cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generation of Germ-Free Ciona intestinalis for Studies of Gut-Microbe Interactions.

Microbes associate with animal hosts, often providing shelter in a nutrient-rich environment. The gut, however, can be a harsh environment with members of the microbiome settling in distinct niches resulting in more stable, adherent biofilms. These diverse communities can provide orders of magnitude more gene products than the host genome; selection and maintenance of a functionally relevant and useful microbiome is now recognized to be an essential component of homeostasis. Germ-free (GF) model systems allow dissection of host-microbe interactions in a simple and direct way where each member of the symbiosis can be studied in isolation. In addition, because immune defenses in the gut are often naive in GF animals, host immune recognition and responses during the process of colonization can be studied. Ciona intestinalis, a basal chordate, is a well-characterized developmental model system and holds promise for addressing some of these important questions. With transparent juveniles, Ciona can be exposed to distinct bacterial isolates by inoculating GF artificial seawater; concentrated bacteria can subsequently be visualized in vivo if fluorescent stains are utilized. Rearing GF Ciona is a first step in untangling the complex dialogue between bacteria and innate immunity during colonization.
Abstract 285: Reduced Parasympathetic Activity and Correlation with Plasma Resistin Levels in High Fat Diet Mice

A trait of most cardiovascular diseases, obesity, and aging is autonomic imbalance with increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity. While the hyperactive sympathetic nervous system has been extensively researched, little attention has been given to the mechanisms involved in the reduction of the parasympathetic nervous system. This study investigates the peripheral regulation of the parasympathetic nervous system and its association with plasma resistin levels in a high fat diet mice model of obesity. Male ICR mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) or low fat diet (LFD) for 14 weeks. At the end of the diet regimen, mice underwent vagal stimulation (VS) tests and were sacrificed for blood and tissue collection. For VS, under anesthesia of intraperitoneal injection with urethane (2 g/kg), the right cervical vagus nerve was stimulated at 2 to 10Hz with pulses of 2ms and 2V while the heart rate was monitored with ECG. The reduction of heart rate by VS was significantly attenuated at 10Hz in HFD mice as compared to LFD mice (-121.3 beats per minute, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] -178 to -64.63, p In summary, these results suggest that elevated plasma resistin levels may contribute to a reduction in parasympathetic nervous system activity associated with obesity.
Testis-specific ATP synthase peripheral stalk subunits required for tissue-specific mitochondrial morphogenesis in Drosophila

In Drosophila early post-meiotic spermatids, mitochondria undergo dramatic shaping into the Nebenkern, a spherical body with complex internal structure that contains two interwrapped giant mitochondrial derivatives. The purpose of this study was to elucidate genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the shaping of this structure. The knotted onions (knon) gene encodes an unconventionally large testis-specific paralog of ATP synthase subunit d and is required for internal structure of the Nebenkern as well as its subsequent disassembly and elongation. Knon localizes to spermatid mitochondria and, when exogenously expressed in flight muscle, alters the ratio of ATP synthase complex dimers to monomers. By RNAi knockdown we uncovered mitochondrial shaping roles for other testis-expressed ATP synthase subunits. We demonstrate the first known instance of a tissue-specific ATP synthase subunit affecting tissue-specific mitochondrial morphogenesis. Since ATP synthase dimerization is known to affect the degree of inner mitochondrial membrane curvature in other systems, the effect of Knon and other testis-specific paralogs of ATP synthase subunits may be to mediate differential membrane curvature within the Nebenkern.
Designing with Risk: Balancing Global Risk and Project Risks

The World Economic Forum, in their yearly global risk report which highlights the most significant long-term risks worldwide, consistently indicates that the ‘failure of climate change mitigation and adaptation’, as well the interconnected ‘water crises’, ‘greater incidence of extreme weather events’ and ‘food crises’, are among the top 10 global risks of highest concern. It is evident that the built environment will play a central role in fostering resilience towards such risks. Within the production of the built environment, at the same time, there is a concern with an altogether different set of risks, those related to the feasibility of a project. ‘Project resilience’, the capacity of a project to cope with shocks and stresses that are related to its feasibility, is often in conflict with ‘global’ resilience goals. Successful implementation of resilience projects in the built environment, such as ‘The Big U’ (of which the author is a co-design- lead), depends on designing the right balance between the two. In this paper, based on the author’s work on ‘The Big U’ and its successor projects, as well as on two interdisciplinary seminars at PennDesign, ‘Designing with Risk’, the author presents the research into this question, and propose that designers can have agency in balancing the two risk types in resilience projects.
Measuring Market Power in Professional Baseball, Basketball, Football, and Hockey

Using Forbes magazine’s estimates of the current value and revenues of professional sports teams, we derive a long-run variant of the Lerner Index. We apply the strategy to professional teams in ba...
Can We Solve the Problem Solving Problem Without Posing the Problem Posing Problem

