cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimization of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: Importance of Programmed Parameters

One of the basic tenets of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is that optimization of programmed parameters is important to maximize the therapeutic response. Both atrioventricular (AV) and interventricular (VV) timing intervals have been suggested as potential methods to improve response rates. A variety of techniques have been described to determine the optimal AV and VV delays. Many of these methods have demonstrated acute hemodynamic benefits; however, multicenter data proving long-term clinical benefit have been lacking. Echocardiography-guided methods have been most commonly employed, but no technique has been shown to be superior. In fact, many of these techniques have poor reproducibility and are time-consuming. Device-based algorithms allow for a rapid, simplified approach to CRT optimization; however, their clinical value has also been called into question. This review will describe the different techniques for CRT optimization and evaluate their potential value and limitations.
Inter-comparison of North American residential energy analysis tools

Abstract Energy analysis software is an essential component of efforts to foster increased energy efficiency in buildings. In North America alone, there exist hundreds of web- and disk-based building energy analysis tools, serving a diversity of audiences. Some are specialized while others consider the building as a whole. We evaluated 50 web-based residential tools and 15 disk-based tools. While the state-of-the art in tool design has risen considerably over the past three decades, today’s users are faced with an increasing—and often overwhelming—array of choices and, often, conflicting results. A surprising number provide little or no detailed analysis of energy savings options. A number of important building energy issues and efficiency features cannot be sufficiently well evaluated using any of the existing tools. Many factors conspire to confound performance comparisons among tools, and the sources or implications of observed differences in results are difficult to pinpoint. For the tools we tested, predicted whole-house energy bills ranged widely (by nearly a factor of three), and far more so at the end-use level. We also discovered a remarkable number of indications of errors in programming or algorithms. Tool design should be grounded in social science and engineering. Analytical results (e.g., benchmarking) and end-use-specific “what-if” functions are more helpful for many users than rarified engineering outputs. Desirable technical features include modeling of occupant effects, open-ended energy calculations as well as results normalized to actual consumption history, incorporating means for users to grasp the uncertainties embodied in the results, and ensuring quality control to remove errors from the design and programming of tools. More coordinated planning of tool development could help address the fragmentation and dilution of efforts that has historically hampered tool quality and market penetration.
Estimating the Differential Costs of Criminal Activity for Juvenile Drug Court Participants: Challenges and Recommendations

Juvenile drug court (JDC) programs have expanded rapidly over the past 20 years and are an increasingly popular option for rehabilitating juvenile offenders with substance use problems. Given the high cost of crime to society, an important economic question is whether and to what extent JDC programs reduce criminal activity among juvenile offenders. To address this question, the present study added an economic cost analysis to an ongoing randomized trial of JDC conducted in Charleston, South Carolina. Four treatment conditions were included in the parent study: Family Court with usual community-based treatment (FC, the comparison group), Drug Court with usual community-based treatment (DC), DC with Multisystemic Therapy (DC/MST), and DC/MST enhanced with Contingency Management (DC/MST/CM). The economic study estimated the cost of criminal activity for nine specific crimes at baseline (pretreatment) and 4 and 12 months thereafter. A number of methodological challenges were encountered, suggesting that it may be more difficult to economically quantify frequency and type of criminal activity for adolescents than for adults. The present paper addresses methodological approaches and challenges, and proposes guidelines for future economic evaluations of adolescent substance abuse and crime prevention programs.
Factors associated with clinically significant increased walking time in multiple sclerosis: Results of a survival analysis of short-term follow-up data from a clinical database

Background:Because multiple sclerosis (MS) is variable and unpredictable, if symptom worsening could be predicted, patients may feel better prepared to manage changes in function.Objective:The objective of this paper is to study the prediction of walking impairment in MS.Methods:We retrieved data for all MS patients at our center (2008–2009), including baseline and follow-up timed 25-foot walk (T25FW) times. We assessed the incidence of ≥20% worsening in T25FW by developing two survival models: (1) disease course and (2) Multiple Sclerosis Performance Scales (MSPS) score. The outcome was days until ≥20% worsening in T25FW. Covariates were disease subtype, years since diagnosis, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) score, and demographics. Data were interval censored; missing data were handled with multiple imputation.Results:Of 1544 patients, 309 (20%) experienced ≥20% worsening T25FW. For disease course, time to worsening was significantly shorter for secondary progressive vs. relapsing–remitting disea...
Transient faults and network reliability

This work develops a method for the quantitative analysis of network reliability in the presence of both permanent and transient faults. Even though transient noise is considered a common occurrence in networks, a survey of the literature reveals an emphasis on permanent faults. Transient faults introduce a time element into the analysis of network reliability. With permanent faults it is sufficient to consider the faults that have accumulated by the end of the operating period. With transient faults the arrival and recovery time must be included. The number and location of faults in the system is a dynamic variable. Transient faults also introduce system recovery into the analysis.
Immunology of Rabies, Arbovirus Encephalitis, Parainfectious Encephalitis, and Guillain-Barré Syndrome

