cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exact Spectral Function Sum Rules

A general procedure for extracting exact spectral-function sum rules is presented. The short-distance behavior of products of vector and axial-vector currents is related to the convergence (or superconvergence) of the original first and second spectral sum rules together with a third sum rule involving only the spin-0 spectral function. The operator-product expansion is then applied to determine all (and only) those linear combinations of current propagators for which the short-distance behavior is sufficiently soft to yield superconvergent sum rules for the corresponding combinations of spectral functions. Our method is applied to determine the complete set of sum rules for a theory defined by a global chiral SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(4) symmetry, broken (a) explicitly by hadron (quark) masses and (b) by dynamical symmetry breaking to any subgroup containing the symmetry group of the mass matrix. Our derivation is strictly true only for asymptotically free theories, but the results are expected to apply for a range of other theories. The method is easily extended to deal with current propagators involving scalar and pseudoscalar densities (not necessarily divergences of vector or axial-vector currents)---the relevant sum rules in the context of the SU(4)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}SU(4) model are derived. Finally, we compare our approach and results to those of several recent studies of the spectral-function sum rules. An appendix presents a proof that Wilson functions exhibit the full symmetries of any theory, whether or not these are spontaneously broken.
A knowledge model for unifying deductive and non-deductive heterogeneous databases

A new, much-needed knowledge model for integrating heterogeneous knowledge represented by independently developed deductive rules and diverse data models has been developed and is presented. It has the strength and expressiveness necessary to unify seemingly disparate, autonomous components. Separate components, including rules, are modeled as functional units. A complete set of relationships, or links, between units based on domain interdependencies is defined, along with a set of integration operators. This approach resolves the unique and complex forms of conflict that arise from integrating deductive rules from autonomous sources, such as conflicts in meaning, redundancies and subsumption. This model has significant application to the creation of a common representation for future shared environments. >
Palliative Surgery for Advanced Cancer: Identifying Evidence-Based Criteria for Patient Selection: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Abstract Background: Criteria for selecting patients with advanced cancer for palliative surgery (PS) remains poorly defined. Decision making for PS requires realistic treatment goals with well-defined criteria. Here we discuss a 71-year-old Jehovah's Witness with advanced stage renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who presented with profound anemia due to intractable bleeding from gastric metastasis. After repeated attempts with endoscopic and angiographic management, she underwent surgical palliation. Through this case, we developed 10-item evidence-based criteria for selecting patients for PS. Objective: The study objective was to provide a review of pertinent literature for PS and identify evidence-based criteria for patient selection. These criteria were relevant for selecting this patient with metastatic RCC and may prove beneficial for selecting advanced cancer patients for PS. Methods: A MEDLINE search revealed 175 publications relevant to PS. Among these, 17 articles defining patient selection criteria (PS...
An ecophysiological approach to quantifying nitrogen fixation by Lobaria oregana

Abstract Lobaria oregana is an epiphytic macrolichen associated with old-growth Douglas-fir forests in the Pacific Northwest. Nitrogen fixation by this often-abundant cyanolichen provides an ecologically significant input of new N to the forest ecosystem. This study estimates annual N2 fixation by L. oregana using a model based on physiological field measurements and laboratory experiments. Meteorological data from the Wind River Canopy Crane site and the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest are used to calculate annual N2 fixation rates, assuming that hydration and temperature are the two parameters controlling nitrogenase activity. At the crane site, estimated annual N2 fixation is 1.5 kg ha−1. In the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest, L. oregana may fix 2.6–16.5 kg N2 ha−1 yr−1 depending on its stand-level canopy biomass. The model's predictions are checked by using published growth rates and standing L. oregana biomass estimates to calculate independent values for annual N2 fixation at each site.
Pop Goes the Woozle: Being Misled by Research on Child Custody and Parenting Plans

Mental health professionals, lawyers, and judges whose work involves child custody decisions are often presented with social science research on issues related to which parenting plan is in the children’s best interests. Unfortunately, this research can be misrepresented in ways that mislead these professionals and the children’s parents, leading to child custody decisions that are not the most beneficial for the children. The process of misrepresenting the research in ways that create myths and misconceptions has been referred to as woozling. This article describes how social science data can be woozled, illustrating this with examples related to parenting plans for children under the age of 5 whose parents have separated.
Thermoregulation: Autonomic, Age-Related Changes

Epidemiological observations of increased mortality of the elderly during severe cold and hot weather suggest a possible age-related attenuation in thermoregulation. However, empirical evidence from both humans and laboratory animals suggests that sympathetic-mediated autonomic control of thermoregulation is maintained throughout most of the life span. Nonetheless, evaluations of the autonomic regulation of vasoconstriction and vasodilation mechanisms in humans have revealed that heat conservation and convective heat loss progressively decline during old age; changes in core temperature appear in the oldest old. These observations in humans have been confirmed in rodents, in which alterations in several autonomic mechanisms of thermoregulation coincide with a terminal phase of life, characterized by declining body weight, food intake, and mean body temperature.
Failure Investigation of LiFePO4 Cells under Overcharge Conditions

