cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The relationship between total plasma carotenoids and risk factors for chronic disease among middle-aged and older men.

Individual plasma carotenoids have been associated with various chronic diseases but little is known about the relationship between total plasma carotenoids and risk factors for chronic diseases. In the Physicians' Health Study, we examined 492 men free of CVD and cancer for the relationship between total plasma carotenoids (the sum of α-carotene, β-carotene, lycopene, zeaxanthin, lutein and β-cryptoxanthin) and a wide variety of factors that predict chronic disease. Multivariate linear and logistic regression was performed to calculate parameter estimates (95 % CI) and OR (95 % CI) for total plasma carotenoids. In linear regression models, BMI, hypertension, alcohol intake and plasma levels of each lipid parameter and α-tocopherol significantly predicted levels of total plasma carotenoids. Upon adjustment for multiple chronic disease risk factors, the OR for levels of total plasma carotenoids greater than or equal to the median ( ≥ 1·301 μmol/l) was statistically significant for current smoking (OR 0·21; 95 % CI 0·06, 0·77), weekly alcohol ingestion (OR 2·30; 95 % CI 1·06, 4·99), daily alcohol ingestion (OR 2·46; 95 % CI 1·29, 4·67), each 100 mg/l increase in total cholesterol (OR 0·73; 95 % CI 0·58, 0·91), LDL-cholesterol (OR 1·48; 95 % CI 1·17, 1·89) and HDL-cholesterol (OR 1·58; 95 % CI 1·26, 1·99), each 100 mg/ml increase in intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (OR 0·70; 95 % CI 0·53, 0·93) and each 10 μmol/l increase in α-tocopherol (OR 1·33; 95 % CI 1·12, 1·57), using logistic regression. Few lifestyle and clinical risk factors appear to be related to levels of total plasma carotenoids; however, levels of biomarkers such as plasma lipids and α-tocopherol may be strongly related.
Decreased reelin expression and organophosphate pesticide exposure alters mouse behaviour and brain morphology.

Genetic and environmental factors are both likely to contribute to neurodevelopmental disorders, including ASDs (autism spectrum disorders). In this study, we examined the combinatorial effect of two factors thought to be involved in autism – reduction in the expression of the extracellular matrix protein reelin and prenatal exposure to an organophosphate pesticide, CPO (chlorpyrifos oxon). Mice with reduced reelin expression or prenatal exposure to CPO exhibited subtle changes in ultrasound vocalization, open field behaviour, social interaction and repetitive behaviour. Paradoxically, mice exposed to both variables often exhibited a mitigation of abnormal behaviours, rather than increased behavioural abnormalities as expected. We identified specific differences in males and females in response to both of these variables. In addition to behavioural abnormalities, we identified anatomical alterations in the olfactory bulb, piriform cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. As with our behavioural studies, anatomical alterations appeared to be ameliorated in the presence of both variables. While these observations support an interaction between loss of reelin expression and CPO exposure, our results suggest a complexity to this interaction beyond an additive effect of individual phenotypes.
Postnatal Lethality in Mice Lacking the Sax2 Homeobox Gene Homologous to Drosophila S59/slouch: Evidence for Positive and Negative Autoregulation

Homeobox gene transcription factors direct multiple functions during development. They are involved in early patterning of the embryo as well as cell specification, cell differentiation, and organogenesis. Here we describe a previously uncharacterized murine homeobox gene, Sax2, that shows high similarity to the Drosophila S59/slouch and murine Sax1 genes. We show that Sax2 gene expression occurs early during embryogenesis in the midbrain, the midbrain-hindbrain boundary, the ventral neural tube, the developing eye, and the apical ectodermal ridge of the limb. To determine the role of Sax2 during development, we generated a knockout mouse line by replacing part of the Sax2 coding sequences with the lacZ gene. The Sax2 null allele mutants exhibit a strong phenotype indicated by growth retardation starting immediately after birth and leading to premature death within the first 3 weeks postnatal. Intriguingly, our studies also demonstrated a striking autoregulation of the Sax2 gene in both positive- and negative-feedback mechanisms depending on the specific cell type expressing Sax2.
Extended field-of-view imaging with table translation and frequency sweeping.

