cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resonant Two-Photon Ionization of CBZ-Derivatized Nonaromatic Peptides Using Pulsed Laser Desorption in Supersonic Beam Mass Spectrometry

Resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) of nonaromatic peptides is studied with the use of CBZ-derivatization as a means of providing an absorbing aromatic center in the near-UV region at 266 nm. The peptides are then vaporized with a pulsed laser-induced desorption method, with subsequent entrainment of the desorbed neutral species into a supersonic expansion. The CBZ-derivatized peptides are then ionized and mass analyzed in a time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The resulting R2PI/MPI-induced fragmentation-ionization patterns generally yield the molecular ion as well as fragments due to specific bond cleavages which are characteristic of the structure of the peptide. Thus, the resulting mass spectra can be used for identification and structural analysis of these small peptides. Most significantly, the laser-induced fragmentation can be used to distinguish between isomeric peptides containing Ile, Leu, or Nle.
Inter-examination precision of magnitude-based MRI for estimation of segmental hepatic proton density fat fraction in obese subjects.

Author(s): Negrete, Lindsey M; Middleton, Michael S; Clark, Lisa; Wolfson, Tanya; Gamst, Anthony C; Lam, Jessica; Changchien, Chris; Deyoung-Dominguez, Ivan M; Hamilton, Gavin; Loomba, Rohit; Schwimmer, Jeffrey; Sirlin, Claude B | Abstract: PurposeTo prospectively describe magnitude-based multi-echo gradient-echo hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF) inter-examination precision at 3 Tesla (T).Materials and methodsIn this prospective, Institutional Review Board-approved, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant study, written informed consent was obtained from 29 subjects (body mass indexes g 30 kg/m2). Three 3T MRI examinations were obtained over 75-90 min. Segmental, lobar, and whole liver PDFF were estimated (using three, four, five, or six echoes) by magnitude-based multi-echo MRI in colocalized regions of interest. For estimate (using three, four, five, or six echoes), at each anatomic level (segmental, lobar, whole liver), three inter-examination precision metrics were computed: intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), standard deviation (SD), and range.ResultsMagnitude-based PDFF estimates using each reconstruction method showed excellent inter-examination precision for each segment (ICC ≥ 0.992; SD ≤ 0.66%; range ≤ 1.24%), lobe (ICC ≥ 0.998; SD ≤ 0.34%; range ≤ 0.64%), and the whole liver (ICC = 0.999; SD ≤ 0.24%; range ≤ 0.45%). Inter-examination precision was unaffected by whether PDFF was estimated using three, four, five, or six echoes.ConclusionMagnitude-based PDFF estimation shows high inter-examination precision at segmental, lobar, and whole liver anatomic levels, supporting its use in clinical care or clinical trials. The results of this study suggest that longitudinal hepatic PDFF change greater than 1.6% is likely to represent signal rather than noise.
Resonance Quenching and Guided Modes Arising from the Coupling of Surface Plasmons with a Molecular Resonance

In this paper, we describe experimental and modeling results that illucidate the nature of coupling between surface plasmon polaritons in a thin silver film with the molecular resonance of a zinc phthalocyanine dye film. This coupling leads to several phenomena not generally observed when plasmons are coupled to transparent materials. The increased absorption coefficient near a molecular resonance leads to a discontinuity in the refractive index, which causes branching of the plasmon resonance condition and the appearance of two peaks in the p-polarized reflectance spectrum. A gap exists between these peaks in the region of the spectrum associated with the molecular resonance and reflects quenching of the plasmon wave due to violation of the resonance condition. A second observation is the appearance of a peak in the s-polarized reflection spectra. The initial position of this peak corresponds to where the refractive index of the adsorbate achieves its largest value, which occurs at wavelengths just slightly larger than the maximum in the molecular resonance. Although this peak initially appears to be nondispersive, both experimental data and optical modeling indicate that increasing the film thickness shifts the peak position to longer wavelengths, which implies that this peak is not associated with the molecular resonance but, rather, is dispersive in nature. Indeed, modeling shows that this peak is due to a guided mode in the film, which appears in these conditions due to the abnormally high refractive index of the film near the absorbance maximum. Results also show that, with increasing film thickness, numerous additional guided modes appear and move throughout the visible spectrum for both s- and p-polarized light. Notably, these guided modes are also quenched near the location of the molecular resonance. The quenching of both the plasmon resonance and the guided modes can be explained by a large decrease in the in-plane wave propagation length that occurs near the molecular resonance, which is a direct result of the film's large absorption coefficient.
THE REDUCTION OF ZINC TITANATE AND ZINC OXIDE SOLIDS

