cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dipole Moment and Binding Energy of Water in Proteins from Crystallographic Analysis.

The energetics of water molecules in proteins is studied using the water placement software Dowser. We compared the water position predictions for 14 high-resolution crystal structures of oligopeptide-binding protein (OppA) containing a large number of resolved internal water molecules. From the analysis of the outputs of Dowser with variable parameters and comparison with experimental X-ray data, we derived an estimate of the average dipole moment of water molecules located in the internal cavities of the protein and their binding energies. The water parameters thus obtained from the experimental data are then analyzed within the framework of charge-scaling theory developed recently by this group; the parameters are shown to be in good agreement with the predictions that the theory makes for the dipole moment in a protein environment. The water dipole in the protein environment is found to be much different from that in the bulk and in such models as SPC or TIPnP. The role of charge scaling due to electr...
Evaluation of Traps for Pink Bollworm

Four commonly used types of traps, 2 with internal baffle modifications, were compared for capacity and efficiency for catching pectinophora gossypiella (Saunders). The Delta trap, previously used for gypsy moth, was superior in every case; the addition of baffles increased its catch capabilities in high population situations.
A note on the path interval distance

The path interval distance accounts for global congruence between locally incongruent trees. We show that the path interval distance provides a lower bound for the nearest neighbor interchange distance. In contrast to the Robinson-Foulds distance, random pairs of trees are unlikely to be maximally distant from one another under the path interval distance. These features indicate that the path interval distance should play a role in phylogenomics where the comparison of trees on a fixed set of taxa is becoming increasingly important.
Totally automated keyword extraction

We develop and analyze an unsupervised and domain-independent method for extracting keywords from single documents. Our approach differs from the previous ones in the way of identifying candidate keywords, pruning the list of candidate keywords with several filtering heuristics and selecting keywords from the list of candidate keywords according to dynamic threshold functions. We were able to obtain better precision and recall on the same data set with our method than the previously studied ones.
Sourcing galena from a Middle Woodland habitation site in northeast Mississippi

ABSTRACTGalena has been recovered mostly in mortuary contexts – burial mounds, burial caves, and associated mortuary facilities – from Middle Woodland sites in the Southeast. Three small pieces of galena from the Cork site (22OK746) in northeast Mississippi came from midden deposits at a site with no mound or burials. Lead isotope analysis was used to source the samples to the Central Missouri-Tri-State-North Arkansas region. Isotopes provide an excellent sourcing method because their ratios are stable and large comparative source datasets are available. Recovery bias may have led to underestimation of galena presence in Middle Woodland habitation sites.
Improving timeliness of information through replicating requests

The Internet of Things has created an influx of data-generating devices. Applications that use these devices require the generated data to be transmitted in a timely manner. In this paper, we consider a Pull model, where remote clients will send requests to retrieve the information generated by multiple sources from the same random process. We assume that the update processes and response times of different sources are different. The timeliness, measured by age of information, depends not only on the freshness of information at the sources but also on the response times. Getting information from a fresh source with a large response time may lead to a larger age of information compared to getting information from a slightly less fresh source with a much smaller response time. Hence, an important objective is to optimize the timeliness of information obtained by the clients, accounting for the tradeoff between the freshness at the sources and the response times. We propose a replication scheme that improves age of information by replicating requests to multiple sources and waiting for a certain number of responses. We show through simulation that depending on the system parameters, the number of responses to wait for could be different for optimizing the information timeliness.
Rural banking : the case of rural and community banks in Ghana

This case study describes the history and business model of the Rural and Community Bank (RCB) network in Ghana, analyzes its performance, identifies key issues, and makes recommendations on the way forward. The study analyzes the service delivery and financial performance of the RCBs. Before the establishment of RCBs in the late 1970s and the subsequent expansion of other service providers into rural areas, access to institutional credit for farm and nonfarm activities was scarce. The main sources of credit were moneylenders and traders that charged very high interest rates. In many rural communities, secure, safe, and convenient savings and payment facilities hardly existed. The first RCB was established in a farming community in the central region of Ghana in 1976. Rural communities showed tremendous interested in the community ownership and management features of RCBs, and by 1984 the number of RCBs reached 106. The introduction of a check payment system for cocoa farmers also spurred the establishment of local banks in many communities. The financial performance of many RCBs started to decline, however, for several reasons, including a drought that affected the country in 1983, weak governing ability, conflicts within boards of directors, and ineffective management in many RCBs. By the end of 2008, 127 RCBs were in operation with a total 584 service outlets. RCBs are regulated by Ghana's central bank, the Bank of Ghana, and thereby form part of the country's regulated financial sector. RCBs are the largest providers of formal financial services in rural areas and represent about half of the total banking outlets in Ghana.
Charge-Switchable Nanozymes for Bioorthogonal Imaging of Biofilm-Associated Infections

