cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric Heart Transplantation from Donors with Depressed Ventricular Function: An Analysis of the United Network of Organ Sharing Database

Background— Wait-list mortality for children awaiting heart transplantation remains high. Potential donor hearts with depressed ventricular function are often declined. We aimed to test the hypothesis that pediatric heart transplant recipients of grafts with depressed ventricular function would have comparable survival with those with normal function. Methods and Results— A retrospective study was performed for pediatric heart transplants from the United Network of Organ Sharing Database from October 26, 1999, to June 30, 2011. Patients were grouped based on accepted donor left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): normal function (LVEF ≥55%), mildly depressed function (LVEF 45%–54%), or moderately-to-severely depressed function (LVEF <45%). During the study period, there were 3672 pediatric heart transplants; 3306 (90%) had a LVEF reported. Ventricular function was mildly depressed in 245 (7%) and moderately-to-severely depressed in 172 (5%). Patients receiving grafts with moderately-to-severely depressed function were more likely to be younger and weigh less ( P <0.001 for both) than those receiving grafts with normal function. Median graft survival from accepted donors with normal ventricular function (10.6 years) was similar to survival from accepted donors with mildly depressed ventricular function (9.7 years; P =0.24) and from accepted donors with moderately-to-severely depressed ventricular function (9.1 years; P =0.13). On propensity-matched analysis, donor ventricular function was not associated with graft survival. Conclusions— The use of donors with depressed ventricular function is uncommon in pediatric heart transplantation (<15% of all transplants), yet graft survival does not differ significantly from accepted donors with normal ventricular function. Hearts from donors with depressed ventricular function may be considered in selected patients.
Perspectives of allergists/immunologists on the 2009-2010 H1N1 vaccination effort.

Background. Persons with high-risk conditions such as asthma were a target group for national H1N1 vaccine recommendations. Allergists/immunologists (allergists) are a provider group that could vaccinate persons with asthma and other high-risk conditions. Their level of participation in and experiences with the 2009–2010 H1N1 vaccination campaign are unknown. Objective. To describe the experiences of allergists related to the 2009–2010 H1N1 vaccination campaign. Methods. A cross-sectional, mailed survey of a national sample of 1955 allergists providing outpatient care was conducted in June–September 2010. Results. The overall response rate was 72%. Most allergists “strongly recommended” H1N1 vaccine for children, and most “recommended” or “strongly recommended” vaccine for adults. The majority (71%) agreed to participate in the H1N1 vaccine campaign and received vaccine. Vaccine supply was a significant challenge, but otherwise few major problems were experienced with administering H1N1 vaccine. The major...
Hazards at power frequencies

This paper surveys the effects of electric and magnetic fields at power frequencies. The NRPB Guidance on the exposure of people to power-frequency magnetic fields is that people should not be exposed to fields greater than 1600 /spl mu/T or 12 kVm/sup -1/ at 50 Hz. This guidance is based largely on avoiding effects of induced currents in the body. The generation, transmission, distribution and use of electricity involves a number of stages which produce electric and magnetic fields. The highest fields the general public are generally exposed to from various power-frequency sources are summarised in this paper.
Cranberry metabolites in urine inhibit bacterial adhesion

Drinking cranberry juice has been shown to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs) in some clinical studies, but the mechanisms for this benefit remain unclear. It is suggested that cranberry metabolites in urine help prevent bacterial adhesion to uroepithelial cells, which is the first step of infection. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to determine the adhesion forces between a clinical strain of E. coli (CFT073) and a silicon nitride probe. Bacteria were bound to a glass slide and incubated in urine for 45 minutes. Urine samples were collected from a volunteer at 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8 hours after consuming 16 oz of either cranberry juice cocktail (CJC) or water. The AFM analysis demonstrated the adhesion forces of bacteria incubated in urine after CJC consumption were lower than those of bacteria incubated in urine after water consumption. whereas bacterial adhesion forces in samples with cranberry metabolites decreased from 1.25 ± 0.75 nN (0 hrs after consumption) to 0.38 ± 0.2 nN (8 hrs after consumption), adhesion forces in samples collected after water consumption showed no statistically significant temporal difference. These results suggest that cranberry metabolites in urine can inhibit bacterial adhesion for at least 8 hours after consumption.
Maternal Influences on Asian American—Pacific Islander Adolescents’ Perceived Maternal Sexual Expectations and Their Sexual Initiation

