cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Twitter-based smoking cessation recruitment system

Digital recruitment is increasingly becoming a popular avenue for identifying human subjects for various studies. The process starts with an online ad that describes the task and explains expectations. As social media has exploded in popularity, efforts are being made to use social media to recruit for new career opportunities. Particularly, LinkedIn and Twitter have enabled an emerging trend for matching individuals with possible opportunities based on their interests. This makes finding more relevant jobs easier for both employees and employers. There are, however, many unanswered questions about how best to do that. In this paper, we propose an innovative Twitter-based recruitment system for a smoking cessation nicotine patch study. The goals of the paper are to (1) provide the system specification and design, (2) propose the approach we have taken to solve the problem of digital recruitment, (3) present two new algorithms, one for Twitter user ranking and the other for digital recruitment using social media, and (4) present the promising outcome of the initial version of the system and summarize the results. This is the first effort to introduce a practical solution for digital recruitment campaigns that is large-scale, inexpensive, efficient and reaches out to individuals in real-time as their needs are expressed. A continuous update on how our system is performing, in real-time, can be viewed at https://twitter.com/TobaccoQuit.
Addition of trimethylsilyllithium and trimethylstannyllithium to a hindered cyclopropyl enone

Abstract Addition of Me3SiLi or Me3SaLi to 1 affords cyclopropyl cleavage to the ring expanded system ( 2 and 3 ).
The effect of thiouracil hypothyroidism on reproduction in the rat.

IT HAS long been assumed that there is some relationship between thyroid activity and the reproductive system. Although much experimental work has been done in an effort to elucidate the problem, results have been conflicting. Most of the literature deals with the histologic and metabolic effects of thyroidectomy on special tissues, the effect on the estrus cycle as reflected in vaginal smears, or the physiological effect on the pituitary gland as judged by extraction or implantation experiments. Direct mating experiments are rare. The technical difficulties associated with thyroidectomy contribute largely to the confusion of results as the regenerative powers of the thyroid gland are so great that even the presence of a few thyroid cells after operation may alter the experimental findings. With the advent of thiouracil and related compounds a method was offered for the study of hypothyroidism which obviated the technical difficulties and sources of error associated with thyroid ablation. Using the thiour...
Accelerating the Gillespie Exact Stochastic Simulation Algorithm using hybrid parallel execution on graphics processing units.

The Gillespie Stochastic Simulation Algorithm (GSSA) and its variants are cornerstone techniques to simulate reaction kinetics in situations where the concentration of the reactant is too low to allow deterministic techniques such as differential equations. The inherent limitations of the GSSA include the time required for executing a single run and the need for multiple runs for parameter sweep exercises due to the stochastic nature of the simulation. Even very efficient variants of GSSA are prohibitively expensive to compute and perform parameter sweeps. Here we present a novel variant of the exact GSSA that is amenable to acceleration by using graphics processing units (GPUs). We parallelize the execution of a single realization across threads in a warp (fine-grained parallelism). A warp is a collection of threads that are executed synchronously on a single multi-processor. Warps executing in parallel on different multi-processors (coarse-grained parallelism) simultaneously generate multiple trajectories. Novel data-structures and algorithms reduce memory traffic, which is the bottleneck in computing the GSSA. Our benchmarks show an 8×−120× performance gain over various state-of-the-art serial algorithms when simulating different types of models.
Immunocytochemical localization of the mGluR1α metabotropic glutamate receptor in the dorsal cochlear nucleus

We demonstrate that the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGluR1α is enriched in two interneuron cell populations in the dorsal division of the cochlear nucleus. Electron microscopic analysis confirms that mGluR1α immunoreactivity is concentrated in the dendritic spines of cartwheel cells and in dendrites of the recently described unipolar brush cells. The cartwheel cells, which have many similarities to the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, participate in a local neuronal circuit that modulates the output of the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Immunostained unipolar brush cells were observed in granule cell regions of the cochlear nucleus and the vestibulocerebellum. The presence of analogous cell types with similar patterns of immunolabeling in the cerebellum and in the dorsal cochlear nucleus suggests that a shared but as yet unknown mode of processing may occur in both structures. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Relationship of Rat Anaphylaxis to Time of Challenge.

SummaryThe present study compared the dose-mortality curves of sensitized rats kept under conditions standardized for periodicity analysis and challenged with an antigen at 4-hour intervals during a 24-hour period. There were no differences in susceptibility to lethal anaphylaxis in relation to time of challenge. The findings are discussed in terms of circadian variations in pituitary-adrenocortical function.
Exercise responses in boys with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: effects of stimulant medication.