Early detection of biofilms is crucial for limiting infection-based damage. Imaging these biofilms is challenging: conventional imaging agents are unable to penetrate the dense matrix of the biofilm, and many imaging agents are susceptible to false positive/negative responses due to phenotypical mutations of the constituent microbes. We report the creation of pH-responsive nanoparticles with embedded transition metal catalysts (nanozymes) that effectively target the acidic microenvironment of biofilms. These pH-switchable nanozymes generate imaging agents through bioorthogonal activation of profluorophores inside biofilms. The specificity of these nanozymes for imaging biofilms in complex biosystems was demonstrated using coculture experiments.
Rudiments of Group Theory

In this introductory chapter, we review the elementary notions of group theory and develop many of the tools that we will use in the remaining chapters. Section 1 consists primarily of those facts with which we assume the reader is familiar from some prior study of group theory; consequently, most proofs in this section have been omitted. In Section 2 we introduce some important concepts, such as automorphism groups and semidirect products, which are not necessarily covered in a first course on group theory. Section 3 treats the theory of group actions; here we present both elementary applications and results of a more technical nature which will be needed in later chapters.
Reporting victimisation to the police: the role of racial dyad and bias motivation

Multiple theoretical perspectives suggest that the racial minorities may be less likely to report victimisation to law enforcement. Likewise, the literature on racially-motivated offenses highlight...
Recreational drugs and outcomes in trauma patients

Objective: The objective of the study is to determine if marijuana, methamphetamine, or cocaine is associated with worse outcomes following trauma. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 731 trauma patients. Data collected from Natividad Medical Center's trauma registry were used to analyze reports of adult patients from July 1, 2014, to July 1, 2017. Analyzed endpoints were mortality, rates of major trauma, mean Injury Severity Score (ISS), and length of stay (LOS). Results: Odds ratios for mortality contained null value in each group. Odds ratios for suffering major trauma for marijuana and amphetamines were 1.2 and 2.6, respectively.P values for ISS were >0.05 for each group.P values for LOS were >0.05 for marijuana and cocaine and 0.01 for amphetamines. Conclusions: A positive screen for marijuana, amphetamine, or cocaine is not associated with increased mortality for victims of trauma. Amphetamines are associated with higher rates of major trauma and longer LOS. Marijuana is associated with higher rates of major trauma. Cocaine is not associated with the likelihood of suffering major trauma or length of stay.
Position Estimation of Outer Rotor PMSM Using Linear Hall Effect Sensors and Neural Networks

A position estimator for an outer rotor permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) is presented and evaluated. This proposed estimator uses a machine-learning based neural network algorithm to interpret the signals, which are obtained from linear Hall-effect sensors located in the fringe field of the rotor. The main objective is to design a cost-effective position estimation system that is comparable to encoders and resolvers in functionality and performance, without the limitations of sensorless position estimation methods. Learning signal data sets are acquired with commercial sensors and an outer rotor PMSM, and offline training steps and results are discussed.
Complex Burgers Equation: A Probabilistic Perspective

In 1997 Yves LeJan and Alain-Sol Sznitman provided a probabilistic gateway in the form of a stochastic cascade model for the treatment of 3d incompressible, Navier–Stokes equations in free space. The equations themselves are noteworthy for the inherent mathematical challenges that they pose to proving existence, uniqueness and regularity of solutions. The main goal of the present article is to illustrate and explore the LeJan–Sznitman cascade in the context of a simpler quasi-linear pde, namely the complex Burgers equation. In addition to providing some unexpected results about these equations, consideration of mean-field models suggests analysis of branching random walks having naturally imposed time delays.
Countering Malware Via Decoy Processes with Improved Resource Utilization Consistency

The concept of a decoy process is a new development of defensive deception beyond traditional honeypots. Decoy processes can be exceptionally effective in detecting malware, directly upon contact or by redirecting malware to decoy I/O. A key requirement is that they resemble their real counterparts very closely to withstand adversarial probes by threat actors. To be usable, decoy processes need to consume only a small fraction of the resources consumed by their real counterparts. Our contribution in this paper is twofold. We attack the resource utilization consistency of decoy processes provided by a neural network with a heatmap training mechanism, which we find to be insufficiently trained. We then devise machine learning over control flow graphs that improves the heatmap training mechanism. A neural network retrained by our work shows higher accuracy and defeats our attacks without a significant increase in its own resource utilization.
Late Effects in Survivors of Adolescent and Young Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

