cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Depth Conflict Reduction for Stereo VR Video Interfaces

Applications for viewing and editing 360° video often render user interface (UI) elements on top of the video. For stereoscopic video, in which the perceived depth varies over the image, the perceived depth of the video can conflict with that of the UI elements, creating discomfort and making it hard to shift focus. To address this problem, we explore two new techniques that adjust the UI rendering based on the video content. The first technique dynamically adjusts the perceived depth of the UI to avoid depth conflict, and the second blurs the video in a halo around the UI. We conduct a user study to assess the effectiveness of these techniques in two stereoscopic VR video tasks: video watching with subtitles, and video search.
Language Change and Cultural Change

The specifics of the relationship between language change and cultural change are mediated by an intricate array of factors, including local cultural construals of resources, rights, and persons and the ways that local details of drift in language change are linked to these by language ideologies. Evolutionary and typological-geographical accounts of language change and diversification at even the broadest global level can identify tendencies, but there are many exceptions to these. The elucidation of local resonances between language change and culture change is thus a historical-linguistic project, involving extensions of the theory of analogical change to accommodate mechanisms of ideological mediation.
Photoelectron diffraction from layered Sb 2 Te 2 Se

Experimental photoelectron data consisting of azimuthal plots of emissions from high-lying core levels at fixed polar angle from the layered compound ${\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$Se have been collected over a wide range of final energies (15-75 eV). The unique structure of ${\mathrm{Sb}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Te}}_{2}$Se was employed to obtain three sets of core-level emissions from the three atomic species. This in turn gives an excellent opportunity to compare a multiple-scattering theory with the three single-site emissions, two of which lie beneath the surface atomic layer. The results of the comparison are used to determine the surface structure of the layered compound. The emissions from the Sb core level provide valuable information to the relative contributions of electrons emitted from different depths of the sample.
Vibrational Communication: Spiders to Kangaroo Rats

An amazing variety of animals communicate by vibrational signals. The behavior is common, diverse and occurs in multiple taxa ranging from spiders and insects to rodents and elephants. Production of vibrations is a mechanical event of stomping, tapping, drumming, rubbing surfaces together (stridulation) and trembling the body (trembulation) to transmit both airborne and seismic signals. Ground-borne vibrations are transmit through a diversity of substrates, including soil, rocks, leaf litter and plant stems and leaves. Receptors for the signals consist of ears and mechanoreceptors in mammals and specialized structures in arthropods. Mate attraction is an important function of substrate-borne vibrations, which are often combined with visual displays in multimodal courtship displays. In spiders substrate-borne vibrations function as sexually selected signals of fitness. Besides attracting mates, insects use vibrations to communicate between parent and offspring, members of the social group, food recruitment and in predator defense. Substrate-borne vibrations also are important in predator–prey interactions. Footdrumming as a communication system is the most developed in territorial kangaroo rats (Dipodomys). The species specific drumming patterns can be complex, and the bannertailed kangaroo rat (D. spectabilis) drums individually distinct footdrumming signatures to communicate territorial ownership. Kangaroo rats also drum during competitive interactions and courtship. In the presence of snakes the kangaroo rats footdrum in individual defense to inform the snake the kangaroo rat is aware and will no longer be easy prey.
A Nutritional Approach to Prevent Alcoholic Liver Disease

Clinical trials have largely been unable to significantly reduce the mortality of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) beyond that achieved by placebo and alcohol withdrawal when the liver disease has progressed to the stages of alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis. This discouraging treatment outcome has reduced the frequency of clinical trials to treat ALD compared to the ongoing numbers of clinical trials to treat other chronic liver diseases such as hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV), and primary biliary cirrhosis [1]. This is despite the fact that the age-adjusted death rate (per 100,000) of ALD is 25 times higher than for primary biliary cirrhosis, 10.5 times higher than HBV, and 2.7 times higher than HCV [1].
Inhibition by the branched-chain 2-oxo acids of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex in developing rat and human brain.

1. The effect of the branched-chain amino acids, namely leucine, isoleucine and valine and their corresponding 2-oxo acids on the metabolism of 2-oxoglutarate by developing rat and human brain preparations was investigated. 2. The decarboxylation of 2-oxo[1-14C]glutarate to 14CO2 by mitochondria from adult rat brain was inhibited by the branched-chain 2-oxo acids whereas the branched-chain amino acids had no inhibitory effect on this process. 3. The activity of 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex was about 0.2unit/g of brain from 2-day-old rats and increased by about fourfold reaching an adult value by the end of the third postnatal week. 4. The Km value for 2-oxoglutarate of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex in rat and human brain was 100 and 83μm respectively. 5. The branched-chain 2-oxo acids competitively inhibited this enzyme from suckling and adult rats brains as well as from foetal and adult human brains, whereas the branched-chain amino acids had no effect on this enzyme. 6. Approximate Ki values for the branched-chain 2-oxo acids found for this enzyme were in the range found for these 2-oxo acids in plasma from patients with maple-syrup-urine disease. 7. The possible significance of the inhibition by the branched-chain 2-oxo acids of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex in brains of untreated patients with maple-syrup-urine disease is discussed in relation to the energy metabolism and the biosynthesis of lipids from ketone bodies.
Newsprint Metropolis: City Papers and the Making of Modern Americans

