cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimal design of combined ultrasound and multispectral photoacoustic deep tissue imaging devices using hybrid simulation platform

In recent years, conventional ultrasound (US) imaging devices have been adapted with the photoacoustic (PA) imaging capabilities to simultaneously provide both anatomical and molecular optical contrasts of soft biological tissues. To help optimize the design parameters of such dual modality imaging devices, we present a numerical simulation approach for Bmode beamformed US and multispectral PA imaging using a linear ultrasound transducer array surrounded by a light source. We combined the finite element based simulation platforms for ultrasound and light propagation, K-wave and NIRFast respectively, to model the ultrasound and photoacoustic effects in deep tissue, and created an effective hybrid platform for simulating US and multispectral PA imaging of different configurations. We also developed and applied a spectral unmixing algorithm on multispectral photoacoustic images, obtained from multiple optical wavelengths, to map different molecules (e.g., Indocyanogreen (ICG), Deoxyhemoglobin (Hb), and Oxyhemoglobin (HbO2)) present inside the tissue background. The multi-spectral plots and unmixed spectral images clearly delineated the molecular contrast arising from different regions inside the tissue. The presented simulation platform allows for optimization of key design parameters of both US and PA imaging devices, such as the size of ultrasonic transducer array, and size and the distribution of light sources. Our results demonstrate that the ability to mimic the imaging performance of such dual modality deep tissue-imaging device will help to achieve high molecular sensitivity for the targeted clinical application, thus functioning as a powerful tool for medical device design.
Reducing sugary drink intake through youth empowerment: results from a pilot-site randomized study

Efficacious strategies to reduce sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption among youth are needed. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a community-based youth empowerment intervention to reduce SSB consumption and obesity risk among a low-income, ethnically diverse sample of youth. The H2GO! intervention was pilot-tested in an afterschool setting (Boys and Girls Clubs (BGC)) in Massachusetts, USA. One site was randomized to receive the intervention; the other site received standard programming. Youth ages 9–12 years and their parents/caregivers were eligible to participate. A total of N = 110 parent-child pairs (N = 55 parent-child pairs per site) were recruited. The 6-week intervention consisted of group-based weekly sessions delivered by trained BGC staff and youth-led activities that engaged parents. Child outcomes included self-reported SSB and water intake and measured body mass index z scores (zBMI). Parent outcomes included self-reported SSB and water intake, SSB purchasing, and availability of SSBs at home. Outcomes were measured at baseline, 2 months, and 6 months. Generalized linear and logistic regression models were used to estimate intervention effects over time. The final analytic study sample consisted of 100 child participants (38% Black, 20% Hispanic, 13% White, 12% Multiracial, 11% Asian) and 87 parent participants (78.2% female; 78.2% reporting eligibility for the free-or-reduced price lunch program). 6-month retention rates were ≥ 82%. Intervention attendance rates among intervention child participants (N = 51) averaged 78.1% (SD = 10.3). Over half (56.0%) of child participants were overweight or obese at baseline. Relative to the comparison site, intervention site child participants had decreased SSB intake (β = − 1.64; 95% CI: 2.52, − 0.76), increased water intake (β = 1.31; 95% CI: 0.38, 2.23), and decreased zBMI (− 0.23 units; 95% CI: − 0.31, − 0.14) over 6 months (p < 0.001). Intervention parent participants also reported decreased SSB intake (β = − 1.76; 95% CI: − 2.56, − 0.96) and increased water intake (β = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.11, 2.40) than comparison parent participants at 6 months (p < 0.001). Findings demonstrate the potential of a youth empowerment intervention on reducing SSB intake and zBMI among a diverse sample. Findings will guide a larger cluster-randomized controlled trial to test intervention efficacy on preventing childhood obesity, as well as inform future interventions that aim to target additional diet and physical activity behaviors through youth empowerment. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02890056 . Registered 31 August 2016.
Interventions for Attitudes and Empathy Toward People With Dementia and Positive Aspects of Caregiving: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objective:This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examined the effect of interventions on three outcomes among caregivers of people with dementia and health ...
Early Onset Post-transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Presenting with Diarrhea Post-orthotopic Liver Transplant Treated Successfully with Single Rituximab Agent.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare complication seen in hematologic stem cell (HSC) and solid organ transplantation that results from immune suppressant medications needed to prevent allograft rejection. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in a majority of these cases, specifically with B-cell-predominant lymphomas. We present a 57-year-old female who underwent an orthotopic liver transplant and presented with diarrhea and weight loss. At the time of transplantation, the patient's quantitative EBV titers were negative; however, repeat titers during her admission were positive. Infectious etiologies for diarrhea were negative so a colonoscopy was pursued which revealed large ulcerated areas and biopsies consistent with monomorphic, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, plus EBV. Imaging revealed multiple areas below the diaphragm of lymphadenopathy. The patient was started on rituximab and antivirals, and immune suppressive medications were decreased with a resolution of her symptoms. PTLD after any transplantation can be difficult to diagnose, given the wide range of presenting symptoms. Identifying patients who are at high risk for developing PTLD may lead to a more timely diagnosis to initiate treatment and decrease mortality risk.
Targeting the orexin system for prescription opioid use disorder: Orexin-1 receptor blockade prevents oxycodone taking and seeking in rats