A new method for MRI of an extended field of view (FOV) has been developed and validated. The method employs concurrent MR data acquisition and patient table motion. Table motion-induced image artifacts are minimized by sweeping the frequency of the receiver at a rate matching the table's speed. Multiple regional images are collected and combined to reconstruct the full FOV. The imaging parameters and table speed are chosen to ensure that each regional image of the subject is collected while the corresponding anatomy is in the useable imaging volume of the scanner. Additional strategies are applied to further reduce field inhomogeneity-induced artifacts, especially distortions due to gradient field nonlinearity. The method is robust and can be easily incorporated into most multislice 2D and volumetric 3D imaging pulse sequences. It is anticipated that this technique will be useful for a variety of applications, including angiographic runoffs, whole-body screening, and short-magnet imaging.
Maternal and Fetal Stress Are Associated with Impaired Lactogenesis in Humans

Studies in animals indicate that various types of stressful stimuli can depress lactation, but there is much less information in humans. Experimental studies in breastfeeding women have shown that acute physical and mental stress can impair the milk ejection reflex by reducing the release of oxytocin during a feed. If this occurs repeatedly, it could reduce milk production by preventing full emptying of the breast at each feed. Prospective observational studies indicate that both maternal and fetal stress during labor and delivery (e.g., urgent Cesarean sections or long duration of labor in vaginal deliveries) are associated with delayed onset of lactation. The effects of chronic emotional stress on lactation are not known. Mothers who experience high levels of stress during and after childbirth should receive additional lactation guidance during the first week or two postpartum.
Video Object Segmentation through Spatially Accurate and Temporally Dense Extraction of Primary Object Regions

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to extract primary object segments in videos in the `object proposal' domain. The extracted primary object regions are then used to build object models for optimized video segmentation. The proposed approach has several contributions: First, a novel layered Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) based framework is presented for detection and segmentation of the primary object in video. We exploit the fact that, in general, objects are spatially cohesive and characterized by locally smooth motion trajectories, to extract the primary object from the set of all available proposals based on motion, appearance and predicted-shape similarity across frames. Second, the DAG is initialized with an enhanced object proposal set where motion based proposal predictions (from adjacent frames) are used to expand the set of object proposals for a particular frame. Last, the paper presents a motion scoring function for selection of object proposals that emphasizes high optical flow gradients at proposal boundaries to discriminate between moving objects and the background. The proposed approach is evaluated using several challenging benchmark videos and it outperforms both unsupervised and supervised state-of-the-art methods.
High fatality rates of late-life depression associated with cardiovascular disease.

Abstract Sixty-two elderly depressives were located one year after discharge. Eight patients (13%) had died, 2.6
9.6-mm Diameter femtosecond laser microsurgery probe

We present a 9.6-mm fiber-coupled probe for femtosecond laser microsurgery and nonlinear imaging. Towards enabling clinical use, we successfully reduced the volume of our earlier 18-mm surgery probe by 5 times, while improving optical performance.
The Optimal Number of Firms With an Application to Professional Sports Leagues

This article analyzes a cartel’s optimal choice of the number of firms in Salop’s circular city model under different assumptions about cooperative behaviors among firms. The authors consider two scenarios: (a) a cartel operates under a fully collusive regime in which it controls the number of firms and their pricing, and (b) a cartel operates under a semi-collusive regime in which it controls only the number of firms and pricing is left to individual firms. The authors compare the outcomes in both scenarios to the socially optimal and free entry outcomes. They then apply these comparisons to the case of a professional sports league’s optimal choice of the number of franchises.
Update on CD40 and CD154 blockade in transplant models

Generation of an effective immune response against foreign antigens requires two distinct molecular signals: a primary signal provided by the binding of antigen-specific T-cell receptor to peptide-MHC on antigen-presenting cells and a secondary signal delivered via the engagement of costimulatory molecules. Among various costimulatory signaling pathways, the interactions between CD40 and its ligand CD154 have been extensively investigated given their essential roles in the modulation of adaptive immunity. Here, we review current understanding of the role CD40/CD154 costimulation pathway has in alloimmunity, and summarize recent mechanistic and preclinical advances in the evaluation of candidate therapeutic approaches to target this receptor-ligand pair in transplantation.
Comparing prenatal providers' approaches to four different risks: alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and domestic violence.

ABSTRACT Objective: We explored prenatal care providers' methods for addressing four behavioral risks in their pregnant patients: alcohol use, smoking, drug use, and domestic violence. Design: We used qualitative, purposively sampled, focus group data. Setting: Groups met in professional focus group settings. Participants: We conducted six focus groups (five with OB/Gyn physicians, one with nurse practitioners and certified nurse midwives), with a total of N = 49. Measurements: The moderator used a focus group guide with open-ended questions, with probes where appropriate. Findings: Providers' discussions reflected differences in how they approach each risk, including: (1) ambivalence about abstinence messages for alcohol; (2) relative comfort and confidence about assessing smoking and counseling to reduce smoking; (3) disparities across practice settings for toxicology screening for drugs; and (4) discomfort and pessimism with domestic violence. Investigators also analyzed providers' statements for each ...
Students’ Experiences of Bullying in High School and Their Adjustment and Motivation During the First Semester of College

