cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CMOS Microelectrode Array for Electrochemical Lab-on-a-Chip Applications

Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) offer numerous benefits over macroelectrodes due to their smaller sample size requirement, small form factor, low-power consumption, and higher sensitivity due to increased rates of mass transport. These features make MEAs well suited for microfluidic lab-on-a-chip applications. This paper presents two implementations of MEAs with and without an on chip potentiostat. We first describe an 8times8 array of 6 mum circular microelectrodes with center to center 37 mum spacing fabricated on silicon using conventional microfabrication techniques. Pads are provided for external connections to a potentiostat for electrochemical analysis. The second implementation is an individually addressable 32times32 array of 7 mum square microelectrodes with 37 mum center to center spacing on a CMOS chip with built-in very-large-scale integration potentiostat for electrochemical analysis. The integrated CMOS MEA is post processed at the die level to coat the exposed Al layers with Au. To verify microelectrode array behavior with individual addressability, cyclic voltammetry was performed using a potassium ferricyanide (K3Fe(CN)6) solution.
Comparison of Students Classified as LD Who Petitioned for or Fulfilled the College Foreign Language Requirement

In this study, we compared the cognitive, academic achievement, and demographic profiles of 46 students from one university who had been classified as learning disabled (LD) and had received permission to substitute courses for the university's foreign language (FL) requirement (petition group) with the profiles of 21 students from the same university who had been classified as LD and had fulfilled the university's FL requirement by passing FL courses (nonpetition group). Results showed no significant differences between the two groups on measures of reading, mathematics, written language, American College Testing score, and graduating grade point average when IQ was used as a covariate. More petition than nonpetition students had at least a 1.0 SD discrepancy between IQ and achievement and had been referred only for FL learning problems. More nonpetition than petition students had taken an FL in college and received accommodations in the FL. The two groups together appeared to constitute a heterogeneous ...
Basic Science Review Section: Statin Therapy—Part II: Clinical Considerations for Cardiovascular Disease:

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, commonly known as statins, are the medical treatment of choice for hypercholesterolemia. In addition to achieving a therapeutic decrease in serum cholesterol levels, statin therapy appears to promote pleiotropic effects that are independent of changes in serum cholesterol. These cholesterol lowering and pleiotropic effects are beneficial not only for the coronary circulation, but for the myocardium and peripheral arterial system as well. Patients receiving statin therapy must be carefully monitored, however, as statins potentially have harmful side effects and drug interactions. This article is part II of a 2-part review, and it focuses on the clinical aspects of statin therapy in cardiovascular disease.
Energetic electron injections deep into the inner magnetosphere associated with substorm activity

From a survey of the first nightside season of NASA's Van Allen Probes mission (December 2012 to September 2013), 47 energetic (tens to hundreds of keV) electron injection events were found at L shells ≤ 4, all of which are deeper than any previously reported substorm-related injections. Preliminary details from these events are presented, including how all occurred shortly after dipolarization signatures and injections were observed at higher L shells, how the deepest observed injection was at L ~ 2.5, and, surprisingly, how L ≤ 4 injections are limited in energy to ≤250 keV. We present a detailed case study of one example event revealing that the injection of electrons down to L ~ 3.5 was different from injections observed at higher L and likely resulted from electrons interacting with a fast magnetosonic wave in the Pi2 frequency range inside the plasmasphere. These observations demonstrate that injections occur at very low L shells and may play an important role for inner zone electrons.
Bounds and algorithms for time delay estimation on parallel, flat fading channels

We study time delay estimation (TDE) on parallel channels with flat fading. Several models for the channel gains are considered, and for each case we present the the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), the Cramer-Rao bound (CRB), and the Ziv-Zakai bound (ZZB). The bounds facilitate an analysis of the effects of fading and diversity on TDE accuracy over parallel channels. Computer simulations of the mean-squared error of the MLEs confirm the validity of the bounds.
Intertextuality and the discourse community

(1986). Intertextuality and the discourse community. Rhetoric Review: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 34-47.
A Whisper on the wind spawns a storm

