cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrocardiographic Markers and Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction Have Cumulative Effects on Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death

Abstract Objectives This study assessed potential improvement in predicting risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) by adding selected risk markers from the 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) to the measurement of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Background Novel strategies to improve risk stratification for SCD are needed. Given the modest odds associated with most individual risk markers, combining multiple markers may be a useful approach. Methods From the ongoing Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study, SCD cases with pre-event LVEF data available were compared with those of matched control subjects with coronary artery disease. Resting heart rate, QRS duration (QRSD), and JTc intervals were measured from archived ECGs prior to and unrelated to the SCD event. Independent odds of SCD for individual and combined ECG markers were calculated. Results SCD cases (n = 317; 67.9 ± 12.9 years of age) were more likely than controls (n = 317; 67.9 ± 12.8 years of age) to have LVEF ≤35% (26% vs. 11%, respectively). Mean heart rate, QRSD, and JTc were significantly higher in cases (all p Conclusions Combining selected 12-lead ECG markers with LVEF improves SCD risk prediction and warrants further investigation in prospective studies.
The Section 734(B) Basis Adjustment Needs Repair

When high-basis property or excess cash is distributed from a partnership to a partner, the distribution will trigger an adjustment to the partnership's common basis in its remaining assets. This adjustment is intended to ensure that (1) gain recognized on the distribution will not be recognized a second time and (2) basis lost by the distributed property will be moved to other, undistributed property. However, while existing rules correctly determine the amount of the basis adjustment, these rules misallocate that adjustment, thereby shifting basis from one partner to others. Examples are included and a proposed legislative fix is recommended.
PATHOGENESIS OF PROTEIN DROPLET NEPHROPATHY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO RENAL CARCINOGENESIS IN THE MALE RAT

Male rats chronically exposed to inhaled unleaded gasoline (UG) or other petroleum hydrocarbon fuels developed a low but dose-related increase in the incidence of renal adenomas and carcinomas (3,10). Elucidation of the mechanism of this sex and species-specific carcinogenic response to UG is essential for determining the potential human health risk from exposure to UG. Genotoxic assays of UG, including a recently developed in vivo/in vitro unscheduled DNA synthesis assay for the kidney, have been predominately negative (5,13,14,18).
Real-time vehicle back-up warning system with a single camera

In this paper, we propose a real-time system using vehicle back-up camera to alert for potential back-up collisions. We developed a highly efficient algorithm, combining segmenting pedestrians and vehicles from moving background using local optical flow value, and a scale adaptive method using Deformable Part Model to detect objects at different distances. To test out algorithm, we created our own vehicle back-up dataset that contains rich scenes recorded from a back-up camera on moving/stationary vehicles with unique and challenging scenarios such as frequent occlusion with cluttered and moving background, and we made this dataset available to public for other researchers. Experiments on the dataset shows that our algorithm achieves high accuracy in near real-time, and it is about 10 times faster than the comparable state-of-the-art algorithm.
Collection, Isolation, and Culture of Somatic Cells from Avian Semen:

Somatic cells in mammalian semen can be a potential source of nuclei for nuclear transfer to produce cloned animals. Somatic cells recovered from avian semen could also provide a source of cells fo...
Mass Spectrometric Identification of Silver Nanoparticles: The Case of Ag32(SG)19

Mass spectrometry has played a key role in identifying the members of a series of gold clusters, which has enabled the development of magic-number cluster theory. The successes of the gold cluster system have yet to be repeated in another metal cluster system, however. Silver clusters in particular have proven to be challenging due to their relative instability compared with gold clusters. Using the well-characterized gold nanocluster, Au25(SG)18, we present optimized electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) instrumental parameters for the maximal transmission of the intact cluster. Parameters shown to have the largest effect on intact cluster transmission/detection include trap and transfer collision energy, source temperature, and cone gas flow rate. Herein we describe a general strategy to acquire mass spectra of fragile metal clusters with reliable mass assignments. By also optimizing sample solution conditions, high-quality ESI mass spectra of a prototypical silver:glutathione (Ag:SG) clust...
Drug resistance and mecA gene analysis in foodborne Staphylococcus aureus

Objective To investigate the drug resistance to 12 kinds of antibiotics and detect mecA gene simultaneously in foodborne Staphylococcus aureus strains, meanwhile compare the drug-resistance status between two different origins. Methods The disk diffusion method was used to detect drug-resistance, and the genotype was analyzed by PCR method. Results Seven strains in 75 foodborne S. aureus were MRSA strains, including five strains carrying mecA gene. A total of 66 strains were MSSA trains, accounted for 88.0%, with one strain carrying mecA gene. Two strains were intermediate strains to oxacillin, all of that carry mecA gene, accounted for 2.67%. A total of 73 strains were penicillin G resistance, with overall resistant rate of 7.33%. Meanwhile the resistant rate were respectively 20.00% for tetracycline, 2.67% for gentamicin, 9.33% for norfloxacin, 60.00% for erythrocin, 5.33% for chloromycetin, 33.33% for clindamycin, and 17.33% for neomycin. There were no resistant strains to rifampicin, vancomycin or novobiocin. Conclusion The foodborne S. aureus strains were generally resistant to penicillin G, and some MRSA strains were detected; The foodborne MSSA strains are sensitive to most of antibiotics, while most of foodborne MRSA strains are multi-drug resistant strains.
Peyronie's disease: excision and autografting with tunica vaginalis.

