cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Housing system and laying hen strain impacts on egg microbiology

Alternative hen housing is becoming more commonplace in the egg market. However, a complete understanding of the implications for alternative housing systems on egg safety has not been achieved. The current study examines the impact of housing Hy-Line Brown, Hy-Line Silver Brown, and Barred Plymouth Rock hens in conventional cage, cage-free, and free range egg production systems on shell microbiology. Eggs were collected at 4 sampling periods. Egg shell emulsion pools were formed and enumerated for total aerobic organisms, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeast and mold counts. Hy-Line Brown and Hy-Line Silver Brown hens produced eggs with significantly (P < 0.05 and 0.001, respectively) different levels of aerobic organisms dependent on housing system. Eggs from conventional cages had significantly different (P < 0.05) levels of aerobic contamination in relation to hen strain with Hy-Line Silver Brown having the greatest (4.57 log cfu/mL). Hy-Line Brown and Barred Plymouth Rock hens produced eggs with significantly different (P < 0.01) levels of Enterobacteriaceae among housing systems with conventional caged eggs having the lowest level of contamination for the hen strains. There were no differences within each strain among housing systems for yeast and mold contamination. The study shows that hen strain has an effect on egg microbial levels for various housing systems, and egg safety should be considered when making hen strain selections for each housing system.
Mapping recent lava flows at Westdahl Volcano, Alaska, using radar and optical satellite imagery

Field mapping of young lava flows at Aleutian volcanoes is logistically difficult, and the utility of optical images from aircraft or satellites for this purpose is greatly reduced by persistent cloud cover. These factors have hampered earlier estimates of the areas and volumes of three young lava flows at Westdahl Volcano, including its most recent (1991–1992) flow. We combined information from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images with multispectral Landsat-7 data to differentiate the 1991–1992 flow from the 1964 flow and a pre-1964 flow, and to calculate the flow areas (8.4, 9.2, and 7.3 km 2 , respectively). By differencing a digital elevation model (DEM) from the 1970–1980s with a DEM from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in February 2000, we estimated the average thickness of the 1991–1992 flow to be 13 m, which reasonably agrees with field observations (5–10 m). Lava-flow maps produced in this way can be used to facilitate field mapping and flow-hazards assessment, and to study magma-supply dynamics and thus to anticipate future eruptive activity. Based on the recurrence interval of recent eruptions and the results of this study, the next eruption at Westdahl may occur before the end of this decade.
Ultrastructural study of Plasmodium knowlesi antigen used in vaccination of rhesus monkeys.

SYNOPSIS. Material from various steps obtained in the French pressure cell technic of preparing antigen from Plasmodium knowlesi-infected red cells, was examined by electron microscopy. A positively charged colloidal iron solution was used to differentiate between membranes of host red cells and parasites. Red cell membranes take the stain, whereas parasite membranes do not. This antigen which has been used previously to protect monkeys against P. knowlesi appears to consist almost entirely of membrane-bounded vesicles. Some of these vesicles contain a fine granular material, whereas others appear empty. The antigen failed to stain with the positively charged iron solution, which suggests that it is free of contamination by host cell membrane.
Perils of Evidence-Based Medicine

Evidenced-based medicine views random-assignment clinical trials as the gold standard of evidence. Because patient populations are heterogeneous, large numbers of patients must be studied in order to achieve statistically significant results, butthemeansormediansoftheselargesampleshaveweakpredictivevalidityforindi- vidual patients. Further, the logic of random-assignment clinical trials allows only the inference that some subset of patients benefits from the treatment. Post-hoc analysis is therefore necessary to identify those patients. Otherwise, many patients may receive treatments that are useless and potentially harmful.
The effect of nicotine on thyroid function in rats

Very recently, it has been reported that subclinical hypothyroidism is more severe and peripheral markers of hypothyroidism are more pronounced in women with subclinical or overt hypothyroidism who smoke. Increased concentrations of the known goitrogen thiocyanate, generated from cigarette smoke, have been the major explanation for the decreased thyroid function in these women but do not explain the reported increased peripheral markers of hypothyroidism. There are no data on the effect of the other major product of cigarettes, nicotine, on thyroid function in vivo. The present studies were therefore performed to determine the effects of large doses of nicotine infused for 7 days on thyroid function, outer-ring 5'deiodinase activity (5'D-I), and hepatic malic enzyme activity (a measure of thyroid hormone action) in euthyroid, subclinically hypothyroid (hemithyroidectomized), and L-thyroxine (L-T4)-treated thyroidectomized rats. Nicotine infusion had no effect on serum T4, triiodothyronine (T3), thyrotropin (TSH), and cholesterol concentrations, intrathyroidal metabolism of 125I, liver and kidney 5'D-I activity, and hepatic malic enzyme activity in euthyroid and subclinically hypothyroid rats. Nicotine administration also did not affect serum T3, TSH, or cholesterol concentrations, liver and kidney 5'D-I activity, and hepatic malic enzyme activity in L-T4-treated thyroidectomized rats. These studies provide strong evidence that nicotine is not responsible for the observed adverse effects of smoking on the thyroid in humans.
Spatially varying optical property reconstruction using a finite element diffusion equation approximation