Author(s): Muffly, Lori; Maguire, Frances B; Li, Qian; Kennedy, Vanessa; Keegan, Theresa H | Abstract: BackgroundKnowledge regarding late effects (medical conditions and subsequent neoplasms) in survivors of adolescent and young adult (AYA) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is lacking.MethodsUsing the population-based California Cancer Registry linked with California hospitalization data, we evaluated late effects in 1069 AYAs (aged 15-39 years) diagnosed with ALL in California between 1995 and 2012 and surviving a minimum of 3 years from diagnosis.ResultsThe estimated 10-year cumulative incidence of subsequent endocrine disease (28.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 25.8% to 31.6%) and cardiac disease (17.0%, 95% CI = 14.6% to 19.5%) were strikingly high; avascular necrosis (9.6%, 95% CI = 7.8% to 11.6%), liver disease (6.5%, 95% CI = 5.0% to 8.3%), respiratory disease (6.2%, 95% CI = 4.8% to 8.0%), seizure and/or stroke (4.3%, 95% CI = 3.1% to 5.8%), renal disease (3.1%, 95% CI = 2.1% to 4.4%), and second neoplasms (1.4%, 95% CI = 0.7% to 2.4%) were estimated to occur at 10 years with the reported frequencies. Multivariable analyses including the entire patient cohort demonstrated that public or no insurance (vs private and/or military insurance) and receipt of hematopoietic cell transplantation were independently associated with the occurrence of all late effects considered. In multivariable analyses limited to the 766 AYAs who were not transplanted, we continued to find a statistically significant association between public and no insurance and the occurrence of all late effects. Frontline regimen type (pediatric vs adult) was not statistically significantly associated with any of the late effect categories.ConclusionsThis large population-based analysis is among the first to describe late effects in survivors of AYA ALL. The strong association between insurance type and late effects suggests that AYAs with public or no insurance may have reduced access to survivorship care following completion of ALL therapy.
The role of increased gonotrophic cycles in the establishment of Wolbachia in Anopheles populations

Wolbachia, a bacterium that infects insect populations, has been examined extensively in Drosophila populations and, in recent years, has garnered significant attention for its potential to reduce the spread of dengue in the Aedes mosquito population. Similar applications to Anopheles mosquitoes for the reduction of malaria have not been as thoroughly studied, as Anopheles were previously thought to be devoid of Wolbachia infection. The recent discovery, however, of Wolbachia in two separate wild Anopheles populations suggests further study is needed. We develop and analyze an ordinary differential equation model of Wolbachia infection in Anopheles mosquitoes, which demonstrate different reproductive phenotypes than Aedes mosquitoes when infected with Wolbachia. In particular, they do not show the hallmark cytoplasmic incompatibility phenotype—absence of viable offspring when infected males mate with uninfected females—or other standard sex-biasing phenotypes. Instead, evidence of increased speed of gonotrophic cycles by Wolbachia-infected females has been reported. We show that the ability for Wolbachia to invade for a basic reproductive number less than 1 (Rpop < 1), found in other models, is significantly diminished here. However, the invasion threshold below Rpop < 1 can be partially recovered with the increased speed of laying eggs, as incorporated through gonotrophic cycles. Our results highlight the need for further experimental and theoretical work if Wolbachia is to be considered as a form of malaria control.
Assessing the Payroll Protection Program: A Framework and Preliminary Results

From the Abstract: We develop a simple model to predict requests for the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and compare these predictions to the actual allocations The model suggests the amount of requested funds could total $750 billion, though this is likely a high watermark conditional on several assumptions The model also generates expectations by industry, state, and firm size, allowing us to assess model performance in the cross-section The model performs reasonably well Through the May 1 funding, the state-level cross-sectional model has an R2 of 99 3% and the average absolute prediction error across states is 6 4% Interestingly, the prediction errors from the first funding round are significantly negatively correlated to the errors in the second funding round, revealing that the allocations were systematically different in the two rounds Ultimately, the results suggest that the payroll-based model predicts PPP allocations well and that the funds were allocated as designed One potential inference from these results is that critique about PPP allocations should be focused on program design rather than program execution This analysis should be useful for subsequent studies assessing the performance of the PPP COVID-19 (Disease);Epidemics;Public health;Labor market
Housing boom and non-housing consumption: evidence from urban households in China

We study the response of non-housing consumption to housing price movements in urban China, which has been witnessing a real estate boom ever since 2003. Using Urban Household Survey data, we estimate an elasticity of consumption with respect to housing price of 0.06–0.07 for homeowners. Moreover, we find that the average marginal propensity to consume out of housing wealth is 0.025–0.03. We employ a novel instrumental variable associated with higher-education expansion to ensure that these estimates are causal effects. As for renters, we show that their consumption response to housing shocks is insignificant. We further reveal that the marginal propensity to consume is larger for homeowners who are more credit constrained.
Mastitis herd investigation report

A case study of an investigation into a herd mastitis problem is described where possible causes are identified and preventative techniques are recommended.
Preventing the primary debulking: An educational initiative to increase rates of salpingectomy at cesarean delivery

