cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dysregulation of NAD + Metabolism Induces a Schwann Cell Dedifferentiation Program.

The Schwann cell (SC) is the major component of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that provides metabolic and functional support for peripheral axons. The emerging roles of SC mitochondrial function for PNS development and axonal stability indicate the importance of SC metabolism in nerve function and in peripheral neuropathies associated with metabolic disorders. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is a crucial molecule in the regulation of cellular metabolism and redox homeostasis. Here, we investigated the roles of NAD+ metabolism in SC functions in vivo by mutating NAMPT, the rate-limiting enzyme of NAD+ biosynthesis, specifically in SCs. NAMPT SC knock-out male and female mice (NAMPT SCKO mice) had delayed SC maturation in development and developed hypomyelinating peripheral neuropathy without axon degeneration or decreased SC survival. JUN, a master regulator of SC dedifferentiation, is elevated in NAMPT SCKO SCs, suggesting that decreased NAD+ levels cause them to arrest at an immature stage. Nicotinic acid administration rescues the NAD+ decline and reverses the SC maturation defect and the development of peripheral neuropathy, indicating the central role of NAD+ in PNS development. Upon nicotinic acid withdrawal in adulthood, NAMPT SCKO mice showed rapid and severe peripheral neuropathy and activation of ERK/MEK/JUN signaling, which in turn promotes SC dedifferentiation. These data demonstrate the importance of NAD+ metabolism in SC maturation and nerve development and maintenance and suggest that altered SC NAD+ metabolism could underlie neuropathies associated with diabetes and aging.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study, we showed that Schwann cell differentiation status is critically dependent on NAD+ homeostasis. Aberrant regulation of NAD+ biosynthesis via NAMPT deletion results in a blockade of Schwann cell maturation during development and severe peripheral neuropathy without significant axon loss. The phenotype can be rescued by supplementation with nicotinic acid; however, withdrawal of nicotinic acid leads to Schwann cell dedifferentiation, myelination defects, and death. These results provide new therapeutic possibilities for peripheral neuropathies associated with NAD+ decline during aging or diabetes.
The Quality of Democracy in Taiwan

Most studies agree that Taiwan has a consolidated democracy. But while the level of democracy has been fairly constant for the past 20 years, the quality of democracy has varied considerably. This chapter examines the quality of democracy in Taiwan with a variety of indicators, analyzes the institutional sources of decline in the quality of democracy, and identifies the challenges facing the Tsai administration.
Au-Doped Stable L10 Structured Platinum Cobalt Ordered Intermetallic Nanoparticle Catalysts for Enhanced Electrocatalysis

Bimetallic Pt3Co alloys are the commercial electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in a fuel cell, but their high Pt loading and durability are a concern. Working toward the goal of redu...
The Acquisition of Conventional Expressions as a Pragmalinguistic Resource in Chinese as a Foreign Language.

This study investigates the role of proficiency in the acquisition of conventional expressions as a pragmalinguistic resource in second‐language (L2) Chinese. One hundred and four undergraduates, including 57 learners of Chinese as a foreign language at 3 levels of university instruction and 47 native speakers completed an aural–oral discourse completion task presented in Chinese. Native‐speaker responses show that there are conventional expressions associated with specific situations and learner responses show that learners are increasingly able to produce the expressions as proficiency increases. En route to mastering the conventional expressions, learners develop sociopragmatic competence that allows them to produce the same speech‐act and content as native speakers in the same situations, thus creating contexts for the conventional expressions. Interlanguage analysis of learner production also reveals that learners attempt the pragmatically conventional expressions prior to full mastery, using key words of the expressions called lexical cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Projections of water, carbon, and nitrogen dynamics under future climate change in an old-growth Douglas-fir forest in the western Cascade Range using a biogeochemical model

Statistically downscaled climate change scenarios from four General Circulation Models for two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) were applied as inputs to a biogeochemical model, PnET-BGC, to examine potential future dynamics of water, carbon, and nitrogen in an old-growth Douglas-fir forest in the western Cascade Range. Projections show 56% to 77% increases in stomatal conductance throughout the year from 1986-2010 to 2076-2100, and 65% to 104% increases in leaf carbon assimilation between October and June over the same period. However, future dynamics of water and carbon under the RCP scenarios are affected by a 49% to 86% reduction in foliar biomass resulting from severe air temperature and humidity stress to the forest in summer. Important implications of future decreases in foliar biomass include 1) 20% to 71% decreases in annual transpiration which increase soil moisture by 7% to 15% in summer and fall; 2) decreases in photosynthesis by 77% and soil organic matter by 62% under the high radiative forcing scenario; and 3) altered foliar and soil carbon to nitrogen stoichiometry. Potential carbon dioxide fertilization effects on vegetation are projected to 1) amplify decreases in transpiration by 4% to 9% and increases in soil moisture in summer and fall by 1% to 2%; and 2) alleviate decreases in photosynthesis by 4%; while 3) having negligible effects on the dynamics of nitrogen. Our projections suggest that future decrease in transpiration and moderate water holding capacity may mitigate soil moisture stress to the old-growth Douglas-fir forest. Future increases in nitrogen concentration in soil organic matter are projected to alleviate the decrease in net nitrogen mineralization despite a reduction in decomposition of soil organic matter by the end of the century.
Floating treatment wetland aided nutrient removal from agricultural runoff using two wetland species

