cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Commentary on “Perspective on race and ethnicity in Alzheimer's disease research”

Abstract There are persistent disparities in Alzheimer's disease by race and ethnicity that are not well understood. The emphasis given to seeking a genetic basis for racial differences might be a distraction from the more relevant issue of identifying preventable causes of Alzheimer's disease. The majority of Alzheimer's disease cases are diagnosed as the late onset type and are unlikely to be inherited. Late onset Alzheimer's disease cases, therefore, more likely represent variations in gene expression than gene frequency. Although conceptual and methodologic problems have limited our understanding of this relationship, race-based studies provide important opportunities to understand the environmental factors associated with gene expression. Improving our understanding of the factors associated with race and ethnicity might help to clarify the epidemiology and course of Alzheimer's disease.
Small‐molecule protein–protein interaction inhibitors: Therapeutic potential in light of molecular size, chemical space, and ligand binding efficiency considerations

As the ultimate function of proteins depends to a great extent on their binding partners, protein–protein interactions (PPIs) represent a treasure trove of possible new therapeutic targets. Unfortunately, interfaces involved in PPIs are not well-suited for effective small molecule binding. Nevertheless, successful examples of small-molecule PPI inhibitors (PPIIs) are beginning to accumulate, and the sheer number of PPIs that form the human interactome implies that, despite the relative unsuitability of PPIs to serve as “druggable” targets, small-molecule PPIIs can still provide novel pharmacological tools and new innovative drugs in at least some areas. Here, after some illustrative examples, accumulating information on the binding efficiency, molecular size, and chemical space requirements will be briefly reviewed. Therapeutic success can only be achieved if these considerations are incorporated into the search process and if careful medicinal chemistry approaches are used to address the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion requirements of larger molecules that are often needed for this target class due to the lower efficiency of binding. © 2010 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 62(10): 724–731, 2010
Muscle Strength and Fall Rates Among Residents of Japanese and American Nursing Homes: An International Cross‐Cultural Study

OBJECTIVE: In Western society, aging is often associated with adoption of a sedentary lifestyle and associated disuse muscle atrophy and weakness. Recent studies suggest a relationship between quadriceps muscle weakness and falls in elderly residents of US nursing homes (NHs). We hypothesized that fall rates would be lower in Japanese NHs, where lifestyle differences such as squatting to toilet or sleeping on the floor may maintain quadriceps strength and result in fewer falls. Therefore, we examined the relationships between falls, muscle strength, lifestyle, and other clinical characteristics in residents of a Japanese and an American NH. DESIGN: Cross-culture, prospective, cohort study. MEASUREMENTS: We evaluated disease histories and current medications, quadriceps strength, and mobility of ambulatory American (n = 76) and Japanese (n = 89) NH residents, then followed these residents prospectively for the development of falls. Project staff from both sites trained together to assure uniform data ascertainment. MAIN RESULTS: During a 6-month follow-up period, fall rates were nearly 4-fold higher in the American than in the Japanese residents (49% vs 13%, respectively; P < 0.0001). In the American sample, fall rates declined with increasing muscle strength, while in Japan there was no relationship between fall rates and quadriceps strength. Residents also differed in number of medical diagnoses and use of medications, which were greater among American residents. The Japanese had slower gait speeds. Very few Japanese residents practiced squatting behaviors while living in the NH. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between muscle weakness and falls is probably modified by multiple characteristics of the individual, their culture, and their environment. Information from cross-cultural studies may provide new insights into effective fall prevention strategies for nursing home residents.
A three-dimensional construct of the aging eyebrow: the illusion of volume loss.

