cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exhaustion may not be in the human B cell vocabulary, at least not in malaria

T cells exposed to persistent antigen in the inflammatory environment of chronic infections often show progressive loss of effector functions, high expression of inhibitory receptors and distinct transcriptional programs. T cells in this functional state are termed "exhausted" and T cell exhaustion is associated with inefficient control of infections. A remarkably similar scenario has been described for B cells during chronic infections in humans, including malaria, in which case a subpopulation of atypical memory B cells (MBCs) greatly expands and these MBCs show attenuation of B cell receptor signaling, loss of the B cell effector functions of antibody and cytokine production, high expression of inhibitory receptors and distinct transcriptional profiles. The expansion of these MBCs is also associated with inefficient control of infections. Despite the similarities with exhausted T cells we speculate that at least in malaria, atypical MBCs may not be exhausted but rather may be functional, possibly even beneficial. Our recent results suggest that we simply may not have known how to ask an atypical MBC to function. Thus, exhaustion may not be in the human B cell's vocabulary, at least not in malaria.
Alpha male Guyanan red howler monkey responses to nocturnal and diurnal loud calls

Our understanding of the communication system of howler monkeys is hampered by our ability to collect acoustic and behavioral data across their entire period of activity. It is not surprising that most studies are restricted to the daylight period despite knowledge that this species is also active at night. Our goal was to describe vocalization patterns, call structure, and test the function of diurnal and nocturnal loud calls of the Guyanan red howler monkey. To be able to study 24-h cycle call emissions, we used 20 passive acoustic monitoring devices deployed in the territory of four different troops of howlers. To test the function of diurnal and nocturnal loud calls, we set up a broadcast experiment and recorded the behavioral response of alpha males to the playbacks. There is a significant difference between some spectral properties of nocturnal and diurnal howls (duration, standard deviation, median frequency, skewness, kurtosis, and flatness). The alpha males responded differently to nocturnal and diurnal playbacks. They approached more often, vocalized more, and never evaded when presented with nocturnal call playbacks. We found significant differences between approach latency, evade latency, and soft call latency. Howler monkeys responded differently to the playbacks, which suggest that nocturnal and diurnal loud calls serve different functions. We found that nocturnal calls triggered more aggressive responses than diurnal calls.
Plasmonic Sensing on Symmetric Nanohole Arrays Supporting High-Q Hybrid Modes and Reflection Geometry.

Refractometric sensors utilizing surface plasmon resonance (SPR) should satisfy a series of performance metrics, bulk sensitivity, thin-film sensitivity, refractive-index resolution, and high-Q-fac...
A comparison of instructional data sources in computing: the case for more and better simulated data in the classroom

This paper describes and compares three sources of data used for computing instruction: real data, textbook data, and simulated data. Based on a qualitative examination of thirty data sets used in nine different courses, criteria for comparing the three sources are proposed and used to discuss the merits of each type of data. It is suggested that all three sources should be used because each has its distinct advantages. However, the argument is also given that, when appropriately created, simulated data may provide the most advantages for computing instruction. The paper concludes by making recommendations for creating well-simulated data for use in the classroom.
Microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of the Al–Si coating on press hardened 22MnB5 steel

Abstract The microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of the phases in the substrate-coating interdiffusion layer of an Al–10%Si coated 22MnB5 press hardened steel (PHS) were studied by means of electron diffraction, chemical analysis, and nano-indentation. The interdiffusion layer of the Al–Si coated PHS, austenitized at 900 °C for 6.5 min, consisted of α-Fe(Al), Fe3Al, FeAl, Fe2Al5, and an Fe–Al–Si ternary intermetallic phase. The chemical analysis results indicated that the Fe3Al and Fe2Al5 phases were non-stoichiometric, and their composition ranges were not fully consistent with existing Fe–Al and Fe–Al–Si phase diagrams. These results partly explain the significant discrepancies between research groups in phase analysis of the interdiffusion layer. The observed Fe–Al or Fe–Al–Si phases were harder and more brittle compared to the martensitic matrix. With increasing austenitizing temperature and hold time, the thickness of the interdiffusion layer increased and the major constituent in the coating changed from Fe2Al5 to a multi-layered structure of FeAl, Fe3Al, and Fe(Al), leading to significant softening of the interdiffusion layer. Free bend testing was employed to investigate cracking and fracture behavior of the interdiffusion layer. The cracks formed in the thicker coating associated with the highest austenitizing temperature propagated deeper into the substrate material than in the case of lower austenitizing temperatures. Fracture of the interdiffusion layer involved transgranular cleavage and intergranular fracture features. The fracture surface appearance depended on both the phases present and the Al distribution in the coating. FeAl phase, known to be relatively “ductile”, was more susceptible to intergranular fracture than other phases (Fe2Al5, Fe3Al, and α-Fe(Al)).
Perspectivas da Performance Docente à Luz das Tecnologias Digitais

