cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Periostitis and hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy: report of 2 cases and review of the literature.

Objectives To demonstrate the clinical spectrum of hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA). Methods We report 2 cases of HOA and performed a computer-assisted search of Medline/PubMed for the medical literature from 1960 to June 2008 using the keywords HOA, periostitis, and clubbing. These were also combined with the text words cancer, rheumatic disease, etiology, pathogenesis, hypothesis, transplant, and treatment. Only the English language literature, with pertinent information, was included. Results Our 2 cases include 1 HOA case with clubbing, in a patient with a right to left shunt from cryptogenic cirrhosis and interstitial lung disease, and 1 HOA case without apparent clubbing, in a patient with chronic lung transplant rejection secondary to tobacco smoking and related emphysema. Review of the literature has shown that HOA is associated with a wide variety of disorders, approximately 80% are found with primary or metastatic pulmonary malignancies. Various rheumatic diseases, such as systemic vasculitis, can also be associated with HOA. With respect to the pathogenesis, vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and platelets may play crucial roles. Therapeutically, bisphosphonates, such as pamidronade or octreotide, may be tried to relieve symptoms in refractory cases. Conclusions HOA, especially periostitis without clubbing, may go unrecognized. Involvement of vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, and platelets in the pathogenesis of HOA has been postulated and supported by recent data. HOA may present as a partial syndrome without clubbing and about 20% of cases have HOA without detectable malignancy. One of our cases represents the first report of the association of HOA with lung transplantation.
Toward Data Standards for Clinical Nursing Information

Objective : Develop standard terms and codes for recording nursing care information in patient records to permit relevant data to be abstracted into a shared database for effectiveness research. Design : A collaborative effort by the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and the University Hospital Consortium to develop a set of terms to represent specific examples of nursing diagnoses/patient care problems, nursing interventions/patient care activities, and patient outcomes. Terms found in standards of care are being compiled, classified, and coded. Results : Standard terminology and codes have been developed for 209 nursing diagnoses/patient care problems, 122 expected patient outcomes, and 545 interventions/patient care activities. The terms come from five nursing units in one hospital and from two units in a second hospital. Preliminary findings suggest that in the specialty areas for which terms have been developed, the terms are adequate to capture these types of nursing data in the patient record.
A new paradigm for a new field: Communicating representations of engineering education research

Based on a three-year experience of developing, facilitating, and assessing NSF-funded workshops on Rigorous Research in Engineering Education (RREE), the authors present four representations of engineering education scholarly work in the United States, specifically teaching and research. Many of the representations describe the relationships between engineering research, education research, teaching, and assessment. For each of the representations, assessment data are presented to evaluate which aspects resonated with workshop participants and which needed to be changed for wide acceptance by a U.S. engineering education audience. It was found that participants preferred continua to dichotomy and were more receptive to models that were introduced inductively through active learning exercises. Lessons learned, implications for the field, and future plans for further development of the paradigm are also included.
Osmosis: scalable delivery of real-time streaming media in ad-hoc overlay networks

Ad-hoc overlay networks are increasingly used for sharing static bulk content but their promise for scaling the delivery of on-demand, real-time content is yet to be tapped. In this paper, we show that overlay networks could be used efficiently to distribute popular real-time streaming media on-demand to a large number of clients. We propose and evaluate OSMOSIS a cache-and-relay end-system multicast approach, whereby a client joining a multicast session caches the stream, and if needed, relays that stream to neighboring clients which may join the multicast session at some later time. OSCMOSIS is fully distributed, scalable, and efficient in terms of network link costs. We present analytical and empirical results of our evaluation of OSMOSIS. Our analysis establishes OSMOSIS scalability characteristics under a variety of assumptions. Our simulations are over large, synthetic random networks, power-law degree networks, and small-world networks (all of which could well be representative of ad-hoc overlay topologies, as well as over large real router-level Internet maps.
Functional interplay between histone H1 and HMG proteins in chromatin

The dynamic interaction of nucleosome binding proteins with their chromatin targets is an important element in regulating the structure and function of chromatin. Histone H1 variants and High Mobility Group (HMG) proteins are ubiquitously expressed in all vertebrate cells, bind dynamically to chromatin, and are known to affect chromatin condensation and the ability of regulatory factors to access their genomic binding sites. Here, we review the studies that focus on the interactions between H1 and HMGs and highlight the functional consequences of the interplay between these architectural chromatin binding proteins. H1 and HMG proteins are mobile molecules that bind to nucleosomes as members of a dynamic protein network. All HMGs compete with H1 for chromatin binding sites, in a dose dependent fashion, but each HMG family has specific effects on the interaction of H1 with chromatin. The interplay between H1 and HMGs affects chromatin organization and plays a role in epigenetic regulation.
IMPACTS OF LAND USE ON NUTRIENT DISTRIBUTION AND VEGETATION COMPOSITION OF FRESHWATER WETLANDS IN NORTHERN BELIZE

