cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxicity of Purified Botulinal Toxin Fed to Mice

SummaryPurified botulinal toxin types A, B, E, and F (α preparations of mol wt 150,000 — 165,000) were fed to mice and their intragastric (ig) LD50 calculated in terms of ip LD50 units. Similar data were obtained with the α-β complex of the corresponding toxin types. The number of ip LD50 doses in an ig LD50 of α ranged from nearly equal to about 15 times greater than in the complex of the same toxin type. These results suggest that the α form of botulinal toxins should have only slightly lower toxicity than the complex when they are ingested by man.
Development of novel filtering criteria to analyze RNA-sequencing data obtained from the murine ocular lens during embryogenesis.

Next-generation sequencing of the transcriptome (RNA-Seq) is a powerful method that allows for the quantitative determination of absolute gene expression, and can be used to investigate how these levels change in response to an experimental manipulation or disease condition. The sensitivity of this method allows one to analyze transcript levels of all expressed genes, including low abundance transcripts that encode important regulatory molecules, providing valuable insights into the global effects of experimental manipulations. However, this increased sensitivity can also make it challenging to ascertain which expression changes are biologically significant. Here, we describe a novel set of filtering criteria – based on biological insights and computational approaches – that were applied to prioritize genes for further study from an extensive number of differentially expressed transcripts in lenses lacking Smad interacting protein 1 (Sip1) obtained via RNA-Seq by Manthey and colleagues in Mechanisms of Development (Manthey et al., 2014). Notably, this workflow allowed an original list of over 7100 statistically significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs) to be winnowed down to 190 DEGs that likely play a biologically significant role in Sip1 function during lens development. Focusing on genes whose expression was upregulated or downregulated in a manner opposite to what normally occurs during lens development, we identified 78 genes that appear to be strongly dependent on Sip1 function. From these data (GEO accession number GSE49949), it appears that Sip1 regulates multiple genes in the lens that are generally distinct from those regulated by Sip1 in other cellular contexts, including genes whose expression is prominent in the early head ectoderm, from which the lens differentiates. Further, the analysis criteria outlined here represent a filtering scheme that can be used to prioritize genes in future RNA-Seq investigations performed at this stage of ocular lens development.
Electrostatically induced potential difference between conductive objects contained in a partially opened metal box

When a charged body exists near an opening of a partially opened metal box of an electronic apparatus, a potential difference is induced between conductive objects contained in the box. If the charged body moves, the potential difference changes and is capable of causing the breakdown of microelectronic devices in the box. However, one can rarely find a thorough study of this voltage. In this study, a potential difference induced between two metal foils in the partially opened metal box is measured without electrical connections. In some experiments, a piece of foil is grounded, whereas in others, both foils are ungrounded (floating). The measured result shows that the potential difference for a piece of foil grounded in the box is approximately 80% larger than that for both foils ungrounded. The potential difference decreases linearly by increasing the logarithm of the distance between the charged body and the front of the metal box. The result will provide a basis for a design to prevent the possible malfunction and breakdown of electronic apparatuses.
Application of thermodynamic and kinetic principles in the reduction of metal oxides by carbon in a plasma environment

The application of plasma technology to metal oxide reduction is discussed with reference to established thermodynamic and kinetic principles. ΔG°-T diagrams for the corresponding metal oxide, metal carbide, and C-CO reactions are presented and the important role played by thep CO/P CO 2 ratio examined. On the basis of these theoretical considerations, supported by some earlier experimental results conducted on the reduction of iron and chromium oxide concentrates in the form of taconite and chromite by carbon within a plasma reactor, the tendency to form either elemental metals or carbides is discussed. It is also suggested that the reduction of taconite by carbon takes place in two stages within the plasma medium. In the first stage, ferric oxide is reduced to wustite by carbon, and in the second stage wustite is reduced to metal. It is also postulated that in the first stage of reduction, ferric oxide may also be reduced to wustite through an exchange reaction between ferric oxide and iron, without CO evolution. The rate controlling step for the first stage of taconite reduction is thought to lie at the gas/slag interface generated within the plasma environment, while the second stage of reduction is controlled by carbon gasification by CO2.
SUPERCRITICAL AIRFOIL DESIGN FOR FUTURE HALE CONCEPTS

This paper presents design and analysis of a new airfoil for future High-Altitude Long-Endurance (HALE) aircraft that has an operational condition at supercritical speeds. The XFOIL and MSES computational codes were used to design, modify and analyze the airfoil. The airfoil has enough thickness and performance to meet the requirements set for one of the AFRL SensorCraft concepts; a joined-wing configuration with diamondshape in planform and front views. This SensorCraft concept’s geometry and operational altitudes and speeds were used to determine the airfoil design conditions. Sensitivity studies were carried out to investigate the effects of Reynolds number and Mach number, along with boundary layer transition parameters. The airfoil has a drag bucket over a large range of lift coefficient. Boundary layer transition location is at about 60% chord upper and 70% chord lower surface, and characterized by a laminar separation bubble, which decreases in size with increases in angle of attack. Further work needs to be performed to validate the design with experiments. NOMENCLATURE AR = Aspect ratio a = freestream speed of sound c = chord CL = airfoil lift coefficient CD = airfoil drag coefficient CM = airfoil moment coefficient CP = surface pressure coefficient L = lift force D = drag force M = freestream Mach number, V/a MD = drag divergence Mach number M = reduced Mach number, L
Mass flux and crystal composition in the Hg0.8Cd0.2TeHgI2 vapor transport system

