cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Presumed Central Nervous System Whipple's Disease in a Child: Case Report

Whipple's disease is a rare, chronic, multisystem illness that is pathologically characterized by the accumulation of macrophages in the involved tissue that have a positive periodic acid-Schiff reaction. It is typically seen in middle-aged white men, and only four cases involving persons younger than 15 years of age have been reported. CNS Whipple's disease without intestinal manifestations is rare; only six cases have been reported in the literature, all involving adults. We report the case of a young boy with clinical, laboratory, radiographic, and pathological signs and symptoms consistent with CNS Whipple's disease who responded to therapy with trimethoprimsulfamethoxazole.
Role of Toll-Like Receptor in Inflammatory Response in Children with Sepsis

Objective To explore the role of factors of signal pathways for Toll-like receptors(TLRs) in abnormal inflammatory response in children with sepsis.Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) were obtained from 10 children with sepsis,13 children with severe sepsis and 17 age-matched healthy children.Real time fluorescent quantitative-PCR was used to evaluated TLR2,TLR4 mRNA expression,and the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine(IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α) mRNA expressions were measured by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.Results 1.Compared with healthy control group,the levels of gene expression and protein of pro-inflammatory cytokine(IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α) were significantly increased in sepsis group and severe sepsis group(Pa0.01),and there were significant differences between sepsis group and severe sepsis group(Pa0.01).2.Compared with healthy control group,the levels of mRNA expression of TLRs(TLR2,TLR4) were significantly increased in sepsis group and severe sepsis group(Pa0.01).Conclusions Abnormal activation of TLRs might play an important role in the production and development of abnormal inflammatory response in children with sepsis.
PROPOSALS TO DEAL WITH ABNORMAL CONTROL OF CCS CAUSED BY SERVO VALVES IN A 300 MW UNIT

To deal with the problem that the boiler fuel flow was fluctuating after normal unit inspection in a power plant,possible cause was analyzed and on-site checking and trouble elimination were conducted.It was clearly defined that the flow fluctuation was caused by slow down movement or control failure of GV1,GV2,GV3,GV4 due to EH oil aging.A number of countermeasures are proposed to ensure and improve the oil quality of EH.
Supportive Care of the Patient With Pancreatic Cancer: Role of the Psycho-Oncologist

Many people who are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer react with a normal level of sadness. In others, however, depression represents a concomitant illness, perhaps with a biologic basis. Regardless of their origin, these mood
Ankle arthrodesis: combined internal-external fixation.

This report documents the experience of using combined internal and external fixation in ankle arthrodesis. During the period from 1992 to 2000 a single surgeon used this method of fixation on 26 a...
Surface Force Induced Failures in Microelectromechanical Systems

Over the past decade much work has been devoted to the realization of practical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). These systems combine electronic circuits with microfabricated mechanical transducers on a miniature substrate to perform a wide range of sensing and actuation functions. MEMS are currently used to process acceleration, pressure, heat, sound, and chemical signals in a generalized manner. Because mechanical structures used in MEMS are made of thin films suspended a few micrometers off the substrate, these structures are highly susceptible to surface forces which can substantially and sometimes catastrophically degrade their manufacturing yield and reliability. This paper discusses some of the common failure mechanisms present in these devices due to adhesion forces. In particular, adhesion-related failures occurs in MEMS when suspended elastic members unexpectedly collapse and stick to their substrates. This type of device failure develops during device fabrication and operation hence is one of the dominant sources of yield loss in MEMS. The physical mechanisms responsible for the failure are discussed, and normalized elastic member dimension bounds for prevention of collapse and sticking as well as other practical failure prevention schemes are presented.
Compact Tunable p-Ge Laser

Innovations in intracavity wavelength selection in the range 1.5 to 4.2 THz and compact control electronics enable a commercial application for a far-infrared p-Ge laser.
Metrics for monitoring cancer inequities: residential segregation, the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE), and breast cancer estrogen receptor status (USA, 1992-2012).

To address the paucity of evidence on residential segregation and cancer, we explored their relationship using a new metric: the Index of Concentration at the Extremes (ICE). We focused on breast cancer estrogen receptor (ER) status, a biomarker associated with survival and, etiologically, with social and economic privilege. We obtained data from the 13 registry group of US Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program for 1992–2012 on all women aged 25–84 who were diagnosed with primary invasive breast cancer (n = 516,382). We appended to each case’s record her annual county median household income quintile and the quintile for her annual county value for ICE measures for income (≤20th vs. ≥80th household income quintile), race/ethnicity (black vs. white), and income plus race/ethnicity (low-income black vs. high-income white). The odds of being ER+ versus ER− were estimated in relation to the county-level income and ICE measures, adjusting for relevant covariates. Women in the most privileged versus deprived county quintile for household income and for all three ICE measures had a 1.1- to 1.3-fold increased odds (95 % confidence intervals excluding 1) of having an ER+ tumor. These results were robust to adjustment for age at diagnosis, cancer registry, tumor characteristics (tumor stage, size, histology, grade), and race/ethnicity. A focus on segregation offers news possibilities for understanding how inequitable group relations contribute to cancer inequities. The utility of employing the ICE for monitoring cancer inequities should be investigated in relation to other cancer outcomes.
N-(1-Benzyl-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzamides: Antiproliferative Activity and Effects on mTORC1 and Autophagy