AbstractSurgical excision of the indurated penile plaque followed by grafting with tunica vaginalis from the testes resulted in satisfactory correction of phallic deformity in 6 patients with sexually disabling chordee owing to Peyronie’s disease. In 2 other patients impotence associated with a painful plaque was treated by excision and grafting followed by insertion of a penile prosthesis. The parietal layer of tunica vaginalis has proved to be an ideal substitute of tunica albuginea of the penis and has caused neither shrinkage nor bulging at the graft site.
Geometric phase effects in the ultracold H + H2 reaction

The H3 system has served as a prototype for geometric phase (GP) effects in bimolecular chemical reactions for over three decades. Despite a large number of theoretical and experimental efforts, no conclusive evidence of GP effects in the integral cross section or reaction rate has been presented until recently [B. Kendrick et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 153201 (2015)]. Here we report a more detailed account of GP effects in the H + H2(v = 4, j = 0) → H + H2(v', j') (para-para) reaction rate coefficients for temperatures between 1 μK (8.6 × 10-11 eV) and 100 K (8.6 × 10-3 eV). The GP effect is found to persist in both vibrationally resolved and total rate coefficients for collision energies up to about 10 K. The GP effect also appears in rotationally resolved differential cross sections leading to a very different oscillatory structure in both energy and scattering angle. It is shown to suppress a prominent shape resonance near 1 K and enhance a shape resonance near 8 K, providing new experimentally verifiable signatures of the GP effect in the fundamental hydrogen exchange reaction. The GP effect in the D + D2 and T + T2 reactions is also examined in the ultracold limit and its sensitivity to the potential energy surface is explored.
Climate, Topography, and Canopy Chemistry Exert Hierarchical Control Over Soil N Cycling in a Neotropical Lowland Forest

Nutrient availability varies substantially across lowland tropical forests and constrains their responses to global change. However, interactions among regional, landscape, and local controls of nutrient availability are poorly understood. In that context, we explored the effects of rainfall, topography, and canopy chemistry on nitrogen (N) cycling across the Osa Peninsula (Costa Rica). We sampled soils from catenas in regions receiving 3000 versus 5000 mm y−1 rainfall. In both regions, we sampled catenas starting on narrow, knife-edged ridges, and in the less humid region we compared catenas starting on rapidly eroding knife-edged ridges to catenas with ridges consisting of slowly eroding terraces. On the stable terraces, we sampled soils from 0.25 ha plots with either high or low mean canopy N. In all sites, we measured metrics of long- (soil δ15N) and short-term (net nitrification, net N mineralization, and KCl-extractable N) N availability. Mean soil δ15N was elevated in the less humid region (3.8 ± 0.16 vs. 3.1 ± 0.14‰; P = 0.003). Within that region, mean δ15N was enriched by approximately 1‰ on stable terraces (5.3 ± 0.14‰) relative to nearby knife-edged ridges (4.0 ± 0.24‰; P 0.05). By contrast, short-term soil N metrics differed under canopies with high versus low canopy N, but soil δ15N did not. These results illustrate the role of climate and topography as dominant drivers of long-term N cycling in the region, as well as the potential for canopy characteristics, which are likely determined by species composition in this system, to impose small-scale heterogeneity within those broader constraints. Overall, our work suggests the utility of a hierarchical framework for understanding how diverse drivers of nutrient status interact across space and time in tropical forests.
The Cucumber Genome

Cucumber, Cucumis sativus L. (2n = 2x = 14) is both an economically and biologically important vegetable crop which has been used as a model to study sex expression in plant for a long time. While the genetic and genomics resources in cucumber are limited as compared with field crops, recent advances in technology and instrumentation for sequencing of plant genomes are providing exciting opportunities to expedite cucumber genome research. Among major horticultural crops, cucumber was the first to have a publicly released draft genome. Cucumber has some advantages for genome research due to its relatively small genome size (~367 Mbp), low percentage of repetitive DNA and short life cycle. Since the release of the cucumber genome sequence, significant progress has been made in our understanding of the cucumber genome. In this chapter, I will review recent progress in cucumber draft genome assembly, genetic map development, whole genome features of characterized gene families, and the genome dynamics from evolutionary, domestication and population perspectives.
Irredentist Secession in International Law

