cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Caveat Compounder: A Warning about Using the Daily CRSP Equal‐Weighted Index to Compute Long‐Run Excess Returns

This paper issues a warning that compounding daily returns of the Center for Research in Security Prices (CRSP) equal-weighted index can lead to surprisingly large biases. The differences between the monthly returns compounded from the daily tapes and the monthly CRSP equal-weighted indices is almost 0.43 percent per month, or 6 percent per year. This difference amounts to one-third of the average monthly return, and is large enough to reverse the conclusions of a paper using the daily tape to compute the return on the benchmark portfolio. We also investigate the sources of these biases and suggest several alternative strategies to avoid them.
A neural network weight pattern study with ECG pattern recognition

Singular-value decomposition (SVD) is used to analyze the weight pattern of a back-propagation (BP) model for efficient classification of ECG waveforms. It is found that the rank of a matrix formed by all the weights, which can be determined by SVD of that matrix, is a good indicator of the number of hidden nets needed. The SVD is also used to analyze the relationship between the weight patterns and the learned features of the input patterns. >
A Clearly Observable Cold Fracture Line of an Early Occult Hip Fracture on Bone Scintigraphy

Although a true fracture is commonly associated with increased radionuclide uptake on bone scintigraphy, it is also possible for an area with no increased uptake (a cold line) to indicate fracture, as demonstrated in this case study. Detection of an occult acute hip fracture through recognition of a cold fracture line is important because of the associated therapeutic, economic, and medicolegal implications.
Localization of choline acetyltransferase in perikarya and dendrites within the nuclei of the solitary tracts.

Immunocytochemistry was used to establish the cellular localization of choline acetyltransferase [ChAT] throughout the rostrocaudal portions of the nuclei of the solitary tracts [NTS] in rat brain. By light microscopy, two distinct populations of ChAT-positive cells were identified. The first consisted of relatively few, medium-sized neurons located in the caudal one-half of the medial NTS just dorsal to the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. The second population of ChAT-labeled neurons was located more anteriorly and surrounded the medial and dorsal borders of the tractus solitarius. These cells were more abundant and smaller diameter than those located more caudally. Thick, non-varicose processes with the light microscopic characteristics of dendrites also were selectively labeled for ChAT. A few of these processes were located near or were continuous with the labeled perikarya of the NTS. However, the vast majority of the immunoreactive processes could be traced from ChAT-labeled perikarya in the ventrally adjacent dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. These dorsally directed dendrites aborized extensively throughout the NTS, but they were densest in the rostral two-thirds of the nucleus. Caudally, the labeled dendrites coursed horizontally, forming a commissure-like structure between the two vagal motor nuclei. Electron microscopy confirmed the perikaryal and dendritic localization of ChAT in the NTS. The perikarya were characterized by dense peroxidase immunoreactivity throughout the cytoplasm, infolded nuclear membranes, and somatic synapses. The labeled dendritic profiles also were intensely immunoreactive and received synaptic input from unlabeled terminals. The unlabeled afferents to somata and dendrites contained large populations of small clear vesicles. The abundance of cholinergic dendrites and relative sparsity or absence of identified cholinergic axons suggests that the release of acetylcholine from dendrites of intrinsic neurons or from dendrites of neurons located within the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus may be important for cholinergic modulation of visceral functions within the NTS.
Neuroinformatics challenges to the structural, connectomic, functional and electrophysiological multimodal imaging of human traumatic brain injury.

Throughout the past few decades, the ability to treat and rehabilitate traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients has become critically reliant upon the use of neuroimaging to acquire adequate knowledge of injury-related effects upon brain function and recovery. As a result, the need for TBI neuroimaging analysis methods has increased in recent years due to the recognition that spatiotemporal computational analyses of TBI evolution are useful for capturing the effects of TBI dynamics. At the same time, however, the advent of such methods has brought about the need to analyze, manage, and integrate TBI neuroimaging data using informatically-inspired approaches which can take full advantage of their large dimensionality and informational complexity. Given this perspective, we here discuss the neuroinformatics challenges for TBI neuroimaging analysis in the context of structural, connectivity and functional paradigms. Within each of these, the availability of a wide range of neuroimaging modalities can be leveraged to fully understand the heterogeneity of TBI pathology; consequently, large-scale computer hardware resources and next-generation processing software are often required for efficient data storage, management, and analysis of TBI neuroimaging data. However, each of these paradigms poses challenges in the context of informatics such that the ability to address them is critical for augmenting current capabilities to perform neuroimaging analysis of TBI and to improve therapeutic efficacy.
Stereo vision and navigation in buildings for mobile robots

A mobile robot that autonomously functions in a complex and previously unknown indoor environment has been developed. The omnidirectional mobile robot uses stereo vision, odometry, and contact bumpers to instantiate a symbolic world model. Finding stereo correspondences across a single epipolar line is adequate for instantiating the model. Uncertainty in sensor data is represented by a multivariate normal distribution, and uncertainty models for motion and stereo are presented. Uncertainty is reduced by extended Kalman filtering. To execute a high-level command such as 'Enter the second door on the left', a model is instantiated from sensing and motions are planned and executed. Experimental results from the fast, running system are presented. >
A probabilistic framework for inferring ancestral genomic orders