Abstract The coastal plain of northern Belize consists of relatively undisturbed freshwater marshes that are strongly phosphorus-limited and characterized by monodominant stands or mixtures of emergent macrophytes. In order to assess the impact of agricultural activities on the nutrient dynamics and plant species composition in adjacent wetlands, we sampled along transects in 40 marshes—20 located downslope from agricultural fields and 20 bordered by scrub or broadleaf forest. Soil, water, and plant tissue samples were collected for nutrient analyses, and plant species composition was recorded at points along transects during both the wet and dry seasons. Marshes downslope from agricultural activity had significantly greater percent cover of Typha domingensis, a competitive dominant in the system (20% vs. 6%) and significantly more soil phosphorus (128–144 μg*cm−3) than marshes bordered by forest (70–98 μg*cm−3). Plant tissue P content was positively correlated with soil P content but not with soil N for ...
The effects of lectins on the interaction between macrophages and bone in vitro. A morphological and functional study.

Recent studies have demonstrated that the attachment of elicited rat macrophages to bone is mediated by specific saccharides located on the cell and/or bone surfaces. We have used a macrophage-bone culture system to study the effects of two lectins, concanavalin A (con A) and soybean agglutinin (SBA), on the morphology of macrophage attachment to a devitalized bone surface and subsequent functional activity. Macrophages were obtained from 3- to 4-week-old rats by peritoneal lavage and the adherent pool was used to prepare cell suspensions. Con A-treated, SBA-treated or control cell suspensions were aliquoted onto the endocranial surface of devitalized rat calvariae. The cells were allowed to attach for 1 h at 37° C, after which, the bone samples were removed from culture and prepared for scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of con A-treated macrophages attached to bone was markedly different from that of control or SBA-treated cells. Con A altered the attachment and subsequent spreading of macrophages on bone as visualized by SEM. Furthermore, the number of con A-treated cells that attached to bone and the average surface area of cell membrane apposed to the matrix was significantly different from that of control or SBA-treated cells. A 45Ca bone-release assay was performed to evaluate the functional significance of the morphological findings. Lectin-treated or control cell suspensions were allowed to attach to the endocranial surface of 45Ca pre-labeled calvariae for 1 h. Following attachment, the samples were cultured for 72 h. The con A-treated cultures demonstrated a significant decrease in the release of 45Ca after 48 and 72 h in comparison to control cultures, while the 45Ca released from SBA-treated cultures did not differ significantly from controls. These results suggest that certain sugar residues common to membrane-associated glycoconjugates and the organic component of the bone matrix regulate the attachment of macrophages to bone and their subsequent bone-resorbing activity.
Effect of Reduced Glutathione on Erythrocyte Lipid

SummaryThe data presented herein demonstrate that as normal cells incubated with GSH assume in vitro lytic features usually considered typical of PNH erythrocytes, they also lyse excessively and form greater than normal quantities of lipid peroxides when incubated with H2O2. The results suggest that GSH in creating the PNH-like cell ultimately affects erythrocyte lipid. These observations are consistent with our hypothesis that peroxidation of red cell lipid may be involved in the PNH corpuscular lesion.
The history of the use and effectiveness of instream structures in the United States

The use of instream structures, devices designed to improve fi sh habitat, began as early as 1880 in the United States and continues today. The practice of stream improvement was partially motivated by the desire to compensate for overfi shing problems. Many of the practices that involve the use of instream structures emerged during a time period when scientifi c-management principles offered the hope that humans could eliminate perceived ineffi ciencies and increase biological productivity in natural systems. Decades later, modern criteria of instream structures trace many of their details of design to experimental devices employed in the 1920s and 1930s. However, problems with the use of many styles were noted soon after they were fi rst deployed, and many of these troubles persist today. Dams can be undermined and outfl anked by fl ows. Defl ectors disrupt the bed and hamper the development of food organisms. Finally, cover structures suffer from siltation problems and longterm decay, which renders the devices useless. The best possible long-term solution to improved health of riverine fi sheries may be to avoid the use of static engineering structures when possible and focus on reforestation and erosion control in the watersheds. Even this recommendation dates back over 65 years to the period when the use of instream structures fi rst began to fl ourish in the United States.
Some effects of desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline on the schedule-controlled behavior of pigeons and rats.

