cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The social-dance: decomposing naturalistic dyadic interaction dynamics to the 'micro-level'

The 'social dance' is an implicit, yet vital, characteristic of dyadic interactions. Attempts to characterize this complex behavior have illustrated unconscious levels of content and temporal entrainment within artificial social contexts. Yet, when viewed in a naturalistic setting, this complex systems problem faces a number of methodological and theoretical challenges. Utilizing precise kinematic recordings while adopting the 'micro-movement' approach, cross coherence analysis and tenets of graph theory, this paper presents an analytical framework to characterize unfolding, nonlinear temporal exchange and entrainment across a social dyad. This framework is empirically demonstrated within a clinical domain of individuals with known social difficulties: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Results illustrate the ability for this objective methodology to quantify variability in social dynamics, and profile dyadic entrainment during naturalistic exchange -- with no a priori constraints or limitations. Viewed within the context of a clinical assessment tool for ASD, results facilitate consideration of clinician impact on dyadic exchange, and point to a potential refinement of core tasks associated with such clinical batteries.
Castles in the air

A Space Shuttle launch is an overwhelming experience. As the engines ignite and the huge rocket gathers its energies to claw its way straight up, onlookers see towering clouds of exhaust fumes and a brilliant flare of light, and hear and feel an end-of-the-world, chest-thumping rumble that goes on and on. Watching this spectacle makes it clear that the space programme is about more than just the exploration of our celestial borders. It is humankind fighting against the shackles of gravity.
Editor's Choice - Renal complications after EVAR with suprarenal versus infrarenal fixation among all users and routine users.

Abstract Background Previous studies comparing endografts with suprarenal and infrarenal fixation for endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) have found conflicting results and did not account for differences in patient selection. This study aims to evaluate the differences in outcomes among surgeons who routinely use either suprarenal or infrarenal fixation, as well as all surgeons in the Vascular Study Group of New England (VSGNE). Methods All patients undergoing EVAR in the VSGNE from 2003 to 2014 were identified. All ruptured aneurysms, repairs with concomitant procedures, and infrequently used stent grafts ( 80% of cases, as well as all surgeons. Multivariate regression and Cox hazard models were utilised to account for patient demographics, comorbidities, operative differences, and procedure year. Results This study identified 2574 patients (suprarenal, 1264; infrarenal, 1310) with 888 endografts placed by routine users (suprarenal, 409; infrarenal, 479). There were no differences in baseline comorbidities, including the estimated glomerular filtration rate, between suprarenal and infrarenal fixation, or between patients with endografts placed by routine and non-routine users. Patients treated with suprarenal endografts received more contrast than all users (102 mL vs. 100 mL, p = .01) and routine users (110 mL vs. 88 mL, p .5 mg/dL (3.7% vs. 2.0%, p = .01), length of stay >2 days (27% vs. 19%, p p = .02). There were no differences in 30 day or 1 year mortality. Following adjustment, suprarenal stent grafts remained associated with an increased risk of renal deterioration (OR 2.0; 95% CI 1.2–3.4) and prolonged length of stay (OR 1.8; 95% CI 1.4–2.2). Among routine users, suprarenal fixation was also associated with higher rates of renal dysfunction (3.7% vs. 1.3%, p = .02; OR 2.9; 95% CI 1.1–7.8). Conclusion Despite potential differences in patient selection, endografts with suprarenal fixation among all users and routine users were associated with higher rates of renal deterioration and longer length of hospital stay. Longer-term data are needed to determine the duration and severity of renal function decline and to identify potential benefits of decreased migration or endoleak.
“The Four Masters of Mingzhou”: Transmission and Innovation among the Disciples of Lu Jiuyuan (Xiangshan)

With these poetic words, the Southern Song patriot Wen Tianxiang 文天祥 described the Four Masters of Mingzhou 明州 (modern Ningbo 寧波), known as the most important followers of Lu Jiuyuan 陸九淵 (1139–1193). The rubric “Four Masters of Mingzhou” identified these four thinkers—Lu’s major disciple, Yang Jian (1141–1226), and Yang’s fellow Mingzhou natives, Yuan Xie (1144–1224), Shu Lin (1136–1199), and Shen Huan (1139–1191)—both by intellectual genealogy as transmitters of Lu Jiuyuan’s thought and by their shared geographical origins.
Waiting for the rapture: What can we do with computers to (hopefully) witness the emergence of life?

