cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
271 MENINGEAL INVOLVEMENT WITH WEGENER'S GRANULOMATOSIS: A CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE.

Objective Meningeal involvement is a rare complication of Wegener9s granulomatosis (WG). Here we present a case of pachymeningitis in WG and perform a literature review to describe the clinical features and strategies for diagnosis of meningeal disease in WG. Methods Medline search from 1960 to present was performed and articles in English describing meningeal involvement in WG were reviewed. For the case presentation, pertinent photographs of clinical findings and diagnostic studies were obtained with the patient9s permission. Results A 25-year-old male patient with known limited WG was admitted with new-onset right-sided ear pain, hearing loss, facial droop, diplopia, and difficulty swallowing. His WG had manifested in the past with scleritis, arthritis, sinusitis, and lung disease in the setting of high-titer c-ANCA and anti-proteinase-3 (PR3) reactivity. He was on prednisone and low-dose daily oral cyclophosphamide (75 mg daily). Physical examination revealed right eye proptosis, ptosis, and facial droop, lateral gaze palsy, and deviation of the tongue to the right. C-reactive protein was 22.3 mg/dL. Repeat c-ANCA titers were low titer positive. Spinal fluid was negative for inflammatory cells or infection. Magnetic resonance imaging showed opacification of the right middle ear, right mastoiditis, right-sided occipital-temporal meningeal enhancement, and enhancement of the right lateral extraocular muscles but no significant anterior sinus disease. Biopsy of the right dura overlying the temporal lobe revealed multifocal necrotizing granulomas with vessel destruction and no evidence of infection. He was placed on high-dose intravenous corticosteroids and intravenous cyclophosphamide with gradual clinical improvement. Conclusion Meningeal involvement in WG typically presents in patients with limited disease. Clinical features include headache, hearing loss, and cranial nerve dysfunction. Neuroimaging can reveal diffuse or focal meningeal inflammation. In up to one-third of WG patients with pachymeningitis, ANCA testing may be negative. As such, meningeal biopsy may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis, especially if infection is a consideration.
101 : Characterization of the interferon alpha inducible protein LY6E

Ly6E is a member of the Ly family of proteins whose genes are clustered on Chromosome 8. In micro array experiments performed by both our lab and others has shown the Ly6E is highly up regulated in response to Interferon Alpha (IFNa). Despite the identification of Ly6E as an IFNa inducible gene, the protein has not been characterized. Using computer modeling we propose that Ly6E is a spherical protein that is connected to the cell membrane through a GPI anchor. Ly6E is defined by a number of disulfide bonds. Through the modeling and sequence alignment we created a rabbit monoclonal antibody to a unique region of Ly6E. We validated the antibody both through Western Blot (WB) and Flow Cytometric (FC) analysis. Using FC and WB we found that the cell line A549 expressed Ly6E constitutively, independent of IFNa. Furthermore, basic biochemical analysis has found that the protein is highly unstable in a wide variety of storage conditions, and cannot be recovered readily after being dissociated from the cell. Our preliminary studies indicate that Ly6E alters Adenovirus 5 infection of diploid cells. Together these data show that Ly6E is a dynamic protein that can lend insights into Interferon Stimulated Genes and the antiviral response.
Experimental Study of Dynamic Progressive Collapse in Flat-Plate Buildings Subjected to Exterior Column Removal

AbstractThe experimental results of dynamically removing an interior column in a single-story, 2-bay-by-2-bay reinforced concrete flat-plate substructure are presented. The test specimen represente...
Influence function-based empirical likelihood and generalized confidence intervals for the Lorenz curve

This paper aims to solve confidence interval estimation problems for the Lorenz curve. First, we propose new nonparametric confidence intervals using the influence function-based empirical likelihood method. We show that the limiting distributions of the empirical log-likelihood ratio statistics for the Lorenz ordinates are standard chi-square distributions. We also develop “exact” parametric intervals for the Lorenz ordinate based on generalized pivotal quantities when the underlying income distribution is a Pareto distribution or a Lognormal distribution. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to evaluate the finite sample performances of the proposed methods. Finally, we apply our methods to a real income dataset.
Isolated focal dystonia phenotypes are associated with distinct patterns of altered microstructure.

