cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of hamster circadian rhythms: Role of the maternal suprachiasmatic nucleus

During development, the circadian rhythms of rodents become entrained to rhythmicity of the mother. Rhythms in behavior and in neuroendocrine function are regulated by a circadian pacemaker thought to be located within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. Evidence indicates that this pacemaker begins to function and to be entrained by maternal rhythms before birth. Although the maternal rhythms which mediate prenatal entrainment of the fetal circadian pacemaker have not been identified, it is likely that they are regulated by the maternal SCN. The role of the maternal SCN in entrainment of the offspring was examined in Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) by measuring the activity/rest rhythms of pups. Using the synchrony among the rhythms of pups within a litter as an indication that the pups had been entrained, the effect on entrainment of ablating the maternal SCN was determined. Lesions of the maternal SCN which were performed early in gestation (day 7) and which destroyed at least 75% of the SCN were found to disrupt the normal within litter synchrony among pups, indicating interference with the normal mechanism of entrainment. The effect of lesions on day 7 of gestation could mean that the maternal SCN is important for entrainment of the pups before birth, after birth, or during both of these times. To determine if the maternal SCN is specifically important for prenatal entrainment, lesions were performed two days before birth on day 14 of gestation. Lesions of the maternal SCN on day 14 were not as disruptive as were lesions on day 7. This suggests that the maternal SCN is important between days 7 and 14 of gestation and that the synchrony normally observed at weaning is already established, in part, on or before day 14 of gestation. This further suggests that an entrainable circadian pacemaker is present in the fetus only two weeks after fertilization.
A simple proof on the decidability of equivalence between recursive and nonrecursive Datalog programs

A higher-order query language of Horn-clause programs without function symbols, also known as Datalog, has received considerable attention recently. One way to optimize Datalog programs is to transform a Datalog program into a equivalent one that can be evaluated more efficiently. Therefore, determining equivalence of Datalog programs, especially between a given recursive program and a given nonrecursive one, is a fundamental problem. We introduce a new approach to prove the decidability of this equivalence problem, by enumerating databases and using some other simple known results.
Cross-calibration of liquid and solid QCT calibration standards: corrections to the UCSF normative data

Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) has been shown to be a precise and sensitive method for evaluating spinal bone mineral density (BMD) and skeletal response to aging and therapy. Precise and accurate determination of BMD using QCT requires a calibration standard to compensate for and reduce the effects of beam-hardening artifacts and scanner drift. The first standards were based on dipotassium hydrogen phosphate (K2HPO4) solutions. Recently, several manufacturers have developed stable solid calibration standards based on calcium hydroxyapatite (CHA) in water-equivalent plastic. Due to differences in attenuating properties of the liquid and solid standards, the calibrated BMD values obtained with each system do not agree. In order to compare and interpret the results obtained on both systems, cross-calibration measurements were performed in phantoms and patients using the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) liquid standard and the Image Analysis (IA) solid standard on the UCSF GE 9800 CT scanner. From the phantom measurements, a highly linear relationship was found between the liquid- and solid-calibrated BMD values. No influence on the cross-calibration due to simulated variations in body size or vertebral fat content was seen, though a significant difference in the cross-calibration was observed between scans acquired at 80 and 140 kVp. From the patient measurements, a linear relationship between the liquid (UCSF) and solid (IA) calibrated values was derived for GE 9800 CT scanners at 80 kVp (IA = [1.15 x UCSF] - 7.32).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS).
Physical and political impacts: Complex river boundaries at risk

Many international river basins are suffering from climate-driven impacts, with implications for national security. Now, research highlights the need to analyse shifting river boundaries to better understand potential socio-political threats.
Box 3-independent Signaling Mechanisms Are Involved in Leukemia Inhibitory Factor Receptor α- and gp130-mediated Stimulation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase EVIDENCE FOR PARTICIPATION OF MULTIPLE SIGNALING PATHWAYS WHICH CONVERGE AT Ras

Chimeric receptors containing the entire or various cytoplasmic domains of either gp130 or leukemia inhibitory factor receptor alpha (LIFR) were used to identify signaling molecules and regions of these polypeptides required for the stimulation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Coexpression of dominant-negative Jak2 inhibited chimeric receptor-stimulated MAPK activity by approximately 70%, while expression of dominant-negative Ras completely blocked MAPK activation by either receptor polypeptide. Deletion analysis identified a 24-amino acid region of gp130 that was necessary for maximal stimulation of MAPK, and contained box 3 (positions 120-129) and a consensus tyrosine binding motif (Tyr-118) for the protein-tyrosine phosphatase, SHP2. Expression of receptors lacking this region or of chimeric gp130(Y118F) point mutants inhibited MAPK activity by approximately 55%, suggesting that Tyr-118, but not box 3, was required during activation of MAPK by gp130. Similarly, expression of chimeric LIFR constructs lacking box 3 maximally stimulated MAPK activity, while those lacking Tyr-115, a putative SHP2 binding site, inhibited stimulation of MAPK by this polypeptide. Our results demonstrate that gp130 and LIFR stimulate MAPK activity through box 3-independent mechanisms involving: (i) effects at Tyr-118 and Tyr-115, respectively, for maximal stimulation of MAPK activity and (ii) a Jak/Tyk-dependent pathway that, together with Tyr-118- or Tyr-115-generated signals, converges at the level of Ras during activation of MAPK by cytokine.
Respec: efficient online multiprocessor replayvia speculation and external determinism

