cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Noninfectious Conditions in Perinatally HIV-Infected Children and Adolescents in The HAART Era

Objective To estimate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)–era incident rates for the first episode of noninfectious conditions in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected youth in order to identify HAART-era changes in the natural history of perinatal HIV infection. Design Multicenter prospective cohort study. Setting More than 80 sites in the United States including Puerto Rico. Patients Perinatally HIV-infected youth. Main Outcome Measures Incidence rates (IRs) per 100 person-years were calculated for targeted noninfectious conditions occurring in perinatally HIV-infected children. A χ 2 test for linear trend was used to evaluate changes in the rates from 2001 to 2006. Results Two thousand five hundred seventy-five perinatally HIV-infected children (51%, female; 59%, black, non-Hispanic) were enrolled in Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group (PACTG) 219C between 2000 and 2006 and were followed up for a median of 59 months. The 10 most common noninfectious conditions were pregnancy conditions (IR = 6.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3.9-9.3), birth defects (IR = 0.19; 95% CI, 0.1-0.3), gynecological dysplasias (IR = 5.92; 95% CI, 3.9-8.6), condyloma (IR = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.1-0.2), encephalopathy (IR = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.3-0.5), pancreatitis (IR = 0.30; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4), cardiac disorders (IR = 0.28; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4), renal disorders (IR = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4), peripheral neuropathy (IR = 0.23; 95% CI, 0.2-0.4), and idiopathic thrombocytic purpura (IR = 0.15; 95% CI, 0.1-0.3). Among these conditions, 5 showed significant trends, with IRs increasing over time in pregnancy-related conditions ( P P = .02) while IRs decreased over time for encephalopathy ( P P = .002), and cardiac disorders ( P = .007). Conclusions Between 2001 and 2006, the incidence for 3 conditions decreased and increased for 2 others, demonstrating the change in medical issues and conditions in perinatally infected youth. Continued surveillance with appropriate tools will be needed to assess the long-term effects of HAART and HIV as well as development of new noninfectious conditions of HIV.
Convergence in Energy and the Sector Condition for Markov Processes

In an earlier paper [2], p. 148, dealing with properties of the energy of Markov processes, M. Rao and the author have shown that the so-called sector condition introduced by M. L. Silverstein [4], p. 17, is sufficient for the regularity of the limit potential. This paper will explain the meaning of the sector condition in relation to convergence in energy for certain classes of Markov processes.
Charismatic Medicine, Folk-Healing, and Folk-Sainthood

STUDIES dealing with folk-medicine among Latin-American peoples have exposed and illustrated the multi-faceted nature of this world with its numerous practitioners and many followers. These studies, however, have generally exhibited an empirical shortcoming in that they have revealed little or no effort toward a systematic investigation of the differences which may exist between the folk-healers themselves. For example, aside from observations concerning one healing specialty or another, it is common practice to refer to folk-healers (curanderos, curanderas) as basically an undifferentiated class of people (Clark 1959; Rubel 1960; Saunders 1954, 1958a, 1958b; Shulman 1960). To be sure, occasional differences between healers have been suggested, as when Oscar Lewis speaks of " ... Tepoztlan's most eminent curandero . . . " who is described as a man who enjoys considerable prestige and renown as a curer (1955:412, 423, emphasis mine). Similarly, in Costa Rica, "Many legends have arisen extolling the deeds of nationally famous curanderos" (Morales, Scrimshaw, Arce, 1953:146, emphasis mine). From the standpoint of influence and prestige, then, some differences between healers are apparent. But here, too, virtually no effort has been made to elaborate upon the nature of these differences. This paper is an effort at such an elaboration in the anticipation that the data and viewpoints advanced here will provide new theoretical directions for studies which will touch or entirely focus upon the folk-medical world. The setting for the present study is the Mexican-American population in South Texas which is located throughout that area lying south of the city of San Antonio and east to the Gulf Coast from Laredo.' Folk-healers have long been present within this primarily peasant and immigrant population. And here also, some folk-healers have achieved considerable fame which has been accompanied by an increase in devoted following. At the same time, other healers have begun and ended their vocational tenure in relative obscurity, having conducted their practice but for a short while and for only a few people. Differential healer achievement is clearly involved here, as it is elsewhere in Latin-America. This fact seems to call for a shift of emphasis away from the unitary conceptualization of healers, and toward the criteria of role definition and performance. Token shifts in this direction already exist. In this light, Margaret Clark has written of a Mexican-American healer thusly: "Paula's ability to gain and hold the confidence of her neighbors is due in part to the fact that she fulfills cultural expectations of the role of curer" (1959:209). Clark, however, does not attempt to investigate differential healer achievement. Toward this end, the concept of charismatic medicine is here introduced.
Medical ethics and torture: revising the Declaration of Tokyo.

They can discern signs of abuse even when they have not witnessed the abuse. Also, they can see prisoners who have been concealed from customary monitors, such as delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Furthermore, they belong to national and international communities that include advocates for humane prison health care and for stopping torture. Physicians’ duties, expertise, access, and alliances summon them to abjure and prevent torture and cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of prisoners. Medical complicity with torture and abuse of prisoners is common in the roughly 100 countries that practise torture. Physicians devise ways to keep physical scars to a minimum, certify prisoners as fi t for abuse, monitor vital signs during mistreatment, and give approval to intensify abuse. 3,4
Tissue manganese concentrations in lactating rats and their offspring following combined in utero and lactation exposure to inhaled manganese sulfate.

