cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrodiffusion and Osmotic Water Flow and its Variational Structure

We propose a system of partial differential equations (PDE) that describe electrodiffusion and osmotic water flow. From a physical standpoint, this is a far-reaching generalization of the standard treatment of osmosis and electrodiffusion in irreversible thermodynamics to spatially extended systems. As far as we know, this is the first mechanically and thermodynamically consistent model of osmotic water flow and electrodiffusion in systems with deformable cells and membranes with capacitance and conductance. We use an energetic variational approach to enforce consistency and derive a field theory describing the flow, diffusion, and migration of ions, water, and the solution itself. The variational approach is particularly useful because it treats interactions automatically and consistently with a minimal number of arbitrary parameters. Electrodiffusion and osmotic water flow are involved in a wide range of biological functions of organs, tissues, cells, and organelles, including the homeostasis of ions in the brain, fluid secretion by epithelial systems, electrolyte regulation in the kidney, fluid circulation in ocular systems, gastric protection, water uptake by plants, etc. The field equations can be written with boundary conditions and parameters appropriate for the anatomy of each system. The field equations then form a physically and anatomically consistent model of biological function in the variational framework of modern field theory. The variational approach deals naturally with the many ionic solutions (containing a multitude of interacting components in a wide range of concentrations) and the wide range of conditions and forces used in experiments. Solving the PDEs will help suggest and interpret new experiments to understand the interaction of components, conditions, structure, and forces. In the view of classical physiology and biophysics, these interactions are the essence of biological function.
Role-Based Access-Control Using Reference Ontology in Clouds

In cloud computing, security is an important issue due to the increasing scale of users. Current approaches to access control on clouds do not scale well to multi-tenancy requirements because they are mostly based on individual user IDs at different granularity levels. However, the number of users can be enormous and causes significant overhead in managing security. RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) is attractive because the number of roles is significantly less, and users can be classified according to their roles. This paper proposes a RBAC model using a role ontology for Multi-Tenancy Architecture (MTA) in clouds. The ontology is used to build up the role hierarchy for a specific domain. Ontology transformation operations algorithms are provided to compare the similarity of different ontology. The proposed framework can ease the design of security system in cloud and reduce the complexity of system design and implementation.
Energy expenditure and free-living physical activity in black and white women: comparison before and after weight loss.

Background: The prevalence of obesity is higher in black than in white women. Differences in energy economy and physical activity may contribute to this difference. Objective: The objective of this study was to compare free-living energy expenditure and physical activity in black and white women before and after weight loss. Design: Participants were 18 white and 14 black women with body mass indexes (in kg/m 2 ) between 27 and 30. Diet, without exercise, was used to achieve a weight loss of ≥10 kg and a body mass index <25. After 4 wk of energy balance in overweight and normal-weight states, body composition was assessed by using a 4-compartment model, sleeping and resting energy expenditures were assessed by using a chamber calorimeter, physiologic stress of exercise and exercise economy were measured by using standardized exercise tasks, and daily energy expenditure was assessed by using doubly labeled water. Results: Weight loss averaged 12.8 kg. Sleeping and resting energy expenditures decreased in proportion to changes in body composition. Weight reduction significantly improved physiologic capacity for exercise in both groups of women, making it easier for them to be physically active. Black women had lower body composition-adjusted energy requirements than did white women-both before and after weight loss-during sleep (9% lower, 519 kJ/d; P < 0.001), at rest (14% lower, 879 kJ/d; P < 0.001), during exercise (6% lower; P < 0.05), and as a daily total (9% lower, 862 kJ/d; P < 0.06). By contrast, free-living physical activity was similar between the groups. Conclusions: Weight-reduced women had metabolic rates appropriate for their body sizes. Black women had lower resting and nonresting energy requirements in both overweight and normal-weight states than did white women and did not compensate with greater physical activity, potentially predisposing them to greater weight regain.
Interpretation of the Results of OVER in the Context of EVAR Trial, DREAM, and the EUROSTAR Registry

Several early studies have shown the benefit of endovascular aneurysm repair in reducing procedure-related mortality and morbidity of open aneurysm repair. Three prospective randomized trials have addressed the advantages and disadvantages of the two procedures. These studies had shown some conflicting findings in survival and complications. We reviewed the largest registry for endovascular abdominal aortic repair and the three randomized trials to evaluate the similarities and differences in their outcomes. Cross-comparison of operative, aneurysm-related and all-cause mortality is presented. Patient characteristics, device specifications, procedure morbidity and reintervention rate of each study are evaluated.
Experimental evidence that extra-pair mating drives asymmetrical introgression of a sexual trait.

