cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computed tomographic enterography adds information to clinical management in small bowel Crohn's disease

Background: CT enterography yields striking findings in the bowel wall in Crohn’s disease. These images may help to evaluate whether small bowel narrowing results from active disease requiring anti-inflammatory therapy. However, the clinical relevance of these images is unknown. It is also not known if these radiologic findings correlate with objective biomarkers of inflammation. Methods: In a blinded and independent evaluation, IBD subspecialty gastroenterologists reviewed clinical data, and CT radiologists reviewed CT enterography scans of 67 consecutive patients with Crohn’s disease and suspicion of either small bowel inflammation or stricture. Comparisons were made between (1) clinical and radiologic assessments of inflammation and stricture, (2) clinical assessments before and after computed tomographic enterography (CTE) reports were revealed, and (3) radiologic findings and objective biomarkers of inflammation. Results: (1) Individual CTE findings correlated poorly (Spearman’s rho 0.30) with clinical assessment; (2) clinicians did not suspect 16% of radiologic strictures, and more than half the cases of clinically suspected strictures did not have them on CTE; (3) CTE data changed clinicians’ perceptions of the likelihood of steroid benefit in 41 of 67 cases; (4) specific CTE findings correlated with CRP, and a distinct set of CTE findings correlated with ESR in the subset of patients who had these biomarkers measured. Conclusions: CTE seems to add unique information to clinical assessment, both in detecting additional strictures and in changing clinicians’ perceptions of the likelihood of steroids benefiting patients. The biomarker correlations suggest that CTE is measuring real biologic phenomena that correlate with inflammation, providing information distinct from that in a standard clinical assessment. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2007;13:262–268)
iRsp1095: A genome-scale reconstruction of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides metabolic network

Rhodobacter sphaeroides is one of the best studied purple non-sulfur photosynthetic bacteria and serves as an excellent model for the study of photosynthesis and the metabolic capabilities of this and related facultative organisms. The ability of R. sphaeroides to produce hydrogen (H2), polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) or other hydrocarbons, as well as its ability to utilize atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) as a carbon source under defined conditions, make it an excellent candidate for use in a wide variety of biotechnological applications. A genome-level understanding of its metabolic capabilities should help realize this biotechnological potential. Here we present a genome-scale metabolic network model for R. sphaeroides strain 2.4.1, designated iRsp1095, consisting of 1,095 genes, 796 metabolites and 1158 reactions, including R. sphaeroides-specific biomass reactions developed in this study. Constraint-based analysis showed that iRsp1095 agreed well with experimental observations when modeling growth under respiratory and phototrophic conditions. Genes essential for phototrophic growth were predicted by single gene deletion analysis. During pathway-level analyses of R. sphaeroides metabolism, an alternative route for CO2 assimilation was identified. Evaluation of photoheterotrophic H2 production using iRsp1095 indicated that maximal yield would be obtained from growing cells, with this predicted maximum ~50% higher than that observed experimentally from wild type cells. Competing pathways that might prevent the achievement of this theoretical maximum were identified to guide future genetic studies. iRsp1095 provides a robust framework for future metabolic engineering efforts to optimize the solar- and nutrient-powered production of biofuels and other valuable products by R. sphaeroides and closely related organisms.
THE ORGANIZATION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY IN THE PARTHENOGENETIC LIZARD CNEMIDOPHORUS TESSELATUS

The parthenogenetic lizard species Cnemidophorus tesselatus is composed of diploid populations formed by hybridization of the bisexual species C. tigris and C. septemvittatus, and of triploid populations derived from a cross between diploid tesselatus and a third bisexual species, C. sexlineatus. An analysis of allozymic variation in proteins encoded by 21 loci revealed that, primarily because of hybrid origin, individual heterozygosity in tesselatus is much higher (0.560 in diploids and 0.714 in triploids) than in the parental bisexual species (mean, 0.059). All triploid individuals apparently represent a single clone, but 12 diploid clones were identified on the basis of genotypic diversity occurring at six loci. From one to four clones were recorded in each population sampled. Three possible sources of clonal diversity in the diploid parthenogens were identified: mutation at three loci has produced three clones, each confined to a single locality; genotypic diversity at two loci apparently caused by multiple hybridization of the bisexual species accounts for four clones; and the remaining five clones apparently have arisen through recombination at three loci. The relatively limited clonal diversity of tesselatus suggests a recent origin. The evolutionary potential of tesselatus and of parthenogenetic forms in general may be less severely limited than has generally been supposed.
The role of interleukin-10 in the inhibition of T-cell proliferation and apoptosis mediated by parainfluenza virus type 3

We have previously demonstrated that parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV3), a significant respiratory pathogen, can markedly inhibit T-cell function in vitro. We now report that the virus potently induces interleukin-10 (IL-10) production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The IL-10 produced contributes to viral inhibition of T-cell proliferation and protects T cells from PIV3-mediated apoptosis. These findings suggest that IL-10 is likely to play an important immunoregulatory role in PIV3 infections.
Total Hip Arthroplasty Following Previous Acetabular Fracture

