cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus aureus-derived peptidoglycan induces Cx43 expression and functional gap junction intercellular communication in microglia

Gap junctions serve as intercellular conduits that allow the exchange of small molecular weight molecules (up to 1 kDa) including ions, metabolic precursors and second messengers. Microglia are capable of recognizing peptidoglycan (PGN) derived from the outer cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus, a prevalent CNS pathogen, and respond with the robust elaboration of numerous pro-inflammatory mediators. Based on recent reports demonstrating the ability of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma to induce gap junction coupling in macrophages and microglia, it is possible that pro-inflammatory mediators released from PGN-activated microglia are capable of inducing microglial gap junction communication. In this study, we examined the effects of S. aureus-derived PGN on Cx43, the major connexin in microglial gap junction channels, and functional gap junction communication using single-cell microinjections of Lucifer yellow (LY). Exposure of primary mouse microglia to PGN led to a significant increase in Cx43 mRNA and protein expression. LY microinjection studies revealed that PGN-treated microglia were functionally coupled via gap junctions, the specificity of which was confirmed by the reversal of activation-induced dye coupling by the gap junction blocker 18-alpha-glycyrrhetinic acid. In contrast to PGN-activated microglia, unstimulated cells consistently failed to exhibit LY dye coupling. These results indicate that PGN stimulation can induce the formation of a functional microglial syncytium, suggesting that these cells may be capable of influencing neuro-inflammatory responses in the context of CNS bacterial infections through gap junction intercellular communication.
Reproduction, social behavior, and aging trajectories in honeybee workers

While a negative correlation between reproduction and life span is commonly observed, specialized reproductive individuals outlive their non-reproductive nestmates in all eusocial species, including the honeybee, Apis mellifera (L). The consequences of reproduction for individual life expectancy can be studied directly by comparing reproductive and non-reproductive workers. We quantified the life span consequences of reproduction in honeybee workers by removal of the queen to trigger worker reproduction. Furthermore, we observed the social behavior of large cohorts of workers under experimental and control conditions to test for associations with individual life expectancy. Worker life expectancy was moderately increased by queen removal. Queenless colonies contained a few long-lived workers, and oviposition behavior was associated with a strong reduction in mortality risk, indicating that a reproductive role confers a significant survival advantage. This finding is further substantiated by an association between brood care behavior and worker longevity that depends on the social environment. In contrast, other in-hive activities, such as fanning, trophallaxis, and allogrooming did not consistently affect worker life expectancy. The influence of foraging varied among replicates. An earlier age of transitioning from in-hive tasks to outside foraging was always associated with shorter life spans, in accordance with previous studies. In sum, our studies quantify how individual mortality is affected by particular social roles and colony environments and demonstrate interactions between the two. The exceptional, positive association between reproduction and longevity in honeybees extends to within-caste plasticity, which may be exploited for mechanistic studies.
Size limits and pumping effectiveness of intraaortic balloons.

Abstract Intraaortic balloon hemodynamics were studied in a circulation model in which the pulse characteristics and aorta closely approximated the natural one. A one-segment and a three-segment balloon of identical volume and diameter were compared under controlled conditions. These results were applied to radiographically measured human aortas to determine reasonable size limitations for effective and safe intraaortic balloons.
Molecular thermodynamics of hydrophobic effects

There have been two new advances in molecular thermodynamic models of hydrophobic effects. One is an information theory model for predicting free energies of hydrophobic hydration and hydrophobic interactions based on an analysis of density fluctuations in pure liquid water. The second involves the use of proximity approximations to predict water structure around hydrophobic or moderately amphiphilic molecular solutes of arbitrary size and shape. Recently, computer simulation studies of the effect of pressure on water structure and hydrophobic interactions have also been carried out.
Improvement in isolation and axenic growth of Giardia intestinalis strains

Abstract Twenty fresh Giardia intestinalis strains were isolated by inoculation of trophozoites obtained by in vitro excystation procedure or by duodenal aspiration. The strains were continuously cultivated in TP-S-1 or bile-supplemented BI-S-33 media without antibiotics. No correlation was found between the ease of isolation and axenization of Giardia strains and the source of material for inoculum preparation (faeces v. duodenal fluid and symptomatic patients v. asymptomatic cyst passers). Panmede and Trypticase used in TP-S-1 and TYI-S-33 media vary in their ability to support the growth of particular strains. Of the five sera used in TP-S-1 medium no variations were associated with bovine and calf serum. The bile-supplemented BI-S-33 medium supported the growth more consistently than did the TP-S-1 and TYI-S-33 media; depending on the strain, the mean number of trophozoites at 120 hours was 1·1 × 10 6 to 1·8 × 10 6 , and the generation times were 8·1 to 16·6 hours.
Electromagnetic Backscattering from a Layer of Vegetation: A Discrete Approach

