cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract 2226: Structure/function characterization of SBi4225, a novel inhibitor of the calcium-binding protein S100B.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The S100 family of proteins displays no enzymatic activity but has been shown to play roles in an array of biological functions such as calcium homeostasis, cellular growth, inflammation, and metabolism. The influence of these homodimeric proteins is mediated through protein-protein interactions in a typically calcium dependent manner and aberrant expression of S100 proteins has been linked to a variety of cancers, cardiomyopathies, and neurological disorders. Of particular interest, S100B is highly over-expressed in many cancers, including malignant melanoma (MM). In MM, S100B is used as prognostic indicator in evaluating treatment success and in predicting relapse. Studies now show that S100B is more than a clinical marker, and that it binds wild-type p53 in a calcium-dependent manner, sequestering it, and promoting its degradation. This results in the loss of p53-dependent tumor suppression activities. As inhibition of S100B expression by RNA interference restores both wild-type p53 protein levels and normal transcriptional activation/apoptosis activities, we have made it our long-term goal is to specifically inhibit the S100B-p53 interaction in order to restore the p53 tumor suppression function as a potential therapy for malignant melanoma. Although we have succeeded in identifying many S100B inhibitors (also known as SBiXs), optimization studies are a necessary part of the development of drugs with useful therapeutic activities. Included amongst these optimization studies are characterizations of structure-activity relationships (SAR). Our initial SAR studies have resulted in the development of a second series of SBiXs. Amongst this series is the novel S100B inhibitor, SBi4225. As part of the cyclical process of SAR studies, the binding of SBi4225 to S100B has been investigated using X-ray crystallography. As described within, SBi4225 binds to S100B in a position and orientation analogous to its predecessors, SBi4211 and SBi1. NMR data including chemical shift perturbations of 15N isotopically labeled protein backbone were consistent with the X-ray crystal structures and demonstrated the relevance of the SBi4225-S100B complex in solution. This new understanding of the SBi4225 structure/function relationship will undoubtedly impact the development and optimization of future SBiXs. Citation Format: Michael C. Cavalier, Laura McKnight, David Weber, Paul Wilder. Structure/function characterization of SBi4225, a novel inhibitor of the calcium-binding protein S100B. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2226. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2226
Perceptions of availability of beach parking and access as predictors of coastal tourism

Abstract This study examined the relationship between perceptions of parking and visitation patterns to beaches in North Carolina. Data were collected from both a systematic face-to-face interview (n = 1384) in a semi-structured format at several coastal locations in the state and a random telephone survey (n = 1877) of North Carolina residents living in coastal counties 120 or fewer miles from the ocean. Results showed that beach visitors' perceptions of parking conditions did not correspond to the actual record of parking availability. Moreover, parking perceptions did not strongly correlate with visitation patterns. Management implications are discussed.
Software Development for Distributed Systems

My prime interest in participating in this session is to project the applicability of SP to the development of software for Distributed Computer Systems (such as the UC Irvine Distributed Computer System and the CMU C.MMP). The difficulties common to all software design and development efforts are made even more acute when writing software for a DCS. Setting up experiments that involve widely separated, loosely coupled computers is not an easy or straightforward task. Error situations may develop fortuitously and then evade most efforts to cause them to occur again. In this predicament, structured modular top-down programming techniques appear likely to play an important role since they offer an opportunity to bring significant software reliability improvements.
A quantitative synchronization model for smooth pursuit target tracking

We propose a quantitative model for human smooth pursuit tracking of a continuously moving visual target which is based on synchronization of an internal expectancy model of the target position coupled to the retinal target signal. The model predictions are tested in a smooth circular pursuit eye tracking experiment with transient target blanking of variable duration. In subjects with a high tracking accuracy, the model accounts for smooth pursuit and repeatedly reproduces quantitatively characteristic patterns of the eye dynamics during target blanking. In its simplest form, the model has only one free parameter, a coupling constant. An extended model with a second parameter, a time delay or memory term, accounts for predictive smooth pursuit eye movements which advance the target. The model constitutes an example of synchronization of a complex biological system with perceived sensory signals.
Systematic Design Processes to Improve the Manufacturability of Zoom Lenses

An integrated process for design and manufacturing of lens modules is proposed. A high end compact zoom lens is designed and analytic procedure has been developed for the root cause identification of the lens decentration.
PTSD symptoms and somatic complaints following Hurricane Katrina: the roles of trait anxiety and anxiety sensitivity

This study examined the relationships between trait anxiety and anxiety sensitivity and the outcome variables posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and somatic complaints following a major hurricane. Sixth and seventh graders in the New Orleans area (N = 302) were surveyed 5 to 8 months following Hurricane Katrina. As expected, hurricane exposure was a significant predictor of PTSD symptoms and somatic symptoms. Also as hypothesized, certain factors of anxiety sensitivity interacted with trait anxiety to predict PTSD symptoms and somatic symptoms. Clinical implications of potential linkages among trait anxiety, dimensions of anxiety sensitivity and PTSD, and somatic symptoms are discussed.
Reagents specific for cell surface components.

