cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Provider Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Surrounding Conservative Management for Patients with Advanced CKD

Background and objectives Despite the potential benefits of conservative management, providers rarely discuss it as a viable treatment option for patients with advanced CKD. This survey was to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of nephrologists and primary care providers regarding conservative management for patients with advanced CKD in the United States. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We developed a questionnaire on the basis of a literature review to include items assessing knowledge, attitudes, and self-reported practices of conservative management for patients with advanced CKD. Potential participants were identified using the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. We then conducted a web-based survey between April and May of 2015. Results In total, 431 (67.6% nephrologists and 32.4% primary care providers) providers completed the survey for a crude response rate of 2.7%. The respondents were generally white, men, and in their 30s and 40s. Most primary care provider (83.5%) and nephrology (78.2%) respondents reported that they were likely to discuss conservative management with their older patients with advanced CKD. Self-reported number of patients managed conservatively was >11 patients for 30.6% of nephrologists and 49.2% of primary care providers. Nephrologists were more likely to endorse difficulty determining whether a patient with CKD would benefit from conservative management (52.8% versus 36.2% of primary care providers), whereas primary care providers were more likely to endorse limited information on effectiveness (49.6% versus 24.5% of nephrologists) and difficulty determining eligibility for conservative management (42.5% versus 14.3% of nephrologists). There were also significant differences in knowledge between the groups, with primary care providers reporting more uncertainty about relative survival rates with conservative management compared with different patient groups. Conclusions Both nephrologists and primary care providers reported being comfortable with discussing conservative management with their patients. However, both provider groups identified lack of United States data on outcomes of conservative management and characteristics of patients who would benefit from conservative management as barriers to recommending conservative management in practice.
The Potential Effects of Obesity on Social Security Claiming Behavior and Retirement Benefits

Objectives Obesity prevalence among Americans has increased for nearly three decades. We explore the relationship between the rise in obesity and Social Security retirement benefit claiming, a decision impacting nearly all aging Americans. Specifically, we investigate whether obesity can affect individuals' decision to claim benefits early, a choice that has important implications for financial security in retirement, particularly for those with lower socioeconomic status (SES). Method We use a microsimulation model called MINT6 (Modeling Income in the Near Term, version 6) to demonstrate the potential effects of obesity on subjective life expectancy and claiming behavior. We impute obesity status using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), which describes the distribution of obesity prevalence within the United States by gender, poverty status, and race/ethnicity. Results We find that the rise in obesity and the consequent incidence of obesity-related diseases may lead some individuals to make claiming decisions that lead to lower monthly and lifetime Social Security retirement benefits. Further, we find that the potential economic impact of this decision is larger for those with lower SES. Discussion We present a behavioral perspective by addressing the potential effects that obesity can have on individuals' retirement decisions and their resulting Social Security retirement benefits.
Use of the Woodcock–Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities in the Diagnosis of Intellectual Disability

Abstract This chapter begins with an overview of the eligibility and diagnostic criteria for intellectual disability (ID), continues to discuss test and score properties that are important when assessing for ID, follows with an evaluation of the Woodcock–Johnson IV (WJ IV) Tests of Cognitive Abilities (COG) in terms of it addressing these properties, and ends with a case study. Evidence supporting the use and interpretation of the General Intellectual Ability and Gf–Gc Composite from the WJ IV COG is highlighted and evaluated, and applications of these scores to practice are presented.
Hebi city in 2009-2012,foot and mouth diseases were analyzed

objective to analyze,foot and mouth diseases,to explore the causes of local high incidence of hand foot and moulh disease control measures are put forward.Methods download from the information system of disease prevention and control in China from 2009 to 2012 reported cases of hand foot and mouth disease data,using descriptive epidemiology method,through time,regional distribution,reveal urban area the possible cause of the high incidence of hand fool and moulh disease.Results of hebi city,hand fool and month diseases have a high incidence of urban area in phenomenon,and the causes of this phenomenon is widespread source,slrong consciousness of urban residents lo see a doctor,the doctor reported cases standard broad loophole,fixed—point hospital,hospital nosocomial infection control set unreasonable factors such as the superposition.Conclusion strengthen ihe hospital infection control of medical institutions,adjust the hand,fool and mouth disease fixed-point hospital Settings,training clinicians diagnostic criteria of infectious diseases,the implementation of the measures for the prevention and control of hand fool and moulh disease.
Electrical devices for the treatment of tachyarrhythmias.