Background: The eyebrows and eyebrow fat pads, key structures in upper facial aesthetics, are particularly vulnerable to age-related changes. Objectives: In this study, the authors compare the impact of aging on the eyebrows and eyebrow fat pad volume in men and women through three-dimensional (3D) volumetric analysis. Methods: Electronic medical records of patients seen at the Jules Stein Eye Institute in the Division of Orbital and Ophthalmic Plastic Surgery between 2005 and 2010 were reviewed. Patients were included if they had undergone investigative imaging of the orbit for unilateral pathology. Computed tomography (CT) scans of patients with Graves disease diagnosis, extensive orbital trauma, and/or previous eyebrow surgery were excluded. A total of 52 CT scans (24 men and 28 women) were retained for analysis. A 3D reconstruction software was used to analyze the scans and calculate volumes of the retroorbicularis oculi fat (ROOF), galeal fat (ROOF and subcutaneous fat), and soft tissue muscles. Results: Galeal and brow fat volumes showed a significant positive trend toward enlargement in women ( P values of .01 and .05, respectively). Although men showed a tendency toward fat enlargement with age, this was not statistically significant. Soft tissue–muscle volume decreased significantly in aging women (9.32 mm3/y) ( P = .02). Data indicated that soft tissue volume in men tended to increase with age (3.92 mm3/y) but not significantly ( P = .36). Neither total volume nor brow thickness appeared to change significantly in women ( P = .56, P = .73). In men, total volume and brow thickness showed weak evidence of increasing with age ( P = .12, P = .22). Linear regressions of Hertel measurements with and without sex interaction showed no statistically significant trend between the amount of proptosis and the galeal or brow fat. Conclusions: Although overall eyebrow volume does not change with age, the relative contribution of fat and soft tissue to the total volume does seem to change. This pattern also differs between males and females. As women age, the fat volume increases and the soft tissue volume decreases. In men, the shift from soft tissue volume to fat volume is less pronounced. Although many clinicians have been drawn to the concept of fat volume deflation as a key element of facial aging, this study does not support this perspective in the eyebrow fat pad. An increasingly refined understanding of the dynamics of facial aging is mandatory for clinical diagnosis and will likely provide the framework from which to develop more innovative treatment options.
Biosynthesis of arachidonic acid metabolites in Limulus polyphemus amebocytes: analysis by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Abstract Eicosanoid metabolites were generated by isolated granular amebocytes of the primitive arthropod, Limulus polyphemus, when stimulated by the calcium ionophore A23187 and/or exogenous arachidonic acid. the metabolites were isolated, identified, and the major metabolite was quantified using reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Qualitative examination revealed putative metabolites and the major product, 8-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (8-HETE), which was quantified using standard curves generated from extracted ion profiles of the molecular ion. Electrospray ionization of the HETEs in negative ion mode produces a base peak for all isomers which corresponded to the molecular ion [(MH)−: m/z 319]. The molecular ion was accompanied by the neutral loss of water and carbon dioxide [(MH −H2O)−: m/z 301; (MH −H2O −CO2)−: m/z 257], as well as daughter ions which were dependent upon the position of hydroxy substitution. Standard curves were generated in full scan mode for standards ranging from 6.25 to 100 ng, whereas selected ion recording was used for the lower levels of 0.8 to 6.25 ng.
Vibration Of A Delaminated Beam-plate Relative To Post-buckling States With Shear Deformation Theory

Abstract Free vibrations of delaminated plates relative to post-buckled states have been investigated. The transverse shear deformation effects on natural frequencies and mode shapes are included in the analysis. Three types of natural modes—the local mode, the global mode and the general mixed mode—have been found in the post-buckling states. It is observed that the vibration characteristics have been influenced severely for plates with long and thin delaminations and that the transverse shear effect becomes important for plates with short and thick delaminations.
Optimization and characterization of a high repetition rate, high intensity Nd:YLF regenerative amplifier

Solid state regenerative amplifiers have proved to be a reliable source for producing stable millijoule pulses as short as a few picoseconds at repetition rates ranging from a few hertz to several kilohertz. Here we report on the operation of a cw pumped Nd:YLF regenerative amplifier that uses a convex-concave design to optimize output energy and stability while minimizing the energy density on critical intracavity optical components. The amplifier yields stable 5-mJ 40-ps pulses at 700 Hz and has achieved 1-mJ output at a 3.5-kHz repetition rate. Results and analysis of the beam profile and contrast ratio for this system are also presented. Our results are contrasted to the general design considerations of regenerative amplifiers.
The role of experience in the development and retention of seed preferences in zebra finches.

The role of experience in the development of individual food preferences was tested in Zebra Finches using seeds of canary grass, white millet and red millet. Natural preferences, determined in birds reared from hatching on a mixture of equal parts of the three seeds was: red millet = white millet> > canary seed at five weeks of age, and red millet> white millet> > canary seed at 21 weeks. Birds reared exclusively on one of the millets invariably selected a millet over canary seed when tested at five weeks of age or at 21 weeks of age. Choice between the two millets in these tests was irregular with a slight tendency to select the familiar type. Birds reared exclusively on canary seed selected canary seed over a millet in 19 of 22 cases at five weeks of age and in 8 of 10 cases at 21 weeks of age. Selection in the 5 exceptions was statistically random. Birds reared exclusively on one of the millets for five weeks and then changed to the mixed ration for 16 weeks showed preference for a millet in 16 of 10 cases; the remaining 3 showed no definite preference. Birds similarly reared on canary seed and then given the mixed rations before testing selected canary seed in two cases, a millet in 7 and showed no definite preference in 3. Birds reared exclusively on canary seed for 21 weeks and then given only millets for 8 weeks selected canary seed in 2 cases, a millet in one and showed no clear preference in two. Birds reared on one seed type through the nesting period and then on a second seed through the fledgling period all selected the second, fledgling period, seed when tested immediately. When a two weeks period on a third seed, one of the naturally preferred millets, was inserted before testing 3 birds fledged on canary seed retained a preference for canary seed, 4 selected a millet and 2 showed no clear preference. Birds reared on the mixed ration to 21 weeks of age and then given only canary seed for 8 weeks showed a preference for canary seed in 2 cases, for a millet in 3 cases and for neither type in one. It is concluded that restriction to a non-preferred seed during the first 5 weeks of life induces a preference for that seed in Zebra Finches. This learned preference declines gradually with open or forced experience with naturally preferred seeds but persists in some individuals for at least 2 to 4 months. The 2-3 week period after fledgling is important in the establishment of these induced seed preferences, but some birds are postively influenced by imposed food experiences after 5 months of age.
Beyond visual acuity: the perceptual scalability of information visualizations for large displays

