cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
E-057 Process Improvement in Door-to-Groin Puncture Times at a Comprehensive Stroke Center Shows a Trend Towards Reduced Mortality at 90 Days

Introduction Safe and effective endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke is dependent on prompt intervention. In light of the positive trials published last year, we intensified our efforts to improve the process of taking patients from the emergency department to the angiography suite for mechanical thrombectomy. Methods At the beginning of 2015, a process improvement project to improve door-to-groin puncture times for mechanical thrombectomy for emergent large vessel occlusions was undertaken at our institution. After a systematic analysis of the process, the following key changes were standardized: early consultation with the neurointerventionalist for patients presenting with a high National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS ≥6), the stroke neurologist and the neurointerventionalist meet the patient in the emergency department for transfers or meet in the CT department for non-transfers, elimination of emergency physician triage for medically stable patients, elimination of lab tests such as creatinine, establishment of a minimum level of clinical information required for the sedation nurse to care for stroke patients safely, institution of a “stroke bag” containing all necessary devices to perform efficient thrombectomy, standardized setup of the procedure table and devices for all operators, calling for patients when the sedation nurse is ready without waiting for the entire team, elimination of unnecessary preoperative steps (e.g. Foley catheter placement, groin shaving, checking of distal pulses), and institution of an abbreviated time-out procedure. All attempted thrombectomies performed in 2013 and 2014 were compared to those performed in 2015 visa-vis the following variables: door-to-groin puncture time, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH) rate as defined by SITS-MOST criteria, 90 day mortality rate, and 90 day rate of good clinical outcome defined by a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) of 0–2. A one-tailed Student’s t-test and Fisher’s exact tests were performed. A p-value Results From January 2013 to December 2015, we attempted 108 mechanical thrombectomies. Of these, 43 were in 2015 (40%). Both the mean and median door-to-groin puncture times were significantly reduced from the previous two years (35 minutes versus 89 minutes and 22 minutes versus 73 minutes, respectively, p Conclusion Our systematic process improvement initiative significantly reduced door-to-groin puncture times and showed a trend towards reduced mortality at 90 days. A multidisciplinary approach and ensuring hospital system investment are key to an effective process. Disclosures Y. Kayan: 2; C; Medtronic, Penumbra. J. Delgado Almandoz: 2; C; Medtronic, Penumbra. M. Young: None. J. Fease: None. J. Scholz: None. A. Milner: None. T. Hehr: None. M. Mulder: None. P. Roohani: None. R. Tarrel: None.
Mass-balance approach for estimating transcapillary fluid and protein movement.

This study assesses the applicability of a procedure based on mass conservation to estimate transcapillary protein transport (PT) in patients. In a tissue that exhibits net transcapillary protein t...
The Gastrointestinal Tract

The average life expectancy in the United States is 80 years [1]. With advances in healthcare extending the length and quality of our lives, injuries in the geriatric population continue to be increasingly common. This population harbors multiple medical comorbidities and a decreased physiologic reserve, resulting in higher morbidity and mortality rates following acute trauma [2]. Gastrointestinal injury and illness can be especially devastating among the elderly. The following discussion highlights age-related changes in gastrointestinal physiology, the management of gastrointestinal injury, and other common gastrointestinal diseases affecting the elderly.
Pathophysiology and Management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Children.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a syndrome of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema and hypoxia that accompanies up to 30% of deaths in pediatric intensive care units. Pediatric ARDS (PARDS) is diagnosed by the presence of hypoxia, defined by oxygenation index or Pao2/Fio2 ratio cutoffs, and new chest infiltrate occurring within 7 days of a known insult. Hallmarks of ARDS include hypoxemia and decreased lung compliance, increased work of breathing, and impaired gas exchange. Mortality is often accompanied by multiple organ failure. Although many modalities to treat PARDS have been investigated, supportive therapies and lung protective ventilator support remain the mainstay.
The impact of comorbid mental health symptoms and sex on sleep functioning in children with ADHD

Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) display more sleep problems than their peers, but it remains unclear whether comorbid mental health symptoms [i.e., anxiety, depression, oppositional-defiant disorder (ODD)] are uniquely related to sleep functioning. It is also largely unknown whether boys and girls with ADHD differ in their sleep functioning. This study (1) examined whether boys or girls with ADHD differ in their sleep functioning, (2) evaluated comorbid symptoms as uniquely related to sleep functioning domains, and (3) explored whether sex moderated associations between comorbid symptoms and sleep. Participants were 181 children (ages 7-13; 69% male; 82% White) diagnosed with ADHD. Parents completed measures assessing their child's ADHD symptoms, comorbid symptoms, and sleep functioning. Girls had poorer sleep functioning than boys across most sleep functioning domains. Sixty percent of children met cutoff criteria for having sleep problems, though rates differed significantly between girls (75%) and boys (53%). No differences in rates of sleep problems were found between ADHD subtypes/presentations or between younger and older children. In path models including ADHD and comorbid symptom dimensions, anxiety symptoms were uniquely associated with increased bedtime resistance and sleep anxiety, ADHD hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were associated with more night wakings and more parasomnia behaviors, and ODD and depressive symptoms were associated with shorter sleep duration. Depression was also uniquely associated with increased daytime sleepiness and overall sleep problems. Sex did not moderate associations between comorbid symptoms and sleep problems. This study provides important preliminary evidence that girls with ADHD experience more sleep problems than boys with ADHD. Findings also demonstrate that the associations between comorbid symptoms and sleep functioning in children with ADHD vary based on both the specific symptoms and sleep domains examined.
Rlim-Dependent and -Independent Pathways for X Chromosome Inactivation in Female ESCs.

