cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Life history profiles for 27 strepsirrhine primate taxa generated using captive data from the Duke Lemur Center.

Since its establishment in 1966, the Duke Lemur Center (DLC) has accumulated detailed records for nearly 4,200 individuals from over 40 strepsirrhine primate taxa—the lemurs, lorises, and galagos. Here we present verified data for 3,627 individuals of 27 taxa in the form of a life history table containing summarized species values for variables relating to ancestry, reproduction, longevity, and body mass, as well as the two raw data files containing direct and calculated variables from which this summary table is built. Large sample sizes, longitudinal data that in many cases span an animal’s entire life, exact dates of events, and large numbers of individuals from closely related yet biologically diverse primate taxa make these datasets unique. This single source for verified raw data and systematically compiled species values, particularly in combination with the availability of associated biological samples and the current live colony for research, will support future studies from an enormous spectrum of disciplines.
Strengths and Limitations of Model Systems for the Study of Urinary Tract Infections and Related Pathologies

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are some of the most common bacterial infections worldwide and are a source of substantial morbidity among otherwise healthy women. UTIs can be caused by a variety of microbes, but the predominant etiologic agent of these infections is uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). An especially troubling feature of UPEC-associated UTIs is their high rate of recurrence. This problem is compounded by the drastic increase in the global incidence of antibiotic-resistant UPEC strains over the past 15 years. The need for more-effective treatments for UTIs is driving research aimed at bettering our understanding of the virulence mechanisms and host-pathogen interactions that occur during the course of these infections. Surrogate models of human infection, including cell culture systems and the use of murine, porcine, avian, teleost (zebrafish), and nematode hosts, are being employed to define host and bacterial factors that modulate the pathogenesis of UTIs. These model systems are revealing how UPEC strains can avoid or overcome host defenses and acquire scarce nutrients while also providing insight into the virulence mechanisms used by UPEC within compromised individuals, such as catheterized patients. Here, we summarize our current understanding of UTI pathogenesis while also giving an overview of the model systems used to study the initiation, persistence, and recurrence of UTIs and life-threatening sequelae like urosepsis. Although we focus on UPEC, the experimental systems described here can also provide valuable insight into the disease processes associated with other bacterial pathogens both within the urinary tract and elsewhere within the host.
White Coat Blues

Current journal articles and those in the popular press have addressed issues of physician fatigue, depression, and decreased duty hours. Better health care includes the health of the provider. While residents may have mandated decreased duty hours, there is no mandate for faculty to have decreased hours. Recent literature reports increased depression in attending physicians who may not receive the mental health care they deserve. The culture of medicine has its own difficulties in reporting impaired colleagues. Some physicians may have concerns about being seen as weak or less intelligent if they disclose a depressive illness. Curricular reform that embraces a life-work balance and wellness should begin early in medical education and continue throughout professional development. Behavioral science faculties are in a unique position to address this issue in training programs and in the professional literature.
380 PERFORMANCE OF PHYSICAL EXAMINATION SKILLS BY SECOND- AND FOURTH-YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS: DOES CLINICAL EXPERIENCE MATTER?

Background Teaching and assessing clinical skills competence by using standardized patients (SPs) have gained widespread acceptance as reflected by the addition of the new Clinical Skills Examination to Step II of the USMLE. However, it is not well known whether students who have completed clinical rotations perform clinical skills in a superior fashion to preclerkship students. We compared performance of physical examination skills by medical students at different levels of training during an SP encounter. Methods We designed and administered an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) station to all second- and fourth-year medical students (MSs) as part of existing OSCE testing during 2004-05. The station simulated a patient presenting with symptoms suggestive of pneumonia; students were asked to perform a focused physical examination. Trained SPs assessed performance using a binomial checklist; included pulmonary examination items were inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. The 10-item checklist was designed by a panel of clinician educators. Total score was calculated on a scale of 100. Results 150 MS-2 students and 163 MS-4 students completed the station. Overall, performance by MS-2 students was superior to that by MS 4 students (87% vs 79%). MS-2 student performance was also superior on items of the lung examination related to palpation and percussion (Table). Performance on the rest of the lung examination was not different (inspection and auscultation; see Table). Overall, both groups performed poorly on items related to examination of the anterior chest and focusing on the abnormal area. Conclusion When examining a standardized patient with symptoms of pneumonia, the performance of second-year medical students was superior to fourth-year students on a comprehensive pulmonary examination. Whether the difference reflects better “test taking” skills by MS-2, better efficiency by MS-4, or erosion of clinical skills by experiences during the clerkships is unknown.
Analysis and Design of Bootloader Based on Cortex-M3

