cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The metabolism of glycerol by hypothalamic and pituitary tissues in vitro in the rat.

SummaryThe metabolism of labeled glycerol in vitro and the activity of glycerol kinase (EC 2.7.1.30) were measured in rat tissues. Although glycerol was actively oxidized and converted to lipids by hypothalamus the rates were low compared to liver and kidney. The activity of anterior pituitary was significantly greater than hypothalamus which was in turn greater than cerebral cortex. After infusion of glycerol-14C iv label was recovered in phospholipids of brain tissues, direct assay of glycerol kinase provided similar results with the same order of activity among the tissues tested. Because glycerol kinase was present in hypothalamus, it is concluded that glycerol could potentially function as a signal for hypothalamic control systems. Anterior pituitary metabolism of glycerol was sufficiently active to classify glycerol as an energy substrate in this tissue.
Development of multi-formula of Radix Peucedanni volatile oil glue repellent

Objective To develop highly efficient repellent.Methods Selecting optimal repellent formula in laboratory,and evaluating its repelling effect in fields.Its acute toxicity was tested by single oral injection,and the acute skin stimulation test was conducted directly on rabbits' skin. Results After spreading the multi-formula of Radix Peucedanni volatile oil glue repellent on human skin,the repelling rate against mosquitoes was 100% within 14 hours,and that against midges was 100% within 11 hours,the repelling rate against midges was(86.8%) within 12 hours,and 78.3% within 14 hours. Conclusion The slow released repellent had good effect on repelling blood-sucking insects.It was safe for use.
Application of Batch Kinetic Data to the Sizing of Continuous-Flow Activated Sludge Reactors

The removal of substrates from wastewaters by activated sludge is commonly expressed in terms of a collective substrate parameter such as COD, BOD 5 or TOC. Several different linear and non-linear rate expressions are employed to describe complex substrate removal in the literature. The indiscriminate application of batch substrate uptake rates to the analysis or design of continuous-flow reactors can introduce errors. These potential errors have particular significance in the design of aerobic selectors used to control low F/M bulking.
Multiple Endocrine Adenomatosis

Certain clinical features in a patient with an apparently single endocrine tumor should serve to alert the physician to consider multiglandular involvement.
Tachykinins as transmitters of ascending contractile component of the peristaltic reflex

The role of tachykinin neurons of the myenteric plexus in the regulation of the intestinal peristaltic reflex was examined in rat colonic segments that enable separate measurement of ascending cont...
Catecholaminergic Stimulation of Neuronal Na+ Channels Accounts for Triggered Arrhythmia Mechanism in CPVT

Background: Arrhythmias including CPVT are often caused by increased levels of circulating catecholamines and are associated with diastolic Ca2+ release (DCR). Several targets for phosphorylation may be involved in the arrhythmogenic effects of β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation; however, the mechanistic link between β-AR stimulation and the subcellular/molecular arrhythmogenic trigger(s) in this model remains elusive.Methods: To address this issue we used mice with cardiac calsequestrin-associated CPVT. We performed confocal microscopy to assess Ca2+ handling and recorded late Na+ current (INa) during various interventions.Results: Isoproterenol (Iso; 100nM) induced late INa in CPVT myocytes which was sensitive to 100nM tetrodotoxin (TTX), suggesting the involvement of neuronal Na+ channels (nNav). This process was mediated by CaMKII, as the Iso-induced late INa was sensitive to CaMKII inhibition with 1µM KN93. To further confirm the involvement of nNav in this process, we used two mouse models with RyR2 rendered incapable of CaMKII phosphorylation (S2814A). Despite this, Iso enhanced DCR frequency in CPVT-S2814A myocytes. Furthermore, nNav blockade with TTX or 10µM riluzole reduced Iso-promoted DCR in the latter group. This translated to ventricular tachycardia (VT) reduction in CPVT mice during catecholamine challenge. To reconstitute the CPVT phenotype without employing β-AR stimulation, we combined genetically-induced RyR2 “leak” and enhanced SR Ca2+ refill with pharmacologically augmented nNav activity by overexpressing cardiac-specific SERCA2a in CPVT mice (CPVT-SERCA) which were then exposed to nNav augmentation with 40µM β-Pompilidotoxin. Without catecholamine challenge, this strategy was sufficient to enhance DCR on cellular level and promote VT in vivo.Conclusion: These data suggest that aberrant Ca2+ handling evidenced during β-AR stimulation results in part from enhanced Na+/Ca2+ signaling through nNav. Therefore, disruption of this β-AR-mediated late INa by nNav inhibition can serve as a potential antiarrhythmic therapy in CPVT.
The Complex Role of the Lung in the Pathogenesis and Clinical Outcomes of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

