cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consideration on non-clinical study of antibacterial drugs

Based on some drug review examples, this article is to introduce considerations on non-clinical study of antibacterial drugs, in order to give some suggestions on new antibacterial drugs research and development.
Design of multiphase exterior rotor switched reluctance motor for traction applications

Interest in using magnet-less motor such as switched reluctance motors (SRMs) for electric and hybrid electric vehicles (EV/HEVs) continues to gain popularity, owing to their lower costs and robustness. This paper presents design procedures and comparisons between three different multiphase SRMs for a specific traction application using finite elements analysis (FEA). Four-phase, five-phase, and six-phase SRMs have been studied and compared based on the given constrains and conditions. The desired application torque-speed characteristic has been provided in this paper and it is shown that all three designs meet all requirements. By considering just the design aspect, FEA shows that the five-phase SRM is the best candidate for this application, but considering the converter and control complexity the four-phase SRM is selected and was built. The experimental tests were performed for a few operating points of torque-speed characteristic and also the motor phase current and voltage at rated speed are presented.
At the nexus of work and family: Family farms in upstate New York

Abstract Today's farm families contend with the paradox of an increase in the cultural values associated with farming and a decrease in the viability of farming as a way of life. How do families understand and organize their labor as farmers under such conditions? This paper explores the meaning of work and family for contemporary farmers in upstate New York. Drawing first on an analysis of 116 websites, we show that farm families employ four different “work-family narratives” in public representations of their farm: (a) lifestyle, (b) small business, (c) community oriented and (d) market oriented. We then turn to in-depth interviews with 39 farm families and find that families draw on these four “work-family narratives” in private explanations of their decisions to farm and gendered divisions of labor. We also find that narratives may evolve over time to adapt to changes in the household and farm business. This suggests both agency and diversity in farm families' adaptations to modern marketplace conditions.
Hemocompatibility of Superhemophobic Titania Surfaces

The hemocompatibility of superhemophobic surfaces is investigated and compared with that of hemophobic surfaces and hemophilic surfaces. This analysis indicates that only those superhemophobic surfaces with a robust Cassie-Baxter state display significantly lower platelet adhesion and activation. It is envisioned that the understanding gained through this work will lead to the fabrication of improved hemocompatible, superhemophobic medical implants.
Outcomes and outputs: Long-term effects of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families on caseload enrollment and poverty:

The Welfare Reform Legislation of 1996 is often cited as one of President Clinton’s most notable achievements, as this law was followed by sizable reductions in states’ welfare loads. Did this poli...
Cued Memory Retrieval Exhibits Reinstatement of High Gamma Power on a Faster Timescale in the Left Temporal Lobe and Prefrontal Cortex

Converging evidence suggests that reinstatement of neural activity underlies our ability to successfully retrieve memories. However, the temporal dynamics of reinstatement in the human cortex remain poorly understood. One possibility is that neural activity during memory retrieval, like replay of spiking neurons in the hippocampus, occurs at a faster timescale than during encoding. We tested this hypothesis in 34 participants who performed a verbal episodic memory task while we recorded high gamma (62-100 Hz) activity from subdural electrodes implanted for seizure monitoring. We show that reinstatement of distributed patterns of high gamma activity occurs faster than during encoding. Using a time-warping algorithm, we quantify the timescale of the reinstatement and identify brain regions that show significant timescale differences between encoding and retrieval. Our data suggest that temporally compressed reinstatement of cortical activity is a feature of cued memory retrieval.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT We show that cued memory retrieval reinstates neural activity on a faster timescale than was present during encoding. Our data therefore provide a link between reinstatement of neural activity in the cortex and spontaneous replay of cortical and hippocampal spiking activity, which also exhibits temporal compression, and suggest that temporal compression may be a universal feature of memory retrieval.
Melanoma and basal cell carcinoma in the hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome. An expansion of the oncologic spectrum.

Background: Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome (HLRCC) is an autosomal dominant syndrome due to mutations in fumarate hydratase. Patients with HLRCC frequently develop cutaneous and uterine leiomyomata and are at risk for renal cell carcinoma. Rarely, other malignancies have been reported. Main observations: We report the development of basal cell carcinoma and melanoma in two siblings with genetically-confirmed HLRCC. Conclusions: It is unclear whether the development of melanoma and basal cell carcinoma in our patients is due directly to their mutations in the gene encoding fumarate hydratase, or genetic susceptibility at another unrelated locus, or whether these are incidental lesions. However this observation has implications for careful and routine skin surveillance in patients with HLRCC for lesions other than cutaneous leiomyomata. ( J Dermatol Case Rep . 2016; 10(3): 53-55)
Abstract 006: Association Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Outcomes and Physician Education and Board Certification in New York State 2010-2012

