate cancer treated by external beam therapy with a median followup of 8 years and 123 patients treated by interstitial brachytherapy with 125iodine (125I) isotope with a median followup of 13 years, those with local failure only were identified. There were 57 external beam radiotherapy (9%) and 15 125I (12%) treated patients with local failure only among the base population. All but 3 patients (2 given external beam radiotherapy and 1 given 125I) were treated with hormonal manipulation without extirpative surgery. The overall cancer-specific median survival with hormonal therapy from the date of local failure was 70 months for 55 patients treated by external beam radiotherapy and 87 months for 14 treated by 125I. Patients with low grade, small volume tumors most likely to benefit from salvage surgery are also those who will experience prolonged survival with hormonal therapy.Patients with local failure only treated by hormonal manipulation had stati...
MILTON'S METER

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Milton's meter. Platonic metrists are concerned primarily with defining a central metrical prototype and determining degrees of conformance with, or deviation from, this prototype. Their rules tend to be statistically normative rather than categorical: Radical deviations from the prototype are rare; minor ones are common. Aristotelian metrists are concerned primarily with boundary conditions, with discovering an exact dividing line between metrical and ummetrical lines. Their rules tend to be categorical rather than statistical: Lines are either metrical or unmetrical, regardless of how often they occur in verse. Metrical prototypes should not be confused with statistical norms, which are patterns for the most common sort of verse line (the mode). Unlike statistical norms, prototypes need have no exact counterparts in actual verse. Pure white cannot exist in nature, and pure metricality might not exist either. Once the metrical prototype is established for a given poem or poet, the next step is to define relative degrees of deviation from this prototype. Individual poets vary widely in this respect—metrical deviations that are innocuous for one poet will be costly for another.
Dynamic actin cycling through mitochondrial subpopulations locally regulates the fission-fusion balance within mitochondrial networks.

Mitochondria form interconnected networks that dynamically remodel in response to cellular needs. Using live-cell imaging, we investigate the role of the actin cytoskeleton in regulating mitochondrial fission and fusion. We identify cycling of actin filaments onto and off of subsets of cellular mitochondria. The association of actin filaments with mitochondrial subpopulations is transient; actin quickly disassembles, then reassembles around a distinct subpopulation, efficiently cycling through all cellular mitochondria within 14 min. The focal assembly of actin induces local, Drp1-dependent fragmentation of the mitochondrial network. On actin disassembly, fragmented mitochondria undergo rapid fusion, leading to regional recovery of the tubular mitochondrial network. Cycling requires dynamic actin polymerization and is blocked by inhibitors of both Arp2/3 and formins. We propose that cyclic assembly of actin onto mitochondria modulates the fission/fusion balance, promotes network remodelling and content mixing, and thus may serve as an essential mechanism regulating mitochondrial network homeostasis. Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that can undergo fission and fusion. Here the authors identify a novel pathway in which actin dynamically assembles in an Arp2/3- and formin-dependent manner around a subset of cellular mitochondria, promoting localized Drp1-dependent fission and impeding fusion.
Antimüllerian hormone levels and cardiometabolic risk in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Objective To determine the association between antimullerian hormone (AMH) levels and metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) in young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Academic PCOS center. Patient(s) A total of 252 women aged 18–46 years with PCOS. Intervention None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Association of AMH with markers of cardiometabolic risk and MetSyn. Result(s) The median AMH level was 5.1 ng/mL (interquartile range [IQR] 3.0–8.1), and prevalence of MetSyn was 23.8%. AMH levels positively correlated with total T, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and SHBG and negatively correlated with fasting glucose, homeostasis-model assessment of insulin resistance, body mass index (BMI), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. A single-unit decrease in AMH was associated with an 11% increase in odds of MetSyn (odds ratio [OR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.20); the strength of this association was maintained in the multivariate model (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.18) adjusting for age and race. Subjects with AMH values in the lowest tertile were twice as likely as those in the highest tertile to have MetSyn (adjusted OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.01–4.3). Total T was not associated with MetSyn or its individual components. Conclusion(s) Our findings indicate that in young women with PCOS, low AMH levels predict a greater risk of MetSyn. The role of AMH, an established biomarker of ovarian reserve, in risk stratification of cardiometabolic risk in obese women with PCOS needs to be clarified in longitudinal studies and in the perimenopausal population.
Near-zero refractive index photonics

The underlying principles and unique optical applications of structures exhibiting near-zero dielectric permittivity and/or magnetic permeability are reviewed. The timely relevance to nonlinear, non-reciprocal and non-local effects is highlighted. Structures with near-zero parameters (for example, media with near-zero relative permittivity and/or relative permeability, and thus a near-zero refractive index) exhibit a number of unique features, such as the decoupling of spatial and temporal field variations, which enable the exploration of qualitatively different wave dynamics. This Review summarizes the underlying principles and salient features, physical realizations and technological potential of these structures. In doing so, we revisit their distinctive impact on multiple optical processes, including scattering, guiding, trapping and emission of light. Their role in emphasizing secondary responses of matter such as nonlinear, non-reciprocal and non-local effects is also discussed.
The Impact of Bedside Interdisciplinary Rounds on Length of Stay and Complications.