Bullying is a highly destructive communicative behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school victimization experiences from bullying influence college students’ first-semester transition experiences. College students (N = 149) completed a questionnaire during their first month in school measuring their retrospective bullying experiences in high school (relational-verbal bullying, cyberbullying, physical bullying, culture-based bullying), their current motivation for attending college (intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, amotivation), and their first-semester adjustment (academic adjustment, social adjustment, personal-emotional adjustment, institutional attachment). Results revealed negative relationships between first-semester students’ reports of high school victimization and their current motivation to attend and adjustment to their first month of college. These findings suggest that even though the college experience may be a new start for some students, victimization exp...
Tracing the Migration of a Sacred/Secular Tune Across Tunebooks and Its Traditions in Evangelical Nineteenth Century America: “The Peacock” Variations

Spanning the Early Nationalist, Antebellum, and Reconstruction periods in the U.S. (1780–1870), sacred music was sung in sacred and secular venues in public and at home. It survives as perhaps the most prevalent and best-documented piece of material artistic culture before the advent of recorded sound, with thousands of compilations. These sources document economic, social, cultural, and denominational aspects of society. Sacred music is uniquely posited to explicate these trends in their relationship to settlement and migration patterns before the American Civil War. Americans cultivated the folk hymn in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Folk hymns appear in three basic forms: (a) a sacred appropriation of a secular song/melody termed a contrafactum, (b) a tune with no secular origin but surviving in a number of variants or tune families, and (c) tunes that are parodies of earlier compositions. Although tune families remain more a product of evangelical denominations and churches, contrafacta survive from every level of society and theological disposition. This study documents all appearances of one folk hymn, “The Peacock,” a contrafactum originally conceived as military music and adapted as a secular song set to poetry by Scottish poet Robert Burns. Versions are found in all types of sacred musical material culture, including tunebooks, manuscript copybooks, and commonplace books. This ubiquitous tune appears in various settings from the Eastern Seaboard to the west and south. The surviving 8 secular and 11 sacred variants found in 62 settings allow for mapping of this contrafactum family throughout a 90-year period. These variants follow the major transportation networks revealing not only the means by which they travelled, but also denominational variants. The results illustrate that music remained almost exclusively a regionalized art form, allowing for insights into how Americans identified themselves by region and in many layers.
Vaccines and viral / toxin-associated neurologic infections.

Abstract Vaccines have been one of the true medical milestones; implementation of vaccines has mitigated uncountable morbidity and mortality from numerous diseases, and has succeeded in eradicating one infectious disease (smallpox) from the globe. Vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to recognize pathogens or toxins and mount a response when challenged by natural infection or exposure. Vaccines have been developed against many infections and toxins resulting in neurologic disease, including bacterial meningitides, various viruses, including rabies virus, varicella-zoster virus, poliovirus, and various arthropod-borne (arbo) viruses. Despite the tremendous benefit afforded by vaccines, the immune stimulus provided by vaccination can rarely result in adverse events, including neurologic serious adverse events. This chapter will review the mechanisms by which vaccines confer immunity to various pathogens and agents, and specifically review vaccines that deal with primarily neurologic infections and illnesses. The chapter will also describe the mechanisms associated with neurologic adverse events following vaccination, and the clinical manifestations of these adverse events, as well as how to report such events to public health authorities.
Anogenital Mucosal Immunology and Virology

between innate and adaptive immunity (Figs. 2.1 and 2.2). In fact, the mucosa, including that of the anogenital tract, is a major site both of innate and adaptive host defenses involving cellular and soluble effectors. However, substantive differences between the two immune systems are apparent, and these variations have profound implications for selective stimulation of the most appropriate responses for protection against any specific pathogen. This chapter documents important ways in which the mucosal immune system, particularly as it relates to the anogenital tract, differs from peripheral immunity.
Responsive PET Nano/Microfibers via Surface-Initiated Polymerization

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is one of the most important thermoplastics in ubiquitous use today because of its mechanical properties, clarity, solvent resistance, and recyclability. In this work, we functionalize the surface of electrospun PET microfibers by growing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) brushes through a chemical sequence that avoids PET degradation to generate thermoresponsive microfibers that remain mechanically robust. Amidation of deposited 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, followed by hydrolysis, yields silanol groups that permit surface attachment of initiator molecules, which can be used to grow PNIPAAm via "grafting from" atom-transfer radical polymerization. Spectroscopic analyses performed after each step confirm the expected reaction and the ultimate growth of PNIPAAm brushes. Water contact-angle measurements conducted at temperatures below and above the lower critical solution temperature of PNIPAAm, coupled with adsorption of Au nanoparticles from aqueous suspension, demonstrate that the brushes retain their reversible thermoresponsive nature, thereby making PNIPAAm-functionalized PET microfibers suitable for filtration media, tissue scaffolds, delivery vehicles, and sensors requiring robust microfibers.
An Automatic Intermittent Sprayer: a New Approach to the Insecticidal Control of Horticultural Insect Pests

Two experimental intermittent sprayers, one air-operated and the other electrically-operated, were compared with a continuous sprayer for the control of the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni (Hubner), and the imported cabbage worm, Pieris rapae (L.), in 2 successive field plantings of cabbages. The air-operated unit used 31% less insecticide than the continuous sprayer and was equally as effective in controlling both pests and in preventing feeding damage. The electrically operated unit used 42% less spray material than the continuous sprayer but did not control pests as effectively.
266 CORRELATES OF READINESS TO CHANGE DRINKING BEHAVIORS AMONG A SAMPLE OF INNER-CITY EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT PATIENTS WITH AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM.

