cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ultrashort pulsed laser coherence measurements by single-pulse holography and four-wave mixing

We present a technique for determining coherence times of single femtosecond or picosecond pulses by a holographic method that measures the diffraction efficiency of a holographically recorded, time dispersed interference pattern. The results are discussed in terms of recent transient grating interpretations that use fourth-order coherence functions. Picosecond coherence times are measured for single 532-nm pulses, short-cavity dye-laser (SCDL) pulses, and a train of cw mode-locked dye-laser pulses. Nonrandom background coherence effects in a Nd:YAG (532-nm) laser are observed with both four-wave mixing measurements of average coherence and single-shot holographic measurements under operating conditions of spectral broadening. The SCDL has a coherence time of 2.8 psec, and both techniques measured random background coherence artifacts over the 22-psec pulse duration.
Effect of syringomycin and syringotoxin produced by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae on structure and function of mitochondria isolated from holcus spot resistant and susceptible maize lines

Abstract Syngomycin (SR) and syringotoxin (ST), two toxigenic peptides produced by ecotypic strains of Pseuomonas syringae pv. syringae, caused several changes in oxidative metabolism of mithochodria isolated from etiolated shoots of ACCO maize lines WF9 and B37 which differed in susceptibility to holus spot disease. Evidence was obtained that both toxins, in a concentration range of 6 to 24 μg mg−1 mitochondrial protein, depending on the toxin and on the substrate being oxidized, caused uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation, stimulation of succinate, malate/glutamate and NADH respiration, stimulation of ATPase activity, inhibition of ATP formation, increased swelling, and a decrease in mitochoondrial membrane potential. Generally the effect induced by ST was greater than that of SR. ST at 6 μg mg−1 protein caused complete uncoupling with all three substrates tested, while SR had the same effect at 12 μg mg−1 protein with NADH and succinate and at 24 μg mg−1 protein with malate/glutamate. This difference between SR and ST was probably due to a difference in specificity for their sites of action. Electron micrographs of B37 mithochodria indicated that SR and ST caused swelling with fragmentation of the inner membrane. The effects of the two toxins on WF9 and B37 mithochondria were the same, although, based on number of lesions and population dynamics of the pathogen in leaf tissues, pathogenicity tests indicated that leaves of WF9 were more susceeptible to P. syringae pv. syringae than those of B37. However, when leaf tissues were treated with SR or ST, B37 was more sensitive to the toxins than WF9. Both toxins caused typical holcus spot symptoms. Based on assays of bacterial populations in leaves, susceptibility of WF9 in contrast to the resistance of B37 to holcus spot was apparently due to the effects of host substrate on the extent and rate of growth of pathogenic bacteria in relation to production of SR.
Modified Hitschfeld-Bordan Equations for Attenuation-Corrected Radar Rain Reflectivity: Application to Nonuniform Beamfilling at Off-Nadir Incidence

AbstractAs shown by Takahashi et al., multiple path attenuation estimates over the field of view of an airborne or spaceborne weather radar are feasible for off-nadir incidence angles. This follows from the fact that the surface reference technique, which provides path attenuation estimates, can be applied to each radar range gate that intersects the surface. This study builds on this result by showing that three of the modified Hitschfeld–Bordan estimates for the attenuation-corrected radar reflectivity factor can be generalized to the case where multiple path attenuation estimates are available, thereby providing a correction to the effects of nonuniform beamfilling. A simple simulation is presented showing some strengths and weaknesses of the approach.
First Principles Computations of Second-Order Elastic Constants (SOEC) and Equations of State of Rutile TiO2

First principles computations of second-order elastic constants (SOECs) and bulk moduli (B) are carried out by ELASTCON and equation of state (EOS) programs. Computational results of lattice parameters, elastic constants, and bulk moduli are obtained with a wide variety of potentials and a limited combination of basis sets and are compared with computational and experimental results by other researchers in the field. DFT hybrid potentials provided the best comparison with the experiment.
RELAXING THE PERIMETER AND HIGH-DENSITY RULES: IMPLICATIONS FOR WASHINGTON DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Abstract The Perimeter and High-Density Rules have been the foundation upon which the physically limited capacity of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has been allocated. The perimeter rule at National Airport requires nonstop scheduled airline flights from that airport to serve destinations within a 1250-mile perimeter. The distance limit was initially introduced for a combination of reasons including environmental conservation (especially with respect to noise nuisance) and the desire to offer some protection for other airports in the Washington DC area as they built up traffic to reach a critical mass. The US Senate has recently taken actions to adjust the perimeter rule at National Airport. Any major relaxing of the rule will have implications for the other major airports in the National Capital Region; namely Washington Dulles International Airport and Baltimore–Washington International Airport. The resultant knock-on effects of this development on the wider economy of the region is examined here. The main attention of the paper is on the impact of any major change in the perimeter rule on Washington Dulles International Airport, and on the subsequent knock-on effects this would have on the region's employment level and structure.
The Potential for "Groupthink" in Autonomous Work Groups