Deterministic replay systems record and reproduce the execution of a hardware or software system. While it is well known how to replay uniprocessor systems, replaying shared memory multiprocessor systems at low overhead on commodity hardware is still an open problem. This paper presents Respec, a new way to support deterministic replay of shared memory multithreaded programs on commodity multiprocessor hardware. Respec targets online replay in which the recorded and replayed processes execute concurrently. Respec uses two strategies to reduce overhead while still ensuring correctness: speculative logging and externally deterministic replay. Speculative logging optimistically logs less information about shared memory dependencies than is needed to guarantee deterministic replay, then recovers and retries if the replayed process diverges from the recorded process. Externally deterministic replay relaxes the degree to which the two executions must match by requiring only their system output and final program states match. We show that the combination of these two techniques results in low recording and replay overhead for the common case of data-race-free execution intervals and still ensures correct replay for execution intervals that have data races. We modified the Linux kernel to implement our techniques. Our software system adds on average about 18% overhead to the execution time for recording and replaying programs with two threads and 55% overhead for programs with four threads.
A Nonlinear Position Feedback Controller for an Electro - Hydraulic Robot Arm

This paper describes the set of equations for a hydraulic motor and associated electro-hydraulic servo-valve used in the design of electro-hydraulic robots for material handling equipment. The set of equations for the servo-valve, the hydraulic motor coupled to its servo-valve, and the hydraulic motor and its load, are individually described in order to build the functional block diagram. It is shown that the performance of such a motor used with position feedback control can be improved by a nonlinear filter.
Mesh size functions for implicit geometries and PDE-based gradient limiting

Mesh generation and mesh enhancement algorithms often require a mesh size function to specify the desired size of the elements. We present algorithms for automatic generation of a size function, discretized on a background grid, by using distance functions and numerical PDE solvers. The size function is adapted to the geometry, taking into account the local feature size and the boundary curvature. It also obeys a grading constraint that limits the size ratio of neighboring elements. We formulate the feature size in terms of the medial axis transform, and show how to compute it accurately from a distance function. We propose a new Gradient Limiting Equation for the mesh grading requirement, and we show how to solve it numerically with Hamilton–Jacobi solvers. We show examples of the techniques using Cartesian and unstructured background grids in 2D and 3D, and applications with numerical adaptation and mesh generation for images.
Fear, pandemonium, equanimity and delight: human responses to extra-terrestrial life

How will people respond to the discovery of extra-terrestrial life? Potentially useful resources for addressing this question include historical prototypes, disaster studies and survey research. Reactions will depend on the interplay of the characteristics of the newly found life, the unfolding of the discovery, the context and content of the message and human information processing as shaped by biology, culture and psychology. Pre-existing images of extra-terrestrials as god-like, demonic, or artificial will influence first impressions that may prove highly resistant to change. Most probably people will develop comprehensive images based on minimal information and assess extra-terrestrials in the same ways that they assess one another. Although it is easy to develop frightening scenarios, finding microbial life in our Solar System or intercepting a microwave transmission from many light years away are less likely to be met with adverse reactions such as fear and pandemonium than with positive reactions such as equanimity and delight.
Depression and Physical Function: Results From the Aging and Longevity Study in the Sirente Geographic Area (ilSIRENTE Study)

Depression in older persons represents a major issue because of its relevant prevalence and the associated higher risk of adverse health-related events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of depressive symptoms with measures of physical performance, muscle strength, and functional status. Data are from baseline evaluation of the ilSIRENTE Study (n = 364). Physical performance was assessed using the Short Physical Performance Battery and the 4-meter walking test. Muscle strength was measured by hand-grip strength. Functional performance was assessed using Basic and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living. Depression was defined by analyzing the different depressive manifestations included in the Minimum Data Set for Home Care Form: verbal expression of sad and/or anxious mood and demonstrated signs of mental distress. Analyses of covariance and linear regressions were performed to evaluate the relationship between depression and physical function. Participants with depression showed significantly worse results in all of the physical function tests. Subjects with depression presented significantly lower adjusted mean results for the 4-meter walking test (0.41 m/s; SE, 0.03) and the Short Physical Performance Battery score (5.68; SE, 0.38) compared with those without depression (0.50 m/s; SE, 0.01 and 6.93; SE, 0.21; all P < .01, respectively). Participants with depressed mood also presented a higher number of impaired instrumental activities of daily living (3.69; SE, 0.25) compared with participants with less than 3 depressive symptoms (2.85; SE, 0.14; P = .005). No significant difference was reported for the hand-grip strength and the Basic Activities of Daily Living scale. In conclusion, physical performance and functional status measures are significantly and negatively influenced by the presence of depression in community-dwelling older persons aged 80 years and older.
Role of Adenine Nucleotides, Adenosine, and Inorganic Phosphate in the Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Blood Flow

