cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The anticonvulsant action of fluoxetine in substantia nigra is dependent upon endogenous serotonin

Abstract Fluoxetine, a serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor, has been documented to exert a protective action against convulsive seizures in animal models, when administered either systemically, or focally into substantia nigra. It is likely that the mechanism of anticonvulsant action of fluoxetine is due to an enhancement of endogenous 5-HT transmission. To evaluate this possibility in the context of the anticonvulsant action of intranigral fluoxetine, we examined the influence of 5-HT-mediated transmission in substantia nigra on seizure susceptibility in a rat model of focally evoked complex partial seizures. In addition to fluoxetine (3.5 nmol), we found that the directly acting 5-HT receptor agonists, 1-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyllpiperazine (TFMPP) (10 nmol), 1-(3-chlorophenyl)piperazine (m-CPP) (7.4 nmol), gepirone (70 nmol) and 2-dipropylamino-8-hydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene hydrobromide (8-OH-DPAT) (10 nmol), when microinjected bilaterally into substantia nigra, protected rats from limbic motor seizures evoked focally from area tempestas, an epileptogenic site in the deep rostral piriform cortex. This indicates that multiple 5-HT receptor subtypes in substantia nigra may contribute to seizure regulation. Consistent with this, the 5-HT antagonist, metergoline, partially reversed the anticonvulsant action of intranigral fluoxetine. Depletion of endogenous 5-HT, by pretreatment with parachlorophenylalanine (PCPA), completely prevented the anticonvulsant action of intranigral fluoxetine, without modifying the anticonvulsant effect of intranigral TFMPP. These findings support the proposal that the anticonvulsant action of fluoxetine in substantia nigra is due to an enhancement of the synaptic action of endogenous 5-HT in substantia nigra which in turn is mediated via multiple 5-HT receptors. Endogenous 5-HT transmission in substantia nigra is therefore capable of limiting the development and propagation of seizure activity generated in limbic circuits.
Breaking News! When It Comes to Complications of Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation, Experience Matters

During the past decade, catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) has emerged as an important treatment option for patients with symptomatic AF refractory to anti-arrhythmic drug therapy. The 2012 Heart Rhythm Society/European Heart Rhythm Association/European Cardiac Arrhythmia Society Expert Consensus Document on Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation provides a Class 1 Level of Evidence A recommendation for catheter ablation of AF in patients with paroxysmal AF who have failed treatment with at least 1 anti-arrhythmic medication and a Class 2 Level of Evidence B recommendation for patients with paroxysmal AF who have not failed anti-arrhythmic drug therapy.1 Article see p 2104 In the present issue of Circulation , Deshmukh et al2 report the incidence of in-hospital complications of catheter ablation of AF among 93,801 AF ablation procedures performed in the United States between 2000 and 2010. The data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample dataset, which is a nationally representative survey of hospitalizations conducted by the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. This dataset includes a 20% sample of United States community hospitals. Complications were broken down into 5 groups: (1) cardiac complications; (2) vascular complications; (3) respiratory complications; (4) neurologic complications; and (5) infectious complications. In-hospital mortality was also determined. Delayed complications that commonly present after hospital discharge, including pulmonary vein stenosis and atrial esophageal fistula, could not be evaluated. The data were analyzed to identify predictors of complications and also to determine the relationship between operator and hospital volume with the incidence of complications. There were 5 main findings of this study. First, most of the AF ablation procedures (81%) were performed by operators doing <25 AF ablation procedures per year and in hospitals with annual AF …
Limits to convergence of vegetation during early primary succession

Abstract Questions: Primary succession, measured by changes in species composition, is slow, usually forcing a chronosequence approach. A unique data set is used to explore spatial and temporal changes in vegetation structure after a 1980 volcanic eruption. On the basis of data from a transect of 20 permanent plots with an altitudinal range of 250 m sampled through 2005, two questions are asked: Do changes along the transect recapitulate succession? Do plots converge to similar composition over time? Location: A ridge between 1218 and 1468 m on Mount St. Helens, Washington, USA. Methods: Repeat sampling of plots for species cover along a 1-km transect. Floristic changes were characterized by techniques including DCA, clustering and similarity. Results: Species richness and cover increased with time at rates that decreased with increasing elevation. The establishment of Lupinus lepidus accelerated the rate of succession and may control its trajectory. Diversity (H′) at first increased with richness, then d...
Novel design of multicapillary arrays for high-throughput DNA sequencing

A novel approach to design and optimize linear multicapillary arrays (LMCAs) for high-throughput DNA sequencing is proposed. A significant increase in the number of capillary lanes is obtained due to the use of composite insertions alternately placed between working capillaries of the array and a specific combination of refractive indices of the DNA separation matrix, capillary glass, the insertions and a medium which surrounds the capillary array. Theoretical and experimental studies showed that in conjunction with a dual-side laser illumination scheme, the proposed LMCA design allows a simultaneous uniform irradiation of as many as 550 working capillaries.
Patterns of Innovation in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development: A Strategic Assessment Based on Technological Maturity.