Abstract Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are an emerging surface water treatment practice for reducing nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in a variety of waste streams. FTWs consist of floating rafts which support wetland plants allowing the plant roots to be submerged below the water surface similar to hydroponic systems. N and P removal is achieved through direct plant uptake and flocculation or sedimentation facilitated by biofilms adhering to plant roots. While research has documented FTW performance for a variety of waste streams, little information is available on runoff from commercial nurseries. Nursery runoff occurs frequently, from storm and irrigation events, and can potentially contain elevated concentrations of total N (TN) and total P (TP) due to crop fertilization and frequent irrigation. Nursery runoff is often captured in large ponds known as tailwater recovery basins (TRBs) for reuse. We assessed the effectiveness of FTWs for treating nursery runoff in TRBs over a 7-day hydraulic retention time across a 19-week growing season using two supplied nutrient concentrations and four treatments with four replicates in a randomized complete block mesocosm experiment. The high nutrient concentration averaged 17.1 mg·L−1 TN and 2.61 mg·L−1 TP and low nutrient concentration averaged 5.22 mg·L−1 TN and 0.52 mg·L−1 TP. Treatments included: 1) Pontederia cordata, 2) Juncus effusus, 3) a raft with no plants, and 4) no raft (open-water). Pontederia cordata removed 90% and 92% of TP and 84% and 89% TN, depending on initial loading; performing better than the other planted and non-planted treatments. Juncus effusus performed better than the mat-only control treatments for TP and TN removal across nutrient concentrations tested, but performed similarly to the open water control when nutrient load was evaluated. Nutrient uptake by Pontederia cordata averaged 0.026 g·m−2·d−1 N and 0.0075 g·m−2·d−1 P. The study demonstrated that FTWs can be very effective, but nutrient removal depends greatly upon plant species selection.
Cerebrovascular Reactivity Impairment in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE A substantial overlap exists between declines in cerebral vasoreactivity (CVR) and symptomatic Alzheimer's disease (AD). CVR can be quantified using transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurement of cerebral blood flow velocities (CBFV) in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) with CO2 as a vasodilatory stimulus. The breath-hold acceleration index (BHAI) is a new, more reliable measure of CVR developed recently in our laboratory. Our primary goal is to explore the possibility of using TCD for asymptomatic AD screening. METHODS A pilot study population was divided into three groups: 9 healthy control subjects, 8 subjects identified as preclinical AD, and 10 patients diagnosed with prodromal or mild AD. Control subjects had a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score of 0 without elevated amyloid-β (Aβ) on amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, preclinical AD subjects had CDR = 0 with elevated Aβ, and prodromal to mild AD subjects had CDR scores ≥.5 and elevated Aβ. CVR was calculated using two indices: the conventional breath-holding index (BHI) and the new BHAI. TCD parameters between the three groups were compared. RESULTS BHAI was able to distinguish between 9 normal control subjects and 8 preclinical-AD subjects with high statistical significance (P < .001). BHI and pulsatility index were able only to distinguish AD from healthy and preclinical subjects (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS In this exploratory pilot study, CVR was significantly decreased in preclinical, prodromal, and mild AD subjects as compared to the healthy group. Lower CVR in the preclinical AD group was detected using the new BHAI index but not the conventional BHI index.
Unreasonable Searches and Seizures: Rights and Liberties Under the Law, Chapter 3

Unreasonable Searches and Seizures examines the Fourth Amendment from its historical origins through its early development to current controversies. Through thorough and well-balanced research this book provides a rich and comprehensive source of information about search and seizure law. The book is clearly written, providing simple and precise explanations of complicated constitutional issues without obscuring the central and important problems which these issues present. This book serves as a basis for evaluating the question of the Fourth Amendment's continuing relevance in seeking the balance between the protection of individual liberty and the demand for effective law enforcement. In accomplishing its purpose the book examines five distinct areas of search and seizure law. First, it discusses the role of search and seizure law in our society and its implications for the American political system. Secondly, the book reveals the origins and early development of search and seizure law by looking at the English, colonial, and revolutionary experiences from which it arose. Thirdly, it explores the evolution and devolution of Fourth Amendment protections from the late nineteenth century through the opening years of the twenty-first century by analyzing significant judicial decisions. Lastly, the book speculates on recent trends in search and seizure jurisprudence by examining the issues and controversies that have been most visible in the last decade, with particular emphasis on the potential adverse effects of the USA PATRIOT Act on Fourth Amendment protections.
Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis.

