cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Central gene expression changes associated with enhanced neuroendocrine and autonomic response habituation to repeated noise stress after voluntary wheel running in rats

Accumulating evidence indicates that regular physical exercise benefits health in part by counteracting some of the negative physiological impacts of stress. While some studies identified reductions in some measures of acute stress responses with prior exercise, limited data were available concerning effects on cardiovascular function, and reported effects on HPA axis responses were largely inconsistent. Given that exposure to repeated or prolonged stress is strongly implicated in the precipitation and exacerbation of illness, we proposed the novel hypothesis that physical exercise might facilitate adaptation to repeated stress, and subsequently demonstrated significant enhancement of both HPA axis (glucocorticoid) and cardiovascular (tachycardia) response habituation to repeated noise stress in rats with long-term access to running wheels compared to sedentary controls. Stress habituation has been attributed to modifications of brain circuits, but the specific sites of adaptation and the molecular changes driving its expression remain unclear. Here, in situ hybridization histochemistry was used to examine regulation of select stress-associated signaling systems in brain regions representing likely candidates to underlie exercise-enhanced stress habituation. Analyzed brains were collected from active (6 weeks of wheel running) and sedentary rats following control, acute, or repeated noise exposures that induced a significantly faster rate of glucocorticoid response habituation in active animals but preserved acute noise responsiveness. Nearly identical experimental manipulations also induce a faster rate of cardiovascular response habituation in exercised, repeatedly stressed rats. The observed regulation of the corticotropin-releasing factor and brain-derived neurotrophic factor systems across several brain regions suggests widespread effects of voluntary exercise on central functions and related adaptations to stress across multiple response modalities.
A Homotetrameric Kinesin-5, KLP61F, Bundles Microtubules and Antagonizes Ncd in Motility Assays

Summary Background: Mitosis depends upon the cooperative action of multiple microtubule (MT)-based motors. Among these, a kinesin-5, KLP61F, and the kinesin-14, Ncd, are proposed to generate antagonistic-sliding forces that control the spacing of the spindle poles. We tested whether purified KLP61F homotetramers and Ncd homodimers can generate a force balance capable of maintaining a constant spindle length in Drosophila embryos. Results: Using fluorescence microscopy and cryo-EM, we observed that purified full-length, motorless, and tailless KLP61F tetramers (containing a tetramerization domain) and Ncd dimers can all cross-link MTs into bundles in MgATP. In multiple-motor motility assays, KLP61F and Ncd drive plus-end and minus-end MT sliding at 0.04 and 0.1 mm/s, respectively, but the motility of either motor is decreased by increasing the mole fraction of the other. At the ‘‘balance point,’’ the mean velocity was zero and MTs paused briefly and then oscillated, taking w0.3 mm excursions at w0.02 mm/s toward the MT plus end and then the minus end. Conclusions: The results, combined with quantitative analysis, suggest that these motors could act as mutual brakes to modulate the rate of pole-pole separation and could maintain a prometaphase spindle displaying small fluctuations in its steady-state length.
Outcomes after implementation of a multimodal standard care pathway for laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Background The aim of the study was to assess which aspects of an enhanced recovery programme are associated with better outcomes following laparoscopic colorectal surgery. Methods A database of laparoscopic colorectal procedures performed in 2011 was reviewed. Elements of the enhanced recovery programme and compliance were evaluated for short-term (30-day) outcomes. Individual elements included gabapentin, celecoxib, intrathecal analgesia, diet, postoperative fluids, and paracetamol/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug pain management. Results Five hundred and forty-one consecutive procedures were included. Compliance with the enhanced recovery programme elements ranged from 82·4 to 99·3 per cent. Median length of hospital stay was 3 (i.q.r. 2–5) days, with 25·9 per cent of patients discharged within 48 h. Patients without complications had a median length of stay of 3 (i.q.r. 2–4) days if compliant and 3 (3–5) days if not (P < 0·001). Low oral opiate intake (oral morphine equivalent of less than 30 mg) (odds ratio (OR) 1·97, 95 per cent confidence interval 1·29 to 3·03; P = 0·002), full compliance (OR 2·36, 1·42 to 3·90; P < 0·001) and high surgeon volume (more than 100 cases per year) (OR 1·50, 1·19 to 1·89; P < 0·001) were associated with discharge within 48 h. Compliance with the elements of oral intake and fluid management in the first 48 h was associated with a reduced rate of complications (8·1 versus 19·6 per cent; P = 0·001). Median oral opiate intake was 37·5 (i.q.r. 0–105) mg in 48 h, with 26·2 per cent of patients receiving no opiates. Conclusion Compliance with an enhanced recovery pathway was associated with less opiate use, fewer complications and a shorter hospital stay.
Novel modular multiple-input bidirectional DC-DC power converter (MIPC)

