cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical and demographic factors associated with DSM-IV melancholic depression

Background. The purpose of this paper is to use demographic and clinical data from a large diverse group of outpatients diagnosed with non-psychotic major depression to investigate the validity of the DSM-IV concept of melancholic depression.Methods. Baseline clinical and demographic data were collected on 1500 outpatients (1456 of whom melancholia could be determined) with non-psychotic major depressive disorder (MDD) participating in the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression (STAR*D) study. Depressive symptom severity was assessed by clinical telephone interview using the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRS-D17) and the 30-item Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology (IDS-C30). The types and degrees of concurrent psychiatric symptoms were measured using a self report, the Psychiatric Diagnostic Screening Questionnaire (PDSQ), by recording the number of items relevant to each diagnostic category endorsed by study participants.Results. Adjusting for severity of depression (as...
Explicit 3D Modeling for Vehicle Monitoring in Non-overlapping Cameras

Vehicles are indispensable in modern life. The capability of monitoring them over a long range can play significant roles in many surveillance applications. However, due to high mobility of vehicles, tracking them is difficult and we need to utilize a large network of cameras and reason on discrete sets of observations made from non-overlapping cameras. In this paper, we introduce enabling techniques for such a surveillance need. Specifically, we build explicit 3D models and use them for vehicle signature extraction and matching. The algorithm uses a single active shape model (ASM) for all consumer vehicles. After detecting presence of a vehicle, \eg, by background subtraction, our algorithm then reconstructs a texture mapped 3D model. 3D car models enable us to monitor vehicles in many novel ways otherwise impossible. Two use cases are provided.
Simulation-based robust optimization for complex truck-shovel systems in surface coal mines

A robust simulation-based optimization approach is proposed for truck-shovel systems in surface coal mines to maximize the expected value of revenue obtained from customer trains. To this end, a large surface coal mine in North America is considered as case study, and a highly detailed simulation model of that mine is constructed in Arena. Factors encountered in material handling operations that may affect the robustness of revenue are then classified into 1) controllable, 2) uncontrollable and 3) constant categories. Historical production data of the mine is used to derive probability distributions for the uncontrollable factors. Then, Response Surface Methodology is applied to derive an expression for the variance of revenue under the influence of controllable and uncontrollable factors. The resulting variance expression is applied as a constraint to the mathematical formulation for optimization using OptQuest. Finally, coal production is observed under variation in number of trucks and down events.
Two-way ANOVA to identify impacts of multiple interactive behavioral factors on the neuronal population dependency during the reaching motion

Brain neural activities interact with behaviors. The contribution of this paper is that we investigate the significance of the impacts of multiple behavioral factors: target direction (left or right) and obstacle (presence or absence), and their interaction on the dependency among a neuronal ensemble in the dorsal premotor (PMd) area of a monkey during a reaching motion. We first use bootstrapping to extract multiple resamples from successful trials. Then we use redundancy to measure dependency in each resample. We use ANOVA to investigate the significance of the impacts of these two behavioral factors and their interaction on the redundancy. The ANOVA shows that these two behavioral factors and their interaction have significant impacts on the single feature of neural activity. The same significance of impacts is identified in another neuronal ensemble assessed in another experimental session. Its biological explanation is given.
Smart material/actuator needs in extreme environments in space

Future missions to the planets and moons in our Solar System will require new technology. Missions with surface or atmospheric mobility or sample acquisition requirements will need advanced actuation technology to operate in the extreme environments found in the Solar System. Depending on the specific mission this technology may be required to withstand 10's of Kelvin environments or temperatures exceeding that of Venus (460°C). In addition the technology may have to withstand high radiation and corrosive environments and pressures ranging from high vacuum to 100's of MPa. These challenging mission requirements push the limit in performance even under terrestrial conditions. Motors for mobility platforms, deployment devices or actuators for sampling tools are required that can operate reliably and deliver substantial torque and power. These devices must be lightweight, compact and operate effectively under extreme conditions. This paper will focus on a range of actuators based on electromechanical materials used for the applications discussed above and will present some of the challenges of developing these systems for space applications.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Self inductance formulas for quadrupole loops used with vehicle detectors

This paper describes the derivation and application of a formula to calculate the self inductance of a multi-turn, quadrupole loop of round wire. The wire of a quadrupole loop is installed in a figure-eight pattern instead of the normal rectangular pattern of a typical inductive loop used for detecting vehicles. The quadrupole design improves the detection of bicycles and reduces the detection of adjacent lane vehicles. The multi-turn quadrupole loop is modeled as a number of series connected, single-turn loops which exhibit mutual coupling between each other. The derived formula is used to calculate tables of inductance for various size quadrupole loops. A straight line approximation is used to derive a simplified formula for calculating quadrupole loop inductance.
Comparison of Observed and Calculated Shapes of Travelling Cavitation Bubbles