Hadn’t this question already been answered? We all know about computation-universal Turing Machines. And we know that any such machine can simulate a space–time dynamics not unlike von Neumann’s cellular automaton (CA), which is computation- and construction-universal and among other things can play host to self-replicating machines. And that self-replication sprinkled with a bit of randomness should inexorably lead to descent with variation, competition, and thence to evolution and all that. “So what?” Enrico Fermi would have asked, “Where is your emergent life?” (and note that our understanding of both natural and artificial life has much advanced in the 50 years since). It turns out that life is by its very nature a marginal, fragile, and ephemeral kind of phenomenon. For a substrate or a “culture medium” to be able to support the emergence from scratch of a lifelike lineage, computation- and construction-universality are necessary—but by no means sufficient! Paraphrasing Fermi, what automata that you know—including von Neumann’s CA and Conway’s very game of Life—have managed so far to “capture for us on film” the origin of some kind of life? What questions, then, should we ask of a prospective medium—be it a Turing machine, a CA, or some other kind of automaton—that will best probe its capabilities to originate (as well as sustain) some form of life, and which will provide us with a sense of direction to help us more quickly converge in this quest.
Impact of Body Mass Index on Heart Failure by Race/Ethnicity From the Get With The Guidelines-Heart Failure (GWTG-HF) Registry.

Abstract Objectives This study sought to evaluate the influence of race/ethnicity on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) patients. Background Prior studies demonstrated an “obesity paradox” among overweight and obese patients, where they have a better HF prognosis than normal weight patients. Less is known about the relationship between BMI and mortality among diverse patients with HF, particularly given disparities in obesity and HF prevalence. Methods The authors used Get With The Guidelines–Heart Failure data to assess the relationship between BMI and in-hospital mortality by using logistic regression modeling. The authors assessed 30-day and 1-year rates of all-cause mortality following discharge by using Cox regression modeling. Results A total of 39,647 patients with HF were included (32,434 [81.8%] white subjects; 3,809 [9.6%] black subjects; 1,928 [4.9%] Hispanic subjects; 544 [1.4%] Asian subjects; and 932 [2.3%] other subjects); 59.7% of subjects had HFpEF, and 30.7% were obese. More black and Hispanic patients had Class I or higher obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 ) than whites, Asians, or other racial/ethnic groups (p 2 with a small risk increase above 30 kg/m 2 (BMI: 30 vs. 18.5 kg/m 2 ), hazard ratio (HR) of 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54 to 0.73). A modest relationship was observed in HFrEF subjects (BMI: 30 vs. 18.5 kg/m 2 ; HR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.60 to 0.89), with no risk increase above 30 kg/m 2 . There were no significant interactions between BMI and race or ethnicity related to 30-day mortality (p > 0.05). Conclusions This work is one of the first suggesting the obesity paradox for 30-day mortality exists at all BMI levels in HFrEF but not in patients with HFpEF. Higher BMI was associated with lower 30-day mortality across racial/ethnic groups in a manner inconsistent with the J-shaped relationship noted for coronary artery disease. The differential slope of obesity and mortality among HFpEF and patients with HFrEF potentially suggests differing mechanistic factors, requiring further exploration.
C-2001: Survival of short-lived desiccation tolerant seeds during long-term storage in liquid nitrogen: Implications for the management and conservation of plant germplasm collections

Ex situ seed conservation is a widespread and powerful tool for the preservation of plant genetic resources. However, long-term storage of short-lived seeds is challenging in standard seed bank temperatures (4 and −20 °C), and cryopreservation has been acknowledged as the only effective option for their long-term conservation. However, as seed aging has been demonstrated during cryostorage, the potential and limits of LN storage of short-lived seeds need to be evaluated. We have examined the viability and growth of seeds from species with short-lived seeds stored up to 20 years in CREW’s CryoBioBank®, including Plantago cordata, Populus deltoides, several Salix species, and two species in the genus Betula. We have found survival in short-lived seeds after >14 years of LN storage (−196 °C). P. cordata seeds did not show a significant decrease in germination over this time. However, Salix sp. and P. deltoides accessions tested showed a final germination ranging between 0% and 96% of initial germination. Seeds of P. deltoides stored at 4 and −20 °C did not show any survival after the same storage period. Seed viability in P. deltoides and Salix sp. was overestimated when measured as total germination, rather than normal germination. Furthermore, 38–43% of seedlings from normal seedlings of P. deltoides did not continue normal development during early growth of the young plants. In addition, initial seed quality was correlated with seed longevity. These results suggest that: (1) monitoring of short-lived seeds cryostored as in this study (at 8–10% moisture) should be done at 2–5 year intervals, similar to the recommendation by IPGRI for seeds stored at −18°C, and regeneration should not exceed 10–15 years; (2) in order to minimize loss of seed quality prior to cryostorage, processing of short-lived seeds after harvest must be fast and gentle; (3) based on losses during early seedling growth and development, it is very important not to exceed the time to reach 85% of initial normal germination when planning regeneration of Populus and Salix collections to avoid large genetic erosion.
Japanese Monkey Performances