The heart, like many other organs, is composed of parenchyma surrounded by stroma. In this case, highly differentiated and very specialized cardiac myocytes are connected to and tethered within a three dimensional scaffolding of structural protein. Cardiac myocytes number one-third of cells found in the heart. Noncardiomyocytes, such as fibroblasts, endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells, account for the majority of the remaining two-thirds. Interstitial fibroblasts are responsible for normal synthesis and degradation of this extracellular network, an albeit slow yet nonetheless ongoing process [1]. Fibroblasts are undifferentiated and pluripotent with a diverse portfolio of phenotypic expressions and functions. Myofibroblasts are an example of specialized fibroblast-like cells that appear at sites of tissue repair to carry out fibrogenesis and other functions [2]. Type I collagen is the dominant fibrillar collagen of the heart’s extracellular matrix. Its tensile strength of steel imparts cardiac tissue with an ability to resist deformation. Type III collagen, a more flexible fibrillar collagen, is present in lesser proportion while the heart’s concentration of elastin is modest, quite unlike normally distensible blood vessels. Various functions of this structural protein network in health and disease have been reviewed previously [3]. Matrix and fibroblasts are bathed by tissue fluid that contains a filtrate of blood as well as substances derived from myocytes and noncardiomyocytes. Circulating and locally generated substances may serve as signals that govern cell differentiation, growth, apoptosis, and metabolic behavior. Also present in the interstitial space are glycosaminoglycans, proteoglycans and self-aggregating molecules called into play following injury. Such molecules include a family of transforming growth factor-β polypeptides and matrix metalloproteinases, each of which reside … * Corresponding author. Tel.: +901-448-5759; fax: +901-448-8084 KTWeber{at}utmem.edu
Commissioning and performance of the Advanced Light Source

The Advanced Light Source (ALS) at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory is the first of the lower energy (1 to 2 GeV) third-generation synchrotron radiation facilities to come into operation. Designed with very small electron beam emittances, to operate with long insertion devices to produce very high brightness beams of synchrotron radiation in the VUV and soft X-ray regions of the spectrum, these facilities are complementary to the higher energy (6 to 9 GeV) facilities designed for harder X-radiation. From the earliest periods of their design it was recognized that the performance of the required low-emittance lattices would be dominated by nonlinear particle dynamics caused by the strong lattice sextupoles required for chromatic correction, the effects of undulators and wigglers, and the requirement for very narrow-gap vacuum vessels. Commissioning of the ALS storage ring began early in 1993. In this paper we will briefly review the main characteristics of the storage ring design, describe our commissioning experiences, and review the present performance and performance limitations of the facility. >
Design of longitudinal multisection foil-film capacitors

This paper analyzes the design of foil film capacitors with series sections in the winding direction, a winding design which facilitates very high voltage windings although of limited energy density as a result of the foil electrodes which do not self-clear. An equivalent circuit is provided on the basis of which the electric performance is investigated. Normally, such windings suffer from very high ESL resulting in low self-resonant frequency; however, an approach to winding design is suggested which reduces the ESL substantially. Although the metal foil electrodes do not clear, this design wastes little volume as the result of the margins between sections and therefore maintains good volumetric efficiency, unlike metalized film windings with series sections which the authors have analyzed previously.
Single Femoral Socket Double-Bundle Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Using Tibialis Anterior Tendon: Description of a New Technique

The native anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has been shown to consist of 2 functional bundles with independent behavior throughout range of knee motion. Conventional arthroscopic ACL reconstruction techniques selectively recreate the anteromedial bundle of the native ACL only. Numerous studies have reported the failure to restore normal knee kinematics in an ACL-deficient knee using a single-bundle reconstruction. It has been suggested that by reconstructing both the anteromedial and posterolateral bundles of the ACL, more normal knee kinematics may be achieved. Several authors have described surgical techniques to recreate the 2 functional bundles and they range from using 2 femoral tunnels to using a single femoral tunnel with the other bundle passed over the top. This article describes a new technique of recreating the 2 functional bundles of the ACL with tibialis anterior tendon allograft using a single femoral socket.
Leisure characteristics of the pediatric spinal cord injury population.

Objective: Despite the fact that play is the foundation for growth and development, little empirical evidence exists about the Ieisure characteristics of the pediatric spinal cord injury (SCI) popu...
Abstract 2407: Decreased inflammation and tumor stage in COX-2 knockout mice in the BBN model of bladder cancer

Introduction and Objective: Prostaglandins (PG) play a critical role in the development of solid tumors. Inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the committed step in PG synthesis, has been shown to impair tumor development in the BBN mouse model of bladder cancer. Because inhibitors of COX-2 have been reported to have anti-tumorigenic properties independent of COX-2, we evaluated the impact of gene disruption of COX-2 in the BBN mouse model. Methods: We used 2 mo old male COX-2 knockout (KO) and wild type (WT) mice in an outbred CD-1 background. Mice were treated with (n=13-14 / group) and without (n=6/group) BBN in drinking water and euthanized after 25-27 wks. Bladders were harvested, weighed, bisected and step sectioned after formalin fixation. HE 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2407. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2407
Molecular Structural Transformations Induced by Spatial Confinement in Barium Fluoride Cells

Confinement of peptides and surfactants in narrow spaces of the order of 50 μm between BaF2 plates is found to induce new structural transformations. Optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and vibrational spectroscopic studies have been used to uncover the evidence for these structural transformations. These studies indicate that, using spatial confinement, small micelles can be converted to larger aggregates and peptide monomers can be converted to β sheets even in monomer-promoting 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol solvent.
Angioplasty or fibrinolysis for acute MI? The GUSTO IIb study.

