cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Practical Guide to the Use of the Anterolateral Thigh Flap.

Overview Introduction The anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap allows for healthy, reliable, vascularized, soft-tissue coverage of extremity or axial defects of traumatic or acquired deformities. Indications & Contraindications Step 1: Positioning and Markings Place the patient in the supine position, which allows for flap harvest and typically does not require any position changes (Fig. 1), and then mark the septum between the vastus lateralis and rectus femoris, which facilitates harvest of this flap (Video 1). Step 2: Perforator Dissection Dissect this flap, which is relatively straightforward and rapid after identifying the perforating vessels (Video 2, Fig. 4). Step 3: Pedicle Dissection Trace the course of the descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex proximally and determine the maximum pedicle length and vessel diameter for microvascular anastomoses (Figs. 5 and 6). Step 4: Flap Harvest and Recipient Vessels Confirm the dimensions of the flap prior to final harvest of the flap, and pay special attention to the recipient arterial inflow and venous outflow to ensure success . Step 5: Microvascular Anastomoses When performing this flap as a microvascular free flap, identify and prepare suitable vessels for tissue transfer (Fig. 13). Step 6: Flap Inset Pay special attention to the flap inset to ensure that there is no mechanical obstruction to the pedicle and that the inset allows for the anticipated postoperative edema (Figs. 14 and 15). Step 7: Donor Site Closure Close the donor site for this flap, which is well tolerated and easily concealed (Fig. 16). Step 8: Flap Monitoring and Postoperative Care Postoperative monitoring is critical to identify any potential vascular compromise early and maximize successful outcomes 4 . Results The ALT is a highly successful and reliable flap that has become a workhorse of reconstructive microsurgery 5 . Pitfalls & Challenges
Occipital plagiocephaly: Deformation or lambdoid synostosis: II. A unifying theory regarding pathogenesis

Occipital plagiocephaly is characterized by both unilateral occipital flattening and ipsilateral frontal prominence with anterior deviation of the ipsilateral ear, yielding a characteristic parallelogram shape to the cranium. Radiographic changes in the lambdoid suture are often evident, but the lambdoid suture is usually patent over most or all of its length on skull X-rays and/or CT scans. Both lambdoid synostosis and deformational forces have been implicated as potentially causal in the pathogenesis of this deformity. We proposed a unifying theory which incorporates a common pathogenesis for both deformational plagiocephaly and most cases of lambdoid 'synostosis'. According to this hypothesis, intrauterine and/or postnatal deformation forces are responsible for the primary calvarial deformation. These forces initially act in reversible manner to produce the typical parallelogram-shaped skull deformity. However, with continued deformation, more enduring secondary pathological changes may eventually occur in the lambdoid suture and basicranium which are more difficult to correct even if the offending deformational forces are subsequently removed or reversed.
Estimation of Exon Dosage Using Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction

Hemophilia A is an X-linked bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in blood coagulation factor VIII. Mutations in the F8 gene are responsible for this disease affecting 1 in 5,000 live male births. Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is an autosomal dominant disease, also known as Osler-Weber-Rendu disease, associated with abnormal blood vessel formation. It is associated with alterations in at least two genes including Endoglin (ENG) on chromosome 9q34 and activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ACVRL1 or ALK1) on chromosome 12q13, which are involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, migration, and adhesion in the vascular system. Direct sequencing of the coding exons of the relevant genes in affected individuals is the primary screen for detecting a causative point mutation. However for most diseases, 10–15% of mutations involve intragenic deletions, or duplications of the whole gene or a subset of exons of the same gene. This necessitates an additional screen for exonic dosage estimation of all coding sequence mutation negative affected, or, carrier individuals. This is accomplished by using a real-time quantitative PCR assay for measuring the copy number of each exon of the relevant gene. This testing establishes the diagnosis in hemophilia A patients, as well as carrier status in at-risk females. Similarly, it can provide molecular confirmation for clinical diagnosis of HHT, as well as the identification of mutation carriers among presymptomatic individuals when the familial mutation is known.
American ginseng microbial metabolites attenuate DSS-induced colitis and abdominal pain

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a significant public health problem in the United States. Abdominal pain is a major complaint among individuals with IBD. Successful IBD management not only controls enteric inflammation, but also reduces abdominal discomfort. Recently, increased attention has been focused on alternative strategies for IBD management. HPLC/Q-TOF-MS analysis was employed to evaluate the intestinal microbiome's biotransformation of parent American ginseng compounds into their metabolites. Using a DSS mouse model, the effects of American ginseng microbial metabolites on chemically induced colitis was investigated with disease activity index and histological assessment. Expressions of inflammatory cytokines were determined using real-time PCR and ELISA. Abdominal pain was evaluated using the von Frey filament test. After the gut microbiome's biotransformation, the major metabolites were found to be the compound K and ginsenoside Rg3. Compared with the DSS animal group, American ginseng treatment significantly attenuated experimental colitis, as supported by the histological assessment. The enteric microbiome-derived metabolites of ginseng significantly attenuated the abdominal pain. American ginseng treatment significantly reduced gut inflammation, consistent with pro-inflammatory cytokine level changes. The gut microbial metabolite compound K showed significant anti-inflammatory effects even at low concentrations, compared to its parent ginsenoside Rb1. American ginseng intestinal microbial metabolites significantly reduced chemically-induced colitis and abdominal pain, as mediated by the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Intestinal microbial metabolism plays a critical role in American ginseng mediated colitis management.
Separating Touching Cells Using Pixel Replicated Elliptical Shape Models

