cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Vivo Implantation of Tissue-Engineered Human Nasal Septal Neocartilage Constructs A Pilot Study

Objective. To determine the in vivo biocompatibility of septal neocartilage constructs developed in vitro by an alginate intermediate step.Study Design. Prospective, animal model.Setting. Research laboratory.Subjects and Methods. A murine model was used to examine the maturation of neocartilage constructs in vivo. Chondrocytes collected from patients undergoing septoplasty were expanded in monolayer and suspended in alginate beads for 3-dimensional culture in media containing human serum and growth factors. After in vitro incubation for 5 weeks, the constructs were implanted in the dorsum of athymic mice for 30 and 60 days (n = 9). After the mice were sacrificed, the constructs were recovered for assessment of their morphological, histochemical, biochemical, and biomechanical properties.Results. The mice survived and tolerated the implants well. Infection and extrusion were not observed. Neocartilage constructs maintained their general shape and size and demonstrated cell viability after implantation. The...
Epigenetic Regulation of Stem Cell Maintenance in the Drosophila Testis via the Nucleosome-Remodeling Factor NURF

Regulation of stem cells depends on both tissue-specific transcriptional regulators and changes in chromatin organization, yet the coordination of these events in endogenous niches is poorly understood. In the Drosophila testis, local JAK-STAT signaling maintains germline and somatic stem cells (GSCs and cyst progenitor cells, or CPCs) in a single niche. Here we show that epigenetic regulation via the nucleosome-remodeling factor (NURF) complex ensures GSC and CPC maintenance by positively regulating JAK-STAT signaling, thereby preventing premature differentiation. Conversely, NURF is not required in early differentiating daughter cells of either lineage. Because three additional ATP-dependent chromatin remodelers (ACF, CHRAC, and dMi-2/NuRD) are dispensable for stem cell maintenance in the testis, epigenetic regulation of stem cells within this niche may rely primarily on NURF. Thus, local signals cooperate with specific chromatin-remodeling complexes in intact niches to coordinately regulate a common set of target genes to prevent premature stem cell differentiation.
Gemcitabine-Induced Reversible Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Gemcitabine is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for a variety of tumor types. Although this nucleoside analogue antineoplastic agent is similar in structure to cytarabine, central nervous system toxicities have rarely been attributed to gemcitabine. Reversible posterior leukoencephalopathy syndrome (RPLS) is a rare but increasingly identifiable clinicoradiologic process in cancer patients associated with cytotoxic and immunosuppressiveagents.Thesyndromeischaracterized by acute to subacute onset of headache, nausea, vomiting,alteredmentalstatus,seizures,stupor,andvisual disturbances. The pathophysiology of RPLS continues to remain controversial but likely involves loss of cerebrovascular autoregulation leading to arteriole leakage.Radiologically,posterioroccipitalwhitematter edemaisnoted,withcharacteristicfindingsonmagnetic resonance imaging. Often the syndrome is reversible with treatment of concurrent hypertension or removal of the causative agent; however, failure to quickly recognize the syndrome and discontinue the offending agent may result in profound and permanent central nervous system dysfunction or death. This article describes a case of RPLS attributed to gemcitabine use for pancreatic cancer. Such a descriptive case serves as a platform for the discussion of the syndrome, proposed mechanisms of central nervous system damage, and review of the currently available literature on the topic. With increased awareness of RPLS by oncologists and othermedicalproviders,cancerpatientcaremaybeimproved and further insight into this complication of therapythroughcontinuedresearchmaybegained.The Oncologist 2007;12:1332–1335
KNOB: a mutation-based approach for generating stereotype behaviors in active decision support systems

Role playing is a natural paradigm for decision support. It closely mimics the kind of support decision makers can expect to receive from their peers and fellow human beings. People, when called for decision support, often resort to the use of behavior patterns such as expert, devil's advocate, critique, playing dumb, careful listener, etc. These forms of support have a much higher potential for enhancing decision quality than the mundane forms of support such as number crunching, data analysis, etc. It is shown how knowledge base mutation may be used for generating such behavior patterns during decision support. The author covers the basic ideas of mutation, develops a systematic approach for applying the ideas for decision support, and illustrates its application for building a practical decision support system. The preliminary evaluations of the system are very encouraging, and suggest that systems incorporating these ideas can be very effective in practice. >
Homodyne detection of infrared radiation from a moving diffuse target

Experiments have been performed in which the radiation from a CO 2 laser was coherently detected after being scattered from a moving diffuse reflector. This is generally the configuration of an infrared laser radar. The power-spectral-density of the heterodyne signal was measured and its width was shown to agree with the calculated value based on a theoretical model for the process. Expressions are obtained for the ratio of heterodyne signal bandwidth to heterodyne frequency for the cases of focused radiation, unfocused radiation, and for a typical radar configuration. In most cases, the heterodyne signal is found to possess a narrow-band character. The probability density of the signal envelope was also measured for a known scatterer (providing Gaussian scattered radiation) and was found to be Rayleigh distributed, as expected. The power-spectral-density and envelope probability distribution provide information about a scattering medium or target which cannot be obtained from average-value measurements of the heterodyne signal-to-noise ratio. This information is useful for communications applications, infrared radar, and heterodyne spectroscopy experiments. Finally, a simple and direct method of obtaining information about the statistics of an incident radiation field (which does not involve photocounting) is discussed.
Technical Challenges in Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: Reflecting on the Progress

Technical Challenges in Liver Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy: Reflecting on the Progress Jonas D. Fontenot, PhD,*,y and Eric E. Klein, PhDz *Department of Physics, Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; yDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and zDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
The Iowa Group.