As a result of current problems facing modern organizations a number of strategies have been implemented. The introduction of a work system based on autonomous work groups is one such strategy. A danger to the effectiveness of autonomous work groups is the potential for "groupthink." "Groupthink" is described and suggested to provide a useful observational behavioral category system for studying autonomous work group decision processes. Actual autonomous work group cases are presented to illustrate the relevance and the usefulness of the groupthink framework.
Myocardial enzymatic activity of renin and cathepsin D before and after bilateral nephrectomy

A local renin-angiotensin system is present within the myocardium and can play a role in the initiation and maintenance of cardiac hypertrophy. The source of myocardial renin may be direct cardiac renin gene expression, or plasma renin of renal origin. A primary indication that myocardial renin is derived from plasma renin of renal origin was from work showing that cardiac renin activity was no longer detected 30 hours after bilateral nephrectomy (BNX). However, more recent studies have been able to detect myocardial renin after BNX.
Studies on cellular adhesion in tissue-culture: X. An experimental and theoretical approach to interaction forces between cells and glass☆

Abstract An attempt was made to compare and measure the interaction forces of two types of cultured cells with glass, by centrifugation and shearing techniques. The experimental data were compared with the interaction forces computed according to DLVO-theory, using experimental data. While the experimental and computational data were in good agreement for a cell line which adhered “weakly” to glass, they were not in the case of a cell line which adhered strongly. The findings are discussed and tentatively explained in terms of electrical heterogeneity at the cell surface.
Phase space approach to wave propagation using windowed wave functions

We use the windowed function approach to define a quasi-distribution and develop an approximation method for pulse propagation in a dispersive medium. In our method, the wave is expressed as the sum of modal functions and we give a procedure to obtain the modal functions from the initial conditions. There are two aspects to the approximation: the first being for the mode, and secondly for the wave. We give an example for the case of the beam equation, where we use a Gaussian window to define the quasi-distribution.
What should we measure? Conceptualizing usage in health information exchange.

Under the provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic & Clinical Health act providers need to demonstrate their ‘meaningful use’ of electronic health record systems' health information exchange (HIE) capability. HIE usage is not a simple construct, but the choice of its measurement must attend to the users, context, and objectives of the system being examined. This review examined how usage is reported in the existing literature and also what conceptualizations of usage might best reflect the nature and objectives of HIE. While existing literature on HIE usage included a diverse set of measures, most were theoretically weak, did not attend to the interplay of measure, level of analysis and architectural strategy, and did not reflect how HIE usage affected the actual process of care. Attention to these issues will provide greater insight into the effects of previously inaccessible information on medical decision-making and the process of care.
Management of Bleeding Associated with Dabigatran and Rivaroxaban: A Survey of Current Practices

University of Minnesota M.S. thesis. Major: Clinical Research. May 2013. Advisor: Mark T. Reding. 1 computer file (PDF); vi, 36 pages.
Overexpression of thyroid hormone receptor α1 during zebrafish embryogenesis disrupts hindbrain patterning and implicates retinoic acid receptors in the control of hox gene expression

Nuclear receptors play key roles in anterior/posterior (A/P) axis formation during vertebrate embryogenesis. Within this gene family, retinoic acid receptors and retinoic acid itself have profound influences on the establishment of the A/P axis. Thyroid hormone receptors are expressed during early periods of development, long before the establishment of the thyroid gland, and are able to interact with retinoic acid receptors. Here we examined the ability of the thyroid hormone receptor α1 to affect early embryonic development by mRNA injection of either repressor or activator forms of the thyroid hormone receptor. Overexpression of either the thyroid hormone receptor α1 or a constitutive repressor form, v-erbA, caused a swelling in the rostral hindbrain. These defects were associated with disorganization and loss of rhombomere borders as well as an increase in the number of acetylcholine esterase positive cells. This phenotype correlated with a reduction in hoxa1 expression during gastrulation. Furthermore, injection of either thyroid hormone receptor α1 or v-erbA mRNA repressed a reporter gene that contained a retinoic acid response element, demonstrating the ability of the thyroid hormone receptor α1 to repress retinoic acid signaling during gastrulation. In contrast, embryos treated with retinoic acid alone or embryos injected with thyroid hormone receptor α1 and treated with the thyroid hormone analog TRIAC displayed a similar set of defects, including loss of the midbrain-hindbrain border and severe disruption of the rostral hindbrain. These studies support the involvement of retinoic acid and its receptors in the direct control of Hox gene expression and the early patterning of the zebrafish central nervous system.
Scattering error in a radio interferometer

Scattering error in an interferometer-angle-measuring system is investigated theoretically and numerically. The model employed consists of four identical base-loaded vertical antennas erected at the corners of a square. The assumption is made that the earth is a perfectly conducting plane of infinite extent. Curves are supplied for the error angle as a function of antenna spacing, with azimuth angle of wave arrival as parameter. The incident electric field is vertically polarized. These data were computed for quarter-wave vertical elements having a length-to-radius ratio of 122.35 and for base-load resistors of 12.5, 50, 200 and 500 ohms. A brief resume of the theory of the two-element ratio interferometer is presented, together with a numerical analysis when quarter-wave antennas are employed having a length-to-radius ratio of 74.21 and for the same values of base loads.
Processing and characterization of nanocrystalline molybdenum disilicide consolidated by hot isostatic pressing (HIP)

