cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiographic, ultrasonographic, and endoscopic findings in cats with inflammatory bowel disease of the stomach and small intestine: 33 cases (1990-1997).

Objective To characterize imaging findings in cats with confirmed inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) of the upper gastrointestinal tract (i.e., stomach and small intestine) and relate these findings to clinical signs and histologic changes. Design Retrospective study. Animals 32 cats with clinical and histopathologic diagnoses of IBD. Procedure Medical records were reviewed for signalment, clinical signs, clinicopathologic findings, radiographic and ultrasonographic findings, and results of endoscopic examination. Histologic findings were reviewed and characterized by severity and type of inflammatory infiltrate. Results All cats had 1 or more clinical signs (e.g., vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and anorexia) consistent with IBD. Lymphocytic and plasmacytic infiltrates were observed in histologic sections of gastrointestinal tissue. Crypt distortion, villous blunting and fusion, and fibrosis were most commonly seen in cats with moderate or severe IBD. Clinicopathologic findings of some cats included anemia, leukocytosis or leukopenia, hypocholesterolemia, and hyper- or hypoproteinemia. Abnormalities were not found on abdominal radiographic views in 9 of 9 cats. However, contrast studies using barium revealed radiographic abnormalities in 1 of 3 cats. In 13 of 17 cats, abdominal ultrasonography revealed several intestinal abnormalities (e.g., poor intestinal wall layer definition, focal thickening) and large mesenteric lymph nodes with hypoechoic changes consistent with IBD. Endoscopic observation revealed findings (e.g., erythema, plaques, mucosal friability) consistent with inflammation in 9 of 18 cats. Conclusions and clinical relevance Compared with endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract or abdominal radiography, clinical signs and ultrasonographic findings appear to have the best association with histologic grade of IBD in cats.
Zygomatic abscess complicating coalescent air cell infection and acute otitis media in a pediatric patient with facial swelling and temporomandibular joint subluxation

Abstract Acute otitis media is a localized infection. Advanced cases demonstrate local spread and abscess formation in the mastoid, temporomandibular joint, and zygomatic root if anatomy allows. We present a case of acute otitis media complicated by an abscess of a pneumatized zygomatic root extending into the temporomandibular joint treated by incision and drainage.
Serum Creatine Kinase in Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Abstract Objectives There have been reports of elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) and myopathy in patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD). Such findings have raised the possibility that myopathies may be a part of the spectrum of NMOSD. The incidence of elevated CK in NMOSD remains unknown. We sought to assess the potential association between hyperCKemia, myopathy, and NMOSD, and the potential role of screening for muscle involvement using serum CK. Methods We reviewed records of all aquaporin 4 (AQP4) antibody-seropositive and seronegative NMOSD patients who had CK levels evaluated at two major academic medical centers. Results Of 199 total NMOSD patients, CK levels were checked in 43, and elevated, on at least one occasion, in 4. In 1 patient, CK was elevated during an NMO exacerbation. A myopathic process occurring with NMOSD was suggested in 2 of 4 patients in the form of symptomatic complaint of myalgias and associated MRI signal change. Discussion Unexplained hyperCKemia was found on one or more occasion in 4 of 43 tested NMOSD patients. Testing NMOSD patients for serum CK may reveal otherwise unsuspected myopathy. More formally powered, prospective assessment of the incidence and utility of CK in NMOSD is needed.
Technique and Tips for Multiplanar Correction of Plantar Plate Repairs in Lesser Metatarsophalangeal Joints

Plantar plate repairs are challenging procedures because of the small anatomy of the plantar plate. This can make them daunting, time-consuming procedures to perform. Advances in technology, such a...
Ferromagnetic Anomalous Hall Effect in Cr-Doped Bi2Se3 Thin Films via Surface-State Engineering

The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) is a nonlinear Hall effect appearing in magnetic conductors, boosted by internal magnetism beyond what is expected from the ordinary Hall effect. With the recent discovery of the quantized version of the AHE, the quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE), in Cr- or V-doped topological insulator (TI) (Sb,Bi)2Te3 thin films, the AHE in magnetic TIs has been attracting significant interest. However, one of the puzzles in this system has been that while Cr- or V-doped (Sb,Bi)2Te3 and V-doped Bi2Se3 exhibit AHE, Cr-doped Bi2Se3 has failed to exhibit even ferromagnetic AHE, the expected predecessor to the QAHE, though it is the first material predicted to exhibit the QAHE. Here, we have successfully implemented ferromagnetic AHE in Cr-doped Bi2Se3 thin films by utilizing a surface state engineering scheme. Surprisingly, the observed ferromagnetic AHE in the Cr-doped Bi2Se3 thin films exhibited only a positive slope regardless of the carrier type. We show that this sign problem can be explained by the intrinsic Berry curvature of the system as calculated from a tight-binding model combined with a first-principles method.
Satisfying fermionic statistics in the modeling of non-Markovian dynamics with one-electron reduced density matrices.

