cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetically Divergent Strains of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Use CCR5 as a Coreceptor for Entry

Entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) requires CD4 and one of a family of related seven-transmembrane-domain coreceptors. Macrophage-tropic HIV-1 isolates are generally specific for CCR5, a receptor for the CC chemokines RANTES, MIP-1alpha, and MIP-1beta, while T-cell line-tropic viruses tend to use CXCR4 (also known as fusin, LESTR, or HUMSTR). Like HIV-1, simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) requires CD4 on the target cell surface; however, whether it also requires a coreceptor is not known. We report here that several genetically divergent SIV isolates, including SIVmac, SIVsmSL92a, SIVsmLib-1, and SIVcpzGAB, can use human and rhesus CCR5 for entry. CXCR4 did not facilitate entry of any of the simian viruses tested, nor did any of the other known chemokine receptors. Moreover, SIVmac251 that had been extensively passaged in a human transformed T-cell line retained its use of CCR5. Rhesus and human CCR5 differed at only eight amino acid residues, four of which were in regions of the receptor that could be exposed, two in the amino-terminal extracellular region and two in the second extracellular loop. The human coreceptor was as active as the simian for SIV entry. In addition, HIV-1 was able to use the rhesus homologs of the human coreceptors, CCR5 and CXCR4. The SIV strains tested were specific for CCR5 regardless of whether they were able to replicate in transformed T-cell lines or macrophages and whether they were phenotypically syncytium inducing or noninducing in MT-2 cells. However, SIV replication was not restricted to cells expressing CCR5. SIV strains replicated efficiently in the human transformed lymphoid cell line CEMx174, which does not express detectable amounts of transcripts of CCR5. SIV also replicated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were genetically deficient in CCR5. These findings indicated that, in addition to CCR5, SIV can use one or more unknown coreceptors that are expressed on human PBMCs and CEMx174 cells.
A Comparison of Ballistic Resistance Testing Techniques in the Department of Defense

Ballistic resistance testing is conducted in the Department of Defense (DoD) to estimate the probability that a projectile will perforate the armor of a system under test. Ballistic resistance testing routinely employs sensitivity experiment techniques where sequential test designs are used to estimate a particular quantile of the probability of perforation. Statistical procedures used to estimate the ballistic resistance of armor in the DoD have remained relatively unchanged for decades. In the current fiscal atmosphere of sequestration and budget deficits, efficiency is critical for test and evaluation. In this paper, we review and compare sequential methods, estimators, and stopping criteria used in the DoD to those found in literature. Using Monte Carlo simulation, we find that the three-phase optimal design, a probit model, and a break separation stopping criteria are most accurate and efficient at estimating V 50 , while the three-phase optimal design or Robbins-Monroe-Joseph method should be used to estimate V 10 .
Introduction to Data Mining

There is a growing amount of data available from many resources that can be used effectively in many areas of human activity. The Human Genome Project, for instance, provided researchers all over the world with a large set of data containing valuable information that needs to be discovered. The code that codifies life has been read, but it is not yet known how life works. It is desirable to know the relationships among the genes and how they interact. For instance, the genome of food such as tomato is studied with the aim of genetically improving its characteristics. Therefore, complex analyses need to be performed to discover the valuable information hidden in this ocean of data. Another important set of data is created byWeb pages and documents on the Internet. Discovering patterns in the chaotic interconnections of Web pages helps in finding useful relationships for Web searching purposes. In general, many sets of data from different sources are currently available to all scientists.
Outcomes in patients older than 60 years of age undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation: an analysis of the UNOS database.

Background Patients 60 years and older have traditionally not been considered candidates for orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT). Recent studies have shown equivalent survival between older and younger patients, leading many to question this traditional ethos. As these studies may lack significant power to draw meaningful conclusions, the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database provides a unique opportunity to examine the effects of age on OHT. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the UNOS dataset to identify 14,401 first-time OHT recipients between the years 1999 and 2006. Stratification was by age into those ≥60 years and younger patients aged 18 to 59 years. Baseline demographic and clinical factors were recorded. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality during the study period. Secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay (LOS), post-operative stroke, post-operative infections, acute renal failure (ARF) and rejection within 1 year of transplant. Post-transplant survival was modeled using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared between groups using Cox proportional hazard regression. Results Of the 14,401 patients who met the inclusion criteria, 30% (n = 4,273) were ≥60 years of age. The elderly group had higher serum creatinine levels (1.5 vs 1.3, p Conclusions The UNOS database has provided a large multi-institutional sample examining OHT in the elderly. Although our analysis shows lower survival in patients ≥60 years of age, the cumulative 5-year survival in these patients of close to 70% is acceptable. OHT should not be restricted based on age, as encouraging long-term results exist.
Quantitative Assay for Crude Anthrax Toxins

