cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infanticide and Cannibalism by Male Chimpanzees at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

Researchers have documented infanticide by adult males in four wild chimpanzee populations. Males in three of these have killed infants from outside of their own communities, but most infanticides, including one from Kanyawara, in Kibale National Park, Uganda, took place within communities. Here we report two new cases of infanticide by male chimpanzees at a second Kibale site, Ngogo, where the recently habituated chimpanzee community is the largest yet known. Both infanticides happended during boundary patrols, which occur at a high frequency there. Patrolling males attacked solitary females who were unable to defend their infants successfully. The victims were almost certainly not members of the Ngogo community. Males cannibalized both infants and completely consumed their carcasses. These observations show that infanticide by males is widespread in the Kibale population and that between-community infanticide also happens there. We discuss our observations in the context of the sexual selection hypothesis and other proposed explanations for infanticide by male chimpanzees. The observations support the arguments that infanticide has been an important selective force in chimpanzee social evolution and that females with dependent infants can be at great risk near range boundaries, but why male chimpanzees kill infants is still uncertain.
Level shifts of simple atoms between parallel mirrors

We have made a quantitative study of quantum electrodynamic corrections to the atomic energy levels between parallel conducting mirrors. Within the framework of simple two-level atoms, we evaluate the level shifts numerically and discuss the van der Waals, Casimir, and cavity-resonant radiative shifts as their asymptotic forms. In particular, we find that the level shifts of an excited state are substantially different not only from those of a classical dipole radiator but also from those of an excited atom near a single mirror. For the ground state, however, the shifts are qualitatively similar to those near a single mirror. We also apply the results to some simple atomic systems that may be used to test the cavity QED theory.
The curious problem of spinor rotation

Can the sign change of a spinor wavefunction rotated by 360 degrees be observed? If so, does this violate any basic quantum mechanical principles? The answers are yes and no, respectively. Tests of this fundamental quantum mechanical prediction are discussed, and the close analogy between the experimental methods employed and well-known processes in classical physical optics is pointed out.
Particle dynamics on Snyder space

Abstract We examine Hamiltonian formalism on Euclidean Snyder space. The latter corresponds to a lattice in the quantum theory. For any given dynamical system, it may not be possible to identify time with a real number parametrizing the evolution in the quantum theory. The alternative requires the introduction of a dynamical time operator. We obtain the dynamical time operator for the relativistic (nonrelativistic) particle, and use it to construct the generators of Poincare (Galilei) group on Snyder space.
Glucuronide conjugation reduces the cytotoxicity but not the mutagenicity of benzo(a)pyrene in the CHO/HGPRT assay

Benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P) is biotransformed by the mixed-function oxidase (MFO) system to numerous metabolites some of which are cytotoxic and/or mutagenic to mammalian cells. However, conjugation of B(a)P-induced metabolites with glucuronic acid in vivo is a major pathway of detoxication and elimination. The effects of glucuronide conjugation on B(a)P-induced cytotoxicity and mutagenicity were studied using the CHO-HGPRT assay with a rat liver homogenate preparation containing MFO system cofactors (S9 mix) and uridine diphosphate ..cap alpha..-D-glucuronic acid (UDPGA). B(a)P metabolites proximate to the biologically active B(a)P quinones (B(a)P 6-OH) and to the B(a)P 7,8-diol-9,10 epoxide isomers (B(a)P 7,8-diol), were also assayed with S9 mix in the absence and presence of UDPGA. The addition of UDPGA to S9 mix reduced B(a)P-induced cytotoxicity but did not affect mutagenicity. B(a)P 6-OH-mediated cytotoxicity was also reduced in the presence of UDPGA. UDPGA had no effect on B(a)P 7,8-diol-induced cytotoxicity or mutagenicity. B(a)P phenols have been shown to be the preferred B(a)P metabolite substrates for UDP-glucuronyltransferase enzymes. Thus, the reduction of B(a)P and B(a)P 6-OH-induced cytotoxicity by glucuronide conjugation is likely due to the elimination of cytotoxic phenols and quinones. Since B(a)P 7,8-diol is a poor substrate for UDP-glucuronyltransferase enzymes, no effects on B(a)P-induced mutagenicity or B(a)P more » 7,8-diol-induced cytotoxicity and mutagenicity were observed. 40 references, 3 figures, 2 tables. « less
Pancreas-Targeted NIR Fluorophores for Dual-Channel Image-Guided Abdominal Surgery