Recent observations of the geometries of growing and collapsing bubbles in typical cavitating flows (van der Meulen and van Renesse 1989, Briancon-Marjollet and Franc 1990, Ceccio and Brennen 1991, Kuhn de Chizelle et al. 1992) have revealed the complexity of the “microfluidmechanics” associated with these flows. Clearly the interaction of individual bubbles with the nearby solid surface and its boundary layer produce features in the dynamics of growth and collapse which were not present in experiments on bubbles in a quiescent liquid. These include several mechanisms for bubble fission prior to collapse and the role played by the concentration of accumulated vorticity in producing a hybrid vortex/bubble during collapse.
Rapid Radio Frequency Amplitude and Phase Distortion Measurement Using Amplitude Modulated Stimulus

Testing of RF circuits for gain, nonlinearity and distortion specification generally requires the use of multiple test measurements and long test times contributing to increased test cost. Prior RF test methods have suffered from significant test calibration effort (training for supervised learners) when using compact tests or from increased test time due to direct specification measurement. In this paper, a novel RF test methodology is developed that: (a) allows RF devices to be tested for amplitude and phase distortion in test time comparable to what can be achieved using supervised learning techniques while retaining the accuracy of direct specification measurement, (b) allows multiple RF specifications to be determined concurrently from a single data acquisition and (c) does not require any training for accurate test specification computation. The proposed method based on amplitude modulated RF stimulus driven RF distortion extraction is shown to give excellent results across common RF performance metrics (RMS error
Differential rates of killer whale attacks on humpback whales in the North Atlantic as determined by scarification

As in other populations of killer whales, Orcinus orca, prey selectivity in the North Atlantic population may indicate behaviourally or ecologically distinct types of killer whales. Some killer whale ecotypes are known to prey on large whales, but the ecological impact of such predation events is unknown. Since killer whale attacks on humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, are rarely witnessed, resultant scars may be used to determine the frequency of non-fatal predatory interactions. Using images from the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalogue (NAHWC), we examined humpback whale flukes for the presence of rake marks from killer whales (N = 5040). Scarring frequencies range from 2.7 to 17.4% and differ significantly among five regions of the North Atlantic (Gulf of Maine, Canada, West Greenland, Iceland and Norway). The scarring rate in the Canada region is significantly higher than all other regions, and Norway has a significantly lower scarring rate than all other regions, despite more frequently reported killer whale sightings in that region. Within the western North Atlantic, Canada has a scarring rate nearly twice that of either the Gulf of Maine or West Greenland. These data may reflect differential prey choice among killer whale ecotypes and/or the distribution of specific ecotypes across the North Atlantic basin.
Inhaled Medical Gases: More to Breathe Than Oxygen

The mixture of oxygen and nitrogen is usually sufficient to achieve the therapeutic objective of supporting adequate gas exchange. Pediatric and neonatal patients have an assortment of physiologic conditions that may require adjunctive inhaled gases to treat the wide variety of diseases seen in this heterogeneous population. Inhaled nitric oxide, helium oxygen mixtures, inhaled anesthetics, hypercarbic mixtures, hypoxic mixtures, inhaled carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide have been used to alter physiology in an attempt to improve patient outcomes. Balancing the therapeutic potential, possible adverse effects, and the complexity of the technical aspects of gas delivery, it is essential that clinicians thoroughly understand the application of medical gas therapy beyond the traditional nitrogen/oxygen mixture.
Use of a single-bowl continuous-flow centrifuge for dewatering suspended sediments: Effect on sediment physical and chemical characteristics

The use of a single-bowl continuous-flow centrifuge (CFC, Sharples-Pennwalt Model AS-12) for dewatering suspended sediment from large volumes of river water is evaluated. Sediment-recovery efficiency of 86-91 per cent is comparable to that of other types of CFC units. The recovery efficiency is limited by the particle-size distribution of the feed water and by the limiting particle diameter that is retained in the centrifuge bowl. The limiting particle diameter, using the parameters for this study (bowl radius = 10.5cm; bowl length = 71.1 cm; rotational velocity = 16000 r min−1; flow rate = 2 L min−1, and an assumed hydrated particle density = 1.7 gm cm−3), is 370 nm. There seems to be no particle-size fractionation within the centrifuge bowl—the median particle size was the same at the top as at the bottom. Particle electrophoretic mobility plays some role in fractionation of particles within the centrifuge. The mobility ranged from −1.19 to −2.01 × 10−8 m2 V−1 s−1, which is typical of clays coated with organic matter, the charge of which is partially neutralized by divalent cations and iron. Contamination by trace metals and organics is minimized by coating all surfaces that come in contact with the sample with either FEP or PFA Teflon and using a removable FEP Teflon liner in the centrifuge bowl. Because of the physical and chemical factors affecting particle fractionation within the centrifuge, care must be exercised in interpreting the environmental consequences of particles collected by continuous-flow centrifugation.
siRNA screening: A process model to evaluate hit rate discovery