Treatment of Markovian, many-electron dynamics from the solution of the Lindblad equation for the 1-electron reduced density matrix requires additional constraints on the bath operators to maintain fermion statistics. Recently, we generalized Lindblad’s formalism to non-Markovian dynamics through an ensemble of Lindbladian trajectories. Here we show that the fermion statistics of non-Markovian dynamics can be enforced through analogous constraints on the bath operators of each Lindbladian trajectory in the ensemble. To illustrate, we apply the non-Markovian method to three distinct systems of two fermions in three levels. While the electrons violate the fermion statistics without the constraints, correct fermion behavior is recovered with the constraints.
Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell–driven Induction of Treg Is Strain Specific and Correlates With Spontaneous Acceptance of Kidney Allografts

Background DBA/2J kidney allografts, but not heart allografts, are spontaneously accepted indefinitely in C57BL/6 (B6) mice, through regulatory tolerance mechanism dependent on Foxp3 cells. In contrast, B6 kidneys are rejected within a week in DBA/2J recipients. We hypothesized that the tolerogenic difference of the kidneys might be due to differences in number or function of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs), because these cells are potent inducers of Foxp3 cells. Methods pDCs from murine bone marrow, native kidneys, and spontaneously accepted kidney allografts were analyzed using flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. Naive T cells were cocultured with pDCs in specific strain combinations and analyzed for FoxP3 induction and functionality. MEK/ERK and NFκB inhibitors were used to assess the regulatory T-cell induction pathways. pDCs and T-cell cultures were adoptively transferred before heterotopic heart transplantation to assess allograft survival. Results DBA/2J pDCs were more potent in inducing Foxp3 in B6 T cells than the reverse combination, correlating with survival of the kidney allografts. Foxp3 induction by pDCs in vitro was dependent on pDC viability, immaturity, and class II MHC mismatch and blocked by MEK/ERK and NFκB inhibition. pDC-induced Foxp3 T cells suppressed proliferation of B6 T cells in vitro, and adoptive transfer into B6 recipients 2 weeks before heterotopic DBA/2J heart transplantation resulted in prolonged allograft survival. Conclusions These data suggest that pDC-induced regulatory T cells are dependent on downstream signaling effects and on strain-dependent, MHC class II disparity with naive T cells, which may explain organ- and strain-specific differences in spontaneous tolerance.
Align to Define: Ecologically Meaningful Populations from Genomes

Microbes in the same community but with distinct niches can have unique long stretches of perfect sequence identity due to recent genetic exchange. Arevalo et al. (2019) use this as a starting point for defining ecologically-relevant populations within a community and to identify the genes that appear to be driving divergence between populations.
Automated Systems and Trust: Mineworkers' Trust in Proximity Detection Systems for Mobile Machines.

Abstract Background Collisions involving workers and mobile machines continue to be a major concern in underground coal mines. Over the last 30 years, these collisions have resulted in numerous injuries and fatalities. Recently, the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) proposed a rule that would require mines to equip mobile machines with proximity detection systems (PDSs) (systems designed for automated collision avoidance). Even though this regulation has not been enacted, some mines have installed PDSs on their scoops and hauling machines. However, early implementation of PDSs has introduced a variety of safety concerns. Past findings show that workers' trust can affect technology integration and influence unsafe use of automated technologies. Methods Using a mixed-methods approach, the present study explores the effect that factors such as mine of employment, age, experience, and system type have on workers' trust in PDSs for mobile machines. The study also explores how workers are trained on PDSs and how this training influences trust. Results The study resulted in three major findings. First, the mine of employment had a significant influence on workers' trust in mobile PDSs. Second, hands-on and classroom training was the most common types of training. Finally, over 70% of workers are trained on the system by the mine compared with 36% trained by the system manufacturer. Conclusion The influence of workers' mine of employment on trust in PDSs may indicate that practitioners and researchers may need to give the organizational and physical characteristics of each mine careful consideration to ensure safe integration of automated systems.
Comparison of obesity classification methods among college students

The purpose of this study was to compare obesity classification methods (body mass index (BMI)), abdominal girth (AG), and body fat percentage (BF%)), among college students. College students (n=5943) completed an objective fitness assessment, where height and weight (used to calculate BMI), AG, and BF% (using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) were assessed. Correlation and chi-square tests for independence analyses examined relationships between variables and obesity classification methods; and, the sensitivity and specify of BMI using AG and BF% were calculated. Significant correlations were found between BMI and BF% for men (r=0.775, p<0.001) and women (r=0.849, p<0.001); BMI and AG for men (r=0.868, p<0.001) and women (r=0.858, p<0.001); and, BF% and AG for men (r=0.749, p<0.001) and women (r=0.767, p<0.001). There were significant associations between BMI, AG, and BF% for both sexes. Obesity categorization differed significantly between methods. In men and women, respectively, 47.6% and 44.1% classified as normal weight based on BF% were classified as overweight or obese based on BMI (Men: χ2=1547, p<0.001; Women: χ2=1127, p<0.001). In men and women, respectively, 48.3% and 24.0% classified as normal based on AG were classified as overweight or obese using BMI (Men: χ2=1274, p<0.001; Women: χ2=996, p<0.001). Comparing AG and BF%, 25.1% of men and 18.6% of women classified as normal based on AG were classified as overweight or obese using BF% (Men: χ2=1412, p<0.001; Women: χ2=421, p<0.001). Obesity classification differed significantly between methods, and BMI demonstrated relatively poor predictive value with respect to obesity classification. Thus, caution should be applied when using BMI to diagnose obesity among college students.
The exocyst complex regulates insulin-stimulated glucose uptake of skeletal muscle cells.