Abstract This research investigated the processing of nanocrystalline molybdenum disilicide (MoSi 2 ) into dense compacts by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Commercial Cerac MoSi 2 powder was processed into nanocrystalline powder by high energy attrition. The attrited powder was CI Ped and then HI Ped at 800 °C, 1000 °C, and 1500 °C for two and four hours, respectively, to obtain a dense compact. The samples then were characterized by SEM, X-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, and quantitative metallography. Mechanical properties such as hardness, fracture toughness and elastic modulus were determined by microhardness tests and acoustic studies. This work will compare the processing characteristics of the nanocrystalline HI Ped samples to those of conventional large-grained MoSi 2 powder. In general, the nanocrystalline material showed improved HI Ping characteristics along with improved machinability when compared to compacts made from conventional material pressed to a similar density.
Note on the heights of random recursive trees and random m ‐ary search trees

A process of growing a random recursive tree Tn is studied. The sequence {Tn} is shown to be a sequence of “snapshots” of a Crump–Mode branching process. This connection and a theorem by Kingman are used to show quickly that the height of Tn is asymptotic, with probability one, to c log n. In particular, c = e = 2.718 … for the uniform recursive tree, and c = (2γ)−1, where γe1+γ = 1, for the ordered recursive tree. An analogous reduction provides a short proof of Devroye's limit law for the height of a random m‐ary search tree. We show finally a close connection between another Devroye's result, on the height of a random union‐find tree, and our theorem on the height of the uniform recursive tree. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Validation of a pretransplant risk score for new-onset diabetes after kidney transplantation.

OBJECTIVE Identification of patients at high risk for new-onset diabetes after kidney transplantation (NODAT) will facilitate clinical trials for its prevention. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We previously described a pretransplant predictive risk model for NODAT using seven pretransplant variables (age, planned use of maintenance corticosteroids, prescription for gout medicine, BMI, fasting glucose, fasting triglycerides, and family history of diabetes). We have now applied the initial model to a cohort of 474 transplant recipients from another center for validation. We performed two analyses in the validation cohort. The first was a standard model with variables derived from the original study. The second was a summary score model, in which the sum of dichotomized variables (all the variables dichotomized at clinically relevant cut points) was used to categorize, individuals into low (0–1), intermediate (2, 3), or high (4–7) risk groups. We also conducted a combined database analyses, merging the initial and validation cohorts ( n = 792) to obtain better estimates for a prediction equation. RESULTS Although the frequency of several risk factors differed significantly between the two cohorts, the models performed similarly in each cohort. Using the summary score model, incidences of NODAT in low-risk, medium-risk, and high-risk groups in the initial cohort were 12, 29, and 56%, and in the validation cohort incidences were 11, 29, and 51%. CONCLUSIONS A pretransplant model for NODAT, including many type 2 diabetes risk factors, predicted NODAT in the validation cohort.
Fabrication and Electrical Properties of β-SiC/Si and Poly-SiC/Si Solar Cells

Silicon heterojunction solar cells have been fabricated using polycrystalline and crystalline SiC films as window material. SiC films are grown on Si substrates by chemical vapor deposition technique. These films are in situ doped using phosphine and spin on dopant after growth. Typical results of the n-βSiC/p-Si heterojunction solar cells are Voc = 492 raV; Jsc = 22.37 mA/cm2; FF = 0.70; η = 7.70% at AM1 solar simulated radiation. The possible causes for this low efficiency are discussed.
Three-dimensional volumetric MRI with isotropic resolution: improved speed of acquisition, spatial resolution and assessment of lesion conspicuity in patients with recurrent soft tissue sarcoma

To assess the acquisition speed, lesion conspicuity, and inter-observer agreement associated with volumetric T1-weighted MR sequences with isotropic resolution for detecting recurrent soft-tissue sarcoma (STS). Fifteen subjects with histologically proven recurrent STS underwent MRI, including axial and coronal T1-weighted spin echo (T1-WSE) (5-mm slice thickness) and coronal 3D volumetric T1-weighted (fat-suppressed, volume-interpolated, breath-hold examination; repetition time/echo time, 3.7/1.4 ms; flip angle, 9.5°; 1-mm slice thickness) sequences before and after intravenous contrast administration. Subtraction imaging and multiplanar reformations (MPRs) were performed. Acquisition times for T1-WSE in two planes and 3D sequences were reported. Two radiologists reviewed images for quality (>50 % artifacts, 25–50 % artifacts, <25 % artifacts, and no substantial artifacts), lesion conspicuity, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNRmuscle), recurrence size, and recurrence-to-joint distance. Descriptive and intraclass correlation (ICC) statistics are given. Mean acquisition times were significantly less for 3D imaging compared with 2-plane T1-WSE (183.6 vs 342.6 s; P = 0.012). Image quality was rated as having no substantial artifacts in 13/15 and <25 % artifacts in 2/15. Lesion conspicuity was significantly improved for subtracted versus unsubtracted images (CNRmuscle, 100 ± 138 vs 181 ± 199; P = 0.05). Mean recurrent lesion size was 2.5 cm (range, 0.7–5.7 cm), and measurements on 3D sequences offered excellent interobserver agreement (ICC, 0.98 for lesion size and 0.96 for recurrence-to-joint distance with MPR views). Three-dimensional volumetric sequences offer faster acquisition times, higher spatial resolution, and MPR capability compared with 2D T1-WSE for postcontrast imaging. Subtraction imaging provides higher lesion conspicuity for detecting recurrent STS in skeletal muscle, with excellent interobserver agreement between readers.
Actos afiliativos y postmemoria: asuntos pendientes

