cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The influence of vagotomy and pyloroplasty on the growth and survival of enterectomized young animals

Abstract There is still an inordinately high mortality rate in newborns who have lost large amounts of bowel from midgut volvulus, multiple congenital atresias or other mechanical problems requiring major resection of intestine. In 1952, Clatworthy 1 showed that some puppies can survive major intestinal loss because of their remarkable capacity to increase absorptive surface. Unfortunately, many infants as well as experimental animals succumb to intractable diarrhea and devastating inanition following major enterectomy before such intestinal compensation can occur. In 1960, Craig and Stewart 2 reported the unexpectedly bland course of a patient undergoing massive intestinal resection who had had a subtotal gastrectomy years before. It was postulated that the mechanism of survival was the control of gastric hypersecretion. In 1964, Frederick and Craig 3 demonstrated in laboratory animals and patients that operations which decreased gastric secretion favorably affected subjects undergoing major small bowel resection. In 1966, Avery and Randolph 4 showed that infants who have suffered major intestinal loss responded like adults with a marked increase of gastric acid. These facts suggest that an operation which limits gastric secretion might have a salutory effect on the mortality and on the growth of immature subjects deprived of a major part of their intestine. To test this hypothesis an experiment was designed to determine the effect of vagotomy and pyloroplasty on the growth and survival of puppies subjected to standardized enterectomy.
Routing Optimization for Ensemble Routing

The Ensemble Routing[1] architecture (presented at ANCS 2010) implements multipath routing for data center networks. Rather than managing individual flows, ensemble routing manages flows in groups or ensembles to provide scalable responsive management using simple hardware. Ensemble Routing combines: routing VLANs that define a set of diverse paths through complex networks, and load balancing algorithms to split traffic among those VLANS and optimize traffic flow. This extended abstract describes improved algorithms for the formation of routing VLANs and traffic load-balancing for Ensemble routing. The VLAN formation algorithms are improved by incorporating traffic flow estimates into the VLAN formation heuristics. The previous load balancing algorithm using a greedy heuristic is replaced by linear programming that determines optimal traffic splitting among VLANs. Simulations show that these mechanisms significantly enhance performance.
Online Reviews The Role of Information Load and Peripheral Factors

Online reviews have become one of the most influential information sources for consumer decision making. The current research aims to contribute to our understanding of the following question: When consumers are faced with multiple online reviews with mixed information, do they turn to various peripheral factors in order to form their prepurchase evaluations? This study focuses on two types of peripheral factors: motivational state and incidental cue. Results from two experimental studies suggest that information load has a dual function in influencing the effectiveness of peripheral cues, depending on which peripheral cue is used in hand. Findings of this study have important implications for social media marketers. Given distinct levels of information load (high vs. low), different types of peripheral cues should be incorporated strategically in an effort to influence consumers’ purchase intentions.
Differential corrections applied to an Izsak-Borchers ballistic trajectory.

Differential coefficients are calculated and applied to two problems in celestial mechanics. First, the Izsak-Borchers (I-B) relations, used to specify a ballistic trajectory, are fitted to assumed initial position and velocity vectors. Second, errors produced by perturbations of the initial vectors are traced to errors in the geographical coordinates at the impact point. The I-B relations are shown to be essentially exact for a hypothetical ballistic trajectory based on the Vinti potential. With corrections for some of the harmanics not included in this reference potential, the I-B relations specify a ballistic trajectory with rms values 1.5 X 10 ~6 earthradii-units (eru) in position and 7.2 X 10~ 9 era/sec in velocity. The results of this paper have applications to recovery of a data capsule ejected from a reconnaissance satellite.
Color Breakup Suppression in Field-Sequential Five-Primary-Color LCDs

Field-sequential-color liquid crystal displays (FSC LCDs) exhibit a ~ 3× higher optical efficiency and 3× higher resolution, but the color breakup (CBU) degrades the image quality and limits the practical applications. In this paper, we propose a method to reduce CBU by using five-primary LEDs instead of three. Without increasing the sub-frame rate as three-primary LCDs, we can suppress the CBU by utilizing proper color sequence and weighting ratios. The color gamut achieves 140% NTSC and the white brightness increases by more than 13%, as compared to the three-primary LCDs.
Prostate Specific Antigen Decreases After Withdrawal of Antiandrogen Therapy with Bicalutamide or Flutamide in Patients Receiving Combined Androgen Blockade