During female mouse embryogenesis, two forms of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) ensure dosage compensation from sex chromosomes. Beginning at the four-cell stage, imprinted XCI (iXCI) exclusively silences the paternal X (Xp), and this pattern is maintained in extraembryonic cell types. Epiblast cells, which give rise to the embryo proper, reactivate the Xp (XCR) and undergo a random form of XCI (rXCI) around implantation. Both iXCI and rXCI depend on the long non-coding RNA Xist. The ubiquitin ligase RLIM is required for iXCI in vivo and occupies a central role in current models of rXCI. Here, we demonstrate the existence of Rlim-dependent and Rlim-independent pathways for rXCI in differentiating female ESCs. Upon uncoupling these pathways, we find more efficient Rlim-independent XCI in ESCs cultured under physiological oxygen conditions. Our results revise current models of rXCI and suggest that caution must be taken when comparing XCI studies in ESCs and mice.
Teaching Ethics in an Unethical World

We find ourselves in times where national leaders engage in fraudulent and deceptive behaviors for personal and political gains, and multinational corporations use unethical practices to maximize their profits. Where dangerously defective products are released onto the market endangering the health and lives of consumers, and where news channels become opinion channels. Where the motto of the free market is reduced to a simple‘grab all you can, any way you can.’ In times such as these, it is difficult to teach and promote ethical behavior. A cursory look at the advertising messages and the spins put on issues by public relations people leaves one wondering if business ethics is anything more than an oxymoron – a self‑contradicting claim. In times such as ours (in 2017), it is crucial that institutions of higher learning continue to teach and foster ethical behavior and ethical responsibility. No doubt, it is an uphill struggle for educators to convince students to think and act in ethically appropriate terms when surrounded by corruption, deceit, and fraud. While no one will deny the need for ethical practices, teaching these values in a convincing manner remains a challenge. Using meta‑analysis of various University courses in ethics, the present paper attempts three goals. First, it builds a rationale for the importance of ethical behavior, the need for teaching it, and the criticisms of those who think it unnecessary to teach ethics. Second, it discusses various strategies used by universities and several educators in teaching and reinforcing ethical behavior. This section also offers a criticism of approaches and methodologies of teaching ethics. Third, it offers an outline for a syllabus for an introductory course in Ethics.
Modelling Macrosegregation in Electroslag Remelted Ingots

Equations for predicting flow of interdendritic liquid and macrosegregation in ingots prepared by electroslag remelting (ESR) are derived, and computer predictions of macrosegregation based on these equations are compared with macrosegregation measured in experimental ingots.
Parts Lists Derived from Digitized Mechanical Drawings

This paper describes an application program that provides a data interface between the IBM engineering-drawing data base (CADAM* System) and the IBM internal product records data base (DPRS). This interface provides the capability for automatically generating or verifying bill-ofmaterial data (parts list) between the two systems.
Inflammatory response and biomechanical properties of coaxial scaffolds for engineered skin in vitro and post-grafting.

Abstract Engineered skin (ES) offers many advantages over split-thickness skin autografts for the treatment of burn wounds. However, ES, both in vitro and after grafting, is often significantly weaker, less elastic and more compliant than normal human skin. Biomechanical properties of ES can be tuned in vitro using electrospun co-axial (CoA) scaffolds. To explore the potential for coaxial scaffold-based ES use in vivo, two CoA scaffolds were fabricated with bioactive gelatin shells and biodegradable synthetic cores of polylactic acid (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), and compared with gelatin monofilament scaffolds. Fibroblast and macrophage production of inflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6) and transforming growth factor β-1 was significantly higher when cultured on PLA and PCL monofilament scaffolds compared to gelatin monofilament scaffolds. The core-shell fiber configuration significantly reduced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines to levels similar to those of gelatin monofilament scaffolds. In vitro, ES mechanical properties were significantly enhanced using CoA scaffolds; however, after grafting CoA- and gelatin-based ES to full-thickness excisional wounds on athymic mice, the in vitro mechanical advantage of CoA grafts was lost. A substantially increased inflammatory response to CoA-based ES was observed, with upregulation of IL-6 expression and a significant M2 macrophage presence. Additionally, expression of matrix metalloproteinase I was upregulated and collagen type I alpha 1 was downregulated in CoA ES two weeks after grafting. These results suggest that while coaxial scaffolds provide the ability to regulate biomechanics in vitro, further investigation of the inflammatory response to core materials is required to optimize this strategy for clinical use. Statement of Significance Engineered skin has been used to treat very large burn injuries. Despite its ability to heal these wounds, engineered skin exhibits reduced biomechanical properties making it challenging to manufacture and surgically apply. Coaxial fiber scaffolds have been utilized to tune the mechanical properties of engineered skin while maintaining optimal biological properties but it is not known how these perform on a patient especially with regards to their inflammatory response. The current study examines the biomechanical and inflammatory properties of coaxial scaffolds and uniaxial scaffolds in vitro and in vivo. The results show that the biological response to the scaffold materials is a critical determinant of tissue properties after grafting with reduced inflammation and rapid scaffold remodeling leading to stronger skin.
Differences in mobile phone affinity between demographic groups: implications for mobile phone delivered interventions and programs.