In the immunobiology of infectious disease, rabies poses perplexing riddles, as well as offering unique opportunities for immunoprophylaxis. The experiments conducted by Louis Pasteur in the 1880s represent a landmark in the history of immunology. Pasteur (1881) discovered that the etiological agent of rabies could be recovered and passaged from the brains of animals dying of the disease; he also accurately forecast the ultramicroscopic nature of the pathogen. In 1884, he demonstrated for the first time the now widely recognized phenomenon that serial intracerebral passage of a virus through an experimental host could alter its pathogenicity for the natural host (Pasteur, 1884). Thus, by repeatedly passing rabies virus through rabbits, Pasteur obtained a preparation which caused a stereotyped clinical syndrome following a rather uniform short incubation period. He termed this “fixed” virus, to distinguish it from the natural infection caused by “street” virus. Capitalizing on this development, Pasteur dried the spinal cords of rabbits infected with fixed rabies and then exposed dogs over 10 days to daily subcutaneous injections of increasing infectivity. He then discovered that he had successfully immunized the dogs against challenge with street virus. Encouraged by these successes, Pasteur, in 1885, treated young Joseph Meister, a peasant boy who was the possible victim of severe rabies exposure. The boy remained well, and, on the basis of this limited chnical trial, Pasteur and his associates were besieged with requests for immunization. In fact, in the ensuing 15 months, 2940 additional persons received the treatment, imposing such a burden on the laboratory that no further experiments were undertaken to prove the efficacy of the regimen (Hildreth, 1963).
Knockdown of neuropeptide Y in the dorsomedial hypothalamus reverses high-fat diet-induced obesity and impaired glucose tolerance in rats

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH) plays an important role in the regulation of energy balance. While DMH NPY overexpression causes hyperphagia and obesity in rats, knockdown of NPY in the DMH via adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated RNAi (AAVshNPY) ameliorates these alterations. Whether this knockdown has a therapeutic effect on obesity and glycemic disorder has yet to be determined. The present study sought to test this potential using a rat model of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obesity and insulin resistance, mimicking human obesity with impaired glucose homeostasis. Rats had ad libitum access to rodent regular chow (RC) or HFD. Six weeks later, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed for verifying HFD-induced glucose intolerance. After verification, obese rats received bilateral DMH injections of AAVshNPY or the control vector AAVshCTL, and OGTT and insulin tolerance test (ITT) were performed at 16 and 18 wk after viral injection (23 and 25 wk on HFD), respectively. Rats were killed at 26 wk on HFD. We found that AAVshCTL rats on HFD remained hyperphagic, obese, glucose intolerant, and insulin resistant relative to lean control RC-fed rats receiving DMH injection of AAVshCTL, whereas these alterations were reversed in NPY knockdown rats fed a HFD. NPY knockdown rats exhibited normal food intake, body weight, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity, as seen in lean control rats. Together, these results demonstrate a therapeutic action of DMH NPY knockdown against obesity and impaired glucose homeostasis in rats, providing a potential target for the treatment of obesity and diabetes.
Bronner, Augusta F. (1881–1966)

Keywords: child guidance; criminal justice; disability; family; juvenile delinquency; mental tests; recidivism; sex offenders; treatment
Increasing Benzodiazepine Prescriptions and Overdose Mortality in the United States, 1996-2013.

Objectives. To describe trends in benzodiazepine prescriptions and overdose mortality involving benzodiazepines among US adults.Methods. We examined data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and multiple-cause-of-death data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Results. Between 1996 and 2013, the percentage of adults filling a benzodiazepine prescription increased from 4.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.8%, 4.5%) to 5.6% (95% CI = 5.2%, 6.1%), with an annual percent change of 2.5% (95% CI = 2.1%, 3.0%). The quantity of benzodiazepines filled increased from 1.1 (95% CI = 0.9, 1.2) to 3.6 (95% CI = 3.0, 4.2) kilogram lorazepam equivalents per 100 000 adults (annual percent change = 9.0%; 95% CI = 7.6%, 10.3%). The overdose death rate increased from 0.58 (95% CI = 0.55, 0.62) to 3.07 (95% CI = 2.99, 3.14) per 100 000 adults, with a plateau seen after 2010.Conclusions. Benzodiazepine prescriptions and overdose mortality have increased considerably. Fatal overdoses involving benzodiazepi...
The Growth and Characterization of Tungsten Bronze SrxBa1−xNb2O6 Single Crystal Fibers

The growth of Sr x Ba l−x Nb 2 O 6 solid solution single crystal fibers has been achieved using a modified float zone technique. The technique is described and the results of several property measurements are presented.
Integration of Hybrid and Single Ventricle Rehabilitation Techniques to Treat a Neonate After Iatrogenic Mitral Injury

Neonatal critical aortic stenosis is life threatening and requires intervention shortly after birth. Early percutaneous aortic valvuloplasty is generally considered to be an effective way to obtain reliable prograde flow. We describe the integrated use of hybrid, open surgical, and single ventricle rehabilitation techniques to successfully treat a neonate with borderline left-sided cardiac structures, who sustained a complication from balloon aortic valvuloplasty.
Remark on Our Country's Buddhist Art and Its Spread

