cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preliminary report of the 6-minute walk test as a predictor of radiation-induced pulmonary toxicity

Purpose: To assess the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) as a predictor of radiation therapy–induced lung injury (RTLI). Methods and Materials: The 6MWT is a simple, economical, and reproducible test that measures both how far a person can walk in 6 min and any associated changes in vital signs. As part of a prospective trial to study RTLI, a pre-RT 6MWT was performed in 41 patients. The predictive capacities of pre-RT 6MWT, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) for the development of RTLI were assessed with receiver operating curve (ROC) techniques. To evaluate the 6MWT, alone or with mean lung dose (MLD) of radiation, as a predictor of RTLI, the rates of RTLI in patient subgroups defined by 6MWT results were compared by using Fisher's exact test. Results: Thirty-one patients with ≥3 months' follow-up were evaluable. The median baseline 6MWT result was 1400 ft. Of 31 patients, 7 developed Grade ≥2 RTLI. Of 15 patients with an MLD >18 Gy (the median), 5 developed RTLI, compared with 2 of 16 with MLD ≤18 Gy ( p = 0.22). Among those with an MLD ≤18 Gy, the RTLI rates were 0 of 8 and 2 of 8 for 6MWT results ≥1400 ft or p = 0.46. The ROC area under the curve for individual metrics was as follows: FEV1 0.66, MLD 0.70, DLCO 0.61, and 6MWT 0.47. Combining FEV1 with 6MWT increased the ROC to 0.71, suggesting that the ratio might be a better predictor than the individual values. Patients with a high 6MWT/FEV1 ratio had a lower rate of RTLI than those with a relatively low ratio. Conclusions: The 6MWT might provide prognostic information beyond pulmonary function tests and dosimetric parameters in predicting RTLI. Additional work is needed to better assess the utility of these functional metrics.
Insulin therapy increases low plasma growth hormone binding protein in children with new-onset type 1 diabetes

This study was undertaken (1) to evaluate growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) levels in newly diagnosed patients with Type 1 diabetes before and after insulin therapy and (2) to determine the relationship of GHBP to glycaemic control, C-peptide level and blood pH. GHBP, expressed as a percentage of (125I)GH bound, was determined in 33 patients with Type 1 diabetes (M/F = 19/14, 12.3 +/- 0.4 years) before (day 0), after 5 days (day 5) and after 3 months (month 3) of insulin therapy. At day 0, GHBP was lower in Type 1 diabetes compared with 38 matched healthy control subjects (3.9 +/- 0.4 vs 8.2 +/- 0.4%, p < 0.001). There was no significant improvement in GHBP at day 5 (4.4 +/- 0.3%). At month 3, GHBP increased to (6.0 +/- 0.4%, p < 0.001 vs day 0), but was still lower than controls, p < 0.001. At day 0 GHBP correlated with BMI (r = 0.50, p = 0.001), blood glucose (r = -0.43 p = 0.006) and pH (r = 0.48, p = 0.004), but not HbA1. GHBP at month 3 correlated with day 0 C-peptide (r = 0.41, p = 0.02). Thus, (1) circulating GHBP is low in newly diagnosed patients with Type 1 diabetes, and increases after 3 months of insulin therapy but does not normalize and (2) the severity of biochemical derangement and residual beta-cell function at diagnosis may determine GHBP status and its recovery. We conclude that insulin is an important modulator of GH binding protein in newly diagnosed children with Type 1 diabetes.
Kinetics of Gas-Grain Reactions in the Solar Nebula

Thermochemical equilibrium calculations predict gas phase, gas-grain, and solid phase reactions as a function of pressure and temperature in the solar nebula. However, chemical reactions proceed at different rates, which generally decrease exponentially with decreasing temperature. At sufficiently low temperatures (which vary depending on the specific reaction) there may not have been enough time for the predicted equilibrium chemistry to have taken place before the local environment cooled significantly or before the gaseous solar nebula was dispersed. As a consequence, some of the high temperature chemistry established in sufficiently hot regions of the solar nebula may be quenched or frozen in without the production of predicted low temperature phases. Experimental studies and theoretical models of three exemplary low temperature reactions, the formation of troilite (FeS), magnetite (Fe3O4), and hydrous silicates, have been done to quantify these ideas. A comparison of the chemical reaction rates with the estimated nebular lifetime of 0.1-10 million years indicates that troilite formation proceeded to completion in the solar nebula. Magnetite formation was much slower and only thin magnetite rims could have formed on metal grains. Hydrous silicate formation is predicted to be even slower, and hydrous silicates in meteorites and interplanetary dust particles probably formed later on the parent bodies of these objects, instead of in the solar nebula.
Klassifikation von Standardebenen in der 2D-Echokardiographie mittels 2D-3D-Bildregistrierung