There is little information regarding the tissue distribution of manganese in neonates following inhalation. This study determined tissue manganese concentrations in lactating CD rats and their offspring following manganese sulfate (MnSO 4 ) aerosol inhalation. Except for the period of parturition, dams and their offspring were exposed to air or MnSO 4 (0.05, 0.5, or 1 mg Mn/m 3 ) for 6 h/day, 7 days/week starting 28 days prior to breeding through postnatal day (PND) 18. Despite increased manganese concentrations in several maternal tissues, MnSO 4 inhalation exposure did not affect body weight gain, terminal (PND 18) body weight, or organ weights in the dams. Exposure to MnSO 4 at 1 mg Mn/m 3 resulted in decreased pup body weights on PND 19 and decreased brain weights in some PND 14 to PND 45 pups. Exposure to MnSO 4 at >0.05 mg Mn/m 3 was associated with increased stomach content, blood, liver, and skull cap manganese concentrations in PND 1 pups, increased brain, lung, and femur manganese concentrations in PND 14 pups, and elevated olfactory bulb, cerebellum, and striatum manganese concentrations in PND 19 pups. When compared to controls, MnSO 4 exposure to >0.5 mg Mn/m 3 increased liver and blood manganese concentrations in PND 14 pups and increased liver, pancreas, and femur manganese concentrations in PND 19 pups. Manganese concentrations returned to control values in all offspring tissues by PND 45 ′ 1. Our data demonstrate that neonatal tissue manganese concentrations observed following MnSO 4 inhalation are dependent on the MnSO 4 exposure concentration and the age of the animal.
When Is Atherosclerosis Not Atherosclerosis

To the Editor: When is atherosclerosis not atherosclerosis? In the last decade, there have been 2 revolutions in the study of atherosclerosis. On the one hand, a more sophisticated appreciation of the relationship between the morphology and fate of human atherosclerotic plaques and clinical outcomes has been developed. On the other hand, the blossoming of mouse genetics has allowed us the possibility of exploring prospectively the mechanisms that lead to various types of atherosclerotic lesions. These advances, in the view of the author, should compel us as experimentalists, mainly using murine models, to fashion a more nuanced view and description of experimental atherosclerosis. The last issue of Arteriosclerosis , Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology contained a review on a comprehensive morphologic classification scheme for atherosclerotic lesions, which was derived by studies of lesions from autopsy examinations of sudden coronary deaths.1 There was also a commentary by Dr H. Stary2 updating the natural history and histological classification …
Tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament in the equine midcarpal joint

Tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament is described in 45 intercarpal (midcarpal) joints in 42 horses (37 racehorses, 5 non-racehorses). Of the 37 racehorses, there were 20 Quarter Horses, 14 Thoroughbreds and 3 Standardbreds. The patients had been referred for arthroscopic surgery for removal of osteochondral chip fragments that had been diagnosed radiographically or diagnostic arthroscopy of a persistent carpal problem. The problem was unilateral in 39 horses and bilateral in 3. The presenting clinical signs were lameness and/or persistent synovial effusion. In one instance, the presenting complaint was haemarthrosis. Osteochondral chip fragments were present in the joint affected with tearing in 23 horses. In 6 horses in which osteochondral fragments were present in other joints, the degree of synovial effusion was greatest in the midcarpal joint with ligamentous tearing. In most of the 22 midcarpal joints where carpal chip fragmentation and ligamentous tearing were present concomitantly, the degree of clinical compromise was greater than normally seen with that degree of osteochondral fragmentation. A ligament was designated as torn when a defect was present in the ligament. This usually took the form of frayed fibres suspended in the irrigating solution, presenting a transverse type of defect in the dorsal aspect of the lateral portion of ligament. However, longitudinal tearing was present in 1 case and tearing was noted in the palmar aspect of the ligament in 2 other cases. The shredded fibres were trimmed in most cases and this allowed better definition of the amount of ligament considered to be torn. The degree of damage ranged from 10% to 100% of the width considered to be torn.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Nearest-Neighbor-Based Active Learning for Rare Category Detection

Rare category detection is an open challenge for active learning, especially in the de-novo case (no labeled examples), but of significant practical importance for data mining - e.g. detecting new financial transaction fraud patterns, where normal legitimate transactions dominate. This paper develops a new method for detecting an instance of each minority class via an unsupervised local-density-differential sampling strategy. Essentially a variable-scale nearest neighbor process is used to optimize the probability of sampling tightly-grouped minority classes, subject to a local smoothness assumption of the majority class. Results on both synthetic and real data sets are very positive, detecting each minority class with only a fraction of the actively sampled points required by random sampling and by Pelleg's Interleave method, the prior best technique in the sparse literature on this topic.
Evaluation of pharmacy-based HIV testing in a high-risk New York City community.

