cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial DNA released by trauma induces neutrophil extracellular traps.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are critical for anti-bacterial activity of the innate immune system. We have previously shown that mitochondrial damage-associated molecular patterns (mtDAMPs), including mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), are released into the circulation after injury. We therefore questioned whether mtDNA is involved in trauma-induced NET formation. Treatment of human polymorphoneutrophils (PMN) with mtDNA induced robust NET formation, though in contrast to phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulation, no NADPH-oxidase involvement was required. Moreover, formation of mtDNA-induced NETs was completely blocked by TLR9 antagonist, ODN-TTAGGG. Knowing that infective outcomes of trauma in elderly people are more severe than in young people, we measured plasma mtDNA and NET formation in elderly and young trauma patients and control subjects. MtDNA levels were significantly higher in the plasma of elderly trauma patients than young patients, despite lower injury severity scores in the elderly group. NETs were not visible in circulating PMN isolated from either young or old control subjects. NETs were however, detected in PMN isolated from young trauma patients and to a lesser extent from elderly patients. Stimulation by PMA induced widespread NET formation in PMN from both young volunteers and young trauma patients. NET response to PMA was much less pronounced in both elderly volunteers’ PMN and in trauma patients’ PMN. We conclude that mtDNA is a potent inducer of NETs that activates PMN via TLR9 without NADPH-oxidase involvement. We suggest that decreased NET formation in the elderly regardless of higher mtDNA levels in their plasma may result from decreased levels of TLR9 and/or other molecules, such as neutrophil elastase and myeloperoxidase that are involved in NET generation. Further study of the links between circulating mtDNA and NET formation may elucidate the mechanisms of trauma-related organ failure as well as the greater susceptibility to secondary infection in elderly trauma patients.
From Concept to Judgement: Rethinking Hegel's Overcoming of Formal Logic

La doctrine hegelienne du concept et du jugement permet une approche a la fois non circulaire et non formelle, capable de legitimer leur role privilegie comme vehicules de la verite. Pour le voir; il faut d'abord clarifier le rapport intrinseque entre le concept, l'autodetermination et les categories d'universalite, de particularite et d'individualite. Au cœur de ce rapport se trouve la maniere dont l'universalite, la particularite et l'individualite sont elles-memes interreliees. Cette interconnexion peut sembler prendre tour a tour deux formes differentes, l'une qui se manifeste dans les jugements ou l'individu opere comme universel particularise, et l'autre qui apparait lorsque l'individu englobe l'universel particularise. Ces caracteristiques ne sont pas exclusives l'une de l'autre; mais c'est plutot que l'individualite comme universel particularise sous-tend l'individualite comme particulier differencie et entraine ainsi la determination du jugement dans lequel ce dernier se trouve contenu. La comprehension de ces rapports fournit la cle pour concevoir de maniere non arbitraire la relation qu'il y a entre le concept et le jugement.
The design and implementation of the Ariel active database rule system

Describes the design and implementation of the Ariel DBMS and its tightly-coupled forward-chaining rule system. The query language of Ariel is a subset of POSTQUEL (the POSTGRES QUEry Language), extended with a new production-rule sublanguage. Ariel supports traditional relational database query and update operations efficiently, using a System R-like query processing strategy. In addition, the Ariel rule system is tightly coupled with query and update processing. Ariel rules can have conditions based on a mix of selections, joins, events and transitions. For testing rule conditions, Ariel makes use of a discrimination network composed of a special data structure for testing single-relation selection conditions efficiently, and a modified version of the TREAT algorithm, called A-TREAT, for testing join conditions. The key modification to TREAT (which could also be used in the Rete algorithm) is the use of virtual /spl alpha/-memory nodes which save storage since they contain only the predicate associated with the memory node instead of copies of data matching the predicate. In addition, the notions of tokens and /spl alpha/-memory nodes are generalized to support event and transition conditions. The rule-action executor in Ariel binds the data matching a rule's condition to the action of the rule at rule fire time, and executes the rule action using the query processor.
A Process for Assessing Standards‐Based Curriculum: Lessons Learned From a High School Interpersonal Relationships Curriculum Assessment

Standards-based curricula and assessment are common—and somewhat controversial—educational practices that aim to improve education through teacher and/or administrator accountability. The processes of developing and implementing standards-based assessments require significant planning and effort. When part of the process is to use an existing test bank, the numbers and types of test items available in the test bank and whether they equally represent the standards to be assessed ultimately affect the outcome of the standardized test. As members of a team funded to develop a model for creating a statewide assessment instrument for an interpersonal relationships high school course, the authors offer several observations and recommendations that may be useful for others engaged in a similar endeavor.
Real numbers and functions in the Kleene hierarchy and limits of recursive, rational functions

Let ƒ be a real number. It is well known [7] that the set of rational numbers which are less than ƒ is a recursive set if and only if ƒ is representable as the limit of a recursive, recursively convergent sequence of rational numbers. In this paper we replace the condition that the set of rational numbers less than ƒ is recursive by the condition that this set is at various points in the Kleene hierarchy, and we replace the recursive, recursively convergent limit by a variety of other recursive limiting processes.
Responses in continuous cultures of lysogenic Escherichia coli following induction.