Mercury, diazonium ions and dyes which bind nucleic acids were covalently linked to dextrans using methods that resulted in non-hydrolyzable reagent-dextran bonds without impairing the binding abilities of the reagents, i.e. these dextran derivatives reacted with thiols, phenols/imidazoles and nucleic acids respectively. Since these dextran derivatives cannot penetrate into cells and since dextran itself does not bind to cells, these compounds represent reagents specific for the cell surface. They may be used both to evaluate cell surface constituents of intact cells and to affect viable cells via an interaction with those constituents. Mercury-dextran was found to bind to cells; the amount of mercury thus attached to the cells was about ten times smaller than when an equivalent concentration of free mercury ions was used. Mercury-dextran, bound to cells after a 30-min exposure at room temperature, was localized on the surface of these cells, as sodium borohydride reduced this complex giving rise to the intact cells, elementary mercury and free dextran which was released into medium. When cells were constantly exposed to the mercury-dextran, its toxic effects were comparable to that of free mercury ions. Diazonium-dextran, which also binds tightly to the cell surface, was also considerably toxic. Dextrans substituted with dyes which bind to nucleic acids were less toxic than the parent dyes themselves; it was shown that the attachment of such a dye to dextran decreased the binding of dye to cells under detection limits.
Crystal field splitting and anomalous thermal expansion in YbVO4

Abstract We have investigated the Yb 3+ crystal-field-level structure in YbVO 4 using inelastic magnetic neutron-scattering measurements and crystal-field model calculations. We determined the temperature dependence of the a and c lattice parameters of the tetragonal unit cell by neutron diffraction and observed a minimum at ca. 120 K in the c lattice parameter. This anomaly in the thermal expansion is interpreted as arising from a coupling of the anisotropic low-lying crystal-field states of the Yb 3+ ions and the crystal lattice at low temperatures.
Connections Count Excitation-Contraction Meets Excitation-Transcription Coupling

It is increasingly clear that cell-signaling systems serve multiple functions. Signaling molecules that play a highly visible functional role in muscle by regulating intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) homeostasis and contraction are also coupled to the genetic machinery of the cell and thereby shape the repertoire of expressed proteins. Our emerging understanding of excitation-contraction coupling (ECC) follows this theme (Figure⇓). ECC occurs when Ca2+ entry, mostly through L-type Ca2+ channels,1 2 activates Ca2+ release from channels guarding the content of [Ca2+]i stores. In vascular smooth muscle, 2 channel types are important: ryanodine receptors that operate by a Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release mechanism3 and inositol trisphosphate (IP3) receptors that are sensitized by [Ca2+]i but open after binding IP3.4 The situation in cardiomyocytes seems to be somewhat simpler, as only the ryanodine receptors have a demonstrated role in ECC. ECC is mainly controlled by short-term signaling events to regulate the continuous ebb and flow of activator [Ca2+]i that is necessary for cycling myofilament crossbridge formation. Nevertheless, the molecular machinery of ECC also regulates the transcriptional activity of the cell over a much longer time scale by a process termed excitation-transcription coupling (ETC).5 An important question in signal transduction is how ETC mechanisms in muscle screen out the constant [Ca2+]i fluctuations to deliver cogent instructions to the nucleus. One answer to this question is that transcription factors have distinct response characteristics that may refine the message content of [Ca2+]i oscillations. In B …
On the greatest lower bound to reliability

Certain ambiguities in a recent paper on the computation and statistics of the greatest lower bound are clarified.
VDDQ: a built-in self-test scheme for analog on-chip diagnosis, compliant with the IEEE 1149.4 mixed-signal test bus standard

An innovative self-diagnostic method called VDDQ is presented. The proposed method is compliant with the IEEE 1149.4 mixed-signal test bus standard. It performs a pass or fail function of the analog circuit. The VDDQ method sequentially senses the quiescent voltage of several nodes on the circuit under test (CUT) and compares them with their nominal value. The method produces a 10 bit digital vector, with nodal information including a pass or fail flag, plus the analog voltage sensed. Simulation results are provided for the flag and amplifier circuit used for the design of the testing circuit. Through simulations, this testing scheme has performed a test per node every millisecond. This will potentially allow a defect free IC to enter the market in significantly less time than with conventional testing methods.
Complementarities in spectrum markets

It is widely recognized that current policies for allocating wireless spectrum have led to inefficiencies and under-utilization. One proposed solution to this is to enable ”spectrum markets”, which allow for entities to sell and/or lease spectrum dynamically over time. In this paper we consider the design of such a market and how this is influenced by the underlying properties of the wireless medium. In particular, we focus on the role of interference created by different agents who may purchase the use of the same spectrum band at nearby locations. Such interference can result in ”complementarities” among the spectrum goods being traded, which complicates the design of an efficient market mechanism. We give a simple model for such complementarities and for which the efficient allocation of spectrum assets to agents can be formulated as an integer program. We characterize the computational complexity of this problem and and the performance of two different linear relaxations. We also comment on the optimal prices for such markets.
Performing the Self: Subverting the Binary in Combat Games

This article analyzes the quick-response binary combat game genre, suggesting that so-called "finger-twitch" games, often maligned by academics, are both complex and significant for cultural studie...
Immune responses of young mice to pneumococcal type 9V polysaccharide-tetanus toxoid conjugate.

