cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enterogenesis in a clinically feasible model of mechanical small-bowel lengthening

SHORT BOWEL SYNDROME (SBS) is a complex and highly morbid condition in which small intestinal length is inadequate for proper nutrient absorption. Mortality from SBS may exceed 30%.1–5 Total or supplemental parenteral nutrition (PN) is required but carries long-term risks of sepsis, cholestatic liver disease, and bacterial overgrowth.5–7 Clinical studies have shown a strong correlation between the length of the remaining small bowel and patient outcomes.1 In a recent analysis of a large group of SBS patients, mortality was correlated closely with intestinal length less than 10% of the expected normal length.1 For this reason, therapy for SBS has been directed toward increasing bowel length.6–8 Several creative surgical procedures to elongate the intestine using the existing small bowel have been described. Although these surgical options succeed in some cases, they are limited to dilated (and potentially already dysfunctional) areas of bowel. In addition, risks include injury to the mesenteric vasculature and enteric leakage attributable to extensive anastomoses.7–9 In attempts to actually generate new intestinal tissue, other investigators have used growth hormones along with specific nutrients to stimulate bowel growth.10 To date, this approach has had limited effectiveness; and several obstacles including the long-term need for such factors and the potential risk of malignancy exist.11 Unfortunately, once these hormones are discontinued, the adaptive process reverses.12–14 As a result, many of these factors have not significantly improved somatic muscle mass or the ability to wean patients from PN.10,15 Recent reports have described successful elongation of the small intestine using mechanical force.16,17 These reports, however, were limited to rodents, and utilized an externally mounted device on the abdominal wall—an approach unlikely to be feasible in the clinical setting. However, the principle of stimulating tissue growth via mechanical force is consistent with other lines of research. Lengthening of skeletal bones in patients with limb length discrepancies is a well-known example,18 but the principle of distraction organogenesis is not limited to the skeletal system. Distracting forces have induced growth of cultured intestinal epithelial cells, and organ systems including bone, skin, nervous tissue, and muscle successfully.19–22 Biomechanical shear stress triggers expression of cell-surface integrins and activates cellular proliferation.22 Caco-2 cells, derived from colonic epithelium, demonstrate a similar responsiveness to mechanical shear stress.23 Taken together, these data strongly suggest that mechanical forces induce not only elongation but also actual growth of the small intestine. We therefore designed a device for bowel elongation in vivo, which could have direct clinical applicability, and tested intestinal function in segments of bowel undergoing longitudinal growth with this device.
Sedation and Analgesia

Anxiety is an almost universal feature of ICU patients. Clinically significant anxiety has been reported in up to 70% of ICU patients. Severe anxiety is not limited to mechanically ventilated patients; indeed Treggiari-Venzi and colleagues demonstrated that up to 30% of non-intubated SICU patients had severe anxiety.1 Consequently, sedation is an integral component of the management of the ICU patient. The primary objective of sedation is to allay anxiety, enhance patient comfort, promote sleep, and facilitate mechanical ventilation. The desirable level of sedation/hypnosis will depend in large part upon the patient’s acute disease process as well as the need for mechanical ventilation. However, the ideal level of sedation is one from which the patient can be easily aroused with maintenance of the normal sleep–wake cycle.
Definition and Initial Validation of a Systems Engineering Reuse Model

As system complexity increases or resource availability becomes constrained, a common occurrence with space systems, systems engineers are frequently asked to (or seek to) leverage previously developed systems engineering products to reduce cost, schedule, and risk. This research presents the definition and initial validation of a systems engineering cost model (COSYSMO 2.0) for estimating the effect of reuse on systems engineering effort and cost.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus Therapy: Impact on Neonatal and 18-Month Outcome

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this work was to evaluate therapy for patent ductus arteriosus as a risk factor for death or neurodevelopmental impairment at 18 to 22 months, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or necrotizing enterocolitis in extremely low birth weight infants. METHODS. We studied infants in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network Generic Data Base born between 2000 and 2004 at 23 to 28 weeks9 gestation and at RESULTS. Treatment for subjects with patent ductus arteriosus (n = 2838) included 403 receiving supportive treatment only, 1525 treated with indomethacin only, 775 with indomethacin followed by secondary surgical closure, and 135 treated with primary surgery. Patients who received supportive therapy for patent ductus arteriosus did not differ from subjects treated with indomethacin only for any of the outcomes of interest. Compared with indomethacin treatment only, patients undergoing primary or secondary surgery were smaller and more premature. When compared with indomethacin alone, primary surgery was associated with increased adjusted odds for neurodevelopmental impairment and bronchopulmonary dysplasia in multivariable logistic regression. Secondary surgical closure was associated with increased odds for neurodevelopmental impairment and increased adjusted odds for bronchopulmonary dysplasia but decreased adjusted odds for death. Risk of necrotizing enterocolitis did not differ among treatments. Indomethacin prophylaxis did not significantly modify these results. CONCLUSIONS. Our results suggest that infants treated with primary or secondary surgery for patent ductus arteriosus may be at increased risk for poor short- and long-term outcomes compared with those treated with indomethacin. Prophylaxis with indomethacin in the first 24 hours of life did not modify the subsequent outcomes of patent ductus arteriosus therapy.
Supermon: a high-speed cluster monitoring system