The high rate of alcohol use among emergency department (ED) patients makes the ED setting an obvious target for increased screening and interventions. However, interventions to change alcohol behavior may be applied inappropriately if a patient9s motivation to change is not factored in. Purpose of the Study To identify correlates of readiness to change problem drinking among a sample of ED patients. Method This study analyzes secondary data obtained from an earlier ED study conducted at the King/Drew Medical Center between August 2001 and December 2001 (9 am to 6 pm, 5 days a week). This study used a sample of 295 ED patients who scored positive for an alcohol problem based on CAGE (score ≥ 1). Results 68% African American; 32% Latino; 80% male; 46% less than high school diploma; 85% not married; 72% no health insurance; 85% no primary care health provider. Whereas 12% of the patients were “not ready” to change their drinking behaviors, 47% and 41% were “unsure” and “ready,” respectively. Using multiple regression analysis revealed that among a list of four potential predictors (illicit drug use, tobacco use, exposure to violence, and having a primary care doctor),and six controlling variables (gender, ethnicity, education, marital status, insurance, ability to afford medication), reporting use of illicit drug(s), reporting exposure to violence, being female, and being married contributed significantly to the likelihood of changing one9s level of readiness to change alcohol behaviors (p ≤ .05). Conclusion Recognizing ED patients9 level of motivation to change problem drinking and factors that move one toward a higher level of readiness can help researchers improve the receptiveness and effectiveness of alcohol behavior interventions.
Spatial and Temporal Changes in the Pattern of Export Trade between Guangdong Province and the Countries along “One Belt and One Road”

Since "One Belt and One Road" became the national strategy, the economic and trade contacts between China and the countries along the line have been the focus of attentions. Export trade is an important measure to stimulate economic growth and promote national influence. Guangdong Province has the highest export trade value in China and its export trade with the countries and regions along "One Belt and One Road" has been increasing. In this paper, the spatial and temporal changes in the pattern of export trade between Guangdong and the countries and regions along "One Belt and One Road" were studied using data during 2000-2014 provided by China Customs. The results showed that the export trade of Guangdong concentrated on the countries and regions(e.g., HMT, Southeast Asia, South Asia and West Asia/Middle East) along the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road Economic Belt" with a lower-than-national-average weight in export trade with the countries and regions along the "Silk Road Economic Belt", including Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Mongolia-Russia region; the export trade between Guangdong Province and the countries and regions along "One Belt and One Road" had been growing and the export trade pattern had changed a lot. The emerging economies had been taking up a larger proportion in the import trade of Guangdong Province while the developed countries(regions) and the developing countries with a small economic aggregate had been taking up a smaller proportion and stepping down in ranking; the major exported commodities of Guangdong were equipment manufacturing products, textiles and garments, and general equipment and instruments. Influenced by the demand structure of the countries(regions) along the line, the export commodity structures differed greatly between regions.
Survey of Enterobacter sakazakii contamination in homemade infant formula powder

Objective To know the Enterobacter sakazakii contamination in homemade infant formula powder which provides scientific basis for consumers.Methods 32 bags of Infant formula powder bought from supermarket and the retail market were checked according to the 2011 and 2012 editions of the national foodborne pathogen monitoring manual.Results 2 strains of Enterobacter sakazakii were found from 32 samples,the detection rate was 6.25%.Among them,The detection rate of Enterobacter sakazakii from Infant formula powder was 4.35%(1/23);and The detection rate of Enterobacter sakazakii from Infant cereal food formula was 11.11%(1/9).Conclusion Enterobacter sakazakii contamination exists in infant formula which sales form Liujiang County.Food security can not be ignored,monitor of infant food should be strengthen,which can prevent and control the food poisoning incident caused by Enterobacter sakazakii.
Fetal Malnutrition and Growth Processes

When growth is studied in cellular terms, it becomes clear that it is not a homogeneous process but that an organ moves from a stage in which growth is by increase in cell number to one of growth by increase in cell size. Undernutrition during the first stage may leave a permanent deficit in cell number. Completing its growth first, the brain is at severest risk, among bodily organs, from fetal malnutrition.
Elevated levels of interleukin-6 in ascites and serum from women with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome.

