cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of a Cellular Defense Reaction Is Accompanied by an Increase in Sensory Neuron Excitability in Aplysia

The complexity of vertebrate immune and nervous systems makes detailed cellular analysis of neuroimmune interactions a challenging prospect. The immune systems of invertebrates, although much less complex than their vertebrate counterparts, share basic cellular defense responses to wounded self or nonself. We have developed a simple model system to study neuroimmune interactions using an invertebrate preparation well suited to detailed cellular analysis. Loose ligation of peripheral nerves in Ap/ysia induced a cellular defense reaction evidenced by the accumulation of large numbers of amebocytes at the ligation site. From 5 to 30 d after ligation, the excitability of the soma of sensory neurons having axons in ligated nerves was increased compared to contralateral sensory neurons with axons in nonligated nerves. Spike threshold and afterhyperpolarization were reduced, and spike amplitude and duration were increased. Spike accommodation was also decreased such that sensory neurons on the ligated side fired more spikes to a 1 set intracellular depolarizing pulse than control sensory neurons. These effects are unlikely to be accounted for by ligation-induced injury of sensory axons since both morphological and electrophysiological evidence indicated that the axons in ligated nerves were healthy and able to conduct action potentials. Amebocytes activated by the presence of nonself may release factors that lead to
A Portable Method for Finding User Errors in the Usage of MPI Collective Operations

An MPI profiling library is a standard mechanism for intercepting MPI calls by applications. Profiling libraries are so named because they are commonly used to gather runtime information about performance characteristics. Here we present a profiling library whose purpose is to detect user errors in the use of MPI's collective operations. While some errors can be detected locally (by a single process), other errors involving the consistency of arguments passed to MPI collective functions must be tested for in a collective fashion. While the idea of using such a profiling library does not originate here, we take the idea further than it has been taken before (we detect more errors, including those involving datatype inconsistencies) and present an open-source library that can be used with any MPI implementation. We describe the tests carried out, provide some details of the implementation, illustrate the usage of the library, and present performance tests.
Localization of the Naturally Occurring Plasmid ColE1 at the Cell Pole

The naturally occurring plasmid ColE1 was found to localize as a cluster in one or both of the cell poles of Escherichia coli. In addition to the polar localization of ColE1 in most cells, movement of the plasmid to the midcell position was observed in time-lapse studies. ColE1 could be displaced from its polar location by the p15A replicon, pBAD33, but not by plasmid RK2. The displacement of ColE1 by pBAD33 resulted in an almost random positioning of ColE1 foci in the cell and also in a loss of segregational stability, as evidenced by the large number of cells carrying pBAD33 with no visible ColE1 focus and as confirmed by ColE1 stability studies. The addition of the active partitioning systems of the F plasmid (sopABC) or RK2 (OB1 incC korB) resulted in movement of the ColE1 replicon from the cell pole to within the nucleoid region. This repositioning did not result in destabilization but did result in an increase in the number of plasmid foci, most likely due to partial declustering. These results are consistent with the importance of par regions to the localization of plasmids to specific regions of the cell and demonstrate both localization and dynamic movement for a naturally occurring plasmid that does not encode a replication initiation protein or a partitioning system that is required for plasmid stability.
Evaluation of the conformational free energies of loops in proteins

In this paper we discuss the problem of including solvation free energies in evaluating the relative stabilities of loops in proteins. A conformational search based on a gas-phase potential function is used to generate a large number of trial conformations. As has been found previously, the energy minimization step in this process tends to pack charged and polar side chains against the protein surface, resulting in conformations which are unstable in the aqueous phase. Various solvation models can easily identify such structures. In order to provide a more severe test of solvation models, gas phase conformations were generated in which side chains were kept extended so as to maximize their interaction with the solvent. The free energies of these conformations were compared to that calculated for the crystal structure in three loops of the protein E. coli RNase H, with lengths of 7, 8, and 9 residues. Free energies were evaluated with a finite difference Poisson-Boltzmann (FDPB) calculation for electrostatics and a surface area-based term for nonpolar contributions. These were added to a gas-phase potential function. A free energy function based on atomic solvation parameters was also tested. Both functions were quite successful in selecting, based on a free energy criterion, conformations quite close to the crystal structure for two of the three loops. For one loop, which is involved in crystal contacts, conformations that are quite different from the crystal structure were also selected. A method to avoid precision problems associated with using the FDPB method to evaluate conformational free energies in proteins is described. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Reducing stress by counterattitudinal advocacy

Abstract In one condition, subjects were made apprehensive by being threatened with shock and then were induced to publicly argue that they were not apprehensive about the situation. It was hypothesized that the subjects who were induced to advocate a position contrary to their feelings about the situation would experience dissonance. To reduce dissonance, these subjects were expected to redefine the situation as less threatening and thereby experience less apprehension regarding the situation than subjects in a control threat condition. Results of physiological measures and a postexperimental questionnaire supported the expectations. Implications of the study for psychotherapy were mentioned.
A planar micropump utilizing thermopneumatic actuation and in-plane flap valves

