cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in habitat heterogeneity alter marine sessile benthic communities

Habitat heterogeneity is considered an important mechanism influencing diversity patterns in spatially structured habitats. However, spatial heterogeneity is not static and it can change along temporal scales. These changes, whether gradual or rapid, have the potential of forcing species extinctions or facilitating the introduction of nonnative species. Here, we present modeling results that show how changes in spatial heterogeneity over several generations can produce strong changes in benthic species composition residing in eastern Long Island Sound, USA. For many benthic species, hard substrate is a limiting resource which can vary in availability among different coastal areas. We modeled gradual changes from a heterogeneous landscape (mimicking patches of natural hard and soft substrate) to a homogenous one (analogous to a fully developed coast with hard, manmade substrate) and followed the abundance and distribution patterns of species possessing four different life histories. We also modeled changes from homogeneous to heterogeneous landscapes. We found that as regions become more homogeneous, species extinctions become more frequent and poor dispersers dominate locally. In contrast, as habitats become more heterogeneous, species distributing across localities leads to regional species coexistence and fewer extinctions. These results suggest that focusing on changing habitat heterogeneity can be a useful management strategy to prevent poor dispersing species, such as invasive ascidians, from driving communities to monocultures.
Reproductive ecology of American Oystercatchers nesting on shell rakes

ABSTRACT Degradation of nesting habitat for coastal birds has led to the use of nontraditional nesting habitat. The American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) is listed as a “Species of High Concern” by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan and is declining in the southern portion of its U.S. breeding range, where ∼50% of breeding oystercatchers nest on shell substrate instead of beachfront habitat. We measured daily survival rates during incubation and chick rearing in shell rake habitats over five breeding seasons in the Cape Romain region of South Carolina, USA. Of 354 nesting attempts monitored, 16.1% hatched at least one egg. During incubation, daily survival rate was 0.938, corresponding to 22.8% success to hatching (nest success). For broods, daily survival was 0.991, or 74.0% success from hatching to fledging. Productivity in the Cape Romain region is primarily being lost during the incubation phase, when nests are exposed to overwash and predation. Mobile chicks may, however, be able to avoid f...
Hypereosinophilia in Children and Adults: A Retrospective Comparison

Background The differential diagnosis of hypereosinophilia is broad and includes asthma, atopic disease, drug hypersensitivity, parasitic infection, connective tissue disorders, malignancy, and rare hypereosinophilic disorders. Hypereosinophilia in children has not been well characterized to date. Objective The objective of this study was to identify the common causes of marked eosinophilia in children and to characterize and compare the clinical symptoms at presentation, laboratory findings, final diagnosis, and therapeutic responses between children and adults with hypereosinophilic syndromes. Methods A retrospective analysis of consecutive subjects evaluated for unexplained eosinophilia ≥ 1.5 × 10 9 /L was conducted. All subjects underwent standardized clinical and laboratory evaluations with yearly follow-up. Clinical and laboratory parameters, final diagnoses, treatment responses, and outcomes were assessed. Medians and proportions were compared using Mann-Whitney U and Fisher Exact tests, respectively. Results Of the 291 subjects evaluated, 37 (13%) were children and 254 were adults (87%). Whereas the frequencies of clinical hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) variants were similar between children and adults, primary immunodeficiency was a more common secondary cause of HES in children (5% vs 0.4% in adults). Excluding subjects with treatable secondary causes, the median peak absolute eosinophil count was increased in pediatric subjects (9376 vs 5543/μL; P = .002), and children had more gastrointestinal complaints (62% vs 34%; P = .003) and less pulmonary involvement (34% vs 59%; P = .01) than adults. Despite these differences, corticosteroid responsiveness and overall prognosis were similar between the 2 groups. Conclusions Although children with HES often present with higher peak eosinophil counts than adults, the differential diagnosis, clinical characteristics, and prognosis of HES are similar in the 2 groups.
AES and EELFS Studies of Initial Stages of Growth of GaAs/InAs/GaAs Heterostructures.

We report on a systematic study of the composition and structure of GaAs/InAs/GaAs quantum wells using Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES), Extended Energy Loss Fine Structure (EELFS), and Reflection High Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED) techniques. Double heterostructures with InAs thickness ranging from 2 to 10 monolayers, capped by 2 to 10 monolayers of GaAs, were grown by MBE using a variety of techniques, including those employing sequential, interrupted, and delayed shutter timing sequences. AES peak ratios are compared with model calculations to monitor compositional development of the multilayers. The AES results are correlated with RHEED measurements to determine MBE growth parameters for optimal control of the stoichiometry and surface morphology. EELFS was used to monitor strain in the buried InAs layers. The AES results show departure from smooth laminar growth of layers of stoichiometric InAs on GaAs at temperatures below 420 C and above 470 C. AES results on the quantum well structures suggest floating InAs layers on top of the GaAs and/or facet formation in the GaAs layers. The EELFS results, when compared to bulk InAs, indicate the presence of strain in the buried InAs quantum well.
The large sample distribution of the roots of the second order autoregressive polynomial