Objective: Pancreas-related complications are some of the most serious ones in abdominal surgery. The goal of this study was to develop and validate novel near-infrared (NIR) fluorophores that would enable real-time pancreas imaging to avoid the intraoperative pancreatic injury. Design: After initial screening of a large NIR fluorophore library, the performance of 3 selected pancreas-targeted 700 nm NIR fluorophores, T700-H, T700-F, and MB, were quantified in mice, rats, and pigs. Dose ranging using 25 and 100 nmol, and 2.5 µmol of T700-F, and its imaging kinetics over a 4 h period were tested in each species. Three different 800 nm NIR fluorophores were employed for dual-channel FLARE™ imaging in pigs: 2 μmol of ZW800-1 for vessels and kidney, 1 μmol of ZW800-3C for lymph nodes, and 2 μmol of ESNF31 for adrenal glands. Results: T700-F demonstrated the highest signal to background ratio (SBR), with peak SBR at 4 h postinjection in mice. In pigs, T700-F produced an SBR ≥ 2 against muscle, spleen, and lymph nodes for up to 8 h after a single intravenous injection. The combination of T700-F with each 800 nm NIR fluorophore provided simultaneous dual-channel intraoperative imaging of pancreas with surrounding organs in real time. Conclusion: Pancreas-targeted NIR fluorophores combined with the FLARE dual-channel imaging system enable the real-time intraoperative pancreas imaging which helps surgeons perform safer and more curative abdominal surgeries.
Editorials: Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis: An Emerging Threat Among Renal Patients

Nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF), also known as nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy, is a scleroderma-like disease of the skin observed in patients with renal insufficiency. Since its recognition in 1997, relatively little has been published in the nephrology literature, despite indications that the disorder is becoming increasingly recognized in the United States and abroad. As nephrology professionals may be the first to encounter newly developing cases of NSF, it becomes imperative that they be able to recognize the symptoms and comorbidities and initiate tests and treatment. To date, the cause of NSF has not been established. Recent observations indicate that specific cells normally involved in wound repair and tissue remodeling may be aberrantly recruited to the skin and soft tissues of NSF patients.
Texture segmentation by clustering of Gabor feature vectors

Approaches the texture segmentation problem by clustering feature vectors created from a Gabor transform data block. Given an N*N image, the authors compute 24 Gabor transforms using Gabor kernels with six orientations and four sizes. This results in a Gabor data block composed of N/sup 2/ feature vectors of length 24. The feature vectors are then grouped based on their distribution in the high-dimensional feature space. The authors hypothesize that the pixels in a given group have similar characteristics, and thus are part of the same texture. Experimental results for segmenting a synthetic railroad track image were encouraging; a clear-cut segmentation of the image was obtained. By clustering Gabor features, the authors were able to segment an image into regions of uniform texture without prior knowledge of the types of texture, or the frequency and orientation characteristics of these textures. The clustering algorithm is a modified Kohonen self-organizing feature map. >
Is knee joint proprioception worse in the arthritic knee versus the unaffected knee in unilateral knee osteoarthritis

Objective. Neuromuscular joint protection requires proprioceptive input and motor output. Impairment of proprioception in knee osteoarthritis (OA) may contribute to, and/or result from, the disease. If this impairment was exclusively a local result of OA, a between-knee difference would be expected in patients with unilateral OA (UOA). To explore causal directions, 2 hypotheses were tested: 1) proprioception is worse in UOA patients versus elderly controls; 2) proprioception is worse in the arthritic knee versus the unaffected knee in UOA patients. Methods. Twenty-eight UOA patients (Kellgren-Lawrence grade ⩾2 in 1 knee and <2 in the other knee) and 29 elderly controls were enrolled. The unaffected knee of each UOA patient and both knees of the elderly controls were required to meet symptom, examination, and radiographic criteria. Proprioception (detection threshold of joint displacement after slow, passive, automated knee motion), body mass index, pain, functional status, range of motion, and laxity were measured. Results. UOA patients had worse proprioception than did elderly controls, in either knee. A between-knee difference was not found in UOA patients. Conclusion. Impaired proprioception is not exclusively a local result of disease in knee OA. The relative importance of impaired proprioception in the development and progression of knee OA will require longitudinal study.
Unnatural Emotions: Everyday Sentiments on a Micronesian Atoll and Their Challenge to Western Theory

"An outstanding contribution to psychological anthropology. Its excellent ethnography and its provocative theory make it essential reading for all those concerned with the understanding of human emotions."--Karl G. Heider, "American Anthropologist"
Ethics in Focus Groups: A Few Concerns

Although the focus group methodology has become an increasingly popular research measure in the past 15 years, very little has been written about the ethical issues. Although the question of ethics is not unique to this approach, there are ethical issues that are specific to the focus group interview. The major issue to consider as a researcher using this technique is the potential of over disclosure by the participants, particularly if the research topic is sensitive. As researchers we are obligated to insure that participants in our studies are not harmed (physically or psychologically) by our research. To provide research participants the safest environment possible, the researcher must have an understanding and ability to apply ethical theories to their situations. This article discusses ethical theories, specific ethical concerns to focus groups, the role of the researcher in such cases, and makes recommendations for future consideration.
IS THE POTASSIUM TOLERANCE CURVE OF VALUE IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ADRENAL CORTICAL INSUF′FICIENCY IN MAN?

