cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brighten up: Smiles facilitate perceptual judgment of facial lightness

Abstract The metaphoric expression ‘bright smile’ may reflect the actual judgment of facial lightness under varying emotional expressions. The present research examined whether people in fact judge smiling faces as perceptually brighter than frowning faces. Four studies demonstrated that participants believed smiling faces were brighter compared to frowning faces in a binary choice task and in an absolute judgment task. The results suggest that emotional expressions (i.e., smiles and frowns) can bias judgments of facial brightness in ways consistent with the metaphor. Among other implications, such results suggest that stereotypes about darker-skinned individuals may be attenuated by smiles.
Benthic Nitrogen Fixation in an Eutrophic Estuary Affected by Groundwater Discharge

Abstract RAO, A.M.F. and CHARETTE, M.A., 2012. Benthic nitrogen fixation in an eutrophic estuary affected by groundwater discharge. Anthropogenic nutrient loading of coastal aquifers has resulted in the discharge of nutrient-enriched groundwater to the coastal zone, with sweeping repercussions on aquatic community structure and ecosystem function. Groundwater-derived nutrient loading is known to initiate coastal eutrophication, hypoxia, and harmful algal blooms. However, most land-derived inputs of nitrogen to the coastal ocean are thought to be removed in heterotrophic estuarine and coastal sediments, which have traditionally been considered net fixed nitrogen sinks, reducing nutrient export to the oceans. Here, we provide evidence of net N2 fixation in heterotrophic estuarine sands affected by submarine groundwater discharge based on N2 ∶ Ar measurements in benthic flux chamber incubations. Below the surface sediments, we observed efficient removal of fixed N. Together, these results suggest that net N2...
Rate Limiting Step Precedes C−C Bond Formation in the Archetypical Proline-Catalyzed Intramolecular Aldol Reaction

The archetypical proline-catalyzed intramolecular aldol reaction, the Hajos-Parrish-Eder-Sauer-Wiechert reaction, has served as a model reaction for the mechanistic study of the ever-growing class of proline-catalyzed conversions. Experimental measurements of the 13C kinetic isotope effects for this reaction show conclusively that carbon−carbon bond formation is not rate-limiting.
Nosocomial Infections in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. List the primary pathogens involved in late-onset infections. 2. List the major risk factors for nosocomial sepsis. 3. Describe practices that can reduce the risk of nosocomial infections. Improvements in antenatal management and neonatal intensive care over the past 10 to 15 years have changed the prognosis for preterm infants. More than 85% of infants born at 25 weeks’ gestation now survive their preterm birth. This has resulted in a dramatic change in the populations of infants occupying neonatal intensive care beds. The average length of stay for a term or near-term infant who has surgical or respiratory problems is about 15 days; the length of stay for preterm infants born at 26 weeks’ gestation is more than 2 months. The duration of hospitalization is inversely related to gestational age. The population of extremely low-birthweight (ELBW) infants who remain hospitalized for extended periods of time (and who undergo numerous invasive procedures) is most susceptible to nosocomial infections. Nosocomial infections are defined as those that occur beyond 48 hours after birth and are caused by pathogens that are not maternally derived. Such infections are 100 times more common than early-onset bacterial infections, which are caused by pathogens acquired in utero or perinatally. Recent data from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development-sponsored “Neonatal Network” indicated that 29% of infants born at 25 to 28 weeks’ gestation and 46% of infants born at less than 25 weeks’ gestation experience a serious nosocomial infection during hospitalization in the NICU. The morbidity and mortality from nosocomial infections is enormous. In the United States, more than 2,000,000 nosocomial infections (in infants and adults) occur each year, and 50% to 60% are caused by resistant organisms. It has been estimated that 9,600 to 20,000 patients die each …
Mandibular Function and Biomechanical Stress and Scaling

Patterns of stress were analyzed in the mandibular symphysis of Macaca fascicularis using rosette strain gages. During jaw opening, the mandibular symphysis is bent due to medial transverse bending of the mandibular corpora. Levels of stress and strain are relatively low at this time, and the source of this stress is the medially-directed component of force from the lateral pterygoid muscles. During the power stroke of mastication, the symphysis is maximally stressed. At this time the symphysis experiences dorsoventral shear and bending due to lateral transverse bending of the mandibular corpora, i.e., “wishboning.” The dorsoventral shear is due to the vertical component of the balancingside adductor muscle force; the “wishboning” is due to the laterally-directed components of the bite and jaw adductor muscle forces. Unlike dorsoventral shear, “wishboning” results in considerable levels of stress and strain, particularly along the most lingual aspect of the symphysis. The most effective way to counter this stress is to increase the thickness of the symphysis in the labio-lingual direction. The stress analysis and an allometric analysis of mandibular dimensions in female cercopithecine (Old World) monkeys indicates that allometric changes in the symphysis are readily understood if the mandible is modelled as a curved beam. With increasing body size, symphyseal thickness in cercopithecines must increase in a positively allometric fashion so as to prevent the occurrence of dangerously high levels of stress along the most lingual aspect of the symphysis. This is because increasing body size is associated with three factors thathave important consequences within the context of the biomechanics of curved beams: (1) jaw length is positively allometric to body size, (2) mandibular-arch width is negatively allometric to body size, and (3) there is a tendency to use relatively greater amounts of balancing-side jaw muscle force with increased body size because of dietary changes and allometricconstraints on total jaw muscle force.
Panama Canal expansion: fuel economy and logistical risk

