cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Harlequin Color Change after Abdominal Paracentesis in a Newborn with Neonatal Hemochromatosis

Harlequin color change is a distinctive cutaneous phenomenon presenting as a well-demarcated color change, with half of the body displaying erythema and the other half pallor. Only a few cases have been reported, possibly because of under-recognition. Recognition of this benign, self-limited condition may enable physicians to avoid unnecessary interventions. Herein we describe a neonate with nonimmune hydrops fetalis due to neonatal hemochromatosis who developed Harlequin color change after abdominal paracentesis.
Call for a new approach to the process of clinical trials and drug registration

The process of phases I-IV of clinical trials is the cornerstone of the drug registration and regulation process.1 Yet expanding drug expenses, the slow process of development in critical areas of need, poor worldwide distribution of new therapeutics, and an emerging multibillion dollar industry receiving finances for clinical trials as a part of healthcare delivery, indicate that the process needs revision. Recent changes in testing by clinical trials, different methods of supervision of drug development by pharmaceutical companies, and new methods for the monitoring of drug safety suggest a direction for this revision. A fresh approach is proposed (see boxes, p 921). This article reviews the basis for considering this new approach. #### Summary points The process of phases I-IV of clinical trials for drug registration is expensive, raises ethical issues of informed consent in phases III and IV, and has been expanded to try to answer too many questions Careful assessment of recent, well constructed safety data from phase II studies compared with data from the end of phase III is expected to show little new safety information gained from phase III A fresh approach to drug registration is needed #### Suggested steps in new approach to drug assessment 1. Summarise innovative aspects of the drug (based on chemistry of the drug, animal toxicology, mechanisms of action, and initial clinical trials) to identify special approaches to drug development that should be considered 2. Summarise characteristics of the disease or diseases for which the drug is to be used, healthcare needs, and market pressures that indicate special risks or benefits regarding the drug's development 3. Review data about the drug collected from countries outside of the region in which registration is occurring, and summarise data about drugs marketed by competitors 4. Review patent issues, estimate the potential sales, and record the proposed drug price 5. Enter into special negotiations regarding the approach for drug development based …
Iris capture from moving subjects using a fluttering shutter

We address the problem of sharp iris image capture from moving subjects for the purpose of biometric identification. We utilize recent research from the field of computational photography, and capture images using the flutter shutter technique of [12]. Instead of capturing an image with traditional motion blur, we open and close the shutter several times during capture in order to effect invertible motion blur in the captured image. After applying automated blur estimation and de-blurring, we employ de-convolution to estimate a sharp image from the captured image. Through black-box testing with an existing iris matcher, we demonstrate the improved utility of these images for biometrics.
Direct Growth of Vertically-oriented Graphene for Field-Effect Transistor Biosensor

A sensitive and selective field-effect transistor (FET) biosensor is demonstrated using vertically-oriented graphene (VG) sheets labeled with gold nanoparticle (NP)-antibody conjugates. VG sheets are directly grown on the sensor electrode using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method and function as the sensing channel. The protein detection is accomplished through measuring changes in the electrical signal from the FET sensor upon the antibody-antigen binding. The novel biosensor with unique graphene morphology shows high sensitivity (down to ~2 ng/ml or 13 pM) and selectivity towards specific proteins. The PECVD growth of VG presents a one-step and reliable approach to prepare graphene-based electronic biosensors.
Environmental effects on low temperature crazing of crystalline polymers

The ductile behavior of crystalline polymers between liquid nitrogen and room temperatures is primarily due to enhancement of crazing by the presence of gases (N2, A2, O2, CO2) of high thermodynamic activity, i.e., close to their condensation point. Without the presence of such a gas, at temperatures sufficiently above its condensation point so that its activity has dropped to a few percent, the crystalline material is rather brittle although some very limited crazing can be detected. As expected, the ductility and the amount of crazing are very nearly the same in helium as under vacuum. The crazes in smectic PP are extremely long, often traversing the entire width (0.5 cm) of the sample, and generally very similar to crazes in glassy amorphous polymers. They are thin and become thicker at higher temperatures. In monoclinic PP with well developed spherulitic structure, crazing occurs along spherulite diameters that are perpendicular to the stress direction but not along the boundaries between spherulites. In general, the length of a craze equals the spherulite diameter. At low temperatures all crazes originate on the outer surface of the sample which is in direct contact with the gas. The action of the gas is due to two mechanisms. First, the adsorbed gas reduces the surface energy of the polymer, facilitating the creation of a new surface in the holes and voids of the craze. Second, the gas becomes highly absorbed at the tip of an incidental flaw or of an existing craze, since these are regions of high dilatant stress. The locally absorbed gas acts as a plasticizer easing the flow involved in the nucleation and growth of the craze, i.e., in the formation of fibrillar material of the craze.
Characterization of glucose transporter isoforms in the adult and developing human eye.

