cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Social Convoy Model

The convoy model has guided a rich field of multidisciplinary research examining the nature of social relationships and their influence on health and well-being over the life course. A convoy is conceptualized as a protective, dynamic network of close social ties that provides personal, familial, cultural, and even professional supports and linkages for an individual. Convoy structure (i.e., size and composition) is assessed, as are personal (i.e., age, gender, race) and contextual characteristics (i.e., marital status, immigration), and relationship and support quality. New research on caregiving, retirement, and immigration is presented to highlight the dynamic nature of convoys and illustrate the model's contribution to the study of interpersonal relationships and support in adulthood and aging. Future research integrating the convoy model can inform the development of social policy and practice that addresses the social support needs among diverse adults or underexamined populations. Keywords: adulthood; aging; convoys; social networks; social relations; support; well-being
Urinary quality of life outcomes in men who were treated with image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer

Purpose Quality of life (QoL) outcomes play a major role in the treatment selection for prostate cancer (CaP). We evaluated the urinary QoL outcomes in men who were treated with image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT) for CaP. Methods and materials We enrolled men who were diagnosed with CaP and underwent IG-IMRT in a large urological group practice into a prospectively maintained database. The typical radiation treatment dosage to prostates and seminal vesicles was 8100 cGy in 45 fractions. Urinary QoL was self-assessed using the standardized incontinence grade and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) at baseline and at each follow-up visit. We evaluated the cumulative incidence of urinary incontinence and changes in both continence and IPSS over time. Results Of the 3602 men who were eligible for analysis, 3086 (85.7%) had no urinary incontinence; 479 (13.3 %) had minimal incontinence (no requirement for pads), and 37 (1.0 %) had significant urinary incontinence that required the use of pads or interfered with activities of daily living, at baseline. After a median follow-up of 24 months (range: 12.0-41.0 months), these numbers were 80.6%, 17.4%, and 2.0%, respectively. Radiation therapy appeared to have a beneficial effect on some men: 54.1% of men with minimal incontinence became completely continent of urine during follow-up. Of those with significant urinary incontinence, 29.7% reported resolution and 27.0% reported improved symptoms with no requirement for pads. Of the 1276 men with moderate IPSS, the mean IPSS decreased from 12 to 9.8 at the time of the last follow-up (P < .001). Similarly, of the 233 men with severe IPSS, the mean IPSS decreased from 24 to 13 at the time of the last follow-up (P < .001). Conclusion IG-IMRT for clinically localized CaP is associated with a relatively low incidence of urinary incontinence. Although unexplained, IG-IMRT seems to improve symptoms in some men with baseline urinary incontinence and moderate-to-severe IPSS.
Factors Influencing Learner Permit Duration

An increasing number of countries are requiring an extended learner permit prior to independent driving. The question of when drivers begin the learner permit period, and how long they hold the permit before advancing to independent licensure has received little research attention. Licensure timing is likely to be related to "push" and "pull" factors which may encourage or inhibit the process. To examine this question, we recruited a sample of 90 novice drivers (49 females and 41 males, average age of 15.6 years) soon after they obtained a learner permit and instrumented their vehicles to collect a range of driving data. Participants completed a series of surveys at recruitment related to factors that may influence licensure timing. Two distinct findings emerged from the time-to-event analysis that tested these push and pull factors in relation to licensure timing. The first can be conceptualized as teens' motivation to drive (push), reflected in a younger age when obtaining a learner permit and extensive pre-permit driving experience. The second finding was teens' perceptions of their parents' knowledge of their activities (pull); a proxy for a parents' attentiveness to their teens' lives. Teens who reported higher levels of their parents' knowledge of their activities took longer to advance to independent driving. These findings suggest time-to-licensure may be related to teens' internal motivation to drive, and the ability of parents to facilitate or impede early licensure.
Understanding the impact of hypoglycemia on the cardiovascular system

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Hypoglycemia occurs commonly in insulin requiring individuals with either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes.Areas covered: This article will review recent information on the pro-inflammatory and pro-atherothrombotic effects of hypoglycemia. Additionally, effects of hypoglycemia on arrhythmogenic potential and arterial endothelial dysfunction will be discussed. Effects of hypoglycemia on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality from large clinical studies in Type 1 and Type 2 DM will also be reviewed.Expert commentary: The relative and absolute risk of severe hypoglycemia leading to death and serious adverse events in both cardiovascular and other organ systems has been highlighted following the publication of recent large clinical trials focused on glucose control and outcomes. It would be helpful if future studies could develop broader end points to include minor and moderate hypoglycemia as well as more robust methods for capturing hypoglycemia contemporaneously with adverse events. In addit...
'Have You Seen Dignity?': The Story of the Development of Therapeutic Jurisprudence