Abstract Purpose This article examines the current status of translational science for Alzheimer's disease (AD) drug discovery by using an analytical model of technology maturation. Previous studies using this model have demonstrated that nascent scientific insights and inventions generate few successful leads or new products until achieving a requisite level of maturity. This article assessed whether recent failures and successes in AD research follow patterns of innovation observed in other sectors. Methods The bibliometric-based Technology Innovation Maturation Evaluation model was used to quantify the characteristic S-curve of growth for AD-related technologies, including acetylcholinesterase, N -methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, B-amyloid, amyloid precursor protein, presenilin, amyloid precursor protein secretases, apolipoprotein E4, and transactive response DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43). This model quantifies the accumulation of knowledge as a metric for technological maturity, and it identifies the point of initiation of an exponential growth stage and the point at which growth slows as the technology is established. Findings In contrast to the long-established acetylcholinesterase and NMDA receptor technologies, we found that amyloid-related technologies reached the established point only after 2000, and that the more recent technologies (eg, TDP-43) have not yet approached this point. The first approvals for new molecular entities targeting acetylcholinesterase and the NMDA receptor occurred an average of 22 years after the respective technologies were established , with only memantine (which was phenotypically discovered) entering clinical trials before this point. In contrast, the 6 lead compounds targeting the formation of amyloid plaques that failed in Phase III trials between 2009 and 2014 all entered clinical trials before the respective target technologies were established. Implications This analysis suggests that AD drug discovery has followed a predictable pattern of innovation in which technological maturity is an important determinant of success in development. Quantitative analysis indicates that the lag in emergence of new products, and the much-heralded clinical failures of recent years, should be viewed in the context of the ongoing maturation of AD-related technologies. Although these technologies were not sufficiently mature to generate successful products a decade ago, they may be now. Analytical models of translational science can inform basic and clinical research results as well as strategic development of new therapeutic products.
A computational methodology to study coupled physical processes over partitioned domains

In this paper, we describe a computational methodology to couple physical processes defined over independent subdomains, that are partitions of a global domain in three-dimensions. The methodology presented helps to compute the numerical solution on the global domain by appropriately piecing the local solutions from each subdomain. We discuss the mixed method formulation for the technique applied to a model problem and derive an error estimate for the finite element solution. We demonstrate through numerical experiments that the method is robust and reliable in higher dimensions.
Respiratory Response, Ethylene Production, and Response to Ethylene of Citrus Fruit during Ontogeny

The initial respiratory rates at 20 centrigrade of detached oranges (Valencia and navel), grapefruit, and lemons decreased during ontogeny. Small attached oranges respired at the same rate as detached fruits of the same weight, and cutting the pedicel produced no shock or injury stimulus to the respiratory rate. Small oranges and grapefruit (average weight about 15 grams) showed pseudoclimacteric respiratory patterns and produced ethylene. The height of the respiratory rise and the amount of ethylene produced decreased as the fruit increased in weight until the September 4th harvest, when the fruit weights were 120, 64, and 87 grams for grapefruit, Valencia, and navel oranges, respectively; at that time no respiratory rise or ethylene production was observed. The pattern for all subsequent harvest revealed no postharvest rise in the respiratory rates. Lemon fruit, in contrast, had a continuously decreasing respiratory rate at all stages of ontogeny. Exposure to 20 microliters of ethylene per liter induced an increase in the respiratory rate of all varieties at every stage of ontogeny; this was true also in young oranges and grapefruit following their respiratory rise and decline.Evidence is presented that citrus fruits are nonclimacteric fruits.
“Just Girls”: Literacy and Allegiance in Junior High School

Drawing from a year-long ethnographic study that follows four early adolescent girls (two sets of self-proclaimed best friends and their larger circle of girlfriends) from May of their sixth-grade ...
The Development of the Piedmont Front and Associated Outbreak of Severe Weather on 13 March 1986

Abstract An investigation was conducted of the mesoscale evolution of a quasi-stationary front, termed the Piedmont front owing to its location through the central Carolinas, and an associated outbreak of severe weather on 13 March 1986. Space-time relationships between mesoscale processes associated with the evolution of the surface front and the initiation of severe thunderstorms were studied utilizing the enhanced surface and upper-air observation networks deployed during the field phase of GALE. Surface streamline patterns, frontogenesis, and moisture-flux divergence were computed employing an objective analysis scheme. Following the arrival at the Carolina coast of a coastal front, the Piedmont front rapidly developed along an axis of dilatation over the eastern margin of the Piedmont, while the coastal front gradually dissipated over the nearshore waters. A differential cloud cover across the Piedmont front resulted in enhanced solar insolation on the warm side of the front that strengthened frontog...
Simulation supported precedent analysis: disclosing the sustainable attributes of vernacular structures in the Southern U.S.