El auge de los estudios de la memoria en las ciencias sociales y las humanidades, ademas de la llamada "moda de la memoria" en la produccion cultural contemporanea espanola -con una presencia marcada de obras sobre los episodios violentos del siglo xx y su legado en el presente -ha dado lugar a una autentica oleada de trabajos academicos sobre esa produccion cultural -novelas, peliculas, documentales- por especialistas en cultura y literatura ibericas contemporaneas. Muchos de los analisis se inspiran en cuerpos teoricos ajenos, o al menos contiguos, al campo: la filosofia y los estudios sociales (desde Maurice Halbwachs, Reyes Mate y Paul Ricoeur hasta Paloma Aguilar y Elizabeth Jelin) y los estudios humanisticos del Holocausto, incluida la teoria del trauma y de la postmemoria (desde Cathy Caruth, Shoshana Felman y Dominick LaCapra a James Young y Marianne Hirsch). A la vista de esta produccion reciente de criticos literarios y culturales, este ensayo se propone dos tareas: cuestionar hasta que punto el analisis de textos y peliculas individuales puede contribuir a nuestra comprension de fenomenos sociopoliticos generales como la memoria colectiva y la justicia transicional; y clarificar algunas diferencias fundamentales entre la memoria historica de las victimas de la Guerra Civil y del franquismo, por un lado, y la memoria de las victimas del Holocausto, por otro. Diferencias que hacen que una nocion como (post)memoria afiliativa no tenga el mismo significado en ambos contextos.
Exciton Dynamics in the Rubrene Single Crystal

We correlate different measurements of photoluminescence, four-wave mixing, and photocurrent with singlet and triplet exciton dynamics in rubrene and discuss implications for organic photovoltaics.
New technologies in benign prostatic hyperplasia management.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Surgical debulking of the adenoma/transition zone has been the fundamental principle which underpins transurethral resection of the prostate - still acknowledged to be the gold-standard therapy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, there has been a recent resurgence in development of new BPH technologies driven by enhanced understanding of prostate pathophysiology, development of new ablative technologies, and the need for less morbid alternatives as the mean age and complexity of the treatment population continues to increase. The objective of this review is to highlight new BPH technologies and review their available clinical data with specific emphasis on unique features of the technology, procedural effectiveness and safety, and potential impact on current treatment paradigms. RECENT FINDINGS New technologies have emerged that alter the shape of the prostate to decrease urinary obstruction and enhance delivery of a lethal thermal dose by steam injection into the transition zone of the prostate. Energy can be delivered to the prostate via a beam of high-pressure saline or focused acoustic energy to mechanically disintegrate prostate tissue. Methods of cell death are being targeted with selectivity by the arterial supply with embolization and specific to prostate cells via injectable biological therapies. SUMMARY A number of new technologies are at various stages of development and improve on the transurethral resection of the prostate paradigm by moving closer to the ideal BPH therapy which is definitive, can be performed in minutes, in the office setting, with only local anesthesia and oral sedation.
A Method of Aggregating Heterogeneous Subgrid Land-Cover Input Data for Multiscale Urban Parameterization

AbstractA method of representing grid-scale heterogeneous development density for urban climate models from probability density functions of subgrid-resolution observed data is proposed. Derived values are evaluated in relation to normalized Shannon entropy to provide guidance in assessing model input data. Urban fraction for dominant-class and mosaic urban contributions is estimated by combining analysis of 30-m-resolution National Land Cover Database 2006 data products for continuous impervious surface area and categorical land cover. The aim of the method is to reduce model error through improvement of urban parameterization and representation of observations employed as input data. The multiscale variation of parameter values is demonstrated for several methods of utilizing input. This approach provides multiscale and spatial guidance for determining where parameterization schemes may be misrepresenting heterogeneity of input data, along with motivation for employing mosaic techniques that are based u...
Theory vs Practice: Should Primary Care Practice Take on Social Determinants of Health Now? Yes.