Objectives: Patients have few objective predictors of quality in their choice of physician. We studied whether physician education variables and board certification status were associated with 30 day mortality rates after percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in New York State. Methods: Using the New York State PCI registry we obtained 30 day risk adjusted mortality rates after PCI procedures for all interventional cardiologists practicing between 2010-2012. Educational and certification variables were obtained using publicly available sources. Mortality rates were adjusted using a hierarchical Poisson shrinkage estimator. Hierarchical regression modeling was used to assess associations between mortality rates and education and certification markers (graduation from American vs. foreign medical school, years since medical school graduation, board certification in interventional cardiology and maintenance of certification for board certified physicians in 2016) with and without adjustment for caseload. Excluding correlated covariates, a regression model including caseload, board certification and US graduates was also constructed. Results: A total of 346 interventional cardiologists performed an average of 427.41 ± 402.52 cases with 3.90 ± 3.51 deaths. The average shrinkage estimator adjusted mortality rate was 1.00 ± 0.16. Only interventional cardiology board certification (75.8% of providers) was associated with lower mortality rate in univariate analysis (β = -0.06; p = 0.03). No other variables had a significant association with the outcomes. After adjusting for caseload, the association with board certification became non-significant. In the multivariate regression model including the above noted covariates, the association between caseload and the outcome remained significant (β = -0.001; p Conclusion: Risk-adjusted mortality rate after PCI is not associated with any education or certification markers, including board certification in interventional cardiology or maintenance of certification, after adjustment for caseload. Caseload was the only predictor of mortality rate in multivariate modeling.
Management of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome

Approximately 11 to 15 million people report heavy alcohol use or alcohol abuse and dependence in the United States. In patients hospitalized for alcohol withdrawal, but not treated with pharmacological agents, approximately 15% suffer from seizures and 15% progress to delirium tremens. Withdrawal manifests itself within hours of abstinence or reduction in the amount of alcohol consumed and can be classified as mild (tremors and minimal sympathetic symptoms), moderate (hallucinations and sympathetic symptoms), and severe (seizure activity, fever, change in mental status, and significant alteration in vital signs).
Gleason 6 Tumors Should Still Be Labeled as Cancer

Gleason score 6 cancer currently has a better prognosis than in years past as patterns associated with more aggressive behavior have been shifted to Gleason score 7 with modifications to the Gleason system. A pure Gleason score 6 cancer at surgery has no potential for metastatic behavior. Consequently, some have questioned whether Gleason score 6 should even be called cancer. This chapter presents the issues and discusses why we are in favor of retaining the designation of Gleason score 6 adenocarcinoma. Clinically, a major issue is that in approximately 20% of needle biopsies with Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6, there is upgrading at radical prostatectomy which shows higher grade cancer unrecognized by biopsy. If a Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 on needle biopsy was renamed as a more benign term, it would be in error in a significant minority of cases and could lead patients to drop out of active surveillance programs as they have not been diagnosed with “cancer.” Both morphological and molecular studies indicate that Gleason score 6 cancer shares many key hallmarks seen in all prostate cancer regardless of grade. While some molecular alterations are less common in Gleason score 6 tumors than in higher grades (e.g. PTEN loss, TP53 mutations), Gleason score 6 tumors are found among all of the major molecular subtypes of primary prostatic adenocarcinoma. For example, Gleason score 6 tumors commonly contain ETS-gene fusions as well as complex genomic rearrangements (e.g. chromoplexy). Finally, since studies have shown common clonal lineage relationships between prostatic tumors composed of both Gleason patterns 3 and 4, the possibility exists that Gleason score 6 tumors can progress to become higher grade over time.Rather than change Gleason score 6 to a non-cancerous term, there needs to be a change of what patients think when they are told that they have Gleason score 6 cancer, and, a new grading system with Grade Group 1 equivalent to Gleason score 3 + 3 = 6 has been introduced that provides help in this regard.
Theory–Practice Exchange in Local Government Management: Perspectives of Practitioners and Scholars:

The connection of theory to practice in public administration represents a critical transfer of information between scholarship and application. This important relationship establishes a basis of e...
Exchange rate changes and income distribution in 41 countries: Asymmetry analysis

Abstract Due to the slow adjustment of wages to inflationary effects of currency depreciation, income could be shifted from workers to producers. Could currency appreciation do the opposite? We investigate the asymmetric effects of exchange rate changes on a measure of income distribution in each of the 41 countries for which a GINI coefficient is available. Applying recent asymmetry error-correction modeling and asymmetry cointegration of Shin et al. (2014) provides support for short-run asymmetric effects in 34 countries and long-run asymmetric effects in 22 countries, a unique discovery that was masked by previous research. The asymmetric effects revealed that while depreciations had unequalizing effects in 10 countries, they had equalizing effects in only five countries.
Economic and Practical Considerations in the Treatment of Oral Mucosal Chronic Graft-Versus-Host Disease.