Theory suggests that traits under positive selection may introgress asymmetrically across a hybrid zone, potentially driven by sexual selection. Two subspecies of the red-backed fairy-wren (Malurus melanocephalus) differ primarily in a sexual signal used in mate choice—red versus orange male back plumage colour—but phylogeographic analyses suggest asymmetrical introgression of red plumage into the genetic background of the orange subspecies. We hypothesized that this asymmetrical introgression may be facilitated by sexual selection if red males have a mating advantage over orange males. We tested this hypothesis with correlational data and a plumage manipulation experiment where we reddened the back plumage of a subset of orange males to mimic males of the red subspecies. There was no correlational evidence of a mating advantage to naturally redder males in this population. Experimentally reddened males sired a similar amount of within-pair young and lost paternity at the same rate as orange males, but they sired significantly more extra-pair young, leading to substantially higher total reproductive success. Thus, we conclude that sexual selection via extra-pair mating is a likely mechanism responsible for the asymmetrical introgression of plumage colour in this system, and is potentially driven by a sensory bias for the red plumage signal.
Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain

Hemiplegic shoulder pain is a common complaint for stroke survivors. Many pathologies are included in the diagnosis of hemiplegic shoulder pain, and many with shoulder pain have a multifactorial cause. This article provides rehabilitation specialists with an approach to evaluation and management of those with hemiplegic shoulder pain.
Intraspecific Variation in Tsuga canadensis Foliar Chemistry

Abstract Three groups of Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock) trees were analyzed to compare their chemical composition and the potential for naturally occurring resistance to Adelges tsugae (Hemlock Woolly Adelgid [HWA]). Potentially resistant “parent” trees located in southern Connecticut were compared with rooted propagules from those same trees and control trees located in northern Vermont, outside of the current HWA range. For trees in each group, we quantified Ca, P, K, C, and N and developed terpenoid profiles using solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS). There was no significant variation in terpenoid profiles between the three groups of hemlock trees. Propagules retained elevated levels of Ca and N from fertilization during propagation, suggesting that their chemical composition does not mirror the parent trees. The potentially resistant “parent” trees had higher levels of K compared to control trees. This may impart some level of tolerance/resistance to...
Comments on "Numerical evaluation of radiation integrals for reflector antenna analysis including a new measure of accuracy (by W.L. Stutzman et al.)

The authors report on attempts to apply Gaussian quadrature formulas to the analysis of large reflector antennas. It was found that the nodes and weights listed in Table II of the above-mentioned communication (see ibid., vol.36, p.1018, 1988) are inaccurate. Other methods of computation are suggested. >
The maquet procedure: Effect of tibial shingle length on patellofemoral pressures

The Maquet procedure--elevation of the anterior tibial tubercle--has been recommended for treatment of symptomatic osteoarthrosis of the patellofemoral joint. Although the operation was first described 30 years ago, it remains controversial, both on a clinical and on a biomechanical basis. In addition, deterioration of the long-term results has been suggested. One of the variables that has been ignored in both clinical and biomechanical studies has been tibial shingle length. In order to judge its effect, we examined contact pressures and areas in 15 cadaver knees with 7 and 20 cm tibial shingle lengths. We found significant patellofemoral pressure diminution only with 2 cm elevations. The short anterior tibial shingle with 2 cm of elevation tipped the patella on its superior pole, with a significant change in angle between the patella and the shingle. We suggest that this creates a potentially less than desirable biomechanical circumstance and believe it may explain the discrepancies among previously published reports.
Proposal for a 10-THz precision optical frequency comb generator

A novel scheme for generating a comb of precisely known optical frequency markers with kilohertz accuracy over a 10-THz span is proposed. Based on the use of optical parametric oscillator frequency dividers, the method provides absolute frequency identification in a dense fiber-based optical communication network. >
Sex differences in cerebral tissue volume and cognitive performance during adolescence.

Adolescent development is associated with progressive increases in the ratio of cerebral white-to-gray matter volume, but it is unclear how these changes relate to cognitive development and whether...
The Impact of Population Selection on Examinations of Discretionary Searches in Traffic Stops

The current study explores whether inconsistent findings in published research regarding the relationship between driver race and discretionary searches can be explained by variation in methodology. A review of published research reveals a consistent pattern between the populations of drivers included in analyses—all drivers or searched drivers—and the relationship between driver race and discretionary searches. This methodological explanation is tested using data from a large municipal agency and confirms that variation in the association between driver race and discretionary searches is based on the population used in analyses. The results and implications are further discussed.
The Dynamic Structure of Relationship Perceptions: Differential Importance as a Strategy of Relationship Maintenance

