cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrastructure of adult rd mouse retina

To examine the ultrastructure of the adult rd mouse retina in order to determine what structures are altered or lost and thus to better interpret changes produced by photoreceptor and/or retinal transplantation in this model of retinal degeneration. rd mutant mice expressing a LacZ reporter gene in rod bipolars were used in order to identify these cells and their processes. Mice of age 6 weeks to 5 months were studied by electron microscopy, concentrating on the posterior pole where retinal transplants are usually placed. The adult rd mouse retina contains degenerating cones, cone outer segments, cone synaptic pedicles with synaptic vesicles and post-synaptic contacts. The major abnormalities occur in the subretinal space where all traces of rods are gone and the main structures are inner segments of cones. These inner segments are smaller than normal, contain fewer and smaller mitochondria, have organized arrays of microtubules, resembling those in cone axonal processes, and are completely engulfed by massive proliferation of apical processes of the retinal epithelium. The subretinal space is well defined by the external limiting membrane vitreally and the retinal epithelium choroidally. Muller cells extend globular rather than filamentous processes into the subretinal space which contact the apical processes of the epithelium. Rod bipolar cells survive and retain processes in the external plexiform layer. The adult rd mouse retains structural elements necessary for phototransduction and transmission of signals to the inner layers of the retina by the cone system. The major deficits are located in the subretinal space where all rods are lost and cone inner segments undergo a slow degeneration. Rod bipolar cells survive but appear to be de-afferented; there was no evidence that they contact residual cone processes in the external plexiform layer. The rd mouse is a logical model to study the effects of transplantation of photoreceptors because second- and third-order retinal neurons as well as degenerating cones survive in the adult retina.
Childhood family environment, social competence, and health across the lifespan

Childhood family adversity increases the risk of a wide range of psychological and physical health problems later in life, prompting research into developmental pathways linking childhood experiences to adult health. The current paper discusses a social-biological pathway by which childhood family relationships influence the development of the social and emotional skills necessary for adaptive behavioral and biological responses to stress. Failures in the development of social and emotional competence during childhood may lead to dysregulated responses to stress and difficulties in social relationships across the lifespan. Over time, the cumulative impact of dysregulated stress responses and low social support may increase the risk of mental and physical health problems later in life.
Diaphragmatic Repair and/or Reconstruction During Upper Abdominal Urological Laparoscopy

Purpose: We present our experience with and the technique of laparoscopic mesh reconstruction or suture repair of intentional resection or intraoperative injury of the diaphragm.Materials and Methods: In a 10-year (1997 to 2006) review of 1,850 upper abdominal renal and/or adrenal laparoscopic procedures at our institution 13 patients (0.7%) sustained diaphragmatic entry, including iatrogenic injury in 7 (0.4%), deliberate laparoscopic excision of a portion of the diaphragm in 2 and diaphragmatic incision during transthoracic adrenalectomy in 4. Laparoscopic repair techniques involved primary suture repair in 11 cases and primary reconstruction with a synthetic graft in 2. A rubber catheter and water seal system were used to primarily evacuate the pneumothorax.Results: Inadvertent diaphragmatic injury in 7 cases occurred during transperitoneal (6) and retroperitoneal (1) laparoscopy, including partial nephrectomy in 4, radical nephrectomy in 2 and adrenalectomy in 1. A diaphragmatic breach occurred due to...
Determining the Amount of Audio-Video Synchronization Errors Perceptible to the Average End-User

The media and acoustics perception lab (MAPL) designed a study to determine the minimum amount of audio-visual synchronization (a/v sync) errors that can be detected by end-users. Lip synchronization is the most noticeable a/v sync error, and was used as the testing stimuli to determine the perceptual threshold of audio leading errors. The results of the experiment determined that the average audio leading threshold for a/v sync detection was 185.19 ms, with a standard deviation of 42.32 ms. This threshold determination of lip sync error (with audio leading) will be widely used for validation and verification infrastructures across the industry. By implementing an objective pass/fail value into software, the system or network under test is held against criteria which were derived from a scientific subjective test.
Catalyst Systems for Alkene Polymerization Based on Metallocene Complexes and Phenoxy Alumoxane with a Perfluorinated Phenyl Group

This paper describes the use of pentafluoro-phenoxy alumoxane, an oligomeric compound containing -Al(OC 6 F 5 ))-O- units, as a cocatalyst for metallocene complexes in alkene polymerization reactions. Pentafluorophenoxy alumoxane is produced by two alternative routes. The first route consists of two consecutive reactions: (a) the reaction of AlR 3 with C 6 F 5 OH, and (b) the reaction of the product of the first step with water. The second route is the reaction between methylalumoxane and C 6 F 5 OH.
Impact of expiratory muscle strength training on voluntary cough and swallow function in Parkinson disease.