The scalability of information visualizations has typically been limited by the number of available display pixels. As displays become larger, the scalability limit may shift away from the number of pixels and toward human perceptual abilities. This work explores the effect of using large, high resolution displays to scale up information visualizations beyond potential visual acuity limitations. Displays that are beyond visual acuity require physical navigation to see all of the pixels. Participants performed various information visualization tasks using display sizes with a sufficient number of pixels to be within, equal to, or beyond visual acuity. Results showed that performance on most tasks was more efficient and sometimes more accurate because of the additional data that could be displayed, despite the physical navigation that was required. Visualization design issues on large displays are also discussed.
MULTI-STATE START-UP DEMONSTRATION TESTS

Multistate start-up demonstration tests are proposed and analyzed using a Markov Chain approach. The new demonstration tests are generalizations of the CSTF, TSTF, and CSCF start-up demonstration tests discussed in the literature that have the important practical advantage of allowing for early termination when the quality of successful start-ups is exceptional. When the termination results in acceptance of the equipment, the use of a multi-state startup demonstration test results in an increase in the probability of an early termination of as much as. 35 over the optimal binary start-up test in cases studied. The Markov Chains methodology is used in the probabilistic analysis. Practical guidance on choosing tests, estimation, and comparisons of the various criteria are studied. The Markov Chain approach is then extended to study the non-i.i.d. case.
Molecular Properties of Post‐Mortem Muscle. 7. Changes in Nonprotein Nitrogen and Free Amino Acids of Bovine Muscle

SUMMARY– Proteolysis and its relationship to tenderness were studied by measuring nonprotein nitrogen (NPN), free amino groups, and shear resistance during post-mortem aging of bovine muscle. Both NPN and free amino groups increased during post-mortem aging, indicating some degradation of proteins and/or peptides. However, neither the increase in NPN nor free amino groups was related to post-mortem tenderization since these quantities increased only after most of the improvement in tenderness had occurred. Much of the increase in NPN or free amino groups may originate from degradation of sarcoplasmic proteins or peptides. It is suggested that weakening or breaks at crucial points in the sarcomere, such as at the junction of the Z-line with the thin filaments, occur within the first 48-72 hr post-mortem and that this weakening or cleavage is responsible for tenderization. Cathepsin D may be responsible for this weakening but most of the available evidence is against proteolysis as the primary cause of post-mortem tenderization.
Photon counting passive 3D image sensing for automatic target recognition

In this paper, we propose photon counting three-dimensional (3D) passive sensing and object recognition using integral imaging. The application of this approach to 3D automatic target recognition (ATR) is investigated using both linear and nonlinear matched filters. We find there is significant potential of the proposed system for 3D sensing and recognition with a low number of photons. The discrimination capability of the proposed system is quantified in terms of discrimination ratio, Fisher ratio, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on photon counting 3D passive sensing and ATR with integral imaging.
The Laboratory Evaluation and Enrichment of Couples: Applications and Some Preliminary Results

Data relating to the effects of structured versus unstructured interventions with three couples are presented and compared. Arguments are presented for the standard use of: 1) routine, pre- post-intervention assessment, 2) laboratory procedures in the assessment and treatment of couples, and 3) paraprofessionals in intervention with couples. This report is part of a systematic program of research into the appropriate use of structured and unstructured intervention and into the optimal matching of client family and intervention approach.
Development and Evaluation of an HIV/AIDS Knowledge Measure for Adolescents Focusing on Misconceptions

Abstract Measures of adolescents' HIV/AIDS knowledge that cover only die basic facts may fail to assess underlying misunderstandings in need of intervention. We developed and evaluated a measure covering the broad domain of HIV/AIDS knowledge, emphasizing misunderstandings revealed in semi-structured qualitative interviews. These included the cumulative and relative risks of unsafe behaviors, proper condom use, needle cleaning, HIV test procedures, and disease progression. Reliability was satisfactory; a correlation between test performance and condom use among sexually active teens provided predictive validity.
Transient film and transition boiling from a sphere

Abstract The nature of transition boiling from 3 4 in. dia. copper sphere moving through subcooled distilled water was experimentally investigated. High-speed photographs show that transition occurs as a rapidly pulsating vapor film on the forward portion of the sphere. The behavior of the vapor wake is highly dependent upon the manner in which vapor is being formed on the forward portion of the sphere. Instantaneous heat transfer rates calculated from experimental temperature-time measurements indicate that film and transition boiling are as effective as nucleate boiling over the velocity range, 9.6–20.0 fps, in highly subcooled water. That is, there is no significant change in the heat transfer rate at transition as observed for free convection quenching of spheres.
Personal, Relational, and Contextual Resources and Relationship Satisfaction in Same-Sex Couples

