cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 20389: Transendocardial Stem Cell Injection Site Tissue Viability Predicts Scar Size Reduction in Myocardial Segmental Analysis in a Swine Model of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy

Background: Transendocardial Stem Cell Injections (TESI) decrease scar size. We hypothesized that there is greater scar size reduction when TESI occurs in infarct-border zone (IZ/BZ) with more viability (>6mV Unipolar voltage) compared to segments with less viability ( Methods: Gottingen mini-swine (n=28) underwent 150-minute occlusion of the LAD coronary artery followed by reperfusion. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) was obtained before and after therapy. At 90 days post-MI, transendocardial injection of either: Combination of CSCs and MSCs (1M/200M, Combo, n=7), MSCs (200M, n=6), or placebo (Plasmalyte, n=6) were administered to the IZ/BZ. Biplane left ventriculography and endocardial border tracings were recorded and compared. TESI was guided to 10 sites in IZ/BZ using ventriculographic wall motion correlated with CMR. Sites were mapped according to the 16-myocardial segment model. We analyzed 320 segments in 20 swine pre-and post-TESI. Injection sites were recorded with the electroanatomical mapping of the NOGA system. The unipolar voltage of each injection site and the occurrence of premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) were recorded. Results: Agreement between NOGA regional map and endocardial tracings regional map was 0.749 with 95% CI (0.670, 0.828). Allocation of TESI sites were assessed according to the endocardial tracing generated 16 segment maps. Scar size was only reduced in segments with TESI site voltages greater than 6mV (Combo: from 0.67g to 0.51g P=0.02, MSC: from 0.7g to 0.61g P=.002) compared to no change in scar size in segments with 6mV vs. 0.05). Additionally, there was a greater reduction of transmural scar (from 1.09g to 0.62g P=0.03 ) compared to an unchanged non-transmural scar after TESI (between group comparison P Conclusions: These findings suggest that the site of TESI is an important parameter, and responses to TESI are voltage dependent. A unipolar voltage of >6mV, but not the presence of PVC, predicts scar size reduction.
I Can’t Stop the Hemolysis!

A 27-year-old female with a history of sickle cell disease is admitted with pain crisis (pain in extremities and back) and possible sepsis. The patient, who has a history of anti-Fya and anti-S alloantibodies, has had several admissions to the hospital for pain crisis over the past 5 years. She was transfused two units of red blood cells (RBCs) 1 year ago and received RBC exchange transfusion (six units) for acute chest syndrome 2 years ago; all RBCs were matched by extended phenotype (C, E, K negative) as per the blood bank’s policy for sickle cell patients.
Multiple length scale growth spirals on metamorphic graphite {001} surfaces studied by atomic force microscopy

The microtopography of {001} surfaces on single crystals of graphite from a Neoproterozoic marble of the Swakop group, near Wlotzkas Baken, western Namibia, has been studied using differential interference contrast (DIC) microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A unique aspect of the observed surface microtopography is the presence of growth spirals and hillocks on three different length scales. The largest spirals are polygonized and can be seen without magnification. Steps on this feature are roughly 4 μm high and 90 μm apart. The second-order features are hexagonal growth hillocks with an average step height of 1.5 nm and total lateral dimensions of 5–40 μm. The apex of these hillocks coincides directly with the apex of reentrants in the macrosteps of the large spiral. Morphology suggests the formation of these polygonized hillocks by some mechanism other than simple spiral growth. We speculate that these features may be due to pinning of the macrostep by impurities and subsequent formation of the second-order hillocks. The third length-scale features are spirals found on terraces forming the vicinal faces of the second-order hillocks. These spirals have steps that are 6.7 A high (unit-cell length along [001]) and an average step spacing of 900 A. These double-layer steps also show some regions with partial step separation into 3.3 A high monolayer steps. The observed microtopographic features give us insight into the conditions in, and mechanisms by which these graphite crystals formed during carbonate metamorphism. Crystal growth, unrestricted by the surrounding calcite, was from a fluid phase at low graphite supersaturation and was dominated by the spiral growth mechanism. Comparison with theoretical and simulation studies suggests a critical radius for two-dimensional nucleation on the (001) surface on the order of 100 A.
The Growth Promoting Values of Dried Buttermilk, Dried Skimmilk, and Dried Whey for Chicks