Guided by antiproliferative activity in MIA PaCa-2 cells, we have performed preliminary structure–activity relationship studies on N-(1-benzyl-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzamides. Two selected compounds showed submicromolar antiproliferative activity and good metabolic stability. Both compounds reduced mTORC1 activity and increased autophagy at the basal level. In addition, they disrupted autophagic flux by interfering with mTORC1 reactivation and clearance of LC3-II under starvation/refeed conditions, as evidenced by accumulation of LC3-II and abnormal LC3 labeled punctae. Therefore, N-(1-benzyl-3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)benzamides may represent a new class of autophagy modulators that possesses potent anticancer activity and potentially a novel mechanism of action.
A new acute leukaemia-automated classification system

Acute leukaemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and the bone marrow. Detection and classification of white blood cells is a challenge in image processing, as manual data analysis is time...
Opportunities in vanadium-based strongly correlated electron systems

The diverse and fascinating properties of transition metal oxides stem from the strongly correlated electronic degrees of freedom; the scientific challenge and range of possible applications of these materials have caused fascination among physicists and materials scientists, thus capturing research efforts for nearly a century. Here, we focus on the binary VxOy and the ternary perovskite AVO3 and review the key aspects from the underlying physical framework and their basic properties, recent strides made in thin-film synthesis, to recent efforts to implement vanadium-based oxides for practical applications that augment existing technologies, which surpass limitations of conventional materials.
How Methods Make Designers

Through their combination of lifestyle and method, Silicon Valley models for tech production such as design thinking, startup incubators, lean management, etc. are spreading across the globe. These paradigms are positioned by product designers, politicians, investors and corporations alike as replicable routes to individual and national empowerment. They are portrayed as universal templates, portable across national borders and applicable to local needs. We draw from our ethnographic engagements with tech entrepreneurial efforts in Ghana, China, and Jamaica to unpack the stakes involved in their uptake, showing that while local actors produce situated alternatives, their work nevertheless often results in a continued valorization of these seemingly universal methods. We argue that design methods shape not only use practices, but have consequences for the life worlds of professional designers. This includes how they impact personal and national identities, confer legitimacy in transnational innovation circles, and secure access to social and economic resources. Ultimately, we call for an inclusion of these factors in ongoing conversations about design and design methods.
Mapping vegetation and land cover in a large urban area using a multiple classifier system

Vegetation and land-cover information is critical for sustainable environmental management in urban areas. Remote sensing has increasingly been used to derive such information, yet it has been chal...
An Empirical Validation Of The Primary And Moderating Effects Of Income And Capital On Familiarity And Participation Of Limited Resource Farm Producers (LRFPs) In USDA Agricultural Programs

We present empirical findings on the problem of low participation rate of Limited Resource Farm Producers (LRFPs) [1] in USDA programs. Our analysis is based on survey data directly sourced from LRFP population spread across twenty counties in Southern Virginia. The findings revealed that familiarity with and participation in USDA programs varied by type of farmers. While familiarity was moderate, participation was low. These main effects were moderated by access to capital. Our results broadly agree with findings from similar studies done on the subject in the past with an additional empirical insight that access to capital can enhance participation in USDA programs. We conclude the study with several practical ways for improving LRFP participation in USDA agricultural programs [i] According to the USDA, a Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher or Forest Owner is a person/applicant with direct or indirect gross farm sales not more than $173,600 (for FY2016) in each of the previous two years AND a person with a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous two years. An entity or joint operation can be an LRFP if all individual members independently qualify. http://lrftool.sc.egov.usda.gov/LRP_Definition.aspx http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/people/outreach/slbfr/
History: Science lessons from the Gulag

Asif Siddiqi examines a biography of a Soviet meteorologist who taught his daughter from prison.
Terrorist Ideologies and Target Selection

This study examines the role of ideology on terrorist groups' choice of targets. Using the dataset based on the Global Terrorism Database, advanced by Ahmed, 2018, Journal of Applied Security Resea...
Avoiding Treatment Failures in Panic Disorder