Bacteriophages are widely distributed in nature and may be important factors in regulating populations of their hosts. Model continuous culture systems of a single bacterial species and a temperate parasitic phage have been studied. Steady state cultures of lysogenic Escherichia coli 159T− (λcts) produced a small quantity of free λ cts phage. Temperature shocking such a culture resulted in a sharp increase in phage concentration with a concomitant fall in cell population. With time the system returned to a steady state condition.
The Value of Coarse-Scale Soil Moisture Observations for Regional Surface Energy Balance Modeling

Using high-resolution (1 km) hydrologic modeling of the 575 000-km2 Red‐Arkansas River basin, the impact of spatially aggregating soil moisture imagery up to the footprint scale (32‐64 km) of spaceborne microwave radiometers on regional-scale prediction of surface energy fluxes is examined. While errors in surface energy fluxes associated with the aggregation of soil moisture are potentially large ( . 50 Wm 22), relatively simple representations of subfootprint-scale variability are capable of substantially reducing the impact of soil moisture aggregation on land surface model energy flux predictions. This suggests that even crude representations of subgrid soil moisture statistics obtained from statistical downscaling procedures can aid regional-scale surface energy flux prediction. One possible soil moisture downscaling procedure, based on an assumption of spatial scaling (i.e., a power-law relationship between statistical moments and scale), is demonstrated to improve TOPmodel-based Land‐Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (TOPLATS) prediction of grid-scale surface energy fluxes derived from coarse-resolution soil moisture imagery.
Facets of Mexican Thought: José Vasconcelos (1871-….)

Modern Ibero-American thought is generally neither distinguished by originality nor by systematic integrity. The Mexican philosophers Antonio Caso and Jose Vasconcelos , both to-day well advanced in years, are two notable exceptions to this rule. Both are systematic thinkers as well as prolific writers, and Vasconcelos combines with a synthetic view of life and civilization a vigorous originality of expression, two gifts which in their conjunction make it quite understandable that he is regarded by many of the intellectual leaders of Latin America as one of the most representative exponents of Ibero-American ideas in general and of Mexican philosophic thought in particular. A comprehensive monograph, dealing with the life and work of Jose Vasconcelos is being published this autumn by Dr. Oswaldo Robles, Professor of Philosophy at the National University of Mexico and Academic Rector of the Latin-American Military University in Mexico City. The writings of Vasconcelos comprise more than twenty volumes of works on metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics; a History of Philosophy; a History of Mexico; essays, biographies, and tragedies; and an extensive autobiography in four volumes. The author of this imposing oeuvre is at present Director of the National Library of Mexico and engaged in carrying through important reforms in that venerable institution.
Survival and Prognosis for Malignant Tumors of Odontogenic Origin.

ObjectiveDetermine survival and factors affecting survival for patients with malignant tumors of odontogenic origin.Study DesignRetrospective analysis of the National Cancer Institute’s SEER databa...
Application of histochemical technic for cholinesterase to paraffin sections.

SummaryThe histochemical technic of Koelle for cholinesterase demonstration in fresh tissue was adapted to paraffin sections. The effect of certain histological treatments on enzyme activity was determined. A procedure is described for the preparation of the specimen for paraffin sectioning prior to histochemical treatment with maximum retention of enzyme activity.
Validation of a screening test of auditory function using the telephone.

BACKGROUND Several European countries have demonstrated successful use of telephone screening tests for auditory function. The screening test consists of spoken three-digit sequences presented in a noise background. The speech-to-noise ratios of the stimuli are determined by an adaptive tracking method that converges on the level required to achieve 50% correct recognition. PURPOSE A version of the three-digit telephone screening protocol for the United States was developed: the US National Hearing Test (NHT). The objective of the current study was to determine the sensitivity and specificity as well as the feasibility of the NHT for use within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Research Design and Study Sample: Using a multisite study design with convenience sampling, we used the NHT to collect data from 693 participants (1379 ears) from three geographical areas of the United States (Florida, Tennessee, and California). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS The NHT procedures were as follows: the participants (1) called a toll-free telephone number, (2) entered their assigned ear-specific identification code, (3) listened to 40-sets of digit triplets presented in speech-spectrum background noise, and (4) entered in the numbers that they heard on the telephone key pad. The NHT was performed on each ear, either at home or in a VA clinic. In addition to collecting data from the experimental task, we gathered demographic data and the data from other standard-of-care tests (i.e., audiometric thresholds and speech recognition tests in quiet and in noise). RESULTS A total of 505 participants completed the NHT at a VA clinic, whereas 188 completed the test at home. Although the ear-specific NHT and mean pure-tone threshold all correlated significantly (p < 0.001), there were more modest correlations in the low- and high-frequency ranges with the highest correlation seen with the 2000 Hz mean pure-tone threshold. When the NHT 50% point or threshold was compared with the three-frequency PTA at 500, 1000, and 2000 Hz, the sensitivity was 0.87 and specificity was 0.54. When comparing the NHT with the four-frequency PTA at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, the sensitivity was 0.81 and specificity increased to 0.65. The NHT also correlated strongly with other speech-in-noise measures. CONCLUSIONS The NHT was found to correlate with other audiometric measures, including pure-tone thresholds and speech recognition tests in noise, at sufficiently high correlation values to support its use as a screening test of auditory function.
Crack Recognition and Segmentation Using Morphological Image-Processing Techniques for Flexible Pavements