Abstract Prescription opioids, such as oxycodone, are potent analgesics that are used to treat and manage pain. However, oxycodone is one of the most commonly abused prescription drugs. Finding an effective strategy to prevent prescription opioid use disorder is urgent. Orexin receptors (OrxR1 and OrxR2) have been implicated in the regulation of motivation, arousal, and stress, making them possible targets for the treatment of substance use disorder. To study the significance of environmental stimuli in maintaining the vulnerability to relapse to oxycodone use, resistance to the extinction of oxycodone-seeking behavior that was elicited by an oxycodone-related stimulus was examined. Rats were trained to self-administer oxycodone in the presence of a contextual/discriminative stimulus (SD). Using this procedure, the rats readily acquired oxycodone self-administration and exhibited increases in physical signs of opioid withdrawal. Following extinction, response-reinstating effects of re-exposure to the SD perseverated. We then tested whether OrxR blockade prevents oxycodone intake and relapse. The effects of the OrxR1 antagonist SB334867 and OrxR2 antagonist TCSOX229 on oxycodone self-administration were tested. SB334867 significantly decreased oxycodone self-administration, whereas TCSOX229 did not produce any effect. To investigate whether OrxR1 and OrxR2 blockade prevents oxycodone seeking, the rats were tested for the ability of SB334867 and TCSOX229 to prevent the SD-induced conditioned reinstatement of oxycodone-seeking behavior. SB334867 decreased oxycodone-seeking behavior, whereas TCSOX229 was ineffective. These results suggest that OrxR1 antagonism prevents excessive prescription opioid use and relapse and might be beneficial for the treatment of prescription opioid use disorder.
Effects of Motion Parameters on Acceptability of Human-Robot Patting Touch

Touch between people is essential for forming bonds and communicating emotions. However, it is currently missing in human-robot interactions due to issues with reliability and safety. As robotics transitions to home and service sectors, it is increasingly important to design guidelines and models for human-robot social touch. This paper aims to determine how variations in the motions a robot uses while patting the user’s forearm or shoulder affect perception and acceptance of the interaction. We conducted a study with N=10 participants using a Sawyer robot with a hand-like end-effector, varying the force, speed, location, and pause duration of the pat. Participants rated perceived safety, valence, arousal, and dominance of each pat condition. Using these results, we propose guidelines for creating interactions that feel safe and non-dominant using low-speed and low-force trajectories. These results will be useful in helping HRI designers create appropriate human-robot social touch interactions.
Identifying Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Interhospital Transfer: an Observational Study.

Interhospital transfer (IHT) is often performed to provide patients with specialized care. Racial/ethnic disparities in IHT have been suggested but are not well-characterized. To evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and IHT. Cross-sectional analysis of 2016 National Inpatient Sample data. Patients aged ≥ 18 years old with common medical diagnoses at transfer, including acute myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, sepsis, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal bleed. We performed a series of logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds of transfer by race/ethnicity controlling for patient demographics, clinical variables, and hospital characteristics and to identify potential mediators. In secondary analyses, we estimated adjusted odds of transfer among patients at community hospitals (those more likely to transfer patients) and performed subgroup analyses by region and primary medical diagnosis. Of 5,774,175 weighted hospital admissions, 199,015 (4.5%) underwent IHT, including 4.7% of White patients, compared with 3.9% of Black patients and 3.8% of Hispanic patients. Black (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.78–0.89) and Hispanic (OR 0.81, 95% CI 0.75–0.87) patients had lower crude odds of transfer compared with White patients, but this became non-significant after adjusting for hospital-level characteristics. In secondary analyses among patients hospitalized at community hospitals, Hispanic patients had lower adjusted odds of transfer (aOR 0.89, 95% CI 0.79–0.98). Disparities in IHT by race/ethnicity varied by region and medical diagnosis. Black and Hispanic patients had lower odds of IHT, largely explained by a higher likelihood of being hospitalized at urban teaching hospitals. Racial/ethnic disparities in transfer were demonstrated at community hospitals, in certain geographic regions and among patients with specific diseases.
Hmong participants' reactions to return of individual and community pharmacogenetic research results: "A positive light for our community".

