cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A defined, plant-based diet utilized in an outpatient cardiovascular clinic effectively treats hypercholesterolemia and hypertension and reduces medications.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major economic burden in the United States. CVD risk factors, particularly hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, are typically treated with drug therapy. Five-year efficacy of such drugs to prevent CVD is estimated to be 5%. Plant-based diets have emerged as effective mitigators of these risk factors. HYPOTHESIS The implementation of a defined, plant-based diet for 4 weeks in an outpatient clinical setting may mitigate CVD risk factors and reduce patient drug burden. METHODS Participants consumed a plant-based diet consisting of foods prepared in a defined method in accordance with a food-classification system. Participants consumed raw fruits, vegetables, seeds, and avocado. All animal products were excluded from the diet. Participant anthropometric and hemodynamic data were obtained weekly for 4 weeks. Laboratory biomarkers were collected at baseline and at 4 weeks. Medication needs were assessed weekly. Data were analyzed using paired-samples t tests and 1-way repeated-measures ANOVA. RESULTS Significant reductions were observed for systolic (-16.6 mmHg) and diastolic (-9.1 mmHg) blood pressure (P < 0.0005), serum lipids (P ≤ 0.008), and total medication usage (P < 0.0005). Other CVD risk factors, including weight (P < 0.0005), waist circumference (P < 0.0005), heart rate (P = 0.018), insulin (P < 0.0005), glycated hemoglobin (P = 0.002), and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P = 0.001) were also reduced. CONCLUSION A defined, plant-based diet can be used as an effective therapeutic strategy in the clinical setting to mitigate cardiovascular risk factors and reduce patient drug burden.
Dialysis Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty Have Significantly Increased Odds of Perioperative Adverse Events Independent of Demographic and Comorbidity Factors.

Abstract Background The prevalence of dialysis-dependent patients is growing, and an increasing number of these patients are being considered for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Studies assessing the preoperative risk associated with TKA in this population are limited to institutional cohorts with small sample sizes or national inpatient databases that lack follow-up data. Methods The 2006-2015 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program databases were queried for adult patients undergoing elective TKA. Differences in 30-day any/severe/minor adverse event, need for reoperation, readmission, and mortality were compared for dialysis-dependent and nondialysis TKA patients using risk-adjusted logistic regression. To account for the smaller number of dialysis patients and variations in study populations, coarsened exact matching was used. The proportion of adverse events that occurred before vs after discharge was also assessed. Results In total, 250 dialysis-dependent patients and 163,560 nondialysis patients met inclusion criteria. After controlling for patient demographics (age, sex, body mass index, functional status) and overall health (American Society of Anesthesiologists class), matched analysis revealed dialysis-dependent patients to be significantly more likely to experience any adverse event (odds ratio = 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.34-3.02; P = .001), severe adverse event (odds ratio = 2.49; 95% CI, 1.61-3.84; P Conclusion Independent of patient demographics and overall health (American Society of Anesthesiologists), patients undergoing dialysis before TKA are significantly more likely to experience 30-day adverse outcomes than matched nondialysis cohorts. Preoperative evaluation of bone health status and management of medical treatment are warranted in this fragile population. Cautious surgical planning, patient counseling, and heightened surveillance are necessitated throughout their perioperative period and postoperative recovery plans may need to be different from nondialysis counterparts. Furthermore, hospitals and physicians must take these increased risks into account when working on bundle payment reimbursement strategies and resource allocation. Level of Evidence 3.
Outcomes and Predictors of Early Infection after Heart Transplantation.

Abstract Background: Limited data exist on the incidence and outcome of early infection after orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). The purpose of this study was to describe characteristics and o...
Occurrence of Bright Greenish Yellow-Fluorescing Spots Associated with Aspergillus Flavus Infection in Fiber of the U.S. Cotton Crop of 1987

An account from USDA-Beltsville in 1954 reported that fiber in rotted bolls from Blythe, California exhibited a bright greenish yellow fluorescence under ultra violet light and that the fluorescing fiber was infected with the fungus Aspergillus flavus (Bollenbacher and Marsh, 1954). Subsequently, a survey of commercial fiber from the U.S. cotton crop of 1957 for fluorescing spots of this hue showed that the fluorescence phenomenon was geographically localized in the crop of that year (Marsh and Taylor, 1958). It was especially frequent in samples from El Centro in the Imperial Valley of southern California, Phoenix, Arizona, and Harlingen in southern Texas. Fluorescing spots could also be seen in samples from other parts of Texas but with lesser frequency. It was rarely found in the San Joaquin Valley of California and infrequently in samples from the Mid-south and Southeast. Because of the bright greenish yellow color of the fluorescing spots, they were referred to in our laboratory as “BGY spots”.
“Beyond the Great Story” of War and Revolution

