cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The role of anticoagulation in pylephlebitis: a retrospective examination of characteristics and outcomes

Pylephlebitis, or suppurative thrombophlebitis of the portal vein, typically occurs in the context of an intraabdominal infection or abdominal sepsis. Antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment. The role of anticoagulation in the management of pylephlebitis is controversial, and data regarding its impact on outcomes is limited. The records of 67 consecutive patients with pylephlebitis treated at our institution over a 19 year period were retrospectively reviewed. Data was gathered regarding their baseline characteristics, presentations, management, and outcomes. Patients who did and did not receive anticoagulation were compared. Outcomes of interest included survival, portal vein thrombosis (PVT) resolution, development of chronic symptomatic portal hypertension, and major bleeding. Forty-seven patients received anticoagulation and 20 did not. The anticoagulated and non-anticoagulated groups did not differ significantly with respect to potential covariates or confounders. Anticoagulated patients had significantly higher rates of PVT resolution than non-anticoagulated patients (58% vs. 21%, p = 0.0201). This translated to lower rates of future chronic portal hypertensive symptoms among anticoagulated patients (11% vs. 47%, p = 0.0034). Anticoagulated patients had a trend toward improved survival however this improvement was not significant on multivariable analysis. There was no significant difference in rates of major bleeding between groups. Thrombophilia testing was common in this cohort however the occurrence of meaningful positive results was exceedingly low. Anticoagulation significantly improves the rate of PVT resolution, and significantly reduces the rate of chronic symptomatic portal hypertension, among patients with pylephlebitis. Treatment of pylephlebitis should incorporate the use of systemic anticoagulation whenever possible.
How Oxidation of a Unique Iron-Sulfur Cluster in FBXL5 Regulates IRP2 Levels and Promotes Regulation of Iron Metabolism Proteins

In this issue of Molecular Cell, Wang et al. (2020) discover that the C-terminal substrate-binding domain of FBXL5 contains a redox-sensitive [2Fe-2S] cluster that, upon oxidation, promotes FBXL5 binding to IRP2 to effect its oxygen-dependent degradation, unveiling a novel and previously unrecognized mechanism involved in regulation of cellular iron homeostasis.
Reflection Ultrasound Tomography Using Localized Freehand Scans

Speed of sound (SOS) is a biomarker that aides clinicians in tracking the onset and progression of diseases such as breast cancer and fatty liver disease. In this paper, we propose a framework to generate accurate, 2D SOS maps with a commercial ultrasound probe. We simulate freehand ultrasound probe motion and use a multi-look framework for reflection travel time tomography. In these simulations, the “measured” travel times are computed using a bent-ray Eikonal solver and direct inversion for compressional speed of sound is performed. We have shown that the assumption of straight rays breaks down for large velocity perturbations (greater than 1 percent). The error increases 70 fold for a velocity perturbation increase of 1.5 percent. Moreover, the use of multiple looks greatly aides the inversion process. Simulated RMSE drops by roughly 15 dB when the maximum scanning angle is increased from 0 to 45 degrees.
Evaluation of a mobile safety center's impact on pediatric home safety knowledge and device use

A Mobile Safety Center (MSC) is designed to remove financial accessibility barriers to home safety by providing education and safety devices within local communities. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of an MSC on pediatric home safety knowledge and device use. We conducted a prospective home safety interventional study. Parents and grandparents with children at home were recruited at community events attended by the MSC. Participants completed a pre-test survey assessing demographics and current home safety knowledge, practices, and device use. Participants then attended the MSC’s short home safety educational program. Afterwards, participants completed a knowledge reassessment post-test and were offered free safety devices: a smoke detector, a gun lock, and a childproofing kit comprising outlet covers, doorknob covers, and cabinet latches. We administered two follow-up surveys four weeks and six months after visiting the MSC. Descriptive statistics, Friedman tests, Wilcoxon Sum-Rank tests, and Pearson Chi-Square were used to assess respondent demographic characteristics and changes in home safety knowledge, practices, and device use. We recruited 50 participants, of whom 29 (58%) completed follow-up 1, 30 (60%) completed follow-up 2, and 26 (52%) completed both. Participants who completed both follow-ups increased total correct answers to safety knowledge questions between the pre-test and post-test (p = 0.005), pre-test and follow-up 1 (p = 0.003), and pre-test and follow-up 2 (p = 0.012) with no significant changes between the post-test, follow-up 1, and follow-up 2. Of the respondents who reported accepting safety products, outlet covers were used most frequently, followed by the smoke detector, doorknob covers, cabinet latches, and the gun lock. The MSC may be an effective means of increasing home safety among families with children, as participation in the MSC’s home safety educational program significantly increased home safety knowledge and spurred home safety device use. Implementation of MSCs could potentially reduce childhood injury rates within communities through promotion of home safety.
Redefining Our Identity, Recognizing Our Challenges: GPOW Becomes the Feminist Geographies Specialty Group