AbstractPurpose: We determined whether decreases in prostate specific antigen (PSA) would occur after withdrawal of double-blinded antiandrogen therapy with flutamide or bicalutamide for clinical progression or increasing PSA concentration in patients receiving combined androgen blockade for advanced prostate cancer.Materials and Methods: PSA concentrations were determined weekly for at least 6 weeks and then every other week for 6 weeks in 22 patients with stage D2 prostate cancer. All patients were withdrawn from antiandrogen therapy (8 flutamide and 14 bicalutamide) due to progression or an increasing PSA concentration. Objective response was evaluated before antiandrogen withdrawal and at week 12.Results: In 4 of 8 patients (50%) withdrawn from flutamide and 4 of 14 (29%) withdrawn from bicalutamide serum PSA concentrations decreased by 50% or more. PSA responses after withdrawal of flutamide therapy occurred within the first few days, whereas those after withdrawal of bicalutamide therapy occurred wi...
The Effects of Democratization on Archival Administration and Use in Eastern Middle Europe

The author discusses the effects of the democratization of 1988/89 in Eastern Middle Europe upon archival access and on the modification of laws regulating archival jurisdictions. The rule of the Communist Party after 1945 created severe limitations on access to the state archival fond for both foreigners and citizens of Eastern Middle European countries. Access was limited by a catalogue of prohibited research topics, by undetermined opening dates, by the exemption of certain fonds from existing archives legislation, by the ability of records creating bureaucracies to set their own access rules, and by national isolation. With democratization, archival administrations are instituting legislation to determine access dates, to regulate classification of documents, to guarantee public access and the protection of individual rights and privacy, and to standardize research rules. The problem of documenting re-privatized businesses is being handled in differing ways throughout the region.
Persistent behavioral effects following early life exposure to retinoic acid or valproic acid in zebrafish.

Abstract Background Moderate to severe dysregulation in retinoid signaling during early development is associated with a constellation of physical malformations and/or neural tube defects, including spina bifida. It is thought that more subtle dysregulation of this system, which might be achievable via dietary (i.e. hypervitaminosis A) or pharmacological (i.e. valproic acid) exposure in humans, will manifest on behavioral domains including sociability, without overt physical abnormalities. Methods During early life, zebrafish were exposed to low doses of two chemicals that disrupt retinoid signaling. From 0 to 5 dpf, larvae were reared in aqueous solutions containing retinoic acid (0, 0.02, 0.2 or 2 nM) or valproic acid (0, 0.5, 5.0 or 50 μM). One cohort of zebrafish was assessed using a locomotor activity screen at 6-dpf; another was reared to adulthood and assessed using a neurobehavioral test battery (startle habituation, novel tank exploration, shoaling, and predator escape/avoidance). Results There was no significant increase in the incidence of physical malformation among exposed fish compared to controls. Both retinoic acid and valproic acid exposures during development disrupted larval activity with persisting behavioral alterations later in life, primarily manifesting as decreased social affiliation. Conclusions Social behavior and some aspects of motor function were altered in exposed fish; the importance of examining emotional or psychological consequences of early life exposure to retinoid acting chemicals is discussed.
Approach to approximating the pair distribution function of inhomogeneous hard-sphere fluids

We introduce an approximation for the pair distribution function of the inhomogeneous hard sphere fluid. Our approximation makes use of our recently published averaged pair distribution function at contact, which has been shown to accurately reproduce the averaged pair distribution function at contact for inhomogeneous density distributions. This approach achieves greater computational efficiency than previous approaches by enabling the use of exclusively fixed-kernel convolutions and thus allowing an implementation using fast Fourier transforms. We compare results for our pair distribution approximation with two previously published works and Monte Carlo simulation, showing favorable results.
Second Order Stark-Effect Induced Gailitis Resonances in e + Ps and p + 7Li

We present a detailed comparison between the first order Stark-effect induced Gailitis resonance in e+ + H (n = 2) and the second order Stark-effect induced resonance in e + Ps (n = 1). Common characteristics as well as differences of these resonances will be identified. These results will be used to assess the presence of Gailitis resonances in the scattering of proton on the ground state of 7Li atom. During the lifetime of the Gailitis resonance, nuclear fusion is enhanced by the resonant entry of the proton into the nucleus of 7Li via a compound nuclear energy level of 8Be*.
Pull-Tear Strength Capabilities in Adults

Forty-four adults between the ages of 22 and 40 years were tested for maximal volitional pulls with the fingers, similar to some pull-tear forces employed for opening packages with tear strips. Twelve different pull conditions were tested-3 types of pull X 2 directions of pull X 2 hands. Results indicated that the type of pull, characterized by the type of pinch employed, had marked effects on the force attainable, but direction and hand laterality were not significant factors. These results have important implications for design of tear strips on packages.
Meiosis in Drosophila melanogaster. I. Chromosome identification and kinetochore microtubule numbers during the first and second meiotic divisions in males.

