cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computational prediction of cAMP receptor protein (CRP) binding sites in cyanobacterial genomes

Cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP), also known as catabolite gene activator protein (CAP), is an important transcriptional regulator widely distributed in many bacteria. The biological processes under the regulation of CRP are highly diverse among different groups of bacterial species. Elucidation of CRP regulons in cyanobacteria will further our understanding of the physiology and ecology of this important group of microorganisms. Previously, CRP has been experimentally studied in only two cyanobacterial strains: Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Anabaena sp. PCC 7120; therefore, a systematic genome-scale study of the potential CRP target genes and binding sites in cyanobacterial genomes is urgently needed. We have predicted and analyzed the CRP binding sites and regulons in 12 sequenced cyanobacterial genomes using a highly effective cis-regulatory binding site scanning algorithm. Our results show that cyanobacterial CRP binding sites are very similar to those in E. coli; however, the regulons are very different from that of E. coli. Furthermore, CRP regulons in different cyanobacterial species/ecotypes are also highly diversified, ranging from photosynthesis, carbon fixation and nitrogen assimilation, to chemotaxis and signal transduction. In addition, our prediction indicates that crp genes in modern cyanobacteria are likely inherited from a common ancestral gene in their last common ancestor, and have adapted various cellular functions in different environments, while some cyanobacteria lost their crp genes as well as CRP binding sites during the course of evolution. The CRP regulons in cyanobacteria are highly diversified, probably as a result of divergent evolution to adapt to various ecological niches. Cyanobacterial CRPs may function as lineage-specific regulators participating in various cellular processes, and are important in some lineages. However, they are dispensable in some other lineages. The loss of CRPs in these species leads to the rapid loss of their binding sites in the genomes.
Dental utilisation for older Americans aged 55–75

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to analyze a comprehensive nationally representative data set to determine the effect of economic and non-economic determinants on the decision to seek care and the decision to select a specific number of dental visits. DESIGN The conduct of this study involved the examination and analyses of secondary data available from the National Health Interview Survey. A two-part choice logistic regression model was utilized to first describe the decision to seek care and second to describe factors associated with the decision to select a specific number of dental visits as a function of income, education, family size, age, marital status, presence of teeth, employment status, health status, gender, race, insurance status, and reason for dental visit. SUBJECTS Data analysis focused on 5.327 non-institutional older adults between the ages of 55 and 75 who were not eligible for Medicaid. RESULTS Results provide supporting evidence that income, presence of dental insurance, presence of teeth, gender, family size, education race and age are associated with the decision to seek dental care and that income, presence of dental insurance, gender, family size, education, and race are associated with the number of dental visits among users even when the effects of other variables are controlled for. DISCUSSION Analyses suggest that employment may have a surprisingly limited effect on dental utilisation and that among explanatory variables there are differences in significance and magnitude between the decision to seek care and the decision to select a specific number of dental visits. In addition, in contrast with some prior studies, health status does not appear to be associated with the decision to seek care or associated with the number of dental visits among respondents.
Quark matter in neutron stars

Neutron stars, spotted as pulsars by radio telescopes and x-ray satellites, contain matter up to ten times denser than atomic nuclei, thus providing a high-pressure environment in which numerous subatomic particle processes are expected to compete with each other and novel phases of matter - like the quark-gluon plasma being sought at the most powerful terrestrial particle colliders - could exist. This article aims at exploring the possible existence of quark matter inside neutron stars and pointing out the fingerprints by means of which this novel phase of matter could register itself in the observed pulsar data. The detection of such matter in neutron stars would help to clarify how quark matter behaves, and give a boost to theories about the early universe as well as laboratory searches for the production of quark matter in heavy-ion colliders.
Acute toxicity and risk assessment of permethrin, naled, and dichlorvos to larval butterflies via ingestion of contaminated foliage

Abstract Three Florida native larval butterflies ( Junonia coenia, Anartia jatrophae , Eumaeus atala ) were used in the present study to determine the acute toxicity, hazard, and risk of a 24 h ingestion of leaves contaminated with the adult mosquito control insecticides permethrin, naled, and dichlorvos to late 4th and early 5th in-star caterpillars. Based on 24-h LD50s for ingestion, naled was more acutely toxic than permethrin and dichlorvos to caterpillars. Hazard quotients using the ratio of the highest doses and the 90th percentile doses from field measurements in host plant foliage following actual mosquito control applications to the toxicological benchmarks from laboratory toxicity tests indicate potential high acute hazard for naled compared to permethrin and dichlorvos. Based on probabilistic ecological risk methods, naled exposure doses in the environment also presented a higher acute risk to caterpillars than permethrin and dichlorvos. The acute toxicity laboratory results and ecological risk assessment are based only on dietary ingestion and single chemical doses. It does not include other typical exposure scenarios that may occur in the environment. It is thus plausible to state that the ecological risk assessment presented here underestimates the potential risks in the field to caterpillars. However, one assumption that is scientifically feasible and certainly real from the results – if the environmental exposure doses of mosquito control operations are similar or higher to those presented here in leaves from the field, after applications, there will likely be significant mortalities and other adverse effects on caterpillar populations.
Three-dimensional structure of human chromatin accessibility complex hCHRAC by electron microscopy.