I am engaged in long-term research in preparation for a book on how man communicates with animals and vice versa. Accordingly, there were a number of quite specific activities I wanted to observe, if in a preliminary way, during a trip to Japan. For instance, I was interested in learning how cormorants are trained in Gifu City to retrieve fish from the Nagara, a tributary of the Kiso River in southwest central Honshū.
Food insecurity, mental health, and use of mental health services among nonelderly adults in the United States

This work examined the associations between food insecurity and severe mental illness (SMI) among US adults (aged 18–64 years); and that between food insecurity and use of mental health services, a...
Abstract TMP21: Intravenous Thrombolysis with Alteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Thrombocytopenia

Objective: To evaluate the rate of symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in patients who received Intravenous tPA(IVT) for acute ischemic stroke(AIS) and were later found to have platelets les...
Twenty-eight-day prophylaxis with apixaban after radical cystectomy: Early results in safety.

488Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) after oncologic surgery is a known risk and therefore guidelines recommend extended VTE prophylaxis up to 4 weeks for these populations. This prophylaxis...
An invader in salmonid rearing habitat: current and future distributions of smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) in the Columbia River Basin

Invasive species and climate change are leading threats to freshwater ecosystems. In the Columbia River Basin (CRB), nonnative fishes are a critical consideration in salmon recovery, yet managers l...
Retreats to Stimulate Cross-Disciplinary Translational Research Collaborations: Medical University of South Carolina CTSA Pilot Project Program Initiative

To stimulate the formation of new cross-disciplinary translational research team collaborations and innovative pilot projects, the Medical University of South Carolina’s (MUSC) CTSA—South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research (SCTR) Institute—has initiated biannual scientific retreats often with speed dating style networking sessions. The themes of the retreats are cross-disciplinary, address unmet medical needs in South Carolina (SC) and beyond, stimulate formation of new cross-disciplinary teams, and are anticipated to generate pilot project and extramural grant applications related to novel translational research discoveries, technologies, and methodologies. The retreat format is designed to stimulate new research ideas and exchange in small groups to develop new research projects. The retreats are complemented by the SCTR Institute Pilot Project Program funds to support innovative pilot projects that emanate from the retreats. This chapter describes the design of the retreats, scientific impacts such as novel scientific collaborations and projects that the retreats have stimulated, challenges, and strategies for success.
Complications and Patient-reported Outcomes after TRAM and DIEP Flaps: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction Transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) and deep inferior epigastric artery perforator (DIEP) flaps are the most common abdominally based breast reconstruction procedures. Each technique has its advantages and disadvantages; however, how morbidity relates to satisfaction is not well-understood. Our aim was to compare complications and patient-reported outcomes following pedicled TRAM (pTRAM), free TRAM (fTRAM), and DIEP flaps to guide flap selection. Methods A systematic literature search was conducted, and 2 independent reviewers identified comparative studies of abdominally based flaps. Data were extracted on patient characteristics, complications, and patient-reported outcomes. Meta-analyses were conducted using random effects modeling with the DerSimonian and Laird method. Results The search retrieved 5090 articles, of which 18 were included in this review. pTRAM flaps trended toward a higher risk of abdominal bulge/hernia compared with DIEP flaps, particularly in low-volume hospitals. While fTRAM flaps had a higher risk of abdominal morbidity compared with DIEP flaps, relative risk decreased when obese patients were excluded and when only muscle-sparing fTRAM flaps were compared. Muscle-sparing flaps had a higher risk of flap loss than fTRAM flaps. Compared with DIEP flaps, pTRAM flaps were associated with lower general satisfaction but comparable emotional well-being. Conclusions Our findings indicate that safety and satisfaction following abdominally based breast reconstruction depend on flap type and patient characteristics. When possible, DIEP or muscle-sparing fTRAM flaps should be performed for obese patients to decrease the risk of abdominal bulge/hernia. Although pTRAM flaps are associated with a greater risk of flap loss, they are still an appropriate option when microsurgery is not available.
Stabilization of surface-bound antibodies for ELISA based on a reversable zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 coating

Abstract Immunoassays typically must be stored under refrigerated conditions because antibodies, after being immobilized to solid surfaces, tend to lose their recognition capabilities to target antigens under non-refrigerated conditions. This requirement hinders application of immunoassays in resource-limited settings including rural clinics in tropical regions, disaster struck areas, and low-income countries, where refrigeration may not be feasible. In this work, a facile approach based on a reversable zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) coating is introduced to stabilize surface-bound antibodies on enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) plates under non-refrigerated conditions. Using a sandwich ELISA for the detection of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), a urine biomarker for acute kidney injury, as a model system, ZIF-8 is demonstrated to be able to uniformly coat the surface-bound anti-NGAL IgG, and stabilize the dynamic range and detection sensitivity of the assay after storage at an elevated temperature (50 °C) for at least 4 weeks. The stabilization efficacy of the ZIF-8 coating is comparable to the current “gold standard” refrigeration approach, and superior to the commonly used sucrose coating method. This approach will greatly improve the shelf-life and stability of antibody-coated ELISAs and other types of assays which utilize surface-bound antibodies, thus extending biomedical research and medical diagnostics to resource-limited settings.
Delayed onset of tooth decay in a routine pediatric adenotonsillectomy.