THE USE of the potassium tolerance curve has been advocated by Zwemer and Trusskowski (i) as a means of detecting adrenal cortical insufficiency. They suggested, also, that it may be of diagnostic value in Addison's disease. Such a method, if specific, is sorely needed in mild or doubtful cases of Addison's disease, and in the many cases of probable adrenal cortical insufficiency which are misappre′hended. In such cases cortical dysfunction may occur alone or as a complication of other diseases. It is because of this that we have obtained the potassium tolerance curve in a variety of cases, including Addison's disease in which asthenia was a prominent manifestation. Each patient was given, orally, 19 mg. of potassium chloride in aqueous solution per lb. of body weight, after he had fasted 12 to 14 hours.
Integration of pharmacotherapy topics across the curriculum using a “Create-Your-Own-Patient Case” team project

Abstract Background Creativity in didactic pharmacy education is documented in course design, delivery, and assessment; yet paucity exists in encouraging students' creativity toward the application, analysis, synthesis, and integration of knowledge in creating their own work. Objective To design, implement, and evaluate a creative team project within a psychopharmacotherapy course allowing students to (1) integrate prior content with psychiatric pharmacotherapy, (2) apply disease state knowledge, and (3) accurately correlate diagnoses' symptomatology to describe a patient through case narratives. Design Second-year Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students were randomly given a list of psychiatric/medical diagnoses and personality disorders and assigned to create a patient case within team-based frameworks during a six-day (36-h) psychopharmacotherapy course. Results All teams accurately integrated assigned diagnoses in a patient-specific manner using varied levels of complexity, creating cases consistent with a 21-item rubric based on a comprehensive psychiatric/medical evaluation. Most teams (85%) accurately commented on their patients' mental status and assigned correct psychiatric evaluation and diagnostic tests to their patient. Individually, students reported great satisfaction and benefit from participating in this project. Evaluation of case content revealed areas of instruction within pharmacy curricula that may warrant further investigation, such as formal referrals to other providers, health literacy, physical assessment, and the use of peer evaluation. Conclusions A creative project in which student teams synthesized their own patient cases allowed them to apply didactic content to integration of psychiatric/medical diagnoses as they synthesized a patient case narrative, and helped the instructor identify areas in which to optimize pharmacy instruction.
Rethinking the ‘Erasmus Effect’ on European Identity†

The Erasmus programme for university student exchange was developed, in part, to foster European identity among its participants, who complete a short-term sojourn studying in another European country. However, two previous panel studies of the impact of Erasmus participation on European identity find no significant ‘Erasmus effect’. This article analyzes new survey data ‐ a novel panel study of 1,729 students from 28 universities in six countries ‐ and finds the opposite: participation in an Erasmus exchange is significantly and positively related to changes in both identification as European and identification with Europe. Furthermore, the data underscore the significance of cross-border interaction and cognitive mobilization for explaining identity change: transnational contact during the exchange is positively related to change in both dimensions of European identity, and increased knowledge of Europe and attention to European news over the course of the exchange is associated with enhanced identification with Europe.
Evidence that the Promoter Can Influence Assembly of Antitermination Complexes at Downstream RNA Sites

The N protein of phage λ acts with Escherichia coli Nus proteins at RNA sites, NUT, to modify RNA polymerase (RNAP) to a form that overrides transcription terminators. These interactions have been thought to be the primary determinants of the effectiveness of N-mediated antitermination. We present evidence that the associated promoter, in this case the λ early PR promoter, can influence N-mediated modification of RNAP even though modification occurs at a site (NUTR) located downstream of the intervening cro gene. As predicted by genetic analysis and confirmed by in vivo transcription studies, a combination of two mutations in PR, at positions −14 and −45 (yielding PR-GA), reduces effectiveness of N modification, while an additional mutation at position −30 (yielding PR-GCA) suppresses this effect. In vivo, the level of PR-GA-directed transcription was twice as great as the wild-type level, while transcription directed by PR-GCA was the same as that directed by the wild-type promoter. However, the rate of open complex formation at PR-GA in vitro was roughly one-third the rate for wild-type PR. We ascribe this apparent discrepancy to an effect of the mutations in PR-GCA on promoter clearance. Based on the in vivo experiments, one plausible explanation for our results is that increased transcription can lead to a failure to form active antitermination complexes with NUT RNA, which, in turn, causes failure to read through downstream termination sites. By blocking antitermination and thus expression of late functions, the effect of increased transcription through nut sites could be physiologically important in maintaining proper regulation of gene expression early in phage development.
Surface Roughness Investigation of Thin SiO2 Films Deposited from N2O and SiH4

The surface roughness of deposited SiO2 has become increasingly important as integrated circuit (IC’s) device dimensions approach the low sub-micron regime. The impact of roughness is consistent with that of gross paniculate contamination such that both contribute to device failure and low yield. SiO2 deposited from nitrous oxide (N2O) and silane (SiH4) addresses other stringent process requirement such as conformity and step coverage but, certain process conditions result in rough surface textures. For this study SiO2 was deposited at a pressure of 400 mTorr and at a temperature of 800°C in a vertical diffusion furnace (VDF) from SiH4 and N2O. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to investigate the film’s surfaces for roughness. We have found that the surface roughness is a strong function of deposition pressure, total gas flow, and N2O/SiH4 flow ratio. In this paper, film roughness is presented as measured by the AFM and laser-based particle detector. The possible impact of roughness on device failure and hence low yield is also investigated.
Finding Common Ground For Content And Technology: A Model For Course Development

