cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improving the quality and ease of tracking invasive procedures

Summary. Documentation of the decision-making process leading up to an outcome of procedures is essential for assessing quality of patient care, supporting reimbursement, determination of appropriate utilization, and discernment of practitioner competence. Currently, doctors document interventions conducted outside the operating room in narratives within the daily progress notes. The free-form narrative typically includes the practitioner directly involved, procedure performed, technique used and outcomes. While hospitals encourage conformity to these documentation standards, the quality and content of the narratives vary greatly by practitioner, frequently leaving significant information missing. Therefore, to improve both quality of documentation in procedure notes and ease of monitoring non-operating room procedures, we developed a multicopy standardized procedure note. The form contains lines for recording the type, location, indication, anaesthesia, findings, and complications of the procedure, plus the persons performing, supervising and undergoing the procedure. Practitioners complete the multicopy note instead of the usual narrative note. We encode all the information from the standardized note into a data base that accumulates information on all procedures done throughout the hospital. The data base is used to generate summary reports to provide feedback to residents, residency directors and practitioners on procedural proficiency. The major advantage of this system is that it simultaneously improves the quality of documentation and ease of tracking non-operating room procedures at our hospitals. In addition, the system collects the information needed for reimbursement coding, hospital quality assurance and utilization review, and practitioner and resident credentialling purposes.
Acoustic scattering of a high-order Bessel beam by an elastic sphere

Abstract The exact analytical solution for the scattering of a generalized (or “hollow”) acoustic Bessel beam in water by an elastic sphere centered on the beam is presented. The far-field acoustic scattering field is expressed as a partial wave series involving the scattering angle relative to the beam axis and the half-conical angle of the wave vector components of the generalized Bessel beam. The sphere is assumed to have isotropic elastic material properties so that the nth partial wave amplitude for plane wave scattering is proportional to a known partial-wave coefficient. The transverse acoustic scattering field is investigated versus the dimensionless parameter ka(k is the wave vector, a radius of the sphere) as well as the polar angle θ for a specific dimensionless frequency and half-cone angle β. For higher-order generalized beams, the acoustic scattering vanishes in the backward (θ = π) and forward (θ = 0) directions along the beam axis. Moreover it is possible to suppress the excitation of certain resonances of an elastic sphere by appropriate selection of the generalized Bessel beam parameters.
Sapogenins of Yucca glauca seeds

Abstract From the seeds of Yucca glauca Nutt., sarsasapogenin. markogenin. tigogenin. neo-tigogenin. neo-gitogenin, hecogenin and gloriogenin have been isolated and identified. Sarsasapogenin was the predominant sapogenin. Markogenin and gloriogenin have not been reported in leaves, roots or rhizomes of this species before. Small amounts of a sapogenin believed to be either diosgenin or yamogenin were also detected.
Seasonal variation in food intake, physical activity, and body weight in a predominantly overweight population.

To describe seasonal variation in food intake, physical activity, and body weight in a predominantly overweight population. A longitudinal observational study. Most of the study participants were recruited from a health maintenance organization (HMO) in central Massachusetts, USA. Additional individuals of Hispanic descent were recruited from outside of the HMO population to increase the ethnic diversity of this sample. Data from 593 participants, aged 20–70, were used for this investigation. Each participant was followed quarterly (five sampling points: baseline and four consecutive quarters) for 1-year period. Body weight measurements and three 24-h dietary and physical activity recalls were obtained on randomly selected days (including 2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) per quarter. Sinusoidal regression models were used to estimate peak-to-trough amplitude and phase of the peaks. Daily caloric intake was higher by 86 kcal/day during the fall compared to the spring. Percentage of calories from carbohydrate, fat and saturated fat showed slight seasonal variation, with a peak in the spring for carbohydrate and in the fall for total fat and saturated fat intake. The lowest physical activity level was observed in the winter and the highest in the spring. Body weight varied by about 1/2 kg throughout the year, with a peak in the winter (P<0.001 winter versus summer). Greater seasonal variation was observed in subjects who were male, middle aged, nonwhite, and less educated. Although there is seasonal variation in diet, physical activity and body weight, the magnitude of the change is generally small in this population. US National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
Beginning: In Hegel and Today

My study of Hegel has begun with what Hegel writes on ‘beginning.’ Thus the question of the ‘Nevertheless!’ in the midst of the horrors and the problems of our time has formulated itself in ‘Beginning: In Hegel and Today’ as the question of how I can begin, how one can begin, today.
Evidence on the Incidence of Wage Posting, Wage Bargaining, and On-the-Job Search

Some workers bargain with prospective employers before accepting a job. Others face a posted wage as a take-it-or-leave-it opportu nity. Both modes of wage determination have generated large bodies of research. We surveyed a representative sample of US workers to inquire about the wage determination process at the time they were hired into their current or most recent jobs. A third of the respon dents reported bargaining over pay before accepting their current jobs. Almost a third of workers had precise information about pay when they first met with their employers, a sign of wage posting. About 40 percent of workers were on-the-job searchers—they could have remained at their earlier jobs at the time they accepted their current jobs, indicating a more favorable bargaining position than is held by unemployed job-seekers. About half of all workers reported that their employers had learned their pay in their earlier jobs before
Combining lexicon-driven parsing and phrase-structure-based parsing