Maternal influences on adolescents' sexual initiation have been examined over two time points in 433 Asian American-Pacific Islander (AAPI) adolescents in a secondary analysis of the Add Health data set using structural equation modeling. A longitudinal model built on a preliminary qualitative study is used to examine the fit between data and model. Maternal perceived connectedness and adolescents' perceived maternal sexual expectations in sexual timing are found to be protective for delaying AAPI adolescents' sexual initiation. Unexpectedly, mothers' perceptions of sexual discussion are not protective for delaying adolescents' sexual initiation. The results suggest interventions should focus on promoting AAPI mothers' perceptions of connectedness with their adolescents and adolescents' perceptions of their mothers' sexual expectations (as measured by adolescents' perceived maternal disapproval attitudes and affects) in delaying sexual initiation.
Nonspecific Urethritis: Its Current Status

Abstract The etiology, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of nonspecific urethritis (N.S.U.) is discussed. Chlamydia seems to be responsible for approximately 40–50% of cases while the etiology of the remainder remains obscrue. There seems to be reasonably good evidence for venereal transmission as well as for treatment of the female partner whether symptomatic or asymptomatic. Tetracyline given for 21 days or oxytetracycline given for four days seem to be the most effective first line treatment regimens at this time. Complications which include prostatitis, epididymitis, urethral stricture, and Reiter's Syndrome, are discussed. It appears as though there is a reasonable possibility that Reiter's Syndrome is a separate entity (or immunological sequela) rather than a complication.
Direct magnitude estimates of speech intelligibility in dysarthria: effects of a chosen standard.

Direct magnitude estimation (DME) has been used frequently as a perceptual scaling technique in studies of the speech intelligibility of persons with speech disorders. The technique is typically us...
Thermal stability of idealized folded carbyne loops.

Self-unfolding items provide a practical convenience, wherein ring-like frames are contorted into a state of equilibrium and subsequently pop up’ or deploy when perturbed from a folded structure. Can the same process be exploited at the molecular scale? At the limiting scale is a closed chain of single atoms, used here to investigate the limits of stability of such folded ring structures via full atomistic molecular dynamics. Carbyne is a one-dimensional carbon allotrope composed of sp-hybridized carbon atoms. Here, we explore the stability of idealized carbyne loops as a function of chain length, curvature, and temperature, and delineate an effective phase diagram between folded and unfolded states. We find that while overall curvature is reduced, in addition to torsional and self-adhesive energy barriers, a local increase in curvature results in the largest impedance to unfolding.
Computing curricula - computer engineering

In 1998, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Computer Society of the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE-CS) convened a joint curriculum task force called Computing Curricula 2001, or CC2001 for short. The final report is planned to be organized into five volumes: Volume I: Overview, Volume II: Computer Science, Volume III. Computer Engineering, Volume IV. Software Engineering, Volume V: Information Systems. A committee was established in the beginning of 2001 to define the body of knowledge that constitutes computer engineering as well as to develop course outlines to suit different curricula in computer engineering. The purpose of the article is to delineate the mission and the vision of the task and to invite members in particular and public in general to participate in this important activity.
Why women and men choose nursing.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare and contrast why women and men choose nursing. Male and female nursing students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program at every class level were interviewed over a two-year period. The interviews enabled the subjects to give voice to their motivations, needs, and expectations. Data were obtained and analyzed using grounded theory methodology. The analyses, performed both by the author and by a second intercoder, included constant comparison with substantive and categorical coding for the purpose of theory generation. While male and female students demonstrated comparable commitment to care for their patients, differences emerged within the construct of power. In addition, there was a strong contrast between male and female students regarding practical motivations for choosing nursing (e.g., salary and working conditions).
Age-sensitive T cell phenotypes covary in genetically heterogeneous mice and predict early death from lymphoma.

We have assessed several age-sensitive indicators of immune status in young (i.e., 6 to 11-month-old) mice of a genetically heterogeneous population to see if these varied in parallel and to determine if one or more of the status indices predicted life span or cancer incidence. We report that the number of memory (i.e., CD44hi) T cells within the CD8 subset is correlated with number of memory cells in the CD4 population, and inversely correlated with the number of naive (i.e., CD45RBhi) CD4 cells at both 6 and 11 months of age, suggesting that the conversion of naive to memory cells may occur at similar rates in both T cell subsets. Mice that ranked high in the proportion of memory T cells (within the CD4 and CD8 pools) at 6 months of age tended to retain their ranking at 11 months, suggesting that the pace or extent of memory cell formation may be a consistent trait that distinguishes mice at least within a genetically heterogeneous population. Mice that at 6 months of age exhibited high levels of CD4 or CD8 memory T cells, low levels of naive CD4 cells, or low levels of T cells able to proliferate in response to Con A and IL-2 were found to be significantly more likely than their littermates to die within the first 18 months of life. Cases of follicular cell lymphoma, lymphocytic and lymphoblastic lymphoma, and hepatic hemangiosarcoma were seen within the group of mice dying at early ages.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Reliability of individual differences between garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) during repeated exposures to an open field

Eight garter snakes (Thamnophis radix) were observed during 10 daily 10-min sessions in an open field, and minute-by-minute records were kept of the frequency of tongue flicking and square traversing. The behavior of the snakes indicated that they were exploring the apparatus, and considerable individual differences were evidenced in both dependent variables. Correlational analyses compared the daily pattern of individual differences for each measure with the patterns on each other day; individual differences in each measure were found to be reliable. An interpretation of tongue flick rate is offered which suggests that this behavior may represent either an index of obligatory information gathering made necessary by a need for stimulus redundancy or an index of information processing capacity.
HWA-448 reduces gentamicin toxicity in LLC-PK1 cells.

