cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insulin resistance of denervated rat muscle: a model for impaired receptor-function coupling

The effect of short-term denervation on the response to insulin was studied in isolated rat soleus and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles 6 and 24 h after severing one sciatic nerve. Impaired insulin sensitivity and response occurred within 6 h postdenervation in solei. After 24 h, EDL of fed and fasted rats and solei of fed rats showed no stimulation of glycogen synthesis even with supraphysiological doses, whereas solei of fasted rats showed markedly decreased sensitivity and response to insulin. Insulin resistance of glycogen synthesis represented impaired stimulation of glucose transport and impaired glucose-independent activation of glycogen synthase by insulin. Changes in initial glycogen content of muscles did not correlate with insulin resistance. Insulin binding after denervation showed only minimum impairment and did not account for the marked insulin resistance. The response of denervated solei to epinephrine was unimpaired. Insulin resistance, which develops early after denervation in red and white muscles, represents primarily a defect in receptor-function coupling, suggesting that in muscle, nervous stimuli and/or contractile activity modulate signal transmission by the occupied insulin receptor.
Appetite and Weight Loss Symptoms in Late-Life Depression Predict Dementia Outcomes

Objective Identify depression symptoms during active late-life depression (LLD) that predict conversion to dementia. Methods The authors followed a cohort of 290 participants from the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Depression in the Elderly study. All participants were actively depressed and cognitively normal at enrollment. Depression symptom factors were derived from prior factor analysis: anhedonia and sadness, suicidality and guilt, appetite and weight loss, sleep disturbance, and anxiety and tension. Cox regression analysis modeled time to Alzheimer disease (AD) and non-AD dementia onset on depression symptom factors, along with age, education, sex, and race. Significant dementia predictors were tested for interaction with age at depression onset. Results Higher scores on the appetite and weight loss symptom factor were associated with an increased hazard of both AD and non-AD dementia. This factor was moderated by age at first depression onset, such that higher scores were associated with higher risk of non-AD dementia when depression first occurred earlier in life. Other depression symptom factors and overall depression severity were not related to risk of AD or non-AD dementia. Conclusion Results suggest greater appetite/weight loss symptoms in active episodes of LLD are associated with increased likelihood of AD and non-AD dementia, but possibly via different pathways moderated by age at first depression onset. Results may help clinicians identify individuals with LLD at higher risk of developing AD and non-AD dementia and design interventions that reduce this risk.
Evaluation of 2 Batched Pretreatment Systems for the Measurement of Whole Blood Tacrolimus on the ARCHITECT Immunoassay Analyzer

Background: Measurement of tacrolimus using the ARCHITECT immunoassay analyzer requires a manual extraction step that puts clinical laboratory workers at risk for ergonomic injury. Therefore, we developed 2 batched extraction systems for tacrolimus measurement on the ARCHITECT analyzer and describe their features herein. Methods: Two batched extraction methods were developed at 2 different laboratories. The batched extraction methods allow processing of at least 20 specimens at a time. We evaluated the analytical performance of those methods and compared them with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)–cleared process for manually extracting individual specimens. Results: Comparing the performance of batched- and individual-extraction methods revealed that both methods had comparable between-day imprecision, high patient-results correlation ( R 2 values ≥0.9869), equivalent functional sensitivity (0.48 ng/mL), and good linearity between 1 ng per mL and 25 ng per mL. Further, we observed decreased delta check–identified errors using the batched method. Conclusion: The 2 developed batched extraction methods for tacrolimus measurement that we describe herein demonstrate excellent performance and can replace individual specimen extraction. * Abbreviations: : TDM : therapeutic drug monitoring ELITE : Efficacy Limiting Toxicity Elimination LC/MS-MS : liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry UCLA : University of California, Los Angeles EDTA : ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid RCF : relative centrifugal force QC : quality control FDA : United States Food and Drug Administration ANOVA : analysis of variance TAT : turnaround time
Genetic analysis of a child with XYY syndrome mainly featuring mental retardation

Objective To explore the genetic cause for a boy featuring mainly with mental retardation. Methods G-banding karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were carried out for the child and his parents. The child was also analyzed with chromosome microarray (CMA). Suspected microdeletion was validated with quantitative PCR. Results The proband was found to have a 47, XYY karyotype by both chromosome and FISH analyses, while both of his parents had a normal karyotype. CMA suggested that the proband had one copy of X chromosome and two copies of Y chromosome. In addition, CMA has also detected deletion of the KYNU gene (mapped at 2q22.2), which could be pathogenic. The result was confirmed by qPCR. Conclusion For its high resolution, CMA can be used to identify potential microdeletion/duplications among children with chromosome aneuploidy and unusual phenotypes. Key words: Chromosomal microarray; XYY syndrome; microdeletion/microduplication
Evaluation and Treatment of Heat- and Altitude-Related Illness