The early period of our country's Buddhist art was a long introduced and blended stage.To great degree it was affected by India Buddhist art especially by Gandhara art.But basically our country's Buddhist art was still on the native tradition.So,in the early period our country's Buddhist art gradually blended and decreased the strong sex desire color of India Buddhist art,wore out the geometric generalized form of the Greek art,changed the sculpture type of India and created our own type.The Gandhara type of India also gradually developed into Han national type.The reformed mold of Buddhist figure with the coat of Chinese style became the feature in the early period of China.Such reformed figure didn't betray the original meaning of Buddhist book but was easily accepted by Chinese masses,which really embodied national nature.
Thioacetamide used as standard in determination of dissolved sulfide in water

Objective:Thioacetamide was used as standard instead of sodium sulfide in determination of sulfide by methylene blue spectrophotometric method.Methods:Thioacetamide was uesd in preparing the standard solution series,optimized determination condition was obtained.Results:The coefficient of correlation is 0.9996 at the range of 0～0.20 mg/L,the precision is 2.42%～6.57% and the recovery is 93.5%～103%.Conclusion:This method is fast,accurate and reliable.It overcomes the disadvantage of the original GB method in which the sodium sulfide standard solution is unstable and hard to prepare.
A coacervate-forming biodegradable polyester with elevated LCST based on bis-(2-methoxyethyl)amine

Recently, we reported a new class of biodegradable, thermoresponsive polyesters (TR-PEs) inspired by polyacrylamides and elastin-like peptides (ELPs). The polyesters exhibit tunable cloud point temperatures (Tcp) and thermoresponsive coacervation in aqueous solution as shown via UV-vis spectroscopy, 1H NMR, and DLS. However, the Tcp of all TR-PEs remained low (<15 °C), and higher thermoresponsivity would be beneficial for many applications. This study examines the synthesis, polymerization, and analysis of a new monomer bearing a more hydrophilic pendant group, bis-2-methoxyethylamine (bMoEtA). The resulting TR-PE, TR-bMoEtAPE, displays a threefold increase in Tcp (ca. 50 °C) that is affected by solution (DI water vs. phosphate buffered saline), concentration (1–40 mg mL−1) molecular weight (20–130 kDa), and cosolutes (Hofmeister salts and urea). The Tcp and Tg of random TR-bMoEtAPE copolymers can be tuned via comonomer feed. Variable temperature 1H NMR indicated a cooperative coacervation mechanism above Tcp, further reinforced by DLS measurements. As evidenced by UV-vis and SEC analysis, TR-bMoEtAPE underwent rapid degradation over a period of 7 days in DI water and PBS. Finally, cytotoxicity studies suggested that TR-bMoEtAPE is non-cytotoxic even at high concentrations (ca. 1000 μg mL−1). The increased Tcp and tunability suggests TR-bMoEtAPE as a potential candidate for future functionalized TR-PE therapeutic-delivery systems.
Hypersensitivity in rats infected with Fasciola hepatica: possible role in protection against a challenge infection

Rats infected with Fasciola hepatica showed an increase in intestinal mast cells which reached a peak between four and six weeks and fell to control levels by week 14. Following a challenge infection sensitised rats showed evidence of a transitory mild intestinal anaphylactic response. The numbers of intestinal eosinophils, already increased as a result of the primary infection, were rapidly supplemented. In previously uninfected rats the majority of flukes penetrated the mid gut region, but in sensitised rats there was a shift towards the caecal end. Resistance lo challenge and a pronounced intestinal eosinophil response were evident in previously infeeled rais irrespective of lhe presence or absence of delectable serum reaginic antibody. Systemic anaphylaxis, induced by intravenous fluke antigen administration, occurred whether scrum reagins could be delected or not.
Polymerase Mechanism-Based Method of Viral Attenuation

Vaccines remain the most effective way of preventing infection and spread of infectious diseases. These prophylactics have been used for centuries but still to this day only three main design strategies exist: (1) live attenuated virus (LAV) vaccines, (2) killed or inactivated virus vaccines, (3) and subunit vaccines of the three, the most efficacious vaccines remain LAVs. LAVs replicate in relevant tissues, elicit strong cellular and humoral responses, and often confer lifelong immunity. While this vaccine strategy has produced the majority of successful vaccines in use today, there are also important safety concerns to consider with this approach. In the past, the development of LAVs has been empirical. Blind passage of viruses in various cell types results in the accumulation of multiple attenuating mutations leaving the molecular mechanisms of attenuation unknown. Also, due to the high error rate of RNA viruses and selective pressures of the host environment, these LAVs, derived from such viruses, can potentially revert back to wild-type virulence. This not only puts the vaccinee at risk, but if shed can put those that are unvaccinated at risk as well. While these vaccines have been successful there still remains a need for a rational design strategy by which to create additional LAVs.One approach for rational vaccine design involves increasing the fidelity of the viral RdRp. Increased fidelity decreases the viral mutational frequency thereby reducing the genetic variation the virus needs in order to evade the host imposed bottlenecks to infection. While polymerase mutants exist which decrease viral mutation frequency the mutations are not in conserved regions of the polymerase, which doesn't lend itself toward using a common mutant approach toward developing a universal vaccine strategy for all RNA viruses. We have identified a conserved lysine residue in the active site of the PV RdRp that acts as a general acid during nucleotide incorporation. Mutation from a lysine to an arginine results in a high fidelity polymerase that replicates slowly thus creating an attenuated virus that is genetically stable and less likely to revert to a wild-type phenotype. This chapter provides detailed methods in which to identify the conserved lysine residue and evaluating fidelity and attenuation in cell culture (in vitro) and in the PV transgenic murine model (in vivo).
The Effects of Some 3d and 4d Solutes on the Superconductivity of Technetium

