cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reversible, Selective Trapping of Perchlorate from Water in Record Capacity by a Cationic Metal–Organic Framework

We report the capture of ppm-level aqueous perchlorate in record capacity and kinetics via the complete anion exchange of a cationic metal-organic framework. Ambient conditions were used for both the synthesis of silver 4,4'-bipyridine nitrate (SBN) and the exchange, forming silver 4,4'-bipyridine perchlorate (SBP). The exchange was complete within 90 min, and the capacity was 354 mg/g, representing 99% removal. These values are greater than current anion exchangers such as the resins Amberlite IRA-400 (249 mg/g), Purolite A530E (104 mg/g), and layered double hydroxides (28 mg/g). Moreover, unlike resins and layered double hydroxides, SBN is fully reusable and displays 96% regeneration to SBN in nitrate solution, with new crystal formation allowing the indefinite cycling for perchlorate. We show seven cycles as proof of concept. Perchlorate contamination of water represents a serious health threat because it is a thyroid endocrine disruptor. This noncomplexing anionic pollutant is significantly mobile and environmentally persistent. Removal of other anionic pollutants from water such as chromate, pertechnetate, or arsenate may be possible by this methodology.
Jargon-Term Extraction by Chunking

NLP definitions of Terminology are usually application-dependent. IR terms are noun sequences that characterize topics. Terms can also be arguments for relations like abbreviation, definition or IS-A. In contrast, this paper explores techniques for extracting terms fitting a broader definition: noun sequences specific to topics and not well-known to naive adults. We describe a chunkingbased approach, an evaluation, and applications to non-topic-specific relation extraction.
High-resolution MRI of spinal cords by compressive sensing parallel imaging

Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is a common injury due to diseases or accidents. Noninvasive imaging methods play a critical role in diagnosing SCI and monitoring the response to therapy. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), by the virtue of providing excellent soft tissue contrast, is the most promising imaging method for this application. However, spinal cord has a very small cross-section, which needs high-resolution images for better visualization and diagnosis. Acquiring high-resolution spinal cord MRI images requires long acquisition time due to the physical and physiological constraints. Moreover, long acquisition time makes MRI more susceptible to motion artifacts. In this paper, we studied the application of compressive sensing (CS) and parallel imaging to achieve high-resolution imaging from sparsely sampled and reduced k-space data acquired by parallel receive arrays. In particular, the studies are limited to the effects of 2D Cartesian sampling with different subsampling schemes and reduction factors. The results show that compressive sensing parallel MRI has the potential to provide high-resolution images of the spinal cord in 1/3 of the acquisition time required by the conventional methods.
Women's Perceived Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Sexual Function and Relationship to Spouse

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to explore the effects of diabetic treatment, diabetic duration, diabetic complications, self assessed health, age, anxiety and depression on the indices of relationship to spouse/partner and sexual function. Participants were 103 caucasian women, 20 to 60 years of age. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used for data analyses. The F for the multiple regression equation for Relationship to Spouse was nonsignificant whereas it was significant for Sexual Function, F (7,95) = 3.9206, p.<.025. Variables contributing to significant variance in the Sexual Function Score were anxiety and depression scores and self assessed health. Results of the study emphasize the importance of psychosocial variables on a woman's perceived effects of diabetes on sexual function.
Practical Method to Limit Tip–Sample Contact Stress and Prevent Wear in Amplitude Modulation Atomic Force Microscopy

Amplitude modulation atomic force microscopy (AM-AFM) is one of the most popular AFM modes because of the reduced tip–sample interaction, compared to contact mode AFM, and the ability to acquire high-resolution images while interrogating the sample’s material composition through phase imaging. Despite the reduced tip–sample interaction, tip and sample wear can occur through gradual atomic scale processes that can significantly accumulate due to the high frequency of the tip–sample interaction and through high intermittent contact stresses. Starting from existing analytical formulations, we introduce a method for selecting an appropriate probe and free oscillation amplitude that avoids exceeding a critical contact stress to minimize tip/sample damage. The approach is presented for the case of both a Hertzian- and a Derjaguin–Muller–Toporov-like tip–sample contact. Stress maps and related simplified formulas are provided that enable one to determine allowable free oscillation amplitudes to stay below a targ...
Ambulatory blood pressure variation is related to plasma renin activity in borderline hypertensive men.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the variability of awake ambulatory blood pressure and the level of plasma renin activity (PRA) in age-matched samples of untreated hypertensive white men. The ambulatory pressures of 376 men (145 under 45 years of age, 231 over 45) were compared across three levels of PRA: less than 1.0 ng/mL/h, 1.0 to 4.0 ng/mL/h and 4.0 ng/mL/h or greater. The results showed that the average diastolic pressure declined with PRA, particularly in men under 45 (95 to 89; P less than .05), but that among the men 45 and older there was a strong, positive relationship between awake diastolic pressure variability and the level of PRA (p less than .001). These results may have important clinical implications since both higher PRA and greater blood pressure variability have been associated with a greater cardiovascular disease risk.
Deep Brain Imaging using the Near-Infrared Golden Optical Window Wavelengths

