cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
4 – Biocompatibility of biomaterials for dental tissue repair

All dentists and dental patients will benefit from the reduced health risks afforded by guiding dentists to select biomaterials demonstrating biocompatibility for dental tissue repair. Most dentists are concerned about the potential toxic effects of restorative dental biomaterials, and many dentists have had patients who refuse to allow amalgam restorations to be used to restore their teeth. The biocompatibility of dental repair biomaterials can vary greatly with the most toxic generally being zinc oxide eugenol (ZOE), and the least toxic being biomaterials formulated for vital pulp therapy, such as tri-calcium silicate cements (mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)). The other types of biomaterials (glass ionomers, composite resins, adhesives, sealers, and amalgam) are less toxic than ZOE, but still do not demonstrate suitable biocompatibility to be placed in direct contact with vital tissues. During the past decade, MTA has replaced calcium hydroxide as the first choice of biomaterial for placing in contact with a vital pulp. MTA has low toxicity and good sealing properties to prevent microleakage. MTA can also stimulate the release of growth factors, which promotes the healing and repair of vital pulp tissues. Other biomaterials, such as Emdogain for periodontal regeneration, and PepGen P15 for bone augmentation, contain active growth factors to promote tissue regeneration. Successful dental repair materials must lack toxicity, demonstrate biocompatibility, not induce inflammation sensitivity or pain, be physically stable and seal to prevent bacterial microleakage, and promote tissue repair by creating an environment where growth factors can induce stem cells and local cells to heal injured tissues.
Tempering Response of Bainitic and Martensitic Microstructures

The tempering response of fully martensitic microstructures has been well characterized. However, bainitic microstructures may also be found in quenched industrial materials and the present study investigates the tempering response of fully martensitic and fully bainitic microstructures. Specific thermal cycles were developed to generate both microstructures in a boron added 0.17 wt pct carbon steel. The tempering response was assessed through dilatometry and microstructural characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy and Mossbauer spectroscopy. The dilatometric analysis of the tempering response of the martensitic microstructures provided information about retained austenite decomposition and cementite precipitation whereas bainitic microstructures showed a less sensitive dilatometric response during tempering likely due to the low amount of carbon in solution and absence of retained austenite as measured by Mossbauer spectroscopy.
Interactions of Individual and Pair Programmers with an Intelligent Tutoring System for Computer Science

Pair programming is a practice where two coders work side by side at one computer. The practice has been linked to many benefits including increased student engagement, satisfaction, and course grades. We present a quantitative study comparing the fine-grained interactions of individual programmers versus pair programmers as they work to solve coding problems using an Intelligent Tutoring System. We collected data from over 115 students resulting in more than 53,000 log events. We discovered that while both individual and pair programmers had equivalent learning gains, pair programmers took significantly less time on most problems, consulted fewer examples, coded more efficiently, and showed more signs of engagement. Individuals adapted to problems requiring new and compounded concepts at a rate similar to pair programmers.
Effects of long spray-chilling on water pocket development in ribeyes.

Abstract Water Pocket (WP) is a defect on beef that may lead to significant economic losses. Our hypothesis is that longer spray-chilling time increases WP incidence on ribeyes ( M. longissimus thoracis ). Ribeyes (28,801) were visually evaluated for the presence of WP after 24 or 72 h of spray chilling. Additionally, 252 beef sides were evaluated prior to chilling to predict WP development after 24 h of spray chilling. Also, the 12th rib fat thickness was measured on 313 sides and the sides were assigned to two categories of WP or no WP to evaluate fat thickness as an indicator for WP. Subcutaneous fat softness is not related to WP development, longer spray-chilling does not increase the incidence of WP in ribeyes, and thinner subcutaneous fat is an indicator for WP development.
Relationship of Cuboid Height to Plantar Ulceration and Other Radiographic Parameters in Midfoot Charcot Neuroarthropathy

Abstract The objective of the present investigation was to examine the effect of cuboid height on the presence of plantar midfoot ulceration and the relationship of cuboid height to other commonly performed radiographic parameters during evaluation of midfoot Charcot neuroarthropathy. A retrospective analysis was performed of 68 feet in 60 subjects who met the inclusion criteria. We did not observe statistically significant differences in the presence of a plantar midfoot ulceration when considering a cuboid height threshold of 0.0 mm, 2.0 mm, −2.0 mm, or −5.0 mm nor was the cuboid height a robust predictor for the presence of plantar midfoot ulceration when considering the positive predictive value, negative predictive value, sensitivity, or specificity. We observed a significant negative association between a negative cuboid height and the presence of Sanders Type 2 deformities (76.2% of those with negative height versus 50.0% of those with positive height had type 2 deformities; p = .0036), the absence of radiographic visualization of the lateral tarsometatarsal joint (71.4% of those with negative height versus 26.9% of those with positive height had an absence of radiographic visualization; p = .005), and lower calcaneal inclination angles (6.06° versus 15.08°; p p p p = .038), medial column height (0.264; p = .029), and first metatarsal inclination angle (0.245; p = .047). We also observed negative correlations with Meary's angle (−0.475; p p
Computing 2-Hop Neighborhoods in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks

We present efficient distributed algorithms for computing 2-hop neighborhoods in Ad Hoc Wireless Networks. The knowledge of the 2-hop neighborhood is assumed in many protocols and algorithms for routing, clustering, and distributed channel assignment, but no efficient distributed algorithms for computing the 2-hop neighborhoods were previously published.
An extended Kalman filter state estimation-based robust MRAC for welding robot motor control

The robotic welding processes have been highly widespread in manufacturing industries due to large-scale production. An area where these processes are widely applied are shipyards, where there are necessary hundreds to thousands of kilograms of weld by hour. However, systems that operate in open-air environments are vulnerable to sundry disturbances, noises in measures, as well as possible unavailability of measurement of some system states, required for the controller. Taking it into account, in this work, a Robust Model Reference Adaptive Control is proposed to regulate the velocity of a nonlinear motor of a linear welding robot. Furthermore, an Extended Kalman Filter is implemented to estimate the system states and attenuate measurement noises. The proposed control system demonstrated a very good performance with fast convergence and small error.
Use of Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Cervical Cancer Patients With Incomplete Response on Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography After Image-Based High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy.

PURPOSE To investigate the correlation between positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) response and outcome in the era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based planning and to assess whether the addition of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) could more accurately classify treatment response and prognosis. METHODS AND MATERIALS A retrospective chart review identified 244 consecutive patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB1-IVA cervical cancer treated with concurrent chemoradiation, including high-dose-rate image-based brachytherapy, between 2007 and 2016. Image-based brachytherapy was delivered with 5 intracavitary/interstitial fractions, each 5 to 6 Gy per fraction. RESULTS An complete response on posttreatment PET/CT (PET-CR) was discovered in 50 of 244 patients (20%) at a median interval of 3.3 months (range, 2.1-7.7 months) after treatment. After a median follow-up of 27 months, 2-year overall survival was 83% in all patients. Metabolic response significantly impacted 2-year overall survival (94% complete response on posttreatment PET/ CT vs 62.4% PET-IR, P < .001). Of those with a PET-IR, 16 of 50 patients (32%) suffered a local recurrence. A total of 27 of 50 patients with a PET-IR underwent DW-MRI; 11 of 27 posttreatment DW-MRI scans (40%) were interpreted as positive by central review (median apparent diffusion coefficient of 0.973 × 10-3 mm2/s). Of the DW-MRI-positive patients, 9 of 11 (81.8%) suffered a histologically confirmed local recurrence, and 2 of 11 patients are without evidence of disease. Additionally, 16 of 27 DW-MRI studies were interpreted as negative, and 2 of 16 (12.5%) of these patients suffered a local recurrence. Diffusion-weighted MRI findings significantly impacted 2-year overall survival (83% negative DW-MRI vs 36% positive DW-MRI, P = .049). CONCLUSION Incomplete PET/CT response was documented in 20% of patients after image-based brachytherapy for locally advanced cervical cancer. Integration of DW-MRI helped accurately identify patients at risk for persistent disease and worse long-term outcome. The value of DW-MRI requires further validation in a large prospective dataset as this modality may allow earlier evaluation and salvage treatment in those with PET-IR.
Role of extracellular matrix in the biomechanical behavior of pancreatic tissue.

Correlating the biomechanical properties of tissue with its function is an emerging area of research with potential impact in diagnostics, therapeutics, and prognostics. A critical stepping-stone in developing structure–function models is creating methods that can correlate the tissue structure with its mechanical behavior. As an initial step in addressing this challenge, we have characterized the mechanical behavior of unprocessed pancreatic tissue using optical fiber polarimetric elastography. To correlate the observed behavior to physiologically relevant structural features, a series of architectures are designed and fabricated using 3D printing. The mechanical response of the 3D printed elastomeric structures is analyzed using compressive testing and modeled using finite element analysis. The biomechanical behavior and buckling point of the 3D printed structures is used to create a calibration curve to understand the measured response of the resected pancreatic tissue. Based on the modeling and biomim...
Can UTeach? Assessing the relative effectiveness of STEM teachers

Abstract UTeach is a well-known, university-based program designed to increase the number of high-quality STEM teachers in the workforce. Despite substantial investment and rapid program diffusion, there is little evidence about the effectiveness of UTeach graduates. Using administrative data from the state of Texas, we measure the impact of having a UTeach teacher on student test scores in math and science in middle schools and high schools. We find that students taught by UTeach teachers perform significantly better on end-of-grade tests in math and end-of-course tests in math and science by 8% to 15% of a standard deviation on the test, depending on grade and subject.
A Study of the Impact of Culture on Trust Determinants in eCommerce: A Cross-culture Comparison Study.

