cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radionuclide bone/joint imaging in children with rheumatic complaints

We reviewed the medical records and technetium bone/joint scans of 160 children presenting to the inpatient Pediatric Rheumatology service over a 3-year period. When the scan result (normal versus abnormal) was considered for each patient as a whole, scan sensitivity and specificity were both approximately 75%. However, when each joint was considered individually, sensitivity decreased to 37%, while specificity rose to more than 95% when compared to clinical examination. Reasons for these variations and their clinical correlation are discussed. Overall, radionuclide bone/joint scanning was found to be very useful in the evaluation of monoarticular and nonrheumatic disorders, but it did not alter therapy in children with known connective tissue disorders or other polyarticular diseases.
Ewing's sarcoma of the sacrum.

A lytic lesion with soft-tissue extension in the sacrum of a 47-year-old man was needle-biopsied under computed tomographic (CT) guidance using an 18-gauge cutting needle. The cytologic appearance of the lesion and immunohistochemical staining were diagnostic of Ewing’s sarcoma. Specifically, a new marker (O13) for the presence of glycoprotein p30/32 mic2 in Ewing’s sarcoma was utilized.
Optimal clustering for detecting near-native conformations in protein docking.

Clustering is one of the most powerful tools in computational biology. The conventional wisdom is that events that occur in clusters are probably not random. In protein docking, the underlying principle is that clustering occurs because long-range electrostatic and/or desolvation forces steer the proteins to a low free-energy attractor at the binding region. Something similar occurs in the docking of small molecules, although in this case shorter-range van der Waals forces play a more critical role. Based on the above, we have developed two different clustering strategies to predict docked conformations based on the clustering properties of a uniform sampling of low free-energy protein-protein and protein-small molecule complexes. We report on significant improvements in the automated prediction and discrimination of docked conformations by using the cluster size and consensus as a ranking criterion. We show that the success of clustering depends on identifying the appropriate clustering radius of the system. The clustering radius for protein-protein complexes is consistent with the range of the electrostatics and desolvation free energies (i.e., between 4 and 9 A); for protein-small molecule docking, the radius is set by van der Waals interactions (i.e., at ∼2 A). Without any a priori information, a simple analysis of the histogram of distance separations between the set of docked conformations can evaluate the clustering properties of the data set. Clustering is observed when the histogram is bimodal. Data clustering is optimal if one chooses the clustering radius to be the minimum after the first peak of the bimodal distribution. We show that using this optimal radius further improves the discrimination of near-native complex structures.
Longevity of cryogenically stored seeds

Though cryogenic storage is presumed to provide nearly infinite longevity to cells, the actual shelf life achieved under ultra-cold temperatures has not been addressed theoretically or empirically. Here, we report measurable changes in germination of dried seeds stored under liquid nitrogen conditions for >10 years. There was considerable variability in the extent of deterioration among species and accessions within a species. Aging time courses for lettuce seeds stored at temperatures between 50 and )196C were fit to a form of the Avrami equation to determine rate coefficients and predict half-life of accessions. A reduction in the temperature dependency on aging rate, determined as a break in the Arrhenius plot, occurred at about )15C, and this resulted in faster deterioration than anticipated from extrapolation of kinetics measured at higher temperatures. The break in Arrhenius behavior occurred at temperatures in between the glass transition temperature (28C) and the Kauzmann temperature ()42C) and also coincided with a major triacylglycerol phase change ()40 to )7C). In spite of the faster than anticipated deterioration, cryogenic storage clearly prolonged shelf life of lettuce seeds with half-lives projected as � 500 and � 3400 years for fresh lettuce seeds stored in the vapor and liquid phases of liquid nitrogen, respectively. The benefit of low temperature storage ()18 or )135C) on seed longevity was progressively lost if seeds were first stored at 5C. Collectively, these results demonstrate that lowering storage temperature progressively increases longevity of seeds. However, cryogenic temperatures were not sufficient to stop deterioration, especially if initial stages of aging were allowed to progress at higher storage temperatures. This work contributes to reliable assessments of the potential benefit and cost of different genebanking strategies. Published by Elsevier Inc.
On the Transition from Profile Altimeter to Swath Altimeter for Observing Global Ocean Surface Topography

AbstractConventional radar altimeter makes measurement of sea surface height (SSH) in one-dimensional profiles along the ground tracks of a satellite. Such profiles are combined via various mapping techniques to construct two-dimensional SSH maps, providing a valuable data record over the past two decades for studying the global ocean circulation and sea level change. However, the spatial resolution of the SSH is limited by both coarse sampling across the satellite tracks and the instrument error in the profile measurements. A new satellite mission based on radar interferometry offers the capability of making high-resolution wide-swath measurement of SSH. This mission is called Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT), which will demonstrate the application of swath altimeter to both oceanography and land hydrology. This paper presents a brief introduction to the design of SWOT, its performance specification for SSH, and the anticipated spatial resolution and coverage, demonstrating the promise of SWOT f...
Early Events in Retrovirus XMRV Infection of the Wild-Derived Mouse Mus pahari

