cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Near-field functional field transformation structures

Irregular wavelength-scale transformation structures offer potential for wavelength division multiplexing and laser mode control. A microwave waveguide experiment demonstrates for the first time wavelength-dependent mode conversion. Optical realization using silicon processing is facilitated by lift-off.
A service-oriented framework for controlling invasive species in agriculture

The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has killed or infested millions of ash trees in the USA. It has the potential to decimate ash trees as a component of North American forests, which will have dramatic ecological and economic effects. Government agencies have joined forces to implement a long-term programme to contain and eventually eradicate the borer. One key requirement for the success of this programme is the underlying information-sharing infrastructure. In this paper, we propose an ontology-based service-oriented framework, called Sentinel, to automate the dissemination of EAB-related information. We also present experiment results to assess the performance of our framework.
Partnership in the Treatment of Childhood Mental Health Problems: A Pediatric Perspective.

Pediatricians understand their role as promoting both the physical and mental health of children from birth until adulthood. Within the context of this long-term relationship, parents approach clinicians to address a full range of behavioral concerns ranging from variations of normal development to major mental illness. In this commentary that builds upon the earlier manuscripts in this collection, we explore the pediatrician’s role in mental health care through the example of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD is an ideal prototype for the exploration of partnership in mental health care because ADHD is the most common neurobehavioral disorder in childhood, it is commonly treated in primary care settings, multiple evidence-based treatments exist, personal values strongly influence the acceptability of treatment, treatment adherence is often poor, and effective treatment relies on the collaboration of pediatricians with families, schools, and the mental health system. Through the use of the Chronic Care Model for Child Health that emphasizes the importance of optimizing and coordinating systems of care for effective partnership, the following manuscript reviews the challenges and opportunities for pediatricians partnering with families and schools to address mental health problems. Strategies highlighted in the preceding papers are discussed within the context of this model.
Ethanol consumption patterns and conditioned place preference in mice lacking preproenkephalin

There is a great deal of evidence suggesting that endogenous opioid systems are involved in the control of ethanol-seeking behavior and reward. To ascertain the role of the enkephalinergic opioid peptide system in these processes, we examined voluntary ethanol consumption patterns in mice lacking the preproenkephalin (Penk) gene using a two-bottle choice paradigm with free access to water and increasing concentrations of ethanol (2, 4, 8, and 10% v/v). We also examined the ability of ethanol (2 g/kg i.p.) to establish a conditioned place preference in these mice. No differences in ethanol consumption or preference were observed between wildtypes and Penk null mutant mice. In addition, both genotypes displayed a similar conditioned place preference to ethanol. These data suggest that the preproenkephalin system is not involved in voluntary ethanol consumption patterns or ethanol reward.
ANTEMORTEM DIAGNOSIS AND SUCCESSFUL MANAGEMENT OF NONCOMPRESSIVE SEGMENTAL MYELOPATHY IN A SIBERIAN-BENGAL MIXED BREED TIGER

Abstract: A 10-yr-old female spayed mixed breed tiger presented for a 9-day history of acute and nonprogressive paralysis of the pelvic limbs. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lesion suggestive of fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopathy with regional spinal cord edema, decreased disk signal intensity at L2–L3, and mild intervertebral disk protrusion at L1–L2 and L2–L3. Cerebral spinal fluid analysis showed no overt evidence of infection or neoplasia. Medical therapy was instituted, including corticosteroids and gastroprotectants as well as nursing care and physical therapy. The tiger began showing clinical improvement 2 wk after initiating treatment, progressing to the point where the animal was standing and intermittently walking. Three months after diagnosis, the tiger had regained muscle strength of its hind limbs and walked regularly with improving coordination. This case is the first report of antemortem diagnosis and successful medical management of suspected fibrocartilaginous embolic myelopath...
The Effects of Teacher-Implemented Naturalistic Intervention on the Communication of Preschoolers With Autism:

This study examined the effects of a teacher training package on the teacher-delivered naturalistic communication-promoting intervention and the expressive communication of three preschool-aged boy...
Neural disruption to theory of mind predicts daily social functioning in individuals at familial high-risk for schizophrenia

Theory-of-mind (ToM) ability is foundational for successful social relationships, and dependent on a neurocognitive system, which includes temporoparietal junction and medial prefrontal cortex. Schizophrenia is associated with ToM impairments, and initial studies demonstrate similar, though more subtle deficits, in unaffected first-degree relatives, indicating that ToM deficits are a potential biomarker for the disorder. Importantly, the social consequences of ToM deficits could create an additional vulnerability factor for individuals at familial high risk (FHR). However, behavioral studies of ToM are inconsistent and virtually nothing is known about the neural basis of ToM in FHR or the relationship between ToM and social functioning. Here, FHR and non-FHR control participants underwent functional MRI scanning while reasoning about a story character’s thoughts, emotions or physical appearance. Afterwards, participants completed a 28-day online ‘daily-diary’ questionnaire in which they reported daily social interactions and degree of ToM reasoning. FHR participants demonstrated less neural activity in bilateral temporoparietal junction when reasoning about thoughts and emotions. Moreover, across all participants, the degree of neural activity during ToM reasoning predicted several aspects of daily social behavior. Results suggest that vulnerability for schizophrenia is associated with neurocognitive deficits in ToM and the degree of deficit is related to day-to-day social functioning.
Association studies for asthma and atopic diseases: a comprehensive review of the literature