Considerable effort1 has been directed toward obtaining an understanding of the observed variation of the superconducting transition temperature of a metal on the addition of impurities in terms of the details of their magnetic character. Technetium would appear to be an interesting and experimentally convenient superconducting transition metal solvent for comparison with theory. It has both a high transition temperature (7.8°K), thus making unnecessary the very low-temperature techniques needed to study such solvents as ruthenium and iridium, and an apparently high mutual solubility with the “magnetic” 3d elements.2 The 3d elements are not expected to possess well-defined local moments in solution in technetium due to technetium’s position in group VII of the periodic table,3,4 but we are unable to anticipate how closely they will approach the nonmagnetic limit.
Inhibition of VEGFR2 Activation and Its Downstream Signaling to ERK1/2 and Calcium by Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1): In silico Investigation.

VEGF signaling through VEGFR2 is a central regulator of the angiogenic response. Inhibition of VEGF signaling by the stress-induced matricellular protein TSP1 plays a crucial role in modulating the angiogenic response to VEGF in both health and disease. TSP1 binding to CD47 inhibits VEGFR2 activation. The full implications of this inhibitory interaction are unknown. We developed a detailed rule-based computational model to inquire if TSP1-CD47 signaling through VEGF had downstream effects upon ERK1/2 and calcium. Our Simulations suggest that enhanced degradation of VEGFR2 initiated by the binding of TSP1 to CD47 is sufficient to explain the inhibition of VEGFR2 phosphorylation, calcium elevation, and ERK1/2 activation downstream of VEGF. A complementary mechanism involving the recruitment of phosphatases to the VEGFR2 complex with consequent increase in the rate of receptor dephosphorylation may augment the global inhibition of the VEGF signal. The model was then utilized to simulate the effect of inhibiting external TSP1 or the depletion of CD47 as potential therapeutic strategies in restoring VEGF signaling. Results suggest that depleting CD47 is a more efficient strategy in inhibiting the effects of TSP1/CD47 on VEGF signaling. Our results highlight the utility of in silico investigations in elucidating and clarifying molecular mechanisms at the intersection of TSP1 and VEGF biology and in differentiating between competing pro-angiogenic therapeutic strategies relevant to peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and wound healing.
Milk and other dairy foods in relation to prostate cancer progression: Data from the Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CAPSURE).

168Background: Recent research suggests a positive relationship between intake of high-fat dairy, particularly whole milk, and prostate cancer (PC) mortality. However, data are limited in men after...
On a Constructive Theory of Financial Markets (Prologue)

This article is a prologue to the article "Why Markets are Inefficient: A Gambling 'Theory' of Financial Markets for Practitioners an Theorists", available here: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2925532. It presents important background for that article - why gambling is important, even necessary, for real-world traders, the reason for the superiority of the strategic/gambling approach to the competing market ideologies of market fundamentalism and the scientific approach, and its potential to uncover profitable trading systems. Much of this article was drawn from Chapter 1 of the forthcoming two volume set of books, "The Strategic Analysis of Financial Markets."
GEORGE WASHINGTON AS AN ACCOUNTANT

George Washington's interest in bookkeeping began in 1747 when at the age of 15 he started his first ledger and lasted until his death in 1799. His bookkeeping records span a period of fifty years. This manuscript reveals a unique side to President Washington's personality and recounts his inherent desire for accuracy and honesty in all dealings.
BPH/LUTS: Heart Healthy = Prostate Healthy