MorphLink-C is a novel image-processing algorithm to connect crack fragments that are a common problem in crack recognition applications. The algorithm consists of two subprocesses: (a) the grouping of fragments by using a morphological dilation transform and (b) the connection of fragments by using a morphological thinning transform. MorphLink-C can be used with various crack extraction methods to connect crack fragments in crack line paths and for complicated crack shapes, such as single cracks, branched cracks, block cracks, and alligator cracks. MorphLink-C also provides a simple but accurate way to estimate an averaged crack width that is important in measuring cracking severity. The proposed method was validated by using realistic road surface images in different pavement cracking conditions. The results of the statistical hypothesis test showed that the proposed method could improve crack detection accuracy with the proposed crack defragmentation algorithm.
Uterine tachysystole in spontaneous labor at term.

AbstractObjectives: The objective of this study is to determine the incidence of uterine tachysystole and its association with spontaneous labor at term.Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 8008 women in spontaneous labor (without prostaglandins or oxytocin). Fetal heart tracings and uterine activity were recorded every 15 min. Primary outcome: occurrence of tachysystole (> 5 uterine contractions /10 min over 30 min periods). Secondary outcomes: non-reassuring fetal heart tracings (NRFHT), NICU admissions, and cesarean deliveries.Results: About 890 patients (11.1 %) had at least one episode of tachysystole. Non-whites have higher incidence of uterine tachysystole; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) was 1.66 for Hispanics (95% CI 1.28–2.05), 1.58 for African Americans (95% CI 1.05–2.38), and 1.51 for Asians (95% CI = 1.13–2.0). The use of epidural analgesia was higher in the tachysystole group (62.2% versus 40.9%, aOR 1.89, CI 1.58–2.26; p < 0.001). Tachysystole was more frequent among nulliparous women and in ...
329 THE DANDY-WALKER COMPLEX: ANALYSIS OF 22 POPULATION-BASED CASES IN UTAH, 1999-2003

Background The Dandy-Walker Complex (DWC) is a general description of a continuum of posterior fossa anomalies which includes: Dandy-Walker variant and the Dandy-Walker malformation. Limited data have been published on the prevalence, prenatal diagnosis, chromosomal abnormalities, prognosis and associated malformations of DWC. Methods Data were derived from the Utah Birth Defect Network’s (UBDN) active population based surveillance system. 22 cases of DWC were ascertained by the UBDN and clinically reviewed by a pediatric dysmorphologist from a cohort of 241,416 Utah births from the years 1999–2003. Results Of 22 cases, 17 cases were live born, 2 stillborn and 3 therapeutically aborted. 12 cases were delivered vaginally, 6 via cesarean section. 8 cases were reported hydrocephalic in addition to a DWC diagnosis. Of 17 liveborn cases, 5 died within one month of birth. Chromosomal studies were performed on 15 of 22 cases. Chromosomal case findings include triploidy (n=1), trisomy-13 (n=2), 46, XY, del (3) (q23q26.2) (n=1), and a balanced four way translocation and two-way reciprocal translocation involving chromosomes 1, 3, 4, 5 and 13 (n=1). Of note, the 2 patients with 3q aberrations both had breakpoints within a locus recently described as a candidate gene for DWC. No consanguinity was reported. Conclusions The overall prevalence of the DWC in Utah during the years 1999–2003 was 0.91 per 10,000 births. These data represent the first known populationbased estimate of DWC prevalence. This estimate is over twice the magnitude of previous estimates. DWC can be incompatible with life. Further chromosome studies are needed to illuminate the contribution of 3q to DWC etiology.
Career choices in the biosciences: what companies are looking for when they are filling a position.