Haines, Bertram W. (U.S. Army Biological Laboratories, Frederick, Md.), Frederick Klein, and Ralph E. Lincoln. Quantitative assay for crude anthrax toxins. J. Bacteriol. 89:74–83. 1965.—The whole crude toxins of Bacillus anthracis, although apparently responsible for the death of animals with anthrax, had never been quantitated. A total of 14 lots of the toxic culture filtrate of B. anthracis were pooled into one large lot of crude anthrax toxins. An extensive assay of this reference material was conducted in four laboratories by use of the time-to-death of the intravenously challenged Fischer 344 rat as the response variable. Doses of the material were varied factorially by concentration, dilution, and volume. The data from this study were used to define a potency unit of the crude anthrax toxins. Procedures were developed and illustrated for the assay of unknown lots of the toxins by comparing the rat time-to-death response to the unknown with either (i) the responses reported in this study, or (ii) directly with the rat responses to a new sample of the reference toxins. The possibilities and limitations of this standardization and of the statistical procedure through which it was developed are discussed.
3-D descriptions of buildings from an oblique view aerial image

In this paper we describe a method to reconstruct the 3-D descriptions of buildings from an oblique view aerial image. Oblique views present new difficulties over the more conventional nadir views that are now handled by our system. A hierarchical perceptual grouping process is used to generate 2-D roof hypotheses from fragmented linear features of the input image. Good hypotheses are selected and then verified by the corresponding shadow and walls. The 3-D description of a building is reconstructed from the roof hypothesis and the associated shadow and wall evidence. Results on several oblique view images are shown and the evaluation of the results is presented also.
Smooth muscle cell phenotypic switching in atherosclerosis

Smooth muscle cells (SMCs) possess remarkable phenotypic plasticity that allows rapid adaptation to fluctuating environmental cues, including during development and progression of vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. Although much is known regarding factors and mechanisms that control SMC phenotypic plasticity in cultured cells, our knowledge of the mechanisms controlling SMC phenotypic switching in vivo is far from complete. Indeed, the lack of definitive SMC lineage-tracing studies in the context of atherosclerosis, and difficulties in identifying phenotypically modulated SMCs within lesions that have down-regulated typical SMC marker genes, and/or activated expression of markers of alternative cell types including macrophages, raise major questions regarding the contributions of SMCs at all stages of atherogenesis. The goal of this review is to rigorously evaluate the current state of our knowledge regarding possible phenotypes exhibited by SMCs within atherosclerotic lesions and the factors and mechanisms that may control these phenotypic transitions.
Current Design and Construction Practices of Bridge Pile Foundations

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandated the use of the Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) method in the U.S. for all new bridges initiated after October 1, 2007. Presented in this paper are selected results from a recent nationwide survey that has focused on the current design and construction practices of bridge deep foundations. The specific topics targeted in the study were current foundation practice, pile analysis and design, pile drivability, design verification, and quality control. The responses obtained from more than 30 State Department of Transportations (DOTs) revealed that a) more than 50% of the state DOTs are currently using LRFD method for pile design, while 30% of the DOTs are still in transition from Allowable Stress Method (ASD) to LRFD method, and b) about 35% of the DOTs that employ the LRFD for piles utilize regionally calibrated resistance factors to improve the cost-effectiveness of pile foundations.
New Flag-Transitive Affine Planes of Even Order

Abstract Large numbers of new flag-transitive affine planes of even order are constructed.
Perspectives on Measurement Instruction

How do teachers obtain assessment information? Should our courses emphasize less formal assessment methods rather than formal methods? What nontraditional assessment topics should be added to our courses?
Stability of Fermi Surfaces and K Theory

Nonrelativistic Fermi liquids in $d+1$ dimensions exhibit generalized Fermi surfaces: $(d\ensuremath{-}p)$-dimensional submanifolds in the $(\mathbf{k},\ensuremath{\omega})$-space supporting gapless excitations. We show that the universality classes of stable Fermi surfaces are classified by $K$ theory, with the pattern of stability determined by Bott periodicity. The Atiyah-Bott-Shapiro construction implies that the low-energy modes near a Fermi surface exhibit relativistic invariance in the transverse $p+1$ dimensions. This suggests an intriguing parallel between nonrelativistic Fermi liquids and D-branes of string theory.
Ecological Correlates of Buggy Creek Virus Infection in Oeciacus vicarius, Southwestern Nebraska, 2004