Background Communication among team members within hospitals is typically fragmented. Bedside interdisciplinary rounds (IDR) have the potential to improve communication and outcomes through enhanced structure and patient engagement. Objective To decrease length of stay (LOS) and complications through the transformation of daily IDR to a bedside model. Design Controlled trial. Setting 2 geographic areas of a medical unit using a clinical microsystem structure. Patients 2005 hospitalizations over a 12-month period. Interventions A bedside model (mobile interdisciplinary care rounds [MICRO]) was developed. MICRO featured a defined structure, scripting, patient engagement, and a patient safety checklist. Measurements The primary outcomes were clinical deterioration (composite of death, transfer to a higher level of care, or development of a hospital-acquired complication) and length of stay (LOS). Patient safety culture and perceptions of bedside interdisciplinary rounding were assessed pre- and postimplementation.. Results There was no difference in LOS (6.6 vs 7.0 days, P = 0.17, for the MICRO and control groups, respectively) or clinical deterioration (7.7% vs 9.3%, P = 0.46). LOS was reduced for patients transferred to the study unit (10.4 vs 14.0 days, P = 0.02, for the MICRO and control groups, respectively). Nurses and hospitalists gave significantly higher scores for patient safety climate and the efficiency of rounds after implementation of the MICRO model. Limitations The trial was performed at a single hospital. Conclusions Bedside IDR did not reduce overall LOS or clinical deterioration. Future studies should examine whether comprehensive transformation of medical units, including co-leadership, geographic cohorting of teams, and bedside interdisciplinary rounding, improves clinical outcomes compared to units without these features. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:137-142.
Our Three Commerce Clauses and the Presumption of Intrasentence Uniformity

This piece defends a presumption of intrasentence uniformity in constitutional, statutory, and regulatory interpretation. It also applies that presumption to the Commerce Clause and concludes that there is very little originalist evidence that could overcome the presumption of a uniform meaning for "regulate commerce." In particular, Section I defends the presumption of intrasentence uniformity in general terms. Section II applies the presumption to the Commerce Clause and concludes that there is not enough textual or historical evidence to overcome the presumption that "regulate commerce" has a uniform meaning throughout the Commerce Clause. Section III suggests that under current judicial doctrine, congressional power differs as to all three Commerce Clause subparts. Section III also reveals that the powers retained by the states as to all three subparts of the Commerce Clause vary as well. That is to say, the dormant aspect of the Commerce Clause applies differently to each subpart. Just to be clear, I do not contend that intrasentence uniformity must always triumph. I merely defend a very strong presumption of intrasentence uniformity that can be overcome by textual and historical evidence. I thus disassociate myself from Edward Corwin's forceful assertion "that a word should have two quite different meanings in a single short sentence in which it occurs but once, is certainly a novelty to the science of hermeneutics and probably to that of linguistics as well. In his zeal to champion a unified and broad Commerce Clause, Corwin went too far. A word can have two or more different meanings even in a short sentence in which the word occurs but once. Nonetheless, to my mind, the intuition underlying his overblown claim has undeniable appeal.
Alumino-Silicate Clays and Clay Intercalation Compounds

Intercalation compounds formed from graphitic host materials and from layer dichalcogenides such as TaS2 and HfSe2 are quite familiar to most solid-state physicists and chemists who have extensively studied the properties of such materials over the past several decades [1,2]. There is, however, another general class of host materials which can form a wide range of intercalation compounds yet has until very recently received very little attention from the solid-state community, although this class is heavily studied by inorganic chemists, soil scientists, geologists, and minerologists. This “new” class of materials is that which includes alumino-silicate clays (often called sheet silicate clays) [3–5]. Although the term “clay” is often used to refer to minerals, the morphology of which is small particles of a typical size less than 1μm, I will use the term in this paper as synonymous with layered alumino-silicates. In this chapter, I will clarify the relationship between layered alumino-silicates and the more familiar layered solids and, in addition, highlight the key features of the former which make them interesting systems for the exploration of unusual physical phenomena.
Multivariate stable distributions

Abstract This paper is devoted to the theory and application of multidimensional stable distributions. Properties of these laws are developed and explicit algebraic representations are given in terms of characteristic functions. Symmetric and asymmetric laws and their properties are studied separately. A measure of association for variables following a symmetric bivariate stable distribution is provided and its properties are shown to be analogous to those of the ordinary correlation coefficient. Examples are given, and the class of symmetric multivariate stable distributions is applied to a problem in portfolio analysis.
A landscape of disgust.