One of the most important and error-prone tasks in biological image analysis is the segmentation of touching or overlapping cells. Particularly for optical microscopy, including transmitted light and confocal fluorescence microscopy, there is often no consistent discriminative information to separate cells that touch or overlap. It is desired to partition touching foreground pixels into cells using the binary threshold image information only, and optionally incorporating gradient information. The most common approaches for segmenting touching and overlapping cells in these scenarios are based on the watershed transform. We describe a new approach called pixel replication for the task of segmenting elliptical objects that touch or overlap. Pixel replication uses the image Euclidean distance transform in combination with Gaussian mixture models to better exploit practically effective optimization for delineating objects with elliptical decision boundaries. Pixel replication improves significantly on commonly used methods based on watershed transforms, or based on fitting Gaussian mixtures directly to the thresholded image data. Pixel replication works equivalently on both 2-D and 3-D image data, and naturally combines information from multi-channel images. The accuracy of the proposed technique is measured using both the segmentation accuracy on simulated ellipse data and the tracking accuracy on validated stem cell tracking results extracted from hundreds of live-cell microscopy image sequences. Pixel replication is shown to be significantly more accurate compared with other approaches. Variance relationships are derived, allowing a more practically effective Gaussian mixture model to extract cell boundaries for data generated from the threshold image using the uniform elliptical distribution and from the distance transform image using the triangular elliptical distribution.
Mild Allergic Transfusion Reactions: Impact of Associated Clinical Symptoms?

Objectives Transfusions are often needlessly aborted after occurrence of a mild allergic transfusion reaction (ATR), leading to wastage and reexposure of recipients to additional blood products (with potential alloimmunization). We aimed to determine the symptoms associated with such reactions (along with other parameters) as a possible reason of concern for transfusionists aborting such transfusions. Methods We reviewed the symptomology of all mild ATRs (as well as the associated wastage and costs of aborted transfusions) at an academic medical center that occurred over a period of 1 year. Results Of the patients, 52.3% had nonatopic-associated symptoms. The most common associated symptom was tachycardia (37.8%), followed by dyspnea (28.9%), hypotension (17.8%), and hypertension (13.3%). More than half of patients (54.7%) required retransfusion. The estimated cost of product wastage was $12,507. Conclusions Understanding symptoms associated with mild ATRs may lead to improved management of patients, with fewer unnecessary transfusions and less wastage.
Psychiatric commentary addressing the article titled “Guidance for switching from off-label antipsychotics to pimavanserin for Parkinson’s disease psychosis: an expert consensus”

Pimavanserin is not curative, but can improve the quality of life remaining for the person with Parkinson's disease who typically has been suffering from this relentless neurodegenerative disease for years. Using pimavanserin effectively requires knowledge not only about the product itself, but also about the treatments pimavanserin is replacing.
Alterations in genetic and protein content of swine adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the metabolic syndrome.

Abstract Introduction Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess endogenous reparative properties and may serve as an exogenous therapeutic intervention in patients with chronic kidney disease. Cardiovascular risk factors clustering in the metabolic syndrome (MetS) might adversely affect cellular properties. To test the hypothesis that Mets interferes with MSC characteristics, we performed comprehensive comparison of the mRNA, microRNA, and protein content of MSCs isolated from Lean and MetS pigs. Methods Domestic pigs were fed a 16-week Lean or MetS diet (n = 4 each). Expression profiles of co-existing microRNAs, mRNAs, and proteins were obtained by high-throughput sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. TargetScan and ComiR were used to predict target genes of differentially expressed microRNAs, and DAVID 6.7 for functional annotation analysis to rank primary gene ontology categories for the microRNA target genes, mRNAs, and proteins. Results Differential expression analysis revealed 12 microRNAs upregulated in MetS-MSCs compared to Lean-MSCs (fold change>1.4, p Conclusion MetS alters the transcriptome and proteome of swine adipose tissue-derived MSCs particularly genes involved in mitochondria, inflammation and transcription regulation. These alterations might limit the reparative function of endogenous MSC and their use as an exogenous regenerative therapy.
A SAM-FFT based model for 3D steady-state elastodynamic frictional contacts