The expression of glucose transporter isoforms (Glut 1, Glut 3, Glut 4, and Glut 5) in the human eye was investigated at various ages ranging between 8 weeks gestation (first trimester) and adult using Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses. Glut 1 and Glut 3 expression and cellular localization patterns were similar to those of human brain. Glut 1 (50-kilodalton protein) was expressed by epithelial cells (retinal pigmented epithelium, choroidal, iridial, and pars planus), which form the blood-eye barrier, retinal Mueller cells, the lens fiber cells, iridial microvascular endothelial cells, and to a lesser extent by the outer segments of the photoreceptor cells in the adult eye. This pattern was conserved throughout development and was evident as early as 8 weeks gestation. In addition, the endothelial cells of vitreous hyaloid vessels expressed Glut 1 at 8 weeks gestation. Glut 3 (50 to 55-kilodalton protein) immunoreactivity was observed only in the adult inner synaptic layer of the retina. Neith...
Improving healthcare cost transparency through mobile application development

Managing the rising costs of healthcare is of critical importance to both the public and private sectors. Those who need healthcare face a daunting challenge in determining the projected price of care as there is currently a lack of transparency with respect to obtaining the price of procedures from healthcare providers such as hospitals and labs. The price of a given medical procedure can vary by thousands of dollars depending on where it is performed, with patients often unable to compare prices and select the best one. Patients are often at a disadvantage when it comes to negotiating healthcare costs as the care may be of life or death importance to the patient. Higher healthcare costs put a greater financial burden on patients, insurers and employers. In order to increase healthcare price transparency and support patients in the search for quality healthcare, we have developed a mobile device application that compares the price of procedures at local hospitals based on publically available price data.
Ultraviolet absorption of aqueous sulfur solutions

Abstract Absorption curves of sulfur in the solvents chloroform, ethanol, ethanol—water mixtures, n -hexane, and methanol were obtained for the range 225–380 mμ. The curves were found to be quite similar, but were displaced toward higher wavelength and extinction coefficients as the index of refraction of the solvent increased. The average of all extinction coefficients at 300 mμ was 440 ± 4.9%. Examination of these extinction coefficients with respect to solvent index of refraction permits estimation of a value of 414 for water solutions at 300 mμ. Beer's law holds for these solutions.
School‐based prevention: current status and future challenges

The field of school‐based prevention of behavioral problems and promotion of caring and competence has grown dramatically in the past decade. This article provides a brief summary of current progress in the field and a discussion of future challenges and directions in research and practice. The article presents four future directions for research in the field of school‐based prevention and health promotion: building the science of implementation and sustainability, building greater integration between educational policy and prevention, understanding factors influencing program integration with ongoing programming in schools, and the continued development and refinement of new programs and models. These future directions are driven by two significant research‐to‐service challenges faced both by practitioners and researchers that involve systems integration across developmental stages and levels of care. There is little question that further advances in the development and application of effective preventio...
When an Arrest Is Not an Arrest: Exceptionally Clearing Cases of Intimate Partner Violence

The authors examine a largely unexamined issue: the extent to which, and circumstances under which, police exceptionally clear cases. This is a particularly salient issue in intimate partner violen...
The relationship between level of cigarette consumption and latency to the onset of retrospectively reported withdrawal symptoms

Rationale Subthreshold smokers (who smoke ≤5 cigarettes/day) experience withdrawal symptoms, yet they smoke less than is required to maintain serum nicotine levels.
Biosynthesis and medical applications of rosmarinic acid

ABSTRACT Plant phenolics are a significant group of secondary metabolites which have diverse medicinal applications. Among various phenolics, rosmarinic acid is an important caffeoyl ester with proven medicinal properties and well-characterized physiological functions. Rosmarinic acid is found in substantial quantities in the family Lamiaceae with medicinal uses in several cultures. The major problem in the use of phytopharmaceuticals from the family Lamiaceae is the plant-to-plant variability of specific metabolites like rosmarinic acid. This is due to genetic heterogeneity, which results from cross-pollination common to all species in this family. Genetically uniform shoot-based clonal lines of several species in the family Lamiaceae have been isolated using tissue culture approaches. These genetically uniform clones can be used to breed elite varieties which target enhancement of specific metabolites. Such clonal lines are also useful for biochemical pathway characterization to provide genetic access t...
Enantioselective Total Synthesis of (−)‐Jiadifenolide

The first total synthesis of jiadifenolide (1), a potent neurotrophic modulator, has been reported. Highlights of the synthesis include: construction of the B ring via an asymmetric Robinson annulation; assembly of the E ring lactone via a novel acid-induced cascade reaction; and Pd(0)-mediated carbomethoxylation and methylation reactions for the construction of the C and A rings respectively.
Growth and pattern of the mammalian neural tube are governed by partially overlapping feedback activities of the hedgehog antagonists patched 1 and Hhip1