Electromagnetic backscattering from a layer of vegetation over a flat lossy ground is studied. The vegetated region is composed of leaves which are modeled by lossy circular dielectric discs with prescribed orientation statistics. The mean field in the layer is computed by using the Foldy approximation and a two-variable technique which is valid for small fractional volume. Simple expressions are given for the skin depth of the mean wave. Following this, the distorted Born approximation is used to calculate the co-polarized and cross polarized backscattering coefficients. These are then computed as a function of angle of incidence for different layer depths and leaf configurations.
Stereo Display of 3D Ultrasound Images for Surgical Robot Guidance

The recent advent of real-time 3-D ultrasound (3DUS) imaging enables a variety of surgical procedures to be performed within the beating heart. Implementation of these procedures is hampered by the difficulty of manipulating tissue guided by the distorted, low resolution 3DUS images and the dexterity constraints imposed by the confined intracardiac space. This paper investigates the use of surgical robotics in conjunction with 3DUS to overcome these limitations. In addition, it describes the development of a graphics processor based volume renderer for real-time stereo visualization of the ultrasound data. Stereo displayed 3DUS was compared to 2D- displayed 3DUS and endoscopic guidance with a user study. Five subjects performed in vitro surgical tasks using a surgical robot. Results indicate that subjects were able to complete surgical tasks 35% faster with stereo-displayed 3DUS images compared to conventional two dimensional display of 3DUS.
Validity of Maternal Report of Prenatal Alcohol, Cocaine, and Smoking in Relation to Neurobehavioral Outcome

Objective. Evidence that mothers report higher levels of drinking retrospectively than during pregnancy has led some investigators to suggest that women systematically underreport alcohol antenatally and that alcohol-related deficits may actually reflect heavier prenatal exposure. This study is the first to compare the validity of antenatal and retrospective reports of pregnancy drinking, drug use, and smoking in relation to effects on infant neurobehavioral outcomes. Methodology. Three hundred fifty-four inner-city mothers were interviewed regarding their alcohol, drug use, and smoking during pregnancy and retrospectively at 13 months' postpartum. Their infants were assessed at 6.5, 12, and 13 months on a large battery of neurobehavioral assessments. Results. Although higher levels of alcohol were reported retrospectively, the correlations of prenatal alcohol exposure with infant outcome were as strong or stronger for the antenatal measures and only the antenatal reports predicted poorer cognitive performance on the Bayley Scales and symbolic play, slower processing speed on the Fagan Test of Infant Intelligence and crossmodal transfer, and slower infant reaction time. Women also reported higher levels of cocaine and marijuana but not cigarette smoking retrospectively. Relations between cocaine use and smoking on birth size and gestational age were as strong for either report. No effects were detected in relation to either report of marijuana use during pregnancy. Conclusions. These findings suggest that antenatal alcohol interviews provide the most valid information and demonstrate the importance of assessing prenatal alcohol use during pregnancy to minimize the risk of failing to detect neurobehavioral deficits. Adverse effects were consistently seen at levels as low as 0.5 oz absolute alcohol/day (the equivalent of 7 drinks per week) based on maternal antenatal report. These data suggest that alcohol-related deficits do not reflect heavier prenatal exposure than that reported during pregnancy and that threshold values derived from antenatal reports are reasonably accurate. Pediatrics 2002;109:815-825; alcohol, cocaine, smoking, infant development, prenatal exposure.
Boolean Matching Using Generalized Reed-Muller Forms

In this paper we present a new method for Boolean matching of completely specified Boolean functions. The canonical Generalized Reed-Muller forms are used as a powerful analysis tool. Input permutation, as well as input and output negation for matching are handled simultaneously. To reduce the search space for input correspondence, we have developed a method that can detect symmetries of any number of inputs simultaneously. Experiments on MCNC benchmark circuits are very encouraging.
Development of a Laboratory Information System for Cancer Collaboration Projects

Technological advances increase the rate and quality of biomedical data collection. To exploit these advances to the fullest, laboratory information management systems (LIMS) have been developed to integrate laboratory equipment with software controls so as to achieve an automated and seamless workflow process. Ultimately, researchers and clinicians must collaborate closely to achieve a comprehensive interpretation of heterogeneous biomedical data, especially with respect to clinical diagnosis and treatment. We present eOncoLIMS, a modular data and process management system designed to provide the infrastructure and environment for a collaborative cancer research project. This system can be further extended to other collaboration projects to achieve a complete solution to research and clinical problems
For goodness' sake : expected therapeutic benefit as a basis for healthcare delivery

The current debate on our healthcare system has focused primarily on the cost of care. Because of drastically rising costs and their burden on our economy, government and the private sector have developed many approaches to reduce these costs. Managed care, special contracting arrangements, and government fiat have all been used to stem the tide of rising costs--with variable success. We propose that the primary goal of healthcare is the provision of patient benefit, and we describe a model that calculates an expected benefit in terms of survival and quality of life. We have applied this model to a cohort of patients undergoing coronary angiography to determine the distributions of benefit. Furthermore, we describe a reimbursement strategy that relates the expected therapeutic benefit to the reimbursement received for that therapy--the greater the benefit, the greater the reimbursement. The future of our healthcare system lies in keeping the patient at the center of the debate on the delicate balance between optimal care and societal cost.
Weighted residual solutions in the time domain