Abstract The reduction of bulk mixed oxides of zinc and titanium of various compositions and ZnTiO crystalline phases was studied in a thermogravimetric apparatus in H 2 H 2 ON 2 gas mixtures at 550–1050°C. Comparative reduction experiments with ZnO were also performed. In the absence of water vapor, activation energies of 24 and 37 kcal mol −1 were obtained for ZnO and ZnTiO, respectively. The addition of water vapor inhibited reduction and resulted in a change in activation energy to 44 kcal mol −1 for both ZnO and ZnTiO solids. Similar to H 2 O, H 2 S inhibited the initial reduction rate of ZnO and ZnTiO materials. Based on kinetic experiments, a two-site model is proposed for ZnO reduction. One type of sites is characterized by a rapid reduction rate but is poisoned by water vapor as well as by the presence of titanium atoms in the solid. The other type of sites has a lower reduction rate, is not poisoned by H 2 O, and is slowly eliminated by the presence of titanium.
Inequalities and bounds for the zeros of polynomials using Perron-Frobenius and Gerschgorin theories

In this paper, disks containing some, or all zeros of a complex polynomial or eigenvalues of a complex matrix are developed. These disks are based on extensions of Cauchy classical bounds, Perron-Probenius theory of positive matrices, and Gerschgorin theory. As a special case, given a real polynomial with real maximum or minimum zero, intervals containing the extreme zeros are developed. Moreover, methods for computing or refining these intervals are derived. Additionally, a closed form singular value decomposition of a characteristic polynomial was derived and utilized to compute new bounds for the zeros of polynomials. Finally, bounds that are based on zero transformation are given.
Do Principal Preparation Programs Influence Student Achievement Through the Building of Teacher-Team Qualifications by the Principal? An Exploratory Analysis

Purpose: The primary purpose of this study is to explore how the characteristics of the principal preparation programs of newly hired elementary school principals might influence school achievement through the development of well-qualified teams of teachers by the school. Of primary interest is whether elementary school principals from preparation programs with certain types of characteristics are more or less likely to build teams of well-qualified teachers who, in turn, positively affect overall student achievement. A secondary purpose is to establish a relationship between the overall school-level qualifications of teams of teachers and school-level student achievement on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) to underscore the importance of the first relationship. Research Design: This quantitative study utilizes ordinary least squares regression to analyze seven extracts of data from the Texas Education Agency, merged together to create a data set that matched teachers, principals, schoo...
Frequency combs and hyperspectral sources for absorption spectroscopy

We have developed numerous laser sources for gathering spectral information from gases. Examples include frequency-comb sources that give complete broadband spectra, and time-division-multiplexed sources that cycle through key wavelengths aligned to gas absorption features (e.g. a source that cycles through 14 wavelengths in the 1325-1666 nm range every 33 mus). We have applied such sources for high-speed measurements of gas properties in combustion flows, for example gas thermometry in the 400-2200 K range at 100 kHz with a precision of 0.2%. Recent and ongoing activities will be summarized, including approaches for gas property imaging by tomographic reconstruction of hyperspectral absorption data.
Usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in assessment of aortic dissection.

BACKGROUNDThe value of transesophageal echocardiography in the assessment of patients with aortic dissection was studied.METHODS AND RESULTSGroup 1 (34 patients) represented all patients studied at our institution with this technique in whom aortic dissection was proven by aortography, surgery, or autopsy. Group 2 (27 patients) represented all patients studied with this technique at our institution in whom aortic dissection was excluded by aortography. Transesophageal echocardiography made a correct diagnosis of aortic dissection in 33 of 34 patients (sensitivity, 97%; specificity, 100%). It also correctly demonstrated the type of dissection in all 29 patients with aortographic or surgical proof. On the other hand, computed tomography scanning, performed in 24 of 34 patients in group 1, made a correct diagnosis in only 67% of patients and misclassified the type of dissection in 33%. Transesophageal echocardiography correctly identified involvement of the coronary arteries by aortic dissection in six of se...
Antibodies to Streptococcal Surface Enolase React with Human α-Enolase: Implications in Poststreptococcal Sequelae

The pathogenic mechanisms for developing acute rheumatic fever after group A streptococcal pharyngitis are still poorly understood. The glycolytic enzyme enolase is one of the major proteins on the surface of group A streptococci. Herein, significant cross-reactivity was shown between streptococcal enolase and human enolase. Fluorocytometric analysis revealed that antistreptococcal enolase antibodies react with the enolase expressed on the surface of hematopoietic cells. Furthermore, the enolase on the leukocyte surface was found to be up-regulated by inflammatory stimuli. Evaluation of antibody titers indicated that serum samples from patients with acute rheumatic fever have higher levels of antibodies that react with the human and bacterial enolases than do serum samples from patients with streptococcal pharyngitis or healthy control subjects. These results show that streptococcal enolase is a novel cross-reactive antigen that may play an important role in the initiation of the autoimmune diseases related to streptococcal infection.
Topologically Non-Trivial Strings