How do couples maintain relationship satisfaction despite specific negative perceptions of their relationships? One way to minimize the global implications of negative perceptions is to attribute differential importance to positive and negative features of the relationship. As those features change over time, satisfied intimates may alter their perceived importance, ensuring that positive features are always more closely associated with global satisfaction than negative ones. The current study examined the specific perceptions of 82 newly married couples at five assessments across their first 3 years of marriage. A tendency to view positive perceptions as more important than negative perceptions was associated with higher marital satisfaction. Moreover, a tendency to alter the importance of specific perceptions as those perceptions changed over time was associated with more stable global satisfaction. These findings highlight the interplay between the content and the structure of intimates' perceptions in determining relationship outcomes.
Darunavir is predominantly unbound to protein in cerebrospinal fluid and concentrations exceed the wild-type HIV-1 median 90% inhibitory concentration

Objectives: Higher CSF antiretroviral concentrations may be associated with better control of HIV replication and neurocognitive performance, but only the unbound fraction of antiretrovirals is available to inhibit HIV. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine total and unbound darunavir concentrations in CSF and compare findings with plasma concentrations as well as the wild-type HIV-1 90% inhibitory concentration (IC90). Methods: Subjects with HIV infection were selected based on the use of darunavir-containing regimens with a twice-daily dosing schedule and availability of stored CSF and matched plasma. Total darunavir was measured by HPLC for plasma or liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectroscopy (LC/MS/MS) for CSF. Plasma unbound darunavir was measured by ultrafiltration and LC/MS/MS. CSF protein binding was determined by competitive binding exchange with radiolabelled darunavir. Results: Twenty-nine matched CSF– plasma pairs were analysed and darunavir was detected in all CSF specimens (median total concentration 55.8 ng/mL), with a CSF unbound fraction of 93.5%. Median fractional penetrance was 1.4% of median total and 9.4% of median unbound plasma concentrations. Unbound darunavir concentrations in CSF exceeded the median IC90 for wild-type HIV in all subjects by a median of 20.6-fold, despite the relatively low fractional penetrance. Total darunavir concentrations in CSF correlated with both total and unbound darunavir concentrations in plasma. Conclusions: Darunavir should contribute to the control of HIV replication in the CNS as a component of effective combination antiretroviral regimens.
N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) protects against rat striatal quinolinic acid lesions in vivo

Abstract We examined the effects of N -acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), an endogenous peptide thought to be involved in neurotransmission and neuromodulation, on striatal quinolinate lesions, a rodent model of Huntington's disease. We found that NAAG (500 and 1000 nmol) co-injected with quinolinic acid significantly reduced lesion volumes (by 50% and 65%, respectively). A 1000 nmol dose of the non-hydrolyzable analogue, β -NAAG, also reduced quinolinic acid lesion volumes by 78.4%, indicating that the protection observed was not secondary to cleavage of NAAG into N -acetyl-aspartate (NAA) and glutamate. Likewise, co-injection of both NAA and glutamate (1000 nmol each) with quinolinic acid did not significantly alter the size of lesions. NAAG's protective effect may be mediated through actions on N -methyl- d -aspartate receptors or metabotropic glutamate receptors.
Reovirus Protein ςNS Binds in Multiple Copies to Single-Stranded RNA and Shares Properties with Single-Stranded DNA Binding Proteins

Reovirus nonstructural protein ςNS interacts with reovirus plus-strand RNAs in infected cells, but little is known about the nature of those interactions or their roles in viral replication. In this study, a recombinant form of ςNS was analyzed for in vitro binding to nucleic acids using gel mobility shift assays. Multiple units of ςNS bound to single-stranded RNA molecules with positive cooperativity and with each unit covering about 25 nucleotides at saturation. The ςNS protein did not bind preferentially to reovirus RNA over nonreovirus RNA in competition experiments but did bind preferentially to single-stranded over double-stranded nucleic acids and with a slight preference for RNA over DNA. In addition, ςNS bound to single-stranded RNA to which a 19-base DNA oligonucleotide was hybridized at either end or near the middle. When present in saturative amounts, ςNS displaced this oligonucleotide from the partial duplex. The strand displacement activity did not require ATP hydrolysis and was inhibited by MgCl2, distinguishing it from a classical ATP-dependent helicase. These properties of ςNS are similar to those of single-stranded DNA binding proteins that are known to participate in genomic DNA replication, suggesting a related role for ςNS in replication of the reovirus RNA genome.
Redesigning Escherichia coli Metabolism for Anaerobic Production of Isobutanol