Chemical vapor transport (CVT) studies of the Hg(0.8)Cd(0.2)Te-HgI2 system were performed to further test and extend the transport model developed earlier in this laboratory for this system. Experimental results in terms of mass transport rates and composition of the grown crystals as a function of growth temperature and of transport agent (HgI2) pressure, for a fixed source temperature (590 C), are compared with theoretically predicted data. The good agreement between experimental and theoretical results confirms the validity of the model applied to the CVT process of this system.
The Statistical Analysis of Population Growth Rates Calculated from Schedules of Survivorship and Fecunidity

Population growth rates can be estimated from sample cohort schedules of survivorship and fecundity, but the variation inherent in these estimates has received little attention. We define an ideal population such that it is completely described by the probabilities governing age—specific survival and reproduction. We define the lifetime contribution of an individual to population growth in a manner analogous to Fisher's (1931) reproductive values. The mean of these individual contributions is equal to the finite rate of increase for the population. We then investigate the properties of sample cohorts drawn from an ideal population. Estimates of population growth rates that are based on sample cohorts are shown to be biased. The magnitude of the bias decreases as the number of individuals used to construct the sample schedules of survivorship and fecundity is increased. This relationship conflicts with the statistical desirability of maximizing the number of estimates of the population growth rate. Bias can be reduced by pooling individual schedules to calculate a single estimate of the growth rate of the population within which individual contributions are defined. When cohort size is small, we recommend a modified jackknifing procedure for further reducing bias. To demonstrate the application of these methods, we obtain a 95% confidence interval for a rate of increased based on a sample cohort of aphids.
Characterization of a heat-stable fraction of lipovitellin and development of an immunoassay for vitellogenin and yolk protein in winter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus).

An enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay was developed for detection and quan- tification of the yolk protein lipovitellin (Lv) and its plasma precursor, vitellogenin (Vg), in win- ter flounder (Pleuronectes americanus). Native Lv was found to be a mixture of heat-stable and heat-labile molecules in mature, ovulated eggs. A heat-stable Lv fraction was purified from ex- tracts of unfertilized eggs by brief heat treatment and gel permeation chromatography on Bio- Gel A-1.5. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of heat-stable Lv revealed a single polypeptide of 94 kD, while native Lv also possessed several smaller polypep- tides, suggesting that heat-labile Lv contains proteolytic cleavages of the 94-kD polypeptide which destabilize its structure. The Stokes radius of the native protein on Bio-Gel A-1.5 was estimated at 4.50 nm, while the Stokes radii of heat-stable and heat-labile Lv were 4.26 nm and 5.17 nm, respectively. Heat-stable Lv was used to produce a rabbit polyclonal antiserum which reacted with a single 175-kD polypeptide in Western blots of vitellogenic female winter flounder serum, but did not react with any component of male serum. Ouchterlony double diffusion using this antiserum demonstrated immunological identity of Lv, heat-stable Lv, and Vg. The anti-Lv anti- serum was used to construct an homologous ELISA with a linear response between 25 and 300 ng/ml. This assay was used to characterize a Bio-Gel A-1.5 column profile of serum from an estradiol-treated male winter flounder, and a single peak, with Stokes radius of 6.70 nm, was identified as Vg. Winter flounder Vg was confirmed to be a dimer, while Lv from mature eggs was found to be a monomer of a lower molecular weight polypeptide. J. Exp. Zool. 278:156-166, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Induction of Autophagy in Porcine Kidney Cells by Quantum Dots: A Common Cellular Response to Nanomaterials?

Quantum dots (QDs) are being investigated as novel in vivo imaging agents. The leaching of toxic metals from these QDs in biological systems is of great concern. This study compared the cytotoxic mechanisms of two QD species made of different core materials (cadmium selenide [CdSe] vs. indium gallium phosphide [InGaP]) but similar core sizes (5.1 vs. 3.7 nm) and surface compositions (both ZnS capped, lipid-coated and pegylated). The CdSe QD was found to be 10-fold more toxic to porcine renal proximal tubule cells (LLC-PK1) than the InGaP QD on a molar basis, as determined by MTT assay (48 h IC50 10nM for CdSe vs. 100nM for InGaP). Neither of the QD species induced appreciable oxidative stress, as determined by lipid peroxide and reduced glutathione content, suggesting that toxicity was not metal associated. In agreement, treatment of cells with CdSe QDs was not associated with changes in metallothionein-IA (MT-IA) gene expression or Cd-associated caspase 3 enzyme activation. By contrast, incubation of the LLC-PK1 cells with the InGaP QD resulted in a dramatic increase in MT-IA expression by 21- and 43fold, at 8 and 24 h, respectively. The most remarkable finding was evidence of extensive autophagy in QD-treated cells, as determined by Lysotracker Red dye uptake, TEM, and LC3 immunobloting. Autophagy induction has also been described for other nanomaterials and may represent a common cellular response. These data suggest that QD cytotoxicity is dependent upon properties of
Severe traumatic head injury affects systemic cytokine expression.