A novel gammaretrovirus, xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV), has been identified in patients with prostate cancer and in patients with chronic fatigue syndromes. Standard Mus musculus laboratory mice lack a functional XPR1 receptor for XMRV and are therefore not a suitable model for the virus. In contrast, Gairdner's shrew-mice (Mus pahari) do express functional XPR1. To determine whether Mus pahari could serve as a model for XMRV, primary Mus pahari fibroblasts and mice were infected with cell-free XMRV. Infection of cells in vitro resulted in XMRV Gag expression and the production of XMRV virions. After intraperitoneal injection of XMRV into Mus pahari mice, XMRV proviral DNA could be detected in spleen, blood, and brain. Intravenous administration of a green fluorescent protein (GFP) vector pseudotyped with XMRV produced GFP(+) CD4(+) T cells and CD19(+) B cells. Mice mounted adaptive immune responses against XMRV, as evidenced by the production of neutralizing and Env- and Gag-specific antibodies. Prominent G-to-A hypermutations were also found in viral genomes isolated from the spleen, suggesting intracellular restriction of XMRV infection by APOBEC3 in vivo. These data demonstrate infection of Mus pahari by XMRV, potential cell tropism of the virus, and immunological and intracellular restriction of virus infection in vivo. These data support the use of Mus pahari as a model for XMRV pathogenesis and as a platform for vaccine and drug development against this potential human pathogen.
A Computational Method for Stochastic Impulse Control Problems

Stochastic control refers to the optimal control of systems subject to randomness. Impulse and singular controls are those that can instantaneously change the system state as opposed to the more common controls that change the rate of change of state. When the cost of control has a fixed component it is usually optimal to affect instantaneous changes that cause discontinuity in state evolution. Examples of impulse controls are abundant in several diverse areas that include finance, operations management and economics. Stochastic impulse control problems are usually solved by converting them to differential equation problems using dynamic programming arguments. In all but the simplest of cases, the resulting differential equations for impulse control problems cannot be solved analytically. They are relatively harder to solve since they have free boundaries, which are unknown boundaries that need to be determined as part of the solution. In this dissertation, we construct a transformation scheme that transforms the arising free boundary problem to a sequence of fixed-boundary problems that are easy to solve. We show that the arising sequence has monotonically improved solutions and that the sequence of solutions converge to the optimal solution. We also provide an e-optimality result that establishes a bound on the difference from the optimal value function for any terminated iteration. Applications in finance and operations management are illustrated.
Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Variants and Challenges

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most frequent form of skin cancer superseded by only basal cell carcinoma. Like basal cell carcinoma, SCC is predisposed for by excessive ultraviolet exposure, hence its association with advancing age and cumulative sun exposure, exposed anatomic sites and highest incidence in sunny geographic locales. The most important pathogenic mechanisms involve aberration of the p53 tumor suppressor gene via ultraviolet-induced mutation or HPV-encoded interdiction. The latter mechanism is thought to be the most important factor in the development of these malignancies in the setting of epidermodysplasia verruciformis and solid organ iatrogenic immunosuppression where multicentric tumor may present in a metachronous or synchronous fashion. Less common associations have been ascribed to chronic inflammatory or scarring conditions such as in the setting of burns, so called Marjolin’s ulcer, osteomyletic sinuses and lichen sclerosis et atrophicus, among others.
Power calculation for CMOS gate arrays

This paper describes a new procedure to calculate the power consumption of VLSI CMOS Gate Arrays. The system is based on a pre-defined power model library describing the physical behavior of all macros in Motorola's cell library in terms of power dissipation. The short circuit current of the complementary transistors is taken into account. For a specific design first the required circuit data are calculated and then the toggle frequencies for all macro instances are determined through logical simulation. Using this data the power calculator POWCAL derives the total power consumption of every instance and for the whole design automatically. The power can be calculated for Motorola's HDCMOS and H4C technologies dependent on the supply voltage, the die temperature and the process. >
Heterogeneity of Diagnoses Presenting as Cyclic Vomiting

