cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Subtractive assembly for comparative metagenomics, and its application to type 2 diabetes metagenomes

Comparative metagenomics remains challenging due to the size and complexity of metagenomic datasets. Here we introduce subtractive assembly, a de novo assembly approach for comparative metagenomics that directly assembles only the differential reads that distinguish between two groups of metagenomes. Using simulated datasets, we show it improves both the efficiency of the assembly and the assembly quality of the differential genomes and genes. Further, its application to type 2 diabetes (T2D) metagenomic datasets reveals clear signatures of the T2D gut microbiome, revealing new phylogenetic and functional features of the gut microbial communities associated with T2D.
A sparse factor analytic probit model for congressional voting patterns

This paper adapts sparse factor models for exploring covariation in multivariate binary data, with an application to measuring latent factors in U.S. Congressional roll-call voting patterns. We focus on the advantages of using formal probability models for inference in this context, drawing parallels with the seminal ndings of Poole and Rosenthal (1991). Our methodological innovation is to introduce a sparsity prior on a latent covariance matrix that descibes common factors in binary and ordinal outcomes. We apply the method to analyze sixty years of roll-call votes from the United States Senate, focusing primarily on the interpretation of posterior summaries that arise from the model. We also explore two advantages of our approach over traditional factor analysis. First, patterns of sparsity in the factor-loadings matrix often have natural subject-matter interpretations. For the roll-call vote data, the sparsity prior enables one to conduct a formal hypothesis test about whether a given vote can be explained exclusively by partisanship. Moreover, the factor scores provide a novel way of ranking Senators by the partisanship of their voting patterns. Second, by introducing sparsity into existing factor-analytic probit models, we eect a favorable bias{variance tradeo in estimating the latent covariance matrix. Our model can thus be used in situations where the number of variables is very large relative to the number of observations.
Changes of Reflex, Non-reflex and Torque Generation Properties of Spastic Ankle Plantar Flexors Induced by Intelligent Stretching

Spasticity, contracture, and muscle weakness are major sources of disability in stroke. Changes of torque-generating capacity as well as reflex and non-reflex properties of ankle plantar flexors induced by strenuous stretching in chronic hemiplegia were investigated. Twelve subjects with a unilateral stroke and 10 healthy controls underwent 30 minutes of strenuous intelligent stretching treatment. Reflex and non-reflex components of spastic hypertonia and force-generating capacity of ankle plantar flexors were investigated. Dorsiflexion (DF) range of motion (ROM) was increased (p=0.002) and passive stiffness and passive resistant torque of the spastic muscles were decreased (p=0.004 and 0.007, respectively), while reflex hyper-excitability diminished slightly but with no statistical significance. The maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque of the spastic ankle plantar flexors was increased after the forceful stretching treatment (p=0.041). In contrast, the stretching treatment of the healthy plantar flexors did not change any of the variables measured before and after stretching. The stroke subjects who gained more DF ROM or larger decrement of stiffness achieved greater increment of the peak torque generation after the stretching (r=0.597 with p=0.040 and r=-0.746 with p=0.005, respectively). These results suggest that the strenuous dynamic stretching could improve the force-generating capacity of spastic muscles as well as reduce the passive stiffness and increase ROM
Coherent topological charge structure in CP(N-1) models and QCD

In an effort to clarify the significance of the recent observation of long-range topological charge coherence in QCD gauge configurations, we study the local topological charge distributions in two-dimensional CP{sup N-1} sigma models, using the overlap Dirac operator to construct the lattice topological charge. We find long-range sign coherence of topological charge along extended one-dimensional structures in two-dimensional spacetime. We discuss the connection between the long-range topological structure found in CP{sup N-1} and the observed sign coherence along three-dimensional sheets in four-dimensional QCD gauge configurations. In both cases, coherent regions of topological charge form along membranelike surfaces of codimension one. We show that the Monte Carlo results, for both two-dimensional and four-dimensional gauge theory, support a view of topological charge fluctuations suggested by Luescher and Witten. In this framework, the observed membranes are associated with boundaries between ''k-vacua,'' characterized by an effective local value of {theta} which jumps by {+-}2{pi} across the boundary.
Measures of Anchoring in Estimation Tasks