This paper will be presented at a special event, hosted by the Victoria Legal Aid Society and RMIT University School of Law (Melbourne, Australia), on March 31, 2017. It traces the development of therapeutic jurisprudence (TJ) over the past three decades, and explains its impact on legal education, legal scholarship and legal practice. In it, I explain the initial insights of David Wexler and the late Bruce Winick, consider these insights in the context of the state of mental disability law in the late 1980s and early 1990s (when TJ first emerged), with a focus on their early essay collections and the initial TJ conference that I ran at New York Law School (where I taught for 30 years) in 1993. I then discuss how TJ expanded beyond the relatively-narrow framework of “just mental disability law”, and the significance of that expansion, TJ’s internationalization, and its expansion from law to psychology, criminology, social work, and other disciplines (though interestingly, not, to any significant extent, psychiatry). After this, I consider the impact it has had on traditional trial courts and case law, and the, focus on its significant impact on “problem-solving courts” – mental health courts, drug courts, and others. I then consider my own work from the past few years, and how I approach the full range of substantive topics in my writing from a TJ perspective. Next, I look at what David Wexler has been thinking about lately – about what he calls the “vineyards of the law,” and about his metaphor of “wines and bottles” – and the impact that will likely have on TJ’s future. I then share some ideas about how TJ-focused lawyers need to start thinking more seriously about how TJ should inspire them in dialogues they have with their clients, and conclude by speculating about what must be done in the future to insure that TJ continues to reinforce dignity in all aspects of the entire legal process.
Cellular and Synaptic Properties of Local Inhibitory Circuits

Inhibitory interneurons play a key role in sculpting the information processed by neural circuits. Despite the wide range of physiologically and morphologically distinct types of interneurons that have been identified, common principles have emerged that have shed light on how synaptic inhibition operates, both mechanistically and functionally, across cell types and circuits. This introduction summarizes how electrophysiological approaches have been used to illuminate these key principles, including basic interneuron circuit motifs, the functional properties of inhibitory synapses, and the main roles for synaptic inhibition in regulating neural circuit function. It also highlights how some key electrophysiological methods and experiments have advanced our understanding of inhibitory synapse function.
A Mathematical Model Captures the Structure of Subjective Affect.

Although it is possible to observe when another person is having an emotional moment, we also derive information about the affective states of others from what they tell us they are feeling. In an ...
Endothelial Progenitor Cells: Properties, Function, and Response to Toxicological Stimuli

The repair and regeneration of adult tissues is accomplished through the existence and function of stem or progenitor cell populations. With regards to vascular repair, this is accomplished through the use of heterogeneous populations of proangiogenic cells, often called the endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs). In response to hypoxic or inflammatory signals, EPCs are mobilized from storage niches such as the bone marrow, home to site of vascular damage and participate in repair through terminal differentiation or paracrine effects. While the existence of these endothelial reparative cells has been recognized for almost 20 years, an accurate phenotypic description of these cells still remains controversial and complex analytical strategies are required for their identification and functional analysis. Multiple animal and human studies have demonstrated the physiological importance of EPCs, and evidence suggests a paucity of these cells or their dysfunction is correlated with poor vascular health and an increased risk of developing or exacerbating cardiovascular disease. Moreover, the levels and functionality of these cells are particularly sensitive to toxicological exposures and external influences, defining a mechanistic connection between such stimuli and resulting pathology.
At War's End: Bosnia and Croatia: Reinforcing Ethnic Divisions

The territory of the former Yugoslavia has hosted several peacebuilding missions. The first major postconflict operation was deployed to Bosnia in 1995. Other missions were created for Croatia (1995) and Kosovo (1999). This chapter focuses on the Bosnia operation and concludes with an analysis of the much smaller Croatia operation. The subsequent mission to Kosovo will be examined in Chapter 11. Bosnia War in the former Yugoslavia broke out in June 1991, after two of the country's then-constituent republics – Slovenia and Croatia – declared their independence from the Yugoslav federation. Fighting between Slovenian nationalists and the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) lasted only ten days before the JNA withdrew from Slovenia. In Croatia, however, ethnic Serb residents formed paramilitary units (which were supplied and supported by the JNA) and waged a war against Croatian nationalist forces throughout the second half of 1991. A cease-fire came into effect at the end of the year, but only after Serb militias and the JNA had gained control of roughly one-quarter of the republic's territory. In February 1992, the UN Security Council created the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) to monitor the cease-fire in Croatia. One month later, in March 1992, a referendum on independence was held in neighboring Bosnia, which at the time was still part of Yugoslavia. The vote divided Bosnia along ethnic lines.
ParkSense: Automatic Parking Positioning by Leveraging In-Vehicle Magnetic Field Variation