Injection drug users (IDUs) face limited access to HIV testing and experience delayed HIV diagnoses. New York City (NYC) pharmacies play an important role in HIV prevention among IDUs through the Expanded Syringe Access Program (ESAP), which provides access to sterile syringes without a prescription. We examined in-pharmacy HIV testing among syringe/non-syringe customers in ESAP pharmacies in NYC.
The influence of sea-level rise on fringing reef sediment dynamics: field observations and numerical modeling

While most climate projections suggest that sea level may rise on the order of 0.5-1.0 m by 2100, it is not clear how fluid flow and sediment transport on fringing reefs might change in response to this rapid sea-level rise. Field observations and numerical modeling suggest that an increase in water depth on the order of 0.5-1.0 m on a fringing reef flat would result in larger significant wave heights and wave-driven shear stresses, which, in turn, would result in an increase in both the size and quantity of sediment that can be resuspended from the seabed or eroded from coastal plain deposits. Greater waveand wind-driven currents would develop on the reef flat with increasing water depth, increasing the offshore flux of water and sediment from the inner reef flat to the outer reef flat and fore reef where coral growth is typically greatest.
60 Hz electric fields and incandescent light as aversive stimuli controlling the behavior of rats responding under concurrent schedules of reinforcement.

Several reports have shown that animals will sometimes engage in behaviors that reduce their exposure to a 60 Hz electric field (E-field). The field, therefore, can function as an aversive stimulus. In other studies, the E-field at equivalent strengths failed to function as an aversive stimulus. The present experiment, using rats, demonstrates how factors other than field strength can influence whether a subject engages in behavior that reduces field exposure. The general design consisted of giving the rat a choice between two alternatives, one of which sometimes included an added stimulus. Each subject was trained to press each of two levers to obtain food. Pressing one lever was reinforced intermittently under a variable interval 2 min schedule (VI 2); pressing the other lever was reinforced by a second VI 2 schedule operating independently of the first. Under this concurrent schedule the rat spent 50% of the daily 50 min session responding to each of the levers, indicating that they were equally ‘‘valued.’’ Next, while the schedules remained in effect, the first response to one of the levers turned on a 100 kV/m E-field which remained on until the rat pressed the other lever. The time spent responding under the schedule associated with the field was reduced by about 5 ‐ 10%. When the procedure was changed so that no lever presses produced food, i.e., extinction, but the added stimulus contingency remained, the rats spent even less time in the presence of the field. Similar outcomes were observed during both the concurrent food or extinction schedules when incandescent light was used. Thus, both an E-field and incandescent light functioned as aversive stimuli, but the magnitude of the aversiveness was small. Aversiveness depended not only on stimulus intensity, but also on
STUDIES ON THE ANTIGENIC COMPOSITION OF GROUP A HEMOLYTIC STREPTOCOCCI : III. TYPES WITH SEROLOGICALLY IDENTICAL M BUT DISTINCT T ANTIGENS: TYPES 10 AND 12.

1. In this study a series of experiments showing the antigenic relationship of type 10 and type 12 group A hemolytic streptococci is reported. Agglutinin, precipitin, and passive protection tests with unabsorbed and reciprocally absorbed antisera were employed to show that representative type 10 and 12 strains contain serologically identical M antigens but unrelated type-specific T antigens. 2. Twenty-three other strains of group A hemolytic streptococci previously classified as either type 10 or type 12, collected from various sources, were shown to have an antigenic composition similar to one or the other of the two representative type strains. 3. The relationship of the two specific antigens, M and T, must be considered when any method employing the agglutinin reaction for the typing of group A hemolytic streptococci is used.
Mood Disorders Associated with Acoustic Neuromas

Objective:The primary purpose of this article is the presentation of three cases of manic and mixed states associated with an acoustic neuroma, and review of the literature on psychiatric symptoms accompanied by the tumor.Methods:The cases were identified from 830 consecutive inpatient psychiatric admissions over age fifty-five years. Patients were assessed using a Structured Clinical Interview (SCID-R), and met DSM-III-R criteria for the diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The psychopathology seen in acoustic neuroma patients and the pathophysiologic mechanisms proposed to explain them are reviewed.Results:The cases we report differ from other cases in the literature in that psychiatric symptoms began pre-operatively and remained for long periods post-operatively. The psychiatric signs and symptoms reported in acoustic neuroma patients are usually described as transient, and these include mood changes, agitation, persecutory delusions, hallucinations, and memory loss and confusional episodes. The disruption o...
OLIVER NORTH AND THE NEW CHRISTIAN RIGHT IN THE 1994 VIRGINIA SENATE ELECTION

This study assesses the influence religious beliefs had on the political opinions and voting intentions of whites likely to vote in the 1994 Virginia Senate general election. Analysis of survey data indicated that Protestant Biblical Literalists were significantly more conservative in their political views than other religious segments of the Virginia electorate. Protestant Biblical Literalism was also discovered to be the single most important predictor of a declared intention of voting for Oliver North in the general election. The study provides evidence pointing to the continuing importance of religion as a factor in southern electoral politics.
Heywood T. Sanders. (2015). Convention Center Follies: Politics, Power, and Public Investment in American Cities. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 528 pages. $59.95 (hardcover).

