cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fat and carbohydrate metabolism during exercise in elderly and young subjects

We evaluated the effect of aging on fat and carbohydrate metabolism during moderate intensity exercise. Glycerol, free fatty acid (FFA), and glucose rate of appearance (Ra) in plasma and substrate oxidation were determined during 60 min of cycle ergometer exercise in six elderly (73 +/- 2 yr) and six young adults (26 +/- 2 yr) matched by gender and lean body mass. The elderly group was studied during exercise performed at 56 +/- 3% of maximum oxygen uptake, whereas the young adults were studied during exercise performed at the same absolute and at a similar relative intensity as the elderly subjects. Mean fat oxidation during exercise was 25-35% lower in the elderly subjects than in the young adults exercising at either the same absolute or similar relative intensities (P < 0.05). Mean carbohydrate oxidation in the elderly group was 35% higher than the young adults exercising at the same absolute intensity (P < 0.001) but 40% lower than the young adults exercising at the same relative intensity (P < 0.001). Average FFA Ra in the elderly subjects was 85% higher than in the young adults exercising at the same absolute intensity (P < 0.05) but 35% lower than the young adults exercising at a similar relative intensity (P < 0.05). We conclude that fat oxidation is decreased while carbohydrate oxidation is increased during moderate intensity exercise in elderly men and women. The shift in substrate oxidation was caused by age-related changes in skeletal muscle respiratory capacity because lipolytic rates and FFA availability were not rate limiting in the older subjects.
Chinese patients require lower dosage of warfarin.

(1) The Chinese patients tend to have a smaller BMI than the Westerners and the elderly Chinese patients have an even smaller BMI. (2) The Chinese patients require lower doses ofmany drugs, includingwarfarin [2,3] and other thrombolytic agents such as recombinant tissue plasminogen activator [4]. (3) Chinese patients often use herbal drugs or traditional Chinese medicines along withWestern drugs, even though theymay not always tell theirphysicians.Manyherbaldrugs interferewithwarfarin or other cardiacdrugs [5]. For example, Danshen, a verypopular Chinese herbal drug for coronary heart disease [6], interacts with warfarin by potentiating its anticoagulant action [5–9]. (4) Some commonly used Chinese herbal drugs such as Danshen have also been incorporated into Chinese brand cigarettes with or without the patient's or the physician's knowledge [6,10]. Because there are so many cigarette smokers in China [11], the clinical implication is obvious. (5) Some food items such as soy milk also interfere with warfarin [12,13]. Since soy milk, which causes sub-therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR), is a very common food item in China, almost as popular as regular milk, its interaction with warfarin should always be kept in mind.
SEQUENTIAL OR SIMULTANEOUS ELECTIONS? A WELFARE ANALYSIS: SEQUENTIAL OR SIMULTANEOUS?

This paper addresses a key question on the design of electoral systems. Should all voters vote on the same day or should elections be staggered, with late voters observing early returns before making their decisions? Using a model of voting and social learning, we illustrate that sequential elections place too much weight on the preferences and information of early states but also provide late voters with valuable information. Under simultaneous elections, voters equally weigh the available information but place too much weight on their priors, providing an inappropriate advantage to front-runners. Given these trade-offs, simultaneous elections are welfare-preferred if the front-runner initially has a small advantage, but sequential elections are welfare-preferred if the front-runner initially has a large advantage. We then quantitatively evaluate this trade-off using data based on the 2004 presidential primary. The results suggest that simultaneous systems outperform sequential systems although the difference in welfare is relatively small.
Uncensored Indoor Positioning

We present a new method to accommodate the unobserved access points in indoor positioning systems that use the Received Signal Strength (RSS). We formulate a probabilistic framework, and derive the estimation bounds that quantify the advantage of incorporating unobserved data. Further, we describe a realization for the maximum-likelihood estimator and establish its effectiveness in a typical indoor positioning scenario.
Vitamin B-6 Deficiency Suppresses the Hepatic Transsulfuration Pathway but Increases Glutathione Concentration in Rats Fed AIN-76A or AIN-93G Diets