Panic disorder (PD) is characterized by recurrent panic attacks accompanied by worry about future attacks, worry about the consequences of the attacks (e.g., having a heart attack), or substantial behavioral changes in response to the attacks (American Psychiatric Association, 1994).Panic attacks themselves are distinct periods of intense fear accompanied by four or more physical symptoms which begin suddenly and reach a peak of intensity within 10 min.Panic attacks are ubiquitous to a wide range of anxiety disorders, but in PD the focus of the phobic concern is on the anxiety symptoms themselves and the feared consequences of these symptoms
Diuretic radionuclide localization of upper urinary tract obstruction

In 59 children with proved upper urinary tract obstruction diuretic radionuclide ureteral scans provided an accurate assessment of ureteral dilatation sufficient to distinguish ureteropelvic from ureterovesical obstruction. As a result, this test may be used instead of more invasive studies, such as retrograde or antegrade pyelography, to determine the site of obstruction in many cases of hydronephrosis.
Students with Physical or Other Health Impairments

The basic instructional needs of handicapped students are usually associated with their class or type of handicap (e.g., mental retardation, learning disability). This, however, has not been the case with many students with physical disabilities (Reynolds and Birch, 1982). The difficulty in identifying a common instructional program may be due to a number of related factors. First, there is an extreme diversity in types of conditions that fall into the category of physical disabilities. For example, one type of physical disability can refer to a deficit in the actual operation of the physical apparatus of the body (arms, legs, etc.). Another type of physical disability can relate to the physical well-being of the individual (e.g., the operation of one’s heart or lungs). This wide diversity of conditions creates extreme ranges in the types of instructional needs for students falling within this category. Second, it is not difficult to identify the physical differences between non- handicapped students and those who have physical disabilities. This easy identification process often creates a double-edged sword, however. Many times the importance of identifying a specific disorder begins to take precedence over discovering the types of instruction that the student may need. In the worst possible scenario, the presence of a severe impairment is used as an excuse not to offer a certain type of education to a student or as a justification for the student’s not making any progress.
Using Narratives to Understand How People Benefit from CROs

In this chapter, I analyze the life history narratives of consumer-run organization (CRO) participants from an etic or outsiders’ perspective using the role framework as a guide. Each narrative is individually analyzed with an emphasis placed on how the narratives can and cannot be understood using the role framework. The analyses conceptually organize each life history into the components of the role framework. The resulting write-up for each key informant provides insight into the utility of the role framework. The analyses also improve conceptual understanding of how each informant’s life changed over time, along with how each participant did and did not benefit from CRO participation. After the individual analyses, the chapter provides an integrative summary analysis of all narratives.
Production of fruits and vegetables at the homestead is an important source of vitamin A among women in rural Bangladesh

Background Vitamin A deficiency is considered to be an important public health problem in Bangladesh. A universal biannual distribution of high-dose vitamin A capsules has been in place for over the past two decades. This supplementation has been beneficial for preschool children. Bangladesh has been exploring more sustainable approaches for all segments of the population. To support this initiative, Helen Keller International has implemented a homegardening promotion project since 1993. This project is executed on a large scale and currently reaches an estimated 244,000 families. Methods This paper presents data from 7341 women of reproductive age which were collected as part of the baseline census of a community monitoring system whose objective is to track progress and measure the impact of home-gardening activities. Results Vitamin A intake in this population derived almost entirely from the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Logistic regression analyses showed that maternal vitamin A intake was determined by qualitative indicators of homestead gardens (type of home garden, the total quantity of provitamin A-rich food produced and the number of fruits and vegetables varieties grown in the garden) after adjusting for socio-economic status. Conclusions These results indicate that traditional production of provitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables in the homestead may provide a valuable contribution to vitamin A intake in communities where alternative dietary sources of vitamin A are scarce.
Characterizatlon of Arabidopsis Ethylene-Overproducing Mutants

We have taken a molecular genetic approach to identify elements involved in ethylene signal transduction and in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis. Ctr mutations result in the constitutive activation of ethylene responses by disrupting ethylene signaling components. Two loci have been identified: CTR1, which encodes a protein that is similar to the Raf family of protein kinases, and ctr2, mutants in which display a rosette-lethal phenotype. We have characterized CTR1 protein purified from a baculovirus expression system and have found that its enzymatic properties are similar to those of Raf, including its ability to phosphorylate the MEK protein kinase. The ctr2 mutation disrupts both ethylene signaling and a second, non-ethylene related pathway that is involved in cell expansion. The characterization of this mutation and progress in the cloning of CTR2, as well as the further analysis of the CTR1 protein will be presented. A number of mutants affecting the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis have also been identified. One class disrupts the induction of ethylene by cytokinin. The cloning of one such Cin (cytokinin-insensitive) mutant revealed that the ACS5 isoform of ACC synthase is responsible for the induction of ethylene by low doses of cytokinin, and that this regulation is primarily post-transcriptional. A second class of mutants result in an elevation of the basal level of ethylene biosynthesis in etiolated seedlings. The gene corresponding to the eto2 (ethylene overproducer) mutation has been cloned. This mutation disrupts the carboxy-terminal 11 amino acids of ACS5, suggesting that the carboxy-terminus of this protein negatively regulates its function.
Husserl’s Theory of the Mental