Drivers often park their vehicles without consciously (physically or mentally) noting down the parked location which makes it hard and inconvenient for the users to later locate their vehicles. Existing solutions either require users to explicitly note down the parked position on their mobile device by performing a certain action, such as pressing a button to turn on their global positioning system, or are erroneous and inaccurate. This paper attempts to build ParkSense , a system that allows a smart phone to accurately and automatically “sense,” and later navigate to, the position at which the vehicle was parked. We propose to make use of the variations of magnetic fields and electromagnetic fields inside the vehicles to detect when a user stops and turns off his or her vehicle. Our evaluation with an actual implementation of the system on different mobile platforms and operating systems, tested on different mobile devices/phones and car models, shows the detection accuracy of more than 90%, confirming the feasibility of our approach.
Back off Specialists

A New Spine Pathway 2016-2017 Advanced practice physiotherapy skills used prior to First Assessment Specialist referrals to orthopaedics Vision : accessibility, partnerships, excellent clinical outcomes, timely access. Previous model : Overloaded Orthopaedic services, fiscal restraints, unnecessary admissions/ tests, onsite underutilised expertise. Changes : Triage referrals. Orthopaedic specialists direct patients to Physiotherapist-led back clinic after paper triage only Data tracked. Educational tools Developed home program templates, back booklet, exercise sheets Integration and communication of pathways with other services Outcomes Keele STarT Back, VAS Target population : High needs communities, throughout Hawkes Bay Results : Reduced speicialist appointment/investigations: 87% avoided, 119 fewer MRIs 88 fewer spinal injections Accessible service : average interventions 3.4 Average wait time 41.6 days. 542 people offered assessment in first year Avoidable hospital admissions : trending down ( HRT data 2016) Client satisfaction high: 79% rate 10/10 Outcomes : at discharge 81% self managing well, minimal or no symptoms, 7% referred on to community support groups, 12% referred to FSA/specialist service Patient reported average Outcomes : Pain scores improved 23.9%, function 17.2%, self management improved 33.8% Sustainability : Further 0.5 equivalent advanced pracitioner employed mid 2016. data consistent over 18 months Enhancement of client services : more clinics opening in outlying community settings. Message for others : Expert Physiotherapists work with hospital specialists, staff, referrers, and community to ensure clients receive accessible appropriate expert care and back up. This service saves money, reduces diagnostic interventions, Orthopaedic Specialist time, while producing excellent outcomes. Treatment emphasising self-care, lifestyle change, supported by excellent educational tools, works for all stakeholders.
Continuous directed evolution for strain and protein engineering

Continuous directed evolution is the 'while loop' of synthetic biology, autonomous cycles of mutation, selection, and self-replication that can lead to the rapid development of industrially relevant organisms, pathways, or molecules. Although this engineering strategy requires particular mutagenesis methods and well-defined selections, recent advances have facilitated its implementation. Control over selection pressure has been augmented by novel cost-effective continuous culturing devices with open source designs. New in vivo targeted mutagenesis methods have enabled continuous directed protein evolution in various organisms. Furthermore, advances in automation have enabled rational, semi-continuous directed evolution strategies that may yield fewer artefacts or parasites. Overall, continuous directed evolution is persistently demonstrating its capacity to rapidly generate biotechnologically valuable strains and proteins.
The time-dependent simplified P2 equations : Asymptotic analyses and numerical experiments

Using an asymptotic expansion, the authors found that the modified time-dependent simplified P{sub 2} (SP{sub 2}) equations are robust, high-order, asymptotic approximations to the time-dependent transport equation in a physical regime in which the conventional time-dependent diffusion equation is the leading-order approximation. Using diffusion limit analysis, they also asymptotically compared three competitive time-dependent equations (the telegrapher`s equation, the time-dependent SP{sub 2} equations, and the time-dependent simplified even-parity equation). As a result, they found that the time-dependent SP{sub 2} equations contain higher-order asymptotic approximations to the time-dependent transport equation than the other competitive equations. The numerical results confirm that, in the vast majority of cases, the time-dependent SP{sub 2} solutions are significantly more accurate than the time-dependent diffusion and the telegrapher`s solutions. They have also shown that the time-dependent SP{sub 2} equations have excellent characteristics such as rotational invariance (which means no ray effect), good diffusion limit behavior, guaranteed positivity in diffusive regimes, and significant accuracy, even in deep-penetration problems. Through computer-running-time tests, they have shown that the time-dependent SP{sub 2} equations can be solved with significantly less computational effort than the conventionally used, time-dependent S{sub N} equations (for N > 2) and almost as fast as the time-dependent diffusion equation.more » From all these results, they conclude that the time-dependent SP{sub 2} equations should be considered as an important competitor for an improved approximately transport equations solver. Such computationally efficient time-dependent transport models are important for problems requiring enhanced computational efficiency, such as neutronics/fluid-dynamics coupled problems that arise in the analyses of hypothetical nuclear reactor accidents.« less
Localization of an actin binding domain in smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase.