The failure mechanism of commercial A123 18650 LiFePO4 battery in the overcharge failure process at 1C and 110% SOC has been studied. It was found that, during the normal cycle, the anode and cathode voltages were from -0.25 V to 0.25 V and 2.60 V to 4.50 V respectively, while in the 10% overcharge process, the anode voltage was between -0.4V to 0.22V (vs. Li/Li+) and the cathode voltage changed from 2.20 V to 4.86 V (vs. Li/Li+). The overcharge failure was studied using SEM and EDX. It was found that coding spots appeared in the anode side. Fe, Ni and Ge were found only in the coding spots by performing EDX, indicating the micro shorting by metal dendrite is the main reason of the failure of battery during the 10% overcharge process. It could be concluded from the results of High Energy Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction (HESXRD) that Fe was not from the decomposition of LiFePO4. The potential of Fe/Fe2+ oxidation/reduction pair in the LiPF6/EC-EMC electrolyte system was found to be 2.2 V/2.7 V. It was concluded that Fe cations could not only be reduced on the surface of graphite, but also at the cathode side during the overcharge process. Compared with normal cycle, under the overcharge process, the impurities containing iron in the raw material was more conducted to dendrite formation leading to micro-shorting because of the wider reduction voltage range in the overcharge process.
Utilizing Teacher Leadership as a Catalyst for Change in Schools

School leaders are constantly trying to find alternative ways to leverage and explore teacher leadership potential in their school building(s). Teachers leaders that are willing to go above and beyond their general duties. Teacher leaders are the type of educators that fall under the motif of potentially taking on additive responsibilities that will help to improve the school community. This paper looks at ways to leverage relationships between teacher leaders and school leaders in order to get maximum output from school staff. By infusing shared leadership in the school community, responsibility and accountability becomes a shared belief, that can be utilized as a catalyst for change in the school community.
Time to pediatric epilepsy surgery is longer and developmental outcomes lower for government compared with private insurance.

Background It is unclear if socioeconomic factors like type of insurance influence time to referral and developmental outcomes for pediatric patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. Objective This study determined whether private compared with state government insurance was associated with shorter intervals of seizure onset to surgery and better developmental quotients for pediatric patients undergoing epilepsy surgery. Methods A consecutive cohort (n = 420) of pediatric patients undergoing epilepsy surgery were retrospectively categorized into those with Medicaid (California Children's Services; n = 91) or private (Preferred Provider Organization, Health Maintenance Organization, Indemnity; n = 329) insurance. Intervals from seizure onset to referral and surgery and Vineland developmental assessments were compared by insurance type with the use of log-rank tests. Results Compared with private insurance, children with Medicaid had longer intervals from seizure onset to referral for evaluation (log-rank test, P = .034), and from seizure onset to surgery (P = .017). In a subset (25%) that had Vineland assessments, children with Medicaid compared with private insurance had lower Vineland scores presurgery (P = .042) and postsurgery (P = .003). Type of insurance was not associated with seizure severity, types of operations, etiology, postsurgical seizure-free outcomes, and complication rate. Conclusion Compared with Medicaid, children with private insurance had shorter intervals from seizure onset to referral and to epilepsy surgery, and this was associated with lower Vineland scores before surgery. These findings may reflect delayed access for uninsured children who eventually obtained state insurance. Reasons for the delay and whether longer intervals before epilepsy surgery affect long-term cognitive and developmental outcomes warrant further prospective investigations.
Rice Blast Resistant Gene Analysis of Rice Core Germplasm Longjing No.10 and Kendao No.10 in Cold Region

In order to make clear the genetic constitution of the resistance gene of the core genetic resources in cold region,10 F3 populations of Lijiangxintuanheigu×Longjing No.10 and Lijiangxintuanheigu×Kendao No.10 were inoculated by the seven single gene controlled strains(P-2b,Ken 53-33,Ina 72,Hoku 1,Ken54-20,Ken 54-04,Ina 168).Cumulative distribution curve method was applied.The results showed that the resistance of Longjing No.10 to P-2b,Ken 53-33,na 72 and Hoku 1 was controlled by 2 pairs dominant genes,to Ken 54-20 was controlled by 3 pairs dominant genes,to Ken 54-04 and Ina 168 was controlled by 2 pairs dominant genes and 1 pair recessive gene;that of Kendao No.10 to Ken 53-33 was controlled by 2 pairs dominant genes,to Ken 54-20 was controlled by 1 pair dominant gene,to Ken 54-04 was controlled by 2 pairs complementary dominant gene.Longjing No.10 and Kendao No.10 could be used as rice core germplasm of rice blast resistance in cold region to provide good rice blast resistance resource of parents selection for breeding,and made a good basis for building rice core germplasm bank in cold region and was important for rice production.
Pediatric Ventilator-associated Pneumonia Prevention and Care