The organization of the text in Husserl’s Ideas II is notoriously difficult to follow. In its focus and in its method of procedure, it shifts back and forth from one attitude to another, from the practical to the theoretical and back again, the transcendental to the mundane, the naturalistic to the personalistic, and the scientific to the everyday. Furthermore, it exhibits a recurring tendency to double back and fill in something that the reader thought had already been established, and then in other places seems to make assumptions that cannot be justified at the level of analysis on which the chapter purports to operate. The text is occasionally repetitive, often sketchy, and sometimes, it seems, simply contradictory. In this paper, I would like to examine two examples of such problems, one at the beginning of the Second Section, and one at the beginning of the Third and explain why the place they have in the text is appropriate after all and why the appearance of contradiction, at least in these cases, is an illusion. In each case, the issue concerns the status of mental events—one in the naturalistic and the other in the personalistic attitude—so that a few reflections upon these passages may also contribute to a better understanding of Husserl’ s view of the mental in general.
118 PHYSIOLOGIC ATTRIBUTES INFLUENCING BLOOD PRESSURE IN YOUTHS 6–17 YEARS

Data from the U.S. Health Examination Surveys were analyzed to determine factors related to blood pressure during childhood and adolescence. These surveys examined 12,887 youths representing a national probability sample of U.S. children aged 6-17 years. A subsample of 2,200 youths were examined on two occasions, 3 or 4 years apart, permitting a longitudinal assessment of blood pressure change. Physiologic maturation (assessed by radiographic skeletal age) was related to systolic and diastolic pressures in males and females through this age range. Weight, adiposity (skinfold thickness), hematocrit, and pulse rate related to blood pressure independent of skeletal age. Similar characteristics were associated with longitudinal changes in pressures. Systolic murmurs were associated with higher systolic pressures at the time of the examination, but were not predictive of pressures on a subsequent examination. The longitudinal cohort experienced a significant “tracking” of blood pressure, i.e., individuals maintained their peer rank for blood pressure through time. These analyses delineate important characteristics related to blood pressure during youth and define the relative influences of growth, adiposity, and “tracking” on blood pressure levels in a large, national sample of children.
Efficacy of plant-derived antimicrobials for controlling Salmonella Schwarzengrund on dry pet food.

Salmonella enterica is a major human pathogen that is responsible for 23,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States. Contact with contaminated pet food and infected companion animals can transmit salmonellosis to humans. Recent multistate human outbreaks of salmonellosis linked to commercial contaminated dry dog foods underscore the need for controlling the pathogen in pet foods for protecting pet and public health. In this study, the efficacy of five Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status, plant-derived antimicrobials (PDAs), namely trans-cinnamaldehyde (TC), carvacrol (CR), thymol (TY), eugenol (EG), and caprylic acid (CA) applied as a vegetable oil or chitosan based antimicrobial spray on dry pet food for reducing Salmonella Schwarzengrund was investigated. Three hundred gram portions of a commercial dry dog food were inoculated with a two-strain mixture of nalidixic acid (NA) resistant S. Schwarzengrund (~6 log CFU/g), followed by a spray treatment with 0%, 0.5%, 1% or 2% of TC, CR, TY, EG or CA in combination with 5% vegetable oil or 1% chitosan as a carrier. The control and treated dog food samples were stored at 25 °C for 28 days. On days 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, and 28, Salmonella on pet food was enumerated by serial dilution and plating on xylose lysine desoxycholate (XLD) agar. All PDAs at 1% and 2% applied in vegetable oil or chitosan reduced S. Schwarzengrund by at least ~2 log CFU/g on day 3 of storage when compared to control (P 0.05). Overall, 2% TC in vegetable oil or chitosan was the most effective treatment, where at least 3 to 3.5 log CFU/g reduction in bacterial populations was observed during storage (P < 0.05). Results suggest that the aforementioned PDAs could potentially be used as an antimicrobial spray to reduce S. Schwarzengrund on dry dog food. However, further studies on the acceptance of PDA-treated dry food by dogs are needed.
Effects of post-discharge counseling and medication utilization on short and long-term smoking cessation among hospitalized patients.