For patients with end-stage post-traumatic arthritis or osteonecrosis of the femoral head, conversion total hip arthroplasty (THA) can be an effective treatment option. It is more technically difficult than routine THA for inflammatory arthritis or osteoarthritis and it is associated with more complications. Preparation of the acetabulum is often the most technically challenging aspect of the operation. Newer technology is available to improve implant fixation. Surgical techniques will vary by acetabular defect type and size, and the use of bone graft is frequently required. Removal of previous hardware is not always required. Heterotopic ossification should be addressed with excision and appropriate prophylaxis instituted. A review of recent literature suggests that cementless fixation and improved implant design have improved the clinical outcome in these patients.
Finite-difference, time-domain analysis of lossy transmission lines

An active and efficient method of including frequency-dependent conductor losses into the time-domain solution of the multiconductor transmission line equations is presented. It is shown that the usual A+B/spl radic/s representation of these frequency-dependent losses is not valid for some practical geometries. The reason for this the representation of the internal inductance the at lower frequencies. A computationally efficient method for improving this representation in the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) solution method is given and is verified using the conventional time-domain to frequency-domain (TDFD) solution technique.
Toward a Holistic View of Undergraduate Research Experiences: An Exploratory Study of Impact on Graduate/Postdoctoral Mentors

Involvement in research has become a fixture in undergraduate science education across the United States. Graduate and postdoctoral students are often called upon to mentor undergraduates at research universities, yet mentoring relationships in undergraduate—graduate/postdoctoral student dyads and undergraduate—graduate/postdoctoral student—faculty triads have been largely unexamined. Here, we present findings of an exploratory case study framed by relational theory that identifies the motives, gains, and challenges reported by graduate/postdoctoral students who mentored undergraduates in research. Graduate/postdoctoral mentors experienced a wide range of gains, including improved qualifications and career preparation, cognitive and socioemotional growth, improved teaching and communication skills, and greater enjoyment of their own apprenticeship experience. Notably, graduate/postdoctoral mentors reported twice as many gains as challenges, neither of which were limited by their motives for mentoring. Indeed, their motives were fairly narrow and immediate, focusing on how mentoring would serve as a means to an end, while the gains and challenges they reported indicated a longer-term vision of how mentoring influenced their personal, cognitive, and professional growth. We propose that understanding the impact of mentoring undergraduates on the education and training of graduate/postdoctoral students may uncover new ideas about the benefits reaped through undergraduate research experiences.
Bmp4 and Fgf10 play opposing roles during lung bud morphogenesis

Morphogenesis of the mouse lung involves reciprocal interactions between the epithelial endoderm and the surrounding mesenchyme, leading to an invariant early pattern of branching that forms the basis of the respiratory tree. There is evidence that Fibroblast growth factor 10 (Fgf10) and Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 (Bmp4), expressed in the distal mesenchyme and endoderm, respectively, play important roles in branching morphogenesis. To examine these roles in more detail, we have exploited an in vitro culture system in which isolated endoderm is incubated in Matrigel(TM) substratum with Fgf-loaded beads. In addition, we have used a Bmp4(lacZ) line of mice in which lacZ faithfully reports Bmp4 expression. Analysis of lung endoderm in vivo shows a dynamic pattern of Bmp4(lacZ) expression during bud outgrowth, extension and branching. In vitro, Fgf10 induces both proliferation and chemotaxis of isolated endoderm, whether it is derived from the distal or proximal lung. Moreover, after 48 hours, Bmp4(lacZ) expression is upregulated in the endoderm closest to the bead. Addition of 30-50 ng/ml of exogenous purified Bmp4 to the culture medium inhibits Fgf-induced budding or chemotaxis, and inhibits overall proliferation. By contrast, the Bmp-binding protein Noggin enhances Fgf-induced morphogenesis. Based on these and other results, we propose a model for the combinatorial roles of Fgf10 and Bmp4 in branching morphogenesis of the lung.
Engineering a biospecific communication pathway between cells and electrodes

Methods for transducing the cellular activities of mammalian cells into measurable electronic signals are important in many biotechnical applications, including biosensors, cell arrays, and other cell-based devices. This manuscript describes an approach for functionally integrating cellular activities and electrical processes in an underlying substrate. The cells are engineered with a cell-surface chimeric receptor that presents the nonmammalian enzyme cutinase. Action of this cell-surface cutinase on enzyme substrate self-assembled monolayers switches a nonelectroactive hydroxyphenyl ester to an electroactive hydroquinone, providing an electrical activity that can be identified with cyclic voltammetry. In this way, cell-surface enzymatic activity is transduced into electronic signals. The development of strategies to directly interface the activities of cells with materials will be important to enabling a broad class of hybrid microsystems that combine living and nonliving components.
How Improved Forecasts Can Degrade Decentralized Supply Chains

