cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trials and Frontiers in Carotid Endarterectomy and Stenting

Based on the strength of randomized trials from the 1990s, major societal guidelines recommend carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for severe (≥70%), symptomatic carotid stenosis if an operative stroke/death rate of <6% can be maintained (history and major trials in carotid revascularization are summarized in the online-only Data Supplement).1–4 Though the benefit is less evident, most guidelines also recommend consideration of CEA for 50% to 69% symptomatic stenosis.2–4 There are subtle differences in recommendations regarding carotid artery stenting (CAS) in symptomatic patients. Some guidelines stipulate that CEA should be preferred over CAS in patients with severe (≥70%) symptomatic carotid stenosis,2,5 especially if >70 years old,4 whereas others position CAS as an alternative.1,3 Though the risk of operative stroke/death is higher with CAS, major randomized clinical trials (RCTs) report event rates under the recommended 6% cutoff for both treatment modalities. Regarding asymptomatic disease, CEA is recommended for patients with stenosis ≥60% to 70% in highly selected patients as long as operative stroke/death rates <3% can be maintained.1 A predicted life expectancy of at least 3 to 5 years has also been suggested.2 The 3% threshold has been easily met by CEA cohorts in the CREST (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial; 1.4%)6 and the ACT1 (Asymptomatic Carotid Trial; 1.7%),7 suggesting that an even lower threshold may be appropriate. Controversially, some guidelines have recommended that CAS can be considered in highly selected patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis ≥60% to 70%,1,4,8 whereas others argue that the evidence remains insufficient.2 The lack of consensus in the management of asymptomatic carotid stenosis is reflective of an ongoing need for high-quality RCT data to guide practice. ### CEA Operative Stroke Risk and High Risk Designation Most clinical trials in carotid revascularization have focused …
Unitary Representations and Complex Analysis

One of the great classical theorems of representation theory is the Borel-Weil Theorem, which realizes any irreducible unitary representation of a compact connected Lie group as the space of holomorphic sections of a complex line bundle on a homogeneous space. These lectures concern two closely related questions: 1. Why should something like the Borel-Weil Theorem be true? 2. Can it usefully be extended to other Lie groups?
The Contemplation of Ruins: Heritage Cosmopolitanism and the Parsing of Cairo’s Islamic Fabric

For many of Cairo’s diverse inhabitants, the cultural production of a “sense of place” may find its clearest expression in their dealings with the city’s multiple pasts as a resource for enriching and sometime constraining their practices of dwelling. This essay offers an examination of the long-standing discourse within the Muslim Middle East concerning the physical traces that constitute the “traditional city” as an analytical object, as a social fact. More specifically, it asks how have recent discourses of cosmopolitanism, coupled with the logics of heritage practice, framed a notion of tradition and the ways in which the city is mourned, constructed, and consumed, differentially across its palimpsest fabric. Through an examination of two heritage projects in different parts of the historic landscape of Cairo, this presentation analyzes how the multiplicity of preservationist strategies have sought to cultivate the past as a resource for contemporary forms of dwelling. In comparing the efforts to engage with Cairo’s historical landscape through the production of the new al-Azhar Park funded by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC) and the Fustat archaeological zone, the location of the first Islamic period settlement in the metropolis, I want to consider what it means to imagine, and then implement, Cairo – this seemingly uncontrollable example of modern urban sprawl – as a heritage city.
Immunofixation Electrophoresis for Identification of Proteins and Specific Antibodies

Immunofixation electrophoresis (IFE) is a technique for the identification of proteins within complex mixtures after separation by either conventional zone electrophoresis or isoelectric focusing. Most commonly antigens (which are often immunoglobulins) are separated by electrophoresis followed by precipitation with specific antibodies in situ. However, immunoglobulins with specific reactivity can be also precipitated with the proper antigens after electrophoresis in reverse or reversed IFE. Because of its great versatility, potentially high sensitivity, ease to perform and customize, and relatively low cost with no requirement for expensive instrumentation, manual IFE remains a valuable tool for both clinical diagnostic testing and research. Any low-viscosity body fluid specimen or, possibly, culture fluid could be tested with IFE if proper antibodies (or antigens in reverse[d] IFE) are available. After pretreatment with chaotropic and/or reducing agents, even high-viscosity specimens might be amenable to testing with IFE.
Benefits of Ultrasound-Guided Shock Wave Lithotripsy

Ultrasound has many desirable characteristics for imaging of renal calculi during shock wave lithotripsy. Ultrasound can localize radiolucent stones, monitor fragmentation in real time, and differentiate the stone from a stent. Its use significantly reduces radiation exposure to patient and operator, which is particularly desirable in the pediatric patient. Furthermore, sonography-guided lithotripsy can reveal other pathology in the affected kidney that may require further evaluation. Experience with ultrasound-guided lithotripsy familiarizes the operator with this increasingly useful imaging method. The ultrasound-guided Sonolith 3000 with its enlarged ellipsoid aperture has a smaller energy focus and decreased voltage, permitting fragmentation with reduced anesthesia requirements.
Assessment of Malnutrition and Nutritional Therapy Approaches in Cancer Patients