The authors describe a method for the quantitative study of anchoring effects in estimation tasks. A calibration group provides estimates of a set of uncertain quantities. Subjects in the anchored condition first judge whether a specified number (the anchor) is higher or lower than the true value before estimating each quantity. The anchors are set at predetermined percentiles of the distribution of estimates in the calibration group (15th and 85th percentiles in this study). This procedure permits the transformation of anchored estimates into percentiles in the calibration group, allows pooling of results across problems, and provides a natural measure of the size of the effect. The authors illustrate the method by a demonstration that the initial judgment of the anchor is susceptible to an anchoring-like bias and by an analysis of the relation between anchoring and subjective confidence.
Behavioral sensitization to kainic acid and quisqualic acid in mice : comparison to NMDA and substance P responses

Substance P (SP) and the excitatory amino acid (EAA) agonists NMDA, kainic acid (KA), or quisqualic acid (Quis) each produce a transient, caudally directed biting and scratching response (CBS) in mice after their intrathecal injection. We have previously shown that repeated injections of SP result in a decrease in the intensity of CBS, or desensitization. The goals of the present study were (1) to determine whether desensitization also develops to the CBS behavior produced by EAAs in the spinal cord, (2) to characterize the role of interneurons in desensitization, and (3) to examine possible interactions between EAAs and SP. While injection of NMDA at 2 min intervals resulted in desensitization to its CBS behavioral effect, behavioral responses to repeated injections of KA or Quis increased in intensity, exhibiting sensitization. The NMDA antagonist DL-2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid failed to alter sensitization to either KA or Quis but inhibited behaviors produced by SP and NMDA, suggesting an NMDA-mediated component in SP-induced behavior. Concanavalin A, which is reported to block desensitization to the electrophysiologic effect of Quis, blocked sensitization to the behavioral effects of both Quis and KA. Strychnine, bicuculline, and 5-aminovaleric acid each inhibited desensitization to SP and NMDA, supporting the notion of recruitment of inhibitory transmitters in the attenuation of NMDA and SP activity. Pretreatment with capsaicin selectively inhibited the development of behavioral sensitization to KA, suggesting an involvement of small- diameter C-fibers in the enhancement of responsivity to KA. Consistent with this, pretreatment with SP selectively potentiated the CBS response to KA. The potentiation of KA effects by SP and dependence of KA behavioral sensitization on C-fiber activity suggest a possible mechanism by which EAAs and SP may be involved in the mediation of pain.
Utilizing interfaces in carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites for structural damping

Carbon nanotube reinforced polymer composites have been extensively researched [Shadler LS, Giannaris SC, Ajayan PM (1998) Appl Phys Lett 73:3842; Ajayan PM, Shadler LS, Giannaris C, Rubio A (2000) Adv Mater 12:750; Wagner HD, Lourie O, Feldman Y, Tenne R (1998) Appl Phys Lett 72:188; Thostenson ET, Chou T-W (2002) J Phys D: Appl Phys 35:L77] for their strength and stiffness properties. The interfaces between nanotubes and polymer matrix can play a critical role in nanocomposites for their mechanical properties, since the interfacial area is order of magnitude more than traditional composites. Unless the interface is carefully engineered, poor load transfer between individual nanotubes (in bundles) and between nanotubes and surrounding polymer chains may result in interfacial slippage [Shadler et al. (1998); Ajayan et al. (2000)] and consequently disappointing mechanical stiffness and strength. Interfacial slippage, while detrimental to high stiffness and strength, could result in very high mechanical damping, which is a hugely important attribute in many commercial applications. In this paper, we show that the mechanical damping is related to frictional energy dissipation during interfacial sliding at the extremely many nanotube-polymer interfaces, and characterize the impact of activation of the frictional sliding on damping behavior.
Tuberculosis Case Finding in Hospital Admissions