Phosphorylation of the regulatory light chain of myosin II by myosinlight chain kinase is important for regulating many contractile processes.Smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase has been shown to be associated withboth actin and myosin filaments in vitro and in vivo. In this report wedefine an actin binding region by using molecular deletions to generaterecombinant mutant proteins that were analyzed by co-sedimentation withF-actin. An actin binding region restricted to residues 2-42 in the animoterminus of the rabbit smooth muscle myosin light chain kinase wasidentified.
Scientific Understanding in the Twentieth Century

As we come to the end of the century and the millennium, there is an irresistible temptation, especially for those of us who are old, to look back and try to assess the progress, if any, that has accrued. When I refer to scientific understanding, my aim is not to examine the understanding of science — i.e., how adequately people understand physics, psychology, biology, geology, etc. — but rather, to consider the kind of understanding that science furnishes to us. I shall focus on the understanding of the natural phenomena that scientific knowledge yields. In this endeavor, I want to emphasize the intellectual dimension of science, not the technology that has sprung from it, although I shall comment on the technological aspect toward the end.
Epidemic Thresholds in Networks: Impact of Heterogeneous Infection Rates and Recovery Rates

The information diffusion and the influence propagation in an online social network behave similar to the epidemic process and have been studied through the classic epidemiological models. The epidemic threshold is a fundamental metric for the epidemic process to determine the condition when an epidemic can either survive or die out in a network. The previous works have been focused on finding the epidemic threshold when both infection rates and recovery rates are homogeneous or studying the transient behavior of an epidemic when the infection rates are heterogeneous. In this work, we explore the effect of the heterogeneity in both infection rates and recovery rates on the epidemic threshold through both analysis and simulations. We discover that heterogeneous infection rates and heterogeneous recovery rates have the opposite impact on the epidemic threshold. Specifically, the heterogeneity in infection rates leads to a larger epidemic threshold than in the homogeneous case. Moreover, as the degree of the heterogeneity of infection rates gets higher, the epidemic threshold increases. On the other hand, the heterogeneity in recovery rates generates a smaller epidemic threshold than in the homogeneous case. Furthermore, the epidemic threshold decreases as the degree of the heterogeneity of recovery rates gets higher.
Performance-Based Feedback to Enhance Preservice Teachers' Practice and Preschool Children's Expressive Communication.

A multiple-probe, single-case design was used to determine the effect of delayed and immediate performance-based feedback on preservice teachers’ use of embedded learning opportunities, an evidence...
The Islamic State Threat to European and North American Security

This essay examines Islamic State (IS) terror activity in Europe and North America. It does so in four parts. First, it analyses the pioneering role of Abu Muhammad al-Adnani who from 2012-2016 served as IS’ chief propagandist and terror orchestrator. Second, it looks at IS’ terror campaign to weaken Western homeland security. Third, it discusses the Islamic State attacks in Europe and North America. Finally, it assesses future IS’s terrorism in the West.
Metal Susceptibility of a Hetero-Vancomycin-Intermediate Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolate

The Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus is well known for its ability to develop resistance to various antimicrobial substances. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), a cause of nosocomial infections worldwide, is becoming increasingly resistant to the glycopeptide antibiotic vancomycin, one of few antibiotics used to treat serious multiple-antibiotic-resistant staphylococcal infections. With the increase in the number of MRSA strains showing reduced sensitivity to vancomycin, it has become important to investigate alternative treatment options. In this study, we examined the effects of five metals: silver, copper, arsenate, zinc, and cadmium on the growth of a clinical MRSA strain MM66 demonstrating heterogeneous intermediatelevel resistance to vancomycin. Disc diffusion and gradient plate experiments were used to compare the metal susceptibility levels of strain MM66 to that of the methicillin-resistant S. aureus laboratory control strain. MM66 grew less successfully when exposed to metals, and showed an overall increased level of susceptibility to metals compared to the laboratory control strain. Of the metals tested, silver exerted the highest inhibitory effect on the growth of MM66.
Elementary Schoolteachers' Use of Twitter: Exploring the Implications of Learning through Online Social Media.