Malnutrition can be defined as a state of altered nutritional status that is associated with increased risk of adverse clinical events such as complications or death. Nutritional care is fundamental to cancer treatment (Davies M). Malnutrition specific to cancer patient populations has been observed to negatively impact patient’s response to therapy; increase the incidence of treatment-related side effects; interrupt serial treatment regimens; extend hospital stay; impair muscle function, performance status, immune function, and quality of life; and ultimately affect survival [1–5]. Depression, fatigue, and malaise also significantly impact on patient well-being. In addition, cancer-related malnutrition is associated with significant health-care-related costs [5, 6]. In a recent study to evaluate the role of malnutrition and mortality in patients undergoing surgery for renal cell carcinoma, Morgan et al. [7] reported that malnutrition is associated with a higher mortality, independent of key clinical and pathological factors. On the other hand, proactive intervention to comprehensively assess and correct malnutrition early has been shown to reduce patient costs and length of hospital stay, improve response to treatment and, most importantly, improve functional status and quality of life in the patient [3]. For example, improvement of nutritional status over time is associated with better survival in ovarian cancer patients [8]. These effects were observed to be independent of age, stage at diagnosis, and prior treatment history and tumor response as determined by CA 125. Others have shown that significantly lower postoperative 30-day mortality after colorectal cancer resection was observed in cases less than 70 years of age, and absence of synchronous liver metastasis, malnutrition, and respiratory and vascular comorbidity were significantly reduced. With continuously evolving treatment modalities and novel agents for the treatment of cancer, it has also become critical to address nutritional care in the entire continuum of cancer (pretreatment, treatment, and posttreatment) to reduce GI toxicities and improve clinical outcomes and to ultimately improve morbidity and mortality in this patient population [8–12].
Cytochemical reactions of normal and starving Amoeba proteus: II. Localization of minerals

Abstract Cytochemical methods of mineral localization were applied to normal and starved Amoeba proteus . Neither iron, zinc, nor copper could be demonstrated by the procedures used. The concentration of these minerals is apparently below the sensitivity limits of the applied tests. Magnesium and calcium, presumably in their ionized form, were found to be concentrated in the fluid core of the refractive bodies.
The coprecipitation of Sr2+ with calcite at 25°C and 1 atm

The incorporation of Sr2+ into calcite at earth surface aqueous conditions is affected by the absolute concentration of Sr2+, the presence of Ba2+ and NaCl in the solution, and the rate of precipitation. At solution ratios (molar) of Sr2+ to Ca2+ in the low 10−3 range, which yield calcites with several hundred ppm Sr2+, Ksrcalcite typically assumes a value between 0.10 and 0.20. Above these concentrations the value of kSrcalcite drops to approximately 0.06. Furthermore, if minor amounts of Ba2+ or large amounts of Na+ (0.48 M) are added to a dilute Sr2+ solution, a value around 0.06 for kSrcalciteis found. This “strontium concentration effect” and the associated “competitive cation effect” suggest that small amounts of Sr2+ may be incorporated into a limited number of nonlattice sites in calcite. Incorporation of Sr2+ into these sites, presumably defects, noticeably affects kSrcalcite only at low Sr2+ concentrations and in the absence of competition from other large cations. An increase in kSrcalcite with rate of precipitation, qualitatively similar to that found in other studies, was observed only when precipitation times were decreased from days to hours. For many geologic settings a partition coefficient for Sr2+ into calcite of 0.06 appears appropriate, but there are situations—very low Sr2+ concentrations, the presence of Mg2+, and fast precipitation rates—in which a larger value might better approximate natural partitioning.
Capstones and Large Projects in Computing Education

Capstone and large projects in computing education are used as a vehicle for giving students as close to a “real-world” experience in software development as possible within the constraints of a computing degree program. This special issue presents four articles that focus on empirical research on capstone or other large-scale projects. These articles discuss areas such as project selection, working with external stakeholders, choosing the appropriate development methodology, incorporating creative activities to support student engagement, and learning.
Proposed landing on europa: instruments, radiation shielding, planetary protection, and mission

Europa is a moon of the planet Jupiter. Slightly smaller than Earth's own moon, it is the smallest of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter but the sixth largest moon in our solar system. Its primary feature is its highly reflective surface; preliminary indications are that it may have a massive ocean underneath its icy crust. In 2013, the Hubble Space Telescope detected indications of water-vapor plumes [1]. Furthermore, Europa's variegated shell may be the result of geological activity, like Earth's plate tectonics. In 2015, NASA reported that sea salt may coat some surface features on Europa [2]. Outside of Earth, Europa is the most promising body in the solar system for supporting life. Europa might support a base for human habitation while performing interplanetary exploration.
Underlay Spectrum-Sharing Massive MIMO NOMA