Pharmacogenetic research has historically lacked racial and ethnic diversity, limiting the application of findings to minority populations. Recent studies, including the Hmong, have gauged communities’ interest in participating in genomic research and receiving their individual results. This study was conducted to create a culturally and linguistically appropriate format to return pharmacogenomic results and identify Minnesota Hmong research participants’ reactions to their personal and collective results. Using a community-based participatory research approach, researchers collaborated with Hmong community members to format the pharmacogenetic disclosure process. Three focus groups were completed with 24 Hmong participants and three major themes emerged using thematic analysis. Many Hmong focus group participants viewed the results positively, finding them useful for themselves and their community as a means to optimize responses to and avoid harms from medicines. However, some participants expressed concerns about harms that the pharmacogenetic information could bring, including anxiety, misunderstanding, discrimination, exploitation, and lack of a clinician involvement in interpreting and applying the result. Many participants interpreted their results through an experiential lens, trusting their experience of medicines more than trusting genetic information, and through a cultural lens, expressing the belief that environmental factors may influence how people’s bodies respond to medicines by influencing their inherited flesh and blood (roj ntsha). Lastly, participants stressed the importance of disseminating the information while acknowledging the complex linguistic, educational, and cultural factors that limit understanding of the results. Researchers, genetic counselors, pharmacists, and healthcare providers should strive to return results in meaningful ways to all members of society.
Pregnancy-associated idiopathic laryngotracheal stenosis: presentation, management and results of surgical treatment

Objectives Idiopathic laryngotracheal stenosis (ILTS) is an uncommon problem arising mostly in women. In some, it arises during or is exacerbated by pregnancy. Experience with management of patients with this rare association is limited. This study seeks to evaluate the management of patients with pregnancy-associated ILTS and compare outcomes to cases not associated with pregnancy. Methods Retrospective review of 15 patients undergoing surgical treatment of pregnancy-associated ILTS from 1971 to 2013. Variables of interest and airway outcomes were compared to patients with non-pregnancy-associated ILTS. Results Pregnancy-associated ILTS was observed in 15/263 (5.7%) patients. Symptoms developed during their first pregnancy. When compared to non-pregnancy patients, these patients were younger (37 vs 47 years; P = 0.0003), had more prior tracheostomies (26.7% vs 10.9%; P = 0.085) and had more preoperative airway dilatations (86.7% vs 57.7%; P = 0.030). All patients completed pregnancy without complications and ultimately underwent laryngotracheal resection. The expression of hormonal receptors in the surgical specimens was similar in both groups (oestrogen receptors: 100% vs 75% and progesterone receptors: 71.4% vs 72.1%, in pregnancy and non-pregnancy patients, respectively). Airway outcomes were good/excellent in 13 (86.7%) patients with pregnancy-associated ILTS and 225 (90.7%) patients without pregnancy association (P = 0.642), and did not change when adjusting for other risk factors. Conclusions Pregnancy-associated ILTS is rare. The pathophysiology is unclear, but appearance of symptoms during pregnancy may suggest hormonal factors. To minimize foetal risk, dilatation during pregnancy followed by laryngotracheal resection after delivery is the preferred treatment. Pregnancy association does not seem to affect outcomes with expected satisfactory results in most patients.
Exertional heat stroke leads to concurrent long-term epigenetic memory, immunosuppression and altered heat shock response in female mice.

Key points Exposure to exertional heat stroke (EHS) has been linked to increased long-term decrements of health. Epigenetic reprogramming is involved in the response to heat acclimation; however, whether the long-term effects of EHS are mediated by epigenetic reprogramming is unknown. In female mice, we observed DNA methylation reprogramming in bone marrow-derived (BMD) monocytes as early as 4 days of recovery from EHS and as late as 30 days compared with sham exercise controls. Whole blood, collected after 30 days of recovery from EHS, exhibited an immunosuppressive phenotype when challenged in vitro by lipopolysaccharide. After 30 days of recovery from EHS, BMD monocytes exhibited an altered in vitro heat shock response. The location of differentially methylated CpGs are predictive of both the immunosuppressive phenotype and altered heat shock responses. Abstract Exposure to exertional heat stroke (EHS) has been linked to increased susceptibility to a second heat stroke, infection and cardiovascular disease. Whether these clinical outcomes are mediated by an epigenetic memory is unknown. Using a preclinical mouse model of EHS, we investigated whether EHS exposure produces a lasting epigenetic memory in monocytes and whether there are phenotypic alterations that may be consistent with these epigenetic changes. Female mice underwent forced wheel running at 37.5°C/40% relative humidity until symptom limitation, characterized by CNS dysfunction. Results were compared with matched exercise controls at 22.5°C. Monocytes were isolated from bone marrow after 4 or 30 days of recovery to extract DNA and analyse methylation. Broad-ranging alterations to the DNA methylome were observed at both time points. At 30 days, very specific alterations were observed to the promoter regions of genes involved with immune responsiveness. To test whether these changes might be related to phenotype, whole blood at 30 days was challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to measure cytokine secretion; monocytes were also challenged with heat shock to quantify mRNA expression. Whole blood collected from EHS mice showed markedly attenuated inflammatory responses to LPS challenge. Furthermore, monocyte mRNA from EHS mice showed significantly altered responses to heat shock challenge. These results demonstrate that EHS leads to a unique DNA methylation pattern in monocytes and altered immune and heat shock responsiveness after 30 days. These data support the hypothesis that EHS exposure can induce long-term physiological changes that may be linked to altered epigenetic profiles.
Higher complications and no improvement in mortality in the ACGME resident duty-hour restriction era: an analysis of more than 107,000 neurosurgical trauma patients in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database.

