cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Staying healthy in a wired world

Our medical records store some of our most valuable information. Quick, reliable access to this information can make the difference between life and death. Yet, despite these stakes, we have accepted the risks of our current paper-based system. Storing medical records online is one of the first steps toward improving many aspects of health care. Whereas you have limited access to your current paper record, you can browse your online record from anywhere and at any time. Having our records online will enable a new medical service industry. Online medical records will also facilitate statistical medical research. High-quality World Wide Web sites offer wide-ranging medical information presented in terms that the layman can understand. Medical information represents one of our most private kinds of information, and so moving our records online poses major concerns. Fortunately, we have already surmounted many of the technological barriers of maintaining privacy. Effectively using the Internet to improve our health care will require infrastructure development and cooperation among many resources. Starting with online medical records, the Internet promises to help us stay healthier. With easier access to our medical history and valuable medical references, patients will be empowered to take more of their well-being into their own hands, doctors will be able to deliver better care, and researchers will make new medical breakthroughs.
Creating a useful vascular center: a statewide survey of what primary care physicians really want

Abstract Objective Multidisciplinary vascular centers (VCs) have been proposed to integrate vascular patient care. No studies, however, have assessed referring physician interest or which services should be provided. A statewide survey of primary care physicians (PCPs) was performed to answer these questions. Methods Questionnaires were mailed to 3711 PCPs, asking about familiarity with vascular disease, potential VC usage, and services VCs should provide. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to determine which PCPs would refer patients, the services desired, and which patients would be referred. Results Of 1006 PCPs who responded, 66% would refer patients to a VC, especially patients younger than 50 years ( P P P P P P = .004) were most likely to refer patients. Vascular surgery (97%), interventional radiology (90%), and a noninvasive vascular laboratory (82%) were considered the most important services, and physician educational services (62%) were also desirable. PCPs did not think cardiology, cardiac surgery, smoking cessation programs, or diabetes or lipid management are needed. Reasons for VC nonuse included travel distance (23%), sufficient local services (21%), and insurance issues (12%). Only 16% of PCPs believe that their patients with vascular disease currently receive optimal care. Conclusion There is considerable interest in VCs among PCPs. In contrast to recently described models, VCs need not incorporate cardiology, cardiac surgery, smoking cessation programs, or diabetes or lipid management. VCs should include vascular surgery, interventional radiology, a noninvasive vascular laboratory, and physician educational services.
Bioassay Conditions for Infection of Pinus radiata Seedlings with Phytophthora pinifolia Zoospores

Phytophthora pinifolia is known to cause a devastating disease on Monterey pine in Chile. Although this pathogen is not yet present in the United States, there is reason for concern. The main source of Monterey pine genetic material is found in California and there is potential for other important tree species to be hosts. The study presented here was conducted to develop a method to produce zoospores and determine optimal conditions for infection to be used in future host range studies. Abundant zoospores were produced when agar plugs containing P. pinifolia mycelia were ground into suspension prior to transfer in a solution of carrot broth. These zoospores then were used to inoculate Monterey pine seedlings under various conditions. Infected plants displayed necrotic crowns and stems, often resulting in wilting of the seedling. Consistent infection occurred when seedlings were wounded by trimming needles prior to inoculation and exposure of inoculated seedlings to constant dew for 5 days. Dew chamber te...
MO-F-116-01: Statistics, Error Analysis, and Uncertainty Reporting in Medical Physics

Medical physics is a branch of physics so the rules with error analysis and uncertainty reporting of measurements, should be same and observed. In reality, these rules are not obeyed very well as an observation of the clinical practice shows. Partial of the causes is that physicists are from different backgrounds which have different degrees of following the requirements on applying these rules. Another reason is that clinical physicists are part of a treatment team in which other members don't necessarily have same strict requirements as physicist should have. To communicate with other treatment members, physicists trend to use layman terms to express the physics terms which should be in a strict format. This lecture is to refresh clinical physicist's knowledge on these issues. Basic knowledge of statistics, error analysis, and uncertainty reporting will be review with examples from clinical setups, such as AAPM TG‐51 calibration, TG‐119, in‐vivo dose measurements, and treatment planning calculations. For example, how many readings should you take when a TG‐51 calibration is performed? What is the associated uncertainty with each Result? How many effective numbers should you keep there? Should it be whatever numbers since the excel spreadsheet can easily give you whatever digitals? Those sound trivia but if you take a look at your colleague's or friend's reports, they are worth of further scrutinizing. After this lecture, hopefully practicing physicists have clearer ideas about statistics, error analysis, and uncertainty reporting in their daily clinic work. Learning Objectives: 1. To refresh clinical physicist's knowledge about statistics, error analysis, and uncertainty reporting in medical physics. 2. Clearer ideas to apply these rules in their daily clinic work. 3. Improve the clinical practice.
A MORPHOLOGICAL PHYLOGENY OF THE GENUS CONOPHYTUM N. E. BR. (AIZOACEAE)