The achievable sum rate of massive multiple-input multiple-output non-orthogonal multiple-access (NOMA) downlink with underlay spectrum sharing is derived. The joint detrimental impact of practical impediments, including intra-cluster pilot contamination, inter-cluster interference and imperfect successive interference cancellation, and imperfect channel state information, is investigated.
Significantly enhanced convective heat transfer through surface modification in nanochannels

Abstract The subject of convective heat transfer in micro-/nano-scale channels is of utmost importance for the effective cooling of small-scale electronic devices with high power density. The overall heat convection in these channels largely depends on interfacial (wall-fluid) thermal transport. In this work, we demonstrate that a carefully designed surface topology can enhance heat dissipation in nanochannels. Specifically, we found that both uniformly and randomly distributed surface roughness can substantially increase the overall heat transfer between the wall and fluid in the nanochannels. Moreover, we reveal that depositing a coating layer, of which the vibrational density of states bridge those of the walls and the flowing fluid, can significantly enhance wall-fluid interfacial heat transfer. This work reveals the critical effect of surface topology and material choice of the channel wall on heat dissipation in nanochannels, which is important for the cooling of small-scale devices.
First-in-human experience with occlusion of the superior vena cava to reduce cardiac filling pressures in congestive heart failure.

Background Acutely decompensated heart failure remains a major clinical problem. Volume overload promotes cardiac and renal dysfunction and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in heart failure. We hypothesized that transient occlusion of the superior vena cava (SVC) will reduce cardiac filling pressures without reducing cardiac output or systemic blood pressure. The objective of this proof of concept study was to provide initial evidence of safety and feasibility of transient SVC occlusion in patients with acutely decompensated heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Methods and results In eight patients with systolic heart failure, SVC occlusion was performed using a commercially available occlusion balloon. Five minutes of SVC occlusion reduced biventricular filling pressures without decreasing systemic blood pressure or total cardiac output. In three of the eight patients, a second 10-minutes occlusion had similar hemodynamic effects. SVC occlusion was well-tolerated without development of new symptoms, new neurologic deficits, or any adverse events including stroke, heart attack, or reported SVC injury or thrombosis at 7 days of follow up. Conclusion We report the first clinical experience with transient SVC occlusion as a potentially new therapeutic approach to rapidly reduce cardiac filling pressures in heart failure. No prohibitive safety signal was identified and further testing to establish the clinical utility of transient SVC occlusion for acute decompensated heart failure is justified.
Nitrosation in Anhydrous Trifluoroacetic Acid Media: A Modification for Insoluble or Deactivated Amine and Amide Precursors.

Anhydrous trifluoroacetic acid proves to be a favorable solvent for the diazotization of deactivated or insoluble (het)aromatic amides.
Quantifying the use of opioids in the immediate postoperative period after endoscopic sinus surgery.

Objectives/hypothesis The opioid crisis is a public health emergency. There is limited evidence regarding how much opioid medication is necessary and which patients will require additional pain medication following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). The objective of this study was to quantify the use of opioids in the first 24 hours following ESS and determine the risk factors associated with increased need for opioid analgesia. Study design Retrospective chart review. Methods A review of opioid-naive patients routinely admitted to the hospital following ESS between June 2016 and August 2018 was performed. Opioid consumption was quantified for each patient and converted to a morphine milligram equivalents (MME) dose. Pain intensity scores were also recorded throughout the postoperative period. Sociodemographic characteristics as well as surgical procedures performed were evaluated for impact on MME. Results A total of 130 patients (45.4% female) were included for analysis. The mean opioid dose consumed per patient in the first 24 hours following ESS was 24.1 MME, and the mean pain intensity was 2.4/10. Increasing pain scores were strongly associated with increasing MME (R = 0.78, P Conclusions Patients undergoing ESS require different amounts of opioids for pain control in the immediate postoperative period. A history of antidepressant use and inverted papilloma resection during ESS were associated with increased opioid consumption postoperatively. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 130:1122-1127, 2020.
Atrial Fibrillation in Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome.

AbstractThis report highlights the importance of recognizing, managing, and predicting the risk of ventricular fibrillation in patients presenting with pre-excited atrial fibrillation. (Level of Di...
Density-functional calculations of the electronic structures and magnetism of the pnictide superconductors BaFeAs 2 and BaFeSb 2

We investigate the structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the hypothetical compound $\text{BaFe}P{n}_{2}$ ($Pn=\text{As}$ and Sb), which is isostructural to the parent compound of the high-temperature superconductor ${\text{LaFeAsO}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\text{F}}_{x}$. Using density-functional theory, we show that the Fermi surface, electronic structure, and spin-density wave instability of $\text{BaFe}P{n}_{2}$ are very similar to the Fe-based superconductors. Additionally, there are very dispersive metallic bands of a spacer $Pn$ layer, which are almost decoupled from $\text{Fe}Pn$ layer. Our results show that experimental study of $\text{BaFe}P{n}_{2}$ can test the role of charge and polarization fluctuation as well as the importance of two dimensionality in the mechanism of superconductivity.
A Standardized Robotic Training Curriculum in a General Surgery Program