Aging, genetics, and a family history of BPH/LUTS can profoundly increase the risk of these conditions. Yet the observation that prescription alpha-blocker (originally designed to reduce blood pressure) medications could quickly reduce BPH severity for some men, along with decades of lifestyle research, now suggests that BPH prevention and perhaps partial treatment may occur via heart-healthy processes. Almost all documented heart-healthy interventions or lifestyle changes can prevent some aspect of BPH/LUTS. Moderate alcohol intake, blood pressure, glucose, lipid, caloric, and weight control, and exercise and increased vegetable, fiber, and plant omega-3 intakes are just some of the many lifestyle factors that are gaining consistent data to suggest that this condition can be prevented, delayed, and partially treated with heart-healthy behaviors. However, heart-unhealthy lifestyle changes could also lead to profound increases in the risk and need for treatment for BPH/LUTS. The time is now for clinicians to embrace, practice, and promote heart-healthy behaviors to men concerned about BPH/LUTS. Heart health equals prostate health. This mantra is easy to say but difficult to comply with, which is why there is a need to constantly emphasize the overwhelming amount of old and new data that suggest that BPH/LUTS is a lifestyle-impacted condition for many men around the world.
Monitoring Superficial Peroneal Nerve Somatosensory Evoked Potential during L4-5 Lumbar Root Decompression (S59.004)

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study is to investigate whether the superficial peroneal nerve SSEP (SPN-SSEP), a pure sensory nerve SSEP derived from L4-5 roots, can be relied on as an intraoperative neurophysiological assessment for L4-5 roots. BACKGROUND: Post-tibial nerve Somatosensory evoked potential (PTN-SSEP) often fails to document the individual nerve root dysfunction; whereas dermatomal somatosensory evoked potential (DSSEP) can be difficult to obtain in anesthetized patients. DESIGN/METHODS: Thirty five consecutive patients who underwent lumbar root microdecompression were reviewed. The control group consisted of fifteen patients who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Data from 35 patients undergoing SP-SSEP, PTN-SSEP, and sural nerve SSEP (SN-SSEP) monitoring during lumbar surgeries were analyzed and compared to the control group of 15 patients underwent ACDF surgery. RESULTS: Cortical SPN-SSEP could be readily recorded in over 90% patients from both groups. The waveforms of SPN-SSEP were about 30% smaller than PTN-SSEP, but very similar to SN-SSEP. Importantly, SPN-SSEP was capable of detecting intraoperative L4-5 root dysfunction without the corresponding PTN-SSEP or SN-SSEP alterations. Overall, SPN-SSEP displayed two-fold greater positivity over PTN-SSEP or SN-SSEP. CONCLUSIONS: SPN-SSEP was a more sensitive measure for intraoperative L4-5 nerve root dysfunction in comparison to PTN-SSEP and SN-SSEP. Disclosure: Dr. Yue has nothing to disclose. Dr. Martinez has nothing to disclose.
Effect of lubricants on bearing damage in rolling-sliding conditions: Evolution of white etching cracks

Abstract To understand the role of lubricants in generating white etching cracks (WECs), cylindrical roller thrust bearings were life-tested in different oils in rolling-sliding conditions. The bearings were damaged prematurely when the tests were performed in an oil with additives (so-called “WEC critical oil”). Bearing life in the WEC critical oil was less than 5% of that of the mineral oil without additives. In the bearings tested in the WEC critical oil, post-test investigations revealed a non-uniform ~ 100 nm thick tribo-film and micro-scale line cracks parallel to the contact line in the slide zones of the tribo-surface. In contrast, typical “point surface origin” (PSO)-type damages were observed when the bearings were tested in the mineral oil. Electron microscopy investigations showed that the line cracks in the case of the WEC critical oil tests propagated deeper into the subsurface. Only in the negative slide zone, the cracks then became WECs. The PSO damages generated in the mineral oil testing did not show subsurface cracking or white etching features. The results support the conclusion that, in the case of the WEC critical oil, a tribo-film formed and caused an increase in surface shear forces, which consequently resulted in the line cracks on tribo-surface that subsequently propagated deep into the subsurface.
Dynamics of spatiotemporal distribution of schistosomiasis in Hubei Province, China.

Abstract Schistosomiasis caused by parasitic flatworms of blood flukes, remains a major public health concern in China. The significant progress in controlling schistosomiasis in China over the past decades has resulted in the remarkable reduction in the prevalence and intensity of Schistosoma japonicum infection to an extremely low level. Therefore, the elimination of schistosomiasis has been promoted by the Chinese national government. Hubei Province is the major endemic area, that is, along the middle and low reaches of the Yangtze River in the lake and marshland regions of southern China. Eliminating the transmission of schistosomiasis in Hubei Province is challenging. The current issue is to determine the distributions and clusters of schistosomiasis transmission. In this study, we assessed the spatial distribution of schistosomiasis and the risk at the county level in Hubei Province from 2011 to 2015 to provide guidance on the elimination of schistosomiasis transmission in lake and marshland regions. Spatial database of human S.japonicum infection from 2011 to 2015 at the county level in the study area was built based on the annual schistosomias is surveillance data. Moran’s I, the global spatial autocorrelation statistics, was utilized to describe the spatial autocorrelation of human S. japonicum infection. In addition, purely spatial scan statistics combined with space-time scan statistics were used to determine the epidemic clusters. Infection rates of S. japonicum decreased in each endemic county in Hubei from 2011 to 2015. Human S. japonicum infection rate showed statistical significance by global autocorrelation analysis during the study period (Moran’s I > 0, P 0, OR >1), and treatment times in past and feeding cattle in village group are protective factors (b 0, OR >1). Study of the risk for un-standardized treatment revealed that occupation is risk factors (b > 0, OR >1), though, education level is protective factors (b
The Processes of Becoming a Caregiver Among Mexican-Origin Women: A Cultural Psychological Perspective:

This article describes thematic findings that emerged from an in-depth analysis of interview data collected from 44 informal caregivers in East Los Angeles, California. The research question addres...
Human T cell clones and cell lines specific to ovomucoid recognize different domains and consistently express IL-5

Ovomucoid is the major egg antigen, and is composed of 3 domains (domain I: residues 1–64, domain II: residues 65–130, domain III: residues 131–186). In this study, we generated T cell lines and clones from 3 egg allergic patients (TK, PB, and XM) in order to characterize ovomucoid domain specificity and cell cytokine profile after stimulation with ovomucoid. Ovomucoid domain specificity was determined by measuring the proliferative response to each of the highly purified ovomucoid domains. Cytokine specific mRNA production was determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
The Liberal Gene: Sociobiology as Emancipatory Discourse in the Late Soviet Union

In November 1971, readers of the popular highbrow journal Novyi mir were startled to find an article entitled "The Genealogy of Altruism: Eth ics from the Perspective of Evolutionary Genetics."1 One did not have to read far to see that the article proposed a completely unprecedented an swer to the question it posed in the first line about the origin of goodness in human nature: "From time immemorial, thinkers have pondered the problem of how goodness arises in humanity."2 The author's preemptive dismissal of religion as an explanation for why people are persuaded to act morally was not surprising, nor was it out of line with Soviet ideological norms. However, the article quickly posed a challenge to hegemonic So viet doctrine about the primacy of social environment and upbringing in shaping the ethical and mental propensities of human beings. The chal lenge was not subtle. The author asserted upfront that "for a variety of rea sons, in our country, the second home of Darwinism and the birthplace of population genetics . . . the human psyche has been examined exclu sively as a product of social forces."3 He anticipated his critics by admitting that "some readers may find this attempt to illuminate the evolutionary genetic side of our psyche to be an impermissible intrusion of biological laws into the social."4 He boldly proposed that, on the contrary, "advances in evolutionary genetics . . . permit us to conclude that it is part of our in nate, adaptive nature to strive toward justice, heroism, and self-sacrifice."5 The publication of "Genealogy of Altruism" went entirely unnoticed in the west, where the decade-long controversy over what was known in the Anglo-American world as sociobiology was just beginning to heat up. The basic tenet of sociobiology is that the origins of human behav ior lie in our adaptive, evolutionary past. Sociobiologists go further by asserting that virtually all manifestations of human nature?including
Continuous-time optimal charging control of plug-in Electric Vehicles

Plug-in Electric Vehicles (PEVs) are increasingly being adopted in order to reduce the environmental impacts of fossil fuel-based transportation sector. However, uncontrolled charging of a high number of PEVs may cause sharp and unexpected load spikes in power systems operation. In this paper, we propose a continuous-time optimal control model for optimal scheduling of aggregated PEV charging and generating units in day-ahead power systems operation. The aggregated population of PEVs is modeled by a queuing model, which facilitates incorporating two types of deadline-based and delay-based service quality constraints for PEV owners. Numerical results, provided for IEEE-RTS, demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed control model in harvesting PEV charging flexibility to enhance the economic efficiency of the system operation.
LPA-3 Receptor

The LPA3 receptor belongs to a group of G protein-coupled receptors called lysophospholipid receptors, which are activated by lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and/or sphingosine 1-phosphate …
THE EFFECTS OF PERIOPERATIVE DEXAMETHASONE ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL AND POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOMES

ABSTRACT Objective: Perioperative glucocorticoids are commonly given to reduce pain and nausea in patients undergoing surgery. However, the glycemic effects of steroids and the potential effects on morbidity and mortality have not been systematically evaluated. This study investigated the association between perioperative dexamethasone and postoperative blood glucose, hospital length of stay (LOS), readmission rates, and 90-day survival. Methods: Data from 4,800 consecutive orthopedic surgery patients who underwent surgery between 2000 and 2016 within a single health system were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM) who were given a single dose of dexamethasone had higher rates of hyperglycemia during the first 24 hours after surgery as compared to those who did not receive dexamethasone (hazard ratio lHR] was 1.81, and 95% confidence interval lCI] was l1.46, 2.24] for the DM cohort; HR 2.34, 95% CI l1.66, 3.29] for the nonDM cohort). LOS was nearly 1 day shorter in patients who received dexamethasone (geometric mean ratio lGMR] 0.79, 95% CI l0.75, 0.83] for patients with DM; GMR 0.75, 95% CI l0.72, 0.79] for patients without DM), and there was no difference in 90-day readmission rates. In patients without DM, dexamethasone was associated with a higher 90-day overall survival (99.07% versus 96.90%; P = .004). Conclusion: In patients with and without DM who undergo orthopedic surgery, perioperative dexamethasone was associated with a transiently higher risk of hyperglycemia. However, dexamethasone treatment was associated with a shorter LOS in patients with and without DM, and a higher overall 90-day survival rate in patients without DM, compared to patients who did not receive dexamethasone. Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index; CAD = coronary artery disease; CI = confidence interval; DM = diabetes mellitus; GMR = geometric mean ratio; HR = hazard ratio; IV = intravenous; LOS = length of stay; POD = postoperative day
Review of Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter by Ilya Somin (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2013)