Objective. To establish the diagnostic profile in children who present with cyclic vomiting. Methods. We studied 225 children Results. The largest diagnostic category included idiopathic cyclic vomiting syndrome (88%). Extraintestinal disorders (7%) and gastrointestinal disorders (5%) constituting the probable cause of vomiting were established in those having complete cessation of episodes after therapy. In 12%, serious surgical disorders of the gastrointestinal (malrotation), renal (acute hydronephrosis), and central nervous systems (neoplasm) were found. In 2%, serious endocrine (Addison9s disease) and metabolic disorders (disorder of fatty acid oxidation) were found. Among those with idiopathic cyclic vomiting syndrome, 41% had associated disorders (gastroesophageal reflux and chronic sinusitis) that could contribute to the vomiting, but, based on a partial response to therapy, were not deemed to be the main cause. Altogether 49% had an identified disorder that probably caused or could contribute to the vomiting. Conclusions. The cyclic pattern of vomiting is a symptom complex that can be induced by heterogeneous disorders that either cause or contribute to the vomiting. Once the cyclic vomiting pattern is identified, systematic diagnostic testing is warranted to look for these underlying disorders.
Optimization of an immunostaining protocol for the rapid intraoperative evaluation of melanoma sentinel lymph node imprint smears with the 'MCW melanoma cocktail'

In the management of cutaneous melanoma, it is desirable to complete the regional lymphadenectomy during the initial surgical procedure for wide excision of biopsy site and sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. In this study, we optimized and evaluated a rapid 17 minutes immunostaining protocol. The discriminatory immunostaining pattern associated with the 'MCW Melanoma Cocktail' (mixture of Melan- A, MART- 1, and tyrosinase) facilitated the feasibility of intraoperative evaluation of imprint smears of SLNs for melanoma metastases.
Earthquake in a Maze: Compressional Rupture Branching During the 2012 Mw 8.6 Sumatra earthquake

Seismological observations of the 2012 moment magnitude 8.6 Sumatra earthquake reveal unprecedented complexity of dynamic rupture. The surprisingly large magnitude results from the combination of deep extent, high stress drop, and rupture of multiple faults. Back-projection source imaging indicates that the rupture occurred on distinct planes in an orthogonal conjugate fault system, with relatively slow rupture speed. The east-southeast–west-northwest ruptures add a new dimension to the seismotectonics of the Wharton Basin, which was previously thought to be controlled by north-south strike-slip faulting. The rupture turned twice into the compressive quadrant, against the preferred branching direction predicted by dynamic Coulomb stress calculations. Orthogonal faulting and compressional branching indicate that rupture was controlled by a pressure-insensitive strength of the deep oceanic lithosphere.
Brain levels of sex steroid hormones in men and women during normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease

We examined the relationships between normal aging, Alzheimer's disease (AD), and brain levels of sex steroid hormones in men and women. In postmortem brain tissue from neuropathologically normal, postmenopausal women, we found no age-related changes in brain levels of either androgens or estrogens. In comparing women with and without AD at different ages, brain levels of estrogens and androgens were lower in AD cases aged 80 years and older but not significantly different in the 60-79 year age range. In male brains, we observed that normal aging was associated with significant decreases in androgens but not estrogens. Further, in men aged 60-79 years, brain levels of testosterone but not estrogens were lower in cases with mild neuropathological changes as well as those with advanced AD neuropathology. In male cases over age 80, brain levels hormones did not significantly vary by neuropathological status. To begin investigating the relationships between hormone levels and indices of AD neuropathology, we measured brain levels of soluble β-amyloid (Aβ). In male cases with mild neuropathological changes, we found an inverse relationship between brain levels of testosterone and soluble Aβ. Collectively, these findings demonstrate sex-specific relationships between normal, age-related depletion of androgens and estrogens in men and women, which may be relevant to development of AD.
Specifying behavior in C

Most robot programming takes place in the "time domain", that is, the goal is to specify the behavior of a system that is acquiring a continual temporal stream of inputs, and is required to provide a continual, temporal stream of outputs. We present a reactive programming language, based on the functional reactive programming paradigm, for specifying such behavior. The major attributes of this language are: 1) it provides for both synchronous and asynchronous definitions of behavior; 2) specification is equational in nature; 3) it is type safe; and 4) it is embedded in C++. In particular the latter makes it simple to "lift" existing C++ libraries into the language.
Hydrogen and moisture-induced scale spallation: Cathodic descaling of a single crystal superalloy

