cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The design and experimental evaluation of an information discovery mechanism for networks of autonomous database systems

An approach and mechanism to support the dynamic discovery of information units within a collection of autonomous and heterogeneous database systems is described. The mechanism is based upon a core set of database constructs that characterizes object database systems, along with a set of self-adaptive heuristics employing techniques from machine learning. The approach provides an uniform framework for organizing, indexing, searching, and browsing database information units within an environment of multiple, autonomous, interconnected databases. The feasibility of the approach and mechanism is illustrated using a protein/genetics application environment. Metrics for measuring the performance of the discovery system are presented and the effectiveness of the system is thereby evaluated. Performance tradeoffs are examined and analyzed by experiments performed, employing a simulation model. >
Duodenal enteroglucagonoma revealed by differential comparison of serum and tissue glucagon reactivity with Siemens' Double Glucagon Antibody and DakoCytomation's Polyclonal Rabbit Anti-Human Glucagon : a case report

Introduction This case report demonstrates that the differential immunohistochemical reactivities of Siemens' Double Antibody Glucagon compared to DakoCytomation's Polyclonal Rabbit Anti-Human Glucagon allow for pathologic distinction of enteral versus pancreatic glucagonoma.
Recurrent major depression and right hippocampal volume: A bivariate linkage and association study

Previous work has shown that the hippocampus is smaller in the brains of individuals suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD) than those of healthy controls. Moreover, right hippocampal volume specifically has been found to predict the probability of subsequent depressive episodes. This study explored the utility of right hippocampal volume as an endophenotype of recurrent MDD (rMDD). We observed a significant genetic correlation between the two traits in a large sample of Mexican American individuals from extended pedigrees (ρg = -0.34, p = 0.013). A bivariate linkage scan revealed a significant pleiotropic quantitative trait locus on chromosome 18p11.31-32 (LOD = 3.61). Bivariate association analysis conducted under the linkage peak revealed a variant (rs574972) within an intron of the gene SMCHD1 meeting the corrected significance level (χ(2) = 19.0, p = 7.4 × 10(-5)). Univariate association analyses of each phenotype separately revealed that the same variant was significant for right hippocampal volume alone, and also revealed a suggestively significant variant (rs12455524) within the gene DLGAP1 for rMDD alone. The results implicate right-hemisphere hippocampal volume as a possible endophenotype of rMDD, and in so doing highlight a potential gene of interest for rMDD risk.
Axillary Artery to Contralateral Axillary Vein Graft Fistula in Chronic Hemodialysis Patients

Background. Vascular access failure is a severe and common complication for hemodialysis patients. The possible vascular access sites are limited in dialysis patients. Axillary artery to contralateral axillary vein arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is one of the possibilities. However, the clinical outcome of this procedure is still un-defined. Object. The purpose of this study is to review the clinical outcome of axillary artery to contralateral axillary vein AVF as a hemodialysis vascular access. Patients and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed native or graft arteriovenous fistula records for chronic hemodialysis patients at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, from 01 1986 to 03 2001. Records were reviewed for all chronic hemodialysis patients, with more than 2000 individuals receiving more than 10,000 fistulas. Eight patients received axillary artery to contralateral axillary vein AVF. Results. The mean age for these patients was 61.7 ± 16.3 year-old at time of surgery. All patients had rece...
Patient-Reported Compliance with Cystic Fibrosis Therapy

Parents and patients in the Rhode Island Cystic Fibrosis Center were inter viewed to determine the extent of compliance with various aspects of the thera peutic regimen. Current patterns of compliance were compared with retro spective clinic records of reported compliance up to 8 years prior to the time of study. Actual clinic attendance and reported compliance with medications were high. Patients reported significantly lower compliance with diet and chest physiotherapy. Most patients reported less compliance with chest physio therapy at the time of study than 3 to 8 years earlier, regardless of the severity of their lung disease. Patients frequently reported self-medication with non- prescribed vitamins, antibiotics, or other drugs. Patients' perceptions of the severity of their disease and the possible adverse consequences of discon tinuing therapy probably contribute to both good medication compliance and self-medication.
Who with chronic myelogenous leukemia to transplant in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Purpose of review Chronic myelogenous leukemia was once the most common indication for unrelated allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation but has become dramatically less so during the past 5 years. This procedure remains an option in chronic myelogenous leukemia but its use will become more sparing and selective. This review describes these trends and identifies the current role of the procedure in chronic myelogenous leukemia. Recent findings Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was the goal in chronic myelogenous leukemia for over 20 years and remains an option. Emergence of imatinib mesylate and other, second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors has transformed the landscape of transplantation in this setting. Treatment algorithms have been rewritten and, despite advances in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (e.g. improved supportive care, decreased toxicity and reduced intensity conditioning), transplantation worldwide has declined. Additionally, the near universal exposure to imatinib mesylate or other kinase inhibitors before transplant consideration has increased expectations regarding outcomes after transplantation. Summary This review summarizes the history of transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia and defines the new natural history for this leukemia in the tyrosine kinase inhibitor era. Ultimately, enhanced understanding of the appropriate role of transplantation in these patients will lead to the best long-term outcomes.
Meta-Analysis and Functional Validation of Nutritional Requirements of Solventogenic Clostridia Growing under Butanol Stress Conditions and Coutilization of d-Glucose and d-Xylose

