cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Competitive Interactions between Microtus californicus and Reithrodontomys megalotis during Two Peaks of Microtus Abundance

The responses of a population of Reithrodontomys megalotis to fluctuations in density of Microtus californicus were examined at Russell Reservation, Contra Costa Co., California. Reithrodontomys increased in abundance on four permanently established grids during years of low Microtus density but declined to very low numbers or local extinction when vole populations irrupted. The annual spring decline in abundance of harvest mice noted at Russell Reservation also occurred three to four months earlier in the year when vole numbers were rapidly increasing. Reproductive activity was found to be seasonally complementary in the two species. The hypothesis that Microtus density is negatively correlated with Reithrodontomys reproductive activity could not be tested due to the small number of harvest mouse captures during the period of peak vole abundance. However, the only female Reithrodontomys captured during this time that was reproductively active was taken from a 3- × 4-m area from which Microtus had been excluded. Analyses of space use patterns indicated a random association between the two species at low Microtus density, but an increasingly negative association as vole density increased. These data support the hypothesis that interference between Microtus and Reithrodontomys may be relaxed during most years. Behavioral interactions intensify when Microtus density increases, however, and interspecific competition during vole irruptions is severe.
Evaluation of foliar insecticides for the control of onion thrips in dry-bulb onion, 2014

The objective of this experiment was to assess the efficacy of foliar insecticides applied at threshold levels for the control of immature stages of OT in dry-bulb onion. The trial consisted of 12 main effect treatments arranged in a randomized complete block (RCB) design with four experimental replicates. Onion was direct seeded on 5 May 2014 at Shiprock Farms, located 5.1 miles (8.1 km) west of Coloma, WI. Experimental plots consisted of 54 inch (1.4 m) raised formed beds containing 6 rows of onion …
Leveraging System Dynamics for Strategic Learning

In this chapter we first summarize the system dynamics for each case, and then use flow diagrams to contrast different patterns of interaction among transformational and transactional dynamics. We then highlight cross-case system dynamics and conclude with a discussion of insights from research and practice. System dynamics in these cases varied, depending on levels of organizational complexity; differences in organizational learning depended in part on what was meant by “organization.” We conclude by highlighting the competitive advantage of our model, namely that effective organizational change requires both productive organizational learning and leveraging system dynamics.
Prevalence,awareness,treatment,and control status of hypertension in an urban community residents

Aim:To analyze the status of hypertension prevalence,awareness,treatment,and control of an urban community residents aged over 40 years,and provide the database to prevent and control hypertension in future.Methods:Cluster sampling method was used to choose the study participants based on the resident areas.The prevalence,awareness,treatment,and control status of hypertension was investigated.Results:A total of 1 789 participants(738 males and 1 051 females) were examined.The crude prevalence rate of hypertension was 49.25%,and the age-adjusted rate was 45.34% by the population data of 2000 in China.Among 1 789 participants,those with pre-hypertension accounted for 36.84%.The awareness rate of hypertension was 62.43%,the treatment rate was 49.38%,and the control rate was 13.51% for the hypertensive patients.Conclusion:The prevalence rate of hypertension is ralatively high for the urban community residents aged over 40 years,and the awareness,treatment,and control rates are very low,which suggests that the primary and secondary preventive measures are urgently needed for the urban community residents.
Investigation of artificial neural network pattern recognition of acoustic emission signals for rolling bear

Three neural network models BP,RBF and PNN that are in common use in AE inspection were introduced in the paper.The acoustic emission signals of every fault pattern bears are inspected by AE inline inspecting system.AE characteristic parameters are extracted and put into neural networks finally identified the condition and fault pattern using these three networks.The diagnostic performance indicates that the correct recognition rate of BP network is slightly lower than other two kinds,the classified results of RBF and PNN network are the same,and the classified ability and the study speed of these two both surpass the BP network.
Analysis and discussion of key technical strategies for measles prevention and control

Based on data on measles surveillance in the Taian area from the past 12 years,this study analyzed the major characteristics of measles outbreaks and incidence,including the month or date that the initial case of measles appeared each year,dips in seasonal incidence,nosocomial infection,and the high proportion of patients with measles among infants 8 months of age and adults.Such characteristics are crucial to predicting measles incidence and measles control efforts.Key technical measures are discussed and the importance of standardized emergency responses and administrative intervention in the event of a measles outbreak are emphasized.
A prenatal diagnosis clinic: An initial report

Antenatal diagnosis was attempted on 50 pregnant women at risk to have infants affected by various genetic diseases. The results of these attempts as well as the criteria, procedure, and complications of prenatal diagnosis are discussed. The need to separate the decision on amniocentesis from the decision on therapeutic abortion is emphasized.
WikiCity: Real-Time Location-Sensitive Tools for the City

