cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preoperative Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer: The Tide Is Turning

Removal of the primary pancreatic tumor and regional lymph nodes has long been touted as the only treatment modality that offers patients with pancreatic cancer a chanceat cure.However,historyhas taught us that pancreatectomy—when performed de novo—rarely cures. Indeed, most patients who undergo pancreatectomy develop cancer recurrence and die within 5 years of their operation. And, although the postoperative administration of systemic chemotherapy improves survival after surgery, it does so only modestly—when it is administered at all. Recognizing these realities, Tsai et al have presented a sound rationale for the routine delivery of preoperative therapy to all patients with technically resectable pancreatic cancer in this issue of Journal of Oncology Practice. The evidence reviewed by Tsai et al notwithstanding, an operation followed by systemic chemotherapy is still the standard treatment of patients with cancers that are localized and resectable, and proponents of that approach argue that it must remain so until high-level, randomized data are generated to supplant it. Unfortunately, preexisting biases have prevented that. The only two trials that have randomly assigned patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma to either de novo pancreatectomy or preoperative therapy (chemoradiation) followed by surgery opened in Europe and closed prematurely because of an inability to accrue patients. The larger European phase III NEOPAC study that randomly assigns patients to surgery with postoperative gemcitabine or preoperative gemcitabine and oxaliplatin followed by surgery and postoperative gemcitabine is anticipated to be more successful. Regardless, the existing data such as those reviewed by Tsai et al, although derived largely from preclinical models and single-arm phase II trials, already provide support for the premise that at least some patients may benefit from a strategy that is initially nonsurgical. So why must we wait for the results of a study that uses one single—and already somewhat antiquated—preoperative regimen before we move forward? We make confident clinical decisions all the time in oncology on the basis of data that are not nearly as strong as those that already exist today.
The Mystery of Unanimity in Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School V. EEOC

In Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Lutheran Church & School v. EEOC (2012), the Supreme Court held that the First Amendment supports a “ministerial exception” defense in anti-discrimination suits by clergy against their institutional religious employers. In advance of the decision, the outcome seemed unpredictable, and the Court’s unanimity arrived as a shock.This paper illuminates the result, reasoning, and unanimity in Hosanna-Tabor. We explain how Hosanna-Tabor stands in a long line of decisions, grounded primarily in the Establishment Clause, that prohibit state adjudication of “strictly and purely ecclesiastical" questions.Part I examines why unanimity on the Supreme Court seemed highly improbable. Other divisions on the Court in Religion Clause cases, the brooding omnipresence of Employment Division v. Smith, and the persistent feminist critique of the ministerial exception all suggested that complete agreement within the Court was unlikely. Part II focuses on the key features of Chief Justice Roberts’ opinion for the Court in HosannaTabor, including the central question of which Religion Clause is doing the primary work. Part III offers our explanation and defense of the exception’s jurisprudential foundation, and shows in detail how the courts – before and after Hosanna-Tabor – have steadfastly maintained that foundation and its relevant boundaries.Part IV highlights the intense and continued division within the academy on the meaning and correctness of Hosanna-Tabor. Part IV A. analyzes the work of “the Expanders,” who see Hosanna-Tabor as a significant sign that the First Amendment protects a broad freedom of religious entities to resist general regulation. Part IV B. focuses on “the Re-Rationalizers,” who seek to disconnect Hosanna-Tabor from religion-specific norms, and ground the ministerial exception in the freedom of association. Part IV C. turns to “the Dissenters,” who argue that the ministerial exception is not required by the Constitution and is profoundly misguided. Whether designed to build up the decision or tear it down, the scholars’ hyperbolic claims about Hosanna-Tabor may resonate within the culture wars, but have no foundation in the governing law.
Optimal acquisition policy for compressed measurements with limited observations

In this paper, we explore the problem of optimizing the measurement policy in finite horizon sequential compressive sensing when the number of samples are strictly restricted to be less than the overall horizon of the problem. We assume that at each instant the sensor can decide whether or not to take an observation, based on the quality of the sensing parameters. The objective of the sensor is to minimize the coherence of the final sensing matrix. This problem lies at the intersection of usage limited sensing [6], [11] and sequential compressive sensing [3]. First, we consider the optimal acquisition problem in the class of open-loop policies. We show that every open-loop policy that satisfies the sensing constraints is optimal. Next, we consider the set of closed-loop policies. In order to solve the optimal acquisition problem, we formulate the corresponding dynamic program. Finally, we propose a greedy strategy for acquiring measurements, and show that it is optimal for low-dimensional problems.
Abstract 5148: NR5A2 is essential for pancreas development and affects pancreas carcinogenesis