Recent advances in systems biology, omics, and computational studies allow us to carry out data mining for improving biofuel production bioprocesses. Of particular interest are bioprocesses that center on microbial capabilities to biotransform both the hexose and pentose fractions present in crop residues. This called for a systematic exploration of the components of the media to obtain higher-density cultures and more-productive fermentation operations than are currently found. By using a meta-analysis approach of the transcriptional responses to butanol stress, we identified the nutritional requirements of solvent-tolerant strain Clostridium beijerinckii SA-1 (ATCC 35702). The nutritional requirements identified were later validated using the chemostat pulse-and-shift technique. C. beijerinckii SA-1 was cultivated in a two-stage single-feed-stream continuous production system to test the proposed validated medium formulation, and the coutilization of D-glucose and D-xylose was evaluated by taking advantage of the well-known ability of solventogenic clostridia to utilize a large variety of carbon sources such as mono-, oligo-, and polysaccharides containing pentose and hexose sugars. Our results indicated that C. beijerinckii SA-1 was able to coferment hexose/pentose sugar mixtures in the absence of a glucose repression effect. In addition, our analysis suggests that the solvent and acid resistance mechanisms found in this strain are differentially regulated compared to strain NRRL B-527 and are outlined as the basis of the analysis toward optimizing butanol production.
A revised branch current-based distribution system state estimation algorithm and meter placement impact

With the development of automation in distribution systems, distribution supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and many automated meter reading (AMR) systems have been installed on distribution systems. Also distribution management system (DMS) have advanced and include more sophisticated analysis tools. The combination of these developments is providing a platform for development of distribution system state estimation (DSE). A branch-current-based three-phase state estimation algorithm for distribution systems has been developed and tested. This method chooses the magnitude and phase angle of the branch current as the state variables. Because of the limited number of real-time measurements in the distribution system, the state estimator can not acquire enough real-time measurements for convergence, so pseudo-measurements are necessary for distribution system state estimator. The load estimated at every node from the AMR systems is used as a pseudo-measurement for the state estimator. The algorithm has been tested on three IEEE radial test feeders. In addition to this new strategy for DSE, another issue is meter-placement. This topic includes the type of measurement as well as the location of the measurement. Our results show the impact of these two issues on accuracy. Several general meter rules based on this analysis are outlined.
Salt and Pepper Distribution of Cell Types in the Collecting Duct

Many epithelial organs, such as the kidney, gastrointestinal tract, skin, lung, and brain, are segmented such that each region has its characteristic cell type. Close examination of these segments reveals that they are homogenous and contain only one epithelial cell type. With a bit of training, it
Leveraging speaker diarization for meeting recognition from distant microphones

We investigate using state-of-the-art speaker diarization output for speech recognition purposes. While it seems obvious that speech recognition could benefit from the output of speaker diarization (“Who spoke when”) for effective feature normalization and model adaptation, such benefits have remained elusive in the very challenging domain of meeting recognition from distant microphones. In this study, we show that recognition gains are possible by careful post-processing of the diarization output. Still, recognition accuracy may suffer when the underlying diarization system performs worse than expected, even compared to far less sophisticated speaker-clustering techniques. We obtain a more accurate and robust overall system by combining recognition output with multiple speaker segmentations and clusterings. We evaluate our methods on data from the 2009 NIST Rich Transcription meeting recognition evaluation.
Sequence dependent instability of mononucleotide microsatellites in cultured mismatch repair proficient and deficient mammalian cells

We have measured the mutation rates of G17 and A17 repeat sequences in cultured mammalian cells with and without mismatch repair and have compared these rates to those of a (CA)17 repeat sequence. Plasmids containing microsatellites that disrupt the reading frame of a downstream neomycin-resistance gene were introduced into the cells by transfection and revertants were selected using the neomycin analog G418. Comparison of mutation rates within cell lines showed that the mutation rates of A17 and (CA)17 sequences were similar in the mismatch repair proficient cells, but the mutation rate of G17 was significantly higher than that of either A17 or (CA)17. In the mismatch repair deficient cells, the G17 and (CA)17 mutation rates were similar and were significantly higher than the A17 rate. PCR analysis of the mutants showed that 1 bp insertions predominated in both mononucleotide repeats in the mismatch repair proficient cells; in mismatch repair deficient cells, 2 bp deletions were the most common mutation in the A17 sequence, but 1 bp insertions and 2 bp deletions were equally represented in the G17 sequence. These results indicate that a G17 repeat is less stable than an A17 repeat in both mismatch repair proficient and mismatch repair deficient mammalian cells. This observation implies that the replication fidelity is lower in G17 repeats.
Do Hispanic Patients Adapt as Well to a Residential Therapeutic Community as Do Members of Other Ethnic Groups