We have seen that in grand unification theories there exist topologically nontrivial fields, that is, fields that cannot be reduced to a vacuum field by a continuous deformation in the class of fields of finite energy. Roughly speaking, such fields are objects whose energy is located within a bounded region of space and whose stability is guaranteed on topological grounds. In a quantum theory they represent stable particles carrying a topological charge; this charge, as we say, can be identified with magnetic charge, and topologically charged particles with magnetic monopoles.
An X-band hybrid MIC feedforward amplifier for low residual noise operation

A 10 GHz, 15 dB gain feedforward amplifier (FFA) is described whose design is primarily aimed at reducing residual phase noise. The two-module hybrid MIC construction incorporates GaAs MMICs and microstrip thin-film interconnects on alumina. For loop balance electronic gain control is achieved using dual gate distributed amplifiers, while phase control is accomplished with mechanical phase shifters and delay lines. Measurements of near carrier noise are made from 1 Hz to 6.4 MHz. In the flicker region the 1 Hz intercept is -110 dBc/Hz, with an approximate corner frequency around 30 KHz at -160 dBc/Hz.
The adsorption and surface reaction of SiCl4 on Si(100)-(2 × 1)

The adsorption and surface reaction of SiCl4 on Si(100)-(2 × 1) have been investigated in the temperature range of 100–1000 K. Adsorption of monolayer SiCl4 and multilayer SiCl4 are observed by temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS), and electron-stimulated desorption ion angular distribution (ESDIAD). Upon heating to ~ 200 K and above, Si-Cl bond scission in adsorbed SiCl4 occurs, depositing SiClx species. Heating to 673 K leaves the surface with only silicon monochloride species, SiCl(a), exhibiting a Si-Cl stretching mode, vSiCl, at ~ 560 cm−1, and a Cl+ ESDIAD pattern indicative of inclined Si-Cl bond directions from Cl adsorbed on Si2 dimer sites. Silicon substrate etching occurs above 800 K producing SiCl2(g) as the desorption product.
Radioactive sources embedded in suture are associated with improved postimplant dosimetry in men treated with prostate brachytherapy

Abstract Background and purpose : Reports using the retropubic and transperineal technique of prostate brachytherapy suggest that adequate radiation doses are required for good clinical results with I-125. After 3 years of using loose sources (LS), radioactive sources embedded in suture (SES) were introduced into our prostate brachytherapy technique. The purpose of the present report is to determine whether dosimetric quantifiers of implant adequacy were affected by the use of SES. Materials and methods : Between September 1999 and April 2000, 20 patients were treated with prostate brachytherapy alone with a preplanned, preloaded needle technique using LS. Between May 2000 and February 2001, 20 patients were treated with prostate brachytherapy alone with a preplanned, preloaded needle technique using SES. Dosimetric quantifiers (DQ) of implant adequacy were calculated using a computed tomography scan performed 1 month following prostate brachytherapy. DQ were compared between patients treated with LS and patients treated with SES. Results : The demographic characteristics were similar for each group. Men treated with SES had slightly smaller prostate glands compared to men treated with LS. The mean total activity and activity per seed were similar for each group but the activity per unit volume was slightly higher for the SES group. Patients treated with SES were found to have significantly improved DQ compared to patients treated with LS. The mean V100 for patients treated with SES was 94.10% compared to 86.54% in those patients treated with LS ( P Conclusions : In our experience using preplanning and preloaded needles, the use of SES is associated with improved postimplant DQ.
Emerging treatments for traumatic brain injury

Background: This review summarizes promising approaches for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that are in either preclinical or clinical trials. Objective: The pathophysiology underlyin...
Public Policy on the Technological Frontier

Over the past 30 years, we have passed through multiple technological frontiers at rapid rates – biotechnology (1970s), genetics (1980s), cognitive neuroscience (1990s), nanotechnologies (2000s), now synthetic biology (2010s), and the growing convergence between these areas. Though rules and responsibilities are different on the technological frontier (and ignoring these differences can create or amplify risks), it has become more obvious that governments have no coherent “frontier strategy” beyond ad-hoc and lagging responses to emerging problems. This chapter explores governance challenges on the technological frontier, including how behavioral dynamics and biases, both at individual and organizational levels, can actually create new risks and how framing strategies can create blind spots in governance and oversight approaches. In addition, the chapter explores ways of addressing the increasing gap between the rate of technological change and the pace of governance innovation, including the use of frugal decision heuristics, open-source innovation models, prediction markets, new organizational forms (which include workforce preparation), and methods for prototyping new governance paradigms. The goal is to move towards a persistent co-evolution model that links innovations in governance with discovery and innovation in science and technology.
Hormonal Control of Insect Metamorphosis

In the swamps and forests of the Devonian era some 350 million years ago, there emerged a group of animals that today can be found in virtually every ecological niche on earth. With the number of their species variously estimated at 1–10 million, the insects display an evolutionary virtuosity unequaled by the rest of the animal kingdom combined. Within 100 million years of the first appearance of these arthropods, the adaptive features that permitted their ecological conquest had evolved, among them small size, functional wings, and a unique specialization of the life cycle known as metamorphosis.
The Night Eating Syndrome: An Overview