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remains one of the most lethal cancers today. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) has implicated the nuclear receptor NR5A2 in modulating risk for pancreatic cancer. While a role for this gene in pancreatic cancer has not been previously recognized, it plays an important role in stem cell pluripotency and metabolism. Using the zebrafish model, we demonstrate that genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of nr5a2 activity results in absence of exocrine pancreas, while leaving endocrine pancreas unaffected, indicating an essential role in pancreas organ formation. Further, we localize nr5a2 expression to the endodermal bud that gives rise to the exocrine pancreas, consistent with a role for nr5a2 in regulating differentiation of pancreas progenitors. In resected human PDAC specimens and in vitro cell lines, we find that NR5A2 expression is altered compared to normal ductal epithelium. Moreover, shRNA knockdown of NR5A2 dramatically alters proliferation of PDAC cell lines, supporting the hypothesis that NR5A2 is involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis. These data support a model that NR5A2 regulates the proliferation and differentiation of exocrine pancreas progenitor cells during development. We postulate that loss-of-function of NR5A2 results in dysregulation of these processes in the adult pancreas by driving acinar cells to acquire properties of progenitor cells, and therefore is an important step in pancreas oncogenesis. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Sahar Nissim, Olivia Weeks, John Hedgepeth, Julia Wucherpfennig, Xiao-Xu Wang, Alec Kimmelman, Wolfram Goessling. NR5A2 is essential for pancreas development and affects pancreas carcinogenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5148. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5148
Measuring hip flexor and extensor strengths across various postures using a fixed belt

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to evaluate hip flexor and extensor strength due to differences in posture measurement. [Subjects and Methods] Healthy adults (26 males and 24 females) were enrolled. Using a hand-held dynamometer, hip flexor and extensor strengths were measured in various postures and in a basic posture (sitting posture and hip/knee joint flexed 90°) according to the Manual Muscle Testing procedure. While calculating intraclass correlation coefficients by measurement, hip flexor and extensor strengths were compared in males and females for every posture. [Results] Intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.7 in every measurement. There was no significant difference in hip flexor and extensor strengths in both males and females. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in right and left hip flexor strengths and in left hip extensor strength. [Conclusion] Hip flexor and extensor strengths can be simply and easily measured using a hand-held dynamometer.
Battery energy storage emulation in a converter-based power system emulator

Preparing power systems to better accommodate renewable energy sources has become increasingly more important as penetration levels rise, and energy storage systems are excellent for suppressing the fluctuations of renewable and for providing other ancillary services to the grid. The Hardware Testbed (HTB) is a novel converter-based grid emulator created for studying the needs associated with high renewable penetration, but the system currently lacks battery storage capability. This paper proposes a configurable Lead Acid and Lithium Ion battery storage emulator equipped with a two-stage power electronics interface, which is capable of independent active and reactive power control as well as inertia emulation. Each part of the emulator is described in detail, in terms of both the models used and the control algorithms governing them. The emulator's behavior is simulated, tested, and confirmed to function correctly with the HTB and will be used to study scenarios in which battery storage can be used to support renewables and other dynamic power system needs.
Utilization of Quality Improvement Methodology to Standardize Communication of Outside Hospital Transfers in a General Surgery Program.

OBJECTIVE There is no standardized method of communication regarding the arrival of outside hospital (OSH) transfers at our institution. We utilized quality improvement methodologies to enhance sign-out, benefiting both resident workflow and patient care. DESIGN A dynamic census log of pending OSH transfers was created. Total number of OSH transfers (with or without prior notification), time to admission orders, and resident self-reported preparedness in receiving/triaging OSH admissions were measured before and after implementation of the census log tool. SETTING Quaternary referral hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. PARTICIPANTS The census log was made available to General Surgery residents on receiving surgical teams. After the data collection period, it was made available to all residents in the program. RESULTS A total of 93 patients were transferred to receiving surgical teams during our 13-week study period. Resident notification of the OSH transfer prior to patient's arrival increased from 44.7% pre- to 70.3% postimplementation of the tool (p = 0.03). When residents received prior notification of pending transfers, time to place admission orders decreased from 81.2 ± 79.9 minutes to 40.4 ± 36.8 minutes (p = 0.0029). Junior residents’ self-reported preparedness in admitting an OSH transfer did not significantly differ when they received prior notification versus when they did not. In contrast, senior residents’ self-reported higher levels of preparedness in the instances where they received prior notification of a pending transfer. CONCLUSIONS In light of the recent Clinical Learning Environment Review program set forth by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, trainees are expected to engage in improvement processes as it relates to patient safety and transitions of care. The development and implementation of our tool demonstrate that quality improvement methodologies can be effectively applied to resident workflow challenges, improving both trainee education and patient care.
Evaluation of Galcanezumab for the Prevention of Episodic Migraine: The EVOLVE-1 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Migraine is a disabling neurological disease characterized by severe headache attacks. Treatment options reduce migraine frequency for many patients, but adverse effects lead to discontinuation in many patients. Objective To demonstrate that galcanezumab is superior to placebo in the prevention of episodic migraine with or without aura. Design, Setting, and Participants The EVOLVE-1 (Evaluation of LY2951742 in the Prevention of Episodic Migraine 1) trial was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled (January 11, 2016, to March 22, 2017) trial comparing galcanezumab (120 mg and 240 mg) vs placebo. Patients received treatments once monthly for 6 months (subcutaneous injection via prefilled syringe) and were followed up for 5 months after their last injection. It was a multicenter, clinic-based study involving 90 sites in North America. Participants in the study were adults (aged 18 to 65 years) with at least a 1-year history of migraine, 4 to 14 migraine headache days per month and a mean of at least 2 migraine attacks per month within the past 3 months, and were diagnosed prior to age 50 years. During the study, no other preventive medications were allowed. A total of 1671 patients were assessed; 809 did not meet study entry or baseline criteria, and 858 were included in the intent-to-treat population. Interventions Patients were randomized (2:1:1) to monthly placebo, galcanezumab, 120 mg, and galcanezumab, 240 mg. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was overall mean change from baseline in the number of monthly migraine headache days during the treatment period. Secondary measures included at least 50%, at least 75%, and 100% reduction in monthly migraine headache days, migraine headache days with acute medication use, and scores from the Migraine-Specific Quality of Life questionnaire, Patient Global Impression of Severity, and Migraine Disability Assessment. Treatment-emergent adverse events and serious adverse events were reported. Results Of the 1671 patients assessed, 858 (mean age, 40.7 years; 718 women [83.7%]) met study entry criteria and received at least 1 dose of investigational product. The primary objective was met for both galcanezumab doses; treatment with galcanezumab significantly reduced monthly migraine headache days (bothP Conclusions and Relevance Galcanezumab 120-mg and 240-mg monthly injections provided clinical benefits and improved functioning. The incidence rate of adverse events was low, demonstrating the favorable tolerability profile of galcanezumab. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02614183
Scholarly Activity Training During Pediatric Residency: How Well Aligned Are Program Directors and Residents?