This study applies optical window (III, 1,600-1,870 nm) for deep brain imaging. In vivo experiment was conducted on mice with skull thinning and skull intact by using a homemade 1620nm multiphoton microscopy.
Gezielte Diagnose und leitliniengerechte Therapie von Dystonien

Die heterogene Erkrankungsgruppe der Dystonien wird anhand ihrer klinischen Charakteristika und Atiologie unterschieden, selten sind dyston anmutende Bewegungsstorungen psychogener Natur. Pathophysiologisch wird von einer Funktionsstorung im Basalganglienbereich ausgegangen. Die drei Saulen der Therapie bilden nach den aktuellen Leitlinien die Injektion von Botulinumtoxin, die systemische medikamentose Behandlung und die tiefe Hirnstimulation [1]. Bei der Auswahl der spezifischen Therapie ist die Unterteilung der Dystonien in generalisierte oder fokal/segmentale Formen entscheidend.
Gefängnisbibliotheken in der Schweiz – Befunde

Im Zentrum der nachfolgenden Unterkapitel stehen die Befunde zur strukturellen Situation der Schweizer Gefangnisbibliotheken, zu den Lekturemodalitaten sowie zu den Einflussfaktoren auf die Gefangnisbibliotheksarbeit. Der quantitativ orientierte Fokus auf die Themenfelder und Kennzahlen wird erganzt durch ausgewahlte, in den Interviews gewonnene Aussagen von Gefangnisbibliotheksverantwortlichen. Den Abschluss des Kapitels bildet eine Gesamtbetrachtung zur Situation der Schweizer Gefangnisbibliotheken.
47. Cummings’ When Faces Called Flowers Float out of the Ground

(1974). 47. Cummings’ When Faces Called Flowers Float out of the Ground. The Explicator: Vol. 32, No. 6, pp. 94-97.
Population, Exports, Public Revenue, and GDP for the Main Latin American Countries before 1914

Before the 1980s, there were very few estimates for gross domestic product (GDP) in the nineteenth century for any Latin American country. Celso Furtado's classic economic history of the region contained no data for GDP per head before the First World War. Those authors that did venture a number usually admitted that they were little more than educated guesses. Although quantitative studies on the economic history of the United States and other countries multiplied rapidly, students of Latin America had to rely heavily on qualitative indicators for the region's development in the first century after independence. This started to change in 1981 when Paul Bairoch published an article giving very precise figures, but without details on sources or methods, for GDP per head in 1800 for different regions of the world. These suggested that at that time, GDP per head was slightly higher in “Third World America,” that is, Latin America, when compared with “North America,” that is, the United States and Canada. Because GDP per head in Latin America was much lower than in the United States by the early twentieth century, it was widely assumed that Latin America must have “fallen behind” after independence. This has given rise to a substantial literature on why this might have happened, much of which emphasizes the importance of the quality of institutions.
Administrative Reform in the New Global Millennium: Diagnosis, Prescription, and the Limits of Transferability

Globalization promotes policy diffusion and convergence among nations. This reinforces the traditional assumption of American reformers that administrative practices are freely transferable among d...
Why Do Former Preterm Infants Wheeze? Clues from the Laboratory

Increased airway reactivity is a major challenge in former preterm infants across the spectrum of gestational ages. It is, therefore, imperative that underlying mechanisms be addressed, and this is probably best done in neonatal animal models. Available evidence points to multiple anatomic and neural contributors to longer lasting airway hyperreactivity elicited by neonatal lung injury, especially hyperoxic exposure. Future studies need to address the interplay of exposure to supplemental oxygen with antenatal and postnatal inflammation as well as the pressure effects elicited by various ventilatory modes to which the immature lung and airway are exposed.
Simultaneous heat and solute transport modeling of ground water with lattice Boltzmann methods

Recent advances in lattice Boltzmann modeling permit simulation of large-scale density-dependent ground water flow and heat/solute transport systems while retaining the advantages of ‘regular’ lattice Boltzmann methods, such as solute/heat transport at higher Reynolds numbers that can characterize flows in conduits. We model the simultaneous heat/solute problem described by Henry and Hilleke in 1972 as an extension of Henry’s classic 1964 seawater intrusion problem. We also demonstrate the method’s ‘dual domain’ modeling potential.
Grounded in the Well of Love

Eight interrelated triggering events of Paulo Freire’s first 20 years of his life left a deep impression on him, which laid the foundation of his life and thought. First, because he “had the possibility to experience hunger” (Horton & Freire, 1990, p. 24), Freire not only learned a great deal about suffering and doing without, but he also captured the meaning of empathy and compassion, and it was then at 11 years old “I vowed to do anything I could do to alleviate hunger in the world” (Freire, 1990a, p. 94).
The logic of demand-side diversification: Evidence from the US telecommunications sector, 1990–1996