BACKGROUND The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education resident duty-hour restrictions were implemented in July 2003 based on the supposition that resident fatigue contributes to medical errors. OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of duty-hour restrictions on outcome in neurotrauma patients. METHODS The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was analyzed for a time period with no restrictions (years 1999-2002) compared with a period with restrictions (years 2005-2008) for (1) mortality and (2) complications. We analyzed both teaching and nonteaching hospitals to account for potential differences attributed to non-resident-related factors. RESULTS There were 107,006 teaching hospital and 115,604 nonteaching hospital admissions for neurotrauma. Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated significantly more complications in the time period with restrictions in teaching hospitals. In nonteaching hospitals, there was no difference in complications. In both teaching and nonteaching hospitals, there was no difference in mortality between the 2 time periods. For teaching and nonteaching hospitals, there was no difference in hospital length of stay, but hospital charges were significantly higher in the period with restrictions. The occurrence of a complication was significantly associated with longer hospital length of stay and higher hospital charges in both time periods in both teaching and nonteaching hospitals. CONCLUSION The implementation of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education resident duty-hour restrictions was associated with increased complications and no change in mortality for neurotrauma patients in teaching hospitals. In nonteaching hospitals, there was no change in complications and mortality. The occurrence of a complication was associated with longer length of stay and higher hospital charges in both time periods in both teaching and nonteaching hospitals.
Consistent Bayesian Community Detection

Stochastic Block Models (SBMs) are a fundamental tool for community detection in network analysis. But little theoretical work exists on the statistical performance of Bayesian SBMs, especially when the community count is unknown. This paper studies a special class of SBMs whose community-wise connectivity probability matrix is diagonally dominant, i.e., members of the same community are more likely to connect with one another than with members from other communities. The diagonal dominance constraint is embedded within an otherwise weak prior, and, under mild regularity conditions, the resulting posterior distribution is shown to concentrate on the true community count and membership allocation as the network size grows to infinity. A reversible-jump Markov Chain Monte Carlo posterior computation strategy is developed by adapting the allocation sampler of Mcdaid et al (2013). Finite sample properties are examined via simulation studies in which the proposed method offers competitive estimation accuracy relative to existing methods under a variety of challenging scenarios.
Asthma and Particulate Matter Pollution: Insights from Health Survey and Air Quality Monitoring in the Buzzard Point, Washington DC Neighborhood

Air pollution, climate change, and other environmental factors contribute to increasing asthma in many cities, including Washington, DC. This work provides a case study of how community input, neig...
Shedding Light on Employee Pay: The Impact on Job Search and Change

We study the impact of the recently mandated pay-ratio disclosure, which requires public companies disclose in their proxy statements CEO pay, the pay of the median employee, and the ratio of the two. While CEO pay has been disclosed in SEC filings since 1935, the disclosure of the median employee’s pay is new, and provides information to the labor market. We use a series of novel data sets to show this disclosure impacts both job search and change. First, we find that job search activity increases with the reported industry-adjusted median pay. Second, in cross-sectional analysis, we confirm that it is the new disclosure driving the results, by documenting stronger effects for (1) firms in which less pay information was available pre-disclosure, (2) settings where changing jobs are less costly, and (3) firms whose median pay disclosures are reported by the media. Finally, we show the median pay disclosure associated with job changes. Our findings suggest that pay-ratio disclosure has real consequences and can affect the labor market.
Machine Learning of Diffusion Weighted Imaging for Prediction of Seizure Susceptibility Following Traumatic Brain Injury

Post-traumatic epilepsy (PTE) is a consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and can drastically decrease quality of life. Currently, there is no method available to predict which TBI patients will develop epilepsy. The present study aims to use a machine learning model that can accurately predict the risk of developing PTE from white-matter alterations following trauma. We used diffusion weighted imaging of 39 patients from the Epilepsy Bioinformatics Study for Antiepileptogenic Therapy to analyze fractional anisotropy from a tractography-based analysis. Next, we utilized a Random Forest model to classify seizure outcomes in TBI patients. Our model, assessed with 100 rounds of cross-validation, classified seizure outcome with 61% accuracy. The discrimination between seizure-free and seizure-affected subjects suggests that the classifier could improve characterization and diagnosis of PTE. These results may be instrumental in predicting PTE risk and may be implemented in future research of antiepileptic therapies.
5–5 Lignin Linkage Cleavage over Ru: A Density Functional Theory Study