A performance surge nesse ensaio como uma dimensao inquietante e complexa, para compreendermos a dinâmica das relacoes do viver fluido e intenso das interconexoes digitais, considerando a emergencia da tecnociencia e do agir pedagogico online. Trata-se de aprofundar os debates hermeneuticos sobre as dimensoes da performance docente com as transformacoes objetivas, subjetivas e sociais das redes sociais. Afinal, o que estamos performando em termos de acoes pedagogicas, filosoficas e politicas na cultura digital? Os desafios de uma performance docente aliada a cultura digital revelam deficits acerca da recriacao de conhecimentos e atuacao performativa do professor na arena movedica das tecnologias. Tais provocacoes da atuacao docente na cibercultura apontam para ambiguidades dos processos pedagogicos nos meios virtualizados, o que demanda um processo de reflexao que possa se expandir com potencial de conversacao, potencial de visibilidade e contradicoes performativas. Uma visao critica da pedagogia online com contrapontos e desdobramentos no exercicio da imaginacao e da producao de conhecimentos requer a acao docente para engajar-se as performances sociais, a partir de outras releituras e pesquisas.
David Oliver: Why would Number 10 propose an NHS power grab?

On 10 July the Guardian ’s Denis Campbell headlined with “Boris Johnson plans radical shake-up of NHS in bid to regain more direct control.”1 He reported that the UK prime minister’s “health and social care taskforce” was “drawing up proposals that would restrict NHS England’s operational independence” and curtail the freedom of its chief executive, Simon Stevens, to make key operational and strategic decisions about the health service. The taskforce would set out options for action, with a view to a parliamentary bill in the autumn or, as the HSJ now suggests, in 2021.2 Maybe the noise will amount to nothing. But why do this now, and why do it at all? For the NHS itself the timing couldn’t seem worse. The final outcomes of a negotiated …
Self-expression just a click away: Source interactivity impacts on confirmation bias and political attitudes

Abstract Information is now commonly consumed online, often displayed in conjunction with self-expression affordances (i.e., likes, votes) that create a sense of “self as source.” Sundar et al.’s (2015) theory of interactive media effects (TIME) conceptualizes such affordances as source interactivity (SI). An experiment examined medium effects of SI as well as message effects on attitudes. It tracked selective exposure to attitude-consistent vs. –discrepant political messages, to capture confirmation bias, and manipulated SI presence (affordance to up-vote or down-vote articles present or absent) as within-subjects factors. SI use and attitude change were captured. SI reduced selective exposure to attitude-consistent content. However, use of SI affected attitude reinforcement independently as well. Hence, users shaped their own attitudes both by selectively reading articles and expressing their views through SI. Directions for theory development are offered.
Deep Learning Achieves Neuroradiologist-Level Performance in Detecting Hydrocephalus

Abstract Purpose We aim to develop automated detection of hydrocephalus requiring treatment in a heterogeneous patient population referred for MRI brain scans, and compare performance to that of neuroradiologists. Materials and Methods We leveraged 496 clinical MRI brain scans (259 hydrocephalus) collected retrospectively at a single clinical site from patients aged 2–90 years (mean 54) referred for any reason. Sixteen MRI scans (ten hydrocephalus) were segmented semi-automatically in 3D to delineate ventricles, extraventricular CSF, and brain tissues. A 3D CNN was trained on these segmentations and subsequently used to automatically segment the remaining 480 scans. To detect hydrocephalus, volumetric features such as volumes of ventricles and temporal horns were computed from the segmentation and were used to train a linear classifier. Machine performance was evaluated in a diagnosis dataset where hydrocephalus was confirmed as requiring surgical intervention, and compared to four neuroradiologists on a random subset of 240 scans. The pipeline was tested on a separate screening dataset of 205 scans collected from a routine clinical population aged 1–95 years (mean 56) to predict the majority reading from four neuroradiologists using images alone. Results When compared to the neuroradiologists at a matched sensitivity, the machine did not show a significant difference in specificity (proportions test, p > 0.05). The machine demonstrated comparable performance in independent diagnosis and screening datasets. Overall ROC performance compared favorably with the state-of-the-art (AUC 0.82–0.93). Conclusion Hydrocephalus can be detected automatically from MRI in a heterogeneous patient population with performance equivalent to that of neuroradiologists. Summary statement A two-stage automated pipeline was developed to segment head MRI and extract volumetric features to accurately and efficiently detect hydrocephalus that required shunting and achieved performance comparable to that of trained neuroradiologists. Key Points We developed a state-of-the-art 3D deep convolutional network to perform fully automated segmentation of the ventricles, extraventricular cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissues in anisotropic MRI brain scans in a heterogeneous patient population. Volumetric features extracted from anatomical segmentations can be used to classify hydrocephalus (which may require neurosurgical intervention) vs. non-hydrocephalus. When tested in an independent dataset, the network achieved performance comparable to that of expert neuroradiologists.
MAGI-X: Manifold-Constrained Gaussian Process Inference for Unknown System Dynamics.