Individual bivalents or chromosomes have been identified in Drosophila melanogaster spermatocytes at metaphase I, anaphase I, metaphase II and anaphase II in electron micrographs of serial sections. Identification was based on a combination of chromosome volume analysis, bivalent topology, and kinetochore position. — Kinetochore microtubule numbers have been obtained for the identified chromosomes at all four meiotic stages. Average numbers in D. melanogaster are relatively low compared to reported numbers of other higher eukaryotes. There are no differences in kinetochore microtubule numbers within a stage despite a large (approximately tenfold) difference in chromosome volume between the largest and the smallest chromosome. A comparison between the two meiotic metaphases (metaphase I and metaphase II) reveals that metaphase I kinetochores possess twice as many microtubules as metaphase II kinetochores. — Other microtubules in addition to those that end on or penetrate the kinetochore are found in the vicinity of the kinetochore. These microtubules penetrate the chromosome rather than the kinetochore proper and are more numerous at metaphase I than at the other division stages.
Geopolitics of Grant Writing: Discursive and Stylistic Features of Nonprofit Grant Proposals in Nepal and the United States:

This study examines the global-local interplay of genre features in a select sample of nonprofit grant proposals from two particular sites—Nepal and the United States. Critically analyzing the care...
Therapeutic presence, immediacy, and transparency in CBT with youth: carpe the moment!

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with youth owns a solid and growing empirical literature base. CBT also recognizes the contribution a good therapeutic relationship makes to favourable treatment outcome. However, it is argued that the therapeutic relationship is insufficiently operationalized and the extant definitions neglect the role of therapeutic presence, immediacy, and transparency. Indeed, presence, immediacy, and transparency represent critical elements in creating the necessary therapeutic alchemy leading to propitious symptom change. Accordingly, therapeutic presence, immediacy, and transparency are defined and explained. Additionally, clinical parameters for using presence, immediacy, and transparency in clinical encounters with young patients are articulated. Finally, these crucial processes pervade cognitive behavioral modules such as self-monitoring, cognitive restructuring and behavioural experiments/exposures are explicated through specific examples and therapeutic dialogues.
Repellency and Perception of Moving Air by the German Cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae)

A modified Ebeling choice box was designed to evaluate the repellency of Moving ambient air to German cockroaches, Blattella germanica (L.), determine how German Cockroach detect moving air, and evaluate the potential of moving air to change the distribution pattern of German cockroach populations. The modified choice box tested the repellency of moving air relative to light. All stages (adult male, adult gravid and nongravid female, and small/medium and large nymphs) were significantly repelled by air velocities ≥2.0 m/s, and percentage of repellency increased linearly with air velocity between 0.75 and 4.0 m/s. German cockroaches detect moving air with their antennae using mechanoreceptors. Application of moving air in simulated kitchen cabinets changed significantly the distribution pattern of mixed-stage groups of German cockroaches. Moving air, at relatively low velocities, could be a useful as a noninsecticidal tactic in integrated pest management system for German cockroach control.
Tamm Review: Are fuel treatments effective at achieving ecological and social objectives? A systematic review

Abstract The prevailing paradigm in the western U.S. is that the increase in stand-replacing wildfires in historically frequent-fire dry forests is due to unnatural fuel loads that have resulted from management activities including fire suppression, logging, and grazing, combined with more severe drought conditions and increasing temperatures. To counteract unnaturally high fuel loads, fuel reduction treatments which are designed to reduce fire hazard and improve overall ecosystem functioning have been increasing over the last decade. However, until recently much of what we knew about treatment effectiveness was based on modeling and predictive studies. Now, there are many examples of wildfires burning through both treated and untreated areas, and the effectiveness of treatments versus no action can be evaluated empirically. We carried out a systematic review to address the question: Are fuel treatments effective at achieving ecological and social (saving human lives and property) objectives? We found 56 studies addressing fuel treatment effectiveness in 8 states in the western US. There was general agreement that thin + burn treatments had positive effects in terms of reducing fire severity, tree mortality, and crown scorch. In contrast, burning or thinning alone had either less of an effect or none at all, compared to untreated sites. Most studies focused on carbon storage agreed that treatments do not necessarily store more carbon after wildfire, but result in less post-wildfire emissions and less carbon loss in a wildfire due to tree mortality. Understory responses are mixed across all treatments, and the response of other ecological attributes (e.g., soil, wildlife, water, insects) to treatment post-wildfire represents an important data gap; we provide a detailed agenda for future research. Overall, evidence is strong that thin + burn treatments meet the goal of reducing fire severity, and more research is needed to augment the few studies that indicate treatments protect human lives and property.
Multicentric Renal Oncocytoma

Renal cell oncocytomas are benign tumors of tubular epithelial origin. They usually occur as single nodules and may be confused clinically with renal cell carcinoma. We report an unusual case of multiple, discrete renal cell oncocytomas. The characteristic gross and light microscopic, and ultrastructural features are described. The potential of multicentricity is confirmed and its implications for therapy are discussed.
Inhibition of adenosine 3':k'-monophosphate accumulation white fat acids, lactate, and beta-hydroxybutyrate.