Background Cough provides high expiratory airflows to aerosolize and remove material that cannot be adequately removed by ciliary action. Cough is particularly important for clearing foreign particles from the airway in those with dysphagia who may be at risk for penetration/aspiration (P/A). Expiratory muscle strength training (EMST) was tested to improve cough and swallow function. Methods Ten male participants, diagnosed with Parkinson disease (PD), with videofluorographic evidence of penetration or with evidence for aspiration of material during swallow of a thin 30-mL bolus, completed 4 weeks of an EMST program to test the hypothesis that EMST would improve cough and/or swallow function. Measured parameters from an airflow waveform produced during voluntary cough, pre-EMST and post-EMST, included inspiration phase duration, compression phase duration (CPD), expiratory phase peak flow (EPPF), expiratory phase rise time (EPRT), and cough volume acceleration (VA) [ie, the EPPF/EPRT ratio]. The swallow outcome measure was the degree of P/A during the swallow task. Results There was a significant decrease in the duration of the CPD and EPRT; the decrease in EPRT resulted in a significant increase in cough VA. Significant decreases in the P/A scores were found posttraining. Conclusions The results demonstrate that EMST is a viable treatment modality for a population of participants with PD at risk of aspiration.
Establishing the NeuroRecovery Network: multisite rehabilitation centers that provide activity-based therapies and assessments for neurologic disorders.

Abstract Harkema SJ, Schmidt-Read M, Behrman AL, Bratta A, Sisto SA, Edgerton VR. Establishing the NeuroRecovery Network: multisite rehabilitation centers that provide activity-based therapies and assessments for neurologic disorders. The mission of the NeuroRecovery Network (NRN) is to provide support for the implementation of specialized centers at rehabilitation sites in the United States. Currently, there are 7 NRN centers that provide standardized activity-based interventions designed from scientific and clinical evidence for recovery of mobility, posture, standing, and walking and improvements in health and quality of life in individuals with spinal cord injury. Extensive outcome measures evaluating function, health, and quality of life are used to determine the efficacy of the program. NRN members consist of scientists, clinicians, and administrators who collaborate to achieve the goals and objectives of the network within an organizational structure by designing and implementing a clinical model that provides consistent interventions and evaluations and a general education and training program.
On the rate loss of multiple description source codes

The rate loss of a multiresolution source code (MRSC) describes the difference between the rate needed to achieve distortion D/sub i/ in resolution i and the rate-distortion function R(D/sub i/). This paper generalizes the rate loss definition to multiple description source codes (MDSCs) and bounds the MDSC rate loss for arbitrary memoryless sources. For a two-description MDSC (2DSC), the rate loss of description i with distortion D/sub i/ is defined as L/sub i/=R/sub i/-R(D/sub i/), i=1,2, where R/sub i/ is the rate of the ith description; the joint rate loss associated with decoding the two descriptions together to achieve central distortion D/sub 0/ is measured either as L/sub 0/=R/sub 1/+R/sub 2/-R(D/sub 0/) or as L/sub 12/=L/sub 1/+L/sub 2/. We show that for any memoryless source with variance /spl sigma//sup 2/, there exists a 2DSC for that source with L/sub 1//spl les/1/2 or L/sub 2//spl les/1/2 and a) L/sub 0//spl les/1 if D/sub 0//spl les/D/sub 1/+D/sub 2/-/spl sigma//sup 2/, b) L/sub 12//spl les/1 if 1/D/sub 0//spl les/1/D/sub 1/+1/D/sub 2/-1//spl sigma//sup 2/, c) L/sub 0//spl les/L/sub G0/+1.5 and L/sub 12//spl les/L/sub G12/+1 otherwise, where L/sub G0/ and L/sub G12/ are the joint rate losses of a Gaussian source with variance /spl sigma//sup 2/.
An adaptive analog low-density parity-check decoder based on margin propagation

One of the key factors underlying the popularity of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes is its iterative decoding algorithm which is amenable to efficient analog and digital implementation. However, different applications of LDPC codes (e.g. wireless sensor networks) impose different sets of constraints which include speed, bit error rates (BER) and energy efficiency. Our previous work reported an algorithmic framework for designing margin propagation (MP) based LDPC decoders where the BER performance can be traded off with its energy efficiency. In this paper we present an analog current-mode implementation of an MP-based (32; 8) LDPC decoder. The implementation uses only addition, subtraction and threshold operations and hence is independent of transistor biasing and robust to variations in environmental conditions (e.g. temperature). Measured results from prototypes fabricated in a 0.5µm CMOS process verify the functionality of a (32; 8) LDPC decoder and demonstrate superior BER performance compared to the state-of-the-art analog min-sum decoder at SNR greater than 3.5 dB.
Clinical outcome of nonnasal chondrosarcoma in dogs: thirty-one cases (1986-2003).