Abstract In this paper I present a cladistic evolutionary hypothesis for 83 taxa of Conophytum, a genus of leaf-succulent xerophytes endemic to South Africa and Namibia. My analysis is based primarily upon anatomical and micromorphological characters. The genus as a whole, and some of its traditional sections such as Ophthalmophyllum and Pellucida, is shown to be monophyletic, with bootstrap support, though many other branches are not well supported. Within Conophytum, nocturnal flowering and the embedded window-plant life form appear to have originated several times in separate lines of evolution. The most basally-diverging lineages in the genus are native to the Richtersveld in northern Namaqualand, suggesting an origin in that area. A trend towards the loss of anatomical adaptations to drought, such as sunken stomata, and the gain of adaptations in gross morphology, such as growth embedded in soil, is evident in many of the more recently derived lineages.
Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-Bisphosphate Regulates NMDA Receptor Activity through α-Actinin

Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) has been shown to regulate many ion channels, transporters, and other signaling proteins, but it is not known whether it also regulates neurotransmitter-gated channels. The NMDA receptors (NMDARs) are gated by glutamate and serve as a critical control point in synaptic function. Here we demonstrate that PIP2 supports NMDAR activity. In Xenopus oocytes, overexpression of phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ) or preincubation with 10 μm wortmannin markedly reduced NMDA currents. Stimulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) promoted the formation of an immunocomplex between PLCγ and NMDAR subunits. Stimulation of EGFR or the PLCβ-coupled M1 acetylcholine receptor produced a robust transient inhibition of NMDA currents. Wortmannin application blocked the recovery of NMDA currents from the inhibition. Using mutagenesis, we identified the structural elements on NMDAR intracellular tails that transduce the receptor-mediated inhibition, which pinpoint to the binding site for the cytoskeletal protein α-actinin. Mutation of the PIP2-binding residues of α-actinin dramatically reduced NMDA currents and occluded the effect of EGF. Interestingly, EGF or wortmannin affected the interaction between NMDAR subunits and α-actinin, suggesting that this protein mediates the effect of PIP2 on NMDARs. In mature hippocampal neurons, expression of the mutant α-actinin reduced NMDA currents and accelerated inactivation. We propose a model in which α-actinin supports NMDAR activity via tethering their intracellular tails to plasma membrane PIP2. Thus, our results extend the influence of PIP2 to the NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors and introduce a novel mechanism of “indirect” regulation of transmembrane protein activity by PIP2.
Statewide land cover derived from multiseasonal Landsat TM data: A retrospective of the WISCLAND project

Abstract Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data were the basis in production of a statewide land cover data set for Wisconsin, undertaken in partnership with U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Gap Analysis Program (GAP). The data set contained seven classes comparable to Anderson Level I and 24 classes comparable to Anderson Level II/III. Twelve scenes of dual-date TM data were processed with methods that included principal components analysis, stratification into spectrally consistent units, separate classification of upland, wetland, and urban areas, and a hybrid supervised/unsupervised classification called “guided clustering.” The final data had overall accuracies of 94% for Anderson Level I upland classes, 77% for Level II/III upland classes, and 84% for Level II/III wetland classes. Classification accuracies for deciduous and coniferous forest were 95% and 93%, respectively, and forest species' overall accuracies ranged from 70% to 84%. Limited availability of acceptable imagery necessitated use of an early May date in a majority of scene pairs, perhaps contributing to lower accuracy for upland deciduous forest species. The mixed deciduous/coniferous forest class had the lowest accuracy, most likely due to distinctly classifying a purely mixed class. Mixed forest signatures containing oak were often confused with pure oak. Guided clustering was seen as an efficient classification method, especially at the tree species level, although its success relied in part on image dates, accurate ground truth, and some analyst intervention.
Circulating progenitor cells can be reliably identified on the basis of aldehyde dehydrogenase activity.

Objectives Our objective was to develop and assess a novel endogenous progenitor cell (EPC) assay based on aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity, and to define the relationship of ALDH-bright (ALDH br ) cells with previously defined EPCs, patient age, and extent of coronary artery disease. Background Accurate assessment of circulating EPCs is of significant interest, yet current assays have limitations. Progenitor cells display high levels of ALDH activity. An assay based on ALDH activity may offer a simple means for enumerating EPCs. Methods We simultaneously determined the numbers of EPCs based on ALDH activity and cell surface expression of CD133, CD34, and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in 110 patients undergoing cardiac catheterization. We assessed the reproducibility of these estimates, correlation among EPC assays, and the association of ALDH br numbers with age and disease severity. Results Aldehyde dehydrogenase-bright cells were easily identified in nonmobilized peripheral blood with median and mean frequencies of 0.041% and 0.074%, respectively. Aldehyde dehydrogenase-bright cells expressed CD34 or CD133 cell surface markers (57.0% and 27.1%, respectively), correlated closely with CD133 + CD34 + cells (r = 0.72; p + CD34 + cells. Aldehyde dehydrogenase-bright cell numbers were inversely associated with patient age and coronary disease severity. Conclusions Aldehyde dehydrogenase activity represents a novel simplified method for quantifying EPCs. The correlation of ALDH br cells with clinical factors and outcomes warrants further study.
Comparison of Intersegmental Tibiofemoral Joint Forces and Muscle Activity During Various Closed Kinetic Chain Exercises