Abstract Pneumococcal type 9V polysaccharide (PS), contained in the current pneumococcal vaccine, induces only a weak antibody response in young children and therefore is not an effective vaccine for young children. To increase its immunogenicity, a conjugate of PS to a protein carrier, tetanus toxoid (TT), was prepared. To quantify the immune response, mouse anti-9V PS immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM reference standards were established. Young mice immunized at 2 weeks of age produced IgM antibody in response to 9V PS alone or 9V PS conjugated to TT. However, only the 9V PS-TT conjugate induced an IgG antibody response and an anamnestic effect. Thus, a covalent linkage between TT and 9V PS was required for isotype switching from IgM to IgG. 9V PS-TT adsorbed with aluminum hydroxide adjuvant resulted in a fivefold or greater increase in the IgG antibody level. We also studied the effect of maternal immunization on the immune response of young mice to 9V PS-TT. Maternal immunization before mating or before mating and during gestation primed 2-week-old progeny given two injections of 9V PS-TT to produce more IgM antibody than progeny from unimmunized mothers. The IgG antibody level of neonates at birth was similar to that observed in the mothers and was probably passive antibody. These results indicate that maternal immunization with an optimum dose of a PS-protein conjugate before and/or during pregnancy, followed by immunization of the offspring with the conjugate, could provide young children with an enhanced IgM antibody response to pneumococcal PSs.
Impact of the Social Construction of LD on Culturally Diverse Families: A Response to Reid and Valle

This response focuses on the effects of the current construction of learning disabilities (LD) on families of children from devalued racial/ethnic groups. Agreeing with the arguments of Reid and Valle, we add that parents from such groups are further disenfranchised because they are not participants in the critical discourse surrounding LD and because of the persistent belief that their parenting skills are deficient. We also suggest that the expectation of parental advocacy may be alien to parents whose cultures do not embrace an individualist perspective. Professionals can improve their responses to such parents by an understanding of the principle of cultural reciprocity.
Formative motion estimation for translational, shear and zoom sequences

Digital television seeks to reduce the bit rate through the elimination of interframe redundancy. The more accurate the motion estimation, the lower the encoded bit rate with the same picture quality, resulting in more channels the provider can deliver to the consumer at a reduced price. We develop a neural network motion estimation technique which produces 4 to 11 dB improvement of peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR) over the other methods, thus creating the potential for improved compression. In contradistinction to the other methods, there is no need to carry out fractional-pixel interpolation. The technique is applicable to purely translational, shear, and zoom sequences. Further, it is formative in that it can form objects that are formed in the present frame and are non-existent in the previous frame.
On estimating the number of species from the discovery record

A common approach to estimating the number of species in a taxonomic or other group is to extrapolate the temporal pattern of historical species discoveries or descriptions. A formal statistical approach to this problem is described. This approach involves fitting an explicit model of the discovery record by maximum like lihood and using the fitted model to estimate the number of undiscovered species. The approach is applied to a description record of large marine animals covering the period 1828–1996. The estimated number of undiscovered species in this group is around 10 with an upper 0.95 confidence bound of around 16.
Holistic and part-based face recognition in children with autism

Background: There is substantial evidence that children with autism are impaired in face recognition. Although many researchers have suggested that this impairment derives from a failure of holistic face processing and a tendency to represent and encode faces on a part-by-part basis, this hypothesis has not been tested directly. Method: Holistic face processing was assessed by comparing children’s ability to recognize a face part (eyes, nose, or mouth) in the context of the whole face in which it was learned with their ability to recognize the same face part in isolation. Results: In Study 1, as expected, typically developing 9-year-olds (n ¼ 27) and 11-year-olds (n ¼ 30) were significantly better at recognizing face parts presented in the whole than in the part test condition, and this effect was limited to upright faces and not found for inverted faces. Consistent with prior findings, typically developing children were most accurate when face recognition depended on the eyes. In Study 2, high-functioning children with autism (n ¼ 22) evidenced a whole-test advantage for mouths only, and were markedly deficient when face recognition depended on the eyes. Their pattern of performance diverged from age- and IQ-matched comparison participants (n ¼ 20), who performed similarly to the typically developing children in Study 1. Conclusions: These findings suggest that face recognition abnormalities in autism are not fully explained by an impairment of holistic face processing, and that there is an unusual significance accorded to the mouth region when children with autism process information from people’s faces. Keywords: Autistic disorder; face perception; social cognition. Abbreviations: ADI-R: Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised; FFA: Fusiform Face Area.
Participatory Analysis, Democracy, and Technological Decision Making