Skeletal muscle handles ~80–90% of the insulin-induced glucose uptake. In skeletal muscle, insulin binding to its cell surface receptor triggers redistribution of intracellular glucose transporter ...
Understanding How in-Prison Experiences Influence Female Offenders’ Maladjustment to Prison

Despite considerable growth in the incarcerated female population over the past several decades, this group has received less empirical attention compared to incarcerated males. This is particularl...
Closing gaps in the tuberculosis care cascade: an action-oriented research agenda

The care cascade-which evaluates outcomes across stages of patient engagement in a health system-is an important framework for assessing quality of tuberculosis (TB) care. In recent years, there has been progress in measuring care cascades in high TB burden countries; however, there are still shortcomings in our knowledge of how to reduce poor patient outcomes. In this paper, we outline a research agenda for understanding why patients fall through the cracks in the care cascade. The pathway for evidence generation will require new systematic reviews, observational cohort studies, intervention development and testing, and continuous quality improvement initiatives embedded within national TB programs. Certain gaps, such as pretreatment loss to follow-up and post-treatment disease recurrence, should be a priority given a relative paucity of high-quality research to understand and address poor outcomes. Research on interventions to reduce death and loss to follow-up during treatment should move beyond a focus on monitoring (or observation) strategies, to address patient needs including psychosocial and nutritional support. While key research questions vary for each gap, some patient populations may experience disparities across multiple stages of care and should be a priority for research, including men, individuals with a prior treatment history, and individuals with drug-resistant TB. Closing gaps in the care cascade will require investments in a bold and innovative action-oriented research agenda.
Dynamic Models of Mobilization in Political Networks

The Eastern European color revolutions, and the recent post-election unrest in Iran pose a pressing question: how can local organization networks facilitate large-scale collective action? The final result of a collective action is contingent upon two factors, the relational structure of the network of the individuals involved, and their mutual learning, imitation, and belief-updating dictated by the network structure. I propose a formalization of the Granovetter threshold model for participation in collective action in networks, which takes both the network structure and belief updating into account. In order to make verifiable predictions, I outline a graph theoretical model for threshold updating using the DeGroot learning model. I demonstrate that full connectivity in a social network sometimes can hinder collective action. Later I will show that with some assumptions on the structure of the social network, repeated threshold updating takes the network to an equilibrium on the network graph; hence, the updating procedure acts as an equilibrium selection mechanism based on network parameters and initial participation thresholds. When these assumptions do not hold, cycles of participation and disengagement can occur. Furthermore, using this model one could find the network structure that brings about a particular asymptotic action equilibrium. Unlike the Granovetter/Kuran model, this model predicts non-monotone participation levels and heterogeneous outcomes at the final equilibrium, where some individuals act and some do not. Hence, it provides a more realistic model of mobilization dynamics, which can explain the ebb and flow in large-scale political demonstrations.
Characterizing the physical limitations of phase-only metasurface design for acoustic holograms

Numerous recent studies have shown that acoustic metasurfaces (AMS) can be used to control reflected or transmitted wave fronts. Acoustic holograms have commonly been created by designing a metasurface that applies local phase changes to a wave front to construct arbitrary pressure fields at one or more image planes. The hologram design process typically features iterative methods, such as the Iterative Angular Spectrum approach. However, metasurfaces that apply phase-only modulation are restricted in the quality of the pressure field reconstruction that can be achieved, especially when attempting to create different holograms at different planes for a single-frequency incident wave. The control of magnitude and phase by an AMS is of significant interest because it enables one to completely define an entire reflected or transmitted wave field in a 3-D region. In the present work, the physical limitations in simultaneously reconstructing multiple single-frequency holograms at different planes via phase-only metasurface design are examined. Methods for overcoming these limitations, including both amplitude and phase control by an acoustic metasurface, are also investigated. Comparisons between simulation and experiment are made for a multi-image reflective hologram system. [S.N.L. is managed and operated by NTESS under DOE NNSA Contract No. DE-NA0003525.]
An Orthogonal Basis Approach to Formation Shape Control (Extended Version).