Moisture-induced delayed spallation (MIDS) of protective alumina scales at room temperature is a well known phenomenon. One mechanism proposes that water and Al alloy react, produce hydrogen at the scale-metal interface, and enable spallation. To test this mechanism, preoxidized samples of a single crystal superalloy, Rene'N5 + Y, were subjected to standard cathodic hydrogen charging treatments known to produce hydrogen embrittlement in bulk Ni and Ni 3 Al alloys. Cathodic hydrogen charging, at <1 mA and an estimated -0.45 V SCE, stripped the scales at the oxide-metal interface, resulting in an initial loss of ∼3 mg/cm 2 and little additional change with time. This was supported by macro-photos and SEM of the spalled surface. On the other hand, anodic polarization at <1 mA produced less, but steady, linear weight loss (0.3 mg/cm 2 ), primarily by anodic dissolution of the metal. Hydrogen charging was thus shown to be detrimental to the alumina scale-metal bond, supporting the hydrogen factor in MIDS. These and other MIDS results show remarkable similarities to embrittlement of Ni subject to hydrogen charging at similar potentials and varying amounts of interfacial (grain boundary) sulfur segregation. The MIDS phenomenon is also discussed in terms of comparative static corrosion fatigue characteristics. It is not necessarily related to other diverse moisture effects occurring at high temperature.
Valved bovine jugular vein conduits for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in children: an attractive alternative to pulmonary homograft.

Background Pulmonary homografts (PH) have been the preferred valved conduits for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction in the US since the mid-1980s. Although PHs have worked well for Ross patients, many PH extracardiac conduits used for congenital heart surgery suffer from degeneration and develop regurgitation and obstruction within months after implantation and require replacement within 4 to 6 years. Recently a valve-containing bovine jugular vein (Contegra, Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, MN) was introduced for clinical trials for a variety of patients requiring RVOT reconstruction. Methods The early results of RVOT reconstruction utilizing the Contegra conduit were retrospectively analyzed in 62 patients. This series consisted of 9 newborns with truncus arteriosus, 39 patients with failed PHs, 6 with pulmonary atresia and 2 with tetralogy of Fallot with absent pulmonary valve, 2 with transposition of great arteries with ventricular septal defect and pulmonary stenosis, and 4 undergoing a Ross procedure. The patients ages ranged from 2 weeks to 18 years (mean, 7.3 ± 6.0 years) and weights were from 2 to 83 kg (mean, 28.1 ± 22.3 kg). The Contegra conduit sizes varied in diameter between 12 and 22 mm (mean, 18.2 ± 4.1 mm). Results There were two early (3%) and four (7%) late deaths and none of them was conduit related. There has been one conduit explantation, and seven patients have required reinterventions to relieve stenosis at or beyond the distal anastomosis of the conduit to pulmonary artery bifurcation (8 of 60; 13%). Six of the 7 patients had balloon dilatation of the branch pulmonary arteries for preexisting stenosis. One patient developed distal anastomotic stenosis that did not yield to balloon angioplasty and she underwent surgical patch arterioplasty of the distal anastomosis. The interval from conduit implantation to reintervention ranged from 3 to 27 months (mean, 11.1 ± 7.8 months). Of these, three patients required placement of a stent in the left (n = 1) or both branch pulmonary arteries (n = 2). During the short to intermediate follow-up in our series we have not observed, on echocardiography, shrinkage of the Contegra as we and others have reported with PHs. Conclusions The Contegra conduit offers a promising alternative for RVOT reconstruction. Early hemodynamic performance compares favorably with PHs. Clinical advantages are greater availability in sizes from 12 to 22 mm and natural continuity between the valve and conduit that allows proximal infundibular shaping without additional materials. The price of the bovine jugular venous valve is approximately one-half that of many PHs in the US. Short-term freedom from dysfunction is at least as good as PHs. Long-term durability must be determined for this new conduit. The Contegra conduit is currently our conduit of choice for RVOT reconstruction in infants, children, and young adults.
Why Are Some Undergraduates More (and Others Less) Interested in Psychological Research

Theorists consider student interest central to effective education, but undergraduates have varying interest in psychological research. We developed a measure of interest in psychological research ...
AN AIRBORNE CLOUD-DROP-SIZE DISTRIBUTION METER

Abstract An airborne outboard aspirating probe is described which counts and sizes cloud droplets in the range two to sixty microns diameter, at rates up to ten thousand per second, by sensing artificial electrostatic charges induced on the particles in proportion to their sizes. Sample observed distributions for a limited number of cloud types are presented.
RELATIONSHIP OF NUTRITIONAL CONDITION OF PERMANENT-RESIDENT WOODLAND BIRDS WITH WOODLOT AREA, SUPPLEMENTAL FOOD, AND SNOW COVER

Abstract In a previous study we found that survivorship of several species of permanent-resident, temperate-zone birds was positively related to forest fragment size and presence of supplemental food, and negatively related to extent of snow cover (Doherty and Grubb 2002). Here, we test the hypothesis that such trends are related to differential nutritional condition during winter. Employing rate of growth of induced feathers, we found that woodlot size and presence of supplemental food interacted to increase the nutritional condition of Carolina Chickadees (Poecile carolinensis) and that Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) nutritional condition was reduced in years with high snow cover. Assuming that nutritional condition is positively related to survivorship, these results have possible implications for the viability of permanent-resident birds in small woodlots, with the effects on subordinate species in foraging flocks in very small woodlots possibly being the most severe.
Dose-dependent teratogenicity of the synthetic cannabinoid CP-55,940 in mice