Environmental issues can be a difficult challenge for both endurance athletes and medical staff. Not only do they spend long hours in the elements, but varied locations may make evaluation and treatment difficult. Both heat and altitude present not only performance problems to athletes; these conditions have the potential for life-threatening consequences if not recognized and treated appropriately. Prevention of both heat and altitude issues is ideal with planning time for acclimatization and modification of training and competition as weather and environments dictate. Genetic factors likely play a role in an individual athlete’s tolerance to both heat and altitude, and it is important to remember that fitness level is not protective of either condition. Mild to moderate illness can often be treated with activity modification and rest. For severe illness, both heat-related and altitude illness require immediate action, cooling, or descent, to prevent complications.
Structural and Optical Properties of Group III Doped Hydrothermal ZnO Thin Films

In this work, we employ a simple two-step growth technique to deposit impurity doped heteroepitaxial thin films of (0001) ZnO onto (111) MgAl2O4 spinel substrates through a combination of atomic layer deposition (ALD) and hydrothermal growth. The hydrothermal layer is doped with Al, Ga, and In through the addition of their respective nitrate salts. We evaluated the effect that varying the concentrations of these dopants has on both the structural and optical properties of these films. It was found that the epitaxial ALD layer created a $$ \langle 111\rangle_{{{\rm{MgAl}}_{2} {\rm{O}}_{4} }} \left\| {\;\langle 0001\rangle_{\rm{ZnO}} } \right. $$ out-of-plane orientation and a $$ \langle \bar{1}\bar{1}2\rangle_{{{\rm{MgAl}}_{2} {\rm{O}}_{4} }} \left\| {\;\langle 01\bar{1}0\rangle_{\rm{ZnO}} } \right. $$ in-plane orientation between the film and substrate. The rocking curve line widths ranged between 0.75° and 1.80° depending on dopant concentration. The optical bandgap determined through the Tauc method was between 3.28 eV and 3.39 eV and showed a Burstein-Moss shift with increasing dopant concentration.
The Implications of Israel's Demand to Be Recognized by the Palestinians as a “Jewish State”

This article argues that the discourse of “Jewishness” was refashioned after the Oslo agreement and intensified by the government of Binyamin Netanyahu to serve as a major pillar for the demand of recognition. The Netanyahu government has its own hidden geopolitical agenda and significantly disadvantages the Palestinian side in their quest for a state of their own. It also blocks any genuine possibility of a two-state solution to the conflict. Significantly, from the territorial perspective, asking the Palestinians to recognize Israel's pre–June 1967 borders as a “Jewish” state means relinquishing a total of 77 % of the historical homeland of Palestine, in a kind of self-exit from this portion of the country, and, in effect, handing this land over to the Israeli political class to dominate the territory. Self-exit from this portion of Palestine also means that the “Palestinian right of return,” grounded in relevant UN resolutions and international law, would be abrogated, nullified by the Palestinians the...
Character mapping and cladogram comparison versus the requirement of total evidence: does it matter for polychaete systematics?

Fitzhugh, K. 2014. Character mapping and cladogram comparison versus the requirement of total evidence: does it matter for polychaete systematics? Memoirs of Museum Victoria 71: 67–78. The practice of partitioning data for the inferences of phylogenetic hypotheses has become a routine practice in biological systematics. Two popular approaches: (i) mapping ‘morphological’ characters onto ‘molecular’ phylogenies, and (ii) comparing ‘morphological’ and ‘molecular’ phylogenies, are examined in light of what is known as the requirement of total evidence. Inferences of phylogenetic hypotheses, indeed all taxa, occur by a type of non-deductive reasoning known as abduction. The intent of abduction is to offer at least tentative causal accounts that explain character data. The rational acceptance of abductively derived hypotheses is subject to conditions of the requirement of total evidence as a matter of the evidential support for those hypotheses. It is shown that both character mapping and comparisons of cladograms using partitioned datasets are procedures that severely reduce the credibility of phylogenetic hypotheses. This problem is alleviated by acknowledging the formal structure of the why-questions we ask in relation to character data, for which phylogenetic hypotheses serve as answers.
â€œA Civilization to Match Its Sceneryâ€: Western Land Management Policy and Canyonlands National Park

This paper addresses the underlying tensions between development and conservation inherent in western land policy, as revealed by the December 19th Bureau of Land Management (BLM) energy leasing controversy. Using Canyonlands National Park and the surrounding erosion basin as a case study, this paper highlights the history and development of these opposing land management philosophies as embodied by the BLM (multiple-use) and the National Park Service (conservation). This conflict is explored in the context of BLMNPS border issues in the lands adjacent to Canyonlands National Park, with a focus on oil/gas development, off-highway vehicles (OHV), and impact on local communities. Several possibilities for ensuring better management of the entire Canyonlands basin ecosystem are explored, with the ultimate recommendation that the lands surrounding the national park be designated a national preserve under NPS-management. The paper concludes with a call for larger western land policy reform.
Surface-Catalyzed Reaction between the Gases Hydrogen Chloride and Isoprene