Supermon is a flexible set of tools for high speed, scalable cluster monitoring. Node behavior can be monitored much faster than with other commonly used methods (e.g., rstatd). In addition, Supermon uses a data protocol based on symbolic expressions (S-expressions) at all levels of Supermon, from individual nodes to entire clusters. This contributes to Supermon's scalability and allows it to function in a heterogeneous environment. This paper presents the Supermon architecture and discuss initial performance measurements on a cluster of heterogeneous Alpha-processor based nodes.
Microbial Biofilms: from Ecology to Molecular Genetics

Biofilms are complex communities of microorganisms attached to surfaces or associated with interfaces. Despite the focus of modern microbiology research on pure culture, planktonic (free-swimming) bacteria, it is now widely recognized that most bacteria found in natural, clinical, and industrial settings persist in association with surfaces. Furthermore, these microbial communities are often composed of multiple species that interact with each other and their environment. The determination of biofilm architecture, particularly the spatial arrangement of microcolonies (clusters of cells) relative to one another, has profound implications for the function of these complex communities. Numerous new experimental approaches and methodologies have been developed in order to explore metabolic interactions, phylogenetic groupings, and competition among members of the biofilm. To complement this broad view of biofilm ecology, individual organisms have been studied using molecular genetics in order to identify the genes required for biofilm development and to dissect the regulatory pathways that control the plankton-to-biofilm transition. These molecular genetic studies have led to the emergence of the concept of biofilm formation as a novel system for the study of bacterial development. The recent explosion in the field of biofilm research has led to exciting progress in the development of new technologies for studying these communities, advanced our understanding of the ecological significance of surface-attached bacteria, and provided new insights into the molecular genetic basis of biofilm development.
Stabilization of a rotating geometrically exact rod

The problem of stabilization of the uniform rotation of a geometrically exact rod is investigated. A three dimensional, geometrically exact rod model including shear, extension, torsion and flexure is stabilized by means of a feedback torque applied to the boundary. The energy-momentum method of stability analysis is used as the basis of the feedback control design. The result shows that there exist critical rotation rates associated with the internal vibrations which cannot be removed by torque feedback. An example is presented for the case of uniform axial rotation.
Is Health Spending Excessive? If So, What Can We Do About It?

The case that the United States spends more than is optimal on health care is overwhelming. But identifying reasons for excessive spending is not the same as showing how to wring it out in ways that increase welfare. To lower spending without lowering net welfare, it is necessary to identify what procedures are effective at reasonable cost, to develop protocols that enable providers to identify in advance patients in whom expected benefits of treatment are lower than costs, to design incentives that encourage providers to act on those protocols, and to provide research support to maintain the flow of beneficial innovations.
Weak Solutions of the Navier–Stokes Equations for Compressible Flows in a Half-Space with No-Slip Boundary Conditions

We consider the Navier–Stokes equations for the motion of compressible, viscous flows in a half-space \({\mathbb{R}^n_+,}\)n = 2, 3, with the no-slip boundary conditions. We prove the existence of a global weak solution when the initial data are close to a static equilibrium. The density of the weak solution is uniformly bounded and does not contain a vacuum, the velocity is Holder continuous in (x, t) and the material acceleration is weakly differentiable. The weak solutions of this type were introduced by D. Hoff in Arch Ration Mech Anal 114(1):15–46, (1991), Commun Pure and Appl Math 55(11):1365–1407, (2002) for the initial-boundary value problem in \({\Omega = \mathbb{R}^n}\) and for the problem in \({\Omega = \mathbb{R}^n_+}\) with the Navier boundary conditions.
Differential Effects of Cerebellar, Amygdalar, and Hippocampal Lesions on Classical Eyeblink Conditioning in Rats