Upregulation of Patched (Ptc), the Drosophila Hedgehog (Hh) receptor in response to Hh signaling limits the range of signaling within a target field by sequestering Hh. In vertebrates, Ptch1 also exhibits ligand-dependent transcriptional activation, but mutants lacking this response show surprisingly normal early development. The identification of Hh-interacting protein 1 (Hhip1), a vertebrate-specific feedback antagonist of Hh signaling, raises the possibility of overlapping feedback controls. We addressed the significance of feedback systems in sonic hedgehog (Shh)-dependent spinal cord patterning. Mouse embryos lacking both Ptch1 and Hhip1 feedback activities exhibit severe patterning defects consistent with an increased magnitude and range of Hh signaling, and disrupted growth control. Thus, Ptc/Ptch1-dependent feedback control of Hh morphogens is conserved between flies and mice, but this role is shared in vertebrates with Hhip1. Furthermore, this feedback mechanism is crucial in generating a neural tube that contains appropriate numbers of all ventral and intermediate neuronal cell types.
The Mutant recBCD Enzyme, recB2109CD Enzyme, Has Helicase Activity but Does Not Promote Efficient Joint Molecule Formation in Vitro

The Escherichia coli recB2109CD enzyme displays a defect in homologous recombination. In vitro, it possesses significant levels of non-specific nuclease activity but is deficient in χ-dependent nicking activity. To determine whether an alteration in helicase activity contributes further to its in vivo defect, the ability of recB2109CD enzyme to unwind dsDNA was examined. The mutant enzyme is able to unwind DNA but has a kcat which is one-third that of the wild-type enzyme. While the Km for DNA ends of the wild-type and mutant enzymes at low NaCl concentration are essentially equivalent, the Km for ATP of recB2109CD enzyme is nearly six times greater. The processivity of unwinding (i.e. the average length of DNA unwound before recB2109CD enzyme dissociates from the DNA substrate) at 1 mM-Mg2+ ion and 1 mM-ATP is approximately 13 kb/end, whereas that of wild-type recBCD enzyme is 30 kb/end. In an assay which requires the co-ordinate actions of the recBCD, recA, and SSB proteins, joint molecule formation in the presence of recB2109CD enzyme is up to sixfold slower and proceeds to a lower extent than that mediated by the wild-type enzyme. We conclude that although the reduced helicase activity of the mutant recBCD enzyme may contribute to its recombination deficiency, its defect in the χ-dependent attenuation of non-specific nuclease activity is primarily responsible for the recombination-deficiency of E. coli strains bearing the recB2109 mutation.
Effect of the Earth'S Magnetic and Electric Fields on Ion Paths in the Upper Atmosphere

It is shown that the lines of force of the earth's magnetic field can be treated as if rotating with the earth in so far as the calculation of ion paths are concerned only if there exist positive charges over the poles accompanied by negative charges over the equator. The earth would have a total charge of -72 coulombs although observers on the earth would be aware of no electric field. Assuming that the earth is an uncharged, conducting, uniformly magnetized sphere, rotating about its magnetic axis with angular velocity $\ensuremath{\Omega}$, it is shown that ion paths progress to the west, the velocity of progression increasing with altitude so as to approach the limiting value $\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Omega}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}r$ which measures the progression that would exist if the earth's field were solely magnetic relative to observers who do not partake of the rotation. The earth would have an apparent charge of +72 coulombs although actually uncharged. It is shown that a uniformly distributed charge $q$ on the earth merely changes the value of the limiting westward velocity found above, increasing the westward progression if $q$ is positive, and decreasing it if $q$ is negative.
Robust binarization of degraded document images using heuristics

Historically significant documents are often discovered with defects that make them difficult to read and analyze. This fact is particularly troublesome if the defects prevent software from performing an automated analysis. Image enhancement methods are used to remove or minimize document defects, improve software performance, and generally make images more legible. We describe an automated, image enhancement method that is input page independent and requires no training data. The approach applies to color or greyscale images with hand written script, typewritten text, images, and mixtures thereof. We evaluated the image enhancement method against the test images provided by the 2011 Document Image Binarization Contest (DIBCO). Our method outperforms all 2011 DIBCO entrants in terms of average F1 measure – doing so with a significantly lower variance than top contest entrants. The capability of the proposed method is also illustrated using select images from a collection of historic documents stored at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel.
Characterization of the reaction sequence involved in phospholipid labeling and deacylation and prostaglandin synthesis and actions