Objective— To evaluate metastatic rate and survival times of dogs with chondrosarcoma of nonnasal bony sites treated by wide surgical excision. Study Design— Retrospective study. Animals— Dogs (n=31) with chondrosarcoma. Methods— Medical records were retrospectively reviewed to identify dogs with chondrosarcoma of bone in potentially surgically accessible sites. When complete information was not available in the medical record, owners and referring veterinarians were contacted by telephone to evaluate the course of disease and survival times. When possible, histopathologic diagnosis was confirmed by a single board certified pathologist and tumors were histologically graded. Results— Dogs treated by wide surgical excision (n=18) had a mean survival time of 3097 days and did not reach median survival time. Dogs untreated except for diagnostic biopsy (n =13) had a median survival time of 523 days and a mean survival time of 495 days. Method of treatment and tumor grade predicted survival time (P=.016 and P=.007, respectively). Metastatic rate was 28% for treated dogs and 15% for untreated dogs, with no significant difference between the 2 groups (P=.39). Conclusions— Wide surgical excision significantly improves survival time for dogs with chondrosarcoma of nonnasal bony sites, but does not affect the likelihood of metastasis. Grade may be prognostic for survival. Clinical Relevance— Surgical excision benefits dogs with chondrosarcoma and can result in prolonged survival times. Metastasis still occurs in ∼1 of 4 dogs even after surgical resection.
Research Article: Correlation of nucleolar morphology to transformed properties of Simian Virus 40 T antigen expressing cells

Abstract. Alterations in nucleolar morphology and number have been routinely noted by pathologists and tumor biologists. More recently, cancer patient prognosis has been correlated to increases in nucleolar size, number and morphology in tumor sections. This study investigated the nucleolar changes in the well-characterized SV40 T antigen transformation model by assessing B23-positive nucleoli. B23, or nucleophosmin, is essential in rRNA processing and p53 regulation via the sequestration of p19ARF. By using B23 immunofluorescence, we found that cells expressing T antigen manifest significant increases in the number, size and the number of large nucleoli present. The total number of nucleoli is increased significantly in both spontaneously immortalized C57Bl/6 mouse embryo fibroblasts and T antigen transformed cell lines compared to the primary cells; however, the properties of growth rate, saturation density and tumorigenesis correlated to significant increases in nucleolar size, not the total number of ...
Spatial patterns of light gaps in mesic grasslands

The spatial pattern of light gaps in mesic grasslands in central Texas with contrasting disturbance histories was assessed using patch-based landscape metrics determined from a threshold level (25% of full sunlight), as light intensities below this threshold substantially decrease survival of honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa Torr.) seedlings. The spatial pattern of light gaps, with the exception of edge density, were significantly different between annually-disturbed and non-disturbed grasslands on all sample dates (2 April, 30 April, 29 May, and 26 June 1998). Differences in patch metrics did not occur between non-disturbed grasslands despite contrasting vegetation composition [perennial forbs and perennial bunch (tussock) grasses]. Patch-based landscape metrics of light gaps did vary temporally in both annually-disturbed and non-disturbed grasslands. The structure and spatial configuration of light gaps were distinctly different between annually-disturbed and non-disturbed grasslands: a low density of large patches characterized light gaps in annually-disturbed grassland, whereas non-disturbed grasslands had a high density of small patches. Our findings demonstrate that the current disturbance regime is the principal environmental driver influencing species dominance and composition, and indirectly vegetation structure, which collectively contribute to the observed dynamics of light gap patches in these mesic grasslands. Incorporating spatially explicit consideration of light gap structure and dynamics into experimental studies addressing invasion of weedy plant species such as honey mesquite may be an effective approach to address mechanisms and the ecological significance of disturbance operating as a driver facilitating woody plant invasions in mesic grasslands.
Diversity and evolution of male secondary sexual characters in African squeakers and long‐fingered frogs

The African frog genera Arthroleptis and Cardioglossa are unique among vertebrates in having males with extremely long third fingers. In some species, this sexual dimorphism is impressive, with male third fingers approaching 40% of body length. However, the diversity of this trait has not been documented thoroughly and several species appear to lack this trait. The present study documents the diversity of male secondary sexual traits in Arthroleptis and Cardioglossa, including elongate third fingers and digital and inguinal spines. Furthermore, it explores hypotheses of trait evolution, including explanations for the absence of male traits. Analyses of covariance suggest that the functional relationship between finger length and snout–vent length (SVL), both within and among species, is different for male finger III than for male fingers I, II, and IV, or for female finger III. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that all male traits were present in the most recent common ancestor of Arthroleptis and Cardioglossa and that reduction or loss of traits occurred later. Across species, independent contrast analyses find no correlation between SVL and either male relative third digit length or dimorphism in relative third digit length. The number of spines on male fingers II and III are positively correlated but spine number is not correlated with SVL and only weakly correlated with relative third digit length. The diversity of male traits is evolutionarily labile and is not explained by simple hypotheses of character evolution. Arthroleptis and Cardioglossa may thus provide an interesting study system for understanding how changes in sexual selection forces produce male trait diversity. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 96, 553–573.
Using wavelet analysis to characterize the thermoregulatory mechanisms of sacral skin blood flow