Ordinary differential equations (ODEs), commonly used to characterize the dynamic systems, are difficult to propose in closed-form for many complicated scientific applications, even with the help of domain expert. We propose a fast and accurate data-driven method, MAGI-X, to learn the unknown dynamic from the observation data in a non-parametric fashion, without the need of any domain knowledge. Unlike the existing methods that mainly rely on the costly numerical integration, MAGI-X utilizes the powerful functional approximator of neural network to learn the unknown nonlinear dynamic within the MAnifold-constrained Gaussian process Inference (MAGI) framework that completely circumvents the numerical integration. Comparing against the state-of-the-art methods on three realistic examples, MAGI-X achieves competitive accuracy in both fitting and forecasting while only taking a fraction of computational time. Moreover, MAGI-X provides practical solution for the inference of partial observed systems, which no previous method is able to handle.
Prehospital Cross-Sectional Study of Drowning Patients Across the United States

Introduction Every year drowning is responsible for 7% of injury-related deaths worldwide, making it the third leading cause of unintentional injury-related death. However, in the United States, little is known regarding the prehospital presentation and management of these patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the drowning population in the United States, with a focus on prehospital time intervals, transport, and cardiac arrest frequency. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study was performed querying records from emergency medical services encounters across the United States over 30 mo (January 2016 to July 2018) using the ESO (Austin, TX) national emergency medical services data registry. Patients with a dispatch or chief complaint of drowning were included. Descriptive statistics, binomial proportion tests, and general linear and logistic regression models were used. Results There were 1859 encounters that met the study criteria. Median age was 18 y (n=1855, LQ-UQ 4–46). Pediatric patients accounted for 50% (n=919, 95% CI 47–52). Cardiac arrest occurred in 29% (n=537, 95% CI 27–31), and return of spontaneous circulation occurred in 37% (n=186, 95% CI 32–41). Times were 8±5, 19±17, and 15±10 min (mean±SD) for arrival, on-scene, and transport times, respectively. Conclusions This national prehospital drowning study demonstrated that despite an 18% fatality rate in drowning encounters, patients were more likely to have return of spontaneous circulation when compared to the overall prehospital national average, with rates higher in pediatric patients. Future studies with outcomes data should focus on identifying factors that improve cardiopulmonary resuscitation success rates.
Predictors for Telephone Outreach Post-hospital Discharge.

PURPOSE OF STUDY: The specific aims of this study were to examine whether sociodemographic variables and medical-surgical diagnoses were associated with telephone follow-up (TFU) reach rates, emergency department visits, and hospital readmissions. PRIMARY PRACTICE OF SETTING: Acute care inpatient units in an academic medical center. METHODOLOGY AND SAMPLE: A correlational design was utilized, and a prospective medical record review of patients was conducted while implementing face-to-face prehospital discharge meeting interventions. The study sample (N = 176) included adult patients in two neurosurgical wards who were admitted between June 2016 and September 2016. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to explore the balance between the intervention group receiving a face-to-face prehospital discharge meeting and comparison group receiving standard prehospital discharge care. Bivariate statistics were employed to determine associations between variables. RESULTS: A total of 15 sociodemographic and medical-surgical variables were used to correlate TFU reach rates, emergency department (ED) visits, and readmission rates. Educational attainment (p = .002), employment status (p = .014), parental status (p = .010), and hospital service (p = .039) had significant differences between the intervention and comparison groups. Results demonstrated an improved reach rate for the intervention group but despite the differences in the groups, phi and Cramer's V coefficients did not correlate any associations with TFU reach rate, ED visits, and readmission rates with sociodemographic and surgical variables. This outcome affirmed that despite the similarities and differences in the sample, a face-to-face meeting prehospital discharge is an effective intervention to improve telephone outreach. IMPLICATIONS TO CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: There is a need to determine the most cost-effective way to increase TFU reach rates to prevent subsequent ED visits and hospital readmissions. There is also a need to develop a tool that can predict the hardest-to-reach patients posthospital discharge, so that case managers can meet those patients before leaving the hospital. In addition, it is important to identify alternative methods of "face-to-face"" interactions during the COVID-19 pandemic crises. Case managers must explore ways with caution to leverage secured digital technology to bridge the gap of communicating with patients and family members when hospital visitations are limited."
The influence of clopidogrel on ischemia diagnosed by myocardial perfusion stress testing

Clopidogrel is a platelet adenosine receptor antagonist which can influence coronary vascular tone and thus can potentially interfere with myocardial perfusion imaging. We investigated whether clopidogrel can hamper the diagnosis of ischemia in patients undergoing myocardial perfusion testing. Data from a database of 6349 myocardial perfusion stress tests were analyzed. Using a propensity analysis, patients who were taking clopidogrel were compared with patients not taking clopidogrel for the presence of reversible perfusion defects on myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography scans. Of the 6349 tests, the stress technique was adenosine in 2713 patients and exercise in 3636. At the time of the stress test, 277 (4.3%) of the patients were taking clopidogrel. The odds ratio (OR) for patients taking clopidogrel to have a reversible perfusion defect was 2.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.09-3.62; P < .01). After adjusting for the propensity to take clopidogrel, the OR was 1.06 (CI 0.76-1.49; P = .73) for patients undergoing adenosine stress tests and 1.60 (CI 0.85-3.00; P = .14) for patients undergoing exercise stress tests. We found no evidence that the use of clopidogrel decreases the likelihood of ischemia on adenosine or exercise stress myocardial perfusion scans.
Corey–Bakshi–Shibata (CBS) reagent