Hundreds of genetic association studies on asthma-related phenotypes have been conducted in different populations. To date, variants in 64 genes have been reported to be associated with asthma or related traits in at least one study. Of these, 33 associations were replicated in a second study, 9 associations were not replicated either in a second study or a second sample in the same study, and 22 associations were reported in just a single published study. These results suggest the potential for a great amount of heterogeneity underlying asthma. However, many of these studies are methodologically limited and their interpretation hampered by small sample sizes.
Dietary manipulation with lemonade to treat hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis.

AbstractPurpose: Pharmacological treatment of hypocitraturic calcium nephrolithiasis requires as many as 12 tablets, or numerous crystal packages or liquid supplements taken throughout the day. In addition to added cost, this cumbersome regimen decreases patient compliance, which may increase stone recurrence rates. We evaluated the urinary biochemical effects of dietary citrate supplementation in hypocitraturic calcium stone formers in an attempt to decrease or eliminate the need for pharmacological therapy.Materials and Methods: A total of 12 patients who were either noncompliant with or intolerant of pharmacological citrate therapy supplemented their routine diet with citrate in the form of lemonade, consisting of 4 ounces of reconstituted lemon juice (5.9 gm. citric acid) mixed with tap water to a total volume of 2 1. and consumed at uniform intervals throughout the day. Urine specimens (24-hour) were obtained for biochemical analysis after 6 days of lemonade therapy and compared to pre-lemonade basel...
On the Design of Fast Pseudo-Random Number Generators for the Cell Broadband Engine and an Application to Risk Analysis

Numerical simulations in computational physics, biology, and finance, often require the use of high quality and efficient parallel random number generators. We design and optimize several parallel pseudo random number generators on the cell broadband engine, with minimal correlation between the parallel streams: the linear congruential generator (LCG) with 64-bit prime addend and the Mersenne Twister (MT) algorithm. As compared with current Intel and AMD microprocessors, our Cell/B.E. LCG and MT implementations achieve a speed up of 33 and 29, respectively. We also explore two normalization techniques, Gaussian averaging method and box Mueller polar/cartesian, that transform uniform random numbers to a Gaussian distribution. Using these fast generators we develop a parallel implementation of value at risk, a commonly used model for risk assessment in financial markets. To our knowledge we have designed and implemented the fastest parallel pseudo random number generators on the Cell/B.E.
Homogeneity and stability of materials distributed within the Wageningen Evaluating Programmes for Analytical Laboratories

Abstract Participation in laboratory evaluating programmes (Proficiency Testing schemes) is becoming increasingly important, especially for accredited laboratories. The Wageningen Agricultural University meets this need by organizing several world‐wide international laboratory evaluating programmes on chemical analysis of soils (ISE), plants OPE), manure, refuses (MARSEP) and sediments (SETOC). Since 1995, the existing programmes have been placed under an umbrella organization called WEPAL: Wageningen Evaluating Programmes for Analytical Laboratories. Because of the increasing importance of a good performance within the Proficiency Testing scheme, it is crucial that the organizer of the programmes can continue to guarantee a quality product. To achieve this, WEPAL reorganized and documented the complete system in order to get a formal accreditation (based on ISO/IEC Guide 43, part 1) as a qualified organizer of proficiency testing schemes. Much attention was paid to the topic of homogeneity and stability ...
Diffusion of network innovation : implications for adoption of internet services

The Internet and network applications have achieved significant growth. This thesis reviews the historical development of the Internet and projects future expansion of network application usage. Observed data points for Internet hosts, World Wide Web servers, the Multicasting Backbone, USENET, and Internet telephony were fit to an s-shaped logistic curve. The results of the model predict the applications’ growth rate, halfway points of growth, and saturation limits. The number of Internet hosts is expected saturate at about 39 million hosts by the early part of the next century, while the number of Web servers will saturate at about 40% of responding Internet hosts. The adoption rate of Internet Telephony was estimated by analogy to adoption patterns of more established applications. The factors necessary for successful deployment of Internet telephony were addressed in terms of network architecture and user interface. Internet telephony and multicast applications that require reserved network resources were concluded to be in very early stages of development. At the time of this writing, only a small fraction of the users who have knowledge and have tried telephony applications are willing to adopt and actively use the technology. This indicates that augmentations to Internet services are necessary to improve the usability of realtime applications, such as Internet telephony.
Intervention versus natural regulation philosophies for managing wildlife in national parks.

