cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Initial Results Using a Running Vesicourethral Anastomosis Following Open Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy

Purpose: We assessed the results of early catheter removal following radical prostatectomy using a continuous suture vesicourethral anastomosis.Materials and Methods: From March 2001 through December 2003, 76 patients underwent open radical prostatectomy, as performed by a single surgeon. A continuous 3-zero polyglactin suture was used for the vesicourethral anastomosis in 72 patients. Drain fluid creatinine on postoperative day 1 was used to assess anastomotic leakage. A cystogram was done before catheter removal in the initial 25 patients. Subsequently a cystogram was performed only if there was suspicion of urine leakage.Results: Early catheter removal was possible in 63 of 72 patients (88%). Catheter removal occurred a mean of 3.4 days (range 1 to 6) postoperatively in this group. Ten of the 14 men who required catheter reinsertion for urinary retention had the catheter removed before postoperative day 4. In the remaining 9 patients early catheter removal was not attempted. Catheter removal occurred a...
SU‐E‐T‐517: Ray Tracing and Mote Carlo Based Dose Computation for Chest Wall and Ribs for Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Cyberknife

Purpose: Chest wall and ribs are considered organs at risk while treating lung tumors adjacent to chest wall. This study was to evaluate the dosimetric differences in chest wall and ribs irradiation for Cyberknife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) when treatment plans were computed using Ray Tracking Algorithm (RTA) and Monte Carlo Algorithm (MCA). Methods: Twenty eight lung cancer patients who had tumors abutting the chest wall were selected for this study. A uniform 2cm thickness of chest wall and appropriate portions of rib were contoured for evaluating dose distribution using RTA and MCA of Cyberknife MultiPlan software (version‐3.5.2). Treatment plans were first computed using RTA and then were recomputed using MCA without changing the total monitor unit (MU). Range of prescription dose was 50Gy‐60Gy (mean=54.6Gy). Studied dosimetric parameters were maximum point dose and doses to 1cc, 5cc, 10cc, 30cc, 50cc, 70cc, and 100cc of chest wall. Maximum point dose and doses to 1cc, 2cc, 5cc, and 10cc of ribs were also studied. These parameters were considered as clinically more relevant. Results: Dosimetric computation results revealed that RTA overestimated dose to both the chest wall and the ribs for all the studied parameters. Increase of average dose was in the range of 7.5–12.1% (p‐value 0.05), and 10.3–13.4% (p‐value <0.05) for chest wall and ribs, respectively. The lower the volume of interest, the larger was the difference in dose for the two algorithms. Average difference in maximum point dose for chest wall was 11.2% (p‐value <0.001) and that was 13.4% for ribs (p‐value <0.002). Conclusion: As compared to Monte Carlo algorithm, Ray Tracing algorithm significantly overestimates dose to chest wall and ribs. Although treatment planning with Monte Carlo is more involved, it should be used because of accuracy and significant difference in dose distribution in chest wall and ribs.
Creating a community-physical therapy partnership to increase physical activity in urban African-American adults.

Background: Racial disparities in health across the United States remain, and in some cities have worsened despite increased focus at federal and local levels. One approach to addressing health inequity is community-based participatory research (CBPR). Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to describe the develop ment of an ongoing community–physical therapy partnership focused on physical activity (PA), which aims to improve the health of African-American community members and engage physical therapist (PT) students in CBPR. Methods: Three main research projects that resulted from an initial partnership-building seed grant include (1) community focus groups, (2) training of community PA promoters, and (3) pilot investigation of PA promoter effectiveness. Lessons Learned: Results from each project informed the next. Focus groups findings led to development of a PA pro moter training curriculum. PA promoters were accepted by the community, with potential to increase PA. Focus on the community issue of PA fostered and sustained the partnership. Conclusions: Community and academic partners benefitted from funding, structure, and time to create meaningful, trusting, and sustainable relationships committed to improving health. Engaging PT students with community residents provided learning opportunities that promote respect and appreciation of the social, economic, and environmental context of future patients.
Nodal structure of zero-energy wave functions: New approach to Levinson’s theorem

It is well known that minimum principles for energy eigenvalues can be used not only for calculational purposes but also formally as the basis for studies of the nodal structure of the associated eigenfunctions. This formal feature is shown here to have a natural generalization to the zero-energy scattering problem, the scattering length playing the role of the energy eigenvalue in the formulation of the minimum principle. The number of nodes in the zero-energy wave function in a given partial wave for nonrelativistic potential scattering is shown to be equal to the number of negative-energy bound states of the same angular momentum L. Potentials with Coulomb tails are excluded from the present analysis, but will be treated elsewhere. (The connection with classical Sturm-Liouville theory comes perhaps as less of a surprise if one views the zero-energy state as being at the top of the discrete spectrum as well as at the bottom of the continuum.) The result derived here, when combined with the nodal definition of the phase shift along with some information on its threshold behavior, provides us with an alternative derivation of Levinson's theorem relating the zero-energy phase shift for orbital angular momentum L, ${\ensuremath{\delta}}_{L}$(0), to the number of bound states of the same L. (Very similar results can be derived for potential scattering as described by the Dirac and Klein-Gordon equations.) It may well be possible to extend some of the results obtained here to a number of single-channel multiparticle scattering problems, but this will be discussed elsewhere.
Continuous transformation groups and series solution of initial value problems