Buggy Creek virus (family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus, BCRV) is an alphavirus within the western equine encephalitis virus complex whose primary vector is the swallow bug, Oeciacus vicarius Horvath (Hemiptera: Cimicidae), an ectoparasite of the colonially nesting cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, that is also a frequent host for the virus. We investigated ecological correlates of BCRV infection in 100-bug pools at 14 different swallow colony sites in southwestern Nebraska from summer 2004, by using plaque assay on Vero cells to identify cytopathic virus and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to identify noncytopathic viral RNA. We found 26.7% of swallow bug pools positive for BCRV, with 15.6% showing cytopathic ("infectious") virus and 11.0% noncytopathic ("noninfectious") viral RNA. The prevalence of cytopathic BCRV increased with cliff swallow colony size in the current year; the percentage of noncytopathic samples at a site did not vary with colony size in the current year but increased with the previous year's colony size at a site. Active colony sites (those used by swallows) had higher percentages of cytopathic BCRV in bug pools than at inactive colony sites, but the reverse held for noncytopathic viral RNA. Nests that were occupied by birds at some time in the season had more pools with cytopathic BCRV than did inactive nests. Colonies used by birds for the first or second time had less virus in bugs than did sites that had had a longer history of bird use. The percentage of pools with BCRV was affected by whether bugs were clustering at nest entrances or distributed elsewhere on a nest. The prevalence of cytopathic samples decreased at inactive colony sites and increased at active sites over the course of the summer, whereas the reverse pattern held for noncytopathic samples. Noncytopathic bug pools seem to reflect infection patterns from a previous year. The results suggest that the birds play an important role in amplification of the virus and that the spatial foci of BCRV occurrence can be predicted based on characteristics of cliff swallow colonies and the cimicid bugs that are associated with them.
American College of Cardiology Advocacy: Ensuring Value in a Value-Based Health System.

![Figure][1] “No outcomes, no income.”—David Nash, MD, founding dean of Thomas Jefferson University’s School of Population Health in Philadelphia, summarizing the future of health care [(1)][2]Last month was unofficially “advocacy month” at the American College of Cardiology (
Fear Models in Animals and Humans

While fear learning is an adaptive behavior critical to our survival, excessive fear can markedly impair one’s ability to function and is a central characteristic of anxiety disorders. In this chapter, we review research detailing the neurobiological mechanisms underpinning fear learning and regulation. We draw on research in both animal models and humans, highlighting developmental research whenever possible. In the first section we review the brain systems that support fear acquisition through both direct experience and social learning. In the second section, we focus on the various means by which learned fears can be lessened, including extinction, cognitive regulation strategies, actively coping with fear, and persistently inhibiting fear through reconsolidation. This basic fear-learning model provides a neuroscientific framework for understanding the role of Pavlovian fear learning in anxiety disorders and suggests potential approaches for treatment.
4′-Chloro­biphenyl-3-yl 2,2,2-trichloro­ethyl sulfate

The title compound, C14H10Cl4O4S, is a 2,2,2-trichloro­ethyl-protected precursor of 4′-chloro­biphenyl-3-yl sulfate, a sulfuric acid ester of 4′-chloro­biphenyl-3-ol. The Caromatic—O and O—S bond lengths of the Caromatic—O—S unit are comparable to those in structurally analogous biphenyl-4-yl 2,2,2-trichloro­ethyl sulfates with no electro­negative chlorine substituent in the benzene ring with the sulfate ester group. The dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 27.47 (6)°.
The racial origins of zoning: Southern cities from 1910–40

This article argues that the desire to regulate black residential patterns constituted a major objective of the early zoning and planning movement in the United States, particularly in the South between 1910–40. Throughout the early 1900s, the racial zoning movement enjoyed widespread endorsement by the emerging national planning contingent, and was not merely the brainchild of misguided southern urban leaders out of touch with the mainstream of reformism. Even after the US Supreme Court declared racial zoning unconstitutional in 1917, planners and public officials persisted in their efforts to find a legally defensible way to regulate residences by race. The most prevalent practice was to regulate residential locations indirectly through ‘racially‐informed’ comprehensive planning, including zoning, capital improvements, public housing siting, road construction, the location of segregated schools, parks and other public facilities, and through slum clearance.
Evidence for some of the Trends in the Phylogenetic Development of the Vertebrate Telencephalon

In this brief account of the shifts in position and changes in size and in differentiation of certain structures in the medial and lateral walls of the vertebrate telencephalon, it is understood that one is not dealing with a direct line of evolution of these structures. The brains considered are those of representative forms which occupy positions on side branches and in some cases on almost terminal branchlets of the phylogenetic tree. Of these forms, the lungnsh is probably the nearest and the higher teleosts and higher birds the farthest away from the main trunk. Nuclear patterns and relations and fiber tracts appearing in many divergent forms are supposed to be common characteristics of the brains of animals no longer known to exist, which held positions along the main trunk of this phylogenetic tree.
Abstract 5115: An orthotopic lung tumor model for image-guided microirradiation in rats