While the primary manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is articular disease, extra-articular disease may also occur. In particular, pulmonary disease is a frequent extra-articular manifestation of seropositive RA and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. This review will highlight studies published in the last several years and will, in particular, discuss the relationship of antibodies to citrullinated protein/peptide antigens (ACPA) and lung disease in patients with RA. We will also review the data regarding the potential role of the lung and generation of RA-related autoantibodies in a period of disease development termed “preclinical RA.” Finally, we will discuss the role of ACPA and other Abs in non-RA pulmonary diseases and discuss a research agenda for next steps in the understanding and management of the lung in RA.
Fluorescence of Megakaryocytes in Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP) Stained with Fluorescent Antiglobulin Serum

1. A technic is described for the direct and indirect visualization of affinity between fluorescein labeled antiglobulin serum and megakaryocytes. 2. Fluorescent megakaryocytes have been found with this technic in the marrow of some patients with chronic ITP, but not in acute ITP. It was possiple to confer fluorescence on normal megakaryocytes by incubating them with sera from patients with chronic ITP, and from a woman who had a child with neonatal thrombocytopenia. 3. Similar reactions were noted in three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. 4. These findings indicate adherence of a humoral substance (antibody?) for megakaryocytes, which may have etiologic significance in chronic ITP.
On the energy benefits of spiking deep neural networks: A case study

Deep learning neural networks have achieved success in a large number of visual processing tasks and are currently utilized for many real-world applications like image search and speech recognition among others. However, in spite of achieving high accuracy in such classification problems, they involve significant computational resources. Over the past few years, artificial neural network models have evolved into the biologically realistic and event-driven spiking neural networks. Recent research efforts have been directed at developing mechanisms to convert traditional deep artificial nets to spiking nets where the neurons communicate by means of spikes. However, there have been limited studies providing insights on the specific power, area and energy benefits offered by deep spiking neural nets in comparison to their non-spiking counterparts. In this paper, we perform a case study for a hardware implementation of a spiking/non-spiking deep net on the MNIST dataset and clearly outline the design prospects involved in implementing neural computing platforms in the spiking mode of operation.
Richer than the Page

Poetry probably would not have become a research area for me, had not Linda Funkhouser decided to use the pausological methodology to analyze a number of poems in her doctoral dissertation at Saint Louis University (Funkhouser, 1978). A few years later, I began studying poetry readings myself. I asked faculty members of both the English Department and the Drama Department at the University of Kansas to read cummings’ Dying is Fine and Williams’ The Botticellian Trees. This was the beginning of my adult poetic education.
Devitalized Stem Cell Microsheets for Sustainable Release of Osteogenic and Vasculogenic Growth Factors and Regulation of Anti-Inflammatory Immune Response

The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of devitalized human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs) seeded on mineralized nanofiber microsheets on protein release, osteogenesis, vasculogenesis, and macrophage polarization. Calcium phosphate nanocrystals were grown on the surface of aligned, functionalized nanofiber microsheets. The microsheets were seeded with hMSCs, ECFCs, or a mixture of hMSCs+ECFCs, cultured for cell attachment, differentiated to the osteogenic or vasculogenic lineage, and devitalized by lyophilization. The release kinetic of total protein, bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from the devitalized microsheets was measured. Next, hMSCs and/or ECFCs were seeded on the devitalized cell microsheets and cultured in the absence of osteo-/vasculo-inductive factors to determine the effect of devitalized cell microsheets on hMSC/ECFC differentiation. Human macrophages were seeded on the microsheets to determine the effect of devitalized cells on macrophage polarization. Based on the results, devitalized undifferentiated hMSC and vasculogenic-differentiated ECFC microsheets had highest sustained release of BMP2 and VEGF, respectively. The devitalized hMSC microsheets did not affect M2 macrophage polarization while vascular-differentiated, devitalized ECFC microsheets did not affect M1 polarization. Both groups stimulated higher M2 macrophage polarization compared to M1.
Retrospective analysis of molecular and immunohistochemical characterization of 381 primary brain tumors

The classification of brain tumors has traditionally depended on microscopic examination of hematoxylin and eosin-stained tissue sections. The increased understanding of clinically relevant genetic alterations has led to the incorporation of molecular signatures as part of the diagnosis of brain malignancies. Advances in sequencing technologies have facilitated the use of next-generation sequencing (NGS) assays in clinical laboratories. We performed a retrospective analysis of sequencing results for 381 brain tumors tested by NGS at our institution using a validated, commercially available panel. The results of the NGS assay were analyzed in conjunction with the results of immunohistochemical stains. A genetic alteration was detected in approximately two thirds of the cases. The most commonly mutated genes were TP53 (37.2%), IDH1 (29.4%), PIK3CA (8%), PTEN (8%), and EGFR (7.5%). BRAF mutations were detected in ∼3% of the cases, including 50% of gangliogliomas and ∼20% of gliosarcomas. No mutations were detected in 6 medulloblastomas. PIK3CA and CTNNB1 mutations were detected in 1 rosette-forming glioneuronal tumor and 1 adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, respectively. Approximately 23% of cases showed amplification of 1 or more of the genes included in the NGS panel. This analysis demonstrates the utility of NGS for detecting genetic alterations in brain tumors in the clinical setting.
After the Wrath of God: AIDS, Sexuality, and American Religion, Reforming Sodom: Protestants and the Rise of Gay Rights Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence Virgin Nation: Sexual Purity and American Adolescence The Scandal of Evangelicals and Homosexuality: English Evangelical Texts, 1960–2010

The year 2015 brought a rich trove of historical analyses dealing with Christianity, sexuality, and politics in the US and the UK. Published nearly simultaneously, these books—each the first monogr...
A quarter century of advances in the statistical analysis of longitudinal neuropsychological data.