Objectives: Opportunistic salpingectomy is being performed at higher rates at benign hysterectomy and interval sterilization than at cesarean delivery (CD). The aim of the study was to assess physician practices in offering and performing bilateral salpingectomy (BS) at time of CD after an educational initiative. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study of OBGYN physicians who perform cesarean deliveries. We compared outcomes before and after an educational initiative, which comprised of a Grand Rounds presentation on the latest data on BS at CD reviewing feasibility, safety, cost effectiveness and surgical techniques. Chart abstraction assessed patient demographics and rates of BS at CD before and after the intervention. Anonymous physician surveys were also administered before and six months after the intervention. Chi-square or Fisher's exact test were used for categorical variables and T-test or ANOVA for continuous variables. The study was powered to detect a difference of 10% between rates of BS at CD (β=0.20). Results: There were 370 (14% of all CD) sterilization procedures completed at time of CD during the year prior to our intervention, and 168 (12% of all CD) in the subsequent 6 months. Rates of BS at CD increased from 5.1% to 17% (p Download : Download high-res image (197KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: Educational initiatives can increase provider willingness to offer and to complete bilateral salpingectomy at cesarean delivery. Ongoing educational efforts to encourage bilateral salpingectomy may potentially prevent future cases of ovarian cancer.
Sex-based differences in outcomes among surgically treated patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Abstract Objectives Sex differences in surgically treated HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma are not defined due to the low number of affected women. We explored the oncologic outcomes of men and women with p16-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carinoma treated with primary surgery. Materials and Methods Retrospective analysis of patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer treated with surgery and pathology guided adjuvant therapy from 2007 to 2017. Primary end point was recurrence-free and overall survival. Results Of 468 men (86.7%) and 72 women (13.3%), women presented more often with clinical N0 nodal disease (25% vs 12.2%). There were no differences in adverse pathologic features or T stage, although women were more likely to present with N0 disease (16.7% vs 10%), less N2 disease (6.9% vs 17.7%, p = 0.03), and more stage I disease (88.9% vs 75%). As a result, women were more likely to undergo surgery alone (30.6% vs 14.1%) while men were more likely to require adjuvant radiation therapy (47.2% vs 36.1%). Four women (5.6%) and 30 men (6.4%, p = 0.8) died during follow-up. Multivariate analysis controlling for age, sex, treatment, and pathologic stage demonstrated no differences in overall survival between men and women. There were no differences in recurrence-free or overall survival between men and women at two and five years. Conclusions Although women undergoing transoral robotic surgery for HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma may have less advanced disease, upfront surgery with pathology-guided adjuvant therapy produces similar oncologic results in men and women while accounting for disease burden.
Caution on Exhaustion: The Courts' Misinterpretation of the IDEA's Exhaustion Requirement for Claims Brought by Students Covered by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the ADA but Not by the IDEA Note

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) expressly allows students with disabilities eligible under the IDEA to bring civil actions against their school districts not only for violations of the IDEA but also for violations of civil rights under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (“Section 504”) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) provided the students first exhaust their IDEA remedies before filing their civil actions in court. However, many courts apply this exhaustion requirement to students who are covered only by Section 504 and the ADA who are ineligible or not identified under the IDEA. This Note argues that the courts’ extension of the IDEA’s exhaustion requirement to students covered only by Section 504 and the ADA misinterprets and misapplies the provision. The Note provides the proper interpretation of the IDEA’s exhaustion requirement with the bright line rule that the exhaustion requirement only applies to students covered by Section 504 and the ADA who are also covered by, or seeking coverage from, the IDEA. Otherwise, students who are covered only by Section 504 and ADA — but not by the IDEA — are not subject to the exhaustion requirement. This interpretation is supported by a discussion of IDEA hearings officers’ jurisdiction over purely Section 504 and ADA claims, the differences between the procedural and substantive rights of the IDEA and those of Section 504 and the ADA, and the legislative history of the IDEA’s exhaustion provision. This Note also discusses the policy arguments relating to administrative exhaustion of claims by students with disabilities and contains recommendations for clarifying this muddled issue.
Limit Design of Slabs for Concentrated Loads

Yield Line Theory is used to derive expressions for the flexural limit loads of reinforced concrete slabs subjected to simultaneously acting concentrated and distributed loads. The “concentrated” loads are assumed to have a rectangular footprint of any reasonable size and aspect ratio. The slab reinforcement can be orthotropic, different over each supported boundary, and the positive and negative moment reinforcements can also be different. The slab boundaries may be rigidly supported or consist of beams whose bending and torsional strengths, and weight, can be incorporated into the analysis. One of the boundaries can also be unsupported. The geometrically admissible collapse mechanisms for the combined loadings are studies and results obtained by their use are compared with some presented in the literature for individual loadings.
Effects of watermelon powder on antioxidant capacity, inflammation and lipid profiles in DSS-treated rats fed an atherogenic diet (830.1)

