cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angiogenesis in Collagen I Requires α2β1 Ligation of a GFP*GER Sequence and Possibly p38 MAPK Activation and Focal Adhesion Disassembly

Angiogenesis depends on proper collagen biosynthesis and cross-linking, and type I collagen is an ideal angiogenic scaffold, although its mechanism is unknown. We examined angiogenesis using an assay wherein confluent monolayers of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were overlain with collagen in a serum-free defined medium. Small spaces formed in the cell layer by 2 h, and cells formed net-like arrays by 6–8 h and capillary-like lumens by 24 h. Blocking of α2β1, but not α1 or αvβ3 integrin function halted morphogenesis. We found that a triple-helical, homotrimeric peptide mimetic of a putative α2β1 binding site: α1(I)496–507 GARGERGFP*GER (where single-letter amino acid nomenclature is used, P* = hydroxyproline) inhibited tube formation, whereas a peptide carrying another putative site: α1(I)127–138 GLP*GERGRP*GAP* or control peptides did not. A chemical inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), SB202190, blocked tube formation, and p38 MAPK activity was increased in collagen-treated cultures, whereas targeting MAPK kinase (MEK), focal adhesion kinase (FAK), or phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) had little effect. Collagen-treated cells had fewer focal adhesions and 3- to 5-fold less activated FAK. Thus capillary morphogenesis requires endothelial α2β1 integrin engagement of a single type I collagen integrin-binding site, possibly signaling via p38 MAPK and focal adhesion disassembly/FAK inactivation.
A new pulse shaped frequency division multiplexing technique for doubly dispersive channels

There is a growing demand for higher data rate systems that can function in a highly mobile environment. This mandates designs suited to doubly selective channels. This paper presents a pulse-shaped frequency-division multiplexing (PS-FDM) scheme for transmission over doubly-dispersive channels. The pulse shapes are designed to yield an intersymbol interference (ISI)/intercarrier interference (ICI) profile matching a given target response. The receiver relies on a high-performance/low-complexity equalizer based on the maximum likelihood (ML) criterion to reliably extract the transmitted symbols from the observations in the presence of controlled amounts of interference in the target response. In order to protect the transmitted information against subcarrier nulls, a convolutional code is used at the transmitter. The equalizer exchanges soft information with a maximum a-posteriori probability (MAP) optimal decoder in a turbo-like fashion at the receiver. Simulations suggest that turbo-equalization with the linear complexity iterative equalizer offers significant performance enhancements over standard techniques.
Effects of Intra-Aortic Balloon Counterpulsation on Cardiac Performance, Oxygen Consumption, and Coronary Blood Flow in Dogs

The effect of intra-aortic Counterpulsation (IACP) with a balloon upon myocardial oxygen consumption (MV·o2), coronary blood flow (TCF), and left ventricular performance was studied in 23 anesthetized canine right heart bypass preparations at constant heart rate and cardiac output. In nonhypotensive, nonTCF-limited preparations, IACP produced a fall in left ventricular peak systolic pressure (LVP) and a decrease in MV·o2 (-1.1 ± 0.2 (SE) ml/min/100 g LV). In these animals there was little steady state change in TCF (-5.6±5.9 ml/min), secondary to autoregulation by the coronary vascular bed. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) fell if elevated but exhibited little change if initially normal. However, in hypotensive preparations, in which left ventricular performance was substantially limited by a decreased TCF, IACP produced a striking increase in TCF (+40.9 ± 8.6 ml/min) accompanied by an increase in MV·o2 (+1.2±0.3 ml/min/100 g LV). Elevated LVEDPs fell substantially toward normal. Directiona...
The Heavy Duty Gasoline Engine - A Multi-Cylinder Study of a High Efficiency, Low Emission Technology

SwRI has developed a new technology concept involving the use of high EGR rates coupled with a high-energy ignition system in a gasoline engine to improve fuel economy and emissions. Based on a single-cylinder study [1], this study extends the concept of a high compression ratio gasoline engine with EGR rates > 30% and a high-energy ignition system to a multi-cylinder engine. A 2000 MY Isuzu Duramax 6.6 L 8-cylinder engine was converted to run on gasoline with a diesel pilot ignition system. The engine was run at two compression ratios, 17.5:1 and 12.5:1 and with two different EGR systems - a low-pressure loop and a high pressure loop. A high cetane number (CN) diesel fuel (CN=76) was used as the ignition source and two different octane number (ON) gasolines were investigated - a pump grade 91 ON ((R+M)/2) and a 103 ON ((R+M)/2) racing fuel. The results showed that the stock, 17.5:1 compression ratio (CR) was unsuitable for operation except at light (<50%) loads with the peak BMEP's of 700 kPa on 91 ON fuel and 1000 kPa on 103 ON fuel. The engine-out BSNOx ranged from 0.76 to 2.35 g/kW-hr with brake thermal efficiencies (BTE) between 26-38% over the load range. At 12.5:1 CR, the peak BMEP's were much higher, 1260 kPa on 91 ON and 1720 kPa on 103 ON. The engine-out BSNOx ranged from 0.03 to 2.10 g/kW-hr with BTE's between 23-37% over the load range. With the addition of a 3-way catalyst, made possible by stoichiometric operation, the possibility exists for extremely low emissions at diesel-like fuel economies. These results show that the technology has the potential to return the efficiency of a modern diesel engine (equipped with aftertreatment devices) with the low emissions of a light-duty gasoline engine.
Theoretical Characterization of Four Distinct Isomer Types in Hydrated-Electron Clusters, and Proposed Assignments for Photoelectron Spectra of Water Cluster Anions