Zum Zweck der Entwicklung eines Systems, das einen unerfahrenen Anwender von Ultraschall (US) zur Aufnahme relevanter anatomischer Strukturen leitet, untersuchen wir die Machbarkeit von 2D-US zu 3D-CT Registrierung. Wir verwenden US-Aufnahmen von Standardebenen des Herzens, welche zu einem 3D-CT-Modell registriert werden. Unser Algorithmus unterzieht sowohl die US-Bilder als auch den CT-Datensatz Vorverarbeitungsschritten, welche die Daten durch Segmentierung auf wesentliche Informationen in Form von Labein fur Muskel und Blut reduzieren. Anschliesend werden diese Label zur Registrierung mittels der Match-Cardinality-Metrik genutzt. Durch mehrmaliges Registrieren mit verschiedenen Initialisierungen ermitteln wir die im US-Bild sichtbare Standardebene. Wir evaluierten die Methode auf sieben US-Bildern von Standardebenen. Funf davon wurden korrekt zugeordnet.
A novel mouse model of cerebral cavernous malformations based on the two-hit mutation hypothesis recapitulates the human disease

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular lesions of the central nervous system appearing as multicavernous, blood-filled capillaries, leading to headache, seizure and hemorrhagic stroke. CCM occurs either sporadically or as an autosomal dominant disorder caused by germline mutation of one of the three genes: CCM1/KRIT1, CCM2/MGC4607 and CCM3/PDCD10. Surgically resected human CCM lesions have provided molecular and immunohistochemical evidence for a two-hit (germline plus somatic) mutation mechanism. In contrast to the equivalent human genotype, mice heterozygous for a Ccm1- or Ccm2-null allele do not develop CCM lesions. Based on the two-hit hypothesis, we attempted to improve the penetrance of the model by crossing Ccm1 and Ccm2 heterozygotes into a mismatch repair-deficient Msh2−/− background. Ccm1+/−Msh2−/− mice exhibit CCM lesions with high penetrance as shown by magnetic resonance imaging and histology. Significantly, the CCM lesions range in size from early-stage, isolated caverns to large, multicavernous lesions. A subset of endothelial cells within the CCM lesions revealed somatic loss of CCM protein staining, supporting the two-hit mutation mechanism. The late-stage CCM lesions displayed many of the characteristics of human CCM lesions, including hemosiderin deposits, immune cell infiltration, increased endothelial cell proliferation and increased Rho-kinase activity. Some of these characteristics were also seen, but to a lesser extent, in early-stage lesions. Tight junctions were maintained between CCM lesion endothelial cells, but gaps were evident between endothelial cells and basement membrane was defective. In contrast, the Ccm2+/−Msh2−/− mice lacked cerebrovascular lesions. The CCM1 mouse model provides an in vivo tool to investigate CCM pathogenesis and new therapies.
Capuchin: A Free-Climbing Robot

This paper describes an integrated quasi-autonomous four-limbed robot, named Capuchin, which is equipped with appropriate sensing, planning and control capabilities to “free-climb” vertical terrain. Unlike aid climbing that takes advantage of special tools and/or engineered terrain features, free climbing only relies on friction at the contacts between the climber and the rigid terrain. While moving, Capuchin adjusts its body posture (hence, the position of its centre of mass) and exerts appropriate forces at the contacts in order to remain in equilibrium. Vision is used to achieve precise contacts and force sensing to control contact forces. The robot's planner is based on a pre-existing two-stage “stance-before-motion” approach. Its controller applies a novel “lazy” force control strategy that performs force adjustments only when these are needed. Experiments demonstrate that Capuchin can reliably climb vertical terrain with irregular features.
PS1-30: Examining Health Service Utilization in the Year Prior to Suicide Death

Background/Aims Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, warranting public health prevention efforts. Such efforts require accurate risk identification. However, the US Preventive Services Task Force has suggested that there is not enough information available to recommend screening for suicide risk in primary care. While research suggests that many individuals receive services before death, studies have been limited by small samples. This study used the largest US general population sample to date to examine the frequency, types and patterns of health services utilized prior to suicide as well as variations by subgroup. Methods Health care utilization and demographic data from six health systems of the Mental Health Research Network were pre-matched with official mortality records and census files using the Virtual Data Warehouse. In total, 2237 suicide deaths were identified using ICD-10 codes, X60-X84. Reverse survival curves were calculated estimating weekly utilization for the year prior to death. These data were stratified by age, sex, insurance type, socioeconomic indicators, and cause of death. Results Suicide death was more common among men (77%; n = 1728) and occurred more frequently by violent means (77%; n = 1730). Approximately 81% (n = 1806) received services in the year before death, with nearly 40% (n = 900) making a visit within a month before death. While 44% (n = 992) made any visit that included a mental health diagnosis in the year before death, most visits occurred in primary care without a mental health diagnosis (59%; n = 1320). Non-mental health primary care visits and outpatient behavioral health visits were most common in the two weeks before suicide. Service use occurred most often among women (87%; 441 of 509), older adults (65+ years; 96%; 386 of 401), and those who died by non-violent means (85%; 422 of 498). The relative frequency of mental health and general medical utilization differed markedly between age groups. Conclusions Most individuals who died by suicide also used health services within a year before death. Here, over half of these individuals did not have a mental health diagnosis, and were seen for other reasons in primary care. This study may guide targeted public health prevention efforts, including risk identification strategies. Language: en
CONCURRENT INFECTION WITH INFLUENZA VIRUS AND MUMPS VIRUS OR PNEUMONIA VIRUS OF MICE (PVM) AS BEARING ON THE INHIBITION OF VIRUS MULTIPLICATION BY BACTERIAL POLYSACCHARIDES