Research on the Night Eating Syndrome (NES) has advanced significantly since its introduction to the literature over 50 years ago. Currently, NES is conceptualized as a delay in the circadian intake of food and is manifested by two core criteria: evening hyperphagia and/or nocturnal ingestions of food. Recently, standardized research diagnostic criteria for NES have been developed which will help further research on this condition. This chapter provides an overview of NES, beginning with the development of its conceptualization from 1955 to the present. The recently proposed research diagnostic criteria are reviewed, prevalence and comorbidity are described, hypothesized etiology and pathophysiology are presented, and its possible health consequences are outlined. Finally, this chapter reviews assessment and treatment options for NES and presents future directions needed to further characterize the nutritional, behavioral, and neurobiological aspects of NES.
Lung ultrasound in diagnosing and monitoring pulmonary interstitial fluid

Chronic heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome often characterised by recurrent episodes of acute decompensation. This is acknowledged as a major public health problem, leading to a steadily increasing number of hospitalisations in developed countries. In decompensated heart failure, the redistribution of fluids into the pulmonary vascular bed leads to respiratory failure, a common cause of presentation to the emergency department. The ability to diagnose, quantify and monitor pulmonary congestion is particularly important in managing the disease. Lung ultrasound (US) is a relatively new method that has gained a growing acceptance as a bedside diagnostic tool to assess pulmonary interstitial fluid and alveolar oedema. The latest developments in lung US are not because of technological advance but are based on new applications and discovering the meanings of specific sonographic artefacts designated as B-lines. Real-time sonography of the lung targeted to detection of B-lines allows bedside diagnosis of respiratory failure due to impairment of cardiac function, as well as quantification and monitoring of pulmonary interstitial fluid. Lung US saves time and cost, provides immediate information to the clinician and relies on very easy-toacquire and highly reproducible data.
A Novel Quality of Life Instrument for Patients with an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE The surveillance and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) may impact patient quality of life (QOL). A novel AAA specific QOL instrument was developed and validated to quantify the impact of AAA surveillance on QOL. METHODS The study was performed in two phases: development (2011-2013) and validation (2013-2014) of a survey instrument. Content was informed by focus groups at three centres (22 patients) and two multidisciplinary physician focus groups (6 vascular surgeons, 7 primary care providers). Cognitive interviews (17 patients) ensured questions were understood as intended. The final survey was mailed to AAA patients at six US institutions. Patients were scored on two AAA specific domains of QOL: emotional impact (EIS) and behavioural change (BCS), range 0-100 with higher scores indicating worse quality of life. Test retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed. Discriminant validity was determined by comparing scores between patients under surveillance vs. those who had undergone AAA repair. Scores were externally validated by correlation with the Short Form (SF)-12. RESULTS A total of 1,008 (73%) of 1,373 patients returned surveys: 351 (35%) were under surveillance, 657 (65%) had undergone repair (endovascular, 414; open, 179; unsure, 64). Median EIS was 11 (range 0-95; IQR 7-26). Median BCS was 13 (range 0-100; IQR 9-47). To test reliability, 337 patients repeated the survey after four weeks with no significant differences between scores over time. EIS and BCS demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha 0.85 and 0.75 respectively). There was strong correlation between scores (r = 0.53) and both related moderately to SF-12 scores (r = 0.45 and r = 0.39, respectively). Patients under AAA surveillance had worse EIS than repair patients (22 vs. 13; p < .001). Patients with a higher perceived rupture risk had a worse EIS (45 vs. 12; p < .001) and BCS (30 vs. 13; p < .001). CONCLUSIONS An AAA specific QOL instrument was successfully created and validated. The range of impact on QOL by AAA surveillance is broad. For most patients the impact is minimal, but for some, especially those with a greater perceived rupture risk, it is severe.
Integrative Therapies for People with Asthma

Asthma is a complex disease with many phenotypes. Its definition and treatment by a number of cultures around the world may play a role in the efficacy of such treatments. Western medicine defines asthma based on inflammation, obstruction, and mucus production which are reversible with treatment. A number of studies focusing on natural products, mind–body medicine, manipulative therapy, and others have not been able to reproducibly demonstrate efficacy in treating asthma. This may be due to a number of factors including methodology, study design, and—most importantly—the definition of asthma used for each study. The Western definition of asthma may differ greatly from the definition used by those cultures which originally created the therapies used in studies of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Because of this difference, the outcome of the studies may not be an accurate reflection of the ability of these therapies to treat the disease process they were originally designed to treat. Future studies in CAM will likely need to address these differences.
Enterprise systems: conference tutorial