Water cluster anions, (H2O)N–, are examined using mixed quantum/classical molecular dynamics based on a one-electron pseudopotential model that incorporates many-body polarization and predicts vertical electron detachment energies (VDEs) with an accuracy of ∼0.1 eV. By varying the initial conditions under which the clusters are formed, we are able to identify four distinct isomer types that exhibit different size-dependent VDEs. On the basis of a strong correlation between the electron’s radius of gyration and its optical absorption maximum, and extrapolating to the bulk limit (N → ∞), our analysis supports the assignment of the “isomer Ib” data series, observed in photoelectron spectra of very cold clusters, as arising from cavity-bound (H2O)N– cluster isomers. The “isomer I” data reported in warmer experiments are assigned to surface-bound isomers in smaller clusters, transitioning to partially embedded isomers in larger clusters. The partially embedded isomers are characterized by a partially formed so...
RCS Patterns of Pedestrians at 76¿77 GHz

76 GHz to 77 GHz vehicular radars are useful in pedestrian collision avoidance for their longer detection range, higher spatial resolution, and tolerances to different weather and illumination conditions. Such radars can be used to provide early warning to the driver, or to just take over the control of the vehicle in emergency conditions. In order to have a high detection rate and a low false-alarm rate, it is very important to identify unique pedestrian radar signatures. However, experimentally characterizing pedestrian radar signatures at such short wavelengths is very challenging and often not reliable, because the radar response becomes very sensitive to the pedestrian's small motions. In this paper, the horizontal scattering patterns of pedestrians are investigated via both full-wave numerical model simulations, and actual measurements of human subjects of different sizes in different postures and clothing conditions. The contributions to the radar responses from different major body parts are also identified. The resultant radar cross section patterns exhibited unique features that could be used for pedestrian detection.
Prognostic Value of EEG in Focal Seizure Control

Patients aged 2 to 85 (mean 32) years whose focal seizures were uncontrolled (U) (more than 2 seizures per month) and a group with controlled seizures (C) (fewer than 2 seizures per year), 150 in each group, were randomly selected from files at the University of Illinois Medical Center, Chicago, and EEGs in the two groups (804 in U group and 674 in C group) were examined for their predictive value of seizure control.
Social Work Students' Perceptions of Fathers' and Mothers' Warmth and Control: Implications for Pedagogy and Research

This study explores undergraduate social work students' relationships with maternal and paternal caregivers and students' perceptions of contemporary maternal and paternal roles. The research is based on a convenience sample of 96 undergraduate social work students attending 3 public state universities. Results show that students experienced significantly less warmth and nurturance from their fathers than their mothers. Students also experienced paternal rejection at rates higher than those reported by respondents in other studies. These findings add to research that demonstrates relationship difficulties in social work students' families of origin. Social work students also tend to hold a range of traditional and nontraditional views of maternal and paternal roles that indicate sensitivity to variations in parental roles and behaviors within and across genders. Implications for pedagogy and research are discussed.
Maintaining Chemically Reducing Waste-Package Conditions

Most fission products and actinides in spent nuclear fuel (SNF) are trapped in the uranium dioxide (UO2) crystal structure and cannot escape until the UO2 is oxidized. Oxidation destroys the crystal structure, exposes the radionuclides to groundwater, and creates the potential for dissolution. For a repository in an oxidizing geochemical environment, the potential exists to delay the release of radionuclides for hundreds of thousands to millions of years by using a combination of excess depleted uranium dioxide and iron in the waste package (WP) to locally maintain chemically reducing conditions. This approach limits the rate of oxygen transport to the SNF after WP failure. Alternative methods of oxygen transport to the SNF were investigated, including transport by groundwater, diffusion through air, and diffusion through water.
MULTITRANSMITTER MECHANISMS UNDERLYING SELECTED FUNCTION, PARTICULARLY AGGRESSION, LEARNING AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOR

