cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coarse-textured basal zones in thin loess deposits: Products of sediment mixing and/or paleoenvironmental change?

Abstract The purpose of this research was to characterize and interpret the coarse basal zones that are common in thin loess deposits that overlie coarser-textured sediment. To that end, we sampled nine pedons in northeastern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, each of which had formed in thin (≤ 55 cm) loess over sandy glacial sediment. At most of these sites, the loess became noticeably coarser near the lithologic discontinuity. The loess has a primary particle size mode in the coarse silt or fine, very fine sand fraction (≈ 30–65 μm) and a secondary mode in the fine or medium sand fraction (≈ 200–400 μm). We attribute the secondary mode to mixing of underlying sands into the loess, either during loess deposition or by post-depositional pedoturbation. In thin loess, pedoturbation processes can penetrate into the underlying sediment, facilitating mixing upward as far as 50 cm into the loess. Silt from the loess has also been mixed into the underlying sandy sediment. Alternatively, in some pedons, the loess itself coarsens with depth; the particle size mode for the loess becomes increasingly coarser with depth. This coarsening suggests that, during loess deposition, one or more of the following was occurring: (1) wind velocities were decreasing over time, (2) the textural character of the loess source area(s) were changing/decreasing, or (3) additional source areas—with finer-textured sediment—became more dominant over time. Our research demonstrates the utility of detailed particle size data for detecting and interpreting the paleoenvironmental history of loess. We also document the extent to which pedoturbation can impact the original textural characteristics of loess (or any sediment) that occurs as a thin surficial mantle.
Mental Retardation Research, Ecological Validity, and the Delivery of Longitudinal Education Programs

The paper discusses the schism that has developed between mental retardation research and the programmatic reform activities taking place in the educational and residential sectors. Principles for conducting more ecologically valid research are advanced to end this separation between fields and to improve the scientific status of mental retardation research. It is suggested that the researcher redefine his/her professional role to a more collaborative one with the staff of the research site. Finally, two examples are presented where ecologically valid research could be fruitfully generated.
Effects of an Early Family Intervention on Children’s Memory: The Mediating Effects of Cortisol Levels

Developmental psychologists have long been concerned with the ways that early adversity influences children's long-term outcomes. In the current study, activity of the HPA axis of medically at-risk (e.g., preterm) infants was measured as a result of maternal participation in a novel cognitively-based home visitation program (versus a Healthy Start home visitation program). Maternal participation in the cognitive intervention predicted lower basal cortisol levels among infants - with reduced levels of maternal avoidance/withdrawal serving as a mediator of this relation. Lower cortisol levels in infancy, in turn, predicted higher verbal short-term memory at age 3. Short-term memory represents a cognitive ability that has importance for children's later educational outcomes. Findings provide experimental evidence concerning the pathway by which an early intervention may produce hormonal changes that can, in turn, influence children's learning outcomes.
Time Scale and Adjusted Survival Curves for Marginal Structural Cox Models

Typical applications of marginal structural time-to-event (e.g., Cox) models have used time on study as the time scale. Here, the authors illustrate use of time on treatment as an alternative time scale. In addition, a method is provided for estimating Kaplan-Meier-type survival curves for marginal structural models. For illustration, the authors estimate the total effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy on time to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or death in 1,498 US men and women infected with human immunodeficiency virus and followed for 6,556 person-years between 1995 and 2002; 323 incident cases of clinical AIDS and 59 deaths occurred. Of the remaining 1,116 participants, 77% were still under observation at the end of follow-up. By using time on study, the hazard ratio for AIDS or death comparing always with never using highly active antiretroviral therapy from the marginal structural model was 0.52 (95% confidence interval: 0.35, 0.76). By using time on treatment, the analogous hazard ratio was 0.44 (95% confidence interval: 0.32, 0.60). In time-to-event analyses, the choice of time scale may have a meaningful impact on estimates of association and precision. In the present example, use of time on treatment yielded a hazard ratio further from the null and more precise than use of time on study as the time scale.
The influence of visual factors on fall-related kinematic variables during stair descent by older women.

Despite the documented health hazards associated with stair descent, the mechanisms of falling on stairs remain relatively unexamined. The objectives of this study were to define kinematic variables that could be used to describe foot-stair spatial relationships during the mid-stair phase of stair descent, and to investigate the effects of various visual and environmental conditions on those variables in a group of 36 healthy women between the ages of 55 and 70. Foot clearance and foot placement were measured through high-speed film analysis. Clearance between the foot and the stair during swing phase was small under all visual conditions. Degraded visual acuity had a significant effect on cadence, foot placement, and foot clearance, but visual surround conditions did not. The kinematic variables used in this experiment may be helpful in future studies to assess the results of interventions aimed at reducing the frequency of falls on stairs. Language: en
Surfactant protein B detection and gene expression in chronic rhinosinusitis.

