cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microcracks in the calcified layer of articular cartilage

Evidence is presented that basophilic radial hairlines in the calcified layer of articular cartilage are in vivo microcracks. They were present in three of 25 normal patellas from subjects below the age of 50 years, in 20 of 25 recently fractured hips (average patient age, 77.3 years), and in 1 6 of 25 osteoarthritic tibial plateaus (71.7 years). It is hypothesized that extension of these microfractures beyond the calcified layer mediates remodeling of the osteochondral junction in aging and degenerative joint disease
The resurgence of NAD

Interventions that can slow mammalian aging have been rare. On pages 1436 and 1474 of this issue, Zhang et al. ( 1 ) and Cambronne et al. ( 2 ), respectively, highlight nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a major intervention point to slow or ameliorate phenotypes of aging.
Applications of the Peel-Away Introducer Sheath

AbstractThe peel-away introducer sheath set, originally designed for the antegrade insertion of the silicone rubber Universal**Cook Urological, Inc., Spencer, Indiana. stent, also is useful for antegrade or retrograde basketing of ureteral stones, negotiation of a dilated renal pelvis and tortuous ureter with minimal trauma, retrograde flushing of ureteral stones for percutaneous extraction, removal of dislodged stents from the renal pelvis and ureteral examination with a flexible endoscope or rigid ureteropyeloscope.
The bowel and beyond: the enteric nervous system in neurological disorders

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is large, complex and uniquely able to orchestrate gastrointestinal behaviour independently of the central nervous system (CNS). An intact ENS is essential for life and ENS dysfunction is often linked to digestive disorders. The part the ENS plays in neurological disorders, as a portal or participant, has also become increasingly evident. ENS structure and neurochemistry resemble that of the CNS, therefore pathogenic mechanisms that give rise to CNS disorders might also lead to ENS dysfunction, and nerves that interconnect the ENS and CNS can be conduits for disease spread. We review evidence for ENS dysfunction in the aetiopathogenesis of autism spectrum disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, Parkinson disease and Alzheimer disease. Animal models suggest that common pathophysiological mechanisms account for the frequency of gastrointestinal comorbidity in these conditions. Moreover, the neurotropic pathogen, varicella zoster virus (VZV), unexpectedly establishes latency in enteric and other autonomic neurons that do not innervate skin. VZV reactivation in these neurons produces no rash and is therefore a clandestine cause of gastrointestinal disease, meningitis and strokes. The gut-brain alliance has raised consciousness as a contributor to health, but a gut-brain axis that contributes to disease merits equal attention.
A comparison of real and simulated airborne hyperspectral imagery

Simulated remote sensing imagery can be very valuable for instrument design studies, analysis algorithm development and validation, and in verification of real image phenomenology. However, the question of simulation model validity and verification is important. This paper contributes to this topic by presenting a comprehensive comparison methodology between real and simulated hyperspectral imagery. SpecTIR acquired a real hyperspectral image including 360 bands spanning from 400 to 2450 nm, while the simulated one was generated with DIRSIG, an image generation tool developed by the Rochester Institute of Technology. This paper analyzes the image covariance matrix eigenstructure, and presents results for classification, unmixing and sub-pixel target detection. The comparison demonstrates that the simulated image captures the dominant characteristics of the real image.
Analyzing the stability of 256 APDs through leakage current and temperature monitoring in a 1 mm 3 resolution clinical PET system

A 1 1 mm3 resolution, high-sensitivity PET camera dedicated to breast imaging is being constructed with 4608 8×8 arrays of 1mm3 LYSO crystals, each coupled to a Position Sensitive Avalanche Photodiode (PSAPD). A subsection of the proposed camera with 256 PSAPDs in each head of the system has been constructed. The gain, as well as leakage current, of each of the PSAPDs shows a strong dependence on both bias voltage and temperature. To monitor these parameters, circuitry to measure leakage current from each of these PSAPDs using a single +5 V supply has been developed along with a USB-based communication protocol to display these values in quasi-real time within a Qt interface. A thermal regulation technique is also presented for the densely packed PSAPDs, along with a test for the long-term performance of this regulation scheme when the APDs are reversed biased at −1700V. Through the use of water-cooled heat sinks, and thermoelectric elements for thermal regulation, the temperature within the PSAPDs, as measured by a thermistor, is held to a range of 0.67 °C (between 18.20 °C and 18.87 °C) over a time period of 7.5 h under steady state operating conditions. This temperature change is smaller than the ambient temperature range of 0.94 °C (between 22.50 °C and 23.44 °C). During the same period, the total leakage current from 256 PSAPDs exhibits only a slight change of −0.206 13±0.000 25 µA h−1 (−0.296 06 ± 0.000 01 %/h) showing the system is capable of operating at a consistent level for long durations. The propagation of thermal changes within the camera head is also studied. Modules are arranged in rows of 16. Due to the edge placement of the cooling elements, an average delay of 183±11 s is measured for modules in the center of these rows compared to those at the edge for a change in the thermal regulation to take effect.
Configurations of Therapeutic Change