Lignin is the most abundant natural, aromatic-containing biopolymer. Among all the C–C and C–O bonds being cleaved in catalytic fractionation, the 5–5 linkage is the strongest, and its scission req...
Racial/ethnic differences in the associations between obesity measures and severity of sleep-disordered breathing: the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate associations between obesity measures and sleep-disordered breathing severity among White, Black, Hispanic, and Chinese Americans. Methods The method used in this study was a community-based cross-sectional study of 2053 racially/ethnically diverse adults in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. Anthropometry and polysomnography were used to measure obesity and apnea–hypopnea index (AHI). Linear regression models were fitted to investigate associations of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference with AHI (log transformed) with adjustment for sociodemographics, lifestyle factors, and comorbidities. Results The mean participant age was 68.4 (range: 54–93) years; 53.6% of participants were women. The median AHI was 9.1 events/h. There were significant associations of BMI and waist circumference with AHI in the overall cohort and within each racial/ethnic group. A significant interaction was observed between race/ethnicity and BMI ( P interaction = 0.017). Models predicted that for each unit increase in BMI (kg/m 2 ), the mean AHI increased by 19.7% for Chinese, 11.6% for Whites and Blacks, and 10.5% for Hispanics. Similarly, incremental changes in waist circumference were associated with larger increases in AHI among Chinese than among other groups. Conclusions Associations of BMI and waist circumference with AHI were stronger among Chinese than among other racial/ethnic groups. These findings highlight a potential emergence of elevated sleep-disordered breathing prevalence occurring in association with increasing obesity in Asian populations.
Gods, Titans and mortals: Patterns of state involvement in nuclear development

Abstract Nuclear power, perhaps more than any other industrial technology, is a child of state interests. Whether peaceful or war like, use of atomic power has traditionally been identified with the larger imperatives of state security. Furthermore, the exploitation of nuclear power has required the foundation of complex state apparatuses to operate, regulate and justify it. In this paper, the examples of the USA, France and Sweden are used and comparisons made between their different histories of state involvement in nuclear power development. The discussion is shaped by drawing similarities between the behaviour of states and that of characters in the Prometheus myth — gods, Titans and mortals.
Digital design with minimal number of scan flip-flops

In this paper we present an efficient algorithm for the selection of flip-flops for partial scan design. The emphasis of the research is not on finding the (Minimum Feedback Vertex Set) MFVS set that makes the circuit acyclic, but rather a minimal set of vertices that opens long feedback loops while keeping the fault coverage within user-defined acceptable limit. The algorithm determines the vertex set to open loops of length K or higher. We applied the algorithm to several ISCAS-89 benchmark circuits. For K=1 and except for one circuit, the number of flip-flops to be scanned is the same or slightly higher than the previously published results. However as K increases, our results indicated that it is not necessary to determine the MFVS, since a reduction of the hardware overhead by about 50% corresponds to a fault coverage reduction of only 2% from its value for K=1.
Trends in Labor Management Issues at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

The mobilization of workers through unionization has deep historical roots within American society; more so in the northern regions than in the southern region of this country. Despite these historical roots, some sectors of the American population (i.e., minorities in general and African Americans in particular) who have experienced various forms of discrimination have not fully participated in the unionization movement. This is especially true of the faculty in historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). As a result of the various forms of discrimination that not only denied them meaningful participation in the labor market but restricted their economic success, and the segregation that resulted from the stereotypic views of racial minorities, the fact that HBCU faculty do not mobilize effectively on college campus through unionization is troubling. In fact, on some HBCU campuses, faculty have no mechanism to participate in the governance of their own university. With the survival and destiny of HBCUs at stake, HBCU faculty must be proactive and engaged to create their own representative voice. 2 Journal of Collective Bargaining in the Academy, Vol. 0, Iss. 9 [2014], Art. 6 http://thekeep.eiu.edu/jcba/vol0/iss9/6 Trends in Labor Management Issues 3 TRENDS IN LABOR MANAGEMENT ISSUES AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Variants of red cell glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase among Asiatic Indians.

SUMMARY Among one hundfed and one unrelated Asiatic Indian males living in the Pacific north-west, five G-6-PD-deficient individuals were identified. The enzyme of three of these individuals was indistinguished elctrophoreticaly and biochemically from the Mediterranean type of deficiency. These individuals originated from the north-western parts of the Indian subcontinent. The enzyme of one individual and that of his subsequently studied beother (G-6-PD Kerala) was found to be simialr to G-6-PD Seattle by km G-6-P, km TPN, pH optimum, utilization of 2d-g-6P and Gal-6-P and electrophoretic migration rate in Tris buffer, pH 8.8. Electrophoresis on TEB buffer (pH 8.6) however, showed this variant to be different from G-6-PD Seattle, The desirability of using multiple electrophoretic methods in the elucidation of new variants is emphasized by these observations. The third abmormal G-6-PD (G-6-PD West Bengal) was unlike other mutations previously described in having higher-than normal km TPN and lower-than-normal km G-6-P and a slow electrophoretic mobilty. The identification of the Mediterranean type of G-6-PD deficiency in the north-western part of the Indian subcontinent, together with histrorical and molecular considerations, suggests affiinities of Mediterranean, Near Eastern, and North-west Indian populations.
Multicultural Education as a Human Right: Framing Multicultural Education for Citizenship in a Global Age