Abstract Adenotonsillectomy is a common pediatric surgical procedure with a well-defined safety profile. Major complications from this procedure include bleeding/hemorrhage, infection, pain leading to dehydration, and airway obstruction or edema. Though rare, oral endotracheal intubation and oral retractor placement may result in injuries to the teeth and the surrounding soft tissue. We describe a rare case of delayed tooth decay in a 3-year-old female following an otherwise routine adenotonsillectomy.
Parents Are Stressed! Patterns of Parent Stress Across COVID-19

Background: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused numerous unexpected challenges for many families, and these long-lasting demands likely contribute to higher stress for parents. The aim of this study was to describe changes in parent stress longitudinally from before (retrospective) to two timepoints during COVID-19. Stressors that influenced parenting and strategies to manage parenting difficulties at each timepoint during COVID-19 are also described. Methods: Parents (N = 433; 95% female) in the US with >1 child aged 5-18 years completed an online survey in May 2020 (T1; at the peak of stay-at-home mandates) and in September 2020 (T2; children's return to school). Surveys included the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and questions on parenting-specific stress, stressors that influenced parenting, and strategies to manage parenting difficulties during COVID-19. Retrospective report of pre-COVID-19 stress was assessed at T1; current stress was assessed at T1 and T2. Repeated measures analysis of variance examined changes in stress over time. Results: Parent's stress increased from before COVID-19 to T1 (PSS score: 16.3 ± 5.7 to 22.0 ± 6.4, respectively; p < 0.01), and decreased by T2 (19.2 ± 6.0), but remained elevated above pre-COVID-19 values (p < 0.01). Most parents (71.1%) reported an increase parenting-specific stress from before COVID-19 to T1, which continued to increase for 55% of parents at T2. Common stressors that impacted parenting during COVID-19 were changes in children's routines, worry about COVID-19, and online schooling demands. Common strategies parents used to manage parenting difficulties included doing family activities together, keeping in touch with family/friends virtually, and keeping children on daily routines. Conclusions: Parent stress increased substantially during COVID-19 and has not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, suggesting the need for enhanced mental health resources and supports. Public health interventions should address parenting-specific stressors and effective strategies for managing parenting difficulties to mitigate their deleterious impact.
Anatomical Feature-Based Lung Ultrasound Image Quality Assessment Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network

Lung ultrasound (LUS) has been used for point-of-care diagnosis of respiratory diseases including COVID-19, with advantages such as low cost, safety, absence of radiation, and portability. The scanning procedure and assessment of LUS are highly operator-dependent, and the appearance of LUS images varies with the probe's position, orientation, and contact force. Karamalis et al. introduced the concept of ultrasound confidence maps based on random walks to assess the ultrasound image quality algorithmically by estimating the per-pixel confidence in the image data. However, these confidence maps do not consider the clinical context of an image, such as anatomical feature visibility and diagnosability. This work proposes a deep convolutional network that detects important anatomical features in an LUS image to quantify its clinical context. This work introduces an Anatomical Feature-based Confidence (AFC) Map, quantifying an LUS image's clinical context based on the visible anatomical features. We developed two U-net models, each segmenting one of the two classes crucial for analyzing an LUS image, namely 1) Bright Features: Pleural and Rib Lines and 2) Dark Features: Rib Shadows. Each model takes the LUS image as input and outputs the segmented regions with confidence values for the corresponding class. The evaluation dataset consists of ultrasound images extracted from videos of two sub-regions of the chest above the anterior axial line from three human subjects. The feature segmentation models achieved an average Dice score of 0.72 on the model's output for the testing data. The average of nonzero confidence values in all the pixels was calculated and compared against the image quality scores. The confidence values were different between different image quality scores. The results demonstrated the relevance of using an AFC Map to quantify the clinical context of an LUS image.
Computational Tools for the Biomedical Application of Carbon Nanomaterials