Abstract Objective Training residents to be scholars is endorsed by leading medical education organizations. Our previous research suggests that the scholarly activity (SA) training experience is highly variable across pediatric residency programs, and residents and program directors (PDs) are generally dissatisfied. Understanding how PD and resident views align can help programs better guide resource allocation and improvement efforts. Methods We conducted cross-sectional surveys of second and third year pediatric residents and PDs at 22 diverse US categorical programs. We compared resident and PD responses to SA training beliefs, barriers, and satisfaction by 2-proportion z tests. We used descriptive statistics to describe resident responses in relation to same-institution PD responses. Results About 464 of 771 residents (60.2%) and 22 PDs (100%) responded. Across programs, PDs more strongly agreed that all residents should participate in SA (59% of PDs [n = 13] versus 27% of residents [n = 127], P = .002). Residents more strongly believed all residents should have protected SA time (91% of residents [n = 424] versus 68% of PDs [n = 15], P = .001). PDs more strongly perceived gaps in other resources as barriers, including lack of funding to conduct or present SA (P Conclusions Discordance exists between PDs and residents with respect to SA participation and necessary resources, particularly, protected time. Programs must help residents identify when SA can be accomplished. Clearer national guidelines around SA training may also be necessary to reduce discordance and improve perceptions.
Gastrointestinal symptoms in anorexia nervosa: A prospective study

Neither the natural history of gastrointestinal symptoms in patients with anorexia nervosa nor their response to refeeding have been well studied. We hypothesized that gastrointestinal symptoms in anorexia nervosa will decrease during refeeding despite high caloric intake, suggesting that delayed gastric emptying, where present, is a result rather than a cause of anorexia nervosa. Study goals were (a) to determine the type and frequency of gastrointestinal symptoms, (b) to follow symptoms during refeeding prospectively, and (c) to develop guidelines for gastrointestinal testing and intervention in hospitalized anorectic patients. Sixteen consecutive patients with anorexia nervosa were rated on 12 gastrointestinal symptoms before and after nutritional rehabilitation and followed up throughout treatment. All patients reported multiple gastrointestinal symptoms on admission; all symptoms except belching improved during treatment despite large calorie increases (p < 0.0002); significant improvements occurred in appetite, bloating, constipation, vomiting, and diarrhea; and no patients required endoscopy, x-ray evaluation, or antipeptic regimens. We conclude that although severe gastrointestinal symptoms are common in anorexia nervosa, they improve significantly with refeeding. Specific gastrointestinal studies should be reserved for patients who do not gain weight or who have indications of independent digestive disease.
Melanomatosis with Abnormal Cerebral Computed Tomography Scan

A 78-year-old man had a routine chest radiograph which showed two nodules in the left lower lung. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated one of the nodules to be subpleural. Over the ensuing 2 months, these nodules grew; CT-guided needle biopsy was not diagnostic. Four months after the CT-guided needle biopsy, a left posterolateral thoracotomy revealed three separate lung lesions. Histopathology was malignant melanoma. Postoperatively, a cerebral CT scan in this asymptomatic patient showed a left frontal and a right posterior occipital lesion compatible with metastases.
Multiple Defenses and Signals in Plant Defense against Pathogens and Herbivores