The transsulfuration pathway, which aids in regulating homocysteine concentration and mediates cysteine synthesis, may be sensitive to vitamin B-6 status because cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine gamma-lyase (CGL) require pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP). To assess relations between vitamin B-6 and transsulfuration, we evaluated the effects of dietary pyridoxine (PN) on the hepatic concentration of relevant metabolites and in vitro activity of CBS and CGL. Growing rats were fed AIN-93G- or AIN-76A-based diets that ranged from adequate to deficient in vitamin B-6 (2, 1, 0.5, 0.1, or 0 mg of PN/kg diet, n = 5). This design allowed assessment of the effects of supplemental methionine (AIN-76A) vs. cysteine (AIN-93G) in common research diets over a range of vitamin B-6 levels. CBS activity, assayed in the presence or absence of added S-adenosylmethionine, was independent of diet type and PN level. CGL activity was independent of diet type but proportional to dietary PN. Rats fed deficient (0 and 0.1 mg PN/kg) diets exhibited only approximately 30% of the CGL activity of those fed the 2 mg PN/kg diets. Hepatic cystathionine increased from 20 to 30 nmol/g for the 1-2 mg PN/kg diets to approximately 85 nmol/g for the 0 mg PN/kg diet; however, cysteine was reduced only in B-6-deficient rats consuming the AIN-93G diet (means of 30-40 nmol/g for adequate to 11.6 nmol/g for 0 mg PN/kg AIN-76A diet). In spite of these effects, hepatic glutathione concentration increased in vitamin B-6 deficiency. These results suggest that vitamin B-6-dependent changes in transsulfuration do not limit hepatic glutathione production.
Brokering cooperation: Intermediaries and US cooperation with non-state allies, 1776–1945

International Relations scholars tend to focus their attention on agents with institutional sources of power, such as presidents. Yet, decades of scholarship in other fields has shown that ordinary individuals–traders, missionaries, and soldiers–often have the ability to shape international cooperation and conflict. Under what conditions do individuals distant from institutional power shape international politics? I argue that intermediaries — key figures who broker deals between parties — are crucial for cooperation when information is low and contact between the parties is sparse. To demonstrate the argument that intermediaries matter, I investigate alliances between the US and its non-state allies — non-state political communities abroad and in North America — between 1776 and 1945. In each case, there are intermediaries who are uniquely suited to broker cooperation by identifying partners for cooperation, explaining others’ interests, providing reassurances, and managing identity issues. These interme...
How does aversion to intertemporal variation affect hedging behavior

Standard models of hedging behavior assume that hedgers wish to minimize net price variation. They treat variation as risk and fail to distinguish random variation at a specific point in time from pre-determined intertemporal variation. Recursive utility differentiates between random and nonrandom variation by allowing the elasticity of intertemporal substitution (EIS) to be imperfect. The inverse of the EIS measures the hedger's aversion to intertemporal variation and is distinct from aversion to risk. Optimal hedge ratios decline toward zero as aversion to intertemporal variation increases. These results may help explain why hedgers commonly hedge less than recommended by standard models.
Impact of integrative restoration (iRest) meditation on perceived stress levels in multiple sclerosis and cancer outpatients

Summary Stress is a common occurrence in many chronically ill patients, and researchers are calling for cost-effective stressreduction interventions. Meditation techniques have demonstrated a host of benefi ts for chronically ill patients. The present study examined the effects of a 6-week Yoga Nidra meditation programme on perceived stress in multiple sclerosis and cancer patients. Overall stress was signifi cantly reduced over the course of the programme. Copyright ! 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Software iSCSI over iWARP on a General Purpose CPU

In this paper, we evaluate the performance of a software iSCSI initiator over a software iWARP stack. Through measurements and simulations, we quantify the protocol processing costs of the iSER, Verbs, and iSCSI control layers in the fast path. We project the stack performance at a micro-benchmark level, by combining these costs with the protocol processing costs associated with a software iWARP stack developed at Intel. Our implementation is based on the Datamover Architecture. This allows us to compare the performance of the stack with an alternative iSCSI solution that we implemented on a TCP/IP transport stack. We present quantitative data comparing the two stacks by evaluating them with respect to different processing components like control processing, data placement, copy, and CRC. Our data shows that for software-only initiators, both stacks achieve equivalent performance for common iSCSI I/O sizes. Our results demonstrate that software iSCSI over iWARP on a general-purpose CPU does not carry a significant performance penalty over traditional software iSCSI. Therefore, future iSCSI-based storage over IP networks can benefit from the efficiency of RNIC-based storage targets while deploying a software iWARP stack for client storage initiators.
Illumination System Of An Excimer Laser Stepper

An illumination system suitable for an excimer laser stepper has been investigated. Unnecessary interference pattern(speckel) is reduced effectively by scanning the laser beam. We report spatial coherence of the lasers with different spectral line width, illumination system of the stepper, appearance of the interference pattern,its spacing and contrust and their relation to the illumination system and to the coherence of the laser. Then we report reduction of this pattern together with a simple method to measure its contrast.
Application of Analytic Hierarchy Process in Power Lines Maintenance

The lines maintenance plan has always been drawn only by experiences and trials due to this work's difficult. There exist many disadvantages. In this paper analytic hierarchy process (AHP), an effective method that can solve a multiple criteria and multiple objective decision-making problems was introduced to the power lines maintenance problem in order to gain a scientific and objective maintenance scheduling. Firstly an AHP model was built up on the base of analyzing correlative factors. Then an example was given to indicate how AHP to apply
News From the International Council on Women's Health Issues

2016 will be an important year for women's health as we move into a new strategic process to achieve gender equality and improve the health of women and girls. On August 2, 2015, governments around...
Identification of Polypeptide Hormones in Tumors by Immunoelectron Microscopy