The CBS (Corey–Bakshi–Shibata) reagent is a chiral catalyst derived from proline. Also known as Corey’s oxazaborolidine, it is used in enantioselective borane reduction of ketones, asymmetric Diels–Alder reactions and [3 + 2] cycloadditions.
Single-image depth inference based on blur cues

With the rapid advancement of 3D visual technology, the technique of depth inference from a single image has received new attention. In this work, we present several single-image depth inference algorithms based on the blur degree in different regions in one image. We identify two major sources of image blur: camera defocus and atmospheric reflectance. The latter is also known as the haziness.We build models for these two scenarios with the depth information as a model parameter. Thus, we are able to infer the depth information from the observed image. Experimental results are conducted on a large variety of images to demonstrate that the robustness of the proposed depth inference method.
Abstract 1658: Enhanced shedding of extracellular vesicles from amoeboid prostate cancer cells: Potential effects on the tumor microenvironment

The gene encoding the cytoskeletal regulator DIAPH3 is lost at high frequency in metastatic prostate cancer, and silencing of DIAPH3 evokes a transition to an amoeboid phenotype in multiple tumor cell backgrounds. This amoeboid transformation is accompanied by increases in plasma membrane deformations (blebbing), cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. DIAPH3 silencing also promotes the shedding of atypically large (>1μm) extracellular vesicles (EV) containing bioactive cargo. Whether loss of DIAPH3 also stimulates the release of bioactive nano-sized EV (exosomes) is not established. Here we examined the mechanism of release and potential biological functions of EV shed from DIAPH3-silenced and other prostate cancer cells. We observed that stimulation of LNCaP cells with the prostate stroma-derived growth factor heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), combined with p38MAPK inhibition caused exosome shedding, a process mediated by ERK1/2 hyperactivation. DIAPH3 silencing in DU145 cells also increased rates of exosome production. EV isolated from DIAPH3-silenced cells activated AKT1 and androgen signaling, increased proliferation of recipient tumor cells, and suppressed proliferation of human macrophages and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). DU145-derived EV contained miR-125a, which suppressed AKT1 expression and proliferation in recipient human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and macrophages. Our findings suggest that EV across a wide size range (∼70nm to >1um) are produced by amoeboid prostate cancer cells as a result of DIAPH3 loss and/or growth factor stimulation. These EV may condition the tumor microenvironment through multiple mechanisms, including promoting the growth of cancer cells and suppression of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. Citation Format: Jayoung Kim, Samantha Morley, Minh Le, Denis Bedoret, Dale Umetsu, Dolores Di Vizio, Michael Freeman. Enhanced shedding of extracellular vesicles from amoeboid prostate cancer cells: Potential effects on the tumor microenvironment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1658. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1658
The existence and perception of redundancy in consumer information environments

Two studies are reported which examine the existence of attribute redundancy as well as consumers' ability to perceive attribute redundancy in consumer information environments. The results of the first study suggest that attribute redundancy varies widely from product category to product category. The results of the second study suggest that consumers' ability to perceive attribute relationships improves with product knowledge. Unexpected was an observed U-shaped relationship between consumers' perceptions of attribute redundancy and attribute knowledge. Together the results suggest a number of policy implications regarding the value of consumer information programs.
Verification of computational models of cardiac electro-physiology

SUMMARY For computational models of cardiac activity to be used in safety-critical clinical decision-making, thorough and rigorous testing of the accuracy of predictions is required. The field of ‘verification, validation and uncertainty quantification’ has been developed to evaluate the credibility of computational predictions. The first stage, verification, is the evaluation of how well computational software correctly solves the underlying mathematical equations. The aim of this paper is to introduce novel methods for verifying multi-cellular electro-physiological solvers, a crucial first stage for solvers to be used with confidence in clinical applications. We define 1D–3D model problems with exact solutions for each of the monodomain, bidomain, and bidomain-with-perfusing-bath formulations of cardiac electro-physiology, which allow for the first time the testing of cardiac solvers against exact errors on fully coupled problems in all dimensions. These problems are carefully constructed so that they can be easily run using a general solver and can be used to greatly increase confidence that an implementation is correct, which we illustrate by testing one major solver, ‘Chaste’, on the problems. We then perform case studies on calculation verification (also known as solution verification) for two specific applications. We conclude by making several recommendations regarding verification in cardiac modelling. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative and Qualitative Comparison of Light Water and Advanced Small Modular Reactors