Objective Discussion on prevention and care methods of ventilator-associated pneumonia in children.Methods The clinical data of 65 cases randomly selected children with ventilator-associated pneumonia,giving airway secretions collected for bacterial culture and sensitivity test analysis.Close observation of clinical symptoms of the situation of children,strengthen nursing intervention.Results The group of children were cured 61 cases,accounting for 93.8%,four cases of death,accounting for 6.2%.The overall effect is more good.Conclusion Environmental care,airway care,oral care,nutrition and other aspects of care,strengthen the infant's comprehensive nursing intervention to reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia,and promote the rehabilitation of children.
Obesity and Diabetic Kidney Disease: Role of Oxidant Stress and Redox Balance.

Abstract Significance: Reactive oxygen species (ROS) reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and redox processes are of key importance in obesity- and diabetes-related kidney disease; however, there remains significant controversy in the field. Recent Advances: New data from imaging and in vivo models of obesity and diabetic kidney disease have shed new insights into this field. In the setting of obesity- and diabetes-related kidney injury, there is a growing recognition that the major moieties of ROS and RNS are hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite with the enzymatic sources being NADPH oxidases and nitric oxide synthase, respectively. However, the role of mitochondrial superoxide as a driver of renal complications remains unclear. Critical Issues: Several key issues that are often not discussed are the specific ROS and RNS molecules, the source of generation, the location of production, and downstream targets. Future Directions: Further understanding of the role of ROS/RNS/redox and their relationship with key s...
Oxygen diffusion in hamster striated muscle: comparison of in vitro and near in vivo conditions.

To investigate the suggestion of A. S. Popel, R. N. Pittman, and M. L. Ellsworth [Am. J. Physiol. 256 (Heart Circ. Physiol. 25): H921-H924, 1989] that Krogh9s diffusion coefficient for O2 in vivo might be an order of magnitude higher than in vitro, O2 diffusion coefficient (DO2) and resting O2 consumption were measured on hamster retractor muscle in vitro and under near in vivo conditions where the muscle remained attached to the animal but the arterial inflow was occluded just before measurement. Experiments were performed on two groups of animals, differing in weight and age. We found that DO2 determined in vitro (extrapolated to 37 degrees C) was 1.81 +/- 0.12 x 10(-5) cm2/s for group I (smaller and younger), which was not significantly different from the value (2.00 +/- 0.08 x 10(-5) cm2/s) determined in group II. In both groups, DO2 under near in vivo conditions tended to be 10-15% larger than the value in vitro, although this trend did not reach statistical significance. It is unlikely that this trend is large enough to reconcile the inconsistency between theoretical and experimental determinations of O2 diffusion from the arteriolar network of this tissue.
Down Drag on Friction Piles: A Case History

The down drag settlements experienced by the foundation of a supermarket constructed in 1972 in Gretna-New Orleans, Louisiana are presented. Two different lengths of piles (12.2 m and 21.3 m) were used to support the foundation. Negative skin friction on the piles due to 1.83 m fill was not considered in the design. The foundation system, specifically the floor slab supported by the shorter piles, experienced excessive settlements and failed. The case history is presented including an account of differential settlements, rotations, structural damages and legal aspects. The case history displays the significance of the care and attention that need to be dedicated to preparing a geotechnical site investigation report.
A broadband bi-stable flow energy harvester based on the wake-galloping phenomenon

Linear wake-galloping flow energy harvesters have a narrow frequency bandwidth restricted to the lock-in region, where the vortex shedding frequency is close to the natural frequency of the harvester. As a result, their performance is very sensitive to variations in the flow speed around the nominal design value. This letter demonstrates that the lock-in region of a wake-galloping flow energy harvester can be improved by exploiting a bi-stable restoring force. To demonstrate the enhanced performance, the response behavior of a bi-stable piezoelectric cantilever harvester is evaluated in a wind tunnel. A Von Karman vortex street is generated by placing a rectangular rod in the windward direction of the harvester and the voltage response of the harvester is evaluated as a function of the wind speed. It is shown that, compared to the linear design, bi-stability can be used to improve the steady-state bandwidth considerably.
The Opinion of the Cambridge Association, 1 August 1692: A Neglected Text of the Salem Witch Trials

Abstract The article analyses a neglected aspect of the Salem witch-trials. It evaluates the roles of the Mathers, father and son, in securing the condemnation of George Burroughs. Their temporary acceptance of the validity of spectral evidence was justified by their belief that Satan must have employed powerful agents, not simply stereotypical witches, in his attempt to subvert godly Massachusetts.
Coupling Activity‐Based Detection, Target Amplification, Colorimetric and Fluorometric Signal Amplification, for Quantitative Chemosensing of Fluoride Generated from Nerve Agents