Irredentism refers to the movement of people and territory from one state to another along with the modification of international boundaries and a transfer of sovereignty. Te concept, which originated in the nineteenth century, has been at the root of many territorial disputes since the Second World War. Te possibility of an irredentist outcome is rarely covered in the discourse on secession. This essay argues that irredentism is legally distinct from secession in the application of the principle of self-determination, the question of recognition by the international community, and the role of consent. It discusses the legal hurdles facing a people seeking to secede from one state in order to join another state, and outlines the contemporary legal framework applicable to irredentist secession based on the principles of territorial sovereignty, non-intervention and peaceful settlement of disputes. It concludes that international law significantly constrains the scope for irredentist secession as a legal and political phenomenon.
Open-air multispectral fluorescence-guided surgery platform for intraoperative detection of malignant tissue under ambient lighting conditions

Intraoperative resection of tumors currently relies upon the surgeon’s ability to visually locate and palpate tumor nodules. Undetected residual malignant tissue often results in the need for additional treatment or surgical intervention. The Solaris platform is a multispectral open-air fluorescence imaging system designed for translational fluorescence-guided surgery. Solaris supports video-rate imaging in four fixed fluorescence channels ranging from visible to near infrared, and a multispectral channel equipped with a liquid crystal tunable filter (LCTF) for multispectral image acquisition (520-620 nm). Identification of tumor margins using reagents emitting in the visible spectrum (400-650 nm), such as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), present challenges considering the presence of auto-fluorescence from tissue and food in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. To overcome this, Solaris acquires LCTF-based multispectral images, and by applying an automated spectral unmixing algorithm to the data, separates reagent fluorescence from tissue and food auto-fluorescence. The unmixing algorithm uses vertex component analysis to automatically extract the primary pure spectra, and resolves the reagent fluorescent signal using non-negative least squares. For validation, intraoperative in vivo studies were carried out in tumor-bearing rodents injected with FITC-dextran reagent that is primarily residing in malignant tissue 24 hours post injection. In the absence of unmixing, fluorescence from tumors is not distinguishable from that of surrounding tissue. Upon spectral unmixing, the FITC-labeled malignant regions become well defined and detectable. The results of these studies substantiate the multispectral power of Solaris in resolving FITC-based agent signal in deep tumor masses, under ambient and surgical light, and enhancing the ability to surgically resect them.
Abstract TP82: The Growth of Small, Asymptomatic, Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms with no History of SAH -Different Risk Factors Associated with Single and Multiple Aneurysms

Introduction: The International Study on Unruptured Intracranial Aneurysms suggests that small ( Hypothesis: Growth factors for small UIA vary between subset groups. Methods: A retrospective study was performed based on a total of 508 patients diagnosed with UIA from 2005-2010 in our center. 235 patients with asymptomatic, small UIA and no history of SAH were monitored with high resolution 3D CTA. Patient medical history and aneurysm characteristics (size, growth, location and multiplicity) were analyzed. Multiple logistic regression analysis and the Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic were used to identify the factors associated with growth. The Student’s t-test was applied to compare the aneurysm growth rate between subset groups. Results: A total of 319 UIA were included with follow-up durations of 29.2 20.0 months. 42 UIA increased in size during the follow-up. 5 UIA grew to become ≥ 7 mm (within 38.2±18.3 months). A trend of higher growth rates was found in single aneurysms than in multiple aneurysms (P=0.07). History of stroke was the only factor associated with single aneurysm growth (P=0.03). The number of aneurysms (P=0.014), aneurysms located within the posterior circulation (P=0.023), and patient history of transient ischemic attack (P=0.032) were related to multiple aneurysm growth. Conclusion: We found that multiple small aneurysms were more likely to grow, especially those at posterior circulation. Although single aneurysms have a lower risk of growth, a trend of higher growth rates was found.
Legitimizing SSME in Academia: Critical Considerations and Essential Actions

SUMMARY Legitimizing Services Sciences, Management, and Engineering (SSME) in the global academic community necessitates delineation of the critical considerations and professional actions associated with spawning any new field. For Services Science, the broad set of academic disciplines that may be involved are identified in this paper. A set of seven major actions needed to bring clarity and credibility to those engaged in Services Science are described along with examples from Information Systems, Design, and Strategic Services Management and Sourcing. Academics who are pioneering in this highly inter-disciplinary field may use this position paper to plan a course of action that will rapidly advance Services Science both within their specific disciplines and in building the global Services Science academic base.
Communicating Identity and the Challenge of Ex Corde Ecclesiae

Arguing that the current challenge in Catholic higher education to implement the norms of Ex Corde Ecclesiae is largely a conflict of different world views, the author describes three competing visions of Church”pistic, charismatic, and mystical”and offers three “lenses” to clarify each vision: functional, interpretive, and post-modern. A textual analysis of Ex Corde Ecclesiae and the 1993 and 1999 drafts of ordinances of the National Catholic Conference of Bishops (NCCB) reveals a world view at odds with most Catholic universities.
Decision Making (Individuals)

Initial theories described decision making as a psychophysical process. Modern approaches, however, take into account factors such as emotion and intuition. Any theory of decision making must explain such phenomena as framing effects, temporal discounting, numeracy, and cognitive reflection. Recent research has identified developmental differences in how children, adolescents, and adults make decisions, particularly those involving risks. In addition, recent research on emotion and the neuroscience of decision making has suggested neural hypotheses for the role of reward circuitry and cognitive control in decision making.
Practice survey: adherence monitoring and intervention in pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology.