Potent synthetic cannabinoids (SCBs) are illegally distributed drugs of abuse that are frequently consumed in spite of their adverse consequences. This study was designed to determine if the toxicity observed in adults also extends to the prenatal period by examining the developmental toxicity/teratogenicity of one of these SCBs, CP-55,940, in a mammalian model. First, immunohistochemistry was employed for cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) localization within gestational day (GD) 8 mouse embryos; this receptor was identified in the cranial neural plate, suggesting that the endogenous cannabinoid system may be involved in normal development. Based on this information and on previous avian teratogenicity studies, the current investigation focused on cannabinoid exposure during neurulation. The treatment paradigm involved acute i.p. administration of vehicle, 0.0625, 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0mg/kg CP-55,940 to time-mated C57Bl/6J mice on their 8th day of pregnancy (n>10 litters per treatment group). On GD 17, litters were harvested and examined for numbers of live, dead, or resorbed fetuses, as well as for fetal weight, length, and gross morphological abnormalities. No effect on litter size, fetal weight, or crown rump length was seen at any of the CP-55,940 dosages tested. Major malformations involving the craniofacies and/or eyes were noted in all drug-treated groups. Selected fetuses with craniofacial malformations were histologically sectioned and stained, allowing investigation of brain anomalies. Observed craniofacial, ocular, and brain abnormalities in drug-treated fetuses included lateral and median facial clefts, cleft palate, microphthalmia, iridial coloboma, anophthalmia, exencephaly, holoprosencephaly, and cortical dysplasia. With the most commonly observed defects involving the eyes, the incidence and severity of readily identifiable ocular malformations were utilized as a basis for dose-response analyses. Ocular malformation ratings revealed dose-dependent CP-55,940 teratogenicity within the full range of dosages tested. While examination of additional critical periods and in depth mechanistic studies is warranted, the results of this investigation clearly show the dose-dependent teratogenicity of this SCB.
Kant and Women

Kant's conception of women is complex. Although he struggles to bring his considered view of women into focus, a sympathetic reading shows it not to be anti-feminist and to contain important arguments regarding human nature. Kant believes the traditional male-female distinction is unlikely to disappear, but he never proposes the traditional gender ideal as the moral ideal; he rejects the idea that such considerations of philosophical anthropology can set the framework for morality. This is also why his moral works clarifies that all citizens, including women have the right, and should be encouraged to strive towards an active condition.
Predictors of Recidivism Among Rural and Urban Drug-Involved Prisoners

The present study examined recidivism in a sample of rural and urban drug-involved prisoners who were interviewed face-to-face shortly before parole and again 1 year later. Sociodemographic information, substance use, mental health, and criminal histories were collected. Variables significant at the bivariate level were used in separate logistic regression models to identify the strongest predictors of recidivism for rural and urban participants. While substance use and incarceration at a younger age predicted recidivism in both groups, several additional predictors emerged for urban participants including being younger, non-White, not employed full-time, and more extensive mental health problems and criminal histories.
High-resolution imaging of coronary atherosclerosis by optical coherence tomography

We describe a recent intracoronary optical coherence tomography study conducted in a cohort of 80 patients. Our results demonstrate that optical coherence tomography holds great potential for identifying high-risk coronary plaques.
A Paper that Created Three New Fields: Teoriya Veroyatnosteĭ i Ee Primeneniya 16(2), 1971, pp. 264–279

This is an introduction, with remarks, to the paper by Vapnik and Chervonenkis in which they gave proofs for the strikingly innovative statements they had announced in Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR three years earlier.
Unmanned Air Vehicle Sensor Development Using a Real-Time, Physics-Based Simulation Tool

Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) mission objectives are continuing to expand toward precision, high-resolution target tracking and engagement in complex environment. Potential applications include biochemical plume detection and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR). A real-time, physics-based simulation of the urban wind environment has been developed and integrated with a 6DOF model of the Unicorn UAV designed by Procerus to develop design parameters for mission critical system components. The purpose of this work is to use these integrated models to determine preliminary sensor design requirements directly related to operating a UAV in the urban environment. This simulation has been used to determine requirements for a gimbal mounted target tracking instrument and an optics-based, remote wind sensor. The simulation tool can be altered to characterize sensor requirements that are dependent on interactions with the wind and physical environment. This paper will discuss the urban simulation and 6DOF model used and the integrated results, the specific need for each of the mentioned sensor systems and how the integrated simulation is used to identify critical design parameters and resulting design requirements. Preliminary results will also be presented followed by a discussion of future work.
Enzyme homologues have distinct reaction paths through their transition states.

