cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment and outcome of traumatic biliary injuries in children

Abstract Background/Purpose Traumatic biliary tract injuries in children are rare but may result in significant morbidity. The objective of this study was to review the occurrence of traumatic biliary tract injuries in children, management strategies, and outcome. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients with biliary tract injury using the trauma registry at our level 1 pediatric trauma center from 2002–2012. Results Twelve out of 13,582 trauma patients were identified, representing 0.09% of all trauma patients. All were secondary to blunt trauma. Mean age was 9.7 years [range 4–15], and mean Injury Severity Score was 31 ± 14, with overall survival of 92%. Biliary injuries included major ductal injury (6), minor ductal injury with biloma (4), gallbladder injury (2), and intrahepatic ductal injury (1). Major ductal injuries were managed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and biliary stent (5) and Roux-en-Y hepaticojejunostomy (1). Associated gallbladder injury was managed by cholecystectomy. In addition, the associated biloma was managed with percutaneous drainage (7), laparoscopic drainage (2), or during laparotomy (3). Two patients with ductal injuries developed late strictures after initial management with ERCP and stent placement. One of the two patients ultimately required a left hepatectomy, and the other has been managed conservatively without evidence of cholangitis. Two patients required placement of additional drains and prolonged antibiotics for superinfection following biloma drainage. Conclusion Biliary tract injuries are rare in children, and many are amenable to adjunctive therapy, including ERCP and biliary stent placement with or without placement of a peritoneal drain. Patients with a discrete ductal injury are at higher risk for stricture and require close follow up. Hepaticojejunostomy remains the definitive repair for large extrahepatic biliary tract injuries or transections.
Example Solar Electric Propulsion System asteroid tours using variational calculus

Exploration of the asteroid belt with a vehicle utilizing a Solar Electric Propulsion System has been proposed in past studies. Some of those studies illustrated multiple asteroid rendezvous with trajectories obtained using approximate methods. Most of the inadequacies of those approximations are overcome in this paper, which uses the calculus of variations to calculate the trajectories and associated payloads of four asteroid tours. The modeling, equations, and solution techniques are discussed, followed by a presentation of the results.
Effects of Pleistocene climates on local environments and dietary behavior of mammals in Florida

Abstract Stable oxygen (δ 18 O) and carbon (δ 13 C) isotope values from fossil tooth enamel can be used to better understand mammalian responses to changing climates and impacts of increasing evaporative conditions on the diets of Pleistocene taxa. Previous work demonstrated dietary modification in response to interglacial warming; however, it is difficult to know if these changes resulted from changing climates, alterations of their habitat, or both. Here, we further investigate the influences of increasing evaporative conditions and changing vegetation on diets using oxygen and carbon isotopes from medium- to large-bodied herbivores from Pleistocene sites in Florida (Haile 8A, Tri-Britton, Leisey Shell Pit 1A, Inglis 1A). Bulk and serial stable isotope values indicate that Tri-Britton was the warmest and driest site with forests and C 4 grasslands, and may have been able to support closely related taxa (e.g. multiple peccaries and camelids). In contrast to Tri-Briton and Leisey Shell Pit 1A, Haile 8A was the wettest site and may have represented a transitional climate. The diets of Hemiauchenia , Platygonus , and Mylohyus changed from browsing (Inglis 1A, Haile 8A) to mixed feeding (Leisey Shell Pit 1A, Tri-Britton), potentially in response to warmer temperatures and/or more arid environments. Mammut , Odocoileus, and Palaeolama maintained primarily C 3 diets at all sites; however, δ 13 C values were greatest at Leisey Shell Pit 1A and Tri-Britton. Tapirus and Equus also had significantly greater δ 13 C values at Tri-Britton as compared to other sites, further suggesting more evaporative conditions. With higher temperatures and/or increased aridity, dietary generalists modified their diets more than specialists, often including a greater proportion of C 4 vegetation than during cooler and/or wetter periods. Collectively, these data suggest that increased evaporative conditions during the Pleistocene may have contributed to a broader range of diets in generalist herbivores when compared to dietary specialists.
A Model of Human Potassium Channel KCNQ1 Modulation by Accessory Protein KCNE3

Human potassium channel KCNQ1 is expressed in several tissues including inner ear, heart muscle, lung, intestine, and stomach, each requiring a unique current profile for proper function. To tune its current output, KCNQ1 complexes with several accessory proteins from the KCNE family. Each KCNE family member modulates KCNQ1 differently: KCNE1 causes the channel to delay opening and become more conductive in the open state, KCNE3 causes the channel to be constitutively open and more conductive, and KCNE4 causes the channel to close. To extend previous efforts to characterize the spectrum of KCNQ1 structure and modulation, we used a hybrid experimental-computational approach to model the KCNQ1-KCNE3 complex. Our strategy was to determine the NMR structure of KCNE3 alone in lipid-mimicking bicelles, build a homology model of KCNQ1, generate in vivo restraints using electrophysiology, and dock the structure of KCNE3 onto the homology model of KCNQ1 using electrophysiology-based restraints to validate and refine the resulting models.The results from this method will be presented.
New flexibilized diallyl phthalate resins for encapsulating electronic display devices