In this paper, we propose a novel approach to the problem of augmenting distance-based formation controllers with a secondary constraint for the purpose of preventing 3D formation ambiguities. Specifically, we introduce three controlled variables that form an orthogonal space and uniquely characterize a tetrahedron formation in 3D. This orthogonal space incorporates constraints on the inter-agent distances and the signed volume of tetrahedron substructures. The formation is modeled using a directed graph with a leader-follower type configuration and single-integrator dynamics. We show that the proposed decentralized formation controller ensures the \textit{global} asymptotic stability and the local exponential stability of the desired formation for an \textit{n}-agent system with no ambiguities. Unlike previous work, this result is achieved without conditions on the tetrahedrons that form the desired formation or on the control gains.
Machine Leaning-based Determination of Sampling Depth for Complex Environmental Systems: Case Study with Single-Cell Raman Spectroscopy Data in EBPR Systems

Rapid progress in various advanced analytical methods such as single-cell technologies enable unprecedented and deeper understanding of microbial ecology beyond the resolution of conventional approaches. A major application challenge exists in the determination of sufficient sample size without sufficient prior knowledge of the community complexity and, the need to balance between statistical power and limited time or resources. This hinders the desired standardization and wider application of these technologies. Here, we proposed, tested and validated a computational sampling size assessment protocol taking advantage of a metric, named kernel divergence. This metric has two advantages: First, it directly compares dataset-wise distributional differences with no requirements on human intervention or prior knowledge-based pre-classification. Second, minimal assumptions in distribution and sample space are made in data processing to enhance its application domain. This enables test-verified appropriate handling of datasets with both linear and non-linear relationships. The model was then validated in a case study with eight SCRS phenotyping datasets each sampled from a different enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) activated sludge community located across North America. The model allows the determination of sufficient sampling size for any targeted or customized information capture capacity or resolution level. For example, an approximated sampling size of 50 or 100 spectra for full-scale EBPR-related ecosystems at 5% or 2% OPU cluster resolution. Promised by its flexibility and minimal restriction of input data types, the proposed method is expected to be a standardized approach for sampling size optimization, enabling more comparable and reproducible experiments and analysis on complex environmental samples. Finally, these advantages exhibit the capability of generalizing to other single-cell technologies or environmental applications, provided that the input datasets contain only continuous features.
Biodegradable composites for filament winding process

Abstract The extensive use of composites materials has created disposal and environmental issues. With awareness of preserving the environment, the use of environmentally friendly, sustainable and biodegradable composites have been started. From few decades, natural fiber-reinforced composites (NFRC’s) and bio-degradable resins are used extensively for automotive, construction and other applications. The hybridization of synthetic fiber with natural fiber has gained the attention of researchers. The axisymmetric components such as pressure vessel, driveshaft, storage tanks, pipes, etc. are fabricated by filament winding process. Commonly glass, carbon, aramid fibers are used for this process. The use of natural fibers is challenging in filament winding as these fibers are not continuous, hydrophilic nature, poor bonding with matrix, available geographically, less tensile strength as compare to synthetic fibers. This paper is intended to explore the potential of natural fiber for the filament winding process. High cellulose content and low microfibril angle (MFA) in plant fiber are responsible for the high strength of the natural fiber. Surface modification techniques improve the adhesion between fiber and matrix which results in improving the tensile strength of the composite. Few researchers used sisal, flax and jute fiber for the filament winding process. This paper contains, an outline of filament winding process parameters like fiber tension, winding pattern, winding angle, optimum winding pattern and potential of few plant-based natural fibers and their properties have been highlighted for filament winding process. Also, surface modification techniques to improve the tensile strength of a few plant-based fibers are also been discussed. The global composite pressure vessel synthetic material market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth rate (CAGR) of 23% from 2017 to 2023. The development of a new hybrid composite made of natural and synthetic fiber suitable for filament winding need to be discovered.
Disrupted Education?: A Latent Profile Analysis of Immigration-Related Distractions and Academic Engagement among Undocumented College Students

Prior research has established that legal vulnerability affects undocumented students’ educational experiences. Building on this work, we examine how undocumented immigration status may disrupt aca...
Ethical considerations of academic surgical research.

Abstract Ethical considerations surrounding clinical research have been a topic of intense debate and discussion for many years, however, issues specific to the surgeon-scientist are rarely discussed. This article summarizes ethical issues pertinent to the surgeon-scientist including conflicts of interest, use of human biospecimens, data integrity, manuscript authorship, and mentorship for trainees. The methods include a review of the current and past literature on each of these topics with a brief overview of how it relates to the surgeon-scientist. Case examples are provided throughout to provide further discussion points related to the topic. The purpose of this review is to promote awareness of the ethical challenges that the surgeon-scientist faces when engaging in basic science research in order to spark discussion and encourage integrity and ethical behavior.
Classification of Probe Quality in Ptychography

The large volume of ptychographic dataset presents a challenge on computa- tional resources. We propose an unsupervised method that automatically identifies probes with diminished quality, and allows optimal distribution of resources on the most “informa- tive” dataset.
Public Service and Public Health: A University/Government Collaboration to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning

A multidisciplinary outreach project at the University of Connecticut is presented as a model of innovative collaboration addressing a serious public health problem-childhood lead poisoning. The project originated in the perceived needs of a coalition of community-based health care workers, educators, and public health officials for materials to teach young school-age children (grades 1-3) about the hazards of lead poisoning and about simple ways they can protect themselves. The coalition sought out the university, which had previously established a solid reputation for work in this environmental health area, to develop these materials. A partnership with the Hartford Health Department's Lead Poisoning Prevention Program provided not only financial support but also ongoing advice and assistance in implementing the program in the public schools. Finally, in developing both a children's activity book and supplementary adult materials, the authors designed outreach materials to reach three distinct audiences:children; teachers, administrators, and other youth leaders;and parents or guardians.
RaptorQP2P: Maximize the performance of P2P file distribution with RaptorQ coding

Presented herein is a new protocol, RaptorQP2P, for reliable peer-to-peer sharing of large files-currently on the order of hundreds of MB but expected to grow to the terabyte range-over networks. The new protocol features two levels of RaptorQ encoding. At the top layer, the entire file is RaptorQ encoded to yield a collection of source blocks and repair blocks. At the lower layer, each source/repair block is RaptorQ encoded independently to yield a collection of source symbols and repair symbols for the block. The symbols are independently transferred among the peers and when a sufficient number of distinct symbols for a block have been received, whether source or repair, the block can be reconstructed. Similarly, the file can be reconstructed using a sufficient number of arbitrary distinct blocks. With real world traces measured on the BitTorrent system, we have conducted extensive simulations to evaluate and compare the performance of RaptorQP2P and BitTorrent. The results indicate that the new protocol handles network dynamics and peer churn smoothly, has excellent scalability with respect to both file size and user population, and performs well. As an example, for a 512 MB file distributed to 1000 peers, download completion time using the new protocol was found to be approximately 45.5% of the completion time required using BitTorrent.
snoRNA U17 Regulates Cellular Cholesterol Trafficking

Cholesterol is required for the growth and viability of mammalian cells and is an obligate precursor for steroid hormone synthesis. Using a loss-of-function screen for mutants with defects in intracellular cholesterol trafficking, a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant with haploinsufficiency of the U17 snoRNA was isolated. U17 is an H/ACA orphan snoRNA, for which a function other than ribosomal processing has not previously been identified. Through expression profiling, we identified hypoxia-upregulated mitochondrial movement regulator (HUMMR) mRNA as a target that is negatively regulated by U17 snoRNA. Upregulation of HUMMR in U17 snoRNA-deficient cells promoted the formation of ER-mitochondrial contacts, decreasing esterification of cholesterol and facilitating cholesterol trafficking to mitochondria. U17 snoRNA and HUMMR regulate mitochondrial synthesis of steroids in vivo and are developmentally regulated in steroidogenic tissues, suggesting that the U17 snoRNA-HUMMR pathway may serve a previously unrecognized, physiological role in gonadal tissue maturation.
Inhibition of Mammalian Squalene Synthetase Activity by Zaragozic Acid A Is a Result of Competitive Inhibition Followed by Mechanism-based Irreversible Inactivation

Squalene synthetase (SQS, EC 2.5.1.21) catalyzes the first committed step in the formation of cholesterol and thus represents an ideal site for selectively inhibiting sterol formation. Previous studies have demonstrated that the fungal metabolite, zaragozic acid A (ZGA-A), inhibits SQS activity by mimicking the substrate farnesyl pyrophosphate, the reaction intermediate presqualene pyrophosphate, or both, through a process that confers increased apparent potency in the presence of reduced enzyme concentrations, an observation consistent with either tight binding reversible competitive inhibition or mechanism-based irreversible inactivation. The studies outlined in this report provide multiple lines of evidence indicating that ZGA-A acts as a mechanism-based irreversible inactivator of SQS. 1) Inhibition of SQS by ZGA-A is dependent on the [SQS] present in the incubation reaction, and this inhibition is time-dependent and follows pseudo-first order reaction kinetics, exhibiting kobs values that range between 2 x 10(-4)/s and 23 x 10(-4)/s for [ZGA-A] within the log-linear range of the inhibition curve, and a bimolecular rate constant of 2.3 x 10(5) M-1s-1.2) SQS activity is titratable by ZGA-A, such that for each [ZGA-A] evaluated, inactivation exhibits a threshold [SQS] whereby enzyme activity at lower [SQS] is totally inhibited. 3) Time-dependent inactivation exhibits saturation kinetics with a Km for the process of 2.5 nM, which is approximately equal to the IC50 for SQS inhibition under these conditions, suggesting that inactivation results from selective modification of a functional group of the enzyme active center rather than from a nonspecific bimolecular reaction mechanism and that most, if not all of the inhibition results from irreversible inactivation. 4) Saturable, time-dependent inactivation occurs with similar inactivation kinetics for both the microsomal and trypsin-solubilized forms of the enzyme, indicating that irreversible inactivation by ZGA-A is not a consequence of membrane modification but is a direct effect of the inhibitor on the enzyme. 5) Inactivation is biphasic, exhibiting a rapid ("burst") phase followed by a second, pseudo-first order phase, similar to that previously noted for irreversible inactivators in other enzyme systems, and occurs even in the presence of 5 mM concentrations of the nucleophylic scavenger dithiothreitol, suggesting that the reaction between ZGA-A and SQS occurs at or near the active center prior to diffusion of reactive species out of the catalytic cleft. 6) Inactivation can be prevented through competition with the substrate, farnesyl pyrophosphate, further identifying the active center as the site of modification.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
System identification using a maximum-likelihood spectral matching technique