Eyeblink conditioning has been hypothesized to engage two successive stages of nonspecific emotional (fear) and specific musculature (eyelid) learning, during which the nonspecific component influences the acquisition of the specific component. Here we test this notion by investigating the relative contributions of the cerebellum, the amygdala, and the hippocampus to the emergence of conditioned eyelid and fear responses during delay eyeblink conditioning in freely moving rats. Periorbital electromyography (EMG) and 22 kHz ultrasonic vocalization (USV) activities were measured concurrently from the same subjects and served as indices of conditioned eyeblink and fear responses, respectively. In control animals, conditioned EMG responses increased across training sessions, whereas USV responses were initially robust but decreased across training sessions. Animals with electrolytic lesions to their cerebellum (targeting the interpositus nucleus) were completely unable to acquire conditioned EMG responses but exhibited normal USV behavior, whereas animals with lesions to the amygdala showed decelerated acquisition of conditioned EMG responses and displayed practically no USV behavior. In contrast, hippocampal lesioned rats demonstrated facilitated acquisition of conditioned EMG responses, whereas the USV behavior was unaffected. The amygdalar involvement in eyeblink conditioning was examined further by applying the GABAA agonist muscimol directly into the amygdala either before or immediately after training sessions. Although pretraining muscimol infusions impaired conditioned EMG responses, post-training infusions did not. Together, these results suggest that, even during a simple delay eyeblink conditioning, animals learn about different aspects associated with the behavioral task that are subserved by multiple brain-memory systems that interact to produce the overall behavior.
Endogenous control and task representation: An fmri study in algebraic problem-solving

The roles of prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices have been widely studied, yet little is known on how they interact to enable complex cognitive abilities. We investigated this issue in a complex yet well-defined symbolic paradigm: algebraic problem solving. In our experimental problems, the demands for retrieving arithmetic facts and maintaining intermediate problem representations were manipulated separately. An analysis of functional brain images acquired while participants were solving the problems confirmed that prefrontal regions were affected by the retrieval of arithmetic facts, but only scarcely by the need to manipulate intermediate forms of the equations, hinting at a specific role in memory retrieval. Hemodynamic activity in the dorsal cingulate, on the contrary, increased monotonically as more information processing steps had to be taken, independent of their nature. This pattern was essentially mimicked in the caudate nucleus, suggesting a related functional role in the control of cognitive actions. We also implemented a computational model within the Adaptive Control of Thought---Rational (ACT-R) cognitive architecture, which was able to reproduce both the behavioral data and the time course of the hemodynamic activity in a number of relevant regions of interest. Therefore, imaging results and computer simulation provide evidence that symbolic cognition can be explained by the functional interaction of medial structures supporting control and serial execution, and prefrontal cortices engaged in the on-line retrieval of specific relevant information.
UNRAMIFIED DEGREE THREE INVARIANTS OF REDUCTIVE GROUPS

Abstract We prove that if G is a reductive group over an algebraically closed field F, then for a prime integer p ≠ char ( F ) , the group of unramified Galois cohomology H nr 3 ( F ( BG ) , Q p / Z p ( 2 ) ) is trivial for the classifying space BG of G if p is odd or the commutator subgroup of G is simple.
Water Requirements and Man-Induced Climate Change

The unrestrained combustion of fossil fuels is possibly the most important environmental issue facing mankind. The concentration of CO 2 in the atmosphere may double within the next 50 years, producing changes in amounts of rainfall, increasing temperatures and changing the agricultural potential. Temperature changes will be greatest (about 8°C) at 83 degrees latitude. A doubling of CO 2 concentrations will increase temperatures near the equator by less than 2°C at latitude 40° by about 3.6°C. In the latitudes 37° to 47° rainfall is projected to decrease while water requirements are estimated to increase by possibly as much as 30 percent. The potential for future agricultural production in the United States will depend largely on the availability of additional water. Quadrupling CO 2 concentrations is projected to increase temperature by more than 6°C at 40° latitude.
Zwanger en waterpokdreiging

Geachte mevr. Abraham-Inpijn, Ik weet dat u geen persoonlijke vragen beantwoordt, maar ik weet niet waar ik met deze vraag terecht moet! Op de creche heerst waterpokken. Ze zeggen dat mijn kind het ook zal krijgen. Heeft dat betekenis voor mijn praktijk?
‘Tell Us in Plain Words’: an Introduction to Reading Joyce’s Ulysses

As my title’s playful use of Molly Bloom’s response to Leopold Bloom’s explanation of metempsychosis (the transmigration of souls) indicates, I shall stress — as I do in my recent study Reading Joyce’s ‘Ulysses’1 — that Ulysses is a readable novel rather than an elaborate puzzle or a Rosetta Stone or a hieroglyph (U.64; IV.343).2 Indeed, there is a danger that the study of Ulysses has become like ground that has been farmed for so long that it now only supports exotic crops like persimmons.
Comparative analysis of MIMO adaptive torque control for 7-DOF redundant robotic arm

In this paper, a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) direct adaptive torque controller is presented that uses a conventional fuzzy system to provide asymptotic end-effector tracking of a reference path for a 7-DOF redundant robotic arm. In order to find a control strategy that is both robust and efficient with respect to disturbances, sensor noise and poorly understood dynamics, we compare this controller with two other dynamic controllers: single-input, single-output (SISO) PID controller and multi-input, multi-output (MIMO) feedback linearization controller. It is illustrated via simulations that the MIMO adaptive controller, which drives the torque of each joint to control end-effector dynamic variables, can highly improve the robotic performance considering both its kinematics and dynamics while executing motion control or tracking a reference in work space. The efficacy of our control algorithm affects the accuracy, stability and robustness of both motion control and path tracking.
Endocrine Control of Parturition

