cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sustained remission with lamotrigine augmentation or monotherapy in female resistant depressives with mixed cyclothymic-dysthymic temperament.

Background: The treatment of bipolar depression remains problematic. Lamotrigine has been shown in randomized controlled studies to be efficacious in preventing bipolar depression and rapid cycling states. Methods: Twenty-four women with cyclothymic temperament and refractory depression were recruited from four outpatient sites (three primary care and one psychiatric) and treated with lamotrigine in a naturalistic, open-label study. Temperament was determined by responses on the TEMP-A self-rating scale. Eighteen (75%) of these cyclothymic patients also scored high on the depressive temperament. Eighteen (75%) met DSM-IV criteria for bipolar II disorder. In two thirds of the cases, lamotrigine was add-on therapy to an antidepressant. Response to therapy was assessed using the DSM-IV Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). Limitations: This study was naturalistic in design, without controls or blinds. Results: Of the 23 patients who remained in the study, 16 (70%) had significant, sustained responses. Of these 16, 12 (75% of responders, 52% of the total) had remissions (GAF>80) sustained longer than 12 months. Robust, sustained responses to lamotrigine monotherapy were seen in 4 patients (17%). Seven patients (30%) received no apparent benefit from lamotrigine. Conclusions: Lamotrigine induced prolonged illness remissions in a substantial number of female patients whose symptoms were both complex and refractory. Most manifested high scores on the cyclothymic and depressive temperaments, and prior refractoriness to multiple antidepressant and antidepressant/mood stabilizer combinations, before remitting with lamotrigine augmentation or monotherapy.
Are Racial Differences in Antihypertensive Responsiveness Reflected in Usage After Stroke

Objective: We sought to evaluate whether differential antihypertensive responsiveness in blacks is reflected in discharge antihypertensive prescription patterns among patients hospitalized with an ischemic cerebrovascular event. Methods: We analyzed use of discharge antihypertensive medications among patients hospitalized with an ischemic cerebrovascular event in the California Acute Stroke Prototype Registry, examining rates in black patients compared with all other races combined. Generalized estimating equations were used to identify factors independently associated with receipt of any antihypertensive medication overall and with use of specific types of antihypertensives. Results: Data were collected on 794 consecutive patients treated at 11 hospitals. No significant differences were observed between rates of antihypertensive use in black patients (74%) when compared with all others (69%), either for overall use or for any specific category of antihypertensive, although there was a trend toward more frequent use of diuretics in black patients ( P = .12). Results were similar when analysis was limited to those with a history of hypertension. Conclusions: In spite of a known differential response to antihypertensives in blacks, we found no differences in discharge antihypertensive prescription patterns in black patients hospitalized with transient ischemic attack and ischemic stroke compared with other races.
Semiclassical rotation-vibration energies for a triatomic molecule: H2O

Abstract We report primitive semiclassical rotation-vibrational energy levels for a triatomic molecule, H 2 O, with inclusion of all three vibrational degrees of freedom. Both the Lai-Hagstrom and Hoy-Bunker potential surfaces are used. Vibrational and rotational actions are calculated using the fast Fourier transform Sorbie-Handy method. Overall, encouraging agreement with the quantum variational results of Chen, Maessen, and Wolfsberg is found.
Traffic engineering, content distribution, and continuous potential games

We explore the interaction between content distribution and traffic engineering. Because a traffic engineer may be unaware of the structure of content distribution systems or overlay networks, his management of the network does not fully anticipate how traffic might change as a result of his actions. Content distribution systems that assign servers at the application level can respond very rapidly to changes in the routing of the network. Consequently, the traffic engineer's decisions may almost never be applied to the intended traffic. We use a game-theoretic framework in which infinitesimal users of a network select the source of content, and the traffic engineer decides how the traffic will route through the network. We formulate a game and prove the existence of equilibria. Additionally, we present a setting in which equilibria are socially optimal, essentially unique, and stable. Conditions under which efficiency loss may be bounded are presented, and the results are extended to the cases of general overlay networks and multiple autonomous systems.
Toward outcomes-based plastic surgery training: a needs assessment of recent graduates.

Background: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Out comes Project mandates data-driven improvements to training programs. Few out comes measures exist in plastic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine how well we presently train plastic surgery residents within the context of the council's competencies and how well those competencies are practiced after residency. Methods: Plastic surgery graduates from 2000 to 2005 were surveyed using a new questionnaire organized around the accreditation council's competencies. Scores from individual item responses were averaged to create a composite score reflecting the quality of training and practice of each competency. Composite scores were then compared using nonparametric analyses. Data regarding currently used assessment tools were also measured. Results: The response rate was 21 percent. The respondent sample was representative of current plastic surgeons. Overall, the competencies were considered important, with increasing awareness in more recent years. Practice-based learning and improvement appeared to be the best taught, and systems-based practice appeared to be the most poorly taught. There were differences between independent and integrated formats but they did not support one over the other. Women did not rate their training as highly as men did in some areas, and open comments suggested there were significant issues at some programs. Conclusions: Recent graduates view plastic surgery training as excellent. The competency domain in greatest need of attention is systems-based practice. We must broaden our use of assessment instruments for more valid results and investigate gender differences in our training programs. These results describe the outcomes of current plastic surgery training and serve as a needs assessment for improvement and as a baseline for future comparison.
Thermal Fatigue of MoSi2 and a MoSi2-10 vol% TiC Composite