Background and objectives The general surgery residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria has a long tradition of integrating robotic surgery into training since 2002. The purpose of this paper is to investigate our curriculum and evaluation system, which was designed to achieve a standardized format for education in general robotic surgery. Methods The curriculum consists of two phases: phase 1 (PGY 1-2): Complete 4 robotic surgery training modules; read two assigned robotic surgery articles; and practice simulation modules on the robot. phase 2 (PGY 3-5): Refresh training modules, score >90% on the simulator modules every 6 months; bedside assist minimum of 4 robotic procedures; and act as console surgeon for a minimum of 10 procedures with 2 separate attending surgeons. The required simulator modules were specially selected to incorporate all of the skills categories documented in the simulator. The faculty evaluate the resident's operative performance using the Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills validated rubric. Results Since the curriculum was instituted in June 2017, 73 evaluations from 8 surgeons have been collected. We examined data from 6 residents who had at least 5 Global Evaluative Assessment of Robotic Skills assessments completed. Correlation coefficient scores showed a positive correlation ranging from 0.476 to 0.862 for average skills and 0.334 to 0.866 for overall performance scores. Discussion The preliminary results suggest an improvement of resident robotic surgical skills through tailored education. This curriculum is designed to enhance robotic general surgery education that could potentially produce general surgeons able to operate robotically without needing a robotic/MIS (Minimally Invasive Surgery) fellowship.
Methods in Molecular Biology, Volume 175. Genomics Protocols. Michael P. Starkey and Ramnath Elaswarapu, eds. Totowa, NJ: Humana Press, 2001, 538 pp., $125, hardcover. ISBN 0-89603-774-6.

Genomics Protocols was compiled as a comprehensive manual for whole-genome research and analysis. The topics can be put loosely into five categories: gene mapping (including discovery, identification, and localization), expression profiling, protein structure and function, gene therapy, and bioinformatics. Therefore the content is broader than genomics, covering “genomic-scale” research. The book is written for researchers in the field who want to expand their genomic analysis as well as researchers who want to enter into …
Natural variation in a glucuronosyltransferase modulates propionate sensitivity in a C. elegans propionic acidemia model

Mutations in human metabolic genes can lead to rare diseases known as inborn errors of human metabolism. For instance, patients with loss-of-function mutations in either subunit of propionyl-CoA carboxylase suffer from propionic acidemia because they cannot catabolize propionate, leading to its harmful accumulation. Both the penetrance and expressivity of metabolic disorders can be modulated by genetic background. However, modifiers of these diseases are difficult to identify because of the lack of statistical power for rare diseases in human genetics. Here, we use a model of propionic acidemia in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to identify genetic modifiers of propionate sensitivity. Using genome-wide association (GWA) mapping across wild strains, we identify several genomic regions correlated with reduced propionate sensitivity. We find that natural variation in the putative glucuronosyltransferase GLCT-3, a homolog of human B3GAT, partly explains differences in propionate sensitivity in one of these genomic intervals. We demonstrate that loss-of-function alleles in glct-3 render the animals less sensitive to propionate. Additionally, we find that C. elegans has an expansion of the glct gene family, suggesting that the number of members of this family could influence sensitivity to excess propionate. Our findings demonstrate that natural variation in genes that are not directly associated with propionate breakdown can modulate propionate sensitivity. Our study provides a framework for using C. elegans to characterize the contributions of genetic background in models of human inborn errors in metabolism.
Viral surface geometry shapes influenza and coronavirus spike evolution

Abstract The evolution of circulating viruses is shaped by their need to evade the adaptive immune system. The spike protein which mediates entry to the host cell is the main target of antibody response. Because of the dense presentation of spikes on the viral surface, not all antigenic sites are targeted equally by antibodies, leading to complex immunodominance patterns. We used 3D coarse-grained computational models to estimate the antibody pressure on the seasonal flu H1N1 and the SARS subgenus spikes. Analyzing publically available sequences, we show that antibody pressure, through the geometrical organization of these spikes on the viral surface, shaped their mutability. Studying the mutability patterns of SARS-CoV-2 and the 2009 H1N1 pandemic spikes, we find that they are not predominantly shaped by antibody pressure. However, for SARS-CoV-2, we find that over time, it acquired, at low frequency, several mutations at antibody-accessible positions, which could indicate possible escape as define by our model. Hence, we offer a geometry-based approach to estimate and assess whether a pandemic virus is changing its mutational pattern to that indicative of a circulating virus.
The role of the natural course in causal analysis.