Holding a Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in the biological sciences used to allow for only one main career path. Faculty positions at either research-intensive universities or at predominantly teaching institutions defined the career path very well. The situation is considerably more complex now. Many individuals decide to pursue careers in for-profit organizations, either by personal preference, geographic needs, or simply as an expedient way to continue in biology in a meaningful way. This article arises from the need to define a better understanding of the nature of corporate job seeking for potential job applicants. The author draws upon his experience over a thirty-year scientific career in industry and academics. The distinctions he makes are helpful for job-seekers in this new environment.
Targets for asthma therapy.

La majorite des osthmes est allergique. Cela implique quatre phases : ○ la sensibilisation et l'activation allergiques suivies de la phase effectrice en rapport avec la liberation des mediateurs, ○ la croissance caracterisee par la proliferation de tissus comme remodelant du mur aerien, alterant structure et fonction. L'auteur detaille tres largement ces quatre phases en develappant particulierement l'IgE, l'IL4, L'IL5 et les molecules d'adhesion.
Regulation of Sulfur Metabolism in Mycelial Fungi

Sulfur is an essential low-abundance element found in a variety of compounds and macromole-cules (e.g., proteins, lipids, electron carriers, intermediary metabolites) that are required for the growth and function of all cells. The complex regulatory network involved in the control of sulfur metabolism provides a fascinating model for understanding how fungi (and other organisms) adjust to a constantly changing nutrient environment in order to maintain sustaining levels of key elements (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur). In particular, when a nutrient is limiting (such as sulfur), then fungal cells will exhibit responses targeted to specifically alleviate the nutrient deficiency.
Molecular Pathways and Animal Models of Cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of disorders of heart muscle that ultimately result in congestive heart failure (CHF), sudden cardiac death, and/or arrhythmias. Contraction of heart muscle is the prime force for efficient pumping of the blood during systole, and relaxation is main force that collects a sufficient volume of blood during diastole, preparing ventricles for next efficient contraction. Efficient contraction and relaxation is maintained by cadre of intracellular and intercellular molecular signaling though paracrine communication. However, persistent unfavorable imbalance of these molecular pathways results in systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction leading to failure of the heart to maintain hemodynamic balance. Rapid progress in genetics as well as in molecular and cellular biology over the past 25 years has greatly improved the understanding of pathogenic signaling pathways in inherited cardiomyopathies. This chapter will focus on intracellular and intercellular molecular signaling pathways that are activated by a genetic insult in cardiomyocytes to maintain tissue and organ level regulation and resultant cardiac remodeling in certain forms of cardiomyopathies. In addition, animal models of different clinical forms of human cardiomyopathies with summaries of triggered key molecules and signaling pathways will be described.
Network Analysis on Predicting Mean Diffusivity Change at Group Level in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy.

Abstract The two most common types of temporal lobe epilepsy are medial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) epilepsy and MRI-normal temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE-no). TLE-MTS is specified by its stereotyped focus and spread pattern of neuronal damage, with pronounced neuronal loss in the hippocampus. TLE-no exhibits normal-appearing hippocampus and more widespread neuronal loss. In both cases, neuronal loss spread appears to be constrained by the white matter connections. Both varieties of epilepsy reveal pathological abnormalities in increased mean diffusivity (MD). We model MD distribution as a simple consequence of the propagation of neuronal damage. By applying this model on the structural brain connectivity network of healthy subjects, we can predict at group level the MD gray matter change in the epilepsy cohorts relative to a control group. Diffusion tensor imaging images were acquired from 10 patients with TLE-MTS, 11 patients with TLE-no, and 35 healthy subjects. Statistical validation at the group level ...
Uncertainty propagation in long-term structured regression on evolving networks

In long-term forecasting it is important to estimate the confidence of predictions, as they are often affected by errors that are accumulated over the prediction horizon. To address this problem, an effective novel iterative method is developed for Gaussian structured learning models in this study for propagating uncertainty in temporal graphs by modeling noisy inputs. The proposed method is applied for three long-term (up to 8 years ahead) structured regression problems on real-world evolving networks from the health and climate domains. The obtained empirical results and use case analysis provide evidence that the new approach allows better uncertainty propagation as compared to published alternatives.
Milk of Marine Mammals

During lactation, marine mammals such as seals (Phocidae), fur seals and sea lions (Otariidae), manatees (Sirenia), and dolphins and whales (Cetacea) produce exceptionally rich milks containing high but changing levels of fat and energy, and low levels of sugar. The milk is lower in protein, relative to energy content, than the milk of related terrestrial species. The primary evolutionary factor favoring high-fat, high-energy milk appears to be the thermoregulatory demands of a marine environment, but a need to minimize maternal gluconeogenesis in species that fast during lactation or to minimize mammary storage volume in species that undergo long foraging trips without nursing may contribute to the evolution of ultrahigh-fat (40–60%) milks. Milk lipids of marine mammals are typically high in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Milk proteins include caseins and whey proteins, although otariids do not synthesize α-lactalbumin and produce milks devoid of lactose. The loss of α-lactalbumin may relate to the ability of otariids to sustain lactation despite extreme intersuckling intervals. The milks of most phocids, cetaceans, and polar bears contain low levels of various oligosaccharides plus lactose. Phocids and otariids are unusual among mammals in producing milk containing less calcium than phosphorus (Ca:P 1.0.
“Don’t Say That!”