Abstract This paper details an efficient method of deriving series solutions of initial value problems traditionally encountered in non-linear mechanics. The developed technique, based on the theory of continuous transformation groups, can be used to solve autonomous as well as non-autonomous systems of ordinary differential equations. Solutions to selected problems are presented for illustration. In addition, the notion of invariants of a transformation group provides information on the nature of trajectories of an initial value problem.
Expressed likelihood as motivator: Creating value through engaging what’s real

Abstract Our research tested two predictions regarding how likelihood can have motivational effects as a function of how a probability is expressed . We predicted that describing the probability of a future event that could be either A or B using the language of high likelihood (“80% A”) rather than low likelihood (“20% B”), i.e., high rather than low expressed likelihood, would make a present activity more real and engaging, as long as the future event had properties relevant to the present activity. We also predicted that strengthening engagement from the high (versus low) expressed likelihood of a future event would intensify the value of present positive and negative objects (in opposite directions). Both predictions were supported. There was also evidence that this intensification effect from expressed likelihood was independent of the actual probability or valence of the future event. What mattered was whether high versus low likelihood language was used to describe the future event.
Radiation effects on neural precursor cells in the dentate gyrus

Ionizing irradiation is an effective treatment for intracranial tumors but is limited by the potential adverse effects induced in surrounding normal brain. These effects can include cognitive impairments, and whereas the pathogenesis of such injury has not yet been definitively established, it may involve injury to the neurogenic cell population that exists in the dentate subgranular zone (SGZ) of the hippocampus. Understanding the issues surrounding this topic could have a major impact in the management of specific sequelae associated with cranial irradiation. Although radiation is now becoming a useful tool in investigations into the biology of neurogenesis, the perspective of this review is directed more toward the potential relevance of studying radiation and the stem/precursor cell response.
Chronic hypoxia elevates intracellular pH and activates Na+/H+ exchange in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells.

Chronic hypoxia (CH), caused by many lung diseases, results in pulmonary hypertension due, in part, to increased muscularity of small pulmonary vessels. Pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC...
Monitoring and Controlling System Performance in the Pioneer Buoy

The Pioneer buoy is part of an aquatic observatory, known as GLUCOS (Great Lakes Urban Coastal Observing System), being developed by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Great Lakes WATER Institute. The buoy can function as a rapid deployment system for measuring transient phenomena, or as a controller and wireless communication hub for large specialized instruments, such as water samplers or sediment traps. It is easily reconfigurable in order to satisfy the changing requirements of different scientific experiments. Changes in configuration are made possible by implementation of a modular design, with components that can be added or removed without affecting the overall functionality of the system. All components are designed and operated so that power consumption is minimized, due to the limited space for an onboard power supply and the lack of photovoltaic panels. In addition to the scientific data being collected by the observatory, the remote and potentially harsh deployment environment of each buoy system necessitates the collection of as much device performance data as is practical. This data can be used to correct for sensor errors, assess buoy performance, and to provide information for future, improved, buoy designs. This paper discusses the hardware and software design as well as test results of the Pioneer Buoy self-monitoring and control system.
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Comparability of Effects in Humans and Animal Models

Much is known about the potential consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure through data developed in animals and man. However, little attempt has been made to compare the human and animal literature with respect to qualitative and quantitative similarities and differences. To this end, a comparison was made between the effects reported in humans following moderate levels of alcohol exposure and the neurobehavioral effects detected using animal models. A good deal of congruence was found with respect to qualitative endpoints. General functional categories, such as deficits in learning, inhibition, attention, regulatory behaviors, and motor performance were reported to be affected in both animals and children. Quantitatively, although the dose required to produce an effect differs across species, the resultant circulating blood alcohol levels are quite similar. In addition, while compelling data are limited, the magnitude of the observed effects are generally dose-related for both humans and animals.
Aeroheating Thermal Model Correlation for Mars Global Surveyor Solar Array