The G-class nerve agents, which include sarin, soman, and cyclosarin, react readily with nucleophilic reagents to produce fluoride. Thus, a chemosensing protocol has been designed for these agents that pairs the nucleophilic reactivity of oximates for generating fluoride with an autoinductive target amplification reaction to amplify the quantity of fluoride for facile colorimetric and fluorescent optical quantification. The chemosensing protocol was demonstrated by using the nerve agent surrogate diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) and benzaldoxime as the nucleophile. Autoinductive fluoride amplification responds to fluoride released from DFP by amplifying the fluoride concentration and a yellow reporter molecule. The reporter is a conjugated oligomer with a nominal repeating unit that originates from 4-aminobenzaldehyde. Exposure of the amplified fluoride to a fluoride-specific ratiometric fluorescent reporter provides a fluorescent readout, in which three fluorophores are generated per fluoride. Both colorimetric and fluorescent readouts enable quantitative assays with low micromolar limits of detection for fluoride resulting from DFP. More importantly, this work demonstrates the successful merging of multiple complex reactions for achieving selective, sensitive, and quantitative chemosensing.
Spirothiopyran-Based Reversibly Saturable Photoresist

Super-resolution lithography holds the promise of achieving three-dimensional (3D) nanopatterning at deep subwavelength resolutions with high throughput. 3D super-resolution lithography schemes demonstrated thus far have all been serial in nature, primarily due to the lack of a photoresist chemistry that not only couples a saturable reversibly switchable reaction with a writing step but also has a low saturation threshold. Here, we demonstrate that combining the reversible photoisomerization of spirothiopyran with the thiol-Michael conjugate addition reaction achieves the necessary photochemical characteristics. Green light was found to saturate inhibition of the thiol-Michael addition writing step at very low intensity thresholds. By formulating a spirothiopyran-functionalized polyethylene glycol copolymer, we demonstrate spatial control over cross-linking using inhibition by green light. Kinetics measurements combined with photokinetic simulations show that interference lithography on a spirothiopyran m...
Connoted hazard and perceived importance of fluorescent, neon, and standard safety colors

Abstract Objective The perceived hazard and rated importance of standard safety, fluorescent, and neon colors are investigated. Background Colors are used in warnings to enhance hazard communication. Red has consistently been rated as the highest in perceived hazard. Orange, yellow, and black are the next highest in connoted hazard; however, there is discrepancy in their ordering. Safety standards, such as ANSI Z535.1, also list colors to convey important information, but little research has examined the perceived importance of colors. In addition to standard safety colors, fluorescent colors are more commonly used in warnings. Understanding hazard and importance perceptions of standard safety and fluorescent colors is necessary to create effective warnings. Methods Ninety participants rated and ranked a total of 33 colors on both perceived hazard and perceived importance. Results Rated highest were the safety red colors from the American National Standard Institute (ANSI), International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) together with three fluorescent colors (orange, yellow, and yellow-green) from 3 M on both dimensions. Rankings were similar to ratings except that fluorescent orange was the highest on perceived hazard, while fluorescent orange and safety red from the ANSI were ranked as the highest in perceived importance. Conclusion Fluorescent colors convey hazard and importance levels as high as the standard safety red colors. Application Implications for conveying hazard and importance in warnings through color are discussed.
Ability of Functional Performance Tests to Identify Individuals With Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

Objective:The purpose of this systematic review with meta-analysis was to determine the effectiveness of functional performance tests (FPTs) in differentiating between individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI) and healthy controls.Data Sources:The National Library of Medicine Catalog (PubMed)
Blast-like cells in cerebrospinal fluid of neonates. Possible germinal matrix origin

Primitive cell clusters (PCCs) composed of immature blast-like cells were observed in Wright's-stained cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytocentrifuge specimens from four infants over an 18-month period. All of these patients had hydrocephalus; in three this was secondary to subependymal germinal matrix intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) associated with prematurity. The fourth was associated with Arnold-Chiari malformation, Chiari type II. In the CSF samples from the patients with IVH, hemosiderin-laden macrophages were also prominent and, in some cases, were intimately admixed with the PCCs. Immunoperoxidase staining of cytocentrifuge preparations from one of the patients revealed that the PCCs stained with neuron-specific enolase (NSE) but not with pan-leukocyte antibodies. Cells with similar morphologic characteristics to PCCs in the CSF of infants have been infrequently illustrated in the literature and thought to be of hematopoietic origin. However, the immunohistochemical findings and the clinical presentation suggest that PCCs are most likely germinal matrix cells.
State Infrastructure Banks: A Virginia Perspective