This paper proposes a novel multiple-input bidirectional DC-DC power converter to interface more than two dc sources of different voltage levels. This finds applications in distributed energy resources (DER), micro grid, and hybrid electric/fuel cell vehicles, where different dc sources of unequal voltage levels need to be connected with bidirectional power flow capability. Converter can be used to operate in both the buck and boost modes with bidirectional power control. It is also possible to independently control power flow when more than two sources are actively transferring power in either direction. This paper presents a power converter topology based on three switching legs of a standard 3-phase inverter module. The operation, analysis and design of the converter are presented with different modes of power transfer. Proposed converter is demonstrated for fuel cell vehicle application using real-time hardware-in-the-loop system. Results for a 5kW system are presented validating the theoretical analysis.
A stochastic response model with application to brand choice

This paper develops a model which is an extension of a class of stochastic response models first proposed by Coleman [Coleman, J. A. 1964a. Models of Change and Response Uncertainty. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.]. In its present form the model applies to the binary response situation. The model postulates a population of respondents who are heterogeneous with respect to their response probabilities. A given respondent may experience changes in his response probability in the intervals between response occasions, but since the actual responses he makes do not effect his response probability, the model is zero order. The paper also presents a variant of the minimum chi square procedure which may be used to estimate and test the model. An application to consumer brand choice data demonstrates that the model is empirically viable. Potential applications to multi-wave voting intentions panels and social-psychological experiments are indicated.
Participation of Minorities in Cost-Share Programs-The Experience of a Small Underserved Landowners' Group in Alabama

This article highlights aspects of the historical, social and policy developments of cost-share programs in the USA. The experiences of African Americans who are members of Limited Resource Landowners Education Network in attempting to access available cost-share resources in Alabama are presented. Literature reviews, participation in and response to the USDA’s Cooperative Conservation Partnership Initiative (CCPI), and discussions with stakeholders were the primary sources of information and data used in this exploratory analysis which was conducted within the framework of a “modified action research model”. Until recently underserved landowners’ participation in cost-share programs in Alabama has been very limited. Although in theory access has been open to underserved landowners, these landowners have historically encountered a range of challenges in trying to participate in the cost-share programs. Many of those challenges, the analysis has indicated, stemmed from: (a) Natural Resource Conservation Service’s (NRCS’) limited pool of available and relevant technical personnel, (b) the agency’s interpretation of existing program policy guidelines and (c) the low level of underserved landowners’ trust and confidence in the transparency and fairness of federal and state agencies and their officials. Successfully navigating such obstacles and challenges during the implementation of the CCPI initiative in Alabama necessitated much understanding, perseverance, collaboration, and a willingness to compromise by all project stakeholders. Strategies likely to assist other similar groups in successfully navigating the various Federal and State requirements for participation in cost-share programs are proposed. Lessons learned will inform future application of the action research model in this continuing study.
Zinc Protoporphyrin IX Binds Heme Crystals to Inhibit the Process of Crystallization in Plasmodium falciparum

The intraerythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum parasite converts most of host hemoglobin heme into a nontoxic heme crystal. Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin IX, normally present at 0.5 µM, which is a ratio of 1:40000 hemes, can elevate 10-fold in some of the anemias associated with malaria disease protection. This work examines a binding mechanism for zinc protoporphyrin IX inhibition of heme crystallization similar to the antimalarial quinolines. Zinc protoporphyrin IX neither forms crystals alone nor extends on preformed heme crystals. Inhibition of both seed heme crystal formation and crystal extension occurs with an inhibitory concentration (IC)50 of 5 µM. Field emission in-lens scanning electron microscopy depicts the transition and inhibition of heme monomer aggregates to heme crystals with and without seeding of preformed hemozoin templates. In vitro zinc protoporphyrin IX, like the quinolines, binds to heme crystals in a saturable, specific, pH, and time-dependent manner. The ratio at saturation is approximately 1 zinc protoporphyrin IX per 250 hemes of the crystal. Unlike the quinolines, zinc protoporphyrin IX binds measurably in the absence of heme. Isolated ring and trophozoite stage parasites have an elevated zinc protoporphyrin IX to heme ratio 6 to 10 times that in the erythrocyte cytosol, which also corresponds to elevated ratios found in heme crystals purified from Plasmodium parasites. This work implicates protection from malaria by a mechanism where elevated zinc protoporphyrin IX in anemic erythrocytes binds to heme crystals to inhibit further crystallization. In endemic malaria areas, severe iron deficiency anemia should be treated with antimalarials along with iron replenishment.
Robust speaker recognition for e-commerce system

In banking system of e-commerce, where privacy and authentication are more important and voice based authentication is preferred, telecommunication plays vital role by enabling users to interact remotely and verify their identities. The design of such robust speaker recognition system can have various problems related to combined optimization of a number of processes like front-end noise removal, auditory parameter extraction and the speech modeling/recognition paradigm. In this paper we examine these front-end noise reduction/removal techniques with focus on development of a generic speech improvement method based on hybrid echo filter to particularly handle speech signals that travel through telephonic channel. Firstly noised telephonic signals are subjected to spectral subtraction and accuracy of correctly denoised samples is obtained which is 76%. The resultant signals are further improved by applying echo filter technique which dramatically increases the accuracy up to 83.5%. Achieved results are highly significant as they improve accuracy of the system as compared to contemporary work in the area.
Efficient volumetric extraction of most positive/negative curvature and flexure for fracture characterization from 3D seismic data