Numerous studies have tested the effect of multicomponent post-discharge smoking cessation interventions on post-discharge smoking cessation, and many are effective. However, little is known regarding the relative efficacy of the different intervention components on short or long-term cessation. The present study is a secondary analysis (n = 984) of a randomized controlled trial for hospitalized smokers that took place at two large hospitals in Kansas from 2011 to 2014. All study participants were offered post-discharge quitline services. Pharmacotherapy was recommended during bedside tobacco treatment. The study outcomes were self-reported cessation at 1-month and biochemically verified cessation at 6-months post-randomization. During the post-discharge period, 69% of participants completed at least one quitline call and 28% of participants reported using cessation pharmacotherapy. After controlling for known predictors of cessation among hospitalized smokers, both the number of total quitline calls completed post-discharge and use of cessation pharmacotherapy post-discharge were predictive of cessation at 1-month. After accounting for predictors of cessation and quitting at 1-month, total post-discharge quitline calls was associated with cessation at 6-months (OR [95% CI] = 1.23 [1.12, 1.35], p < 0.001) while post-discharge cessation pharmacotherapy use was not. The results suggest that both engagement in quitline services and use pharmacotherapy independently facilitate cessation beyond the influence of known clinical characteristics associated with cessation. Over the longer term, the effect of engaging in quitline services persists while the effect of pharmacotherapy diminishes. To optimize outcomes, future research should investigate methods to increase utilization of medications and promote sustained counseling engagement in order to sustain the effects of treatment during the post-discharge period.
Prenatal hypoxia-induced epigenomic and transcriptomic reprogramming in rat fetal and adult offspring hearts.

The molecular mechanism of antenatal hypoxia impacting on fetal heart development and elevated risk of heart disease of adult offspring is poorly understood. We present a dataset integrating DNA methylome and transcriptome analyses of antenatal hypoxia affecting rat fetal and adult offspring hearts to understand hypoxia-mediated epigenomic reprogramming of the heart development. We showed that antenatal hypoxia not only induced DNA methylomic and transcriptomic changes in the fetal hearts, but also had a delayed and lasting effect on the adult offspring hearts. Of interest, antenatal hypoxia induced opposite changes in DNA methylation patterns in fetal and adult hearts, with a hypermethylation in the fetus and a hypomethylation in the adult. An extensive preprocessing, quality assessment, and downstream data analyses were performed on the genomic dataset so that the research community may take advantage of the public resource. These dataset could be exploited as a comprehensive resource for understanding fetal hypoxia-mediated epigenetic reprogramming in the heart development and further developmental programming of heart vulnerability to disease later in life. Figshare doi: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.9948572 Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.9948572
Ignorance as a productive response to epistemic perturbations

This paper argues that ignorance, rather than being a result or representation of false beliefs or misinformation, is a compensatory epistemic adaptation of complex rhetoric systems. A rhetoric system is here defined as a set of interconnected rhetorical elements (beliefs, arguments, commonplaces [loci communes], meanings, and texts) that cohere into a self-organized system that is thoroughly “about” its contexts—meaning that its own boundaries and relations are both constrained and enabled by the contexts in which it exists. Ignorance, as described here, is epistemic management that preserves the boundaries and relations of a rhetoric system, and is a way of dealing with information that runs counter to one’s beliefs. Ignorance is also productive, in that it produces new knowledge that works to make rhetoric systems more resistant to potential destabilization. To elaborate these points, the paper examines discourse about the phenomenon of global climate change, which illustrates how individuals productively counter information as a way of preserving beliefs. As the paper argues, ignorance is neither a cognitive nor epistemological failure, but rather is a result of the dynamic and continuous process of enforcing epistemic and rhetorical boundaries.
Natural selection imposed by mechanical properties of a biomaterial results in novel cellular phenotypes

The physical properties of biomaterials - such as stiffness or nanostructure- are commonly tailored to direct cell functions in diverse applications. While biochemically induced laboratory cellular evolution is well established, no studies have examined whether population of cells can evolve in response to selection pressure imposed by the physical properties of biomaterials. Here we found that genetically variable populations of fibroblasts increased in fitness upon sustained culture on novel soft biomaterial substrates, whereas clonal populations did not. Whole exome-sequencing combined with simulations of experimental evolution revealed that cells evolved by natural selection and not random drift. Novel cell phenotypes were observed on the soft substrate upon evolution, and different replicate lines evolved the same phenotypes through distinct patterns of gene expression. These results suggest that laboratory cellular evolution on biomaterials is a powerful untapped approach that can be used to generate cell populations with novel genetic and phenotypic properties. One Sentence SummaryGenetically variable populations of cells evolve upon sustained culture on a soft substrate to produce novel phenotypes.
Chapter 5 – Chemotherapeutic Intervention by Inhibiting DNA Polymerases

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemotherapy intervention by inhibiting DNA polymerases. A fundamental feature of all cancers is their hyperproliferative nature that is defined by uncontrollable and, in some cases, pro-mutagenic DNA replication. DNA replication is the process by which genetic information is duplicated to produce two identical copies of an organism's genome. All DNA polymerases share a common mechanism for DNA chain synthesis that involves the covalent linking of one nucleotide at a time to the end of a preexisting DNA chain serving as a primer. Since the sequence of the template varies, DNA polymerases are faced with the difficult task of remaining flexible enough to recognize four distinct pairing combinations while being stringent enough to maintain faithful duplication of the template so that A is always incorporated opposite T and never opposite C, G, or A.
Examination of Frozen, Hydrated Mites Using Low Temperature Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy

Mites, the second largest arthropod group after insects, occupy every conceivable terrestrial and aquatic habitat in our environment. They feed on plants, infest food products such as meat, cheese and grains, parasitize invertebrates and vertebrates, and transmit fungal, bacterial, rickettsial and viral diseases. Estimates indicate that as many as 1,000,000 species of mites may exist; however, partly because of their microscopic size, only about 40,000 species have been described and classified. During the last 30 years, researchers have increasingly utilized the greater magnification and depth of field available in a conventional scanning electron microscope (SEM) to supplement descriptions of mites that were historically based on light microscopic observations. In addition, this technique provided a better understanding of the relative positions and functionality of organs and improved attempts to elucidate their biology. However, before mites can be imaged with a conventional SEM, they are typically chemically fixed, dehydrated and/or thoroughly dried.
Multiple Vulnerabilities to Health Disparities and Incident Heart Failure Hospitalization in the REGARDS Study.

Background: Socially determined vulnerabilities (SDVs) to health disparities often cluster within the same individual. SDVs are separately associated with increased risk of heart failure (HF). The ...
Pathos, Hysteria, and the Left

The psychoanalytic theory of emotion must be understood through the workings of the primary processes in the unconscious. Since affects are displaced while one event is substituted for another event, we see how the rhetorical figures of metaphor (substitution) and displacement (metonymy) determine how emotions are produced in the unconscious. Freud added that these processes occur in an automatic fashion and do not rely on the intentionality of the subject; moreover, these primary processes fail to differentiate between fact and fiction, and so they make fantasies, hallucinations, and imagination possible. From a rhetorical perspective, pathos as emotion is opposed to reason and logos.
Spatiotemporal Content of Saccade Transients.

Summary Humans use rapid gaze shifts, known as saccades, to explore visual scenes. These movements yield abrupt luminance changes on the retina, which elicit robust neural discharges at fixation onsets. Yet little is known about the spatial content of saccade transients. Here, we show that saccades redistribute spatial information within the temporal range of retinal sensitivity following two distinct regimes: saccade modulations counterbalance (whiten) the spectral density of natural scenes at low spatial frequencies and follow the external power distribution at higher frequencies. This redistribution is a consequence of saccade dynamics, particularly the speed/amplitude/duration relation known as the main sequence. It resembles the redistribution resulting from inter-saccadic eye drifts, revealing a continuum in the modulations given by different eye movements, with oculomotor transitions primarily acting by regulating the bandwidth of whitening. Our findings suggest important computational roles for saccade transients in the establishment of spatial representations and lead to testable predictions about their consequences for visual functions and encoding mechanisms. Video Abstract Download : Download video (30MB)
Self-Aligned Single Diffusion Break Technology Optimization Through Material Engineering for Advanced CMOS Nodes

Though single diffusion break (SDB) acts as an efficient area-scaling enabler for current CMOS technology nodes, it degrades devices’ variability performance, which can be mitigated by enabling self-aligned SDB (SA-SDB) technology. Unfortunately, SA-SDB causes PMOS performance degradation due to channel stress relaxation. To solve this issue, we propose material engineering of SA-SDB technology to improve PMOS performance. Using 3D-TCAD simulations, we show that by using stressed oxide for the SA-SDB cavity fill, both PMOS and NMOS device performance can be improved. Furthermore, using ring-oscillator as a representative circuit for CMOS technology evaluation, we showed that the circuit performance can be improved by 13-21% for 2-3 GPa stress in the oxide, thus enabling simultaneous area-scaling and circuit and variability performance improvement with SA-SDB technology for advanced CMOS nodes.
Cutting Through the “Gray Area”: An Analysis of the IBC Regulatory Oversight of Applications of CRISPR Technology in Clinical Research

The advent of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology has quickly ushered in a new era of gene editing and offered exciting potential for the development of biomedical products. While the breadth of applications for CRISPR encompasses nearly the entire field of medical science, its utilization to produce next-generation CAR T cells stands to benefit most substantially in the short-term. These novel therapeutics are now beginning to enter the clinical trial phase of the numerous approval pipelines, but does the existing regulatory framework have the capability to adequately review and approve the initiation of these new age research endeavors in the clinical setting? This analysis will illuminate the similarity and differences between CRISPR developed interventions and existing techniques used to produce biomedical products from a regulatory perspective in the United States. Further, the "gray area" surrounding CRISPR regulatory oversight will be explored and recommendations will be made to facilitate the elimination of inconsistencies that currently exist in the assessment of this work prior to the initiation of associated clinical trials.
A National Call to Action for a Feasible Equitable Approach to Childhood Obesity.