Objective: The effect of stimulant medication on exercise responses was studied in 14 boys (10.9 ± 1.1 years) with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method: Exercise, with and without medication, was performed at 25 W, 50 W, and 75 W, followed by a peak exercise test. Result: Submaximal heart rate (HR) was significantly higher by ~8 to 13 b·min—1 across the three intensities during the medication trial, but oxygen uptake (VO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), and perceived exertion were similar (p > .05). At peak exercise, VO2, HR, and work rate were attenuated (p ≤ .05) in the absence of medication but not RER or perceived exertion. The decreased peak exercise responses were apparent in 6 of 13 participants. Conclusion: Stimulant medication raises submaximal HR but does not affect other cardiorespiratory measures or perceived exertion. Without medication physiological responses at peak exercise are attenuated in some but not all boys with ADHD. (J. of Att. Dis. 2008; 12(2) 170-176)
Carbon Dioxide Capture in Metal–Organic Frameworks

Kenji Sumida, David L. Rogow, Jarad A. Mason, Thomas M. McDonald, Eric D. Bloch, Zoey R. Herm, Tae-Hyun Bae, Jeffrey R. Long
The skeletal responsiveness to mechanical loading is enhanced in mice with a null mutation in estrogen receptor-β

Mechanical loading caused by physical activity can stimulate bone formation and strengthen the skeleton. Estrogen receptors (ERs) play some role in the signaling cascade that is initiated in bone cells after a mechanical load is applied. We hypothesized that one of the ERs, ER-beta, influences the responsiveness of bone to mechanical loads. To test our hypothesis, 16-wk-old male and female mice with null mutations in ER-beta (ER-beta(-/-)) had their right forelimbs subjected to short daily loading bouts. The loading technique used has been shown to increase bone formation in the ulna. Each loading bout consisted of 60 compressive loads within 30 s applied daily for 3 consecutive days. Bone formation was measured by first giving standard fluorochrome bone labels 1 and 6 days after loading and using quantitative histomorphometry to assess bone sections from the midshaft of the ulna. The left nonloaded ulna served as an internal control for the effects of loading. Mechanical loading increased bone formation rate at the periosteal bone surface of the mid-ulna in both ER-beta(-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice. The ulnar responsiveness to loading was similar in male ER-beta(-/-) vs. WT mice, but for female mice bone formation was stimulated more effectively in ER-beta(-/-) mice (P < 0.001). We conclude that estrogen signaling through ER-beta suppresses the mechanical loading response on the periosteal surface of long bones.
Measuring subjective clinical outcomes.

The measurement of subjective clinical outcomes is one of the most perplexing areas within the arena of clinical decision making. When one mentions the word “subjective” to clinicians and researchers alike, two associations immediately come to mind: 1) subjective equals “soft” or unreliable information and 2) to be subjective is to be inherently bad. If these associations are accurate, then we should stop trying to measure subjective clinical outcomes and focus our attention in more fruitful areas. If these associations are inaccurate, we need to determine why, clarify the misunderstandings, and improve our measurements of these clinical outcomes. The first objective of this article is to clarify the meaning of the term “subjective” as it is commonly used in clinical decision making and argue that whether the concept is pejorative depends upon the context in which it is being used. Second, I will review briefly some of the basic scientific criteria we should use in judging the adequacy of clinical measures.…
Psychotherapy Research Is Not Psychotherapy Practice

The relationship between the clinical psychologist and the clinical researcher is often presented as an integrated model in which the researcher conceives and the clinician executes. We argue that this is an unworkable model because these are independent fields, each with its own problems and its own styles of thinking. The plea is made to deintegrate the two fields, to have them interact on the basis of mutual respect but not to merge with each other.
Regular Analgesic Use and Risk of Endometrial Cancer

Background: Analgesic use has been implicated in the chemoprevention of a number of solid tumors, but thus far, no previous research has focused on the role of aspirin in endometrial cancer etiology. Methods: We conducted a hospital-based case-control study of 427 women with primary, incident endometrial cancer, and 427 age- and residence-matched controls without benign or malignant neoplasms. All participants received medical services at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY, and completed a comprehensive epidemiologic questionnaire. Women who reported analgesic use at least once a week for at least 6 months were classified as regular users and served as the reference group throughout the analyses. We used unconditional logistic regression analyses to compute crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Compared with nonusers, regular aspirin users were not at reduced risk of endometrial cancer (adjusted OR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.66-1.26), nor were women with the highest frequency, duration, or cumulative lifetime aspirin use. When the sample was divided by body mass index status, regular aspirin use was not associated with risk among women classified as normal weight or overweight, but a significant risk reduction was seen for obese women (adjusted OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.27-0.92). Significant decreases in risk were also observed for obese women with the greatest frequency, duration, and cumulative aspirin use. No significant associations in the overall sample or among obese women were noted for acetaminophen use. Conclusion: We observed no evidence of an overall chemoprotective effect of aspirin on endometrial cancer risk, but the significant risk reductions among obese women warrant further investigation. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2005;14(12):2923–8)
MAM testbed detail description and alignment