Pacing techniques may be useful in both prevention and termination of tachycardias. In this article, current techniques and hardware are reviewed and evaluated. Mechanisms for termination and acceleration are outlined. Evaluation of candidates for implantable devices, both pacers and defibrillators, is provided, together with the longterm results and the likely future role of such devices.
SU-F-T-566: Absolute Film Dosimetry for Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Quality Assurance Using Gafchromic EBT3 Films

Purpose: To evaluate the dosimetric uncertainty associated with Gafchromic (EBT3) films and establish an absolute dosimetry protocol for Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT). Methods: EBT3 films were irradiated at each of seven different dose levels between 1 and 15 Gy with open fields, and standard deviations of dose maps were calculated at each color channel for evaluation. A scanner non-uniform response correction map was built by registering and comparing film doses to the reference diode array-based dose map delivered with the same doses. To determine the temporal dependence of EBT3 films, the average correction factors of different dose levels as a function of time were evaluated up to four days after irradiation. An integrated film dosimetry protocol was developed for dose calibration, calibration curve fitting, dose mapping, and profile/gamma analysis. Patient specific quality assurance (PSQA) was performed for 93 SRS/SBRT treatment plans. Results: The scanner response varied within 1% for the field sizes less than 5 × 5 cm2, and up to 5% for the field sizes of 10 × 10 cm2. The scanner correction method was able to remove visually evident, irregular detector responses found for larger field sizes. The dose response of the film changed rapidly (∼10%) in the first two hours and plateaued afterwards, ∼3% change between 2 and 24 hours. The mean uncertainties (mean of the standard deviations) were <0.5% over the dose range 1∼15Gy for all color channels for the OD response curves. The percentage of points passing the 3%/1mm gamma criteria based on absolute dose analysis, averaged over all tests, was 95.0 ± 4.2. Conclusion: We have developed an absolute film dose dosimetry protocol using EBT3 films. The overall uncertainty has been established to be approximately 1% for SRS and SBRT PSQA. The work was supported by a Research Scholar Grant, RSG-15-137-01-CCE from the American Cancer Society
Toward A Better Understanding of Perceived Complexity in Music: A Commentary on Eerola (2016)

Eerola (2016) evaluates models of musical complexity based on expectancy violation and information theory. This commentary notes the deep relationship between these two phenomena, and argues for a more active partnership between computational and psychological approaches in understanding perceptions of musical complexity.
Polysaccharide Degradation by the Intestinal Microbiota and Its Influence on Human Health and Disease

Carbohydrates comprise a large fraction of the typical diet, yet humans are only able to directly process some types of starch and simple sugars. The remainder transits the large intestine where it becomes food for the commensal bacterial community. This is an environment of not only intense competition but also impressive cooperation for available glycans, as these bacteria work to maximize their energy harvest from these carbohydrates during their limited transit time through the gut. The species within the gut microbiota use a variety of strategies to process and scavenge both dietary and host-produced glycans such as mucins. Some act as generalists that are able to degrade a wide range of polysaccharides, while others are specialists that are only able to target a few select glycans. All are members of a metabolic network where substantial cross-feeding takes place, as by-products of one organism serve as important resources for another. Much of this metabolic activity influences host physiology, as secondary metabolites and fermentation end products are absorbed either by the epithelial layer or by transit via the portal vein to the liver where they can have additional effects. These microbially derived compounds influence cell proliferation and apoptosis, modulate the immune response, and can alter host metabolism. This review summarizes the molecular underpinnings of these polysaccharide degradation processes, their impact on human health, and how we can manipulate them through the use of prebiotics.
Domestic diversion and strategic behavior by minority groups

Diversionary war theory states that leaders may initiate an international conflict in order to invoke internal cohesion and distract the public from domestic issues. Recent developments in diversio...
Der Bau einer bewohnbaren Erde

Der grosste Teil des Universums ist zu kalt, zu heis, zu dicht, zu leer, zu dunkel, zu hell oder setzt sich nicht aus den richtigen Elementen zusammen, um Leben hervorzubringen. Lediglich Planeten und Monde mit festem Oberflachenmaterial bieten Oasen fur Leben, wie wir es kennen. Daruber hinaus sind unter den Planeten mit fester Oberflache die wenigsten einladend. Wie wir in der Einleitung dieses Buches festgestellt haben, ist die Erde unter allen bekannten Himmelskorpern einzigartig, sowohl im Hinblick auf ihre physikalischen Eigenschaften als auch im Hinblick auf ihre nachgewiesene Eignung, Leben zu bewahren. Der Erfolg der Erde, seit Milliarden von Jahren Leben zu erhalten, beruht auf einer bemerkenswerten Abfolge physikalischer und biologischer Prozesse. Die Kenntnis dieser Prozesse ist die Grundlage fur den Versuch, die Voraussetzungen fur auserirdisches Leben abzuschatzen. In diesem Kapitel werden wir die Bildung und die Evolution des Planeten Erde beschreiben. Die Kenntnis dessen, wie die Erde ihre lebensspendenden Eigenschaften erlangte, dient als Grundlage fur das Verstandnis dafur, was Leben braucht und mit welcher Wahrscheinlichkeit es anderswo existiert.
Joint development in the South China Sea: Exploring the prospects of oil and gas cooperation between rivals