OBJECTIVE Over the last 25 years, there has been an unprecedented increase in federal funding for large-scale longitudinal studies, many of which collect neuropsychological or neuroimaging outcome measures. These studies have collected data from thousands of study participants across multiple waves of data collection over many years. With the increased availability of longitudinal data, data sharing policies have become more liberal, thereby offering significant opportunities for interested researchers to carry out their own longitudinal research with these data. At the same time, these opportunities have stimulated new conceptualizations of longitudinal change and have led to the development of novel approaches toward analysis of longitudinal data. My aim is to review these new conceptualizations and novel data analytic approaches. METHOD In this article, I describe the state of the field a quarter century ago with respect to available longitudinal studies, and I trace the growth of federally funded longitudinal studies over the last 25 years by describing 18 of these projects, many of which are still collecting data. In the second part of this article, I describe changes in the methods used to analyze longitudinal data, transitioning from the paired t test and repeated measures ANOVA to latent change scores, linear mixed effects modeling, and latent growth curve models. Changes in the approach to management of missing data are also discussed. CONCLUSIONS Future studies should abandon traditional longitudinal analytic methods in favor of contemporary approaches given their increased power, greater accuracy, and widespread availability. (PsycINFO Database Record
Mechanism of Concentration and Dilution of Urine

The chapter begins with an overview, showing how the regulation of water permeability of the distal nephron, combined with the osmotic gradient established in the kidney interstitium, allows the kidney to concentrate or dilute the urine. It then shows how the kidney establishes this osmotic gradient by using the counter-current flow of the loop of Henle and collecting ducts, and the spatial separation of transport mechanisms, to make a gradient greater than that achievable by the transport mechanisms themselves. The essential role of the vasa recta is discussed. The contribution of urea to the osmotic gradient in the inner medulla is explained. The function of ADH in allowing the contribution of urea is also discussed. The mechanism of osmotic diuresis is explained.
Using Network Analysis to Identify Key Actors in Collaborative Governance Processes

Collaborative governance is an increasingly popular form of governance. In theory, collaborative governance processes should be inclusive and value the perspectives of multiple stakeholders, including nonprofit organizations. In practice, this may not be the case. Recent work on representation in collaborative governance has found asymmetry in the way actor groups are descriptively and substantively represented in the collaborative governance process. We extend this line of work by employing network methods to create a diagnostic tool to identify which individual actors are substantively represented in collaborative governance processes over time. This tool is designed to systematically evaluate whether individual actors are under or overrepresented in collaborative governance. It provides a starting point for groups to discuss whether they are functionally inclusive and to understand whether non-inclusion is random or systematic. We apply the tool to collaborative governance in a regional food system and find variance in substantive representation by actor, indicating the collaborative governance process diverges from its inclusive design in practice. In particular, nonprofit organizations who are formally part of the collaborative governance process are not substantively represented in formal meetings to the same degree as city and county agencies.
Impact of Toxicity on Survival for Older Adult Patients after CD34+ Selected Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Abstract Ex vivo CD34+ selection before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) reduces graft-versus-host disease without increasing relapse but usually requires myeloablative conditioning. We aimed to identify toxicity patterns in older patients and the association with overall survival (OS) and nonrelapse mortality (NRM). We conducted a retrospective analysis of 200 patients who underwent CD34+ selection allo-HCT using the ClinicMACS® system between 2006 and 2012. All grade 3 to 5 toxicities by CTCAE v4.0 were collected. Eighty patients aged ≥ 60 years with a median age of 64 (range, 60 to 73) were compared with 120 patients aged
Writing Through Comics

Thompson’s chapter focuses on her specialized Writing through Comics course, an upper-level course for a recently formed Writing Studies major that includes a track in Creative Writing and Technical Communication. As Thompson explains, this interdisciplinary course draws on the traditions of creative writing, visual design, art, rhetoric, and new media studies to present students with a historical and critical perspective on the art of writing through comics while introducing them to the foundational skills of writing in this literary genre. Built around a workshop format, Thompson’s students read, analyze, and respond to both creative and critical texts, which form the foundation for the writing and revision of their own original comic stories.
A multistage stochastic programming formulation to evaluate feedstock/process development for the chemical process industry