Mixtures of gaseous hydrogen chloride (38–150 Torr) and isoprene (38–80 Torr) were allowed to react in Pyrex IR cells equipped with sodium chloride windows. The disappearance of reactants to form, initially, 3-chloro-3-methyl-1-butene and 1-chloro-3-methyl-2-butene was monitored and subsequent formation of multimeric products, some of which were brown, were observed. Such products may contribute to the formation of, or be found on, atmospheric particles.
Physical location in the tree during forest fire influences element concentrations of bark-derived pyrogenic carbon from charred jack pines (Pinus banksiana Lamb.)

Abstract Forest fires create pyrogenic carbon (PyC), which is present in charred biomass and whose characteristics can vary within an individual fire. The purpose here was to investigate the influence of position in a tree on post-fire element concentrations and ratios from charred Pinus banksiana Lamb. tree bark after a stand-replacing prescribed burn in Michigan, USA. We felled five fire-killed trees and collected charred bark from the main tree stem at the base and upper crown and from inner and outer crown locations, and analyzed bark samples for element concentrations. N and H concentrations were greater in bark from the crown than from the tree base, whereas there were no differences in C or O concentrations. There were no statistically significant differences (at p
The Reign of God and the Church: Giorgio Agamben’s Messianic Critique of the Church

This chapter investigates Giorgio Agamben’s critique of the Roman Catholic Church through the lens of the 2013 resignation of Pope Benedict XVI . Agamben explores a 1956 article in which the then Joseph Ratzinger reflected on the concept of the dual nature of the church (corpus bipartitum) formulated by the Donatist theologian, Tychonius. While Agamben offers no positive agenda for the church, his profane messianic critique points to what the church might look like were it fully to live into its messianic vocation. The papal resignation offers the church a moment in which it might reimagine itself as a non-institutional institution, and in which the potentiality of the eschatological dimension might be recovered not just for the church, but for other institutions in Western liberal society.
MR imaging of the calvarium: pictorial essay

Magnetic resonance is unique in its ability to directly image the bone marrow. Thus, primary or secondary processes involving the bone marrow of the calvarium can be well visualized. In cases of superficial lesions, magnetic resonance demonstrates calvarial and bone marrow invasion. This is particularly important in cases where surgical preservation of the inner table in contemplated. Both erosion and involvement of the calvarium by intracranial processes can also be well visualized. Because of the ability of magnetic resonance to image in multiple orthogonal planes, it is particularly useful for precise delineation of the extent of lesions. Its ability to also image in oblique planes may aid in better demonstration of pathology. Use of both T1 and T2 weighted imaging sequences may also be of help in determination of the tissue type.
Short-Term Changes in the Prevalence of Probable Dementia: An Analysis of the 2011-2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study.

Objectives Studies have reported decreasing dementia prevalence in recent decades in the United States. We explore with a new national data source whether declines have occurred since 2011, whether trends are attributable to shifts in dementia incidence or mortality, and whether trends are related to shifts in population composition or subgroup prevalence. Methods We use the 2011-2015 National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 27,547) to examine prevalence of probable dementia among the 70 and older population. To minimize the influence of potential learning effects on prevalence rates, we require individuals to meet probable dementia criteria at two consecutive rounds. Results Prevalence of probable dementia declines over this period by 1.4% to 2.6% per year. Declines are concentrated among women, non-Hispanic white and black groups, and those with no vascular conditions or risk factors. The latter group also has experienced declines in dementia incidence. Declines in prevalence are largely attributable to age- and education-related shifts in population composition. Discussion Given the role of age and educational composition in short-term declines, the United States is likely to continue to experience short-term declines in dementia prevalence. However, persistently high rates among minority groups, especially of Hispanic origin, are concerning, and, barring new treatments, long-run trends may reverse course.
A course on integral equations

This book is based on one term term course for graduate students in physical sciences and applied mathematics. No detailed mathematical background is needed but the student should be familiar with the theory of analytic functions of a complex variable. Since the course is problem-solving rather than theorem proving, the main requirement is that the student should be willing to work out a large number of specific examples. The course is divided about equally into three parts, where the first part is mostly theoretical and the remaining two parts emphasize problem solving. This graduate textbook on applications of mathematics is intended for graduates in mathematics and physics.
Estimating Mediated Effects with Survival Data