Abstract Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) frequently affects the oral mucosa and is generally responsive to topical immunomodulatory therapies. Clinicians may benefit from guidance in choosing the most appropriate therapy with respect to practicality and cost. To assess the economic considerations related to topical immunomodulatory treatments for management of oral mucosal cGVHD and their practical implications. Topical treatments used for management of oral cGVHD were obtained from the National Institutes of Health Consensus document for ancillary and supportive care. Cost data for a standard 1-month prescription was obtained from national databases for commercially available formulations and from compounding pharmacies for formulations requiring compounding. There are numerous topical preparations used for the management of oral cGVHD, many of which require compounding. The average wholesale price of the commercially available agents ranges from $5 to $277/month, and the cost of the compounded preparations ranges from $43 to $499/month. Costs can be influenced by drug-, patient-, and pharmacy-related factors. The costs associated with topical treatment of oral cGVHD are substantial, particularly because the disease is chronic and expenses accumulate over time. Rational prescribing according to a proposed algorithm, including de-escalation of therapy when indicated, can help to minimize associated costs. This has practical implications for patients, physicians, pharmacies, and insurance providers.
Clostridium tertium: An Unusual Cause of Pyogenic Liver Abscess

Pyogenic liver abscess (PLA) is the result of portal vein pyemia, which usually originates from the hepatobiliary system or the gastrointestinal tract. Gram-negative organisms are the most common causative pathogens in PLA. Clostridium tertium is an anaerobic gram-positive, low-virulence organism that most commonly affects neutropenic patients with hematological malignancy and has not been reported to cause PLA. We report an unusual presentation of a C. tertium infection as a PLA in a previously healthy, immunocompetent patient with no identifiable source of portal pyemia.
Perioperative chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: the importance of multidisciplinary management for evidence-based practice and transformative research.

Perioperative chemotherapy plays a very important role in the management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Level I evidence from several large randomized clinical trials and a large meta-analysis support the use of cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in this patient population (1).
Models for pesticide behavior in terrestrial environments

Agricultural, industrial, and regulatory needs exist for quantitative descriptions of the fate or transport of chemicals in terrestrial environments. This paper provides a sketch of the art of mathematical modeling techniques intended to fulfill those needs. Before we examine either the theory or applications of approaches such as these, let us establish just what a model is, in general terms. Just as physical scale models replicate system functions in miniature, mathematical models mimic these functions through prescribed quantitative relationships. The relationship may be as simple as a graph of pesticide concentration vs. time for a given application rate, or it may be as complicated as a digital computer program designed to track a chemical through time, space, or transformations. In either case, its utility lies in its ability to provide a needed value (such as concentration) if it is operated using measurable input data such as application rate, rainfall, sunlight intensity, and wind vector. A set of rules, called an algorithm, establishes the numerical procedure used to estimate the needed values in cases of computational models.
Games with Time Inconsistent Players

We embed time inconsistent agents (players) in non-cooperative games. To solve such games, we introduce two solution concepts, which we refer to as equilibrium and naive backwards induction. When all players are sophisticated time inconsistent, these solution concepts are equivalent and coincide with the standard notions of SPNE and backwards induction (in finite games of perfect information). When some players are naive time inconsistent, however, these solution concepts (may, and most likely will) lead to different predictions. We apply these solution concepts on two well-known economic applications, the alternating-offers bargaining game and the durable good monopoly, and we explore their relative strengths and weaknesses.
Feature Selection for Bearing Fault Detection Based on Mutual Information

This paper deals with the important task of feature selection for the detection of faulty bearings in a rotor-bearing system. Various time, frequency and time-frequency based features are obtained from signals measured from bearings with and without outer race defect. The features are divided into a training set, a validation set and a test set. The task is to develop an optimal subset of features for a pattern classification algorithm which can efficiently and accurately classify the state of the machine as healthy or faulty. The features are ranked based on the mutual information content between the feature subset and the state of the machine. A validation set from the measured data is then used to obtain the optimal subset for classification. The performance of the method is evaluated using the test set.
Lifetime (seven years) production of 1/4 and 1/2 Finnish Landrace ewes from Rambouillet, Targhee and Columbia dams under range conditions.

