cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exclusion of pH artifacts is essential for hypopharyngeal pH monitoring

Background: Published yields of pH monitoring for suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) vary greatly. Hypopharyngeal pH artifacts may be responsible for these inconsistencies. Objective: To determine the impact of potential artifacts on pH monitoring of the hypopharynx and esophagus. Methods: Patients with suspected LPR were prospectively studied. Single-catheter, triple-sensor pH monitoring was performed off antireflux therapy. Subjects recorded meal times and marked liquid swallows outside of meals on the data recorder. Results were analyzed by excluding six potential pH artifacts individually and all together. Positive pH test was defined as three or more reflux episodes in hypopharynx, total percent of time pH less than 4 was 1.0% or greater in the proximal esophagus, and total percent of time pH less than 4 was 4.2% or greater in the distal esophagus. Wilcoxon rank sum and chi-square tests were used. Results: Thirty-eight subjects (24 females; median age, 47 yr) completed the study. A total of 2,225 hypopharyngeal pH drops less than 4 were identified; 48% were short pH drops at less than 5 seconds, 17% within meal periods, 16% liquid swallows outside of meals, 16% isolated proximal pH drops, 12% pH out of range, and 5% pH drift. Eighty percent of the hypopharyngeal pH drops were at least one of the potential pH artifacts. The yield of the hypopharyngeal sensor was reduced by 45% (from 92% to 47%) after all potential pH artifacts were excluded. Yields of proximal and distal esophageal pH sensors were reduced by 19% and 8%, respectively, significantly less than the hypopharyngeal sensor (P < .01). Conclusions: Patients should record all liquid swallows outside of meals. It is essential to exclude all potential artifacts for hypopharyngeal pH monitoring in patients with suspected LPR.
Episodic Recollection in Animals: ''If It Walks like a Duck and Quacks like a Duck...''.

In humans, episodic memory is most commonly deWned as the subjective experience of recollection, presenting a major challenge to the identiWcation of episodic memory in animals. Here we take the position that episodic memory also has several other distinctive qualities that can be assessed objectively in animals, as well as humans, and the examination of these properties provides insights into underlying mechanisms of episodic memory. We focus on recent evidence accumulated in this laboratory indicating that recognition in rats involves a threshold retrieval process, similar to that observed in human episodic recall. Also, rats can remember the temporal order of unique events, characteristic of the replay of vivid episodic memories in humans. Furthermore, rats combine elements of “when” and “where” events occur, as well as the Xow of events within a memory, to distinguish memories that share overlapping features, also characteristic of human episodic memory. Finally, all of these capacities are dependent on the hippocampus, which also plays a critical role in human episodic memory. This combination of Wndings strongly suggests that animals have the same fundamental information processing functions that underlie episodic recall in humans.
Local peak enhancement combined with noise reduction algorithms for robust automatic speech recognition in automobiles

The accuracy of automatic speech recognition in automobiles is significantly degraded in very low SNR (signal to noise ratio) situations such as "Fan high" or "Window open". In such cases, speech signals are often buried in broadband noise. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for such situations that utilizes harmonic structures in the human voice. It pursues two objectives. (1) Unlike comb filtering, it should not rely on F0 detection or voiced/unvoiced detection, since they are not accurate enough in noisy environments. (2) It should work with existing noise reduction algorithms. In our new approach, an observed power spectrum is directly converted into a filter for speech enhancement by retaining only the local peaks considered to be harmonic structures. In our experiments, we reduced the word error rate significantly in realistic automobile environments, and our approach showed further improvements when used with existing noise reduction algorithms.
A review of infliximab use in ulcerative colitis

Abstract Background: Infliximab is a chimeric immunoglobulin G1κ monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity and specificity to the soluble form of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, preventing it from binding to cellular receptors. Infliximab also binds to membranebound TNF-α found on inflammatory cell surfaces, inducing apoptosis. Currently, infliximab is used for the induction and maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease (CD), with documented success. Infliximab's efficacy in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) is now being investigated due to the similarities in the pathophysiology of CD and UC. Objective: The aim of this study was to review and evaluate the current literature of infliximab use in steroid-refractory UC to assess its role in treatment. Methods: A search of MEDLINE was conducted (1950–November 2007). Key terms included, but were not limited to, infliximab, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, cost , and quality of life . Studies included for review were limited to English-language, full-text, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials. Clinical trials were reviewed and summarized. Results: Four controlled clinical trials of infliximab in the treatment of steroid-refractory UC were found and assessed. In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial in 43 patients with moderately severe, glucocorticoid-resistant UC, infliximab and placebo were not significantly different with respect to clinical and sigmoidoscopic remission or quality of life 2 and 6 weeks after infliximab treatment. In a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in 45 patients with moderately severe to severe glucocorticoid-resistant UC, infliximab was associated with a significantly reduced need for colectomy compared with placebo (29% vs 67%; P =0.017). The Active Ulcerative Colitis Trials (ACT) 1 and 2 together included 728 patients with moderate to severe glucocorticoid-resistant UC. The primary outcome, the rate of clinical response at 8 weeks, was significantly higher with infliximab compared with placebo (5 mg/kg: ACT 1, 69.4%, ACT 2, 64.5%; 10 mg/kg: ACT 1, 61.5%, ACT 2, 69.2%; placebo: ACT 1, 37.2%;, ACT 2, 29.3%; all, P Conclusions: Current data suggest that infliximab is an effective alternative treatment option for patients with moderate to severe UC with an inadequate response to conventional glucocorticoid treatment. Further trials are needed to assess infliximab's impact on the treatment and progression of UC, the HRQL of patients with UC, and the economic impact on the health care system.
Heuristic beliefs about problem solving in technology courses and their impact on success on problem solving exams