Background The neuroimmunologic effect of traumatic head injury remains ill-defined. This study aimed to characterize systemic cytokine profiles among traumatically injured patients to assess the effect of traumatic head injury on the systemic inflammatory response. Study Design For 5 years, 1,022 patients were evaluated from a multi-institutional Trauma Immunomodulatory Database. Patients were stratified by presence of severe head injury (SHI; head Injury Severity Score ≥4, n=335) vs nonsevere head injury (NHI; head Injury Severity Score ≤3, n=687). Systemic cytokine expression was quantified by ELISA within 72 hours of admission. Patient factors, outcomes, and cytokine profiles were compared by univariate analyses. Results SHI patients were more severely injured with higher mortality, despite similar ICU infection and ventilator-associated pneumonia rates. Expression of early proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6 (p Conclusions The presence of severe traumatic head injury significantly alters systemic cytokine expression and exerts an immunomodulatory effect. Early recognition of these profiles can allow for targeted intervention to reduce patient morbidity and mortality.
Creating Automated Crane Work Plans Using Real Time Operational Data and Predictive Analysis

Uncertainties are one of the greatest impediments to construction planning and decision-making. Events such as unforeseen site conditions, equipment breakdowns, and late material delivery can affect activities on the critical path, significantly delay the project, and potentially increase the project completion cost. The dynamics involved in most construction projects make it almost impossible to predict all events that may adversely affect a project operational plan. As such, project plans need to be constantly adapted to the real situations during the construction phase. This requires that the latest information about the status of all project entities (including equipment) be collected. Among different classes of construction equipment, cranes are among the most expensive, and activities that rely on crane service usually fall on the project critical path. This implies that the monitoring and analysis of crane related operations is essential to enhance productivity. This paper presents the latest results of an ongoing research which aims to facilitate the planning and control of crane operations by capturing and analyzing data corresponding to a crane’s physical movements. The result of this analysis can be used to identify parameters describing different phases of crane operations in order to better predict the performance of crane-related tasks.
Dynamic shape reconstruction using tactile sensors

We present new results on reconstruction of the shape and motion of an unknown object using tactile sensors without requiring object immobilization. A robot manipulates the object with two flat palms covered with tactile sensors. We model the full dynamics and prove local observability of the shape, motion and center of mass of the object based on the motion of the contact points as measured by the tactile sensors.
Assessment of Psychology Graduate Program Information on the Web

We gathered information on MA and PhD psychology programs from direct mailings and Web sites from 70 universities in the United States. Analyses revealed that Web sites provided more information about graduate programs than direct mailings, especially in areas not directly related to graduate applications. Further analyses indicated that information on the Web was, overall, not more difficult to find than information through direct mail. We make suggestions to universities and students for maximizing their use of Web sites.
Somatic fusions of Solanum species

Our research focuses on somatic hybridization of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and other Solanum species to incorporate utilizable new germplasm for disease resistances. Our emphasis is on combining potato breeding lines with wild Solanum species that are sexually incompatible with potato. In this paper we will summarize some of the results of our research. Many of the illustrations will be from the hybridization between S. brevidens (PI 218228), a wild, diploid South American species and S. tuberosum (PI 203900), a tetraploid potato line.
A pick-me-up for infants’ exploratory skills: Early simulated experiences reaching for objects using ‘sticky mittens’ enhances young infants’ object exploration skills

Infants’ early object contact was enriched by giving a group of pre-reaching infants experience with prehension earlier than they would normally acquire it. These infants received 10–14 10-min play sessions wearing “sticky mittens”: mittens with palms that stuck to the edges of toys and allowed the infants to pick up the toys. After these enrichment sessions, the experienced infants’ object engagement and object exploration skills were compared to those of infants who were the same age as the experienced infants but had not received the play sessions. The results showed that the experienced infants showed more object engagement via a number of measures, and showed more sophisticated object exploration strategies compared to their inexperienced peers. The results suggest that the early simulated experience reaching for objects serves to jump-start the process of object engagement in young infants. © 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
Impact of die-to-die and within-die parameter variations on the throughput distribution of multi-core processors