Recent studies of the bacterial enzymes EcMTAN and VcMTAN showed that they have different binding affinities for the same transition state analogue. This was surprising given the similarity of their active sites. We performed transition path sampling simulations of both enzymes to reveal the atomic details of the catalytic chemical step, which may be the key for explaining the inhibitor affinity differences. Even though all experimental data would suggest the two enzymes are almost identical, subtle dynamic differences manifest in differences of reaction coordinate, transition state structure, and eventually significant differences in inhibitor binding. Unlike EcMTAN, VcMTAN has multiple distinct transition states, which is an indication that multiple sets of coordinated protein motions can reach a transition state. Reaction coordinate information is only accessible from transition path sampling approaches, since all experimental approaches report averages. Detailed knowledge could have a significant impa...
Soil Phosphorus Remediation by Bahia Grass, Common Bermuda Grass, Crab Grass, and Switch Grass

ABSTRACTSoil phosphorus (P) removal by harvest may be a practical remediation strategy. Small plots of bahia grass (BG) (Paspalum notatum Flugge), common bermuda grass (CB) (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.), crab grass (CG) (Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koel.), and switch grass (SG) (Panicum virgatum L.) were established on a coastal plain soil (Mehlich 3P, 100–500+ mg kg−1) . Yield, tissue P concentration, and uptake P were determined in 2002–2005, and surface (0–15 cm) soil P were determined in 2002 and 2005. The uptake decreased, SG > CG > BG = CB (range 230–90 kg ha−1), paralleling the decrease in surface soil P. Uptake depended on soil P (P surface soil P decrease at low soil P due to uptake from subsoil but decrease > uptake at high soil P due to leaching. Soil P concentration did not affect SG tissue P nor did multiple harvests decrease its relative productivity.
Against Distinction: Photography and Legendary Psychasthenia*

Walead Beshty describes the editorial conditions and conceptual parameters for the special issue of Blind Spot that he edited and designed in 2013. Beshty argues that photography is the dominant me...
Morbidity and mortality conference is not sufficient for surgical quality control: Processes and outcomes of a successful attending Physician Peer Review committee.

Abstract Background Physician Peer Review (PPR) is required by The Joint Commission to assure examination of individual and group outcomes. Although surgeons may utilize Morbidity and Mortality (MM only a small number of significant concerns were discovered.
Erythroblastic islands: specialized microenvironmental niches for erythropoiesis

This review focuses on current understanding of molecular mechanisms operating within erythroblastic islands including cell-cell adhesion, regulatory feedback, and central macrophage function. RECENT FINDINGS: Erythroblasts express a variety of adhesion molecules and recently two interactions have been identified that appear to be critical for island integrity. Erythroblast macrophage protein, expressed on erythroblasts and macrophages, mediates cell-cell attachments via homophilic binding. Erythroblast intercellular adhesion molecule-4 links erythroblasts to macrophages through interaction with macrophage alphav integrin. In intercellular adhesion molecule-4 knockout mice, erythroblastic islands are markedly reduced, whereas the erythroblast macrophage protein null phenotype is severely anemic and embryonic lethal. Retinoblastoma tumor suppressor (Rb) protein stimulates macrophage differentiation by counteracting inhibition of Id2 on PU.1, a transcription factor that is a crucial regulator of macrophage differentiation. Rb-deficient macrophages do not bind Rb null erythroblasts and the Rb null phenotype is anemic and embryonic lethal. Lastly, extruded nuclei rapidly expose phosphatidylserine on their surface, providing a recognition signal similar to apoptotic cells. SUMMARY: Although understanding of molecular mechanisms operating within islands is at an early stage, tantalizing evidence suggests that erythroblastic islands are specialized niches where intercellular interactions in concert with cytokines play critical roles in regulating erythropoiesis.
Spider Silk: A Sticky Situation