A finite element reconstruction algorithm for optical data based on a diffusion equation approximation is presented. A frequency domain approach is adopted and a unified formulation for three combinations of boundary observables and conditions is described. A multidetector, multisource measurement and excitation strategy is simulated, which includes a distributed model of the light source that illustrates the flexibility of the methodology to modeling adaptations. Simultaneous reconstruction of both absorption and scattering coefficients for a tissue-like medium is achieved for all three boundary data types. The algorithm is found to be computationally practical, and can be implemented without major difficulties in a workstation computing environment. Results using simulated data suggest that qualitative images can be produced that readily highlight the location of absorption and scattering heterogeneities within a circular background region of close to 4 cm in diameter over a range of contrast levels. Absorption images appear to more closely identify the true size of the heterogeneity; however, both the absorption and scattering reconstructions have difficulty with sharp transitions at increasing depth. Quantitatively, the reconstructions are not accurate, suggesting that absolute optical imaging involving simultaneous recovery of both absorption and scattering profiles in multicentimeter tissues geometries may prove to be extremely difficult.
Social Comparisons and Satisfaction with the Division of Housework Implications for Men's and Women's Role Strain

Contemporary parents lack clear guidelines for the fair and equitable allocation of family work. According to social comparison theory, under conditions of uncertainty, individuals often compare themselves to others to gain a sense of what is “normal.” The authors applied social comparison theory to the examination of satisfaction with the division of housework and the experience of role strain. Results of covariance structure analysis indicated that women reported higher levels of satisfaction when they did less housework than their female friends and greater satisfaction and less role strain when their husbands did more than other male comparison referents. In contrast, men were more satisfied when their wives did more housework than their own mothers did. Satisfaction mediated the link between social comparisons and role strain. Interviews with 25 fathers revealed that some men invoke an image of the “generalized other” to make their own contributions to housework seem more noteworthy.
Predicting worsening asthma control following the common cold.

The asthmatic response to the common cold is highly variable, and early characteristics that predict worsening of asthma control following a cold have not been identified. In this prospective multicentric cohort study of 413 adult subjects with asthma, the mini-Asthma Control Questionnaire (mini-ACQ) was used to quantify changes in asthma control and the Wisconsin Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey-21 (WURSS-21) to measure cold severity. Univariate and multivariable models were used to examine demographic, physiological, serological and cold-related characteristics for their relationship to changes in asthma control following a cold. Clinically significant worsening of asthma control was observed following a cold (mean±sd increase in mini-ACQ score of 0.69±0.93). Univariate analysis demonstrated that season, centre location, cold duration and cold severity measurements were all associated with a change in asthma control. Multivariable analysis of the covariates available within the first 2 days of cold onset revealed that the day 2 and cumulative sum of day 1 and 2 WURSS-21 scores were significant predictors of the subsequent changes in asthma control. In asthmatic subjects, cold severity within the first 2 days can be used to predict subsequent changes in asthma control. This information may help clinicians prevent deterioration in asthma control following a cold.
On the impact of transmission radius on routing efficiency

This paper presents a model for studying the effect of transmission range control on route efficiency in ad hoc networks, both in terms of maximal throughput and minimal energy expenditure. We show that allowing for per-packet variable power control greatly improves the average efficiency of multi-hop, unicast transmissions. For two-level power control, we compute near optimal values for the two transmission radii to maximize performance. A new local, position-based routing protocol is designed based on partial network information. We show that as nodes have more information about the network, better routing decisions are made. We find a threshold in location information such that when a node knows the location of other nodes within a certain distance of itself, it makes high quality, local forwarding decisions.
Intracellular signaling specificity in skeletal muscle in response to different modes of exercise

The aim of this study was to understand better the specific signaling events resulting from different modes of exercise. Three different exercise protocols were employed based on their well-charact...
Physically-based interactive bi-scale material design