RNA interference has been widely used to identify genes involved in the production of particular biological phenotypes. This type of gene silencing technology has been used in plants, invertebrates and mammalian systems [1]. The availability of the sequences of large numbers of genes has allowed large libraries of siRNAs to be produced. To effectively use these libraries in screens, high-throughput robotic screening methodologies have been devised. The identification of meaningful results from any screening system requires the analyst to identify and discount variances in output that arise from the devices used in the screen as well as variances that arise from biological components in the screen that are unrelated to gene silencing. In this developing technology, this analytical task is made difficult by variances in up-take of the siRNAs by the cells, variations in the magnitude of the silencing effect, and mechanical effects that can produce systematic alterations in cell delivery and cell growth during the experiment. To examine how the analysis can be optimized, models of the screening process have been built using estimates of the various noise and signal variances derived from available screen data. Synthetic data was then generated from this model and used to test the capability of a number of data normalization methods to reduce noise and allow signal detection.
Biochemical analysis of cell-derived apoE3 particles active in stimulating neurite outgrowth.

Susceptibility to the development of late-onset Alzheimer's disease is increased for individuals harboring one or more apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) alleles. Although several isoform-specific effects of apoE have been identified, the rela- tionship between biochemical function and risk factor assessment is unknown. Our previous studies showed that a physiologically relevant cell-derived apoE3 particle stimulates neurite out- growth in an isoform-specific manner. In an attempt to delineate the biochemical mechanism responsible for the stimulatory effects of apoE3 on neurite outgrowth, we performed a detailed physical characterization of cell-derived apoE3 and apoE4 par- ticles. Immunoaffinity chromatography followed by SDS-PAGE illustrated homogeneity in protein content (apoE � 95%). The affinity-purified particles contained phospholipid and 1 mol of cholesterol per mole of apoE but no core lipids. Nondenaturing gradient gel electrophoresis identified two major particle populations with hydrated diameters of 8.0 and 9.2 nm. Neurite outgrowth assays performed with the affinity-purified particles resulted in similar isoform-specific differences as seen previously, apoE3 stimulatory and apoE4 neutral. Interestingly, we did not observe a reduction in apoE medium concentrations over the duration of the neurite outgrowth assays, suggesting little or no endocytic uptake. Ligand blot analysis demonstrated that the affinity-purified apoE particles bind to several Neuro-2a membrane proteins. Western blots of the Neuro-2a membrane proteins indicated that the LDL receptor, gp330, and LR8B might be involved in the apoE-binding event. These results discriminate against the lipid delivery hypothesis and suggest that the biological activity of the phospholipid apoE3 particles may be due to cell surface signaling. —DeMattos, R. B., L. L. Rudel, and D. L. Williams. Biochemical analysis of cell-derived apoE3 particles active in stimulating neurite outgrowth. J. Lipid Res. 2001. 42: 976-987.
Management of Ovarian Cancer: Clinical Trials

To date, the accomplishment in the area of regional treatment of ovarian cancer has been a major advance in the management of this difficult malignancy. What began as a hypothesis, based on a theoretical mathematical model, has been translated into a 67-mo median survival for women with small-volume residual advanced ovarian cancer (1).
THU0542 Scores for Pain and Fatigue Explain Variation in Patient Global Status at Higher Significance Than Physical Function in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), Osteoarthritis (OA), Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Gout Seen in Usual Clinical Care