Because they are attacked by many fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens as well as by insects and other herbivores, it is not surprising that plants have evolved constitutive and induced defense mechanisms that deal effectively with a range of enemies.1–5 Constitutive defense comprises preformed compounds that are antimicrobial and/or toxic.2,4 These are usually natural products, but may include proteins or structural barriers. In induced defense, toxic or physical barriers are produced only upon infection or attack. Induced resistance responses can be either localized or systemic. Localized responses may be confined to one or a few cells around the point of attack. In systemic responses, attack by a pathogen, feeding by an herbivore, or wounding can produce changes throughout the plant resulting in elevated constitutive defenses and/or increased responsiveness upon further infection or attack.1,3,5
Sabotage of Public Water Supply Systems

During times of war, there is always talk of threats cf terrorism against public water supplies. In the recent Gulf War, a number of utilities in the U.S. stepped up their security measures by guarding their treatment plants and distribution systems (AWWA, 1991). Special security procedures were in place during the Olympic Games in both Los Angeles and Atlanta.
Understanding the neurohumoral causes of anxiety in the ICU. Clinical consequences include agitation, brain failure, delirium

Severe anxiety can disrupt neurohumoral metabolism and lead to agitation and brain failure, which may result in delirium. Predisposing factors include cerebral vascular or endocrine insufficiency, cardiopulmonary decompensation, poor tissue perfusion, multiple medications, and sleep-wake cycle disruption; the stressful ICU environment puts patients especially at risk. Stress-induced noradrenergic hyperactivity can precipitate panic attacks; dopaminergic hyperactivity can lead to delirium (marked by paranoid delusions, visual or auditory hallucinations, and psychomotor agitation). The underlying cause of anxiety must be identified to guide appropriate therapy.
Segmentation of Nonstationary Time Series with Geometric Clustering

We introduce a non-parametric method for segmentation in regimeswitching time-series models. The approach is based on spectral clustering of target-regressor tuples and derives a switching regression tree, where regime switches are modeled by oblique splits. Such models can be learned efficiently from data, where clustering is used to propose one single split candidate at each split level. We use the class of ART time series models to serve as illustration, but because of the non-parametric nature of our segmentation approach, it readily generalizes to a wide range of time-series models that go beyond the Gaussian error assumption in ART models. Experimental results on S&P 1500 financial trading data demonstrates dramatically improved predictive accuracy for the exemplifying ART models.
Transitivity and Forward Accessibility of Discrete-Time Nonlinear Systems

For discrete-time nonlinear systems, this paper provides new conditions under which it can be proved that transitivity implies forward accessibility. Assuming that the system is analytic, it is shown that the implication holds if the state-space is compact, or if a Poisson stability condition is satisfied, and also that the result holds in a generic sense. Various examples and counterexamples are provided relating the dimensions of the accessibility and transitivity Lie algebras.
Structure–Function Relationship in Ester Hydrogenation Catalyzed by Ruthenium CNN-Pincer Complexes

A series of six pincer–ruthenium complexes has been synthesized and applied in the catalytic hydrogenation of esters. The ruthenium complexes have the formula Ru(pincer)HCl(CO), where the CNN-pincer ligands feature N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), pyridine, and dialkylamino donor groups. Through systematic variation of the steric bulk of the NHC substituent and the amine substituents, a clear structure–function relationship emerges. The most active catalysts in this series feature the bulkiest NHC substituent employed, 2,6-diisopropylphenyl. For the dialkylamino group, catalysts substituted with isopropyl or ethyl groups were the most active, while catalysts substituted with methyl groups were significantly less active. The most active catalyst discovered catalyzes the complete hydrogenation of a range of esters at loadings of 0.05–0.2 mol %.
Aquatic insects in Montezuma Well, Arizona, USA: A travertine spring mound with high alkalinity and dissolved carbon dioxide

An annotated list of aquatic insects from the high carbonate system of Montezuma Well, Arizona, USA, is presented for collections taken during 1976-1986. Fifty-seven taxa in 16 families are reported, including new distribution records for Arizona (Anacaena signaticollis, Laccobius ellipticus, and Crenitulus sp. (nr. debilis)) and the USA (Enochrus sharpi). Larval stages for Trichoptera, Lepidoptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Chironomidae, and Anisoptera were absent even though the habitat lacks fish, and water temperature, dissolved oxygen, available food, and substrata appear adequate in Montezuma Well. The potential importance of alkalinity in restricting these insect groups is discussed.
Yttrium-90 radioembolization using MIRD dosimetry with resin microspheres