In this paper, we describe a study of the students' heuristic beliefs about problem solving and learning and their related habits of learning in an engineering technology environment. For this study, a survey instrument was developed by the authors to assess student beliefs about learning and their habits of learning in a problem solving environment. We compare and contrast their responses with the best practice recommendations of the instructors of the two courses in which the surveys were administered. Implications for teaching and coaching are also discussed. This study also investigates the relationship between a student's responses and his/her performance on problem solving exams.
Repression of ESR1 through Actions of Estrogen Receptor Alpha and Sin3A at the Proximal Promoter

Gene expression results from the coordinated actions of transcription factor proteins and coregulators. Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that can both activate and repress the expression of genes. Activation of transcription by estrogen-bound ERα has been studied in detail, as has antagonist-induced repression, such as that which occurs by tamoxifen. How estrogen-bound ERα represses gene transcription remains unclear. In this report, we identify a new mechanism of estrogen-induced transcriptional repression by using the ERα gene, ESR1. Upon estrogen treatment, ERα is recruited to two sites on ESR1, one distal (ENH1) and the other at the proximal (A) promoter. Coactivator proteins, namely, p300 and AIB1, are found at both ERα-binding sites. However, recruitment of the Sin3A repressor, loss of RNA polymerase II, and changes in histone modifications occur only at the A promoter. Reduction of Sin3A expression by RNA interference specifically inhibits estrogen-induced repression of ESR1. Furthermore, an estrogen-responsive interaction between Sin3A and ERα is identified. These data support a model of repression wherein actions of ERα and Sin3A at the proximal promoter can overcome activating signals at distal or proximal sites and ultimately decrease gene expression.
Evaluating hospital quality for vascular surgery

Increasingly, there is a wealth of data available to aid patients in determining where to seek care for quality vascular disease. At times, these data may be difficult for the public to comprehend. Hospital rating organizations, frequently motivated by profit, are marketing directly to consumers with increasingly granular data. In this report, we examine the most popular ratings for hospitals that perform vascular surgical procedures and describe the methodology of each rating system, as well as the validity of the data underscoring these ratings. Understanding how hospital quality is being evaluated and what outcomes measures are being collated allows vascular surgeons to take appropriate actions to ensure the validity of their own hospital ratings.
DECIPHERING ANNUAL GROWTH FEATURES IN CHIONE ELEVATA SHELLS USING ISOTOPE SCLEROCHRONOLOGY

Chione elevata is a venerid bivalve common in modern molluscan assemblages and in the fossil record throughout the southeastern United States. Knowledge of its life span and growth rates can provide insights into paleoenvironmental and paleoecological conditions for a large number of fossil assemblages. We used isotope sclerochronology to decipher the accretionary record in modern shells of C. elevata. Sixtythree live specimens were collected from a soft-substrate intertidal flat near Wilmington, North Carolina. Aragonite samples drilled from the outer shell layer of three specimens were analyzed for oxygen isotope ratios (d 18O). Previous studies show that dark growth lines in other bivalve taxa from the same geographic area, such as Mercenaria mercenaria, correlated with summer growth cessation. A similar accretionary pattern does not exist in C. elevata. Dark growth lines in C. elevata shells appear randomly distributed. Their occurrence does not always correspond with maxima in d 18O values (winter growth cessation). Additionally, dark growth lines are not correlated with concentric ornaments on the surface of the shell. Instead, maxima in d18O values
Teen Magazines as Educational Texts on Dating Violence: The $2.99 Approach

This study analyzed the portrayal of dating violence in teen magazines published in the United States. Such an investigation is important because previous research indicates that dating violence is a serious problem facing adolescents, teen magazines overemphasize the importance of romantic relationships, and teens who read this genre frequently or for education/advice are especially susceptible to its messages. Results indicated that although teen magazines do frame dating violence as a cultural problem, they are much more likely to utilize an individual frame that emphasizes the victim. Results were discussed as they apply to the responsibilities of professionals working with adolescents.
Patterns of Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adults in the United States.