A statistical performance simulator is developed to explore the impact of die-to-die (D2D) and within-die (WID) parameter variations on the distributions of maximum clock frequency (FMAX) and throughput for multi-core processors in a future 22nm technology.allThe simulator integrates a compact analytical throughput model, which captures the key dependencies of multi-core processors, into a statistical simulation framework that models the effects of D2D and WID parameter variations on critical path delays across a die. The salient contributions from this paper are: (1) Product-level variation analysis for multi-core processors must focus on throughput, rather than just FMAX, and (2) Multi-core processors are inherently more variation tolerant than single-core processors due to the larger impact of memory latency and bandwidth on overall throughput. To elucidate these two points, multi-core and single-core processors have a similar chip-level FMAX distribution (mean degradation of 9% and standard deviation of 5%) for multi-threaded applications. In contrast to single-core processors, memory latency and bandwidth constraints significantly limit the throughput dependency on FMAX in multi-core processors, thus reducing the throughput mean degradation and standard deviation by 50%. Since single-threaded applications running on a multi-core processor can execute on the fastest core, mean FMAX and throughput gains of 4% are achieved from the nominal design target.
Causal thinking and the representation of narrative events

Abstract The basis for representing narrative events in memory was investigated in reanalyses of the stories and data of R. C. Omanson (1982b, Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 21, 326–337) and N. L. Stein and C. G. Glenn (1979, In New Directions in Discourse Processing, Hillsdale, NJ, Erlbaum). Causal network representations of the stories were derived for prediction of data on immediate and delayed recall, summarization, and judged importance of events. Properties of the networks were compared in multiple regression analyses with other factors, notably the story-grammar categories of the events. Whether or not an event was in a causal chain and the number of its causal connections were both found to account for substantial proportions of common and unique variance in all four measures. The story-grammar category of events also contributed unique variance but overlapped substantially with the causal factors. The concreteness, serial position, and argument overlap of an event failed to account uniquely for the data. A recursive transition network model is discussed that integrates story grammar, causal chain, causal network, and hierarchical problem-solving approaches to story representation.
The E-parallel polarization response of a two-dimensional heterogeneous layer modeled by two thin sheets

The flexibility of the thin-sheet technique for modeling two-dimensional structures is extended by analyzing the response to E-parallel to the strike of the anomaly polarization, also known as the transverse electric (TE) mode, when a heterogeneous Earth is modeled by two thin sheets over a horizontally stratified half-space. The electromagnetic fields induced by the heterogeneous layer when a uniform plane wave is normally incident on the Earth are expressed as integral equations, which are then evaluated using the method of moments. The resulting matrix equations are solved by the Gauss-Seidel method, and the magnetotelluric impedance is calculated. >
The Effect Of Public And Private Unions On State Economic Activity: Evaluating The Benefits To Organized Workers, Policymakers, And Companies

Freeman and Medoff’s analysis, “What Do Unions Do?” concluded unions were beneficial to organized workers, somewhat beneficial to the economy, yet not beneficial to the corporate bottom line. While there is some evidence to support these statements for 1983-1996, we determine that neither public nor private unions’ presence are correlated with wage or growth benefits at the state level from 1992-2005. A reduction in private sector unionization increases state productivity, with no adverse impact on growth, wages or unemployment rates. Public unions are statistically less detrimental than private unions, particularly in regard to unemployment rates.
When Disclosure is Involuntary: Empowering Users with Control to Reduce Concerns

Modern organizations must carefully balance the practice of gathering large amounts of valuable data from individuals with the associated ethical considerations and potential negative public image inherent in breaches of privacy. As it becomes increasingly commonplace formany types of information to be collected without individuals’ knowledge or consent, managers and researchers alike can benefit fromunderstanding how individuals react to such involuntary disclosures and how these reactions can impact evaluations of the data-collecting organizations. This research develops and empirically tests a theoretical model that shows how empowering individuals with a sense of control over their personal information can help mitigate privacy concerns following an invasion of privacy. Using a controlled experiment with 94 participants, we show that increasing control can reduce privacy concerns and significantly influence individuals’ attitudes toward the organization that has committed a privacy invasion. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of our work.
Women's Knowledge of Ovulation, the Menstrual Cycle, and Its Associated Reproductive Changes

Background The purpose of this study was to examine women's knowledge of female reproduction—anatomy, hormones and their functions, ovulation, the menstrual cycle and its associated reproductive changes, conception, and signs of pregnancy. Methods A survey was completed by 125 women of childbearing age as part of a larger “Women's Health Promotion Program.” Descriptive statistics, mainly univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted using STATA 13. Results The women in the study were ages 18–51 years, 52.0 percent were Hispanic, 36.0 percent African American, and 12.0 percent White. The majority, 70.4 percent, had a household income of less than $20,000, 58.4 percent were not married, 83.2 percent were not trying to get pregnant at the time, and 37.6 percent had sexual intercourse that may have put them at risk for pregnancy in the past month. Less than one-third knew about the reproductive hormones. Over 80.0 percent knew their reproductive anatomy, 68.8 percent were not keeping any log to track their menstrual flow, 53.6 percent did not know when their next menstruation would be, and 49.6 percent did not know the average number of days for a regular menstrual cycle. Many did not know what ovulation is (47.2%), the ovulation timing (67.2%), the number of eggs released from an ovary each month (79.2%), and how long an egg or sperm could live in a woman's body (62.4%). Conclusions Reproductive knowledge should be assessed during preconception visits and women should be taught comprehensive reproductive education—not just selected topics—to be adequately equipped to make informed reproductive decisions.
The genus Kali Lloyd (Chiasmodontidae: Teleostei) with description of new two species, and the revalidation of K. kerberti Weber