Purpose Despite significant medication nonadherence rates among youth with pediatric gastroenterology and hepatology disorders, little is known about current adherence practices in pediatric gastroenterology care. This study summarizes current practices surrounding adherence monitoring and intervention in pediatric gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatologic care in the USA. Participants and methods One hundred and fifty-four pediatric GI providers completed an online survey designed to examine current practices surrounding adherence monitoring and intervention, specific strategies used to monitor and treat poor adherence, and the barriers currently experienced in relation to adherence monitoring and intervention. Results Practices varied greatly in terms of when and how patient adherence is monitored and by whom; however, physicians and nursing professionals take primary responsibility for adherence monitoring. Approximately 25% utilize screeners to assess adherence, and most participants use patient and caregiver reports as a primary measure of adherence. Most participants rated their level of adherence monitoring and intervention as fair to poor. While most participants perceive adherence monitoring to be very important in clinical practice, only 20.8% perceive being able to significantly modify patient adherence. Conclusion There exists great variability in adherence monitoring and intervention practices across pediatric GI providers. Greater understanding of current adherence practices can inform future clinical efforts.
Market evidence against widespread point shaving in college basketball

Abstract This paper proposes using market-based information to investigate the likelihood of widespread point shaving in college basketball games with strong favorites. Information embodied in pre-game money lines facilitates the calculation of the market's expectation that the game will end with a strong favorite winning but not covering the point spread, a result deemed suspicious in previous studies. Additional market-based information embodied in second-half lines reveal how the market's expectation about second-half play differs from pre-game expectations. Applying our methodology to college basketball reduces previous estimates of the percentage of games thought to be consistent with potential point shaving to insignificant levels. Our approach can apply to other sports in which strong favorites are common.
Implications for BACE1 Inhibitor Clinical Trials: Adult Conditional BACE1 Knockout Mice Exhibit Axonal Organization Defects in the Hippocampus

BACE1 is the rate-limiting enzyme for the production of the Aβ peptide that forms amyloid plaques in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Small molecule inhibitors of BACE1 are being tested in clinical trials for AD, but the safety and efficacy of BACE1 inhibition has yet to be fully explored. Knockout of the Bace1 gene in the germline of mice causes multiple neurological phenotypes, suggesting that BACE1 inhibition could be toxic. However, these phenotypes could be the result of BACE1 deficiency during development rather than due to the lack of BACE1 function in the adult. To address this problem, we generated tamoxifen-inducible conditional BACE1 knockout mice in which the Bace1 gene may be deleted in the whole body of the adult at will. Importantly, the adult conditional BACE1 knockout mice largely lack phenotypes, indicating that many BACE1 functions are not required in the adult organism. However, a germline phenotype was observed after BACE1 knockout in the adult: reduced length and disorganization of the hippocampal mossy fiber infrapyramidal bundle comprised of axons of dentate gyrus granule cells. The infrapyramidal bundle abnormality correlated with reduced proteolytic processing of the neural cell adhesion protein CHL1 that is involved in axonal guidance. We conclude that BACE1 inhibition in the adult mouse brain does not lead to the phenotypes associated with BACE1 deficiency during embryonic and postnatal development. However, adult conditional BACE1 knockout mice also suggest that BACE1 inhibitor drugs may disrupt the organization of an axonal pathway in the hippocampus, an important structure for learning and memory. Here, I review the adult conditional BACE1 knockout results and consider their implications for BACE1 inhibitor clinical trials.
LAW ENFORCEMENT LEADERS AND THE RACIAL COMPOSITION OF ARRESTS

This paper introduces a novel avenue of study for understanding the mechanisms behind racial discrimination in law enforcement. I exploit a new 25‐year panel history of the race of every U.S. sheriff to shed light on the potentially important role of managers who make hiring decisions and set departmental priorities. Comparing agencies that experience racial transitions to agencies with overlapping jurisdictions reveals that the ratio of Black‐to‐White arrests is significantly higher under White sheriffs. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the effects are driven by arrests for less‐serious offenses and by targeting Black crime types. (JEL J15, K42, M54, H76)
Swine diets impact manure characteristics and gas emissions: Part II sulfur source