There is a significant reservoir of active pulmonary tuberculosis among adult men admissions to general hospitals. The tuberculosis case finding survey program as outlined in this paper, is productive and of epidemiological value. This survey of 10,000 consecutive hospital men admissions with 98.5 per cent clinical follow-up examinations revealed 68 persons (6.8 per 1000) with unsuspected active pulmonary tuberculosis. The highest incidence of previously unknown cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis occurred after the age of 50 and was three and one-half to four and one-half times as frequent in Negro as in white men, depending upon the age group. The yield of new cases, based on verification in each instance is as high today as it was 15 years ago. Since this is a serious public health problem, it would appear that this type of program should provide a fertile field for local health and hospital authorities both public and voluntary.
Conditions for In Vitro Maturation and Artificial Activation of Ferret Oocytes

The ferret represents an attractive species for animal modeling of lung diseases because of the similarity between ferret and human lung biology and its relatively small size and short gestation time. In an effort to establish experimental protocols necessary for cloning ferrets, optimized conditions for in vitro maturation and artificial activation of ferret oocytes were examined. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were harvested from ovaries of superovulated ferrets, and in vitro maturation was evaluated in three different culture media: medium 1 (TCM-199 + 10% FBS), medium 2 (TCM-199 + 10% FBS with eCG [10 IU/ml] and hCG [5 IU/ml]), or medium 3 (TCM-199 + 10% FBS with eCG, hCG, and 17beta-estradiol [2 microg/ml]). After 24 h of maturation in vitro, the maturation rate of oocytes cultured in medium 2 (70%, n = 79) was significantly greater (P < 0.01) than those of oocytes cultured in the other two media (27%-36%, n = 67-73). At 48 h, similar maturation rates (56%-69%, n = 76-87) were observed for all three types of media. For activation experiments, oocytes cultured in medium 2 were stimulated with electrical and chemical stimuli either individually or in combination. Treatment with cycloheximide and 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) following electrical stimulation resulted in 43% (n = 58) of the oocytes developing to the blastocyst stage. Such an activation rate represented a significant improvement over those obtainable under other tested conditions, including individual treatment with electrical pulses (10%, n = 41), cycloheximide (3%, n = 58), or 6-DMAP (5%, n = 59). Blastocysts derived from in vitro activation appeared to be normal morphologically and were composed of an appropriate number of both inner cell mass (mean +/- SEM, 10.3 +/- 1.1; n = 11) and trophectoderm (60.8 +/- 2.9, n = 11) cells. These results have begun to elucidate parameters important for animal modeling and cloning with ferrets.
Analysis of Upper-Tropospheric Water Vapor Brightness Temperatures from SSM/T2, HIRS, and GMS-5 VISSR

Abstract Satellite microwave and infrared instruments sensitive to upper-tropospheric water vapor (UTWV) are compared using both simulated and observed cloud-cleared brightness temperatures (Tb’s). To filter out cloudy scenes, a cloud detection algorithm is developed for the Special Sensor Microwave/Temperature-2 (SSM/T2 or T2) data using the 92- and 150-GHz window channels. An analysis of the effect of clouds on the T2 183-GHz channels shows sensitivity primarily to high clouds containing ice, resulting in significantly better sampling of UTWV Tb’s over the convective zones and regions of persistent cloudiness. This is in contrast to the infrared sensors, which are extremely sensitive to any cloud contamination in the satellite field of view. A comparison of simulated UTWV Tb’s from T2, the High-resolution Infrared Sounder (HIRS), and the Visible Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer (VISSR) indicates a higher overall sensitivity to changes in UTWV in the T2 channel. HIRS and VISSR, however, are more sensitive t...
Biomechanical Comparison of Spinopelvic Fixation Constructs: Iliac Screw Versus S2-Alar-Iliac Screw.