Immunoelectron microscopy is a very sensitive tool for locating small quantities of intracellular components. Selected polypeptide hormones were identified in tumor cells of humans by means of this technique. Immunoconjugated peroxidase, colloidal gold, and colloidal gold-conjugated protein A were employed as markers. Neutral-buffered formalin was determined to be an excellent fixative of hormone granules for immunolabeling, and for one case, hormone granules in tissues initially embedded in paraffin followed by reembedding in Spurr plastic were also shown to be immunoreactive.
Effects of Ethanol on Cocaine Self-administration in Monkeys under a Fixed-interval Schedule or Food-Drug Choice Procedure

As many as 90% of cocaine abusers also drink ethanol (EtOH), suggesting that EtOH enhances sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of cocaine. However, little is known about the interaction of these...
FACE RECOGNITION BASED ON WAVELET TRANSFORM AND MULTIPLE CLASSIFIER

Many features have been used in face recognition, and different features reflect the different property of the image, so it will improve the ability of recognition by using combining multiple features and multiple classifier. After the pre-processing of wavelet transform, the low frequency image was regarded as the input to be processed in next steps. The eigenface feature and singular value feature were extracted, and the classifying was implemented by using the different classifiers corresponding to the different features and a combined classifier corresponding to all features extracted. The ORL face database was used in the experiment and the result show that the method presented is effective.
A quantitative systems pharmacology model of blood coagulation network describes in vivo biomarker changes in non-bleeding subjects.

Essentials Baseline coagulation activity can be detected in non-bleeding state by in vivo biomarker levels. A detailed mathematical model of coagulation was developed to describe the non-bleeding state. Optimized model described in vivo biomarkers with recombinant activated factor VII treatment. Sensitivity analysis predicted prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 and D-dimer are regulated differently. SummaryBackground Prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2), thrombin–antithrombin III complex (TAT) and D-dimer can be detected in plasma from non-bleeding hemostatically normal subjects or hemophilic patients. They are often used as safety or pharmacodynamic biomarkers for hemostatis-modulating therapies in the clinic, and provide insights into in vivo coagulation activity. Objectives To develop a quantitative systems pharmacology (QSP) model of the blood coagulation network to describe in vivo biomarkers, including F1 + 2, TAT, and D-dimer, under non-bleeding conditions. Methods The QSP model included intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation pathways, platelet activation state-dependent kinetics, and a two-compartment pharmacokinetics model for recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa). Literature data on F1 + 2 and D-dimer at baseline and changes with rFVIIa treatment were used for parameter optimization. Multiparametric sensitivity analysis (MPSA) was used to understand key proteins that regulate F1 + 2, TAT and D-dimer levels. Results The model was able to describe tissue factor (TF)-dependent baseline levels of F1 + 2, TAT and D-dimer in a non-bleeding state, and their increases in hemostatically normal subjects and hemophilic patients treated with different doses of rFVIIa. The amount of TF required is predicted to be very low in a non-bleeding state. The model also predicts that these biomarker levels will be similar in hemostatically normal subjects and hemophilic patients. MPSA revealed that F1 + 2 and TAT levels are highly correlated, and that D-dimer is more sensitive to the perturbation of coagulation protein concentrations. Conclusions A QSP model for non-bleeding baseline coagulation activity was established with data from clinically relevant in vivo biomarkers at baseline and changes in response to rFVIIa treatment. This model will provide future mechanistic insights into this system.
Allometry of sexual size dimorphism in turtles: a comparison of mass and length data.

BACKGROUND The macroevolutionary pattern of Rensch's Rule (positive allometry of sexual size dimorphism) has had mixed support in turtles. Using the largest carapace length dataset and only large-scale body mass dataset assembled for this group, we determine (a) whether turtles conform to Rensch's Rule at the order, suborder, and family levels, and (b) whether inferences regarding allometry of sexual size dimorphism differ based on choice of body size metric used for analyses. METHODS We compiled databases of mean body mass and carapace length for males and females for as many populations and species of turtles as possible. We then determined scaling relationships between males and females for average body mass and straight carapace length using traditional and phylogenetic comparative methods. We also used regression analyses to evalutate sex-specific differences in the variance explained by carapace length on body mass. RESULTS Using traditional (non-phylogenetic) analyses, body mass supports Rensch's Rule, whereas straight carapace length supports isometry. Using phylogenetic independent contrasts, both body mass and straight carapace length support Rensch's Rule with strong congruence between metrics. At the family level, support for Rensch's Rule is more frequent when mass is used and in phylogenetic comparative analyses. Turtles do not differ in slopes of sex-specific mass-to-length regressions and more variance in body size within each sex is explained by mass than by carapace length. DISCUSSION Turtles display Rensch's Rule overall and within families of Cryptodires, but not within Pleurodire families. Mass and length are strongly congruent with respect to Rensch's Rule across turtles, and discrepancies are observed mostly at the family level (the level where Rensch's Rule is most often evaluated). At macroevolutionary scales, the purported advantages of length measurements over weight are not supported in turtles.
Impact of Procedural Training on Pregnancy Outcomes and Career Satisfaction in Female Postgraduate Medical Trainees in the United States