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Introduction: Studies have confirmed that a new lung cancer treatment called stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) can cure certain patients with early stage tumors situated peripherally in their lungs, using a non-invasive, outpatient procedure. While nearly curative for peripheral lung tumors, SBRT also may present life-threatening toxicity for patients with centrally located lung tumors. Moreover, large, hypoxic tumors are at a further risk of radiotherapy failure with SBRT. The efficacy of SBRT application can be improved through the addition of agents designed to sensitize the tumor and/or protect normal tissue. To investigate and validate the response to SBRT, alone or in combination with radiomodulating compounds, it is necessary to develop a tumor model for image-guided high-dose irradiation of rodent tumors and normal tissues in a manner that closely mimics delivery of SBRT in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to develop a rat orthotopic lung tumor model with a solitary intrapulmonary nodule to study the effects of high-dose radiation. Methods: Adult female athymic nude rats were anesthetized, intubated and then placed on a ventilator (Inspira, Harvard Apparatus, Holliston, MA) prior to surgery. A small incision (1.0 cm) was made between ribs 5 and 6 on the right side. The right lung was captured using a forceps, clamped with a carotid clamp and H460-luc/A549-luc NSCLC cells (one million cells and matrigel in 20 μl) were then injected into the right lung. The tumor growth was monitored by in vivo bioluminescent imaging (BLI) weekly. Other imaging modalities, including microCT, CBCT, and MRI, were also performed. At the end of study, the rats were sacrificed and lungs were harvested to confirm tumor location and size. Results: We achieved 100% survival from this surgical orthotopic implantation procedure. We also achieved >90% success in generating solitary lung tumors in the rats, whereas percutaneous orthotopic injection of tumor cells/chunks in our previous model met only 50 to 60% success in producing solitary tumors. Conclusion: This study presents a successful solitary lung tumor model in rodents which provides investigators a useful model to apply conformal radiation treatment, using a sophisticated treatment planning system and significantly preventing normal tissue damage. Citation Format: Zhang Zhang, Michelle Wodzak, Olivier Belzile, Heling Zhou, Ralph Mason, Rolf Brekken, Rajiv Chopra, Michael D. Story, Robert Timmerman, Debabrata Saha. An orthotopic lung tumor model for image-guided microirradiation in rats. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5115. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5115
Health care management resources: Web sites for the national debate

According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the United States is projected to spend more than $2.5 trillion on health care in 2009, or $8,160 per U.S. resident. Health spending in 2009 is projected to account for 17.6 percent of gross domestic product.1 Despite high spending, nearly 46 million Americans are still uninsured. While policy and law makers agree that health care reform is needed, they disagree on how to contain the escalating health care costs and offer universal coverage. Some have suggested imposing price controls and strict budgets on health care spending, and others support free . . .
Distinct functions and regulation of epithelial progesterone receptor in the mouse cervix, vagina, and uterus.

// Fabiola F. Mehta 1 , Jieun Son 1 , Sylvia C. Hewitt 2 , Eunjung Jang 1 , John P. Lydon 3 , Kenneth S. Korach 2 and Sang-Hyuk Chung 1 1 Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell Signaling, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA 2 Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA 3 Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA Correspondence to: Sang-Hyuk Chung, email: // Keywords : progesterone receptor, estrogen receptor α, epithelium, female reproductive tract, mouse model, Pathology Section Received : August 04, 2015 Accepted : March 02, 2016 Published : March 17, 2016 Abstract While the function of progesterone receptor (PR) has been studied in the mouse vagina and uterus, its regulation and function in the cervix has not been described. We selectively deleted epithelial PR in the female reproductive tracts using the Cre/LoxP recombination system. We found that epithelial PR was required for induction of apoptosis and suppression of cell proliferation by progesterone (P 4 ) in the cervical and vaginal epithelium. We also found that epithelial PR was dispensable for P 4 to suppress apoptosis and proliferation in the uterine epithelium. PR is encoded by the Pgr gene, which is regulated by estrogen receptor α (ERα) in the female reproductive tracts. Using knock−in mouse models expressing ERα mutants, we determined that the DNA−binding domain (DBD) and AF2 domain of ERα were required for upregulation of Pgr in the cervix and vagina as well as the uterine stroma. The ERα AF1 domain was required for upregulation of Pgr in the vaginal stroma and epithelium and cervical epithelium, but not in the uterine and cervical stroma. ERα DBD, AF1, and AF2 were required for suppression of Pgr in the uterine epithelium, which was mediated by stromal ERα. Epithelial ERα was responsible for upregulation of epithelial Pgr in the cervix and vagina. Our results indicate that regulation and functions of epithelial PR are different in the cervix, vagina, and uterus.
How old is too old for heart transplantation

Heart transplantation is considered the treatment of choice for patients with advanced heart failure. Given the excellent results with transplantation, there has been growing pressure to liberalize eligibility criteria, especially with regard to age. Registry data and early reports have indicated that there may be increased posttransplantation mortality in older patients. A number of single-center reports have shown that survival of older patients may be similar to that of younger patients. The limited supply of donor hearts makes it imperative that careful consideration be given to transplantation results in older recipients and to the overall impact that expanding eligibility criteria for transplantation will have. The limited supply of donor hearts has also led to increased interest in the use of hearts from older donors. This review presents a current perspective on outcomes after heart transplantation in older recipients, use of older donor hearts, and the matching of donor and recipient risk.
Jesus as Lord.