Abstract This paper reported a semi-analytical method (SAM)-fast Fourier transform (FFT) based model for three-dimensional (3D) steady-state elastodynamic frictional contact of an elastic ellipsoid sliding on an elastic half-space with a constant sliding velocity. The frequency response functions (FRFs) and their conversion into influence coefficients (ICs) for displacements and stresses in an elastic half-space are analytically derived pertaining to generalized normal and tangential forces. Fast numerical techniques used are based on the conjugate gradient method (CGM) for obtaining unknown pressure distribution in the contact interface, and the discrete convolution-fast Fourier transform (DC-FFT) algorithm for calculating displacements and stresses. The proposed SAM-FFT based model is employed to investigate the effects of friction, sliding velocity, and Young's modulus on contact pressure, surface deformation and sub-surface von Mises stress. A transition map, supported by appropriate limits of friction coefficient and sliding velocity, is constructed to determine whether the location of maximum von Mises stress to appear beneath the contact surface or in the contact surface. It deserves mentioning that the elastodynamic effect becomes more profound if the sliding velocity is higher than 0.4 times of shear wave speed, which corresponds to a sliding velocity of 1300 m/s for steel materials (shear wave speed ∼3250 m/s), or 60 m/s for a soil foundation (shear wave speed ∼150 m/s).
Biomarkers in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-the emperor has no clothes?

Fatty liver is present in over ten percentage of the world population and it is a growing public health problem. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is not a single disease, but encompasses a spectrum of diseases of different etiologies. It is difficult to find highly specific and sensitive diagnostic biomarkers when a disease is very complex. Therefore, we should aim to find relevant prognostic markers rather than accurate diagnostic markers which will help to minimize the frequency of liver biopsies to evaluate disease progression. There are several biomarker panels commercially available, however, there is no clear evidence that more sophisticated panels are better compared to simple criteria such as, presence of diabetes over five years, metabolic syndrome, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, aspartate transaminase/alanine transaminase (ALT) ratio > 0.8 or ferritin levels > 1.5 times normal in patients with over six month history of raised ALT and/or ultrasonological evidence of fat in the liver. Currently the biomarker panels are not a replacement for a liver biopsy. However the need and benefit of liver biopsy in NAFLD is questionable because there is no convincing evidence that biopsy and detailed staging of NAFLD improves the management of NAFLD and benefits the patient. After all there is no evidence based treatment for NAFLD other than management of lifestyle and components of “metabolic syndrome”.
Scaffold-Free Bioprinter Utilizing Layer-By-Layer Printing of Cellular Spheroids

Free from the limitations posed by exogenous scaffolds or extracellular matrix-based materials, scaffold-free engineered tissues have immense clinical potential. Biomaterials may produce adverse responses, interfere with cell–cell interaction, or affect the extracellular matrix integrity of cells. The scaffold-free Kenzan method can generate complex tissues using spheroids on an array of needles but could be inefficient in terms of time, as it moves and places only a single spheroid at a time. We aimed to design and construct a novel scaffold-free bioprinter that can print an entire layer of spheroids at once, effectively reducing the printing time. The bioprinter was designed using computer-aided design software and constructed from machined, 3D printed, and commercially available parts. The printing efficiency and the operating precision were examined using Zirconia and alginate beads, which mimic spheroids. In less than a minute, the printer could efficiently pick and transfer the beads to the printing surface and assemble them onto the 4 × 4 needles. The average overlap coefficient between layers was measured and found to be 0.997. As a proof of concept using human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived spheroids, we confirmed the ability of the bioprinter to place cellular spheroids onto the needles efficiently to print an entire layer of tissue. This novel layer-by-layer, scaffold-free bioprinter is efficient and precise in operation and can be easily scaled to print large tissues.
Orbital Hybridization in Modern Valence Bond Wave Functions: Methane, Ethylene, and Acetylene.

The concept of hybrid orbitals is one of the key theoretical concepts used by chemists to explain the structures and other properties of molecules. Recent work found that the hybrid orbitals from m...
A Laterally Vibrating Lithium Niobate MEMS Resonator Array Operating at 500 °C in Air.

This paper reports the high-temperature characteristics of a laterally vibrating piezoelectric lithium niobate (LiNbO3; LN) MEMS resonator array up to 500 °C in air. After a high-temperature burn-in treatment, device quality factor (Q) was enhanced to 508 and the resonance shifted to a lower frequency and remained stable up to 500 °C. During subsequent in situ high-temperature testing, the resonant frequencies of two coupled shear horizontal (SH0) modes in the array were 87.36 MHz and 87.21 MHz at 25 °C and 84.56 MHz and 84.39 MHz at 500 °C, correspondingly, representing a −3% shift in frequency over the temperature range. Upon cooling to room temperature, the resonant frequency returned to 87.36 MHz, demonstrating the recoverability of device performance. The first- and second-order temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF) were found to be −95.27 ppm/°C and 57.5 ppb/°C2 for resonant mode A, and −95.43 ppm/°C and 55.8 ppb/°C2 for resonant mode B, respectively. The temperature-dependent quality factor and electromechanical coupling coefficient (kt2) were extracted and are reported. Device Q decreased to 334 and total kt2 increased to 12.40% after high-temperature exposure. This work supports the use of piezoelectric LN as a material platform for harsh environment radio-frequency (RF) resonant sensors (e.g., temperature and infrared) incorporated with high coupling acoustic readout.
On Lawyers and Copy Editors (Book Notice)