Scientific and technological policy issues are not and should not be exempt from the norms of democratic governance. This article examines two major theories of democracy, analyzes their commonalit...
Role of a Pharmacist in Improving Rational Drug Therapy as Part of the Patient Care Team

The pharmacist's role in improving rational drug therapy when he is a part fo the patient care team is to guarantee the patient the proper use of the best drugs available. Experience at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center has proven to the nursing and medical staffs, as well as to pharmacists that a need for the pharmacist in the clinical area does exist. The author maintains that new drug distribution systems allow the pharmacist to perform new duties in the patient care area and that the clinical pharmacist will be an important participant in drug information retrieval and dissemination in the hospital.
The diagnostic importance of a reduced FEV1/FEV6.

AbstractBackground: On spirometry the FEV1/FEV6 ratio has been advocated as a surrogate for the FEV1/FVC. The significance of isolated reductions in either the FEV1/FEV6 or FEV1/FVC is not known. Methods: First-time adult spirograms (n = 22,837), with concomitant lung volumes (n = 12,040), diffusion (n = 14,154), and inspiratory capacity (n = 12,480) were studied. Four groups were compared. 1) Only FEV1/FEV6 reduced (n = 302). 2) Only FEV1/FVC reduced (n = 1158). 3) Both ratios reduced (n = 6593). 4) Both ratios normal (n = 14,784). Results: In patients with obstructed spirometry (either a reduced FEV1/FVC and/or FEV1/FEV6), 3.8% only had a reduced FEV1/FEV6, while 14.4% only had a reduced FEV1/FVC. The mean FEV1 was lower when both ratios were reduced. The group with only a reduced FEV1/FEV6, compared to only the FEV1/FVC reduced, had a lower FEV1, FVC, BMI, Expiratory Time, and IC (p values < 0.0001). DLCO was also lower (p = 0.005), and the FEV1/FVC and RV/TLC were higher (p values < 0.0001). When the ...
If “60 is the New 40,” is 35 the New 15? Late Onset Crime and Delinquency

Using data from 30 life history interviews with incarcerated women, we examine 8 interviews of women that became involved in crime, and then with the justice system, after age 18. Literature in the area of crime and delinquency supports a relationship between age and crime. The general agreement among researchers is that initial involvement in offending occurs during the early or middle teens and then declines rapidly in the late teens and early twenties. Further, research suggests that the shape of the age crime relationship is similar by sex (Steffensmeier and Allan 1996; Steffensmeier et al. 2006; Steffensmeier and Streifel 1991). However, recent quantitative analyses document the existence of an adult onset population (Block et al. 2007; Eggleston and Laub 2002; Gomez-Smith and Piquero 2005; Simpson et al. 2008). During our research we found that 8 of the 30 women we interviewed became involved in crime after age 20. The present analysis provides a description of these “anomalous” women. They share se...
Effect of angle of attack on rotor trailing-edge noise

Previous analyses of boundary layer trailing edge noise for large rotors have used zero blade angle of attack as input data. Attention is presently given to the important effects of blade angle of attack changes on rotor trailing edge noise in the case of a UH-1 helicopter. The primary effect is in the low to mid-frequency range, where noise level increases with angle of attack.
Integration of Germanium-on-Insulator and Silicon MOSFETs on a Silicon Substrate

The monolithic integration of germanium-on-insulator (GeOI) p-MOSFETs with silicon n-MOSFETs on a silicon substrate is demonstrated. The GeOI p-MOSFETs are fabricated on the oxide for silicon device isolation based on the newly developed rapid-melt-growth method. CMOS inverters consisting of the silicon n-MOSFET and GeOI p-MOSFET were obtained, and the measured results show that the processing of high-performance GeOI devices is compatible with bulk-silicon technology
Bacterial two-hybrid analysis of interactions between region 4 of the sigma(70) subunit of RNA polymerase and the transcriptional regulators Rsd from Escherichia coli and AlgQ from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

