cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Saturation and base composition bias explain phylogenomic conflict in Plasmodium

Despite recent genome-based advances in understanding Plasmodium molecular evolution and its relationship to disease mechanisms and potential drug development, the phylogenetics of the group is currently limited to single-gene analyses. Here we develop and analyze a set of >100 putative orthologous genes derived from genome comparisons. We aimed to minimize systematic errors that arise when reconstructing the Plasmodium phylogeny with a genome-scale data set by evaluating the congruence of different genes, optimality criteria, and models of sequence evolution with previous studies encompassing fewer characters and more species. Saturation in substitutions and bias in base frequencies at third-codon positions characterized most Plasmodium genes. Molecular evolution models that partitioned rates of change by codon position were best at accounting for these sequence characteristics, as were analyses of amino acid alignments. These methods also ameliorated, but did not entirely avoid, the impact of reduced taxon sampling on phylogeny. The use of these models and expanded taxon sampling are necessary to maximize detection of multiple substitutions, overcome compositional biases, and, ultimately, resolve with confidence the phylogeny of Plasmodium.
Dynamics of biparental care in house sparrows: hormonal manipulations of paternal contributions

Testosterone (T) is generally regarded as a proximate mediator of avian male trade-offs between mating effort and parental effort, based partly on findings that exogenous T reduces male parental provisioning of nestlings in many passerines. We examined whether T has similarly disruptive effects on male incubation behaviour. We observed behaviour of male house sparrows, Passer domesticus, that were experimentally maintained at high T levels during incubation; we also compared the responses of the males' social mates to deficiencies in the incubation and nestling provisioning contributions of their partners. During the incubation stage of the nesting cycle, T-males spent less than half as much time incubating as control males; in lieu of incubating, T-males engaged in advertisement calling and aggressive interactions more frequently, and were away from the nest more often, than control males. We detected no significant effect of T on male rates of sexual interaction or contributions of nesting material, however. As expected, T-males also provisioned nestlings at lower rates than control males. In turn, females paired to T-males significantly increased their own contributions to incubation, but did not compensate for their mates' reductions in nestling provisioning. These results show that suppressive effects of T on male parental care generalize to incubation behaviour in this species and reinforce the view of T as a mediator of trade-offs between parental and mating effort. In addition, they demonstrate that the existence of any adjustments of parental effort in response to partner contributions can hinge on the form of parental care considered.
An underground route for the water cycle

Water flows from the land to the sea in rivers - that is the classroom picture that seems too self–evident to question. But there is evidence that a comparable amount may flow underground directly into coastal waters.
Strategies for Developing Clinical Services – Implementing a Decentralized Pharmacy Program:

The focus of this Director's Forum is on the justification and implementation of a decentralized pharmacy practice model. This article is the first of three articles that will address the challenges that the pharmacy director must face when expanding pharmacist clinical practice opportunities. Two future articles will review advanced practice programs and the evaluation of clinical services. The goal of the Director's Forum throughout 2006 is to provide readers with information on all of the necessary core competencies of hospital pharmacy practice, comprising a “toolkit” in establishing a patient-centered pharmacy department.
California's Health Insurance Act of 2003: View of the Market

This “play or pay” mandate would have required California employers to either provide medical insurance for their employees or pay into a state insurance fund. Although the law ultimately did not go into effect, movements in shareholder wealth provide evidence about the differential effects of such health-care mandates on various types of employers. Large or unionized firms had no negative effects; expected profits declined most for firms with 50–199 employees.
Agreement Among Dentists' Recommendations for Restorative Treatment

Differences among dentists in their decisions to recommend treatment have been studied principally at a "macro" level by examinations of variations in dentists' treatment recommendations for individual patients, or for patients aggregated to the practice level. If reasons for these differences are to be understood, however, a "micro" level examination of differences in dentists' decisions to recommend treatment for individual teeth is necessary. Extent of agreement to recommend treatment among dentists was explored for 1187 teeth in 43 patients. Each tooth was examined by a mean of 6.6 general practitioners. A modified reliability index and distributions of raw levels of agreement were used for quantification of agreement rates across an incomplete cross-classification for practitioners and patients. Overall inter-dentist reliability in recommending individual teeth for treatment was moderate, p = 0.62. Among unrestored teeth with no clinically evident caries, as judged by an independent experienced evident caries, as judged by an independent experienced examiner, reliability in treatment recommendations due to caries was fair, p = 0.51. Reliability was lowest for recommendations concerning previously restored teeth, p = 0.43. Among all teeth receiving at least one recommendation for treatment, only 22% received a unanimous recommendation. Over one-half of all instances of lack of agreement resulted from a single dentist's recommendation differing from those of all other dentists examining the tooth. The results suggest that much of the variation in dentists' practice profiles is due to basic differences in decisions to recommend treatment for individual teeth with specific conditions, and that the presence of previous restorations seems to magnify these differences.
Multiple objective capital budgeting within the university