Nonbacterial Thrombotic Endocarditis A 48-year-old man presented with pain in both flanks and weight loss. Numerous splinter hemorrhages were observed on the fingernails. A diagnosis of nonbacteria...
Young adult dual combusted cigarette and e-cigarette users' anticipated responses to hypothetical e-cigarette market restrictions.

AbstractIntroduction: The aim of this exploratory study was to assess young adult dual e-cigarette (EC) and combusted cigarette (CC) users’ anticipated responses to hypothetical market restrictions...
Nucleosome scaffolding by Brd4 tandem bromodomains in acetylation-dependent chromatin compartmentalization

Bromodomain binding of acetyl-lysine residues is a crucial step in many epigenetic mechanisms governing transcription. Nearly half of human bromodomains exist in tandem with at least one other bromodomain on a single protein. The Bromodomain and ExtraTerminal domain (BET) familyof proteins (BrdT, Brd2, Brd3 and Brd4) each encode two bromodomains at their N-termini and are important regulators of acetylation-dependent transcription in homeostasis and disease. Previous efforts have focused on identifying protein acetylation sites bound by individual bromodomains. However, the mechanisms through which tandem bromodomains act cooperatively on chromatin are largely unknown. Here, we first used small angle x-ray scattering combined with Rosetta ab initio modeling to explore conformational space available to BET tandem bromodomains. For Brd4, the flexible tandem bromodomain linker allows for distances between the two acetyl-lysine binding sites ranging from 15 to 157 A. Using a bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assay, we show a clear distance dependence for Brd4 tandem bromodomain bivalent binding of multiply acetylated histone H4 peptides. However, isothermal titration calorimetry studies revealed Brd4 binding affinity toward multiply acetylated peptides does not correlate with the potential for bivalent binding. We used sucrose gradient assays to provide direct evidence in vitro that Brd4 tandem bromodomains can simultaneously bind and scaffold multiple acetylated nucleosomes. Intriguingly, our bioinformatic analysis of deposited chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing data indicates that Brd4 colocalizes with subsets of histone acetyl-lysine sites across transcriptionally active chromatin compartments. These findings support our hypothesis that scaffolding of acetylated nucleosomes by Brd4 tandem bromodomains contributes to higher-order chromatin architecture.
Chick Retinal Pigment Epithelium Transdifferentiation Assay for Proneural Activities

We describe a cell culture system for assaying proneural activities of genes hypothesized to play instrumental roles in neuronal fate specification during vertebrate retinal development. The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is collected from embryonic day 6 (E6) chick to establish a primary RPE cell culture. The culture is then infected with a replication competent retrovirus RCAS expressing the gene of interest. The presence of retinal neurons in the otherwise nonneural, RPE cell culture is examined between 4 and 10 days after the administration of the virus. Taking advantage of the plasticity and the relative simplicity of RPE cells, this method offers an informative assay for proneural activities prior to planning for large-scale in vivo experiments.
Hereditary hemochromatosis is associated with increased use of joint replacement surgery: Results of a nationwide analysis.

Abstract Background Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) may lead to iron deposition–mediated arthropathy, causing progressive joint degeneration, necessitating replacement arthroplasty. Studies have noted an increased need for replacement arthroplasty in patients with HH. We aimed to compare the use of replacement arthroplasty and inpatient economic burden in patients with and without HH. Methods For our retrospective cohort study, we used the 2014 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Patients with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision code for HH were included. The primary outcome was use of replacement arthroplasty; secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay, hospital costs, and total hospitalization charges. Multivariate logistic regression yielded confounder-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and means. Results Of 18,250 patients with HH, 7,483 (41.0%) were women and 1,155 (6.3%) underwent replacement arthroplasty. Mean (SD) age for patients with HH and arthroplasty was 66 (18) years. The percentage of patients with HH who underwent replacement arthroplasty was higher than those without HH (3.4%; P Conclusions HH is associated with increased odds of replacement arthroplasty, particularly in the elderly, which can potentially suggest faster arthropathy progression in this age group and should raise awareness in clinicians taking care of patients with HH. Future research should identify factors mediating arthropathy progression in patients with HH.
Quantifying the impacts of micro- and mild- hybrid vehicle technologies on fleetwide fuel economy and electrification

Abstract Micro- and mild-hybridization (jointly labeled as M-HEV) is gaining popularity as a cost-effective technology for fuel economy improvement, but whether and how M-HEV may compete against less efficient conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEV), more efficient full hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) is not well understood. This study aims at evaluating the impact of the market adoption of M-HEV on the average fuel economy of the new vehicle fleet and on the sales share of PEVs. The study reviews recent sales trends and market forecasts, and uses published estimates of manufacturing cost and fuel economy of M-HEV with an existing discrete choice model (Market Acceptance of Advanced Automotive Technologies or MA3T) to project the market penetration and impacts of M-HEV under different scenarios of M-HEV choice positions, designed to enhance conclusion robustness. It is found that among engine-based powertrain choices, micro-HEV appears to be the most cost-effective, followed by ICEVs, mild-HEV and finally full HEVs. M-HEV technologies are likely to improve fleetwide average fuel economy without significant adverse effects on sales of plug-in electric vehicles, and are likely to remain highly competitive outside PEVs through 2050.
Dewar Heterocycles as Versatile Monomers for Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization.