This paper explores the various ways scholars in the field have framed the need for multicultural education. These include changing demographics and closing the academic gap, developing cross-cultural competence, confronting colonization and cultural hegemony, and promoting democratic citizenship. This paper asserts the value of framing multicultural education as a human right: the right to learn about oneself, to learn about others, and to learn citizenship skills associated with a deep democracy in a global age.
Ultrastructure of Aerobic Muscle in Antarctic Fishes may Contribute to Maintenance Of Diffusive Fluxes

Quantitative ultrastructural analyses were performed on red (oxidative) and white (glycolytic) skeletal muscles from two species of antarctic fish to identify features of subcellular structure that may be related to muscle metabolism at cold body temperature. Trematomus newnesi (Boulenger) is an active pelagic species and Notothenia gibberifrons (Lonnberg) is a sluggish bottom-dweller. White fibres of both species are poorly vascularized [capillary density, N A (c,f), for T. newnesi 73.9±11.3mm −2 ; for N. gibberifrons is 76.0±14.1mm −2 ], and have low percentages of cell volume occupied by mitochondria [volume density, V v (mit,f), for T. newnesi is 0.014±0.005; for N. gibberifrons is 0.006±0.003]. Ultrastructure of oxidative fibres in both species resembles that of cold-acclimated temperate-zone fishes. Mitochondrial volume densities of red fibres reflect differences in ecotype between species [ V v (mit,f) for T. newnesi is 0.348±0.012; for N. gibberifrons is 0.249±0.007]. The less clustered array of mitochondria in oxidative fibres of T. newnesi compared with N. gibberifrons may support an equivalent flux of aqueous metabolites between mitochondrial and cytoplasmic compartments, despite a greater mean intracellular diffusion distance (τ h ) between these compartments in T. newnesi than in N. gibberifrons (τ h =1.05±0.07μm and 0.77±0.06μm, respectively). Although V v (mit.)) is higher in red fibres of the active species, capillary supply is less extensive [capillary length density, J v (c,f), for T. newnesi is 481.3±49.0mm mm −3 ; N. gibberifrons is 696.3±33.7mm mm −3 ] and the maximal diffusion-distance for oxygen is greater in T. newnesi than in N. gibberifrons (Krogh9s radius, R =26.3±1.64μm and 21.5±0.51μm, respectively). A mismatch appears to exist between oxygen supply [ J v (c,f)] and oxygen demand [ V v (mit,f)] in T. newnesi red fibres in view of published data for other fishes. The twofold higher volume density of lipid [ V v (lip,f)] in T. newnesi compared with N. gibberifrons may resolve this paradox [ V v (lip,f) is 0.026±0.002 and 0.012±0.004, respectively]. Because oxygen is at least four times more soluble in lipid than in aqueous cytoplasm, lipid may enhance oxygen flux through oxidative muscle and play a role similar to myoglobin in these myoglobin-poor fishes.
Quantification of regional myocardial wall thickening on electrocardiogram-gated SPECT imaging.

Current assessment of regional left ventricular function with electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is generally performed by visual inspection. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a new computer algorithm for quantifying regional left ventricular wall thickening on ECG-gated SPECT images. Regional wall thickening was measured from count density changes during the cardiac cycle observed in 24-sector circumferential count distribution profiles generated from each of 8 frames of an ECG-gated SPECT study. Wall thickening was expressed as the percent count increase during systole relative to end diastole. The program was tested in a phantom simulation and in patient studies consisting of a pilot study (n=40) and a validation study (n=33). In the phantom study varying degrees of wall thickening were simulated. The pilot study included 20 normal subjects with low likelihood (<3%) of coronary disease and 20 patients with prior myocardial infarction. Mean wall thickening −2 standard deviations, measured in normal subjects, defined the lower limit of normal wall thickening. This criterion was tested in the validation study in 13 normal subjects and 20 patients with prior myocardial infarction. Abnormal wall thickening was characterized by extent (percent of circumferential profile) and severity (minimal thickening). The phantom study showed excellent linear correlation between wall thickening computed by the new software and actual wall thickening (r=0.98). Interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility of quantitative assessment of minimal wall thickening were excellent (r=0.98 and 0.99, P<.001). Regional wall thickening varied considerably from apex to base in the same ventricle among normal subjects. The average lower limit of normal wall thickening was 25% to 30% at the apex, 19% to 24% in the mid-ventricle, and 13% to 20% at the base of the left ventricle. In the validation study 11 of 13 normal subjects had wall thickening profiles within the predefined normal range. All 20 patients with prior myocardial infarction had abnormal regional wall thickening. Minimal regional wall thickening in the infarct areas was 5.4%±5.5%, compared with 30.1%±9.1% wall thickening in comparable anatomic areas in normal subjects (P<.001). Regional wall thickening can be quantified reliably from regional count density changes during the cardiac cycle on ECG-gated SPECT images. The new software measured the extent and severity of abnormal regional wall thickening relative to normal files. The method is highly reproducible. Clinical validation showed good differentiation between normal subjects and patients with prior infarction. Quantification of regional wall thickening may enhance diagnostic accuracy and reproducibility of interpretation of gated SPECT imaging.
Rapid fucosylation of intestinal epithelium sustains host–commensal symbiosis in sickness