Analyses of variance and covariance as well as matched t tests were used to evaluate overall group changes in clinical case records and psychological test protocols. Within these overall group comparisons at Time 1 and Time 2, however, different individuals may change to varying degrees and in different directions on separate variables. While analyses of variance and t tests assess group effects over time, they evaluate only the relationship of change in different variables across individuals that are consistent within the total group. To the extent that different individuals may change to varying degrees and in different directions on separate variables, these different effects may cancel each other out and not be evident in various analyses of group effects. To examine possible patterns of change in different spheres of functioning within individuals, we correlated change on psychological test variables with change on the ratings of the clinical case records. In evaluating these correlations (or covariations) between change scores in different sets of variables, we sought to identify patterns of change as individuals progress or regress during the treatment process. Independent of the changes noted for total groups on separate variables, the correlation of change scores among different variables from independent sources permits us to examine whether there are particular configurations of variables that indicate both progressive and regressive change for different types of patients.
Nonlocal electrical detection of spin accumulation generated by anomalous Hall effect in mesoscopic N i 81 F e 19 films

Spin accumulation generated by the anomalous Hall effects (AHE) in mesoscopic ferromagnetic Ni81Fe19 (permalloy or Py) films is detected electrically by a nonlocal method. The reciprocal phenomenon, inverse spin Hall effects (ISHE), can also be generated and detected all-electrically in the same structure. For accurate quantitative analysis, a series of nonlocal AHE/ISHE structures and supplementary structures are fabricated on each sample substrate to account for statistical variations and to accurately determine all essential physical parameters in-situ. By exploring Py thicknesses of 4 nm, 8 nm, and 12 nm, the Py spin diffusion length {\lambda}_Py is found to be much shorter than the film thicknesses. The product of {\lambda}_Py and the Py spin Hall angle {\alpha}_SH is determined to be independent of thickness and resistivity: {\alpha}_SH*{\lambda}_Py= (0.066 +/- 0.009) nm at 5 K and (0.041 +/- 0.010) nm at 295 K. These values are comparable to those obtained from mesoscopic Pt films.
Associations of coffee consumption and caffeine intake with mammographic breast density.

Previous studies suggest that coffee and caffeine intake may be associated with reduced breast cancer risk. We investigated the association of coffee and caffeine intake with mammographic breast density by woman’s menopausal status and, in postmenopausal women, by hormone therapy (HT). This study included 4130 cancer-free women within the Nurses’ Health Study and Nurses’ Health Study II cohorts. Percent breast density (PD) was measured from digitized film mammograms using a computer-assisted thresholding technique and square root-transformed for the analysis. Average cumulative coffee/caffeine consumption was calculated using data from all food frequency questionnaires preceding the mammogram date. Information regarding breast cancer risk factors was obtained from questionnaires closest to the mammogram date. We used generalized linear regression to quantify associations of regular, decaffeinated, and total coffee, and energy-adjusted caffeine intake with percent density. In multivariable analyses, decaffeinated coffee was positively associated with PD in premenopausal women (2+ cups/day: β = 0.23, p trend = 0.03). In postmenopausal women, decaffeinated and total coffee were inversely associated with PD (decaffeinated 2+ cups/day: β = − 0.24, p trend = 0.04; total 4+ cups/day: β = − 0.16, p trend = 0.02). Interaction of decaffeinated coffee with menopausal status was significant (p-interaction < 0.001). Among current HT users, regular coffee and caffeine were inversely associated with PD (regular coffee 4+ cups/day: β = − 0.29, p trend = 0.01; caffeine 4th vs. 1st quartile: β = − 0.32, p trend = 0.01). Among past users, decaffeinated coffee was inversely associated with PD (2+ cups/day β = − 0.70, p trend = 0.02). Associations of decaffeinated coffee with percent density differ by woman’s menopausal status. Associations of regular coffee and caffeine with percent density may differ by HT status.
Direct Measurement of the Local Glass Transition in Self-Assembled Copolymers with Nanometer Resolution

Nanoscale compositional heterogeneity in block copolymers can impart synergistic property combinations, such as stiffness and toughness. However, until now, there has been no experimental method to locally probe the dynamics at a specific location within these structured materials. Here, this was achieved by incorporating pyrene-bearing monomers at specific locations along the polymer chain, allowing the labeled monomers’ local environment to be interrogated via fluorescence. In lamellar-forming poly(butyl methacrylate-b-methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers, a strong gradient in glass transition temperature, Tg, of the higher-Tg block, 42 K over 4 nm, was mapped with nanometer resolution. These measurements also revealed a strongly asymmetric influence of the domain interface on Tg, with a much smaller dynamic gradient being observed for the lower-Tg block.
Johns, Derrida, and Sartre: Reading the Metaphysics of Racism