Environmental case study analysis has long served the design profession in describing complex building behavior, putting architectural design strategies to task in order to offset the need for supplemental high-grade energy systems. Knowledge of these strategies becomes crucial for designers practicing in the Southern United States, a region that demands effective low-cost strategies that perform well within a fully humid climate marked by distinct variations. However, traditional case study methods rely heavily upon methods of approximation, basing results on commonly held assumptions with little regard for the particular characteristics of place, people, and purpose that animate building performance. Rather than relying upon rule-of-thumb conjecture, low-resolution simulation platforms offer a highly interactive and diverse toolset to designers, facilitating testing sequences which acutely disclose how a range of geometric building configurations intensively shape the behavior of light, heat, and airflow present within the extensive environment. This paper explores the role of building simulation tools in the analysis of Southern vernacular structures, with emphasis on the tool's capacity to support heuristic procedures. Through multi-domain functionality, these tools enable iterative analysis across numerous time frames, producing and advancing crucial knowledge about the performance of vernacular building attributes. The findings from simulation supported precedent analysis underscore this role, expanding upon the inventory of passive architectural devices highlighted by James Marston Fitch to include permeable enclosures, centralized wind chambers, and narrow floor plates (Fitch, 1961).
Human CYP2C9 and CYP2A6 Mediate Formation of the Hepatotoxin 4-Ene-Valproic Acid

Cytochrome P450-dependent desaturation of the anticonvulsant drug valproic acid (VPA) results in formation of the hepatotoxin, 4-ene-VPA. Polytherapy with other anticonvulsants which are known P450 inducers increases the flux through this bioactivation pathway. The aim of the present study was to identify specific, inducible forms of human liver P450 which catalyze terminal desaturation of VPA. Oxidized VPA metabolites formed in an NADPH-dependent manner by human liver microsomes were quantified by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry. In vitro reaction conditions were established which reflected the product profile found in vivo . Production of 4-ene-VPA by microsomal P450s could be inhibited significantly by coumarin, sulfaphenazole and diethyldithiocarbamate, but not by triacetyloleandomycin, quinidine or furafylline. Recombinant human CYP3A4 did not form detectable levels of 4-ene-VPA and, of nine additional isoforms expressed in either HepG2 or lymphoblastoid cells which were screened for VPA desaturase activity, only CYP2C9 and CYP2A6 formed detectable levels of metabolite. Consequently, CYP3A4, the isoform usually associated with induction by anticonvulsants cannot be responsible for the enhanced 4-ene-VPA formation that occurs during polytherapy. Instead, enhanced activity in vivo likely results from induction of CYP2A6 and/or CYP2C9.
Temporal and spatial expression pattern of the angiotensinogen gene in mice and rats

In situ hybridization for mouse angiotensinogen (Ao) mRNA was performed using a Stu I-Pst I 0.43-kb fragment of exon 2 as a template to synthesize RNA probes. The mouse Ao mRNA expression patterns were different from those reported for rats. Ao mRNA was expressed in the fetal liver as early as 12.5 days postcoitus, and the liver remained the predominant organ of its expression in utero. Within the developing kidney, Ao mRNA was demonstrated at 17.5 days postcoitus in the proximal straight tubules undergoing loop formation in the medulla. In the matured mouse kidney, the expression site is within the outer stripe of outer medulla, hence identified as the pars recta, not proximal convoluted tubules. Additional studies revealed that, in rats also, Ao mRNA was localized in the pars recta. This was in contrast to previously published results that showed that Ao mRNA was localized primarily in the proximal convoluted tubules in rats. Thus the pars recta appears to be an important intrarenal source of Ao for both rats and mice throughout pre- and postnatal periods, whereas the liver can be the major extrarenal source in utero in mice, but not in rats.
Dynamic partitioning strategy to enhance symbolic execution

Software testing is a fundamental part of the software development process. In the context of embedded-software applications, testing can find defects which cause unprecedented risks. The path explosion problem often necessitates one to consider an extremely large number of paths in order to reach a specific target. Symbolic execution can reduce this cost by using symbolic values and heuristic exploration strategies. Although various exploration strategies have been proposed in the past, the number of SMT solver calls for reaching a target is still large, resulting in long execution times for programs containing many paths. In this paper, we present a dynamic partitioning strategy in order to mitigate this problem, consequently reducing unnecessary SMT solver calls as well. Using this strategy on SSA-applied code, the code sections are analyzed in a nonconsecutive order guided by data dependency metrics within the sections. Experimental results show that our dynamic strategy can achieve significant speedups in reducing the number of unnecessary solver calls in large programs. More than 1000× speedup can be achieved in large programs over conflict-driven learning techniques.
Dendritic cells: directors of the immune system orchestra

irst observed in 1868 as Langerhans’ cells of the epidermis and then brought to attention again 25 years ago by Steinman and colleagues, dendritic cells (DC) remained enigmatic due to their scarcity and difficulties in isolation. Owing to the development of methods allowing in vitro DC generation, a wealth of information regarding their biology recently has been accumulated. Dendritic cells are now recognized as an integral part of the lymphohematopoietic system. Distributed as sentinels throughout the body, DC are poised to capture antigen, migrate to draining lymphoid organs, and, after a process of maturation, select antigen-specific
The role of white matter in personality traits and affective processing in bipolar disorder