Abstract PROBABLY no feedstuffs have greater prestige than milk and milk products. Mechanical equipment for preparing dried milk products has been improved during recent years and lowered production costs have resulted in increased supplies. It is estimated that in 1930 over 20,000 tons of dried buttermilk and 70,000 tons of dried skimmilk were produced in the United States alone. Dried whey is at present, however, produced in only limited quantities. More research work has probably been carried on with milk and its products than with any other food or feedstuff, but even so the problem of relative nutritive values should be approached with what one research worker expresses as “conscious ignorance and active curiosity.” Many questions concerning milk and milk products still remain unanswered. Milk by-products differ somewhat in chemical composition, depending upon the primary product. Manufacturing and processing methods are as yet not standardized, for little is known of the . . .
Postural perturbations induced by a moving virtual environment are reduced in persons with brain injury when gripping a mobile object

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Gripping a mobile (unfixed) object increases standing postural stability in healthy individuals. We tested whether the same strategy is effective for stabilizing upright posture perturbed by a moving environment (virtual perturbation) in participants with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS Fifteen participants with mild-to-moderate postural deficits after TBI and a comparison group of 15 age-matched healthy subjects participated in the study. Participants stood for 1 minute in front of a large screen with a projected three-dimensional image of a boat; for 30 seconds the boat remained stationary (no visual stimulation condition), and for 30 seconds the boat rocked on the water at a speed of 15°/s (visual stimulation condition). The visual stimulation was applied in pseudorandom order (during either the first or second half of the 1-minute trial). To analyze postural stability, the displacement and velocity of the center of mass in the sagittal and frontal planes were compared between groups and across 4 experimental conditions, including standing with/without visual stimulation and with/without gripping a 300-g object (short wooden stick) in the dominant hand. RESULTS Participants with TBI showed greater instability under all experimental conditions. The visual stimulation significantly increased postural oscillations in the sagittal plane by 35% to 63% across groups. Gripping a stick significantly reduced the stimulation-induced instability in the sagittal plane by 19% to 29%, although not to the level of the no-stimulation condition in either group. CONCLUSION The stabilizing effect of gripping an external object in participants with TBI was confirmed. A possibility of using this effect as a balance aid strategy requires further investigation.
Invoking the Prophet Muhammad through Word, Sound, and Image

Objects associated with the practice of the Muslim faith are often inscribed with Qurʾanic verses specifically chosen to reflect their spiritual functions and project the piety of the patrons who ordered them and the believers who used them. This essay focuses on one such Qurʾanic passage: the invocation of the Prophet Muhammad in Qurʾan 33: 56, a verse saying that God and His angels bless the Prophet and that believers should bless him too and give him greetings of peace. The article analyses the use of this verse on buildings and objects of various media in five different places from early Islamic to pre-modern times to show how words, sounds, and images could be used to elaborate different aspects of Muhammad’s persona, ranging from his unique position as beautiful model to his roles as intercessor, miracle-worker, and protagonist in the miraculous night journey and ascension.
Into the storm

At first glance, this film appears to be the sequel to Twister (1996) that never happened. Nearly two decades after the creation of that disaster film, Into the Storm struck theaters. While seeming...
Multiobjective Optimization Model for Minimizing Cost and Environmental Impact in Shale Gas Water and Wastewater Management

Unconventional resource extraction from shale plays involves complex operations for water and wastewater management. These water management operations are expensive for companies and emit significant quantities of criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gases that impact human health and the environment (HHE). We present a multiobjective mixed integer linear programming (MILP) framework for assessing the trade-offs between financial cost and HHE costs for shale gas water acquisition, transport, storage, and treatment under realistic scheduling, operational, and regulatory constraints. We formulate objective functions to identify water management strategies that minimize financial cost, minimize HHE cost, and minimize combined financial and HHE costs. The model was applied to a 14 wellpad case study that is representative of shale gas extraction in the Marcellus Play. We observe significant variation in the financial and HHE costs under different objective functions and regulatory scenarios.
Photorepair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers by 8‐oxopurine nucleosides

The 8-oxopurine nucleosides 2′,3′,5′-tri-O-acetyl-8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanosine (OG) and 2′,3′,5′-tri-O-acetyl-ribosyluric acid (RU) were studied for their ability to mediate the photochemical (λ > 300 nm) reversion of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers to their parent pyrimidines thymine and uracil. The bimolecular reactions of these monomers proceeded at very slow rates compared with recently published work using oligonucleotide contexts; nevertheless, it was possible to make comparisons between the efficacy of OG and RU as photocatalysts as a function of pH. Although RU has a lower redox potential and anionic character, it was only equivalent to OG in facilitating thymine dimer photorepair over a broad pH range. Only OG showed pH-dependent behavior with higher activity at pH 8–9 where the base becomes deprotonated. Despite the overall low activity of OG and RU, the results are instructive with respect to a comparison of the two 8-oxopurines, and support the hypothesis that 8-oxopurine nucleosides may have played primordial roles as precursors to modern-day flavins in redox reactions of the RNA world. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
260. AAV Ancestral Reconstruction Library Enables Selection of Broadly Infectious Viral Variants

Adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors have demonstrated clinical efficacy in treating several diseases. Improved vectors may extend these landmark successes to other indications, and protein engineering approaches are enhancing the gene delivery properties of AAV vectors to address such unmet medical needs. To access new viral sequences with potentially enhanced infectious properties, and to gain insights into AAV's evolutionary history, we computationally designed and experimentally characterized an ancestral reconstruction of the AAV capsid. To this end, we first generated a phylogenetic tree of AAV sequences through Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations, then selected a node for reconstruction based on its relative confidence value and proximity to AAV serotypes of clinical interest. We next used HandAlign, a Markov chain Monte Carlo alignment sampler, to predict the ancestral sequence of the most likely alignment at the selected node. This generated a reconstruction where most amino acids were predicted with high confidence, while 32 of the positions were predicted with low confidence. In order to address uncertainty in these positions, we synthesized the inferred ancestral capsid as a large combinatorial library incorporating degenerate residues at the 32 variable amino acid sites. We then characterized the evolutionary flexibility of these residues, the majority of which have not been previously studied, by subjecting the library to six rounds of selection on a panel of representative cell lines. The resulting variants exhibited transduction efficiencies comparable to the most efficient extant serotypes, and in general the selected ancestral libraries were broadly infectious across the cell line panel, indicating that they favor promiscuity over specificity. Unlike many current serotypes, these ancestral AAVs do not utilize sialic acids, galactose, or heparan sulfate proteoglycans for cellular entry. Additionally, ancestral libraries were found to be as susceptible to neutralizing antibodies as extant serotypes, suggesting that such ancestral variant candidates exhibit immunogenic properties similar to modern descendants. Interestingly, ancestral AAVs retained infectivity at temperatures that completely ablated infectivity of modern serotypes; this higher thermostability may have supported increased evolvability through mutational tolerance. Finally, selected variants mediated 19-31 fold higher gene expression in muscle compared to AAV1, a serotype clinically utilized for muscle delivery, highlighting their potential promise for gene therapy.
Centennial Challenges Program Overview: How NASA Successfully Involves the General Public in the Solving of Current Technology Gaps

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Centennial Challenges Program, part of the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), addresses key technology needs of NASA and the nation, while facilitating new sources of innovation outside the traditional community. This is done by the direct engagement of the public at large, through the offering of Congressional authorized prize purses and associated challenges developed by NASA and the aerospace community and set up as a competition awarding the prize money for achieving the specified technology goal.
Timeliness of Childhood Primary Immunization and Risk Factors Related with Delays: Evidence from the 2014 Zhejiang Provincial Vaccination Coverage Survey

Background: this study aimed to assess both immunization coverage and timeliness, as well as reasons for non-vaccination, and identity the risk factors of delayed immunization, for the vaccines scheduled during the first year of life, in Zhejiang province, east China. Methods: A cluster survey among children aged 24-35 months was conducted. Demographic information and socio-economic characteristics of the selected child, the mother, and the household were collected. Immunization data were transcribed from immunization cards. Timeliness was assessed with Kaplan-Meier analysis for each vaccine given before 12 months of age, based on the time frame stipulated by the expanded program on immunization of China. Cox proportional hazard regression was applied to identify risk factors of delayed immunization. Results: A total of 2772 eligible children were surveyed. The age-appropriate coverage ranged from 25.4% (95% CI: 23.7-27.0%) for Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to 91.3% (95% CI: 90.2-92.3%) for the first dose of oral poliomyelitis vaccine (OPV1). The most frequent reason for non-vaccination was parent's fear of adverse events of immunization. Delayed immunizations were associated with mother having a lower education level, mother having a job, delivery at home, increasing number of children per household, and having a lower household income. Conclusions: Although the timeliness of immunization has improved since 2011, necessary steps are still needed to achieve further improvement. Timeliness of immunization should be considered as another important indicator of expanded program on immunization (EPI) performance. Future interventions on vaccination coverage should take into consideration demographic and socio-economic risk factors identified in this study. The importance of adhering to the recommended schedule should be explained to parents.
C-TMLE for Time-to-Event Outcomes

In this chapter, the C-TMLE for the treatment-specific survival curve based on rightcensored data will be presented. It is common that one wishes to assess the effect of a treatment or exposure on the time it takes for an event to occur based on an observational database. Chapters 17 and 18 discussed the treatment-specific survival curve in RCTs. The TMLE presented there improves upon common methods for analyzing time-to-event data in robustness, efficiency, and interpretability of parameter estimates. Observational data differ from RCTs in that the exposure/treatment is not set according to a known mechanism. Moreover, in situations where there is dependent censoring the censoring mechanism is also unknown. As a consequence, in observational studies, the TMLE needs to estimate the treatment and censoring mechanism, and this needs to be done in such a way that the resulting targeted bias reduction carried out by the TMLE is fully effective.
Automated Metadata Suggestion During Repository Submission