We report the utility of readily available heterocycles as precursors to unique ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) monomers. Photochemical valence isomerization reactions of pyridones, d...
Cardiac Arrest in the Setting of Diffuse Coronary Ectasia: Perspectives on a Unique Ischemic Insult

Abstract A 69-year-old man with a history of coronary artery ectasia, potentially resulting from an underlying heritable connective tissue disorder, presented with ventricular fibrillation. Despite...
A Cell-Free Screen for Bacterial Membrane Disruptors Identifies Mefloquine as a Novel Antibiotic Adjuvant.

Antibacterial discovery efforts have lagged far behind the need for new antibiotics. An approach that has gained popularity recently is targeting bacterial phospholipid membranes. We leveraged the differences between bacterial and mammalian phospholipid compositions to develop a high-throughput screen that identifies agents that selectively disrupt bacterial membranes while leaving mammalian membranes intact. This approach was used to screen 4480 compounds representing a subset of the Maybridge HitFinderTM V.11 Collection and the Prestwick Chemical Drug Library®. The screen identified 35 “positives” (0.8% hit rate) that preferentially damage bacterial model membranes. Among these, an antimalarial compound, mefloquine, and an aminoglycoside, neomycin, were identified. Further investigation of mefloquine’s activity against Staphylococcus aureus showed that it has little antibiotic activity on its own but can alter membrane fluidity, thereby potentiating a β-lactam antibiotic, oxacillin, against both methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant S. aureus. This study indicates that our cell-free screening approach is a promising platform for discovering bacterial membrane disruptors as antibacterials antibiotic adjuvants.
Liver Transplantation in Children with Urea Cycle Disorders: The Importance of Minimizing Waiting Time.

Liver transplantation (LT) for children with urea cycle disorders (UCDs) is capable of correcting the enzymatic defect and preventing progressive neurologic injury. We describe the characteristics and outcomes of pediatric LT recipients with UCDs. We identified all pediatric (<18 years) LT candidates with UCDs in the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) database (February 2002 to September 2020). Multivariable Cox and logistic regression were used to determine risk factors for graft loss and cognitive delay, respectively. Of 424 patients, 1.9% (8/424) experienced waitlist mortality and 95.0% underwent LT (403/424). The most frequently encountered UCDs in our cohort were ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (46.2%), citrullinemia (20.3%), and argininosuccinic aciduria (ASA; 12.9%). The 1-, 3-, and 5-year graft survival rates were 90.4%, 86.3%, and 85.2%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed a decreased risk of graft loss with increasing weight at LT (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-0.99; P = 0.02), male sex (aHR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.85; P = 0.01), and ASA diagnosis (aHR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.09-0.98; P = 0.047), when adjusting for location (intensive care/hospital/home) and graft type (both P ≥ 0.65). In multivariable logistic regression, waitlist time (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.10; 95% CI, 1.02-1.17; P = 0.009) and male sex (aOR, 1.71; 95% CI, 1.02-2.88; P = 0.04) were associated with increased odds of long-term cognitive delay. Waitlist duration is associated with a long-term risk of cognitive delay. Given excellent long-term outcomes, early LT evaluation should be considered in all children with UCDs to prevent progressive neurologic injury and optimize cognitive outcomes.
Rice spikelet formation inhibition caused by decreased sugar utilization under high temperature is associated with brassinolide decomposition

Abstract Rice (Oryza sativa) spikelet formation is dependent on carbohydrate metabolism. High temperature inhibits young panicle growth and spikelet formation, and brassinolides (BRs) are involved in the regulation of spikelet formation. Elucidation of the mechanism by which endogenous BRs mediate carbohydrate metabolism to influence spikelet formation under high temperature may provide a theoretical and technical basis to alleviate heat injury. In this study, rice cultivar ‘IR36’ was subjected to high temperature (HT; 40 °C) or normal temperature (NT; 33 °C) for 7 days at the panicle initiation stage in conjunction with application of exogenous 2, 4-epibrassinolide (EBR) and brassinazole (BRZ) at the beginning of the treatments. HT inhibited spikelet differentiation and aggravated spikelet degeneration to reduce the number of spikelets per panicle. Exogenous EBR reduced the decrease in spikelet number induced by HT, whereas exogenous BRZ enhanced the reduction in spikelet number. Analyses of the transcript levels of genes associated with BR biosynthesis and decomposition showed that HT promoted BR decomposition to reduce the endogenous BR content. HT blocked sucrose transport from leaves to young panicles, and inhibited the activities of crucial enzymes involved in sucrose hydrolysis, glycolysis, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle to reduce sugar utilization. In addition, HT reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes and increased the contents of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde. Exogenous EBR application promoted sucrose transport to young panicles and improved sucrose utilization under NT and HT, whereas application of BRZ resulted in the opposite physiological response. These results show that inhibition of spikelet formation owing to decreased sugar utilization under HT is associated with BR decomposition.
The prognostic impact of depression or depressive symptoms on patients with head and neck cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to assess the extent to which pretreatment depression or depressive symptoms are related to prognosis in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). METHODS Medline, EMbase, Scopus, and The Cochrane Library databases were searched. A meta-analysis was done to generate a forest plot and pooled hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI for overall survival (OS). RevMan 5.3 and Meta Essentials were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Based on seven studies involving 1743 patients, the results showed that HNC patients with pretreatment depression or depressive symptoms had worse OS than patients without depression or depressive symptoms, with an HR of 1.33, 95% CI 1.16-1.52, p = <0.0001. There is heterogeneity in the pooled summary effect (I2 = 80%, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Pretreatment depression or depressive symptoms may indicate worse OS in patients with HNC. The pooled analysis demonstrated a statistically significant effect. These results were limited by mild heterogeneity.
400G LR4 and 100G CWDM Transmission Over 1x4 Linear Array Multicore Fiber with 125-µm Cladding