Functional foods are emerging as important means for the improvement of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Watermelon is high in antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation, a risk factor ...
Habit, Intention, and Drug Use as Interactive Predictors of Condom Use Among Drug Abusers

This three-wave study explored the prospective effects of habit (previous condom use), intentions to use condoms, past and proximal (before sex) drug use (alcohol, marijuana, cigarette, and hard drug use), and interactions among these variables on condom use among 211 men and women intravenous drug users. Several theoretical alternatives were evaluated. In one alternative, habit is thought to have preeminence over intentions and other variables in the prediction of behavior. In another alternative, drug use is thought to interact in its effects on condom use, by making individuals susceptible to not adhering to their previous intentions regarding safe sex practices. The results showed that condom use habit was a consistent and strong predictor of future condom use, whereas intention was a weak and inconsistent predictor. Neither past (long-term) nor proximal (before sex) drug use moderated (interacted with) the effects of either intention or habit on later condom use. The preeminence of habit in the prediction of condom use is similar to findings from other areas of health behavior, underscoring the need for more focused research on the underpinnings of health habit effects.
Methodological considerations in assessing the effectiveness of antidepressant medication continuation during pregnancy using administrative data.

Purpose The decision whether to continue antidepressant use for depression during pregnancy requires weighing maternal and child risks and benefits. Little is known about the effectiveness of antidepressant therapy during pregnancy. The goal of this study is to evaluate whether standard administrative claims data can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of antidepressants. Methods Using prescription and healthcare visit Medicaid claims (2000–2007), we identified 28 493 women with a depression diagnosis and antidepressant fill in the 90 days before their last menstrual period. Antidepressant continuation was defined based on prescription fills during the first trimester. Depression hospitalizations and deliberate self-harm served as measures of the effectiveness of treatment continuation during pregnancy. Propensity score and instrumental variable analyses were used to attempt to account for confounding. Results Relative to women who discontinued antidepressant therapy, women who continued were more likely to have a depression inpatient stay (odds ratio [OR] = 2.2, 95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 2.0–2.4) and deliberate self-harm code (OR = 1.4, 95%CI: 0.7–2.7). Accounting for measured covariates in the propensity score analysis, including age, race, comorbidities, comedications, features of the depression diagnosis, and antidepressant class, led to slightly attenuated estimates (OR = 2.0, 95%CI: 1.8–2.2; OR = 1.1, 95%CI: 0.5–2.4). Similar associations were estimated in subgroups with different levels of baseline depression severity. Proposed preference-time, calendar-time-based, and geography-based instruments were unlikely to meet the required conditions for a valid analysis. Conclusions Our findings suggest that either antidepressant medications do not reduce the risk of depression relapse in pregnant women, or that administrative data alone could not be used to validly estimate the effectiveness of psychotropic medications during pregnancy. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Supernovae - Some observational goals of the 21st century

The time development of supernovae are discussed with an emphasis on SN 1987A. The light curves, gamma spectra, shock waves, neutrino bursts, and spectroscopy are also reviewed. Identification, monitoring, and hardware recommendations (particularly those techniques suitable for lunar observations) are also discussed.(AIP)
Human Sex Determination and the Y Chromosome

The human male has two sex chromosomes, one X and one Y. The Y chromosome is in the same size range as the two smallest pairs (the G group) of autosomes. However, even with ordinary staining techniques, the following features enable one to distinguish the Y from the G chromosomes: the short arm of the Y does not have satellites, a constriction is sometimes visible in the middle of the long arm, the chromatids of the long arm stick together, and the distal end of the long arm often looks fuzzy. During the mitotic cycle, the Y replicates later than do the G chromosomes.
The Politics of Normativity and Globalization: Which Spanish in the Classroom?

In this article, I introduce the debate on dialect choice in the teaching of Spanish. I first present an early 20th-century proposal by Spanish philologist Ramon Menendez Pidal (1918) and then move to two recent discussions: one within the Instituto Cervantes in the context of the international promotion of Spanish, and another in the context provided by the growth of the teaching of Spanish to heritage speakers in the United States. After considering the MLA (2007, 2009) reports on the role of languages in higher education, I conclude by embracing pedagogical options where, regardless of the choice of one particular norm, discussion of the development and operation of linguistic regimes becomes central in language instruction from the very early stages of the language program's curricular structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Aberrant Drug-Related Behaviors: A qualitative analysis of medical record documentation in patients referred to an HIV/Chronic pain clinic