A mathematics educator and an instructional technologist developed a practical, collaborative model that integrates content and technology and applied this model to a mathematics course for prospective elementary school teachers.
Effects of Cloud Parameterization on the Simulation of Climate Changes in the GISS GCM. Part II: Sea Surface Temperature and Cloud Feedbacks

Abstract The influence of the sea surface temperature distribution on cloud feedbacks is studied by making two sets of doubled CO2 experiments with the Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) GCM at 4° latitude × 5° longitude resolution. One set uses Q fluxes obtained by prescribing observed sea surface temperatures (MODELII′), and the other set uses Q fluxes obtained by prescribing the simulated sea surface temperature of a coupled ocean–atmosphere model (MODELIIO). The global and annual mean surface air temperature change (ΔTs) obtained in MODELII′ is reduced from 4.11° to 3.02°C in MODELIIO. This reduced sensitivity, aside from reduced sea ice/snow–albedo feedback, is mainly due to cloud feedback that becomes nearly neutral in MODELIIO. Furthermore, the negative effect on climate sensitivity of anvil clouds of large optical thickness identified by Yao and Del Genio changes its sign in MODELIIO primarily due to sharply reduced increases of cloud water in the tropical upper troposphere. Colder tropica...
Celiac Disease and Schizophrenia

The relationship between schizophrenia and celiac disease (CD) has been reported in the research literature for over 70 years. CD is a T-cell mediated autoimmune inflammatory disease of the small intestine and is activated by the consumption of prolamins found in wheat, rye, oats or barley in genetically predisposed individuals. Incidence and prevalence rates for CD in the United States (US) are widespread, affecting 1% of the aggregate population in not at-risk groups, or1 out of 133 persons. Gluten, the trigger for CD and cause for damage to the lining of the small intestine, has been demonstrated to impair the nervous system. Neurologic disorders including ataxia, epilepsy and headache have been well documented in the literature. Psychiatric conditions including depression, anxiety and schizophrenia have also been studied with great interest among adults and children with CD. Additionally, impaired cognitive function has also been reported in individuals with CD and schizophrenia. Past and current studies on schizophrenia have demonstrated a reduction in psychotic symptoms following adherence to a gluten-free diet, however studies with smaller sample sizes showed no significant differences. Recommendations for future empirical research to further investigate the relationship between schizophrenia, cognitive function and CD are discussed. Keywords: Celiac disease, schizophrenia, gluten, neuropsychiatric issues, psychotic symptoms.
Force Field Model of Periodic Trends in Biomolecular Halogen Bonds

The study of the noncovalent interaction now defined as a halogen bond (X-bond) has become one of the fastest growing areas in experimental and theoretical chemistry—its applications as a design tool are highly extensive. The significance of the interaction in biology has only recently been recognized, but has now become important in medicinal chemistry. We had previously derived a set of empirical potential energy functions to model the structure–energy relationships for bromines in biomolecular X-bonds (BXBs). Here, we have extended this force field for BXBs (ffBXB) to the halogens (Cl, Br, and I) that are commonly seen to form stable X-bonds. The ffBXB calculated energies show a remarkable one-to-one linear relationship to explicit BXB energies determined from an experimental DNA junction system, thereby validating the approach and the model. The resulting parameters allow us to interpret the stabilizing effects of BXBs in terms of well-defined physical properties of the halogen atoms, including their ...
Multifaceted utilization of a cortical stimulator during tumor resection

Abstract Background Neurosurgeons use Ojemann cortical stimulators to map and localize cortical and subcortical regions of the brain to map functional areas intraoperatively to avoid resecting or damaging functional tissue. Here we describe a technique where, rather than using a separate retracting tool, a handheld Ojemann cortical stimulator was used to retract cerebral parenchyma while simultaneously stimulating descending white matter tracts to prevent accidental damage to white matter tracts involved with motor function. Case description A 48-year-old patient developed intractable seizures and preoperative workup showed a left frontal brain mass close to her motor region. Subdural grid electrodes were implanted to localize the patient's ictal onset zone. The electrodes were then removed and the tumor was resected along with the ictal onset zone. During the resection, the neurosurgeon (S. Vadera) successfully utilized the Ojemann cortical stimulator to stimulate descending white matter tracts to prevent accidental injury to the patient and also retract cerebral parenchyma during resection. Four weeks post-operative, the patient had made a complete recovery and had no unforeseen deficits or weaknesses. Conclusion Here we show that the Ojemann cortical stimulator can be used as an effective retraction tool as well as a cerebral parenchyma stimulator, effectively preventing accidental injury to functional tissue while concurrently giving the neurosurgeon a free hand to perform other tasks.
Application of Multi-core Processors in Low-and-medium-voltage Relay Protection Devices Integrated with Measurement and Control Function