Preexisting infection with PVM or mumps virus does not prevent multiplication of the virus of influenza A or B in the same tissue. Similarly, pre-existing infection with one or another of the influenza viruses does not prevent multiplication of either PVM or mumps virus in the same tissue. The failure of these two groups of viruses to interfere with the multiplication of each other is discussed in relation to the mechanism of inhibition of multiplication of mumps virus and PVM by the capsular polysaccharides of Friedlander bacilli, and the ability of influenza A and influenza B viruses to multiply in the presence of large quantities of these carbohydrates. It is suggested that differences in the requirements of the two groups of viruses for host cell metabolic systems may serve to explain both the lack of interference between them and the differing effect of polysaccharides upon their multiplication.
Multiclass recognition and part localization with humans in the loop

We propose a visual recognition system that is designed for fine-grained visual categorization. The system is composed of a machine and a human user. The user, who is unable to carry out the recognition task by himself, is interactively asked to provide two heterogeneous forms of information: clicking on object parts and answering binary questions. The machine intelligently selects the most informative question to pose to the user in order to identify the object's class as quickly as possible. By leveraging computer vision and analyzing the user responses, the overall amount of human effort required, measured in seconds, is minimized. We demonstrate promising results on a challenging dataset of uncropped images, achieving a significant average reduction in human effort over previous methods.
Function and misfunction of the two promoters of the Drosophila Antennapedia gene.

In the Antennapedia (Antp) gene of Drosophila melanogaster, structurally distinct RNAs arise from different transcription initiation sites. When the two sites are separated by a chromosome inversion, transcripts are produced from each fragment of the split Antp locus, and these RNAs initiate at the same nucleotide as in wild-type animals. Thus, the initiation sites are regulated by independent promoters. We show by in situ hybridization that transcripts from each promoter accumulate in spatially distinct patterns in a subset of wildtype imaginal discs. Importantly, these patterns are generally maintained in the inversion mutant. We conclude that the promoters possess independent and dissimilar regulatory elements for spatial activation. Finally, we have looked at transcription in seven different dominant Antp mutants, all of which show a transformation of head tissue to thoracic tissue. In each mutant, the second promoter is improperly activated in the eye-antennal imaginal disc. Because all but one of these mutations have inversion breakpoints distantly upstream of the activated promoter, they probably act via long-range euchromatic position effects. Our studies define how the dual promoters and chromatin structure of the Antp gene contribute to the generation of a complex pattern of transcription.
A New Turbulence Microbarometer and Its Evaluation Using the Budget of Horizontal Heat Flux

Abstract The construction, calibration, and application of a microbarometer that is capable of accurately measuring turbulence pressure fluctuations is described. The microbarometer consists of a quad-disk pressure probe and a highly sensitive high-pass pressure sensor. The accuracy of the instrument is tested by evaluating the budget of streamwise horizontal heat flux in the atmospheric surface layer. In this budget, shear and stratification production balance a pressure covariance term and a small turbulent transport term. The measured pressure covariance term is found to close the heat flux budget to within approximately 15%.
Contact angle and spectroscopic studies of chlorinated and unchlorinated natural rubber surfaces

Chlorination of rubber products is a simple and effective means of reducing surface friction and tack in applications such as gloves and windshield wiper blades. Samples are easily chlorinated by placing them in an aqueous free-chlorine solution for several minutes at room temperature. The chlorination of rubber is extremely complex, however, involving substitution, addition, and cyclization
Neurofeedback from the Posterior Cingulate Cortex as a Mental Mirror for Meditation

Meditation has several beneficial effects. However, learning how to meditate is not easy, as there are no clearly visible outward signs of performance, making it difficult for teachers to provide feedback. Neurofeedback from the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), a brain region that is associated with both meditation and mind wandering, may provide a valuable tool to help individuals learn to meditate.
Metal contamination and filtering in soil from an iron (magnetite) mine–smelter complex in the critical Hudson Highlands watershed, New York