Future space-based optical interferometers, such as the Space Interferometer Mission (SIM), require fringe measurements to the level of picometers in order to produce astrometric data at the micro-arc-second level. To be more specific, it is necessary to measure both the position of the starlight central fringe and the change in the internal optical path of the interferometer to a couple of tens of picometers. The internal path is measured with a small metrology beam, whereas the starlight fringe position is estimated with a CCD sampling and a large concentric annular beam. One major challenge for SIM is to align the metrology beam with the starlight beam to keep the consistency between these two sensors at the system level while articulating the instrument optics. The Micro-Arcsecond Metrology testbed (MAM) developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory features an optical interferometer with a white light source, all major optical components of a stellar interferometer, and heterodyne metrology sensors. The setup is installed inside a large vacuum chamber in order to mitigate atmospheric and thermal disturbances. Recent data show agreement between the metrology and starlight paths to better than 24 pm in the one-degree narrow-angle field of regard of SIM. This paper describes the MAM optical setup and the precision alignment.
Pharmacological targets in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

The natural history of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is of progressive aortic wall degeneration occurring over the course of many years, ultimately, culminating in loss of structural integrity and fatal aortic rupture. Although surgical exclusion of an aneurysm can effectively prevent aortic rupture in large aneurysms, small aneurysms are generally completely asymptomatic and are very unlikely to rupture. Further, AAA can be easily diagnosed with noninvasive testing; thus, small aneurysms present an excellent opportunity for disease-modifying pharmacological intervention. Research over the past two decades has defined many of the mechanisms which result in aortic matrix degeneration in both human tissue and particularly within animal models. This has resulted in the identification of several potential targets for pharmacological intervention. Drugs directed at inhibition of the inflammatory process and matrix degrading enzymes have been successful in multiple animal models, and early evidence now sug...
An Overview of Diving, Salvage, Offshore Pollution Abatement, And Underwater Ship Maintenance

This paper will address major technical and equipment developments during the past ten years in U. S. Navy diving, salvage, offshore pollution abatement and underwater ship maintenance programs. The scope of the paper is, of necessity, limited to general accomplishments.
Estimation of Reserves Using the Reciprocal Rate Method

In this work we develop, validate, and apply the "reciprocal rate method" to estimate oil reserves using only rate-time production data. This approach requires the development of boundary-dominated flow, and can be used to validate reserve extrapolations from numerical/analytical reservoir models. The methodology does presume that flowing well bottomhole pressures are approximately constant — but we will demonstrate that the method is tolerant of substantial changes in the flowing bottomhole pressure.
Control of seismic response of turbomachin foundations

The safety of structures built in seismic regions can be improved by energy absorbing devices. Passive isolation systems such aa base isolators are suitable for low-rise structures, but they provide only a partial solution to the problem. Three active control techniques for reducing the dynamic response of machine supporting foundations using various control strategies are presented. The active tendon, active mass damper and active base control systems are studied for active control of machine foundations in seismic regions. Numerical simulations show that active control can reduce the dynamic response of turbomachine foundations under seismic loads. This reduction in dynamic response can limit damage to power plants during earthquakes and restore their operation in a short time
Neurology education and global health My rotation in Botswana

The University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Infectious Diseases received an HIV education grant through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2002. Since then, they have established a permanent clinical and educational program at the main public hospital in Gaborone, Botswana. An attending faculty member resides in Gaborone year-round, and additional infectious disease specialists, fellows, medical residents, and students rotate through the hospital. A team of Penn doctors and students admit patients to the medical ward, care for them through discharge, and often follow them up as outpatients. They have recently invited neurologists to assist in their efforts, and as a fourth-year resident, I spent 5 weeks there in the spring of 2006. To date, three Penn-affiliated and one non-Penn-affiliated neurology residents have participated in the program. Botswana is a parliamentary republic in southern Africa (figure). Most of the 1.7 million residents are Setswana, whereas the other ethnic groups include Basarwa (bushmen), Kalanga, and Caucasians. Botswana represents one of the few African countries to have sustained high rates of socioeconomic and infrastructure growth over its 40 years of independence. It provides free healthcare and education to all residents. However, Botswana has one of the highest prevalences of HIV in the world at 24% in adults.1 Recently, the government has started to cover anti-retroviral therapy through its outpatient clinics, but it has been slow to reach all …
Geometric ergodicity of the distributional consensus problem in vehicle network control