INTRODUCTION Amid increasing rates of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use in the United States, there is an urgent need to monitor patterns of use at the population level in order to inform practice, policy and regulation. This article examines how patterns of e-cigarette use among adults differ between users and nonusers of cigarettes using the most current national data. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2014 National Health Interview Survey. We estimated prevalence of ever, current, and daily e-cigarette use and examined how use patterns differed by demographic subgroups and measures of cigarette smoking status that accounted for the recent availability of e-cigarettes in the US marketplace. RESULTS Current e-cigarette use is extremely low among never cigarette smokers (0.4%) and former smokers who quit cigarettes 4 or more years ago (0.8%). Although e-cigarette experimentation is most common among current cigarette smokers and young adults, daily use is highest among former smokers who quit in the past year (13.0%) and older adults. Compared to daily cigarette smokers, recently quit smokers were more than four times as likely to be daily users of e-cigarettes (AOR: 4.33 [95% CI: 3.08-6.09]). CONCLUSIONS Extremely low e-cigarette use among never-smokers and longer term former smokers suggest that e-cigarettes neither promote widespread initiation nor relapse among adults. Recognition of the heterogeneity of smokers, including the time since quitting, is critical to draw accurate conclusions about patterns of e-cigarette use at the population level and its potential for public health benefit or harm. IMPLICATIONS Data from 2014 National Health Interview Survey indicate that e-cigarettes have not been attracting adult non-smokers or promoting relapse in longer term former smokers. Moreover, the data are suggestive that some recent quitters may have done so with the assistance of e-cigarettes. Creating measures of smoking status that treat former smokers as a homogenous group is insufficient to assess the epidemiology of e-cigarette use and the potential impact on public health.
Methods of Calculating Simultaneous Switching Noise

In present high-speed chips, the output driver is a major contributor to the pin-to-pin delays because of output loading as well as package and board parasitics. To get a good speed on these output drivers, often the drive current capabilities are increased by increasing the channel width of the output driver circuits. The increase in current drive capability induces large power/ground noise due to outputs switching simultaneously. Since the inputs and/or internal logic (if not separated by internal V DD /Vss buses) are connected to the same V DD/V SS bus, power/ground noise must be controlled to avoid any false switching.
Surface acidity scales: Experimental measurements of Brønsted acidities on anatase TiO2 and comparison with coinage metal surfaces

Abstract The first quantitative surface acidity scale for Bronsted acids on a solid surface is presented through the use of titration-displacement and equilibrium experiments on anatase TiO 2 . Surface acidities of species on TiO 2 correlated with gas phase acidities, as was previously observed in qualitative studies of Bronsted acid displacement on Ag(110), Cu(110) and Au(111). A 90% compression of the surface acidity scale relative to the gas phase was observed due to compensation from the covalent component of the conjugate base – surface bond. Adsorbed conjugate bases need not be completely anionic for correlations with gas phase acidities to hold. Positive and negative substituent effects, such as substituted fluorine and hydrocarbon sidechain dispersion interactions with the surface, may modify the surface acidity scale, in agreement with previous experimental and theoretical work on Au(111).
Phase II study of bevacizumab in combination with docetaxel and radiation in locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN)

6068 Background: VEGF expression has been shown to be up regulated in SCCHN, representing a promising therapeutic target. Bevacizumab is an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody that may potentiate the eff...
London's Underground Spaces: Representing the Victorian City, 1840-1915

In the nineteenth century, London's underground geography expanded rapidly, encompassing the new sewer lines and suburban “garden” cemeteries inspired by the sanitary reform movement, and the vastl...
31P NMR saturation-transfer and 13C NMR kinetic studies of glycolytic regulation during anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis.

31P NMR saturation-transfer techniques have been employed in glucose-grown derepressed yeast to determine unidirectional fluxes in the upper part of the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway. The experiments were performed during anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis by saturating the ATP gamma resonances and monitoring changes in the phosphomonoester signals from glucose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-bis-phosphate. These experiments were supplemented with 13C NMR measurements of glucose utilization rates and 13C NMR label distribution studies. Combined with data obtained previously from radioisotope measurements, these 31P and 13C NMR kinetic studies allowed estimation of the net glycolytic flow in addition to relative flows through phosphofructokinase (PFK) and Fru-1,6-P2ase during anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis. The 31P NMR saturation-transfer results are consistent with previous results obtained from measurements of metabolite levels, radioisotope data, and 13C NMR studies [den Hollander, J.A., Ugurbil, K., Brown, T.R., Bednar, M., Redfield, C., & Shulman, R.G. (1986a) Biochemistry 25, 203-211], providing additional support for in vivo measurement of the flows during glycolysis.
The action of adrenalin on the pyloric sphincter.