Induction heating of disk shaped specimens was used to study thermal fatigue behavior of hot pressed MoSi2, hot pressed and hot isostatically pressed (HIPed) MoSi2, and a MoSi2-IO vol% TiC particulate composite. Specimens were subjected to 5 s, 30 s, and 300 s heating and cooling cycles between temperature limits of 700°C and 1200°C. Specimens of both the hot pressed and the hot pressed and HIPed polycrystalline MoSi2 material failed by transgranular cracking on the initial temperature ramp of the 5 s and 30 s cycles. Only when the severity of the thermal cycle was reduced (300 s heating/300 s cooling) was thermal fatigue cracking avoided in the HIPed MoSi2. In sharp contrast, the MoSi2-10% TiC composite remained uncracked when subjected to the severe 30 s heating/30 s cooling cycle. The fatigue results are discussed with reference to the initial microstructure of the specimens and the stress-strain history of the specimens which was obtained by a thermoelastic finite element analysis.
Superior Protection against Malaria and Melanoma Metastases by a C-glycoside Analogue of the Natural Killer T Cell Ligand α-Galactosylceramide

α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) is a glycolipid that stimulates natural killer T cells to produce both T helper (Th) 1 and Th2 cytokines. This property enables α-GalCer to ameliorate a wide variety of infectious, neoplastic, and autoimmune diseases; however, its effectiveness against any one disease is limited by the opposing activities of the induced Th1 and Th2 cytokines. Here, we report that a synthetic C-glycoside analogue of α-GalCer, α-C-galactosylceramide (α-C-GalCer), acts as natural killer T cell ligand in vivo, and stimulates an enhanced Th1-type response in mice. In two disease models requiring Th1-type responses for control, namely malaria and melanoma metastases, α-C-GalCer exhibited a 1,000-fold more potent antimalaria activity and a 100-fold more potent antimetastatic activity than α-GalCer. Moreover, α-C-GalCer consistently stimulated prolonged production of the Th1 cytokines interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-12, and decreased production of the Th2 cytokine IL-4 compared with α-GalCer. Finally, α-C-GalCer's enhanced therapeutic activity required the presence of IL-12, which was needed to stimulate natural killer cells for optimal interferon-γ production, but did not affect IL-4. Overall, our results suggest that α-C-GalCer may one day be an excellent therapeutic option for diseases resolved by Th1-type responses.
Forbidden Transitions in the Palladium I Spectrum

A new examination of the palladium arc spectrum has resulted in the discovery of a type of forbidden transition which has not previously been observed. The level K 1 , in particular, is shown to give many more forbidden than allowed lines. The explanation is in the theory of ‘forced’ dipole radiation, a type of Stark effect which is due to the interionic fields in the arc. Additions to the analysis of Pd I are also given.
THEORY OF ANTIFERROMAGNETIC SPIN WAVES IN SOME METAMAGNETIC CRYSTALS

The spin waves of metamagnetic hexagonal layer crystals, in particular, Ni${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ and Co${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$, are calculated in a semicontinuum model. Temperature variations of the specific heat and of the sublattice magnetization due to the spin-wave excitations are derived and discussed.
High performance parallel architectures

In this paper the author describes current high performance parallel computer architectures. A taxonomy is presented to show computer architecture from the user programmer's point-of-view. The effects of the taxonomy upon the programming model are described. Some current architectures are described with respect to the taxonomy. Finally, some predictions about future systems are presented.
Tetraploid Red Clover

Plant breeders have been fascinated with doubling of chromosomes of plant species since the discovery of colchicine in 1937. The early research on doubling of chromosomes of red clover, conducted primarily by Swedish researchers, met with considerable success over the years, and continuing to the present, many tetraploid cultivars have been produced. Plant breeders of other countries, no doubt impressed with the Swedish results, have developed tetraploid cultivars that exceed diploid counterparts in many respects. The successes of the Swedish program was documented by Sjodin and Ellerstrom (1986).
Meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of prazosin versus placebo for the treatment of nightmares and sleep disturbances in adults with posttraumatic stress disorder