Abstract The problem of selecting capital projects in universities is compounded by the existence of conflicting multiple objectives on the part of different groups within the university community. Administrators, faculty members, students and politicians all have different goals and projects which they feel are important to the university and themselves. Because of the multiple objective dimension of the capital budgeting process goal programming becomes an appropriate solution approach. However, because of the indivisibility of some capital projects, mixed integer goal programming, a variation of the traditional GP model, must be employed. The solution approach is demonstrated via an illustrative case example. Model goals in the example (which are prioritized by the top administrative officers of the university) exist for capital budget and operating expenses, building and laboratory construction, accreditation, political interest and area performance.
Depression and inflammation in patients with coronary heart disease: findings from the Heart and Soul Study.

Background Depression and inflammation independently predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Depression has been associated with elevated levels of inflammation in otherwise healthy patients without known CHD. However, studies investigating the link between depression and inflammation in patients with established CHD have produced inconclusive results. Methods We sought to examine the association of major depression with inflammation in 984 outpatients with established CHD from the Heart and Soul Study. We assessed current major depression with the Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule and collected venous blood samples for measurement of five inflammatory biomarkers (white blood cell count, CD40 ligand, C-reactive protein [CRP], fibrinogen, and interleukin-6 [IL-6]). We used multivariate analysis of variance to examine the association of current depression with inflammatory markers, adjusted for potential confounding variables. Results Of the 984 participants, 217 (22%) had current major depression. Depression was not associated with increased levels of any inflammatory marker. Contrary to our hypothesis, depression was associated with lower levels of CRP ( p = .09), fibrinogen ( p = .006), and IL-6 ( p = .007) in both unadjusted and adjusted models. Conclusions We found no evidence that current depression is associated with greater inflammation in outpatients with CHD. Inflammation is unlikely to explain the adverse cardiovascular outcomes associated with depression in patients with established CHD.
Localized multi-dimensional optical pulses in non-resonant quadratic materials

The propagation of an optical pulse in a non-resonant multi-dimensional quadratic material is studied. In a number of relevant cases, the evolution of the pulse is governed by equations of non-linear Schrodinger type with coupling to mean (i.e. low frequency) fields. The presence of this coupling can have a dramatic effect on the dynamics of the optical pulse. In particular, we show that stable localized multi-dimensional pulses can arise through interaction with boundary terms associated to the mean fields.
Manipulating both the inhibitory and stimulatory immune system towards the success of therapeutic vaccination against chronic viral infections

SUMMARY One potentially promising strategy to control chronic infections such as human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus is therapeutic vaccination, which aims to reduce persisting virus by stimulating a patient's own antiviral immune responses. However, this approach has fallen short of expectations, because antiviral T cells generated during chronic infections often become functionally exhausted and thus do not respond properly to therapeutic vaccination. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a therapeutic vaccine strategy to more effectively boost endogenous T-cell responses to control persistent viral infections. Studies to elucidate the cause of impaired T-cell function have pointed to sustained inhibitory receptor signaling through T-cell expression of programmed death 1 (PD-1). Recently, another inhibitory molecule, cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4), and also an immunosuppressive cytokine, interleukin 10 (IL-10), have been reported to be potential factors of establishing immune suppression and viral persistence. Blocking these negative signaling pathways could restore the host immune system, enabling it to respond to further stimulation. Indeed, combining therapeutic vaccination along with the blockade of inhibitory signals could synergistically enhance functional CD8(+) T-cell responses and improve viral control in chronically infected mice, providing a promising strategy for the treatment of chronic viral infections. Furthermore, not only the ablation of negative signals but also the addition of stimulatory signals, such as interleukin 2 (IL-2), might prove to be a potentially promising strategy to augment the efficacy of therapeutic vaccination against chronic viral infections.
A multidimensional framework for conceptualizing human services integration initiatives

The ability to define and understand the “black box” of human services integration initiatives is aided by a multidimensional, multilevel framework.
Entomophagy, Behavior, and Elongated Thoracic Legs in the Myrmecophilous Neotropical Butterfly Alesa amesis (Riodinidae)1

Abstract Entomophagy in the riodinid butterfly tribe Eurybiini is demonstrated for the first time. Alesa amesis caterpillars and adults possess behavioral and morphological traits for feeding on Homoptera nymphs, and oviposition by A. amesis females is mediated by the combined presence of Camponotus femoratus ants and homopteran nymphs. Caterpillars are entirely entomophagous, and do not eat plant tissues. Alesa amesis caterpillars have distinct behaviors for feeding on their prey, and for soliciting and drinking honeydew secretions from homopteran nymphs. The leg lengths of entomophagous Alesa caterpillars are shown to be longer than phytophagous relatives. The legs of Alesa are used for prey handling and soliciting honeydew secretions. We suggest that elongation of the thoracic legs has been a general consequence of entomophagy in butterfly caterpillars. This study clarifies our understanding of A. amesis and its interactions with multiple species, and points to behavioral and morphological traits impor...
The Seventh Solvay Conference: Nuclear Physics at the Crossroads