This research studies the impact of improved forecasts on the members of a two-stage supply chain. The supplier builds capacity based on original forecast information, and the manufacturer places its order after observing improved (but imperfect) demand information. We study three types of wholesale price purchasing arrangements: (1) when the wholesale price is determined to be exogenous to the supply chain; (2) when the supplier sets the wholesale price; and (3) when the manufacturer sets the wholesale price. Although improved demand information reduces the demand uncertainty that the manufacturer faces, the manufacturer is constrained by the supplier's capacity decision. In all three cases, we show that improved information can decrease the supply chain's expected profit, even as the supplier's capacity increases with improved information. Because improved demand information always increases the centralized supply chain's expected profit, we present a contract that coordinates the channel and provides flexibility in dividing systemwide profit.
Optimization of Training and Scheduling in the Non-Coherent SIMO Multiple Access Channel

Channel state information (CSI) is important for achieving large rates in MIMO channels. However, in time-varying MIMO channels, there is a tradeoff between the time/energy spent acquiring channel state information (CSI) and the time/energy remaining for data transmission. This tradeoff is accentuated in the MIMO multiple access channel (MAC), since the number of channel vectors to be estimated increases with the number of users. Furthermore, the problem of acquiring CSI is tightly coupled with the problem of exploiting CSI through multiuser scheduling. This paper considers a block-fading MAC with coherence time T, n uncoordinated users-each with one transmit antenna and the same average power constraint, and a base station with M receive antennas and no a priori CSI. For this scenario, a training-based communication scheme is proposed and the training and multiuser-scheduling aspects of the scheme are jointly optimized. In the high-SNR regime, the sum capacity of the non-coherent SIMO MAC is characterized and used to establish the SNR-scaling-law optimality of the proposed scheme. In the low-SNR regime, the sum-rate of the proposed scheme is found to decay linearly with vanishing SNR when flash signaling is incorporated. Furthermore, this linear decay is shown to be order-optimal through comparison to the low-SNR sum capacity of the non-coherent SIMO MAC. A by product of these SNR-asymptotic analyses is the observation that non-trivial scheduling (i.e., scheduling a strict subset of trained users) is advantageous at low SNR, but not at high SNR. The sum-rate and per-user throughput are also explored in the large-n and large-M regimes. Non-coherent capacity, training, multiple access channel, multiuser scheduling, opportunistic scheduling.
Inhibition of myeloid cell differentiation in cancer: the role of reactive oxygen species.

It is well established that tumor growth is associated with accumulation of immature my- eloid cells (ImC). They play an important role in tumor-associated immune suppression. ImC accu- mulate not only in tumor-bearing hosts but also in immunized, tumor-free hosts or hosts infected with bacterial pathogens. The kinetics of ImC in these mice is different. If in tumor-bearing mice, the number of ImC continues to increase with tumor progression in tumor-free mice after an initial spike, it decreases to the control level. Here, we have investigated the mechanisms of ImC accumu- lation in tumor-bearing hosts by comparing differ- entiation of ImC obtained from tumor-free and tumor-bearing mice. In the presence of appropri- ate growth factors, ImC isolated from tumor-free mice quickly differentiated in vitro into mature dendritic cells (DC), macrophages, and granulo- cytes. In contrast, differentiation of ImC from tu- mor-bearing mice was significantly delayed. Simi- lar results were obtained in vivo after adoptive transfer of ImC into naive, congeneic mice. ImC transferred into tumor-bearing recipients failed to differentiate into DC or macrophages. ImC from tumor-bearing mice had significantly higher levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than ImC ob- tained from tumor-free mice. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) but not superoxide radical anions was found to be the major part of this increased ROS production. In vitro experiments demonstrated that scavenging of H2O2 with catalase induced dif- ferentiation of ImC from tumor-bearing mice into macrophages. Thus, this is a first demonstration that tumors may prevent differentiation of antigen- presenting cells by increasing the level of endoge- nous H2O2 in immature myeloid cells. J. Leukoc. Biol. 74: 186-196; 2003.
UPSLOPE WEATHER ALONG THE INLAND ALASKA AIR ROUTE

Abstract The importance of upslope circulation and its accompanying weather phenomena is discussed as a major factor influencing aircraft operation along the portion of the Inland Alaska Air Route which lies east of the Rocky Mountains. Great Falls, Montana, is given the greatest consideration since it is considered as representative of stations on the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains and more data are available for this station. The air masses involved in the occurrence of upslope circulation and associated phenomena are ascertained. Upslope weather types are classified into pure upslope, upslope—overrunning, upslope—radiation, and overrunning predominant with upslope as a minor factor. These types are correlated with typical synoptic examples. Forecasting of the formation and cessation of upslope weather phenomena is discussed on the basis of lower-air trajectories and the use of typical examples. Concrete deductions resulting from a study of many synoptic situations are enumerated as an aid in foreca...
Good Practice: Strategische Allianzen im Kontext regionaler Netzwerke