For the last several decades, numerous planning, economics, urban sociology, and public administration scholars have taken aim at debunking the myth of sports facilities as economic development cat...
IS PURPLE LOOSESTRIFE (LYTHRUM SALICARIA) AN INVASIVE THREAT TO FRESHWATER WETLANDS? CONFLICTING EVIDENCE FROM SEVERAL ECOLOGICAL METRICS

Conflicting interpretations of the negative impacts of invasive species can result if inconsistent measures are used among studies or sites in defining the dominance of these species relative to the communities they invade. Such conflicts surround the case of Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife), a widespread exotic wetland perennial. We describe here a 1999 study in which we quantified stand characteristics of L. salicaria and associated vegetation in arrays of 30 1-m2 plots in each of five wet meadows in Connecticut, USA. We explored linear and non-linear relationships of above-ground plant biomass, stem density, and indices of species richness, diversity, and composition to gradients of L. salicaria dominance, including stem density, percent cover, and biomass. Species richness, other diversity metrics, and stem density of other species were not significantly correlated with the density or percent cover of L. salicaria stems. The relative importance values (number of quadrats in which they were found) of co-occurring species in low-density L. salicaria quadrats were significantly correlated with their relative importance in high-density L. salicaria quadrats, indicating that only modest shifts in abundance occurred as L. salicaria increased in density. No individual species were consistently associated with or repelled by the presence of L. salicaria across sites. In contrast to density and diversity features, however, the total biomass of species other than L. salicaria was significantly, negatively correlated with the total biomass of L. salicaria at each site surveyed. Lythrum salicaria in pure, dense stands maintained a greater above-ground standing biomass on invaded sites than uninvaded vegetation of similar physiognomy. This study demonstrates that hypotheses about L. salicaria effects can vary depending upon the ecological metric that is examined. Where one-time, correlative studies are the most feasible option, data taken on a range of metrics—especially biomass—should be taken to inform us about mechanisms by which L. salicaria invades and predominates in wetlands.
Detection of monohydroxy "bile" acids in the brains of guinea pigs afflicted with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

a-Hydroxy-50-cholanoic acid (lithocholic acid) and some unidentified acids (one of them perhaps 30-hydroxy- cholest-5-en-26-oic acid) have been detected in the brains of guinea pigs afflicted with experimental "allergic" encephalo- myelitis. None of the acids could be identified in comparable amounts of brain tissue from normal guinea pigs. Thin-layer chromatography of the free acids, and thin-layer and gas- liquid chromatography combined with mass spectrometry of the methyl esters were used for identification. The occurrence of these acids may possibly be the result of cholesterol oxidation in the brain. The acids, or compounds related to them, may play a role in development of demyelina- tion in experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.
Caledonian Newspapers Ltd. (B)

In December 1990, a banker reassesses a borrower that, at the time of its leveraged buyout 18 months earlier, seemed to have such a promising future. Now the borrower is in severe financial distress. The tasks for the student are to evaluate competing proposals for restructuring the firm and to recommend a course of action for the bank. This is the second part of a two-case series. Students should not be exposed to the B case until they have finished discussing the A case (UVA-F-1012). "Caledonian Newspapers Ltd. (Abridged)" (UVA-F-1011) is a "stand-alone" version of the B case.
Asymptomatic Hepadnaviral Persistence and Its Consequences in the Woodchuck Model of Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection.

Woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) is molecularly and pathogenically closely related to hepatitis B virus (HBV). Both viruses display tropism towards hepatocytes and cells of the immune system and cause similar liver pathology, where acute hepatitis can progress to chronic hepatitis and to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Two forms of occult hepadnaviral persistence were identified in the woodchuck-WHV model: secondary occult infection (SOI) and primary occult infection (POI). SOI occurs after resolution of a serologically apparent infection with hepatitis or after subclinical serologically evident virus exposure. POI is caused by small amounts of virus and progresses without serological infection markers, but the virus genome and its replication are detectable in the immune system and with time in the liver. SOI can be accompanied by minimal hepatitis, while the hallmark of POI is normal liver morphology. Nonetheless, HCC develops in about 20% of animals with SOI or POI within 3 to 5 years. The virus persists throughout the lifespan in both SOI and POI at serum levels rarely greater than 100 copies/mL, causes hepatitis and HCC when concentrated and administered to virus-naive woodchucks. SOI is accompanied by virus-specific T and B cell immune responses, while only virus-specific T cells are detected in POI. SOI coincides with protection against reinfection, while POI does not and hepatitis develops after challenge with liver pathogenic doses >1000 virions. Both SOI and POI are associated with virus DNA integration into the liver and the immune system genomes. Overall, SOI and POI are two distinct forms of silent hepadnaviral persistence that share common characteristics. Here, we review findings from the woodchuck model and discuss the relevant observations made in human occult HBV infection (OBI).
Lymphohematopoietic progenitors of normal mice.