Application des formes de Galerkin et de sous-domaines de la methode des residus ponderes a la generation des equations recursives dans le temps pour la solution numerique d'un systeme d'equations differentielles
On best-effort utility accrual real-time scheduling on multiprocessors

We consider the problem of scheduling dependent real-time tasks for overloads on a multiprocessor system, yielding best-effort timing assurance. The application/scheduling model includes tasks with time/utility function time constraints, mutual exclusion constraints, and arbitrary arrival, execution-time and resource access behaviors, with timeliness optimization objective of maximizing total accrued utility while ensuring mutual exclusion constraints and deadlock-freedom. Since this problem is NP-hard, we develop a class of polynomial-time heuristic algorithms, called the Global Utility Accrual (GUA), and present two algorithm instances, namely, Non-Greedy Global Utility Accrual (NGGUA) and Greedy Global Utility Accrual (G-GUA). We establish several properties of the algorithms including conditions under which optimal total utility is accrued, mutual exclusion constraints are satisfied, and deadlock-freedom is achieved. We develop a Linux-based real-time kernel called ChronOS, extended from PREEMPT RT real-time patch. ChronOS provides a framework for implementation of a variety of multiprocessor schedulers. Our experimental studies with ChronOS reveal the effectiveness of GUA algorithms under a broad range of workloads.
Body dysmorphic disorder: the distress of imagined ugliness.

Objective: Body dysmorphic disorder, a preoccupation with an imagined defect in physical appearance, has a rich tradition in European psychiatry but has been largely neglected in the United States. Because this little-known disorder is probably more common than is generally realized and can have profound consequences, the author reviews its history, clinical features, and possible relationship to other psychiatric disorders. Data Collection: Data sources consisted ofthe MEDLINE database and relevant references in articles obtainedfrom this search. Of 145 articles and books obtained, 100 were selected for inclusion in this review on the basis of how closely they conformed to the concept of body dysmorphic disorder as defined in DSM-III-R and how substantially they contributed to an understanding ofthe disorder’s history, clinical features, or nosologic status. Findings: Body dysmorphic disorder has been colorfully described in the European literature for more than a century. Although its concerns might sound trivial, this disorder can lead to social isolation (including being housebound), occupational dysfunction, unnecessary cosmetic surgery, and suicide. The most commonly associated psychiatric disorder appears to be depression. Although a definitive treatment does not exist, preliminary evidence suggests that serotonergic antidepressant medications may be useful. Whether body dysmorphic disorder is related to other psychiatric disorders, such as psychosis, mood disorder, social phobia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder, is unclear at this time. Conclusions: More research on the nosology, clinical features, and treatment response
Strabismus among aged fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries

Purpose To describe the prevalence of strabismus and strabismus surgery in the aged Medicare fee-for-service population. Methods A 5% random sample of Medicare Part B physician claims was used to identify beneficiaries ≥65 years of age with strabismus and those undergoing strabismus surgery between 2002 and 2010. Results In 2010 there were 1,237,469 beneficiaries. The diagnosis of strabismus was made in 8,470 (0.68%), more often in females (56%) and in whites (92%). Common diagnoses were paralytic strabismus, exotropia, and esotropia, with each reported in 22%. Strabismus surgery in 2010 was performed on 197 patients (0.016% of all beneficiaries), or approximately 2.3% of patients with the diagnosis of strabismus. Horizontal surgical codes were reported most frequently (68%). Reoperations were reported for 23% and adjustable sutures for 23% of cases. The prevalence of strabismus surgery ranged from 183 to 236 cases annually (0.015%-0.018%). Review of pooled data (2002-2010) found that the prevalence of strabismus increased with age from 65 to 89 years of age ( P P Conclusions Less than 1% of aged Medicare beneficiaries are diagnosed with strabismus each year, with the rate increasing significantly with age. Strabismus surgery is performed annually in 16 of 100,000 of aged Medicare beneficiaries; the surgery rate is significantly lower among African Americans. Understanding the reasons for the difference by race/ethnicity deserve further study.
Opposing Impact of B Cell–Intrinsic TLR7 and TLR9 Signals on Autoantibody Repertoire and Systemic Inflammation