There has been increasing interest in developing interventions for the treatment of substance abuse that takes into consideration the individual's cultural values and norms. Guidelines for interven...
Atomism, Holism, and the Judicial Assessment of Evidence

How should judges go about assessing the admissibility of evidence? In this Article, I explore a key and underexamined issue within evidence law: the interpretive tension between atomism and holism. Should judges assess the admissibility of an item of evidence atomistically — piece by piece, and by itself? Or should they engage in a more holistic, synthetic, and relational inquiry? I argue that there is not, and cannot be, any simple answer to this question, because judicial atomism versus holism turns out to implicate two further important tensions within our bifurcated trial system: the balance of power between the judge and the attorney, on the one hand, and between the judge and the jury, on the other. Moreover, the relation between these multiple issues turns out to depend significantly on whether the evidentiary assessment at issue is what I term a low-threshold evidentiary determination, tilted in favor of admissibility (like relevance, or Rule 403), or, instead, a high-threshold determination (like the assessment of expert evidence). This Article explores both an array of evidence doctrines and the extent to which they provide guidance to judges vis-a-vis atomism versus holism, and then looks in detail at how atomism versus holism operates in both low-threshold and high-threshold circumstances.
An isotopic study of the effect of dietary carbohydrate on the metabolic fate of dietary leucine and phenylalanine.

The fate of dietary leucine and phenylalanine was studied in five healthy, young adult men, by using a dual, stable isotope-tracer infusion approach to estimate amino acid fluxes, splanchnic (Sp) uptake, and dietary of absorbed amino acid to the peripheral circulation. Subject received two, 4-h tracer infusions of [1-13C]leucine and [15N]phenylalanine infused through a feeding tube placed in the duodenum, and [5,5,5-2H3]leucine, [ring-2H5]phenylalanine, and [6,6-2H2]glucose infused simultaneously by vein. In one experiment subjects received an amino acid mixture (83 mg amino acid.kg-1.h-1) via the feeding tube and in the other experiment amino acids were supplied with carbohydrate (CHO) (167 mg.kg-1.h-1). Sp uptake of dietary leucine decreased with added dietary CHO (29% of ingested leucine for amino acids alone vs 20% with CHO; P 0.05). Addition of CHO decreased both release of leucine via protein breakdown and leucine oxidation and increased body leucine balance (P < 0.05).
The Crime of Persecution

The contribution to the Oxford Companion to International Criminal Justice provides an overview of the law and jurisprudence of the crime of persecution as a crime against humanity.
Power lines: Phoenix and the making of the modern southwest

In Power Lines: Phoenix and the Making of the Modern Southwest, Andrew Needham provides a metropolitan history that does not stop at municipal boundaries. Rather, Needham's account of Phoenix's gro...
Alcohol Toxicity in Diabetes and Its Complications: A Double Trouble?

Background Eight percent of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM), while another large percentage has gone undiagnosed. As the epidemiology of this disease constitutes a larger percentage of the American population, another factor presents a dangerous dilemma that can exacerbate the hazardous effects imposed by DM. Excessive alcohol consumption concerns the health of more than 50% of all adults. When this heavy-alcohol-drinking population overlaps with DM and its complications, the effects can be dangerous. In this review, we term it as “double trouble.” Methods We provide evidence of alcohol-induced exacerbation of organ damage in diabetic conditions. In certain cases, we have explained how diabetes and alcohol induce similar pathological effects. Results Known exacerbated complications include those related to heart diseases, liver damage, kidney dysfunction, as well as retinal and neurological impairment. Often, pathophysiological damage concludes with end-stage disorders and even mortality. The metabolic, cell signaling, and pathophysiological changes associated with “double trouble” would lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets. Conclusions This review summarizes the epidemiology, diagnosis, pathophysiology, metabolic, and cell signaling alterations and finally brushes upon issues and strategies to manage the “double trouble.”
Bicontinuous cubic phase as a matrix for the synthesis of semiconductor nanocrystallites

Bicontinuous cubic phase of lipid has been utilized for the first time as a matrix to synthesize II-VI (CdS) and IV-VI (PbS) semiconductor nanocrystallites. The nanoparticles were isolated from the lipid matrix and stabilized by capping with a thiol compound before purification. Two different sizes (2.3 nm and 3.0 ran) of CdS particles were prepared by varying the conditions of preparation. The size was determined by a combination of UV-vis absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The steep absorption edges of the two CdS samples indicate very narrow size distribution. XRD and transmission electron microscopic imaging of PbS nanocrystallites revealed that the size was 4.9 nm with nearly monodispersed size distribution.
Distributed Consensus-Based Kalman Filter Estimation and Control of Formation Flying Spacecraft: Simulation and Validation