We present the first physically-based interactive system to facilitate the appearance design at different scales consistently, through manipulations of both small-scale geometry and materials. The core of our system is a novel reflectance filtering algorithm, which rapidly computes the large-scale appearance from small-scale details, by exploiting the low-rank structures of the Bidirectional Visible Normal Distribution Function and pre-rotated BRDFs in the matrix formulation of our rendering problem. Our algorithm is three orders of magnitude faster than a ground-truth method. We demonstrate various editing results of different small-scale geometry with analytical and measured BRDFs. In addition, we show the applications of our system to physical realization of appearance, as well as modeling of real-world materials using very sparse measurements.
Probabilistic modeling of weld fracture in steel frame connections. Part I : quasi-static loading

This work develops and applies a probabilistic model to study the dynamic, nonlinear fracture behavior in the beam lower-flange to column welds found in moment resistant steel frames. The effort focuses on connection designs used prior to the 1994 Northridge earthquake (A36 beams, A572 columns and E70T-4 welds with access holes, shear tabs and continuity plates). The study applies the same probabilistic model to examine and compare fracture behavior in the simpler pull-plate specimen developed after the Northridge event to simulate conditions at the lower-flange connection. 3-D finite element analyses, coupled with an advanced micro-mechanical fracture model based on the Weibull stress, are used to assess the relative significance of loading rate, residual stresses, plasticity, access hole geometry, beam yield strengths, and various weld (backup bar) modifications. The present work considers only the initiation of brittle fracture triggered by a transgranular cleavage mechanism typical of that exhibited by ferritic steels (and welds) operating in the ductile-to-brittle transition region. Key computational results express the cumulative probability of fracture in terms of the beam moment at the face of the column and an equivalent beam moment for the pull-plate specimen. Part I of this study examines these same issues for connections and for pull-plate specimens under static loading as used in recent laboratory studies.
A Theorem On Translating The General Multi-Rate LQG Problem to a Standard LQG Problem Via Lifts

We prove a cost translation theorem that allows one to solve the general multi-rate LQG problem by first performing a lifting isomorphism and then solving a standard (shift-invariant, single-rate) LQG problem.
Pervasive and Persistent Risks: Factors Influencing African American Women's HIV/AIDS Vulnerability

This study focuses on the context of risk taking in a group of African American women. Correlates and predictors of risk-taking behavior in a sample of 278 African American women were examined to explore the nature of risk taking related to HlVinfection. It was hypothesized that increased riskforHIVinfection would be associated with engaging in a variety of risky behaviors across several domains. Results indicate that the women in this sample engaged in risky behaviors related not only to HIVbut also to other significant health risks, such as cigarette smoking and substance use. Risk for HIV infection, as measured by condom use, was predicted by individual and peer-related factors. The concept of pervasive risk is proposed to explain the behavior of individuals who are at high riskfor HIV/AIDS, yet continue to engage in risky behaviors.
Psychological Aspects of Cardiac Devices and Recalls in Patients With Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

The product recall of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) creates a potentially stressful event for patients. This study briefly describes the psychological adjustment of patients with implantable devices and makes recommendations for the management of device recalls and adverse outcomes to minimize psychological distress. Because the occurrence of ICD-specific fears and symptoms of anxiety are the most common psychological symptoms experienced by ICD recipients, a comprehensive care plan to attend to recall procedures and patient distress is needed. It is suggested that recalls do not affect all ICD patients equally, with risk factors for poor psychological adjustment to ICDs including younger age (< 50 years), shock experience, and female gender that may be associated with increased recall anxiety. Specific recommendations for device recall management include formalizing clinic responses to recall before and after implantation and innovative uses of patient support systems to communicate recall responses.
How Do Californians Define Safe Sex

Objectives: We examined definitions of “safe sex” among adults in California, and assessed whether definitions varied by sociodemographic characteristics and sexual behavior. Methods: We analyzed crosssectional data from the “AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs, and Behaviors (KABB) Survey,” a statewide telephone survey of California adults conducted in 2000. Results: The four most common definitions of safe sex were condom use (68.0%), abstinence (31.1%), monogamy (28.4%), and safe partner (18.7%). Definitions were associated with sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, and number of sexual partners in the past 12 months. Conclusions: Most adults defined safe sex in terms of condom use either alone or in conjunction with other methods. Individuals’ definitions were complex and varied across sociodemographic groups which suggest the need for policies and programs which reflect this diversity.
Canopy cover and drought influence the landscape epidemiology of an amphibian chytrid fungus

Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) is a globally distributed fungal pathogen of amphibians that has caused amphibian population declines. Prevalence and infection intensity of Bd should vary spatially across heterogeneous landscapes because survival of the pathogen depends on environmental conditions including humidity and temperature. Wetland temperatures should vary with forest canopy cover, but few studies have examined the relationship between Bd prevalence and canopy cover. We sampled anurans for Bd at 33 wetlands in Illinois across a canopy cover gradient during the severe drought of 2012 and during more typical weather in 2013. We hypothesized that anurans from closed canopy wetlands would have higher Bd prevalence than anurans from open canopy wetlands because high canopy cover would prevent temperatures from exceeding Bd's critical maximum temperature as often. We used occupancy modeling to examine how Bd prevalence varied spatially in relation to environmental covariates, and to determine if we...
Nitrosomonadales ord. nov