Abstract Crude protein (CP) is a key nutrient in swine diets supplying essential amino acids, N, and S to animals for growth are fed in excess to maximize growth. Swine diets reduced in CP and supplemented with crystalline amino acids have been shown effective at maintaining animal growth while increasing overall CP use efficiency. A feeding trial study was conducted to determine the effects of reduced dietary CP levels on manure slurry chemical properties and gas emissions. A total of 24 gilts averaging 111 kg BW were fed corn and soybean meal diets formulated with 8.7, 14.8, and 17.6% CP using crystalline amino acid supplementation in the 8.7 and 14.8% CP diets, but only intact protein, soybean meal, in the diet containing 17.6% CP. Diets were fed for 45 d with an average daily feed intake (ADFI) of 2.70 kg across all diets. Animals were fed twice daily with both feces and urine collected during each feeding and added to animal-specific manure storage containers. At the end of the study, manure slurries were monitored for gas emissions and chemical properties. Increasing dietary CP levels increased manure pH, total solids, total N, and total S, including increased levels of ammonia (NH3), volatile fatty acids, and phenolic compounds. Pigs fed lower CP diets had lower emissions of NH3, branched chain fatty acids (BCFA), and phenol compounds which translated into lower emissions in total odor. Emissions of NH3 and odor were reduced by 8.9% and 4.2%, respectively, for each unit percent decline in dietary CP. Hydrogen sulfide was the dominate odorant associated with manure odor emissions. Based on nutrient mass balance, animal retention of dietary N and S increased by 7.0% and 2.4%, respectively, for each unit percent drop in crude protein fed animals, while C retention in the animal declined by 2.1%.
Surgical removal of renal tumors with low metastatic potential based on clinical radiographic size: A systematic review of the literature.

Abstract Introduction Many patients with small renal masses (SRM) undergo surgical resection of benign and potentially indolent renal masses. We review the available literature to quantify the proportion of renal tumors that are low-risk based on clinical radiographic size, and quantify the number of low-risk masses surgically removed in the United States. Methods We systematically reviewed the literature for studies including pathologic findings after excision of renal masses. Inclusion criteria required studies capture both benign and malignant histology at surgical pathology, tumor grade, and stratification by radiographic tumor size. We queried our institutional database using the same parameters. Meta-analysis results were applied to SEER incidence and management data for renal masses. Very-low-risk tumors were defined as benign or grade 1 cT1a, and low-risk tumors as benign, grade 1, or grade 2 cT1a. Results A total of 733 titles were reviewed at title screening with 6 full text articles and our institutional database included for meta-analysis. Pooled estimates of benign, very-low-risk, and low-risk tumors were stratified by tumor size: ≤2 cm (25.5%, 40.1%, and 89.3%), 2 to 3 cm (21.2%, 34.1%, and 84.5%), 3 to 4 cm (16.1%, 26.6%, and 77.1%), 4 to 6 cm (11.9%, 23.8%, and 66.4%), and >6 cm (7.2%, 12.6%, and 50.3%). An estimated 3,300 benign, 5,400 very-low-risk, and 13,600 low-risk SRMs were resected in 2014 in the United States. Conclusion A substantial portion of patients with SRM are undergoing surgical excision despite harboring tumors of low metastatic potential. The rate of high-grade histology increased with increasing clinical radiographic size, which can be used in counseling and decision-making regarding placement on active surveillance. The number of low-risk SRM removed annually in the United States increased from 8,500 in 2000 to 13,600 in 2014 with stabilization in recent years.
A Response to Caitlin Eha

“But when we have done all that research--collection and comparison of the tales of many lands--can do; when we have explained many of the elements commonly found embedded in fairy-stories… as relics of ancient customs once practiced in daily life, or of beliefs once held as beliefs and not ‘fancies’--there remains still a point too often forgotten: that is the effect produced now by these old things in the stories as they are…. Such stories have now a mythical or total (unanalysable) effect, an effect quite independent of the findings of Comparative Folk-lore, and one which it cannot spoil or explain; they open a door on Other Time, and if we pass through, though only for a moment, we stand outside our own time, outside Time itself, maybe. “If we pause, not merely to note that such old elements have been preserved, but to think how they have been preserved, we must conclude, I think, that it has happened, often if not always, precisely because of this literary effect.” (Tolkien, "On Fairy-Stories" 128-129)
Functions and Hierarchical Combinations of Approach and Avoidance Motivation

Approach motivation and avoidance motivation are basic fundamental forms of energization and direction; both are crucial for describing and explaining affect, cognition, and behavior. Scholer, Corn...
Decarboxylative Phosphine Synthesis: Insights into the Catalytic, Autocatalytic, and Inhibitory Roles of Additives and Intermediates

Phosphines are among the most widely used ligands, catalysts, and reagents. Current synthetic approaches to phosphines are dominated by nucleophilic displacement reactions with organometallic reage...
Noninvasive imaging assessment of portal hypertension

Portal hypertension (PH) is a spectrum of complications of chronic liver disease (CLD) and cirrhosis, with manifestations including ascites, gastroesophageal varices, splenomegaly, hypersplenism, hepatic hydrothorax, hepatorenal syndrome, hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension. PH can vary in severity and is diagnosed via invasive hepatic venous pressure gradient measurement (HVPG), which is considered the reference standard. Accurate diagnosis of PH and assessment of severity are highly relevant as patients with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are at higher risk for developing acute variceal bleeding and mortality. In this review, we discuss current and upcoming noninvasive imaging methods for diagnosis and assessment of severity of PH.
A scoping review of drought impacts on health and society in North America