Of all ethnic groups in New Mexico, Native Americans have some of the best screening and treatment for diabetes, yet have by far the worst outcomes from that disease—kidney failure, amputations, blindness. High-quality care cannot adequately compensate for decades of low income, low educational
Energy preserving low-thrust guidance for orbit transfers in KS variables

A Lyapunov-based approach is presented to design finite-thrust closed-loop guidance schemes in a two-body model, to perform any general orbit transfer. The design is performed in the Kustaanheimo–Stiefel (KS) model, a regularized two-body framework. The KS model aids in the design of the guidance schemes, but the new guidance solutions can be explicitly characterized in the regular two-body model. The control scheme covers two main phases: first, a matching of the semi-major axis of the target orbit; and second, a matching of the remaining desired orbital elements by holding energy constant. No constraint is imposed on the magnitude of the thrust; however, an emphasis is placed on low-thrust examples.
BCG Immunotherapy for Transitional-Cell Carcinoma in Situ of the Bladder

Prior to the advent of BCG immunotherapy, bladder carcinoma in situ often progressed to muscle invasion. Intravesical chemotherapy completely eradicates the disease in 50% of patients, but fewer than 20% remain disease free after 5 years. Complete responses have been reported in 70% or more of BCG treated patients, nearly two-thirds of which are durable. Controversy over the optimal induction and maintenance regimens for BCG immunotherapy remain, but SWOG investigators have demonstrated that complete response rates can be increased from the expected 73% to 87% with just three additional BCG instillations given at 3 months. In complete responders, maintenance BCG using three weekly treatments at 6-month intervals improves long-term complete response rates from 65% to nearly 90%. Caution must be exercised to avoid serious side effects.
Endothelial and nonendothelial cyclooxygenase mediate rabbit pial arteriole dilation by bradykinin

Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) was administered to rabbits in an attempt to inhibit selectively endothelial cyclooxygenase activity and therefore to determine its role in bradykinin-induced radical-mediated dilation of cerebral arterioles. With the use of the cranial window technique in anesthetized rabbits, pial arteriolar diameters were recorded in response to topically applied bradykinin, acetylcholine, and ventilation with 10% O2-9% CO2 gas mixture. Prostaglandins were measured in isolated cerebral microvessels and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using radioimmunoassay. Microvessel prostaglandin production was reduced significantly by 90 mg/kg i.v. ASA, whereas acetylcholine-stimulated increases of CSF prostaglandins were not similarly affected. This treatment reduced bradykinin-induced dilation of pial arterioles by 47%. After concurrent 90 mg/kg i.v. ASA plus 300 microM ASA topically applied to the brain, stimulated increases of CSF prostaglandins were reduced by 79%, while bradykinin-induced dilatio...
Guidelines for experts reviewing Papanicolaou smear litigation cases.

. Guidelines for expert witnesses and their role in medical malpractice cases are reviewed. Some currently recommended guidelines, as modified for the pathologist acting as an expert witness, are presented.
Race, war, and white magic: the neglected legacy of Salem

Since 1986 witchcraft (“Wicca”) has been a constitutionally protected religion; witch/wizard covens are maintained across the country, though they are, perhaps understandably, concentrated in Massachusetts. Nonetheless, the very mention of the seaboard city of “Salem,” for all except those who live there, has never shed its association with the infamous “Salem witch trials,” even though the trials arose in the neighboring inland community of Salem Village, now Danvers. Three centuries of notoriety have made the bibliography of the Salem witch trials (hearings, transcripts, polemics, history, historical fiction, drama, scholarship) so voluminous that no one can hope to master its entirety. My emphasis here is on exploring one long-neglected cause of the Salem trials, and studying selected renderings of it. During the sessions of the 1692 Special Court of Oyer and Terminer, confusions of racial color symbolism (red, black, and white) were expressed in the testimony of the afflicted who swore they had seen specters. Before, during, and after these testimonies, Essex County was sending its militia to fight Indians and Frenchmen who had been threatening and overrunning the county's northern borders since King Philip's War. The interconnections between these two developments demand our continuing attention if we are to understand not only the trials of 1692 but also the historiographical tradition that follows them. It is particularly important that the racial and wartime dimensions of the Salem witch trials should have been so long obscured within the progressive New England historical tradition.
Planning for New Urban Realities: The Post-War European Experiencies

Industrial urbanisation came earlier to Britain and adjacent north-western Europe than it did to North America. As early as 1843, Robert Vaughan could proclaim in Britain that ‘ours is the age of great cities’. From 1801 to 1911, Britain’s urban areas accounted for 94 per cent of the country’s population increase. One-third of the urban growth was due to net immigration from rural areas (Lawton, 1972). Industrialisation lagged in its onset eastward into the Slavic cultures and southward into the Mediterranean lands, however. There, older urban forms have persisted to the present. Indeed, throughout Europe the impact of industrial urbanisation was felt through screens of social structure and an urban inheritance from earlier times. As a result, many of its human consequences have differed from those in North America. In turn, these consequences produced a major turning point in the western urbanisation experience after the Second World War, as public policies began to shape sought-after urban futures. It was in Europe that the strategies of deliberate urbanisation to which the countries of the Third World aspire were developed and have had the greatest effect.
Septal Cholinergic Neuromodulation Tunes the Astrocyte-Dependent Gating of Hippocampal NMDA Receptors to Wakefulness