Fermentation enables the production of reduced metabolites, such as the biofuels ethanol and butanol, from fermentable sugars. This work demonstrates a general approach for designing and constructing a production host that uses a heterologous pathway as an obligately fermentative pathway to produce reduced metabolites, specifically, the biofuel isobutanol. Elementary mode analysis was applied to design an Escherichia coli strain optimized for isobutanol production under strictly anaerobic conditions. The central metabolism of E. coli was decomposed into 38,219 functional, unique, and elementary modes (EMs). The model predictions revealed that during anaerobic growth E. coli cannot produce isobutanol as the sole fermentative product. By deleting 7 chromosomal genes, the total 38,219 EMs were constrained to 12 EMs, 6 of which can produce high yields of isobutanol in a range from 0.29 to 0.41 g isobutanol/g glucose under anaerobic conditions. The remaining 6 EMs rely primarily on the pyruvate dehydrogenase enzyme complex (PDHC) and are typically inhibited under anaerobic conditions. The redesigned E. coli strain was constrained to employ the anaerobic isobutanol pathways through deletion of 7 chromosomal genes, addition of 2 heterologous genes, and overexpression of 5 genes. Here we present the design, construction, and characterization of an isobutanol-producing E. coli strain to illustrate the approach. The model predictions are evaluated in relation to experimental data and strategies proposed to improve anaerobic isobutanol production. We also show that the endogenous alcohol/aldehyde dehydrogenase AdhE is the key enzyme responsible for the production of isobutanol and ethanol under anaerobic conditions. The glycolytic flux can be controlled to regulate the ratio of isobutanol to ethanol production.
Impact of IT Service Provider Process Capabilities on Service Provider Performance: An Empirical Study

Using the resource based view of the firm this research identifies a set of provider capabilities most likely to impact the success of an IS outsourcing relationship. These capabilities are categories into key process areas. The results presented show the effect of the routinization of these processes on four client/provider related IS outsourcing success measures.
Nuclear Factor-κB: Fine-Tuning a Central Integrator of Diverse Biologic Stimuli

The nuclear factor (NF)-κB family of proteins is a key regulator of inflammation, innate immunity, and cell survival and differentiation. Components of these pathways are potential targets of intervention for inflammation, infectious diseases, and cancer. However, therapeutic interventions that dampen the host response to infection and injury must also recognize the autoregulatory loops in the “resolution” phase of inflammation and infection. A more precise fine-tuning of these pathways leading to NF-κB activation will require dissecting temporally the different phases of activation and endogenous autoregulatory deactivation programs in diseases and redefining end-points after drug/inhibitor treatment to correlate changes in these stages.
Nonlinear Dynamics Of Cardiopulmonary Responses during Exercise

Interpretation of cardiopulmonary transients due to a step change in exercise in terms of fast (neural or central command) and slow (humoral or reflex) components was initiated by Krogh and Lindhard1 and further developed by Dejours2. The respective roles of humoral and reflex components have been difficult to define due to the apparent lack of an error signal in the blood gases or arterial blood pressure. A recent review by Rowell and O’Leary3 has proposed a specific hypothesis dealing with sympathetic reflexes during exercise involving muscle chemoreceptors and baroreceptors. According to their reasoning, in human exercise below a heart rate of 100 beats/min. vagal withdrawal dominates heart rate control largely by central command. Above this range, sympathetic reflexes involving muscle chemoreceptors and baroreceptors become important. Since vagal and sympathetic efferent cardiac nerve stimulation lead to different dynamics4, a shift from vagal to sympathetic control mechanisms should lead to identifiable differences in transient response dynamics. Muscle chemoreceptor5 and baroreceptor6, 7 stimulation can both lead to ventilatory response so ventilatory transient dynamics could be coupled to cardiovascular transients. In this way, some of the reflex or humoral component of ventilatory adjustments during exercise could be accounted for. While exercise transients have been extensively studied8, 9, 10, 11, the currently available experimental evidence does not provide a clear indication of whether a shift from vagal to sympathetic cardiovascular mechanisms is associated with a change in heart rate dynamics. Further, it is uncertain whether cardiovascular transients are coupled with corresponding ventilatory transients. A change in dynamics as a function of exercise level constitutes nonlinear system behavior. This study is directed at exploring whether such a nonlinearity is present.
Fabrication and Operation of Acoustofluidic Devices Supporting Bulk Acoustic Standing Waves for Sheathless Focusing of Particles

Acoustophoresis refers to the displacement of suspended objects in response to directional forces from sound energy. Given that the suspended objects must be smaller than the incident wavelength of sound and the width of the fluidic channels are typically tens to hundreds of micrometers across, acoustofluidic devices typically use ultrasonic waves generated from a piezoelectric transducer pulsating at high frequencies (in the megahertz range). At characteristic frequencies that depend on the geometry of the device, it is possible to induce the formation of standing waves that can focus particles along desired fluidic streamlines within a bulk flow. Here, we describe a method for the fabrication of acoustophoretic devices from common materials and clean room equipment. We show representative results for the focusing of particles with positive or negative acoustic contrast factors, which move towards the pressure nodes or antinodes of the standing waves, respectively. These devices offer enormous practical utility for precisely positioning large numbers of microscopic entities (e.g., cells) in stationary or flowing fluids for applications ranging from cytometry to assembly.
Supervisor development: An exploratory study in changes in stance and emphasis.