Background Compared with nonprocedural fields, procedural specialization requires longer training, less flexible schedules, and greater physical demands. The impact of these factors on pregnancy, maternity outcomes, and career satisfaction has not been well described. Study Design Data were gathered from 738 US postgraduate medical trainee mothers via an anonymous, IRB-approved online survey. Univariate analysis was performed using chi-square tests. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the impact of procedural training on odds of assisted reproduction use and pregnancy complications, adjusting for age at first pregnancy. Results Of the 738 respondents, 221 (30.0%) were in procedural fields. A greater percentage of procedural trainees were more than 30 years old at the time of first pregnancy (52.9% vs 43.1%; p = 0.01). Controlling for maternal age, procedural trainees were significantly more likely to require assisted reproduction (odds ratio [OR] 1.28; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.61; p = 0.04), and trended toward increased odds of prolonged time to conceive (OR 1.62; 95% CI 0.99 to 2.65; p = 0.06). After delivery, procedural trainees also had higher adjusted odds of shorter maternity leave (OR 1.52; 95% CI 1.06 to 2.18; p = 0.03) and were significantly more likely to report a desire to have chosen a less demanding specialty or job (OR 1.95; 95% CI 1.40 to 2.72; p Conclusions Procedural trainees have higher rates of assisted reproduction, shorter maternity leave, and are ultimately more likely to express career dissatisfaction. These findings illustrate the need for adequate support for trainee mothers, particularly in procedural specialties.
Percutaneous Rupture of Zygapophyseal Joint Synovial Cysts: A Prospective Assessment of Nonsurgical Management

Abstract Background Although lumbar zygapophyseal joint synovial cysts are fairly well recognized, they are an uncommon cause of lumbosacral radicular pain. Nonoperative treatments include percutaneous aspiration of the cysts under computed tomography or fluoroscopic guidance with a subsequent corticosteroid injection. However, there are mixed results in terms of long-term outcomes and cyst reoccurrence. This study prospectively evaluates percutaneous ruptures of zygapophyseal joint (Z-joint) synovial cysts for the treatment of lumbosacral radicular pain. Objectives Primary: To determine whether percutaneous rupture of symptomatic Z-joint synovial cysts leads to sustained improvements in radicular pain and function. Secondary: To assess the rates of cyst recurrence and progression to surgical intervention following percutaneous rupture of symptomatic Z-joint synovial cysts. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Outpatient academic spine practice. Participants Adults with primary radicular pain due to a facet synovial cyst. Methods Participants underwent fluoroscopically guided percutaneous Z-joint synovial cyst ruptures under standard-of-care practice. Data on pain, physical function, satisfaction, and progression to surgery were collected at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after rupture. An intention-to-treat analysis was used for assessment of patient-reported outcome measures. Main Outcome Measures The Numerical Rating Scale, Oswestry Disability Index, and modified North American Spine Society questionnaires were used to measure pain, function, and satisfaction with the procedure, respectively. Results Thirty-five participants were included in the study, and data were analyzed by an independent researcher. Statistically significant changes in Oswestry Disability Index were reported at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year postintervention ( P = .034, .040, and .039, respectively). A statistically and clinically significant relief of current pain was reported at 2 weeks ( P = .025) and 6 weeks ( P = .014) with respect to baseline. Patients showed significant improvements for best pain at 6 weeks with respect to baseline ( P = .031). Patients' worst pain showed the greatest amount of improvement with clinically meaningful changes at all time points compared with baseline. Patient-reported satisfaction was found nearly 70% of the time at all time points. Forty percent (14/35) of participants required repeat cyst rupture, and 31% (11/35) required surgical interventions. Conclusions There were statistically and clinically significant improvements in pain and function after percutaneous rupture of Z-joint synovial cysts. In addition, the outcomes support previous retrospective studies indicating that approximately 40% of patients will need surgery. This study provides further research to determine the utility of this procedure and to precisely define a subset of ideal candidates. Level of Evidence Level II.
Organizational Moral Identity Centrality: Relationships with Citizenship Behaviors and Unethical Prosocial Behaviors