Summary The activation of the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is controlled by a glutamate-binding site and a distinct, independently regulated, co-agonist-binding site. In most brain regions, the NMDAR co-agonist is the astrocyte-derived gliotransmitter D-serine. We found that D-serine levels oscillate in mouse hippocampus as a function of wakefulness, in vitro and in vivo. This causes a full saturation of the NMDAR co-agonist site in the dark (active) phase that dissipates to sub-saturating levels during the light (sleep) phase, and influences learning performance throughout the day. We demonstrate that hippocampal astrocytes sense the wakefulness-dependent activity of septal cholinergic fibers through the α7-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR), whose activation drives D-serine release. We conclude that astrocytes tune the gating of synaptic NMDARs to the vigilance state and demonstrate that this is directly relevant to schizophrenia, a disorder characterized by NMDAR and cholinergic hypofunctions. Indeed, bypassing cholinergic activity with a clinically tested α7nAChR agonist successfully enhances NMDAR activation. Video Abstract
Reliability of doming and toe flexion testing to quantify foot muscle strength

Quantifying the strength of the intrinsic foot muscles has been a challenge for clinicians and researchers. The reliable measurement of this strength is important in order to assess weakness, which may contribute to a variety of functional issues in the foot and lower leg, including plantar fasciitis and hallux valgus. This study reports 3 novel methods for measuring foot strength – doming (previously unmeasured), hallux flexion, and flexion of the lesser toes. Twenty-one healthy volunteers performed the strength tests during two testing sessions which occurred one to five days apart. Each participant performed each series of strength tests (doming, hallux flexion, and lesser toe flexion) four times during the first testing session (twice with each of two raters) and two times during the second testing session (once with each rater). Intra-class correlation coefficients were calculated to test for reliability for the following comparisons: between raters during the same testing session on the same day (inter-rater, intra-day, intra-session), between raters on different days (inter-rater, inter-day, inter-session), between days for the same rater (intra-rater, inter-day, inter-session), and between sessions on the same day by the same rater (intra-rater, intra-day, inter-session). ICCs showed good to excellent reliability for all tests between days, raters, and sessions. Average doming strength was 99.96 ± 47.04 N. Average hallux flexion strength was 65.66 ± 24.5 N. Average lateral toe flexion was 50.96 ± 22.54 N. These simple tests using relatively low cost equipment can be used for research or clinical purposes. If repeated testing will be conducted on the same participant, it is suggested that the same researcher or clinician perform the testing each time for optimal reliability.
Year-round presence of neonicotinoid insecticides in tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA.

Abstract To better characterize the transport of neonicotinoid insecticides to the world's largest freshwater ecosystem, monthly samples (October 2015–September 2016) were collected from 10 major tributaries to the Great Lakes, USA. For the monthly tributary samples, neonicotinoids were detected in every month sampled and five of the six target neonicotinoids were detected. At least one neonicotinoid was detected in 74% of the monthly samples with up to three neonicotinoids detected in an individual sample (10% of all samples). The most frequently detected neonicotinoid was imidacloprid (53%), followed by clothianidin (44%), thiamethoxam (22%), acetamiprid (2%), and dinotefuran (1%). Thiacloprid was not detected in any samples. The maximum concentration for an individual neonicotinoid was 230 ng L−1 and the maximum total neonicotinoids in an individual sample was 400 ng L−1. The median detected individual neonicotinoid concentrations ranged from non-detect to 10 ng L−1. The detections of clothianidin and thiamethoxam significantly increased as the percent of cultivated crops in the basins increased (ρ = 0.73, P = .01; ρ = 0.66, P = .04, respectively). In contrast, imidacloprid detections significantly increased as the percent of the urbanization in the basins increased (ρ = 0.66, P = .03). Neonicotinoid concentrations generally increased in spring through summer coinciding with the planting of neonicotinoid-treated seeds and broadcast applications of neonicotinoids. More spatially intensive samples were collected in an agriculturally dominated basin (8 sites along the Maumee River, Ohio) twice during the spring, 2016 planting season to provide further information on neonicotinoid inputs to the Great Lakes. Three neonicotinoids were ubiquitously detected (clothianidin, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam) in all water samples collected within this basin. Maximum individual neonicotinoid concentrations was 330 ng L−1 and maximum total neonicotinoid concentration was 670 ng L−1; median detected individual neonicotinoid concentrations were 7.0 to 39 ng L−1.
The effect of online reviews on product sales: A joint sentiment-topic analysis

Abstract This research examines the business impact of online reviews. It empirically investigates the influence of numerical and textual reviews on product sales performance. We use a Joint Sentiment-Topic model to extract the topics and associated sentiments in review texts. We further propose that numerical rating mediates the effects of textual sentiments. Findings not only contribute to the knowledge of how eWOM impacts product sales, but also illustrate how numerical rating and textual reviews interplay while shaping product sales. In practice, the findings help online vendors strategize business analytics operations by focusing on more relevant aspects that ultimately drive sales.
Vascular Flora of Longleaf Pine Woodlands after Wind Disturbance and Salvage Harvesting in the Alabama Fall Line Hills