In successive discussions of the title Son of God, which seems to have been Jesus' own self-designation, and Son of Man, which would seem to have been applied to him after his death by the primitive Aramaic-speaking community of believers in his second coming, we have sought to disentangle primitive from secondary tradition. We have particularly emphasized the fact that in its distinctive principles Jesus' own teaching attaches itself to the primitive form of the messianic ideal—Israel as Yahweh's son; not the later theocratic—the Davidic heir to the throne as Son of God; nor the still later apocalyptic—the supernatural deliverer coming on the clouds of heaven as the fulfilment of the promise. In agreement with this view of the teaching of Jesus, our earliest documents, the Pauline epistles, make sonship in the ethical and religious sense the essence of the glad tidings. Since the publication of our argument our conclusions have been confirmed by the important newly-discovered document, the Odes of Solomon . The confirmation is especially strong if the view of Harnack be taken, that the Odes in their original form are Jewish, rather than the view of their discoverer, J. Rendel Harris, who regards them as Christian. The Odes give irrefutable evidence of the existence in first-century Judaism, or at least in primitive Christian circles, of a doctrine of sonship in the ethical and religious sense closely in line with what we have urged as the distinctive element in the messianic consciousness of Jesus. The ideal of the odist for Israel is an ideal of spiritual sonship. By the knowledge and love of the Beloved, “the Most High and Merciful,” Israel is guaranteed not only sonship to God, but immortality, an eternal dwelling in God's presence.
A STAINING TECHNIQUE FOR DETERMINING COPEPOD GONAD MATURATION: APPLICATION TO METRIDIA PACIFICA FROM THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC OCEAN

Fast green was used to stain selectively the reproductive system and ova of adult female Metridia pacifica. Reproductive maturity of adult females of M. pacifica in the subarctic Pacific exhibited a marked seasonal cycle during 1980-1981. Seasonal variation of female reproductive condition agreed well with that expected from the abundance of naupliar stages in plankton collections. The seasonal timing and intensity of reproduction in pelagic marine copepods is difficult to evaluate in the field. Two approaches are used commonly to discern cohorts and infer the timing of reproduction in marine copepods. They are: (1) evaluation of the abundance of early (naupliar) life stages in a time series of plankton samples (Nicholls, 1933; Marshall, 1949), and (2) evaluation of gonad maturity, egg number, or egg development within the body of the adult females (Marshall and Orr, 1955; Tande and Hopkins, 1981). While the eggs, ovaries, and oviducts of some adult female copepods, e.g., Calanus marshallae (Peterson, 1980) and Neocalanus plumchrus, N. cristatus, and Eucalanus bungii (Miller et al., 1984), are more opaque than muscle and other tissues and readily can be seen using transmitted illumination, the eggs of other copepod species, e.g., Metridia spp., are not easily distinguished from other body tissues, either prior to or after preservation. For such species, a stain is required which either selectively stains ova or is retained by gonadal material upon clearing. Several different stains have been used in previous studies investigating the development of the reproductive system in copepods. Marshall and Orr (1960) tested the suitability of several stains for the ova and reproductive system of Calanusfinmarchicus. A celestine blue staining method was judged to be superior to either borax carmine or methylene blue, although the borax carmine method "proved fairly satisfactory." Tande and Hopkins (1981) used borax carmine in their investigation of gonad development and overwintering in Calanus finmarchicus, and their method was subsequently used to describe gonad development in Metridia longa (Tande and Gronvik, 1983). This paper describes a staining technique that was developed to study the seasonal timing and intensity of reproduction of the copepod Metridia pacifica in the oceanic subarctic Pacific. The results are compared to those obtained by evaluation of naupliar abundance from fine mesh plankton sampling. The new staining procedure was also compared to the borax carmine and celestine blue methods.
Redesigned Fall and Injury Management of Patients With Stroke

Falls and fall-related injuries remain a frequent complication of strokes.1 Fall and injury prevention based on fall risk scores and level of fall risk, such as low, moderate, or high, is insufficient, requiring that clinicians redesign fall prevention programs based on patients’ individualized fall and injury risk factors. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the selected evidence that supports redesign of fall prevention management of patients with stroke, thereby reducing their actual fall and fall-related injury risks. Clinical expertise is essential for safe fall prevention practices for these patients. Equipment use specifically designed to reduce trauma during a fall can be integrated into patient care. Although 1 in 20 deaths in the United States is attributed to strokes, ≈86% of people who experience a stroke live through the onset, care management, and rehabilitation.2 Each year, ≈23% of the strokes are new-onset ones, indicating that many individuals are living with the residual effects of a stroke and experience a repeat stroke.1 Strokes can occur across age groups with the risk of stroke increases with advanced age.2 The immediate and residual effects of stroke depend on the pathogenesis (anoxic, embolic, and thrombotic), location, and extent of cerebral involvement. Irrespective of the location of the stroke, stroke results in disability and reduces mobility in more than half of stroke survivors ≥65 years of age.3 Patient falls are a major health concern in the care of patients with stroke because falls are one of the most frequent complications among patients with stroke across settings of care, as these patients experience multiple falls. The evidence supports a multifactorial, interdisciplinary fall prevention program for reducing falls and injuries in acute care.4–6 Despite increased research on strategies to reduce both the rate of falls …
A model-based exploration of the role of pattern generating circuits during locomotor adaptation