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), with their versatile physico-chemical features, have been investigated as an efficient platform for biomedical applications. The main challenges of drug design are to locate compounds that bind selectively to target receptors, but not to other receptors such that they cause adverse side effects. If dispersed properly, nanoparticles of a certain size can pass through the blood barrier to deliver drugs to a targeted site. Often, drugs are rapidly released at lower pH, as in inflammatory/diseased and tumor cells. Nanoparticles are often functionalized and unfunctionalized with nonionic surfactant polymers, with and without functionalized hydrophobic drugs bound by cleavable linker, to render them stable in suspension. In biological membranes, cholesterol and amphiphilic molecules serve as surfactants and, by design, may be used to assist nanoparticles in carrying hydrophobic drugs to targeted sites. As the experimental investigation of biocompatible surfactants, and of hydrophobic drugs and their interactions with nanoparticles, is time-consuming and expensive, computer simulation might offer a viable means of understanding the interaction between nanoparticles (e.g., carbon nanotubes, fullerenes), drugs and biocompatible surfactants, either by covalent or noncovalent functionalization. Thus, an attempt was made to understand the various interaction properties of these complexes using computer simulation, perhaps to provide insight into the overall mechanisms and for experimental studies. The present study involved molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a system composed of branched and unbranched PEGylated lipids, with and without the covalent and noncovalent functionalization of drugs [e.g., paclitaxel (PTX) and Irinotecan (Irin)] such as cholesterols and phospholipids (the components of the living cell's membrane) to single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). The behavior of these complexes in the presence of ssDNA and hormonally active vitamin D2 was also investigated. The addition of SWNTs and vitamin D2 leads to increases in the loading of PTX interaction and binding. Thus, a strategy was investigated to apply a comparative binding energy analysis of SWNTs to identify the interaction between different chemical species. The binding energy, mean square displacement, radial distribution function, angular and translational velocity autocorrelation functions of PEGylated cholesterol and phospholipid molecules are presented, and analyzed to understand the efficiency of the drug-delivery system in the presence of SWNTs, along with an historical perspective of its merits and demerits in biomedical applications. The strong interaction between complexed PTX in the presence of vitamin D2 and SWNTs is believed to be a determinant factor in the higher loading and prolonged burst release of the drug to a targeted site. Keywords: molecular modeling; carbon nanotubes; drug dispersion; biosurfactant; paclitaxel; irinotecan; calcitriol; ssDNA
Nucleotides sequestered at different subsite loci within DNA-binding pockets of two OB-fold single-stranded DNA-binding proteins are unstacked to different extents.

The gene 5 protein (g5p) encoded by the Ff strains of Escherichia coli bacteriophages is a dimeric single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) that consists of two identical OB-fold (oligonucleotide/oligosaccharide-binding) motifs. Ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence measurements were carried out to investigate the effect of g5p binding on the conformation of 2-aminopurine (2AP) labels positioned between adenines or cytosines in the 16-nucleotide antiparallel tails of DNA hairpins. The measurements revealed significant changes in the conformational heterogeneity of the 2AP labels caused by g5p binding. The extent of the changes was dependent on sub-binding-site location, but generally resulted in base unstacking. When bound by g5p, the unstacked 2AP population increased from ∼22% to 59–67% in C-2AP-C segments and from 39% to 77% in an A-2AP-A segment. The OB-fold RPA70A domain of the human replication protein A also caused a significant amount of base unstacking at various locations within the DNA binding site as evidenced by steady-state fluorescence titration measurements using 2AP-labeled 5-mer DNAs. These solution studies support the concept that base unstacking at most of a protein's multiple sub-binding-site loci may be a feature that allows non-sequence specific OB-fold proteins to bind to single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs) with minimal preference for particular sequences. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 484–496, 2013.
Kinetically driven shape changes in early stages of two-dimensional island coarsening: Ag/Ag(111)

We present here a detailed analysis of the shapes of two-dimensional Ag islands of various sizes observed during the early stages of coarsening on the Ag(111) surface, using kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations, and show that selectivity is due to the formation of kinetically stable island shapes that survive longer than nonselected sizes, which decay into nearby selected sizes. The stable shapes have a closed-shell structure---one in which every atom on the periphery has at least three nearest neighbors. These findings further explain our earlier study in which we found that in the early stages coarsening proceeds as a sequence of selected island sizes resulting in peaks and valleys in the island size distribution [G. Nandipati, A. Kara, S. I. Shah, and T. S. Rahman, J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 23, 262001 (2011)]. This selectivity is dictated by the relative energetics of edge-atom diffusion and detachment and attachment processes and by the large activation barrier for kink detachment. Our simulations were carried out using a very large database of processes identified by each atom's unique local environment using the self-learning KMC scheme. The activation barriers were calculated using semiempirical interaction potentials based on the embedded-atom method.
A deficit of functional GABAA receptors in neurons of β3 subunit knockout mice