Because of the lack of consistent data bearing on the action of adrenalin on the pyloric sphincter, a further investigation of the problem has been undertaken. The results so far obtained have been sufficiently constant that a preliminary report, indicating their general character, seems justified. The investigation has been confined to a study of the immediate effects of the drug administered intravenously to anesthetized dogs. Several methods have been employed to observe the reactions of the sphincter muscle without significant differences in the results.In dogs that have been anesthetized with morphin and ether, and allowed an hour or more for recovery from operative procedures, adrenalin produces regularly a prompt relaxation of the sphincter muscle. After a variable interval, the duration of which depends on the dosage, the tonus recovers and may temporarily reach a level slightly higher than before the drug was given. On the other hand, if observations are made immediately after operating on the an...
Sequence-defined bioactive macrocycles via an acid-catalysed cascade reaction

Synthetic macrocycles derived from sequence-defined oligomers are a unique structural class whose ring size, sequence and structure can be tuned via precise organization of the primary sequence. Similar to peptides and other peptidomimetics, these well-defined synthetic macromolecules become pharmacologically relevant when bioactive side chains are incorporated into their primary sequence. In this article, we report the synthesis of oligothioetheramide (oligoTEA) macrocycles via a one-pot acid-catalysed cascade reaction. The versatility of the cyclization chemistry and modularity of the assembly process was demonstrated via the synthesis of >20 diverse oligoTEA macrocycles. Structural characterization via NMR spectroscopy revealed the presence of conformational isomers, which enabled the determination of local chain dynamics within the macromolecular structure. Finally, we demonstrate the biological activity of oligoTEA macrocycles designed to mimic facially amphiphilic antimicrobial peptides. The preliminary results indicate that macrocyclic oligoTEAs with just two-to-three cationic charge centres can elicit potent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.
251 OCCURRENCE OF CUTANEOUS VASCULITIS AFTER TREATMENT OF PNEUMONITIS WITH AZATHIOPRINE AND METHOTREXATE IN A YOUNG WOMAN WITH MIXED CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.

Purpose of Study To report occurrence of severe cutaneous vasculitis after the treatment of pneumonitis with the addition of azathioprine therapy to methotrexate in a patient with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Used Retrospective case study. Summary of Results A 24-year-old woman with dermatomyositis and mixed connective tissue disease presented with cutaneous vasculitis. She had had polyarticular juvenile RA, which was quiescent until age 22; a flare then responded to methotrexate (MTX) and prednisone therapy. At 24, she developed dermatomyositis (DM) and MCTD that were responsive to increasing doses of steroids. Nine months later, she developed severe exertional dyspnea and diminished pulmonary diffusion capacity. High-resolution chest CT showed pneumonitis, initially considered an adverse effect of MTX. She had used MTX for years, and pneumonitis was thought to be more likely a manifestation of DM. For this reason, azathioprine (AZA) was added to MTX and intravenous and oral steroids, and pneumonitis resolved. Six weeks later, the patient presented with purpuric lesions on the distal calves. Steroids did not slow the progression of vasculitis. MTX and AZA were discontinued, and the purpuric lesions rapidly subsided. Monthly intravenous immune globulin was initiated, and she remained free of symptoms of DM or vasculitis. She was left with severely infected, nonhealing wounds that healed with skin autografts. Conclusions Reached Four cases of fever, leukocytosis, and cutaneous leukocytoclastic vasculitis were reported in RA when AZA was added to MTX. 1 None had severe vasculitis. A causative role of immunosuppressive therapy was inferred from the subsidence of vasculitis following discontinuation of AZA and MTX. In the present study, the addition of AZA therapy to MTX was associated with severe, recalcitrant cutaneous vasculitis. Although her wounds took a long time to heal, her active cutaneous vasculitis was present only during concomitant therapy with AZA and MTX and subsided after immunosuppressive therapy was discontinued. Our patient differed from previous reports in lack of fever and in complexity of autoimmune overlap. The underlying cause of this patient9s vasculitis may be hypersensitivity to azathioprine. 1. Arthritis Rheum 1996;39:1016-20.
Applications of multi-spectral imaging: failsafe industrial flame detector

Industrial and petrochemical facilities present unique challenges for fire protection and safety. Typical scenarios include detection of an unintended fire in a scene, wherein the scene also includes a flare stack in the background. Maintaining a high level of process and plant safety is a critical concern. In this paper, we present a failsafe industrial flame detector which has significant performance benefits compared to current flame detectors. The design involves use of microbolometer in the MWIR and LWIR spectrum and a dual band filter. This novel flame detector can help industrial facilities to meet their plant safety and critical infrastructure protection requirements while ensuring operational and business readiness at project start-up.
Erythrocyte survival following extracorporeal circulation. A question of membrane versus bubble oxygenator.