ABSTRACTAlthough sleep disturbances occur commonly in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and are associated with adverse outcomes and increased suicidality, they are often inadequately addressed by antidepressant medications. Objective: This review aims to assess whether prazosin reduces nightmares, sleep disturbances, and illness severity in adults with PTSD. Method: Electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO) were searched in September 2014 for randomized controlled trials in adults. Search terms included posttraumatic stress disorder, prazosin, nightmares, and sleep disturbance. Included studies used prazosin and provided objective outcome data related to nightmares and/or sleep quality. Results: Six studies (191 participants) met the criteria for inclusion. Prazosin was more effective than placebo in improving nightmares (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 1.022, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.41, 1.62], p = .001), sleep quality (SMD = 0.93, 95% CI [−0.02, 1.88], p = .054; and SMD = 1.1...
Modeling of Transport Phenomena in the Laser Multilayered Cladding

The present work studies the heat and mass transfer process in the laser multilayered cladding of H13 tool steel powder by numerical modeling and experimental validation. A solid-liquid-gas unified transient model was developed to investigate the evolution of temperature distribution and flow velocity of the liquid phase in the molten pool. In this model, an enthalpy-porosity approach was applied to deal with the solidification and melting occurring in the clad, and a level-set method was used to track the evolution of the molten pool free surface. Moreover, heat loss due to forced convection and heat radiation and laser heat input occurring on the top surface of deposited layer and substrate have been incorporated into the source term of governing equations. The effects of laser power, scanning speed, and powder feed rate on the dilution and height of the multilayered clad are investigated based on the numerical model and experimental measurement. The results show that increasing the laser power and powder feed rate, or reducing the scanning speed, can increase the clad height and directly influence the remelted depth of each layer of deposition. The numerical results have a qualitative agreement with the experimental measurements.© 2009 ASME
Change Order Provisions under National and International Standard Forms of Contract

AbstractChanges after the work starts are not unusual in the construction industry. In fact, in some types of underground construction, changes are the standard. These variations affect the project total cost and time for completion. This might instill conflicts, claims, and disputes between all associated parties. The objective of this paper is to analyze the change order provisions under most widely used standard construction contracts both nationally and internationally. This study is part of a series that attempts to analyze different contractual and legal matters under various national and international standard forms of contract. As dictated by the descriptive nature of this paper, the authors used a desktop analysis involving three dimensions for studying change order provisions that included reviewing the change order provisions as related to power and authority, execution and procedures, and the adjustments to contract sum and time for completion. This paper studies the extension of variation pro...
Microbial surface contamination after standard operating room cleaning practices following surgical treatment of infection.

Full article available online at Healio.com/Orthopedics. Search: 20140401-53 At the authors’ institution, some joint arthroplasty surgeons require the operating room to be terminally cleaned before using the room after infected cases, in theory to decrease exposure to excessive microbial contamination for the subsequent patient. The authors found no guidance in the literature to support this practice. To test this theory, the authors measured microbial surface contamination from 9 surfaces in operating rooms after standard operating room turnover following 14 infected cases vs 16 noninfected cases. A check was made for an association between organisms isolated intraoperatively from infected surgical patients immediately preceding standard cleaning and organisms isolated from common operating room surfaces. Colony counts were made at 24 and 48 hours, and organisms were identified. No significant difference was noted in colony counts between infected and noninfected cases, and no relationship was found between organisms isolated from infected cases and those from operating room surfaces. Furthermore, the largest colony count from both groups (0.08 cfu/cm 2 ) was an order of magnitude less than the recently proposed 5 cfu/cm 2 threshold for surface hygiene in hospitals. This finding indicates that standard operating room turnover results in minimal surface contamination, regardless of the previous case’s infection status, and that there is no need for a more extensive terminal cleaning after an infected case.
The Phenomenon of Israelite Prophecy in Contemporary Scholarship

In the mid-twentieth century, the classic historical-critical approach to the Hebrew Bible’s prophetic books gave way to the study of Israelite prophecy as part of a social phenomenon known throughout the ancient Near East. Since the 1980s, research on the phenomenon of Israelite prophecy has been marked by two main paradigms. The first extends the basic phenomenological approach and identifies Israelite prophecy as a socio-historical phenomenon shared across various ancient cultures. Prophecy was a form of intermediation between the divine and human, and a sub-type of the larger religious practice of (non-technical) divination. The second paradigm questions the usefulness of the biblical texts for reconstructing the ancient realities of prophecy and suggests that Israelite prophecy was a literary phenomenon that emerged among scribes in postexilic Yehud. Within these paradigms, present research offers new insights on lines of inquiry, such as the relationship between prophecy and psychology, prophets in ...
What accounts for the variable responses to progesterone on Schwann cells from mice and humans-the species-specific influence or the paracrine effects from the tumor microenvironment?