Experiments were performed on isolated frog sartorius muscle and in situ dog skeletal muscle to determine whether adenine nucleotides and their degradation products are released during contraction in concentrations capable of producing arteriolar dilation ATP was not detectable (>10 -8 M) in the bathing solution of the resting or contracting frog sartorius muscle. Inorganic phosphate (P 1 ) in the muscle bath increased from 9 x 10 -5 M to 28 x 10 -5 M with 30 minutes of contraction (2 Hz) or with rest. With the dog hindlirnb preparation, ATP, ADP, and AMP were not detectable (>5 x 10 ⊟8 M in the venous blood collected after 5 minutes of ischemic contraction whereas P 1 was present at a concentration of 3.7 x 10 x8 M. Arterial blood levels required to elicit detectable vasodilation for ATP, ADP, AMP, and P 1 were 28.7 x 10 -8 M, 27.1 x 10 -8 M 31.4 x 10 -8 M and 7.2 ⊠ 10 -4 M respectively. The adenosine concentration in dog muscle increased from 0.7 to 1.5 nmole/g with ischemic contraction, and hypoxanthine and inosine increased from 4.5 to 8.5 nmole/g and 2.0 to 5.5 nmole/g, respectively. The adenosine concentration in venous plasma collected from the hiodlimb immediately after termination of the irchemic contraction period was 2.2 x 10 -7 MM as compared to 0.4 x 10 -7 M in control venous and arterial blood samples. Hypoxanthine and inosine concentrations in venous blood increased 22- and 270-fold, respectively, foflowing ischemic contraction. The calculated interstitial fluid adenosine concentration was twice the arterial concentration of adenosine required to elicit maximal arteriolar dilation. These findings suggest that adenosine may play a role in the metabolic regulation of skeletal muscle blood flow, whereas ATP, ADP, AMP, and P 1 may not.
THE MORALITY OF NEW REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGIES

Science is revolutionizing human reproduction. New techniques are already with us, such as artificial insemination, the freezing of sperm, in vitro fertilization and the use of surrogate mothers. Artificial wombs are clearly on the horizon.
Identifying nursing outcome indicators.

Patient outcomes...indicators..measurement. What do these concepts mean to you? More importantly, what do they mean to our customers, the patients? The department of nursing at the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) embarked on a 6-month initiative to begin to identify the major outcome indicators of nursing practice. This article will discuss the outcome indicator project from its inception to the identification of the actual outcome indicators. The rationale for undertaking this project and the process of selecting the indicators also will be addressed.
Outsourcing peter to pay paul: High-skill expectations and low-skill wages with imperfect labor markets

In this paper, we investigate the impact of globalization on wages earned by low- and high-skill workers when openness leads to the outsourcing of high-tech jobs abroad. We have shown that low-skill workers may become considerably better off after globalization because high-skill workers start accepting low-tech jobs. The switch in the behavior of high-skill workers brings about general equilibrium responses from the firm side of the labor market with the outside options for low-skill workers improving significantly. This feedback works as a magnification mechanism that leads to a discontinuous wage increase that one would not be able to get without careful modeling of the frictions in the labor market.
Introduction to the Special Issue “We’re Moving, Please Pardon Our Dust”: Transformative Changes in Collection Management

There has been a sea of changes in academic libraries in the last five to eight years. Many of these changes can be attributed to the economic downturn, which required many libraries to adjust to s...
The Joint Precision Airdrop System Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration

The US Army Natick Soldier Center (NSC) is teamed with the Joint Forces Command (JFCOM), US Air Force Air Mobility Command (USAF AMC), the US Army Project Manager Force Sustainment and Support (PM-FSS), and under the oversight of the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) Advance Systems and Concepts (AS&C) office, along with numerous other government agencies and contractors to plan and execute the Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD). The JPADS ACTD is integrating a USAF developed laptop-computer-based precision airdrop planning system known as the Joint Precision Airdrop System Mission Planner (JPADS-MP) with the USA Joint Precision Airdrop System (JPADS) in the “light” category of weight (2201-10000lbs rigged weights). The integrated system objectives include the ability to airdrop JPADS systems of up to 10,000 lbs rigged weight, from altitudes of up to 25,000 ft mean sea level (MSL), with up to 30kms of offset (in a zero wind condition), and land precisely within 100 meters circular error probable (CEP) of a preplanned ground impact point. An additional key metric is to have the final system work with the Enhanced Container Delivery System (ECDS) under a gravity drop (ECDS is not extracted), the type V platform, or a 463L pallet (when the payload can be item suspended) and for the entire decelerator/platform system to cost under $60K (in FY04 $s and in quantities of 100). This paper will provide an overview of the JPADS program goals, status of the effort with some flight test results to date. The paper will also introduce the reader to the JPADS Concept of Operation (CONOPS), highlight the research, technology and integration challenges associated with precision airdrop systems, and how the JPADS team is overcoming these challenges.
A comprehensive robot collision avoidance scheme by two-dimensional geometric modeling