In their introduction to the previous edition, Thorburn et al. (1977) stated: “We now recognize that in late pregnancy a train of events is initiated that ultimately results in the delivery of the fetus. However, we still do not know exactly how and where the train starts, or exactly how it exerts its ultimate action on the myometrial cell.” Little has changed in the last decade to increase our understanding of these events. Although the initiation of parturition is generally understood, the precise trigger for labor is still unknown. In addition, labor is complicated by different mechanisms in different species. For example, the onset of labor in rats and rabbits is rapid: uterine contractions become intense immediately before delivery, and the newborn are expelled rapidly. In humans, monkeys, and guinea pigs, labor develops slowly and is protracted. Schofield (1968) suggested that in species with a large fetus relative to the mother, a more protracted delivery may be an advantage. In the human and monkey, uterine motility evolves gradually during the last trimester of pregnancy, and actual labor often precedes delivery by many hours. It is possible that different mechanisms are at play in rapid-onset and protracted-onset types of labor.
Chapter 78 – Exercise (V˙O2(max) and RQ)

Abstract: VO2(max) is a reliable indicator of physical conditioning. O2 utilization by working muscles is a physiologic variable that can limit the exercise performance of normal animals. The excess O2 consumed during recovery from exercise is in payment of the “oxygen debt” incurred during exercise. Lactate tolerance can be improved with physical conditioning. The RQ is the ratio of CO2 produced to O2 utilized, and it is a useful indicator of the types of fuels being utilized during exercise. In normal fed animals, the RQ of the brain during exercise is usually close to unity. 31P NMR has been used to measure concentrations of phosphorylated metabolic intermediates in tissues during exercise.
Nonperturbative structure of the photon and gluon propagators

The nonperturbative structure of the photon and gluon propagators plays an important role in governing the dynamics of quantum electrodynamics (QED) and quantum chromodynamics (QCD), respectively. Although it is often assumed that these interacting field propagators can be decomposed into longitudinal and transverse components, as for the free case, it turns out that in general this is not possible. Moreover, the non-Abelian gauge symmetry of QCD permits the momentum space gluon propagator to contain additional singular terms involving derivatives of $\ensuremath{\delta}(p)$, the appearance of which is related to confinement. Despite the possibility of the failure of the transverse-longitudinal decomposition for the photon and gluon propagators, and the appearance of singular terms in the gluon propagator, the Slavnov-Taylor identity nevertheless remains preserved.
THE EFFECT OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR COMPRESSION ON CARDIAC FUNCTION IN PEDIATRIC PECTUS EXCAVATUM PATIENTS

Background: Pectus excavatum is the most common chest wall deformity. Pectus can cause extrinsic compression on the heart, interfering with ventricular filling and systolic function. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) allows simultaneous evaluation of the chest wall deformity and
Abstract 4554: Unified theoretical algorithms for graphics dynamic multiple transformations of dose-effect relationships with computer simulation

Based on physico-chemical principle of the mass-action law, bio-system analysis (arrangement & combinatorial) several hundred rate equations have been derived and published. Mathematical induction allows the deduction of them into the unified general median-effect equation (MEE) that makes dose & effect “interchangeable” for the 1st order and higher order dynamics. Based on the MEE plot, all dose-effect curves can be “linealized” which allows the quantitative determination of x-intercept (log Dm which signifies potency) and slope (m which signifies shape or dynamic order). Extension of MEE to multi-drug combinations resulted the combination index (CI) theorem which quantifies synergism (CI 1). This unprecedented approach and multi-step logics have been summarized in [Chou TC. Pharmacol Rev 58: 621-681, 2006] which has been cited 1,261 times in 485 bio-medical journals (http://www.researcherid.com/rid/B4111-2009 as of 10.19.2016). Dose-effect curves (single & multi-drugs) can be quantitatively transformed into the MEE plot, Fa-CI plot, isobologram, Fa-DRI Plot for dose-reduction index, and when n>2, the polygonogram. This presentation will illustrate of combinations (1:5) of docetaxel (TXT) with T-compound against HCT-116 colon carcinoma xenograft in nude mice. In all, only 66 nude mice have been used, i.e. TXT 3 doses, T 3 doses and TXT+T 4 doses, plus a control group, each N=6. The MEE “Linearization” allows the “Econo-Green Bio-research”, with small experimental size and small number of data points, using small number of animals. The algorithms based computer simulation using CompuSyn software can be completed within one second after the dose and effect data entries. The CompuSyn has been offered for free download upon registration via www.combosyn.com. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Ting-Chao Chou. Unified theoretical algorithms for graphics dynamic multiple transformations of dose-effect relationships with computer simulation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4554. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4554
Abstract WP250: Transport Times and Door to Needle Times for Stroke Patients Transported by EMS