The angioplasty substudy of the GUSTO IIb trial confirmed that the short-term results of primary angioplasty are better than those of fibrinolytic therapy in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI). In the largest and most rigorous study of this topic performed to date, 9.6% of patients who underwent primary angioplasty either died or suffered a disabling stroke or another myocardial infarction within 30 days, compared with 13.7% of patients who received fibrinolytic therapy, for an odds ratio of 0.67 (P = .033). This difference was less than in previous studies, possibly in part because fibrinolytic therapy has improved. The findings underscore the importance of promptly restoring complete, brisk, antegrade flow in the infarct-related artery, regardless of what treatment is used.
The Laboratory Evaluation of Allergic Diseases: Part II: Measurement Methods for Allergen-Specific IgE Antibodies

The final part of this series describes the measurement methods for allergenspecific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies. The IgE antibody test is discussed and evaluated.
What's the Point? On Comparing Joyce and Pynchon

Those of you who came to the session by defying gravity with the elevator might have noticed that it was made in Schlieren. Schlieren, for those not familiar with Zurich, is a suburb in the direction of Basel, right across the Limmat from unterengstringen. To get there, just take the #13 tram and then the #44 bus.
A multi-scale approach to extract meaningful annotations from document images

We propose a multi-scale approach to extract annotations from document images in a meaningful way. It compares the rectified captured image with original image, which can be obtained through image retrieval technology, at various resolutions, in order to remove the noise caused by nonuniform distortions, such as camera lens distortion and document surface curvature, while preserving the true annotations. It also provides users lots of flexibility with a voting scheme and potentially different weights at different resolution levels. In addition, we analyzed the final annotation image and found the meaningful pieces out of it, such as an image patch of a handwritten paragraph. This broadens the application of annotation extraction, and makes it easier to share the notes. It can be applied to various imaging systems, such as flatbed scanner, mobile phone camera, or fixed camera etc. Experimental results are presented and compared with previous approaches.
Use of ephedrine in bronchodilator therapy.

New data regarding theophylline have enhanced its importance as an oral bronchodilator. Ephedrine has thus become the oral bronchodilator of second choice for other than mild intermittent asthma. The introduction of newer, more potent oral sympathomimetic agents may further decrease even the currently limited indications for this drug.
Retinal Development Under the Influence of SV40 T-Antigen in Transgenic Mice

During the past several years a number of oncogenes, viral or cellular, have been expressed in various tissues of transgenic mice 1. Generally, the expression of a transgenic oncogene results in the development of proliferative abnormalities, supporting the association of oncogenes with tumorigenesis. Many of the tumors induced in transgenic mice are unprecedented, since normal mice rarely or never develop such tumors.
Longitudinal Data on Lymphopenia in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Treated with Dimethyl Fumarate (P2.101)

Objective: To assess the prevalence of lymphopenia in patients treated with DMF in a real world setting and to assess the effect of DMF dose reduction on lymphopenia. Background: Oral dimethyl fumarate (DMF) was approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) in the United States in March 2013. In pivotal trials grade 3 lymphopenia (absolute lymphocyte count ALC <500) developed in about 6 [percnt] of patients during the study. Lymphopenia has been associated with rare cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), an opportunistic infection of the central nervous system caused by reactivation of JC virus. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 250 patients prescribed DMF in our center was performed and patients with low lymphocyte counts were identified. Correlations of lymphopenia with demographic factors were assessed. Longitudinal data following dose reduction or cessation of DMF were analyzed. Results: In our cohort 13[percnt] of patients had grade 3 lymphopenia (ALC <500) and a total of 45[percnt] of patients had lymphopenia (ALC <1000). Lower ALC was correlated with higher EDSS, higher age, and lower ALC before starting DMF. Recovery of ALC typically required several months. The rate of infections was not significantly higher in patients with lymphopenia. Conclusions: The rates of lymphopenia in our cohort were higher than those reported in clinical trials. Blood counts should be monitored throughout treatment as lymphopenia can occur early and late in the treatment with DMF. Older patients with higher EDSS or lower lymphocyte counts prior to starting DMF may be at higher risk of developing lymphopenia. Improvement of lymphocytes following dose reduction or discontinuation may take several months. Disclosure: Dr. Romba has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wundes has nothing to disclose. Dr. Von Geldern has nothing to disclose.
TH‐EF‐BRB‐01: BEST IN PHYSICS (THERAPY): Dosimetric Comparison of 4π and Clinical IMRT for Cortex‐Sparing High‐Grade Glioma Treatment