If Dewey’s warning that teaching demands one psychologize the material (that is, connect curriculum to the student’s “own past doings, thinkings, and sufferings”), then attempts at multicultural education must first read and decipher the racist text of the student’s lived experience. Toward that end, selected work of the artist Jasper Johns and of the philosophers Jean-Paul Sartre and Jacques Derrida is used to psychologize the language of racism and to ground an interventionist model. The intent is to expose the invisible palpability of racism as a metaphysical principle that directs cultural life. The sources used are Derrida’s, “Racism’s Last Word,” Sartre’s, Anti-Semite and Jew, and Johns’s piece entitled, “Flag.” Although the contexts vary, the aim of changing perception is common. The model that emerges is described as the aesthetics of difference.
Changes in Outpatient Use of Antibiotics by Adults in the United States, 2006–2015

Numerous initiatives over the past decade have targeted the problem of antibiotic overuse in the US; however, the cumulative impact of such initiatives upon recent patterns of use is not known. The aims of this study were to (1) describe general trends in outpatient antibiotic use among adults over the period 2006–2015; and (2) identify rapid shifts in use during this time period as potential indicators for key events. This was an observational study set in the ambulatory setting. Patients ≥ 18 years of age were selected from the Optum Clinformatics Datamart™, a commercial insurance claims database. The outcome measures of interest were prescriptions filled/1000 enrolled individuals, by year or quarter. We used linear regression to identify trends in use over multiple years, and change-point regression to identify rapid shifts in use within individual years. From 2006 to 2015, antibiotic use declined significantly, decreasing by 12% for adults younger than 65 years of age (913–807 prescriptions/1000 individuals, p = 0.0001) and by 5% for adults ≥ 65 years of age (991–943 prescriptions/1000 individuals, p = 0.018). With change-point regression, we identified a number of rapid shifts in the use of specific antibiotic classes, such as downward shifts in the use of quinolones and macrolides during the second quarter of 2008 and 2013, respectively. Over the period 2006–2015 outpatient use of antibiotics decreased substantially among adults. Rapid shifts in use occurring in 2008 and 2013 may reflect the presence of key drivers of change, such as abrupt changes in access to care or perceived antibiotic safety.
Outcome of Treatment

Despite the availability of chemotherapeutic agents capable of sterilizing endocardial vegetations, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a disease with a high mortality. How high depends on the location of the infection, the nature of the infecting microorganism, and the expertness with which the major cause of death, valve destruction, is recognized and treated surgically.
Relation between ac Josephson effect and double-well Bose-Einstein-condensate oscillations

In this article we comment on the relation between the ac Josephson effect and the coherent oscillations of a Bose-Einstein condensate confined to a double-well potential. The goal is to elucidate the extent to which the latter is a realization of the former. We detail the correspondence between the two oscillation frequencies, that emerges in the high occupation limit of the double-well potential. We show that in the latter thermodynamic limit the effective one-particle interwell coupling vanishes with the system size, leading to oscillation frequency that depends only on the interwell imbalance, consistent with the ac Josephson effect frequency.
ENTROPY OF TRANSFORMED FINITE-STATE AUTOMATA AND ASSOCIATED LANGUAGES

This chapter focuses on the entropy of transformed finite-state automata and associated languages. This transformation replaces a transition between two states of the original automaton by the transitions of an automaton of simple structure. In terms of language theory, this transformation is equivalent to a language-preserving function called substitution or homomorphism. While defining the entropy of finite-state automata and associated languages, it is obvious to ask for the change in the entropy caused by applying the S transformation. S transformation, transforming M into M (0,…,0, r ) generalizes two transformations r = 1 yields the η k transformation, while k = 1 yields the η r transformation. Hence, a homomorphism, mapping each symbol on a word consisting of k symbols, diminishes the entropy H M of the original language to the k th part, k -1 HM.
Vertex sliding drives intercalation by radial coupling of adhesion and actomyosin networks during Drosophila germband extension

Cells need to come together to form tissues of different shapes and sizes. Cells can move about in different ways to shape the tissues. For example, a process called cell intercalation is vital for creating elongated structures like the spinal cord and inner ear. In intercalation, a cell slots itself between neighboring cells to lengthen tissues in one direction. Most of the work to understand cell intercalation has examined the interfaces that form between two neighboring cells. But there are points called vertices where three cells make contact with each other. Vanderleest, Smits et al. have now used microscopy and computational analysis to examine these contact points, known as vertices, in fruit flies. It was thought that vertices that are connected by a single interface coordinate how they move. However, Vanderleest, Smits et al. now show that these connected vertices move independently of each other. Instead, the movements of unconnected vertices on opposite sides of the cell show coordination. Vanderleest, Smits et al. also found that two proteins build up at the vertices in the early stages of intercalation. One of these, called E-cadherin, enables cells to stick to each other. The other protein, called Myosin II, helps E-cadherin to localize to the vertices and also enables cells to contract. These results suggest that the vertices help to guide intercalation and changes in cell shape. Tracking the vertices over time revealed that they slide around the surface of the cells. During this sliding the total length of the interfaces that meet at the vertex remains the same – so as one becomes shorter, neighboring interfaces will become longer. This creates a zipper-like movement of the vertices that tugs the cells into line and suggests a new mechanism by which interconnected cells can change shape. Future work will focus on identifying the molecules that specify these unique vertex behaviors.
Addressing Fertility in Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Patients: A Descriptive Study.