Introduction: Surfactant protein (SP)-B is a hydrophobic protein secreted within pulmonary surfactant that facilitates the adsorption of surface-active lipids to the air-liquid interface of the alveoli and increases alveolar stability. SP-B may also have anti-inflammatory properties. It is implicated in decreasing the pulmonary inflammatory response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. However, the expression and function of SP-B in the sinonasal cavities has not been elucidated. Our objective was to detect the presence of SP-B, measure alterations in several forms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), and localize cellular protein expression. Materials/Methods: Sinus mucosal biopsies were performed in patients with allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS), nonatopic CRS with nasal polyposis (NP), and cystic fibrosis (CF) and in healthy controls. SP-B mRNA was measured in CRS and control patients using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Immunoblot analysis and immunolocalization of SP-B were also performed. Results: CF (n = 4) showed significantly increased levels of SP-B (169-fold) mRNA (P = .004) when compared with controls (n = 5). CRS with NP (n = 5) and AFRS (n = 7) also demonstrated elevated levels of SP- B (14-fold and 4-fold, respectively) when compared with the control group, although these were not statistically significant. Immunoblot analysis confirmed the presence of the translated product, and immunolocalization revealed expression in the epithelium and submucosal glandular elements. Conclusion: This is the first study to detect and characterize SP-B in human sinus mucosa. Furthermore, SP-B is significantly up-regulated in CF CRS.
Antenna auto-calibration and metrology approach for the AFRL/JPL space based radar

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) are collaborating in the technology development for a space based radar (SBR) system that would feature a large aperture lightweight antenna for a joint mission later in this decade. This antenna system is a 50 m/spl times/2 m electronically steerable phased array in L-band (1260 MHz center frequency, 80 MHz bandwidth) and contains 384/spl times/12 transmit/receive modules. The radar is designed to operate in a variety of modes including synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and moving target indication (MTI). Stringent requirements are placed on phase center knowledge and antenna sidelobe levels during a data take, in the presence of temperature changes due to the orbital thermal environment, self heating, spacecraft platform vibrations, and mechanical deformation. We present an auto-calibration and metrology system concept to correct for phase errors and mechanical deformation during the mission.
Self-resetting stage logic pipelines

In this paper, we present a novel synchronization approach to support data flow in clockless designs using single-rail encoding. This approach is based on self-resetting stage logic in which a pipeline stage resets itself before starting the next execution cycle. As such, a stage goes through a reset phase when its output is null, and an evaluate phase when its output is the result of the evaluation of its inputs. To insure correct operation, a pipeline stage is ready to absorb inputs from a previous stage if it is in the reset phase. As a result, data flow from one stage to another when the preceding stage is in the evaluate phase while the following stage is in the reset phase. To support this data flow, a latch-based synchronization mechanism is proposed. This mechanism yields an efficient and simple uni-directional handshaking scheme between stages that allows for easy implementation. This handshaking scheme is extended to handle the join and forks of data flows encountered in non-linear pipelines. A concept design of a four-bit 16-stage pipeline is presented to illustrate the inner workings of self-resetting stage logic and its data-flow synchronization mechanism. The pipeline performance is examined through a detailed signal timing analysis. This analysis reveals some insights on how the duration of the evaluate phase gradually increases while the duration of the reset phase and the latch enable gradually decreases toward the left stages of the pipeline. This gradual decrease in the duration of the enable of the latches between stages is used to derive a bound on the maximum possible depth of the pipeline.
Hybrid optimization-an experimental study

The authors compare the performance of a hybrid optimization method to that of pure gradient based methods. The hybrid optimization method comprises an initial adaptive ordinal search phase followed by a gradient ascent (descent) phase. The adaptive ordinal search phase consists of fixing the size of the design population and ranking the members of the population using an estimated value of the performance. Members of the design population for the next stage are picked using the top designs of the previous population. This process is achieved via a variation on the standard genetic algorithm (see D. E. Goldberg, 1989). Ho et al. (1992) showed that ranks of populations are relatively insensitive to simulation noise, and as the experimental data show, this fact is useful in using short simulation runs to improve the search efficiency before the onset of the final gradient ascent (descent) phase. >
Nephropathology quiz page.

A thirty-year-old African–American woman without significant past medical history was seen in the renal clinic for evaluation of rising creatinine. At the time of her visit creatinine was 2.7 mg/dL. Over four years her creatinine had gradually risen from a baseline of 0.8 mg/dL. The patient denied using any medication over the last 6 months and also denied suffering from rashes and arthralgias. She was HIV and hepatitis B and C negative, had an ESR of 65, and was ANA negative. Her MRI revealed scarring of both kidneys, normal renal arteries, and retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy. Her chest CT revealed peripheral groundglass opacity with mild septal thickening in the lungs and diffuse lymphadenopathy in the axillae and mediastinum. Lymph node biopsy revealed no abnormality. Urinalysis revealed mild proteinuria, few RBCs, WBC, and granular casts, and a few epithelial cells. A renal biopsy was performed. What is your clinical differential diagnosis? What do you see with eosin/hematoxylin (H + E) stain?
Critical issues and required facilities

The author discusses fusion nuclear technology issues and development needs, including approaches to solving these problems. These unresolved fusion nuclear technology issues relate to feasibility which is, the ultimate acceptance test. A new study called FINESSE investigates the technical and the programmatic issues in the development of fusion nuclear components. The author concludes that there are many complex issues, which means we must understand the issues and testing needs, quantify the test requirements, and work more in developing the engineering scaling relationships.
Steroid-C14 metabolism in bile acid and cholesterol-treated mice after injection of mevalonic acid-2-C14.