This report provides a brief overview of state infrastructure banks (SIBs) from the perspective of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It includes three simplified illustrations of how a SIB might use its initial capitalization and/or ongoing revenue. The report also discusses the federal TIFIA program, which is similar in some respects to state-level programs like SIBs. The report then discusses Virginia’s existing SIB, which was authorized in 1996 with the signing of a Cooperative Agreement between the FHWA and VDOT. Virginia’s SIB was established in 1997 and has supported two projects, the Pocahontas Parkway in Richmond and the I-95/395 HOT lanes in northern Virginia. The current Virginia SIB has relatively limited scope and resources. A revised or newly chartered Virginia SIB might be authorized to use some of the tools and mechanisms used in other states. The next section examines case studies from three states to illustrate how other states have used SIBs. A subsequent section discusses the risks associated with SIBs, and a final section discusses how a new or restructured Virginia SIB could supplement Virginia’s transportation financial outlook.
Soybean Chloroplast Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase, EC 6.4.1.2) catalyzes an ATP-dependent conversion of acetyl-CoA to malonyl-CoA, which is a regulated step in de novo synthesis of fatty acids that takes place in chloroplasts. In soybean, the chloroplast ACCase is apparently a multiprotein, prokaryotic type of complex [1], that is thought to consist of 4 subunits: biotin carboxylase (BC), biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP), and the alpha and beta transcarboxylase subunits (α- and β-CT). The study of chloroplast ACCase by traditional methods of protein chemistry have proven difficult, hence we started with the isolation of ACCase genes and have initiated attempts to synthesize the subunits in vitro so that the interactions among the components of this enzyme can be studied more completely.
Hemorrhage Control Training Promotes Resilience-Associated Traits in Medical Students

Objective Given rising rates of physician burnout, the potential for clinical skills training programs to develop and reinforce resilience-associated traits in medical students warrants investigation. The primary objective of this study was to examine the impact of a hemorrhage control training program on resilience-associated traits (role-clarity, self-efficacy, and empowerment) in medical students. A secondary objective was to examine the differential impact of additional hands-on skills training. Design This was a prospective study of medical students participating in an established hemorrhage control training program, utilizing pre-, mid-, and post-training questionnaires. The program included both an in-person lecture and hands-on skills training. Primary endpoints were self-reported increases in role clarity (when the hemorrhage control skills would and would not be applicable), self-efficacy (confidence in ability to use the skill), and empowerment (to act in a situation where the skill was needed). Setting Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts. Participants One hundred and twenty-six Harvard Medical School students participated. Results There was a significant increase at each stage of training in self-reported role clarity about when to apply hemorrhage control skills (p Conclusions Hemorrhage control training, a first response-related clinical skills program, is a promising domain for development and reinforcement of resilience-associated traits in medical students, particularly when the program includes hands-on skills training. Providing experiential learning opportunities that are designed not only for skills-specific outcomes, but also to reinforce such resilience-associated traits as role-clarity, self-efficacy, and empowerment provides an essential integrated perspective.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Drainage of Pancreatic Fluid Collections

EUS-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections, including both pseudocysts and walled-off pancreatic necrosis, was once an uncommon procedure. The rise and widespread dissemination of interventional EUS techniques to perform drainage and debridement of these collections have made these procedures more appealing and much more widely performed and accepted. The advent and availability of lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) have also greatly facilitated these procedures, although other stent types can be used in a variety of settings. This chapter will review the current indications, techniques, and outcomes of patients undergoing EUS-guided drainage of pancreatic fluid collections. In addition, debridement techniques and adverse events of these procedures will be covered as well.
A workflow for infill well design: Wellbore stability analysis through a coupled geomechanics and reservoir simulator

Abstract The traditional way of analyzing wellbore stability in depleted reservoirs is by assuming homogenous depletion and uniaxial strain. Then the analytical solution of stress path is obtained. Pore pressure depletion, however, is location and time dependent. The objective of this study is to develop a workflow for infill well design. More specifically, a wellbore stability analysis is developed for infill wells using a coupled geomechanics and reservoir simulator (CGRS) which considers lateral displacement and inhomogeneous depletion. Different shear failure criteria are utilized in a new CGRS wellbore stability model. The upper bounds of shear failure are given by Drucker-Prager Inscribes and Griffith Theory, while the lower bound is given by Drucker-Prager Circumscribe. CGRS wellbore stability model is compared with conventional wellbore stability model (based on the analytical solution of stress path). CGRS wellbore stability can quantify the influence of azimuth on minimum and maximum mud weight during the depletion when initial maximum horizontal stress equals minimum horizontal stress. In addition, CGRS can give the output of a location-dependent mud weight map for the entire reservoir. Neither of the above two functions can be realized by conventional wellbore stability model. Therefore, CGRS can provide dynamic information concerning where to drill, when to drill, and how to drill for infill wells.
Real-world Pattern of Biologic Use in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Treatment Persistence, Switching, and Importance of Concurrent Immunosuppressive Therapy.