(1985). The Iowa Group. International Journal of Neuroscience: Vol. 25, No. 3-4, pp. 295-305.
Regulation of Proopiomelanocortin Gene Expression in Pituitary

I. Introduction THE POMC gene encodes the complex precursor to a variety of biologically active, important neuromodulator and endocrine peptides. It is expressed in a variety of tissues in the mammal, but its main site of expression is the pituitary anterior lobe cortocotroph and intermediate lobe melanotroph. The POMC molecule is posttranslationally processed to different biologically active peptides in these two cell types, with ACTH, β-lipotropin, and β-endorphin being major products in the corticotroph and α-MSH, corticotropin-like intermediate lobe peptide, and acetyl-β-endorphin in the melanotroph (1). This array of different biological activities derived from the POMC molecule possibly necessitates the observed complex regulation of POMC peptide secretion and POMC gene expression in pituitary. Regulation of POMC peptide secretion has recently been reviewed in several places (2, 3). This review will deal primarily with the regulation of POMC gene expression in rat and mouse pituitary tissues, the sp...
Die Anfänge der Organischen Photochemie

Photochemische Reaktionen unter dem Einflus von Sonnenlicht finden auf dem Planeten Erde sicherlich schon seit Milliarden von Jahren statt. Wie sind nun Wissenschaftler auf die Idee gekommen, das die Wechselwirkung von Materie mit Licht nicht nur physikalische Phanomene erzeugen kann, sondern manchmal auch die chemische Beschaffenheit der Materie verandert? Sobald die Sonnen warme als Energiequelle fur Destillationen genutzt wurde, war die Entdeckung photochemischer Reaktionen nur noch eine Frage der Zeit. Man kann sich drei Arten von Veranderungen vorstellen, die das Interesse eines Chemikers erweckt haben konnten: Farbanderungen, die Entwicklung von Gasblasen (zum Beispiel von Sauerstoff bei der Photosynthese) und die Ausscheidung eines Photoproduktes, das weniger loslich ist als die Ausgangsverbindung. Kaum vorhersehbar war dagegen die Beobachtung, das Sonnenlicht Santoninkristalle zerspringen last, weil Santonin und sein Photoprodukt unterschiedliche Kristallgitter haben. – Im Laufe des achtzehnten und neunzehnten Jahrhunderts wurde eine Fulle unterschiedlichster photochemischer Reaktionen entdeckt, einige zufallig, andere als Ergebnis sorgfaltig geplanter Versuche. Aber erst mit dem Anbruch des zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts war die Zeit schlieslich reif fur grosangelegte, systematische Untersuchungen, die die Photochemie als ein wichtiges Teilgebiet der Chemie etablierten.
Compiler-directed instruction cache leakage optimization

Excessive power consumption is widely considered as a major impediment to designing future microprocessors. With the continued scaling down of threshold voltages, the power consumed due to leaky memory cells in on-chip caches will constitute a significant portion of the processor's power budget. This work focuses on reducing the leakage energy consumed in the instruction cache using a compiler-directed approach. We present and analyze two compiler-based strategies termed as conservative and optimistic. The conservative approach does not put a cache line into a low leakage mode until it is certain that the current instruction in it is dead. On the other hand, the optimistic approach places a cache line in low leakage mode if it detects that the next access to the instruction will occur only after a long gap. We evaluate different optimization alternatives by combining the compiler strategies with state-preserving and state-destroying leakage control mechanisms.
Large sensitivity to initial conditions in seasonal predictions with a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model

[1] An ensemble of one-year forecasts differing only in details of the atmospheric initial conditions was produced with a coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation model (GCM) in order to investigate the predictability of the coupled system. For some ocean initial conditions, the evolution of the tropical Pacific ocean thermal structure seems to be relatively deterministic for lead times out to one year. However, there are other ocean initial conditions, mostly in the mid 1990's for which coupled model forecasts of the tropical Pacific are much more sensitive to details of the atmosphere initial conditions. In some cases, the ensemble forecasts appear to split, with some ensemble members predicting El Nino-like conditions, and others predicting La Nina. Very large ensembles were run for several of these cases. Very slight perturbations added to the atmospheric initial conditions led to large spread in predicted SST anomalies in some years. These are model results, however, they do suggest the possibility that seasonal predictions of the coupled tropical system may be highly non-deterministic in some years.
Identification of rCop-1, a New Member of the CCN Protein Family, as a Negative Regulator for Cell Transformation