Abstract ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes modulate the dynamic assembly and remodeling of chromatin involved in DNA transcription, replication, and repair. There is little structural detail known about these important multiple-subunit enzymes that catalyze chromatin remodeling processes. Here we report a three-dimensional structure of the human chromatin accessibility complex, hCHRAC, using single particle reconstruction by negative stain electron microscopy. This structure shows an asymmetric 15 × 10 × 12 nm disk shape with several lobes protruding out of its surfaces. Based on the factors of larger contact area, smaller steric hindrance, and direct involvement of hCHRAC in interactions with the nucleosome, we propose that four lobes on one side form a multiple-site contact surface 10 nm in diameter for nucleosome binding. This work provides the first determination of the three-dimensional structure of the ISWI-family of chromatin remodeling complexes.
Sofosbuvir for treatment of chronic hepatitis C

Chronic hepatitis C is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide. If untreated, chronic hepatitis C can progress to advanced liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma and death. Until recently, treatment of hepatitis C predominantly constituted an immunomodulatory agent, peg-interferon-alfa and ribavirin. In 2011, the first class of directly acting antiviral agents, HCV NS3/4A serine protease inhibitors, was added to peg-interferon-alfa and ribavirin with increased efficacy. In the past year, an NS5B inhibitor, sofosbuvir, has emerged as a potent agent with pangenotypic efficacy, resulting in the first interferon-free regimen for the treatment of hepatitis C. This review summarizes the data that resulted in regulatory approval of sofosbuvir and highlights the future of hepatitis C therapy with sofosbuvir as the backbone of a highly effective antiviral regimen.
Glomerular Epithelium: Structural Alterations Induced by Polycations

Perfusion of rat kidneys with the polycation protamine sulfate caused glomerular epithelial alterations resembling those observed in human and experimental nephrotic states. The changes included swelling, blunting, and flattening of epithelial foot processes, were accompanied by decreased stainability of glomerular anionic sites, and were largely reversed by subsequent perfusion with the polyanion heparin.
Dispersion measurements of electric-field-induced second-harmonic generation and third-harmonic generation in conjugated linear chains

Experimental measurements of the frequency dependence of the isotropically averaged, molecular dc-induced second-harmonic susceptibility 〈γ(−2ω; ω, ω, 0)〉 and third-harmonic susceptibility 〈γ(−3ω; ω, ω, ω)〉 of conjugated linear-chain structures are in excellent agreement with the results of many-electron, multiple-excited-configuration-interaction calculations. For hexatriene, the N = 6 carbon site linear polyene chain, we demonstrate the first successful comparison, to our knowledge, between experiment and theory for the magnitude, sign, and dispersion of 〈γ(−2ω; ω, ω, 0)〉 and 〈γ(−3ω; ω, ω, ω)〉. These results provide experimental verification of the importance of electron-correlation effects in the third-order nonlinear-optical properties of conjugated structures. Measurements of 〈γ(−2ω; ω, ω, 0)〉 and 〈γ(−3ω; ω, ω, ω)〉 for β-carotene, the intermediate length, N = 22, conjugated chain, are also reported, and the frequency dependence is well described by a three-level model that is developed based on the results of the electron-correlation description of γijkl(−ω4; ω1, ω2, ω3) for shorter chains. Finally, through the detailed comparisons of 〈γ(−2ω; ω, ω, 0)〉 with 〈γ(−3ω; ω, ω, ω)〉 and of experiment with theory, as well as through examination of previously reported values of the macroscopic third-order susceptibility χ(3)(−ω4; ω1, ω2, ω3) of glasses by other nonlinear-optical techniques, it is demonstrated that the common reference standard for χ(3)(−ω4; ω1, ω2, ω3) of glass is inaccurate, and an improved value is recommended.
Generalized Coulomb Gas Models with Exponential Interactions and a Series of Central Charges

The renormalization of the generalized Coulomb gas model with exponential interactions is studied. This model contains a bosonic vector field and several fermionic fields in the presence of a background charge vector. It is shown that the vectors associated with the exponential interactions should satisfy certain conditions for the action to be renormalizable. The conditions require the vectors to form a geometrical figure. In particular, models are considered where the vectors are root systems which form equilateral geometrical figures. Explicit β-functions are obtained for these models. They show several nontrivial fixed points at which the central charges of the system are evaluated. It is found that a renormalization group flow connects the extremal nontrivial fixed points. Some possible applications are indicated.
Tradeoff between source coding and spreading in a multicarrier DS-CDMA system operating over multipath fading channels with narrow-band interference