Lexicon-driven formalisms (e.g. Categorial Grammar; HPSG and GB Grammar), which do not have explicit phrase structure rules, are suitable for higher level syntax but not for low level language-specific constructions such as dates (July 15th, 15-JUL-1987, etc), which seem to require the power of phrase structure rules. This paper presents an implementation method to combine lexicon-driven parsing and phrase structure parsing, with a special means called graph-structured stack.
Robust estimation of geomagnetic transfer functions

Summary. We show, through an examination of residuals, that all of the statistical assumptions usually used in estimating transfer functions for geomagnetic induction data fail at periods from 5 min to several hours at geomagnetic mid-latitudes. This failure can be traced to the finite spatial scale of many sources. In the past, workers have tried to deal with this problem by hand selecting data segments thought to be free of source effects. We propose an automatic robust analysis scheme which accounts for the systematic increase of errors with increasing power and which automatically downweights source contaminated outliers. We demonstrate that, in contrast to ordinary least squares, this automatic procedure consistently yields reliable transfer function estimates with realistic errors.
Learning information intent via observation

Users in an organization frequently request help by sending request messages to assistants that express information intent: an intention to update data in an information system. Human assistants spend a significant amount of time and effort processing these requests. For example, human resource assistants process requests to update personnel records, and executive assistants process requests to schedule conference rooms or to make travel reservations. To process the intent of a request, assistants read the request and then locate, complete, and submit a form that corresponds to the expressed intent. Automatically or semi-automatically processing the intent expressed in a request on behalf of an assistant would ease the mundane and repetitive nature of this kind of work.For a well-understood domain, a straightforward application of natural language processing techniques can be used to build an intelligent form interface to semi-automatically process information intent request messages. However, high performance parsers are based on machine learning algorithms that require a large corpus of examples that have been labeled by an expert. The generation of a labeled corpus of requests is a major barrier to the construction of a parser. In this paper, we investigate the construction of a natural language processing system and an intelligent form system that observes an assistant processing requests. The intelligent form system then generates a labeled training corpus by interpreting the observations. This paper reports on the measurement of the performance of the machine learning algorithms based on real data. The combination of observations, machine learning and interaction design produces an effective intelligent form interface based on natural language processing.
Growth of Non-Native Rio Grande Cichlids (Herichthys cyanoguftatus) at Different Salinities and in the Presence of Native Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)

ABSTRACT The Rio Grande cichlid (Herichthys cyanoguttatus) is a non-native fish that has become established in the greater New Orleans metropolitan area. We conducted laboratory experiments to determine if H. cyanoguttatus growth was impacted either by salinity or the presence of bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus), a native fish. There was no significant difference in growth of H. cyanoguttatus held at three different salinities (0, 8, and 16 psu) for 14 d. When H. cyanoguttatm and L. macrochirus were held at 0 psu for 28 d both with and without the other species present (n = 6 per trial), there was a significant difference in growth between species. Lepomis macrochirus held on their own grew faster than H. cyanoguttatus on their own and faster than H. cyanoguttatus held with L. macrochirus (p < 0.005). Also, L. macrochirus housed with H. cyanoguttatus grew faster than H. cyanoguttatus on their own and faster than H. cyanoguttatus with L. macrochirus (p < 0.001). A second 28 d trial compared growth of individ...
Dyadic Green's function for a multilayered planar medium-a dyadic eigenfunction approach

A new formulation of the dyadic Green's function for a planarly layered medium is presented, based on dyadic eigenfunctions of the Green's function operator. The general development of the dyadic Green's function is shown, resulting in a three-dimensional purely spectral representation. The spectral form is converted to a Hankel-function form using standard techniques, analogous to the sum-of-residues plus branch-cut representation often obtained from the Sommerfeld Green's function. Advantages and disadvantages of both the eigenfunction and Hankel function forms are outlined, and compared to other Green's function representations. Examples of the Green's dyadic for free space and for a grounded dielectric slab environment are provided, and the role of the continuous and discrete spectrum is discussed.
β-Adrenergic stimulation increases macrophage CD14 expression and E. coli phagocytosis through PKA signaling mechanisms