Multitransmitter actions of neurotropic drugs are well known at present, e.g. benzodiazepines affect levels and/or turnover of GABA, glycine, acetylcholine (ACh), histamine, catecholamines and serotonin (5HT). Less appreciated are multitransmitter actions of drugs seemingly specific for single neurotransmitter systems. For instance, changes in levels and/or turnover of ACh induced by DFP affect catecholamines, 5HT and GABA; some of these effects are reciprocal. Interestingly, besides blocking DFP effect on catecholamines and 5HT, atropine markedly lowers 5HT levels in several brain parts in absence of DFP. Accordingly, when a specific behavior affects more than one transmitter, primary and secondary mechanisms may be involved. Multitransmitter behavioral phenomena that should be thus analyzed include motor behavior and catalepsy (cf. Javoy, this Symposium), chronobiological events, memory and learning, several hypothalamic behaviors (cf. Myers, this Symposium), nociception, aggression, sleep (cf. Pujol, this Symposium) and EEG phenomena, alcohol and morphine addiction, sexual behavior and brain excitability. Some of these phenomena will be reviewed here. Several types of aggression should be distinguished. Catecholamines, 5HT, ACh and amino acid neurotransmitters may be involved in one or more. Cholinomimetics and atropinics exert marked effects on both predatory and emotional aggression; yet, certain paradigms inducing aggression do not seem to affect ACh levels and/or turnover. Neurochemical similarities between aggressive and sexual behavior may be pointed out; furthermore, in both cases, neurotransmitters interplay with hormones. Serotonin, catecholamines and ACh may be involved in nociception. In DFP-induced analgesia, not only ACh but also 5HT levels are markedly increased; when p-chlorphenylalanine or 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine are employed in conjunction with DFP to prevent increase in 5HT levels, ACh increment as well as analgesia still persist. While several neurotransmitters and experience-specific proteins seem all involved in learning and memory , cholinergic system may be particularly important as indicated by data in man. Common denominator of many behaviors are the EEG and evoked potential phenomena. Cholinergic system may act as general “desynchronizer”, this action being modulated by the status of other neurotransmitters.
The importance of being Earnest: I can't glean which gene you mean.

in his 1895 play “The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People,” Oscar Wilde creates a farce based around the characters inventing new identities and misrepresenting themselves. The play should remind us about our scientific responsibility in the age of systems biology.
Inequalities for a Collection

Like many other kinds of collectibles, inequalities should not appear in one's collection unless they have been authenticated-in this case, by proving them. How can we prove (1)? In the first place, it is not obviously false, since sinih2 x 0 for x > 0, and so sinx < x. However, (1) does not seem to yield to this approach. It is sometimes easier to solve a special problem by solving a general problem of which it is a special case. (That is how calculus solves problems about rates, areas, etc.) We might notice that (1) is an instance of a hypothetical inequality
Wind Field Velocity and Acceleration Estimation Using a Small UAV

A new method for estimating the wind field velocity and acceleration is proposed, which properly relates the kinematics of the aircraft using the aircraft frame, wind frame, and Earth-fixed frame. The proposed technique was compared to an existing direct method for computing the wind field velocity. Experimental Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) flight data was used to validate the proposed approach. The experimental results demonstrated effective estimation of the attitude angles, and provided a smoothed estimate of the airspeed, angle of attack, and sideslip angle. The wind estimation results were validated with respect to measurements provided by a local weather station. It was shown that this new method is capable of providing a much more reasonable estimate of the local wind field than the existing direct method.
Interactions Between Manganese and Brain Dopamine

The neonatal mouse was shown to share with the neonatal rat and kitten an initial inability to excrete the essential element manganese. In the mouse, it was shown that the blood-brain barrier against the metal is much less efficient postnatally than in the mature mouse. Varying the dietary concentration of manganese consumed by lactating mothers showed that the manganese concentration in the mother's milk tended to rise with that in the diet. The tissue manganese concentrations of both mothers and offspring, when plotted against the concentration of the metal in the diet, described straight lines with very low slopes: for relatively small increments of tissue concentration one needed large increments of dietary manganese. Only when massive dietary manganese levels were reached was there a sudden, marked increase in the tissues of both mothers and offspring. Under such dietary conditions, the offspring showed premature initiation of the metal's excretion. In view of the effects of chronic manganese poisoning on cerebral dopamine, appropriate measurements were initiated which, for the moment, have shown the following: that adult mice consuming diets containing massive amounts of manganese developed statistically significant elevations of cerebral dopamine.
Clinical and Epidemiologic Analysis of 22 Children with Severe and Critical Influenza A in Jiangxi Area

Objective To analyze the clinical and epidemiologic features of 22 children with severe and critical influenza A(H1N1) in Jiangxi area.Methods Twenty-two children who were diagnosed as severe and critical H1N1 were enrolled in this study.Data on epide-miology,clinical manifestations,laboratory tests,imaging features,therapy and prognosis were evaluated.Results 1.Among 22 cases,13 cases were critical,9 cases were severe;16 cases were male,6 cases were female;the average age was 3 years old and 9 months,among which 18 cases were less than 5 years old,5 cases had history of exposure to H1N1 or influenza-like patients.Nine cases had underlying diseases,of which 8 cases had recurrent wheezing,1 case had tuberculosis infection.2.Clinical initial symptoms were mainly cough,fever,shortness of breath.Shortness of breath occurred within the first 1-3 days of onset.The incidence of shortness of breath was higher in critical group than that in severe group(P0.01).Compared with the severe group,the emergence time of pulmonary rales and the duration from symptom onset to hospital admission in critical group were shorter,while the duration of pulmonary rales and hospitalization in critical group were longer(Pa0.05).3.The counts of peripheral white blood cells,the percentage of neutrophil and the levels of serum IgE in critical group were significantly increased compared with those in severe group(Pa0.05).The levels of serum C-reactive protein on admission in severe and cri-tical groups were higher than its normal values.In the first 1-2 weeks of course,the counts of peripheral white blood cells,the percentage of neutrophil and lymphocyte in critical group were decreased;the percentage of eosinophils was significantly increased compared with its percentageon admission(Pa0.01).4.The median duration from onset to first dose of oseltamivir was 4 days.Among the critical patients,10 cases needed to use short-term low-dose methyprednisolone therapy while 11 cases underwent mechanical ventilation.It was 2-5 days from onset to mechanical ventilation initiation,the duration of ventilation was 1-5 days,so both had positive correlation(r=0.635,P=0.036).Conclusions The preschool children with recurrent wheezing were the high risk population in the H1N1 prevention work in Jiangxi area.Airway hyperresponsiveness of the H1N1 patients may be the basis of severe damage of pulmonary histopathology.Shortness of breath was an important clinical feature to help diagnose critical cases at early stage.Some measures may be helpful to improve the prognosis of critical cases,such as an active antivirus therapy,early mechanical ventilation and early short-term low-dose methyprednisolone therapy.
Effect of Droplet Spacing on Temperature Field of Uniform Metal Droplet Stream