Purpose: Adolescents and young adults (AYA) undergoing cancer therapy may be at risk for infertility as a consequence of their treatment and should be informed of their risk of infertility and refe...
Electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical polymerization with dithiocarbamates as alkyl pseudohalides

Electrochemically mediated atom transfer radical polymerizations (ATRPs) provide well‐defined polymers with designed dispersity as well as under external temporal and spatial control. In this study, 1‐cyano‐1‐methylethyl diethyldithiocarbamate, typically used as chain‐transfer agent (CTA) in reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, was electrochemically activated by the ATRP catalyst Cuᴵ/2,2′‐bipyridine (bpy) to control the polymerization of methyl methacrylate. Mechanistic study showed that this polymerization was mainly controlled by the ATRP equilibrium. The effect of applied potential, catalyst counterion, catalyst concentration, and targeted degree of polymerization were investigated. The chain‐end functionality was preserved as demonstrated by chain extension of poly(methyl methacrylate) with n‐butyl methacrylate and styrene. This electrochemical ATRP procedure confirms that RAFT CTAs can be activated by an electrochemical stimulus. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2019, 57, 376–381
MP49-19 RACIAL DISPARITIES BETWEEN BLACK AND WHITE MEN WITH TESTICULAR CANCER

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Racial disparities among black and white men have been established in several urological malignancies including prostate and renal cancer. The purpose of this study is t...
Bioinspired water collection methods to supplement water supply

Fresh water sustains human life and is vital for human health. Water scarcity affects more than 40 of the global population and is projected to rise. For some of the poorest countries, 1 in 10 peop...
Comparing multiple measures of physical activity in African-American adults

Objectives: We assessed the agreement between self-reported and accelerometer-assessed physical activity (PA) in African-American adults by sex, education, income, and weight status. Methods: Participants (N = 274) completed the International PA Questionnaire short form (IPAQS), Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) PA questions, and PA Questionnaire (PAQ) and a 7-day accelerometer protocol using a waist-worn ActiGraph GT3X accelerometer. Interrelationships among PA measures were assessed by sociodemographics. Results: Participants consistently reported doing ≥150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) per week via self-report measures and did 113.5±179.4 minutes of accelerometer-assessed MVPA/week. Men self-reported and did more MVPA than women (p < .01). Regardless of sex, there were low correlations between self-report and accelerometer-assessed MVPA (r = .092-.190). Poor agreement existed between self-report and accelerometry for classifying participants as meeting PA recommendations (Cohen κ = .054-.136); only half of the participants were classified the same by both self-report and accelerometry. Conclusions: There was generally poor relative agreement between self-report and accelerometer-based assessments of MVPA in this sample of African-American adults. Findings suggest that self-report measures may perform better among African-American women than men, regardless of socioeconomic or weight status.
Generic Processing Of SAR Complex Data Using the SICD Standard in Matlab

The number of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) sensors and associated data formats is increasing slowly now but will soon multiply. While the specifics of how these SAR systems collect, process and format their data will be different in detail, it is desirable to analyze their data in a common, agnostic, way. This desire is frequently confounded by the fact that SAR data from different sources are often provided in vastly different formats and conventions for expressing supporting metadata. This paper presents an open source MATLAB framework for reading, writing and analyzing SAR complex imagery that is consistent across a wide variety of SAR systems. This is achieved by casting their data into a Sensor Independent Complex Data (SICD) format. The underlying motivation for this approach is the realization that the geophysical information content of SAR complex image data far outstrips that afforded by real-valued pixel imagery and should be used to best advantage.
Social language opportunities for preschoolers with autism: Insights from audio recordings in urban classrooms:

Many children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder who receive early intervention reap developmental benefits, but little is known about characteristics of early intervention placements in the c...
Building New Models: Rethinking and Revising ODE Model Assumptions

