cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lyme disease: recent advances and perspectives

Lyme Disease, caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi and transmitted by Ixodes scapularis (deer tick or blacklegged tick), has been gaining in incidence over the past decade. Without treatment, it is a long-term infection characterized by inflammation of the joints, heart and nervous system. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) classifies it as an Emerging Infectious Disease with an expanding geographical area of occurrence and have recently revised their incidence cases in the United States by 10 fold. In this Lyme Disease Research Topic we have gathered reviews and original research in the fields of microbiology and immunology of B. burgdorferi infection. Included in this Topic are the abstracts from the 13th International Congress on Lyme Borreliosis and we thank the organizers Dr. Linda Bockenstedt and Dr. Linden Hu for publishing them in this issue at the following link http://www.frontiersin.org/books/13th_International_Conference_on_Lyme_Borreliosis_and_other_tick_Borne_Diseases_/357.
Enhancement and analysis of digital mammograms using fuzzy models

This paper describes our work in enhancing and analyzing digital mammograms form the digital database for screening mammography (DDSM). The DDSM will ultimately contain 3000 cases and provides a unique opportunity for researchers form around the world to compare results on a large, diverse data set. However, the size of the database and images within it require careful consideration of memory limitation issues, display device constraints, etc. We address research problems connected with the modification and application of existing fuzzy modeling approaches to this digital mammography domain. Segmentation and edge detection are sued as benchmark applications for the comparisons we make.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Numerical and Experimental Analysis of Ignition and Combustion Stability in EGR Dilute GDI Operation

This paper discusses the characteristics of EGR dilute GDI engines in terms of combustion stability. A combined approach consisting of RANS numerical simulations integrated with experimental engine testing is used to analyze the effect of the ignition source on flame propagation under dilute operating conditions.A programmable spark-based ignition system is compared to a production spark system in terms of cyclic variability and ultimately indicated efficiency. 3D-CFD simulations are carried out for multiple cycles with the goal of establishing correlations between the characteristics of the ignition system and flame propagation as well as cycle-to-cycle variations. Numerical results are compared to engine data in terms of in-cylinder pressure traces.The results show that an improved control over the energy released to the fluid surrounding the spark domain during the ignition process has beneficial effects on combustion stability. This allows extending the dilution tolerance for fuel/air mixtures. Although affected by cyclic variability, numerical results show good qualitative agreement with experimental data. The result is a simple but promising approach for relatively quick assessment of stability improvements from advanced and alternative ignition strategies.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Current Concepts: Mallet Finger

Loss of the extensor mechanism at the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint leads to mallet finger also known as baseball finger or drop finger. This can be secondary to tendon substance disruption or to a bony avulsion. Soft tissue mallet finger is the result of a rupture of the extensor tendon in Zone 1, and a bony mallet finger is the result of an avulsion of the extensor tendon from the distal phalanx with a small fragment of bone attached to the avulsed tendon. Mallet finger leads to an imbalance in the distribution of the extensor force between the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and DIP joints. If left untreated, mallet finger leads to a swan neck deformity from PIP joint hyper extension and DIP joint flexion. Most mallet finger injuries can be managed non-surgically, but occasionally surgery is recommended for either an acute or a chronic mallet finger or for salvage of failed prior treatment.
Food Allergy Risk Management: More Customers, Less Liability

Food allergies present risk management problems and business opportunities for restaurants. Personal injury litigation may result in million-dollar liability exposure and conviction in the court of public opinion. Many businesses are unprepared or under-prepared to meet the needs of the growing number of food-allergic consumers. Restaurants that implement comprehensive food allergy risk management plans can help reduce liability and capitalize on the emerging market of allergy-conscious consumers.
Systemic Exchange: Responsibility for Angst

This paper reports on research that tells the story of nurse managers’ attempts to provide a 24-hour service. Although research was contextualized within the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, the outcomes are not merely about the NHS. It is argued that middle managers, possessing delegated responsibility, are considered to be empowered. Such empowerment is accompanied by widely experienced anxiety. An escalatory and contagious process is observed which exaggerates ‘normal’ stress and challenge among middle managers into a state of selfperceived angst. It is argued that anxiety is, in effect, delegated, a process which serves to partially relieve superiors of anxiety-generating responsibilities. In contrast to arguments that players in bureaucracy ‘conspire’ to ensure that responsibility and consequent anxieties are largely held by the organizational elite, this paper argues that this traditional Weberian notion is worthy of challenge. Findings are based on qualitative data from an ethnographi...
Effects of legitimizing discrimination against homosexuals on gay bashing