This essay looks at the ways our understanding of the Russian revolution was conditioned by contemporary narratives of progress and change, and how these narratives and the “historical imaginations” that created them also influenced later tellings of the “great story.” In this way it attempts to reposition the grave problems Russia faced especially after 1914 in terms of the actual and proposed solutions offered by historical actors, and evaluates their effectiveness as well as their relation especially to the evolving meanings of revolution. In the process, it emphasizes the subjective aspects of problems like scarcity and personal loss, and how these might not have been amenable to the rational logics of state administration.
Deep Unsaturated Zone Contributions to Carbon Cycling in Semiarid Environments

Author(s): Wan, J; Tokunaga, TK; Dong, W; Williams, KH; Kim, Y; Conrad, ME; Bill, M; Riley, WJ; Hubbard, SS | Abstract: Understanding terrestrial carbon cycling has relied primarily on studies of topsoils that are typically characterized to depths shallower than 0.5nm. At a semiarid site instrumented down to 7nm, we measured seasonal- and depth-resolved carbon inventories and fluxes and groundwater and unsaturated zone flow rates. Measurements showed that ~30% of the CO2 efflux to the atmosphere (60% in winter) originates from below 1nm, contrary to predictions of less than 1% by Earth System Model land modules. Respiration from deeper roots and deeper microbial communities is supported by favorable subsurface temperatures, moisture, and oxygen availability. Below 1nm, dissolved organic carbon fluxes from the overlying soil and C from deep roots and exudates are expected to be important in sustaining microbial respiration. Because these conditions are characteristic of semiarid climate regions, we contend that Earth System Model land modules should incorporate such deeper soil processes to improve CO2 flux predictions.
Late Breaking Abstract - Mesenchymal stromal cell exosomes prevent and revert experimental pulmonary fibrosis through systemic modulation of monocyte phenotypes

Rationale: Mesenchymal stromal/stem cell (MSC) therapy has shown promise in experimental models of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic progressive lung disease characterized by interstitial fibrosis with decreasing lung volumes and hypoxemic respiratory failure. Recently, we reported that the therapeutic capacity of MSCs predominantly resides in the secretome, and that the chief therapeutic vector therein is represented by the exosomes. Objectives: To test the therapeutic effects of MSC-exosomes (MEx) in a bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis model and investigate putative mechanisms of action. Methods: Exosomes were isolated from media conditioned by human bone marrow MSCs (MEx). Adult mice (C57BL/6 strain) were challenged with endotracheal instillation of bleomycin and treated with MEx concurrently or at day 7. Treated animals and appropriate control groups were assessed at day 7 and/or day 14. Results: Bleomycin-challenged mice presented with severe septal thickening and prominent fibrosis, and this was effectively prevented (day 0 treatment) or reversed (day 7 treatment) by a single dose of MEx. Furthermore, MEx therapy modulated whole lung macrophage phenotype, and shifted the proportion of lung ‘proinflammatory’ classical monocytes, ‘regulatory’ monocytes and alveolar macrophages to favor the monocyte/macrophage profiles of untreated-control mice, and, importantly a parallel immunomodulatory effect was demonstrated in the bone marrow. Notably, transplantation of MEx-preconditioned bone marrow-derived monocytes alleviated core features of pulmonary fibrosis. Conclusion: A bolus dose of MEx prevents and reverts core features of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The beneficial actions of MEx are mediated via the systemic modulation of monocyte phenotypes.
Robotic retromuscular ventral hernia repair and transversus abdominis release: short-term outcomes and risk factors associated with perioperative complications.

Retromuscular ventral hernia repairs have become increasingly popular, both with and without transversus abdominis release. We aim to describe our 90-day outcomes in patients who underwent robotic retromuscular ventral hernia repair (RRVHR). All patients were subcategorized into those who underwent a TAR (TAR+) as part of their repair, and those who did not (TAR−). Patient demographics, comorbidities, hernia characteristics, and LOS were studied. Perioperative complications were reviewed in four different time frames up to 90 days. All hernias and complications were classified using the recommended classification systems. Appropriate univariate analyses and multivariate regression analyses were performed to determine the hernia characteristics which required a TAR technique, and risk factors which associated with the development of complications. Of 454 robotic ventral hernia repairs, 101 patients who underwent RRVHR were included into the study. Of these, 54 patients underwent RRVHR with TAR while the remaining 47 patients underwent repair without TAR. Incisional hernias, off-midline locations, and larger size defects were factors that required the addition of a TAR. In 9.9% patients, an unplanned TAR was performed. Postoperative pain assessment was similar in both groups. LOS was significantly longer for TAR + group (p < 0.001). The median Comprehension Complication Index® score was 8.7 (range: 0–42.4) for all patients and was significantly higher for TAR+ group (p = 0.014). Complications were higher in the TAR+ group as compared to the TAR− group (p = 0.028), though this difference did not persist in follow-up. Most complications were minor (Clavien–Dindo grade-I and -II). The development of complications was only associated with the presence of an incarcerated hernia at repair. RRVHR is safe and feasible. 9.9% of our cohort required a TAR that was unplanned, particularly incisional hernias. TAR patients may be more prone to complications in the immediate post-operative period, however, the difference between patients with and without TAR adjuncts resolved at 90 days.
Demanding or deferring? An experimental analysis of the economic value of communication with attitude