This research investigated diallyl phthalate encapsulating resins as a replacement for the moisture sensitive epoxies now used in light emitting diode (LED) displays. Consideration of display resin requirements led us to select for study the diallyl phthalate (DAP) polymer thermosetting system, which had most of the performance properties desired, but was excessively brittle. Flexibilizing co-monomers were evaluated including both vinyl and allylic types. A promising co-polymer of DAP with lauryl methacrylate (80/20) was defined that had most of the physical and performance characteristics desired, plus attractive inherent light diffusing properties. Allylic co-monomers such as diallyl adipate and triallyl citrate also formed interesting co-polymers and ter-polymers with DAP. DAP/ epoxy interpenetrating polymer networks were also explored and found to be most suitable for LED application.
Thermodynamic analysis of the effect of magnetic ordering on miscibility gaps in the Fe−Ti cubic and rhombohedral oxide minerals and the Fe−Ti oxide geothermometer

Thermodynamic models which incorporate the effects of long-range magnetic order are developed for mineral endmembers and their solid solutions. The temperature dependence of the magnetic entropy of solution is obtained from a statistical mechanical description of spin configurations. The non-configurational magnetic Gibbs Free energy is modeled as a Taylor expansion of low order and even degree. Taylor coefficients are calibrated from determinations of magnetic transition temperatures and from heat capacity measurements. The technique is used to derived model equations for the thermodynamic properties of magnetite (Fe3O4), hematite (Fe2O3) and the solid solution series magnetite-ulvospinel (Fe2TiO4) and hematite-ilmenite (FeTiO3). These models are utilized to calculate phase diagrams, and the effect of the interplay between “magnetic” and “chemical” ordering is explored. A petrologic application showing the influence of magnetic ordering on temperatures derived from the Fe−Ti oxide geothermometer demonstrates that the effect is significant (a correction on the order of 100 °C) at derived temperatures below the Neel point for the cubic phase.
An Average Flow Model of Rough Surface Lubrication With Inter-Asperity Cavitation

An average Reynolds equation capable of predicting the effects of roughness induced inter-asperity cavitation is introduced. The average Reynolds equation is based on the JFO cavitation model and the Patir and Cheng flow factor method. The flow factors are calculated in numerical experiments as functions of the local surface separation, surface statistics, and cavitation number. The model is extended into a universal average Reynolds equation capable of predicting the combined effects of inter-asperity cavitation and macroscopic cavitation. Both the Patir and Cheng method and the present model are verified in numerical experiments.
Liberation of endogenous compounds by tolazoline.

The anomalous cardiac stimulation by tolazoline (2-benzyl-2-imidazoline), an α-adrenergic blocking agent, appears to result from the release of histamine and catecholamines. These responses can be blocked by metiamide and propranolol, respectively. It is probable that tolazoline also releases acetylcholine from the guinea pig atria. The direct effect of tolazoline on chronotropic activity of atrial pairs after blockade appears to be depressant at high concentrations, and this decrease in rate, below control levels, is not blocked by atropine.
Japan’s GDP estimates: a critical review

Abstract The depressed state of the Japanese economy, especially in the late 1990s, makes the GDP gap of practical interest. Surprisingly, the official estimates of the GDP gap assert that it was no less than −4% in 1998. This seems to be too optimistic a view. Dissatisfied, Niwa 2000 , Shishido 2000 presented strikingly different estimates for the GDP gap, according to which the gap was as large as −35% at 1998. Why such a large difference? This paper reviews how they arrived at such different results from the same set of basic data and the same production function approach. We show that, in the final analysis, the difference is in how to treat the technology input in the production function. The optimistic view changes the rate of technical change so that the potential growth path never deviates away from the actual growth path. By contrast, the pessimistic view keeps the rate of technical change constant so that the potential growth path can deviate away from the actual growth path. Hence, the GDP gap in the late 1990s is kept small in the optimistic estimate and very large in the pessimistic estimate. Each obtains what it wants from its own assumption. The true GDP gap lies between these two extremes.
Whitehead and Hermeneutic

Whitehead offered a framework for interpretation of texts quite different from that of the prevailing hermeneutical tradition. This framework consists of his analysis of perception with its contrast between clear but indirect perceptions and direct but vague ones, and his analysis of how a selfcreating entity considers propositions or concrete possibilities. Thus the emphasis in this hermeneutic will be on the process of reading with its repetition and novelty, and the aim will be to include in one's interpretation as large a field of contrasting insights as can be brought into harmony. William A. Beardslee is Professor of Religion at Emory University. He is the author of A House for Hope: A Study in Process and Biblical Thought (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1972), and recently edited Semeia 12 and 13: The Poetics of Faith: Essays Offered to Amos Niven Wilder (1978).
Activity-Dependent Intracellular Acidification Correlates with the Duration of Seizure Activity