Language use is a type of behavior not yet addressed by the academic persuasive technology community. Yet, many existing applications seek to change users’ word choices or writing style. This paper catalogues 32 such applications in common usage or reported in the popular media. We use Schwartz’s Theory of Basic Human Values to understand what motivates each attempt to persuade; we use the Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model to understand contexts and techniques of persuasion. While motivations span the full range of human values, most applications serve values of Achievement, Conformity, or Universalism. Many are autogenous in intent, using reduction, suggestion, and self-monitoring strategies to support behavior change. However, the corpus also includes many endogenous applications that seek to change others’ attitudes.
Titanium Ossicular Chain Reconstruction Revision Success and Preoperative Factors Predicting Success.

Objective Determine rates of success after revision titanium ossicular chain reconstruction with either partial or total ossicular replacement prosthesis and assess preoperative factors predicting positive outcomes. Study Design Case series with planned data collection. Setting Tertiary hospital. Subjects and Methods The charts of 76 surgical patients who underwent revision titanium ossicular chain reconstruction from 2003 to 2014 were abstracted from a prospectively maintained database at the Medical University of South Carolina. Postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) after revision surgery at short-term ( 1 year) follow-up and preoperative factors associated with postoperative ABG ≤20 dB were recorded. A paired t test or Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test was utilized to compare preoperative, short-term, or intermediate to long-term results. Results Seventy-six patients underwent revision ossiculoplasty and met inclusion criteria. Mean postoperative ABG was 22.5 at short-term follow-up ( P < .0001) and 24.4 at intermediate to long-term follow-up ( P = .003). Postoperative ABG ≤20 dB was achieved in 51.5% of patients. The only preoperative factor associated with postoperative ABG ≤20 dB was location of original primary ossiculoplasty ( P = .01). Conclusions This is one of the larger studies involving revision titanium ossiculoplasty. Revision surgery showed a significant improvement in postoperative ABG. The location of the original ossiculoplasty correlated with success of revision surgery (defined as postoperative ABG ≤20 dB). Patients who had the primary ossiculoplasty at an outside hospital may have better audiometric outcomes than patients who had it at a tertiary hospital.
Identification and characterization of vitamin E isomers, phenolic compounds, fatty acid composition, and antioxidant activity in seed oils from different muscadine grape cultivars

To investigate the values of muscadine grape byproduct, seed oils from 48 muscadine grape cultivars harvested in two seasons were evaluated for their vitamin E isomer content and fatty acid profile. The polyphenol profile and antioxidant properties of the oils were investigated from selected muscadine cultivars. The results showed that muscadine grape seed oils (MGSOs) contained 584.7 mg/kg tocopherols and 517.6 mg/kg tocotrienols, higher than those in other common edible oils. More than 85% of the fatty acids in MGSOs were unsaturated, dominated by linoleic acid. The vitamin E isomer contents were positively correlated with percent linoleic acid in MGSOs which also contained large amounts of phenolic compounds ranging from 124.79 to 358.04 μg/g oil. In addition, MGSOs possessed strong antioxidant activities, which were correlated with the γ-tocopherol and total polyphenol contents in the oils. Collectively, these studies demonstrate that MGSOs are edible oils with great nutritional potential. Practical applications This study presents the identification and characterization of vitamin E isomers and phenolic compounds in seed oils from different muscadine cultivars. The information is highly relevant to the ever-increasing need for natural, renewable sources of nutraceuticals among consumers. The study also shows high contents of tocotrienols and phenolic compounds in the oils, which could lead to a health claim and added value for muscadine processors and growers.
Inner-shell photodetachment from N i − : A giant Feshbach resonance

Inner-shell photodetachment from $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{\ensuremath{-}}([\mathrm{Ar}]\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}3{d}^{9}4{s}^{2})$ leading to $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{+},\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{2+}$, and $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{3+}$ ion production was studied near and above the $3p$ excitation region, in the 60--90 eV photon energy range, using a merged ion-photon beam technique. The absolute photodetachment cross section of $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ leading to $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{+}$ ion production was measured. The $3p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3d$ photoexcitation in $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ gives rise to a giant Feshbach resonance. In the near-threshold region, a Fano profile, modified by a Wigner $s$-wave ($l=0$) threshold law, accurately fits the $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ single-photodetachment cross section. A lower-order $R$-matrix calculation shows overall agreement with essential features of the experimental data, confirming the nature of the strong, asymmetric Fano profile of the giant $3p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3d$ photoexcitation-autodetachment resonance in $\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{i}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$.
What Develops in Infants’ Spatial Categorization? Korean Infants’ Categorization of Containment and Tight-Fit Relations