A finite element model for uniform metal droplet stream was developed.With the model,the effects of droplet spacing on the temperature field of the droplet were analyzed,and the convective heat transfer coefficient and cooling rate of the droplet were included.The calculation results show that the cooling rate and heat transfer coefficient of the droplets in the stream are evidently lower than those of an isolated droplet when the ratio of droplet spacing and droplet diameter is 2.8,5.6,8.4,11.1 and 13.9,respectively.With the droplet spacing increasing,the interaction between molten droplets decreases.
The Clinical Experience of The Diagnosis And Treatment of 37 Cases' Inguinal Sliding Indirect Hernia in Children

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of Inguinal sliding indirect hernia in children. Methods 37 cases of Inguinal sliding indirect hernia in children were analyzed retrospectively. Results All the patients were diagnosed definitely and recovered well postoperatively. Conclusion The diagnosis and treatment of the inguinal sliding indirect hernia is difficult before operation, and the way of outside abdominal cavity is effective and feasible.
Mathematical models for the study of the metabolic pattern of sulfate.

Abstract A mathematical model is formulated to describe sulfate metabolism in patients based on measurement of radioactivity in serum and urine following the injection of NaS 35 O 4 . Although the major portion of the intravenously administered radioactive sulfate is rapidly excreted in the urine, a significant portion of the administered dose is retained. It was found that in order to detect this retention and evaluate its metabolic turnover rate, it was necessary to study subjects for at least 72 hours or longer. Some of the apparently metabolized S 35 O 4 rapidly returned to the serum indicating a fast turnover rate in a rapidly exchanging metabolic pool while a fraction remained in a slowly exchanging metabolic pool. Thirty-four studies were performed on 5 normal subjects and 27 patients with various diseases. The metabolic patterns of sulfate, as described by our model, are not specific for any of the diseases studied. In one patient with cirrhosis and ascites the metabolic pattern was similar in 2 studies performed 4 months apart. Another study on this subject was performed between these control studies while the patient was on glucocorticoid therapy and a marked impairment of the incorporation of sulfate in the metabolic pool was demonstrated.
Numerical investigation of turbulent flow and heat transfer in two-pass ribbed channels

Abstract In this study, the heat transfer and friction characteristics of four different rib geometries- 45° angled, V-shaped, W-shaped and M-shaped ribs in a two-pass stationary channel have been numerically investigated. The aspect ratio (Height to Width) of the cooling channel was 1:1 (square). The rib pitch-to-rib height ratio (p/e) and the rib-height-to-channel hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh) were 16 and 0.125 respectively. The Reynolds number was varied from 20,000 to 70,000. For the computations, the Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were solved with the commercial software ANSYS Fluent using the realizable version of k-e (RKE) model. The heat transfer results were benchmarked with experiments on a test rig with similar geometries and flow conditions. Detailed analysis of the flow characteristics in the two-pass channel was carried out so as to understand the interaction of the rib-induced secondary flows and the bend-induced secondary flows and their contribution to heat transfer enhancement. The heat transfer enhancement provided by V-shaped ribs was 7% higher than 45° ribs, 28% higher than W-shaped ribs and 35% higher than M-shaped ribs. However, the pressure penalty for V-shaped ribs was 19% higher than 45° ribs, 24% higher than W-shaped ribs and 28% higher than M-shaped ribs. On comparing the overall thermal hydraulic performance, V-shaped and 45° ribs were observed to perform significantly better than W-shaped and M-shaped ribs.
Hitchhiker’s Guide to Voltammetry: Acute and Chronic Electrodes for in Vivo Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry

Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) has been used for over 20 years to study rapid neurotransmission in awake and behaving animals. These experiments were first carried out with carbon-fiber microelectrodes (CFMs) encased in borosilicate glass, which can be inserted into the brain through micromanipulators and guide cannulas. More recently, chronically implantable CFMs constructed with small diameter fused-silica have been introduced. These electrodes can be affixed in the brain with minimal tissue response, which permits longitudinal measurements of neurotransmission in single recording locations during behavior. Both electrode designs have been used to make novel discoveries in the fields of neurobiology, behavioral neuroscience, and psychopharmacology. The purpose of this Review is to address important considerations for the use of FSCV to study neurotransmitters in awake and behaving animals, with a focus on measurements of striatal dopamine. Common issues concerning experimental design, data collecti...
The BCL6 Proto-Oncogene Suppresses p53 Expression in Germinal-Center B Cells.