Lifetime lamb and wool production of 1/4 and 1/2 Finnish Landrace (Finn) crossbred ewes in comparison with local purebred controls was evaluated under range conditions. A total of 1,234 ewe lambs, representing nine breed groups, were first exposed to breeding at 7 mo of age and subsequently retained with no artificial culling, except for debilitating unsoundness, through 7 yr of production. Mating was to Suffolk sires. Differences among pooled breed groups (1/4 Finns, 1/2 Finns and purebreds) generally were not significant for ewe viability to lambing, percentage of lambs born alive and lamb viability to weaning; nor were differences significant for fertility except among yearlings (12 mo at lambing) where 1/4 and 1/2 Finn fertility exceeded that of purebreds by 217 and 278%, respectively. However, for prolificacy, Finn-crosses were consistently superior to purebreds at all seven ages; 1/4 and 1/2 Finns averaged 24 and 48% higher, respectively, than purebreds. Further, Finn-cross ewes clearly excelled purebreds (P less than .05) in the two overall measures of reproduction--net reproductive rate and weight of lamb weaned. The superiority was sustained through all ages and averaged (over ages 2 through 7 yr) 29 and 49% for net reproductive rate and 24 and 41% for weight weaned, for 1/4 and 1/2 Finns, respectively. Conversely, for wool weight, purebreds were consistently superior at all ages; the lifetime averages of 1/4 and 1/2 Finn fleeces were only 90 and 77% as high, respectively, as those of purebreds. It was concluded, however, that the loss in value of wool production associated with Finn breeding was economically of much less importance than the gains made in weight of lamb weaned. The use of 1/4 and 1/2 Finn-crosses involving the above adapted domestic breeds increased the net value of lifetime production by approximately 18 and 29%, respectively.
Management of Xerostomia, Taste Impairment and Dental Prophlaxis

Radioiodine therapy has the potential to damage salivary glands and taste buds in a dosedependent fashion. Some clinicians assume that the effects of standard-dose radioiodine therapy on oral function are insignificant because it is often difficult to correlate problems with dry mouth, tooth decay, or decreased taste with previous radioiodine therapy. In our opinion, the long-term effects of radioiodine therapy on oral health are underestimated. Specific studies are discussed in the review article by Mandel (2003) and in the chapter on radioiodine toxicity that is presented in a previous section of this book. The purpose of this chapter is to explain the instructions that we give patients, and products that we have found most useful, for managing the effects of radioiodine on the mouth. Table 1 summerizes the recommendations.
Proceedings of the twelfth international conference on Information and knowledge management

Welcome to the Twelfth ACM International Conference on Information and Knowledge Management (CIKM 2003)! The Organizing Committee, as well as the sponsors of CIKM 2003, join me in the desire that this conference will be the opportunity for you to learn, to grow, to share knowledge and skills about information and knowledge management.In twelve years, the world of information and knowledge management has changed greatly. However, the need for information scientists and technologists and practitioners to meet face-to-face and exchange ideas, as well as to welcome new members into our scientific community, is still here. To the extent that we are successful in these goals, CIKM 2003 will have served its purpose.
Estimation of Drivers ‘ Awareness of Pedestrians

On urban roads, 25% of all car accidents involve pedestrians who enter the roadway. Drivers' uncertainty about safety and their inattentiveness account for 70% of these accidents. The purpose of this study is to analyze drivers' attention to pedestrians so as to give an alert when the driver's attention is insufficient. This method consists of estimating drivers' attention to pedestrians using gaze information, which is 90% of the cognitive information source when driving; operation information on the driver; and momentary change. A driver's gaze information was estimated based on information sensed by a gaze-measuring instrument. Braking and accelerating were used as driver operation information. The relationship between gazing target, operation information, momentary change amount, and contact with and avoidance of a pedestrian who jumped out was analyzed using a support vector machine (SVM). Evaluation was carried out by preparing a course simulating a city road on a driving simulator, asking a subject to drive the course, and using that data. Using this method, for a pedestrian who jumped into the roadway, we were able to predict whether the driver would collide or avoid with a probability of 70% when Time to Collision (TTC) was 4 seconds. We were able to confirm the possibility of alerting the driver to avoid accidents with pedestrians on urban roads.
“The Sort of War They Deserve”? The Ethics of Emerging Air Power and the Debate over Warbots

ABSTRACTAs new military technologies change the character of war by empowering agents in new ways, it can become more difficult for our ethics of war to achieve the right balance between moral prin...
A Voltage Sensorless Control of a Three Phase Grid Connected Inverter Based on Lyapunov Energy Function Under Unbalanced Grid Voltage Condition

Voltage sensing in a three-phase grid-connected inverter can be expensive, and introduces vulnerability to the sensor's failure. To address this problem, a sensorless current control strategy is introduced which is composed of two basic elements. First, a current controller based on a Lyapunov energy function is derived by the assumption of known grid voltage. Next, a dual second-order generalized integrator (DSOGI) structure is utilized to extract the positive sequence grid voltage from the Lyapunov-based current controller outputs and generate the unit vectors from the phase locked loop. The methodology presented has been verified in simulation using MATLAB/Simulink and PLECS. Experimental validation is provided by a reduced scale laboratory prototype.
Multidisciplinary Optimization of a Turboelectric Tiltwing Urban Air Mobility Aircraft