By using a model system for cell transformation mediated by the cooperation of the activated H-ras oncogene and the inactivated p53 tumor suppressor gene, rCop-1 was identified by mRNA differential display as a gene whose expression became lost after cell transformation. Homology analysis indicates that rCop-1 belongs to an emerging cysteine-rich growth regulator family called CCN, which includes connective-tissue growth factor, CYR61, CEF10 (v-src inducible), and the product of the nov proto-oncogene. Unlike the other members of the CCN gene family, rCop-1 is not an immediate-early gene, it lacks the conserved C-terminal domain which was shown to confer both growth-stimulating and heparin-binding activities, and its expression is lost in cells transformed by a variety of mechanisms. Ectopic expression of rCop-1 by retroviral gene transfers led to cell death in a transformation-specific manner. These results suggest that rCop-1 represents a new class of CCN family proteins that have functions opposing those of the previously identified members.
Effect of Lidocaine on Swallowing During FEES in Patients With Dysphagia

Purpose:The aims of this study were to assess the effects of 0.2 mL of 4% atomized lidocaine on swallowing and tolerability during Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES).Methods:A single blinded study was conducted with 17 dysphagic patients, who received 4 standardized boluses in 2 sequential FEES exams under 2 conditions: non-anesthetized (decongestant only) and anesthetized (lidocaine 4% + decongestant). After each procedure, patients rated their pain on the Wong Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale. Clinicians scored each swallow with the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS) and an author-developed Residue Rating Scale. Because the assessments were ordinal, a series of Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were conducted to detect differences between the 2 conditions.Results:No significant differences were detected between groups on PAS or residue in the 4 boluses. Pain scores, however, were significantly lower in the anesthetized condition than the decongested-only condition (P = .035).Conclusion:The find...
The Caliphate in the Era of Nation-States

The version of the text that is referred to in this essay is the one translated by Maryam Loutfi and edited by Abdou Filali-Ansary. Constructivist approach is applied in analyzing ‘Abd Al-Rāziq's views on the caliphate and governance to determine the process by which the caliphate has evolved throughout history and its applicability in the modern state system. Following the argument that the caliphate is not divinely ordained, it is instructive to discuss the concept of caliphate as a social construct which evolved as a product of intersubjective awareness among actors during its time. In reviving the caliphate, ISIS is using history and strong religious and cultural symbolisms to justify its aims. The caliphate is not the sole realization of Islamic ideals for Muslims are free to establish the form of government that suits them.
Effect of 6-aminonicotinamide and other protein synthesis inhibitors on formation of platinum-DNA adducts and cisplatin sensitivity

The present study was undertaken to examine the mechanistic basis for the recent observation that the pyridine nucleotide derivative 6-aminonicotinamide (6AN, NSC 21206) enhances the accumulation and resulting cytotoxicity of cisplatin in a variety of tumor cell lines. When A549 lung cancer cells or K562 leukemia cells were treated with 62.5 microM 6AN for 21 h and then pulse-labeled with [(35)S]methionine for 1 h, increased labeling of five polypeptides, one of which corresponded to a M(r) approximately 78,000 glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), was observed. Two subsequent observations, however, suggested that up-regulation of these polypeptides was unlikely to explain the interaction between 6AN and cisplatin: 1) the concentration of 6AN required to induce GRP78 was 4-fold higher than the dose required to sensitize cells to cisplatin; and 2) simultaneous treatment of cells with 6AN and cycloheximide prevented the increase in GRP78 but not the sensitizing effect of 6AN. On the contrary, treatment with the protein synthesis inhibitors cycloheximide, anisomycin, or puromycin as well as prolonged exposure to the RNA synthesis inhibitor actinomycin D mimicked the biochemical modulating effects of 6AN on cisplatin action. Conversely, 6AN inhibited protein synthesis, whereas 18 6AN analogs that failed to enhance Pt-DNA adducts and cisplatin cytotoxicity failed to inhibit protein synthesis. These observations are consistent with a model in which 6AN and other inhibitors of protein synthesis act as modulating agents by increasing cisplatin accumulation, thereby enhancing the formation of Pt-DNA adducts and subsequent cisplatin-induced cell death.
‘We've got team spirit!’: ethnic community building and Japanese American youth basketball leagues

ABSTRACTThis article examines the role co-ethnic youth basketball leagues play in shaping ethnic community among third- and fourth-generation Japanese American youth. With dwindling rates of Japanese immigration, increased rates of out-marriage, and fewer cultural hubs available, finding a thriving ethnic community has become a particular challenge for later-generation Japanese Americans. Drawing from ethnographic data, I argue that even among highly ‘assimilated’ Japanese Americans, youth basketball leagues serve as an active space for constructing and preserving ethnic community and social networks. I demonstrate how through social, cultural, and spatial interactions facilitated by sports, some Japanese Americans have found a sense of ethnic ‘connectedness’ within basketball leagues while performing their own renditions of ethnic identity that is simultaneously attentive to fluid local and global connections. These findings illuminate the role and importance of sport through which Japanese Americans cha...
Building a Productive Trading Zone in Educational Assessment Research and Practice

