cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Current and future therapeutic strategies for treatment of blastomycosis

Introduction: Blastomyces dermatitidis causes a broad spectrum of disease ranging from asymptomatic, self-limited infection to fulminant sepsis or acute respiratory distress syndrome. B. dermatitidis can cause disease in nearly every organ in the body, but has a predilection for pulmonary, osseous, CNS and skin manifestations. Treatment of blastomycosis depends upon the location of the infection, the severity of clinical disease and the immune status of the host. Areas covered: This article discusses advances in the diagnosis and management of blastomycosis, including the use of newer antifungal agents for this infection. Additionally antifungal agents that may have potential clinical utility for this infection and are in late-stage clinical trials are reviewed. The use of azole therapy including recommendations for therapeutic drug monitoring will also be discussed. Expert opinion: For serious disease the liposomal amphotericin products are preferred, and novel methods of drug delivery including continuo...
Scattering from narrow rectangular filled grooves

The solution of the integral equation for a small width rectangular groove is considered. It is shown that by retaining the dominant mode supported by the rectangular groove, the resulting quasi-static integral equations are comparable to those associated with the perfectly conducting narrow strip. They are, therefore, amenable to analytic solution yielding the exact field distribution or equivalent currents across the groove's aperture. The derived currents exhibit the same edge behavior as that associated with the currents of a perfectly conducting half-plane. The corresponding current behavior based on a (numerical) impedance simulation of the groove is quite different. However the resulting echowidths are comparable. Both transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) polarizations are treated. >
Social group work theory

60 Efforts to construct a theory of social group work have fallen short because, among other things, they have not recognized that the social group-work group is artificial. They have always taken it for granted that the group—almost any group—is a natural phenomenon that "just grows" by itself. They have never stopped to consider whether social group workers might be cre ating a particular type of group, and whether the "product" of social group workers might be different from a natural group. This, in part, is why small-group theory, social psychology, and group dynamics have had so little to contribute to the practice and theory of social group work. It is true that social psychology attempts to ex plain groups in both natural situations and artificially generated ones, but so far it has never come to grips with the empir ical gestalt composed of a social group worker mindful of certan values (those of the agency) and a collection of individuals who are in a special relationship with the worker and with whom the worker is try ing to form a group. This is the totality that would have to be accounted for in
Terahertz field detector based on electron emission

This paper reports the electric field induced electron emission across the capacitive gap in a metamaterial structure under intense terahertz (THz) pulses. The gold metamaterial fabricated on a silicon nitride thin film can enhance the electric field greatly around the resonance frequency, resulting in THz field induced electron emission across the capacitive gap in the metamaterial structure when the incident electric field is > 60kV/cm. The emission current is measured experimentally and shows dependency on the strength of the incident field strength, which can be used as a THz detector.
Acute Daily Psychological Stress Causes Increased Atrophic Gene Expression and Myostatin-Dependent Muscle Atrophy

Psychological stress is known to attenuate body size and lean body mass. We tested the effects of 1, 3, or 7 days of two different models of psychological stress, 1 h of daily restraint stress (RS) or daily cage-switching stress (CS), on skeletal muscle size and atrophy-associated gene expression in mice. Thymus weights decreased in both RS and CS mice compared with unstressed controls, suggesting that both models activated the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Body mass was significantly decreased at all time points for both models of stress but was greater for RS than CS. Mass of the tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (SOL) muscles was significantly decreased after 3 and 7 days of RS, but CS only significantly decreased SOL mass after 7 days. TA mRNA levels of the atrophy-associated genes myostatin (MSTN), atrogin-1, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitory subunit p85α were all significantly increased relative to unstressed mice after 1 and 3 days of RS, and expression of MSTN and p85α mRNA remained elevated after 7 days of RS. Expression of muscle ring finger 1 was increased after 1 day of RS but returned to baseline at 3 and 7 days of RS. MSTN, atrogin-1, and p85α mRNA levels also significantly increased after 1 and 3 days of CS but atrogen-1 mRNA levels had resolved back to normal levels by 3 days and p85α with 7 days of CS. p21CIP mRNA levels were significantly decreased by 3 days of CS or RS. Finally, body mass was minimally affected, and muscle mass was completely unaffected by 3 days of RS in mice null for the MSTN gene, and MSTN inactivation attenuated the increase in atrogin-1 mRNA levels with 4 days of RS compared with wild-type mice. Together these data suggest that acute daily psychological stress induces atrophic gene expression and loss of muscle mass that appears to be MSTN dependent.
Interaction of Endosperm Size Factors in Maize