In this paper we study the distributional consensus problem arising from a Markov chain that is generated by a decentralized control strategy. In contrast to other treatments that study the strong, mean square or weak notions of consensus, this paper studies the convergence of the algorithm in terms of the convergence of the Markov chain to its stationary distribution. The choice to study convergence to the stationary measure of the Markov chain enables the study of weaker notions of consensus, ones that depend on the topology used to describe the limiting distribution. By enforcing some reasonable assumptions on the connectivity of the communication network, we prove that the Markov chain associated with the closed loop controller is φ-irreducible and strongly aperiodic. Moreover, we present sufficient conditions that ensure that the controlled Markov chain converges in total variation norm to its stationary distribution at a geometric rate. We provide a rigorous analysis by constructing a stochastic Lyapunov function and showing that a suitable drift condition holds.
Neural Network-Based Approach for Adaptive Density Control and Reliability in Wireless Sensor Networks

A primary constraint in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is obtaining reliable and prolonged network operation with power-limited sensor nodes. Most of the approaches to the energy constraint problem focus mainly on the WSN and its architecture without analyzing the underlying process for the depletion of battery levels of individual nodes and consequent reduction in network lifetime: the variation of sensing environment in the deployment region. We study the energy model of a WSN as interdependence between the environmental variation and its impact on the energy consumption at individual nodes. This paper motivates the need for modeling energy variation in WSNs along with the environment in the deployment region. Defining network energy as the sum of residual battery energy at nodes, we provide an analytical framework for the dependence of node energy and sensitivity of network energy as a function of environmental variation and reliability parameters. Using a neural network based approach, we perform adaptive density control and show how reliability requirements and environment variation influences the rate of change of network energy.
FGF-23–Klotho signaling stimulates proliferation and prevents vitamin D–induced apoptosis

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF-23) and Klotho are secretory proteins that regulate mineral-ion metabolism. Fgf-23−/− or Klotho−/− knockout mice exhibit several pathophysiological processes consistent with premature aging including severe atrophy of tissues. We show that the signal transduction pathways initiated by FGF-23–Klotho prevent tissue atrophy by stimulating proliferation and preventing apoptosis caused by excessive systemic vitamin D. Because serum levels of active vitamin D are greatly increased upon genetic ablation of Fgf-23 or Klotho, we find that these molecules have a dual role in suppression of apoptotic actions of vitamin D through both negative regulation of 1α-hydroxylase expression and phosphoinositide-3 kinase–dependent inhibition of caspase activity. These data provide new insights into the physiological roles of FGF-23 and Klotho.
Parametric studies of blade-vortex mechanism of interaction using large-eddy simulation

The influence of vortex core size on the helicopter blade-vortex mechanism of interaction is investigated using large eddy simulation (LES). The simulations were performed for a Reynolds number, Re = 1.3 x 10, based on the chord, c, of the airfoil (NACA0012). Computations are carried out to investigate the influence of the vortex core size on the aerodynamic coefficients and acoustic field. It was observed that the vortex core size influences the aerodynamic coefficients and aeroacoustic field. The magnitude of aerodynamic coefficients increases with the increase of vortex core size. Also the SPL values associated with BVI increase with the increase of vortex core size.
Preliminary design of a whole-arm manipulation system (WAMS)

An approach to manipulation that uses all the available manipulation surfaces of the robot to act on and sense the environment is outlined. The kinematic, mechanism, actuation, and control implications of such a design are discussed and initial experimentation with a prototype mechanism are described. A three-degree-of-freedom underwater manipulator using a number of the resulting design concepts is described. >
Assessing Academic Advising Outcomes Using Social Cognitive Theory: A Validity and Reliability Study

The validity and reliability of three instruments, the Counselor Rubric for Gauging Student Understanding of Academic Planning, micro-analytic questions, and the Student Survey for Understanding Academic Planning, all based on social cognitive theory, were tested as means to assess self-efficacy and self-regulated learning in college academic planning. The rubric assessed pre- and post-intervention self-regulated learning of academic-planning strategy levels. The micro-analytic questions assessed self-regulated learning during forethought and self-reflection phases. Post-intervention self-efficacy in academic planning and retrospectively evaluated pre-intervention self-efficacy were measured by the survey. All three instruments showed strong validity and reliability, but the survey did not distinguish between different self-efficacy challenge levels.
Risk factors for surgical site infection after posterior cervical spine surgery: an analysis of 5,441 patients from the ACS NSQIP 2005–2012