Purpose: Thinning of the cerebral cortex has been observed in patients treated with fractionated partial brain radiation therapy and may contribute to cognitive decline following treatment. The extent of this thinning is dose-dependent, and was shown comparable to that of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease at one year post-therapy. This study investigates whether 4π radiotherapy can enable better sparing of the cortex and other critical structures when compared to conventional clinical IMRT plans. Methods: Clinical cortex-sparing IMRT plans for 15 high-grade glioma patients were included in this study. 4π radiotherapy plans were created for each patient with 20 intensity-modulated non-coplanar fields selected with a greedy column-generation optimization. All plans were normalized to deliver 100% of the prescribed dose to 95% of the planning target volume (PTV). The mean and maximum dose to the cerebral cortex and other organs at risk (OARs) were compared for the two plan types, as well as the conformity index (CI), homogeneity index (HI), and 50% dose spillage volume (R50). Results: The 4π plans significantly reduced the mean cortex dose by an average of 16% (range 6% to 27%) compared to the clinical plans. The mean dose to every other OAR compared was also reduced by 15% to 43%, with statistically significant reductions to the brainstem, chiasm, eyes, optic nerves, subcortical whit, and hippocampus. The average maximum doses were also reduced for 10/12 OARs. The R50 was significantly reduced with the 4π plans (>14%) and the homogeneity index was significantly improved. Conclusion: 4π enables significant sparing of the cerebral cortex when treating high-grade gliomas with fractionated partial brain radiation therapy, potentially reducing the risk of harmful dose-dependent cortical thinning. NIH R43CA183390, NIH R01CA188300, Varian Medical Systems
Diagnostic Evaluation of Children with Movement Disorders

This chapter discusses the general principles of the clinical evaluation of the child presenting with a movement disorder, from the triage and scheduling process to the most complex genetic diagnostic testing. Diagnosis of movement disorders involves recognition and classification of phenomenology, knowledge of neuroanatomy, particularly basal ganglia and cerebellum, and skill in interacting with children. Any disease or disorder that interferes with the execution of movements can cause substantial impairment, psychological distress, and reduced quality of life in children or adults. A systematic approach to diagnosis of both rare and common movement disorders is a goal of this chapter.
Non-Aqueous Interior Surface Cleaning Using Projectiles

Publisher Summary This chapter describes a non-aqueous cleaning technique for removing solid contaminants from the interior of large- bore tubular components. Contamination of the interior of hoses, pipes, and tubes is a critical problem in many industries because it often leads to corrosion and service breakdowns, requiring extensive repairs at substantial financial and health costs. Particulate and hydrocarbon contamination in lines used in high-pressure liquid and gaseous oxygen systems can also be a fire hazard. Fires have occurred in space, such as on the Mir Space Station, and in aircraft life support, medical applications, aerospace applications, construction materials, and oxygen production. Internal contamination of tubes, hoses, and pipes reduces the operating efficiency of industrial systems that transmit fluids. Traditional cleaning methods, such as water jetting, solvent and chemical cleaning, and mechanical cleaning with liquid flushing, are often time consuming and expensive, use hazardous chemicals or solvents, or they use large volumes of water. The pneumatic projectile cleaning method overcomes these disadvantages. A pneumatic launcher propels the projectile, sized slightly larger than the internal diameter of the tube, into the tube. As the projectile travels through the tube, it removes the contamination deposited on the internal tube surface and forces it out of the tube. Cleaning can be accomplished very effectively in seconds. Automated systems can achieve cleaning rates as high as 3000 articles per hour. The method is applicable in a wide variety of industries.
Disorders of Mineral and Bone Metabolism in Chronic Kidney Disease

The disruption of multiorgan systems biology produced by renal injury in early stages of kidney injury and disease was unrecognized until its elucidation during the investigation of the chronic kidney disease-mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD). The disordered systems biology causes the CKD-MBD and contributes to major components of increased cardiovascular risk for CKD patients. The result, in addition to the previously recognized renal osteodystrophy, is increased cardiovascular mortality in CKD. The inception of the CKD-MBD was only recently realized to begin with the early effects of kidney disease, and its pathophysiology involves circulating factors produced by renal repair and newly discovered hormones, such as FGF23 and cut klotho. Progressing from its inception, the disruption of the multiorgan system leads to the pathophysiology previously recognized as secondary hyperparathyroidism, hyperphosphatemia, calcitriol deficiency, and renal osteodystrophy that are now incorporated into the CKD-MBD syndrome.
Laser‐Driven Shape Memory Effect for Transfer Printing Combining Parallelism with Individual Object Control

Transfer printing, a method to transfer microobjects using polymeric stamps, has been demonstrated either as a parallel process with high throughput, or as a low throughput process allowing individual manipulation of microobjects. This work presents a unique transfer printing approach which enables arbitrary pattern transfer from an array of microobjects via localized control of adhesion. This approach relies on thermally induced shape change of shape memory polymer (SMP) stamp arrays with carbon black-composite (CBSMP) microstructuring. Heat is delivered first globally by a resistive heater, facilitating parallel microobject pickup, then locally by laser illumination absorbed within the CBSMP during printing, enabling precise and selective microobject release with packing density only limited by the spot size of the accompanying laser system. The thermal response of the CBSMP system is investigated computationally using experimentally measured laser power absorption within the CBSMP system and compared with high speed photography. Several transfer printing demonstrations are provided to indicate the robust microassembly capabilities of the approach. This work provides transfer printing-based material integration with a path toward high process scalability and flexibility.
Robust ASR inside a Vehicle Using Blind Probabilistic Based Under-Determined Convolutive Mixture Separation Technique