Members of the Feminist Geographies Specialty Group (FGSG) of the American Association of Geographers (AAG) and affiliated geographers have engaged in ongoing debates around its mission and identit...
Extending the window for thrombolysis for treatment of acute ischaemic stroke during pregnancy: a review

Historically, safety of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (IV rt-PA) for the treatment of acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is limited to use within 4.5 hours from symptom onset. Recent studies suggest the treatment window may be extended when patients have salvageable brain tissue on advanced neuroimaging. This paper describes a novel use of IV rt-PA for treatment of AIS in a pregnant patient within an extended-time window (>4.5 hours, and <9 hours) based on advanced neuroimaging with a favourable outcome. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Novel use of IV rt-PA for treatment of AIS in pregnancy within an extended-time window based on advanced imaging with a favourable outcome.
Lvad Implantation and Concomitant Valvular Surgery: Analysis of In-hospital Outcomes

Background Valvular heart disease is common among Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) recipients. However, its management at the time of LVAD implantation remains controversial. Methods Patients who underwent LVAD implantation and concomitant aortic (AVR), mitral (MVR) or tricuspid valve (TVR) repair or replacement between 2010 and 2017 were identified using the national inpatient sample (NIS). Endpoints were in-hospital outcomes, length of stay and cost. Procedure-related complications were identified via ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding and analysis was performed via mixed effect models. Results A total of 25,171 weighted adults underwent LVAD implantation without valvular surgery, 1,329 had isolated TVR, 1,021 AVR, 377 MVR and 615 had combined valvular surgery (411 had TVR+AVR, 115 TVR+MVR, 62 AVR+MVR, 25 AVR+MVR+TVR). During the study period, rates of AVR decreased and combined valvular surgeries increased. Patients who underwent TVR or combined valvular surgery had overall higher burden of comorbidities than LVAD recipients with or without other valvular procedures. Post-operative bleeding was higher with AVR whereas acute kidney injury requiring dialysis was higher with TVR or combined valvular surgery. In-hospital mortality was higher with AVR, MVR or combined surgery without differences in the rates of stroke. Length of stay did not differ significantly among groups but cost of hospitalization and non-routine discharge rates were higher for cases of TVR and combined surgery. Conclusion Approximately one in nine LVAD recipients underwent concomitant valvular surgery and TVR was the most frequently performed procedure. In-hospital mortality and cost were lower among those who did not undergo valvular surgery.
Long-Term Outcome of PICU Patients Discharged With New, Functional Status Morbidity.

Objectives To determine the long-term (> 6 mo) functional status of PICU patients with significant new functional morbidities at hospital discharge. Design Longitudinal cohort followed-up using structured chart reviews of electronic health records. Setting Electronic health records of former PICU patients at seven sites. Patients Randomly selected patients from the Trichotomous Outcome Prediction in Critical Care study discharged from the hospital with new functional status morbidity who had sufficient electronic health record data to determine functional status. Interventions None. Measurements and main results Long-term functional status was measured with the Functional Status Scale and categorized by comparison to hospital discharge Functional Status Scale. Improvement or new morbidity was based on a change in Functional Status Scale of greater than or equal to 2 in a single domain. Overall, 56% (n = 71) improved, 15% (n = 19) did not change, 9% (n = 11) developed a new morbidity, and 21% (n = 26) died. The shortest median follow-up time from PICU discharge was 1.4 years for those who died and the longest was 4.0 years for those improved. Functional status at baseline (pre-acute illness) was different among the outcome groups with those that improved having the highest frequency of baseline normal status or only mild dysfunction. Of the long-term survivors with improvement, 82% (n = 58) improved to normal status or mild dysfunction, 11% (n = 8) improved to moderate dysfunction, and 7% (n = 5) improved to severe dysfunction. Trauma patients improved and cancer patients died more frequently than other diagnoses. The long-term outcome groups were not associated with hospital discharge functional status. Conclusions A majority of PICU survivors discharged with significant new functional morbidity with follow-up after 6 or more months improved, many to normal status or only mild dysfunction, while 29% died or developed new morbidity. Of the long-term survivors, 70% had significant improvement after a median follow-up time of 4.0 years.
Exercise Intolerance in Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: Arterial Stiffness and Abnormal Left Ventricular Hemodynamic Responses During Exercise