The purpose of this study was to analyze intersegmental forces at the tibiofemoral joint and muscle activity during three commonly prescribed closed kinetic chain exercises: the power squat, the front squat, and the lunge. Subjects with anterior cruciate ligament-intact knees performed repetitions of each of the three exercises using a 223-N (50-pound) barbell. The results showed that the mean tibiofemoral shear force was posterior (tibial force on femur) throughout the cycle of all three exercises. The magnitude of the posterior shear forces increased with knee flexion during the descent phase of each exercise. Joint compression forces remained constant throughout the descent and ascent phases of the power squat and the front squat. A net offset in extension for the moment about the knee was present for all three exercises. Increased quadriceps muscle activity and the decreased hamstring muscle activity are required to perform the lunge as compared with the power squat and the front squat. A posterior tibiofemoral shear force throughout the entire cycle of all three exercises in these subjects with anterior cruciate ligament-intact knees indicates that the potential loading on the injured or reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament is not significant. The magnitude of the posterior tibiofemoral shear force is not likely to be detrimental to the injured or reconstructed posterior cruciate ligament. These conclusions assume that the resultant anteroposterior shear force corresponds to the anterior and posterior cruciate ligament forces.
Ethics considered harmful

Pardon the title, but I wanted to both grab your attention and get straight to the point (which naturally brings my own ethics in choosing the title into question). To clarify: I am referring to textbooks and courses on computer ethics, not to the field of ethics as taught to philosophy majors. I am also speaking only for myself, not for anyone else.
Characterization of Real-World Particle Number Emissions During Reignition Events from a 2010 Light-Duty Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Despite the increasing popularity of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), few studies have compared the real-world particle emissions of HEVs from internal combustion engine (ICE) reignition events with that of a conventional vehicle (CV) during real-world driving. Reignition events occur under unstable combustion conditions and frequently result in particle number (PN) emission rates (PNERs) that exceed those for stabilized engine operation. Tailpipe PNERs from a CV and an HEV 2010 Toyota Camry were quantified on a 32-mi route over rural, urban, and freeway roadways in Chittenden County, Vermont, with the total onboard tailpipe emissions measurement system. This study directly compared the CV and HEV PNERs and characterized the operation of the HEV in a new HEV ICE operating mode framework. Mean PNER for reignition events (7.19 ± 11.8 × 1010 particles/s) were on average four times greater than for stabilized HEV operation (1.79 ± 3.99 × 1010 particles/s). Under urban, rural, and freeway driving, HEV reigniti...
Metastatic gestational trophoblastic disease following a complete hydatidiform mole coexistent with an anencephalic fetus diagnosed at 10 weeks' gestation.

hydatidiform mole is the most common type of gestational trophoblastic disease. It typically presents in the first trimester of pregnancy with vaginal bleeding and an elevated serum p-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) level. Histologically, complete molar tissue often appears swollen with hydropic chorionic villi and trophoblastic hyperplasia, and sonography is the primary means to establish this diagnosis. 1 The incidence of a twin gestation consisting of a complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) with a coexisting live fetus is between 1 per 22,000 and 1 per 100,000 pregnancies. 2 Complications associated with a molar pregnancy, such as hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, hyperthyroidism, hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, and thromboembolic phenomena, appear to be increased among CHMs coexistent with a live twin fetus. 3-8 Also, there may be a higher risk of persistent gestational trophoblastic disease (pGTD) in these patients than in patients with an isolated CHM pregnancy 3-8 In most reports of complete moles coexistent with a live fetus, the live fetus is structurally and karyotypically normal. We report the sonographic findings of metastatic gestational trophoblastic disease following a twin gestation with a complete mole and a live anencephalic fetus.
NDA SNR estimation for 32APSK in AWGN

32-amplitude and phase-shift-keying (32APSK) is one of the modulation schemes proposed in the 2nd generation digital video broadcasting over satellite (DVB-S2) standard. This paper presents a non-data-aided (NDA) SNR estimation scheme for 32APSK using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm. Two variants of the EM algorithm are presented, first with an arbitrary initialization and a second version that is initialized by modifying an existing (sub-optimal) SNR estimation technique. We demonstrate a significantly faster convergence with the latter form of initialization. We compare the performance of this estimator to the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRLB) of NDA SNR estimation and show that the estimator performs very close to the CRLB over all SNRs of practical interest even for block sizes of 100 symbols. The estimator has also been implemented on FPGAs and we show that the fixed point implementation also performs very close to the theoretical limit.
Large-scale evaluation of dynamically important residues in proteins predicted by the perturbation analysis of a coarse-grained elastic model