Abstract The synthesis and release of prostaglandins (PG) primarily involve a series of enzymatic transformations of the fatty acid arachidonic acid. The source of this free fatty acid is thought to be the cleavage by phospholipase A 2 of the acyl bond on the 2-position of phospholipids. The liberated arachidonic acid is primarily converted by cyclo-oxygenase (PG-synthetase) into the PG-endoperoxides (PGG 2 and PGH 2 ). These compounds represent a critical branch point in PG metabolism since they serve as substrates for the enzymatic synthesis of PGE 2 , PGD 2 , thromboxane A 2 , PGI 2 (prostacyclin), as well as some likely products yet to be identified. The ultimate fate of arachidonate in a given tissue is determined by the repertoire of enzymes present. The prostaglandins have a very broad sprectrum of identified biological activities and the newly discovered arachidonate metabolites (endoperoxides, thromboxane A 2 and PGI 2 ) are labile and extremely potent.
Abstract 2990: Analysis of chromatin structure in the Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia gene translocation breakpoint cluster region

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC The Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia (MLL) gene fuses to >50 different loci as the result of reciprocal translocations associated with several subtypes of human acute leukemia. In every case, the fusion point in MLL is within the same 8 kilobase pair (kbp) region, called the MLL breakpoint cluster region (bcr). Despite this conserved breakpoint, no translocation mechanism has been definitively described. Recently, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) was used to determine protein binding characteristics in the MLL bcr. Proteins were noted to bind at the extreme 5’ and 3’ boundaries of the MLL bcr, but not in an internal region near the 3’ end of the MLL bcr which includes the translocation breakpoint hot spot in infant and therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia patients. The limited mobility observed with the protein-DNA complexes indicate a large protein or multiple proteins may bind at the 5’ and 3’ ends of the MLL bcr. Binding occurred with nuclear proteins from hematopoetic cells, but not with nuclear proteins from fibroblast cells and was sequence-specific as shown by competitor assays. Analysis of the most 5’ region of the MLL bcr showed several discontinuous regions are important for protein binding. Our results suggest that specific protein-DNA interactions may define the limits of the MLL bcr, and that the previously described internal hotspot does not bind the same protein complex. Binding of proteins at the boundaries of the MLL bcr prompted a study of chromatin organization within the same regions of the MLL bcr. Our initial hypothesis was that the MLL bcr regions which bound the protein complex would be relatively nucleosome depleted. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation assay (ChIP), we consistently showed a lack of histone H3 at the extreme 5’ end of the MLL bcr in Hela cells, and in the B-cell leukemia cell line, REH, suggesting a nucleosome-depleted region. In repeated experiments the 3’ MLL boundary showed minimal histone H3 binding, suggesting this area is also relatively free of nucleosomes. The internal breakage hot spot showed prominent H3 binding consistent with the presence of nucleosomes. The chromatin study suggests that the MLL bcr boundary regions are more exposed, especially in the 5’ region. This further supports our EMSA findings, that the MLL bcr may be bordered by large DNA-protein complexes. The project described was supported by NIH Grant Number P20 RR016741 from the North Dakota INBRE Program of the National Center for Research Resource, and by a Minot State University institutional research grant. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2990.
Draft Genome Sequence of Rubrivivax gelatinosus CBS

Rubrivivax gelatinosus CBS, a purple nonsulfur photosynthetic bacterium, can grow photosynthetically using CO and N2 as the sole carbon and nitrogen nutrients, respectively. R. gelatinosus CBS is of particular interest due to its ability to metabolize CO and yield H2. We present the 5-Mb draft genome sequence of R. gelatinosus CBS with the goal of providing genetic insight into the metabolic properties of this bacterium.
Current concepts in autologous bone marrow transplantation

BMT is the treatment of disease with high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy accompanied with bone marrow rescue. An autologous BMT is performed with marrow acquired from the patient. The marrow is obtained from the bone marrow or from peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs), also known as stem cell transplants. Marrow purging of malignant cells and autologous BMT with only PBPC continues to be an area of active research.
The Golden Age that Never Was: Catholic Law Schools from 1930-1960 and the Question of Identity

This essay reviews part of the history of Catholic legal education and shows that, while the promise of a distinctively Catholic form of legal education was never fulfilled, the idea to provide students at Catholic law schools with such an experience was proposed and widely publicized by a number of leading Catholic academics. Yet the proposal was never realized. The call for reform of Catholic legal education went unanswered. We argue that a variety of causes account for the failure of the proposal. These factors made the vision of Catholic law schools as centers of Thomistic natural law theory seem an unnecessary distraction that might jeopardize the success these schools had already managed to achieve. We lastly offer some initial thoughts on the significance of this history with respect to the current debate concerning the identity of Catholic law schools.
Readability Assessment of Online Patient Abdominoplasty Resources.