The seventh Solvay Conference, held at the Free University of Brussels from October 22–29, 1933,1 occupies a place in the history of nuclear physics similar to the one that the first Solvay Conference, held twenty- two years earlier in the Hotel Metropole in Brussels, occupies in the history of quantum physics. Both were the first to be devoted to their respective areas of physics; both were held soon after fundamental discoveries had opened up and transformed their fields; and both served to consolidate knowledge that had been gained and to expose problems that awaited solutions. Martin J. Klein has discussed the first Solvay Conference in his writings.2 In this paper, I shall examine the seventh Solvay Conference, using it as a vantage point from which to view the social and political currents and the theoretical and experimental developments that were buffeting and transforming nuclear physics in the fall of 1933.
Artificial microfluidic skin for in vitro perspiration simulation and testing

To expedite development of any skin wearable material, product, or device, an artificial perspiration (sweat) simulator can provide improved ease, cost, control, flexibility, and reproducibility in comparison to human or animal tests. Reported here is a human perspiration mimicking device including microreplicated skin-texture. A bottom 0.2 μm track etched polycarbonate membrane layer provides flow-rate control while a top photo-curable layer provides skin-like features such as sweat pore density, hydrophobicity, and wetting hysteresis. Key capabilities of this sweat simulator include: constant ‘sweat’ rate density without bubble-point variation even down to ∼1 L h−1 m−2; replication of the 2 pores mm−2 pore-density and the ∼50 μm texture of human skin; simple gravity-fed flow control; low-cost and disposable construction.
Biomarkers of oxidative damage and inflammation in Alzheimer's disease.

Oxidative damage and inflammation are important features of the brain pathology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Oxidative damage can be found in membranes (lipid peroxidation), proteins (nitrosylation and other post-translational changes) and nucleic acids. Inflammatory changes include activation of microglia and astrocytes, with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Not all of these changes are specific to AD, and occur in other neurodegenerative disorders. Both oxidative stress and inflammation are potential therapeutic targets in AD, and biomarkers could help to identify and monitor key pathways in patients with AD. This article summarizes progress in developing cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers related to oxidative stress and inflammation, problems and pitfalls related to systemic (blood- or urine-based) biomarkers in this area, and future research directions and applications.
A physics-based stochastic framework for activity recognition and analysis

The Neurobiological model of motion recognition posits a Motion Energy Pathway and a Form Pathway but leaves the mechanism for Integration open. In this paper, we present a stochastic Integration methodology, based on the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, which explores both the Motion and Form space by creating data-driven proposals in the image/form space which are then confirmed in the motion space. We start by using the image (or form) information, which can be shape, texture, colour, or other image properties, to create the proposals. These proposals are then combined with the video tracks to explore the joint motion and form space. To do this, we use a physics-based Hamiltonian via the Hamiltonian Energy Signature to represent a video sequence which is then used in the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo framework to efficiently explore the combined space. Thus, the enormity of the overall search space is reduced by making these more informed proposals. In addition, our framework has potential application to other domains where statistical sampling techniques are useful.
Economic growth and terrorism: domestic, international, and suicide

This study evaluates the controversial issue of whether economic growth exerts a dampening effect on terrorism. Unlike previous studies, it conceptualizes economic growth into two sectors (agricultural and industrial) and categorizes terrorism into three forms (domestic, international, and suicide). It offers a modified theory of hard targets, where richer industrial, but not richer agricultural, countries are more likely to attract suicide attacks. A cross-national, time-series data analysis of 127 countries for 1970–2007 shows evidence that when countries enjoy high levels of industrial growth, they are less disposed to domestic and international terrorist events, but are more likely to experience suicide attacks. These findings indicate that economic growth is not a cure-all solution for terrorism because it may be associated in some instances with more terrorist incidents. Nonetheless, healthy economic conditions are, without doubt, beneficial to the war on terrorism because the majority of suicide attacks occur in only a few countries.
Science target assessment for Mars rover instrument deployment

This paper introduces the system being developed at NASA Ames Research Center, intended for the Mars '09 Smart Lander, to robustly place sensors or tools against rocks in a single communications cycle. Science targets must be assessed prior to instrument placement in order to segment them from the background and determine where, if possible, to position the instrument. An initial result of this research effort is a novel Bayesian based method for segmenting rocks from the ground using 3D data.
General chemistry for an integrated freshman engineering curriculum