We introduce a probabilistic framework for inferring contiguous ancestral regions. Our previous work, the inferCARs algorithm, is a method based on adjacencies between synteny blocks. However, the local parsimony procedure has the limitation that it ignores many adjacencies that are potentially possible to exist in the ancestors. In this paper, we introduce a probabilistic method for reconstructing ancestral orders. The essential part of this method is to predict the posterior probability of an adjacency occurring in the ancestor based on an extended Jukes-Cantor model for breakpoints. We implemented a program called inferCARsPro to reconstruct contiguous ancestral regions. Both simulation and real data application results are discussed.
Regulation of dermal fibroblast dedifferentiation and redifferentiation during wound healing and limb regeneration in the Axolotl

Adult urodeles (salamanders) are unique in their ability to regenerate complex organs perfectly. The Accessory Limb Model (ALM) in the axolotl allows for the identification of signals from the wound epidermis, nerves and dermal fibroblasts that interact to regenerate a limb. In the present study, we have used the ALM to identity the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) orthologue of Twist (AmTwist), a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor that is involved in the regeneration of the dermis during limb regeneration. AmTwist is expressed during the blastema stages in regeneration, but is inhibited by signals from the nerve during the early stages when dermal fibroblasts dedifferentiate to form blastema cells. As the dermis regenerates, AmTwist is expressed in association with the synthesis of type I collagen in the proximal region of the blastema. Exogenous bone morphogenetic protein-2 leads to an increase in AmTwist expression, and therefore may function as an endogenous regulator of AmTwist expression and dermis regeneration. The nerve appears to have a dual function in regeneration by coordinately regulating dedifferentiation and redifferentiation of dermal fibroblasts.
An atomization model for flash boiling sprays

This paper presents an atomization model for sprays under flash boiling conditions. The automization is represented by the secondary breakup of a bubble/droplet system, and the breakup is considered as the result of two competing mechanisms: aerodynamic force and bubble growth. The model was applied to predict the atomization of a hollow-cone spray from a pintle injector under flash boiling conditions. In the regimes with intermediate superheat degrees this study considered, sprays are atomized by bubble growth, which produces smaller SMD's than aerodynamic forces alone. With decreasing ambient pressures, the spray cone thickness, fuel vaporization rate and vapor radial penetration increase, but the drop size decreases. With increasing fuel and ambient temperatures sufficiently, the effect of flash boiling and air entrainment completely changes the spray pattern.
Persistence of the diastolic Korotkoff sound

Diastolic Korotkoff sounds have been shown to often appear well below actual diastolic pressures, leading to a large error in pressure readings. The curvilinear brachial artery pressure-lumen relationship was examined as a possible source of sound generation. A sinusoidal pressure was applied in both a mathematical model and an experimental model. It was found that increasing pulse pressure at mean transmural pressures approaching zero led to significant sound generation. It is concluded that the process of arterial collapse can lead to diastolic Korotkoff sound even under zero flow conditions.
Layout-driven architecture synthesis for high-speed digital filters

We propose a floorplan-aware complexity reduction methodology for digital filters. Conventional methodologies for complexity reduction use logic-centric approaches focusing on the total number of adders. Therefore, there is a need to consider interconnects to reduce communication costs while synthesizing reduced-complexity filters. In this paper, we integrate high-level synthesis and floorplan to obtain improvement in both computational complexity and interconnect delay. In our experiments, we could achieve 15% improvement in critical-path delay over conventional methodologies.
The audible pop from high-velocity thrust manipulation and outcome in individuals with low back pain.

Abstract Objective To determine the relationship between an audible pop with spinal manipulation and improvement in pain and function in patients with low back pain. Methods In this pragmatic study, 70 patients from a multicenter clinical trial were randomly assigned to receive high-velocity thrust manipulation and included in this secondary analysis. Patients were managed in physical therapy twice the first week, then once a week for the next 3 weeks, for a total of 5 sessions. A single high-velocity thrust manipulative intervention purported to affect the lumbopelvic region was used during the first two sessions. Therapists recorded whether an audible pop was heard by the patient or therapist. Outcome was assessed with an 11-point pain rating scale, the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, and measurement of lumbopelvic flexion range of motion. Repeated measures analyses of variance were used to examine whether achievement of a pop resulted in improved outcome. Results An audible pop was perceived in 59 (84%) of the patients. No differences were detected at baseline or at any follow-up period in the level of pain, the Oswestry score, or lumbopelvic range of motion based on whether a pop was achieved (P > .05). The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for achieving a successful outcome at each of the follow-up periods all approximated a value of 1, suggesting no improvement in the odds of successful outcome among patients in which an audible pop occurred. Conclusions The results of this pragmatic study suggest that a perceived audible pop may not relate to improved outcomes from high-velocity thrust manipulation for patients with nonradicular low back pain at either an immediate or longer-term follow-up.
The amygdala, reward and emotion