The roots of the characteristic polynomial of an autoregressive process are sometimes of interest. In this paper, we show that the estimated roots of a second order autoregressive polynomial have different asymptotic distributions depending upon whether the true roots are equal or unequal
Self-Management Projects with Children with Behavioral Disabilities:

This report includes seven projects; each is concerned with one or more components of self-management. (1) A pupil was instructed to self-schedule, -correct and -chart. He was also allowed to specify his own contingencies. Throughout the study data were obtained regarding his performance in several academic subjects. (2) Data were obtained in math and reading. During some periods the teacher selected which subject should be initially scheduled; at other times the pupil selected the order. Data from the two conditions were compared. (3) Data were gathered with self-scheduling as a contingency: a pupil worked in a phonics program during conditions when (a) the teacher scheduled the subjects and (b) the pupil could earn the privilege of scheduling. (4) and (5) involved self-recording of troublesome behaviors. During the first condition of these projects the teacher recorded the behaviors, while during the second condition the pupils recorded their own behaviors. Data between conditions were compared. (6) The...
Public Health in the Twentieth Century: Advances and Challenges

Substantial advances in public health methods, practice, and the health of the public have occurred in the twentieth century. Some of the contributions most notable for their impact on mortality and longevity are vaccine development and widespread use, smallpox eradication, large reductions in communicable disease epidemics, and the rise and decline of several serious chronic diseases. Many methodological advances have facilitated better understanding of disease processes and opportunities for control. Epidemiological methods have advanced, but studies often ignore the determinants of health at the community level and above, leading to simplistic formulations of multiple risk factors contributing to chronic and other diseases and injuries. Occupational and environmental health developed as disciplines in this century, making significant contributions to current and future population health. The health care system became more organized, technologically sophisticated, and costly. New tools to assess health and the burden of ill health, to improve the effectiveness of interventions, and to measure economic effects of alternative investments promise greater efficiency and effectiveness for public health. An increasingly fragmented public health infrastructure must confront unprecedented challenges including dramatic global population growth, increased aging of the population associated with enhanced longevity, and possible irreversible changes in key environmental health determinants.
Interaction between descending input and thoracic reflexes for joint coordination in cockroach: I. Descending influence on thoracic sensory reflexes

Tethered cockroaches turn from unilateral antennal contact using asymmetrical movements of mesothoracic (T2) legs (Mu and Ritzmann in J Comp Physiol A 191:1037-1054, 2005). During the turn, the leg on the inside of the turn (the inside T2 leg) has distinctly different motor patterns from those in straight walking. One possible neural mechanism for the transformation from walking to inside leg turning could be that the descending commands alter a few critical reflexes that start a cascade of physical changes in leg movement or posture, leading to further alterations. This hypothesis has two implications: first, the descending activities must be able to influence thoracic reflexes. Second, one should be able to initiate the turning motor pattern without descending signals by mimicking a point farther down in the reflex cascade. We addressed the first implication in this paper by experiments on chordotonal organ reflexes. The activity of depressor muscle (Ds) and slow extensor tibia muscle (SETi) was excited and inhibited by stretching and relaxing the femoral chordotonal organ. However, the Ds responses were altered after eliminating the descending activity, while the SETi responses remain similar. The inhibition to Ds activity by stretching the coxal chordotonal organ was also altered after eliminating the descending activity.
Impact of In-Network Aggregation on Target Tracking Quality Under Network Delays

In this paper, we investigate how in-network aggregation approach impacts the target tracking quality in multi-hop wireless sensor networks under network delays. Specifically, we use the mean squared error (MSE) of the target location estimate to quantify the target tracking quality, and investigate how in-network aggregation affects the MSE. To obtain insights without being obscured by onerous mathematical details, we assume a Brownian motion mobility model for the target, Gaussian measurement noise for the sensors, and independent per-hop delays. Under the above assumptions, we first propose an aggregation scheme that preserves a sufficient statistic for optimal tracking under data aggregation at the intermediate nodes and arbitrary network delays. We then analytically study the impact of aggregation in three increasingly more complicated scenarios: single task tracking with only transmission delay, single task tracking with both transmission delay and queueing delay at intermediate nodes, and multi-task tracking. Our results demonstrate that in-network aggregation improves tracking quality in all three scenarios. Furthermore, our analysis provides guidelines on how to choose aggregation parameters in practice.
Perinatal outcomes in low-risk term pregnancies: do they differ by week of gestation?