This article examines the influence of both individual and organizational moral identity centrality on prosocial behaviors. Furthermore, we hypothesize that the centrality of these two offer a substitute effect on these behavioral outcomes. Validated measures of organizational moral identity centrality and unethical prosocial behavior are introduced. Data were collected via two separate samples, University Greek Life organization members (n = 499) and restaurant workers (n = 137). Regression results supporting that individuals who claim centrality of moral identity and see their organizations to also embrace the centrality are more likely to engage in citizenship behaviors and less likely to commit unethical prosocial acts. Furthermore, results support that both forms of centrality of moral identity were substitutes in terms of affecting these two outcomes. Research that contributes to understanding how individuals within an organization consciously choose to act on behalf of the organization even when these very actions conflict with generally accepted morals of right and wrong within their society is valuable to academics and practitioners alike. This study contributes to this body of knowledge. Despite extensive attention to topics of ethics and identity, previous studies have largely overlooked the impact of an organizational moral identity. Our results provide a framework for understanding the role of moral identity and the prediction of organizational citizenship and unethical prosocial behaviors.
Warlord democrats in Africa: ex-military leaders and electoral politics, edited by Anders Themnér

Warlord Democrats in Africa addresses the important question of how warlords – wartime leaders with experience fighting in the army or rebel/militia during a civil war – behave in post-conflict sce...
A collaborative technique for spatial interference reduction in multi-node antenna arrays with antenna diversity

It is well known that civilian Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are vulnerable to interference. Robust interference reduction can be accomplished through a combination of temporal and spatial filtering using antenna arrays; however, current solutions absorb surface area and add weight to the host platform. These rigid fixed arrays are impractical for systems whose mobility and portability are distinguishing qualities such as smartphones, smart sensors and autonomous vehicles. Research is needed to expand the interference mitigation options available to GPS-dependent platforms constrained by size, weight and power (SWAP) while maintaining their mobility. This paper formulates a collaborative solution where independent receiver nodes behave as antennas in a multi-node antenna (MNA) array. Wideband interference mitigation is accomplished through spatial null-steering with space-time adaptive processing (STAP). Selection-combining diversity is proposed to circumvent grating nulls which reduce the usable beamspace (UBS) of the MNA array. A modeling and simulation (M&S) tool is leveraged to show that the MNA array with antenna diversity scheme achieves interference mitigation and conserves UBS while introducing bias into the navigation solution. Position bias may be acceptable in many civilian applications when the only alternative is to navigate without GPS.
Cold Winters Warming? Perceptions of Climate Change in the North Country

AbstractPublic acceptance of the reality of human-caused climate change has risen gradually in the United States, reflecting cumulative impacts from scientific research and communication, and perha...
Stress and Coping in Children and Families

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions strike with a suddenness and intensity that is sobering to all who experience or observe such events. Disasters that are the consequence of human technology, error, or greed are often unexpected, traumatic in magnitude, and equally compelling as natural disasters. Regardless of the source of the traumatic event, we are left to consider the pain, anguish, suffering, loss, and death that has struck the victims in these situations.
An Overview of the Potential Impact of Cognitive Psychology on School Psychology

This article extends previous discussions of the potential impact of cognitive psychology on school psychology. Specifically, it reviews themes in cognitive psychology on the relationship of childr...
Acellular Dermal Matrix (AlloDerm): New Material in the Repair of Stoma Site Hernias:

Parastomal hernias are a common complication after ileostomy or colostomy formation and can lead to complications, such as intestinal obstruction and strangulation. When a parastomal hernia presents, repair of the defect can pose a challenge to the surgeon to choose a repair that both reduces complications and recurrence rates. We present three cases of parastomal hernia repair using acellular dermal matrix (AlloDerm) as reinforcement to the primary hernia repair. We prospectively followed three patients who presented with parastomal hernia after ostomy formation in 2001-2002. The patients underwent repair of the parastomal hernia using primary fascial repair with reinforcement using AlloDerm as an on-lay patch. Two patients were followed for 6 months and 1 year, respectively, and remained hernia-free. One patient presented 8 months later with symptoms of intestinal obstruction that were relieved by nasogastric tube decompression and bowel rest. The patient subsequently returned 3 months later with intestinal obstruction and recurrent parastomal hernia that necessitated an operation for relocation of the stoma and repeat hernia repair. Repair of parastomal hernias using AlloDerm acellular dermal matrix as a substitute for a synthetic graft showed resilience to infection and, more importantly, tolerated exposure in an open wound without having to be removed. Larger studies with longer follow-up are needed to see if this material reduces the incidence of hernia recurrence.
Mutational analysis of pentabrominated diphenyl-induced hepatocellular tumors in rats and mice, tissue levels of PBDE congeners in rats and mice, and AhR genotyping of Wistar Han rats.

Abstract This article describes data related to the research article entitled “Carcinogenic activity of pentabrominated diphenyl ether mixture (DE-71) in rats and mice” (Dunnick et al., 2018). PBDE-induced hepatocellular tumors harbored Hras and Ctnnb1 mutations and the methods for these studies are provided. Tissue levels of PBDE congeners in rats and mice after oral exposure to PBDE mixture increased with increasing dose of PBDE. There was no correlation between AhR status and the incidence of hepatocellular tumors in female Wistar Han rats. This manuscript provides additional information on the methods for conducting mutational analysis, PBDE tissue level determinations, and AhR genotyping.
Eltrombopag maintains human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells under inflammatory conditions mediated by IFN-γ.

The proinflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) has been implicated in human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) depletion in immune-mediated bone marrow failure syndromes. We show that IFN-γ specifically prevents full engagement of thrombopoietin (TPO), a primary positive regulator of HSPC survival, to its receptor (c-MPL) via steric occlusion of the low-affinity binding site, contributing to perturbation of TPO-induced signaling pathways and decreased survival of human HSPCs. Eltrombopag, a synthetic small molecule mimetic of TPO that interacts with c-MPL at a position distinct from the extracellular binding site of TPO, bypasses this inhibition, providing an explanation for its clinical activity in bone marrow failure, despite already elevated endogenous TPO levels. Thus, IFN-γ–mediated perturbation of TPO:c-MPL complex formation and the resulting inhibition of a critical pathway of growth factor cell signaling may represent a general mechanism by which IFN-γ impairs the function of human HSPCs. This understanding could have broad therapeutic implications for various disorders of chronic inflammation.
A Finite Element Method for Contact Problems With Finite Deformations and Mixed Boundary Conditions

ABSTRACT An incremental iterative numerical method is presented here for the solution of contact problems. A system of constitutive equations for elasto-plastic materials with finite strain is used to solve for the deformations and stresses. In the elasto-plastic analysis, the materials exhibit both kinematic and isotropic strain-hardening. The solution to a number of two-dimensional contact problems is presented here to demonstrate the accuracy and applicability of the proposed method.
Erratum for Siegel et al., "Structure and Mechanism of LcpA, a Phosphotransferase That Mediates Glycosylation of a Gram-Positive Bacterial Cell Wall-Anchored Protein".

Volume 10, issue 1, e01580-18, 2019, [https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.01580-18][1]. The following funding information should have been included: This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source which is funded by NIH grant P30 GM124165. S.D.S. was supported by the NIDCR grant number F31
Personalized approach to systemic therapy of renal cancer

Introduction: Multiple studies have recently reported promising results in the treatment of renal cancer (RCC), so its clinical management is currently undergoing a paradigm shift. Optimal sequenci...
Peripartum Hyperkalemia Caused by Magnesium Infusion in a Woman With End-Stage Renal Disease: A Case Report

Pregnancy in the setting of renal failure has higher rates of adverse events necessitating increased monitoring and treatment. Pregnant women with end-stage renal disease have higher rates of hypertension, and 50% of pregnancies are complicated by preeclampsia. We describe the case of a 32-year-old parturient with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis with superimposed preeclampsia who developed clinically significant hyperkalemia with electrocardiographic changes after magnesium infusion. The magnesium infusion was stopped, and the patient underwent emergent hemodialysis with subsequent improvement. Hyperkalemia caused by magnesium infusion is a rare and not very well-understood phenomenon.
Probing Brain Micro-architecture by Orientation Distribution Invariant Identification of Diffusion Compartments.

Precise quantification of brain tissue micro-architecture using diffusion MRI is hampered by the conflation of diffusion-attenuated signals from micro-environments that can be orientationally heterogeneous due to complex fiber configurations, such as crossing, fanning, and bending, and compartmentally heterogeneous due to variability in tissue organization. In this paper, we introduce a method, called Spherical Mean Spectrum Imaging (SMSI), for quantification of tissue microstructure. SMSI does not assume a fixed number of compartments, but characterizes the signal as a spectrum of fine- to coarse-scale diffusion processes. Using SMSI, multiple orientation distribution invariant indices can be computed, allowing for example the quantification of neurite density, microscopic fractional anisotropy (\(\mu \)FA), per-axon axial/radial diffusivity, and free/restricted isotropic diffusivity. We show that SMSI is fast, accurate, and can overcome biases in state-of-the-art microstructure models. We demonstrate its application in probing microstructural changes in the baby brain during the first two years of life.
Recent Developments in HER2-Directed Therapy in Breast Cancer

This review will discuss recent important trials for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer, emphasize ongoing areas of development, and highlight areas of unmet need. Advances for early-stage treatment have been driven by key clinical trials with pertuzumab, neratinib, and TDM-1. In the adjuvant setting, dual HER2 targeting with trastuzumab and pertuzumab has demonstrated modest improvement in disease-free survival. Neratinib also showed modest benefit in the extended adjuvant setting after prior trastuzumab. Finally, for patients who did not achieve pathologic complete response to neoadjuvant therapy, adjuvant therapy with TDM-1 showed significant disease-free survival benefit over trastuzumab. In advanced disease, neratinib appears to have activity beyond standard second line treatment. Promising compounds with early-phase data reviewed are tucatinib, margetuximab, and antibody-drug complexes. Immunotherapy in HER2-positive disease also has early-phase data. Endocrine therapy in combination with CDK4/6 inhibition and HER2-targeted therapy is in evaluation. Two areas of unmet need include CNS disease and disease treatment in the elderly population. In the wake of recent practice changing clinical trials, HER2-directed therapy is rapidly evolving. Future advances in therapy are anticipated with ongoing studies.
A Multidisciplinary Pathway for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Endocarditis.