To review the technical feasibility of resin microsphere (SIR-Spheres®) yttrium-90 radioembolization prescribed using the medical internal radiation dose (MIRD) model. All radioembolization procedures for hepatic malignancies using resin microspheres with MIRD model between November 2015 and February 2019 were included in this IRB-approved study (n = 60). Student’s T test was used to compare prescribed activity based on MIRD and BSA models. Adverse events were assessed immediately, 30 days, and 6 months post-treatment. Sixty radioembolizations were performed in 54 patients (age 68 ± 9 years, 48–87 years, 35% female). Mean prescribed activity calculated by the MIRD model (target absorbed dose 120–200 Gy for primary and 80–200 Gy for metastatic liver cancers) was 1.7 GBq (0.3–6.4) compared with 0.6 GBq (0.12–2.1) if BSA had been used (p < 0.0001). The prescribed activity was successfully delivered in 93% (56/60) treatments. Prophylactic embolization and anti-reflux catheters were used in 20% (12/60) and 5% (3/60) treatments, respectively. No immediate post-procedural complications occurred. Abdominal pain was the most common clinical Grade 3 CTCAE in 30 days (10%) and 6 months (12%). Radiation pneumonitis occurred in 3 (5%) patients but no radiation-induced gastric ulcer or radiation-induced liver disease occurred. MIRD dosimetry results in higher prescribed activity compared with BSA dosimetry with resin microspheres. MIRD prescribed activity with target absorbed doses up to 200 Gy can be successfully administered without prophylactic embolization in selected patients. •MIRD dosimetry results in higher prescribed activity compared with BSA dosimetry for radioembolization. •MIRD dosimetry can be used for yttrium-90 resin microsphere radioembolization with acceptable safety profile.
Interventional Cardiology and Catheter-Based Interventions in Pregnancy.

Systemic hypertension is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The management of hypertension is challenging in the high-risk patient population with high salt-sensitivity and low serum renin levels. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays a central role in blood pressure (BP) regulation. While we have effective medications to act on peripheral RAS, our understanding of brain RAS and its effect on BP regulation is still in an evolving stage. Brain RAS hyperactivity is associated with the development and maintenance of hypertension. In comparison to peripheral RAS, where angiotensin II (Ang II) is the most crucial component responsible for BP regulation, angiotensin III (Ang III) is likely the main active peptide in the brain RAS. Ang II is metabolized by aminopeptidase A (APA) into Ang III in the brain. EC33 is a potent inhibitor of brain APA tested in animal models. The use of EC33 in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats, hypertensive deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt rats, and conscious normotensive rat models leads to a reduction in BP. In order to facilitate the passage of EC33 through the blood-brain barrier, the two molecules of EC33 were linked by a disulfide bridge to form a prodrug called RB150. RB150, later renamed as QGC001 or firibastat, was found to be effective in animal models and well-tolerated when used in healthy participants. Firibastat was found to be safe and effective in phase 2 trials, and is now planned to undergo a phase 3 trial. Firibastat has the potential to be groundbreaking in the management of resistant hypertension.
Buy-Sell Imbalances Around Round Numbers and High-Frequency Trading

I show that the growth of high-frequency trading, due to its heavy reliance on computer algorithms, can be associated with a reduction of human errors and financial anomalies in the market. Trades in which a non-high-frequency trader is the liquidity demander exhibit abnormally high buy (sell) pressure when prices are immediately below (above) a round number due to psychological effects, while the pattern is completely reversed when a high-frequency trader is the liquidity demander. As a result, the overall sample does not exhibit such imbalances. Furthermore, high-frequency traders earn higher returns when trading around round number prices.
Acute Splenic Sequestration Crisis in Hemoglobin SC Disease: Efficiency of Red Cell Exchange.

Acute splenic sequestration crisis (ASSC) is recognized as a serious complication of sickle cell disease in children. ASSC presents with progressive splenic enlargement, transfusion-dependent anemia, and, eventually, circulatory compromise. ASSC is rare in adult patients, thus making its management and outcome in adults not well-defined. The purpose of this article is to describe our experience in managing ASSC in an adult female with hemoglobin (Hb) SC disease. The patient underwent an automated red blood cell (RBC) exchange, thus avoiding a planned splenectomy. To the best of our knowledge, our case is the third report in the literature on the use of RBC exchange in adults with HbSC disease and ASSC. RBC exchange should be considered in adults with HbSC disease with ASSC not responding to simple transfusion; a treatment that could alleviate patients' symptoms and avoid splenectomy complications, especially in young patients.
Relationship between shear wave velocity and muscle activation is inconsistent across different muscle types