Background: The impact of any intervention or program delivered through mobile phones (mHealth) may be influenced by the individual recipient’s relationship with his or her mobile phone. However, few studies have assessed the attitudes and preferences of different demographic groups with respect to mobile phone use. This study assessed whether individuals’ demographic characteristics [primary demographics (PD): race, ethnicity, gender and age] are influential factors in attitudes and behaviors associated with mobile use pattern, using the Mobile Phone Affinity Scale (MPAS). The MPAS examines six underlying constructs associated with mobile phone use: Connectedness, Productivity, Empowerment, Anxious Attachment, Addiction, and Continuous Use. Methods: U.S. adults (n=1,055, mean age 32.5 years, 10% Hispanic, 86.3% white) completed the MPAS and provided information about PD (e.g., race, ethnicity, age) and social demographic (SocD) characteristics (e.g., having children, employment). Chi-square analyses and multivariate analyses were used to assess the relationships among the PD and SocD variables, and MPAS constructs. Results: Significant differences were found between PD and SocD variables (all P<0.01). Specifically, whites were more likely than non-whites to be married and to be living with children, while non-Hispanics tended to report higher household income and education than Hispanics. Women were more likely to report living with children and less likely to have full-time employment than men (all P<0.01). There was a significant effect of PD characteristics on MPAS constructs in that whites and women tended to score higher on some MPAS constructs than non-whites and men (all P<0.01). Similarly, some SocD characteristics including employment status and living with children were differentially associated with some MPAS constructs (all P<0.01). Conclusions: Results indicate that there are differences in attitudes and use preferences to mobile phone use based on some of the primary and SocD demographic characteristics. These findings provide important insights into mHealth intervention components that will increase appeal to different subgroups.
Incorporation of the Amniotic Membrane as an Immunomodulatory Design Element in Collagen Scaffolds for Tendon Repair.

Tendon injuries often require surgical intervention and even then result in poor outcomes due to scar formation and repeated failure. Biomaterial implants offer the potential to address multiple underlying concerns preventing improved tendon repair. Here, we describe modifications to the composition of an anisotropic collagen–glycosaminoglycan (CG) scaffold biomaterial, incorporating amniotic membrane (AM)-derived matrix to alter the inflammatory response and establish conditions for improved regenerative repair. We explored two methods of AM matrix incorporation to address multiple concerns associated with tendon repair. Amniotic membrane-derived matrix was incorporated directly into the scaffold microstructure during fabrication to form a C/AM composite. Alternatively, decellularized amniotic matrix was wrapped around the traditional collagen–chondroitin sulfate (C/CS) scaffold to form a core–shell composite (C/CS plus AM wrap) in a manner similar to current collagen membrane wraps used in rotator cuff ...
Early detection of capping risk in pharmaceutical compacts

Abstract Capping is a common mechanical defect in tablet manufacturing, exhibited during or after the compression process. Predicting tablet capping in terms of process variables (e.g. compaction pressure and speed) and formulation properties is essential in pharmaceutical industry. In current work, a non-destructive contact ultrasonic approach for detecting capping risk in the pharmaceutical compacts prepared under various compression forces and speeds is presented. It is shown that the extracted mechanical properties can be used as early indicators for invisible capping (prior to visible damage). Based on the analysis of X-ray cross-section images and a large set of waveform data, it is demonstrated that the mechanical properties and acoustic wave propagation characteristics is significantly modulated by the tablet’s internal cracks and capping at higher compaction speeds and pressures. In addition, the experimentally extracted properties were correlated to the directly-measured porosity and tensile strength of compacts of Pearlitol®, Anhydrous Mannitol and LubriTose® Mannitol, produced at two compaction speeds and at three pressure levels. The effect compaction speed and pressure on the porosity and tensile strength of the resulting compacts is quantified, and related to the compact acoustic characteristics and mechanical properties. The detailed experimental approach and reported wave propagation data could find key applications in determining the bounds of manufacturing design spaces in the development phase, predicting capping during (continuous) tablet manufacturing, as well as online monitoring of tablet mechanical integrity and reducing batch-to-batch end-product quality variations.
Outside Blockholders and the Choice Between Spin-off and Sell-off

Recently, outside blockholders, external owners that hold five percent or more of their firms’ outstanding common stockholdings, have been pressuring their firms to engage in divestiture activities...
The transfer of learning from continuing education to the job: an evaluation of the impact of total quality management courses on health sciences librarians.