Abstract Study Design Biomechanical cadaveric study. Objective To compare the biomechanical properties of the iliac and S2-Alar-Iliac (S2AI) screw in a similar spinopelvic fixation construct. Summary of Background Data Spinopelvic fixation is used in the correction of pelvic obliquity, high-grade spondylolisthesis, and long spinal fusions. With the development of pedicle screw fixation, the iliac screw has been used as an anchor point to the pelvis. The associated morbidity with this fixation has led to the development of the S2AI screw. Many studies have examined the biomechanical properties of iliac and S2AI screws; however, a direct comparison has not been performed. Methods Eight cadaveric spines were instrumented with pedicle screws bilaterally at L5 and S1. Four specimens were further instrumented with iliac screws placed with a starting point at the posterior superior iliac spine, and four specimens were instrumented with S2AI screws placed with a starting point 1 mm inferolateral to the S1 foramen. Screws were connected with 6.35 mm rods. Subfailure testing was performed by loading at 1°/second to a torque of 10 Nm in four directions: left bending, right bending, extension, and flexion. Specimens then underwent a monotonic load to failure under flexion at a rate of 1°/second. Results There were no significant differences for torsional stiffness in extension, flexion, left bending, or right bending between S2AI and iliac screw constructs. There were no significant differences in S2AI versus iliac screws for failure torque (30.9 ± 12.00 Nm vs. 22.61 ± 6.25 Nm) and yield torque (11.86 ± 0.41 Nm vs. 12.01 ± 1.70 Nm). Conclusion Iliac screws have been associated with increased dissection, wound complications, an additional construct failure point, and hardware prominence. The S2AI screw was developed as an alternative and has been associated with less morbidity. The iliac and S2AI screw demonstrate no statistical difference in stiffness and load-to-failure in a spinopelvic fixation model. Level of Evidence Level V.
Abstract T P208: Diabetes Exacerbates Neurovascular And White Matter Disruptions in Older Rats After Stroke

Background and Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common metabolic disease in the aged population, which leads to an increase of stroke incidence, poor stroke outcome, and slower neurological recovery. A better understanding of the pathological cascades of brain injury in the aged DM population is of major clinical importance for stroke management. The present study was designed to characterize the behavioral and pathological changes in older DM rats after embolic stroke. Methods: Male Wistar rats at age of 13 months were subjected to intraperitoneal nicotinamide (NTM, 210mg/kg) and streptozotocin (STZ, 60mg/kg) injection (n=19). Rats were subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) 30d after induction of DM (n=10). Aged matched normal rats (n=9) and ischemic rats (n=11) without induction of DM were used as controls. Results: Rats subjected to STZ-NTM administration exhibited persistent hyperglycemia and reduction of insulin producing pancreatic β-cells, and have clinical manifestations of type 2 DM (T2DM). These rats exhibited substantial spatial learning deficits measured by the Morris water maze (39±3 vs 50±4% of time spent in the correct quadrant in age matched non-DM rats, p<0.05) 65d after induction of DM. Histological analysis revealed that there was patchy vascular and parenchymal fibrin deposition mainly in the hippocampus and white matter, which were associated with significant (p<0.05) reductions in neurofilament positive axonal density (14±3 vs 23±4% in non-DM rats) and myelinating oligodendrocytes (78±11 vs 98±13/mm2). Stroke in DM rats exacerbated vascular and parenchymal fibrin deposition (32±8 vs 17±6 mm2 in non-DM ischemic rats), decreased axonal density (9±2 vs 17±4%) and dendritic spines (10±4 vs 19±5/μm), and increased loss of oligodendrocytes (47±12 vs 73±14/mm2), which were associated with spatial learning and neurological deficits 35d after stroke onset, although the primary infarct volumes within the MCA territory were not different between groups. Conclusions: T2DM exacerbates neurovascular and white matter damage, leading to neurological deficits in older rats, which closely resembles pathological symptoms observed in stroke patients with T2DM.
Sperm/egg binding patterns and oocyte cytology in retrospective analysis of fertilization failure in vitro