The micropump presented in this paper demonstrates advancements made both in performance and fabrication over most existing mechanical micropumps. The pump is planar and fabricated using a wafer-level, four-mask process, making it attractive for integration into micro total-analysis systems. Its design utilizes thermopneumatic actuation and two in-plane flap valves with fluidic-resistance ratios greater than 1300 to reach maximum pressures of 16 kPa and maximum flow rates of 9 /spl mu/L/min at an average power consumption of 180 mW (20% duty cycle, 10 Hz). Pressures as high as 20.2 kPa were achieved at an average power consumption of 200 mW (20% duty cycle, 5 Hz). This performance is better than most micropumps utilizing in-plane or out-of-plane valves.
“The House on the Borderland”: Lesbian Desire, Marriage, and the Household, 1950–1979

Using interviews, diaries, memoirs, and letters to the Daughters of Bilitis and/or its long time leaders Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon, this article examines the lives of more than 160 wives who expressed lesbian desires from the 1950s through the 1970s. Scholars have typically understood such wives as being trapped within marriage in the postwar era, before breaking free and building new lesbian lives in the midst of the women's and gay liberation movements. While I do not overturn this narrative entirely, I demonstrate the remarkable extent to which wives were able to create space for lesbian desires within their homes and marriages throughout this time period. Confined to their local communities by the responsibilities of childcare and housework, and ambivalent about publicly claiming a lesbian or bisexual identity, most wives had limited access to "out" lesbian worlds. Instead, they transformed the nuclear family household into a lesbian space. They contacted lesbian communities remotely, found lovers among female friends within the context of their "straight" lives, and engaged in affairs within their own homes. Initially, such wives carried on affairs without their husbands' knowledge, but by the 1970s they chose with greater frequency to tell their husbands directly about their lesbian relationships and to openly balance marriage and affairs. The women's experiences described here compel us to reconsider how marriage and the household have functioned, as well as what constitutes lesbian space.
Authenticity: a concept analysis

TOPIC. Concept analysis of authenticity. PURPOSE. This paper aims to analyze the concept of authenticity and propose a definition of authenticity that can be used to enhance the nurse–client relationship. SOURCES. Published research. CONCLUSIONS. Authenticity is a life-long process of self-discovery that includes realizing personal potential and acting on that potential. A part of this process is accepting the responsibility for and the consequences of life choices that are consciously or unconsciously made. This is sometimes achieved through suffering. This process culminates in a demonstration of congruency in ideals, values, and actions in relation to self and others.
Acoustic-based wireless data transmission for process monitoring

In this paper, acoustic wave has been investigated as a medium to transmit data from sensors inside a machine to a receiver outside of the machine without wire connection. To evaluate the effectiveness of such a acoustic based data transmission, the propagation of acoustic wave within an injection mold was modeled on the ANSYS platform. The received signal strength as well as the noise level caused by reflections inside the machine structure was quantified numerically to evaluate the limit of offset distance between the axes of transmitter and receiver. The results were then experimentally validated by using the data sampled from a production grade injection molding machine.
Changes in Thyroid Hormone Metabolism and Gene Expression in the Failing Heart: Therapeutic Implications

Thyroid hormone has profound effects on the heart and cardiovascular system. The cellular and systemic changes that occur with hypothyroidism include blood pressure changes, alterations in lipid metabolism, decreased cardiac contractility, and increased systemic vascular resistance. The resulting increased hypercholesterolemia and diastolic hypertension predispose these patients to atherosclerotic cardiovascular and coronary artery disease. Heart failure is associated with low-T3 syndrome, resulting from alterations in thyroid hormone metabolism. This nonthyroidal illness may cause cardiovascular alterations similar to the changes described for hypothyroidism. New research suggests that T3 treatment of patients with heart failure and low-T3 syndrome improves some of the clinical manifestations of heart failure.
Abstract 147: Contrast Induced Nephropathy; a Continued Concern