For a fixed total bandwidth expansion factor, and for a fixed channel code rate, we consider the problem of optimal bandwidth allocation between the source coder and the spread-spectrum unit for a multicarrier direct-sequence CDMA system operating over a frequency-selective fading channel with narrowband interference. Assuming a Gaussian source with the optimum scalar quantizer and a binary convolutional code with soft-decision decoding, we obtain both a lower and an upper bound on the end-to-end average source distortion. The optimal bandwidth allocation is then numerically computed by minimizing upper and lower bounds on the average distortion. We show that the upper bound based cost function is a convex function of the source code rate, and the optimal allocation depends on the system and the channel conditions, such as the total number of active users, the number of carriers, and the average jammer-to-signal power ratio.
Connecting and disconnecting for chain self-reconfiguration with PolyBot

Chain modular robots form systems with many degrees of freedom which are capable of being reconfigured to form arbitrary chain-based topologies. This reconfiguration requires the detaching of modules from one point in the system and reattaching at another. The internal errors in the system (especially with large numbers of modules) are such that accurate movement of chain ends, required for the attaching of modules, can be extremely difficult. A three-phase docking process is described that utilizes both open- and closed-loop techniques. This process has been shown to work with an early version. Issues raised during this testing have been addressed in a later version. Discussion of these issues, their solutions, and preliminary results of the testing the latest version are given.
Markov Random Topic Fields

Most approaches to topic modeling assume an independence between documents that is frequently violated. We present an topic model that makes use of one or more user-specified graphs describing relationships between documents. These graph are encoded in the form of a Markov random field over topics and serve to encourage related documents to have similar topic structures. Experiments on show upwards of a 10% improvement in modeling performance.
Intimate partner violence and infant socioemotional development: the moderating effects of maternal trauma symptoms

The aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) on infant regulatory difficulties at 3 months of age and infant socioemotional problems at 12 months of age. Maternal trauma symptoms were explored as potential moderators of these associations. Participants included 120 primarily low-income, ethnically diverse women and their infants. Results revealed that infants whose mothers experienced IPV during pregnancy did not have significantly more regulatory difficulties at 3 months than did infants whose mothers did not experience prenatal IPV. However, infants whose mothers experienced IPV during the first year after birth displayed significantly more socioemotional problems at 12 months, as evidenced by both maternal report and observational data. Furthermore, maternal posttraumatic stress avoidance symptoms served as a moderator of the association between prenatal IPV and infant regulatory difficulties at 3 months whereas maternal posttraumatic stress hyperarousal and reexperiencing symptoms served as moderators of the association between IPV during the first year after birth and infant socioemotional problems at 12 months. The findings highlight the detrimental impact that IPV can have on very young children and the importance of maternal trauma symptoms as a context for understanding the effect of IPV on young children's functioning.
Transfer of object category knowledge across visual and haptic modalities: experimental and computational studies.

We study people’s abilities to transfer object category knowledge across visual and haptic domains. If a person learns to categorize objects based on inputs from one sensory modality, can the person categorize these same objects when the objects are perceived through another modality? Can the person categorize novel objects from the same categories when these objects are, again, perceived through another modality? Our work makes three contributions. First, by fabricating Fribbles (3-D, multi-part objects with a categorical structure), we developed visual-haptic stimuli that are highly complex and realistic, and thus more ecologically valid than objects that are typically used in haptic or visual-haptic experiments. Based on these stimuli, we developed the See and Grasp data set, a data set containing both visual and haptic features of the Fribbles, and are making this data set freely available on the world wide web. Second, complementary to previous research such as studies asking if people transfer knowledge of object identity across visual and haptic domains, we conducted an experiment evaluating whether people transfer object category knowledge across these domains. Our data clearly indicate that we do. Third, we developed a computational model that learns multisensory representations of prototypical 3-D shape. Similar to previous work, the model uses shape primitives to represent parts, and spatial relations among primitives to represent multi-part objects. However, it is distinct in its use of a Bayesian inference algorithm allowing it to acquire multisensory representations, and sensory-specific forward models allowing it to predict visual or haptic features from multisensory representations. The model provides an excellent qualitative account of our experimental data, thereby illustrating the potential importance of multisensory representations and sensory-specific forward models to multisensory perception.
Disparities in health care access and receipt of preventive services by disability type: analysis of the medical expenditure panel survey.