The effects of desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline on schedule-controlled behavior of pigeons and rats were examined. Pigeons responded under either a multiple (mult) fixed-interval (FI) 600-sec, fixed-ratio (FR) 30-response schedule of food presentation or a mult FI 200-sec, FI 200-sec schedule, in which responding during one component was punished with electric shock. Rats responded under a mult FI 300-sec, FR 30-response schedule of food presentation. Under the mult FI, FR schedules, desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline decreased overall rates of FI and FR responding in both species. Overall rates of responding were decreased to similar extents under both the FI and FR components of the schedule. In the pigeon, but not in the rat, the effects of desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline on responding under the FI component of the mult FI, FR schedule depended on the control-rate of responding, i.e. desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline increased more or decreased less the low rates of FI responding at the beginning of the FI compared to the higher rates of FI responding at the end of the FI. In contrast, in the rat desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline did not differentially affect the low rates of responding at the beginning of the FI compared to the higher rates of responding at the end of the FI. Correspondingly, in the pigeon, but not in the rat, desmethylimipramine and amitriptyline decreased the fixed-interval quarter-life at relatively low doses. In the pigeon neither desmethylimipramine nor amitriptyline differentially affected the overall rate of punished as compared to unpunished responding.
Preoperative prediction of prosthetic aortic valve annulus diameter by two-dimensional-echocardiography

Echocardiography may allow preoperative selection of appropriately sized aortic homograft valves. This study compared measurement of aortic annulus diameter from the preoperative transthoracic two-dimensional echocardiogram with prosthetic valve annulus diameter in 178 consecutive patients under-going primary aortic valve replacement. Aortic annulus diameter was measured independently from the two-dimensional parasternal long axis view by two experienced observers blinded to the size of valve implanted. Mean annulus diameter from three end-diastolic frames was recorded. Of the 178 patients, 124 (70%) of Observer 1 measurements and 102 (57%) of Observer 2 measurements were within 2mm of valve annulus diameter (p < 0.0001 for both observers). Six percent of Observer 1 measurements and 12% of Observer 2 measurements were more than 4mm away from valve annulus diameter. The echocardiographic prediction of valve size corresponded to actual prosthetic valve annulus diameter in 69 patients (39%) for Observer 1 and 60 patients (34%) for Observer 2. The percentages of echocardiographic measurements within two millimeter of valve annulus diameter were significantly different for the two observers (p < 0.05). The percentages of echocardiographic measurements within two millimeter of valve annulus diameter in 39 patients without significant aortic valve calcification were not significantly different from the remaining 139 patients with calcified valves. The interobserver coefficient of variation was 6.2% and the intraobserver coefficient of variation was 4.3%. Although preoperative measurement of aortic annulus diameter from transthoracic echocardiography approximates prosthetic valve annulus diameter in the majority of patients undergoing primary aortic valve replacement, a significant minority of estimates may be inaccurate, even in the absence of heavy calcification.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Authenticity in the Films of Federico Fellini

Sartre and Beauvoir refuted the criticism of existentialism as a bleak, pessimistic world view. While I agree with them, one might well think there is something to that criticism given the emphasis on meaninglessness which pervades the previous three chapters. But the force of existentialist philosophy lies in showing us where we can go wrong as a means of getting it all right. In order to make a meaningful life, one that we actively engage from our own concrete perspective, it is necessary to understand the pitfalls in contemporary culture. The seductions and diversions of the modern world and its emphasis on money, privilege and status, the temptation to exploit the contingencies of morality and rationalize your behavior after the fact, the difficulty of finding spiritual depth in a world in which traditional religious perspectives have been compromised — these conditions constitute the terrain in which we must find our way. The authentic person does not deny these conditions and finds meaning despite them (and perhaps, in part, because of them). The remainder of this book will emphasize the existentialists’ attempts to find a solution to the challenges we’ve been describing in previous chapters.
Conflict and Cooperation on Nuclear Nonproliferation

This article critically reviews scholarship on the role of conflict and cooperation in conditioning nuclear proliferation. We start by laying out the trajectory of scholarship on the causes of proliferation, organizing it in three waves: (a) security and (b) nonsecurity drivers of proliferation, and (c) supply constraints on nuclear acquisition. We then examine the recent turn in the proliferation literature toward a strategic interaction approach, focusing on how conflict and cooperation between proliferators, their adversaries, and their allies shape the spread of nuclear weapons. We argue for an integrated framework for analyzing the tools states can deploy to foster or stymie proliferation. Finally, we sketch an agenda for research on nuclear proliferation. Here, we argue that scholarship should (a) incorporate nonsecurity dynamics into the strategic interaction approach to the study of proliferation and (b) combine rigorous theory with careful historical research to further our understanding of the c...
Competitive Forces in the United States Recreational Vehicle Industry

We use Porter's Five Forces model to examine competition with the recreational vehicle industry.
Recovery of Packet Losses in Wireless Broadcast for Real-Time Applications

We consider the scenario of broadcasting for real-time applications, such as multi-player games and video streaming, and loss recovery via instantly decodable network coding. The source has a single time slot or multiple time slots to broadcast (potentially coded) recovery packet(s), and the application does not need to recover all losses. Our goal is to find packet(s) that are instantly decodable and maximize the number of lost packets that the users can recover. First, we show that this problem is equivalent to the unique coverage problem in the general case, and therefore, it is hard to approximate. Then, we consider the practical probabilistic scenario, where users have i.i.d. loss probability and the number of packets is either constant (video streaming), linear (multi-player games), or polynomial in the number of users, and we provide two polynomial-time (in the number of users) algorithms. For the single-slot case, we propose Max Clique , an algorithm that provably finds the optimal coded packet w.h.p. For the case where there is a small constant number of slots, we propose Multi-Slot Max Clique , an algorithm that provably finds a near-optimal solution w.h.p. when the number of packets is sufficiently large. The proposed algorithms are evaluated using both simulation and real network traces from an Android multi-player game. And they are shown to perform near optimally and to significantly outperform the state-of-the-art baselines.
Antibodies Against Platelet Glycoprotein Target Antigens in Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS).