By implementing a distributed consensus-based Kalman Filter, this paper illustrates the dynamics and control of several satellites under the Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire equations. Through the use of local communication within a connected network, the satellites were able to move themselves to a desired formation by successfully estimating the states and control of the entire formation. This control scheme was shown to exhibit resilience to possible disturbances despite the environment’s sensitivities to initial conditions.
Evidence of Recent Dengue Exposure Among Malaria Parasite-Positive Children in Three Urban Centers in Ghana

Blood samples of 218 children ages 2-14 years old with confirmed malaria in hospitals across Ghana were tested for dengue virus exposure. We detected dengue-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in 3.2% of the children, indicating possible coinfection, and IgG antibodies in 21.6% of them, which suggests previous exposure. Correlates of exposure are discussed.
Clumping (false agglutination) of blood from the umbilical cord.

has not been emphasized in proportion to the frequency of its occurrence. In fact, most manuals in hematology contain no mention of it as a source of false typing. Our work reveals that even minute amounts of contamination with cord jelly are sufficient to cause false results. The character of the clumping is such that it may be mistaken for true agglutination. On the other hand, we have noted minor differences in such clumps, as compared with true agglutina­ tion. The differences may be summarized as follows: 1. Clumping occurs more slowly than true agglutination.
Effect of light activation method on flexural properties of dental composites.

PURPOSE To determine if irradiating composites in a laboratory tungsten-halogen light-curing unit produced equal flexural properties to stepwise hand-curing with a tungsten-halogen lamp. METHODS Bars (n = 10) of nine commercial composites were formed by light-curing in square glass tubes (2 x 2 x 25 mm). Flexure strength (FS, MPa) and flexure modulus (FM, GPa) were tested in three-point bending after aging specimens in water at 37 degrees C for 1 day. Two methods were used to irradiate the composites: a) Triad II (Dentsply) using 40-second exposures from top and bottom; and b) Optilux 400 (Demetron; 600 mW/cm2) using 3 x 40 seconds overlapping exposures from the top only. Filler wt% was determined by thermal gravimetric analysis. The degree of conversion (DC) of each composite cured with the two techniques was evaluated by micro-FTIR. T-tests were performed for FS and FM to compare Triad II vs Optilux for each composite (alpha < 0.05). RESULTS There was a trend for Optilux to produce greater FS (significant for A110, Herculite and P60) and FM (significant for all but Clearfil, Esthet-X and Z250), but differences averaged less than 10%. There was no difference in DC between the irradiation modes for any composite.
Generation of Nonviral Integration-Free Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Plucked Human Hair Follicles

Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) provide a unique experimental reagent for dissecting the complex transcriptional, regulatory, and epigenetic mechanisms of pluripotency, as well as for studying normal and diseased human development. However, the utility of current iPSC lines may be limited by the utilization of integrating viral vectors for transgenic ectopic expression of oncogenic reprogramming factors (e.g., SOX2, OCT4, KLF4, MYC, NANOG, LIN28, and SV40 T antigen). Leaky expression of integrated pluripotency factor transgenes may inhibit completion of the somatic cell reprogramming process, pose great potential for subsequent malignant transformation, and ultimately limit differentiation strategies and their future clinical application. hiPSCs generated with transgene and vector-free approaches may more faithfully resemble human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and obviate some or all of these important caveats. In this chapter, we describe a simple and reproducible methodology for generating clinically safe nonviral, integration-free hiPSCs from keratinocytes noninvasively obtained and expanded from a donor’s single plucked hair follicle. Nonintegrated hiPSCs free of viral and transgene sequences should provide a potent tool for studies of pluripotency, and ultimately be more clinically useful in regenerative medicine.
Camera model identification framework using an ensemble of demosaicing features

Existing approaches to camera model identification frequently operate by building a parametric model of a camera component, then using an estimate of these model parameters to identify the source camera model. Since many components in a camera's processing pipeline are both complex and nonlinear, it is often very difficult to build these parametric models or improve their accuracy. In this paper, we propose a new framework for identifying the model of an image's source camera. Our framework builds a rich model of a camera's demosaicing algorithm inspired by Fridrich et al.'s recent work on rich models for steganalysis. We present experimental results showing that our framework can identify the correct make and model of an image's source camera with an average accuracy of 99.2%.
The AngioVac Device: Understanding the Failures on the Road to Success.