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine whether the risk of perinatal complications increases with increasing gestational age among term pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort study of low-risk women with term, singleton births in 2003 in the United States. Gestational age was subgrouped into 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41 completed weeks. Statistical comparison was performed using 2 test and multivariable logistic regression models, with 39 weeks’ gestation as the referent. RESULTS: There were 2,527,766 women meeting study criteria. Compared with 39 weeks, delivery at 37 or 38 weeks had lower risk of febrile morbidity but slightly higher risk of cesarean delivery. Delivery at 40 or 41 weeks was also associated with higher overall maternal morbidity. For neonates, delivery at 40 or 41 weeks had higher risk of birthweight greater than 4500 g, neonatal injury (40 weeks: adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.11 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05-1.18]; 41 weeks: aOR 1.27 [95% CI, 1.17-1.37]) and meconium aspiration (40 weeks: aOR 1.55 [95% CI, 1.43-1.69]; 41 weeks: aOR 2.12 [95% CI, 1.91-2.35]). Delivery at 37 or 38 weeks had higher risk of hyaline membrane disease (37 weeks: aOR 3.12 [95% CI, 2.90-3.38]); 38 weeks: aOR 1.30 [95% CI, 1.19-1.43]) but lower risk of meconium aspiration. CONCLUSION: The risk of cesarean delivery and neonatal morbidity in low-risk women increases at 40 weeks and beyond, whereas the odds of serious neonatal pulmonary disease were highest at 37 weeks. Recognition of such variation in term outcomes should lead providers to avoid iatrogenic morbidity and consider interventions to prevent complications of late-term pregnancy.
Regeneration, repair and remembering identity: the three Rs of Hox gene expression

Hox genes encode transcription factors that specify embryonic positional identity in cells and guide tissue differentiation. Recent advances have greatly increased our understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms that ensure the faithful expression of Hox genes in adult cells and which involve the interplay of histone methylation, demethylation and intergenic transcription of long non-coding RNAs. The transcriptional memory of Hox genes poses both an opportunity and a challenge for regenerative medicine. Matching the positional identity of transplanted stem cells with that of the host environment, as reflected by their respective Hox profiles, is likely to be required to achieve regenerative healing. Strategies to manipulate the plasticity of Hox gene expression will probably become a major focus in regenerative medicine.
New approaches to manipulate minimal residual disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Minimal residual disease (MRD) is a complex topic that has been studied extensively in hematologic malignancies given its clinical implications related to prognosis. However, methods to monitor and treat MRD, especially after stem cell transplantation, are not well defined and vary in different disease processes. Alternative transplant strategies, such as reduced-intensity conditioning, have altered the way we assess and address MRD after transplantation. Development of new diagnostic tools have allowed for higher sensitivity and specificity of testing. Both targeted chemotherapeutic agents and immunotherapies have been developed to treat MRD in hopes of improving patient outcomes. This article aims to address ways to define and manipulate MRD specifically after stem cell transplantation.
Geology of western Ullsfjord, North Norway, with emphasis on the development of an inverted metamorphic gradient at the top of the Lyngen Nappe Complex

The Ullsfjord area of northern Troms comprises rocks from two allochthons: (1) a fragmented ophiolite complex and non-conformably overlying fossiliferous (Upper Ordovician-Lower Silurian) metasedimentary rocks (Balsfjord Group) of the Lyngen Nappe Complex and (2) exotically derived metasedimentary and meta-igneous rocks of the overlying Tromso Nappe Complex. Tromso Nappe Complex rocks are exposed as isolated klippen on the highest peaks in Ullsfjord. A synmetamorphic, inverted metamorphic gradient exists within the prograde assemblages of the Balsfjord Group, such that chlorite-zone assemblages occur at the base of the sequence and sillimanite-zone assemblages occur immediately beneath the thrust contact with the overlying Tromso Nappe Complex. The entire Barrovian sequence of mineral zones, with the exception of kyanite, is present in the footwall. Complexity of rock fabrics increases sympathetically with metamorphic grade progressing structurally upwards. Simple bedding-cleavage relations at the base of...
When a chance to cut is not a chance to cure: a future for palliative surgery?

In the context of healthcare reform, Surgery stands at a critical juncture. Attempting to rein in healthcare spending, legislators and payers can be expected to closely examine the legitimacy and necessity of a variety of medical treatments, including surgical procedures. Among these procedures, the most at risk for dismissal based on perceived ineffectiveness or lack of need may be those performed near the end of life, when the potential benefit of surgical intervention may seem negligible. While procedures may be performed for a variety of reasons toward the end of life—some indeed being inappropriate and/or unnecessary—palliative surgery plays an important role in the management of incurable disease. The purposes of this article are to: describe the place for palliative surgery in the armamentarium of palliative care; discuss potential challenges to patients’ access to palliative surgery that may arise from health policy or quality initiatives based on poor evidence; and outline a strategy for (a) systematically differentiating palliative surgeries from other, potentially expendable surgeries performed near the end of life, and (b) defining a plan for generating the evidence base to support best practice.
Gate Oxide Reliability of 4H-SiC V-Groove Trench MOSFET with Thick Bottom Oxide

The authors reported the DMOSFETs fabricated on the 4H-SiC(0-33-8) in ECSCRM2012 and the novel V-groove MOSFETs, having (0-33-8) on the trench sidewall in ICSCRM2013. In this paper, we applied both the thick bottom oxide and the buried p+ regions to the V-groove MOSFETs for the protection of the trench bottom oxide. The V-groove MOSFET showed the low specific on-resistance of 3.2 mΩcm2 and the high blocking voltage of 1700 V on the bounty of the high channel mobility and the gate oxide protection, respectively. We also tested the gate oxide reliability of the V-groove MOSFET by constant-voltage stress TDDB measurement. The charge-to-breakdown was 18.0 C/cm2 at room temperature and 4.4 C/cm2 at 145°C. In addition, the stability of the threshold voltage was characterized with the VMOSFETs.
Effects of moderate repetitive ischemia on myocardial substrate utilization.