Abstract Objective Isolated adult-onset focal dystonia is considered a network disorder with disturbances to the motor basal ganglia and cerebellar circuits playing a pathophysiological role, but why specific body regions become affected remains unknown. We aimed to use diffusion tensor imaging to determine if the two most common phenotypes of focal dystonia are associated with distinguishing microstructural changes affecting the motor network. Methods Fifteen blepharospasm patients, 20 cervical dystonia patients, and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Maps of fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity were analyzed using a voxel-based approach and an automated region-of-interest technique to evaluate deep gray matter nuclei. Correlations between diffusion measures and dystonia severity were tested, and post hoc discriminant analyses were conducted. Results Voxel-based analyses revealed significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in the right cerebellum and increased mean diffusivity in the left caudate of cervical dystonia patients compared to controls, as well as lower fractional anisotropy in the right cerebellum in cervical dystonia patients relative to blepharospasm patients. In addition to reduced fractional anisotropy in the bilateral caudate nucleus of cervical dystonia patients relative to controls and blepharospasm patients, region-of-interest analyses revealed significantly reduced fractional anisotropy in the right globus pallidus internus and left red nucleus of blepharospasm patients compared to both controls and cervical dystonia patients. Diffusivity measures in the red nucleus of blepharospasm patients correlated with disease severity. In a three-group discriminant analysis, participants were correctly classified with only modest reliability (67–75%), but in a two-group discriminant analysis, patients could be distinguished from each other with high reliability (83–100%). Conclusions Different focal dystonia phenotypes are associated with distinct patterns of altered microstructure within constituent regions of basal ganglia and cerebellar circuits.
Limb Salvage Procedures for Primary Sarcomas of the Humerus

The results of 13 cases of primary sarcoma of the humerus treated by limb salvage procedures with a mean follow-up of 3 years are reported. The tumors included six osteosarcomas, four chondrosarcomas, two malignant fibrous histiocytomas, and one leiomyosarcoma. Following a proximal resection of the humerus, a long-stem Neer prosthesis with varying combinations of bone cement and allograft was utilized for limb salvage reconstruction. The deltoid muscle was preserved in most cases, giving good functional results, with only one local recurrence. We had one postoperative dislocation and one ulnar nerve palsy. There were no stem loosenings no fracture.
On the Effect of Topology on Learning and Generalization in Random Automata Networks

We extend the study of learning and generalization in feedforward Boolean networks [70, 93] to random Boolean networks (RBNs). We explore the relationship between the learning capability and the network topology, the system size, the training sample size, and the complexity of the computational tasks. We show experimentally that there exists a critical connectivity Kc that improves the generalization and adaptation in networks. In addition, we show that in finite size networks, the critical K is a power-law function of the system size N and the fraction of inputs used during the training. We explain why adaptation improves at this critical connectivity by showing that the network ensemble manifests maximal topological diversity near Kc. Our work is partly motivated by self-assembled molecular and nanoscale electronics. Our findings allow to determine an automata network topology class for efficient and robust information processing.
Behavioral Treatment of Raynaud’s Syndrome

Raynaud’s Disease is a syndrome of disrupted peripheral bloodflow first described by Maurice Raynaud in 1862. A triphasic color change, usually exhibited in the digits of the hands or feet, is the hallmark of the disorder: sudden blanching and numbness of the affected part, due to localized arteriolar constriction; cyanosis, in which the pallor previously observed evolves into a blue color, characteristic of deoxygenated tissue and attributed to retarded blood flow in dilated capillaries and venules; and reactive hyperemia, characterized by the spread of red oxygenated blood through the upper level of the epidermis. This last phase is often accompanied by burning and tingling and lasts until the skin returns to its normal pink color. Only a minority of patients actually exhibit the classic triphasic color change, however, isolated pallor or cyanosis are much more likely (Porter, Rivers, Anders, & Baur, 1981). Typically, ischemia starts in the fingertips and progresses proximally to a variable degree, but rarely involves the palm. Occasionally, the earlobes, cheeks, and tip of the nose may also be affected (Hoffman, 1980). Attacks may last from minutes to hours and usually involve a local sensation of coldness, a loss of manual dexterity and considerable pain that can result in the interruption of routine activity. In severe cases, patients experience chronic vasoconstriction or such frequent episodes of cyanosis that gangrene or small nutritive lesions and ulcerations can appear at the distal end of the digits. Although cold stimulation is the most reliable eliciting stimulus, emotional stress has also been reported to produce these attacks (e.g., Mittlemann & Wolff, 1939).
Modeling Error Learning based Post-Processor Framework for Hydrologic Models Accuracy Improvement

Abstract. This paper studies how to improve the accuracy of hydrologic models using machine learning models as post-processors and presents possibilities to reduce the workload to create an accurate hydrologic model by removing the calibration step. It is often challenging to develop an accurate hydrologic model, due to the time-consuming model calibration procedure and the non-stationarity of hydrologic data. Our findings show that the errors of hydrologic models are correlated with model inputs. Thus motivated, we propose a modeling error learning based post-processor framework by leveraging this correlation to improve the accuracy of a hydrologic model. The key idea is to predict the differences (errors) between the observed values and the hydrologic model predictions by using machine learning techniques. To tackle the non-stationarity issue of hydrologic data, a moving window based machine learning approach is proposed to enhance the machine learning error predictions by identifying the local stationarity of the data using a stationarity measure developed based on Hilbert-Huang transform. Two hydrologic models, the Precipitation-Runoff Modeling System (PRMS) and the Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC-HMS), are used to evaluate the proposed framework. Two case studies are provided to exhibit the improved performance over the original model using multiple statistical metrics.
Stochastic Nonparametric Event-Tensor Decomposition