Background Patient global estimate of clinical status (PATGL) is one of 3 patient self-report measures in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) core data set, and often is the most sensitive measure to distinguish responses to active treatment from placebo in RA clinical trials. PATGL has also been found an informative measure in patients with rheumatic diseases other than RA. Pain has been found most explanatory of PATGL in RA, but the relative contribution of functional disability, pain and fatigue to explain PATGL in other rheumatic diseases remains poorly characterized. Objectives To analyze the significance of 3 self-report scores for functional disability, pain and fatigue to explain variation in PATGL in patients with all rheumatic diseases seen in a usual care rheumatology setting, and in subsets with RA, OA, SLE, gout, and all other diagnoses. Methods All patients seen at a rheumatology clinical setting complete a multidimensional heath assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ) at all visits, which includes physical function in 10 activities; visual analog scales (VAS) for pain, PATGL and fatigue; and demographic variables including age, formal education level and gender. The data are recorded in a longitudinal Access database, which was then transferred to STATA Version 11 for analyses. The last available visit of each patient with complete data for all variables was studied in a series of multivariate regressions to analyze the capacity of self-report scores for functional disability, pain and fatigue as independent variables to explain PATGL as the dependent variable in all patients and subgroups with RA, OA, SLE, gout, and other diagnoses. Results Overall, 2565 patients had complete data, including 517 with RA, 319 OA, 281 SLE, 98 gout and 1350 other diagnoses. Each of the 3 variables - functional disability, pain, and fatigue - independently explained patient global estimate, with highest significance for pain, intermediate for fatigue, and lowest (but significant) for functional disability. Pain was more dominant in RA, while fatigue was of greater relative significance in OA, SLE, gout and other diagnoses (Table). The R 2 in these 4 models ranged from 0.57–0.76, indicating robust explanation of variation in PATGL. Conclusions Pain, fatigue, and functional disability each were independently significant, in that order, to explain variation in PATGL; fatigue scores were less prominent in RA compared to OA, SLE, and gout. Disclosure of Interest None Declared
An overview of dialectical behavior therapy for professional psychologists.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a comprehensive psychosocial treatment originally designed for individuals meeting criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the principles and techniques of DBT for BPD, summarize current research, and discuss the implications for psychologists who wish to implement DBT. The four modes in DBT (individual therapy, skills training, as-needed consultation between sessions, and therapist consultation meetings) are reviewed. The three overarching theories that guide and help organize DBT treatment (biosocial theory, behavioral theory, and dialectical philosophy) are also summarized. DBT has been the subject of much research and has been adapted for different settings, disorders, and populations, including substance abuse and BPD, eating disorders, treatment-resistant depression, ADHD, and forensic settings. This research is critically reviewed. Finally, we examine the implications and applications for practicing psychologists who seek training in DBT and work in independent practice.
How Divisive Primaries Hurt Parties: Evidence from Near-Runoffs

In many democracies, parties and their voters rely on competitive primary elections to choose nominees for the general election. Competitive primaries may help parties select higher quality candidates and advertise these candidates to voters, but they also run the risk of exposing nominees' flaws, offending losing candidates' supporters, and making the party look weak to general-election voters. Do longer, more competitive primaries help or harm parties in the general election? The existing literature on so-called divisive primaries comes to mixed conclusions, likely because of chronic issues of omitted variable bias and reverse causation. In this paper, we address these problems by taking advantage of U.S. states that use runoff primaries, second-round elections which, when triggered, create longer, more contentious primaries. Using a regression discontinuity design in primary elections close to the runoff threshold, we find large and negative effects of runoffs on the party's general-election fortune in the U.S. House and Senate. We estimate that going to a runoff decreases the party's general election vote share by 6-9 percentage points, on average, and decreases the probability that the party wins the general election by roughly 21 percentage points, on average. In U.S. state legislatures, in contrast, runoff primaries do not hurt, and in competitive contexts may in fact help, parties in the general election. The results suggest that divisive primary elections are highly damaging when salience is high but beneficial when salience is low, a pattern we argue is driven by the opposing effects of information in high vs. low salience primary elections.
Standardizing DEVS models: an endogenous standpoint

Standardization is important in bringing order and rigor to model development. Our attempt in this article is to articulate basics on model standardization from an endogenous perspective. The basis for a domain-neutral standard model for parallel DEVS formalism is described. An XML Schema model representing structures of parallel DEVS models is developed. Standardizing domain-specific application models using the proposed standard DEVS model is exemplified using MIPS32 processors.
Iliac Vein Injuries

Iliac vein injuries are highly lethal and present a substantial challenge to manage. They account for ~5% of cardiovascular injuries following trauma and are difficult to diagnose and repair due to their location deep in the pelvis. A high index of suspicion must be maintained to make a rapid diagnosis and have a chance at repair. Injury most frequently follows penetrating trauma, but iliac vein damage can also result from blunt force. Injuries are frequently associated with concomitant injury to the bowel and bladder with mortality following repair ranging between 20% and 50%. Iliac vein injuries may either be repaired surgically with lateral venorrhaphy or ligation. Additionally, endovascular repair techniques are a promising adjunct to open repair. The following text will review the causes, diagnosis, and management of iliac vein injuries.
Major Changes in the Pattern of World Trade 1928–1956

An attempt is made below to describe in broad outline the most important developments in the pattern of world trade over the period 1928 to 1956. Further substantiation and evidence for the general points brought out in this part of the study are to be found in the detailed regional analysis which follows in Chapter II and in subsequent chapters.
Interpreting freedom dynamically: beyond liberty and autonomy to positive freedom