SummaryThe effects of bile acid and cholesterol on the time-pattern of fecal steroid-C14 elimination was investigated in mice following a single injection of mevalonic acid-2-C14. In controls, excreted bile acid-C14 assayed 3 times sterol-C14 during the first 24 hours. This ratio reversed during the 2nd 24-hour period, and remained constant for the remainder of the 7-day experiment. Cholic acid depressed bile acid-C14 excretion, but failed to alter the time pattern of fecal sterol-C14 elimination. Cholesterol plus cholic acid depressed bile acid-C14 and increased α + β sterol-C14 excretion throughout the experiment. Hyodeoxycholic acid increased sterol-C14 excretion (shown to be of hepatic origin), had little effect on bile acid-C14 excretion, and increased total steroid-C14 eliminated. Lithocholic acid had a similar though smaller effect. After sacrifice, the livers of cholic acid-treated mice had twice the β-sterol-C14 concentration found in livers of controls, while those of mice treated with cholester...
Functionalization of Single-Wall Zigzag Carbon Nanotubes by Carboxyl Groups: Clustering Effect

Carboxylation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is a byproduct of acid oxidation treatments that are applied routinely for several purposes including cleaning of CNTs and as a first step of functionalization procedures. In this study, we employ density functional calculations to study the atomic and electronic structures of side-wall —COOH-functionalized zigzag CNTs and elucidate their dependence on the tube diameter and the metallic or semiconducting character. Adsorption of a —COOH group shows a covalent bonding character associated with a small charge transfer from the CNT to the carboxyl groups. The amount of charge transfer, as well as the binding energy, of the carboxyl to the CNT decreases with the tube diameter. We find that it is thermodynamically more favorable for —COOH to adsorb in pairs on top of two neighboring carbon atoms that are bonded along the tube axis. This clustering effect becomes more favorable for larger diameter CNTs, because the difference in adsorption energy between isolated and pai...
Potent anti-proliferative actions of a non-diuretic glucosamine derivative of ethacrynic acid

Ethacrynic acid (EA), a known inhibitor of the neoplastic marker glutathione S-transferase P1 and other GSTs, exerts a weak antiproliferative activity against human cancer cells. The clinical use of EA (Edecrin) as an anticancer drug is limited by its potent loop diuretic activity. In this study, we developed a non-diuretic 2-amino-2-deoxy-d-glucose conjugated EA (EAG) to target tumors cells via the highly expressed glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Cell survival assays revealed that EAG had little effect on normal cells, but was cytotoxic 3 to 4.5-fold greater than EA. Mechanistically, the EAG induced selective cell death in cancer cells by inhibiting GSTP1 and generating abundant reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, EAG induced p21(cip1) expression and a G2/M cell cycle block irrespective of the p53 gene status in tumor cells. These data encourage the development of new EA analogs.
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION OF JET IMPINGEMENT WITH CROSS FLOW—COMPARISON OF YANG-SHIH AND STANDARD k–ϵ TURBULENCE MODELS

ABSTRACT Computational fluid dynamics models are used to predict the heat transfer distribution on a smooth surface under an array of angled impinging jets. The three-dimensional numerical models simulate impingement with cross flow in one direction. Jet angle is varied between 30°, 60°, and 90° as measured from the smooth flat impingement surface. Conjugate conduction in the heated boundary is included in the analysis. Two turbulence models are examined, the standard k–ϵ model and the Yang-Shih model. Local and average heat transfer coefficients are compared with test data for 30 test cases. The Yang-Shih model was able to predict average Nusselt number within 2–30%. The standard k–ϵ model predicts average Nusselt number with 0 to nearly 60% error.
Study on Design and Simulation of DC De-icing Device

At first,the structure and characteristics of DC de-icing system are introduced.The 12 pulsating DC de-icing scheme for certain substation in Guangxi is used as example,the characteristic of reactive power and harmonic under different running conditions and its impact on access point are analyzed in order to properly design branches with filtering capacitor to control harmonic and compensate reactive power.The system model under DC de-icing running condition by using of PSCAD/EMTDC is built,and all obtained key parameters are compared with that of theory calculation values,which verifies the validity of simulation model.In the end,PSAF is used as to analyze the harmonious results obtained from the simulation model,and the branches with filtering capacitor(FC) whose filtering effect and reactive capacity under different running condition meet the system requirements is designed.
Evaluation of the use of deuterium oxide dilution techniques for determination of body composition of beef steers.