The first section of this paper deals with the inter-related nature of problem solving and problem posing. Although some time and attention is devoted in schools to problem solving activities in mathematical domains, problem posing as an intellectual activity is almost totally neglected. This is particularly unfortunate because the intellectual progress of mankind in mathematical and scientific domains depends on our being able to make and explore conjectures, i.e. problems that we pose for ourselves. We are thus confronted with a two-fold problem. First how might we change the way we educate people so as to help them make and explore conjectures.. Second, not all conjectures are interesting or productive. How can we help people to develop and exercise taste and judgement with respect to the conjectures that they make and explore? How does one decide what problems are worth working on? Information technologies offer the possibility of constructing “intellectual mirror” software environments that can scaffold the posing of powerful problems. The properties of such environments will be described. Finally some of the implications and consequences of the use of such environments in classrooms will be discussed.
Telestroke for the Newly Minted Vascular Neurologist.

The geographic proximity to a primary stroke center is highly variable and region dependent.1 Telestroke represents 1 approach in the treatment of stroke that holds promise to overcome the barrier of patient access to expert stroke care in areas underserved by neurologists and to increase utilization of efficacious thrombolytic therapies.2,3 At our institution, we have witnessed multiple fellows who graduate from our Vascular Neurology and Neurocritical Care Fellowships apply the principles acquired during their training to develop and implement a telestroke program at the institution where they join as junior faculty. Newly minted vascular neurologists may find the following approaches helpful. The start-up and implementation of a new telestroke program can seem daunting. One of the first steps should be to obtain support from hospital leadership for building your program in the form of resources and financial support given the relatively high start-up cost. As a foundation, endorsement of the initiative should be acquired from the hospital departments that are most deeply invested in offering such a program including the Departments of Neurology, Radiology, and Neurosurgery, and less often Anesthesia, Emergency Medicine, or others. When negotiating hospital support it may be useful to emphasize that the start-up costs can be offset by fee-for-service contracts with the spokes, revenue from transfers of patients who require a higher level of care, and yearly cost savings within the network. Additional funding can also be obtained in the form of grants at the federal (eg, USDA or NIH), state, or foundation levels to supplement the budget. Once approval and interest have been identified, the communication of the goals and objectives of the telestroke program with the hospital president or their designee is essential for ensuring alignment with the hospital’s broader initiatives. Obtaining the support of these individuals will be especially …
AN 86 YEAR OLD WOMAN WITH RECURRENT HEART FAILURE

Moderate to severe paravalvular leak (PVL) post transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with increased mortality. Transcatheter closure of PVL can be challenging as localization of the leak is difficult. An 86 year old woman with history of TAVR with #26mm CoreValve Evolut R for
Pectoralis minor muscle elongation and scapulothoracic motion do not differ in individuals with short versus typical resting pectoralis minor muscle length: a cross-sectional study.

Abstract Background Individuals with short resting pectoralis minor muscle length have been shown to have aberrant scapulothoracic motion when compared to individuals with long resting pectoralis minor muscle length. However, the degree to which the pectoralis minor muscle can be lengthened and whether or not scapulothoracic motion differs between individuals with short and typical resting pectoralis minor muscle length is unknown. Objectives To determine if: (1) pectoralis minor muscle elongation (percent pectoralis minor muscle can be actively and passively lengthened beyond resting length), (2) pectoralis minor muscle percent length change during overhead reaching, and (3) scapulothoracic motion during overhead reaching differ between individuals with short and typical resting pectoralis minor muscle length. Design Two group comparison. Methods Thirty healthy individuals were placed into a short or typical resting pectoralis minor muscle length group. A caliper was used to measure resting pectoralis minor muscle length and pectoralis minor muscle length during active and passive muscle lengthening. An electromagnetic tracking system was used to measure pectoralis minor muscle length change as well as scapular, humeral, and trunk motion during several arm elevation tasks. Pectoralis minor muscle elongation and length change during arm elevation tasks were compared between groups using independent t-tests. Two-factor mixed-model analyses of variance were used to compare scapulothoracic motion at arm elevation angles of 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°. Results Pectoralis minor muscle elongation and pectoralis minor muscle length change during arm elevation did not differ between groups. Scapulothoracic motion did not differ between groups across arm elevation tasks. Conclusions Although resting pectoralis minor muscle length differed between groups, pectoralis minor muscle lengthening and scapulothoracic motion were similar between participants with short and typical resting pectoralis minor muscle length. Additional studies are needed to better understand the role of pectoralis minor muscle elongation on scapulothoracic motion.
Glucan-Based Macrophage Stimulators