Synchronized neuronal activity (seizures) can appear in the presence or absence of synaptic transmission. Mechanisms of seizure initiation in each of these conditions have been studied, but relatively few studies have addressed seizure termination. In particular, how are seizures terminated in the absence of synaptic activity where there is no loss of excitatory drive or augmentation of inhibitory inputs? We have studied dynamic activity-dependent changes of intracellular pH in the absence of synaptic transmission using the fluorescent pH indicator carboxylseminaphthorhodafluo-1. During epileptiform activity we observed intracellular acidification, whereas between seizures the intracellular pH recovered. Experimental conditions that shortened the epileptiform discharge correlated with more rapid intracellular acidification. On the other hand, experimental manipulation of intracellular pH altered the duration of the seizure discharge, with acidification resulting in early termination of the epileptiform activity. These data show a direct relationship between the level of intracellular acidification and the duration of the seizures, suggesting that an intracellular pH-dependent process can terminate nonsynaptic neuronal synchronization.
SHOULD UNIONS PLAY GOLF WITH REPUBLICANS?: LABOR PAC SUPPORT ACROSS POLITICAL PARTIES

This essay examines the strategy of political voluntarism, defined as a neutral political affiliation, by testing whether or not union political action committee (PAC) donations to congresspersons in the 2000 election cycle affected their roll call votes in subsequent years. Results indicate that overall, the Republicans became more antilabor in their roll call patterns after the election of George W. Bush, and that labor PAC donations did not moderate this shift. Democrats, however, became more prolabor in their roll call voting, and this trend was likewise independent of labor support. Finally, there is no evidence that congresspersons retaliated against labor when an electoral rival was supported. These findings underscore the importance of political parties in shaping public policy and challenge the utility of a labor political strategy that is party neutral. A strategic alternative, political idealism, is discussed.
Spatial coverage planning for a planetary rover

We are developing onboard planning and execution technologies to support the exploration and characterization of geological features by autonomous rovers. In order to generate high quality mission plans, an autonomous rover must reason about the relative importance of the observations it can perform. In this paper we look at the scientific criteria of selecting observations that improve the quality of the area covered by samples. Our approach makes use of a priori information, if available, and allows scientists to mark sub-regions of the area with relative priorities for exploration. We use an efficient algorithm for prioritizing observations based on spatial coverage that allows the system to update observation rankings as new information is gained during execution.
Stochastic modeling and optimization for robust power management in a partially observable system

As the hardware and software complexity grows, it is unlikely for the power management hardware/software to have a full observation of the entire system status. In this paper, we propose a new modeling and optimization technique based on partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) for robust power management, which can achieve near-optimal power savings, even when only partial system information is available. Three scenarios of partial observations that may occur in an embedded system are discussed and their modeling techniques are presented. The experimental results show that, compared with power management policy derived from traditional Markov decision process model that assumes the system is fully observable, the new power management technique gives significantly better performance and energy tradeoff.
Polarization degrees of freedom

This paper unifies the different conclusions on the polarization degrees of freedom in multiple-antenna channels. It shows that the multiplicative gain in the degrees of freedom from polarization depends on the array geometry and the scattering condition.
Combo: a whole genome comparative browser

Summary: Combo is a comparative genome browser that provides a dynamic view of whole genome alignments along with their associated annotations. Combo provides two different visualization perspectives. The perpendicular (dot plot) view provides a dot plot of genome alignments synchronized with a display of genome annotations along each axis. The parallel view displays two genome annotations horizontally, synchronized through a panel displaying local alignments as trapezoids. Users can zoom to any resolution, from whole chromosomes to individual bases. They can select, highlight and view detailed information from specific alignments and annotations. Combo is an organism agnostic and can import data from a variety of file formats. Availability: Combo is integrated as part of the Argo Genome Browser which also provides single-genome browsing and editing capabilities. Argo is written in Java, runs on multiple platforms and is freely available for download at http://www.broad.mit.edu/annotation/argo/. Contact: reinhard@broad.mit.edu
Integrating Scenario-Based and Component Reading Skill Measures to Understand the Reading Behavior of Struggling Readers

In recent years, researchers, educators, and policy makers have called for a new generation of reading comprehension assessments (e.g., Partnership for 21st Century Skills, 2008). Advocates of this movement argue for a deeper type of reading assessment, one that captures students’ ability to not only understand single texts in isolation but also to engage in purposeful, multisource integration of sources. While this shift in how we define and measure reading comprehension is laudable, assessments must also measure the fundamental reading skills that may impede higher-level comprehension processes. This article presents data from two assessments that were designed to work in tandem to provide a more complete picture of reading comprehension. Middle school students were given a component skills battery which measured core reading skills such as word recognition, decoding, vocabulary, and morphology, as well a second assessment designed to measure reading comprehension. Reading comprehension was measured using a scenario-based assessment approach, which required students to read a range of sources to fulfill a particular reading goal. The results indicate that students, including struggling readers, were able to read, understand, and problem solve in complex learning environments, but students’ ability to do so was often tempered by their basic reading skills. We argue that including a measure of component skills alongside a measure of higher-level comprehension is beneficial in interpreting student performance. Accordingly, we present the results on the scenario-based measure as a function of reading component skills and argue for the value of using this approach for struggling readers.
Physical activity opportunities in afterschool programs.