Abstract Background Context The incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) following posterior cervical surgery has been reported as high as 18% in the literature. Few large studies have specifically examined posterior cervical procedures. Purpose The study aims to examine the incidence, timing, and risk factors for SSI following posterior cervical surgery. Design This is a retrospective cohort study of prospectively collected data in a national surgical outcomes database. Patient Sample The sample includes patients who underwent posterior cervical spine surgery between 2005 and 2012 identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (ACS NSQIP) Participant Use Data File. Outcome Measures The 30-day rate of postoperative SSI, timing of diagnosis, and associated risk factors were determined. Methods The ACS NSQIP was used to identify 5,441 patients who underwent posterior cervical spine surgery by Current Procedural Terminology codes from 2005 to 2012. Thirty-day readmission data were obtained for 2011–2012. The incidence and timing of SSI were determined. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify significant risk factors. Results Of the 5,441 patients identified as having undergone posterior cervical surgery, 3,724 had a posterior cervical decompression, 1,310 had a posterior cervical fusion, and 407 underwent cervical laminoplasty. Surgical site infection within 30 days was identified in 160 patients (2.94%), with 80 of those cases being superficial SSI. There was no significant difference in SSI rate among the three procedure groups. The average time for diagnosis of SSI was over 2 weeks. In 2011–2012, 36.9% of patients with SSI were readmitted within 30 days. Several significant predictors of SSI were identified in univariate analysis, including body mass index (BMI) >35, chronic steroid use, albumin 35 (odds ratio [OR]=1.78, p=.003), chronic steroid use (OR=1.73, p=.049), and operative time >197 minutes (OR=2.08, p=.005), were identified in multivariable analysis. Conclusions Optimization of preoperative nutritional status, serum blood cell counts, and operative efficiency may lead to a reduction in SSI rates. Obese patients and patients on chronic steroid therapy should be counseled on elevated SSI risk.
Ultrasonic detection and evaluation of abdominal aortic aneurysms.

During the past three years, abdominal ultrasound studies have been performed on over 2,000 patients, of whom 64 proved to have abdominal aortic aneurysms greater than 3.0 cm. in diameter. The technique employed was ultrasonic tomography (B-scanning) wherein a transverse or longitudinal section of the abdomen is preselected and the included structures are outlined by their reflected echo patterns. Since the reflected echo strength is dependent upon changes in acoustic density within the tissue, the elastic walls of the aorta make it a particularly easy structure to demonstrate. The procedure is noninvasive and causes no discomfort. It is routinely possible to outline the contour of the aorta throughout its abdominal course. Although best accomplished by a series of longitudinal scans, excessive tortuosity may necessitate transverse scans for complete evaluation. Abdominal aneurysms are easily identified and may be measured with an accuracy of & 3 mm. Echoes from thrombi may frequently be identified within the aneurysm. The technique is particularly
Brain abscess: an atypical CT appearance of CNS tuberculosis.

Brain abscess is an extremely rare manifestation of tuberculous involvement of the CNS; meningitis and tuberculoma are much more common [1-6]. The CT appearance of tuberculous abscess cannot be distinguished from many other entities that can present as a ring-enhancing lesion, such as pyogenic abscess, primary or metastatic neoplasm, or resolving hematoma. However, given the appropriate history one can suggest the correct diagnosis. We present an unusual case in which there was coexistence of supratentorial tuberculomas with an infratentorial tuberculous abscess.
Lattice volume rendering

Direct volume rendering renders volume datasets without intermediate surface representation. However, due to the large data size, high quality volume rendering is a challenging research problem. Researchers have proposed various volumetric lighting models that consider no scattering, single scattering and multiple scattering. In practice, nearly all numerical solutions of graphics and visualization problems assume a discretization of the simulation domain into a grid of cells or points. In most cases, the discretization is regular and generates a lattice. This work presents several new techniques and algorithms for rendering lattice volumes. The 3D Cartesian Cubic (CC) lattice is the most frequently used lattice for volumes. Because of its simplicity, it is natively supported by many kinds of hardware, especially on the graphics processing unit (GPU). Three algorithms are presented for rendering 3D CC lattices without scattering: an object order cell projection algorithm based on min-max octree data structure that renders large datasets beyond GPU memory capacity, a hybrid method that improves the rendering speed by CPU/GPU parallelism, and a method of ray tracing height field on the GPU. For rendering the CC lattice with single scattering, a half angle splatting algorithm has achieved real time rendering of smoke. To overcome the popping artifact of half angle based method, a lighting volume based method is proposed and further accelerated with the GPU. A novel volumetric global illumination framework based on the Face-Centered Cubic (FCC) lattice is proposed to compute multiple scattering for volumetric global illumination. An FCC lattice has better sampling efficiency than the CC lattice. Furthermore, it has the maximal possible kissing number, which provides optimal 3D angular discretization. The proposed algorithms greatly simplify the computation of multiple scattering and minimize illumination information storage due to angular discretization. Two distinct applications of lattice computation and rendering have been developed, dispersion visualization for the flow simulation of lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) and computer aided polyp detection for virtual colonoscopy. The LBM simulates the flow field by the micro-scale Boltzmann kinetics of fluid elements on a lattice, and the simulation results are rendered on GPUs and GPU clusters. The second application focuses on a new pipeline for computer aided polyp detection for virtual colonoscopy. The new pipeline has a volume rendering stage to generate the electronic biopsy image of a conformal flattened colon. Then, the polyps are detected on the single 2D biopsy image with texture analysis, which is significantly faster than traditional shape analysis methods.
Optical microangiography enabling visualization of change in meninges after traumatic brain injury in mice in vivo