“I have nothing against rules”—a counterintuitive qualifier in a prescriptive book on stylistic minutiae, grammar, commas, usage, and spelling. Nevertheless, Benjamin Dreyer begins the second chapter of Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style this way, and, indeed, the book is less about rules for proper writing than about reducing clarity barriers. In that sense, it reflects modern notions of good writing in the law. Benjamin Dreyer’s guide is a nice read. It’s short and approachable, and it’s hard to see whose writing would not be improved by its advice. Dreyer’s perspective as a copy editor lends itself well to a lawyer’s role as a supportive, team-oriented writer, and Dreyer’s advice seems readily transposable into the legal context just as easily as into fiction or nonfiction.
Building the Pediatric Practice of the Future: Care Innovation for Families Facing Adversity

Background Pediatric primary care plays a central role in promoting the health and well-being of young children. Although significant advances have been made in pediatrics, such as behavioral health integration, additional innovations are required to reduce disparities and promote family health. Systemically addressing the unmet needs of families facing adversity requires health systems to bring together child serving sectors with the voices of families to put every child on a path to a healthy, resilient life. Approach The Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family was established by the …
The Direct and Converse Theorems for Best Approximation of Algebraic Polynomial in Lp, α (X)

The direct and inverse algebraic polynomials approximation theorems in weighted spaces of unbounded functions are proved by using modulus of smoothness. Also, we obtain sharp Jackson ( direct ) inequality of algebraic approximation of unbounded functions in terms modulus of smoothness. In addition, constructive characterization of modulus of smoothness are considered.
Variations in Sepsis Screening in New York State

Purpose: Pursuant to the New York State (NYS) Stop Sepsis Campaign (2013 'Rory's Regulations') all hospitals that admit children were required to have a pediatric sepsis screening protocol (PSSP). NYS is monitoring adherence to sepsis screening standards and patient outcomes. However, NYS did not dictate the PSSP and anecdotal evidence suggested significant variation between hospitals which could affect interpretation of outcomes. Our objective was to obtain and …
Biculturalism and Self-Esteem: Differential Associations Based on Cultural Domain

Acculturation is multidimensional in that it encompasses both heritage and dominant cultural orientations, and it can take place across multiple domains; therefore, biculturalism, an acculturation ...
L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1 CAM) enhances prostate cancer cell tumorigenicity and bone metastasis

2917 The L1 CAM has been implicated in a variety of motile processes, including neurite extension, cerebellar cell migration, melanoma cell extravasation and glioma dissemination in the brain. We have previously demonstrated that L1 CAM was overexpressed by androgen-independent (AI) and highly metastatic human prostate cancer cell lines DU145, PC3 and ARCaP, and played a role in cancer cell adherence to bone marrow endothelium (Abstract#3653, AACR 95th annual meeting, 2004). For this communication, we further investigated the role of L1 CAM in prostate cancer progression using a genetic approach. Our in vitro studies demonstrated that overexpression of L1 CAM in AI and L1 CAM-deficient prostate cancer C4-2 cells (L1/C4-2) by retrovirus-mediated gene transduction had no effects on cell growth rate but significantly promoted their growth on soft agar, increased intercellular adhesion as measured by bead assay, and inhibited in vitro migration and invasion of C4-2 cells due to enhanced intercellular adhesion among cells. Conversely, permanent downregulation of L1 CAM in PC3 cells (PC3-RZ#4-7) using L1 CAM-targeting ribozyme decreased anchorage-independent growth and homotypic cell-cell adhesion, and increased migration and invasion in vitro. Unlike L1 CAM, which is membrane-bound, the ectodomain of L1 CAM secreted by L1/C4-2 cells in the conditioned medium showed chemotactic activity for C4-2 cells in transwell migration assay. Since L1 CAM protein in clinical prostate cancer specimens was found to bind to stroma matrices adjacent to tumors, we propose that L1 CAM may serve as a chemoattractant for prostate cancer cell migration into tissue stroma. Furthermore, in a “proof-of-principle” study we demonstrated that PC3-RZ#4-7 cells systemically injected into nude mice resulted in prolonged survival of mice with no evidence of bone metastastic lesions shown by radiograph, in comparison with parental and vector control PC3 cells. Taken together, these results suggest that in primary lesions, prostate cancer cells and/or tumor-associated stroma released L1 which acted as a chemoattractant and adhesive matrix for metastatic cell dissemination. In the bone microenvironment, L1 CAM expressed on the cell surface of metastatic cancer cells promotes cancer cell extravasation and growth in the skeleton. The regulation of L1 CAM gene expression in prostate cancer cells is currently under investigation.
Growth hormone and liver mitochondria: Effects on cytochromes and some enzymes