Ordinary Differential Equation (ODE) models are ubiquitous throughout the sciences, and form the backbone of the branch of mathematics known as applied dynamical systems. However, despite their utility and their analytical and computational tractability, modelers must make certain simplifying assumptions when modeling a system using ODEs. Relaxing (or otherwise changing) these assumptions may lead to the derivation of new ODE or non-ODE models and sometimes these new models can yield results that differ meaningfully in the context of a given application. The goal of this chapter is to explore some approaches to relaxing these ODE model assumptions to derive models which can then be analyzed in ways that parallel or build upon an existing ODE model analysis. To accomplish this, the first part of this chapter (Sect. 2) reviews some common methods for the application and analysis of ODE models. The next section (Sect. 3) explores various ways of deriving new models by modifying the assumptions of existing ODE models. This allows investigators to explore the extent to which ODE model results are robust to changes in model assumptions, and to answer questions that are better addressed using non-ODE models. The last part of this chapter suggests a few specific project ideas (Sect. 4) and encourages undergraduate researchers to share their results through presentations and publications (Sect. 5).
“Real Presence”: Commentary on Session XVIII

“Real Presence,” the eighteenth chapter of Lacan’s Seminar VIII Transference, focuses on the function of the symbolic phallus, or Φ, and on its role in obsessional neurosis. This commentary elucidates what Lacan means by Φ as real presence and how the obsessive defends against it.
Attitudes Toward LGBT Marriage and Legal Protections Post-Obergefell

Over the last 40 years, there has been a cultural shift in attitudes toward same-sex marriage in the USA. While there has been a great deal of focus on attitudes toward same-sex marriage, there is less research on attitudes toward LGBT discrimination and legal protections against discrimination, especially post-Obergefell. This study uses data from the American Values Survey conducted in November 2015 and state-level data on LGBTQ equality to examine attitudes toward same-sex marriage and LGBT protections post-Obergefell. Attitudes are generally supportive of LGBT rights though a substantial minority (about 40%) of American adults favor the rights of small businesses to discriminate against LGBT individuals. Those who hold more favorable opinions of Trump are significantly less likely to favor same-sex marriage and LGBT protections against discrimination and more likely to favor exceptions for small business owners than those with unfavorable opinions of Trump. Those living in states that have higher LGBTQ equality rankings are significantly more favorable toward same-sex marriage and legal protections. While we have seen extraordinary change with Obergefell and piecemeal change with state laws around LGBT protections, it is important to be cognizant of the political and social landscape when trying to understand current US public opinions toward same-sex marriage and LGBT protections.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa necrotizing bronchopneumonia.

ABSTRACT Extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants are at particularly high risk for infection due to an immature immune system, invasive procedures such as endotracheal intubation, intravascular catheterization, and other factors. Neonatal infections in this population are associated with a high mortality, poor growth, and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) infection is an uncommon but potentially devastating cause of pneumonia and sepsis in the ELBW population. P. aeruginosa is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections (HAI) or nosocomial infections. P. aeruginosa can perceive unfavorable environmental changes and orchestrate adaptations by developing plasmid-mediated and adaptive resistance to antibiotics. We describe an ELBW infant born at 26 weeks’ gestation who succumbed at 13 days of life to P. aeruginosa infection. Some of the factors related to the pathogenesis and multidrug resistance are described.
The Role of the feedlot veterinarian

The veterinary profession stands ready to provide service where the demand is, but it has been remarkably reluctant to promote demand or to educate prospective clients on their own responsibilities toward realization of the potential in veterinary medicine. There is nowhere a more significant potential client than the custom feedlot will be as soon as the various cattle feeders insist that it assume real responsibility for the health of its wards. The large feedlots owning their own cattle are pioneering the utilization of professional veterinary medicine and once their results become the goal of the industry, the demand for veterinarians will again rock the profession. With over half the industry’s multimillion dollar loss from death and chronic poor health following treatment directly attributable to laryngo-pharyngeal trauma, peritonitis, abscesses and foreign body pneumonia produced by inexpert techniques or grossly careless sanitation, there may even be a realization of the need for at least close professional supervision at the treatment chutes. A very real danger lies in the inadequacy of the profession to meet this challenge again, without deliberate anticipation and action.
Influence of Micro- and Crystalline-Scale Properties on the Fracture of Silica Sand Particles Using 3D Finite-Element Analysis

Abstract Particle fracture significantly influences the constitutive behavior of sands and impacts many geotechnical engineering applications, such as hydraulic fracturing, pile driving, blast load...
The impact of neutron irradiation, graphite oxidation and fluorination on tritium uptake into and desorption from graphite in molten salt environments

Abstract Tritium management is necessary in both fission and fusion nuclear reactors. In fusion reactors, tritium is a fuel that needs to be produced in breeding blankets. For fission reactors, and especially Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors (FHRs) and Molten Salt Reactors (MSRs), tritium is a contaminant to be separated and removed. The current literature on high-temperature hydrogen-graphite interactions is generated predominantly by the fusion research community and does not yet cover the low-pressure interval of relevance for FHRs and MSRs. Predictions of graphite uptake capacities and uptake rates at FHR conditions of few Pa partial pressure can only be performed using extrapolations. In order to make reliable extrapolations from the available data, the impact of phenomena that take place during operation and accident scenarios, such as neutron irradiation, air oxidation and reactions with molten fluoride salts must be accounted for. This article provides a summary of hydrogen-graphite thermodynamics and kinetics of interaction and discusses the effects of irradiation, air oxidation and fluorination on uptake capacities, uptake and desorption kinetics. We find that all three phenomena increase uptake capacities in graphite. Neutron irradiation and reactions with fluoride salts are expected to reduce tritium uptake rate, while oxidation is expected to increase it. In all three cases, the changes are more pronounced at low tritium partial pressures.
Evaluating U.S. gamers’ metacognitions about digital entertainment: Validation of Metacognition about Online Gaming Scale in the U.S. context