There is an increasing use of shear wave ultrasound elastography to quantify material properties of muscles under various conditions such as muscle length, levels of activation, in healthy and pathological muscle. However, little is known about the variability in shear wave velocity among muscles. The purpose of this study was to assess the variability of the relationship between SWV and activation across muscles with different architecture, specifically pennation angle: biceps brachii (parallel), tibialis anterior (moderately pennate), gastrocnemius (highly pennate). We tested these muscles at matching levels of activation and similar muscle lengths, relative to optimal length, to limit differences in force across muscles. Shear wave velocity-squared increased with higher levels of muscle activation (p<0.001), but the relationship between shear wave velocity-squared and activation was different across all three muscles (p<0.001). This indicates that SWV was inconsistent across muscle types, even when considering similar levels of activation and torque production. Under passive conditions, shear wave velocity-squared covaried with muscle length and was different across muscles (p<0.001), even at shortest lengths, when differences due to passive force were minimal. Variation of shear wave velocity-squared was only partially explained by changes in pennation angle during contraction (p = 0.004, R2 = 0.4). Our findings suggest that the shear wave velocity varies across muscles under passive and active conditions even when relative length is considered and that shear wave velocity may be dependent on other muscle properties, other than pennation angle, that are different between the three muscles.
Chemerin levels in metabolic syndrome: a promising biomarker.

Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a serious and prevalent global problem. It comprises a cardio-metabolic cluster consisting of central adiposity, hypertriglyceridaemia (HTG), low levels of high density...
Mechanistic Analysis of Age-Related Clinical Manifestations in Down Syndrome

Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic cause of Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to trisomy for all or part of human chromosome 21 (Hsa21). It is also associated with other phenotypes including distinctive facial features, cardiac defects, growth delay, intellectual disability, immune system abnormalities, and hearing loss. All adults with DS demonstrate AD-like brain pathology, including amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, by age 40 and dementia typically by age 60. There is compelling evidence that increased APP gene dose is necessary for AD in DS, and the mechanism for this effect has begun to emerge, implicating the C-terminal APP fragment of 99 amino acid (β-CTF). The products of other triplicated genes on Hsa21 might act to modify the impact of APP triplication by altering the overall rate of biological aging. Another important age-related DS phenotype is hearing loss, and while its mechanism is unknown, we describe its characteristics here. Moreover, immune system abnormalities in DS, involving interferon pathway genes and aging, predispose to diverse infections and might modify the severity of COVID-19. All these considerations suggest human trisomy 21 impacts several diseases in an age-dependent manner. Thus, understanding the possible aging-related mechanisms associated with these clinical manifestations of DS will facilitate therapeutic interventions in mid-to-late adulthood, while at the same time shedding light on basic mechanisms of aging.
Biodegradation of bisphenol A by an algal-bacterial system

The degradation of bisphenol A (BPA) by Chlorella sorokiniana and BPA-degrading bacteria was investigated. The results show that BPA was partially removed by a monoculture of C. sorokiniana, but the remaining BPA accounted for 50.2, 56.1, and 60.5 % of the initial BPA concentrations of 10, 20, and 50 mg L(-1), respectively. The total algal BPA adsorption and accumulation were less than 1 %. C. sorokiniana-bacterial system effectively removed BPA with photosynthetic oxygen provided by the algae irrespective of the initial BPA concentration. The growth of C. sorokiniana in the algal system was inhibited by BPA concentrations of 20 and 50 mg L(-1), but not in the algal-bacterial system. This observation indicates that bacterial growth in the algal-bacterial system reduced the BPA-inhibiting effect on algae. A total of ten BPA biodegradation intermediates were identified by GC-MS. The concentrations of the biodegradation intermediates decreased to a low level at the end of the experiment. The hypothetical carbon mass balance analysis showed that the amounts of oxygen demanded by the bacteria are insufficient for effective BPA degradation. However, adding an external carbon source could compensate for the oxygen shortage. This study demonstrates that the algal-bacterial system has the potential to remove BPA and its biodegradation intermediates.
Asian Options versus Vanilla Options

While it is commonly believed that an Asian option is always cheaper than its plain vanilla European counterpart, this paper shows that this notion is false. By deriving the lower bounds on Asian option prices as volatility goes to zero and comparing them to the lower bounds of vanilla European option prices, it can be proved that this notion may be violated for call options when the dividend yield of the underlying stock is higher than the interest rate, as well as for put options when the dividend yield of the underlying stock is lower than the interest rate.
An Empirical Examination of the Multi-dimensionality of Ethical Climate in Organizations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the ethical climate dimensions identified by Victor and Cullen (1987, 1988) could be replicated in the subunits of a multi-unit organization and if so, were the dimensions associated with particular types of operating units. We identified three of the dimensions of ethical climate found by Victor and Cullen and also found a new dimension of ethical climate related to service. Partial support was found for Victor and Cullen's hypothesis that certain ethical climate dimensions are associated with particular forms of organizational governance and control.
Amperometric enzyme electrodes II. Amino acid oxidase.