A number of transcriptional regulators mediate their effects through direct contact with the ς70 subunit of Escherichia coli RNA polymerase (RNAP). In particular, several regulators have been shown to contact a C-terminal portion of ς70 that harbors conserved region 4. This region of ς contains a putative helix-turn-helix DNA-binding motif that contacts the −35 element of ς70-dependent promoters directly. Here we report the use of a recently developed bacterial two-hybrid system to study the interaction between the putative anti-ς factor Rsd and the ς70 subunit of E. coli RNAP. Using this system, we found that Rsd can interact with an 86-amino-acid C-terminal fragment of ς70 and also that amino acid substitution R596H, within region 4 of ς70, weakens this interaction. We demonstrated the specificity of this effect by showing that substitution R596H does not weaken the interaction between ς and two other regulators shown previously to contact region 4 of ς70. We also demonstrated that AlgQ, a homolog of Rsd that positively regulates virulence gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, can contact the C-terminal region of the ς70 subunit of RNAP from this organism. We found that amino acid substitution R600H in ς70 from P. aeruginosa, corresponding to the R596H substitution in E. coli ς70, specifically weakens the interaction between AlgQ and ς70. Taken together, our findings suggest that Rsd and AlgQ contact similar surfaces of RNAP present in region 4 of ς70 and probably regulate gene expression through this contact.
An adaptive multi sensor data fusion with hybrid nonlinear ARX and Wiener-Hammerstein models for skeletal muscle force estimation

Skeletal muscle force can be estimated using surface electromyographic (sEMG) signals. Usually, the sEMG location for the sensors is near the respective muscle motor unit points. Skeletal muscles generate a temporal and spatial distributed EMG signal, which causes cross talk between different sEMG signal sensors. In this paper, an array of three sEMG sensors is used to capture the information of muscle dynamics in terms of sEMG signals and generated muscle force. The recorded sEMG signals are filtered utilizing optimized nonlinear Half-Gaussian Bayesian filter, and a Chebyshev type-II filter prepares the muscle force signal. The filter optimization is accomplished using Genetic Algorithm (GA). Multi nonlinear Auto Regressive eXogenous (ARX) and Wiener-Hammerstein models with different nonlinearity estimators/classes are obtained using system identification (SI) for three sets of sensor data. The outputs of these models are fused with a probabilistic Kullback Information Criterion (KIC) for model selection and an adaptive probability of KIC. First, the outputs are fused for the same sensor and for different models and then the final outputs from each sensor. The final fusion based output of three sensors provides good skeletal muscle force estimates.
Parental and Peer Attachment Characteristics Differentiating Between Youth Sexual and Non-Sexual Offenders and Associations With Sexual Offense Profiles

Attachment deficits have been suggested as an etiological explanation underlying the development of sexually abusive behaviors and general delinquency among youth. Yet, few researchers have explored the discriminating functions of attachment characteristics or investigated attachments as a stand-alone risk/protective factor explaining offending profiles among youth sexual offenders. This article explored the differences in characteristics of parental and peer attachments between youth sexual ( n = 355) and non-sexual offenders ( n = 150). Furthermore, associations between family and peer attachments and criminal profiles of sexual offenders were tested. The t-test results revealed that the groups of youth differed on various mother and father attachment characteristics, with youth sexual offenders exhibiting greater deficits. Regression models revealed lower levels of mother and peer trust and communication were associated with more severe sexual offenses; low levels of mother trust were associated with more victims; and low levels of mother trust and high father alienation were associated with more non-sexual criminality. Practice implications suggest the need to amalgamate families more consistently into treatment and addressing peer dynamics within groups and community contexts.
Principles of cryo-EM single-particle image processing

Single-particle reconstruction is the process by which 3D density maps are obtained from a set of low-dose cryo-EM images of individual macromolecules. This review considers the fundamental principles of this process and the steps in the overall workflow for single-particle image processing. Also considered are the limits that image signal-to-noise ratio places on resolution and the distinguishing of heterogeneous particle populations.
Mechanical Effects of Galvanic Corrosion of Thin Film Polysilicon

Mechanical, and electrical effects generated by the galvanic corrosion of polysilicon immersed in various hydrofluoric acid (HF)-based solutions are described. Micromachined test structures consisting of phosphorus-doped polysilicon in contact with a gold metallization layer are utilized. A suite of otherwise identical test (metal added) and reference (no metal) structures were used to investigate changes in key performance parameters. Corroded test structures demonstrate an increase in through-thickness strain gradient, a decrease in the characteristic frequency of mechanical resonance, no change in in-plane strain, greatly increased electrical resistance, a decrease in hardness, and a decrease in elastic modulus. Noteworthy results were observed for aqueous-hydrochloric acid, ethanol, water, ammonium fluoride (found in buffered oxide etchant), Triton-X-100, as well as vapor-HF based chemistries. This first systematic study validates preliminary experiments and demonstrates the impact of corrosion on miniaturized structures, indicating a potential influence upon the material properties, design, performance, fatigue, tribology (friction/ wear), manufacture, and packaging of micro-and nano-scale devices.© 2005 ASME
Case 8-2007: A 48-year-old man with chest pain followed by cardiac arrest