Author(s): Merlin, Jessica S; Turan, Janet M; Herbey, Ivan; Westfall, Andrew O; Starrels, Joanna L; Kertesz, Stefan G; Saag, Michael S; Ritchie, Christine S | Abstract: BackgroundDue to rising rates of opioid addiction and overdose among individuals on chronic opioid therapy, aberrant drug-related behaviors (ADRBs) are an important and challenging issue. Our objective was to qualitatively investigate the documentation of ADRBs in the medical record.MethodsManually abstracted provider notes from an HIV primary care clinic were analyzed using content analysis methods.ResultsCategories of ADRBs identified included patients requesting opioids, obtaining nonprescribed opioids, and becoming emotional about opioids. We also identified several types of provider language used when documenting ADRBs, including purely descriptive language and emotional language such as labeling, frustration, and concern, and responses such as setting conditions for opioid prescription and action-oriented language.ConclusionsThe impact of including emotional language in the medical record is unknown. Development of instruments that can be used to facilitate ADRB documentation, as well as evidence-based approaches to addressing ADRBs, is needed.
Percutaneous vertebral compression fracture management with polyethylene mesh-contained morcelized allograft bone

Study design A comprehensive systematic review of the literature. Objectives To assess the modern literature on the use of polyethylene mesh-contained morcelized allograft (PMCMA) bone for spinal fusion and vertebral compression fracture management. Summary of background data There are presently no systematic reviews of PMCMA. Methods A systematic literature review was performed within three databases (OVID, PubMed, and Google Scholar) using the following keyword search terms: vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty, vertebral compression fracture, percutaneous, polyethylene mesh, and osteoporosis. Results The initial search identified 764 items, from which two pertinent technique-based articles were identified. There were no published scientific peer-reviewed or case series reporting the clinical results of this technique. The use of PMCMA in the management of vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) is similar to vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. This novel, percutaneous system uses the properties of granular mechanics to establish a conforming, semirigid graft that is purportedly capable of withstanding physiologic loads. Discussion PMCMA is a novel percutaneous technology for the management of VCF and possibly for use as a conforming interbody graft. The available published literature lacks outcome data of the use of PMCMA. Careful, independent research is needed to assess the viability of this technology and its long-term results.
Hot Electron Emission Lithography: a method for efficient large area e-beam projection

We have developed an electron lithography method, Hot Electron Emission Lithography (HEEL), which is capable of printing integrated circuits with an exposure time of only a few seconds. The basic design of the mask, manufactured by standard MOS technology, will be discussed. Patterns printed into e-beam resist by a 1:1 projection system show the applicability of the mask for lithography purposes. The minimum feature size projected so far is 160 nm in a system capable of 90 nm resolution. Further improvements in resolution to 50 nm are possible
Ca2+-regulated exocytosis and SNARE function

Secretory vesicles formed at the trans-Golgi network of neuroendocrine and endocrine cells must undergo several steps, such as translocation, docking and priming, before they are ready to fuse with the plasma membrane and deliver their cargo into the extracellular space. This process is called regulated exocytosis and is controlled by Ca(2+) (using synaptotagmin) and mediated by SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) proteins. Recent studies from three leading laboratories reveal novel details about the mechanism by which Ca(2+) and SNAREs regulate this complex process. These findings highlight the roles of both SNAP25 (synaptosome-associated protein of 25kD), one of the SNARE proteins, and CAPS (Ca(2+)-dependent activator protein for secretion), a Ca(2+)-sensor protein, in vesicle priming, depriming and fusion.
Airborne particulate matter collected near beef cattle feedyards induces androgenic and estrogenic activity in vitro

Abstract Steroid growth promoters are commonly administered to beef cattle residing on feedyards, and a portion of these compounds are excreted in manure along with endogenous steroids. Steroids associated with aerosolized particulate matter (PM) can be transported from feedyards via wind. To assess potential androgenic and estrogenic activity of PM extracts, total suspended particulate samples were collected upwind and downwind of feedyards in the Southern High Plains and subjected to in vitro transcriptional activation assays. Androgen-mediated transcriptional activation induced by exposure to extracts from PM collected downwind of feedyards was significantly higher than that induced by exposure to extracts of corresponding upwind samples, whereas estrogen-mediated transcriptional activation was detected after exposure to upwind and downwind PM sample extracts. Detection and quantitation of metabolites of the synthetic androgen trenbolone acetate downwind, and estradiol both upwind and downwind, suggest that synthetic growth promoters contribute to observed in vitro activity. No significant correlations were observed, however, between individual steroid concentrations or total androgen/estrogen concentration and in vitro activity, indicating the contributions of additional, unquantified compounds to observed androgenic and estrogenic activity. Results indicate that steroids affiliated with feedyard PM have the potential to elicit endocrine-modulating effects.
Excimer laser (308 nm) recanalisation of in-stent restenosis: thermal considerations.

