cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A proposed neuroendocrine model of the schizophrenias.

Abstract Although of recent origin, the Kallmann's Syndrome Variant (KSV) model of the nonparanoid (NP) schizophrenias has already provided several new insights into psychotogenic mechanisms. Some of the more unusual of these have been successfully tested. Further work, directed at clarifying certain aspects of the model, revealed a novel neuroendocrine system in the brain, which appears to provide some additional insights into the pathology of paranoid schizophrenia. Each of these four points will be briefly discussed in sequence.
Geochemical characterization of tarballs on beaches along the California coast. Part I— Shallow seepage impacting the Santa Barbara Channel Islands, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel

Tarballs are common along the southern California coastline. This study investigates tarballs from beaches along this coastline, with a focus on Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miquel Islands in the Santa Barbara Channel. The tarballs were fingerprinted using biomarker and stable carbon isotope parameters, and then grouped according to genetic similarities. The data show that the tarballs are of natural and not anthropogenic origin and that all originate from source rock within the Miocene Monterey Formation via shallow seeps offshore. Sterane biomarker parameters were found to vary widely in the sample set. Biodegradation, especially of the regular steranes, is the primary process impacting the biomarker distributions in a large group of samples. The most common tarball occurrences appear to come from offshore seepage near the west end of Santa Cruz Island. Another major group most likely was transported north from near Santa Monica Bay. Several individual occurrences of some of these tarball groups also were found on beaches as far north as Pt. Reyes and as far south as San Diego, indicating significant long-distance dispersal by ocean currents. This study begins a library of tarball fingerprints to be used as a database to help distinguish between natural and anthropogenic tar occurrences all along the California coast, and to compare shallow seepage with future samples of deeper production oils from the same area.
Personality Inventory for Children-Short Form: Useful for Educational Screening?

The Personality Inventory for Children (PIC) has been investigated for its validity in identifying children in school and clinical settings. The current study, an extension of an earlier study, used a sample of 95 children participating in public school programs for the nonhandicapped, the learning disabled, the mentally disabled, and the emotionally disabled to establish the best predictors of placement using the short form of the PIC. Additional analyses relating to the application of the nine scales identified as predictors of group assignment are reported.
Protein kinase C-ϵ modulates mitochondrial function and active Na+ transport after oxidant injury in renal cells

The aim of this study was to determine whether protein kinase C-ϵ (PKC-ϵ) is involved in the repair of mitochondrial function and/or active Na+ transport after oxidant injury in renal proximal tubu...
On a Class of Polynomials Connected with the Korteweg-De Vries Equation

A new and simpler construction of the family of rational solutions of the Korteweg-deVries equation is given. This construction is related to a factorization of the Sturm-Liouville operators into first order operators and a new deformation problem for the latter. In the final section the spectral representation for the corresponding complex potentials is discussed.
Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV-1: An International Perspective

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Compare the rates of vertical human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) transmission in industrialized and nonindustrialized countries. 2. Describe the antiretroviral regimens being investigated to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1. 3. List barriers to implementation of prevention programs in resource-poor countries. 4. Describe the impact of feeding choices on vertical transmission of HIV-1. Globally, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 pandemic continues to advance at an alarming rate. The latest estimates from the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS indicate that approximately 34.7 million people worldwide were infected with HIV-1 at the end of 2000 (Table 1⇓).1 More than 95% of the global total of HIV-infected individuals live in the developing world, predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa. The pediatric HIV-1 epidemic is driven by maternal HIV-1 infection, with the vast majority of infants acquiring infection from their mothers. Limited data from countries in sub-Saharan Africa show that HIV-1 seroprevalence rates among women of childbearing age have exceeded 25% in many urban populations.2 With an estimated 2.4 million infected women giving birth annually, 600,000 children worldwide acquired HIV-1 infection during 2000 alone, primarily through mother-to-child transmission. Current estimates suggest that more than 1,600 infants become infected with HIV-1 each day.1 View this table: Table 1. Global Disease Burden Associated with HIV-1 Infection (December 2000)1 Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 is a major public health challenge in many resource-poor countries. Important issues include limited access to antenatal care and HIV-1 testing and counseling services as well as postnatal HIV-1 transmission through breastfeeding. Poor funding, social and cultural norms, and lack of political power compound the dilemma further. This article examines current understanding of mother-to-child transmission of HIV-1 in resource-poor countries, with particular emphasis on transmission through human milk. In addition, results of recent antiretroviral and nonantiretroviral intervention trials …
Numerical Simulations in Cosmology II: Spatial and Velocity Biases