Systemic infection induces conserved physiological responses that include both resistance and 'tolerance of infection' mechanisms. Temporary anorexia associated with an infection is often beneficial, reallocating energy from food foraging towards resistance to infection or depriving pathogens of nutrients. However, it imposes a stress on intestinal commensals, as they also experience reduced substrate availability; this affects host fitness owing to the loss of caloric intake and colonization resistance (protection from additional infections). We hypothesized that the host might utilize internal resources to support the gut microbiota during the acute phase of the disease. Here we show that systemic exposure to Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands causes rapid α(1,2)-fucosylation of small intestine epithelial cells (IECs) in mice, which requires the sensing of TLR agonists, as well as the production of interleukin (IL)-23 by dendritic cells, activation of innate lymphoid cells and expression of fucosyltransferase 2 (Fut2) by IL-22-stimulated IECs. Fucosylated proteins are shed into the lumen and fucose is liberated and metabolized by the gut microbiota, as shown by reporter bacteria and community-wide analysis of microbial gene expression. Fucose affects the expression of microbial metabolic pathways and reduces the expression of bacterial virulence genes. It also improves host tolerance of the mild pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. Thus, rapid IEC fucosylation appears to be a protective mechanism that utilizes the host's resources to maintain host-microbial interactions during pathogen-induced stress.
Fusion of forward looking infrared and ground penetrating radar for improved stopping distances in landmine detection

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is a popular sensing modality for buried threat detection that offers low false alarm rates (FARs), but suffers from a short detection stopping or standoff distance. This short stopping distance leaves little time for the system operator to react when a threat is detected, limiting the speed of advance. This problem arises, in part, because of the way GPR data is typically processed. GPR data is first prescreened to reduce the volume of data considered for higher level feature-processing. Although fast, prescreening introduces latency that delays the feature processing and lowers the stopping distance of the system. In this work we propose a novel sensor fusion framework where a forward looking infrared (FLIR) camera is used as a prescreener, providing suspicious locations to the GPRbased system with zero latency. The FLIR camera is another detection modality that typically yields a higher FAR than GPR while offering much larger stopping distances. This makes it well-suited in the role of a zero-latency prescreener. In this framework, GPR-based feature processing can begin without any latency, improving stopping distances. This framework was evaluated using well-known FLIR and GPR detection algorithms on a large dataset collected at a Western US test site. Experiments were conducted to investigate the tradeoff between early stopping distance and FAR. The results indicate that earlier stopping distances are achievable while maintaining effective FARs. However, because an earlier stopping distance yields less data for feature extraction, there is a general tradeoff between detection performance and stopping distance.
The use of computed radiography plates to determine light and radiation field coincidence.

Purpose: Photo-stimulable phosphor computed radiography (CR) has characteristics that allow the output to be manipulated by both radiation and optical light. The authors have developed a method that uses these characteristics to carry out radiation field and light field coincidence quality assurance on linear accelerators. Methods: CR detectors from Kodak were used outside their cassettes to measure both radiation and light field edges from a Varian linear accelerator. The CR detector was first exposed to a radiation field and then to a slightly smaller light field. The light impinged on the detector's latent image, removing to an extent the portion exposed to the light field. The detector was then digitally scanned. A MATLAB-based algorithm was developed to automatically analyze the images and determine the edges of the light and radiation fields, the vector between the field centers, and the crosshair center. Radiographic film was also used as a control to confirm the radiation field size. Results: Analysis showed a high degree of repeatability with the proposed method. Results between the proposed method and radiographic film showed excellent agreement of the radiation field. The effect of varying monitor units and light exposure time was tested and found to be very small. Radiation and light field sizes were determined with an uncertainty of less than 1 mm, and light and crosshair centers were determined within 0.1 mm. Conclusions: A new method was developed to digitally determine the radiation and light field size using CR photo-stimulable phosphor plates. The method is quick and reproducible, allowing for the streamlined and robust assessment of light and radiation field coincidence, with no observer interpretation needed.
On the response sensitivity of an optimally designed functionally graded layer