. Excimer laser recanalisation of in-stent restenosis may be a viable modality for improving coronary patency. However, the presence of arterial stents modifies the thermal properties of the irradiated area and may alter temperature patterns generated during ablation. The goal of this study was to evaluate, in vitro, temperature changes during excimer laser ablation of stented vessels and compare them with those obtained from unstented (control) vessels. Six different stent types (AVE Microstent-II, AVE-GFX, ACS Multi-link, JJ Palmaz-Schatz, JJ Crown, and NIR) were deployed in freshly excised porcine coronary vessels. Three control unstented samples were also measured. Blood or saline was infused through the vessels, while the tissue environment was kept at ∼37°C. A 308 nm excimer laser (Spectranetics, CVX300) with an eccentric 2.0 mm laser catheter (Spectranetics, EII) delivered two trains of 200 pulses each, 10 s apart, at 60 mJ/mm2, and 40 Hz, simulating maximum clinical exposure. The catheter was positioned midway in the stent, first coaxially parallel to the vessel wall, and then at an angle against the stent and vessel wall. Temperature measurements (n=168 for blood, n=96 for saline) were performed with a ∼210 µm diameter, fast-response thermocouple with 0.1°C resolution. The probe was positioned to within ∼250 µm from the inner surface of the vessels. Tissue temperature was measured at the catheter tip and at the distal and proximal edges of the stents. Maximum recorded temperatures for coaxial and angular alignment, did not exceed 42.2°C (∼6°C above baseline) and 54.2°C (∼18.1°C above baseline) respectively, for all stents types tested, controls, and all probe locations. Both stented and unstented vessels exhibited comparable temperature gradients. The observed maximum temperatures, obtained under extreme lasing conditions, indicated that 308 nm ablation, in the presence of stents under blood or saline infusion, produces clinically acceptable temperatures.
Male Body Depilation: Prevalence and Associated Features of Body Hair Removal

In order to investigate the relatively new phenomenon of male body depilation, 118 male university students provided details regarding the reduction and removal of their body hair using a questionnaire developed from the results of structured interviews (Boroughs & Thompson, 2002). It was found that well over one-half of the sample (63.6%) was engaged in body depilation (i.e., the reduction or removal of body hair below the neck). The sites, methods, reasons, and injuries related to body depilation were assessed, as well as its effect on affective dimensions. Findings are considered in light of these ramifications and how they may contribute to a better understanding of men’s body image.
Content-aware automatic cropping for consumer photos

Consumer photos are typically authored once, but need to be retargeted for reuse in various situations. These include printing a photo on different size paper, changing the size and aspect ratio of an embedded photo to accommodate the dynamic content layout of web pages or documents, adapting a large photo for browsing on small displays such as mobile phone screens, and improving the aesthetic quality of a photo that was badly composed at the capture time. In this paper, we propose a novel, effective, and comprehensive content-aware automatic cropping (hereafter referred to as “autocrop”) method for consumer photos to achieve the above purposes. Our autocrop method combines the state-of-the-art context-aware saliency detection algorithm, which aims to infer the likely intent of the photographer, and the “branch-and-bound” efficient subwindow search optimization technique, which seeks to locate the globally optimal cropping rectangle in a fast manner. Unlike most current autocrop methods, which can only crop a photo into an arbitrary rectangle, our autocrop method can automatically crop a photo into either a rectangle of arbitrary dimensions or a rectangle of the desired aspect ratio specified by the user. The aggressiveness of the cropping operation may be either automatically determined by the method or manually indicated by the user with ease. In addition, our autocrop method is extended to support the cropping of a photo into non-rectangular shapes such as polygons of any number of sides. It may also be potentially extended to return multiple cropping suggestions, which will enable the creation of new photos to enrich the original photo collections. Our experimental results show that the proposed autocrop method in this paper can generate high-quality crops for consumer photos of various types.
Predicting change in symptoms of depression during the transition to university: The roles of BDNF and working memory capacity

Studies on depression risk emphasize the importance of both cognitive and genetic vulnerability factors. The present study has provided the first examination of whether working memory capacity, the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, and their interaction predict changes in symptoms of depression during the transition to university. Early in the semester, students completed a self-report measure of depressive symptoms and a modified version of the reading span task to assess working memory capacity in the presence of both neutral and negative distractors. Whole blood was genotyped for the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism. Students returned at the end of the semester to complete additional self-report questionnaires. Neither working memory capacity nor the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism predicted change in depressive symptoms either independently or in interaction with self-reported semester difficulty. The BDNF Val66Met polymorphism, however, moderated the association between working memory capacity and symptom change. Among met carriers, lower working memory capacity in the presence of negative—but not neutral—distractors was associated with increased symptoms of depression over the semester. For the val/val group, working memory capacity did not predict symptom change. These findings contribute directly to biological and cognitive models of depression and highlight the importance of examining Gene × Cognition interactions when investigating risk for depression.
Early prediction of neonatal chronic lung disease: a comparison of three scoring methods.