A 48-year-old man was admitted to this hospital because of chest pain. An electrocardiogram revealed diffuse ST-segment elevation, and an echocardiographic study was normal. Cardiac arrest with ventricular tachycardia occurred 13 hours after presentation. The patient was successfully resuscitated, and the result of a diagnostic test was received on the fourth hospital day.
Parenteral Vaccination Can Be An Effective Means of Inducing Protective Mucosal Responses

The current paradigm in vaccine development is that nonreplicating vaccines delivered parenterally fail to induce immune responses in mucosal tissues. However, both clinical and experimental data have challenged this concept, and numerous studies have shown that induction of mucosal immune responses after parenteral vaccination is not a rare occurrence and might, in fact, significantly contribute to the protection against mucosal infections afforded by parenteral vaccines. While the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well understood, the realization that parenteral vaccination can be an effective means of inducing protective mucosal responses is paradigm-shifting and has potential to transform the way vaccines are designed and delivered.
Cardiac Rhythm Control Devices

More than 110,000 men, women, and children receive permanent implanted pacemakers annually in the United States alone, and thousands more receive implantable cardioverter defibrillators; more still are treated for a brief period with temporary pacing in critical care settings. Because of the prevalence of rhythm disturbances and the growing use of devices as a means of therapy, critical care nurses may reasonably expect to care for patients receiving or already using such equipment. Knowledge of its function is a useful tool at the bedside. This article discusses basic attributes and behaviors of these devices and methods of diagnosing and dealing with the most commonly seen difficulties associated with them.
He Resolves to Say No More

The need to distill a few precious drops of essential meaning at the conclusion of a discourse reflects for most writers something more than a polite, educated nod of deference to Aristotelian rhetoric. The shaping of a proper ending which confers a sense of closure and an Oriental feeling of the roundness, the balanced complexity of the matter at hand is generally valued by stylists as a stroke of eclat demonstrating at once authorial ingenuity and textual validity. The problem any modern author encounters in assigning finalisms is identical to the problem Hardy faced at the conclusion of every novel, for as Ian Gregor observes, ‘Endings … were always a source of difficulty for Hardy, because they implied unity where he sought plurality, they expressed finality where he sought continuity’.2 While some themes may lend themselves to parochial summarisation, the study of Hardy’s voices is not — happily, in my opinion — among them. Hardy recognised more astutely than any other Victorian novelist that all endings are fictions because however alluring resolution may seem, the ‘spinner’s wheel onfleeing’ continually unravels change upon change in pursuit of variation and impermanence.
Spirituality and Religion

While psychology does not provide a complete account of ultimate value, Santayana does, calling that which is unconditionally valuable “spirituality”. However, spirituality traditionally falls within the domain of religion. We must therefore determine whether religion includes spirituality in Santayana’s sense. If it does, we must then ask what Santayana’s account of ultimate value provides that religion does not.
The Creativity of Culture and the Culture of Creativity Research: The Promise of Integrative Transdisciplinarity

Social and cultural changes brought about by the digital revolution have led to changes in the discourse and practices of creativity, such as an increasing focus on collaborative and everyday creativity. These developments may reflect the deeper changes of a shift from modernity to a new networked era, whose outlines and implications are not yet clear. We argue that in order to contextualize, understand, and articulate, the relationship between social and cultural changes, and the interconectedness between technological, cultural, economic, and social as well as psychological factors, researchers cannot be limited to the perspective of a single discipline. A transdisciplinary approach, rooted in the epistemology of complexity, can be used to address the challenge of integrating material from diverse sources and multiple dimensions, from the cognitive to the social. Trandisciplinary scholarship of integration is viewed as complementary to more specialized, disciplinary research.
Epidemiology of Leptospirosis in Mesoamerica: Historical Perspectives on One Health Transmission

Leptospirosis is the most common bacterial zoonotic disease and can be found throughout the globe. The objectives of our study were to highlight risk factors of importance from Central America and the Caribbean and to discuss outbreaks of public health concern as well as general disease expansion in these regions. A number of recent discoveries ranging from epidemiology to ecology of leptospirosis have occurred recently. Of particular note were the recent discovery of a new pathogenic Leptospire along with documentation of opportunistic strain infections and several analyses of socio-demographic and occupational factors related to the disease. Leptospirosis has continued to exist and reports indicate increased numbers of disease cases when compared with past records in most nations. This expansion is particularly interesting when considering the underreporting that is especially likely in areas where other diseases, notably dengue fever, exist.
Prevalence of use and perceptions of risk of novel and other alternative tobacco products among sexual minority adults: Results from an online national survey, 2014–2015