Introduction: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized clinically by thrombotic events and the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLA) and/or lupus anticoagulant (LA). It is frequently associated with thrombocytopenia and anti-platelet antibodies have been implicated by some. However the roles of anti-platelet antibodies in APS have not been elucidated. We previously reported that platelet activation, but not endothelial activation, was associated with thrombosis in aPLA+ patients [ Blood, 104:143a, 2004] but the cause of platelet activation was not addressed. In the present study, we investigated the prevalence of anti-platelet antibodies in APS patients, as well as platelet and endothelial activation. Material and Methods: We evaluated 47 patients with primary APS. Anti-platelet antibodies against GP IIb/IIIa (CD41b), GP Ib/IX (CD 42b) and GP IV (CD36) for IgG and IgM class were measured by PAICA assay [Thromb Haemost 76:1820, 1996]. We also measured platelet and endothelial activation markers by flow cytometry: CD62P on platelets, CD31+/CD42+ platelet microparticles (PMP), and CD31+/CD42- endothelial microparticles (EMP). Results: Of the 47 patients, 34 (72%) were positive for at least one anti-platelet antibody. Looking first at IgG, 18/34 (53%) were positive for GP IV; 17/34 (50%) for GP IIb/IIIa; and 16/34 (47%) for GP Ib/IX. IgM antibodies were 47% (14/30) for GP Ib/IX, 38%(13/34) for GP IIb/IIIa, and 24% (8/33) for GP IV. Platelet and endothelial markers were significantly more common in the anti-platelet antibodies positive group: 40% vs. 21% for CD62P, 40% vs. 28.5% for EMP, and 23% vs. 5% for PMP, respectively. We found that CD62P associated significantly with IgM anti-GP IIb/IIIa (p< 0.05), and PMP with IgM anti-GP IIb/IIIa (p< 0.05), and IgM anti-GP IV (p< 0.05). Conclusions: Anti-platelet antibodies are common in APS, confirming previous reports. We found that anti-platelet antibodies IgM anti-GP IIb/IIIa, and IgM anti-GP IV were often associated with platelet activation, suggesting that these antibodies may activate platelets to play an important role in the thrombogenesis of APS. These antibodies were also associated with endothelial activation. It remains to be determined which antibodies, APLA and/or anti-platelet antibodies, play a dominant role in the activation of platelet or endothelial cells and contibute most to the pathogenesis of thrombosis in APS.
A Rhesus Macaque Model to Optimize Adoptive NK Cell Therapy

NK cell based immunotherapy represents a promising treatment approach for patients with cancer. Although preliminary clinical trials in humans suggest NK cell infusions can mediate anti-tumor effects, animal models are needed to provide insight into methods to enhance both the function and in vivo longevity of adoptively infused NK cells. Research conducted in our laboratory has shown that ex vivo expanded human NK cells are highly activated, up-regulating NKG2D, Granzyme B, TRAIL and Fas-ligand expression making them much more cytotoxic to tumor cells compared to freshly isolated NK cells. However, important questions remain regarding whether in vitro expansion alters the capacity of these cells to replicate, and traffic to tissues in vivo following their adoptive infusion into recipients. Differences in the genotype and phenotype of mouse NK cells compared to human NK cells limit the value of murine animal models to address these questions. In contrast to mice, Rhesus macaques have orthologues to most of the human MHC class I and II genes and possess NK cells expressing KIRs that are phenotypically and functionally similar to human NK cells, thus providing an excellent model system for evaluating questions related to adoptive NK cell therapy. We developed an in vitro method to expand macaque NK cells to characterize their in vivo longevity and tissue trafficking following adoptive infusion. Macaque NK cells were enriched from peripheral blood mononuclear cells by depleting CD3+ cells using immunomagnetic beads and were then expanded in vitro with autologous plasma and a human EBV-LCL feeder cell line using culture conditions identical to those used to expand NK cells from humans. NK cell cultures expanded 50- to 100-fold over 7 to 20 days, were greater than 99% CD3 negative, and had a similar phenotype to human NK cells including a large proportion of CD16/CD56 double positive cells, and ubiquitous expression of NKG2D, KIR2D, LFA-1, granzyme B, and CXCR3. In contrast to mice but analogous to human NK cells, macaque expanded NK cells upregulated surface expression of TRAIL and were highly cytotoxic to K562 cells and other human tumor lines (Figure). CFSE labelling of expanded NK cells did not alter their phenotype or tumor cytotoxic function. Data characterizing the longevity, proliferative capacity, and tissue trafficking patterns in the blood, bone marrow and lymph node of in vitro expanded and adoptively infused CFSE labeled NK cells (up to 1 × 108 NK Cells/kg i.v.) in macaque recipients will be presented from this analysis.
Effects of a detergent micelle environment on P-glycoprotein (ABCB1)-ligand interactions