Objective To examine differences in access to health care and receipt of clinical preventive services by type of disability among working-age adults with disabilities.
The Einstein relation for degenerate semiconductors with nonuniform band structures

Modification of the Einstein equation for semiconductors with nonparabolic energy bands and doped nonuniformly with impurity atoms is suggested. The suggestion is based on a new approximation of the Fermi-Dirac integral of order 1/2, namely, F/sub 1/2/( eta /sub n/), where eta /sub n/ is the reduced Fermi level for electrons. The relation reduces to that for semiconductors with parabolic energy bands and doped uniformly with impurity atoms under appropriate boundary conditions. A comparison of the calculated and exact results for F/sub 1/2/( eta ) is found to be very encouraging. >
Dynamic LES of Colliding Vortex Rings Using a 3D Vortex Method

A Lagrangian particle method is used to simulate the collision of coaxial vortex rings in three dimensions. The scheme combines a 3D, adaptive, viscous, vortex element method with a dynamic eddy viscosity model of the subfilter scale stresses. The vortex method is based on discretization of the vorticity field into Lagrangian vortex elements and transport of the elements along particle trajectories. The computations incorporate a mesh redistribution algorithm which creates new elements in regions of high strain and locally redistributes the vorticity field into a smaller number of elements when particles tend to cluster. The subfilter scale vorticity model consists of approximating the effect of unresolved vorticity stresses using a gradient?diffusion eddy viscosity model, following the development in Part I (J. R. Mansfield, O. M. Knio, and C. Meneveau, J. Comput. Phys.145, 693 (1998)). Dynamic implementation of the model relies on determining model coefficients through test-filtering the Lagrangian particle representation of the filtered vorticity field. Computations of ring collisions show that, combined, the mesh redistribution scheme and subfilter scale model result in a robust scheme that can be extended into the late stages of evolution of the flow. In addition, it is shown that the Lagrangian LES scheme captures several experimentally observed features of the ring collisions, including turbulent breakdown into small-scale structures and the generation of small-scale radially propagating vortex rings.
Volumes of degenerating polyhedra — on a conjecture of J. W. Milnor

In his paper (Milnor, The Schlafli Differential equality, Collected Works, vol 1, Publish or Perish, Houston 1994) Milnor conjectured that the volume V n of compact n-dimensional hyperbolic and spherical simplices, as a function of the dihedral angles, extends continuously to the closure $${\overline{\mathbb{A}}}$$ of the space $${\mathbb{A}}$$ of allowable angles (“The continuity conjecture”), and furthermore, $${V_n(a\in\partial \mathbb{A}) = 0}$$ if and only if a lies in the closure of the space of angles of Euclidean simplices (“the Vanishing Conjecture”). A proof of the Continuity Conjecture was given by Luo (Commun. Contemp. Math. 8(3), 411–431, 2006—Luo’s argument uses Kneser’s formula, Deutsche Mathematik 1, 337–340, 1936 together with some delicate geometric estimates). In this paper we give a simple proof of both parts of Milnor’s conjecture, prove much sharper regularity results, and then extend the method to apply to all convex polytopes. We also give a precise description of the boundary of the space of angles of convex polyhedra in $${\mathbb{H}^3}$$ , and sharp estimates on the diameter of a polyhedron in terms of the length of the shortest polar geodesic.
Bad money drives out good: forebodings of a corporatized American radiology--the 2009 Eugene Caldwell lecture.

1481 The tiger we’ve been riding is the extraordinary growth in imaging utilization over the past decade, from roughly 267 million procedures to over 470 million projected in 2008 [1]. Although there appears to be some leveling off during this recession, and in response to payer initiatives, the expectation is for resumption of accelerated growth early in the next decade as new applications of advanced imaging continue to come on line. In fact, imaging has been growing faster than any other physician-supplied service. The growth rate far outstrips general inflation and is greatest for advanced procedures such as CT, MRI, and PET [2]. While increasing imaging utilization has enriched radiologists both intellectually and financially, it also has generated at least two significant problems. The first is that greater use has brought considerable scrutiny of imaging by payers. Imaging is the “tall poppy,” the one most likely to draw attention and be lopped off. Witness the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, which lowered outpatient technical payments for advanced imaging, and a recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposal to outsource, limiting imaging use to radiology benefits management firms. The threat of reduced prices for imaging over time is promoting both an emphasis on improving efficiencies through new organizational structures and more aggressive activity on the part of these new business models. The other problem caused by the increase in utilization has drawn much less attention. There is a mismatch between increases in imaging use and manpower growth. The actual mismatch is even more serious than it would appear because it’s not just the number of procedures that is increasing. Imaging examinations are growing more complex. There are more images per examination than ever before and more information per image. This means that the amount of imaging work per Bad Money Drives Out Good: Forebodings of a Corporatized American Radiology—The 2009 Eugene Caldwell Lecture
Community health diagnosis in nursing.