Recent research provides new insights into amygdala contributions to positive emotion and reward. Studies of neuronal activity in the monkey amygdala and of autonomic responses mediated by the monkey amygdala show that, contrary to a widely held view, the amygdala is just as important for processing positive reward and reinforcement as it is for negative. In addition, neuropsychological studies reveal that the amygdala is essential for only a fraction of what might be considered 'stimulus-reward processing', and that the neural substrates for emotion and reward are partially nonoverlapping. Finally, evidence suggests that two systems within the amygdala, operating in parallel, enable reward-predicting cues to influence behavior; one mediates a general, arousing effect of reward and the other links the sensory properties of reward to emotion.
The Federal Marriage Amendment and the Strange Evolution of the Conservative Case against Gay Marriage

The idea for a Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) did not suddenly dawn upon Senate Republicans in the summer of 2004, when debate on the amendment began in earnest on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Despite the passage of the federal Defense of Marriage Act in 1996, conservatives have long worried about what they believe are the threats to traditional heterosexual marriage posed by the courts. Their fears peaked in 2003, when the courts struck twice: the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Lawrence v. Texas that state homosexual sodomy laws are unconstitutional, while the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health ordered state officials to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Lithostratigraphy of the late Early Permian (Kungurian) Wandrawandian Siltstone, New South Wales: record of glaciation?

The late Early Permian (273–271 Ma) Wandrawandian Siltstone in the southern Sydney Basin of New South Wales represents a marine highstand that can be correlated over 2000 km. A mainly fine-grained terrigenous clastic succession, the Wandrawa ndian Siltstone contains evidence for cold, possibly glacial conditions based on the presence of outsized clasts and glendonites, mineral pseudomorphs after ikaite, a mineral that forms in cold (0–7°C) marine sediments. A lithostratigraphic and facies analysis of the unit was conducted, based on extensive coastal outcrops and continuous drill-cores. Eight facies associations were identified: (i) siltstone; (ii) siltstone with minor interbedded sandstone; (iii) interbedded tabular sandstone and siltstone; (iv) ad mixed sandstone and siltstone to medium-grained sandstone; (v) discrete, discontinuous sandstone intervals; (vi) chaotic conglomerate and sandstone in large channel forms; (vii) chaotically bedded and pervasively soft-sediment-deformed intervals; and (viii) tuffaceous siltstone and claystone. Using lithology and ichnology, relative water depths were ascribed to each facies association. Based on these associations, the unit was divided into five informal members that reveal a history of significant rel ative sea-level fluctuations throughout the formation: member I, interbedded/admixed sandstone and siltstone; member II, silt stone; member III, slumped masses of members I and II; member IV, siltstone and erosionally based lensoid sandstone beds and channel bodies; and member V, interbedded/admixed sandstone and siltstone with abundant tuffs. Member I marks an initial marine transgression from shoreface to offshore depths. Member II records the maximum water depth of the shelf. Member III is interpreted to be a slump sheet; plausible mechanisms for its emplacement include seismicity produced by tectonism or glacio-isostatic rebound, changes in pore-water pressures due to sea-level fluctuations, or an increase in sedimentation rates. Members IV and V record minor fluctuations in depositional environments from offshore to shoreface water depths. Member IV includes regionally extensive, large channel bodies, with composite fills that are interpreted as storm-influenced mass-flow deposits. Member V includes a greater abundance of volcanic ash. Glacial controls (isostasy, eustasy) and tectonic affects may have worked in concert to produce the changes in depositional environments observed in the Wandrawandian Siltstone.
Riparian and upland breeding-bird assemblages along headwater streams in Michigan's upper Peninsula

Abstract Comparative studies of riparian and upland bird communities have focused primarily on larger streams (greater than second order). We examined breeding-bird assemblages in relation to their proximity to small head-water streams in northern hardwood forests of the Otter River watershed in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, USA. At 10 study sites, we used fixed-radius point counts to survey bird assemblages and measure forest habitat characteristics along riparian and upland transects. Forest structure and composition differed between riparian and upland areas, with more conifer stems and higher conifer basal area on riparian transects. We detected 46 bird species during 1999 and 2000. During each year, total bird abundance was similar for riparian and upland areas, whereas bird species richness and evenness was higher in riparian areas. When we pooled bird species by foraging guild, we found that foliage-gleaning birds were more abundant in riparian areas. We found 12 bird species exclusively in riparian ...
The heavens are declaring the glory of God: Contemporary teleological arguments

This article presents an overview of various formations of contemporary teleological arguments with a brief historical background. The fine-tuning argument and three of its most well-known objections are considered first. Next, the argument from design based on the origins of life is presented. The third teleological argument is based on the temporal order of the universe. The final section of the article considers and responds to well-known objections commonly raised against design arguments. The conclusion is that the contemporary versions of the teleological argument have a positive role to play in Christian apologetics despite some of their limitations.
Distribution of foraging honey bees to multiple, small floral plots of various species.