"Wildlife Conservation in National Parks" was the topic of a symposium sponsored by The Wildlife Society at the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on 25 March 1991. The symposium included 11 papers by 18 authors from Canada, United States, and South Africa, chaired by Frederic H. Wagner (Utah State University) and Cliff J. Martinka (Glacier National Park, Montana, USA). The papers presented at the symposium will published in 1992 in the Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference.
Bullshit Detection and Cognitive Reflection

The reception and detection of bullshit has only recently emerged as a subject of empirical study. In this paper I focus on two key questions: 1) How efficient is bullshit detection? and, 2) How robust is the previously reported association between bullshit receptivity and cognitive reflection? Participants were presented with bullshit sentences that consist of randomly selected buzzwords (e.g., “Wholeness quiets infinite phenomena.”), actual tweets from a self-help guru (e.g., “Matter is the experience in consciousness of a deeper non-material reality.”), and genuine motivational quotations written in plain language (e.g., “A wet person does not fear the rain.”). It was made explicit that some of the sentences consisted of random ‘nonsense’ and the task was simply to decide which sentences were meaningful (v. nonsense). Although the bullshit sentences were more likely to be rated as nonsense than meaningful, there was nonetheless a large asymmetry between the frequency of ‘nonsense’ choices for bullshit sentences (61%) and ‘meaningful’ choices for motivational sentences (83.2%). Bullshit detection efficiency was also predicted by the propensity to engage reflective reasoning, extending previous work.
Data-Driven Atmospheric Sciences Using Cloud-Based Cyberinfrastructure: Plans, Opportunities, and Challenges for a Real-Time Weather Data Facility

Abstract Universities are facing many challenges: shrinking budgets, rapidly evolving information technologies, exploding data volumes, multidisciplinary science requirements, and high expectations from students who have grown up with smartphones and tablets. These changes are upending traditional approaches to accessing and using data and software. Unidata recognizes that its products and services must evolve to support new approaches to research and education. After years of hype and ambiguity, cloud computing is maturing in usability in many areas of science and education, bringing the benefits of virtualized and elastic remote services to infrastructure, software, computation, and data. Cloud environments reduce the amount of time and money spent to procure, install, and maintain new hardware and software, and reduce costs through resource pooling and shared infrastructure. Cloud services aimed at providing any resource, at any time, from any place, using any device are increasingly being embraced by all types of organizations. Given this trend and the enormous potential of cloud-based services, Unidata is taking steps to augment its products, services, data delivery mechanisms, and applications to align with the cloud-computing paradigm. Specifically, Unidata is working toward establishing a community-based development environment that supports the creation and use of software services to build end-to-end data workflows.
i-Con: Geometric Topologies for Semantic Interpretation of Building Components Based on a Semiotic Framework

Construction concept details comprise their geometric features, components or parts, additional or assembled items, and functional characteristics. The concept conditions are the situational conditions or state of affairs, which embrace the concept location, position, site, place, and settings; the status condition, which is the stage of the concept (e.g., completed, installed, delayed), and its relations with other products or context descriptions (e.g,. set by, part of). The details and conditions are minimal ontological definitions of the concept that can be formalized by including logical axioms that use the syntax and vocabulary of a language, and additional semantic relations, which help describe several states of affairs. However, the representations are semantically poor which leads to deficient and accurate interpretations. Furthermore, intentionality is not semantically articulated with the representations. To respond to this need, this research proposes intelligent geometric topologies for construction (i-Con). i-Cons are images that have the virtue of being a symbolic vocabulary. These images have an established use, defined according to qualitative spatial relations, parenthood, and connectedness. Through the use of a mediating technology platform (e.g., a computer graphic application), i-Cons are linked to the virtual representations of the components to assist the user in semantically interpreting them and in efficiently arriving at more accurate conclusions.
Blood circulation activation and turbid fluid purification combined with thermoelectric therapy apparatus in Treatment on Pelvic Venous Congestion Syndrome

Objectives:Pelvic venous congestion syndrome was treated with the Babaojin pill(with recipe of blood circulation activation and turbid fluid purification) combined with thermoelectric therapy apparatus,and the therapeutic effects were observed.Methods:Babaojin pills were orally administered to 100 patients with pelvic venous congestion syndrome three times daily,0.9g each time.The thermoelectric therapy apparatus was applied to patients for 45 minutes every day for a treatment course of 7 days.Results:A total of 95 patients completed a treatment course.The three-month follow-up indicated 33 improved cases,54 effective cases and 8 ineffective cases,the overall efficiency rate being 91.58%.Three patients gave up the treatment due to the stomach discomfort caused by the medicine,and two cases were missing from the follow-up.Conclusion:Blood circulation activation and turbid fluid purification combined with thermoelectric therapy apparatus is an effective method in treating pelvic venous congestion syndrome.
“Stony the Road” to Change: “What's Race Got To Do With It?”