A 1×4 linear array multicore fiber with 125-µm cladding was fabricated. We have demonstrated 400G LR4 and 100G CWDM error-free transmission over 2.5 km of such fiber with 1Tb/s total data rate.
Decreasing Utilization of Minimally Invasive Hysterectomy for Cervical Cancer in the United States

Study Objective To examine the influence of the Laparoscopic Approach to Cervical Cancer (LACC) Trial on utilization of minimally invasive hysterectomy and perioperative complications for cervical cancer surgery. Design Population-based retrospective observational study comparing the time periods before versus after the LACC Trial report in March 2018. Setting National Inpatient Sample. Patients or Participants Women with cervical cancer who underwent hysterectomy and lymphadenectomy from 10/2015-12/2018. Interventions N/A Measurements and Main Results A quasi-experimental analysis with interrupted-time series by linear segmented regression with log transformation was performed to assess the influence of the LACC Trial report on outcome measures (minimally invasive hysterectomy use and perioperative complication rates). 5,120 women in the pre-LACC period and 1,645 women in the post-LACC period were examined. Following the LACC Trial report on 3/2018, the utilization of minimally invasive hysterectomy dropped by 19.7% in one month (55.2% in 3/2018 to 35.5% in 4/2018), followed by a continued decline of 8.0% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.1-15.3) monthly. By 12/2018, minimally invasive hysterectomy was used in 17.9% of cases, which was 37.8% lower than the expected rate per the pre-LACC period projection. In a multivariable analysis, women in the post-LACC period were 63% less likely to undergo minimally invasive hysterectomy (adjusted-odds ratio 0.37, 95%CI 0.33-0.42) but 23% more likely to have a perioperative complication (38.6% versus 29.1%, adjusted-odds ratio 1.23, 95%CI 1.08-1.40) compared to those in the pre-LACC period. Women in the post-LACC group were more likely to have a longer hospital stay compared to those in the pre-LACC group (median, 3 versus 2 days, P Conclusion Following the LACC Trial results, U.S. surgeons rapidly shifted from minimally invasive to open hysterectomy for cervical cancer. Decreasing utilization of minimally invasive surgery was associated with an increase in perioperative complications and longer hospital admissions
Three psychophysical metrics of auditory temporal integration in macaques

The relationship between sound duration and detection threshold has long been thought to reflect temporal integration. Reports of species differences in this relationship are equivocal: some meta-analyses report no species differences, whereas others report substantial differences, particularly between humans and their close phylogenetic relatives, macaques. This renders translational work in macaques problematic. To reevaluate this difference, tone detection performance was measured in macaques using a go/no-go reaction time (RT) task at various tone durations and in the presence of broadband noise (BBN). Detection thresholds, RTs, and the dynamic range (DR) of the psychometric function decreased as the tone duration increased. The threshold by duration trends suggest macaques integrate at a similar rate to humans. The RT trends also resemble human data and are the first reported in animals. Whereas the BBN did not affect how the threshold or RT changed with the duration, it substantially reduced the DR at short durations. A probabilistic Poisson model replicated the effects of duration on threshold and DR and required integration from multiple simulated auditory nerve fibers to explain the performance at shorter durations. These data suggest that, contrary to previous studies, macaques are uniquely well-suited to model human temporal integration and form the baseline for future neurophysiological studies.
I U CR World List of Crystallographic Computer Programs

The format of this list is that of the first edition, and of previous lists of the american crystallographic association. It is based on the use of standard 80-column IBM cards.
Women's Studies: The Basics

1. The Invention of Women's Studies 2. The Foundations of Interdisciplinarity 3. Instersectionality and Difference: Race, Class, and Gender 4. Global Agendas 5. Women's Studies and the Question of Gender 6. Feminist Theories and Methods 7. Embodiment and Sexuality 8. Classrooms, Controversies, and Citizenship 9. The Future of Women's Studies in Our Information Age
Neurologic disorders of attention and arousal: assessment and treatment.