The demand for talent in enterprise computing continues to rise as organizations struggle to find individuals with the skills necessary to tackle these large systems. From the OLTP workload volume generated by ERP platforms to the burgeoning demand for advanced data analytics, the role that enterprise systems play in the world's top organizations is critical for their success. Security, scalability and the ability to service customers worldwide while using a zoo of new platforms all provide a compelling reason for undergraduate and graduate students to understand this technology.
Electrode and cuvette for rapid continuous CO2 tension and pH measurement in blood

An electrode and cuvette system has been developed for the continuous and rapid measurement of either blood CO2 tension or pH. The CO2 electrode consists of a 1.5-mm-diameter flat-tip glass pH electrode covered by a film of carbonic anhydrase solution, over which a 25-micron-thick dimethyl silicone membrane is attached. Porous ceramic filled with 20% polyacrylamide, equilibrated with a salt solution, serves as a salt bridge between a Ag-AgCl reference electrode and the pH electrode surface. The electrode is housed in a four-port cuvette assembly. Blood from a vessel of interest is delivered to the cuvette by means of an occlusive roller pump. The cuvette maintains the electrode and blood at a constant temperature and directs a continuous jet of blood against the electrode surface. The cuvette also allows for easy and frequent calibration of the electrode with either gas or liquid standards. The 90% response time of the CO2 electrode is 3.0 s for liquids and 1.3 s for gases. Removal of the dimethyl silicone membrane and carbonic anhydrase film yields a pH electrode that can continuously measure blood pH with a 90% response time of 1.6 s.
Influence of Na+ on synthesis of a substrate entry mechanism in a marine bacterium.

SummaryIncubation of resting P. natrie-gens cells in a suspending medium containing 0.26 m Na+ and mannitol yielded cells which were able to take up mannitol in media containing a combination of 0.26 m Na+ and 0.01 m K+, or 0.26 m K+, and chlorampheni-col. Cells incubated in media containing a combination of 0.25 m Na+ and 0.01 m K+, or 0.26 m K+ were induced by and took up C14-labeled mannitol. The uptake in the former medium was partially inhibited by oua-bain and 2,4-DNP whereas that in the latter was unaffected by ouabain and completely suppressed by 2,4-DNP. Although incubation of the cells in 0.26 m K+ permitted entry of the substrate mannitol, the need for Na+ for growth of the bacteria was not replaced by K+. It is suggested that Na+ influences synthesis as well as operation of entry mechanism for substrates, whereas a high K+ concentration increases rate of diffusion of non-ionizing substrates into marine bacterial cells.
Effects of Chewable Tablets of Royal Jelly on Physical Fatigue Alleviation of Mice

In order to study effects of chewable tablets of royal jelly on alleviating physical fatigue of mice, the mice were administered with the chewable tablets at the doses of 0.167, 0333 g/kg bw and 0.999 g/kg bw for 30 days by intragastric infusion, respectively. The results showed that the doses of 0.333 g/kg bw and 0.999 g/kg bw can significantly decrease the level of mice serum urea after movement. The dose of 0.999 g/kg bw can prolong the weight loading swimming time, significantly decreased the area behind mice blood lactate curve (p0.05 or p0.01) and have no obvious effect on storage quantity of hepatic glycogen (p0.05). So it is concluded that the chewable tablets of royal jelly can alleviate physical fatigue of mice.
Vitamin-Dependent Genetic Disease

In contrast with the acquired vitamin deficiencies, vitamin dependencies respond not to physiologic replacement therapy but only to pharmacologic doses of the missing substance. Study of these inherited abnormalities has shed considerable light on the biochemical roles normally played by vitamins, making it clear that most, if not all, serve as coenzymes to facilitate a variety of metabolic processes.
Interacting Effects of Newcastle Disease Transmission and Illegal Trade on a Wild Population of White-Winged Parakeets in Peru: A Modeling Approach

Illegal wildlife-pet trade can threaten wildlife populations directly from overharvest, but also indirectly as a pathway for introduction of infectious diseases. This study evaluated consequences of a hypothetical introduction of Newcastle disease (ND) into a wild population of Peru’s most trafficked psittacine, the white-winged parakeet (Brotogeris versicolurus), through release of infected confiscated individuals. We developed two mathematical models that describe ND transmission and the influence of illegal harvest in a homogeneous (model 1) and age-structured population of parakeets (model 2). Infection transmission dynamics and harvest were consistent for all individuals in model 1, which rendered it mathematically more tractable compared to the more complex, age-structured model 2 that separated the host population into juveniles and adults. We evaluated the interaction of ND transmission and harvest through changes in the basic reproduction number (R0) and short-term host population dynamics. Our findings demonstrated that ND introduction would likely provoke considerable disease-related mortality, up to 24% population decline in two years, but high harvest rates would dampen the magnitude of the outbreak. Model 2 produced moderate differences in disease dynamics compared to model 1 (R0 = 3.63 and 2.66, respectively), but highlighted the importance of adult disease dynamics in diminishing the epidemic potential. Therefore, we suggest that future studies should use a more realistic, age-structured model. Finally, for the presumptive risk that illegal trade of white-winged parakeets could introduce ND into wild populations, our results suggest that while high harvest rates may have a protective effect on the population by reducing virus transmission, the combined effects of high harvest and disease-induced mortality may threaten population survival. These results capture the complexity and consequences of the interaction between ND transmission and harvest in a wild parrot population and highlight the importance of preventing illegal trade.
Seizure Induced by Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in an Adolescent with Depression