Drought is a highly destructive natural hazard with wide-ranging impacts on water security, agriculture, energy, and human health. Unlike most natural hazards, droughts can develop anywhere, evolve rapidly within a month or slowly over a season, and span months to decades without a clear beginning or end. Few studies investigate the direct link between drought and drought-related impacts on health and society, and little research has identified critical science gaps in the field of drought-society. This scoping review aims to explore the societal implications of drought and identify knowledge gaps for future drought-society studies. We performed a PRISMA scoping review with a four-element search model on articles published since 2010. We extracted drought impacts data from 74 articles. Results were synthesized into three main topical areas examining public health impacts, water quality impacts, and water quantity impacts. While studies were heterogeneous in terms of objectives and methods, they illustrated the full breadth of drought impacts. The current body of evidence lacks a standard set of drought indices that can be readily applied to evaluate and monitor societal impacts due to drought. The challenge of defining drought limits a holistic understanding of drought effects and recovery time. More interdisciplinary collaborations are needed to establishes community-wide consensus on the identification of relevant hydrological indicators that best describe an adverse outcome is an understudied research priority.
High Temperature Mechanics, Friction, Wear and Adhesion of Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording

The majority of data generated today is stored in magnetic storage hard disk drives (HDD) of enterprise-level data centers. The HDD industry is striving for higher areal density capacity to meet increasing demand for data storage. Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) has been proposed as the next-generation technology that will bring revolutionary areal density gains. However, the technology comes with elevated temperature conditions and inevitably brings corresponding challenges to the head–disk interface (HDI). HDI high temperature tribology is the primary failure mode of HDDs and is discussed in the present work. Temperature dependence of mechanical properties, friction, wear and adhesion are reported based on experimental results from nanoindentation, nanoscratch, nanowear and adhesion experiments. The data reveals quantitative variations of Young’s modulus, hardness, coefficient of friction, and surface energy with temperature. In addition, XPS analysis is performed to measure chemical surface changes, and correlated with the nanomechanical findings.
“We are similar, but different”: Contextualizing the Religious Identities of Indian and Pakistani Immigrant Groups

This article explores how Indian and Pakistani immigrant groups from the Bay Area in North California relate to and interact with one another. There is limited research on the role of religion in shaping sentiments of distinctiveness or “groupness” among diasporic Indians and Pakistanis in the UK and North America. Through conducting qualitative interviews with 18 Indian and Pakistani immigrants in the Bay Area, I recognized three factors pertaining to religion that were salient in influencing notions of groupness—notions of modernity, sociopolitical factors, and rituals. With respect to these three variables, I flesh out the spectrum of associated groupness; while some factors were linked with high levels of groupness, others enabled the immigrant groups to find commonality with one another. This research is integral to a better understanding of the interactions between South Asians in the diaspora, as well as to gain insight into how these immigrant groups—whose countries of origin share a history of religious conflict—perceive and interact with one another.
Towards privacy for social networks: a zero-knowledge based definition of privacy

We put forward a zero-knowledge based definition of privacy. Our notion is strictly stronger than the notion of differential privacy and is particularly attractive when modeling privacy in social networks. We furthermore demonstrate that it can be meaningfully achieved for tasks such as computing averages, fractions, histograms, and a variety of graph parameters and properties, such as average degree and distance to connectivity. Our results are obtained by establishing a connection between zero-knowledge privacy and sample complexity, and by leveraging recent sublinear time algorithms.
Video Sampling Rate and Standards Conversion

This chapter contains sections titled: Video Sampling Sampling Rate Conversion Standards Conversion Tutorial 21.1: Line Down-Conversion Tutorial 21.2: Deinterlacing Tutorial 21.3: NTSC to PAL Conversion Tutorial 21.4: 3:2 Pull-Down Problems ]]>
Alcohol Abuse in Later Life

Alcohol abuse and dependence are problems that have no prejudice when it comes to age. These are problems that are often overlooked by health care providers even though they are major causes of many adverse health effects in the elderly. Pharmacists can play a major role in the detection and treatment of alcohol dependence. This can be done by knowing the signs and symptoms of dependence that are unique to the elderly, determining the stage of the disease the elderly patient is in, and making an appropriate intervention.
Use of Student's t statistic as a phenotype of relative consumption preference of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grain