Sexual minority (lesbian, gay, and bisexual [LGB]) populations experience disparities in cigarette use, but sparse evidence exists about novel and other alternative tobacco product use. In this study, we compared rates of novel and other alternative tobacco product use, risk perceptions, and worldview between LGB and heterosexual (HET) adults. An online survey administered in 2014-2015, using a weighted probability sample of 11,525 U.S. adults, assessed awareness of tobacco products; ever and current use of e-cigarettes, cigars, little cigars and cigarillos, and hookahs; perceptions of e-cigarettes; and worldview (individualism vs. communitarianism). Bivariate and adjusted multivariable analyses were performed to determine differences between LGB and HET groups. In the adjusted analyses, LGB adults were 1.5 times more likely to have ever used e-cigarettes (95% CI 1.2-1.9) and 1.9 times more likely to have ever used hookahs (95% CI 1.5-2.4) as compared to HET adults. A lower percentage of LGB adults, as compared to HET adults (16.7% vs. 19.2%), believed that exposure to vapors from e-cigarettes was "harmful" and reported that they "did not know" of any harm (35.1% vs. 39.8%). LGB were 20% less likely than were HET adults to endorse an individualistic worldview. These results suggest that a disparity exists, whereby LGB adults are more likely to have used e-cigarettes and hookahs. In addition, although vapor from e-cigarettes contains nicotine and other chemicals, LGB adults are less likely to perceive exposure to secondhand vapor as harmful. Tailored awareness campaigns and interventions are needed to convey the risks and curb use of these products.
Electronic Cigarettes: Exposure and Use Among Pediatric Populations

Abstract As an emerging inhalational exposure, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have rapidly gained public awareness with increasing use among adolescents and adults, leading to increased primary use by adolescents and increased secondhand exposure to emissions in infants, children, and adolescents. Although the long-term health risks for primary use and secondhand emission exposure are unknown, limited data from animal studies suggest that there is the potential for long-term lung injury and altered neurocognitive development in children with exposure to nicotine-containing aerosols. In this pediatric-focused review, we discuss the history of e-cigarettes, the demographics of adolescent users, effects on health, and current legislative efforts to protect infants, children, and adolescents from exposure.
Clinical information seeking in traumatic brain injury: a survey of Veterans Health Administration polytrauma care team members.

BACKGROUND The polytraumatic nature of traumatic brain injury (TBI) makes diagnosis and treatment difficult. OBJECTIVES To (1) characterise information needs among Veterans Health Administration (VHA) polytrauma care team members engaged in the diagnosis and treatment of TBI; (2) identify sources used for TBI related information; and (3) identify barriers to accessing TBI related information. METHODS Cross-sectional online survey of 236 VHA polytrauma care team members. RESULTS Most respondents (95.8%) keep at least somewhat current regarding TBI, but 31.5% need more knowledge on diagnosing TBI and 51.3% need more knowledge on treating TBI. Respondents use VHA affiliated sources for information, including local colleagues (81.7%), VHA offsite conferences/meetings (78.3%) and onsite VHA educational offerings (73.6%); however, limited time due to administrative responsibilities (50.9%), limited financial resources (50.4%) and patient care (50.4%) were prominent barriers. DISCUSSION Medical librarians are in a unique position to develop information services, resources and other electronic tools that reflect the clinical context in which polytrauma care team members practice, and the different tasks they perform. CONCLUSION Polytrauma care team members could benefit from additional information regarding the diagnosis and treatment of TBI. Addressing their information needs and supporting their information seeking requires a mulit-pronged approach to time and financial constraints.
The application of artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate Gleason grading: Novel tools to develop next generation risk assessment assays.

170Background: Postoperative risk assessment remains an important variable in the treatment of prostate cancer (PCA). Advances in genomic risk classifiers have aided clinical-decision making; however, clinical-pathologic variables such as Gleason grade and pathologic stage remain significant comparators for accurate prognostication. We aimed to standardize the descriptive pathology of PCA through automation of Gleason grading with artificial intelligence and image analysis feature selection Methods: Retrospective study using radical prostatectomy (RP) tissue microarrays from Henry Ford Hospital and Roswell Park Cancer Center with 8-year median follow-up. Samples were stained with a multiplex immunofluorescent assay: Androgen Receptor (AR), Ki67, Cytokeratin 18, Cytokeratin 5/6 and Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemase); imaged with a CRI Nuance FX camera and then analyzed with proprietary software to generate a suite of morphometric - attributes that quantitatively characterize the Gleason spectrum. Derived featu...
Radiology residency eCurriculum developed in-house: evaluation of benefits and weaknesses.