The large increase in cyclic AMP accumulation by rat white fat cells seen in the presence of lipolytic agents plus methylxanthines and adenosine deaminase was markedly inhibited by lactate. However, lipolysis was unaffected by lactate. Octanoate, hexanoate, heptanoate, and p-hydroxybutyrate inhibited both cyclic AMP ac- cumulation and lipolysis by rat fat cells. The mechanism by which these acids inhibit lipolysis differs from that for long chain fatty acids such as oleate. Oleate directly in- hibited triglyceride lipase activity of homogenized rat adipose tissue. In contrast, octanoate, p-hydroxybutyrate, and lactate had no effect on triglyceride lipase activity. Hormone-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity of rat fat cell ghosts was inhibited by oleate and 4 mM octanoate but not by 1.6 mM octanoate, heptanoate, hexanoate, p-hydroxybutyrate or lactate. None of the acids affected the soluble protein kinase activity of rat adipose tissue. There was no stimulation by lactate, butyrate, p-hydroxy- butyrate, or octanoate of the soluble or particulate cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity of rat fat cell homogenates. The antilipolytic action of a short chain acid such as octanoate or hexanoate was not accompanied by any drop in total fat cell ATP. The mechanism by which lactate lowers cyclic AMP but not lipolysis remains to be established.
Activation of β-noradrenergic receptors enhances rhythmic bursting in mouse olfactory bulb external tufted cells

This work revealed that β2-noradrenergic receptor activation increases the frequency and strength of external tufted (ET) cell rhythmic bursting by augmenting INaP and Ih, two key currents involved...
64 EFFECTS OF NANOPURIFIED BOAR SEMEN FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION ON PROTEIN DETECTION IN SWINE OFFSPRING MUSCLE AND FAT TISSUE

Standard extended semen contains both viable and non-viable spermatozoa. Magnetic nanoparticles have proven to be effective in the purification of boar semen by targeting nonviable spermatozoal cells (Feugang et al. 2015 IVF Reprod. Med. Genet. 3, 2), allowing potentially greater efficiency within the pork production industry. Previous research lacks data regarding the biochemical effects on offspring produced from such nanopurified semen. Here, we aim to determine whether there is a difference in protein expression between offspring produced with standard and nanopurified semen. Myoglobin (MYO) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were chosen as the protein markers for this study because they are often studied in reference to meat quality. Myoglobin provides meat its red colour, and FAS assembles fatty acids contributing to tenderness and palatability. The results produced here will provide a baseline for further research in the meat quality and the safety of consuming meat produced with this nanopurification method. Six sows maintained on our experimental farm were inseminated with standard (CTRL) and nanopurified (NANO) boar semen, leading to the birth of viable full-term piglets. At weaning, 10 pigs (5 male and 5 female) were randomly selected from each group and allowed to grow to market weight. Samples of longissimus muscle and SC back fat were then collected from each pig and prepared for protein analyses. Western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence of tissue samples were performed using anti-MYO and anti-FAS antibodies. Images were appropriately captured and quantified (ImageJ). Data (mean ± SEM) were analysed (ANOVA/Wilcoxon) with P < 0.05 set as threshold of significance. Western immunoblotting confirmed the specificity of each antibody. Myoglobin and FAS proteins were highly detected in muscle and fat tissues, respectively, and there were no differences between groups for each protein. Compared with the CTRL group, immunofluorescence signals of MYO in fat tissues and FAS in muscle tissues were significantly reduced in NANO group pigs, irrespective of the sex. However, MYO immunofluorescence levels in fat tissues and FAS levels in all tissues were significantly reduced in females of the NANO group compared with their counterparts in the CTRL group. In conclusion, MYO and FAS proteins were confirmed as good markers for muscle and fat tissues, respectively, with similar immunofluorescence levels between CTRL and NANO groups. Current preliminary data also show that sperm nanopurification (1) may decrease FAS protein expression in muscle tissue with the possibility to affect meat quality and (2) mainly affected females in this study. Further studies are needed for confirmation of these early findings.
The unfolded protein response mediates fibrogenesis and collagen I secretion through regulating TANGO1 in mice.