Avoiding collisions is the primary objective for a robot moving in a workspace with obstacles. The conventional obstacle avoidance algorithms suffer from the drawbacks due to considerable approximations and lack of flexibility. The proposed obstacle avoidance algorithms are developed based upon the geometric modeling of robot workspace using quadtree data structure. Quadtree is a hierarchical decomposition method in which the region is recursively divided into four contiguous squares. A quadtree is generated from the polygonal representation of the obstacles in the workspace, called the obstacle-quadtree. By examining the obstacle-quadtree, nodes that can allow safe passage for the mobile robot are identified By connecting all such nodes, a set of collision-free paths are generated and subsequently the optimal path is chosen, The advantages of the proposed algorithms include: (a) a quick computation of the shortest path for the mobile robot, (b) flexibility to merge different parts of the robot environment to investigate different navigation strategies, and (c) ability to vary the required accuracy of collision detection by changing the resolution.
Spline based time delay estimation

In this paper we present a highly accurate, spline-based time delay estimator (TDE) that directly determines subsample time delay estimates from sampled data. The algorithm uses cubic splines to produce a continuous time representation of a reference signal and then computes an analytical matching function between this reference and a delayed signal. The location of the minima of this function yields estimates of the time delay. We also present a more computationally efficient formulation of this algorithm, which is based on FIR filtering to determine the cubic spline coefficients, polynomial approximation to determine the time delay estimates and adaptive search of the delay estimate. The proposed algorithm is particularly useful in applications such as blood flow estimation and tissue elasticity estimation since it can include companding with little additional computational cost.
Effects of herbivory by Abert squirrels (Sciurus aberti) on cone crops of ponderosa pine.

Abert squirrels ( Sciurus aberti ) depend on ponderosa pine ( Pinus ponderosa ) for cover and food resources. As squirrels forage for their food from the pines by “twig clipping,” they induce losses of green foliage as well as losses of developing and mature seeds by removing immature and mature ovulate cones of certain trees. This investigation quantified the impact of herbivory by squirrels on a cone crop produced by a stand of mixed-aged ponderosa pines situated on a 5.6-ha site. We found the cone production of certain trees to be greatly reduced through intense foraging on the inner bark of excised pine shoots that bore attached conelets (immature ovulate cones). Such effects reduced the potential cone crop of the stand by 20%. In addition, by later shifting their foraging from inner bark to seeds of maturing cones, squirrels further reduced the cone crop of the stand, resulting in a total reduction of 55% over the 2 years.
Deletion of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Receptor Residues Encoded by Exon One Decreases FSH Binding and Signaling in the Rat

Abstract The rat FSH receptor (rFSHR) shares considerable homology with the rat LH receptor (rLHR), yet binds human FSH (hFSH) with high fidelity, suggesting that the binding determinant encoded by the rFSHR gene shares no homology with the analogous rLHR primary sequence, thereby affording specificity of ligand binding. Two such regions of primary sequence have been previously identified and studied by peptide challenge tests and immunoneutralization studies. We therefore implemented site-directed mutagenesis to delete the regions S9-N30 and D300-F315 of the mature rFSHR sequence. The mutant receptor (ΔrFSHR) cDNAs were expressed in insect cells. The large deletion ΔrFSHRS9-N30 and a smaller deletion, ΔrFSHRS9-S18, did not bind 125I-hFSH. However, ΔrFSHRK19-R29 and ΔrFSHRD300-F315 bound 125I-hFSH with an affinity indistinguishable from wild-type rFSHR. The deletion mutants ΔrFSHR S9-N30 or ΔrFSHRS9-S18 were not detectable on the cell surface by flow cytometry unless cells were sheared. Although 125I-hFSH...
Paraphrase detection on SMS messages in automobiles

Voice search technology has been successfully applied to help drivers reply SMS messages in automobiles, in which a predefined SMS message template set is searched with ASR hypotheses to form the reply candidate list. In order to efficiently organize the SMS message template set and improve the quality of the reply candidate list, we proposed to apply n-gram translation model and logistic regression to detect paraphrase SMS messages. Both of the proposed algorithms outperform the edit distance based paraphrase detection baseline, brining 40.9% and 50.5% EER reduction (relative), respectively.
The tradeoffs and realities of a low power high-volume design: a case study of the IBM ThinkPad 701

This paper presents a discussion of the realities and tradeoffs involved in designing a low-power system in today's high-volume mobile computer market. The IBM ThinkPad 701 subnotebook computer is presented as an example of such a system which has experienced many design decisions based on these tradeoffs.
Active intervention, psychic structure, and the analysis of transference commentary on frank's “action, insight, and working through”;

(1993). Active intervention, psychic structure, and the analysis of transference commentary on frank's “action, insight, and working through”; Psychoanalytic Dialogues: Vol. 3, No. 4, pp. 589-603.
Telangiectasia Macularis Eruptiva Perstans: more than skin deep