Since cargo capacity increases faster than fuel consumption, the significantly larger capacity fleets which will accompany expansion of the Panama Canal will introduce additional fuel economies and cost savings. Enabling larger, more fuel-efficient vessels to carry cargo the entire distance from Asia to US east-coast ports allows vessel operators to realize significant and meaningful savings compared with the alternatives of using smaller Panamax vessels for the whole distance, or sending the cargo over the US land bridge by train or truck. Fuel savings are quantified along with the monetary savings based on various assumptions for the price of fuel. These savings are dramatic and will increase directly with the price of crude petroleum. Finally, microeconomic theory is deployed to determine how cost savings will be distributed between shipping customers and vessel operators.
Treatment of Adolescent Obesity Comparing Self-Guided and Group Lifestyle Modification Programs: A Potential Model for Primary Care

Lifestyle modification programs (LMP) for weight loss in adolescents with obesity are effective but not available. Primary care may be a setting for reaching more adolescents. Two models of LMP for use in primary care were examined. Adolescents and caregivers enrolled in a 1-year randomized trial comparing Group LMP with Self-Guided LMP. All participants (N = 169) received the same treatment recommendations and met with a health coach six times in clinic. Group LMP participants had an additional 17 group sessions; those in Self-Guided LMP followed the remainder of the program at home with parental support. The primary outcome was percentage change in initial body mass index. The mean (SE) 1.31% (0.95%) reduction in Group LMP did not differ significantly from the 1.17% (0.99%) decrease in the Self-Guided LMP (p = 0.92). Both treatments were significantly effective in reducing body mass index. Given its brevity, the Self-Guided LMP offers an innovative approach for primary care.
Deliberative processes and attitudes toward sex offenders in Spain

Public opinion has been studied as an important influence in criminal policy and legislation. Different ways of measuring public preferences have been proposed. The aim of this study is to compare attitudes toward sex offenders when assessed through surveys and deliberative polls. An experimental design was used, with treatment and control groups and multiple observations. The results of the multivariate analyses show that the attitudes measured through deliberative polls are less punitive and more stable over time. The implications of this study for future research and the potential of deliberative polling in informing criminal policy are discussed.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) Biogenesis: Visualization and Duel Incorporation of BrdU and EdU Into Newly Synthesized mtDNA In Vitro

Mitochondria are key regulators of cellular energy and are the focus of a large number of studies examining the regulation of mitochondrial dynamics and biogenesis in healthy and diseased conditions. One approach to monitoring mitochondrial biogenesis is to measure the rate of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) replication. We developed a sensitive technique to visualize newly synthesized mtDNA in individual cells to study mtDNA replication within subcellular compartments of neurons. The technique combines the incorporation of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) and/or 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) into mtDNA, together with a tyramide signal amplification protocol. Employing this technique, we visualized and measured mtDNA biogenesis in individual cells. The labeling procedure for EdU allows for more comprehensive results by allowing the comparison of its incorporation with other intracellular markers, because it does not require the harsh acid or enzyme digests necessary to recover the BrdU epitope. In addition, the utilization of both BrdU and EdU permits sequential pulse-chase experiments to follow the intracellular localization of mtDNA replication. The ability to quantify mitochondrial biogenesis provides an essential tool for investigating the alterations in mitochondrial dynamics involved in the pathogenesis of multiple cellular disorders, including neuropathies and neurodegenerative diseases.
Patent Trolls and Technology Diffusion: The Case of Medical Imaging

Patent-assertion entities, sometimes known as `patent trolls,' do not manufacture goods themselves but profit from licensing agreements that they often enforce via the threat of litigation. This paper explores empirically how litigation by a patent troll affected the sales of medical imaging technology. It finds evidence that relative to similar products, made by the same firm, but not covered by the patent, imaging software sales declined by one-third. This was not due to a suppression in underlying demand by hospitals but instead is linked to a lack of incremental product innovation during the period of litigation.
Identification of Missing Anthropogenic Emission Sources in Russia: Implication for Modeling Arctic Haze