Body composition as estimated by a one- or two-compartment deuterium oxide dilution technique was compared with directly measured body composition of 15 large- and 15 small-frame steers. Body composition of the steers was measured at 219, 412 and 603 kg live weight. Empty body protein was overestimated (P less than .05) 3.6% from a one-compartment model (1 CM, using the slope, intercept method), while empty body protein was underestimated (P less than .05) 5.4% from a two-compartment kinetic model (2CM). Empty body ether extract estimated by 1 CM was not significantly different from the direct method, although 4.7% larger. Empty body ether extract was overestimated (P less than .001) 32.2% by the 2CM. Empty body water was accurately estimated from the 1CM when a 3.2% correction factor was used for the overestimation of total body water by the 1CM, but water in gastrointestinal tract contents was overestimated (P less than .001) 13.4% by the 1CM. Empty body water was underestimated (P less than .001) 7.8% by the 2CM, and water in gastrointestinal tract contents was overestimated (P less than .001) 41.8% by the 2CM due to its dependence on regression equations that differ between groups of cattle. The 2CM offered no advantage over the 1CM. A three-compartment model was not better than the 2CM in estimating body water compartments. Assuming the amount of empty body water associated with either empty body protein or ash to be constant seemed to be valid. Suggested values calculated from data presented in the literature for growing cattle with an empty body weight greater than 175 kg are .302 and .0668, respectively, for the ratios of protein and ash to water. The relationship between empty body fat and water was, percentage empty body fat = 94.27--(1.267)(percentage empty body water), which had a 1.25 residual standard deviation and a .98 coefficient of determination.
The Many Roles of BAF (mSWI/SNF) and PBAF Complexes in Cancer

During the last decade, a host of epigenetic mechanisms were found to contribute to cancer and other human diseases. Several genomic studies have revealed that ∼20% of malignancies have alterations of the subunits of polymorphic BRG-/BRM-associated factor (BAF) and Polybromo-associated BAF (PBAF) complexes, making them among the most frequently mutated complexes in cancer. Recurrent mutations arise in genes encoding several BAF/PBAF subunits, including ARID1A, ARID2, PBRM1, SMARCA4, and SMARCB1 These subunits share some degree of conservation with subunits from related adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in model organisms, in which a large body of work provides insight into their roles in cancer. Here, we review the roles of BAF- and PBAF-like complexes in these organisms, and relate these findings to recent discoveries in cancer epigenomics. We review several roles of BAF and PBAF complexes in cancer, including transcriptional regulation, DNA repair, and regulation of chromatin architecture and topology. More recent results highlight the need for new techniques to study these complexes.
39-OR: CYTOKINE AND CHEMOKINE GENE POLYMORPHISMS IMPACT ON CMV INFECTION IN LUNG TRANSPLANT RECIPIENTS

Aim We investigated the association between genetic polymorphisms (GPs) in immune response genes and CMV viremia and disease in lung transplant (LT) recipients that are both CMV sero-positive (R+) and recipient negative/donor positive (R−/D+). Methods CMV viremia and disease were determined in a cohort of LTx (n = 389) that included 62% (R+), 20% (R−/D+), and 17% (R−/D−). All LTx were analysed for9 GPs:5 cytokines (TNF-a, IFN-g, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12B), 1 growth factor (TGF-B), 2 chemokines (CCR5 and CCL2 that impact mononuclear cell traffic) and an effector molecule that controls T helper immunity (CTLA4) by SSP-PCR and/or sequencing. The majority of LTx were Caucasian (90%) with a mean follow-up of 1242 ± 785 days. To account for differential length of follow-up post-Tx, we analyzed CMV viremia and disease rates as the number of episodes/patient-year. Multivariable Poisson regression models adjusting for patient age were used to evaluate the impact of GPs on CMV. Results A higher proportion of (R−/D+) vs. (R+) LTx patients developed CMV disease (23% and 6%, p p = 0.12) For (R−/D+) LTx, IL-6 High was associated with higher rate of viremia (MR 3.86; p = 0.003), and CCL2 TT and IL12B AA were protective (MR 0.25 and 0.52, respectively; both p Conclusions Different GPs were associated with an increased risk of CMV reactivation and disease in (R+) and (R−/D+) LTx patient populations. These genetic markers may facilitate an individualized prophylaxis management of lung transplant recipients at risk for developing CMV infection.
Monitoring Changes in Carcass Quality Across Time-on-Feed Using Real-Time Ultrasound to Optimize Marketing Endpoints11Research was supported by the Idaho Cattle Association.