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a multidrug transporter that uses energy from ATP hydrolysis to export many structurally dissimilar hydrophobic and amphipathic compounds, including anticancer drugs from cells. Several structural studies on purified P-gp have been reported, but only limited and sometimes conflicting information is available on ligand interactions with the isolated transporter in a dodecyl-maltoside detergent environment. In this report we compared the biochemical properties of P-gp in native membranes, detergent micelles, and when reconstituted in artificial membranes. We found that the modulators zosuquidar, tariquidar, and elacridar stimulated the ATPase activity of purified human or mouse P-gp in a detergent micelle environment. In contrast, these drugs inhibited ATPase activity in native membranes or in proteoliposomes, with IC50 values in the 10-40 nm range. Similarly, a 30-150-fold decrease in the apparent affinity for verapamil and cyclic peptide inhibitor QZ59-SSS was observed in detergent micelles compared with native or artificial membranes. Together, these findings demonstrate that the high-affinity site is inaccessible because of either a conformational change or binding of detergent at the binding site in a detergent micelle environment. The ligands bind to a low-affinity site, resulting in altered modulation of P-gp ATPase activity. We, therefore, recommend studying structural and functional aspects of ligand interactions with purified P-gp and other ATP-binding cassette transporters that transport amphipathic or hydrophobic substrates in a detergent-free native or artificial membrane environment.
Developmental changes in the resting strategies of killer whale mothers and their calves in managed care from birth to 36 months

The development of cetacean sleep has not been explored fully. Questions such as whether cetacean mothers regulate their offspring’s resting behaviour and do resting behaviours change over the course of cetacean development remain unanswered. To address these questions, an investigation of the resting strategies and activity levels for four killer whale (Orcinus orca) calves and their mothers in managed care during free-swim conditions was conducted during the first three years of life. A series of interrelated hypotheses were assessed using three independent sets of archived data (24 h behaviour records, video recordings, and instantaneous sampling) collected from two facilities. Together, the results indicated that mothers adjusted their activity levels based on their calves’ current level of development. Floating, often a preferred resting behaviour, was rarely observed during the first post-parturition month for any of the mother–calf pairs. Rather, the mother–calf pairs tended to display fast-moving mother–calf swims with frequent trajectory changes as the calf gained swimming proficiency. Although floating occurred more frequently over time for all pairs, all four killer whale mother–calf pairs displayed a preference for a slower-paced pattern swim (i.e., swim-rest). Calves preferred to rest with their mothers over resting with others or independently. The similarities in resting strategies displayed by the killer whale mother–calf pairs housed in independent facilities without temporal overlap emphasizes the conserved nature and development of these strategies in a precocial cetacean species with extended maternal care.
The Disorientation of Figures: The Palio Simile and a Theory of Tropes

AbstractThat Dante loved his mentor Brunetto Latini and damned him to eternal hell is a puzzle that has vexed readers and made the fifteenth canto of the Inferno an often-revisited interpretive crux. The famous ambiguity of the palio simile that ends the canto seems to take up within itself and crystalize both Dante’s own personal ambivalence and the controversy the canto has inspired. This essay analyzes the simile as a preeminent example of what Paul Ricoeur called predicative impertinence, the resistance of a poetic figure to resolution, and takes the palio’s peculiarly strong resistance as an insubordination that unsettles the didactic ends of the Divine Comedy. Like Dante, Ricoeur sought in poetic language a means of illuminating the terrible enigmas of faith. His theory pushes the work of figuration closer to resolution than the palio simile itself may warrant, so Derrida and Merleau-Ponty are enlisted in turn to supplement and correct Ricoeur’s tropology. In their close proximity, these three figur...
Communities and School Ratings: Examining Geography of Opportunity in an Urban School District Located in a Resource-Rich City

Research on geography of opportunity documents how residential patterns influence students’ access to equitable educational opportunities and resources. This scholarship often highlights how geography reinforces educational inequity in urban school districts located in resource-constrained cities. Yet, less research has explored how the geography of educational opportunity and resources plays out in school districts located in fast-growing and opportunity-rich cities. As such, this descriptive analysis uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to map the spatial distribution of high schools considered high-quality according to their state accountability rating by race and socioeconomic status in an urban school district located in an opportunity-rich city in the Northeastern U.S. We also examine how district transfer and selective enrollment policies as well as distances to other public and charter high schools rated high-quality influence the geography of educational opportunity. Our findings suggest that spatial arrangements and district policies impact patterns of unequal educational opportunity and resources across the district for children of color who live in low-income communities, despite being located in an opportunity-rich city. This study concludes with implications for policy and future research.
A design flow with integrated verification of requirements and faults in safety-critical systems