In embedded systems based on Flash memory,the software architecture can be divided into two parts: bootloader,and application.Bootloader sets up runtime environment of application,and upgrades application when necessary.This paper mainly introduces how to design a bootloader according to Cortex-M3 kernel features,and analysis the principle and the processing of booting,which is proved to be convenient to porting to other chips and meet the needs of engineering with testing on STM32F107 chip.Some notes are emphasized when programming application,which is obviously of great value in practice.
A 16-F Sheath with Endobronchial Forceps Improves Reported Retrieval Success of Long-Dwelling “Closed Cell” Inferior Vena Cava Filter Designs

Abstract Purpose To report results of a 16-F sheath/endobronchial forceps combination in retrieval of "closed cell" inferior vena cava (IVC) filter designs with prolonged dwell times of ≥ 60 days. Materials and Methods Forceps retrieval of selected IVC filters using a 16-F 45-cm sheath was performed in 35 patients (25 women and 10 men). Patients presented with filters that were no longer needed without (n = 10) or with (n = 21) prior failed retrieval, caval thrombosis before lysis (n = 3), and back pain (n = 1). Filter designs included 19 Gunther Tulip (54%), 10 Option (29%), and six OptEase (17%). Mean dwell time was 977 days. Imaging characteristics, technical success, fluoroscopy time, and complications were recorded. Results Filters included 20 tip-embedded, 6 tip-adherent, 4 fractured, and 6 containing thrombus. All were strut and wall-embedded. Initial snare failures occurred in 8 filters because of hook straightening (n = 4), adherent material (n = 2), snare breakage (n = 1), and filter tilt (n = 1). The 16-F sheath/forceps combination was 100% successful in removing filters. In 1 patient, 2 extravascular fragments could not be retrieved. Median fluoroscopy time, excluding 3 extended lysis procedures, was 8 minutes. Minor caval abnormalities, including caval spasm and caval defects, were noted in 17 patients, and filter fracture occurred in 2 patients. No major complications occurred. Conclusions A high rate of retrieval for closed cell long-dwelling strut and wall-embedded filters may be achieved using a 16-F sheath/endobronchial forceps combination.
SU-C-BRA-01: Interactive Auto-Segmentation for Bowel in Online Adaptive MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy by Using a Multi-Region Labeling Algorithm

Purpose: In MRI-guided online adaptive radiation therapy, re-contouring of bowel is time-consuming and can impact the overall time of patients on table. The study aims to auto-segment bowel on volumetric MR images by using an interactive multi-region labeling algorithm. Methods: 5 Patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer underwent fractionated radiotherapy (18–25 fractions each, total 118 fractions) on an MRI-guided radiation therapy system with a 0.35 Tesla magnet and three Co-60 sources. At each fraction, a volumetric MR image of the patient was acquired when the patient was in the treatment position. An interactive two-dimensional multi-region labeling technique based on graph cut solver was applied on several typical MRI images to segment the large bowel and small bowel, followed by a shape based contour interpolation for generating entire bowel contours along all image slices. The resulted contours were compared with the physician's manual contouring by using metrics of Dice coefficient and Hausdorff distance. Results: Image data sets from the first 5 fractions of each patient were selected (total of 25 image data sets) for the segmentation test. The algorithm segmented the large and small bowel effectively and efficiently. All bowel segments were successfully identified, auto-contoured and matched with manual contours. The time cost by the algorithm for each image slice was within 30 seconds. For large bowel, the calculated Dice coefficients and Hausdorff distances (mean±std) were 0.77±0.07 and 13.13±5.01mm, respectively; for small bowel, the corresponding metrics were 0.73±0.08and 14.15±4.72mm, respectively. Conclusion: The preliminary results demonstrated the potential of the proposed algorithm in auto-segmenting large and small bowel on low field MRI images in MRI-guided adaptive radiation therapy. Further work will be focused on improving its segmentation accuracy and lessening human interaction.
Off Topic Conversation in Expert Tutoring: Waste of Time or Learning Opportunity.

While many aspects of tutoring have been identified and studied, off topic conversation has been largely ignored. In this paper, off topic conversation during 50 hours of one-to-one expert tutoring sessions was analyzed. Two distinct methodologies (Dialogue Move occurrence and LIWC analysis) were used to determine the anatomy of off topic conversation. Both analyses revealed that the expected social talk occurred, but pedagogically-relevant talk emerged as well. These occurrences may reflect the discussion of more global pedagogical strategies. These findings suggest that off topic conversation may serve a useful purpose in tutoring and that further investigation is warranted.
A Postapartheid Genome: Genetic Ancestry Testing and Belonging in South Africa

This article examines a genetic ancestry testing program called the Living History Project (LHP) that was jointly organized by a nonprofit educational institute and a for-profit genealogy company in South Africa. It charts the precise mechanisms by which the LHP sought to shape a postapartheid genome through antiracist commitments aimed at contesting histories of colonial and apartheid rule in varied ways. In particular, it focuses on several tensions that emerged within three modes of material-discursive practice within the production of the LHP: subject recruitment, informed consent, and participant reflections. In the end, it argues that several contradictory tensions were central to the making of the LHP’s postapartheid genome and that it should be understood as nonracial rather than antiracist.
Performance comparison of OSLD (Al2O3:C) and TLD (LiF:Mg,Cu,P) in accreditation proficiency testing