CD14 is a glycoprotein that binds bacterial LPS in MO. It is an essential component of the phagocytic system and is increased in septic shock. Critical injury and sepsis result in elevated endogenous CA levels. CAs have a significant impact on MO inflammatory functions. We tested the hypothesis that -adrenergic stimulation regulates CD14 expression and bacterial phagocytosis in BMO. Murine BMO stimulated with isoproterenol (8 h) induced a dose-dependent increase in cell surface CD14 expression. Specific PKA inhibitor (H-89) and gene-silencing (siRNA) studies demonstrated the role of cAMP-dependent PKA in mediating this response. In addition, we observed a correlation between an isoproterenol-mediated increase in CD14 expression and live Escherichia coli uptake in BMO. Further, the essential role of CD14 in an isoproterenol-mediated increase in E. coli uptake was highlighted from experiments using CD14 / mice. Moreover, the dose response of isoproterenol stimulation to CD14 expression and E. coli phagocytosis overlapped with similar EC50. Additionally, isoproterenol-mediated E. coli phagocytosis was prevented by H-89, suggesting that -adrenergic stimulus in BMO increases CD14 expression and live E. coli phagocytosis through a common signaling pathway. Our studies indicate the potential impact of -adrenergic agents on important innate immune functions. J. Leukoc. Biol. 88: 715–724; 2010.
The effect of dimercaprol on amine oxidase and amino acid decarboxylase of the normotensive and hypertensive rat kidney.

The administration of dimercaprol to normotensive and hypertensive rats produced pressor and antihypertensive effects, respectively. Kidney amino acid decarboxylase and amine oxidase activities were determined manometrically using (±)-3,4-di-hydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) as a substrate. Decarboxylase/amine oxidase ratios are presented as suggestive evidence that the dimercaprol-induced changes in blood pressure are related to amino acid metabolism.
Adaptive supply serial links with sub-1-V operation and per-pin clock recovery

The application of adaptive power-supply regulation is extended to serial links. The adaptive supply maximizes the energy-efficiency of the I/O circuits and serves as a global bias to scale the link properties optimally with the bitrate. Parallelism in transceivers and the use of multiphase clocks increase the bitrate to a multiple of the clock frequency and, hence, enable the low frequency low-voltage operation to reduce power while meeting the specified bitrate. Two key designs to enable this power saving are presented: parallelized transceivers for low-voltage operation and dual-loop architecture phase/delay-locked loop for multiphase clock distribution. A prototype chip fabricated in 0.25-/spl mu/m CMOS process operates at 0.65-5.0 Gb/s while dissipating 9.7-380 mW.
The effect of genotype, choice feeding, and season on organically reared broilers fed diets devoid of synthetic methionine

Abstract In response to the impending ban on synthetic methionine in organic poultry diets, researchers have focused on finding alternative strategies to supply this amino acid. The objectives of this study were to assess performance and carcass characteristics of broilers fed diets devoid of synthetic methionine by using 1) a slow-growing and a fast-growing genotype, 2) choice-feeding management (supplying grain and a complementary premix in 2 separate feeders), and 3) pasture access and seasonal variation. Inclusion of fish meal and high percentages of soybean meal enabled the specific genotype methionine requirement to be met. All diets were certified organic. The experiment was conducted during the grower and finisher phases in 4 different seasons: late fall, spring, summer, and early fall. Pasture access was assessed either by housing broilers on the West Virginia University Organic farm and giving them outdoor access, or by housing broilers on the West Virginia University Animal Sciences farm and giving them no outdoor access. Fast-growing genotypes were superior in performance and carcass characteristics compared with slow-growing genotypes, and choice-feeding management did not improve performance or carcass characteristics. Pasture access tended to have no effect on slow-growing broilers and decreased the performance of fast-growing broilers. Performance was decreased in late fall, likely because of cold ambient temperatures.
Self‐perception and perceived alienation among American Indians

Self-perception studies concerning the American Indian are summarized, beginning with early personality studies and progressing to the present. Emphasis is placed on the relationship between the findings and their effect on policy. Survey results of a national sample of 791 Indians are presented describing self-perceptions, perceptions toward feelings of alienation, and the relationship between the two constructs. Implications for research and identifying and developing community programs based on findings are included in the discussion.
Transnational South Korea as a site for a sociolinguistics of globalization: Markets, timescales, neoliberalism1

This special issue seeks a new direction for the sociolinguistics of globalization in the process of transnationalism, using as a case study new modes of Korean migration that are changing the face of Korean transnationalism, including short-term early study abroad and return migration. Through a discussion of the historical and sociolinguistic context of South Korea, this paper demonstrates how transnational Korea is a relevant site for refining, reframing, and reconsidering the current sociolinguistics of globalization. We identify two important interventions into the theoretical considerations of language and globalization brought forward by the Korean case: (1) a heightened attention to multiple timescales and markets; and (2) a more serious engagement with and critique of neoliberalism. 본 특별호는 초국가성이 세계화의 사회언어학의 새로운 연구 방향이 되어야 한다고 주장하며, 조기유학과 재이주 등 한국의 초국가성의 양상을 변화시키는 새로운 이주 현상들을 그 사례로 제시한다. 한국의 역사적, 사회언어학적 배경에 대한 논의를 통해, 본 논문은 왜 한국의 초국가성이 세계화에 대한 사회언어학적 연구를 새롭게 정립하는데 유용한 연구대상이 될 수 있는지 설명한다. 한국의 사례는 언어와 세계화의 관계에 관한 이론의 발전을 위하여 다음과 같은 두 방향을 제시한다: (1) 시간단위와 시장들의 다양성에 촛점을 맞출 것; 그리고 (2) 신자유주의에 대한 더 진지한 비판에 임할 것. [Korean]
Demonstration of high resolution SOI spectrometer with miniaturized disks