Afterschool programs (ASPs) have potential to provide children moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). The availability and types (e.g., free play or organized activities) of physical activity opportunities, their structure (e.g., presence of lines, elimination games), and staff behaviors (e.g., encouragement, engaged) can influence children’s MVPA. This study explored these factors in 20 ASPs serving over 1,700 elementary-age children. The occurrence, types, and structure of physical activity opportunities, and staff behaviors were collected via the SOSPAN (System for Observing Staff Promotion of Physical Activity and Nutrition). A total of 4,660 SOSPAN scans were completed across 63 complete program days (1,733 during physical activity opportunities). Physical activity opportunities were observed on 60 program days across all 20 sites, with 73% of those opportunities classified as free play. ASPs scheduled an average of 66.3 minutes (range 15-150 minutes) of physical activity opportunities daily....
Metamorphic History of the Blue Ridge Province of Tennessee and North Carolina

A study of metamorphic index minerals in 354 panned alluvial samples has enabled delineation of metamorphic isograds in the Blue Ridge province of Tennessee and North Carolina. A well-defined axis of maximum metamorphic intensity (sillimanite and kyanite grades) is flanked to the southeast and northwest by lower metamorphic zones. Based on radiometric age determinations, metamorphic isograds are interpreted to have formed during the 320 to 375 m.y. event. In northeastern Tennessee and northwestern North Carolina, the isograds form a retrograde sequence in rocks previously metamorphosed during the Granville orogeny (≅1000 m.y.). In the southeastern Blue Ridge, a classical prograde sequence of the Barrovian type has developed in the Late Precambrian Ocoee Series. Mid-Paleozoic granites and pegmatites are essentially confined to the kyanite and sillimanite zones. The granites are interpreted to have formed by anatexis. Pegmatites may have formed by differentiation of granitic magmas in some areas, and by local anatexis or metamorphic differentiation in others. Ultramafic rocks are also confined mainly to the kyanite and sillimanite zones. These rocks were probably implaced during an early stage of regional metamorphism. The relationships between metamorphic isograds and faults indicate that the major period of movement of the Blue Ridge thrust sheet took place after mid-Paleozoic metamorphism.
Adolescents' Perceptions of Lightning and Tornado Risks1

Four hundred and fifty-five adolescents estimated the subjective probability risk for lightning and tornado deaths. Based on observations by Slovic, Fischhoff, and Lichtenstein (1982), we predicted that teenagers would underestimate the risks for lightning fatalities relative to tornado deaths. This prediction was confirmed for the sample as a whole. However, personal experience with both lightning and tornado events contributed to more realistic risk perceptions. Attention to news reports, thrill seeking, and gender did not contribute to perception. The findings are discussed in the context of the availability heuristic.
Computation of system zeros with balancing

Abstract The numerical computation of the transmission zeros of a linear, time-invariant system requires the solution of a generalized eigenvalue problem ( GEP ) Mx = λNx with N =block diag ( I ,0). The Emami-Naeini Van Dooren (ENVD) algorithm for the computation of system zeros avoids the computation of spurious zeros by isolating the finite zeros of a system prior to numerical solution the corresponding GEP. Unfortunately, the ENVD algorithm can be sensitive to the dynamic range of system coefficients. We present a numerical procedure for reduction of the dynamic range of coefficients in a zero-computation problem that preserves the underlying structure N =block diag ( I ,0) of the zero-computation GEP.
Matching considerations in I/Q A/D converter pairs

Data characterizing the relationship between image reject ratio (IRR) and process mismatches in pipeline analog-to-digital converter (ADC) pairs is presented. The general high-level simulation model consists of two pipeline ADCs in parallel placed in an environment that resembles the I- and Q-channels of an RF receiver. Inserting normally distributed mismatches into the components of each ADC provides data that monitors any correlation between these mismatches and the IRR. This correlation was observed under a variety of conditions and calibration techniques. In particular, simulation evidence suggests that digital calibration techniques aimed at assisting linearity actually reduce the efficacy of I- and Q-channel image rejection.
Double-Blind, Randomized Trial of Dexmethylphenidate Hydrochloride for the Treatment of Sarcoidosis-Associated Fatigue