Abstract Seventy-one Limousin-Angus-cross heifers (11 mo of age; 341 kg) were used to monitor changes in subcutaneous fat thickness (FT), ribeye area (REA), and intramuscular fat percentage (IMF) across time-on-feed (TOF) using real-time ultrasound. Real-time ultrasound scans of FT, REA, and IMF were taken at 0, 29, 57, 84, 101, and 120 d. Following the ultrasound scan on d 120, heifers were harvested at a commercial packing plant. At 72 h postmortem, carcass data were collected on all carcasses, and short loins were removed from 18 USDA Choice carcasses for chemical analysis. Ultrasound data were analyzed using the general linear model of SAS with TOF as the main effect and animal by TOF as the error term. Subcutaneous FT increased (P 2 = 0.64, standard error of prediction (SE p ) = 0.15) across TOF. Ribeye area increased (P 2 = 48.51 + 0.38 × TOF, d; r 2 = 0.77, SE p = 8.77) across TOF. Intramuscular fat percentage increased (P 2 , d − 0.000002 × TOF 3 , d; R 2 = 0.83, SE p = 0.46) across TOF. Quality grade (UQG) was estimated from the IMF (>5.0% = Choice). The percentage of the heifers predicted to grade Choice from IMF was 22, 81, and 82% at d 84, 101, and 120 d on feed, respectively. At slaughter, 82% of the heifer carcasses graded Choice with yield grades of 1 and 2. Standard errors of prediction for ultrasound REA, FT, and IMF were 7.03 cm 2 (n = 71), 0.30 cm (n = 71), and 0.45% (n = 18), respectively. The correlation for total lipid content of longissimus muscle (n = 18) and IMF was 0.62; in contrast, the correlation for total lipid content and marbling score was 0.04. Real-time ultrasound proved to be a useful tool to monitor changes in FT, REA, and IMF and optimize marketing endpoints for both high quality and cutability.
In Vitro Modeling of Nervous System: Engineering of the Reflex Arc

Neural models are invaluable for understanding the physiology and pathology of the nervous system as well as for developing therapeutic strategies targeting relevant injury and diseases. New developments in the field of stem cells enable great feasibility and potential for generating in vitro models of the nervous system, especially human-based models to study diseases and for drug screening. The reflex arc has been a popular model system for studying neural regulation and circuit modulation. Numerous in vitro models of this system have been generated, among which modeling of the efferent portion of the reflex arc, the connection between motoneurons and skeletal muscles, or the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), has been the central focus. To a lesser extent, the afferent portion, or intrafusal fiber to sensory neuron segment, has also been studied as well as the sensory neuron to motoneuron connections. Furthermore, the integration of interdisciplinary technologies such as surface patterning, microelectrode arrays, and cantilever systems is driving biological NMJ systems more toward in vitro platforms for high content and high throughput capabilities which are suitable for drug screening. To better mimic the in vivo condition, inclusions of other components are also in progress, such as the blood–brain barrier, Bio-MEMs technologies and multi-organ-on-a-chip systems. The concurrent progress in integration of biology and engineering will accelerate the development of these in vitro nervous system models which have an increasing suitability for studying physiology and pathology of the human nervous system as well as for use in drug discovery research.
Cortical Networks Associated with Locomotion in Man and Patients with Hemiparetic Stroke

A recently developed optical imaging system using near-infrared spectroscopy enabled real-time monitoring of cortical activation during various locomotor tasks. Cortical activation was assessed as increased levels of regional oxygenated hemoglobin. In healthy subjects, walking at 1 km/hr was associated by cortical activation that centered in the medial sensorimotor cortices and supplementary motor areas. Walking at higher speed (3 km/hr or 5 km/hr) tended to induce decreased rather than increased activation in the sensorimotor cortices. In patients with hemiparetic stroke, cortical activation patterns during hemiparetic gait were characterized by asymmetrical activation in the sensorimotor cortices and recruitment of other motor-related areas such as the premotor cortices and the prefrontal regions. Importantly activation patterns could be modified by rehabilitative intervention. A facilitation technique, by which therapists assisted patients to walk by pressing the hip forward and backward to ensure the stability of the stance and swing phase of the paretic leg, induced enhanced activation in the motor related areas, particularly that in the premotor area. Partial body weight support during gait training on the treadmill tended to decrease overall activation. It remains undetermined whether these changes in cortical activation patterns are associated with good locomotor recovery in patients with stroke.
Embolization of Hepatic Tumors—Part 2: Radioembolization

This section provides a comprehensive procedural report for embolization of hepatic tumors (radioembolization) procedure with up-to-date explanatory notes, synopsis of the indications and contraindications, and potential complications in an organized and practical format.
Strategies to Increase Rigor and Reproducibility of Data in Manuscripts: Reply to Héroux

reply: In a Letter to the Editor, Dr. Martin Heroux presents an analysis of compliance with statistical guidelines ([Curran-Everett and Benos 2004][1]) in manuscripts published by the Journal of Neurophysiology in 2015. These guidelines ([Curran-Everett and Benos 2004][1]) are referenced in the “
Sjögren Syndrome and Other Causes of Sicca in Older Adults.