Online gaming has become an important practice for several audiences in the last decade. Video games like Fortnite and League of Legends are played by millions of people daily, raising concerns about both addiction and disruptive attitudes. Several analytical instruments have been deployed for exploring this phenomenon, including the Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale (MOGS). MOGS measures the role of metacognitions toward online gaming, echoing the increasing importance of such a construct in media consumption and perception. This article presents the highlights of a study involving 690 American gamers aimed at two purposes. First, the MOGS was validated for with U.S. gamers, who represent a leading niche in the current digital entertainment and were not involved with the original MOGS development. Second, the three subscales of MOGS were analyzed as mediators of the relationship between hours spent playing online gaming and Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD). The results from Confirmatory Factor Analysis suggested the MOGS has promising reliability and validity for use with U.S. gamers. The results also indicated that three subscales of the MOGS partially mediated the relationship between hours spent on playing online gaming and Internet Gaming Disorder.
Temporally distinct post-replicative repair mechanisms fill PRIMPOL-dependent ssDNA gaps in human cells

PRIMPOL repriming allows DNA replication to skip DNA lesions, leading to ssDNA gaps. These gaps must be filled to preserve genome stability. Using a DNA fiber approach to directly monitor gap filling, we studied the post-replicative mechanisms that fill the ssDNA gaps generated in cisplatin-treated cells upon increased PRIMPOL expression or when replication fork reversal is defective because of SMARCAL1 inactivation or PARP inhibition. We found that a mechanism dependent on the E3 ubiquitin ligase RAD18, PCNA monoubiquitination, and the REV1 and POLζ translesion synthesis polymerases promotes gap filling in G2. The E2-conjugating enzyme UBC13, the RAD51 recombinase, and REV1-POLζ are instead responsible for gap filling in S, suggesting that temporally distinct pathways of gap filling operate throughout the cell cycle. Furthermore, we found that BRCA1 and BRCA2 promote gap filling by limiting MRE11 activity and that simultaneously targeting fork reversal and gap filling enhances chemosensitivity in BRCA-deficient cells.
Complicated Corneal and Scleral Rupture

Complicated corneal and scleral injuries have been shown to be a significant proportion of annual emergency room visits worldwide. In this chapter, the types and definitions of these injuries were described. Furthermore, important clinical signs, examinations, diagnosis of these complicated ocular injuries, as well as their management and postoperative complications, were discussed in detail.
The effects of methamphetamine on serotonin transporter activity: role of dopamine and hyperthermia

Multiple administrations of methamphetamine (METH) rapidly decreased serotonin (5HT) transporter (SERT) function in rat striatum and hippocampus. The purpose of this study was to identify the mechanisms/ factors contributing to this METH-induced decrease in SERT function. Multiple high-dose METH injections rapidly decreased 5HT uptake without altering binding of the 5HT transporter ligand paroxetine. Hyperthermia contributed to this deficit in transporter function in striatum and hippocampus, as prevention of METH-induced hyperthermia attenuated this decrease. A role for dopamine (DA) was suggested by findings that pretreatment with the tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, the D1 antagonist SCH-23390, or the D2 antagonist eticlopride attenuated the METH-induced decrease in striatal, but not hippocampal, SERT activity. These effects were independent of the ability of these DA-antagonizing drugs to prevent METH-induced hyperthermia. These results suggest that DA contributes to the decrease in SERT function caused by multiple METH injections in the striatum, but not hippocampus, and that hyperthermia facilitates these deficits in SERT function in both brain regions. In contrast, the response of SERT to a single administration of METH was DA and hyperthermia independent. These findings suggest that the mechanisms/ factors involved in decreasing SERT activity after a single administration of METH are distinct from that caused by multiple administrations.
An ontology-guided approach to change detection of the semantic web data

To achieve improved availability and performance, often, local copies of remote data from autonomous sources are maintained. Web search engines are the primary examples of such services. Increasingly, these services are utilizing the Semantic Web as it is often envisioned as a machine-interpretable web. In order to keep the local repositories current, it is essential to synchronize their content with that of their original sources. Change detection is the first step to accomplish this. It is essential to have efficient change detection mechanisms as the size of the local repositories is often very large. In this paper, we present an approach that exploits the semantic relationships among the concepts in guiding the change detection process. Given changes to some seed instances, a reasoning engine fires a set of pre-defined rules to characterize the profile of the changed target instances. In addition to change detection, our proposed semantics-based approach of utilizing semantic associations can be utilized in other applications such as guiding information discovery for agents, consistency maintenance among distributed information sources, among others.
Hydranencephaly in a newborn with a FLVCR2 mutation and prenatal exposure to cocaine.