Sepsis and sepsis syndrome are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill surgical patients. Despite technological and therapeutic advances in critical care, sepsis continues to be a pivotal factor in 20 to 50% of deaths in surgical intensive care units. It is clear that alternative approaches to the prevention and/or treatment of sepsis must be found. Preclinical data indicate that macrophage activation with (1 →3)-β-D-glucans will ameliorate sequelae associated with Gram-negative septicaemia. We and others have translated these preclinical observations to the clinical setting and have shown that macrophage activation with (1→3)-β-D-glucans will significantly reduce septic morbidity and mortality in trauma and/or high-risk surgical patients. The precise mechanism(s) by which (1→3)-β-D-glucans prevent or ameliorate infections have not been fully elucidated. However, recent data suggest the anti-infective efficacy of (1→3)-β-D-glucans is attributable, in part, to macrophage activation induced by binding of (1→3)-β-D-glucan to a specific receptor followed by modulation of macrophage pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. This article reviews the anti-infective potential of (1→3)-β-D-glucans in the prevention of sepsis and septic sequelae.
Task and Databases

We will be evaluating SPHINX on the resource management task [Price 88]. This task was designed for inquiry of naval resources, but can be generalized to database query. It was created to evaluate the recognizers of the recent DARPA projects, for example, CMU’s speaker-independent ANGEL system [Adams 86], and BBN’s speaker-dependent BYBLOS system [Chow 87].
National survey of factors associated with repeated admissions due to febrile seizure.

Abstract Purpose Several studies reported recent trends in febrile seizure (FS) in terms of prevalence, incidence, and hospitalization rates at a national level in the USA. However, no studies have revealed risk factors for repeated admissions due to FS. Method We extracted discharge records of patients with FS aged Results The readmission rate of FS is approximately 3.45 cases per 1000 person-months after hospital discharge. Children aged 1–3 years had elevated rate of FS readmission with a peak age of 2 (adjusted IRR, 5.09; 95%CI, 2.25–11.5). Boys had 1.75 times higher rates of FS readmission than girls (95%CI, 1.13–2.70). Children with very-low income levels were more likely to be readmitted, compared to those with very-high income levels (adjusted IRR, 2.57; 95%CI, 1.39–4.76). Conclusions We provided novel insights into the current epidemiology of children with FS and risk factors associated with FS readmissions.
Giving account of our (mobile) selves: embodied and relational notions of academic privilege in the international classroom

ABSTRACTContemporary models of academic work reflect a process of compression given that busy (time compression), jet setting (space compression) scholars constitute the norm of academic success. Valuable reflections from mobile academics are available, and yet, such narratives are often confined to individual voices and perspectives. In this paper, we endeavor to present a collaborative analysis of our shared experience as short-term foreign experts at a Chinese Normal University, simultaneously embracing and being troubled by our institutional and individual desires to become global. Throughout our analysis, we focus on the contrasts of our national, racial and class identities of origin and those we enacted while teaching in China. In doing so, we pay attention to the literal and metaphorical meaning of mobility. Our project explores ways in which mobility is(n’t) always privileged, as well as whether and how we experience time – space compression contrasting our class, race, nationality and sexual ori...
A Peer-Led Interprofessional Simulation Experience Improves Perceptions of Teamwork

Abstract Background Simulation-based interprofessional education (IPE) improves teamwork, self-efficacy, and clinical preparedness among health profession students. Methods A mixed-method design assessed differences in perceptions, knowledge, and skills related to a peer-led, acute care–focused IPE experience for 319 nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy students. Results All students demonstrated an improvement in positive perceptions of teamwork and collaborative practice. Qualitative themes derived included the importance of teamwork, communication, and valuing other professions, increased understanding of the roles of other professions, and improved leadership skills. Conclusions Peer-led simulation-based IPE effectively improved student attitudes, values, and beliefs regarding interprofessional collaboration and increased student understanding of professional roles in an acute-care environment.
Sonographically Guided Semimembranosus Bursa Injection: Technique and Validation.