Background Fatigue is a common complaint in patients with sarcoidosis. We studied the effectiveness of dexmethylphenidate hydrochloride (d-MPH) in treating sarcoidosis-associated fatigue. Methods This was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of d-MPH. Patients were seen weekly and completed Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) and Fatigue Assessment Score (FAS) instruments. After a 1-week wash-in period, patients received either d-MPH or placebo. After 8 weeks, the medications were stopped. Following a 2-week wash-out period, patients were crossed over to 8 weeks of the other treatment. FVC and 6-min walk distance (6MWD) were determined initially and after each treatment arm. Results Ten patients with sarcoidosis were enrolled: 8 women and 5 African Americans. All were receiving systemic sarcoidosis therapy. Significant improvement in fatigue was reported by patients when receiving d-MPH (FACIT-F, p Conclusions Treatment with d-MPH was associated with a significant improvement in sarcoidosis-associated fatigue. Trial registration Clinicaltrials gov Identifier: NCT00361387.
FMRI analysis through Bayesian variable selection with a spatial prior

This paper presents a novel spatial Bayesian method for simultaneous activation detection and hemodynamic response function (HRF) estimation of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. A Bayesian variable selection approach is used to induce shrinkage and sparsity, with a spatial prior on latent variables representing activated hemodynamic response components. Then, the activation map is generated from the full spectrum of posterior inference constructed through a Markov chain Monte Carlo scheme, and HRFs at different voxels are estimated non-parametrically with information pooling from neighboring voxels. By integrating functional activation detection and HRFs estimation in a unified framework, our method is more robust to noise and less sensitive to model mis-specification.
Impact of the multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial on clinical practice.

Background: The first multicenter automatic defibrillator implantation trial (MADIT-I) was a landmark study that identified a significant reduction in mortality among high-risk patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy treated prophylactically with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), yet the direct and indirect impact of this trial on clinical practice is unknown. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the 679 patients who underwent primary ICD implantation between 1994 and 2000 at a single academic center. The baseline characteristics of each patient were determined at the time of ICD implantation, and the vital status of all patients was determined as of January 1, 2004. Results: The number of patients who received an ICD based on the MADIT-I criteria increased from 1.4% in 1994 to 6.1% in 2000. An additional 60 patients were identified that met many but not all of the trial criteria and consisted of patients with a history of a recent revascularization or myocardial infarction, syncope, or an ejection fraction ≥35%. The number of patients who received ICDs in this expanded MADIT-I subset also grew from 5.6% in 1994 to 14.6% in 2000. Mortality during a mean follow-up of 4.7 years was significantly higher in the MADIT-I group than in the expanded MADIT-I, or the remaining primary prevention and secondary prevention subsets. Conclusion: The MADIT-I has not only led to an increase in the number of patients undergoing prophylactic ICD implantation, but in clinical practice it has also been extrapolated to a broader population that has a different degree of risk than originally studied.
Large-Area Industrial-Scale Identification and Quality Control of Graphene

A large-area graphene layer identification technique was developed for research and industrial applications. It is based on the analysis of optical microscopy images using computational image processing algorithms. The initial calibration is performed with the micro-Raman spectroscopy. The method can be applied to the wafer-scale graphene samples. The technique has the potential to be the gateway in the development of fully automated statistical process control methods for the next generation thin-film materials used by the semiconductor industry. The proposed technique can be applied to graphene on arbitrary substrates and used for other atomically thin materials.
Deletion of Braun lipoprotein gene (lpp) and curing of plasmid pPCP1 dramatically alter the virulence of Yersinia pestis CO92 in a mouse model of pneumonic plague

Deletion of the murein (Braun) lipoprotein gene, lpp, attenuates the Yersinia pestis CO92 strain in mouse models of bubonic and pneumonic plague. In this report, we characterized the virulence of strains from which the plasminogen activating protease (pla)-encoding pPCP1 plasmid was cured from either the wild-type (WT) or the Deltalpp mutant strain of Y. pestis CO92 in the mouse model of pneumonic infection. We noted a significantly increased survival rate in mice infected with the Y. pestis pPCP(-)/Deltalpp mutant strain up to a dose of 5000 LD(50). Additionally, mice challenged with the pPCP(-)/Deltalpp strain had substantially less tissue injury and a strong decrease in the levels of most cytokines and chemokines in tissue homogenates and sera when compared with the WT-infected group. Importantly, the Y. pestis pPCP(-)/Deltalpp mutant strain was detectable in high numbers in the livers and spleens of some of the infected mice. In the lungs of pPCP(-)/Deltalpp mutant-challenged animals, however, bacterial numbers dropped at 48 h after infection when compared with tissue homogenates from 1 h post-infection. Similarly, we noted that this mutant was unable to survive within murine macrophages in an in vitro assay, whereas survivability of the pPCP(-) mutant within the macrophage environment was similar to that of the WT. Taken together, our data indicated that a significant and possibly synergistic attenuation in bacterial virulence occurred in a mouse model of pneumonic plague when both the lpp gene and the virulence plasmid pPCP1 encoding the pla gene were deleted from Y. pestis.
Histopathology of Bone Spicule Pigmentation in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Purpose: To evaluate bone spicule pigmentation, a fundus feature in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) formed by migration of pigment-containing cells to perivascular sites in the inner retina. Methods: The authors performed light and electron microscopy, including immunocytochemistry, on the retinas from ten patients with RP and five normal donors. Results: The pigment-containing cells in regions of bone spicule pigmentation were derived from the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). The translocated cells were remarkably polarized with a number of specializations characteristic of RPE cells in situ, but they did not contain lipofuscin granules and were not immunoreactive for cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein. The cells were linked by juncttonsl complexes and formed epithelial layers around retinal vessels and next to the inner limiting membrane. Adjacent Muller cell processes contained glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive filaments and formed microvilli and intermediate junctions, resembling those in the external limiting membrane. Vascular endothelial cells adjacent to the translocated RPE cells were thin and fenestrated, resembling the choriocapillaris, and were separated from the pigmented cells by a layer of extracellular matrix similar in organization to Bruch membrane. Thickening of the matrix layer caused narrowing and occlusion of the vascular lumina. Conclusions: The lack of lipofuscin granules and cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein immunoreactivity in the translocated RPE cells is probably related to the loss of photoreceptors. The development of fenestrations in the endothelial cells correlates with the leakiness of retinal vessels to fluorescein observed in some cases of RP. Narrowing and occlusion of vascular lumina by thickening of the surrounding layer of extracellular matrix may contribute to the loss of inner retinal neurons found in RP. These changes in the RPE, blood vessels, glia, and inner neurons warrant consideration in designing therapies to restore vision to degenerate retinas.
Insights into the Sirtuin Mechanism from Ternary Complexes Containing NAD(+) and Acetylated Peptide.