Knowledge discovery via an informatics resource is constrained by the completeness of the resource, both in terms of the amount of data it contains and in terms of the metadata that exists to describe the data. Increasing completeness in one of these categories risks reducing completeness in the other because manually curating metadata is time consuming and is restricted by familiarity with both the data and the metadata annotation scheme. The diverse interests of a research community may drive a resource to have hundreds of metadata tags with few examples for each making it challenging for humans or machine learning algorithms to learn how to assign metadata tags properly. We demonstrate with ModelDB, a computational neuroscience model discovery resource, that using manually-curated regular-expression based rules can overcome this challenge by parsing existing texts from data providers during user data entry to suggest metadata annotations and prompt them to suggest other related metadata annotations rather than leaving the task to a curator. In the ModelDB implementation, analyzing the abstract identified 6.4 metadata tags per abstract at 79% precision. Using the full-text produced higher recall with low precision (41%), and the title alone produced few (1.3) metadata annotations per entry; we thus recommend data providers use their abstract during upload. Grouping the possible metadata annotations into categories (e.g. cell type, biological topic) revealed that precision and recall for the different text sources varies by category. Given this proof-of-concept, other bioinformatics resources can likewise improve the quality of their metadata by adopting our approach of prompting data uploaders with relevant metadata at the minimal cost of formalizing rules for each potential metadata annotation.
A Near Repeat Examination of Economic Crimes

Criminological inquiry has recently showcased increased attention toward the near repeat phenomenon, which suggests that following an initial criminal event, there is an increased risk for the occu...
Geospatial assessment of the voluntary medical male circumcision programme in Tanzania, 2011–2016

Introduction Tanzania is one of the 14 priority countries in sub-Saharan Africa scaling up voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) for HIV prevention. In this study, we assessed the progress of VMMC by evaluating changes in the spatial structure of male circumcision (MC) prevalence and identifying age groups with low MC uptake. Methods We use data from two waves of the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) conducted in Tanzania in 2011–2012 and 2015–2016. MC incidence rate was estimated using a method developed to calculate incidence rates from two successive cross-sectional surveys. Continuous surface maps of MC prevalence were generated for both DHS waves and compared with identified areas with high MC prevalence changes and high density of uncircumcised males. Results National MC prevalence in Tanzania increased from 73.5% in 2011–2012 to 80.0% in 2015–2016. The estimated national MC incidence rate was 4.6 circumcisions per 100 person-years (py). The lowest circumcision rate was observed in males aged 20–24 years, with 0.61 circumcisions per 100 py. An estimated 1 567 253 males aged 15–49 years residing in low-MC prevalence areas were uncircumcised in 2015–2016. Conclusion Tanzania has shown substantial progress in the implementation of VMMC. However, extensive spatial variation of MC prevalence still exists in the country, with some areas having an MC prevalence
A Physical Design Flow Against Front-Side Probing Attacks by Internal Shielding

Security-critical applications on integrated circuits (ICs) are threatened by probing attacks that extract sensitive information assisted with focused ion beam (FIB)-based circuit edit. Existing countermeasures, such as active shield, analog shield, and $t$ -private circuit, have proven to be inefficient and provide limited resistance against probing attacks without taking FIB capabilities into consideration. In this article, we propose an FIB-aware anti-probing physical design flow, which considers FIB capabilities and utilizes computer-aided design (CAD) tools, to automatically reduce the probing attack vulnerability of an IC’s security-critical nets with minimal extra design effort. The floor-planning and routing of the design are constrained by incorporating three new steps in the conventional physical design flow, so that security-critical nets are protected by internal shield nets with low overhead. Results show that the proposed technique can reduce the vulnerable area exposed to probing on security-critical nets by 100% with all critical nets fully protected for both advanced encryption standard (AES) and data encryption standard (DES) modules. The timing, area, and power overheads are less than 3% per module, which would be negligible in a system-on-chip (SoC) design.
Peer Interaction in Active Learning Biology

Active learning in college science classrooms takes different forms, many of which are explored throughout this volume. Now that we have ample evidence that “active learning” is effective (e.g., Springer et al. Rev Educ Res 69(1):21, 1999), discipline-based education research has been able to move away from investigating that general question and begin trying to determine the key design features or essential elements that make active learning effective. From the beginning, almost every version of active learning has included students working together with their peers on some sort of instructional activity. This peer interaction was instinctively seen as important to the nature of active learning and research has supported this hypothesis with evidence. In this chapter, I will first review the theoretical foundation that provides the hypothesis of the importance of peer interaction in education, then I will review experimental evidence that supports the many benefits of peer interaction, and, finally, I will summarize some recommendations from a variety of excellent resources on the implementation of peer interaction.
The impact of dose modification and temporary interruption of ibrutinib on outcomes of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients in routine clinical practice