Abstract The logic of demand-side diversification articulated herein explains that a firm's demand-side strategic assets motivate its choice to diversify into an industry whose production function warrant possession of different supply-side strategic assets. The concept of demand-side relatedness, which underpins the logic of demand-side diversification, clarifies the conditions under which a firm's demand-side strategic assets provide it with the motivation to explore opportunities for realizing consumer synergies. We invoke this logic to explain the observed variation in the decision of monopoly local telephone service providers to diversify into the competitive long distance telephone services markets in the U.S. during 1990–1996. We find that the likelihood of a monopoly local telephone company to diversify into the long-distance services market within its area of franchise increases in the (a) quality of its customer-base for local telephony, and (b) competitive intensity of the market for long-distance services.
Nursing teamwork in a health system: A multisite study

Aim The aim of this study was to examine how the facets of teamwork exist among nurse-only teams in acute and continuing care settings. Background The health care 'team' conventionally describes the interdisciplinary team in both literature and practice. Nursing-specific teams are rarely considered in the literature. An examination of this specific professional cohort is important to understand how teamwork exists among those who provide the majority of patient care. Method This was a descriptive, comparative, cross-sectional study using the Nursing Teamwork Survey to measure teamwork of nursing-based teams among 1414 participants in multiple acute care environments across a large Midwestern health system. Results The characteristics of nursing teams were analysed. The results from the subscales within the teamwork model showed that nursing teams had a good understanding of the various roles and responsibilities. However, nurse team members held a more individualistic rather than collective team-oriented mindset. Conclusions and implications for nursing management Increased teamwork has a positive effect on job satisfaction, staffing efficiencies, retention and care delivery. Nurse leaders can use the information provided in this study to target the aspects of highly functioning teams by improving team orientation, trust and backup behaviours.
A peek into cancer-associated fibroblasts: origins, functions and translational impact

In malignant tumors, cancer cells adapt to grow within their host tissue. As a cancer progresses, an accompanying host stromal response evolves within and around the nascent tumor. Among the host stromal constituents associated with the tumor are cancer-associated fibroblasts, a highly abundant and heterogeneous population of cells of mesenchymal lineage. Although it is known that fibroblasts are present from the tumor's inception to the end-stage metastatic spread, their precise functional role in cancer is not fully understood. It has been suggested that cancer-associated fibroblasts play a key role in modulating the behavior of cancer cells, in part by promoting tumor growth, but evolving data also argue for their antitumor actions. Taken together, this suggests a putative bimodal function for cancer-associated fibroblasts in oncogenesis. As illustrated in this Review and its accompanying poster, cancer-associated fibroblasts are a dynamic component of the tumor microenvironment that orchestrates the interplay between the cancer cells and the host stromal response. Understanding the complexity of the relationship between cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts could offer insights into the regulation of tumor progression and control of cancer.
Misconduct Within the "Four Walls": Does Organizational Justice Matter in Explaining Prison Officers' Misconduct and Job Stress?

Primarily, this article examines the role of organizational justice in understanding prison officers’ behavior. The authors surveyed 169 correctional officers across five correctional facilities in...
Genomic abnormalities in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance

Translocations involving immunoglobulin (Ig) loci and chromosome 13 monosomy (Delta 13) are frequent cytogenetic findings in multiple myeloma (MM). Similar chromosomal aberrations have been identified in the monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), but their prevalence and significance remain uncertain. Bone marrow from 72 patients with MGUS (n = 62) and smoldering MM (n = 10) was evaluated for translocations between the Ig heavy chain (IgH) and chromosomes 4, 11, and 16, translocations involving Ig light chain-lambda (IgL-lambda, and Delta 13. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis was done on clonal plasma cells (PCs) detected by immunofluorescence (cIg-FISH) of the cytoplasmic light chain. We also studied cells for cyclin D1 and FGFR3 up-regulation by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, respectively. Twenty-seven (46%) of 59 patients had IgH translocations, and 4 (11%) of 37 had an IgL-lambda translocation. A t(11;14)(q13;q32) was found in 15 (25%) of 59 patients, a t(4;14)(p16.3;q32) in 9% of patients, and a t(14;16)(q32;q23) in 5% of patients. All patients with t(4;14)(p16.3;q32) tested (n = 3) had intense cytoplasmic fluorescence with an anti-FGFR3 antibody. PC nuclear staining of cyclin D1 was only observed in patients with t(11;14)(q13;q32); Delta 13 was detected in the clonal PCs in 50% of patients. The percentage of abnormal PCs varied with any given abnormality. No obvious clinical or biologic correlations were associated with these chromosome abnormalities. Similar translocations are found in both MGUS and MM, including t(4;14)(p16.3;q32) and t(14;16)(q32;q23). Moreover, Delta 13 is common in MGUS and unlikely to play a predominant role in the evolution of MGUS to MM.
Long-Term Assessment of Concussion

Postconcussion syndrome (PCS) refers to the presence of symptoms persisting typically days to a few weeks beyond the initial injury, whereas persistent postconcussion syndrome (PPCS) represents symptoms lasting greater than 3 months. The aim of this chapter is to review the history of and current research on persistent symptoms of concussion, while concurrently helping the reader to judiciously select and effectively utilize assessment tools in the identification and management of PCS. Research trends in developing assessment and management tools for PCS are reviewed. A discussion of the controversies in the literature regarding definitions and diagnostic criteria is inevitable, but is kept to a minimum except as it relates to the need for further research.
Estrogen-Producing Ovarian Granulosa Cells: Use of the Granulosa Cell Aromatase Bioassay (GAB) to Monitor FSH Levels in Body Fluids