The real-time city is now real! The increasing deployment of sensors and hand-held electronic devices in recent years is allowing a new approach to the study and exploration of the built environment. The WikiCity project deals with the development of real-time location-sensitive tools for the city. It follows the Real Time Rome project that was developed for the 2006 Venice Biennale of Architecture and which aggregated data from cell phones, buses and taxis in Rome to better understand urban dynamics in real-time. The WikiCity project is concerned with the real-time mapping of city dynamics. This mapping however is not limited to representing the city but becomes also instantly an instrument for city inhabitants to base their actions and decisions upon in a better informed manner, leading to an overall increased efficiency and sustainability in making use of the city environment.
Influence of constant and variable restraining force on springback of TRIP700 and stainless steel grades

Newly developed high strength steels (HSS) like dual phase (DP) and transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) grades as well as austenitic grades like AISI 304 and AISI 301 show superior strength compared to the microalloyed grades with the same formability (e.g. HSLA340). However, due to the multiphase microstructure and the austenite martensite transformation during forming, a higher springback will appear. In this paper the influence of different process parameters of six high strength steels on springback after stamping is investigated. The material properties were determined with uniaxial tensile tests. A modified Duncan Shabel test was used to draw U-profiles with a controlled restraining force. To investigate different process parameters, constant restraining forces of 1 and 5kN and die radii of 3, 6, 9, and 12 mm were applied. In a second step, a shape set process was used. A constant restraining force of 1kN was used until a draw depth of 80 % was reached. Then the restraining was increased to 5.5 kN. The springback and the sidewall force were measured and analysed. An increased restraining force and a reduced die radius increases the sidewall force and reduces the springback. This resulted in a significant decrease in springback. The tests with variable restraining forces, also known as shape set process have shown that it combines a good formability with a reduced springback.
Macrourimegatrema brayi n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) from four species of deep-sea macrourid fishes from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, with a list of endohelminths reported from species of Bathygadus and Gadomus (Macrouridae)

Macrourimegatrema brayi n. gen., n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae: Plagioporinae) is described from the pyloric ceca and intestines of 4 species of bathygadine macrourid fishes collected from deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico and off Colombia and Panama. Macrourimegatrema n. gen. can be distinguished from all other genera in the subfamily by possessing a combination of the following diagnostic characteristics: an atypically large elongate body; a short, distinct forebody separated from a long hindbody by a distinct constriction at the level of the acetabulum; a terminal, funnelshaped oral sucker; nearly equatorial ovary and testes and an unusual tubular excretory vesicle that winds between the 2 tandem testes. Macrourimegatrema n. gen. is most similar to the genus Anabathycreadium, but the former differs in having a smaller body size (6,000 vs 15,500 m); a funnelshaped oral sucker; a slightly protuberant acetabulum; suckers of equal size; an oval pharynx (rather than being ring-shaped); ceca that terminate some distance from the posterior extremity; a smaller cirrus sac that reaches only a short distance postacetabularly (rather than reaching to the level of the ovary); a genital pore that is bifurcal to slightly prebifurcal (rather than being at the posterior margin of the pharynx); numerous, small, follicular vitelline follicles that approach the level of the acetabulum anteriorly (rather than terminating well short of the level of the acetabulum); an ovary that is immediately pretesticular (rather than being far removed anteriorly from the anterior testis) and M. brayi n. gen., n. sp. has an unusual tubular excretory vesicle that winds between the 2 testes. Species of opecoelids are expected to utilize either a crustacean or fish second intermediate host, and the lack of fish reported for the food preferences of members of Bathygadinae studied here suggest that M. brayi n. gen., n. sp. probably infects its host through ingestion of a near-bottom pelagic crustacean. The precedence of using general body morphology of the species or its conformation to the characteristics of the 4 subfamilies of Opecoelidae is discussed.
Abstract 482: Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor α Modulation with Fenofibrate Does Not Alter the Clinical or Inflammatory Responses to Evoked Endotoxemia in Humans

Introduction: Inflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of cardiometabolic disease. Some experimental data and clinical trials suggest that PPAR-α activation and fibrate therapy suppress inflammation in humans, potentially promoting anti-atherogenic actions. Human experimental endotoxemia provides a controlled model for the study of atherogenic inflammatory responses and their modulation in vivo . We hypothesized that fenofibrate would suppress the inflammatory responses to endotoxin (LPS) in healthy humans. Methods: In the Fenofibrate and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Modulation of Endotoxemia study, 36 healthy volunteers (mean age 26 ± 7 years; mean BMI 24 ± 3 kg/m 2 ; 56% male; 72% Caucasian, 19% African, 8% Asian ancestry) were randomized to fenofibrate 145 mg or placebo daily. After 8 weeks of treatment, subjects underwent a low-dose LPS challenge (0.6 ng/kg intravenous bolus). Anthropometric, clinical, and blood measures were collected at baseline, pre-LPS, and serially for 24 hours after LPS exposure. Results: Compared to placebo, fenofibrate reduced total cholesterol (170 ± 35 to 137 ± 31 mg/dL, p=0.009) and tended to decrease triglycerides (78 ± 40 to 57 ± 23 mg/dL, p=0.611) prior to LPS. LPS induced a modest clinical response with increased temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure ( p p p p =0.08 for both). Conclusions: PPAR-α modulation with fenofibrate did not attenuate clinical or inflammatory responses during low-grade human endotoxemia. These data suggest the anti-inflammatory properties of fenofibrate at clinically-relevant dosing are limited.
The specter of failure: rendering Afghan women as sites of precarity in empowerment regimes