In this study, we used a model-based approach to explore the potential contributions of central pattern generating circuits (CPGs) during adaptation to external perturbations during locomotion. We constructed a neuromechanical modeled of locomotion using a reduced-phase CPG controller and an inverted pendulum mechanical model. Two different forms of locomotor adaptation were examined in this study: split-belt treadmill adaptation and adaptation to a unilateral, elastic force field. For each simulation, we first examined the effects of phase resetting and varying the model's initial conditions on the resulting adaptation. After evaluating the effect of phase resetting on the adaptation of step length symmetry, we examined the extent to which the results from these simple models could explain previous experimental observations. We found that adaptation of step length symmetry during split-belt treadmill walking could be reproduced using our model, but this model failed to replicate patterns of adaptation observed in response to force field perturbations. Given that spinal animal models can adapt to both of these types of perturbations, our findings suggest that there may be distinct features of pattern generating circuits that mediate each form of adaptation.
Colloidal Nanocrystals for Applications in Detection of Ionizing Radiation

The results of our recent investigations of lanthanide-halide- and lead-halide-based nanocrystals for applications in detection of ionizing radiation are described. We show that nanoscintillators offer significant improvements in performance coupled with great savings in cost.
Depressive symptoms and early mortality following lung transplantation: A pilot study.

Background Impaired psychological function is common among lung transplant candidates and may affect clinical outcomes following transplantation. Although numerous studies have examined the relationship between pretransplant depression, quality of life (QoL), and post-transplant outcomes, few have examined the relationship between depression and QoL shortly following transplantation and subsequent clinical outcomes. We therefore examined the association between depression, QoL, and short-term mortality in a consecutive series of lung transplant recipients. Methods Depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; Centers for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale) and QoL (UCSD Shortness of Breath Questionnaire; Pulmonary Quality of Life Scale) were assessed prior to transplantation (median 0.9 months [IQR=1.6]) and again approximately 2 weeks following transplantation (median=0.5 months [IQR=0.5]), in a series of 66 patients transplanted between March 2013 and April 2014. The association between psychiatric diagnoses from participants’ comprehensive pretransplant assessment and mortality also was examined. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the association between depression, QoL, and mortality. Results During a median follow-up of 2.8 years (range 0.4-3.3), 21 patients died (32%). Greater depressive symptoms assessed shortly after transplant were associated with subsequent mortality (HR=2.17 [1.01, 4.67], P=.048), and this relationship persisted after controlling for primary graft dysfunction, duration of transplant hospitalization, and gender. In contrast, neither pretransplant depression, history of depression, nor QoL was associated with mortality. Conclusions Greater post-transplant depressive symptoms are independently associated with mortality among lung transplant recipients.
The Tree and the Chaplet: Wanting the Laurel in Skelton’s The Laurel

This essay argues that the various images of the laurel wreath and laureation in John Skelton’s The Laurel are marked by ambivalence. Far from a unified and full-throated celebration of his own achievements, the poem partakes of good-humored self-parody, serious self-mockery, and open disgust to undermine and question the political and aesthetic significance of the laurel, and what one must do to achieve it. The Laurel acknowledges and mocks the laureate’s impossible balancing act between a prophetic role as vates and a political role as orator regius ; this essay suggests that this tension is played out in the poem as Skelton considers the appealing immediacy of oral poetry and the compromises of written poetry.
Cardiac optogenetic pacing in drosophila melanogaster using red-shifted opsins (Conference Presentation)

Electrical pacing is the current gold standard for investigation of mammalian cardiac electrical conduction systems as well as for treatment of certain cardiac pathologies. However, this method requires an invasive surgical procedure to implant the pacing electrodes. Recently, optogenetic pacing has been developed as an alternative, non-invasive method for heartbeat pacing in animals. It induces heartbeats by shining pulsed light on transgene-generated microbial opsins which in turn activate light gated ion channels in animal hearts. However, commonly used opsins, such as channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2), require short light wavelength stimulation (475 nm), which is strongly absorbed and scattered by tissue. Here, we expressed recently engineered red-shifted opsins, ReaChR and CsChrimson, in the heart of a well-developed animal model, Drosophila melanogaster, for the first time. Optogenetic pacing was successfully conducted in both ReaChR and CsChrimson flies at their larval, pupal, and adult stages using 617 nm excitation light pulse, enabling a much deeper tissue penetration compared to blue stimulation light. A customized high speed and ultrahigh resolution OCM system was used to non-invasively monitor the heartbeat pacing in Drosophila. Compared to previous studies on optogenetic pacing of Drosophila, higher penetration depth of optogenetic excitation light was achieved in opaque late pupal flies. Lower stimulating power density is needed for excitation at each developmental stage of both groups, which improves the safety of this technique for heart rhythm studies.
Coarse-to-Fine Question Answering for Long Documents