Abstract Industry trends suggest that the feedstock and product portfolios along with utilized technologies of chemical process industry (CPI) may grow and be quite different compared to today’s in the near future. Incorporation of new feedstocks and technologies into the existing CPI infrastructure may require significant amounts of investments. Determining the investment decisions, i.e., how much to invest, which technologies to invest in, and when to invest in each technology for research and development and for capacity expansion, is a challenging task, because there are often many emerging technologies and the future performances of these technologies are uncertain. Here, we present a multistage stochastic programming (MSSP) formulation accounting for both endogenous and exogenous uncertain parameters associated with the new technology investment planning (NTIP) problem. The MSSP formulation is used to determine investment decisions for four case studies, including a biomass to ethylene production network. The solution for the biomass to ethylene case study suggests that, given the current market conditions, the investment in biomass technologies is not financially advantageous.
Synthesis of the hexacyclic triterpene core of the jujuboside saponins via tandem Wolff rearrangement–intramolecular ketene hetero-Diels–Alder reaction

The jujubosides are saponin natural products reported to have immunoadjuvant, anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, and antisweet activities. The triterpene component, jujubogenin contains a unique tricyclic ketal motif comprising the DEF ring system. Herein, we describe our efforts toward the total synthesis of jujubogenin, using a sterically-demanding intermolecular Diels-Alder reaction to assemble the C-ring and a tandem Wolff rearrangement-intramolecular ketene hetero-Diels-Alder reaction to form the DF-ring system. Acid-catalyzed cyclization of the resulting bicyclic enol ether then closes the E-ring to provide the hexacyclic core of jujubogenin.
The initial structure of chondrule dust rims I: Electrically neutral grains

Abstract In order to characterize the early growth of fine-grained dust rims (FGRs) that commonly surround chondrules in carbonaceous chondrites, we perform numerical simulations of dust accretion onto chondrule surfaces. We employ a Monte Carlo algorithm to simulate the collision of dust monomers having radii between 0.5 and 10 µm with chondrules whose radii are between 500 and 1000 µm, in 100-µm increments. The collisions are driven by Brownian motion and solar nebula turbulence. After each collision, the colliding particles either stick at the point of contact, roll or bounce. We limit accretion of dust monomers (and in some cases, dust aggregates) to a small patch of the chondrule surface, for computational expediency. We model the morphology of the dust rim and the trajectory of the dust particle, which are not considered in most of the previous works. Radial profiles of FGR porosity show that rims formed in weak turbulence are more porous (with a porosity of 60–74%) than rims formed in stronger turbulence (with a porosity of 52–60%). The lower end of each range corresponds to large chondrules and the upper end to small chondrules, meaning that the chondrule size also has an impact on FGR porosity. Consistent with laboratory observations of CM chondrites, the thickness of FGRs obtained in the simulations depends linearly on chondrule radius. The collection of single monomers leads to the increase of grain size from the inner to the outer layers of the dust rim. The porosity of FGRs formed by dust aggregates is ∼ 20% greater on average than that of FGRs formed by single monomers. In general, the relatively high porosities that we obtain are consistent with those calculated by previous authors from numerical simulations, as well as with initial FGR porosities inferred from laboratory measurements of rimmed chondrule samples and rimmed chondrule analogs.
Herpes Simplex Related Glaucoma

The word “herpes” derives from the Greek verb meaning “to creep or crawl” and was used to describe spreading cutaneous lesions in the writings of Hippocrates some 25 centuries ago. There are now eight recognized human herpes viruses: herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, varicella-zoster virus (VZV), cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, human herpes virus 6 (associated with roseola infantum), human herpes virus 7 (associated with roseola infantum and febrile convulsions), and human herpes virus 8 (associated with Kaposi sarcoma and lymphomas).
Space Station Freedom Environmental Control and Life Support System Design - A Status Report

Space Station Freedom (S.S. Freedom) has entered into the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) phase of the program. This paper outlines the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) design with emphasis on the systems aspects of the ECLSS. Interactions with other distributed systems, such as data management and electrical power are described. The integration of the ECLSS into the S.S. Freedom pressurized elements and truss are addressed.
The influence of stress field on Li electrodeposition in Li-metal battery

Lithium (Li) dendrite formation in Li-metal batteries (LMBs) remains a key obstacle preventing LMBs from their widespread application. This study focuses on the role of the stress field in the Li electrodeposits formation and growth. Coupled electrochemical and mechanical phase-field model (PFM) is used to investigate electrodeposited Li evolution under different conditions. The PFM results, using both the anisotropic elastic properties of Li and the random delivery of Li-ions through the solid electrolyte interface, show a significant local stress development indicating a direct correlation between the stress field and the origin of the undesired Li filaments initiation.
Phase transformation induced plasticity in high-strength hexagonal close packed Co with stacking faults