Abstract Background Arterial stiffness is thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We sought to examine arterial stiffness in HFpEF and hypertension and investigate associations of arterial and left ventricular hemodynamic responses to exercise. Methods and Results A total of 385 symptomatic individuals with an EF of ≥50% underwent upright cardiopulmonary exercise testing with invasive hemodynamic assessment of arterial stiffness and load (aortic augmentation pressure, augmentation index, systemic vascular resistance index, total arterial compliance index, effective arterial elastance index, and pulse pressure amplification) at rest and during incremental exercise. An abnormal hemodynamic response to exercise was defined as a steep increase in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure relative to cardiac output (∆PCWP/∆CO > 2 mm Hg/L/min). We compared rest and exercise measures between HFpEF and hypertension in multivariable analyses. Among 188 participants with HFpEF (mean age 61 ± 13 years, 56% women), resting arterial stiffness parameters were worse compared with 94 hypertensive participants (mean age 55 ± 15 years, 52% women); these differences were accentuated during exercise in HFpEF (all P ≤ .0001). Among all participants, exercise measures of arterial stiffness correlated with worse ∆PCWP/∆CO. Specifically, a 1 standard deviation higher exercise augmentation pressure was associated with 2.15-fold greater odds of abnormal LV hemodynamic response (95% confidence interval 1.52–3.05; P Conclusions Exercise accentuates the increased arterial stiffness found in HFpEF, which in turn correlates with left ventricular hemodynamic responses. Unfavorable ventricular–vascular interactions during exercise in HFpEF may contribute to exertional intolerance and inform future therapeutic interventions.
Ontology and rule-based natural language processing approach for interpreting textual regulations on underground utility infrastructure

Abstract The nation’s massive underground utility infrastructure must comply with a multitude of regulations. The regulatory compliance checking of underground utilities requires an objective and consistent interpretation of the regulations. However, utility regulations contain a variety of domain-specific terms and numerous spatial constraints regarding the location and clearance of underground utilities. It is challenging for the interpreters to understand both the domain and spatial semantics in utility regulations. To address the challenge, this paper adopts an ontology and rule-based Natural Language Processing (NLP) framework to automate the interpretation of utility regulations – the extraction of regulatory information and the subsequent transformation into logic clauses. Two new ontologies have been developed. The urban product ontology (UPO) is domain-specific to model domain concepts and capture domain semantics on top of heterogeneous terminologies in utility regulations. The spatial ontology (SO) consists of two layers of semantics – linguistic spatial expressions and formal spatial relations – for better understanding the spatial language in utility regulations. Pattern-matching rules defined on syntactic features (captured using common NLP techniques) and semantic features (captured using ontologies) were encoded for information extraction. The extracted information elements were then mapped to their semantic correspondences via ontologies and finally transformed into deontic logic (DL) clauses to achieve the semantic and logical formalization. The approach was tested on the spatial configuration-related requirements in utility accommodation policies. Results show it achieves a 98.2% precision and a 94.7% recall in information extraction, a 94.4% precision and a 90.1% recall in semantic formalization, and an 83% accuracy in logical formalization.
Significant Published Articles in 2020 for Pharmacy Nutrition Support Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to assist the pharmacist engaged in nutrition support therapy in staying current with pertinent literature. Methods: Several clinical pharmacists engaged in ...
Olfaction as an early marker of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease

Olfactory impairment is a common and early sign of Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), the two most prevalent neurodegenerative conditions in the elderly. This phenomenon corresponds to pathologic processes emerging in the olfactory system prior to the onset of typical clinical manifestations. Clinically available tests can establish hyposmia through odor identification assessment, discrimination, and odor detection threshold. There are significant efforts to develop preventative or disease-modifying therapies that slow down or halt the progression of PD and AD. Due to the convenience and low cost of its assessment, olfactory impairment could be used in these studies as a screening instrument. In the clinical setting, loss of smell may also help to differentiate PD and AD from alternative causes of Parkinsonism and cognitive impairment, respectively. Here, we discuss the pathophysiology of olfactory dysfunction in PD and AD and how it can be assessed in the clinical setting to aid in the early and differential diagnosis of these disorders.
Examining Sex Differences in Visual Reliance During Postural Control in Intercollegiate Athletes.

# Background Risk factors for different sports injuries vary between sexes. Deficits in postural stability have been associated with several lower extremity injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in static postural stability between male and female intercollegiate athletes with and without visual information. # Hypothesis There will be no difference in visual reliance between sexes during static postural stability. # Study Design Cross-sectional Study # Methods Static postural stability was assessed during a single session for football, soccer, basketball, and volleyball intercollegiate athletes (males, n=135, females, n=51) under eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions via performance of single limb stance on a force plate. Ground reaction force component data in all directions were quantified as a unitless composite score (COMP) where lower values indicated better postural stability. The absolute change and percentage change between EO and EC conditions were calculated for each sex. Two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests were used to compare differences between sexes. # Results Males had greater EO COMP (males=7.77±3.40; females=6.48±4.61; p=0.038; Cohen’s d=0.343) and EC COMP (males=19.43±8.91; females 14.66±6.65; p=0.001; Cohen’s d=0.571) than females. A significant difference in absolute change from EO to EC was observed between sexes (males=-11.65±7.05; females=-8.18±5.61; p=0.01, Cohen’s d=-0.520) indicating that males had a greater change between conditions for the worse. There was no significant difference in percent change from EO to EC between sexes (males=159.2±90.7; females=156.7±109.2; p=0.39; Cohen’s d=0.026). # Conclusions The observed differences between males and females in EO COMP, EC COMP, and absolute difference in COMP indicate that there is some factor that causes a difference in static postural stability between sexes. No difference in percent change between groups indicates that the difference in static postural stability between sexes may not be due to visual reliance. Female athletes may inherently have better postural stability than males, but both sexes were able to compensate for the loss of visual input. # Level of Evidence 3
Parents׳, students׳, and teachers׳ beliefs about teaching heritage histories in public school history classrooms