ABSTRACT Crosses involving certain B-A translocations produce a reduced size of endosperm when those regions of the A chromosomes are missing in the sperm that fertilizes the polar nuclei. Previous studies involving the long arm of chromosome 10 showed that additional copies of this segment introduced through the maternal side could not rescue the reduced size phenotype conditioned by the corresponding deficiency in the paternal gamete. In this paper, experiments are described showing that other segments introduced maternally produce an even smaller kernel when fertilized by a sperm missing the same A chromosome segment or other ones that carry factors affecting endosperm size.—The example analyzed in detail involves reciprocal crosses between TB-4Sa and TB-10L19 . Extra doses of 4S enhance the small kernel effect normally produced by TB-10L19 . The additional copies of 4S have no effect on kernel mass when the 10L segment is present in the paternal contribution to the endosperm. The maternal enhancement by 4S is also effective with crosses by TB-1La but not by TB-1Sb . A survey of inter se crosses of B-A translocations shows that, when the maternal enhancement occurs, it is confined to those regions that themselves give a small kernel effect when used as a male. This correlation is strengthened by the observations that TB-10L19 enhances the small kernel effect of TB-1Sb , but TB-10L32 will not. Since these two B-10L translocations span the best localized small kernel effect region, this result supports the correlation of maternal enhancement regions with the paternal small kernel effect ones.—Because the enhancement can be attributed to a dosage effect and because the enhancement regions are coincident with the small kernel segments, it is postulated that this interacting system is analogous to aneuploid effects in diploid tissues but exhibits unique properties because of the evolutionary history and triploid condition of the endosperm.
Synthesis and characterization of a multiarm poly(acrylic acid) star polymer for application in sustained delivery of cisplatin and a nitric oxide prodrug

Functionalized polymeric nanocarriers have been recognized as drug delivery platforms for delivering therapeutic concentrations of chemotherapies. Of this category, star-shaped multiarm polymers are emerging candidates for targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs, due to their compact structure, narrow size distribution, large surface area and high water solubility. In this study, we synthesized a multi-arm poly(acrylic acid) star polymer via MADIX/RAFT polymerization and characterized it using NMR and size exclusion chromatography. The poly(acrylic acid) star polymer demonstrated excellent water solubility and extremely low viscosity, making it highly suited for targeted drug delivery. Subsequently, we selected a hydrophilic drug, cisplatin, and a hydrophobic nitric oxide-donating prodrug, O2-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) 1-[4-(2-hydroxy)ethyl]-3-methylpiperazin-1-yl]diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate, as two model compounds to evaluate the feasibility of using poly(acrylic acid) star polymers for delivery of chemotherapeutics. After synthesizing and characterizing two poly(acrylic acid) star polymer-based nanoconjugates, poly(acrylic acid)-cisplatin (acid-Pt) and poly(acrylic acid)-nitric oxide prodrug (acid-NO), the in vitro drug release kinetics of both acid-Pt and acid-NO were determined at physiological conditions. In summary, we have designed and evaluated a polymeric nanocarrier for sustained-delivery of chemotherapies, either as a single treatment or a combination therapy regimen.
An evaluation of multimodal 2D+3D face biometrics

We report on the largest experimental study to date in multimodal 2D+3D face recognition, involving 198 persons in the gallery and either 198 or 670 time-lapse probe images. PCA-based methods are used separately for each modality and match scores in the separate face spaces are combined for multimodal recognition. Major conclusions are: 1) 2D and 3D have similar recognition performance when considered individually, 2) combining 2D and 3D results using a simple weighting scheme outperforms either 2D or 3D alone, 3) combining results from two or more 2D images using a similar weighting scheme also outperforms a single 2D image, and 4) combined 2D+3D outperforms the multi-image 2D result. This is the first (so far, only) work to present such an experimental control to substantiate multimodal performance improvement.
From invasion to extinction in heterogeneous neural fields

In this paper, we analyze the invasion and extinction of activity in heterogeneous neural fields. We first consider the effects of spatial heterogeneities on the propagation of an invasive activity front. In contrast to previous studies of front propagation in neural media, we assume that the front propagates into an unstable rather than a metastable zero-activity state. For sufficiently localized initial conditions, the asymptotic velocity of the resulting pulled front is given by the linear spreading velocity, which is determined by linearizing about the unstable state within the leading edge of the front. One of the characteristic features of these so-called pulled fronts is their sensitivity to perturbations inside the leading edge. This means that standard perturbation methods for studying the effects of spatial heterogeneities or external noise fluctuations break down. We show how to extend a partial differential equation method for analyzing pulled fronts in slowly modulated environments to the case of neural fields with slowly modulated synaptic weights. The basic idea is to rescale space and time so that the front becomes a sharp interface whose location can be determined by solving a corresponding local Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We use steepest descents to derive the Hamilton-Jacobi equation from the original nonlocal neural field equation. In the case of weak synaptic heterogenities, we then use perturbation theory to solve the corresponding Hamilton equations and thus determine the time-dependent wave speed. In the second part of the paper, we investigate how time-dependent heterogenities in the form of extrinsic multiplicative noise can induce rare noise-driven transitions to the zero-activity state, which now acts as an absorbing state signaling the extinction of all activity. In this case, the most probable path to extinction can be obtained by solving the classical equations of motion that dominate a path integral representation of the stochastic neural field in the weak noise limit. These equations take the form of nonlocal Hamilton equations in an infinite-dimensional phase space.
The Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska: Gray Literature (1891–2010)