This Letter to the Editor Comments on: Analysis of steroid hormone effects on xenografted human NF1 tumor schwann cells Hua Li, Xuelian Zhang, Lauren Fishbein, Frederick Kweh, Martha Campbell-Thompson , George Q. Perrin, David Muir and Margaret Wallace
Suicidal issues status in adolescents in Hangzhou City

Objective: To investigate the current status and related factors of the suicidal issues in adolescents.Methods: Totally 7335 adolescents including 2695 middle school students,3937 high school students,and 703 college students were selected by stratified random sampling in Hangzhou City.They were investigated with the Chinese Adolescents Health-related Behavior Questionnaire for their demographic information and suicidal issues information in the past 12 months.Results: The rates of suicidal ideation,suicidal plan,suicidal attempt and repeated suicidal attempts were 14.3%,6.9%,2.1%,and 1.0% respectively.Lower grade(OR=0.92),less seeking help(OR=0.62),higher level of mother' s education(OR=1.15),feeling lonely(OR=1.41) and hurting himself/herself(OR=1.40) were related to higher rate of suicidal ideation(Ps0.05).Less seeking help(OR=0.67),more feeling lonely(OR=1.21) and hurting himself/herself(OR=1.49) were related to higher rate of suicidal plan(Ps0.05).More feeling unsafe(OR=1.16),sleeplessness(OR=1.33),depression(OR=2.30) and hurting himself/herself(OR=2.45) were related to higher rate of suicidal attempt(Ps0.05).Higher grade(OR=1.28),more depression(OR=3.78) and hurting himself/herself(OR=2.53) were related to higher rate of repeated suicidal attempts(Ps0.05).Conclusions: It suggests that the rates of suicidal issues in adolescents are relatively high in Hangzhou City.The suicidal issues among adolescents may be related to their negative emotions including loneliness,insecurity,and depression,pressure from home and school,and lack of social support.
Approximate nearest line search in high dimensions

We consider the Approximate Nearest Line Search (NLS) problem. Given a set L of N lines in the high dimensional Euclidean space Rd, the goal is to build a data structure that, given a query point q ∈ Rd, reports a line l ∈ L such that its distance to the query is within (1 + e) factor of the distance of the closest line to the query point q. The problem is a natural generalization of the well-studied Approximate Nearest Neighbor problem for point sets (ANN), and is a natural first step towards understanding how to build efficient nearest-neighbor data structures for objects that are more complex than points.Our main result is a data structure that, for any fixed e > 0, reports the approximate nearest line in time (d + log N + 1/e)O(1) using O(N + d)O(1/e2) space. This is the first high-dimensional data structure for this problem with poly-logarithmic query time and polynomial space. In contrast, the best previous data structure for this problem, due to Magen [16], required quasi-polynomial space. Up to polynomials, the bounds achieved by our data structure match the performance of the best algorithm for the approximate nearest neighbor problem for point sets.
Neurologic birth injuries. 2.

About three of every four spinal cord injuries in newborns are associated with breech deliveries. Peripheral nerve palsies outnumber the spinal injuries by almost 10 to 1. Occasionally, injuries occur within the uterus. Others are caused by incorrect placement of a gluteal injection or inadvertent injection of an analeptic or other agent into the umbilical artery.
How Latin America Saved the World and Other Forgotten Futures

Latin America saved the world—and didn’t—many times over in texts written in the 1950s, the incubation period for genre sf in the region. The forward-looking 1950s produced much source material for today’s retrofuturist longings, rather than generating many of those longings of their own. This article draws from some twenty-five fictional works by Latin American authors published in the Argentine magazine Mas Alla [Beyond], an affiliate of Galaxy Science Fiction, between 1953 and 1957. I’m interested in exploring these past images of the future to think about questions such as to whom the future belonged in Latin American sf, what those futures looked like, and which of those past futures we are—and are not—living in today and why. I’m especially interested in how Latin American writers did—and didn’t—challenge Northern assumptions about the future and about the genre and in the impact this has had on subsequent genre writers and readers. This content downloaded from 129.186.176.91 on Thu, 21 Jul 2016 00:09:39 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
HIGH-RESOLUTION FISSION CROSS-SECTION MEASUREMENTS OF 235U AND 239PU

The fission cross sections of 235U and 239Pu are measured with very high neutron energy resolution (0.17 ns/m) in the energy region from 100 to 2000 eV for 235U and to 20000 eV for 239Pu. The purpo...
Charge transfer in nanostructures for solar energy and biochemical detector applications

S heterostructures, such as nanowires, quantum dots and rings are, due to their unique properties, of potential interest for development of new nanodevices. For instance quantum dots in the strong quantum confinement regime exhibit size tunable bandgaps, large absorption cross sections, and multiple exciton generation, which can be exploited to improve photovoltaic conversion efficiency or detector selectivity. Optoelectrical properties of these nanostructures, their application in biochemical detectors, and processes important for detectors selectivity and sensitivity, interaction of light and nanostructures, and charge tunneling between nanostructures will be discussed. The effect of violation of symmetry of QD geometry on the tunneling is studied in details. We show that small violation of QD geometry drastically affects localization of electron and leads to relaxation of delocalized state of the system. Also considered will be the effect of electric field (applied to double QD system) as another factor that violates the QD symmetry. We show that electric field makes the same effect on “delocalized” electron wave function as the geometrical violation of the symmetry. We conclude that the symmetry violation in QDs reduces electron transport through the system, which may impact nanodevice performance. Additionally we consider double quantum rings (DQR) as a particular case of double quantum dot system. The anti-crossing of the levels as the mechanism of localizeddelocalized tunneling is clearlyan important element in QDR, which can be utilized to achieve stable quantum qubits states.
The Coventry Holy Trinity Doom Painting: Anticipating the End-Time