ObjectiveCurrent percutaneous thromboembolectomy techniques may obviate surgical intervention in high-risk patients with iliocaval thrombus or thrombus of the right side of the heart, but typically...
A Validation Study of the Repeatability and Accuracy of Atomic Force Microscopy Indentation Using Polyacrylamide Gels and Colloidal Probes

The elasticity of soft biological materials is a critical property to understand their biomechanical behaviors. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) indentation method has been widely employed to measure the Young's modulus (E) of such materials. Although the accuracy of the method has been recently evaluated based on comparisons with macroscale E measurements, the repeatability of the method has yet to be validated for rigorous biomechanical studies of soft elastic materials. We tested the AFM indentation method using colloidal probes and polyacrylamide (PAAM) gels of E < 20 kPa as a model soft elastic material after having identified optimal trigger force and probe speed. AFM indentations repeated with time intervals show that the method is well repeatable when performed carefully. Compared with the rheometric method and the confocal microscopy indentation method, the AFM indentation method is evaluated to have comparable accuracy and better precision, although these elasticity measurements appear to rely on the compositions of PAAM gels and the length scale of measurement. Therefore, we have confirmed that the AFM indentation method can reliably measure the elasticity of soft elastic materials.
LIVING IN A FOOD DESERT IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN EARLY HAZARD OF DEATH AND HOSPITALIZATION IN HEART FAILURE PATIENTS

Background: Food deserts (FD), low-income areas with low-access to healthful foods, are associated with higher burden of CV risk factors. We sought to determine if living in a FD is associated with worse clinical outcomes in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods: HF patients (N=227, mean age 57 ±
Learning to Age Successfully with HIV

When the HIV epidemic emerged in the 1980s, pharmacological treatment was not available and many individuals died from HIV or related complications. Introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy in the 1990s transitioned HIV from a death sentence to a chronic disease. Fortunately, people are now aging with HIV, but also developing other chronic illnesses. This chapter examines theories related to aging and discusses the physical and mental health issues associated with aging and HIV. Topics include cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, non-AIDS defining cancers, diabetes, frailty, neurocognitive functioning, and depression. Incorporated into each chapter are recommendations on how individuals can age successfully while living with HIV.
Hospital Characteristics Impact Value Based Purchasing Scores

This article investigates the relationship between hospital characteristics and their Total Performance Score (TPS) under Medicare’s Hospital Value Based Purchasing (HVBP) program. The paper notes ...
E-048 Helistroke: helicopter-neurointerventionalist transport for interventional stroke – proof of concept and rationale

Background and purpose It is increasingly recognized that time is one of the key determinants in acute stroke outcome when applying interventional stroke therapy. With increasing device efficacy and understanding of imaging triage options, reducing pre-treatment time loss may be a critical component of improving interventional stroke outcomes for the population at large. Time sensitive procedures such as organ harvest have transported physicians to patient site to improve time to “procedure.” Applying this same principle to interventional stroke may be a valid paradigm. Methods Previous logistical deliberation with hospital and Medevac companies was performed to provide rationale and funding for helicopter transfer of a neurointerventionalist to an in-network hospital with on-site angiographic suite and interventional radiologists. An appropriate patient with large vessel occlusion and NIH stroke scale greater than 8 was identified. Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed per NIH Stroke Program protocols, then the Medevac transport system was activated and the intervention was performed. Times were collected during the case and assessed for time efficiency. Results Proof of concept case was identified and sent for imaging. Medevac was consulted at 12:13 pm after verifying that no in-house emergencies would prevent physician departure. Weather clearance was obtained and stroke intervention confirmed as a go at 12:24 pm. Groin puncture occurred at 13:07 pm, intervention was completed at 13:41 pm. Total time from decision-to-treat to groin puncture was 43 min and groin closure was completed at 77 min from decision-to-treat. Conclusions This proof of concept case is presented for logistical, financial and use-case analysis. As it is a first case, times can likely be improved. We assert that this model may be another option in spoke and hub design of stroke systems of care. Disclosures A. El Mekabaty: None. F. Hui: None. V. Urrutia: None. J. Lynch: None. Z. Naidarashvili: None.
Vascularization in interconnected 3D printed Ti-6Al-4V foams with hydrogel matrix for biomedical bone replacement implants.

Vascularization on newly implanted metal orthopedic implants has remained a challenge in the field of tissue engineering. To address this challenge, in this research, an interconnected foam structure of Ti-6Al-4V was micro-fabricated by electron beam melting (EBM) technique. The foam in question has a density of 1.77 g cm−3 with 60% porosity and a tensile strength of 18 GPa. An extracellular matrix based hydrogel was added as an aqueous matrix to the foam. Hypoxia mimetic stress has been closely related to many wound healing biomedical applications as it increases survival and proliferation molecular signals. To that end, increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (Hif-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the aqueous hydrogel matrix was achieved by the addition of a hypoxia mimetic deferoxamine mesylate (DFM). In this study, the formation of an endothelial network was achieved in a hydrogel matrix in the presence of the before mentioned 3D printed metal foam. Cellular viability, fluorescent microscopy and scanning electron microscopy imaging analysis demonstrate that pre-osteoblasts undergo proliferation and also attach efficiently to the foam when exposed to DFM. Human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) were grown in an extracellular matrix-like 3D hydrogel and a hypoxia-like stress was achieved. This research demonstrates that pre-osteoblast cells undergo cell differentiation and increase the production of hydroxyapatite on exposure to the hypoxia mimetic molecule. This proposed approach encompasses an ideal prototype for a completely living implanted structure for future orthopedic implants.
An astrocyte derived extracellular matrix coating reduces astrogliosis surrounding chronically implanted microelectrode arrays in rat cortex