The usefulness of the periodogram as a system identification tool is often underestimated because of the large variance in the estimates of the power spectral density function of the system output. If we approach the parameter estimation problem as an exercise in maximum likelihood estimation, with the measured periodogram as the input data, the result is a spectral matching technique that is rather simple to apply. A valuable by-product of this method is a value for the Fisher information matrix of the parameter estimates. Models of many forms such as AR, ARMA, with or without observation noise can be treated using the same algorithmic structure. The input data can be efficiently computed using the Fast Fourier Transform. Several examples illustrate the technique.
Cardiovascular Risk Stratification

Perioperative cardiovascular complications pose serious risk to patients, especially those with underlying cardiac disease. The degree of risk varies widely depending on medical comorbidities and type of surgery. A careful medical evaluation before surgery can help inform a discussion of risk for patients and providers, and suggest management to mitigate risk.
Evaluating a Stage Model in Predicting Monolingual Spanish-Speaking Latinas' Cervical Cancer Screening Practices: The Role of Psychosocial and Cultural Predictors

The goals of this study are to evaluate (a) the effectiveness of a stage model in predicting Latinas' self-report of obtaining a Pap test and (b) the unique role of psychosocial/cultural factors in predicting progress toward behavior change. One-on-one structured interviews with monolingual Spanish-speaking Latinas (n = 190) were conducted. Most participants (85%) intended to obtain a Pap smear within 1 year; therefore, staging women based on intention was not possible. Moreover, results from the polychotomous hierarchical logistic regression suggest that psychosocial and cultural factors were independent predictors of Pap test history. A stage model may not be appropriate for predicting Pap test screening among Latinas. Results suggest that unique cultural, psychosocial, and demographic factors may inhibit cervical cancer screening practices. Clinicians may need to tailor messages on these cultural and psychosocial factors to increase Pap testing among Latinas.
A Calibration Experiment in a Longitudinal Survey With Errors-in-Variables

The National Resources Inventory (NRI) is a large-scale longitudinal survey conducted to assess trends and conditions of nonfederal land. A key NRI estimate is year-to-year change in acres of developed land, where developed land includes roads and urban areas. In 2003, a digital data collection procedure was implemented replacing a map overlay. Data from an NRI calibration experiment are used to estimate the relationship between data collected under the old and new protocols. A measurement error model is postulated for the relationship, where duplicate measurements are used to estimate the error variance of the new procedure. If any significant discrepancy is detected between new and old measures, some parameters that govern the algorithm for the new protocol can be changed to alter the relationship. Parameters were initially calibrated so overall averages nearly match for the new and old protocols. Analyses on the data after initial parameter calibration suggest that a line with an intercept of 0 and a slope of 1 is an acceptable representation for the relationship between the two determinations. Estimation of the measurement error variances as functions of the proportion of developed land are also given.
Reducing intrapartum stillbirths and intrapartum-related neonatal deaths.

Acute intrapartum emergencies and poor fetal oxygenation commonly contribute to stillbirth and neonatal deaths, as well as to long-term neurologic disabilities including mental impairment and cerebral palsy [1–5]. Much of modern obstetric care in high- and many middle-income countries has been directed at reducing both antepartum and intrapartum fetal oxygen deprivation. These efforts have included the identification of women at risk, such as those women with pre-eclampsia, sickle cell disease and diabetes, and those with compromised fetuses at risk in the absence of maternal complications, such as those with growth restriction or oligohydramnios. Identification of these conditions in the antepartum period is usually followed by various types of prenatal screening to detect those fetuses at even higher risk for poor oxygenation. The use of ultrasound for monitoring amniotic fluid levels and fetal growth, electronic fetal heart rate monitoring, fetal movement counting, and Doppler blood flow measurements have all contributed to better identification of at-risk pregnancies [6–8]. At least as important is skilled care during labor, including fetal heart rate monitoring to identify those fetuses in jeopardy. Rapid instrumental birth or cesarean delivery results in substantial mortality reductions during labor and in the early neonatal period [9]. Thus, by and large, high-income countries have successfully reduced intrapartum fetal organ damage and the associated adverse pregnancy outcomes, including intrapartum stillbirth and intrapartum-related neonatal mortality [5].
New Constraints on Simultaneous Optical Emission from Gamma-Ray Bursts Measured by the Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System Experiment