Pituitary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is essential for the maintenance of testicular spermatogenesis and ovarian follicle development. Smith (1926,) and Zondek and Aschheim (1925) independently discovered that implants of fresh anterior pituitary into hypophysectomized animals induced an immediate and remarkable growth and maturation of the ovaries. Two apparently separate gonad-stimulating hormones were subsequently detected in menopausal women’s urine and human pituitary samples by Ascheim and Zondek (1928) and Fevold et al. (1931), respectively. The primary action of FSH is the development of ovarian follicles, whereas LH is responsible for the transformation of follicles into the corpus luteum. However, precise measurements of FSH in body fluids were not possible prior to the development of a sensitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) for FSH in 1967.
Predicting ICU readmission using grouped physiological and medication trends.

Abstract Background Patients who are readmitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) usually have a high risk of mortality and an increased length of stay. ICU readmission risk prediction may help physicians to re-evaluate the patient’s physical conditions before patients are discharged and avoid preventable readmissions. ICU readmission prediction models are often built based on physiological variables. Intuitively, snapshot measurements, especially the last measurements, are effective predictors that are widely used by researchers. However, methods that only use snapshot measurements neglect predictive information contained in the trends of physiological and medication variables. Mean, maximum or minimum values take multiple time points into account and capture their summary statistics, however, these statistics are not able to catch the detailed picture of temporal trends. In this study, we find strong predictors with ability of capturing detailed temporal trends of variables for 30-day readmission risk and build prediction models with high accuracy. Methods We study physiological measurements and medications from the Multiparameter Intelligent Monitoring in Intensive Care II (MIMIC-II) clinical dataset. Time series of each variable are converted into trend graphs with nodes being discretized measurements of each variable. Then we extract important temporal trends by applying frequent subgraph mining on the trend graphs. The frequency of a subgraph is a good cue to find important temporal trends since similar patients often share similar trends regarding their pathophysiological evolution under medical interventions. Important temporal trends are then grouped automatically by non-negative matrix factorization. The grouped trends could be considered as an approximate representation of patients’ pathophysiological states and medication profiles. We train a logistic regression model to predict 30-day ICU readmission risk based on snapshot measurements, grouped physiological trends and medication trends. Results Our dataset consists of 1170 patients who are alive 30 days after discharge from ICU and have at least 12 h of data. In the dataset, 860 patients were not readmitted and 310 were readmitted, within 30 days after discharge. Our model outperforms all comparison models, and shows an improvement in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of almost 4% from the best comparison model. Conclusions Grouped physiological and medication trends carry predictive information for ICU readmission risk. In order to build predictive models with higher accuracy, we should add grouped physiological and medication trends as complementary features to snapshot measurements.
Written Statement of Professor S. Todd Brown: Hearing on the Furthering Asbestos Claims Transparency Act of 2012

Written statement prepared for the House Judiciary Committee, Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law.
El Niño–Like Physical and Biogeochemical Ocean Response to Tropical Eruptions

AbstractThe oceanic response to recent tropical eruptions is examined in Large Ensemble (LE) experiments from two fully coupled global climate models, the Community Earth System Model (CESM) and th...
Growth and Management of Repaired Complete Tracheal Rings after Slide Tracheoplasty

ObjectiveThis study documents the growth and course of repaired complete tracheal rings over time after slide tracheoplasty.Study DesignCase series with review.SettingTertiary pediatric academic me...
CYCLIC CMP PHOSPHODIESTERASE: BIOLOGICAL INVOLVEMENT AND ITS REGULATION BY AGENTS

ABSTRACT Occurrence of cyclic CMP phosphodiesterase (C-PDE) was shown recently in a number of mammalian tissues. Levels of C-PDE are generally 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than those of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (A-PDE) and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (G-PDE). We found that decreased activity levels of C-PDE are invariably associated with tissues undergoing rapid cell proliferation, either physiologic or pathologic, as exemplified by the regenerating liver, the ontogenesis of guinea pig tissues, and the fast-growing Morris hepatoma 3924A. Changes in the activity levels of A-PDE and G-PDE, on the other hand, were variable and tissue-specific, suggesting that catabolism of cyclic CMP may be more critically related to cell proliferation than that of cyclic AMP or cyclic GMP, or both. C-PDE, which requires Fe 2+ or Mg 2+ for its maximal activity and has a Km for cyclic CMP of about 2-6 mM, was partially purified from pig or rat livers to remove most of the contaminating A-PDE and G-PDE. Classical phosphodiesterase inhibitors (such as papaverine) are without effects on C-PDE at concentrations that inhibit A-PDE and G-PDE 70-90%. Imidazole stimulates both A-PDE and G-PDE, but not C-PDE. 2′-Deoxy cyclic AMP (a specific inhibitor of A-PDE) and 2′-deoxy cyclic GMP (a specific inhibitor of G-PDE) are poor and non-specific inhibitors of C-PDE. Potassium phosphate and adenosine phosphates (mono-, di-, tri-, and tetra-), while greatly inhibiting C-PDE and slightly inhibiting G-PDE, conversely stimulate A-PDE. The partially purified C-PDE is activated by mercaptoethanol, and this activated (reduced) enzyme requires Mg 2+ as a metal activator while its activity is now no longer dependent on Fe 2+ . It is suggested that the newly identified C-PDE is a potential site of bioregulation particularly in proliferative processes, and of pharmacological interventions as well.
Identification of goals and barriers to treatment from 92 consecutive consultations with families considering peanut oral immunotherapy.