Background Hydranencephaly is a relatively rare but severe structural brain abnormality that often results in perinatal death. Although several factors including infection and multiple births have been reported to be associated with this birth defect, the underlying etiology is not well understood. Recently, FLVCR2 gene mutations have been implicated in a subset of hydranencephaly cases, following an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance. Case We report a male infant with hydranencephaly found to have a previously unreported six amino acid deletion in one copy of the FLVCR2 gene following a pregnancy complicated by poor prenatal care and maternal cocaine use. Although our patient currently presents with developmental delays, he is showing progress and gaining some skills. Conclusion We discuss the possibility of a synergistic effect between the FLVCR2 genetic mutation and environmental cocaine exposure, creating a susceptible brain, as an explanation for this infant's phenotype. This case demonstrates the potential clinical utility of testing for mutations in FLVCR2 for patients with hydranencephaly after other possible etiologies, such as congenital infection, have been reasonably eliminated. Current literature on FLVCR2 is relatively sparse; identifying additional patients with similar mutations will aid in defining the clinical significance of a gene mutation and the contribution to the etiology of hydranencephaly. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 103:45–50, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evolution of a channel meander on the Mississippi deep-sea fan

Abstract A continuous, meandering, leveed submarine channel cuts across the Mississippi Fan from the continental slope to the abyssal plain. The channel axis is underlain by a series of flat-lying, high-amplitude seismic reflectors which are interpreted as coarse sediments deposited while the channel was an active conduit for turbidity currents. A detailed watergun seismic reflection survey of one meander has revealed that the high-amplitude reflectors migrate laterally upsection, indicating that the channel axis position has shifted over time. The sense of this shift is such that the meander planform has evolved towards increasing sinuosity. At the same time, the meander as a whole has migrated downfan. Analogy with fluvial meander growth processes suggests that the observed increase in Mississippi Fan channel meander sinuosity could be a temporary oscillation about a steady-state equilibrium planform. Alternatively, it could be evidence of an overall increase in sinuosity throughout the channel system in response to a changing sediment load.
SILVER: simplifying video editing with metadata

Digital video is becoming increasingly ubiquitous. However, editing video remains difficult for several reasons: it is a time-based medium, it has dual tracks of audio and video, and current tools force users to work at the smallest level of detail. Based on interviews with professional video editors, we developed a video editor, called Silver, that uses metadata to make digital video editing more accessible to novices. To help users visualize video, Silver provides multiple views with different semantic content and at different levels of abstraction, including storyboard, editable transcript, and timeline views. Silver offers smart editing operations that help users resolve the inconsistencies that arise because of the different boundaries in audio and video.
Timing Analysis and Performance Improvement of MOS VLSI Designs

TV is a MOS VLSI switch-level timing verifier. It has built-in direction-finding through pass transistors to minimize the number of false paths found, and has knowledge of clocking disciplines to increase the usefulness of timing analysis for chips with several clock phases. TV can find several distinct critical paths at once by using a modified breadth-first search, so that the number of runs of the timing verifier is reduced over systems providing single or multiple equivalent paths. It can analyze circuits with 40.000 transistors in under 30 min of VAX 11/780 CPU time. The IA is TV's novel interactive timing advisor that provides incremental timing analysis. The IA can compute the effects of small design changes in circuits with 100 000 transistors using only seconds of CPU time. The IA Autopilot can propose and evaluate its own design changes.
Evaluation of subgrid-scale models using an accurately simulated turbulent flow

A calculation of periodic homogeneous isotropic turbulence is used to simulate the experimental decay of grid turbulence. The calculation is found to match the experiment in a number of important aspects and the computed flow field is then treated as a realization of a physical turbulent flow. From this flow, a calculation is conducted of the large eddy field and the various averages of the subgrid-scale turbulence that occur in the large eddy simulation equations. These quantities are compared with the predictions of the models that are usually applied in large eddy simulation. The results show that the terms which involve the large-scale field are accurately modeled but the subgrid-scale Reynolds stresses are only moderately well modeled. It is also possible to use the method to predict the constants of the models without reference to experiment. Attempts to find improved models have not met with success.
Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and PET/computed tomography imaging characteristics of thyroid lymphoma and their potential clinical utility