In cultural, community, and regional studies, the anthropological tendency to describe and construct the whole can often lead to glossing and misunderstanding the parts. This has been particularly the case in studies that focus on African Americans. Although anthropologists note the diversity of the population, little attention is paid to the significance of that diversity from an internal perspective. The descriptions in Chapter 3 of a number of Lafayette County's intimate culture groups identified various heterogeneous group identities existing within the Black community. The underlying reasons for the construction of such groups give insight into the importance of identifying and understanding such “heterogeneous identities.” This is more than ever the case when analyzing the cohesiveness of any regional culture, particularly one with group identities that cut across kinship, economic, spatial, educational, and political lines. These intraethnic/intraracial identities, for the most part, become key determiners of social behavior and perceptions. The manner in which intraracial identities are constructed is important to understanding the meaning of “Blackness.” Cohen points out “that the simplified identity that a collectivity presents to the outside world … is informed by its internal intricacies” (1982:12). To understand African Americans in Oxford/Lafayette County or any other community, we cannot gloss over the complexity of “belonging” by simply conceptualizing them as a homogeneous group divisible only by such social phenomena as region, kin, and economy.
Back Pain, Myelopathy, and Radiculopathy

The neurological evaluation of spine disorders requires anatomical knowledge of six structures within the spinal cord: the corticospinal tract, spinothalamic tract, dorsal columns, anterior horn cell, ventral white commissure, and dorsal horn. The dorsal root ganglion lies extrinsic to the spinal cord and contains the sensory nerve cell bodies. Myelopathy refers to damage to the spinal cord itself, radiculopathy to the structure commonly referred to as the nerve root, and cauda equina syndrome to the distal extension of the lumbar and sacral nerve roots. Degenerative conditions including herniated nucleus pulposus and spinal stenosis account for the vast majority of back pain associated with nervous system dysfunction. Metastatic cord compression and epidural abscess are important causes of myelopathy that cannot be missed. Important non-compressive myelopathies include vitamin B12 deficiency, the leukodystrophies, tropical spastic paraparesis, dural arteriovenous fistula, copper deficiency, and hereditary spastic paraplegia. Musculoskeletal pathologies are very common and must be considered in any patient who presents to a neurologist with back pain.
MRSA Isolates from United States Hospitals Carry dfrG and dfrK Resistance Genes and Succumb to Propargyl-Linked Antifolates.

Antibiotic resistance is a rapidly evolving health concern that requires a sustained effort to understand mechanisms of resistance and to develop new agents that overcome those mechanisms. The dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitor, trimethoprim (TMP), remains one of the most important orally administered antibiotics. However, resistance through chromosomal mutations and mobile, plasmid-encoded insensitive DHFRs threatens the continued use of this agent. We are pursuing the development of new propargyl-linked antifolate (PLA) DHFR inhibitors designed to evade these mechanisms. While analyzing contemporary TMP-resistant clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant and sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, we discovered two mobile resistance elements, dfrG and dfrK. This is the first identification of these resistance mechanisms in the United States. These resistant organisms were isolated from a variety of infection sites, show clonal diversity, and each contain distinct resistance genotypes for common antibiotics. Several PLAs showed significant activity against these resistant strains by direct inhibition of the TMP resistance elements.
A83-01 inhibits TGF-β-induced upregulation of Wnt3 and epithelial to mesenchymal transition in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells

The aim of this study is to investigate the mechanisms of interactions between TGF-β and Wnt/β-catenin pathways that induce and regulate EMT and promote breast cancer cells to become resistant to treatment. The effect of TGF-β on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was examined by using a human Wnt/β-catenin-regulated cDNA plate array and western blot analysis. The interaction of Twist at promoter of Wnt3 was examined by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. Secreted Wnt3 level was determined by ELISA assay. HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells treated with TGF-β have a reduced response to trastuzumab and exhibited EMT-like phenotype. The TGF-β-induced EMT in HER2-cells was concordant with upregulation of Wnt3 and β-catenin pathways. The TGF-β-induced induction of Wnt3 during EMT was found to be Smad3-dependent. ChIP analysis identified occupancy of Twist at promoter region of Wnt3. Knock-down of Twist by shRNA confirmed the significance of Twist in response to TGF-β regulating Wnt3 during EMT. Subsequently, TGF-β-induced matrix metalloproteinases, MMP1, MMP7, MMP9, MMP26, Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), and activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling were repressed by the shRNA treatment. TGF-βR1 ALK5 kinase inhibitor, A83-01 can effectively prevent the TGF-β-induced Twist and Wnt3. Co-treating A83-01 and trastuzumab inhibited TGF-β-induced cell invasion significantly in both trastuzumab responsive and resistant cells. Our data demonstrated an important interdependence between TGF-β and Wnt/β-catenin pathways inducing EMT in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells. Twist served as a linkage between the two pathways during TGF-β-induced EMT. A83-01 could inhibit the TGF-β-initiated pathway interactions and enhance HER2-cells response to trastuzumab treatment.
Surface hydration drives rapid water imbibition into strongly hydrophilic nanopores