Ni.tro.so.mo.na.da' les. M.L. fem. n. Nitrosomonas type genus of the order; -ales ending to denote order; M.L. fem. n. Nitrosomonadales the Nitrosomonas order. Proteobacteria / Betaproteobacteria / Nitrosomonadales Keywords: Nitrosomonadales ord. nov; Nitrosomonas; Betaproteobacteria class. nov.
Closing the Gap: Domain Adaptation from Explicit to Implicit Discourse Relations

Many discourse relations are explicitly marked with discourse connectives, and these examples could potentially serve as a plentiful source of training data for recognizing implicit discourse relations. However, there are important linguistic differences between explicit and implicit discourse relations, which limit the accuracy of such an approach. We account for these differences by applying techniques from domain adaptation, treating implicitly and explicitly-marked discourse relations as separate domains. The distribution of surface features varies across these two domains, so we apply a marginalized denoising autoencoder to induce a dense, domain-general representation. The label distribution is also domain-specific, so we apply a resampling technique that is similar to instance weighting. In combination with a set of automatically-labeled data, these improvements eliminate more than 80% of the transfer loss incurred by training an implicit discourse relation classifier on explicitly-marked discourse relations.
Refraction in graphics and medical imaging

With the fast advancement of computer graphics hardware, the development of volume graphics in recent years has extented from volume visualization of scientific data to more general graphics technology. This thesis is to fill vacancy of research of natural phenomenon associated with the refraction effect on the visualization of volume data. We have further applied our refraction research to medical imaging to correct refraction distortion for ultrasound computed tomography technology. First, we find that refraction imposes significantly higher demands on filters for interpolation and gradient estimation than illumination and shading. To firmly support refraction from the perspective of fundamental digital processing, we evaluate the family of spline filters as a good alternative to the cubic filters, which so far served as the gold standard of efficient yet high-quality interpolation filters in present visualization applications. Then we developed an efficient framework for the high-quality rendering of discretely sampled surface-based objects with refractive effects. It combines an accurate estimation of the refraction indices, paired with efficient and accurate surface detection, space traversal and backdrop image sampling. Furthermore, we explored in more general rendering field of graphics by proposing a new concept of geometry field for real-time reflection and refraction using ray tracing. With the combination of the advantage of light fields and geometry images, a geometry field can effectively fetch all possible ray/object intersections with geometry information in fast table lookups. Finally, we applied our research of refraction to medical imaging. A significant obstacle in the advancement of Ultrasound Computed Tomography has been the lack of efficient and precise methods for the tracing of the bent rays that result from the interaction of sound with refractive media. We propose to find the wave frontier by solving the Eikonal equation which governs the propagation of sound waves. This enables us to determine the ray path with great accuracy. With GPU acceleration, we perform reconstruction with high fidelity and accurate geometry in clinically practical time.
Compact Formulation of Nonlinear Inviscid Aerodynamics for Fixed-Wing Aircraft

This paper presents a compact formulation of the Vortex Lattice Method (VLM) which allows fast computation of the nonlinear inviscid aerodynamics of fixed-wing aircraft at low speed and low angle of attack flight. The formulation captures the nonlinearities present in this flight regime, but avoids the costly re-computation that regular VLMs require. Instead ap reprocessing step reduces the calculation of inviscid aerodynamic force and moment to simple quadratic expressions in terms of the flight and control variables. The size of these quadratic expressions is independent of the number of vortices used in the vortex lattice, allowing for fine discretization of lifting surfaces with no penalty in re-computation time. Full six degree of freedom flight simulations that include a VLM aerodynamic model can now be executed very efficiently using this approach. Furthermore, this formulation provides an analytic aerodynamic model allowing direct mathematical manipulation, such as analytic differentiation with respect to flight and control variables, making it useful for optimization problems where analytic gradients could reduce computational costs as well as improve convergence characteristics.
Covalent modification of engineered cysteines in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist-binding domain inhibits receptor activation.