Five groups of seven dogs were studied. Each animal had 250 ml of blood withdrawn and tagged with Cr31. Group I (control) samples were combined with 500 ml of lactated Ringer’s solution and reinfused into the respective animals after 3 hours of incubation at 37° C. Group II samples were pumped in a closed-circuit bubble oxygenator with 500 ml of lactated Ringer’s prime for 2 hours before reinfusion into the animals. Group III samples were pumped in a bubble oxygenator for 3 hours before reinfusion. Group IV samples were pumped in a closed-circuit membrane oxygenator for 2 hours, and Group V samples were pumped in a membrane circuit for 3 hours. All extracorporeal pump runs were performed at 37° C. Blood samples were drawn from the dogs at regular intervals after bypass for 30 days. Erythrocyte survival was determined by Cr31 activity recorded by a gamma counter. The red cell half-life was determined for each dog. The control half-life was 24.1 ± 2.03 days; Group II, 19.88 ± 1.69 (p
Freedom of Preference: A Defense of Compatiblism

Harry G. Frankfurt has presented a case of a counterfactual intervener CI with knowledge and power to control an agent so he will do A. He concludes that if the agent prefers to do A and there is no intervention by CI, the agent has acted of his own free will and is morally responsible for doing A, though he lacked an alternative possibility. I consider the consequences for freedom and moral responsibility of CI having a complete plan P for all actions of an agent, Lucky, who luckily has preferences that accord with P, and I extend the argument to all citizens of a land, Luckyland, who are like Lucky. I argue the citizens of Luckyland have free will but lack moral responsibility because of the connection between moral responsibility, reactive attitudes and future action. Furthermore, the presence of CI and his plan P may allow free will but is incompatible with freedom of preference. Preference concerns alternatives excluded by CI. I argue that a special higher order preference for the preference structure, a power preference, ends the regress of higher order preference and explains the first order preference. Causal determinism is compatible with freedom of preference explained by a power preference when a power preference would also explain an alternative preference. The remoteness argument for incompatibility fails because of a lack of transitivity causal explanation. The power preference is the self-explained source of freedom of preference. That basic freedom may be limited by government knowledge of our preferences, even if, like Lucky, our preferences do not provoke intervention and we conform of our own free will.
THE FRONTIERS OF FOREIGN FOODS

When Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) visited Europe in 1878 he complained bitterly about the food, comparing it most unfavorably with American fare. Before returning home, he composed a wish list of comestibles he desired upon his return including Virginia bacon, soft-shell crabs, Philadelphia terrapin soup, canvas-back duck from Baltimore, Connecticut shad, green corn on the ear, butter beans, asparagus, string beans, American butter (he complained that European butter had no salt); predictably apple pie, and curiously, frogs. Leslie Brenner (1999) WITH APOLOGIES to Samuel Clemens there was no such thing as “American fare” north of Mexico when he wrote, nor had there been for close to two centuries, the remnants of pre-Columbian foodstuffs and cooking techniques notwithstanding. Since the seventeenth century, American cuisine has been a work in progress, kneaded, shaped, and reshaped by African, Asian, and European immigrants. The African contribution was in place by the time of the Civil War, as was that of Northern Europe though somewhat distorted by Native American influences. But following the war, millions of southern and eastern Europeans, along with a relative handful of Asians, arrived to take their turn at stirring America's culinary melting pot. The new immigrants settled on both coasts in large numbers but some, lured by the promise of free land in the 1862 Homestead Act, spread out into the interior, planting seeds of food globalization as they went.
Reproduction and the origin of the sporophyte

Perspective: the plant life cycle Reproduction in higher plants is relatively complex, involving a life cycle consisting of two phases, a diploid sporophyte phase and a haploid gametophyte phase, comprising what is called an alternation of generations . The prominent bodies of angiosperm trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals as well as those of gymnosperms, ferns, sphenophytes, and lycophytes are sporophytes , having developed from fertilized egg cells (zygotes). The gametes which fused to form the zygotes, however, were produced by gametophytes , very small plant bodies, parasitic on the sporophytes in seed plants, but somewhat larger and free-living in pteridophytes (except in heterosporous species in which gametophytes when mature remain, at least in part, within the the walls of the spores from which they develop). The sporophyte in pteridophytes is dominant, and although dependent initially for its nutrition on the gametophyte, soon becomes independent. The gametophyte is much reduced in size but is free-living and either autotrophic or saprophytic. In seed plants, the sporophyte is also dominant and initially dependent on the gametophyte, but soon becomes independent. The gametophyte is greatly reduced, however, and parasitic on the sporophyte. In angiosperms it is exceptionally small, consisting in many taxa of only seven cells and eight nuclei, and can be observed only with a microscope. The life cycle of a vascular plant can be summarized as follows. The sporophyte produces specialized cells called sporocytes that undergo meiosis producing haploid spores . The spores germinate to form the gametophytes in which gametes are produced.
Real-Time Detection of a Self-Replicating RNA Enzyme