A review of the historical evolution of the concept of community health diagnosis in nursing identifies sources of ambiguity that have impeded making the goals and values of community health nursing operational. Refinements of meaning in the conceptualization of the community health diagnosis that focus upon the community as the primary level of analysis are suggested. Implications of this reconceptualization of the practice of community health nursing are considered in guidelines for developing community health diagnoses and in an example of the diagnosis of a Mien refugee community's responses to health problems.
Direct Measurement of the Size of the Large Kuiper Belt Object (50000) Quaoar

We imaged the recently discovered bright Kuiper belt object (50000) Quaoar with the Hubble Space Telescope High Resolution Camera to directly determine its size. The point-spread function (PSF) of each of 16 images was carefully measured from a field star 13" from Quaoar, and the expected PSF at the location of Quaoar was convolved with Quaoar's motion vector and a model resolved disk. A least-squares analysis was performed to find the best-fit disk size. The apparent diameter of Quaoar was resolved as 40.4 ± 1.8 milliarcseconds. Accounting for the uncertainty due to an unknown limb-darkening function, the size of Quaoar is 1260 ± 190 km with red and blue albedos of 0.092^(+0.036) _(-0.023) and 0.101^(+0.039)_(-0.024), respectively. These albedos are significantly higher than the canonically assumed value of 4%. Quaoar is the largest currently known minor planet.
A Review of: “The Viagra AdVenture: Masculinity, Media, and the Performance of Sexual Health”

In The Viagra AdVenture, Jay Baglia uses two sources of data—news stories and Viagra promotional material—to examine the ways in which cultural discourses surrounding Viagra maintain dominant cultu...
Benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia.

A case is reported in which a patient developed methemoglobinemia-induced cyanosis while under general anesthesia during surgery for multiple fascial space infections. The cause of methemoglobinemia was 20% benzocaine spray used for local anesthesia before intubation. Acutely developing methemoglobinemia is infrequently encountered in clinical practice. When confronted with cyanosis in the absence of cardiac or pulmonary disease, one must seriously consider the diagnosis of methe-moglobinemia. The etiology of methemoglobinemia, the causative agents, the diagnosis, and the emergency treatment required are discussed.
Work in progress - integrating mobile Tablet-PC technology and Classroom Management Software in undergraduate electronic engineering technology courses

The preliminary results of integrating mobile tablet-PC technology and supporting classroom management software (CMS) in undergraduate electronic engineering technology courses is discussed in this WIP paper. The use of NetSupport School CMS in conjunction with a tablet-PC, improves course delivery by centrally instructing students on their tablet-PCs, broadcast the dynamic screen contents along with digital ink annotations in real-time, maintain student attention by monitoring student activities and Web usage, and save time by quickly polling the class and showing responses instantly. The students can share their class work instantly with other students or the instructor. The instantaneous sharing of work in real-time improves collaboration between students and faculty and adds new dimensions to the learning environment in the classroom. The initial results show a significant improvement in studentspsila class performance and learning experience. The technology integration, redesigned course, pedagogical approach, student experiences, and results are discussed in this WIP paper.
Development and initial validation of the self-harm behavior questionnaire

Evaluation of suicide-related behaviors and thoughts about suicide with a newly developed self-report instrument is described. The Self-Harm Behavior Questionnaire (SHBQ; Gutierrez, 1998) generates detailed clinical information from an easy to administer and score self-report form. A sample of 342 participants were drawn from university undergraduate students enrolled in various psychology courses. Participants were then divided into a severe suicidal ideation group (n = 20) and a nonsuicidal control group (n = 20) to conduct subgroup and criterion-related validity analyses. Preliminary analyses indicate this new questionnaire is both valid and reliable when used with young adults drawn from a nonclinical population. The questionnaire should be of use to both clinicians and researchers due to the flexibility of the data generated.
Comparison of combined versus separate lift/propulsion systems

The notion of using the magnetic attractive force of a single-sided linear induction motor (SLIM) for suspension of a vehicle has recently received some attention. There is, therefore, some interest in determining how such a combined suspension/propulsion system would compare to separate lift and propulsion. Weight requirements of transverse flux dc lift magnets are calculated as a function of vehicle weight and magnet length. A three-phase longitudinal flux linear motor/suspension system is designed which has the same values of maximum flux and current density as the dc magnet. The effect of pole pitch on the weight of this motor is shown. Comparisons are made between this combined system and a system using the dc magnets plus a separate linear motor.
Fragile X syndrome and model organisms: identifying potential routes of therapeutic intervention

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a cognitive disorder caused by silencing of the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1). Since the discovery of the gene almost two decades ago, most scientific contributions have focused on identifying the molecular function of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) and understanding how absence of FMR1 gene expression gives rise to the disease phenotypes. The use of model organisms has allowed rapid progression in the FXS field and has given insight into the molecular basis of the disease. The mouse and fly FXS models have enabled studies to identify potential targets and pathways for pharmacological treatment. Here, we briefly review the two primary FXS model systems and describe how studies in these organisms have led us closer to therapeutic treatments for patients afflicted with FXS.
Psychosocial and Physiomedical Factors Affecting Outplacement of the Medically Disabled Elderly

