cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome in ovarian cancer patients treated with combination gemcitabine and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin

Abstract Background Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is a rare coagulation disorder characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute uremia. Reports have described this fatal syndrome in association with cytotoxic agents. To our knowledge, no case reports of HUS in ovarian cancer patients receiving treatment with combination gemcitabine and pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) have been reported. Case Reports Three patients with recurrent ovarian carcinoma each developed profound hypertension and peripheral edema while receiving combination gemcitabine and PLD. The first patient had rapid hemolysis, thrombocytopenia, renal failure and respiratory distress. The other patients experienced slowly progressive renal failure and mild hematologic abnormalities. Two of the three patients had favorable outcomes. Conclusion The reported incidence of gemcitabine-induced HUS is rare. Clinicians should suspect HUS if blood pressure elevation or peripheral edema develop.
Investigative Urology: Deposition of Calcium Phosphate and Calcium Oxalate Crystals in the Kidneys

Calcium phosphate (CaP) and calcium oxalate (CaOx) are the two most common crystalline constituents of human urinary stones. Calcium phosphate is often recognized as the nucleator of CaOx crystals, but the relationship between the two is not yet clearly understood. Using rat models of nephrolithiasis, we studied the role of CaP in renal deposition of CaOx. Calcium oxalate nephrolithiasis was brought about by inducing hyperoxaluria, while CaP CaOx nephrolithiasis was produced by dietary manipulation. Under similar urinary CaOx or CaP supersaturations, male rats were prone to form CaOx deposits while female rats were susceptible to produce CaP deposits in their kidneys. Crystal deposition in females was generally localized to the corticomedullary junction and in males to the renal papillae. The results indicate that gender plays an important role in the type and location of crystal deposition in the kidneys. In addition, deposition of CaP does not appear to influence the deposition of CaOx.
On Combining Shortest-Path and Back-Pressure Routing Over Multihop Wireless Networks

Back-pressure based algorithms based on the algorithm by Tassiulas and Ephremides have recently received much attention for jointly routing and scheduling over multi-hop wireless networks. However a significant weakness of this approach has been in routing, because the traditional back-pressure algorithm explores and exploits all feasible paths between each source and destination. While this extensive exploration is essential in order to maintain stability when the network is heavily loaded, under light or moderate loads, packets may be sent over unnecessarily long routes and the algorithm could be very inefficient in terms of end-to-end delay and routing convergence times. This paper proposes new routing/scheduling back-pressure algorithms that not only guarantees network stability (through-put optimality), but also adaptively selects a set of optimal routes based on shortest-path information in order to minimize average path-lengths between each source and destination pair. Our results indicate that under the traditional back-pressure algorithm, the end-to-end packet delay first decreases and then increases as a function of the network load (arrival rate). This surprising low-load behavior is explained due to the fact that the traditional back-pressure algorithm exploits all paths (including very long ones) even when the traffic load is light. On the otherhand, the proposed algorithm adaptively selects a set of routes according to the traffic load so that long paths are used only when necessary, thus resulting in much smaller end-to-end packet delays as compared to the traditional back-pressure algorithm.
The spleen in malaria: the role of barrier cells.

I believe that my laboratory has developed a construct of the spleen useful in understanding its range of normal and pathologic functions. The elements in the construct include recognition of an anatomically open vasculature with the interposition of reticular cell-reticular fiber filtration beds between terminal arterial vessels and proximal venules. The central function of the spleen, moreover — selective clearance of cells, microbes and other particles from the blood — depends upon these filtration beds. Such functions of the spleen as phagocytosis, immunologic reactivity, hematopoiesis, and blood cell storage derive from its clearance capacities. The reticular filtration beds offer but modest levels of basal clearance. The wide ranges of filtration that characterize the stressed spleen depend upon arming or augmenting the basic reticular filtration beds with responsive cells which can rapidly appear, and rapidly disappear. These include macrophages, salient phagocytic cells of rich repertoire, which have been accorded the major, even exclusive, role in splenic clearance. But other stromal cells participate in splenic clearance. I have identified a system of fibroblastic, contractile, granulated cells which fuse to form complex, branched syncytial sheets which, deployed as diverse barriers, augment the basic reticular filtration beds. Hence, I term these cells barrier cells. Barrier cells effectively interact with macrophages, reticular cells, other stromal and blood cells, contributing to the extraordinary range of splenic clearance capacities. Barrier cells may be elicited by a variety of infectious processes, damaged blood cells and hematopoietic factors. Interleukin-1-α evokes a strong barrier cell response, and may be the common denominator in splenic stress, stimulated by activated macrophages. Infection with malaria causes the broadest, most intense splenic cellular response, including the barrier cell response. So powerful is the splenic response, so nicely does it interweave host and parasite, that one is moved to speculate that the very structure of the spleen, as that of hemoglobins, may have been evolutionarily driven by malaria.
Cerebral Anoxia: Protein Metabolism During Recovery in In Vitro Model