We give a summary of recent results on spatial and velocity biases in cosmological models. Progress in numerical techniques made it possible to simulate halos in large volumes with a such accuracy that halos survive in dense environments of groups and clusters of galaxies. Halos in simulations look like real galaxies, and, thus, can be used to study the biases -- differences between galaxies and the dark matter. The biases depend on scale, redshift, and circular velocities of selected halos. Two processes seem to define the evolution of the spatial bias: (1) statistical bias and (2) merger bias (merging of galaxies, which happens preferentially in groups, reduces the number of galaxies, but does not affect the clustering of the dark matter). There are two kinds of velocity bias. The pair-wise velocity bias is b_12=0.6-0.8 at r< 5Mpc/h, z=0. This bias mostly reflects the spatial bias and provides almost no information on the relative velocities of the galaxies and the dark matter. One-point velocity bias is a better measure of the velocities. Inside clusters the galaxies should move slightly faster (b_v =1.1-1.3) than the dark matter. Qualitatively this result can be understood using the Jeans equations of the stellar dynamics. For the standard LCDM model we find that the correlation function and the power spectrum of galaxy-size halos at z=0 are antibiased on scales r<5Mpc/h and k=(0.15-30)h/Mpc.
Human diarrhea infections associated with domestic animal husbandry: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Domestic animal husbandry, a common practice globally, can lead to zoonotic transmission of enteric pathogens. However, this risk has received little attention to date. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the evidence for an association between domestic exposure to food-producing animals and cases of human diarrhea and specific enteric infections. We performed a systematic review of available literature to examine domestic livestock and poultry as risk factors for diarrhea and applied pre-determined quality criteria. Where possible, we carried out meta-analysis of specific animal‐pathogen pairs. We found consistent evidence of a positive association between exposure to domestic food-producing animals and diarrheal illness across a range of animal exposures and enteric pathogens. Out of 29 studies included in the review, 20 (69.0%) reported a positive association between domestic animal exposure and diarrhea. Domestic exposure to poultry revealed a substantial association with human campylobacteriosis (OR 2.73, 95% CI 1.90‐3.93). Our results suggest that domestic poultry and livestock exposures are associated with diarrheal illness in humans. Failure to ascertain the microbial cause of disease may mask this effect. Exposure to domestic animals should be considered a risk factor for human diarrheal illness and additional studies may identify potential mitigation strategies to address this risk.
Experience with the Gianturco-Roehm Bird's Nest vena cava filter.

Abstract Mechanical interruption of the inferior vena cava protects patients with lower extremity deep venous thrombosis from pulmonary embolism. It is the procedure of choice for patients who either cannot be anticoagulated, or have had recurrent pulmonary embolism despite anticoagulation. Extensive experience with the Greenfield vena cava filter (Medi-tech Inc., Watertown, Massachusetts) has shown long-term caval patency rates of >95%, and rates of recurrent pulmonary embolism of 1 However, a malposition rate as high as 14%, 2,3 premature filter release, 4 perforation of the inferior vena cava and associated structures, 5 and femoral vein thrombosis at the site of insertion 6 remain potential problems. The Gianturco-Roehm Bird's Nest Filter (Cook Inc., Bloomington, Indiana), approved for clinical use by the Food and Drug Administration in 1989, was designed to overcome some of the disadvantages of the Greenfield filter. Designed for percutaneous introduction through the jugular, subclavian and femoral approaches, it consists of 2 rigid, V-shaped struts, between which are attached four 25-cm-long, 0.18-mm diameter stainless steel wires (Figure 1). Properly positioned, the fine wire mesh filter occupies a 6- to 7-cm length of inferior vena cava (Figure 2).
Multivariable terrain methods

A novel geometric terrain methodology was recently presented for finding all physically relevant solutions and singular points to chemical process simulation problems based on intelligently moving along special integral curves of the gradient vector field to guide both uphill and downhill movement. The terrain methodology is extended here to include multivariable problems and integral curve bifurcations. The integral curves of interest are those associated with valleys and ridges and characterized as a collection of extrema in the norm of the gradient over a set of level curves. It is shown that integral curves can undergo tangent, pitchfork, and other types of bifurcations and that terrain methods are clearly superior to differential arc homotopy-continuation methods on problems that exhibit parametric disconnectedness. Several examples, including a pair of CSTR problems, a retrograde flash calculation, and the task of finding all azeotropes for a heterogeneous ternary mixture, are used to show that terrain methods represent a reliable, efficient, and global way of solving multivariable process engineering simulation and optimization problems. Geometric illustrations are used whenever possible to clarify underlying ideas.
Constitutive activation of STAT5 supersedes the requirement for cytokine and TCR engagement of CD4+ T cells in steady-state homeostasis.