We present a framework for question answering that can efficiently scale to longer documents while maintaining or even improving performance of state-of-the-art models. While most successful approaches for reading comprehension rely on recurrent neural networks (RNNs), running them over long documents is prohibitively slow because it is difficult to parallelize over sequences. Inspired by how people first skim the document, identify relevant parts, and carefully read these parts to produce an answer, we combine a coarse, fast model for selecting relevant sentences and a more expensive RNN for producing the answer from those sentences. We treat sentence selection as a latent variable trained jointly from the answer only using reinforcement learning. Experiments demonstrate state-of-the-art performance on a challenging subset of the WikiReading dataset and on a new dataset, while speeding up the model by 3.5x-6.7x.
Epistemic freedom revisited

Philosophers have recently argued that self-fulfilling beliefs constitute an important counter-example to the widely accepted theses that we ought not and cannot believe at will. Cases of self-fulfilling belief are thought to constitute a special class where we enjoy the epistemic freedom to permissibly believe for pragmatic reasons, because whatever we choose to believe will end up true. In this paper, I argue that this view fails to distinguish between the aim of acquiring a true belief and the aim of believing what is true. While one cannot usually fail to establish that one will acquire a true belief without establishing the truth of the believed proposition, in the case self-fulfilling belief the two can come apart. I argue that insofar as the aim of belief has to do with determining whether the believed proposition is true, it will be both impossible and impermissible to believe for pragmatic reasons.
Design and Evaluation of Short Self-Assembling Depsipeptides as Bioactive and Biodegradable Hydrogels

Described herein is the design of a cell-adherent and degradable hydrogel. Our goal was to create a self-assembling, backbone ester-containing analogue of the cell adhesion motif, arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD). Two depsipeptides containing Fmoc (N-(fluorenyl)-9-methoxycarbonyl), Fmoc-FR-Glc-D, and Fmoc-F-Glc-RGD (where "Glc" is glycolic acid) were designed based on the results of integrin-binding affinity and cell interaction analyses. Two candidate molecules were synthesized, and their gelation characteristics, degradation profiles, and ability to promote cell attachment were analyzed. We found that ester substitution within the RGD sequence significantly decreases the integrin-binding affinity and subsequent cell attachment, but when the ester moiety flanks the bioactive sequence, the molecule can maintain its integrin-binding function while permitting nonenzymatic hydrolytic degradation. A self-assembled Fmoc-F-Glc-RGD hydrogel showed steady, linear degradation over 60 days, and when mixed with Fmoc-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) for improved mechanical stiffness, the depsipeptide gel exhibited improved cell attachment and viability. Though the currently designed depsipeptide has several inherent limitations, our results indicate the potential of depsipeptides as the basis for biologically functional and degradable self-assembling hydrogel materials.
Behavioral Approaches to Pain and Anxiety in the Pediatric Patient

This article provides an overview of the major clinical approaches and representative research investigations within the area of behavioral assessment and treatment of pediatric pain. A particular emphasis is placed on multidimensional models of pain expression, assessment, and intervention.
Alterations in nitric oxide production in various forms of circulatory shock.

The free radical nitric oxide (NO.) is synthesized from the guanidino group of L-arginine by a family of enzymes termed NO. synthase (NOS). In the earlier phases of shock, activation of the endothelial, constitutive NOS (ecNOS) occurs, which, in the case of endotoxic shock, is triggered by endotoxin-induced, acute release of platelet-activating factor (PAF) and also other potential mediators. This early overproduction of NO. results in reduced contractile responsiveness to norepinephrine and contributes to the acute decrease in blood pressure afforded by endotoxin. In the delayed phase of endotoxic shock, a distinct isoform of NOS (iNOS) is induced in various organs and in the vessel wall. The induction of iNOS is mediated by the release of endogenous tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and PAF by endotoxin. These mediators, in turn, act in parallel, or in synergy to induce iNOS. Induction of iNOS contributes to delayed vascular hyporeactivity in vivo and ex vivo, and to the delayed decrease in blood pressure in rats with endotoxic shock. As endotoxic shock, hemorrhagic shock also leads to an early activation of ecNOS, which is responsible for the early vascular hyporeactivity, and a delayed induction of iNOS that contributes to delayed circulatory failure (vascular decompensation and hyporeactivity). The induction of iNOS in hemorrhagic shock is unlikely to be mediated by endogenous release of endotoxin, e.g., due to intestinal ischemia. Endogenous circulating glucocorticoids exert a tonic suppression of the induction of iNOS, as well as the cardiovascular failure in response to endotoxin. Endotoxin tolerance is associated with increased plasma levels of glucocorticoids, which may account for the blunted cardiovascular response and reduced induction of iNOS in these animals. A wide variety of drugs that exert protective effects in various models of circulatory shock also inhibit the induction of iNOS, and this effect is likely to contribute to their protective actions. These drugs include glucocorticoids, TNF-alpha antibodies, IL-1 receptor blockers/antibodies, PAF antagonists, dihydropyridine calcium-channel antagonists, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and the experimental drug cloricromene. Various forms of shock can also lead to an inhibition of NO. production by the calcium-dependent ecNOS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Educational Tracking, Residential Sorting, and Intergenerational Mobility