We have identified and characterized the lymphohematopoietic progenitors in the bone marrow of normal mice using a single-step methylcellulose culture assay. Lineage-negative Ly-6A/E (Sca-1)+ progenitors isolated from normal mice were plated in methylcellulose culture containing steel factor (SF), interleukin-7 (IL-7), erythropoietin (Ep), and IL-11. After 16 to 17 days of culture, pre-B-cell-containing multilineage myeloid colonies can be microscopically identified; however, flow-cytometric analysis of individual colonies for B220-positive cells proved superior to in situ microscopic identification of lymphomyeloid colonies. Approximately 10% (6/66) of the mixed colonies without a conspicuous B-cell component had B220- positive cells. The single cell origin of the lymphomyeloid colonies was confirmed by micromanipulation. Although the combination of SF, IL-7, and Ep was sufficient to support formation of lymphomyeloid colonies, addition of IL-11, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor or IL-12 to the combination of SF, IL-7, and Ep increased the number of lymphomyeloid colonies. IL-1 alpha and IL-3 independently inhibited the expression of the B-lymphoid lineage when added to the combination of SF, IL-7, Ep, and IL-11. Approximately four times more lymphohematopoietic progenitors are present in normal mice than in mice treated with 5-fluorouracil.
Low permeabilities of MDCK cell monolayers : a model barrier epithelium

Barrier epithelia such as the renal collecting duct (in the absence of antidiuretic hormone) and thick ascending limb, as well as the stomach and mammalian bladder, exhibit extremely low permeabilities to water and small nonelectrolytes. A cell culture model of such epithelia is needed to determine how the structure of barrier apical membranes reduce permeability and how such membranes may be generated and maintained. In the present studies, the transepithelial electrical resistance and isotopic water and urea fluxes were measured for Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) type I and type II cells, as well as type I cells expressing the mucin protein, MUC1, in their apical membranes. Although earlier studies had found the unstirred layer effects too great to permit measurement of transepithelial permeabilities, use of ultrathin semipermeable supports in this study overcame this difficulty. Apical membrane diffusive water permeabilities were 1.8 +/- 0.4 x 10(-4) cm/s and 3.5 +/- 0.5 x 10(-4) cm/s in MDCK type I and type II cells, respectively, at 20 degrees C. Urea permeability in type I cells at the same temperature was 6.0 +/- 0.9 x 10(-6) cm/s. These values resemble those of other barrier epithelial apical membranes, either isolated or in intact epithelia, and the water permeability values are far below those of other epithelial cells in culture. Transfection of MDCK type I cells with the major human urinary epithelial mucin, MUC1, led to abundant expression of the fully glycosylated form of the protein on immunoblots, and flow cytometry revealed that virtually all the cells expressed the protein. However, MUC1 had no effect on water or urea permeabilities. In conclusion, MDCK cells grown on semipermeable supports form a model barrier epithelium. Abundant expression of mucins does not alter the permeability properties of these cells.
Intra-Animal Comparison between Three-dimensional Molecularly Targeted US and Three-dimensional Dynamic Contrast-enhanced US for Early Antiangiogenic Treatment Assessment in Colon Cancer

Purpose To perform an intra-animal comparison between (a) three-dimensional (3D) molecularly targeted ultrasonography (US) by using clinical-grade vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2)-targeted microbubbles and (b) 3D dynamic contrast material-enhanced (DCE) US by using nontargeted microbubbles for assessment of antiangiogenic treatment effects in a murine model of human colon cancer. Materials and Methods Twenty-three mice with human colon cancer xenografts were randomized to receive either single-dose antiangiogenic treatment (bevacizumab, n = 14) or control treatment (saline, n = 9). At baseline and 24 hours after treatment, animals were imaged with a clinical US system equipped with a clinical matrix array transducer by using the following techniques: (a) molecularly targeted US with VEGFR2-targeted microbubbles, (b) bolus DCE US with nontargeted microbubbles, and (c) destruction-replenishment DCE US with nontargeted microbubbles. VEGFR2-targeted US signal, peak enhancement, area under the time-intensity curve, time to peak, relative blood volume (rBV), relative blood flow, and blood flow velocity were quantified. VEGFR2 expression and percentage area of blood vessels were assessed ex vivo with quantitative immunofluorescence and correlated with corresponding in vivo US parameters. Statistical analysis was performed with Wilcoxon signed rank tests and rank sum tests, as well as Pearson correlation analysis. Results Molecularly targeted US signal with VEGFR2-targeted microbubbles, peak enhancement, and rBV significantly decreased (P ≤ .03) after a single antiangiogenic treatment compared with those in the control group; similarly, ex vivo VEGFR2 expression (P = .03) and percentage area of blood vessels (P = .03) significantly decreased after antiangiogenic treatment. Three-dimensional molecularly targeted US signal correlated well with VEGFR2 expression (r = 0.86, P = .001), and rBV (r = 0.71, P = .01) and relative blood flow (r = 0.78, P = .005) correlated well with percentage area of blood vessels, while other US perfusion parameters did not. Conclusion Three-dimensional molecularly targeted US and destruction-replenishment 3D DCE US provide complementary molecular and functional in vivo imaging information on antiangiogenic treatment effects in human colon cancer xenografts compared with ex vivo reference standards. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.
Nacre in an early gryphaeid bivalve (Mollusca)