The purpose of this report was to directly measure the influence of antecedent ischemia or repetitive ischemia on subsequent rates of intermediary metabolism, specifically exogenous glucose utilization and fatty acid oxidation, with the use of myocardial equilibrium labeling with [U-14C]palmitate and [5-3H]glucose. Twenty-one intact, working, extracorporeally perfused pig hearts were prepared and divided into three groups. These groups included 7 control hearts and 14 comparison hearts, which were exposed to either one cycle (cycle 1, n = 7) or four cycles (cycle 4, n = 7) of brief (5-10 min), moderate (70% decrease in flow below aerobic values) precursory ischemia to the left anterior descending (LAD) circulation followed by aerobic reperfusion. All groups then underwent a 40 min sustained LAD ischemia (60% decrease in flow below aerobic levels) and 40 min aerobic reperfusion. Treatment with one cycle of transient ischemia did not significantly modify the pattern of glycolytic flux from control values during sustained ischemia (over a ninefold increase in average control and cycle 1 values above aerobic levels). However, repetitive ischemia in cycle 4 hearts demonstrably attenuated glycolytic flux during the same interval (-45% from control hearts, P < 0.046). Glucose utilization rapidly returned to near-aerobic values in all three groups during reperfusion but was again appreciably lower (P < 0.004 from control values) in cycle 4 hearts. Fatty acid oxidation averaged 12.3 +/- 1.2 mumol.h-1.g dry wt-1 in all three groups during sustained ischemia and 21.3 +/- 2.0 mumol.h-1.g dry wt-1 during reperfusion (not significant among groups for either perfusion interval).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Guy Thuillier: “Paris Will Save Nothing”

There is something out of the ordinary about this prodigiously energetic historian and French patriot who taunts Paris, where he lives and works, with the cry, "Paris will save nothing." At the core of Thuillier's great passion is the province of the Nivernais, his commitment to regional and local history, and his desire to take history back from the nation's professional historians. Although Thuillier is no separatist, he finds in the provinces the richness of France, a key to understanding the modern world and its dramatic transformation of societies and cultures, and a subject capable of leading historians to the writing of a less ideological and faddish history. A conversation with Thuillier is marked by loquacity, energy, and imagination. Moment by moment he stands history on its head with a succession of new subjects and approaches to the past, while hesitating occasionally only to persist, "After all, monsieur, you must understand, I am not really a university historian. I am only an amateur historian who works as un petit forlctiorlnaire.'' This humble functionary is anything but that. Born in 1932 in Vaucouleurs, in Jean d'Arc's Lorraine, he is a graduate of Institut d'e'tudes politiques de Paris, Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes, and Ecole nationale d'administration. An ofhvier de l'ordre national du Merite, he serves as a conseiller mal^tre in France's national accounting office the Cour des comptes, where he began his career in 1961. Explaining in large part Thuillier's remarkable capacity to point out and assimilate whole uncharted domains of history, his career has led him from the auditing of French prefecture in Saida, Algeria, to serving as an auditor, technical advisor and public auditor to the national offices of election, labor, education, public health, social security, the National Assembly, and the Cour itself. While pursuing a successful administrative career, Thuillier has served as Director of Studies at Ecole pratique des Hautes Etudes (IVe section) and, incredibly, has written 35 books and approximately 300 articles on French history, politics, and administration. His books, which only partially indicate the diversity of his interests and writing, range from the history of administrative training, bureaucracy, fiscal policy and money itself; the history of shipping, drugs, health, work, and women in administration; and the history of everyday life, local and re-
Retention of Endogenous Viable Cells Enhances the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cryopreserved Amnion

Objective: Human amniotic membrane (hAM) has been used to treat wounds for more than 100 years. However, widespread use of fresh hAM has been limited due to its short shelf life and safety concerns. To overcome these concerns, different preservation methods have been introduced. The majority of these methods result in devitalized hAM (dev-hAM). Recently, we developed a cryopreservation method that retains all hAM components intact (int-hAM), including viable endogenous cells. To understand the advantages of retaining viable cells in preserved hAM, we compared the anti-inflammatory properties of int-hAM and dev-hAM. Approach: The tissue composition of int-hAM and dev-hAM was compared with fresh hAM through histology and cell viability analysis. We also evaluated the ability of int-hAM and dev-hAM to regulate tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1α (IL-1α), and IL-10 release when co-cultured with immune cells; to produce prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on TNF-α stimulation; and to inhibit proteases. Results: Int-hAM maintained the structural and cellular integrity of fresh hAM. Int-hAM had >80% cell viability post-thaw and remained viable for at least a week in culture. Viable cells were not detected in dev-hAM. Compared with dev-hAM, int-hAM showed significantly greater downregulation of TNF-α and IL-1α, upregulation of PGE2 and IL-10, and stronger inhibition of collagenase. Innovation and Conclusion: A new cryopreservation method has been developed to retain all native components of hAM. For the first time, we show that viable endogenous cells significantly augment the anti-inflammatory activity of cryopreserved hAM.
Differentiation of Pulmonafry Congestion and Edema in the Rat, Induced by Epinephrine, and Their Modification by Various Procedures.