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) spacecraft made use of aerobraking to gradually reduce its orbit period from a highly elliptical insertion orbit to its final science orbit. Aerobraking produces a high heat load on the solar arrays, which have a large surface area exposed to the airflow and relatively low mass. To accurately model the complex behavior during aerobraking, the thermal analysis needed to be tightly coupled to the spatially varying, time-dependent aerodynamic heating. Also, the thermal model itself needed to capture accurately the behavior of the solar array and its response to changing heat load conditions. The correlation of the thermal model to flight data allowed a validation of the modeling process, as well as information on what processes dominate the thermal behavior. Correlation in this case primarily involved detailing the thermal sensor nodes, using as-built mass to modify material property estimates, refining solar-cell assembly properties, and adding detail to radiation and heat-flux boundary conditions. This paper describes the methods used to develop finite element thermal models of the MGS solar array and the correlation of the thermal model to flight data from the spacecraft drag passes. Correlation was made to data from four flight thermal sensors over three of the early drag passes. Good correlation of the model was achieved, with a maximum difference between the predicted model maximum and the observed flight maximum temperature of less than 5%. Lessons learned in the correlation of this model assisted in validating a similar model and method used for the Mars Odyssey solar-array aeroheating analysis, which were used during on-orbit operations.
Selective death of hippocampal CA3 pyramidal cells with mossy fiber afferents after CRH-induced status epilepticus in infant rats

Previous studies of CRH-induced status epilepticus in infant rats demonstrated neuronal loss in several limbic structures, including the CA3 region of the hippocampus. The goal of the present study was to identify the neurons affected by CRH-induced seizures and determine whether they formed synapses with afferent axon terminals. Clusters of neurons in the CA3 region of the hippocampus were osmiophilic when viewed in thick sections. Semi-thin 2-microns sections of the pyramidal cell layer contained dark, shrunken neurons with apical and basal dendrites among normal appearing pyramidal cells. Electron microscopy revealed degenerating pyramidal cells with intact cell membranes and electron dense nuclei and cytoplasm. The shrunken dendrites of these cells had spines and were postsynaptic to large immature-appearing mossy fibers. Thus, CA3 pyramidal neurons that are linked via mossy fibers to the tri-synaptic excitatory hippocampal circuit die subsequent to CRH-induced status epilepticus. The shrunken appearance and selective loss of these neurons are incompatible with necrosis as the mechanism of degeneration.
Virtual endoscopic evaluation of labyrinthine Fistulae resulting from cholesteatoma

Objectives/Hypothesis Fistulae of the otic capsule occur in approximately 10% of cholesteatoma cases. Preoperative imaging of this complication is valuable in limiting intraoperative morbidity. Three-dimensional virtual endoscopic imaging provides a new method for analysis of conventional computed tomography (CT) imaging data. The purpose of the study was to examine the feasibility and efficacy of this technique in detecting labyrinthine fistulae caused by cholesteatoma. Study Design Retrospective case study. Methods Fifteen patients with surgically confirmed lateral semicircular canal fistula and preoperative CT scan were included. Scans meeting inclusion criteria were imported into a software program for production of virtual endoscopic images. Dehiscent and normal lateral semicircular canals were navigated while varying threshold values for surrounding bone. Changes in threshold values produce the effect of thickening or thinning the bone enveloping the semicircular canal. Threshold parameters that produced easy circumnavigation (“open”) and intact inner surface of the lateral canal (“closed”) were recorded. Results The fistula group demonstrated a significantly lower “closed” threshold level and, consequently, a greater range of navigation between “open” and “closed” thresholds. Intrasubject absolute differences in threshold values between normal and abnormal ears appeared to be the most accurate method for detecting a fistula. The suggested imaging parameters displayed an overall sensitivity for fistula detection of 67% with a specificity of 93%. Conclusions The three-dimensional virtual endoscopic algorithm shows promise as a method for confirmation of otic capsule dehiscences. Sensitivity for detection is suboptimal but can be improved by alterations in image acquisition parameters.
Methods and Metrics to improve the Yield of IT using the IT-CMF - an Intel Case Study

This paper provides an overview of the IT capability maturity framework (IT-CMFTM) with a specific focus on the value metrics. The IT-CMFTM is an integrating CIO level framework based on the synthesis of academic research and industry best practice which can help CIOs increase the value that IT delivers and improve the productivity of the IT function. The paper introduces nascent macro measures of IT value performance illustrated with examples and data from an Intel IT case study.
Heat transfer to a subliming solid‐vapor mixture of hydrogen below its triple point

Heat transfer coefficients over range of Reynolds numbers for solid-vapor mixture of parahydrogen discharge below triple point pressure
To break a coralline: mechanical constraints on the size and survival of a wave-swept seaweed.