Abstract This article evaluates whether the South China Sea’s littoral states can cooperatively manage the region’s contested oil and natural gas resources. By examining historical intergovernmental joint development agreements (JDAs), it argues that the prospects for significant hydrocarbon cooperation are slim under current political conditions, as rival states rarely establish such accords. Moreover, creating JDAs is insufficient to prompt actual co-development of shared oil and gas deposits or improvements in states’ broader relations. Nonetheless, hydrocarbon agreements do have one important positive impact. They prevent resource-related militarized confrontations, thereby reducing the risk of territorial dispute escalation. This incentive, alone, could prompt the South China Sea’s claimant states to negotiate JDAs and third party states to encourage these efforts.
Low level of haptoglobin in lupus

Haptoglobin levels are measured in systematic lupus erythematosus patients as part of the workup for anemia, with low levels indicating hemolysis. Haptoglobin is an acute phase protein. We present 2 lupus patients who were found to have low haptoglobin levels in the absence of other evidence of hemolysis.
A Descriptive Study of Technology Use in an Urban Setting: Implications for Schools Change

Technology is an integral part of educational goals today. A study of technology use in a large urban Midwestern school district found that teachers have equipment available to them, but it is oftentimes inadequate, inconvenient, or not working. Teachers would like to use technology, but in reality they don’t use it. Part of the reason is lack of professional development. However, software limitations, school district policies that limit access and usage, and lack of technical support also account for this limited usage. Teachers are not requiring their students to use the equipment, but they would like to do so. This is due to limited software and hardware availability; focus on drill-and-kill applications, inadequate funding, and lack of school district vision for technology integration. A model for school change is presented and implications for change in technology usage in schools are discussed.
Branding the self as an “authentic feminist”: negotiating feminist values in post-feminist digital cultural production

Freelancers who produce creative content online work in an increasingly precarious neoliberal economy, which requires self-branding, self-promotion, and constant audience engagement to succeed. Cre...
Targeted Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: Introduction

The treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has changed during the past 15 years, and a new treatment paradigm is in place. Targeted agents including sunitinib, sorafenib, pazopanib, axitinib, temsirolimus, everolimus, and bevacizumab are now utilized for patients with advanced and metastatic clear-cell carcinoma. Inhibition of a variety of targets including kinase receptors and their ligands such as vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) or the intracellular kinase mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) is in part responsible for the clinical efficacy of these agents. The agents approved as of 2013 by regulatory agencies for therapy of advanced renal cell carcinoma, either directly or indirectly, inhibit the VEGF pathway.
Lazy Diagnosis of In-Production Concurrency Bugs

Diagnosing concurrency bugs---the process of understanding the root causes of concurrency failures---is hard. Developers depend on reproducing concurrency bugs to diagnose them. Traditionally, systems that attempt to reproduce concurrency bugs record fine-grained thread schedules of events (e.g., shared memory accesses) that lead to failures. Recording schedules incurs high runtime performance overhead and scales poorly, making existing techniques unsuitable in production. In this paper, we formulate the coarse interleaving hypothesis, which states that the events leading to many concurrency bugs are coarsely interleaved. Therefore, a fine-grained and expensive recording is unnecessary for diagnosing such concurrency bugs. We test the coarse interleaving hypothesis by studying 54 bugs in 13 systems and find that it holds in all cases. In particular, the time elapsed between events leading to concurrency bugs is on average 5 orders of magnitude greater than what is used today in fine-grained recording. Using the coarse interleaving hypothesis, we develop Lazy Diagnosis, a hybrid dynamic-static interprocedural pointer and type analysis to diagnose the root causes of concurrency bugs. Our Lazy Diagnosis prototype, Snorlax, relies on commodity hardware to track thread interleavings at a coarse granularity. Snorlax does not require any source code changes and can diagnose complex concurrency bugs in real large-scale systems (MySQL, httpd, memcached, etc.) with full accuracy and an average runtime performance overhead of below 1%. Broadly, we believe that our findings can be used to build more efficient in-production bug detection and record/replay techniques.
Hybrid Dynamical Systems and Control

Spatial economic systems comprise locations of economic activities (a hybrid if they are mixtures of different types), both physical and abstract linkages between pairs of these locations, and flows among these locations. Dynamics in these systems arise from the evolution through time of both the global and local behavior of these three components. Controls are instruments—economic in nature here—that may be applied to spatial economic systems in order to solicit specific changes.
Quantitative evaluation of vitrinite reflectance and atomic O/C in coal using Raman spectroscopy and multivariate analysis