The imbibition of liquids into nanopores plays a critical role in numerous applications, and most prior studies focused on imbibition due to capillary flows. Here we report molecular simulations of the imbibition of water into single mica nanopores filled with pressurized gas. We show that, while capillary flow is suppressed by the high gas pressure, water is imbibed into the nanopore through surface hydration in the form of monolayer liquid films. As the imbibition front moves, the water film behind it gradually densifies. Interestingly, the propagation of the imbibition front follows a simple diffusive scaling law. The effective diffusion coefficient of the imbibition front, however, is more than ten times larger than the diffusion coefficient of the water molecules in the water film adsorbed on the pore walls. We clarify the mechanism for the rapid water imbibition observed here.
Modeling Small Unmanned Aircraft System Traffic Flow Under External Force

With the rising popularity of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS), more commonly known as drones, in both the public and private sectors, there is a growing need to organize and study aerial traffic flow. To improve the safety and efficiency of sUAS traffic, a study of sUAS behavior under heavy wind conditions was undertaken. A new model for sense-and-avoid behavior was developed, taking into account the effects of three different types of winds: headwinds, tailwinds, and consistent winds. To confirm the accuracy of the model, its microscopic form was then transformed into a macroscopic model to describe the group behavior of a platoon of vehicles. A MATLAB simulation was programmed to model the flow of a large group of sUAS affected by each different type of wind. Macroscopic data from the three trials were then plotted, and the plots were examined to analyze the nature of the relationships between density, flow, and speed values. Ultimately, it was found that the models produce feasible results and c...
Genetic profiling of decreased bone mineral density in an independent sample of Caucasian women.

Genetic risk of low bone mineral density in women remains unclear. This study found that a large percentage of Caucasian women have a high genetic risk of osteoporosis, and genetic risk scores are significantly associated with BMD variation in a bone healthy sample of Caucasian women. We aimed to examine the distribution of risk alleles in an independent sample and to determine if such genetic components are associated with bone mineral density (BMD) variation in the sample. Existing genotype data of 1205 women in the cross-sectional Genomic Wide Scans for Female Osteoporosis Gene Study (GWSFO) were analyzed. Multi-loci genetic risk scores (GRSs) based on 62 BMD-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were calculated. Regression analysis was employed to assess the association between GRSs and BMD. To examine the effect of SNPs clustered within key pathways associated with the development of osteoporosis, subtype weighted GRS specific to WNT signaling (6 SNPs), RANK-RANKL-OPG (3 SNPs), and mesenchymal stem differentiation (3 SNPs) were generated for analysis. The unweighted GRS ranged from 48 to 80. One third of the women carried 66% risk alleles. After adjusting for age, height, and body weight, each unit increase of weighted GRS was associated with a decrease in BMD of 0.097 at femur (p < 0.0001) and 0.110 (p < 0.0001) at lumbar spine. The weighted GRS accounted for only 3.17–4.52% of BMD variance. The WNT signaling pathway GRS (6 SNPs) and the RANK-RANKL-OPG signaling pathway GRS (3 SNPs) both were significantly associated with decreased BMD at femur neck (p = 0.0004 and p = 0.0063, respectively) and lumbar spine (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0001, respectively), while the mesenchymal stem cell differentiation pathway (3 SNPs) GRSs were associated only with the lumbar spine BMD (p = 0.045). A substantially large percentage of healthy Caucasian women have a high genetic risk of osteoporosis. Weighted GRS was significantly associated with decreased BMD. The contribution of subtype GRS to the BMD variation differs by specific biological pathway and skeletal regions.
Dynamic Testing and Recording

The purpose of this chapter is to give some examples of testing dynamic phenomena and the recording of these phenomena while they are happening.
Concentrated Loads on a Floating Ice Sheet

The safe bearing capacity of a floating ice sheet is usually determined by limiting the maximum tensile stress which occurs under the load at the bottom of the ice sheet. If the size of the load distribution is large compared to the ice thickness, the thin plate theory predicts these stresses correctly. However, if the size of the load distribution becomes small compared to the ice thickness, the plate theory overestimates the stresses. In this case the ice sheet should he treated as a three-dimensional elastic layer. Previous investigators have solved the elastic-layer problem for loads distributed over a circular area, and have limited the results to the stress at the bottom of the ice sheet directly under the center of the load. In the present paper the stresses are evaluated at any radial position, and it is shown how these stresses approach those for the plate theory as the radial position becomes large. The solutions for the stresses are presented in integral form, as well as graphs from the numerical integration. These new results are significant for the superposition of stresses when two concentrated loads act near each other. Similarly for loads distributed over a rectangular area, the plate theory will overestimate the stresses if the dimensions of the load becomes small compared to the ice thickness. For this case integral solutions are presented for the stresses, and are evaluated directly under the center of the load.
Use of a temporalis fascia transposition flap for ventral orbital stabilization after ventral orbitectomy in a dog.