Fibrogenesis encompasses the deposition of matrix proteins, such as collagen I, by hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) that culminates in cirrhosis. Fibrogenic signals drive transcription of procollagen I, which enters the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is trafficked through the secretory pathway, and released to generate extracellular matrix. Alternatively, disruption of procollagen I ER export could activate the unfolded protein response (UPR) and drive HSC apoptosis. Using a small interfering RNA screen, we identified Transport and Golgi organization 1 (TANGO1) as a potential participant in collagen I secretion. We investigated the role of TANGO1 in procollagen I secretion in HSCs and liver fibrogenesis. Depletion of TANGO1 in HSCs blocked collagen I secretion without affecting other matrix proteins. Disruption of secretion led to procollagen I retention within the ER, induction of the UPR, and HSC apoptosis. In wild-type (WT) HSCs, both TANGO1 and the UPR were induced by transforming growth factor β (TGFβ). As the UPR up-regulates proteins involved in secretion, we studied whether TANGO1 was a target of the UPR. We found that UPR signaling is responsible for up-regulating TANGO1 in response to TGFβ, and this mechanism is mediated by the transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1). In vivo, murine and human cirrhotic tissue displayed increased TANGO1 messenger RNA levels. Finally, TANGO1+/- mice displayed less hepatic fibrosis compared to WT mice in two separate murine models: CCl4 and bile duct ligation. Conclusion Loss of TANGO1 leads to procollagen I retention in the ER, which promotes UPR-mediated HSC apoptosis. TANGO1 regulation during HSC activation occurs through a UPR-dependent mechanism that requires the transcription factor, XBP1. Finally, TANGO1 is critical for fibrogenesis through mediating HSC homeostasis. The work reveals a unique role for TANGO1 and the UPR in facilitating collagen I secretion and fibrogenesis. (Hepatology 2017;65:983-998).
Chapter 25 – Role of Human Discretion in Society and Its Impact on Ecosystems

Chapter Summary In this chapter, we explore the local and global monitoring systems now in use, to monitor the cultural health and ethics of organizations, societies, and nations. Scanning, tracking, and extrapolating techniques are deployed to monitor the events influencing social movements in nations and organizational ethics in corporations. In conjunction with knowledge and wisdom machines, the Internet-based knowledge bases are queried to document the nature and number of incidences of cultural violations. Cultural violations in social settings (such as drug abuse, crimes, arrests, bribery, corruptions, murder, rape, nudity) that are routinely reported by news agencies and are an excellent barometer of the cultural snapshot of a nation, a community, or a society. A statistical analysis of the incidents reveals the trend, geographical distributions and frequency of major and minor violations. Further the rate of change of such up or down trends of the violations are indicative of the cultural, cross-cultural, and counter-cultural forces in the environment. In this chapter, we further explore the type of positive forces that have given rise to great innovations (such as the backbone data networks, the Internet, wireless technologies, etc.) to benefit the society. We also report the methodology for awareness and accounting of negative force that result from cross/counter cultural forces (such as apathy, discontent, discord, denial of social rights, Presidential abuse of use, mass brutalities, illegal occupation of nations, obstruction of Justice). The use of networks combining the continuous scanning and analysis of the positive and negative events by social monitoring systems, the knowledge, and wisdom machines indicate the severity of impending changes in any culture. A fair and unbiased appraisal and the following action become crucial in mentoring the positive change and countering the negative forces. The need for National Cultural Accounting Agency (CAA) becomes as important as the need for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) especially in the Internet era. The system proposed is akin to the Tsunami warning systems to alert the public in the low-lying areas of any given region.
Prehospital Considerations for REVAR

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) are associated with a high rate of mortality, ranging from 30 to 80 % [1]. These rates most likely underestimate the overall death rate since considerable numbers of these patients die from free rupture prior to presenting to the hospital [2]. As experience with elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has grown, it was inevitable that its use would be considered and studied in the ruptured setting, where open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair was the reigning gold standard. Since elective EVAR had been associated with reduced perioperative morbidity and mortality, and results of open repair of ruptured AAAs had not significantly improved over the past several decades, several institutions initiated programs of EVAR for ruptured AAAs (REVAR) to evaluate whether the EVAR advantages extended to the ruptured state. Recent reports of such single institution series have shown that endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms led to both lower mortality and morbidity rates, suggesting that it becomes the standard of care for patients with ruptured infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms with suitable anatomy [3, 4]. The recently published results of the IMPROVE trial reported no improvement in outcomes, other than discharge to home, for patients randomized to the REVAR strategy group [5]. However, analysis per treatment received rather than by strategy assigned revealed 30-day mortality rates of 26 % for REVAR and 37 % for open repair [6]. Reports such as these, showing REVAR to be at least as effective as open repair, coupled with increasing operator experience with aortic endografting have resulted in more surgeons having attained a level of comfort that allows them to consider adding REVAR to their therapeutic armamentarium. However, optimal outcomes from REVAR come not only from an isolated competent surgeon but also from a system of care that focuses on rapid diagnosis, permissive hypotension while awaiting treatment or during patient transfer, and therapy customized to the patient’s anatomy and coexisting conditions.
High-performance large air-gap capacitive wireless power transfer system for electric vehicle charging