An LLC-PK1 cell culture model was used to evaluate for a direct protective effect of the pentoxifylline analogue HWA-448 in gentamicin nephrotoxicity at the cellular level. Cells exposed to 2 mM gentamicin for 6 days displayed a significant decrease in specific activities of leucine aminopeptidase, NaK ATPase, and N-acetyl glucosaminidase, and an increase in total cellular phospholipids (P < .05). Concomitant exposure to 0.125 mM HWA-448, a dose that did not alter cellular enzymes or total phospholipids under physiologic conditions, prevented the alterations in marker enzymes and total phospholipids induced by gentamicin (P < .05). Gentamicin binding and uptake studies revealed 0.125 mM HWA-448 had no effect on LLC-PK1 cell plasma membrane binding or cellular gentamicin uptake. We conclude that HWA-448 ameliorates gentamicin-induced alterations in LLC-PK1 cell enzymes and phospholipids by a mechanism independent of plasma membrane binding or cellular uptake.
Colonic H-K-ATPase α- and β-subunits express ouabain-insensitive H-K-ATPase

Active K absorption in the rat distal colon is energized by an apical H-K-ATPase, a member of the gene family of P-type ATPases. The H-K-ATPase α-subunit (HKcα) has been cloned and characterized (t...
Effects of downscaled high-resolution meteorological data on the PSCF identification of emission sources

Abstract The Potential Source Contribution Function (PSCF) model has been successfully used for identifying regions of emission source at a long distance in this study, the PSCF model relies on backward trajectories calculated by the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model. In this study, we investigated the impacts of grid resolution and Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) parameterization (e.g., turbulent transport of pollutants) on the PSCF analysis. The Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ) and Yonsei University (YUS) parameterization schemes were selected to model the turbulent transport in the PBL within the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF version 3.6) model. Two separate domain grid sizes (83 and 27 km) were chosen in the WRF downscaling in generating the wind data for driving the HYSPLIT calculation. The effects of grid size and PBL parameterization are important in incorporating the influence of regional and local meteorological processes such as jet streaks, blocking patterns, Rossby waves, and terrain-induced convection on the transport of pollutants by a wind trajectory. We found high resolution PSCF did discover and locate source areas more precisely than that with lower resolution meteorological inputs. The lack of anticipated improvement could also be because a PBL scheme chosen to produce the WRF data was only a local parameterization and unable to faithfully duplicate the real atmosphere on a global scale. The MYJ scheme was able to replicate PSCF source identification by those using the Reanalysis and discover additional source areas that was not identified by the Reanalysis data. A potential benefit for using high-resolution wind data in the PSCF modeling is that it could discover new source location in addition to those identified by using the Reanalysis data input.
Generalized definition of the geometric mean of a non negative random variable

The first probabilistic definition of the geometric mean of a non negative random variable under certain assumptions was given in Feng et al. (2013). In this paper, we generalize the definition to ...
Surveillance of Arsenic Pollution in Yangzonghai Lake in Recent Three Years

Obejective To get the knowledge of the change tendency of arsenic pollution Yangzonghai Lake and its surrounding areas,and provide reliable evidences for the safety of drinking water in the local areas.Methods Surveillance of the concentration of arsenic in Yangzonghai Lake and the surrounding areas was carried out from 2008 to 2011.The surveillance used the methods required in "Surveillance Design of Arsenic pollution in Yangzonghai Lake of Kunming City from 2008～2011".Results Totally 238 water samples were tested,the result of arsenic in the water sources of Liushuwan is in 0.021 6～0.128 mg/L,the highest concentration is 0.128 mg/L in Sep 2009,which is as 1.5 times higher as the standards requirement;the lowest concentration is 0.0216 mg/L in Mar.2011.The result of arsenic in the water sources of the first level pumping station in the Aluminum Factory of Cheng Gong County is among 0.029 5～0.126 mg/L,the highest is 0.126 mg/L in Sep.2009,the lowest is 0.029 5 mg/L in Mar.2011.Conclusions The overall arsenic concentration level in Yangzonghai Lake and its surrounding areas has a decreasing trend.Up to Mar.2011,the arsenic content in the surveillance places has meet the requirement of the standard of on-the ground water for category Ⅲ.
Clinical efficacy of azithromycin combined with procaterol in treatment of asthma in children complicated with Mycoplasma pneumoniaeinfections