Background: A relative paucity of data exists in the literature with regard to the utility of fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging in the clinical management of patients with primary lymphoma of the thyroid gland (PTL).Purpose: To explore the FDG-PET imaging characteristics and their potential role in PTL, and to compare the results with anatomical imaging modalities.Material and Methods: Patients with thyroid lymphoma who had undergone whole-body FDG-PET or PET/computed tomography (CT) during their course of the disease were identified by examination of case records. PET scans were reevaluated, and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) was calculated and used as the semiquantitative measure of FDG uptake for this analysis. CT and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies carried out within 1 week of FDG-PET scan and without any therapeutic intervention between the two studies were considered for the purpose of comparison. A total of six patients with 20 studies (14 FDG...
Methane production by soils from different Louisiana marsh vegetation types

This study evaluated quantitative indices (soil organic matter, tabile C, and sulfate concentrations) correlated with methane production rates along related vegetation and salinity gradients in the Louisiana coastal marsh region. Expressed on a soil dry mass basis, soil labile C was the variable most closely correlated with CH4 production rates (R2=0.69). Expressed on a surface area basis, labile C and SO4 2− were both significantly correlated with CH4 production rates (R2=0.36). Lower CH4 production rates in saline marshes were attributed to higher SO4 2− content per unit area. This effect was confounded with the effect of plant species changes along the salinity gradient. Soils underSpartina patens produced less CH4 if collected from brackish marshes than from less saline intermediate marshes. Thus, variation in CH4 production across the broader gradient was not a result of plant species changes alone. Laboratory production data such as this can be useful in designing sampling schemes for future studies of field CH4 emissions.
Seasonal and crop effects on soil loss and rainfall retention probabilities : an example from the U.S. southern Piedmont

Soil loss from and rainfall retention on cropland during individual seasons vary from year to year. To quantify this variability for evaluation of soil and water related risks for different seasons and crops, probability distributions of soil loss and rain water retention are needed. In this study, probability distributions of soil loss and rainfall retention rates were computed using rainfall, runoff, and soil loss data from three field watersheds with Cecil-Pacolet soil (Typic Hapludults) in the Southern Piedmont of the United States. Long-term (34-year) rainfall records from a nearby gage were included in the computations. Resulting probability distributions were compared to evaluate risks of soil loss and low rainfall retention for different seasons and crops. Risks due to watershed differences in slope and in terrace and waterway conservation practices were also compared. These comparisons showed that soil loss risks are greater for the summer than for the winter crop season and greater for soybean (Glycine max. L. Merr.) than for corn (Zea mays L.). Considerable soil loss risk reduction was also observed for watersheds with less land slope and with terrace and grassed waterway installation. Risk of low rainfall retention was found to be less for the winter crop season than for the summer season. Rainfall retention risks for the winter crop season appeared to be unaffected by crop and watershed differences. For the summer crop season, however, risk of low rainfall retention was observed to be slightly higher for soybean than for corn and slightly lower for fields with terraces, grassed waterways, and lesser slopes. Soil loss and rainfall retention risks computed in this study can be coupled with economic costs for crop production and conservation planning.
Crystal Structure of the Complex of Diphtheria Toxin with an Extracellular Fragment of Its Receptor

We describe the crystal structure at 2.65 A resolution of diphtheria toxin (DT) complexed 1:1 with a fragment of its cell-surface receptor, the precursor of heparin-binding epidermal-growth-factor-like growth factor (HBEGF). HBEGF in the complex has the typical EGF-like fold and packs its principal beta hairpin against the face of a beta sheet in the receptor-binding domain of DT. The interface has a predominantly hydrophobic core, and polar interactions are formed at the periphery. The structure of the complex suggests that part of the membrane anchor of the receptor can interact with a hinge region of DT. The toxin molecule is thereby induced to form an open conformation conducive to membrane insertion. The structure provides a basis for altering the binding specificity of the toxin, and may also serve as a model for other EGF-receptor interactions.
Two functionally distinct steps mediate high affinity binding of U1A protein to U1 hairpin II RNA.

Binding of the U1A protein to its RNA target U1 hairpin II has been extensively studied as a model for a high affinity RNA/protein interaction. However, the mechanism and kinetics by which this complex is formed remain largely unknown. Here we use real-time biomolecular interaction analysis to dissect the roles various protein and RNA structural elements play in the formation of the U1A.U1 hairpin II complex. We show that neutralization of positive charges on the protein or increasing the salt concentration slows the association rate, suggesting that electrostatic interactions play an important role in bringing RNA and protein together. In contrast, removal of hydrogen bonding or stacking interactions within the RNA/protein interface, or reducing the size of the RNA loop, dramatically destabilizes the complex, as seen by a strong increase in the dissociation rate. Our data support a binding mechanism consisting of a rapid initial association based on electrostatic interactions and a subsequent locking step based on close-range interactions that occur during the induced fit of RNA and protein. Remarkably, these two steps can be clearly distinguished using U1A mutants containing single amino acid substitutions. Our observations explain the extraordinary affinity of U1A for its target and may suggest a general mechanism for high affinity RNA/protein interactions.