This study examined the influence of experience (time-served) and training (formal instruction) on supervisory stance, supervisory emphases, and self-efficacy Current thinking (Hess, 1987; Watkins, 1993) suggests that, as supervisors develop they show more support to supervisees and demonstrate higher levels of self-efficacy and are less critical and dogmatic. Supervisors (n = 60) completed a measure of supervisory emphasis and identified thoughts they would convey to a trainee they had observed on videotape. Experience and training were positively associated with changes in supervisors' self-efficacy Multivariate analyses indicated that training, but not experience, was associated with more supportive, less critical, and less dogmatic thoughts. Neither experience nor training was associated with two measures of supervisory emphasis. Thl results of this study suggest that more supportive, less critical, and less dogmatic approach to supervision are a result of specific training in supervision. Fu...
CSIG-08NITROSOUREAS IMPROVE SURVIVAL IN THE SECONDARY-LIKE AKT SUBTYPE OF GLIOBLASTOMA

The PI3K/AKT pathway regulates response to chemotherapeutics. We hypothesized this pathway varies between Glioblastoma (GB) patients and this effects response to therapeutics. We classified GB based on Akt pathway genes in a test set of tumors, and 5 Akt pathway subtypes resulted. The subtypes fit previous classifications, but further divided classes, yielding new subtypes with differing clinical and molecular features. We expanded this work into data sets within The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and investigated subtypes response to chemotherapeutics. We find one AKT subtype, called Secondary-Like, has a 4½ year survival advantage with nitrosourea treatment. This remained significant after correcting for age. This subtype has hallmarks of secondary GBM - younger age, longer survival and enrichment in IDH1 mutant and glioma CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (G-CIMP) tumors. We are currently validating these results in a second dataset and analyzing the contribution of the IDH1 and non-IDH1 mutant Secondary-Like tumors.
Reverse Shoulder Arthroplasty in the United States: A Comparison of National Volume, Patient Demographics, Complications, and Surgical Indications.

Background Shoulder arthroplasty is increasing in the United States. Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has emerged as an alternative treatment for end-stage glenohumeral pathology. Until recently, administrative coding practices have not differentiated RSA from traditional total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), and thus national procedural volume has been unknown. The purpose of this study was to define the utilization, patient characteristics, indications and complications for RSA, and contrast these to TSA and hemiarthroplasty (HA).
Link prediction in graph streams

Link prediction is a fundamental problem that aims to estimate the likelihood of the existence of edges (links) based on the current observed structure of a graph, and has found numerous applications in social networks, bioinformatics, E-commerce, and the Web. In many real-world scenarios, however, graphs are massive in size and dynamically evolving in a fast rate, which, without loss of generality, are often modeled and interpreted as graph streams. Existing link prediction methods fail to generalize in the graph stream setting because graph snapshots where link prediction is performed are no longer readily available in memory, or even on disks, for effective graph computation and analysis. It is therefore highly desirable, albeit challenging, to support link prediction online and in a dynamic way, which, in this paper, is referred to as the streaming link prediction problem in graph streams. In this paper, we consider three fundamental, neighborhood-based link prediction target measures, Jaccard coefficient, common neighbor, and Adamic-Adar, and provide accurate estimation to them in order to address the streaming link prediction problem in graph streams. Our main idea is to design cost-effective graph sketches (constant space per vertex) based on MinHash and vertex-biased sampling techniques, and to propose efficient sketch based algorithms (constant time per edge) with both theoretical accuracy guarantee and robust estimation results. We carry out experimental studies in a series of real-world graph streams. The results demonstrate that our graph sketch based methods are accurate, efficient, cost-effective, and thus can be practically employed for link prediction in real-world graph streams.
Rearing Larvae of the Leaf-Cutter Bee Megachile Rotundata on Artificial Diets

SummaryLarvae of the alfalfa leaf-cutter bee were reared on four diets in the laboratory: (1) pollen, (2) pollen-free commercial pollen substitute, (3) synthetic, (4) synthetic + pollen. Larvae given the diets from the age of 2–3 days all produced normal adults; larvae fed on pollen were significantly larger at maturity than undisturbed control larvae in cells; those fed on diets (2) and (4) were significantly smaller. Larvae fed on diet (4) were significantly smaller than those in all other groups. Larvae reared from the egg stage on diets (1), (2) and (4) produced normal adults, but those on diet (3) failed to reach pupation. The relative weights at maturity of these larvae were: diet (1) > control > diets (2) and (4).
This is your philosophy

