cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A microscopic model of rate and state friction evolution

Whether rate- and state-dependent friction evolution is primarily slip dependent or time dependent is not well resolved. Although slide-hold-slide experiments are traditionally interpreted as supporting the aging law, implying time-dependent evolution, recent studies show that this evidence is equivocal. In contrast, the slip law yields extremely good fits to velocity step experiments, although a clear physical picture for slip-dependent friction evolution is lacking. We propose a new microscopic model for rate and state friction evolution in which each asperity has a heterogeneous strength, with individual portions recording the velocity at which they became part of the contact. Assuming an exponential distribution of asperity sizes on the surface, the model produces results essentially similar to the slip law, yielding very good fits to velocity step experiments but not improving much the fits to slide-hold-slide experiments. A numerical kernel for the model is developed, and an analytical expression is obtained for perfect velocity steps, which differs from the slip law expression by a slow-decaying factor. By changing the quantity that determines the intrinsic strength, we use the same model structure to investigate aging-law-like time-dependent evolution. Assuming strength to increase logarithmically with contact age, for two different definitions of age we obtain results for velocity step increases significantly different from the aging law. Interestingly, a solution very close to the aging law is obtained if we apply a third definition of age that we consider to be nonphysical. This suggests that under the current aging law, the state variable is not synonymous with contact age.
Abstract 2580: Ceramide-rubusoside nano-micelles restores p53-mediated tumor suppression in p53R248W mutant ovarian cancer cells

Ceramide (Cer), a sphingolipid metabolite, has crucial functions in anti-proliferation, cell differentiation and apoptosis. Cellular Cer levels highly correlates to therapeutic efficacy of anticancer drugs, however, the hydrophobicity Cer has limits to develop it as a therapeutic agent. Here, we report that Cer-rubusoside (Cer-RUB) nanomicelles enhanced Cer bioavailability and restored p53-mediated tumor suppression. These nanomicelles significantly increased the levels of NBD-C6-Cer by more than 50-fold in serum, 40-fold in tumor and 70-fold in lung of tumor-bearing mice (1 mg/kg, i.p., 24 hr), respectively. Cer-RUB (3 µM) significantly increased OVCAR-3 (p53 R248W) cell sensitivity to cisplatin, and the IC50 values decreased by 3-fold, even though these values were no significant changes in A2780 (wt p53) cells. Furthermore, Cer-RUB treatments (1 mg/kg, i.p. every 3 days for 24 days) significantly increased cisplatin efficacy in tumor growth-arrest in OVCAR-3 tumor-mice, and the tumor volumes reduced by 52% (1653 vs. 805 mm3) in combination with cisplatin, compared to cisplatin alone. We found that ovarian cancer stem cells (CD44+/CD133+) decreased by 10-fold (0.85 vs. 0.08% of total cells) in OVCAR-3 tumors treated with Cer-RUB combined with cisplatin, as compared to cisplatin alone, respectively. Western blotting showed that Cer-RUB treatments selectively increased the expression levels of phosphorylated p53 (Ser15), BAX and p21 in OVCAR-3 cancer cells and tumors, respectively. These studies indicates that the gain-of-function (GOF) of p53 R248W leads OVCAR-3 cell resistance to cisplatin and tumor growth. Cer-RUB can restore p53 and eliminates the GOF of p53 R248W in cancers. Citation Format: sachin K. khiste, Zhijun Liu, Yong-Yu Liu. Ceramide-rubusoside nano-micelles restores p53-mediated tumor suppression in p53R248W mutant ovarian cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2580. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2580
Placental Membranes for Management of Refractory Cutaneous Sinus Tracts of Surgical Origin: A Pilot Study

Abstract Despite advances in surgical technique, postoperative complications may lead to refractory cutaneous sinus tracts or tunnels. Negative pressure wound therapy is difficult to apply in longer tracts with a narrow diameter opening and conservative treatment failures ultimately necessitate surgical revisions. The aim of this pilot study was a clinical utility assessment of two different commercial placental membrane products for refractory cutaneous sinus tracts of surgical origin. Patients were treated with viable cryopreserved placental membrane (vCPM, n = 6) or devitalized dehydrated amnion/chorion membrane (dHACM, n = 6). The primary outcome measurement was the proportion of complete sinus tract depth resolution without exudate. Secondary endpoints included 4-week percent reduction in sinus tract probing depth and peri-tract wound surface area, days and number of grafts to resolution, number of wound-related infections, and 1-year recurrence rate for closed sinus tracts. All vCPM patients demonstrated complete sinus tract resolution compared to zero closures in the dHACM group (p = 0.00216). The vCPM group achieved greater percent reduction in probing depth (73.3 ± 21.9 versus −4.4 ± 91.3) and surrounding wound surface area (34.8 ± 86.8 versus −279.3 ± 454.9) at 4 weeks than dHACM. The use of viable intact cryopreserved placental membrane has demonstrated positive clinical outcomes for the treatment for refractory exudative sinus tracts and may be an alternative to repeat surgical intervention.
Evaluation of a Multi-Phase Trauma-Focused Intervention with Latino Youth