Abstract Background Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by affective processing bias and variations in personality traits. It is still unknown whether these features are linked to the same structural brain alterations. The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between specific personality traits, white matter (WM) properties, and affective processing in BD and HC. Methods 24 healthy controls (HC) and 38 adults with BDI (HC: 29.47 ± 2.23 years, 15 females; BDI: 32.44 ± 1.84 years, 20 females) completed clinical scales and the Big Five Inventory. They were also administered the Affective Go/No-Go (AGN) and the Rapid Visual Processing (RVP) tasks of the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) assessed the microstructure of WM tracts. Results In BDI measures of WM properties were reduced across all major brain white matter tracts. As expected, individuals with BDI reported greater neuroticism, lower agreeableness and conscientiousness, and made a greater number of errors in response to affective stimuli in the AGN task compared to HC. High neuroticism scores were associated with faster AGN latency, and overall reduced AGN accuracy in both HC and BDI. Elevated FA values were associated with reduced neuroticism and increased cognitive processing in HC but not in BDI. Conclusions Our findings showed important potential links between personality, affective processing and WM integrity in BD. In the future therapeutic interventions for BD using brain stimulation protocols might benefit from the use of DTI to target pathways underlying abnormal affective processing.
Intraocular Drugs Used in Cataract Surgery and Their Effect on the Corneal Endothelium

Cataract surgery has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years largely because of developments in intraocular drugs and solutions, as well as intraocular mechanical devices used for removing cataracts. These include viscoelastic materials, intraocular miotics, intraocular irrigating solutions, and intraoperative mydriatics. It also involves attention to subtle details which may cause idiopathic postoperative corneal edema such as the avoidance of using surfactant cleaners or soaps on instruments that are used in the eye. The following discussion briefly outlines some of the intraocular drug issues of which cataract surgeons need to be aware.
This Is Sensitive, Let Me Talk to an Avatar: A Structured Abstract

Opportunities exist for marketers and other business researchers to connect one-on-one with consumers using avatar interviewers that may facilitate disclosure of sensitive and personal information, without the costs of personal interviewers. This research reports findings from an exploratory study designed to reveal factors that facilitate greater levels of self-disclosure for sensitive interview topics for human versus avatar interviewers. Results reveal conditions in which computer-generated avatars can increase self-disclosure for sensitive topics in personal interview situations as an alternative to costly data collection conducted by human interviewers.
Equilibrium Queue Distributions, Two Servers μ0 = μ1 = μ2, Numerical Results

Chapter III has presented a formal representation of the joint equilibrium queue distribution g*(l1,l2 of the Q1 and Q2, or, in rescaled units, the joint distribution g** (ℳ*1,ℳ*2) of Q*1 Q*2. It also gave formulas for the marginal distributions g1 (ℳ1), g**2 (ℳ*2) of Q*1 and Q*2, the service rate μ, and numerous expansions around singular points, saddle points, etc., i.e., most of the analytic properties. Unfortunately, it is still quite difficult to present an interpretation or tabulation of these solutions because, even after a non-dimensionalization of the problem, there is a three parameter family of such joint distributions, i.e., a three parameter family of functions g**(ℳ*1,ℳ*2) in a two-dimensional space.
Europe and the Western Hemisphere

Out of the ashes of the Second World War — against all the direful predictions — arose a new and powerful Europe. Its remarkable recovery sprang from the challenge presented by the desperate postwar conditions, from the help given by the US under Marshall Aid and from the maintenance of a general peace. Nothing was more important than obtaining unity. The Benelux customs union formed in 1948, consisting of Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg, set the pattern for the free movement of people, goods, capital and services; it also introduced a common commercial policy. Two years later, as a result of the initiative of the French statesmen Robert Schumann (1886-1963) and Jean Monnet (1888-1979), there emerged the European Coal and Steel Community (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, West Germany, France and Italy). Britain, with its traditional mistrust of continental initiatives, refused to join. This was followed in 1957, under the Treaty of Rome, by the European Economic Community (EEC) and the Common Market. Again, Britain refused to take part. In 1959, this time as a result of British initiative, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) was formed by Austria, Britain, Denmark, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Finland and Iceland. In 1973 the EEC was enlarged to include Britain, Ireland and Denmark. Political integration was achieved with the establishment of the European Parliamentary Assembly.1 Assisted by the quickening of the world economy, European union ushered in a period of unparalleled economic growth and prosperity. By 1980, with a population of 250 million, with a productive capacity second to none, with slightly more than half the world’s trade, with monetary resources in excess of those held by the US and with the world’s largest merchant fleet, the EEC constituted one of the world’s largest economic blocs. In 1992 the European Community (EC) became the European Union (EU) (Map XXI). It seemed that Napoleon’s dream of 1812 might come true. The opening of the ‘single’ EU Market took place on 1 January 1993. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU), agreed upon at Maastricht in 1992, was still to be implemented in 1997.
An Experiment in Problem-Oriented Highway Salvage Archaeology