Dry eye and dry mouth symptoms are each reported by up to 30% of persons more than 65 years of age, particularly in women. Medication side effects are the most common contributing factors. The evaluation of these symptoms requires measures of ocular and oral dryness. Sjogren syndrome is the prototypic disease associated with dryness of the eyes and mouth and predominantly affects women in their perimenopausal and postmenopausal years. In addition to topical treatment of the mucosal dryness, patients with Sjogren syndrome may require treatment with systemic immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive agents to manage a variety of extraglandular manifestations.
Thirsty Ruins, Ironic Futures

Often aligned with demystification and pain, irony is also entangled with pleasure and enchantment. This chapter looks more closely at this thirst for enchantment, and the ways in which irony can foster wonder and desire. Maryse Conde’s Victoire, les saveurs et les mots and Jean-Luc de Laguarigue and Patrick Chamoiseau’s photo-essay Elmire des sept bonheurs focus on the post-abolition period and show a strong commitment to photographic and archival documentation. Yet they also stress the role of imagination, play, and whimsy in thinking about Antillean pasts and futures. Exploring the role of the plantation and its modes of sociability in Caribbean history, these texts hinge on a capacity for play, on an affective engagement with history that takes both ironic and enchanted forms.
Improving the American Board of Pediatrics Certifying Examination Pass Rate in a pediatric residency program

• A method of overhauling a residency training program curriculum to improve the ABP Exam pass rate is described.
George Edwardes: The Guv’nor of Late Victorian Musical Theatre

George Edwardes (1855–1915) was a leading producer in London in the decades surrounding the turn of the twentieth century. His fame at the Gaiety Theatre, Daly’s Theatre, and Prince of Wales’s Theatre established him as a leader in the post-Gilbert and Sullivan generation of musical theatre creators. He was a driving force behind a new type of burlesque that lasted for an entire evening and a particular style of musical comedy that blended elements of comic opera and music hall. After the turn of the century, he began producing translations of Continental shows, most famously The Merry Widow in 1907.
Quantitative Ultrasound and Tibial Dysplasia in Neurofibromatosis Type 1.

Abstract Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common autosomal dominant disorder associated with unilateral anterolateral bowing with subsequent fracture and nonunion. In infancy, physiologic bowing of the lower leg can be confused with pathologic tibial dysplasia in NF1. Little is known about the bone physiology of the tibiae prior to fracture or predictors of fracture. The aim of this study was to characterize bone quality of bowed tibiae prior to fracture in NF1 using quantitative ultrasound (QUS). Bone quality was assessed on both tibiae (the non-bowed and bowed tibiae) using QUS to measure speed of sound (SOS) at the mid-shaft in 23 individuals with NF1. SOS (m/s) was determined and Z-scores generated using cross-sectional reference data of the same sex and age. The mean difference in SOS Z-scores when comparing the bowed tibia vs the individual's contralateral unaffected tibia was statistically significant with lower mean Z-scores in the bowed tibia ( p = 0.001). Radiographs of all individuals with a clinical diagnosis of anterolateral bowing were reviewed, and in 2 individuals the radiographs showed minimal bowing with absence of characteristic cortical thickening and medullary canal narrowing in NF1-related tibial dysplasia, suggesting physiologic bowing. In both individuals, the Z-scores of the bowed leg were not lower than the unaffected leg supporting the suggestion of physiologic bowing rather than pathologic tibial dysplasia. These data show that dysplastic tibiae in NF1 prior to fracture and nonunion have abnormal bone quality with significant decreases in SOS even though radiographically the tibiae show a thickened cortex. These data also suggest that QUS can help distinguish dysplastic bowing vs physiologic bowing in infancy in NF1. QUS is an effective quantitative outcome measure for trials aimed at improving tibial bowing to prevent fracture, and it is a potential aid in diagnosis and clinical management in NF1.
Evolution of the south Pacific helium plume over the past three decades

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2017. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems 18 (2017): 1810–1823, doi:10.1002/2017GC006848.
Contrasting the broad-band exposure limits with laser MPEs

Whenever a laser specialist or an engineer employs a spreadsheet and compare and plot laser MPEs with broad-band limits, they see apparent differences and disconnects that can be quite puzzling. This is a particular concern of those trying to assess the optical risks of viewing bright LEDs. The rationale behind the two sets of exposure limits necessarily differ. For a laser, only the hazards at a wavelength of interest are reflected in the MPE, and competing hazard mechanisms lead to, at most, two limits, or “dual limits.” However, with broad-band lamp sources, at least five different potential hazards must be assessed. The default source size for lasers is a “point” source defined by alpha-min; whereas, the default source size for incoherent sources is a large source and alpha-max. Thus laser limits can be expressed as irradiance, and broad-band limits as radiance limits to protect the retina. A rapidly closing pupil is dealt with differently in the two different sets of limits, leading to what appear to be “discontinuities.” There may be some cases where laser limits are easier to apply to a non-laser, monochromatic point-source, such as superluminescent diodes, and incoherent source limits to some large-source laser displays.Whenever a laser specialist or an engineer employs a spreadsheet and compare and plot laser MPEs with broad-band limits, they see apparent differences and disconnects that can be quite puzzling. This is a particular concern of those trying to assess the optical risks of viewing bright LEDs. The rationale behind the two sets of exposure limits necessarily differ. For a laser, only the hazards at a wavelength of interest are reflected in the MPE, and competing hazard mechanisms lead to, at most, two limits, or “dual limits.” However, with broad-band lamp sources, at least five different potential hazards must be assessed. The default source size for lasers is a “point” source defined by alpha-min; whereas, the default source size for incoherent sources is a large source and alpha-max. Thus laser limits can be expressed as irradiance, and broad-band limits as radiance limits to protect the retina. A rapidly closing pupil is dealt with differently in the two different sets of limits, leading to what appear to...
Structural Analysis Under the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study