ABSTRACTThis article analyzes how the category of “Afghan women” and discourses of precarity intersect within the women’s empowerment regime in Afghanistan. By examining an NGO that seeks to empower women through writing, I argue that staff members draw upon precarity as a go-to logic to describe the state of Afghan women writers’ successes under conditions of insecurity and limited communication. Specifically, it is writers’ desires to subvert their social orders and to carve out their own futures that staff members and writing coordinators frame as subject to potential destruction. While recent work has highlighted the importance of recognizing the precarious lifeworlds of vulnerable populations, this article points to the potential implications of a hyper-recognition of precarity – namely, the obscuring of the complexities of individual women’s past and present realities. Through analyzing the pedagogies of one empowerment NGO working with women in a post-9/11 Afghanistan, I show how the logic of preca...
Alcohol reduction in the first trimester is unrelated to smoking, patient or pregnancy characteristics.

Abstract Introduction Studies show alcohol-preferring mice reduce their alcohol intake during pregnancy; this study questions if the same is true for humans. The current investigation compares women's pre-pregnancy and first trimester alcohol consumption, examines if women with problem drinking diminish their alcohol intake during pregnancy, and determines if prenatal alcohol reduction is associated with characteristics of pregnancy, patients or smoking. Methods 126 participants in weeks 1–12 of pregnancy, recruited from Obstetric and Family Practices, completed a survey during their initial prenatal visit including two gender-specific AUDITs (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Tests) querying current and pre-pregnancy alcohol use. AUDIT-C (AUDIT items 1–3) scores measuring pre-pregnancy and first trimester alcohol consumption were compared, analyzed and tested using general linear model repeated. A p ≤ 0.05 was accepted as significant. Results Most participants were multiparous, Caucasian high school graduates experiencing nausea and vomiting. Pre-pregnancy alcohol use was significantly (p = 0.019, Fisher's exact) higher among women seeing obstetricians. Pre-pregnancy AUDIT-C scores (m (mean) = 2.22, sd (standard deviation) = 2.19) were significantly higher (p Conclusions Women reported reducing their alcohol consumption during pregnancy, including those screening positive for pre-pregnancy problem drinking. First trimester alcohol reduction cannot be accounted for by smoking, patient or pregnancy characteristics; public health initiatives, psychological factors and hormonal mechanisms may be implicated.
Treatment of Localized Aggressive Periodontitis With Guided Tissue Regeneration Technique and Enamel Matrix Derivative

Introduction: Aggressive periodontitis (AgP) is a form of periodontitis characterized by rapid attachment loss in otherwise healthy individuals. Although different treatment options have been explored for management of the disease, control of disease progression and subsequent regeneration of the attachment apparatus are considered the ideal treatment objectives. Limited evidence is available with respect to the efficacy of different regenerative materials in the treatment of AgP.Case Presentation: The present case report describes periodontal regeneration techniques and 6-month outcomes in bilateral intrabony non-contained defects around mandibular first molars in a 21-year-old patient diagnosed with localized AgP (LAgP). Periodontal lesions were treated with regenerative therapy with enamel matrix derivative (EMD) and allograft on the right side and allograft with bioabsorbable collagen membrane without EMD on the left side. Treatment yielded favorable clinical outcomes in terms of probing depth reducti...
Palliative Care Consults in U.S. Nursing Homes: Not Just for the Dying.

Abstract Background: Little is known about nursing home (NH) residents who receive palliative care (PC) consults in the United States. Objective: Separately by short versus long (≥90 days) stays, to describe NH residents with PC consults compared to a prevalent NH sample. Design: Descriptive longitudinal study. Setting/Subjects: NH residents in 2008–2010 in 54 NHs. Measurements: Resident characteristics came from merged Medicare and NH data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and consult information from two PC organizations that were the sole PC consult providers in the study NHs. Results: Four percent of all NH residents received a PC consult during the study period. Two-thirds had short NH stays, and 81% of short- and 27% of long-stay consult recipients were on the Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) benefit at the time of initial consult. Short- and long-stay NH residents with PC consults differed not only, in many respects, from NH residents generally but also from each other. Des...
An Approach for Implementation of Artificial Intelligence in Automatic Network Management and Analysis

The fast development of the Internet and the huge number of gadgets connected to it has immerged with the challenge of focusing on the requirement for further computerization and automation in the system administration and architecture of network field. It is becoming increasingly difficult for businesses to afford a downtime in their Internet system and it is also very important to make configuration management and error reduction easy [1]. Some of the tasks which are involved in the management of network configuration include maintaining configuration files, building a standard for all the device maintenance, repair, replacement and upgrades, issue proper rollback commands and have a proper backup archive [2].
Graduate education in qualitative methods in U.S. psychology: current trends and recommendations for the future