To study the impact of dose modification and temporary interruption of ibrutinib in routine clinical practice, we conducted a retrospective study of consecutive CLL patients treated with ibrutinib outside the context of a clinical trial at Mayo Clinic, (Rochester, MN) from 11/2013 to 12/2017. Of 209 patients, 131 (74%) had unmutated IGHV, 38 (20%) had TP53 disruption, and 47 (22%) were previously untreated. A total of 87/209 (42%) patients started reduced dose ibrutinib (<420 mg daily; n = 43, physician preference; n = 33, concomitant medications; and n = 11, other). During 281 person-years of treatment, 91/209 patients had temporary dose interruption (54%, nonhematologic toxicity; 29%, surgical procedures; 10%, hematologic toxicity; and 7%, other). After a median follow-up of 24 months, the estimated median event-free survival (EFS) was 36 months, and median overall survival (OS) was not reached. On multivariable analyses, temporary ibrutinib interruption (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.37, P = .006) and TP53 disruption at ibrutinib initiation (HR: 1.81, P = .048) were associated with shorter EFS, whereas only TP53 disruption (HR: 2.38, P = .015) was associated with shorter OS. Initial ibrutinib dose and dose modification during therapy did not appear to impact EFS or OS. These findings illustrate the challenges associated with continuous oral therapy with ibrutinib in patients with CLL.
Abstract 13837: Evaluating Predictors of Pulmonary Valve Replacement Failure in Congenital Heart Disease Patients

Introduction: We aimed to determine predictors of reintervention after pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) at our center with the novel consideration of valve angulation within the outflow tract. Met...
Host traits, identity, and ecological conditions predict consistent flea abundance and prevalence on free-living California ground squirrels.

Abstract Understanding why some individuals are more prone to carry parasites and spread diseases than others is a key question in biology. Although epidemiologists and disease ecologists increasingly recognize that individuals of the same species can vary tremendously in their relative contributions to the emergence of diseases, very few empirical studies systematically assess consistent individual differences in parasite loads within populations over time. Two species of fleas (Oropsylla montana and Hoplopsyllus anomalous) and their hosts, California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi), form a major complex for amplifying epizootic plague in the western United States. Understanding its biology is primarily of major ecological importance and is also relevant to public health. Here, we capitalize on a long-term data set to explain flea incidence on California ground squirrels at Briones Regional Park in Contra Costa County, USA. In a 7 year study, we detected 42,358 fleas from 2,759 live trapping events involving 803 unique squirrels from two free-living populations that differed in the amount of human disturbance in those areas. In general, fleas were most abundant and prevalent on adult males, on heavy squirrels, and at the pristine site, but flea distributions varied among years, with seasonal conditions (e.g., temperature, rainfall, humidity), temporally within summers, and between flea species. Although on-host abundances of the two flea species were positively correlated, each flea species occupied a distinctive ecological niche. The common flea (O. montana) occurred primarily on adults in cool, moist conditions in early summer whereas the rare flea (H. anomalous) was mainly on juveniles in hot, dry conditions in late summer. Beyond this, we uncovered significantly repeatable and persistent effects of host individual identity on flea loads, finding consistent individual differences among hosts in all parasite measures. Taken together, we reveal multiple determinants of parasites on free-living mammals, including the underappreciated potential for host heterogeneity – within populations – to structure the emergence of zoonotic diseases such as bubonic plague.
Prevention Pre-Violence in E-Labs with Machine Learning: PVE

Digital Forensics continues to be one of the most needed areas of today. In particular, the difficulties experienced in the field of education during the pandemic period have carried the fields where training will be given to the digital parts. However, it also brought pre-pandemic concepts such as bully, violence and insult to cyber environments. Although the studies to improve the existing distance education applications generally focus on areas such as quality image and sound transfer, the ones that may cause bigger problems in the future are the acts called crime. This study aims to create a possible schema to easily complete an investigation that may arise in the future and obtain evidence by applying the Digital Forensics field, which was created to investigate cyber-crime in detail and deliver it to judicial authorities, to distance education applications called elab. In addition, it can be applied to living systems to prevent the aforementioned criminal elements. While the study is performing itself, it focuses on machine learning and natural language processing, and it is seen that it has achieved more than 90% success in small-scale experiments.
Paraproteinemic neuropathy