Introduction In this chapter, I analyze the concept of positive freedom more fully, retrieving it from critics like Berlin and defending its importance. I indicate how it differs from liberal conceptions of choice and autonomy, and indeed goes beyond even feminist reconceptions of autonomy in more social terms as “relational autonomy.” I want to explicate the ways in which positive freedom is a more open and dynamic conception than traditional understandings of liberty or freedom, and suggest that it is better able to take into account the interdependence of persons. When viewed in an intercultural context, moreover, the proposed understanding of freedom has implications for how we understand universality, and requires a norm of concrete universality. The first part of this chapter takes off from Isaiah Berlin’s critique of positive liberty, which has resonated through decades of liberal theory. Building on criticisms already advanced by C. B. Macpherson, I first indicate how – contrary to Berlin’s allegations – positive freedom does not in fact entail the mastery of the state or of a collectivity over the individuals within it. I then move to further explicate the conception of positive freedom, understanding it as self-developing or self-transformative activity, in a sense that requires the availability of a set of conditions, material and social. The positive freedom conception also presupposes the important notion of negative liberty, but in an interpretation that includes freedom from oppression, domination, or exploitation, as well as the traditional liberties. Yet, the notion of positive freedom points to the importance of economic and social human rights, in addition to civil and political ones (along with the significance of institutional design for fulfilling these human rights). It also gives rise to rights of democratic participation in a range of joint activities and institutional contexts, as discussed in Chapter 4. I focus here on the comparison of positive freedom with the ideas of autonomy and relational autonomy, and consider the implications of these various interpretations of freedom for the possibility of universal or fully global norms.
Slave Life on the Large Farms: Work, Organization, and Surveillance

On the new agricultural plantations, or latifundia, that developed in Italy and Sicily between the third and second centuries b.c., the core permanent labor force was made up of large numbers of slaves who had been purchased from abroad. This new type of market-oriented agriculture generated handbooks to instruct farm owners how to run a large agricultural operation. According to the ideal farm model, slaves were deployed in small work units of ten to twelve men under the close supervision of overseers. To maintain a dependable level of security over larger numbers of slaves, owners often confined them in barracks at night and when they were not working in the fields.
Levels of Measurement

This chapter discusses the levels of measurement. In both interval and ratio scales, distances that are numerically equal in terms of the measurements themselves must stand for distances that are equal in terms of the variable being measured. These scales are distinguished by the fact that the zero point of an interval scale is arbitrary, while the ratio scales originate at a true zero point. With such an ordinal scale measure, the analyst can specify with certainty only that a given taxon is more or less abundant than another within the assemblage. Minimum numbers of individuals means exactly what it says: the minimum number of individual animals needed to account for the faunal material in some aggregation unit. The actual abundances that any given minimum number may represent will vary from that minimum number to some unknown higher figure, the upper limit being determined by the number of identified specimens for that taxon. As a result, the relationship between the distance between the minimum numbers for two taxa in a faunal assemblage and the actual abundances of those taxa is unknown.
Progress in the study of pulsating subdwarf B stars

During Kepler's main mission, nearly 20 pulsating subdwarf B (sdB: extreme horizontal branch stars) were discovered. Many of these stars were observed for three years, accumulating over 1.5 million observations. Only through these extended observations have we been able to identify pulsation modes, applying constraints for structure models. Discoveries include nearly-evenly-spaced asymptotic period overtones which represent the interior structure and rotationally-induced frequency multiplets from which we have learned that rotation periods are long, even when in short-period binaries. This paper reviews progress on observational constraints and highlights some of our discoveries including radially differential rotation, conflicting stratification indicators and mode lifetimes.
Identification of Chemical Compounds That Inhibit Protein Synthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Four inhibitory compounds were identified using a poly-uridylic acid (polyU) mRNA-directed aminoacylation/translation (A/T) protein synthesis system composed of phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetases (PheRS...
Fatigue and on-duty injury among police officers: The BCOPS study.

Abstract Introduction Policing involves inherent physical and psychological dangers as well as occupational stressors that could lead to chronic fatigue. Although accounts of adverse events associated with police fatigue are not scarce, literature on the association between chronic fatigue and on-duty injury are limited. Methods: Participants were officers from the Buffalo Cardio-Metabolic Occupational Police Stress (BCOPS) Study. A 10-item questionnaire was administered to assess how tired or energetic the officers generally felt irrespective of sleep hours or workload. The questionnaire consisted of five positively worded and five negatively phrased items that measured feelings of vigor/energy and tiredness, respectively. Total as well as separate scores for positive and negative items were computed by summing scores of individual items. Payroll records documenting each officer's work history were used to assess occurrence of injury. Poisson regression was used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR) of injury. Results: Nearly 40% of officers reported feeling drained. Overall prevalence of on-duty injury during the past year was 23.9%. Injury prevalence showed a significant increasing trend across tertiles of total fatigue score: 19.6, 21.7, and 30.8% for lowest, middle and highest tertiles, respectively (trend p-value = 0.037). After controlling for potential confounders, a 5-unit increase in total fatigue score was associated with a 12% increase in prevalence of injury which was marginally significant (p = 0.075). A 5-unit increase in fatigue score of the positively worded items was associated with a 33% increase in prevalence of injury (PR = 1.33, 95% CI: 1.04–1.70, p = 0.022). Conclusion: Officers who do not feel active, full of vigor, alert, or lively had a significantly higher prevalence of non-fatal work place injury compared to their counter parts. Practical applications: With additional prospective evidence, workplace interventions designed to enhance level of energy may reduce feelings of tiredness and hence may prevent workplace injury.
Mitochondrial DNA Damage in Autism