This pilot study examined the effectiveness of a multi-phase trauma-informed intervention with 24 trauma-exposed Latino youth. Treatment included a somatic-based intervention to target physiological hyperarousal symptoms and a sensory/cognitive-based trauma-focused intervention targeting stabilization of the trauma experience. Twenty-four participants completed several measures for mental health symptomatology and psychosocial functioning at baseline, at the conclusion of treatment, and at 3-month follow-up. Results of paired sample t-test analyses showed significant improvements in scores on measures for trauma, anxiety, depression, psychosocial functioning, and emotional dysregulation following 12 weeks of treatment when compared to baseline. Improvements were maintained at 3-month follow-up. This community-based intervention shows promise in helping Latino children who have experienced trauma. Research using randomized controlled designs with larger samples is suggested to further test the efficacy of this intervention.
Interaction between habitat limitation and dispersal limitation is modulated by species life history and external conditions: a stochastic matrix model approach

Traditionally, species absence in a community is ascribed either to dispersal limitation (i.e., the inability of propagules of a species to reach a site) or to habitat limitation (abiotic or biotic conditions of a site prevent species from forming a viable population); sowing experiments can then distinguish between these two mechanisms. In our view, the situation is even more complicated. To demonstrate the complexity of the problem, we designed and applied simulations based on an extension of matrix models covering effects of propagule pressure and habitat limitation, and reflecting various characteristics of a species and of a habitat. These included life history, fecundity, seed bank viability of a species, habitat carrying capacity and disturbances. All the investigated factors affected proportion of occupied habitats. Whereas they can, to a large extent, compensate for each other, simultaneous decrease of habitat suitability and propagule input can be detrimental to the survival of a population. Our model demonstrated that in many cases, the absence of a species in a community is of stochastic nature, and result of interaction of species life history and various external conditions, and thus cannot be simply attributed to a single cause. The model results are supported with examples of case studies. The results also explain some well-known ecological phenomena, as decrease of niche breadth from the center to the margins of area of distribution. Finally, the model also suggests some caveats in interpretation of the results of sowing experiments.
The Role of Molecular Imaging in Personalized Medicine

The implementation and integration of systems biology approaches with the emerging nanosciences and microchip technology will profoundly revolutionize molecular imaging and fuel the drive toward a more predictive and individualized health care. In combination with informatics platforms, key gene and protein targets may be identified that will serve as more effective targets for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Drug development may additionally be expedited by the judicious selection of more appropriate molecular biomarkers that will serve as objective endpoints of treatment efficacy. Finally, with the more widespread proliferation of high field magnets and advancements in imaging hardware, acquisition methods, and novel, “smart” MR agents, the ability to achieve higher resolution analyses of tumor biology, cell tracking, and gene expression will be more fully realized.
A Finite State Model for the Control of Adrenal Cortical Steroid Secretion

The steroid hormone Cortisol is the principal secretory product of the adrenal cortex in man and the carnivores. Its rate of secretion is primarily under the control of adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH, secreted by the pituitary gland. The release of ACTH by the pituitary is in turn controlled by the hypothalamus by means of a neurohormone, corticotropin-releasing factor, or CRF. From the late 1940’s until early 1960’s there was a controversy about the mode of control of ACTH release and Cortisol secretion. One school based its view on the possibility of suppression of ACTH release and induction of adrenal atrophy by exogenous Cortisol, and suggested that there is closed-loop automatic control of the peripheral concentration of Cortisol in the blood, with stimulation of ACTH release when the Cortisol level of the blood fell, and suppression of that release when the Cortisol level was elevated. Accordingly, a stimulus would increase the load and lower Cortisol concentration. This would lead to increased CRF release from the hypothalamus and thus increased ACTH release from the pituitary.
Activation of rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase by calmodulin--a mechanistic overview.

The myosin light chain kinases [MLCK, E.C. 2.7.1.37] are a family of tissue-specific isozymes which share as their substrate the phosphoryl- or P-light chain.component of myosin. Distinct forms of MLCK have been isolated from smooth, skeletal, and cardiac muscle. The enzyme appears to be ubiquitous, with non-muscle MLCK envisaged as being very similar, if not identical, to the smooth muscle isozyme (For a review see (43)).
Why insiders in some firms are more inside than those in others : cross-sectional determinants and effects of insider purchase profitability