Organic material in metal contaminated soils around an abandoned magnetite mine-smelter complex in the critical Highlands watershed protects the groundwater and surface water from contamination. Metals in these waters were consistently below local and national water standards. Two groups of soil types cover the area: (1) Group A disturbed metal-rich soils, and (2) Group B undisturbed organic soils. Chromium and nickel were more elevated than other metals with Cr more widespread than Ni. In Group A, Cr correlated strongly with sesquioxides in the lower horizons (Fe2O3: r = 0.74, p \ 0.025; Al2O3: r = 0.92, p \ 0.005). In Group B, Cr correlated strongly (r = 0.96, p \ 0.005) with soil organic matter (SOM) in the O-horizons. Ni-Cr (Group A: 52 and 70% in O- and lower horizons, respectively; Group B: *100% in both horizons) and V-Cr correlations (78% only in Group A lower horizons) suggest similar retention mechanisms for these elements. Average soil pH CaCl2 for both groups ran- ged between 3.65 and 5.91, suggesting that soil acidity is determined by organic acids and solubility of Al 3? releasing H ? ions. SOM and sesquioxides contribute sig- nificantly to creating naturally occurring filtration systems, removing metals, and protecting water quality. High Ca, Fe, and Ti in Group A soils suggest slag and ash were mixed into the soils. Some low-Cr sources include mag- netite, slag, and ash (100, 100 and 200 mg/kg, respec- tively). Constant ZrO2:TiO2 ratios in the lower soils indicate soil formation from breakdown of underlying tailing rocks, contributing Cr to these layers.
A Broadband, Nondestructive Microwave Sensor for Characterizing Magnetic Sheet Materials

Full-wave analysis of a two-port, broadband, nondestructive microwave sensor for characterizing magnetic sheet materials is presented. The sensor, called a clamped dual ridged waveguide (CDRWG) probe, consists of two DRWGs connected to metal flange plates, which sandwich the unknown magnetic material. Prior CDRWG probe work considered only the dominant DRWG mode. This paper significantly extends and effectively completes the prior work by considering all DRWG modes. The theoretical development of the CDRWG probe, including all higher-order DRWG modes, is presented and discussed. A physical discussion of the higher-order modes, in particular, why they are or are not excited, is included. Finally, experimental results of a lossy magnetic material are presented and analyzed to determine what impact higher-order modes have on CDRWG probe accuracy. The probe’s errors in determining the permittivity and permeability of the material are estimated, considering uncertainties in measured scattering parameters and specimen thickness.
Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain

Z. Hammond. (2015). Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain: Promoting Authentic Engagement and Rigor Among Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin. 173 pages...
Developing professional philosophy for sport psychology consulting practice.

Learning about sport psychology theory, mental training guidelines, and other principles in applied sport psychology provides a foundation for applied sport psychologists. Development of a professional philosophy is another important component that contributes to eﬀ ective sport psychology consultation. Why is a professional philosophy important? Consider the case of Svetlana, a 17 year-old tennis player who struggles during competition and does not seem to be playing up to her potential. How will Svetlana’s sport psychology consultant decide which sport psychologytheories and principles to rely upon? What mental training approaches will the consultant decide to use, if any? Where will the sport psychology consultant and Svetlana plan to meet, in an oﬃ ce or at the courts in her training and competition environment? What information about the consultation will be shared with Svetlana’s parents who are paying for sport psychology consultation? Knowledge of sport psychology theories and principles alone does not supply a ready solution to a particular consulting situation such as Svetlana’s case. Indeed, knowledge of interventions can leadSK I E T A L .
The Moral Rhetoric of Climate Change.

Communication in the media about climate change in the United States is complicated by the intensely ideologically polarized state of the debate surrounding the issue; moral rhetoric is an important dimension of how ideology is communicated. In this study we examined how moral rhetoric regarding this issue differs on the basis of a publication's perceived ideological lean. To address the question, we built a corpus from a diverse group of online news media that were rated for their perceived ideological lean. Using Latent Semantic Analysis we calculated the average loading for the five moral domains identified in Haidt's Moral Foundations Theory (Haidt & Joseph, 2004) on the terms "climate change" and "global warming." We found that there were higher moral loadings overall for "climate change" with a greater difference seen among the more progressive media.
Nonhuman primate in vitro fertilization: biochemical changes associated with embryonic development.

Little research has focused on the biochemistry of primate embryos fertilized in vitro. These studies were designed to examine alterations in cellular incorporation of leucine, uptake of steroid hormones, and overall viability of such embryos. The results may be applied to certain investigations of embryonic development in humans. Squirrel monkey ova and embryos were incubated in medium supplemented with either 3 H-leucine, 3 H-17 β -estradiol (E 2 ), or 3 H-progesterone (P) and processed for autoradiographic analysis or assayed for radioactivity. Cellular incorporation of 3 H-leucine (as an indication of protein synthesis), declined with oocyte maturation in vitro and remained constant at in vitro fertilization (IVF). The use of the vital dyes trypan blue and fluorescein diacetate showed high correlations with the cellular incorporation of 3 H-leucine by ova, therefore demonstrating viability. Uptake of E 2 and P increased at IVF. The results indicate normal metabolic development of primate embryos fertilized in vitro that is comparable to preimplantation development of other mammalian species.
Radioiodine Therapy in Lactating Women with Higher-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

In selected cases, postoperative radioiodine therapy is a useful therapeutic adjunct for the treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Both pregnancy and breastfeeding are absolute contraindications to radioiodine therapy. However, breast uptake on scintigraphy may occur for up to 8 months after discontinuation of breastfeeding and may also less commonly occur in non-lactating women with a history of hyperprolactinemia, breast malignancy/tumor, or mastitis. Initiation of dopamine agonist therapy with either cabergoline or bromocriptine should be a consideration to decrease prolactin levels and thus shorten the length of time until it is safe to proceed with radioiodine treatment. A pretreatment diagnostic scan is necessary in women with recent cessation of lactation or history of galactorrhea to confirm that no breast uptake exists prior to administration of therapeutic I-131.
What Is Russian Philosophy