The transcription factor STAT5 is one of several signaling mediators activated via common γ-chain cytokine receptors. As such, it plays an important role in lymphocyte survival and proliferation during normal homeostasis as well as under lymphopenic conditions. Transgenic mice expressing a constitutively activated form of STAT5b have been shown previously to contain increased numbers of peripheral CD4+CD25− T cells. To define the mechanism(s) for this occurrence, we have used adoptive transfer studies to examine the effects of STAT5 activity on steady-state CD4+ T cell homeostasis. We observed that constitutive STAT5 signaling induced 4- to 7-fold increased levels of basal steady-state proliferation, which was accompanied by a comparable increase in T cell recovery. Most strikingly, steady-state CD4 T cell proliferation occurred independently of both MHC class II and IL-15. These observations demonstrate that the STAT5-driven pathway is important to lymphocyte homeostasis and can supersede the need for both TCR engagement and cytokine stimulation. This suggests that the need for TCR stimulation to induce common γ-chain cytokine receptor expression, and thus STAT5 activation, is a key factor in maintaining normal CD4+ T cell homeostasis.
The Conditional Effect of Term Limits on Electoral Activities

In this article, I examine how term limits affect the amount of time that legislators focus on constituency service and fundraising. I use data from the 2002 U.S. State Legislative Survey conducted by Carey, Niemi, Powell, and Moncrief to provide support for my hypotheses. The results from the data analysis suggest that in the presence of term limits, legislators with long-term career goals in politics spend less time on constituency service activities and more time on fundraising with their caucus. For legislators with short-term career goals in politics, there is very little evidence to suggest that term limits have an effect on how much time they spend on constituency service activities and fundraising activities. En este articulo, analizo como los limites de tiempo afectan el numero de ocasiones que los legisladores dedican al servicio de los miembros de su distrito y a la recoleccion de fondos para sus campanas. Utilizo datos de la Encuesta Legislativa de los estados le la Union Americana del 2002 conducida por Carey, Niemi, Powell, y Moncrief para proveer sustento a mi hipotesis. Los resultados del analisis de datos sugieren que en presencia de los limites de tiempo, los legisladores de carrera con metas politicas del largo plazo gastan menos tiempo en actividades de servicio a miembros de su distrito y mas tiempo en actividades de recoleccion de fondos de sus campanas. Para legisladores con metas politicas de corto plazo hay muy poca evidencia para sugerir que los limites de tiempo tengan algun efecto en cuanto tiempo destinen a actividades de servicio a los miembros de su distrito y a la obtencion de fondos para campanas. Related Articles Prier, Eric, and Kevin Wagner. 2009. “Running Unopposed: Assessing the Impact of Term Limits on Competition in Florida and Maine.” Politics & Policy 37 (1): 101-125. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2008.00163.x/abstract Day, Jonathan, and Keith Boeckelman. 2012. “The Impact of Legislative Term Limits on State Debt: Increased Spending, Flat Revenue.” Politics & Policy 40 (2): 320-338. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00347.x/abstract Penning, James M. 1996. “Planning Legislative Careers under Term Limits.” Southeastern Political Review 24 (2): 362-366. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.1996.tb00447.x/abstract Related Media The Quantitative Peace. 2014. “Mexico May Reform Term Limit Rules This Year.” January 2. http://www.quantitativepeace.com/blog/2014/01/mexico-is-considering-ending-term-limits.html NCSL. 2014. “Term Limits and State Legislatures.” http://www.ncsl.org/research/about-state-legislatures/term-limits.aspx
IDENTIFICATION OF PATIENTS AT INCREASED RISK FOR PROLONGED URINARY RETENTION FOLLOWING RADIOACTIVE SEED IMPLANTATION OF THE PROSTATE

AbstractPurpose: Urinary retention is a frequently reported complication following radioactive seed implantation of the prostate. If retention is refractory, a post-implant transurethral prostatic resection may ultimately be required to relieve obstruction, leading to an increased risk of urinary incontinence. In this series the incidence of prolonged urinary retention was determined, and the effect of pretreatment and treatment related factors was analyzed to identify high risk patients.Materials and Methods: A total of 251 patients with organ confined prostate carcinoma underwent transperineal prostate seed implantation. Of the patients 114 were implanted with103 palladium (103) Pd) and 137 with (125) iodine seeds. Of the patients who were implanted with103 Pd 90 received 3 months of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy. All patients had International Prostate Symptom Scores (I-PSS) recorded before implantation to assess the degree of urinary symptoms. In the patients receiving neoadjuvant hormones prostate vol...
Nitrogen accumulation and redistribution in soybean genotypes with variation in seed protein concentration