Complex systems design requires a time-consuming verification process in support of the safety and maintenance requirements. In this paper, we describe an integrated verification flow of system requirements as well as system fault behaviors and fault-tolerant properties. The process converts XML-based architectural descriptions into SystemC simulation modules tied to predefined libraries. Flexible fault injection modules and test benches are also generated automatically. As an example, we use an aircraft electrical power system design and show simulation results with and without hardware redundancies to verify the system functionality. The simulation results with different redundancy configurations can help designers evaluate the potential risk of power loss scenarios and optimize the system design.
Cystic brain masses: use of variable-bandwidth steady-state free-precession MRI

Our objective was to evaluate variable-bandwidth steady-state free-precession (VBSSFP) MRI in characterization of epidermoid tumors and arachnoid cysts. Axial conventional spin-echo and VBSSFP MR images were obtained in 12 patients with epidermoid tumors and 23 with arachnoid cysts and examined for ability to characterize these two lesions and to delineate lesion margin. On conventional spin-echo MRI, characterization of epidermoid tumor and arachnoid cyst was occasionally difficult, because of atypical cases. On VBSSFP MRI, lesion characterization was improved by recognition of two distinct patterns of internal texture and margins of the lesions could be separated from surrounding cerebrospinal fluid. The 25 operated cases confirmed the imaging impression. VBSSFP MRI complements conventional spin-echo imaging to help characterize epidermoid tumors and arachnoid cysts. The improved characterization of these cystic masses with VBSSFP MRI can help radiologists and surgeons establish more accurate preoperative diagnoses and more appropriate treatment plans.
Bumper Stickers on the Twitter Highway: Analyzing the Speed and Substance of Profile Changes

We describe a novel longitudinal study of the frequency and significance of social media users' profile changes. Drawing upon two formative theories from communication and psychology: self-construal and signaling theory, we examine the likelihood that users will change their profiles and what constitutes a significant profile change. Our findings indicate that users are more likely to change their Profile Summaries and Display Names than their Locations and Screen Names (i.e. handles). Further, we used topic modeling to partition users based on their profiles to identify themes and explored how profile changes differ among these thematic groups (e.g., Trump supporters). Last, we identified the most significant word changes by users in their profiles. Our findings provide valuable baseline data for further study of Twitter profiles, including the spread of social contagion through these profiles.
Evaluation of the Causes and Severity of Geriatric Incontinence: A Critical Appraisal

The evaluation of urinary incontinence in the elderly differs from that in younger patients because of altered or nonspecific disease presentation, the different spectrum of pathophysiology, greater variation between individuals and, in some cases or settings, variable treatment goals. Evaluation must be multifactorial and extend beyond the genitourinary system, because many age-related conditions and the drugs used to treat them can cause or exacerbate urinary incontinence. Voiding records are a reliable measure of severity, although studies of their validity are still lacking. History-taking requires more time in this age group. Stress incontinence symptoms remain very sensitive, whereas obstructive symptoms fall in predictive value. Clinical algorithms based on a combination of symptoms and simple bedside examination and maneuvers may prove most useful in specific settings such as nursing homes. The targeting and interpretation of the physical examination must also change because of age-related conditions (e.g., BPH, atrophic vaginitis) and prevalent comorbid diseases, especially neurologic ones. The Q-tip, elevation, and pessary tests for stress incontinence offer little diagnostic or therapeutic information in the elderly. Routine laboratory tests should be performed to exclude reversible causes of urinary incontinence, while interpretation of the urinalysis must consider the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria. No radiographic studies are routinely needed; bead-chain cystourethrography and IVU in particular probably offer little additional information. Voiding cystourethrography, although little studied, offers dynamic data that may be helpful, especially in evaluating outlet obstruction. Bedside cystometry is simple but may be insensitive to the most prevalent type of detrusor instability in the institutionalized elderly. Finally, multichannel urodynamic study is safe and feasible even in frail elderly patients and should be considered when empiric therapy is risky or has failed, complicated comorbidity exists, or surgery is anticipated.
Urogynecologic conditions: urinary incontinence.