Background: Treatment of acute ischemic stroke with intravenous thrombolytics (IV tPA) within the therapeutic window is more likely achieved when there is rapid activation of emergency medical serv...
Mean-Field Analysis of Coding Versus Replication in Large Data Storage Systems

We study cloud storage systems with a very large number of files stored in a very large number of servers. In such systems, files are either replicated or coded to ensure reliability, i.e., to guarantee file recovery from server failures. This redundancy in storage can further be exploited to improve system performance (mean file-access delay) through appropriate load-balancing (routing) schemes. However, it is unclear whether coding or replication is better from a system performance perspective since the corresponding queueing analysis of such systems is, in general, quite difficult except for the trivial case when the system load asymptotically tends to zero. Here, we study the more difficult case where the system load is not asymptotically zero. Using the fact that the system size is large, we obtain a mean-field limit for the steady-state distribution of the number of file access requests waiting at each server. We then use the mean-field limit to show that, for a given storage capacity per file, coding strictly outperforms replication at all traffic loads while improving reliability. Further, the factor by which the performance improves in the heavy traffic is at least as large as in the light-traffic case. Finally, we validate these results through extensive simulations.
Experimental Study of a Nanoparticle Virtual Impactor

A nanoparticle virtual impactor was constructed and its performance under different operating conditions was investigated. Experimental evaluations showed that the nanoparticle virtual impactor has a 50% cutoff size ranging from 15 to 60nm. Further, the cutoff size of 60nm can be achieved at an impactor chamber pressure of 220torr when the nozzle upstream pressure is 760torr. This pressure level is much higher than that of thin-plate orifice nozzle impactors, which require 12torr to achieve the cutoff size of 66nm. Thus, the proposed virtual impactor can be operated with a small vacuum pump, which is more preferable for practical applications.
Circular penile fasciocutaneous flap reconstruction of urethral strictures: technical considerations and results in 40 patients.

Abstract The reconstruction of complex anterior urethral strictures has evolved from free graft urethroplasty to the use of vascularized skin flaps. The circular penile fasciocutaneous flap is based on Buck's fascia, is hairless, and reliably provides 15 cm of skin. We have used this technique in 40 patients with urethral strictures from the fossa navicularis to the veru montanum. Indications include severe spongiofibrosis, penile urethral location, inflammatory or ischemic etiology, and need for complete tube replacement. A successful result was obtained in 85% of patients. Complete tube replacement is less successful than onlay type procedures (77% vs. 96%) and we make every effort to preserve the urethral plate. This technique is the mainstay of our armamentarium for the repair of urethral strictures and also allows an excellent cosmetic result.
Long-Term Outcomes of Prolonged Exposure and Naltrexone for Patients with Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Dependence

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF PROLONGED EXPOSURE AND NALTREXONE FOR PATIENTS WITH COMORBID POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND ALCOHOL DEPENDENCE By Shelley B. Avny, M.S. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2014. Director: Scott R. Vrana, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychology A growing body of research is examining effective treatment(s) for individuals with comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol dependence (AD). However, treatments for this comorbid population have been inadequately studied in the longer term. This study represents a long-term follow-up assessment of a randomized controlled trial that compared combined therapy (prolonged exposure + naltrexone) with monotherapies (prolonged exposure or naltrexone) for patients with PTSD and AD (see Foa, Yusko, McLean et al., 2013). Attempts were made to contact 120 participants 5-10 years after the original trial to assess the maintenance of treatment gains. Nineteen individuals were located and agreed to participate. A series of mixed ANCOVAs were conducted with PTSD symptom severity and percentage of days drinking and heavy drinking as the dependent variables. Findings revealed that reductions in PTSD symptoms and drinking behaviors generally were maintained 5-10 years after treatment. There was some relapse in heavy drinking days, and combination treatment was most effective for long-term PTSD outcomes. Challenges of conducting follow-up research with this population, implications and limitations of the present findings, and directions for future research are discussed.
Between gravity waves and business cycles: How to avoid global recessions

Abstract. The paper suggests that economic booms in business cycles can be constructed by taking into account a multidimensional 360 degree approach to economic development by utilizing complexity theorem explained by the theory of gravity waves phenomenon. Keywords. Business cycles, Complexity theorem. JEL. F44.
Unique Effects of Perceived Neighborhood Physical Disorder and Social Cohesion on Episodic Memory and Semantic Fluency.