This paper introduces a high-performance large air-gap capacitive wireless power transfer (WPT) module as part of a multi-modular capacitive WPT system for electric vehicle charging. This WPT module utilizes two pairs of metal plates separated by an air-gap as the capacitive coupler, incorporates L-section matching networks to provide gain and reactive compensation, and is driven by a GaN-based inverter operating at 6.78 MHz. The system achieves high efficiency and simplicity by eliminating the need for high-voltage capacitors, and instead utilizes the parasitic capacitances formed between the coupling plates and the vehicle chassis and roadway as part of the matching networks. This paper also presents a comprehensive design methodology for the capacitive WPT system that guarantees high performance by ensuring zero-voltage switching of the inverter transistors, and by selecting matching network component values to maximize efficiency under practical constraints on inductor quality factor and self-resonant frequency. Two prototype 6.78-MHz 12-cm air-gap capacitive WPT systems have been designed, built and tested. The first prototype with 625 cm2 coupling plate area transfers up to 193 W of power and achieves an efficiency greater than 90%, with a power transfer density of 3 kW/m2. The second prototype with 300 cm2 coupling plate area transfers up to 557 W of power and achieves an efficiency of 82%, with a power transfer density of 18.5 kW/m2, which exceeds the state-of-the-art for capacitive WPT systems by more than a factor of four.
Coronary atherectomy is associated with improved procedural and clinical outcomes among patients with calcified coronary lesions: Insights from the VA CART program

Objectives We sought to evaluate the prevalence of calcified coronary lesions and the association between the use of atherectomy and clinical outcomes. Background Calcified coronary arteries are associated with an increased risk of procedural complications during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The outcomes of coronary atherectomy for adjunctive treatment of calcified coronary lesions are not well described. Methods We identified all patients treated for calcified coronary lesions at VA hospitals. A propensity weighted cohort was created for those treated with or without adjunctive atherectomy to evaluate the complications and outcomes between groups. Results From 2007 to 2015, 9,719 patients underwent single-vessel PCI for treatment of naive native calcific coronary lesions. The proportion of patients undergoing revascularization of calcified lesions increased over the study period (P = 0.03) and 1,731 patients (18%) were treated with atherectomy. Adjunctive atherectomy was more likely to be used in high-risk lesions (76.5% vs. 46.8%, P < 0.001). After propensity weighting, coronary atherectomy was associated with a 38% decrease in the odds of procedural complications and a 54% decrease in the odds of clinical complications (both P = 0.005). There was no difference in rates of 2-year death (HR: 1.07; 95% CI: 0.92–1.24), myocardial infarction (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.75–1.23) or target vessel revascularization (HR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.78–1.19) Conclusions Percutaneous treatment of calcified coronary lesions has increased over time. The adjunctive use of coronary atherectomy was associated with a reduction in procedural complications among patients with calcified coronary arteries. Two-year TVR, MI and overall mortality were similar between the two groups.
A systematic review of secondary cerebrospinal fluid leaks.

BackgroundSecondary cerebrospinal leaks (CSF) are leaks that recur after an initial endoscopic repair of CSF leaks. Identification of characteristics that could predict secondary leaks may allow su...
Attacks and vulnerability analysis of e-mail as a password reset point

In this work, we perform security analysis of using an e-mail as a self-service password reset point, and exploit some of the vulnerabilities of e-mail servers' forgotten password reset paths. We perform and illustrate three different attacks on a personal Email account, using a variety of tools such as: public knowledge attainable through social media or public records to answer security questions and execute a social engineering attack, hardware available to the public to perform a man in the middle attack, and free software to perform a brute-force attack on the login of the email account. Our results expose some of the inherent vulnerabilities in using emails as password reset points. The findings are extremely relevant to the security of mobile devices since users' trend has leaned towards usage of mobile devices over desktops for Internet access.
Initializing Agent-Based Models with Clustering Archetypes

Agent-based models are a powerful tool for predicting population level behaviors; however their performance can be sensitive to the initial simulation conditions. This paper introduces a procedure for leveraging large datasets to initialize agent-based simulations in which the population is abstracted into a set of archetypes. We show that these archetypes can be discovered using clustering and evaluate the benefits of selecting clusters based on their stability over time. Our experiments on the GitHub dataset demonstrate that simulation runs performed with the clustering archetypes are more successful at predicting large-scale activity patterns.
Technological Risk Perception: Similarities and Dissimilarities in French and American Samples

This study is concerned with how people perceive the risk associated with six areas of modern technology: nuclear power generation, robotics, information technologies, genetic engineering, space defense technology and nuclear weaponry. A questionnaire was prepared, validated, and distributed to samples of graduate level business students in two Western countries which do not always respond in unison to political questions, France and the United States.
Contracting Out, Legitimacy, and State Building

Contracting out what are traditionally regarded as core sovereign functions is an iconic example of governance in areas of limited statehood. When national political authorities share sovereign aut...
Epigenetic and Cellular Diversity in the Brain through Allele-Specific Effects