Most positive/negative curvature and flexure are among the most useful seismic attributes for detecting faults and fractures in the subsurface based on the geometry of seismic reflections. When applied to fracture characterization and modelling of a fractured reservoir, their magnitude and azimuth help quantify both the intensity and orientation of fracturing, respectively. However, previous efforts focus on estimating only the magnitude of both attributes, whereas their associated azimuth is ignored in three-dimensional (3D) seismic interpretation. This study presents an efficient algorithm for simultaneously evaluating both the magnitude and azimuth of most positive/negative curvature and flexure from 3D seismic data. The approach implemented in this study is analytically more accurate and computationally more efficient compared with the existing approach. The added value of extracting most positive/negative curvature and flexure is demonstrated through the application to a fractured reservoir at Teapot Dome (Wyoming). First, the newly extracted attributes make computer-aided fault/fracture decomposition possible. This allows interpreters to focus on one particular component for fracture characterization at a time, so that a composite fractured reservoir could be partitioned into different components for detailed analysis. Second, curvature/flexure azimuth allows interpreters to plot fracture histogram and/or rose diagram in an automatic and quantitative manner. Compared with the conventional plotting rose diagram based on manual measurements, automatic plotting is more efficient and offers unbiased insights into fracture systems by illuminating the most likely orientations of natural fractures in fractured reservoirs.
Topography, Fuels, and Fire Exclusion Drive Fire Severity of the Rim Fire in an Old-Growth Mixed-Conifer Forest, Yosemite National Park, USA

The number of large, high-severity fires has increased in the western United States over the past 30 years due to climate change and increasing tree density from fire suppression. Fuel quantity, topography, and weather during a burn control fire severity, and the relative contributions of these controls in mixed-severity fires in mountainous terrain are poorly understood. In 2013, the Rim Fire burned a previously studied 2125 ha area of mixed-conifer forest in Yosemite National Park. Data from 84 plots sampled in 2002 revealed increases in tree density, basal area, and fuel buildup since 1899 due to fire exclusion. A dendroecological fire history and reconstruction of forest structure in 1899 showed that this area historically experienced frequent, low-severity fire. In contrast with this region’s historical fire regime, burn severity from Landsat imagery showed that this area burned at mixed-severity in the Rim Fire, with 13% of plots classified as unchanged, 31% low severity, 32% moderate severity, and 24% high severity. A random forest model was used to identify the controls of fire severity in this portion of the Rim Fire, using daily area burned, daily fire weather, and fuels and vegetation data for the surface and canopy. Topography, tree species composition, and cover of forbs and shrubs best explained the fire severity. As an example of a re-entry burn, this study demonstrates how fire exclusion alters fire–vegetation interactions, leading to uncharacteristically severe burns and potentially new fire-vegetation dynamics.
Galerkin Method for Stochastic Algebraic Equations and Plates on Random Elastic Foundation

A new perspective is presented on the Galerkin solution for linear stochastic algebraic equations, that is, linear algebraic equations with random coefficients. It is shown that (1) a stochastic algebraic equation has an optimal Galerkin solution, that is, a Galerkin solution that is best in the mean square sense, and (2) the optimal Galerkin solution is equal to the conditional expectation of the exact solution with respect to a σ-field coarser than the σ-field relative to which this solution is measurable. Galerkin solutions that are not optimal are called sub-optimal. Both optimal and suboptimal Galerkin solutions are defined and constructed. Optimal and sub-optimal Galerkin solutions are used to calculate statistics of the displacement of a simply supported plate sitting on a random elastic foundation. The accuracy of these Galerkin solutions is assessed by Monte Carlo simulation.
Private Debts are a Public Blessing: Exploring the Political Economy of Lending Booms