A study was made of the distribution of foraging honey bees from 28 apiaries (955 colonies) to 35 small floral plots, representing 6 plant species, within 60 km2. Bees from many colonies foraged at the various plots, regardless of plot size. Increasing percentages of foragers originated from colonies near the plots as the number of colonies increased. Nectar and pollen loads varied greatly according to the source species, and did not have an obvious relationship to the distribution pattern of foraging bees.
Frailty in self-neglecting older adults: A secondary analysis

Self-neglect (SN) and frailty in older adults is associated with increased disability and mortality. Despite these commonalities, there have been no studies objectively assessing frailty in older adults who SN. This secondary analysis classified frailty in N = 37 older adults with Adult Protective Services validated SN using the Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP) of weight loss, weakness, exhaustion, activity level, and walking speed. Overall, 3% were classified as robust, 62% as prefrail, and 35% as frail. Most (72%) were overweight/obese, with clinically significant decreases in activity level (60%) and walking speed (97%). Compared to the original FFP population, older adults who SN exhibit important differences in frailty phenotypes, and finding that the largest percentage of older adults who SN were prefrail may indicate a critical opportunity for intervening in this population to reduce future functional decline and mortality.
Investigation of Sparganum mansoni infection in frogs from Henan Province

Objective To survey the Sparganum mansoni infection in frogs from different areas of Henan Province.Methods From 2008-2011,wild frogs and frog tadpoles were collected from rural ponds and markets in different areas of Henan Province and dissected.The spargana were examined and isolated,and the site of the parasite and number of spargana collected were recorded and analyzed with a statistical software package.Results A total of 4 848 of wild frogs(Rana nigromaculata,R.limnocharis,R.temporaria,and toads) and frog tadpoles were examined by necropsy;728(15.02%) frogs and tadpoles were infected with sparganum,4,034 spargana were collected,and the mean density of infection was 5.54 worms per frog(or tadpole).Of these frogs,20.82% were R.limnocharis,which had the highest infection rate.Most(76.37%) plerocercoids were located in the muscles of the hind legs.The infection rate(18.36%) of frogs from areas with sparganosis was higher than that(12.38%) of frogs from areas with no sparganosis(P0.05).In addition,wild frogs sold at market had a sparganum infection rate of 11.71%(295/2520).Conclusion S.mansoni infection in frogs is common in Henan Province.The consumption of the insufficiently cooked meat of frogs or live tadpoles poses a high risk of sparganum infection.
RiboTag is a flexible tool for measuring the translational state of targeted cells in heterogeneous cell cultures

Primary neuronal cultures are a useful tool for measuring pharmacological- and transgene-regulated gene expression; however, accurate measurements can be confounded by heterogeneous cell types and ...
Effect of insulin and dietary myoinositol on muscarinic receptor alterations in diabetic rat bladder.

Abstract Previous studies from our laboratory demonstrated that there is an up-regulation of muscarinic receptor density in the bladder dome of the 8-wks diabetic rat compared to control. To determine whether the changes observed in receptor density can be corrected by insulin or dietary myoinositol, five groups of rats were maintained for eight weeks: control (C), diabetic (D), diabetic insulin-treated (DI), diabetic myoinositol-treated (DMI), and control myoinositol-treated (CMI). Diabetes was induced by i.v. injection of 65 mg./kg. of streptozotocin. D and DMI animals were smaller, had higher serum glucose and lower serum insulin levels, higher water intakes and urine outputs, and larger bladder domes than the other groups. The density of the muscarinic receptors measured by radioligand receptor binding assays using [ 3 H]quinuclidinyl benzilate were (in fmol./mg. protein): C, 88 ± 13; D, 176 ± 19; DI, 94 ± 5; DMI, 158 ± 8; CMI, 112 ± 10. These data indicate that insulin, but not myoinositol treatment normalized diabetes induced abnormalities observed in the general features of streptozotocin-injected rats and prevented the diabetic-induced upregulation of bladder dome muscarinic receptors.
Liu Qingti's Canine Rebirth and Her Ritual Career as the Heavenly Dog: Recasting Mulian's Mother in Baojuan (Precious Scrolls) Recitation

In the Tang dynasty Dunhuang transformation text (bianwen) about Mulian rescuing his mother from the underworld, Madame Liu Qingti, mother of the filial monk Mulian, is allowed to ascend to the Trāyastriṃśa Heaven once her sins have been purged. A similar happy ending is found in the most widespread versions of the legend. However, in many baojuan (precious scrolls) from the late imperial period and the modern era, Qingti is depicted as an inveterate sinner who continues to misbehave when reborn as a dog. For example, in the baojuan about Mulian used nowadays in Changshu, southern Jiangsu province, in a ritual to expel evil spirits and ensure a successful pregnancy, Qingti appears as the Heavenly Dog—a malign, infant-eating star spirit capable of causing miscarriage or neonatal death. This paper combines fieldwork on a ritual to expel the Heavenly Dog in Changshu and textual analysis to explore the ways in which Liu Qingti has been recast in baojuan literature. I consider, in particular, the motif of Qing...
The complete computation of high-pT W and Z production in second-order QCD