Previous studies have hypothesized that wave-induced drag forces may constrain the size of intertidal organisms by dislodging or breaking organisms that exceed some critical dimension. In this study, we explored constraints on the size of the articulated coralline alga Calliarthron , which thrives in wave-exposed intertidal habitats. Its ability to survive depends critically upon its segmented morphology (calcified segments separated by flexible joints or `genicula'), which allows otherwise rigid fronds to bend and thereby reduce drag. However, bending also amplifies stress within genicula near the base of fronds. We quantified breakage of genicula in bending by applying known forces to fronds until they broke. Using a mathematical model, we demonstrate the mitigating effect of neighboring fronds on breakage and show that fronds growing within dense populations are no more likely to break in bending than in tension, suggesting that genicular morphology approaches an engineering optimum, possibly reflecting adaptation to hydrodynamic stress. We measured drag in a re-circulating water flume (0.23–3.6 m s–1) and a gravity-accelerated water flume, which generates jets of water that mimic the impact of breaking waves (6–10 m s–1). We used frond Reynolds number to extrapolate drag coefficients in the field and to predict water velocities necessary to break fronds of given sizes. Laboratory data successfully predicted frond sizes found in the field, suggesting that, although Calliarthron is well adapted to resist breakage, wave forces may ultimately limit the size of intertidal fronds.
Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Pediatric Obesity in Military Academic and Nonacademic Settings

ABSTRACT Objective: The goal was to evaluate the recognition and management of pediatric obesity in an academic military medical treatment facility and an affiliated branch medical clinic. Methods: Retrospective chart review of 1,876 well-child visits for patients 4 to 17 years of age was performed, comparing compliance with obesity screening recommendations. Results: A total of 16.7% of patients were obese. The proportion of obese patients was greater at the branch clinic, but providers in the medical treatment facility had a higher obesity recognition rate (40% vs. 26%). Thirty-one percent of obese patients at both locations were noted to have hypertension. Providers at the medical treatment facility performed significantly better in documentation of hypertension and screening for orthopedic complications. Branch clinic providers performed better in screening for abdominal complaints. Conclusions: A high percentage of military dependents presenting for well-child care are obese. Overall screening and in...
CARDIAC REGENERATION: Repopulating the Heart

Many forms of pediatric and adult heart disease result from a deficiency in cardiomyocyte number. Through repopulation of the heart with new cardiomyocytes (that is, induction of regenerative cardiac growth), cardiac disease potentially can be reversed, provided that the newly formed myocytes structurally and functionally integrate in the preexisting myocardium. A number of approaches have been utilized to effect regenerative growth of the myocardium in experimental animals. These include interventions aimed at enhancing the ability of cardiomyocytes to proliferate in response to cardiac injury, as well as transplantation of cardiomyocytes or myogenic stem cells into diseased hearts. Here we review efforts to induce myocardial regeneration. We also provide a critical review of techniques currently used to assess cardiac regeneration and functional integration of de novo cardiomyocytes.
Motion Parameterization and Adaptation Strategies for Virtual Therapists

We propose in this paper new techniques for correction and parameterization of motion capture sequences containing upper-body exercises for physical therapy. By relying on motion capture sequences we allow therapists to easily record new patient-customized exercises intuitively by direct demonstration. The proposed correction and parameterization techniques allow the modification of recorded sequences in order to 1) correct and modify properties such as alignments and constraints, 2) customize prescribed exercises by modifying parameterized properties such as speed, wait times and exercise amplitudes, and 3) to achieve real-time adaptation by monitoring user performances and updating the parameters of each exercise for improving the therapy delivery. The proposed techniques allow autonomous virtual therapists to improve the whole therapy process, from exercise definition to delivery.
Factors influencing nondiscretionary work trips by bicycle determined from 1990 U.S. census metropolitan statistical area data

An extensive range of factors that may have some influence on the selection of the bicycle as the mode for work trips is explored using data from metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) extracted from the 1990 U.S. census. Only data extractable from the census were used for analysis. The sample included 100 percent of MSAs in the United States. Regression analysis was used to provide insight into the contributory factors. The dependent variable used in the analysis was the percentage of the modal split captured by bicycle for work trips in each MSA. The findings from the analysis indicated that levels of bicycling vary greatly from metropolitan area to metropolitan area within the United States. MSAs with relatively high levels of nondiscretionary bicycling appear to have urban densities that promote shorter trips, relatively temperate year-round climates, and a large proportion of students, particularly college students. The strongest finding reinforces what is already well known about nondiscretionary tra...
Bias in the medical journals: a commentary.