Markedly diverse viewpoints are in play in many varied contexts, from science to the classroom to the marketplace. Perhaps surprisingly, both divergent dissonances and convergent harmonies are routinely found together in productive real-world systems. The value of generalizable assessment outcomes hinges on their being both innovative and standardized. These apparently opposite tensions can be reconciled in terms of boundary objects, entities shared by different communities that use and view them quite differently. Further, science has long been seen as taking place on a continuum from everyday thinking and acting to formal logic and methods, so it should not be surprising to find this range manifest as well in psychometric research. We describe methods and results in which psychometrically modeled exemplars known as construct maps and Wright maps function as boundary objects and serve as a basis for productive analogies in educational assessment by (a) preserving relational structures, (b) making isomorphic mappings between systems, and (c) facilitating systematicity, understood as mapping systems of higher order relational structures (Nersessian & Chandrasekaran, 2009). In this conceptual context, we present an application of the BEAR Assessment System and its accompanying software, facilitating translations of relational structures across systems in support of practical alliances of teaching, policymaking, assessment and curriculum development, psychometrics, and information technology (IT).
A 15-year climatology of wind pattern impacts on surface ozone in Houston, Texas

Abstract Houston is recognized for its large petrochemical industrial facilities providing abundant radicals for tropospheric ozone formation. Fortunately, maximum daily 8-h average (MDA8) surface ozone concentrations have declined in Houston (− 0.6 ± 0.3 ppbv yr − 1 ) during the summers (i.e., May to September) of 2000 to 2014, possibly due to the reductions in precursor emissions by effective control policies. However, it is also possible that changes in meteorological variables have affected ozone concentrations. This study focused on the impact of long-term wind patterns which have the highest impact on ozone in Houston. The analysis of long-term wind patterns can benefit surface ozone studies by 1) providing wind patterns that distinctly changed ozone levels, 2) investigating the frequency of patterns and the respective changes and 3) estimating ozone trends in specific wind patterns that local emissions are mostly involved, thus separating emissions impacts from meteorology to some extent. To this end, the 900-hPa flow patterns in summers of 2000 to 2014 were clustered in seven classes (C1–C7) by deploying an unsupervised partitioning method. We confirm the characteristics of the clusters from a backward trajectory analysis, monitoring networks, and a regional chemical transport model simulation. The results indicate that Houston has experienced a statistically significant downward trend (− 0.6 ± 0.4 day yr − 1 ) of the cluster of weak easterly and northeasterly days (C4), when the highest fraction of ozone exceedances (MDA8 > 70 ppbv) occurred. This suggests that the reduction in ozone precursors was not the sole reason for the decrease in ozone exceedance days (− 1.5 ± 0.6 day yr − 1 ). Further, to examine the efficiency of control policies intended to reduce the amount of ozone, we estimated the trend of MDA8 ozone in C4 and C5 (weak winds) days when local emissions are primarily responsible for high ambient ozone levels. Both C4 and C5 show a large reduction in the 95th percentile and summertime trends mainly due to effective control strategies. Based on the 5th percentile daytime ozone for C1 (strong southeasterly wind) in coastal sites, this study found that the cleanest air masses that Houston received became more polluted during the summer of 2000–2014 by 1–3 ppbv. Though this study focused on Houston, the analysis method presented could generally be used to estimate ozone trends in other regions where surface ozone is dominantly influenced by both wind patterns and local emissions.
Neutralizing Antibodies Against Adeno-Associated Viral Capsids in Patients with mut Methylmalonic Acidemia

Isolated methylmalonic acidemia (MMA), a group of autosomal recessive inborn errors of metabolism, is most commonly caused by complete (mut0) or partial (mut−) deficiency of the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT). The severe metabolic instability and increased mortality experienced by many affected individuals, especially those with mut0 MMA, has led centers to use elective liver transplantation as a treatment for these patients. We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of systemic adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene delivery as a treatment for MMA in a murine model and therefore sought to survey AAV antibody titers against serotypes 2, 8, and 9 in a group of well-characterized MMA patients, accrued via a dedicated natural history study (clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT00078078). Plasma samples provided by 42 patients (8 mut− and 34 mut0; 10 had received organ transplantation), who ranged in age between 2 and 31 years, were analyzed to examine AAV2 (n = 35), AAV8 (n = 41), and AAV9 (n = 42) antibody titers...
Ectopic primary olfactory neuroblastoma of the maxillary sinus