Spoken dialogue based information retrieval systems are being used in mobile environments such as cars. However, the car environment is noisy and the user’s speech signal gets corrupted due to dynamically changing acoustic environment and the number of interference signals inside the car. The interference signals get mixed with speech signals convolutively due to the chamber impulse response. This tends to degrade the performance of a speech recognition system which is an integral part of a spoken dialogue based information retrieval system. One solution to alleviate this problem is to enhance speech signals such that the recognition accuracy does not degrade much. In this Chapter, we describe a blind source separation technique that would enhance convolutively mixed speech signals by separating the interference signals from the genuine speech. This technique is applicable for under-determined case i.e., the number of microphones is less than the number of signal sources and uses a probabilistic approach in a sparse transformed domain. We have collected speech data inside a car with variable number of interference sources such as wipers on, radio on, A/C on. We have applied our blind convolutive mixture separation technique to enhance the mixed speech signals. We conducted experiments to obtain speech recognition accuracy using with and without enhanced speech signals. For these experiments we used a continuous speech recognizer. Our results indicate 15–35 % improvement in speech recognition accuracy.
Boltzmann-Langevin Approach to Pre-equilibrium Correlations in Nuclear Collisions

Correlations born before the onset of hydrodynamic flow can leave observable traces on the final-state particles. Measurement of these correlations yield important information on the isotropization and thermalization processes. Starting from a Boltzmann-like kinetic theory in the presence of dynamic Langevin noise, we derive a new partial differential equation for the two-particle correlation function that respects the microscopic conservation laws. To illustrate how these equations can be used, we study the effect of thermalization on long-range correlations. We show quite generally that two-particle correlations at early times depend on $S$, the average probability that a parton suffers no interactions. We extract $S$ from transverse momentum fluctuations measured in nucleus-nucleus collisions and predict the degree of partial thermalization in proton-nucleus experiments.
Assessing Patient Activation among High-Need, High-Cost Patients in Urban Safety Net Care Settings.

We sought to examine the literature using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) or the Patient Enablement Instrument (PEI) with high-need, high-cost (HNHC) patients receiving care in urban safety net settings. Urban safety net care management programs serve low-income, racially/ethnically diverse patients living with multiple chronic conditions. Although many care management programs track patient progress with the PAM or the PEI, it is not clear whether the PAM or the PEI is an effective and appropriate tool for HNHC patients receiving care in urban safety net settings in the United States. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO for articles published between 2004 and 2015 that used the PAM and between 1998 and 2015 that used the PEI. The search was limited to English-language articles conducted in the United States and published in peer-reviewed journals. To assess the utility of the PAM and the PEI in urban safety net care settings, we defined a HNHC patient sample as racially/ethnically diverse, low socioeconomic status (SES), and multimorbid. One hundred fourteen articles used the PAM. All articles using the PEI were conducted outside the U.S. and therefore were excluded. Nine PAM studies (8%) included participants similar to those receiving care in urban safety net settings, three of which were longitudinal. Two of the three longitudinal studies reported positive changes following interventions. Our results indicate that research on patient activation is not commonly conducted on racially and ethnically diverse, low SES, and multimorbid patients; therefore, there are few opportunities to assess the appropriateness of the PAM in such populations. Investigators expressed concerns with the potential unreliability and inappropriate nature of the PAM on multimorbid, older, and low-literacy patients. Thus, the PAM may not be able to accurately assess patient progress among HNHC patients receiving care in urban safety net settings. Assessing progress in the urban safety net care setting requires measures that account for the social and structural challenges and competing demands of HNHC patients.
Endoscopic Management of Bile Duct Stones: Small and Large

Gallstone disease is one of the most common diseases of the digestive system affecting patients worldwide. It is estimated that over 20 million people in the United States alone have gallbladder disease at any given time. As a result, cholecystectomy has become one of the most common operations performed by the US general surgeons. A majority of these procedures are now performed by laparoscopic means and have been highly successful at alleviating patient’s symptoms with low complication rates.
Critique of an evaluation of software for searching MEDLINE.