LOTIS is a gamma-ray burst optical counterpart search experiment located near Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. Since operations began in 1996 October, LOTIS has responded to five triggers as of 1997 July 30, which occurred during good weather conditions. GR-B 970223 (BATSE trigger 6100) was an exceptionally strong burst, lasting approx. 30 s with a peak at approx. 8 s. LOTIS began imaging the error box approx. 11 s after the burst began and achieved simultaneous optical coverage of 100% of the region enclosed by the BATSE 3 sigma error circle and the interplanetary network annulus. No optical transients were observed brighter than the m{}_{V} approx.11 completeness limit of the resulting images, providing a new upper limit on the ratio of simultaneous optical to gamma-ray fluence of R-{L) less than 1.1 x 10 logical and {-4} and on the ratio of simultaneous optical (at 700 mn) to gamma-ray (at 100 keV) flux density of R-{F} less than 305 for a B-type spectrum and R-{F} less than 475 for an M-type spectrum.
Persistence of hepatitis A vaccine induced seropositivity in infants and young children by maternal antibody status: 10-year follow-up.

Persistence of seropositivity conferred by hepatitis A vaccine administered to children 10 mIU/mL) at 1 month after the second dose. At 10 years, all children retained seroprotective anti-HAV levels except for only 7% and 11% of children in group 1 born to anti-HAV–negative and anti-HAV–positive mothers, respectively, and 4% of group 3 children born to anti-HAV–negative mothers. At 10 years, children born to anti-HAV–negative mothers in group 3 had the highest geometric mean concentration (GMC) (97 mIU/mL; 95% confidence interval, 71-133 mIU/mL) and children born to anti-HAV–positive mothers in group 1 had the lowest GMC (29 mIU/mL; 95% confidence interval, 20-40 mIU/mL). Anti-HAV levels through 10 years of age correlated with initial peak anti-HAV levels (tested at 1 month after the second dose). Conclusion: The seropositivity induced by hepatitis A vaccine given to children <2 years of age persists for at least 10 years regardless of presence of maternal anti-HAV. (HEPATOLOGY 2012)
Feature Evolution During Sub 100NM Gap-Fill and Etch

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactors are being used at low gas pressure ( 1013 /cm2 ) processes in semiconductor fabrication. In these reactors plasma is generated by inductively coupled electric field while positive ions are accelerated anisotropically by applying a negative bias RF to the substrate. Semiconductor manufacturers face many challenges as wafer size increases while device geometries decrease. Two key challenges for both process design and electronics processing equipment design are (a) scale up of process from 200mm to 300mm diameter substrate, and (b) deposition and etching features with high aspect ratios. A unified phenomenological model to explain profile evolution trend as a function of aspect ratio for deposition (gap fill) and trench etch using ICP reactors is presented. Trends for feature evolution as a function of pressure for gap fill and trench etch are reviewed and explained. The article emphasizes importance of low pressure for sub-100nm gap-fill and trench-etch applications in ICP processing reactors.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
A neutron polarimeter for (p, n) measurements at intermediate energies

A large-volume large-acceptance neutron polarimeter consisting of two parallel planes of plastic scintilators has been used to measure transverse polarization transfer in (p, n) reactions in the energy range 80 MeV < Ep < 160 MeV. The effective analyzing power obtained from 1H(n, n)1H reactions in the plastic scintillator has been measured by observing neutrons from the 14C(p, n)14N (2.31 MeV) reaction at θ = 0°. Neutron energies are determined by time-of-flight with a resolution of about 1 MeV for 160 MeV neutrons. At this same energy the effective left-right analyzing power is 0.34±0.02 and the effective area is (1.9±0.3) cm2.
A multi-processor system for hidden-surface-removal

Hidden-surface algorithms have attracted many researchers interested in creating realistic images. Many algorithms have been developed for hidden-surface removal. Different forms of "coherences" are used in order to reduce the computing required to generate a realistic image without hidden surfaces. We propose a hidden-surface removal system which uses many loosely coupled processors connected in parallel. All processors execute the same code while concurrently working on different portions of the screen. The original scene is partitioned in n equal segments, where n is the number of processors. Each processor works on a specified window of the scene. This requires additional clipping operations for each processor. Also, as the screen is partitioned into many disjoint areas, any "coherence" used by the hidden-surface algorithm is lost. Thus, each processor has to reset its segment list. The above options result in more work for each processor, limiting the gain in speed expected by displaying several processors.This scheme has been simulated for different types of scenes using 2, 4, 8 and 16 processors. Our simulation study shows that for lower values of n, the clipping time is much lower than the hidden-surface-removal time for a processor. For more than 16 processors, the clipping time is comparable to, or more than, the hidden-surface-removal time. We discuss implications of the partitioning of the scene and discuss methods to improve the scheme by using a superviser to utilize all processors efficiently.The proposed system will be very useful in many interactive graphics applications requiring fast display of realistic images.
A comparative study of three root canal sealing agents.