Failures of fertilization in in-vitro fertilization have been often linked to visually recognizable defects in spermatozoa, and occasionally to anti-sperm antibodies. However, some total failures and the frequent lack of fertilization in some eggs of normal appearance (partial failure) often remain unexplained. Simple evaluation of the configuration of sperm binding to the zona pellucida and of the oocyte features revealed by acetic alcohol fixation and lacmoid staining, may provide diagnostic clues in this respect. Among 25 cases of unanticipated total failure, this approach identified some men with normal semen analyses whose spermatozoa displayed either a total inability to bind to the zona or, after binding, an inability to intrude into the zona matrix. However, in 10 of these cases significant numbers of spermatozoa were bound to and intruded deep into the zona, a pattern consistent with the possibility of an egg defect, specifically a resistance to the passage of spermatozoa past the inner portion of the zona pellucida. Such a block also appeared to be the main cause of fertilization failure among 442 unfertilized eggs from 154 partial failure patients. As in the total failures, the inability of apparently competent spermatozoa to penetrate the zona was often associated with ooplasmic anomalies (refractile bodies, extra groups of chromosomes, chromatin rings or masses, one or more pronuclei with one or no polar bodies, and other occasional anomalies). These anomalies occurred in 79.4% of this unfertilized oocyte subset, in contrast to a 27.4% incidence in 238 oocytes not fertilized because of sperm defects. Simple retrospective assessment of sperm binding patterns and oocyte cytology can be a valuable complement to semen analysis in diagnosis of fertilization failure in vitro.
Lattice Solvent and Crystal Phase Effects on the Vibrational Spectra of UO2Cl42

We present the structural and spectroscopic characterization of six uranyl tetrachloride compounds along with a quantified analysis showing the influence of both the crystallographic phase and the lattice solvent upon the vibrational properties of the uranyl moiety. From the uranyl symmetric and asymmetric stretching frequencies we use a valence bond potential model to calculate the stretching and interaction force constants of the uranyl moiety in each compound. Quantifying these second-sphere influences provides insight into the vibrational properties, and indirectly the electronic structure, of the uranyl ion in its ground state. These data provide a better guide for assessing the validity of future comparisons with respect to bond strength, length, and electronic properties among series of actinyl compounds where non-actinide variables may be at play.
Investigation on the mosquito species and mosquito-borne pathogens at Beijing airport

[Objective]To investigate and analyze the background of mosquitoes as well as the mosquito-borne pathogens at Beijing Capital international airport(BCIA),and evaluate the existence of the transmitting mosquitoes of dengue and malaria,and provide basis for the construction of risk assessment and early warning system.[Methods]The CO2 trapping lamp method was conducted.The dengue virus nucleic acid detection and virus isolation were performed on captured Ae.albopictus.Four kinds of plasmodium nucleic acid detection was conducted on An.sinensis.[Results] A total of 22 715 mosquitoes were trapped.Mosquito density index was 44.54 mosquitoes per light-trap in 1 hour.Cx.pipiens pallens was the dominant species,accounting for 87.95%,followed by Cx.tritaeniorhynchus(10.64%),An.sinensis(1.11%) and Ae.albopictus(0.30%).The peak of density appeared from August to September.The test results of mosquito-borne malaria parasite and dengue fever pathogen carrying status were negative.[Conclusion]The transmitting mosquitoes of dengue and malaria exist at BCIA,Beijing has faced potential risks of dengue and malaria prevalence by imported cases(Overseas and other provinces infections).It is necessary to continuously strengthen the mosquito density and their pathogens monitoring at BCIA.
Emerging specialty areas in MR imaging: an initial study.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to analyze magnetic resonance (MR) technologist practice data to determine if MR specialty areas exist. METHOD The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists distributed an MR practice analysis questionnaire to a random sample of 1000 registered MR technologists. Task statements were assessed to determine the type and frequency of procedures performed by MR technologists. RESULTS Of the 121 task statements collected, the author analyzed 78 tasks and found 4 meaningful factors accounting for 47.86% of the total variance. In addition, 3 specialty areas emerged in separate reviews of the tasks listed in each of the 4 factors. CONCLUSIONS Using factor analysis to assess the data, vascular/cardiovascular imaging, central nervous system imaging and musculoskeletal imaging were identified as specialty areas.
Gene Expression Profiling of Tissues and Cell Lines: A Dual-Color Microarray Method