In the recent years, several Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) have been developed. These Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) not only offer small power size (less than 300MWe), foot print, compact designs fabricated in factories to transport to the sites but also passive safety features. On one hand, some of the Light Water (LW) SMRs have been aggressively competing to win Department of Energy’s Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA): NuScale, W-SMR, etc. These new LW-SMRs are mainly inspired by the early LW-SMRs (such as, Process Inherent Ultimate Safety (PIUS), International Reactor Innovative and Secure (IRIS), Small Innovative Reactor (SIR), etc). LW-SMRs employ significantly less number of components to decrease cost and increase simplicity. However, new physical challenges appeared with these changes. On the other hand, advanced SMRs (such as, PBMR, MHR Antares, Prism, 4S, Hyperion, etc.) are dazzled with their improved passive safety features. This paper compares most of the LW and Advanced SMRs in respect to reactors, nuclear fuel, containment, reactor coolant systems, re-fueling and emergency coolant systems quantitatively and qualitatively. The detailed comparisons in this paper show that one reactor is not the absolute winner in this comparison since each reactor is designed to meet different needs.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
A highly polymorphic region in the X chromosome of Drosophila.

Many cloned regions of the Drosophila genome show minimal variation between strains in overall sequence arrangement. While restriction site polymorphisms occur and the location of transposable elements may vary from one strain to another, such changes appear to be relatively minor variations, superimposed on overall genome stability. In contrast to this general situation, we describe here a segment of the X chromosome that is highly polymorphic in four strains of D. melanogaster and in D. simulans. The strains differ in the presence and extent of a short duplication and the presence of repetitive DNA. These results suggest that different regions of the genome may be subject to different evolutionary constraints, with some regions being particularly prone to extensive changes, even within a single species.
Sodium accumulation in soils and plants along Massachusetts roadsides

The most common de-icing material applied by the Massachusetts state highway department is sodium chloride (NaCl). In Massachusetts, the rate of application of de-icing agents is about 240 lb (110 kg) of sand and 12 lb (5.5 kg) of NaCl per lane mile (1.6 km). The objective of this research was to examine injury to plants along roadsides and to assess relationships of damage to the amount of Na detected in plants and soils. The damage on most plant species was manifested as burning or browning of the leaves or needles. Coniferous species, especially pines (Pinus spp.), were sensitive to NaCl injury. In coniferous species, the damage appeared as browning on the ends of the needles, but new growth was not affected. Most of the damage occurred on the needles on the tree side that faced the road and where salt spray from cars or plows could have been a factor in the degree of damage. Widespread damage was also seen on spruce (Picea spp.), sumac (Rhus typhina), and mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) along roads...
An enteric virus can replace the beneficial function of commensal bacteria

Intestinal microbial communities have profound effects on host physiology. Whereas the symbiotic contribution of commensal bacteria is well established, the role of eukaryotic viruses that are present in the gastrointestinal tract under homeostatic conditions is undefined. Here we demonstrate that a common enteric RNA virus can replace the beneficial function of commensal bacteria in the intestine. Murine norovirus (MNV) infection of germ-free or antibiotic-treated mice restored intestinal morphology and lymphocyte function without inducing overt inflammation and disease. The presence of MNV also suppressed an expansion of group 2 innate lymphoid cells observed in the absence of bacteria, and induced transcriptional changes in the intestine associated with immune development and type I interferon (IFN) signalling. Consistent with this observation, the IFN-α receptor was essential for the ability of MNV to compensate for bacterial depletion. Importantly, MNV infection offset the deleterious effect of treatment with antibiotics in models of intestinal injury and pathogenic bacterial infection. These data indicate that eukaryotic viruses have the capacity to support intestinal homeostasis and shape mucosal immunity, similarly to commensal bacteria.
The effects of gamma radiation, UV and visible light on ATP levels in yeast cells depend on cellular melanization

Previously we have shown that growth of melanized fungi is stimulated by low levels of gamma radiation. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of visible light, UV light, and gamma radiation on the energy level (ATP concentration) in melanized Cryptococcus neoformans cells. Melanized C. neoformans cells as well as non-melanized controls were subjected to visible, UV or gamma radiation, and ATP was quantified by measuring the amount of light emitted by the ATP-dependent reaction of luciferase with luciferin. We found that all three forms of radiation led to a reduction in the ATP levels in melanized C. neoformans cells. This points to a universal melanin-related mechanism underlying observation of ATP decrease in irradiated melanized cells. In contrast, in non-melanized cells visible light led to increase in ATP levels; gamma radiation did not cause any changes while UV exposure resulted in some ATP decrease, however, much less pronounced than in melanized cells.
The predictive value of 2-year posttreatment biopsy after prostate cancer radiotherapy for eventual biochemical outcome.