McRoberts (1992, figs. 4.13, 4.14, 6.8) illustrated the shell microstructure of late Triassic Gryphaea (Gryphaea) arcuataeformis Kiparisova, 1936, and Gryphaea (Gryphaea) nevadensis McRoberts, 1992. McRoberts (1992, p. 33) described the left valve of G. arcuataeformis as showing “neomorphosed calcite with multiple laminae of ?prismatic structure perpendicular to [the] outer shell surface ….” He described the left valve of G. nevadensis as consisting of two distinct layers of neomorphosed calcite:“…an outer layer with ?prismatic structure occasionally with bands of dark material (?micritic matrix), and a much thinner inner layer with ?cross-foliated structure ….” Subsequent study has shown these microstructural diagnoses to be inaccurate. They are revised as follows.
Geochemistry and Archaeological Geology of the Carrara Marble, Carrara, Italy

The Carrara marble of Hettangian age outcrops in the Apuane Alps, which are located along the Adriatic Coast in Northern Italy. The marble has been quarried for twenty-two centuries beginning in Roman times and has been used for statuary and as a building stone.
Successful Arthroscopic Primary Repair of a Chronic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear 11 Years Following Injury

Approximately 120 years ago, Mayo Robson performed the first treatment of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury using open primary repair of a proximal ACL and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tear [26]. Over the ensuing decades, the surgical treatment of primary ACL repair was further popularized by Palmer in the 1930s and 1940s [24] and O’Donoghue in the 1950s and 1960s [20–22] and, initially, the short-term results of open primary ACL repair were excellent [15, 17, 29]. It was, however, noted that the outcomes of open primary ACL repair deteriorated with time and were considered to be unpredictable at mid-term follow-up [6, 7, 13, 15, 21, 30]. A possible explanation for these unpredictable results followed in 1991, when Sherman et al. reported an extensive subgroup analysis of primary ACL repair outcomes and found that better results were associated with proximal tears and excellent tissue quality. Several other studies also noted better results in the subset of patients with proximal tears [9, 11, 14, 23, 37]. Other factors that could have contributed to these mixed results were invasive surgery (i.e., arthrotomy) and the postoperative regimen (i.e., immobilization for 6 weeks) [18]. Modern developments such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), arthroscopic surgery, and early postoperative motion protocols enable better patient selection, less invasive treatment, and more optimal postoperative management. Not surprisingly, a recent case series of arthroscopically repaired proximal ACL tears has reported excellent results [5], and it seems that there is a recent resurgence of interest in primary ACL repair [1, 4, 31, 34]. Several advantages of ACL preservation with primary repair exist, when compared to ACL reconstruction, including maintaining proprioceptive function [25, 28] and the native ACL kinematics [27]. Traditionally, treatment of primary ACL repair was performed in the acute setting [2, 20–22, 36] as it was advocated that “in all types of injury early repair (under two weeks) gives much better results than late repair or reconstruction” [21]. It was thought that performing repair in the acute setting provided optimal tissue quality and prevented ligament retraction and/or reabsorption [2, 21, 22, 36]. Therefore, primary ACL repair was not performed in the non-acute setting as surgeons tended to prefer ACL reconstruction under these circumstances. Not surprisingly, no studies or cases of performing ACL repair in the non-acute setting could be found when reviewing the literature. Therefore, we would like to present a case of successful arthroscopic primary repair of a chronic ACL tear in a 38-year-old male.
Clostridium difficile rates in asymptomatic and symptomatic hospitalized patients using nucleic acid testing

Abstract Background The Clostridium difficile rate in symptomatic patients represents both those with C. difficile infection (CDI) and those with colonization. To predict the extent of CDI overdiagnosis, we compared the asymptomatic colonization rate to the symptomatic positivity rate in hospitalized patients using nucleic acid testing. Methods Between July 2014 and April 2015, formed stool samples were collected from asymptomatic patients after admission to 3 hospital wards at the Stanford Hospital. Stool samples from symptomatic patients with suspected CDI in the same wards were collected for testing per provider order. The GeneXpert C. difficile tcdB polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay (Cepheid, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was performed on all stool samples and PCR cycle threshold was used as a measure of genomic equivalents. Chart review was performed to obtain clinical history and medication exposure. Results We found an asymptomatic C. difficile carriage rate of 11.8% (43/365) (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.5–15.1%) and a positivity rate in symptomatic patients of 15.4% (54/351) (95% CI, 11.6–19.2%; P =0.19). The median PCR cycle thresholds was not significantly different between asymptomatic carriers and symptomatic positives (29.5 versus 27.3; P =0.07). Among asymptomatic patients, 11.6% (5/43) of carriers and 8.4% (27/322; P =0.56) of noncarriers subsequently became symptomatic CDI suspects within the same hospitalization. Single and multivariate analysis did not identify any demographic or clinical factors as being significantly associated with C. difficile carriage. Conclusions Asymptomatic C. difficile carriage rate was similar to symptomatic positivity rate. This suggests the majority of PCR-positive results in symptomatic patients are likely due to C. difficile colonization. Disease-specific biomarkers are needed to accurately diagnose patients with C. difficile disease.
DICEtalk: An Object-Oriented Knowledge-Based Engineering Environment