Backgrounds: It is increasingly recognized that protein functions often require intricate conformational dynamics, which involves a network of key amino acid residues that couple spatially separated functional sites. Tremendous efforts have been made to identify these key residues by experimental and computational means. Results: We have performed a large-scale evaluation of the predictions of dynamically important residues by a variety of computational protocols including three based on the perturbation and correlation analysis of a coarse-grained elastic model. This study is performed for two lists of test cases with >500 pairs of protein structures. The dynamically important residues predicted by the perturbation and correlation analysis are found to be strongly or moderately conserved in >67% of test cases. They form a sparse network of residues which are clustered both in 3D space and along protein sequence. Their overall conservation is attributed to their dynamic role rather than ligand binding or high network connectivity. Conclusion: By modeling how the protein structural fluctuations respond to residue-positionspecific perturbations, our highly efficient perturbation and correlation analysis can be used to dissect the functional conformational changes in various proteins with a residue level of detail. The predictions of dynamically important residues serve as promising targets for mutational and functional studies.
Integrated assessment modeling of atmospheric pollutants in the southern appalachian mountains Part II. Fine particulate matter and visibility

As part of the Southern Appalachian Mountains Initiative, a comprehensive air quality modeling system was developed to evaluate potential emission control strategies to reduce atmospheric pollutant levels at the Class I areas located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Six multiday episodes between 1991 and 1995 were simulated, and the skill of the modeling system was evaluated. Two papers comprise various parts of this study. Part I details the ozone model performance and the methodology that was used to scale discrete episodic pollutant levels to seasonal and annual averages. This paper (part II) addresses issues involved with modeling particulate matter (PM) and its relationship to visibility. For most of the episodes, the fractional error was 50% or less for the major constituents of the fine PM (i.e., sulfate [SO4] and organics) in the region. The mean normalized errors and fractional errors are generally larger for the NO3 and soil components, but these components are relatively small. Variations in modeling bias with pollutant levels were also examined. The model showed a systematic overestimation for low levels and an underestimation for high levels for most PM species. For ammonium, the model showed better performance at lower SO4 concentrations when the measured SO4 was assumed to be completely neutralized (ammonium sulfate) and better performance at higher SO4 concentrations when the partially neutralized (ammonium bisulfate) assumption was made. The contributions of various components of PM to reductions in visibility were also calculated; SO4 was found to be the major contributor.
Mining the web for answers to natural language questions

The web is now becoming one of the largest information and knowledge repositories. Many large scale search engines (Google, Fast, Northern Light, etc.) have emerged to help users find information. In this paper, we study how we can effectively use these existing search engines to mine the Web and discover the "correct" answers to factual natural language questions.We propose a probabilistic algorithm called QASM (Question Answering using Statistical Models) that learns the best query paraphrase of a natural language question. We validate our approach for both local and web search engines using questions from the TREC evaluation. We also show how this algorithm can be combined with another algorithm (AnSel) to produce precise answers to natural language questions.
Betulinic Acid Derivatives That Target gp120 and Inhibit Multiple Genetic Subtypes of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1

Betulinic acid (BA) derivatives can inhibit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry or maturation depending on side chain modifications. While BA derivatives with antimaturation activity have attracted considerable interest, the anti-HIV-1 profile and molecular mechanism of BA derivatives with anti-HIV-1 entry activity (termed BA entry inhibitors) have not been well defined. In this study, we have found that two BA entry inhibitors, IC9564 and A43D, exhibited a broad spectrum of anti-HIV-1 activity. Both compounds inhibited multiple strains of HIV-1 from clades A, B, and C at submicromolar concentrations. Clade C viruses were more sensitive to the compounds than clade A and B viruses. Interestingly, IC9564 at subinhibitory concentrations could alter the antifusion activities of other entry inhibitors. IC9564 was especially potent in increasing the sensitivity of HIV-1 YU2 Env-mediated membrane fusion to the CCR5 inhibitor TAK-779. Results from this study suggest that the V3 loop of gp120 is a critical determinant for the anti-HIV-1 activity of IC9564. IC9564 escape viruses contained mutations near the tip of the V3 loop. Moreover, IC9564 could compete with the binding of V3 monoclonal antibodies 447-52D and 39F. IC9564 also competed with the binding of gp120/CD4 complexes to chemokine receptors. In summary, these results suggest that BA entry inhibitors can potently inhibit a broad spectrum of primary HIV-1 isolates by targeting the V3 loop of gp120.
Hydrothermal stability of SBA-15 and related ordered mesoporous silicas with plugged pores