Mediation analyses help identify variables in the causal sequence relating predictor variables to outcome variables. In many studies, outcomes are time until an event occurs and survival analyses are applied. This study examines the point and interval estimates of the mediated effect using two methods of survival analyses: the log-survival time and log-hazard time models. The results show that, under the condition of no censored data, the assumption that mediated effects calculated by the product of coefficients method (αs) and those calculated by the difference in coefficients method (τ − τ’) are identical does apply to log-survival time survival analyses but not to log-hazard time survival analyses. The standard error of the mediated effect can be calculated with the delta formula, the second order Taylor series formula, and the unbiased formula. Consistent with ordinary least squares regression, the three formulas yield similar results. Although the log-survival time model and the log-hazard time model utilize different estimation methods, the results of the significant tests, using the ratio of αs to seαs, were comparable between the two methods. However, the significance tests based on the empirical standard error appear to be more conservative than those from the three analytical standard errors.
Environmental and metabolic transformations of primary aromatic amines and related compounds.

Nitrogen forms a variety of functional groups in combinations with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (Table I). These functional groups have been particularly useful for adapting and activating aromatic compounds for use as chemical intermediates in synthetic processes. In addition, many final products contain nitrogen functionalities including pesticides, explosives, drugs, dyes, antioxidants, and antiozonants (Meylan et al. 1976, Mason and Sweeney 1976).
The Speaker as Observer: Russian Color Verbs in -sja and Deixis

The article examines color verbs in -sja and their non-sja counterparts (such as belet'sja and belet'). The data analysis reveals that the color verbs in -sja represent a deictic feature of "distance" between the speaker/narrator (PS) and the described object (Pnc). Color verbs (both with and without -sja) may be used in existential as well as descriptive statements, with VS and SV word order respectively. The analysis of examples with human Pnc demonstrates that the object is perceived as a silhouette. All of these findings, however, even though they are part of the competence of native speakers of Contemporary Standard Russian (CSR), represent the state of the past. In CSR, preference is given to the non-sja counterparts of the color verbs.
Case 33: Delayed Zone I Open Globe Injury with Corneal Ulcer and Hypopyon

Delay in wound closure of greater than 24 h is a main risk factor for traumatic endophthalmitis. Here, a case of a delayed presentation zone 1 open globe injury complicated by the presence of a corneal ulcer is presented. Techniques to close corneal wounds associated with a corneal ulcer and the management of eyes with delayed presentation and concern for endophthalmitis are discussed. Ultimately, the clinical course of this patient was prolonged due to a secondary suture abscess, but he recovered excellent visual acuity upon completion of his treatment.
The X-Chrom lens for correction of color deficiency.

Abstract : A new device called the X-Chrom lens (a red contact lens fitted for the on-dominant eye) is being marketed today as a correction of color deficiencies. The usefulness of this lens was evaluated on one protanomolous color defective nd one deuteranope, using an extensive battery of color vision tests.
GP280 Sleep disordered breathing and spina bifida – experience in a tertiary referral paediatric centre

Introduction There is a paucity of knowledge regarding Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB) in paediatric patients with Spina Bifida/Myelomeningocoele (SB/MMC). Undiagnosed, untreated SDB has detrimental effects on growth, development (1) and cognition (2) which is especially important to recognise in those with other co-morbidities as is the case in SB/MMC. Aim There are currently 317 patients aged 0–16 years attending the Spina Bifida service at Temple Street Children’s University (TSCUH). Fourteen of 317 patients (4.4%) currently require Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV) therapy for SDB under the care of the Respiratory Team. We hypothesize that a subpopulation of the SB/MMC patients are at risk of undiagnosed SDB. We aimed to initially review the demographics of the sub-group of SB/MMC patients currently requiring NIV by assessing for potential predictors of SDB. Method We used up to date medical records of the patients under our care to look for potential predictors for SDB, in particular hydrocephalus with VP shunt, Chiari II malformation and intellectual disability (ID). We then compared our data to what is known about the general SB/MMC population. Results 100% of SB patients with SDB requiring NIV had hydrocephalus with VP shunt compared to 80% in general SB/MMC patients. 92% also had Chiari II malformation. 50% had a moderate to severe ID in contrast to 25–25% of the general SB/MMC population. Conclusion A higher proportion of SB/MMC patients known to have SDB have hydrocephalus and ID compared to the SB/MMC population mean. At present there is no standardised screen for SDB in our SB/MMC patients. The results of this review have prompted a clinical audit of all of SB/MMC patients at TSCUH to identify those at higher risk of SDB and ultimately determine the prevalence of SDB in this population. References ‘How do we recognize the child with OSAS?’ Joosten KF, et al. Pediatric Pulmonology 2017 Feb;52(2):260–271. ‘Association of Sleep-Disordered Breathing With Cognitive Function and Risk of Cognitive Impairment: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.’ Leng Y, et al. JAMA Neurology 2017 Oct 1;74(10):1237–1245.
Automated Solution-Phase Synthesis of S-Glycosides for the Production of Oligomannopyranoside Derivatives.