Amino acid incorporation into proteins of rabbit brain slices was studied during the recovery stage after various anoxic periods in an in vitro experimental model. There was a distinct difference between anoxic periods up to five minutes and those beyond ten minutes. In the former, inhibition of amino acid incorporation was of lesser degree and was reversible. On the other hand, more than 50% inhibition was observed following anoxic periods of 30 minutes and this inhibition was irreversible. Amino acid incorporation into proteins was more sensitive to anoxia than was amino acid transport into brain slices.
Landscape analysis of jaguar (Panthera onca) habitat using sighting records in the Sierra de Tamaulipas, Mexico

The Sierra de Tamaulipas is a biogeographically isolated mountain system in Northern Mexico, where habitat fragmentation by land-management practices is a possible threat to wildlife conservation. As a case example, we used GIS analyses to evaluate how human activities influence the landscape structure of jaguar (Panthera onca) habitat in the region. The study: (1) ranked potential habitat based on associations between environmental attributes (topography, streams and vegetation) and the frequency distribution of jaguar sighting records; (2) classified current land cover from a 1990 Landsat-TM image and mapped the landscape structure of high potential habitat; and (3) compared the degree to which mature natural vegetation is fragmented by different types of owners. Jaguar sites showed significant associations with tropical deciduous and oak forests, and low, west or south-east slopes, between 400 and 900 m. About 52% of the high potential habitat was mapped as mature natural vegetation, which was distributed as two large patches (28% of the land area) and many small forest patches (98% at < 80 ha). The number and size-class distribution of high-potential habitat patches varied little amongst four ownership types, but the dispersed distribution of more subsistence and commercial-based owners across the landscape suggests the need for collaborative participation in a conservation plan. From our study the need to scale up from managing individual land parcels is substantiated and areas that promote regional contiguity of jaguar habitat in the Sierra de Tamaulipas are identified.
No safe haven: locations of harassment and bullying victimization in middle schools.

BACKGROUND: Given that adolescent bullying victimization is a significant concern for secondary education and adolescent development, identifying school contexts in which victimization is most likely to occur is salient. METHODS: An anonymous online survey assessed the prevalence of being harassed or bullied in various locations within 20 middle schools (grades 5-9) in New Jersey and New York (N = 10,668). Seven types of bullying-related victimization (teased in an unfriendly way, called hurtful names, physically abused, excluded from a group to hurt feelings, belongings taken/damaged, threatened to be hurt, and negative rumors spread) were examined in 7 locations where each type of victimization could occur (classroom, lunchroom, hallways, gym, playground, bus, or bathroom). RESULTS: Prevalence of victimization types ranged from 4% to 38% depending on location. Prevalence of overall victimization was equal or greater in classrooms compared with other school locations (highest prevalence rates in hallways, classrooms, and lunchrooms), regardless of school demographic characteristics. Victimization in classrooms compared with other school settings was most highly associated with feelings of being unsafe. CONCLUSIONS: Vigilant attention to bullying is needed across all school environments and especially in the classroom context, which may mistakenly be perceived as a more protected area. Indeed, middle school classrooms are not safe havens. Language: en
SVM-based audio classification for instructional video analysis

Automatic content analysis and annotation for efficient search and browsing of topics in instructional videos are current challenges in the management of e-learning content repositories. This paper presents our current work on classifying the soundtrack of instructional videos into seven distinct audio classes using the support vector machine (SVM) technology. The classification results are then used to partition a video into homogeneous audio segments, which forms the fundamental basis for its higher-level content analysis and exploration. Initial experiments carried out on three education and four training videos totalling 185 minutes have yielded an average 97.9% classification accuracy. The performance comparisons between the SVM-based, the decision tree (DT)-based and the threshold-based audio classification schemes further demonstrates the superiority of the proposed scheme.
Correspondence of Types I & II Censored-Sample Estimators

Maximum likelihood parameter estimation from censored samples can be done with one algorithm for both type I mission life analysis and type II sample censoring.
Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis of land surface parameters using the Variable Infiltration Capacity model