Korean-learning infants’ categorization of two spatial categories, one consistent and one inconsistent with the Korean semantic category of “kkita,” was examined. Infants of 10 months (n = 32) and 18 months (n = 49) were tested on their categorization of containment or tight fit spatial relations. At 10 months, infants only formed a category of containment, but at 18 months, their categorization of tight fit was significantly stronger than containment. The results suggest that Korean infants benefit from their language environment in forming a category of tight fit when the exemplars are perceptually diverse. In particular, infants’ language environment may bolster their ability to generalize across diverse exemplars to form abstract categorical representations of spatial relations.
Localization of microscale devices in vivo using addressable transmitters operated as magnetic spins

The function of miniature wireless medical devices, such as capsule endoscopes, biosensors and drug-delivery systems, depends critically on their location inside the body. However, existing electromagnetic, acoustic and imaging-based methods for localizing and communicating with such devices suffer from limitations arising from physical tissue properties or from the performance of the imaging modality. Here, we embody the principles of nuclear magnetic resonance in a silicon integrated-circuit approach for microscale device localization. Analogous to the behaviour of nuclear spins, the engineered miniaturized radio frequency transmitters encode their location in space by shifting their output frequency in proportion to the local magnetic field; applied field gradients thus allow each device to be located precisely from its signal’s frequency. The devices are integrated in circuits smaller than 0.7 mm3 and manufactured through a standard complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor process, and are capable of sub-millimetre localization in vitro and in vivo. The technology is inherently robust to tissue properties, scalable to multiple devices, and suitable for the development of microscale devices to monitor and treat disease. The location of microdevices in the body of anaesthetized mice can be retrieved with sub-millimetre precision by adopting principles from nuclear magnetic resonance.
Fructose metabolism and metabolic disease

Increased sugar consumption is increasingly considered to be a contributor to the worldwide epidemics of obesity and diabetes and their associated cardiometabolic risks. As a result of its unique metabolic properties, the fructose component of sugar may be particularly harmful. Diets high in fructose can rapidly produce all of the key features of the metabolic syndrome. Here we review the biology of fructose metabolism as well as potential mechanisms by which excessive fructose consumption may contribute to cardiometabolic disease.
Histotripsy Treatment of S. Aureus Biofilms on Surgical Mesh Samples Under Varying Scan Parameters

Cavitation-based ultrasound histotripsy has shown potential for treating infections on surgical mesh. The goal of this paper was to explore a new scan strategy while assessing the impact of scan speed, scan step size, and the number of cycles in the tone burst on the destruction of S. aureus biofilms grown on surgical mesh samples using ultrasound histotripsy pulses (150 MPa/−17 MPa). For each exposure, the number of colony forming units (CFUs) on the mesh and released onto the surrounding gel was quantified. Most of the exposed mesh samples had no CFUs, and there was a statistically significant reduction in CFUs on the mesh for each of the exposures, with an average reduction of 3.8 log10 relative to the sham. Compared with the sham, there was also a statistically significant reduction in CFUs on the gel with the highest exposures.
Fly family diversity shows evidence of livestock grazing pressure in Mongolia (Insecta: Diptera)

Members of the insect order Diptera respond differentially to environmental changes and may play an important role in understanding the effects that livestock grazing disturbances have on biodiversity. Here we examine how increasing grazing pressures on the Mongolian steppe affect Diptera diversity and abundance. Using 2334 yellow pan traps, we sampled a total of 132 sites over four years to collect 17,348 flies. We compared fly diversity and abundance at five levels of livestock grazing. We observed that fly family diversity decreased in heavily grazed sites and that diptera communities at sites with intense grazing have proportionally higher prevalence of taxa from the families Muscidae, Sepsidae, Ephydridae, Chloropidae, and Tachinidae, two of which are often associated with animal waste. Chironomidae, Ceratopogonidae, Sarcophagidae, and Sciaridae are most prevalent at sites with very little or no grazing, and Anthomyiidae, Calliphoridae, Carnidae, Cecidomyiidae, Dolichopodidae, Empididae, Scatopsidae and Sphaeroceridae are most often encountered at sites with intermediate amounts of grazing. Observing changes in a few guilds of fly families at different grazing levels is beneficial in understanding human effects on fly diversity.
Foot and ankle deformities in children with Down syndrome