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical efficacy and safety of azithromycin combined with procaterol in treatment of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infections in the children complicated with asthma so as to guide the clinical treatment.METHODS A total of 117 pediatric asthma patients who were treated in the hospital from Oct 2009 to Oct 2010,were enrolled in the study.Totally 42 patients were diagnosed as M.pneumoniae infections and were randomly divided into the control group and the observation group with 21 cases in each.The treatment group was treated with azithromycin and procaterol,while the control group was treated with erythromycin and procaterol.The clinical efficacy,white blood cell count(WBC),and respiratory status between the two groups were observed,and the pulmonary function examination(FEV1.0%,PEFR) was performed for the children aged more than 6 years.RESULTS The incidence of M.pneumoniae infection in the pediatric asthma patients was 35.9%,the effective rate of the treatment was 90.5% in the observation group and 57.1% in the control group,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(χ2=6.0,P0.05).The WBC counts of the observation group were(11.2±3.9)×109/L before the treatment and(6.9±2.8)×109/L after the treatment;while the WBC counts of the control group were(11.3±4.1)×109/L before the treatment and(7.6±3.1)×109/L after the treatment,the difference between the two groups was statistically significant(P0.05);both of the treatment programs could improve the pulmonary function,but there was no statistical difference.CONCLUSION The azithromycin combined with procaterol can achieve accurate clinical efficacy in treatment of M.pneumoniae infection in pediatric patients complicated with asthma.
Medical therapy of prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer is now the most commonly diagnosed male malignancy and the second most common cause of male cancer death in the U.S. There is no standard role for medical therapy in the treatment of localized disease, although ongoing trials are investigating possible adjuvant and neoadjuvant roles. Subtotal androgen ablation by surgical or medical means is standard therapy for advanced disease, but such therapy does not exterminate the androgen-independent clone which is hypothesized to develop very early in the course of the disease. The current favored medical therapy for subtotal androgen ablation is the use of a depot formulation of an LHRH agonist accompanied initially by an antiandrogen. Once first-line hormonal therapy has failed, there is little to be gained by any other hormonal therapy, although withdrawal of the hormone(s) might itself be a therapeutic maneuver. Cytotoxic agents presently have no standard role in the management of prostate cancer. Future effective therapies for prostate cancer are being presaged by advances in prostate tumor biology.
Model updating of a full-scale FE model with nonlinear constraint equations and sensitivity-based cluster analysis for updating parameters

Abstract The objective of structural model updating is to reduce inherent modeling errors in Finite Element (FE) models due to simplifications, idealized connections, and uncertainties of material properties. Updated FE models, which have less discrepancies with real structures, give more precise predictions of dynamic behaviors for future analyses. However, model updating becomes more difficult when applied to civil structures with a large number of structural components and complicated connections. In this paper, a full-scale FE model of a major long-span bridge has been updated for improved consistency with real measured data. Two methods are applied to improve the model updating process. The first method focuses on improving the agreement of the updated mode shapes with the measured data. A nonlinear inequality constraint equation is used to an optimization procedure, providing the capability to regulate updated mode shapes to remain within reasonable agreements with those observed. An interior point algorithm deals with nonlinearity in the objective function and constraints. The second method finds very efficient updating parameters in a more systematic way. The selection of updating parameters in FE models is essential to have a successful updating result because the parameters are directly related to the modal properties of dynamic systems. An in-depth sensitivity analysis is carried out in an effort to precisely understand the effects of physical parameters in the FE model on natural frequencies. Based on the sensitivity analysis, cluster analysis is conducted to find a very efficient set of updating parameters.
Outcomes of a Percutaneous Technique for Shortening of Totally Implanted Indwelling Central Venous Chest Port Catheters

Central venous port catheters that are too long are typically removed or revised. The subcutaneous position of port reservoirs precludes standard over-the-wire exchange techniques, and a method of percutaneous revision using an intravascular loop snare technique has been previously described. A retrospective review was conducted of 38 procedures that were performed at a single academic institution between 2005 and 2015. Technical success was 100%, without immediate or delayed complications with follow-up until port removal or death in 94% of patients. Percutaneous revision is an effective method for shortening too-long port catheters, allowing uninterrupted use of the port.
Computer Models of Peripheral Nerves