Background:Peanut allergy has become an important public health issue. It can be the cause of severe reactions and also the trigger of significant anxiety for the allergic individual, especially wi...
Clinical and Pathological Features of a Newborn With Compound Heterozygous ANKS6 Variants

We report a term female infant born to nonconsanguineous parents who presented with renal failure at birth, hypothyroidism, cholestasis, and progressive cardiac dysfunction. Multigene next-generation sequencing panels for cholestasis, cardiomyopathy, and cystic renal disease did not reveal a unifying diagnosis. Whole exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygous pathogenic variants in ANKS6 (Ankyrin Repeat and Sterile Alpha Motif Domain Containing 6), which encodes a protein that interacts with other proteins of the Inv compartment of cilium (NEK8, NPHP2/INVS, and NPHP3). ANKS6 has been shown to be important for early renal development and cardiac looping in animal models. Autopsy revealed cystic renal dysplasia and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, disarray, and focal necrosis. Liver histology revealed cholestasis and centrilobular necrosis, which was likely a result of progressive cardiac failure. This is the first report of compound heterozygous variants in ANKS6 leading to a nephronopthisis-related ciliopathy-like phenotype. We conclude that pathogenic variants in ANKS6 may present early in life with severe renal and cardiac failure, similar to subjects with variants in genes encoding other proteins in the Inv compartment of the cilium.
Assessment of Epidemiological Trends in Craniosynostosis: Limitations of the Current Classification System.

Craniosynostosis affects 1 in 2,000 live births, which makes it one of the most common craniofacial abnormalities in the United States. Despite this fact, few national epidemiologic reports exist, although US and European studies have reported an increased incidence of metopic craniosynostosis. The aim of our study is to analyze the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to support those conclusions. Methods We identified hospitalizations from 1998 to 2012 by using the ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for congenital anomalies of skull and face bones (756.0) and procedure codes related to craniosynostosis repair (2.01, 2.03, 2.04, 2.06). Results We analyzed data from 37,815 hospitalizations and 49,505 reconstructive procedures. There was a 61.6% increase in the number of hospitalizations related to craniosynostosis repairs. There was a 180% increase in bone graft to skull procedures, 109% increase in other cranial osteoplasty, 54% increase in formation of cranial bone flap, and a 6% decrease in opening of cranial suture. Conclusions We observed a steady rise in the number of craniosynostosis repairs performed, but whether this is a result of a true increase in incidence, better diagnosis, or change in treatment patterns needs further research. The current classification system does not provide information about the specific suture affected (metopic, sagittal, etc.), the type of repair performed (endoscopic, fronto-orbito advancement, etc.), and whether the repair is a primary procedure or a revision. More descriptive diagnosis and procedural codes are imperative to improve the epidemiologic and outcomes data of craniosynostosis in the United States.
The ineffability of God

I defend an account of God’s ineffability that depends on the distinction between fundamental and non-fundamental truths. I argue that although there are fundamentally true propositions about God, no creature can have them as the object of a propositional attitude, and no sentence can perfectly carve out their structures. Why? Because these propositions have non-enumerable structures. In principle, no creature can fully grasp God’s intrinsic nature, nor can they develop a language that fully describes it. On this account, the ineffability of God is explained in terms of the inability of our language and mental capacities to grasp God as he really is. I will motivate my account by distinguishing it from a rival proposal. According to this rival, there are no fundamentally true propositions about God’s intrinsic nature. I argue that this rival proposal faces problems that my account does not face. And unlike this rival and other accounts of ineffability, my account provides a fitting explanation of why God is ineffable. God is ineffable because the structure of his intrinsic nature is infinite.
Trisomy 18: Early and Concurrent Palliative Care Enhances Delivery and Neonatal Planning

Helping expecting parents grapple with the news that their baby has chromosomal abnormalities can be very challenging. Counseling regarding termination or expectant management is complex and may require ongoing discussion throughout the pregnancy. A team approach is key. Preparing the family for the birth as well as accomodating the possible outcomes of the birth for the newborn must be handled with care and compassion.
Evaluation of machine learning algorithms to predict the hydrodynamic radii and transition temperatures of chemo-biologically synthesized copolymers.