Background and aims Medication persistence, defined as the time from drug initiation to discontinuation of therapy, has been suggested as a proxy for real-world therapeutic benefit and safety. This study seeks to compare the persistence of biologic drugs among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods Patients with newly diagnosed IBD were included in a retrospective study using Truven MarketScan database. Treatment persistence and switching was compared among biologic medications including infliximab, adalimumab, certolizumab, golimumab, and vedolizumab. Predictors for discontinuation and switching were evaluated using time-dependent proportional hazard regression. Results In total, 5612 patients with Crohn's disease (CD) and 3533 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) were included in this analysis. Less than half of the patients continued using their initial biologic treatment after 1 year (48.48% in CD cohort; 44.78% in UC cohort). In the first year, adalimumab had the highest persistence and lowest switching rates for both CD (median survival time: 1.04 years) and UC (median survival time: 0.84 years). In subsequent years, infliximab users were more likely to persist in the use of biologic. Combination therapy with immunomodulators significantly decreased the risk of discontinuation, especially when immunomodulator therapy was started more than 30 days before the biologic (hazard ratio [HR], 0.22; CI, 0.16, 0.32). The major predictors for noncompliance included infection and hospitalization. Conclusion Overall, the persistence profiles of biologics suggest a high rate of dissatisfaction or adverse disease outcomes resulting in discontinuation and switching to a different agent. Early initiation of immunomodulators will substantially increase the persistence of biologic treatment.
Mechanism and solution of zero-sequence directional protection maloperation caused by broken line faults in multi-circuit transmission lines on the same tower

When one loop line of the multi-circuit transmission lines on the same tower is in states of non-full-phase operation or asymmetric line-breaking faults, the zero-sequence direction of functioning loop lines is likely to maloperation due to zero-sequence voltage compensation. The multi-circuit transmission lines on the same tower with different voltage classes will induce the same zero-sequence voltage distribution trend as the fault line due to the mutual inductance between loop lines, and thus may conduct improper operation as well. This paper analyses the causes of maloperation of zero-sequence directional protection caused by non-full phase operation or line-breaking fault of multi-circuit lines on the same tower, and puts forward a method to prevent maloperation by extracting line status from station domain information. In the case of multi-circuit lines on the same tower with same voltage class, the crossing point of zero-sequence voltage of the line can be calculated and the zero-sequence voltage can be compensated in reverse to prevent maloperation. In the case of multi-circuit lines on the same tower with different voltage class, fault characteristics can be identified according to substation information and the zero-sequence direction protection can be automatically blocked. RTDS is used to simulate and verify the electrical characteristics, malfunction process and the effectiveness of prevention methods of multi-circuit lines on the same tower when a non-full-phase operation or abnormal line breakage occurs.
A Computational Model of Thalamic Tonic-burst Motor Projection Neurons and Their Regulation by Pallidal GABAergic Neurons

Abstract A modified computational model of pallidal receiving ventral oral posterior (Vop) thalamocortical motor relay neurons was adapted based on in vivo observations in our rodent model. The model accounts for different input neuronal firing patterns in the primary motor output nucleus of basal ganglia, the globus pallidus interna (GPi) and subsequently generate Vop outputs as observed in vivo under different conditions. Hyperpolarizing input de-inactivates its T-type calcium channel and sets the thalamic neurons in the preferable burst firing mode over a tonic mode and induces low threshold spikes (LTS). In the hyperpolarized state, both spontaneously and in response to excitatory (e.g. corticothalamic) inputs, burst spiking occurs on the crest of the LTS. By selecting and determining the timing and extent of opening of thalamic T-type calcium channels via GABAergic hyperpolarizing input, the GPi precisely regulates Vop-cortical burst motor signaling. Different combinations of tonic, burst, irregular tonic and irregular burst inputs from GPi were used to verify our model. In vivo data obtained from recordings in the entopedunucular nucleus (EP; rodent equivalent of GPi) from resting head restrained healthy and dystonic rats were used to simulate the influences of different inputs from GPi. In all cases, GPi neuronal firing patterns are demonstrated to act as a firing mode selector for thalamic Vop neurons.
Providing Access to Immigrant Workforce Services in a Tumultuous Environment: Partnerships and Practices:

The immigrant labor force in the United States has been under extreme pressure since the new administration took office in January 2017 and immediately began implementing policies designed to encou...
Design for critical care

Abstract The hospital intensive care unit is the place where critically ill patients receive care. These are the most vulnerable and high acuity patients with life-threatening conditions, and they receive care from highly trained clinicians who are under nearly continuous stress. Design for these patient units influences patients, their families, critical care nurses, clinical staff, and intensivist physicians alike. Unit design can influence patient outcomes.
Non-structural carbohydrate dynamics associated with antecedent stem water potential and air temperature in a dominant desert shrub.