Abstract Urinary incontinence (UI), the leakage of urine, is a condition that frequently goes untreated. There are many different types of UI, including stress and urge UI, and the etiology is multifactorial. Diagnosis can be made with a pertinent history, including use of a questionnaire; a pelvic examination; and direct observation. Additional testing can include physical maneuvers to elicit stress leakage and urodynamic studies. Treatment ranges from pelvic floor exercise to surgical support of the pelvic floor for stress UI and, typically, behavioral therapy and/or pharmacotherapy, starting with antimuscarinic drugs, for urge UI.
Pre-Operative Management of Open Globe Injury

In cases of ocular trauma, the clinician should proceed with a detailed yet expedited history and ophthalmologic exam only after assessing and treating life-threatening injuries. Clinical features of open globe injuries include markedly decreased visual acuity, peaked or eccentric pupil, relative afferent pupillary defect, low intraocular pressure, extrusion of intraocular structures, hemorrhagic chemosis, and corneal or scleral irregularities such as tenting. Pre-operative management is centered on diagnostics (inspection, slit lamp exam, and computed tomography (CT) scan of the orbits with thin axial and coronal cuts), minimizing further damage (strict bed rest, avoiding unnecessary manipulation of the eye, covering with a protective shield, and avoiding eye drops), aggressive symptom control, and infection prophylaxis with intravenous (IV) antibiotics and tetanus immunization when indicated. We routinely use IV vancomycin and a third generation cephalosporin such as ceftazidime but reserve tetanus immunization for cases with high-risk features or when immunization status is not up to date or is unknown.
A phase II single arm multi-center trial evaluating the efficacy of pembrolizumab in the treatment of patients (pts) with incurable platinum refractory germ cell tumors (GCT).

TPS4579Background: Initial cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy will cure 80% of pts with metastatic GCT. Pts who relapse after initial chemotherapy can still be cured with second and even thir...
CHAPTER 165 – The Role of Ceramide in Cell Regulation

During the past several years there has been a dramatic increase in information on the role of ceramide in many cellular events. Many excellent and thorough reviews have been written on ceramide; therefore, the purpose of this chapter is to offer the reader a starting point in the body of literature focused on the role of ceramide in cell regulation. The field of ceramide signaling has rapidly expanded as studies reveal diverse roles for ceramide in cell biology and mechanisms of its regulation and action. Priorities for further study include determining the downstream actions of ceramide on protein targets that mediate specific cellular responses as well as determining the upstream events leading to ceramide production. Other key areas in need of further investigation include the subcellular localization of the substrates, enzymes, and protein targets of these sphingolipid signaling cascades.
Topological Analysis of Transthyretin Disassembly Mechanism: Surface-Induced Dissociation Reveals Hidden Reaction Pathways

The proposed mechanism of fibril formation of transthyretin (TTR) involves self-assembly of partially unfolded monomers. However, the mechanism(s) of disassembly to monomer and potential intermediates involved in this process are not fully understood. In this study, native mass spectrometry and surface-induced dissociation (SID) are used to investigate the TTR disassembly mechanism(s) and the effects of temperature and ionic strength on the kinetics of TTR complex formation. Results from the SID of hybrid tetramers formed during subunit exchange provide strong evidence for a two-step mechanism whereby the tetramer dissociates to dimers that then dissociate to monomers. Also, the SID results uncovered a hidden pathway in which a specific topology of the hybrid tetramer is directly produced by assembly of dimers in the early steps of TTR disassembly. Implementation of SID to dissect protein topology during subunit exchange provides unique opportunities to gain unparalleled insight into disassembly pathways.
Effect of dietary protein and estradiol-17 beta on growth and insulin-like growth factor I in cattle during realimentation.

Forty-eight medium-framed, crossbred steers (average BW = 268 +/- 20 kg) were limit-fed a 35% concentrate diet to gain approximately .10 kg/d during a 66-d restriction (REST) period. This was followed by a 98-d realimentation (REAL) period in which steers were allotted to a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Treatments were 80% concentrate diets containing 9, 12, or 15% CP, and implantation of one-half of the steers with 24 mg/steer of estradiol-17 beta (E2; Compudose). The allotted steers were distributed across four pens (12 steers/pen) with each pen containing two replicates of each treatment combination. Individual feed intakes were monitored using a Calan gate system. Each steer had ad libitum access to its respective diet. Longissimus muscle area and fat thickness at the 12th rib were measured using real-time ultrasound. Dry matter intake was not affected by CP or E2 through d 56. Steers fed 9% CP weighed less (quadratic, P < .05) after d 14 than steers fed 12 or 15% CP due to slower (quadratic, P < .05) gains during this initial period. Implantation increased (P < .05) ADG from d 15 to 56 resulting in heavier BW (P < .05) on d 56 and 98. Increasing concentrations of dietary CP resulted in linear (P < .05) increases in longissimus muscle area on d 28 and 56, and fat thickness on d 98. Serum IGF-I concentrations were lowest on d -21 of REST and highest on d 28 of REAL (quadratic, P < .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Parallel Algorithm Design with Coarse-Grained Synchronization

We describe the Queuing Shared-Memory (QSM) and Bulk-Synchronous Parallel (BSP) models of parallel computation. The former is shared-memory and the latter is distributed-memory. Both models use the 'bulk-synchronous' paradigm introduced by the BSP model. We describe the relationship of these two models to each other and to the 'LogP' model, and give an overview of algorithmic results on these models.
Measurement of band offsets and shunt resistance in CdTe solar cells through temperature and intensity dependence of open circuit voltage and photoluminescence