A two semester general chemistry course sequence was developed for an integrated freshman engineering curriculum. The curriculum incorporates cooperative learning and teaming in calculus, chemistry, physics and general engineering studies courses. The paper describes the general chemistry courses, how they were integrated into the curriculum, the use of teaming, and our experience after the first two years.
Body Mass Index, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Outcomes of Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial Fibrillation and Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Background: Obesity and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). The effects of a large body mass index (BMI) and OSA on the results of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) of AF are unclear. Objective: To evaluate the effect of BMI and OSA on the efficacy of RFA for AF. Methods: RFA was performed in 324 consecutive patients (mean age = 57 ± 11 years) with paroxysmal (234) or chronic (90) AF. OSA was diagnosed by polysomnography in 32 of 324 patients (10%) prior to ablation. Among the 324 patients, 18% had a normal BMI (<25 kg/m 2 ), 39% were overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m 2 and <30 kg/m 2 ), and 43% were obese (≥30 kg/m 2 ). RFA was performed to eliminate complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAE) in the pulmonary vein antrum and left atrium. Results: At 7 ± 4 months after a single ablation procedure, 63% of patients without OSA and 41% with OSA were free from recurrent AF without antiarrhythmic drug therapy (P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis including variables of age, gender, type and duration of AF, OSA, BMI, left atrial size, ejection fraction, and hypertension demonstrated that OSA was the strongest predictor of recurrent AF (OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.11‐8.32, P = 0.03). There was no association between BMI and freedom from recurrent AF. A serious complication occurred in 3 of 324 patients, with no relationship to BMI. Conclusions: OSA is a predictor of recurrent AF after RFA independent of its association with BMI and left atrial size. Obesity does not appear to affect outcomes after radiofrequency catheter ablation of AF.
Non-Radiative Processes in Crystals and in Nanocrystals

This paper discusses non-radiative processes that are relevant to the luminescence characteristics of optically active ions doped into insulators or large-gap semiconductors, with particular attention to how these processes are affected as the particle size is reduced from bulk single crystals to as small as a few nanometers. The non-radiative processes discussed in this article are thermal line broadening and thermal line shifting, relaxation via phonons between excited electronic states, vibronic emission and absorption, and phonon-assisted energy transfer. Given that one of the main effects of confinement in these particles is on the phonon density of states, we pay particular attention to how these non-radiative processes are altered due to the change in the phonon density of states as particle size decreases. (C) The Author(s) 2015. Published by ECS.
Regulation of Methyllysine Readers through Phosphorylation

Methyllysine post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones create binding sites for evolutionarily conserved reader domains that link nuclear host proteins and chromatin-modifying complexes to specific genomic regions. In the context of these events, adjacent histone PTMs are capable of altering the binding activity of readers toward their target marks. This provides a mechanism of "combinatorial readout" of PTMs that can enhance, decrease, or eliminate the association of readers with chromatin. In this Perspective, we focus on recent studies describing the impact of dynamic phospho-serine/threonine/tyrosine marks on the interaction of methyllysine readers with histones, summarize mechanistic aspects of the phospho/methyl readout, and highlight the significance of crosstalk between these PTMs. We also demonstrate that in addition to inhibiting binding and serving as a true switch, promoting dissociation of the methyllysine readers from chromatin, the phospho/methyl combination can act together in a cooperative manner--thus adding a new layer of regulatory information that can be encoded in these dual histone PTMs.
The Impact of European Divestment Announcements on Shareholder Wealth

This paper presents evidence on the stock market reaction to announcements of European divestments by U.K firms for the 1987-1992 period. We find weak evidence of a positive reaction to such announcements. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that European divestments represent disposal of poor performing units, and consequently such announcements represent 'good news' to domestic shareholders. Finally, when the sample was partitioned into two groups on the basis of whether transaction prices were disclosed or not, we findevidence tosuggest that abnormal returnsatesimilar forbothgroups. Thesefindingsare consistent with prior empirical research involving foreign divestments by U.S. based firms.
Abstract 3783: Talin-1 phosphorylation promotes invasion and migration of prostate tumor cells through activation of β1 integrins.