Any comprehensive simulation of air pollution in the Arctic requires an accurate emission inventory. Using a community global emission inventory EDGAR v4.2 (Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research), GEOS-Chem modeling underestimated aerosol optical depth by 150-300% when compared to ground-based sites in Russia. Emissions from power plants, gas flaring, and mining were found significantly underestimated or even missing in EDGAR's Russian emission inventory. Approximately 70% of Russian provinces had lower NO_x and PM_(10) emission from power plants in EDGAR as compared to a Russian federal emission inventory. Emissions from gas flaring dominated in Russia's main oil and gas producing regions. However, it is completely missing in EDGAR. In addition, EDGAR underestimated Russia's mining emissions in most of its remote areas. Overall, we find EDGAR underestimated Russia's emissions especially at high latitudes and this could overlook the impact of Russian emissions on the Arctic if EDGAR is used as input for models.
Creating a Culture of Good Writing: A Cumulative Model for Teaching Writing in the Sociology Major

Following American Sociological Association’s recommendations for a cumulative curriculum in sociology, sociology faculty at Pacific Lutheran University created cumulative writing competencies to i...
The Nuclear-Cytoplasmic Shuttling of Virion Host Shutoff RNase Is Enabled by pUL47 and an Embedded Nuclear Export Signal and Defines the Sites of Degradation of AU-Rich and Stable Cellular mRNAs

The herpes simplex virus host shutoff RNase (VHS-RNase) is the major early block of host responses to infection. VHS-RNase is introduced into cells during infection and selectively degrades stable mRNAs made before infection and the normally short-lived AU-rich stress response mRNAs induced by sensors of innate immunity. Through its interactions with pUL47, another tegument protein, it spares from degradation viral mRNAs. Analyses of embedded motifs revealed that VHS-RNase contains a nuclear export signal (NES) but not a nuclear localization signal. To reconcile the potential nuclear localization with earlier studies showing that VHS-RNase degrades mRNAs in polyribosomes, we constructed a mutant in which NES was ablated. Comparison of the mutant and wild-type VHS-RNases revealed the following. (i) On infection, VHS-RNase is transported to the nucleus, but only the wild-type protein shuttles between the nucleus and cytoplasm. (ii) Both VHS-RNases localized in the cytoplasm following transfection. On cotransfection with pUL47, a fraction of VHS-RNase was translocated to the nucleus, suggesting that pUL47 may enable nuclear localization of VHS-RNase. (iii) In infected cells, VHS-RNase lacking NES degraded the short-lived AU-rich mRNAs but not the stable mRNAs. In transfected cells, both wild-type and NES mutant VHS-RNases effectively degraded cellular mRNAs. Our results suggest that the stable mRNAs are degraded in the cytoplasm, whereas the AU-rich mRNAs may be degraded in both cellular compartments. The selective sparing of viral mRNAs may take place during the nuclear phase in the course of interaction of pUL47, VHS-RNase, and nascent viral mRNAs.
MONOPOLY, POTENTIAL COMPETITION AND PRIVATE STOCK INFORMATION IN EXHAUSTIBLE RESOURCE MARKETS

ABSTRACT. This paper develops an exhaustible resource model with an incumbent monopolist that faces future potential entry of a single rival or backstop technology. The model is characterized by private stock information in the sense that firms do not know with certainty the size and/or quality of their rival's reserve stock. Results indicate that if such information is private, the strategic response of the monopolist to an entry threat is to extract reserves in the pre-entry era at a rate faster than would a pure monopolist in an uncontested market, and thus could lead to an improvement in economic welfare relative to the situation where entry is restricted.
Using Visual and Narrative Methods to Achieve Fair Process in Clinical Care

The Institute of Medicine has targeted patient-centeredness as an important area of quality improvement. A major dimension of patient-centeredness is respect for patient's values, preferences, and expressed needs. Yet specific approaches to gaining this understanding and translating it to quality care in the clinical setting are lacking. From a patient perspective quality is not a simple concept but is best understood in terms of five dimensions: technical outcomes; decision-making efficiency; amenities and convenience; information and emotional support; and overall patient satisfaction. Failure to consider quality from this five-pronged perspective results in a focus on medical outcomes, without considering the processes central to quality from the patient's perspective and vital to achieving good outcomes. In this paper, we argue for applying the concept of fair process in clinical settings. Fair process involves using a collaborative approach to exploring diagnostic issues and treatments with patients, explaining the rationale for decisions, setting expectations about roles and responsibilities, and implementing a core plan and ongoing evaluation. Fair process opens the door to bringing patient expertise into the clinical setting and the work of developing health care goals and strategies. This paper provides a step by step illustration of an innovative visual approach, called photovoice or photo-elicitation, to achieve fair process in clinical work with acquired brain injury survivors and others living with chronic health conditions. Applying this visual tool and methodology in the clinical setting will enhance patient-provider communication; engage patients as partners in identifying challenges, strengths, goals, and strategies; and support evaluation of progress over time. Asking patients to bring visuals of their lives into the clinical interaction can help to illuminate gaps in clinical knowledge, forge better therapeutic relationships with patients living with chronic conditions such as brain injury, and identify patient-centered goals and possibilities for healing. The process illustrated here can be used by clinicians, (primary care physicians, rehabilitation therapists, neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychologists, and others) working with people living with chronic conditions such as acquired brain injury, mental illness, physical disabilities, HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, or post-traumatic stress, and by leaders of support groups for the types of patients described above and their family members or caregivers.
A Role for the Medial Temporal Lobe in Feedback-Driven Learning: Evidence from Amnesia