Abstract Whole-grain wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) products provide essential nutrients to humans, but bran attributes may hinder consumption. Differences in grain attributes including flavor/aroma can be identified using the house mouse ( Mus musculus L.) as a model system. A potential application of this model system is to identify genes or quantitative trait loci (QTLs) conferring consumption-related traits using genetic mapping. These analyses require a quantitative phenotype to test marker–trait associations. Two-choice feeding trials are common in consumption studies, but do not provide an independent, quantitative phenotype. The objective of this study was to examine the use of ‘check’ varieties against which to compare sample varieties to generate Student's t values for use as phenotypic values. Two checks, which had previously been identified as “Yummy” and “yucky” ( Y , y ) were compared against each sample variety. The resulting t values provided an independent quantitative phenotype of the sample varieties.
WHERE DID GENERAL MOTORS GO WRONG WITH THE IGNITION SWITCH RECALL

ABSTRACT: When it comes to purchasing a new car, a buyer expects the car to be safe and reliable. It is the responsibility of the automaker to ensure that those expectations are met. However, to err is human; recalls are a necessary part of life. When a recall happens, it then becomes the responsibility of the automaker to issue the recall in a timely manner. However, that was not the case with the General Motors (GM) ignition switch recall. The focus of this paper will be on the GM ignition switch, including sections regardingÂ the problem with the switch, who may have been responsible for approving the switch, and possible suggestions on how GM could have prevented the recall. ABSTRAK: Ketika keputusan diambil untuk membeli kereta baru, pembeli mahukan kereta yang selamat dan berwibawa. Adalah menjadi kewajipan pembuat kereta tersebut untuk memastikan bahawa harapan tersebut tercapai.Â Namun, kita hanyalah manusia; penarikan balik menjadi kemestian. Apabila berlakunya perihal menarik balik produk, ianya adalah tanggungjawab pembuat kereta untuk menariknya dengan cara yang sepatutnya.Â Namun dalam kes tarik balik suis pencucuh General Motors (GM) ini tidak berlaku. Kertas kerja ini akan memfokuskan kepada suis pencucuh GM; termasuklah masalah suis, pihak yang bertanggungjawab meluluskannya dan beberapa cadangan bagaimana sepatutnya GM boleh menghalang isu penarikan balik ini.KEYWORDS: approval process; validation plan; performance testing; ignition switch; embedded system; torque requirements; automotive recalls; industry
Does the disparity in baseline characteristics of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement with 23 mm vs. 26 mm valves impact clinical outcome

Objectives We sought to identify if baseline characteristic differences in patients who receive a 23 mm vs. 26 mm valve impact clinical outcomes. Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is currently an approved therapy for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are considered inoperable or are at high risk. Methods We retrospectively examined baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients receiving a 23 mm (n = 132) vs. 26 mm valve (n = 81) via the transfemoral approach. Results Gender (P 0.99, minor bleed 19.0 vs. 22.0%, P = 0.67 and life threatening bleed 7.0 vs. 5.0%, P = 0.77). In-hospital death (6.0 vs. 5.0%, P >0.99), 30-day all-cause death (7.6 vs. 6.2%, P = 0.69), and all-cause death at 1 year (17.4 vs. 25.9%, P = 0.13) were also similar between groups. Gender, valve size, previous coronary bypass surgery and atrial fibrillation were not independently associated with mortality; however, on multivariate analysis STS score was (HR 1.11; 95% CI 1.02–1.19; P = 0.01). Conclusion Patients undergoing TAVR with 23 and 26 mm valves have similar clinical outcomes despite significant differences in baseline characteristics. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular and cellular biomarkers for field cancerization and multistep process in head and neck tumorigenesis

One way to explain the development of head and neck cancer is through the theories of field cancerization, i.e., the exposure of an entire field of tissue to repeated carcinogenic insult, and multistep process, i.e., development of multiple cancers in a predisposed field through a series of recognizable states. Recent molecular genetic studies of histologically normal and prealignant epithelia of high-risk subjects and studies of malignant tumors in aerodigestive tract epithelia have identified a continuum of accumulated specific genetic alterations that possibly occur during the clonal evolution of tumors, namely, during the multistep process. Second primary or multiple primary tumors arise in the same fields as independent clones, with similar but unique molecular genetic and/or cellular alterations. Consequently, the assessment of these genetic and phenotypic alterations has been integrated into clinical chemoprevention trials in an effort to identify biomarkers that are also risk predictors and intermediate end points. This review covers candidate biomarkers of the processes of field cancerization and multistep tumor development in aerodigestive tract epithelia, including general and specific genetic markers, proliferation markers, and squamous differentiation markers.
Mechanism of renal potassium conservation in the rat