Objective To examine the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Design In vitro laboratory study of serum, peritoneal cells isolated and fluid obtained from ascites removed in the therapeutic management of four patients with OHSS. Setting Tertiary care referral teaching hospital. Patients Four patients with OHSS comprised the study population. Five healthy women at the time of elective laparoscopic tubal ligation served as controls. Control serum was also obtained from healthy adult volunteers, and control peritoneal fluid (PF) was obtained from patients on peritoneal dialysis. Interventions Therapeutic paracentesis was performed on four patients with OHSS. Results Peritoneal cells were isolated and fluid obtained from ascites removed in the therapeutic management of the women with OHSS. Peritoneal cells were obtained by intraoperative lavage from the control women. The cells were incubated with various concentrations of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 20 and 48hours. Interleukin-1/ β (IL-1/ β ), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ) were assayed in the incubation supernatants. The release of the three cytokines and PGE 2 in response to LPS by peritoneal cells from women with OHSS was not different from the controls. However, both serum and ascitic fluid from women with OHSS contained significantly greater levels of IL-6 than control serum and PF. No significant differences in TNF levels in serum, ascitic fluid, or PF could be found by ELISA or bioassay. Conclusions Increased production of IL-6, released into the peritoneal cavity and the circulation, may mediate OHSS.
Arachidonic acid pathway alterations in cerebrospinal fluid of dogs with naturally occurring spinal cord injury.

Background Canine intervertebral disc πherniation causes a naturally-occurring spinal cord injury (SCI) that bears critical similarities to human SCI with respect to both injury pathomechanisms and treatment. As such, it has tremendous potential to enhance our understanding of injury biology and the preclinical evaluation of novel therapies. Currently, there is limited understanding of the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in canine SCI.
Active Stochastic Control of Seismic Structures

In a continuing effort to determine the feasibility of applying optimal control to building structures, a comprehensive experimental study was carried out using a standardized structural model under base excitation produced by the Earthquake Simulator at SUNY/Buffalo. Based upon computer simulations and experimental results, this paper presents a comparison of effectiveness of several optimal control algorithms using instantaneous optimal criteria, including time delay compensation. All investigations were done under similar conditions to permit a systematic evaluation of efficiency. Comparisons were also made between analytical and experimental results and between instantaneous control algorithms and classical closedloop linear feedback. Conclusions drawn regarding relative merits of the control algorithms considered under varying conditions are presented herein.
Killing the spores of Bacillus species by molecular iodine.

Aims Determine responses of spores of Bacillus subtilis and the Bacillus anthracis surrogate Bacillus thuringiensis Al Hakam to I2-treatment. Methods and Results Spores of B. subtilis and B. thuringiensis killed by aqueous 30°C I2 could germinate, and their inner membrane (IM) was intact. Spore coats were important in I2 resistance, DNA protective proteins were not important, and survivors of I2-treatment were not mutagenised. Viabilities of I2-treated, 90-98%-killed spores were much lower on high-salinity media, and treated spores were more heat-sensitive than untreated spores. Germinated I2-killed spores were dead as determined by staining with nucleic acid dyes, and many appeared to have lysed. Conclusions Aqueous I2 appeared to kill B. subtilis and B. thuringiensis spores such that spores lyse soon after they germinate, and not by causing DNA damage or rupture of spores’ IM. I2-treatment also generated many damaged spores that could only be recovered under non-stressful conditions. Significance and Impact of Study This work shows that spores of the model organism B. subtilis, and B. thuringiensis, a surrogate for B. anthracis spores, exhibit similar mechanisms of resistance to and killing by I2. Generation by I2-treatment of conditionally dead spores indicates that appropriate media are essential to efficiently enumerate viable I2-treated spores. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Large P ⊥ 2 Spin Dependence of p-p Elastic Scattering

I would like to talk about our experiment which measured the pp elastic scattering differential cross sections using the Argonne ZGS polarized beam and our polarized target. The measurement was done at 11.75 GeV/c, which is presently the highest possible energy for this type of measurement. The data I am going to present here are based on a one month run1 in February, 1976, when we made measurements up to P ⊥ 2 = 2.2 (GeV/c)2 and a two month run in November and December 1976, when we took measurements up to P ⊥ 2 = 3.6 (GeV/c)2. We are thus exploring the very high P⊥ region where the inner structure of the proton should manifest itself in our measurement. At 11.75 GeV/c 90° scattering in the CM system corresponds to P ⊥ 2 = 5.2 (GeV/c)2.
Developmentally-Responsive Relationships During After School

Research has shown that afterschool programs are effective in improving academic performance, helping children develop better work habits and social skills, reducing the likelihood of at-risk behaviors, and decreasing school-based crime. Many agree that such results would not be prominent if it weren’t for the supportive nature of children’s relationships with staff. This manuscript presents a theoretical understanding of the connection between relationships and human growth and development. Observations of outstanding youth workers will show how relationships are used to leverage the development of young people. The author also provides a model of adult-as-community-builder that elaborates the specific methods by which youth workers create what is being called here, developmentally-responsive relationships. The manuscript ends with suggestions for enhancing the vitality of adult-youth connections and supporting the growth of youth professionals.
Prevalence, Profile, and Prognosis of Severe Obesity in Contemporary Hospitalized Heart Failure Trial Populations