Despite previous research findings that suggest that same-sex couples often experience unique stressors within their relationships, other findings indicate that same-sex couples demonstrate similar levels of relationship satisfaction as compared with heterosexual couples. The study described in this article was conducted to examine the extent to which various personal, relationship, and contextual resources may contribute to relationship satisfaction among individuals in same-sex couples. The findings indicated that individuals in same-sex couples may have more variability in the levels of support they receive from contextual resources. In addition, relationship resources were predictive of relationship satisfaction among the study participants, although personal and contextual resources did not contribute any unique variance to relationship satisfaction. The article concludes with implications for theory, practice, and research in couple and family counseling.
GROWTH OF THE GREEN ALGA CODIUM FRAGILE IN A CONNECTICUT ESTUARY1

SUMMARY An in situ comparison of environmental and physiological factors was undertaken in 1971–72 (15 months) in the Niantic River estuary to elucidate some of the important aspects, of the growth and development of the seaweed Codium fragile. In general, Codium in the estuary has a growing season of from 6 to 9 months. Growth increments during this period are relatively constant. Temperature and salinity are the main limiting factors to growth, although low summer concentrations of inorganic nitrogen may also be involved. Reproduction by means of swarmers occurs only in late summer or autumn. Codium appears highly adapted to the role of a colonizing species. It not only possesses the capability to occupy the harshest of environments, but also a system of reproductive alternatives which facilitates rapid colonization. The availability of substrate for attachment is the chief factor limiting its spread in this estuarine system.
Volume and sound velocity changes accompanying the -helix to -form and coil to -helix transitions in aqueous solution.

The volume increment per amino acid residue for the α-helix to β-form transition of uncharged poly-L-lysine in aqueous solution was 3.8 ml in water and 4.3 ml in 0.2M and 1M NaBr solutions at 26°C, respectively. The sound velocity of the polymer solution was greater with the β-helix than with the β-form, but the difference was less in dilute salt solutions and disappeared in 1 or 2M NaBr solution. Thus, the β poly-L-lysine solution was slightly more compressible than the α-polymer solution, but this difference was diminished with increasing salt concentration. Both the volume change and the change in adiabatic compressibility of the polymer solution suggest that hydrophobic interactions among the lysyl groups in the β-form reduce the amount of “icebergs” surrounding the polymer molecules as compared with the amount originally present with the α-helix. The coil-to-helix transition of poly-L-glutamic acid in aqueous solution was also accompanied by a decrease in sound velocity. This can be attributed to the reduction of the water of hydration which is less compressible than free water.
UTERINE REACTION TO SEX HORMONES IN THE IMMATURE GUINEA PIG

Unlike the rat and the mouse the guinea-pig does not readily respond to manipulation with either the ovarian follicular hormone, theelin, or the anterior pituitary-like hormone, prolan. Aside from the element of species difference one explanation may lie in the longer sex cycle, implying a more complex genital mechanism. In order to record the behavior of the guineapig, which undergoes the same rhythmic changes in its reproductive tract observed in other animals, a study was made of 150 immature females weighing from 165 to 300 gm., injected with the following substances: pregnancy urine, male urine, commercial theelin (three preparations), theelol, commercial prolan (two preparations), sheep pituitary gland emulsion, pregnancy blood, and a few combinations of these.† The major part of the investigation was devoted to the induced uterine hypertrophy which was striking and rapid, even though not constant in occurrence. Although enlargement of the uterus is one of the manifestations of oestrus in rodents, i...
Materials Science in the Electrical Engineering Curriculum

Materials properties are crucial to the operation of electron devices. Based on this fact, the inclusion of the study of material science as an integral part of an electrical engineering curriculum is examined. The trends in the curriculum over a period of time are considered with respect to the growth of technology. A nationwide sampling of the electrical engineering curriculum over ten year periods is cataloged. Tabulated results are presented. Based on these results, a view of future curriculum that incorporates material aspects is presented.
Planetary Wave Breaking and Tropospheric Forcing as Seen in the Stratospheric Sudden Warming of 2006

Abstract The major stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) of January 2006 is examined using meteorological fields from Goddard Earth Observing System version 4 (GEOS-4) analyses and forecast fields from the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System–Advanced Level Physics, High Altitude (NOGAPS-ALPHA). The study focuses on the upper tropospheric forcing that led to the major SSW and the vertical structure of the subtropic wave breaking near 10 hPa that moved low tropical values of potential vorticity (PV) to the pole. Results show that an eastward-propagating upper tropospheric ridge over the North Atlantic with its associated cold temperature perturbations (as manifested by high 360-K potential temperature surface perturbations) and large positive local values of meridional heat flux directly forced a change in the stratospheric polar vortex, leading to the stratospheric subtropical wave breaking and warming. Results also show that the anticyclonic development, initiated by the subtropical wave br...
Journalists’ hostility toward public relations: an historical analysis