Abstract Research has shown that natural language communication is more effective than intention-signaling in promoting coordination. Our paper studies the reasons behind this finding. We hypothesize that, when communicating with natural language, people use and respond to both intentions and attitudes, with attitude indicating the strength of a message sender's desire to have her message followed. We test our hypothesis using controlled laboratory experiments. We find that: (i) free-form messages include both signaled intentions and attitudes; (ii) people respond to both intentions and attitudes when making decisions; and (iii) the use of attitude in natural language messages significantly improves coordination.
Cross-validation and hypothesis testing in neuroimaging: An irenic comment on the exchange between Friston and Lindquist et al.

The “ten ironic rules for statistical reviewers” presented by Friston (2012) prompted a rebuttal by Lindquist et al. (2013), which was followed by a rejoinder by Friston (2013). A key issue left unresolved in this discussion is the use of cross-validation to test the significance of predictive analyses. This note discusses the role that cross-validation-based and related hypothesis tests have come to play in modern data analyses, in neuroimaging and other fields. It is shown that such tests need not be suboptimal and can fill otherwise-unmet inferential needs.
Abstract 19882: Incidence, Clinical Outcomes and Factors Influencing Permanent Pacemaker Implantation after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement - A Meta-Analysis of 93 Studies including 37,836 Patients

Background: The impact of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) strategy, valve type (balloon-expandable Edwards (ES) valve or self-expanding Medtronic CoreValve (MCV)) and geographical differences (USA or Europe) on new permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation is unclear. Similarly, the impact of PPM implantation on mortality after TAVR is unclear. We perform the first meta-analysis of incidence, clinical outcomes and factors influencing PPM implantation after TAVR. Methods and Results: A total of 93 non-overlapping studies including 37,836 patients reporting 30-day PPM implantation rates post-TAVR were included. Random-effects model was used to calculate pooled estimates and risk ratios, summarized in Table 1. MCV (n=8076) was associated with increased PPM implantation rates compared to ES valve (n=20,280) (22.5%, 95% CI 19.4-25.9% vs. 6.5%, 95% CI 5.7-7.4%, p < 0.01). Among patients undergoing ES valve implantation, transapical (TA) approach was associated with increased PPM implantation rates compared to transfemoral (TF) approach (9.1%, 95% CI 6.5-11.5% vs. 4.8%, 95% CI 2.9-7.4%; p=0.02). Among patients undergoing TAVR by TF approach, MCV implantation was associated with increased PPM rates, compared to ES valve (22.51%, 95% CI 18.7-25.9% vs. 4.8%, 95% CI 2.9-7.4%; p<0.01). PPM implantation rates associated with ES or MCV were not statistically different between US or European studies. Compared to patients not requiring PPM post-TAVR, the need for new PPM implantation was not associated with increased 30-day mortality (Risk-ratio 0.84 95% CI 0.61-1.15, p=0.27) or 1-year mortality (Risk-ratio 0.94 95% CI 0.74-1.19, p=0.60). Conclusions: PPM implantation is a frequent complication after TAVR. This is more commonly associated with MCV and TA approach for ES valve and is not influenced by geographical zones. Despite the high incidence of PPM implantation associated with TAVR, the need for new PPM does not influence 30-day or 1-year mortality. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Tight bounds on ℓ1 approximation and learning of self-bounding functions

Abstract We study the complexity of learning and approximation of self-bounding functions over the uniform distribution on the Boolean hypercube { 0 , 1 } n . Informally, a function f : { 0 , 1 } n → R is self-bounding if for every x ∈ { 0 , 1 } n , f ( x ) upper bounds the sum of all the n marginal decreases in the value of the function at x. Self-bounding functions include such well-known classes of functions as submodular and fractionally-subadditive (XOS) functions. They were introduced by Boucheron et al. (2010) in the context of concentration of measure inequalities. Our main result is a nearly tight l 1 -approximation of self-bounding functions by low-degree juntas. Specifically, all self-bounding functions can be ϵ-approximated in l 1 by a polynomial of degree O ˜ ( 1 / ϵ ) over 2 O ˜ ( 1 / ϵ ) variables. We show that both the degree and junta-size are optimal up to logarithmic terms. Previous techniques considered stronger l 2 approximation and proved nearly tight bounds of Θ ( 1 / ϵ 2 ) on the degree and 2 Θ ( 1 / ϵ 2 ) on the number of variables. Our bounds rely on the analysis of noise stability of self-bounding functions together with a stronger connection between noise stability and l 1 approximation by low-degree polynomials. This technique can also be used to get tighter bounds on l 1 approximation by low-degree polynomials and a faster learning algorithm for halfspaces. These results lead to improved and in several cases almost tight bounds for PAC and agnostic learning of self-bounding functions relative to the uniform distribution. In particular, assuming hardness of learning juntas, we show that PAC and agnostic learning of self-bounding functions have complexity of n Θ ˜ ( 1 / ϵ ) .
An in vivo KRAS allelic series reveals distinct phenotypes of common oncogenic variants