ABSTRACT The Oakmulgee District of the Talladega National Forest is the largest remnant of the endangered longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) ecosystem in Alabama. A partial floristic survey using nested plots and survey plots was conducted May–July 2016 in longleaf pine woodlands of the Oakmulgee District that were differentially impacted by a 27 April 2011 EF3 tornado and a subsequent salvage harvesting operation. Vascular plants were identified and ranked by frequency of occurrence (rare, occasional, common, and abundant) in three disturbance categories: undisturbed, wind-disturbed, and compound-disturbed (wind-disturbed and salvage-harvested). Overall, 192 plant taxa in 68 families and 137 genera were documented. Plant taxonomic richness was lowest on undisturbed sites (90 taxa), greatest on wind-disturbed sites (160 taxa), and reduced on compound-disturbed sites (126 taxa). Although salvage harvesting reduced taxonomic richness, 46 of the 48 plant taxa unique to unharvested wind-disturbed sites were rare...
Relationship between maternal methadone dosage, maternal-neonatal methadone levels, and neonatal withdrawal.

OBJECTIVE To define the relationships between neonatal opiate withdrawal and drug-related factors such as maternal methadone dosage, maternal and neonatal plasma levels, and rate of decline of methadone in neonatal plasma. METHODS Twenty-one methadone-dependent women and their newborn infants were studied. Fourteen of the women used other illicit drugs. The severity of neonatal withdrawal was assessed with a standardized scoring system. Venous blood samples for methadone levels were collected from the mothers within 24 hours of delivery and from their newborns within 24 hours of birth and on day 3-4 of life. RESULTS The maternal methadone dosage at delivery correlated significantly with the maternal plasma level drawn at 16 hours postpartum (r = 0.512, P < .05), and the maternal methadone level in turn correlated significantly with the neonatal plasma methadone level on day 1 of life (r = 0.545, P < .05). A positive correlation was found between the severity of central nervous system signs of withdrawal and the rate of decline of the neonatal plasma methadone level from day 1 to day 4 of life (r = 0.550, P < .05). CONCLUSION This spectrum of relationships supports the concept that careful reduction of the maternal methadone dosage during pregnancy under intensive medical and psychosocial surveillance may benefit the drug-exposed new-born infant clinically.
Coherent Structures in Turbulent Jets

The existence of large-scale coherent structures in shear flows has now been confirmed by an overwhelming number of experimental observations. The earlier work of Browand and Weidman (1976), Brown and Roshko (1974), Crow and Champagne (1971), and Winant and Browand (1974) demonstrated that the developing flow in both axisymmetric jets and two-dimensional shear layers is dominated by large-scale, wavelike coherent structures. Subsequently, coherent structures have been observed in other configurations, such as wakes, the initial region of planar jets and elliptic jets. These observations indicate that the structure starts as an instability wave on the shear layer, the amplitude of which reaches a maximum and then decays gradually downstream.
Examining Student and Teacher Talk Within Engineering Design in Kindergarten

Quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) experiences during the early years provide young learners with a critical foundation for future learning and development. Engineering design is a context that can be used to facilitate connections and learning across STEM, however there is limited research examining the use of engineering design-based STEM integration within the early childhood classroom. This study examines how an engineering design-based STEM integration unit was enacted across three kindergarten classrooms. Classroom observation and video data were collected and a coding scheme was used to document the ways that engineering and engineering design were enacted as well as the role of the teacher and students within the lessons. Results suggest that kindergarten students were able to meaningfully engage in and with multiple stages of an engineering design process while also building understanding of scientists and engineers related to teacher and student interactions, there were multiple instances of student-initiated talk, student to student response, the use of explicit engineering language and of students making connections to prior learning. This suggests that the enactment of engineering design in early childhood should incorporate multiple aspects of engineering and engineering design, include interdisciplinary content and provide a context for STEM integration.
Decomposition of juvenile-sized remains: a macro- and microscopic perspective.

There is currently a dearth of research investigating the progression and rate of decomposition for juvenile remains. It is thought that juveniles and infants decompose at an increased rate relativ...
First report of Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii in Ixodes brunneus from the United States

Abstract Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii is a novel rickettsial species recently identified in Ixodes ricinus. In this study, Ixodes brunneus collected from wild birds (n = 77 ticks) or vegetation (n = 4 ticks) in southeastern Virginia were surveyed for rickettsial agents. Candidatus Rickettsia mendelii was confirmed in I. brunneus through sequencing of the gltA and 16S rRNA genes. This is the first report of this rickettsial species in Ixodes ticks in North America.
Cultures of Accountability in Indigenous Early Childhood Education in Mexico

Resumo: As politicas de responsabilizacao tem o objetivo de melhorar a qualidade educacional; porem, muitas vezes, interferem na qualidade da educacao, inclusive na educacao bilingue. Com base em dezoito meses de trabalho etnografico em uma pre-escola indigena multisseriada na peninsula de Yucatan, no Mexico, descrevo como Elisa, professora, diretora e zeladora, cumpria as exigentes tarefas administrativas enquanto implementava diferentes programas governamentais que impunham sobre ela uma significativa carga burocratica. Isto tambem a levava a deslocar sua atencao de uma cultura de responsabilizacao por ensino-aprendizagem para uma cultura de responsabilizacao burocratica. Este estudo mostra que a educacao infantil em comunidades indigenas no Mexico depende da perspicacia e da preparacao de trabalhadores da linha de frente, como professores e supervisores escolares, pois cumprem com habilidade a cultura da responsabilizacao burocratica imposta pelas politicas governamentais enquanto tentam nao sacrificar uma responsabilizacao frente ao seu proprio dever junto aos estudantes.
Recruitment of Shoulder Complex and Torso Stabilizer Muscles With Rowing Exercises Using a Suspension Strap Training System

Background:Suspension training systems, which use body weight resistance under unstable conditions, may be effective for muscle strengthening in persons with scapular dyskinesis or subacromial impi...
The impact of psychiatric disorders on outcomes following heart transplantation in children.