Breeding for high seed protein concentration in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] often results in lower yield, but the basis for this negative relationship is not well understood. To address this question, we evaluated the N acquisition characteristics of three high protein and three normal soybean genotypes in the field for 3 years. Plants were grown in 0.76 m rows following conventional cultural practices and water stress was minimized with sprinkler irrigation. We determined the mass and N concentration of leaves, petioles and stems at the beginning of seed filling (growth stage R5) and of stems at maturity. The N concentration of abscised leaves and petioles was also determined. There was significant variation among genotypes in total seed N (g m−2) at maturity (range from 14.7 to 24.4 g N m−2) as a result of variation in seed N concentration and yield. There was no evidence that the larger amounts of mature seed N were associated with a larger vegetative N reservoir at growth stage R5 as determined by vegetative mass at R5 or the concentration of N in vegetative tissues. Increasing seed N at maturity did not lower the N concentration in abscised leaves and petioles, or in the stems at maturity. The rate and timing of leaf senescence (loss of chlorophyll) was essentially the same for all genotypes. With no increase in the contribution from redistributed N, increases in N uptake or fixation during seed filling must have been responsible for the higher levels of seed N at maturity in high-protein genotypes. These data suggest that increasing total seed N at maturity by selecting for higher seed protein concentration or higher yield in soybean does not require, as some models suggest, a larger vegetative N reservoir at the beginning of seed filling or more rapid senescence.
An Introduction to Recursively Saturated and Resplendent Models

The notions of recursively saturated and resplendent models grew out of the study of admissible sets with urelements and admissible fragments of L ω1ω , but, when applied to ordinary first order model theory, give us new tools for research and exposition. We will discuss their history in §3. The notion of saturated model has proven to be important in model theory. Its most important property for applications is that if , are saturated and of the same cardinality then = iff ≅ . See, e.g., Chang-Keisler [3]. The main drawback is that saturated models exist only under unusual assumptions of set theory. For example, if 2 κ = κ + then every theory T of L has a saturated model of power κ + . (Similarly, if κ is strongly inaccessible, then every T has a saturated model of power κ.) On the other hand, a theory T like Peano arithmetic, with types, cannot have a saturated model in any power κ with ω ≤ κ ≤ . One method for circumventing these problems of existence (or rather non-existence) is the use of “special” models (cf. [3]). If κ = Σ λ 2 λ , κ T of L has a special model of power κ. Such cardinals are large and, themselves, rather special. There are definite aesthetic objections to the use of these large, singular models to prove results about first order logic.
Costs of liver transplantation: Primum non obfuscare

The costs and benefits of liver transplantation in adult patients at the University of Pittsburgh were reviewed for the period from 1981 through 1984. Indirect costs such as those to support the surgical and hepatology programs, the operating rooms and the clinical pathology department were ignored, and only those costs generated by the liver transplant program were considered in this analysis. Benefits to the patients are survival itself. Over 8.5% of those who leave the hospital return to full-time employment or other useful activity, including normal, albeit complicated, pregnancies. Most deaths occur during the first 3 months, after which there is a slow decline during the first year. Costs to the patient and/or the third party payers are enormous, and include evaluation as a transplant candidate, procurement of the donor liver, the transplantation itself and lifelong medical-surgical follow-up and immunosuppression plus the management of the undesirable consequences of the whole procedure. Laboratory tests alone average over $52,000 per patient. The consumption of blood and blood products is great and averages 30 units per patient. Duration of hospital admissions averaged about 55 days per patient, of which about 10 were in intensive care units. Total dollar costs were not calculated, however. The benefits to medicine are considerable in the acquisition of new knowledge and skills applicable to other disorders and other patients. The authors conclude that with further experience, the costs will decrease and the benefits will increase.
Does Size Really Matter

If the size of firms is measured correctly, small firms do not necessarily earn higher returns than larger firms. Yet, this finding is not inconsistent with the empirical fact that firms with small market values earn higher returns. Modern financial theory predicts that when firm size is economically unrelated to return, the relation between firm market value and return will be negative; that is, firms with small market values will have higher expected returns than other firms.
Disneys Virtual Queues: A Strategic Opportunity To Co-Brand Services?

Almost all service experiences require customers to wait in a queue at some point during the service encounter. Although waiting is a natural part of many services, for most customers, waiting is an annoyance. One of the most recent and innovative ways of making the wait invisible is through the application of virtual queues. Disney is a leader in this queuing advancement which allows customers to participate in other activities while they wait for an appointed time at their desired activity. In the past, queuing systems were modeled and studied as a means to minimize the negative aspects of service waits. However, in today’s service environment, technology has provided businesses with the ability to create captured audiences through virtual queues. In fact, a powerful opportunity now exists for service firms to strategically co-brand products. In our work, we first explore queuing in the services industry. We then investigate Disney’s queuing advancement – FASTPASSTM. Strategies for co-branding services are discussed as opportunities to increase sales volumes and profit margins.
Activation of G-protein-coupled receptors: A common molecular mechanism

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large family of proteins that contain a seven transmembrane helical structural motif. They mediate responses to several ligands by binding and activating intracellular heterotrimeric G proteins. Since the cloning of the first GPCR, insights gained from structure-function studies, genetics and drug development have contributed to uncovering a common mechanism that explains the activation of diverse GPCRs by their cognate agonists. This mechanism takes into consideration the conservation of the structure-function relationship in the basic seven transmembrane structural motif, and the dynamic changes in receptor conformation that are associated with activation. Combining models derived from the X-ray structure of rhodopsin with structure-function data allows a deeper understanding of the activation mechanism of GPCRs.
A Multiscale, Cell-Based Framework for Modeling Cancer Development