Abstract This qualitative study examines the expectations and beliefs parents, students, and teachers have about the teaching of heritage histories in public high schools. Students from three heritage groups, as well as their parents and teachers, were interviewed to shed light on this complex, often silent, relationship. This study is grounded in literature about the purposes of history education, historical distance, and collective memory/heritage, which give shape to and help to explicate some of the more complex issues inherent in the teaching of heritage histories. Participants included four Hmong students, three of their parents, and their teacher in St. Paul, Minnesota; eight Chinese students, nine of their parents, and their teacher in Elmdale, California; and five Jewish students, five of their parents, and their teacher in Maple Lake, Illinois. Findings indicate that the three stakeholder groups believe that the public school history classroom is an appropriate and desired place for heritage histories to be taught. This is complicated, however, by several factors: the placement of the heritage history narratives within larger curricular and mainstream narratives, how the teachers choose to incorporate the heritage narratives into the formal classroom curriculum, and the changing nature of historical and generational distance.
These Caterpillars Foreshadow Great Butterflies

This booklet contains fifty-six questions in nine categories that marketing managers can use to critically review their market research projects, research instruments, and brand management initiatives.
Inherited Metabolic Neuropathies

The inherited metabolic neuropathies are a heterogeneous group of neuropathies, which are now reclassified based on enzyme deficiency or genotyping. This chapter covers the major metabolic inherited neuropathies where peripheral nerve dysfunction is a feature of a multisystem disease or a manifestation of an underlying genetic mutation.
An outreach after-school program to introduce high-school students to electrical engineering

We report on a university-based pilot initiative to introduce students in grades 9–12 to electrical engineering practices. The after-school program consisted of two modules of four two-hour sessions and targeted students from two different local schools. They were exposed to hands-on electronic activities as well as programming practices related to image processing. The data collected from weekly surveys revealed that students found the program more challenging and engaging as the course progressed and they were motivated to pursue future engineering study. Additional schools in the region have requested the opportunity for their students to participate in the program at the university.
Shunt Current Control Methods In Electrochemical Systems — Applications

Shunt current effects in common electrolyte series-connected cell systems can be eliminated by passing an appropriate current through the common electrolyte manifolds or channel interconnects. Electrical shunt current control theories have been verified and the techniques have been applied to batteries and electrolysis systems. The technique appears to be generally applicable to electrochemical systems.
Characterization of three phase unidirectional transducers

To characterize three phase unidirectional transducer (TPUDT) transmission and reflection properties, a PC-based analysis and mask structure layout program is developed and a study of TPUDT crossover fabrication is performed. The analysis program can be used to calculate the equivalent circuit model elements by charge superposition, thin film loss, matching and phasing elements, and the forward and reverse response of the transducer. The structure program is capable of generating balanced apodized transducers based on user-defined time impulse weighting data. Test devices are designed using a balance apodized structure. A novel TPUDT reflector is produced using a single three-phase transducer with a single inductor. Common dielectrics used for isolation in semiconductor fabrication, including spin on glass (SOG) and polyimide, are evaluated and a reliable fabrication process is developed. >
Cosmic bandits: Exploration versus exploitation in CMB B-mode experiments

Abstract A preferred method to detect the curl-component, or B-mode, signature of inflationary gravitational waves (IGWs) in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization, in the absence of foregrounds and lensing, is a prolonged integration over a single patch of sky of a few square degrees. In practice, however, foregrounds abound and the sensitivity to B modes can be improved considerably by finding the region of sky cleanest of foregrounds. The best strategy to detect B modes thus involves a tradeoff between exploration (to find lower-foreground patches) and exploitation (through prolonged integration). This problem is akin to the multi-armed bandit (MAB) problem in probability theory, wherein a gambler faces a series of slot machines with unknown winning odds and must develop a strategy to maximize his/her winnings with some finite number of pulls. While the optimal MAB strategy remains to be determined, a number of algorithms have been developed in an effort to maximize the winnings. Here, based on this resemblance, we tackle the search for IGW B modes with single frequency experiments in the presence of spatially varying foregrounds by developing adaptive survey strategies to optimize the sensitivity to IGW B modes. We demonstrate, using realistic foreground models and taking lensing-induced B modes into account, that adaptive experiments can substantially improve the upper bound on the tensor-to-scalar ratio (by factors of 2 and 3 in single frequency experiments, and possibly even more). Similar techniques can be applied to other surveys, including 21-cm measurements of signatures of the epoch of reionization, searches for a stochastic primordial gravitational wave background, deep-field imaging by the James Webb Space Telescope or various radio interferometers, and transient follow-up searches.
The hibernating myocardium: identification of viable myocardium in patients with coronary artery disease and chronic left ventricular dysfunction