A system was developed to detect the self-replication of an RNA enzyme in real time. The enzyme is an RNA ligase that undergoes exponential amplification at a constant temperature and can be made to operate in a ligand-dependent manner. The real-time system is based on a fluorimetric readout that directly couples the ligation event to an increase in florescence signal that can be monitored using standard instrumentation. The real-time system can also operate entirely with l-RNA, which is not susceptible to degradation by ribonucleases that are present in biological samples. The system is analogous to real-time PCR, but with the potential to detect small molecules, proteins, and other targets that can be recognized by a suitable aptamer. The ligand-dependent self-replication of RNA has potential applications in molecular diagnostics and biosensing that benefit from the rapid, precise, and real-time detection of various target molecules.
Estimating enhanced prevaccination measles transmission hotspots in the context of cross-scale dynamics

Abstract A key question in clarifying human–environment interactions is how dynamic complexity develops across integrative scales from molecular to population and global levels. Apart from its public health importance, measles is an excellent test bed for such an analysis. Simple mechanistic models have successfully illuminated measles dynamics at the city and country levels, revealing seasonal forcing of transmission as a major driver of long-term epidemic behavior. Seasonal forcing ties closely to patterns of school aggregation at the individual and community levels, but there are few explicit estimates of school transmission due to the relative lack of epidemic data at this scale. Here, we use data from a 1904 measles outbreak in schools in Woolwich, London, coupled with a stochastic Susceptible-Infected-Recovered model to analyze measles incidence data. Our results indicate that transmission within schools and age classes is higher than previous population-level serological data would suggest. This analysis sheds quantitative light on the role of school-aged children in measles cross-scale dynamics, as we illustrate with references to the contemporary vaccination landscape.
Dispersionless metasurfaces using dispersive meta-atoms

We introduce a technique for engineering the chromatic dispersion of metasurfaces using dispersive meta-atoms. Using this technique, we experimentally demonstrate dispersionless dielectric metasurface focusing mirrors with negligible chromatic dispersion over a 10% fractional bandwidth.
Distinction between inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma and mass effect on liver sampling

Inflammatory hepatocellular adenoma (IHA) is characterized by sinusoidal dilation, inflammation, and bile ductular reaction. However, these changes can also be seen in nonneoplastic liver tissue adjacent to a mass lesion. This differential may arise in biopsy tissue attempting to sample a liver mass. Serum amyloid A (SAA) immunostaining is useful for the diagnosis of IHA but is not entirely specific. In addition, the histologic pattern of mass effect (ME) has received little formal scrutiny. We compared the clinical, morphologic, and immunohistochemical findings in 18 IHA and 36 livers with ME. Several histologic findings were evaluated in all cases. SAA and CD34 staining were also performed. Patients with IHA were younger (P<.0001) and more often female (P=.0044) than patients with specimens showing ME, but lesions were multifocal on imaging in two-thirds of patients in each category. Unpaired arteries were only seen in IHA (P<.0001), whereas ductular reaction was more common in ME (P=.012). Strong SAA immunostaining was observed in 100% of IHAs and 56% of ME cases (P=.0004), and CD34 staining was seen in 95% of IHAs and 6% of ME cases (P<.0001). Unpaired arteries and staining for SAA and CD34 best distinguish IHA from ME. However, unpaired arteries may be absent because of sampling, and SAA is not available in all laboratories. Ductular reaction can occur in IHA but is more common in ME.
Cytokines and Tumor Angiogenesis

The term angiogenesis was first coined by John Hunter, a British surgeon, to describe blood vessel formation in reindeer antlers in 1787. The first histologic description of angiogenesis was presented by Arthur Tremain Hertig in 1935, detailing the formation of placental blood vessels. In 1939, based on observations of tumors transplanted to transparent chambers in in vivo animal models, A. G. Ide and colleagues proposed the existence of a tumor-derived factor capable of stimulating blood vessel formation (1). In 1945, G. H. Algire and his co-workers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) recognized that the blood supply of tumors was derived from the host and was essential for tumor growth (2). The findings of Algire et al. offered the first evidence supporting the association between tumor vasculature and tumor growth. In 1948, I. C. Michaelson postulated that a diffusible angiogenic factor produced by the retina conferred the neovascularization phenotype observed during proliferative diabetic retinopathy and named this soluble factor as “Factor X” (3). Twenty years later, Greenblatt and Shubik (4) and Ehrmann and Knoth (5) demonstrated independently that tumor cells could stimulate vasoproliferation through transfilter diffusion experiments and confirmed the notion of a diffusible angiogenic factor elaborated by tumor cells. In 1971, Judah Folkman further refined the view on the relationship between tumor and its vasculature by hypothesizing that the growth of cancer from a few cell layers thick into a gross tumor requires angiogenic stimuli which are mediated by substances produced by the tumor. He proposed that anti-angiogenic therapy, therefore, might be an effective approach to treating human cancers (6–8). This view on tumor angiogenesis eas provocative and contrary to the prevailing thoughts of the time. Despite not being accepted by the scientific community, Dr. Folkman endeavored along this line of research and initiated the effort that lead to the isolation of the first angiogenic cytokine, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) (9). Findings from his work have come to form the foundation in the molecular understanding of tumor angiogenesis and Dr. Folkman is often regarded as the “father of angiogenesis”.
Management of the Unhealed Perineal Wound After Proctectomy