Integrins have been shown to play a critical role in cell survival. We recently demonstrated that integrins are constitutively activated in highly metastatic prostate cancer cell PC3-mm2. Activation of integrins increases their binding affinity with extracellular matrix, resulting in increased migration and cancer metastasis. Talin is a 270 kDa cytoskeletal protein that has been shown to regulate integrin activity. Previous reports showed that the S425 residue in the N-terminal domain of talin was phosphorylated by Cdk5 to increase talin stability. In this study, we determined whether talin S425 phosphorylation regulates β1 integrin activation. We found that β1 integrin activation in prostate tumor cells correlates with talin S425 phosphorylation but not total talin levels. To examine the role of talin-pS425 in β1 integrin activation, endogenous talin-1 in PC3-mm2 cells was knocked down by shRNA, followed by re-expression of a phosphorylation-deficient S425A or phosphorylation-mimicking S425D talin-1 mutant. Re-expressing phosphorylation-deficient S425A-talin-1 in talin-1-knockdown PC3-mm2 cells showed reduced activation of β1 integrins, and decreased migration and invasion, compared to cells re-expressing wild type talin-1. In contrast, re-expressing the phosphorylation-mimicking S425D mutant in talin-1-knockdown PC3-mm2 cells restored β1 integrin activation and increased migratory and invasive properties of these cells. Inhibition of Cdk5 by roscovitine, a Cdk5 inhibitor, decreases talin-1 S425 phosphorylation and also inhibits downstream integrin signaling, including FAK and Src phosphorylation. Treatment of PC3-mm2 cells with roscovitine decreases β1 integrin activation and migration of PC3-mm2 cells. These results suggest that phosphorylation of talin-1 at S425 plays a role in promoting β1 integrin activation, leading to increased metastatic potential of prostate tumor cells. Citation Format: Jung-Kang Jin, Yu-Chen Lee, Sue-Hwa Lin, Gary E. Gallick. Talin-1 phosphorylation promotes invasion and migration of prostate tumor cells through activation of β1 integrins. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3783. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3783
Scalable and private media consumption with Popcorn

We describe the design, implementation, and evaluation of Popcorn, a media delivery system that hides clients' consumption (even from the content distributor). Popcorn relies on a powerful cryptographic primitive: private information retrieval (PIR). With novel refinements that leverage the properties of PIR protocols and media streaming, Popcorn scales to the size of Netflix's library (8000 movies) and respects current controls on media dissemination. The dollar cost to serve a media object in Popcorn is 3.87× that of a non-private system.
Abstract 3257: Targeting small cell lung cancer harboringPIK3CAmutation with a selective oral PI3K inhibitor, PF-4989216.

Aberrant PI3K/AKT signaling occurs commonly in cancer. Gene mutation, amplification, and copy number gains in the catalytic p110α of PI3K have been shown in a variety of human cancers. Tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) dephosphorylates the 3-phosphoinositides and is frequently mutated, deleted, or down-regulated in many human cancers to constitutively activate the PI3K pathway. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients have poor prognosis; response to second-line chemotherapy for patients with refractory disease is less than 10%, and survival is 3-4 months. Multiple phase III trials have been conducted, however the survival of SCLC patients has not significantly improved over the years. In this study, we characterized a selective PI3K inhibitor, PF-4989216, in preclinical SCLC models to investigate whether targeting the PI3K pathway may be a potential therapy for SCLC. PF-4989216 inhibits phosphorylation of PI3K downstream molecules and subsequently leads to induction in apoptosis and cell cycle block, as well as inhibition of cell proliferation, transformation, and xenograft tumor growth in SCLCs harboring a PIK3CA mutation. Moreover, our results suggest that there may be different mechanisms of tumorigenesis between PIK3CA mutation and PTEN loss in SCLCs, and indicate that PF-4989216 is a potential cancer drug candidate for small-cell lung cancer patients harboring a PIK3CA mutation. Citation Format: Marlena Walls, Sangita M. Baxi, Pramod P. Mehta, Elizabeth Epps, Heather Estrella, Kevin KC Liu, JinJiang Zhu, Chunze Li, Tod Smeal, Min-Jean Yin. Targeting small cell lung cancer harboring PIK3CA mutation with a selective oral PI3K inhibitor, PF-4989216. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3257. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3257
Manufacture and evaluation of 3-dimensional printed sizing tools for use during intraoperative breast brachytherapy

Three-dimensional (3D) printing has emerged as a promising modality for the production of medical devices. Here we describe the design, production, and implementation of a series of sizing tools for use in an intraoperative breast brachytherapy program. These devices were produced using a commercially available low-cost 3D printer and software, and their implementation resulted in an immediate decrease in consumable costs without affecting the quality of care or the speed of delivery. This work illustrates the potential of 3D printing to revolutionize the field of medical devices, enabling physicians to rapidly develop and prototype novel tools.
Evaluation of alternative surface runoff accounting procedures using SWAT model