Everybody – including scientists – makes seat-of-the-pants practical judgements about what's real and what's not. The commonsense assumptions underlying these judgements can be unrecognized, inconsistent and even untenable; they can be home-grown, inherited and absorbed from others. But when someone is engaged in an activity as complex as science, it is almost impossible to avoid making such practical judgements. No matter how implicit and readily revised these judgements may be, they are based on preconceptions of what the world consists of and what the world's most important distinctions and categories are – in other words of how it all hangs together.
The Social Implementation of Cognitive Theory

Krech, Tolman, and Brunswik form the core of what future historians of psychology will call “the Berkeley Group.” These psychologists will be praised, as they have been praised, not only for their academic contributions but also for their efforts to relate their scientific work to the world outside the laboratory. All three tried to implement their ideas, although each sought implementation in a different way.
CNS Infection Precipitating Symptoms from Formerly Asymptomatic Arachnoid Cysts: Review of Two Adult Cases (P2.261)

Objective: We report two patients with formerly asymptomatic arachnoid cysts causing acute symptoms in the setting of meningoencephalitis. Background: Arachnoid cysts are developmental or posttraumatic collections of CSF within the arachnoid membrane. Most remain asymptomatic, however, they may become symptomatic as a result of enlargement or rupture. Methods: The clinical course and imaging of two patients with symptomatic arachnoid cysts are presented. Results: Case 1: A 74-year-old man presented with visual symptoms followed by fever, increased muscle tone, and rapid mental decline leading to coma. The CSF profile suggested viral meningoencephalitis. He improved to be able to minimally interact by day 10 of the disease course, but he remained severely weak in both legs. MRI of the spine showed an upper thoracic mass with features of a spinal arachnoid cyst causing thoracic spinal cord compression. Open biopsy with decompression confirmed this diagnosis. CSF studies were positive for Powassan encephalitis. Case 2: A 72-year-old woman presented with one day of progressive unsteady gait and confusion followed by low-grade fever and somnolence. Head CT showed evidence of hydrocephalus and a cystic mass in the right ambient cistern compressing the midbrain and cerebral aqueduct. Her mental status improved after insertion of a frontal external ventricular drain. CSF studies suggested aseptic meningitis; PCR was positive for HSV-2 DNA. She was treated with acyclovir, and the external ventricular drain was subsequently removed without need for permanent ventricular shunting. Conclusions: Although arachnoid cysts are usually asymptomatic incidental findings on neuroimaging, they may cause neurologic dysfunction, depending on the location, size, and certain coexisting conditions. These two cases show that inflammation of the meninges may tip the balance, converting formerly asymptomatic arachnoid cysts into symptomatic lesions causing mass effect. Disclosure: Dr. Gholipour has nothing to disclose. Dr. Thon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bevers has nothing to disclose. Dr. Henderson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feske has nothing to disclose.
The Asymmetric Effects of Exchange Rate Changes on the Trade Balance of Singapore

Previous studies that tested the short-run and long-run effects of exchange rate changes on trade balances assumed that the effects are symmetric. The more recent research direction has now changed...
Gastric cancer diagnosis after presentation to the ED: The independent association of presenting location and outcomes.

Abstract Background The impact of diagnosis location on gastric cancer (GC) outcomes is poorly defined. Methods Detailed chart review was conducted to identify presenting location leading to diagnosis and treatment for GC patients at a single institution (2009–2013). Patients treated non-emergently following a diagnosis prompted by an ED visit (EDdx) were compared with those diagnosed at other locations (non-EDdx). Results EDdx patients comprised 52% of 263 GC patients. They were older, had later cancer stages (stage IV: 50% vs. 24%), more comorbidities (≥3: 68% vs. 47%), and presented with non-specific symptoms like bleeding (21% vs. 5%). Both groups were of similar race and insurance status. In a model adjusted for stage, EDdx was associated with increased mortality (aHR 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2–2.9). Conclusion Half of GC patients had an ED visit prompting diagnosis, which is independently associated with increased mortality. Efforts should focus on reducing EDdx rates to improve GC outcomes.
Cardiovascular safety of prokinetic agents: A focus on drug‐induced arrhythmias

Background: Gastrointestinal sensorimotor dysfunction underlies a wide range of esophageal, gastric, and intestinal motility and functional disorders that collectively constitute nearly half of all referrals to gastroenterologists. As a result, substantial effort has been dedicated toward the development of prokinetic agents intended to augment or restore normal gastrointestinal motility. However, the use of several clinically efficacious gastroprokinetic agents, such as cisapride, domperidone, erythromycin, and tegaserod, is associated with unfavorable cardiovascular safety profiles, leading to restrictions in their use.
Climate Change, Moral Integrity, and Obligations to Reduce Individual Greenhouse Gas Emissions