Abstract The effects of hypophysectomy and subsequent growth hormone treatment on liver mitochondrial levels of cytochromes, flavoprotein, cytochrome oxidase and NADH oxidase were studied in rats. Hypophysectomy lowered cytochrome a , a 3 , b , c , and c 1 , concentrations and cytochrome oxidase activity. On the other hand, flavoprotein concentration and NADH oxidase activity were increased. Administration of either human or bovine growth hormone restored the cytochrome levels. Cytochrome oxidase activity was also increased but did not reach its original level. Only the bovine hormone exerted a lowering effect on flavoprotein and NADH oxidase activities. These and other results suggest that growth hormone influences mitochondrial electron transport.
AUGMENTED ANTIBODY (Ab) RESPONSES IN INFANTS ADMINISTERED A NEW HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE (PRP) DIPHTHERIA TOXOID CONJUGATE VACCINE (PRP-D)

AUGMENTED ANTIBODY (Ab) RESPONSES IN INFANTS ADMINISTERED A NEW HAEMOPHILUS INFLUENZAE TYPE B CAPSULAR POLYSACCHARIDE (PRP) DIPHTHERIA TOXOID CONJUGATE VACCINE (PRP-D)
The Measurement of the Positions of Points on the Earth's Surface using an Absolute Gravimeter and a Multi-Wavelength Geodimeter as Complments to Extraterrestrial Techniques

The usefulness of extraterrestrial techniques and in particular lunar laser ranging in obtaining the position of points on the earth’s surface with an accuracy of several centimeters is now recognized. The positional information obtained in this way cannot be unambiguously interpreted without ancillary surface measurements. The use of a geodimeter with an accuracy of 5 parts in 108 (over a 50 km baseline) would permit all of the points within a radius of several hundred kilometers around a ranging station to be tied together with centimeter level accuracy, thereby eliminating any local phenomena that could be associated with single-point sites and at the same time extending the coverage of extraterrestrially determined measurements. The use of an absolute gravimeter with an accuracy of 3 parts in 109 (which corresponds to a height sensitivity of about 1 cm) would serve as a check on vertical motions and, in combination with extraterrestrially determined height data, yield information on internal mass motions. The implications of these ground-based measurement capabilities for extraterrestrially determined position measurements are discussed.
R17 Bacteriophage Replicase: Association with the Inhibition of Qβ, fd Bacteriophage and β-Galactosidase Production

Abstract Superinfection of Escherichia coli with amber mutants of R17 phage which produce R17 replicase inhibits production of the RNA phage Qβ, the DNA phage fd, and the host enzyme β-galactosidase. Inhibition required R17 replicase production and was related to the amount of replicase produced.
Reviewing the Unreviewable Judge: Federal Prosecution Appeals of Mid trial Evidentiary Rulings

When a party to a suit lacks the right to appeal, the authority of the presiding judge to determine the litigant's fate is virtually absolute. By allowing the correction of injustices resulting from mistakes of law and heterodox interpretations of settled doctrine, the right to appellate review acts as a fetter to this enormous power of the nisi prius judge. It is therefore noteworthy that in Federal criminal cases any mid-trial evidentiary ruling that favors the defendant is forever insulated from review. Under present Federal statutory law, the Government may only seek review from evidentiary rulings made before jeopardy has attached.' As a result, any evidentiary ruling adverse to the prosecution made after the trial has begun is not appealable as an interlocutory ruling. The evidentiary matter can only be appealed after a final judgement, i.e., after the verdict. However, in the only instance when the Government cares to appeal the adverse ruling-when the defendant is acquitted-appeal is precluded by the double jeopardy clause.2 The Government is therefore faced with a situation in which mid-trial suppression and exclusion orders are never reviewable. This result can be disastrous for the prosecution if the suppression or exclusion was made erroneously and the acquittal was predicated on the fact that the jury never heard the inculpatory evidence. The above scenario suggests that all evidentiary rulings must be made before trial. However, there may be good cause for suppressing evidence
Small Deviations Observed in Beta Spectra: In 114 , Y 90 , and P 32

The beta spectra of ${\mathrm{In}}^{114}$, ${\mathrm{Y}}^{90}$, and ${\mathrm{P}}^{32}$ (all of which decay by pure Gamow-Teller radiations) have been very carefully studied in a magnetic spectrometer. The Fermi-Kurie plots of all three spectra exhibit small deviations from linearity corresponding to an excess of low-energy electrons. All of the evidence indicates that the observed nonstatistical shapes represent the true spectra and are not the result of instrumental distortions. The Fermi-Kurie plots of these three isotopes can be linearized by a ($1+\frac{b}{W}$) correction factor (in addition to the once-forbidden, unique shape factor in the case of ${\mathrm{Y}}^{90}$).
Changes in intrinsic connectivity of the brain's reading network following intervention in children with autism