Abstract Elastin-like polypeptides (ELP) belong to a family of recombinant polymers that shows great promise as biocompatible drug delivery and tissue engineering materials. ELPs aggregate above a characteristic transition temperature (Tt). We have previously shown that the Tt and size of the resulting aggregates can be controlled by changing the ELP's solution environment (polymer concentration, salt concentration, and pH). When coupled to a synthetic polyelectrolyte, polyethyleneimine (PEI), ELP retains its Tt behavior and gains the ability to be crosslinked into defined particle sizes. This paper explores several machine learning models to predict the Tt and hydrodynamic radius (Rh) of ELP and two ELP-PEI polymers in varying solution conditions. An exhaustive design of experiments matrix consisting of 81 conditions of interest with varying salt concentration (0, 0.2, 1 M NaCl), pH (3, 7, 10), polymer concentration (0.1, 0.17, 0.3 mg/mL), and polymer type (ELP, ELP-PEI800, ELP-PEI10K) was investigated. The five models used in this study were multiple linear regression, elastic-net, support vector regression, multi-layer perceptron, and random forest. A multi-layer perceptron model was found to have the highest accuracy, with an R2 score of 0.97 for both Rh and Tt. This was followed closely by the random forest model, with an R2 of 0.94 for Rh and 0.95 for Tt. Feature importance was determined using the random forest and linear regression models. Both models showed that salt concentration and polymer type were the two most influential factors that determined Rh, while salt concentration was the dominant factor for Tt.
Thermal Schwinger Effect: Defect Production in Compressed Filament Bundles

We discuss the response of biopolymer filament bundles bound by transient cross linkers to compressive loading. These systems admit a mechanical instability at stresses typically below that of traditional Euler buckling. In this instability, there is thermally-activated pair production of topological defects that generate localized regions of bending -- kinks. These kinks shorten the bundle's effective length thereby reducing the elastic energy of the mechanically loaded structure. This effect is the thermal analog of the Schwinger effect, in which a sufficiently large electric field causes electron-positron pair production. We discuss this analogy and describe the implications of this analysis for the mechanics of biopolymer filament bundles of various types under compression.
3-D Voxel-level Tissue Classification of Ultrasound Scattering using a Sparse Matrix Array Transducer

Three-dimensional (3-D) H-scan ultrasound (US) is a high-resolution imaging technology for tissue characterization in volume space. The objective of this research was to implement and test H-scan US imaging of relative scatterer size using a sparse matrix array transducer. Experimental data was collected using an US system (Vantage 256, Verasonics Inc) equipped with a 1024-element (32 × 32) matrix array transducer (Vermon Inc). Sparse imaging was implemented by using the best combination of randomly selected 256 elements for transmission and radiofrequency (RF) data sequences were collected with four sub-apertures (8 × 32). Plane wave imaging at five angles was performed at a center frequency of 8 MHz. To produce the H-scan US images, a set of convolution filters were applied to the RF data to measure the relative strength of the received signals. Preliminary studies were conducted using tissue-mimicking phantoms embedded with polyethylene microspheres (CoSpheric LLC) with size ranging from 27 to 45, 63 to 75, or 106 to 125 µm in diameter. Preliminary results reveal that H-scan US imaging is more sensitive than B-mode US for discriminating US scatterers of varying size. Overall, this study proves the feasibility of evaluating tissue scatterer patterns in volume space using a new 3-D H-scan US imaging technique and spare matrix array transducer technology.
Preventing and Managing Infectious Emergencies of Urologic Surgery

This chapter reviews our approach to preventing and managing infectious emergencies complicating urological surgery from our perspective as practicing urologists. We focus on the surgical site and urinary tract infections that are of most interest to practicing urologists. Because of limited space, we omitted important postoperative problems that are less relevant to urological practice, such as respiratory infections and antibiotic- associated bowel problems. When appropriate, we highlight studies of special interest and outline our own clinical approach to management of urological patients with postoperative infectious complications.
Cellular Positioning by Database Comparison and Hidden Markov Models

Filtering of information with respect to position is believed to be an important factor in order to increase revenue of 2.5 and 3G cellular communication networks. We present a technique, which in conjunction with enhanced cell-id positioning methods has the potential to provide relatively inexpensive positioning with improved accuracy, wide coverage, and low system impact. The idea is to compare measurements of location sensitive parameters done by the receiver with a database. This process gives rise to primary position estimates, which is filtered by a secondary estimation procedure based on hidden Markov modeling. The position error is less than 24.1 meters 67% of the time and within 71.3 meters 95% of the time.
Political Party Affiliation and the View Toward Income Taxes at the State Level

This study examined the top marginal corporate and individual income tax rates in the red (Republican) and blue (Democratic) states to determine whether income tax rates are significantly higher in one group or the other. The study found that, although both corporate and individual income tax rates are somewhat higher in the states that voted for the Democratic Party candidate in the 2012 presidential election, the differences were only significant at the 10 percent level.
Right Lower Quadrant Abdominal Pain