Urban air taxis, also known as urban air mobility (UAM) vehicles, are anticipated to be an area of significant market growth in the near future. These vehicles are typically vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) designs which are capable of carrying 1 to 30 passengers in an intra-urban environment with flights of less than 50 nautical miles. Development of UAM vehicles and their integration into the airspace will be enabled by advancements in a number of areas including electrified propulsion systems, structures, acoustics, automation, and controls. However, the strong multidisciplinary interactions for these unique vehicles presents a significant new design challenge. This work describes the development of a multidisciplinary analysis and optimization environment which can be used to support the conceptual design of these UAM vehicles, using efficient gradient based optimization with analytic derivatives. The tools included in this multidisciplinary analysis model the aircraft trajectory, vehicle aerodynamics, structures, and electrified propulsion system. The multidisciplinary environment created in this research is unique in that all the physics tools are tightly integrated together, with the trajectory model directly calling the aerodynamics, structures, and propulsion models. This multidisciplinary analysis environment is then demonstrated in the design optimization of a turboelectric tiltwing UAM vehicle concept.
Climate Modeling and Bifurcation

Many papers and monographs were written about the modeling the Earth climate and its variability. However there is still an obvious need for a module that presents the fundamentals of climate modeling to students at the undergraduate level. The present educational paper attempts to fill in this gap. To this end we collect in this paper the relevant climate data and present a simple zero and one dimensional models for the mean temperature of the Earth. These models can exhibit bifurcations from the present Earth climate to an ice age or a "Venus type of climate". The models are accompanied by Matlab programs which enable the user to change the models parameters and explore the impact that these changes might have on their predictions on Earth climate.
A Pilot Study of a TeleHealth Family-Focused Melanoma Preventive Intervention for Children with a Family History of Melanoma.

Objective Melanoma preventive interventions for children with familial risk are critically needed because ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure and sunburn occurrence early in life are the primary modifiable risk factors for melanoma. The current study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a new, family-focused telehealth intervention for children with familial risk for melanoma and their parents. The study also explored changes in child sun protection and risk behaviors, sunburn occurrence, and objectively measured UVR exposure. Methods This was a prospective study with a single-group design (n = 21 parent-child dyads, children ages 8-17). Dyads were asked to participate in three in-person assessments and three live video teleconference intervention sessions. Results The intervention was feasibly delivered, and the intervention content was acceptable to parents and children. The intervention was associated with improvements in child use of certain sun protection strategies over time and declines in child UVR exposure. Conclusions A telehealth-delivered,family-focused melanoma preventive intervention was feasibly delivered and was acceptable to parent-child dyads. Future melanoma preventive interventions for this at-risk population could incorporate eHealth technologies to facilitate improvements in use of sun protection and monitoring of UVR exposure. This trial was registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT02846714.
A systematic review of upper extremity neuropathy following total hip arthroplasty.

Background:There is a paucity of literature describing upper extremity neuropathy following the procedure. We performed a systematic review of upper extremity neuropathy following total hip arthrop...
Chapter 1 – Nutrition for Pregnant Women Who Have Cystic Fibrosis

More women with cystic fibrosis (CF) are reaching reproductive age, becoming pregnant, and delivering babies. Available evidence based on retrospective chart reviews or national registries reveals that pregnancy does not affect survival. Some evidence indicates that women who, before conception, are at goal weight, with good pulmonary function, and do not have diabetes may have better pregnancy outcomes. Optimal nutrition, both before and during pregnancy, is essential for the well-being of the woman and her infant. Vitamin and mineral nutrition management in CF requires assessment and supplementation of the fat-soluble vitamins and minerals as indicated. Women who have CF are at risk for developing diabetes during pregnancy and evaluation is recommended throughout pregnancy. Limited information is available describing nutrition management of the pregnant woman who has CF. This chapter reviews available evidence describing pregnancy in women who have CF and provides information about nutrition management.
Power Sharing, Mobilization, and Party Organization

We study the internal organization of political parties as the solution of a moral hazard problem between a party principal (or selectorate) and two factions. Factional mobilization effort bolsters a party’s electoral chances but can only be imperfectly monitored—via an internal contest. We model a party’s internal organization as a system of “prizes,” an al- location of resources between winner and loser of the internal contest. We show that when (i) a party’s baseline electoral strength is low and (ii) electoral outcomes are not too responsive to mobilization efforts, there is an inverse relationship between inter-party power sharing and intra-party power sharing: institutional settings that award more resources and policy influence to election winners should produce party structures that promote a more egalitarian allocation of power across factions. Our results help organize the empirically documented dispersion in party organizational structures.
Searching for z ≃ 6 Objects with the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys: Preliminary Analysis of a Deep Parallel Field