This paper uses cross-sectional analyses to examine factors affecting insiders’ purchase profitability, including insiders’ and outsiders’ information precision and corporate restrictions. The empirical evidence shows that, despite the litigation risk inherent in exploiting superior inside information, insiders’ purchase profitability is positively associated with the degree of insiders’ information precision and negatively associated with the disclosure quality of insiders’ firms. The result holds after controlling for potential endogeneity between insiders’ choice of trading profitability level and their decision on disclosure quality. Employing a direct approach and an indirect approach to infer the corporate restrictions on insider trading, the paper finds that corporate restrictions reduce insiders’ purchase profitability. The paper further investigates the impact of insider trading on firms’ cost of equity capital and finds that insiders’ purchase profitability during a fiscal year is positively associated with their firms’ cost of equity capital measured at the end of the year. These results improve researchers’ understanding about the cross-sectional variation of insiders’ trading profitability. I thank the members of my dissertation committee, Thomas Lys (chair), Robert Magee, Mitchell Petersen and Beverly Walther for their invaluable help in forming this paper. The discussion with Anne Beyer, Ronald Dye, Stephen Hillegeist, Peter Hostak, Meredith Maher, Ramanan Natarajan, Shyam Sunder, Ewa Tomaszewska, and Linda Vincent was extremely helpful and highly appreciated. I thank Stephen Hillegeist for generously providing the AIMR score data and the coded corporate governance (IRRC) data used in the paper. I am grateful to Professor Robert Magee, the Zell Center for Risk Research, the Accounting Research Center and the Office of Dean at Kellogg School of Management for financial support. All errors are my own.
Evaluation and Treatment of Adrenal Dysfunction in the Primary Care Environment

Adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) and Cushing's syndrome are rare disorders characterized by abnormal secretion of adrenal hormones. All patients with adrenal insufficiency and many with Cushing's syndrome require life-long therapy with the potential to impact the quality of life. Management requires gain of a significant amount of knowledge related to treatment, self-care, and how to react quickly in critical situations. Knowledge deficits related to management may cause patients to become critically ill and may even cause death. Ongoing patient/family teaching is crucial for proper disease management and sustaining the quality of life.
Parotid gland acinic cell carcinoma with fallopian canal erosion

Abstract Background Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) of the parotid gland is a rare salivary gland malignancy with a low propensity for perineural invasion. Here we present a case of delayed recurrence presenting as facial nerve paralysis with imaging and pathology demonstrating tumor erosion of the Fallopian canal. Methods Case report with clinical and radiological correlates. Results Sixty-four year-old woman with a history of parotid gland ACC presents 15 years later with facial nerve paralysis. Work-up, including imaging and fine-needle aspiration biopsy, confirmed recurrent ACC with erosion of the Fallopian canal. She underwent surgical resection, which included radical parotidectomy and facial nerve sacrifice to negative frozen section margins halfway along the horizontal segment. Conclusions Acinic cell carcinoma, especially in the setting of recurrence, does have the potential for perineural invasion. With a high propensity for late recurrence, it is prudent to monitor patients with salivary gland ACC for at least a decade.
Diversion and Alternatives to Arrest: A Qualitative Understanding of Police and Substance Users’ Perspective:

Diversion to treatment is not a new concept in the criminal justice system. Successful strategies require the participation of both law enforcement officers and individuals with a substance use dis...
PHYSICAL TRANSFER PROCESSES BETWEEN GEORGIA TIDAL INLETS AND NEARSHORE WATERS

Abstract: Nearshore continental shelf waters are directly influenced by the many tidal inlets which are spaced 10 to 20 km apart along the Georgia coast. Despite the highly variable and complex nature of the flow near inlets, there are recurring hydrographic features that typify the nearshore region. An innermost zone, adjacent to inlet mouths, contains highly turbid waters ejected from the inlets and marshes along the sounds. Fresher waters override more saline waters in a more or less classic riverine plume, inside of which the water motion is nearly independent of the motion in the surrounding water. Seaward of the zone containing the inlet plumes, a complex array of salinity and turbidity fronts is found that is probably a relict from preceding tidal cycles. The zone extends offshore 10 to 20 km and is defined here as the nearshore zone. In this zone, the fresher and more turbid waters are mixed horizontally and vertically with continental shelf water, resulting in a hydrographic structure similar to a partially mixed estuary. Material from the many inlets enters the nearshore zone where the vertical and horizontal gradients inhibit the exchange in the onshore direction unless tidal and wind-generated currents induce transfer processes that overcome this inhibition. These transfer processes are investigated with a limited amount of time-series data at one point. It is shown that onshore salt fluxes have strong tidal components and are influenced by vertical shear accompanying the presence of vertically stratified water. While these transfer processes occur regularly over each tidal cycle, more efficient and dramatic exchange processes may be associated with the changes in alongshore current direction.
The diverse rationalities of entrepreneurship education : epistemic stance perspective

There is a healthy skepticism regarding whether one can learn entrepreneurship in a business classroom setting. One unique challenge of entrepreneurship education is that at least to some degree, e...
Comparison of 3 Devices for 24-Hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in a Nonclinical Environment Through a Randomized Trial.