Background: Contrast induced nephropathy [CIN], because of its delay in onset, is often not clinically appreciated. While delayed assessment of renal function may show substantial recovery of renal function, episodes of CIN contribute to further deterioration of renal function. Angioplasty is currently predominately performed “ad hoc”, with the anatomy defined at the time of the procedure, increasing the contrast load. Concerns have also increased with the routine Emergency Room use of “triple rule out” contrast CTA (coronary obstruction, aorta dissection, pulmonary embolism) for chest pain, shortened stays and a reduction in “unnecessary” post procedure testing decreasing the detection and apparent incidence of CIN. Objectives: Procedural management of patients undergoing Catheterization [Cath] and Angioplasty was analyzed using Failure Modes and Effects Analysis [FMEA] and Mehran’s formula for predicting risk of CIN and weighting of risk factors to predict severity. The likelihood of occurrence and detection were derived from the cohort of patients undergoing Cath at Stony Brook University Hospital. For patients undergoing Cath preprocedural concerns included; preop hemodynamic assessment, unknown baselines (renal function, hematocrit), diabetes mellitus, inadequate hydration, estimation of maximum contrast load to avoid CIN, avoidance of nephrotoxic agents. Procedural concerns included: contrast type and volume, hydration/ end organ perfusion, use of IABP, unnecessary procedures/potential staging. Post procedural concerns included: adequacy of hydration, follow-up monitoring of renal function. Results: Procedural analysis reveals multiple opportunities for intervention to decrease the likelihood of CIN. The interventions most likely to improve the risk of CIN were identified as adequacy of hydration and limitation of contrast administration. Follow-up monitoring of renal function, with involvement of nephrology for management if indicated, was also deemed critical. Changes to the preprocedural order set in the EMR have been proposed to decrease the NPO interval, propose default hydration, suggest holding nephrotoxic drugs, provide an estimated maximal contrast volume. The ACIST injector will be reset to provide lower default contrast delivery. Education of physicians and staff to monitor and limit contrast use as possible is also underway. Conclusions: The risk of CIN can be lessened by appropriate recognition and treatment. FMEA in conjunction with the Mehran CIN prediction formula provides an effective means of identifying procedural concerns that can be appropriately targeted in the Cath Lab.
Taxing E-Commerce Affiliates: The Potential Impact Of New York State’s “Amazon Tax”

On June 1, 2008 New York State imposed a new law, called the “Amazon tax”, that requires online retailers who receive more than $10,000 per year in revenue from New York affiliates to collect New York sales tax. While a number of major online retailers have challenged the law in court, it has already had a significant impact on affiliate marketers. If the law is upheld other states will enact similar laws. This paper details the impact of the law on affiliate marketers, online retailers, and affiliate networks. It provides specific short and long range recommendations to each of these types of companies.
A Review of “Redacted: The Archives of Censorship in Transwar Japan”: Abel, Jonathan E., Berkeley: University of California Press 355 pp., $65.00, ISBN 978-0-520-27334-4 Publication Date: September 2012

Redacted: The Archives of Censorship in Transwar Japan, by Jonathan Abel, is an erudite, thought-provoking study of the growth of censorship in Japan, circa 1927–1950. Using a wealth of marked-up m...
Role of Jahn-Teller Coupling in G-Values of C60-

A model based on a static Jahn-Teller distortion of C60 is shown to explain the experimentally observed g values of C 60 - .The results of t1u ⊗ h g coupling in which the distortion axis can be in any direction are recounted. This static Jahn-Teller coupling explains the axial g tensors that are observed. The more common isotropic g tensors are explained in terms of a collection of individual statically distorted C60 molecules in which the distortion axes are randomly distributed relative to the applied magnetic field axis.
Caste and the Andhra Communists

The primary raw material of Communist power in economically less developed regions of the world is neither the landless peasant with outstretched rice bowl nor the intellectual in search of a cause. Even more basic than these frequently summoned symbols, the realpolitik of social tensions determines political events where economic scarcity aggravates the particularisms dividing man from man. This contention gains strength from a study of Communist fortunes in a representative Asian setting. With little or no industrial economy to ease population density and underemployment, Andhra State on the southeast coast of India bears the familiar marks of Asian poverty. Here has emerged the most successful regional Communist movement in India. Yet the explanation for Andhra Communist strength does not lie in economic factors. The postwar decade in Andhra demonstrates that social factors can relegate even unusually powerful economic factors to a position of secondary importance.
A study of the Ag(s)/Ag2 SO4+Na2 SO4(l)1102 reference electrode

The high temperature electrode Ag(s)/Ag4SO4+Na2SO2(l) contained in a mullite membrane is a suitable reference electrode for measuring sodium activities in Na2SO4 melts. Several Na concentration cells have been studied at 900° C to establish the thermodynamic basis for the Ag(s)/10 mol% Ag2SO4 + Na2SO4 electrode. Part of this work involved the determination of the ratio of activity coefficients of Ag2SO4 and Na2SO4 in melts that were dilute in Ag2SO4. When the non-ideal solution behaviour was taken into account, very good agreement was obtained between predicted and measured cell voltages for acidic Na2SO4 melts.
Defining ‘Mystical Experience’

Dans la premiere partie, l'A. s'interesse a la definition nominale de l'experience mystique. Elle laisse ouverte la question de savoir si oui ou non, les experiences mystiques partagent des caracteristiques reelles et universelles. La seconde partie tente de repondre a cette question en notant le paradoxe qui anime le debat autour de la realite de l'experience mystique. Bien que le terme d'experience mystique implique des caracteristiques universelles, l'A. montre egalement que cette realite comprend une formation conceptuelle et linguistique
Root Distribution of Three Grapevine Rootstocks Grafted to Cabernet Sauvignon Grown on a Very Gravelly Clay Loam Soil in Oakville, California