Abstract Journalists seem to treat public relations and its practitioners with contempt. However, this tension is complex and no studies have investigated the problem’s historic roots. Thus, this paper explores the perspective of “early insiders” through an historical analysis of autobiographies, biographies, and magazine articles written by and about early US newspaper reporters and editors. Results revealed six interrelated factors that contributed to the origins, persistence, and contradictions surrounding the hostility. The paper concludes with practical implications and future research directions.
The Islamic Court, the Islamic Judge, and the Accommodation of Traditions: A Jordanian Case Study

In his collection of essays, Peasant Society and Culture, Robert Redfield stresses that peasants are men of the countryside who are tied to the land and rooted in villages and who, at the same time, must take account of the city — whether that recognition involves its political power, its marketplace, its beliefs, its style of life, or the people it produces. Redfleld calls attention to two aspects of the interaction between town and countryside. On the one hand he focuses on the linkers, whether men (e.g., dons, senoritos, mandarins, mukhtars) or institutions (temples, schools, castes, mosques, or dramatic companies) of peasants and townsmen; on the other hand he focuses on the cultural materials (beliefs, ceremonies, art forms) they exchange. In both cases Redfield is interested in the process of exchange in its “social organizational” context. That is, he is interested in the day-to-day situations in which beliefs from the “great tradition of the reflective few” are heartily rejected or wholly accepted, or more usually tolerated, accommodated, and perhaps reinterpreted by a “little tradition of the largely unreflective many” (Redfield 1958, p. 70). And he is interested in the opposite process by which the beliefs of the many are accepted or rejected, or more usually tolerated, accommodated, and/or reinterpreted by the reflective few
Evaluation of the alkylammonium method of determining layer charge

The layer charge of five smectites, one vermiculitic material, and five reduced-charge clays was determined by the alkylammonium and structural formula methods. The two sets of results were found to be linearly correlated (r =.961 ); however, the values that were determined by the alkylammonium method were 20 to 30% lower than those determined by the structural formula method, and the regression slope for their linear relationship was 1.67. The fact that the structural formula method includes the effects of cations on the lateral edges of the clay particles probably accounted for some of the differences in the magnitude of the results but should not have caused the regression slope to deviate substantially from 1.00. Therefore, inaccurate estimates of the packing density of alkylammonium cations in the interlayer space of 2:1 phyllosilicates were deemed responsible for the systematic divergence of the results of the two methods. To satisfy the need for a relationship between the two methods of determining layer charge, an empirical means of adjusting the alkylammonium values has been proposed and shown to yield values of layer charge that are comparable to those determined by the structural formula method.
Inhaled nitric oxide in newborn and paediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension and moderate to severe impaired oxygenation: effects of doses of 3–100 parts per million

Objective: To assess the effects of inhaled nitric oxide (INO) 3–100 ppm on oxygenation in both newborn and paediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension and impaired gas exchange. Design: Open, prospective, multicentre study. Setting: Tertiary neonatal and paediatric intensive care units in university referral centres. Patients: Newborn (age ≤ 7 days; n = 26) and paediatric (age 8 days–7 years; n = 16) patients with pulmonary hypertension verified by echocardiography and an oxygenation index of (OI) 15–40 were included in the study. Interventions: The patients were subjected to stepwise increases in doses of INO (0, 3, 10, 30, 60, 100 ppm). Measurements and results: The effect on oxygenation was measured by repeated blood gas analysis. A positive response to INO was defined as a reduction in OI of ≥ 25 % compared to baseline (0 ppm). INO was found to improve oxygenation in both newborn (p < 0.0001) and paediatric (p = 0.015) patients and the response rate was 77 and 50 %, respectively. A marked interindividual difference in the magnitude of the response was found between patients (change in OI compared to baseline: − 90 to 15 %). Only 2 of 28 responding patients required doses in excess of 30 ppm in order to show a positive response. Conclusions: INO is capable of improving oxygenation in both newborn and paediatric patients with pulmonary hypertension and impaired gas exchange, although the magnitude of the individual response can vary greatly. Doses in excess of 30 ppm are only rarely required in order to achieve a reduction in the oxygenation index of ≥ 25 %.
Staphylococcal abscess complicating endocardial aneurysmectomy.