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare malignant tumor. Although the vast majority of cases arise in the nasal cavity, ONB is rarely reported in ectopic locations. We report a case of ONB in the maxillary sinus. A 63-year-old woman presented with left-sided nasal obstruction and epistaxis. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a nonenhancing left maxillary sinus tumor. Histologic sections showed ONB, Hyams grade IV, invading bone, skeletal muscle, and adjacent fibroadipose tissue. It is essential to be accurate when diagnosing sinonasal tumors because the differential diagnosis is broad, and one must consider the possibility of ectopic ONB, although it is rare. The behavior of ONB and other neuroendocrine tumors of the sinonasal region is quite different, and there are varied approaches to treatment. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis as well as correct grade and stage must be assigned.
The feasibility of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging for identifying and assessing the perfusion of parathyroid glands during total thyroidectomy

Background There are limited adjuncts available for identifying and assessing the viability of parathyroid glands (PGs) during total thyroidectomy (TT). The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of indocyanine green (ICG) imaging in identifying and assessing perfusion of PGs during TT. Methods ICG was administered in patients undergoing TT and fluorescence of PGs was assessed. A grading scale was developed for assessing degree of ICG uptake. Patients were evaluated for hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism on post-operative day (POD) #1. Results Twenty-seven patients underwent TT with ICG imaging for multinodular goiter (n = 13), thyroid cancer (n = 10), and Graves’ disease (n = 4). Eight-five PGs were identified visually, 71 (84%) of which showed ICG fluorescence. False negative rate was 6%. Post-operatively, three patients (11%) had a serum calcium value <8 mg/dl. ICG uptake after TT correlated with post-operative PTH levels: mean POD#1 PTH of those patients with at least two PGs exhibiting <30% fluorescence was 9 pg/ml; whereas those with fewer than two demonstrating <30% fluorescence had a POD#1 PTH of 19.5 pg/ml (P = 0.05). Conclusion ICG imaging of PGs during TT is feasible. ICG might be a useful adjunct in identifying those patients at risk for post-thyroidectomy hypoparathyroidism. J. Surg. Oncol. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Soumission ou simulacre de soumission? Michel Houellebecq et la métaphysique (Baudrillardienne) du radiateur:

La publication, le 7 janvier 2015, du dernier Houellebecq (Soumission), qui imagine l’accession a la presidence de la republique francaise d’un parti musulman pour 2022, a cause un gros emoi en France avant meme sa parution. Soumission fut immediatement taxe « d’islamophobie » et catalogue dans la mouvance zemmourienne du « suicide francais » – bref, un « cadeau pour Marine Le Pen ». Cet article repond aux accusations d’islamophobie formulees contre Houellebecq en procedant a une analyse textuelle rigoureuse et en remettant Soumission dans son contexte postmoderne et proprement houellebecquien. Ce faisant, il a aussi pour objectif de replacer le debat autour de l’islamophobie en France dans le contexte plus large de la « crise religieuse » que traverse la France contemporaine, une crise revelee par l’apres-attentat contre Charlie Hebdo.
Testing a high-power LED based light source for hyperspectral imaging microscopy

Our lab has worked to develop high-speed hyperspectral imaging systems that scan the fluorescence excitation spectrum for biomedical imaging applications. Hyperspectral imaging can be used in remote sensing, medical imaging, reaction analysis, and other applications. Here, we describe the development of a hyperspectral imaging system that comprised an inverted Nikon Eclipse microscope, sCMOS camera, and a custom light source that utilized a series of high-power LEDs. LED selection was performed to achieve wavelengths of 350-590 nm. To reduce scattering, LEDs with low viewing angles were selected. LEDs were surface-mount soldered and powered by an RCD. We utilized 3D printed mounting brackets to assemble all circuit components. Spectraradiometric calibration was performed using a spectrometer (QE65000, Ocean Optics) and integrating sphere (FOIS-1, Ocean Optics). Optical output and LED driving current were measured over a range of illumination intensities. A normalization algorithm was used to calibrate and optimize the intensity of the light source. The highest illumination power was at 375 nm (3300 mW/cm2), while the lowest illumination power was at 515, 525, and 590 nm (5200 mW/cm2). Comparing the intensities supplied by each LED to the intensities measured at the microscope stage, we found there was a great loss in power output. Future work will focus on using two of the same LEDs to double the power and finding more LED and/or laser diodes and chips around the range. This custom hyperspectral imaging system could be used for the detection of cancer and the identification of biomolecules.
Utility of BRCA1-associated protein 1 immunoperoxidase stain to differentiate benign versus malignant mesothelial proliferations in cytologic specimens.

Background Loss of BAP1 has recently been described as a highly specific marker for distinguishing malignant mesotheliomas (MM) from benign mesothelial proliferations (BMP). The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of BAP1 in cytospin and cell block (CB) preparations. Methods We searched the database at our institution for cases of MM (n = 21) and BMP (n = 11). A Papanicolaou stained cytospin preparation and CB section from each case were selected for BAP1 staining. The results were scored as nuclear BAP1 staining, absent or present. Positive staining in non-neoplastic cells was noted as internal control. Results In the study group, MM cells showed a loss of BAP1 staining in 18/21(86%) cytospin and 19/21(90%) CB preparations. All cytospins showed appropriate positive nuclear staining in the "internal control" inflammatory cells. However, only 17/21(81%) of CB sections showed good internal control with positive nuclear staining in inflammatory cells. The intensity of BAP1 nuclear staining varied across cases. Overall, the intensity of staining was higher in cytospins, providing sharper contrast between the malignant cells with loss of stain and the benign inflammatory cells with retained stain in cases of MM. Sensitivity/specificity for cytospins when compared with CB was 86/100 and 88/100%, respectively. Conclusions Cytospin preparations have comparable sensitivity and specificity to CB with greater intensity and better contrast between negative and positive nuclei making the interpretation easier. We advise to interpret BAP1 IPOX stain results with caution with careful attention to staining of background nonmalignant "internal control" cells. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2017;45:312-319. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of Crystallization Firing on Marginal Gap of CAD/CAM Fabricated Lithium Disilicate Crowns