Conventional analysis blames technocratic mistakes in the form of lax monetary and regulatory policies in combination with the irrational exuberance of market participants for driving lending boom episodes. However, the implicit assumption governing these ideas has been that politicians in different countries generally respond similarly to political opportunities in the financial sector (Keefer, 2001,1). Recent empirical findings that the liberalization and globalization of financial markets, even in combination with more prudent macroeconomic policies have translated into boom-bust cycles seem from a political economy perspective to be puzzling. In terms of lending booms, it is intriguing as to why governments implementing seemingly prudent macroeconomic policies encourage excessive risk taking in financial markets. In particular, as financial governance and subsequent financial market dynamics generate substantial spill-over effects on aggregate macroeconomic outcomes, financial market regulation might have a decisive consumption- and investment-enhancing effect. For this reason, we argue that focusing solely on financial governance from an isolated institutional perspective misses several central political economy features of liberalized financial markets and their interaction with macroeconomic policy making. As financial globalization implies that international investors can sanction governments for disapproved macroeconomic policies, especially in emerging market economies, full current account convertibility creates an economic environment in which governments have little control over monetization processes, i.e. the `Capital Mobility Hypothesis’ (Oatley, 1999). However, this leaves governments with the task of creating employment and growth through different instruments. In this paper we claim that in light of these constraints, governments have started to engage in adverse regulatory policies to secure popular support. In order to test our hypothesis, we develop a simple empirical framework based on 76 countries in the time span between 1973 and 2005. Our findings indicate that lending booms are more likely to occur in low inflation environments and financially liberalized economies. We also find that the quality and independence of banking supervisory authorities as well as institutional constraints on incumbent governments over economic policies play a decisive role in explaining the emergence boom episodes. Insofar, our results reinforce the importance of macro prudential regulation in the context of financial market governance.
“Déjà Vu” or Memory-Science between Gérard de Nerval and Marcel Proust

ArgumentCultivated by a number of writers and studied by psychologists, the phenomenon of deja vu is an invention of the nineteenth century and is part of a broader exploration of how the mind experiences memory and time. Thus this typically benign mental aberration provides an entry-point into the mechanisms that preside over the regulation of the flow of consciousness. The theories of the mind developed recently by neuroscientists help us understand, meanwhile, why investigations into this mental “event” necessarily invoke concepts of representation and narrative. In fact, our increasingly sophisticated models for processes of memory and perception depend on literary representations. This article relies on the paramnesiac writings of Gerard de Nerval, seen through the lens of Proust's analysis, to argue that a consideration of the aesthetic and representational features of deja-vu can bring us closer to solving the epistemological challenges we face in studying this phenomenon.For Gregory T. Polletta
The Structure of College Goals

Higher education can serve a variety of functions or goals. Traditionally, researchers have developed a small list of college goals ( to prepare for a carcer, to make fr~ends) and had students either check the most important goal (Rose, 1964) or rank the goals in order of importance (Goldsen, 1951) . The purpose of this study was to factor analyze responses to a larger number of college goals presented as a "College Goals Questionnaire" to 172 freshmen ( 5 3 % of h e incoming class) at an eastern college in January, 1971. Ss rated the importance of each of 20 goals on a 5-point scale. Three factors, accounting for 34% of the total variance, were extracted (principal axis analysis) and rotated to a varimax solution. Ss scoring high on Factor 1 placed great importance on: learning more about oneself ( . 6 4 ) , being exposed to stimulating ideas ( .63) , learning to get along with other people ( .62) , learning more about society ( .61) , preparing oneself to help others (.56) , developing a set of values (.5 1 ) , preparing to make a contribution to the world ( .50) , getting a broad education ( .44) , and making interesting and rewarding friendships ( .42). Factor 1 seems to rap an intellectual-social dimension of college goals. Ss scoring high on Factor 2 placed great importance on : preparing for a prestigious job ( .76) , preparing for a high-paying job ( .74) , pleasing father and mother ( .52) , and finding out for what career they are best suited ( .33) . Factor 2, a career dimension, also involves such external referents as pleasing one's parents and obtaining a lucrative and prestigious career. Factor 3 seems to describe a more goal-directed aspect of career preparation. Ss scoring high placed great importance on preparing for a specific career ( . 5 9 ) , preparing for graduate or professional school ( .49) , and learning more about a specific subject of interest ( .30) . It was noted that the items dealing with careers broke into two factors. Although Factor 3 involved a traditional goal-directed orientation, Factor 2 was explicitly concerned with external referents of career success. It is interesting that the desire to please one's parents was related to other, more general indices of societal a p p r o v a l a high-paying and prestigious career. Future research might investigate the relationship between background variables and the importance of particular college goals.
Rapid Characterization of Munitions Using Neural Networks

This paper presents a method for classifying and identifying small caliber rockets, artillery rounds and mortars; generally referred to as RAM threats. The innovative method presented here is a neural network-based approach to first classify the target as a RAM threat and further to identify the threat caliber. The neural network is “trained” by employing large numbers of trajectories produced with validated kinematic simulations. The trained neural network processes actual radar measurements in near real time to classify and identify targets based on those in the training database. Threat-type classification and identification employs conventional radar measurements of the threat’s position in the radar frame transformed to Cartesian coordinates, so additional data sources and signal processing are avoided. The neural network approach is envisioned to provide additional valuable threat information such as point-of-origin (POO) estimation and pointof-impact (POI) prediction, within the first two seconds of detection.
The hot rectus abdominis muscle sign.