Abstract Objectives To describe and validate a sonographically guided (SG) semimembranosus (SM) bursa injection technique in an unembalmed cadaveric model. Design Prospective, cadaveric laboratory investigation. Setting Academic institution procedural skills laboratory. Subjects Ten unembalmed cadaveric thigh-knee-ankle-foot specimens from 4 male and 6 female donors ages 55-92 years (mean 76.2 years) with body mass indices of 15.4-31.8 kg/m 2 (mean 21.9 kg/m 2 ). Methods A single, experienced operator completed SG SM bursa injections in 10 unembalmed cadaveric knees using 3 mL of diluted colored latex. At a minimum of 2 days after the injection, co-investigators dissected the specimens to assess the distribution of latex with respect to the SM bursa. Main Outcome Injections were graded for accuracy as follows: accurate (all latex contained within the SM bursa), accurate with overflow (latex within the SM bursa and extending into regions other than the needle track), or inaccurate (no latex within the SM bursa). Results All 10 injections (100%) accurately placed latex within the SM bursa and resulted in proximal spread to at least the level of the knee joint. Eight of 10 injections (80%) demonstrated minimal ( Conclusions SG SM injections are feasible and accurate and may be considered for diagnostic and therapeutic injections in patients with suspected distal SM disorders. Injection volumes less than 3 mL should be considered to reduce extrabursal spread as clinically indicated.
Problematic driving in former service members: An evaluation of the Driving Behavior Survey in veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Abstract Despite high levels of traffic-related mortality, injury, and impairment among former service members, measures validated to assess problematic driving in this population remain limited. The current study examined characteristics of the Driving Behavior Survey (DBS) in male veterans (76.3% White; age: M = 56.4, SD = 12.3) meeting criteria for PTSD. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated acceptable fit of a 3-factor model specifying dimensions of anxiety-based performance deficits, exaggerated safety/caution, and hostile/aggressive driving behavior. Concurrent associations with indices of anxiety, depression, trauma history, and clinician-rated PTSD were consistent with small (r = .10–.29) to medium (r = .30–.49) effects. Discriminative validity was noted through elevations in performance deficit (d = .26), safety/caution (d = .50), and hostile/aggressive (d = .39) scales relative to published data from student drivers. Scores comparable to civilian motorists with accident-related PTSD help to qualify the severity of problematic driving behavior in trauma-exposed veterans.
Using a Revised Protein-Sparing Modified Fast (rPSMF) for Children and Adolescents with Severe Obesity: A Pilot Study

Treatment options are limited for children and adolescents with severe obesity. One alternative treatment is the protein-sparing modified fast (PSMF), a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet that can result in substantial weight loss. The aim of the study is to evaluate the adherence and efficacy of a revised PSMF (rPSMF) for severe obesity in a pediatric tertiary care weight-management program. The rPSMF with 1200-1800 calories, 40-60 g of carbohydrate/day and 1.2-1.5 g protein/kg of ideal bodyweight was implemented over 12 months. Twenty-one participants enrolled in the study. Mean age 16.2 ± 1.4 years, females (76.2%) and mean weight at baseline was 119 ± 19.9 kg. Regardless of adherence to the rPSMF, the mean weight change at 1 month was -3.7 ± 3.5 kg, (range -13.5 kg to 0.9 kg); at 3 months was -5.5 ± 5.1 kg, (range -19.3 kg to 1.8 kg) and at 6 months was -4.7 ± 6.6 kg, (range -18.3 kg to 8.6 kg). At 12 months, the mean weight change was -1.3 ± 10.6 kg (range -17.7 kg to 14.8 kg). Parent and child-reported physical and psychosocial quality of life (HRQOL) improved. Despite limited adherence, the rPSMF diet resulted in clinically significant weight loss and improved HRQOL for children and adolescents with severe obesity.
T1rho and T2 mapping of ankle cartilage of female and male ballet dancers.

BackgroundSince ballet dancers begin their training before skeletal maturity, accurate and non-invasive identification of cartilage diseases is clinically important. Angle-dependent analysis of T1r...
Listening to lockdown: sound theology in a time of crisis

This article breaks new ground in Practical Theology by engaging the field of sound studies as a dialogue partner for the discipline. This is achieved by using key concepts from sound studies, spec...
Influence of Income and Education of the Parents on the Career Aspirations of Industrial Aspirants

Latest Aspiring Minds National Employability Report reveals that only 20 per cent of the engineering graduates are employable. Career aspirations measure the strength of an aspirants’ intention to be active in a particular career field. Our notion of career aspiration shows similarities with the notion of 'career anchors' from Schein (Schein, 1977; Schein, 1994), who differentiates between managerial competence, technical competence, security, creativity, and autonomy / independence. Furthermore, career aspirations represent a type of mental self selection. This assumption is supported by the so-called “Person-Job-Fit-Theory“, relying on the hypothesis of a “congruence between person and working environment” (Weinert, 1998), according to which there is an agreement between the expectations, needs and values of the individual on the one hand and the circumstances, opportunities, parental income, education and chances, with which certain carrier fields can fulfill these aspirations on the other hand. Holland builds his theory of “vocational choice“(Holland, 1973, 1985) on a similar premise: There is an interaction between personality and behavioral characteristics and one’s vocational choices, so that people tend to move into career fields that are congruent with their personal qualities. Thus our concept works as a so-called “matching-model” (Hall, 1987b) that focuses on the match or fit between the personality traits and the career field. In the present paper the researchers do believe and bring out the influence of the Income and Education of the parents on the Career Aspirations of Industrial Aspirants. The authors have undertaken the present Descriptive Research study among the Engineering Graduates (Fresh BE., and B.Tech.,) selected for one year Graduate Apprenticeship at a Heavy Engineering and Manufacturing Public Sector. The sample size was 149 having the mixture of major discipline in Engineering and passed out from different colleges in Tamilnadu. Data were collected at the time of their joining by using census sampling procedure through a pre-designed interview schedule. Appropriate statistical tools have been used for analysis and the results.
“She Needs to Read More”: Helping Trainees Who Struggle with Medical Knowledge