Abdominoperineal resection is the surgical standard for low rectal cancers when sphincter salvage is not possible, and has proven to be a life-saving procedure for patients who need it. Otherindications for abdominoperineal resection include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and salvage surgery for persistent or recurrentanal cancer [1]. An unhealed perineal wound after oncologic surgery was first described by Miles in 1908 and it remains an ongoing issue for patients to this day [2]. As surgical approaches have become more aggressive, i.e., extralevator abdominoperineal excision of the rectum to reduce positive circumferential margins, patients have become more susceptible to wound complications. The increased use of perioperative chemoradiation further impairs local healing. For these reasons the unhealed perineal wound is a common complication following proctectomy [3]. The presence of an unhealed perineal wound can delay adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It can also result in severely diminished quality of life following the operation owing to frequent outpatient visits, prolonged hospital stays, frequent dressing changes, further operations, and increased healthcare costs [1, 4].
Impact of Organics and Carbonates on the Oxidation and Precipitation of Iron during Hydraulic Fracturing of Shale

Hydraulic fracturing of unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs is critical to the United States energy portfolio; however, hydrocarbon production from newly fractured wells generally declines rapidly over the initial months of production. One possible reason for this decrease, especially over time scales of several months, is the mineralization and clogging of microfracture networks and pores proximal to propped fractures. One important but relatively unexplored class of reactions that could contribute to these problems is oxidation of Fe(II) derived from Fe(II)-bearing phases (primarily pyrite, siderite, and Fe(II) bound directly to organic matter) by the oxic fracture fluid and subsequent precipitation of Fe(III)-(oxy)hydroxides. The extent to which such reactions occur and their rates, mineral products, and physical locations within shale pore spaces are unknown. To develop a foundational understanding of potential impacts of shale iron chemistry on hydraulic stimulation, we reacted sand-sized (150–250 ...
Unusual Antioxidant Properties of 26S Proteasome Isolated from Cold-Adapted Organisms

The oxidative challenge represents an important factor affecting the adaptive strategies in Antarctic fish, but their impact on the protein degradation machinery still remains unclear. The previous analysis of the first 26S proteasome from the Antarctic red-blooded fish Trematomus bernacchii, evidenced improved antioxidant functions necessary to counteract the environmental pro-oxidant conditions. The purpose of this work was to carry out a study on 26S proteasomes from the temperate red-blooded Dicenthrarcus labrax and the icefish Chionodraco hamatus in comparison with the isoform already described from T. bernacchii, to better elucidate the cold-adapted physiological functions of this complex. Therefore, the 26S isoforms were isolated and the complementary DNAs (cDNAs) codifying the catalytic subunits were cloned. The biochemical characterization of Antarctic 26S proteasomes revealed their significantly higher structural stability and resistance to H₂O₂ with respect to that of the temperate counterpart, as also suggested by a comparative modeling analysis of the catalytic subunits. Moreover, in contrast to that observed in T. bernacchii, the 26S systems from C. hamatus and D. labrax were incapable to hydrolyze oxidized proteins in a ubiquitin-independent manner. Therefore, the 'uncommon' properties displayed by the Antarctic 26S proteasomes can mirror the impact exercised by evolutionary pressure in response to richly oxygenated environments.
Effectiveness, Safety, and Predictors of Response to Botulinum Toxin Type A in Refractory Masticatory Myalgia: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose Masticatory muscle pain disorders respond well to conservative therapy; however, in some patients the pain becomes refractory. Botulinum toxin type A (BoT-A) therapy has been shown to be an effective modality in the management of refractory headache disorders. Conversely, there are conflicting reports in the literature regarding the efficacy, safety, and predictors of therapeutic response to BoT-A therapy for management of refractory masticatory muscle pain. Materials and Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent at least 2 injection cycles of 100 U of BoT-A for refractory masticatory myalgia in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, between May 2012 and June 2016. Information regarding demographic, diagnostic, and therapeutic characteristics was extracted and analyzed. The χ2 test was used for analysis between independent and dependent variables. Forward step-wise–type logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the predictors of outcome. Results Among 116 participants, 30.6% reported significant relief in pain for a mean period of 10.1 weeks. A total of 16.4% of participants reported at least 1 adverse effect. The effectiveness of the BoT-A therapy was found to be statistically associated with the presence of muscle hypertrophy (P = .004), range of motion (P = .02), concurrent use of opioid analgesics (P = .003), and local anesthetic trigger-point injections (P = .003). Logistic regression analyses suggested that the presence of muscle hypertrophy and occurrence of adverse effects were predictors of positive outcome. On the contrary, concurrent use of opioid analgesics was found to be a predictor for no or minimal relief. Conclusions BoT-A therapy provides significant relief for approximately one third of patients with refractory masticatory muscle pain. Therapy is associated with a mild risk of adverse effects. The presence of muscle hypertrophy, occurrence of an adverse effect, and concurrent use of opioid analgesics were found to be predictors of outcome response.
Space–Time coding implementation with a software–defined radio testbed