Non-structural carbohydrates (NSCs) are necessary for plant growth and affected by plant water status, but the temporal dynamics of water stress impacts on NSC are not well understood. We evaluated how seasonal NSC concentrations varied with plant water status (predawn xylem water potential, Ψ) and air temperature (T) in the evergreen desert shrub Larrea tridentata. Aboveground sugar and starch concentrations were measured weekly or monthly for ~1.5 years on 6-12 shrubs simultaneously instrumented with automated stem psychrometers; leaf photosynthesis (Anet ) was measured monthly for 1 year. Leaf sugar increased during the dry, premonsoon period, associated with lower Ψ (greater water stress) and high T. Leaf sugar accumulation coincided with declines in leaf starch and stem sugar, suggesting the prioritization of leaf sugar during low photosynthetic uptake. Leaf starch was strongly correlated with Anet and peaked during the spring and monsoon seasons, while stem starch remained relatively constant except for depletion during the monsoon. Recent photosynthate appeared sufficient to support spring growth, while monsoon growth required the remobilization of stem starch reserves. The coordinated responses of different NSC fractions to water status, photosynthesis, and growth demands suggest that NSCs serve multiple functions under extreme environmental conditions, including severe drought.
Hiding, Sheltering, and Borrowing Identities: Avenues of Rescue During the Holocaust: edited by Dan Michman, Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, 2018, 408 pp., $43.50 (cloth)

From 1945 to date Holocaust research has concentrated on complex matters such as militant Jewish resistance, convoluted Nazi strategies, ambivalent bystander behavior, controversial ghetto leadersh...
A Progress Report on Activities at the Linguistic Data Consortium Benefitting the LREC Community

This latest in a series of Linguistic Data Consortium (LDC) progress reports to the LREC community does not describe any single language resource, evaluation campaign or technology but sketches the activities, since the last report, of a data center devoted to supporting the work of LREC attendees among other research communities. Specifically, we describe 96 new corpora released in 2018-2020 to date, a new technology evaluation campaign, ongoing activities to support multiple common task human language technology programs, and innovations to advance the methodology of language data collection and annotation.
Performance-Based Funding in American Higher Education: A Systematic Synthesis of the Intended and Unintended Consequences:

This systematic synthesis examines the intended and unintended consequences of performance-based funding (PBF) policies in higher education. Within this synthesis, we focus particularly on evidence...
Focusing Presidential Clemency Decision-Making

The Article II Pardon Clause grants the President authority to grant clemency to any offender. The clause contains only two limitations. The President cannot excuse someone from responsibility for a state offense, nor can he prevent Congress from impeaching and removing a federal official. Otherwise, the President’s authority is plenary. The clause authorizes the President to grant clemency as he sees fit, but does not tell him when he should feel that way. As a matter of history, Presidents have generally used their authority for legitimate reasons, such as freeing someone who was wrongfully convicted, who is suffering under an unduly onerous punishment, or who deserves to be forgiven. Nevertheless, neither any President nor the Department of Justice Pardon Attorney, who is ostensibly responsible for managing the government’s clemency process, has recommended a rigorous standard for Presidents to use when making clemency decisions. The Pardon Attorney has compiled a list of relevant factors, which is quite useful, but that list does not identify which factors are necessary and sufficient, nor does it assign those factors an ordinal relationship. The result is that a President is left to act like a chancellor in equity by relying on his subjective assessment of the “the totality of the circumstances.” This Article offers a way to make clemency decisions in a reasonable, orderly manner that would systematize and regularize the Pardon Attorney’s recommendation process and Presidential decision-making. Pardons and commutations differ from each other in material ways, and Presidents should analyze them separately. In the case of pardons, Presidents should answer a series of questions—an algorithm, if you will—that would guide them when deciding whether to forgive an offender. In the case of commutations, Presidents should make decisions on a category-by-category basis, rather than try, in effect, to resentence each offender. Together, those approaches would help Presidents make objectively based decisions that are consistent with longstanding rationales for punishment and the purposes of the criminal justice system. The hope is that, in so doing, Presidents will be able act justly as well as to persuade the public that the federal clemency system is open to all, not merely to the President’s financial or political allies, cronies, supporters, or people he knows. The focused approaches suggested here should help Presidents create the fact and appearance of objectivity in clemency decision-making.
Racializing American Authenticity: Mexican Americans’ Perceptions of the Foreign Other:

Anti-Mexican sentiment in the United States has long plagued the lives of people of Mexican descent. Since their incorporation, Mexican Americans have experienced processes of racialization as seco...
Non-coding RNAs derived from an alternatively spliced REST transcript (REST-003) regulate breast cancer invasiveness

RE1-Silencing Transcription factor (REST) has a well-established role in regulating transcription of genes important for neuronal development. Its role in cancer, though significant, is less well understood. We show that REST downregulation in weakly invasive MCF-7 breast cancer cells converts them to a more invasive phenotype, while REST overexpression in highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells suppresses invasiveness. Surprisingly, the mechanism responsible for these phenotypic changes does not depend directly on the transcriptional function of REST protein. Instead, it is driven by previously unstudied mid-size (30–200 nt) non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) derived from the first exon of an alternatively spliced REST transcript: REST-003. We show that processing of REST-003 into ncRNAs is controlled by an uncharacterized serine/arginine repeat-related protein, SRRM3. SRRM3 expression may be under REST-mediated transcriptional control, as it increases following REST downregulation. The SRRM3-dependent regulation of REST-003 processing into ncRNAs has many similarities to recently described promoter-associated small RNA-like processes. Targeting ncRNAs that control invasiveness could lead to new therapeutic approaches to limit breast cancer metastasis.
Effect of Phorbol Esters on the Activity of Purified Transforming Growth Factors