Few prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trials have been performed to guide clinicians in the management of neuropathies seen in the setting of monoclonal gammopathies (paraproteins). Recommendations must be made on the basis of clinical experience and information gleaned from various uncontrolled and open-label trials. In every instance, decisions concerning therapy must be based on the clinical setting in which the paraprotein occurs. •Treatment of paraproteinemic neuropathies associated with multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia should be directed at the treatment of the underlying disease. These neuropathies often remain recalcitrant to therapy. •If the paraprotein results from cryoglobulinemia due to hepatitis C virus infection, interferon-α (with or without ribavirin) provides optimal subjective and objective relief from symptoms. •For neuropathy associated with osteosclerotic myeloma (POEMS syndrome) and solitary bone lesions, radiation therapy is the most effective and least toxic initial therapy. •In those patients with monoclonal gammopathies of undetermined significance (MGUS), consideration of the clinical syndrome may be very helpful in selecting appropriate treatment. Patients who fulfill diagnostic criteria for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) are best treated in a manner similar to that used for idiopathic CIDP (ie, with intravenous immunoglobulin, plasma exchange, and corticosteroids). •Class I evidence documents plasma exchange to be effective in peripheral neuropathies associated with MGUS of the IgG and IgA, but not IgM, types. •The most difficult cases to treat are those with peripheral neuropathies associated with IgM monoclonal gammopathies, with or without reactivity to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG). A number of published case series propose therapeutic regimens for these conditions, yet optimal treatment remains to be established. In many cases, mildly symptomatic patients should not be subjected to the morbidity associated with current treatment regimens. In those patients requiring treatment, this author initially tries plasma exchange, followed by a course of chlorambucil if the symptoms and signs are predominantly sensory. For cases with rapid progression or significant disability, a regimen of monthly pulses with prednisone and cyclophosphamide is recommended. If improvement does not ensue, a trial of a newer agent, such as rituximab, is recommended. •Supportive treatment with physical therapy, orthotics, and ambulatory aids enhances patient independence at a relatively low cost.
“The Museum for Those Who Do Not Go to Museums.” A Cultural Exploration of the Almanac of the Unión Española de Explosivos [Spanish Explosives Union] in the Years of the Franco Regime

Since 1900, the Maxam Group (formerly Union Espanola de Explosivos) has published an annual almanac, with each edition illustrated by a Spanish painter commissioned to produce a work thematically r...
Nature, Choice and Social Power

We are at an environmental impasse. Many blame our personal choices about the things we consume and the way we live. This is only part of the problem. Different forms of social power - political, economic and ideological - structure the choices we have available. This book analyses how we make social and environmental history and why we end up where we do. Using case studies from different environmental domains – earth and water, air and fire – Nature, Choice and Social Power examines the form that social power takes and how it can harm the environment and hinder our efforts to act in our own best interests. The case studies challenge conventional wisdoms about why gold is valuable, why the internal combustion engine triumphed, and when and why suburbs sprawled. The book shows how the power of individuals, the power of classes, the power of the market and the power of the state at different times and in different ways were critical to setting us on a path to environmental degradation. It also challenges conventional wisdoms about what we need to do now. Rather than reducing consumption and shrinking from outcomes we don’t want, it proposes growing towards outcomes we do want. We invested massive resources in creating our problems; it will take equally large investments to fix them. Written in a clear and engaging style, the book is underpinned with a political economy framework and addresses how we should understand our responsibility to the environment and to each other as individuals within a large and impersonal system.
Radiogold treatment of epithelial cancer of ovary: Late results

Abstract Intraperitoneal radioactive colloidal gold (radiogold; 198 Au) was given after operation to 142 patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. In this series, a statistically significant improvement in five-year survival was noted when radiogold was given at the time of operation because rupture of a cystic Stage I ovarian cancer had occurred. Further palliation was also noted in the control of ascites. Complications of the therapy were not prohibitive.
Natural hybridization and the evolution of domesticated, pest and disease organisms

The role of natural hybridization in the evolutionary history of numerous species is well recognized. The impact of introgressive hybridization and hybrid speciation has been documented especially in plant and animal assemblages. However, there remain certain areas of investigation for which natural hybridization and its consequences remain under-studied and under-appreciated. One such area involves the evolution of organisms that positively or negatively affect human populations. In this review, I highlight exemplars of how natural hybridization has contributed to the evolution of (i) domesticated plants and animals; (ii) pests; (iii) human disease vectors; and (iv) human pathogens. I focus on the effects from genetic exchange that may lead to the acquisition of novel phenotypes and thus increase the beneficial or detrimental (to human populations) aspects of the various taxa.
Visual adaptations in a diurnal rodent, Octodon degus