The application of multi-core processors in the measurement and control devices of secondary protection of power equipment is presented.Combined with the basic concept of multi-core processors and the typical hardware solution of power intelligent electric device,the design and implementation of an embedded multi-core processors in new low-and-medium-voltage relay protection devices integrated with measurement and control function is described in detail.And the method of data transmission-sharing among multi-core processors based on message mechanism is proposed.Finally,some prospects of application trends of multi-core processors in power secondary equipments are shown.
The viable but non-culturable state and its relevance in food safety

The viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is a form of dormancy employed by many bacteria as a method of survival and can be found in nearly any ecological niche. Major characteristics that distinguish dormant cells is their ability to evade detection by routine laboratory culture, to tolerate stressful environments including food pasteurization processes and antibiotics, and to resuscitate within a host and cause disease. Given these defining characteristics, these resilient microbes raise significant concern for the food industry and for the health of those consuming foods harboring these veiled pathogens. This review provides an overview of the biology of the VBNC state, its relationship to food safety, and novel methods developed for the rapid detection and identification of VBNC cells.
Community participation in mental health.

Building community participation into the operation of a mental health center may be difficult, but staff and community residents can gain from the process
Prostanoids promote pial arteriolar dilation and mask constriction to oxytocin in piglets.

We determined effects of oxytocin on piglet pial arterioles and the role of prostanoids in mediating arteriolar responses. Anesthetized piglets were equipped with closed cranial windows, and arteriolar diameter was measured using intravital microscopy. Pial arterioles were exposed to 10(-10) to 10(-4) M oxytocin. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) were determined using radioimmunoassay. Baseline diameter was 110 +/- 4 microns and increased to 120 +/- 6 microns at 10(-8) M (9 +/- 3%, n = 20). CSF levels of PGE2 were 697 pg/ml during baseline and increased to 1,685 +/- 316 pg/ml during 10(-6) M, 2,243 +/- 327 pg/ml during 10(-5) M, and 2,941 +/- 500 pg/ml during 10(-4) (n = 6). CSF levels of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha were 354 +/- 73 pg/ml during baseline and increased to 734 +/- 168 pg/ml at 10(-5) M and to 836 +/- 167 pg/ml at 10(-4) M (n = 5). After inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by indomethacin (5 mg/kg i.v.), oxytocin constricted at all doses, starting at 10(-10) M (5 +/- 2%) and continuing to constrict at 10(-4) M (24 +/- 2%, n = 14). We conclude that: 1) piglet pial arterioles respond to relatively low levels of oxytocin, 2) local presence and/or production of prostanoids promotes dilation, and 3) endogenous prostanoids prevent constriction of pial arterioles to oxytocin. Our results suggest that oxytocin could play a role in the regulation of cerebral hemodynamics.
Topology and Boolean Algebras

The material of this section is divided into four sub-sections dealing with Topology, the finitary properties of Boolean algebras, the duality of Stone between Boolean algebras and compact totally disconnected spaces, and the completion of a Boolean algebra and the (essentially dual) Gleason space of a compact space. Three spaces are involved: The Stone-Cech compactification of a space, the Stone space of a Boolean algebra, and the Stone space of the (complete) Boolean algebra of regular-open sets of a space. The definitions use either the topological version of an ultrafilter, namely a z-ultrafilter on a space, or the algebraic version of an ultrafilter, namely an ultrafilter of a Boolean algebra; these are (non-comparable) generalizations of the set-theoretic version of an ultrafilter, namely the ultrafilter on a cardinal number.
Spatially-explicit models of global tree density

Remote sensing and geographic analysis of woody vegetation provide means of evaluating the distribution of natural resources, patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem structure, and socio-economic drivers of resource utilization. While these methods bring geographic datasets with global coverage into our day-to-day analytic spheres, many of the studies that rely on these strategies do not capitalize on the extensive collection of existing field data. We present the methods and maps associated with the first spatially-explicit models of global tree density, which relied on over 420,000 forest inventory field plots from around the world. This research is the result of a collaborative effort engaging over 20 scientists and institutions, and capitalizes on an array of analytical strategies. Our spatial data products offer precise estimates of the number of trees at global and biome scales, but should not be used for local-level estimation. At larger scales, these datasets can contribute valuable insight into resource management, ecological modelling efforts, and the quantification of ecosystem services.
N1922S Mutation In the Factor VIII A3 Domain Produces a Rate-Limiting, Domain-Specific Folding Defect Leading to Hyposecretion of a Functional Protein

Abstract 2209 Factor VIII (fVIII) contains a domain sequence designated A1-A2-B- ap -A3-C1-C2. Mutation of Asn1922 to Ser (N1922S) in the A3 domain results in moderate to severe hemophilia A. However, it is unclear whether this mutation leads to secretion of cross-reactive material positive dysfunctional protein or decreased secretion of fVIII protein. We investigated the fVIII activity and antigen levels in a N1922S patient and found an activity level of 1.7% and an antigen of Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Rapid vacuum sintering: a novel technique for fabricating fluorapatite ceramic scaffolds for bone tissue engineering