Abstract Vitrinite reflectance (VRo) is a standard petrographic method for assessing thermal maturity (rank) of coal. The vitrinite reflectance technique, however, requires significant petrographic experience, can be time-consuming, and may be biased by analyst subjectivity. Correlations between coal rank and Raman spectral properties are a promising alternative that can supplant some of the limitations inherent in the VRo protocol. The traditional peak-fitting methodologies for quantifying metrics from Raman spectra, however, also suffer from analyst subjectivity that can affect correlations between analyte and spectral properties. This research combines high-throughput Raman spectroscopy with multivariate analysis (MVA) to create calibration models for the prediction of coal rank though VRo and atomic O/C ratio. MVA techniques eliminate the ambiguous subjectivity prevalent in peak-fitting methods by evaluating the full Raman spectrum, then identifying the integral vibrational modes for constructing accurate models. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models were developed using Raman spectra and VRo values (0.23–5.23%) for 68 geographically diverse coal samples. The calibration set was validated using one-half of the samples to rigorously assess the model’s predictive accuracy. The root mean standard error of prediction was 0.19 for the VRo model and 0.014 for the atomic O/C model. Both models exhibited linear correlations, with coefficients of determination (R2) for the validation set of 0.99 (VRo) and 0.93 (atomic O/C), despite the geographic and rank diversity of the samples. This study demonstrates the applicability and power of using PLS models for the prediction of both the VRo and atomic O/C ratio from Raman spectra. The quantitative MVA protocol contained herein provides a Raman alternative to the VRo industry benchmark for coal rank that is not subject to the limitations and subjectivity of peak-fitting methods.
Development and assessment of a nonlinear wave prediction methodology for surface vessels

A numerical method for the prediction of steady nonlinear ship waves and their dependence on hull geometry is developed and assessed. The method employs desingularized Rankine singularities and Havelock singularities in an iterative boundary-integral solution procedure. The Fortran code incorporating this methodology, Das Boot, is tested on three validation cases and applied to a surface combatant hull form. Nonlinear wave elevation predictions for the case of a moving pressure pulse show a 0.988 correlation with a validated fifth-order spectral prediction. Nonlinear wave elevation predictions for a Series 60 hull form show a 0.974 correlation with model-scale wave elevation data. A nonlinear transom stern boundary condition is implemented. Stern wave predictions employing this model are shown to agree with an analytic two-dimensional solution. Initial predictions for a naval surface combatant incorporating a transom stern geometry show encouraging correlation, 0.81, with model-scale tank test data.
Applications of Outlier Analysis

Outlier analysis has numerous applications in a wide variety of domains, such as the financial industry, quality control, fault diagnosis, intrusion detection, Web analytics, and medical diagnosis. The applications of outlier analysis are so diverse that it is impossible to exhaustively cover all possibilities in a single chapter. Therefore, the goal of this chapter is to cover many problem domains at a higher level and show how they map to the various techniques discussed in earlier chapters. The practical issues and challenges in the context of real data sets will also be discussed. This will provide a broader understanding of the issues involved in problem domain to technique mapping.
In Vivo Biocompatibility Studies: Perspectives on the Evaluation of Biomedical Polymer Biocompatibility

The term “Biocompatibility” is commonly used to provide an indication of the host and material responses which occur in the specific application of a given material. Biocompatibility has recently been addressed from the issue of biocompatibility is that a given material performs satisfactorily in the biological application under consideration (1). The following definitions have been suggested by Black and provide a basis for our discussion of the biocompatibility of biomedical polymers. Biocompatibility is the biological performance of a given polymer in a specific application that is judged suitable to that situation. Biological performance is the interaction between a polymer and a living system. The two aspects of this performance are the host response which is the local and systemic response, other than the intended therapeutic response, of living systems to the polymer, and the material response which is the response of the polymer to living systems. The level of host (or polymer) response is the nature of the host (or polymer) response in a standard test with respect to the response obtained with a reference polymer. A polymer that, by standard test, has been determined to elicit a reproducible, quantifiable host or polymer response can be considered to be a reference or control polymer.
Separation logic for object-oriented programming

In this article we propose techniques based on separation logic to reason about object-oriented programs. This leads to a modular proof system that can deal with features considered core to object-oriented programming, including object encapsulation, subclassing, inheritance, and dynamic dispatch.
PCSK9 loss-of-function variants and risk of infection and sepsis in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort

Background Elevated proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) levels have been associated with adverse outcomes in patients hospitalized for sepsis. PCSK9 loss-of-function (LOF) variants area associated with lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Decreased LDL-C is a biomarker of acute and chronic infection and sepsis risk. We examined the association between presence of two genetic PCSK9 LOF variants and risk of infection and sepsis in community-dwelling adults. Methods We analyzed data from 10,924 Black participants tested for PCSK9 LOF variants in the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. The primary endpoint was hospitalization for a serious infection. Within serious infection hospitalizations, we defined sepsis as ≥2 system inflammatory response syndrome criteria. Using multivariable Cox and logistic regression, we investigated the association between LOF variants and hospitalization for infection and sepsis events, adjusting for sociodemographics, health behaviors, chronic medical conditions and select biomarkers. Results Among 10,924 Black participants, PCSK9 LOF variants were present in 244 (2.2%). Serious infection hospitalizations occurred in 779 participants (14 with PCSK9 variants and 765 without). The presence of PCSK9 variants was not associated with infection risk (adjusted HR 0.68; 95% CI: 0.38–1.25). Among participants hospitalized for a serious infection, the presence of PCSK9 variants was not associated with sepsis (adjusted OR 7.31; 95% CI = 0.91–58.7). Conclusions PCSK9 LOF variants are not associated with increased risk of hospitalization for a serious infection. Among those hospitalized for a serious infection, PCSK9 LOF variants was not associated with odds of sepsis.
Increased Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor in Lumbar Dorsal Root Ganglia Contributes to the Enhanced Exercise Pressor Reflex in Heart Failure.