Objective Objective measures of neighborhood quality are associated with physical and mental health outcomes for older adults, but the relationship between perceived neighborhood quality and cognitive health has not been fully explored. Furthermore, positive and negative neighborhood characteristics may influence cognition through different mechanisms. The present study aimed to determine whether perceptions of neighborhood quality predict cognitive functioning in two domains, above and beyond individual-level risk factors, in a nationally representative sample of older adults. Method Using cross-sectional weighted data from 13,919 participants aged 51 and older from the Health and Retirement Study, linear regression models tested independent associations between perceived neighborhood quality (physical disorder and social cohesion) and cognition (episodic memory and semantic verbal fluency), controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, chronic disease burden, and depressive symptoms. Interaction terms tested whether neighborhood social cohesion moderated the relationship between neighborhood physical disorder and each cognitive outcome. Results Perception of greater neighborhood physical disorder was significantly associated with worse episodic memory, while perception of lower neighborhood social cohesion was significantly associated with worse semantic fluency. There were no significant interactions between physical disorder and social cohesion. Conclusions Results provide preliminary evidence for different mechanisms underlying associations between aspects of neighborhood quality and cognition (e.g., stress vs. social interaction). Additional intervention work is needed to determine whether improving neighborhood physical conditions and promoting social cohesion at the neighborhood level could reduce cognitive morbidity among older adults.
A Long-Term Counterpulsation Heart Assist System Used as a Bridge to Decision in Advanced Congestive Heart Failure

Purpose The intravascular ventricular assist system (iVAS) is a minimally invasive, ambulatory, counterpulsation heart assist system that is inserted through the subclavian artery and sits in the descending aorta. It has been evaluated in a feasibility trial with expanded indications to include patients who were a bridge to decision (BTD). The objective was to evaluate the role of iVAS as a BTD device. Methods As part of a multicenter US FDA approved feasibility trial, 13 of 44 patients were implanted with iVAS as a BTD. Patients were in advanced congestive heart failure (CHF), did not have an irreversible contraindication to transplant, and were not listed at the time of implantation. Results Four patients were bridge to candidacy (BTC) due to substance abuse - three received a transplant and one is still in a probationary period. Two patients were Jehovah's Witnesses who needed their anemia and end organ function to improve prior to escalation of therapy. Both had comorbidities that precluded transplant and they received a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). One patient was implanted for recovery but the anatomy of his aorta proved incompatible with an iVAS and he received a LVAD. Two patients were initially too frail to receive a LVAD or transplant - one improved and received a transplant and the other is ongoing as a BTC. Two patients received an iVAS for intractable angina. One patient had transplant arteriopathy but also had severe peripheral vascular disease that precluded transplant. The iVAS was explanted after a year and symptom improvement. The other patient had nonrevascularizable coronary disease and had relief of his angina but died suddenly at home from an unknown cause. Two patients had cardiogenic shock after myocardial infarction and were supported for over 6 months. The average duration of iVAS support was 129 ± 101 days. At the time of iVAS implant, 8/13 patients had contraindications to LVAD. At 6 months, 11/13 had been successfully supported with iVAS and reached the intended goal. Conclusion The utility and versatility of the iVAS as a BTD was demonstrated in this trial. Outcomes were excellent in very challenging patients, many with contraindications for LVADs. The iVAS allowed a variety of patients time to improve their physical condition and transplant candidacy and is an important adjunct in treating complex advanced CHF patients.
Forward-Looking MM-Wave MIMO Radar System Design and Analysis

We consider the design and analysis of a forward-looking interferometric millimeter(mm)-wave multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar system for the landing assistance of the helicopters. The MIMO system operates at 35 GHz and provides 3D imaging via an interferometric MIMO array, to reduce the required number of antennas while maintaining an acceptable imaging quality. The system uses linear frequency modulated (LFM) chirps for transmission and consists of 4 transmit antennas and 32 receive antennas. A 2D fast Fourier transform (FFT) method combined with a constant false alarm rate (CFAR) detector is provided to form 3D images and a relaxation-based method, referred to as interferometric RELAX (IFRELAX), is used to extract the 3D target features. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the performance of the system and the associated algorithms.
A History of I-O Psychology Educational Programs in the United States.