Recent results suggest that z ? 6 marks the end of the reionization era. A large sample of objects at z ? 6, therefore, will be of enormous importance, as it will enable us to observationally determine the exact epoch of the reionization and the sources that are responsible for it. With the Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) coming on-line, we now have a unique opportunity to discover a significant number of objects at z ? 6. The pure parallel mode implemented for the Wide-Field Camera (WFC) has greatly enhanced this ability. We present our preliminary analysis of a deep ACS/WFC parallel field at |b| = 74.?4. We find 30 plausible z ? 6 candidates, all of which have signal-to-noise ratios greater than 7 in the F850LP band. The major source of contamination could be faint cool Galactic dwarfs, and we estimated that they would contribute at most four objects to our candidate list. We derived the cumulative number density of galaxies at 6.0 ? z ? 6.5 as 2.3 arcmin-2 to a limit of 28.0 mag in the F850LP band, which is slightly higher than our prediction. If this is not due to an underestimated contamination rate, it could possibly imply that the faint-end slope of the z ? 6 luminosity function is steeper than ? = -1.6. At the very least, our result suggests that galaxies with L < L* do exist in significant numbers at z ? 6 and that they could be the major sources that contributed the reionizing photons.
Abstract 16878: Cardiac Overexpression of RXFP1 via AAV9 Gene Therapy Sensitizes Myocardial Inotropic Response to Serelaxin

Background: The pleiotropic hormone relaxin has been shown to mediate physiologic responses during pregnancy by facilitating increases in vascular compliance and cardiac output. While relaxin signa...
Torsion and vertical curvature of motion-trajectory curves

The paper discusses difference between super-elevation of recorded motion-trajectory (MT) curves and constant super-elevation of curve plane and demonstrates that vertical curvature used in railroa...
Immunosuppressive activity and alpha interferon concentrations in human embryo culture media as an index of potential for successful implantation.

Objective To evaluate potential correlations between establishment of pregnancy and immunosuppressive activity secreted by the preimplantation embryo. Design To evaluate immunosuppressive activity, supernatants from preimplantation embryos were assessed for their ability to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, alpha interferon concentrations were also measured in these supernatants. We compared these parameters from embryo culture supernatants of women who did and did not achieve pregnancy after in vitro fertilization (IVF). Immunosuppression was assessed using a lymphocyte proliferation assay with concanavalin A (Con A) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) as mitogens. Setting In vitro fertilization program at the University of Utah Medical Center. Participants Couples Results Immunosuppression calculated using the stimulation index (mean±SEM) in pregnant and nonpregnant women, respectively, were: Con A: 43.9±3.9 versus 19.1±10.1, P P Conclusions We conclude that pre-embryos with the capacity for successful implantation secrete greater amounts of immunosuppressive factors than those destined not to implant, as measured by Con A and PHA lymphocyte proliferation assays. Refinement of assay techniques and identification of the substances involved could have significant impact on IVF programs.
Generating Rewritable Abstract Syntax Trees

Building a production-quality refactoring engine or similar source code transformation tool traditionally requires a large amount of hand-written, language-specific support code. We describe a system which reduces this overhead by allowing both a parser and a fully rewritable AST to be generated automatically from an annotated grammar, requiring little or no additional hand-written code. The rewritable AST is ideal for implementing program transformations that preserve the formatting of the original sources, including spacing and comments, and the system can be augmented to allow transformation of C-preprocessed sources even when the target language is not C or C++. Moreover, the AST design is fully customizable, allowing it to resemble a hand-coded tree. The amount of required annotation is typically quite small, and the annotated grammar is often an order of magnitude smaller than the generated code.
FLT3 mutational status is an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes after allogeneic transplantation in AML

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has been increasingly used in the setting of FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3)-mutated AML. However, its role in conferring durable relapse-free intervals remains in question. Herein we sought to investigate FLT3 mutational status on transplant outcomes. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 262 consecutive AML patients who underwent first-time allogeneic HCT (2008-2014), of whom 171 had undergone FLT3-ITD (internal tandem duplication) mutational testing. FLT3-mutated AML was associated with nearly twice the relapse risk (RR) compared with those without FLT3 mutation 3 years post-HCT (63% vs 37%, P<0.001) and with a shorter median time to relapse (100 vs 121 days). FLT3 mutational status remained significantly associated with this outcome after controlling for patient, disease and transplant-related risk factors (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis showed a significant association of FLT3 mutation with increased 3-year RR (hazard ratio (HR) 3.63, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.13, 6.19, P<0.001) and inferior disease-free survival (HR 2.05, 95% CI: 1.29, 3.27, P<0.01) and overall survival (HR 1.92, 95% CI: 1.14, 3.24, P<0.05). These data demonstrate high risk of early relapse after allogeneic HCT for FLT3-mutated AML that translates into adverse disease-free and overall survival outcomes. Additional targeted and coordinated interventions are needed to maintain durable remission after allogeneic HCT in this high-risk population.
Genetic Analysis of the Diversity and Origin of Hantaviruses in Peromyscus leucopus Mice in North America