We used a computer harassment paradigm to test the hypothesis that affirming the legitimacy of discrimination against homosexuals increases the likelihood that heterosexual men will engage inverbal gay bashing. Legitimacy of discrimination was varied among heterosexual males (N ¼167) by suggesting that denying homosexuals rights and benefits is either illegitimate or legitimate, and participants interacted online with either a gay or straight bogus discussion partner. Results show that (a) participants sent more offensive comments when the legitimacy of discrimination against homosexuals was affirmed, and (b) legitimacy affected gay bashing through its effect on collective guilt. These findings suggest that challenging the legitimacy of discrimination can be an effective strategy for reducing outgroup derogation. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Anti-gay harassment is both widespread and damaging to the physical and psychological well being of homosexual individuals (Herek, Cogan, & Gillis, 2002). Whilegay bashing can refer to a range of behaviors from telling anti-gay jokes to violent hate crimes, we define gay bashing as verbal denigration based on an individual’s sexual orientation. Importantly, this definition does not require that derogatory remarks be directed toward a gay individual. Heterosexuals making anti-gay comments to other heterosexuals can be considered gay bashing for two reasons. First, the offensive remarks can be experienced as harassment if overheard by a gay individual. Second, derogatory language legitimizes antigay prejudice as normative and reinforces the broader culture of heterosexism (Herek, 1990). Gay bashing and anti-gay prejudice (Herek, 2002; Kite & Whitley, 1996) are more prevalent among heterosexual men than among heterosexual women. Implicit inversion theory (Kite & Deaux, 1987) offers an explanation for this sex difference, suggesting that anti-gay prejudice stems from a perceived violation of gender norms. Previous research shows those who hold more traditional gender role beliefs are more prejudiced toward homosexuals (Kite & Whitley, 1998; Nierman, Thompson, Bryan, & Mahaffey, 2007). Because the male gender role incorporates heterosexuality as an integral part of masculinity, men may engage in gay bashing to assert their own masculinity. In this way, gay bashing serves a social-expressivefunction(Herek, 1987), helping heterosexual men assert their status in a valued ingroup. Thus, there may be important identity-protective motivations for gay bashing. JUSTIFICATION OF DISCRIMINATION
Performance evaluation of cost-based vs. fuzzy-logic-based prediction approaches in PRIDE

PRIDE (PRediction In Dynamic Environments) is a hierarchical multi-resolutional framework for moving object prediction. PRIDE incorporates multiple prediction algorithms into a single, unifying framework. To date, we have applied this framework to predict the future location of autonomous vehicles during on-road driving. In this paper, we describe two different approaches to compute long-term predictions (on the order of seconds into the future) within PRIDE. The first is a cost-based approach that uses a discretized set of vehicle motions and costs associated with states and actions to compute probabilities of vehicle motion. The cost-based approach is the first prediction approach we have been using within PRIDE. The second is a fuzzy-logic-based approach that deals with the pervasive presence of uncertainty in the environment to negotiate complex traffic situations. Using the high-fidelity physics-based framework for the Unified System for Automation and Robot Simulation (USARSim), we will compare the performance of the two approaches in different driving situations at traffic intersections. Consequently, we will show how the two approaches complement each other and how their combination performs better than the cost-based approach only.
Oxytocin Treatment for Amphetamine-Induced Social Impairments

The formation and maintenance of enduring social relationships is a critical component of our human condition and has become a major focus of neuroscientific investigation during the past few decades. Research by Cort Pedersen and Arthur Prange in the late 1970s provided initial evidence that
Mapping the fibrinogen-binding domain of serum opacity factor of group a streptococci.

Serum opacity factor (SOF) is a large, extracellular, and cell-bound protein of group A streptococci that has two known functions, opacification of serum and binding of fibronectin. Herein, we describe a new function of SOF, the binding of fibrinogen. Utilizing purified, truncated recombinant SOF proteins, the fibrinogen-binding domain was localized to a region in the C-terminus of SOF encompassing amino acid residues 844–1047. Western-blot analysis revealed that SOF bound primarily to the β subunit of fibrinogen. A SOF-negative mutant bound 50% less fibrinogen than did its wild-type parent. Furthermore, fibrinogen blocked the binding of SOF to fibronectin. These data suggest that fibrinogen and fibronectin bind to the same domain within SOF. It remains to be determined whether the binding of fibrinogen to SOF contributes to the virulence of group A streptococci.
The invertible segment of bacteriophage Mu DNA determines the adsorption properties of Mu particles