Sensitivity of the response of an optimally designed functionally graded (FG) thermomechanical system is investigated. The system is a transversely isotropic layer subjected to a thermal gradient. The layer is modeled as a biconstituent composite with a microstructure characterized by the design parameters: fiber volume fraction, shape, and orientation. Performance is quantified by a linear combination of the layer's curvature and strain energy density. Of particular interest is the comparison of variability of response to variations in the design parameters versus variability in such things as constituent material properties, and fiber misalignment. These are issues of significance for the manufacturing of functionally graded materials (FGMs). It is concluded that while not all FG systems show a significant sensitivity to texture (i.e. fiber shape and orientation) there do exist some systems for which response is markedly affected by texture even in comparison to significant variabilities in constituent material properties and fiber misalignment.
Optimal sequencing of experiments in Bayesian group testing

A Bayesian formulation of the group testing problem with testing error is considered. Under the assumption that testing error follows a Bernoulli distribution, optimal sequences of experiments can be characterized. It is shown that an intuitive and appealing experiment selection rule eventually will select optimal sequences of experiments almost surely.
Design of vehicle routing zones for large-scale distribution systems

This paper proposes algorithms to automatically discretize vehicle routing zones (VRZ) from continuum approximation guidelines. VRZs that satisfy these guidelines (i.e., shape and size requirements) are useful to the planning and operation of distribution systems in several practical contexts. In the literature, however, VRZ design normally requires human intervention, and this is inconvenient and time-consuming especially for large-scale and complex systems. This study fills this gap by utilizing a combination of spatial partitioning techniques to systematically obtain optimum zone designs. Numerical examples show that the proposed algorithm yields satisfying outcomes.
Computational approaches to predicting the impact of novel bases on RNA structure and stability

The use of computational modeling techniques to gain insight into nucleobase interactions has been a challenging endeavor to date. Accurate treatment requires the tackling of many challenges but also holds the promise of great rewards. The development of effective computational approaches to predict the binding affinities of nucleobases and analogues can, for example, streamline the process of developing novel nucleobase modifications, which should facilitate the development of new RNAi-based therapeutics. This brief review focuses on available computational approaches to predicting base pairing affinity in RNA-based contexts such as nucleobase–nucleobase interactions in duplexes and nucleobase–protein interactions. The challenges associated with such modeling along with potential future directions for the field are highlighted.
Method for denture identification

Abstract Steps for using a plastic chip to identify a removable prosthesis are described.
LUNAR DIFFERENTIATION PROCESSES

Igneous rock differentiation as applied to Moon, noting pressure-depth and pressure-temperature phase relationships
CD163, a Marker of Perivascular Macrophages, Is Up-Regulated by Microglia in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Encephalitis after Haptoglobin-Hemoglobin Complex Stimulation and Is Suggestive of Breakdown of the Blood-Brain Barrier

Macrophages and microglia are the major cell types infected by human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) in the central nervous system. Microglia are likely infected in vivo, but evidence of widespread productive infection (ie, presence of viral RNA and protein) is lacking. This conclusion is controversial because, unlike lymphocytes, macrophages and microglia cannot be discreetly immunophenotyped. Of particular interest in the search for additional monocyte/macrophage-lineage cell markers is CD163; this receptor for haptoglobin-hemoglobin (Hp-Hb) complex, which forms in plasma following erythrolysis, is expressed exclusively on cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage. We examined CD163 expression in vitro and in vivo by multiple techniques and at varying times after SIV infection in macaques with or without encephalitis. In normal and acutely SIV-infected animals, and in SIV-infected animals without encephalitis, CD163 expression was detected in cells of monocyte/macrophage lineage, including perivascular macrophages, but not in parenchymal microglia. However, in chronically infected animals with encephalitis, CD163 expression was detected in activated microglia surrounding SIV encephalitis lesions in the presence of Hp-Hb complex, suggesting leakage of the blood-brain barrier. CD163 expression was also induced on microglia in vitro after stimulation with Hp-Hb complex. We conclude that CD163 is a selective marker of perivascular macrophages in normal macaques and during the early phases of SIV infection; however, later in infection in animals with encephalitis, CD163 is also expressed by microglia, which are probably activated as a result of vascular compromise.
Modeling and optimization of a multiresolution remote image retrieval system

We study the tradeoffs involved in choosing the bit allocation in a multiresolution remote image retrieval system. Such a system uses a multiresolution image coding scheme so that a user accessing the database will first see a coarse version of the images and will be able to accept or discard a given image faster, without needing to receive all the image data. We formalize the problem of choosing the bit allocation (e.g., in the two resolution case, how many bits should be given to the coarse image and the additional information, respectively?) so that the overall delay in the query is minimized. We provide analytical methods to find the optimal solution under different configurations and show how a good choice of the bit allocation results in a reduction of the overall delay in the query.