Abstract The U.S. Navy uses a dosimetric system, which employs the LiF:Mg,Cu,P thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs), developed and produced by Thermo Fisher Scientific. Every two years, the Naval Dosimetry Center (NDC) performs proficiency testing to maintain its national accreditation. Since 2007, the U.S. Navy has also tested InLight Basic - OSLN Optically Stimulated Luminescence Al2O3:C dosimeters (OSLD) manufactured by Landauer. In 2011 and 2013, the Naval Dosimetry Center performed proficiency testing for both systems. Here we present a comparison of the performance of TLDs (LiF:Mg,Cu,P) and OSLDs (Al2O3:C) in five categories of proficiency testing. The testing included irradiation with photons, neutrons, beta particles and selected mixtures of these radiations. All irradiations were performed at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). The delivered doses were not reported to the NDC. The official comparison of delivered and reported doses was conducted by PNNL in terms of dose bias and its standard deviation for each category of accreditation. In total, the NDC reported to the PNNL doses for 147 dosimeters of each type (TLD and OSLD). Both NDC tested dosimetric systems have passed established limits. The comparison of OSLD and TLD system performance in each category is discussed. Advantages and disadvantages of both systems are analyzed.
Unacceptable but comprehensible: the facilitation effect of resumptive pronouns

It is often assumed in the theoretical syntax literature that intrusive resumptive pronouns can rescue island violations. However, recent experimental investigations did not provide strong evidence for such a rescuing effect. The current study examines intrusive resumption in Italian and English. In four experiments, we show that resumption indeed improves island violation to some degree, but such an effect is sensitive to task and contextual manipulations. In particular, the rescuing effect only surfaces with a comprehensibility but not a traditional acceptability task, and the effect is strongest when the antecedent of the resumptive pronoun is made sali- ent through additional context. At the same time, however, the effect of resumption in longer embedded clauses (compared to shorter ones) is much weaker. We discuss these findings in terms of how resumptive pronouns, although ungrammatical in English, can facilitate parsing in particular yet principled ways.
Retrospective correction of bias in diffusion tensor imaging arising from coil combination mode

Abstract Purpose To quantify and retrospectively correct for systematic differences in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) measurements due to differences in coil combination mode. Background Multi-channel coils are now standard among MRI systems. There are several options for combining signal from multiple coils during image reconstruction, including sum-of-squares (SOS) and adaptive combine (AC). This contribution examines the bias between SOS- and AC-derived measures of tissue microstructure and a strategy for limiting that bias. Methods Five healthy subjects were scanned under an institutional review board-approved protocol. Each set of raw image data was reconstructed twice—once with SOS and once with AC. The diffusion tensor was calculated from SOS- and AC-derived data by two algorithms—standard log-linear least squares and an approach that accounts for the impact of coil combination on signal statistics. Systematic differences between SOS and AC in terms of tissue microstructure (axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy) were evaluated on a voxel-by-voxel basis. Results SOS-based tissue microstructure values are systematically lower than AC-based measures throughout the brain in each subject when using the standard tensor calculation method. The difference between SOS and AC can be virtually eliminated by taking into account the signal statistics associated with coil combination. Conclusions The impact of coil combination mode on diffusion tensor-based measures of tissue microstructure is statistically significant but can be corrected retrospectively. The ability to do so is expected to facilitate pooling of data among imaging protocols.
The effect of shock waves on brain blood pressure; experimental and computational studies

In this paper, the induced pressure in blood vessels of the brain due to a blast has been investigated. An idealised experiment was designed, consisting of a ballistic rectangular gel block with a built-in conduit filled with water, representing the brain with a blood vessel, was placed in front of a shock tube. The experimental setup was simulated by a local 3D FE model which was validated with the experimental data. Results demonstrated that the skull, brain and meningeal layers reduce the intensity of a primary blast wave by a factor of 86 until it reaches the brain vessels. Furthermore, it was concluded that the striking shock waves with BOP greater than 5 MPa would increase the blood pressure to the critical level of 57 kPa which could onset failure and cause hematoma.
Experimental and finite element assessment of three energy harvesting prototypes for roadways