[1] Current land surface models use increasingly complex descriptions of the processes that they represent. Increase in complexity is accompanied by an increase in the number of model parameters, many of which cannot be measured directly at large spatial scales. A Monte Carlo framework was used to evaluate the sensitivity and identifiability of ten parameters controlling surface and subsurface runoff generation in the Variable Infiltration Capacity model (VIC). Using the Monte Carlo Analysis Toolbox (MCAT), parameter sensitivities were studied for four U.S. watersheds along a hydroclimatic gradient, based on a 20-year data set developed for the Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX). Results showed that simulated streamflows are sensitive to three parameters when evaluated with different objective functions. Sensitivity of the infiltration parameter (b) and the drainage parameter (exp) were strongly related to the hydroclimatic gradient. The placement of vegetation roots played an important role in the sensitivity of model simulations to the thickness of the second soil layer (thick2). Overparameterization was found in the base flow formulation indicating that a simplified version could be implemented. Parameter sensitivity was more strongly dictated by climatic gradients than by changes in soil properties. Results showed how a complex model can be reduced to a more parsimonious form, leading to a more identifiable model with an increased chance of successful regionalization to ungauged basins. Although parameter sensitivities are strictly valid for VIC, this model is representative of a wider class of macroscale hydrological models. Consequently, the results and methodology will have applicability to other hydrological models. Citation: Demaria, E. M., B. Nijssen, and T. Wagener (2007), Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis of land surface parameters using the Variable Infiltration Capacity model, J. Geophys. Res., 112, D11113, doi:10.1029/2006JD007534.
The role of loudness in auditory imagery

Four experiments studied characteristics of auditory images initiated by named but unheard sounds. The sounds varied in their loudness ratings. As the difference between the loudness ratings of the two sound phrases increased, the times to mentally equate the loudness of the two images increased, whereas the times to identify the louder (or softer) of the images decreased. Moreover, congruity effects were found in the comparative judgment task: Times were faster to identify the louder of two loud-rated stimuli than to judge the softer of the same two stimuli, and times were faster to identify the softer of the two soft-rated than two loud-rated stimuli. The loudness ratings did not always influence performance, however, for neither an image generation nor a reading task showed response times that varied with loudness ratings. These results suggest that sensory/perceptual components are optionally represented in auditory images. These components are included when appropriate to a given task. A control experiment showed that the results cannot be considered epiphenomenal.
Isoionic titration and isopycnic density gradient centrifugation studies of magnesium activation and subunit dissociation in yeast enolase.

Abstract Isopycnic density gradient centrifugations were performed on yeast enolase A in cesium chloride and sulfate at the isoionic pH (6.0–6.5) and at pH 8.1. The dissociation of the enzyme appears to be greater at the more alkaline pH. No large effect of the cofactor magnesium or pH or dissociation on the isopycnic point was found. Isoionic titrations were carried out in the presence and absence of magnesium using both salts. The metal reduces net anion binding by isoionic enzyme and net cation binding by pH 8.1 enzyme by about 1.6 – 3.4 equivalents at 0.05 ionic strength and somewhat less at the isopycnic ionic strengths. It is concluded that the metal does not significantly affect net hydration of the enzyme and that subunit dissociation is not accompanied by large changes in hydration or salt binding.
The action of ionizing radiation on viruses.

Publisher Summary Ionizing radiation may be employed to study the loss of infectivity of viruses and determine the size of the sensitive volume of the virus in consequence. Virus irradiation can be achieved by the bombardment technique. Fast electrons are being used for virus irradiation. Ionizing radiation inactivates a part of the virus. Ionizing radiation on water leads to the formation of H and OH radicals together with more durable products, such as H2O2 and HO2, in the presence of dissolved oxygen. These not only have an effect on the virus but also on any of the variety of molecules that could accordingly remove the “activation” of the water and so protect the virus. Indirect effects of radiation on T2 phage are described in the chapter. Experimental studies with T2 phage showed that two types of viral inactivation are present, one that is transient in time and requires irradiation of the virus and solution medium together, and other is an aftereffect that can be produced by adding virus to previously irradiated medium. The most striking action of ionizing radiation was on adsorption. The finding is very reasonable because irradiated water should act predominantly on the surface, which must also act in adsorption. Ionizing radiation also leads to an effect that developed with time after irradiation, and is presumably because of the products of radiation action that have long life. Damage produced in this way was strongly temperature-dependent and is apparently also of the cumulative damage type.
Robotic Left Hemicolectomy and Sigmoidectomy