The Ogallala Aquifer is a key water resource for several U. S. states. TransCanada, a Canadian company, proposes to construct the Keystone XL pipeline to transport tar sands crude oil from Alberta to refineries in Texas; one proposed route would bury the pipeline in the Aquifer, raising water quality and environmental concerns. A rich inventory of information about the Aquifer predates the current controversy. This article presents a key subset of an extensive, ongoing bibliography: 128 citations to gray literature about the Ogallala Aquifer in Nebraska, which are inaccessible online and/or held in only a few libraries. The authors present several examples to illustrate the relevance of this gray literature to current events, comment on difficulties encountered during the bibliographic harvest and the identification of this subset, and reiterate the need for planned preservation through digitization of historical (print) gray literature.
Interneuronal nitric oxide signaling mediates post-synaptic long-term depression of striatal glutamatergic synapses

Experience-driven plasticity of glutamatergic synapses on striatal spiny projection neurons (SPNs) is thought to be essential to goal-directed behavior and habit formation. One major form of striatal plasticity, long-term depression (LTD), has long appeared to be expressed only pre-synaptically. Contrary to this view, nitric oxide (NO) generated by striatal interneurons was found to induce a post-synaptically expressed form of LTD at SPN glutamatergic synapses. This form of LTD was dependent on signaling through guanylyl cyclase and protein kinase G, both of which are abundantly expressed by SPNs. NO-LTD was unaffected by local synaptic activity or antagonism of endocannabinoid (eCb) and dopamine receptors, all of which modulate canonical, pre-synaptic LTD. Moreover, NO signaling disrupted induction of this canonical LTD by inhibiting dendritic Ca(2+) channels regulating eCb synthesis. These results establish an interneuron-dependent, heterosynaptic form of post-synaptic LTD that could act to promote stability of the striatal network during learning.
Development of diets for the intensive culture of Pacific lamprey

The Pacific lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus is an ancestral species of critical importance to the ecosystem and indigenous cultures in the Pacific Northwest. Conservation aquaculture has been proposed as a potential technique to restore Pacific lamprey populations. Intensive culture methods and diets for this species have not been developed. A sixteen week feeding trial tested the effects of seven diet treatments on the survival, growth, fatty acid profile and whole body lipid content of Pacific lamprey ammocoetes. Dietary treatments were: active dry yeast, yeast plus fish oil emulsion, micro-algae, micro-algae plus fish oil emulsion, yeast with micro-algae, yeast with micro-algae plus fish oil emulsion and yeast with larval fish diet. Each diet was offered to five replicate tanks stocked with 20 ammocoetes that were 51 days post hatch. Survival during the trial was not affected by diet. The greatest length and weight increases were in fish fed diets containing yeast. Growth decreased as the amount of algae in the diet was increased. Lipid retention was significantly higher in fish fed yeast with larval fish diet relative to the other treatments. Feed conversion ratio was lowest in fish fed diets containing yeast. Whole body fatty acid profiles tended to reflect the fatty acid profile of the diet. Percentages of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 were significantly higher in fish fed diets containing fish oil emulsion. Overall, yeast with larval fish diet provided the best growth performance in larval Pacific lamprey.
Quality of Preventive Care for Diabetes: Effects of Visit Frequency and Competing Demands

PURPOSE We sought to determine the association between timely receipt of diabetes-related preventive services and the longitudinal pattern of outpatient service use as characterized by a novel taxonomy that prioritized visits based on the Oregon State Prioritized Health Services List. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional analysis of mail survey and automated health care data for a population-based sample of patients with diabetes enrolled in a health maintenance organization in Washington State (N = 4,463). Outcomes included American Diabetes Association–recommended preventive services, including regular hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) monitoring, retinal examination, and microalbuminuria screening. Patients with fewer than 8 visits during the 2-year study period were considered infrequent users, while patients with 8 or more visits were classified as lower-priority users if most visits were for conditions of relatively low rank on the Oregon list and as higher-priority users otherwise. RESULTS After adjustment for social, demographic, and clinical factors, and depression, infrequent users had significantly reduced odds of receiving at least 1 HbA1C test (odds ratio [OR] = 0.35, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24–0.51), retinal examination (OR = 0.74, 95% CI, 0.63–0.86), and microalbuminuria screening (OR = 0.75, 95% CI, 0.58–0.96) relative to higher-priority users during the previous year. Lower-priority users also had relatively reduced odds of receiving at least 1 HbA1C test (OR = 0.59, 95% CI, 0.35–1.01), retinal examination (OR = 0.68, 95% CI, 0.56–0.84), and microalbuminuria screening (OR = 0.79, 95% CI, 0.57–1.09) despite attending a similar mean number of total visits as higher-priority users. CONCLUSIONS Patients who attend relatively few outpatient visits or who attend more frequent visits for predominantly lower-priority conditions are more likely to receive substandard preventive care for diabetes.
Topological entanglement entropy of Z 2 spin liquids and lattice Laughlin states