Purpose: To determine the value of a 2-year post-radiotherapy (RT) prostate biopsy for predicting eventual biochemical failure in patients who were treated for localized prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: This study comprised 164 patients who underwent a planned 2-year post-RT prostate biopsy. The independent prognostic value of the biopsy results for forecasting eventual biochemical outcome and overall survival was tested with other factors (the Gleason score, 1992 American Joint Committee on Cancer tumor stage, pretreatment prostate-specific antigen level, risk group, and RT dose) in a multivariate analysis. The current nadir + 2 (CN + 2) definition of biochemical failure was used. Patients with rising prostate-specific antigen (PSA) or suspicious digital rectal examination before the biopsy were excluded. Results: The biopsy results were normal in 78 patients, scant atypical and malignant cells in 30, carcinoma with treatment effect in 43, and carcinoma without treatment effect in 13. Using the CN + 2 definition, we found a significant association between biopsy results and eventual biochemical failure. We also found that the biopsy status provides predictive information independent of the PSA status at the time of biopsy. Conclusion: A 2-year post-RT prostate biopsy may be useful for forecasting CN + 2 biochemical failure. Posttreatment prostate biopsy may be useful for identifying patients for aggressive salvage therapy.
Declining trends in serum cotinine levels in US worker groups: the power of policy.

Objective:To explore trends in cotinine levels in US worker groups.Methods:Using NHANES III data, serum cotinine levels of US workers not smokers nor exposed to secondhand smoke (SHS) at home were evaluated for trends by occupational/industrial and race/ethnicity-gender sub-groups.Results:Decreases
A comparison of anterior chamber and posterior chamber intraocular lenses after vitreous presentation during cataract surgery: the Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Cataract Study.

Abstract Purpose To compare the efficacy and safety of anterior chamber (AC) intraocular lenses (IOLs) and posterior chamber (PC) IOLs implanted after vitreous presentation during extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE). Design The study was a prospective, long-term, randomized clinical trial conducted at 19 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers across the United States. Methods There were 438 eyes (438 patients) that met preliminary eligibility criteria, suffered vitreous presentation during ECCE (phacoemulsification or classical extracapsular technique), and had sufficient capsular support for a PC IOL without sutures after anterior vitrectomy randomized to either a PC IOL (230 patients) or an AC IOL (208 patients). Patients were examined at 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery and yearly thereafter. Minimum follow-up was 1 year. The primary outcome measure of best-corrected visual acuity at 1 year was obtained by a masked certified examiner. Results More PC IOL patients (91%) achieved visual acuity of 20/40 or better at 1 year than AC IOL patients (79%), a highly significant difference ( P = .003). There was no significant difference between the two groups for patient's rating of vision or adverse events. Over 84% of the PC IOL patients and over 77% of the AC IOL patients rated their vision as good or better at 1 year as opposed to only 7% giving such ratings before surgery. For at least one rating period during the first year, 13.2% of the combined study patients had cystoid macular edema, 8.5% had posterior capsule opacification, 5.7% had glaucoma, and 3.7% had retinal detachment. Conclusion In the presence of sufficient capsular support, a PC IOL should be implanted after vitreous presentation during ECCE.
Reorientation from Altered States: Please, More Carefully

Counselors too often appear to forget to reorient clients from altered states of consciousness used in counseling. Failure to reorient can result in unnecessary discomfort for clients. This article offers suggestions for when and how to reorient to avoid unwanted, lingering aftereffects.
Low-temperature behavior of potassium borate glasses.

The addition of 25 mol % ${\mathrm{K}}_{2}$O to amorphous ${\mathrm{B}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ increases the glass-transition temperature ${T}_{g}$ by 50%, increases the specific heat for T1 K by a factor of \ensuremath{\approxeq}4, but leaves the low-temperature phonon mean free path essentially unchanged. The increase in specific heat with increasing ${T}_{g}$ is not in agreement with the free-volume model of a glass, which would predict a \ensuremath{\gtrsim}50% decrease in specific heat.
Ambient mass spectrometry: Approaching the chemical analysis of things as they are

As G.E.F. Lundell once indicated, the goal of the analytical sciences is to provide the chemical analysis of things as they are; however, this concept is often ignored in the development, and especially in the use, of analytical techniques. The field of ambient desorption/ionization mass spectrometry seeks to reverse this trend by enabling direct, sensitive, and selective analysis of untreated samples. Because of this ability, significant interest has surrounded the field since its introduction in 2004. In fact, the response seems to follow a Hype Cycle model, in which we are currently at the peak of inflated expectations. To lessen the impact of negative hype (i.e. the trough of disillusionment), which could destroy the field, more effort must be expended on fundamentally understanding the processes involved in ambient mass-spectrometric analyses. Examples are cited here to illustrate the limitations of and fundamental research on plasma-based ambient desorption/ionization in an effort to evaluate the current state of the field.
Specificity of transmission of cowpea mosaic virus by species within the subfamily Galerucinae, family Chrysomelidae.