Abstract Computer models help researchers understand the peripheral nervous system. Often models are used to investigate a cell’s response to changes in the electrochemical environment. Models range from very simple axon models that do not propagate action potentials to very complex, networked populations of neurons and can broadly be divided into point models and compartmental models. In both model types, the neural membrane behaves like and is modeled as a capacitor and resistor in parallel. Most ion channels are modeled as a variable resistor. Chemical ionic gradients across the membrane are modeled as batteries. These four components—capacitors, passive and variable resistors, and batteries—form the basis of neural models ranging from the simple integrate-and-fire to the very complex multicompartmental representations of branching, myelinated axons.
Modeling for Waves in Random Media — A Need for Analytical, Numerical and Experimental Investigations

This paper first presents the state of the art in the modeling of waves in random media including waves in turbulence, waves in discrete scatterers, and rough surface scattering. Secondly, we emphasize the need for interplay among analytical, numerical, and experimental investigations. Weak localization, coherent backscattering, and enhanced backscattering from rough surfaces are used as examples of these interactive investigations that are essential in constructing new analytical models and in uncovering underlying physical processes. Future directions in this field include basic theoretical studies on waves in dense media, disordered media, and nonlinear and inverse problems as well as applications in remote sensing, surface physics, geosciences, biomedical sciences, communications, and imaging.
Exercise and prognosis on the basis of clinicopathologic and molecular features in early-stage breast cancer: The LACE and pathways studies

To investigate whether the impact of postdiagnosis exercise on breast cancer outcomes in women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer differs on the basis of tumor clinicopathologic and molecular features. Using a prospective design, 6,211 patients with early-stage breast cancer from two large population-based cohort studies were studied. Age-adjusted and multivariable Cox regression models were performed to determine the relationship between exercise exposure (total MET-hours/week) and recurrence and breast cancer-related death for: (i) all patients ("unselected" cohort), and on the basis of (ii) classic clinicopathologic features, (iii) clinical subtypes, (iv) PAM50-based molecular intrinsic subtypes, and (v) individual PAM50 target genes. After a median follow-up of 7.2 years, in the unselected cohort (n = 6,211) increasing exercise exposure was not associated with a reduction in the risk of recurrence (adjusted Ptrend = 0.60) or breast cancer-related death (adjusted Ptrend = 0.39). On the basis of clinicopathologic features, an exercise-associated reduction in breast cancer-related death was apparent for tumors <2 cm [HR, 0.50; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.34-0.72], well/moderately differentiated tumors (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.43-0.91), and ER-positive tumors (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.53-0.97). Stratification by clinical subtype indicated that the ER(+)/PR(+)/HER2(-)/low-grade clinical subtype was preferentially responsive to exercise (recurrence: adjusted HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.45-0.88; breast cancer-related death: adjusted HR, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.37-0.86). The impact of exercise on cancer outcomes appears to differ as a function of pathologic and molecular features in early-stage breast cancer. Cancer Res; 76(18); 5415-22. ©2016 AACR.
School Violence Prevention

School violence prevention involves the application of universal, selected, and indicated evidenced-based programs and procedures in the school setting in order to reduce the incidence of interpersonal violence in all its forms.
Nucleophosmin Protects Hematopoietic Cells from Stress-Induced Apoptosis through Inhibition of P53.

Nucleophosmin (NPM) is a multifunctional protein frequently overexpressed in actively proliferating cells including tumor and hematopoietic stem cells. Here we report that NPM protects hematopoietic cells from stress-induced apoptosis through inhibition of the tumor suppressor p53. Specifically, we forced expression of wild-type (WT) NPM or a mutant variant with a deletion of the C-terminal 120 aa of NPM (NPMΔC) by retroviral gene transfer in the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-dependent myeloid cell line MO7e (expresses low level of NPM) and the lymphoblast HSC536 cells derived from a Fanconi anemia (FA) patient in the C complementation group (expresses essentially undetectable NPM). Using a flow cytometric method for caspase 3 activation (early apoptosis), we demonstrated that overexpression of NPM but not the mutant NPMΔC confers MO7e and HSC536 cells resistance to apoptosis induced by growth factor deprivation and treatment with the chemotherapeutic drug etoposide. In addition, suppression of NPM expression by small interfering RNA targeting NPM in chronic myelogenous leukemia line K562 and FA-associated acute myelogenous leukemia cell line UoC-M1 increases etoposide-induced apoptosis, thus providing proof of concept evidence that the pathological elevations of NPM found in cancers and leukemias are important for maintaining cell survival and resistance to apoptosis. Because overexpression of the mutant NPMΔC, which lacks the p53-interacting domain, fails to confer cellular resistance to stress-induced apoptosis, we determined whether NPM protects cells from apoptotic cell death through a mechanism involving p53. We used the genetically matched p53 WT and null mouse bone marrow (BM) cells to show that overexpression of WT NPM protects against ionizing irradiation (IR)-induced apoptosis of wild-type but not p53-null BM cells. Moreover, NPM inhibits IR-induced p53 phosphorylation at Ser18 and transactivation, and interacts with p53 in bone marrow hematopoietic cells. Thus, this study not only demonstrates anti-apoptotic function of a proliferation-promoting protein but also suggests that cancer progression may require increased expression of NPM to suppress p53 activation and maintain cell survival.
Undergraduate Neuroscience Majors: A Missed Opportunity for Psychiatry Workforce Development