When contemplating the question “what is Russian philosophy?,” there are several answers that might come to the non-Russian mind. There are the household names of the philosophical novelists, most notably Fyodor Dostoevsky and Leo Tolstoy. There are also those well-known philosophers of Russian descent who made their way to the West, such as Mikhail Bakunin, the “father of anarchism,” or literary theorist and philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin. There are the Russian existentialists, including Nikolai Berdiaev, Vasilii Rozanov, and Lev Shestov. One might equally recall the schools of Russian materialism and, later, the Marxism-Leninism of the Soviet period. “Russian philosophy” could just as well be employed to refer to all philosophers writing in Russian, to all philosophers living in Russia, or even more broadly, to everything philosophical happening in Russia at any given time.
Biobehavioral influences on tumor growth and immunity in ovarian cancer

CN05-03 Substantial evidence suggests that psychosocial factors such as stress, depression, and social support are able to modulate many of the immunologic activities relevant to cancer. Other mechanisms by which behavioral factors may influence growth and progression of cancer include angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels in tumors, and a key process in the growth and metastases of most solid tumors. This talk will describe in vitro and clinical research demonstrating links between psychosocial factors and these fundamental processes related to cancer growth and progression. Our findings in ovarian cancer indicate that psychosocial factors such as social support and distress are associated with changes in the cellular immune response and in angiogenic mechanisms in both peripheral blood and in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, stress hormones can enhance angiogenic pathways. These findings extend available understanding of stress influences on the tumor microenvironment and suggest possibilities for innovative therapeutic interventions.
Mapping seismic moment and b-value within the continental-collision orogenic-belt region of the Iranian Plateau

Abstract In this paper, high-resolution map of the Gutenberg–Richter b-value and seismic moment-release are provided for the Iranian Plateau using the unified and homogeneous part of the seismicity record of the region (January 1995–July 2016). We use these parameters as stressmeters and qualitatively explore their correlations with the GPS velocity field, strain rate, faulting mechanism, attenuation, and structure of the region. Our goal is to reveal the correlations and anomalous patterns that can help to better understand the seismotectonics and the state of present-day crustal stress within the region. A negative correlation between b-value and seismic moment release as well as convergence rates is found. Correlation between geodetic measurements and seismic observations might indicate the existence of a strong mechanical coupling between the basement and the sediment cover across Zagros. High geodetic strain rates east of the Hormuz strait, southern central Alborz, and along the north Tabriz fault correspond to low b-value anomalies at these areas. A strong low b-value anomaly is observed at the major tectonic discontinuity between the Zagros continental collision and the oceanic Makran subduction.
CLINICAL PRACTICE. Chronic Stable Angina

Abstract Key Clinical Points Chronic Stable Angina In patients with suspected angina, it is important not only to make a diagnosis, but also to assess the prognosis. Management of angina should include lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy to reduce cardiovascular risks, including those associated with high blood pressure and elevated lipid levels. Standard antianginal medications include beta-blockers, long-acting nitrates, and calcium-channel blockers; ranolazine is a new agent approved by the Food and Drug Administration for angina. Relief of angina should be assessed again within 2 weeks after the initiation of therapy. An invasive strategy is a reasonable option in patients who do not have a response to medical therapy. Physiological assessment of the target lesion is useful to guide decisions regarding revascularization.
Quantitative Changes in Cerebral Perfusion during Urinary Urgency in Women with Overactive Bladder.

Purpose. To quantitatively measure changes in cerebral perfusion in select regions of interest in the brain during urinary urgency in women with overactive bladder (OAB) using arterial spin labeling (ASL). Methods. Twelve women with OAB and 10 controls underwent bladder filling and rated urinary urgency (scale 0–10). ASL fMRI scans were performed (1) in the low urgency state after voiding and (2) high urgency state after drinking oral fluids. Absolute regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in select regions of interest was compared between the low and high urgency states. Results. There were no significant differences in rCBF between the low and high urgency states in the control group. In the OAB group, rCBF (mean ± SE, ml/100 g/min) increased by 10–14% from the low to the high urgency state in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) ( versus , ), left ACC ( versus , ), and left insula ( versus , ). Whole-brain analysis identified additional areas of activation in the right insula, right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and pons/midbrain area. Conclusions. Urinary urgency is associated with quantitative increase in cerebral perfusion in regions of the brain associated with processing emotional response to discomfort.
Mesoscale: Landform Differentiation (Landscape Mosaics)

Macroclimate accounts for the largest share of systematic environmental variation at the macroscale or regional level. Within the same macroclimate, broad-scale landforms break up the east–west climatic pattern that would occur otherwise and provide a basis for further differentiation of ecosystems—the landscape mosaics mentioned earlier. The character of a landscape mosaic with identical geology will vary by the climatic zone. For example, vertical limestone would form quite different landscapes in a subarctic climate than in a hot and arid climate.
Barriers in Hepatitis C Treatment in Somali Patients in the Direct Acting Antiviral Therapy Era.