Cet article propose une evaluation de l'impact des cours sur la gestion de la qualite totale (Total quality management : TQM), dispenses lors d'une formation continue, sur le travail des bibliothecaires specialises dans le domaine des sciences sociales. Deux questions sont ananlysees : est-ce que ces cours correspondent aux besoins des bibliothecaires, particulierement les besoins en rapport avec les changements ou les initiatives dans le monde de l'industrie ? Est-ce qu'un programme d'enseignement planifie est plus efficace qu'une approche sur le terrain ?
Comparison of an interactive voice response system and smartphone application in the identification of gout flares

To examine the feasibility, preference, and satisfaction of an interactive voice response (IVR) system versus a customized smartphone application (StudyBuddy) to capture gout flares In this 24-week prospective, randomized, crossover, open-label pilot study, 44 gout patients were randomized to IVR vs. StudyBuddy and were crossed over to the other technology after 12 weeks. Flares were reported via weekly (and later daily) scheduled StudyBuddy or IVR queries. Feasibility was ascertained via response rate to scheduled queries. At 12 and 24 weeks, participants completed preference/satisfaction surveys. Preference and satisfaction were assessed using dichotomous or ordinal questions. Sensitivity was assessed by the frequency of flare reporting with each approach. Thirty-eight of 44 participants completed the study. Among completers, feasibility was similar for IVR (81%) and StudyBuddy (80%). Conversely, most (74%) preferred StudyBuddy. Measures of satisfaction (ease of use, preference over in-person clinic visits, and willingness for future use) were similar between the IVR and StudyBuddy; however, more participants deemed the StudyBuddy as convenient (95% vs. 73%, P = 0.01) and less disruptive (97% vs. 82%, P = 0.03). Although the per patient number of weeks in flare was not significantly different (mean 3.4 vs. 2.6 weeks/patient, P = 0.15), the StudyBuddy captured more of the total flare weeks (35%) than IVR (27%, P = 0.02). A smartphone application and IVR demonstrated similar feasibility but overall sensitivity to capture gout flares and participant preference were greater for the smartphone application. Participant preference for the smartphone application appeared to relate to perceptions of greater convenience and lower disruption. NCT, NCT02855437 . Registered 4 August 2016
Cross-scale dynamics in community and disease ecology: relative timescales shape the community ecology of pathogens

Communities of free-living organisms are shaped by processes operating within and among patches of habitat, whereas pathogen communities are shaped by analogous processes operating within and among hosts. Resource competition (R*) theory can describe dynamics within patches or hosts, and metacommunity dynamics describe competition-colonization trade-offs, extinction debts, and superinfection. However, models at this broader scale often assume instantaneous competitive exclusion in co-inhabited patches or co-infected hosts. Impacts of more gradual competitive exclusion on the abundance, distribution, and diversity of species are less clear. Here, we nest a general resource competition model within a metacommunity framework and manipulate the relative timescales for processes operating within and among patches/hosts. We focus on superinfection in pathogen communities. We compare cases where transmission depends on infection prevalence vs. the abundance of pathogens within hosts. Surprisingly, slowing the relative pace of competitive exclusion within hosts can decrease infection prevalence of the inferior competitor and increase prevalence of the superior competitor, depending on transmission and virulence. Slower within-host dynamics reduce the abundance of both pathogens within hosts and promote diversity at multiple scales: co-infections within individual hosts and co-occurrence in the host population. These results highlight surprising feedbacks that can emerge across scales and reinforce the rich cross-scale connections between community and disease ecology.
Project Success: Exploring the Value of Backing Up Behaviors and How They Can Be Developed in Project-Based Work

The changing project environment does not allow to detail or estimate all desired employee behaviors. We contend that to increase project outcomes, it is valuable for managers to create a context i...
Constitutive expression of the cryptic vanGCd operon promotes vancomycin resistance in Clostridioides difficile clinical isolates