Mit dem Projekt ADMIRe A³ grundet sich eine strategische Allianz aus Akteuren in einer bereits von einem dichten Netz an Clustern, Netzwerken, Arbeitsgruppen und Fachgremien uberspannten Region. Der Wirtschaftsraum Augsburg, A³, sieht sich als Zentrum fur Ressourceneffizienz mit dem Anspruch, in diesen Bereichen langfristig europaische bzw. internationale Bedeutung zu erlangen. Dieser wird getragen durch ausgezeichnete Kompetenzen in Technologien und Anwenderbranchen, den sogenannten Kompetenzfeldern von A³, der Luft- und Raumfahrt, der Faserverbundtechnologie, der Mechatronik & Automation, der Umwelttechnologien und der Informations- und Kommunikations- Branche.
Principles of Immunological Diagnostic Tests for Cancers

Many of the immunological methods currently used in laboratory testing for cancer are based on the use of antibodies, including many diagnostic and prognostic tests, as well as some tests intended to inform treatment decisions. Unlocking the genetics of antibodies (Abs) has allowed researchers to manipulate their structure and harness the immense array of possible specificities granted to the immune system by evolution. The platforms that rely on Abs for detection are numerous and include enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA), flow cytometry, radioimmunoassay (RIA), immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry (IHC/ICC), and Ab arrays. Here we will provide a brief background on the ways in which the immunoglobulin protein can be manipulated and used as a tool for the detection of targets of interest. In addition, we will describe the principles behind many of the immunological methods used in testing in patients with cancer.
Auditory Consonant Trigrams: A Psychometric Update†

The Auditory Consonant Trigrams (ACT) test was developed to evaluate immediate memory in the absence of rehearsal. There are few psychometric studies of the measure and a lack of normative data using samples from the United States or Veterans. ACT data were examined for 184 participants who passed the Word Memory Test, denied a history of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), and consented for research purposes only. Reliability and construct validity were examined and normative data developed using a healthy subsample. Cronbach's α for the ACT total score was 0.79. Regression analyses suggested that years of education, estimated premorbid IQ, psychomotor speed, working memory, and impulsivity had the strongest relationships with performance on the ACT. Performance was unrelated to posttraumatic stress disorder and remote mild TBI, but the presence of major depressive disorder was associated with lower total scores. These results demonstrate the ACT has adequate psychometric properties.
Diagnostic Features of Neurobrucellosis

Investigators at Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, a tertiary care community hospital in Turkey, performed a prospective observational study between February 2002 and March 2005 of patients >16 years of age with laboratory confirmed brucellosis.
Calcium binding to the chloroplast andE. coli (CF0) F0 subunit III (c) of the ATP-synthase

Subunit III and c, the 8 kDa components of the chloroplast CF0, andE. coli H+ channel complexes respectively, were isolated and purified for the purpose of studying their Ca++-binding properties. Purified subunit III or c as well as the unfractionated organic-solvent soluble preparation from chloroplasts were used in a45Ca++-ligand blot assay known to detect high affinity Ca++-binding sites in proteins. Both subunit III and c showed strong45Ca++-binding. None of the other CF0 subunits bound Ca++ and of the CF1 only a weak binding was detected in the region of the α,β subunits. The Ca++-binding was inhibited after treating the proteins in solution by derivatizing aqueously exposed carboxyl groups with a water soluble carbodiimide plus a nucleophile, after de-formylation of the N-terminal methionine, or with a subsequent treatment with La3+. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide treatment (no nucleophile was added) of thylakoid membranes, which derivatizes the hydrophobically located Glu 61 (Asp 61 inE. coli), did not inhibit the Ca++-binding in either protein. The data indicate that for both proteins the carbonyl group of the formylated N-terminal Met-1 and probably the carboxyl group of the subunit III (or c) C-terminal provide some of seven essential oxygen ligands normally required for defining a Ca++-binding site in proteins. Based on the accepted models for the hairpin conformation of the subunit III (c), it seems clear that the Ca++-binding site can form on the lumenal side of the membrane in the functional CF0 structures or on the periplasmic side of theE. coli membrane. A working hypothesis we are testing is that Ca++-binding to the CF0 (or F0) can form an easily reversible gating site such as to enhance the probability for membrane-localized H+ gradients being coupled to ATP formation under moderate energization loads, but under excess energization the local H+ ion concentration may build up high enough to displace the bound Ca++, resulting in delocalization of the H+ gradient. The latter situation seems, in chloroplasts at least, to function as a signal for over-energization; i.e., excess light absorption, a potential stress situation for plants. Lumenal acidification appears to be a trigger for initiating stress alleviation responses.
Using Natural Abundance Radiocarbon To Trace the Flux of Petrocarbon to the Seafloor Following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