INTEREST in bacteriophage Mu stems from the highly promiscuous insertion of its DNA into the genome of its host bacterium Escherichia coli (see ref. 1 for review). There are two characterstic features of Mu DNA: first, mature Mu DNA contains heterogeneous host sequences at both ends2,3, and second, near the right end, the S end, of Mu DNA there is a 3,000 base pair sequence that can undergo inversion. The structure of Mu DNA is diagrammed in Fig. 1. The invertible sequence, called the G segment, is remarkable in that it is also found in bacteriophage P1 (ref. 4). The inversion of the G segment in Mu occurs in the prophage state and is independent of the recA function of the host5. According to Hsu and Davidson6, the inversion occurs by recombination between identical but inverted sequences of about 50 base pairs flanking the G segment. Allet and Bukhari7 have presented evidence that a Mu function, located within or close to the G segment, is required for the inversion reaction. When Mu particles are grown by induction of a lysogen, about half of the particles contain DNA with one orientation (referred to as the + or flip orientation) and the rest of the particles have the G segment in the reverse orientation (the − or flop orientation). However, when Mu particles are grown by infection, almost all of the particles contain DNA with the flip orientation. The predominance of the flip orientation is obtained even if the phage lysate used for infection contained equal numbers of the flip and the flop orientations. We show here that the predominance of the flip orientation after infection results from the inability of the flop containing particles to adsorb properly to the bacterial cells.
Aromatic acid decarboxylase and choline acetylase activities in a single identified 5-HT containing cell of the leech.

The two largest cells (Retzius cells) in a typical ganglion of the leech nervous system have been shown previously to contain a high concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). The present study demonstrates that the isolated Retzius cell somata contain approximately 40% of the total aromatic acid decarboxylase activity of a single ganglion. A single Retzius cell has approximately 70 times more enzyme activity than adjacent “control” cells. Since this enzyme activity subserves the synthesis of 5-HT, a metabolic basis is provided for the cell-specific accumulation of the amine in the Retzius cells. Further indication of the specificity of the above metabolic relationship was obtained from the study of the distribution of choline acetylase, the enzyme responsible for the synthesis of acetylcholine. The specific activity (enzyme activity per unit of protein) of the acetylase in the “control” cells is nearly 8 times greater than that in the Retzius cell.
Plasma naltrexone during opioid detoxification.

Abstract Orogastric naltrexone is used for opioid detoxification, but it is not known how gastric absorption affects plasma concentrations of the drug. We measured plasma naltrexone during orogastric naltrexone, given in repeated doses of 12.5 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg and 50 mg. Plasma naltrexone was measured after each naltrexone dose. The increase in plasma naltrexone was highly variable between patients during orogastric administration. Adequate detoxification was questioned in 4 of 10 patients because plasma naltrexone did not increase above 5 ng/ml. There was a negative correlation between plasma naltrexone and the presence of withdrawal symptoms on the day after the procedure (r = −0.78, P < 0.05). These results show that the increase in plasma naltrexone is variable during orogastric administration and this may impair successful detoxification.
Relational ethics in the novels of Charles Williams.

In the novels of Charles Williams, characters are faced with the mundane but profound choice between “charity and selfishness,” the City and Infamy. Williams' “way of exchange” and “doctrine of substitution” have direct parallels in contextual family therapy. In Descent Into Hell, he explores the long-term effects of legacy and the balancing of the relational ledger through the process of “substituted” love (25). In All Hallows' Eve (20), the focus is on forgiveness and the opportunity to correct relational mistakes while one is in a purgatorial state. Both novels include parallel processes of relational stagnation/disjunction and rejunction, illustrating the fact that our simple, everyday choices have ultimate significance.
The toxicology of digitalis.

T HE recognition, prevention and treatment of the toxic effects of cardiac glycosides constitute a major problem in clinical medicine today. Despite extensive studies published on the subject,‘+ several aspects of the toxicology of digitalis deserve further attention. In this review, emphasis will be given to : (1) conditions which predispose to digitalis toxicity, (2) disorders in which the use of digitalis is controversial, (3) some of the more unusual harmful effects of digitalis and (4) recent advances in the treatment of digitalis toxicity.
Medical image segmentation by a constraint satisfaction neural network

A class of constraint-satisfaction neural networks (CSNNs) is proposed for solving the problem of medical image segmentation, which can be formulated as a constraint-satisfaction problem (CSP). A CSNN consists of a set of objects, a set of labels for each object, a collection of constraint relations linking the labels of neighboring objects, and a topological constraint describing the neighborhood relationship among various objects. Each label for a particular object indicates one possible interpretation for that object. The CSNN can be viewed as a collection of neurons that interconnect with each other. The connections and the topology of a CSNN are used to represent the constraints in a CSP. The mechanism of the neural network is to find a solution that satisfies all the constraints in order to achieve a global consistency. The final solution outlines segmented areas and simultaneously satisfies all the constraints. This technique has been applied to medical images, and the results show that the, method is a very promising approach to image segmentation,. >
Synthesis of Lignin in Transgenic and Mutant Plants