Abstract We present a full computation of dσ/dqT2 for W, Z and virtual γ production to second order in QCD. This includes qg, gg, and singlet q q +qq collisions in addition to the usual non-singlet q q +qq. The primary motivation is the importance of quark-gluon collisions at Tevatron energies. Attention is restricted to high and moderate qT, avoiding the resummation necessary at small transverse momentum. We give analytic results for all constituent cross-sections dσ/dqT2d y and, for W and Z production, numerically convolute them with structure functions.
An inverse problem for reduced-encoding MRI velocimetry in potential flow

We propose a computational technique to reconstruct internal physiological flows described by sparse point-wise MRI velocity measurements. Assuming that the viscous forces in the flow are negligible, the incompressible flow field can be obtained from a velocity potential that satisfies Laplace's equation. A set of basis functions each satisfying Laplace's equation with appropriately defined boundary data is constructed using the finite-element method. An inverse problem is formulated where higher resolution boundary and internal velocity data are extracted from the point-wise MRI velocity measurements using a least-squares method. From the results we obtained with /spl sim/100 internal measurement points, the proposed reconstruction method is shown to be effective in filtering out the experimental noise at levels as high as 30%, while matching the reference solution within 2%. This allows the reconstruction of a high-resolution velocity field with limited MRI encoding.
The effects of histones and other polycations on cellular energetics. 3. The swelling-contraction cycle of mitochondria.

Purified histone fractions were found to interact with the mitochondrial membrane system, causing a reduction in optical density as a result of swelling and aggregation. The "arginine-rich" f2a was the most active fraction; threshold concentration was approximately 1 µg per mg of mitochondrial protein. Adenosine 5‘-triphosphate slowed and guanosine 5‘-triphosphate prevented the histone-induced swelling, while all other nucleoside mono-, di-, and triphosphates were without effect. Oligomycin, aurovertin, or strontium enhanced the protective action of ATP. Amytal, azide, antimycin, 2,4-dinitrophenol, and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone did not significantly affect the histone-induced changes. Octylguanidine and chlorpromazine markedly retarded the swelling process. The most active polyanionic protective compounds were gangliosides, phosphoproteins, and phosphatidylserine.
Potenzialanalyse zur Strukturierung der strategischen Unternehmensentwicklung

Kurzfassung Produzierende Unternehmen, die unter hohem Wettbewerbsdruck stehen, sollten – bevor sie die Risiken und Komplexitaten einer Auslandsfertigung eingehen – alle Chancen am heimischen Standort ausloten und erschliesen. Dazu gehort insbesondere die Steigerung der Effizienz, um Nachteile bei den Arbeitskosten zu kompensieren und Vorteile des deutschen Standorts bei Infrastruktur, Zuliefererumfeld, Termintreue und Qualitat weiter fur sich nutzen zu konnen. Aber wie geht man da am besten vor? Welche Potenziale konnen im konkreten Einzelfall noch erschlossen werden? Adaquate Antworten liefert die Potenzialanalyse, eine ganzheitliche Betrachtung der gesamten Produktion, die weit uber punktuelle Optimierungsstrategien in diesem Bereich hinausgeht. Ziel ist die Erkennung der Handlungsfelder mit den grosten Potenzialen. Der erste Schritt dazu ist eine umfassende Analyse des Ist-Zustands durch die Anwendung bewahrter Methoden und die Ausweisung von Potenzialen, die mit Hilfe Effizienz steigernder Masnahmen ...
Strategies for Improving Measurement Models for Secondary Data in Public Administration Research: Illustrations from the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey

This article builds on Fernandez et al.'s 2015 review of Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS) research by focusing on two unexplored areas: measurement models and measurement quality. Employing the notion of an auxiliary measurement theory as an organizing framework, the author assesses the use of FEVS survey items to operationalize theoretical constructs and procedures in order to establish their psychometric quality. Results indicate that there is considerable variability in how FEVS items have been used to measure theoretical constructs, which is expressed as high levels of overlap across FEVS-derived scales. Inconsistency in the assessment of measurement quality is evident as well, with a bias toward convergent validity. Three cautionary tales are presented to demonstrate the fragility of FEVS data when used with a compromised auxiliary measurement theory. The article concludes with recommendations for future FEVS studies.
Webs of Kinship: Family in Northern Cheyenne Nationhood

Christina Gish Hill provides the reader with an engaging reinterpretation of Northern Cheyenne nationhood and history through the lens of kinship. The book focuses on the Northern Cheyenne from the...
Comparison of Urinary Biomarkers of Exposure in Humans Using Electronic Cigarettes, Combustible Cigarettes, and Smokeless Tobacco.