The transportation infrastructures serve a critical societal need to rapidly move goods and people across the nation. Using these infrastructures as a source of renewable energy by harvesting them from the roadways is a novel idea that has not been fully explored yet. Highway pavements are exposed to energy-potential resources from vehicle vibrations and traffic loading strains. Energy harvesting is a process that captures unused ambient energy such as heat, vibration, stress or movement that would otherwise be lost. Piezoelectric transducers are considered materials for harvesting energy in pavement structures as they convert mechanical strain into low voltage. For this purpose, two types of piezoelectric geometry were evaluated; cylindrical disks and thin film, suitable for compression and bending state of stresses, respectively. Two prototypes including piezoelectric disks connected in series and parallel were evaluated to study the effect of loading frequency and magnitude on output power under compression. Another prototype containing thin piezoelectric film was developed to investigate the potential of energy harvesting in bending condition. Finite element (FE) analysis was conducted to simulate prototypes’ response under loading. The evaluation of the prototypes involves laboratory testing of their power output as a function of stress and FE simulation of their mechanical behavior. The results showed that the energy harvesting modules should be designed to capture vertical compressive stress in pavement instead of tensile stress. Results suggested that voltage is highly dependent on loading magnitude. It was also concluded that piezoelectric stack connected in parallel produces higher current output under similar loading conditions.
Flows in Reflux: Video Brinquedo and the BRICS “Mockbuster” as a Glitch in Mediatic Hegemony

Amid a global cultural landscape defined both by the ambiguities of deterritorialization and the persistent impact of established geopolitical hierarchies, the idea of cultural reflux offers a potent tool to conceptualize and lend context to the study of nascent peripheral and semiperipheral media industries. Dialoguing with Thussu and Iwabuchi’s work on media flow as well as Curtin’s concept of media capitals, this article proposes to analyze “mockbusters”: derivative copies of established metropolitan media properties. I specifically look at the output of the Brazilian studio Video Brinquedo, infamous in the 2000s for its blatant, low-quality copies of established children’s media properties. In examining the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) mockbuster as a case study of opportunistic media counterflow, the idea of cultural reflux complicates debates over where we should situate our analytical objectives with respect to mediatic peripherality, and how we can more concretely examine...
Interactive discussion versus lecture for learning and retention by medical students

Introduction: Medical educators search for the best methods for teaching medical students. With improvements in technology, it became relatively easy for instructors to supplement lectures with electronic slideshows or to create internet-based presentations with minimal or no instructor interaction. More recently, educators have focused on making teaching more interactive. Methods: During the third-year paediatric rotation, students were assigned to a slideshow lecture format or an interactive discussion format. Students completed a 20-item multiple-choice knowledge test on three occasions: a baseline test before the teaching session, a second immediately after the teaching session and another 6 months after the teaching session. Test scores and changes in test scores were compared between the groups. Number of student–teacher interactions and student evaluations of the teaching sessions were also compared between groups. Results: Both groups had a statistically-significant improvement from pre-test to post-test, as well as pre-test to 6-month and post-test to 6-month, but there was no difference between the groups. There were more student interactions in the discussion groups: 26% of students in the lecture groups compared to 77% in the discussion group. Students in the lecture group indicated that they felt more prepared, however significantly more students (74%) in the discussion group stated that they enjoyed this method of teaching compared to 51% of students in the lecture group. Conclusions: We found that students taught with passive lecture or active discussions had similar test scores despite significantly more interaction in the discussion group, but they seemed to enjoy the discussion method more than the lectures.
Primary Resources, Secondary Labor: Resource Booms and Immigration Policy in the Era of Trade Liberalization∗

Are trade and immigration policies substitutes or complements? Using the two-sector model in the Dutch disease literature, the paper argues that the degree of a resource boom changes labor-intensive firms’ preferences over immigration policy and how they respond to trade liberalization. As trade liberalizes, firms in the tradable sector move into the resource industry or into the non-tradable sector during a resource boom, leading to a decline in support for pro-immigration policy. Without such exit options in resource-poor economies, firms seek to remain viable by supporting pro-immigration policy under trade liberalization. Trade and immigration policies are substitutes during a resource boom but are complements otherwise. Rigorous empirical analyses with new data on immigration policy show that changing firm preferences translate directly into policy outcomes. The variation in immigration policy across multiple labor-scarce economies cannot be fully understood without accounting for trade liberalization and resource booms. The paper poses a serious challenge against the conventional wisdom that trade and immigration policies have always been substitutes. An important implication of the paper is that open economies under growing resource booms will restrict immigration even further. ∗Prepared for the International Political Economy Society (IPES) conference at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., November, 14–15, 2014. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation Graduate Student Research Fellowship under Grant No. DGE 0718128. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. †Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 5700 Haven Hall, 505 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1045; E-mail: adrianjs@umich.edu.
Bipolar disorder, comorbid anxiety disorders, gynecomastia and dental pain: case analysis with literature review.