Abstract Available evidence suggests that the magnitude of the foreign body response (FBR) to implants placed in cortical brain tissue is affected by the extent of vasculature damage following device insertion and the magnitude of the ensuing macrophage response. Since the extracellular matrix (ECM) serves as a natural hemostatic and immunomodulatory agent, we examined the ability of an FDA-approved neurosurgical hemostatic coating and an ECM coating derived from primary rat astrocytes to reduce the FBR surrounding a penetrating microelectrode array chronically implanted in rat cortex. Using quantitative methods, we examined various components of the FBR in vitro and after implantation. In vitro assays showed that both coatings accelerated coagulation in a similar fashion but only the astrocyte-derived material suppressed macrophage activation. In addition, the ECM coating derived from astrocytes, also decreased the astrogliotic response 8 weeks after implantation. Neither coating had a significant influence on the intensity or spatial distribution of FBR biomarkers 1 week after implantation or on degree of macrophage activation or neuronal survival at the later time point. The results show that microelectrode coatings with similar hemostatic properties but different immunomodulatory characteristics differentially affect the FBR to an anchored, single-shank, silicon microelectrode array. The results also support the concept that divergent biological pathways affect the various components of the FBR in the CNS and suggests that decreasing its impact will require a multifaceted approach.
CARDIOMYOPATHY BRIDGED TO HEART TRANSPLANT WITH AMBULATORY EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION IN A PERIPARTUM PATIENT

Cardiomyopathy (CM) is generally treated with generic heart failure medications, namely diuretics, beta blockers and afterload reduction. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) who do not respond to conventional therapy. A 32 year old female
An integrated multiple capillary array electrophoresis system for high-throughput DNA sequencing

A capillary array electrophoresis system was chosen to perform DNA sequencing because of several advantages such as rapid heat dissipation, multiplexing capabilities, gel matrix filling simplicity, and the mature nature of the associated manufacturing technologies. There are two major concerns for the multiple capillary systems. One concern is inter-capillary cross-talk, and the other concern is excitation and detection efficiency. Cross-talk is eliminated through proper optical coupling, good focusing and immersing capillary array into index matching fluid. A side-entry excitation scheme with orthogonal detection was established for large capillary array. Two 100 capillary array formats were used for DNA sequencing. One format is cylindrical capillary with 150 {micro}m o.d., 75 {micro}m i.d and the other format is square capillary with 300 {micro}m out edge and 75 {micro}m inner edge. This project is focused on the development of excitation and detection of DNA as well as performing DNA sequencing. The DNA injection schemes are discussed for the cases of single and bundled capillaries. An individual sampling device was designed. The base-calling was performed for a capillary from the capillary array with the accuracy of 98%.
The Interface Kinetics of Crystal Growth Processes

A brief review of the present state of our understanding of the kinetic processes which take place on the atomic scale at the interface during crystal growth is presented in this paper. Computer simulations have played a central role in the development of this understanding. Three aspects will be discussed: (1) There are two classes of materials based on their different modes of crystallization. Molecular dynamics modeling has demonstrated that the growth rate for many simple materials is not thermally activated, but instead depends on the thermal velocity of the atoms. (2) The cooperative processes which give rise to the surface roughening transition. Kinetic Monte Carlo studies played a central role in the development of our understanding of how interface roughness dominates growth morphologies. (3) Solute trapping in alloys. Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of alloys have led to an understanding of these kinetic effects during alloy crystallization.
A formative evaluation in maternal and child health practice: the Partners for Life Nutrition Education Program for pregnant women