Rationale and Objectives The purpose of this study was to evaluate residents' use of a radiology curriculum CD-ROM designed to provide ready access to the department's curricula, study materials, and Internet resources.
Engineering Ethics: From Preventive Ethics to Aspirational Ethics

An important distinction in engineering ethics is between preventive ethics, which consists of guidelines for preventing harm to the public, and aspirational ethics, which consists of guidelines and motivating considerations for using one’s professional expertise to promote human well-being. Preventive ethics is stated in rules and is considered mandatory for all members of a profession. Aspirational ethics allows the professional more discretion in determining what it involves and when and how it is implemented. While preventive ethics must continue to be an important part of professional ethics in engineering, aspirational ethics should be given a more prominent place. Four types of action falling in the category of aspirational ethics can be distinguished, based on their increasingly direct focus on promoting human well-being. Four virtues can be identified as having special importance in motivating and guiding aspirational ethics.
Self assembly problems of anisotropic particles in soft matter

Anisotropic building blocks assembled from colloidal particles are attractive building blocks for self-assembled materials because their complex interactions can be exploited to drive self-assembly. In this dissertation we address the self-assembly of anisotropic particles from multiple novel computational and mathematical angles. First, we accelerate algorithms for modeling systems of anisotropic particles via massively parallel GPUs. We provide a scheme for generating statistically robust pseudo-random numbers that enables GPU acceleration of Brownian and dissipative particle dynamics. We also show how rigid body integration can be accelerated on a GPU. Integrating these two algorithms into a GPU-accelerated molecular dynamics code (HOOMD-blue), make a single GPU the ideal computing environment for modeling the self-assembly of anisotropic nanoparticles. Second, we introduce a new mathematical optimization problem, filling, a hybrid of the familiar shape packing and covering problem, which can be used to model shaped particles. We study the rich mathematical structures of the solution space and provide computational methods for finding optimal solutions for polygons and convex polyhedra. We present a sequence of isosymmetric optimal filling solutions for the Platonic solids. We then consider the filling of a hyper-cone in dimensions two to eight and show the solution remains scale-invariant but dependent on dimension. Third, we study the impact of size variation, polydispersity, on the self-assembly of an anisotropic particle, the polymer-tethered nanosphere, into ordered phases. We show that the local nanoparticle packing motif, icosahedral or crystalline, determines the impact of polydispersity on energy of the system and phase transitions. We show how extensions of the Voronoi tessellation can be calculated and applied to characterize such micro-segregated phases. By applying a Voronoi tessellation, we show that properties of the individual domains can be studied as a function of system properties such as temperature and concentration. Last, we consider the thermodynamically driven self-assembly of terminal clusters of particles. We predict that clusters related to spherical codes, a mathematical sequence of points, can be synthesized via self-assembly. These anisotropic clusters can be tuned to different anisotropies via the ratio of sphere diameters and temperature. The method suggests a rich new way for assembling anisotropic building blocks.
Network effects on tweeting

Online social networks (OSNs) have created new and exciting ways to connect and share information. Perhaps no site has had a more profound effect on information exchange than Twitter.com. In this paper, we study large-scale graph properties and lesser-studied local graph structures of the explicit social network and the implicit retweet network in order to better understand the relationship between socialization and tweeting behaviors. In particular, we first explore the interplay between the social network and user tweet topics and offer evidence that suggests that users who are close in the social graph tend to tweet about similar topics. We then analyze the implicit retweet network and find highly unreciprocal links and unbalanced triads. We also explain the effects of these structural patterns on information diffusion by analyzing and visualizing how URLs tend to be tweeted and retweeted. Finally, given our analyses of the social network and the retweet network, we provide some insights into the relationships between these two networks.
A benefit-cost analysis of smallholder irrigated farms in Zimbabwe

The government of Zimbabwe uses agricultural development as one of the ways to stimulate economic growth. Agriculture in Zimbabwe is characterized by a dual agrarian system comprising the large scale commercial sector and the smallholder communal sector. The communal sector, 47 percent of the country, supports more than 70 percent of the population. One strategy used to improve agricultural performance is the development of agricultural infrastructure. Of the 117, 830 ha developed for irrigation only slightly more than 6 percent is in the communal (smallholder) sector. The smallholder irrigation systems are managed under four different systems, namely the government-managed Agritex, farmer-managed community, the informal bani (dambo) managed by farmers and the ARDA outgrowers managed jointly by a parastatal and farmers. This paper evaluates the benefits and costs associated with these different management systems. Benefit-cost ratios are computed for each system. The bani system achieves higher benefit-cost ratios than the community, which achieves higher ratios than the Agritex management system. This indicates that the government should consider using the community system for developing the potential 93,000 ha of communal smallholder irrigation systems. It should also seriously consider the bani system as an alternative development strategy.
Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectra of Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms

Solid-state 13C NMR spectra of tablets or capsules of prednisolone, enalapril maleate, lovastatin, simvastatin, ibuprofen, flurbiprofen, mefenamic acid, indomethacin, diflunisal, sulindac, and piroxicam were obtained in the CP/MAS mode at 50 MHz. These studies show that (1) solid-state NMR spectroscopy can detect the active ingredients in low-dose tablets and capsules; (2) the use of interrupted decoupling often results in suppression of resonances due to excipients, thereby allowing better detection of resonances from the drug; and (3) the technique permits discrimination between two prednisolone polymorphs present in tablets obtained from various manufacturers even though the tablets contain only approximately 5% (w/w) of the drug.