Thioglycosides are more resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis than their O-linked counterparts, thereby becoming attractive targets for carbohydrate-based therapeutic development. We report the first d...
Building one-time memories from isolated qubits: (extended abstract)

One-time memories (OTM's) are simple tamper-resistant cryptographic devices, which can be used to implement one-time programs, a very general form of software protection and program obfuscation. Here we investigate the possibility of building OTM's using quantum mechanical devices. It is known that OTM's cannot exist in a fully-quantum world or in a fully-classical world. Instead, we propose a new model based on isolated qubits - qubits that can only be accessed using local operations and classical communication (LOCC). This model combines a quantum resource (single-qubit measurements) with a classical restriction (on communication between qubits), and can be implemented using current technologies, such as nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond. In this model, we construct OTM's that are information-theoretically secure against one-pass LOCC adversaries that use 2-outcome measurements. Our construction resembles Wiesner's old idea of quantum conjugate coding, implemented using random error-correcting codes; our proof of security uses entropy chaining to bound the supremum of a suitable empirical process. In addition, we conjecture that our random codes can be replaced by some class of efficiently-decodable codes, to get computationally-efficient OTM's that are secure against computationally-bounded LOCC adversaries. In addition, we construct data-hiding states, which allow an LOCC sender to encode an (n-O(1))-bit messsage into n qubits, such that at most half of the message can be extracted by a one-pass LOCC receiver, but the whole message can be extracted by a general quantum receiver.
Antithrombotic / Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease and After Acute Coronary Syndrome

The major physiopathological mechanism underlying Acute Coronary Syndromes (ACS) is atherosclerotic plaque rupture with resultant coronary thrombosis, posing a big burden in health care systems. Dual anti-platelet therapy (DAPT) can improve CV outcome with a prolonged regimen, albeit at the cost of increased bleeding rates. We performed a narrative literature review on the topic, in which we explored databases through April 15th, 2020, with no restrictions on language. Keywords related to antiplatelet therapy, P2Y12 inhibitor, aspirin and DAPT were utilized. Randomized clinical trials, large prospective studies, systematic reviews and meta-analysis were included. We hand-searched the reference lists of included articles and relevant reviews. The review revealed that when choosing antiplatelet agents, the decision should be driven by pharmacodynamic properties as well as demonstrated efficacy and safety. Additionally, it was noted that in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention, prasugrel and ticagrelor are preferred. In patients with a high risk of bleeds or receiving thrombolysis, or when cost or specific patient issues exist, clopidogrel is considered though it is a second-line therapy. Due to an elevated risk of bleeds, triple therapy should be avoided, as evidence shows effectiveness and safety with regimens without ASA. Furthermore, multiple studies have also shown that regimens shorter than 12 months of DAPT could be adequate for many patients, and newer guidelines are likely to reflect it. There are specific recommendations for switching among antiplatelets, mostly based on registries and pharmacodynamic studies.
The impact of gender quotas on corporate boards: a cross-country comparative study

Drawing on institutional theory and resource dependence theory, this study examines whether mandating gender quotas for corporate boards is associated with a greater presence of women on boards, better accounting-based and market-based performance, more innovativeness, and more external female directors. Based on a cross-country comparative sample of companies from 18 countries, our results suggest that organizations in countries where gender quotas are implemented show better market-based performance and better board vigilance through a higher number of external directors than organizations in countries where quotas are not implemented. The direct impact of gender quotas on innovativeness and accounting performance is not observed. Our findings add to the institutional theory literature by suggesting that companies respond strategically and show acquiescence in their strategic response when institutional pressure addresses ethical concerns (gender diversity). The results support institutional theory’s contentions that companies from countries mandating gender quotas are valued more highly by the market. Nevertheless, the impacts on accounting performance and innovativeness are not apparent. Additionally, adopting a resource dependence approach, we find that the presence of women on boards is associated with more efficient corporate governance practices. The results of this study demonstrate the positive implications of gender quotas for company boards. The upper echelons of companies and country policymakers may better understand the importance of diversity and the presence of female directors on company boards.
Validation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale in a Sample of Pakistan's University Students and Future Directions