The visibility of qualitative research methods (QRM) in U.S. psychology has increased with the dissemination of qualitative research in journals and books, formation of professional and scientific organizations, and recognition in educational institutions. While gains have been made, the current state of doctoral training in qualitative methods remains uncertain. It is unclear what training graduate students receive in U.S. psychology programs about qualitative methodologies and how further gains can be made in expanding visibility of QRM in graduate education. In this mixed-methods study, we surveyed a sample of faculty in U.S. psychology graduate programs about the frequency of QRM course offerings, graduate training, and students’ use of QRM in their dissertation research. We also explored qualitative responses from faculty regarding their attitudes about QRM and how these attitudes might help increase or diminish the frequency of methods training available to students. We found that even withi...
Journey of the Surgeon

I was born, raised, and educated in Warsaw, Poland. I finished my 6-year medical school at the age of 24. My first workplace was my own medical alma mater. Two years prior to being granted official employment in the Department of Surgery, I was an anatomy tutor for medical students. I tutored during the day and volunteered as a young surgeon in training afterhours.
Blood Pressure Control and Cardiovascular/Renal Outcomes.

Hypertension is an important and modifiable risk factor for the macrovascular and microvascular complications of diabetes. Prior literature outlines the significance of lowering blood pressure and subsequent cardiovascular and microvascular benefits. Blood pressure targets of less than 140/90 mm Hg are recommended in all adults with diabetes, with lower blood pressure targets of less than 130/80 mm Hg beneficial for those with higher cardiovascular disease risk. Treatment to lower blood pressure is primarily based on a foundation of lifestyle modifications, low sodium diet, exercise, and good sleep hygiene coupled with multiple medication classes such as renin angiotensin system inhibitors.
Analysis and Design of Commutation-Based Circulator-Receivers for Integrated Full-Duplex Wireless

Previously, we presented a non-magnetic, non-reciprocal N-path-filter-based circulator-receiver (circ.-RX) architecture for single-frequency full-duplex (SF-FD) wireless, which merges a commutation-based linear periodically time-varying (LPTV) non-magnetic circulator with a down-converting mixer and directly provides the baseband (BB) RX signals at its output, while suppressing the noise contribution of one set of the commutating switches. The architecture also incorporates an on-chip balance network to enhance the transmitter (TX)-RX isolation. In this paper, we present a detailed analysis of the architecture, including a noise analysis and an analysis of the effect of the balance network. The analyses are verified by the simulation and measurement results of a 65-nm CMOS 750-MHz circ.-RX prototype. The circ.-RX can handle up to +8 dBm of TX power with 8-dB noise figure (NF) and 40-dB average isolation over 20-MHz radio frequency (RF) bandwidth (BW). In conjunction with digital self-interference (SI) and its third-order intermodulation (IM3) cancellation, the SF-FD circ.-RX demonstrates 80-dB overall SI suppression for up to +8-dBm TX average output power. The claims are also verified through an SF-FD demonstration where a −50-dBm weak desired received signal is recovered while transmitting a 0-dBm average power orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-like TX signal.
Vocal Fold Vibration in Older Adults With and Without Age-Related Dysphonia

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which 7 measures of glottal area timing and regularity differ between older adults with and without age-related dysphonia (ARD). Meth...
Changes in the abundance and diversity of coastal wetland fauna from the open water/macrophyte edge towards shore

Great Lakes coastal wetlands are widely recognized as areas of concentrated biodiversity and productivity, but the factors that influence diversity and productivity within these systems are largely unknown. Several recent studies have suggested that the abundance and diversity of flora and fauna in coastal wetlands may be related to distance from the open water/macrophyte edge. We examined this possibility for three faunal groups inhabiting a coastal wetland in Saginaw Bay, Lake Huron. We sampled crustacean zooplankton and benthic macro-invertebrates at five distances from open water in the summer 1994, and fish at three distances from open water in 1994 and 1995. We found significant spatial trends in the total abundance and diversity of zooplankton and fish, as well as the diversity of benthic macro-invertebrates. Zooplankton abundance and taxa richness were highest at intermediate distances from open water in a transition zone between the well-mixed bayward portion of the wetland, and the non-circulating nearshore area. Benthic macro-invertebrate taxa richness increased linearly with distance from open water. In contrast, fish abundance and species richness declined linearly and substantially (abundance by 78%, species richness by 40%) with distance from open water. Of the 40 taxa examined in this study, 21 had significant horizontal trends in abundance. This led to notable differences in community composition throughout the wetland. Our results suggest that distance from open water may be a primary determinant of the spatial distributions of numerous organismal groups inhabiting this coastal wetland. Several possible reasons for these distributions are discussed.
Controlling Surface Interactions with Grafted Polymers