The ability to learn from feedback is a key component of adaptive behavior. This type of learning is traditionally thought to depend on neural substrates in the striatum and not on the medial temporal lobe (MTL). Here we show that in humans the MTL becomes necessary for feedback-based learning when feedback is delayed. Specifically, amnesic patients with MTL damage were impaired at probabilistic learning of cue–outcome associations when response-contingent feedback was delayed by a few seconds, but not when feedback was immediate. By contrast, patients with striatal dysfunction due to Parkinson's disease demonstrated the opposite pattern: impaired learning when trial-by-trial feedback was immediate but not when feedback was delayed, indicating that the striatum is necessary for learning only when feedback is immediate. Together, these results reveal that multiple complementary learning processes support what appears to be identical behavior in healthy individuals and point to an important role for the MTL in feedback-driven learning.
Analytical Fracture Mechanics Analysis of the Pull-Out Test Including the Effects of Friction and Thermal Stresses:

The energy release rate for propagation of a debond in a single-fibre pull out test was derived analytically. The key finding was that an accurate analysis can be derived by a global energy analysi...
An Analytic Solution for Constant-Thrust, Optimal-Coast, Minimum-Propellant Space Trajectories

The variational formulation of the minimum-propellant control of a space vehicle in an inverse-square gravitational field leads to a nonlinear, two-point, boundary-value problem. Although for the case of unbounded thrust-magnitude (impulsive propulsion) solutions are easily found, numerical solutions for the case of bounded thrust are not so readily obtainable. This paper gives an analytic method for determining the optimal control of a thrust-limited, rocket-powered vehicle in terms of an expansion about the optimal impulsive solution. The expansion is in terms of two independent vehicle parameters, the initial thrust-acceleration and the rocket jet exhaust velocity (a measure of the specific impulse). The resulting solution is valid over a wide range of vehicle parameters of interest and gives the thrust-vector-time history on the optimal bounded-thrust trajectory. The solution is easy to implement on a high-speed digital computer and requires very little computing time.
Toward operational monitoring of forest cover change in California using multitemporal remote sensing data

This paper presents preliminary results of research to improve upon an existing operational forest change detection monitoring strategy in California. Comparisons were. made between Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 7 ETM scene normalization techniques (absolute versus, relative). Prior to normalization, scenes containing wildfire smoke plumes were successfully corrected using a space-varying haze equalization algorithm. Simple dark object subtraction provided improved performance over relative (pseudo-invariant feature) approaches. A decision tree classifier produced high change map overall accuracy (86%) for five categories of forest cover change.
The Electrostatic and Electrokinetic Properties of Biological Membranes: New Theoretical Models and Experimental Results

Gouy (1) and Chapman (2) formulated the concept of the diffuse double layer by combining the Poisson and Boltzmann equations to describe the profile of the electrostatic potential in an aqueous phase adjacent to a charged surface. Stern (3) modified this concept by introducing the possibility that ions could bind to the surface. The Gouy-Chapman-Stern theory of the diffuse double layer describes adequately the electrostatic potential adjacent to a phospholipid bilayer: as the theory requires, the charges on a negative phospholipid are located in a plane at the bilayer surface.
Bandgap gradients in (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells deposited by three-stage co-evaporation

(Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 (ACIGS) solar cells are optimized at bandgaps greater than 1.2 eV by varying composition profile of the absorber layer using a three-stage evaporation process. Numerical modeling and cumulative process data provides insight into the process. Silver alloying CIGS changes the optimized bandgap profile by reducing carrier concentration, and reducing bandgap gradients. The minimum bandgap position is controlled by the point when the film reaches I/III stoichiometry during the second stage of the three-stage process. We achieved a 19.9% efficient solar cell with VOC = 732 mV at a bandgap of 1.2 eV based on quantum efficiency.
Measuring the Cost of Complexity in Supply Chains: Comparison of Weighted Entropy and the Bullwhip Effect Index

Integration has formed the core of logistics and supply chain literature since the 1980s, but empirical research indicates that it does not always lead to better performance. This research effort endeavors to apply information theory to begin to assess the cost of complexity in supply chains. Extant research into supply chain complexity remains in the formative stages, so the purpose of this research is to explore the utility of entropy as a means of comparing alternative supply chain strategies and structures. Simulation experiments revealed that when compared to the bullwhip effect index, an index based upon weighted entropy offered superior assessments of supply chain performance when comparing the effects of safety stock and information sharing, but exhibited performance equally poor to the bullwhip effect index’s for predicting the effect of changing the number of echelons in a supply chain. This research lays the foundation for future research that will expand the weighted entropy formulation to account for differences in the number of supply chain players as well as the effect of different demand scenarios.
Learning Law While Walking the Dog: The Pedagogical Potential of Podcasting