Kali Lloyd is a very distinctive group of bathypelagic fishes with fragile bones in the cranium and recurved teeth, which are remarkably enlarged in some species. The genus has a worldwide distribution, being found in the subtropical to equatorial regions of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific; one species is also found in the Southern Ocean. In this taxonomic revision, seven species are considered valid, two of them described herein: K. indica; K. kerberti; K. macrodon; K. macrurus; K. parri; K. colubrina, new species; and K. falx, new species. Kali kerberti is re-evaluated as valid and the senior synonym of K. normani. A key for the species with updated maps of distribution are also given.
Cyclizations of N-carbamoyl and N-thiocarbamoyl iminium ions leading to ring-fused heterocycles

Abstract γ-Ureidoacetals react in excess acid to give ring-fused heterocycles (12 examples, 46–93% yields) by intramolecular cyclizations. A mechanism is proposed involving N-carbamoyl iminium ions and related species. The mechanism is further examined by DFT calculations.
Investigating the Ubiquitous: The Everyday Use of Hormonal Contraception

Grigg-Spall, H. (2014). Sweetening the Pill: Or How We Got Hooked on Hormonal Birth Control. Winchester, UK: Zero Books. Price: $22.95 (paperback), $9.99 (eBook) ISBN: 978-1-78099-607-3Ask a woman ...
Whipple-specific complications result in prolonged length of stay not accounted for in ACS-NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator.

Abstract Background The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) Surgical Risk Calculator was developed to help counsel patients regarding estimated postoperative risk for a variety of surgical complications. This retrospective single institutional study examined the calculator's ability to accurately predict complications and length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients who had undergone a Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) at our institution. Methods 165 patients at Washington University School of Medicine who underwent a PD from 8/2011 to 7/2013 were included. Surgical complication risk as determined by the ACS-NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator were compared to actual 30 day complications. PD complications not accounted for by the calculator were compared to those without PD-specific complications. Results Overall predicted LOS was significantly shorter than actual duration of hospitalization (median 8.5 vs. 8.0 days; p Discussion A large proportion of complications experienced after PD are pancreas-specific, accounting for the difference in predicted vs. actual LOS and providing rationale for future development of PD specific risk models.
Continuous Blood Pressure Variation: Hidden Adaptability

Although the literature on blood pressure is dominated by its role as an indicator of cardiovascular health, the fundamental nature of blood pressure as a biological phenomenon has come into sharper focus over the past 30–40 years due to the increasing use of ambulatory blood pressure monitors in medical practice, which has uncovered an enormous amount of diurnal variation. The concept of allostasis was first coined to describe the adaptive variation in blood pressure and its diversity of stable states. It is apparent that blood pressure continuously responds to the ambient conditions of everyday life, increasing and decreasing as needed. However, the definition of what is sufficient variation remains elusive due to methodological issues involving subjective reporting and intrinsic individual and population differences in behavior and physiological processes. This chapter examines the methodological issues and discusses the behavioral and physiological processes that impact diurnal blood pressure adaptability. The focus is on what happens to blood pressure over the course of a day, although some specific hidden cardiovascular adaptations to the menstrual cycle, having children, and standing up are also divulged.
E-038 3D Cone Beam Computerized Tomography (3D-CBCT) guided Sacroiliac (SI) Joint Injection: A Real-time, Interactive, Accurate, Fast and Reduced Radiation Exposure Technique

Purpose To ensure effective therapeutic management of sacroiliac (SI) joint pain, precise needle placement during diagnostic SI joint injection is essential. The reported accuracy of diagnostic SI pain assessment using single or dual blocks is highly variable, with false positive rate of 10–30%. CT guidance for sacroiliac joint injection has been the preferred imaging technique for needle guidance due to the complex 3 dimensional anatomy of the SI joint, frequent encounter of covering osteophytes and occasionally encountered extremely narrowed SI joint. However, the technique has been challenged due to relatively prolonged procedure time and risk of increased radiation exposure. We evaluated the technical feasibility of the 3D-CBCT guided diagnostic SI joint injection technique. Materials and methods Four patients (5 SI joints) with clinically suspected SI joint pain syndrome were enrolled. The procedure was performed under local anesthesia in a bi-plane neuroangiography suite (AlluraXper®, Philips, Netherlands), but only AP plane was used for the procedure. Using the integrated image guidance system (XperGuide®, Philips, Netherlands), the target and needle trajectory were selected based on 3D-CBCT images. Subsequently, the selected images were fused with real-time fluoroscopy for the needle guidance. Post needle placement and post contrast injection 3D-CBCTs were also obtained before the injection of local anesthetics (approximately 0.5–1.0 ml) into the target SI joint. Results The needle placement and diagnostic injection for the target SI joint were successful in all 4 cases (5 SI joints). Median fluoroscopy time per SI joint was 5.2 min (range: 4.6 min – 6.7 min) and total DAP was 87,445.2 mGycm 2 (range: 32,864 mGycm 2 – 199,303 mGycm 2 ). Pre-procedure mean pain level was 7.5/10 and immediate post-procedure mean pain level was 0/10. Conclusion 3D-CBCT guided diagnostic SI joint injection is technically feasible, effective, reasonably fast and can be performed with relatively low radiation exposure. In addition, the real-time, interactive nature of the guidance system may provide more confidence to the operator. Disclosures S. Lee: None. S. Ali: None. J. Mok: None.
A Phenomenological and Grounded Theory Study of Women’s Experiences in Drug Court: Informing Practice Through a Gendered Lens