Abstract Purpose Foot and ankle deformities are common orthopaedic disorders in children with Down syndrome. However, radiographic measurements of the foot and ankle have not been previously reported. The aim of this study is to describe the foot and ankle deformity in children with Down syndrome. Methods Children who had foot and ankle radiographs in the standing weight-bearing position were selected. Three groups of patients were identified. The relationship of radiographic measurements with age, body mass index and pain is discussed. In all, 41 children (79 feet) had foot radiographs and 60 children (117 ankles) had ankle radiographs, with 15 children overlapping between Groups I and II. Results In Group I, hallux valgus deformity was seen before ten years of age and hallux valgus angle increased afterwards. Metatarsus adductus angle showed a significant increase (p = 0.006) with obesity and was higher in patients who had foot pain (p = 0.05). In Group II, none of the ankle measurements showed a signif...
An Improved High Intensity Supersonic Helium Beam Source

The helium beam source is a key component of the helium-3 spin-echo spectrometer and determines the energy resolution of the experiment. Here, a new high-intensity supersonic beam source is presented, consisting of a new nozzle assembly and a new skimmer mount. The new nozzle achieves beam energies as low as 2.5 meV, increasing the energy resolution of the experiment by a factor of 5.5 and extending the accessible timescales into the nanosecond range. Furthermore, an improved skimmer mount design increases the signal intensity by 20 %. After a brief introduction to supersonic beam sources, the design of the new source is described and experiments characterising its performance are discussed.
The Pearlite Reaction in Steels Mechanisms and Crystallography: Part I. From H. C. Sorby to R. F. Mehl

Abstract The mechanisms for the formation of pearlite in steels are reviewed with particular reference to the work of R. F. Mehl and colleagues. The role of crystallography in the early theories, and inherent in the mechanisms of Mehl et al., is also discussed. Certain inconsistencies are shown to exist between Mehl’s ideas and more current concepts. A description of Mehl’s pioneering work on quantifying the pearlite reaction in terms of nucleation and growth rates and of interlamellar spacings also is presented.
Microinterventional endocapsular nucleus disassembly for phacoemulsification-free full-thickness fragmentation.

We describe a new technique for nucleus disassembly using a microinterventional approach. This is the first report of a microinterventional phacoemulsification-free endocapsular lens fragmentation using a superelastic memory-shaped nickel and titanium (nitinol) microfilament (miLOOP). After standard capsulorhexis and hydrodissection, the microinterventional loop is inserted through the 2.3 mm clear corneal incision. An actuation mechanism is used to unfold the microloop, which glides horizontally on the anterior surface of the lens, expands below the anterior capsule, and then rotates vertically while traveling in the hydrodissection plane to encircle the entire nucleus. Then, the loop is mechanically retracted within the sleeve, achieving full-thickness centripetal segmentation of the nucleus. After rotation of the lens, the loop cuts can be repeated to create 4 or more segments without using phaco energy. The technique is independent of cataract grade and eliminates the need for phacoemulsification or femtosecond energy during the nucleus disassembly step of cataract surgery.
Design-based natural ventilation evaluation in early stage for high performance buildings

Abstract Natural ventilation has been recognized as one of the most promising passive strategies to reduce building energy consumption as well as to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort level. However, a lack of agreement on evaluation index for natural ventilation in early design stage is noticeable. The target of this paper was to develop a natural ventilation evaluation index for early-stage design. The study began by reviewing current practices of natural ventilation evaluation and identifying the problems of current indices. A Design-Based Natural Ventilation Potential was then proposed as the evaluation index of natural ventilation, especially for the early design stage. The proposed evaluation index covered both indoor air quality and thermal environment aspects for natural ventilation and take early stage design information into consideration, such as urban context and environment. The evaluation index was employed in a case study of an office building to illustrate the advantage of this index comparing to other evaluation indices. As a conclusion, the Design-Based Natural Ventilation Potential can provide more design-oriented result of natural ventilation evaluation in early design stage, which as a result will lead to a better urban built environment by enhancing the possibility of high performance naturally ventilated buildings.
Leflunomide Synergizes with Gemcitabine in Growth Inhibition of PC Cells and Impairs c-Myc Signaling through PIM Kinase Targeting

The immunosuppressive agent leflunomide has been used in the treatment of over 300,000 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Its active metabolite, teriflunomide (Ter), directly inhibits dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), an enzyme involved in nucleoside synthesis. We report that Ter not only shows in vitro anti-proliferative activity in pancreatic cancer (PC) cells as a single agent but also synergizes with the chemotherapeutic gemcitabine (Gem) in growth inhibition of PC cells. The growth-inhibitory effects of Ter are not solely caused by inhibition of DHODH. Through a kinase screening approach, we identified the PIM-3 serine-threonine kinase as a novel direct target. Subsequent dose-response kinase assays showed that Ter directly inhibited all three PIM family members, with the highest activities against PIM-3 and -1. The PIM-3 kinase was the PIM family member most often associated with PC oncogenesis and was also the kinase inhibited the most by Ter among more than 600 kinases investigated. Ter in PC cells induced changes in phosphorylation and expression of PIM downstream targets, consistent with the effects achieved by overexpression or downregulation of PIM-3. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of PIM proteins not only diminished PC cell proliferation, but also small-molecule pan-PIM and PIM-3 inhibitors synergized with Gem in growth inhibition of PC cells.
Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Integrated Photonics