We constructed and characterized a series of nicotinic receptor mutants with a cysteine substituted for one of the amino acid residues in the alpha-subunit between positions 183 and 198. This region of the receptor is known to participate in agonist binding and channel activation. The goal of this ‘cysteine scanning mutagenesis’ is to introduce the reactivity of a free thiol group into functionally important protein domains; modification of the introduced cysteines can then be used to probe the structure and function of the targeted region. Mutants were examined by coexpression with the beta-, gamma- and delta-subunits in Xenopus oocytes using two-microelectrode voltage clamp recording. Twelve of fourteen mutants expressed receptors with properties comparable with the wild-type, including sensitivity to reduction by dithiothreitol (DTT). This indicates that introduction of an additional cysteine within this region of the receptor did not interfere with formation of the native disulphide between alpha Cys-192 and alpha Cys-193. Only one mutation, alpha Y198C, caused dramatic changes in the EC50 for acetylcholine (ACh) and in the sensitivity to DTT. We then examined the effects of the thiol modification and found two mutants, alpha H186C and alpha V188C, that showed significant decreases in responsiveness to ACh after exposure to methylmethanethiosulphonate (MMTS). Dose-response measurements show that exposure of alpha H186C mutants to MMTS causes a shift in apparent agonist affinity without changing the peak response, and this is not reversible by DTT. In contrast, the MMTS-treated alpha V188C mutants show changes in both apparent affinity and peak response which are readily reversed by DTT. Together, our data show that these two nearby residues occupy markedly different environments relative to the contact points for ACh. They also demonstrate that cysteine-substitution mutagenesis can be successfully applied to protein domains that include functionally important disulphides.
Demographic inference under a spatially continuous coalescent model

In contrast with the classical population genetics theory that models population structure as discrete panmictic units connected by migration, many populations exhibit heterogeneous spatial gradients in population connectivity across semi-continuous habitats. The historical dynamics of such spatially structured populations can be captured by a spatially explicit coalescent model recently proposed by Etheridge (2008) and Barton et al. (2010a, 2010b) and whereby allelic lineages are distributed in a two-dimensional spatial continuum and move within this continuum based on extinction and coalescent events. Though theoretically rigorous, this model, which we here refer to as the continuum model, has not yet been implemented for demographic inference. To this end, here we introduce and demonstrate a statistical pipeline that couples the coalescent simulator of Kelleher et al. (2014) that simulates genealogies under the continuum model, with an approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) framework for parameter estimation of neighborhood size (that is, the number of locally breeding individuals) and dispersal ability (that is, the distance an offspring can travel within a generation). Using empirically informed simulations and simulation-based ABC cross-validation, we first show that neighborhood size can be accurately estimated. We then apply our pipeline to the South African endemic shrub species Berkheya cuneata to use the resulting estimates of dispersal ability and neighborhood size to infer the average population density of the species. More generally, we show that spatially explicit coalescent models can be successfully integrated into model-based demographic inference.
VALUES FOR THE ELECTRONIC INFORMATION AGE: Crossroads of a profession: Reflections of a yearlong discussion about electronic information

Critique de la position adoptee par l'ALA (American Library Association) sur l'acces au WEb: cette position vise a deresponsabiliser les bibliothecaires pour savoir ce qui est approprie pour les usagers- pour les jeunes adultes et les enfants en particulier. Cette attitude risque de marginaliser les bibliothecaires
Pushing the boundaries of diagnostic CT systems for high spatial resolution imaging tasks

In a previous work [Cruz-Bastida et al Med. Phys. 43, 2399 (2016)], the spatial resolution performance of a new High-Resolution (Hi-Res) multi-detector row CT (MDCT) scan mode and the associated High Definition (HD) reconstruction kernels was systematically characterized. The purpose of the present work was to study the noise properties of the Hi-Res scan mode and the joint impact of spatial resolution and noise characteristics on high contrast and high spatial resolution imaging tasks. Using a physical phantom and a diagnostic MDCT system, equipped with both Hi-Res and conventional scan modes, noise power spectrum (NPS) measurements were performed at 8 off-centered positions (0 to 14 cm with an increment of 2 cm) for 8 non-HD kernels and 7 HD kernels. An in vivo rabbit experiment was then performed to demonstrate the potential clinical value of the Hi-Res scan mode. Without the HD kernels, the Hi-Res scan mode preserved the shape of the NPS and slightly increased noise magnitude across all object positions. The combined use of the Hi-Res scan mode and HD kernels led to a greater noise increase and pushed the NPS towards higher frequencies, particularly for those edge-preserving or edge-enhancing HD kernels. Results of the in vivo rabbit study demonstrate important trade-offs between spatial resolution and noise characteristics. Overall, for a given high contrast and high spatial resolution imaging task (bronchi imaging), the benefit of spatial resolution improvement introduced by the Hi-Res scan mode outweighs the potential noise amplification, leading to better overall imaging performance for both centered and off-centered positions.
The Holocaust in Israeli Political Culture: Four Constructions and Their Consequences