Teachers’ use of online social networking to support their learning may have important implications for classroom teaching practices. This mixed methods study investigated how elementary schoolteac...
Workforce analysis of practicing rhinologists in the united states.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study is to analyze the current rhinology workforce in the United States in terms of demographics, fellowship training, and regional distribution. METHODS The American Rhinologic Society (ARS) member database was queried for workplace zip code, age, gender, and fellowship training of practicing U.S. rhinologists through 2017. The San Francisco Match data were examined for rhinology fellowships from 2006 through 2017. Each rhinologist was assigned to a specific hospital referral region (HRR) determined by the Dartmouth Healthcare Atlas to assess geographic distribution and market density. RESULTS There were 296 ARS members self-identifying as rhinologists. Of those, 69.2% were fellowship-trained (FTR). The median age of FTRs and non-FTRs were 41 and 54 years, respectively (P < 0.001). Eighty percent of FTRs were male compared to 85.7% non-FTRs. Given the recent growth of rhinology fellowships, the number of FTRs is currently expanding at approximately 16% per year. HRRs with the most rhinologists were Los Angeles, Boston, and Manhattan, all with 14. Approximately 100 million people live in HRRs without a practicing rhinologist. A wide variation in rhinologist density was observed, ranging from 133,047 to 3,636,809 people per rhinologist, with a median of 747,864. CONCLUSION There may be a need for rhinologists in select parts of the country. Whereas the ARS database is likely an underestimation of the growing workforce, under current training rates we could pass the ideal number of U.S. rhinologists within 5 years. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 130:1116-1121, 2020.
Self-Image-Guided Ultrasonic Wireless Power Transmission to Millimeter-Sized Biomedical Implants

This paper introduces the concept of self-image-guided ultrasonic (SIG-US) wireless power transmission (WPT) for robust and efficient WPT to millimeter-sized biomedical implants distributed inside the body. In SIG-US WPT, a sharp pulse is transmitted periodically by the implant to create short ringing with relatively various delays across an array of external (wearable) ultrasonic transducers. These relative delays are used to drive the external array as in phased-array beamforming, generating a highly focused ultrasound intensity at the implant’s location due to the reciprocity. Therefore, regardless of implant’s misalignment, orientation, and medium (i.e., without any prior knowledge) optimal parameters for beamforming is found by the SIG-US technique without the need for a conventional imaging system, suffering from high power consumption, size, cost, and complexity. In our proof-of-concept simulation setup with a linear transducer array (11 transducers), the SIG-US technique improved delivered power to a 1 mm3 implant with 6 mm misalignment (powering distance of 30 mm) by 95.7 times compared with conventional beamforming. In addition, for up to 6 mm implant’s misalignment, the received power with the SIG-US technique only varied by 1.2 times compared with 156.3 times variation in the received power in conventional beamforming.
A Simple Concept in a Complicated World: Actual Causation, Mixed-Drug Deaths and the Eighth Circuit's Opinion in United States v. Burrage

On August 6, 2012, in United States v. Burrage, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld the conviction of a defendant for the crime of distribution of drugs resulting in death where the defendant sold heroin that played a part in a mixed-drug overdose death. The court reasoned that the statute, which provides for a mandatory twenty-year prison sentence when a defendant sells illegal drugs and a death results, only requires that the defendant’s drugs contribute to the death. This Comment argues that the contributory cause standard of actual causation endorsed by the Eighth Circuit is flawed and that, on review, the U.S. Supreme Court should hold that the crime of distribution resulting in death requires a showing that the defendant’s drugs are a but-for cause of the death. When the but-for test of actual causation falters in the context of a death with multiple sufficient causes, courts should explain to jurors how they may find actual cause in these instances without resorting to the imperfect contributory cause standard.
Efficiency improvement of liquid piston compressor using metal wire mesh for near-isothermal compressed air energy storage application

Abstract Intermittent nature of power from renewable energy resources demands a large-scale energy storage system for their optimal utilization. Compressed air energy storage systems have the potential to serve as long-term large-scale energy storage systems. Efficient compressors are needed to realize a high storage efficiency with compressed air energy storage systems. Liquid piston compressor is highly effective in achieving efficient near-isothermal compression. The compression efficiency of the liquid piston can be improved with the use of heat transfer enhancement mechanism inside the compression chamber. In this study, a novel heat transfer enhancement technique using metal wire mesh is experimentally tested in a liquid piston compressor to improve compression efficiency. Metal wire meshes of aluminum and copper materials and different wire diameters along with various stroke times of compression are considered in the experimental design. A distinctive Archimedean spiral form of metal wire mesh is considered to facilitate heat transfer in the axial and radial direction inside the compression chamber. Experiments are conducted for the compression of air from the atmospheric pressure to about 280 kPa pressure at various stroke times of compression. Results show that the peak air temperature was reduced by 26–33 K with the use of metal wire mesh inside the liquid piston compressor. Both the materials are observed to be equally effective for temperature abatement. The use of metal wire mesh in liquid piston shifts the compression process towards the near-isothermal conditions. Furthermore, the isothermal efficiency of compression is evaluated to assess the potential for efficiency improvement with this technique. The metal wire mesh was observed to improve the isothermal efficiency of compression to 88–90% from the base efficiency of 82–84%. A 6–8% improvement in efficiency was observed at faster compression strokes signifying the efficacy of metal wire mesh to accomplish an efficient compression with a high power density.
The Social Geometry of Collaborative Flood Risk Management: a Hydrosocial Case Study of Tillamook County, Oregon