An ultra-compact 81-channel infrared spectrometer with high resolution (∼ 0.6 nm) and low crosstalk (<−10dB) is demonstrated on the SOI platform using a large-scale array of miniaturized microdisk resonators with a large free-spectral range.
Soil type mediates indirect interactions between Centaurea solstitialis and its biocontrol agents

Many invasive plants are attacked by more than one biocontrol agent. Attack by multiple enemies may give rise to indirect interactions, the nature of which may be influenced by the abiotic environment. We conducted a field experiment to determine (1) whether indirect interactions arose between Centaurea solstitialis, a foliar pathogen and three insect seed predators and (2) how the outcome was influenced by soil type (serpentine and non-serpentine). Because serpentine soils support high numbers of endemic species they are a priority for conservation. They also have very low calcium concentrations and Ca++ regulates plants’ ability to defend against pathogen infection. C. solstitialis growing on serpentine soil may therefore be more vulnerable to the pathogen and this may in turn affect the plant’s subsequent interactions with seed predators. We found that pathogen infection had a direct, negative impact on plant performance but its impact was not greater on serpentine plants. When attacked by the seed predators, inflorescences produced more viable seed when they were on plants infected with the pathogen than when they were on uninfected plants and the data suggest that this reflects reductions in larval seed-feeding. On the non-serpentine soil, the pathogen’s direct, negative impact was entirely canceled out by its indirect, positive effect via reduced seed predation. On the serpentine soil, plants attacked by the pathogen and the insect seed predators produced half as many seeds than plants attacked only by the seed predators. Our results demonstrate that biocontrol agent interactions may be modified by the plant and by the abiotic environment in a way that fundamentally alters their net impact on the weed.
Weight and volume changing device with liquid metal transfer

This paper presents a weight-changing device based on the transfer of mass. We chose liquid metal (Ga-In-Tin eutectic) and a bi-directional pump to control the mass that is injected into or removed from a target object. The liquid metal has a density of 6.44g/cm3, which is about six times heavier than water, and is thus suitable for effective mass transfer. We also combine the device with a dynamic volume-changing function to achieve programmable mass and volume at the same time. We explore three potential applications enabled by weight-changing devices: density simulation of different materials, miniature representation of planets with scaled size and mass, and motion control by changing gravity force. This technique opens up a new design space in human-computer interactions.
Distributed fiber sensing by using nonlinearly induced polarization coupling.

The power exchange between the two principal polarizations of a linear wave occurs only within a region of interaction with a counterpropagating nonlinear-optical pulse as a result of induced polarization coupling between the two waves in a single-mode fiber. An analytical solution of the power exchange is obtained. Such an effect can be utilized to measure the distribution of the linear birefringence of fibers. Potential applications in distributed pressure sensing are discussed.
Opportunistic Scheduling and Beamforming for MIMO-OFDMA Downlink Systems with Reduced Feedback

Opportunistic scheduling and beamforming schemes with reduced feedback are proposed for MIMO-OFDMA downlink systems. Unlike the conventional beamforming schemes in which beamforming is implemented solely by the base station (BS) in a per-subcarrier fashion, the proposed schemes take advantages of a novel channel decomposition technique to perform beamforming jointly by the BS and the mobile terminal (MT). The resulting beamforming schemes allow the BS to employ only one beamforming matrix (BFM) to form beams for all subcarriers while each MT completes the beamforming task for each subcarrier locally. Consequently, for a MIMO-OFDMA system with Q subcarriers, the proposed opportunistic scheduling and beamforming schemes require only one BFM index and Q supportable throughputs to be returned from each MT to the BS, in contrast to Q BFM indices and Q supportable throughputs required by the conventional schemes. The advantage of the proposed schemes becomes more evident when a further feedback reduction is achieved by grouping adjacent subcarriers into exclusive clusters and returning only cluster information from each MT. Theoretical analysis and computer simulation confirm the effectiveness of the proposed reduced-feedback schemes.
Renal function after laparoendoscopic single site pyeloplasty

Purpose: Outcomes after laparoendoscopic single site pyeloplasty are limited to small cohort studies with short-term followup. We evaluated the clinical and renal function outcomes of what to our knowledge is the largest laparoendoscopic single site pyeloplasty cohort to date with a mean followup of 12 months.Materials and Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed with symptomatic ureteropelvic junction obstruction who underwent robotic or conventional laparoendoscopic single site pyeloplasty were entered into the study. Patient demographics, and preoperative and postoperative renal function outcomes were recorded. Diuretic renogram was performed after stent removal, at 6 months and yearly thereafter.Results: The cohort included 31 conventional and 22 robotic laparoendoscopic single site pyeloplasties. Four laparoendoscopic single site surgeries (7.8%) were converted to another procedure due to failure to progress. Mean ± SD followup was 12.1 ± 10.7 months and 22 patients had at least 12 months of followup....
Spatial displacement sensitivity of X- and Y-cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat.