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of culture on the trust determinants in e-commerce. The study adopts two broad trust building foundations (cognitionand affect-based trust) from cross-culture literature, focuses on one wellestablished cultural construct (i.e., individualism-collectivism) as groups of culture, develops a theoretical model of cognition-based versus affect-based e-Vendor trust, and empirically tests the model using cross-cultural data.
An Expert System for Ultrasonic Materials Characterization and NDE

Science, engineering, and manufacturing all depend on accurate measurements. These measurements can be made either by a human or by an automated system. In both NDE and materials characterization, there are numerous evaluations and decisions which must be made based on the experience and judgment of an operator or engineer. Current automated systems are not capable of making these judgments. Instead, typically, the operator or engineer evaluates the results after the measurements have been made. Expert systems provide a method for building the expertise of the human into the measurement apparatus, thereby causing all decisions made during the measurement process to be made with the skill of expert operators.
MEASURED ENERGY CONSUMPTION OF A LOW-ENERGY PASSIVE SOLAR TOWNHOUSE COMPLEX

ABSTRACT Measured energy consumption figures are presented for a townhouse complex located in Regina, Saskatchewan, incorporating low energy design principles and some passive solar features. The complex consists of 8 two-storey wood frame structures, including sixty-seven living units and one community centre. It is believed to be the first in the Canadian prairie region incorporating low energy design principles. The complex was completed in mid-1983; energy consumption readings are presented for the period August 1983 - August 1984. Measured space heating for the year averaged 411 MJ/m2 for all units, approximately 40% lower than the space heating consumption of typical non-low-energy units in this area of Canada. The annual heating degree days in Regina were 5383°C days (reference 18°C).
Household chaos during infancy and infant weight status at 12 months

BACKGROUND Infancy is a critical period for obesity prevention. Emerging evidence links household chaos to poor health outcomes, yet its impact on obesity in infancy is unknown. OBJECTIVES We examined associations between household chaos when infants were 6 and 12 months and weight-for-length (WFL) z-score at 12 months, exploring potential mediation by infant sleep and screen time. METHODS We examined 401 predominately Black women and infants in the southeastern United States. We conducted multivariable linear regressions examining household chaos and infant WFL z-score, assessing breastfeeding, sleep, screen time as potential mediators. RESULTS Among infants, 69.7% were Black and 49.0% were female. Mean breasting duration was 3.7 months. Over half (50.4%) of families had annual household incomes <$20 000. After adjustment for potential confounders, household chaos was associated with infant WFL z-score (0.02; 95% CI 0.001, 0.04; p = 0.04) at 12 months. We did not observe associations between chaos and infant breastfeeding, sleep or screen time. CONCLUSIONS Higher household chaos was associated with greater infant weight at 12 months, but there was no evidence of mediation by breastfeeding, sleep or screen time.
Exact extended formulation of the linear assignment problem (LAP) polytope for solving the traveling salesman and quadratic assignment problems

We present an O(n^6 ) linear programming model for the traveling salesman (TSP) and quadratic assignment (QAP) problems. The basic model is developed within the framework of the TSP. It does not involve the city-to-city variables-based, traditional TSP polytope referred to in the literature as "the TSP polytope." We do not model explicit Hamiltonian cycles of the cities. Instead, we use a time-dependent abstraction of TSP tours and develop a direct extended formulation of the linear assignment problem (LAP) polytope. The model is exact in the sense that it has integral extreme points which are in one-to-one correspondence with TSP tours. It can be solved optimally using any linear programming (LP) solver, hence offering a new (incidental) proof of the equality of the computational complexity classes "P" and "NP." The extensions of the model to the time-dependent traveling salesman problem (TDTSP) as well as the quadratic assignment problem (QAP) are straightforward. The reasons for the non-applicability of existing negative extended formulations results for "the TSP polytope" to the model in this paper as well as our software implementation and the computational experimentation we conducted are briefly discussed.
Exploring mTOR inhibition as treatment for mitochondrial disease

Leigh syndrome and MELAS (mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes) are two of the most frequent pediatric mitochondrial diseases. Both cause severe morbidity and neither have effective treatment. Inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has been shown in model mice of Leigh syndrome to extend lifespan and attenuate both the clinical and pathological progression of disease. Based on this observation, we treated two children with everolimus, a rapamycin analogue. The child with Leigh syndrome showed sustained benefit, while the child with MELAS failed to respond and died of progressive disease. We discuss possible mechanisms underlying these disparate responses to mTOR inhibition.
Laparoscopic Small Bowel Resection with Intracorporeal Anastomosis for Meckel's Diverticulitis

Abstract Introduction: Meckel's diverticulum, a congenital anomaly resulting from incomplete obliteration of the omphalomesenteric duct, is the most common gastrointestinal tract malformation (2%–4...
Quantitative Framework for Risk Stratification of Thyroid Nodules With Ultrasound: A Step Toward Automated Triage of Thyroid Cancer