Abstract Disorders of attention are common after a variety of insults to the central nervous system. Clinically observable disorders of attention have complex relationships to the hypothesized underlying core deficits that were reviewed in a previous article. Thus, the process of evaluating such deficits is equally complex. Treatments may be directed along a continuum from cellular chemistry and physiology to environmental modification. At present, there is little consensus about appropriate evaluation or treatment for attentional disorders.
A Survey of Parkinson's Disease Patients: Most Bothersome Symptoms and Coping Preferences

Background Treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) is symptomatic. Health professionals must therefore understand which of the many motor and non-motor problems that patients experience are the most troublesome, and what types of assistance patients believe would best help them cope with these problems. Objective To identify and understand potential issues of importance to patients with Parkinson's Disease. Methods We conducted surveys with 75 patients with PD in a Movement Disorders Program. We asked about: the two most bothersome PD-related problems, methods for coping with these problems, what motor and non-motor PD-related problems patients needed the most help with, and what a comprehensive assistance program for PD patients and caregivers should include. We used qualitative data analysis techniques to summarize responses. Results The most bothersome problems cited were: tremors, lack of mobility, pain, imbalance, lack of energy/fatigue, having to give up previously enjoyed activities, dysarthria, and anxiety or depression. Frequently cited ways to cope with different types of problems included medications, physical activity, instrumental or practical support, and emotional support. When asked specifically about which non-motor problems elicited the most need for help, respondents most commonly mentioned depression and anxiety, "nothing," or cognitive problems. Participants suggested that a comprehensive assistance program for people with PD and their caregivers should include education, physical activity, and emotional support. Conclusions RESULTS from this survey highlight the diversity of patient experiences with PD, and the importance of strategies for coping with both motor and non-motor symptoms associated with Parkinson's Disease (in addition to medications).
A lumped-film model for gas-liquid partition chromatography

Summary The differential equations of non-ideal gas-liquid partition chromatography have been derived and simplified by introducing the concept of a lumped liquid film.The resulting equations have been solved numerically by finite difference methods using an IBM-704 digital computer. The stability and convergence of the computer solutions is discussed and the computer program is used to simulate the actual behavior of a typical column under various operating conditions. The system chosen for study was the elution of a slug of isobutylene with argon as the carrier gas and dinonyl phthalate as the stationary phase.
Anisotropy of the thermal conductivity of YBa2Cu3O7-y.

The thermal conductivity, both in-plane (${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{\mathrm{ab}}$) and out-of-plane (${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{c}$), has been measured in ``90-K'' crystals of ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{y}}$ from 10 to 330 K. ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{\mathrm{ab}}$ displays an 18 to 40% increase below the transition temperature ${T}_{c}$ (as in ceramic data). ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{c}$, however, is four to five times smaller and shows no anomaly at ${T}_{c}$. Comparing these results to ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{\mathrm{ab}}$ of insulating crystals, we find evidence for very strong but highly anisotropic electron-phonon coupling in the normal state. Our results are consistent with a phonon origin for the peak in ${\ensuremath{\kappa}}_{\mathrm{ab}}$. .AE
Distribution and Significance of Mesozoic Vertebrate Trace Fossils in Dinosaur National Monument

Search for new tracksites has now revealed a total of 25 localities in the older Mesozoic sedimentary rocks of Dinosaur National Monument (DNM). To date, the most productive units have proved to be the Late Triassic Chinle Group and the mainly Early Jurassic Glen Canyon Group in the western part of DNM. In addition several sites, that are an integral part of the overall paleontological picture, have been found just outside the boundaries of DNM. All these sites (and stratigraphic levels) add up to a total of about 45 tracksites in the DNM area. Chinle sites have now yielded dozens of trackways of theropod dinosaurs, ?prosauropod dinosaurs, mammal-like reptiles, ?phytosaurs, aetosaurs, lepidosaurs and tanystropheids, producing one of the most diverse Late Triassic track assemblages known anywhere. The ?prosauropod tracks are the first Late Triassic examples ever reported from the North American continent. The Lower Jurassic has also yielded theropod and prosauropod dinosaur tracks. These tracks are useful for correlation with other Early Mesozoic tracksites around the world and can be used to help construct a series of track zones (or Palichnostratigraphy) for the western United States. The discovery of prosauropod tracks (Pseudotetrasauropus) in the Chinle Group and in the lower part of Glen Canyon Group (Otozoum) points to a much wider distribution of prosauropod tracks in the western United States than previously supposed, and the need for a thorough study of these and similar track types. Further examination of the Jurassic Cannel Formation close to the DNM boundaries, reveals several tracksites that require further study.
The Future of Pain Pharmacotherapy