An exaggerated exercise pressor reflex (EPR) is associated with excessive sympatho-excitation and exercise intolerance in the chronic heart failure (CHF) state. We hypothesized that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) causes the exaggerated EPR via sensitizing muscle mechanosensitive afferents in CHF. Increased BDNF expression was observed in lumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) from CHF rats compared to sham rats. Immunofluorescence data showed a greater increase in the number of BDNF-positive neurons in medium and large-sized DRG subpopulations from CHF rats. Patch clamp data showed that incubation with BDNF for 4–6 h, significantly decreased the current threshold-inducing action potential (AP), threshold potential and the number of APs during current injection in Dil-labeled isolectin B4 (IB4)-negative medium-sized DRG neurons (mainly mechano-sensitive) from sham rats. Compared to sham rats, CHF rats exhibited an increased number of APs during current injection in the same DRG subpopulation, which was significantly attenuated by 4-h incubation with anti-BDNF. Finally, chronic epidural delivery of anti-BDNF attenuated the exaggerated pressor response to either static contraction or passive stretch in CHF rats whereas this intervention had no effect on the pressor response to hindlimb arterial injection of capsaicin. These data suggest that increased BDNF in lumbar DRGs contributes to the exaggerated EPR in CHF.
IS MARRIAGE ESSENTIAL

Marriage requires compatibility in all terms for both men and women. But it is generally observed that Indian women have to compromise more, due to their culture and tradition. Women of today's generation are now educated and want to live independent as boys in all terms. Now, the situation is that, they don't prefer marriage because they have to compromise after that. No matter how well educated a women is; family, society and men will judge her only by her kitchen skills more. If they do so then, they want their life as used to be before, means freeness; mutual consent; self respect and respect from both sides, to themselves and to both family; their existence should be maintained. The main objective regarding this research is to find out the mindset of womenboth married and unmarried regarding marriage, whether it is essential and not in present scenario and for this, random sampling technique is adopted. This research is limited to DurgBhilai area of Chhattisgarh. It is observed that approximately all of the women prefer job than marriage, to achieve equality in society. The working unmarried women and the business class married women still believe in marriage.
Tissue mechanics drives epithelialization, goblet cell regeneration, and restoration of a mucociliated epidermis on the surface of embryonic aggregates

Abstract Injury, surgery, and disease often disrupt tissues and it is the process of regeneration that aids the restoration of architecture and function. Regeneration can occur through multiple strategies including induction of stem cell expansion, transdifferentiation, or proliferation of differentiated cells. We have uncovered a case of regeneration that restores a mucociliated epithelium from mesenchymal cells. Following disruption of embryonic tissue architecture and assembly of a compact mesenchymal aggregate, regeneration first involves restoration of an epithelium, transitioning from mesenchymal cells at the surface of the aggregate. Cells establish apico-basal polarity within 5 hours and a mucociliated epithelium within 24. Regeneration coincides with nuclear translocation of the putative mechanotransducer YAP1 and a sharp increase in aggregate stiffness, and regeneration can be controlled by altering stiffness. We propose that regeneration of a mucociliated epithelium occurs in response to biophysical cues sensed by newly exposed cells on the surface of a disrupted mesenchymal tissue.
Interannual variability and trends of combustion aerosol and dust in major continental outflows revealed by MODIS retrievals and CAM5 simulations during 2003–2017

Abstract. Emissions and long-range transport of mineral dust and combustion-related aerosol from burning fossil fuels and biomass vary from year to year, driven by the evolution of the economy and changes in meteorological conditions and environmental regulations. This study offers both satellite and model perspectives on the interannual variability and possible trends of combustion aerosol and dust in major continental outflow regions over the past 15 years (2003–2017). The decade-long record of aerosol optical depth (AOD, denoted as τ ), separately for combustion aerosol ( τc ) and dust ( τd ), over global oceans is derived from the Collection 6 aerosol products of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) onboard both Terra and Aqua. These MODIS Aqua datasets, complemented by aerosol source-tagged simulations using the Community Atmospheric Model version 5 (CAM5), are then analyzed to understand the interannual variability and potential trends of τc and τd in the major continental outflows. Both MODIS and CAM5 consistently yield a similar decreasing trend of −0.017 to −0.020 per decade for τc over the North Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea that is attributable to reduced emissions from North America and Europe, respectively. On the contrary, both MODIS and CAM5 display an increasing trend of + 0.017 to + 0.036 per decade for τc over the tropical Indian Ocean, the Bay of Bengal, and the Arabian Sea, which reflects the influence of increased anthropogenic emissions from South Asia and the Middle East in the last 2 decades. Over the northwestern Pacific Ocean, which is often affected by East Asian emissions of pollution and dust, the MODIS retrievals show a decreasing trend of −0.021 per decade for τc and −0.012 per decade for τd , which is, however, not reproduced by the CAM5 model. In other outflow regions strongly influenced by biomass burning smoke or dust, both MODIS retrievals and CAM5 simulations show no statistically significant trends; the MODIS-observed interannual variability is usually larger than that of the CAM5 simulation.
What’s Good for the Marrow Is Bad for the Heart: Improving Anemia in a Cardiac Iron Overload Model of Hbbth1/th1 Mice.