ABSTRACTThe application of both chronological and functional objectives to a highway salvage project revealed a site in which stone was quarried and tools shaped by chipping, game was hunted and vegetal material possibly gathered. These activities were spatially patterned in relation to available natural resources. The users of this site were probably small work groups or single individuals. The exploitation activities carried on at the site occurred from the San Pedro Stage of the Cochise Culture as early as 2000 B.C. to recent Papago.
Integrative genomics reveals hypoxia inducible genes that are associated with a poor prognosis in neuroblastoma patients

// Mark A. Applebaum 1, 2, * , Aashish R. Jha 3, 4, * , Clara Kao 4 , Kyle M. Hernandez 5 , Gillian DeWane 1 , Helen R. Salwen 1 , Alexandre Chlenski 1 , Marija Dobratic 1 , Christopher J. Mariani 6 , Lucy A. Godley 6 , Nanduri Prabhakar 6 , Kevin White 4 , Barbara E. Stranger 3, 6, 7 , Susan L. Cohn 1, 2 1 Departments of Pediatrics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America 2 Committee on Clinical Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America 3 Institute for Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America 4 Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America 5 Center for Research Informatics, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America 6 Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America 7 Center for Data Intensive Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637, United States of America * These authors contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Susan L. Cohn, email: scohn@peds.bsd.uchicago.edu Keywords: neuroblastoma, hypoxia, metabolism, RNA expression, pathway analysis Received: August 02, 2016 Accepted: October 12, 2016 Published: October 17, 2016 ABSTRACT Neuroblastoma is notable for its broad spectrum of clinical behavior ranging from spontaneous regression to rapidly progressive disease. Hypoxia is well known to confer a more aggressive phenotype in neuroblastoma. We analyzed transcriptome data from diagnostic neuroblastoma tumors and hypoxic neuroblastoma cell lines to identify genes whose expression levels correlate with poor patient outcome and are involved in the hypoxia response. By integrating a diverse set of transcriptome datasets, including those from neuroblastoma patients and neuroblastoma derived cell lines, we identified nine genes ( SLCO4A1, ENO1, HK2, PGK1, MTFP1, HILPDA, VKORC1, TPI1, and HIST1H1C ) that are up-regulated in hypoxia and whose expression levels are correlated with poor patient outcome in three independent neuroblastoma cohorts. Analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and ENCODE data indicate that at least five of these nine genes have an increase in 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and a more open chromatin structure in hypoxia versus normoxia and are putative targets of hypoxia inducible factor (HIF) as they contain HIF binding sites in their regulatory regions. Four of these genes are key components of the glycolytic pathway and another three are directly involved in cellular metabolism. We experimentally validated our computational findings demonstrating that seven of the nine genes are significantly up-regulated in response to hypoxia in the four neuroblastoma cell lines tested. This compact and robustly validated group of genes, is associated with the hypoxia response in aggressive neuroblastoma and may represent a novel target for biomarker and therapeutic development.
Novel orbital findings of intracranial hypotension.

Abstract Purpose To determine whether orbital findings on routine brain MRI can be used to differentiate patients with intracranial hypotension from controls. Methods The authors evaluated axial T2-weighted images for the amount of optic nerve sheath CSF and 3D-T1-weighted images for optic nerve angle of sixteen patients with intracranial hypotension and 60 controls. Results Patients with intracranial hypotension demonstrated significantly decreased CSF in the optic nerve sheath. Optic nerve angle was higher in the intracranial hypotension group compared to controls. Conclusions Decreased optic nerve sheath CSF and straightened optic nerve angle are significantly more common in the setting of intracranial hypotension.
The Great Plains and the Buffalo Commons

The Great Plains region, North America’s grassland and breadbasket, is a vast, beautiful, charismatic place with a volatile settlement history. Since the end of the Civil War, the Plains has suffered three large cycles of population, economic, and environmental boom and especially bust. Seventeen years ago the authors (Popper and Popper 1987) proposed a solution for the region’s difficulties, a vision of the Plains’ land-use future that we called the Buffalo Commons. Our idea took hold in the Plains, has lasted, and promises to affect the region’s development.
Reservoir of foreign talent