The recently restored wall painting of the Doom over the tower arch at Holy Trinity Church in Coventry has brought to light an image of the Last Judgment that had been long lost under dirt and grime. Its form is composite, combining imagery from diverse sources while essentially drawing on the account in Matthew 25. Jesus as Judge appears as a severely wounded and bleeding figure from the torture endured at his trial and execution. This iconography is consistent with devotional images and the cult of the sacred blood as a source of redemption. The purpose of the image was to encourage meditation on the expected Last Judgment and the end of time. The Virgin Mary, as Maria lactans, and John the Baptist appear as signs of hope and warning, while the souls of the righteous and damned are shown destined for heaven and hell, respectively.
Building a Learning Culture in America, by Kevin P. Chavous: New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction Publishers, 2016, 203 pp., $27.95 (paperback)

Former U.S. Senator Slade Gorton (2005) has quipped that there are two types of Washington memoirs: those about how I saved the world and those about “how I would have saved the world if those bast...
Integrating MET into a Patient Safety Program

Using the prescribed patient safety tools of RCA or FMEA has only partially helped health care organizations with the struggle to find and eliminate system vulnerabilities. Organizations soon find that easy problems with easy answers are not common. Fortunately, METs provide a service that is complementary and supportive of other safety methods, since up to 30% of METs are associated with patient safety issues. METs are also needed since there are many ingrained problems with human factors engineering of systems, devices, and tools involved in resuscitation. That is, there are intransigent constraints to the maximum effectiveness in dealing with cardiopulmonary emergencies. Most important are the MET features that organizational theory and observation support as crucial success factors to turning an organization into a highly reliable one, with a solid safety culture.
Age-Dependent Alterations in Meiotic Recombination Cause Chromosome Segregation Errors in Spermatocytes

Faithful chromosome segregation in meiosis requires crossover (CO) recombination, which is regulated to ensure at least one CO per homolog pair. We investigate the failure to ensure COs in juvenile male mice. By monitoring recombination genome-wide using cytological assays and at hotspots using molecular assays, we show that juvenile mouse spermatocytes have fewer COs relative to adults. Analysis of recombination in the absence of MLH3 provides evidence for greater utilization in juveniles of pathways involving structure-selective nucleases and alternative complexes, which can act upon precursors to generate noncrossovers (NCOs) at the expense of COs. We propose that some designated CO sites fail to mature efficiently in juveniles owing to inappropriate activity of these alternative repair pathways, leading to chromosome mis-segregation. We also find lower MutLγ focus density in juvenile human spermatocytes, suggesting that weaker CO maturation efficiency may explain why younger men have a higher risk of fathering children with Down syndrome.
Title VII and the #MeToo Movement

The #MeToo movement has drawn unprecedented attention to sexual harassment in the workplace. But there is a disconnect between sexual harassment as popularly understood and sexual harassment as prohibited by Title VII. This Essay identifies those areas where the law and the public understanding of it most starkly diverge. These include the requirements of severity or pervasiveness, the issue of unwelcomeness, the availability of an affirmative defense for hostile work environment claims, and the time limits within which claims must be brought. Additionally, those making claims of sexual harassment fare poorly when they suffer retaliation for stepping forward. Internal complaints (which the affirmative defense essentially require be made) do not receive the absolute protection extended to formal charges of discrimination. And because many complaints concern conduct that has not yet reached the requisite level of severity or pervasiveness, the complaints are deemed not to be based on a reasonable belief that the law has been violated and thus are found unprotected. This Essay identifies where the #MeToo movement, to the extent it reflects societal understanding of what the law should be, may impact judges’ application of governing legal standards. The law often evolves in response to changing social norms, and the #MeToo movement, in ways this Essay describes, has the opportunity to effect this evolution in the law’s approach to on-the-job sexual harassment.
Structure/function studies of doxycycline effects on matrix metalloproteinase activity and cartilage degeneration