Macroporous bioceramic scaffolds are often fabricated via the foam replica technique, based on polymeric foam impregnation with a glass slurry, followed by slow heat treatment to allow for drying, polymeric burnout, and sintering of the glass particles. As a consequence, the process is time consuming and complicated by concurrent crystallization of the glass, often leading to incomplete sintering. Our goal was to investigate the effect of heating rate on sintering behavior, architecture, and mechanical properties of fluorapatite-based glass and glass-ceramic scaffolds. Glass scaffolds were prepared and sintered by rapid vacuum sintering (RVS) at 785°C under vacuum at a fast heating rate (55°C/min.) or without vacuum at a slow heating rate (2°C/min.). Two additional groups were further crystallized at 775°C/1 h. XRD confirmed the presence of fluorapatite for crystallized scaffolds. All groups presented interconnected porosity with a pore size in the 500 μm range. Scaffolds produced by RVS exhibited an excellent degree of sintering while scaffolds produced by slow sintering were incompletely sintered. The mean compressive strength was significantly higher for the RVS groups (1.52 ± 0.55 and 1.72 ± 0.61 MPa) compared to the slow-sintered groups (0.54 ± 0.30 and 0.45 ± 0.26 MPa). Meanwhile, the total production time was reduced by more than 12 h by using the RVS technique. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2017.
Systematic process intensification using building blocks

Abstract We present a novel method for systematic process design and intensification. We depart from the classical unit operation-based representation of process units, flowsheets and superstructures and propose a new representation using fundamental building blocks. These building blocks can be associated with different process phenomena, tasks and unit operations. An assembly of blocks of the same type obtains a classical unit, while an assembly of blocks with different types results in an intensified unit. This allows to systematically identify and incorporate many intensification pathways using a general block-based superstructure. We design an intensified process by optimizing a performance metric for given raw materials and product specifications, material properties and bounds on flow rates. The overall problem is formulated using a single mixed-integer nonlinear optimization (MINLP) model that can be solved using commercial solvers. We show the applicability of our approach using several design and intensification case studies.
A note on directly ordered subspaces of $\mathbb R^{\small{n}}$

Presented is a comprehensive method of determining if a subspace of usually ordered space Rn is directly-ordered. Also, it is proven in an elementary way that if a directly-ordered vector space has a positive cone generated by its extreme vectors then the Riesz Decomposition Property implies the lattice conditions. In particular every directly-ordered subspace of Rn is a lattice-subspace if and only if it satisfies the Riesz Decomposition Property.
How does aging affect facial components

There is growing interest in achieving age invariant face recognition due to its wide applications in law enforcement. The challenge lies in that face aging is quite a complicated process, which involves both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Face aging also influences individual facial components (such as the mouth, eyes, and nose) differently. We propose a component based method for age invariant face recognition. Facial components are automatically localized based on landmarks detected using an Active Shape Model. Multi-scale local binary pattern and scale-invariant feature transform features are then extracted from each component, followed by random subspace linear discriminant analysis for classification. With a component based representation, we study how aging influences individual facial components on two large aging databases (MORPH Album2 and PCSO). Per component performance analysis shows that the nose is the most stable component during face aging. Age invariant recognition exploiting demographics shows that face aging has more influence on females than males. Overall, recognition performance on the two databases shows that the proposed component based approach is more robust to large time lapses than FaceVACS, a leading commercial face matcher.
Enoxaparin reduced combined coronary events in unstable angina and non-Q-wave MI at 14 and 30 days

Source Citation Cohen M, Demers C, Gurfinkel EP, et al., for the Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Enoxaparin in Non-Q-Wave Coronary Events Study Group. A comparison of low-molecular-weight hepar...
The Man Who Loved Beer, but Malt Did Not Love Him Back

Mr. P.J. had a beer last weekend as per his weekly routine to relax at home on Friday nights. Within minutes, he got itchy, his face turned red, and his head swelled up like a balloon! He felt as if he could not breathe; Mr. P.J. dashed to the kitchen to get a diphenhydramine in the cupboard. Ten minutes after taking his antihistamine, he took a selfie, which still showed a red, puffy face. Then he had diarrhea; his eyes swelled shut.
The quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) identifies septic patients in the out-of-hospital setting.

Abstract Background Recently a multispecialty, multinational task force convened to redefine the criteria for organ dysfunction, sepsis, severe sepsis, and septic shock. The study recommended the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) score to identify sepsis patients. The qSOFA is felt to be the initial screen to prompt a more in-depth sepsis workup. This may be particularly true in resource-limited environments such as the prehospital arena. Objectives The goal of this study was to identify whether emergency medical services (EMS) patients who met all three qSOFA criteria correlated with an emergency department (ED) identification of sepsis. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of adult patients ≥ 18 years of age, meeting qSOFA criteria and presenting to the emergency department between 1/01/2014 and 6/30/2016. Subjects were identified through an electronic query of the EMS record repository. Results 72 subjects were included in the final analysis. Subjects in the septic group tended to be older with a mean age of 72 years vs 64 years. There was no observed discrepancy relating to gender. 48 of the subjects (67%) were identified as septic and 24 (33%) were identified as non-septic after review of the ED chart. This yielded a positive predictive value of the prehospital qSOFA as 66.67% (95% CI 55.8–77.6). Conclusions EMS patients with positive qSOFA screens were more likely to be septic upon disposition to the ED.
Primary intrahepatic mesotheliomas: A case presentation and literature review.