Pressure-induced skin blood flow responses measured via laser Doppler flowmetry are commonly reported in the time domain. The usefulness of spectral analysis in examining blood flow control mechanisms has been demonstrated, but traditional Fourier analysis does not provide sufficient resolution to reveal characteristic low frequencies. Time-frequency (wavelet) analysis was performed on 10 subjects' sacral skin blood flow responses to heating (45 degrees C) with improved resolution. Five frequency bands were identified (0.008-0.02 Hz, 0.02-0.05 Hz, 0.05-0.15 Hz, 0.15-0.4 Hz, and 0.4-2.0 Hz) corresponding to metabolic, neurogenic, myogenic, respiratory, or cardiac origins. Significant differences were observed in the mean normalized power of the metabolic (p < 0.01) and myogenic frequency bands (p < 0.01) between preheating and maximal heating and preheating and postheating periods. Power increased for the metabolic frequency and decreased for the myogenic frequency. Wavelet analysis successfully characterized thermoregulatory control mechanisms by revealing the contributions of the physiological rhythms embedded in the blood flow signal.
Electrostatic interactions in hirudin-thrombin binding

Abstract Hirudin is a good anticoagulant owing to potent inhibition of the serine protease thrombin. An aspartate- and glutamate-rich portion of hirudin plays an important part in its tight binding to thrombin through a ladder of salt bridges, and these residues have previously been mutated to asparagine or glutamine. Detailed calculations of the electrostatic contribution to changes in binding from these mutations have been performed using the finite-difference Poisson-Boltzmann method which include charge-charge interactions, solvation interactions, the residual electrostatic interaction of mutant residues, p K a shifts, and ionic strength. Single mutant effects on binding energy were close to experimental values, except for the D55N mutant whose effect is overestimated, perhaps because of displacement of a bound chloride ion from the site where it binds. Multiple mutation values were generally overestimated. The effect of p K a shifts upon the binding is significant for one hirudin residue E58, but this appears to be due to a poor salt bridge with thrombin caused by crystal contacts. Electrostatic interaction between the acidic residues is unfavorable. However, analysis of experimental multiple mutation/single mutation data shows apparently negative interactions between these residues, from which it is concluded that structural changes can occur in the complex to relieve an unfavorable interaction when more than one acidic residue is mutated. In all cases, there is a loss in stability of the complex from mutations due to loss of favorable charge-charge interactions with thrombin, but this is largely compensated for by reduced unfavorable desolvation interactions, and by residual polar interactions in the Asn/Gln mutants.
Pathogenesis and Medical Management of Thyroid Eye Disease

Graves’ disease (GD) is a systemic autoimmune process targeting the thyroid gland, pretibial skin, and orbit. Though most commonly associated with hyperthyroidism in patients between the third and fifth decades of life, patients of all ages can present in the euthyroid state or with hypothyroidism [1]. GD may appear in children and young adults, although congenital GD is rare and typically occurs in infants born to mothers with hyperthyroidism [2–4]. The orbital manifestations of GD are known as thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy, Graves’ ophthalmopathy, or thyroid eye disease (TED). TED has been shown not only to impact visual and social functioning but also to reduce quality of life [5, 6]. It is the most common cause of orbital disease, yet effective medical therapy capable of limiting disease progression remains elusive [7].
The Structure of Presidential Approval: Constraints within and across Presidencies

If approval polls are as important as they seem to be to presidents and president-watchers, they can tell us more about common constraints across administrations. While an extensive body of research has examined these polls, we know little about the dimensions of approval generally. Based on a priori expectations derived from the institutional literature, we propose a general model that partitions approval into mutually exclusive and exhaustive components: time, circumstances, and administration. This model is applied to pooled monthly observations from the administrations of Truman through Reagan. All three components are statistically significant and together account for most of the variation in approval. We find a time curve, common to all presidents, consisting of a cycle of deflation and partial restoration of approval. From month seven on, presidents suffer a statistically significant loss of support month by month until the erosion subsides when the next election approaches. This temporal dimension...
Self-healing framework for Cloud-based services

Cloud computing enables the automated creation of business applications from independently developed and deployed services. In this paper, we propose a technique for Cloud-based services to dynamically evaluate the performance of services based on their previous history, and user requirements. The likelihood of fault occurrence is then used to create recovery plans. The `best' recovery plan is then chosen to be either executed immediately, or saved for a later execution. We assess the overall system dependability using the generated plan and the available invocation information of the included services. Experiment results indicate the applicability of our technique, and show the improved performance in comparison with similar existing approaches.
British Propaganda and the Mobilization of the Gold Coast War Effort, 1939-1945