Tensor decompositions are fundamental tools for multiway data analysis. Existing approaches, however, ignore the valuable temporal information along with data, or simply discretize them into time steps so that important temporal patterns are easily missed. Moreover, most methods are limited to multilinear decomposition forms, and hence are unable to capture intricate, nonlinear relationships in data. To address these issues, we formulate event-tensors, to preserve the complete temporal information for multiway data, and propose a novel Bayesian nonparametric decomposition model. Our model can (1) fully exploit the time stamps to capture the critical, causal/triggering effects between the interaction events, (2) flexibly estimate the complex relationships between the entities in tensor modes, and (3) uncover hidden structures from their temporal interactions. For scalable inference, we develop a doubly stochastic variational Expectation-Maximization algorithm to conduct an online decomposition. Evaluations on both synthetic and real-world datasets show that our model not only improves upon the predictive performance of existing methods, but also discovers interesting clusters underlying the data.
Role of cytology and immunochemistry in diagnosis of metastatic malignancies in the lung: A critical appraisal.

BACKGROUND Lung is one of the most common sites for primary and metastatic malignancies and a challenging site to diagnose primary versus a metastatic origin of the tumor on cytology. Pathologic diagnosis of the site of origin of cancer has major implications in the management and staging purposes and may have to be followed by testing for predictive/prognostic markers. The clinical history of a known extrapulmonary primary and the radiologic findings of multiple nodules in the lung are useful in arriving at the right diagnosis but is not always available. Rarely pulmonary metastasis may be the first manifestation of an extrapulmonary tumor or may even present as a single nodule. METHOD In this study, we reviewed cytomorphologic features of tumors metastatic to the lung (2014-2017) in conjunction with immunochemistry and evaluation of needle core biopsy when available. The review of the slides was performed with an emphasis on our ability to identify the site of origin in the tumors. RESULTS We identified 47 cases of metastatic tumors in the lung diagnosed on cytology. Clinical history was available in 83% cases and with aid of immunostains, a definitive diagnosis on the origin of the tumor was made in all these cases. In the remaining 8 cases, a primary origin could only be suggested. The use of immunochemistry facilitated the diagnosis but could be misleading. CONCLUSION The approach to the diagnosis of metastatic tumors in the lung on cytology should be largely guided by the previous clinical history and comparison with previous tissue/cellular material if available.
The Effect that Structural and Investment Funds have on Voter Behaviour in European Parliamentary Elections

Structural and Investment Funds (SIFs) have become the European Union's most robust redistribution programme. In this article, we demonstrate that SIFs have grown large enough in scope that they are now beginning to function similarly to more established macroeconomic determinants of the vote such as unemployment and GDP growth in European Parliamentary elections. Moreover, SIFs have an electoral effect in a type of election that was previously assumed to be merely a referendum on national government performance: second‐order, EP elections. SIFs serve as an example of how robust public spending can have an electoral effect even in a second‐order election environment.
Student observations of medication error reporting practices in community pharmacy settings.

Abstract Background Medication safety practices and methods for reporting errors in community pharmacies are relatively unknown. Objective (s): The primary objective of this study was to describe student-reported data on medication safety and error reporting practices in community pharmacies, and secondarily describe student learning from this assignment. Methods Second professional year pharmacy students enrolled at Purdue University College of Pharmacy in the United States observed and recorded medication safety and error reporting practices as part of an experiential assignment. Data were collected from 170 unique pharmacy settings between the years 2016–2018 and analyzed using descriptive statistics and a paired t-test to assess student learning. Results 51% of students reported documentation of 1–10 errors or near misses annually, with an additional 30% reporting 11–30. Near misses were only reported 26% of the time. Errors were most commonly reported to a pharmacy-specific reporting system (84%) and the Institute for Safe Medication Practices National Medication Errors Reporting Program (84%). The most frequently reported error types included wrong directions (34%), wrong drug (14%), wrong strength (13%), and wrong patient (12%). Pharmacists were observed to be interrupted approximately 19 times every hour. Anonymous error reporting was typically not allowed to the pharmacy's preferred error reporting system (71%). A policy requiring that the prescriber is contacted about errors was observed at 77% of the sites. The most common consequences of committing an error were education/training (72%) or progressive discipline (41%). Students reported a statistically significant increase in understanding of medication safety practices and methods for reporting errors in community pharmacies. (p Conclusion This data supplements existing literature on medication safety practices and error reporting in community pharmacy settings, as well as highlights knowledge gaps outside the scope of this study.
Crystal structures of two isomeric 2-aryl-3-phenyl-1,3-thia­zepan-4-ones