Abstract An amperometric method based on an L-amino acid oxidase electrode has been developed for the determination of several L-amino acids. The time of measurements is less than 12 s if a kinetic method is used, and 1 min if a steady-state method is used. The only reagent required is a phosphate buffer solution.
Gauging the Effects of Social Accountability on Services, Governance, and Citizen Empowerment

Engaging citizens in holding public officials and service providers accountable, referred to as social accountability, is a popular remedy for public sector performance weaknesses, figuring prominently in many international donor-funded projects and leading to widespread replication. However, the contextual factors that influence the successful transfer of social accountability are debated. Demand-side factors (civil society and citizens) are overemphasized in much of the literature. Yet supply-side factors (state structures and processes) and the nature of state–society relations are also important. This article examines four projects in developing countries to explore how these contextual factors influenced social accountability aims and outcomes. The salience of supply factors in enabling social accountability for service delivery and government performance stands out, particularly the degree of decentralization and the availability of space for citizen engagement. The capacity and motivation of citizens to occupy the available space, aggregate and voice their concerns, and participate with state actors in assessing service delivery performance and problems are critical.
Nonenzymatic autoligation in direct three-color detection of RNA and DNA point mutations

Enzymatic ligation methods are useful in diagnostic detection of DNA sequences. Here we describe the investigation of nonenzymatic phosphorothioate-iodide DNA autoligation chemistry as a method for detection and identification of both RNA and DNA sequences. Combining ligation specificity with the hybridization specificity of the ligated product is shown to yield discrimination of a point mutation as high as >10(4)-fold. Unlike enzymatic ligations, this reaction is found to be equally efficient on RNA or DNA templates. The reaction is also shown to exhibit a significant level of self-amplification, with the template acting in catalytic fashion to ligate multiple pairs of probes. A strategy for fluorescence labeling of three autoligating energy transfer (ALET) probes and directly competing them for autoligation on a target sequence is described. The method is tested in several formats, including solution phase, gel, and blot assays. The ALET probe design offers direct RNA detection, combining high sequence specificity with an easily detectable color change by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET).
A Review of “Building and Managing E-Book Collections: A How-to-Do-It Manual for Librarians”

In his edited collection, Building and Managing E-Book Collections: A How-to-Do-It Manual for Librarians, Richard Kaplan provides a solid overview of the challenges and opportunities surrounding th...
Standardizing and Predicting Results From Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing in Patients With Heart Failure

PURPOSE Cardiopulmonary exercise testing is a common prognostic tool in heart failure, yet it is not standardized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a means of standardizing oxygen consumption (VO(2)) measurement and to evaluate the ability to predict peak VO(2) from submaximal exercise. METHODS Fifty consecutive exercise tests with a respiratory exchange ratio > or =1.10 were evaluated. VO(2) was graphed against respiratory exchange ratio and the peak VO(2) was determined with logarithmic, linear, power, and exponential regression lines. To predict a peak VO(2), each patient's submaximal exercise data (respiratory exchange ratio < or =0.98) were fitted to each regression line. The mean of the last 30 seconds of un-averaged breath-by-breath data was used as the reference value. Peak VO(2) assessments are also provided from the metabolic cart, a rolling time average, and the graphical method. RESULTS Logarithmic regression best standardized peak VO(2). Mean absolute bias (mL x kg x min) was 0.60 +/- 0.44 for logarithmic, 0.61 +/- 0.47 for linear, 0.85 +/- 0.67 for power, and 1.44 +/- 2.22 for exponential. The mean absolute bias between the peak logarithmic predicted VO(2) and the reference peak VO(2) was 1.62 +/- 1.20 mL x kg x min (9.5% of the peak VO(2)). CONCLUSION Among the methods studied, logarithmic regression analysis was the best method to standardize and predict peak VO(2) in this cohort of patients with heart failure.
The economics of factoring accounts receivable

Abstract A moral hazard problem develops when a factor cannot contract upon a seller’s ex-post level of credit management. Because of the deleterious price impact of the moral hazard problem, sellers with a sufficiently high bankruptcy risk may be unable to factor their entire accounts receivable pool, even though they offer recourse. The structure of the equilibrium factoring contract is empirically tested using new factoring-specific data. It will be found that the credit quality of the seller’s accounts receivable pool and the seller’s probability of bankruptcy both have a negative impact upon the seller’s propensity to factor with recourse.
Current concepts of consciousness with some implications for anesthesia

The GW theory suggests that consciousness enables multiple networks to cooperate and compete in solving problems, such as retrieval of specific items from immediate memory. The overall function of consciousness is to provide widespread access, which in turn may serve functions of coordination and control. Consciousness is the gateway to the brain, enabling control even of single neurons and whole neuronal populations (Baars, 1988). None of these control functions become directly conscious, of course, but conscious feedback seems required to recruit control by prefrontal networks. In the metaphor of the theatre, it is as if each specialized audience member can decide locally whether or not to be driven by input from the bright spot on stage. Executive functions — the director behind the scenes — is also largely unconscious, often using the actor in the spotlight on the stage of working memory capacity to recruit and trigger specific functions.
LIDAR Techniques For Search And Rescue