AbstractEnvironmental ethicists have not reached a consensus about whether or not individuals who contribute to climate change have a moral obligation to reduce their personal greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, I side with those who think that such individuals do have such an obligation by appealing to the concept of integrity. I argue that adopting a political commitment to work toward a collective solution to climate change—a commitment we all ought to share—requires also adopting a personal commitment to reduce one’s emissions. On these grounds, individuals who contribute to climate change have a prima facie moral duty to lower their personal greenhouse gas emissions. After presenting this argument and supporting each of its premises, I defend it from two major lines of objection: skepticism about integrity’s status as a virtue and concerns that the resulting moral duty would be too demanding to be morally required. I then consider the role that an appeal to integrity could play in galvanizing th...
Notas sobre algunas orquidáceas de Colombia

Malaxis quadrata L. / Catasetum barbatum Lindl. / Acacallis cyanea Lindl. / Maxillaria miniata / Maxillaria nivea / Maxillaria aurea / OLIVERIANA Reichb. / Odontoglossum megalophium / Pachyphyllum Schultesii L.
Chapter One - A Practical Guide to Reliable First Principles Computational Thermochemistry Predictions Across the Periodic Table

Abstract The Feller–Peterson–Dixon approach to the reliable prediction of thermochemical properties to chemical accuracy is described. The method calculates the total atomization energy of a molecule and then uses experimental atomic heats of formation to calculate the heat of formation. The method is based on extrapolating coupled cluster CCSD(T) calculations of the valence electronic energy to the complete basis set limit followed by additive corrections to the electronic energy including: core–valence interactions, scalar relativistic, spin–orbit, and higher order corrections beyond CCSD(T). Corrections for the nuclear motion in terms of the zero-point energy need to be included and for high-accuracy, Born–Oppenheimer corrections may be added. Issues with these terms and the experimental atomic data are described. A summary of the reliability of the approach is presented.
A Comparison of Survey Data Collected by Regular Mail and Electronic Mail Questionnaires

A survey was conducted by the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME) to examine the telecommunications needs of the organization's membership. A component of this study permitted an examination of two response modalities (regular mail and e-mail) across a number of variables. Separate samples of 585 were drawn to take the survey. The first sample consisted of all those organization members who had registered their e-mail address with the organization while the second sample was randomly selected from those members who did not list an e-mail address. The first group was sent a nine question instrument via e-mail while the second group was asked to fill out a ten question instrument via regular mail. Overall response rates were low and significantly different [30% for the e-mail group and 36% for the regular mail group, χ2 (1) = 10.42, p < .01], though not uncommon for institutional surveys. Individual item response rates, however, were statistically significantly higher for the e-mail group across a number of dimensions. The results suggest that for some organizations, e-mail questionnaires may be a viable mechanism for conducting surveys. Suggestions are made on how to improve overall response rates.
Palatal Surgery for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: From Ablation to Reconstruction

Although continuous positive airway pressure is the first-line and gold-standard management for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), surgery is the only mainstream treatment without the use of a device. Palatal surgery is the paragon and core value among various sleep surgeries in treating snoring and OSA. It has transformed from radical excision to functional reconstruction. The integrated treatment of palatal surgery includes reconstruction of airway, restoration of airflow and rehabilitation of muscle.
Incorporating writing into a personalized normative feedback intervention to reduce problem drinking among college students

Background Personalized normative feedback (PNF) interventions have repeatedly been found to reduce drinking among undergraduates. However, effects tend to be small, potentially due to inattention to and inadequate processing of the information. Adding a writing component to PNF interventions may allow for greater cognitive processing of the feedback, thereby boosting intervention efficacy. Additionally, expressive writing (EW) has been shown to reduce drinking intentions; however, studies have not examined whether it can reduce drinking behavior. The present experiment evaluated whether including a writing task would improve the efficacy of PNF and whether EW alone can be used to reduce drinking and alcohol-related problems. Methods Heavy drinking undergraduates (N = 250) were randomized to receive either: (i) PNF about their alcohol use; (ii) EW about a negative, heavy drinking occasion; (iii) PNFplus writing about the norms feedback; or (iv) attention control feedback about their technology use in an online brief intervention. Participants (N = 169) then completed a 1-month follow-up survey about their past month alcohol use and alcohol-related problems online. Results PNFplus writing reduced alcohol-related problems compared to all other conditions. No significant reductions were found for EW. Both PNF and PNFplus writing reduced perceived norms and perceived norms mediated intervention effects for both feedback conditions. Conclusions The current findings suggest that adding a writing component to traditional norms-based feedback approaches might be an efficacious strategy, particularly for reducing alcohol-related consequences.
Adjusted mortality rates are lower for Medicare Advantage than traditional Medicare, but the rates converge over time.