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to explore whether a quantitative framework can be used to sonographically differentiate benign and malignant thyroid nodules at a level comparable to that of experts. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A dataset of ultrasound images of 92 biopsy-confirmed nodules was collected retrospectively. The nodules were delineated and annotated by two expert radiologists using the standardized Thyroid Imaging Reporting and Data System lexicon of the American College of Radiology. In the framework studied, quantitative features of echogenicity, texture, edge sharpness, and margin curvature properties of thyroid nodules were analyzed in a regularized logistic regression model to predict malignancy of a nodule. The framework was validated by leave-one-out cross-validation technique, and ROC AUC, sensitivity, and specificity were used to compare with those obtained with six expert annotation-based classifiers. RESULTS. The AUC of the proposed method was 0.828 (95% CI, 0.715-0.942), which was greater than or comparable to that of the expert classifiers, for which the AUC values ranged from 0.299 to 0.829 (p = 0.99). Use of the proposed framework could have avoided biopsy of 20 of 46 benign nodules in a curative strategy (at sensitivity of 1, statistically significantly higher than three expert classifiers) or helped identify 10 of 46 malignancies in a conservative strategy (at specificity of 1, statistically significantly higher than five expert classifiers). CONCLUSION. When the proposed quantitative framework was used, thyroid nodule malignancy was predicted at the level of expert classifiers. Such a framework may ultimately prove useful as the basis for a fully automated system of thyroid nodule triage.
Severe developmental disability and the transition to adulthood.

Abstract Background Developmental disabilities are serious and long-lasting. There are few studies of developmental disability in the transition to adulthood, when the programs that provided support in childhood may no longer be available. Objective We studied associations of long-lasting developmental disabilities with health, behaviors, and well-being in adulthood. Methods We used the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1968–2017), its Child Development Supplement (CDS, 1997, 2002, 2007), and its Transition into Adulthood Supplement (TAS, every-other year, 2005–2017) (n = 2702) following a national sample from childhood through age 28, defining serious developmental disabilities using diagnoses and reports from parents, teachers, schools, children, and young adults. We tested differences in proportions using Chi-square tests, estimated differences in least squares means, and used logistic regression to compare results for those with and without developmental disabilities. We adjusted results for age, sex, race, immigrant status, family income, region, metropolitan statistical area, educational attainment, and employment status, accounting for sampling weights and survey design. Results At ages 18–21, 8.2% had serious developmental disability (95% confidence interval, CI 6.6–9.8). They were more likely to report: no high school graduation (19.3% vs. 4.3%), being assaulted physically (32.1% vs. 20.4%) or sexually (14.4% vs. 6.6%), serious criminal arrests (25.7% vs. 13.2%), smoking (30.8% vs. 12.8%), sedentariness (5.8% vs. 1.1%), obesity (39.2% vs. 23.4%), diabetes (9.1% vs. 2.1%), and work disability (18.7% vs. 4.3%) (all p Conclusions Results indicate opportunities to promote education, self-direction, safety, and well-being for people transitioning to adulthood with serious developmental disabilities.
Topsentinol L Trisulfate, a new Marine Natural Product, that Targets Basal-like and Claudin-low Breast Cancers

Background: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Genomic studies have revealed five different intrinsic subtypes - Luminal A, Luminal B, HER2-enriched, Claudin-low, and Basal-like. Patients diagnosed with Basal-like or Claudin-low breast cancer (BL-CL) suffer from poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Hence, there is an urgent need to identify a new therapeutic lead that can benefit patients with BL-CL breast cancer. Methods: We used a step-wise screening approach to screen 2778 HP20 fractions from our Marine Invertebrate Compound Library (MICL) to identify compounds that specifically target BL-CL breast cancer. We also performed biochemical investigations to study the effect of the compound in the signaling pathway. Finally, we generated a drug response gene-expression signature and projected it against a human tumor panel of 12 different cancer types to identify other cancer types sensitive to the compound. Results: We identified a previously unreported trisulfated sterol, topsentinol L trisulfate (TLT) that exhibits increased efficacy against BL-CL relative to Luminal/HER2+ breast cancer. Biochemical investigation of the effects of TLT on BL-CL revealed its ability to inhibit activation of AMPK and CHK1 and promote activation of p38. The importance of targeting AMPK and CHK1 in BL-CL was validated by treating a panel of breast cancer cell lines with known small molecule inhibitors of AMPK (Dorsomorphin) and CHK1 (Ly2603618) and recording the increased effectiveness against BL-CL compared to Luminal/HER2+ breast cancer. The TLT sensitivity gene-expression signature identified breast and bladder cancer as the most sensitive to TLT while glioblastoma multiforme as least sensitive. Conclusions: Our study identified TLT, a previously uncharacterized trisulfated sterol, as a potential therapeutic selective against BL-CL. Our results also showed that inhibition of AMPK and/or CHK1 might be an effective therapy in BL-CL.
Identifying with the “bad” guy: A novel account for apparent moral-judgment deficiencies in antagonistic personality