Uptake of bone-seeking agents in muscle has been described in conditions associated with muscular damage, including rhabdomyolysis, overexertion, polymyositis, myositis ossificans, ischemia, and electric burns. Uptake of Tc-99m phosphate compounds may occur secondary to binding to tissue hormone receptors, tissue calcium, denatured proteins, iron deposits, or all of these. The authors describe a patient with increased rectus abdominis uptake secondary to vigorous sit-up exercises.
Black Consumer Reactions to “Integrated” Advertising: An Exploratory Study:

Marketers who pioneered advertising in which blacks and whites appear together in more or less socially intimate situations took a number of risks. This article reports a study of why advertisers u...
Folded Nanosheets: A New Mechanism for Nanodisk Formation

Two-dimensional (2D) nanostructures have generated significant interest in the scientific community as a result of their high surface area and remarkable optoelectronic properties. In this work, we present a simple colloidal synthesis for ultrathin nanosheets of both In2S3 and CuInS2. Contradictory phase designations exist for In2S3 at the nanoscale as a result of overlapping reflections from multiple phases in X-ray diffraction. We use high-resolution transmission electron microscopy to demonstrate definitively that hexagonal γ-In2S3 is formed. Continued heating of these nanostructures results in the formation of nanodisks twice the thickness of the original structure via folding and tearing of the intermediate sheet. Treatment of the In2S3 nanosheet with Cu+ accelerates this process of tearing of the nanosheet of In2S3 and results in the formation of one-dimensional nanoribbons of CuInS2. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images and medium-angle X-ray scattering measurements indicate that...
Oxidant mechanisms in glomerulonephritis.

Several lines of evidence derived from both in vitro and in vivo studies suggest an important role for reactive oxygen metabolites and glomerular pathophysiology. Both leukocytes and glomeruli have been shown to increase the generation of reactive oxygen metabolites in response to a wide variety of stimuli. Reactive oxygen metabolites generated enzymatically or by stimulated neutrophils have been shown to affect several biological processes of potential importance in glomerular injury, including glomerular basement degradation, eicosanoid synthesis, cyclic nucleotide metabolism, and glomerular ADPase activity. Scavengers of reactive oxygen metabolites have been shown to reduce proteinuria in several leukocyte-dependent and leukocyte-independent models of glomerular disease. Taken together, these studies suggest an important role of reactive oxygen metabolites in glomerular disease.
Improved recovery of heart transplants by combined use of oxygen-derived free radical scavengers and energy enhancement.

Oxygen free radical injury during reperfusion of ischemically stored heart transplants may further impair the ability of the transplanted heart to reuse substrate for recovery. We compared the effects of oxygen free radical scavengers, superoxide dismutase and catalase, either alone or combined with glucose-insulin-potassium, in an improved model of the heterotopically transplanted rat heart. Group 1 hearts (n = 8) received no preservation before transplantation and were transplanted immediately. Hearts in four other groups (n = 8 for each group) underwent cold storage (4° to 6° C) for 3½ hours before transplantation. Five minutes before reperfusion of the transplanted hearts, recipient rats received one of the following intravenous treatments: saline (group 2), glucose-insulin-potassium (group 3), superoxide dismutase/catalase (group 4), and superoxide dismutase/catalase plus glucose-insulin-potassium (group 5). Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, rate of rise of left ventricular pressure, myocardial blood flow, coronary resistance, and tissue adenosine triphosphate content of the heart transplants were assessed during or at the end of 2 hours of reperfusion. Hearts treated with superoxide dismutase/catalase alone showed improvement of end-diastolic pressure and myocardial blood flow. The use of glucose-insulin-potassium alone did not facilitate the recovery of transplanted hearts. In contrast, the combined use of superoxide dismutase/catalase plus glucose-insulin-potassium resulted in a superior recovery of all functional and hemodynamic parameters. These results indicate that free radical scavengers in the presence of glucose-insulin-potassium significantly improve functional recovery in the setting of heart transplantation. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;104:830-7)
The Kurdish Republic in Mahabad

In August 1941, the Allied armies entered Iran. The British occupied the south of the country and the Soviet forces the north. Reza Shah, suspected of having German sympathies, was forced by the British to abdicate. The Iranian army collapsed in the occupied areas. Taking advantage of the national and international situation, the Kurds strove for autonomy. The imprisoned or internally exiled chiefs returned to their tribes, reestablished local independence, and rearmed themselves not only with their own hidden arms but also with arms acquired after Persian troops fled the area. In the cities, the urban intellectuals organized political groups and began to advocate Kurdish political and cultural autonomy. The result of these efforts was the establishment of the Kurdish Republic in Mahabad in 1946.
The Development of Reduced Diffusion Following Bevacizumab Therapy Identifies Regions of Recurrent Disease in Patients with High-grade Glioma