A rancid meal, a moist handshake, a pile of feces: These phenomena elicit disgust and avoidance that protect humans from our most pervasive consumer—infectious agents. This avoidance is not specific to humans. Various animals alter their behavior to avoid infection ( 1 ). For instance, Poirotte et al. recently showed that mandrills avoid parasite-contaminated feces and refrain from grooming infected individuals ( 2 ). These primates' nuanced ability to detect and alter their behavior in response to differential exposure risk suggests close parallels to the “landscape of fear” elicited by predators (see the figure), with perceived peaks and valleys driven by parasite abundance and exposure risk.
Responding to Patient Cues: Advanced Empathy and Confrontation Skills

Advanced empathy and confrontation are advanced genetic counseling skills involving the formulation of hypotheses and use of interventions regarding patient dynamics and underlying issues that may affect genetic counseling processes and outcomes. This chapter defines advanced empathy and confrontation and describes their functions in genetic counseling; differentiates advanced empathy and confrontation from primary empathy; describes strategies for effectively communicating advanced empathy and confrontation; and identifies examples of patient themes (e.g., patient affect, attitudes, and defense patterns) appropriate for the use of these skills. The chapter also identifies common challenges in using advanced empathy and confrontation and discusses cultural considerations. Several activities and written exercises provide students with opportunities to build their advanced empathy and confrontation skills through self-reflection, practice, and feedback.
Galois Theory I

The traditional Galois correspondence between intermediate fields and subgroups of the Galois group is one of the main themes of this book. We choose to approach this theme through a more general concept, however.
Pinpointing Learning Moments; A finer grain P(J) model.

Educational data mining and knowledge engineering methods have led to increasingly precise models of students’ knowledge as they use intelligent tutoring systems. The first stage in this progression was the development of Bayes Nets and Bayesian frameworks that could infer the probability that a student knew a specific skill at a specific time from their pattern of correct responses and non-correct responses (e.g. errors and hint requests) up until that time [cf. 2, 4, 5].
Impact of TP53 mutations on efficacy of PD-1 targeted immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

e21090Background: Efficacy of PD-1 targeted therapy is limited to a subset of patients with advanced NSCLC. While there is correlation of benefit with PD-L1 expression, the hypermutated tumor pheno...
Computing low-dimensional representations of speech from socio-auditory structures for phonetic analyses.

Abstract Low-dimensional representations of speech data, such as formant values extracted by linear predictive coding analysis or spectral moments computed from whole spectra viewed as probability distributions, have been instrumental in both phonetic and phonological analyses over the last few decades. In this paper, we present a framework for computing low-dimensional representations of speech data based on two assumptions: that speech data represented in high-dimensional data spaces lie on shapes called manifolds that can be used to map speech data to low-dimensional coordinate spaces, and that manifolds underlying speech data are generated from a combination of language-specific lexical, phonological, and phonetic information as well as culture-specific socio-indexical information that is expressed by talkers of a given speech community. We demonstrate the basic mechanics of the framework by carrying out an analysis of children’s productions of sibilant fricatives relative to those of adults in their speech community using the phoneigen package – a publicly available implementation of the framework. We focus the demonstration on enumerating the steps for constructing manifolds from data and then using them to map the data to a low-dimensional space, explicating how manifold structure affects the learned low-dimensional representations, and comparing the use of these representations against standard acoustic features in a phonetic analysis. We conclude with a discussion of the framework’s underlying assumptions, its broader modeling potential, and its position relative to recent advances in the field of representation learning.
Health-related behaviors and multiple chronic health conditions among persons with traumatic spinal cord injury

Cross-sectional study. The purposes of this study were to assess (i) prevalence of self-reported multiple chronic conditions (MCC) in a population-based cohort of persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) and (ii) the association between health-related behaviors and MCC. Population-based TSCI cohort. Participants included 716 adults with TSCI of at least 1-year duration who were identified through a population-based TSCI surveillance system. Standard questions from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System measured cigarette smoking, binge drinking, planned exercises, and 10 chronic health conditions (CHC), including diabetes, heart attack, angina (or coronary artery disease), stroke, cancer, asthma, kidney disease, arthritis, depressive disorder, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. MCC was defined as having two or more CHCs in this study. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to assess the association between health-related behaviors and MCC. Almost half (45%) of the study sample had MCC. After controlling for demographic and injury characteristics, participants with smoking history of at least 100 cigarettes were 59% more likely to develop MCC, and those who had planned exercises at least three times a week were 36% less likely to have MCC. We found MCC prevalence was high among people with TSCI, and MCC was associated with cigarette smoking and planned exercise.
Umbilical Cord Blood As an Alternate Donor Source for High Risk Elderly Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation for Hematological Malignancies