Abstract Band offsets at the back contact and front window layer in CdTe-based solar cells affect photovoltaic performance and challenge standard characterization methods. By analyzing the temperature and excitation dependence of both open circuit voltage and absolute photoluminescence intensity, we show that the effects band offsets can be separated from the effects of recombination and shunting. Solar cells were grown with MgZnO window layers and compared to cells with CdS window layers containing varying amounts of oxygen. It was demonstrated that band alignment rather than reduced recombination velocity is the reason for the success of MgZnO as a front interface contact. An assortment of thin back contact interlayers were also deposited, and a PbTe interlayer showed some promise as an Ohmic contact to the CdTe, though it appears to induce a photoconductive shunt. Finally, we show that the shunting resistance given by a standard current-voltage curve technique generally does not represent a physically meaningful quantity unless it is well below one kiloOhm square cm.
On Population-Weighted Density

Population-weighted density is the mean of the densities of subareas of a larger area weighted by the populations of those subareas. It is an alternative to the conventional density measure, total population divided by total area. This paper shows that population-weighted density is equal to conventional density plus the variance in density across the subareas divided by the conventional density. This density alternative is very dependent on the size and configuration of the subareas, an issue that has not been adequately addressed by most users. Urban sprawl is associated with lower densities, and the choice of the appropriate density measure is dependent upon the negative consequences of sprawl being considered. Comparison of conventional and population-weighted densities show the latter to be more highly skewed and to sometimes rank urban area densities very differently. Population-weighted density is more strongly related to the size of the urban area, especially size in earlier years, demonstrating the effect of the timing of urban growth on density.
Exploring ideality and reality in an archetypal rodlike nematic liquid crystal

Numerous theories of molecular ordering in the nematic phase exist that attempt to incorporate the features of weak attractions, excluded volume (aspect ratio), and rigid and non-rigid segments, as...
Concurrent Radiosurgery and Systemic Therapies for Melanoma Brain Metastases: A Systematic Review

Intracranial metastatic melanoma is a major challenge for neuro-oncological teams. Historically, treatment has focused on surgical or radiosurgical treatment of appropriate lesions, mostly for palliative purposes. Immunotherapies and other targeted therapies (BRAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitors (BRAFi/MEKi)) are mainstays of advanced melanoma therapy, yet the optimal timing and synergistic properties of concurrent combinations of these systemic therapies and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are poorly understood. We performed a systematic review of the MEDLINE and Scopus databases focused on outcomes after therapy using SRS and either immunotherapies or targeted therapies in an effort to define the optimal timing. We defined concurrent therapy as SRS within three months of treatment with any systemic therapy. End points included local control, distant control, overall survival, and toxicities. We identified five retrospective cohort studies from the literature. These studies found that concurrent SRS plus immunotherapy or BRAFi/MEKi is well tolerated by most patients and generally improved local control, distant control, and overall survival. Importantly, no significant increases in toxicities were noted with concurrent therapy. Combining concurrent SRS with immunotherapy or BRAFi/MEKi may offer important advances for patients with intracranial metastatic melanoma. To address interstudy heterogeneity, we propose reporting two major time intervals defining "concurrent treatment": concurrent-SRS (≤4 weeks) and peri-SRS (≤3 months). Future large-scale, prospective trials considering truly concurrent SRS therapies with systemic therapies are desperately needed.
Novel ductile wellbore cementitious composite for geologic CO2 storage

Abstract CO2 leakage through damaged wellbore cement sheaths is a major risk of geologic CO2 storage (GCS), as conventional wellbore cement is brittle and can be damaged due to acid attack and downhole stresses during CO2 injection. Here we examine a novel fiber-reinforced engineered cementitious composite (ECC) proposed as a substitute to conventional wellbore cement due to its superior ductility and intrinsic crack width control. ECC and conventional wellbore cement coupons were exposed to water in equilibrium with CO2 at 50 °C and 10 MPa. The samples were retrieved after several days and their mechanical performance was evaluated using a four-point bending test, microhardness, and compressive strength analyses. Optical microscopy and mercury intrusion porosimetry were used to characterize the progression of the carbonation front and pore structures of the specimens. Control experiments were conducted under the same temperature and pressure conditions but with a N2 headspace to isolate the impact of CO2. It was found that carbonation increased the ultimate flexural strength of ECC but decreased its ductility. However, the ductility of carbonated ECC remained higher than that of conventional wellbore cements that exhibited brittle failure under all test conditions. Additionally, ECC exhibited minimal material loss and continued resistance to deformation in comparison to conventional wellbore cements. This suggests that while the exposure of ECC to CO2 will alter its mechanical properties, altered ECC will continue to exhibit mechanical performance superior to conventional wellbore cement, and therefore shows promise as a highly durable wellbore cementing material for GCS applications.