Background Cigarette smoking is associated with an increase in cardiovascular disease risk, attributable in part to reactive volatile organic chemicals (VOCs). However, little is known about the extent of VOC exposure due to the use of other tobacco products. Methods We recruited 48 healthy, tobacco users in four groups: cigarette, smokeless tobacco, occasional users of first generation e-cigarette and e-cigarette menthol and 12 healthy nontobacco users. After abstaining for 48 h, tobacco users used an assigned product. Urine was collected at baseline followed by five collections over a 3-h period to measure urinary metabolites of VOCs, nicotine, and tobacco alkaloids. Results Urinary levels of nicotine were ≃2-fold lower in occasional e-cigarette and smokeless tobacco users than in the cigarette smokers; cotinine and 3-hydroxycotinine levels were similar in all groups. Compared with nontobacco users, e-cigarette users had higher levels of urinary metabolites of xylene, cyanide, styrene, ethylbenzene, and benzene at baseline and elevated urinary levels of metabolites of xylene, N,N-dimethylformamide, and acrylonitrile after e-cigarette use. Metabolites of acrolein, crotonaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene were significantly higher in smokers than in users of other products or nontobacco users. VOC metabolite levels in smokeless tobacco group were comparable to those found in nonusers with the exception of xylene metabolite-2-methylhippuric acid (2MHA), which was almost three fold higher than in nontobacco users. Conclusions Smoking results in exposure to a range of VOCs at concentrations higher than those observed with other products, and first generation e-cigarette use is associated with elevated levels of N,N-dimethylformamide and xylene metabolites. Implications This study shows that occasional users of first generation e-cigarettes have lower levels of nicotine exposure than the users of combustible cigarettes. Compared with combustible cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco products deliver lower levels of most VOCs, with the exception of xylene, N,N-dimethylformamide, and acrylonitrile, whose metabolite levels were higher in the urine of e-cigarette users than nontobacco users. Absence of anatabine in the urine of e-cigarette users suggests that measuring urinary levels of this alkaloid may be useful in distinguishing between users of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes. However, these results have to be validated in a larger cohortcomprised of users of e-cigarettes of multiple brands.
The influence of plant species, fertilization and elevated CO2 on soil aggregate stability

We tested the effects of plant species, fertilization and elevated CO2 on water-stable soil aggregation. Five annual grassland species and a plant community were grown in outdoor mesocosms for 4 years, with and without NPK fertilization, at ambient or elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Aggregate stability (resistance of aggregates to slaking) in the top 0.15 m of soil differed among plant species. However, the more diverse plant community did not enhance aggregate stability relative to most monocultures. Species differences in aggregate stability were positively correlated with soil active bacterial biomass, but did not correlate with root biomass or fungal length. Plant species did not affect aggregate stability lower in the soil profile (0.15–0.45 m), where soil biological activity is generally decreased. Elevated CO2 and NPK fertilization altered many of the factors known to influence aggregation, but did not affect water-stable aggregation at either depth, in any of the plant treatments. These results suggest that global changes will alter soil structure primarily due to shifts in vegetation composition.
Abstract 6165: Increased Circulating Cd62e+ Endothelial Microparticles Levels Predict Poor Outcome in Pulmonary Hypertension Patients

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is characterized by vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction. Levels of endothelial (EMPs) and leukocytes-derived (LMPs) microparticles, which are submicron membrane fragments shed from damaged or activated cells, have been shown to be significantly increased in PH patients compared to healthy controls. We hypothesized that the levels of circulating endothelial and leukocytes-MPs could predict outcome in these patients. Patients undergoing right heart catheterization for untreated pre-capillary PH, and without any conditions associated with increased circulating MPs levels, were eligible for the study. The following were measured at the time of enrollment: body mass index, mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP), C reactive protein (CRP)and BNP. CD62e+, CD144+, and CD31+/CD41− EMPs and CD45+ LMPs were measured using flow cytometry in platelet-free plasma from venous blood. After inclusion, patients were treated at the discretion of the physician and prospectively followed for 12 months. The primary endpoint assessed was the combined occurrence of death and readmission for right heart failure (RHF) or worsening of RHF symptoms. Seven of 21 patients (mean age=54.1±3.5y/62% female) experienced an adverse clinical event during this period. These patients had significantly higher baseline levels of CD62e+ EMPs (581±123 vs. 202±52 ev/μL, p=0.003), CD45+ LMPs (500±141 vs. 247±44 ev/μL, p=0.03) and CRP (9.9±2.2 vs. 3.8±0.7 IU/L, p=0.004) than patients without events, whereas no difference was observed for CD31+/CD41− and CD144+ EMPs, mPAP or baseline plasma BNP values. Moreover, CD62e+ levels correlated significantly with CD45+ LMPs (r=0.70, p=0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that 4th quartile levels of CD62e+ EMPs was an independent predictor of adverse event after adjustment for CRP, CD45+ LMPs levels, body mass index and gender. These preliminary results show that high levels of circulating CD62e+ EMPs prior to treatment, but not other MPs subpopulations, are associated with clinical adverse events in PH subjects. These data suggest that this new biological parameter may be useful to predict outcome in patients with PH.
Hypercoagulable Workup in Thrombotic Cardiovascular Diseases