Mitochondria are organelles involved in essential roles in intermediary metabolism, perinatal neurodevelopment, immunity, bioenergetics, neurotransmitter metabolism, among other critical pathways. As such, mitochondrial dysfunction (MD) has deleterious effects with the potential of contributing to neurological diseases or enhancing their morbidity (e.g., autism and schizophrenia). Therefore, accumulation of mitochondrial damage is interpreted as a key element of the development of aging as well as neurodegenerative diseases. With the rise in the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), there has been an increased interest in the etiology and contributors of this disorder. MD caused by genetics alone or by gene and environment interactions, may play a role in the etiology of ASD and holds promise for developing future therapies and/or interventions to help manage its symptoms or delaying its onset. Here we explore findings from our research and others analyzing the role of mitochondrial DNA damage as a contributor to ASD morbidity.
“We Need a Song”: Sustaining Critical Youth Organizing Literacies Through World Humanities

This article intervenes in the long-standing conversations around which youth activism, literacies, and civic engagement take place. In an effort to expand the boundaries of activism to include the...
Dietary restriction reduces hippocampal neurogenesis and granule cell neuron density without affecting the density of mossy fibers

The hippocampal formation undergoes significant morphological and functional changes after prolonged caloric and dietary restriction (DR). In this study we tested whether prolonged DR results in deleterious alterations in hippocampal neurogenesis, density of granule cell neurons and mossy fibers, all of which support plasticity in the dentate gyrus. Young adult animals either experienced free access to food (control condition), or every-other-day feeding regimen (DR condition) for 3months. The number of Ki-67 cells and 28-day old 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) cells were quantified in the dorsal and ventral dentate gyrus to determine the effect of DR on cellular proliferation and survival of neural progenitor cells in the anatomically defined regions of the dentate gyrus. The density of granule cell neurons and synaptoporin were also quantified to determine the effect of DR on granule cell neurons and mossy fiber projections in the dentate gyrus. Our results show that DR increases cellular proliferation and concurrently reduces survival of newly born neurons in the ventral dentate gyrus without effecting the number of cells in the dorsal dentate gyrus. DR reduced density of granule cell neurons in the dorsal dentate gyrus. These alterations in the number of granule cell neurons did not affect mossy fiber density in DR animals, which was visualized as no differences in synaptoporin expression. Our findings demonstrate that granule cell neurons in the dentate gyrus are vulnerable to chronic DR and that the reorganization of granule cells in the dentate gyrus subregions is not producing concomitant alterations in dentate gyrus neuronal circuitry with this type of DR.
Networks with Customers, Signals, and Product Form Solution

In this chapter we present an overview of the latest developments in queueing networks with product form stationary distributions. Under a general framework that allows instantaneous movements, we present sufficient conditions for the network to possess a product form solution. For the case where transitions can involve at most two nodes, we present necessary and sufficient conditions for the network to have a product form solution.
THE ROLE OF FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING IN INVESTING IN 1870s AMERICA

The objectives of this study are to understand better the development of investment practices and the information that was available for those practices during the turbulent decade of the 1870s. This was a time of panic, depression, and manipulations by insiders. Nevertheless, outsiders chose to speculate and invest in corporate securities in Wall Street. Consequently, authors began to provide more specific investment advice, some of which required the use of earnings and other financial-accounting information. This study describes the availability of that information in the books and periodicals in an age dominated by railroad kings.
Are cleavage anomalies, multinucleation, or specific cell cycle kinetics observed with time-lapse imaging predictive of embryo developmental capacity or ploidy?

Objective To determine whether cleavage anomalies, multinucleation, and specific cellular kinetic parameters available from time-lapse imaging are predictive of developmental capacity or blastocyst chromosomal status. Design Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Setting Single academic center. Patient(s) A total of 1,478 zygotes from patients with blastocysts biopsied for preimplantation genetic screening were cultured in the EmbryoScope. Intervention(s) Trophectoderm biopsy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Embryo dysmorphisms, developmental kinetics, and euploidy. Result(s) Of the 767 biopsied blastocysts, 41.6% (95% confidence interval [CI], 38%–45%) were diagnosed as euploid. Individual dysmorphisms such as multinucleation, reverse cleavage, irregular chaotic division, or direct uneven cleavage were not associated with aneuploidy. Direct uneven cleavage and irregular chaotic division embryos did, however, exhibit lower developmental potential. The presence of two or more dysmorphisms was associated with an overall lower euploidy rate, 27.6% (95% CI 19%–39%). Early embryo kinetics were predictive of blastocyst development but not ploidy status. In contrast, chromosomal status correlated significantly with start time of blastulation (tSB), expansion (tEB), and the tEB-tSB interval. A lower euploidy rate, 36.6% (95% CI 33%–42%) was observed with tSB ≥ 96.2 hours, compared with 48.2% with tSB 116). The proportion of euploid blastocysts was increased with tEB-tSB intervals of ≤13 hours. A logistic regression model to enhance the probability of selecting a euploid blastocyst was constructed. Conclusion(s) Morphokinetics may aid in selection of euploid embryos from a cohort of day 5/6 blastocysts.
Comparison of outcomes between axial radial and axial ulnar carpal injuries.