Introduction Potential Applications Challenges Historical Outline Chemistry Biology Lignin Mutants Brown Midrib Monocots Loblolly Pine Arabidopsis Lignin Transgenics The Shikimate Pathway and Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase Cinnamate 4-Hydroxylase and 4-Coumarate-3-Hydroxylase 4-Coumarate:CoA Ligase O-Methyltransferases Cinnamoyl-CoA Reductase Ferulate 5-Hydroxylase Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenase Coniferin β-Glucosidase Peroxidases and Other Oxidases Transcription Factors and Other Targets Outlook and Perspectives Patents Keywords: lignin; O-methyltransferase; cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD); phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL); 4-coumarate-CoA ligase (4CL); ferulate 5-hydroxylase (F5H); cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR); Arabidopsis; Loblolly pine; brown midrib mutants; peroxidase; laccase; coniferin β-glucosidase; cinnamate 4-hydroxylase; 4-coumarate 3-hydroxylase; pulp and paper; wood; textile fibers; biomass; transcription factors
A complete stylohyoid bone with a stylohyoid joint

Different clinical entities are associated with elongation of the styloid process or ossification of the stylohyoid ligament. Although partial ossification of the stylohyoid ligament is not uncommon, complete ossification is rare. We present a rare case of complete ossification of the stylohyoid ligament. This case may represent the extreme end of the spectrum of entities known as cervicopharyngeal pain syndrome, which includes Eagle's syndrome, stylohyoid syndrome, and pseudostylohyoid syndrome.
A counterexample to a group completion conjecture of J C Moore

We provide a simple explicit counterexample to a group completion conjecture for simplicial monoids attributed to J C Moore.
SymmeTREE: whole-tree analysis of differential diversification rates

Summary: SymmeTREE implements several tests of differential diversification rates that exploit information on the topological distribution of species diversity throughout entire trees to address two general questions: (1) Has a given tree experienced significant variation in diversification rates among its branches? and (2) If so, along which branches have significant shifts in diversification rate occurred? These explicitly model-based methods are robust to uncertainty in estimates of branch length/duration and can accommodate incompletely resolved trees and other forms of phylogenetic uncertainty. Availability: http://www.phylodiversity.net/bmoore/software.html Contact: brian.moore@yale.edu
Substructured Dynamic Testing of Substation Disconnect Switches

The paper demonstrates the substructuring concept in seismic qualification testing of 550 kV electrical substation disconnect switches. In this study, the full and substructured (i.e., without supp...
A Desynchronization Resilient Watermarking Scheme

This paper presents a content-based desynchronization resistant digital image watermarking scheme. The image content is represented by strong important feature points obtained by our robust and improved Harris corner detector. These feature points are more resistant to geometric attacks and are therefore used by the Delaunay triangle matching and image restoration method to reduce synchronization errors. The spread-spectrum-based blind watermark embedding and retrieval scheme is applied in the Fourier domain of each perceptually highly textured subimage. The multiplicative scheme is then used to embed the same copy of the watermark at highly secure mid-frequency positions generated by one-way hash functions with different secret keys. The watermark detection decision is based on the number of matched bits between the recovered and embedded watermarks in embedding subimages. Experimental results demonstrate that our scheme is more robust to desynchronization attacks (i.e., geometric and common image processing attacks) than other peer feature-based approaches.
Preoperative 3-Tesla multiparametric endorectal MRI findings and the odds of upgrading and upstaging at radical prostatectomy in men with clinically localized prostate cancer

Purpose To investigate whether 3T multiparametric endorectal MRI (erMRI) can add information to established predictors regarding occult extraprostatic or high-grade prostate cancer (PC) in men with clinically localized PC.
When it does hurt to try: adult age differences in the effects of instructions on implicit pattern learning.

Trying to learn sometimes impairs implicit learning of artificial grammars and of control systems. We asked whether such negative effects of trying also occur in implicit learning of subtle sequential regularities and whether such effects vary with adult age. Young (n=12, age=20–23) and older (n=24, age=60–80) adults completed an alternating serial response time task in which predictable pattern events alternated with random ones in a visual/spatial display. Half of the participants were informed about the pattern and were instructed to try to discover it (intentional instructions), and half were not (incidental instructions). Age-related deficits in implicit learning occurred for both conditions. In addition, for the older group, but not for the younger one, intentional instructions impaired implicit pattern learning. This negative effect of trying to learn demonstrates another similarity among implicit learning tasks, supporting the view that some common processes underlie different forms of implicit learning.
On the limits of leakage power reduction in caches

If current technology scaling trends hold, leakage power dissipation soon becomes the dominant source of power consumption. Caches, due to the fact that they account for the largest fraction of on-chip transistors in most modern processors, are a primary candidate for attacking the leakage problem. While there has been a flurry of research in this area over the last several years, a major question remains unanswered. What is the total potential of existing architectural and circuit techniques to address this important design concern? In this paper, we explore the limits in which existing circuit and architecture technologies may address this growing problem. We find that by using perfect knowledge of the address trace to carefully apply sleep and drowsy modes, the total leakage power from the instruction cache may be reduced to mere 3.6% of the unoptimized case, and the total from the data cache reduced to only 0.9%. We also present a complete parameterized model to determine the optimal leakage savings while the implementation technology changes over time. We further suggest how such limits might be approached using a form of prefetching for low power.
School-Based Prevention of Depressive Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Study of the Effectiveness and Specificity of the Penn Resiliency Program