Bipolar disorder with comorbid anxiety disorders frequently requires rational polypharmacy, including use of serotonergic psychotropics. These may result in adverse effects, influencing adherence, complicating treatment and confounding diagnoses. Serotonergic non-adherence is associated with discontinuation syndromes. In this complex case with an on/off/on/off design, both dose-dependent buspirone-induced gynecomastia and buspirone discontinuation syndrome with dental pain are reported. Clinicians and patients should consider these findings to maximise treatment adherence, minimise any unnecessary interventions and address unusual adverse effects. Since patients may not voluntarily disclose specific adverse effects and often do not acknowledge non-adherence, clinician-directed questions are required. This case further emphasises the importance of medication and symptom timelines to guide determination of causation for adverse effects. Although findings from this case cannot be generalised, they suggest the need for continued clinician and patient education, as well as the benefit from detailed case reports. Declaration of interest None.
Omics Approaches to Macrophage Biology

High-throughput (HTP) technologies enabling the simultaneous measurement of thousands of genes, proteins, and metabolites offer new opportunities for understanding the complex mechanisms underlying physiology, health, and disease. Mining these large “omics” datasets (transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) has required addressing issues such as high dimensionality of the data, experimental variability, noise, and low sensitivity of the methodologies. Numerous approaches have been developed to handle these issues and to utilize these datasets to generate meaningful biological insights. This chapter describes the types of omics measurements that have been performed on mammalian macrophage cells, methods, and tools for their analysis, and examples of insights gained in macrophage biology.
Clinical Aspects of Resistance to Antineoplastic Agents

Were it not for the resistance of human tumors to antineoplastic agents, disseminated cancer would not be a clinical problem, and in fact surgery and radiotherapy would be passe. All too familiar to the layperson, physician, and biomedical scientist, however, is the fact that most disseminated cancers respond little, if at all, to systemic chemotherapy, and among those cancers that are initially responsive, the duration of clinical benefit is more often marked by months than years. Thus, those whose aim is to discover the means for successfully treating cancers have had to contend with drug resistance.
Gender Considerations in Peripheral Vascular Disease

Peripheral vascular disease (PVD) encompasses disease processes in the vascular bed outside of the coronary circulation. The focus of this chapter is on the diagnosis and management of these diseases with an emphasis on the gender based differences. We mainly discuss arterial disease where the most common pathology involves atherosclerotic disease. The chapter outline the disease process in three major territories: Carotid Artery Atherosclerotic Disease, Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms, and Lower Extremity Atherosclerotic Ischemic Disease. In addition to being commonly encountered, these diseases are discussed because they are considered coronary artery disease equivalents and included as such in the Framingham risk calculation. Even though the clinical consequences of atherosclerosis vary according to the territory involved, mortality is highly related to coexisting coronary involvement. Cardiac death represents 70 % of the overall mortality of patients with peripheral vascular disease [1]. The involvement of multiple vascular beds appears to be an expression of more advanced atherosclerotic disease process associated with a worse prognosis. The understanding of this process is critical for the development of preventive strategies and institution of appropriate treatment. A significant amount of patients carrying these conditions remain undiagnosed for many years. This is true for both genders. However, women are more likely to suffer from undiagnosed peripheral vascular disease. Increased awareness and dedicated research in this area can help overcome gender-based misconceptions to both prevent peripheral vascular disease in women and help clinicians and patients more effectively address these diseases when manifested. In addition, a major goal in combating these diseases should be the primary prevention of atherosclerotic disease (discussed elsewhere).
On the number of cycles in permutation graphs

In 1967 Chartrand and Harary introduced the concept of permutation graphs [i]. In that paper the authors characterize planar permutation graphs of 2-connected graphs. In [2 1Hedetniemi generalized that concept to function graphs. Thus, the class of permutation graphs may now be studied from two points of view: the local point of view in which the internal structure of these graphs is examined; and the global viewpoint in which the common properties of this class and related classes of graphs are studied and compared.
Logarithmic scales in ecological data presentation may cause misinterpretation

Scientific communication relies on clear presentation of data. Logarithmic scales are used frequently for data presentation in many scientific disciplines, including ecology, but the degree to which they are correctly interpreted by readers is unclear. Analysing the extent of log scales in the literature, we show that 22% of papers published in the journal Ecology in 2015 included at least one log-scaled axis, of which 21% were log–log displays. We conducted a survey that asked members of the Ecological Society of America (988 responses, and 623 completed surveys) to interpret graphs that were randomly displayed with linear–linear or log–log axes. Many more respondents interpreted graphs correctly when the graphs had linear–linear axes than when they had log–log axes: 93% versus 56% for our all-around metric, although some of the individual item comparisons were even more skewed (for example, 86% versus 9% and 88% versus 12%). These results suggest that misconceptions about log-scaled data are rampant. We recommend that ecology curricula include explicit instruction on how to interpret log-scaled axes and equations, and we also recommend that authors take the potential for misconceptions into account when deciding how to visualize data. Logarithmic scales are frequently used in ecological data display, but the degree to which they are understood is not clear. Here, the authors survey members of the Ecological Society of America and find that only 56% of respondents correctly interpreted data presented on log–log axes.
Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Psychopathy Construct: Methodological and Conceptual Issues