Two new approaches to search and rescue using LIDAR techniques will be discussed; these topics will include laser retroreflection and laser-induced fluorescence. These techniques use high-repetition rate lasers at a variety of frequencies to induce either retroreflection from plastic corner cubes on life preservers and other emergency markers or fluorescence in dye markers placed in the ocean.
Numerical simulation of a model of resonance absorption for subpicosecond laser pulses

Abstract A capacitor model which is used to simulate the interaction of a powerful, subpicosecond laser pulse with a plasma is simulated by means of 1D electrostatic particle code. We take into account the temporal profile of the laser pulse, and the growth of the electron energy by several orders of magnitude while providing adequate temporal and spatial resolution. It is shown that during the pulse the excited plasma structure evolves from a coherent to a turbulent state. The factors, which can effect this process are discussed.
Transformation of nonvascular acellular tissue matrices into durable vascular conduits.

Background. Prosthetic grafts commonly used for vascular reconstruction are limited to synthetics and cross-linked tissue grafts. Within these devices, graft infections are common, compliance mismatch is significant, and handling qualities are poor. Natural biological tissues that are unfixed have been shown to resist infections and be durable and compliant. A natural biological matrix that could be remodeled appropriately after implantation would be a desirable graft for vascular reconstruction. Methods. SynerGraft tissue engineering strategies have been used to minimize antigenicity and produce stable unfixed vascular grafts from nonvascular bovine tissues. These grafts have replaced the abdominal aortas of 8 dogs that have been followed for up to 10 months. Results. Early evaluation indicates rapid recellularization by recipient smooth muscle actin positive cells, which become arranged circumferentially, into the media. Arterioles were present in the adventitial areas and endothelial cells were seen to cover lumenal surfaces. After 10 months, grafts were patent and not aneurysmal. Conclusions. These data indicate that SynerGraft processing of animal tissues is capable of producing stable vascular conduits that exhibit long-term functionality in other species.
Processing and structure of carbon nanofiber paper

A unique concept of making nanocomposites from carbon nanofiber paper was explored in this study. The essential element of this method was to design and manufacture carbon nanofiber paper with well-controlled and optimized network structure of carbon nanofibers. In this study, carbon nanofiber paper was prepared under various processing conditions, including different types of carbon nanofibers, solvents, dispersants, and acid treatment. The morphologies of carbon nanofibers within the nanofiber paper were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the bulk densities of carbon nanofiber papers were measured. It was found that the densities and network structures of carbon nanofiber paper correlated to the dispersion quality of carbon nanofibers within the paper, which was significantly affected by papermaking process conditions.
Chemical shift imaging and localised magnetic resonance spectroscopy in full-term asphyxiated neonates

Background: Diagnosis of brain lesions after birth anoxia-ischemia is essential for appropriate management. Clinical evaluation is not sufficient. MRI has been proven to provide useful information. Objective: To compare abnormalities observed with MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), localised magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and chemical shift imaging (CSI) and correlate these findings with the clinical outcome. Materials and methods: Fourteen full-term neonates with birth asphyxia were studied. MRI, MRS and CSI were performed within the first 4 days of life. Results: Lesions observed with DWI were correlated with outcome, but the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) did improve diagnostic confidence. The mean value of Lac/Cr for the neonates with a favourable outcome was statically lower than for those who died (0.22 vs 1.04; P = 0.01). The same results were observed for the Lac/NAA ratio (0.21 vs 1.23; P = 0.01). Data obtained with localised MRS and CSI were correlated for the ratio N-acetyl-aspartate/choline, but not for the other metabolites. No correlation was found between the ADC values and the metabolite ratios. Conclusions: Combination of these techniques could be helpful in our understanding of the physiopathological events occurring in neonates with asphyxia.
Cellular computational networks-A scalable architecture for learning the dynamics of large networked systems

Neural networks for implementing large networked systems such as smart electric power grids consist of multiple inputs and outputs. Many outputs lead to a greater number of parameters to be adapted. Each additional variable increases the dimensionality of the problem and hence learning becomes a challenge. Cellular computational networks (CCNs) are a class of sparsely connected dynamic recurrent networks (DRNs). By proper selection of a set of input elements for each output variable in a given application, a DRN can be modified into a CCN which significantly reduces the complexity of the neural network and allows use of simple training methods for independent learning in each cell thus making it scalable. This article demonstrates this concept of developing a CCN using dimensionality reduction in a DRN for scalability and better performance. The concept has been analytically explained and empirically verified through application.
Conceptualizing and measuring social cognition in marital communication: A validation study

This article outlines a conceptual framework and measurement model of the social cognitive processes underlying marital communication. Based on husbands’ and wives’ tendencies to perceive their spouses as unique individuals rather than undifferentiated role occupants, the measurement model specified a two dimensional configuration consisting of marriage‐specific and general social cognitive processes. Two studies were conducted to develop and validate a measure of conjugal understanding. Results confirmed the proposed measurement model. The implications, uses, and shortcomings of the instrument are discussed.