DICEtalk is a domain-independent knowledge based system implemented in the Smalltalk/V286 environment (Digitalk Inc.). It is being used in the DICE initiative to support both product and process evolution applications that are important ingredients to concurrent engineering. The DICEtalk high-level architecture includes a problem-solving engine, a high-level user interface, and high-level tools. The low-level architecture is described by more than fifty special different kinds of objects that are implemented in the system as Smalltalk classes. A problem-solving engine implements rule-based and knowledge source deduction with metaknowledge control, procedural attachment mechanism, and a broad interface to the Smalltalk environment. DICEtalk has more interactive windowing utilities and menus than one would normally expect to find in a knowledge-based system for an engineering environment. The emphasis in this paper is on the integration of declarative and procedural knowledge bases in the context of engineering tasks.
Lower inhibitory control interacts with greater pain catastrophizing to predict greater pain intensity in women with migraine and overweight/obesity

Pain catastrophizing (PC) is associated with more severe and disabling migraine attacks. However, factors that moderate this relationship are unknown. Failure of inhibitory control (IC), or the ability to suppress automatic or inappropriate responses, may be one such factor given previous research showing a relationship between higher PC and lower IC in non-migraine samples, and research showing reduced IC in migraine. Therefore, we examined whether lower IC interacts with increased PC to predict greater migraine severity as measured by pain intensity, attack frequency, and duration. Women (n = 105) aged 18–50 years old (M = 38.0 ± 1.2) with overweight/obesity and migraine who were seeking behavioral treatment for weight loss and migraine reduction completed a 28-day smartphone-based headache diary assessing migraine headache severity. Participants then completed a modified computerized Stroop task as a measure of IC and self-report measures of PC (Pain Catastrophizing Scale [PCS]), anxiety, and depression. Linear regression was used to examine independent and joint associations of PC and IC with indices of migraine severity after controlling for age, body mass index (BMI) depression, and anxiety. Participants on average had BMI of 35.1 ± 6.5 kg/m2and reported 5.3 ± 2.6 migraine attacks (8.3 ± 4.4 migraine days) over 28 days that produced moderate pain intensity (5.9 ± 1.4 out of 10) with duration of 20.0 ± 14.2 h. After adjusting for covariates, higher PCS total (β = .241, SE = .14, p = .03) and magnification subscale (β = .311, SE = .51, p < .01) scores were significant independent correlates of longer attack duration. IC interacted with total PCS (β = 1.106, SE = .001, p = .03) rumination (β = 1.098, SE = .001, p = .04), and helplessness (β = 1.026, SE = .001, p = .04) subscale scores to predict headache pain intensity, such that the association between PC and pain intensity became more positive at lower levels of IC. Results showed that lower IC interacted with higher PC, both overall and specific subcomponents, to predict higher pain intensity during migraine attacks. Future studies are needed to determine whether interventions to improve IC could lead to less painful migraine attacks via improvements in PC.
Evidence from FTIR Difference Spectroscopy That a Substrate H2O Molecule for O2 Formation in Photosystem II Is Provided by the Ca Ion of the Catalytic Mn4CaO5 Cluster

The O2-producing Mn4CaO5 catalyst in photosystem II oxidizes two water molecules (substrate) to produce one O2 molecule. Considerable evidence supports the identification of one of the two substrate waters as the Mn4CaO5 cluster’s oxo bridge known as O5. The identity of the second substrate water molecule is less clear. In one set of models, the second substrate is the Mn-bound water molecule known as W2. In another set of models, the second substrate is the Ca2+-bound water molecule known as W3. In all of these models, a deprotonated form of the second substrate moves to a position next to O5 during the catalytic step immediately prior to O–O bond formation. In this study, FTIR difference spectroscopy was employed to identify the vibrational modes of hydrogen-bonded water molecules that are altered by the substitution of Sr2+ for Ca2+. Our data show that the substitution substantially altered the vibrational modes of only a single water molecule: the water molecule whose D-O–D bending mode is eliminated ...
Epidemiology and outcomes of Clostridium difficile infection in allogeneic hematopoietic cell and lung transplant recipients.

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common complication of lung and allogeneic hematopoietic cell (HCT) transplant, but the epidemiology and outcomes of CDI after transplant are poorly described. Methods We performed a prospective, multicenter study of CDI within 365 days post-allogeneic HCT or lung transplantation. Data were collected via patient interviews and medical chart review. Participants were followed weekly in the 12 weeks post-transplant and while hospitalized and contacted monthly up to 18 months post-transplantation. Results Six sites participated in the study with 614 total participants; 4 enrolled allogeneic HCT (385 participants) and 5 enrolled lung transplant recipients (229 participants). One hundred and fifty CDI cases occurred within 1 year of transplantation; the incidence among lung transplant recipients was 13.1% and among allogeneic HCTs was 31.2%. Median time to CDI was significantly shorter among allogeneic HCT than lung transplant recipients (27 days vs 90 days; P = .037). CDI was associated with significantly higher mortality from 31 to 180 days post-index date among the allogeneic HCT recipients (Hazard ratio [HR] = 1.80; P = .007). There was a trend towards increased mortality among lung transplant recipients from 120 to 180 days post-index date (HR = 4.7, P = .09). Conclusions The epidemiology and outcomes of CDI vary by transplant population; surveillance for CDI should continue beyond the immediate post-transplant period.
A re-evaluation of design equations for the established flow region of vertical dilute-phase pneumatic conveyors