For surface runoff estimation in the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model, the curve number (CN) procedure is commonly adopted to calculate surface runoff by dynamically updating CN values based on antecedent soil moisture condition (SCSI) in field. From SWAT2005 and onward, an alternative approach has become available to apply the CN method by relating the runoff potential to daily evapotranspiration (SCSII). While improved runoff prediction with SCSII has been reported in several case studies, few investigations have been made on its influence to water quality output or on the model uncertainty associated with the SCSII method. The objectives of the research were: (1) to quantify the improvements in hydrologic and water quality predictions obtained through different surface runoff estimation techniques; and (2) to examine how model uncertainty is affected by combining different surface runoff estimation techniques within SWAT using Bayesian model averaging (BMA). Applications of BMA provide an alternative approach to investigate the nature of structural uncertainty associated with both CN methods. Results showed that SCSII and BMA associated approaches exhibit improved performance in both discharge and total NO3 predictions compared to SCSI. In addition, the application of BMA has a positive effect on finding well performed solutions in the multi-dimensional parameter space, but the predictive uncertainty is not evidently reduced or enhanced. Therefore, we recommend additional future SWAT calibration/validation research with an emphasis on the impact of SCSII on the prediction of other pollutants. Keywords: Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), curve number method, Bayesian model averaging, uncertainty analysis; hydrology, water quality DOI: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20150803.833 Online first on [2015-03-03] Citation: Yen H, White M J, Jeong J, Arabi M, Arnold J G. Evaluation of alternative surface runoff accounting procedures using SWAT model. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2015; 8(3): 54－68.
‘A Deity of Equality’ and ‘Even a Safer Class of the Population’: Debates on Expanding the Polity

The new philosophy [of equality] strikes further than at the existence of patriotism. It strikes at the home; it strikes at the individuality of man. It would reduce civilised society to human fiocks and herds.
To Trump’s Chagrin, Non-nationals Are Still In

The anti-environmental policies of the Trump administration are morally disturbing, to say the least. The willful ignorance of basic scientific facts and shameless pandering to the very industries ...
Future Trends in Regional Anesthesia Techniques

Regional anesthesia is a rapidly expanding field within the practice of anesthesiology. The use of peripheral nerve blocks in routine anesthesia care has increased as evidence for better analgesia, and decreased opioid consumption has supported this practice. This chapter highlights several cutting-edge trends within the arena of regional anesthesia. Fascial plane blocks involve the deposition of local anesthetic between fascial planes without targeting a specific nerve; this chapter discusses several new plane blocks, including quadratus lumborum, pectoral, serratus, and erector spinae plane blocks. Furthermore, the advent of ultrasound has allowed visualization of nearby structures and performance of blocks that otherwise may have too low of a safety margin without visualization. This chapter will discuss some of these blocks, such as parasternal and IPACK (interspace between the popliteal artery and capsule of the posterior knee) blocks. Finally, the chapter will summarize evidence behind the use of long-acting local anesthetic drugs as well as innovative ergonomics as a means to improve our work processes.
Acute trajectories of neural activation predict remission to pharmacotherapy in late-life depression.

Abstract Pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD) typically involves a lengthy trial and error process to identify an effective intervention. This lengthy period prolongs suffering and worsens all-cause mortality, including from suicide, and is typically longer in late-life depression (LLD). Our group has recently demonstrated that during an open-label venlafaxine (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) trial, significant changes in functional resting state connectivity occurred following a single dose of treatment, which persisted until the end of the trial. In this work, we propose an analysis framework to translate these perturbations in functional networks into predictors of clinical remission. Participants with LLD (N = 49) completed 12-weeks of treatment with venlafaxine and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at baseline and a day following a single dose of venlafaxine. Data was collected at rest as well as during an emotion reactivity task and an emotion regulation task. Remission was defined as a Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) ≤10 for two weeks. We computed eigenvector centrality (whole brain connectivity) and activation during the emotion regulation and emotion reactivity tasks. We employed principal components analysis, Tikhonov-regularized logistic classification, and least angle regression feature selection to predict remission by the end of the 12-week trial. We utilized ten-fold cross-validation and Receiver Operator Curves (ROC) curve analysis. To determine task-region pairs that significantly contributed to the algorithm's ability to predict remission, we used permutation testing. Using the fMRI data at both baseline and after the first dose of treatment yielded a sensitivity of 72% and a specificity of 68% (AUC = 0.77), a 15% increase in accuracy over baseline MADRS. In general, the accuracy at baseline was further improved by using the change in activation following a single dose. Activation of the frontal cortex, hippocampus, parahippocampus, caudate, thalamus, medial temporal cortex, middle cingulate, and visual cortex predicted treatment remission. Acute, dynamic trajectories of functional imaging metrics in response to a pharmacological intervention are a valuable tool for predicting treatment response in late-life depression and elucidating the mechanism of pharmacological therapies in the context of the brain's functional architecture.
STANDORTBESTIMMUNG DER IMPF- UND ANTIBIOTICAPROPHYLAXE BEI SPLENEKTOMIE. TEIL II: KINDER

Die erforderlichen Masnahmen zur Prophylaxe schwerer Infektionskrankheiten nach Splenektomie sind bei Kindern aufgrund ihrer groseren Gefahrdung weitreichender als bei Erwachsenen. Wie fur Erwachsene wird auch fur Kinder ein situationsgerechtes Schema prophylaktischer Masnahmen erarbeitet. Neben der wiederholten Aufklarung von Patient und Eltern werden die Impfungen gegen Streptococcus pneumoniae und Haemophilus influenzae dringend und gegen Neisseria meningitidis mit Einschrankung empfohlen. Daruber hinaus ist im Kindesalter auch die Langzeitantibioticaprophylaxe von Bedeutung. Anhand aktueller Literatur werden neuere Impfstoffentwicklungen und das Problem der zunehmenden Resistenzbildung von Pneumokokken diskutiert.
Biomechanical Strength of Rotator Cuff Repairs: A Systematic Review and Meta-regression Analysis of Cadaveric Studies.