Psychiatric disorders are common in pediatric HTx recipients. However, the impact of psychiatric comorbidities on patient outcomes is unknown. We aimed to assess the impact of disorders of adjustment, depression, and anxiety on HTx outcomes in children; hypothesizing that the presence of psychiatric disorders during or preceding HTx would negatively impact outcomes. All pediatric HTx recipients ≥8 years of age who survived to hospital discharge were identified from a novel linkage between the PHIS and SRTR databases (2002-2016). Psychiatric disorders were identified using ICD codes during or preceding the HTx admission. Post-transplant graft survival, freedom from readmission, and freedom from rejection were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to adjust for covariates. A total of 1192 patients were included, of which 133 (11.2%) had depression, 197 (16.5%) had anxiety, and 218 (18.3%) had adjustment disorders. The presence of depression was independently associated with higher rates of readmission (60.9% vs 54.1% at 6 months) (AHR 1.63, 95% CI 1.22-2.18, P = .001) and inferior graft survival (70.2% vs 83.4% at 5 years) (AHR 1.62, 95% CI 1.14-2.3, P = .007). Anxiety was independently associated with higher rates of readmission (60.4% vs 53.9% at 6 months) (AHR 1.46, 95% CI 1.09-1.94, P = .01). Anxiety and depression in the pretransplant period are independently associated with outcomes following HTx in children. Evaluation and management of psychiatric comorbidities represents an important component of care in this vulnerable population.
Can Comprehensive Respiratory Pathogen Panels be Used to Exclude Pertussis Infection

Abstract Background Pertussis is a serious public health concern and accurate diagnosis is imperative. Comprehensive, multiplex respiratory pathogen polymerase chain reaction (PCR) panels (RPPs) have recently become popular, but their utility in excluding pertussis infection has not been fully explored. Objectives To determine RPP testing results for pertussis using frozen banked samples that previously tested positive on dedicated Bordetella pertussis PCR testing, and to describe positive test rates for other respiratory pathogens on these samples via RPP. Methods Our microbiology laboratory retrieved banked nasopharyngeal samples from inpatient, ambulatory, and emergency department sources that were positive for pertussis using B. pertussis PCR testing from March 2015 to October 2017. RPP was performed on thawed, archived samples. Rate of pertussis identification on RPP was determined, and positive tests for other pathogens were tabulated. Results A total of 3482 specimens were submitted for pertussis PCR testing during the study period. Of those, 138 (4%) were positive for B. pertussis, and 102 (74%) samples were banked and available for RPP testing. Fifty-seven of 102 (56%) of the banked samples had positive RPP testing for pertussis. Of the 45 samples negative for pertussis on RPP testing, 20 (44%) tested positive for other respiratory pathogens. Conclusion Negative testing for B. pertussis and positive testing for other respiratory pathogens on RPP was common in samples that previously tested positive on dedicated B. pertussis PCR testing, both of which could lead to missed diagnoses of pertussis infection. Clinicians should consider using dedicated pertussis PCR testing if pertussis infection is suspected.
Resting-state brain metabolic fingerprinting clusters (biomarkers) and predictive models for major depression in multiple myeloma patients.

Background Major depression is a common comorbidity in cancer patients. Oncology clinics lack practical, objective tools for simultaneous evaluation of cancer and major depression. Fludeoxyglucose F-18 positron emission tomography–computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) is universally applied in modern medicine. Methods We used a retrospective analysis of whole-body FDG PET/CT images to identify brain regional metabolic patterns of major depression in multiple myeloma patients. The study included 134 multiple myeloma (MM) patients, 38 with major depression (group 1) and 96 without major depression (group 2). Results In the current study, Statistic Parameter Mapping (SPM) demonstrated that the major depression patient group (n = 38) had significant regional metabolic differences (clusters of continuous voxels) as compared to the non-major depression group (n = 96) with the criteria of height threshold T = 4.38 and extent threshold > 100 voxels. The five significant hypo- and three hyper-metabolic clusters from the computed T contrast maps were localized on the glass-brain view, consistent with published brain metabolic changes in major depression patients. Subsequently, using these clusters as features for classification learner, the fine tree and medium tree algorithms from 25 classification algorithms best fitted our data (accuracy 0.85%; AUC 0.88; sensitivity 79%; and specificity 88%). Conclusion This study demonstrated that whole-body FDG PET/CT scans could provide added value for screening for major depression in cancer patients in addition to staging and evaluating response to chemoradiation therapies.