Limited functional health literacy is recognized as an important contributor to health disparities in the United States. As internet access becomes more universal, there is increasing concern about whether patients with poor or marginal literacy can access understandable healthcare information. As such, the National Institutes of Health and American Medical Association recommend that patient information be written at a sixth grade level. This study identifies the most popular online resources for patient information about abdominoplasty and evaluates their readability in the context of average American literacy. The two largest internet search engines were queried for “tummy tuck surgery” to simulate a patient search in lay terms. The ten most popular sites common to both search engines were identified, and all relevant articles from the main sites were downloaded. Sponsored results were excluded. Readability analysis of the articles was performed using ten established tests. Online information about abdominoplasty from the ten most popular publically available websites had an overall average readability of 12th grade. Mean reading grade level scores among tests were: Coleman–Liau 11.9, Flesch–Kincaid 11.4, FORCAST 11.1, Fry 13, Gunning Fog 13.5, New Dale–Chall 11.8, New Fog Count 9.9, Raygor Estimate 12, and SMOG 13.4; Flesch Reading Ease index score was 46. Online patient resources about abdominoplasty are uniformly above the recommended target readability level and are likely too difficult for many patients to understand. A range of readability identified among websites could allow surgeons to guide patients to more appropriate resources for their literacy skills. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Malignant blue nevus: a report of eight cases

Malignant blue nevus is uncommon compared to its benign counterpart and is regarded as a rare form of malignant melanoma. We report the clinical and histological findings in eight cases. Histologically, all eight specimens showed no epidermal involvement and had contained within or were adjacent to portions of blue nevus or cellular blue nevus. Proliferation of bundles of bipolar spindle shaped cells with marked cellular atypia, mitotic figures, foci of necrosis, and inflammatory cell infiltrate were noted. Two of the cases were studied by DNA flow cytometry and the populations of tumor cells were found to be diploid. Two cases have died secondary to metastasis. Although malignant blue nevi may not behave as aggressively as nodular malignant melanoma, they have definite potential to do so and therefore should be removed by wide surgical excision.
Shunt current calculation of fuel cell stack using Simulink

Abstract Presence of shunt current in fuel cell stacks can lead to corrosion and power loss problems. The objective of this paper is to develop a stack-level model for calculation of shunt currents. The simulation model was based on electrical circuit, and created using Simulink® software. The Simulink® results were validated by using PSpice® software and comparing with experimental data of an electrolyzer stack. The Simulink® model is also used to evaluate the effectiveness of a protective current method to reduce the shunt current. The protective current method was found to effectively reduce shunt current of a 100-cell stack. The Simulink® model also shows that shunt current is highest at end cells of the 100-cell stack examined, suggesting extra care be applied to end cells for corrosion prevention. Monte Carlo simulation was performed to examine sensitivity of variance in voltage, manifold, channel and cell resistance on calculated shunt current. The sensitivity analysis shows that calculated shunt current is most sensitive to variance in manifold resistance and followed by variance in voltage, electrolyte and channel resistance. The calculated power loss due to shunt current is within 1% for the conditions examined.
The effect of amphetamine on the sleep cycle

Abstract The administration of d-amphetamine sulphate to eight subjects before they went to bed resulted in a significant decrease in the percentage of sleep time spent in REM periods (the rapid eye movement, low voltage EEG stage of sleep) as compared with nights on which no drugs were given. Similarly, the administration of a combination of amphetamine and pentobarbital to seven subjects before they went to bed resulted in a significant decrease in percentage REM period time as compared with nights on which pentobarbital alone was administered. The administration of amphetamine and pentobarbital to three subjects for three or four consecutive nights produced percentage REM period times below their normal values. Upon withdrawal of the drugs, these subjects showed apparently compensatory increases in percentage REM period time above their normal values.
Isotopic Variations in Meteoric Waters

The relationship between deuterium and oxygen-18 concentrations in natural meteoric waters from many parts of the world has been determined with a mass spectrometer. The isotopic enrichments, relative to ocean water, display a linear correlation over the entire range for waters which have not undergone excessive evaporation.
SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF THE POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBON FEATURES SOUTHEAST OF THE ORION BAR