Abstract The proto-oncogene BCL6 encodes a BTB/POZ-zinc finger transcriptional repressor that is necessary for germinal center (GC) formation and is implicated in the pathogenesis of B-cell lymphoma. In ~50% diffuse large cell lymphoma and 10% follicular lymphoma, BCL6 gene expression is deregulated by chromosomal translocations or mutations that affect its 5′ regulatory region. The precise function of BCL6 in GC development and lymphomagenesis is unclear since very few BCL6 direct target genes have been identified. We report that BCL6 suppresses p53-dependent and p53-indepenent growth arrest and apoptosis responses in GC B cells. BCL6 directly suppresses the transcription of the p53 gene, as demonstrated by (1) chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showing that BCL6 binds the p53 promoter region in vivo; and (2) transient transfection/reporter assays identifying within the p53 promoter region two BCL6-binding sites that mediate BCL6-mediated suppression of p53 transcription. Accordingly, suppression of BCL6 expression via specific siRNA leads to increased expression of p53 both under basal condition and in response to DNA damage. Consistent with a physiological role for BCL6-mediated p53 suppression, immunohistochemical analysis shows that p53 expression is absent in GC B cells where BCL6 is highly expressed. In addition, our data reveal that BCL6 inhibits the p53-independent activation of the p21/WAF1 cell cycle arrest gene by binding to Miz-1, a transcription factor involved in p21 activation. Consistent with a role of BCL6 in inhibiting p53-related cell cycle arrest and apoptotic responses, constitutive expression of BCL6 suppresses p53 expression and p53-target genes (P21 and PUMA) and protects B cell lines from apoptosis induced by DNA damage. These results indicate that one function of BCL6 is to allow GC B cells (centroblasts) to constitutively proliferate and to sustain the physiologic DNA breaks required for immunoglobulin switch recombination and somatic hypermutation without inducing p53-related responses. These findings also imply that B cell lymphoma with deregulated BCL6 expression are functionally p53-negative and impaired in apoptotic responses.
Core Processes in Brief Psychodynamic Psychotherapy : Advancing Effective Practice

Contents: Preface. Part I: Initiating and Assessing Suitability for Brief Psychodynamic Psychotherapy. D.P. Charman, Effective Psychotherapy and Effective Psychotherapists. M.J. Lambert, R.D. Hunt, D.A. Vermeersch, Optimizing Outcome Through Prediction and Measurement of Psychological Functioning. B.A. Rudolph, The First Interview. A.S. Joyce, M. McCallum, Assessing Patient Capacities for Therapy: Psychological-Mindedness and Quality of Object Relations. Part II: Determining and Maintaining a Focus. S.B. Messer, A.H. Kaplan, Outcomes and Factors Related to Efficacy of Brief Psychodynamic Therapy. T.D. Eells, K.G. Lombart, Case Formulation: Determining the Focus in Brief Dynamic Psychotherapy. M.B.C. Gibbons, P. Crits-Christoph, P. Apostol, Constructing Interpretations and Assessing Their Accuracy. J. Ogrodniczuk, W. Piper, The Evidence: Transference Interpretations and Patient Outcomes--A Comparison of "Types" of Patients. Part III: Keeping an Eye on the Relationship. L.W. Samstag, J.C. Muran, J.D. Safran, Defining and Identifying Alliance Ruptures. R. Langs, The Power of Ground Rules. C.J. Gelso, Countertransference and Its Management in Brief Dynamic Therapy. D. Bennett, G. Parry, Maintaining the Therapeutic Alliance: Resolving Alliance-Threatening Interactions Related to the Transference. Part IV: Ending and Evaluating. D.P. Charman, A.C. Graham, Ending Therapy: Processes and Outcomes. E.G. Arnold, B.A. Farber, J.D. Geller, Termination, Posttermination, and Internalization of Therapy and the Therapist: Internal Representation and Psychotherapy Outcome. M.J. Lambert, T.P. Asay, Measuring Clinically Significant Change. Part V: Special Issues. S.A. Neufeldt, Critical Factors in Supervision: The Patient, the Therapist, and the Supervisor. E.R. Welfel, The Ethical Challenges of Brief Therapy. M. Duffy, Curative Factors in Work With Older Adults. Appendix: J. Fosbury, The Case Study: The Therapy, the Patient, and the Therapist.
Robust far-field speaker identification under mismatched conditions.