ABSTRACT KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in cancer. Tumor sequencing has revealed a complex spectrum of KRAS mutations across different cancer types, yet there is little understanding how specific KRAS alterations impact tumor in initiation, progression, or therapy response. Using high-fidelity CRISPR-based engineering, we created an allelic series of new LSL-Kras mutant mice, reflecting codon 12 and 13 mutations that are highly prevalent in lung (KRASG12C), pancreas (KRASG12R) and colon (KRASG13D) cancers. Induction of each mutation in the developing mouse pancreas reveal striking quantitative and qualitative differences in the degree of ductal transformation and pre-malignant progression. Further, using organoid models we show that KRASG13D mutants respond to EGFR inhibition, while the anti-proliferative effect of KRASG12C-selective inhibitors can be overcome by upstream EGFR signaling. Together, these new mouse strains provide an ideal for investigating KRAS biology in vivo, and for developing pre-clinical precision oncology models of KRAS-mutant pancreas (G12R), colon (G13D), and lung (G12C) cancers.
A Fault Tolerant Control Framework for DFIG-Based Wind Energy Conversion Systems in a Hybrid Wind/PV Microgrid

This paper proposes a fault tolerant control framework for a DFIG-based wind energy conversion system (WECS) in a hybrid wind/PV microgrid structure. It implements a fractional order sliding mode control (SMC) for the DFIG converters to mitigate the grid faults and ensure robustness against mismatched uncertainties. It also includes a shared reactive power support strategy where both the WECS and PV system participate in providing the necessary reactive current by utilizing their converters as STATCOM. The proposed approach is validated using a wind/PV system installed in a feeder of a test microgrid system subject to short-term unbalanced grid voltage faults and mismatched disturbances. Its performance is further compared to that of a standard SMC-based approach. The obtained results show that the proposed framework improved the dynamic stability of the dc voltage and enabled grid support during both symmetrical and asymmetrical grid faults. Providing fast and robust control of the converters, ensuring compliance with the new grid codes and avoiding the activations of the crowbar system are among the positive features of the proposed framework.
Differences between episodic and semantic memory in predicting observation-based activities of daily living in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can often progress into Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). Research suggests that decline in episodic memory and semantic memory, as well as functional abili...
Effect of TiO2 on the Performance of Mn/Na2WO4 Catalysts in Oxidative Coupling of Methane

The oxidation coupling of methane (OCM) has received attention as a direct route to produce C2 chemicals. Although the OCM is energetically more efficient than the conventional process, however, it...
Germline variants that influence the tumor immune microenvironment also drive response to immunotherapy

Abstract With the continued promise of immunotherapy as an avenue for treating cancer, understanding how host genetics contributes to the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is essential to tailoring cancer risk screening and treatment strategies. Using genotypes from over 8,000 European individuals in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 137 heritable tumor immune phenotype components (IP components), we identified and investigated 482 TIME associations and 475 unique TIME-associated variants. Many TIME-associated variants influence gene activities in specific immune cell subsets, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, and interact to promote more extreme TIME phenotypes. TIME-associated variants were predictive of immunotherapy response in human cohorts treated with immune-checkpoint blockade (ICB) in 3 cancer types, causally implicating specific immune- related genes that modulate myeloid cells of the TIME. Moreover, we validated the function of these genes in driving tumor response to ICB in preclinical studies. Through an integrative approach, we link host genetics to TIME characteristics, informing novel biomarkers for cancer risk and target identification in immunotherapy. Significance A systematic screen for common germline variants associated with the tumor immune microenvironment across > 8000 tumors reveals novel immune SNPs that predict disease risk, prognosis and potential to respond to immune checkpoint therapy.
Rapid Transitioning to Remote Learning: Shared Responsibility and Coping Strategies

This study examined the impact of shared responsibility on the relationship between marketing and other business students’ coping strategies and their satisfaction with the rapid transitioning to r...
Big data and Belmont: On the ethics and research implications of consumer-based datasets:

Consumer-based datasets are the products of data brokerage firms that agglomerate millions of personal records on the adult US population. This big data commodity is purchased by both companies and...
Development of a Prognostic Awareness Impact Scale for Patients with Advanced Cancer.