This chapter takes a look at the structural and surface properties of various types of spider silk that enable such remarkable performance as a fiber, as well as its past and potential uses in engineering. Though there are various types of spider webs such as tangle and sheet webs, the orb web is the most common and is spun and constructed by orb-weaving spiders, Araneus and Nephila. Orb-weaving spiders are capable of producing seven different types of silk threads, each with distinct combinations of amino acid composition, function, and gland and spinneret used in production (Saravanan, J Textile Apparel Technol Manag 5(1):1–20, 2006). Dragline silk, known to be the toughest of all types of silk, serves as the framework of the spider’s web, as well as its lifeline (Heim et al., Angew Chem Int Ed 48:3584–3596, 2009). Despite inevitable variations in the material properties of dragline silk across different species of spiders, it is still found to be tougher than most biological fibers and even man-made fibers (Swanson et al., Evolution 60(12):2539–2551, 2007). While spiders use dragline silk for web framework and as a lifeline, they also spin threads to capture their prey, which are called capture threads (Vollrath, Rev Mol Biotechnol 74(2):67–83, 2000). The adhesive properties of capture threads are made possible by an interlocking mechanism (Hawthorn, Biol J Linn Soc 77(1):1–8, 2002) and van der Waals and capillary forces (Sahni et al., J Adhes 87:595–614, 2011). Spider silk has numerous future engineering applications. New biopolymer materials to be used in the medical field are a possibility with the manipulation of spider silk proteins (Romer and Scheibel, Prion 2(4):154–161, 2008). Also, spider silk is being applied to a diverse array of applications within the military arena, including, but not limited to, being used as an underwater anchoring adhesive (Military Times, Navy bets on spider silk research with USU funding, http://www.militarytimes.com/article/20130807/NEWS04/308070038/Navy-bets-spider-silk-research-USU-funding, 2013).
Automatic Discovery of Transition Symmetry in Multithreaded Programs Using Dynamic Analysis

While symmetry reduction has been established to be an important technique for reducing the search space in model checking, its application in concurrent software verification is still limited, due to the difficulty of specifying symmetry in realistic software. We propose an algorithm for automatically discovering and applying transition symmetry in multithreaded programs during dynamic model checking. Our main idea is using dynamic program analysis to identify a permutation of variables and labels of the program that entails syntactic equivalence among the residual code of threads and to check whether the local states of threads are equivalent under the permutation. The new transition symmetry discovery algorithm can bring substantial state space savings during dynamic verification of concurrent programs. We have implemented the new algorithm in the dynamic model checker Inspect . Our preliminary experiments show that this algorithm can successfully discover transition symmetries that are hard or otherwise cumbersome to identify manually, and can significantly reduce the model checking time while using Inspect to examine realistic multithreaded applications.
Migration: The aftershocks to the provision of healthcare

Migration is the “movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions” (Oxford dictionary). The term “migration” summarizes forced, reluctant and voluntary migration. Voluntary migration is a comparatively constant event. But reluctant and, in particular, forced migration have been subject to substantial change during the last years. At the end of 2016, more than 17.2 million refugees (+ 5.3 million Palestinians) were on the run outside their home countries. 55% of them fled from Syria (5.5 million), Afghanistan (2.5 million) and South Sudan (1.4 million), respectively. The top hosting countries were not, in fact, the Southern and Western European or North American, but some of the poorest countries in the world. With the refugees from countries where disorders of haemoglobin are very prevalent, the number of patients in the host countries significantly increased within a very short period of time. The extraordinary circumstances required rapid rethinking and adaption and, therefore, did not only pose a big challenge but, in some countries, also a big chance to improve care for patients suffering from hemoglobinopathies. Although there are certainly several trouble spots in the world, the Middle East crisis was and still is currently the most prominent one. There is a significant prevalence of thalassemia and sickle cell disease among the Syrian and Iraqi population and since the chronically ill were presumably those who left their home countries first, there was a dramatic increase in the prevalence of thalassaemia and sickle cell disease in the host countries. Many patients fled to Western and Northern European countries where hemoglobinopathies were very rare and where the healthcare systems were unable to cope with this sudden increase in patient numbers and complications. For example, disease characteristics were much more pronounced than doctors were used to. Complications occurred that physicians only knew from textbooks. In addition, virtually all families needed significant help in psychosocial matters and many refugees were severely traumatized.
Potential neuroprotective role of astroglial exosomes against smoking-induced oxidative stress and HIV-1 replication in the central nervous system

Introduction: HIV-1-infected smokers are at risk of oxidative damage to neuronal cells in the central nervous system by both HIV-1 and cigarette smoke. Since neurons have a weak antioxidant defense...
Second-harmonic patterned polarization-analyzed reflection confocal microscopy of stromal collagen in benign and malignant breast tissues

We present the results of polarimetric analysis of collagen on varying pathologies of breast tissues using second-harmonic patterned polarization-analyzed reflection confocal (SPPARC) microscopy. Experiments are conducted on a breast tissue microarray having benign tissues (BT), malignant invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), and benign stroma adjacent to the malignant tissues (called the benign adjacent tissue, or BAT). Stroma in BAT and ILC exhibit the largest parameter differences. We observe that stromal collagen readings in ILC show lower depolarization, lower diattenuation and higher linear degree-of-polarization values than stromal collagen in BAT. This suggests that the optical properties of collagen change most in the vicinity of tumors. A similar trend is also exhibited in the non-collagenous extrafibrillar matrix plus cells (EFMC) region. The three highlighted parameters show greatest sensitivity to changes in the polarization response of collagen between pathologies.
Exact inference on the random-effects model for meta-analyses with few studies.