In 2004, factor analysis became 100 years old. Charles Spearman’s (1904) seminal article, “General Intelligence: Objectively Determined and Measured,” was fundamental in establishing the theory and methodology of factor analysis (www.fa100.info). No doubt, the long history of this statistical tool in social science research is, in part, testament to its utility. In this chapter we examine the use of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis as tools for research focused on elucidating the dimensions of the psychopathy construct. It is not intended to be a technical discussion of how to conduct such analyses or the mathematical underpinnings of these statistical tools. The goals of the current chapter are to (a) provide a brief overview of previous exploratory factor analytic research on the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL) and Psychopathy Checklist–Revised (PCL–R); (b) present conceptual and methodological issues that pertain to the application of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis for research on psychopathy; and (c) discuss the recent three-factor (Cooke & Michie, 2001) and four-factor (Hare, 2003) models of psychopathy. To assist in illustrating some of the issues raised in this chapter, a large sample (N = 4,865) of North American PCL–R data, provided by Dr. Robert Hare, is used to test contemporary factor models of psychopathy.
Quadriceps Tendon Graft for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: THE GRAFT OF THE FUTURE!

Abstract Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is one of the most common orthopaedic surgeries performed on active people in the world. One of the most important surgical decisions is graft type for use in the reconstruction. Despite extensive research on optimal graft choice for ACL reconstruction, discrepancy exists among practicing surgeons' graft preference. Recently, the quadriceps tendon has gained popularity for use as a graft source for ACL reconstruction. The all soft tissue quadriceps graft offers many advantages over other autograft choices. Histologically it has 20% more collagen fibrils per cross-sectional area than the patellar tendon (PT). Biomechanically, its ultimate load is 70% > than that of a similar width PT graft, while its modulus is more similar to the native ACL than either the PT or hamstring graft. Anatomically the quadriceps tendon has significantly more volume than the PT. Thus, even after harvest of the quadriceps graft, the remaining quadriceps tendon is still 80% stronger than the intact PT! The length and cross-sectional area of the quadriceps tendon graft can be tailored to the needs of the patient. On any patient over 5 feet tall, a graft length of 7 cm can be obtained. Because the thickness of the tendon is almost twice the thickness of the same patient's PT, a graft diameter from 7 to 11 mm can easily be achieved. Thus, this graft can be customized for both primary and revision surgeries. Harvest site morbidity is minimal. An incision less than 2 cm in an area with no significant cutaneous nerves without harvest of any patella bone leads to no significant harvest site pain, numbness, or palpable defect. Clinical outcomes using this graft are excellent. Our prospective data on nearly 1,000 grafts, with a mean patient age of 20 years old, show a 4.2% failure rate. Thus, the all soft tissue quadriceps graft will be the surgical choice for ACL reconstruction for future athletes.
Normal ecumenism: Ecumenism for the long haul1:

Ecumenical change is best understood as punctuated change, in analogy to change in scientific traditions and in evolution. The ecumenical movement represents a moment of punctuated or revolutionary...
Physical fatigue detection through EMG wearables and subjective user reports: a machine learning approach towards adaptive rehabilitation

Physical fatigue due to muscle exhaustion is a symptom that can be very common in daily life. However fatigue can sometimes be suspect of more severe diseases such as multiple sclerosis and needs to be assessed appropriately. Despite the need to monitor fatigue, describing it in an objective and quantifiable manner is still an open problem due to the great levels of subjectivity involved. In this work we propose a novel method towards detecting physical fatigue. We design our approach based on objective EMG measurements and we aim to identify the presence of physical fatigue based on subjective user-reports. Based on our analysis we highlight the significance of our findings and we discuss how machine learning based modeling can become useful towards understanding fatigue and designing adaptive rehabilitation scenarios.
Aneugen Molecular Mechanism Assay: Proof-of-Concept With 27 Reference Chemicals.