Abstract An analysis of data sets from the literature was completed for particle velocities of granular material in vertical, dilute-phase pneumatic conveyors. The generally accepted equation of motion used to describe such velocity data incorporates the solids friction factor, a variable term based on the additional pressure drop due to solids. The analysis determines that rather being a variable, the term is a constant related to the physical properties of the particle that influence its bouncing behaviour as it progresses along the pipeline. In addition, the analysis reveals that particle drag coefficients determined from the particle velocity data differ significantly from values taken from the standard drag coefficient curve. This observation was confirmed by drag coefficient measurements reported in the literature and made using particle-elutriating equipment. The drag coefficients from the pneumatic conveying experiments and the test equipment were determined under turbulent conditions, which is considered to account for the difference in values from the standard curve determined under quiescent conditions. Relationships are presented that predict the turbulence-influenced drag coefficients and the particle velocity data with good accuracy. These relationships are used to predict pressure drops for two data sets presented with the particle velocity data. The single-term pressure drop equation is used and predicts with good accuracy as well as producing the trough-shaped curve characteristic of the measured pressure drops.
Integrating Human Operators into Agent-based Manufacturing Systems: A Table-top Demonstration

Abstract To stay competitive in the modern market, manufacturing systems must be adaptable and flexible to deal with challenges such as machine breakdowns or requests for new, customized products. A strategy proposed to improve system flexibility is the integration of multi-agent control on the plant floor. The multi-agent control strategy consists of a system of distributed agents (e.g. resource agents, product agents) that are responsible for controlling various parts of the manufacturing system through cooperation. While previous Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) implementations have proposed architectures for resource and product agents, they do not specify how human workers can be integrated to improve system flexibility. This work specifies a Human Resource Agent (HRA) architecture that can be integrated into a manufacturing system with a multi-agent control strategy. The proposed architecture is demonstrated using a table-top manufacturing testbed showcasing the flexibility the HRA can add to a manufacturing system.
Keyhole cutting of carbon fiber reinforced polymer using a long-duration nanosecond pulse laser

Abstract The machining performance of a high-energy nanosecond pulse laser with a near-infrared wavelength is investigated for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) with two different fiber arrangements. This research work demonstrates for the first time that a keyhole mode cutting can be achieved for CFRP materials using a high-energy nanosecond pulse laser of a Long Pulse mode (120 ns). Specifically, it is shown that the short-duration Q-Switch mode (8 ns) results in ineffective material removal for CFRP, despite much higher peak laser power intensity than the Long Pulse mode. In Long Pulse mode, multi-pass straight line and contour cutting experiments are further performed to investigate the effect of laser processing parameters and resultant machined surface integrity. Plasma absorption effects using both pulse modes are discussed. The results show that a 2.2 mm thick cross-ply CFRP panel can be cut through using as few as 6 laser passes, and a high-quality machined surface can be produced with a limited heat-affected zone and minimal fiber pull-out using Argon assist gas. The successful outcomes from this work provide the key to enable efficient CFRP laser machining using high-energy nanosecond pulse lasers, and offer insight into the unique energy absorption mechanisms for CFRP laser machining.
Removal of Well-Fixed Tibial Cone in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty—A Uniquely Challenging Yet Necessary Scenario

The number of revision total knee arthroplasties (TKA) performed in the United States continues to increase. While advancements in implant design and surgical technique have led to improved outcomes compared with historical data, these cases remain technically demanding with high rates of aseptic failure and worse patient reported outcome scores compared with primary total knee arthroplasty. One particular problem commonly encountered in revision knee arthroplasty is bone loss, particularly in the epiphyseal region, which negatively impacts the structural integrity of the implants. Various modular metaphyseal sleeves and cones in conjunction with stemmed implants have been designed to enhance metaphyseal fixation, corroborated by multiple studies demonstrating excellent midterm results involving cones, and sleeves. Commercially available revision systems that incorporate metaphyseal cones are currently widely utilized in revision TKA. For tibial defects, both symmetric and asymmetric cone options are available. Excellent midterm results have been reported with use of this device in the setting of severe proximal tibial bone loss in revision TKA surgery. With the enhanced fixation provided by various sleeve and cone augments, implant removal in the setting of recurrent infection or implant failure can be extremely challenging. Consequently, in this work, we sought to describe an algorithmic approach for removing a tibial cone in conjunction with the overlying tibial baseplate. A review of the literature has also been conducted for complex surgical techniques regarding removal of well-fixed implants in revision total knee arthroplasty.
A Matter of Facts: The Value of Evidence in an Information Age

The information overload that characterizes our contemporary society presents well-documented challenges. Data and information can be manipulated and weaponized to advance political agendas, and tr...