In 2010, the Deepwater Horizon accident released 4.6–6.0 × 1011 grams or 4.1 to 4.6 million barrels of fossil petroleum derived carbon (petrocarbon) as oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Natural abundance radiocarbon measurements on surface sediment organic matter in a 2.4 × 1010 m2 deep-water region surrounding the spill site indicate the deposition of a fossil-carbon containing layer that included 1.6 to 2.6 × 1010 grams of oil-derived carbon. This quantity represents between 0.5 to 9.1% of the released petrocarbon, with a best estimate of 3.0–4.9%. These values may be lower limit estimates of the fraction of the oil that was deposited on the seafloor because they focus on a limited mostly deep-water area of the Gulf, include a conservative estimate of thickness of the depositional layer, and use an average background or prespill radiocarbon value for sedimentary organic carbon that produces a conservative value. A similar approach using hopane tracer estimated that 4–31% of 2 million barrels of oil that stay...
SY04-4NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TREATMENT OF GAMBLING DISORDER

Background. Although there are no medications with indications for pathological gambling or gambling disorder, multiple pharmacotherapies and behavioral therapies have received empirical support in the treatment of pathological gambling or gambling disorder. Methods. Data from clinical trials will be reviewed, with an emphasis on findings from placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials. Results. Both behavioral and pharmacological therapies appear efficacious in the treatment of gambling disorder. Behavioral therapies with varying degrees of empirical support include different forms of cognitive behavioral therapies, imaginal desensitization, motivational interviewing and brief interventions. Pharmacological therapies with varying degrees of support include opioid antagonists like naltrexone, mood stabilizers like lithium, serotonin reuptake inhibitors like paroxetine, and nutraceuticals like n-acetyl-cysteine. Recent data suggest that combinations of behavioral and pharmacological approaches hold promise and that co-occurring disorders may be used to guide selection of pharmacological agents. Conclusions. Although no medication currently has a formal indication for gambling disorder, multiple therapies have empirical support in the treatment of gambling disorder.
Equation-of-State Test Suite for the DYNA3D Code

This document describes the creation and implementation of a test suite for the Equationof- State models in the DYNA3D code. A customized input deck has been created for each model, as well as a script that extracts the relevant data from the high-speed edit file created by DYNA3D. Each equation-of-state model is broken apart and individual elements of the model are tested, as well as testing the entire model. The input deck for each model is described and the results of the tests are discussed. The intent of this work is to add this test suite to the validation suite presently used for DYNA3D.
Complexes of free fatty acids and iron exert synergistic toxicity and induce DNA mutation through mitochondrial metabolism

Objective Free fatty acids from tobacco smoke may be important toxic elements since they can form a lipophilic complex with ferrous iron and then transport the iron into mammalian cells. Although such iron loading was earlier found to increase the oxidative susceptibility of cell membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids, additional toxic effects of fatty acid:iron complexes are little known. Methods Using simple eukaryotic cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the synergistic effets of fatty acid:iron on yeast cytotoxicity and mutagenesis were investigated. The fatty acids-mediated iron depsition in the mitocchondria and lipid oxidation, and the subsequent reactive oxygen species generation were also studied. Results The combination of iron and free fatty acids was markedly toxic, although neither single constituent had a detectable effect on yeast viability and mutagenesis. This toxicity was prevented when yeast suspensions were incubated with nitrogen, suggesting that reactive oxygen generated by mitochondrial metabolism may be involved. Indeed, respiration defective(ρ 0) yeast were relatively protected against iron:fatty acid-induced toxicity. Yeasts endowed with enhanced iron storage capability through overexpression of CCC1 were similarly protected. The cytotoxic effects of iron + fatty acids were most likely mediated by oxidant damage to membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids inasmuch as supplementation of yeast cultures with α-tocopherol or a 'lazaroid' compound(inhibitors of peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids) also protected against killing. Conclusion The toxic effects of iron overload caused by iron:fatty acid complexes may be implicated in the mitochondrial metabolism. Furthermore, if these observations in yeast are pertinent to the progressive pulmonary damage associated with cigarette smoking, they imply that the seemingly innocuous fatty acids existed in tobacco smoke mayrepresent important toxic elements in the presence of trace amounts of ‘loose' iron.
Research of the factors controlling fracture development of Chegu 201 buried hill fracture by FMI

The development characteristic of the fractures of Chegu 201 buried hill are analyzed making use of the formation micro-scanner log data.The result shows that the development degree of fractures is mainly controlled by lithology and tectonic conditions especially faulting and folding.The lithology is the inner factor to influence the development of fractures and the tectonic condition improved the reservoir of carbonate rocks buried hill.
Bone Tumor Mimickers

The previous chapters have been organized by the composition and tissue of differentiation for each tumor. However, many lesions that occur in bone are not true tumors and may be mistaken for a neoplasm, leading to the wrong diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Therefore, this book would be incomplete without a section on common lesions and artifacts that can mimic tumors in bone. The lesions included here encompass several etiologies, including normal variants, congenital anomalies, posttraumatic lesions, metabolic and arthritic processes, infection, iatrogenic lesions, and pseudolesions created by technical artifacts. In this section, we present the common “mimickers” that one can expect to encounter in everyday practice. In most instances, the clinical history will be important in determining the true nature of the lesion.
Clicking Away: Repurposing Student Response Systems to Lessen Off-Task Behavior:

Self-monitoring is a well-documented practice to assist educators with addressing students' behavioral challenges. However, little research has examined technology to support students' self-monitor...
Divine Motivation theory: The moral importance of the Incarnation

In His immeasurable love He became what we are in order to make us what He is. Saint Irenaeus, Against the Heresies MUST CHRISTIANITY BE AN ETHIC OF LAW? Christian theological ethics has usually been an ethic of law. It is worth considering why this is so. Is there something about Christian doctrine that requires it? Elizabeth Anscombe (1958) implies an affirmative answer in her classic paper, “Modern Moral Philosophy” (p. 30). There Anscombe argues not only that Christianity has a law ethic, but also that the favorite concept of modern British moral philosophers – obligation – makes no sense except within a law system of ethics. She goes on to argue that an ethics of law makes no sense without a divine lawgiver, so her conclusion is not only that Christian ethics is an ethics of law, but also that any philosopher who wants to retain the concept of obligation as developed within Western philosophy is logically committed to the existence of God (p. 31). Unsurprisingly, most contemporary philosophers have rejected her second claim. Here I want to reject her first. The connection between Christianity and law-based ethics may be largely owing to historical contingencies that connected the development of Christianity with Roman law, but I wonder how deep the connection is in Christian doctrine. Since the alternative that I am proposing is a Christian virtue theory, it is startling to find Jerome Schneewind blaming Christianity's promotion of morality as law for the earliest and most important “misfortune” that virtue ethics encountered.
NMR study of nematic spin fluctuations in a detwinned single crystal of underdoped Ba(Fe1−xCox)2As2

We report the experimental details of how mechanical detwinning can be implemented in tandem with high-sensitivity nuclear magnetic resonance measurements and use this setup to measure the in-plane anisotropy of the spin-lattice relaxation rate in underdoped $\mathrm{Ba}{({\mathrm{Fe}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Co}}_{x})}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ with $x=0.048$. The anisotropy reaches a maximum of 30% at ${T}_{N}$, and the recovery data reveal that the glassy behavior of the spin fluctuations present in the twinned state persist in the fully detwinned crystal. A theoretical model is presented to describe the spin-lattice relaxation rate in terms of anisotropic nematic spin fluctuations.
Measuring the impact of manganese exposure on children's neurodevelopment: advances and research gaps in biomarker-based approaches.

Children’s exposure to manganese (Mn) is a public health concern and consistent policy guidelines for safe levels of Mn exposure is lacking. The complexity of establishing exposure thresholds for Mn partially relates to its dual role as an essential micronutrient with low levels required for good health, but also as a neurotoxin at high levels. Questions exist about the age-related susceptibility to excess Mn, particularly for children, and how best to measure chronic exposures. To address this concern we conducted a systematic review of studies examining children’s exposure to Mn and neurodevelopmental outcomes focused on selection of biomarker-based and environmental measurements of Mn exposure to identify the scientific advances and research gaps. PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched through March 2016 for studies that were published in English, used a biomarker-based or environmental measurement of Mn exposure, and measured at least one neurological outcome for children aged 0–18 years. Ultimately, thirty-six papers from 13 countries were selected. Study designs were cross-sectional (24), prospective cohorts (9), and case control (3). Neurodevelopmental outcomes were first assessed for Mn exposure in infants (6 papers), toddlers or preschoolers (3 papers) and school-age children (27 papers). Studies of school-aged children most frequently measured Intelligence Quotient (IQ) scores using Mn biomarkers of hair or blood. Higher hair concentrations of Mn were consistently associated with lower IQ scores while studies of blood biomarkers and IQ scores had inconsistent findings. Studies of infants and toddlers most frequently measured mental and psychomotor development; findings were inconsistent across biomarkers of Mn (hair, cord blood, tooth enamel, maternal or child blood and dentin). Although few studies measured environmental sources of Mn, hair biomarkers were associated with Mn in drinking water and infant formula. Only one paper quantified the associations between environmental sources of Mn and blood concentrations. Hair-Mn was the more consistent and valid biomarker of Mn exposure in school-aged children. Accurate measurement of children’s exposure to Mn is crucial for addressing these knowledge gaps in future studies. However, research on biomarkers feasible for fetuses and infants is urgently needed given their unique vulnerability to excessive Mn.
Common fragile sites (CFS) and extremely large CFS genes are targets for human papillomavirus integrations and chromosome rearrangements in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Common fragile sites (CFS) are chromosome regions that are prone to form gaps or breaks in response to DNA replication stress. They are often found as hotspots for sister chromatid exchanges, deletions, and amplifications in different cancers. Many of the CFS regions are found to span genes whose genomic sequence is greater than 1 Mb, some of which have been demonstrated to function as important tumor suppressors. CFS regions are also hotspots for human papillomavirus (HPV) integrations in cervical cancer. We used mate-pair sequencing to examine HPV integration events and chromosomal structural variations in 34 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). We used endpoint PCR and Sanger sequencing to validate each HPV integration event and found HPV integrations preferentially occurred within CFS regions similar to what is observed in cervical cancer. We also found that many of the chromosomal alterations detected also occurred at or near the cytogenetic location of CFSs. Several large genes were also found to be recurrent targets of rearrangements, independent of HPV integrations, including CSMD1 (2.1Mb), LRP1B (1.9Mb), and LARGE1 (0.7Mb). Sanger sequencing revealed that the nucleotide sequences near to identified junction sites contained repetitive and AT-rich sequences that were shown to have the potential to form stem-loop DNA secondary structures that might stall DNA replication fork progression during replication stress. This could then cause increased instability in these regions which could lead to cancer development in human cells. Our findings suggest that CFSs and some specific large genes appear to play important roles in OPSCC. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Inverse scattering transform for the integrable nonlocal nonlinear Schrödinger equation