The interactions between surfaces modified with grafted polymers is studied theoretically. The aim of this work is to find polymer surface modifications that will result in localized attractive interactions between the surfaces. The practical motivation of the work is to find means to control the distance between bilayers and solid supports in supported membranes. Two theoretical approaches are used, the analytical treatment of Alexander and a molecular theory. It is found that grafting each end of the polymer to each surface results in an interaction with a well defined minimum. The location of the minima is found to be very close to the thickness of the polymer layer when the chains are grafted to only one of the surfaces. The predictions of the analytical theory are in excellent agreement with the molecular approach in this case. It is found that increasing the surface coverage increases the strength of the interaction. However, increasing the polymer chain length at fixed surface coverage results in a decrease of the free energy cost associated with separating the surfaces from their optimal distance. For the cases in which grafting to both surfaces is not possible, the molecular theory is used to study the effect of functionalizing segments of the chain to achieve an attractive well. It is found that by functionalizing the free end-groups of the polymers with segments attracted to the membrane, the range of the attractive interaction is significantly larger than the thickness of the unperturbed layer. Functionlizing the middle segments of the chains results in a shorter range attraction but of the same strength as in the end-functionalized layers. The optimal polymer modification is found to be such that the functionlized groups are attracted to the bare surface but are not attracted to the grafting surface. The relevance of the results to the design of experimental surface modifiers is discussed.
The quantitative genetics of a non-stiff-stalk maize (Zea mays L) population

In selection programs, the covariance between parents and offspring largely determines the success of selection. We have estimated the variances and covariances between noninbred individuals and both their inbred and outbred progeny in the non-stiff stalk maize population BSCB1(R)C13. Estimation of these variances and covariances has allowed us to estimate the genetic covariance parameters for BSCB1(R)C13. Previous estimates of genetic covariance parameters in maize have been used to describe the ineffectiveness of inbred progeny selection in the stiff stalk population BS13. Our estimates in BSCB1(R)C13 indicated that the dominance variance was larger than the additive variance for grain yield whereas the additive variance was larger than the dominance variance for all other traits. Negative estimates of the covariance between additive and homozygous dominance deviations were found for all traits with the exception of traits associated with reproductive maturity, suggesting a negative relationship between inbred and outbred performance. A direct result of this genetic variance structure was the correlation between genotypic values and breeding values was lower for grain yield than any other trait. Our results were similar to previous results found in the stiff stalk maize population BS13. Thus it appears that similar genetic variance structures have been formed by selection in two maize populations that differ in their genetic background.
Alloy Loss Mitigation Through Use of Barrier Layers During CdCl 2 Processing of Cd 0.60 Zn 0.4 Te and Cd 0.87 Mg 0.13 Te

The main obstacle to realizing the use of polycrystalline wide bandgap alloys of CdTe with Mg and Zn in PV is the CdCl 2 processing step. This step, essential to CdTe device performance, removes Zn and Mg from the alloy films while producing less of the benefits seen from the process with CdTe. In this study, the use of Al 2 O 3 CdS, and MgZnO films at the free surface of the alloys to prevent loss of Mg or Zn is investigated. It is found that Al 2 O 3 is the most effective at reducing loss of Mg and Zn, followed by CdS and then MgZnO. A new method of evaluating the transition to CdTe from the as deposited alloy is proposed to account for differences in transition behaviors.
Evaluation of Female Pelvic Pain

Chronic pelvic pain is a condition defined by pelvic pain for more than six months which is severe enough to cause functional disability or require treatment. When pain becomes a chronic condition, it is more challenging to evaluate and treat. Chronic pelvic pain patients often have multiple factors contributing to their pain. Here, we review the approach to the evaluation of chronic female pelvic pain. It is important to establish a trusting patient-physician relationship. When evaluating a female patient with chronic pelvic pain, an in-depth history and targeted physical exam can localize contributors to pain. While limited, corresponding imaging and laboratory work should also be considered.
Robotic Transthoracic Thoracic Duct Ligation

Historically, thoracic duct ligation has been performed by thoracotomy. The video-assisted technique has offered possibilities, but because of the thoracic duct location deep in the mediastinum and the challenges related to patient’s anatomy, the robotic approach offers the consistent opportunity of performing a very precise procedure in often a confined space despite the anatomical variability. The most common location chosen for thoracic duct ligation is just as it enters the mediastinum from the retroperitoneum and just deep to the rightward and vertebral area behind the descending aorta. Medial retraction of the aorta provides the best exposure for a complete ligation. Many advocate a mass ligation; although some recommend dissection to identify the duct for accurate and precise ligation.
Two Concepts of Liberalism: Some Comparative Discussion of Strauss and Hayek

This paper will attempt to compare and contrast certain views of two contemporaries, Leo Strauss (1899-1973) and F.A. Hayek (1899-1992). Hayek is very well known as an apologist for classical economics and the free market, while Leo Strauss’s growing fame is connected to his engineering an intellectual revolution involving a revival of classical political philosophy.
REPRESENTATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE PATIENTS IN PIVOTAL CLINICAL TRIALS SUPPORTING MODERN CANCER THERAPIES

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is common among new cancer patients. Cancer patients with concurrent CVD have poorer outcomes. Despite the high prevalence of CVD and its prognostic significance, there is limited evidence to guide CVD care and monitoring during cancer treatment. Clinical trials of new
Detailed Stress Analysis of Edwards-SAPIEN and Medtronic CoreValve Devices. Is Leaflet Stress Comparable to Surgical Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT Magna Bioprosthesis?