Ordered mesoporous silicas, including SBA-15 and related plugged materials, were synthesized under acidic conditions using Pluronic P123 poly(ethylene oxide)–poly(propylene oxide)–poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymer (EO20PO70EO20) as a supramolecular template and tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica precursor. The TEOS : copolymer molar ratio was either 60 ∶ 1 (as in the typical SBA-15 synthesis), or it was doubled or tripled. The larger relative amounts of silica precursor resulted in the formation of constrictions or plugs in the mesopore channels, as inferred from N2 and Ar adsorption at 77 K. As the amount of TEOS relative to the copolymer increased, the specific surface area was slightly reduced, whereas the total pore volume decreased considerably (by up to 45%), and the mesopore diameter decreased from 10.3 to 6.6 nm with retention of a narrow pore size distribution (PSD). The adjustment of the synthesis conditions allowed us to prepare a sample whose primary mesopores featured constrictions with openings of diameter about a half of the primary mesopore diameter, as determined via the surface modification with organosilanes. The calcined samples were heated in water at 373 K for periods of time from 6 hours to 8 days in order to compare the hydrothermal stabilities of SBA-15 and the plugged silicas. In all cases, the treatment in water led to a gradual increase in the primary mesopore size. A slight broadening of PSD was noticed after one day, and the mesopore size uniformity was further diminished for longer treatment times. For plugged samples prepared using a standard procedure with an excess of TEOS, the plugs persisted during the hydrothermal treatment. However, in the case of a sample prepared at lower temperature and for a shorter time, the plugs were nearly completely eliminated after 4 days of boiling, which suggests that the stability of the plugs depends on the synthesis conditions. This finding may be important from the point of view of prospective applications of plugged mesoporous silicas.
Photon Tunneling Microscopy of Polymers

The photon tunneling microscope (PTM) can image polymer surface morphology with vertical resolution below a nanometer and lateral resolution of 0.10 μm. PTM produces visual, whole-field tunneling images as well as real-time high resolution three-dimensional images with continuous interactive perspective, ready for stereopsis. In addition, surfaces are imaged without metallization, shadowing, vacuum, electrons, or scanning probes. A brief review of the theory, instrumentation, and features of photon tunneling microscopy is presented. Applications of PTM to such diverse polymeric surfaces as polystyrene sphere structures, single polyethylene crystals, silicon dioxide thin films on polycarbonate, and a real-time dewetting study of polystyrene at the glass transition temperature are presented and briefly discussed.
Monolithic CMOS-compatible AlGaInP visible LED arrays on silicon on lattice-engineered substrates (SOLES)

Monolithic CMOS compatible AlGaInP visible LED arrays have been demonstrated on a novel platform called silicon on lattice-engineered substrate (SOLES). SOLES wafers are based on Si1−xGex virtual substrate technology and are suitable for the practical fabrication of SOI CMOS circuits and III–V-based optoelectronic devices on a common silicon substrate. A combination of oxide–oxide wafer bonding and hydrogen-induced exfoliation was used to transfer a thin layer of device-quality silicon on insulator on the top of the Si1−xGex buffers graded to 100% Ge to realize SOLES. Epitaxial layers of a double heterojunction AlGaInP LED emitting near the red region of the visible spectrum (λ = 671 nm) were grown by MOCVD on SOLES wafers using a patterned oxide hard mask. CMOS compatibility was achieved by accessing the n-GaAs cathode of the LED through the underlying n-Ge layer of the Si1−xGex graded buffer rather than etching through the LED stack. The LED was capped with Si to avoid exposing CMOS tools to III–V materials during processing. The Si anode and Ge cathode of the resulting LED structure were contacted using Ti/Al CMOS compatible metallurgy. The prototype array is an important step towards the realization of monolithically integrated optical interconnects in high speed digital systems.
How Should We Estimate the Cost-effectiveness of Interventions That Affect Reproduction?:

Reproduction is one of the most fundamental human activities, and reproductive function is affected either directly or indirectly by many health interventions. Pregnancy and childbirth are extremely common; in 2013, there were almost 4 million live births in the United States. In addition, approximately 59% of women aged between 15 and 50 years have had at least one child. Cesarean section is by far the most common major surgical procedure performed in the United States. At current cesarean rates of approximately 30%, nearly 20% of all women will ultimately undergo at least one cesarean delivery. Interventions that delay or prevent pregnancy are similarly common, with 62% of women of reproductive age currently using contraception. Conversely, utilization rates for infertility treatments are increasing; 10% of pregnant women in one population-based study reported receiving treatment for infertility. Interventions for disorders of the reproductive tract, such as heavy menstrual bleeding or uterine fibroids, may affect reproductive potential. (In the case of hysterectomy, the effect is certain.) In younger patients, some interventions for non– reproductive tract disorders, such as radiation or chemotherapy for cancers, can have a long-term effect on fertility. Given the importance of reproductive outcomes to such a large part of the population—and the extent to which those outcomes are directly or indirectly affected by a range of health interventions—the heterogeneity of approaches used to value these outcomes in economic analyses, as documented by Goldhaber-Fiebert and Brandeau in this edition of Medical Decision Making, is disappointing although not surprising. The most appropriate method for estimating individual or societal values for parenthood has long been a challenge in conventional economics and in health economics, and the issues involved in estimating the value of fertility (i.e., potential parenthood) are even more complex. Goldhaber-Fiebert and Brandeau issue a welljustified call for greater transparency in reporting; the use of a systematic framework, such as the one outlined in their article; and, most important, the development of guidelines for conducting and reporting on fertility-related outcomes in cost-effectiveness analyses. Such guidelines must address a number of particularly complex issues, including the following:
Fire history of southwestern mixed conifer: A case study