The average causal effect compares counterfactual outcomes if everyone had been exposed versus if everyone had been unexposed, which can be an unrealistic contrast. Alternatively, we can target effects that compare counterfactual outcomes against the factual outcomes observed in the sample, i.e., we can compare against the natural course. Here, we demonstrate how the natural course can be estimated and used in causal analyses for model validation and effect estimation. Our example is an analysis assessing the impact of taking aspirin on pregnancy 26 weeks post-randomization in the Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction trial (2006-2012). To validate our models, we estimated the natural course using g-computation and then compared that against the observed incidence of pregnancy. We observed good agreement between the observed and model-based natural courses. We then estimated an effect that compared the natural course against the scenario where participants assigned to aspirin always complied. If women always complied, there would have been 5.0 (95% confidence interval: 2.2, 7.8) more pregnancies per 100 women than was observed. It is good practice to estimate the natural course for model validation when using parametric models, but whether one should estimate a natural course contrast depends on the underlying research questions.
On Generalizing Permutation-Based Representations for Approximate Search.

In the domain of approximate metric search, the Permutation-based Indexing (PBI) approaches have been proved to be particularly suitable for dealing with large data collections. These methods employ a permutation-based representation of the data, which can be efficiently indexed using data structures such as inverted files. In the literature, the definition of the permutation of a metric object was derived by reordering the distances of the object to a set of pivots. In this paper, we aim at generalizing this definition in order to enlarge the class of permutations that can be used by PBI approaches. As a practical outcome, we defined a new type of permutation that is calculated using distances from pairs of pivots. The proposed technique permits us to produce longer permutations than traditional ones for the same number of object-pivot distance calculations. The advantage is that the use of inverted files built on permutation prefixes leads to greater efficiency in the search phase when longer permutations are used.
Metyrapone Stimulation Test

This test is performed to evaluate HPA axis integrity. It is a sensitive alternative test to insulin tolerance test (ITT) in order to evaluate the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) reserve.
GlareShade: a visual comfort-based approach to occupant-centric shading systems

This paper presents a novel method for designing of an occupant-centric shading algorithm that utilizes visual comfort metric as the form-generating criteria. Based on the premise of previous studies that demonstrate glare as the most important factor for operating shading devices, GlareShade is introduced as a simulation-based shading methodology driven by occupant's visual comfort. GlareShade not only responds to changing outdoor conditions such as the movement of the sun and the variation of cloud cover, but it also accounts for building specific local conditions. GlareShade draws its strength and flexibility from an occupant-centric approach that is based on the visual field of view of each occupant as the occupant is performing common visual tasks in a given environment, and the developed shading system is linked to a distributed sensing network of multiple occupants. ShadeFan is demonstrated as a proof-of-concept dynamic shading system utilizing the GlareShade method.
Visual attraction in Drosophila larvae develops during a critical period and is modulated by crowding conditions

The development of social behavior is poorly understood. Many animals adjust their behavior to environmental conditions based on a social context. Despite having relatively simple visual systems, Drosophila larvae are capable of identifying and are attracted to the movements of other larvae. Here, we show that Drosophila larval visual recognition is encoded by the movements of nearby larvae, experienced during a specific developmental critical period. Exposure to moving larvae, only during a specific period, is sufficient for later visual recognition of movement. Larvae exposed to wild-type body movements, during the critical period, are not attracted to the movements of tubby mutants, which have altered morphology. However, exposure to tubby, during the critical period, results in tubby recognition at the expense of wild-type recognition indicating that this is true learning. Visual recognition is not learned in excessively crowded conditions, and this is emulated by exposure, during the critical period, to food previously used by crowded larvae. We propose that Drosophila larvae have a distinct critical period, during which they assess both social and resource conditions, and that this irreversibly determines later visually guided social behavior. This model provides a platform towards understanding the regulation and development of social behavior.
Book Review: Carl Cranor, Toxic Torts: Science, Law, and the Possibility of Justice

Carl F. Cranor’s Toxic Torts: Science, Law, and the Possibility of Justice is a sustained, comprehensive argument that the Daubert gatekeeping regime has tilted the playing field against injured plaintiffs in toxic tort litigation. More generally, Cranor joins those who argue that the Daubert regime has not fared well in practice. Complex scientific evidence is not handled well in trials because scientific methods, data, and inferential reasoning are not well understood by gatekeeping judges. Cranor’s goal is to help solve this problem by offering a detailed description of the patterns of reasoning, evidence collection, and inference in nonlegal scientific settings. While numerous legal scholars are engaged in the tasks of criticizing and improving the Daubert regime, Cranor offers a more pragmatic, less idealistic, view of the scientific enterprise to counter the practices of those judges who reward experts claiming certainty and discredit experts who concede the uncertainties of science.
Quantitative FRAP in Analysis of Molecular Binding Dynamics In Vivo

Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) reveals the dynamics of fluorescently tagged molecules within live cells. These molecular dynamics are governed by diffusion of the molecule and its in vivo binding interactions. As a result, quantitative estimates of the association and dissociation rates of binding can be extracted from the FRAP. This chapter describes a systematic procedure to acquire the FRAP data, and then fit it with appropriate mathematical models to estimate in vivo association and dissociation rates of binding. Also discussed are the applicability and limitations of the models, the utility of the estimated parameters, and the prospects for increased accuracy and confidence in the estimates.
Characteristics of canonical intrinsic connectivity networks across tasks and monozygotic twin pairs

Intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) are becoming more prominent in the analyses of in vivo brain activity as the field of neurometrics has revealed their importance for augmenting traditional cognitive neuroscience approaches. Consequently, tools that assess the coherence, or connectivity, and morphology of ICNs are being developed to support inferences and assumptions about the dynamics of the brain. Recently, we reported trait-like profiles of ICNs showing reliability over time and reproducibility across different contexts. This study further examined the trait-like and familial nature of ICNs by utilizing two divergent task paradigms in twins. The study aimed to identify stable network phenotypes that exhibited sensitivity to individual differences and external perturbations in task demands. Analogous ICNs were detected in each task and these ICNs showed consistency in morphology and intranetwork coherence across tasks, whereas the ICN timecourse dynamics showed sensitivity to task demands. Specifically, the timecourse of an arm/hand sensorimotor network showed the strongest correlation with the timeline of a hand imitation task, and the timecourse of a language-processing network showed the strongest temporal association with a verb generation task. The area V1/simple visual stimuli network exhibited the most consistency in morphology, coherence, and timecourse dynamics within and across tasks. Similarly, this network exhibited familiality in all three domains as well. Hence, this experiment is a proof of principle that the morphology and coherence of ICNs can be consistent both within and across tasks, that ICN timecourses can be differentially and meaningfully modulated by a task, and that these domains can exhibit familiality. Hum Brain Mapp 35:5532–5549, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Barroco em contexto

Quem produziu musica durante o longo periodo historico que hoje chamamos "Barroco"? Quem a escutou? Como a pratica musical teria articulado relacoes de poder, tanto dentro das culturas europeias nas quais as esteticas barrocas nasceram quanto nas terras americanas que estas mesmas culturas colonizaram? Por que, no seculo XXI, poderiamos continuar a achar esta musica interessante e bonita? Por que uma compreensao maior do Barroco pode ser util nos dias de hoje? Este ensaio abordara estas questoes preliminarmente situando a musica barroca em relacao aos sistemas emergentes de representacao, trocas economicas, poder politico e producao artistica que caracterizaram a longa transicao das crises epistemologicas do final do seculo XVI da cultura europeia, que se interligava com a resolucao destas crises nos paradigmas da modernidade iluminista do seculo XVIII.
Stroke in Women.

Purpose of review This article reviews sex differences in stroke risk and presentation, with a particular emphasis on the unique risk factors women experience throughout the lifespan. Recent findings Although prior studies suggested women have worse outcomes after stroke, it is now clear that age, prestroke functional status, and comorbidities explain many of the differences between men and women in stroke severity, functional outcomes, and mortality. Several meta-analyses and large cohort studies have evaluated the risk factors for women related to reproductive factors and found that fewer years between menarche and menopause, pregnancy complications (preeclampsia/eclampsia, preterm delivery, and stillbirth), oophorectomy, hormone replacement therapy use, and younger age at menopause all increase the risk of stroke. Although the nonreproductive risks of stroke overlap between men and women, those with greater impact on women include age, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, socioeconomic status, and depression. Summary Significant sex differences are observed in risk factors of stroke and stroke outcome. Including this information in the clinical assessment of the individual patient may support development of more effective prevention plans.
Patterns of Cloud-to-Ground Lightning and Convective Rainfall Associated with Postwildfire Flash Floods and Debris Flows in Complex Terrain of the Western United States

Abstract Flash flood and debris flow reports from Storm Data and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are used to investigate the relationship between hazardous hydrological responses, convective rainfall, and cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning flash parameters. Basins burned by the Coal Seam and Missionary Ridge wildfires during the summer of 2002 in western Colorado were selected as primary study areas. The North American monsoon (NAM) air mass played a pivotal role in providing low-level moisture over much of Colorado during each of the 12 hydrological events identified. Surface θe values as high as 354 K were calculated over western Colorado in a composite analysis that also saw a θe ridge through 500 hPa extending northward into Nebraska and southern South Dakota. Storm-total CG flashes were as high as 718, and the median flash total for the population of events was 256. Mean 5-min CG flash intensity for the events was 18.1 flashes. The mean rainfall intensity associated with the 12 hydrological events was ...
SimSensei demonstration: a perceptive virtual human interviewer for healthcare applications

We present the SimSensei system, a fully automatic virtual agent that conducts interviews to assess indicators of psychological distress. We emphasize on the perception part of the system, a multimodal framework which captures and analyzes user state for both behavioral understanding and interactional purposes.
Service Provision in Ad Hoc Networks