The crystal of 6-(3-nitro­phen­yl)-7-phenyl-5-thia-7-aza­spiro­[2.6]nonan-8-one (1), C19H18N2O3S, has monoclinic (P21/n) symmetry while that of its isomer 6-(4-nitro­phen­yl)-7-phenyl-5-thia-7-aza­spiro­[2.6]nonan-8-one (2), has ortho­rhom­bic (Pca21) symmetry: compound 1 has two mol­ecules, A and B, in the asymmetric unit while 2 has one. In all three mol­ecules, the seven-membered thia­zepan ring exhibits a chair conformation with Q2 and Q3 values (A) of 0.521 (3), 0.735 (3) and 0.485 (3), 0.749 (3) in 1 and 0.517 (5), 0.699 (5) in 2. In each structure, the phenyl rings attached to adjacent atoms of the thia­zepan ring have inter­planar angles ranging between 41 and 47°. Except for the nitro groups, the three mol­ecules have similar conformations when overlayed in pairs. Both crystal structures are consolidated by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
Translational Models of Arrhythmia Mechanisms and Susceptibility: Success and Challenges of Modeling Human Disease.

We discuss large animal translational models of arrhythmia susceptibility and sudden cardiac death, focusing on important considerations when interpreting the data derived before applying them to human trials. The utility of large animal models of arrhythmias and the pros and cons of specific translational large animals used will be discussed, including the necessary tradeoffs between models designed to derive mechanisms vs. those to test therapies. Recent technical advancements which can be applied to large animal models of arrhythmias to better elucidate mechanistic insights will be introduced. Finally, some specific examples of past successes and challenges in translating the results of large animal models of arrhythmias to clinical trials and practice will be examined, and common themes regarding the success and failure of translating studies to therapy in man will be discussed.
Further Studies on Galactocerebroside β-Galactosidase in Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy

The genetic cause underlying globoid cell leukodystrophy (Krabbe’s disease) appears to be the deficiency of galactocerebroside β-galactosidase (galactosylceramide galactosyl hydrolase). Among postmortem organs, the deficiency was initially demonstrated in the brain, liver and spleen from three patients (11). This was later confirmed in the brain, liver and kidney of five additional patients (1, 13). Furthermore, the same deficiency has been demonstrated in peripheral leukocytes (5, 12), serum and cultured fibroblasts (12) from patients afflicted with this fatal neurological disorder. In addition to the diagnostic value of the galactocerebrosidase assay on these easily obtainable materials, our preliminary data indicated the possibility of heterozygous carrier detection utilizing these materials(12).
Maternal Mortality and Public Health Programs: Evidence from Florida

Policy Points US maternal mortality rates (MMRs) display considerable racial disparities and exceed those of other developed countries. While worldwide MMRs have dropped sharply since the 1990s, the US MMR appears to be rising. We provide strong evidence of the effectiveness of pregnancy-related public health spending on improvements in maternal health. Using longitudinal data from Florida counties, we found that spending on public health significantly reduced the MMR among black mothers and narrowed black-white outcome disparities. Each 10% increase in pregnancy-related public health expenditures was associated with a 13.5% decline in MMR among blacks and a 20.0% reduction in black-white disparities. Context Maternal mortality rates in the United States exceed those of other developed countries. Moreover, these rates show considerable racial disparities, in which black mothers are at three to four times the risk compared with their white counterparts. With more than half of all maternal deaths deemed to be preventable, public health interventions have the potential to improve maternal health along with other pregnancy outcomes. This rigorous longitudinal study examines the impact of a package of pregnancy-related public health programs on maternal mortality rates. Methods We analyzed administrative data on pregnancy-related public health expenditures, maternal mortality rates, and sociodemographic factors from all 67 Florida counties between 2001 and 2014. Florida provides consistent counts of maternal deaths for the entire period of this analysis. We estimated both fixed-effects ordinary least squares regressions (OLS) and generalized method of moments (GMM) models. GMM enabled us to identify the impact of public health expenditures on maternal mortality rates while also addressing both potential endogeneity and serial correlation problems. We also provide a series of robustness and falsification tests. Findings Overall, a 10% increase in targeted public health expenditures led to a weakly significant decline in overall maternal mortality rates of 3.9%. The estimated effect for white mothers was not statistically significant. However, we found statistically significant improvements for black mothers. Specifically, a 10% increase in pregnancy-related public health spending led to a 13.5% decline in maternal mortality rates among black mothers and a 20.0% reduction in the black-white maternal mortality gap. Conclusions Our analysis provides strong evidence of the effectiveness of public health programs in reducing maternal mortality rates and addressing racial disparities.
Building a Reference Transcriptome for the Hexaploid Hard Fescue Turfgrass (Festuca brevipila) Using a Combination of PacBio Iso-Seq and Illumina Sequencing