Abstract The sensitivity of X- and Y-cells in the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat to small, temporally modulated displacements of grating stimuli was measured at 0.175, 0.25, 0.50, 1.00, and 2.00 c/deg. For every cell, two threshold measures were determined: first, a contrast threshold with a counterphase grating and then a displacement threshold with a grating matched in spatial frequency, but whose contrast was 2.5 times the threshold value. The results showed that displacement thresholds of both X- and Y-cells decreased with increasing spatial frequency. At low spatial frequencies, mean displacement thresholds of X- and Y-cells were similar, but at intermediate spatial frequencies, Y-cell thresholds were lower than X. X-cell displacement thresholds were lower than Y only at the highest spatial frequency tested. Consistent with previous reports, contrast thresholds also varied with spatial frequency for both X- and Y-cells. The local luminance differences produced by the contrast threshold and displacement threshold stimuli for the two classes of cells were compared. Across all spatial frequencies, the change in position of the gratings at displacement threshold produced smaller luminance differences than the counterphase gratings at contrast threshold. This enhanced sensitivity of X- and Y-cells to local luminance changes produced by grating displacement was related to the high spatial contrast of the grating and not to the displacement per se.
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Adjuvant and Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Abstract Context The role of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) or neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NC) remains poorly defined for the management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), although some studies suggest a benefit. Objective To update the current evidence on the role of NC and AC for UTUC patients. Evidence acquisition We searched for all studies investigating NC or AC for UTUC in Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and abstracts from the American Society of Clinical Oncology meetings prior to February 2014. A systematic review and meta-analysis were performed. Evidence synthesis No randomized trials investigated the role of AC for UTUC. There was one prospective study ( n =36) investigating adjuvant carboplatin–paclitaxel and nine retrospective studies, with a total of 482 patients receiving cisplatin-based or non-cisplatin–based AC after nephroureterectomy (NU) and 1300 patients receiving NU alone. Across three cisplatin-based studies, the pooled hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival (OS) was 0.43 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21–0.89; p =0.023) compared with those who received surgery alone. For disease-free survival (DFS), the pooled HR across two studies was 0.49 (95% CI, 0.24–0.99; p =0.048). Benefit was not seen for non-cisplatin–based regimens. For NC, two phase 2 trials demonstrated favorable pathologic downstaging rates, with 3-yr OS and disease-specific survival (DSS) ≤93%. Across two retrospective studies investigating NC, there was a DSS benefit, with a pooled HR of 0.41 (95% CI, 0.22–0.76; p =0.005). Conclusions There appears to be an OS and DFS benefit for cisplatin-based AC in UTUC. This evidence is limited by the retrospective nature of studies and their relatively small sample size. NC appears to be promising, but more trials are needed to confirm its utility. Patient summary After a comprehensive search of studies examining the role of chemotherapy for upper tract urothelial cancer, the pooled evidence shows that cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy was beneficial for prolonging survival.
Alkaline Phosphatase and Hypophosphatasia

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) results from ALPL mutations leading to deficient activity of the tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase isozyme (TNAP) and thereby extracellular accumulation of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), a natural substrate of TNAP and potent inhibitor of mineralization. Thus, HPP features rickets or osteomalacia and hypomineralization of teeth. Enzyme replacement using mineral-targeted TNAP from birth prevented severe HPP in TNAP-knockout mice and was then shown to rescue and substantially treat infants and young children with life-threatening HPP. Clinical trials are revealing aspects of HPP pathophysiology not yet fully understood, such as craniosynostosis and muscle weakness when HPP is severe. New treatment approaches are under development to improve patient care.
Atypical Marginal Zone Hyperplasia is a Mimic for Lymphoma in Pediatric Transplant Recipients: Report of Two Patients:

Atypical marginal zone hyperplasia (AMZH) of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) closely resembles lymphoma in that it shows expansion of the marginal zones with prominent intraepithelial B lymphocytes, is immunoglobulin light-chain restricted, and may show aberrant CD43 expression. However, unlike lymphoma, it does not show rearrangement of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (immunoglobulin H [IgH]) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and it behaves in a benign fashion. We identified AMZH in 2 pediatric solid organ transplant recipients who presented with adenotonsillar hypertrophy. To date, the patients have experienced a self-limited course in the absence of treatment or reduction of immunosuppression. Atypical marginal zone hyperplasia is a pitfall for posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder and MALT lymphoma in the pediatric solid organ transplant population. In transplant patients with a lambda-restricted B-cell clone and marginal zone hyperplasia in native MALT sites, PCR for IgH and IgK gene rearrangement is essential to prevent misdiagnosis.
Escherichia coli lipoprotein binds human plasminogen via an intramolecular domain.