Systemic mastocytosis is a rare disease involving the infiltration and accumulation of active mast cells within any organ system. By far, the most common organ affected is the skin. Cutaneous manifestations of mastocytosis, including Urticaria Pigmentosa (UP), cutaneous mastocytoma or telangiectasia macularis eruptive perstans (TMEP), may indicate a more serious and potentially life-threatening underlying disease. The presence of either UP or TMEP in a patient with anaphylactic symptoms should suggest the likelihood of systemic mastocytosis, with the caveat that systemic complications are more likely to occur in patients with UP. TMEP can usually be identified by the typical morphology, but a skin biopsy is confirmative. In patients with elevated tryptase levels or those with frequent systemic manifestations, a bone marrow biopsy is essential in order to demonstrate mast cell infiltration. Further genetic testing for mutations of c-kit gene or the FIP1L1 gene may help with disease classification and/or therapeutic approaches. Rarely, TMEP has been described with malignancy, radiation therapy, and myeloproliferative disorders. A few familial cases have also been described. In this review, we discuss the clinical features, diagnosis and management of patients with TMEP. We also discuss the possible molecular pathogenesis and the role of genetics in disease classification and treatment.
A rugged microstrip tapered balun printed dipole reference for SAR system verification

Strict regulatory requirements for specific absorption rate (SAR) compliance testing around the world have increased the need for accurate and precise testing methodologies. Such requirements are also required to conform to quality management accreditation guidelines such as ISO/IEC 17025. Equipment calibration, environmental conditions, tissue simulating solution characteristics, and measurement setup all contribute to the accuracy of SAR measurement. System verification is one way to help assure accurate and precise measurements by verifying the measurement repeatability of a reference on a daily basis. A tuned 1/2 wave dipole is recommended for this standard. This study proposes a printed dipole as a reference for daily system verification that meets all the requirements of IEEE 1528, FCC Supplement C, and CENELEC EN 50361. The printed design adds the benefits of being more cost effective, robust, and easier to position for testing.
Parathyroid localization, three-dimensional modeling, and percutaneous ablation techniques

When available, state of the art noninvasive localization studies should be utilized routinely in previously unexplored patients for localizing parathyroid pathology, even when exceptional surgical experience exists. These studies can both minimize the 3 to 20% incidence of missed pathology and promote an approach of limited neck exploration with consequent lowering of morbidity, complications, and costs. Choice of imaging modalities for localizing these small masses is largely dependent on the level of state of the art of available equipment, the interest and experience of the performing physicians, and the attention to technical detail for each of the modalities at an individual institution. In choosing a single test, CT, and most recently cine CT with three-dimensional modeling, is favored because of higher probability of providing the kinds of information most useful to the surgeon. This includes precise anatomic localization and identification of locations likely to be missed by the surgeon (such as mediastinum, deep neck) and the capability for predicting multiple gland disease, for detecting smaller lesions, and for lower incidence of false-positive results. Ultrasound is attractive because of the low cost and noninvasiveness, and it is particularly sensitive in the thyroid region and upper neck. In difficult cases, CT, cine CT, and ultrasound may be augmented by needle aspiration of fluid for PTH assay. Thallium-technetium scanning and MRI are useful alternatives. In the previously explored patient and in patients with difficult diagnostic problems (such as ectopic adenoma, parathyroid carcinoma), the use of multiple noninvasive studies is strongly recommended, preferably CT (particularly, cine CT with three-dimensional imaging) and isotope scanning or MRI. The concurrence of two or more of these studies has a relatively high predictive value (82 to 88%) for localization. However, highly selective venous catheterization and selective magnification arteriography remain the most accurate modalities in these patients (91 to 95% sensitivity with few false-positive results) and may be combined with interventional radiologic techniques for tumor ablation in selected patients without compromising subsequent surgical alternatives. Stereotactic ablation techniques are in development.
A Notion of a Computational Step for Partial Combinatory Algebras

Working within the general formalism of a partial combinatory algebra (or PCA), we introduce and develop the notion of a step algebra, which enables us to work with individual computational steps, even in very general and abstract computational settings. We show that every partial applicative structure is the closure of a step algebra obtained by repeated application, and identify conditions under which this closure yields a PCA.
Time-resolved waveguide modulation of a conjugated polymer

Most uses of conjugated polymers in nonlinear optical devices require knowledge of the intensity- dependent refractive index, defined by n= n0 + n2I, where n0 is the linear index, and / is the light intensity. We have developed a technique1 which allows for time-resolved measurements (to distinguish between thermal and electronic nonlinearities) of n2.
Treacher Collins prize essay. Lasers in ophthalmic diagnosis.