Hard fescue (Festuca brevipila Tracey, 2n=6x=42) is a cool-season turfgrass with a fine leaf texture that performs well under low-input management. Breeding and genetics studies of F. brevipilahave been limited due to the complexity of its hexaploid genome. To advance our knowledge of F. brevipila genomics, we used PacBio isoform sequencing to develop a reference transcriptome for this species. Here, we report the F. brevipila reference transcriptome generated from root, crown, leaf, and seed head tissues. We obtained 59,510 full-length transcripts, of which 38,595 were non-redundant full-length transcripts. The longest and shortest transcripts were 11,487 and 58 bp, respectively. To test the polyploid origin of F. brevipila, we sequenced three additional transcriptomes using closely related species on an Illumina platform. The results of our phylotranscriptomic analysis supported the allopolyploid origin of F. brevipila. Overall, the F. brevipila Pacbio Isoseq reference transcriptome provided the foundation for transcriptome studies and allowed breeders for gene discovery in this important turfgrass species.
Spatial Analysis of the Gender Wage Gap in Architecture, Civil Engineering, and Construction Occupations in the United States

AbstractOver the last recent decades, the economic status of women has been changed significantly. Gender segregation levels have decreased, and women have started participating in male-dominated o...
The ANI-1ccx and ANI-1x data sets, coupled-cluster and density functional theory properties for molecules

Maximum diversification of data is a central theme in building generalized and accurate machine learning (ML) models. In chemistry, ML has been used to develop models for predicting molecular properties, for example quantum mechanics (QM) calculated potential energy surfaces and atomic charge models. The ANI-1x and ANI-1ccx ML-based general-purpose potentials for organic molecules were developed through active learning; an automated data diversification process. Here, we describe the ANI-1x and ANI-1ccx data sets. To demonstrate data diversity, we visualize it with a dimensionality reduction scheme, and contrast against existing data sets. The ANI-1x data set contains multiple QM properties from 5 M density functional theory calculations, while the ANI-1ccx data set contains 500 k data points obtained with an accurate CCSD(T)/CBS extrapolation. Approximately 14 million CPU core-hours were expended to generate this data. Multiple QM calculated properties for the chemical elements C, H, N, and O are provided: energies, atomic forces, multipole moments, atomic charges, etc. We provide this data to the community to aid research and development of ML models for chemistry. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12046440
Undervine groundcover substantially increases shallow but not deep soil carbon in a temperate vineyard

Abstract Soil carbon may be enhanced in agroecosystems by increasing root density throughout the soil profile. In vineyards and orchards, groundcovers that grow concurrently with the grapevines directly increase shallow root biomass and may induce deeper rooting of the fruit crop. We examined root distributions and soil properties associated with soil carbon in a vineyard that varies in groundcover and rootstock management practices. In comparison to an herbicide control, the grass groundcover substantially increased root biomass inputs in shallow soil zones ( 40 cm). Collectively, our results suggest that undervine groundcovers can substantially increase shallow soil carbon, but the potential for increases beyond the groundcover root zone remains unclear.
Intracranial Grade II Meningioma Oligometastatic to the Cervical Spine.

For intracranial meningiomas that metastasize extracranially, an oligometastatic state exists that is intermediate between incurable, widely metastatic disease and non-metastatic curable disease. Similar to oligometastatic cancer, aggressive local treatment of meningioma oligometastases is warranted, as it may be curable. We present a patient with multiply recurrent intracranial meningiomas over 19 years, with a transformation from grade I to grade II histology, with oligometastatic disease to the C5 vertebral body. Three years following definitive spinal stereotactic radiosurgery, she remains without evidence of other metastatic diseases. Our case highlights the oncologic concept that metastatic meningioma need not be widely disseminated and provides the clinical rationale for aggressive local treatment of an oligometastatic meningioma.
Bayesian Theories of Probability and Statistical Inference

Chapter 8 traces the other branch of probability theory, the epistemic theories. The logical theorists hold probability to be the degree of belief in a proposition logically warranted by a given body of evidence. There is naturally some question who is to say what that degree of belief is. The personalist Bayesians answer that question in terms of betting ratios: Probability is determined by how you would bet. But they also impose constraints—chiefly additivity—to make the resulting probabilities correspond to the traditional aleatory calculus. In doing so they force us to commit all our chips on every proposition, since knowledge, in this vision, is a matter of betting against a malevolent Nature, seeking to win against us, and we are forced to pay for incorrect guesses. There remains the disquieting peculiarity of making personal betting ratios fundamental to science. Bayesian statistical inference proceeds by specifying your beliefs prior to seeing the data then combining them with the data to yield your posterior beliefs. Bayesians claim as an advantage that they include the full inference process in their calculations; the frequentists can retort that science is not served by forcing nonformalizable aspects into a formula.
What makes a successful academic accounting department? A multidimensional longitudinal analysis

Abstract The accounting educational literature is heavily focused on the characteristics and productivity of individual faculty members. The research contributions of these individuals are also aggregated by their departmental affiliations. However, very little work focuses upon how accounting departments are built and how they change over time. To evaluate the change in accounting departments over several decades, a detailed look at the major schools of one state (Ohio) is offered by this paper. Implications for the management of academic departments are offered, and suggestions for future research are made.
Interactions between two knots in nanochannel-confined DNA molecules.