Heart disease was the leading cause of death, whereas stroke was the fifth leading cause of death, in the United States in 2015. Arterial obstruction underpins myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in patients. However, a minority of patients have no obstructive arterial disease found on angiography (termed myocardial infarction with nonobstructive coronary arteries [MINOCA], 6%),1 or source of embolus determined after extensive evaluation (termed cryptogenic stroke and embolic stroke of undetermined source, 30%).2 In MINOCA, potential causes include occult plaque rupture, coronary dissection, coronary embolism, vasospasm, microvascular disease, and thrombophilia.1 In cryptogenic stroke and embolic stroke of undetermined source, potential causes include occult atrial fibrillation, atrial cardiomyopathy, paradoxical embolism/patent foramen ovale, malignancy, and thrombophilia.2 Thrombophilia, inherited or acquired, results in increased risk of venous or arterial thrombosis. Hematologists are often asked to look for thrombophilia in patients with MINOCA, cryptogenic stroke, or embolic stroke of undetermined source, but the clinical utility of a thrombophilia workup in these scenarios is questionable. Recent studies indicate an intimate interaction between the hemostatic system and the vasculature, directly between coagulation factors and the endothelium, and indirectly via the complement and bradykinin systems. A plethora of experimental data implicates a potential role for platelets and the coagulation system in atherogenesis and atherothrombosis.3 Several heritable thrombophilic defects have been described involving various components of the coagulation system. Among these, factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene G20210A mutation …
Association of Thyrotropin Suppression With Survival Outcomes in Patients With Intermediate- and High-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Importance Suppression of thyrotropin (often referred to asthyroid-stimulating hormone, orTSH) with levothyroxine used in management of intermediate- and high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) to reduce the likelihood of progression and death is based on conflicting evidence. Objective To examine a cohort of patients with intermediate- and high-risk DTC to assess the association of thyrotropin suppression with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study used a multicenter database analysis including patients from tertiary referral centers and local clinics followed up for a mean (SD) of 7.2 (5.8) years. Patients with DTC treated uniformly with total thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine between January 1, 1979, and March 1, 2015, were included. Among the 1012 patients, 145 patients were excluded due to the lack of longitudinal thyrotropin measurements. Exposures Levothyroxine therapy to target thyrotropin suppression with dose adjustments based on changing thyrotropin goal. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome measures were overall survival and PFS. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the contribution of age, sex, tumor size, histology, and lymph node and distant metastases at landmarks 1.5, 3.0, and 5.0 years. The patients were divided into 3 groups based on mean thyrotropin score before each landmark: (1) suppressed thyrotropin, (2) moderately suppressed or low-normal thyrotropin, and (3) low-normal or elevated thyrotropin. Results Among 867 patients (557 [64.2%] female; mean [SD] age, 48.5 [16.5] years) treated with a median (range) cumulative dose of 151 (30-1600) mCi radioactive iodine, disease progression was observed in 293 patients (33.8%), and 34 patients (3.9%) died; thus, the study was underpowered in death events. Thyrotropin suppression was not associated with improved PFS at landmarks 1.5 (P = .41), 3.0 (P = .51), and 5.0 (P = .64) years. At 1.5 and 3.0 years, older age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.06; 95% CI, 1.03-1.08 and HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08, respectively), lateral neck lymph node metastases (HR, 4.64; 95% CI, 2.00-10.70 and HR, 4.02; 95% CI, 1.56-10.40, respectively), and distant metastases (HR, 7.54; 95% CI, 3.46-16.50 and HR, 7.10; 95% CI, 2.77-18.20, respectively) were independently associated with subsequent time to progression, while at 5.0 years, PFS was shorter for patients with lateral neck lymph node metastases (HR, 3.70; 95% CI, 1.16-11.90) and poorly differentiated histology (HR, 71.80; 95% CI, 9.80-526.00). Conclusions and Relevance Patients with intermediate- and high-risk DTC might not benefit from thyrotropin suppression. This study provides the justification for a randomized trial.
Outcomes of Lisfranc Injuries Treated with Joint-Preserving Fixation

Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) with transarticular screws to stabilize Lisfranc injuries may increase the risk of arthritis or affect outcomes. Joint-preserving fixation using staples, bridge plating, or Lisfranc screws avoids iatrogenic articular damage. This study analyzes functional outcomes and complications in Lisfranc-injury patients who underwent joint-preserving fixation. We conducted a retrospective review of patients treated for Lisfranc injury at a Level 1 trauma center from July 2008 to October 2015. Patients over 18 years of age, with no concomitant procedures in the lower extremities, were included. Functional outcomes were evaluated through American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores. Fourteen patients met the inclusion criteria. The average followup time was 57 months (range 22-102 months). AOFAS scores averaged 80.4 (standard deviation [SD] 16) at the time of the latest followup, with time to return to regular activities averaging 34 weeks (SD 25 weeks). Five patients had their hardware removed, and two required subsequent fusion during the followup period. The single complication involved a screw backing out, with subsequent removal. In this case series, joint-preserving fixation for Lisfranc injuries offered similar AOFAS scores as those reported for ORIF with transarticular screws but with a decreased rate of hardware removal and need for midfoot fusion.
Can group selection with legacy retention change compositional trajectories in conventionally managed hardwoods