Root distributions of the grapevine rootstocks AXR#1,110R, and St. George were examined at the UC Oakville Experimental Vineyard. Four trenches 1.2m deep were excavated 5 cm from the vine trunk for every rootstock and the presence of roots recorded. Root intersections with the trench profile were classified according to size (
Consulting Online Healthcare Information: E-Caregivers as Knowledgeable Decision Makers

Home caregivers provide multidimensional support to family and friends who are aged, disabled, and unable to care for self. Often experiencing the negative effects of caregiver stress, they face potential physical and emotional strain, changes in health requiring emergency treatment, and financial burden. Today, families are turning to mobile technology to lessen their burden and to cope with the stress of caring for members through activities including healthcare information searches. The purpose of this study is to explore how the Internet is helping caretakers to make decisions on the selection of doctors and treatment options. Multivariate regression analysis and individual level data from the Pew Internet and American Life Project is used. The authors' findings suggest that while caregivers are using the Internet for making decisions on family health needs, they are not as likely to use it to protect their own health.
Discovery channel’s Jungle Gold in Ghana: hegemonic globalization sparks resistance and policy action:

Discovery Channel’s Jungle Gold follows two American real estate moguls who lost their fortunes in the 2008 economic collapse to the Ashanti region of Ghana, West Africa, where they unabashedly eng...
Assessing Sleep Problems in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Sleep disturbances are a well-established problem in autism. Sleep issues can result in problems at home in the evening. Also, poor sleep can result in fatigue and irritability during the daytime, resulting in other potential problems. How sleep disorders are assessed and the best empirical methods to do so are the subject of this chapter.
[Prevalence rates and risk factors on stroke among 50 - 79 years-olds in Beijing, 2011].

Objective To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of stroke among population aged 50 - 79 in Beijing, 2011. Methods 38 532 subjects were randomly selected with cluster sampling method, under the proportion to the population size (PPS). Each participant was invited to receive face to face standardized questionnaire interview, physical examination and neck ultrasonography. Results The standardized prevalence of stroke was 9.3%, with 11.5% and 8.1% for males and females respectively. The prevalence rate increased with age and was higher in males, in suburb areas and people with poor education. Ischemic stroke accounted for 80.8% of all the stroke cases, with 16.6% of the patients had one recur. The standardized prevalence rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes mellitus were 80.7%, 29.6%, 22.9%, 16.9%, respectively. The prevalence rates of hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes mellitus, migraine, heart disease, carotid stenosis, sleep apnea, peripheral cascular disease, ischemic eye disease, high homocysteine level (HHE) and sickle cell anemia among stroke patients were 89.3%, 39.7%, 25.4%, 25.4%, 21.4%, 23.7%, 13.2%, 6.4%, 6.5%, 5.9%, 0.3%, 0.3%, respectively, all higher than those without the disease. 47.9 percent of the stroke patients had 3 or more chronic diseases with more risk factors. Conclusion People who were 50 to 79 years old and living in Beijing had both higher prevalence and recurrence rate of stroke, with the main type as ischemic stroke. Compared with urban area, the situation in suburb was more serious. Stroke patients had more risk factors. The top four relevant chronic diseases of stroke patients were hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity and diabetes mellitus. In order to reduce or delay the occurrence or recurrence of stroke, lifestyle intervention programs should be adopted to control related chronic diseases at their early stages.
Methylphenidate in ADHD Preschoolers with Disability

The safety and efficacy of methylphenidate (MPH), 0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg, in 11 preschool children (aged 4-5 years) with developmental disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were determined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study at the Western Psychiatric Institute, University of Pittsburgh, PA.
PTEN Regulates Natural Killer Cell Trafficking in Vivo