The benefits of diploidy are considered to involve masking partially recessive mutations and increasing genetic diversity. Here, we review new studies showing evidence for diverse allele-specific expression and epigenetic states in mammalian brain cells, which suggest that diploidy expands the landscape of gene regulatory and expression programs in cells. Allele-specific expression has been thought to be restricted to a few specific classes of genes. However, new studies show novel genomic imprinting effects that are brain-region-, cell-type- and age-dependent. In addition, novel forms of random monoallelic expression that impact many autosomal genes have been described in vitro and in vivo. We discuss the implications for understanding the benefits of diploidy, and the mechanisms shaping brain development, function, and disease.
Clinical perineural invasion of cutaneous head and neck cancer: Impact of radiotherapy, imaging, and nerve growth factor receptors on symptom control and prognosis

Abstract Objectives Clinical perineural invasion (CPNI) of cutaneous head and neck cancer is associated with poor prognosis and presents a therapeutic dilemma. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between CPNI and nerve growth factor receptors (NGFR), and the impact of radiotherapy (RT), imaging, and NGFR on symptom control and disease-related outcomes. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed patients with CPNI of cutaneous head and neck cancer who were treated with RT between 2010 and 2015 at our institution. Exact chi-square and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests compared patients with positive versus negative staining for TrkA and/or CD271. Gray’s test determined differences in cumulative incidences of 1- and 2-year locoregional recurrence (LRR) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM). Results Twenty-three patients had a median overall follow-up of 31.4 months from initial clinical symptoms and 19.7 months from pathological confirmation of PNI. The most prevalent symptoms were numbness (70%) and pain (57%). Sixteen patients (70%) experienced symptom improvement or control, especially decreased pain (85%), within a median of 2.6 months from starting RT. The 1- and 2-year rates of overall LRR were 37% and 71%, while those of overall CSM were 11% and 25%, respectively. Patients who stained positively for TrkA and/or CD271 had significantly worse LRR compared to patients who stained negatively for both markers (p = 0.046). Conclusion Positive TrkA and/or CD271 staining predicts worse outcomes. Patients may benefit from aggressive RT for local control and symptom improvement. Future research is needed to identify the potential for anti-nerve growth factor therapies in CPNI.
Predicting pressure-stabilized alkali metal iridides: A−Ir (A = Rb, Cs)

Abstract The existence of two compounds with the formula A3Ir (A = Rb, Cs) were predicted to form at high pressure by constructing convex hulls for the Rb−Ir and Cs−Ir binary systems. These phases were identified using a nonbiased automatic structure search method based on Density Functional Theory accompanied by a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Increasing the applied pressure above ≈10 GPa indicated a favorable formation enthalpy ( Δ H ) for Rb3Ir with the Cu3Ti structure type (space group Pmnm; No. 59) and Cs3Ir in the Ni3Ta structure type (space group P21/m; No. 11). Phonon calculations showed both compositions are dynamically stable in these structure types. Electronic structure calculations revealed that Rb3Ir is a semiconductor with a ≈1.3 eV band gap, calculated using a hybrid exchange-correlation functional, whereas the Fermi level for Cs3Ir falls into a deep pseudogap, suggesting poor metallic character. The chemical bonding in both phases is dominated by the A–Ir (A = Rb, Cs) interactions with the contacts more significant in Cs3Ir than in the Rb3Ir crystal structure. These high-pressure phases lastly showed unusual oxidation states on the transition metal. The charge on Ir is calculated to surpass −1 due to charge transfer between the alkali metal and iridium, implying the presence of an iridide anion at high pressure.
Tracheostomy and Pediatric Heart Transplantation: The Loma Linda University Experience

Purpose Tracheostomy is often considered a contraindication to pediatric heart transplant (PHTX), however there is a paucity of information about clinical outcomes in this population. We sought to describe clinical outcomes for tracheostomy patients after PHTX at Loma Linda University (LLU). Methods Retrospective chart review of all PHTX recipients from 1985-2017 at LLU with a tracheostomy placed peri-PHTX. Cases were compared to propensity-matched controls (3:1). Baseline demographics, clinical co-variates, and post-PHTX outcomes [survival; freedom from infection, rejection, cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV), and malignancy] were assessed between the groups using the Kaplan-Meier method and were compared with the log-rank test (LRT) and Cox Proportional Hazards (CPH) model. Results Twenty (3.8%) PHTX tracheostomy patients and 504 PHTX patients without tracheostomies were identified, from which 60 matched pairs (3:1) were chosen. Seven (35%) had tracheostomy placement prior to PHTX, 8 (40%) were placed after PHTX prior to discharge, and 5 (25%) were placed after PHTX hospitalization discharge. Twelve (60%) were infants and 13 (65%) had congenital heart disease. After matching, there was lower freedom from infection (HR 2.10, 95% CI 1.12-3.95, CPH p=0.02, LRT p=0.0003, Figure 1a) in the tracheostomy group, however no difference in graft survival (CPH p=0.42, LRT p=0.07, Figure 1b) or death from infection (Chi-square p=0.18) was seen. No differences in freedom from rejection, CAV, nor malignancy (all p>0.05) were seen. Conclusion Tracheostomy in PHTX recipients is independently associated with increased risk of infection, though survival and freedom from other common co-morbidities is similar to matched peers.
Optical properties of 3D printed reflective and transmissive components for use in LED lighting fixture applications