Patients in a Veterans Administration medical center were classified according to whether or not they presented significant outplacement problems on discharge. Those with discharge problems were older and suffered more often from multiple medical problems. Pulmonary, cardiovascular, central nervous system, and behavioral problems all occurred significantly more often in this group. Based on the Older Americans Resources and Services (OARS) interview technique, these patients were also significantly more impaired in "social resources, " "mental health, "and "activities of daily living " than patients without discharge problems. These data contribute to establishing the validity of the OARS in the context of outplacement of the medically disabled elderly and suggest a profile of medical and nonmedical variables related to overall dysfunctioning in the medically disabled elderly person.
Comparison of uterine and tubal pathology identified by transvaginal sonography, hysterosalpingography, and hysteroscopy in female patients with infertility

The causes of female infertility are multifactorial and necessitate comprehensive evaluation including physical examination, hormonal testing, and imaging. Given the associated psychological and financial stress that imaging can cause, infertility patients benefit from a structured and streamlined evaluation. The goal of such a work up is to evaluate the uterus, endometrium, and fallopian tubes for anomalies or abnormalities potentially preventing normal conception. To date, the standard method for assessing these structures typically involves some combination of transvaginal sonography (TVS), hysterosalpingography (HSG), and hysteroscopy (HSC). The goal of this review is to compare the diagnostic accuracy of TVS, HSG, and HSC for diagnosing abnormalities in infertility patients to determine if all studies are necessary for pre-treatment evaluation. We identified infertility patients prior to initiation of assisted reproductive technology who had baseline TVS, HSG, and HSC within 180 days of each other. From medical record review, we compared frequencies of each finding between modalities. Of the 1274 patients who received a baseline TVS over 2 years, 327 had TVS and HSG within 180 days and 55 patients had TVS, HSG and HSC. Of the 327, TVS detected fibroids more often than HSG (74 vs. 5, p < .0001), and adenomyosis more often than HSG (7 vs. 2, p = .02). HSG detected tubal obstruction more often than TVS (56 vs. 8, p = .002). Four (1.2 %) patients had endometrial polyps on both HSG and TVS. In the 55 patients with HSG, TVS, and HSC, HSC identified endometrial polyps more often than TVS (10 vs. 1, p = .0001) and HSG (10 vs. 2, p = .0007). TVS detected more fibroids than HSC (17 vs. 5, p < .0001). Tubal obstruction was identified more often by HSG than HSC (19 vs. 5, p < .0001). TVS is superior for evaluation of myometrial pathology. HSG is superior for evaluation of tubal pathologies. Endometrial pathologies are best identified with HSC.
Transient condensation of flowing vapor on a flat-plate: A scaling analysis

Abstract We perform an analysis of condensation of pure vapor flowing over a cooled flat plate. We estimate the time taken to achieve steady-state condensation by a transient analysis where we use results from previous studies that show that the time-dependent behavior is governed by the propagation of a kinematic wave along the condensate film. The steady-state time at any streamwise location along the plate depends on the steady-state film thickness at that location. Classical theories of laminar steady-state condensation are reviewed, and a scaling analysis is performed to capture the scalings for relevant quantities such as the liquid film thickness, liquid velocity, and heat transfer coefficient. The results from the scaling analysis are entirely consistent with the classical theories. Finally, the scaling analysis is extended to take into account effects of turbulence in the liquid film.
Pharmacokinetics of Estradiol-17β in the Laying Hen

The plasma metabolic clearance rate (MCR), production rate (PR), and half-life (T 1/2) of estradiol-17 beta (E2) were determined in 5 laying hens at a time 2 to 4 hr after oviposition of the second egg in the clutch. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated from data obtained after a single injection of 3H-E2. Results indicate that the disappearance of 3H-E2 from the plasma best fits a two compartment model. The MCR was calculated to be 77.3 +/- 14.2 (mean +/- SE) ml plasma/min/kg and the PR 6.36 +/- 1.46 ng/min. The T 1/2 for the distribution (or alpha) phase was 1.1 +/- .2 min and for the storage, metabolism, and excretory (or beta) phase was 27.5 +/- 6.5 min. We conclude that the MCR and T 1/2 alpha of E2 are similar to previously published values for progesterone (P4) but that the PR is substantially lower. This difference can account for the lower circulating basal levels of E2, compared to P4, in the laying hen.
104 Exploring the architecture of lncRNA RepA, a key player in X-chromosome inactivation

Recent work has demonstrated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential components of the mammalian transcriptome (Flicek et al., 2014). They exhibit multiple structural and functional roles...
Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile ducts: A case report and literature review

Intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct (IPNB) is a rare bile duct neoplasm mostly found in far eastern nations where hepatolithiasis and clonorchiasis infections are endemic. In western countries, it is very rare and the etiology is unknown. In this article, we report the first IPNB patient we encountered in our clinic and a literature review. The patient is a 38-year-old female with a history of choledocholithiasis who presented with obstructive jaundice. She was found to have a papillary mass at the junction of the right hepatic duct and common hepatic duct with six masses in the liver parenchyma. The immunophenotypic and histologic features of the tumor are consistent with IPNB, gastric subtype. The patient had a partial hepatectomy and has been receiving palliative chemotherapy. In a search of PubMed database, we collected 354 IPNB patients reported in 22 articles. In these patients, 52.8% were from Japan and 27.7% were from western countries including the United States (11.0%). The age of the patients ranged from 35 to 80 years old with an average of 64.6. Male/female ratio was 1.5. Macroscopically, 57.5% of the tumors were in the left lobe and 29.5% were in the right lobe. The average size of the tumor were 4.2 cm at the time of diagnosis. Histologically, pancreato-biliary subtype accounted for 41.8%, intestinal 28.0%, gastric 13.5% and oncocytic 16%. An invasive component is most often present in the pancreato-biliary and gastric subtypes. Despite recent advanced technologies, diagnosis of IPNB is still challenging, especially in western countries due to its rarity. Defined clinico-pathologic features are in demand for the accurate diagnosis and proper treatment.
Platelet Storage Pool Deficiency: Establishment Of Reference Ranges For Platelet Dense Granule Count By Transmission Electron Microscopy

Background Platelet dense granule (DG) deficiencies, including Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, are relatively common and frequently under-diagnosed hereditary platelet hypofunctional disorders. Among various laboratory tests, platelet whole mount (WM) transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is considered the gold standard method for diagnosing DG deficiencies. Nevertheless, platelet DG TEM testing is still largely a research tool and has not been thoroughly validated and standardized as a clinical test. Furthermore, reference ranges (RR) of DG count/platelet (DGC) have not been adequately established. Aim Our goals were to validate and standardize platelet WM TEM testing and establish reference ranges for platelet DGC. Methods Based on previously established methods (Blood, 33:598-606), we first optimized and standardized various pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical procedures including sample matrix, sample stability, platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparation, platelet mounting procedure and DG counting criteria. Then whole blood samples in ACD-B tubes were collected from a total of 128 healthy donors (64 males and 64 females). Platelet DGC, percentage of platelets without any DG (empty platelets), platelet count (PC), mean platelet volume (MPV) and immature platelet fraction (IPF) were measured. In addition, platelet aggregometry analyses were performed on citrated PRP samples from the same donors. Standard statistical analyses were employed in this study. Results DGC and platelet ultra-structure were stable when whole blood samples were stored at room temperature (RT) for up to 4 days. Reproducible DGC and adequate preservation of platelet ultrastructure depended on an optimized mounting method. The DG counting criteria were developed based on previous publications and guidance from Dr. James G. White. Using the same WM TEM images and DG counting criteria, agreements among different technologists (n=5) improved from 60% to 95%. Finally, DGC reference range study using 128 healthy donor samples (age range 18, 72 years) and scoring 100-200 platelets from each donor showed that the DGC distribution of each donor sample was left-skewed with a median of 15% of empty platelets (range: 3, 40). The median DGC was 2.6 with a range of 1.0—5.1. Reference ranges established at the lower 95th percentile for DGC empty platelets is ≤ 31% (95% CI 28, 34) and for the mid-95th percentiles of DGCs between 1.5 and 4.0. DGCs were weakly associated with MPV and IPF (ρ between 0.22 and 0.28); and inversely associated with the percentage of empty platelets (ρ between -0.26 and -0.25). DGC showed no significant association with PC, platelet maximum aggregation or primary slope of aggregation, nor age or gender. Conclusion We validated platelet WM TEM procedures and for the first time established an adult reference range for platelet DGC. The results of association analyses implied that immature platelets may have slightly more DGs. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act: Regulating Violence or Restricting Expression?

(1997). The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act: Regulating Violence or Restricting Expression? Free Speech Yearbook: Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 56-72.
Fluorite Occurrences in the Southeastern United States

10.1080/00357529.2013.747905-F0001 Figure 1. The Bassett Stone Company quarry at Monticello, Wayne County, Kentucky, ca. 1962. Shown are the older underground workings. When modern equipment became...
Determination of Glycyrrhizin in Food by High Speed Liquid Chromatography

A high speed liquid chromatographic method was established for the quantitative determination of glycyrrhizin in food. Glycyrrhizin was separated in approximately 9min by using a 25cm reverse phase “PC8” column with 19.5% acetonitrile in 0.05M phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) as the eluant. The ultraviolet adsorption detector was set at 258nm. β-Phenethyl alcohol was added as an internal standard. Extraction from “miso” was carried out by dialysis against 3% NH4OH solution. Samples were cleaned up by polyamide column chromatography.Recoveries of glycyrrhizin from soy sauce and “miso” were 98.6-99.5% and 83.3-87.6%.
Towards a coherent nomenclature of plant viruses.