Abstract Objectives This study evaluated the prevalence, profile, and prognosis of severe obesity in a large contemporary acute heart failure (AHF) population. Background Better prognosis has been reported for obese heart failure (HF) patients than nonobese HF patients, but in other cardiovascular populations, this effect has not been demonstrated for severely obese patients. Methods A cohort of 795 participants with body mass index (BMI) measured at time of admission and complete follow-up were identified from enrollment in 3 contemporary AHF trials (DOSE [Diuretic Strategies Optimization Evaluation], CARRESS-HF [Cardiorenal Rescue Study in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure], and ROSE [Renal Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure]). Patients were divided into 4 BMI categories according to standard World Health Organization criteria, as follows: normal weight: 18.5 to 25 kg/m 2 [n = 128]; overweight: 25 to 29.9 kg/m 2 [n = 209]; mild-to-moderate obese: 30 to 39.9 kg/m 2 [n = 301]; and severely obese: ≥40 kg/m 2 [n = 157]). The relationship between BMI and 60-day composite outcome (death, rehospitalization, or unscheduled provider visit) was investigated. Results Patients with severe obesity (19.7%) were younger, more often female, hypertensive, diabetic, and more likely to have higher blood pressures and left ventricular ejection fraction, and lower N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and troponin I levels than other BMI category patients. Following admission for AHF, patients with normal weight showed the highest risk of 60-day composite outcome, followed by patients who were severely obese. Overweight and mild-moderately obese patients showed lowest risk. Conclusions Nearly one-fifth of AHF patients enrolled in contemporary randomized clinical trials are severely obese. A U-shaped curve for short-term prognosis according to BMI is seen in AHF. These findings may help to better inform both HF clinical care and future clinical trial planning.
Brief Myocardial Ischemia Produces Cardiac Troponin I Release and Focal Myocyte Apoptosis in the Absence of Pathological Infarction in Swine

In a porcine model of brief ischemia leading to reversible stunning in the absence of tissue necrosis, we demonstrated delayed release of cTnI that exceeded the 99th percentile for normals 60-minutes after reperfusion and rose to readily detectable levels 24-hours later. While tissue analysis at 60-minutes showed no evidence of infarction, TUNEL staining demonstrated isolated myocytes undergoing apoptosis, which was absent after 24-hours. These results demonstrate that cTnI elevations occur after ischemia of a duration that is insufficient to produce myocyte necrosis and reflect myocyte injury associated with delayed apoptosis in the absence of pathological evidence of infarction.
Accurate step-hold tracking of smoothly varying periodic and aperiodic probability

Subjects observing many samples from a Bernoulli distribution are able to perceive an estimate of the generating parameter. A question of fundamental importance is how the current percept—what we think the probability now is—depends on the sequence of observed samples. Answers to this question are strongly constrained by the manner in which the current percept changes in response to changes in the hidden parameter. Subjects do not update their percept trial-by-trial when the hidden probability undergoes unpredictable and unsignaled step changes; instead, they update it only intermittently in a step-hold pattern. It could be that the step-hold pattern is not essential to the perception of probability and is only an artifact of step changes in the hidden parameter. However, we now report that the step-hold pattern obtains even when the parameter varies slowly and smoothly. It obtains even when the smooth variation is periodic (sinusoidal) and perceived as such. We elaborate on a previously published theory that accounts for: (i) the quantitative properties of the step-hold update pattern; (ii) subjects’ quick and accurate reporting of changes; (iii) subjects’ second thoughts about previously reported changes; (iv) subjects’ detection of higher-order structure in patterns of change. We also call attention to the challenges these results pose for trial-by-trial updating theories.
Performance of near-weapons-grade plutonium fuel pins in commercial light water reactors

Important decisions related to the kind of reactors to be used for the disposition of the surplus weapons-grade plutonium are going to be based on calculations. Benchmarking computational methods in all aspects of the fuel cycle with measured data is then an obvious necessity. Analysis of public domain data reveals that the cycle-2 irradiation in the Quad Cities-1 boiling water reactor is the most recent U.S. destructive examination, involving the irradiation of five mixed-oxide (MOX) assemblies using 80 and 90% fissile Pu, quite close to weapons-grade Pu isotopic. Such measurements are rare, and they might be the only source of information to quantify differences in key neutronics parameters between high-fissile Pu systems and the well-characterized use of reactor-grade Pu. The pin neutronic performances for the UO{sub 2} and MOX fuels are compared with assembly-level calculation in which {approx}20% of the pins are MOX pins surrounded by UO{sub 2} pins. For MOX rods, HELIOS models the chains for the isotopes of uranium and plutonium reasonably well when compared with measured data at {approx}12,000 MWd/tonne. However, indications are that the amounts of heavier actinides are underpredicted. Measurements and calculations of the relative pin power distribution for the last few weeks of themore » irradiation and the burnup are fairly consistent. The critical effects of the contribution of the 0.296-eV resonance to the production of higher actinides and the destruction of {sup 239}Pu are discussed.« less
Surfactant Replacement in Patients with Ards: Results of Clinical Trials