The degu (Octodon degus) is a diurnal rodent, native to Chile. Basic features of vision and visual organization in this species were examined in a series of anatomical, electrophysiological and behavioral experiments. The lens of the degu eye selectively absorbs short-wavelength light and shows a progressive increase in optical density as a function of age. Electroretinograms recorded using a flicker-photometric procedure reveal three spectral mechanisms: a rod with peak sensitivity of about 500 nm and two types of cone having respective spectral peaks of about 362 nm and 507 nm. Opsin antibody labeling was used to determine the retinal distributions of the three receptor types. A total of about one-third of the approximately 9 million photoreceptors of the degu retina are cones with the two types (507 nm/362 nm) represented in a ratio of about 13:1. The contributions to vision of all three receptor types were examined in a series of behavioral experiments. A consistent feature of both the electrophysiological and behavioral results is that relatively high levels of light adaptation are required to effect the full transition from rod-based to cone-based vision. In behavioral tests degus were shown to be able to make color discriminations between ultraviolet and visible lights.
Transcriptional Control of Mitochondrial Energy Metabolism through the PGC1 Coactivators

The PGC1 transcriptional coactivators are major regulators of several crucial aspects of energy metabolism. PGC1alpha controls many aspects of oxidative metabolism, including mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration through the coactivation of many nuclear receptors, and factors outside the nuclear receptor family. ERRalpha, NRF1 and NRF2 are key targets of the PGC1s in mitochondrial biogenesis. We have recently addressed the question of the role of PGC1 coactivators in the metabolism of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We now show that PGC1alpha and beta are induced when cells are given an oxidative stressor, H2O2. In fact, experiments with either genetic knockouts or RNAi for the PGC1s show that the ability of ROS to induce a ROS scavenging programme depends entirely on the PGC1s. This includes genes encoding mitochondrial proteins like SOD2, but also includes cytoplasmic proteins such as catalase and GPX1. Cells lacking PGC1alpha are hypersensitive to death from oxidative stress caused by H2O2 or paraquat. Mice deficient in PGC1alpha get excessive neurodegeneration when given kainic acid-induced seizures or MPTP, which causes Parkinsonism. These data show that the PGC1s are key modulators of mitochondrial biology and important protective molecules against ROS generation and damage. The implications of this for diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases are discussed.
MSP-AVATAR corpus: Motion capture recordings to study the role of discourse functions in the design of intelligent virtual agents

Nonverbal behaviors and their co-occurring speech interplay in a nontrivial way to communicate a message. These complex relationships have to be carefully considered in designing intelligent virtual agents (IVAs) displaying believable behaviors. An important aspect that regulates the relationship between gesture and speech is the underlying discourse function of the message. This paper introduces the MSP-AVATAR data, a new multimedia corpus designed to explore the relationship between discourse functions, speech and nonverbal behaviors. This corpus comprises motion capture data (upper-body skeleton and facial motion), frontal-view videos, and high quality audio from four actors engaged in dyadic interactions. Actors performed improvisation scenarios, where each recording is carefully designed to dominate the elicitation of characteristics gestures associated with a specific discourse function. Since detailed information from the face and the body is available, this corpus is suitable for rule-based and speech-based generation of body, hand and facial behaviors for IVAs. This study describes the design, recording, and annotation of this valuable corpus. It also provides analysis of the gestures observed in the recordings.
Morphological Study of Streptococcus mutans and Two Extracellular Polysaccharide Mutants

Abstract Two extracellular polysaccharide mutants of Streptococcus mutans GS-5 were obtained and examined. The mutants were distinguished by colonial morphology and by growth on and adherence to hard surfaces. A technique was devised which allowed these bacteria to be studied as they appeared when grown on a hard surface in liquid medium which contained sucrose. Negative stains, replicas, and scanning electron micrography clearly revealed differences in cellular aggregation due to the various extracellular polysaccharides produced. Comparison of sections of the adherent parent strain (GS-5) with those of the nonadherent mutant (GS-511) allowed the extracellular polysaccharide(s) responsible for adhesion to be visually localized.
Zinniol-related phytotoxins from Alternaria cichorii

Abstract The organic extract of the fungus Alternaria cichorii , a pathogen of Russian knapweed, was analysed. A series of zinniol-related compounds with varying degrees of phytotoxicity have been isolated for the first time from the organic extract of a pathogenic fungus. The structures of all of the compounds, which include cichorine, zinniol, and the four novel compounds zinnimidine, Z-hydroxyzinnimidine, zinnol and zinndiol, were determined by spectroscopic methods.
Osteopathic manipulative treatment for self-reported fatigue, stress, and depression in first-year osteopathic medical students.