Overall mortality rates, adjusted for age, sex, and Medicaid status, in Medicare Advantage have been below those in traditional Medicare for many years. Much attention has been paid to the resultin...
American Public Education and the Responsibility of Its Citizens: Supporting Democracy in the Age of Accountability

Since the release of A Nation at Risk, Americans have held concerns about the performance and global competitiveness of American public schools. International rankings and test scores permeate the ...
Association Between Prearrival Notification Time and Advanced Trauma Life Support Protocol Adherence.

Abstract Background Prearrival notification of injured patients facilitates preparation of personnel, equipment, and other resources needed for trauma evaluation and treatment. Our purpose was to determine the impact of prearrival notification time on adherence to Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) protocols. Materials and Methods Pediatric trauma activations of admitted patients were analyzed by video review to determine activities performed before and after patient arrival. Using an expert model based on ATLS, fitness scores were calculated that represented model adherence, ranging from “0” (noncompliant) to “100” (completely compliant). Multivariate regression was used to determine the association between fitness values of the evaluation phases and the length of prearrival notification time and injury profiles. Results Ninety-four patients met study criteria. The average overall fitness was 89.0 ± 7.3, with similar fitness values being observed for the primary and secondary surveys (91.5 ± 13.4 and 88.6 ± 7.7, respectively). Prearrival notification time ranged from 67.3 min before to 4.8 min after patient arrival. Longer prearrival notification time was associated with improved completion of prearrival tasks, overall resuscitation performance, and secondary survey performance. The positive association of overall and secondary survey fitness with notification time was no longer observed when notification time was Conclusions Prearrival notification time has a significant impact on adherence to ATLS protocol. Strategies for improving notification time or improving performance when adequate notification cannot be achieved are needed.
Continuous simulations over the last 40 million years with a coupled Antarctic ice sheet-sediment model

Abstract Much of the knowledge of Antarctic Ice Sheet variations since its inception ~34 Ma derives from marine sediments on the continental shelf, deposited in glacimarine or sub-ice environments by advancing and retreating grounded ice, and observed today by seismic profiling and coring. Here we apply a 3-D coupled ice sheet and sediment model from 40 Ma to the present, with the goal of directly linking ice-sheet variations with the sediment record. The ice-sheet model uses vertically averaged ice dynamics and parameterized grounding-line flux. The sediment model includes quarrying of bedrock, sub-ice transport, and marine deposition. Atmospheric and oceanic forcing are determined by uniform shifts to modern climatology in proportion to records of atmospheric CO2, deep-sea-core δ18O, and orbital insolation variations. The model is run continuously over the last 40 Myr at coarse resolution (80 or 160 km), modeling post-Eocene ice, landscape evolution and off-shore sediment packages in a single self-consistent simulation. Strata and unconformities are tracked by recording times of deposition within the model sediment stacks, which can be compared directly with observed seismic profiles. The initial bedrock topography is initialized to 34 Ma geologic reconstructions, or an iterative procedure is used that yields independent estimates of paleo bedrock topography. Preliminary results are compared with recognized Cenozoic ice-sheet variations, modern sediment distributions and seismic profiles, and modern and paleo bedrock topographies.
The Automation of Management and Business Science

Many key tasks in the research process for the physical sciences have been successfully automated, resulting in prototype “automated scientists” that have been effective in producing and reporting ...
Chapter 8 – Anxiety Disorders

Publisher Summary This chapter concentrates on those anxiety disorders that are most common in children and adolescents. Most commonly, children experience separation anxiety disorder (SAD) where developmentally inappropriate anxiety occurs when the child is separated from the home or the primary caretaker. Some children and adolescents also experience generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), where daily functioning is characterized by persistent and excessive worry. Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) impairs functioning because persistent obsessions cause anxiety that is temporarily relieved by compulsions that often occupy a major portion of the day. For children, adolescents, and adults, the necessary symptoms for diagnosis of an anxiety disorder are similar; and usually include anxiety, fear, and hyperarousal that may be situational or may be present for most of the day.
The role of innate immunity in Alzheimer's disease.

The amyloid hypothesis has dominated Alzheimer's disease (AD) research for almost 30 years. This hypothesis hinges on the predominant clinical role of the amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide in propagating neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and eventual cognitive impairment in AD. Recent research in the AD field has identified the brain-resident macrophages, known as microglia, and their receptors as integral regulators of both the initiation and propagation of inflammation, Aβ accumulation, neuronal loss, and memory decline in AD. Emerging studies have also begun to reveal critical roles for distinct innate immune pathways in AD pathogenesis, which has led to great interest in harnessing the innate immune response as a therapeutic strategy to treat AD. In this review, we will highlight recent advancements in our understanding of innate immunity and inflammation in AD onset and progression. Additionally, there has been mounting evidence suggesting pivotal contributions of environmental factors and lifestyle choices in AD pathogenesis. Therefore, we will also discuss recent findings, suggesting that many of these AD risk factors influence AD progression via modulation of microglia and immune responses.