Medical trainees must be able to master large volumes of knowledge quickly to be academically successful and competent to practice clinically. About a third of struggling medical learners have insufficient medical knowledge. In this chapter, through case examples and use of Bloom’s taxonomy as a theoretical framework, the author demonstrates how medical knowledge deficits can be distinguished from other types of academic difficulty. Once a medical knowledge deficit is identified, strategies to address this should be tailored to the etiology of the problem. In the experience of the author, who is the founding director of a comprehensive remediation program serving medical students and residents, the most common predominant underlying causes for a significant medical knowledge deficit in medical students are lack of committed study time, distraction, and anxiety and poor self-confidence. Questions to help the learner clarify the issues contributing to their insufficient working medical knowledge are offered. Specific remediation strategies are described in detail and illustrated with case examples. In addition, a list of study tips and test-taking strategies has been included to assist in remediation of these medical learners.
Effect of Ply Thickness on Longitudinal Splitting and Delamination in Graphite/Epoxy Under Compressive Cyclic Load

The initiation and growth of damage due to compressive cyclic loading was investigated in [′45 n /0 n ] s graphite/epoxy laminates where the "effective ply thickness" was varied by allowing n to take on the values 1, 2, and3. A total of 35 axially loaded sandwich specimens with 6.35-mm-diameter holes were cycled at 7 Hz at peak stress levels of 52% to 72% of the static ultimate compressive stress of 425 MPa (which was experimentally determined to be independent of the value of n). Out-of-plane moire interferometry and pulse-echo ultrasound techniques were used to nondestructively inspect the specimens and showed that three distinct modes of damage growth occur in these laminates. Delamination which initiates at the hole and grows in a radial or transverse fashion occurred only in 60% of the [′45/0] s specimens. For these two types of damage, the growth was rapid and led to catastrophic failure of the specimen. The remainder of the [′45/0] s specimens and all the laminates where the effective ply thickness was doubled and tripled, [′45 2 /0 2 ] s and [′45 3 /0 3 ] s , exhibited delaminations which initiated at the hole edges and grew parallel to the load direction with the width of the delamination equal to the width of the hole. Catastrophic failure did not occur in these cases. There is a linear relationship between the delamination length and the logarithm of the number of applied load cycles in all these cases. However, the delamination initiated earlier and at lower stress levels for laminates with larger effective ply thicknesses. Specimen sectioning and microscopic examination show that this damage depends on the development of splitting in the 0-deg plies and subsequent delamination as a result of shear failure at the -45°/0° ply interface in the region between the splits. Several [0/′45] s and [0 2 /′45 2 ] s coupon specimens were cycled in tension and this splitting and subsequent delamination also developed. Residual tensile strength tests conducted on graphite/epoxy coupons debonded from the honeycomb after cycling showed a 50% increase in tensile strength over undamaged specimens with 6.35-mm-diameter holes. This is attributed to the redistribution of stress around the hole due to the relieving of stress concentration in the 0-deg plies by the splitting and delamination.
Metabolism of Basic Amino Acids in Pseudomonas putida PROPERTIES OF THE INDUCIBLE LYSINE TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract Pseudomonas putida P2 (ATCC 25571) grown on l-lysine or dl-pipecolic acid is induced for a high velocity lysine transport system. Double reciprocal plots of l-lysine transport in induced cells are linear. Km and Vmax values are 7.3 x 10-6 m and 130 nmoles per min per mg for lysine-grown cells and 9.3 x 10-6 m and 42 nmoles per min per mg for cells grown on pipecolate. Lysine transport is optimal at 30° and at pH 6.5 to 7.5, and is inhibited by azide and by cyanide. Induction of the transport system is accompanied by an increase in the levels of enzymes of lysine catabolism. d-Lysine and the d- and l-isomers of arginine and ornithine inhibit l-lysine transport, and l-ornithine and l-arginine are transported by lysine-grown cells. Structural features important for inhibition of l-lysine transport include α-amino and α-carboxyl groups and a positive charge removed from the α-carbon by three to four methylene groups. Similar Michaelis constants, temperature profiles, and responses to a wide range of amino acids and amines are found for l-lysine transport by cells grown either on lysine or pipecolate.
Single-phase liquid flow in minichannels and microchannels

This chapter focuses on the friction factor and heat transfer during liquid flow in microchannels. The need for higher heat transfer performance in IC chips, cold plates, and electronic components has been driving development in this area. A detailed analysis of pressure drop in microchannel systems is presented with design equations and tables for fully developed and developing flows. The minor losses are estimated using the available information on macroscale tubes. The importance of accurately measuring channel dimensions is emphasized as it leads to significant deviations from theoretical predictions. Roughness effects on friction factor and heat transfer are analyzed and a modified Moody diagram is presented based on the constricted flow model. Structured roughness is identified as a promising enhancement technique providing heat transfer performance superior to any of the conventional enhancement techniques. Heat transfer equations for entrance region and fully developed regions are presented for H1 and H2 boundary conditions. Some of the recent work on axial conduction effects and roughness effect on heat transfer is presented. The effect of nanofluids on heat transfer is reviewed. The chapter ends with an optimization section that indicates the need for enhanced microchannels. Solved examples are presented highlighting some of the recent developments in this area.
Revival of the use of ultrasound in screening for appendicitis in young adult men.