Background The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends the use of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) as part of screening and diagnosis of hypertension. The optimal ABPM device for population-based surveys is unknown. Methods We compared the proportion of valid blood pressure (BP) readings, mean awake and asleep BP readings, differences between awake ABPM readings and initial standardized BP readings, and sleep experience among three ABPM devices. We randomized a convenience sample of 365 adults to 1 of 3 ABPM devices: Welch Allyn Mobil-O-Graph (WA), Sun Tech Classic Oscar2 (STO) and Spacelabs 90227 (SL). Participants completed sleep quality questionnaires on the nights before and during ABPM testing. Results The proportions of valid BP readings were not different among the 3 devices (P > 0.45). Mean awake and asleep systolic BP were significantly higher for STO device (WA vs. STO vs. SL: 126.65, 138.09, 127.44 mm Hg; 114.34, 120.34, 113.13 mm Hg; P 0.4 for all). Conclusion Most of the participants met the threshold of 70% valid readings over 24 hours. Sleep disturbance was common but did not interfere with completion of measurement in most of the participants.
Newman, Lesléa. Lovely: Poems. Sequim, WA: Headmistress Press, 2018, and Newman, Lesléa. I Carry My Mother. Sequim, WA: Headmistress Press, 2015.

Book review: Newman, Leslea. Lovely: Poems. Sequim, WA: Headmistress Press, 2018, and Newman, Leslea. I Carry My Mother. Sequim, WA: Headmistress Press, 2015.
A Hybrid Deep Learning Approach for Spatial Trigger Extraction from Radiology Reports

Radiology reports contain important clinical information about patients which are often tied through spatial expressions. Spatial expressions (or triggers) are mainly used to describe the positioning of radiographic findings or medical devices with respect to some anatomical structures. As the expressions result from the mental visualization of the radiologist’s interpretations, they are varied and complex. The focus of this work is to automatically identify the spatial expression terms from three different radiology sub-domains. We propose a hybrid deep learning-based NLP method that includes – 1) generating a set of candidate spatial triggers by exact match with the known trigger terms from the training data, 2) applying domain-specific constraints to filter the candidate triggers, and 3) utilizing a BERT-based classifier to predict whether a candidate trigger is a true spatial trigger or not. The results are promising, with an improvement of 24 points in the average F1 measure compared to a standard BERT-based sequence labeler.
Submonolayer Quantum-Dot Based Saturable Absorber for Femtosecond Pulse Generation

Semiconductor saturable absorber mirrors (SESAMs) enable passive modelocking of several ultrafast solid-state lasers. Conventionally, SESAMs in the 1-µm wavelength range have employed InGaAs quantum wells (QWs) as absorbers. We demonstrate here a SESAM based on InAs/GaAs submonolayer quantum dots (SML QDs) capable of generating femtosecond pulses by passively modelocking a vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (VECSEL). Structural measurements are carried out to verify the quality and composition of the QDs. Modelocking experiments with a VECSEL and the QD SESAM in a ring cavity configuration yield pulses as short as 185 fs at 1025 nm. Compared to a traditional QW absorber, SML QD SESAMs exhibit ~ 25% faster recovery times. This also translates to slower power degradation rates or higher damage thresholds in SML QD SESAMs.
Is Near Infrared Spectroscopy An Accurate Marker Of Low Cardiac Output After Stage 1 Palliation In Single Ventricle Patients

Background: Balancing the systemic and pulmonary circulation during the early postoperative period is paramount in the management of children who have physiology compatible with single ventricle parallel circulation after stage 1 palliation. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a non-invasive, continuous method of evaluating real-time regional oximetry. Previous studies have shown a moderate correlation between cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (cNIRS) and other markers of low cardiac output, although, there is a paucity of data in patients with single ventricle parallel physiology. Methods: Retrospective chart review including children with single ventricle parallel physiology who underwent stage 1 palliation between January 2010 and December 2019 in our institution. IRB approval …
Diabetes Mellitus Blunts the Symptoms, Physical Function, and Health-Related Quality of Life Benefits of Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis of Data From More Than 17 000 Patients.

Objective To compare physical function, pain, impairments (stiffness, range of motion, and strength), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) outcomes between patients with and without diabetes ...
Evidence for and against subclinical disease activity and progressive disease in MOG antibody disease and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder

Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) and aquaporin-4 IgG seropositive neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD) are generally considered to be relapsing disorders, without clinical progression or subclinical disease activity outside of clinical relapses, in contrast to multiple sclerosis (MS). With advances in the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions, prolonged periods of remission without relapses can be achieved, and the question of whether progressive disease courses can occur has re-emerged. In this review, we focus on studies exploring evidence for and against relapse-independent clinical progression and/or subclinical disease activity in patients with MOGAD and AQP4-IgG+ NMOSD.
Putting pesticides on the map for pollinator research and conservation

Wild and managed pollinators are essential to food production and the function of natural ecosystems; however, their populations are threatened by multiple stressors including pesticide use. Because pollinator species can travel hundreds to thousands of meters to forage, recent research has stressed the importance of evaluating pollinator decline at the landscape scale. However, scientists9 and conservationists9 ability to do this has been limited by a lack of accessible data on pesticide use at relevant spatial scales and in toxicological units meaningful to pollinators. Here, we synthesize information from several large, publicly available datasets on pesticide use patterns, land use, and toxicity to generate novel datasets describing pesticide use by active ingredient (kg, 1997-2017) and aggregate insecticide load (kg and honey bee lethal doses, 1997-2014) for state-crop combinations in the contiguous U.S. Furthermore, by linking pesticide datasets with land-use data in the contiguous United States, we describe a method to map pesticide indicators at spatial scales relevant to pollinator research and conservation.
Phenotypic and Clinical Traits That Correlate with Cognitive Impairment in Caucasian Females.