Since its origin in the mid-1990s, gene expression profiling by microarray has become a productive and useful tool in basic science and preclinical research. Current dual-color, high-density cDNA oligo arrays contain 60-mer detectors for the whole human genome. With this powerful technology, expression of RNA samples from cell lines or tissue can be assessed, revealing specific gene expression signatures. The technique includes three major steps: (1) isolation and purification of RNA from cells or tissues, (2) labeling of total RNA, and (3) hybridization with Agilent cDNA microarrays. Conveniently, this technique can be performed with as little as 50 ng of purified total RNA; however, it is important to keep in mind that the quality of the RNA template, namely the level of sample degradation and the presence of contaminants that are carried over from the starting material or introduced during RNA isolation, can significantly impact the efficiency of the labeling reaction and the reliability of the hybridization. In this chapter, the details of each step of this technique are explained thoroughly, while highlighting the key issues that can prevent a failed hybridization.
Assessing preconditions for implementing a Payment for Environmental Services initiative in Cotriguaçu (Mato Grosso, Brazil)

The success of Payments for Environmental Services (PES) projects depends, in a large part, on the respect to the necessary conditions for implementing it. These preconditions are seldom studied in the literature and few authors exploit this subject. They are mostly concerned about analyzing if experiences fit the concept of PES or are successful, instead of understanding the reasons of this success. There are, thought, few authors concerned about the relevance on making ex ante analysis and looking at some preconditions, such as informational, economic, cultural, institutional, and competitive preconditions. This paper is concerned about a previous investigation of a project called Cotriguacu Sempre Verde (CSV) in Mato Grosso and the extent to which it would be able to shelter a PES. All of these conditions were analyzed and sustained the decision taken by proponents of the initiative to not include a PES in the project. This analysis will contribute knowledge to stakeholders that are designing and implementing PES projects, and it should be part of the protocol for all PES initiatives.
Alternating Hemiplegia: Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Mitochondrial function in 4 patients with alternating hemiplegia (AH) was evaluated by magnetic resonance spectroscopy of resting muscle at the Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Overcoming the loss of blue sensitivity through opsin duplication in the largest animal group, beetles.

Opsin proteins are fundamental components of animal vision whose structure largely determines the sensitivity of visual pigments to different wavelengths of light. Surprisingly little is known about opsin evolution in beetles, even though they are the most species rich animal group on Earth and exhibit considerable variation in visual system sensitivities. We reveal the patterns of opsin evolution across 62 beetle species and relatives. Our results show that the major insect opsin class (SW) that typically confers sensitivity to “blue” wavelengths was lost ~300 million years ago, before the origin of modern beetles. We propose that UV and LW opsin gene duplications have restored the potential for trichromacy (three separate channels for colour vision) in beetles up to 12 times and more specifically, duplications within the UV opsin class have likely led to the restoration of “blue” sensitivity up to 10 times. This finding reveals unexpected plasticity within the insect visual system and highlights its remarkable ability to evolve and adapt to the available light and visual cues present in the environment.
Recognizing and Managing Initiation Burn