The client-server model continues to dominate distributed computing with increasingly more flexible variants being deployed. Many are centered on the notion of discovering services at run time and on allowing any system component to act as a service provider. The result is a growing reliance on the service registration and discovery mechanisms. This paper addresses the issue of facilitating such service provision capabilities in the presence of (logical and physical) mobility exhibited by applications executing over ad hoc networks. The solution being discussed entails a new kind of service model, which we were able to build as an adaptation layer on top of an existing coordination middleware, LIME (Linda in a Mobile Environment).
Recurrent Clostridium difficile diarrhoea

Clostridium difficile diarrhoea is a common iatrogenic nosocomial disease. Fortunately, most affected patients respond well to medical therapy that includes discontinuation of the inciting antibiotic and treatment with metronidazole or vancomycin.1 However, despite successful treatment of initial episodes, 15–25% will have recurrence of diarrhoea following withdrawal of specific antibiotic therapy.1 2 Treatment of this form of C difficile disease can be particularly problematic. Approaches to management include conservative therapy, treatment with specific anti- C difficile antibiotics, use of anion binding resins, therapy with microorganisms (probiotics), and immunoglobulin therapy (table 1). View this table: Table 1 Approach to management of recurrent Clostridium difficile diarrhoea ### CONSERVATIVE THERAPY Conservative management of recurrent diarrhoea is preferable to retreatment with metronidazole or vancomycin as these agents perpetuate disturbance of the normal intestinal flora predisposing patients to further recurrences.2 However, it is often difficult to withhold antibiotic therapy as many patients with recurrent disease are not able to tolerate ongoing diarrhoea. Persistent or worsening …
Emotions and Personality in Agent Design and Modeling

Our research combines the principled paradigm of rational agent design based on decision theory with formal definitions of the emotional states and personality of an artificial intelligent agent. We view the emotional states as the agent's decision-making modes, predisposing the agent to make its choices in a specific, yet rational, way. Change of the emotional state, say due to an external stimulus, invokes a transformation of the agent's decision-making behavior. We define personality as consisting of the agent's emotional states together with the specification of transitions taking place among the states. To model the personalities and emotional states of other agents and humans, we additionally provide a definition of a personality models of other agents. Our definition allows the personality models to be learned over the course of multiple interactions with the users and other agents.
Seasonal Changes in Plasma Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and α‐Melanocyte‐Stimulating Hormone in Response to Thyrotropin‐Releasing Hormone in Normal, Aged Horses

Background: Results of diagnostic tests for equine pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), including endogenous ACTH concentration and the overnight dexamethasone suppression test (DST), are affected by season. New and potentially more sensitive diagnostic tests for equine PPID, such as thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-stimulated ACTH response, have been developed, but have had limited evaluation of seasonality. Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate seasonal changes in plasma ACTH and alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) responses to TRH administration. Animals: Nine, healthy, aged horses with normal DST results. Methods: Synthetic TRH (1 mg) was administered IV. Plasma ACTH and α-MSH concentrations were measured at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, and 180 minutes. Testing was performed in February, July, August, September, October, and November. Mean TRH-stimulated ACTH and α-MSH concentrations were compared across months and time by repeated measures analysis of variance. Significance was set at the P < .05 level. Results: Concentrations of ACTH and α-MSH significantly increased after TRH administration. Endogenous and TRH-stimulated ACTH and α-MSH concentrations were significantly different across months with higher concentrations in the summer and fall compared with February. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Plasma ACTH and α-MSH responses to TRH administration experience seasonal variation, with TRH-stimulated ACTH and α-MSH concentrations increasing from summer through fall. These results support previous evidence of a seasonal influence on the equine pituitary-adrenal axis. More research is warranted with a larger number of horses to determine if seasonal reference ranges for TRH stimulation testing need to be defined.
SOCIAL CLASS AND MENTAL ILLNESS IN CHILDREN: OBSERVATIONS OF BLUE-COLLAR FAMILIES.

Data are presented from the psychiatric evaluations of 263 children of “blue-collar” families divided into two groups according to the father's occupational status, “skilled” or “unskilled.” These data are analyzed and compared with special reference to the clinical and social questions which are raised as the result of the differences between the two groups.
Taming the Technological Shrew: Woman as Machine in Weimar Culture

European culture in the early twentieth century experienced two significant sites of transformation: newly emerging forms of technology and a new role for the emancipated woman. Amidst the social upheaval following WWI, these two sources of transformation were often met with cultural backlash that came in the form of conflating woman and machine. This article will study this conflation—the feminized machine and the mechanized woman—by drawing on various cultural works from Weimar Germany including writings from the Sex Reform movement, Siegfried Kracauer, and Ernst Junger. Analysis of these works will inform a reading of Maria the robot in Lang’s film, Metropolis (1927) as a representative of the popular anxiety over new technologies and the “New Woman.”
Gastric mucosal erosions induced by lateral hypothalamic damage: neuronal and dopaminergic mechanisms