Rationale and Objectives The treatment of glioma with bevacizumab results in decreased enhancement, making it challenging to diagnose tumor recurrence. Therefore, the primary aim of this retrospective study was to determine if the underlying biological processes occurring within regions of recurrent glioblastoma in patients undergoing bevacizumab therapy influence morphologic and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging characteristics. Materials and Methods In this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant and institutional review board–approved study, 26 patients treated with bevacizumab for high-grade glioma underwent lesion-wide apparent diffusion coefficient analysis before therapy and at the time of clinical/radiological progression, allowing for stratification by the presence or absence of reduced diffusion. Lesions with reduced diffusion were classified into “block” or “salt & pepper” phenotypes. Eight of the 26 patients underwent image-guided tissue sampling at the time of suspected disease recurrence allowing for direct biological correlation. Clinical, histologic, and MR imaging differences between diffusion groups were assessed using a two-sample Welch t test. Results All patients had histologic evidence of recurrent disease with or without a background of treatment effect. Sixty-two percent of the cohort had developed reduced diffusion at clinical progression following bevacizumab. Image-guided tissue sampling demonstrated that treatment effect was not observed within regions of reduced diffusion. Recurrent tumor intermixed with treatment effect was more likely to be observed within the “salt & pepper” phenotype when compared to “block” phenotype. Conclusions Following bevacizumab therapy, recurrent glioblastoma can manifest as nonenhancing regions characterized by reduced diffusion. Histologically, these MR imaging characteristics correlate with aggressive biological features of disease recurrence.
Immunoglobulin G Deficiency-Associated Septic Arthritis Identified Following Corticosteroid Injection and Knee Arthroscopy: A Case Report

Case: We present the case of a patient who had worsening pain following intra-articular knee corticosteroid injection and who subsequently underwent arthroscopic partial meniscectomy with positive intraoperative cultures for Staphylococcus lugdunensis . He was treated with multiple irrigation and debridements, and subsequent work-up yielded a diagnosis of immunoglobulin G (IgG) deficiency. We believe that it is critical to maintain a high index of suspicion for underlying immune deficiency when faced with atypical presentations of infections or atypical bacteria in otherwise healthy patients. Conclusion: Knee arthroscopy for the treatment of meniscal tears is one of the most common procedures performed by orthopaedic surgeons in the United States. Patients with an antibody deficiency may have a limited or reduced immune response when presented with a pathogen foreign to the body. This may place the patient at an increased risk of infection and should be addressed through referral to the appropriate subspecialists when recurrent or atypical infection presents to the orthopaedic surgeon.
Optical Detection of Ultrasound in Photoacoustic Imaging

Objective: Photoacoustic (PA) imaging emerges as a unique tool to study biological samples based on optical absorption contrast. In PA imaging, piezoelectric transducers are commonly used to detect laser-induced ultrasonic waves. However, they typically lack adequate broadband sensitivity at ultrasonic frequency higher than 100 MHz, whereas their bulky size and optically opaque nature cause technical difficulties in integrating PA imaging with conventional optical imaging modalities. To overcome these limitations, optical methods of ultrasound detection were developed and shown their unique applications in PA imaging. Methods: We provide an overview of recent technological advances in optical methods of ultrasound detection and their applications in PA imaging. A general theoretical framework describing sensitivity, bandwidth, and angular responses of optical ultrasound detection is also introduced. Results: Optical methods of ultrasound detection can provide improved detection angle and sensitivity over significantly extended bandwidth. In addition, its versatile variants also offer additional advantages, such as device miniaturization, optical transparency, mechanical flexibility, minimal electrical/mechanical crosstalk, and potential noncontact PA imaging. Conclusion: The optical ultrasound detection methods discussed in this review and their future evolution may play an important role in PA imaging for biomedical study and clinical diagnosis.
Planetary nebulae as standard candles for extragalactic distances.

Although distances to galactic planetary nebulae are typically uncertain by factors near 2, there appears to be an upper limit to the integrated [0 III] λ5007 absolute flux for planetary nebulae. This flux, 1.34x10-8 ergs/cm2/sec for a maximally bright planetary nebula at a distance of 1 kpc, can be used as a distance indicator when a sufficient number of planetaries have been identified in an external galaxy. Or one may compute the upper limit to the distance for galactic planetary nebulae based on this calibration.
Conflict Resolution Classrooms to Careers: An Emergent Theory of Change with Implications for a Strategy in Peace Education.

AbstractPeace education provides for the development of knowledge, skills, and dispositions appropriate to effective peacebuilding. Therefore, the development of curriculum in degree programs which builds bridges by which students in conflict resolution/peace studies classrooms may cross over to the field of conflict transformation and peacebuilding may properly be thought of as within the sphere of peace education. This paper describes an emerging theory of change in the context of the peace education offered by a graduate and undergraduate program of conflict resolution. It is argued that employability exists at the nexus of student skills and attributes, and the demands of a labor market which a partnership between experienced practitioners and academics has a responsibility to inform and shape through outreach, education, practice, evaluation, research, and publication.
The Nonverbal Assessment of Academic Skills