Abstract People higher in antagonistic personality are believed to have impaired moral judgment that can be traced to psychopathological conditions or enjoyment of cruelty. We suggest that this phenomenon can be partially understood as a normative process of leniency toward more similar others. An online study had participants (N = 250, Mage = 38.47; 56.8% female; 78.8% Caucasian) complete measures of antagonistic personality and then read about agents who engaged in intentional or unintentional harm toward others. Participants reported their moral outrage, feelings of relatedness to the agent, and affect. Effects mentioned below had less than 5% chance of occurring as the result of sampling error. As anticipated, antagonistic personality related to reduced moral outrage and more positive affect in the intentional condition but enhanced moral outrage in the unintentional condition. Moreover, antagonistic personality related to enhanced relatedness to agents in the intentional harm but not unintentional harm situations, which partially explained its relations to less outrage and enhanced positive affect in response to intentional-harm situations. The findings suggest that an apparent instance of moral-judgment deficiencies in antagonistic personality could reflect the basic human tendency to identify with and be lenient toward similar others.
The Associations Among Teacher Discrimination, Parents’ and Peer Emotional Supports, and African American Youth’s School Bonding:

Drawing on research about the positive benefits of school bonding on youth mental health, academic and overall well-being, and the inequities African American youth face in education, this study ex...
Association of Display of Patient Photographs in the Electronic Health Record With Wrong-Patient Order Entry Errors.

Importance Wrong-patient order entry (WPOE) errors have a high potential for harm; these errors are particularly frequent wherever workflows are complex and multitasking and interruptions are common, such as in the emergency department (ED). Previous research shows that interruptive solutions, such as electronic patient verification forms or alerts, can reduce these types of errors but may be time-consuming and cause alert fatigue. Objective To evaluate whether the use of noninterruptive display of patient photographs in the banner of the electronic health record (EHR) is associated with a decreased rate of WPOE errors. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cohort study, data collected as part of care for patients visiting the ED of a large tertiary academic urban hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, between July 1, 2017, and June 31, 2019, were analyzed. Exposures In a quality improvement initiative, the ED staff encouraged patients to have their photographs taken by informing them of the intended safety impact. Main Outcomes and Measures The rate of WPOE errors (measured using the retract-and-reorder method) for orders placed when the patient’s photograph was displayed in the banner of the EHR vs the rate for patients without a photograph displayed. The primary analysis focused on orders placed in the ED; a secondary analysis included orders placed in any care setting. Results A total of 2 558 746 orders were placed for 71 851 unique patients (mean [SD] age, 49.2 [19.1] years; 42 677 (59.4%) female; 55 109 (76.7%) non-Hispanic). The risk of WPOE errors was significantly lower when the patient’s photograph was displayed in the EHR (odds ratio, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89). After this risk was adjusted for potential confounders using multivariable logistic regression, the effect size remained essentially the same (odds ratio, 0.57; 95% CI, 0.52-0.61). Risk of error was significantly lower in patients with higher acuity levels and among patients whose race was documented as White. Conclusions and Relevance This cohort study suggests that displaying patient photographs in the EHR provides decision support functionality for enhancing patient identification and reducing WPOE errors while being noninterruptive with minimal risk of alert fatigue. Successful implementation of such a program in an ED setting involves a modest financial investment and requires appropriate engagement of patients and staff.
Interpretable Deep Learning for Monitoring Combustion Instability

Abstract Transitions from stable to unstable states occurring in dynamical systems can be sudden leading to catastrophic failure and huge revenue loss. For detecting these transitions during operation, it is of utmost importance to develop an accurate data-driven framework that is robust enough to classify stable and unstable scenarios. In this paper, we propose deep learning frameworks that show remarkable accuracy in the classification task of combustion instability on carefully designed diverse training and test sets. We train our model with data from a laboratory-scale combustion system showing stable and unstable states. The dataset is multimodal with correlated data of hi-speed video and acoustic signals. We develop a labeling mechanism for sequences by implementing Kullback-Leibler Divergence on the time-series data. We develop deep learning frameworks using 3D Convolutional Neural Network and Long Short Term Memory network for this classification task. To go beyond the accuracy and to gain insights into the predictions, we incorporate attention mechanism across the time-steps. This aids in understanding the time-periods which contribute significantly to the prediction outcome. We validate the insights from a domain knowledge perspective. By exploring inside the accurate black-box models, this framework can be used for the development of better detection frameworks in different dynamical systems.
Combining K-72 Hepatic Failure with 15 Individual T-Codes to Identify Patients with Idiosyncratic Drug-Induced Liver Injury in the Electronic Medical Record.