Escherichia coli lipoprotein (Lpp) is a major cellular component that exists in two distinct states, bound-form and free-form. Bound-form Lpp is known to interact with the periplasmic bacterial cell wall, while free-form Lpp is localized to the bacterial cell surface. A function for surface-exposed Lpp has yet to be determined. We hypothesized that the presence of C-terminal lysines in the surface-exposed region of Lpp would facilitate binding to the host zymogen plasminogen, a protease commandeered by a number of clinically important bacteria. Recombinant Lpp was synthesized and the binding of Lpp to plasminogen, the effect of various inhibitors on this binding, and the effects of various mutations of Lpp on Lpp-plasminogen interactions were examined. Additionally, the ability of Lpp-bound plasminogen to be converted to active plasmin was analyzed. We determined that Lpp binds plasminogen via an atypical domain located near the center of mature Lpp that may not be exposed on the surface of intact E. coli according to the current localization model. Finally, we found that plasminogen bound by Lpp can be converted to active plasmin. While the consequences of Lpp binding plasminogen are unclear, these results prompt further investigation of the ability of surface exposed Lpp to interact with host molecules such as extracellular matrix components and complement regulators, and the role of these interactions in infections caused by E. coli and other bacteria.
Advanced biomaterial strategies to transplant preformed micro-tissue engineered neural networks into the brain.

Objective. Connectome disruption is a hallmark of many neurological diseases and trauma with no current strategies to restore lost long-distance axonal pathways in the brain. We are creating transplantable micro-tissue engineered neural networks (micro-TENNs), which are preformed constructs consisting of embedded neurons and long axonal tracts to integrate with the nervous system to physically reconstitute lost axonal pathways. Approach. We advanced micro-tissue engineering techniques to generate micro-TENNs consisting of discrete populations of mature primary cerebral cortical neurons spanned by long axonal fascicles encased in miniature hydrogel micro-columns. Further, we improved the biomaterial encasement scheme by adding a thin layer of low viscosity carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to enable needle-less insertion and rapid softening for mechanical similarity with brain tissue. Main results. The engineered architecture of cortical micro-TENNs facilitated robust neuronal viability and axonal cytoarchitecture to at least 22 days in vitro. Micro-TENNs displayed discrete neuronal populations spanned by long axonal fasciculation throughout the core, thus mimicking the general systems-level anatomy of gray matter—white matter in the brain. Additionally, micro-columns with thin CMC-coating upon mild dehydration were able to withstand a force of 893 ± 457 mN before buckling, whereas a solid agarose cylinder of similar dimensions was predicted to withstand less than 150 μN of force. This thin CMC coating increased the stiffness by three orders of magnitude, enabling needle-less insertion into brain while significantly reducing the footprint of previous needle-based delivery methods to minimize insertion trauma. Significance. Our novel micro-TENNs are the first strategy designed for minimally invasive implantation to facilitate nervous system repair by simultaneously providing neuronal replacement and physical reconstruction of long-distance axon pathways in the brain. The micro-TENN approach may offer the ability to treat several disorders that disrupt the connectome, including Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and brain tumor excision.
STRATEGIC USE OF BUNDLING FOR REDUCING CONSUMERS' PERCEIVED RISK ASSOCIATED WITH THE PURCHASE OF NEW HIGH-TECH PRODUCTS

Consumers’ perceived risk is a significant barrier to the adoption of new high-tech products. Based on a review of the marketing, consumer behavior and psychology literatures, a theoretical framework is developed here that suggests how bundling a new high-tech product with an existing technology could help reduce consumers’ perceived risk associated with the purchase of the new high-tech product. This manuscript also explores what factors influence consumers’ risk perception when a product bundle is available. Managers might use this framework to develop bundling strategies for high-tech products, and to understand what factors make such bundles more attractive.
Abstract 37: Secretion of von Willebrand Factor by Endothelial Cells Links Salt to Hypercoagulability and Thrombosis

Hypercoagulability increases the risk of thrombi that cause cardiovascular events. Dehydration and hypernatremia are often accompanied by thrombosis, but the mechanisms are not clear. Von Willebrand Factor is secreted by endothelium, affecting aggregation of platelets and promoting activation of the coagulation cascade and formation of thrombi. Here we show that in culture of primary Human Umbilical Vein Endothelia Cells, elevating medium osmolality to 320-380 mosmol/kg by adding NaCl reversibly increases both vWF mRNA and vWF secretion. The high NaCl increases expression of tonicity regulated transcription factor NFAT5 and its binding to promoter of vWF gene, suggesting that vWF upregulation is caused by hypertonic signaling. To elevate NaCl in vivo, we modeled mild dehydration, subjecting mice to water restriction (WR) for 9 days by feeding them with gel food containing 30% of water. Such WR elevates blood sodium from 145.1±0.5 to 150.2±1.3 mmol/l and activates hypertonic signaling as evidenced from inc...
Maximal assortative matching for real-world network graphs, random network graphs and scale-free network graphs