Introduction Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is the principal negative regulator of the PI3-kinase pathway, members of which are essential for regulating natural killer (NK) cell activation and effector functions (Tassi et al Immunity 2007, Kim et al Blood 2007). However, the role of PTEN in NK cell biology remains unknown, in part hampered by the embryonic lethality of global PTEN loss. Thus, we hypothesized that disruption of PTEN would uniquely impact NK cell developmental and functional pathways. To evaluate whether PTEN was required for normal NK cell functions, we generated and evaluated a mouse model of NK cell-specific PTEN deficiency (Ncr1iCre knockin x PTENflox; PTENΔ/Δ). Results In contrast to T and B lymphocytes with conditional PTEN loss, we discovered that PTEN primarily acts to regulate NK cell distribution, but not their development. PTEN deletion resulted in a significant loss of NK cells (Fig. 1) in the bone marrow (48% reduction, p To determine whether this aberrant localization could be attributed to dysregulated migration, we examined NK cell trafficking between lymphoid organs. PTEN-deficient NK cells egress more efficiently from the bone marrow and preferentially reside in sinusoidal compartments (mean sinusoidal fraction: 19% [control] vs. 34% [PTENΔ/Δ], p Given the inappropriate localization without PTEN, we further evaluated the NK cell requirement for PTEN during an anti-lymphoma response. PTENΔ/Δ mice challenged i.p. with the NK-sensitive RMA/S lymphoma had defective expansion of the peritoneal compartment (absolute peritoneal NK cells at 48 hours: 1.9x105 vs. 7.2x104, p=0.04). Furthermore, using an adoptive transfer model that requires NK cell trafficking to distal sites of lymphoma challenge, we found that PTEN-deficient NK cells had significant defects in their recruitment to localized tumors (18.4-fold vs 1.5-fold increase in recruited NK cells, p Conclusions In this study, we describe the first report of NK-cell intrinsic PTEN loss in vivo. Collectively, our data suggests that unopposed PI3K signaling in NK cells dominantly affects key events responsible for appropriate cell trafficking and distribution, which is distinct from the role of PTEN in related lymphocyte lineages. These data implicate PTEN as a critical mediator of NK cell recruitment to sites of lymphoma and suggest that PTEN dysregulation, as in the case of PTEN loss-of-function mutations and hamartoma tumor syndromes, may result in defective NK cell-mediated immunity. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Counting Proof of a Theorem of Frobenius

AbstractFrobenius showed that, if m divides the order of a finite group, then the number of m-torsion elements in that group is divisible by m. We provide a quick combinatorial proof.
The dehydroepiandrosterone loading test: III. A possible placental function test

The dehydroepiandrosterone loading test (DLT) has been used in a small population of normal and high-risk obstetric patients, to date, in an attempt to develop a dynamic test of placental function. In spite of its limited applications, it has shown reliability in discriminating, with statistical significance, between high-risk pregnancies that result in normally grown, undistressed infants, and high-risk pregnancies that result in infants showing signs of placental insufficiency. The present report expands the study population by presenting our data on 40 loading tests performed in 37 high-risk and normal obstetric patients. Results of 19 of these DLT’s have been previously reported and are included herein for statistical analysis. The DLT utilizes an excess substrate load of dehydroepiandrosterone to assess the maximum capability of the placenta to convert it to estrogen. Although our previous report did not show false positive or negative results in the conversion rates, the present results (40 DLT’s) found two (2 out of 17) false positives (12%) and two (2 out of 19) false negatives (11%). The highly significant correlation between DLT result and pregnancy outcome seen previously2 was preserved. In addition, the data of another five DLT’s in four patients are presented. This group includes a pregnancy with a fetus with multiple congenital malformations, two patients with intrauterine fetal death, and a nonpregnant woman. The results are not included in the statistical analysis, but discussion of these results has interesting pathophysiologic implications.
Towards an epigenetics-inspired control system for power dispatch problem

Artificial neural networks and genetic and evolutionary optimization algorithms are abstractions of observed natural processes and are found to have a widespread applicability in solving difficult problems. Epigenetics is a biological mechanism in which heritable changes are passed from one generation to another without genetic alterations. These changes allow organisms to adapt to abrupt changes in the environment. We propose and present an epigenetics-inspired learning paradigm illustrated in a power dispatch problem in which generators may fail abruptly. The proposed system is trained on optimized data, and should be able to handle a wider variety of operating conditions. The proposed idea is generic and novel but requires further application to more complex real-world control system problems to fully ascertain its value.
Limits to Knowledge in Population Genetics

The modern science of Biology traces, in large part, to the publication of The Origin of Species, by Charles Darwin (1859). By invoking natural selection as the causal agent of biological change, Darwin provided a mechanistic explanation for the elaboration of biological diversity that focused on the experimental manipulation of observable processes. In one stroke, biology was transformed from a purely descriptive enterprise concerned with cataloging the wonders of biological diversity discovered during the age of exploration to an experimental science. The second major impact of the publication was to focus late 19th-century Biology on the great unsolved puzzle of hereditary transmission. It is, of course, well known that the solution to this great puzzle was published within a decade of The Origin but lay unappreciated for more than 30 years. It is also well known that the first two decades of the 20th century were consumed by a debate about whether the selection of minute continuous variations (as postulated by Darwin) could be consistent with the particulate system of inheritance described by Mendel.
The (in)Significance of the Referential-Attributive Distinction