While task-based neuroimaging studies have identified alterations in neural circuitry underlying language processing in children with autism spectrum disorders [ASD], resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging [rsfMRI] is a promising alternative to the constraints posed by task-based fMRI. This study used rsfMRI, in a longitudinal design, to study the impact of a reading intervention on connectivity of the brain regions involved in reading comprehension in children with ASD. Functional connectivity was examined using group independent component analysis (GICA) and seed-based correlation analysis of Broca's and Wernicke's areas, in three groups of participants: an experimental group of ASD children (ASD-EXP), a wait list control group of ASD children (ASD-WLC), and a group of typically developing (TD) control children. Both GICA and seed-based analyses revealed stronger functional connectivity of Broca's and Wernicke's areas in the ASD-EXP group postintervention. Additionally, improvement in reading comprehension in the ASD-EXP group was correlated with greater connectivity in both Broca's and Wernicke's area in the GICA identified reading network component. In addition, increased connectivity between the Broca's area and right postcentral and right STG, and the Wernicke's area and LIFG, were also correlated with greater improvement in reading comprehension. Overall, this study revealed widespread changes in functional connectivity of the brain's reading network as a result of intervention in children with ASD. These novel findings provide valuable insights into the neuroplasticity of brain areas underlying reading and the impact of intensive intervention in modifying them in children with ASD.
Nitrosamine-induced Lung Carcinogenesis and Ca2+/Calmodulin Antagonists

This review summarizes recent data which implicate cell membrane receptors and their associated signal transduction pathways as molecular targets of tobacco-related lung carcinogenesis as well as therapy of such cancers. It is shown that the two nitrosamines N -nitrosodiethylamine and 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone bind to nicotinic cholinergic receptors in hamster lung. Binding of the nitrosamines as well as nicotine to this receptor stimulates proliferation of human lung carcinoid cells in vitro . These data suggest chronic stimulation of nicotinic receptors by nicotine and nitrosamines in smokers as one of the molecular events responsible for stimulation of neuroendocrine cell proliferation and ultimately the development of lung tumors with neuroendocrine differentiation. On the other hand, a selective antiproliferative effect of the dihydropyridine derivative B859-35 on neuroendocrine lung tumor cells in vivo and in vitro suggests the potential use of such agents as cancer therapeutics. The demonstrated inhibition of Ca2+/calmodulin and protein kinase C by B859-35 as reported in other in vitro systems suggests interference with such elements of signal transduction pathways as the molecular mechanism of the observed antiproliferative effects.
Heating and flows in flares

A review is presented of some unresolved problems in high resolution soft X-ray spectroscopy of solar flares. The main emphasis is on the dynamics of the multi-million degree thermal plasma, as revealed by line broadening and blueshifted components of spectral lines. I discuss some of the most recent results obtained from analysis of X-ray spectra. I also discuss some problems related to the temperature distribution and ionization balance in the flare plasma. The data from SOLAR-A should provide substantial new insight into all of these problems.
A task-driven approach to knowledge acquisition, analysis and representation for intelligent training systems

The authors present work in progress to develop a task driven approach to acquiring, analyzing and representing knowledge for an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) for training operators and maintainers of a process control system. The research premise is that using a task model approach provides direction and infrastructure for acquiring, analyzing, and representing domain-specific knowledge and makes possible the development of an ITS that teaches domain users to perform tasks in the right way at the right time. To demonstrate the efficacy of a task-based approach to knowledge analysis and representation, the authors contrast it with two alternative approaches: component-based and problem-based approaches to knowledge analysis and representation. The task-based approach described not only contains elements of both component- and problem-based approaches, but does so within the context of the specific job being performed, and the function of the person performing that job. >
Digital photography improves estimates of dietary intake in adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Abstract Background Dietary assessment of adolescents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) is challenging due to the limited cognitive abilities of this population. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of using of digital images to improve the estimates of energy and macronutrient intake from proxy-assisted 3-day food records in adolescents with IDD. Method Participants used a mobile device to take photos of all food and beverages consumed over a three-day period and simultaneously completed a standard parent-assisted 3-day food record at two separate time points. A registered dietitian reviewed and recorded the differences between the standard record and the images. The proxy-assisted records and the photo-assisted records were analyzed separately. Results One hundred and thirty eating occasions were entered (20 participants (age = 14.9 ± 2.2 yrs, 45.0% female)). Photo-assisted records captured significantly higher estimates of energy intake per eating occasion than regular proxy-assisted records ( P = 0.001) as well as significantly greater grams of fat ( P = 0.011), carbohydrates ( P = 0.003), and protein ( P = 0.004). Conclusion The use of photo-assisted diet records appears to be a feasible method to obtain substantial additional details about dietary intake that consequently may improve the overall estimates of energy and macronutrient intake when using proxy-assisted diet records in adolescents with IDD.
DURBIN‐HAUSMAN TESTS FOR A UNIT ROOT

The author develops tests for a unit root based on the Durbin-Hausman principle. The ordinary least squares estimator and the pseudo instrumental variables estimator using the current variable as an instrument are employed to formulate test statistics. The limit distributions of these tests are expressed as inverses of the squared Brownian functionals that have not been used previously in testing for a unit root. Finite sample and asymptotic distributions of Durbin-Hausman tests are tabulated by simulations. It is shown by simulations that Durbin-Hausman tests are more powerful than Dickey-Fuller tests when there is an intercept or a linear time trend in the model. Copyright 1992 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Convergent sequences of iterated H -line graphs