We define the problem of maximal assortativity matching (MAM) as a variant of the maximal matching problem wherein we want to maximize the similarity between the end vertices (with respect to any particular measure for node weight) constituting the matching. The MAM algorithm (with a targeted assortative index value of 1) works on the basis of the assortative weight of an edge, defined as the product of the number of uncovered adjacent edges and the absolute difference of the weights of the end vertices of the edge. The MAM algorithm prefers to include the edge with the smallest assortativity weight (the assortative weight of the edges is updated for each iteration) until all the edges in the graph are covered. We show that the MAM algorithm can be easily adapted to be used for maximal dissortative matching (MDM) with a targeted assortative index of $$-$$-1 for the matching as well as for maximal node matching (MNM) algorithm to maximize the percentage of nodes matched. We illustrate the execution of the MAM, MDM and MNM algorithms on complex network graphs such as the random network graphs and scale-free network graphs as well as on real-world network graphs and analyze the tradeoffs.
Thermal Unit Requirements for Determining Adult Emergence of the Western Cherry Fruit Fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) in the Willamette Valley of Oregon

A 3-yr (1973–75) study of the emergence of the western cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran, in the Willamette Valley, OR, indicated that fly emergence commences with the accumulation of a certain number of degree days or thermal units (TU). The 1st fly emerged at the accumulation of approximately 468 TU above a base of 5°C (air temperature). However, when the temperatures taken 5 and 10 cm below the soil surface were measured, the emergence occurred at the accumulation of 720 and 657 TU, respectively. The last fly was noticed at the accumulation of approximately 975, 1130, and 1056 TU, respectively, for the temperatures taken in air, 5 cm below and 10 cm below ground surface. Data further indicated that soil temperature 5 cm below ground was more reliable in predicting the fly emergence than the air temperature. A positive relationship was noticed between the accumulation of a certain number of TU and the emergence of various levels of fly population; i.e., 10%, 50%, 90% and 100%.
The Effect of Gamma and Electron Beam Irradiation on the Biodegradability of PLA Films

Biodegradation of poly(lactic) acid (PLA) has been studied extensively, but there is only limited knowledge about the effect of irradiation sterilization on its biodegradability. The aim of this work was to examine the aerobic biodegradation of gamma and electron beam irradiated PLA films along with the effects of aging (3, 6, and 9 months of storage) using a direct measurement respirometric system. Commercial PLA film was exposed to a simulated aerobic compost environment, and its mineralization was 96 % at day 85. Gamma and electron beam irradiation affected the biodegradation of the post-irradiated PLA film. Aging irradiated PLA had some potential to increase the biodegradation rate, as the average value of mineralization after 9 months of storage was higher than for the non-irradiated PLA. Comparison of the effect of storage time on the biodegradability of PLA showed a significant increase in biodegradation of the gamma irradiated PLA after 3 months (70 %) and 9 months of storage (130 %). Similarly, there was a significant difference in the biodegradation of electron beam irradiated PLA between 3 months (68 %) and 9 months of storage (120 %). Due to the priming effect, the percent mineralization of gamma irradiated and E-beam irradiated PLA after 9 months of storage was greater than 100 %. Both non-irradiated and irradiated PLA films can be considered biodegradable plastics since they showed mineralization percentage larger than 90 % of that of the positive control at the end of the test period.
Dissolution Kinetics of Calcium Oxalate Calculi

The solubility of some stone salts (e.g. struvite, uric acid and cystine) can be increased by altering urinary pH. Calcium oxalate (CaOx) solubility, however, changes little over the physiological pH range (4.5 to 7.5) but does increase at pH <4.0. To assess the feasibility of in vivo dissolution of CaOx by acidic irrigating solutions, we have determined the dissolution kinetics of CaOx calculi at low pH.
Clinical skin imaging using color spatial frequency domain imaging (Conference Presentation)

Skin diseases are typically associated with underlying biochemical and structural changes compared with normal tissues, which alter the optical properties of the skin lesions, such as tissue absorption and scattering. Although widely used in dermatology clinics, conventional dermatoscopes don’t have the ability to selectively image tissue absorption and scattering, which may limit its diagnostic power. Here we report a novel clinical skin imaging technique called color spatial frequency domain imaging (cSFDI) which enhances contrast by rendering color spatial frequency domain (SFD) image at high spatial frequency. Moreover, by tuning spatial frequency, we can obtain both absorption weighted and scattering weighted images. We developed a handheld imaging system specifically for clinical skin imaging. The flexible configuration of the system allows for better access to skin lesions in hard-to-reach regions. A total of 48 lesions from 31 patients were imaged under 470nm, 530nm and 655nm illumination at a spatial frequency of 0.6mm^(-1). The SFD reflectance images at 470nm, 530nm and 655nm were assigned to blue (B), green (G) and red (R) channels to render a color SFD image. Our results indicated that color SFD images at f=0.6mm-1 revealed properties that were not seen in standard color images. Structural features were enhanced and absorption features were reduced, which helped to identify the sources of the contrast. This imaging technique provides additional insights into skin lesions and may better assist clinical diagnosis.
Dermatologists’ Management of Psoriatic Arthritis: A Report from the 2014 GRAPPA Meeting