Purpose Our primary aim was to evaluate the use of ultrasound (US) as an initial screening test for diagnosing appendicitis in young adult men. Secondary exploratory analyses included the effects of using US for initial screening in these patients, compared with the use of CT, on radiation exposure, length of stay (LOS), and cost of imaging. Methods We retrospectively gathered data from the records of male patients 18–39 years old who had been admitted with appendicitis between June 2006 and September 2011. We investigated the diagnostic tests performed, the patients' characteristics, and the pathologic testing findings and compared the results obtained on US with those obtained on CT. Results Of 451 included patients, 86 had undergone US initially. Its sensitivity was only 57% (95% confidence interval, 46–67.6), but its positive predictive value was 98% (95% confidence interval, 93.8–100). The mean LOS was significantly shorter for patients who had undergone US only (214 minutes) than it was for those who had undergone CT only (276 minutes; p < 0.001). We estimated a 57% reduction in CT use and radiation exposure if US were to be performed initially; this would lead to a 45% decrease in imaging costs at our institution. Conclusions Screening US should be considered first for diagnosing appendicitis because of its high positive predictive value, but even if US results are negative for appendicitis, one should not exclude the possible existence of pathology because US has poor sensitivity in this situation. We speculate that the use of screening US can decrease radiation exposure, imaging costs, and LOS. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2015
Beyond Standard Therapy: Drugs Under Investigation for The Treatment of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Introduction: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common nonepithelial malignancy of the GI tract. With the discovery of KIT and later platelet-derived growth factor α (PDGFRA) gain-of-function mutations as factors in the pathogenesis of the disease, GIST was the quintessential model for targeted therapy. Despite the successful clinical use of imatinib mesylate, a selective receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor that targets KIT, PDGFRA and BCR-ABL, we still do not have treatment for the long-term control of advanced GIST.Areas covered: This review summarizes the drugs that are under investigation or have been assessed in trials for GIST treatment. The article focuses on their mechanisms of actions, the preclinical evidence of efficacy, and the clinical trials concerning safety and efficacy in humans.Expert opinion: It is known that KIT and PDGFRA mutations in GIST patients influence the response to treatment. This observation should be taken into consideration when investigating new drugs...
Simulating Special but Natural Quantum Circuits

We identify a sub-class of BQP that captures certain structural commonalities among many quantum algorithms including Shor's algorithms. This class does not contain all of BQP (e.g. Grover's algorithm does not fall into this class). Our main result is that any algorithm in this class that measures at most O(log n) qubits can be simulated by classical randomized polynomial time algorithms. This does not dequantize Shor's algorithm (as the latter measures n qubits) but our work also highlights a new potentially hard function for cryptographic applications. Our main technical contribution is (to the best of our knowledge) a new exact characterization of certain sums of Fourier-type coefficients (with exponentially many summands).
Winning Union Representation for Temps

This article examines the impact of the recent NLRB M.B. Sturgis and Jeffboat Division ruling on organizing opportunities for low-wage temporary workers. While the ruling improves opportunities for “permatemps,” it may not benefit workers with the most tenuous employment relationships.
The land of the Goths and Vandals: the visual presentation of Gothicism at the Swedish Court, 1550–1700

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the Swedish court militantly promoted its claim to descent from the Gothic tribes described by ancient authors. Although fully entwined in many aspects of court life and well known in the literature, it is familiar as an essentially textual project. The court was fully aware of the importance of visual modes of representation – from portraiture to architecture – and went to great trouble to attract skilled artists to Stockholm, but any perceptible trace of the Gothic claims seems to be absent from their works, which instead meet a fairly standardized international expectation for royal representation. Rather, the visual representation of the Gothic nature of the kingdom is to be found in the representation of northern nature in paintings, prints, and other media. Many official works include a remarkable emphasis on the natural world that was central to the literature, much of which presents the land as formative for the Gothic people. This allowed the court and its monarchs to present themselves within European-wide conventions of representation and simultaneously to frame it within the landscape from which its Gothic heritage arose.
A Study on Extent of Satisfaction of Users by Library Reference Services