Summary1. Infusion of epinephrine, intravenously, into rats at a rate which maintained the mean arterial pressure at the maximum level that could be attained free of cardiac irregularities for 25-35 minutes resulted in formation of marked pulmonary edema and congestion in most animals anesthetized with ether and in congestion only in animals anesthetized with pentobarbital. 2. A method is presented for differentiating quantitatively between the relative amount of edema and congestion developed. 3. Positive pressure breathing invariably reduced or prevented the congestive effects of epinephrine in the lungs in rats anesthetized with ether and those anesthetized with pentobarbital. 4. Atropine reduced congestion in rats anesthetized with pentobarbital and apparently aggravated congestion in rats anesthetized with ether. 5. The combined use of atropine and positive pressure breathing prevented the development of pulmonary edema or congestion in rats anesthetized with ether.
Blind Transmitted and Reflected Image Separation Using Depth Diversity and Time–of–Flight Sensors

We present a novel method for blind image source separation of transmitted and reflected images. Our approach exploits depth diversity and we repurpose Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors to demix semi-reflective image mixtures.
A Study of Regulating and Restraining Misconducts of Transactions within Enterprise Groups

With the double attributes of "enterprise" and "market",an enterprise group can make use of unfair connection transactions and transfer pricing among its internal enterprises to gain advantages in the market,which will cause misconducts such as profit manipulation for tax evasion,cross-subsidization,evasion of debts,monopolistic merger and acquisition and so on.It is important to regulate and restrain such misconducts.China's current policies for regulating such misconducts in enterprise groups are imperfect and lacking in coordination.It is argued that relevant departments should perfect their corresponding regulation policies regarding taxation,accounting standards and company laws so that continuous and interactive regulation systems among internal enterprises can be established in order to advance the sound development of the enterprise group and create a healthy environment of market competition.
Creatine Kinase Isoenzymes and Prostatic Carcinoma: Metastatic Disease or Acute Myocardial Infarction?

AbstractThe measurement of creatine kinase isoenzymes, particularly the MB fraction, is a major determinant for acute myocardial infarction. Patients with metastatic carcinoma of the prostate may have an elevated serum creatine kinase-BB fraction, which by some automated laboratory techniques may be read mistakenly as creatine kinase-MB. We report such a case and discuss the creatine kinase isoenzyme measurement.
Pharmacotherapy for Obesity

Successful treatment of obesity requires a multidisciplinary approach including diet, exercise and behavioral modification. As lifestyle changes are not sufficient for some patients, pharmacologic therapies should be considered as adjuncts to lifestyle interventions. In this article, we review clinical indications, mechanisms of action, dosing/administration, side effects, drug interactions and contraindications for the six most widely prescribed obesity medications. We also summarize the efficacy data from phase 3 trials which led to drug approval. As multiple agents are sometimes required for clinically significant weight loss, the future of obesity medicine will likely involve combinations of agents in addition to behavioral counseling.
Acceleration of saddle-point searches with machine learning

In atomistic simulations, the location of the saddle point on the potential-energy surface (PES) gives important information on transitions between local minima, for example, via transition-state theory. However, the search for saddle points often involves hundreds or thousands of ab initio force calls, which are typically all done at full accuracy. This results in the vast majority of the computational effort being spent calculating the electronic structure of states not important to the researcher, and very little time performing the calculation of the saddle point state itself. In this work, we describe how machine learning (ML) can reduce the number of intermediate ab initio calculations needed to locate saddle points. Since machine-learning models can learn from, and thus mimic, atomistic simulations, the saddle-point search can be conducted rapidly in the machine-learning representation. The saddle-point prediction can then be verified by an ab initio calculation; if it is incorrect, this strategically has identified regions of the PES where the machine-learning representation has insufficient training data. When these training data are used to improve the machine-learning model, the estimates greatly improve. This approach can be systematized, and in two simple example problems we demonstrate a dramatic reduction in the number of ab initio force calls. We expect that this approach and future refinements will greatly accelerate searches for saddle points, as well as other searches on the potential energy surface, as machine-learning methods see greater adoption by the atomistics community.
Némethy, Judith Kesserű, ed. 2015. 21st Century Hungarian Language Survival in Transylvania. Reno, NV: Helena History Press. 366 pp. Maps.