This chapter considers historical developments in doctoral training programs in industrial-organizational (I-O) psychology and closely related fields. We begin the chapter with the formative years, followed by pre-World War II industrial psychology graduate training, post-World War II graduate training in I-O psychology, master’s level training, undergraduate instruction, doctoral training, and related training programs in academic departments other than psychology. We then reflect on changes in programs over time. Finally, we examine training content and curricula of graduate programs.
Computational inference of vibratory system with incomplete modal information using parallel, interactive and adaptive Markov chains

Abstract Inverse analysis of vibratory system is an important subject in fault identification, model updating, and robust design and control. It is challenging subject because 1) the problem is oftentimes underdetermined while the measurements are limited and/or incomplete; 2) many combinations of parameters may yield results that are similar with respect to actual response measurements; and 3) uncertainties inevitably exist. The aim of this research is to leverage upon computational intelligence through statistical inference to facilitate an enhanced, probabilistic framework using incomplete modal response measurement. This new framework is built upon efficient inverse identification through optimization, whereas Bayesian inference is employed to account for the effect of uncertainties. To overcome the computational cost barrier, we adopt Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) to characterize the target function/distribution. Instead of using single Markov chain in conventional Bayesian approach, we develop a new sampling theory with multiple parallel, interactive and adaptive Markov chains and incorporate it into Bayesian inference. This can harness the collective power of these Markov chains to realize the concurrent search of multiple local optima. The number of required Markov chains and their respective initial model parameters are automatically determined via Monte Carlo simulation-based sample pre-screening followed by K-means clustering analysis. These enhancements can effectively address the aforementioned challenges in finite element inverse analysis. The validity of this framework is systematically demonstrated through case studies.
Lifelong sex-dependent trajectories of the human gut microbiota

The human gut microbiota is comprised of a vast assortment of trillions of microbial cells belonging to hundreds of different species, differing substantially between individual hosts. A new study has systematically investigated the relationship of host age to gut microbes in a geographically restricted and ethnically homogeneous human cohort, revealing key differences across ages and sexes.
Gene alteration in zebrafish exposed to a mixture of substances of abuse

Abstract A recent surge in the use and abuse of diverse prescribed psychotic and illicit drugs necessitates the surveillance of drug residues in source water and the associated ecological impacts of chronic exposure to the aquatic organism. Thirty-six psychotic and illicit drug residues were determined in discharged wastewater from two centralized municipal wastewater treatment facilities and two wastewater receiving creeks for seven consecutive days in Kentucky. Zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae were exposed to the environmental relevant mixtures of all drug residues, all illicit drugs, and all prescribed psychotic drugs. The extracted RNA from fish homogenates was sequenced, and differentially expressed sequences were analyzed for known or predicted nervous system expression, and screened annotated protein-coding genes to the true environmental cocktail mixture. Illicit stimulant (cocaine and one metabolite), opioids (methadone, methadone metabolite, and oxycodone), hallucinogen (MDA), benzodiazepine (oxazepam and temazepam), carbamazepine, and all target selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors including sertraline, fluoxetine, venlafaxine, and citalopram were quantified in 100% of collected samples from both creeks. The high dose cocktail mixture exposure group revealed the largest group of differentially expressed genes: 100 upregulated and 77 downregulated (p ≤ 0.05; q ≤ 0.05). The top 20 differentially expressed sequences in each exposure group comprise 82 unique transcripts corresponding to 74% annotated genes, 7% non-coding sequences, and 19% uncharacterized sequences. Among 61 differentially expressed sequences that corresponded to annotated protein-coding genes, 23 (38%) genes or their homologs are known to be expressed in the nervous system of fish or other organisms. Several of the differentially expressed sequences are associated primarily with the immune system, including several major histocompatibility complex class I and interferon-induced proteins. Interleukin-1 beta (downregulated in this study) abnormalities are considered a risk factor for psychosis. This is the first study to assess the contributions of multiple classes of psychotic and illicit drugs in combination with developmental gene expression.
Bottom Attenuation Coefficient Inversion Based on the Modal Phase Difference Between Pressure and Vertical Velocity from a Single Vector Sensor

An inversion scheme based on time-warping is presented for estimating the attenuation coefficient of a sediment bottom using a single vector sensor, restricted to shallow water and using low-freque...
Text-Based Manipulation of the Coherence Threshold

The coherence threshold marks the point at which a reader has gained a sufficient comprehension level to move on in a text. Previous research has demonstrated that the readers’ coherence threshold ...
Chapter 3 The Fibroblast of Human Lung Alveolar Structures: A Differentiated Cell with a Major Role in Lung Structure and Function

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the importance of the fibroblast of the human lung-alveolar structures. The postnatal lung is a complex organ with function to mediate the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the atmosphere and the blood. The lung brings air and blood into close proximity in structures termed “alveoli.” In the adult human lung, alveoli are comprised of four major cell types. The fibroblast significantly influences alveolar structure and function through its major role in maintaining the interstitial connective tissue. Morphological studies have demonstrated that human fibroblasts are also capable of ingesting collagen fibrils and thus use phagocytotic mechanisms to modulate the connective tissue matrix. Lungs were obtained from human fetuses following abortion and stored briefly in a sterile culture medium until processing could be initiated. After becoming confluent, pulmonary fibroblasts in the tissue culture measure up to 100 μpm in length and 10 pm in maximal width. The chromatin is evenly distributed with only minimal margination.
Inter-Systemic Harmonization and Its Challenges for the Legal-State