Abstract Background and aims Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has changed dramatically in the last few years. Our observations suggest that a minority of HCV infected Somalis are treated. In this study, we aimed to evaluate for treatment and health outcome disparities between Somali and non-Somali patients during the direct acting antiviral (DAA) era. Methods Patients with HCV seen in the gastroenterology clinic in 2015 were included in the study. Patients were identified using ICD9 and 10 codes. Electronic medical records were analyzed to evaluate for treatment candidacy, acceptance and reasons for refusal of treatment. Results Genotype 4 followed by 3 were the most common genotypes in the Somalis while genotype 1 was the most common in the non-Somalis. Majority of patients were offered treatment, active alcohol and substance abuse was a common reason for not offering treatment in non-Somalis while the presence of hepatocellular carcinoma was the most common reason in Somalis. Somalis had higher rates of declining treatment given the asymptomatic nature of their disease and the feeling that treatment is not needed. Sustained virologic response rates were comparable in both groups. Conclusions Disparities in acceptance of HCV treatment persist in the DAA era. The asymptomatic nature of the infection and potential cultural mistrust makes patients hesitant to undergo treatment. Healthcare providers must find interventions aimed at reducing barriers to treatment and increasing acceptance of HCV treatment.
Small atrophic kidney secondary to renal vein thrombosis: report of a case diagnosed arteriographically.

AbstractAlthough renal vein thrombosis usually presents with a large or normal-sized kidney radiographically, a small atrophic kidney may be the end stage result of complete renal vein thrombosis with subsequent hemorrhagic infarction. A small atrophic kidney secondary to renal vein thrombosis (probably of neonatal origin) was diagnosed by selective renal arteriography in a 31-year-old woman being studied for hypertension of unknown etiology.
Vocal Characteristics of Older Adults and Stereotyping

Two studies extended the study of the nonverbal correlates of age stereotypes. In Study 1, 40 young listeners assessed the age of 30 elderly speakers from three age groups: 60–69, 70–79, 80 and over. As expected, perceived age increased linearly with age group, although greater variability was found in judgments of male than of female speakers. For male speakers, mean vocal volume (intensity) and standard deviations in vocal volume were positively correlated with chronological and perceived age. For female speakers, mean pitch, standard deviations in pitch, and vocal jitter were positively correlated with chronological and perceived age. In Study 2, 40 young listeners selected trait sets corresponding to 3 positive and 3 negative elderly stereotypes to describe 6 young-old and 6 old-old speakers. As predicted, listeners associated the old-old voices of females (but not males) with fewer positive stereotypes than the young-old female voices. In addition, young-old male voices were associated with significantly fewer positive stereotypes than young-old female voices. Finally, male participants chose fewer positive stereotypes for young-old male voices than did female participants. These results provide information on the ways in which vocal characteristics may serve to activate stereotypes in interaction.
Preliminaries for Nonparametric Regression

In all other chapters we assume that the regression model, \(f(\mathbf{x})\), takes an a priori specified, usually simple, parametric form. Such models have a number of advantages: If the assumed parametric form is approximately correct, then efficient estimation will result; having a specific linear or nonlinear form allows concise summarization of an association; inference for parametric models is often relatively straightforward. Further, a particular model may be justifiable from the context.
Models of Sentence Production

The goal of a theory of sentence production is to characterize the mental processes involved in the transformation of ideas into speech, and to state the variables that affect these processes. Given the paucity of experimental studies in this area—in particular because of the difficult problem of controlling the input to the production process—all attempts at theory construction essentially have been a prioristic and speculative. In this chapter I will discuss a number of current models and attempt to isolate some plausible theoretical principles that can be used as a framework for the present study.
Inter-Active Site Communication Mediated by the Dimer Interface β-Sheet in the Half-the-Sites Enzyme, Thymidylate Synthase.

Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a dimeric enzyme conserved in all life forms that exhibits the allosteric feature of half-the-sites activity. Neither the reason for nor the mechanism of this phenomenon is understood. We used a combined nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and molecular dynamics approach to study a stable intermediate preceding hydride transfer, which is the rate-limiting and half-the-sites step. In NMR titrations with ligands leading to this intermediate, we measured chemical shifts of the apoenzyme (lig0), the saturated holoenzyme (lig2), and the typically elusive singly bound (lig1) states. Approximately 40 amides showed quartet patterns providing direct NMR evidence of coupling between the active site and probes >30 A away in the distal subunit. Quartet peak patterns have symmetrical character, indicating reciprocity in communicating the first and second binding events to the distal protomer. Quartets include key catalytic residues and map to the dimer interface β-sheet, which also represents the shortest path between the two active sites. Simulations corroborate the coupling observed in solution in that there is excellent overlap between quartet residues and main-chain atoms having intersubunit cross-correlated motions. Simulations identify five hot spot residues, three of which lie at the kink in the unique β-bulge abutting the active sites on either end of the sheet. Interstrand cross-correlated motions become more organized and pronounced as the enzyme progresses from lig0 to lig1 and ultimately lig2. Coupling in the apparently symmetrical complex has implications for half-the-sites reactivity and potentially resolves the paradox of inequivalent TS active sites despite the vast majority of X-ray structures appearing to be symmetrical.
Conductive Concrete Structures for EMP Protection of Critical Infrastructure Facilities