Background: Dementia affects more women than men. This suggests sex steroid-dependent structural and functional differences between male and female brains. Natural and iatrogenic changes to women's reproductive health may correlate with risk for dementia. Objective: To identify surrogate markers of key transitions within the reproductive axis that could correlate with dementia pathology in women. Specific Research Question: Could examination of the reproductive axis from birth to senescence expand our understanding of the gender predominance of dementia in women? Proxy measurements for fetal origins, reproduction, and age-related effects on estrogen-dependent tissues were collected to study dementia risk in women. Methods: Deidentified data were collected from 289 older Caucasian female patients from an out-patient clinic in Kansas City, Missouri. Women patients 65 years and older were offered the opportunity to join the study and written consent was obtained from all participants. Data were collected from 2017 to 2019. Results: Our subjects ranged in age from 65 to 98 years old, with a mean of 76 years old. Spearman correlation analysis showed significant correlation between dementia status and age (r = 0.219, p = 0.000), Fitzpatrick skin phototype (r = -0.141, p = 0.019), birth order (r = 0.151, p = 0.028), current height as measured in the office (r = -0.215, p = 0.001), and maximum height per patient recall (r = -0.173, p = 0.005). Results from the logistic regression model show that specific predictors of risk for dementia were age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.082 [1.034-1.132]; p = 0.0007), Fitzpatrick skin phototype 1 versus 3 (OR = 8.508 [1.075-67.313]; p = 0.0227), and current height (OR = 0.766 [0.642-0.915]; p = 0.0032). Of the four variables related to fetal origins: maternal age, number of siblings, birth order, and age difference between the subject and the next older sibling, none were found to be statistically significant. Since age is a significant predictor of risk for dementia, it was included as a covariate in the aforementioned logistic regression models. Conclusions: Our results showed that dementia in Caucasian women was associated with age, lower Fitzpatrick phototype, and current height. Dementia-related pathological processes in the brain may accrue over a woman's lifetime.
Regulation of Lymphoid Homeostasis by IL-2 Receptor Signals In Vivo

High-affinity IL-2R signals are required for peripheral lymphoid homeostasis in vivo. We found that CD25 was required for regulation of peripheral T cells in mice bearing either the DO11.10 MHC class II-restricted TCR transgene or an Iaβ-null mutation, suggesting that MHC class I- and class II-dependent T cell subsets are regulated independently by IL-2R signals. In contrast, deregulation of serum IgG1 levels in CD25 −/− mice was dependent on CD4 + T cells. T cell expansion in DO11.10 CD25 −/− mice was not preferential for cells escaping allelic exclusion by the TCR transgene, but was suppressed by a Rag-2-null mutation. Together, these findings suggest that endogenous TCR are required to trigger T cell expansion, but that CD25 regulates T cells activated by low-specificity signals. Expansion of DO11.10 T cells in response to cognate Ag was modestly reduced in CD25 −/− T cells transferred into the normal lymphoid compartments of BALB/c mice. Moreover, activation-induced clonal contraction and apoptosis in vivo were intact in the absence of CD25. These data indicate that the regulatory role of high-affinity IL-2R signals extends beyond the control of Ag-specific responses and suggest a role for these signals in control of bystander T cell activation.
The Nikkei 225 Reconstitution

SUBJECT AREAS: Arbitrage, Risk, Risk management, Securities, Stocks. Taka Haneda, a proprietary trader at the Tokyo office of Goldman Sachs, has just learned that the Nikkei 225 will undergo a significant redefinition over the coming week. He faces several billion dollars of customer orders, as well as the opportunity to commit the firm's capital to provide liquidity for the event. He must decide what positions to establish, and at what price he is willing to get out.
Rural-urban differences in health services utilization in the US-Mexico border region.