Since the first medical description of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) three decades ago, there has been growing evidence that disturbance of the lung surfactant system may contribute to the pathophysiology of that syndrome. Initial descriptions of patients with ARDS documented abnormalities of lung surfactant biophysical function. Understanding of the complexity of the lung surfactant system has matured, and it is now possible to describe both biophysical and non-biophysical functions of that system, how the various components of lung surfactant may be altered in disease states, and how those alterations may contribute to lung surfactant dysfunction. Such understanding forms a rational basis for design and evaluation of studies of lung surfactant administration to patients with ARDS.
Energy and International War: From Bagdhad to Babylon and Beyond

Will international wars where energy resources play a central role continue to hold sway over life and death for industrialized nations, or is this a transient phase in the evolution of industrial societies? This book answers this question by tracing the history of energy and conflict from antiquity, through the epic hot and cold wars of the twentieth century, to expected outcome of the war in Iraq. It points the way to the end of wars over control of fossil fuels, and demonstrates why these may be the last major international wars over other resources as well. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of energy use or international conflict. Readers will find in it an illuminating overview of the sweep of historical events. The book further provides a compelling explanation of how a thorough understanding of the evolutionary direction of these events challenges the conventional wisdom that resource wars are endemic to the nature of industrial society, thus offering a fresh view on one of the most important challenges of our time.
Lecture — Algorithmic Information Theory & the Foundations of Mathematics

[This lecture was given at a three-day meeting on math, physics and theology at the Technical University of Vienna where I was welcomed in 1991 as Godel’s successor by Hans-Christian Reichel. The Vienna newspaper Der Standard printed my photo with a full-page article by John Casti entitled (in German) “Out Godeling Godel”, and Casti’s article was blown up to poster size and mounted on an easel outside the auditorium where this talk was given. (I was the key math speaker, and the key physics speaker was to have been John Bell of Bell’s inequality, but his untimely death prevented this.) I also gave a more technical talk, for which numbered tickets were distributed, in Godel’s small classroom at the University of Vienna, where I was photographed in front of a commemorative plaque in Godel’s honor.]
The Worldwide Epidemiology of Prostate Cancer: Perspectives from Autopsy Studies

Introduction Prostate cancer is the most frequently diagnosed non-skin cancer in the United States and the third leading cause of cancer deaths. International trends in the incidence, mortality and prevalence of prostate cancer are assessed. Methods Databases from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program of the National Cancer Institute and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), and the literature on autopsy studies on prostate cancer were reviewed and summarized in the article. Results Prostate cancer remains an important public health concern in Western countries and an emerging malignancy in developing nations. Prostate cancer incidence is dependent on efforts to detect the disease. Autopsy studies provide accurate and useful information regarding comparative prevalence rates of the disease among regions of interest. Conclusions Improved cancer registration is needed in developing nations. The prevalence of prostate cancer must be established to predict the expected incidence of the disease and in order to plan rational detection and treatment strategies. Clinically significant disease should be distinguished from insignificant disease which may pose little or no biological danger to the patient.
The Abject Scapegoat: Boundary Erosion and Maintenance in League of Legends

In the wake of the qualification of the first woman (Remilia) to the professional tier of League of Legends, the North American e-sports community erupted with debates about what her presence might mean for League, e-sports, and women who play games. The debates reveal an obsession with maintaining boundaries that seem to erode easily in digital gaming spaces: between male and female, gamer and athlete, human and technology, for example. Focusing on her alleged transgender status, the gaming community shored up these boundaries through discursively abjectifying Remilia, using transphobic tactics to figure her as an insignificant spectacle. In this way, she became a scapegoat for the gaming community’s larger, unacknowledged anxieties about boundary erosion, a phenomenon which has the potential to challenge cisgender masculine privilege in gaming spaces.
Sexual Disorders in the DSM-5: Implications for Counselors

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is one of the most important mediums through which counselors receive information on the evolving nature of the profession. Such evol...
Bringing Personalized Medicine to a PACT Program: A Quality Improvement Project:

INTRODUCTION: Programs for assertive community treatment (PACT) serve persons with severe mental illness who have been unsuccessful with traditional outpatient services. Many PACT clients struggle to obtain symptom relief with medications that often have poor efficacy and undesired side effects, which can result in nonadherence, relapse, and increased health care utilization with associated costs. AIMS: This quality improvement project aimed to improve client and PACT program outcomes by incorporating pharmacogenomic testing into the psychopharmacological decision-making process. METHODS: The project used a pre-posttest design with each client serving as their own control to evaluate changes in clients' symptoms and program outcomes resulting from pharmacogenomics-guided medication management. RESULTS: Following project implementation, clients' symptoms were decreased and both engagement in care and stability in the community increased. Psychiatric hospitalizations and associated costs decreased. CONCLUSIONS: This project suggests utility for using pharmacogenomics testing to personalize care for persons with severe mental illness.
Grammar Error Correction in Morphologically-Rich Languages: The Case of Russian

Until now, most of the research in grammar error correction focused on English, and the problem has hardly been explored for other languages. We address the task of correcting writing mistakes in m...
A 60-Second Survey to Identify Patients' Unmet Social Needs.

The connection between poor social determinants of health and high utilization of health care is well established.1 The use of emergency departments for illnesses manageable within the community is common, as are hospitalizations due to preventable disease complications. Patients with poorer social
Toward a Secure IoT Architecture

The design of a cyber-secure, Internet of Things (IoT), supply chain risk management architecture is proposed. The purpose of the architecture is to reduce vulnerabilities of malicious supply chain risks by applying machine learning (ML), cryptographic hardware monitoring (CHM), and distributed network coordination (DNC) techniques to guard against unforeseen hardware component failures and malicious attacks. These crosscutting technologies are combined into an Instrumentation-and-Control/Operator-in-the-Loop (ICOL) architecture that learns normal and abnormal system behaviors. In the event that the ICOL detects possible abnormal system-component behaviors, an ICOL network alert is triggered that requires an operator verification-response action before any control parameters can affect the operation of the system. The operator verification-response is fed back into the ML systems to recalibrate the classification of normal and abnormal states of the system. As a consequence, this proposal adheres to the notion of an Operator-in-the-Loop strategy that combines DNC, ML, and CHM with the creative problem-solving capabilities of human intelligence.
Response to Lee et al 2019: Essential to frame study implications within the context of prior findings from enriched cohorts for underlying familial risk of breast cancer.

We read with great interest the paper by Lee and colleagues1 supporting an association between women’s occupational exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and risk of breast cancer. Their finding of a greater risk for women with a first-degree family history of breast cancer is consistent with our finding published in 2017 showing a very strong interaction between PAH albumin adducts and family history and breast cancer risk in a prospective cohort of women at high risk from breast cancer.2 Unlike Lee and colleagues, however, we did not examine an ever/never construct of family history but rather based our assessment using a continuous family history score …
Cross-layer Multi-hop Broadcast based on Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System in VANETs

In Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs), multi-hop broadcast is one the fundamental communication schemes to support message propagation through zones of interest. In VANETs, it is essential to design a reliable multi-hop broadcast scheme to satisfy requirements of reachability and bandwidth consumption. Since in sparse networks, reachability is the primary consideration, in this paper we utilize cross-layer information to enhance the reachability of broadcast while maintaining relatively good bandwidth performance in VANET. In this paper, we apply Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) to design a multi-hop broadcast scheme. Based on ANFIS Tool in MATLAB and ns-3 simulation results, the performance of our proposed Cross-layer Multi-hop Broadcast based on Adaptive Neuro-FUZZY Inference System (BANFIS) in urban environment is evaluated.
Characterization of Intercrop Movement of Lygus hesperus between Cotton and Alfalfa

Lygus hesperus Knight (Miridae: Hemiptera), a key pest of cotton in the United States, is a highly polyphagous insect. Upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. var. hirsutum) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) are two major field crop hosts of Lygus hesperus in the Texas High Plains. While alfalfa is considered a source of Lygus in cotton, Lygus intercrop movement behavior has not been fully characterized in cotton-alfalfa systems. Understanding the intercrop movement behavior of Lygus may facilitate better decision-making for Lygus management in these crops. A series of studies including a mark-release-recapture study and season-long field monitoring of Lygus were conducted in the Texas High Plains, USA. Season-long field marking and monitoring of Lygus intercrop movement revealed bidirectional Lygus movement and confirmed that Lygus preferred alfalfa over cotton. Net movement of Lygus between cotton and alfalfa was influenced by cotton phenology. A “two-crop/two-marker” field-marking and monitoring approach was successfully applied in characterizing Lygus seasonal intercrop movement. This approach can be used to study the effect of various crop management practices on Lygus intercrop movement and is applicable to other pests and cropping systems.
Randomized Trial of a Mobile Personal Health Record for Behavioral Health Homes.

Objective:Behavioral health homes, which provide onsite primary medical care in mental health clinics, face challenges in integrating information across multiple health records. This study tested w...