The collective memory of the Holocaust among Israeli Jews has featured competition among four related but distinct constructions: Zionist Proof-text; Wasting Asset; Object Lesson for safeguarding human rights; and Template for Jewish life. This paper will analyze this competition and the implications of the apparent victory of the Template. While there is a sequence to the changing prominence of these different versions of the Holocaust, each version has enjoyed periods of relative success since World War II. In recent decades, however, the Holocaust as a Template for Jewish Life has emerged as ascendant. Throughout, competition among the four constructions was driven by parochial and temporary political interests and by the unintended consequences of dissatisfactions associated with any one of them. My analysis will trace this competition and those consequences, using them to explain the extreme and highly particular features of current Israeli Jewish collective memory of the Holocaust. The paper concludes with an assessment of the implications of the hegemonic status of this version of the Holocaust for appreciating Israel’s contemporary political predicament.
Finite-Size Scaling of Out-of-Time-Ordered Correlators at Late Times

Chaotic dynamics in quantum many-body systems scrambles local information so that at late times it can no longer be accessed locally. This is reflected quantitatively in the out-of-time-ordered correlator of local operators, which is expected to decay to 0 with time. However, for systems of finite size, out-of-time-ordered correlators do not decay exactly to 0 and in this paper we show that the residual value can provide useful insights into the chaotic dynamics. When energy is conserved, the late-time saturation value of the out-of-time-ordered correlator of generic traceless local operators scales as an inverse polynomial in the system size. This is in contrast to the inverse exponential scaling expected for chaotic dynamics without energy conservation. We provide both analytical arguments and numerical simulations to support this conclusion.
Invisible harm: science, subjectivity and the things we cannot see

This special issue of Culture, Theory and Critique recognises the growing centrality of the environment as a theme that cuts across and weaves through multiple disciplines. Scholars working within ...
Non-surgical management of Boerhaave's syndrome: a case series study and review of the literature.

Background and study aims Boerhaave’s syndrome (BS) is a life-threatening condition with morbidity and mortality rates as high as 50 % in some reports. Until recently, surgical intervention has been the mainstay of management plans. With advances in therapeutic endoscopy, however, there has been increasing interest in non-surgical options including endoscopic esophageal stenting. Patients and methods We reviewed the medical records of all patients diagnosed with BS and managed with endoscopic interventions between November 2011 and November 2016. The following variables were collected: patient demographics, clinical presentations, locations of esophageal perforation, primary interventions, complications, and outcomes. Results Six patients were found to be diagnosed with BS during the study period. The median age at presentation was 55. There were 4 males and 2 females. The most common site of perforation was in the distal esophagus. The most common presenting symptom was chest pain (67 %) following an episode of vomiting or retching. Four patients (66.7 %) developed septic shock. Endoscopic treatment with a fully covered esophageal stent was the primary intervention in all patients (100 %). Interventional radiology was consulted in all cases for fluid drainage and chest tube placements. Clinical resolution of the BS was achieved in all patients (100 %) without any subsequent surgical interventions. There were no deaths within the study group, and the average follow-up duration was 2 years. Conclusion Endoscopic treatment seems to be an effective management strategy in patients with BS. We also noted satisfactory results in patients presenting with sepsis, presumably due to urgent, interventional radiology-guided fluid drainage.
Outcomes of Articulating Spacers With Autoclaved Femoral Components in Total Knee Arthroplasty Infection

Abstract Background In 2-stage revision of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) infection, articulating antibiotic spacers show similar eradication rates and superior range of motion compared with static spacers. This study evaluated infection control and other outcomes in articulating spacers with an autoclaved index femoral component. Methods We reviewed 59 patients who underwent 2-stage treatment of TKA infection using articulating antibiotic spacers with an autoclaved femoral component with at least 2-year follow-up (mean: 5.0 years) from spacer placement. Reinfection was defined as any subsequent infection; recurrence was defined as reinfection with the same organism, need for chronic antibiotics, or conversion directly to amputation/arthrodesis. Results Nine patients (15%) experienced a recurrence and 22 patients (37%) experienced a reinfection. Incidence of diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in patients who became reinfected. Other comorbidities, revision history, prior spacer, or presence of virulent organisms did not predict infection recurrence. Forty-seven spacers underwent reimplantation, 6 (13%) of these went on to above-knee amputation, 6 (13%) received another 2-stage procedure, and 3 (6%) underwent subsequent irrigation and debridement. Three patients (5%) proceeded directly from spacer to above-knee amputation (2) or arthrodesis (1). Nine spacers (15%) in 7 patients were retained indefinitely (mean: 3.4 years), with overall good motion and function. Conclusion Accounting for methodology, articulating spacers with autoclaved femoral components provide similar infection control to previous reports. Most patients with reinfection grew different organisms compared with initial infection, suggesting that some subsequent infections may be host related. Some patients retained spacers definitively with overall good patient satisfaction.
Aligned fibrous PVDF-TrFE scaffolds with Schwann cells support neurite extension and myelination in vitro