Purpose To evaluate the marginal gaps of CAD/CAM (CEREC 3) produced crowns made from leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic (IPS Empress CAD) blocks (LG), and lithium-disilicate (IPS e.max CAD) blocks before (LD-B), and after (LD-A) crystallization firing. Materials and Methods A human molar tooth (#19) was mounted with adjacent teeth on a typodont and prepared for a full-coverage ceramic crown. The typodont was assembled in the mannequin head to simulate clinical conditions. After tooth preparation 15 individual optical impressions were taken by the same operator using titanium dioxide powder and a CEREC 3 camera per manufacturer's instructions. One operator designed and machined the crowns in leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic blocks (n = 5) and lithium-disilicate blocks (n = 10) using the CEREC 3 system. The crowns were rigidly seated on the prepared tooth, and marginal gaps (μm) were measured with an optical microscope (500×) at 12 points, 3 on each of the M, B, D, and L surfaces of the leucite-reinforced glass-ceramic crowns and the lithium-disilicate crowns before and after crystallization firing. Results were analyzed by two-way ANOVA followed by a Tukey's post hoc multiple comparison test (α = 0.05). Results The overall mean marginal gaps (μm) for the crowns evaluated were: LG = 49.2 ± 5.5, LD-B = 42.9 ± 12.2, and LD-A = 57.2 ± 16.0. The marginal gaps for LG and LD-B were not significantly different, but both were significantly less than for LD-A. Conclusions The type of ceramic material did not affect the marginal gap of CAD/CAM crowns. The crystallization firing process required for lithium-disilicate crowns resulted in a significant increase in marginal gap size, likely due to shrinkage of the ceramic during the crystallization process. Clinical Relevance: The marginal gap of CAD/CAM-fabricated lithium disilicate crowns increases following crystallization firing. The marginal gap still remains within clinically acceptable parameters.
Next-generation sequencing of cytologic preparations: An analysis of quality metrics

BACKGROUND Next-generation sequencing (NGS) fails for many small biopsies (BXs) because of a low overall DNA concentration or tumor percentage. Cytology smears and liquid-based preparations (LBPs), or smears/LBPs, often contain abundant tumor cells and may provide adequate material for molecular testing when other materials are insufficient. This study examined the performance of smears/LBPs on a clinical NGS assay. METHODS This study retrospectively reviewed quality metrics from consecutive smear/LBP, core BX, and cell block (CB) cases run on a hybrid-capture NGS assay interrogating 309 cancer-related genes. The following quality metrics were compared: adequacy rate, initial DNA concentration, postshearing fragment size, post–library preparation fragment size, fragment size difference, insert size, total reads, passing-filter reads aligned, percent passing-filter unique reads aligned, mean target coverage, percentage of loci with >100× coverage, percent duplication rate, percent selected bases, and percent usable bases on bait. RESULTS Twenty-three of 26 smears/LBPs (88%) were successfully sequenced, whereas 77 of 87 core BXs (89%) and 29 of 30 CBs (97%) were. The mean target coverage, median insert size, and percent usable bases were significantly higher in the smear/LBP category. The postshearing fragment size and the percent duplication were significantly lower for smears/LBPs. CONCLUSIONS The adequacy rate of cytology smears/LBPs for NGS is comparable to that of core BXs or CBs. Increased values for the mean insert size, mean target coverage, and percent usable bases, along with a lower duplication rate, suggest that smears/LBPs provide higher quality DNA than formalin-fixed material. Cytology smears/LBPs can serve as a valuable source of material for molecular testing. Cancer Cytopathol 2017;125:786-94. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Scalable Agentless Cloud Network Monitoring

With the growth of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) in cloud computing, and the Internet of Things (IoT), network monitoring of the global infrastructure will continue to expand, as cybersecurity will become of primary importance. Current network monitoring approaches, particularly those that are agent-based, are proprietary, costly, and may not scale. This paper proposes a lightweight, scalable agentless system which can be configured, setup, and begin monitoring network health within minutes. The architecture utilizes a polling script to query Simple Network Monitoring Protocol (SNMP) demon for metrics, Prometheus Time Series Database instances for storage, and a Grafana Dashboard for metric presentation and alerting. The system design removes the learning curve necessary for most open source monitoring systems, while still providing similar metrics. The approach demonstrated here shows the ease and security with which specific site network monitoring can be deployed in a cloud configuration. Data from the network monitoring can be forwarded to a central analysis site for assessment and correlation. The proposed system is scalable, extensible for use in most cloud hosting environments, and provides network managers with direct control over the monitoring process and dashboard.
Analysis of Biologically Inspired Swarm Communication Models