We study entanglement properties of candidate wave functions for SU(2) symmetric gapped spin liquids and Laughlin states. These wave functions are obtained by the Gutzwiller projection technique. Using topological entanglement entropy $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ as a tool, we establish topological order in chiral spin liquid and ${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$ spin liquid wave functions, as well as a lattice version of the Laughlin state. Our results agree very well with the field theoretic result $\ensuremath{\gamma}=\mathrm{log}D$ where $D$ is the total quantum dimension of the phase. All calculations are done using a Monte Carlo technique on a $12\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}12$ lattice enabling us to extract $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ with small finite-size effects. For a chiral spin liquid wave function, the calculated value is within $4%$ of the ideal value. We also find good agreement for a lattice version of the Laughlin $\ensuremath{\nu}=1/3$ phase with the expected $\ensuremath{\gamma}=\mathrm{log}\sqrt{3}$.
Assessment of resistance components of bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla) to Erysiphe polygoni in vitro

Powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe polygoni is one of the major foliar diseases on bigleaf hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla). To determine resistance components of bigleaf hydrangea to powdery mildew, fungal development and host necrotic cells were compared on six bigleaf hydrangea cultivars using a detached leaf disk bioassay. Germination percentages of conidia were not significantly different among cultivars. However, percent geminated conidia with secondary germ tubes (GCSGT), percent necrotic host cells, infection efficiency, latent period, and sporulation were significantly different among cultivars. In general, ‘Veitchii’ was resistant, ‘Nikko Blue’ was susceptible, and ‘Madame Emile Mouillere’, ‘Forever Pink’, ‘Lilacina’, and ‘Holstein’ were intermediate. Necrotic cells were macroscopically visible in all cultivars regardless of assigned resistance levels. Significantly more necrotic cells were detected in resistant cultivar ‘Veitchii’ compared with other cultivars. These results suggest that hyper...
A Framework for Evaluating Climate Model Performance Metrics

AbstractGiven the large amount of climate model output generated from the series of simulations from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), a standard set of performance metrics would facilitate model intercomparison and tracking performance improvements. However, no framework exists for the evaluation of performance metrics. The proposed framework systematically integrates observations into metric assessment to quantitatively evaluate metrics. An optimal metric is defined in this framework as one that measures a behavior that is strongly linked to model quality in representing mean-state present-day climate. The goal of the framework is to objectively and quantitatively evaluate the ability of a performance metric to represent overall model quality. The framework is demonstrated, and the design principles are discussed using a novel set of performance metrics, which assess the simulation of top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and surface radiative flux variance and probability distributions wi...
Uterine stromal endometriosis (stromatosis). New examples, variants, follow-up reports--comparison with personally observed instance of hemangiopericytoma.

Abstract 1. 1. The present study, the fifth of a series of personally observed cases of stromal endometriosis of the uterus, deals with three new examples. One is quite singular because the tumor cells were laden with lipid; another graphically illustrates the importance of establishing the correct diagnosis by the first surgeon and pathologist who see the growth; a third example, discovered accidentally in a 96-year-old woman, is of interest in indicating that the tumor, once established, tends to persist but may not progress. 2. 2. There is little in the literature relative to lipid content of endometrial stroma and the evidence is somewhat contradictory. 3. 3. Follow-up data on 8 previously recorded cases indicate the truth of our hitherto expressed belief that the course and the outcome of uterine stromal endometriosis are unpredictable. Some recur, others do not. Some recurrences are operable: one necessitating pelvic exenteration is well after more than two years. Another, with bilateral pulmonary metastases for years shows no changes in the number or size of the nodules and is symptomless. 4. 4. The histopathology of stromatosis and of uterine hemangiopericytoma is compared, a case of the latter having become available for study. It is concluded that these tumors are different entities and that stromatosis is much the more common. A striking difference is that stromal endometriosis has a strong tendency to extend in polyp-like fashion into vascular channels whereas hemangiopericytoma does not.
Damage Evaluation of CMCs after Drilling with Geometrically Defined Cutting Edges

In this contribution a new method of drilling Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMC) with geometrically defined cutting edges is introduced. For this, tools with massive PCD (Poly Crystalline Diamond) drilling bits are applied. To evaluate the drill hole quality the damage behavior is analyzed by an optical method and a new quality index is introduced. The fundamental investigations on the basic drilling parameters of a C/C-SiC material are presented
Lesbian, gay and bisexual college student perspectives on disparities in weight-related behaviours and body image: a qualitative analysis.