Experimental data on the interaction between two knots in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) confined in nanochannels produced two particular behaviors of knot pairs along the DNA molecules: (i) widely separated knots experience an attractive interaction but only remain in close proximity for several seconds and (ii) knots tend to remain separated until one of the knots unravels at the chain end. The associated free energy profile of the knot–knot separation distance for an ensemble of DNA knots exhibits a global minimum when knots are separated, indicating that the separated knot state is more stable than the intertwined knot state, with dynamics in the separated knot state that are consistent with independent diffusion. The experimental observations of knot–knot interactions under nanochannel confinement are inconsistent with previous simulation-based and experimental results for stretched polymers under tension wherein the knots attract and then stay close to each other. This inconsistency is postulated to result from a weaker fluctuation-induced attractive force between knots under confinement when compared to the knots under tension, the latter of which experience larger fluctuations in transverse directions.
Feasibility of computerized clinical decision support for pediatric to adult care transitions for patients with special healthcare needs.

The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of a computerized clinical decision support (cCDS) tool to facilitate referral to adult healthcare services for children with special healthcare needs. A transition-specific cCDS was implemented as part of standard care in a general pediatrics clinic at a tertiary care academic medical center. The cCDS alerts providers to patients 17-26 years old with 1 or more of 15 diagnoses that may be candidates for referral to an internal medicine adult transition clinic (ATC). Provider responses to the cCDS and referral outcomes (e.g. scheduled and completed visits) were retrospectively analyzed using descriptive statistics. One hundred and fifty-two patients were seen during the 20-month observation period. Providers referred 87 patients to the ATC using cCDS and 77% of patients ≥18 years old scheduled a visit in the ATC. Transition-specific cCDS tools are feasible options to facilitate adult care transitions for children with special healthcare needs.
Nützliche Effekte ionisierender Strahlen

Im englischen Sprachgebrauch redet man von „beneficial“- Effekten ionisierender Strahlen, worunter im allgemeinen — rein wirtschaftlich gesehen — „nutzliche“ Effekte verstanden werden.
Tissue specific induction of ChREBP isoforms in carbohydrate refed mice and their impact on lipogenesis (642.8)

Background: Carbohydrate response element binding protein alpha (ChREBPα) is a transcription factor involved in carbohydrate (CHO) induced de novo lipogenesis. Recently, a novel isoform (ChREBPβ) h...
Automatic Steering System for Utility Trailers to Enhance Stability and Maneuverability

This paper describes an automatic steering system for small utility trailers. The types of trailers considered include boat trailers, moving trailers, camping trailers, and other small trailers. Towing such trailers can create both stability and maneuverability problems. The proposed automatic steering system reduces the severity of these problems by steering the wheels of the trailer. This paper describes this system and presents simulation results showing its effectiveness.
Opportunity Nox: The Future of NADPH Oxidases as Therapeutic Targets in Cardiovascular Disease

Over 40 years ago, NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) oxidase 2 (Nox2) was discovered in phagocytes and found to be essential in innate immunity. More than 20 years passed before additional Nox isoforms were discovered; and since then, studies have revealed that several of these isoforms (Nox1, Nox2, Nox4, and Nox5) are found in human cardiac and vascular cells and contribute to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Recently, major efforts have focused on identifying inhibitors capable of ameliorating Nox-mediated CVD. In this review, we briefly discuss the role of each Nox isoform in CVD, identify steps in Nox signaling that will serve as potential targets for the design of therapeutics, and highlight innovative strategies likely to yield effective Nox inhibitors within the next decade.
Improving the performance of RSS detection using wireless open-source platforms

Received signal strength (RSS) is a measurement of the power of received radio signal. Although RSS technique is implemented in many types of hardware, such as Network Information Cards (NICs) and smart phones, its detection performance may be disappointing due to various environmental factors and hardware design complexity. In this paper, the performance of RSS detection is enhanced in terms of accuracy and stability based on wireless open-source platforms. To construct accurate RSS mappings projected for specific RSS detection platforms, two data-fitting models are built and evaluated after conducting rigorous experiments. In addition, a four-antenna RSS evaluation approach is also proposed to combat the effects of complex environmental factors by selecting reliable samples. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed approaches are more efficient in improving the performance of RSS detection than the traditional single-antenna approach.
The many glia of a tiny nematode: studying glial diversity using Caenorhabditis elegans