A robotic approach to left hemicolectomy and sigmoidectomy is becoming a more widely utilized minimally invasive technique. In early reports, there appeared to be no difference in short-term outcomes when compared to laparoscopy. Currently, the benefit of robotic dissections remains unclear due to a lack of randomized controlled trials, yet anecdotal experience and several series suggest the benefits of robotic approaches elsewhere translate to colorectal surgery. In this chapter, we will provide a step-by-step technique to perform robotic left hemicolectomy and sigmoid resection, including things to consider in patient selection, room arrangement, and what to do in an emergency. We will also briefly review the literature on robotic left hemicolectomy and sigmoidectomy and evaluate the reported short-term and oncologic outcomes.
Cloning, Expression and Kinetic Characterization of the Feline Immunodeficiency Virus Proteinase

Biological and biochemical characterizations of non-human AIDS model systems are essential for understanding the mechanism of retrovirus-induced immune deficiency diseases. Furthermore, animal-based AIDS model systems will be important for the complete testing and evaluation of drugs and vaccines directed against diseases with retroviral etiologies. The feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a member of the lentivirus family, a group of retroviruses that also includes the human immunodeficiency viruses, HIV-1 and HIV-2. As with human lentiviruses, FIV exhibits a T-lymphocyte tropism and is associated with an immunodeficiency syndrome in infected domestic cats (Pederson et al., 1987, Yamamoto et al., 1988, Pederson et al., 1989). The merit of a feline-based system for evaluating AIDS chemotherapies will be partially dependent upon the structural and functional homology between feline and human viral proteins. A variety of HIV specific proteins have been identified as potential targets for anti-viral compounds, with much attention focused on the HIV-specific proteinase (HIV PR). At the primary structural level the human and feline viral proteinases share 29% amino acid identity and approximately 48 % amino acid similarity, with the highest degree of homology associated with residues involved in the formation of the active site cleft. In order to evaluate the degree of functional homology between the human and feline proteinases we have cloned and expressed the FTV PR gene in E. coli.
Changing the (Intercellular) Conversation: a Potential Role for Exosomal Transfer of microRNA in Environmental Health

Intercellular signaling via exosomes is a burgeoning topic in biomedical research, now having been associated with a host of disease states. These nanosized, membrane-encapsulated vesicles shuttle biomolecules between cells, facilitating intercellular cross-talk. A major player among these biomolecules are microRNA (miRNA), which are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that negatively regulate the expression of their target genes and therefore can impact the expression profile of recipient cells when transferred via exosomes. While evidence for the involvement of exosomal transfer of miRNA in various disease processes is rapidly mounting, research into the impact of the external environment on exosomal transfer of miRNA is slowly starting to emerge and represents an exciting new area of research. This review will summarize the current nascent state of the literature on the potential relationship between exosomal miRNA and the environment exposures and provide some potential considerations and directions for work in this field.
Sex Differences in Job Satisfaction Revisited

The article discusses a research on sex differences in job satisfaction. Subjects of the study included 200 males and 192 females who received questionnaire at their home and reported full time emp...
Scalable Multidimensional Uncertainty Evaluation Approach to Strategic Air Traffic Flow Management

Convective weather events cause capacity reduction in the National Airspace System (NAS), and lead to traffic congestion. To mitigate congestion, strategic air traffic flow management plans traffic flows at a long look-ahead time (2-15 hour). Planning at this timeframe is challenging, due to the wide possibility of weather events and requirement for real-time management. To conquer these challenges, we need an approach to quickly assess the impact of predicted weather events on the performance of air traffic system. In this paper, we use a scalable multidimensional uncertainty evaluation approach, called M-PCM-OFFD, to address this problem. Simulation studies show the effectiveness of this approach for the performance evaluation of air traffic system. In addition, we investigate further capability of M-PCM-OFFD through exploring higher-level OFFDs. Finally, we introduce an uncertainty-exploiting framework to enable real-time strategic air traffic management under weather uncertainty.
Three-dimensional acoustic-rotational disturbances in a cylinder with sidewall mass addition