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and dust emission features between 10 and 37 μm, observed with Spitzer at 11 positions southeast of the Bright Bar (BB) in Orion, are analyzed and connected to atomic and H2 lines reported earlier. Variations at these positions indicate changes in local conditions and materials sampled. The major findings are: (1) PAH erosion and destruction are important from the BB out to about 5'. (2) The ionized PAH fraction, inferred from the 11.0 μm PAH band, increases from the BB out to 65. This counterintuitive behavior is linked to PAH dehydrogenation. (3) The 11.2 μm PAH band profile shifts from class A 11.2 to A(B)11.2 between 9' and 10', indicating these lines-of-sight probe a different environment, likely shielded molecular cloud material. (4) The different spatial behavior of the PAH bands and the 10-15 μm plateau supports the view that the plateau originates in a separate carrier. (5) The fullerene/PAH band strength ratio decreases out to about 7', increases between 9' and 10' and drops at 12'. The first region is where PAHs are dehydrogenated and eroded whereas the second, shielded zone, is where the 11.2 μm profile shifts and PAH erosion is unlikely. This suggests fullerenes are intimately mixed with PAHs in shielded regions. Taken together, the observations suggest three different regimes are sampled: (1) the H II region-photodissociation region (PDR) interface directly southeast of the BB, (2) shielded molecular cloud material farther out, and (3) the H II region-PDR interface seen limb brightened at the outermost position.
Dialysis-Induced Worsening of Cerebral Edema in Intracranial Hemorrhage: A Case Series and Clinical Perspective

Intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) is not an uncommon complication of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and may be complicated by cerebral edema. Hemodialysis (HD) may induce rapid osmolar and fluid shifts, increasing brain water content with the potential to worsen cerebral edema. The dangers of HD in patients with acute ICH have only been highlighted in isolated reports. Case series and review of relevant literature. Two patients with ESRD presented with acute ICH (one with putaminal hematoma, the other with bilateral subdural hematomas) and developed fatal/near-fatal herniation during HD, associated with malignant worsening of cerebral edema. Both had interruptions in dialysis schedule prior to index event. Both were awake initially, but developed cerebral herniation syndrome toward the end of index HD, confirmed on imaging with worsening edema and effaced basal cisterns. In one case, herniation was reversed with hypertonic saline and hyperventilation, but in the other, the patient progressed to brain death despite these measures. We contrast these cases with a young patient with ESRD and large basal ganglia ICH who had elevated ICPs on admission, but safely underwent continuous veno-venous HD. Hemodialysis may worsen cerebral edema in the setting of ICH sufficient to precipitate cerebral herniation. Caution should be exercised when dialysing a patient with an acute mass lesion and reduced intracranial compliance, especially those in whom HD is new or not routine. Delaying HD till risk of edema is attenuated, or ensuring gradual urea removal (such as with continuous hemofiltration) may be advisable.
Effects of tornado damage, prescribed fire, and salvage logging on natural oak ( Quercus spp.) regeneration in a xeric southern USA Coastal Plain oak/pine forest

ABSTRACT: Due in large part to fire exclusion, many oak-dominated (Quercus spp.) forests, woodlands, and savannas throughout eastern North America are being replaced by less diverse forest ecosystems. In the interior coastal plain of the southern United States, these forests are dominated in the mid- and understory by mesophytic species such as Acer rubrum L. and Liquidambar styraciflua L., which may eventually displace overstory oaks. Oak regeneration has been shown to respond positively to open canopies and prescribed burning. In 2008, a severe tornado damaged previously established study plots in a xeric oak and pine (Pinus spp.) forest in northern Mississippi. Some damaged and undamaged plots were treated with prescribed fire in 2010. Additional plots were established in damaged areas, and these plots were salvage-logged. Species composition and growth of saplings were measured to assess the impact of tornado damage and the treatments on oak regeneration. Tornado damage increased overall sapling densi...
Astronomical Imaging With The Texas Instruments 3-Phase CCD

A reject device from the NASA/JPL development program for the Space Telescope has been evaluated for its utility in imaging at extremely low flux levels. This thinned, backside-illuminated 800 x 800 imager is run at cryogenic temperatures, allowing long integration times on faint astronomical sources. The device has to date been successfully used for both high-dispersion echelle spectroscopy and for low-dispersion work with our Faint Object Grism Spectrograph (FOGS). In both these applications the T.I. 3-phase imager has shown exceptionally good performance compared to other CCD's.
Advice to Action Research Activists: Negotiating Successful Action Research-Community Based Social Change Partnerships

Little has been written about how to negotiate successful partnerships between the action researcher and the community partner. This article describes two action research case studies. Although both case studies highlight a partnership with a community development corporation, one partnership was highly contentious while the other operated more smoothly and produced fruitful outcomes. These case studies are compared to draw conclusions about how successful researcher—community partnerships are developed. The activist sociologist must learn that trust between the researcher and community partner is primarily built with time, rigorous self-examination and communication.
Systemic Inflammation, Intraventricular Hemorrhage, and White Matter Injury