This letter reports the experimental research and development of conductive concrete for building shielded structures. The concrete mixture contains proportions of conductive materials, such as carbon and metal fibers together with taconite aggregate consisting of magnetite concentration for the absorption of electromagnetic energy. By embedding wire mesh in the conductive concrete structures, broadband shielding effectiveness from 10 kHz to 1 GHz was achieved that exceeds the requirements per MIL-STD-188-125-1. A proof of concept concrete-metal shelter was implemented with the composite metal wall and roof panels attached to a conductive concrete subfloor to form a hybrid shielding structure. Test results demonstrate that hybrid conductive concrete structures can provide an alternative shielding solution that would meet the MIL-STD-188-125-1 requirements.
Lipid Rafts to the Rescue! Plants under Fungal Attack Recruit Phospholipase Dδ

When your fort is under attack during battle, and the wall is breached, you can choose to fight, flee, or forgo. Plants, on the other hand, are left with little choice: they must fight. Winning any battle, though, depends on a multitude of factors, most notably your available arsenal, soldiers, and
Conclusion: “Desire of Nations”

The Conclusion, “Desire of Nations,” further explores the limitations of religious cosmopolitanisms through a close look at a perennial favorite Christmas hymn and the verse that wasn’t translated by Victorian hymnist John Mason Neale. This leads into a conclusion that considers general limitations and possibilities afforded by religious forms of the cosmopolitan.
MORPHOSYS: Efficient Colocation of QoS-Constrained Workloads in the Cloud

In hosting environments such as IaaS clouds, desirable application performance is usually guaranteed through the use of Service Level Agreements (SLAs), which specify minimal fractions of resource capacities that must be allocated for use for proper operation. Arbitrary colocation of applications with different SLAs on a single host may result in inefficient utilization of the host's resources. In this paper, we propose that periodic resource allocation and consumption models be used for a more granular expression of SLAs. Our proposed SLA model has the salient feature that it exposes flexibilities that enable the IaaS provider to safelya transform SLAs from one form to another for the purpose of achieving more efficient colocation. Towards that goal, we present MorphoSys: a framework for a service that allows the manipulation of SLAs to enable efficient colocation of workloads. We present results from extensive trace-driven simulations of colocated Video-on-Demand servers in a cloud setting. The results show that potentially-significant reduction in wasted resources (by as much as 60%) are possible using MorphoSys.
Polyurethane Toggles

We consider the involutions known as "toggles," which have been used to give simplified proofs of the fundamental properties of the promotion and evacuation maps. We transfer these involutions so that they generate a group $\mathscr P_n$ that acts on the set $S_n$ of permutations of $\{1,\ldots,n\}$. After characterizing its orbits in terms of permutation skeletons, we apply the action in order to understand West's stack-sorting map. We obtain a very simple proof of a result that clarifies and extensively generalizes a theorem of Bouvel and Guibert and also generalizes a theorem of Bousquet-M\'elou. We also settle a conjecture of Bouvel and Guibert. We prove a result related to the recently-introduced notion of postorder Wilf equivalence. Finally, we investigate an interesting connection among the action of $\mathscr P_n$ on $S_n$, the group structure of $S_n$, and the stack-sorting map.
Rules for the design of aza-glycine stabilized triple-helical collagen peptides

The stability of the triple-helical structure of collagen is modulated by a delicate balance of effects including polypeptide backbone geometry, a buried hydrogen bond network, dispersive interfacial interactions, and subtle stereoelectronic effects. Although the different amino acid propensities for the Xaa and Yaa positions of collagen's repeating (Glycine–Xaa–Yaa) primary structure have been described, our understanding of the impact of incorporating aza-glycine (azGly) residues adjacent to varied Xaa and Yaa position residues has been limited to specific sequences. Here, we detail the impact of variation in the Xaa position adjacent to an azGly residue and compare these results to our study on the impact of the Yaa position. For the first time, we present a set of design rules for azGly-stabilized triple-helical collagen peptides, accounting for all canonical amino acids in the Xaa and Yaa positions adjacent to an azGly residue, and extend these rules using multiple azGly residues. To gain atomic level insight into these new rules we present two high-resolution crystal structures of collagen triple helices, with the first peptoid-containing collagen peptide structure. In conjunction with biophysical and computational data, we highlight the critical importance of preserving the triple helix geometry and protecting the hydrogen bonding network proximal to the azGly residue from solvent. Our results provide a set of design guidelines for azGly-stabilized triple-helical collagen peptides and fundamental insight into collagen structure and stability.
Does R67 Dihydrofolate Reductase Possess a Proton Donor