Abstract Deformation twinning and dislocation glide are two primary deformation mechanisms in hexagonal close packed (HCP) metals. Here we show, via in situ micropillar compression tests, that HCP Co pillars with high-density stacking faults exhibit a high yield strength and significant plasticity. Transmission electron microscopy studies reveal the formation of extensive face-centered cubic (FCC) Co phase after deformation. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm the deformation induced phase transformation, and shed light on the deformation mechanisms in HCP Co with pre-existing stacking faults. This study provides new insights into achieving high strength and plasticity in HCP metals via stacking faults and phase transformation.
The Impact of Mathematics Teacher Quality on Student Achievement in Oman and Taiwan

Following the educational reform trend around the world, Oman and Taiwan emphasize on teacher quality to improve student learning. This study investigated the relationship between teacher quality and eighth graders mathematics achievement in Oman and Taiwan by utilizing TIMSS 2011 data. The research question examined to what extent teacher quality as defined by the measurable variables (teacher qualification, teaching practices and professional development) impacts student achievement in Oman and Taiwan. The study employed Ordinary Least Square (OLS) statistical analysis to examine the relationship between teacher quality and eighth-grade student math performance in both countries. The results show that teacher quality indicators in Oman and Taiwan have a positive impact on eighth graders mathematics achievement. However, teacher quality variables that influence student achievement in both countries vary depending on the education context, student characteristics and school factors. The study findings support policy intervention aimed at improving teacher quality and recommends providing more opportunities for participation in content-focused and pedagogical-focused professional development.
Determinants of low bone mineral density in people with multiple sclerosis: Role of physical activity.

Abstract Background People with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) have reduced bone mineral density (BMD), but the causes are unclear. Some factors that may cause reduced BMD in PwMS have been understudied, including physical activity, inflammation, cortisol, symptomatic fatigue, and depression. The aim of this study was to investigate factors that may uniquely contribute to reduced BMD in PwMS as compared to people without MS. We hypothesized that physical activity would be the primary determinant of low BMD in PwMS, with additional contributions from inflammation and sympathetic nervous system activation. Methods We tested 23 PwMS (16 women; median EDSS: 2) and 22 control participants (16 women). BMD was measured from the femoral neck and lumbar spine with dual x-ray absorptiometry. Disability was measured with the Expanded Disability Status Scale, and functional capacity was measured with the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite. Questionnaires measured symptomatic fatigue and depression. A blood draw was used to measure calcium, phosphate, vitamin D, N-terminal telopeptide, osteopontin, and cytokine markers of inflammation. Physical activity was measured with accelerometry. Salivary cortisol and cardiac heart rate variability also were obtained. All outcome variables were compared between groups with independent samples t-tests. Variables that were different between groups and significantly correlated (Pearson product-moment) with femoral neck BMD, were included in a theoretical model to explain femoral neck BMD. The expected direction of relations in the theoretical model were developed based upon the results of previous research. A Bayesian path analysis was used to test the relations of predictive variables with femoral neck BMD and interrelations among predictive variables, as detailed in the theoretical model. Results PwMS had lower BMD at the femoral neck than controls (p = =0.04; mean difference: -0.09; 95% CI: -0.2, -0.004; Cohen's d = =0.65), and there was a smaller, statistically non-significant difference in BMD at the lumbar spine (p = =0.07; mean difference: -0.08; 95% CI: -0.17, 0.007; Cohen's d = =0.59). PwMS also had lower functional capacity (p ≤ 0.001; Cohen's d = =1.50), greater fatigue (p Conclusion Physical activity, symptomatic fatigue, depression, disability, and inflammation all contributed independently to decreased femoral neck BMD in PWMS. Bone metabolism in PwMS is complex. Efforts to increase physical activity and address symptomatic fatigue and depression may improve bone mineral density in PwMS. Future research should investigate the mechanisms through which symptomatic fatigue and depression contribute to reduced BMD in PwMS.
Terrorism and women’s employment in Afghanistan

Afghanistan is one of the most dangerous countries for women and has the sixth lowest women’s employment rate globally. Evidence shows that security concerns prevent women from working, but there i...
Estimating exporter's quality: Do importers agree on rankings?

A large and growing literature focuses on product quality differentiation and its positive and normative importance for international trade. In this literature, there are a number of approaches that attempt to extract a quality ‘signal’ from noisy price or price–quantity data (i.e., unit value and demand residual approach). I propose a simple test for the robustness of these approaches to quality inference: when purchasing goods from a common set of exporters, do two importers agree on which goods are high quality? Results from Spearman's rank correlation tests show that as we use import demand residuals to measure quality, quality estimates become progressively less consistent and worsen the agreement among importers. Such inconsistency cannot be explained by trade cost effects on exporters' quality suggested by Melitz (2003) and Alchian–Allen hypothesis (Hummels and Skiba, 2004). It is also uncorrelated to differences in the compositions of imports. However, demand residual approach produces strong quality ‘signal’ relative to the noise only in highly differentiated products. Further analyses confirm the role of the differences in consumers' preferences and tastes across importers in the distortion of quality signals.
Targeting Question-Asking Initiations in College Students With ASD Using a Video-Feedback Intervention:

Social conversational vulnerabilities associated with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) generally persist into young adulthood and have a detrimental impact on short- and long-term academic, vocatio...
UniTwain: A cost-effective solution for lean gross imaging

Background: Gross imaging of surgical specimens is paramount for the accurate gross examination and diagnosis of disease. Optimized imaging workflow can facilitate consistently high-quality gross photographs, especially in high-volume, metropolitan hospitals such as ours. Most commercial medical gross imaging technology provides ergonomically well-designed hardware, remotely operated cameras, intuitive software interfaces, and automation of workflow. However, these solutions are usually cost-prohibitive and require a large sum of capital budget. Materials and Methods: We applied lean techniques such as value stream mapping (VSM) to design a streamlined and error-free workflow for gross imaging process. We implemented a cost-effective technology, UniTwain, combined with high-resolution webcam to achieve the ideal results. Results: We reduced the mean process time from 600 min to 4.0 min (99.3% decrease in duration); the median process time was reduced from 580 min to 3.0 min. The process efficiency increased from 20% to 100%. The implemented solution has a comparable durability, scalability, and archiving feasibility to commercial medical imaging systems and costs four times less. The only limitations are manual operation of the webcam and lower resolution. The webcam sensors have 8.2 megapixel (MP) resolution, approximately 12 MP less than medical imaging devices. However, we believe that this difference is not visually significant and the effect on gross diagnosis with the naked eye is minimal. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study that utilized UniTwain as a viable, low-cost solution to streamline the gross imaging workflow. The UniTwain combined with high-resolution webcam could be a suitable alternative for our institution that does not plan to heavily invest in medical imaging.
Cumulative Disadvantage and Disparities in Depression and Pain among Veterans with Osteoarthritis: The Role of Perceived Discrimination

OBJECTIVE Perceived discrimination is associated with chronic pain and depression and contributes to racial health disparities. In a cohort of older adult veterans with osteoarthritis (OA), our objective was to examine how membership in multiple socially disadvantaged groups (cumulative disadvantage) was associated with perceived discrimination, pain, and depression. We also tested whether perceived discrimination mediated the association of cumulative disadvantage with depression and pain. METHODS We analyzed baseline data from 270 African American veterans and 247 White veterans enrolled in a randomized controlled trial testing a psychological intervention for chronic pain at 2 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers. Participants were age ≥50 years and self-reported symptomatic knee OA. Measures included the Everyday Discrimination Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire Depression Scale, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index pain subscale, and demographic variables. Cumulative disadvantage was defined as the number of socially disadvantaged groups to which each participant belonged (i.e., self-reported female sex, African American race, annual income of <$20,000, and/or unemployed due to disability). We used linear regression models and Sobel's test of mediation to examine hypotheses. RESULTS The mean ± SD number of social disadvantages was 1.3 ± 1.0. Cumulative disadvantage was significantly associated with higher perceived discrimination, pain, and depression (P < 0.001 for all). Perceived discrimination significantly mediated the association between cumulative disadvantage and depression symptoms (Z = 3.75, P < 0.001) as well as pain severity (Z = 2.24, P = 0.025). CONCLUSION Perceived discrimination is an important psychosocial stressor that contributes to worsening OA-related mental and physical health outcomes, with greater effects among those from multiple socially disadvantaged groups.
Chlorination in power station cooling water systems: Effect on biomass, abundance and physiology of natural phytoplankton communities.

Abstract Chlorination is a widely used method to prevent biofouling in power station cooling water systems in coastal and estuarine environments. This study evaluated the impact of chlorination together with temperature increase to simulate primary entrainment of a phytoplankton community. Biomass, diversity, and photosynthetic activity were monitored over 72 hours to establish impacts on the phytoplankton community. Biomass was significantly reduced after treatment. The mean cell size of the population significantly increased immediately after treatment highlighting an impact on the smaller cell size species of the community (picophytoplankton). Changes in accessory pigments composition suggest an effect on groups such as Prasinophyceae, Cyanobacteria and Chlorophycea. Species composition, dominated by diatoms, was also affected with Skeletonema marinoi and Asterionellopsis glacialis amongst the most sensitive species. Photosynthetic activity was affected in the short term but recovered after 48 hours. This study shows that by using a combination of measurements (e.g biomass, diversity, and physiology) the effects of entrainment in power station cooling water systems, that may be of longer-term significance for specific functional groups of phytoplankton communities, can be discerned. These changes would not necessarily be seen using individual techniques alone such as cell number counts or biomass assessment which may indicate apparent community recovery.
Viral Coinfection is Associated with Improved Outcomes in Emergency Department Patients with SARS-CoV-2