We use a systems approach to develop a predictive model that medical researchers can use to study and treat cancerous tumors. Our multiscale, cell-based model includes intracellular regulations, cellular level dynamics and intercellular interactions, and extracellular chemical dynamics. The intracellular level protein regulations and signaling pathways are described by Boolean networks. The cellular level growth and division dynamics, cellular adhesion, and interaction with the extracellular matrix are described by a lattice Monte Carlo model. The extracellular dynamics of the chemicals follow a system of reaction-diffusion equations. All three levels of the model are integrated into a high-performance simulation tool. Our simulation results reproduce experimental data in both avascular tumors and tumor angiogenesis. This model will enable medical researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular interactions associated with cancer progression and treatment.
Assessment of metrics for resilient design of water distribution networks

Water distribution networks (WDNs) play a crucial role in the well-being of human populations and economic prosperity. It is essential that they cope with abnormal operating conditions and recover functionality quickly. Traditionally, WDNs are designed using cost and reliability objectives, but there is a lack of consensus on the definition and quantification of reliability which typically is a computationally intense process. Subsequently, various reliability-like metrics, called resilience indices, have been developed and demonstrated in the design of WDNs. Few studies exist that thoroughly evaluate the performance of the previously developed resilience metrics. This paper investigates three resilience metrics by evaluating their performance on three benchmark WDNs for several simulated mechanical failure states. The metrics studied are: (a) resilience index, (b) network resilience index (NRI), and (c) modified resilience index (MRI). The metric MRI performed better overall but NRI produced cheaper designs that performed better in the case of WDN-I. It is recommended that a better metric that incorporates different dimensions of resilience, such as robustness and redundancy, should be developed in the future.
Applications of CoSi2 to VLSI and ULSI

Silicides have found application as high conductivity, high temperature, and corrosion resistance materials that form good electrical contacts to silicon and good low resistivity cladding on polysilicon films used as gate metal. Of various silicides investigated in past CoSi2 offers several advantages including lowest resistivity, self-aligned formation, low lattice mismatch with silicon, stability in presence of dopants and on SiO2, Si3N4, or Sioxynitrides, and reliability to process temperatures ≤900°C even when used in thicknesses as thin as 50-60 nm. Thus, CoSi2 has found an application in VLSI and ULSI. In this paper, the properties, formation and processing, reliability, and applicability of CoSi2 will be reviewed. It will be shown that CoSi2 is only silicide that offers properties and reliability for continued use in sub-0.25 pm VLSI and ULSI integrated circuits.
Issues in the Development of a Local Cord Blood Bank

ABSTRACT An increasing number of transplants are being performed using stem cells harvested in placental and umbilical cord blood. Thus, interest in developing local cord blood banks is also increasing. This report discusses the issues and challenges that one may face in the development of a local cord blood bank.
From Healing to Hope: The Continuing Influence of the Chilean Arpilleras

Since the 1970s, instances of widespread societal terror and extermination have proliferated. The source of such conflicts may involve entities outside of a country but, often, the parties involved in the conflict are states and their citizens. These types of social injustices and human rights atrocities tear apart the very fabric of a society, often resulting from internal wars which pit people who previously lived side-by-side against one another. A constant in these conflicts is the silencing of communication on many levels which creates an opening for multiple forms of art to function as communicative media, visual testimony, and human rights violations documentation. This paper studies the processes though which oppressed people are able to create and export visual testimonial art and the conditions that may increase the likelihood of success. The 40-year history of Chilean arpilleras, commonly referred to as political quilts, is used as a case study to identify five phases of the arpilleras which directly correlate to the creators’ lived experience: trauma, survival, healing and recovering, and remembering. The role of oppressors (the Chilean military) and supporters (those who created protected spaces and facilitated movement of the arpilleras) is analyzed in two ways: through their familiar form, which gave the impression that the arpilleras were a safe women’s craft; and through their distinctive features, which created openings for the arpilleras to communicate in an international court of public opinion what the oppressors sought to silence. The fifth phase of the arpilleras, continuing circulation, provides an opportunity to examine how the arpilleras are used as models for subversive communication and in healing and reconciliation efforts. This close examination of the Chilean arpilleras as visual testimony and communicative art illustrates their contributions to social justice and peace.
Trends in Automatic Individual Tree Crown Detection and Delineation—Evolution of LiDAR Data