The typical law school classroom for a doctrinal course utilizes a learning structure that limits opportunities for students to learn directly from the professor. Time constraints inherent in the need for coverage and the desire to keep the class engaged encourages movement through the material. Cognitivist learning theory views learning as involving the movement of information from sensory memory (perception) into short-term, working memory for analysis and organization, and then into long-term memory for storage. This process of information movement suggests that the typical law school classroom creates impediments to student learning. Distracted students who fail to capture the concept presented in class might never begin the process flow. The amount of information that a student must process in the limited time of the classroom — that is, the cognitive load — can be so great that information gets lost, especially when cognitive load is heightened by the lack of organizing principles or schemata. Podcasts — short audio or video recordings on a specific topic — created by the professor can overcome these impediments by allowing students to listen repeatedly, thereby assuring initial sensory capture and allowing students to control the pace of concept presentation so that cognitive load is managed.This article discusses what podcasting is and describes the program of podcasting I have used for five years in my Property I and II classes. It examines the educational problems suggested by learning theory and how podcasting can overcome those problems in a way that benefits both student and professor. It also presents and analyzes data from student surveys I have conducted during those five years which show that students use and highly value podcasts as an important addition to their educational experience.
Aortic thrombus causing ischemic bowel mimicking as necrotizing enterocolitis in a premature neonate: A case report

Spontaneous neonatal aortic thrombus is rare. Clinical presentation can vary depending on the location of the thrombus. We report a case of a premature infant with ischemic bowel likely due to an aortic thromboembolic event. The infant had presented with an acute abdomen, and underwent an exploratory laparotomy for concerns of worsening necrotizing enterocolitis. Intra-operative findings were suggestive of segmental ischemic small bowel with thrombosis of mesenteric vessels and a subsequent Doppler ultrasound revealed an infra-renal aortic thrombus. He was treated with subcutaneous enoxaparin, with effective reduction in thrombus size on serial scans. However, this treatment was complicated by bilateral subdural hematoma, and hence enoxaparin was discontinued. Aortic thrombus, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an acute abdomen. Management of neonatal aortic thrombus remains controversial and further studies are required to aid clinicians in deciding the best management plan with minimal risk and optimal outcome.
Electrical dyssynchrony on noninvasive electrocardiographic mapping correlates with SAI QRST on surface ECG

Aim: The goal of this study was to compare associations between clinical and ECG predictors of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) response with electrical dyssynchrony.
Multivariable controller synthesis using SISO design methods

This paper proposes a new method to design multivariable controllers for linear Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) control systems using the Smith-McMillan form. The Smith-McMillan form of the transfer function matrix of a MIMO plant is an equivalent diagonal transfer function matrix using which the problem of multivariable controller synthesis can be reduced to multiple Single-Input Single-Output (SISO) controller designs. If the designed SISO controllers satisfy certain relative degree conditions, then the corresponding multivariable controller, to be connected to the MIMO plant, will be proper. In this paper we show how such multivariable controllers can be designed to satisfy closed loop stability and reference tracking. We also provide some illustrative examples.
Effects of Limiting Water Intake on the Rat Estrous Cycle with Observations on LH, Prolactin, and Corticosterone:

By the fifth week of restricting water intake at 1100 to a 15-min period per day, estrous cycle lengths had shifted in most animals (31/40) from 4 to 5 days with the 5-day cycles usually consisting of 3 days of diestrus. In the 5-day cycling rats, plasma corticosterone peaked at 1100 and also at 1900 hr, the proestrous surge in plasma LH was not significantly changed, although the variation in individual animals was greater and the prolactin surge was prolonged. Similar prolonged cycles followed water restriction at 1800 hr with animals returning to regular 4-day cycles when given water to ad libitum. These results suggest that the alteration of the normal corticosteroid rhythm and/or changes in prolactin secretion may account, in part at least, for the changes noted in cycle length after restricting the water intake.
Micro-Feature Replication via Polymer Molding at Ambient Pressure

The study focuses on the ability of a polymer to replicate micro-features when processed at an elevated mold temperature without externally applied pressure. Replication is performed using four different polymers—High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), and Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) on a silicon mold containing surface features as small as 500nm. Feature replication is assessed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) to compare feature dimensions of the mold to those of the replicated parts. Shrinkage in dimensions is observed to be anisotropic in the molded parts and its extent of varies among the different polymers. Crystalline HDPE shows a higher degree of shrinkage relative to amorphous polymers such as PS and PMMA. These results verify the theoretical value of shrinkage calculated from the coefficient of volumetric shrinkage values and density. By increasing the mold temperature well above the melting point of the polymer, a depth ratio of 70–80% can be achieved in parts having aspect ratios of around 0.5. The result is comparable to the values achieved by similar studies. Varying aspect ratios are fully replicated by all four polymers at elevated mold temperature. This clearly shows that increasing mold temperature results in significant improvement in depth ratios for micro-featured parts. The amorphous materials provide better feature replication and lower surface roughness than the semi-crystalline polymer.© 2007 ASME
Three-Dimensional Printed Model Used to Teach Skull Base Anatomy Through a Transsphenoidal Approach for Neurosurgery Residents.