Abstract Objective: Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) with an H-1 coil was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (U.S. FDA) for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in adults. Studies assessing the safety and effectiveness of deep TMS in adolescent TRD are lacking. The purpose of this brief report is to provide a case history of an adolescent enrolled in an investigational deep TMS protocol. Methods: A case history is described of the first participant of a sham-controlled clinical trial who had a seizure in the course of deep TMS with parameter settings extrapolated from the adult studies that led to US FDA approval (H-1 coil, 120% target stimulation intensity, 18 Hz, 55 trains of 2-second duration, total 1980 pulses). Results: The participant was a 17-year-old unmedicated female, with no significant medical history and no history of seizures or of drug or alcohol use. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed no structural abnormalities. She initially received sham, which w...
Consistent patterns of male mate preference in the laboratory and field

Mate preference by males is a widely observed phenomenon; however, it is not well understood how these preferences are expressed in wild populations. Most studies that describe the expression of male mate preference in the wild tend to observe assortative mating, where higher quality males express a strong preference for high quality females while low quality males express either no preference or a preference for low quality females. We examined male mate preference in Bolitotherus cornutus, the forked fungus beetle, a system that exhibits male–male combat and protracted male courtship. We conducted no-choice trials in the laboratory and monitored male courtship in a wild population. In the laboratory, we found a strong preference for larger, more fecund females across all sizes of males. Results from the field were similar to those in the lab; larger females were courted more often, and there was no relationship between the size of a male and the mean size of females he courted (i.e., no assortative mating). This study documents an unusual pattern of expression of male mate preference in the wild and suggests that mate preference by males may be underappreciated in species with intense male–male competition and non-assortative mating. While males of many species express a preference for high-quality females, their preferences can change in complex social situations such as those in wild populations, often resulting in pairing for quality. However, recent mathematical theory suggests that male preference could evolve in a variety of social contexts. We studied the mate preferences of male forked fungus beetles in the laboratory and a wild population. In the lab, males of all sizes preferred larger females. In the complex social environment of a wild population, males still preferred larger females even though there was a strong male-male competition. There was no pairing for quality as often observed in other species. These results suggest that male mate preferences may evolve in a variety of systems not just those with flexible preferences and pairing for quality.
Genome Investigations of Vector Competence in Aedes aegypti to Inform Novel Arbovirus Disease Control Approaches.

Dengue (DENV), yellow fever, chikungunya, and Zika virus transmission to humans by a mosquito host is confounded by both intrinsic and extrinsic variables. Besides virulence factors of the individual arboviruses, likelihood of virus transmission is subject to variability in the genome of the primary mosquito vector, Aedes aegypti. The “vectorial capacity” of A. aegypti varies depending upon its density, biting rate, and survival rate, as well as its intrinsic ability to acquire, host and transmit a given arbovirus. This intrinsic ability is known as “vector competence”. Based on whole transcriptome analysis, several genes and pathways have been predicated to have an association with a susceptible or refractory response in A. aegypti to DENV infection. However, the functional genomics of vector competence of A. aegypti is not well understood, primarily due to lack of integrative approaches in genomic or transcriptomic studies. In this review, we focus on the present status of genomics studies of DENV vector competence in A. aegypti as limited information is available relative to the other arboviruses. We propose future areas of research needed to facilitate the integration of vector and virus genomics and environmental factors to work towards better understanding of vector competence and vectorial capacity in natural conditions.
Justification, Coherence and Quine

Quine has influenced epistemology beyond his own project of naturalization. His early work influenced my own work in the coherence theory of knowledge,1 and I should like to take this occasion to raise some questions about coherence and knowledge. Quine was impressed by the failure of the reductionist program of phenomenalism. I agree with him about the failure of that program. I also agree with him that the consequence of that insight is that it is some system that confronts the world and our sensory experience of it. Knowledge, I concluded, must result from some combination of coherence and truth. I learned that from Quine but am less content to follow him down the path of naturalization. I want to explain why I took another path from his insights, a less revisionary one.
Effects of heat treatments on microstructure and properties of Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloy fabricated by electron beam melting (EBM)