Aims and objectives To (1) explore college students' perceived sexual orientation-related barriers to engaging in physical activity, eating healthfully and maintaining healthy body images and (2) identify types of campus resources on physical activity, healthy eating and body image available to lesbian, gay and bisexual college students. Background Previous research has highlighted sexual orientation disparities in weight status, physical activity, healthy eating and body image. Despite this, little is known about the context surrounding these disparities. Design Cross-sectional study using individual interviews. Methods Thirty (15 males, 15 females) lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and pansexual-identified college students, aged 18–30 years participated in the study. Quasi-inductive coding was used to analyse transcribed interview data and an iterative coding process was used to organise data into themes. Results Many felt their sexual orientation helped them be physically active, engage in healthful eating habits and have a positive body image. However, sexual orientation was also identified as a stressor that adversely impacted physical activity and eating habits. Conclusions Lesbian, gay and bisexual students may have to negotiate their sexuality in ways that could adversely influence their physical activity, eating habits and body image. Both clinical and institutional interventions should be inclusive of all people, including lesbian, gay and bisexual, queer, and pansexual students. Further, tailored interventions to meet the specific health needs of sexual minority populations are needed. Relevance to clinical practice Clinicians need to understand the context in which sexual minority young adults experience health promotion messaging and programming. Clinic-based tailored interventions are critical as part of a multi-faceted approach in promoting physical activity and healthier eating habits for all young people, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and pansexual, to more effectively address the prevention of chronic diseases.
An elastic failure model of indentation damage

A mechanistically consistent model for indentation damage based on elastic failure at tensile or shear overloads, is proposed. The model accommodates arbitrary crack orientation, stress relaxation, reduction and recovery of stiffnesses due to crack opening and closure, and interfacial friction due to backward sliding of closed cracks. This elastic failure model was implemented by an axisymmetric finite element program which was used to simulate progressive damage in a silicon nitride plate indented by a tungsten carbide sphere. The predicted damage patterns and the permanent impression matched those observed experimentally. The validation of this elastic failure model shows that the plastic deformation postulated by others is not necessary to replicate the indentation damage of brittle structural ceramics.
'Give Me Your Gays, Your Lesbians, and Your Victims of Gender Violence, Yearning to Breathe Free of Sexual Persecution...': The New Grounds for Grants of Asylum

Our earliest immigration laws excluded lesbians and gays. Since 1996, the expansion of grants of political asylum based on sexual orientation and gender-based violence is a welcomed expansion of basic and traditional immigration laws because grants of asylum-based immigration seek to uphold individual human dignity in the face of persecution in one's country of origin. Our basic immigration system is based on a complicated set of quantitative and qualitative laws limiting legal immigration to our country. Harassment and abuse of LGBT persons, as well as persecution of women who are victims of gender violence, have now become increasingly accepted as grounds for legal asylum in the United States.This article is written to analyze the myriad of problems in obtaining justice in our asylum system with respect to the grants of asylum on the basis of sexual orientation and gender violence. It also exposes the need for better-trained and more sensitive immigration judges, the need for more consistency in defining and interpreting our asylum laws, and the need for the Department of Homeland Security to formulate policies that will guarantee uniformly just results for those escaping persecution. The article also briefly explains the history of how asylum became a part United States law, provides up-to-date statistical information concerning grants of asylum, discusses the difficulty of adjudicating asylum cases in a uniform way because of the lack of certain statutory definitions, and explored splits in the Circuit Courts in interpreting asylum law. The author concludes by suggesting that the American Law Institute and the American Bar Association work together to codify asylum law regulations that can be uniformly interpreted by immigration judges, practitioners, and law teachers.
Sticky Spheres for Estimating Apple Maggot Adult Abundance

Red wooden spheres, about 8 cm in diameter, coated with Stikem®, and suspended from apple tree branches, proved to be the most effective, durable, and easily maintained devices yet reported for estimating seasonal trends in the abundance of Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) adults. They captured significantly more flies than similar-size Stikem-coated red Winesap apples or Tree Tangle foot®. coated red wooden spheres. They were equally attractive to both sexes. Results of full-season trapping with the spheres are shown. Also, the potential of the spheres for direct control of the flies in home orchards is demonstrated.
Pathways of sensory recovery after face transplantation