This paper tackles the question as to whether or not the referential-attributive (RA) distinction has any information-structural significance. That is, does this distinction mark a contrast between different ways a speaker might package the informational content of utterances that use definite descriptions? Furthermore, are there any overt markers of this distinction? In this paper I focus on referential and attributive uses of definite descriptions, and leave the issue of indefinites for another occasion. I answer both of the above questions negatively. While definite descriptions have an information-structural role to play, the RA distinction does not. Moreover, after examining several potential candidates for markers of the RA distinction, I conclude that there are no such overt markers. This is in fact to be expected if one accepts my proposal to see referential and attributive uses of definite descriptions as having the same general function, namely to single out something as a center of interest. The difference is simply that referential uses focus on role bearers, whereas attributive uses focus on role properties. Which of these the speaker intends will depend on context and hearers will have to rely on contextual assumptions to recover the intended message.
Negative pragmatic transfer and language proficiency: American learners of Arabic

This study investigated the relationship between language proficiency and negative pragmatic transfer from a first language (L1), focusing on the speech act of refusal as realised by American learn...
Plant-Wide Scheduling for Profitable Emission Reduction in Petroleum Refineries

Emission reduction becomes increasingly important for petroleum refineries nowadays. Cost-effective solution strategies require emission reductions to be addressed from the entire plant point of vi...
Addressing the Brow During Upper Blepharoplasty

The central-lateral brow can be slightly elevated via the blepharoplasty incision. This technique often does not produce a dramatic change and should only be considered in patients requiring mild elevation or who are not candidates for alternative methods of browlift.
An Advancement of Learning

Donne was not the only great Englishman who had large influence on young Huygens. The court of King James was in many ways a continuation of Elizabeth’s late greatness, and when Huygens made his first visits to England, Stuart ineffectuality had by no means wiped out the old Tudor grandeur. King James had in his service many of the men who had made Elizabethan England great, and not the least of these was Francis Bacon, Chancellor and advisor to the sovereign. Under Elizabeth Bacon had successfully avoided the dangers of the Essex rebellion and had entered the reign of King James confident of greater honor and accomplishment. Unquestionably he obtained greater renown under Stuart rule, but it was not quite what Bacon had planned, for after his trial and downfall in 1621, his fame was no longer primarily political but literary and philosophical. Until then, however, Bacon was one of the nobler ornaments of James’ court, and even after his disgrace he remained one of the prides of the kingdom and the showpiece of English learning.
Origin of the labile sulfide in the iron-sulfur proteins of Escherichiacoli

Abstract A method has been devised for measuring the abundance of sulfur-34 in the hydrogen sulfide released upon the acidification of Escherichia coli cells. Evidence is presented, based on the rate at which the hydrogen sulfide is released from the cells as well as the total amount released, that this hydrogen sulfide originates from the iron-sulfur proteins present in the cells. The sulfur-34 abundance in this hydrogen sulfide which was isolated from cells grown with [sulfane-34S]thiocystine, a compound which can differentially label in vivo the sulfur-34 abundance of cysteine and hydrogen sulfide, shows cysteine sulfur and not hydrogen sulfide to be the origin of the sulfide sulfur of iron-sulfur proteins in aerobically grown E. coli
Neuromuscular Spine Deformities

Neuromuscular scoliosis in patients under the age of 10 years is characterized by a disease-specific high progression rate due to muscular imbalance such as the primum movens, ongoing growth, and osteopenia. Those mostly non-ambulating patients typically suffer from pelvic obliquity, loss of sitting balance, rib impingement on the iliac crest, delicate skin conditions, and concomitant medical problems such as pulmonary function deficits, recurrent urinary infections, malnutrition, and skin ulcerations. The resulting therapeutic challenge is that of an increasing spine deformity in a sick patient. The type and timing of intervention should be based on a sound knowledge of the specific natural history and multiple disease-specific factors but should also take the individual needs of the patient and his psychosocial environment into thorough consideration to avoid complications and disasters in this high-risk population.
Binocular contrast summation and inhibition depends on spatial frequency, eccentricity and binocular disparity.

Purpose When central vision is compromised, visually-guided behaviour becomes dependent on peripheral retina, often at a preferred retinal locus (PRL). Previous studies have examined adaptation to central vision loss with monocular 2D paradigms, whereas in real tasks, patients make binocular eye movements to targets of various sizes and depth in 3D environments. Methods We therefore examined monocular and binocular contrast sensitivity functions with a 26-AFC (alternate forced choice) band-pass filtered letter identification task at 2° or 6° eccentricity in observers with simulated central vision loss. Binocular stimuli were presented in corresponding or non-corresponding stereoscopic retinal locations. Gaze-contingent scotomas (0.5° radius disks of pink noise) were simulated independently in each eye with a 1000 Hz eye tracker and 120 Hz dichoptic shutter glasses. Results Contrast sensitivity was higher for binocular than monocular conditions, but only exceeded probability summation at low-mid spatial frequencies in corresponding retinal locations. At high spatial frequencies or non-corresponding retinal locations, binocular contrast sensitivity showed evidence of interocular suppression. Conclusions These results suggest that binocular vision deficits may be underestimated by monocular vision tests and identify a method that can be used to select a PRL based on binocular contrast summation.
Shiva's Rangoli: Tangible Interactive Storytelling in Ambient Environments