Objective This study sought to determine whether and to what extent medical students with an undergraduate college major in neuroscience, relative to other college majors, pursue psychiatry relative to other brain-based specialties (neurology and neurosurgery) and internal medicine.
A Protocol for Rapid Post-mortem Cell Culture of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) is a childhood brainstem tumor that carries a universally fatal prognosis. Because surgical resection is not a viable treatment strategy and biopsy is not routinely performed, the availability of patient samples for research is limited. Consequently, efforts to study this disease have been challenged by a paucity of faithful disease models. To address this need, we describe here a protocol for the rapid processing of post-mortem autopsy tissue samples in order to generate durable patient-derived cell culture models that can be used in in vitro assays or in vivo orthotopic xenograft experiments. These models can be used to screen for potential drug targets and to study fundamental pathobiological processes within DIPG. This protocol can further be extended to analyze and isolate tumor and microenvironmental cells using Fluorescence-activated Cell Sorting (FACS), which enables subsequent analysis of gene expression, protein expression, or epigenetic modifications of DNA at the bulk cell or single cell level. Finally, this protocol can also be adapted to generate patient-derived cultures for other central nervous system tumors.
Sparse eigenvectors of graphs

In order to analyze signals defined over graphs, many concepts from the classical signal processing theory have been extended to the graph case. One of these concepts is the uncertainty principle, which studies the concentration of a signal on a graph and its graph Fourier basis (GFB). An eigenvector of a graph is the most localized signal in the GFB by definition, whereas it may not be localized in the vertex domain. However, if the eigenvector itself is sparse, then it is concentrated in both domains simultaneously. In this regard, this paper studies the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of 1, 2, and 3-sparse eigenvectors of the graph Laplacian. The provided conditions are purely algebraic and only use the adjacency information of the graph. Examples of both classical and real-world graphs with sparse eigenvectors are also presented.
Real-time atomistic observation of structural phase transformations in individual hafnia nanorods

High-temperature phases of hafnium dioxide have exceptionally high dielectric constants and large bandgaps, but quenching them to room temperature remains a challenge. Scaling the bulk form to nanocrystals, while successful in stabilizing the tetragonal phase of isomorphous ZrO2, has produced nanorods with a twinned version of the room temperature monoclinic phase in HfO2. Here we use in situ heating in a scanning transmission electron microscope to observe the transformation of an HfO2 nanorod from monoclinic to tetragonal, with a transformation temperature suppressed by over 1000°C from bulk. When the nanorod is annealed, we observe with atomic-scale resolution the transformation from twinned-monoclinic to tetragonal, starting at a twin boundary and propagating via coherent transformation dislocation; the nanorod is reduced to hafnium on cooling. Unlike the bulk displacive transition, nanoscale size-confinement enables us to manipulate the transformation mechanism, and we observe discrete nucleation events and sigmoidal nucleation and growth kinetics. The high-temperature tetragonal phase of HfO2 is technologically useful but difficult to stabilize at room temperature. Here, the authors observe in real-time the transformation of a HfO2nanorod from its room temperature to tetragonal phase, at 1000° less than its bulk temperature, suggesting that size confinement may kinetically trap this phase.
Hybrid propulsion Mars Ascent Vehicle concept flight performance analysis

A high-fidelity simulation of a conceptual Mars Ascent Vehicle has been developed for end-to-end performance evaluation. The simulation environment is the Dynamics Simulator for Entry, Descent and Surface landing (DSENDS). The simulation work includes the modeling of the multi-body components, Martian environment, flight software and mission timeline. Using this simulation environment, the end-to-end MAV flight performance is evaluated, both in the nominal scenario and in perturbed off-nominal scenarios where model uncertainties are taken into account.
Archean crustal compositions promote full mantle convection

Abstract Higher mantle potential temperatures characterized the early Earth, resulting in thicker, more mafic oceanic crust entering subduction systems. This change in the composition of subducted slabs, combined with the enhanced temperature contrast between the slab and ambient mantle, would have altered the buoyancy forces driving subduction in the early Earth. Here we investigate this “compositional effect” through a combination of petrologic and thermal modeling. Specifically, we construct density profiles for sinking slabs under modern and early Earth conditions based on a range of mafic crust and mantle compositions. Slab and mantle densities are then determined from mineral assemblages calculated using the thermodynamic modeling program Perple_X along slab geotherms estimated from an analytic thermal model. Consistent with previous studies, we find that modern MORB compositions are typically less dense than the ambient mantle in the basalt barrier zone, located immediately beneath the mantle transition zone. By contrast, possible early Earth oceanic crust compositions are denser than ambient mantle at all depths down to 1000 km. This compositional effect results in slabs that would have more readily penetrated the transition zone, promoting single-layered convection and effective mantle mixing in the early Earth.
Beyond the Old-Age Style, Old Art, and Aging Artists