Abstract In a previous study, investigators at McMaster University compared 14 ways to search the MEDLINE database and concluded that the method that cost the least (the National Library of Medicine's ELHILL program) yielded the highest proportion of relevant articles, whereas the method that cost the most (PaperChase) yielded the least. There are serious defects in the study design that invalidate the authors' conclusions.
Biomolecules from Living and Fossil Metasequoia : Biological and Geological Applications

Biomolecules from living and fossil Metasequoia Miki provide insight into the biological and geological history of the genus, as well as its phylogeny and evolution, population structure and molecular taphonomy. Chemically labile biomolecules such as protein and nucleotide sequences from Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et Cheng have reconfirmed the systematic position of Metasequoia as the sister taxon to Sequoia Endlicher and Sequoiadendron J. Buchholz. These three genera form the subfamily Sequoioideae, which is one of the basal groups of the Taxodiaceae-Cupressaceae complex. Relative rate testing based on different gene sequences suggests an evolutionary rate slow down in the Sequoioideae lineage. Non-sequence based molecular studies indicate a low overall genetic diversity and a lack of spatial genetic structure in its native population in southern China. An isolated tree in Paomu, Hunan Province was found to contain both molecular and morphological plesiomorphic characteristics, providing important clues to its evolutionary history. Moreover, given the importance of these data, critical conservation issues are raised regarding the management and preservation of the genus. Molecular and biochemical investigations of ancient biomolecules from well-preserved Tertiary fossil Metasequoia remains reveal the preservation of labile biomolecules such as carbohydrates that are normally absent from the Cenozoic fossil record. Comparative geochemical and SEM analyses of well preserved fossil specimens revealed the sources of these chemically unstable biomolecules and suggests that they may carry important structural functions to support the integrity of plant fossil morphology. These ancient biomolecules from fossil Metasequoia also offer valuable information regarding the environmental factors controlling the preservation of labile biomolecules and possible origins of homologous series of n-alk-1-ene/n-alkane pairs preserved in the geological record.
Operative Management Versus Observation for Thyroid Nodules Larger than 4 cm with Benign Cytology

Workup of thyroid nodules usually involves a multi-disciplinary approach, including fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy. The Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (TBSRTC) was devised to stratify patients into tiers with increasing risk for cancer, based on features identified on FNA. A number of studies have attempted to correlate thyroid nodule size with intrinsic risk of malignancy, as well as with false negative rates (nodules with a benign diagnosis on cytology but a malignant diagnosis on final surgical pathology following resection). The aims of this chapter are (1) to review studies that have evaluated the false negative rate of thyroid nodules based on size, (2) to summarize, analyze, and grade the published data, and (3) to make recommendations for treatment of large thyroid nodules.
Supplementary motor area connectivity and dual-task walking variability in multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Despite the prevalence of dual-task (e.g., walking while talking) deficits in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), no neuroimaging studies to date have examined neuronal networks used for dual-task processing or specific brain areas related to dual-task performance in this population. A better understanding of the relationship among underlying brain areas and dual-task performance may improve targeted rehabilitation programs. The objective of this study was to examine relationships between neuroimaging measures and clinical measures of dual-task performance, and reported falls in persons with MS. Materials and methods All participants completed measures of dual-task performance, a fall history, and neuroimaging on a 3 T MRI scanner. Spearman correlations were used to examine relationships among dual-task performance, falls and neuroimaging measures. Results Eighteen females with relapsing-remitting MS [mean age = 45.5 ± 8.2 SD; mean symptom duration = 12.3 ± 6.7 years; Expanded Disability Status Scale median 2.25 (range 1.5–4)] participated in this study. Structural imaging measures of supplementary motor area (SMA) interhemispheric connectivity were significantly related to dual-task walking variability. Conclusions The SMA interhemispheric tract may play a role in dual-task performance. Structural neuroimaging may be a useful adjunct to clinical measures to predict performance and provide information about recovery patterns in MS. Functional recovery can be challenging to objectively report in MS; diffusion tensor imaging could show microstructural improvements and suggest improved connectivity.
History, Development, and Legislation of Riverboat and Land-Based Non-Native American Casino Gaming

This chapter provides an overview of the development and current regulations of gaming in states with riverboat and land based non-Native American casinos. Riverboat casinos and land-based non-Native American casinos, excluding Las Vegas and Atlantic City, started in the late 1980s and have grown rapidly in the 1990s. The popularity of Native American casinos was a catalyst for the development of riverboat and other land-based casinos. The success of many Native American casinos indicated the acceptance of gaming by a large number of American people. Riverboats cruise just once a day in the summer session for a minimum of 100 days at a minimum of two hours each cruise and operate as dockside casinos at all other times. Intense competition within the two largest clusters led to the closing of two Biloxi casinos and five Tunica casinos and the relocation of one Tunica casino to Coahoma County, where the market includes a small but steady stream of patrons from Arkansas.
Finding the place for art archives: Reflections from archiving Indonesian and Southeast Asian art

The roles, approaches and methods of archiving in both places are different as I elaborate in this essay. However, one fundamental cause is the same, that is the shared belief that is the importance of art archiving and how it is needed in showing the relations between art practice and the challenges of society in this region. My work straddles between two modes of approach and my belief is that both can go together and complement each other, to find the place for the art archives and provideresources for spaces of debates in building art history and its relevance in the development of contemporary society, Southeast Asia and the world.
How we Frame Fatness Matters: A Review of Abigail C. Saguy's What's Wrong with Fat?, by Abigail C. Saguy

In her introduction to What's Wrong with Fat?, author Abigail C. Saguy makes a promise to the reader: “Once you put down this book you will never hear obesity the same way again” (5). Not only does...
Leptin-Mediated Sympathoexcitation in Obese Rats: Role for Neuron-Astrocyte Crosstalk in the Arcuate Nucleus.