* Abbreviation: USPSTF — : US Preventive Services Task Force In this issue of Pediatrics , Smith et al1 describe the challenges with implementing the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation for obesity screening in children and adolescents and offering or referring patients and families to behavioral interventions to promote weight improvement. The authors posit that effective behavioral interventions are not feasible to routinely deliver, and this challenge further exacerbates existing health inequities. The mission of the USPSTF is to make recommendations about clinical preventive services using a transparent, rigorous, and objective methodology. This approach ensures that clinicians and patients understand the evidence. On the basis of the certainty of the evidence and the magnitude of net benefits (eg, benefits minus harms), the USPSTF issues an A, B, C, or D grade or I statement. For clinicians, A and B grades mean to offer routinely, C means to selectively offer, D means to not routinely offer, and I is insufficient evidence to recommend … Address correspondence to Alex H. Krist, MD, MPH, 3825 Charles Stewart Dr, Fairfax, VA 22033. E-mail: alexander.krist{at}vcuhealth.org, 703-391-2020
Continuous-Time Markov-Switching GARCH Process with Robust State Path Identification and Volatility Estimation

We propose a continuous-time Markov-switching generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (COMS-GARCH) process for handling irregularly spaced time series with multiple volatility states. We employ a Gibbs sampler in the Bayesian framework to estimate the COMS-GARCH model parameters, the latent state path and volatilities. To improve the computational efficiency and robustness of the identified state path and estimated volatilities, we propose a multi-path sampling scheme and incorporate the Bernoulli noise injection in the computational procedure. We provide theoretical justifications for the improved stability and robustness with the Bernoulli noise injection through the concept of ensemble learning and the low sensitivity of the objective function to external perturbation in the time series. The experiment results demonstrate that our proposed COMS-GARCH process and computational procedure are able to predict volatility regimes and volatilities in a time series with satisfactory accuracy.
Assessment of three dimensionless measures of model performance

Pertinent characteristics of three dimensionless and comparable model-performance or model-efficiency measures are examined and compared. Our model-assessment recommendations apply to many types of environmental models. Representing measures based on sums-of-squared errors or "quadratic measures" (by far, the most widely used class) is Nash and Sutcliffe's (1970) well-known efficiency measure (E). Our assessments of E, by and large, also apply to similar-in-form benchmark measures (Seibert, 2001). Legates and McCabe's (1999) version of E (E1) and Willmott et?al.'s (2012) refined index of agreement (dr) represent the less-often-employed but more interpretable class of measures based on sums of error magnitudes. Conceptual and algebraic arguments are used in conjunction with assessments of many parameter sets of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model, over the period 1950-2005. Our findings suggest that, of the three measures, dr has the broadest utility, followed in order by E1 and E. Properties of a refined index of agreement (dr) are characterized and explained.Two other widely used indices (E1 and E) are compared with the refined index.Our findings indicate that, of the three indices, dr has the broadest utility.Parameterizations of a streamflow model are used for evaluation and comparison.
TU‐CD‐304‐06: Using FFF Beams Improves Tumor Control in Radiotherapy of Lung Cancers

Purpose: Electron disequilibrium at the lung-tumor interface results in an under-dosage of tumor regions close to its surface. This under-dosage is known to be significant and can compromise tumor control. Previous studies have shown that in FFF beams, disequilibrium effects are less pronounced, which is manifested in an increased skin dose. In this study we investigate the improvement in tumor dose coverage that can be achieved with FFF beams. The significance of this improvement is evaluated by comparing tumor control probabilities of FFF beams and conventional flattened beams. Methods: The dosimetric coverage was investigated in a virtual phantom representing the chest wall, lung tissue and the tumor. A range of tumor sizes was investigated, and two tumor locations – central and adjacent to the chest wall. Calculations were performed with BEAMnrc Monte Carlo code. Parallel-opposed and multiple coplanar 6-MV beams were simulated. The tumor control probabilities were calculated using the logistic model with parameters derived from clinical data for non-small lung cancer patients. Results: FFF beams were not entirely immune to disequilibrium effects. They nevertheless consistently delivered more uniform dose distribution throughout the volume of the tumor, and eliminated up to ∼15% of under-dosage in the most affected by disequilibrium 1-mm thick surface region of the tumor. A voxel-by-voxel comparison of tumor control probabilities between FFF and conventional flattened beams showed an advantage of FFF beams that, depending on the set up, was from a few to ∼9 percent. Conclusion: A modest improvement in tumor control probability on the order of a few percent can be achieved by replacing conventional flattened beams with FFF beams. However, given the large number of lung cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy, these few percent can potentially prevent local tumor recurrence for a significant number of patients.
The National Resources Inventory: a long-term multi-resource monitoring programme