The authors investigated the effectiveness and specificity of the Penn Resiliency Program (PRP; J. E. Gillham, L. H. Jaycox, K. J. Reivich, M. E. P. Seligman, & T. Silver, 1990), a cognitive–behavioral depression prevention program. Children (N = 697) from 3 middle schools were randomly assigned to PRP, Control (CON), or the Penn Enhancement Program (PEP; K. J. Reivich, 1996; A. J. Shatte, 1997), an alternate intervention that controls for nonspecific intervention ingredients. Children’s depressive symptoms were assessed through 3 years of follow-up. There was no intervention effect on average levels of depressive symptoms in the full sample. Findings varied by school. In 2 schools, PRP significantly reduced depressive symptoms across the follow-up relative to both CON and PEP. In the 3rd school, PRP did not prevent depressive symptoms. The authors discuss the findings in relation to previous research on PRP and the dissemination of prevention programs.
Chemical binding effects in resonance—Potential interference scattering for harmonic crystals

The neutron scattering cross section which is the quantity directly measured in experiments is given by the absolute square of the scattering amplitude. For energies near a resonance, this yields three terms : potential, resonant and interference. In this paper, we deal with the interference neutron scattering cross section which is written in terms of a three-point correlation function. This function is calculated for the ideal gas and harmonic crystal models. For short collision times, the interference result for harmonic crystals is the same as the ideal gas but it has an effective temperature. This is the same effective temperature as was previously found for absorption and pure resonant processes. Therefore, the interference scattering cross section can be treated in the same way resonant scattering and absorption are treated using an ideal gas result with the usual effective temperature.
The impact of the distance from the interventional cardiologist's home to the hospital during off hours

Objectives The impact of the distance from the interventional cardiologist's home to the hospital and door to balloon time (DTBT) Background The importance of DTBT is highlighted by its inclusion as one of the core quality measures collected by the center for Medicare and Medicaid services and by the Joint commission on Accreditation of Healthcare organizations. We investigated the effect of time of day on the DTBT in patients having primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) and the impact of distance of the on call interventional cardiologist from the hospital on the DTBT and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients undergoing pPCI during the off hours Methods Patients enrolled in the study presented with STEMI either in the field or to the emergency department (ED) and underwent pPCI from October 2007 to July 2009 Results Significant predictors of DTBT included a history of prior MI (P = 0.001), prior percutaneous coronary intervention (P = 0.021), prior coronary artery bypass grafting (P < 0.001), and history of diabetes mellitus (P = 0.004). The strongest predictor of DTBT was on versus off hours. Mean DTB was 18.5 min greater during off hours (72 min) compared to on-hours (53.5 min). The distance from the cardiologist's home to the hospital was not associated with DTBT on multivariable analysis (P = 0.20) Conclusion When pPCI is performed in a highly organized STEMI center with broad staff support and expertise in cardiac care, the increase in the DTBT during off hours was not associated with increase MACE rates. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of imatinib mesylate as a possible treatment for nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in a rat model.

Abstract Introduction The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of imatinib mesylate in the treatment of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in a rat model administered high-dose gadodiamide, erythropoietin (Epo) and intravenous iron (IV iron). Materials and methods The local committee for animal research approved this study. Four groups of six Hannover–Wistar rats were studied. Group A received normal saline; Group B, IV iron and Epo; Group C, gadodiamide, IV iron and Epo; and Group D, gadodiamide, IV iron, Epo and imatinib. Gadodiamide was administered at 10 mmol/kg of body weight for 5 consecutive days. Imatinib was administered at 50 mg/kg starting 3 days before gadodiamide injections and was continued for 50 days afterwards. Biopsies were taken 3 and 7 weeks after gadodiamide injection, and dermal histology was analyzed as well as gadolinium deposition as measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Additionally, rats treated with gadodiamide were observed for a total of 16 weeks. For comparison of cellularity, a linear mixed-effects model was used, and for metal deposition, an analysis of variance was used, which was corrected with a Tamhane correction for unequal variances. Results Rats treated with gadodiamide in addition to IV iron and Epo (group C) had worse skin lesions on histology ( P P P >.5). Histology at 16 weeks demonstrated increased fibrosis and dermal calcifications, consistent with the clinical presentation of NSF. Conclusions The administration of imatinib to rats treated with high-dose gadodiamide resulted in decreased lesion severity.
The roles of sharing, transfer, and public funding in nanotechnology knowledge-diffusion networks