The severe and yellows strains of cowpea mosaic virus, transmitted from cowpeas to cowpeas by the bean leaf beetle, Ceraloma trifurcata (Forster); the banded cucumber beetle, Diabrotica balteata LeConte; the spotted cucumber beetle, D. undecimpunctata howardi Barber; the western corn rootworm, D. virgifera LeConte; and the striped cucumber beetle, Acalymma vittatum (F.), exhibited no vector specificity for species within the sub family Galerucinae, family Chrysomelidae. Each beetle species transmitted both virus strains equally well. The banded cucumber beetle, the spotted cucumber beetle, the striped cucumber beetle, and the western corn rootworm are new vectors of cowpea mosaic virus. The greater vector efficiency and retention of infectivity of both the banded cucumber beetle and the bean leaf beetle were correlated with their more extensive feeding on the cowpea virus source plants and test plants.
Measurements of Line Strength and Line Shape Parameters of the HCl R3 (0-2) 5739.263 cm−1 the HF R1 (0-2) 7823.820 cm−1 Transitions

Line strengths and line shape parameters have been measured for a single absorption transition of both hydrogen chloride and hydrogen fluoride gases. These parameters were determined from spectral absorbance measurements over a range of temperatures and pressures using single-mode laser diodes as the laser sources. The measured parameters are compared to values reported in scientific literature. Significant differences are observed that will impact spectroscopic measurements of species concentrations, temperature, and pressure.
The Engaged Campus: Toward a Comprehensive Approach to Public Engagement

ABSTRACT Although civic purposes are implicit in the mission statements of higher education institutions, American colleges and universities have not always embraced public engagement initiatives. This paper explores how the recent emergence of the engaged campus movement has helped move public engagement initiatives from the margins to the mainstream by integrating community engagement into the research, teaching and public service functions of the academy.
The Distribution of Power and the Onset of War

The relationship between the distribution of power among nations and the outbreak of war has been a question of perennial interest to students of international politics. Although recent empirical studies seem to support the idea that equal power will lead to the outbreak of war, a review of these studies reveals that the findings are heavily influenced by research designs that (1) include data not closely connected to the theory, (2) reduce the variance in the independent variables, (3) exclude cases of potential power disparity by using only conflicts between contiguous nations, and (4) provide analysis of a restricted range of cases. The article concludes by calling for the analysis of larger data sets with greater variance in both independent and dependent variables.
Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is responsible for a large proportion of cancer deaths worldwide. HCC is frequently diagnosed after the development of clinical deterioration at which time survival is measured in months. Long-term survival requires detection of small tumors, often present in asymptomatic individuals, which may be more amenable to invasive therapeutic options. Surveillance of high-risk individuals for HCC is commonly performed using the serum marker alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) often in combination with ultrasonography. Various other serologic markers are currently being tested to help improve surveillance accuracy. Diagnosis of HCC often requires more sophisticated imaging modalities such as CT scan and MRI, which have multiphasic contrast enhancement capabilities. Serum AFP used alone can be helpful if levels are markedly elevated, which occurs in fewer than half of cases at time of diagnosis. Confirmation by liver biopsy can be performed under circumstances when the diagnosis of HCC remains unclear.
Distinguishable equivalent particles with symmetrized wave functions

The quantum formalism ofdistinguishable, yetequivalent particles (with symmetric or antisymmetric wave functions) is here worked out. The result is an entirely explicit formulation of the way in which classical mechanics emerges from quantum mechanics for such particles. Distinguishability is achieved at the cost of dynamical precision; the two are, in fact, complementary.
Passive IR flexi-scope with two spectral colors for household screening of gastrointestinal disorders

According to our generalized Shannon Sampling Theorem of developmental system biology, we should increase the sampling frequency of the passive Infrared (IR) spectrum ratio test, (I 8~12mm / I 3~5mm ). This procedure proved to be effective in DCIS using the satellite-grade IR spectrum cameras for an early developmental symptom of the "angiogenesis" effect. Thus, we propose to augment the annual hospital checkup of, or biannual Colonoscopy, with an inexpensive non-imaging IR-Flexi-scope intensity measurement device which could be conducted regularly at a household residence without the need doctoral expertise or a data basis system. The only required component would be a smart PC, which would be used to compute the degree of thermal activities through the IR spectral ratio. It will also be used to keep track of the record and send to the medical center for tele-diagnosis. For the purpose of household screening, we propose to have two integrated passive IR probes of dual-IR-color spectrum inserted into the body via the IR fiber-optic device. In order to extract the percentage of malignancy, based on the ratio of dual color IR measurements, the key enabler is the unsupervised learning algorithm in the sense of the Duda & Hart Unlabelled Data Classifier without lookup table exemplars. This learning methodology belongs to the Natural Intelligence (NI) of the human brain, which can effortlessly reduce the redundancy of pair inputs and thereby enhance the Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) better than any single sensor for the salient feature extraction. Thus, we can go beyond a closed data basis AI expert system to tailor to the individual ground truth without the biases of the prior knowledge.
Engineered clathrin nanoreactors provide tunable control over gold nanoparticle synthesis and clustering