A tiered bioassay and data analysis scheme is described for elucidating the most common molecular targets responsible for chemical-induced in vitro aneugenicity: tubulin destabilization, tubulin stabilization, and inhibition of mitotic kinase(s). To evaluate this strategy, TK6 cells were first exposed to each of 27 presumed aneugens over a range of concentrations. After 4 and 24 h of treatment, γH2AX, p53, phospho-histone H3 (p-H3), and polyploidization biomarkers were evaluated using the MultiFlow DNA Damage Assay Kit. The assay identified 27 of 27 chemicals as genotoxic, with 25 exhibiting aneugenic signatures, 1 aneugenic and clastogenic, and 1 clastogenic. Subsequently, a newly described follow-up assay was employed to investigate the aneugenic agents' molecular targets. For these experiments, TK6 cells were exposed to each of 26 chemicals in the presence of 488 Taxol. After 4 h, cells were lysed and the liberated nuclei and mitotic chromosomes were stained with a nucleic acid dye and labeled with fluorescent antibodies against p-H3 and Ki-67. Flow cytometric analyses revealed that alterations to 488 Taxol-associated fluorescence were only observed with tubulin binders-increases in the case of tubulin stabilizers, decreases with destabilizers. Mitotic kinase inhibitors with known Aurora kinase B inhibiting activity were the only aneugens that dramatically decreased the ratio of p-H3-positive to Ki-67-positive nuclei. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering based on 488 Taxol fluorescence and p-H3: Ki-67 ratios clearly distinguished compounds with these disparate molecular mechanisms. Furthermore, a classification algorithm based on an artificial neural network was found to effectively predict molecular target, as leave-one-out cross-validation resulted in 25/26 agreement with a priori expectations. These results are encouraging, as they suggest that an adequate number of training set chemicals, in conjunction with a machine learning algorithm based on 488 Taxol, p-H3, and Ki-67 responses, can reliably elucidate the most commonly encountered aneugenic molecular targets.
Structure and Stereochemistry of Rediocide A, A Highly Modified Daphnane from Trigonostemon reidioides Exhibiting Potent Insecticidal Activity

Highly Modified Daphnane from Trigonostemon reidioides Exhibiting Potent Insecticidal Activity Hiranthi Jayasuriya,† Deborah L. Zink,† Suresh B. Singh,† Robert P. Borris,† Weerachai Nanakorn,‡ Hans T. Beck, Michael J. Balick, Michael A. Goetz,† Lyndia Slayton,† Lynn Gregory,† Michelle Zakson-Aiken,† Wesley Shoop,† and Sheo B. Singh*,† Merck Research Laboratories, P.O. Box 2000 Rahway, New Jersey, 07065 The Forest Herbarium, Royal Forest Department Bangkok, Thailand 10900 Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden Bronx, New York 10458
Protecting Against Postoperative Dyspnea and Dysphagia After Occipitocervical Fusion

Background Upper airway obstruction leading to dyspnea and dysphagia after occipitocervical fusion is a rare complication that has significant morbidity. Objective To estimate the frequency of postoperative dyspnea and dysphagia in children after occipitocervical fusion and to identify variables associated with its occurrence. Methods We retrospectively reviewed outcomes from all pediatric occipitocervical fusions at our institution between 2007 and 2014. Pre- and postoperative computed tomography (CT) scans were compared to determine differences in the clivoaxial (OC2) angles. Results Sixty-seven pediatric patients underwent occipitocervical fusions. Median age was 9.6 yr (range 6 mo-18 yr). Fifty-six of 62 patients (90.3%) with at least 1 yr of follow-up had successful fusions. Eleven had pre-existing symptoms or otherwise compromised examination (eg, severe traumatic brain injury). None of 15 patients placed in extension (>2 degrees) relative to preoperative CT in Situ position developed new dyspnea or dysphagia. Nine of forty patients (23%) kept in Situ or flexed position developed new symptoms of dyspnea or dysphagia. Dysphagia in patients fused in the in Situ position was milder and resolved within a few weeks. No patient under age 5 (n = 20) developed symptoms of dyspnea or dysphagia regardless of head position. There were 3 cases of infection, 1 clinically silent vertebral artery injury, and 3 deaths at last follow-up. Conclusion Positioning of the child's head prior to occipitocervical fusion has considerable impact on outcomes, especially in older children. Careful measurements of the OC2 angle during surgery to ensure optimal head positioning in Situ or slightly extended position may prevent postoperative dysphagia or dyspnea.
Colicin E1 Fragments Potentiate Antibiotics by Plugging TolC

Abstract The double membrane architecture of Gram-negative bacteria forms a barrier that is effectively impermeable to extracellular threats. Accordingly, researchers have shown increasing interest in developing antibiotics that target the accessible, surface-exposed proteins embedded in the outer membrane. TolC forms the outer membrane channel of an antibiotic efflux pump in Escherichia coli. Drawing from prior observations that colicin E1, a toxin produced by and lethal to E. coli, can bind to the TolC channel, we investigate the capacity of colicin E1 fragments to ‘plug’ TolC and inhibit its efflux function. First, using single-molecule fluorescence, we show that colicin E1 fragments that do not include the cytotoxic domain localize at the cell surface. Next, using real-time efflux measurements and minimum inhibitory concentration assays, we show that exposure of wild-type E. coli to fragments of colicin E1 indeed disrupts TolC efflux and heightens bacterial susceptibility to four common classes of antibiotics. This work demonstrates that extracellular plugging of outer membrane transporters can serve as a novel method to increase antibiotic susceptibility. In addition to the utility of these protein fragments as starting points for the development of novel antibiotic potentiators, the variety of outer membrane protein colicin binding partners provides an array of options that would allow our method to be used to inhibit other outer membrane protein functions. Significance We find that fragments of a protein natively involved in intraspecies bacterial warfare can be exploited to plug the E. coli outer membrane antibiotic efflux machinery. This plugging disables a primary form of antibiotic resistance. Given the diversity of bacterial species of similar bacterial warfare protein targets, we anticipate that this method of plugging is generalizable to disabling the antibiotic efflux of other proteobacteria. Moreover, given the diversity of the targets of bacterial warfare proteins, this method could be used for disabling the function of a wide variety of other bacterial outer membrane proteins.
Influence of Soil Site Class on Growth and Decay of Northern White-Cedar and Two Associates in Maine