Automated individual tree crown detection and delineation (ITCD) using remotely sensed data plays an increasingly significant role in efficiently, accurately, and completely monitoring forests. This paper reviews trends in ITCD research from 1990–2015 from several perspectives—data/forest type, method applied, accuracy assessment and research objective—with a focus on studies using LiDAR data. This review shows that active sources are becoming more prominent in ITCD studies. Studies using active data—LiDAR in particular—accounted for 80% of the total increase over the entire time period, those using passive data or fusion of passive and active data comprised relatively small proportions of the total increase (8% and 12%, respectively). Additionally, ITCD research has moved from incremental adaptations of algorithms developed for passive data sources to innovative approaches that take advantage of the novel characteristics of active datasets like LiDAR. These improvements make it possible to explore more complex forest conditions (e.g., closed hardwood forests, suburban/urban forests) rather than a single forest type although most published ITCD studies still focused on closed softwood (41%) or mixed forest (22%). Approximately one-third of studies applied individual tree level (30%) assessment, with only a quarter reporting more comprehensive multi-level assessment (23%). Almost one-third of studies (32%) that concentrated on forest parameter estimation based on ITCD results had no ITCD-specific evaluation. Comparison of methods continues to be complicated by both choice of reference data and assessment metric; it is imperative to establish a standardized two-level assessment framework to evaluate and compare ITCD algorithms in order to provide specific recommendations about suitable applications of particular algorithms. However, the evolution of active remotely sensed data and novel platforms implies that automated ITCD will continue to be a promising technology and an attractive research topic for both the forestry and remote sensing communities.
Seasonal Influenza Infections and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality.

Importance Cardiovascular deaths and influenza epidemics peak during winter in temperate regions. Objectives To quantify the temporal association between population increases in seasonal influenza infections and mortality due to cardiovascular causes and to test if influenza incidence indicators are predictive of cardiovascular mortality during the influenza season. Design, Setting, and Participants Time-series analysis of vital statistics records and emergency department visits in New York City, among cardiovascular deaths that occurred during influenza seasons between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2012. The 2009 novel influenza A(H1N1) pandemic period was excluded from temporal analyses. Exposures Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness, grouped by age (≥0 years and ≥65 years) and scaled by laboratory surveillance data for viral types and subtypes, in the previous 28 days. Main Outcomes and Measures Mortality due to cardiovascular disease, ischemic heart disease, and myocardial infarction. Results Among adults 65 years and older, who accounted for 83.0% (73 363 deaths) of nonpandemic cardiovascular mortality during influenza seasons, seasonal average influenza incidence was correlated year to year with excess cardiovascular mortality (Pearson correlation coefficients ≥0.75, P ≤ .05 for 4 different influenza indicators). In daily time-series analyses using 4 different influenza metrics, interquartile range increases in influenza incidence during the previous 21 days were associated with an increase between 2.3% (95% CI, 0.7%-3.9%) and 6.3% (95% CI, 3.7%-8.9%) for cardiovascular disease mortality and between 2.4% (95% CI, 1.1%-3.6%) and 6.9% (95% CI, 4.0%-9.9%) for ischemic heart disease mortality among adults 65 years and older. The associations were most acute and strongest for myocardial infarction mortality, with each interquartile range increase in influenza incidence during the previous 14 days associated with mortality increases between 5.8% (95% CI, 2.5%-9.1%) and 13.1% (95% CI, 5.3%-20.9%). Out-of-sample prediction of cardiovascular mortality among adults 65 years and older during the 2009-2010 influenza season yielded average estimates with 94.0% accuracy using 4 different influenza metrics. Conclusions and Relevance Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness were associated with and predictive of cardiovascular disease mortality. Retrospective estimation of influenza-attributable cardiovascular mortality burden combined with accurate and reliable influenza forecasts could predict the timing and burden of seasonal increases in cardiovascular mortality.
Antibiotic resistance of 393 strains of pseudomonas aeuriginosa isolated from children

Objective To investigate the distribution and antibiotic resistance of pseudomonas aeuriginosa isolated from different clinical samples. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the distribution of strains isolated from samples between January and December 2010 and resistance to 16 antibiotics. Results A total of 393 strains were isolated,mainly from sputum,throat swabs and blood,from the Department of Cardiology,Department of General Emergency,Neonatal Wards,Infection Wards and the Intensive Care Unit.The sensitivity to ampicillin,cephazoline,ampicillin-sulbactam,and ampicillin was lower than 10%,while the antibiotic resistance to ampicillin,piperacillin-tazobactam,aztreonam,ciprofloxacin,levofloxacin,and meropenem was lower than 10%. Conclusion Pseudomonas aeuriginosa is one of the most important causative bacteria of nosocomial infections,and presents a strong drug resistance.We should pay much attention to supervising the epidemics of infection wards and degermation,and rational antibiotic use.
Uterine myometrium as a cell patch as an alternative graft for transplantation to infarcted cardiac myocardium: a preliminary study.