Application of either phorbol esters or transforming growth factors to normal cells in culture may induce the appearance of a malignant phenotype. Since the mechanism of transformation by both chemical tumor promoters and growth factors is unknown, it was of interest to investigate whether phorbol esters might potentiate the activity of transforming growth factors. The combination of beta-transforming growth factor (beta-TGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) causes the normally anchorage-dependent cells (NRK-49F) to form colonies in soft agar. In the presence of maximally stimulating concentrations of EGF and suboptimally stimulating concentrations of beta-TGF, phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) enhances the soft agar colony growth of NRK-49F cells in a concentration-dependent manner. However, PMA alone or in combination with either EGF or beta-TGF does not stimulate soft agar growth. In contrast to the stimulation of PMA, 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, an inactive phorbol ester, does not potentiate the effects of EGF plus beta-TGF on soft agar growth. PMA does not stimulate the growth of NRK-49F cells in monolayer, nor does it further potentiate the monolayer growth induced by EGF with or without beta-TGF. Because the addition to NRK-49F cells of compounds which potentiate beta-TGF activity increases EGF receptor number, the effects of PMA on the EGF receptor were studied. A short exposure to PMA (30 min) induces a 50% decrease in EGF receptors of NRK cells whether or not they have been exposed to beta-TGF. Scatchard analysis shows that this decrease involves primarily high affinity EGF receptors. However, cells treated with PMA for longer periods of time (4, 6, and 24 h) show no change in EGF or beta-TGF receptor binding. PMA therefore must potentiate the activity of purified TGFs without causing an increase in EGF or beta-TGF receptor binding.
Stem Cells, Embryonic

Embryonic development prior to implantation of the embryo in the uterus includes a stage of blastocyst formation, where the initial mass of cells is segregated into an inner cell mass destined to contribute to the developing embryo and an outer layer of cells that will contribute to the fetal portion of the placenta. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are cells derived from the inner cell mass of the developing preembryo that can be propagated indefinitely in culture. ESCs are characterized by the expression of a characteristic set of markers, the ability to self-renew indefinitely a lack of contact inhibition, atypical cell cycle regulation, the ability to form teratocarcinomas in nude mice, and the ability to differentiate into ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm either in vitro or in vivo after injection into blastocysts. This constellation of abilities distinguishes ESCs from all other cell populations, including adult stem cells. The unique ability of ESCs to be propagated in culture, undergo genetic manipulation, and, nevertheless, retain the ability to contribute to all portions of the developing embryos, including germ cells, has been utilized to generate transgenic animals in which specific genes are introduced or removed. Such transgenic and knockouts have been utilized effectively to generate animal models of human disease, to develop improved strains, and to study critical aspects of development. The ability to manipulate ESCs such that subsequent generations are derived solely from cultured manipulated cells, coupled with recent advances in deriving primate (including human) ESC lines has generated much excitement and hope as well as profound ethical concerns and considerable debate on how best to proceed. Keywords: Blastocyst; Centrosome; Chimera; Cloning; ES-like; Gastrulation; Homologous Recombination; ICM; IVF; MAPC; Morula; Preembryo; SCNT; Self-renewal; Stem Cells; Teratocarcinomas; Trophoectoderm
Utilization of UV and IR Supercontinua in Gas-Phase Subpicosecond Kinetic Spectroscopy

Through the work of photochemists extending over many decades, there now exists a wealth of information on the various reactions that photoexcited gas phase molecules undergo. Most of this information relates to the product molecules that are formed, either as the direct result of a primary photochemical act, such as photodissociation, or through subsequent secondary reactions, involving collisions with other molecules in the gas. Recently, there has been an extensive effort directed at determining the exact energy distributions of the primary products formed in photodissociation. With the use of nanosecond tunable-laser techniques, such as laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS), scientists have successfully determined the nascent electronic, vibrational, and rotational energy distributions of various diatomic fragments such as CN, OH, NO, and O2 that are directly formed in the photodissociation of many kinds of molecules. The ready availability of high-quality, tunable, nanosecond lasers has made determination of the above-mentioned collisionless energy distributions a relatively straightforward process. The determination of product translational energies has long effectively been handled by angularly resolved time-of-flight (TOF) spectroscopy, or by sub-Doppler resolution spectroscopy, including a recently improved version of the latter, velocity-aligned Doppler spectroscopy (Xu et al., 1986).