Abstract Introduction Primary Intrahepatic mesotheliomas are malignant tumors arising from the mesothelial cell layer covering Glisson's capsule of the liver. They are exceedingly rare with only fourteen cases reported in the literature. They have nonspecific signs and symptoms and need a high index of suspicion and an extensive workup prior to surgery. Surgery remains the mainstay of treatment. Presentation of case 48 year old male presented with a 3 months history of abdominal pain, productive cough, anemia and weight loss. He had no history of asbestos exposure. A computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance study demonstrated a heterogeneous subscapular mass within the dome of the right hepatic lobe measuring 11.3 × 6.1 cm involving the diaphragm. Combined resection of the liver and diaphragm was performed to achieve negative margins. Pathology demonstrated an epithelioid necrotic intrahepatic mesothelioma that stained positive for calretinin, CK AE1/AE3, WT-1, D2-40 and CK7. Discussion Primary intrahepatic mesotheliomas originate from the mesothelial cells lining Glisson's capsule of the liver. They predominantly invade the liver but may also abut or involve the diaphragm. Surgery should include a diagnostic laparoscopy to rule out occult disease or diffuse peritoneal mesothelioma. Complete resection with negative margins should be attempted while maintaining an adequate future liver remnant. Attempts at dissecting the tumor off the involved diaphragm will result in excessive bleeding and may leave residual disease behind. Conclusion Intrahepatic mesotheliomas are rare peripherally-located malignant tumors of the liver. They require a high index of suspicion and a comprehensive workup prior to operative intervention.
Verified Tail Bounds for Randomized Programs

We mechanize a theorem by Karp, along with several extensions, that provide an easy to use “cookbook” method for verifying tail bounds of randomized algorithms, much like the traditional “Master Theorem” gives bounds for deterministic algorithms. We apply these results to several examples: the number of comparisons performed by QuickSort, the span of parallel QuickSort, the height of randomly generated binary search trees, and the number of rounds needed for a distributed leader election protocol. Because the constants involved in our symbolic bounds are concrete, we are able to use them to derive numerical probability bounds for various input sizes for these examples.
Disparities in Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic Black men with low-risk prostate cancer and eligible for active surveillance: a population-based study

Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men are at an increased risk for aggressive prostate cancer (PCa), making active surveillance (AS) potentially less optimal in this population. This concern has not been explored in other minority populations—specifically, Hispanic/Latino men. We recently found that Mexican-American men demonstrate an increased risk of PCa-specific mortality, and we hypothesized that they may also be at risk for an adverse outcome on AS. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program, we extracted a population-based cohort of men diagnosed from 2004 to 2013 with localized or regional PCa, who had ≤2 cores of only Grade Group (GG) 1 cancer, and underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) with available biopsy and surgical pathology results. We measured discovery of high-risk PCa at RP and collected socioeconomic status (SES) data across different racial/ethnic groups. We defined aggressive tumors as either an upgrade to GG 3 or higher (GG3+) cancer or non-organ-confined disease (≥pT3a or N1). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were developed to assess the association between racial/ethnic categories and the previously mentioned adverse oncologic outcomes both with and without adjusting for SES factors. NHB and Mexican-American men were significantly more likely to have aggressive PCa, following RP. In multivariable logistic regression adjusting for SES factors and relative to non-Hispanic White (NHW) men, Mexican-American men had at increased odds of upgrading to GG3+ (OR 1.67; 95% CI [1.00–2.90]). NHB men were more likely to have non-organ-confined disease (OR 1.34; 95% CI [1.06–1.69]), while Mexican-American men had a similar risk to NHW men. Among individuals with low-risk PCa and eligible for AS, Mexican-American and NHB men are at an increased risk of harboring more aggressive disease at RP. This novel finding among Mexican-Americans deserves further evaluation.
In Vitro Vascular Cell Culture Systems – Endothelial Cell Culture Systems

Vascular endothelium is a highly differentiated cellular monolayer with the organization of a simple squamous epithelium. It lines the entire cardiovascular system and thus constitutes a quasi-ubiquitous presence in organs and tissues throughout the body. Endothelium is a critical participant in several processes such as vascular permeability, coagulation and anticoagulation cascades, regulation of vascular tone, immune response, and formation of new vessels by vasculogenesis and angiogenesis. By its central location in tissue and organismal homeostasis, endothelium is involved in major diseases, which produced the need for the study of this cellular type in culture. In this chapter we first discuss the concept of endothelial heterogeneity and the efforts to arrive at a definition of the ECs that encompasses all endothelia. The most up-to-date methods of isolating endothelium from different sources and varied methods to culture endothelia are next presented with a stress on methods used to study angiogenesis and mechanotransduction.
Freely Propagating Waves in a Supported Nonlinear Elastic Beam