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) uses the multiple antennas at transmitter and receiver to improve the spectral efficiency of the communication system. In this paper, an overview of implementing MIMO is described while meeting the challenges of current communication systems such as channel estimation, baseband synchronization, and local oscillator synchronization. The paper begins with the system model designed at both transmitter and receiver using the space–time coding. Developed algorithms are also discussed for improving the throughput and spectral efficiency of the designed system. We particularly focus on finding the probability of bit error rate with the variation on the TX–RX distance and comparing with other MIMO implementations. Finally, we analyze the performance of the received signals based on several metrics such as quadrature skew, IQ gain imbalance, modulation error ratio, phase offset, frequency drift, frequency offset, phase error in peak and magnitude error in peak before and after using space–time wireless coding with the 16–QAM modulation scheme. All the algorithms designed are implemented using the Universal Software Radio Peripheral (USRP) testbed using Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform with LabVIEW software.
L i Guangdi and the Philosophy of Human Nature

Li Guangdi 李光地 (1642–1718), whose literary and style names were respectively Jinqing 晉卿 and Hou’an 厚庵, was a native of the Anxi 安溪 district of Fujian. He attained jinshi status in 1670 and worked as a bachelor in the Hanlin Academy, given the assignment to learn Manchu. The Kangxi Emperor, impressed by his plans for the pacification of Fujian, promoted him to the sub-chancellorship of the Grand Secretariat in 1680. He further enhanced his stature in the eyes of the emperor by offering sound advice for the conquest of Taiwan.
Optimizing Flood Protection for Cypress Creek, Harris County, Texas

This paper describes the formulation of a flood damage reduction project for Cypress Creek in the San Jacinto River Basin in Harris County, Texas, U.S.A. The investigation was conducted in accordance with the planning guidance and hydrologic study guidelines of the U.S. Water Resources Council and the National Weather Service, supplemented by instructions and regulations of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In developing the discharge-frequency curve, the computed Probable Maximum Storm discharge of 3,115 m3/s was arbitrarily assigned a return frequency of once in 10,000 years. The optimum plan is an improved channel to carry 40-year frequency flood flows under 1990 conditions of watershed development. This level of flood protection is expected to degrade over time, unless county officials are successful in their efforts to control future runoff to the creek.
Application and Testing of a Cougaar Agent-based Architecture.

The maturation of multi-agent systems permits increasingly sensitive and security related problems to be addressed. In particular, the Cougaar architecture has demonstrated itself to possess significant scalability and survivability features. In this paper, a wireless door-entry security system built using Cougaar is discussed. The key contribution of this paper is to begin a discussion regarding how such a system can be tested for reliability and accuracy. Testing multi-agent systems is a very beneficial, yet challenging endeavour.
Introduction to the Vidicon Family of Tubes

The term vidicon1 is frequently used as a generic term for a photoconductive camera tube. Vidicon is also a name that partially describes return-beam vidicons, lead oxide vidicons, and silicon diode vidicons. The latter device has a photosensor comprising a mosaic of silicon diodes and the lead oxide tube is presumed also to be a junction-type device. This chapter will be restricted to the nonjunction type of photoconductive tube, while the others are subjects of later chapters. Figure 1 shows a schematic cross section of such a tube. The photoconductor is a continuous layer with a transparent electrode on the faceplate side. The scanning beam is the same low-velocity type used in most camera tubes, and usually the signal is taken from the current deposited on the target instead of from a return beam.
Identification of newly settled Caribbean coral recruits by ITS-targeted single-step nested multiplex PCR

As coral cover has declined throughout the Caribbean, interest in determining the potential for reef recovery via natural recruitment processes has increased. Studies investigating recruitment have been hampered by the difficulty of identifying early stage corals that often lack distinguishing morphological characters. In this study, the utility of targeting the noncoding ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions with a single-step nested multiplex (SSNM) PCR assay to identify common Caribbean coral species was investigated. To design this assay, a database of ITS sequences for 17 common Caribbean coral species was developed. Phylogenies based on the ITS region were generally consistent with current published coral taxonomy and indicated that the ITS regions provided sufficient variability to be useful for distinguishing corals to at least the genus level. Ultimately, we developed ITS-targeted single-step nested multiplex PCR assays capable of differentiating six corals to the species level, two to the genus level, and a pair of coral species that were recently separated at the genus level. This assay was used to classify coral recruits previously identified based on morphological characters. Agreement between these two approaches was low and highlighted the ability of the SSNM-PCR assay to increase the certainty and accuracy of coral recruit identifications. The coral SSNM assay shows promise as an effective method of identifying early stage corals to the genus or species level, and as a valuable tool in studies investigating reef recovery.