Julia Guarneri’s book about the role newspapers played in people’s lives at the turn of the twentieth century begins fittingly enough with a 1911 survey that queried subscribers about their news re...
Effect of obesity on the development, management, and outcomes of spinal disorders

Obesity is a major public health issue in the United States, and rates of obesity continue to increase across the population. The association of obesity with degenerative spinal pathology underlies the observation that a substantial number of patients undergoing spine surgery are either overweight or obese. Obesity is a notable independent risk factor for both surgical and medical complications in the perioperative period and an important consideration in preoperative planning, intraoperative strategies, and postoperative management. Despite these increased risks, surgery in obese patients for a variety of degenerative conditions results in improvement in outcomes. Although obese patients may undergo gains that are absolutely lower than their nonobese counterparts, they still experience a positive treatment effect with surgery appropriate for their condition. An evidence-based approach to both preoperative and perioperative management of patients with obesity is not well established. The purpose of this article is to review the effect of obesity on the development, management, and outcomes of patients with spinal disorders and to provide data that may guide an evidence-based approach to care in this expanding patient population.
A new propeller trapezius muscle flap for reconstruction of posterior trunk defects: An anatomic study and report of three cases.

Background Reconstruction of complex back defects, especially after corrective spine surgery, is a challenging problem. In these patients hardware issues predominate and flap failure has serious consequences. Certain subunits of the back pose even greater problems, specifically the central region between T9 and T12. The purpose of this article is to present a novel technique for reconstruction of such spinal defects using a newly described trapezius muscle propeller flap based on the dorsal scapular vessels. Methods Four cadaveric trapezius muscle propeller flaps were raised to ensure appropriate rotation into central region of the posterior trunk between T9 and T12. Three patients all had similar presentations with a history of scoliosis, previous failed spinal instrumentation, prominent hardware, impending exposure, worsening kyphosis, and back pain. The patients underwent planned extension fusions from the upper thoracic to lumbar vertebrae by orthopedic surgery. All three patients lacked local reconstructive options and propeller trapezius muscle flaps were dissected. Results All cadaveric dissections demonstrated adequate rotation of the muscle flap without tension or kinking of the vascular pedicle. For the case studies, two patients had right sided trapezius flaps utilized, one patient had injury to the right dorsal scapular vessels during dissection, thus a left sided trapezius was rotated. One patient had complications including a seroma requiring aspiration and superficial wound breakdown. All had complete healing with no postoperative shoulder dysfunction noted. Conclusion As a result, the trapezius muscle propeller flap is found to be a novel flap that provides a simple, yet robust solution to an otherwise difficult reconstructive problem.
Pilot Study of Vaginal Microbiome Using QIIME 2™ in Women With Gynecologic Cancer Before and After Radiation Therapy.

Objectives To characterize the vaginal microbiome using QIIME 2™ (Quantitative Insights Into Microbial Ecology 2) in women with gynecologic cancer. Sample & setting 19 women with gynecologic cancer before and after radiation therapy at a comprehensive cancer center in Atlanta, Georgia. Methods & variables This pilot study analyzed vaginal microbiome communities using a microbiome analysis pipeline, beginning with 16S rRNA gene sequencing and processing through use of a bioinformatics pipeline to downstream microbial statistical analysis. Results The findings showed the methods to be robust, and most women with gynecologic cancer showed depletion of Lactobacillus. Compared to those pre-radiation therapy, women post-radiation therapy showed higher abundances of Mobiluncus, Atopobium, and Prevotella but lower abundances of Lactobacillus, Gardnerella, and Peptostreptococcus, which are associated with bacterial vaginosis. Implications for nursing This study presents the fundamentals of human microbiome data collection and analysis methods to inform nursing science. Assessing the vaginal microbiome provides a potential pathway to develop interventions to ameliorate dysbiosis of the vaginal microbiome.
Advantages of the Eye as a Target Organ for Cell-Based Therapy in the Central Nervous System

Advantages of the eye as a target organ for cell-based therapy are as follows. The anatomy and physiology of the retina have been characterized in detail. Surgical access to the vitreous cavity and the subretinal space are well established with an excellent safety record. The eye is an immune privileged organ, particularly the subretinal space, which may reduce the need for long-term immune suppression of transplant recipients. High-resolution noninvasive imaging technology permits visualization and functional assessment of the transplanted cells in situ. These imaging and monitoring capabilities permit development of an iterative pathway to successful transplant paradigms in human patients as well as precise modulation of immunotherapy should it be needed.
Language History Questionnaire (LHQ3): An enhanced tool for assessing multilingual experience