According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine and the Institute of Medicine, pain affects more Americans than cancer, diabetes, and cardiac disease combined. Current analgesics only provide modest relief, frequently carry black box warnings, and are susceptible to abuse. The ability of current medical science to treat pain effectively is limited by an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms of pain signaling in diverse individuals across different circumstances and the high prevalence of side effects after systemic or regional administration of available analgesics. Despite increasing interest in developing new analgesic molecules by translating preclinical research on mechanisms of pain processing and harnessing innovative methods of drug delivery, the majority of new analgesic drug launches from 1990 to 2010 were reformulations of existing pharmaceuticals within well-established drug categories such as opioids and NSAIDs.
IS DETROIT DEAD

ABSTRACT:An effective way to understand the slow death of the city of Detroit is through the prism of the course of a terminal disease, tracing the stages of symptom assessment, diagnosis, and curative intervention. This essay explores that notion by taking off from several recent books about Detroit’s catastrophic decline that employ the language of urban morbidity and mortality to describe the city’s condition. Urban death is a function of the withering or failure of crucial vital urban functions involving, principally, governance and economic opportunity. By that standard the essay concludes that it is becoming hard to call Detroit a living city anymore.
Optimal halftoning over hexagonal grids

Halftoning approaches to image rendering on binary devices have traditionally relied on rectangular grids for dot placement. This practice has been followed mainly due to restrictions on printer hardware technology. However, recent advances on printing devices coupled with the availability of efficient interpolation and resampling algorithms are making the implementation of halftone prints over alternate dot placement tessellations feasible. This is of particular interest since blue noise dithering principles indicate that the visual artifacts at several tone densities, which appear in rectangular-grid halftones, can be overcome through the use of hexagonal tessellations. While the spectral analysis of blue noise dithering provides the desired spectral characteristics one must attain, it does not provide the dithering structures needed to achieve these. In this paper, these optimal dithering mechanisms are developed through modifications of the Direct Binary Search (DBS) algorithm extensively used for rectangular grids. Special attention is given to the effects of the new geometry on the Human Visual System (HVS) models and on the efficient implementation of the hexagonal-grid DBS. This algorithm provides the best possible output at the expense of high computational complexity, and while the DBS algorithm is not practical in most applications, it provides a performance benchmark for other more practical algorithms. Finally, a tone-dependent, hexagonal-grid, error-diffusion algorithm is developed, where the DBS algorithm is used to optimize the underlying filter weights. The characteristics of the HVS are thus implicitly used in the optimization. Extensive simulations show that hexagonal grids do indeed reduce disturbing artifacts, providing smoother halftone textures over the entire gray-scale region. Results also show that tone-dependent error-diffusion can provide comparable results to that of the DBS algorithms but at a significantly lower computational complexity.
Temporal registration of 2D x-ray mammogram using triangular B-splines finite element method (TBFEM)

In this paper we develop a novel image processing technique to register two dimensional temporal mammograms for effective diagnosis and therapy. Our registration framework is founded upon triangular B -spline finite element method (TBFEM). In contrast to tensor-product B -splines, which is widely used in medical imaging, triangular B -splines are much more powerful, associated with many desirable advantages for image registration, such as flexible triangular domain, local control, space-varying smoothness, and sharp feature modeling. Empowered by the rigorous theory of triangular B -splines, our method can explicitly model the transformation between temporal mammogram pairs over irregular region of interest(ROI), using a collection of triangular B -splines. In addition, it is also capable of describing C 0 continuous deformation at the interfaces between different elastic tissues, while the overall displacement field is smooth. Our registration process consists of two steps: 1) The template image is first nonlinearly deformed using TBFEM model, subject to pre-segmented feature constraints; 2) The deformed template image is further perturbed by applying pseudo image forces, aiming to reducing intensity-based discrepancies. The proposed registration framework has been tested extensively on practical clinical data, and the experimental results demonstrates that the registration accuracy is improved comparing to using conventional FEMs. Besides, the modeling of local C 0 continuities of the displacement field helps to further increase the registration quality considerably.
EFFECT OF TOPOGRAPHICALLY PATTERNED POLY(DIMETHYLSILOXANE) SURFACES ON Pseudomonas aeruginosa ADHESION AND BIOFILM FORMATION

Bacterial pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, readily form biofilms on surfaces, limiting the efficacy of antimicrobial and antibiotic treatments. To mitigate biofilm formation, surfaces are often treated with antimicrobial agents, which have limited lifetime and efficacy. Recent studies have shown that well-ordered topographic patterns can limit bacterial attachment to surfaces and limit biofilm formation. In this study, nano and microscale patterned poly(dimethylsiloxane) surfaces were evaluated for their ability to affect adhesion and biofilm formation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Feature size and spacing were varied from 500 nm to 2 μm and included repeating arrays of square pillars, holes, lines and biomimetc Sharklet™ patterns. Bacterial surface adhesion and biofilm formation was assessed in microfluidic flow devices and under static conditions. Attachment profiles under static and fluid flow varied within topography types, sizes and spacing. Pillar structures of all sizes yielded lower surface attachment than line-based patterns and arrays of holes. This trend was also observed for biomimetic Sharklet™ patterns, with reduced bacterial attachment to "raised" features as compared to "recessed" features. Notably, none of the topographically patterned surfaces outperformed smooth surfaces (without topography) for resisting cell adhesion. Initial surface attachment patterns were indicative of subsequent biofilm formation and coverage, suggesting a direct role of surface topography in biofilm-based biofouling.
Thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair: hybrid versus open repair.