Numerical and analytical modeling methods are used to predict the time-dependent flow dynamics in a partially-closed cylinder with sidewall mass addition. A prescribed non-axisymmetric timedependent boundary condition along the side of the cylinder drives a non-axisymmetric time-dependent flow within the cylinder. The flow field consists of co-existing, equal magnitude_acoustic (irrotational) and vorticity (rotational) fields present throughout the cylindrical chamber. An asymptotic analysis on the full three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations results in a set of reduced equations that describe irrotational and rotational processes. The analysis shows that vorticity is generated along the side of the cylinder at the injection surface. The vorticity is generated by an inviscid interaction between the acoustic field and the injected fluid at the boundary. The vorticity is then convected away from the sidewall by the steady field. The leading-order rotational field is fully described by a set of nonlinear convection-diffusion and first-order wave equations, which are solved numerically. This analysis has application to fluid flows in a cold flow model of a solid-fuel rocket motor field. The prescribed sidewall boundary condition is used to model time-dependent burning fluctuations along the fuel surface. Mathematical Formulation The work presented here is an extension of Staab et a1.2, a study of the internal flow dynamics within a cylinder with axisymmetric sidewall mass addition. The details of the results not presented here can be found in Staab 3. The objective of the present work is to model a wall injected, semi-confined internal flow driven by *Copyright 01999 by Peter Staab. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. with permission. tPostdoctoral Fellow, Department of Applied Math., University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; 80309-0527 iProfessor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, CD, 80309-0051. -AIAA member an non-&symmetric, time-dependent velocity disturbance on the sidewall. The flow occurs in a cylinder of length L’, and radius R’, with a pressure node at the open end as shown in Figure 1. Fluid is injected steadily through the sidewall with a characteristic velocity Vi0 and induces an axial flow characterized by V&. The mathematical model is based on the following non-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations: BP at + MV.(pV) = 0, = -62dp + H,, yM Eh(2)
The Story of ECLS: History and Future

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a rapidly evolving field that was developed for critically ill patients with respiratory failure more than 40 years ago. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for cardiac surgery was first introduced in the 1950s. In the 1970s, CPB use at the bedside for pulmonary support began and was termed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Later, in the 1980s, applications for extracorporeal technology expanded, and include oxygenation, CO2 removal, and hemodynamic support. Despite the other terms, such as extracorporeal life support (ECLS), ECMO is most often used to refer to all forms of extracorporeal support if gas exchange is involved. ECMO currently serves as a form of life support for critically ill patients when traditional supportive care is no longer effective. Recently, it has also become a bridge to transplantation and a way to manage acute shock.
Effect Factor and Predict Model of Rice Quality Variation for Mid-Season Hybrid Rice at Different Ecological Sites and Nitrogen Application Levels

Rice quality variation was analyzed with two mid-season rice combinations at different ecological sites,basic fertility of soil and nitrogen application levels in 2009.The results indicated that the genotype was the most important factor followed by the ecological conditions,the basic fertility of soil and the nitrogen application level.The interaction between the genotype and the experiment site had a significant or highly significant effect on the amylose content,the gel consistency,the percentage of head milled rice,the percentage of chalky rice and the chalkiness.The gel consistency was significantly affected by the interaction between the genotype and the nitrogen application level,and the interaction between the experimental site and the nitrogen application level had a significant effect on the percentage of head milled rice.Suitable environment conditions such as high altitude,low longitude,high available N,high available K in soil for Ⅱ you 7,and high altitude,high available N,low organic fertilizer,low total P in soil for Yuxiangyou 203 contributed to improve rice quality.The predict models were established respectively between the amylose,the gel consistency,the percentage of head milled rice,the chalkiness,the ratio length to width and the geographical position,the basic fertility of soil,the nitrogen application level for Ⅱ you 7 and Yuxiangyou 203.
Evaluation of results in implementation of the fifth-round Global Fund for Malaria in Hainan Province in the first year

Objective To evaluate the results the fifth-round Global Fund for Malaria Control project a year after im implemented in Hainan one year.Methods According to the report of malaria infections,the monthly and seasonal statements,the data of baseline survey and the special survey datas in 2007 were analyzed.Results The fifth round Global Fund for Malaria covered 16 cities and counties.Compared with 2006,malaria incidence dropped by 8.36% in 2007,there were no deaths.Totally 14 8012 fever patients were examined with microcopes,50 239 patients including suspected cases(35 328 P.vivax and 14 911,P.falciparum).In Project area,the parasite-carrying rate in residents decreased from 1.19% to 1.12%,the regular treatment rate increased from 20.09 % to 24.22%,the cases report rate increased from 19.6% to 24.64%.Conclusion There significant results have been attained in fifth-round Global Fund for Malaria Control implemented in Hainan Province.
Screening for Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea before Ambulatory Surgery.