Objectives To describe, for the first time (to the best of our knowledge), the genetic mechanisms of vancomycin resistance in clinical isolates of Clostridioides difficile ribotype 027. Methods Clinical isolates and laboratory mutants were analysed: genomically to identify resistance mutations; by transcriptional analysis of vanGCd, the vancomycin resistance operon encoding lipid II d-alanine-d-serine that is less bound by vancomycin than native lipid II d-alanine-d-alanine; by imaging of vancomycin binding to cell walls; and for changes in vancomycin bactericidal activity and autolysis. Results Vancomycin-resistant laboratory mutants and clinical isolates acquired mutations to the vanSR two-component system that regulates vanGCd. The substitutions impaired VanSR's function, resulting in constitutive transcription of vanGCd. Resistance was reversed by silencing vanG, encoding d-alanine-d-serine ligase in the vanGCd operon. In resistant cells, vancomycin was less bound to the cell wall septum, the site where vancomycin interacts with lipid II. Vancomycin's bactericidal activity was reduced against clinical isolates and laboratory mutants (64 and ≥1024 mg/L, respectively) compared with WT strains (4 mg/L). Truncation of the potassium transporter TrkA occurred in laboratory mutants, which were refractory to autolysis, accounting for their survival in high drug concentrations. Conclusions Ribotype 027 evolved first-step resistance to vancomycin by constitutively expressing vanGCd, which is otherwise silent. Experimental evolutions and bactericidal assays show that ribotype 027 can acquire mutations to drastically enhance its tolerance to vancomycin. Thus, further epidemiological studies are warranted to examine the extent to which vancomycin resistance impacts clinical outcomes and the potential for these strains to evolve higher-level resistance, which would be devastating.
Disturbance is more important than seeding or grazing in determining soil microbial communities in a semiarid grassland

A primary goal of ecological restoration is often to return processes and functions to degraded ecosystems. Soil, while often ignored in restoration, supports diverse communities of organisms and is a fundamental actor in providing ecosystem processes and services. We investigated the impact of seeding and livestock grazing on plant communities, soil microorganisms, and soil fertility 3 years after the restoration of a disturbed pipeline corridor in southeastern Arizona. The initial soil disturbance and topsoil treatment, regardless of seeding or grazing, was the most influential factor in determining differences in both plant and microbial communities. Compared with the control, the disturbed and restored sites had greater plant species richness, greater total herbaceous plant cover, greater soil organic matter, higher pH, and differed in soil nutrients. Bacteria and fungi appeared to generally correlate with micro‐environment and soil physiochemical properties rather than specific plant species. The undisturbed control had a smaller proportion of bacterial functional groups associated with the breakdown of plant biomass (polysaccharide decomposition) and a smaller proportion of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) compared with disturbed and restored sites. The ability of the unseeded disturbed site to recover robust vegetation may be due in part to the high presence of AMF. These differences show selection for soil microorganisms that thrive in disturbed and restored sites and may contribute to increased plant productivity. Restoration of specific plant species or ecological processes and services would both benefit from better understanding of the impacts of disturbance on soil microorganisms and soil fertility.
Stanford Accelerated Intelligent Neuromodulation Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Objective:New antidepressant treatments are needed that are effective, rapid acting, safe, and tolerable. Intermittent theta-burst stimulation (iTBS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation treatment th...
Gender and Celebrity Scandals: A Cross-Cultural Examination on Celebrity Endorsement

This research examines the effects of consumers’ culture and celebrity’s gender role on source credibility and attitude toward brand. Using culture difference theory (individualism and Confucianism...
Seven Ways of Engaging the Online Learner to Develop Self-Regulated Learning Skills.

This paper provides several strategies for using a learning management system to engage online students and to promote the development of self-regulated learning skills in a four-week accelerated summer course.
Comparison Between Deep Learning Models and Traditional Machine Learning Approaches for Facial Expression Recognition in Ageing Adults

Facial expression recognition is one of the most active areas of research in computer vision since one of the non-verbal communication methods by which one understands the mood/mental state of a person is the expression of face. Thus, it has been used in various fields such as human-robot interaction, security, computer graphics animation, and ambient assistance. Nevertheless, it remains a challenging task since existing approaches lack generalizability and almost all studies ignore the effects of facial attributes, such as age, on expression recognition even though the research indicates that facial expression manifestation varies with age. Recently, a lot of progress has been made in this topic and great improvements in classification task were achieved with the emergence of deep learning methods. Such approaches have shown how hierarchies of features can be directly learned from original data, thus avoiding classical hand designed feature extraction methods that generally rely on manual operations with labelled data. However, research papers systematically exploring the performance of existing deep architectures for the task of classifying expression of ageing adults are absent in the literature. In the present work a tentative to try this gap is done considering the performance of three recent deep convolutional neural networks models (VGG-16, AlexNet and GoogLeNet/Inception V1) and evaluating it on four different benchmark datasets (FACES, Lifespan, CIFE, and FER2013 ) which also contain facial expressions performed by elderly subjects. As the baseline, and with the aim of making a comparison, two traditional machine learning approaches based on handcrafted features extraction process are evaluated on the same datasets. Carrying out an exhaustive and rigorous experimentation focused on the concept of “transfer learning”, which consists of replacing the output level of the deep architectures considered with new output levels appropriate to the number of classes (facial expressions), and training three different classifiers (i.e., Random Forest, Support Vector Machine and Linear Regression), VGG-16 deep architecture in combination with Random Forest classifier was found to be the best in terms of accuracy for each dataset and for each considered age-group. Moreover, the experimentation stage showed that the deep learning approach significantly improves the baseline approaches considered, and the most noticeable improvement was obtained when considering facial expressions of ageing adults.
Traffic Flow Estimation using Probe Vehicle Data