Introduction Accumulated evidence indicates that obesity is associated with enhanced sympathetic activation. Hypothalamic leptin-mediated signaling may contribute to the exaggerated sympathoexcitation of obesity. The goal of this study was to investigate the "neuron-astrocyte" interaction affecting leptin-mediated sympathoexcitation within the arcuate nucleus (ARCN) of the hypothalamus in obese rats. Methods and results Obesity was induced by high-fat diet (HFD, 42% of calories from fat) in Sprague Dawley rats. Twelve weeks of HFD produced hyperleptinemia, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. In anesthetized rats, microinjections of leptin into the ARCN induced increases in heart rate (HR), renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) in both control and HFD rats. However, microinjections of leptin in HFD rats elicited higher responses of RSNA and arterial pressure than control-fed rats. It also caused the inhibition of astrocytes within the ARCN using an astrocytic metabolic inhibitor, fluorocitrate, and reduced leptin-induced sympathetic activity and blood pressure responses. Moreover, the expression of the leptin receptor in the ARCN of HFD-fed rats was significantly increased compared to rats fed a control diet. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed leptin receptor localization from both neurons and astrocytes of the ARCN. HFD rats exhibited increased protein expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the ARCN. We also found that the expression of astrocyte-specific glutamate transporters and excitatory amino acid transporter 1 (EAAT1) and 2 (EAAT2) were decreased within the ARCN of the HFD rats. In cultured astrocytic C6 cells, 24 h of leptin treatment increased the protein expression of GFAP and reduced the expression of EAAT1 and EAAT2. Conclusion The results suggest that central leptin signaling occurs via neuron-astrocyte interactions in the ARCN and contributing to the exaggerated sympathoexcitation observed in obese rats. The effects may be mediated by the action of leptin on regulating astrocytic glutamate transporters within the ARCN of the hypothalamus.
Preserving Aryl Ether Linkages and Higher Yields of Isolated Lignin through Biomass Fibrillation

Ball milling is used for size reduction of biomass for isolating lignin. However, it is known that it can lead to some structural alteration of lignin. Fibrillation using ultrafriction grinding is a newer size reduction technology which was applied to poplar for isolating cellulolytic enzyme lignin. Compositional analysis of poplar, enzymatic hydrolysis yield, water retention value, lignin yield, lignin structural characterization, and lignin molecular weight analysis were carried out to compare lignin isolated from fibrillated and ball milled poplar. By using fibrillation instead of planetary ball milling for size reduction of poplar, higher β-O-4′ linkage content, lignin yield, and molecular weight were obtained. Replacing ball milling with fibrillation for size reduction allows recovery of lignin whose structure is closer to that of lignin in biomass.
Network Time Connectivity for Wireless Networks

In this paper, a novel concept of time connectivity is devised to evaluate the quality of network-level synchronization. The time connectivity is defined analogously to communication connectivity. To facilitate time connectivity analysis for wireless networks, a probabilistic synchronization model is developed for pre-synchronization and post-synchronization scenarios to evaluate synchronization performance. By utilizing recent results on stochastic geometry and percolation theory, time connectivity is transformed into the two-dimensional space for network-level analysis. Notably, the network time connectivity is investigated in two network schemes: partial-coverage and out-of-coverage. Extensive simulations are conducted to evaluate the time connectivity framework. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper that incorporates stochastic geometry and percolation theory to study the performance of network-level synchronization.
The risk factors of prematurity-like symptom in full-term infants

Objective To analyze the incidence and risk factors of prematurity-like symptom in full-term infants. Methods A total of 3800 full-term infants born in our hospital from November 2012 to November 2013 were enrolled in the research. The fundus was examined, and the condition for baby and the mother during pregnancy were wrote it down. Results Forty-six full-term infants had retinopathy. The incidence was 1.21%. Pregnant women with prenatal infection had some effect to the cause of retinopathy. The statistical data was meaningful (P 0.05). Conclusions The factors as gestational age, amniotic fluid water more/few, fetus stifle, amniotic fluid water muddy, born stifle, growing limit, one umbilical cord artery, IVF-ET, ABO blood type no combined, Mediterranean anemia, and pregnancy complications have no association with retinopathy of prematurity-like symptom in full-term infants. Key words: Term infant; Retinopathy of prematurity-like symptom; Risk factors
Direct contact may affect the efficacy of stallion exposure in hastening the onset of cyclicity in anestrous mares.