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a multisystem autoimmune disease characterized by autoantibodies targeting nucleic acid-associated Ags. The endosomal TLRs TLR7 and TLR9 are critical for generation of Abs targeting RNA- or DNA-associated Ags, respectively. In murine lupus models, deletion of TLR7 limits autoimmune inflammation, whereas deletion of TLR9 exacerbates disease. Whether B cell or myeloid TLR7/TLR9 signaling is responsible for these effects has not been fully addressed. In this study, we use a chimeric strategy to evaluate the effect of B cell-intrinsic deletion of TLR7 versus TLR9 in parallel lupus models. We demonstrate that B cell-intrinsic TLR7 deletion prevents RNA-associated Ab formation, decreases production of class-switched Abs targeting nonnuclear Ags, and limits systemic autoimmunity. In contrast, B cell-intrinsic TLR9 deletion results in decreased DNA-reactive Ab, but increased Abs targeting a broad range of systemic autoantigens. Further, we demonstrate that B cell-intrinsic TLR9 deletion results in increased systemic inflammation and immune complex glomerulonephritis, despite intact TLR signaling within the myeloid compartment. These data stress the critical importance of dysregulated B cell-intrinsic TLR signaling in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus.
A holistic approach for analyzing communication utilization in power system control

Efficient handling of the communication resources is vital in power control systems. In this paper, a holistic approach is introduced for analyzing utilization of concurrent capabilities of communication. The approach embodies a trade-off between various parameters, such as bit rate, error rate, and latency. The approach has been applied to communication between a control center and remote terminal units, where half duplex is replaced by full duplex communication. However, it is general enough to be applied to other similar communication scenarios.
On Binary DPSK Detection

Optimum detection of binary DPSK yields a bit error probability, P e of (1/2) exp ( -E_{b}/\eta ), the classic result, but requires a reference carrier in-frequency but not necessarily in-phase with the received carrier. Any other detector will yield degraded results. Several well known textbooks give a derivation for a suboptimum detector with the above result but neglect intersymbol interference. In this paper the optimum M -ary DPSK receiver is shown and a derivation of P e for the binary case given. Two suboptimum detectors are analyzed and their performance is shown to be 1 to 2 dB worse than the optimum.
Neighborhoods and Schools as Competing and Reinforcing Contexts for Educational Attainment

Scholars hypothesize that both neighborhood and school contexts influence educational attainment, but few have considered both contexts simultaneously. Using data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, the author analyzes how school and neighborhood contexts are jointly related to high school and college graduation. She finds that the absolute level of neighborhood resources positively predicts earning a bachelor’s degree, while relative neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) compared to school peers’ neighborhood SES predicts high school graduation. Interactions between school and neighborhood characteristics reveal that low odds of educational attainment among students from lower-SES neighborhoods are reduced even more when a student attends school with more white and high-SES peers. Conversely, the high odds of educational attainment among students from higher-SES neighborhoods are further enhanced by attending school with more white and high-SES peers. Findings suggest that neighb...
Posterior cruciate ligament injuries: evaluation and management.

Posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries commonly occur during sports participation or as a result of motor vehicle accidents. Careful history taking and a comprehensive physical examination are generally sufficient to identify PCL injuries. Most authors recommend nonoperative treatment for acute isolated PCL tears. This involves initial splinting in extension followed by range-ofmotion and strengthening exercises. Recovery of quadriceps strength is necessary to compensate for posterior tibial subluxation and to facilitate return to preinjury activity levels. In isolated PCL tears, surgical treatment is reserved for acute bone avulsions and symptomatic chronic high-grade PCL tears. Arthroscopic single-tunnel reconstruction techniques will improve posterior laxity only moderately. Newer double-tunnel and tibial-inlay techniques offer theoretical advantages, but the available clinical results are only preliminary. When a PCL injury occurs in combination with other ligament injuries, most patients will require surgical treatment. J Am Acad Orthop Surg 2001;9:297-307
Total dose effects in conventional bipolar transistors and linear integrated circuits

Total dose damage is investigated for discrete bipolar transistors and linear integrated circuits that are fabricated with older processing technologies, but are frequently used in space applications. The Kirk effect limits the current density of discrete transistors with high collector breakdown voltage, increasing their sensitivity to ionizing radiation because they must operate low injection levels. Bias conditions during irradiation had different effects on discrete and integrated circuit transistors: discrete devices were strongly dependent on bias conditions, whereas damage in the linear ICs was nearly the same with or without bias. There were also large differences in the response of these devices at low dose rates. None of the discrete transistors exhibited enhanced damage at low dose rates, whereas substantially more damage occurred in the linear devices under low dose rate conditions, particularly for parameters that rely directly on p-n-p transistors. The threshold for dose rate effects in p-n-p transistors was about 0.01 rad(Si)/s, which is approximately two orders of magnitude lower than the corresponding threshold for n-p-n transistors in integrated circuits. >
The ESports Trojan Horse: Twitch and Streaming Futures

This paper argues that one potential future in gaming and virtual reality can be found in streaming media and technology. The streaming space of Twitch.tv is both “real” and “virtual”, blurring the boundaries between the game space, social networks, and face-to-face communication. Streaming ruptures a hard distinction between the real and virtual worlds. Scholars of virtual spaces need to take seriously streaming media as a site of research, and the affordances of streaming as networked, mobile, and curated. Twitch represents a space for unpacking the social and commercial realizations of an emergent streaming culture. Virtual world research needs to continue to push the boundaries of research into games and gaming culture. We argue that an important part of that future involves the liminal space of streaming and eSports between the real and the virtual.
Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage (DPL) Unplugged

Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage has been one of the mainstays of assessment for intra-abdominal injury since the 1960s. Whether performed in an open or closed fashion, a positive cell count has proved to be highly accurate for the presence of injury. A red cell count of 100,000/mm3 is accurate for injury and also minimizes nontherapeutic laparotomies. DPL is still useful in the evaluation of a patient with an anterior abdominal stab wound, as well as in hypotensive blunt trauma patients with a negative or equivocal FAST, where it can be highly accurate. Aspiration alone is a modification of this technique that can be used in selected patients. Declining use in most trauma centers as alternative modalities have been developed has led to our surgical trainees being inexperienced with this procedure. Although CT and FAST exam are noninvasive and offer numerous advantages, there is still a place for DPL in the trauma surgeon’s toolbox. This may hold particularly true in conditions where advanced imaging is not available.
Who Adopts: An Economists View

Dr. Bonhams article offers insight into the motivation of adoption. It is this authors belief that the economic literature on fertility, quantity and quality of children, and the value of the time of women give added insights. It is hypothesized that relative income is an important variable. Data on adoption were collected from an urban social agency involved in the adoption process to test the hypothesis. A model is proposed to illustrate the adoption process.
Abstract IA14: Functional genomics and cancer vulnerabilities

Recent advances in genomics now make it possible to consider enumerating all of the genetic lesions in specific cancers. These approaches will yield critical information regarding the identification, number, and types of alterations found in human tumors and are increasingly being applied prospectively to patient samples in the clinic. At the same time, complementary approach to decipher the molecular basis of malignant transformation depends upon the application of genome scale tools to annotate the function of genes involved in cancer initiation and progression. Over the past several years, we have developed genome scale RNAi libraries and open reading frame expression libraries that permit a systematic evaluation of genes involved in cancer initiation and maintenance. Using these libraries, we have now performed screens in a panel of human cancer cell lines to systematically identify cancer vulnerabilities. By combining these functional approaches with information derived from mapping the structural abnormalities present in cancer genomes, we have identified several new oncogenes that contribute to cancer development. The ability to systematically manipulate gene expression at genome scale now provides opportunities to investigate the function of genes involved in cancer initiation and maintenance, which will provide a framework for therapeutic strategies. Citation Format: William C. Hahn. Functional genomics and cancer vulnerabilities. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: The Translational Impact of Model Organisms in Cancer; Nov 5-8, 2013; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr IA14.
Simultaneous Quantification of Sinigrin, Sinalbin, and Anionic Glucosinolate Hydrolysis Products in Brassica juncea and Sinapis alba Seed Extracts Using Ion Chromatography

Although mustards such as Sinapis alba and Brassica juncea contain glucosinolates (sinalbin and sinigrin, respectively) that hydrolyze to form biopesticidal products, routine quality control methods to measure active ingredients in seed and seed meals are lacking. We present a simple and fast ion chromatography method for the simultaneous quantification of sinigrin, sinalbin, and anionic hydrolysis products in mustard seed to assess biological potency. Optimum conditions include isocratic elution with 100 mM NaOH at a flow rate of 0.9 mL/min on a 4 × 210 mm hydroxide-selective anion-exchange column. All anion analytes including sinigrin, sinalbin, SO4(2-), and SCN(-) yielded recoveries ranging from 83 to 102% and limits of detection ≤0.04 mM, with samples displaying little interference from plant matrix components. Sample preparation is minimized and analysis times are shortened to <90 min as compared with previous methods that took days and multiple instruments.
An elusive cause of pleural effusion.

A 32-year-old man was admitted with cerebrospinal fluid leakage from a right scalp surgical wound after a resection of recurrent meningioma and reconstruction of skull with muscle flap 3 weeks earlier. On day 4 of admission, he was found to be tachycardic and decreased breath sounds on the right side. Chest x-ray revealed a large right pleural effusion which was found to be exudative after thoracocentesis. Infectious work-up and cytology was negative. CT showed both parietal and visceral pleural masses, which was consistent with meningioma on ultrasound-guided biopsy. He underwent right-side decortication and pleurodesis for recurrent pleural effusion. He declined further treatment and opted for hospice care and expired a month later.
Content-Centric Optical Networking: Opportunities and Challenges for Photonic Networks and Devices

Opportunities and challenges for optical networking posed by content-centric Internet architecture are discussed. Cross-pollination between the content-centric networking and flexible optical networks is believed to be both critical and fertile.
Getting a fix on orthopedic care.