3 applications du laser en ophtalmologie sont detaillees: 1) l'evaluation interferometrique de l'acuite visuelle, 2) l'ophtalmoscopie a balayage et, 3) la mesure au doppler du debit sanguin oculaire
Informed Consent and Alzheimer Disease Research: Institutional Review Board Policies and Practices

It is the nature of Alzheimer Disease (AD) that patients will suffer impaired memory, failure of the ability to reason, and loss of competency (Marson et al., 1994). Thus the question of whether or not AD patients may grant informed consent to participation in dementia research is a compelling consideration for clinical investigators as well as Institutional Review Boards (IRBs).
O15-4 Estimating absolute risk in the presence of confounders and competing risks: combining inverse probability weights and a cumulative incidence function in an occupational study of crystalline silica and lung cancer

Estimates of absolute risk allow for the calculation of parameters such as attributable fractions, and the number of cases prevented under specific interventions and, thus, are of direct applicability to regulators. Furthermore, unlike contrasts based on the rate, hazard, or odds, risk ratios and risk differences, are collapsible parameters. However, most analyses of longitudinal data dealing with confounders, including occupational cohort data, focus on estimates of hazard ratios. Previous evidence links exposure to crystalline silica with increased mortality from lung cancer and non-malignant respiratory disease. In this study we estimate the covariate-adjusted absolute risk of lung cancer, treating non-malignant respiratory disease as a competing event, in a cohort of 2342 male California diatomaceous earth workers regularly exposed to crystalline silica, followed between 1942 and 2011. We applied inverse probability of exposure weights to control for age, race, asbestos exposure, and calendar time. We then estimated the risk of lung cancer mortality by applying a sub-distribution cumulative incidence function to the weighted pseudopopulation. For workers in the highest quintile of cumulative silica exposure, we estimated a cumulative lung cancer mortality risk of 10.1% at age 75, compared to a risk of 6.4% in workers in the lower exposure quintiles. These estimates were used to calculate the risk ratio and risk difference; bootstraps were used to calculate the confidence intervals. The corresponding risk ratio was 1.59 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59–4.30), and the risk difference was 3.8% (95% CI: −2.9, 10.5). Allowing for competing risks and adjusting for confounders in this study, we obtained estimates of absolute risk, risk ratios, and risk differences from longitudinal occupational cohort data, under specific assumptions. This method also allowed us to compare survival curves between exposure groups, which may be more informative than single time-point contrasts.
Sensational Religion: Sensory Cultures in Material Practice

Sensational Religion is a collection of thirty-seven essays from thirty-six authors, investigating from a multitude of perspectives the role of the senses and materiality in religion. The volume is...
Dietary Emulsifier–Induced Low-Grade Inflammation Promotes Colon Carcinogenesis

The increased risks conferred by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to the development of colorectal cancer gave rise to the term "colitis-associated cancer" and the concept that inflammation promotes colon tumorigenesis. A condition more common than IBD is low-grade inflammation, which correlates with altered gut microbiota composition and metabolic syndrome, both present in many cases of colorectal cancer. Recent findings suggest that low-grade inflammation in the intestine is promoted by consumption of dietary emulsifiers, a ubiquitous component of processed foods, which alter the composition of gut microbiota. Here, we demonstrate in a preclinical model of colitis-induced colorectal cancer that regular consumption of dietary emulsifiers, carboxymethylcellulose or polysorbate-80, exacerbated tumor development. Enhanced tumor development was associated with an altered microbiota metagenome characterized by elevated levels of lipopolysaccharide and flagellin. We found that emulsifier-induced alterations in the microbiome were necessary and sufficient to drive alterations in major proliferation and apoptosis signaling pathways thought to govern tumor development. Overall, our findings support the concept that perturbations in host-microbiota interactions that cause low-grade gut inflammation can promote colon carcinogenesis. Cancer Res; 77(1); 27-40. ©2016 AACR.
Management of Acute Kidney Injury

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) in the ICU is commonly caused by hypotension, shock, inflammation, and microcirculatory dysfunction. Reversal of shock through intravenous fluids and vasopressors while avoiding harm from volume overload is the first step in management of AKI. Ascertainment of other underlying causes such as drug or contrast induced nephrotoxicity, urinary tract obstruction or glomerular disease is important, as specific treatments of those conditions might reverse AKI. Efforts are made to prevent further injury and adjust dosage of renally excreted medications. Complications of AKI include volume overload, hyperkalemia, metabolic acidosis, hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia and bleeding disorders. Their management is an integral part of treating AKI. Renal replacement therapy is instituted when or preferably before complications from AKI arise despite medical management. Both intermittent hemodialysis and continuous renal replacement therapy are acceptable modalities for dialysis in AKI. Higher doses of renal replacement therapy do not seem to improve outcomes, and prophylactic use of dialysis continues to be a subject of debate. Crystalloids are the fluid type of choice. Concerns have been raised about the safety of hyperchloremic solutions such as normal saline, but more physiologically balanced solutions such as lactated Ringer’s or plasmalyte have yet to show an improvement in hard outcomes. Nutritional support and tight glycemic control in patients with AKI is important but requires further delineation.
Privacy-Preserving decision trees over vertically partitioned data