Background Skull base anatomy through a transsphenoidal approach is challenging for the neurosurgical resident to conquer. Objective To demonstrate that stereolithography, or 3-dimensional (3-D) printing, is a useful educational tool for neurosurgery residents to learn skull base anatomy. Methods Before any formal teaching, residents were brought into the operating room where they were asked to identify key structures seen through an endoscopic transsphenoidal approach. Scoring was based on correctly naming the anatomical structures. After the initial testing, all residents participated in a didactic lecture reviewing this anatomy by using 2-dimensional pictures. Residents were then divided into 2 groups: A and B. Group B residents were additionally taught through neurosurgical simulation using a 3-D printed model and an endoscope. Following all formal teaching, residents were retested in the operating room. Results A maximum score of 8 points was possible if all structures were identified correctly. Group A had mean scores of 2.75 on initial testing compared with 5 after the lecture (P = .041 using 2-tailed t test). Group B had mean scores of 2.75 on initial testing compared with 7.5 after the lecture and 3-D model simulation (P = .002). When comparing mean scores after formal teaching in groups A and B, 5 vs 7.5 were obtained for lecture only vs lecture and 3-D model simulation, respectively (P = .031). Conclusion Three-dimensional models used in neurosurgical simulation to teach skull base anatomy through a transsphenoidal approach showed objective and subjective improvement in testing scores in neurosurgery residents. This study confirms that 3-D models are a useful educational tool.
A New Salmonella Type : S. Virginia.

SummaryS. Virginia, a new Salmonella type, has been described. It was isolated from a case of human enteritis and has the formula VIII; d —.
Survival and Death of Tubercle Bacilli Subjected to Oxygen Restriction

It is now well known that bacteria in general respire; they maintain an oxygen carbon-dioxide exchange like higher organisms. Among the bacteria most thoroughly studied in this respect are tubercle bacilli and these display certain contrasting facts as to respiratory needs for life. Human tubercle bacilli in a moist warm state were reported by Novy and Soule1 as unable to survive on a limited oxygen supply: On the other hand avian tubercle bacilli in a dry warm state were found by me2 to survive in the nearly total absence of oxygen. This contrast forced me to consider whether the human tubercle bacilli are more easily killed by oxygen restriction than the avian type or indeed whether they might have actually survived in the above cited work, in a dormant state. A third possibility exists that the human variety died in the presence of oxygen restriction but at least partly because of other factors. In the course of Novy and Soule' s comprehensive investigations human bacilli (strain H 37) known to grow actively in open, freely aerated culture tubes of glycerine agar medium were observed as to their behavior in sealed tubes. The bacilli in sealed tubes failed to grow, but for some weeks remained alive though dormant since they could be made to grow by opening and aerating the tubes. If the opening were delayed beyond a single month however, then, even after opening, the bacilli consistently failed to grow in such tubes. Coincidentally it was shown that the bacilli ceased to consume oxygen in distinct amount and the authors conclude: "This fact demonstrated that the inoculum was dead."
TRENDS IN PREVALENCE AND IN-HOSPITAL MORTALITY OF STEMI IN PATIENTS WITH ACTIVE CANCER: A NATIONWIDE ANALYSIS OF 12 YEARS

Prevalence and outcome of acute coronary syndrome in patients with cancer is unknown due to under-representation of these patients in clinical trials. We intended to study temporal trends in prevalence of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in patients with the most prevalent cancers. We
Shared Data Manager for Next-Generation IT for Municipal Governments

For the next generation IT services, we have created a cloud-based platform for delivering web-based IT services to municipal governments called the Government Data Portal (GDP). This portal, which draws up on the lessons learned from an extensive study of municipal governments and their operations, offer several features that are especially designed to address the needs of the target market. The GDP allows municipal governments to subscribe to a set of applications in a shared service computing environment. The portal employs a novel approach referred to as the Shared Data Manager (SDM) that facilitates sharing of data among GDP applications in a loosely coupled manner. The main function of the SDM is to allow the users to coordinate access to the shared data. Specifically, it controls the manner in which member applications of a subscription set access the subscriber's central shared data. The GDP and the SDM were piloted with several municipal governments, validating the technology and the service operational model. This paper discusses the technical details of the design and implementation of the GDP and the SDM. Additionally, it presents results from an empirical study and discusses the implications. While this paper focuses on the IT services for municipal governments, the problems that are not unique to municipal governments, and the proposed solution is not limited to the area. Indeed, our solution can be effective and useful in the enterprise as well.
Relationship between the change of placenta and umbilical cord arterial blood gas analysis of fetuses in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between the placenta intervillous space area density and the indexes of umbilical cord arterial blood in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy(ICP).Methods60 late pregnant women of ICP and 25 normal late pregnant women were investigated.pH,PO_2,PCO_2 of umbilical cord arterial blood gas analysis of fetuses were observed,the placenta intervillous space area density were measured by stereological method.ResultsIn ICP,the placenta intervillous space area density was decreased,pH and PO_2 of umbilical cord arterial blood were decrease and PCO_2 was increase evidently.It was found that there was a positive correlation between pH,PO_2 and the placenta intervillous space area density,and a negative correlation between PCO_2 and the placenta intervillous space area density.ConclusionIn ICP,the blood exchange area between the matrix and the fetus is decreased.The effective intervillous exchange acreage is decreased.So it's easier for ICP fetuses to have distress because of the short of blood and oxygen.
Strategy for adapting to climate change and conserving biodiversity in the Bangladesh Sundarbans