Nonlinear organic materials including small molecules and polymers have enabled numerous advances in flexible photonics and electronics. By grafting oriented monolayers of small molecules on the surface of optical resonators, we have improved the nonlinear performance of the devices. Numerous nonlinearities including Stokes/Anti-Stokes generation are observed. Density functional theory and finite element method modeling are performed to understand the mechanism giving rise to the improvement.
Sonographic Evaluation of Fetal Cardiac Anatomy in the Late First Trimester

Objective:Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are the most common cause of infant death in the United States. Severe, complex cardiac anomalies make up approximately half of the cases and carry signifi...
Trends in interventional radiology: Survey of medical students at an educational symposium

Objective: Symposiums are great avenues to expose students to interventional radiology (IR) and gauge their interest in the field. This study compares student interest and knowledge of the specialty before and after a state- wide IR symposium. Materials and Methods: A state-wide IR symposium consisted of lecture didactics and interactive hands-on IR simulations. Pre-symposium and post-symposium survey assessments were provided to each attendee to complete. The surveys remained anonymous and were performed for quality assurance purposes. The survey included questions on knowledge of IR, interest in IR, application strategies for the IR match, and career options in IR. Results: A total of 101 medical students registered for the symposium. Thirty-nine completed the pre-symposium survey and 40 completed the post-symposium survey. About 71.1% of the respondents reported “Little Knowledge” of IR before the symposium, which decreased to 40.5% after the symposium. Furthermore, 21% of the respondents believed that they had a “Good Foundation” in IR before the symposium and 59.5% after the symposium (P < 0.0001). The percentage of students planning to pursue IR increased from 35.9% to 45.9% (P = 0.160) after the symposium. About 77.8% reported that having an IR clinic is important in their career in the post-symposium survey compared to 64.1% in the pre-symposium survey (P = 0.077). Conclusions: Symposiums are an effective method in exposing medical students to IR. Students have expressed both strong interest in the field and increased knowledge post-symposium. Prospective applicants have reported dual applying to the integrated IR and diagnostic radiology (DR) residencies due to their concern about the competitive nature of integrated IR due to small number of positions available.
RDAnet: A Deep Learning Based Approach for Synthetic Aperture Radar Image Formation.

Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imaging systems operate by emitting radar signals from a moving object, such as a satellite, towards the target of interest. Reflected radar echoes are received and later used by image formation algorithms to form a SAR image. There is great interest in using SAR images in computer vision tasks such as classification or automatic target recognition. Today, however, SAR applications consist of multiple operations: image formation followed by image processing. In this work, we train a deep neural network that performs both the image formation and image processing tasks, integrating the SAR processing pipeline. Results show that our integrated pipeline can output accurately classified SAR imagery with image quality comparable to those formed using a traditional algorithm. We believe that this work is the first demonstration of an integrated neural network based SAR processing pipeline using real data.
Silibinin and non-melanoma skin cancers

Skin is the largest human organ that shields the inner body from contact with xenobiotic and genotoxic agents, and in this process, the skin's cellular genome faces continuous stress due to direct exposure to these noxious factors. Accumulation of genetic stress results in genomic alterations leading to undesirable gene or protein alteration/expression in skin cells, which eventually causes the formation of non-melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs). Ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sun is the most prominent factor contributing to ∼5 million skin cancer cases (which are mostly NMSCs) in the United States (US) and western countries. UVB exposure causes aberrations in a range of biochemical and molecular pathways such as: thymine dimer formation, DNA damage, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, altered cellular signaling, which ultimately contribute to the development of NMSCs. The focus of this review is to summarize the protective and preventive potential of silymarin and/or silibinin against UVB-induced NMSC in pre-clinical skin cancer studies. Over two decades of research has shown the strong potential of silibinin, a biologically active flavonolignan (crude form Silymarin) derived from milk thistle plant, against a wide range of cancers, including NMSCs. Silibinin protects against UVB-induced thymine dimer formation and in turn promotes DNA repair and/or initiates apoptosis in damaged cells via an increase in p53 levels. Additionally, silibinin has shown strong efficacy against NMSCs via its potential to target aberrant signaling pathways, and induction of anti-inflammatory responses. Overall, completed comprehensive studies suggest the potential use of silibinin to prevent and/or manage NMSCs in humans.
Decentralized Decision Making for the Restoration of Interdependent Networks

AbstractThis study introduces tractable algorithms to model the decentralized decision-making process for postdisaster restoration of interdependent networks. Restoration strategies are devised by ...
Three-dimensional models of breast cancer–fibroblasts interactions:

Tumor microenvironment is a complex niche consisting of cancer cells and stromal cells in a network of extracellular matrix proteins and various soluble factors. Dynamic interactions among cellular...