This article examines the nature and impact of the most extensive propaganda campaign mounted in a British West African colony during the Second World War. An avalanche of war information and appeals to the people of the Gold Coast was channelled through a new communications network which included radio broadcasting, information bureaux, and mobile cinema presentations. The innovative wartime publicity scheme was not enough to produce a completely voluntary war effort; however, the campaign was responsible for irreversibly changing mass communications techniques in the territory. The propaganda drive used in the war mobilization provided a pool of experienced propagandists and a successful structural model which proved valuable both to post-war governments charged with pre-independence political education, community development and public services, and, somewhat ironically, to anti-colonialist post-war party politics.
Extracellular Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites metabolize and incorporate unnatural sugars into cellular proteins

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that infects all nucleated cell types in diverse warm-blooded organisms. Many of the surface antigens and effector molecules secreted by the parasite during invasion and intracellular growth are modified by glycans. Glycosylated proteins in the nucleus and cytoplasm have also been reported. Despite their prevalence, the complete inventory and biological significance of glycosylated proteins in Toxoplasma remain unknown. In this study, we aimed to globally profile parasite glycoproteins using a bioorthogonal chemical reporter strategy. This strategy involves the metabolic incorporation of unnatural functional groups (i.e., "chemical reporters") into Toxoplasma glycans, followed by covalent labeling with visual probes or affinity tags. The two-step approach enables the visualization and identification of newly biosynthesized glycoconjugates in the parasite. Using a buffer that mimics intracellular conditions, extracellular Toxoplasma tachyzoites were found to metabolize and incorporate unnatural sugars (equipped with bioorthogonal functional groups) into diverse proteins. Covalent chemistries were used to visualize and retrieve these labeled structures. Subsequent mass spectrometry analysis revealed 89 unique proteins. This survey identified novel proteins as well as previously characterized proteins from lectin affinity analyses.
Experimental demonstration of a non-resonant hyperlens in the visible spectral range

A metamaterial hyperlens offers a solution to overcome the diffraction limit by transforming evanescent waves responsible for imaging subwavelength features of an object into propagating waves. However, the first realizations of optical hyperlenses were limited by significant resonance-induced losses. Here we report the experimental demonstration of a non-resonant waveguide-coupled hyperlens operating in the visible wavelength range. A detailed investigation of various materials systems proves that a radial fan-shaped configuration is superior to the concentric layer-based configuration in that it relies on non-resonant negative dielectric response, and, as a result, enables low-loss performance in the visible range.
Dissecting the Rev-erbα Cistrome and the Mechanisms Controlling Circadian Transcription in Liver

Circadian clocks maintain whole-body metabolic homeostasis by coordinating rhythmic gene expression in multiple tissues. Core clock regulators sustain their own oscillation and confer expression rhythmicity on clock-controlled genes (CCGs). Our unbiased examination of enhancer RNA (eRNA) transcription around the clock in mouse liver identified functional enhancers of circadian genes driven by phase-specific transcription factors (TFs). Rev-erbα emerged as a primary driver of circadian enhancers, leading to oscillating gene expression in opposite phases through direct and indirect regulation. Among Rev-erbα target genes were core clock components and metabolic CCGs. Oscillation of clock genes was enforced by direct competition between Rev-erbα and RORα for binding to cognate motifs in the genome, whereas metabolic CCGs were governed by recruitment of the NCoR/HDAC3 complex to enhancers where Rev-erbα is tethered by tissue-specific TFs. The DNA sequence-mediated competition between Rev-erbα and RORα ensures consistent clock control across all tissues. In contrast, the tethered binding mechanism is tissue-specific and thus allows Rev-erbα to dictate an epigenomic rhythm tailored to the specific need of that tissue. Therefore, discrete modes of recruitment allow Rev-erbα to link the clock to cell-specific functions, including metabolism.
Static density functional study of graphene-hexagonal bilayer ice interaction.

Periodic static ab initio studies are conducted of hexagonal bilayer ice (HBL) and basal layers of ice-1h adsorbed on graphene using the model BLYP-D in CRYSTAL09. Eight high-symmetry periodic form...
Device for Automatic Measurement of Oxygen Consumption in Closed Circuit Type of Metabolism Apparatus

In the closed circuit type of metabolism apparatus the measurement of oxygen consumption is usually dependent upon changes in the internal pressure of the system. Inasmuch as carbon dioxide is rapidly removed by absorption in alkali, the consumption of oxygen necessarily leads to a reduction in pressure in a system of given volume. The rate of oxygen consumption is then ordinarily determined by measurement of the quantity of oxygen that must be added for restoration of the original pressure, or by compression of the residual gas through the addition of a measured volume of liquid.1, 2The device now to be described is based upon the latter principle, and permits automatic measurement of the volume of liquid that must be added to maintain a constant pressure within the system. It consists of a 4-liter bottle which serves as an oxygen reservoir, connected above with the measuring unit proper. This is a 15 cc. cylindrical cup into which water flows from an external feed line as the pressure decreases in the m...
Cockrum, E. L. Laboratory Manual of Mammalogy. Burgess Publ. Co., Minneapolis, iii + 160 pp., illustr. 1955. Spiral, $4.00