Traffic sensing has been revolutionized with the commoditization of GPS technology. Smartphone navigation applications ubiquitously track vehicles as samples of the overall traffic. This so-called Probe Vehicle Data (PVD) has replaced traditional road-side sensor technologies, such as induction loops and microwave sensors, given its relative low cost, good coverage, and reliability. However, while PVD allows us to assess speed and by extension the overall traffic condition in a road network, this sample-based approach does not provide us with traffic flow, i.e., the number of vehicles passing through an edge of the road network. This paper bridges this gap by proposing and evaluating a range of methods to infer traffic flow for a road network that is ubiquitously observed using probe data but having traffic flow measurements only in very road-side sensor locations. We create Road Segment Archetypes that relate PVD speeds to flow from road-side sensors for these locations. These archetypes are then extended to the entire network covered only by PVD based on similar traffic characteristics. Using these archetypes we augment and experimentally evaluate different traffic flow estimation models using real-world traffic data. Experimental results show that the Road Archetype flow estimation is comparable to the accuracy of prediction models that would be based on actual road-side sensor flows.
10 Minute consultation: Irritable bowel syndrome

A 35 year old woman with longstanding “loose bowels” reports an increasing incidence over two years of painful abdominal cramps and “rumblings,” with frequent loose stools and occasional leakage. Her work is stressful, and she worries that her bowel problems may affect her job performance.
The Effect of Data Reliability on the Influence of Unaudited Values in Audit Analytical Procedures

Prior research has found that unaudited values influence auditors' analytical procedures judgments, including estimates of account balances and investigation decisions. When unaudited values influence account investigations, audit effectiveness could be impaired. Prior studies have not examined whether the extent of influence of unaudited values is reduced when there are indications that client-supplied values may be unreliable, as suggested by psychological theory. Using a between-subjects design, this study examines whether factors affecting reliability of unaudited values (significant accounting system changes or prior material audit adjustments) affect the influence of unaudited values in analytical procedures, and whether the impact of possible reliability problems differs by prior data trend (increasing or decreasing). Participating auditors estimated the actual value of the gross profit percentage, and provided bounds beyond which they would investigate the unaudited value. Results show that unaudited values influenced auditor judgments, except when there was an indication that the data may be unreliable and the unaudited gross profit percentage was increasing from the prior year. When these two conditions combined, the auditors were more conservative in their use of the client-supplied information.
Macrophage-Like Cell Density Is Increased in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy Characterized by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Purpose To quantitatively characterize macrophage-like cells (MLCs) at the vitreoretinal interface in different severity stages of diabetic retinopathy (DR) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Methods The study included 72 eyes of 72 subjects: 18 healthy controls, 22 diabetes mellitus (DM) without DR, 17 nonproliferative DR (NPDR), and 15 proliferative DR (PDR). We obtained repeated (average, 6.5; range, 3-10) macular OCTA scans for each eye. We registered and averaged the 3-µm OCT slab above the vitreoretinal interface to visualize MLCs. Using a semiautomated method, we binarized and quantified MLCs and compared MLC densities among groups. We also evaluated MLC distribution relative to underlying superficial capillary plexus vasculature and quantified MLCs overlying blood vessels within the perivascular 30-µm watershed region and within ischemic zones (defined as >30 µm from the nearest vessel). Results MLC density was 2.8- to 3.8-fold higher in PDR compared with all other groups (P Conclusions MLC density was significantly increased in PDR. MLCs clustered on blood vessels in diabetic but not in healthy eyes. Further studies are needed to confirm the origin, identity, and function of MLCs during DR.
Structural Analysis Peer Review for the Static Display of the Orbiter Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center Visitors Center

Mr. Christopher Miller with the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) NASA Safety & Mission Assurance (S&MA) office requested the NASA Engineering and Safety Center's (NESC) technical support on March 15, 2012, to review and make recommendations on the structural analysis being performed for the Orbiter Atlantis static display at the KSC Visitor Center. The principal focus of the assessment was to review the engineering firm's structural analysis for lifting and aligning the orbiter and its static display configuration
Experimental Models for Astrocyte Activation and Fibrous Gliosis