Mice whose gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) beta3 subunit gene is inactivated ('beta3 knockout mice') have been previously shown to have epilepsy, hypersensitive behavior, cleft palate, and a high incidence of neonatal mortality. In this study, we analyze whole-cell responses to GABA in neurons from beta3+/+, beta3+/- and beta3-/- mice. We demonstrate markedly decreased responses to GABA in both hippocampal and dorsal root ganglion neurons isolated from beta3-/- mice without major differences in the GABA concentration-response curves. We also utilize the subunit selective pharmacology of Zn2+ and the anticonvulsant drug loreclezole to help infer the presence of beta2 and gamma subunits in the GABA(A) receptors remaining in neurons from beta3-/- mice.
PRRS and the North American Swine Trade: A Trade Barrier Analysis

The partial equilibrium model links the infection risk from imported products to a premium, which compensates the importing country for the risk incurred by allowing imports from infected countries. The model is applied to the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) and Mexican live swine imports. The premium is sensitive to the expected loss from a PRRS outbreak and to the magnitude of the risk. As the risk or severity of PRRS rises, so does the level of the barrier. If swine imports are categorized and appropriate restrictions applied, an acceptable level of disease protection can be achieved while improving national welfare.
The cervical glucose as an indicator of ovulation: A clinical study

U R I N E sugar analysis paper (Tes Tape) can determine reliably the amount of glucose present in solution. Comer4 analyzed 1,500 urine samples with known concentration of glucose. He indicated that the test paper was specific for glucose and accurate in 96 per cent of the cases. Bell and Jumper1 confirmed the accuracy of his work. In 104 samples which were made by the addition of predetermined amounts of glucose to normal urine, they found the test to be specific for glucose. These investigators stressed that the enzyme must be protected against the destructive action of heat, air, and light. Reactions must be read at specific time intervals. When used with due care the test is reliable and is a practical method for glucose detection in clinical glycosuria. Birnberg and KurzrokZ believed that the amount of glucose in the cervical mucus could be determined accurately by this semiquantitative specific test paper. The approach of ovulation was heralded by the appearance of smaller amounts of the glucose, and glucose was detected at the time of ovulation in maximum concentration. Initially these chemical changes were demonstrated calorimetrically with urine sugar analysis paper (Tes Tape) and in their subsequent studies with glucose reagent applicator sticks. Insemination of 27 consecutive patients at the time of ovulation selected by
Moral Ambition, Formalism, and the "Free World" of DeShaney

Arthur S. Miller was a scholarly friend of mine. We never met, however, and I do not remember that we ever talked by phone. Arthur befriended me and taught me through his written words. He wrote an amazing array of books, articles, op-ed pieces, and the like, but he still found time to write letters-charming, vigorous, challenging letters. He corresponded with me faithfully over a decade or so. Regretfully, my side of the correspondence was much less regular. Nevertheless, Arthur sent a stream of reprints and drafts; I occasionally sent along something I'd finally finished. If there is such a thing as a scholar's scholar, Arthur Miller served as a worthy example of that threatened genus.
From Artistry to Automation: A Structured Methodology for Procedural Content Creation

Procedural techniques will soon automate many aspects of content creation for computer games. We describe an efficient, deterministic, methodology for procedurally generating 3D game content of arbitrary size and complexity. The technique progressively amplifies simple dynamically generated data structures into complex geometry. We use a procedural pipeline with a minimum set of controls at each stage to facilitate authoring. We show two examples from our research. Our terrain generator can synthesize massive 3D terrains in real-time while our level generator can be used to create indoor environments offline or in real-time.
Lack of hematologic effects of recent ethanol ingestion by trauma patients.

A retrospective investigation was conducted to determine if acute ethanol (EtOH) ingestion before injury leads to hematologic impairment as noted by coagulation and transfusion parameters. Patients older than 18 years of age were grouped according to the presence or absence of detectable EtOH concentrations in the blood, with further subdivision based on an Injury Severity Score of 8 or less or 9 or more. The following direct and indirect indicators of hematologic function were studied: volume of resuscitation fluids administered (including blood products), prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, and hematocrit. Of the 304 patients who were evaluated, 152 had detectable EtOH concentrations and 136 had undetectable EtOH concentrations; 16 patients had not been tested for blood EtOH concentrations and were excluded from the analysis. There were no significant differences between groups with regard to blood or fluid requirements or coagulation parameters. Detectable blood EtOH concentrations in trauma patients are not associated with significant changes in transfusion requirements or coagulation parameters compared to patients without detectable EtOH concentrations. Language: en
Femtosecond two-photon absorptivities of a thiacyanine dye for optical limiting applications

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150: The relationship between placental lesions of inflammation and spontaneous preterm birth in twin gestations with cervical shortening in the second trimester