E. L. Cockrum Laboratory Manual of Mammalogy. Burgess Publ. Co., Minneapolis, iii + 160 pp., illustr. 1955. Spiral, $4.00. It is encouraging to know that the teaching of mammalogy has now spread to enough schools to justify the commercial publication of a laboratory guide. Most of us have prepared our own or worked from sketchy outlines so far, but now we no longer have to do that. In the manual under review, there are numerous sketches for students to label, and blank spaces where students may make their own sketches. Perhaps …
Uncertainty Quantification Framework Applied to the Water–Gas Shift Reaction over Pt-Based Catalysts

This paper presents a systematic approach to quantify uncertainties of various quantities of interest (QoIs) in catalysis determined by microkinetic models developed from first principles. One of the main sources of uncertainty in any microkinetic simulation is attributed to the exchange-correlation approximations in density functional theory (DFT) used to calculate the rate constants for all elementary reaction steps within transition state theory. These DFT approximations are at the core of significant discrepancies between computational simulations and experimental measurements. Therefore, any model calculation should be accompanied by a measure of uncertainty. This work uses probability to represent uncertainties and latent variable models to develop probabilistic models that account for errors and correlations in DFT energies. These probabilistic models are further constrained to known reaction thermodynamics, and then propagated to QoIs such as turnover frequency (TOF), apparent activation barrier, ...
ON USING LINEAR QUANTILE REGRESSIONS FOR CAUSAL INFERENCE

We show that the slope parameter of the linear quantile regression measures a weighted average of the local slopes of the conditional quantile function. Extending this result, we also show that the slope parameter measures a weighted average of the partial effects for a general structural function. Our results support the use of linear quantile regressions for causal inference in the presence of nonlinearity and multivariate unobserved heterogeneity. The same conclusion applies to linear regressions.
Severe Storm Detection: Panel Report

The operational problem of severe storm detection is driving the modernization plans not only of the National Weather Service (NWS), but those of many other countries worldwide as well. With modern Doppler radar soon to become operational in the United States, and with new radar networks (both conventional and Doppler) being installed or planned in much of the developed world, we must exploit the technology as best we can. One may also expect that the widespread use of research radar systems around the globe will lead naturally to operational technology transfer. An excellent example is the shared use by both research and operational groups of the dual-wavelength Doppler radar facility at King City, Ontario, Canada.
Effect of water or saline intake on heat-induced limb vasodilation in dehydrated baboons

Dehydration markedly attenuates the increase in hindlimb blood flow elicited by environmental heating (EH) in baboons. This study sought to determine the importance of gradually produced increases in body fluid osmolality and decreases in body fluid volume in producing this attenuation. The hindlimb blood flow increases during EH of seven unanesthetized chronically instrumented baboons were examined during euhydration, dehydration (64-68 h of water deprivation), and after ad libitum oral rehydration with either water or a hyperosmotic saline solution. EH consisted of acute exposure to ambient temperatures of 38-42 degrees C until internal temperature reached 39.5 degrees C. Dehydration depressed the maximal external iliac artery blood flow (MIBF) and iliac vascular conductance (IVC) attained during EH in the euhydrated state by 37 and 43%, respectively. Rehydration with either water or saline solution, however, restored maximal MIBF and IVC to euhydrated levels. Because plasma osmolality remained at dehydrated levels after rehydration with saline, hyperosmolality does not produce the dehydration-induced attenuation in hindlimb blood flow.
Laryngeal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT): a case report and review of the literature

This case report is interesting as cases of children with laryngeal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor are not common and previously had been presented as isolated case reports. This is the first case report in Asia describing a laryngeal inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor and its removal using an endoscopic approach. Our patient is a 12-year-old Malay girl from Singapore who presented with hoarseness without respiratory distress. The initial impression was that of a granuloma or a papilloma. We did a biopsy, which confirmed the histology to be inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and a magnetic resonance imaging scan showed a contrast-enhanced lesion. The lesion was excised completely using an endoscopic approach. The child was discharged well on the first postoperative day and she has been on follow-up for a year in the clinic. This report highlights the importance of understanding the differential diagnosis for a child with hoarseness. It is not uncommon for a pediatrician, a general practitioner, and a pediatric otolaryngologist to see a child presenting with hoarseness. In most cases, the diagnosis made would be screamer’s nodules, which is commonly seen in children. In a small group, recurrent respiratory papillomatosis form the diagnosis. Over the past few years, the cases of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis have decreased significantly. Laryngeal tumors are not common in children. However, we must maintain a high index of suspicion when we have a child with hoarseness who does not improve with speech therapy and watchful waiting. In such situations, a stroboscope is usually necessary to diagnose the voice problems and to rule out pathological conditions such as laryngeal tumors. If left untreated, the lesion can grow with time and result in a life-threatening airway condition. We also demonstrate our endoscopic technique in this report, and it has proven to be safe with no increased recurrence and much lower morbidity.
Stochastic Selection and Evolution