Drug courts have been a growing part of the criminal justice system since 1989. This qualitative study adds to the existing literature by developing an in-depth understanding of drug court from a woman’s (N = 25) perspective. Phenomenology and grounded theory guided the data collection and analysis, resulting in three themes. First, the women found the drug court team to be compassionate and empathetic, which they reported supported them in being successful in the program. Second, the majority of women reported histories of trauma and felt that the drug court could be improved by offering them more resources to treat their trauma. Third, the majority of women reported being single mothers and they shared examples of how being a single parent was a challenge to being successful in the drug court. Implications for drug court practice are discussed.
Degenerative mitral valve disease-contemporary surgical approaches and repair techniques

Given the increasing age of the US population and the accompanying rise in cardiovascular disease, we expect to see an increasing number of patients affected by degenerative mitral valve disease in a more complex patient population. Therefore, increasing the overall rate of mitral valve repair will become even more important than it is today, and the capability to provide a universally and uniformly accepted quality of repair will have important medical, economic, and societal implications. This article will describe preoperative and intraoperative considerations and the currently practiced mitral valve repair approaches and techniques. The aim of the article is to present our contemporary approach to mitral valve repair in the hope that it can be adopted at other institutions that may have low repair rates. Adoption of simple and reproducible mitral valve repair techniques is of paramount importance if we as a profession are to accomplish overall higher rates of mitral valve repair with optimal outcomes.
Draft Genome Sequence of Flavobacterium johnsoniae CI04, an Isolate from the Soybean Rhizosphere

ABSTRACT Flavobacterium johnsoniae CI04 was coisolated with Bacillus cereus from a root of a field-grown soybean plant in Arlington, WI, and selected as a model for studying commensalism between members of the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides group and B. cereus. Here we report the draft genome sequence of F. johnsoniae CI04 obtained by Illumina sequencing.
Deconstructing Free Energies in the Law of Matching Water Affinities.

The law of matching water affinities (LMWA) is explored in classical molecular dynamics simulations of several alkali halide ion pairs, spanning the size range from small kosmotropes to large chaotropes. The ion–ion potentials of mean force (PMFs) are computed using three methods: the local molecular field theory (LMFT), the weighted histogram analysis method (WHAM), and integration of the average force. All three methods produce the same total PMF for a given ion pair. In addition, LMFT-based partitioning into van der Waals and local and far-field electrostatic free energies and assessment of the enthalpic, entropic, and ion–water components yield insights into the origins of the observed free energy profiles in water. The results highlight the importance of local electrostatic interactions in determining the shape of the PMFs, while longer-ranged interactions enhance the overall ion–ion attraction, as expected in a dielectric continuum model. The association equilibrium constants are estimated from the ...
Philosophy, God, and Aquinas

The article briefly surveys the Christian intellectual tradition as the tradition tries to come to grips with Pascal’s complaint that human reasoning cannot reach the BiblicalGod. In his complaint that he wanted the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Blaise Pascal epitomized the perennial issue of Christian philosophy: Can human reason approach the God of belief? Because of the first of the Ten Commandments, any Christian must strive to integrate the first principle of his philosophy and the God of his belief. Building upon ideas from Etienne Gilson, I try to map out, for purposes of further study, the key responses to achieve this required integration. The thinkers mentioned are: Augustine, Bonaventure, Aquinas, the Moslem Mutakallim, Latin Averroists, Hume, and Kant. Particular attention is paid to Aquinas’ metaphysics of actus essendi by which he claimed to reach the God who revealed his name to Moses as “Ego sum qui sum: I am who am.” The article concludes that Aquinas’ a posteriori approach to God from the esse of sensible things appears to be sufficiently unique to avoid problems in other approaches. Only further study can determine if this is so.
Structural and antigenic studies of cockroach allergens and their relevance to asthma.