While speaker identification performance has improved dramatically over the past years, the presence of interfering noise and the variety of channel conditions pose a major obstacle. Particularly the mismatch between training and test condition leads to severe performance degradations. In this paper we investigate speaker identification based on data simultaneously recorded with multiple microphones in a farfield setup under different noise and reverberation conditions. Dramatic performance degradation is observed, especially when training and test conditions mismatch. To address this mismatch we apply our robust frame-based score competition approach in which we combine and compete models trained on multiple conditions. To further improve this approach we add simulated, i.e. artificially created training data on a variety of noise conditions for additional model training. Our experimental results show that the extended approach significantly improves speaker identification performance under adverse and mismatching conditions.
Influence of preoperative septic peritonitis and anastomotic technique on the dehiscence of enterectomy sites in dogs: A retrospective review of 210 anastomoses.

Objective To determine the influence of preoperative septic peritonitis (PSP) and stapled versus hand-sewn anastomoses on the dehiscence of intestinal resection and anastomosis (IRA). We hypothesized that the incidence of IRA dehiscence would be greater (1) when performed with PSP and (2) for hand-sewn anastomoses. Study design Retrospective. Animal populations Client-owned dogs at Michigan State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Methods Records of dogs surviving 72 hours after IRAs between 2003 and 2013 were reviewed for age, gender, neuter status, weight, presence of PSP, preoperative albumin, IRA indication and location, anastomotic technique, suture type, postoperative dehiscence and timing, duration of hospitalization, last follow-up, and other complications. Univariate logistic regression and chi-square analysis were used to screen prognostic factors; factors with P < .3 were included in a multivariate analysis. Results Two hundred and ten IRAs in 198 dogs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Dehiscence was diagnosed in 11.4% cases, 6.6% without PSP, and 21.1% with PSP (P = .01). Indication for IRA did not influence the risk of dehiscence. No association was detected between anastomotic technique and IRA dehiscence in dogs without PSP (stapled 4.2%, hand-sewn 8.1%); however, stapled anastomoses were less likely to dehisce in dogs with PSP (stapled 9.7%, hand-sewn 28.9%). Risk factors for dehiscence included PSP (P = .005) and hand-sewn technique (P = .02). Conclusion Our results confirmed that PSP is a risk factor for dehiscence of IRA and suggest that patients with PSP may be a unique surgical population, in which stapling may be preferred over hand-sewn anastomoses after enterectomies.
Decolonizing Hispanic-Serving Institutions: A Framework for Organizing:

Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) should realign their organizational approach in order to liberate themselves and their students. As colonized institutions enrolling colonized people, HSIs must...
Post-pulmonary rehabilitation exercise adherence and exercise performance in COPD and ILD

Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) maintain the benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) longer than those with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). Whether this is due to physiologic differences or differences in home exercise adherence is unknown. Aims: To assess whether adherence to regular exercise after PR influences exercise performance in patients with COPD and with ILD. Methods: Data were analyzed in all patients referred for cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) from 9/2016 to 1/2017. Patients with COPD or ILD who completed PR were categorized as exercise adherent (E) or non-adherent (NE) at referral. CPET performed by cycle ergometry and spirometry were measured. Multivariate regression assessed the interaction of diagnosis and exercise adherence, controlling for age and BMI, on CPET outcomes. Results: 40 patients were included (20 ILD, 20 COPD, 45% M). Exercise adherence was 55% in both groups. E had higher peak VO2 and workload than NE in both disorders. Peak ETCO2 was significantly higher in patients with NE COPD but lower in NE ILD; peak Ve/VO2 slope was significantly higher in NE ILD but lower in NE COPD. Conclusion: Alveolar hypoventilation with CPET is associated with exercise non-adherence in COPD; alveolar hyperventilation and ventilatory inefficiency with CPET are associated with exercise non-adherence in ILD. Adherence rates were the same in both disorders.
Compatibility in Approximate Reasoning

Fuzzy approximate reasoning, or simply approximate reasoning, may be viewed as a collection of techniques for analyzing information and generating inferences when the information under consideration is fuzzy rather than exact or deterministic [260]. Fuzzy rule-based expert systems provide a well known example of approximate reasoning using fuzzy information.
Office-based retrograde transtracheal application of mitomycin C.

Abstract Objectives The utility of topical mitomycin C (MMC) as an adjuvant treatment in the management of laryngeal and tracheal stenosis has been studied; however, the ideal timing of MMC application has not been fully elucidated. There is a paucity of studies evaluating the timing of MMC application after surgical airway intervention for stenosis. The purpose of this study is to describe a novel technique for MMC application that allows for delayed application in the unsedated, office-based setting, approximately one week following endoscopic airway dilation. Methods A technique for retrograde transtracheal application of MMC was developed and utilized in 3 tracheostomy-dependent patients with subglottic stenosis and glottic stenosis with bilateral vocal fold immobility. After administration of topical anesthesia, a MMC (0.4 mg/ml) coated pledget was advanced via a transtracheal approach and directed to the area of stenosis in retrograde fashion using endoscopic frontal sinus instruments. Appropriate positioning of the pledget was confirmed via transnasal flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Results All 3 patients underwent successful in-office retrograde application of MMC onto the area of laryngeal stenosis 7–9 days after their preceding surgery. There were no complications. Two patients achieved decannulation while the third patient's management was interrupted due to cancer treatment. Conclusions We present a novel and well tolerated technique for delayed in-office application of MMC in tracheostomy-dependent patients with laryngeal stenosis. This approach can facilitate the study of the ideal timing of topical MMC use in airway stenosis.
Spindler: a framework for parametric analysis and detection of spindles in EEG with application to sleep spindles.