Understanding the impact that increased high-skilled immigration has had on a country's economy involves evaluating counter-factuals—what would the economy have been like under a more restrictive immigration policy? We modeled decisions made by U.S. firms and workers, then used the introduction of
Barriers to pediatric cochlear implantation: A parental survey

Abstract Objective This study aims to (1) determine barriers in the pediatric cochlear implantation process specific to publicly insured patients, wherein delayed implantation has been reported, and (2) compare the perceived barriers between publicly and privately insured patients. Setting Tertiary care cochlear implantation center at academic pediatric hospital. Study design Cross-sectional survey, retrospective chart review. Methods The validated, 39 item Barriers to Care Questionnaire was administered to the parents of 80 recipients of cochlear implantation by two surgeons between 2013 and 2016. Survey results and diagnosis to implant interval were compared based on public or private insurance status. Two-tailed Mann-Whitney and Fisher's exact test was used for statistical analysis. Results Of 110 cochlear implants, 27 of 80 (34%) English-speaking parents completed the survey. 15 were privately insured and 12 were publicly insured. 23 of 27 respondents received cochlear implantation for pre-lingual sensorineural hearing loss. Publicly insured patients had significantly longer median time from diagnosis to implant than privately insured (19 vs. 8 mo, p = 0.01). The three worst scoring barrier categories for privately insured families in order were Pragmatics, Expectations, and Marginalization, whereas for publicly insured families it was Pragmatics, Skills, and Expectations. The worst scoring question for privately insured patients was “Having to take time off work”. For the publicly insured, it was “Lack of communication.” Conclusion Privately insured patients reported more barriers on the Barriers to Care Questionnaire than publicly insured patients did. Although pragmatics was the worst-scoring barrier category for both groups, difficulties found on the survey ranked differently for each group. This information can help providers address disparities and access barriers for vulnerable patients.
Kinetics of dissolution of uranium metal foil by alkaline hydrogen peroxide

To develop a new process for the production of 99Mo using low-enriched uranium targets, uranium dissolution in alkaline hydrogen peroxide was studied. Molybdenum-99 is a parent of the widely used m...
VMAT optimization with dynamic collimator rotation

Purpose Although collimator rotation is an optimization variable that can be exploited for dosimetric advantages, existing Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) optimization uses a fixed collimator angle in each arc and only rotates the collimator between arcs. In this study, we develop a novel integrated optimization method for VMAT, accounting for dynamic collimator angles during the arc motion. Methods Direct Aperture Optimization (DAO) for Dynamic Collimator in VMAT (DC-VMAT) was achieved by adding to the existing dose fidelity objective an anisotropic total variation term for regulating the fluence smoothness, a binary variable for forming simple apertures, and a group sparsity term for controlling collimator rotation. The optimal collimator angle for each beam angle was selected using the Dijkstra's algorithm, where the node costs depend on the estimated fluence map at the current iteration and the edge costs account for the mechanical constraints of multi-leaf collimator (MLC). An alternating optimization strategy was implemented to solve the DAO and collimator angle selection (CAS). Feasibility of DC-VMAT using one full-arc with dynamic collimator rotation was tested on a phantom with two small spherical targets, a brain, a lung and a prostate cancer patient. The plan was compared against a static collimator VMAT (SC-VMAT) plan using three full arcs with 60 degrees of collimator angle separation in patient studies. Results With the same target coverage, DC-VMAT achieved 20.3% reduction of R50 in the phantom study, and reduced the average max and mean OAR dose by 4.49% and 2.53% of the prescription dose in patient studies, as compared with SC-VMAT. The collimator rotation co-ordinated with the gantry rotation in DC-VMAT plans for deliverability. There were 13 beam angles in the single-arc DC-VMAT plan in patient studies that requires slower gantry rotation to accommodate multiple collimator angles. Conclusions The novel DC-VMAT approach utilizes the dynamic collimator rotation during arc delivery. In doing so, DC-VMAT affords more sophisticated intensity modulation, alleviating the limitation previously imposed by the square beamlet from the MLC leaf thickness and achieves higher effective modulation resolution. Consequently, DC-VMAT with a single arc manages to achieve superior dosimetry than SC-VMAT with three full arcs.
A case for overlays in DCN virtualization

Server virtualization has brought about tremendous value to a modern computing landscape and in particular to data center and cloud infrastructures. Virtual server deployments have become ubiquitous in many development and production sites, in cloud infrastructures and in disaster recovery solutions. Network connectivity is a vital aspect of modern computing. In this work we explore the new requirements the server virtualization brings to the networking world and show how these requirements are different from those of a physical server connectivity. We then describe the Distributed Overlay Virtual Ethernet (DOVE) network architecture for building virtual networks infrastructure. We show how host-based overlays answer the novel networking requirements and describe a working example of their usage for network virtualization. We discuss the benefits and the drawbacks of the method, outline options for its efficient implementation, and show what additional work is required in order to base DCN virtualization on overlays.
Opioid Modulation of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Prolactin (PRL) Secretion in the Postpartum Sow