Glia constitute a major, understudied population of cells in the nervous system. Currently, it is appreciated that these cells exhibit vast morphological, functional, and molecular diversity, but our understanding of glial biology is limited. Some key unanswered questions include how glial diversity is generated during development and what functions distinct glial subtypes serve in the mature nervous system. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans contains a defined set of glia, which have clear morphological and molecular differences, and thus provides a simplified model for understanding glial diversity. In addition, recent experiments suggest that the molecular mechanisms underlying the generation of glial diversity in C. elegans are conserved with those in mammals. In this review, we summarize the surprising diversity of glial subtypes present in this simple organism, and highlight current thinking about what roles they perform in the nervous system. We emphasize how genetic approaches may be used to identify the mechanistic origins of glial diversity, which is key to understanding how glia function in health and disease. WIREs Dev Biol 2015, 4:151–160. doi: 10.1002/wdev.171 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Conflict of interest: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest for this article.
Absence of caveolin-1 leads to delayed development of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in Eμ-TCL1 mouse model

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common adult leukemia in the United States. The tissue microenvironment, specifically the lymph nodes, influences the biological and clinical behavior of CLL cells. Gene expression profiling of CLL cells from peripheral blood, bone marrow, and lymph nodes revealed Cav-1 as one of the genes that might be involved in the pathogenesis of CLL. We have previously reported that the knockdown of Cav-1 in primary CLL cells exhibits a significant decrease in cell migration and immune synapse formation. However, the precise role of Cav-1 in CLL initiation and progression in vivo is not known. Therefore, we decreased the expression of Cav-1 in vivo by breeding Eμ-TCL1 with cav-1 knockout mice. We observed a significant decrease in the number of CLL cells and rate of proliferation of CLL cells in spleen, liver, and bone marrow from Eμ-TCL1-Cav1−/+ and Eμ-TCL1-Cav1−/− mice as compared with Eμ-TCL1 mice. In addition, there was a significant increase in survival of Eμ-TCL1-Cav1−/+ and Eμ-TCL1-Cav1−/− compared with Eμ-TCL1 mice. Mechanistically, we observed a decrease in MAPK-Erk signaling measured by p-Erk levels in Eμ-TCL1-Cav1−/+ mice when compared with Eμ-TCL1-Cavwt/wt. Together these results indicate that decreased Cav-1 in Eμ-TCL1 mice significantly delays the onset of CLL and decreases leukemic progression by inhibiting MAPK-Erk signaling, suggesting a role for Cav-1 in the proliferation and progression of CLL.
Quantitative double-label radiography of two-dimensional protein gels using color negative film and computer analysis.

We have devised a method of data collection and computer analysis which allows utilizaation of the resolving power of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of proteins, in conjunction with the versatility of using two different radionuclides simultaneously. Cultures of Escherichia coli growing with exponential growth rate constants (μ) of 0.32 and 1.43 were labeled with [3H]leucine and [14C]leucine, respectively; these samples were mixed, and cell protein was separated on a two-dimensional gel. Spacial and quantitative data for both radionuclides were recorded on color negative film by radiographic exposure. Data for 14C alone were then collected photographically from the red-light-sensitive layer of the film using a red filter, while data for 3H and spillover of 14C were collected photographically from the blue-light-sensitive layer using a blue filter. These two data sets were analyzed by CINT, a computer program for analysis of two-dimensional gels, and quantitative data for 3H were calculated after determination of spillover of 14C in a manner analogous to quantification of 3H and 14C by liquid scintillation counting. Quantitative data from over 1000 protein spots representing from 0.002% to 10% of the total 3H or 14C, respectively, are available in a matter of hours. We have used this method to analyze the effect of growth rate and medium composition on the relative levels of individual proteins in a pathogenic strain of E. coli which contains group 111 O-antigen. As expected, the relative levels of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, protein chain elongation factors, ribosomal proteins, and the α-subunit of RNA polymerase are all increased with increased growth rat; the magnitude of these changes agreed with previous data dervied using other strains of E. coli. Alterations in the levels of other proteins identified on the two-dimensional gels could be interpreted in terms of changes in medium composition. When compared to manual data collection by excising radiolabeled proteins and quantifying 3H and 14C in a liquid scintillation counter following combustion to H2O and CO2, respectively, this new method of data collection and computer analysis increases the resolution of data collection and decreases the time involved from days to hours.
Rapid taste-aversion learning by an isolated molluscan central nervous system

Abstract The isolated lips and nervous system of the terrestrial slug Limax maximus will produce some of the feeding behavior of the intact animal; i.e., they generate the rhythmic neural activity characteristic of ingestion in response to food extracts applied to the lips. This preparation will respond to a variety of food extracts that elicit feeding in the whole animal. This provides the opportunity for aversive conditioning experiments involving taste discrimination. Pairing lip chemostimulation by attractive food extracts with lip chemostimulation by using bitte plant secondary substances can cause the isolatd brain to selectively suppress its neural response to one food extract while remaining responsive to another. Such isolated brains can learn after one or two trials and retain the learning for more than 8 hr.
Latent and lytic infection of isolated guinea pig enteric ganglia by varicella zoster virus.