Objective To describe a novel surgical technique for ventral orbital reconstruction after ventral orbitectomy by using a temporalis fascia transposition flap. Study design Case report. Methods A 7-year-old, spayed female Boston terrier was treated for multilobular osteochondrosarcoma arising from the cranial aspect of the left zygomatic arch, causing asymmetry of the face and mild exophthalmos of the left eye. A ventral orbitectomy with a wide surgical excision (including the cranial aspect of the zygomatic bone, the medial aspect of the lacrimal bone, and the dorsal aspect of the maxilla) was performed with preservation of the left eye. To support and maintain the left eye in a normal position, a temporalis fascia transposition flap was elevated and used. No complications occurred during the procedure. Results Thirteen days after surgery, the referring veterinarian reported no complications. Complete excision was confirmed on histopathology. Eighty-three days after surgery, the dog remained asymptomatic with only mild epiphora of the left eye. Follow-up information from the owner 11 months after surgery indicated that the dog was asymptomatic with minimal ventral globe deviation. Conclusion Additional ventral support of the globe after ventral orbitectomy via a temporalis fascia transposition flap resulted in an excellent functional and cosmetic outcome. Clinical significance A temporalis fascia transposition flap can be used to reconstruct the ventral aspect of the orbit in dogs.
Does Birth Mode Modify Associations of Maternal Pre-Pregnancy BMI and Gestational Weight Gain With the Infant Gut Microbiome?

BACKGROUND Mother-to-newborn transmission of obesity-associated microbiota may be modified by birth mode (vaginal vs. Cesarean delivery). Prospective data to test this hypothesis are still sparse. OBJECTIVE To examine prospective associations of maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and gestational weight gain with the infant gut microbiome by birth-mode strata. SUBJECTS/METHODS In 335 mother-infant pairs in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort, we ascertained data from questionnaires and medical records, and generated microbiome data from 6-week-old infants' stool using Illumina 16s rRNA gene sequencing (V4-V5 region). Analyses were stratified by birth mode and conducted before and after adjusting for potential confounders, which included maternal age, education, parity, and Mediterranean diet score. RESULTS Among 335 mothers, 56% had normal pre-pregnancy BMI ( 30). Among the 312 mothers with weight gain data, 10% had inadequate weight gain, 30% adequate (referent), and 60% excess. Birth mode modified associations of pre-pregnancy BMI with several genera, including the most abundant genus, Bacteroides (P for interaction = 0.05). In the vaginal-delivery group, maternal overweight or obesity was associated with higher infant gut microbiome diversity and higher relative abundance of 15 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including overrepresentation of Bacteroides fragilis, Escherichia coli, Veillonella dispar, and OTUs in the genera Staphylococcus and Enterococcus. In the Cesarean-delivered group, there were no significant associations of pre-pregnancy BMI with infant microbiome (alpha) diversity or OTUs. Gestational weight gain was not associated with differential relative abundance of infant gut microbial OTUs or with measures of microbial diversity in infants delivered vaginally or by Cesarean section. CONCLUSIONS Among vaginally-delivered infants, maternal overweight and obesity was associated with altered infant gut microbiome composition and higher diversity. These associations were not observed in Cesarean-delivered infants, whose microbiome development differs from vaginally-delivered infants. Our study provides additional evidence of birth-mode dependent associations of maternal body weight status with the infant gut microbiota. The role of these associations in mediating the intergenerational cycle of obesity warrants further examination.
Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita in an 8-year-old girl.

: Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita is an autoimmune blistering disease with the distinct feature of having an autoantibody directed against an antigen located below the basement membrane of human skin and mucous membrane. We identified this disease in an 8-year-old girl, the youngest patient documented by immunoelectron microscopy.
Production-related metabolic disorders of cattle: ketosis, milk fever and grass staggers

Metabolic diseases usually occur when the production’s peak is beyond the capacity of the animal’s reserves to sustain a particular metabolic demand (eg, energy, calcium, magnesium, etc) at physiologic concentrations. Diseases like ketosis, milk fever or grass staggers usually occur after calving, when the demands for milk production overwhelm the physiological regulatory mechanisms. Despite the availability of treatment strategies for these disorders in the field, the evidence supporting their use is scarce in some cases, and the debate regarding the optimal treatment strategies for recovery continues. This article reviews and compares the current available knowledge on various treatment strategies for ketosis, hypocalcaemia (milk fever), and hypomagnesaemia (grass staggers) in periparturient cattle. The practical applications of the research studies are emphasised to provide current evidence-based treatment protocols for practising veterinarians.
The Use of Interval-Valued Probability Measures in Fuzzy Linear Programming: A Constraint Set Approach

This paper uses a constraint set approach to linear programming problems with equality constraints whose coefficients and/or right-hand side values could be uncertain. We consider three types of uncertainty: proba- bilistic, fuzzy/possibilistic, and interval. The constraint set generated by the linear constraints under uncertainty is ill- defined and difficult to generate. Our approach computes an inner constraint set and an outer constraint set. Optimization is then carried out using these two sets using interval-valued probability approaches. We discuss the requisite associated semantics.
Agency, Akrasia, and the Normative Environment

Just as the existence of practical akrasia has been treated as important evidence for the existence of our practical agency, the alleged absence of epistemic akrasia—cases in which a believer believes some proposition contrary to her considered judgments about what she has most reason to believe—has recently been marshaled as grounds for skepticism about the existence of similar forms of epistemic agency. In this paper, I defend the existence of epistemic agency against such objections. Rather than argue against the impossibility of epistemic akrasia, I argue that the impossibility of epistemic akrasia is actually compatible with the existence of epistemic agency. The crucial mistake, I argue, is that skeptics about epistemic agency are failing to distinguish carefully between differences in the structure of believing and acting and differences in the structure of normative reasons to believe and normative reasons to act. I show that once these ‘environmental’ differences are properly distinguished, we can see that absence of epistemic akrasia provides no reason to doubt that practical and epistemic agency are on a par with one another.
Brief, Intensive Treatment for Separation Anxiety in an 8-Year-Old Boy: A Case Study:

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the evidence-based treatment modality for children with anxiety disorders; yet, many youth do not receive treatment. To overcome barriers associated with stand...
Global Geographical Variation in Rates of Cardiac Recovery and Left Ventricular Assist Device Explantation in Chronic Heart Failure: Insights from the International Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support

Purpose There is limited information on regional variation in rates of cardiac recovery and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) explantation at a global level. We aimed to compare the rates of cardiac recovery and LVAD explantation across several world regions. Methods LVAD recipients registered in the International Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (IMACS) were analyzed. Cardiac recovery was defined as follow-up LVEF >40% and a pre-LVAD LVEF Results A total of 16,029 patients met our inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Of these, 9,381 patients had at least one follow-up echocardiogram and a minimum of 3 months of LVAD support. Cardiac recovery was achieved in 13.3% (n=1,249) of patients, with a rate of 55.3% (n=21) in BTR compared with 13.1% (n=1,228) in non-BTR patients. Rates of cardiac recovery varied significantly by region: 12.7% (n=1,079) in the Americas, 15.9% (n=94) in Asia-Pacific and 29.5% (n=76) in Europe (p Conclusion Global rates of both cardiac recovery and LVAD explantation are higher in patients implanted with a priori BTR strategy. Rates of cardiac recovery appear to be higher in Europe for reasons that warrant further investigation. The global rates of LVAD explantation are much lower compared to the corresponding cardiac recovery rates. This observation invites future investigations to identify the challenges in regards to LVAD weaning when recovery is identified, which could result in higher rates of LVAD explantation.
Microbial and Geochemical Dynamics of an Aquifer Stimulated for Microbial Induced Calcite Precipitation (MICP)

Microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) is an alternative to existing soil stabilization techniques for construction and erosion. As with any biologically induced process in soils or aquifers, it is important to track changes in the microbial communities that occur as a result of the treatment. Our research assessed how native microbial communities developed in response to injections of reactants (dilute molasses as a carbon source; urea as a source of nitrogen and alkalinity) that promoted MICP in a shallow aquifer. Microbial community composition (16S rRNA gene) and ureolytic potential (ureC gene copy numbers) were also measured in groundwater and artificial sediment. Aquifer geochemistry showed evidence of sulfate reduction, nitrification, denitrification, ureolysis, and iron reduction during the treatment. The observed changes in geochemistry corresponded to microbial community succession in the groundwater and this matched parallel geophysical and mineralogical evidence of calcite precipitation in the aquifer. We detected an increase in the number of ureC genes in the microbial communities at the end of the injection period, suggesting an increase in the abundance of microbes possessing this gene as needed to hydrolyze urea and stimulate MICP. We identify geochemical and biological markers that highlight the microbial community response that can be used along with geophysical and geotechnical evidence to assess progress of MICP.
Endoscopic Eradication Therapy for Barrett's Neoplasia: Where Do We Stand a Decade Later?