Nucleotide sequences were determined for the complete M genome segments of two distinct hantavirus genetic lineages which were detected in hantavirus antibody- and PCR-positive white-footed mice ( Peromyscus leucopus ) from Indiana and Oklahoma. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that although divergent from each other, the virus lineages in Indiana and Oklahoma were monophyletic and formed a newly identified unique ancestral branch within the clade of Sin Nombre-like viruses found in Peromyscus mice. Interestingly, P. leucopus -borne New York virus was found to be most closely related to the P. maniculatus -borne viruses, Sin Nombre and Monongahela, and monophyletic with Monongahela virus. In parallel, intraspecific phylogenetic relationships of P. leucopus were also determined, based on the amplification, sequencing, and analysis of the DNA fragment representing the replication control region of the rodent mitochondrial genome. P. leucopus mitochondrial DNA haplotypes were found to form four separate genetic clades, referred to here as Eastern, Central, Northwestern, and Southwestern groups. The distinct Indiana and Oklahoma virus lineages were detected in P. leucopus of the Eastern and Southwestern mitochondrial DNA haplotypes, respectively. Taken together, our current data suggests that both cospeciation of Peromyscus -borne hantaviruses with their specific rodent hosts and biogeographic factors (such as allopatric migrations, geographic separation, and isolation) have played important roles in establishment of the current genetic diversity and geographic distribution of Sin Nombre-like hantaviruses. In particular, the unusual position of New York virus on the virus phylogenetic tree is most consistent with an historically recent host-switching event.
Medical image compression using a fractal model with condensation

To compress medical images in a lossy way that preserves their diagnostic value, the authors have combined lossless compression techniques with a fractal image compression method using two kinds of iterated function systems: partitioned, and condensation-model. The algorithm appears to yield a compression ratio of about 15:1 without perceptible degradation. >
ASSOCIATION OF OBESITY WITH DIASTOLIC DYSFUNCTION IN EARLY ADULTHOOD: THE CARDIA STUDY

The association of obesity with subclinical cardiac dysfunction is unclear. Strain rate from speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) has been validated for measurement of diastolic dysfunction. We investigate how body mass index (BMI) and its’ 25 year change relate to left ventricular (LV)
Experimental studies on nutrition in tuberculosis; the role of protein in resistance to tuberculosis.

SummaryThe results of Experiment II were like those of Experiment I, the chief difference being that the infection was better regulated, and variations within the 3 protein groups were more characteristic. Tuberculosis was less extensive and life was much longer in the rats on a 40% protein diet than in the other 2 groups, and the degree of localization of the disease was better. The number of bacilli in lesions was smaller in the 40% series and the extent of pneumonia was less. Corresponding with the lesser extent of pneumonia there was less dissemination of tuberculous lesions. A characteristic feature of the long-lived animals was a progressive change in the cellular type of reaction from an early infiltration of mononuclears with little cytoplasm to a stage of consolidation with epithelioid cells and finally to a “regressive” type of mononuclear reaction in which lesions decreased in size, epithelioid cells were few and mononuclears with little cytoplasm predominated.
Utilizing sub-threshold technology for the creation of secure circuits

Side-channel attacks on the power consumption of a circuit correlate the variations of the power consumption with the internal data processing of that circuit, and can reveal internal secrets. For example, cryptographic circuits can be power-analyzed to reveal their secret keys. The use of the subthreshold-voltage circuits to implement those circuits makes their side-channel power analysis significantly more difficult. The reduced operating voltage, as well as the proportionally larger leakage, result in power variations that are orders of magnitude less than the super-threshold case, and hence much more difficult to measure. This paper will present an analysis of subthreshold voltage technology for secure circuit design, and propose potential applications.
Quality and Cost-Effectiveness of Interventional Pain Procedures: Minimally Invasive Lumbar Decompression (MILD) as a Paradigm?

Minimally invasive lumbar decompression (the MILD procedure) (Vertos, CA, USA) was introduced over 4 years ago as a new method to treat symptomatic lumbar stenosis (LSS). Guided by contrast epidurography and specially designed instrumentation, percutaneous removal of lamina and ligament in the stenotic area has now been reported in multiple publications to provide symptomatic benefit in patients with LSS. The use of this technique began when the device manufacturer, Vertos Medical, received the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510k approval in 2006 as “substantially equivalent” to other instrumentation used in spinal surgery. As a neurosurgeon who performs both traditional and minimally invasive spinal surgery, as well as the MILD procedure, I do not consider the MILD procedure substantially equivalent to any current extant technique of spinal surgery or pain management. The combination of instrumentation and surgical technique (oblique fluoroscopy, epidurography) is, in my opinion, a novel synthesis of technique and instrumentation. Thus, some may consider the 510k approval of MILD a true “curse in disguise” as it allowed the technique to enter …
Coal-tar-based sealcoated pavement: a major PAH source to urban stream sediments.