Allergic reactions to cockroach (CR) were first described over 30 years ago by Bernton and Brown, amongst patients presenting to their allergy clinic in New York (1). These observations were followed up by several groups, notably by Dr. Kang and colleagues in Chicago in the 1970’s, and it is now well established that CR cause IgE antibody responses; that these responses are often associated with asthma; and that the prevalence of CR asthma in some populations in the U.S. is comparable to that of other common aeroallergens, such as dust mite, cat, and pollens (2, 3). Atopic individuals who live in CR infested housing become sensitized by inhalation of potent CR allergens and produce vigorous IgE antibody (ab) responses. There is a strong association between the development of IgE ab to CR and asthma. In some towns and cities in the U.S., up to 60% of house dust allergic, asthmatic patients become sensitized to CR (2–6). Allergic reactions to CR are not confined to urban or inner city populations, but occur wherever housing conditions sustain extensive cockroach infestation. For example, in Louisville, Kentucky, no differences were found between the prevalence of CR allergy in patients living in inner city or rural areas, with ∼40% prevalence of positive skin test reactivity in both groups being reported in a 10 year retrospective study (7). IgE ab to CR is an important risk factor for Emergency Room admission with asthma and is most commonly found among lower socio economic groups living in sub-standard housing, which in the U.S. often comprise a high proportion of minority groups (African Americans and Hispanics (8–9).
Analysis of the functions of coronavirus glycoproteins by differential inhibition of synthesis with tunicamycin.

The virion associated polypeptides of the A59 strain of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) have been studied extensively (Sturman, 1977; Sturman and Holmes, 1977; Sturman et al., 1980) and are described by Dr. Sturman in this symposium. The nucleocapsid polypeptide N is phosphorylated and has a molecular weight of 50K. Two glycoproteins are associated with the viral envelope. The peplomers are composed of the glycoprotein E2(MW ≃ 180K) which may be proteolytically cleaved to yield two molecules which both migrate with an apparent molecular weight of 90K. The glycoprotein El (MW ≃ 23K) is deeply embedded in the viral membrane with the small glycosolated portion protruding. We have studied the intracellular synthesis of these structural polypeptides of A59 in the 17 clone 1 line (17 C1 1) of spontaneously transformed BALB/c 3T3 cells. A59 acts as a moderate virus in 17 C1 1 cells causing limited cell fusion. Virus particles are shed from intact cells following a 6 to 7 hour latent period at 37°, and the yield of infectious virus at 24 hours is 108 to 109 PFU/ml.
Proof of the Achievability Conjectures for the General Stochastic Block Model

In a paper that initiated the modern study of the stochastic block model (SBM), Decelle, Krzakala, Moore, and Zdeborova, backed by Mossel, Neeman, and Sly, conjectured that detecting clusters in the symmetric SBM in polynomial time is always possible above the Kesten-Stigum (KS) threshold, while it is possible to detect clusters information theoretically (i.e., not necessarily in polynomial time) below the KS threshold when the number of clusters k is at least 4. Massoulie, Mossel et al., and Bordenave, Lelarge, and Massoulie proved that the KS threshold is in fact efficiently achievable for k = 2, while Mossel et al. proved that it cannot be crossed at k = 2. The above conjecture remained open for k ≥ 3. This paper proves the two parts of the conjecture, further extending the results to general SBMs. For the efficient part, an approximate acyclic belief propagation (ABP) algorithm is developed and proved to detect communities for any k down to the KS threshold in quasi-linear time. Achieving this requires showing optimality of ABP in the presence of cycles, a challenge for message-passing algorithms. The paper further connects ABP to a power iteration method on a nonbacktracking operator of generalized order, formalizing the interplay between message passing and spectral methods. For the information-theoretic part, a nonefficient algorithm sampling a typical clustering is shown to break down the KS threshold at k = 4. The emerging gap is shown to be large in some cases, making the SBM a good case study for information-computation gaps. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A quasi-optical orbitron laser

We have designed and tested a Orbitron MASER that utilizes a quasi-optical coupled cavity. This device could be turned off by tilting (q-spoiling) one of the mirrors of the cavity. We have also operated a tuneable quasi-optical orbitron.
Trends and surgical outcomes of laparoscopic versus open pyloromyotomy.

Hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) is one of the most common pediatric illnesses necessitating surgical intervention. Controversy remains over the optimal surgical approach between laparoscopic pyloromyotomy (LP) and open pyloromyotomy (OP). LP has gained acceptance for management of HPS in an era of expanding minimal access surgical approaches to pediatric conditions. Several studies suggest advantages of LP over OP; however, selection bias and small sample sizes remain a concern. This study compares the outcomes of LP versus OP using propensity score methods. The 2013–2015 ACS NSQIP Pediatric PUF was queried for all infants undergoing pyloromyotomy. The trend in the proportion of infants undergoing LP was described and perioperative outcomes between the OP and LP cohorts were compared using propensity score weighted regression models. 4847 infants were identified to have undergone surgical pyloromyotomy. The proportion of LP performed increased significantly from 59% in 2013 to 65.5% in 2015 (p < 0.001). LP was associated with lower overall complications (1.4% vs 2.9%) (ORadj 0.52, 95% CI 0.34–0.80), surgical site-related complications (1.1% vs 2.1%) (ORadj 0.52, 95% CI 0.32–0.84), and post-operative length of stay (1.5 days vs 1.9 days) (ORadj 0.89, 95% CI 0.81–0.98) without significant differences in related re-operation (0.9% vs 0.9%) (ORadj 1.01, 95% CI 0.52–1.93) or readmissions (1.4% vs 2.1%) (ORadj 0.73, 95% CI 0.46–1.17). Our study demonstrates that LP is increasingly utilized for management of hypertrophic pyloric stenosis and is associated with shorter length of stay, and lower odds of surgical site-specific and overall complications without differences in related re-operations. This study supports LP as a safe and effective method for management of HPS.
Genomic Sequence of Mycobacteriophage OKCentral2016.