Summary Sirtuin proteins comprise a unique class of NAD + -dependent protein deacetylases. Although several structures of sirtuins have been determined, the mechanism by which NAD + cleavage occurs has remained unclear. We report the structures of ternary complexes containing NAD + and acetylated peptide bound to the bacterial sirtuin Sir2Tm and to a catalytic mutant (Sir2Tm H116Y ). NAD + in these structures binds in a conformation different from that seen in previous structures, exposing the α face of the nicotinamide ribose to the carbonyl oxygen of the acetyl lysine substrate. The NAD + conformation is identical in both structures, suggesting that proper coenzyme orientation is not dependent on contacts with the catalytic histidine. We also present the structure of Sir2Tm H116A bound to deacteylated peptide and 3′- O -acetyl ADP ribose. Taken together, these structures suggest a mechanism for nicotinamide cleavage in which an invariant phenylalanine plays a central role in promoting formation of the O -alkylamidate reaction intermediate and preventing nicotinamide exchange.
The Pattern of Cruelty and the Cruelty of Pattern in Vladimir Nabokov

Few of Nabokov's readers have begrudged him their admiration, but many their affection. A remarkable number of them—from Calvino to Rorty, Michael Wood, Joyce Carol Oates, Martin Amis and others—have cited his 'cruelty' as a reason. This essay traces this charge of cruelty not only to the thematic presence of cruelty in many of his works, but also to Nabokov's stated and practised views on art. Central here is his stated indifference to the concerns of 'average' readers and his practice of including signs and symbols in his work that point to a disguised pattern difficult both to make out and to interpret. This essay endeavours to clarify Nabokov's conception and use of pattern in his works and to suggest that it may help clarify the response of many of his readers.
The Dictatorship of the Problem: Choosing Research Methods:

It is relatively easy to investigate how to employ a particular research method in the social sciences. It is considerably more difficult to decide which to use. Which method to use is arguably a more important question than how to use that method. ‘Which method?’ is, at least, the necessarily prior question. One cannot look up how to do something until one has decided what that something is. Methodological innovation depends directly on methodological choice. Researchers continuing a tradition, or working within a paradigm can often avoid making difficult methodological choices. Researchers seeking to innovate cannot. The question ‘which method?’ is particularly important for selecting research designs, because design choice importantly shapes most of the other choices researchers make. Designs are most effective and have the greatest potential for innovation when they are dictated by the nature of the research problem.
A Comment on ‘Towards an Economic Theory of Methodology’

Have you ever had the experience of coming across an idea which is so simple, so obvious, and so worthwhile that you wonder at the need for expressing it – until, that is, you reflect on the fact that you hadn’t thought of it yourself, nor had you ever seen it stated quite in this way anywhere else?If you have, and if you relish this experience, then you are in for a treat. For in “Towards an ‘Economic’ Theory of Methodology,” Professor Gerard Radnitzky does no more than point out the self evident, but does so in a manner which makes us sit up and take notice, and exclaim, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’
Experimental studies of spark generated shock waves