Basal area growth of outwardly sound northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L.) was compared with that of balsam fir (Abies balsamea [L.] Mill.) and red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) across site and light exposure class gradients on 60 sites throughout northern Maine. Once adjusted for sapwood area, northern white-cedar basal area growth was not strongly affected by site or light exposure class; growth was similar to that of red spruce but generally lower than that of balsam fir. Site index did not differ appreciably among soil drainage classes for red spruce and northern white-cedar, although small sample size limited analysis on upland site classes. Incidence of central decay was higher in northern white-cedar than balsam fir, which was higher than red spruce. Incidence of decay in outwardly sound northern white-cedar and balsam fir was highest on well-drained mineral soils, and mean proportion of basal area decayed at breast height increased in outwardly sound northern white-cedar as drainage improved from poorly drained to well-drained soils. These data suggest that northern white-cedar on lowland organic and poorly drained mineral soils in Maine have less decay, similar basal area growth, and similar site index relative to upland northern white-cedar communities.
The Design of an Algorithmic Modal Music Platform for Eliciting and Detecting Emotion

In the past decade, the usage of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) in affective computing applications has received much attention within human-computer interaction (HCI) applications. Generally, affective brain-computer interfaces are utilized in user experience evaluation, intelligent tutoring systems, and emotional state assessment. In addition, BCI technology has yielded promising results in various contexts such as clinical applications, like P300 spellers, mouse pointers, and wheelchair controllers, as well as in artistic and entertainment-focused applications such as gaming and music composition. The present work describes the design of a platform for eliciting emotion through modal music that has been algorithmically generated and comparing BCI data to self-reported emotional data to validate the detection of emotion. The successful realization of such a system will validate the analysis of BCI-detected emotion. In addition, the system will create new avenues of musical and emotional expression for people with disabilities that hinder this articulation.
A Novel Regulatory Role for the Circadian Clock Protein TOC1 via RNA binding

The circadian clock enables plants to predict daily changes of external signals and synchronize them with internal processes, conferring enhanced fitness and growth vigor. The first described Arabidopsis circadian clock protein is TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1 (TOC1), which functions in a transcriptional feedback loop with two myb transcription factors, CIRCADIAN CLOCK-ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1) and LATE ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL (LHY). Previous studies have shown that TOC1 is a DNA-binding transcriptional repressor of CCA1 and LHY. However, the DNA motifs enriched amongst TOC1 targets share weak sequence similarity and lack consensus, suggesting that TOC1 regulates the expression of its targets through a novel mechanism. Here we show that the TOC1 protein binds directly to RNA via its conserved CCT domain. Using in vitro RNA selection, we identified an RNA motif that is recognized by the TOC1-CCT domain. The TOC1-CCT domain binds to this RNA sequence with nanomolar affinity determined by quantitative electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). NMR experiments showed that two CCT fragments, CCT533-547 and CCT550-565, use basic residues to bind the RNA motif. Mutational analysis confirmed that lysyl and arginyl residues bind to RNA in a cooperative manner. Furthermore, transiently expressed wildtype and mutant TOC1 in protoplasts demonstrated that RNA binding activity of TOC1 is required for its function as a transcriptional repressor in vivo. Our results reveal a novel regulatory mechanism for TOC1 through RNA binding, suggesting that TOC1 might play key roles as a multi-function protein.
Role of Xenosterols in Health and Disease

Abstract Xenosterols are important non-nutritional dietary compounds that are found in non-animal foods in which phytosterols comprise the larger group of these sterols. Under normal physiological conditions, dietary xenosterol levels are present in blood at barely detectable levels. Patients with an autosomal recessive disease, Sitosterolemia, show accumulations of very high amounts of these xenosterols, in which sitosterol is the most abundant species hence the name. Mutations in ATP (adenosine triphosphate) Binding Cassette transporters G5 and G8 (ABCG5 and ABCG8) are responsible for causing this disease; sterolins ABCG5/G8 function as obligate heterodimers to efficiently efflux xenosterols out at the intestinal and biliary-tree levels to normally maintain a low systemic exposure to these dietary xenosterols. This chapter will focus on reviewing the importance of xenosterols in health and disease; discuss their significance in the pathogenesis of Sitosterolemia and the current knowledge on their impact in the management of cardiovascular (CVS) and central nervous disorders (CNS).