Today, patients with orthopedic problems benefit from better treatments and advances in pain control. These four cases show how far we're come and what you need to know.
Upper Limb Dynamic Mechanical and Anatomical Properties among Assembly Operators

This study investigated upper limb mechanical and anatomical properties in assembly workers. Fourteen male assembly workers were recruited from selected jobs including power hand tool users and non-power hand tool users. Active dynamic mechanical properties of the upper extremity were measured using a free vibration apparatus. All workers underwent a physical examination, magnetic resonance imaging and completed a symptom survey. Employees were categorized as asymptomatic versus symptomatic based on reported forearm symptoms and physical exam findings. Symptomatic individuals had 46% less mechanical stiffness and a 59% less mass moment of inertia of the forearm than the asymptomatic group. Workers were stratified based on power tool use and two of the seven subjects who regularly used power nutrunners demonstrated MRIT2 enhancement, which is indicative of muscle edema. T2 MRI enhancement was not demonstrated in the seven subjects who did not regularly use power nutrunners.
Evaluation of coded aperture radiation detectors using a Bayesian approach

We investigate tradeoffs arising from the use of coded aperture gamma-ray spectrometry to detect and localize sources of harmful radiation in the presence of noisy background. Using an example application scenario of area monitoring and search, we empirically evaluate weakly supervised spectral, spatial, and hybrid spatio-spectral algorithms for scoring individual observations, and two alternative methods of fusing evidence obtained from multiple observations. Results of our experiments confirm the intuition that directional information provided by spectrometers masked with coded aperture enables gains in source localization accuracy, but at the expense of reduced probability of detection. Losses in detection performance can however be to a substantial extent reclaimed by using our new spatial and spatio-spectral scoring methods which rely on realistic assumptions regarding masking and its impact on measured photon distributions.
Why is license plate rationing not a good transport policy

ABSTRACTLicense plate rationing (LPR) has become an increasingly popular travel demand management strategy in developing countries. This paper aims to show that such a trend is concerning because of the inherent flaws of the policy. Using a conceptual mathematical model that explicitly considers mode choice and user heterogeneity, we prove that LPR is not a first-best policy, even though it can help reduce congestion under certain conditions. There is however no guarantee that LPR can even be a second-best policy: it may never improve the system cost, regardless of its configuration. More important, we show when it does improve the system cost, LPR makes it impossible to maximize the system efficiency by using other complementary policies. Our analysis also reveals unintended consequences of the policy. Notably, a more restrictive LPR could actually make congestion worse when imposed on a rich population that can bypass the policy through acquiring additional cars. Finally, numerical results confirm that ...
A subgeneric revision of Crematogaster and discussion of regional species-groups (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Crematogaster ants are diverse, widespread and abundant in tropical, subtropical and warm-temperate climatesthroughout the world. The species diversity of this genus has been notoriously difficult to manage based upon morphologyalone, and former attempts have generated a vaguely defined subgeneric system. I propose an improvement of the previoussubgeneric classification and recognize two subgenera based upon a concurrent molecular study of the global diversity ofthese ants. Five of 13 former subgenera of Crematogaster are hereby synonymised under the subgenus Orthocrema Santschi: Neocrema Santschi syn. nov., Eucrema Santschi syn. nov., Rhachiocrema Mann syn. nov., Mesocrema Santschi syn. nov. and Apterocrema Wheeler syn. nov.. The eight remaining subgenera are synonymised under the subgenus Crematogaster sensu stricto: Decacrema Forel syn. nov., Oxygyne Forel syn. nov., Atopogyne Forel syn. nov., Sphaerocrema Santschi syn. nov., Colobocrema Wheeler syn. nov., Paracrema Santschi syn. nov., Physocrema Forel syn. nov. and Xiphocrema Forel syn. nov.. I present keys, morphological diagnoses and illustrations for the two revised,globally distributed subgenera Orthocrema and Crematogaster sensu stricto, based upon the worker caste. The twosubgenera can be distinguished from each other by a combination of features of the petiole, postpetiole and propodealspiracle. I also provisionally circumscribe a number of species-groups within the subgenus Crematogaster and discuss the utility of species-groups for further taxonomic, phylogenetic and ecological research on the genus Crematogaster.
Cell patterning in a hydrogel using optically induced dielectrophoresis

Cell patterning followed by three-dimensional tissue culture in a hydrogel is demonstrated using optically induced dielectrophoresis. Single-cell patterning is achievable using this method, which has applications in drug discovery and tissue engineering.
Change in patients’ interpersonal impacts as a mediator of the alliance-outcome association in treatment for chronic depression.