OBJECTIVE. The article discusses the fact that for more than 20 years, there has been controversy concerning whether there is a benefit from mammographic screening for women ages 40-49. Based on a decision made many years ago to try to determine how menopause might influence the value of screening, the age of 50 was chosen as a surrogate for menopause. Despite the fact that there are no data to support this age as having any biologic relevance, it continues to be used as if the parameters and benefits of screening change abruptly at the age of 50. CONCLUSION. The data clearly show that the age of 50 is nothing more than an arbitrary age, and it is far from clear whether menopause has any important effect on screening. The "harms" of screening have been cited as reasons for not recommending screening before the age of 50, but since the ratio of harm to benefit changes steadily with increasing age, there is no legitimate rationale for this determination. Women and their physicians should be informed that the age of 50 is an arbitrary threshold in terms of mammography screening so that they can make informed decisions about their own health care.
A fast method for computing radiation from printed circuit boards

An alternative approach for computing radiation from a multilayer circuit board is presented. Compared to a full-wave electromagnetic approach, this method is much faster and requires less storage space for data. Computational efficiency is the key attribute of the approach. It allows solutions, previously unobtainable, to complex and realistic structures, such as those arising from typical product designs. The radiation is calculated using a transmission line model to find the amplitude and spatial distribution of currents in printed circuit traces. The far field is computed using the Green's function of a current element just above, or inside, a thin dielectric sheet. Two examples are considered: (1) a comparison of results in the frequency domain obtained by using the method described here with those of a full-wave electromagnetic approach based on the method of moments; and (2) a comparison of simulation results with real semianechoic chamber measurements. >
Strategic Analysis of Competitive Markets: A Case Study for the Narrowbody Market

Commercial aircraft developments are major endeavours which strain considerably the resources of original equipment manufacturers. Beyond these financial strains, the development programs represent huge bets for the companies due to the fixed assumptions made when business plans are conceived and the abundance of uncertainties both at the technical and market levels. Standard methods used for capital budgeting are not well suited to account for uncertainty and fail to capture the dynamic nature of markets and the erosion of leadership positions over time. The on-going research tries to overcome some of these challenges by proposing a game-theoretic based method that helps substantiate aircraft development strategies. Assessing the value of aircraft development strategies is both a complex and tedious task due to the uncertain environment and long forecasting periods. Existing methods do not always capture the problem in its entirety and usually over-simplify it by using generic customers and generic flight routes. Besides, these methods usually fail to account for lost opportnunities and for the sale diffusion process during the early lives of new aircraft. A method is proposed to carry out the valuation of strategies while accounting for some of the challenges identified. The analysis is applied to large commercial aircraft developments and investigates strategy selection in a competitive environment.
Spatial cognition in adult and aged mice exposed to high-fat diet

Aging is associated with a decline in multiple aspects of cognitive function, with spatial cognition being particularly sensitive to age-related decline. Environmental stressors, such as high-fat diet (HFD) exposure, that produce a diabetic phenotype and metabolic dysfunction may indirectly lead to exacerbated brain aging and promote the development of cognitive deficits. The present work investigated whether exposure to HFD exacerbates age-related cognitive deficits in adult versus aged mice. Adult (5 months old) and aged (15 months old) mice were exposed to control diet or HFD for three months prior to, and throughout, behavioral testing. Anxiety-like behavior in the light-dark box test, discrimination learning and memory in the novel object/place recognition tests, and spatial learning and memory in the Barnes maze test were assessed. HFD resulted in significant gains in body weight and fat mass content with adult mice gaining significantly more weight and adipose tissue due to HFD than aged mice. Weight gain was attributed to food calories sourced from fat, but not total calorie intake. HFD increased fasting insulin levels in all mice, but adult mice showed a greater increase relative to aged mice. Behaviorally, HFD increased anxiety-like behavior in adult but not aged mice without significantly affecting spatial cognition. In contrast, aged mice fed either control or HFD diet displayed deficits in novel place discrimination and spatial learning. Our results suggest that adult mice are more susceptible to the physiological and anxiety-like effects of HFD consumption than aged mice, while aged mice displayed deficits in spatial cognition regardless of dietary influence. We conclude that although HFD induces systemic metabolic dysfunction in both adult and aged mice, overall cognitive function was not adversely affected under the current experimental conditions.
The UREThRAL stricture score: A novel method for describing