Subendocardial left ventricular aneurysmectomy relieved previously intractable ventricular tachycardia in a 68-year-old man with severe coronary artery disease. Staphylococcal septicemia developed postopera-tively; an infected venoclysis site may have provided the portal of entry. Autopsy confirmed staphylococcal abscess at the epicardial aspect of the ventriculotomy, constituting the first reported case, to our knowledge, of this complication following endocardial surgery.
The practicality of SIMD for scientific computing

While not popular at present for scientific computing, SIMD has proven to be a practical option for tackling a variety of scientific problems. The MasPar MP-2 at NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center is being successfully employed for Grand Challenges in Earth and space science. This paper considers the applicability, specific implementation and performance of five algorithms-astrophysical fluid dynamics, particle-in-cell techniques, N-body simulations, finite element simulations of fluids, and image processing. When compared to a single-processor CRAY C90, the MasPar MP-2 exhibits substantially better performance-to-cost and fully competitive sustained performance. >
Iolaus: securing online content rating systems

Online content ratings services allow users to find and share content ranging from news articles (Digg) to videos (YouTube) to businesses (Yelp). Generally, these sites allow users to create accounts, declare friendships, upload and rate content, and locate new content by leveraging the aggregated ratings of others. These services are becoming increasingly popular; Yelp alone has over 33 million reviews. Unfortunately, this popularity is leading to increasing levels of malicious activity, including multiple identity (Sybil) attacks and the "buying" of ratings from users. In this paper, we present Iolaus, a system that leverages the underlying social network of online content rating systems to defend against such attacks. Iolaus uses two novel techniques: (a) weighing ratings to defend against multiple identity attacks and (b) relative ratings to mitigate the effect of "bought" ratings. An evaluation of Iolaus using microbenchmarks, synthetic data, and real-world content rating data demonstrates that Iolaus is able to outperform existing approaches and serve as a practical defense against multiple-identity and rating-buying attacks.
Induction of KIAA1199/CEMIP is associated with colon cancer phenotype and poor patient survival

Genes induced in colon cancer provide novel candidate biomarkers of tumor phenotype and aggressiveness. We originally identified KIAA1199 (now officially called CEMIP) as a transcript highly induced in colon cancer: initially designating the transcript as Colon Cancer Secreted Protein 1. We molecularly characterized CEMIP expression both at the mRNA and protein level and found it is a secreted protein induced an average of 54-fold in colon cancer. Knockout of CEMIPreduced the ability of human colon cancer cells to form xenograft tumors in athymic mice. Tumors that did grow had increased deposition of hyaluronan, linking CEMIP participation in hyaluronan degradation to the modulation of tumor phenotype. We find CEMIP mRNA overexpression correlates with poorer patient survival. In stage III only (n = 31) or in combined stage II plus stage III colon cancer cases (n = 73), 5-year overall survival was significantly better (p = 0.004 and p = 0.0003, respectively) among patients with low CEMIP expressing tumors than those with high CEMIP expressing tumors. These results demonstrate that CEMIP directly facilitates colon tumor growth, and high CEMIP expression correlates with poor outcome in stage III and in stages II+III combined cohorts. We present CEMIP as a candidate prognostic marker for colon cancer and a potential therapeutic target.
Gamma Knife radiosurgery for medically and surgically refractory prolactinomas: long-term results

Prolactinomas are the most common functioning pituitary adenomas. Dopamine agonists (DA) are generally very effective in treating prolactinomas by inducing tumor volume regression and endocrine remission. A minority of patients do not respond to DA or are intolerant because of side-effects. Microsurgical resection when possible is the next treatment option, but cavernous sinus, dural, or bone involvement may not allow for complete resection. We reviewed the outcome of patients with medically and surgically refractory prolactinomas treated with Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) during a 22 years follow-up period. We reviewed the patient database at the University of Virginia Gamma Knife center during a 25-year period (1989–2014), identifying 38 patients having neurosurgical, radiological and endocrine follow-up. Median age at GKRS treatment was 43 years. Median follow-up was 42.3 months (range 6–207.9). 55.3 % (n = 21) were taking a dopamine agonist at time of GKRS. 63.2 % (n = 24) had cavernous sinus tumor invasion. Endocrine remission (normal serum prolactin off of a dopamine agonist) was achieved in 50 % (n = 19). GKRS induced hypopituitarism occurred in 30.3 % (n = 10). Cavernous sinus involvement was shown to be a significant negative prognosticator of endocrine remission. Taking a dopamine agonist drug at the time of GKRS showed a tendency to decrease the probability for endocrine remission. GKRS for refractory prolactinomas can lead to endocrine remission in many patients. Hypopituitarism is the most common side effect of GKRS.
The evolution and future directions of endovascular therapy.

The past two decades have seen tremendous strides in endovascular therapeutics for the treatment of neurovascular disease. They include new management strategies for hemorrhagic disease, as well as ischemic stroke. The development of the Guglielmi detachable coil and its Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1995 introduced a potential alternative treatment of intracranial aneurysms in certain patient populations. Currently, more than 200,000 patients have been treated worldwide using this technique with endosaccular deposition of platinum coils. Stent-assisted coiling techniques, along with complex coil shape development and bioactive coil technology, have expanded both the efficacy and durability of endovascular aneurysm treatment. Management of intracranial stenosis has evolved from angioplasty and/or stenting with cardiac devices to a new flexible system specifically designed for the cerebral circulation. Laboratory investigation into the underlying molecular and genetic basis of cerebrovascular diseases is rapidly expanding with development of cell-mediated therapies.
Review of China's Trapped Transition: The Limits of Developmental Autocracy by Minxin Pei

Review of "China's Trapped Transition: The Limits of Developmental Autocracy" by Minxin Pei. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2006.
Uncommon functional properties of the first piscine 26S proteasome from the Antarctic notothenioid Trematomus bernacchii.