Purpose:The American Society of Anesthesia practice guidelines recommend that pediatric and adult patients who undergo ambulatory surgery be screened for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). With this in...
Medicinal Chemistry of Glucagon-Like Peptide Receptor Agonists

Abstract This chapter reviews the development of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for the treatment of diabetes. The discovery of exendin-4 and exenatide and the subsequent delivery of exenatide ER provide a vehicle to review many aspects of the drug discovery process and how they contributed to the successful development of these significant medicines. Highlights include the creation of robust pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships and the development of early chemical biology experiments that underpinned the confidence in pursuing the GLP-1 receptor as a viable biological target. The discovery of liraglutide provides insights into the bioconjugation of peptides and how these changes modulate pharmacokinetic profiles to deliver an injectable drug. This chapter also reviews applications of GLP-1 ligands as imaging agents in the diagnosis of diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Throughout the review, emphasis is placed on fundamental principles to illustrate the impact that medicinal chemistry design and synthesis can make to this area of research.
A flex circuit composite based on a fiber blend

A copper clad composite for flexible and multilayer circuitry, having a good combination of electrical, thermal and mechanical properties in an extremely flexible and easily punchable form is described. The material is based on a newly-developed, random nonwoven fabric which is an intimate blend of polyester and glass fibers. The composite which results when this fabric is impregnated with a flexible, flame retardant epoxy resin possesses attributes not available in circuit materials based on polyimide or polyester films, or on resin saturated woven glass or polyester or polyarylamide papers.
Inferring weighted gene annotations from expression data

Annotating genes with information describing their role in the cell is a fundamental goal in biology, and essential for interpreting data-rich assays such as microarray analysis and RNA-Seq. Gene annotation takes many forms, from Gene Ontology (GO) terms, to tissues or cell types of significant expression, to putative regulatory factors and DNA sequences. Almost invariably in gene databases, annotations are connected to genes by a Boolean relationship, e.g., a GO term either is or is not associated with a particular gene. While useful for many purposes, Boolean-type annotations fail to capture the varying degrees by which some annotations describe their associated genes and give no indication of the relevance of annotations to cellular logistical activities such as gene expression. We hypothesized that weighted annotations could prove useful for understanding gene function and for interpreting gene expression data, and developed a method to generate these from Boolean annotations and a large compendium of gene expression data. The method uses an independent component analysis-based approach to find gene modules in the compendium, and then assigns gene-specific weights to annotations proportional to the degree to which they are shared among members of the module, with the reasoning that the more an annotation is shared by genes in a module, the more likely it is to be relevant to their function and, therefore, the higher it should be weighted. In this paper, we show that analysis of expression data with module-weighted annotations appears to be more resistant to the confounding effect of gene-gene correlations than non-weighted annotation enrichment analysis, and show several examples in which module-weighted annotations provide biological insights not revealed by Boolean annotations. We also show that application of the method to a simple form of genetic regulatory annotation, namely, the presence or absence of putative regulatory words (oligonucleotides) in gene promoters, leads to module-weighted words that closely match known regulatory sequences, and that these can be used to quickly determine key regulatory sequences in differential expression data.
The prevalence and effects of aspiration among neonates at the time of discharge

Background Neonates undergoing heart surgery for CHD are at risk for postoperative gastrointestinal complications and aspiration events. There are limited data regarding the prevalence of aspiration after neonatal cardiothoracic surgery; thus, the effects of aspiration events on this patient population are not well understood. This retrospective chart review examined the prevalence and effects of aspiration among neonates who had undergone cardiac surgery at the time of their discharge. Introduction This study examined the prevalence of aspiration among neonates who had undergone cardiac surgery. Demographic data regarding these patients were analysed in order to determine risk factors for postoperative aspiration. Post-discharge feeding routes and therapeutic interventions were extracted to examine the time spent using alternate feeding routes because of aspiration risk or poor caloric intake. Modified barium swallow study results were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the test as a diagnostic tool. Materials and methods A retrospective study was undertaken of neonates who had undergone heart surgery from July, 2013 to January, 2014. Data describing patient demographics, feeding methods, and follow-up visits were recorded and compared using a χ2 test for goodness of fit and a Kaplan–Meier graph. Results The patient population included 62 infants – 36 of whom were male, and 10 who were born with single-ventricle circulation. The median age at surgery was 6 days (interquartile range=4 to 10 days). Modified barium swallow study results showed that 46% of patients (n=29) aspirated or were at risk for aspiration, as indicated by laryngeal penetration. In addition, 48% (n=10) of subjects with a negative barium swallow or no swallow study demonstrated clinical aspiration events. Tube feedings were required by 66% (n=41) of the participants. The median time spent on tube feeds, whether in combination with oral feeds or exclusive use of a nasogastric or gastric tube, was 54 days; 44% (n=27) of patients received tube feedings for more than 120 days. Premature infants were significantly more likely to have aspiration events than infants delivered at full gestational age (OR p=0.002). Infants with single-ventricle circulation spent a longer time on tube feeds (median=95 days) than infants with two-ventricle defects (median=44 days); the type of cardiac defect was independent of prevalence of an aspiration event. Conclusions Aspiration is common following neonatal cardiac surgery. The modified barium swallow study is often used to identify aspiration events and to determine an infant’s risk for aspirating. This leads to a high proportion of infants who require tube feedings following neonatal cardiac surgery.
Improved upper bounds in the moving sofa problem