Background Severely disfiguring facial injuries have a devastating impact on the patient's quality of life. The advent of facial allotransplantation has allowed optimal anatomical reconstruction to be achieved; however, the need for lifelong immunosuppression and unpredictable functional outcomes preclude it from routine acceptance in clinical practice. Evidence from published reports on the first four face transplant recipients indicates improved and accelerated return of sensation to the facial allograft despite suboptimal repair of the sensory nerves. Methods The authors performed a comparative analysis of the sensory outcomes following face transplantation with the sensory recovery achieved after conventional nerve repair, autologous face and scalp replantation, and vascularized free tissue transfer. Results Sensory recovery following face transplantation, even when the sensory nerves were not repaired, was comparable to the outcome of microsurgical repair of the peripheral branches of the trigeminal nerve and innervated free flaps. Conclusions Nearly normal sensory recovery can be expected following facial allotransplantation with or without repair of the sensory nerves. The mechanisms responsible for this surprising outcome include preservation of normal density of the receptors within the facial allograft, regeneration from the recipient bed and allograft margins, transmission of the sensory inputs through afferent fibers contained in the facial nerve, nervi nervorum of the facial nerve, or trigeminofacial communicating rami. Furthermore, immunosuppressive therapy with tacrolimus contributes to the accelerated nerve regeneration. The minimum requirements for quantitative sensory testing and timing of the follow-up assessments are outlined to facilitate comparison of sensory outcomes after face transplantation.
Effect of sodium benzoate upon certain yeasts.

The data collected under the conditions of these experiments indicate a marked difference in resistance of pure yeasts to sodium benzoate. On dextrose agar and in dextrose broth even in the presence of 0.40 per cent of sodium benzoate, growth was appreciable. Torla communis did not grow after the concentration of the benzoate in the broth had reached 0.15 per cent. One strain of Sacch. ellipsoideus was also inhibited at this concentration. Another strain showed a greater resistance; it grew in the presence of even 1 per cent but the growth was slower and less abundant. The fungi used seemed to be able to tolerate the sodium benzoate better when growing on a solid medium containing it than when growing in a liquid medium. This is probably explained by the fact that on the solid medium the organisms may use up the disinfectant during the early stages of growth so that the cells which develop later in the history of the culture do not have to endure such a high concentration as in the beginning. In liquid me...
Behavioral and Ecological Notes on Spalax Leucodon

An adult female Spalax leucodon was maintained in captivity for one month in a soil-filled metal box. Its food consisted of root vegetables and large broad beans. Observations were made on burrowing techniques, defense, vocalization, nest building, and water requirements. Additional notes are included on the species' economic importance, local methods of capture, time sense, natural burrows, and distribution in the Aegean region. Convergent characters and behavior adapted to fossorial habits in unrelated and allopatric rodent evolutionary lines suggest that these various forms are ecological equivalents and that the subterranean herbivore niche is one with narrow limits.
Similarities in natural vibration of stiff cable structures and truss arch structures

Natural vibration of stiff cable structures is analyzed based on FEM and the energy variation method,and the same is done to truss arch structures based on the new concept of upset stiff cable, from which the similarities of the two types of structures are obtained. Furthermore, the results of two methods are compared. The formulas of frequencies for stiff cable structures given by this paper are of high accuracy, and the formulas can be applied to truss arch structures, the differences of frequency are all within 5%. This provides a new method for evaluations on truss arch structures that resist earthquake and wind loads.
On liquefaction experiment and products features of low rank coal

Our country is rich in low-rank coal resources which is a major source of direct coal liquefaction.Taking the brown coal,long-flame coal,gas coal as the research object,hydrogenation liquefaction experiments were done respectively.The results showed that the liquefaction effect of brown coal is the best.Asphaltene,former asphaltene,aquatic rate and hydrogen consumption is decreased with the increase of metamorphic grade and there are closing relations with various functional groups of coal molecular structure and its stability.
Psychiatric evaluation of patients seeking rhinoplasty.

The number of people requesting cosmetic surgery has been increasing. Both objective and subjective motivational factors are involved. Since the face is the most important physical representative of our emotions and the nose isthe most prominent part of the face, not infrequently subconscious and unconscious personality factors are equated with some real or imaginary anatomical defect of the nose or face. Most commonly inadequacy feelings are involved in individuals with predominantly subjective complaints and are often intimately involved in the indivudual's sexuality and "identity." The nose may become a scapegoat for these confused feelings. Three categories of patients whose emotional state and personality should be recognized are: the hysterical personality, the depressed menopausal female, and the paranoid personality. Motivational patterns may be divided into two groups: (1) external motivations (including the need to please others), career or social ambitions, and the need to avoid cultural conflicts (e.g. avoidance of alien stereotype) and (2) internal motivation, including paranoid ideation, long standing feelings of deficiency in one's physical appearance, general inadequacy or low self-esteem in one's worth or ability, resentment of aging, or actual lack of a special identity due to conflicting parental identification. In selecting a patient for thinoplasty, an evaluation of medical, sociocultural, psychological, and environmental factors should be considered.
MEAN-VARIANCE VERSUS MEAN–EXPECTED SHORTFALL MODELS: AN APPLICATION TO WHEAT VARIETY SELECTION

One of the most popular risk management strategies for wheat producers is varietal diversification. Previous studies proposed a mean-variance model as a tool to optimally select wheat varieties. However, this study suggests that the mean–expected shortfall (ES) model (which is based on a downside risk measure) may be a better tool because variance is not a correct risk measure when the distribution of wheat variety yields is multivariate nonnormal. Results based on data from Texas Blacklands confirm our conjecture that the mean-ES framework performs better in term of selecting wheat varieties than the mean-variance method.
Interventional magnetic resonance imaging-guided subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease: Patient selection.