Varicella zoster virus (VZV) has been demonstrated to infect guinea pig enteric neurons in vitro. Latent infection of isolated enteric neurons is established when the cultures predominantly consist of neurons and they are exposed to cell-free VZV. Neurons harboring latent infection survive for weeks in vitro and express mRNA encoding ORFs 4, 21, 29, 40, 62, and 63, but not 14(gC) or 68 (gE) (although DNA encoding the glycoproteins is present). The expressed proteins are the same as those that are also expressed in human sensory neurons harboring latent VZV. In addition to mRNA, the immunoreactivities of ORFs 4, 21, 29, 62, and 63 can be detected. ORF 62 and 29 proteins are cytoplasmic and not intranuclear. VZV does not preferentially infect and/or become latent in intrinsic enteric primary afferent neurons indicating that the virus is latent in these neurons. Lytic infection occurs when mixed cultures of neurons and non-neuronal cells of the bowel wall are exposed to cell-free VZV or when isolated enteric neurons are exposed to cell-associated VZV. When lytic infection occurs, enteric neurons die within 48 hr. Prior to their death, neurons express VZV glycoproteins, including gE and gB, and ORF 62 and 29 proteins are intranuclear. This new animal model should facilitate studies of VZV latency and the efficacy of therapies designed to prevent VZV infection, latency, and reactivation.
Open access: a medical association perspective

The benefits claimed for open access publishing in the medical area are subjected to evaluation and question. It is represented that these benefits are, in many cases, illusory or doubtful.
Death in Pregnancy — An American Tragedy

The case of Marlise Munoz, in which a Texas hospital was made to withdraw support from a pregnant woman who had been brain dead for 2 months, should underscore women's right to determine the course of their end-of-life care, whether or not they are pregnant.
A tauberian theorem related to the modified Hankel transform

The modified Hankel transform arises naturally in connection with certain semigroup operations on measures in probability theory. We give a tauberian theorem for this transform when certain higher moments exist. The probabilistic significance of our result is that it translates a regularity condition on the transform into a direct condition on the measure. This complements earlier results by Pitman and Bingham for the trigonometric and the modified Hankel transform respectively.
Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error: Algebra and Statistics:

Several issues relating to goodness of fit in structural equations are examined. The convergence and differentiation criteria, as applied by Bagozzi, are shown not to stand up under mathematical or...
Pullularia Corneal Ulcer

A patient sustained a corneal abrasion from organic material, used an antibioticcorticosteroid ointment, and developed a corneal ulcer. The common contaminant Pullularia pullulans was isolated from corneal scrapings on two separate occasions. Topical amphotericin B application was ineffective despite in vitro sensitivity. The ulcer was improved by topical application of natamycin (pimaricine) but ultimately required a conjunctival flap for control.
Comparative lipid patterns in the melon fats of dolphins, porpoises and toothed whales

Abstract 1. 1. The melon fats from seventeen different genera of toothed whales were examined for lipid class composition, including isovalerate subclasses, using thin-layer chromatography and infrared spectroscopy. 2. 2. Animals in the Delphinidae, Phocoenidae and Monodontidae families all contain isovalerate lipids, while the Ziphiidae, Physeteridae and Platanistidae do not. 3. 3. Triglycerides are a major component in all samples examined. Considerable wax ester is present in most species except for the Phocoenidae and Monodontidae families and Platanista gangetica in the Platanistidae. 4. 4. Apparently either isovaleroyl lipids or long-chain wax esters produce melon acoustical properties favorable for odontocete echolocation.
Effective permittivity near zero in nanolaminates of silver and amorphous polycarbonate

Experiments were conducted to demonstrate a material with epsilon near zero (ENZ). Dimensions estimated by effective medium theory guided the fabrication of nanolaminate composites of silver and amorphous polycarbonate. This approach ensures that the ordinary component (not the extraordinary component) of the relative permittivity of a uniaxial material equals zero. The nanolaminates were characterized for optical properties using spectroscopic ellipsometry, reflectance, and transmittance. Simulations using both, a new scattering retrieval method, and an effective-medium approximation (EMA) were compared to the experimental results. These results indicate that nanolaminates should enable further exploration into the new optical phenomena predicted for ENZ materials.
A demonstration of coupled receptor/dispersion modeling with a genetic algorithm

Abstract A technique is presented for coupling receptor to dispersion models using a genetic algorithm to optimize the calibration factors, linking the two models. The backward-looking receptor model is based on the chemical mass balance model, but in this case, is formulated to break down pollutant contributions according to independent meteorological periods. For demonstration purposes the dispersion model is a basic Gaussian plume model, but could easily be substituted with a more refined model. The key to linking these two models is a genetic algorithm. The technique described here could prove useful for apportioning monitored pollutant to its sources, calibrating dispersion models, source position identification, monitor siting, and estimating total uncertainty.