Objective: Transcatheter aortic valves (TAVs) are prone to structural valve deterioration resulting in limited long-term durability. However, data regarding long-term durability of TAVs are limited...
Tick-Borne Illness for Emergency Medicine Providers

Ticks are the most important vectors of human diseases after mosquitoes. Emergency physicians throughout the USA can be expected to encounter Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, and other disorders based upon geographic location. The number of identifiable disorders transmitted by these arthropods has increased in recent years. Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome has only been described within the past decade, and the new millennium has seen over 10 new species of rickettsial disease discovered. Ticks transmit more pathogenic species than any other group of blood-feeding arthropods. This review provides an update on the diagnosis and management of the diseases most likely to be encountered in clinical practice.
The US/USSR Biological Satellite Program: COSMOS 936 Mission Overview

On August 3, 1977, the Soviet Union launched Cosmos 936, an unmanned spacecraft carrying biology and physics experiments from 9 countries, including both the Soviet Union and U.S. The launch marked the second time the Soviet Union has flown U.S. experiments aboard one of its spacecraft, the first being Cosmos 782 launched Nov. 25, 1975, which remained in orbit 19.5 days. Aboard Cosmos 936 were: 30 young male Wistar SPF rats, 20 of which was exposed to hypogravity during flight while the remainder were subjected to a l x g acceleration by continuous configuration; 2) experiments with plants and fruit flies; 3) radiation physics experiments; and 4) a heat convection experiment. After 18.5 days in orbit, the spacecraft landed in central Asia where a Soviet recovery team began experiment operations, including animal autopsies, within 4.5 hr of landing. Half of the animals were autopsied at the recovery site and the remainder returned to Moscow and allowed to readapt to terrestrial gravity for 25 days after which they, too, were autopsied. Specimens for U.S. were initially prepared at the recovery site or Soviet laboratories and transferred to U.S. laboratories for complete analyses. An overview of the mission focusing on preflight, on-orbit, and postflight activities pertinent to the seven U.S. experiments aboard Cosmos 936 will be presented.
Contribution of Inherited DNA-Repair Gene Mutations to Hormone-Sensitive and Castrate-Resistant Metastatic Prostate Cancer and Implications for Clinical Outcome.

PURPOSETo compare the prevalence of germline mutations in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) and metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and assess the impact of mut...
Cervical Spine Injury Following Thoracic Spinal Fusion for Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Spinal fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) can have many potential complications, including spinal cord injury. Most often, spinal cord injury occurs in the region of surgery due to direct mechanical trauma. Vascular compromise in this area may also occur due to a high degree of correction or excessive distraction of the spine. In these cases, the impairment of spinal cord function is often detected intraoperatively with spinal cord monitoring and confirmed in the immediate postoperative period. Injury to the spinal cord above the level of instrumentation is rare. We review the clinical history and outcome of a female adolescent who underwent posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for AIS and developed a cervical spine injury 12 hours postoperatively. The patient is a 13-year old female who underwent PSF for AIS from T1 to L1 for progressive scoliosis measuring over 53 degrees in her right thoracic curve. During surgery, she had modest correction with minimal blood loss and with normal intraoperative motor evoked and somatosensory evoked potentials. The immediate postoperative examination was neurologically intact. Twelve hours later, she developed weakness and tingling in her right upper extremity. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine demonstrated myelomalacia on the right side of the spinal cord at the C5-7 levels. Cervical spine injuries are rare following lower-level fusions, however, these injuries can occur and it is important to be vigilant in monitoring patients for these symptoms. The exact mechanism is unknown and may include a combination of postoperative hypotension with altered vascular anatomy from cord stretch and abnormal cervical positioning.
Large-scale analysis of acquired chromosomal alterations in non-tumor samples from patients with cancer.

Mosaicism, the presence of subpopulations of cells bearing somatic mutations, is associated with disease and aging and has been detected in diverse tissues, including apparently normal cells adjacent to tumors. To analyze mosaicism on a large scale, we surveyed haplotype-specific somatic copy number alterations (sCNAs) in 1,708 normal-appearing adjacent-to-tumor (NAT) tissue samples from 27 cancer sites and in 7,149 blood samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas. We find substantial variation across tissues in the rate, burden and types of sCNAs, including those spanning entire chromosome arms. We document matching sCNAs in the NAT tissue and the adjacent tumor, suggesting a shared clonal origin, as well as instances in which both NAT tissue and tumor tissue harbor a gain of the same oncogene arising in parallel from distinct parental haplotypes. These results shed light on pan-tissue mutations characteristic of field cancerization, the presence of oncogenic processes adjacent to cancer cells. A survey of copy number alterations in normal-appearing tissue in cancer samples reveals pan-tissue patterns of mosaicism.
Social regulation of inflammation related gene expression in the multi-ethnic study of atherosclerosis.