Background: Interventional magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) guided deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) has been shown to be effective. The costs of a dedicated intraoperative MRI may be prohibitive. The procedure can also be performed in a diagnostic scanner, however this presents challenges for utilization of time when the scanner is used both as a diagnostic and an interventional unit. This report outlines our novel methodology for patient selection for implantation in a diagnostic MR scanner, as an attempt to streamline the use of resources. A retrospective review of our outcomes is also presented.
Problematic smartphone use: A conceptual overview and systematic review of relations with anxiety and depression psychopathology.

Abstract Background Research literature on problematic smartphone use, or smartphone addiction, has proliferated. However, relationships with existing categories of psychopathology are not well defined. We discuss the concept of problematic smartphone use, including possible causal pathways to such use. Method We conducted a systematic review of the relationship between problematic use with psychopathology. Using scholarly bibliographic databases, we screened 117 total citations, resulting in 23 peer-reviewer papers examining statistical relations between standardized measures of problematic smartphone use/use severity and the severity of psychopathology. Results Most papers examined problematic use in relation to depression, anxiety, chronic stress and/or low self-esteem. Across this literature, without statistically adjusting for other relevant variables, depression severity was consistently related to problematic smartphone use, demonstrating at least medium effect sizes. Anxiety was also consistently related to problem use, but with small effect sizes. Stress was somewhat consistently related, with small to medium effects. Self-esteem was inconsistently related, with small to medium effects when found. Statistically adjusting for other relevant variables yielded similar but somewhat smaller effects. Limitations We only included correlational studies in our systematic review, but address the few relevant experimental studies also. Conclusions We discuss causal explanations for relationships between problem smartphone use and psychopathology.
The Novel Organic Arsenical, Darinaparsin (ZIO-101), Induces Apoptosis through AKT and MEK/ERK Pathways In Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL) and T-Cell Lymphoma (TCL) Cell Lines

Abstract 2840 Background: The inorganic arsenic, arsenic trioxide (ATO), has a narrow therapeutic index, which has limited its clinical use in most malignancies. Darinaparsin (ZIO-101, S-dimethylarsino-glutathione), synthesized by conjugating dimethylarsenic to glutathione, is a novel organic arsenical that is under investigation as a novel agent for the treatment of cancer. Furthermore, early-phase clinical trials with darinaparsin have demonstrated low toxicity and encouraging clinical efficacy in relapsed/refractory hematologic malignancies. Methods: We treated several TCL cell lines (Jurkat, C10MJ, Hut-78, and MT2) and the resistant HL cell line, L428, with increasing concentrations of darinaparsin (0.5-5μM) +/− the MEK inhibitor, U0126, or ERK siRNA (Qiagen HiPerFect transfection). Cell survival and apoptosis were measured by MTT and Annexin-V/propidium iodide staining, respectively. Further, tumor intracellular darinaparsin and ATO concentrations were assessed with mass spectrometry, while transcription pathway intermediates were analyzed by Western blotting. Results: Darinaparsin inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in all cell lines at 1–3μM. At 2μm (48 hours), darinaparsin induced approximately 80% apoptosis in each of the four TCL lines, while 3μM resulted in 65% apoptosis in L428 cells. By comparison, >10μM of ATO (48 hours) was required to induce 40% apoptosis in TCL and 25% apoptosis in L428. At 1–3μM, darinaparsin induced significant increases in caspase 3 and PARP activation in TCL, while interestingly, minimal caspase or PARP was observed in L428. Notably, in L428 cells at 1 hour, mass spectrometry showed that intracellular accumulation of darinaparsin was >10-fold higher as compared with equivalent ATO concentrations (p Conclusions: Darninaparsin induces significant cell death in HL and TCL cell lines that is mediated through AKT and MEK/ERK-based pathways. Additionally, markedly higher intracellular darinaparsin levels are achieved in lymphoma cells compared with equivalent concentrations of ATO. Continued pre-clinical and clinical trial investigation of darinaparsin in HL and TCL is warranted. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Traumatic Rib Injury: Patterns, Imaging Pitfalls, Complications, and Treatment