A nonlocal nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation was recently introduced and shown to be an integrable infinite dimensional Hamiltonian evolution equation. In this paper a detailed study of the inverse scattering transform of this nonlocal NLS equation is carried out. The direct and inverse scattering problems are analyzed. Key symmetries of the eigenfunctions and scattering data and conserved quantities are obtained. The inverse scattering theory is developed by using a novel left–right Riemann–Hilbert problem. The Cauchy problem for the nonlocal NLS equation is formulated and methods to find pure soliton solutions are presented; this leads to explicit time-periodic one and two soliton solutions. A detailed comparison with the classical NLS equation is given and brief remarks about nonlocal versions of the modified Korteweg–de Vries and sine-Gordon equations are made.
Stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastasis from gynecological malignancies

Brain metastases are relatively uncommon in gynecological malignancies, and there is limited available data on their management. The present study reports the outcomes of patients with brain metastasis from gynecological malignancies who were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Patients with brain metastasis from a gynecological primary site were treated with SRS using the Cyberknife™ frameless SRS system. Primary lesions were treated with a single fraction of 16-22 Gy. A total of 3 resection cavities were treated with 8 Gy 3 times, meaning a total of 24 Gy, and 1 recurrent lesion was re-irradiated with 5 Gy 5 times, meaning a total of 25 Gy. All patients were followed up with regular magnetic resonance imaging and clinical examinations 1 month after treatment and every 2 months thereafter. A total of 20 lesions in 8 patients were included in this study; 1 patient presented with metastatic endometrial cancer and the remaining 7 presented with metastatic ovarian cancer. The median age was 61 years (range, 48-78 years). All patients had received systemic therapy prior to developing brain metastasis. A total of 3 patients underwent surgical resection and 1 patient was administered re-irradiation for recurrence. There were 3 local failures in 2 patients. The actuarial 1-, 2- and 3-year local control rates were 91, 91 and 76%, respectively. The median overall survival time was 29 months. No SRS-associated toxicities or neurological mortalities were observed. In conclusion, brain metastasis from gynecological malignancies is uncommon, however, SRS is a safe and effective treatment modality for local control as a primary or adjuvant treatment in patients with this disease.
“I don't know where I would be right now if it wasn't for them”: Emancipated foster care youth and their important non-parental adults

Abstract Research has identified the benefits of having non-parental adults for older youth in foster care, but less is known about the characteristics of these relationships, as well as the processes that support the foster youth as they transition from care to independence. The present study included a diverse group of 99 young adults, who recently emancipated from care in a major U.S. city. These young adults reported having a very important non-parental adult (VIP) and 63 of these VIPs were also included in this study. The youth participated in a two-hour in-person interview followed by a survey, and the VIPs underwent a phone interview; all of these interviews were later transcribed and qualitatively coded using thematic analysis. Overall, this study aimed to: 1) identify the characteristics of these VIPs, and 2) elucidate how the VIPs support youth during the transition from care. Prominent characteristics of the youth and VIP relationship identified in this study include the relationship being “parent-like”, respectful, and reciprocal with regards to communication. Moreover, it was found that both the youth and the VIPs viewed these relationships to be important in reducing negative outcomes for the youth. These results call for the foster care system to take steps in helping foster care youth find and build relationships with the non-parental adults in their lives — VIPs can serve as important sources of support to aid foster youth in their adaptation to young adulthood.
Hydrogenolysis of glycerol over Ni, Cu, Zn, and Zr supported on H-beta

Abstract A series of transition metal oxides (e.g., Ni, Cu, Zn, and Zr) were supported on H-beta with loading of 5–20 wt% via wet impregnation. These catalysts were evaluated in the hydrogenolysis of glycerol under aqueous conditions at different reaction temperatures (150–250 °C), times (5–15 h) and H2 pressures (300–1200 psi). The results from characterization of materials by XRD, FT-IR, N2 sorption and NH3-TPD together with the results from the activity test allowed further understanding of the role of transition metals and acid sites on hydrogenolysis of glycerol. The H-beta was found to contain higher Bronsted acidity and catalyst activity compared to those supported metal catalysts. It was found that the acidic properties of the H-Beta zeolite and metal content play a significant role on the final product distribution. The major product over bare H-beta and Zr/H-beta was 1-proponal, while the concentration of 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol increased significantly by the incorporation of a second metal oxide. A high 1,3-propanediol selectivity of 14% was obtained over the H-beta supported Ni-Zr catalyst at 73% glycerol conversion. The selectivity of 1,2-propanediol and 1,3-propanediol were decreased at higher reaction temperature and time.
Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Donor Nephrectomy