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of brain injury caused by sudden impact on brain by an external mechanical force. Following the damage caused at the moment of injury, TBI influences pathophysiology in the brain that takes place within the minutes or hours involving alterations in the brain tissue morphology, cerebral blood flow (CBF), and pressure within skull, which become important contributors to morbidity after TBI. While many studies for the TBI pathophysiology have been investigated with brain cortex, the effect of trauma on intracranial tissues has been poorly studied. Here, we report use of high-resolution optical microangiography (OMAG) to monitor the changes in cranial meninges beneath the skull of mouse after TBI. TBI is induced on a brain of anesthetized mouse by thinning the skull using a soft drill where a series of drilling exert mechanical stress on the brain through the skull, resulting in mild brain injury. Intracranial OMAG imaging of the injured mouse brain during post-TBI phase shows interesting pathophysiological findings in the meningeal layers such as widening of subdural space as well as vasodilation of subarachnoid vessels. These processes are acute and reversible within hours. The results indicate potential of OMAG to explore mechanism involved following TBI on small animals in vivo.
Absence of direct association between coliforms and Escherichia coli in irrigation water and on produce

Irrigation water is considered a potential source of preharvest pathogen contamination of vegetables. Hence, several organizations have recommended microbiological standards for water used to irrigate edible plants. The purpose of this study was to determine the strength of association between microbial quality indicators (coliforms and Escherichia coli) in irrigation water and on irrigated vegetables. Data analyzed included original results from a cross-sectional study conducted in the Midwestern United States during summer 2009 and information presented in two previously published studies performed in France and Portugal to investigate microbial quality of irrigation water and watered produce. In the cross-sectional study, repetitive PCR (rep-PCR) was used to characterize genetic relatedness of E. coli isolates from water and vegetables. No significant correlations were found between fecal indicators on leafy greens (lettuce and parsley, n = 91) or fruit (tomatoes and green peppers, n = 22) and those found in irrigation water used in the cross-sectional study (P > 0.40) or in the previously published data sets (data set 1: lettuce and waste irrigation water, n = 15, P > 0.40; data set 2: lettuce and irrigation water, n = 32, P = 0.06). Rep-PCR banding patterns of E. coli strains were all distinguishable among the pairs of E. coli isolates recovered from produce and irrigation water on the same farm. From the available data, the concentration of indicator organisms based on a single measure of irrigation water quality was not associated with the presence of these indicators on produce. In the absence of additional information, the use of a single microbial water quality parameter as an indicator of produce safety is of limited value for predicting the safety of the produce.
High intensity laser-driven x-ray sources for high energy density science

We discuss betatron x-ray radiation from laser wakefield accelerators using femtosecond (blowout regime) and picosecond (self modulated and direct laser acceleration regimes) scale laser pulses. The source will have applications for high energy density science.
Epidemiology of Older Age Bipolar Disorder

Older adults with bipolar disorder are expected to increase in numbers in the future, will likely require more health services than their same-aged peers, and have been understudied as a group. While prevalence rates of older age bipolar disorder (OABD) are low in community samples, older adults with bipolar disorder are frequently seen in treatment settings. Individuals can present with new-onset mania throughout the life span. Older adults presenting with mania have been thought to comprise two clinically significant subgroups: those with early-onset bipolar disorder (EOBD) and those with late-onset bipolar disorder (LOBD). Individuals with late-onset bipolar illness are more likely to be women, less likely to have a family history of bipolar disorder, and more likely to have cerebrovascular risk factors or disease. The symptoms of bipolar disorder do not typically attenuate over time and older patients may experience more frequent periods of illness with less time spent in a euthymic state. Older adults with bipolar disorder are at increased risk for functional decline and overall morbidity and mortality.
Optimization Of A Multicomponent Gaseous Saturable Absorber For The Helios CO 2 Laser System