Axial carpal injuries are rare entities where a traumatic force transmits through the intermetacarpal space, dissociating the carpometacarpal joint and disrupting the distal carpal row in an axial radial or axial ulnar pattern via true axial force or compressive crush mechanism. Differences in outcomes remain unclear with regard to the specific type of axial carpal injury pattern. A retrospective case series identified 37 wrists (in 37 patients) over 25 years who presented to a Level 1 trauma centre, with 20 wrists experiencing an axial radial injury and 17 wrists experiencing an axial ulnar injury. Of all the variables evaluated, only axial radial injuries were identified as predictors of poor outcome as defined by Mayo Wrist scores with univariate analysis demonstrating 6 times increased risk and multivariate analysis demonstrating 15 times increased risk of a poor outcome compared with axial ulnar injuries. This knowledge will provide prognostic information to surgeons managing patients with these severe injuries. Level of evidence IV.
Mechanisms Underlying Early-Stage Changes in Visual Performance and Retina Function After Experimental Induction of Sustained Dyslipidemia.

Visual and retinal function was measured in a mouse model of chemically induced, sustained dyslipidemia to determine the contribution of dyslipidemia to the pathogenesis of retinopathy in the context of metabolic syndrome. Fifteen male C57BL/6Crl mice were divided into three groups. Poloxamer 407 (P-407), 14.5% w/w was delivered at a rate of 6 µl/day by implanted osmotic mini-pumps either subcutaneously (P-407 SQ) or intraperitoneally (P-407 IP) to P-407-treated mice, whereas saline was administered at the same rate to control mice using only the subcutaneous route of administration. Total cholesterol (TC) and true triglyceride (TG) levels were quantified from plasma. Optomotor responses to stimuli of varying spatial frequency or contrast were used to measure visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Retinal function was determined using Ganzfeld flash electroretinography (ERG). At 32 days, TC for the P-407 IP group was significantly elevated compared to saline controls (169.4 ± 16.5 mg/dl, 0.001 < P < 0.01). TG levels for both the P-407 SQ (59.3 ± 22.4 mg/dl, 0.01 < P < 0.05) and P-407 IP groups (67.7 ± 18.0 mg/dl, 0.001 < P < 0.01) were significantly elevated relative to controls. Electroretinography demonstrated a very significant decline in the b/a ratio (1.80 ± 0.11, P < 0.01) for the P-407 IP group. The b/a ratio exhibited a moderate, significant correlation with TC levels (r = − 0.4425, P = 0.0392) and a strong, very significant correlation with TG levels (r = − 0.6190, P = 0.0021). Delivery of P-407 via osmotic mini-pump resulted in the sustained, significant elevation of plasma TC and TG levels. This elevation in plasma lipid levels was correlated with a decline in inner retinal function.
Multifunctional reconfigurable antennas for cognitive radars

Cognitive radar systems offer improved performance through mimicking the perception-action cycle in human cognition. While most of the efforts in the area to-date focus on agile waveform design and sensor management, in this paper, we propose adaptive control of novel multifunctional reconfigurable antennas (MRAs) as a mechanism for action within the cognitive radar framework. Reconfigurable parasitic layer based MRAs have the capability of dynamically and simultaneously changing its electromagnetic characteristics (mode of operation), e.g. antenna beam pattern, polarization, center frequency, or a combination of thereof. In this work, a designed and fabricated reconfigurable parasitic layer based MRA is presented. A computationally efficient mode selection scheme is proposed to adaptively select the modes of the MRA for a defined cost such as improved SNR or lower Cramer Rao Bound. A cognitive target tracking framework is proposed through MRA mode selection for cognitive radars. Initial results show that MRAs with mode selection provides enhanced direction-of-arrival (DoA) estimation and cognitive target tracking performance.
Transitional Delayed Detached-Eddy Simulation of Multielement High-Lift Airfoils

A strategy for predicting high-lift aerodynamic flows is presented that employs laminar–turbulent transition modeling, based on amplification factor transport, coupled with a hybrid Reynolds-averag...
Cohesive Breast Implants: A Significant Difference?