Dieterich, J.H., 1983. Fire history of southwestern mixed conifer: a case study. For. Ecol., Manage., 6: 13--31. Prior to the year 1900, fires burned through a mixed conifer stand located in the South Fork of Thomas Creek, in the White Mountains of Arizona, at an interval of 22 years. Small fires burned on the area at more frequent intervals. In the absence of these periodic fires, species diversity remains high but stand composition and structure appears to be changing.
Respiratory Failure due to Possible Donor-Derived Sporothrix schenckii Infection in a Lung Transplant Recipient

Background. De novo and donor-derived invasive fungal infections (IFIs) contribute to morbidity and mortality in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients. Reporting of donor-derived IFIs (DDIFIs) to the Organ Procurement Transplant Network has been mandated since 2005. Prior to that time no systematic monitoring of DDIFIs occurred in the United States. Case Presentation. We report a case of primary graft dysfunction in a 49-year-old male lung transplant recipient with diffuse patchy bilateral infiltrates likely related to pulmonary Sporothrix schenckii infection. The organism was isolated from a bronchoalveolar lavage on the second day after transplantation. Clinical and radiographic responses occurred after initiation of amphotericin B lipid formulation. Conclusion. We believe that this was likely a donor-derived infection given the early timing of the Sporothrix isolation after transplant in a bilateral single lung transplant recipient. This is the first case report of sporotrichosis in a lung transplant recipient. Our patient responded well to amphotericin induction therapy followed by maintenance therapy with itraconazole. The implications of donor-derived fungal infections and Sporothrix in transplant recipients are reviewed. Early recognition and management of these fungi are essential in improving outcomes.
Construction of a Urologic Robotic Surgery Training Curriculum: How Many Simulator Sessions Are Required for Residents to Achieve Proficiency?

Abstract Purpose: To define the time needed by urology residents to attain proficiency in computer-aided robotic surgery to aid in the refinement of a robotic surgery simulation curriculum. Methods: We undertook a retrospective review of robotic skills training data acquired during January 2012 to December 2014 from junior (postgraduate year [PGY] 2–3) and senior (PGY4–5) urology residents using the da Vinci Skills Simulator. We determined the number of training sessions attended and the level of proficiency achieved by junior and senior residents in attempting 11 basic or 6 advanced tasks, respectively. Results: Junior residents successfully completed 9.9 ± 1.8 tasks, with 62.5% completing all 11 basic tasks. The maximal cumulative success rate of junior residents completing basic tasks was 89.8%, which was achieved within 7.0 ± 1.5 hours of training. Of senior residents, 75% successfully completed all six advanced tasks. Senior residents attended 6.3 ± 3.5 hours of training during which 5.1 ± 1.6 tasks ...
The Rebirth of Proximate Cause in Louisiana: A Call for the Return to the Duty-Risk Analysis

This article will show how the Louisiana Supreme Court professes to use the duty-risk analysis in negligence cases, but actually sometimes uses a form of proximate cause analysis similar to that used in other jurisdictions. This article will also detail the major differences between proximate cause analysis and duty-risk analysis.
Determinants of Intracranial Hemorrhage Occurrence and Outcome after Neurothrombectomy Therapy: Insights from the Solitaire FR With Intention For Thrombectomy Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Intracranial hemorrhage is the most dreaded complication of neurothrombectomy therapy for acute ischemic stroke. The determinants of intracranial hemorrhage and its impact on clinical course remain incompletely delineated. The purpose of this study is to further investigate the clinical and procedural factors leading to intracranial hemorrhage and to define the clinical impact of different hemorrhagic subtypes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data prospectively collected in the Solitaire FR With Intention for Thrombectomy randomized clinical trial. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to identify independent clinical, imaging, and procedural predictors of any intracranial hemorrhage and of 7 intracranial hemorrhage subtypes. Univariate analysis was used to determine the impact of each of the intracranial hemorrhage subtypes on clinical outcome. RESULTS: Among the 144 enrolled patients, any radiologic intracranial hemorrhage (21.3% versus 38.2%, P = .035), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (1.1% versus 10.9%, P = .012), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (2.2% versus 12.7%, P = .027) occurred less frequently in the Solitaire FR than in the Merci retriever arms. The most common independent determinant of hemorrhage occurrence was rescue therapy with intra-arterial rtPA, which was associated with any intracranial hemorrhage and 4 subtypes and tended to be used more frequently in the Merci group (10.9% versus 3.4%; P = .09). Among the hemorrhage subtypes, basal ganglionic hemorrhage had the strongest impact on good clinical outcome at 90 days (OR, 0.30; P = .025) and was associated with higher reperfusion, prolonged time to treatment, and rescue therapy with intra-arterial rtPA. CONCLUSIONS: Intracranial hemorrhage, especially subarachnoid and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage, occurs less frequently with the Solitaire FR than the Merci retriever, in part due to less frequent use of rescue therapy with intra-arterial rtPA. Basal ganglionic hemorrhage strongly affects clinical outcome and is distinctively related to late reperfusion.
Memorial of Harold Lloyd James, 1912–2000