A 25-year-old male presents to the emergency department with a 1-day history of periumbilical abdominal pain which has now shifted to the right lower quadrant. He describes the pain as constant and a seven out of ten. He has vomited twice and reports that he has not eaten for 24 h due to a lack of appetite. Physical examination is significant for a temperature of 99 °F, absent bowel sounds, and marked tenderness to palpation at 1/3 the distance from the anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus. When palpating in the left lower quadrant, he reports pain in the right lower quadrant (RLQ). Active flexion of his right hip and internal rotation of the right leg reproduces the pain. His skin in the RLQ is hypersensitive to touch. There is no rebound tenderness. Laboratory values are significant for leukocytosis 13.5 × 103/μL (normal 4.1–10.9 × 103/μL), with 15 % bands. The urinalysis demonstrates 1+ WBCs without bacteria.
Leibniz's Metaphysics: Its Origins and Development

Acknowledgments References to Leibniz's works Introduction: first truths and half truths Part I. Metaphysics of Method: 1. Eclecticism and conciliation, 1661-68 Part II. Metaphysics of Substance: 2. Aristotelian assumptions, 1668-69 3. Original conception of substance, 1669 4. Second conception of substance, 1669-early 1671 Part III. Metaphysics of Divinity: 5. Platonist assumptions 6. Metaphysics of divinity, 1668-early 1671 Part IV. Metaphysics: 7. Matter, passivity, and panorganic vitalism 1670-71 8. Phenomenalism and preestablished harmony, 1671 9. Preestablished harmony, late 1671-early 1672 10. Final steps toward the mature philosophy, 1672-79 Conclusion: the truth behind the First truths Appendices Bibliography Index locorum Index.
pH-associated Brain Injury in Cerebral Ischemia and Circulatory Arrest:

Neuronal injury remains a major limitation in therapies directed toward cardiopulmonary resuscitation and cerebral ischemia. We summarize clinical and experimental information regarding pH-modulate...
Rebel Behavior in the Context of Interstate Competition: Exploring Day-to-Day Patterns of Political Violence in Africa

This study develops a day-to-day theory of political violence that predicts that rebels respond strategically to the onset of interstate conflict that is directly related to a civil war. Government-initiated interstate conflict is theorized to incentivize rebels to signal their resolve, willingness to bear costs, and vulnerability of government forces. In addition, this form of interstate conflict is predicted to decrease violence against civilian populations, as it makes it more likely that rebels will need to rely on civilians for resources in the future. This is contrary to interstate conflict initiated by an external state, as this signal of third-party support makes civilian support more dispensable from the perspective of a rebel movement. Using a country-day data set constructed from event data, evidence is presented that is consistent with this theoretical logic. Interstate conflict, therefore, is shown to play a significant role in explaining the variation of violent events that occur on a day-to...
Effects of Parenteral Treprostinil on Functional Capacity, Hemodynamics, and Right Heart Function in Patients Referred to LTx with Pulmonary Fibrosis & Significant PH

Purpose The use of pulmonary hypertension (PH) specific therapy in the setting of pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is controversial. Determine the effects of chronic parenteral treprostinil in patients with an advanced PH-PF phenotype. Methods and Materials Open label, prospective analysis of PF-PH patients referred for lung transplantation. PH was defined as mPA > 35mmHg. We compared 6MW distance, hemodynamics, oxygenation, and doppler echo (DE) before, and 12 weeks after parenteral treprostinil. Results 15 patients were included in the study with advanced PH phenotype: marked increase in PVR and significant right heart dysfunction at baseline. After 12 weeks of treprostinil, significant improvement in hemodynamics [RAP (9.5 + 3.4 vs. 6.0 + 3.7); mPA (47.8 vs. 38.9 + 13.4); CI (2.3 + 0.5 vs. 2.7 + 0.6); PVR (698 + 278 vs. 496 + 229); TPG (34.7 + 8.7 vs. 28.5 + 10.3); mvO2 (65 + 7.2 vs. 70.9 + 7.4); and SVI (29.2 + 6.7 vs. 33 + 7.3)]. Additional improvements were seen in DE [RV end-diastolic area (36.4+5.2 cm2 vs. 30.9+8.2), LV eccentricity index (1.7 + 0.6 vs. 1.3 + 0.5), TAPSE (1.6 + 0.5 vs. 1.9 + 0.2), 6MW (171 + 93 vs. 230+114). These changes occured without alteration in oxygenation, heart rate, or mean SBP. [ figure 1 ] Conclusions PH-specific therapy improved hemodynamics, right heart function, and functional capacity without a significant change in systemic oxygenation in an advanced PH phenotype in the setting of PF. Age years (SD) 63 (15) NYHA Class (n=15) 7/15 (47%) III 7/15 (47%) IV 8/15 (53%) Race Hispanic 8/15 (53%) Caucasian 4/15 (27%) Asian 2/15 (13%) Middle Eastren 1/15 (7%) PF Lung Subtype IPF 6 (40%) NSIPfib 3 (20%) HSP chronic 2 (13%) CPFE 4 (27%) Baseline Characteristics
An Antiwar Movement That Was Not A Peace Movement: The Mothers' Crusade Against World War II

From 1939 through 1945 millions of women belonging to the self-styled“mothers' movement” crusaded against American involvement in World War II. The mothers were not pacifists who opposed all wars; rather, they believed the United States should fight the Soviet Union instead of Germany. Ironically, these reactionary women mixed appeals to the preservative love of mothers with anti-Semitism, red-baiting, and sympathy for Hitler. This rare movement of women of the far right, who created their organizations because men of the extreme right denied them leadership positions, demonstrates that womenoppose specific wars for varieties of reasons, noble and ignoble.
An optimization model for planning natural gas purchases, transportation, storage and deliverability