Astrocytes are thought to perform a variety of metabolic and structural functions depending on the developmental, normal, or disease state of the central nervous system (CNS). In response to CNS injury or trauma, astrocytes proliferate and increase in size; their cytoplasmic processes become larger and more tortuous; and there is a substantial increase in the number of intermediate glial filaments and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) content. The mechanism of reactive GFAP accumulation is an area of active inquiry. It could result from decreased degradation. Rapid proteolytic degradation of GFAP in a continuous human glioma cell line grown in culture and as a solid tumor (1) and in rodent optic nerve and spinal cord has been reported (2, 3). Alternatively, increased synthesis of GFAP, as a result of translation of pre-existing GFAP mRNA, or de novo transcription of GFAP mRNA are possible explanations for this observation. Since glial filament production appears to play a role in CNS scarring and astrocyte differentiation, studies of GFAP activation and of cytoskeletal and metabolic functions of GFAP in astrocytes have been areas of investigation in our laboratory since we first reported and suggested that GFAP was a constituent of glial filaments (4, 5). If reactive fibrous gliosis could be inhibited or delayed in trauma and disease, the other cell types, oligodendroglia and neurons, might have the opportunity to respond and re-establish in a more normal manner; conversely, a highly anaplastic astrocytoma might be induced to differentiate.
The effect of protein on postprandial endothelial function after a high-fat meal. (LB691)

Meals high in fat depress nitric oxide production by endothelial cells for several hours after the meal. Thus, perpetual ingestion of these meals can promote the development of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease. Recent research has shown the addition of a large quantity of protein to a high fat meal can prevent the postprandial decline in endothelial function. The purpose of this study is to determine if a 1-to-1 or a 1-to-2 protein-to-fat ratio can reduce postprandial endothelial dysfunction after a high-fat meal. METHODS: 10 males, ages 18-22, participated in this study. After an overnight fast each participant was given either a high fat meal (HF), a high fat + low protein meal (HFLP), or a high fat + high protein meal (HFHP). The meal order was counterbalanced among participants. Endolethium-dependent, nitric oxide-mediated dilation of the brachial artery was measured using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) immediately before and 60 minutes after each meal. For this preliminary data analysis we us...
Prevention of Seminiferous Tubular Atrophy in a Naturally Cryptorchid Rat Model by Early Surgical Intervention

In an attempt to determine whether the seminiferous tubular atrophy of the cryptorchid testis is preventable by early surgical correction of the cryptorchid state, aberrantly developed gubernacula destined to result in a cryptorchid testis in the Long-Evans cryptorchid (LE/ORL) rat were surgically reimplanted to the bottom of the scrotum on day 10 to 12 of age. Testis descent was monitored and the changes in testicular histology and in the volumes of the seminiferous tubules and Leydig cells were examined at day 60. As expected, normal testis descent occurred on or about day 25. Compared to untreated undescended testes at day 60, relative seminiferous tubular volumes (volume: % +/- SEM) were significantly increased by early surgical reimplantation of the gubemacula (89 +/- 1 vs. 66 +/- 3; P < 0.01). Absolute seminiferous tubular volumes (microliter +/- SEM) were also significantly increased by early surgical intervention when compared to undescended nontreated testes (893 +/- 27 vs. 170 +/- 12; P < 0.01). The testes of the surgically corrected cryptorchid animals were similar in all respects to those found in the descended testes of the sham-operated controls. Relative Leydig cell volume (% +/- SEM) was increased in the untreated cryptorchid testes compared to the surgically corrected testes (5.2 +/- 0.6 vs. 1.2 +/- 1.0; P < 0.05). Relative Leydig cell volumes in the surgically corrected testes were not significantly different from those found in the sham-operated descended controls. A modest but significant (P < 0.05) increase in absolute Leydig cell volume was also noted in the cryptorchid testes when compared both to normal controls or surgically corrected cryptorchid testes. From these observations, we conclude that early gubernaculopexy reverses the histologic changes normally seen in the cryptorchid rat testis to a relatively normal histologic architecture. These data provide experimental evidence to support the value of orchiopexy in the treatment of cryptorchidism.
Hashemite Antiquity and Modernity: Iconography in Neoliberal Jordan

Owing to a range of economic policies and internal and external political relations, King Abdullah II of Jordan has a charisma problem. The ongoing political upheaval in the country began with his dissolution of Parliament in late 2009, in the absence of which he and his ministers promulgated a series of Temporary Laws to push policies that Parliament would not abide. Since then, there has been an election, an array of sackings and reshufflings of various officials, and promises of reform, all in an attempt to mitigate this personal charisma deficit and control the growing and increasingly vehement mobilisation against unpopular policies. Since the king assumed the throne in 1999, visual cues, including giant flags, slogans, ad campaigns, and images of the monarch have been deployed to the same end. This article discusses a different kind of visual cue, Amman's public park known as the King Hussein Gardens, and specifically its component known as the Historical Passageway. The Passageway is a nearly half-kilometre long monument adding – for the first time – a comprehensive view of Jordan's archaeological past to its modern history. In doing so, novel nuances are meant to become part of a complex national narrative that the Hashemite monarchs have developed and tweaked since the days of the Mandate.
Scanning electron microscopy of L-phase streptococci. I. Development of techniques.