Experimental measurements recording shock propagation characteristics within and downstream of a glow discharge are reported here. The apparatus and photo-acoustic deflection (PAD) measurement technique described in an earlier work (ref. [ lo]) are used to measure average shock velocities and examine the recovery of the PAD signal downstream of the glow discharge. Interpretation of the measurements is aided by numerical calculations obtained by solving the compressible Navier-Stokes equations for a shock wave generated in a cylindrical tube by rapid energy addition. Simulated PAD signals are obtained from calculated instantaneous profiles of the density. The numerical results show that wall shear plays at least as .important a role in influencing the shock structure and the associated PAD signal, as do radial gradients in temperature. The latter have been proposed previously based upon numerical solutions of the inviscid Euler equations[ 11,121. Experimental measurements of velocities and PAD signals show that most of the observed variations in shock structure can be understood in terms of influence of thermal gradients and wall shear. The measurements also show a small but noticeable effect of the orientation of the electric field on the average shock propagation velocity near the cathode, at certain values of the total current.
Cross-Linked Waxy Maize Starch-Based “Green” Composites

In this research, “green” composites were fabricated by blending waxy maize starch (WMS) with micro/nanofibrillated cellulose (MFC). Further, an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and water-soluble cross-linker, 1,2,3,4-butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA), was used to cross-link WMS to fabricate cross-linked starch-based composites. The method described here provides a benign and convenient way to produce cross-linked starch-based composite films (≈ 300 μm in thickness), comparable to commercially available plastic sheets. The process can be easily scaled up for commercial production. Industrially pregelatinized WMS was used to obtain smooth, transparent, and defect-free films. Cross-linking helped in reducing the moisture absorption as well as made the films and composites insoluble in water. MFC (15% MFC)-cross-linked WMS composite films exhibited excellent tensile properties with a Young’s modulus of over 2.3 GPa, fracture strain of 3.1%, and fracture stress of 39 MPa, as a result of MFC incorporati...
Regulation of ATP synthase subunit e gene expression by hypoxia: cell differentiation stage-specific control.

Using the technique of differential display, we identified genes that are expressed differentially under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. One regulated gene encoded subunit e of mitochondrial F1F0-...
Cloudmaps from static ground-view video

Cloud shadows dramatically affect the appearance of outdoor scenes. We describe three approaches that use video of cloud shadows to estimate a cloudmap, a spatio-temporal function that represents the clouds passing over the scene. Two of the methods make assumptions about the camera and/or scene geometry. The third method uses techniques from manifold learning and does not require such assumptions. None of the methods require directly viewing the clouds, but instead use the pattern of intensity changes caused by the cloud shadows. An accurate estimate of the cloudmap has potential applications in solar power estimation and forecasting, surveillance, and graphics. We present a quantitative evaluation of our methods on synthetic scenes and show qualitative results on real scenes. We also demonstrate the use of a cloudmap for foreground object detection and video editing. A cloudmap represents the sunlight attenuation caused by passing clouds.A video of an outdoor scene is sufficient to estimate the cloudmap.Three approaches are proposed, each based on different geometric assumptions.It is possible to estimate a cloudmap even when the camera does not view the sky.It is not strictly necessary to directly estimate the scene geometry.
Diet and Microbiome in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

The intestinal microbiome plays a critical role in the synthesis of vitamins and micronutrients, maintenance of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier, and development of host immune response. Increasing evidence points to the association between microbial alterations and disease pathogenesis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). As studies demonstrate the effect of diet on microbial composition in health and disease, a greater understanding of dietary components that modulate the IBD microbiome can help clarify mechanisms that improve disease course. This review will provide an overview of the intestinal microbiome in IBD and the impact of various components in our diet on the IBD microbiome.
MR Imaging and US of the Wrist Tendons

The tendons of the wrist are commonly symptomatic. They can be injured, infected, or inflamed. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography are useful tools for evaluating the wrist. Pathologic conditions of the wrist tendons include de Quervain tenosynovitis, extensor carpi ulnaris tendinopathy, rheumatoid tenosynovitis, infectious synovitis, tendon tears, hydroxyapatite deposition disease, intersection syndrome, tenosynovial giant cell tumor, and fibroma of the tendon sheath. In this article, we review the normal appearance of the wrist tendons, discuss relevant anatomy, and give an overview of common pathologic conditions affecting the wrist tendons. Online supplemental material is available for this article. ©RSNA, 2016.
Polysorbate 80 and polymyxin B inhibit Stenotrophomonas maltophilia biofilm

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an opportunistic multiple-drug-resistant human pathogen that forms biofilms on implanted medical devices. We examined the potential inhibitory activity of polysorbate 80 and polymyxin B against S. maltophilia. A combination of subMIC polymyxin B and polysorbate 80 was the most effective inhibitor of growth and biofilm formation.
Financial Crises and Filling the Small Business Credit Gap: The Role of Government-Guaranteed Loans

In this paper I ask whether and how government intervention in credit markets can help to ease financial constraints and encourage growth for small firms during financial crises. I focus my analysis on the presence of banks who take part in the Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) guaranteed lending program in a local market, and ask whether access to government-backed loans encouraged lending to small firms during the recent financial crisis when they were particularly constrained. I find that areas with a greater proportion of SBA guaranteed lenders saw a greater volume of small business loans during the crisis, and these areas experienced better real outcomes in terms of employment and establishments, especially for the smallest firms. This result is robust to controlling for a host of concurrent demand and supply characteristics, using alternative definitions of SBA market presence, and controlling for endogeneity through instrumental variables. This paper contributes to the literature examining access to finance and growth and the role of government intervention during crises. The findings suggest that targeted government support to small firms can play a beneficial role in the recovery of local regions in the presence of private credit market frictions.
Physiological Evaluation of Cooling Devices in Conjunction With Personal Protective Ensembles Recommended for Use in West Africa.