The use of biomolecules to direct nanomaterial synthesis has been an area of growing interest due to the complexity of structures that can be achieved in naturally occurring systems. We previously reported the functionalization of self-assembled clathrin protein cages to enable synthesis of nanoparticles from a range of inorganic materials. Here, we investigate the ability of this engineered biomolecule complex to act as a tunable nanoreactor for the formation of different arrangements of gold nanoparticles in three dimensions. We find that self-assembled clathrin cages functionalized with engineered bi-functional peptides induce formation of gold nanoparticles to generate solutions of either dispersed or clustered gold nanoparticles on demand. The 3D arrangement of nanoparticles is dependent on the concentration of the engineered peptide, which fulfills multiple roles in the synthesis process including stabilization of the nanoparticle surface and localization of the nanoparticles within the self-assembled clathrin cage. We propose and evaluate a mechanism that allows us to predict the peptide concentration at which the nanoreactor behavior switches. This work provides insight into peptide-based surfactants and the potential for incorporating them into strategies for tuning biological mineralization processes in mild solution conditions to generate complex structures.
Management of esophageal perforation in infants resulting from transesophageal echocardiogram probes

Iatrogenic esophageal perforation in infants is an uncommon though recognized complication resulting from the insertion of a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) probe into the oropharynx. Infants requiring TEE are almost universally affected by underlying cardiac disease; thus, minimizing unnecessary interventions is the goal. We reviewed our institution’s experience with esophageal perforation resulting from TEE probes in order to define effective management strategies. After IRB approval, we conducted a 12-year retrospective review of our institution’s experience with esophageal perforation in infants resulting from TEE probes. During our study period, 3322 infants had a TEE probe placed. Four infants (age range 2e120 days) sustained an esophageal perforation from a TEE probe, indicating that the incidence at our institution is 0.12%. Evaluation with contrast esophagram or direct laryngoscopy confirmed the presence of perforation in all cases. Management consisted of broad-spectrum antibiotics and nothing per os. One patient developed a pseudodiverticulum, which regressed spontaneously. There were no other complications resulting from perforation. Transesophageal echocardiogram probe insertion in infants with cardiac anomalies can lead to esophageal perforation. These patients can be managed non-operatively with broad-spectrum antibiotics and nothing per os. Oral feeding may resume once the perforation is healed on esophagram.
Reasons why the bars in SM-143 presses break off

We can set forth the following reasons for failure of the bars. Consequently, the main reasons for the breakdown of the bars are of a purely constructional nature. Abnormal operation is a result of defective design. In order to prevent breakdown, we must first prevent the possibility of controlling the movement of the lower punches during operation by placing linings between the shoulders of the bars and the traverse. The articulation between the bars and the traverse should be redesigned and made a dead joint. The Semiluki Refractory Plant has made the necessary alterations to its presses and eliminated the breakage of bars. Other plants should follow the example of the Semiluki Plant and modernize this unit. Engineering plants should redesign this unit when making similar presses in the future.
Fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography findings in choroidal melanocytic lesions.

Purpose : To establish the characteristics of secondary retinal and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) changes associated with the presence of choroidal melanoma and choroidal nevus as documented by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and fundus autofluorescence (FAF). Materials and Methods : PubMed review of major English publications examining the correlation between clinical characteristics of choroidal melanoma and nevus with OCT and FAF findings. Results : The intrinsic properties of choroidal melanoma, as well as overlying RPE changes, drusen, and lipofuscin are best characterized by FAF, while OCT is more sensitive for the identification of subretinal and intraretinal fluid as well as atrophy, degeneration, and photoreceptor loss in the neurosensory retina. Conclusions : Secondary retinal changes associated with choroidal melanocytic lesions can be documented by OCT and FAF. OCT-evident changes are observed more often with choroidal melanoma than choroidal nevus. OCT is better suited to identify the overlying retinal detachment and edema, even before these findings are clinically apparent. FAF is most useful in documenting the presence of lipofuscin, a finding that represents one of the important criteria in differentiating small choroidal melanoma from benign choroidal nevus.
Electromagnetic propagation environment in tropical disturbances using dropsonde measurements

Electromagnetic propagation environment has been characterized by numerical simulations and/or mostly by rawinsonde measurements based on ships, island, or land surfaces. While rawinsondes provide direct measurements of the atmospheric temperature and moisture, it is generally difficult to use the measurements for identifying surface-based ducts or evaporative ducts over the ocean due to ship or island contaminations unless an up-down sampling approach is adopted. In recent years, dropsonde measurements have been used in many field programs over some oceanic environments and thus can be used to quantifying the near-surface environment over Ocean. Although the sensor technology between dropsondes and rawinsondes are similar, the near-surface sampling of the downward going dropsonde are normally made in undisturbed environment away from potential flow distortions such as those near a ship. Hence dropsonde measurements have the potential to represent the near-surface altitudes better than the upward going rawinsonde carried by balloons.