The aim of this study was to determine the utility of combining three K72 codes (hepatic failure) with 15 individual T-Codes (drug toxicity/poisoning) to identify potential DILI cases. The EMR was searched for encounters that had a K72 code combined with a T-code that also met minimal liver injury laboratory criteria between 10/1/15 and 9/30/18. After manual chart review, a DILIN expert opinion causality score (1–5) was assigned to each case. Among the 345 patient encounters identified, mean age was 57 years, 53% were male, and 89% Caucasian. Thirty-seven cases (10.7%) were adjudicated as probable DILI with antibiotics being the most frequently identified suspect drugs. Of the 308 non-DILI cases, liver injury was most commonly due to congestive hepatopathy (38%) and hepatic metastases (15%). The probable-DILI cases were significantly more likely to have hepatocellular liver injury (57% vs 32.5%, p = 0.01), higher total bilirubin levels (7.7 vs 4.6 mg/dl, p = 0.03), and more severe liver injury scores (p < 0.01). The K72.0 (acute/ subacute hepatic failure) yielded the most DILI cases (29) compared to K72.9 (13) and K72.1 (0). The positive predictive value of the searching algorithm was 10.7% and improved to 15% when using only the K72.0 codes. K72 codes combined with drug poisoning T-codes had a low positive predictive value in identifying patients with idiosyncratic DILI. These data support further refinement of ICD-10-based algorithms to detect DILI cases in the EMR.
Decay rates of energy of the 1D damped original nonlinear wave equation

Abstract We consider the decay rate of energy of the 1D damped original nonlinear wave equation. We first construct a new energy function. Then, employing the perturbed energy method and the generalized Young’s inequality, we prove that, with a general growth assumption on the nonlinear damping force near the origin, the decay rate of energy is governed by a dissipative ordinary differential equation. This allows us to recover the classical exponential, polynomial, or logarithmic decay rate for the linear, polynomial or exponentially degenerating damping force near the origin, respectively. Unlike the linear wave equation, the exponential decay rate constant depends on the initial data, due to the nonlinearity.
Can the controversy regarding selecting the prescribed activity of 131I for first-time therapy in patients with differentiation thyroid cancer be reduced by defining the terms? An educational exhibit

1070 Learning Objectives 1. To state the controversy of selecting the amount of prescribed activity of 131I for first-time therapy in patients (pts) with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), 2. To discuss one of the major points of confusion in the arguments for or against lower or higher prescribed activity of 131I therapy, 3. To define the terms remnant ablation of normal tissue, adjuvant treatment, treatment of distant metastases, and therapy, 4. To list the objectives of the above terms, and 5. To tabulate the various definitions used for “remnant ablation” in the three meta-analyses and ~78 articles published in the literature. Frequently, the terms “ablation,” “treatment,” and “therapy” with 131I have been used in various ways and even interchanged, and this may be one of the more important factors that has made the selection of the prescribed activity of 131I for ablation and treatment of pts with DTC so confusing and controversial. To reduce confusion, the American Thyroid Association and other authors have defined “remnant ablation of normal thyroid tissue,” “adjuvant treatment,” and “treatment of distant metastases,” and “therapy.” This exhibit reviews the definition of these terms as well as the objectives of each. By defining the terms, knowing the objectives, and assessing the pt’s risk based on the staging system one chooses, the controversy regarding the selection of lower and higher prescribed activity of 131I can be reduced, and if the controversy is not reduced, then hopefully, the reason for the difference of opinion may be more appropriately identified. This may also help the patient understand the differences of opinions among experts who manage differentiated thyroid cancer. Finally, this educational exhibit concludes by reviewing the definitions that the three major meta-analysis studies and ~78 articles have used
Serological and Molecular Diagnosis of Fungal Infections

This chapter reviews the most extensively evaluated or routinely used tests for the serodiagnosis of mycotic infections. Pulmonary aspergilloma occurs when Aspergillus fumigatus or other Aspergillus species colonize preexisting cavities of tuberculosis, sarcoidosis, or bronchiectasis. Systemic candidiasis should be suspected if serial serum specimens show an increase in titer or an increase in the number of reactive bands detected over time. Serologic tests may also be employed to determine the potential clinical significance of Candida species recovered from various body sites. Enolase, a 48-kDa cytoplasmic antigen of Candida albicans, is a potentially useful diagnostic marker of invasive candidiasis. Tests to detect anti-Coccidioides immitis antibodies are of proven usefulness for the diagnosis and management of coccidioidomycosis. Antibody detection is of value for the diagnosis of cryptococcosis during the early stages of the disease, before antibodies are neutralized by the large amount of capsular antigen released during evolution of infection. The Histoplasma polysaccharide antigen EIA (HPA test) is a microtitration plate-based double-antibody sandwich enzyme immunoassay to detect antigenuria and antigenemia in disseminated histoplasmosis. A major diagnostic precipitin is consistently found in the sera of patients with paracoccidioidomycosis, which reacts with a soluble, specific Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen. Invasive fungal infections studied included aspergillosis, candidiasis, fusariosis, and trichosporonosis.
"Latent" portal cirrhosis.