In a large subset of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, LV performance is reduced on the basis of regionally ischemic or hibernating myocardium rather than irreversibly infarcted myocardium. The detection of reversibly dysfunctional myocardium is clinically relevant, as regional and global LV function in such patients may improve substantially after revascularization. Noninvasive imaging methods to assess myocardial metabolic activity, membrane integrity, and inotropic reserve are ideally suited for this assessment.
Prostate cancer: Utility of diffusion-weighted imaging as a marker of side-specific risk of extracapsular extension

Purpose To assess the utility of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) findings as an indirect marker of side-specific risk of extracapsular extension (ECE) of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods Fifty-one patients underwent 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before prostatectomy. Radiologists 1 and 2 (4 and 1 years experience) assessed each side for ECE using T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and evaluated apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps for the presence of apparent tumor in each lobe and to measure peripheral zone ADC. A uropathologist measured the extent of any ECE. Results In all, 28/102 lobes had ECE, of which 12 measured ≤1 mm, 11 measured >1 mm and ≤2 mm, and five measured >2 mm. Side-specific accuracies for detection of ECE for readers 1 and 2 were respectively: T2WI 68.6% and 74.5%; presence of apparent tumor on ADC map 66.7% and 60.8%; ADC value 75.5% and 69.6%. For ECE >2 mm, both readers achieved 100% sensitivity based on apparent tumor on ADC map or ADC values and 80% sensitivity using T2WI. For detection of ECE ≤2 mm, sensitivity for all combinations of the three methods and two readers ranged from 58.3%–81.8%, aside from assessment for ECE using T2WI by the less experienced reader, which exhibited sensitivity of 17.4%. Interreader agreement for the presence of ECE was 0.18 using T2WI, 0.37 using apparent tumor on ADC map, and 0.60 using ADC values. Conclusion Compared with T2WI, DWI had comparable accuracy for side-specific assessment of ECE, greater sensitivity for ECE <2 mm for the less-experienced radiologist, and greater interreader agreement. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2013;38:312–319. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A laplacean formal semantics for single-case propensities

Even those generally skeptical of propensity interpretations of probability must now grant the following two points. First, the above single-case propensity interpretation meets recognized formal conditions for being a genuine interpretation of probability. Second, this interpretation is not logically reducible to a hypothetical relative frequency interpretation, nor is it only vacuously different from such an interpretation.
Comparison of weight changes following unilateral and staged bilateral STN DBS for advanced PD.

Unilateral and bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) result in weight gain in the initial postoperative months, but little is known about the changes in weight following unilateral and staged bilateral STN DBS over longer time intervals. A case–control comparison evaluated weight changes over 2 years in 43 consecutive unilateral STN DBS patients, among whom 25 elected to undergo staged bilateral STN DBS, and 21 age-matched and disease severity matched PD controls without DBS. Regression analyses incorporating age, gender, and baseline weight in case or control were conducted to assess weight changes 2 years after the initial unilateral surgery. Unilateral STN DBS and staged bilateral STN DBS patients gained 3.9 ± 2.0 kg and 5.6 ± 2.1 kg versus their preoperative baseline weight (P < 0.001, respectively) while PD controls without DBS lost 0.8 ± 1.1 kg. Although bilateral STN DBS patients gained 1.7 kg more than unilateral STN DBS patients at 2 years, this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.885). Although there was a trend toward greater weight gain in staged bilateral STN DBS patients versus unilateral patients, we found no evidence for an equivalent or synergistic increase in body weight following placement of the second DBS electrode.
Association of prior statin therapy with cytokine profiles and outcomes in patients hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia

Two small studies found prior statin use was associated with decreased ICU admission and severe sepsis in patients hospitalized with bacterial infection and decreased mortality in bacteremic patients. These effects were postulated to be due to anti-inflammatory effects of statins. We examined prior statin use, plasma cytokine levels, and outcomes in a large cohort of patients hospitalized with community acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Functional organization of input from areas 17 and 18 to an extrastriate area in the cat