Review of Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter by Ilya Somin (Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2013).
Effects of Extreme Disturbance Events: From Ecesis to Social–Ecological–Technological Systems

Ecologists addressed the effects of disturbances from the onset of the field by focusing on ecesis, which is the process by which organisms migrate and establish under the environmental conditions created by disturbances. Ecesis is the onset of succession, a self-organizing process whose nature, speed, and outcome depend in part on the outcomes of ecesis and the residual legacies remaining after disturbances. A by-product of succession after a disturbance is the reorganization of species dominance, or novelty. The degree of novelty in the outcome increases with the severity of the disturbance event. Initially, ecologists focused mostly on non-anthropogenic disturbances, but as human activity intensified and became a global force, more attention was given to the effects of anthropogenic disturbances on ecosystems. Today, anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic disturbances and their interactions are increasingly affecting ecosystems, particularly those exposed to extreme disturbance events. Extreme disturbance events are complex and low probability events composed of several disturbance forces that individually and in synergy affect different sectors of ecosystems, including the conditions that drive ecesis. I review the literature on disturbance research including the effects of extreme disturbance events on social–ecological–technological systems (SETSs). A SETS is an ecosystem defined by the flow and accumulation of energy through the medium of organisms, constructed infrastructure, institutions, and their environment. Human intentions, values, and capacities are part of the functioning of SETS, and they can drive ecological processes as do non-anthropogenic forces. Moreover, human-directed activities after an extreme disturbance event affect whole landscapes. The passage of hurricane Maria over the Puerto Rico SETS established that extreme disturbance events are of such power and complexity that they can influence the level and kind of relationship between humans and the environment, including the structure and species composition of the ecological systems within SETS. However, extreme disturbance events such as hurricanes have not changed the successional trajectory originally impulsed by anthropogenic disturbances. Thus, the species composition and functioning of novel forests in Puerto Rico are tied to economic activity in the social and technological sectors of SETS. It is no longer possible to interpret ecosystem functioning without considering the synergy between anthropogenic and non-anthropogenic extreme disturbances.
Abstract P128: Periodontal Disease and Coronary Artery Calcium in Adults With Type 1 Diabetes

Introduction: Adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have at least a two-fold risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD) compared to adults without diabetes (Non-DM); Periodontal disease is also i...
ActivatIon of Calcium binding protein-ir neurons IN MEDIAL AMYGDALA during chemosignal processing.

The medial amygdala receives sensory input from chemical signals important in mammalian social communication. As measured by immediate early gene expression, its responses to different chemosignals differ in the spatial patterns of neuronal activation and in the types of cells activated. Medial amygdala projections to basal forebrain contibute to generation of appropriate behavioral responses and GABA neurons are important for these functions, both as interneurons and projection neurons. Here we investigate reponses of male golden-hamster medial amygdala neurons expressing immunoreactivity (-ir) for calbindin (CB), calretinin (CR) and parvalbumin (PV), calcium binding proteins (CBPs) which can distinguish different GABA-ergic neuron types. CB-ir and CR-ir cells both had significant responses to female hamster chemosignals and showed different spatial patterns across medial amygdala. Responses to chemosignals (from unfamiliar females) were significantly reduced in males with sexual experience, compared to naive males. Medial amygdala did not express PV-ir cells and the adjacent intercalated nucleus, which has been implicated in medial amygdala chemosensory responses did not express any of the CBPs investigated here. This additional evidence for chemosensory specificity in the response of medial amygdala to social chemical signals, in cells characterized by CBP expression, suggests multiple GABA circuit elements may be involved in information processing for behavioral response.
Deciphering the properties of the central engine in GRB collapsars

The central engine in long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) is thought to be a compact object produced by the core collapse of massive stars, but its exact nature (black hole or millisecond magnetar) is still debatable. Although the central engine of GRB collapsars is hidden to direct observation, its properties may be imprinted on the accompanying electromagnetic signals. We aim to decipher the generic properties of central engines that are consistent with prompt observations of long GRBs detected by the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) on board the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory. Adopting a generic model for the central engine, in which the engine power and activity time-scale are independent of each other, we perform Monte Carlo simulations of long GRBs produced by jets that successfully breakout from the star. Our simulations consider the dependence of the jet breakout time-scale on the engine luminosity and the effects of the detector’s flux threshold. The two-dimensional (2D) distribution of simulated detectable bursts in the gamma-ray luminosity versus gamma-ray duration plane is consistent with the observed one for a range of parameter values describing the central engine. The intrinsic 2D distribution of simulated collapsar GRBs peaks at lower gamma-ray luminosities and longer durations than the observed one, a prediction that can be tested in the future with more sensitive detectors. Black hole accretors, whose power and activity time are set by the large-scale magnetic flux through the progenitor star and stellar structure, respectively, are compatible with the properties of the central engine inferred by our model.
Efficient fog harvesting through electrospun superhydrophobic polyacrylonitrile nanocomposite fiber mats