Harold Lloyd James is widely recognized for his trail-blazing interpretations of the field relationships and petrology of the metamorphosed and structurally complex iron-rich sedimentary rocks known as “iron-formation.” Although his research focused on northern Michigan, the fundamental contributions he made there have proven applicable worldwide for the sedimentary iron deposits that constitute the bulk of the world’s iron ore resources. Prior to James’ work, the unusual chemical and mineralogical character of iron-formation was attributed to metamorphism and hydrothermal alteration of iron-rich carbonate sedimentary rocks. However, James peered through the veil of metamorphism and subsequent local oxidation, unraveling the spatial relations among lithologies, recognizing features that distinguished their protoliths, deciphering their primary igneous and sedimentary patterns, understanding their structural and petrogenic affiliations, and showing that the iron-rich assemblages of rocks exhibit a systematic and oft-repeated sequence of intergradational facies that reflect the integrated sedimentary environments of ancient marine basins. That reconstruction provides a powerful tool to locate the economically important oxide facies rocks that represent the principal economic targets, and to unravel structural complexities in terrains containing iron-formation. His constructive influence extended far beyond his own scientific work as friend, mentor, and colleague to many associates, as an active member of the geologic community, and culminating in service (1965–1971) as Chief Geologist of the United States Geological Survey. Harold Lloyd James (known to his many friends and colleagues as Hal) was born on June 11, 1912 in Nanaimo, British Columbia, the eldest of five children of Evan and Blodwen James who had emigrated from Wales in 1911. The family moved to Bellingham, Washington in 1923, and his naturalization was completed in 1940. Hal attended public schools in Nanaimo and Bellingham and graduated from the latter’s Whatcom High School in 1933 at the age of 20, having spent six years of full-time …
Abstract LB-147: Colonic crypt neuroendocrine cells regulate colonic stem cells during colorectal cancer development

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Our studies on tissues from colon cancer patients show that in the development of CRC, stem cells (SC) overpopulation underlies tumor initiation and progression. Specifically, we have involved studying patients with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) during CRC development, which carry cancer-predisposing germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene. These results indicate that SC overpopulation caused by APC mutations is the driver mechanism. However, how the APC mutations cause SC overpopulation needs clarification. Similar to SCs, Neuroendocrine cells (NECs) comprise ∼1% of the total cells in the colon and both reside in the crypt stem cell niche in the colonic epithelium. NECs are involved in autocrine and paracrine signaling to help regulate the function of surrounding cells. This leads to an overall goal of this project, to study the relationship between NECs and SCs in young-onset CRC, especially those individuals with a genetic predisposition to CRC. Our overall hypothesis is that NECs play a key role in maintaining the SC population in the normal colon and, aberrant signaling from NECs contributes to tumor initiation and increased stemness. To begin to investigate underlying mechanisms, we studied human colon tissues with varying APC genotypes: (i) normal crypts (homozygous-wildtype APC ); (ii) normal-appearing FAP crypts (heterozygous-mutant APC ); (iii) adenomatous FAP crypts (homozygous-mutant APC ); (iv) CRCs (homozygous-mutant APC & other mutations). Preliminary data from our laboratory has shown that in colon cancer progression: (i) there is a decrease in the number of cells that co-express both SC and NEC markers (ii) there is a decrease in the total number of NECs, and (iii) there is an increase in the total number of SCs. Furthermore, we have established an in vitro co-culture model system to study regulation of SCs by NECs. Results from our model show that SSTR1 and GLP-2R NEC signaling plays a role in modulating colonic SC populations. This in vitro model system can help analyze the interaction between SCs and NECs during CRC progression. Taken together, our findings indicate that: (1) NE factors contribute to colonic SC regulation via an autocrine or paracrine mechanism in normal colon, and (2) dysregulation of these mechanisms contributes to colon cancer development. Using our established in vitro model system, we can track the changes in the SC and NEC population size, based on different conditions of anchorage independent growth and presence of potential therapeutic agents. Citation Format: Shirin R. Modarai, Lynn M. Opdenaker, Bruce M. Boman. Colonic crypt neuroendocrine cells regulate colonic stem cells during colorectal cancer development. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-147. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-LB-147
ASSESSING LYMPHEDEMA BY TISSUE INDENTATION FORCE AND LOCAL TISSUE WATER