To see if the systemic inflammation profile of 123 infants born before the 28th week of gestation who had intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) without white matter injury (WMI) differed from that of 68 peers who had both IVH and WMI, we compared both groups to 677 peers who had neither. Cranial ultrasound scans were read independently by multiple readers until concordance. The concentrations of 25 proteins were measured with multiplex arrays using an electrochemiluminescence system. Infants who had IVH and WMI were more likely than others to have elevated concentrations of CRP and IL-8 on days 1, 7, and 14, and elevated concentrations of SAA and TNF-alpha on 2 of these days. IVH should probably be viewed as two entities, IVH unaccompanied by WMI, and IVH accompanied by WMI. Each entity is associated with inflammation, but IVH accompanied by WMI has a stronger inflammatory signal than IVH unaccompanied by WMI.
User Behavior Modelling Approach for Churn Prediction in Online Games

Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPGs) are persistent virtual environments where millions of players interact in an online manner. Game logs capture player activities in great detail and user behavior modeling approaches can help to build accurate models of player behavior from these logs. We are interested in modeling player churn behavior and we use a lifecycle-based approach for this purpose. In a player lifecycle-based approach, we analyze the activity traits of churners in the weeks leading up to their point of leaving the game and compare it with the activity traits of a regular player. We identify several intuitive yet distinct behavioral profiles associated with churners and active players which can discriminate between the two populations. We use these insights to propose three semantic dimensions of engagement, enthusiasm and persistence to construct derived features. Using three session-related variables and the features derived from them, we are able to achieve good classification performance with the churn prediction models. Finally, we propose a distance-based classification scheme, which we call wClusterDist, which benefits from these distinct behavioral profiles of the two populations. Experimental results show that the proposed classification scheme is well-suited for this problem formulation and its performance is better than or comparable to other traditional classification schemes.
A novel short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression system promotes Sox9-dependent gene silencing.

Cartilage development and function are dependent on a temporally integrated program of gene expression. With the advent of RNA interference (RNAi), artificial control of these complex programs becomes a possibility, limited only by the ability to regulate and express the RNAi. Using existing methods for production of RNAi’s, we have constructed a plasmid-based short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression system under control of the human pol III H1 promoter and supplemented this promoter with DNA binding sites for the cartilage-specific transcription factor Sox9. The resulting shRNA expression system displays robust, Sox9-dependent gene silencing. Dependence on Sox9 expression was confirmed by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The ability of the system to regulate heterologously expressed Sox9 was demonstrated by Western blot, as a function of both Sox9 to shRNA ratio, as well as time from transfection. This novel expression system supports auto-regulatory gene silencing, providing a tissue-specific feedback mechanism for temporal control of gene expression. Its applications for both basic mechanistic studies and therapeutic purposes should facilitate the design and implementation of innovative tissue engineering strategies.
THE TIME-OF-DAY GOLDFISH RECEIVE A SINGLE DAILY MEAL AFFECTS GROWTH

Six groups of goldfish, held on a 12L:12D photoperiod and 10°C, had access to food once daily at one of six different times of day. Appetite, somatic growth (weight and length), condition, and gonadal growth (females only) differed among the groups depending on the time-of-day of feeding.
The flow in weak turbulent hydraulic jumps

Velocity and surface measurements in three turbulent hydraulic jumps are analysed in detail. The velocity measurements were obtained in a hydraulic ume using laser- Doppler velocimetry and the surface measurements were obtained using capacitance wave gauges. The purpose is to extract information about the flow field and the stresses in the jumps and the geometrical extension of the recirculating region called the roller. To achieve this we first ensure that the overall continuity and momentum conservation for the flow is satisfied. This includes comparison with the classical results for hydraulic jumps. It is found that deviations from uniform-depth Reynolds- averaged velocities and hydrostatic pressure give small but important corrections to the conservation equations. Careful evaluation of the velocity measurements in conjunction with the continuity equation makes it possible to determine the lower limit of the recirculating roller region. Measurements of the Reynolds stresses are analysed, in particular in the roller region, and a simple model established that illustrates the mechanisms of the flow in the roller and predicts well the stresses along the lower limits of the roller. In combination with the analysis of the vorticity distribution, this leads to a qualitative description of the processes for the generation of vorticity. It suggests both similarities and differences from the hypothesis of the existence of a shear layer inside the jump. Similarity profiles are developed for the variation of stresses, vorticity, and eddy viscosity along the lower limit of the roller. Finally, the total angular momentum for the jumps is examined and compared to the analysis of Hornung, Willert & Turner (1995).
Novel planar laser encoder system for two-dimensional positioning with ultrahigh head-to-scale alignment tolerance