This study determined the psychometric validation of the English version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S). Findings demonstrated robust psychometric properties for the FCV-19S. CFA results showed that the FCV-19S was a good model fit to the data in a sample of 608 university students. The FCV-19S also showed good concurrent validity, as it was significantly and positively related to the Preventive Behaviors related to COVID-19 Scale and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale as well as significantly and negatively related to the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. The scale also showed good internal consistency reliability. Further, the association of age with FCV-19S indicated that younger students experienced greater fear of COVID-19. The analyses of mean differences revealed that women as compared to men, bachelor's and master's students as compared to post-master's students, and unemployed students as compared to employed students experienced greater fear of the outbreak. Also, those suffering from severe anxiety experienced greater fear of COVID-19 followed by those suffering from moderate, mild, and minimal anxiety. Moreover, knowing someone suffering from the coronavirus, being afraid that someone close might contract the virus, and believing that the current COVID-19 situation adversely affects academic performance were linked to higher levels of fear of the pandemic. Practice implications, limitations, and avenues for future research are also discussed.
Recent Advances in Empirical Land-Use Modeling

Data sets providing repeated observations of land use at fine spatial scales have enabled a new generation of land-use studies. In the past decade, these analyses have put increasing emphasis on em...
Comparison of Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Renal Transplantation With Impaired vs Normal Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction.

ABSTRACT Background Renal transplantation improves long-term outcomes in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD); however, patients with impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) are less likely to be selected for renal transplantation. We sought to evaluate the effect of renal transplantation in this population. Methods We retrospectively evaluated 181 patients who underwent renal transplantation between 2011 and 2016. For patients with pretransplant LVEF Results Cohort 1 comprised 24 patients (mean age, 47 years; pretransplant LVEF 38%). Cohort 2 comprised 157 patients (mean age, 53 years; pretransplant LVEF 64%). Forty-six percent of cohort 1 experienced significant improvement in LVEF posttransplant, with mean LVEF improvement from 38% to 66%. There was no significant association between pretransplant LVEF and graft failure (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.6-11.4; P = .1) or mortality (HR = 1.02; 95% CI, 0.3-3.6; P = .9). Coronary artery disease predicted mortality (HR = 3.12; 95% CI, 1.2-8.4; P = .02). Older age trended toward higher mortality (HR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1; P = .05). Younger age predicted graft failure (HR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.8-0.9; P = .02). Conclusions In patients with ESRD undergoing renal transplantation, there was no significant association between pretransplant LVEF and mortality or graft failure, suggesting that patients with ESRD with impaired LVEF can experience positive posttransplant outcomes.
Body Mapping and Story Circles in Sexual Health Research With Youth of Color: Methodological Insights and Study Findings From Adolescent X, an Art-Based Research Project.

We describe the implementation and select findings from Adolescent X, an arts-based research project that used story circles and body mapping to elucidate how young people understand the relationsh...
Prognostic Factors and Patterns of Failure in Childhood Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Experience on Pediatric Oncology Group Study # 8821

Risk Group-based therapy in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is now standard and has allowed for tailored intensification of therapy based on risk for relapse
Sets of minimal Hausdorff dimension for quasiconformal maps

For any 1 < ar < n, there is a compact set E C in of (Hausdorff) dimension ar whose dimension cannot be lowered by any quasiconformal map f : in -i n, We conjecture that no such set exists in the case ae < 1. More generally, we identify a broad class of metric spaces whose Hausdorff dimension is minimal among quasisymmetric images.
Evaluation of Color and Color Infrared Photography from the Goldfield Mining District, Esmerelda and Nye Countries, Nevada

The determination of geological features characteristic of the Goldfield epithermal ore deposits is considered and which of them can be identified from color and color infrared aerial photography. The Goldfield mining district in the western part of the Basin and Range Province is the area of study, located in desert terrain of relatively low relief.
Newtonian limit of Einsteinian gravity and dynamics of Solar system

375 H.L.Hunter Laboratories,Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634-0973, USAAttempts to merge the Einsteinian gravity with Newonian run intological inconsistencies coming from the fact that in Newton’s gravitytime is absolute and speed of propagation of gravity is assumed to beinﬁnite. Such an assumption was in a focus of attention of many scientistsin 19th century interested in ﬁnding out if, indeed, the speed of propagationof gravity is inﬁnite. For this purpose, by analogy with electrodynamics,some retarded potentials replacing Newtonian were suggested. Using oneof such potentials Gerber correctly calculated the perihelion shift forMercury in 1902. However, subsequent attempts at calculation of thebending of light using Gerber-style calculations were not successful.Recently Gine
Stigmatization of Overweight Patients by Nurses