Objectives: This paper describes the formative evaluation of the Partners For Life Program that was developed to change dietary behavior of low income pregnant women in the Mississippi Delta region. Methods: A diverse group of nutrition/health professionals, adapted the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program's (EFNEP) methodology for pregnant patients in the local Women, Infants, and Children program who were receiving maternity care at the county health department. Formative evaluation activities included gathering data to determine 1) whether a new nutrition curriculum, modeled after EFNEP could be created, 2) whether peer educators could be recruited and trained to deliver the intervention, 3) whether pregnant women could be recruited to participate in the new program, 4) whether a pilot test of the new intervention would produce short-term impact in nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior, and 5) reactions of pregnant women on the usability of the new program. Data were gathered through use of the Program Implementation Index, focus groups, and a retrospective record review. Pilot test assessments included tests of nutrition knowledge and self-reported changes in dietary behavior. Results: The formative evaluation demonstrated both positive and negative outcomes. Positive data included 1) successful recruitment and training of the peer educators to deliver the intervention; 2) successful recruitment of the targeted population for the pilot study; 3) complete information on project questionnaires and measuring forms; and 4) among those who completed the program, a statistically significant improvement in nutrition knowledge and dietary behavior. Two negative aspects in this formative study were 1) the Program Implementation Index quantitatively showed that the program experienced problems retaining participants it recruited and 2) deviation of the timeframe for intervention delivery. Program length was identified as the primary reason for participant attrition. Conclusions: It is important for program developers to use results from formative evaluations to make changes in problem areas prior to implementation of a full-scale impact evaluation.
CHAPTER 2 – On the Structure and Dynamics of Temperate Reef Fish Assemblages: Are Resources Tracked?

Two long-term data sets of assemblages of temperate reef fish were studied to explore population and community trends in relation to environmental disturbances. The King Harbor assemblage included a total of 75 reef-associated teleost fishes and has been observed for 20 years; the Santa Cruz Island data set included five species of fish and detailed information about reef resources during a 13-year period. The assemblages responded to regional environmental perturbations such as E1 Nifio Southern Oscillation events and changes in regional upwelling patterns that greatly influenced reef resources (especially food supply). Analysis of the chapter reveals that species of northern, cold-water affinity declined sharply during the 1970s, stayed more or less constant during the 1980s, and fell again during the early 1990s. Southern affinity species tended to increase in abundance during the 1970s into the 1980s, but since the mid-1980s, these species have generally been declining as well. Similar patterns are detected at both sites. Analyses of crustacean food supply at Santa Cruz Island reveals a tremendous decline since 1990, and so the chapter concludes that local populations of these reef-associated species of fish have been tracking a declining resource base.
An Origami-based Thickness-Accommodating Bistable Mechanism in Monolithic Thick-sheet Materials

Origami-based mechanisms can provide useful capabilities in folding large structures to stow in small volumes. However, when using monolithic thick-sheet materials for these types of mechanisms, accommodating the thickness proves challenging. One approach to solve this is to create compliant mechanisms along the fold lines that inherently store energy when actuated and causes the mechanism to tend toward its low energy state. This tendency can be used to create bistable states. We outline a method to use this stored energy to achieve bistable states and name the resulting mechanism an origami-based “Thickness-accommodating bistable interior vertex” (TABIV) in monolithic thick-sheet materials. The kinematics and energy-displacement relationships of this mechanism are derived. Prototypes are shown to exhibit the predicted bistable behavior and the mechanism is integrated and prototyped into origami-based mechanisms demonstrating advantageous multi-stable behaviors.
A theory for how the antigen presentation profile influences the timing of T-cell detection

T-cells are activated when their receptor molecules recognize complexes of MHC proteins bound to peptides on the surface of neighbouring cells. Each T-cell expresses one variant of many possible receptor molecules, which are generated through a partially random process that culminates in approximately 10 7 possible T-cell receptors. As the peptide sequence bound to an MHC molecule is also highly variable, the optimal strategy of an antigen-presenting cell for displaying peptide-MHC complexes is not obvious. A natural compromise arises between aggressive peptide filtering, displaying a few peptides with high stability MHC binding in high abundance and regularity, and promiscuous peptide binding, which can result in more diverse peptides being presented, but in lower abundance. To study this compromise, we have combined a model of MHC class I peptide filtering with a simple probabilistic description of the interactions between antigen presenting cells (APCs) and cytotoxic T-cells (CTLs). By asking how long it takes, on average, for an APC to encounter a circulating CTL that recognises one of the peptides being presented by its MHC molecules, we found that there often exists an optimal degree of peptide filtering, which minimises this expected time until first encounter. The optimal degree of filtering is often in the range of values that the chaperone molecule tapasin confers on peptide selection, but varies between MHC class I molecules that have different peptide binding properties. Our model-based analysis therefore helps to understand how variations in the antigen presentation profile might be exploited for vaccine design or immunotherapies.
Non-Native Fish Predator Density and Molecular-Based Diet Estimates Suggest Differing Impacts of Predator Species on Juvenile Salmon in the San Joaquin River, California