The language history questionnaire (LHQ) is an important tool for assessing the linguistic background and language proficiency of multilinguals or second language learners. Previously we developed a generic LHQ based on the most commonly asked questions in published studies (Li, Sepanski & Zhao, 2006) and provided a web-based interface (LHQ 2.0) that has flexibility in functionality, accuracy in data recording, and privacy for users and data (Li, Zhang, Tsai & Puls, 2014). LHQ3 (version 3) introduces new functions, developed in response to many comments/requests from users. One important improvement is the addition of an automatic scoring system, in that the new interface automatically calculates aggregated scores for language proficiency, language dominance, and language immersion levels. Finally, LHQ3 allows researchers to assign different weights to the modules when calculating the aggregated scores, addressing the issue of different focuses that different researchers put on multilingual speakers’ language usage and background.
Derived intersections and the Hodge theorem

The algebraic Hodge theorem was proved in a beautiful 1987 paper by Deligne and Illusie, using positive characteristic methods. We argue that the central algebraic object of their proof can be understood geometrically as a line bundle on a derived scheme. In this interpretation, the Deligne-Illusie result can be seen as a proof that this line bundle is trivial under certain assumptions. We give a criterion for the triviality of this line bundle in a more general context. The proof uses techniques from derived algebraic geometry, specifically arguments which show the formality of certain derived intersections. Applying our criterion we recover Deligne and Illusie’s original result. We also obtain a new proof of a result of Barannikov-Kontsevich, Sabbah, and Ogus-Vologodsky concerning the formality of the twisted de Rham complex.
The Arabidopsis "retrovirome" and its regulation by epigenetically activated small RNA

In Arabidopsis, LTR-retrotransposons are activated by mutations in the chromatin remodeler DECREASE in DNA METHYLATION 1 (DDM1), giving rise to 21-22nt epigenetically activated siRNAs (easiRNAs). We purified virus-like-particles (VLPs) from ddm1 and ddm1rdr6 mutants in which genomic RNA is reverse transcribed into complementary DNA. Next generation short-read and long-read sequencing of VLP DNA (VLP DNA-seq) revealed a comprehensive catalog of active LTR-retrotransposons without the need for mapping transposition, and independent of genomic copy number. Linear replication intermediates of ATCOPIA93/EVADE revealed multiple central polypurine tracts (cPPT), a feature shared with HIV where cPPT promote nuclear localization. For ATCOPIA52, cPPT intermediates were not observed, but abundant circular DNA indicated transposon "suicide" by auto-integration within the VLP. easiRNA targeted ATCOPIA93/EVADE genomic RNA, polysome association of GYPSY (ATHILA) subgenomic RNA, and transcription via histone H3 lysine-9 dimethylation. VLP DNA-seq provides a comprehensive landscape of LTR-retrotransposons, and their control at transcriptional, post-transcriptional and reverse transcriptional levels.
Noninvasive localization of cardiac arrhythmias using electromechanical wave imaging

Cardiac arrhythmias are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is the current noninvasive clinical tool used to diagnose and localize cardiac arrhythmias. However, it has limited accuracy and is subject to operator bias. Here, we present electromechanical wave imaging (EWI), a high-frame rate ultrasound technique that can noninvasively map with high accuracy the electromechanical activation of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias in adult patients. This study evaluates the accuracy of EWI for localization of various arrhythmias in all four chambers of the heart before catheter ablation. Fifty-five patients with an accessory pathway (AP) with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome, premature ventricular complexes (PVCs), atrial tachycardia (AT), or atrial flutter (AFL) underwent transthoracic EWI and 12-lead ECG. Three-dimensional (3D) rendered EWI isochrones and 12-lead ECG predictions by six electrophysiologists were applied to a standardized segmented cardiac model and subsequently compared to the region of successful ablation on 3D electroanatomical maps generated by invasive catheter mapping. There was significant interobserver variability among 12-lead ECG reads by expert electrophysiologists. EWI correctly predicted 96% of arrhythmia locations as compared with 71% for 12-lead ECG analyses [unadjusted for arrhythmia type: odds ratio (OR), 11.8; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.2 to 63.2; P = 0.004; adjusted for arrhythmia type: OR, 12.1; 95% CI, 2.3 to 63.2; P = 0.003]. This double-blinded clinical study demonstrates that EWI can localize atrial and ventricular arrhythmias including WPW, PVC, AT, and AFL. EWI when used with ECG may allow for improved treatment for patients with arrhythmias.
Characterization of Physicochemical Attributes and Muscle Protein Quality of Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in Chesapeake Bay

Physicochemical attributes of Chesapeake Bay’s blue catfish and quality of muscle protein isolates (PIs) as influenced by storage condition and extraction methods were investigated. All fish were w...
Teaching immigrant children: learning from the experiences of immigrant early childhood teachers

The field of early childhood education and care in the United States and around the globe is challenged by the growing number of immigrant children in classrooms and their diverse needs. Juxtaposin...
Acitretin therapy for vulvar lichen sclerosus complicated by recurrent squamous cell carcinoma.

Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic, idiopathic inflammatory disorder with a predilection for the vulva, perineum, and perianal skin. It is characterized by ivory-white scattered to confluent atrophic plaques.1 Women are affected more often than men, and symptoms include, pruritus, burning, and dyspareunia. Symptoms manifested by vulvar LS (vLS) can have significant side effects on sexual functioning, including tearing of the skin, anxiety surrounding sexual activity, and anatomic changes.2 The most serious complication of vLS is the development of vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (vSCC). If untreated, the lifetime incidence of vSCC is estimated at 3.5%-7%.3 Precursor lesions to vSCC include vulvar acanthosis with altered differentiation (VAAD) and vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia. VAAD is an uncommon proliferation of the vulvar squamous epithelium that may have the potential to progress to invasive carcinoma, which may itself be a variant of hypertrophic LS.4,5 Vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia is a high-grade intraepithelial squamous lesion; the human papillomavirus-unrelated differentiated vulvar intraepithelial neoplasm (dVIN) is associated with vLS and more likely to progress to vSCC than the human papillomavirus-related usual type, now more often referred to as high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion.6 When it progresses, dVIN is usually associated with well-differentiated vSCC. Surgical intervention is typically required for the management of vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia and vSCC but remains controversial for VAAD. Here, we report a case of longstanding vLS complicated by VAAD, dVIN, and recurrent vSCC, which has been successfully managed with acitretin in combination with topical agents.
Estimated versus Actual Oxygen Consumption in Patients Supported with LVADs

Purpose Accurately measured cardiac output (CO) is critical to medical decision making in heart failure patients. The most recent OPTN listing criteria incorporate CO in determining allocation priority. CO is frequently calculated using the Fick equation, in which the key variable of oxygen consumption (VO2) can be directly measured, but is more commonly estimated. The accuracy of these VO2 estimations have been questioned in heart failure patients and have not been validated in LVAD patients. We sought to determine the comparative accuracy of estimated versus measured VO2 in a cohort of LVAD patients using three common formulae. Methods Data were prospectively collected in consecutive LVAD patients who underwent right heart catheterization with direct measurement of resting VO2 using an MGC Diagnostics Ultima CardiO2® gas-exchange analysis cart. We estimated VO2and Fick CO using the formulae proposed by Dehmer et al., LaFarge and Miettinen, and Bergstra et al., and compared these values with directly measured VO2, Fick CO, and thermodilution CO. Results Four male patients with HeartMate 3® LVADs underwent right heart catheterization with VO2 measurement. The mean differences in estimated versus measured VO2 and CO were smallest with the formulae proposed by Dehmer et al. and LaFarge and Miettinen, which both modestly underestimated directly measured CO (-0.2 ± 0.3). The error in calculated CO was substantial when utilizing the Bergstra et al. formula (0.5 ± 0.4) and the thermodilution method (-0.8 ± 0.2). Conclusion Resting oxygen consumption in LVAD patients, as directly measured by gas-exchange analysis, can be estimated within an acceptable degree of error by the formulae proposed by Dehmer et al. and LaFarge and Miettinen. By comparison, the assumed VO2 by the Bergstra et al. formula appears less accurate in LVAD patients and the degree of error in calculated Fick CO using this equation may be unacceptable for clinical decision making.
Nonoverlapping Block Stratified Random Sampling Approach for Assessment of Stationarity

AbstractAssessment of stationarity in any hydroclimatic time series is a vital task for hydrologic design and climate change assessments. Methods that rely on the presence of statistically signific...
Individual Fairness for Graph Neural Networks: A Ranking based Approach

Recent years have witnessed the pivotal role of Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) in various high-stake decision-making scenarios due to their superior learning capability. Close on the heels of the successful adoption of GNNs in different application domains has been the increasing societal concern that conventional GNNs often do not have fairness considerations. Although some research progress has been made to improve the fairness of GNNs, these works mainly focus on the notion of group fairness regarding different subgroups defined by a protected attribute such as gender, age, and race. Beyond that, it is also essential to study the GNN fairness at a much finer granularity (i.e., at the node level) to ensure that GNNs render similar prediction results for similar individuals to achieve the notion of individual fairness. Toward this goal, in this paper, we make an initial investigation to enhance the individual fairness of GNNs and propose a novel ranking based framework---REDRESS. Specifically, we refine the notion of individual fairness from a ranking perspective, and formulate the ranking based individual fairness promotion problem. This naturally addresses the issue of Lipschitz constant specification and distance calibration resulted from the Lipschitz condition in the conventional individual fairness definition. Our proposed framework REDRESS encapsulates the GNN model utility maximization and the ranking-based individual fairness promotion in a joint framework to enable end-to-end training. It is noteworthy mentioning that REDRESS is a plug-and-play framework and can be easily generalized to any prevalent GNN architectures. Extensive experiments on multiple real-world graphs demonstrate the superiority of REDRESS in achieving a good balance between model utility maximization and individual fairness promotion. Our open source code can be found here: https://github.com/yushundong/REDRESS.
Cotranslational prolyl hydroxylation is essential for flavivirus biogenesis.