To address the global water scarcity issue especially in arid and semi-arid regions, efficient water collecting surfaces with fast capturing and easy drainage are essential. This concern is drastically increasing and therefore scientists and engineers are challenged with urgently developing viable solutions for this global problem. Among many other options, nanoscale membranes seem to be quite attractive and very promising options to solve the global water problem due to their low energy cost and simple operational processes to produce clean and fresh water. In this work, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with various proportions of titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles and aluminum (Al) microparticles were electrospun into superhydrophobic nanocomposite fibers using electrospinning technique followed by stabilization and carbonization steps to remove all non-carbonaceous materials from the fibers and used for harvesting fog from the atmosphere. The fiber morphology, surface hydrophobicity, and fog harvesting capacity of the nanocomposite fibers were investigated. Test results reveal that the carbonized nanocomposite fibers mats exhibit superhydrophobic characteristics with a water contact angle of 155° and an efficient fog harvesting capacity of 621 mg/cm2/hr. Besides, water can be efficiently collected from the atmospheric fog and filtered using nano-membranes without using any large infrastructure. The produced water can be used for drinking, agriculture, gardening, medical, industrial, and other purposes.
On Top-k Selection from m-wise Partial Rankings via Borda Counting

We analyze the performance of Borda counting algorithm on noisy m-wise ranking data to accurately select the top-k items from a total of n items. This generalizes a previous result of a similar nature reported by Shah et al. on the noisy pairwise comparison data. We show that the associated score separation Δ k between the k-th item and the (k+1)-th item plays an important role: if Δ k is greater than a threshold depending on (n, k) and the scoring system in Borda counting, then the top-k selection is accurate asymptotically almost surely; if Δ k is below a threshold, then the top-k selection will not be accurate with at least a constant probability. This separation between the two thresholds depends on m and the scoring systems in the Borda counting procedure.
From Static to Dynamic Node Embeddings.

We introduce a general framework for leveraging graph stream data for temporal prediction-based applications. Our proposed framework includes novel methods for learning an appropriate graph time-series representation, modeling and weighting the temporal dependencies, and generalizing existing embedding methods for such data. While previous work on dynamic modeling and embedding has focused on representing a stream of timestamped edges using a time-series of graphs based on a specific time-scale (e.g., 1 month), we propose the notion of an $\epsilon$-graph time-series that uses a fixed number of edges for each graph, and show its superiority over the time-scale representation used in previous work. In addition, we propose a number of new temporal models based on the notion of temporal reachability graphs and weighted temporal summary graphs. These temporal models are then used to generalize existing base (static) embedding methods by enabling them to incorporate and appropriately model temporal dependencies in the data. From the 6 temporal network models investigated (for each of the 7 base embedding methods), we find that the top-3 temporal models are always those that leverage the new $\epsilon$-graph time-series representation. Furthermore, the dynamic embedding methods from the framework almost always achieve better predictive performance than existing state-of-the-art dynamic node embedding methods that are developed specifically for such temporal prediction tasks. Finally, the findings of this work are useful for designing better dynamic embedding methods.
Ultra Long-Acting β-Agonists in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Introduction Inhaled β-agonists have been foundational medications for maintenance COPD management for decades. Through activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate pathways, these agents relax airway smooth muscle and improve expiratory airflow by relieving bronchospasm and alleviating air trapping and dynamic hyperinflation improving breathlessness, exertional capabilities, and quality of life. β-agonist drug development has discovered drugs with increasing longer durations of action: short acting (SABA) (4–6 h), long acting (LABA) (6–12 h), and ultra-long acting (ULABA) (24 h). Three ULABAs, indacaterol, olodaterol, and vilanterol, are approved for clinical treatment of COPD.
Abolish Municipal Courts: A Response to Professor Natapoff

If we are serious about disrupting the generational reproduction of the racial social order, we are going to have to learn to let go. Taking up the legacy of criminal municipal courts and racial control, this Response argues against the practice of prescribing from the traditional “medication list” of liberal reforms (substantive, procedural, and “democratizing”) without grappling with whether a system or apparatus is so inextricably bound up with the maintenance of race and class hierarchy that it should be demolished. I assert that we should always ask whether something is redeemable before we ask whether it is reformable. In the case of criminal municipal courts, their past and their present dictate that abolition is the only practical approach. This Response proceeds in three Parts. In Part I, I provide some brief thoughts on abolitionism as praxis within law. In Part II, I lay out a history of local courts as imbricated with racial capitalism. In Part III, I argue that municipal courts today are best understood not as a democratic juridical apparatus but as a part of modern police bureaucracy.