Abstract Electrolytic lateral hypothalamic (LH) lesions produce numerous disorders including aphagia, gastric mucosal erosions and autonomic and sensorimotor dysfunctions. This series of experiments examined whether damage to LH neurons or dopaminergic fibers of passage produce similar forms and severity of gastric erosions, as well as other disorders. In Experiment 1, LH neurons were destroyed by the excitatory neurotoxin, kainic acid, that presumably leaves axonal fibers of passage intact. Relatively selective damage to LH neurons with kainic acid produced glandular gastric erosions, as well as sensorimotor and autonomic dysfunctions similar to those seen following electrolytic LH lesions. This suggests that direct damage to LH cell bodies may be a primary cause of many of the disorders observed following LH lesions. In Experiments 2 and 3, electrolytic lesions were used to destroy cell bodies in the substantia nigra and their dopaminergic fibers (some of which pass through the LH area). This resulted in the production of gastric erosions in the absence of significant autonomic dysfunctions. Furthermore, atropine methylnitrate prevented the occurence of gastric erosions following substantia nigra lesions, suggesting that the erosion formation is mediated via parasympathetic-vagal activity. In contrast, destruction of the ventral tegmental area (and its associated dopaminergic fibers) had no significant effect on gastric erosion formation. Experiment 4 showed that apomorphine, a central and peripheral dopamine agonist, provided protection against LH lesion-induced gastric erosion formation, whereas domperidone, a peripheral dopamine antagonist, had no effect. Taken together, this study suggests that (a) both LH neurons and fibers of passage provide a potential anatomical basis for the development of gastric mucosal erosions, (b) that an alteration in dopamine levels, either centrally or peripherally, may represent an important neurochemical mechanism for the development of erosions, and (c) that the occurrence of gastric erosion can be dissociated from other symptoms of the LH syndrome.
Variations in heating and cooling degree‐days in the south‐eastern USA, 1960–1989

Temporal trends and spatial variability of heating and cooling degree-days are examined for a portion of the south-eastern USA for the period 1960–1989. Temporal variability is examined through simple time-series analyses, regression analyses, and a climate departure index (CDI). Maps of 30-, 15-, 10-, and 5-year climatic normals for degree-days are presented. The CDI indicates that heating degree-day (HDD) variability was high during the 1970s with a sudden drop to low variability during the 1980s. Simple regressions show weak downward trends for actual HDD values across the region during the study period. However, the HDD decline was more pronounced through the 1980s, coinciding with the period of low year-to-year variability. Isoline maps show that most sites recorded distinctly fewer HDD in the most recent 5-year period compared with longer term averages. Although the long-term trend for cooling degree-days (CDD) is slightly positive, there is considerable interyearly and interdecadal variability. Unlike HDD, there were no sustained periods with consistently high or low variability for CDD. Mapped patterns of climatic normals show that CDD values peaked across the study area during the most recent 5-year period. Mapped patterns for both HDD and CDD can be influenced by data for large urban sites. Repeating the analyses without the seven largest urban centres resulted in less anomalous spatial patterns but almost no shift in study area mean-degree-day or CDI values and their temporal patterns. Atlanta emerged as the most distinct anomaly for the mapped patterns. From an applied viewpoint, the most significant finding occurred for the heating season with the combination of a sustained downward trend in HDD and comparatively low variability around the long mean (low CDI values) during the last 13 years of the study period. This period represents a span where the climate-driven demand for space heating was decreasing and the heating-season generating capacities for power generation utilities were not challenged.
Modifications to a plumb staff beam trawl for sampling uneven, complex habitats

A small (5.1 m footrope) plumb staff beam trawl was modified to sample demersal fauna in uneven, complex habitats. Several SCUBA dives were made to observe and measure the modified trawl while being towed. Additionally, an underwater camera system was used to observe footrope contact with the bottom at varying amounts of scope ratio on several bottom types including pure sand, mixed sand with emergent biotic structure, sand with shell fragments, mud with shell fragments, and gravel and shell bedforms. Net modification tests were followed by field collections at 55 stations in which 49 species of fish were captured. The modified beam trawl appears to be an effective tool for sampling demersal fishes in a variety of habitats, including those with emergent biotic structure.
Slating Groups as Parties in a "Nonpartisan" Setting

Municipal reforms of this nature: nonpartisanship, smaller city councils, the replacement of mayors by city managers, may serve admirable technical purposes and in the long run be in the best interests of most groups in the community but they weaken the political ties of the disorganized and depressed groups in the community. And, in doing this, they serve a strong, but usually repressed, interest of the community "power elite," whose focus is ostensibly upon the gains in efficiency and honesty brought about by the reforms, but who profit from the political apathy of the underdog.