β-thalassemia is a β-globin gene mutation that leads to ineffective erythropoiesis, increased apoptosis, shortened red blood cell (RBC) survival, and anemia. The severity of anemia is variable, ranging from β-thalassemia major patients requiring transfusion therapy to β-thalassemia intermedia patients who are transfusion independent but absorb more iron from the gastrointestinal tract. Both types develop iron overload, with cardiac complications accounting for the majority of deaths. We hypothesized that cardiac iron overload in β-thalassemia intermedia occurs as a consequence of increased iron demand in the hematopoietic organs which, when not met, unexpectedly leads to relative iron deficiency and increased iron absorption. Iron is not present in the hearts of Hbb th1/th1 mice at baseline. However, abnormal echocardiogram results were observed in our mice relative to wild type, with lower ejection fractions ( P =0.004, n=6) and a proportionally larger left ventricular mass ( P =0.005, n=6) at baseline. We also developed a mouse model of cardiac iron overload in Hbb th1/th1 mice using iron dextran injections. After iron dextran, we demonstrated a significant decrease in left ventricular mass ( P =0.008, n=4) compared to baseline and in a pilot experiment, observed a 150-fold increase in non-heme iron in heart as measured by spectrophotometry,. Furthermore, 130 mg of iron dextran injected over four weeks increases the reticulocyte count ( P =0.03, n=5) as well as the hematocrit ( P =0.01, n=5). Transferrin saturation with this method of iron loading increased from 35% to 100% ( P =6x10 −9 relative to baseline, n=6). Extramedullary hematopoiesis in the liver increased proportionally to the amount of iron administered and could be visualized near iron-laden Kupffer cells. Due to the increased iron demand in β-thalassemia and improved reticulocyte count and hemoglobin with the administration of iron, we postulated that Hbb th1/th1 mice are relatively iron deficient and set out to analyze the physiological mechanism of improved hematopoiesis after iron. With ter-119 and CD-71 to identify RBC precursors, and Annexin-V to identify apoptotic cells, we used flow cytometry to show that iron dextran administration decreases the degree of apoptosis in RBC precursors (from 21% to 8.5%) in Hbb th1/th1 mice to levels measured in wildtype mice at baseline. Preliminary results on RBC lifespan show that there is a shortened RBC survival in Hbb th1/th1 mice, with 50% of Hbb th1/th1 RBCs destroyed at 10.1 days relative to 21.8 days in C57 controls ( P th1/th1 mice. In conclusion, the administration of iron dextran leads to clear improvement in erythropoiesis in Hbb th1/th1 mice and is in part due to increased extramedullary hematopoiesis, decreased apoptosis of RBC precursors, and possibly improved RBC survival. The loss of left ventricular mass after iron dextran administration implies myocyte death and supports our use of Hbb th1/th1 mice as a model of cardiac iron overload in β-thalassemia intermedia.
A Practical Downlink NOMA Scheme for Wireless LANs

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) has emerged as a new multiple access paradigm for wireless networks. Although many results have been produced for NOMA, most of them are limited to theoretical exploration and performance analysis in cellular networks. Very limited progress has been made so far in the design of practical NOMA schemes for wireless local area networks (WLANs). In this paper, we propose a practical downlink NOMA scheme for WLANs and evaluate its performance in real-world wireless environments. Our NOMA scheme has three key components: precoder design, user grouping, and successive interference cancellation (SIC). On the transmitter side, we first formulate the precoding design problem as an optimization problem and then devise an efficient algorithm to construct precoders for downlink NOMA transmissions. We further propose a lightweight user grouping algorithm to ensure the success of SIC at the receivers. On the receiver side, we propose a new SIC method to decode the desired signal in the presence of strong interference. In contrast to existing SIC methods, our SIC method does not require channel estimation to decode the signals, thereby improving its resilience to interference. We have built a prototype of the proposed NOMA scheme on a wireless testbed. Experimental results show that, compared to orthogonal multiple access (OMA), the proposed NOMA scheme can significantly improve the weak user’s date rate (93% on average) and considerably improve WLAN’s weighted sum rate (36% on average).
A 77-dB-DR 0.65-mW 20-MHz 5th-Order Coupled Source Followers Based Low-Pass Filter