OBJECTIVE EEG spindles, narrow-band oscillatory signal bursts, are widely-studied biomarkers of subject state and neurological function. Most existing methods for spindle detection select algorithm parameters by optimizing agreement with expert labels. We propose a new framework for selecting algorithm parameters based on stability of spindle properties and elucidate the dependence of these properties on parameter selection for several algorithms. APPROACH To demonstrate this approach we developed a new algorithm (Spindler) that decomposes the signal using matching pursuit with Gabor atoms and computes the spindles for each point in a fine grid of parameter values. After computing characteristic surfaces as a function of parameters, Spindler selects algorithm parameters based on the stability of characteristic surface geometry. MAIN RESULTS Spindler performs well relative to several common supervised and unsupervised EEG sleep spindle detection methods. Spindler is available as an open-source MATLAB toolbox (https://github.com/VisLab/EEG-Spindles). In addition to Spindler, the toolbox provides implementations of several other spindle detection algorithms as well as standardized methods for matching ground truth to predictions and a framework for understanding algorithm parameter surfaces. SIGNIFICANCE This work demonstrates that parameter selection based on physical constraints rather than labelled data can provide effective, fully-automated, unsupervised spindle detection. This work also exposes the dangers of applying cross-validation without considering the dependence of spindle properties on parameters. Parameters selected to optimize one performance metric or matching method are not optimized for others. Furthermore, elucidation of the stability of predicted indicators with respect to algorithm parameter selection is critical to practical application of these algorithms.
Bailout Strategies and Complications Associated with the Use of Flow-Diverting Stents for Treating Intracranial Aneurysms.

Background: Flow-diverting stents (FDS) have revolutionized the endovascular management of unruptured, complex, wide-necked, and giant aneurysms. There is no consensus on management of complications associated with the placement of these devices. This review focuses on the management of complications of FDS for the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Summary: We performed a systematic, qualitative review using electronic databases MEDLINE and Google Scholar. Complications of FDS placement generally occur during the perioperative period. Key Message: Complications associated with FDS may be divided into periprocedural complications, immediate postprocedural complications, and delayed complications. We sought to review these complications and novel management strategies that have been reported in the literature.
Acalabrutinib and its use in treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Acalabrutinib received an accelerated US FDA approval for patients with relapsed/refractory mantle cell lymphoma in 2017 and is currently being evaluated in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). To date, ibrutinib is the only Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor that's approved for treatment of CLL. Acalabrutinib is a second generation BTK inhibitor that binds covalently to the Cys481 residue on BTK and has half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 3 nM. In preclinical mouse models, acalabrutinib significantly reduced proliferation of CLL cells. Results of Phase I/II trials revealed overall response rates (ORR) of 96% in treatment-naive, 93% in relapsed/refractory and 76% in ibrutinib intolerant patients with CLL. The most common adverse effects (>20%) were grade 1-2 comprising constitutional symptoms, GI toxicity, rash and myelosuppression. There were limited grade 3 or 4 toxicities, involving syncope, pneumonia, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia.
Improving NanoCluster Beacon performance by blocking the unlabeled NC probes.

While NanoCluster Beacon (NCB) is a versatile molecular probe, it suffers from a low target-specific signal issue due to impurities. Here we show that adding a “blocker” strand to the reaction can effectively block the nonfunctional probes and enhance the target-specific signal by 14 fold at a 0.1 target/probe ratio.
Cardiovascular Outcome Profiles of Anti-Diabetes Medications

A 71-year-old male with a 15-year history of type II diabetes and coronary artery disease who had one stent placed 3 years ago presents to his primary care doctor for management of obesity prior to knee replacement surgery. The patient is advised that he should lose approximately 25–30 lbs prior to undergoing surgery. His current BMI is 39 kg/m2 with a height of 5′10 and weight of 270 lbs. He is on pioglitazone 45 mg and glimepiride 2 mg daily for his diabetes. He reports significant weight gain over the past decade, particularly after starting his current medicines. He tries to follow a 1700 kcal/day diet but finds that his blood sugar occasionally feels low although he is not checking his glucose frequently but eats granola bars when he feels this way. He often feels that his blood sugar drops overnight and needs to eat a snack at that time as well. His hemoglobin A1c is 8.3% and he has mild neuropathy.
An inhalational swine model for the characterization of physiological effects and toxicological profile associated with cyanide poisoning.

Cyanides are highly toxic compounds that have been used as weapons of terrorism throughout history. Cyanide (CN) is acutely toxic by all routes of administration; however, inhalation is the main ex...
Supermarket USA: Food and Power in the Cold War Arms Race: By Shane Hamilton. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2018. 288 pp. $38 cloth.