Author(s): Goldberg, Elizabeth M.; Hasegawa, Kohei; Lawrence, Alexis; Kline, Jeffrey A.; Camargo, Jr, Carlos A. | Abstract: Introduction: Coinfection with severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and another virus may influence the clinical trajectory of emergency department (ED) patients. However, little empirical data exists on the clinical outcomes of coinfection with SARS-CoV-2 Methods: In this retrospective cohort analysis, we included adults presenting to the ED with confirmed, symptomatic coronavirus 2019 who also underwent testing for additional viral pathogens within 24 hours. To investigate the association between coinfection status with each of the outcomes, we performed logistic regression. Results: Of 6,913 ED patients, 5.7% had coinfection. Coinfected individuals were less likely to experience index visit or 30-day hospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.36-0.90 and OR 0.39; 95% CI, 0.25–0.62, respectively). Conclusion: Coinfection is relatively uncommon in symptomatic ED patients with SARS-CoV-2 and the clinical short- and long-term outcomes are more favorable in coinfected individuals.
Bad Acts and Guilty Minds: Conundrums of the Criminal Law

With wit and intelligence, Leo Katz seeks to understand the basic rules and concepts underlying the moral, linguistic, and psychological puzzles that plague the criminal law. "Bad Acts and Guilty Minds ...revives the mind, it challenges superficial analyses, it reminds us that underlying the vast body of statutory and case law, there is a rationale founded in basic notions of fairness and reason...It will help lawyers to better serve their clients and the society that permits attorneys to hang out their shingles."--Edward N. Costikyan, New York Times Book Review
EFFECT OF THE INVERSION SYMMETRY OF DISPERSION RELATIONS ON FOUR-WAVE INTERACTIONS IN PHOTONIC CRYSTAL

The effect of the spatial periodicity on nonlinear optical processes has been a subject of intensive studies in physics literature 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 and references therein . We study nonlinear wavepacket propagation assuming that its spatial range is much smaller than the dimension of the medium sample, therefore considering an infinite periodic medium. It is assumed that electromagnetic wave propagation is governed by the classical Maxwell equations $$ \nabla \times E(r,t) = - \frac{1} {c}\partial _t B(r,t) - \frac{{4\pi }} {c}J_M (r,t),\nabla \cdot B(r,t) = 0, $$ (1) $$ \nabla \times H(r,t) = \frac{1} {c}\partial _t D(r,t) + \frac{{4\pi }} {c}J_E (r,t),\nabla \cdot D(r,t) = 0, $$ (2) where H, E, B, and D are respectively the magnetic and electric fields, magnetic and electric inductions; J E and J M are impressed electric and so called impressed magnetic currents; r = (x 1, x 2, x 3) ∈ R 3 is the position vector. It is also assumed that there are no free electric and magnetic charges, and, consequently, the fields B and D are divergence free as indicated in the equations (1) and (2)). The vectors H, E, B and D are naturally 3-component. We also consider two special cases: (i) the 2-dimensional case when the fields do not depend on x 3; (ii) the l-dimensional case when the fields do not depend on x 2, x 3 . Hence, we will consider three cases with the dimension d = 1,2,3. For simplicity, we consider nonmagnetic media, i.e. $$ B(r,t) = \mu H(r,t),\mu = 1. $$ (3)
Resource partitioning along multiple niche axes drives functional diversity in parrotfishes on Caribbean coral reefs

The recent loss of key consumers to exploitation and habitat degradation has significantly altered community dynamics and ecosystem function across many ecosystems worldwide. Predicting the impacts of consumer losses requires knowing the level of functional diversity that exists within a consumer assemblage. In this study, we document functional diversity among nine species of parrotfishes on Caribbean coral reefs. Parrotfishes are key herbivores that facilitate the maintenance and recovery of coral-dominated reefs by controlling algae and provisioning space for the recruitment of corals. We observed large functional differences among two genera of parrotfishes that were driven by differences in diet. Fishes in the genus Scarus targeted filamentous algal turf assemblages, crustose coralline algae, and endolithic algae and avoided macroalgae, while fishes in the genus Sparisoma preferentially targeted macroalgae. However, species with similar diets were dissimilar in other attributes, including the habitats they frequented, the types of substrate they fed from, and the spatial scale at which they foraged. These differences indicate that species that appear to be functionally redundant when looking at diet alone exhibit high levels of complementarity when we consider multiple functional traits. By identifying key functional differences among parrotfishes, we provide critical information needed to manage parrotfishes to enhance the resilience of coral-dominated reefs and reverse phase shifts on algal-dominated reefs throughout the wider Caribbean. Further, our study provides a framework for predicting the impacts of consumer losses in other species rich ecosystems.
R-Capriccio: a capacity planning and anomaly detection tool for enterprise services with live workloads