The biological swarm literature presents communication models that attempt to capture the nature of interactions among the swarm’s individuals. The reported research derived algorithms based on the metric, topological, and visual biological swarm communication models. The evaluated hypothesis is that the choice of a biologically inspired communication model can affect the swarm’s performance for a given task. The communication models were evaluated in the context of two swarm robotics tasks: search for a goal and avoid an adversary. The general findings demonstrate that the swarm agents had the best overall performance when using the visual model for the search for a goal task and performed the best for the avoid an adversary task when using the topological model. Further analysis of the performance metrics by the various experimental parameters provided insights into specific situations in which the models will be the most or least beneficial. The importance of the reported research is that the task performance of a swarm can be amplified through the deliberate selection of a communications model.
Changing Utilization of Noninvasive Diagnostic Imaging Over 2 Decades: An Examination Family–Focused Analysis of Medicare Claims Using the Neiman Imaging Types of Service Categorization System

OBJECTIVE. The objective of our study was to use a new modality and body region categorization system to assess changing utilization of noninvasive diagnostic imaging in the Medicare fee-for-service population over a recent 20-year period (1994–2013). MATERIALS AND METHODS. All Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule services billed between 1994 and 2013 were identified using Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary master files. Billed codes for diagnostic imaging were classified using the Neiman Imaging Types of Service (NITOS) coding system by both modality and body region. Utilization rates per 1000 beneficiaries were calculated for families of services. RESULTS. Among all diagnostic imaging modalities, growth was greatest for MRI (+312%) and CT (+151%) and was lower for ultrasound, nuclear medicine, and radiography and fluoroscopy (range, +1% to +31%). Among body regions, service growth was greatest for brain (+126%) and spine (+74%) imaging; showed milder growth (range, +18% to +67%) for imaging of the h...
Managing xerostomia and salivary gland hypofunction: Executive summary of a report from the American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs

Background and overview Xerostomia, also known as "dry mouth," is a common but frequently overlooked condition that is typically associated with salivary gland hypofunction, which is the objective measurement of reduced salivary flow. Patients with dry mouth exhibit symptoms of variable severity that are commonly attributed to medication use, chronic disease and medical treatment, such as radiotherapy to the head and neck region. Chronic xerostomia significantly increases the risk of experiencing dental caries, demineralization, tooth sensitivity, candidiasis and other oral diseases that may affect quality of life negatively. This article presents a multidisciplinary approach to the clinical management of xerostomia, consistent with the findings of published systematic reviews on this key clinical issue. Conclusions and practice implications Initial evaluation of patients with dry mouth should include a detailed health history to facilitate early detection and identify underlying causes. Comprehensive evaluation, diagnostic testing and periodic assessment of salivary flow, followed by corrective actions, may help prevent significant oral disease. A systematic approach to xerostomia management can facilitate interdisciplinary patient care, including collaboration with physicians regarding systemic conditions and medication use. Comprehensive management of xerostomia and hyposalivation should emphasize patient education and lifestyle modifications. It also should focus on various palliative and preventive measures, including pharmacological treatment with salivary stimulants, topical fluoride interventions and the use of sugar-free chewing gum to relieve dry-mouth symptoms and improve the patient's quality of life.
Nuclear Medicine Procedures in Women: Unappreciated Risks to Reproductive Organs?

The recent explosion in development of new radiotracers for cancer diagnosis and targeted therapy, many of which target biomolecules, which vary in abundance as a function of hormonal milieu, poses a disproportionate risk of adverse effects in women of reproductive age.
A Methodology for Developing Business Intelligence Systems

Recent years have seen significant advances in systems development methodologies. Structured systems analysis and design approaches have been complemented and often substituted by a variety of new approaches such as prototyping, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design methodologies (OOADM), and Rapid Application Development (RAD), among others. System development methodologies and methods have always reflected the available toolsets, e.g., Fourth Generation languages and CASE tools, which enabled rapid application development. Organizational focus has also shifted over the years from Transaction systems to decision support and competitive intelligence. The frequent, expensive occurrences of implementation failures are a stark reminder of the need for appropriate methodological approaches to implementing BI systems. This chapter examines the peculiar methodological needs of BI systems and contrasts those systems with earlier transactional and reporting systems. Based on this comparison and analysis, a methodological framework and approach is proposed for effectively developing and implementing BI information systems.
Microbial metabolite deoxycholic acid controls Clostridium perfringens-induced chicken necrotic enteritis through attenuating cyclooxygenase signaling