The ribs are frequently affected by blunt or penetrating injury to the thorax. In the emergency department setting, it is vital for the interpreting radiologist to not only identify the presence of rib injuries but also alert the clinician about organ-specific injury, specific traumatic patterns, and acute rib trauma complications that require emergent attention. Rib injuries can be separated into specific morphologic fracture patterns that include stress, buckle, nondisplaced, displaced, segmental, and pathologic fractures. Specific attention is also required for flail chest and for fractures due to pediatric nonaccidental trauma. Rib fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, both of which increase as the number of fractured ribs increases. Key complications associated with rib fracture include pain, hemothorax, pneumothorax, extrapleural hematoma, pulmonary contusion, pulmonary laceration, acute vascular injury, and abdominal solid-organ injury. Congenital anomalies, including supernumerary or accessory ribs, vestigial anterior ribs, bifid ribs, and synostoses, are common and should not be confused with traumatic pathologic conditions. Nontraumatic mimics of traumatic rib injury, with or without fracture, include metastatic disease, primary osseous neoplasms (osteosarcoma, chondrosarcoma, Ewing sarcoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and osteochondroma), fibrous dysplasia, and Paget disease. Principles of management include supportive and procedural methods of alleviating pain, treating complications, and stabilizing posttraumatic deformity. By recognizing and accurately reporting the imaging findings, the radiologist will add value to the care of patients with thoracic trauma. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2017.
Art and Fetish in the Anthropology Museum

Between the 1920s and early 1980s an increasing number of African art exhibitions opened to the public in Western Europe and North America. In these exhibitions African religious objects such as ma...
Neural pathways for cognitive command and control of hand movements

A piece of fruit—a raisin—swings on a stick in front of a monkey (Fig. 1). He likes raisins; he wants this one. He stretches out his arm, opens his hand with the fingers spread wide apart, and tries to capture it; he misses (bursts B and D). He tries again, this time successfully (burst F). He grabs the raisin, pulls it off the stick, brings it to his mouth, and eats it. Delicious! What happens in the brain when the animal performs these actions? The chart above the images in Fig. 1 tracks responses of a neuron recorded in lateral area 5 bordering the intraparietal sulcus, a subregion of the posterior parietal cortex (PPC) originally studied by Mountcastle et al. (1, 2), and described as a hand-manipulation “command neuron” engaged in purposeful actions of the hand: reaching and grasping an object of behavioral interest. Fig. 1. ( Upper ) Burst analysis of neural responses to spontaneous reaches and attempted grasps of a raisin on a stick moving through the workspace. The green burst trace marks intervals when firing rates are one SD greater than the mean during the 3-min analysis period. Firing rates are highest as the animal reaches toward the raisin and attempts to grasp it (bursts B, D, and F), and decay when the hand withdraws to a rest position. ( Lower ) Frame-by-frame tracings of the hand kinematics, gaze direction, and target location in digital video clips recorded simultaneously with neural responses. Same neuron as in figures 4–7 of Gardner et al. (30). Mountcastle et al. (1) proposed that these regions of the PPC,…receive afferent signals descriptive of the position and movement of the body in space, and contain a command apparatus for operation of the limbs, hands, and eyes within immediate extrapersonal space. This general command function is exercised … [↵][1]1Email: gardne01{at}med.nyu.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Considerations of rain cell size and statistics for attenuation prediction models

Physical-based rain attenuation prediction models conventionally assume a deterministic dependence of rain cell size on rainfall rate and uniaxial structure. This study examined the impact of these assumptions on attenuation predictions. In comparison with model predictions that apply an exponential distribution of cell sizes, the deterministic models exhibited a small cell size effect in which the attenuation exceedance probability was clamped due to the limited path through the rain cell. This resulted in an under-estimation of attenuation in many cases. A biaxial rain-cell attenuation prediction capability was developed to model observed biaxial rain cell shapes and orientational distributions.
Adding Biomolecular Recognition Capability to 3D Printed Objects: 4D Printing

Abstract 3D printing technologies will impact in a near future the biosensor community, both at the sensor prototyping level and the sensing layer organization level. The present study aimed at demonstrating the capacity of one 3D printing technique, the Digital Light Processing (DLP), to produce hydrogel sensing layers with 3D shapes unreachable using conventional molding procedures but still biosensing activity (4D printed objects). The first model of sensing layer was composed of a sequential enzymatic reaction (glucose oxidase and peroxidase) and the generated chemiluminescent reaction in the presence of glucose and luminol used as analytical signal. Highly complex objects ( fancifuball, puzzle pieces, 3D pixel, propellers, fluidic, multi-compartments ) with mono-, di- and tri-components configurations were achieved and the activity of the encapsulated enzymes demonstrated. The second model was a sandwich immunoassay protocol for the detection of Brain Natriuretic Peptide. Here, highly complex propeller shape sensing layers were produced and the recognition capability of the antibodies demonstrated.