In the cat, areas 17 and 18 have 2 main cortical targets: area 19 and a large region of suprasylvian cortex, referred to here as the Clare-Bishop area (Hubel and Wiesel, 1969). The functional organization of the latter area is not well understood. It seems likely that its organization reflects, in part, the organization of its inputs from areas 17 and 18, and I therefore studied the functional organization of these inputs. Responses were recorded directly from afferents terminating in the Clare-Bishop area after silencing its cells by local injections of kainic acid. Afferents were precisely ordered according to preferred orientation in a fashion resembling the columnar organization of area 17. Preferred direction was also an important organizing parameter. Within sizable regions of cortex, directional preference changed gradually or not at all, while at these regions' boundaries, preferred direction reversed by 180 degrees. Except for a loose grouping according to eye dominance, afferents were not ordered according to other response properties. It is possible that the afferent array is also compartmentalized according to the area of origin of each afferent. Inputs from areas 17 and 18, for example, might end in separate territories in the Clare-Bishop area. However, physiological recording, as well as anatomical experiments, failed to show a clear segregation. This study provides the first direct demonstration that a cortico-cortical pathway can be organized according to particular response properties. While the existence of an organization according to preferred orientation was not surprising, the high degree of order was unexpected. It is also interesting that afferents were well ordered according to 1 parameter, directional preference, that is weakly organized, at best, in area 17.
Photoprotection by clothing

: Wearing of clothing, hats, and sunglasses to protect from exposure to sunlight should be part of a package of protection. Clothing specifically designed to avoid exposure is now available and recently standards have been published in several countries to measure the degree of protection. The ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) is likely to be as ubiquitous in clothing aisles as the sun protection factor (SPF) is now in the sunscreen aisle of your local department store.
Production of thermotolerant N-carbamyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase by recombinant Escherichia coli.

A plasmid, pNT4553, was constructed for high level production of N-carbamyl-d-amino acid amidohydrolase (DCase), the thermostability of which has been improved by amino acid substitution. The DCase activity and the stability of the plasmid in the host cells were dependent on the Escherichia coli strains used. E. coli HB101 was the most suitable host strain among the 13 types of E. coli tested. E. coli HB101 exhibited the highest activity, i.e. 6.36 units/ml of culture broth in 2YT medium (1.6% tryptone, 1.0% yeast extract, and 0.5% NaCl, pH 7.0), and the plasmid was stably maintained by cultivation in 5 types of E. coli including HB101. Casamino acids, NZ-amine, peptone, and protein extract (a mixture of hydrolyzates of corn gluten, wheat gluten and soybean), were found to be suitable as natural nitrogen sources for both enzyme activity and growth. When cultivation was carried out in the presence of high concentrations of glycerol (6.5%) as the carbon source, and protein extract (3.0%) as the nitrogen source, in a small volume of the medium (20 ml of medium in a 500-ml shaking flask), in which the aeration level was estimated to be high, growth and activity reached OD550=63.8 (17.1 mg of dry cell weight/ml of culture broth) and 22.9 units/ml of culture broth, respectively. The economical hyperproduction of DCase using only inexpensive constituents for the medium was achieved.
Structural Studies of Anomalous Behavior in the Silica‐Alumina Gel System

This paper compares the structure ofAl2O3-SiO2 xerogels prepared with Al2O3 contents ranging from 21 to 75 wt% (13 to 64 mol%). The 47 wt% Al2O3 xerogel (Al/Si ≅ 1) exhibits anomalously low surface area (≅1 m2/g) and skeletal density compared with other Al2O3-Si2 compositions. Based on the results of nitrogen adsorption/condensation, helium displacement, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), we attribute the low surface area and skeletal density (density of the solid phase which is inaccessable to helium) to the formation of closed micropores, whereas the higher surface area materials exhibit a slightly coarser texture comprising open pores with radii of ≅1 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and 29SI and 27Al magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MASNMR) indicate no anomalous behavior in the 47% sample on molecular length scales. HRTEM indicates the presence of a small fraction of crystallites which is supported by the SAXS results, but it is unknown if this crystallinity is related to low surface area. Low-field 1H NMR spin-lattice relaxation measurements show that the physical structure of all of the ‘wet’ gels is similar implying that pore closure occurs during drying. Consistent with this idea, gel surface area and density increased significantly when the pore fluid (water) was replaced with a lower surface tension fluid (formamide, dioxane, ethanol. water/surfactant).
Molecular Dynamics Investigations of Lipid Langmuir Monolayers Using a Coarse-Grain Model

We present the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of coarse-grain 1,2-di-n-alkanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine Langmuir monolayer systems. Two separate alkanoyl length lipids are considered. Surface pressure versus area per lipid isotherms are obtained for both lipid species and are compared to experimental and previous atomistic MD work. The short-tail lipid cannot support a surface pressure above that expected at the critical micelle concentration. In contrast, the long-tail lipid is studied in the metastable regime of slightly negative surface tension. At still higher surface coverage, the interface is destabilized, leading to monolayer collapse via a novel mechanism in which a charge-neutralizing bridge of zwitterionic headgroups is established to transport lipids across the alkanoyl region. Area per lipid compression simulations are also performed at constant lipid number to demonstrate that the observed instabilities are generic.
Finite size effects in quasi-2d magnets