A number of facts were learned about the old-age style in paintings: Its artists, their number (Chapter 12), and the distinctive features of their work (Chapter 13). These major accomplishments can clarify questions that have been heatedly debated in art history with more contention than consensus. With two reliable starting pointsiawhich artists to look at and what to look foriaresearch can move forward confidently on other issues. An explanation of the old-age style, for example, is likely to be rather straightforward rather than buried in mysterious, grand, and indecipherable forces deep within the psyche. Probable reasons are likely to revolve about artists’ knowledge and self-acceptance, their ability to make practical accommodations to growing old, and intelligent compensations for physical and sensory losses. To test these assumptions, up to 63 empirically determined characteristics of the old-age style (Chapter 13) can be applied to at least 38 historical artists with an old-age style and 68 without one (Chapter 12).
Elevated diaphragmatic blood flow during submaximal exercise in rats with chronic heart failure

The exercise blood flow response of muscles involved in respiration was determined in rats with a myocardial infarction (MI), which was produced by tying the left main coronary artery, and in rats that underwent sham operations (Sham). Arterial blood gases, acid-base parameters, and blood flow (ml/100 g of tissue) to the diaphragm, intercostals, and transverse abdominis muscles were measured during steady-state treadmill exercise (20% grade, 28 m/min). The responses of MI rats that were classified as having a small (MIS 35%, n = 7) infarct were compared with those of Sham (n = 12) rats using analysis of variance techniques. Results demonstrated that arterial PO2 and PCO2 were similar for all groups during exercise (PaO2 = 110-112 mmHg; PaCO2 = 28-29 mmHg) even though the MIM and MIL groups had developed a significant amount of pulmonary congestion, and the MIL group demonstrated indicators of severe left ventricular dysfunction. Blood flow to the diaphragm during exercise was significantly greater for the MIL group of rats, although blood flow to the intercostals and transverse abdominis muscles was similar across the different groups. Results from this study support the contention that MI rats (including rats with decompensated heart failure) will achieve the same effective alveolar ventilation during exercise as that found for Sham rats and in the process maintain arterial O2 saturation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A deterministic method for PWR loading pattern optimization

Abstract A new deterministic approach to core loading optimization is presented. Selection of fuel enrichment and burnable poison (BP) arrangement in a pressurized water reactor (PWR) core are optimally determined subject to power peaking factor (PF) constraints. The deterministic approach is based on the method of Lagrange multipliers and the direct adjoining approach for the inequality power PF constraint. The optimality conditions are derived using calculus of variations resulting in the presence of jump conditions and a linear control Hamiltonian. The optimal control problems are addressed by simultaneously minimizing the Hamiltonian using the gradient method and performing Newton's method in different regions of the core to produce viable solutions for the controls. Without active control of the power profile in PWRs during depletion, our methodology is able to satisfy the power PF constraint at all times by proper loading selection at the beginning of cycle (BOC). This is achieved by promoting the proper burnup path forward in time during the calculation of the forward optimality conditions. This information is utilized in the adjoint burnup calculation, which acts to propagate the optimal control path back to the BOC during the calculation of the adjoint optimality conditions. The methodology has been developed into a new code DMCO (Deterministic Multi-Control Optimization) which can produce two-dimensional two-group depletion results in approximately seven minutes per optimization iteration on a personal computer. No application of heuristics is required and the code is capable of finding solutions from initial control distributions. A preliminary case study is presented for the Westinghouse AP600 first cycle fuel loading design which achieved an extended fuel cycle while satisfying power PF constraints.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Usage by Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Results from a Prospective Clinical Study.