Interest in natural resources and the environment has led to the development of new federal monitoring efforts, the expansion of existing federal inventory programmes, and discussions of inter-agency collaboration for natural resource assessment data collection. As federal programmes evolve, knowledge gained from existing long-term survey programmes can provide valuable contributions to statistical and operational aspects of survey efforts. This paper describes the National Resources Inventory (NRI), which has been conducted by the US Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service in cooperation with the Iowa State University Statistical Laboratory for several decades. The current NRI is a longitudinal survey of soil, water, and related environmental resources designed to assess conditions and trends every five years on non-federal US lands. An historical overview is provided highlighting the development of the survey programme. Sample design, data collection, and estimation procedures used in the 1992 NRI are described, and statistical issues related to long-term monitoring are discussed.
Intradermal microdialysis of hypertonic saline attenuates cutaneous vasodilatation in response to local heating.

We tested the hypothesis that microdialysis of hypertonic saline would attenuate the skin blood flow response to local heating. Seventeen healthy subjects (23 ± 1 years old) were studied. In one group (n= 9), four microdialysis fibres were placed in the forearm skin and infused with the following: (1) Ringer solution; (2) normal saline (0.9% NaCl); (3) hypertonic saline (3% NaCl); and (4) 10 mm l-NAME. A second group (n= 8) was infused with the following: (1) normal saline; (2) hypertonic saline; (3) normal saline +l-NAME; and (4) hypertonic saline +l-NAME. Red blood cell flux was measured via laser Doppler flowmetry during local heating to 42°C. Site-specific maximal vasodilatation was determined by infusing 28 mm sodium nitroprusside while the skin was heated to 43°C. Data were expressed as the percentage of maximal cutaneous vascular conductance (%CVCmax). The local heating response at the Ringer solution and normal saline sites did not differ (n= 9; initial peak Ringer solution, 69 ± 6 versus normal saline, 66 ± 2%CVCmax; plateau Ringer solution, 89 ± 4 versus normal saline, 89 ± 5%CVCmax). Hypertonic saline reduced the initial peak (n= 9; normal saline, 66 ± 2 versus hypertonic saline, 54 ± 4%CVCmax; P < 0.05) and plateau (normal saline, 89 ± 5 versus hypertonic saline, 78 ± 2%CVCmax; P < 0.05) compared with normal saline. Plateau %CVCmax was attenuated to a similar value at the normal saline +l-NAME and hypertonic saline +l-NAME sites (n= 8; normal saline +l-NAME, 39 ± 6 and hypertonic saline +l-NAME, 39 ± 5%CVCmax). The nitric oxide contribution (plateau %CVCmax–l-NAME plateau %CVCmax) was lower at the hypertonic saline site (normal saline, 55 ± 6 versus hypertonic saline, 35 ± 4; P < 0.01). These data suggest an effect of salt on the cutaneous response to local heating, which may be mediated through a decreased production and/or availability of nitric oxide.
Noninvasive Evaluation of Cardiac Allograft Rejection by Cellular and Functional Cardiac Magnetic Resonance

Objectives We sought to use cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) to establish sensitive and reliable indexes for noninvasive detection of acute cardiac allograft rejection. Background Appropriate surveillance for acute allograft rejection is vitally important for graft survival. The current gold standard for diagnosing and staging rejection after organ transplantation is endomyocardial biopsy, which is not only invasive but also prone to sampling errors. The motivation of this study is to establish a CMR-based alternative that is noninvasive and sensitive for early detection of allograft rejection before irreversible damage occurs. Methods We employed a noninvasive 2-pronged approach to detect acute cardiac allograft rejection using a rodent working heart and lung transplantation model. We used CMR to detect immune-cell infiltration at sites of rejection by monitoring the accumulation of dextran-coated ultra-small superparamagnetic-iron-oxide–labeled immune cells (in particular macrophages) in vivo. Simultaneously, we used CMR tagging and strain analysis to detect regional myocardial function loss resulting from acute rejection. Results Immune cells infiltration, mainly macrophages and monocytes, could be identified with CMR by in vivo labeling with ultra-small superparamagnetic-iron-oxide. Our data show that immune-cell infiltration in cardiac allograft rejection was highly heterogeneous. Thus, it is not surprising to find inconsistencies between rejection and endomyocardial biopsy results because of the limited number and small samples available. Tagged CMR and strain analysis showed that, as with immune-cell infiltration, ventricular functional loss was also heterogeneous. Although changes in global systolic function were generally not observed until the later stages of rejection, our data revealed that a functional index derived from local strain analysis correlated well with rejection grades, which may be a more sensitive parameter for detecting early rejection. Conclusions CMR is noninvasive and provides a 3-dimensional, whole-heart perspective of the rejection status, potentially allowing more reliable detection of acute allograft rejection.