The observation that doxycycline and other tetracyclines reduced the level of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in periodontal disease, even in germ-free rats [1 2] prompted the testing of these compounds for treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) [3 4], rheumatoid arthritis (for extensive review of this topic see [5-9]) and other diseases in which MMP-mediated destruction of connective tissues is prominent, such as abdominal aortic aneurysms [10] and wound healing in diabetes [11]. Doxycycline and chemically modified tetracyclines have been tested in animal models of OA, a disease in which the degradation of joint connective tissues is thought to depend, at least partially, on MMP activity. In our laboratory, we have employed doxycycline to treat canine experimental OA. We have examined the effect of treatment with oral doxycycline on the MMP of tissues from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, see [5-9], and patients with OA at the time of joint replacement surgery [3]. Similar studies have been performed using minocycline for treatment of adjuvant arthritis in rats [12], and for chemically modified tetracycline-7 (cmt-7) in a spontaneous model of OA in Taft-Hartley guinea pigs [13]. The guinea pig model resembles human disease in that the development of OA is weight-and age-dependent. Treatment with doxycycline slowed disease progression in the animal models, while MMP activity was reduced in both animal and human tissues.
Isolation and Culture of Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells

Neural stem cells, with the capacity of self-renewal and abilities to differentiate into the major cell types of the brain, exist in the developing and adult rodent central nervous system. These cells can be grown in vitro for long periods of time while retaining the capacity to differentiate into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. In this chapter, we describe the steps in detail to isolate and expand neural stem cells in the form of neurospheres from tissue dissections of the embryonic mouse brain. Procedures for the long-term passage of neurospheres, the cryopreservation of neurospheres, and their differentiation are also provided. Although the methodology seems simple, strict adherence to the procedures described is required in order to achieve reliable and consistent results.
Breve descrizione dello stato attuale della X-astronomia

Vengono passate in rassegna le linee di ricerca seguite nello studio di sorgenti localizzate di RaggiX nella volta celeste e sono esaminate le informazioni esistenti su alcune delle sorgenti meglio conosciute, con particolare riferimento al problema della loro identificazione con oggetti ottici. Viene inoltre studiata la distribuzione delle sorgentiX nella nostra Galassia ed esaminata la possibilita di osservare sorgenti extragalattiche.
Unintended consequences of systemic and ablative oncologic therapy in the abdomen and pelvis

Human cancers are genetically complex and diverse. Although advances in oncologic therapy aim to define and target unique steps in carcinogenesis, oncologists often rely on less discriminate anticancer therapies that have consequences for normal tissues. Even many of the so-called targeted therapies currently employed can adversely affect normal cells, leading to complications that necessitate dose reductions or cessation of specific therapies. This article explores the unintended consequences of currently employed systemic and ablative anticancer therapies that might manifest at imaging examinations of the abdomen and pelvis, including cytotoxic, molecular targeted, and immunologic agents; ablation; and hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Each of these treatments can have both major and minor unintended effects in the targeted organ(s), in local or adjacent structures, or at distant sites. Timely detection and reporting of adverse consequences of anticancer therapies by the astute imager can result in critical treatment modifications and/or lifesaving interventions; therefore, knowledge of these unintended effects is paramount for radiologists interpreting the results of imaging examinations in cancer patients. ©RSNA, 2018.
Drought and Land-Cover Conditions in the Great Plains

AbstractLand–atmosphere interactions play a critical role in the Earth system, and a better understanding of these interactions could improve weather and climate models. The interaction among droug...
A sensitive and robust UPLC-MS/MS method for quantitation of estrogens and progestogens in human serum.

Abstract Objective With the widespread use of sex-steroid hormones in contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, there is an increasing need for reliable analytical methods. We report the development of a sensitive and robust UPLC–MS/MS method for quantitation of both endogenous and synthetic sex-steroid hormones in human serum. Study design We developed and validated a UPLC–MS/MS method to quantify progestogens (etonogestrel, levonorgestrel, medroxyprogesterone acetate, norethindrone, progesterone) and estrogens (estradiol and ethinyl estradiol) with good accuracy, high sensitivity, and excellent robustness. We then applied the method to the analysis of sex-steroid hormones in serum from 451 clinical research participants. Results Each UPLC–MS/MS analysis was 6.5 min. The lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) were 25 pg/ml for the progestogens, and 2.5 and 5.0 pg/ml for estradiol and ethinyl estradiol, respectively. When estradiol was analyzed without assessment of progestogens, the LLOQ was reduced to 1 pg/ml. The calibration curves were linear from 25–50,000, 2.5–2000 (1–2000 for estrogens-only analysis) and 5–2000 pg/ml, respectively. Both the accuracy and precision were below±15% not only for routine validation (intraday and interday), but for long-term (>2 years) assay robustness with external controls, thereby, demonstrating the utility of this method for multi-year clinical trial assessments of progestogens and estrogens. We applied the method to quantify sex-steroid levels in 1804 clinical samples. Conclusions We successfully developed a UPLC-MS/MS method, and overcame the matrix suppression to allow sensitive quantitation of both synthetic and endogenous sex-steroid hormones in human serum. Implications We developed a sensitive and robust UPLC-MS/MS method to accurately measure the levels of sex-steroid hormones in serum. The method overcame matrix interference barriers and achieved excellent long-term stability and reproducibility (≥96.9% accuracy; ≤13.0% relative variability measured with external controls over 2 years), demonstrating its utility in clinical sample analysis.
Normative Management and Diversity in International Non-government Organizations