The foremost responsibility of a library reference service is making resources available for extending boundaries of subject knowledge. The main objective of this study was to examine whether this responsibility is fullfilled by Sri Lankan University Librarians. The study aimed to findout answers to the questions; do such libraries offer reference services, what are those services, and are those sufficient to fullfil user expectations. 180 users from three Universities (Peradeniya, Colombo and Kelaniya) and all reference librarians in these Universities were selected as the sample. Two seperate questionnaires were employed for the two groups. The study revealed that reference services are not satisfactory. Many users (65%) did not have a good knowledge about the library catalogue. Seventy percent (70%) don't use the catalogue. Many resources are under utilised because users don't know about those resources. Key words: reference services; reference sources; user education Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka , Vol.13 (Special Issue). 2009 69-84
Observation of Zero-Point Fluctuations in a Resistively Shunted Josephson Tunnel Junction

The spectral density of the voltage noise has been measured in current-biased resistively shunted Josephson junctions in which quantum corrections to the noise are expected to be important. The experimental data are in excellent agreement with theoretical pretions, demonstrating clearly the contribution of zero-point fluctuations that are generated in the shunt at frequencies near the Josephson frequency and mixed down to the measurement frequency.
Characterizing electric fields in (111)B InGaAs quantum wells using electric field modulated photoluminescence and reflectance techniques

We have performed a series of electroreflectance, photoluminescence, and electric-field-modulated photoluminescence experiments to characterize the strain-induced electric fields in (111)B InGaAs/AlGaAs quantum well p-i-n diode structures. A 180° phase change in the lineshapes of electroreflectance spectra of these samples determines when the quantum well is biased to flatband. Using this bias and a depletion model for the diode, the polarization field in the quantum well can be determined. Contrary to expectations, this polarization field increases significantly with increasing temperature. In addition, at fixed temperature, the quantum well transition energies red-shift with increasing excitation intensity when excited by photons of energy higher than the lowest quantum well transition but lower than the AlGaAs diode's bandgap. When excited with photons of energy greater than the AlGaAs bandgap, the transition energy first red shifts then blue shifts with increasing excitation intensity.
Stability of layered Ni hydroxide surface precipitates—a dissolution kinetics study

In recent years, studies have shown that sorption of metals onto natural materials results in the formation of new mineral-like precipitate phases. However, the stability of the precipitates and the potential long-term release of the metal back into the soil solution are poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated the influence of residence time and dissolution agent on the release of nickel from three sorbents, pyrophyllite, talc, and gibbsite, complementing the macroscopic observations with X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopies (DRS), and high-resolution thermogravimetric analysis (HRTGA). Dissolution of the surface precipitates was compared to dissolution of reference Ni compounds. In the sorption experiments conducted at pH 7.5, Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) formed in the presence of pyrophyllite and gibbsite, and a-Ni hydroxide formed with talc, in line with former studies. The stability of the phases decreased from Ni-Al LDH on pyrophyllite to a-Ni hydroxide on talc to Ni-Al LDH on gibbsite. This sequence could be explained by the greater stability of precipitates with Al-for-Ni substituted hydroxide layers compared to pure Ni hydroxide layers, and by the greater stability of precipitates with silicate-for-nitrate exchanged interlayer. With increasing residence time, all precipitate phases drastically increased in stability, as was documented by decreasing amounts of Ni released by nitric acid (HNO3) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) treatments. This aging effect may be partly explained by the silicate-for-nitrate exchange during the first days of reaction, and subsequently by silicate polymerization and partial grafting onto the hydroxide layers (Ford et al., 1999). However, even Si-free, Ni-reacted gibbsite showed a substantial aging effect, suggesting that factors other than interlayer silication may be equally important. Such a factor may be crystal growth due to Ostwald ripening. The Ni precipitates which remained at the end of the dissolution experiments were structurally similar to the precipitates at the beginning of the dissolution, indicating that no preferential dissolution of a less stable phase occurred. Therefore, the precipitate phase within each sorbent system was apparently homogeneous in structure. Copyright © 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd
Mesoscaling of Reynolds Shear Stress in Turbulent Channel and Pipe Flows.

Experimental and numerical data of the Reynolds shear stress in turbulent channel and pipe flows under a mesonormalization are presented. The mesolength scale associated with this normalization is intermediate to the traditional inner and outer lengths. Justification for the mesoscales is provided by a direct analysis of the mean momentum equation. Specifically, the mesonormalization is revealed through a rescaling that appropriately reflects the physics of an internal mesolayer within which a balance breaking, and subsequent balance exchange of terms in the mean momentum equation takes place. Direct numerical simulation and experimental data are examined and shown to be in good agreement with the new scaling, supporting the new theory. Copyright © 2005 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Origin of Spaces: Understanding Residential Satisfaction from Ape Nests, Human Cultures and the Hierarchy of Natural Housing Functions