Lactation in the sow is characterized by an anestrous period that usually lasts up to 6 wk (Cole et al., 1975). Serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone (LH) are suppressed during lactation (Stevenson et al., 1981; Stevenson and Britt, 1980) while prolactin (PRL) concentrations are elevated (Bevers et al., 1978; Stevenson et al., 1981; Dusza and Krzymowska, 1981). Serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations increase gradually beyond the third week of lactation which appears to be related to a reduction in suckling frequency of the litter (Stevenson et al., 1981). Weaning generally results in an increase in serum LH and FSH (Cox and Britt, 1982; Shaw and Foxcroft, 1985) concentrations and a decrease in serum PRL concentrations (Bevers et al., 1978; van Landeghem and van de Wiel, 1978).
Social Welfare in Canada: The Case for Selectivity

Universality and selectivity are amenable to a rather straightforward and non-value-laden definition. For our purposes, universality may be described as pertaining to aid programs where the benefits go to all persons, regardless of income. The amount of the benefits, moreover, is invariant with respect to income (or wealth). In contrast, selectivity may be defined as an aid program with a means test: whether a person is eligible or not and the amount of benefits to be received are determined by financial status.
Predicting the Behavior of Law in the Juvenile Court: A Focus on Noncompliance Cases:

A large body of research has examined racial and gender disparities in juvenile justice decision making, generally concluding that disparities continue to plague the system. However, little research has examined disparities in “noncompliance” cases, even though youth charged with these offenses comprise a considerable percentage of youth under the jurisdiction of the juvenile justice system. Using Black’s theory of law, the current study investigates the impact of race and gender on juvenile detention and adjudication decisions in “noncompliance” cases (e.g., probation violations, contempt, failure to appear) in a mid-Atlantic state. Findings suggest that Black’s theory does an adequate job of explaining the detention and adjudication decisions, and that race and gender continue to condition juvenile justice processing.
Nature, agency, and the nature of agency

I examine skeptical arguments about the constitutive nature of agency, with special attention to those of Elijah Millgram. I suggest that these arguments lead us not to the conclusion that agency has no such nature, but that it is an essentially contested kind in the same way that art is. I argue that this undermines traditional forms of constitutivism in metaethics but opens the door to a different way of pursuing the same program. Finally, I take issue with Millgram’s solution to the problem of “logical aliens” and suggest an alternative based my analogy with art.
Multi-layer Born scattering: an efficient model for 3D phase tomography with multiple scattering objects (Conference Presentation)

3D quantitative phase (refractive index) microscopy reveals volumetric structure of biological specimens. Optical diffraction tomography (ODT) is a common technique for 3D phase imaging. By angularly scanning a spatially coherent light source and measuring scattered fields on the imaging plane, 3D refractive index (RI) is recovered by solving an inverse problem. However, ODT often linearizes the process by using a weakly scattering model, e.g. the first Born approximation or Rytov approximation, which underestimate the RI and fail to reconstruct realistic shape of high RI contrast multiple scattering objects. On the other hand, non-linear models such as the multi-slice or beam propagation methods mitigate artifacts by modeling multiple scattering. However, they ignore back-scattering and intra-slice scattering and make a paraxial approximation by assuming each slice is infinitesimally thin. In this work, we propose a new 3D scattering model Multi-layer Born (MLB), which treats the object as thin 3D slabs with finite thickness and applies the first Born approximation on each slab as the field propagates through the object, increasing the accuracy significantly. In the meantime, a similar computation complexity is achieved comparing to the previously proposed multi-slice models. Therefore, MLB can achieve accuracy similar to that of FDTD or SEAGLE, a frequency domain solver, with orders of magnitude less computation time. In addition to forward scattering, multiple back-scattering effects are also captured by MLB unlike existing models. We apply MLB to recover the RI distribution of 3D phantoms and biological samples with intensity-only measurements from an LED array microscope and show that the results are superior to existing methods.
Nervous System Dysregulation and Its Association with Traumatic Events

Background: Medically unexplained symptoms commonly present to pediatricians with no apparent cause following extensive investigations. Such patients frequently present with multiple chronic symptoms including memory problems, insomnia, dizziness, digestive problems and variable somatic complaints such as headache and muscle pain. Objective: This study aims to characterize the symptom profile of children presenting with multiple medically unexplained symptoms. We hypothesize that these symptoms reflect a maladaptive stress response and dysregulated nervous system due …
Considerations for Chinese text input methods in the design of speech generating devices: a tutorial

Millions of Chinese-speaking people who have the most severe speech disorders could potentially benefit from using Speech Generating Devices (SGDs) to help them participate in society. Entering Chinese text into computer systems is complex, and the process itself requires a translation system from the small selection set of keys to Chinese characters, thus adding to the complexities of adaptive access to computers often required by people who rely on them for spoken and written communication. This paper examines two types of input method: those relying on phonetic principles, and those relying on logographic principles. It evaluates the potential pros and cons of each input method to specific populations with complex communication needs.
Documenting the information content of images.