Objective Polyvinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene (PVDF-TrFE), which is a piezoelectric, biocompatible polymer, holds promise as a scaffold in combination with Schwann cells (SCs) for spinal cord repair. Piezoelectric materials can generate electrical activity in response to mechanical deformation, which could potentially stimulate spinal cord axon regeneration. Our goal in this study was to investigate PVDF-TrFE scaffolds consisting of aligned fibers in supporting SC growth and SC-supported neurite extension and myelination in vitro. Approach Aligned fibers of PVDF-TrFE were fabricated using the electrospinning technique. SCs and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) explants were co-cultured to evaluate SC-supported neurite extension and myelination on PVDF-TrFE scaffolds. Main results PVDF-TrFE scaffolds supported SC growth and neurite extension, which was further enhanced by coating the scaffolds with Matrigel. SCs were oriented and neurites extended along the length of the aligned fibers. SCs in co-culture with DRGs on PVDF-TrFE scaffolds promoted longer neurite extension as compared to scaffolds without SCs. In addition to promoting neurite extension, SCs also formed myelin around DRG neurites on PVDF-TrFE scaffolds. Significance This study demonstrated PVDF-TrFE scaffolds containing aligned fibers supported SC-neurite extension and myelination. The combination of SCs and PVDF-TrFE scaffolds may be a promising tissue engineering strategy for spinal cord repair.
Ultrastructure and Biochemical Studies of Rat CNS and Viscera after Subcutaneous Injection of Chlorphentermine

Chlorphentermine, known as an anoretic drug, has been reported by Franken and associates to induce the formation of foamy cells in the lungs of rats (1). Subsequently, several investigators have described cytoplasmic inclusion bodies in the viscera (2–9) which are considered to be the experimental counterpart of human lipidosis.
Inhibitory Control over Action and Memory

Inhibitory control mechanisms enable organisms to limit the influence of unwanted actions and thoughts, so aiding behavioral accommodation to changing goals and contingencies. This article focuses on how organisms suppress prepotent motor actions and memories as model systems of inhibitory control, illustrating important functional and neurobiological parallels between them. Specifically, we discuss how the capacity to control action and memory either in service of response selection or response stopping emerges from interactions between the lateral prefrontal cortex and the posterior cortical (and subcortical) systems that mediate the representation of the to-be-controlled function.
Creating Germans abroad

From the perspective of German colonial supporters and authorities, appropriate white education in the settler colony of Southwest Africa (SWA) was essential for maintaining German hegemony in the territory. In order to reach this objective, the German colonial administration in SWA, with assistance from pedagogues and institutions in Germany, embarked on a program to turn the colony's white youth into productive and loyal members of the German empire. The educational policies pursued provide a lens to explore how colonial enthusiasts defined what it meant to be German. However, this image and the policies intended to create it did not exist in isolation. Other populations, colonial economics, and geography resulted in a German educational system that could not be exactly replicated in SWA. Thus, a system and ultimately a population emerged that were shaped by both German educational philosophies and colonial exigencies.1
Simple Onycholysis and the Disappearing Nail Bed

Onycholysis refers to separation, most commonly distal, of the nail plate from the underlying nail structures. If it is distal, there is separation from the nail bed. It is less commonly proximal. The term onychomadesis refers to proximal separation of the nail plate from the nail matrix area. Simple onycholysis of the fingernails most commonly presents to the practitioner. Of topical antifungal medications, solutions are best, then lotions are next best. Most patients are troubled by the appearance of the nails, and usually the condition has been present for weeks to months before patients will seek medical advice. For onycholysis to occur, there must be a disruption of the adherence of the various components of the nail unit to each other. To establish the diagnosis of simple onycholysis, other primary dermatoses affecting the nail unit, such as nail unit psoriasis or nail unit lichen planus must be excluded. The role of Candida in onycholysis is controversial, and Candida can commonly be found on culturing nails with onycholysis. Treatment consists of a multifaceted approach. The most important aspect is an irritant avoidance regimen. The nails should be clipped back to the point of attachment at the nail bed to avoid additional trauma. Avoidance of nail cosmetics is important to help improve the onycholysis. Use of nail cosmetics may be resumed 1 month after the affected nails have returned to normal. Aside from the behavioral changes described above, topical antifungal medications can be helpful in hastening the resolution of onycholysis. Oral fluconazole may be of benefit in recalcitrant cases, especially when Candida has been cultured and/or pseudohyphae are found. For cases not responding to therapy, biopsy should be employed. The biopsy may show signs of a primary inflammatory dermatosis of the nail unit, or in the case of recalcitrant onycholysis of a single nail, may identify a tumor of the nail bed as the ultimate cause of the onycholysis. Long standing onycholysis may result in the disappearing nail bed.
Psychotropic Medication Prescription for Autism: Data Sources for Decision Making