The title of Supermarket USA, is slightly misleading – but in a good way. There is as much about farms, government policy, and supply chains in Hamilton’s book as supermarkets and food itself. Conn...
Teaching about Political Boundaries using WebGIS Tools and Data

Teaching and learning about political boundaries in an effective, engaging manner can be enriched through the use of webGIS mapping tools and spatial data. WebGIS enabled tools bring problem solvin...
Association of a preoperative dental screening approach with 90-day mortality after cardiac valve surgery

Objectives Preoperative dental screening (PDS) before valvular surgery has been adopted widely by cardiac surgeons to prevent poor outcomes associated with infections of oral origin. However, there is limited evidence to guide PDS protocols. This study was designed to compare a focused approach versus a comprehensive approach to PDS to determine its association with 90-day mortality. Study Design A retrospective cohort analysis was performed on 1835 adult patients who underwent elective valvular surgery and PDS at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) from January 2009 to December 2016. Patients with a history of intravenous drug abuse were excluded. At the MGH (n = 692), PDS involved a detailed dental examination, including diagnostic radiography and definitive therapy for teeth with active and/or chronic disease (comprehensive protocol). At the BWH (n = 1143), PDS consisted of minimal number of diagnostic radiographs limited to symptomatic teeth and intervention only when active signs of disease were observed (focused protocol). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to compare 90-day mortality rates after surgery with the 2 different approaches. Results There were no differences in demographic characteristics and baseline comorbidities between the 2 study sites. At the MGH, 340 (49.2%) of 692 patients received dental clearance at the initial visit, with 94.2% (n = 652) undergoing radiography. Dental findings included carious teeth (n = 250; 36.2%), root tips (n = 118; 17%), periodontically hopeless teeth (n = 48; 6.9%), and periapical infections (n = 149; 21.6%); 40 patients (5.8%) were symptomatic. Extractions were performed in 151 patients (21.8%), and 15 (2.2%) had postoperative complications. At the BWH, 1097 of 1143 patients (96%) received dental clearance at the initial visit, with 3.3% (n = 38) undergoing radiography. Dental findings included carious teeth (n = 197; 17.2%), root tips (n = 135; 11.8%), periodontically hopeless teeth (n = 27; 2.4%), and periapical infections (n = 20; 1.7%); 16 patients (1.4%) were symptomatic. Extractions were performed in 38 patients (3.3%), and 4 (0.4%) had postoperative complications. There was no significant differences in 90-day mortality rates between the 2 study sites (10% vs 8.4%; P = .317). This remained unchanged in a multivariate model after adjusting for demographic characteristics and baseline comorbidities (odds ratio [OR] focused vs comprehensive: 1.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91–1.93); P = .14). Conclusions Despite the differences in PDS protocols at both study sites, there was no significant difference in 90-day mortality rates after valvular surgery. Further randomized comparative prospective studies are needed to validate and expand on these findings.
Long-term effects of thinning and woody control on longleaf pine plantation development, understory abundance, and tree damage from an ice storm

Abstract Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) plantations have been established across the southeastern United States as the first step in restoring the declining savanna ecosystem, yet their long-term stability and development to open canopied woodlands may depend on early density and vegetation management treatments. Commercial thinning (CT) was applied in 2012 (year 18) to a long-term study of longleaf pine community restoration at the Savannah River Site near Aiken, SC to increase abundance of herb species. Although precommercial thinning (PCT) and woody vegetation control increased herb species cover during the first five years of the study, measurements from years 17 to 22 indicated a continuing decline in their cover since year 9 despite application of CT in year 18. Herb species richness, however, increased from 21 to 43 species per 100 m2 area during the last six years of the study, likely a result of disturbances associated with CT and an ice storm in year 20. Application of PCT in 1994, when the plantations were 8–11 years old, reduced their susceptibility to stem bending and breakage from the ice storm, which occurred 20 years later in 2014. Measured 5 months before the storm, pine height: dbh ratio (HD) averaged 78 and 90 for trees growing with and without PCT, respectively, and stem breakage (% of trees) from the ice storm increased linearly (r2 = 0.53) with HD. Pine mortality from the combined effects of glaze ice and wind differed with (28%) versus without (45%) PCT, indicating that long-term stability of longleaf pine plantations depends on early density management.
Do Antibiotic-Impregnated Intramedullary Dowels Assist in Eradicating Infection in Total Knee Arthroplasty?

Abstract Antibiotic-impregnated intramedullary dowels historically have been advocated and are frequently used to facilitate periprosthetic knee infection eradication. They are used for focused delivery of antibiotics into the femoral and tibial intramedullary canals during 2-stage resection utilizing an antibiotic cement spacer. However, the literature is limited on the use and efficacy of antibiotic-eluding intramedullary dowels in periprosthetic joint infection. We reviewed the available literature and have found that the data at this point are equivocal with respect to whether antibiotic-impregnated cement intramedullary dowels augment the intra-articular antibiotic cement spacer in eradicating infection in total knee arthroplasty. Thus, we believe that the decision to use dowels can be left up to the surgeon preference. However, further research is warranted to review operative room efficiency and healthcare costs, and to validate the clinical efficacy of antibiotic-impregnated dowels in periprosthetic joint infection.