Tissue water and mechanical propertychanges accompany lymphedema, however therelationship between these changes, if any, isunclear. Local tissue water is quantifiableusing the tissue’s dielectric constant (TDC),but a non-gravity dependent handheld clinicalassessment tool to easily quantify correspondinglocal tissue properties is not widely available.Herein such a tool is described along withresults obtained with it and with TDCmeasurements made in healthy legs and inlymphedematous legs before and after onemanual lymphatic drainage (MLD) treatment.Using the handheld device, tissue indentationsto various depths could be completedand corresponding indentation forces (IF)recorded. Following tests in gels, foams, and24 healthy human legs to confirm linearityand repeatability, IF and TDC were measuredin 22 legs of 18 lymphedema patients prior toand after one MLD treatment. Results showedthat pre-MLD both IF and TDC were significantly(p<0.001) greater in lymphedematouslegs compared to healthy legs and that bothIF and TDC significantly (p<0.001) decreasedafter MLD. However, no correlation wasfound between pretreatment IF and TDC norbetween post-MLD changes. Thus, measurementsof local IF and tissue water provideuseful but apparently independent informationas to lymphedematous status and its potentialchange with therapy.
Development of Macromolecule Wear-resistant Liner for Valve Bodies Used in Sludge Disposal of Blast Furnaces

A study of formula,manufacturing technology and the process of manufacturing a valve body with macromolecule wear-resistant liner was briefly described.The macromolecule wear-resistant liner has good wear-resistant,corrosion-resisting,heat-resisting and aging-resistant properties.
Polarization Reconsidered: Bipartisan Cooperation through Bill Cosponsorship

Although the literature on congressional change has established that the parties in Congress have become increasingly polarized over time, this conclusion is limited to the study of members’ voting behavior. The analysis of another legislative practice, bill cosponsorship, reveals that while House members have associated increasingly with their same-party colleagues, senators continue to build bipartisan relationships through bill cosponsorship. I attribute this difference to the unique structure of each chamber and the influence that institutional rules and norms exert on legislators’ decision-making processes. While House members rely on across-the-board party loyalty to get ahead, senators must maintain connections to colleagues from both parties in order to achieve their career goals.
Cardiovascular pathology and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

AbstractWe investigated the impact of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy on cardiac pacemakers, arterial calcifications, and vascular clips. When 22 cardiac pacemaker pulse generators mounted five cm. lateral to the focus of the lithotripter were subjected to both synchronous and asynchronous shock waves, one reverted to magnet rate with synchronous shocks and 11 were inhibited by asynchronous shocks. None was damaged or spuriously reprogrammed. In a second experiment, 10 canine and cadaveric aortas and common iliac arteries with metal surgical clips on two to three mm. branches were pressurized with methylene blue in normal saline at 150mm.Hg and fixed in the Dornier lithotripter. Shock waves (N = 2000; 22kV) were focused on the surgical clips and no leakage of methylene blue was found.
The Silent Neurogenic Bladder

AbstractChildren with occult or silent neurogenic bladders may present with urinary reflux and severe upper urinary tract deterioration. Commonly, the neuro-deficit eludes detection. Reimplantation of these ureteral units will likely result in failure.
Competitive and allelopathic effects of the invasive shrub Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian peppertree)

Non-native plant invasions can suppress biodiversity and alter ecosystem functions, but often the mechanisms underlying the impacts of invasions are unknown. We used a greenhouse mesocosm experiment and a growth chamber germination experiment to evaluate the competitive and allelopathic effects of Schinus terebinthifolius (Brazilian peppertree) on three tree species and four herbaceous plant species native to Florida’s pine flatwoods communities. Schinus had little effect on the establishment of native species in the mesocosm experiment, except for one native herbaceous species (Solidago fistulosa), which had 75 % fewer seedlings in Schinus-invaded mesocosms. However, Schinus caused significant declines in native plant performance. Tree biomass was reduced by 85 % and herbaceous plant biomass was 83 % lower, on average, in mesocosms with Schinus compared to uninvaded controls. The addition of activated carbon to the soil did not ameliorate the effects of Schinus on native species, indicating that competition for resources, not allelochemicals exuded by Schinus roots, was likely responsible for the suppressive effects of Schinus on native species. Schinus fruit extract reduced seed germination by 39 % on average compared to water controls, suggesting crushed fruit below invasive Schinus stands may limit native species recruitment. Our results demonstrate significant impacts of Schinus competition and fruit extracts on native trees and herbaceous species, providing experimental evidence for ecological impacts of invasions and further support for restoration of invaded habitats.
Flutter instability of a thin flexible plate in a channel

The stability of a thin flexible plate confined inside an inviscid two-dimensional channel is examined using a nonlinear eigenvalue analysis method. A new Green’s function for the vortex wake of the flexible plate inside the channel, as well as its rapidly convergent series approximation, is proposed. Comparison with a fully coupled Navier–Stokes fluid–structure interaction model indicates that the current inviscid model successfully predicts the flutter boundary for a confined flexible plate. The analysis also shows that confinement has a destabilizing effect on heavy plates. Furthermore, as the confinement is increased, the oscillating frequency of the plate increases and new peaks appear in its stability curve. Asymmetric placement of the plate within the channel, especially when the plate is very close to one wall, also modifies the stability curve of the system by shifting the mode transition points toward smaller fluid-to-plate inertia ratios. Our study suggests that the degree of confinement and asymmetric placement of the plate in the channel could be used to alter the flutter instability of the plate, and to adjust the frequency of flutter.