In the first version (of this chapter), which appeared in McCallum (2003), the discussion of nonverbal assessment of academic skills began with an overview of academic skill areas commonly assessed in educational settings (see Frisby 2003, followed by a discussion of the three conditions in which the nonverbal assessment of academic skills is most likely to occur with high frequency. In the first condition, instead of an examiner orally giving directions that require a verbal or behavioral response from the examinee, a respondent (parent, teacher, or other caregiver) observes and records the presence of naturally occurring academic skill behaviors (which may or may not be displayed verbally) by an examinee (e.g., as in tests of adaptive behavior). In the second condition, examinees with disabling conditions that involve severe speech and physical impairments (such as cerebral palsy) are unable to speak or write intelligibly due to a variety of neurological, physical, emotional, and/or cognitive limitations. These individuals need assistive technology (AT) to demonstrate what they know and can do. In the third condition, individuals with some degree of hearing loss may require test instructions to be read directly from print, which are administered by means of a nonverbal sign language. In turn, examinee responses are given either in writing of by nonverbal sign language. Compared to the first previous version of this chapter, this chapter focuses with greater detail on this third condition—i.e., the application of nonverbal assessment issues and practices involving individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing (HOH).
Recurrencia sintomática relacionada con la enfermedad por reflujo gastroesofágico en pacientes que descontinúan los inhibidores de la bomba de protones durante el estudio inalámbrico de monitorización de pH esofágico Bravo

Resumen Antecedentes Los pacientes con enfermedad por reflujo gastroesofagico (ERGE) son tratados con inhibidores de la bomba de protones (IBP). Aquellos que no logran el alivio de los sintomas, o los no respondedores, usualmente son sometidos a la monitorizacion de pH esofagico, habiendo suspendido los IBP, para asi confirmar la presencia de la ERGE. Objetivos Valorar la eficacia de la prueba con IBP invertida en la evaluacion de la presencia de ERGE o sus tasas de recurrencia, asi como la identificacion de una correlacion entre las tasas de recurrencia de los sintomas y la gravedad de la ERGE determinada por pruebas de monitorizacion de pH esofagico Bravo® de 48 h de duracion. Metodos Un total final de 205 pacientes sometidos a las pruebas de monitorizacion de pH esofagico Bravo® de 48 h de duracion fueron incluidos retrospectivamente. Los pacientes descontinuaron el uso de los IBP por al menos 7 dias previo a la prueba y completaron cuestionarios sintomaticos durante los 2 dias de la prueba. La prueba Bravo® se considero positiva si el porcentaje de tiempo con pH esofagico 4.4%. Resultados Un total de 363 pacientes se sometieron a la prueba Bravo® de 48 h, y de esos pacientes, 205 fueron elegibles para el estudio. Noventa y dos pacientes reportaron sintomas de estar «igual/mejor» y 113 de estar «peor» despues de la suspension de IBP. De los 92 pacientes con mejoria de sintomas, 44 (48%) tenian reflujo acido durante la prueba Bravo® documentado, comparado con 65 de 113 (58%) pacientes con empeoramiento de sintomas que tambien se refirieron tener reflujo acido. De los 109 pacientes en los cuales se confirmo la ERGE con la monitorizacion de pH, 65 (59.6%) reportaron un empeoramiento sintomatico, comparado con 48 de 96 (50.0%) pacientes sin ERGE (p = 0.043). Los sintomas principales declarados como empeorados incluyeron acidez, dolor de pecho, regurgitacion, nauseas y eructacion (p 7 dias (p = 0.042). Conclusion La exacerbacion sintomatica seguida de la suspension de los IBP de por al menos 7 dias correlaciono con la severidad de reflujo acido evaluado por la prueba Bravo®. Los pacientes que no tomaron IBP por 7 dias presentaban mayor probabilidad de experimentar empeoramiento de sintomas comparados con aquellos que no tomaron los IBP por mas de 7 dias. Estos hallazgos indican que cuando los IBP son suspendidos por 7 dias o menos previo a la prueba Bravo®, el empeoramiento agudo de los sintomas gastrointestinales superiores, debido a la descontinuacion abrupta de la terapia, puede influir los resultados de la prueba Bravo®. La etiologia de esto puede estar relacionada con la hipersecrecion acida de rebote y requiere ser elucidada aun mas en estudios a futuro.
Molecular Methods for Studying Microbial Ecology in the Soil and Rhizosphere

As described throughout this book, soil and rhizosphere microorganisms are responsible for a wide range of ecosystem services, including decomposing organic matter, cycling and immobilizing nutrients, aggregating soil, filtering and bioremediating pollutants, suppressing and causing plant disease, and producing and releasing greenhouse gasses. A long-standing challenge for studies in soil and rhizosphere ecology has been developing effective methods that can be used to describe the diversity, function and abundance of soil and plant-associated microbial populations. Enormous advances have been made since the first report by Torsvik (1980) that deoxyribonucleic acids (DNA) could be extracted from soil and subsequently characterized and that there may be as many as 6000–10,000 different genomes in 1 g of soil (Torsvik et al. 1990). A recent analysis based on reassociation kinetics done by Gans et al. (2005) suggests that this number is conservative and that the number of individual genomes per 1 g of soil may approach 277,000. This number far exceeds diversity estimates from any other matrix, making soil the most complex and diverse environment on earth. Characterizing this diversity is an intricate and difficult task, in which all current methods fall short. Each month better approaches are being developed and published, allowing us to continue to explore this biologically rich environment. These new approaches have enabled us to not only ask who is living in soil, but to also determine how populations respond to management and consider how we might develop better soil management practices to encourage beneficial associations between plants and the soil biota and discourage detrimental ones.
Tunneled Catheter Placement in a Pediatric Patient: A Novel Approach