Abstract Group selection has been proposed as a complementary system to conventional, uneven-aged management in temperate hardwoods (i.e. single-tree selection) to counteract declines in overstory diversity and growing importance of shade-tolerant species caused largely by past management activities. Mixed results from experimental group selection harvests in eastern North America and growing interest in retention forestry have led some scientists and managers to apply ideas from retention forestry into group selection systems. The Yellow Birch Legacy-Tree Project is a group selection experiment established in 2003, which incorporates single, dominant/co-dominant yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britt.) legacy-trees into the centers of harvested canopy gaps in a northern hardwoods forest in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Group selection openings (n = 49) in three size classes based upon radii—small (11 m, n = 16), medium (16.5 m, n = 17), and large (22 m, n = 16)—were surveyed alongside single-tree selection reference sites (n = 20) 15 years post-harvest. Our goals were to (1) examine long-term trends in seedling and sapling abundance and diversity, (2) evaluate the initial and contemporary effects of gap size on regeneration, and (3) assess the overall efficacy of group-selection with legacy-tree retention in regenerating mid-tolerant and intolerant species, especially yellow birch. At 15 years post-harvest, we found that shade-tolerant sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) dominated regeneration layers across all treatments, but we observed modest increases in seedling and sapling diversity within openings that may alter long-term canopy composition over several cutting cycles. We found that gains in diversity and evenness in canopy gaps persisted through time and that large gaps (22 m radius) had the most species-rich and diverse regeneration compared to reference sites. Canopy gaps contained significantly higher densities of shade-intolerant and mid-tolerant seedlings and saplings compared to reference sites, namely red maple (Acer rubrum L.), black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.), and yellow birch; however, most diversity occurred in shorter height classes. Nevertheless, legacy retention within group selection systems holds promise for maintaining ecological memory and structural complexity through time, but further treatments such as scarification may be necessary to shift compositional trajectories in favor of shade-intolerant and mid-tolerant species.
Chronic Myeloid Neoplasms

Review of diagnostic criteria for chronic myeloid neoplasms, including myeloproliferative (MPN) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
Examining Identity Exploration in a Video Game Participatory Culture.

To adapt to the needs of a 21st century context, educational researchers and practitioners could benefit from leveraging the potential of virtual learning environments such as games and the participatory cultures that surround them to support learning as a transformational and intentional process of identity exploration. This research offers a theoretically-comprehensive look into how a participant in an online game community forum engaged in identity exploration processes. Publicly-available longitudinal data was downloaded from Kerbal Space Program (KSP) players, which informed the development of an illustrative case study selected to elucidate how individual processes of identity exploration manifest. Lines of player data were deductively coded as representative of identity exploration and visualized using Epistemic Network Analysis to represent shifts in integration of identity constructs over time. Findings suggest that player participation in the community forum can support statistically significant identity change and highlight future areas of research in this field.
Globalization and the Rise of Women’s Literacy and Primary Education in Iran, from 1880 to the Present Day

Iran is a striking example of a country experiencing a shift from widespread illiteracy to the onset of universal literacy in just a few decades. What is especially remarkable about the Iranian case is the persistent drive to universal female literacy, even in rural areas, during the regime change from a secularizing autocracy to an Islamic theocracy. The basic resolution of this apparent paradox is that the Islamic Revolution was perceived by its leaders as a true revolution. It was conceived not as a return to a traditional society but as a move to purify and establish Islamic morality to counteract secular, westernizing forces in Iranian society: Education was a policy lever to achieve such goals.
The Adventures of a Japanese Monk in Colonial Korea: Sōma Shōei’s Zen Training with Korean Masters

The Japanese Buddhist view on Korean Buddhism from 1877 to 1945 abounded with colonialist and imperialistic rhetoric. Japanese Buddhist missionaries declared that Korean Buddhism should be reformed and revitalized under their guidance. With this mindset, most Japanese Buddhists in colonial Korea did not find much in Korean Buddhism that was useful or worth learning about—a paternalistic approach that Korean monks found off-putting and that therefore undermined potential cooperation. This chapter introduces an unusual Japanese priest who spent six years practicing Sŏn (Jp. Zen) in Korean monasteries. Sōma Shōei’s identity as an unsui (itinerant monk)—a monastic class shared across the Buddhisms of East Asia—enabled him to develop friendships with Korean Sŏn masters and fellow practitioners, relationships that were framed less by colonialist or nationalist discourse than by respect, empathy, and sincerity. Sōma’s case reveals how religious identity operates within and also beyond the colonial context. Sōma’s exceptionalism also provides a contrast to the views of his colleagues, which helps reveal greater complexity in the ways that Japanese Buddhists thought about Korean Buddhism.