Objective Hybrid repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) may reduce morbidity and mortality in high-risk candidates for open repair. This study reviews the outcomes of hybrid TAAA repair for Crawford extent I-III TAAA in high-risk patients in comparison to patients who underwent concurrent open TAAA repair. Methods During the interval from June 2005 to December 2007, a total of 23 high-risk patients with TAAA (type I: 9 [39%], II: 5 [22%], and III: 9 [39%]) underwent renal and/or mesenteric debranching (11 [48%] with four vessel debranching) with subsequent placement of a thoracic stent graft; 77 patients underwent open TAAA repair (type I: 13 [17%], II: 11 [14%], III: 27 [35%], and IV: 26 [34%]) during the same interval. The primary high-risk criteria for hybrid TAAA included advanced age/poor functional status (n = 14), major pulmonary dysfunction (n = 8), and technical consideration (prior thoracic aortic aneurysm repair [n = 4] or prior thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair [n = 2] and obesity [n = 2]) with 6 patients having overlapping high-risk criteria. Composite (30-day) mortality and/or permanent paraplegia (PP) were the major study endpoints. Results The hybrid and open TAAA groups had (respectively) no statistical difference in mean age (76.6 vs 72.7 years), aneurysm size (6.51 vs 6.52 cm), and non-elective operation (30.4% vs 26.0%). The hybrid group had a higher mean Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) risk score (9.1 vs 6.0; P ≤ .001), incidence of oxygen-dependent chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (34.8% vs 2.6%; P ≤ .001), and prior thoracic (n = 4) or thoracoabdominal (n = 2) repair (26.1% vs 1.3%; P ≤ .001). Composite mortality and/or PP was doubled in the hybrid group (21.7% vs 11.7%; P = .33). The rate of any type of reoperation was higher in hybrid TAAA repair (39.1% vs 20.8%; P = .03). One year actuarial survival for both groups was comparable (hybrid, 68 ± 12%; open, 73 ± 6%). A total of 5/23 (22%) hybrid TAAA patients developed an endoleak (type I: 3/23 and type II: 2/23) with 3 requiring endovascular re-intervention. A total of 7/70 (10%) visceral/renal bypass grafts were noted to be occluded during follow-up (1 superior mesenteric artery, 1 celiac, and 5 renal). Examination of patients with an SVS risk score ≤8 (mean SVS risk score in hybrid 6.2 [n = 10] vs 5.5 [n = 68] in open; P = .27) revealed the hybrid group had a higher incidence of composite mortality and/or PP (40% vs 10.3%; P = .03). Conclusion Hybrid TAAA repair in high-risk patients has significant morbidity and mortality suggesting a non-interventional approach may be appropriate in many such patients. The morbidity and mortality of the hybrid TAAA repair was substantial even in lower risk patients (SVS risk score ≤8), albeit patient numbers were small. Prospective study in comparable patient risk cohorts is required to define the role of hybrid TAAA repair.
Glancing angle exafs studies of interfacial reactions: An application to Cu-Al thin films

Abstract A new technique for interface studies, glancing angle X-ray reflectivity and EXAFS, can sensitively detect reactions in thin films. Cu-Al bilayer samples prepared under various conditions were studied using this technique. Agreement with other conventional techniques was found in most aspects, although some unique features were discovered at the initial stage of interface formation.
Endemic Fungal Infections in Patients Receiving Tumour Necrosis Factor-α Inhibitor Therapy

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitors are widely used agents in the treatment of a variety of inflammatory and granulomatous diseases. It has long been appreciated that these agents confer an increased risk of tuberculosis; however, more recently it has been recognized that patients being treated with TNFalpha inhibitors are also at significant risk for infection with the endemic fungi, in particular Histoplasma capsulatum, and when infected, to develop severe disseminated infection. Patients often present in an atypical manner and the symptoms of the fungal infection can be mistaken for those of the underlying disease. Thus, delay in diagnosis and treatment is common, and mortality has been high. In an attempt to increase awareness of this problem, the US FDA issued a 'black box' warning for clinicians in September 2008 to alert providers of the risks of endemic fungal infections in patients treated with TNFalpha inhibitors. The management of patients who develop endemic fungal infection while receiving TNFalpha inhibitor therapy should include discontinuation of the TNFalpha inhibitor and early use of antifungal agents including polyenes and/or azoles according to the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines for treatment of these infections in immunocompromised hosts.