A multi-component gaseous saturable absorber has been developed and modified to prevent the onset of parasitic oscillations coupling laser-fusion targets and the power amplifiers in the Helios CO2 laser system. This absorber mix greatly increases the extractable short-pulse energy of the laser system. A computer model that predicts the behavior of multi-component saturable absorbers has been tested against the measured performance of two different absorber gas mixes used in the Helios system. The successes and shortcomings of the model are discussed, and large and small-signal transmission data for the saturable absorber mixes and their constituent gases (used as input to the model) are presented.© (1980) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Adapting SBIRT for Older Adults

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is an evidence-based practice for identifying and reducing problematic use of alcohol or other substances. It incorporates a public health approach of large-scale, universal prescreening often conducted in healthcare settings and follows with brief advice for those identified as moderate risk for substance use problems, brief treatment for those at moderate to high risk, or referral to treatment for those at highest risk. This chapter discusses adaptation of the SBIRT initiative based on experience with the Florida BRITE Project (BRief Intervention and Treatment for Elders) involving over 85,000 screenings. Important lessons were learned from BRITE when comparing implementation in non-healthcare vs. healthcare settings and when considering age-appropriate screening criteria to determine risk of substance misuse in the older adult population.
Comparison of Baseline Characteristics and Inhospital Outcomes of Patients and Use of Bare Metal Versus Drug-Eluting Stents During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention 2005 to 2015 at a Single Tertiary Hospital

With steady growth in the use of drug-eluting stents (DES), the indications for bare metal stents (BMS) have significantly changed over the last decade. This study aims to describe trends in the use of BMS and the evolution of the population receiving them over the past 10 years and determine patient characteristics associated with using BMS. Consecutive patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) at the Washington Hospital Center from January 2005 through March 2015 were included. Baseline characteristics and inhospital outcomes of patients who underwent PCI with BMS versus DES were compared during 2 different time periods: from 2005 to 2010 and from 2011 to 2015. Multivariable analyses were performed for each period of time to determine independent variables associated with the choice of BMS rather than DES; 20,321 patients who underwent PCI were included in the present study. The mean age was 65.0 ± 12.5 years, 65.2% were men, and 30.4% were black. BMS use peaked in 2007 (47%) but has fallen steadily since; BMS accounted for only 10% of stents used in 2015. Presentation with acute coronary syndrome or cardiogenic shock was more common in patients receiving a BMS; this was reflected in higher rates of inhospital mortality and major bleeding among patients receiving BMS versus DES. Covariables independently associated with receiving a BMS common to both time periods included black race, Hispanic ethnicity, cardiogenic shock or acute coronary syndrome, oral anticoagulation, current smoking, increasing age, lower hematocrit, and history of chronic renal insufficiency. In conclusion, there has been a precipitous decline in the use of BMS over the last decade. Newer stent technology that promises shorter duration of dual antiplatelet therapy is likely to lead to the extinction of BMS over the next decade.
Breaking Stalin’s Nose; Arcady’s Goal; The Haunting of Falcon House, Written by Prince Lev Lvov, with Pictures Drawn from His Own Hand

Eugene Yelchin’s Breaking Stalin’s Nose is endorsed by the brilliant Czech graphic artist Peter Sis, whose children’s book The Wall (2007) bears witness to the terror of growing up behind the Iron ...
Relevance of the alternate conductance states of anthrax toxin channel.

In their recent article in PNAS, Das and Krantz (1) attempt to relate the previously described (2, 3) alternate conductance substate of the anthrax toxin protective antigen (PA63) channel to the allosteric helix compression model (4). Although we do not intend to discuss the differences between this model and the extended-chain Brownian ratchet model (5), we believe that there are two experimental observations that should be specifically addressed. First, the authors hypothesize that the observed small-conductance substate (2, 3) is related to the two states of the PA63 channel, one clamped empty state and one unclamped empty dilated state, with the dilation occurring at the ϕ-clamp (1). Although this interpretation could be relevant, we believe the arguments provided to support it are indirect. In addition to analyzing the so-called long-lived and short-lived closures induced by the lethal factor (LF) peptides, the authors could have also performed a direct statistical comparison … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: nestorovich{at}cua.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Correction: Stable small bubble clusters in two-dimensional foams

Correction for ‘Stable small bubble clusters in two-dimensional foams’ by Kai Zhang et al., Soft Matter, 2017, DOI: 10.1039/c7sm00723j.
Supporting multi-bit simultaneous query in wireless networks with coherent analog bloom filter