Review of 21st Century Hungarian Language Survival in Transylvania. Edited by Judith Kesserű Nemethy. Helena History Press [2015].
Comparing the Outcomes of Patients With Carbapenemase-Producing and Non-Carbapenemase-Producing Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Bacteremia

Background Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) are associated with considerable mortality. As mechanisms of carbapenem resistance are heterogeneous, it is unclear if mortality differs based on resistance mechanisms. We sought to determine whether CRE resistance mechanism determination is prognostically informative. Methods We conducted an observational study comparing 14-day mortality between patients with carbapenemase-producing (CP)-CRE compared with non-CP-CRE bacteremia. Clinical data were collected on all patients. A comprehensive DNA microarray-based assay was performed on all isolates to identify β-lactamase-encoding genes. Results There were 83 unique episodes of monomicrobial CRE bacteremia during the study period: 37 (45%) CP-CRE and 46 (55%) non-CP-CRE. The majority of CP-CRE isolates were bla KPC (92%), followed by bla NDM (5%) and bla OXA-48-type (3%). CP-CRE isolates were more likely to have meropenem minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ≥16 µg/mL, while non-CP-CRE isolates were more likely to have meropenem MICs ≤1 µg/mL (P value Conclusion Our findings suggest that CP-CRE may be more virulent than non-CP-CRE and are associated with poorer outcomes. This underscores the added importance of delineating underlying resistance mechanisms of CRE to direct antibiotic treatment decisions.
Aeroelastic Uncertainty Quantification Studies Using the S4T Wind Tunnel Model

This paper originates from the joint efforts of an aeroelastic study team in the Applied Vehicle Technology Panel from NATO Science and Technology Organization, with the Task Group number AVT-191, titled "Application of Sensitivity Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification to Military Vehicle Design." We present aeroelastic uncertainty quantification studies using the SemiSpan Supersonic Transport wind tunnel model at the NASA Langley Research Center. The aeroelastic study team decided treat both structural and aerodynamic input parameters as uncertain and represent them as samples drawn from statistical distributions, propagating them through aeroelastic analysis frameworks. Uncertainty quantification processes require many function evaluations to asses the impact of variations in numerous parameters on the vehicle characteristics, rapidly increasing the computational time requirement relative to that required to assess a system deterministically. The increased computational time is particularly prohibitive if high-fidelity analyses are employed. As a remedy, the Istanbul Technical University team employed an Euler solver in an aeroelastic analysis framework, and implemented reduced order modeling with Polynomial Chaos Expansion and Proper Orthogonal Decomposition to perform the uncertainty propagation. The NASA team chose to reduce the prohibitive computational time by employing linear solution processes. The NASA team also focused on determining input sample distributions.
Stochastic Games

In a stochastic game the play proceeds by steps from position to position, according to transition probabilities controlled jointly by the two players. We shall assume a finite number, N , of positions, and finite numbers m K , n K of choices at each position; nevertheless, the game may not be bounded in length. If, when at position k , the players choose their i th and j th alternatives, respectively, then with probability s i j k > 0 the game stops, while with probability p i j k l the game moves to position l . Define s = min k , i , j s i j k . Since s is positive, the game ends with probability 1 after a finite number of steps, because, for any number t , the probability that it has not stopped after t steps is not more than (1 − s ) t . Payments accumulate throughout the course of play: the first player takes a i j k from the second whenever the pair i , j is chosen at position k. If we define the bound M: M = max k , i , j | a i j k | , then we see that the expected total gain or loss is bounded by M + ( 1 − s ) M + ( 1 − s ) 2 M + … = M / s . (1) The process therefore depends on N 2 + N matrices P K l = ( p i j k l | i = 1 , 2 , … , m K ; j = 1 , 2 , … , n K ) A K = ( a i j k | …
Clinicopathologic predictors of distant metastasis in head and neck cancer

6086 Background: Despite advances in achieving improved locoregional control for patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), overall survival has not improved in the last 30 years. Several studies have implicated distant metastasis as a potential cause, hindering progress in the treatment of HNC. However, little is known about which patients fail systemically. We therefore sought to identify clinico-pathological factors that are associated with distant metastasis as the only cite of failure. Methods: We retrospectively studied 389 patients with head neck squamous cell carcinomas with distant metastases as the primary site of failure excluding all patients with locoregional recurrence and those receiving chemotherapy at primary presentation. The median follow up period was 5.3 years. An estimate of the risk of DM and DM free survival by prognostic factors was calculated using multivariate analysis and Cox proportional modeling. Results: Overall, 11% (43/389) of the patients developed DM. With univariate anal...
Novel device designs enabled by lattice-matched GaN-ZnGeN2 heterostructures(Conference Presentation)