Shiva's Rangoli is a tangible interactive storytelling installation that allows readers to shape the emotional tone of a narrative by sculpting the ambience of their space. The system is designed to support meaningful interactions with the narrative that are decoupled from plot outcomes. This work is culturally rooted in Indian mythology and the traditional art form of Rangoli making. Readers interact with an interface that acts as a diegetic bridge between the world of the reader and the world of the fiction.
Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Persist in Tissue-Engineered Vocal Fold Replacement in Rabbits

Objectives:Cell therapies using mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a promising new tool for the treatment of vocal fold scarring. However, the mechanisms by which MSCs promote h...
Business models and provider satisfaction in in vitro fertilization centers in the USA

The number of in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles is increasing and the majority of patients undergoing IVF pay out of pocket. Reproductive endocrinology and infertility practitioners employ different business models to help create financial pathways for patients needing IVF but details regarding the different types of business models being used and physician satisfaction with those models have not been described previously. A cross-sectional survey was sent to members of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. The survey included 30 questions designed to assess demographics, practice patterns, and business models utilized. A total of 222/736 (30%) physicians responded to the survey. The majority of physicians offer a-la-carte (67%), bundled services (69%), grants (57%), and cost/risk-sharing (50%). The majority answered that the single ideal business model is bundled services (53%). There was no significant association between financial package offered and region of practice or state-mandated insurance. The largest barrier to care reported was cost with or without state-mandated coverage (94% and 99%, respectively). The majority of practices are satisfied with their business model (75%). Higher physician satisfaction was associated with private practice [69% vs 27%; OR (95%CI) = 3.8 (1.7, 8.6)], male gender [59% vs 30%; OR = 2.4 (1.1, 5.4)], and offering bundled services [83% vs 59%; OR = 2.8 (1.2, 6.7)]. Physicians utilize a variety of business models and most are satisfied with their current model. Cost is the major barrier to care in states with and without mandated coverage.
The inferential opportunity of specificity: theory and empirical causality in American Political Development

The context-specificity of the research field of American Political Development (APD) can make it an especially fertile ground for empirical assessment of causal explanations of politics using observational data. Despite an ongoing—though diminishing—quantitative–qualitative divide in political science scholarship, notable agreement has emerged across that divide on the imperative for “rich theories” with multiple implications in the assessment of causal arguments when experimentation is impossible. Drawing on the underlying logic of that agreement, I consider how and why APD can both benefit from and add value to the use of design-based quantitative approaches developed within the potential-outcomes framework for causal inference. Among the central considerations are the possible limits on direct assessment of historical macro-level causal hypotheses and the imperative for multi-level and context-specific theorizing to enable empirical analyses. Also considered is the value of rigorous qualitative work to justify assumptions and measurement strategies in quantitative causal inference analyses. Illustrations of the advocated multiple-implication, multiple-method approach are drawn from my previous work on the development of woman suffrage in the United States. That integrative approach suggests the benefit of continued development of broader toolkits for explanation of complex, contingent, and endogenous political processes.
Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Are Associated with Reduced Coronary Flow Reserve in Women With Signs and Symptoms of Ischemia Without Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease: A Report from the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation-Coronary Vascular Dysfunction Study.

Background: We assessed history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) and coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) in the Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation—Coronary Vascular Dysfunction (WISE-CVD...
An Evaluation to Establish the Acceptable Serum Triglyceride Levels in Neonates Receiving Intravenous Fat Emulsion Infusion in a Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Objective This study aimed to establish neonatal serum triglyceride (TG) level reference ranges during lipid infusion and correlate peak TG with neonatal outcomes. Study Design This is a retrospective review of 356 neonates with 696 TG measures obtained in four neonatal intensive care units between 2015 and 2017. TG was evaluated collectively to establish a reference range and a threshold limit. To analyze the effects of a higher TG threshold, neonates were categorized by their peak TG: 400 mg/dL (TG>400). Univariable and multivariable regression models were constructed to compare peak TG to patient characteristic and clinical outcomes. Results The frequency of TG > 400 mg/dL was 5% and found only in neonates weighing Conclusion It is unclear if the adverse outcomes seen in neonates with higher peak TG were due to elevated TG alone, or whether illness severity predicted the increased TG. More prospective studies are needed to further delineate the relationships.
Network-Level Coordinated Speed Optimization and Traffic Light Control for Connected and Automated Vehicles