A variety of postnatal therapies have been and will be evaluated for prevention or treatment of neonatal chronic lung disease (CLD). A simple method for early selection of the highest risk infants would optimize intervention trials. Our study compared a clinical scoring system for predicting neonatal CLD (defined at 36 weeks postconceptional age) with previous regression models developed by Sinkin et al. (Sinkin model) [Pediatrics 1990;86:728–736] and Ryan et al. (Ryan model) [Eur J Pediatr 1996;668–671] in two distinct populations. A respiratory failure score (RFS) was prospectively developed for infants at <32 weeks of gestation admitted to the Wilford Hall Medical Center from January 1990–December 1992. Logistic regression modeling identified three independent predictors of CLD: gestation, birth weight, and RFS. Applying a modified RFS score (to include gestation and birth weight), the RFS, Sinkin, and Ryan models were compared among high-risk infants admitted to Wilford Hall from January 1993–December 1995, and to Crawford Long Hospital (Atlanta, GA) from January 1993–December 1994. Predictive values, sensitivity, specificity, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were determined for the primary outcome variable: CLD at 36 weeks of corrected gestation. Of 248 infants at 7 days. Thirty of 31 (97%) infants diagnosed with CLD were ≤29 weeks or ≤1,000 g at birth. Despite important demographic and treatment differences between the study populations, similar ROC curves were found for each scoring method when individually evaluated among the three study groups. The RFS method at 72 h demonstrated the greatest area under the ROC curve for prediction of neonatal CLD in the groups as a whole. Application of the RFS method for early prediction of neonatal CLD at age 72 h should improve patient selection for early prevention trials. Pediatr Pulmonol. 1999; 27:388–394. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Semiparametric identification and heterogeneity in discrete choice dynamic programming models

Abstract Empirical discrete choice dynamic programming models have become important empirical tools. A question that arises in estimation and interpretation of the results from these specifications is which combination of data and assumptions are needed to overcome problems of heterogeneity, selection, and omited variables bias. This paper addresses this question by considering nonparametric identification of a version of the model that allows for quite general forms of unobservable and information structures. I show that the model can be identified under conditions similar to a static polychotomous choice model. Using a stochastic version of an ‘identification of infinity’ argument, utility can be identified up to a monotonic transformation of the observables under strong support conditions and two types of exclusion restriction. The first type is similar to a standard static exclusion restriction: a variable that influences the first period decision, but does not enter the second period decision directly. The second type requires a variable that does not affect the utility of the first option directly, but is known during the first period, and has predictive power on the choice during the second. I also provide two specifications under which the full error structure can be identified. This requires the additional assumption of stochastic innovations in the observables. I then use the model to estimate schooling decisions in which students deciding whether to drop out of high school account for the option value of attending college.
Quantifying age-related differences in information processing behaviors when viewing prescription drug labels.

Adverse drug events (ADEs) are a significant problem in health care. While effective warnings have the potential to reduce the prevalence of ADEs, little is known about how patients access and use prescription labeling. We investigated the effectiveness of prescription warning labels (PWLs, small, colorful stickers applied at the pharmacy) in conveying warning information to two groups of patients (young adults and those 50+). We evaluated the early stages of information processing by tracking eye movements while participants interacted with prescription vials that had PWLs affixed to them. We later tested participants’ recognition memory for the PWLs. During viewing, participants often failed to attend to the PWLs; this effect was more pronounced for older than younger participants. Older participants also performed worse on the subsequent memory test. However, when memory performance was conditionalized on whether or not the participant had fixated the PWL, these age-related differences in memory were no longer significant, suggesting that the difference in memory performance between groups was attributable to differences in attention rather than differences in memory encoding or recall. This is important because older adults are recognized to be at greater risk for ADEs. These data provide a compelling case that understanding consumers’ attentive behavior is crucial to developing an effective labeling standard for prescription drugs.
Life amidst the contrivances

The established dogma of 'horror autotoxicus' was overturned 50 years ago with the publication of a paper showing that autoimmune thyroiditis could be induced in animals. Noel Rose recounts the events that led to the establishment of autoimmunity as a cause of disease.
Therapeutic Apheresis: Applications and Future Directions

The past 10-15 years have been witness to major technological achievements in the field of therapeutic apheresis. Concurrently, a large number of diseases, primarily with an immunological basis, have been treated with apheresis. In this paper, we review the various applications of therapeutic apheresis, adverse reactions associated with the mode of therapy, and future research directions. Several representative diseases are also discussed in detail.