OBJECTIVE Cooling devices (CDs) worn under personal protective equipment (PPE) can alleviate some of the heat stress faced by health care workers responding to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. METHODS Six healthy, young individuals were tested while wearing 4 different CDs or no cooling (control) under PPE in an environmental chamber (32°C/92% relative humidity) while walking (3 METs, 2.5 mph, 0% grade) on a treadmill for 60 minutes. Exercise was preceded by a 15-minute stabilization period and a 15-minute donning period. RESULTS The control condition resulted in a significantly higher rectal temperature (Tre) at the end of the exercise than did all CD conditions (CD1, P=0.004; CD2, P=0.01; CD3, P=0.000; CD4, P=0.000) with CD1 and CD2 resulting in a higher Tre than CD3 and CD4 (P<0.05). The control condition resulted in a higher heart rate (HR) at the end of exercise than did the CD3 (P=0.01) and CD4 (P=0.009) conditions, whereas the HR of the CD1 and CD2 conditions was higher than that of the CD3 and CD4 conditions (P<0.05). Weight loss in the control condition was higher than in the CD3 (P=0.003) and CD4 (P=0.01) conditions. Significant differences in subjective measurements of thermal stress were found across conditions and time. CONCLUSIONS Use of CDs can be advantageous in decreasing the negative physiological and subjective responses to the heat stress encountered by health care workers wearing PPE in hot and humid environments. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2017;11:573-579).
Comment: Kidney Exchange to Overcome Financial Barriers to Kidney Transplantation.

Rees et al. have shown the feasibility of global kidney exchange (GKE) to overcome financial cost and address the current shortage of organs for transplantation. Wiseman and Gill, question their interpretation of definition of "financial incompatibility". The authors1 do not factor in the well documented cognitive and emotional aspects of kidney transplantation. Particularly, relevant to kidney transplantation is how patients calculate risk and the emotional turmoil characterised by anxiety and fear which are directly correlated to post-transplant adherence.
VCF2CNA: A tool for efficiently detecting copy-number alteration in VCF genotype data

VCF2CNA is a web interface tool for copy-number alteration (CNA) analysis of VCF and other variant file formats. We applied it to 46 adult glioblastoma and 146 pediatric neuroblastoma samples sequenced by Illumina and Complete Genomics (CGI) platforms respectively. VCF2CNA was highly consistent with a state-of-the-art algorithm using raw sequencing data (mean F1-score=0.994) in high-quality glioblastoma samples and was robust to uneven coverage introduced by library artifacts. In the neuroblastoma set, VCF2CNA identified MYCN high-level amplifications in 31 of 32 clinically validated samples compared to 15 found by CGIs HMM-based CNA model. The findings suggest that VCF2CNA is an accurate, efficient and platform-independent tool for CNA analyses without accessing raw sequence data.
The Oracle at Delphi: The Pythia and the Pneuma, Intoxicating Gas Finds, and Hypotheses

The sanctuary of Delphi was the site of the famous oracle of Apollo. It was the cultural and religious center of Greece and a symbol of unity for the Hellenic world. Ancient traditions linked the oracle to specific geological phenomena, including an emerging spring and related intoxicating gaseous emanations. When French archeologists excavated the Apollo temple in the early nineteenth century they found no evidence for such occurrences and dismissed traditional accounts as mistaken, even fraudulent. Geochemical surveys, however, have provided evidence for emissions of light hydrocarbon gases inside the inner sanctum, both in the past and present. The data suggest that ethylene and ethane can be identified as the pneuma, the prophetic vapor that was responsible for the trancelike state of the priestesses during mantic sessions.
Economic MPC and real-time decision making with application to large-scale HVAC energy systems

Abstract With the potential to decrease operating costs and improve energy efficiency, model predictive control (MPC) has been proposed as a replacement for traditional heuristic, PID, and other conventional control strategies for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings. Due to the size of large commercial HVAC systems, implementing MPC as a single monolithic optimization problem is not practical nor desirable given real-time operating requirements. In this paper, we present a hierarchical decomposition for economic MPC in large-scale commercial HVAC systems using a two-layer approach. We show a sample optimization for a campus of 25 buildings with 500 total zones and a central plant consisting of eight chillers. Then, we discuss an application of the ideas presented here in the recently completed $485-million replacement of the Stanford campus heating and cooling systems and conclude with some of the control theory challenges presented by this new class of applications.