Background: Urethral stricture description is not standardized. This makes surgical decision-making less reproducible and increases the difficulty of objectively analyzing urethroplasty literature. We developed a standardized system, the UREThRAL stricture score (USS), to quantify the characteristics of anterior urethral stricture disease based on preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings. Methods: To develop the USS, we retrospectively analyzed 95 consecutive patients with urethral strictures who underwent open urethroplasty by a single surgeon (SBB) at Barnes-Jewish Hospital from 2009 to 2011. The USS is a numerical score based on five components of anterior urethral stricture disease that help dictate operative decision-making: (1) (UR)ethral stricture (E)tiology; (2) (T) otal number of strictures; (3) (R)etention (luminal obliteration); (4) (A)natomic location; and (5) (L)ength. Stricture management was categorized by increasing surgical complexity: excision/primary anastomosis (EPA), buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty (BMG), augmented anastomotic urethroplasty (AAU), flap urethroplasty, and a combination of flaps and/or grafts. Multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to compare USS to surgical complexity. Results: The mean USS for EPA, BMG, AAU, flap, and combination flaps/grafts was 5.78, 8.82, 9.23, 11.01, and 14.97, respectively. Increasing USS was significantly associated with surgical complexity (p < 0.0001). Interpretation: The USS describes the essential factors in determining surgical treatment selection for urethral stricture disease. The USS is a concise, easily applicable system that delineates the clinically significant features of urethral strictures. Valuable comparison of anterior urethral stricture treatments in clinical practice and in the urological literature could be facilitated by using this novel UREThRAL stricture score.
How Am I Doing

We hope the above song line is not true, for we have attempted throughout the book to present both ideas and techniques to improve your ability to be a better producer or consumer of program evaluation. We have suggested that program evaluation is an untraveled road, rocky and full of quagmires. Having a field guide will help you avoid those areas where you need fancy equipment; but there are many areas one can go and enjoy tremendously by simply following the map (field guide) that we have proposed.
Arabidopsis Genotypes Resistant and Susceptible to Diamondback Moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae): No Net Effects on Insect Growth

Abstract The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.), is a pest of the Brassicaceae, including the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynhold. Ecotypes of Arabidopsis have previously been reported to vary in the amounts of leaf area consumed when fed on by diamondback moth larvae. In the present study, food consumption varied among plant lines previously identified as either susceptible or resistant, but larval growth did not differ. Digestive efficiency varied inversely with food consumption. Thus, larvae compensated for reduced digestive efficiency by increasing consumption such that they achieved similar growth rates on all the Arabidopsis lines tested. We conclude that leaf area consumed alone may not be an ideal parameter for determining insect resistance.
A Platelet-Mimetic Paradigm for Metastasis-Targeted Nanomedicine Platforms

There is compelling evidence that, beyond their traditional role in hemostasis and thrombosis, platelets play a significant role in mediating hematologic mechanisms of tumor metastasis by directly and indirectly interacting with pro-metastatic cancer cells. With this rationale, we hypothesized that platelets can be an effective paradigm to develop nanomedicine platforms that utilize platelet-mimetic interaction mechanisms for targeted diagnosis and therapy of metastatic cancer cells. Here we report on our investigation of the development of nanoconstructs that interact with metastatic cancer cells via platelet-mimetic heteromultivalent ligand–receptor pathways. For our studies, pro-metastatic human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 was studied for its surface expression of platelet-interactive receptors, in comparison to another low-metastatic human breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. Certain platelet-interactive receptors were found to be significantly overexpressed on the MDA-MB-231 cells, and these cells ...
Dual-function nanocarriers with interfacial drug-interactive motifs for improved delivery of chemotherapeutic agents

Abstract Polymeric micelles are an attractive nanoscaled delivery system due to their simplicity, ability to solubilize water-insoluble drugs, and small size (10–100 nm) that can take advantage of enhanced permeability and retention effect to specifically accumulate in tumors. Most of the current micelle-forming surfactants are “inert” materials that lack therapeutic effect and potentially impose safety issues. One interesting approach in the design of nanocarriers is that component of the carrier system exhibits favorable biological activity. We have recently developed several dual-function carriers that are based on PEG-derivatized S-trans, trans farnesylthiosalicylic acid, embelin, and vitamin E. These nanocarriers form small-sized micelles that are capable of synergistic delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumor cells. The performance of these dual-function carriers was further improved through the incorporation of 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) group into the interfacial region that acts as drug-interactive motifs to enhance drug–carrier compatibility. Significantly enhanced drug-loading capacity and formulation stability were achieved after Fmoc decoration. These progresses may facilitate rational design of nanocarriers for improved drug delivery.
Male Size, Sperm Competition, and the Intensity of Sexual Selection in the Southern Green Stink Bug, Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

Sperm competition in the southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula (L.), was investigated by employing a sex-linked color polymorphism. The sperm of the first male to mate a female fertilizes most of the eggs laid subsequent to the second insemination only when the size of the first male is large. When small males mate first, considerable sperm mixing occurs upon remating by females. The size of the second male has no significant effect. Because of this effect of size on sperm competition, variation in reproductive success is increased by variation in fertilization success within the class of males mating females first. The total intensity of sexual selection thus contains two components of variance related to male size: mate acquisition and sperm competition.
Changes in the Composition of Headspace Volatiles of Flue-cured Tobacco by Aging