Background: No reliable instruments exist to measure prognostic awareness and its psychological and behavioral impacts for patients with advanced cancer. Methods: We developed the Prognostic Awaren...
A Ruby in the rough: using VHLLs in bioinformatics

This paper presents a novel method of introducing bioinformatics to students in a Programming Languages class. The study and use of the scripting language Ruby allowed the instructor to introduce basic string manipulation concepts that are fundamental to sequence analysis. Student interest in this language and in bioinformatics led to the formation of a research group, who presented results formulated using Ruby at an undergraduate mathematics conference in the Spring of 2005.
The Opportunities and Challenges of an Interdisciplinary Clinic

Law school clinics in many countries increasingly provide the major opportunities that law students have to engage in interdisciplinary collaborations with other professionals. The collaboration may be with a wide range of professionals, such as: doctors and medical students; social workers and social work students; business school students; engineering faculty and students including biomedical engineering students; nursing students; and experts in public health, education, mental health or palliative care. It can occur in diverse contexts or targeted to specific populations, such as children, the elderly, victims of domestic violence or low-income business owners. Some examples of these interdisciplinary clinics illustrate their variety. Clinical legal education initiatives in South Africa, Thailand and Ukraine promoted public health through programs that partnered with the Law and Health Initiative of the Open Society Institute’s Public Health Programs. In South Africa, palliative care was integrated with legal services; law students worked with staff at a hospice association to conduct workshops on wills, debts and family law for hospice caregivers. In Ukraine a Medical Law Clinic was started to advise and represent clients; in Thailand a law clinic wrote an HIV/AIDS Community Legal Education Manual, collaborated with organizations working on health and human rights issues to discuss harm reduction and incarceration, and implemented community education programs in prisons, detention centers and community centers. At Palacky University in the Czech Republic a new Patient’s Rights Legal Clinic, which prepares students to give legal advice, is taught by lecturers of the medical faculty and lawyers from a human rights non-profit. A clinic in the United States provides business planning and legal advice to small businesses; law and business students collaborate to assist with community economic development. Another United States clinic combines students in law, business, medicine, social work, biomedical engineering, and arts and sciences in a collaboration focused on intellectual property and business formation, with an emphasis on biodiversity and agricultural-biotechnology innovations.
One-hot residue coding for high-speed non-uniform pseudo-random test pattern generation

VLSI implementations of fast residue number system arithmetic units for one-hot encoded operands are presented. They are shown to allow generalized LFSRs (i.e., those with any modulus) to be implemented with faster clock speeds and simpler, more regular layouts. Their high speed is exemplified by the design of a non-uniform pseudo-random test pattern generator for performance testing of an ATM packet switch. Timing estimates of the generator indicate as much as a 50% increase in clock speed as compared with a standard design. The speed increase is made possible because the one-hot encoding eliminates the address decoding circuitry in the inverse probability distribution RAM.
Lesions of the Female Urethra: A Review

Abstract Objectives: The female urethra may become involved by a variety of conditions, which may be challenging to providers who treat women. Mass-like urethral lesions need to be distinguished from other lesions arising from the anterior (ventral) vagina. Methods: A literature review was conducted. A Medline search was used, using the terms urethral neoplasms, urethral diseases, and female. Results: Reported lesions of the urethra were reviewed. Many of these lesions can be mistaken for each other clinically. Conclusions: A review of the scope of urethral lesions is presented to assist in developing a differential diagnosis if a patient with a urethral lesion is encountered. For practitioners who care for women, this will encourage communication and consultation where appropriate. (J GYNECOL SURG 31:189)
Teachers perception of universal basic education programme as an educational reform policy

The study investigated the perception of secondary school teachers on the UBE programme as an educational reform policy. Relevant literatures were reviewed in the area of study specifically highlighting conceptual frame work, other researchers contributions and current issues in the area of study. About 3 research questions and 2 hypotheses were developed for the study. The population of teachers selected for the study comprised of all secondary school teachers in Uvwie local government area of Delta. About 100 teachers were randomly selected through proportionate stratified random sampling from 5 secondary schools in the local government area. A questionnaire titled Perception of teachers on the UBE with face and content validity with a reliability of 0.71 was used to collect data for the study. While mean analysis was used for the research questions the z-test was used to analyse the hypothesis. The results indicated that teachers have low perception of the UBE. While there is no significant difference between male and female, rural and urban in the perception of teachers on the UBE as an educational reform policy. The conclusion was that teachers seem not be aware of the objectives and the goals of the UBE and also that teachers are not adequately prepared to implement the program. This ultimately will affect the quality and success of the programme. It is therefore recommended that those in the ministry of education that are responsible for the development and implementation of the UBE, should ensure that teachers are well prepared and equipped to participate actively in the implementation of the programme.
Reflections on Leadership: An Interview with Sean O'Keefe

This interview with Sean O'Keefe by PAR Associate Editor W. Henry Lambright is a departure from traditional Administrative Profiles. It represents an opportunity to elicit from a man who has held executive positions in government, industry, and the university lessons he has learned about leadership from those experiences. It is his perspective, in his own words, about a host of questions of interest to scholars and practitioners of public administration. These include commonalities and differences in leading organizations in various sectors. O'Keefe discusses how executives can deal with people and get the most from them, how executives use administrative power in achieving organizational goals, and why executives sometimes make the wrong calls in key decisions. He comments on what he learned about leadership from mentors during his formative years. He explains the limits he faced in making controversial decisions, such as his termination of a Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission.
Laboratory measurement of the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants: selecting the optimal assay based on drug, assay availability, and clinical indication