A compact coupled source followers (CSFs)-based low-pass filter (LPF) topology is presented with excellent power efficiency and high linearity. It synthesizes a 3rd-order low-pass transfer function in a single stage that is comprised of two CSFs and three capacitors. It can also be configured to a 2nd-order by disconnecting a capacitor. A 5th-order LPF prototype is designed with a cascade of two proposed filter stages in a 0.18- $\mu \text {m}$ CMOS process. Operating under a 1.3-V supply voltage, the filter consumes 0.5-mA total current and achieves a −3 dB bandwidth of 20 MHz. A total harmonic distortion (THD) of −39.5 dBc at the output is measured with a +6.6 dBm (i.e., 1.35 $V_{{\text {pk}-\text {pk}}}$ ) 2-MHz input signal. The measured in-band 3rd-order input interception point (IIP3) is +24.5 dBm. The resulting dynamic range (DR) at −40 dBc THD is 76.9 dB, with 15.3-nV $\surd $ Hz averaged in-band input-referred noise. The chip occupies an active area of 0.12 mm2.
The Synchrotron Radiation Induced Chemistry of the Adamantane/Si(111)-7×7 Surface

The synchrotron radiation (SR) induced photochemistry of adamantane adsorbed on Si(111)-7×7 surfaces has been studied using photoemission spectroscopy (PES) and photon stimulated desorption (PSD). The clean Si subtrates were first dosed with adamantane at a temperature of 85 K, then exposed to broadband SR with the temperature held at 85 K, and finally flash annealed to 525 K. When annealed, the unexposed adlayer dissociated forming predominantly hydrated Si-C species. When the adlayer was exposed to high energy (hv>284 eV) broadband SR, the adamantane layer again dissociated but reacted with the surface to form a layer similar to SiC. However, when the surface was exposed to low energy broadband SR, 1-adamantanyl radicals were generated which in turn reacted with the surface to form adamantyl-Si species. The adamantyl-Si reactants were stable up to temperatures of at least 525 K.
Tobacco use is not associated with increased risk of recurrent reflux 5 years after laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery

Tobacco use worsens gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD). Smoking cessation improves GERD symptoms, but its impact on the efficacy of laparoscopic anti-reflux surgery (LARS) is unclear. In this retrospective cohort study, we hypothesized that non-smokers would demonstrate greater long-term improvements in disease-specific quality of life than active smokers. Data were maintained in an IRB-approved prospective database, and patients were stratified according to tobacco use. Postoperative follow-up occurred in clinic and long-term follow-up via telephone interview. Outcomes measured were gastroesophageal health-related quality of life (GERD-HRQL) and GERD symptom scale (GERSS) scores, proton pump inhibitor (PPI) cessation, and satisfaction with surgery. Two hundred and thirty-five patients underwent primary LARS, and 31 (13%) were active smokers with 18 median pack-years [10–30]. Baseline PPI use (96% vs. 94%, p = 0.64), presence of a hiatal hernia (79% vs. 68%, p = 0.13), esophagitis (28% vs. 45%, p = 0.13), and DeMeester score (41.9 vs. 33.6, p = 0.47) were similar. Baseline GERD-HRQL and GERSS scores and their post-surgical decreases were also similar between groups. PPI cessation was achieved in 92% of non-smokers and 94% of smokers (p = 0.79), and GERD-HRQL scores decreased to 4 [1–7] and 5 [0–12], respectively (p = 0.53). After 59 [25–74] months, GERD-HRQL scores were 5 [2–11] and 2 [0–13] (p = 0.61) and PPI cessation was maintained in 69% and 79% of patients (p = 0.59). Satisfaction with surgery was similar between smokers and non-smokers (88% vs. 87%, p = 0.85). Female gender was significantly associated with increased improvements in GERD-HRQL (p < 0.01) and GERSS scores (p = 0.04) postoperatively but not at long-term follow-up. Patients without a hiatal hernia were less likely to achieve long-term PPI cessation compared to those with a hernia (OR 0.23, p < 0.01). After 5 years, smokers demonstrate similar symptom resolution, PPI cessation rates, and satisfaction with surgery as non-smokers. Active smoking does not appear to negatively impact long-term symptomatic outcomes of LARS.
Constraints on the Topology of the Universe from the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe First-Year Sky Maps

We compute the covariance expected between the spherical harmonic coefficients alm of the cosmic microwave temperature anisotropy if the universe had a compact topology. For a fundamental cell size smaller than the distance to the decoupling surface, off-diagonal components carry more information than the diagonal components (the power spectrum). We use a maximum likelihood analysis to compare the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) first-year data to models with a cubic topology. The data are compatible with finite flat topologies with fundamental domain L > 1.2 times the distance to the decoupling surface at a 95% confidence level. The WMAP data show reduced power at the quadrupole and octopole, but they do not show the correlations expected for a compact topology and are indistinguishable from infinite models.
Aortic arch stenting: current strategies, new technologies and future directions