To accomplish their goals, International Non-government Organizations (INGOs) manage a network of internal and external stakeholders across national boundaries while having limited authority under demanding circumstances. Consequently, INGOs often rely on normative management practices aimed at influencing discretionary behavior. Unfortunately, normative management can be difficult when INGO stakeholders perceive little common ground due to large functional, cultural, socioeconomic, and power differences. These dynamics raise an important question: How can INGOs manage internal and external stakeholders in a normative fashion when these stakeholders are remarkably diverse and may perceive little or no similarity among themselves? In response to this difficulty, we argue that effective diversity management is a key contributor of effective normative management, and we develop social cognitive theory aimed at managing the salience and meaning of social distinctions. We also provide initial guidance on adapting management practices when differences are large and when individual identities are exclusive.
Complex Transmission Patterns and Age-Related Dynamics of a Selfish mtDNA Deletion

Despite wide-ranging implications of selfish mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) elements for human disease and topics in evolutionary biology (e.g., speciation), the forces controlling their formation, age-related accumulation, and offspring transmission remain largely unknown. Selfish mtDNA poses a significant challenge to genome integrity, mitochondrial function, and organismal fitness. For instance, numerous human diseases are associated with mtDNA mutations; however, few genetic systems can simultaneously represent pathogenic mitochondrial genome evolution and inheritance. The nematode Caenorhabditis briggsae is one such system. Natural C. briggsae isolates harbor varying levels of a large-scale deletion affecting the mitochondrial nduo-5 gene, termed nad5Δ. A subset of these isolates contains putative compensatory mutations that may reduce the risk of deletion formation. We studied the dynamics of nad5Δ heteroplasmy levels during animal development and transmission from mothers to offspring in genetically diverse C. briggsae natural isolates. Results support previous work demonstrating that nad5Δ is a selfish element and that heteroplasmy levels of this deletion can be quite plastic, exhibiting high degrees of inter-family variability and divergence between generations. The latter is consistent with a mitochondrial bottleneck effect, and contrasts with previous findings from a laboratory-derived model uaDf5 mtDNA deletion in C. elegans. However, we also found evidence for among-isolate differences in the ability to limit nad5Δ accumulation, the pattern of which suggested that forces other than the compensatory mutations are important in protecting individuals and populations from rampant mtDNA deletion expansion over short time scales.
Early sepsis recognition based on infrared thermography

Systematic screening is crucial for the early diagnosis of sepsis. Detecting abnormal body temperature patterns can accurately predict sepsis before any other symptoms of infection. Therefore, we suggest using thermography as a non-invasive tool capable of continuously measuring body temperature patterns and detecting abnormalities. One such pattern is the temperature difference (ETD) between body extremities and the core temperature. In this paper, we propose a fully automated methodology for calculating core vs. extremity temperature difference based on the frontal and lateral view of the face. Thus, we present a fully automated model based on FCM clustering for inner and outer ear localisation and an efficient approach for tracking the tip of the nose and the inner corner of the eyes by using a mixture of Viola-Jones, KLT, and superpixel algorithms. The results demonstrate the robustness of these techniques in localising the four ROIs and in handling various poses and varying backgrounds.
Shear banding mechanism in compressed nanocrystalline ceramic nanopillars

Shear banding causes deformation to be heavily restricted in small volumes of a material, leading to catastrophic failure of materials. Yet how shear bands form is generally not known. Here, the authors follow the entire process of shear banding in the nanocrystalline ceramic (NCC) nanopillars of ZrN using $i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}n$ $s\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}u$ microscopy. The evidence obtained shows that the nanopillars deform through intermittent granular activities due to the nucleation and propagation of dislocations. The stress drops associated with these activities, however, are small as dislocation avalanches are restricted by the nanograin size. Shear band forms in NCC through localized and cooperative granular activities involving nanocrack formation.
A novel method for quantifying insect damage to plant storage organs

A novel volumetric injection method was developed for measuring damage to air potato tubers, Dioscorea bulbifera (Dioscoreaceae), by neonate Lilioceris egena larvae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). This technique fills a methodological void for ecologists needing to quantify insect damage to above‐ and belowground plant storage organs.
Analysis of Skin Effect in High Frequency Isolation Transformers

In this paper, a high frequency transformer with different conductors and winding arrangements, at presence of eddy currents and skin effect, is studied. By using different winding structures, and conductor types, such as circular, square shaped, and foil wires, the skin effect in the windings is studied and current density within the conductors at a high frequency of 20 MHz and a lower frequency of 20 kHz are investigated using finite element method (FEM) simulation. Moreover, magnetic field distribution in the transformers at 20 MHz is obtained and displayed. Also, magnetizing inductance, leakage inductance and AC winding resistance for all of the transformer types are found and compared, and frequency response for the transformers are obtained and shown. Lastly, based on the results, the skin effect increases the AC winding resistance and decreases the leakage inductance as the frequency increases. Furthermore, different winding arrangements, conductors, and transformer types show a wide range of parasitic and loss behavior, which enable the designers to compromise between various parameters in different applications, especially new fast switches such as SiC and GaN.
Teachers’ responses to instances of student mathematical thinking with varied potential to support student learning