Abstract A standards-based message and terminology architecture has been specified to enable large-scale open and non-proprietary interchange of imaging-procedure descriptions and image-interpretation reports providing semantically-rich linkage of linguistic and non-linguistic information. The DICOM Structured Reporting Supplement, now available for trial use, embodies this interdependent message/terminology architecture. A DICOM structured report object is a self-describing information structure that can be tailored to support diverse clinical observation reporting applications by utilization of templates and context-dependent terminology from an external message/terminology mapping resource such as the SNOMED DICOM Microglossary (SDM), HL7 Vocabulary, or Terminology Resource for Message Standards (TeRMS).
Surface diffusion in glasses of rod-like molecules posaconazole and itraconazole: effect of interfacial molecular alignment and bulk penetration

The method of surface grating decay has been used to measure surface diffusion in the glasses of two rod-like molecules posaconazole (POS) and itraconazole (ITZ). Although structurally similar antifungal medicines, ITZ forms liquid-crystalline phases while POS does not. Surface diffusion in these systems is significantly slower than in the glasses of quasi-spherical molecules of similar volume when compared at the glass transition temperature Tg. Between the two systems, ITZ has slower surface diffusion. These results are explained on the basis of the near-vertical orientation of the rod-like molecules at the surface and their deep penetration into the bulk where mobility is low. For molecular glasses without extensive hydrogen bonds, we find that the surface diffusion coefficient at Tg decreases smoothly with the penetration depth of surface molecules and the trend has the double-exponential form for the surface mobility gradient observed in simulations. This supports the view that these molecular glasses have a similar mobility vs. depth profile and their different surface diffusion rates arise simply from the different depths at which molecules are anchored. Our results also provide support for a previously observed correlation between the rate of surface diffusion and the fragility of the bulk liquid.
Primary Care Accessibility Effects on Health Care Utilization Among Urban Children.

Abstract Objectives Evidence suggests that spatial accessibility to primary care is a contributing factor to appropriate health care utilization, with limited primary care access resulting in avoidable hospitalizations and emergency department visits which are burdensome on individuals and our healthcare system. Limited research, however, has examined the effects on children. Methods We evaluated associations of spatial accessibility to primary care on health care utilization among a sample of 16,709 children aged 0-3 years in Philadelphia who were primarily non-White and publicly insured. Log-Poisson models with generalized estimating equations were used to estimate incidence rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) while accounting for three levels of clustering (within individual, within primary care practice, within neighborhood). Results In age-adjusted models, the lowest level of spatial accessibility was associated with 7% fewer primary care visits (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91, 0.95), 15% more emergency department (ED) visits (RR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09, 1.22), and 18% more avoidable hospitalizations (RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.01, 1.37). After adjustment for individual- (race/ethnicity, sex, number of chronic conditions, insurance status) and neighborhood-level (racial composition and proportion of housing units with no vehicle), spatial accessibility was not significantly associated with rate of health care utilization. Conclusions Individual-level predisposing factors, such as age, race, and need, attenuate the association between accessibility to primary care and use of primary care, emergency department visits, and avoidable hospitalization. Given the possibility of modifying access to primary care unlike immutable individual factors, a focus on spatial accessibility to primary care may promote appropriate health care utilization.
Indigenizing Urban Landscapes: Northwest Coast Artists and Cities in the Late Twentieth Century:

The experiences of Northwest Coast artists show how Indigenous peoples have confronted a past marked by conquest and the importance of urban areas for these purposes. Benefiting from the “Northwest...
Trends and Predictors of Use of Digital Health Technology in the United States.

Abstract Background Digital health technology is becoming central to health care. A better understanding of the trends and predictors of its use could reflect how people engage with the health care system and manage their health care needs. Methods Using data from the National Health Interview Survey for years 2011 to 2018, we assessed the use of digital health technology among individuals aged ≥18 years in the United States across 2 domains: 1) search for health information online and 2) interaction with health care providers (eg, fill a prescription, schedule a medical appointment, or communicate with health care providers). Results Our study included 253,829 individuals; representing nearly 237 million adults in the United States annually; mean age 49.6 years (SD 18.4); 51.8% women; and 65.9% non-Hispanic white individuals. Overall, 49.2% of individuals reported searching for health information online and 18.5% reported at least 1 technology-based interaction with the health care system. Between 2011 and 2018, the proportion who searched for health information online increased from 46.5% to 55.3% (P Conclusions The use of digital health technologies increased between 2011 and 2018, however, the uptake of these technologies has been unequal across subgroups. Future innovations and strategies should focus on expanding the reach of digital heath technology across all subgroups of society to ensure that its expansion does not exacerbate the existing health inequalities.