Market selection process determines the survival of firms in an industry and their growth or decay. What are the factors which affect the selection process? Does size matter, that is, do small firms grow faster than large firms? Since investment decisions for output growth involve uncertainty and irreversibility, the resulting unit costs are only partially known. Future demand is also uncertain. Do the stochastic factors affect the selection process in a significant way? Does risk aversion play a significant role in firm’s decisions to invest (disinvest) and expand (contract) its size?
Fields of Dreams and Champions: A Case Study in Kenyan Girls’ Football

The barefoot girls trickle into Jomo Kenyatta Sports Ground one by one, quickly jogging into the park and towards the pitch to meet their teammates under the shade of a tree. Some glance up and offer a curt nod as they pass; moving their heads ever so slightly that you must be anticipating this interaction in order not to miss it. The team slowly grows in numbers and a few girls hesitantly change from their long skirts to long shorts, making a neat pile of skirts to huddle around until game time.
Introduction to Neurons

1. The Structure of Cells 2. Nerve Cells 3. Electrical Circuits and the Hodgkin-Huxley Model 4. The Cable Equation References
Tibial tubercle to trochlear groove distance and index in children with one-time versus recurrent patellar dislocation: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

PURPOSE. To compare the tibial tubercle to trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance and index using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) between children with onetime and recurrent patellar dislocation. METHODS. Records of first-time acute patellar dislocations from 2007 to 2012 were reviewed. 20 males and 23 females aged 10 to 17 years at presentation were included for measurements of the bony and cartilaginous-tendon TT-TG distance and index. Recurrent patellar dislocation was defined as having more than one episode of dislocation within 2 years of the index injury. RESULTS. The recurrent dislocation rate was 30.2% (13 out of 43). Patients with recurrent patellar dislocation had a higher mean bony TT-TG distance (17.4 vs. 14.2 mm, p=0.026), cartilaginous-tendon TT-TG distance (18.8 vs. 15.3 mm, p=0.029), and TT-TG index (0.41 vs. 0.33, p=0.008), compared with one-timers. Males had a larger patellofemoral joint than females (49.0 vs. 44.8 mm, p=0.01). The risk of recurrent patellar dislocation was higher in patients with a bony TT-TG distance >14 mm (relative risk [RR]=6.4), a cartilaginoustendon TT-TG distance >13.5 mm (RR=8.8), and a TTTG index >0.26 (RR=6.7). CONCLUSION. Children with recurrent patellar dislocation have higher TT-TG distance and index when compared with one-timers.
Design and application of integrated distribution network line loss analysis system

Line loss calculation of distribution network is critical to energy saving and comprehensive line loss analysis is an in-depth research for theoretical line loss calculation, which helps to achieve meticulous management of loss management and grid operation. This article describes various methods of line loss calculation and common algorithms. A comprehensive distribution network line loss analysis system is proposed and its feasibility is verified by practical examples.
Interprofessional education to foster communication and resilience among health professional students

Abstract An 8-week interprofessional education (IPE) immersion classroom experience was developed to prepare advanced practice nursing, pharmacy, social work and clinical psychology students for delivering care as interprofessional clinical practice (IPCP) teams at a Veterans Administration primary care clinic. The course was designed to assist students in building resilience for negotiating challenges in the healthcare environment, to transition from autonomous novices to interprofessional practitioners, and to fortify knowledge and attitudes around veteran healthcare. Using case studies and standardized patients, student teams learned to negotiate challenging patient and interprofessional conflicts that can arise around moral dilemmas, cultural differences, and the hierarchy within the healthcare system. Students learned to anticipate and manage challenging situations through increased problem-solving skills, effective coping strategies, and improved confidence in managing negative emotions.
Spatial Big Data

This chapter discusses the concept of spatial big data, as well as its applications and technical challenges. Spatial big data (SBD), e.g., earth observation imagery, GPS trajectories, temporally detailed road networks, refers to geo-referenced data whose volume, velocity, and variety exceed the capability of current spatial computing platforms. SBD has the potential to transform our society. Vehicle GPS trajectories together with engine measurement data provide a new way to recommend environmentally friendly routes. Satellite and airborne earth observation imagery plays a crucial role in hurricane tracking, crop yield prediction, and global water management. The potential value of earth observation data is so significant that the White House recently declared that full utilization of this data is one of the nation’s highest priorities.
41 Effects of Dimethyl Sulfoxide- or Glycerol-Based Vitrification Protocols on Zona Pellucida Hardening in Mature Bovine Oocytes