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the factors associated with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) usage by multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Design, Setting/Location: Single-center, pros...
Patients’ perception of community pharmacists as healthcare providers and willingness to participate in pharmacist services: a pilot study

Objectives To explore the extent to which patients identify community pharmacists as healthcare providers and the relationship of this perception to a willingness to engage in pharmacist-provided services. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted at a retail pharmacy and a patient centered medical home (PCMH) in the New Orleans, Louisiana metropolitan area. The survey assessed patients' perception of community pharmacists and their roles in the provision of healthcare, as well as willingness to participate in commonly offered pharmacist-provided services. Results This study included 49 participants who interacted with pharmacy personnel to receive prescriptions regularly. Of the 49 patients surveyed, 91.8% perceived community pharmacists to be healthcare providers and this perception significantly impacted patient willingness to participate in medication therapy management, medication optimization, and travel vaccination services. Other services were not significantly impacted by perception. Conclusion A greater percentage of patients perceived community pharmacists as healthcare providers. This affirmative perception positively impacted patient willingness to participate in several pharmacist-provided services. Since no comparative studies are available, further study is needed to assess consistency of observations and assess innovative ways to highlight pharmacists' cognitive attributes and increase participation in pharmacist-provided services.
History and Normativity in Traditional Indian Muslim Thought: Reading Shari`a in the Hermeneutics of Qari Muhammad Tayyab (d.1983)

Essays shows how time, history and piety are narrated in the Deobandi Discourse of Ethical and Moral Change.
Remembrances of Predictions Past

It is an honor—indeed thrilling—to be asked to predict the future of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). It would be even more thrilling had not the preceding chapters, and the creation of the consortium that inspired this volume, not done my assignment for me. The pages that precede these, written by some of the best people working in the field, draw roadmap for the next decade that is as good as any I could have drawn on my own. Nevertheless, I will try to respond to the challenge. Twice before, in 2000 and in 2006, I tried to predict the future of APS. First, I wrote that the challenges in 2000 were: to distinguish clinically between APS and the genetic coagulopathies, to understand the relationship between antibody and clinical illness, to learn the molecular features of antigen and antibody that might lead to thrombosis, to develop animal models, and to establish consortia for clinical trials.
Potential Impact of the Common Core Mathematics Standards on the American Curriculum

In June of 2010, the Common Core State Standards in Mathematics (CCSSM) were introduced in the U.S. Long before the advent of the CCSSM, American schools had a de facto national mathematics curriculum, namely, the curriculum dictated by school mathematics textbooks. While there are some formal differences among these books, the underlying mathematics is quite similar throughout. The resulting curriculum distorts mathematics in the sense that it often withholds precise definitions and logical reasoning, fails to point out interconnections between major topics such as whole numbers and fractions, and employs ambiguous language that ultimately leads to widespread non-learning. The CCSSM make a conscientious attempt to address many of these problems and, in the process, raise the demand on teachers’ content knowledge for a successful implementation of these standards. This article examines, strictly from an American perspective, some of the mathematical issues (primarily in grades 4–12) that arise during the transition from the de facto curriculum to the curriculum envisioned by the CCSSM. Although the CCSSM would seem to be strictly an American concern, these mathematical issues transcend national boundaries because there are very few deviations in the K-12 curriculum across nations (for the K-8 curriculum, see p. 3-31 to p. 3-33 of National Mathematics Advisory Panel 2008).
Reliable Optimal Production Control with Cobb-Douglas Model

Production is the most fundamental activity in our economy. In this paper, a Cobb-Douglas production function is used as the mathematical model to describe the relationship among production, labor and capital. Two reliable production optimal control problems are studied. Algorithms to find dynamic optimal control intervals are provided with interval parameter presentations and interval computations.
In Vitro Analysis of Plasma Protein Diffusion in Crosslinked Gelatin Coatings Used for Blood Pumps

Glutaraldehyde crosslinked gelatin surfaces, used as blood pump coatings in calves, have shown excellent long term blood compatibility. The study evaluated the diffusion and kinetics of plasma proteins into gelatin gel matrices using SDS-PAGE and GPC (gel permeation chromatography). The effects of plasma protein diffusion within the gel and the reactivity of bovine platelets to this surface were evaluated in vitro. Five percent crosslinked gelatin gels, 30–50 μm thick, were incubated with fresh bovine plasma for intervals of 5 minutes to 24 hours. Platelet reactivity to the gel surface was examined by exposing the gel surfaces to platelet rich plasma for 2 hours. Changes in platelet morphology were observed by SEM.
Electrical stimulation promote proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in normal and injured spinal cord

This article briefly reviews the general understanding of endogenous neural stem cells (eNSCs) in the CNS over the past 50 years. The proliferation and differentiation of neural progenitors continue throughout the lifetime, instead of cell division stopping at the postnatal period. In the spinal cord, these cells differentiate into different kinds of glial cells. Based on his current research in spinal cord injury (SCI), the author reports that the implantation of functional electrical stimulation (FES) in the motor cortex or the peripheral nerve increases cell birth and differentiation of eNSCs in the spinal cord. Furthermore, electrical stimulation promotes remyelination and neural repair. Finally, this article discusses the possibility of the application of eNSOs and FES in electroacupuncture research.
Communication among oncology teams at an academic center.

166Background: Effective communication is essential to ensure optimal care for oncology patients admitted to the hospital and safe transitions between care settings. Methods: A questionnaire adapte...