Background:Biomechanical cadaveric studies of rotator cuff repair (RCR) have shown that transosseous equivalent and double-row anchored repairs are stronger than other repair constructs.Purpose:To identify technical and procedural parameters that most reliably predict biomechanical performance of RCR constructs.Study Design:Systematic review.Methods:The authors systematically searched the EMBASE and PubMed databases for biomechanical studies that measured RCR performance in cadaveric specimens. The authors performed a meta-regression on the pooled data set with study outcomes (gap formation, failure mode, and ultimate failure load) as dependent variables and procedural parameters (eg, construct type, number of suture limbs) as covariates. Stratification by covariates was performed. An alpha level of .05 was used.Results:Data from 40 eligible studies were included. Higher number of suture limbs correlated with higher ultimate failure load (β = 38 N per limb; 95% CI, 28 to 49 N) and less gap formation (β = ...
Indications for Performing an Electrocardiogram

Probably few diagnostic tests have been as over-utilized as the electrocardiogram (ECG). It is often assumed that the ECG, perhaps as the modern “high-tech” equivalent of chicken entrails, enables the high priests of medicine to foretell the future of the patient. This nearly magical quality ascribed to the ECG should not be ignored, as it may create disease where none is present, reassure falsely, or even be a healing force. It has been demonstrated that patients in emergency rooms with noncardiac chest pain recover more rapidly if an ECG is done.6 However, it must be remembered that the resting ECG has little value in predicting the risk of subsequent development of cardiac disease in the individual patient, particularly the development of events related to coronary artery disease.
Early embryonic mouse mandibular morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation in serumless, chemically defined medium: a model for studies of autocrine and/or paracrine regulatory factors.

During craniofacial and mandibular development at least three interdependent processes become integrated: 1) regulation of time-dependent differential gene expression; 2) positional information resulting in pattern formations; and 3) morphogenesis. The present studies were designed to test the hypothesis that intrinsic and/or paracrine factors regulate the developmental program for embryonic mouse mandibular morphogenesis, histogenesis, and cytodifferentiation. Either E11 or E12 C57B110 (B10.A) strain mouse mandibular processes were cultured in serumless, chemically defined medium for periods up to 9 days in vitro. At selected stages of development 3H-thymidine incorporation into DNA was used to evaluate the mitotic labeling for selected tissue compartments. Macroscopic observations demonstrated that morphogenesis (shape/form) in vitro was comparable to that for in vivo controls. Histological results demonstrated that chondrogenesis, osteogenesis, tooth formation, tongue formation, lip formation, and epithelial differentiation with keratinization were expressed according to sequence, time, and positions comparable to those observed in controls. This experimental approach provided datasets to support the hypothesis that exogenous long-range factors are not required for embryonic mouse mandibular morphogenesis and further suggested that autocrine and/or paracrine factors mediate the timing and position of mandibular development.
Antibiotic Targets in Gonococcal Cell Wall Metabolism

The peptidoglycan cell wall that encloses the bacterial cell and provides structural support and protection is remodeled by multiple enzymes that synthesize and cleave the polymer during growth. This essential and dynamic structure has been targeted by multiple antibiotics to treat gonococcal infections. Up until now, antibiotics have been used against the biosynthetic machinery and the therapeutic potential of inhibiting enzymatic activities involved in peptidoglycan breakdown has not been explored. Given the major antibiotic resistance problems we currently face, it is crucial to identify other possible targets that are key to maintaining cell integrity and contribute to disease development. This article reviews peptidoglycan as an antibiotic target, how N. gonorrhoeae has developed resistance to currently available antibiotics, and the potential of continuing to target this essential structure to combat gonococcal infections by attacking alternative enzymatic activities involved in cell wall modification and metabolism.
A phase I trial of Proton stereotactic body radiation therapy for liver metastases