Summary Latent portal cirrhosis is more frequent than is realized. In the 50 cases studied, liver biopsy was the most valuable single diagnostic procedure. The disease was encountered twice as frequently in males as in females. Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly were the most frequent physical findings. Esophageal bleeding was the first manifestation of the disease in 8 per cent. Esophageal varices were found by roentgen examination in 13 of 32 patients. Five illustrative cases with latent cirrhosis are reported.
Unimolecular Decomposition and Some Isotope Effects of Simple Alkanes and Alkyl Radicals

Abstract : The relevant aspects of the RRKM formulation for unimolecular reactions are set forth, with emphasis on the present status of the theory and the best techniques for carrying out computations simply. Characteristics of various model hydrocarbon-type molecular species are outlined and are used in theoretical calculations which illustrate various aspects of the theory. Some related aspects of kinetic isotope effects are considered and model calculations are also done for hydrogen-deuterium substitutions. It is shown how the specific rate constants are related to the experimental parameters of the various systems. The behavior of some Cl-C4 alkanes and alkyl radicals are calculated as examples of highly important practical systems.
Identification of a urinary cyclized metformin-methylglyoxal metabolite in metformin-treated diabetes patients (1142.9)

Reactive dicarbonyls such as methylglyoxal (MG) are elevated in type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and their ability to covalently modify proteins contributes to diabetic complications. The T2DM first-line drug metformin (MF) significantly reduces diabetes-related endpoints and mortality more effectively than other glucose-lowering medications. We have examined whether, in addition to its ability to reduce hepatic gluconeogenesis, MF directly scavenges dicarbonyls as an additional mechanism to reduce T2DM complications. We synthesized a MF/MG cyclized product (183 mw) according to a published method, and characterized the product by ESI-MS/MS mass spectrometry (MH+, 184 m/z; Agilent 6490) and 13C and 1H NMR (Bruker AVIII-400). Using an LC-MS-based multiple reaction monitoring analysis we measured MF and cyclized metabolite (CM) in human urine with nM sensitivity of detection. The CM was detected in all 30+ MF-treated T2DM subjects analyzed to date. Quantitation of CM in MF subjects is ongoing, using...
What got us here will not get us there.

This is an exciting yet trying time for people living with neuromuscular diseases and those who care for them. The exciting aspect is that at last the advances in genetics and translational research have resulted in clinical trials testing novel compounds. Examples include the exon-skipping approaches in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Resulting from a sophisticated understanding of the consequences of dystrophin gene mutations, ASOs were developed to help transform the “garbled” message resulting from a disrupted reading frame into a “translatable”, in-frame, message. This rational and targeted approach worked in pre-clinical studies, but it yet has to confirm its efficacy in patients. The trying aspect illustrated by this example is that it has taken over 10 years to get from pre-clinical proofof principle studies to clinical trials. Some of this is the inevitable development time needed for candidate selection, lead optimization, pre-clinical toxicology, and manufacturing issues. However, an additional source of delay may be the limited tools and data available for trial planning: The available methodology to measure dystrophin in muscle biopsies may not be sensitive enough, and may show too much variation due to sampling or differences in laboratory measurements. Similarly, existing clinical outcome measures have limitations in terms of floor and ceiling effects, in terms of their applicability to
Plant pararetroviral sequences in wild Dahlia species in their natural habitats in Mexican mountain ranges

Selected wild Dahlia species in their natural habitats from west-central Mexico were tested for the presence of three caulimoviruses known to be associated with cultivated dahlia (Dahlia variabilis), viz. Dahlia mosaic virus (DMV), DMV-D10 and Dahlia common mosaic virus. Virus species-specific primers and PCR were used followed by cloning and sequencing of the amplicons. Results showed that the wild dahlia species in their natural habitat contained DMV-D10, which is an endogenous plant pararetrovirus. Viral sequences were found in 91% of the samples (n = 56) representing four different wild species. The gene coding for the movement protein of DMV-D10 from Dahlia coccinea and all other species was cloned and sequenced. Sequence comparisons showed divergence of this gene when compared to that of DMV-D10 from cultivated dahlias. The discovery of plant pararetroviruses in wild dahlia species in their natural habitats suggests a possible emergence, co-existence and co-evolution of pararetroviruses and their host plants.
A distributed object-oriented environment for EMS application development

Describes an architecture for implementing Electronic Meeting Systems (EMS) applications in an Object-Oriented Programming Environment. The environment is based on the C++ programming language and personal computers communicating over a local area network. An overview of C++ class concepts and terminology is included to familiarize the reader with terminology peculiar to C++ and necessary for the implementation of the design. The Object-Oriented EMS architecture is a three tier structure having layers for base classes, tools, and applications. The OO-EMS design addresses concurrency control, object addressing, duplicated objects, and broadcast communications. >
Lymphomatoid Papulosis Presenting With B-Cell Lymphoma: A New Association?