Understanding the knowledge-diffusion networks of patent inventors can help governments and businesses effectively use their investment to stimulate commercial science and technology development. Such inventor networks are usually large and complex. This study proposes a multidimensional network analysis framework that utilizes Exponential Random Graph Models ERGMs to simultaneously model knowledge-sharing and knowledge-transfer processes, examine their interactions, and evaluate the impacts of network structures and public funding on knowledge-diffusion networks. Experiments are conducted on a longitudinal data set that covers 2 decades 1991-2010 of nanotechnology-related US Patent and Trademark Office USPTO patents. The results show that knowledge sharing and knowledge transfer are closely interrelated. High degree centrality or boundary inventors play significant roles in the network, and National Science Foundation NSF public funding positively affects knowledge sharing despite its small fraction in overall funding and upstream research topics.
Clinical applications and limitations of current ovarian stem cell research: a review

The publication of a report in Nature in 2004 by the Tilly group suggesting that mouse ovaries are capable of generating oocytes de novo post-natally, has sparked interest in a problem long thought to have been resolved from classical studies in a variety of mammalian species. Within a nearly two year time period, laboratories around the world have taken up the challenge to dogma raised by this initial report, either to test this concept in an experimental basic science setting or give direction to clinical applications that could result, were the original premises of this work in the mouse valid for extrapolation to humans. This review provides a status report for this promising area of research, (1) to summarize recent findings in the literature with respect to the validity of the original hypothesis proffered by the Tilly group, and, (2) to gauge the potential utility of ovarian stem cells as a treatment for certain forms of human infertility.
Fourth-Order Small-Slope Theory of Sea-Surface Brightness Temperatures

A derivation of the fourth-order term in the small-slope approximation (SSA) of thermal emission from the sea surface is presented. It is shown that this term has the form of a fourfold integration over a product of two sea spectra for a Gaussian random process sea, thereby describing emission "interaction" effects among pairs of sea waves. An approximation for "long-long" wave interactions (i.e., the optical limit) is considered and shown to match the physical optics theory. Interaction effects between "long" and "short" waves are also considered, both through numerical and approximate evaluations of the fourth-order theory. The approximation developed has a form similar to an expanded "two-scale" model and enables comparisons of short-wave "tilting" effects between the two models in terms of spectrum independent "weighting" functions. The weighting functions obtained are found to be similar, but not identical, for the SSA and two-scale theories. In addition, azimuthal harmonics from the fourth-order SSA expansion of long-short wave interactions for a particular sea-surface model are compared against the full fourth-order theory and the two-scale model. Results again show the SSA and two-scale models to yield similar, but not identical, predictions
HCr, LiCr, and NaCr molecules: ESR and ground state properties

Abstract ESR spectra of 53 Cr 1 H, 7 Li 53 Cr, and 23 Na 53 Cr molecules isolated in argon matrices at 4 K have been analyzed to yield g tensor, hyperfine, and zero-field splitting parameters. The latter are found to be ‖ D ‖= 0.34, 0.065, and 0.047 cm −1 , respectively. Bonding and ionicity in the three 6 Σ molecules are discussed relative to the observed parameters.
PHACES (Photographs of Academic Clinicians and Their Educational Status): A Tool to Improve Delivery of Family-Centered Care

Objective The aim of this study was to determine if an information sheet containing photographs and explanations of the training level of medical providers could enhance a parent's ability to identify their child's providers and whether this would impact parental attitudes toward trainee involvement and patient satisfaction. Methods This was a prospective, mixed methods study of parent-child dyads admitted to an academic general pediatric inpatient service. The intervention group received a photo information sheet (Photographs of Academic Clinicians and Their Educational Status [PHACES] tool) consisting of passport-sized photos of the medical team along with information regarding their training. Parents were asked to name their child's providers, were surveyed about their attitudes toward trainees, participated in a brief, semistructured interview and completed the patient satisfaction questionnaire (ABIM-PSQ). Results Comparing intervention with control parents, 40 of 49 (82%) versus 19 of 51 (37%) were able to name at least one provider (adjusted odds ratio 8.0; P Conclusions An information sheet containing the photographs of health care providers along with an explanation of their training improves recognition of the health care team members, improves acceptance of trainee involvement, and improves satisfaction with care delivered by physicians in training.
Toward a Better Measure of Horizontal Equity

The coefficient of variation (CV), a commonly used measure of horizontal equity, has several important limitations. First, comparing CV for income groups with different average incomes is problematic because groups with larger incomes, by construction, will have lower CV values. Second, groups of unequal width are not comparable because standard deviation can be affected by the interval width. These two limitations make summary measures such as average CV or weighted average CV inadvisable for comparing overall changes in horizontal equity between tax regimes. To remedy these limitations, we propose the ratio of the CV of tax liability to the CV of expanded total income (CV Ratio) for groups of equal width. The advantages of using CV Ratio are demonstrated in an analysis comparing the current tax system and the proposed Armey flat tax system. We observe, using CV Ratio, that there is less horizontal equity at the higher income levels of the current tax system. This is contrary to prior studies using the t...
21st century screening experiments: What, why, and how