Coastal and riparian flooding are costly and disruptive natural hazards and already a regular part of life in some areas of the USA. Flooding events caused by sea-level rise and climate change are expected to increase in frequency and severity in the future, creating social, ecological, and economic problems at local, city, state, and federal levels. It is clear that normative, infrastructure-oriented, and strictly hydrological solutions to flooding have not appropriately met these challenges, nor have they adequately addressed relevant socio-political factors which shape hydrological processes. Using the case study of Tillamook County, this study draws upon qualitative interview data to identify and explain social factors which have influenced the outcome of a collaborative, socially engaged flood management project. These include previous flood experience; emotions and feelings; interests and concerns; preferred management strategies; barriers to community-scientific engagement; and perceptions of a mediation process. This situation is further explored within the framework of social geometry, which is used to explain changes in social position and relationships through an interactive, collaborative process. In this case, mediation is shown to decrease both relational space and differences in status between the two primary actor groups, leading to mutually agreeable outcomes but not without dispute. Flood managers and researchers may find this case study useful when analyzing qualitative data related to flood risk management, and/or planning flood management strategies, particularly in disaster-prone regions.
RECOVERY OF A TRANSFORMING VIRUS FROM AKR MOUSE TUMOR TISSUE BY DNA TRANSFECTION

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the recovery of a transforming virus from AKR mouse tumor tissue by DNA transfection. In an experiment described in the chapter, infectious proviral DNA for MULV was recovered directly from the tissues of both aged overtly leukemic and young nonleukemic AKR mice. Infectious DNA of a mink cell transforming virus was recovered only from the tumor tissue of leukemic AKR mice and neither from the control (liver) tissue from the same leukemic mice nor from the pooled lymphoid tissue of young nonleukemic mice. These mink cell transforming viruses (MCT viruses) were isolated from both mink and mouse cells transfected with tumor DNA and exhibited properties similar to previously described transforming isolates. The MCT virus isolates produced foci or morphologic transformation but not cytopathology when tested on mink cells and exhibited an amphotropic host range. The DNA transfection technique proved to be an efficient approach for the isolation of MCT viruses.
Risk Ladder, Table, or Bulleted List? Identifying Formats That Effectively Communicate Personalized Risk and Risk Reduction Information for Multiple Diseases.

BackgroundPersonalized medicine may increase the amount of probabilistic information patients encounter. Little guidance exists about communicating risk for multiple diseases simultaneously or abou...
Recurrent Pneumothoraces in a Patient with Emery Dreifuss Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Emery Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy (EDMD) is an inherited disorder which leads to progressive worsening of muscular function. In this report, we present a case of a 29 years old woman with EDMD who presented with sudden left anterior chest pain and was diagnosed with recurrent pneumothoraces. We will highlight how a patient with EDMD-related pneumothoraces can develop rapidly worsening ventilatory function resulting in acute hypercapnic respiratory failure. Patients with muscular dystrophies require a high level of acuity on part of the physician to predict. Physician should be on high alert when treating patients with EDMD and pneumothorax given the potential for rapid respiratory deterioration and the requirements of immediate ventilation support. Having the ability to predict the severity of respiratory involvement in patients with EDMD is a key for favorable outcomes, besides prognostication, it also allows physicians to develop an earlier interventional plan for management of potential respiratory failure. In this report, we also provide in-depth review regarding the approach to the assessment of respiratory function in patients with EDMD and the current literature on the management of respiratory complications seen in patients with EDMD, a highly vulnerable population.
Practicing forgiveness: a path toward healing: by Balkin, R.S., New York, Oxford University Press, 2021, 213 pages with appendices, references, and index. $24.95 hardback, ISBN 9780190937201.

Social workers in addictions practice are familiar with the role of forgiveness in the treatment process, but not because the theory or skills associated with forgiveness are routinely included in ...
Morphological Aspects of Brain Edema

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the fine structural features and the possible mechanisms of dysfunction resulting from neuropathology of brain edema. The major sources of vascular supply into the brain are the internal carotid arteries and the vertebral arteries. In brain edema, abnormal accumulation of fluid occurs within the brain parenchyma. Under various pathological conditions, especially in acute stages of inflammation, various hematogenous cells penetrate the vascular wall and appear in the perivascular space. Under various pathological conditions associated with brain edema, the cerebral endothelium has some characteristic alterations. The increase of water content associated with edema results in an increase in brain volume manifested by increased weight, flattened gyri, and narrowed sulci. Unlike the other compartments of the extracellular space, expansion of the periaxonal space does not seem to play a major role in brain edema.
Computer generated Celtic design

We present a technique for automating the construction of Celtic knotwork and decorations similar to those in illuminated manuscripts such as the Lindisfarne Gospels. Our method eliminates restrictions imposed by previous methods which limited the class of knots that could be produced correctly by introducing new methods for smoothing and orienting threads. Additionally, we present techniques for interweaving and attaching images to the knotwork and techniques to encapsulate knot patterns to simplify the design process. Finally we show how to use such knotwork in 3D and demonstrate a variety of applications including artwork and transforming the designs into 3D models for fabrication.
Nexp does not have non-uniform quasipolynomial-size ACC circuits of o(log log n) depth