Harmonization is currently proceeding along different lines that reflect ambiguous and multi-vector interactions between traditional and emerging governance actors and that suggest the context in which the future of legal systems, however understood, will be determined. This think piece first considers the foundations. The great 19th century project of horizontal harmonization, centered on states and their domestic law systems. The 20th century project of vertical harmonization focused on legal internationalization, from which the edifices of supra-national institutions and public transnational law evolve. It then turns to the current challenge of inter-systemic harmonization. Founded on governance polycentricity, of the mechanics of law beyond the domestic legal orders of states, of the rise of private law with public functions, and of public entities as private actors, it is changing the landscape of law. The greatest challenge for law is to avoid becoming irrelevant where corporations use contracts to govern their supply chains, states become private market actors, and private enterprises regulate markets by assessment and rating.
Exploiting specifications to improve program performance

Many approaches to programming emphasize the use of interfaces. The basic idea is to decompose programs into modules and specifying how each module's interface behaves. This makes it easier to reason about programs because one can rely on a module's specification rather than examining its implementation, which is more complicated. Although programmers benefit from interface specifications when reasoning about programs, existing compilers do not. In this thesis, I discuss how to incorporate specifications into a programming language to improve performance. I use specifications in two ways: (1) to allow programmers to define new optimizations that make general interfaces more efficient to use, and (2) to enhance conventional optimizations. The specifications can be written incrementally, so programmers can choose to write only the parts of specifications needed to improve performance. I demonstrate my approach using Speckle, a statically typed, imperative programming language that incorporates specifications. Users define optimizations in Speckle by providing multiple implementations for a single procedure. One implementation must be general enough to work in any context. The other implementations are more efficient but require an additional precondition specified by the user. The compiler uses specifications to prove that particular calls to the procedure can use the specialized implementations. The prototype Speckle compiler (PSC) incorporates primitive automated theorem-proving technology to optimize programs. In addition to user-defined optimizations, PSC identifies opportunities to perform three kinds of conventional optimizations: eliminating common subexpressions, moving code out of loops, and eliminating dead code. Because specifications are simpler than code, PSC detects optimizations that most compilers cannot, such as hoisting a procedure call out of a loop. Also, because specifications contain information not found in code, PSC detects optimizations that are impossible without specifications. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617-253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.)
Catalysts Rise to the Challenge

The control of stereochemistry (the spatial arrangement of atoms in molecules) is a key goal of fine chemical and polymer synthesis. In their Perspective, GA³mez and Waymouth chart recent progress toward such control in advanced polymer synthesis strategies. Much progress has been made, but maintaining stereoselectivity while achieving tolerance toward functional groups and controlling polymer weight remains a formidable challenge.
Recasting the professional communication classroom to consider gender identity

While gender identity has recently begun to receive attention within academia, the topics of diverse sexualities and gendered identities in video games and apps have received little scholarly consideration. With the recent cultural shift in the United States towards acceptance of same-sex marriages and inclusion of GLBT individuals in American society as a whole, we should see more widespread representation of this historically marginalized population in video games and apps as well. The purpose of this work in progress is to start and to advance a conversation among engineering educators of how the social construction of gender and the representation of GLBT characters in the video games and apps may be included in the curricular design of technical communication courses serving primarily engineering students.
Phase 2 trial of the cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib in patients with retinoblastoma protein-expressing germ cell tumors.

BACKGROUND Alterations in the retinoblastoma pathway in germ cell tumors (GCTs) have been described. In the phase 1 trials of the selective cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitor palbociclib, 3 patients with unresectable, growing, mature teratoma syndrome achieved prolonged disease stabilization. The authors conducted an open-label, phase 2 study to determine the efficacy and safety of palbociclib in patients with incurable, refractory, retinoblastoma protein (pRB)-expressing GCTs. METHODS Patients who had incurable, refractory GCTs that demonstrated pRB expression by immunohistochemistry received oral palbociclib 125 mg daily for 21 days followed by a 7-day break. The primary endpoint was the 24-week progression-free survival (PFS) rate. A 24-week PFS rate ≥15% was considered promising, and a PFS rate ≤5% was not considered promising. RESULTS Thirty patients received treatment, and 29 were evaluable for the primary endpoint. The estimated 24-week PFS rate was 28% (90% exact confidence interval, 15%-44%). Patients who had teratoma and teratoma with malignant transformation had significantly better PFS than patients who had nonteratomatous GCTs. Toxicity was manageable and was principally hematologic. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with palbociclib was associated with a favorable 24-week PFS rate in patients with refractory, pRB-expressing GCTs. Benefit was mainly observed in patients who had unresectable teratomas and teratomas with malignant transformation. Cancer 2015;121:1463–1468. © 2014 American Cancer Society.