Currently, there are two medications (i.e., risperidone and aripiprazole) with sufficient established evidence for effectively treating related symptoms (i.e., irritability and hyperactivity) of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A recent study on the prevalence of psychotropic medication treatment for children with ASD in the USA found that approximately 65% had filled a prescription for at least one psychotropic medication, 35% filled prescriptions across two medication classes, and 15% filled prescriptions across three or more classes concurrently. While these numbers inform rates of psychotropic medication use among this population, little is known about the prescribing practices of practitioners treating ASD symptoms in pediatric populations. There are currently no known empirical studies examining the prescribing practitioner’s perspective and, as a result, it is not known how prescribers are making psychotropic medication management decisions or what factors may influence those decisions. Therefore, the current study sought to evaluate the degree to which prescribers rated the importance of several sources of information when prescribing and managing psychotropic medication for the treatment of core and secondary symptoms of ASD.
Analysis of condensed tannins in Populus spp. using reversed phase UPLC-PDA-(-)esi-MS following thiolytic depolymerisation.

INTRODUCTION Condensed tannins (CTs) are proanthocyanidin heteropolymers that are widely distributed among plants. Their biochemical properties are determined by molecular structure (e.g. polymer size, hydroxylation, stereochemistry). In Populus, genetically and environmentally-determined CT concentrations have been related to ecological effects, while the potential role of CT molecular structure has received little attention. OBJECTIVE Evaluate CT polymerisation, major constituent monomers, stereochemistry and overall content in Populus tremuloides foliage using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array and mass spectrometry (UPLC-PDA-(-)esi-MS) detection following thiolytic depolymerisation of the CTs. METHODOLOGY CTs were extracted from dried foliage of six P. tremuloides genotypes into methanol and thiolytically depolymerised into constituent monomers. Calibration standards were prepared by thiolysis of CT mixtures isolated from P. tremuloides foliage on Sephadex LH-20, followed by preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS Populus tremuloides CTs contained predominantly repeating subunits of three putative stereoisomers each of catechin and gallocatechin. Linear calibrations for standards of these subunits and their thioethers (purities 44-87%, UPLC-(-)esi-MS) were generally stable over the course of 10 months. CT polymer size, hydroxylation, stereochemistry and concentrations differed among genotypes. CONCLUSION This thiolysis-UPLC-PDA-(-)esiMS method was optimised for analysis of CT polymer size, hydroxylation, stereochemistry, and total concentration in Populus foliage. It revealed significant variation in each of these properties among P. tremuloides genotypes, and will facilitate evaluation of how environmental factors affect CT molecular structures.
Occurrence of Salmincola sp. on brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis in Lake Superior

Salmincola sp. infect fishes of the family Salmonidae and can negatively affect host health. The parasite–host relationship was examined between Salmincola sp. and a remnant population of brook charr on Isle Royale, Lake Superior. A total of 573 brook charr were collected using boat-mounted electrofishing and angling from 2005 to 2017. Macroscopic examination revealed copepod (Salmincola sp.) infections on gills and fins. Field identifications were confirmed for a subsample of parasites in the laboratory. The preferred attachment location was on the gills, with infections on fins being rare and likely a spillover from large infections in the primary location. Host size was a significant predictor of Salmincola prevalence and parasite load. The distribution of lice within the Tobin Harbor brook charr population was atypical of parasite distributions, because few hosts were uninfected. Gill tissue damage was present in heavily infected fish, but host condition did not vary among Salmincola classifications. The Tobin Harbor brook charr population is highly susceptible to Salmincola infections and infestations are reaching levels that could be influencing host health and future population growth and sustainability.
Combined Departure Time/Mode/Route Choice Models

We consider the efficient operation of an integrated transportation system within an IVHS environment. A dynamic route guidance system would improve utilization of the overall capacity of the transportation system so as to reduce travel times, congestion and incidents. By providing early detection of incidents and congestion in the transportation network, the route guidance system would redistribute traffic among the available modes and routes when there is excess capacity in some parts of the road network or shift the departure times of travelers to avoid peak-hour congestion when no additional road capacity is available. Furthermore, the route guidance system would provide travelers with accurate, current information on both transit and road networks so that some motorists could make their own time-cost tradeoffs and shift to transit, if appropriate.