Abstract Background Exposure to adverse social factors has been associated with an altered inflammatory profile, a risk factor for several acute and chronic diseases. Differential gene expression may be a biological mediator in the relationship. In this study, associations between a range of social factors and expression of inflammation-related genes were investigated. Methods Social factor and gene expression data were collected from 1,264 individuals in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Inflammation-related genes were identified from the Gene Ontology database. The associations between social factors and gene expression were first assessed using the Global Analysis of Covariance (Global ANCOVA) gene set enrichment test. When the global test was significant, linear regression and elastic net penalized regression were employed to identify the individual gene transcripts within each gene set associated with the social factor. Results Loneliness (p = 0.003), chronic burden (p = 0.002), and major or lifetime discrimination (p = 0.045) were significantly associated with global expression of the chronic inflammatory gene set. Of the 20 transcripts that comprise this gene set, elastic net selected 12 transcripts for loneliness, 8 for chronic burden, and 3 for major or lifetime discrimination. Major or lifetime discrimination was also associated with the inflammatory response (p = 0.029), regulation of the inflammatory response (p = 0.041), and immune response (p = 0.025) gene sets in global analyses, and 53, 136, and 26 transcripts were selected via elastic net for these gene sets respectively. There were no significant associations in linear regression analyses after adjustment for multiple testing. Conclusions This study highlights gene expression as a biological mechanism through which social factors may affect inflammation.
Environmentally sustainable transitions of US district energy systems: Perspectives from infrastructure operators/designers through the Co-evolutionary lens

Abstract Advanced district energy systems can improve local sustainability through reducing energy used for heating and cooling buildings. However, district energy systems (DESs) and their transitions are overlooked by US communities in their sustainable agendas. This research applied the multi-level perspective and co-evolutionary framework to investigate DESs' transition context and niche level practices from DES operators'/designers' perspectives. Document review approach was adopted to delineate DESs' transition context. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted to investigate DES operators'/designers' visions and how they interact with factors related to ecosystems, technology, institutions, and users for near-term transitions. This research found that DESs in the US served about 10% and 12% of fully air-conditioned floor space for heating and cooling, respectively. About 93% of services provided by DESs in the US were powered by fossil fuels, and 79% of DESs distributed steam. Current federal and state policies play limited role in promoting DESs, while local policies can only encourage niche-level innovations. Results from interviews demonstrated that DES operators/designers foresaw that DESs would move toward the advanced ones. DES operators/designers were motivated by the users’ demand and emerging local policy preferences to take action. Thus, DES operators/designers emphasized the importance of working closely with users and policymakers, engaging potential customers, and tapping into technical expertise during the process of transition. These results indicate that DES operators/designers took on many responsibilities with limited policy and market support. With low pressure to select DESs as a key sustainability tool at the regime level, the sustainable transition of DESs in the U.S. may only remain at the niche level.
Active Covert Sensing

We formalize the problem of active covert sensing, in which a legitimate user wants to not only sense an unknown parameter but also remain undetectable from an adversary by actively controlling the actions that generate observations. We characterize the optimal achievable error exponent when the actions of the legitimate user do not depend on the past observations. When the actions are allowed to depend on the past observations, we provide an example showing the benefits of adaptivity.
Novel low k Dielectric materials for nano device interconnect technology

Mechanically robust low k C-rich SiCN and pSiCN dielectrics with excellent built-in Cu oxidation and diffusion barrier have been developed and evaluated as potential alternative low k Interlevel dielectrics for Cu interconnects. The novel low k dense C-Rich SiCN (k=3.3) and lightly porous C-Rich SiCN (k=2.8) films have high modulus (E~> 15-30 GPa) and significantly lower Plasma Induced Damage (PID) as compared to typical pSiCOH (k~2.4-2.7) dielectrics. The excellent Cu diffusion barrier properties of these SiCN dielectrics enable the use of thinner metallic Cu barriers that resulting in larger Cu line’s volume, reduced resistance and overall improved RC in sub-50 nm pitch interconnects without TDDB and EM reliability penalty.
Genome Sequences of Gordonia rubripertincta Bacteriophages Jellybones and NHagos.

ABSTRACT Jellybones and NHagos are bacteriophages that were identified in the host bacterium Gordonia rubripertincta NRRL B-16540. Jellybones has a direct terminal repeat and was assigned to the CS2 subcluster with a length of 77,514 bp. NHagos is circularly permuted and was assigned to the DR cluster with a length of 59,580 bp.
Commercial Vinegar Tablets Do Not Display the Same Physiological Benefits for Managing Postprandial Glucose Concentrations as Liquid Vinegar.