Abstract Magnetic phases in graphite intercalation compounds are composed of weakly coupled islands of intercalant. A recently-discovered memory effect in these compounds can be used to separate effects due to clusters of islands of different sizes. Utilizing this feature, a dimensional crossover can be observed in the magnetization as the cluster size is reduced.
Powered low cost autonomous attack system: cooperative, autonomous, wide-area-search munitions with capability to serve as non-traditional ISR assets in a network-centric environment

The Powered Low Cost Autonomous Attack System (PLOCAAS) is an Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate Advanced Technology Demonstration program. The PLOCAAS objective is to demonstrate a suite of technologies in an affordable miniature munition to autonomously search, detect, identify, track, attack and destroy ground mobile targets of military interest. PLOCAAS incorporates a solid state LADAR seeker and Autonomous Target Acquisition (ATA) algorithms, miniature turbojet engine, multi-mode warhead, and an integrated INS/GPS into a 36” high lift-to-drag airframe. Together, these technologies provide standoff beyond terminal defenses, wide area search capability, and high probability of target report with low false target attack rate with high load-outs. Four LADAR seeker captive flight tests provided the sequestered data for robust Air Force ATA algorithm performance assessment and non-sequestered data for algorithm development. PLOCAAS has had three successful free-flight tests in which the LADAR seeker and ATA algorithms have detected, acquired, identified, tracked, and engaged ground mobile targets. In addition to summarizing program activities to date, this paper will present requirements and capabilities to be demonstrated in the next phase of PLOCAAS development. This phase’s objective is to demonstrate the military utility of a two-way data-link. The data-link allows Operator-In-The-Loop monitoring and control of miniature, cooperative, wide-area-search munitions and enables them to serve as non-traditional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets in a network-centric environment.
Cdc42 GTPase and Rac1 GTPase act downstream of p120 catenin and require GTP exchange during gastrulation of zebrafish mesoderm

Background: We investigated the roles of p120 catenin, Cdc42, Rac1, and RhoA GTPases in regulating migration of presomitic mesoderm cells in zebrafish embryos. p120 catenin has dual roles: It binds the intracellular and juxtamembrane region of cadherins to stabilize cadherin-mediated adhesion with the aid of RhoA GTPase, and it activates Cdc42 GTPase and Rac1 GTPase in the cytosol to initiate cell motility. Results: During gastrulation of zebrafish embryos, knockdown of the synthesis of zygotic p120 catenin δ1 mRNAs with a splice-site morpholino caused lateral widening and anterior-posterior shortening of the presomitic mesoderm and somites and a shortened anterior-posterior axis. These phenotypes indicate a cell-migration effect. Co-injection of low amounts of wild-type Cdc42 or wild-type Rac1 or dominant-negative RhoA mRNAs, but not constitutively-active Cdc42 mRNA, rescued these p120 catenin δ1-depleted embryos. Conclusions: These downstream small GTPases require appropriate spatiotemporal stimulation or cycling of GTP to guide mesodermal cell migration. A delicate balance of Rho GTPases and p120 catenin underlies normal development. Developmental Dynamics 241:1545–1561, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Development of positron emission tomography β-amyloid plaque imaging agents.

For 100 years, β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) have been recognized as the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and their presence or absence could only be assessed postmortem using stains and dyes that identified these microscopic structures. Approximately 10 years ago, the first successful Aβ plaque–specific positron emission tomography (PET) imaging study was conducted in a living human subject clinically diagnosed with probable AD using the 11 C-labeled radiopharmaceutical Pittsburgh Compound B (PiB). Laboratory studies and preclinical evaluations to design PiB began a decade earlier than the first human PiB PET study and involved chemical modifications of different well-known dyes that bound specifically to the extended β-pleated sheets that comprise the fibrils of amyloid proteins such as Aβ plaques, NFTs, α-synuclein deposits, and prions. These preclinical studies were conducted in our laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh, starting with Congo red derivatives, followed by Chrysamine G derivatives, followed by X-series compounds, and finally with neutral derivatives of thioflavin-T. The in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the different derivatives as candidate PET radioligands for imaging Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in human brain are described in this review, along with the specific evaluation criteria by which the candidate radioligands were judged. Out of these studies came PiB, a PET radioligand that binds selectively and with high affinity to only fibrillar forms of Aβ. PiB has been used in many different human research protocols throughout the world and has demonstrated the usefulness of assessing the Aβ plaque status of subjects many years before the clinical diagnosis of probable AD. Recently, longer-lived 18 F-radiolabeled Aβ-selective radiopharmaceuticals have been developed. It is likely that the full clinical impact of these imaging agents will be realized by identifying presymptomatic subjects who would benefit from early drug treatments with future disease-modifying AD therapeutics.
Modeling Hawaiian ecosystem degradation due to invasive plants under current and future climates.