[This abstract is based on the author's abstract.] The primary aim of screening experiments is to identify the active factors; that is, those having the largest effects on the response of interest. Large factor effects can be either main effects, two-f..
Catalytic Effects of Surfactants on the Cobalt Ore Bioleaching

The effects of Tween-20,Tween-80 and RB-1181 surfactants on the bioleaching of cobalt ore were investigated. The results showed when the surfactant was employed,the contact angle between the solution and mineral was significantly decreased and the wetting action of the solution to the surface of ores increased. In addition,there were not negative effects on the growth of bacteria in the presence of appropriate concentrations of surfactants with the mass concentration of 0. 25 g / L,and the oxidation rates of ferrous ions were the same which were fully oxidized within 72 hrs with or without surfactants. When surfactants were added,the surface properties of the intermediate product element sulfur were changed and the dispersion of surface passivation element sulfur was enhanced,thus the oxidation of element sulfur by bacteria was improved. As a result,the dissolution of the cobalt ore was accelerated,and the leaching efficiencies of metals were improved. In the presence of surfactants,the leaching efficiency of cobalt increased by approximately 34%,and that of copper increased by approximately 15% under the condition with ore pulp concentration of 10%,leaching temperature of 45 ℃ and the rotation rate of 180 r / min.
Perceptual structure of monophthongs and diphthongs in English.

This multidimensional scaling investigation seeks to determine the dimensions underlying the perception of diphthongs in American English and whether such dimensions are radically different from th...
Assay for Protein Modification by Poly-ADP-Ribose In Vitro

The enzymatic function of poly(adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is central to many of its function as a component of DNA repair machinery, modulator of gene transcription, and cell differentiation. While the auto-modification domain of PARP has been shown to be a primary acceptor site of poly-ADP ribose (pADPr), other DNA binding nuclear proteins are also modified by pADPr. It is -generally accepted that pADPr polymer is built upon the carboxyl side chain of specific Glu, Asp, and/or Lys residues within the target protein. Identification of the unique amino acid acceptors of pADPr in these nuclear proteins is an active area of study. Because of the heterogeneity of pADPr chain on modified -protein targets, the resulting modified proteins have unpredictable final masses, making it difficult to -identify acceptor amino acids. Using recombinant proteins, in vitro pADP ribosylation assay and mass spectrometry, we have been able to identify conserved Glu residue in transcription factor NFAT that is enzymatically modified in vitro with pADPr by PARP-1. We discuss this protocol here as a model approach for identifying pADPr acceptors in other nuclear proteins.
Information Fusion System design space characterization by Design of Experiments

An Information Fusion System (IFS) is comprised of multiple independent and distributed systems which collaborate with one another while performing Low-Level Information Fusion (LLIF) and High-Level Information Fusion (HLIF) functions. The design variables of an IFS range from selecting algorithms and techniques that provide LLIF and HLIF functionality, to orchestrating the distribution and collaboration of independent systems (namely the IFS architecture) which provides the information fusion capability. Hence, the design space of an IFS constitutes an extensive set of heterogeneous design variables. It is imperative for the systems designers and decision makers to characterize this design space in order to evaluate implications of IFS design decisions. The objective of this paper is to introduce a structured methodology for characterizing the design space of an IFS, where characterization means both identifying the significant design variables and quantifying their impact. First, a design space taxonomy of IFS is developed which facilitates identification of various IFS design variables. Second, the quantification challenges that arise from the nature of heterogeneous design variables, the inevitable coupling of LLIF and HLIF functions, and the distribution of multiple systems are discussed. Finally, a design space quantification strategy based on Design of Experiments (DoE) is formulated and suitable DoE methods which address all the IFS design space quantification challenges are identified.
Finite element-based micromechanical modeling of the influence of phase properties on the elastic response of cementitious mortars

Abstract This study reports the influence of inclusion stiffness and its distribution on the stress distributions in the microstructural phases of different cementitious mortars using microstructure-guided finite element simulations. Randomly generated periodic microstructures with single/multiple inclusion sizes and random spatial distribution, subjected to periodic boundary conditions and a strain-controlled virtual testing regime are chosen for final analysis. Numerical simulations reveal: (i) the differences in locations/magnitudes of stress concentrations as a function of inclusion stiffness and size distribution, and (ii) the sometimes detrimental influence of matrix and interface stiffening/strengthening on the overall composite response, leading to material design strategies when non-conventional inclusions are used in cementitious systems for special properties. The constitutive behavior in the linear elastic regime is extracted based on the predicted dominant principal stresses and strains in the representative area element. Thus, in addition to the microstructural phase stresses, this methodology also provides predictions of the composite elastic modulus, which are observed to be more reliable than those obtained from analytical prediction models.
Scent marking in shelter dogs: Effects of body size