ACCm circuits are circuits consisting of unbounded fan-in AND, OR and MODm gates and unary NOT gates, where m is a fixed integer. We show that there exists a language in non-deterministic exponential time which can not be computed by any non-uniform family of ACCm circuits of quasipolynomial size and o(log log n) depth, where m is an arbitrarily chosen constant.
RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS FOR DRUG USE AND PARTNER VIOLENCE AMONG WOMEN IN EMERGENCY CARE

This study estimates the effects of multilevel risk and protective factors on the co-occurrence of drug use and intimate partner violence (IPV) victimization among a randomly selected sample of 241 women seeking emergency care in the Bronx, New York. Twenty percent of the sample reported both using drugs and experiencing IPV in the past 6 months. Multinomial logistic regression results indicate that childhood sexual abuse, incarceration history, psychological distress, binge drinking, partner drug use, and lower relationship decision-making power are associated with both IPV victimization and drug use. The multilevel risk and protective factors associated with both IPV and drug use represent a combination of factors that are differentially associated with drug use only and with IPV victimization only outcomes. These findings suggest that women receiving emergency care who present both drug use and IPV are likely to need a greater range of services and more intensive interventions to address their cumulative risks.
Methods for removal of the vitelline membrane of sea urchin eggs. II. Controlled exposure to trypsin to eliminate post-fertilization clumping of embryos.

Abstract A simple modification of the trypsin method for removing the vitelline membrane of sea urchin eggs yields membraneless eggs which do not clump appreciably after insemination. The modification entails minimal incubation in dilute trypsin (0.25 mg%). It is postulated that although this procedure functionally removes the vitelline membrane, patches of membrane remain on the surface and prevent adhesion between hyaline layers of adjacent cells.
Synthetic feeding stimulants enhance insecticide activity against western corn rootworm larvae, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

In bioassays, the addition of a synthetic feeding stimulant blend improved the efficacy of the insecticide thiamethoxam against neonate western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, larvae. In 4-h bioassays, the concentration of thiamethoxam required for 50% mortality (LC50) was 2800 pg/ml for the insecticide alone, but was reduced to 0.0075 pg/ml when the synthetic feeding stimulant blend was added (more than a 100,000-fold difference). Dilutions of thiamethoxam and tefluthrin (ranging from 0 pg/ml to 10 lg/ml) were tested in behavioural bioassays alone and in conjunction with a feeding stimulant blend containing 30 : 4 : 4 : 1 mg/ml glucose : fructose : sucrose : linoleic acid. Larvae were placed on insecticide-treated filter paper disks in an arena that allowed them to leave the treated area at will. In 30-min bioassays, and in 4-h bioassays, significantly more larvae fed on thiamethoxam-treated disks when the feeding stimulant blend was present for every concentration of insecticide tested. Larvae fed readily on disks treated with tefluthrin when the feeding stimulants were added, but the feeding stimulant blend did not affect the activity of tefluthrin insecticide at any concentration tested.
Advanced spatial statistics for analysing and visualizing geo-referenced data

Abstract Spatial statistics supplies advanced methods for analysing environmental data, and copes with observational interdependencies similar to the way principal components analysis treats multicollinearity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) utilizes kriging from geostatistics for mapping and visualizing environmental data. A conceptual framework is articulated between the interpolation problem in kriging and the missing data problem in spatial statistics, with special reference to relations between the exponential semi-variogram and the conditional autoregressive models. Supercomputing experiments are summarized that simplify numerically the probability density function normalizing factor, which is of particular relevance to estimation tasks for the EMAP project.
Who Are Truant Youth? Examining Distinctive Profiles of Truant Youth Using Latent Profile Analysis

The present study explored the heterogeneity of truant youth to provide a more nuanced examination of the nature of adolescent truancy and examine distinct profiles of truant youth as they relate to externalizing behaviors. Latent profile analysis was employed to examine the heterogeneity of truant youth by using a nationally representative sample of 1,646 truant adolescents (49.8 % female) from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Five key indicator variables were utilized to identify latent classes: school engagement, participation in school-based activities, grades, parental academic involvement, and number of school days skipped. Additionally, multinomial regression was employed to examine the relationship between latent truant youth classes and externalizing behaviors. Four classes of truant youth were identified: achievers (28.55 %), moderate students (24.30 %), academically disengaged (40.89 %), and chronic skippers (6.26 %). Additionally, group membership was found to be associated differentially with marijuana use, fighting, theft and selling drugs. Results from the present study suggest that truant youth are not a homogenous group, but rather present with different risk profiles as they relate to key indicators, demographic characteristics and externalizing behaviors. Implications for practice, policy and future research are discussed.
Regional and Systemic Platelet Function Is Altered by Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion.