The focus of this research study was the exploration of the phenomenon of stigmatization of obese persons by nurses. The philosophical tradition of Phenomenology based on Heidegger’s view of the person guided the researchers in uncovering the meaning of stigmatization for eight chronically ill individuals with a body mass index greater than 30. Stigmatization by nurses for this group of medically obese women meant being exposed to unintentional harm, presuppositions, and reluctant care. Perceptions of stigma were manifested in shame, marginalization, and anxiety in seeking health care. Nursing care could advance positive outcomes when including non-discriminatory care related to weight in the total care needs identified for obese patients. Key Words: Obesity, Stigma, Nursing Chronic illness, Phenomenology. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2009a), a person with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or greater is defined as obese. The number of persons in the United States who meet this definition of obesity has been dramatically increasing over the past 20 years. In 2008, only one state, Colorado, had an obesity prevalence rate of less than 20%. Six states, including Alabama, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia, had obesity prevalence rates of 30% or higher (CDC, 2009b). As the number of obese persons has risen in the United States, so have reports of discrimination against those who suffer from obesity. Puhl, Andreyeva, and Brownell (2008) found that 40% of a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States who had a BMI of 35 and above reported having experienced some type of weight-height discrimination. The data showed an overall increase in experiences of weight-height discrimination among all adults, regardless of BMI, when compared to findings from a similar research study conducted in 1995-1996. In the earlier study, ten percent of adults surveyed reported having experienced some type of weight-height discrimination. In the more recent study, 12% of adults reported having experienced such discrimination. The findings of weight-height discrimination were similar for rates of discrimination based on race. Researchers have also reported that discrimination of obese persons occurs in a variety of environments, including work, school, and health care settings (Brownell & Puhl, 2003). There is a growing body of research to support the view that health care providers are biased in their approach to caring for obese persons. Brown (2006) in a study of nurses, found a significant bias towards obese patients. The researcher suggested that the nurses’ attitudes reflected the stereotypes within our Western culture, such as an obese person is lazy, unattractive, lacks self control, and lacks motivation. The focus of this research study was to uncover the lived experience of stigmatization by nurses as perceived by obese persons.
Apolipoprotein B-48: problems related to quantification.

Publisher Summary It is speculated that the formation of apoB-48, which lacks an low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-receptor binding domain, favors a faster removal of chylomicron remnants and, thus prevents their possible accumulation in the circulation. Although apoB-48 is structurally identical to nearly half of apoB-100, the properties of the two proteins are quite different. In humans, a number of tissues are capable of editing apoB messenger RNA (mRNA), yet only intestine is found to synthesize and secrete apoB-48. Thus, the editing mechanism is not fully in use by most tissues. To investigate the regulation of secretion or removal of apoB-48, quantitation of apoB-48 is imperative. So far, the methods available for quantitation of apoB-48 are the indirect methods— that is, all depend on the separation of apoB-48 from apoB-100 and simultaneous measurement of both the proteins. Separation of the proteins is achieved either by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) or by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Quantitation is based on (1) dye binding, (2) radioactivity, associated with or incorporated into the protein bands, or (3) absorption at 280 or 220 nm of the separated proteins. Basically, SDS-PAGE is an oxidizing system. Apolipoprotein B-48 is preferentially oxidized, leading to variable underestimation of this apoB species when dye binding is the method of quantitation. Only if the oxidation of samples can be avoided during electrophoresis does this simple method have merit. The HPLC approach is fast but expensive and is not available in every laboratory. Finally, the main source of errors for all quantitative procedures lies in the preparation of the samples.
Moving agbiotech downstream

Companies must turn to effective process development as a competitive weapon in agricultural biotechnology.
Imagining: Creating Spaces for Indigenous Ontologies

For at least half a century, catalogers have struggled with how to catalog and classify Native American and Indigenous peoples materials in library, archive, and museum collections. Understanding how colonialism works can help those in the field of knowledge organization appreciate the power dynamics embedded in the marginalization of Native American and Indigenous peoples materials through standardization, misnaming, and other practices. The decolonizing methodology of imagining provides one way that knowledge organization practitioners and theorists can acknowledge and discern the possibilities of Indigenous community-based approaches to the development of alternative information structures.
Comparison of two Bayesian methods to detect mode effects between paper-based and computerized adaptive assessments: a preliminary Monte Carlo study.

Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) is being applied to health outcome measures developed as paper-and-pencil (PP (2) moderate vs. large DIF sizes; (3) percentage of DIF items (10% vs. 30%), and (4) mean difference in θ estimates across modes of 0 vs. 1 logits. This resulted in a total of 16 conditions with 10 generated datasets per condition. Both methods evidenced good to excellent false positive control, with RZ providing better control of false positives and with slightly higher power for CrI, irrespective of measurement model. False positives increased when items were very easy to endorse and when there with mode differences in mean trait level. True positives were predicted by CAT item usage, absolute item difficulty and item discrimination. RZ outperformed CrI, due to better control of false positive DIF. Whereas false positives were well controlled, particularly for RZ, power to detect DIF was suboptimal. Research is needed to examine the robustness of these methods under varying prior assumptions concerning the distribution of item and person parameters and when data fail to conform to prior assumptions. False identification of DIF when items were very easy to endorse is a problem warranting additional investigation.
Biological significance of the surface-active lining of the mammalian lung☆