It may seem quite surprising to most of the plastic surgeons around the world that the Americans are the last to be able to use silicone gel implants without significant restrictions being placed on them. The FDA Advisory Panel recommended approval of the devices in the spring of 2005, and the Agency issued “Approvable” letters in the summer of the same year to the two domestic manufacturers of the devices. Despite this scientific foundation for these devices, they were not finally approved until November of 2006. The round devices have not been approved, and it is felt that the shaped devices, currently so popular in Europe, will not be evaluated for at least a year after final approval of the round devices.
Advanced Laparoscopic Suturing Techniques

Laparoscopic suturing is a fundamental skill in advanced laparoscopic surgery. It requires a great deal of patience and practice. The mastery of this skill will enable the surgeon to perform many complex laparoscopic procedures and to laparoscopically repair complications should they occur.
Positron-Emission Tomography Imaging

During the last two decades, we have witnessed a significant improvement in the prevention and management of coronary artery disease (CAD) and its devastating consequences. Despite these efforts, however, cardiovascular disease (especially CAD and its sequelae) remains highly prevalent and it represents a health-care burden in industrialized and developing countries. This has resulted in a continued expansion and refinement of our noninvasive imaging approaches to improve diagnosis and risk prediction. Positron-emission tomography is a powerful noninvasive imaging tool for phenotyping patients at risk or with known CAD that has been evolving over the past 30 years.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 Pathogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a simple model host for studying the interaction between bacterial pathogens such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the metazoan innate immune system. Powerful genetic and molecular tools in both C. elegans and P. aeruginosa facilitate the identification and analysis of bacterial virulence factors as well as host defense factors. Here we describe three different assays that use the C. elegans-P. aeruginosa strain PA14 host-pathogen system. Fast Killing is a toxin-mediated death that depends on a diffusible toxin produced by PA14 but not on live bacteria. Slow Killing is due to an active infection in which bacteria colonize the C. elegans intestinal lumen. Liquid Killing is designed for high-throughput screening of chemical libraries for anti-infective compounds. Each assay has unique features and, interestingly, the PA14 virulence factors involved in killing are different in each assay.
Short communication: The Topographic Analysis Kit (TAK) for TopoToolbox

Abstract. Quantitative analysis of digital topographic data is an increasingly important part of many studies in the geosciences. Initially, performing these analyses was a niche endeavor, requiring detailed domain knowledge and programming skills, but increasingly broad, flexible, open-source code bases have been developed to increasingly democratize topographic analysis. However, many of these analyses still require specific computing environments and/or moderate levels of knowledge of both the relevant programming language and the correct way to take these fundamental building blocks and conduct an efficient and effective topographic analysis. To partially address this, we have written the Topographic Analysis Kit (TAK), which leverages the power of one of these open code bases, TopoToolbox, to build a series of high-level topographic analysis tools to perform a variety of common topographic analyses. These analyses include the generation of maps of normalized channel steepness, or χ , and selection and statistical analysis of populations of watersheds. No programming skills or advanced mastery of MATLAB is required for effective use of TAK. In addition – to expand the utility of TAK along with the primary functions, which like the underlying TopoToolbox functions require MATLAB and several proprietary toolboxes to run – we provide compiled versions of these functions that use the free MATLAB Runtime Environment for users who do not have institutional access to MATLAB or all of the required toolboxes.
Flipping Large Classes on a Shoestring Budget

Flipped learning, in which students watch video lessons outside the class time and the instructor uses the class time for instilling of knowledge through various active learning techniques, is often put forth as a more effective mode of instruction. While a number of educators in higher education have replaced their traditional lecture-based offerings with flipped classes, it is still debatable whether flipping can be scaled up to large core classes. In this paper, experiences are recounted from two consecutive flipped offerings of a junior-level signal processing class at Rutgers with an average enrollment of 122 students. These experiences suggest that, with some improvisations, large classes can be successfully flipped with minimal time, cost, and infrastructure overhead.
An Analysis of Students’ Ability in Using Punctuation Marks in Descriptive Paragraph Writing

Punctuation is one of the most important aspects of written English, and yet it is one that is taken the most lightly. It is, in fact, this feature of writing that gives meaning to the written words much like pauses and changes in tones of the voice when speaking. This study also has objective to explore the ability of students in placing punctuation marks in descriptve paragraph.The writer used descriptive qualitative research to give description systematically and factually about facts of a certain population.This research only describes how the students’ ability in using punctuation mark in writing descriptive paragraph.The students’ ability in using punctuation marks in descriptive writing was categorized into low,It can be classified that only 1 (one) students or 2% was categorized into excellent who got score 80 from the total students were 53 students, and 10 (ten) students or 10% were categorized into Good, 17 (seventeen) students or 32% were categorized into fair, 13 (thirteen) students or 24.5% were categorized into Low, and 12 (twelve) students or 22.5% were categorized into Failed.