Clinical pathways can be useful when disparate clinical -pathologic groups converge on a common diagnostic and therapeutic trajectory. The progressive increase in the incidence of endocarditis in the United States has included higher risk subjects whose candidacy for aggressive cardiac surgical intervention may be highly resource-intensive, prohibitively high risk, or delayed and possibly deferred by comorbidities. We sought to define the sequence, application and resolution of multidisciplinary endocarditis team decision making in four distinct clinical groups.
End-stage renal disease as an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality after coronary drug-eluting stenting: Understanding and modeling the risk

OBJECTIVES We sought to compare in-hospital outcomes between patients with and without end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing coronary drug-eluting stent (DES) placement and to model risk of in-hospital adverse postpercutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) events in ESRD patients. BACKGROUND The effect of ESRD on the risk of in-hospital complications after DES PCI is relatively unclear, as is the ability to prospectively stratify risk in this population. METHODS Consecutive patients undergoing first-time DES between April 1, 2003 and June 30, 2018 at a single tertiary care hospital were included in a prospective registry. Outcomes in those with ESRD were compared to those without ESRD. The primary endpoint was in-hospital all-cause mortality; secondary endpoints included in-hospital major adverse cardiac events (MACE)-defined as cardiac death, myocardial infarction, or unplanned revascularization-and major bleeding. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to identify factors associated with each outcome and to generate risk scores. RESULTS Among 18,134 patients in the study population, 382 (2.1%) had ESRD. ESRD was associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality (7.1 vs. 2.9%, p < .001), in-hospital MACE (6.3 vs. 2.1%, p < .001), and major bleeding (12.0 vs. 2.6%, p < .001). After multivariable risk adjustment, ESRD was independently associated with in-hospital mortality (odds ratio: 1.83, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-3.23, p = .04) but not MACE or major bleeding. Among patients with ESRD, risks of MACE and major bleeding were successfully modeled (c-statistics = .72 and .85, respectively). CONCLUSIONS ESRD is independently associated with increased risk of in-hospital mortality after coronary DES. Future studies are necessary to validate risk models derived to identify high-risk ESRD patients.
Neuromorphic Circuits With Neural Modulation Enhancing the Information Content of Neural Signaling

Biological neurons signal each other in a rich and complex manner to perform complex cognitive computing tasks in real-time. The implementation of such capabilities using electronic circuits is a difficult task. Many neuromorphic circuits mimic different aspects of a biological neuron, yet neural modulation has received little focus. Modulation is a key aspect of understanding how neuron processes and interprets information. We posit that each neuron may have a unique built-in modulation function depending on its role. To build rich behavioral neurons, this paper introduces a new technique capable of converting continuous stimulus shapes into modulated spiking/bursting patterns. We test the hypotheses using the simplest modulation function (direct correlation). The results show plausible excitatory spiking patterns consistent with the Izhikevich mathematical model. Implementation of circuits was conducted using the 45nm CMOS technology node, and functional verification is discussed in detail using Cadence Virtuoso Simulator tools.
NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF UNSTEADY LAMINAR FLOW OVER VIBRATING BODIES (PLANAR FLOW)

A model is developed to simulate two-dimensional laminar flow over an arbitrarily shaped body, a part of which is subjected to simple harmonic motion. The vibration amplitude ratio, Ho, and the Reynolds number, Re, are maintained at 0.1 and 1000, respectively. The Strouhal number, St, is varied. The computer code is tested for the flow in a square cavity and also over a flat plate. The friction and pressure coefficients over the vibration portion of the body are determined. Fast Fourier Transforms are performed on the time series data of these coefficients. For low-frequency vibrations (low Strouhal number) the pressure and friction coefficients match the steady-state results for flow over a sinusoidal bump. A small-amplitude pressure wave generated by the oscillating plate propagates downstream with the flow. For high-frequency vibrations (high Strouhal number) the pressure and friction coefficients over the vibrating portion of the body deviate from the steady-state results and a high-amplitude pressure wave propagates downstream. The pressure at the one chord length upstream is also affected. As St increases, the flow becomes highly nonlinear and higher harmonics appear in the downstream flow.
Constructing 3-Dimensional Atomic-Resolution Models of Nonsulfated Glycosaminoglycans with Arbitrary Lengths Using Conformations from Molecular Dynamics

Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are the linear carbohydrate components of proteoglycans (PGs) and are key mediators in the bioactivity of PGs in animal tissue. GAGs are heterogeneous, conformationally complex, and polydisperse, containing up to 200 monosaccharide units. These complexities make studying GAG conformation a challenge for existing experimental and computational methods. We previously described an algorithm we developed that applies conformational parameters (i.e., all bond lengths, bond angles, and dihedral angles) from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of nonsulfated chondroitin GAG 20-mers to construct 3-D atomic-resolution models of nonsulfated chondroitin GAGs of arbitrary length. In the current study, we applied our algorithm to other GAGs, including hyaluronan and nonsulfated forms of dermatan, keratan, and heparan and expanded our database of MD-generated GAG conformations. Here, we show that individual glycosidic linkages and monosaccharide rings in 10- and 20-mers of hyaluronan and nonsulfated dermatan, keratan, and heparan behave randomly and independently in MD simulation and, therefore, using a database of MD-generated 20-mer conformations, that our algorithm can construct conformational ensembles of 10- and 20-mers of various GAG types that accurately represent the backbone flexibility seen in MD simulations. Furthermore, our algorithm efficiently constructs conformational ensembles of GAG 200-mers that we would reasonably expect from MD simulations.
A real-world cohort analysis of alemtuzumab outcomes in relapsing multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and progressive neurological disease characterized by recurrent episodes of inflammatory demyelination of the brain and spinal cord. Alemtuzumab has been previously shown in large phase III trials to be an effective therapy in reducing MS clinical flares as well as new radiological activity and atrophy rates. The purpose of this study was to examine real-world effectiveness and safety data from a large cohort of people treated with alemtuzumab at an academic medical center, including those who failed B-cell depletion therapy. Over an average of 2.6 years follow-up, there were small but significant improvements in neurological disability scores, and a 61% rate of the composite "No Evidence of Disease Activity" (NEDA-3) outcome at 2-year follow-up. There were no substantial safety issues encountered in our review; rates of adverse events were similar or below those reported in Phase III trials. We compare and contrast our results to other available real-world data using alemtuzumab in multiple sclerosis.
Applied Research Note: Internal organ colonization and horizontal transmission of experimental Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Kentucky infection in vaccinated laying hens in indoor cage-free housing

Summary Cage-free housing of laying hens may provide opportunities for widespread environmental distribution of Salmonella contamination and horizontal transmission of infection within flocks. Salmonella Enteritidis in commercial laying flocks presents an ongoing public health concern because reproductive organ colonization in hens leads to deposition inside eggs. Many S. Enteritidis control programs include vaccination to induce protective immunity against infection. Salmonella Kentucky is common in egg production environments but has not been associated with egg contamination. This study compared the invasion of internal organs and horizontal spread of infection during the first 2 wk after experimental S. Enteritidis and S. Kentucky infection of previously vaccinated laying hens in indoor cage-free housing. Two groups of 72 hens each were housed in isolation rooms simulating commercial cage-free barns and 1/3 of the hens were orally inoculated with either S. Enteritidis (1 room) or S. Kentucky (1 room). At 6 and 12 d after inoculation, half of the hens in each room were euthanized and samples of the liver, spleen, ovary, oviduct, and intestinal tract were removed for bacteriologic culturing. Among hens inoculated with S. Enteritidis, 66.7% of the intestinal, liver, and spleen samples were positive for the pathogen at 6 d after infection, as well as 41.7% of intestines and 16.7% of livers from contact-exposed hens. Significantly (P
Waterproofing the State: Migration, River-Borders, and Ecologies of Control

Transboundary waters serve critical bordering functions and are often obstacles for migrants transiting throughout the globe. This article focuses on migrant encounters with Mesoamerican river-bord...
Demographic characteristics, clinical features, and optimal management of hospitalized patients with staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome.

Background/objectives Optimal management of staphylococcal scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) has not been established. Clindamycin may benefit patients via inhibition of ribosomal toxin production, but resistance patterns suggest penicillinase-resistant penicillins or cephalosporins should be the first line. Our goal was to describe demographic and clinical characteristics of SSSS patients at our institution, delineate bacterial resistance patterns, and examine outcomes of varying therapeutic strategies in SSSS. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients under the age of 18 with confirmed clinical SSSS diagnosis by the dermatology consult team at the University of North Carolina (UNC) Hospitals from January 2008 to April 2017. Median hospital and ICU length of stay (LOS) were compared using a Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test. Results We found 59 SSSS patients. Coverage with clindamycin and vancomycin versus absence of that combination was associated with shorter ICU LOS. Although trending toward reduced hospital LOS, this was not significantly altered with the use of vancomycin and clindamycin after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Individual use of either clindamycin or vancomycin did not significantly alter overall hospital or ICU LOS. Among 24 patients with a pathogen identified on culture, 18 (75.0%) revealed resistance to clindamycin, and 2 (8.3%) revealed MRSA. Conclusions Clindamycin resistance is more prevalent in hospitalized SSSS patients compared to our pediatric outpatient population. The combination of vancomycin and clindamycin results in shorter ICU LOS. Individual use of clindamycin or vancomycin does not significantly reduce hospital or ICU LOS after adjustment for multiple comparisons.