Protein homoeostasis is a fundamental process allowing the preservation of functional proteins and it has a great impact on the life of the Antarctic organisms. However, the effect of low temperatures on protein turnover is poorly understood and the cold-adaptation of the degradation machinery remains an unresolved issue. As the 26S proteasome represents the main proteolytic system devoted to the controlled degradation of intracellular proteins, the purpose of the present study was to investigate the functions of this complex in the notothenioid Trematomus bernacchii, in order to better understand its role in the physiology of Antarctic fish. To this aim, we purified and characterized the 26S proteasome from T. bernacchii and isolated the cDNAs codifying seven of the 14 subunits belonging to the proteasome 20S core particle. Results provided evidences of the high resistance of the piscine 26S proteasome to oxidative agents and of its ‘uncommon’ ability to efficiently hydrolyse oxidized bovine serum albumin (BSA), suggesting that this enzymatic complex could play a key role in the antioxidant defense systems in fish inhabiting permanently cold marine environments. These unique properties were also reflected by the 3D model analysis, which revealed a higher structural stability of the piscine complex respect to the murine template. Finally, a comparative analysis, performed in a variety of tissues collected from T. bernacchii and the temperate fish Dicentrarchus labrax, showed a lower protein retention in the cold-adapted fish, possibly due to a better efficiency of its degradation machinery.
Investigation of Stabilization Methods for Multi-Dimensional Summation-by-parts Discretizations of the Euler Equations

We present an extensible Julia-based solver for the Euler equations that uses a summationby-parts (SBP) discretization on unstructured triangular grids. While SBP operators have been used for tensor-product discretizations for some time, they have only recently been extended to simplices. Here we investigate the accuracy and stability properties of simplexbased SBP discretizations of the Euler equations. Non-linear stabilization is a particular concern in this context, because SBP operators are nearly skew-symmetric. We consider an edge-based stabilization method, which has previously been used for advection-diusio nreaction problems and the Oseen equations, and apply it to the Euler equations. Additionally, we discuss how the development of our software has been facilitated by the use of Julia, a new, fast, dynamic programming language designed for technical computing. By taking advantage of Julia’s unique capabilities, code that is both ecient and generic can be written, enhancing the extensibility of the solver.
Experimental Study of Impingement and Reaction of Hypergolic Droplets

Understanding hypergolic ignition is critical for the safe and successful operation of hypergolic engines. Presently, hypergolic ignition models do not capture the complex coupling of physical and chemical processes necessary to achieve ignition and rely on experimental results for validation. In some cases, the chemical kinetics of hypergolic propellants and the fluid dynamics of droplet collisions couple to produce unexpected phenomena. This research investigates contact between droplets and pools of liquid hypergolic propellants under various impact velocities and impact geometries in order to quantify the liquid-phase reactions and categorize the resulting interaction. A total 142 drop test experiments were performed. Three distinct types of impacts were identified: explosions, bounces, and splashes. The impact type was found to depend on the impact Weber number and impact angle. Splashes occurred above a critical Weber number of 250, regardless of impact angle. Explosions occurred for Weber numbers less than 250, and for impact angles less than seven degrees. If the impact angle was greater than seven degrees, the test resulted in a bounce. High-speed videos acquired at up to 100,000 frames per second provided a means to observe the liquid-phase chemical reactions in detail. From these videos, the delay between contact and first gas production was measured to be between 20 and 200 microseconds for monomethylhydrazine and red fuming nitric acid. This delay provides insight into the rates of the liquid-phase chemical reactions, and has helped calibrate liquid-based ignition models.
Prenatal Diagnosis of Intrauterine Infection with Parvovirus B19 by the Polymerase Chain Reaction Technique

Human parvovirus B19 is a recently recognized cause of fetal hydrops and death. Efforts to characterize the natural history of fetal infection with this virus have been hampered by the lack of sensitive and specific tests for diagnosis in utero. Using the highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, we determined the fetal infection status in 56 pregnancies by testing amniotic fluid, fetal serum, and maternal serum for B19 DNA and antibodies. Factors associated with a high risk of B19 infection were fetal disease, exposure to persons with erythema infectiosum, or signs or symptoms of acute B19 infection. Fifteen women (27%) were B19 IgM-positive, a status suggesting recent infection; the positivity of all of the corresponding fetal specimens for B19 DNA in the PCR was indicative of fetal infection. In four of these cases, serial ultrasonographic examinations documented spontaneous resolution of fetal hydrops. Twenty-four women (43%) were IgG-positive and IgM-negative; this pattern suggested prior infection. The PCR gave positive results, consistent with recent maternal infection, in four of these cases. Seventeen women (30%) were IgG-negative and IgM-negative, a pattern suggesting no prior infection; the PCR results in four cases were indicative of a possible early maternal infection or a possible atypical immune response. The PCR is a sensitive and rapid method for the diagnosis of intrauterine infection with human parvovirus B19 and promises to facilitate studies of the natural history and treatment of this infection.
Assessing insecticide bioassay data with extra-binomial variation