Abstract The moving sofa problem, posed by L. Moser in 1966, asks for the planar shape of maximal area that can move around a right-angled corner in a hallway of unit width. It is known that a maximal area shape exists, and that its area is at least 2.2195…—the area of an explicit construction found by Gerver in 1992—and at most 2 2 ≈ 2.82 , with the lower bound being conjectured as the true value. We prove a new and improved upper bound of 2.37. The method involves a computer-assisted proof scheme that can be used to rigorously derive further improved upper bounds that converge to the correct value.
Practitioner Training for Use of Evidence-Based Practice in Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this integrative review was to examine the evidence-based practice (EBP) training literature for occupational therapy practitioners in order to describe the relationships between EBP use in practice and practitioner training for EBP. A systematic search of literature related to EBP training in occupational therapy was followed by a research evaluation, review of case examples, and qualitative content analysis. Findings suggest that comprehensive, contextually-relevant, and collaborative training approaches are necessary for practitioners to address implementation of EBP. Research investigating the mechanisms of practitioner training and ways to measure the relationships between training, changes in how practitioners use evidence-based practices, and client outcomes and other quality indicators is recommended.
Environment-Induced Behavior of Transverse Tie Bars in Adjacent Prestressed Box-Girder Bridges with Partial Depth Shear Keys

AbstractAdjacent box-girder bridges are commonly built in United States because of their fast, easy, and economical construction. They have shown good performance and service life except for freque...
Bilateral parietal activations for complex visual-spatial functions: Evidence from a visual-spatial construction task

In this paper, we examine brain lateralization patterns for a complex visual-spatial task commonly used to assess general spatial abilities. Although spatial abilities have classically been ascribed to the right hemisphere, evidence suggests that at least some tasks may be strongly bilateral. For example, while functional neuroimaging studies show right-lateralized activations for some spatial tasks (e.g., line bisection), bilateral activations are often reported for others, including classic spatial tasks such as mental rotation. Moreover, constructive apraxia has been reported following left- as well as right-hemisphere damage in adults, suggesting a role for the left hemisphere in spatial function. Here, we use functional neuroimaging to probe lateralization while healthy adults carry out a simplified visual-spatial construction task, in which they judge whether two geometric puzzle pieces can be combined to form a square. The task evokes strong bilateral activations, predominantly in parietal and lateral occipital cortex. Bilaterality was observed at the single-subject as well as at the group level, and regardless of whether specific items required mental rotation. We speculate that complex visual-spatial tasks may generally engage more bilateral activation of the brain than previously thought, and we discuss implications for understanding hemispheric specialization for spatial functions.
The Curious Case of Corporate Spin-ins: Generating Profits or Problems?

Corporate spin-ins are acquisitions in which the acquired company is founded by former employees of the acquiring firm. Since a large majority of acquisitions fail to achieve the synergies necessar...
The Effect of Voltage Charging on the Transport Properties of Gold Nanotube Membranes

Porous membranes are used in chemical separations and in many electrochemical processes and devices. Research on the transport properties of a unique class of porous membranes that contain monodisperse gold nanotubes traversing the entire membrane thickness is reviewed here. These gold nanotubes can act as conduits for ionic and molecular transports through the membrane. Because the tubes are electronically conductive, they can be electrochemically charged by applying a voltage to the membrane. How this "voltage charging" affects the transport properties of gold nanotube membranes is the subject of this Review. Experiments showing that voltage charging can be used to reversibly switch the membrane between ideally cation- and anion-transporting states are reviewed. Voltage charging can also be used to enhance the ionic conductivity of gold nanotube membranes. Finally, voltage charging to accomplish electroporation of living bacteria as they pass through gold nanotube membranes is reviewed.
The Impact of a New Curriculum on Remedial Mathematics

“Remedial mathematics” refers to high-school level courses that are taught in colleges and universities, and includes courses in arithmetic, general mathematics, and intermediate algebra. Some universities and private colleges tend to regard courses in college algebra and trigonometry as being remedial.
The Loss of Efficiency in Kriging Prediction Caused by Misspecifications of the Covariance Structure