The alveoli of mammalian lungs are lined with a surface film believed to possess unique surface tension properties. Lung extracts studied on the surface tension balance produce very low tensions on compression of the surface and wide separation (hysteresis) of the compression and expansion isotherms. These properties, in vivo, are reflected in the pressure-volume diagram of the lung and are probably responsible for the maintenance of alveolar stability. The alveolar lining has been demonstrated by histological methods which indicate that the lining contains lipid, including phospholipid, and polysaccharide. Dipalmityl lecithin, present in relatively high concentractions in the lung, has surface properties similar to those of crude lung extracts. Investigations in our laboratories indicate that the alveolar surfactant system includes a surface film of phospholipid (primarily lecithin) and a subphase of polysaccharide and phospholipid. We have also demonstrated that the subphase ions are essential to the normal surface activity of lung extracts. Our studies suggest further that the polysaccharide of the lung surface may be similar to the lung galactan, pneumogalactan, which has been shown to be antigenically related to the polysaccharides of Mycoplasma species.
Dioxin activates HIV-1 gene expression by an oxidative stress pathway requiring a functional cytochrome P450 CYP1A1 enzyme.

We have studied the effect of several environmental chemicals on the transient expression of a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) reporter gene linked to the promoter sequences in the long ter...
Transpacific hydrographic sections at lats. 43°S and 28°S: the SCORPIO expedition—II. deep water☆

Features of the deep water in the South Pacific are described in terms of the distributions of temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen, phosphate, nitrate, and silicate, as measured along transpacific hydrographic sections at Lats. 43°S and 28°S during Eltanin Cruises 28 and 29 (SCORPIO Expedition). These data indicate: a major deep clockwise gyre, with a prominent western boundary current, occupying the Southwest Pacific Basin: considerably less rapid, less discernible mean motion east of the East Pacific Rise, but including a distinct northward flow on the eastern flank of the Rise at Lat. 43°S, which probably, though less evidently, reaches north to Lat. 28°S; and extremely sluggish movements in the deep Tasman Sea. It is speculated, on the basis of property correlations, that some of the homogeneous water below sill depth in the South Fiji Basin may derive from the deep western boundary current. The layer of low oxygen and high phosphate and nitrate concentrations at depths of 1–3 km is interpreted as water moving very much more slowly than that above or below, although regionally varying balances among diffusion, advection, and biological oxidation seem required to account in detail for the oxygen-depth curves. At both latitudes, the northward volume transport of the deep western boundary current, estimated geostrophically with a level of no motion at 2 km, is about 19 × 106m3/sec. Similar calculations for the entire sections east of New Zealand and the Kermadec Ridge indicate a net flow northward below 2 km of 12–15 × 106m3/sec.
Reproduction of the Mean, Variance, and Variogram Model in Spectral Simulation

The application of spectral simulation is gaining acceptance because it honors the spatial distribution of petrophysical properties, such as reservoir porosity and shale volume. While it has been widely assumed that spectral simulation will reproduce the mean and variance of the important properties such as the observed net/gross ratio or global average of porosity, this paper shows the traditional way of implementing spectral simulation yields a mean and variance that deviates from the observed mean and variance. Some corrections (shift and rescale) could be applied to generate geologic models yielding the observed mean and variance; however, this correction implicitly rescales the input variogram model, so the variogram resulting from the generated cases has a higher sill than the input variogram model. Therefore, the spectral simulation algorithm cannot build geologic models honoring the desired mean, variance, and variogram model simultaneously, which is contrary to the widely accepted assumption that spectral simulation can reproduce all the target statistics. However, by using Fourier transform just once to generate values at all the cells instead of visiting each cell sequentially, spectral simulation does reproduce the observed variogram better than sequential Gaussian simulation. That is, the variograms calculated from the generated geologic models show smaller fluctuations around the target variogram. The larger the generated model size relative to the variogram range, the smaller the observed fluctuations.
Dynamics of Reactions in molecular Solids

Abstract The dynamics of several thermal and photochemical reactions in the solid-state are investigated by laser Raman spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy and a rigid-body motion analysis of the thermal parameters of x-ray diffraction studies. Raman phonon spectroscopy along with electronic emission spectroscopy is used to identify the reaction mechanism. The possibility of occurence of any lattice and/or molecular intermediate is examined, by Raman spectroscopy of both phonons and intramolecular vibrations. The new concept of phonon-assisted reaction is tested by examining the role of an overdamped oscillation in a thermal reaction and that of a strong electron-phonon coupling in a photochemical reaction.
Preparation of pure sulfur tetrafluoride for synthesis of isotopically substituted compounds

Abstract A method is described for the small-scale synthesis of SF 4 from S, Cl 2 , and UF 6 , which gives a product a very high purity.