Abstract This paper seeks to establish a natural approach towards understanding housing by suggesting the existence of a primal hierarchy of natural housing functions based upon an analysis of nesting behaviour in hominid apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orang‐utans). A review of international research on housing satisfaction and an analysis of data from the American Housing Survey confirm the modern relevance of this hierarchy of natural housing functions to the perceived housing quality of both homeowners and tenants. The proposed hierarchy provides a simple, compelling and eminently cross‐cultural perspective for housing quality and policy analysis. Adding this natural viewpoint to traditional approaches may generate useful alternatives and novel insights.
ReishiMax, mushroom based dietary supplement, inhibits adipocyte differentiation, stimulates glucose uptake and activates AMPK

Obesity is a health hazard which is closely associated with various complications including insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes and cancer. In spite of numerous preclinical and clinical interventions, the prevalence of obesity and its related disorders are on the rise demanding an urgent need for exploring novel therapeutic agents that can regulate adipogenesis. In the present study, we evaluated whether a dietary supplement ReishiMax (RM), containing triterpenes and polysaccharides extracted from medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum, affects adipocyte differentiation and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 cells. 3T3-L1 pre-adipocytes were differentiated into adipocytes and treated with RM (0-300 μg/ml). Adipocyte differentiation/lipid uptake was evaluated by oil red O staining and triglyceride and glycerol concentrations were determined. Gene expression was evaluated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Glucose uptake was determined with [3H]-glucose. RM inhibited adipocyte differentiation through the suppresion of expression of adipogenic transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ), sterol regulatory element binding element protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-α (C/EBP-α). RM also suppressed expression of enzymes and proteins responsible for lipid synthesis, transport and storage: fatty acid synthase (FAS), acyl-CoA synthetase-1 (ACS1), fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4), fatty acid transport protein-1 (FATP1) and perilipin. RM induced AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and increased glucose uptake by adipocytes. Our study suggests that RM can control adipocyte differentiation and glucose uptake. The health benefits of ReishiMax warrant further clinical studies.
Cutaneous mechanoreceptors of the glans penis of the cat

Abstract Altering penile sensitivity of cat leads to mating behavior that is aberrant in several respects, among which is disoriented pelvic thrusting. To characterize the receptors involved in such sensitivity changes, recordings were made of single-unit activity evoked by relatively mild stimuli (von Frey filaments, of 5.6–412 mg force). All isolated units behaved as fast-adapting mechanoreceptors having relatively low thresholds, small receptive fields and a unimodal fibre distribution peaking at about 4 μ. The homogeneity of receptor function seems to correlate with the rather uniform histological appearance of the receptors investing surface tissues of the glans—a subepidermal plexus of fine unmyelinated nerve endings. It is hypothesized that these receptors are vital for oriented pelvic thrusting during cats' mating behavior. Some evidence suggests that the penile spines, which band the proximal half of cat's glans penis, may have an accessory sensory function in that when a spine is deflected the “free” nerve endings that are concentrated in its dermal core generate a barrage of high-frequency responses.
Unconventional Potentiation of Gene Expression by Ikaros

Ikaros is essential for the normal development and regulated proliferation of lymphoid cells. In lymphocytes, Ikaros exists as an integral component of chromatin-remodeling complexes, including the Mi-2beta/nucleosome remodeling and deacetylation complex (NuRD) complex. It is expected that Ikaros, together with these associated activities effects repression, but here we show that they may also potentiate gene expression in cycling cells. Ikaros cannot activate transcription by itself; instead, it enhances the activity of both weak and strong activators. For this role in potentiation, Ikaros requires its DNA binding and dimerization domains. The DNA binding and dimerization properties of Ikaros are also responsible for its targeting to pericentromeric heterochromatin (PC-HC). Significantly, Ikaros mutants with altered specificity for DNA binding that are unable to localize to PC-HC are incapable of stimulating transcription from reporters bearing their cognate sites. Thus, potentiation of gene expression by Ikaros correlates strongly with its ability to localize to PC-HC in combination with the chromatin remodeler Mi-2beta.
Novel tert-butyl migration in copper-mediated phenol ortho-oxygenation implicates a mechanism involving conversion of a 6-hydroperoxy-2,4-cyclohexadienone directly to an o-quinone

Copper mediated ortho-oxygenation of phenolates may proceed through the generation of a 6-peroxy-2,4-cyclohexadienone intermediate. To test this theory, we studied the fate of sodium 4-carbethoxy-2,6-di-tert-butylphenolate, where the ortho-oxygenation sites are blocked by tert-butyl groups. Using the Cu(I) complex of N,N-bis(2-(N-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)ethyl)benzylamine, isolation of the major oxygenated product and characterization by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy revealed it to be 4-carbethoxy-3,6-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone, resulting from a 1,2-migration of a tert-butyl group. The independently prepared 6-hydroperoxide is transformed by the Cu(I)− (or Cu(II)−) ligand complex to the same o-quinone. The observed 1,2-migration of the tert-butyl group appears to reflect an electron demand created by rearrangement of the postulated peroxy intermediate. A mechanism proceeding alternatively through a catechol and subsequent oxidation to the o-quinone seems ruled out by a contr...