A major obstacle to making sound statistical inferences based on kriging is accounting for the effect of using estimated covariance structures on the ensuing kriging predictions. One way to investigate this problem is to study the effect of using a fixed but incorrect covariance structure to produce kriging predictions. This paper gives simple and explicit bounds for the increase in the variance of prediction errors caused by misspecifying the covariance structure in certain ways. In particular, the effects of using an isotropic model when in fact a geometric anisotropy is needed are investigated. These results give insights into how well certain features of the covariance function need to be estimated in order to obtain kriging predictions that are nearly optimal.
Fundamentals of System Dynamics

Unified methods of modeling physical systems are based on the idea that the storage, transmission, and transformation of power and energy among system components and between a system and its surroundings are the fundamental processes underlying a system’s dynamic behavior. Wellstead [W3] states the idea succinctly:
MicroRNAs and Drug Resistance

MicroRNA alterations are involved in the initiation, progression, and metastases of human cancer. The main molecular alterations are represented by variations in gene expression, usually mild and with consequences for a vast number of target protein coding genes. MicroRNA expression profiling of human tumors has identified signatures associated with diagnosis, staging, progression, prognosis, and response to treatment. Recent studies proved that miRNAs are involved in resistance to chemotherapy and therefore understanding their involvement could be of benefit for cancer patients’ treatment. This chapter’s focus is on the main studies proving the new link between microRNAs and drug resistance.
Adaptive Smoothed Aggregation in Lattice QCD

1 Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Colorado at Boulder, Email: brannick@newton.colorado.edu, mbrezina@math.cudenver.edu, maclachl@colorado.edu, tmanteuf@colorado.edu, stevem@colorado.edu, jruge@colorado.edu 2 Department of Mathematical Sciences, Ball State University, Email: ilivshits@bsu.edu 3 Department of Applied Physics and Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, Email: david.keyes@columbia.edu 4 Department of Mathematics, The Pennsylvania State University, Email: ludmil@psu.edu 5 SCI Institute, University of Utah, Email: livne@sci.utah.edu
Governing Equations and Structure of Turbulent Flows

The unsteady Navier-Stokes equations are generally considered to govern turbulent flows in the continuum regime. If this is the case, one might wonder why turbulent flows cannot be solved numerically as easily as laminar flows. The main problem is that the extremely small time and space scales of the turbulent motion result in a large number of grid points and small time steps. Direct numerical computation of turbulent flows for engineering purpose is therefore not yet practical because of computer limitations. Authorities disagree as to when computer technologies will have advanced to the point where turbulent flow calculations can be made from first principles (see Chapter 8). Some claim that for practical problems it will never be possible to resolve all the fine-scale flow structures with numerical solutions of the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. For the remainder of this century the most advanced approach will likely involve solving the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations for the evolution of the large eddies, which are responsible for most of the momentum transport, but modeling the smallest, subgrid-scale eddies. This approach is generally referred to as “large-eddy simulation.”, which will be discussed in greater details in Chapter 8.
Reaching the end goal: Do interventions to improve climate information services lead to greater food security?

Abstract Climate change is projected to have profound effects on nutritional outcomes, particularly among children under five in developing countries, where small-scale, subsistence farming and livestock production supports a majority of livelihoods. An underlying mechanism by which climate change will negatively affect nutrition is through increased food insecurity, as both crop and livestock production are threatened by changing patterns of rainfall and temperature. Climate information services (CIS) provide short and long-term weather and climate forecasts through a variety of means with the aim of increasing smallholder farmers’ ability to cope and adapt to a changing environment. CIS can be used to increase climate-smart agriculture (CSA) practices, which in turn can increase agricultural productivity and farmer resilience, while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Through household surveys, focus group activities, and participant observation, this research investigates linkages between CIS, uptake of CSA practices, and household food security through investigation of four research sites, two in Senegal and two in Kenya. The research sites were selected based on their various levels of engagement in CIS programs sponsored by the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) at the time research was conducted. The role of gender dynamics in the relationship between CIS, CSA, and food security is also explored through 1) sex-disaggregated quantitative from household surveys, and 2) sex-disaggregated qualitative data focus groups, which focuses in part on conceptualization of women’s empowerment. Findings indicate that farmers are receiving CIS and are using that information to make changes in farming practices, without major differences between men and women. This research suggests that CCAFS-CIS interventions may be leading to adoption of CSA practices; however, no direct correlation between receipt of CIS and use of CSA practices was found, nor was a relationship established between use of CSAs and food security. These findings are inconclusive, however, given the near complete coverage of CIS and widespread food insecurity across sites. Importantly, participants did not ascribe their knowledge of CSA practices to CIS, and the important role of social and informal networks as a source of climate information emerges as an important area of additional exploitation for increased uptake of CSA for improved food security.