The presence of concomitant psoriatic arthritis (PsA) directly affects the treatment decisions dermatologists may make as they manage their patients’ psoriasis (PsO). Because the prevalence of PsA increases with PsO duration, it is important to regularly screen for signs and symptoms of PsA. Dermatologists and rheumatologists agree that they need to cooperate in the management of skin and musculoskeletal manifestations of PsA. However, the respective healthcare systems substantially influence how this cooperation is achieved in different countries and possibly even within regions. Some models exist that address how this crucial cooperation can be achieved.
Virtual Interview with Jeremy Allison and Andrew Tridgell

Author John Blair talks to two members of the Samba development team to discover some history and take a look at the future of the project
Gabapentin Monotherapy for Partial Seizures

A randomized double-blind trial of gabapentin monotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed partial epilepsy was conducted by an international study group.
Sensory Aspects of Bitter and Sweet Tastes During Early Childhood

The flavor of food arises from multiple sensory inputs, including taste, smell, and oral touch. Human preference for food is driven by both biology and previous experience. Hedonic responses for taste and chemesthesis (chemically initiated touch sensations) are generally hardwired, whereas hedonic responses for smell are almost exclusively learned. With time, individuals can also learn to like the initially aversive oral sensations, such as the bitterness of beer or the burn of chili peppers, through a variety of mechanisms. Encouraging the development of healthy eating habits early in life is considered to be an optimal strategy to reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases. Over the past 2 decades, much has been written about how individual differences in taste sensation, especially bitterness, may either predispose or prevent a person from making healthy food choices. A related but separate body of work has systematically explored perceptual interactions between various taste stimuli. Unfortunately, these findings are infrequently integrated within the context of eating real foods to consider how they may influence food choice in humans. This article briefly highlights some key findings and attempts to integrate them to provide new insights on how to best encourage appropriate child-feeding behaviors.
Application of adaptive optics for controlling the NIF laser performance and spot size

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser will use a 192- beam multi-pass architecture capable of delivering several MJ of UV energy in temporal phase formats varying from sub- ns square to 20 ns precisely-defined high-contrast shapes. Each beam wavefront will be subjected to effects of optics inhomogeneities, figuring errors, mounting distortions, prompt and slow thermal effects from flashlamps, driven and passive air-path turbulence, and gravity-driven deformations. A 39-actuator intra-cavity deformable mirror, controlled by data from a 77-lenslet Hartman sensor will be used to correct these wavefront aberrations and thus to assure that stringent farfield spot requirements are met. We have developed numerical models for the expected distortions, the operation of the adaptive optics systems, and the anticipated effects on beam propagation, component damage, frequency conversion, and target-plane energy distribution. These models have been extensively validated against data from LLNL's Beamlet, and Amplab lasers. We review the expected beam wavefront aberrations and their potential for adverse effects on the laser performance, describe our model of the corrective system operation, and display our predictions for corrected-beam operation of the NIF laser.
Plasma density perturbation caused by probes at low gas pressure

An analysis of plasma parameter perturbations caused by a spherical probe immersed into a spherical plasma is presented for arbitrary collisionality and arbitrary ratios of probe to plasma dimensions. The plasma was modeled by the fluid plasma equations with ion inertia and nonlinear ion friction force that dominate plasma transport at low gas pressures. Significant depletion of the plasma density around the probe surface has been found. The area of plasma depletion coincides with the sensing area of different kinds of magnetic and microwave probes and will therefore lead to errors in data inferred from measurements with such probes.
Measurements of Turbulence

It was pointed out in Chapter 5 that mean velocity and spectrum width measured by a Doppler radar are weighted averages of point velocities. Mean velocity measurements are quite adequate to depict motion on scales larger than the resolution volume V6, and the spectrum width gives an estimate of the variance of motion on scales smaller than V6; but we cannot infer the details of the flow inside the volume. In some special instances, such as when a vortex is within the resolution volume, certain attributes of motion can be deduced from the Doppler spectra ( Section 9.5.3). Nevertheless, Doppler radar offers intriguing possibilities for the measurement and study of turbulence on scales larger and smaller than the resolution volume. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the basic concepts of turbulence and to establish a firm connection between the physical (statistical) properties of the atmosphere and Doppler-derived measurements. We present relationships between turbulence and the mean Doppler velocity and spectrum width.
Literacy Instruction for Students with Special Needs

Children with special needs are often significantly behind their peers in literacy (i.e., reading, vocabulary, and writing) development. These students who struggle with learning often require specialized instruction to acquire, master, maintain, and generalize basic literacy skills. Fortunately, researchers have established that when students with special needs are provided directed, explicit instruction with systematic progress monitoring, performance gains are substantial. In this synopsis of literacy instruction for students with special needs, several well-established and extensively implemented reading, vocabulary, and writing interventions are described.
Genetic associations with adverse events from anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Genetic associations with adverse events from anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy in inflammatory bowel disease patients