Objective. Research evidence suggests that vinegar may effectively reduce postprandial glucose in both healthy adults and those with type 2 diabetes. There is heightened consumer interest in commercially available vinegar tablets; however, it is not known whether these products lower postprandial glycemia to the same extent as liquid vinegar. This crossover trial examined the impact of liquid vinegar versus commercial vinegar tablet ingestion at the start of a meal on the 60-minute glucose excursion postmeal in healthy adults. Methods. Twelve young men and women (22.6 ± 0.6 y; 21.2 ± 1.2 kg/m2) completed this 4-arm Latin square crossover trial. Testing was separated by one week and consisted of a test meal (64 g carbohydrate) consumed immediately following one of the four oral treatments: CON, 60 g water (control treatment); VIN, 25 g liquid vinegar (5% acidity; 1.25 g acetic acid) diluted with 35 g water; PILL, four vinegar tablets (1.50 g acetic acid) swallowed whole with 60 g water; and PILL-c, four crushed vinegar tablets dissolved in 60 g water. Capillary blood glucose was tested in the fasted state and at 30 and 60 minutes postmeal. Results. The 60-minute glucose excursion varied significantly by treatment (iAUC: 4.9 ± 0.6, 3.4 ± 0.4, 4.9 ± 0.6, and 4.1 ± 0.5 mmol˖h/l for CON, VIN, PILL, and PILL-c, respectively; F (3, 33) = 3.037, = 0.043; repeated measures ANOVA). Post hoc analysis revealed a 31% reduction in the glucose postmeal excursion for VIN in comparison to CON and PILL ( = 0.040 and = 0.049, respectively). Conclusions. These data suggest that commercial vinegar tablets taken whole at mealtime are not as effective as liquid vinegar for reducing the postmeal glucose excursion in young, healthy adults.
Clinical characteristics associated with idiopathic rapid gastric emptying in patients referred for gastric emptying studies

Objectives Rapid gastric emptying (RGE) is diagnosed with nuclear medicine gastric emptying scintigraphy (GET). The clinical symptoms are non-specific and the pathophysiology in the absence of gastric surgery is poorly understood. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical characteristics associated with idiopathic RGE. Methods GET studies were reviewed from a database of 1,958 four-hour solid-phase GET performed over an eight-year period. We identified those patients with RGE, defined as Results Of the 1,958 GET reviewed, 156 patients (8%) had RGE, 534 (27%) had delayed gastric emptying (>10% retained at four hours), and 1268 (65%) were normal. Idiopathic RGE constituted 23% of all abnormal GET studies. The average age at diagnosis was 54 years and 54% of patients with RGE were female. The majority (69%) of these studies were ordered with an initial clinical suspicion for gastroparesis, versus only 12% with a suspicion for RGE. Among this idiopathic RGE cohort, 71% presented with symptoms of nausea, 43% with vomiting, 32% with abdominal pain, 21% with bloating, and 18% with early satiety; only 8% presented with diarrhea, 0.6% with palpitations, and 0.6% with hypoglycemia. Conclusion Idiopathic RGE is an important differential diagnosis in patients presenting with symptoms classically associated with gastroparesis. Few patients had postprandial diarrhea or palpitations as their presenting symptom. Further study of idiopathic RGE syndrome is warranted. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF SAND LIQUEFACTION

A consistent set of stochastic models is developed for the liquefaction resistance of a homogeneous mass of sand, such as a laboratory sample or small element of in situ material. A probabilistic model for liquefaction in the laboratory for undrained simple shear tests is developed first. This model gives the probability distribution of the number of cycles to liquefaction as a function of uniform shear stress amplitude, mean initial effective stress, and relative density. Corrections are quantified and incorporated into the model. Parameters are estimated from a large number of simple shear test results obtained by eight different groups of researchers using several sands and testing techniques. The laboratory liquefaction model is converted into one applicable in the field. Finally, the model is generalized to load cycles with nonuniform shear stress amplitude.
Salience, Attention, and Attribution: Top of the Head Phenomena

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the social psychologists study “top of the head” phenomena in their experimental investigations. Attention within the social environment is selective. It is drawn to particular features of the environment either as a function of qualities intrinsic to those features (such as light or movement) or as a function of the perceiver's own dispositions and temporary need states. These conditions are outlined in the chapter. As a result of differential attention to particular features, information about those features is more available to the perceiver. Relative to the quantity of information retained about other features, more is retained about the salient features. When the salient person is the self, the same effects occur, and the individual is also found to show more consistency in attitudes and behaviors. These processes may occur primarily in situations which are redundant, unsurprising, uninvolving, and unarousing. They seem to occur automatically and substantially without awareness, and as such, they differ qualitatively from the intentional, conscious, controlled kind of search which characterizes all the behavior.