ABSTRACT OKCentral2016 is the first mycobacteriophage sequenced from Oklahoma soil using the bacterial host Mycobacterium smegmatis strain mc2155. OKCentral2016 has a double-stranded DNA genome composed of 50,072 bp, with 84 predicted coding genes and 1 tRNA sequence. This mycobacteriophage has sequence similarities to members of the A10 subcluster.
Uncovering cyber-threats to nuclear system sensing and observability

Abstract Cyber-physical systems are engineered systems that integrate physical processes and computational resources. But, by integrating cyber and physical worlds, the physical assets are vulnerable to cyber-attack. Two things are of importance for the security of cyber-physical assets: access to control inputs by the attacker, and the ability of an attacker to mask inputs. This combination of attacker control and masking measurements can allow an attacker to cause significant damage to a system while remaining undetected. By masking certain measurement signals, an attacker may affect the observability of the system and create a condition where part of the state space is unobservable, meaning that it is impossible to reconstruct those states. This is called an observability attack. This paper presents a technique for analyzing observability attacks. How an attacker can design an attack to maximize the impact on the unobservable states while minimizing the possibility of detection is discussed. Criteria for maintaining a stealthy attack are given, and a design method is provided. For a nuclear balance of plant system, combinations of sensor omissions are analyzed to find an observability attack with maximum impact and minimum detection. An appropriate attack input signal is created, an attack is simulated, and the system response is shown.
S119. MULTICULTURAL IDENTITY INTEGRATION AND SCHIZOTYPAL PERSONALITY DISORDER

Background Schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) is often misdiagnosed and understudied. Moreover, when diagnosed correctly, SPD can be difficult to treat and is associated with significant functional impairment. Furthermore, SPD falls under a schizophrenia-spectrum phenotype and can aid in better understanding the trajectory, risk factors, and treatment for psychotic disorders. Given the lack of research on SPD and the underutilization of mental health services by ethnic minorities, this population may be at increased risk for poor outcomes (Delphin-Rittmon, et al., 2015). Yet, few studies assess cultural factors that may account for differences among minorities with psychotic related disorders or SPD. Multicultural identity integration (MII) may offer insights into the presentation of mental illness among ethnic minorities. According to Amoit et al.’s (2007) cognitive-developmental model of social identity configuration, there are four multiple identity configurations. The present study assessed three of the four—categorization, in which individuals identify with one of their cultural groups over others; compartmentalization, in which individuals preserve multiple, separate identities within themselves; and integration, where individuals merge their multiple cultural identities. Research finds that individuals who integrate their culture identities have better mental health outcomes, such as risk for depression, whereas those that do not integrate either culture and compartmentalize their identities, that is, maintain separate identities, have the worst outcomes (Nguyen & Benet-Martinez, 2013). We propose that individuals struggling to integrate identities and instead categorize or compartmentalize them will display higher symptom endorsement of SPD.
Bait dealers' roles in preventing the spread of aquatic invasive species and fish pathogens in the Great Lakes region

Abstract The spread of fish pathogens and aquatic invasive species (AIS) is an ongoing challenge in the Great Lakes region. Bait dealers can prevent the spread of fish pathogens and AIS through their business practices and by educating their customers. Little is known, however, about whether and how they fulfill these roles. Licensed bait dealers in the Great Lakes region were surveyed by mail during fall 2013 to assess their awareness and concern about fish pathogens and AIS, actions they took to prevent their spread, and factors influencing these actions. Most bait dealers were aware of AIS and fish pathogens, many were concerned about them, and held beliefs suggesting their desire to take action to prevent their spread. These concerns and beliefs, however, did not always lead to action. We found two factors, not previously examined, that affected the probability of actual behavior. First, we found differences in participation in business practices by whether or not the state/province had regulations pertaining to those business practices. We also found differences by state/province in the degree and type of communication methods used to educate their customers. Second, we found greater economic dependence on bait sales was associated with increased AIS-preventative business actions and communication with customers. If fishery managers want to increase the number of bait dealers taking action to prevent the spread of AIS and fish pathogens, they may wish to promote additional regulations in states and provinces that do not currently have them, or strengthen regulations already in place.