Purpose: Evaluate the association between driving distance to the US-Mexico border and rural-urban differences in the use of health services in Mexico by US border residents from Texas. Methods: Data for this study come from the Cross-Border Utilization of Health Care Survey, a population-based telephone survey conducted in the Texas border region in spring 2008. Driving distances to the border were estimated from the nearest border crossing station using Google Maps. Outcome measures included medication purchases, physician visits, dentist visits, and inpatient care in Mexico during the 12 months prior to the survey. A series of adjusted logit models were estimated after controlling for relevant confounding factors. Findings: The average driving distance to the nearest border crossing station among rural respondents was 4 times that of urban respondents (42.0 miles vs 10.3 miles [P < .001]). Rural respondents were more likely to be dissatisfied than urban respondents with the health care provided on the US side of the border, yet they were less likely to use health services in Mexico. Driving distance to the border largely explained the observed rural-urban differences in medication purchases from Mexico. In the case of inpatient care, however, rural respondents reported a higher utilization rate than urban respondents and this rural-urban difference became more pronounced after adjusting for the effect of driving distance to the border. Conclusions: Dissatisfaction with US health care services in rural communities in the US-Mexico border region seems to be compounded by the lack of access to health care services in Mexico due to travel distance constraints.
Graph reconstruction numbers

The Reconstruction Conjecture is one of the most important open problems in graph theory today. Proposed in 1942, the conjecture posits that every simple, finite, undirected graph with three or more vertices can be uniquely reconstructed up to isomorphism given the multiset of subgraphs produced by deleting each vertex of the original graph. Although proven to be true when restricted to several classes of graphs, the general problem remains unsolved today. Related to the Reconstruction Conjecture, reconstruction numbers concern the minimum number of vertex deleted subgraphs required to uniquely identify a graph up to isomorphism. During the summer of 2004 at the Rochester Institute of Technology, Jennifer Baldwin completed an MS project regarding reconstruction numbers. In it, she calculated reconstruction numbers for all graphs G where 3 ≤ |V (G)| ≤ 8. This project expands the computation of reconstruction numbers up to all graphs with ten vertices and a specific class of graphs with eleven vertices. Whereas Jennifer’s project focused on a statistical analysis of reconstruction number results, we instead focus on theorizing the causes of high reconstruction numbers. Accordingly, this project establishes the reasons behind the high existential reconstruction numbers identified for all graphs G where 3 ≤ |V (G)| ≤ 10 and identifies new classes of graphs that have large reconstruction numbers. Finally, we consider 2-reconstructibility – the ability to reconstruct a graph G from the multiset of subgraphs produced by deleting each combination of two vertices from G. The 2-reconstructibility of all graphs with nine or less vertices was tested, identifying two graphs in this range with five vertices as the highest order graphs that are 2-nonreconstructible.
Carbon-yl[tris-(3,5-diphenyl-pyrazol-1-yl-κN)methane]copper(I) hexa-fluorido-phosphate-dichloro-methane-diethyl ether (4/3/1).

In the title compound, [Cu(C46H34N6)(CO)]PF6·0.75CH2Cl2·0.25C4H10O, the CuI atom is coordinated by three N atoms from the tridentate chelating tris­(3,5-diphenyl­pyrazol-1-yl)methane ligand (average Cu—N distance = 2.055 A) and the C atom from a carbon monoxide ligand in a distorted tetra­hedral coordination geometry. The average N—Cu—N angle between adjacent pyrazole-ring-coordinated N atoms is 88.6°, while the average N—Cu—C angle between the pyrazole-bound N atom and the C atom of carbon monoxide is 126.3°. One of the 3-phenyl rings of the tris­(pyrazol­yl)methane ligand is disordered over two sites each with an occupancy factor of 0.50. The structure also exhibits disorder of the monosolvate that has been modeled with 0.75 CH2Cl2 and 0.25 Et2O occupancy.
Effect of implantation on engineered skeletal muscle constructs.

The development of engineered skeletal muscle would provide a viable tissue for replacement and repair of muscle damaged by disease or injury. Our current tissue-engineering methods result in three-dimensional (3D) muscle constructs that generate tension but do not advance phenotypically beyond neonatal characteristics. To develop to an adult phenotype, innervation and vascularization of the construct must occur. In this study, 3D muscle constructs were implanted into the hindlimb of a rat, along the sciatic nerve, with the sural nerve isolated, transected and sutured to the construct to encourage innervation. Aortic ring anchors were sutured to the tendons of the biceps femoris muscle so that the construct would move dynamically with the endogenous muscle. After 1 week in vivo, the constructs were explanted, evaluated for force production and stained for muscle, nerve and collagen markers. Implanted muscle constructs showed a developing capillary system, an epimysium-like outer layer of connective tissue and an increase in myofibre content. The beginning of α-bungarotoxin clustering suggests that neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) could form on the implanted muscle, given more time in vivo. Additionally, the constructs increased maximum isometric force from 192 ± 41 μN to 549 ± 103 μN (245% increase) compared to in vitro controls, which increased from 276 ± 23 μN to 329 ± 27μN (25% increase). These findings suggest that engineered muscle tissue survives 1 week of implantation and begins to develop the necessary interfaces needed to advance the phenotype toward adult muscle. However, in terms of force production, the muscle constructs need longer implantation times to fully develop an adult phenotype.
Purification of Xenopus laevis mitochondrial RNA polymerase and identification of a dissociable factor required for specific transcription