In this paper, a novel multi-bit simultaneous query technique, called the Coherent Analog Bloom Filter (CABF), is proposed for wireless networks. CABF allows the Access Point (AP) of the network to gather multiple bits of key information from nodes in the network simultaneously, such as the identities of the active nodes and the data packet sizes. With CABF, the nodes transmit signals on selected subcarriers in two consecutive OFDM symbols without the requirement for coordination among the nodes. The AP runs a detection algorithm to extract information by checking the energy level and phases of the signals. As CABF requires only two OFDM symbols, it does not introduce much overhead to the network. With extensive simulations, it was shown that CABF outperforms the existing solutions.
Supramolecular Multiblock Copolymers Featuring Complex Secondary Structures

This contribution introduces main-chain supramolecular ABC and ABB′A block copolymers sustained by orthogonal metal coordination and hydrogen bonding between telechelic polymers that feature distinct secondary structure motifs. Controlled polymerization techniques in combination with supramolecular assembly are used to engineer heterotelechelic π-sheets that undergo high-fidelity association with both helical and coil-forming synthetic polymers. Our design features multiple advances to achieve our targeted structures, in particular, those emulating sheet-like structural aspects using poly(p-phenylenevinylene)s (PPVs). To engineer heterotelechelic PPVs in a sheet-like design, we engineer an iterative one-pot cross metathesis–ring-opening metathesis polymerization (CM-ROMP) strategy that affords functionalized Grubbs-II initiators that subsequently polymerize a paracyclophanediene. Supramolecular assembly of two heterotelechelic PPVs is used to realize a parallel π-sheet, wherein further orthogonal assembly...
Bleeding Out: Histories and Legacies of ‘Indian Blood’

This essay examines the origins of the blood quantum system of racial registration in Native American communities, evaluates arguments for and against its continuation, and identifies potential alternatives to reconciling sovereign Indigenous nationhood with racialized conceptions of indigeneity.
The Relationship Between Supportive Friendships, Conflictual Friendships, and Deviance During Emerging Adulthood.

As deviant behavior is increasing during emerging adulthood and friends are a driving force behind deviance, the goal of this study is to explore the relationships between friend support, conflict, and crime. Using a large sample of friendship pairs and developmental interpretations of social control and differential association theories, a series of mixed models are estimated, which investigate the roles of support, conflict, and peer deviance on an individual’s self-reported property crime. Results demonstrate that high levels of support and conflict relate to less offending in both independent and interdependent ways. However, neither social control nor differential association can provide a clear explanation to these findings, even though support and conflict clearly seem important for offending during emerging adulthood.
Treatment and outcome of thrombosed aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery: institutional experience and a systematic review

Thrombosed aneurysms of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) usually show large dimension and complex morphology with neck sclerosis and perforating vessels originating from the sac. Only limited experiences from case reports or small mixed series including thrombosed aneurysms in different locations are available in literature. To systematically review all the pertinent literature, a comprehensive literature review with the search terms "MCA, aneurysm, and thrombosis" and a pooled analysis including our institutional series were performed. We evaluated demographics, ruptured status, aneurysm morphology, topography and size, thrombosis extension, treatment, complications, final occlusion rate, and clinical outcome at follow-up. Data were individually extracted for each patient and included in a pool for the statistical analysis. Forty-two articles published between 1992 and 2016 were selected, including a total of 115 patients. Most of thrombosed aneurysms were saccular (67.6%), large or giant (86.7%), and located at the MCA bifurcation (67.3%). The treatment of choice was surgery in more than 80% of cases compared with the endovascular techniques, though the overall percentage of complications reported in the two groups was similar and around 20% of cases. Clinical outcome was favorable in more than 85% of patients after treatment. This is the first systematic review focusing on treatment and outcome of thrombosed MCA aneurysms. Our data depict their main angioarchictectural and clinical characteristics, proving the feasibility of their treatment with good prognosis in a high percentage of patients. However, complication and mortality rates of about 20 and 3.5%, respectively, are not negligible.
On Analog QAM Demodulation for Millimeter-Wave Communications

Recent interest in wideband multi-giga-bit-per-second wireless communications over millimeter-wave frequencies has created both new opportunities and design challenges. The realization of such technologies including multi-giga-samples-per-second data conversion and digital signal processing systems is extremely challenging. In this brief, we propose a fully analog QAM demodulator as a step toward eliminating the power-hungry and ultra-high speed mixed-signal components (e.g., analog-to-digital converter). The proposed low-complexity, low-overhead solution is shown to be robust against analog processing errors.
Solar-Terrestrial Relations and Magnetospheric Substorms

In studying solar-terrestrial relationships, it is important to recognize first of all that there is the basic solar-interplanetary magnetic field structure which has been revealed by two important discoveries during the last two decades. The first is the sector structure of the magnetic field at the photospheric level and the second is the interplanetary magnetic field sector structure (Ness and Wilcox, 1967; Severny et al., 1970).