Zona pellucida hardening is a natural process that occurs after oocyte fertilization to prevent polyspermic fertilization and to protect embryonic development. Pre-fertilization hardening of the zona pellucida, however, decreases fertilization rates. Cryoprotectants have also been shown to negatively affect fertilization rates, one possible mechanism of which being through zona hardening. This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different cryoprotectants on hardening of the zona pellucida of mature bovine oocytes. Oocytes were collected by ovum pick-up (OPU) by transvaginal ultrasound guided aspiration (TUGA) from mixed-breed cows. After collection, oocytes were randomly assigned to 3 cryoprotectant treatment groups: dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), glycerol, or PBS (control). Drops (50 µL) of each vitrification solution were placed under mineral oil. Vitrification solution 1 (VS1) contained 10% ethylene glycol (EG), either 10% DMSO or glycerol, and 0.5 M sucrose. Vitrification solution 2 (VS2) contained 20% EG, 20% DMSO or glycerol, and 0.5 M sucrose. All oocytes were held in VS1 for 5 min before being transferred to VS2 for 45 s. All oocytes were washed in a common dilution solution (80% PBS, 20% calf serum, 0.025 M sucrose) for 5 min. Next, oocytes were moved to 50-µL drops of protease solution (0.1% protease) under mineral oil. Control oocytes were held in PBS for ~10 min before entering the protease solution to represent the same period as the vitrification procedure. The oocytes were observed until the zonae pellucidae were completely digested and times were recorded for each oocyte. This experiment included 4 replicates with a total of 88 oocytes used, 32 each in DMSO and glycerol and 24 in PBS. The data were analysed using ANOVA. The DMSO group had the lower mean zona digestion time out of the 2 cryoprotectants at 15.75 min and glycerol had the highest mean digestion time at 19.3 min. The control group (PBS) had the lowest mean of the 3 treatments at 12.7 min. The differences between DMSO and glycerol, and between DMSO and PBS were not significant (P = 0.0654 and 0.1073, respectively). However, both glycerol versus PBS and the average of DMSO and glycerol versus PBS were significantly different (P-value = 0.0053 and 0.0119, respectively). These results suggest that glycerol hardens the zona pellucida more than DMSO or PBS; however, there is not enough evidence to determine whether DMSO hardens the zona pellucida compared with PBS. This would suggest that, in relation to zona hardening and ensuring proper fertilization, glycerol-based cryoprotectants may be a better option than DMSO-based ones. Further, these results may be important in embryo vitrification as zona hardening may prevent blastocyst hatching, suggesting that glycerol-based cryoprotectants should be investigated as the optimal cryoprotectant here also.
Abstract LB-B27: Novel antitumor agent GZ17-6.02 exerts discrete effects on transcriptional regulation in pancreatic cancer cells and cancer associated fibroblasts

GZ17-6.02 is a synthetic formulation of Arum palaestinum extracts that has shown significant antitumor activity against a variety of cancer types including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Previous studies have showed that GZ17-6.02 significantly inhibited PDAC tumor growth in an orthotopic xenograft mouse model for PDAC. Mechanistically, GZ17-6.02 suppressed the expression of multiple tumor stem cell markers in PDAC cells. However, the exact mechanism of action or cellular targets of GZ17-6.02 is not well understood. Considering the substantial effect of GZ17-6.02 on transcription, we hypothesized that GZ17-6.02 might affect the super-enhancers (SEs) networks in pancreatic cancer cells and/or stromal fibroblasts. In this study, we sought to evaluate the effect of GZ17-6.02 on global gene expression, particularly those associated with super-enhancers in PDAC cells and cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) using whole genome RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-Seq) assays. Our results showed that GZ17-6.02 induced expression changes in a large number of genes in both pancreatic cancer cells and CAFs. Overall, GZ17-6.02 induced expression changes in more genes in the cancer cells (MIA PaCa-2) than in the CAFs (CAF08). Clustering analysis showed that the top differentially expressed genes are very different between the cancer and CAF cells. In MIA PaCa-2 cells, GZ17-6.02 most significantly affected pathways related to gap junctions whereas in CAF08 cells, pathways related to extracellular matrix proteins such as hyaluronan were among the most significantly dysregulated by the drug. The ChIP-seq results indicated that GZ17-6.02 treatment at 50 μg/mL for 6 hours disrupted many SEs, which may have caused changes in the expression of genes associated with those SEs in the pancreatic cancer cells. The effect of GZ17-6.02 at 50 μg/mL for 6 hours on SEs in the CAF08 was not significant. This is consistent with the fact that relatively small effect on global gene expression in CAF08 cells was observed in the transcriptome analysis. Overall, our study demonstrates that GZ17-6.02 exerts discrete effects on pancreatic cancer cells and CAFs, indicating that the drug may target both the tumors and their associated fibroblasts (stroma). Furthermore, GZ17-6.02 may disrupt super-enhancer networks in the tumor cells to affect genes that play important roles in pancreatic cancer. Citation Format: Emily Rodela, Pawan Noel, Shaimaa Hussein, Yin C. Lin, Daniel D. Von Hoff, Haiyong Han. Novel antitumor agent GZ17-6.02 exerts discrete effects on transcriptional regulation in pancreatic cancer cells and cancer associated fibroblasts [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-B27.