As the complexity of IT systems increases, performance management and capacity planning become the largest and most difficult expenses to control. New methodologies and modeling techniques that explain large-system behavior and help predict their future performance are now needed to effectively tackle the emerging performance issues. With the multi-tier architecture paradigm becoming an industry standard for developing scalable client-server applications, it is important to design effective and accurate performance prediction models of multi-tier applications under an enterprise production environment and a real workload mix. To accurately answer performance questions for an existing production system with a real workload mix, we design and implement a new capacity planning and anomaly detection tool, called R-Capriccio, that is based on the following three components: i) a Workload Profiler that exploits locality in existing enterprise web workloads and extracts a small set of most popular, core client transactions responsible for the majority of client requests in the system; ii) a Regression-based Solver that is used for deriving the CPU demand of each core transaction on a given hardware; and iii) an Analytical Model that is based on a network of queues that models a multi-tier system. To validate R-Capriccio, we conduct a detailed case study using the access logs from two heterogeneous production servers that represent customized client accesses to a popular and actively used HP Open View Service Desk application.
Web process inspection using neural network classification of scattering light

The authors note that web process inspection requires the rapid examination of vast amounts of data. They examine two resulting issues: the sensory system and the computer processing required to detect faults in the sheet material accurately. It was found that scattered coherent light from the surface of the material being processed could be directly conditioned by a photodetector so as to produce a small set of features which are then examined by a neural network trained to find unsatisfactory surface conditions. A surface inspection system using measurement of the angular distribution over a 25 degrees cone angle of the scattering was constructed, calibrated, and evaluated for inspection of coated sheet steel samples. Features created by a simulated segmented photodetector are inputs to a neural network which uses classification based on Kohonen's LVQ2 (learning vector quantization-2) algorithm. The system was evaluated with CrO/sub 2/ coated steel samples. Classification by fault or no fault categorized 133 samples correctly out of 135, while there were seven errors in one attempt at classification into the various common surface faults out of the same number of test samples and nine in another. >
Getting organized: new insights into the organizer of higher vertebrates

The Organizer of higher vertebrates (e.g., Hensen's node in birds and the node in mammals) functions much like the Organizer of lower vertebrates (e.g., embryonic shield in fish and dorsal lip of the blastopore in amphibians). In all classes of vertebrates, the Organizer displays a number of unique properties including the fate, migratory patterns, morphogenetic movements, and the level of commitment of its cells; its pattern of gene expression; its ability to induce neural differentiation; and its ability to organize and regionalize a secondary embryo when grafted ectopically. The importance of Organizer activity to formation of the neuraxis is highlighted by results from studies in which the Organizer is eliminated experimentally. Such studies demonstrate that an auxiliary system is present that can generate a reconstituted Organizer, which completely mimics the activity of the original Organizer. For almost 50 years after the discovery of Spemann's Organizer, the molecular nature of Organizer activity was virtually unknown. However, recent progress in identifying the morphoregulatory molecules underlying Organizer activity has been substantial, and a full understanding of the molecular basis of this activity is imminent. Thus, the intriguing question of how the Organizer organizes, raised by the seminal experiments of Spemann and Mangold, is finally being answered in this exciting renaissance of developmental biology driven by new molecular and genetic approaches.
Characterization and Determination of Cell Death by Apoptosis

Introduction Morphological Assays of Apoptosis Staining for Nuclear Morphology using Fluorescent DNA-Binding Dyes Biochemical Markers of Apoptosis DNA Fragmentation Proteolytic Cleavage of Apoptosis-Related Proteins Percoll Gradient Fractionation of Apoptotic Cells Flow Cytometric Analysis of Cell Death Detection of Cells with Subdiploid DNA Content Detection of Cells that Contain DNA Strand Breaks Detection of Apoptotic Cells based on Intracellular pH and Membrane Permeability Detection of Apoptotic Cells based on Changes in Forward Scattering Detection of Apoptotic Cells based on Annexin V Binding Conclusion Appendix I: Determination of Apoptotic Morphology Stock Dyes Cell Preparation Acridine Orange/Ethidium Bromide Assay Hoechst 33342 Staining Assay DAPI Staining Assay Appendix II: Assay of DNA Digestion by Agarose Gel Electrophoresis Stock Solutions Preparation of Gel Sample Preparation and Gel Conditions Appendix III: Assay of PARP Cleavage by Western Blotting Solutions Preparation of Lysate Western Blot Procedure Appendix IV: Percoll Gradient Fractionation of Viable and Apoptotic Cells Solutions Protocol Appendix V: Flow Cytometric Determination of DNA Content using Propidium Iodide Solutions Sample Preparation and Analysis Appendix VI: TUNEL or Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase (TdT) Assay Solutions Sample Preparation and Analysis Appendix VII: Two-color Flow Cytometric Analysis of Intracellular pH and Hoechst 33342 Uptake Solutions Sample Preparation and Analysis Flow Cytometry Data Analysis Appendix VIII: Flow Cytometric Determination of Annexin V Binding Solutions Sample Preparation and Analysis Bibliography Keywords: physiology; cell stability; synchronisation