We describe an exact, unconditional, non-randomized procedure for producing confidence intervals for the grand mean in a normal-normal random effects meta-analysis. The procedure targets meta-analyses based on too few primary studies, ≤ 7 , say, to allow for the conventional asymptotic estimators, e.g., DerSimonian and Laird (1986), or non-parametric resampling-based procedures, e.g., Liu et al. (2017). Meta-analyses with such few studies are common, with one recent sample of 22,453 heath-related meta-analyses finding a median of 3 primary studies per meta-analysis (Davey et al., 2011). Reliable and efficient inference procedures are therefore needed to address this setting. The coverage level of the resulting CI is guaranteed to be above the nominal level, up to Monte Carlo error, provided the meta-analysis contains more than 1 study and the model assumptions are met. After employing several techniques to accelerate computation, the new CI can be easily constructed on a personal computer. Simulations suggest that the proposed CI typically is not overly conservative. We illustrate the approach on several contrasting examples of meta-analyses investigating the effect of calcium intake on bone mineral density.
Measuring Population Health in a Large Integrated Health System to Guide Goal Setting and Resource Allocation: A Proof of Concept.

Abstract In integrated health care systems, techniques that identify successes and opportunities for targeted improvement are needed. The authors propose a new method for estimating population heal...
Education in Resistance to Child Soldiering: A Latina Liberation Theology Perspective

In contemporary societies, where children continue to be recruited as soldiers, treated as disposables, placed in chain-link cages and dying for lack of water and food, we ask what role education should play in contesting this type of dehumanization and normalization of violence against children? How can our educational efforts contribute to the emancipation of these children? This essay aims to reflect on the critical role that education should play in the traumatic context of war. Inspired by Paulo Freire’s liberating pedagogical practice and Latina liberation theology, this chapter proposes some ways in which we can participate in the process of physical, social, psychological, and spiritual healing that children affected by the traumatic experiences of armed conflict need to undertake. This joint effort between children and adults will reinvigorate children’s resilient ability to help them overcome their traumatic circumstances and enhance their capacity to hope and dream.
Processing influences on food polyphenol profiles and biological activity

Increasing evidence supports the role of polyphenols in human health and has driven interest in translation of polyphenol rich ingredients to human foods. Food processing is a critical tool in development of consumer products aligned with clinical benefits. It is critical to consider how food processing may alter stability, bioavailability and ultimate biological activity of polyphenols. This review highlights processing parameters documented to impact polyphenol stability and provides examples of how select food processes impact polyphenols. Recent studies on whole grains, tea and fruit beverages document process induced losses as well as modification of bioavailability. However, characterization of processes-derived polyphenol degradation products is limited. Furthermore, bioactivity alterations remain mostly based on in vitro/preclinical systems. Growing evidence that polyphenol–macronutrient interactions can impact polyphenol profiles, bioavailability and bioactivities, including interactions with microbiota, suggest that consideration of the broader food matrix is critical in translation of experimental concepts to human foods.
Toward a sociology of digital resignation

The aim of this paper is to two fold: (1) to suggest the importance of constructing a sociology of digital resignation, and (2) to provide a framework for grounding such an approach. By digital resignation we mean the condition created when people desire to control the information and data digital entities such as online marketers have about them, but feel unable to exercise that control. Although resignation has not been a term researchers have routinely associated with the digital environment, recent empirical studies suggest it may be an overlooked description of the way people evaluate their social leverage in relation to an increasingly important part of twenty-first century life (see: Draper, forthcoming; Hargaitti & Marwick, 2016; Turow, Hennessey, & Draper, 2015). In the face of these findings, we turn to the small literature in anthropology and social psychology that characterizes resignation as a socio-political phenomenon (see: Benson & Kirsch, 2010; Forman, 1963). Building off these insights, we argue that the creation and reinforcement of resignation around the gathering and use of data about individuals has become an integral part of corporate business models. In the process, the industrial cultivation of digital resignation has also become central to the dynamics of power in twenty-first century society. We conclude by addressing the major policy issues that arise from these conditions; as well as what more we need to know, and what research ought to be conducted, to build a fuller understanding of this recent but crucial social phenomenon.
When to use intravascular ultrasound or optical coherence tomography during percutaneous coronary intervention

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) are intravascular imaging technologies widely used in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. The impact of these modalities for optimizing the acute and longer-term clinical impact following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is supported by a wealth of clinical evidence. Intravascular imaging provides unique information for enhanced lesion preparation, optimal stent sizing, recognizing post PCI complications, and the etiology of stent failure. This review compares and contrasts the key aspects of these imaging modalities during PCI.