The abundance of commercial LED lighting fixtures in the marketplace has resulted in price erosion, forcing manufacturers to look for ways to lower manufacturing costs. 3D printing holds promise for providing new solutions that not only can increase the value of lighting but can potentially reduce costs. During the past few years, 3D printing has been successfully adopted in industries such as aerospace, automotive, consumer products, and medical for manufacturing components. For the lighting industry to adopt 3D printing for fabricating light fixtures, it has to show that different subcomponents of an LED light fixture, including thermal, electrical, and optical components, can be successfully made. Typically, optical components are either transmissive or reflective type. In both cases, the component’s optical properties affect fixture efficiency and beam quality. Therefore, the objective of this study was to understand how short-term and long-term optical properties are affected when using 3D printed optical components. In the case of transmissive optics, several optical elements were printed and aged at higher than ambient temperatures and their corresponding spectral transmissions were measured over time. Similarly, several reflective optical elements were printed and characterized for spectral reflectivity as a function of print parameters, including print layer height, print orientation, and the number of print layers before and after aging the parts at higher ambient temperatures. These results are useful for optical component manufacturers to understand the possibilities of using 3D printing to make high-quality optics for lighting fixture applications and for 3D printing material and printer hardware manufacturers to understand the requirements of optics for the illumination applications.
Citizenship & Severity: Recent Immigration Reforms and the New Penology

Over the past twenty years, scholars of criminal law, criminology and criminal punishment have documented a transformation in the practices, objectives, and institutional arrangements underlying a range of criminal justice system functions that are at the heart of penal modernism. In contrast to the preceding eighty years of criminal justice practices that were progressively more modern in their belief in the rationality of the criminal offender and their concern for enhancing civilization through rehabilitative responses to criminality, these scholars note that since the mid-198''0s the relatively settled assumptions about the framework that shaped criminal justice and penal practices for nearly a decade were abruptly thrown into reverse.Major shifts in policy generated by federal immigration reform legislation have likewise created a sense of crisis that pervades the practice of immigration law. The uncertainty produced by sweeping reform legislation enacted at a rapid pace has confounded attorneys and judges alike as they struggle to discern applicable legal standards and procedures with a backlog of cases requiring their urgent attention.As immigration reforms increasingly enhance the role of law enforcement and incorporate criminal penalties, the regulation of non-U.S. citizens - particularly those with criminal convictions in their pasts - has become intimately involved in crime control. Immigration control is increasingly adopting the practices and priorities of the criminal justice system. Many scholars and commentators are describing this unprecedented intimacy as the “criminalization of immigration law.” It has motivated immigration scholars to document harsh, law enforcement-focused reforms in the treatment of non-U.S. citizens and the impact of these reforms on immigration procedures and practices. This scholarship largely documents the reforms and their consequences in much the same way as crime scholars initially focused on documenting the fact that a shift in the balance of crime legislation of great significance had occurred. Although the horrific events of September 11, 2001 immediately produced an urgent new agenda for controlling crime within immigration law, the reasons underlying such heavy reliance upon punitiveness within immigration reforms of the 198''0s and 199''0s are hardly self-evident.This paper seeks to clarify why these reforms are taking place, why they are taking place at this historical juncture, and why they rely heavily on criminal punitiveness by drawing upon the new penological literature that seeks to explain the broader significance of changes in crime control strategies and practices over the past three decades. In doing so, this paper will clarify the relationship between recent, harsh immigration reforms adopted both pre- and post-9 11 and the severity revolution within crime control that has been documented by crime scholars.
Photodesulfinylation of optically active N-sulfinyl amines

Abstract Photolysis of enantiopure N-sulfinyl amines (sulfinamides) in Et2O–MeOH gives amines in good yield without racemization.
An Overview of the Geologic Origins of Hydrocarbons and Production Trends in the Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) region is one of the most important hydrocarbon-producing sedimentary basins in the world. Triassic rifting leads to formation of this small ocean basin characterized by the accumulation of thick salt deposits followed by a thick succession of continental- and marine-derived deposits that combined to generate and trap abundant hydrocarbons. This chapter presents a very brief overview of factors related to hydrocarbon accumulation and production trends in US waters. The offshore GoM has been producing from shelf to deep water for the past ~70 years. Ultra-deep-water drilling was reached in the late 1980s and progressed to depths near 3000 m by the 2000s. Although the extraction of the GoM’s oil and natural gas is in its mature phase, studies indicate that oil and gas reserves are significant and that the GoM will be producing for many decades into the future.