Background: A phase I trial to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of Proton stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for liver metastases in anticipation of a subsequent phase II study. Methods: An institutional IRB approved phase I clinical trial was conducted. Eligible patients had 1–3 liver metastases measuring less than 5 cm, and no metastases location within 2 cm of the GI tract. Dose escalation was conducted with three dose cohorts. The low, intermediate, and high dose cohorts were planned to receive 36, 48, and 60 respectively to the internal target volume (ITV) in 3 fractions. At least 700 mL of normal liver had to receive Results: Nine patients were enrolled (6 male, 3 female): median age 64 years (range, 33–77 years); median gross tumor volume (GTV) 11.1 mL (range, 2.14–89.3 mL); most common primary site, colorectal (5 patients). Four patients had multiple tumors. No patient experienced a DLT and dose was escalated to 60 in 3 fractions without reaching MTD. The only toxicity within 90 days of completion of treatment was one patient with a grade 1 skin hyperpigmentation without tenderness or desquamation. Two patients in the low dose cohort had local recurrence and repeat SBRT was done to previously treated lesions without any toxicities. Conclusions: Biologically ablative Proton SBRT doses are well tolerated in patients with limited liver metastases with no patients experiencing any grade 2+ acute toxicity. Results from this trial provide the grounds for an ongoing phase II Proton SBRT study of 60 over 3 fractions for liver metastases.
No Country for Old Worms: A Systematic Review of the Application of C. elegans to Investigate a Bacterial Source of Environmental Neurotoxicity in Parkinson's Disease

While progress has been made in discerning genetic associations with Parkinson's disease (PD), identifying elusive environmental contributors necessitates the application of unconventional hypotheses and experimental strategies. Here, we provide an overview of studies that we conducted on a neurotoxic metabolite produced by a species of common soil bacteria, Streptomyces venezuelae (S. ven), indicating that the toxicity displayed by this bacterium causes stress in diverse cellular mechanisms, such as the ubiquitin proteasome system and mitochondrial homeostasis. This dysfunction eventually leads to age and dose-dependent neurodegeneration in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Notably, dopaminergic neurons have heightened susceptibility, but all of the neuronal classes eventually degenerate following exposure. Toxicity further extends to human SH-SY5Y cells, which also degenerate following exposure. Additionally, the neurons of nematodes expressing heterologous aggregation-prone proteins display enhanced metabolite vulnerability. These mechanistic analyses collectively reveal a unique metabolomic fingerprint for this bacterially-derived neurotoxin. In considering that epidemiological distinctions in locales influence the incidence of PD, we surveyed soils from diverse regions of Alabama, and found that exposure to ~30% of isolated Streptomyces species caused worm dopaminergic neurons to die. In addition to aging, one of the few established contributors to PD appears to be a rural lifestyle, where exposure to soil on a regular basis might increase the risk of interaction with bacteria producing such toxins. Taken together, these data suggest that a novel toxicant within the Streptomyces genus might represent an environmental contributor to the progressive neurodegeneration that is associated with PD.
Large Deviation First Formant Demodulation Via Empirical Mode Decomposition And Multirate Frequency Transformations

Existing formant estimation approaches are generally based on the linear predictive model assuming that each formant is a narrowband AM component. However, the first formant of most vowels contains a significant amount of frequency modulation, resulting in a large bandwidth compared to its formant frequency. In this paper, we first apply the empirical mode decomposition to extract the first formant, and then perform the demodulation to obtain its instantaneous amplitude and frequency using energy separation algorithm via multirate frequency transformations as proposed in prior work for wideband AM-FM demodulation. Finally we demonstrate that the estimates of the first formant based on the proposed approach are more precise than the LPC estimates or Teager-Kaiser energy operator based demodulation that assumes narrowband AM-FM components.
Magnetic resonance imaging T1 relaxation times for the liver, pancreas and spleen in healthy children at 1.5 and 3 tesla.

T1 relaxation time is a potential magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarker for fibrosis and inflammation of the solid abdominal organs. However, normal T1 relaxation times of the solid abdominal organs have not been defined for children. The purpose of this study was to measure T1 relaxation times of the liver, pancreas and spleen in healthy children. This was an institutional review board-approved study of a convenience sample of prospectively recruited, healthy children ages 7 to 17 years undergoing research abdominal MRI (1.5 or 3 T) as part of a larger research study between February 2018 and October 2018. For the current study, T1 mapping was performed with a Modified Look-Locker sequence covering the upper abdomen. A single reviewer placed freehand regions of interest on the T1 parametric maps in the liver, pancreas and spleen, inclusive of as much parenchyma as possible. Student’s t-tests and linear regression were used to compare T1 values by age and gender. Thirty-two participants were included (16 female:16 male; mean age: 12.2±3.1 years; n=16 at 1.5 T). Median T1 relaxation times (ms) per organ were liver: 581±64 (1.5 T), 783±88 (3 T); pancreas: 576±55 (1.5 T), 730±30 (3 T), and spleen: 1,172±71 (1.5 T), 1,356±87 (3 T). T1 values were not statistically significantly different between males and females. At both 1.5 and 3 T field strengths, linear regression showed no significant association between age and T1 values for the liver, pancreas and spleen. We report normal T1 relaxation times for the liver, pancreas and spleen at 1.5 and 3 T in a cohort of healthy children.