The Xenopus laevis mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) polymerase was purified to near homogeneity with an overall yield approaching 50%. The major polypeptides in the final fraction were a doublet of proteins of approximately 140 kilodaltons that copurified with the mtRNA polymerase activity. It appeared likely that the smaller polypeptide is a breakdown product of the larger one. The highly purified polymerase was active in nonspecific transcription but required a dissociable factor for specific transcription of X. laevis mtDNA. The factor could be resolved from mtRNA polymerase by hydrophobic chromatography and had a sedimentation coefficient of 3.0 S. The transcription factor eluted from both the hydrophobic column and a Mono Q anion-exchange column as a single symmetrical peak. The mtRNA polymerase and this factor together are necessary and sufficient for active transcription from four promoters located in a noncoding region of the mtDNA genome between the gene for tRNA(Phe) and the displacement loop.
A Hybrid Recommendation System Based On Association Rules

Recommendation systems are widely used in e-commerce applications. The engine of a current recommendation system recommends items to a particular user based on user preferences and previous high ratings. Various recommendation schemes such as collaborative filtering and content-based approaches are used to build a recommendation system. Most of current recommendation systems were developed to fit a certain domain such as books, articles, and movies. We propose a hybrid framework recommendation system to be applied on two dimensional spaces (User × Item) with a large number of Users and a small number of Items. Moreover, our proposed framework makes use of both favorite and non-favorite items of a particular user. The proposed framework is built upon the integration of association rules mining and the content-based approach. The results of experiments show that our proposed framework can provide accurate recommendations to users. Keywords—Data Mining, Association Rules, Recommendation
Comparative experiences with electronic process guide generator tools

The primary objective of all software engineering courses is to help students learn how to develop successful software systems with good software engineering practices. Various tools and guidelines are used to assist students to gain the knowledge as much as possible. USC's Center for Systems and Software Engineering (CSSE) has found that the keystone course in learning software engineering is a year-long real-client team project course. Over the last ten years, CSSE has evolved a set of guidelines for the course, and has experimented with early tests for creating electronic process guides for MBASE (Model-Based (Systems) Architecting and Software Engineering) Guidelines using Spearmint/EPG. Currently, CSSE has been developing and experimenting with Eclipse Process Framework's (EPF) to situate the LeanMBASE Guidelines. This paper reports our comparative experiences of using the earlier and current tools to generate the electronic process guidelines. In our analysis, we used the objectives defined by Humphrey and Kellner[17] to compare the process tools. The evaluation identifies some research challenges and areas for future research work.
MMPI profile of women and men convicted of domestic homicide.

The present study investigated the psychological characteristics of men and women convicted of domestic homicide. Demographic information and MMPIs were collected from women (n = 16) and men (n = 20) convicted of murdering their partners and men (n = 19) convicted of murdering strangers during the course of a crime. Analyses of variance indicated that women had significantly higher elevations of MMPI scales PA and SI than both groups of men, while men convicted of murdering strangers had higher elevations on scale MA than men convicted of domestic murder. These findings suggest different patterns of psychopathology among homicide offenders depending on the offender's relationship to the victim. Results are discussed with reference to previous research on domestic murderers and female offenders. Language: en
Optical Coherence Tomography for the Radiologist

Optical coherence tomography is an imaging technique using low coherence light sources to produce high-resolution cross-sectional images. This article reviews pertinent anatomy and various pathologies causing optic atrophy (eg, compressive, infiltrating, demyelinating) versus optic nerve swelling (from increased intracranial pressure known as papilledema or other optic nerve intrinsic pathologies). On optical coherence tomography, optic atrophy is often associated with reduced average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, whereas optic nerve swelling is usually associated with increased average retinal nerve fiber layer thickness.
Extending Learning beyond the Exam: Multiple-Choice Tests.

In this paper I describe a method to help students go back and better understand material they got wrong on multiple-choice tests.
Fee structure for investigational drug studies

The development and implementation of a fee structure for a pharmacy-coordinated investigational drug service is described. A pilot task and time study established specific time and cost elements for investigational drug services provided by the pharmacy department. To fully assess the costs in dispensing investigational drugs, each research study that used the investigational drug service was broken down into five phases of service. Each phase was further categorized by specific tasks or activities, and a time element to perform each activity or task was determined. Since some studies could require more elaborate randomization of patients, more extensive review of protocols, or more individualized dispensing procedures than others, a range of charges was derived: $2800 for standard protocols to $5700 for more complicated studies. An institutional drug therapy newsletter describing the services and costs was distributed to all medical staff members and principal investigators. The development of a fee structure for an investigational drug service coordinated by the pharmacy department has ensured that pharmacy services are adequately reimbursed and has allowed the department to allocate appropriate personnel to provide the services.
Community HIV‐1 drug resistance is associated with transmitted drug resistance