This study develops a methodology for coordinated speed optimization and traffic light control in urban street networks. We assume that all vehicles are connected and automated. The signal controllers collect vehicle data through vehicle to infrastructure communications and find optimal signal timing parameters and vehicle speeds to maximize network throughput while harmonizing speeds. Connected and automated vehicles receive these dynamically assigned speeds, accept them, and implement them. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer non-linear program and accounts for the trade-offs between maximizing the network throughput and minimizing speed variations in the network to improve the network operational performance and at the same time smoothen the traffic flow by harmonizing the speed and reducing the number of stops at signalized intersections. A distributed optimization scheme is developed to reduce the computational complexity of the proposed program, and effective coordination ensures near-optimality of the solutions. The case study results show that the proposed algorithm works in real-time and provides near-optimal solutions with a maximum optimality gap of 5.4%. The proposed algorithm is implemented in Vissim. The results show that coordinated signal timing and speed optimization improved network performance in comparison with cases that either signal timing parameters or average speed of vehicles are optimized. The coordinated approach reduced the travel time, average delay, average number of stops, and average delay at stops by 1.9%, 5.3%, 28.5%, and 5.4%, respectively compared to the case that only signal timing parameters are optimized.
Smart Korea: Governance for smart justice during a global pandemic

This research note offers preliminary insight into how one smart destination, South Korea, rapidly ‘flattened the curve’ during the global COVID-19 pandemic without shutting down its economy or its...
Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy and Photon Counting Histograms in Finite, Bounded Domains.

Abstract Analysis of fluctuations arising as fluorescent particles pass through a focused laser beam has enabled quantitative characterization of a broad range of molecular kinetic processes. Two key mathematical frameworks that have enabled these quantifications are fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and photon counting histogram (PCH) analysis. Although these frameworks are effective and accurate when the focused laser beam is well approximated by an infinite Gaussian beam with a waist that is small compared to the size of the region over which the fluorescent particles can diffuse, they cannot be applied to situations in which this region is bounded at the nanoscale. We therefore derived general forms of the FCS and PCH frameworks for bounded systems. The finite-domain form of FCS differs from the classical form in its boundary and initial conditions and requires development of a new Fourier space solution for fitting data. Our finite-domain FCS predicts simulated data accurately and reduces to a previous model for the special case when the system is much larger than the Gaussian beam and can be considered to be infinite. We also derived the PCH form for the bounded systems. Our approach enables estimation of the concentration of diffusing fluorophores within a finite domain for the first time, to our knowledge. The method opens the possibility of quantification of kinetics in several systems for which this has never been possible.
Simulation as a Tool to Illustrate Clinical Pharmacology Concepts to Healthcare Program Learners.

This article provides an overview of simulation as an effective and evolving tool for teaching clinical pharmacology within the health professions. Further, opportunities for positioning this methodology to meet current educational challenges are presented. Clinical pharmacology is an essential core competency for all health professionals, correlating with ability to appropriately and safely prescribe, administer, or optimize medication regimens. Computer-assisted learning became the earliest form of simulation applied to pharmacology teaching, arising from increasing pressure to deviate from animal and tissue experiments in undergraduate education in the 1990s. In the last decade, high fidelity patient simulation, using manikin technology, has demonstrated benefit in building connectivity between knowledge and clinical application within patient care. Serious games, or computer-based educational games, provide an alternative method for creating context, with potential realized for newer technologies like augmented reality. These tools, while beneficial, are not applied in a uniform manner across programs. We advocate for routine incorporation of these tools as they offer significant opportunities to address the challenges faced in today’s healthcare education, particularly with the need for continued social distancing and limitations on in-person educational engagement during coronavirus. Partnership with faculty utilizing simulation in other areas of the curriculum will assist in overcoming potential barriers to implementation. Simulation provides various methods that have significant potential to address the challenges in today’s provision of clinical pharmacology education, especially with new directives for social distancing and limitations for in-person educational engagement.
Deep learning-based inverse mapping for fluence map prediction.

We developed a fluence map prediction method that directly generates fluence maps for a given desired dose distribution without optimization for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning. The prediction consists of two steps. First, projections of the desired dose are calculated and then inversely mapped to fluence maps in the phantom geometry by a deep neural network (DNN). Second, a plan scaling technique is applied to scale fluence maps from phantom to patient geometry. We evaluated the performance of the proposed fluence map prediction method for 102 head and neck (H&N) and 14 prostate cancer VMAT plans by comparing the patient doses calculated from the predicted fluence maps with the given desired dose distributions. The mean dose differences were 1.42%±0.37%, 1.53%±0.44% and 1.25%±0.44% for the planning target volume (PTV), the region from the PTV boundary to the 50% isodose line, and the region from the 50% to the 20% isodose line, respectively. The gamma passing rate was 98.06%±2.64% with the 3 mm/3% criterion. The prediction time for a single VMAT plan was less than one second. In conclusion, we developed an inverse mapping-based method that predicts fluence maps for desired dose distributions with high accuracy. Our method is effectively an optimization-free inverse planning approach, which was orders of magnitude faster than fluence map optimization (FMO). Combining the proposed method with leaf sequencing has the potential to dramatically speed up VMAT treatment planning.