Privacy and security concerns can prevent sharing of data, derailing data mining projects.Distributed knowledge discovery, if done correctly, can alleviate this problem. In this paper, we tackle the problem of classification. We introduce a generalized privacy preserving variant of the ID3 algorithm for vertically partitioned data distributed over two or more parties. Along with the algorithm, we give a complete proof of security that gives a tight bound on the information revealed.
IoTbed: A Generic Architecture for Testbed as a Service for Internet of Things-Based Systems

In recent years, the concept of the Internet of Things (IoT) has already been implemented in numerous application domains, such as smart city, intelligent healthcare assistant, and smart transportation management. Researchers or developers associated with these domains frequently require diverse types of IoT devices to implement or test their IoT related innovations. However, building an IoT-testbed by purchasing these IoT devices in every few months is infeasible considering that most of them will be used only for a small amount of time and will become obsolete with the arrival of an upgraded version of those devices. Instead, a better approach would be rented out the IoT devices in on-demand, just-in-time, and pay for only the time the devices are used basis. Therefore, in this paper, we propose IoTbed – an architecture to deliver a large scale Testbed as a service using the IoT devices located in the users' proximal networks. IoTbed enables testbed providers to build their testbeds in the edge of the network and allows easy and secure access for IoT service providers to run experiments on those testbeds. IoTbed presents an economic model that offers monetary incentives to the device owners for using their devices in the testbed experiments. We posit that such an incentive model will encourage more testbed providers to rent out their smart devices through IoTbed. To demonstrate the feasibility of IoTbed, we implemented a prototype of IoTbed to run on Contiki powered IoT devices and evaluated the performance.
Direct Demonstration of Cotranslational Secretion of Proteins in Bacteria

In animal cells a special role for the ribosomes bound to the endoplasmic reticulum was recognized early by Palade and co-workers (reviewed in Palade, 1975), who observed a parallel between the abundance of such ribosomes and the secretion of proteins. Various secretory proteins were shortly shown to be synthesized on the membrane-bound polysomes, and various cytoplasmic proteins on the free polysomes (reviewed in Rollerston, 1974). This distribution suggested that secreted proteins might cross the membrane as growing chains, rather than after completion. In support of this model, Redman and Sabatini (1966) found that puromycin released incomplete chains to the interior of the microsomes.
Pigeonholing Partisans: Stereotypes of Party Supporters and Partisan Polarization

What comes to mind when people think about rank-and-file party supporters? What stereotypes do people hold regarding ordinary partisans, and are these views politically consequential? We utilize open-ended survey items and structural topic modeling to document stereotypes about rank-and-file Democrats and Republicans. Many subjects report stereotypes consistent with the parties’ actual composition, but individual differences in political knowledge, interest, and partisan affiliation predict their specific content. Respondents varied in their tendency to characterize partisans in terms of group memberships, issue preferences, or individual traits, lending support to both ideological and identity-based conceptions of partisanship. Most importantly, we show that partisan stereotype content is politically significant: individuals who think of partisans in a predominantly trait-based manner—that is, in a way consistent with partisanship as a social identity—display dramatically higher levels of both affective and ideological polarization.
Suppressive Soil Amendments for the Control of Rhizoctonia Species

Disease suppression in cultivated soil is generally influenced more by cropping and management practices than by soil type (Huber and Watson, 1970). Crop rotation and, in some cases, a specific crop sequence have been standard recommendations for the control of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia. The immediately preceding crop in the rotation, or organic amendment, has a much greater effect on the severity of diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani than crops several years preceding (Afanasiev and Morris, 1950; Huber, 1963; Kommedahl, 1952). Where crop rotation is not an effective or economic option, various soil amendments have been proposed to reduce disease severity.
Effects of modified atmosphere packaging on toxin production by Clostridium botulinum in raw aquacultured summer flounder fillets (Paralichthys dentatus)

Packaging fishery products under vacuum atmosphere packaging (VAC) and modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) conditions can significantly extend the shelf life of raw, refrigerated fish products. There is considerable commercial interest in marketing VAC and MAP refrigerated (never frozen) raw fish fillets. The objective of this study was to determine if Clostridium botulinum toxin development precedes microbiological spoilage in raw, refrigerated flounder fillets. Aquacultured flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) individual fish fillets either were packed with a film having an oxygen transmission rate (OTR) of 3000 cm3 m(-2) 24 h(-1) at 22.8 degrees C or were vacuum packaged or packaged under 100% CO2 with a film having an OTR of 7.8 cm3 m(-2) 24 h(-1) at 21.1 degrees C and were stored at 4 and 10 degrees C. Samples were analyzed by aerobic plate count (APC) for spoilage and qualitatively for botulinum toxin with a mouse bioassay. The results demonstrate that flounder fillets (4 degrees C) packaged with a film having an OTR of 3,000 were microbiologically spoiled (APC, > 10(7) CFU/g) on day 15, but there was no toxin formation, even after 35 days of storage. However, at 10 degrees C, toxin production occurred (day 8), but it was after microbial spoilage and absolute sensory rejection (day 5). Vacuum-packaged fillets and 100% CO2 fillets (4 degrees C) packaged with a film having an OTR of 7.8 were toxic on days 20 and 25, respectively, with microbial spoilage (APC, >10(7) CFU/g) not occurring during the tested storage period (i.e., >35 days). At 10 degrees C, in vacuum-packaged flounder, toxin formation coincided with microbiological spoilage (days 8 to 9). In the 100% CO2-packaged fillets, toxin formation occurred on day 9, with microbial spoilage occurring on day 15. This study indicates that films with an OTR of 3,000 can be used for refrigerated fish fillets and still maintain the safety of the product.
Abstract #871: Temozolomide and chloroquine trigger glioblastoma cell death via enhanced induction of the apoptotic arm of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response