Author(s): Tilghman, MW; Perez-Santiago, J; Osorio, G; Little, SJ; Richman, DD; Mathews, WC; Haubrich, RH; Smith, DM | Abstract: ObjectivesAs community viral load (CVL) measurements are associated with the incidence of new HIV-1 infections in a population, we hypothesized that similarly measured community drug resistance (CDR) could predict the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR).MethodsBetween 2001 and 2011, the prevalences of HIV-1 drug resistance for patients with established infection receiving HIV care (i.e. CDR) and TDR in recently infected patients were determined in San Diego. At each position in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease (pro), drug resistance was evaluated both as the overall prevalence of resistance-associated mutations and by weighting each resistance position to the concurrent viral load of the patient and its proportion to the total viral load of the clinic (CVL). The weighting was the proportion of the CVL associated with patients identified with resistance at each residue. Spearman ranked correlation coefficients were used to determine associations between CDR and TDR.ResultsWe analysed 1088 resistance tests for 971 clinic patients and baseline resistance tests for 542 recently infected patients. CDR at positions 30, 46, and 88 in pro was associated with TDR between 2001 and 2011. When CDR was weighted by the viral load of patients, CDR was associated with TDR at position 103 in RT. Each of these associations was corroborated at least once using shorter measurement intervals.ConclusionsDespite evaluation of a limited percentage of chronically infected patients in San Diego, CDR correlated with TDR at key resistance positions and therefore may be a useful tool with which to predict the prevalence of TDR.
Restraint stress reversibly enhances spatial memory performance

The effects of restraint stress on performance of a spatial memory task, the eight arm radial maze, was examined in rats. When stress was given for 6 h/day for 7 days and performance evaluated days 10-13 post stress, no effect on performance was noted; however, daily restraint stress for 13 days caused a small, but significant, enhancement of performance days 10-13 post stress. Stressed rats performed better than controls: their number of correct choices in the first 8 visits was higher than the controls, and stressed rats took fewer total choices to finish the maze than controls. Stress-dependent, enhanced performance does not appear permanent since further maze testing on days 14 and 15 post stress showed no differences between the groups. Performance of the stressed rats significantly correlated with their stress-induced, serum corticosterone levels measured after 6 h of restraint on the last day of restraint, day 13 (r = -0.63, P < 0.05); rats with higher levels of CORT took fewer choices to finish the task. Examination of hippocampal CA3c pyramidal neurons with Golgi techniques showed no effect of stress on the basal or apical dendritic arbors. Since our previous study showed that 21 days of restraint stress is associated with impaired spatial memory performance (10), these results suggest that the duration of stress may differentially affect learning/memory with shorter periods of stress serving an adaptive function while longer durations causing maladaptive changes.
Manganese hexacyanomanganate open framework as a high-capacity positive electrode material for sodium-ion batteries.

Potential applications of sodium-ion batteries in grid-scale energy storage, portable electronics and electric vehicles have revitalized research interest in these batteries. However, the performance of sodium-ion electrode materials has not been competitive with that of lithium-ion electrode materials. Here we present sodium manganese hexacyanomanganate (Na2MnII[MnII(CN)6]), an open-framework crystal structure material, as a viable positive electrode for sodium-ion batteries. We demonstrate a high discharge capacity of 209 mAh g−1 at C/5 (40 mA g−1) and excellent capacity retention at high rates in a propylene carbonate electrolyte. We provide chemical and structural evidence for the unprecedented storage of 50% more sodium cations than previously thought possible during electrochemical cycling. These results represent a step forward in the development of sodium-ion batteries. Sodium-ion batteries are considered an alternative to lithium-ion batteries because of easy availability and low cost of sodium. Here, Lee et al.report a manganese hexacyanomanganate material as a sodium-ion battery cathode, which exhibits high discharge capacity.
Angiotensin II improves myocardial blood flow in cardiac arrest

Epinephrine is used to increase coronary perfusion pressure and improve myocardial blood flow during cardiac arrest. Alternative vasopressors may have hemodynamic advantages over epinephrine. The purpose of this investigation was to test the effect of the vasopressor angiotensin II on myocardial blood flow in a swine model of cardiac arrest. Eleven swine were anesthetized and instrumented for regional blood flows by radiolabeled microsphere technique. A baseline blood flow measurement (BFM), coronary sinus and aortic blood gases were obtained in normal sinus rhythm (NSR). Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced and mechanical CPR begun after 10 min of VF. A BFM and blood gases were obtained during CPR. Angiotensin II, 50 micrograms/kg, was administered at 13 min of VF. A repeat BFM and blood gases were obtained following angiotensin II. Defibrillation was attempted at 16.5 min of VF. If return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) occurred a fourth BFM and blood gases were obtained. Myocardial blood flow was 134.2 +/- 40.1 ml/100 g per min during NSR. This fell to 15.1 +/- 19.9 with CPR alone, and rose to 66.9 +/- 69.8 following angiotensin II administration (P = 0.04; by two tailed T-test). Myocardial blood flow following ROSC further increased to 212.6 +/- 58.0. Angiotensin II in a dose of 50 micrograms/kg significantly increases myocardial blood flow in this model of cardiac arrest.