SUMMARY Protoplasts and L-phase variants derived from Streptococcus faeium strain F24 were studied by scanning electron microscopy. Effects on morphology due to several osmotic stabilizers, the duration and kind of fixation, the type of specimen mounting, and the method of drying were examined. Conditions for optimal results were found which will allow further biological study of the L-phase. Whereas air-drying of broth-grown L-phase variants was satisfactory, agar-grown colonies required the critical point method.
A spatial digital video watermark that survives MPEG

Spatial watermarks are simple and quick to embed but vulnerable to intentional attacks or benign transformation such as compression. Watermarking of compressed video is often performed in the compressed domain. In this paper we show that by exploiting the inherent processing gain of direct sequence spread spectrum, it is possible to embed a watermark in raw video and still recover it from an MPEG decoder.
Libraries Without Walls

Abstract An internship in a prison library provides excellent training both in basic library services and in dealing with under-served populations. This type of internship, one that imparts an alternate view of librarianship, provides an understanding of how organizations work and develops professional integrity and supervisory skills. A prison internship experience has wide application in the library field, grounding students firmly in customer service and library instruction skills.
Relativistically induced transparency acceleration of light ions by an ultrashort laser pulse interacting with a heavy-ion-plasma density gradient

The relativistically induced transparency acceleration (RITA) scheme of proton and ion acceleration using laser-plasma interactions is introduced, modeled, and compared to the existing schemes. Protons are accelerated with femtosecond relativistic pulses to produce quasimonoenergetic bunches with controllable peak energy. The RITA scheme works by a relativistic laser inducing transparency [Akhiezer and Polovin, Zh. Eksp. Teor. Fiz 30, 915 (1956); Kaw and Dawson, Phys. Fluids 13, 472 (1970); Max and Perkins, Phys. Rev. Lett. 27, 1342 (1971)] to densities higher than the cold-electron critical density, while the background heavy ions are stationary. The rising laser pulse creates a traveling acceleration structure at the relativistic critical density by ponderomotively [Lindl and Kaw, Phys. Fluids 14, 371 (1971); Silva et al., Phys. Rev. E 59, 2273 (1999)] driving a local electron density inflation, creating an electron snowplow and a co-propagating electrostatic potential. The snowplow advances with a velocity determined by the rate of the rise of the laser's intensity envelope and the heavy-ion-plasma density gradient scale length. The rising laser is incrementally rendered transparent to higher densities such that the relativistic-electron plasma frequency is resonant with the laser frequency. In the snowplow frame, trace density protons reflect off the electrostatic potential and get snowplowed, while the heavier background ions are relatively unperturbed. Quasimonoenergetic bunches of velocity equal to twice the snowplow velocity can be obtained and tuned by controlling the snowplow velocity using laser-plasma parameters. An analytical model for the proton energy as a function of laser intensity, rise time, and plasma density gradient is developed and compared to 1D and 2D PIC OSIRIS [Fonseca et al., Lect. Note Comput. Sci. 2331, 342 (2002)] simulations. We model the acceleration of protons to GeV energies with tens-of-femtoseconds laser pulses of a few petawatts. The scaling of proton energy with laser power compares favorably to other mechanisms for ultrashort pulses [Schreiber et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 045005 (2006); Esirkepov et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 175003 (2004); Silva et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 92, 015002 (2004); Fiuza et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 215001 (2012)].
Interaction of inhibitor-0.12 from wheat with two amylase isozymes from the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Abstract 1. 1. A naturally-occurring α-amylase inhibitor with a mobility of 0.12 in 7.5% polyacrylamide gels was purified from the albumin fraction of wheat ( Triticum ) by anionic ion exchange chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography. 2. 2. Two purified amylase isozymes from the rice weevil, Sitophilus oryzae (L.), differed in their sensitivity to this inhibitor. 3. 3. Inhibitor-0.12 was not as effective as inhibitor-0.31 (a major inhibitor previously purified from wheat) in complexing and inactivating amylases from this granivorous insect.
Using networks to access international internship opportunities

As the business world becomes more global, there is an increasing need for students to gain an international perspective and international experience. One way to accomplish this is through international internships. How do students access international internship opportunities? Networks play a key role in enabling students to obtain knowledge and advice, gain self-confidence, and access opportunities. This paper describes the networks used by four students from the University of Shanghai Science and Technology in China to study at the University of North Dakota, and then go on to do an internship with Ernst & Young, a prestigious 'Big Four' international accounting firm at their headquarters in New York City. The paper goes on the describe the internship experiences the students had and the benefits gained from the experience including increased self-confidence, communication, interpersonal, and teamwork skills, and exposure to business in a different culture.
Can't get there from here: cilia and hydrocephalus

Hydrocephalus describes an expansion of the cerebral ventricles that is associated with decreased cerebral volume and compromised neurological function. Although hydrocephalus mostly occurs sporadically, it is frequently associated with diseases caused by defective cilia function, including Bardet–Biedl syndrome (BBS). A new study reveals that hydrocephalus in a mouse model of BBS is related to defective proliferation and apoptosis of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and can be rescued with lithium treatment (pages 1797–1804).