Group III-nitride (Al-, In-, Ga-, N) material system has been well studied and widely applied in optoelectronics such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) for solid state lighting. In contrast, the group II-IV-nitride is rarely studied, yet it can expand the material properties provided by III-nitrides. For example, ZnGeN2 has a similar bandgap and lattice constant as those of GaN. Recently, theoretical studies based on first principle calculation indicate a large band offset between GaN and ZnGeN2 (Delta_Ec=1.4 eV; Delta_Ev=1.5 eV). Utilizing the novel heterostructures of GaN (InGaN)/ZnGeN2, we studied the following two types of device structures: 1) Type-II InGaN-ZnGeN2 quantum wells (QWs) for high efficiency blue and green LEDs; 2) Lattice-matched GaN-ZnGeN2 coupled QWs for near-IR intersubband transitions. The design of type-II InGaN-ZnGeN2 QWs leads to a significant enhancement of the electron-hole wavefunction overlap due to the strong confinement of the holes in the ZnGeN2 layer as well as the engineered band bending. Simulation studies based on a self-consistent 6-band k∙p method indicate an enhancement of 5-7 times of spontaneous emission rate for an appropriately designed type-II InGaN-ZnGeN2 QWs for LED applications. For the coupled QW structure, it is comprised of two GaN QWs separated by a thin ZnGeN2 barrier layer, with thick ZnGeN2 layers as outer barriers surrounding the QWs. Our studies indicate that with optimized ZnGeN2 barrier thickness, the energy separation between E1 and E2 can be tuned to 92 meV for the resonance of the electron and LO-phonon scattering.
Mutational Analysis of Lassa Virus Glycoprotein Highlights Regions Required for Alpha-Dystroglycan Utilization.

ABSTRACT Lassa virus (LASV) is an enveloped RNA virus endemic to West Africa and responsible for severe cases of hemorrhagic fever. Virus entry is mediated by the glycoprotein complex consisting of a stable-signal peptide, a receptor-binding subunit, GP1, and a viral-host membrane fusion subunit, GP2. Several cellular receptors can interact with the GP1 subunit and mediate viral entry, including alpha-dystroglycan (αDG) and lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1). In order to define the regions within GP1 that interact with the cellular receptors, we implemented insertional mutagenesis, carbohydrate shielding, and alanine scanning mutagenesis. Eighty GP constructs were engineered and evaluated for GP1-GP2 processing, surface expression, and the ability to mediate cell-to-cell fusion after low-pH exposure. To examine virus-to-cell entry, 49 constructs were incorporated onto vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudoparticles and transduction efficiencies were monitored in HAP1 and HAP1-ΔDAG1 cells that differentially produce the αDG cell surface receptor. Seven constructs retained efficient transduction in HAP1-ΔDAG1 cells yet poorly transduced HAP1 cells, suggesting that they are involved in αDG utilization. Residues H141, N146, F147, and Y150 cluster at the predicted central core of the trimeric interface and are important for GP-αDG interaction. Additionally, H92A-H93A, 150HA, 172HA, and 230HA displayed reduced transduction in both HAP1 and HAP1-ΔDAG1 cells, despite efficient cell-to-cell fusion activity. These mutations may interfere with interactions with the endosomal receptor LAMP1 or interfere at another stage in entry that is common to both cell lines. Insight gained from these data can aid in the development of more-effective entry inhibitors by blocking receptor interactions. IMPORTANCE Countries in which Lassa virus is endemic, such as Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia, usually experience a seasonal outbreak of the virus from December to March. Currently, there is neither a preventative vaccine nor a therapeutic available to effectively treat severe Lassa fever. One way to thwart virus infection is to inhibit interaction with cellular receptors. It is known that the GP1 subunit of the Lassa glycoprotein complex plays a critical role in receptor recognition. Our results highlight a region within the Lassa virus GP1 protein that interacts with the cellular receptor alpha-dystroglycan. This information may be used for future development of new Lassa virus antivirals.
Fiscal Consolidation Policies and the Cost of Credit

We examine how the cost of corporate credit varies with fiscal policies implemented to reduce government debt. We find that the cost of credit increases with fiscal consolidations. Firms that face higher costs are mainly small, domestic, government-dependent, and have limited alternative financing sources, indicating that the costs of fiscal consolidation are borne primarily by firms that are more exposed to domestic economic conditions. The increase in the cost of credit is lower if the consolidations are large and also if they are carried out by stable governments. The cost of credit increases with corporate tax hikes in general and with tax hikes that affect a firm’s sector, but not with government spending cuts. Overall, the findings suggest that fiscal consolidation policies are priced in the credit extended to corporations and the effects vary with firm, industry, and policy characteristics.
Monkish Virtues and Conventional Morality: The Moral Critique of Religion