The Bangladesh Sundarbans region is a difficult place to live and the region will become increasingly inhospitable over time. Sea level rise, cyclonic storms, and embankment failures are constant hazards and the biodiversity of the mangrove forest is being reduced. In addition, increased waterlogging and soil and water salinization pose serious threats to agriculture, a livelihood option for a majority of residents. Research was undertaken to answer the following question: what strategy could the Government of Bangladesh consider in order to enhance the security of inhabitants of the Bangladesh “Sundarbans Impact Zone (SIZ)” and conserve the biodiversity of the Sundarbans mangrove forest? The proposed strategy, which was based on data and analyses from a team of social and natural scientists and engineers, includes two central elements: incentives to encourage migration out of the SIZ successfully and measures to reduce dangers from natural hazards for inhabitants who choose to remain. In addition, the st...
Natural variability in acyl moieties of sugar esters produced by certain tobacco and other Solanaceae species

Abstract A unique feature of glandular trichomes of plants in the botanical family Solanaceae is that they produce sugar esters (SE), chemicals that have been shown to possess insecticidal, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Sugar esters of tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum ) provide pest resistance, and are important flavor precursors in oriental tobacco cultivars. Acyl moieties of SEs in Nicotiana spp., petunia, and tomato are shown to vary with respect to carbon length and isomer structure (2–12 carbon chain length; anteiso -, iso- , and straight-chain). Sugar esters and their acyl groups could serve as a model to explore the basis of phenotypic diversity and adaptation to natural and agricultural environments. However, information on the diversity of acyl composition among species, cultivars, and accessions is lacking. Herein, described is the analysis of SE acyl groups found in 21 accessions of Nicotiana obtusifolia (desert tobacco), six of Nicotiana occidentalis subsp. hesperis , three of Nicotiana alata , two of N . occidentalis , four modern tobacco cultivars, five petunia hybrids, and one accession each of a primitive potato ( Solanum berthaultii ) and tomato ( Solanum pennellii ). A total of 20 different acyl groups was observed that were represented differently among cultivars, species, and accessions. In Nicotiana species, acetate and iso- and anteiso- branched acids prevailed. Straight-chain groups (2–8 carbons) were prominent in petunias, while octanoic acid was prominent in N . alata and N . × sanderae . Two unexpected acyl groups, 8-methyl nonanoate and decanoate were found in N . occidentalis subsp. hesperis . Longer chain groups were found in the petunia, tomato, and potato species studied.
Duration of Venom Immunotherapy

Although the product package insert states that venom immunotherapy (VIT) should be administered indefinitely, there is sufficient evidence that treatment can be discontinued after 3–5 years in the majority of patients. There will always be at least a slightly increased chance of systemic reaction to a sting when VIT is stopped, with greater chance after 3 years than after 5 years of VIT. Research has provided us with some insight on the “high-risk” factors that are associated with the greatest chance of relapse and therefore justify extended or indefinite treatment. The severity of the pre-VIT sting reaction is perhaps the most important factor associated with increased risk of severe reaction. Higher risk also exists in those with elevated basal serum tryptase level, in patients who had a systemic reaction during VIT (to a sting or venom injection), and in those with frequent exposure (especially beekeepers). These “high-risk” patients may include more than 30% of all those on VIT. Some patients simply prefer the security of continued VIT at 12-week intervals.
Ideologies in the Conceptualization and use of Educational Technology

The concern about information overload predicted by Postman is that in the information society that exists in the 21st century, humans are left without agency against a barrage of relentless information. Postman’s arguments, positioned alongside the technological dystopian literature of Orwell, Huxley, and Forster, provide lessons applicable to educational technology practice.
A Zebrafish Model of Cryptococcal Infection Reveals Roles for Macrophages, Endothelial Cells, and Neutrophils in the Establishment and Control of Sustained Fungemia

Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is a fungal infection that predominantly affects immunocompromised patients and is uniformly fatal if left untreated. Timely diagnosis is difficult, and screening or prophylactic measures have generally not been successful. Thus, we need a better understanding of early, asymptomatic pathogenesis. Inhaled cryptococci must survive the host immune response, escape the lung, and persist within the bloodstream in order to reach and invade the brain. Here we took advantage of the zebrafish larval infection model to assess the process of cryptococcal infection and disease development sequentially in a single host. Using yeast or spores as infecting particles, we discovered that both cell types survived and replicated intracellularly and that both ultimately established a sustained, low-level fungemia. We propose that the establishment and maintenance of this sustained fungemia is an important stage of disease progression that has been difficult to study in other model systems. Our data suggest that sustained fungemia resulted from a pattern of repeated escape from, and reuptake by, macrophages, but endothelial cells were also seen to play a role as a niche for cryptococcal survival. Circulating yeast collected preferentially in the brain vasculature and eventually invaded the central nervous system (CNS). As suggested previously in a mouse model, we show here that neutrophils can play a valuable role in limiting the sustained fungemia, which can lead to meningoencephalitis. This early stage of pathogenesis-a balanced interaction between cryptococcal cells, macrophages, endothelial cells, and neutrophils-could represent a window for timely detection and intervention strategies for cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.
Selberg Zeta Function

For a geometrically finite hyperbolic surface X the Selberg zeta function Z X (s) was introduced in §2.5. The zeta function is associated with the length spectrum of X (or, equivalently, to traces of conjugacy classes of Γ). We will see in this chapter that it deserves to be thought of as a spectral invariant as well, by virtue of a beautiful correspondence between resonances of X and the zeros of Z X (s).
Daily Mobility in the Black-White Segregated City: Linking Material Realities and Repertoires of Meaning:

As the overt institutional maintenance of black-white residential segregation declines, we can investigate its persistence by analyzing the racial projects of everyday life. Daily mobility—movement...
Using a Continuum-Based Framework for Behavioral Health Integration Into Primary Care in New York State

Behavioral health integration with primary care has long been shown to be an essential part of improving health care and, more recently, of achieving the “triple aim” as part of national reform. Ma...
Plasma Metabolomics Reveals Steroidal Alkaloids as Novel Biomarkers of Tomato Intake in Mice.

cope : Diets rich in tomato products are associated with a reduced risk of various chronic disease processes. The carotenoid lycopene is most intensely studied as the bioactive mediating health effects, yet tomatoes contain an array of phytochemicals. We conducted an untargeted metabolomics study on blood plasma to identify novel markers of tomato consumption absorbed from the diet and released into the bloodstream in mice. Methods and results : Male mice were fed a control AIN-93G diet or the same diet supplemented with 0.25% lycopene beadlets, or 10% freeze-dried red tomato, tangerine tomato, or low-carotenoid tomato for 4 weeks. Untargeted UHPLC-QTOF-MS data acquisition and differential analysis of plasma metabolites revealed several structurally related deglycosylated tomato steroidal alkaloids, including tomatidine and hydroxylated/desaturated derivatives, in plasma after the consumption of all 3 tomato varieties. Additionally, plasma metabolite profiles reflected glycoalkaloid forms found in the tomato diets. Conclusion : Dietary tomato glycoalkaloids are cleaved during digestion to aglycones and further metabolized post-absorption. Steroidal alkaloids in plasma may serve as novel and specific biomarkers of tomato consumption and represent a class of phytochemical metabolites that could potentially have in vivo bioactivity impacting health and disease processes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Adding EUV reflectance to aluminum-coated mirrors for space-based observation

Protective layers on aluminum mirror surfaces which can be removed via the use of atomic hydrogen or hydrogen plasmas at the point of use in space may allow an expansion of broad-band mirrors into the EUV. LUVOIR (large, UV-optical-IR telescope) is a potential NASA flagship space-based observatory of the 2020’s or 30’s. It would utilize the largest mirrors ever flown1 . Their reflective coating will almost certainly be aluminum, since such telescopes would profit from truly broad-band mirrors. To achieve reflectance over the broadest band, the top surface of such aluminum mirrors, however, needs to be bare, without the oxide layers that naturally form in air. This will open the 11 to 15 eV band. Since thin aluminum films are largely transparent between 15 and 70 eV an EUV mirror under the aluminum could make EUV bands such as 30.4 nm available for space-based astrophysics without sacrificing mirror IR, visible and UV reflectance. The local space environment for the observatory is sufficiently oxygen-free that the surface should remain bare for decades. We discuss protecting as-deposited aluminum mirrors with robust, oxygenimpenetrable, barrier layers applied in vacuo to the aluminum immediately after deposition and before air contact. The goal is that the barrier could also be cleanly, and relatively easily, removed once the mirror is in space. We propose hydrogen atoms as the means for removing the overcoat, since they can be expected to meet the criteria that the means is gentle enough to not roughen the mirror surface, and does not redeposit material on the mirror or other spacecraft components. We have investigated both organic and inorganic (such as, a-Si) hydrogen-removable films that can be applied to the aluminum immediately after its deposition have been investigated. We also examined the REVAP technique, using Cd and Zn. Agglomeration limited their effectiveness as barrier layers. That and dealing with the reevaporated atoms may limit their utility as barrier materials.