Clostridium perfringens-induced necrotic enteritis (NE) has reemerged as a prevalent chicken disease worldwide due to reduced usage of prophylactic antibiotics. The lack of antimicrobial alternative strategies to control NE is mainly due to limited insight into the disease pathogenesis. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of microbiota metabolic product secondary bile acid deoxycholic acid (DCA) on preventing NE. C. perfringens growth was inhibited by 82.8% in 50 µM DCA Tryptic Soy Broth. Sequential Eimeria maxima and C. perfringens challenges induced acute NE showed as severe intestinal inflammation and body weight (BW) loss in broiler chickens, while 1.5 g/kg DCA diet dramatically reduced the disease. At the cellular level, DCA alleviated NE-associated ileal epithelial death and reduced lamina propria cell apoptosis. Interestingly, DCA reduced C. perfringens invasion into ileum without altering the bacterial ileal luminal colonization. Molecular analysis showed that DCA reduced inflammatory mediators of Infγ, Litaf, and Mmp9 mRNA accumulation in ileal tissue. Mechanism studies revealed that C. perfringens induced elevated expression of inflammatory mediators of Infγ, Litaf, Mmp9, and Ptgs2 (Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene) in chicken splenocytes. Blocking COX signaling by pharmacological inhibitor aspirin attenuated INFγ-induced inflammatory response in the splenocytes. Consistent with the in vitro assay, chickens fed 0.12 g/kg aspirin diet protected the birds against NE-induced ileal inflammation, intestinal cell apoptosis, and BW loss. In conclusion, microbial metabolic product DCA prevents NE-induced ileal inflammation and BW loss through attenuating inflammatory response. These novel findings offer new strategies against C. perfringens-induced diseases.
Management of Digital Ischemia

Digital ischemia is the reduction in digital perfusion with impaired tissue viability and can frequently result in digital ulcers (DU). DU are denuded areas with a defined border, loss of epithelialization and loss of epidermis and dermis. DU from digital ischemia typically occurs at the distal aspects of the digits. Because the management of digital ischemia varies depending on the etiology, it is important to be familiar with the differential diagnosis. Digital ischemia may manifest due to connective tissue diseases, vasculitis, diffuse arteriopathy, occupational diseases, paraneoplastic syndromes, steal phenomenon, radial artery cannulation, septic shock, and anatomic variants. Although DU usually heal on their own over time, non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies show some efficacy in DU management. A variety of agents can serve as treatments such as those typically used for the management of Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP), and more novel vasodilators including endothelin-1 receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase inhibitors and prostanoids. However, if digital ischemia persists or progresses despite medical therapies, more aggressive management with procedures such as chemical and surgical sympathectomy, the local administration of botulinum toxin, vascular reconstruction, and/or amputation should be considered. In its more severe form, digital ischemia may present critically. This situation is a medical emergency and patients should be hospitalized and treated aggressively with medical and potentially surgical therapies to prevent digital loss.
A Progress Report on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission on Mathematics.

A LITTLE over ten years ago the Commission on Mathematics was formed by the College Board at the request of its Committee of Examiners in Mathemat ics. Although the Commission's primary concern has been the mathematics prepa ration of college-bound students, it has nevertheless been influential in shaping the efforts of the many groups of math ematicians and educators to reinvigorate the teaching of mathematics throughout the schools. In 1959 the Commission published its Program for College Preparatory Math ematics, in which it recommended the following nine-point program for students who are capable of doing college-level work:
Steady Incompressible Laminar flow Separation on Bodies of Revolution and Other Three-dimensional Solid Configurations

This chapter discusses the steady incompressible laminar flow separation on bodies of revolution and other three-dimensional solid configurations. The problem of flow separation on axial symmetric bodies is closely correlated with that one on a two-dimensional body, but the flow separation on a three-dimensional body is general and difficult to solve. For particular cases, however, the solutions are known. The chapter presents several available analyses of the laminar separation. The prediction of laminar separation for the arbitrary three-dimensional flow is complex due to crossflow. The results of three-dimensional boundary layer show that the boundary layer becomes thin with acceleration but becomes thick with deceleration. The chapter highlights the laminar flow separation on a body of revolution and a delta wing that includes Maogler's transformation, Laminar separation on a yawed cylinder, Lammar separation on cone at angles of attack, and the separation of flow on a delta wing.
Building an Interdisciplinary Rural Coalition to Research and Improve Baby Brain Development

Background: Between conception and age three, a child’s brain undergoes an impressive amount of change. The brain doubles in size in its first year, and by three, it reaches 80% of its adult volume. Additionally, synapses are formed faster during these years than any others. Despite increasing knowledge of this critical time in development, no formal institution exists that routinely educates all children between 0-3. Therefore, the molding of a developing brain is dependent on the engagement and interactions of a parent or parents. Most parents, however, especially those in …
Tuberculosis: Advances in Diagnostics and Treatment

The World Health Organization’s “End TB Strategy” aims to achieve a 90% reduction in tuberculosis deaths and an 80% reduction in incidence by 2030; this calls for innovative approaches to counteract the high burden of disease through a two-prong strategy of early detection coupled with appropriate, timely treatment.