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is a cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, characterised by recurrent crops of necrotic self-healing papules and nodules. Although chronic, LyP typically has a benign clinical course in the majority of cases. Histologically, a malignant appearing T-cell lymphoid infiltrate is seen. The atypical cells often resemble the cerebriform cells of mycosis fungoides or Reed-Sternberg cells in Hodgkin lymphoma. Approximately 10–20% of the patients go on to develop lymphomas, including mycosis fungoides, CD30-positive anaplastic large cell and Hodgkin lymphoma. We report a case of LyP associated with a B-cell lymphoma. A 50-year-old male, presented with scattered erythematous scaly papules, some with central crust, located on the arms, trunk and leg of one-month duration. A skin biopsy revealed a polymorphous infiltrate with many large atypical lymphocytes, resembling Reed Sternberg cells. By immunohistochemistry, the large cells were positive for T-cell markers and CD30. Subsequently, he developed fever, night sweats and diffuse lymphadenopathy. A lymph node biopsy showed a vaguely nodular proliferation of small to medium lymphocytes. Immunophenotypic and flow cytometric studies best characterised the process as mantle cell lymphoma. Although, LyP has been previously associated with lymphomas of above-mentioned types, this is an extremely unusual case presenting with a low-grade B-cell lymphoma.
Killing malignant but not normal B cells

Comment on Lou et al, page [752][1] A major limitation of idiotype vaccination is the requirement for patient-specific reagents. This could be overcome using shared framework region peptides. Knowing that this does not lead to loss of normal B-cell responses is important in bringing this approach
Effects of MgEDTA on the mucopolysaccharide metabolism in the atherosclerotic aorta.

Summary A quantitative comparison of mucopolysaccharides in the aortas of normal and atherosclerotic rabbits is presented. It is demonstrated that the parenteral injection of neutral magnesium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (MgEDTA) in the atherosclerotic animals tends to reverse chondroitin sulfate as well as neutral mucopoly-saccharide levels toward normal concentrations. Serum studies show an increase of sulfated mucopolysaccharides in the atherosclerotic groups. A sulfate turnover study demonstrates a greatly reduced half life in the atherosclerotic animals in both aortic tissue and serum. MgEDTA injections in animals with atherosclerosis lengthen the half life of serum aortic mucopolysaccharides toward that characteristic of the normal situation.
Spatial Fluctuations North of the Hawaiian Ridge

Abstract A closely spaced hydrographic section from Oabu, Hawaii to 28°N, 152°W and then north along 152°W shows strong eddy or current features with dynamic height signatures of about 30 dyn cm across 150 km and associated geostrophic surface velocities of approximately 60 cm s−1. Two such features are found between Hawaii and the Subtropical Front, which is located at 32°N. Similar features have been observed on a number of other hydrographic and XBT sections perpendicular to the Hawaiian Ridge. It is hypothesized that the features are semipermanent, are due to the presence of the Ridge, and are related to the North Hawaiian Ridge Current of Mysak and Magaard.
Effect of aluminum on growth of root tips of honey locust and loblolly pine

Abstract Honey locust ( Gleditsia triacanthos L.) and loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda L.) were grown in solution culture with 150–1500 μM Al. In both species Al reduced primary root elongation, but more severely in honey locust. The decrease was most evident in the 2nd mm root segment after 24 hr. The decrease in elongation was not accompanied by a decrease in cell size. Al drastically reduced mitotic activity in honey locust which was not reversed with time. A less marked decline was noted in loblolly pine and mitotic activity returned to control levels after 72 hr. These observations plus the appearance of necrotic lesions in honey locust suggest (1) that honey locust is more sensitive to Al than loblolly pine and (2) that Al more probably exerts its growth effect through a nuclear rather than cell wall synthesis mechanism.
Selecting the 2008 sigcomm test-of-time awardwinner(s)

SIGCOMM’s Test-of-Time Award was established in 2006 to recognize “papers published 10 to 12 years in the past in Computer Communication Review or any SIGCOMM sponsored or cosponsored conference that is deemed to be an outstanding paper whose contents are still a vibrant and useful contribution today.” Last year the three of us were selected to form the committee to pick the 2008 Awardee(s), with Vern Paxson chairing. In a departure from previous years, during which a single paper received the award, for 2008 the award went to a set of three papers:
Extracting rules from fuzzy simulation

Abstract Expert knowledge about a domain is obtained through a complex array of informal statistics, heuristics, and pattern recognition. We propose that simulation modelling can play a central role in the construction of deep models for expert system knowledge. As part of our investigation, we have designed methods for fuzzy simulation which permit us to evaluate an expert's knowledge against mathematical models that are ultimately more detailed than causal methods or methods based on predicate logic. We use causal methods as stepping stones toward more accurate system models that evaluate the expert's knowledge. A sample grocery store queuing example is demonstrated, and a discrete event simulation model is obtained as a hypothetical deep model of the expert's knowledge. Our fuzzy simulation approach can be an aid to expert system researchers who are studying the acquisition of deep domain knowledge from an expert.
Applied Anthropology and Sociology in Tropical Africa

This paper reports the results of an inquiry into the current uses of anthropology and sociology in tropical Africa (south of the Sahara, north of the Union of South Africa). It focuses on two aspects of the application of these sciences: 1) the types of applied projects on which anthropologists and sociologists are now working, and 2) the use by administrative officers, technical advisors, and extension workers of a social-scientific orientation toward social processes, culture, and values.
Religion as Custom and Political Resistance: An Unorthodox Interpretation of EP Thompson’s The Making of the English Working Class

While EP Thompson recognizes the regressive potential of popular religion, his work also makes it possible to evaluate this cultural scheme as a vehicle of political resistance. This article seeks ...