Abstract Three available root canal sealers were investigated and compared for tissue tolerance, antimicrobial activity, tensile strength, permeability, and clinical use. The Kerr sealer, the new Grossman sealer, and Diaket were tolerated equally well by the soft tissues of the rabbit. All three compounds possessed antimicrobial activity against the ten micro-organisms studied. The new Grossman sealer and Diaket were somewhat more active in this respect than the Kerr sealer. The Diaket was superior to the other sealers for its tensile strength and resistance to permeability. The Kerr sealer has stood the test of time, as far as clinical use is concerned. The other two compounds are equally well accepted by the human periapical tissues, however, and have other more desirable properties.
Structure-activity correlations among analogs of 4-methyl-3-heptanol, a pheromone component of the european elm bark beetle (Scolytus multistriatus)

A number of analogs of the title compound (1), with several different functional groups in place of the 3-OH and with a variety of substituents, were tested for biological acitivity by a laboratory walking-beetle assay. The electroantennogram (EAG) response was determined for many of these, as well. Field tests with baited sticky traps were carried out on compounds with activity in the walking-beetle assay and/or that gave a high EAG response. Structure-activity correlations with parameters reflecting hydrophobic, steric, electronic, and van der Waals interactions with olfactory receptors were examined primarily on the basis of the behavioral tests. Electronic substituent effects on the 3-position functional group and steric effects were found to correlate best. It is suggested that the strength of a hydrogen bond to the 3-oxygen or 3-nitrogen (as proton acceptor) is important in chemoreception by receptors that are involved in the behavioral response.
Metabolic Profiling in Nutrition and Metabolic Disorders

Nutrients exert potent effects on metabolism through a variety of regulatory mechanisms, resulting in local and systemic changes in metabolite levels. Numerous studies have focused on mechanisms by which nutrients and disease states regulate metabolism at the gene or protein levels using genomic and proteomic approaches, respectively. However, few studies have investigated nutritional regulation of the whole metabolome. Thus, metabolomic approaches have recently emerged to complement the genomics and proteomics research and to help identify biologically meaningful metabolites and metabolic networks that control cellular responses to genetic and environmental factors, including diet, and to identify metabolic diseases that are influenced by genetic and dietary factors. These large-scale studies expedite our ability to develop targeted treatments. The goal of this symposium was to provide a forum to introduce the metabolomics field to nutrition researchers. An overview of the state-of-the-art metabolomic technologies used was provided. The impact of some specific nutrients, disease states, or genetic variations and their interaction with the metabolome was discussed by the speakers. Our objectives were as follows: 1) to educate the audience about the use of metabolomics as an innovative tool for linking changes in cell metabolites and genetic variations to nutrient metabolism, energy balance, and the overlying effects on health and disease; 2) to understand the concept of metabolomics and describe the analytical tools and resources available in this area; 3) to introduce the potential application of metabolomics in the field of nutrition research; and 4) to provide specific nutrition-relevant metabolomics study examples in investigating regulation of the metabolic network or metabolic changes resulting from disease states by dietary factors.
Analysis of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring Events During Spinal Corrective Surgery for Idiopathic Scoliosis

Abstract Study Design Multicenter review of prospectively collected data. Objective To determine the frequency and outcome of intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) alerts during surgical correction of idiopathic scoliosis (IS). Summary of Background Data Providing corrective action after identifying IONM events will ideally prevent neurologic complication. Methods Prospectively gathered clinical data and IONM reports recorded during spinal surgery for IS were analyzed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those with clear IONM changes and those with no IONM events. A neuromonitoring event was defined as a change from baseline transcranial motor evoked potentials or somatosensory evoked potentials in the lower extremities. The risk, rate, cause, and outcome of each neuromonitoring alert were assessed. Results A total of 579 IS cases were analyzed. Twenty-one cases (3.6%) had an IONM event. In 18 of the 21 cases (86%), the potentials returned to baseline after corrective action. Of the 3 with remaining abnormalities, 2 (0.3%) awoke with deficits (1 unilateral weakness and 1 unilateral sensory change). In 12 cases, the changes were thought to result from low blood pressure; all responded to elevation of the mean arterial pressure. Five changes were associated with misplaced screws (in 4, the monitoring returned after removal or redirection; all 5 were normal postoperatively). Traction was the cause in 2 cases, both of which responded to reduction in traction. In 4 cases, the cause was unclear. Two remained abnormal and awoke with neurologic deficit. There were no postoperative neurologic deficits in any cases with normal neuromonitoring. Surgical time (416 vs. 291 minutes; p Conclusions The rate of neuromonitoring changes was 3.6% when using both transcranial motor evoked potential and somatosensory evoked potential monitoring. When a cause was identified and corrective action was taken, there were no postoperative neurologic deficits.