Background: Myocardial reperfusionafter short durations of ischemia causes prolonged contractile dysfunction (myocardial stunning). Recently it has also been suggested that ischemia-reperfusion results in impaired coronary endothelial function. Since platelet function is, in part, regulated by an intact functioning endothelium, platelet function could be expected to change during ischemiareperfusion. However, the effect of ischemia and reperfusion on regional and systemic platelet function is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a brief period of myocardial ischemia followed by reperfusion on regional and systemic platelet function.Methods: Fourteen swine in an open-chest model underwent left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion for 15 minutes followed by 120 minutes of reperfusion. Platelet aggregability in response to 5 μ M ADP was determined simultaneously in the femoral (systemic; N=14) and great cardiac (regional; N=9) venous blood at baseline, during occlusion, and at 40 and 90 minutes after reperfusion. LAD blood flow and regional myocardial function were determined by standard methods.Results: Hemodynamics remained stable in all animals. During LAD occlusion platelet aggregability increased only in the regional coronary circulation (126% of baseline, p=.0001). At 40 minutes of reperfusion systemic platelet aggregability decreased (86% of baseline, p=.0001) and subsequently increased at 90 minutes of reperfusion in both the systemic (127% of baseline, p=.0001) and regional circulations (156% of baseline, p=.0001). Ischemia was evident by the absence of distal LAD flow during occlusion that returned during reperfusion and a typical response of myocardial stunning in each animal (stunning time=47.7 +5.2 minutes).Conclusions: This study demonstrates that platelet function is not static during ischemia-reperfusion. Instead, during ischemia regional platelet aggregability is increased. Systemic and regional platelet aggregability also increase during myocardial reperfusion. The mechanism of these responses is unknown but may be related to regional endothelial dysfunction created by ischemia. The response observed could also be explained by the release of proaggregatory mediators in the coronary and/or systemic circulation during ischemia-reperfusion. The relative hyeraggregability observed following reperfusion may be relevant for further investigations of coronary artery reocclusion occurring after the relief of myocardial ischemia.
Letrozole and gonadotropins versus luteal estradiol and gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol in women with a prior low response to ovarian stimulation.

Objective To compare in vitro fertilization outcomes after ovarian stimulation using letrozole/antagonist (LA) versus luteal-phase estradiol (E 2 )/gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist (LPG) in poor responders. Design Retrospective study. Setting Academic center. Patient(s) Ninety nine women with ≥2 prior cycles, at a starting dose of ≥300 IU gonadotropins, who yielded fewer than five oocytes or a prior cycle cancellation. Intervention(s) In the LPG group (n = 52), transdermal E 2 initiated every other day starting day 10 after the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge; one day 11, patients began daily administration of antagonist for 3 consecutive days, with gonadotropins started on the second day of menstruation. In the LA group (n = 47), letrozole 5 mg/day initiated on the second day of spontaneous menstruation for 5 days then gonadotropins added on day 5; for both groups a flexible antagonist protocol was used. Main Outcome Measure(s) Ongoing pregnancy, number of oocytes retrieved, and cancellation rate. Result(s) The total dose of gonadotropins administered and E 2 levels on day of hCG administration were statistically significantly lower with the LA protocol. The number of oocytes retrieved (6.1 ± 3.0 vs. 7.9 ± 4.8), number of transferred embryos (2.2 ± 1.0 vs. 2.4 ± 1.4), and cancellation rate (55.3% vs. 36.5%) were similar in both groups. Ongoing pregnancy rates per transfer (40% vs. 21.2%) and per initiated cycle (19.1% vs. 13.5%) were similar in the LA and LPG groups, respectively. Conclusion(s) Aromatase inhibitor regimens can be a feasible alternative to the LPG protocol in recurrent low ovarian response.
The Extratropical Transition of Tropical Cyclone Edisoana (1990)

AbstractDocumentation of southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) tropical cyclones (TCs) and extratropical transition (ET) events is sparse in the refereed literature. The authors present a climatology of SWIO TC and ET events for 1989–2013. The SWIO averages ~9 tropical cyclones (TCs) per year in this modern era. Of these TCs, ~44% undergo extratropical transition (ET), or ~four per year. A case study of TC Edisoana (1990), the most rapidly intensifying SWIO post-ET TC between 1989 and 2013, shows that extratropical interactions began when an approaching trough embedded in the subtropical jet stream (STJ) induced ET on 7 March. As Edisoana underwent ET, a subtropical ridge downstream amplified in response to poleward-directed positive potential vorticity (PV) advection associated with diabatically (convectively) driven upper-level outflow from TC Edisoana. This amplifying lower-latitude ridge phased with a lower-amplitude higher-latitude ridge embedded in the polar front jet (PFJ), resulting in the merger of the t...