Development and use of residual plots from the analysis of binary response data are described. Examples of residual plots demonstrating various departures from probit binomial models are presented. One type of departure that can be detected by residual plots is the existence of extra-binomial variability. A procedure is described for fitting binary data with extra-binomial variability and calculating the appropriate statistics for testing the hypotheses of parallelism and equality. An illustrative example is given to demonstrate the use of the procedures and the macros that were developed to be used within the GUM statistical package.
OUTCOMES OF SUBCUTANEOUS IMPLANTABLE CARDIOVERTER DEFIBRILLATOR IMPLANT IN RENAL DIALYSIS PATIENTS

Patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) are at increased risk of complications after trans-venous defibrillators. The subcutaneous ICD (S-ICD®) offers an attractive alternative in this population, however, data on the safety and efficacy of the S-ICD in dialysis patients is lacking. We
Abstract 226: Patient and Clinician Reported Non-Routine Events During Periprocedural Cardiac Catheterization

Awareness in the realm of patient safety and quality improvement has become increasingly important in healthcare. Understanding the factors that influence these tenets can help improve the overall care for patients and potentially improve patient outcomes. One tool to assist in identifying those factors is the study of non-routine events (NREs). A non-routine event is defined as any event that deviates from optimal or expected care for a specific patient in a specific clinical situation. The goals of this study are to ascertain what aspects of their clinical encounters do patients and families view as “non-routine” and reflective of lower care safety or quality, delineate factors that influence the reporting of NREs and affect the nature of the reported NREs, and determine whether NREs obtained from patients/families significantly add to evidence about clinical system failure modes beyond that obtained from clinicians caring for the same patients. We concurrently captured and compared NRE’s reported by patients/families and their clinicians in patients having a cardiac catheterization. To date, the use of NREs to advance the quality of healthcare has primarily been identified in the surgical literature, making this project unique in regards to the use of NREs in the catheterization lab. At defined times in each care episode, trained researchers used a structured survey to identify and elucidate NREs from the patient, family members, and care providers. After we obtained informed consent, we obtained participant and system factors including individual (age, education, literacy, health status, satisfaction), contextual (self-reported stress, frustration, and performance level), and system (staffing and unit workload) factors. NREs will be characterized by incidence, source, type, and severity by two independent raters. Qualitative and multivariate statistical analyses will be performed. Of the 130 cases studied, we collected 189 patient reported NREs and 107 clinician-reported NRE’s. Ninety cases (69%) contained patient reported NREs while sixty cases (46%) contained clinician reported NREs, and forty-five (35%) cases contained both clinician and patient reported NREs. This site had 129 total patients and 130 total cases (one patient was interviewed on two separate encounters). Given ongoing data analysis, only preliminary findings can be concluded at this time: 1) patient and family members reported a substantial number of NREs with many related to the patients’ health, 2) virtually none of the patient reported NREs were reported or known by clinicians yet a substantial number were deemed relevant by patients to the quality and safety of their care, and 3) the reported NREs provided useful information about care delivery systems and how to address their shortcomings. Further studies are needed to elucidate the effect of studying patient NREs on outcomes such as morbidity and mortality.
Case Report: Biliary Obstruction Complicating Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy

AbstractAn elderly woman with a solitary right kidney and unrecognized cholelithiasis underwent extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for renal calculi. Postoperatively, biliary obstruction developed that required emergency surgery. Pathological evaluation of the biliary calculi revealed superficial fragmentation. It is suggested that extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was responsible for the gallstone fragmentation and resultant bile duct obstruction.
Importance of Ion Packing on the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids during Micropore Charging

Molecular simulations of the diffusion of EMIM+ and TFSI– ions in slit-shaped micropores under conditions similar to those during charging show that in pores that accommodate only a single layer of ions, ions diffuse increasingly faster as the pore becomes charged (with diffusion coefficients even reaching ∼5 × 10–9 m2/s), unless the pore becomes very highly charged. In pores wide enough to fit more than one layer of ions, ion diffusion is slower than in the bulk and changes modestly as the pore becomes charged. Analysis of these results revealed that the fast (or slow) diffusion of ions inside a micropore during charging is correlated most strongly with the dense (or loose) ion packing inside the pore. The molecular details of the ions and the precise width of the pores modify these trends weakly, except when the pore is so narrow that the ion conformation relaxation is strongly constrained by the pore walls.