50 THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PLACENTAL LESIONS OF INFLAMMATION AND SPONTANEOUS PRETERM BIRTH IN TWIN GESTATIONS WITH CERVICAL SHORTENING IN THE SECOND TRIMESTER LINDA PELAEZ, STEPHEN T. CHASEN, REBECCA N. BAERGEN, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York, New York, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, Pathology, New York, NY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether inflammatory lesions of the placenta are associated with an increased risk of preterm birth in twin gestations with ultrasonographic findings of cervical shortening in the second trimester. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of those twin gestations from January 2004 through January 2008 with ultrasonographic assessment of cervical length between 16 and 24 weeks gestation and subsequent pathological examination of the placenta. A cervical length of 2.5cm (10%ile) was used to define a short cervix. RESULTS: 62 twin gestations were identified with cervical shortening. Of these, 42 (67.7%) patients delivered prior to 37 weeks gestation. Of the 20 patients who delivered at term ( 37 weeks of gestation), placental examination failed to demonstrate any acute (acute chorioamnionitis or funisitis) or chronic (chronic deciduitis or villitis) lesions of inflammation. Acute inflammatory lesions of the placenta were significantly associated with an increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth (23.8% vs. 0%, p 0.023). There was no significant difference in the frequency of chronic inflammatory lesions of the placenta between the groups. CONCLUSION: In twin gestations, acute chorioamnionitis of the placenta in association with a shortened cervix together contribute to an increased risk of preterm birth. The finding of a shortened cervix in a twin gestation in the second trimester may have no clinical consequence in terms of risk of spontaneous preterm birth in the absence of ascending infection.
SELF-CONSISTENCY AND THE ROPER RESONANCE.

It is suggested that the Roper resonance $R$ is primarily an $N$ + ($S$-wave $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ pair) self-consistent bound state Calculations are done with a simple model, coupled ${S}_{0}+N$, $\ensuremath{\pi}+N$ channels in the ${J}^{p}={\frac{1}{2}}^{+}$, $T=\frac{1}{2}$ state, where ${S}_{0}$ is a $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\pi}$ $S$-wave state with mass 700 MeV. When the $\ensuremath{\pi}+N$ channel is neglected, the $R$ is self-consistently generated by the $R$ exchange force in the ${S}_{0}+N$ channel. When the $\ensuremath{\pi}+N$ channel is included, the $R$ bootstrap survives, and is stable against large variations in the cutoff associated with ${N}^{*}$ exchange.
Applying a Secure and Efficient Low Earth Orbit Satellite-Based Multicast Architecture in a Deployed Environment

Secure, seamless, ubiquitous communications is a necessity to support the demands of today's first responders, whether they are military, disaster response, or Homeland Defense. Low earth orbit communications satellites are an ideal platform to ensure users in the field, at home and around the globe can always access secure networks. Security and efficiency are generally at odds during communications system development. Therefore, we developed a novel architecture that reduces the security re-keying requirements for highly mobile users by an order of magnitude over traditional approaches. Reduced re-keying enhances scalability and reduces overhead, thus providing a better end user experience and a more efficient system.
Maximum heating rates for producing undistorted glassy carbon ware determined by wedge-shaped samples

Polymeric carbon artifacts are particularly difficult to make in thick section. Heating rate, temperature, and sample thickness determine the outcome of carbonization of resin leading to a glassy polymeric carbon ware. Using wedge-shaped samples, we found the maximum thickness for various heating rates during gelling (300 K–360 K), curing (360 K–400 K), postcuring (400 K–500 K), and precarbonization (500 K–875 K). Excessive heating rate causes failure. In postcuring the critical heating rate varies inversely as the fifth power of thickness; in precarbonization this varies inversely as the third power of thickness. From thermogravimetric evidence we attribute such failure to low rates of diffusion of gaseous products of reactions occurring within the solid during pyrolysis. Mass spectrometry shows the main gaseous product is water vapor; some carboniferous gases are also evolved during precarbonization. We discuss a diffusion model applicable to any heat-treatment process in which volatile products are removed from solid bodies.
Extrinsic Risk Factors for Pressure Ulcers Early in the Hospital Stay: A Nested Case–Control Study