In the present paper we study freely propagating inertial, i.e., unforced, waves, in an elastic beam supported on a flat, rigid, inelastic surface, subject to a gravitational force and a compressive longitudinal load. We consider both the case wherein the potential energy of the system is quadratic, so that the equations of motion are linear in regions where the support constraint is inactive, and some quasilinear extensions of that model. In the linear case we obtain closed form solutions and we provide a partial stability analysis. The nonlinear models arise from a quartic extension of the potential energy functional and are treated analytically and numerically; existence is shown in some cases by means of a perturbation argument.
SBAF for cross-calibration of Landsat-8 OLI and Sentinel-2 MSI over North African PICS

Accurate radiometric cross calibration is critical for guaranteeing the consistency of measurements from different Earth observation sensors, and fully using the combined data in quantitative applications. It becomes even more indispensable with the rapid increase of remote sensing data availability from numerous sensors. The assessment of the Spectral Band Adjustment Factor (SBAF) is a key component of the cross-calibration method. The SBAF compensates for intrinsic differences in sensor response caused by Spectral Response Function (SRF) mismatches. Currently, Sentinel and Landsat data represent the most widely accessible medium spatial resolution multispectral satellite data. Hence, in this study, the SBAF of the Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI) on-board Sentinel-2 and the Operational Land Imager (OLI) on-board Landsat-8 was estimated over pseudo-invariant calibration sites (PICS) located in North Africa. The SBAF depends on the hyperspectral profile of the target and the sensor SRF. Here, the hyperspectral profile was derived from the Hyperion hyperspectral imager on-board the EO-1. Finally, it is important to highlight that an estimate of the SBAF is incomplete unless accompanied with its uncertainty. The uncertainty analysis of the SBAF was implemented using Monte Carlo simulation. The results obtained in this study can be utilized by any user who needs the SBAF of the OLI and MS1 over North Africa Desert sites.
Perinatal Nutritional Reprogramming of the Epigenome Promotes Subsequent Development of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

With the epidemic of obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common pediatric liver disease. The influence of a perinatal obesity-inducing diet (OID) on the development and progression of NAFLD in offspring is important but incompletely studied. Hence, we fed breeding pairs of C57BL/6J mice during gestation and lactation (perinatally) either chow or an OID rich in fat, fructose, and cholesterol (FFC). The offspring were weaned to either chow or an FFC diet, generating four groups: perinatal (p)Chow-Chow, pChow-FFC, pFFC-Chow, and pFFC-FFC. Mice were sacrificed at 10 weeks of age. We examined the whole-liver transcriptome by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and whole-liver genome methylation by reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS). Our results indicated that the pFFC-FFC mice had a significant increase in hepatic steatosis, injury, inflammation, and fibrosis, as assessed histologically and biochemically. We identified 189 genes that were differentially expressed and methylated in the pFFC-FFC mice versus the pChow-FFC mice. Gene set enrichment analysis identified hepatic fibrosis/hepatic stellate cell activation as the top canonical pathway, suggesting that the differential DNA methylation events in the mice exposed to the FFC diet perinatally were associated with a profibrogenic transcriptome. To verify that this finding was consistent with perinatal nutritional reprogramming of the methylome, we exposed pFFC-Chow mice to an FFC diet in adulthood. These mice developed significant hepatic steatosis, injury, inflammation, and more importantly fibrosis when compared to the appropriate controls. Conclusion: Perinatal exposure to an OID primes the immature liver for an accentuated fibrosing nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) phenotype, likely through nutritional reprogramming of the offspring methylome. These data have potential clinical implications for monitoring children of obese mothers and risk stratification of children with NAFLD.
All lesions great and small, part 1: Diagnostic cytology in veterinary medicine

Cytopathology is a minimally invasive, rapid, and cost-effective diagnostic modality with broad utilization in veterinary medicine. Primary care clinicians often screen common cutaneous and subcutaneous aspirates, with other samples most frequently evaluated by board certified veterinary clinical pathologists in reference laboratories. Wright-Giemsa stains are frequently utilized with the application of ancillary diagnostics such as cytochemistry, immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and molecular diagnostic techniques complicated by the need to develop and validate species specific reagents and protocols. The interpretation of veterinary cytology samples must be undertaken with extensive knowledge of the breadth of animal species, which includes familiarity with the frequency and biological behavior of inflammatory, infectious, and neoplastic lesions that are influenced by species, breed, and husbandry conditions. This review is the first of two parts that focus on the most common domestic companion animal species (dog, cat, and horse), taking an organ system approach to survey important lesions that may be unique to veterinary species or have interesting correlates in human medicine. The first of the two-part series covers skin and subcutaneous tissue, the musculoskeletal system, and lymphoid organs. The cytologic features and biological behavior of similar lesions are compared, and selected molecular mechanisms of disease and ancillary diagnostics are reviewed when characterized. Supporting figures illustrate a subset of lesions. While not a comprehensive catalog of veterinary cytology, the goal is to give cytopathologists working in human medicine a general impression of correlates in veterinary practice.