The Hume-Gibbon attack on Christianity directed its most open hostility toward the monks. Monasticism was, of course, a manifestation of Roman Catholicism, which was more available to direct attack by writers from Protestant countries. Monasticism for Hume and Gibbon was the undistilled, superstitious essence of the Church of Rome. In the monks they saw the rejection of the moral virtues practiced by the pagan philosophers and statesmen they so much admired. Monasticism had spurned the natural world and rejected the virtues that were supposed to improve life within it. Hume’s revulsion with monasticism is connected with the importance he attaches to usefulness as the foundation of moral value,1 and the monks represented for him a pathological rejection of the useful. The notion of usefulness, Hume argues, persists throughout the spectrum of cross cultural experience. “The epithets social,good-natured, humane, merciful, grateful, friendly,generous, beneficent, or their equivalents, are known in all languages, and universally express the highest merit, which human nature is capable of attaining.” (EPM, 176, original italics) Scrutiny of common life practices shows that qualities of character and personality which are perceived as both useful and agreeable, both to the possessor as well as others, command universal approbation. Honesty, wit, courage, resourcefulness; qualities such as these are universally acclaimed, as are their opposites disdained. Religious beliefs, attitudes, and practices are measured by Hume against these standards of usefulness and agreeableness. Moreover, it is religion as it is actually practiced, not an idealized version of it, that Hume considers. “True religion,” says Hume, “I allow, has no such pernicious Consequences [endless disputes, quarrels, factions, persecutions, and civil commotions]: But we must treat of Religion, as it has commonly been found in the World.” (DNR, 256) Hume’s dichotomy, “true religion” (idealized, philosophically refined religion) versus religion discovered historically, i.e., “commonly found in the world” expresses, ironically, what is an essentially disapprobative view of the effects of religion on human society. True religion is a philosopher’s elixir: religion as it is practiced seems to be widely corrupt.2 This at least is Hume’s judgment as a philosophical historian. In the History of England Hume makes a rather broad generalization about the intolerance of religionists. “It seems to be almost a general rule, that in all religions, except the true, no man will suffer martyrdom who would not also inflict it willingly on all that differ from him.” (HE,III, 340) Since persecution is such a major feature of religious history, true, i.e., philosophically refined religion, can hardly be said to exist.
Firm performance and monitoring of critical success factors in different strategic contexts

Abstract:This article investigates the relationship between firm performance and executive monitoring of critical success factors (csf) across selected business strategies. Based on data from 124 organizations, the study examines executive monitoring patterns as they relate to multiple measures of organizational performance. We also examine the degree to which differences in the monitoring-performance relationship exist across the four generic business strategies.
Wildlife Habitat Management

Wildlife biologists have been designing habitat models for over 50 years; however, the use of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support system (EMDS) in association with modeling is a relatively recent addition to the field. EMDS has proven its usefulness to habitat modeling and evaluation through successful application to a number of large landscape (>5000 km2) studies. While EMDS cannot be used to model wildlife populations directly, past efforts have incorporated population data, along with a variety of other indicators. Here, we provide an overview of previous modeling efforts, with an emphasis on the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). We then review applications of EMDS to wildlife modeling, before delving into a case study. In that study, the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) used EMDS to assess the impacts of alternative forest management strategies on dispersal habitat for spotted owls. We discuss how expert workshops were used to define three separate EMDS models to assess and score patches of foraging, roosting, and movement habitat across a large landscape. We used the habitat scores to develop a dispersal habitat model outside of EMDS, which incorporated graph theory concepts and a variable resistance landscape surface to assess the connectivity of owl dispersal habitat.
ONTOGENIC REGULATION OF PHOSPHORYLASE KINASE |[lpar]|PK|[rpar]| IN RAT LUNG

Pulmonary glycogen serves as substrate for surfactant lipid synthesis by Type II cells during the perinatal period. Glycogen is depleted from these cells in association with activation of phosphorylase (phos b). Phos b is phosphorylated to phos a by phosphorylase kinase (PK). The present study tests the hypothesis that known depletion of pulmonary glycogen is associated with ontogenic changes in PK. Lung PK was quantitated by phosphorylation of endogenous and exogeneous phos b assessed by SDS-PAGE and autoradiography. 32P-Phos a was the major Ca2+-dep phospho-protein in fetal lung cytosol by 2-D, IEF-PAGE, co-migrating with purified muscle enzyme. PK increased from day 17 to 20-21 gestation declining to undetectable levels within a week of age. PK was Ca2+-dependent, EC50 Ca2+ 10−7M. Exogenous phos b was readily phosphorylated by fetal but not adult cytosol. Added purified exogenous PK did not enhance 32P-phos a in postnatal lung. PK was also demonstrated in purified Type II cells from rat. Activity was highest 16 hrs after isolation, decreasing during culture 3-4d. Conclusion: phosphorylase kinase activity was identified in cytosol from both Type II cells and fetal lung. PK increases prior to birth and decreases dramatically postnatally. Decreases in both phos b (substrate) and phosphorylase kinase may account for known postnatal decreases in phos a activity. High PK activity is associated with glycogen depletion and surfactant synthesis in the Type II cells at 20-21d gestation in the rat.
Pathology of Chiari I and II Malformations

Chiari I and Chiari II malformations are generally categorized as primary cerebellar anomalies although critical review of their morphological features indicates that the cerebellar component more often is a secondary abnormality rather than a primary developmental defect. The basic malformation involves that portion of basicranium which comprises the posterior fossa; essentially it is too small. With a few exceptions, the non-bony abnormalities associated with Chiari I are secondary. In contrast the constellation of lesions that form Chiari II are complex and affect all levels of the neuraxis to a greater or lesser degree and consist of a combination of primary malformation and acquired lesions. Ironically, the cerebellar abnormalities more often fall into the acquired category.