Abstract We used land-use analysis, PAH concentrations and assemblages, and multivariate statistics to identify sediment PAH sources in a small (∼1303 km2) urbanizing watershed located in South-Central, Pennsylvania, USA. A geographic information system (GIS) was employed to quantify land-use features that may serve as PAH sources. Urban PAH concentrations were three times higher than rural levels, and were significantly and highly correlated with combined residential/commercial/industrial land use. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to group sediments with similar PAH assemblages, and correlation analysis compared PAH sediment assemblages to common PAH sources. The strongest correlations were observed between rural sediments (n = 7) and coke-oven emissions sources (r = 0.69–0.78, n = 5), and between urban sediments (n = 22) and coal-tar-based sealcoat dust (r = 0.94, n = 47) suggesting that coal-tar-based sealcoat is an important urban PAH source in this watershed linked to residential and commercial/industrial land use.
An Unnatural Amino Acid that Mimics a Tripeptide β-Strand and Forms β-Sheetlike Hydrogen-Bonded Dimers

Unnatural amino acid 2 (5-HO2CCONH-2-MeO-C6H3-CONHNH2) duplicates the hydrogen-bonding functionality of one edge of a tripeptide β-strand. It is composed of hydrazine, 5-amino-2-methoxybenzoic acid, and oxalic acid groups and is designated by the three-letter abbreviation “Hao” to reflect these three components. The 2,7-di-tert-butylfluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc*)- and tert-butyloxycarbonyl (Boc)-protected derivatives of Hao are prepared efficiently and in high yield by the condensation of suitably protected derivatives of hydrazine, 5-amino-2-methoxybenzoic acid, and oxalic acid. Fmoc*-Hao and Boc-Hao behave like typical Fmoc- and Boc-protected amino acids and can be incorporated into peptides by standard solid- and solution-phase peptide synthesis techniques using carbodiimide coupling agents. Hao-containing peptide 9 (i-PrCO-Phe-Hao-Val-NHBu) forms a β-sheetlike hydrogen-bonded dimer in CDCl3 and CD3OD−CDCl3 solutions. Peptides containing Hao and natural amino acids display hydrogen-bonding surfaces...
Voluntary disclosures around share repurchases

Abstract Managers increase the frequency and magnitude of bad news announcements during the 1-month period prior to repurchasing shares. To a lesser extent, they also increase the frequency and magnitude of good news announcements during the 1-month period following their repurchases. These results are consistent with Barclay and Smith's [1988. Corporate payout policy: Cash dividends versus open-market repurchases. Journal of Financial Economics 22, 61–82.] conjecture that share repurchases, unlike dividends, create incentives for managers to manipulate information flows. We further show that managers provide downward-biased earnings forecasts before repurchases and that managers’ propensity to alter information flows prior to share repurchases increases with their ownership interest in the firm.
The relative frequency of the several types of chronic leukemia and their management.

Abstract One thousand one hundred and seventy-nine cases of leukemia in persons over the age of 13 years seen at the Simpson Memorial Institute of the University of Michigan, from 1927 through 1956, have been reviewed. Seven hundred and thirty-four cases were classified as chronic and 455 as acute. The ratio of acute to chronic cases has shown a steady rise during the period studied so that the incidence of acute leukemia seems to be definitely increasing. The incidence of all forms of chronic leukemia is probably increasing but the nature of the case selection in the present study precludes proof of this thesis. There is no evidence afforded by this series of cases that the relative frequency of chronic granulocytic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia is changing, or that there has been any change in sex distribution or age incidence in the chronic leukemias. Ionizing radiation continues to be the standard of reference when new forms of treatment for chronic leukemia are proposed, and it has not been conclusively demonstrated that survival times are increased or even equaled by the use of drugs in comparison with x-radiation or radioactive phosphorus. Nevertheless, chemotherapy has largely supplanted radiation in the treatment of chronic granulocytic and lymphocytic leukemias in this institution in recent years. With the passage of time and the enlargement of experience, the use of these therapeutic modalities has received increasing justification. The alkylating agents, Myleran, TEM, and chlorambucil, are the preferred forms of drug therapy for chronic leukemias. There is no evidence of a qualitative difference in biologic actions of these compounds, but there are quantitative variations which affect dosages, absorption rates, duration of effects, and likelihood of severe myeloid depression. At the present time, because of advantages of administration, dosage control, and relative safety, Myleran is generally preferred in chronic granulocytic leukemia and chlorambucil in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Continuous drug administration on individually determined maintenance dosage has proved superior to intermittent courses of therapy in controlling activity of the leukemic process. Colcemide may be useful in some cases of advanced proliferative granulocytic leukemia and the antimetabolite, 6-mercaptopurine (Purinethol) may be employed in these situations. The adrenal cortical steroids are mainly of value in controlling secondary hemolysis and thrombocytopenia which occur in some patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and malignant reticuloendotheliosis. When satisfactory control of these manifestations cannot be established or maintained by hormonal therapy, splenectomy may be effective.