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR, EC 1.5.1.3) catalyzes the reduction of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate using NADPH as a cofactor. DHFR is important in folate metabolism as generation of tetrahydrofolate is required for the synthesis of thymidylate, purine nucleosides, methionine and other metabolic intermediates. Efficient inhibition of DHFR results in blockage of DNA synthesis and consequent cell death. Therefore specific inhibition of bacterial DHFR by trimethoprim is the basis for clinical treatment of numerous bacterial infections.
A Liquid Biopsy to Assess Brain Tumor Recurrence: Presence of Circulating Mo-MDSC and CD14+ VNN2+ Myeloid Cells as Biomarkers That Distinguish Brain Metastasis From Radiation Necrosis Following Stereotactic Radiosurgery

BACKGROUND Brain metastases (BM) are the most common type of brain tumor malignancy in the US. They are also the most common indication for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). However, the incidence of both local recurrence and radiation necrosis (RN) is increasing as treatments improve. MRI imagery often fails to differentiate BM from RN; thus, patients must often undergo surgical biopsy or resection to obtain a definitive diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To hypothesize that a marker of immunosuppression might serve as a surrogate marker to differentiate patients with active vs inactive cancer-including RN. METHODS We thus purified and quantified Monocytic Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells (Mo-MDSC) by flow cytometry in patients proven by biopsy to represent BM or RN. RESULTS We report the utility of the previously reported HLA-Dr-Vnn2 Index or DVI to discriminate recurrent BM from RN using peripheral blood. The presence of CD14+ HLA-DRneg/low Mo-MDSC is significantly increased in the peripheral blood of patients with brain metastasis recurrence compared to RN (Average 61.5% vs 7%, n = 10 and n = 12, respectively, P < .0001). In contrast, expression of VNN2 on circulating CD14+ monocytes is decreased in BM patients compared to patients with RN (5.5% vs 26.5%, n = 10 and n = 12, respectively, P = .0008). In patients with biopsy confirmed recurrence of brain metastasis, the average DVI was 11.65, whereas the average DVI for RN patients was consistently <1 (Avg. of 0.17). CONCLUSION These results suggest that DVI could be a useful diagnostic tool to differentiate recurrent BM from RN using a minimally invasive blood sample.
Long-term Bone Loss and Deterioration of Microarchitecture After Gastric Bypass in African American and Latina Women.

Context The prevalence of obesity is burgeoning among African American and Latina women; however, few studies investigating the skeletal effects of bariatric surgery have focused on these groups. Objective To investigate long-term skeletal changes following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in African American and Latina women. Design Four-year prospective cohort study. Patients African American and Latina women presenting for RYGB (n = 17, mean age 44, body mass index 44 kg/m2) were followed annually for 4 years postoperatively. Main outcome measures Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured areal bone mineral density (aBMD) at the spine, hip, and forearm, and body composition. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography measured volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and microarchitecture. Individual trabecula segmentation-based morphological analysis assessed trabecular morphology and connectivity. Results Baseline DXA Z-Scores were normal. Weight decreased ~30% at Year 1, then stabilized. Parathyroid hormone (PTH) increased by 50% and 25-hydroxyvitamin D was stable. By Year 4, aBMD had declined at all sites, most substantially in the hip. There was significant, progressive loss of cortical and trabecular vBMD, deterioration of microarchitecture, and increased cortical porosity at both the radius and tibia over 4 years. There was loss of trabecular plates, loss of axially aligned trabeculae, and decreased trabecular connectivity. Whole bone stiffness and failure load declined. Risk factors for bone loss included greater weight loss, rise in PTH, and older age. Conclusions African American and Latina women had substantial and progressive bone loss, deterioration of microarchitecture, and trabecular morphology following RYGB. Further studies are critical to understand the long-term skeletal consequences of bariatric surgery in this population.
Addressing a rapidly changing service landscape during the COVID-19 pandemic: Creation of the Oregon substance use disorder resource collaborative.

Following the rising crisis of COVID-19 and the Oregon governor's stay-at-home orders, members of the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) inpatient addiction consult service recognized that local addiction treatment and recovery organizations were operating at limited capacity. As a result, discharge planning, patient access to local community-based treatment, and safety-net programming were affected. Given structural and intersectional risk vulnerabilities of people with substance use disorders (SUDs), the OHSU members felt that COVID-19 would disproportionately impact chronically marginalized members of our community. These inequities inspired the formation of the Oregon substance use disorder resources collaborative (ORSUD) led by four medical students. ORSUD's mission is to support the efforts of local safety-net organizations that and front-line providers who serve chronically marginalized community members in the midst of the global pandemic. We operationalized our mission through: 1) collecting and disseminating operational and capacity changes in local addiction and harm reduction services to the broader treatment community, and 2) identifying and addressing immediate resource needs for local safety-net programs. Our program uses a real-time public-facing document to collate local programmatic updates and general community resources. COVID-19 disproportionately burdens people with SUDs; thus, ORSUD exists to support programs serving people with SUDs and will continue to evolve to meet their needs and the needs of those who serve them.