Introduction: Although temozolomide (TMZ) in combination with the antimalarial agent chloroquine (CQ) is currently being investigatedas a chemotherapeutic regimen for glioblastoma multiforme, the combined pharmacologic interaction of TMZ and CQ is not well understood.1 We previously demonstrated that GRP78 antagonized the induction of the ER stress proapoptotic protein CHOP/GADD-153, where the end result was reduced TMZ-mediated cytotoxicity.2 We hypothesized that GRP78 linked autophagy may be a critical cytoprotective mechanism that acts to alleviate ER stress by targeting unfolded ER proteins to the lysosome for degradation.Furthermore, this cytoprotective effect of GRP78 may be opposed by CQ, which inhibits autophagy by blocking lysosome targeted protein degradation. Thus, we investigated whether CQ in combination with TMZ can aggravate cell death in glioma cells by blocking the cytoprotective effect of GRP78, while enhancing the induction of CHOP/GADD-153. Methods: Cytotoxicity was determined by colony formation assay (CFA). GRP78 was down regulated using siRNA. Relative amounts of protein were determined via Western blot analysis with specific antibodies to GRP78, LC3B-II, and CHOP/GADD-153. CHOP/GADD-153 induction in vivo was determined by immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of glioma tissue sections obtained from subcutaneous U87 xenografts. Results: CFA using U251 and LN229 glioma cells treated with either TMZ or CQ alone resulted in 40% cell death; whereas, combination therapy lead to 90% cell death. This synergistic cytotoxicity was also observed in TMZ resistant cell lines. GRP78 over expression protected glioma cells from TMZ treatment, whereas GRP78 down regulation enhanced TMZ-mediated cytotoxicity. However, GRP78 was necessary for CQ induced cytotoxicity, as GRP78 down regulation reduced CQ\#8217;s antitumor properties, including the induction of LC3B-II (an autophagosome marker) and PARP cleavage. Enhancement of CHOP/GADD-153 induction was observed in vitro on Western blot analysis and in vivo in IHC xenograft analysis with the combination therapy, compared to either CQ or TMZ alone. Conclusion: GRP78 alleviates ER stress via autophagy by targeting unfolded ER proteins to the lysosome for degradation. CQ not only inhibits autophagy by blocking lysosome targeted protein degradation, but when combined with TMZ, it augments glioma cell death by enhanced induction of the ER stress proapoptotic protein CHOP/GADD-153. References 1. Hydroxychloroquine, radiation therapy, and temozolomide in treating patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme. National Cancer Institute. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00486603. (2008). 2. Pyrko, P., et al. The unfolded protein response regulator GRP78/BiP as a novel target for increasing chemosensitivity in malignant gliomas. Cancer Res 67, 9809-16 (2007). Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 871.
Use of Commercial Direct-to-Consumer Telemedicine by Children.

Abstract Objective In commercial direct-to-consumer (DTC) telemedicine, physicians outside of the medical home treat common, acute complaints through real-time, audio-visual conferencing using telephones and personal computers. There has been little examination of the use of DTC telemedicine by children. We describe trends in DTC telemedicine use and DTC telemedicine visit characteristics. Methods Using 2011–2016 claims from a large national health plan, we identified pediatric acute visits to DTC telemedicine and to primary care providers (PCPs). We examined DTC telemedicine visit trends and compared DTC telemedicine and acute PCP visit diagnoses and patient characteristics. Results From 2011 through 2016, pediatric DTC telemedicine visits increased from 38 to 24,409 visits annually. In 2015 and 2016, the most common primary diagnoses for DTC telemedicine visits (n = 42,072) were infections of the nose/sinuses (24%), mouth/throat (16%), and ear (9%), which were also the most common diagnoses for acute PCP visits (n = 6,917,976). Odds of DTC telemedicine use were higher for children in non-metropolitan communities (odds ratio [OR], 1.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40–1.51) and children without preventive visits (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.06–1.11). Compared to children receiving acute PCP care, children with DTC telemedicine visits were also more likely to have had urgent care (17% vs 10%; P Conclusions The use of commercial DTC telemedicine visits for children is growing rapidly, primarily for acute respiratory infections. Compared to children who did not use DTC telemedicine for acute care, children using DTC telemedicine were also more likely to use other venues for acute care outside of the medical home.