Purpose: Currently, only a small fraction of patients are able to receive reperfusion therapy for myocardial infarctions. We hypothesize that myometrial cell patch transplantation could be an alternative approach for the treatment of myocardial infarction. Design: We performed a preliminary study to determine the feasibility of this novel therapeutic approach in a rabbit model. Procedures: Six adult female New Zealand rabbits were used. Myocardial infarction was induced by left anterior descending artery ligation. A segment of uterus was removed via a laparotomy incision, and this uterine segment was transplanted as an autologous graft over the infarcted myocardium, which was then reinforced by greater omentum. Statistical methods and outcome measures: Hemodynamic measurements and histological studies. Main findings: All uterine myometrial patches survived in the test animals. Fluoroscopic hemodynamic measurements were made for ejection fractions at 8 weeks after the application of the uterine patch. Histological study demonstrated well-healed myometrial-myocardium junctions with minimum scar tissue. Angiogenesis occurred in the transplanted myometrium. Connexin 43 expression was demonstrated in the transplanted patches. Conclusion: Our noncontrolled preliminary rabbit experiments indicate that patches of uterine myometrium reinforced by greater omentum can be used as autologous transplant therapy for infracted myocardium. This is an innovative technique that could lead to future treatment for individuals who may suffer from an infarcted myocardium and may not be eligible for traditional reperfusion therapy.
Abstract 1342: A new approach to cancer therapy based on dynamic anchor-mediated activation of tumor-specific T cells

Although it has been shown that T cells can play a key role in the control of tumor progression, tumor-specific T cells almost universally suffer from a poor capacity to recognize tumor antigen due to intricate mechanisms of central and peripheral immune tolerance. It has become clear that in order for immune-based cancer therapy to be successful, the major obstacle of immune tolerance to tumor self-antigen must be overcome. Here we report a strategy to accomplish this by engineering molecular events at the interface between antigen peptide-MHC (pMHC) and TCR. In particular, our approach is based on fusion of pMHC to the protein annexin V (ANXA5), which behaves as a ‘dynamic anchor’. The dynamic anchor, in a synchronized and synergistic manner, couples the early onset of TCR signaling by cognate pMHC with a boost in pMHC-TCR affinity, with serial pMHC binding, and with extensive TCR crosslinking. In our system, the dynamic anchor is linked to pMHC and strongly attaches to the plasma membrane of cognate T cells upon (and only upon) the early onset of TCR signaling. This anchor in turn exerts a mechanical force that stabilizes interactions at the pMHC-TCR interface. Furthermore, once the dynamic anchor attaches to these T cells, it facilitates repeated, serial pMHC binding and quickly arranges into uniform 2D matrices, thereby prompting TCR crosslinking. We found that fusion of ANXA5 to pMHC augments activation of cognate T cells by several orders of magnitude (>1,000-fold), bypasses the need for costimulation, and breaks tolerance against a model self-antigen in vivo. Our study opens the door to a new class of vaccination that can raise a robust immune response against low affinity tumor self-antigen. Citation Format: Chih-Ping Mao, Chien-Fu Hung, TC Wu. A new approach to cancer therapy based on dynamic anchor-mediated activation of tumor-specific T cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1342. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1342
The Process of Managing Family Financial Pressures Upon Community Reentry Among Survivors of Sex Trafficking in the Philippines: A Grounded Theory Study

Trafficking survivors commonly face substantial economic challenges upon community reentry, including pressure to provide financially for their families. However, no studies have addressed the proc...
A Preliminary Algorithm Using Spine Measurement Software to Predict Sagittal Alignment Following Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy.

Study Design:Retrospective case series.Objective:To evaluate if spine measurement software can simulate sagittal alignment following pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO).Methods:We retrospectively r...
Radiomics-based Assessment of Radiation-induced Lung Injury After Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy.

Abstract Background Over 50% of patients who receive stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) develop radiographic evidence of radiation-induced lung injury. Radiomics is an emerging approach that extracts quantitative features from image data, which may provide greater value and a better understanding of pulmonary toxicity than conventional approaches. We aimed to investigate the potential of computed tomography-based radiomics in characterizing post-SBRT lung injury. Methods A total of 48 diagnostic thoracic computed tomography scans (acquired prior to SBRT and at 3, 6, and 9 months post-SBRT) from 14 patients were analyzed. Nine radiomic features (ie, 7 gray level co-occurrence matrix [GLCM] texture features and 2 first-order features) were investigated. The ability of radiomic features to distinguish radiation oncologist-defined moderate/severe lung injury from none/mild lung injury was assessed using logistic regression and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Moreover, dose-response curves (DRCs) for radiomic feature changes were determined as a function of time to investigate whether there was a significant dose-response relationship. Results The GLCM features (logistic regression P -value range, 0.012-0.262; AUC range, 0.643-0.750) outperformed the first-order features ( P -value range, 0.100-0.990; AUC range, 0.543-0.661) in distinguishing lung injury severity levels. Eight of 9 radiomic features demonstrated a significant dose-response relationship at 3, 6, and 9 months post-SBRT. Although not statistically significant, the GLCM features showed clear separations between the 3- or 6-month DRC and the 9-month DRC. Conclusion Radiomic features significantly correlated with radiation oncologist-scored post-SBRT lung injury and showed a significant dose-response relationship, suggesting the potential for radiomics to provide a quantitative, objective measurement of post-SBRT lung injury.
MiR-34a modulates ionizing radiation-induced senescence in lung cancer cells.