Author(s): Michel, Cyril J.; Smith, Joseph M.; Demetras, Nicholas J.; Huff, David D.; Hayes, Sean A. | Abstract: https://doi.org/10.15447/sfews.2018v16iss4art3 The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a major survival bottleneck for imperiled California salmonid populations, which is partially due to a multitude of non-native fish predators that have proliferated there throughout the 20th century. Understanding the diets of salmonid predators is critical to understanding their individual impacts, role in the food web, and the implications for potential management actions. We collected the stomach contents of Striped Bass Morone saxatilis, Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides, Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus and White Catfish Ameiurus catus sampled from three 1-km reaches in the lower San Joaquin River in 2014 and 2015 during the peak juvenile salmon outmigration period. We tested each stomach (n = 582) for the presence of juvenile Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and other prey items using a genetic barcoding technique. Channel Catfish had significantly higher frequency of Chinook Salmon in their stomachs (27.8% of tested Channel Catfish contained Chinook Salmon DNA), compared to the other three predators (2.8% to 4.8%). However, non-native fish species occurred at greater frequencies in the diets of all four predator species than salmon. Using depletion estimation from electrofishing, we were able to generate population densities for Striped Bass and Largemouth Bass in our reaches. Largemouth Bass were evenly distributed throughout all three reaches, at a mean density of approximately 333 (± 195 SE) per km of river. Striped Bass were patchily distributed, ranging from 21 to 1,227 per km. Extrapolating the frequency of salmon detected in stomachs to the predator abundance estimates, we estimate that the population of Largemouth Bass we sampled consumed between 3 and 5 Chinook Salmon per day per 1-km study reach (consumption rate of 0.011 salmon per predator per day), whereas the Striped Bass population consumed between 0 and 24 Chinook Salmon per day (0.019 salmon per predator per day).
Comment on Khanal et al. The Repertoire of Adenovirus in Human Disease: The Innocuous to the Deadly. Biomedicines 2018, 6, 30

In their comprehensive review on adenoviruses, Khanal et al. omitted obesity as a disease caused by adenovirus 36 (Adv36). Animal studies have shown that experimental infection with Adv36 causes increased adiposity, and human association studies have shown that prior infection with Adv36 is correlated with greater body weight in humans in multiple countries of the world.
Prevalence estimates for pyoderma gangrenosum in the United States: An age- and sex-adjusted population analysis

Background The disease burden of pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is poorly understood. Objective To determine standardized overall and age-, sex-, and race-specific prevalence estimates for PG among adults in the United States. Methods Cross-sectional analysis of 1971 patients with PG identified using electronic health records data from a diverse population-based sample of more than 58 million patients. Results The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of PG among the study population was 0.0058%, or 5.8 PG cases (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.6-6.1) per 100,000 adults. Adjusted prevalence was nearly twice as high among women (7.1 cases [95% CI, 6.7-7.5] per 100,000) than men (4.4 cases [95% CI, 4.0-4.7] per 100,000). Patients between the ages of 70 and 79 years had the highest standardized prevalence (9.8 cases [95% CI, 8.8-10.9] per 100,000), with patients aged ≥50 years representing nearly 70% of all PG cases. Standardized prevalence was similar among white and African American patients. The female-to-male ratio of PG was >1.8 across all age groups. Limitations Analysis of electronic health records data may result in misclassification bias. Conclusion PG is a rare disease that most commonly affects women and those aged ≥50 years.
Yang-Mills sources in biconformal gravity

Abstract Biconformal gravity, based on gauging of the conformal group to 2n dimensions, reproduces n-dim scale-covariant general relativity on the co-tangent bundle in any dimension. We generalize this result to include Yang-Mills matter sources formulated as S U ( N ) gauge theories with a twisted action on the full 2n-dimensional biconformal space. We show that the coupling of the sources to gravity does not stop the reduction of effective dimension 2 n → n of the gravity theory, and instead forces the Yang-Mills source to reduce to ordinary n-dimensional Yang-Mills theory on the gravitating cotangent bundle, with the usual Yang-Mills energy tensor as gravitational source. The results apply as well to gravity with sources on Kahler manifolds and in double field theories.
Tunable electrochemical performance of polyaniline coating via facile ion exchanges

Abstract Polyaniline (PAni) was electropolymerized on stainless steel (SS) surface using sulfates (sulfuric acid, SA and p-toluene sulfonic acid, p-TSA) as doping anions. These dopant anions were electrochemically exchanged to phosphates (phosphoric acid, PhAc and phytic acid, PA) to enhance the electrochemical performance of the polymer. The anion exchange was studied by studying the number of redox sites accessible in the polymer during the exchange. The dopants used for polyaniline was substantially affecting the anticorrosion performance of the coating depending on type of dopants, size and their alignment in polymeric chain. The protection efficiency was significantly improved when sulfates were exchanged to phosphates due to their inhibiting properties towards corrosion for stainless steel.
Enriching Meta-Analytic Models of Summary Data: A Thought Experiment and Case Study:

Meta-analysis typically involves the analysis of summary data (e.g., means, standard deviations, and sample sizes) from a set of studies via a statistical model that is a special case of a hierarch...
Policing Normalcy: Men of Color Speak Back at a Ridiculously White Institution:

This article serves as supplemental information for a performative presentation of what the author calls sound arts–based research (SABR) and how it can function as sounded scholarship and sound ar...