The International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses (ICTV) has the decree to set the rules for the classification and naming of viruses. The species is the lowest level considered in the taxonomic hierarchy. In general, virus species are named according to the structure “ and the word ‘virus’”. A typical example is Tobacco mosaic virus [Genus: Tobamovirus]. With a few exceptions, this convention has been generally well accepted. As there is always room for improvement, virus nomenclature (King et al., 2011) can be managed more efficiently through several ways.
The “Terrible Turk”: The Formulation and Perpetuation of a Stereotype in American Foreign Policy

The first line of the United States Marine Corps anthem, “From the Halls of Montezuma to the Shores of Tripoli,” refers to one of the earliest encounters between the United States and the Ottoman Empire, when the American navy attempted to suppress “pirating” along the northern coast of Africa at the beginning of the nineteenth century (Field 1969, pp. 27-67). This ritualization of animosity, framing the American image of the Ottoman Empire, has elements carried over from Europe, in which Muslims in general, and the Turks in particular, are drawn as “cruel, fanatical, lustful and dirty” (Wheatcroft 1993, p. 231). According to the European vision, “[the Turks] were, from the first black day they entered Europe, the one great anti-human specimen of humanity” (Gladstone 1876). American images mirrored this European perception. For example, as the United States entered World War I in 1917, Henry Cabot Lodge, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, presented the war effort not just as aimed at the defeat of Germany, but as a crusade for the destruction of the Ottoman Empire:[The Ottoman Turks] have been the pest and the curse of Europe, the source of innumerable wars, the executioners in countless massacres… Such a… government as this is a curse to modern civilization. Like a pestilence it breathes forth contagion upon the innocent air (USC 1917, vol. LVI, p. 64).
Comprehensive preclinical testing for neuroblastoma using orthotopic xenografts of a patient tumor.

e13584 Background: Neuroblastoma is an aggressive malignancy that accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. There are limited well characterized neuroblastoma models for use in preclinical trial...
‘What can I do’? Child welfare workers’ perceptions of what they can do to address poverty

ABSTRACTWithin the field of child welfare, critical questions have been posed about the intersecting issues of child maltreatment and poverty. The study of the quality and nature of this intersection has continued relevance in light of evidence showing the increased likelihood of maltreatment of children living in poverty. Although child welfare workers interact directly with families involved with the child welfare system, the study of workers’ perceptions of whether or not they address families’ poverty and, if so, how they go about it has not yet been conducted. The study presented begins to address this gap. Analysis from individual interviews with 30 child welfare workers revealed that they differed in their perception of whether or not poverty should be addressed by child welfare and how. Findings suggest workers do what they can despite various barriers, including families’ limitations and the fragile US social welfare safety net. Based on the findings, current practice models and policies that imp...
Effect of interferential current therapy on forward head posture

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of interferential current therapy on the shoulder muscles of subjects with forward head posture. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty volunteers (15 forward head posture, 15 control) participated in this study. Interferential current therapy treatment was conducted for 10 min, three times per week, for 3 weeks on both the upper trapezius and levator scapulae. Subjects were measured anterior both acromion distance and posterior both acromial distance using a ruler, and the forward head posture angle using an electronic application. [Results] Both groups showed significant increases in anterior acromial distance, and decreases in posterior acromial distance and forward head posture angle. [Conclusion] Subjects were concluded that electrical therapy could improve structural alignment; therefore, the implementation of interferential current therapy is expected to be effective for the treatment of forward head posture.
Kinetics, Evolving Thermal Properties, and Surface Ignition of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composite During Laser-induced Decomposition

Abstract The decomposition kinetics, heats of reaction, evolving thermal conductivity and emissivity, and surface ignition conditions of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites during laser-induced polymer matrix decomposition were investigated. Woven carbon fiber-epoxy panels of different thicknesses were irradiated with a 1.07-μm, 2-kW ytterbium fiber laser at irradiances of 5–525 W/cm2. The changing front and backside surface temperatures were measured using a mid-wave infrared camera, adjusted using measured emissivity of irradiated and un-irradiated CFRP samples. The evolving temperature maps were fit to a 3D, explicit, finite difference, thermal model to estimate Arrhenius kinetic rate parameters, heats of reaction, and thermal conductivity during a two-step epoxy decomposition reaction and a single stage char oxidation reaction. The kinetics is not strongly dependent on heating rates of 20–700 °C/sec and parameters determined at lower laser powers extrapolate well to higher powers. Surface ignition occurs at critical surface temperatures of 1198 ± 50 °C.