// Xiaoyuan He 1, * , Aimin Yang 1, * , Daniel G. McDonald 2 , Ellen C. Riemer 1 , Kenneth N. Vanek 2 , Bradley A. Schulte 1 and Gavin Y. Wang 1, 3 1 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA 2 Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA 3 Cancer Genes and Molecular Regulation Program of Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Gavin Y. Wang, email: wangy@musc.edu Keywords: microRNA-34a (miR-34a), ionizing radiation, non-small cell lung cancer, cellular senescence, c-Myc Received: February 28, 2017 Accepted: June 09, 2017 Published: July 15, 2017 ABSTRACT MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a new class of gene expression regulators that have been implicated in tumorigenesis and modulation of the responses to cancer treatment including that of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the role of miR-34a in ionizing radiation (IR)-induced senescence in NSCLC cells remains poorly understood. Here we report that IR-induced premature senescence correlates with upregulation of miR-34a expression in NSCLC cells. Ectopic overexpression of miR-34a by transfection with synthetic miR-34a mimics markedly enhances IR-induced senescence, whereas inhibition of miR-34a by transfection with a synthetic miR-34a inhibitor attenuates IR-induced senescence. Clonogenic assays reveal that treatment with miR-34a mimics augments IR-induced cell killing in human NSCLC cells. Mechanistically, we found that the senescence-promoting effect of miR-34a is associated with a dramatic down-regulation of c-Myc (Myc) expression, suggesting that miR-34a may promote IR-induced senescence via targeting Myc. In agreement with this suggestion, knockdown of Myc expression by RNAi recapitulates the senescence-promoting effect of miR-34a and enhances IR-induced cell killing in NSCLC cells. Collectively, these results demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for miR-34a in modulating IR-induced senescence in human NSCLC cells and suggest that pharmacological intervention of miR-34a expression may represent a new therapeutic strategy for improving the efficacy of lung cancer radiotherapy.
Identifying Candidates for Advanced Hemodynamic Support After Cardiac Arrest

Article, see p 273 Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has a high incidence with ≈400 000 cases in the United States each year.1 Between 20% and 40% of these patients achieve return of spontaneous circulation resulting in hospital admission.2,3 Although return of spontaneous circulation is strongly associated with survival, only 25% to 40% of admitted patients survive to hospital discharge. The most common cause of death for patients admitted after cardiac arrest is neurological injury. However, shock accounts for most deaths within the first 3 days.4 Given these competing risks, the selection of candidates for advanced hemodynamic therapies should consider both neurological and hemodynamic prognosis. Although the timing of coronary angiography following cardiac arrest without signs of ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction remains controversial, there has been a dramatic rise in the use of mechanical circulatory support that can be deployed quickly and safely in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to support patients experiencing cardiac arrest. These devices include extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Impella, and Tandem Heart. Multiple small observational studies have demonstrated that post–cardiac arrest shock can be effectively treated with these devices.5,6 However, the logistical and financial burdens of these advanced therapies, the risk of complications to the patient, and the absence of definitive randomized trials have led some clinicians to a nihilistic resistance to the use of these support technologies in patients after cardiac arrest. Wider adoption of hemodynamic support technologies will require accurate identification of neurologically viable patients likely to develop shock such that they would benefit from advanced hemodynamic support. To date, no such identification system exists. In this issue of Circulation , Bascom et al7 describe the development and validation of a simple scoring system for the prediction of refractory hemodynamic compromise …
Fission fragment yields and total kinetic energy release in neutron-induced fission of235,238U,and239Pu

Different aspects of the nuclear fission process have been studied at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) using various instruments and experimental techniques. Properties of the fragments emitted in fission have been investigated using Frisch-grid ionization chambers, a Time Projection Chamber (TPC), and the SPIDER instrument which employs the 2v-2E method. These instruments and experimental techniques have been used to determine fission product mass yields, the energy dependent total kinetic energy (TKE) release, and anisotropy in neutron-induced fission of U-235, U-238 and Pu-239.
The value of advanced energy technologies in stabilizing atmospheric CO2

In the wake of the Berlin Mandate (COP, 1995), there has been considerable interest in emissions trajectories that would stabilize the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases, the objective of the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC; United Nations, 1992). In light of its long lifetime in the atmosphere, and complex mechanisms which govern its concentration (IPCC, 1990, 1992, 1995), carbon dioxide (CO2) is of particular interest.