Teacher responses to student mathematical thinking (SMT) matter because the way in which teachers respond affects student learning. Although studies have provided important insights into the nature of teacher responses, little is known about the extent to which these responses take into account the potential of the instance of SMT to support learning. This study investigated teachers’ responses to a common set of instances of SMT with varied potential to support students’ mathematical learning, as well as the productivity of such responses. To examine variations in responses in relation to the mathematical potential of the SMT to which they are responding, we coded teacher responses to instances of SMT in a scenario-based interview. We did so using a scheme that analyzes who interacts with the thinking (Actor), what they are given the opportunity to do in those interactions (Action), and how the teacher response relates to the actions and ideas in the contributed SMT (Recognition). The study found that teachers tended to direct responses to the student who had shared the thinking, use a small subset of actions, and explicitly incorporate students’ actions and ideas. To assess the productivity of teacher responses, we first theorized the alignment of different aspects of teacher responses with our vision of responsive teaching. We then used the data to analyze the extent to which specific aspects of teacher responses were more or less productive in particular circumstances. We discuss these circumstances and the implications of the findings for teachers, professional developers, and researchers.
Ontogenetic changes in magnitudes of integration in the macaque skull

OBJECTIVES Magnitudes of morphological integration may constrain or facilitate craniofacial shape variation. The aim of this study was to analyze how the magnitude of integration in the skull of Macaca fascicularis changes throughout ontogeny in relation to developmental and/or functional modules. MATERIALS AND METHODS Geometric morphometric methods were used to analyze the magnitude of integration in the macaque cranium and mandible in 80 juvenile and 40 adult M. fascicularis specimens. Integration scores in skull modules were calculated using integration coefficient of variation (ICV) of eigenvalues based on a resampling procedure. Resultant ICV scores between the skull as a whole, and developmental and/or functional modules were compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS Results showed that most skull modules were more tightly integrated than the skull as a whole, with the exception of the chondrocranium in juveniles without canines, the chondrocranium/face complex and the mandibular corpus in adults, and the mandibular ramus in all juveniles. The chondrocranium/face and face/mandibular corpus complexes were more tightly integrated in juveniles than adults, possibly reflecting the influences of early brain growth/development, and the changing functional demands of infant suckling and later masticatory loading. This is also supported by the much higher integration of the mandibular ramus in adults compared with juveniles. DISCUSSION Magnitudes of integration in skull modules reflect developmental/functional mechanisms in M. fascicularis. However, the relationship between "evolutionary flexibility" and developmental/functional mechanisms was not direct or simple, likely because of the complex morphology, multifunctionality, and various ossification origins of the skull.
Evolocumab in Children with Heterozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia.

Heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia — in contrast to the more rare and more severe homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia — is a common genetic cholesterol disorder affecting approximately...
Coagulation Inhibitors in COVID-19 Leading to Compressive Airway Hematoma

We are focusing on three things for every patient in the hospital with COVID-19, namely dexamethasone, remdesivir and enhanced anticoagulation protocols as this had shown improved mortality. However, the bleeding risk in these patients has not been taken into consideration. In our ICU setting at Rochester General hospital, we have seen too many cases with gastrointestinal bleeding and hemoptysis in COVID-19 patients. In this case, we report bleeding related to central access removal related to coagulation inhibitors that lead to airway compression. The aim of this case is to keep bleeding tendency of COVID-19 patients on the radar and to delineate that it has clear severe consequences just as clotting.
Best Papers From Hot Chips 32

The articles in this special section were presented at Hot Chips 32 which was held virtually on August 16-18, 2020.
Primary Parotid Tumor Thrombosis: Immunohistologic Features and Awareness of Metastatic Potential.

Tumor thrombosis is a poor prognostic feature and an exceptionally rare occurrence in salivary gland malignancies. We present a case of primary parotid myoepithelial carcinoma (MC) with tumor thrombosis in the external jugular vein (EJV). An 82-year-old man presented with a right-sided facial mass. MRI with and without gadolinium demonstrated a mass of the right parotid gland with a filling defect of the right EJV. The patient underwent right parotidectomy and selective neck dissection. Tumor thrombosis was found intraoperatively within the EJV. Final pathology demonstrated a poorly differentiated MC. Adjuvant radiation therapy without concurrent systemic therapy was administered. Three months later, restaging positron emission tomography (PET) with CT revealed numerous bilateral pulmonary nodules with biopsy, demonstrating poorly differentiated MC without locoregional relapse. Given that primary parotid tumor thrombosis is associated with a poor prognosis, the use of early systemic therapy should be investigated.