OBJECTIVE Theories posit that chronically depressed individuals have hostile and submissive interpersonal styles that undermine their interpersonal effectiveness and contribute to the cause and maintenance of their depression. Recent findings support this theory and demonstrate that chronically depressed patients' interpersonal impacts on their therapist become more adaptive (i.e., less hostile and submissive, and more friendly and assertive) during a targeted chronic depression treatment: cognitive-behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy (CBASP). In this study, the authors examined whether such changes in interpersonal impacts (as rated by clinicians' experiences of interacting with their patients) mediated the association between early patient-rated alliance quality and final session depression. METHOD Data derived from a large trial for chronic depression that compared the efficacy of CBASP, nefazodone, and their combination. The current subsample (N = 220) included patients in the CBASP and combined conditions who completed at least 1 depression assessment and the alliance measure, and whose therapists completed at least 1 interpersonal impacts assessment. Mediation models were fit using a bootstrapping procedure for assessing indirect effects. RESULTS As hypothesized, results supported a mediating effect; higher early alliance predicted decreases in patient hostile-submissiveness during therapy, which in turn related to lower final session depression (indirect effect B = -.02, 95% confidence interval: -.07, -.001). This indirect effect accounted for 13% of the total effect of alliance on depression. There was no moderating effect of treatment condition on the indirect effect. CONCLUSIONS Results further support CBASP change theory and suggest a candidate mechanism of the alliance's effect on outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record
NBC: Network-based cache coherence protocol for multistage NoCs

Cache coherence is one of the main factors that can complicate the design of Network On Chip (NoC) due to the large volume of control traffic NoCs generate. With the demand to build a scalable multicore system, this problem has become more urgent to resolve. The snooping-based approach, in spite of its simplicity, cannot scale, while the directory-based approach has better scalability but involves synchronization and message exchange, resulting in a larger latency. This paper describes an efficient directory-based cache coherence protocol for a multi-stage multicore system. The protocol decouples the directories from level-2 caches and places them in the multi-stage network. It achieves two advantages over the traditional directory-based protocol in lowering the latency by almost half due to the placement of the directories, and allowing multipath routing to better load balance the traffic and thus reduce congestion. Control message multicasting and acknowledgment message aggregation are used in the network to speed up the completion of cache coherence operations. We have applied our proposed protocol on a fat-tree topology network. The simulation results based on synthesis traffic and Splash2 trace traffic show that our NBC scheme outperforms the traditional directory-based approach.
Behavioural hypervolumes of spider communities predict community performance and disbandment.

Trait-based ecology argues that an understanding of the traits of interactors can enhance the predictability of ecological outcomes. We examine here whether the multidimensional behavioural-trait d...
Cyclic AMP reverses the effects of aging on pacemaker activity and If in sinoatrial node myocytes

Aerobic capacity decreases with age, in part because of an age-dependent decline in maximum heart rate (mHR) and a reduction in the intrinsic pacemaker activity of the sinoatrial node of the heart. Isolated sinoatrial node myocytes (SAMs) from aged mice have slower spontaneous action potential (AP) firing rates and a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of activation of the “funny current,” If. Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a critical modulator of both AP firing rate and If in SAMs. Here, we test the ability of endogenous and exogenous cAMP to overcome age-dependent changes in acutely isolated murine SAMs. We found that maximal stimulation of endogenous cAMP with 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) and forskolin significantly increased AP firing rate and depolarized the voltage dependence of activation of If in SAMs from both young and aged mice. However, these changes were insufficient to overcome the deficits in aged SAMs, and significant age-dependent differences in AP firing rate and If persisted in the presence of IBMX and forskolin. In contrast, the effects of aging on SAMs were completely abolished by a high concentration of exogenous cAMP, which restored AP firing rate and If activation to youthful levels in cells from aged animals. Interestingly, the age-dependent differences in AP firing rates and If were similar in whole-cell and perforated-patch recordings, and the hyperpolarizing shift in If persisted in excised inside-out patches, suggesting a limited role for cAMP in causing these changes. Collectively, the data indicate that aging does not impose an absolute limit on pacemaker activity and that it does not act by simply reducing the concentration of freely diffusible cAMP in SAMs.
Aspectual contrasts and lexeme derivation in Estonian: a realization-based morphological perspective

Many languages have morphological means for distinguishing between atelic/telic aspectual contrasts associated with related transitive predicates1. For example, it is well-known that the lexicons of Slavic languages contain pervasive patterns of paired predicates. This is exemplified by Russian in (1): (1) a. Vcera ja kosil travu yesterday I cut.past grass.acc ‘Yesterday I cut/was cutting (the) grass.’ b. Vcera ja skosil tselij gektar yesterday I cut. perfective. past whole hectare.acc ‘Yesterday I cut the whole hectare.’ Roughly speaking, the situation denoted in (1a) need not be construed as fully completed, hence the possibility for a progressive reading, nor need the action be interpreted as directed at a specifically delimitable quantity denoted by the OBJ(ect) argument. In contrast, the situation denoted in (1b) is construed as completed, affecting the entirety of the entity denoted by the OBJ argument. For the time being, I will assume that (1a) corresponds to an atelic reading and (1b) to a telic one (see section 4 for more detailed discussion). As can be seen, while the predicates in each of these sentences vary, they share the same verbal root: this root is unprefixed in (1a), but prefixed in (1b). Crucially, this variability in predicate marking and semantic interpretation is correlated with invariance of OBJ marking: the obj arguments in both (1a) and (1b) bear acc case.
A Continuum of Evidence on Evidence-Based Programs: A New Resource for Use in Military Social Service Delivery