In order to investigate the headspace volatiles which indicate the againg effect on tobacco, the headspace volatiles of Japanese flue-cured tobacco were collected by active carbon and analyzed by gas chromatography. The data obtained were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and stepwise discriminant analysis (SDA). The results of PCA showed that the volatiles indicated the effect of aging on smoking quality. The SDA selected six peaks of the volatiles which classified the samples into four groups according to the aging period. The results described above can show that the relative proportions of the volatiles, such as furfuryl alcohol, benzyl alcohol and solanone, may be used to judge approximately the agint effects on tobacco.
The Epistemology of the (Televised, Polygamous) Closet: Progressive Polygamy, Spiritual Neoliberalism, and the Will to Visibility

This article examines the reality television show Sister Wives (2010–), which focuses on the Kody Brown family, members of a religious group called the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), in turn part of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS). The Browns practice a form of “progressive polygamy” that both they and the show establish as quintessentially egalitarian, American, and normal, though not normative. Sister Wives indicates that the complex structural dynamics of progressive polygamy create individuals who can thrive in a neoliberal milieu where good choices matter more than governments and where being savvy about the image yields currencies that are monetary, cultural, and, ultimately, spiritual. Surprisingly, the kind of flexible labor modeled on Sister Wives and endemic to neoliberalism authorizes itself through the language and idioms of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) social justice movement. However, while espousing a gay-friendly social justice ...
Study on the Feasibility of Applying Electric Potential Method on Fatigue Crack Monitoring

The key to ensure the safety and reliability of structure is to find the fatigue crack's origination in time and monitor its propagation effectively. The shortcomings of the traditional crack detection methods were analyzed, and the electric potential method was pointed out to be suitable for fatigue crack monitoring. The principle of electric potential method was introduced, and a set of experiments with aluminium foil films were carried out. Based on the experimental data, a set of relation curves between voltage values and cracks' lengths were obtained on condition that those cracks grew at several different positions, and from these curves it could be seen that it was feasible to monitor fatigue cracks using electric potential method.
Filo: consolidated consensus as a cloud service

Consensus is at the core of many production-grade distributed systems. Given the prevalence of these systems, it is important to offer consensus as a cloud service. To match the multi-tenant requirements of the cloud, consensus as a service must provide performance guarantees, and prevent aggressive tenants from disrupting the others. Fulfilling this goal is not trivial without overprovisioning and under-utilizing resources. We present Filo, the first system to provide consensus as a multi-tenant cloud service with throughput guarantees and efficient utilization of cloud resources. Tenants request an SLA by specifying their target throughput and degree of fault-tolerance. Filo then efficiently consolidates tenants on a shared set of servers using a novel placement algorithm that respects constraints imposed by the consensus problem. To respond to the load variations at runtime, Filo proposes a novel distributed controller that piggybacks on the consensus protocol to coordinate resource allocations across the servers and distribute the unused capacity fairly. Using a real testbed and simulations, we show that our placement algorithm is efficient at consolidating tenants, and while obtaining comparable efficiency and fairness, our distributed controller is ∼5x faster than the centralized baseline approach.
‘I always wanted to see how the other half lives’: The Contemporary Zombie as Seductive Proselyte

Over the past decade audiences have struggled with increasingly ambivalent attitudes towards zombies. What were once horrifying creatures — first pathetic monsters born from imperialistic violence and enslavement, later mobs of flesh-eating corpses drawn from the mind of George A. Romero — are now more complicated figures. The most recent explorations of the zombie have asked audiences to see the walking dead in more empathetic terms, as the tragic and misunderstood victims of an uncontrollable force, infection or evolution. In fact, as some film posters, DVD covers and book jackets indicate, with the outstretched and grasping hands of their featured monsters, the contemporary zombie seems to be reaching out to its human counterparts, inviting them to join their unified and heterogeneous ranks. As the twenty-first-century zombie narrative continues to develop and change, it increasingly challenges the customary definition of ‘monster’, often exploring the potential benefits of being a zombie. These attempts to align audience sympathy with the once-monstrous foes have even transcended the movie screen and the printed page, resulting in a new cultural movement of zombie imitators, from zombie walks to zombie raves to zombie proms. What motivates and explains this recent and seemingly mystifying desire to identify as one of the walking dead? For those tormented by post-9/11 anxieties and the stresses of millennial living, contemporary zombie narratives cast the former monsters as almost redemptive ‘missionaries’, inviting fans to join their masses while promoting an easier, less angst-ridden existence.
From TV Commercial to Online Search: Effectiveness of Super Bowl Advertising