I examine how student allocation rules impact achievement of students of different ability and socio- economic background. When the assignment rule shifts from exam to district based, a model illustrates that income relative to ability becomes a stronger predictor of student achievement and higher income households sort towards the better school districts. Using evidence from South Korea, I find that the impact of father's education, relative to one's middle school grade, on college entrance exam score increases twofold under district assignment. The change in housing land price is 13 percentage points higher in the better school district when the regime shifts.
Zweites Kapitel. Das Zahlensystem der Mathematik

Wir mussen den ursprunglichen Zahlbegriff wesentlich erweitern, um ein Instrument zu schaffen, das fur Theorie und Praxis leistungsfahig genug ist. Im Zuge einer langen Entwicklung wurden schlieslich die Null, die negativen ganzen Zahlen und die Bruche als ebenso zulassig erkannt wie die positiven ganzen oder naturlichen Zahlen. Heute sollte jedes Schulkind die Rechenregeln fur diese Zahlen beherrschen. Um aber vollige Freiheit in den algebraischen Operationen zu gewinnen, mussen wir noch weiter gehen und auch irrationale und komplexe Zahlen in den Zahlbegriff einschliesen. Obwohl diese Erweiterungen des naturlichen Zahlbegriffs schon jahrhundertelang in Gebrauch sind und der ganzen modemen Mathematik zugrunde liegen, sind sie erst im 19. Jahrhundert auf eine logisch einwandfreie Grundlage gestellt worden. Im vorliegenden Kapitel berichten wir uber diese Entwicklung.
Experimental investigation of the effects of stress rate and stress level on fracture in polystyrene

The effects of stress rate and stress level on fatigue crack propagation in compression-moulded single-edge notched specimens (0.25 mm in thickness) of polystyrene are reported. Values of the stress rate $$\dot \sigma$$ are obtained from the formula $$\dot \sigma$$ = 2v(σmax − σmax),, wherev is the frequency and σmax, σmin are the maximum and minimum stresses of the fatigue cycle. Different levels of $$\dot \sigma$$ are achieved by changing the frequency while keeping σmax, σmin at fixed values. The effect of the stress level is investigated by keeping $$\dot \sigma$$ and σmin constant and varying σmax andv. The results show that when the kinetic data are plotted as Δl/Δt against the energy release rateG 1, a relatively small effect of the stress rate is observed. If the same data are treated as Δl/ΔN againstG 1, a decrease in Δl/ΔN with test frequency is seen. The increase in the level of σmax results in a higher crack speed. The critical crack length is found to be practically the same for all stress-rate experiments. A decrease in the critical crack length is observed with the increase in stress level. Analysis of craze distribution around the crack path shows that the extent of crazing decreases with the increase in stress rate and increases with the increase in stress level. For all experimental conditions, the ratio of the second moment to the square root of the fourth moment of the histograms of craze density along directions normal to the crack path is found to be constant throughout the slow phase of crack propagation. This result supports a self-similarity hypothesis of damage evolution proposed in the crack layer model.
Von Hippel–Lindau Syndrome: Dermatological Features

Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) syndrome occurs in 1/36,000 live births and typically presents before age 40 years. The disease progresses with multiple tumors and death in the fourth decade of life.
Effect of selective versus nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitors on gastric ulceration scores and intestinal inflammation in horses.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether a cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) would reduce gastric ulceration and gastrointestinal (GI) inflammation compared with a non-COX selective NSAID. STUDY DESIGN Randomized block design. ANIMALS Twenty-five healthy adult horses. METHODS Horses were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 5), phenylbutazone (n = 10), or firocoxib (n = 10) administered daily for 10 days. Gastroscopy was performed on days 0 and 10, and both squamous and glandular ulcers were scored according to established scoring criteria. Fecal samples were collected on days 0, 10, and 20 to test for fecal myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Both classes of NSAID induced GI injury as determined by gastric ulceration scores and fecal MPO. Glandular gastric ulceration scores and fecal MPO concentrations were higher in horses treated with phenylbutazone at day 10 (P < .001 and P = .0018, respectively). Increases in fecal MPO were significantly decreased 10 days following cessation of treatment for firocoxib but remained greater than baseline for the phenylbutazone group. CONCLUSION Although both classes of NSAID induced gastric ulceration, the COX-2 selective NSAID firocoxib induced less severe glandular ulceration. Although there were increases in fecal MPO in both groups after 10 days of treatment, this increase was significant only in horses receiving the nonselective COX inhibitor phenylbutazone. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE These findings suggest that both classes of NSAID induce GI injury in horses; however, at the dosages used in this study, the COX-2 selective NSAID firocoxib resulted in less severe injury.