Viral pathogens are an ongoing threat to public health worldwide. Analysing their dependence on host biosynthetic pathways could lead to effective antiviral therapies1. Here we integrate proteomic analyses of polysomes with functional genomics and pharmacological interventions to define how enteroviruses and flaviviruses remodel host polysomes to synthesize viral proteins and disable host protein production. We find that infection with polio, dengue or Zika virus markedly modifies polysome composition, without major changes to core ribosome stoichiometry. These viruses use different strategies to evict a common set of translation initiation and RNA surveillance factors from polysomes while recruiting host machineries that are specifically required for viral biogenesis. Targeting these specialized viral polysomes could provide a new approach for antiviral interventions. For example, we find that both Zika and dengue use the collagen proline hydroxylation machinery to mediate cotranslational modification of conserved proline residues in the viral polyprotein. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of proline hydroxylation impairs nascent viral polyprotein folding and induces its aggregation and degradation. Notably, such interventions prevent viral polysome remodelling and lower virus production. Our findings delineate the modular nature of polysome specialization at the virus–host interface and establish a powerful strategy to identify targets for selective antiviral interventions. A proteomics-based strategy is used to examine how three different RNA viruses (polio, Zika and dengue) remodel translation in the host to recruit host machineries necessary for the production of viral proteins.
Astrocytes in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Perspective from Tauopathy and α-Synucleinopathy.

Neurodegenerative diseases are aging-associated chronic pathological conditions affecting primarily neurons in humans. Inclusion bodies containing misfolded proteins have emerged as a common pathologic feature for these diseases. In many cases, misfolded proteins produced by a neuron can be transmitted to another neuron or a non-neuronal cell, leading to the propagation of disease-associated pathology. While undergoing intercellular transmission, misfolded proteins released from donor cells can often change the physiological state of recipient cells. Accumulating evidence suggests that astrocytes are highly sensitive to neuron-originated proteotoxic insults, which convert them into an active inflammatory state. Conversely, activated astrocytes can release a plethora of factors to impact neuronal functions. This review summarizes our current understanding of the complex molecular interplays between astrocyte and neuron, emphasizing on Tau and α-synuclein (α-syn), the disease-driving proteins for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, respectively.
Pain and Opioid Consumption Following Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Surgeons have a critical role in the current opioid epidemic, and there is a need to prospectively understand patterns of pain and opioid use among patients undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). STUDY DESIGN Prospective observational cohort. METHODS This was a prospective, observational cohort study that included patients undergoing ESS from November 2019 to March 2020. Demographic data were collected at baseline, as was respondent information regarding preoperative anxiety, pain, and postoperative pain expectations. Opioid use was converted to milligram morphine equivalents (MME). All patients received 10 tablets of 5 mg oxycodone (75 MME). Patients quantified postoperative pain and opioid consumption via telephone follow-up every 48 hours. The primary outcome was total MME utilized. RESULTS There were 91 patients included in the final cohort. Mean opioid use was 35.2 ± 47.3 MME. There were 29 (32%) patients who did not use any opioids after surgery, and six (7%) patients who required opioid refills. Postoperative opioid use was associated with increased preoperative anxiety (r = 0.41, P < .001), preoperative pain (r = 0.28, P = .007), and expectations for postoperative pain (r = 0.36, P < .001). Increased postoperative pain was only associated with increased opioid use on postoperative days 0-2 (r = 0.33, P = .001) and 3-4 (r = 0.59, P < .001). On multivariate regression, former smoking (β = 23.4 MME, SE = 10.1, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.3-43.5, P = .023) and anxiety (β = 35.9, SE = 10.2, 95% CI: 15.6-56.3, P < .001) were associated with increased MME. CONCLUSIONS The majority of patients have minimal opioid use after ESS, and pain appears to influence opioid use within the first 4 days after surgery. Additionally, patients with anxiety may benefit from alternative pain management strategies to mitigate opioid consumption. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 2021.
Perception, Sensibility, and Moral Motivation in Augustine: A Stoic-Platonic Synthesis

This book argues that Augustine assimilated the Stoic theory of perception into his theories of motivation, affectivity, therapy for the passions and moral progress. Using his sermons to elucidate his treatises, Sarah Catherine Byers demonstrates how Augustine enriched Stoic cognitivism with Platonism to develop a fuller and coherent theory of action. That theory underlies his account of moral development, including his account of the mind's reception of grace. By analyzing Augustine's engagement with Cicero, Seneca, Plotinus, Ambrose, Jerome, Origen and Philo of Alexandria, Byers sheds new light on a major thinker of the early Christian world whose work is of critical importance for understanding key and recurring themes in Western philosophy.
Consumer-Revealed Preferences for a Margin and Other Associated Adjustable-Rate Mortgage Features