Abstract Introducing males to seasonally anestrous females has been shown to increase LH concentrations and hasten the first ovulation in ewes and goat does. Investigation of this sociosexual phenomenon in mares has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to determine if direct or indirect exposure of anestrous mares to a stallion would result in a similar increase in LH and hasten the first ovulation. In late February, mares were stratified by parity and age and assigned randomly to three treatments (n = 7/treatment): (1) DXP (direct exposure; mares housed adjacent to stallion and allowed direct contact for 2 h for 3 d/wk by placing the stallion into a cage in the center of a tease pen); (2) IXP (indirect exposure; mares housed in an adjacent pen to the stallion but not allowed direct contact); and (3) CON (control; mares housed away from stallion and not allowed direct or indirect exposure). During the first, third, and fifth treatment days, blood was collected hourly for 8 h beginning just before treatment initiation for measurement of LH and prolactin (PRL) concentrations. Hormone concentrations were analyzed as repeated measures and time from the first day of treatment to ovulation was analyzed using one-way ANOVA. Interval from treatment initiation to first ovulation did not differ (P > 0.05) among treatments: 36.3 ± 6.7, 42.8 ± 4.2, and 48.3 ± 4.2 d for DXP, IXP, and CON, respectively. When comparing the mares based on social status within treatment and level of direct interaction with the stallion, socially dominant DXP mares ovulated sooner (P 0.05) among treatments, a significant (P
Thorium Dioxide (Thorotrast)

Radioactive contrast agent introduced in 1928 and mainly used for cerebral angiography until the 1950s.
Imaging prediction of islet yield and post-operative insulin requirement in children undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation.

Abstract Background Predicting post-operative glycemic control in children undergoing total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT) remains difficult. The purpose of our study was to explore preoperative imaging as a marker for islet yield and insulin need in pediatric patients undergoing TPIAT. Methods This was a retrospective study of children (≤18 years) who had undergone TPIAT between April 2015 and December 2018 and had 6 or more months of post-TPIAT follow-up. Patient specific factors (height, weight, body mass index [BMI], body surface area [BSA]) and pancreas volume segmented from the most recent pre-operative cross-sectional imaging were explored as predictors of islet yield (total islet counts [TIC], total islet equivalents [TIE], islet equivalents per kilogram body weight [IEQ/kg]) and glycemic control (total daily dose of insulin per kilogram body weight [TDD/kg], insulin independence) using Pearson correlation and univariate and multiple regression. Results Thirty-three patients, median age 13 years (IQR: 10–15 years), 64% female (21/33) met inclusion criteria. Nine patients (27%) achieved insulin independence at six months. Median TIE isolated was 310,000 (IQR: 200,000–460,000). Segmented pancreas volume was moderately associated with TIE (coefficient estimate = 0.34, p = 0.034). On multiple regression analysis, there was no significant predictor of insulin independence but number of attacks of pancreatitis (estimate = 0.024; p = 0.018) and segmented pancreas volume by body weight (estimate = −0.71; p Conclusion Pancreas volume segmented from pre-TPIAT imaging has predictive performance for post-TPIAT insulin need in children.
What is remembered lives: Time and the disruptive animacy of archiving AIDS on Instagram:

By mobilizing Instagram time’s affordances, The AIDS Memorial (@theaidsmemorial) account has unique potential to remake normative AIDS time. Even as @theaidsmemorial sometimes extends endemic AIDS ...
Wendy J.N. Lee (Director), Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey

Wendy J.N. Lee (Director), Pad Yatra: A Green Odyssey (Pad Yatra Film LLC, New York City, 2013), 1 hour 10 minutes.
On Generating and Labeling Network Traffic with Realistic, Self-Propagating Malware.

Research and development of techniques which detect or remediate malicious network activity require access to diverse, realistic, contemporary data sets containing labeled malicious connections. In the absence of such data, said techniques cannot be meaningfully trained, tested, and evaluated. Synthetically produced data containing fabricated or merged network traffic is of limited value as it is easily distinguishable from real traffic by even simple machine learning (ML) algorithms. Real network data is preferable, but while ubiquitous is broadly both sensitive and lacking in ground truth labels, limiting its utility for ML research. This paper presents a multi-faceted approach to generating a data set of labeled malicious connections embedded within anonymized network traffic collected from large production networks. Real-world malware is defanged and introduced to simulated, secured nodes within those networks to generate realistic traffic while maintaining sufficient isolation to protect real data and infrastructure. Network sensor data, including this embedded malware traffic, is collected at a network edge and anonymized for research use. Network traffic was collected and produced in accordance with the aforementioned methods at two major educational institutions. The result is a highly realistic, long term, multi-institution data set with embedded data labels spanning over 1.5 trillion connections and over a petabyte of sensor log data. The usability of this data set is demonstrated by its utility to our artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) research program.