Barrett’s esophagus (BE) is the only known precursor to esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), a cancer associated with increasing incidence and poor survival. Early identification and effective treatment of BE-related neoplasia prior to the development of invasive adenocarcinoma are essential to limiting the morbidity and mortality associated with this cancer. In this review, we summarized the recent evidence guiding endoscopic eradication therapies (EET) for neoplastic BE. New sampling technologies and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) systems have potential to revolutionize early neoplasia detection in BE. EET for BE are safe and effective in achieving complete eradication of intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) and reducing the progression to EAC, a practice endorsed by all GI society guidelines. EET should be considered in patients with high-grade dysplasia (HGD), intramucosal carcinoma (IMC), and select cases with low-grade dysplasia (LGD). The increasing use of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the West may allow EET of select cases with submucosal EAC. Post-EET surveillance strategies will continue to evolve as knowledge of specific risk factors and long-term neoplasia recurrence rates improve. In the last decade, major advancements in EET for neoplastic BE have been achieved. These now represent the standard of care in the management of BE-related dysplasia and intramucosal cancer.
College student preferences of telepsychiatry.

To identify differences in preferences related to telepsychiatry among college students who have and have not been diagnosed with a mental health condition in the last year.Students (n = 537) at a ...
Density functional theory calculations of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of point defects in β-U

Abstract Density functional theory (DFT) calculations of the thermodynamic and kinetic properties of point defects in the β phase of uranium are reported. Defect energies and entropies were calculated using 2 × 2 × 2 supercells and the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) for the exchange-correlation potential. Due to computational cost, calculations of the vibrational properties governing entropies were performed by only displacing atoms within (roughly) the 3rd or 4th nearest neighbor shell of the defect, which implicitly assumes that atoms beyond this distance are unaffected by the defect. Migration barriers were estimated by nudged elastic band (NEB) calculations. The low symmetry of the β -U phase (the unit cell is tetragonal and contains 30 atoms) results in many point defect configurations and even more migration pathways. A connectivity map, starting from the most stable point defects, was developed in order to identify the rate-limiting step controlling the net diffusion rate in each crystallographic direction. The uranium self-diffusivity tensor was calculated by combining the defect formation energies, entropies, migration barriers and attempt frequencies. The fastest diffusion rate was determined to be a vacancy mechanism in the z crystallographic direction. The predicted uranium self-diffusivity for this mechanism agrees well with available experimental data. The diffusion mechanisms and rates identified in this study will inform fuel performance models of swelling and gas evolution.
Observations on convergence problems of pipeline networks

Presented in the paper will be a brief introduction to methods of solving pipeline networks and the corresponding electrical analogies. Numerically generated data from a pipeline example will support the argument that two-cycle trapping is created by the nonlinearity in the pipeline network model in the transition fluid flow regime. Second the results will demonstrate that averaging between iteration cycles greatly facilitates the objective of reaching a convergent solution. Lastly, data generated from the one dimensional Feigenbaum model which replicate effects similar to the N-dimensional pipeline model will also be presented.
Expert Evidence in Flatland: The Geometry of a World Without Scientific Culture

Although I was invited primarily to comment on Professor Dale Nance’s contribution to this Symposium, Reliability and the Admissibility of Experts, I hope my comments will have relevance beyond the four corners of his article. Without question, his article is a laudable piece of evidence scholarship. Indeed, that is its main defect. But Professor Nance is far from alone, for this failing is shared by much of the legal scholarship and judicial authority in this area. Briefly put, Professor Nance deals with the subject of expert evidence mainly the way traditional evidence scholars have approached this subject from time immemorial. But expert evidence is not like other kinds of evidence. While it shares many superficial features with ordinary evidence, it is nothing like such mainstays of evidence doctrine as hearsay or character. This bare resemblance has led many astray. Scientific evidence—and after Kumho Tire all expert testimony—requires courts to make science policy. This is not
On optimal sensor placement for mitigation of vulnerabilities to cyber attacks in large-scale networks

We propose a system theoretic approach to the identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities to cyber attacks, in networks of dynamical systems. Using the controllability and observability gramians, we define a network's vulnerability in terms of the impact of an attack input and the degree of difficulty with which this impact can be detected. In this framework, a network is deemed as vulnerable if it is easy for an attacker to steer it to a certain state and yet such a state is hard to observe through the network's sensing mechanisms. We propose strategies for finding the optimal location of a small number of sensors that minimize the network's vulnerability. Such strategies are obtained as the solution of convex optimization problems, formulated so as to strike a balance between maximal reduction of the system's vulnerability and employing a minimal number of sensors. The utility of the developed framework is demonstrated on a standard IEEE nine bus power system network model.