Placing scent marks in the environment allows individuals to transfer information without direct interactions. Given that body size often indicates competitive ability, small individuals may preferentially communicate via scent marking because direct social interactions are potentially costly. However, most evidence indicates a positive relationship between competitive ability and frequency of scent marking. Domestic dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) exhibit extreme morphological variation, which allowed us to examine whether scent-marking behavior varied with body size in shelter dogs. We observed 281 dogs on 20-min walks and recorded total urinations, urinations directed at targets in the environment, and defecations. Some dogs were walked once and others multiple times (total walks, 619). We found that size class influenced rate of urination (P = 0.002): small dogs urinated at higher rates (0.36 urinations per min) than both medium (0.26) and large dogs (0.24). There was a tendency for size class to influence percent of directed urinations (P = 0.057): small dogs directed more of their urinations at targets in the environment (72%) than did large dogs (60%). Consistent with previous reports, we found that males urinated at higher rates (0.41) than females (0.18; P < 0.0001), and directed more of their urinations (males, 87%; females, 45%; P < 0.0001). Body size and sex did not influence likelihood of defecation during a walk. Defecation is thought to play a less important role than urination in scent marking in dogs, so the absence of size and sex differences in likelihood of defecation was not surprising. Time spent at the shelter positively influenced rate of urination (P = 0.0005), percent of directed urinations (P = 0.005), and likelihood of defecation (P = 0.006), which we interpret as resulting from the dogs becoming increasingly familiar and more comfortable with us. Our findings regarding body size and urinary behavior support the hypothesis that small dogs communicate more frequently via scent marking than larger dogs. Body size is known to influence visual and auditory communication in mammals, and our data show that body size also influences chemical communication. Finally, our results provide context for problematic marking behaviors in the home.
Catheter-directed endovascular application of thrombin: Report of 3 cases and review of the literature.

Abstract Purpose To report 3 new cases of catheter-directed endovascular application of thrombin and explore trends by analysis of published case series. Materials and methods Institutional Review Board approved this retrospective study. All cases of non-tumoral arterial embolization performed from January 2003 to January 2015 at our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Thrombin was used in 7 of 589 cases. In 3 cases intra arterial thrombin was injected via catheter to treat active hemorrhage. Four cases were excluded due to percutaneous injection into visceral pseudoaneurysms (n = 3) and making ex vivo autologous clot to be injected via catheter (n = 1). Fisher's exact and the Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to assess for association with acute nontarget thrombosis. Results Catheter-directed thrombin was used in 3/589 (0.5%) cases at our institution. All three cases were technically successful with no further bleeding (100%). Nontarget thrombosis of proximal branches occurred in 2 patients (67%) with no significant clinical consequences. Including our 3 cases, a total of 28 cases were reviewed. Of the variables examined—location (p = 0.99), size (p = 0.66) and etiology of vascular lesion (p = 0.92), pseudoaneurysm neck anatomy (p = 0.14), thrombin units (p = 0.47), volume (p = 0.76) or technique of use of small doses (p = 0.99), use of other embolic material (p = 0.67) and use of adjunct techniques (p = 0.99)—none were found to be significantly associated with acute nontarget thrombosis. Technical success was 96% with no reports of reperfusion after treatment. Conclusions Catheter-directed endovascular thrombin can be an additional tool to treat pseudoaneurysms not amenable to conventional embolization. Further studies are required to optimize technique and outcomes.
Clinical Characteristics, Comorbidities and Hospital Outcomes in Hospitalizations with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome: A Nationwide Analysis.

Data on cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS) are limited to studies from tertiary care centers. There is a paucity of information about CVS on a national scale. To study the clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and hospital outcomes in patients hospitalized with CVS using a nationwide database. We identified all hospitalizations associated with a primary diagnosis of CVS in 2010 and 2011 using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample with an age category of 18–55 years. A 1:2 random sample of non-CVS hospitalizations with the same age category was obtained, and comparisons between groups were made. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine comorbidities independently associated with CVS. Our study included 20,952 CVS and 44,262 non-CVS patients. CVS patients tended to be younger, male, and white compared to non-CVS patients. On multivariate analysis, CVS was significantly associated with comorbidities including dysautonomia, migraine, anxiety, marijuana use, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, asthma, cigarette smoking, and hypertension. CVS patients underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy, and gastric emptying tests more frequently. They had more favorable hospital outcomes like more routine discharges (discharge to home/self-care), lower mortality, and shorter length of stay but tended to leave against medical advice more frequently. CVS patients incurred total hospital charges of about $400 million over the 2 years. Our study showed that CVS is associated with several comorbidities and incurred substantial health care costs despite benign outcomes. Efforts to optimize therapy of CVS, manage comorbid conditions and reduce healthcare utilization are warranted.