Structural design procedures followed in the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study are briefly reviewed. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Boilers and Pressure Vessels Code, Section III, Code Case N47 has been used as a design guide. Its relevance to fusion reactor applications, however, is open to question and needs to be evaluated in the future. The primary structural problem encountered in tokamak blanket designs is the high thermal stress due to surface heat flux, with fatigue being an additional concern for pulsed systems. The conflicting requirements of long erosion life and high surface heat flux capability imply that some form of stress relief in the first-wall region will be necessary. Simplified stress and fatigue crack growth analyses are presented to show that the use of orthogonally grooved first wall may be a potential solution for mitigating the thermal stress problem. A comparison of three structural alloys on the basis of both grooved and nongrooved first-wall designs is also presented. Other structural problems encountered in tokamak designs include stresses due to plasma disruptions, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) pressure drop in liquid-metal-cooled systems. In particular, it is shown that the maximum stress in the side wall of a uniform duct generated bymore » MHD pressure drop cannot be reduced by increasing the wall thickness or by decreasing the span. In contract to tokamak blankets, tandem mirror blankets are far less severely stressed because of a much lower surface heat flux, coolant pressure, and also because of their axisymmetric geometry. Both blankets, however, will require detailed structural dynamics analysis to verify their ability to withstand seismic loadings if the heavy 17Li-83Pb is used as a coolant.« less
Exploring Variation of Natural Human Commands to a Robot in a Collaborative Navigation Task

Robot-directed communication is variable, and may change based on human perception of robot capabilities. To collect training data for a dialogue system and to investigate possible communication changes over time, we developed a Wizard-of-Oz study that (a) simulates a robot’s limited understanding, and (b) collects dialogues where human participants build a progressively better mental model of the robot’s understanding. With ten participants, we collected ten hours of human-robot dialogue. We analyzed the structure of instructions that participants gave to a remote robot before it responded. Our findings show a general initial preference for including metric information (e.g., move forward 3 feet) over landmarks (e.g., move to the desk) in motion commands, but this decreased over time, suggesting changes in perception.
Physician-Specific Variability in Spine Fusion Patients

ABSTRACT Background It is often assumed that each surgeon9s patient population is similar to that of his or her peers. Differences in patient characteristics naturally may lead to diverse outcomes. To date, the variability of individual surgeons9 patient populations has not been adequately characterized. The purpose of this study is to describe the variation in physician-specific patient characteristics among surgeons performing spine fusion surgery at a large, urban academic medical center. Methods We analyzed administrative data from a single institution for spine fusion surgery from 2009 to 2013. There were 6585 primary and 362 revision cases of spine fusion performed within this time period. Variability between surgeons and their respective patient populations was compared using descriptive statistics. Results The mean annual percentage of primary fusion patients with diabetes mellitus ranged from 0 to 16.17% (mean ± SD, 7.79% ± 3.96%) but constituted anywhere from 0 to 41.58% (mean ± SD, 8.15% ± 12.09%) of revision fusions. The mean annual percentage of primary fusion patients who were obese ranged from 0 to 9% (mean ± SD, 2.95% ± 2.7%), and 0 to 25% in revision cases (mean ± SD, 3.43% ± 6.43%). The annual mean percentage of patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores greater than 3 ranged from 8.8% to 44.43% (mean ± SD, 20.42% ± 8.85%) in primary fusions and 0 to 100% (mean ± SD, 32.79% ± 23.47%) in revision fusions. Conclusion There was a large amount of variability among surgeons9 patient populations when looking at characteristics such as obesity, diabetes, and ASA scores >3. These factors have been shown to impact patient outcomes. The variability in the patient populations of individual surgeons9 practices even within the same medical center must be taken into account when evaluating physician specific outcomes and quality of care.
Multigenerational Attainments, Race, and Mortality Risk among Silent Generation Women.