Laser encoders overcome the fundamental resolution limit of geometrical optical encoders by cleverly converting the diffraction limit to phase coded information so as to facilitate nanometer displacement measurement. As positioning information is coded within the optical wavefront of laser encoders, interferometry principles must be adopted in the design of the laser encoders. This effect has posed a very strong alignment tolerance among various components of the whole laser encoder, which in turn imposes a serious user adaptation bottleneck. Out of all alignment tolerances, the head-to-scale alignment tolerance represents the most important hindrance for wider ap-plications. This paper presents a novel laser planar encoder, which serves as a two-dimensional position detection apparatus for precision machine applications and can provide a measuring resolution less than 1 nm. Improving the IBM laser optical encoder design by taking into consideration manufacturing tolerance of various optical components, an innovative two-dimensional laser encoder with ultra high head-to-scale tolerance is presented. It was identified that this newly proposed laser encoder design could avoid the effect of differences in polarization diffraction efficiencies for the 2-D grating scale used. Optimizing the system performance by cleverly designing the profile of the 2-D grating scale was also detailed. The effect of non-uniform temperature field within the head-to-scale range that can yield a nonzero initial phase so as to decrease the system measurement accuracy was analyzed. In addition, misalignment of the polarizers located in front the photodiodes were identified to be the main cause for imperfect Lissajous circles, which may lower the measuring resolution when traditional arctangent algorithm was adopted for circular polarization interferometers. The resolution of the newly developed laser planar encoder was verified by experiments and was found to agree well with the theoretical predictions.
Haloketone transition state analog inhibitors of cholesterol esterase.

Abstract The cholesterol esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl butyrate is reversibly inhibited by four phenyl haloalkyl ketones. Inhibitor potency is greatest for halogenated acetophenones and parallels the extent of hydration of the various ketones in buffered D2O. These results are consistent with an inhibition mechanism wherein haloketones reversibly form hemiketal adducts at the active site that structurally mimic tetrahedral intermediates of the cholesterol esterase catalytic cycle.
Object density-based image segmentation and its applications in biomedical image analysis

In many applications of medical image analysis, the density of an object is the most important feature for isolating an area of interest (image segmentation). In this research, an object density-based image segmentation methodology is developed, which incorporates intensity-based, edge-based and texture-based segmentation techniques. The proposed method consists of three main stages: preprocessing, object segmentation and final segmentation. Image enhancement, noise reduction and layer-of-interest extraction are several subtasks of preprocessing. Object segmentation utilizes a marker-controlled watershed technique to identify each object of interest (OI) from the background. A marker estimation method is proposed to minimize over-segmentation resulting from the watershed algorithm. Object segmentation provides an accurate density estimation of OI which is used to guide the subsequent segmentation steps. The final stage converts the distribution of OI into textural energy by using fractal dimension analysis. An energy-driven active contour procedure is designed to delineate the area with desired object density. Experimental results show that the proposed method is 98% accurate in segmenting synthetic images. Segmentation of microscopic images and ultrasound images shows the potential utility of the proposed method in different applications of medical image processing.
Superior surgical repositioning of the maxilla: long term results.

Summary Superior surgical repositioning of the maxilla has been performed by the author for over ten years. The indications, treatment planning, surgical technique, stability of results, and effects on subsequent growth of the surgical procedure will be discussed. On the basis of the author's experience, this surgical procedure is commonly indicated and produces exceptionally stable results, even when performed during growth, if properly planned.
An unusual cause of increased abdominal girth.

A 62-year-old male patient was found to have left hilar mass on a routine chest radiograph. Work-up revealed that he has stage …
Modeling Individual Differences in Response Time and Accuracy in Numeracy

In the study of numeracy, some hypotheses have been based on response time (RT) as a dependent variable and some on accuracy, and considerable controversy has arisen about the presence or absence of correlations between RT and accuracy, between RT or accuracy and individual differences like IQ and math ability, and between various numeracy tasks. In this article, we show that an integration of the two dependent variables is required, which we accomplish with a theory-based model of decision making. We report data from four tasks: numerosity discrimination, number discrimination, memory for two-digit numbers, and memory for three-digit numbers. Accuracy correlated across tasks, as did RTs. However, the negative correlations that might be expected between RT and accuracy were not obtained; if a subject was accurate, it did not mean that they were fast (and vice versa). When the diffusion decision-making model was applied to the data (Ratcliff, 1978), we found significant correlations across the tasks between the quality of the numeracy information (drift rate) driving the decision process and between the speed/accuracy criterion settings, suggesting that similar numeracy skills and similar speed–accuracy settings are involved in the four tasks. In the model, accuracy is related to drift rate and RT is related to speed–accuracy criteria, but drift rate and criteria are not related to each other across subjects. This provides a theoretical basis for understanding why negative correlations were not obtained between accuracy and RT. We also manipulated criteria by instructing subjects to maximize either speed or accuracy, but still found correlations between the criteria settings between and within tasks, suggesting that the settings may represent an individual trait that can be modulated but not equated across subjects. Our results demonstrate that a decision-making model may provide a way to reconcile inconsistent and sometimes contradictory results in numeracy research.