Although the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) do not require routine monitoring, there are special circumstances in which laboratory measurement may be warranted. The objectives of this review are to summarize evidence on the influence of the NOACs on coagulation tests and provide practical guidance to clinicians on measurement and interpretation of coagulation assays in NOAC-treated patients. Selection of an appropriate assay for NOAC measurement depends on the drug, clinical objective, and assay availability. Separate suggestions for assay selection are provided depending on whether specialized assays are available or whether choice is limited to conventional coagulation assays such as the prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). The dilute thrombin time (TT) and ecarin-based assays are able to quantify dabigatran across a broad range of concentrations, but are not widely available. A normal TT excludes clinically relevant levels. A normal APTT probably excludes excess levels of dabigatran, but does not rule out typical on-therapy drug concentrations. The PT is insufficiently sensitive to dabigatran to be useful in most situations. Factor Xa inhibitors may be quantified with an anti-Xa assay calibrated with drug-specific standards. A normal PT probably excludes excess levels of rivaroxaban and edoxaban, but not typical on-therapy levels of these agents. The PT is less sensitive to apixaban. Depending on the sensitivity of the thromboplastin reagent, a normal PT may not exclude excess levels of apixaban. The APTT has inadequate sensitivity to factor Xa inhibitors and is not recommended for their measurement.
Interaction of Wall Shear Stress Magnitude and Gradient in the Prediction of Arterial Macromolecular Permeability

Large spatial shear stress gradients have anecdotally been associated with early atherosclerotic lesion susceptibility in vivo and have been proposed as promoters of endothelial cell dysfunction in vitro. Here, experiments are presented in which several measures of the fluid dynamic shear stress, including its gradient, at the walls of in vivo porcine iliac arteries, are correlated against the transendothelial macromolecular permeability of the vessels. The fluid dynamic measurements are based on postmortem vascular casts, and permeability is measured from Evans blue dye (EBD) uptake. Time-averaged wall shear stress (WSS), as well as a new parameter termed maximum gradient stress (MGS) that describes the spatial shear stress gradient due to flow acceleration at a given point, are mapped for each artery and compared on a point-by-point basis to the corresponding EBD patterns. While there was no apparent relation between MGS and EBD uptake, a composite parameter, WSS–0.11 MGS0.044, was highly correlated with permeability. Notwithstanding the small exponents, the parameter varied widely within the region of interest. The results suggest that sites exposed to low wall shear stresses are more likely to exhibit elevated permeability, and that this increase is exacerbated in the presence of large spatial shear stress gradients.
Interaction of benzo(a)pyrene and cadmium on GSH-S-transferase and benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase in the black sea bass Centropristis striata

The effect of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) and cadmium (Cd) upon the hepatic enzymes, BaP hydroxylase and GSH-S-transferase, was investigated in black sea bass. Intraperitoneal (ip) injections of BaP produced a significant increase in BaP hydroxylase activity in the microsomal fraction and GSH-S-transferase activity in the cytosol. Administration of Cd alone had no effect on either enzyme. However, when both Cd and BaP were injected (ip) in the fish, Cd had an inhibitory effect on the activity of these hepatic enzymes. Pretreatment of fish with a low dose of Cd (0.42 mg/kg) prior to injection of BaP and Cd produced a 30% increase in GSH-S-transferase activity and a 50% reduction in BaP hydroxylase activity when compared to fish injected with BaP alone following Cd pretreatment. Thus, a low dose of Cd was effective in producing a tolerance to a subsequent Cd challenge for the enzyme GSH-S-transferase but not for BaP hydroxylase. In contrast, fish pretreated with a high dose of Cd (2.5 mg/kg) prior to BaP treatment alone or with Cd displayed no difference in either enzyme activity. The implications from this study on the exposure of black sea bass to two xenobiotics, Cd and BaP, indicate that BaP hydroxylase may not serve as a good monitor for hydrocarbon pollution in the presence of Cd.
Earth system science and remote sensing

A conceptual model is presented of the Earth System appropriate to global change on timescales of decades to centuries. This is used as a framework for discussion of the processes and feedbacks involved in the physical climate system and in biogeochemical cycles, and the expected role of remote sensing in understanding them. Demonstrated and potential opportunities for space-related observations are identified in the context of broader needs for information about the various subsystems, concluding with a brief discussion of the program needed to better understand the impact of human activities on the global environment in the context of natural variability.
Recurring extracorporeal circuit clotting during continuous renal replacement therapy resolved after single-session therapeutic plasma exchange.