The incidence of pressure ulcers among elderly hospital patients is high (1) despite increased awareness of the clinical and economic impact of pressure ulcers (2,3). Although there have been numerous studies of intrinsic patient characteristics (such as immobility, nutritional status, and incontinence) in relation to pressure ulcer risk [e.g., (4)], little is known about the impact of extrinsic factors. We define extrinsic factors as procedures and events that may contribute to pressure ulcer risk because they involve periods of immobility-related pressure. Because health care providers influence these extrinsic factors, understanding their association with pressure ulcers may make it possible to reduce the risk of pressure ulcers by modifying provider behavior. The pathologic processes resulting in pressure ulcers may begin after a few hours of immobility-induced pressure on bony prominences (5,6). There is ample opportunity early in the hospital stay for periods of immobility that are long enough to increase elderly patients’ pressure ulcer risk. In the emergency department (ED), patients may lie on a stretcher for many hours awaiting tests, treatments, or transfer (7,8): Stretchers may lack adequate cushioning or be too narrow for regular repositioning (9). Lengthy surgical and radiologic procedures and the use of certain devices (e.g., restraints) can immobilize the patient. Similarly, medications that cause sedation can result in long periods of immobility (10-13). Because mobilization of patients depends partly on the availability of hospital staff, pressure ulcer risk may be higher on night and weekend shifts (14,15). In the intensive care unit (ICU), patients may be bedbound, unconscious, or otherwise immobilized for significant periods of time. The aim of the study was to determine whether the risk of pressure ulcers early in the hospital stay is associated with extrinsic factors such as longer stays in the ED, night or weekend admission, potentially immobilizing procedures and medications, and admission to an ICU.
A 28-kilodalton fibronectin-binding protein of group A streptococci.

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) has been implicated as a major adhesin of group A streptococci that interacts with fibronectin (Fn). It has been suggested that protein adhesins may also be involved in the binding of Fn to streptococci. We searched for such a protein by transblotting membrane preparations from M types 5, 19, and 24 group A streptococci to nitrocellulose and reacting the blot with125I-Fn. The Fn reacted with a 28-kDa polypeptide from all three serotypes of streptococci. Using affinity-purified antibodies to the 28-kDa protein in immunoblots of membrane preparations from various streptococci, we demonstrated that the 28-kDa protein is present in all 17 strains tested. Affinity-purified antibodies to the 28-kDa protein also reacted in varying degrees with intact streptococci, demonstrating that the antigen is exposed on the surface of intact organisms. Our results suggest that, in addition to LTA, group A streptococci contain a common Fn-binding moiety that is expressed as a major component of membrane preparations and that is accessible on the surface of streptococci for interactions with Fn.
Human Basal Cell Carcinoma Is Associated with Foxp3+ T cells in a Th2 Dominant Microenvironment

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common human cancer, undergoes spontaneous regression in certain circumstances, which is potentially immune-mediated. To understand the immune response surrounding BCCs, we characterized the genomic, protein, and cellular microenvironment associated with BCC in comparison to normal skin. Our results demonstrated the following: (1) CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + surround epithelial tumor aggregates; (2) Immature dendritic cells (DCs) were abundant in the tumor microenvironment; (3) BCC showed increased expression of IL-4, IL-10, and CCL22 and increased expression of interferon-associated genes (IFI27, IRF1, IRF7, and G1P2) and IL-12/23, gene indicating a Th2 dominant microenvironment. Our findings suggest a dynamic state within the immune microenvironment associated with BCC. The finding of phenotypic T regs, in conjunction with immature DCs and Th2 cytokines, suggests an attenuated state of immunity to human BCC. In contrast, abundant CD8 + T cells, an interferon signal, and IL-12/23 suggest partial host antitumor response. A better understanding of these opposing forces within the immune microenvironment may facilitate development of more potent immune-based treatment for BCC and other human carcinomas.
DURATION OF TRIP-MAKING ACTIVITIES BY MEN AND WOMEN.

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a survival analysis for the duration of particular trip-making activities based on sex. Specifically, this study investigates the duration of those activities related to household and family support shopping, personal business, and free time and how these durations vary between men and women. It was found that there were no significant differences in the survival curves (i.e., durations) of free-time or personal business activities; this suggests that men and women spend approximately similar amounts of time on these activities, although it is not known if the activities themselves are similar (for example, banking versus getting gas). Alternatively, sex was found to be a very significant indicator of the duration of household and family support shopping activities. In the model specification, assuming all variables except sex are the same, it was found that women were 1.32 times more likely than men to spend a longer period of time in a household and family support shopping activity. Additionally, it was found that women are 1.33 times more likely than men to have a longer household and family support activity duration if the activity is nested in the journey to work trip.
Formalization and community investment in wikipedia's regulating texts: the role of essays

This poster presents ongoing research on how discursive and editing behaviors are regulated on Wikipedia by means of documented rules and practices. Our analysis focuses on three types of collaboratively-created policy document (policies, guidelines and essays), that have been formalized to different degrees and represent different degrees of community investment. We employ a content analysis methodology to explore how these regulating texts differ according to a) the aspects of editor behavior, content standards and community principles that they address, and b) how they are used by Wikipedians engaged in 'talk' page discussions to inform, persuade and coordinate with one another.