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (alloHCT) remains the only curative option for a variety of hematological malignancies. AlloHCT is being increasingly offered in elderly patients with acceptable transplant related mortality. Umbilical cord blood (UCB) is established as an alternate donor source however some are reluctant to consider its use in elderly patients due to anticipated morbidity. We evaluated outcomes in alternate donor sources, prior to the initiation of haploidentical transplantation at our institution, of matched unrelated donor (MUD) and UCB in elderly patients (median age 64, range 60-74) from 2005-2015. One hundred and eighty four patients were included (MRD: 57; MUD: 69; UCB: 58). Eighty seven underwent myeloablative conditioning (52.7%). There was no difference in acute (aGVHD) or chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD) between donor sources. ATG was protective for grade III-IV aGVHD (p=0.0498) and high disease risk index per Armand et al predictive of cGVHD (p=0.0496). UCB engraftment was longer for both neutrophils (p=0.005) and platelets (p 2) comorbidity index (42%) per Sorror et al. There was a trend toward inferior progression free survival (PFS) amongst both UCB (5.50 months; 95% CI 2.83—9.36) and MUD (5.59 months; 95% CI 3.68-17.68) as compared to MRD (18.3 months; 95% CI 8.38-64.79)(Table 1). Compared to MRD, UCB experienced inferior median overall survival (OS) HR 1.877 (95% CI 1.160-3.037) but no difference was seen between UCB and MUD or MUD and MRD in multivariable analysis (Table 1 and 2). The leading cause of death in UCB recipients was infections (40%) followed by relapse (17%). Our experience shows that even in this very high risk elderly cohort, UCB continues to be a viable alternate donor source. Methods to reduce late infectious complications are needed such as new approaches to accelerate T cell engraftment which is currently being explored at our center.
Does Prenatal Maternal Distress Contribute to Sex Differences in Child Psychopathology

Prenatal maternal psychological distress is an established risk factor for the development of psychopathology in offspring. The purpose of this review is to evaluate whether sex differences in fetal responses to maternal distress contribute to sex differences in subsequent psychopathology. Male and female fetuses respond differently to stress signals. We review recent evidence that demonstrates a sex-specific pattern of association between prenatal maternal distress and pathways associated with risk for psychopathology including offspring hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical (HPA) axis regulation, brain development, and negative emotionality. Prenatal maternal distress exerts sex-specific consequences on the fetus. These differences may contribute to the well-established sex differences in psychopathology and in particular to greater female vulnerability to develop internalizing problems.
Predictive clustering.

We show how to convert any clustering into a prediction set. This has the effect of converting the clustering into a (possibly overlapping) union of spheres or ellipsoids. The tuning parameters can be chosen to minimize the size of the prediction set. When applied to k-means clustering, this method solves several problems: the method tells us how to choose k, how to merge clusters and how to replace the Voronoi partition with more natural shapes. We show that the same reasoning can be applied to other clustering methods.
The Hospital (Not So) Quiet Zone: Creating an Environment for Patient Satisfaction Through Noise Reduction Strategies:

Purpose:To determine whether using existing noise reduction strategies improves patients’ overall satisfaction level during hospitalization on an adult outpatient cardiology unit and to assess whet...
Muon Measurements with IceTop

We present the measurement of the density of GeV muons in near-vertical air showers by the IceTop array at the South Pole. The muon density is measured at 600 m and 800 m lateral distance from the shower axis in air showers between 1 PeV and 100 PeV. This result can be used to constrain hadronic interaction models by comparing it with the outcome of Monte Carlo simulations. We show that some models do not produce muon densities in agreement with this result unless an unphysical composition of the primary cosmic ray flux is assumed.
A cholera transmission model incorporating the impact of medical resources.

We propose a mathematical model for the transmission dynamics of cholera under the impact of available medical resources. The model describes the interaction between the human hosts and the pathogenic bacteria and incorporates both the environment-to-human and human-to-human transmission routes. We conduct a rigorous equilibrium analysis to the model and establish the global asymptotic stability of the disease-free equilibrium when $\mathcal{R}_0 \leq 1$ and that of the endemic equilibrium when $\mathcal{R}_0 > 1$. As a realistic case study, we apply our model to the Yemen cholera outbreak during 2017–2018. By fitting our simulation results to the epidemic data published by the World Health Organization, we find that different levels of disease prevalence and severity are linked to different geographical regions in this country and that cholera prevention and intervention efforts should be implemented strategically with respect to these regions in Yemen.