Mechanism of renal potassium conservation in the rat. The mechanisms responsible for renal potassium (K) conservation during dietary potassium deficiency are poorly understood. This study was undertaken to investigate the time course of potassium conservation as well as the roles of distal sodium (Na) delivery, the distal delivery or sodium plus a nonpermeable anion, mineralocorticoid hormone, renal tissue potassium content, and Na-K-ATPase activity in renal potassium conservation. After 72 hours of a low-potassium diet, basal potassium excretion was negligible. After 24 hours, and even more so after 72 hours of potassium restriction, the kaliuretic response to increasing distal delivery of sodium or sodium plus a nonpermeable anion was impaired. After 24 hours of a low-potassium diet, plasma aldosterone levels fell from 180 ± 25 to 32 ± 9 pg/ml (P Mecanisme de conservation renale du potassium chez le rat. Les mecanismes responsables de la conservation renale du potassium (K) au cours du deficit alimentaire en potassium ne sont pas clairs. Cette etude a ete entreprise pour preciser l'evolution dans le temps de la conservation de potassium et aussi les roles du debit de sodium (Na) distal, du debit distal de sodium, et d'un anion non permeant, des mineralocorticoides, du contenu en potassium du tissu renal et de l'activite de la Na-K-ATPase dans la conservation renale de potassium. Apres 72 heures d'une alimentation pauvre en potassium l'excretion basale de potassium est negligeable. Apres 24 heures, et encore plus apres 72 heures, de restriction de potassium, la reponse kaliuretique a l'augmentation du debit distal de sodium, ou de sodium et d'un anion non permeant, est modifiee. Apres 24 heures de restriction de potassium, la concentration d'aldosterone plasmatique chute de 180 ± 25 a 32 ± 9 pg/ml (P
Optimum parameters design for friction stir spot welding using a genetically optimized neural network system

AbstractA method based on a genetically optimized neural network system (GONNS) is introduced to enhance the selection of the optimum parameters for the friction stir spot welding (FSSW) process. For a given FSSW setup, an artificial neural network (ANN) is designed with three process parameters as inputs and three process variables as outputs. The outputs of the ANN are selected as the weld's tensile force, plunging load, and process duration. Preliminary experimental results are utilized in order to train the ANN. After verifying the accuracy of the trained ANN, an optimization method based on the genetic algorithm heuristic search method is used to optimize the evaluation functions that are normalized functions of the ANN outputs. Eventually, the minimization of the evaluation functions yields the optimum ANN inputs (FSSW parameters) that are verified by additional experiments. Results affirm that the analytically obtained optimums of the FSSW parameters are valid and that, by utilizing these parameter...
Episodic multiregional cortical coherence at multiple frequencies during visual task performance

The way in which the brain integrates fragmentary neural events at multiple locations to produce unified perceptual experience and behaviour is called the binding problem. Binding has been proposed to involve correlated activity at different cortical sites during perceptuomotor behaviour, particularly by synchronization of narrow-band oscillations in the gamma-frequency range (30-80 Hz). In the rabbit olfactory system, inhalation induces increased gamma-correlation between sites in olfactory bulb and cortex. In the cat visual system, coherent visual stimuli increase gamma-correlation between sites in both the same and different visual cortical areas. In monkeys, some groups have found that gamma-oscillations transiently synchronize within striate cortex, superior temporal sulcus and somatosensorimotor cortex. Others have reported that visual stimuli produce increased broad-band power, but not gamma-oscillations, in several visual cortical areas. But the absence of narrow-band oscillations in itself does not disprove interregional synchronization, which may be a broad-band phenomenon. We now describe episodes of increased broad-band coherence among local field potentials from sensory, motor and higher-order cortical sites of macaque monkeys performing a visual discrimination task. Widely distributed sites become coherent without involving other intervening sites. Spatially selective multiregional cortical binding, in the form of broad-band synchronization, may thus play a role in primate perceptuomotor behaviour.
Cultural Differences in Work-Family Policies and Perceptions of Organizational Support

The current paper examines the impact of at-home family and friend support on the relationship between organizations’ work-family initiatives and employee perceptions of organizational and supervisory support for Hispanics and white non-Hispanics. Drawing on the cultural dimensions of performance and relationship orientations, we derive several hypotheses to test. The results indicate that perceptions of organizational support are moderated differentially, for Hispanics and white non-Hispanics, by the level of support available outside of the organization. Directions for future research are presented.
Recent advances in the control and function of the anterior pituitary.

Major advances in our understanding of the synthesis and release of anterior pituitary hormones have been made over the past several years. Neurons of the hypothalamus have been found to serve as “neuroendocrine transducers” in that they have both electrical and secretory functions. Peptidergic neurons respond to appropriate stimuli with a release of hypothalamic factors into the hypophyscal-portal system. These factors or hormones ultimately control the endocrine function of anterior pituitary cells. Three hormones, Thyrotropin Releasing Hormone (TRII), Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH or LHRH) and somatostatin have been identified, synthesized and tested for clinical applications. The clinical assessment of pituitary function has been greatly improved by new and improved radioimmunoassays. One of the recent clinical advances in the area of pituitary disease has been the determination of the relatively high frequency of prolactinomas. Prolactin secreting microadenomas are an important and treatable cause of amenorrhea and infertility in young women. In addition, many pituitary tumors previously believed to be non-functional or “chromophobe adenomas” appear to be prolactinomas. Many new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques are continuing to be developed to improve our management of patients with hypothalamic-pituitary disease.