Abstract For a connected graph H of order at least 3, the H -line graph HL ( G ) of a graph G is defined as that graph whose vertices are the edges of G and where two vertices of HL ( G ) are adjacent if and only if the corresponding edges of G are adjacent and belong to a common copy of H . For k ⩾ 2, the k th iterated H -line graph HL k ( G ) is defined as HL ( HL k−1 ( G )), where HL 1 ( G ) = HL ( G ) and HL k−1 ( G ) is assumed to be nonempty. A sequence { G k } of graphs is said to converge to a graph G if there exists a positive integer N such that G k ≅ G for every integer k ⩾ N . If the sequence { G k } is finite, it is said to terminate. If { G k } neither converges nor terminates, then the sequence diverges. We present necessary conditions for { HL k ( G )} to converge to a connected limit graph and sufficient conditions for the sequence { HL k ( G )} to diverge. When H is P 4 , P 5 , or K 1, n , n ⩾ 3, we characterize those graphs G for which the sequence { HL k ( G )} converges.
Analyzing and revising high-level robot behaviors under actuator error

One increasingly popular approach for creating robot controllers for complex tasks is to automatically synthesize a hybrid controller from a high-level task specification. Such an approach, in addition to reducing the time and expertise required for creating a controller, guarantees that the robot will satisfy all of the underlying specifications, given perfect sensing and actuation. This paper investigates the probabilistic guarantees that can be made about the behavior of the robot when the actuation of the robot is no longer assumed to be perfect, as well as the possible specification revisions that can be made to improve the behavior of the robot. The approach described in this paper composes probabilistic models of the environment behavior and the robot actuation error with the synthesized controller, and uses probabilistic model checking techniques to find the probability that the robot satisfies a set of high level specifications. This paper also presents a preliminary approach for analyzing the composed model and automatically generating revisions to improve the robot's high-level behavior.
Gastric Acid–Inhibiting Medications and Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Mr Lam and colleagues1 reported that previous and current gastric acid–inhibiting medication use for 2 or more years (proton pump inhibitors [PPIs] and histamine 2 receptor antagonists [H2RAs]) was associated with a greater risk of vitamin B12 deficiency; this association became stronger with increasing daily consumption of PPIs or H2RAs. The study is, to date, the largest study suggesting a relationship between PPIs or H2RAs and vitamin B12 deficiency. Lam et al1 confirmed and extended the results from 2 earlier, small studies2,3 that also suggested PPI use was associated with diminished vitamin B12 status.
Heat transfer to an underlying fluid due to the axisymmetric spreading of material on the surface

Similarity boundary layer solutions are found for the fluid underlying an axisymmetric spreading material layer. Three thermal boundary conditions for the fluid-material interface are considered, corresponding to constant temperature interface, adiabatic interface with heat source at origin, and constant heat flux interface. The boundary layer thickness is proportional to the distance from origin. Physical significance is discussed.
SOCS-1 is a central mediator of steroid-increased thymocyte apoptosis and decreased survival following sepsis.

Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling (SOCS) proteins are recently identified inhibitors/regulators of cytokine/growth factor signaling pathways. We have previously shown that SOCS-3 is upregulated in mice after sepsis induced by cecal ligation and puncture; however, the contribution of SOCS-1 to septic morbidity and mortality is unclear. In the present study, we characterized SOCS-1 expression in different tissues and delineated putative mechanisms effecting SOCS-1 expression in thymus from septic mice. We observed no difference in SOCS-1 expression in blood, peritoneal leukocytes, lung, and spleen taken from sham or septic animals at 24 h after surgery. In contrast, SOCS-1 expression in thymus declined significantly after sepsis and this down-regulation of SOCS-1 was associated with increased thymocyte apoptosis as well as augmented Bax recruitment to the mitochondria. Administration of RU-38486, a steroid receptor antagonist, reversed the above effects in the septic thymus. Furthermore, SOCS-1+/− mice showed a significant higher mortality when compared to SOCS-1+/+ mice after sepsis. Together, these results show that sepsis increases steroid-induced thymic lymphoid cell apoptosis, which is associated with reduced SOCS-1 expression and increased Bax translocation to mitochondria. Survival data suggests that SOCS-1 protein may play an important role in sepsis.
Relative temporal stability of the Antarctic ice sheets during the late Neogene based on the minimum frequency of outer shelf grounding events

Abstract The stability of the Antarctic cryosphere involves two fundamental aspects: the magnitude of ice volume changes, and the frequency of ice volume changes. In this article, we synthesize results from three regional seismic stratigraphic studies of the continental shelf to evaluate the relative frequency of extreme advances of the ice sheets during the late Neogene for different sectors of the Antarctic ice sheet. Detailed analyses of glacial unconformities on the eastern and western Ross Sea outer continental shelf indicate that there were at least eight episodes during the late Neogene when the East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS) and the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) were significantly larger. The seismic results from the shelf do not support the conventional view that the land-based EAIS was relatively stable and that the marine-based WAIS was relatively dynamic. Glacial unconformities on the Pacific continental shelf of the Antarctic Peninsula indicate that there were at least 30 outer shelf ice sheet expansions during the late Neogene. This suggests that the small land-based Antarctic Peninsula Ice Cap (APIC) may have been the most dynamic component of the Antarctic cryosphere. Conversely, the greater number of grounding events on the Antarctic Peninsula shelf may be a result of the margin’s younger thermal age and hence greater potential to preserve units and unconformities during the late Neogene. We acknowledge that the available chronostratigraphic control from the Antarctic margin is poor, and that more chronological data are needed to confirm our late Neogene age assignments.
Statistical gravitational lensing on the Mark III hypercube