This study extends health disparities research by examining racial differences in the relationships between multigenerational attainments and mortality risk among “Silent Generation” women. An emer...
Thermally Activated Dislocation Motion in Ceramic Materials

The current role of thermal activation studies in ceramic systems is examined, identifying three research areas. The theory of thermal activation is then summarized and the types of experiments needed to achieve the research objectives are identified. Finally, the data analysis techniques required for effective barrier analysis are described and some existing data are evaluated.
Navigation Functions for Dynamical, Nonholonomically Constrained Mechanical Systems

In this review we explore the possibility of adapting first order hybrid feedback controllers for nonholonomically constrained systems to their dynamical counterparts. For specific instances of first order models of such systems, we have developed gradient based hybrid controllers that use Navigation functions to reach point goals while avoiding obstacle sets along the way. Just as gradient controllers for standard quasi-static mechanical systems give rise to generalized “PD-style” controllers for dynamical versions of those standard systems, so we believe it will be possible to construct similar “lifts” in the presence of non-holonomic constraints notwithstanding the necessary absence of point attractors.
Notation and Basic Definitions

ℕ denotes the nonnegative integers. ℝ denotes the real numbers. ℝ+ denotes the nonnegative real numbers. ℝ++ denotes the strictly positive real numbers.
Alkylating Toxins and the Liver Plasma Membrane Calcium Pump/Calcium ATPase

The role of altered calcium homeostasis as a possible unifying mechanism of acute lethal cell injury by chemical toxins, ischemia, and other agents has attracted much interest (Trump and Berezesky, 1984; Schanne et al., 1979; Jewell et al., 1982; Lowrey et al., 1981; Bellomo and Orrenius, 1985). Clearly, many cellular processes are regulated or influenced by the cytosolic free calcium concentration, which in turn is controlled by calcium transport systems of the plasma membrane, the endoplasmic reticulum, and the mitochondria. Moore and coworkers (1976) first showed over 10 years ago that liver microsomes isolated 30 or more minutes after administration of CC14 to Sprague-Dawley rats had virtually lost the capacity for ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake. They postulated that inhibition of the liver endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump might be the initial insult disrupting Ca2+ homeostasis sufficiently to produce an injury allowing massive Ca2+ influx into the cell (Moore et al., 1976).
Plan recognition strategies in student modeling: prediction and description

This paper describes the student modeler of the GUIDON2 tutor, which understands plans by a dual search strategy. It first produces multiple predictions of student behavior by a model-driven simulation of the expert. Focused, data-driven searches then explain incongruities. By supplementing each other, these methods lead to an efficient and robust plan understander for a complex domain.
Adriamycin Continuous I.V. Infusion for the Treatment of Childhood Hepatic Malignancies, Toxicity, and Efficacy: A Pilot Study Childrens Cancer Study Group, Los Angeles, California

The beneficial effect of adjuvant chemotherapy to surgery in children with resectable hepatoblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma has been documented. However, the same chemotherapy regimens have failed to improve survival for patients with unresectable disease.
"I Know I'm Going to Beat This": When Patients and Doctors Disagree About Prognosis.

As palliative care physicians who frequently discuss goals of care with seriously ill patients and their families, we often get called because the patient/family is in “denial.” In a common scenari...
The Alstoscholarisine Alkaloids: Isolation, Structure Determination, Biogenesis, Biological Evaluation, and Synthesis

The alstoscholarisines are a small family of biologically and structurally interesting polycyclic monoterpenoid indole alkaloids isolated from the leaf extracts of Alstonia scholaris. The alkaloids can be divided into three different subtypes based upon their structures and putative biogenesis: (1) (-)-alstoscholarisines A-E, (2) (+)-alstoscholarisine G, and (3) (+)-alstoscholarisines H-J. This review discusses the isolation, structure determination, biological activity, and proposed biosynthesis of these metabolites. In addition, synthetic studies on the alkaloids are described including total syntheses of racemic alstoscholarisines A-E, a total synthesis of (-)-alstoscholarisine A, and a synthesis of racemic alstoscholarisine H.
Statins Ineffective for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease in Patients 75 Years or Older Without Diabetes Mellitus.

In this retrospective study, statin treatment in patients 75 years or older without preexisting CVD did not change the likelihood of developing CVD or reduce any-cause mortality. However, patients 75 to 84 years of age with diabetes mellitus benefitted from treatment. These results support the results from the ALLHAT study.
Single-cell technologies - studying rheumatic diseases one cell at a time.

Cells, the basic units of life, have striking differences at transcriptomic, proteomic and epigenomic levels across tissues, organs, organ systems and organisms. The coordination of individual immune cells is essential for the generation of effective immune responses to pathogens while immune tolerance is maintained to protect the host. In rheumatic diseases, when immune responses are dysregulated, pathologically important cells might represent only a small fraction of the immune system. Interrogation of the contributions of individual immune cells to pathogenesis and disease progression should therefore reveal important insights into the complicated aetiology of rheumatic diseases. Technological advances are enabling the high-dimensional dissection of single cells at multiple omics levels, which could facilitate the identification of dysregulated molecular mechanisms in patients with rheumatic diseases and the discovery of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers. The single-cell technologies that have been developed over the past decade and the experimental platforms that enable multi-omics integrative analyses have already made inroads into immunology-related fields of study and have potential for use in rheumatology. Layers of omics data derived from single cells are likely to fundamentally change our understanding of the molecular pathways that underpin the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases. Single-cell sequencing technologies enable transcriptomic, epigenomic and proteomic analysis of rare or heterogeneous populations of cells. In this Review, Kuo and colleagues discuss current and future uses of single-cell sequencing technologies for rheumatology research.