This paper presents a model of mortgagor-revealed preferences for a margin and other associated adjustable-rate mortgage features estimated empirically from a cross-sectional sample of approved mor...
Renal Lesions in Autoimmune Pancreatitis: Diffusion Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessing Response to Corticosteroid Therapy

Context Autoimmune pancreatitis is a rare disorder characterized by the systemic deposition of IgG4 plasma cells. Extrapancreatic manifestations of autoimmune pancreatitis depend on the site of plasma cell deposition. The most common extrapancreatic site of involvement is the bile duct followed by the retroperitoneum and kidneys. Case report We report a case of a patient with autoimmune pancreatitis and renal lesions who underwent MRI prior to and after corticosteroid therapy. Conclusion We emphasize the role of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) findings on MRI in evaluating the response to steroid therapy. Image: Axial post contrast T1WI through the level of the kidneys.
Data assimilation in multiscale complex systems

This paper develops multi-scale data assimilation/filtering algorithms that are driven by the data, that take advantage of scale interaction to appropriately reduce the dimension of the problem. We incorporate an optimal particle filtering algorithm that generates the best importance sampling density. This particle method consists of control terms in the “prognostic” equations that nudge the particles toward the observations. Finally, we apply the optimal particle filtering algorithm to a lower dimensional chaotic system.
Crab GeV flares from corrugated termination shock

Very high energy gamma-ray flares from the Crab nebular detected by AGILE and Fermi satellites challenge our understanding of the pulsar wind nebulae. The short duration of the flares, only few days, is particularly puzzling since it is much shorter than the dynamical times scale of the nebular. In this work we investigate analytically and via numerical simulations the electromagnetic signatures expected from the large amplitude low frequency magnetosonic waves generated within the Crab nebular which induce the corrugation perturbations of the termination shock. As a result, the oblique termination shock produces time-dependent, mildly relativistic post-shock flow. Using the relativistic MHD version of the RIEMANN code, we simulate the interaction of the termination shock with downstream perturbations. We demonstrate that mild Doppler boosting of the synchrotron emission in the post-shock flow can produce bright, short time scale flares.
On-line system for the isolation and study of 0.5 to 30 second selenium fission products with simultaneous suppression of daughter bromine activity

Abstract Short-lived fission-product selenium isotopes were studied using gas-phase reactions of organo-selenium compounds. A fast gas jet, using a mixture of nitrogen and ethylene, delivered fission products within an average delivery time of 750 ms after fission. Most of the fission products were physically carried by ethylene clusters while selenium, bromine and iodine form volatile compounds. A quartz wool trap was used to retain ethylene clusters, along with most of the fission products. The volatile compounds of selenium, bromine and iodine, along with krypton and xenon passed through the trap and were allowed to react with bromine gas. From this mixture selenium, which forms non-volatile bromine compounds, was retained by quartz wool. The γ-ray spectra of the quartz-wool trap was essentially that of selenium isotopes along with some bromine daughter products. The unreacted bromine gas present in the stream carried away part of the bromine daughter nuclides formed at the measurement-site by the decay of selenium isotopes. This gas-jet system and gas-phase chemistry was utilized for studying 33 s 85 Se, 14 s 86 Se, 5.8 s 87 Se and 1.6 s 88 Se. Spectra taken with short transit distance and high-flow rate showed a γ-ray of 130 keV with a half-life of about 0.5 s; this γ-ray most likely originates in the decay of 89 Se.
Neighborhood Preserving Codes for Assigning Point Labels: Applications to Stochastic Search

Abstract Selecting a good representation of a solution-space is vital to solving any search and optimization problem. In particular, once regions of high performance are found, having the property that small changes in the candidate solution correspond to searching nearby neighborhoods provides the ability to perform effective local optimization. To achieve this, it is common for stochastic search algorithms, such as stochastic hillclimbing, evolutionary algorithms (including genetic algorithms), and simulated annealing, to employ Gray Codes for encoding ordinal points or discretized real numbers. In this paper, we present a novel method to label similar and/or close points within arbitrary graphs with small Hamming distances. The resultant point labels can be seen as an approximate high-dimensional variant of Gray Codes with standard Gray Codes as a subset of the labels found here. The labeling procedure is applicable to any task in which the solution requires the search algorithm to select a small subset of items out of many. Such tasks include vertex selection in graphs, knapsack-constrained item selection, bin packing, prototype selection for machine learning, and numerous scheduling problems, to name a few.
Coverlayer fabrication for small form factor optical disks

Two different coverlayers for small form factor optical disks made of UV resin and coversheet were prepared and investigated.
Assessment of the durability of robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy for treatment of vaginal vault prolapse