We report a case of a 17 year old white male with multiple fractures and multi-organ failure who developed oliguric acute renal failure requiring continuous renal replacement therapy. Repeated clotting of the extracorporeal circuit (ECC) prevented delivery of a minimally acceptable dose of renal replacement therapy despite adequate anticoagulation and dialysis catheter exchanges. Evaluation for a primary hypercoagulable state was negative, but his fibrinogen was elevated (1,320 mg/dL, normal range: 150–400 mg/dL), likely induced by his severe inflammatory state. A single session of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) with albumin and normal saline replacement was performed with subsequent drop in fibrinogen to 615 mg/dL. No further episodes of premature ECC clotting occurred, suggesting plasma factor(s) removed may have contributed to the clinical hypercoagulable state. TPE may play an adjunctive role in select cases of recurrent ECC clotting refractory to current anticoagulation techniques.
On choosing a radial basis function and a shape parameter when solving a convective PDE on a sphere

Radial basis function (RBF) approximations have been used for some time to interpolate data on a sphere (as well as on many other types of domains). Their ability to solve, to spectral accuracy, convection-type PDEs over a sphere has been demonstrated only very recently. In such applications, there are two main choices that have to be made: (i) which type of radial function to use, and (ii) what value to choose for their shape parameter (denoted by @e, and with flat basis functions - stretched out in the radial direction - corresponding to @e=0). The recent RBF-QR algorithm has made it practical to compute stably also for small values of @e. Results from solving a convective-type PDE on a sphere are compared here for many choices of radial functions over the complete range of @e-values (from very large down to the limit of @e->0). The results are analyzed with a methodology that has similarities to the customary Fourier analysis in equispaced 1-D periodic settings. In particular, we find that high accuracy can be maintained also over very long time integrations. We furthermore gain insights into why RBFs sometimes offer higher accuracy than spherical harmonics (since the latter arise as an often non-optimal special case of the former). Anticipated future application areas for RBF-based methods in spherical geometries include weather and climate modeling.
Test-retest reliability of the clinical, factor, and localization scales of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery.

Comparisons were made between initial test scores of the Luria-Nebraska Neuropsychological Battery, the Factor scales and the Localization scales, and a second set of scores derived from a readministration of the battery. Thirty random, unscreened, psychiatric inpatients with a wide cariety of diagnoses served as subjects. Patient condition was not controlled, and no subjects were dropped from the dats pool. Sixteen males and 14 females with a mean age of 31.8 years (SD = 12.7), mean education of 9.3 years (SD = 3.2), and a test-retest interval mean of 8.1 months (SD = 6.0) participated. All patients had significant emotional difficulties which resulted in repeated hospitalization, and all were cooperative with test procedures. Test-retest scores for the 14 Luria scales ranged from. 83 to. 96, averaging. 89 and for the eight Localization scales, and the reliability ranged from a low of. 78 to a high of. 95, with a mean of. 89. The factor scales test-retest reliability coefficients ranged from. 01 to. 96, ...
GPCR expression in the heart; "new" receptors in myocytes and fibroblasts

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) signaling cascades play a key role in regulation of the cardiovascular system. GPCRs comprise the largest cell-surface receptor superfamily and are also the largest class of drug targets to which agonists and antagonists are currently directed. This article reviews recent data regarding aspects of GPCR signaling and emphasizes the recent "discovery" of expression of "new" GPCRs in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts. In addition to several well-known ("classical") GPCRs that are expressed by cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts, these cell types or cardiac tissue (cell types as-yet undefined) express a large number of other GPCRs, including receptors for peptides, lipids, and other molecules, as well as "orphan" receptors for which the natural agonists and (patho)physiologic roles in the cardiovascular system have not yet been defined. Studies of the newly recognized GPCRs-in particular, deorphanization of novel GPCRs and experiments that define their signal pathways, expression patterns, desensitization mechanisms, cross-talk with other receptors, and genetic variation-are likely to yield important new insights into cardiovascular cell function. Moreover, these "new" GPCRs are attractive targets for the development of drugs for the treatment of cardiac and other cardiovascular disorders.
Virulence of the entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, Heterorhabditis zealandica, and Steinernema scarabaei against five white grub species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) of economic importance in turfgrass in North America

Abstract We compared the virulence of the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema scarabaei, Heterorhabditis zealandica, and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (GPS11 and TF strains) against third instars of the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica, the oriental beetle, Anomala (=Exomala) orientalis, the northern masked chafer, Cyclocephala borealis, the European chafer, Rhizotrogus majalis, and the Asiatic garden beetle, Maladera castanea, in laboratory and greenhouse experiments. The virulence of the nematode species relative to each other differed greatly among white grub species. H. bacteriophora and H. zealandica had similar modest virulence to P. japonica, A. orientalis, C. borealis, and M. castanea. But against R. majalis, H. zealandica showed low virulence with a clear concentration response whereas H. bacteriophora caused only erratic and very low mortality. In contrast, S. scarabaei had modest virulence against C. borealis, but was highly virulent against R. majalis, P. japonica, A. orientalis, and M. castanea with R. majalis being the most susceptible and M. castanea the least susceptible.
Catheter Perforation of the Pulmonary Artery with Resultant Cardiac Tamponade