Abstract Establishing venous access can be an important and often complex aspect of care for pediatric patients. When stable central venous access is required for long-term intravenous infusions, several options are available including peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC), tunneled catheters and ports. Both PICC placement and tunneled catheter placement include an exposed external segment of catheter, either in an extremity or on the chest. We present a pediatric patient with complex behavioral history who required long-term intravenous therapy. After careful review, the best option for the patient was determined to be a tunneled catheter that exited the skin in the right upper back, making it difficult to grab and pull out. The catheter was successfully placed and the patient appropriately completed his intravenous antibiotic course. Upon completion, the catheter was removed without complications. This tunneling technique to the scapular region may be useful for patients with psychiatric or neurodegenerative disorders where purposeful dislodgement may be a problem.
Elements of Instability Theory for Environmental Flows

An introduction to instability theory is provided, together with application of the theory to a number of idealized flows. Essential issues pertaining to the distinction between, and the application of, spatial and temporal approaches are given particular attention. The selection of specific examples is motivated by both their relevance to environmental contexts and their pedagogical value. Emphasis is placed primarily on the instability of density stratified shear flows, but the chapter closes with a brief consideration of the overturning (Rayleigh-Taylor) instability of statically-unstable interfaces when diffusion of the stratifying agent is suppressed.
Sub-classifying patients with mild traumatic brain injury: A clustering approach based on baseline clinical characteristics and 90-day and 180-day outcomes.

Author(s): Si, Bing; Dumkrieger, Gina; Wu, Teresa; Zafonte, Ross; Valadka, Alex B; Okonkwo, David O; Manley, Geoffrey T; Wang, Lujia; Dodick, David W; Schwedt, Todd J; Li, Jing | Abstract: BackgroundThe current classification of traumatic brain injury (TBI) into "mild", "moderate", or "severe" does not adequately account for the patient heterogeneity that still exists within each of these categories. The objective of this study was to identify "sub-groups" of mild TBI (mTBI) patients based on data available at the time of the initial post-TBI patient evaluation and to determine if the sub-grouping correlates with patient outcomes at 90 and 180 days post-TBI.MethodsData from patients in the TRACK-TBI Pilot dataset who had a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 to 15 at arrival to the Emergency Department and a closed head injury were included. Considering 53 clinical variables that are typically available during the initial evaluation of the patient with mild TBI, sparse heirarchial clustering with cluster quality assessment was used to identify the optimal number of patient sub-groups. Patient sub-groups were then compared for ten outcomes measured at 90 or 180 days post-TBI.ResultsAmongst the 485 patients with mTBI, optimal clustering was based on the inclusion of 12 clinical variables that divided the patients into 5 mild TBI sub-groups. Clinical variables driving the sub-clustering included: gender, employment status, marital status, TBI due to falling, brain CT scan result, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, administration of IV fluids in the Emergency Department, alcohol use, tobacco use, history of neurologic disease, and history of psychiatric disease. These 5 mild TBI sub-groups differed in their 90 day and 180 day outcomes within several domains including global outcomes, persistence of TBI-related symptoms, and neuropsychological impairment.ConclusionsSub-groups of patients with mTBI can be identified according to clinical variables that are relatively easy to obtain at the time of initial patient evaluation. A patient's sub-group assignment is associated with multidimensional patient outcomes at 90 and 180 days. These findings support the notion that there are clinically meaningful subgroups of patients amongst those currently classified as having mTBI.
A hypothesis for the etiology of interstitial cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the bladder wall. The etiology is obscure.18,19,35,44,47,56 Several theories for the etiology of IC have been proposed over the years, including infection,6,56 immunological etiology,1 leaky urothelium resulting from a deficiency of its surface coat of glycosaminoglycans,41,42 activated mast cells,6,49 and neurogenic etiology.6,17 However, none of these theories have been proven beyond doubt.6 The rapid onset of IC, its appearance in mid-life, and the absence of strong family association have suggested to us8–11 and many others6 that IC could be an acquired disease, possibly caused by injury. Recurrent exposure to bacterial infection, which is common in the bladder, has been proposed as a putative mechanism of injury.47,56 Earlier studies were based on the assumption that the sole avenue for the interaction of noxious agents with the bladder is exposure of terminally differentiated “umbrella” cells to agents in the lumen. However, mere exposure of the superficial layer to injury, such as bacterial infection, may not result in chronic changes in the urothelium. These terminally differentiated cells are often shed in response to infectious agents,2,38 and unexposed progenitors of urothelial cells located in the basal layer (stem cells) divide and re-epithelize the injured area.