Transabdominal sacrocolpopexy has been shown, in multiple long-term studies of its success and durability, to be the definitive treatment option for post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse. It is, however, associated with greater morbidity than vaginal repair. We describe a minimally invasive technique for vaginal vault prolapse repair and present our experience with a minimum of one-year follow-up. The surgical technique involves five laparoscopic ports—three for the da Vinci robot and two for the assistant. After appropriate dissection a polypropylene mesh is attached to the sacral promontory and to the vaginal apex by use of Gore-Tex sutures. The mesh material is then covered by the peritoneum. Patient analysis focused on complications, urinary continence, patient satisfaction, and morbidity, with a minimum of 12 months follow-up. Forty-two patients with post-hysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy at our institute and 35 have a minimum of 12 months follow-up, with a mean follow-up of 36 months (range 12–48) in the group. Mean age was 67 (47–83) years and mean operating time was 3.1 (2.15–4.75) h for the entire cohort. All but one patient were discharged home on postoperative day one; one patient left on postoperative day two. One developed recurrent grade three rectocele, one had recurrent vault prolapse, and two suffered from vaginal extrusion of mesh. All patients were satisfied with their outcome. The robot-assisted laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy is a minimally invasive technique for vaginal vault prolapse repair, combining the advantages of open sacrocolpopexy with the reduced morbidity of laparoscopy. We observed reduced hospital stay, low occurrence of complications, and high patient satisfaction, with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. Most importantly, the long-term results of the robotic repair are similar to those of open repair, but with significantly less morbidity.
Percutaneous inferior vena cava placement of tunneled silastic catheters for prolonged vascular access in infants

In infants and children requiring prolonged and multiple central venous catheterizations, conventional cannulation sites may become thrombosed or stenotic, making inability to gain vascular access a life-threatening problem. The technique we use for the percutaneous placement of inferior vena caval tunneled silastic catheters via the translumbar and transhepatic approaches is described. Three translumbar placements and one transhepatic placement in three children without immediate complications have been performed. We conclude that percutaneous inferior vena caval cannulation via the translumbar or transhepatic routes offers a viable alternative in these patients with difficult vascular access.
Checklist, new species and key to the cicadas of Cuba (Hemiptera, Cicadoidea, Cicadidae)

The Cuban cicada fauna is determined. Herrera infuscata Sanborn sp. n. is described from the Isle of Youth and represents the first member of the subfamily Cicadettinae in Cuba. Diceroprocta obscurior Davis stat. n. is elevated to species rank. A total of 12 species, five genera, four tribes, and two subfamilies comprise the Cuban cicada fauna. A key to the cicadas of Cuba is provided.
Synthesis of Monodisperse Polymers from Proteins

Proteins are functional biopolymers; viewed as molecules, they are also monodisperse polyamides with chemically reactive side chains. This paper describes the use of proteins as starting materials for the synthesis of monodisperse polymers with nonbiological functionalities attached to the side chains. It demonstrates the complete derivatization of amine groups (lysine side chains and N-termini) on three different proteins by addition of activated carboxylate reagents in aqueous solutions containing sodium dedecyl sulfate (SDS), under denaturing conditions. Several different acylating reagents were used to generate derivatized proteins; the resulting compounds constitute a new class of monodisperse, semisynthetic polymers, having the potential for wide variation in the structure of the backbone and of the side chains. Modification of lysozyme on a gram scale demonstrated that the method can generate useful quantities of material.
Electrospun nanofiber scaffolds with gradations in fiber organization

The goal of this protocol is to report a simple method for generating nanofiber scaffolds with gradations in fiber organization and test their possible applications in controlling cell morphology/orientation. Nanofiber organization is controlled with a new fabrication apparatus that enables the gradual decrease of fiber organization in a scaffold. Changing the alignment of fibers is achieved through decreasing deposition time of random electrospun fibers on a uniaxially aligned fiber mat. By covering the collector with a moving barrier/mask, along the same axis as fiber deposition, the organizational structure is easily controlled. For tissue engineering purposes, adipose-derived stem cells can be seeded to these scaffolds. Stem cells undergo morphological changes as a result of their position on the varied organizational structure, and can potentially differentiate into different cell types depending on their locations. Additionally, the graded organization of fibers enhances the biomimicry of nanofiber scaffolds so they more closely resemble the natural orientations of collagen nanofibers at tendon-to-bone insertion site compared to traditional scaffolds. Through nanoencapsulation, the gradated fibers also afford the possibility to construct chemical gradients in fiber scaffolds, and thereby further strengthen their potential applications in fast screening of cell-materials interaction and interfacial tissue regeneration. This technique enables the production of continuous gradient scaffolds, but it also can potentially produce fibers in discrete steps by controlling the movement of the moving barrier/mask in a discrete fashion.
Validation of an enzyme immunoassay for measurement of excreted estrogen and testosterone metabolites in the white‐crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha)