Occupation of native ecosystems by invasive plant species alters their structure and/or function. In Hawaii, a subset of introduced plants is regarded as extremely harmful due to competitive ability, ecosystem modification, and biogeochemical habitat degradation. By controlling this subset of highly invasive ecosystem modifiers, conservation managers could significantly reduce native ecosystem degradation. To assess the invasibility of vulnerable native ecosystems, we selected a proxy subset of these invasive plants and developed robust ensemble species distribution models to define their respective potential distributions. The combinations of all species models using both binary and continuous habitat suitability projections resulted in estimates of species richness and diversity that were subsequently used to define an invasibility metric. The invasibility metric was defined from species distribution models with 0.8; True Skill Statistic >0.75) as evaluated per species. Invasibility was further projected onto a 2100 Hawaii regional climate change scenario to assess the change in potential habitat degradation. The distribution defined by the invasibility metric delineates areas of known and potential invasibility under current climate conditions and, when projected into the future, estimates potential reductions in native ecosystem extent due to climate-driven invasive incursion. We have provided the code used to develop these metrics to facilitate their wider use (Code S1). This work will help determine the vulnerability of native-dominated ecosystems to the combined threats of climate change and invasive species, and thus help prioritize ecosystem and species management actions.
Desalination by Osmosis-Reverse Osmosis Couple

Water is separated from brines by a semipermeable membrane. Water flows by osmosis across the membrane into a sealed chamber where it creates pressure. This pressure is transmitted by a water-immiscible liquid piston to a second chamber where it effects reverse osmosis. Water-removal rates are calculated.
Distributed visualization framework architecture

An architecture for distributed and collaborative visualization is presented. The design goals of the system are to create a lightweight, easy to use and extensible framework for reasearch in scientific visualization. The system provides both single user and collaborative distributed environment. System architecture employs a client-server model. Visualization projects can be synchronously accessed and modified from different client machines. We present a set of visualization use cases that illustrate the flexibility of our system. The framework provides a rich set of reusable components for creating new applications. These components make heavy use of leading design patterns. All components are based on the functionality of a small set of interfaces. This allows new components to be integrated seamlessly with little to no effort. All user input and higher-level control functionality interface with proxy objects supporting a concrete implementation of these interfaces. These light-weight objects can be easily streamed across the web and even integrated with smart clients running on a user's cell phone. The back-end is supported by concrete implementations wherever needed (for instance for rendering). A middle-tier manages any communication and synchronization with the proxy objects. In addition to the data components, we have developed several first-class GUI components for visualization. These include a layer compositor editor, a programmable shader editor, a material editor and various drawable editors. These GUI components interact strictly with the interfaces. Access to the various entities in the system is provided by an AssetManager. The asset manager keeps track of all of the registered proxies and responds to queries on the overall system. This allows all user components to be populated automatically. Hence if a new component is added that supports the IMaterial interface, any instances of this can be used in the various GUI components that work with this interface. One of the main features is an interactive shader designer. This allows rapid prototyping of new visualization renderings that are shader-based and greatly accelerates the development and debug cycle.
Olfactory functional testing: sensitivity and specificity for Alzheimer's disease

The neuropathological changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are earliest observed in areas of the brain central to olfactory processing, suggesting the theoretical importance and potential diagnostic utility of assessment of olfactory function in these patients. Investigations conducted to assess olfaction function in both patients with AD and those at risk for the disease are reviewed. Functional testing included olfactory threshold, odor identification, odor memory, and odor fluency. Both Alzheimer's patients and those at risk for the disease showed significant impairment in olfactory function, with some measures showing more impairment than others in the early stages of the disease process. Longitudinal investigation of some measures indicated decreased function over time consonant with increasing dementia. The sensitivity and specificity of some of these olfactory assessments will be related to analogous assessments in other modalities. The results support the incorporation of olfactory measures in batteries for assessment of early AD. Drug Dev. Res. 56:123–131, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Personal resources and homelessness in early life: Predictors of depression in consumers of homeless multiService centers

This study explored the relationship between personal resources and previous adverse life events such as homelessness and depression. Participants were recruited from two church sponsored multisite social service centers in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. The interview included demographics and several standardized scales to assess history of homelessness, medical history, personal resources, and depressive symptoms. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that participants with higher levels of depressive symptoms were older, had a history of homelessness, had more health problems, had a history of mental illness, and had lower self-esteem, mastery, and mattering. A subanalysis indicated that individuals who had experienced homelessness at or before age 21 had higher levels of depressive symptoms than those who were first homeless as an adult. Previous history of homelessness, especially before age 21, and lack of personal resources may place individuals at risk for psychological distress, in...