Evidence-based programs can promote well-being; however, barriers to implementation exist. Barriers include lack of time to find evidence and lack of expertise among some practitioners in reading a...
Asymptotic Analysis of the Zeros of Hermite Polynomials

We analyze the zeros of the Hermite polynomials H n (ξ) asymptotically as n→∞.Our formulas involve some special functions and they yield very accurate approximations.
Effects of Water on Mica–Ionic Liquid Interfaces

A growing body of work shows that water can affect the structure and properties of the ionic liquids near solid surfaces, which has rich ramifications in applications of ionic liquids such as lubrication and energy storage. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we investigate how water affects the three-dimensional structure of ionic liquids [BMIM][Tf2N] near mica surfaces with two different charge densities. We show that water can alter not only the layering of ions near the mica surface but also their lateral and orientation ordering and the aggregation of cations’ hydrophobic tails. Water often, but not always, weakens the structuring of interfacial ionic liquids. The multifaceted impact of water on the interfacial structure of ionic liquids can be traced back to the fact that water is both a dielectric solvent and a molecular liquid. Based on the additional observations that the adsorption of water at mica–ionic liquid interfaces is enhanced by ionic liquids and surface charge, we suggest that the str...
Color on the Biological and Biochemical Front

One of the many things that the German dye companies excelled at was seeing the long-range and global picture and acting upon it. They went very large-scale on virtually every front, utilizing all the weapons that science and technology had to offer. They found that doing so enabled them to synthesize two important natural colorants, indigo and alizarin, thus eliminating the industry’s dependence on natural products and imports—the dye industry could now not only be self-sufficient, but could use the know-how generated in these key syntheses to make many other derivatives. In addition to setting up large laboratories that employed hundreds of chemists, they built libraries that had subscriptions to virtually every scholarly science journal in the Western world, they established dedicated bureaus to patent discoveries, and they virtually “wrote the book” on abstracting services by having these offices work around the clock and not only in the area of chemistry, but in every other domain that might afford them related knowledge—biology, the emerging area of biochemistry, pharmaceuticals, photography, and explosives.
Maternal Placentophagy as a Possible Cause of Breast Budding and Vaginal Bleeding in a Breast-Fed 3-Month-Old Infant.

Abstract Background Placentophagy, or the practice of placental consumption, has grown in popularity over the past decade. Although advocates endorse prevention of postpartum depression, increased breast milk production, reduction in postpartum bleeding, and provision of nutrients postpartum, scientific studies have failed to show benefit. No studies have explored the effect of placental hormone consumption on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis of the offspring. Case We present a case of vaginal bleeding and breast budding in a 3-month-old infant whose mother was exclusively breastfeeding. Maternal history was notable for placentophagy. Upon discontinuation of consuming encapsulated placenta, the infant's vaginal bleeding resolved. Summary and Conclusion Our case raises concerns regarding placentophagy and infant endocrine function. More research is needed to assess maternal and infant exogenous estrogen exposure with maternal placental consumption.
On-Chain Governance of Decentralized Autonomous Organizations: Blockchain Organization Using Semada

This paper initiates an analysis of the consequences of different options in the choice of regulatory protocols and reward structures when founding distributed autonomous organizations (DAOs) on a blockchain. The Semada Team invites all interested parties to participate in and contribute to this joint vision herein and related research projects. With the proper incentives, independent and selfish actors can be organized to collaborate productively toward a common goal. The objective is to identify the ideal protocols that should be chosen for promoting the values and goals of any particular DAO. On-chain governance gives DAOs the opportunity to achieve complete decentralization, anonymity, and autonomy. The first incentive structure that encourages healthy collaboration is a focus on long-term reputation instead of instantly fungible currency rewards. When the focus is on reputation instead of more fungible rewards, damaging arbitrage is demotivated. The Semada platform is a fully decentralized and autonomous blockchain distributed application (DApp) which vests users with verified reputation. Semada is designed to be secure against all known attacks on digital reputation, including Sybil attacks and tyranny of the majority. The next major concern for creating a healthy DAO is a governance model that rewards value enhancing contributions from DAO members, deters bad actors, and evolves over time as circumstances change. No single, static protocol for running a DAO can be complicated enough to properly reflect the will of its members, while remaining immune to gaming by naturally selfish parties. Yet, DAO governance requires a clear system for reaching consensus on new protocols for DAO member behavior. We propose a clear procedure for achieving on-chain regulatory and legislative governance. Semada is designed as an evolutionary platform which rewards continual development of new governance protocols to anticipate and react to inevitable internal and external attacks. Unlike centralized platforms with reputational elements, the decentralized Semada platform gives users complete power to improve the platform and police any diminishments. Semada incentivices value-enhancing contributions and legitimate policing by sharing the totality of all profits amongst its users.