Over the past few years there has been a growing interest in hormonal analyses, despite the cost and difficulty involved in measuring hormones using radioimmunoassays. Therefore, there is a need for alternate procedures, such as enzyme immunoassays, capable of providing similar data to that provided by radioactive methods. Enzyme immunoassays are a less expensive method of measuring estrone conjugates and testosterone. With further work, the enzyme immunoassay also provides the potential to adapt the enzyme assay for use in the field. The data in this study demonstrate that an enzyme assay can accurately detect both endogenous and exogenous hormonal changes in the droppings of white-crowned sparrows. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Chronic AT1 receptor blockade alters mechanisms mediating responses to hypoxia in rat skeletal muscle resistance arteries

The goal of this study was to determine the effect of angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonism on vasodilator responses in isolated skeletal muscle resistance arteries. Normotensive Sprague-Daw...
Dynamic file movement in multilevel storage systems

Abstract This paper describes the continuing research of the authors in the design and development of heuristics for data set allocation in auxiliary storage. These heuristics are combined into a theory of dynamic file management (DFM). The objective of DFM is to decrease throughput time by efficient management of the multilevel store of a computer system. The major concepts of DFM are highlighted and our simulation results to date in throughput savings are noted. We contrast DFM techniques to the work of others in this area and indicate where we will focus our research for future engancements to the DFM model.
Reinvestigation of the Reaction of Caro's Acid with 3-Aminopyrideine. An Improved Synthesis and Characterization of 3,3′-Azoxypyridine

Abstract Pursuant to our interest in the effects of β-substituents upon the gas phase basicities of heteroaromatic compounds, we needed various mono-substituted pyridines, especially 3-nitropyridine. Reports concerning the synthesis of this compound include the direct electrophilic nitration of pyridine,1 and the perhydrol oxidation of 3-aminopyridine.2,3 The procedures for both methods were unattractive and the yields poor. Recently a convenient preparation of 3-nitropyridine via Caro's acid4 oxidation of 3-aminopyridine was reported.5 Although this report has been widely referenced, it did not provide experimental details, such as procedure, yields, or spectral characterization.
COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib prevents chronic morphine-induced promotion of angiogenesis, tumour growth, metastasis and mortality, without compromising analgesia

Morphine and its congener opioids are the main therapy for severe pain in cancer. However, chronic morphine treatment stimulates angiogenesis and tumour growth in mice. We examined if celecoxib (a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor) prevents morphine-induced tumour growth without compromising analgesia. The effect of chronic treatment with celecoxib (by gavage) and/or morphine (subcutaneously), or PBS on tumour prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), COX-2, angiogenesis, tumour growth, metastasis, pain behaviour and survival was determined in a highly invasive SCK breast cancer model in A/J mice. Two weeks of chronic morphine treatment at clinically relevant doses stimulates COX-2 and PGE2 (4.5-fold compared to vehicle alone) and angiogenesis in breast tumours in mice. This is accompanied by increased tumour weight (∼35%) and increased metastasis and reduced survival. Co-administration of celecoxib prevents these morphine-induced effects. In addition, morphine and celecoxib together provided better analgesia than either agent alone. Celecoxib prevents morphine-induced stimulation of COX-2, PGE2, angiogenesis, tumour growth, metastasis and mortality without compromising analgesia in a murine breast cancer model. In fact, the combination provided significantly better analgesia than with morphine or celecoxib alone. Clinical trials of this combination for analgesia in chronic and severe pain in cancer are warranted.
Metamict zircon formed by heavy ion bombardment

Abstract Zirconium silicate powder is converted into a range of metamict conditions, and finally to a non-crystalline condition by Argon or Krypton ion bombardment of energies of 1 to 3.5 MeV. The non-crystalline condition is induced by approximately 2 × 1015 ions per cm2. Further irradiation causes the non-crystalline particles to bloat into extended disc shapes. The glassy metamict state creeps under heavy ion irradiation. Under comparable conditions, silicates such as a-quartz bloat into a similar range of glassy shapes, whereas nitrides such as Si3N4 do not. The metamict state is essentially a glass-type random atomic structural arrangement. This formation of extended glassy shapes under ionic bombardment is an alternative method of formation of some of the glassy constituents of chondrules, tektites and lunar agglutinates by cosmic irradiation. The reported sintering under fast neutron irradiation may be explained by the joining of neighboring particles under glassy irradiation creep.
Influences of mother and child on maternal talkativeness

Mothers differ in how much they talk to their young children. The present study asked what processes occurring in mother—child conversation might contribute to differences among mothers in the amount of speech that they produce. The present study also asked what discourse processes might explain previously observed associations between maternal education and the amount of talk mothers address to their children. The database consisted of transcripts of dyadic mealtime conversations between 63 mothers and their 1½‐ to 2‐year‐old children: 30 mothers were high‐school‐educated; 33 mothers were college‐educated. The results suggested that differences in the amount that mothers talk to their children are a function of both characteristics of mothers’ language use and characteristics of their children's conversational participation. The mothers who talked more to their children more frequently produced multiple utterances on a single topic, and this feature of language use was associated with maternal education....
Applications of self-trapping in optically coupled devices

Abstract We present two generalizations to standard optical coupler configurations. Both cases show improved switching characteristics.