Abstract Natural gas local distribution companies (LDCs) face the problem of managing natural gas purchases under conditions of uncertain demand and frequent price change. In this paper, we present a stochastic optimization model to solve this problem. Unlike other models, this model explicity considers deliverability, the rate at which gas can be added to and withdrawn from a storage facility, as a variable, and considers its role in ensuring a secure supply of gas. Deliverability is often overlooked in gas supply planning, yet is a critical factor in achieving a secure gas supply. Using data from an LDC in Huntsville, Alabama, we show how this model can be used to minimize total cost while meeting constraints regarding the security of gas supply. We also demonstrate that security is dependent on the rate of deliverability, which in turn is affected by a number of factors including gas availability, storage and transportation considerations, and weather conditions.
Engelbert Kaempfer's first report of the torpedo fish of the Persian Gulf in the late seventeenth century

Electric rays, or torpedo fish, inhabit all the temperate and warm waters of the world. The literature of ancient Greece and Rome abounds with references to the strange power of the torpedoes encountered in the Mediterranean Sea. In fact, our word "torpedo" is simply an inherited Latin name that was given the fish because it struck its enemies with a numbness: torpor. Cicero once remarked, Tutantur se . . . torpore torpedines "Torpedoes protect themselves with torpor."' Some centuries earlier Plato had humorously compared the appearance of the philosopher Socrates and his ability to confound opponents with the torpedo and its numbing effect.2 And one found a melange of scientific fact and traditional fiction in the works of the ancient authorities: Aristotle, Pliny the Elder, and Galen. Such was the heritage of naturalists through the Middle Ages and down to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. When savants or scientists referred to the torpedo, they had in mind the species known from the Mediterranean Sea, one of which (Torpedo narce) had been elegantly illustrated by Pietro Mattioli in 1598 (see Fig. 1).3 During the years 1684 to 1688 Engelbert Kaempfer, a physician and scholar, was traveling through Persia and reporting his cultural and scientific discoveries. While at the port of Gamron (Bandar Abbas), Kaempfer had an opportunity to study at first hand the varieties of fish caught in the Persian Gulf. His attention was caught by a species of torpedo which, while it resembled the Mediterranean torpedo, differed anatomically and with respect to its faculties as they had been reported by ancient and more recent authors. The Mediterranean torpedo, called Torpedo marmorata Risso, is in fact a diferent species from the Persian Gulf torpedo. Kaempfer is thought to have described Torpedo Sinus-
Hereditary medullary thyroid carcinoma in patients greater than 50 years old.

Background Despite near complete penetrance and frequent early evaluation of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in multiple endocrine neoplasia 2 (MEN 2) variants, a significant minority of patients are evaluated later in life. Methods With the aim of characterizing the expression of hereditary MTC in an older cohort, MEN 2 patients from our institutional database who were evaluated after age 50 years were identified, and clinical data were reviewed. Results Thirty-nine patients (36 MEN 2A, 3 FMTC, and no MEN 2B) who were evaluated after age 50 years were identified; they represented 9% of all MEN 2 patients who were enrolled in our program. Most of the patients (79%) had abnormal screening examinations, and the AJCC staging was significantly higher in this cohort compared with younger patients. Overall, 43% of the patients had normal calcitonin levels after operation. There were 3 observed MTC-related deaths, all from distant metastases; the overall survival rate was 86% at 5 years and 74% at 10 years. The distribution of RET mutations in this cohort was similar to younger patients. Conclusions These results suggest the presence of modifiers of MTC expression. Despite the tendency of older patients with hereditary MTC to have advanced stage disease at evaluation, they have high rates of biochemical cure, and the overall survival is excellent.
Cyclin D2 and the CDK substrate p220NPAT are required for self‐renewal of human embryonic stem cells

Self-renewal of pluripotent human embryonic stem (hES) cells utilizes an abbreviated cell cycle that bypasses E2F/pRB-dependent growth control. We investigated whether self-renewal is alternatively regulated by cyclin/CDK phosphorylation of the p220(NPAT)/HiNF-P complex to activate histone gene expression at the G1/S phase transition. We show that cyclin D2 is prominently expressed in pluripotent hES cells, but cyclin D1 eclipses cyclin D2 during differentiation. Depletion of cyclin D2 or p220(NPAT) causes a cell cycle defect in G1 reflected by diminished phosphorylation of p220(NPAT), decreased cell cycle dependent histone H4 expression and reduced S phase progression. Thus, cyclin D2 and p220(NPAT) are principal cell cycle regulators that determine competency for self-renewal in pluripotent hES cells. While pRB/E2F checkpoint control is relinquished in human ES cells, fidelity of physiological regulation is secured by cyclin D2 dependent activation of the p220(NPAT)/HiNF-P mechanism that may explain perpetual proliferation of hES cells without transformation or tumorigenesis.