Context During medical education, many students experience psychological distress, including symptoms such as fatigue, stress, and depression. Objective To evaluate the effect of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) on self-perceived fatigue, stress, and depression in first-year osteopathic medical students. Methods This randomized controlled pilot study with repeated measures was conducted at the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine-Bradenton in Florida during the fall 2012 semester. First-year osteopathic medical students voluntarily enrolled in the study and were randomly assigned to directed OMT (D-OMT), nondirected OMT (ND-OMT), or control groups. The D-OMT and ND-OMT groups received treatment by osteopathic physicians weekly for 4 weeks. The control group received no treatment. All groups completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Self-Perceived Stress Scale (SPSS), and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) depression scale before treatment (pretest), after 2 treatments (midtest), and after 4 treatments (posttest). Results All participants self-reported as white and single, with both sexes equally represented, and had an mean age of 24 years. Analysis of ESS scores revealed a statistically significant decrease in the D-OMT group from pretest and posttest scores and a statistically significant increase in the ND-OMT group from pretest to midtest but not from pretest to posttest scores. No statistically significant differences were noted in the control group scores on this measure. No statistically significant differences were seen in the SPSS or PHQ-9 scores from pretest to midtest or pretest to posttest in any of the 3 groups. Conclusion The D-OMT regimen used in the current study produced a statistically significant decrease in self-perceived fatigue in first-year osteopathic medical students. Osteopathic manipulative treatment represents a potential modality to reduce self-perceived distress in medical students. Further research is warranted.
Gyromagnetic ratio of 206 keV level in Re187

Abstract The nuclear g -factor of the 530 ns 206 keV state in Re 187 has been measured by the differential angular correlation method. Its value is 1.046±0.03. The source was a water solution of neutron irradiated Li 2 WO 4 . The measurements of the time differential anisotropy of the 479-72 keV γ-γ cascade were made over a 1.3 μs time interval without observable attenuation of the angular correlation. The average quadrupole interaction frequency ν Q is less than 180 MHz assuming a liquid correlation time of 10 −11 sec. Appreciable attenuation of the differential anisotropy was observed for sources prepared from irradiated tungsten metal dissolved. in a HF+HNO 3 acid mixture. The angular correlations of the 552-134 keV and 72–134 keV γ-γ cascades in Re 187 have been found to be isotropic. A measurement of the half-life of the 206 keV state yielded a value of 557±12 ns.
Factors that influence informal learning in the workplace

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to investigate factors that influence informal learning in the workplace and the types of informal learning activities people engage in at work. More specifically, the research examined: the relationship between informal learning engagement and the presence of learning organization characteristics; and perceived factors that affect informal learning engagement.Design/methodology/approach – Workplace learning and performance improvement professionals were invited to respond to an anonymous online survey, and 125 professionals volunteered to participate in the study.Findings – This study did not find a significant correlation between informal learning engagement and the presence of learning organization characteristics. While age and education level did not impact informal learning engagement, it was found that older workers tended to engage in more informal learning. There were also certain types of informal learning activities in which they were most likely to eng...
A synopsis of Poria and similar fungi from the tropical regions of the world.

Increasing awareness of the wide distribution of many wood-decay fungi, and expanding world trade in wood products, intensify the need for a uniform taxonomy of these fungi, particularly a clarification of the tropical species. Such information is basic to many deterioration and pathologic studies of these economically important organisms. Many pore fungi (family Polyporaceae, class Basidiomycetes) are destructive decay organisms. The pileate polypores are much better known because of the taxonomic efforts of many mycologists, especially the worldwide studies of Lloyd (1908-1925). The resupinate polypores of the North Temperate Zone are now rather well-known, those of the South Temperate Zone are far less satisfactorily understood. Cunningham (1947, 1948) has treated this group for New Zealand, and Cleland and Rodway (1928, 1929) have dealt with species occurring in Australia and Tasmania. No comprehensive study of the tropical poroid resupinates has been published, and such a treatment is urgently needed. An extensive study of the types of the species described by early workers was made by Bresadola, as attested by his notes on the type sheets, but his published observations are fragmentary, scattered, and available with difficulty to the student who only occasionally studies these plants. Lists of resupinate pore fungi, a few with descriptions of microscopic features, have been published for some areas. The more important papers for North America are those of Baxter (1932-1955), Lowe (1958), and Murrill (1907); for Brazil those of Rick (1960), Theiszen (1911), and Weir (1926); for India that of Butler and Bisby (1931); and for Ceylon those of Petch (1916-1924). Accurate determination of resupinate pore fungi of the tropics is almost impossible with the available literature. In this paper the characteristics, especially the microscopic ones now considered essential in the taxonomy of these plants, are brought together, with the hope that these will be of assistance to interested students, and will stimulate further work in this field.