Abstract Electron beam melting (EBM) is a metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (AM) technology that is used to fabricate three-dimensional near-net-shaped parts directly from computer models. Ti-6Al-4V is the most widely used and studied alloy for this technology and is the focus of this work in its ELI (Extra Low Interstitial) variation. Microstructure evolution and its influence on the mechanical properties of the alloy in the as-fabricated condition have been documented by various researchers. In the present work, different heat treatments were performed based on three approaches in order to study the effects of heat treatments on the unique microstructure formed during the EBM fabrication process. In the first approach, the effect of various cooling rates after the solutionizing process was studied. In the second approach, a correlation between the variation of α lath thickness during aging and the subsequent effect on mechanical properties was established. Lastly, several combined solutionizing and aging experiments were conducted; the results will be systematically discussed in the context of structural performance and design.
Automatic skin and hair masking using fully convolutional networks

Selfies have become commonplace. More and more people take pictures of themselves, and enjoy enhancing these pictures using a variety of image processing techniques. One specific functionality of interest is automatic skin and hair segmentation, as this allows for processing one's skin and hair separately. Traditional approaches require user input in the form of fully specified trimaps, or at least of “scribbles” indicating foreground and background areas, with high-quality masks then generated via matting. Manual input, however, can be difficult or tedious, especially on a smartphone's small screen. In this paper, we propose the use of fully convolutional networks (FCN) and fully-connected CRF to perform pixel-level semantic segmentation into skin, hair and background. The trimap thus generated is given as input to a standard matting algorithm, resulting in accurate skin and hair alpha masks. Our method achieves state-of-the-art performance on the LFW Parts dataset [1]. The effectiveness of our method is also demonstrated with a specific application case.
The Relaxing of Capital Controls and Rise of External Debt

This paper examines the impact of capital account liberalization on the external debt. The study is made for a panel of eight countries of South Mediterranean Countries (SMCs) over the period 1971 to 2015. We use different models to explain the growth of external debt. We find that capital account liberalization is negatively correlated with external debt. We also find that the macroeconomic instability has an important role in the rise of external debt.
Mechanics and statistics of the worm-like chain

The worm-like chain model is a simple continuum model for the statistical mechanics of a flexible polymer subject to an external force. We offer a tutorial introduction to it using three approaches. First, we use a mesoscopic view, treating a long polymer (in two dimensions) as though it were made of many groups of correlated links or “clinks,” allowing us to calculate its average extension as a function of the external force via scaling arguments. We then provide a standard statistical mechanics approach, obtaining the average extension by two different means: the equipartition theorem and the partition function. Finally, we work in a probabilistic framework, taking advantage of the Gaussian properties of the chain in the large-force limit to improve upon the previous calculations of the average extension.
Philosophy of Education

This chapter provides an overview of philosophy of education as positioned in between the discourses and concerns of philosophy, on the one hand, and education, on the other. Maintaining credibility with both domains presents philosophy of education with certain dilemmas, which this chapter tries to address. Three ways of minimizing these dilemmas are explored: the development of non-ideal theories, philosophy of education as a situated practice, and the use of case-based methods.
The Politics of Identity and Violence in Côte d’Ivoire

The partition of the African continent, which resulted in the creation of artificial boundaries, scattered people who shared the same cultural and linguistic values and lumped together those who did not. In some cases, people who share the same culture and language were set against each other by the colonial masters, and later by local politicians, in order to rule and exploit them. Such is the case of the Hutus and Tutsis in Rwanda and Burundi, who historically had the same language and the same cultural values, but today are sworn enemies of each other. Colonial meddling and everything that came along with it presided over the self-destruction of people who once used to peacefully live together.
Identity, distribution, and development of polydendrocytes: NG2-expressing glial cells.

Cells that express the NG2 proteoglycan (NG2+ cells) comprise a unique population of glial cells in the central nervous system. While there is no question that some NG2+ cells differentiate into oligodendrocytes during development, the persistence of numerous NG2+ cells in the mature CNS has raised questions about their identity, relation to other CNS cell types, and functions besides their progenitor role. NG2+ cells also express the alpha receptor for platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF αR), a receptor that mediates oligodendrocyte progenitor proliferation during development. Antigenically, NG2+ cells are distinct from fibrous and protoplasmic astrocytes, resting microglia, and mature oligodendrocytes. Therefore, we propose the term polydendrocytesto refer to all NG2-expressing glial cells in the CNS parenchyma. This distinguishes them from the classical glial cell types and identifies them as the fourth major glial population in the CNS. Recent observations suggest that polydendrocytes are complex cells that physically and functionally interact with other cell types in the CNS. Committed oligodendrocyte progenitor cells arise from restricted foci in the ventral ventricular zone in both spinal cord and brain. It remains to be clarified whether there are multiple sources of oligodendrocytes, and if so whether polydendrocytes (NG2+ cells) represent progenitor cells of all oligodendrocyte lineages. Proliferation of NG2+ cells during early development appears to be dependent on PDGF, but the regulatory mechanisms that govern NG2+ cell proliferation in the mature CNS remain unknown. Pulse-chase labeling with bromodeoxyuridine indicates that polydendrocytes that proliferate in the postnatal spinal cord differentiate into oligodendrocytes. Novel experimental approaches are being developed to further elucidate the functional properties and differentiation potential of polydendrocytes.
Developmental Mutations Generated by Retroviral Insertional Mutagenesis