The Super Bowl is an annual grand event celebrated not only by football fans but also by advertisers. In 2013, the Super Bowl was the most watched American television broadcast with more than 108 million viewers (Siltanen 2014). Because of its wide viewership, many brands invest in television commercial spots during the game. The cost for a 30-s advertising spot on US television during the Super Bowl has steadily increased in the last decade. In 2014, the cost for a 30-s spot reached four million dollars (Farhi 2014). Is it worthwhile to spend such a huge amount of a company’s advertising budget on the Super Bowl? According to a survey taken after Super Bowl 2013 (Crossmedia 2013), 70 % of the participants recalled Super Bowl ads from that year, whereas only 40 % reported an increase in brand consideration. Thus the effectiveness of Super Bowl advertising remains unclear.
Combining Remote Sensing and Forest Ecosystem Modeling: An Example Using the Regional HydroEcological Simulation System (RHESSys)

Images from airborne or satellite-based remote sensing systems are the only data available for regional and global productivity studies that do not require interpolation or extrapolation. Four categories of image use are identified: image classification, model initialization, model input and model verification. Model initialization using vegetation indices derived from images is discussed using a regional modeling framework, the Regional HydroEcological Simulation System (RHESSys). In this chapter, we illustrate RHESSys’ sensitivity to soil moisture and the interrelationships between the soil data theme and the vegetation and climate data themes. Improving image transfer functions can increase the quality of vegetation estimates; however, ancillary data (such as topography and soil data) are also needed at appropriate levels of accuracy and precision. An example simulation is provided, which uses vegetation data from two watersheds in western Montana. Results demonstrate the model’s sensitivity to soil data in a wet, dry climate, and indicate the importance of considering the data collection process as an integrated effort guided by modeling requirements and model sensitivity. Additional consideration must be made for validation and collection of independent data for these purposes.
The Mohave Indians in Hispanic Times

The Mohave Indians, who were visited only at great intervals by the Spaniards, maintained their independence without hindrance throughout Hispanic times. The first Spaniard who is known with certai...
Does Urgent Colonoscopy Improve Outcomes in the Management of Lower Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Colonoscopy continues to be an essential diagnostic and therapeutic tool in the management of lower gastrointestinal bleeding (LGIB). Studies that have evaluated the role of urgent colonoscopy for treating LGIB have reached conflicting conclusions. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the role of urgent colonoscopy in several outcomes in patients with LGIB. We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane databases from inception to July 10, 2016 for comparative studies evaluating the role of urgent versus elective colonoscopy in the management of LGIB. We evaluated mortality, rate of rebleeding, length of stay in hospital, identification of bleeding source, stigmata of recent hemorrhage and need for surgery. Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated for dichotomous variables whereas standard mean differences were calculated for continuous variables. We assessed quality using the Cochrane tool and Newcastle Ottawa Scale for randomized controlled trials and observational studies, respectively. We used the GRADE framework to interpret our findings. A total of 6 studies (2 randomized controlled trials and 4 observational studies) with 23,419 patients (9,498 urgent colonoscopy and 13,921 elective colonoscopy) were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled ORs with 95% CI for mortality, rebleeding and identification of bleeding source were 0.84 (0.46-1.53), 1.18 (0.64-2.16) and 1.49 (0.86-2.59), respectively. Stigmata of recent hemorrhage were more readily identified with urgent colonoscopy OR 2.85 (1.90-4.28). There were no differences in requirement for surgery, length of hospital stay or rate of endoscopic intervention. However, these effect sizes were limited by considerable heterogeneity, which was probably due to studies being conducted in different countries having different criteria for discharge and on variations in the type of endoscopic therapy for stigmata of recent hemorrhage. In conclusion, among patients with acute LGIB, there is no evidence that urgent colonoscopy reduces mortality, rebleeding or requirement for surgery or that it improves the rate of identification of the bleeding source. However, urgent colonoscopy does increase the rate of detection of stigmata of recent hemorrhage.
Psychosocial Management of Patients with Heart Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States. Across different manifestations of CVD, depression and anxiety disorders are common, under-recognized, and persistent. Furthermore, there is increasingly clear evidence that these psychiatric conditions are independent predictors of adverse cardiac events and mortality. Practitioners of behavioral medicine can play a vital role in managing patients with CVD by identifying common coping challenges and assessing patients at risk for mood and anxiety disorders. Though selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are safe and effective for treating anxiety disorders and depression among cardiac patients, there are several effective, well-tolerated, and evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and problem-solving therapy (PST) are the best-studied interventions and may be useful as stand-alone interventions or in the context of a collaborative medical-mental health care team approach. Several emerging therapies may also be useful, including mindfulness-based treatments and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). In addition, technological intervention delivery and telehealth programs can play important roles in reaching medically ill populations. Patients with comorbid CVD and anxiety or depression can experience relief from psychological symptoms with skillful application of evidence-based therapies and a team approach to care management.