We describe a parallel algorithm for the nonlinear optics problem of gravitational lensing. The method is a “ray-tracing” method which studies the statistical properties of the image population associated with a gravitational lens. A parallel computer is needed because the spatial resolution requirements of the problem make the program too large to run on conventional machines. The program is implemented on the Mark III hypercube to take maximum advantage of this machine's 128 Mbytes of memory. The concurrent implementation uses a scattered domain decomposition and the CrOS III communications routines. The communications in the problem are so irregular that no completely satisfactory implementation was made in terms of the execution time of the program: the maximum speed-up relative to a sequential implementation is a factor of 4 on a 32 node machine. However, the goal of efficiently using all of the Mark III's memory was achieved, and the execution time was not the limiting factor in the problem. If the crystal router were used, the implementation would be much more efficient. Development of the program was terminated at this stage, however, because we were able to extract the physics of interest without the more sophisticated communications routines.
Bureau B+B: stedebouw en landschapsarchitectuur: een collectief talent 1977–2010 / Bureau B+B: Urbanism and Landscape Architecture: Collective Genius 1977–2010

Marinke Steenhuis et al. Rotterdam: NAi Publishers, 2010 ISBN 978 90 5662 756 0 608 pp., 450 colour and 140 b/w illustrations € 45 The self-produced landscape architect's monograph is a relatively ...
The research potential of a computer-based cathode-ray tube display system

The objectives of the present paper are (1) to outline briefly the very great research potential of a computer-based cathode-ray tube (CRT) display system for studies in visual perception, learning, and memory, (2) to discuss the hardware and software components of such systems with reference to a particular system currently in use, and (3) to describe some of the advantages and disadvantages of such systems for conducting behavioral research.
The development of physiological profiles and identification of training needs in NCAA female collegiate rowers using isoperformance curves

The purpose of this study was to propose a systematic method for the identification of training strategies and team selection using isoperformance curves. Rowing is a sport that relies on both aerobic and anaerobic energy contributions during a standard 2,000 m competition. The critical velocity model combines both aerobic (critical velocity, CV) and anaerobic (anaerobic rowing capacity, ARC) parameters in a single two-dimensional graphic display. The concept of isoperformance curves, a series of linear equations corresponding to minimum performance standards, allows for an objective overview of a large group of athletes of varying talent. The purpose of this study was to develop physiological profiles from the CV test, and to evaluate results with isoperformance curves to identify training strategies for collegiate rowers. Thirty-five female collegiate rowers completed four time trials over various distances (400, 600, 800, and 1,000 m). CV and ARC were calculated and compared between novice and varsity athletes. CV values for the varsity group were significantly higher than the novice group (P = 0.016). No significant differences were found between groups for ARC (P = 0.068). Mean and individual CV and ARC values were plotted on the x- and y-axes, respectively, and junior, collegiate, and elite isoperformance curves were developed using 2,000 m times from recent indoor rowing competitions. Stratification of athletes through isoperformance curves was used to identify specific training interventions (anaerobic and/or aerobic) needed to improve their 2,000 m performance. The information drawn from isoperformance curves and the parameters of the CV test can be used to provide an objective view of physiological capabilities and training needs on both an individual and team basis.
An OpenCL Framework for Fuzzy Associative Classification and its Application to Disease Prediction

Abstract Recently, the broad availability of online and soft real-time data has been attracting corporations and researchers towards data analytics. Though newer and faster algorithms are developed, as the available dataset sizes increase exponentially, computational processing has been falling behind. The trend on computational resources is mostly towards multiple cores and parallel processing, while the CPU clock speed improvements are slowing down. An important computational resource is the Graphics Processing Unit with multiple-cores, surpassing 2,000 processing elements in one processing unit and operating at almost 5 teraflops capability, such as the recently introduced GeForce GTX Titan. In this study, an Open Computing Language parallel processing framework for fuzzy associative classification is described. The hybrid CPU-GPU implementation is developed and employed for prediction of infectious disease outbreaks, specifically Influenza, using environmental and disease data readily available online. A comparison of the implemented performance with respect to another in-house developed Fuzzy Association Rule Mining operator, FARM, and the performances on four distinct parallel processing environments, specifically a four processor, 64 threads capable, Opteron server; a two processor, 24 threads capable, Xeon server; a GeForce GTX 680 GPU card; and a Radeon HD 7950 GPU card, is presented. The advantages and disadvantages of the OpenCL implementation on parallel processors are discussed.