A case of pulmonary artery perforation secondary to direct penetration of a NIH catheter at the time of pulmonary angiography is described. The patient immediately went into cardiac tamponade, which was successfully treated via pericardiocentesis without subsequent surgical intervention.
Mass transfer in Nation membrane systems: Effects of ionic size and charge on selectivity

Abstract The interdiffusion of metal ion-hydrogen ion couples in Nation membrane systems has been measured by a rotating diffusion cell (RDC) technique. At low metal concentrations, the transport rate is controlled by boundary layer diffusion and the metal flux follows the order Li + + + + + for alkali metals, and Ca 2+ 2+ 2+ for alkaline earth metals. At high metal concentrations, the transport process is controlled by membrane diffusion and the order of the flux is Li + + + + + for alkali metals, Ca 2+ 2+ 2+ for alkali earth metals, and Y + 2+ + for ions of similar ionic size (0.93-0.99 A) but different charge. The results are interpreted in terms of ionic hydration coupled with charge and size effects.
Chiral symmetry breaking in matrix quantum mechanics

Abstract A matrix model of Yang-Mills theory coupled to fermions is considered. The system is closely related to Affleck's matrix model for mesons. The ground state of the system is found exactly. The analogue of chiral symmetry is defined and proved to be spontaneously broken in the ground state.
Sketch-based aesthetic product form exploration from existing images using piecewise clothoid curves

We present a new sketch-based product form exploration technique that works from images and sketches of existing products. At the heart of our approach, is a multi-stroke curve beautification method and a curve-based image deformation algorithm. The proposed approach converts groups of strokes into piecewise clothoid curves in order to produce visually pleasing shapes. The deformation diffusion algorithm then spatially distributes the user specified deformations through out the image to produce smooth transformations from the original image to the resulting image. We demonstrate the technique on a variety of images including photo-realistic images, real product images, and sketches.
Do hierarchical mechanisms of superhydrophobicity lead to self-organized criticality?

Abstract Bio-inspired superhydrophobic surfaces can be used to reduce adhesion between micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) components. Surface roughness is crucial for superhydrophobicity; however, complicated mechanisms of wetting, contact angle hysteresis and regime transition require new approaches to the concept of surface roughness, such as hierarchical roughness. We suggest that hierarchical organization of dissipation mechanisms is related to hierarchical roughness and may lead to self-organized criticality.
Positive Contrast in the Runway Obtained with Delay of Reward

The failure to find positive contrast effects in the runway may be attributed to a ceiling effect that can be overcome with the use of delay of reward. Rats were trained one trial a day in a runway with small, medium, or large reward. When a shift to large reward was combined with delay of reward, shift groups slowed down less than controls.
Are cell affinity relationships for insect epidermal tissues evidence for combinatorial control

THE segregation of determined, yet undifferentiated, cells in aggregates consisting of cells from various vertebrate embryonic structures represents a high degree of specificity in cellular recognition1–3. Steinberg's differential adhesiveness model2 has been particularly successful in accounting for this sorting out of cells in terms of differences in their adhesiveness. Although arranged in monolayers, insect epidermal cells seem to behave similarly when their normal spatial organisation is disrupted. The regrouping of disaggregated Drosophila imaginal disk cells according to epidermal type and the failure of grafts from one epidermis to form stable contacts with cells of another epidermal tissue have both been attributed to sorting out of unlike cells4,5. Yet some insect epidermal cell types fail to segregate completely from one another; even when disaggregated and mixed, cells from genetically marked leg and antenna disks are known to form some integrated patterns6. It is possible that different degrees of adhesiveness exist for various combinations of two different epidermal types, the adhesive properties not being uniquely specified for each tissue. With this possibility in mind, exchanges between grafts and hosts of various pupal epithelia of the moth, Manduca sexta, were performed. The affinity relationships observed reflected the existence of covert cell surface differences in these epidermal populations whose component cells at the time of grafting are determined but undifferentiated. The findings suggest that the cell surface properties are not tissue type specific but are shared to various degrees by the different epidermal tissues.
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Papain-like Novel Protease Inhibitors: Design, Synthesis, Protein−Ligand X-ray Structure and Biological Evaluation

The design, synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, molecular modeling, and biological evaluation of a series of new generation SARS-CoV PLpro inhibitors are described. A new lead compound 3 (6577871) was identified via high-throughput screening of a diverse chemical library. Subsequently, we carried out lead optimization and structure-activity studies to provide a series of improved inhibitors that show potent PLpro inhibition and antiviral activity against SARS-CoV infected Vero E6 cells. Interestingly, the (S)-Me inhibitor 15 h (enzyme IC(50) = 0.56 microM; antiviral EC(50) = 9.1 microM) and the corresponding (R)-Me 15 g (IC(50) = 0.32 microM; antiviral EC(50) = 9.1 microM) are the most potent compounds in this series, with nearly equivalent enzymatic inhibition and antiviral activity. A protein-ligand X-ray structure of 15 g-bound SARS-CoV PLpro and a corresponding model of 15 h docked to PLpro provide intriguing molecular insight into the ligand-binding site interactions.