Living donor kidney transplantation is the best available treatment for end-stage renal disease. Unfortunately, donor burden, especially the threat of poor cosmesis, is a major impediment to living organ donation. Due to its decreased morbidity for the donor and equivalent outcomes for the recipient, laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is now accepted as a standard of care for living donor kidney procurement. The laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) technique is the next step in further optimizing donor nephrectomy to expedite recovery and maximize cosmesis. Herein, we provide a detailed review and step-by-step surgical guide to LESS donor nephrectomy. The high degree of technical difficulty required for LESS donor nephrectomy limits its application; therefore, we also discuss current and future advances in the LESS technique, especially related to robotic technology. Owing to the improved range of motion and ergonomics afforded by robotic surgical systems, new developments in robotic technology may permit the widespread use of LESS in the future.
Prayer and Neuroimaging: Concepts and Feasibility

Long recognized as a defi ning feature of religion, prayer, paradoxically, has received only sporadic empirical attention. Recent investigations in the U.S. and the Netherlands have sought to address this gap by exploring the topic of prayer in programmatic fashions, signifi cantly advancing the state of the art in terms of measurement of the practice of private prayer. The present paper fi rst offers one way to integrate and expand the contemporary prayer literature using a conceptual analysis of religion. Second, challenges and possibilities associated with moving from this synthetic defi nition to neuroimaging work are examined within the framework of social cognitive neuroscience.
Failures in large scale systems: long-term measurement, analysis, and implications

Resilience is one of the key challenges in maintaining high efficiency of future extreme scale supercomputers. Researchers and system practitioners rely on field-data studies to understand reliability characteristics and plan for future HPC systems. In this work, we compare and contrast the reliability characteristics of multiple large-scale HPC production systems. Our study covers more than one billion compute node hours across five different systems over a period of 8 years. We confirm previous findings which continue to be valid, discover new findings, and discuss their implications.
Bayesian Variable Selection

Variable selection is one of the most frequently encountered problems in statistical data analysis. In cancer or AIDS clinical trials, for example, one often wishes to assess the importance of certain prognostic factors such as treatment, age, gender, or race in predicting survival outcome. Most of the existing literature addresses variable selection using criterion-based methods such as the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) (Akaike 1973) or Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC) (Schwarz 1978). Fully Bayesian approaches to variable selection for these models are now feasible due to recent advances in computing technology and the development of efficient computational algorithms. The Bayesian approach to variable selection is straightforward in principle. One quantifies the prior uncertainties via probabilities for each model under consideration, specifies a prior distribution for each of the parameters in each model, and then uses Bayes’ theorem to calculate posterior model probabilities.
Using Pseudoscience to Improve Introductory Psychology Students' Information Literacy.

We developed an assignment that required introductory psychology students to read and evaluate the quality of several sources of information about the causal link between vaccines and autism. To ev...
Nancy Mitford: Lessons for Historians from a Best-Selling Author

Few eighteenth-century scholars have heard of Nancy Mitford, the English writer and socialite. Yet, in the 1950s and 1960s she wrote two best-selling biographies: the first, about Madame de Pompadour (1954); and the second, about the philosophe Emilie Du Châtelet, also famous as Voltaire’s companion (thus, Mitford’s title, Voltaire in Love, 1957). This essay describes how this self-educated, lively novelist turned to biography, and offers lessons for scholars in the tone, pace, and humor characteristic of her writing. The essay concludes with discussion of the lingering appeal of Mitford’s portrayal of Du Châtelet as “always something of the whore.” Tragically, Mitford, a woman with an exciting, incisive mind, thus perpetuated this common historical trope, denigrating women of intellect.
A Smoothed Bayes Control Procedure for the Control of a Variable Quality Characteristic with Linear Shift

A smoothed Bayes control procedure has been developed for controlling the output of a production process when the quality characteristic is continuous with a linear shift in its basic level. The procedure uses Bayesian estimation with exponential smooth..
Therapy of Lactic Acidosis

Lactic acidosis is a critical and usually fatal complication of many severe disease processes. There is a logarithmic increase in mortality as lactic acid levels rise above 5 mmol/L. A rise in serum lactate signifies that homeostatic mechanisms are desperately compromised. Treatment of the acidemia without correcting the underlying pathology is doomed to failure. Lactic acid production will outpace attempts at correction as the disease process worsens. Thus, the most important goals of therapy are recognition, diagnosis, and correction of the disturbance leading to excessive lactic acid production. Therapeutic maneuvers to correct the acidic milieu may allow stabilization of the patient for a long enough period to allow the definitive therapy to become effective.