Operating on the aortic arch is a formidable challenge. Open operations remain the gold standard, but despite improvement in technique and outcomes, they are still associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The last 20 years have seen a remarkable reduction in the operative morbidity associated with treatment of the descending thoracic aorta using thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR). To improve outcomes following arch repair, new TEVAR devices, including both single-branched and multibranched designs, have come to clinical trial. This review discusses the modern state of open and hybrid repairs while introducing the reader to technology for endovascular therapy of the aortic arch. We describe important anatomical and operative considerations for the devices. Given these nuances, we believe the future of the aortic arch to be patient-individualised hybrid repairs, involving both open and endovascular options with a multidisciplinary ‘thoracic aorta team’ at the helm.
RAAF: Resource-Aware Auto Featuring

The task of a data scientist can be summarized as to understand data behavior and apply it to solve problems. It requires domain knowledge and exploratory analysis to select the main features that should be used, which usually includes the need to create new attributes by transforming the available data, a process known as Feature Engineering. In the field of machine learning, this step is considered one of the most time consuming task and therefore many strategies were proposed to automate this process, ranging from simply applying randomly selected transformations to the data to much more sophisticated approaches. Automated feature engineering can have a very high computational cost, which becomes a more relevant issue in scenarios such as Edge Intelligence, i.e., to bring artificial intelligence algorithms to edge devices, where one must manage processing power, memory, and energy more carefully. In this work, we proposed a resource-aware strategy to automate feature engineering based on simulated annealing meta-heuristic. The results show the necessity of a resource-aware solution considering the number of new features generated by each strategy compared.
Jewish communities in Asia Minor

Preface List of abbreviations Introduction 1. Jewish communities of Asia Minor in literary sources 2. The Jewish communities at Sardis and Priene 3. The Jewish community at Acmonia 4. The Jewish community at Apamea 5. The prominence of women in Asia Minor 6. Theos Hypsistos and Sabazios - syncretism in Judaism in Asia Minor? 7. 'God-worshippers' in Asia Minor 8. Jewish community and Greek city in Asia Minor Conclusions Notes References Indices.
Work in progress-case study: in service learning incorporated into class work

This work in progress case study involves a nontraditional concept of incorporating an in service learning experience with a course lecture for class credit. In the construction management program at Georgia Southern University, we have applied the habitat for humanity house construction experience as the lab portion of our wood structures course. The students learn about wood structures and wood construction during the lecture portion of the class and then are required to complete their lab at the Statesboro habitat for humanity construction site. It is an important experience for the students since they receive a real life look at their lecture material. This active and cooperative learning also provides an opportunity for them to volunteer in the local community. The spring 2004 semester was the second semester that the habitat for humanity lab was in use. It is an ongoing pilot program that initially appears to be successful. We will continue to evaluate this learning environment by student participation, response and habitat for humanity feedback.
Systemic platelet-activating factor-receptor activation augments experimental lung cancer growth and metastasis (LB496)

Pro-oxidative stressors including cigarette smoke (CS) generate novel lipids with Platelet-activated Factor-receptor (PAF-R) agonistic activity and mediate systemic immunosuppression, one of the mo...
Analysis of FSS composites comprising of multiple FSS screens of unequal periodicity

In this paper, we have presented an efficient cascading procedure for analyzing an FSS composite system, comprising of multiple FSS screens of unequal periodicities, embedded in multiple dielectric layers. The numerical examples demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the technique. Based on this procedure, a computer program has been developed for the analysis of dissimilar FSS systems.
LIGNOCELLULOSIC BIOMASS: A POTENTIAL FEEDSTOCK TO REPLACE PETROLEUM

Sustainability considerations for product and energy production in a future US economy can be met with lignocellulosic biomass. The age of petroleum as the key resource to meet the US economy requirements is rapidly dwindling, given the limited resources of petroleum, the growing global population, and concurrent detrimental effects on environmental safety. The use of natural and renewable feedstocks such as trees and switchgrass is becoming more attractive; indeed, lignocellulosic biomass is becoming a logical alternative to petroleum in light of looming oil shortages, increases in oil prices, and environmental sustainability considerations. This editorial aims at providing a broad overview of the consider-ations for replacing the US petroleum economy with one based on lignocellulosic biomass.
A numerical frequency domain technique for the optimization of high speed multi-conductor transmission line circuits based on the worst case design approach

In this paper, a deterministic "worst case" design approach based on a numerical frequency domain technique for the interconnect and package optimization of high speed digital circuits is presented. The frequency domain technique is based on using the modal analysis to suppress the natural resonances of multi-conductor transmission line networks. Once a network is optimized in the frequency domain, the optimized worst case timing and signal integrity parameters, based on which the maximum operating speed is determined, are computed in the time domain. Finally, to demonstrate the accuracy of technique, several numerical examples of multi-conductor networks are presented. The region of validity of the worst case design approach is substantiated by extensive Monte-Carlo analysis.