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses mutations in the mouse through breeding to homozygosity transgenic mice, resulting from infection of embryos with retroviruses. To date, four recessive lethal mutations have been identified; these manifest their effect at quite different stages of development. Of 70 strains bred to homozygosity, four were found to have recessive lethal mutations. The identity of only one of the four mutated genes is known. In the Movl3 strain, a Moloney murine leukemia virus (M-MuLV) provirus has integrated in the first intron of the αl(I) collagen gene. The effect of this provirus on transcription of this gene and the resulting death of homozygotes at the 12th day of gestation from the rupture of major vessels is well documented. A second mutation (Mov34) was found to arise from the integration of an M-MuLV-derived provirus into an as yet unidentified gene. Embryos homozygous for the Mov34 integration were found to develop normally to blastocysts, and then die after implanting into the uterine wall.
Dual-phase MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy in the preoperative evaluation of hyperparathyroidism in children and young adults

320 Objectives Dual-phase 99mTc-MIBI parathyroid scintigraphy is a well-established method in adults, but there is limited data on this technique in children. The aim of this study is to evaluate the utility of dual-phase MIBI imaging in children and young adults with hyperparathyroidism. Methods In 23 patients (mean age 15±7 y; range 5-27 y) evaluated for hyperparathyroidism between 2004-2008, the results of preoperative MIBI scans and surgical pathology were compared. Results Of 9 subjects with normal renal function, 8 had a single parathyroid adenoma, and 1 had two adenomas identified at surgery. MIBI localized 9 of the 10 adenomas and did not detect the adenoma in one subject, for an accuracy of 90%. Of 14 subjects with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), 10 had positive scans showing 24 lesions; 16 hyperplasia, 2 adenomas, 2 normal pathology, and 4 lesions that remain unevaluated in a patient who had no surgery. In 9 subjects with ESRD who had surgery, 15 hyperplasic lesions, but no adenomas, were found that had not been identified with MIBI. 4 ESRD subjects with negative MIBI scans had no surgery. In patients with ESRD, MIBI had an accuracy of 59% for parathyroid hyperplasia and identified 2 out of 2 parathyroid adenomas. Conclusions Dual-phase MIBI parathyroid imaging is highly accurate in the detection of adenomas in children with normal renal function. In children and young adults with ESRD, MIBI has moderate accuracy for detecting parathyroid hyperplasia, but is still valuable for detection of adenomas. Therefore, dual-phase MIBI imaging has an important role in the preoperative assessment of hyperparathyroidism in children and young adults.
Trends in Hispanic and non-Hispanic white cesarean delivery rates on the US-Mexico border, 2000-2015

Background Cesarean delivery occurs in one in three US births and poses risks for mothers and infants. Hispanic cesarean rates were higher than non-Hispanic white rates in the US in 2016. In 2009, cesarean rates among Hispanics on the US-Mexico border exceeded rates among US Hispanics. Since 2009, rates have declined nationwide, but border Hispanic rates have not been studied. Objective To compare cesarean delivery rates and trends in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in border and nonborder counties of the four US border states before and after 2009. Study Design We used data from birth certificates to calculate percentages of cesarean deliveries among all births and births to low-risk nulliparous women during 2000–2015, and among births to low-risk women with and without a previous cesarean during 2009–2015. We calculated 95% confidence intervals around rates and used regular and piecewise linear regression to estimate trends for four ethnic-geographic subpopulations defined by combinations of Hispanic ethnicity and border-nonborder status. Results Of the four subpopulations, border Hispanic rates were highest every year for all cesarean outcomes. In 2015 they were 38.3% overall, 31.4% among low-risk nulliparous women, and 21.1% and 94.6% among low-risk women without and with a previous cesarean, respectively. Nonborder Hispanic rates in 2015 were lowest for all outcomes but repeat cesarean. Rates for all four subpopulations rose steadily during 2000–2009. Unlike rates for non-Hispanic whites, border and nonborder Hispanic rates did not decline post-2009. Most of the border Hispanic excess can be attributed to higher cesarean rates in Texas. Discussion Border Hispanic cesarean rates remain higher than those among other Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites in border states and show no signs of declining. This continuing disparity warrants further analysis using individual as well as hospital, environmental and other contextual factors to help target prevention measures.
Neither Cognitive Nor Consistency: A Comment on “Cognitive Consistency Theory in Social Psychology: A Paradigm Reconsidered”

In their article “Cognitive Consistency Theory in Social Psychology: A Paradigm Reconsidered,” Arie Kruglanski and colleagues effectively call for the retirement of the family of theories known as ...