Initiation burn is a phenomenon in which the patient unexpectedly experiences burn very early in the course of phototherapy at very low dosimetry. In other words, the patient appears to be photosensitive without any underlying cause. In the case of initiation burn, it is important not to jump to the conclusion that the patient is not a candidate for phototherapy or has “failed” phototherapy. Instead, it is recommended to deliberately continue phototherapy with the highest amount of light the patient can tolerate, even if this is a very low dose. This allows the skin to desensitize, harden, or get used to the light, and oftentimes the patient can eventually tolerate doses of light per the usual protocol.
Enhancing Seated Stability Using Trunk Support Trainer (TruST)

Dynamic seated trunk control is required during the execution of many everyday tasks. These tasks require an intricate coordination between the head, upper and lower trunk, and the pelvis. Furthermore, reaching beyond the arm's length requires precise joint control and intersegmental coordination. With practice specificity, humans can learn particular motor skills that may be performed across contexts of similar characteristics. As new tasks are explored, human movements are learned and organized by the release and constraint of degrees-of-freedom, and the modulation of joint amplitudes that are specific to the task demands. Thus, by providing seated reach training without foot support that challenges postural control close to and beyond the stability limits or point of stability failure, an individual with an optimal level of trunk assistance could improve postural control by increasing the range of motion of the trunk and expand the boundaries that define the point of stability failure. We have developed a novel cable robotic device, trunk support trainer (TruST), which allows training of seated posture at and beyond an individual's point of stability failure during volitional trunk displacement. This is accomplished by creating a force tunnel to support posture beyond the sitting stability region. The system provides an assist-as-needed force strategy to support the trunk. We conducted a proof-of-concept study with 20 healthy adult subjects (10 experimental and 10 control) to investigate the changes in lower trunk center of mass (COM) displacement and trunk kinematics. Our study supports the hypothesis that a single training session with TruST at and beyond the point of stability failure increases lower trunk COM displacement and increases the lower trunk and pelvic rotation. The findings suggest that this approach may be useful for training patients with neurological and musculoskeletal disorders where children or adults have compromised postural stability.
How Soy Consumption Relates to Nutritional Knowledge

Is it reasonable to believe that the consumption of medicinal and functional foods such as soy is driven by nutritional knowledge? A national survey of 770 US consumers indicated that 39% of males and females did not know of any health benefits associated with soy. Among those knowing of soy’s nutritional benefits, consumption only occurred among those perceiving these benefits as specifically relevant to themselves. Interestingly, people who had even a slight familiarity with functional foods were more likely to consume soy. Contrary to what many believe, improving the taste properties of soy will appear to have a more dramatic impact on the consumption of those who are knowledgeable about functional and medicinal foods than on the general population.
Obstetric Analgesia and Anesthesia

Labor and delivery is associated with significant pain and it is the providers’ duty to provide relief upon patient request. Available options include general, neuraxial, local, and parenteral analgesia. Each method is associated with specific indications, complications, and contraindications [1].
Quantum Chemistry Analysis of Reaction Thermodynamics for Hydrogenation and Hydrogenolysis of Aromatic Biomass Model Compounds

Designing effective and selective reactions at sustainable or mild conditions is key for the valorization or refinery of lignin biomass using H2 reduction methods. However, it remains unclear what are the feasible mildest conditions for the reductive valorization of lignin, at which transformations can be designed. Here, we aim to exploit this critically important question using quantum chemistry calculations to systematically analyze the thermodynamics of hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of typical functional groups found in lignin based on a set of aromatic model compounds. Our results show that it is thermodynamically feasible to break ether linkages and remove oxygen content in the model compounds even at room temperature, room pressure, and in aqueous solvent (i.e., the global mildest conditions). Interestingly, the potential influence on the thermodynamics by reaction variables is ranked in the order of temperature > H2 pressure > solvent dielectric constant; a strategically chosen solvent may enabl...
Preparation and gas separation performance of mixed-matrix membranes based on triptycene-containing polyimide and zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF-90)

Abstract Defect-free mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs) based on triptycene-containing polyimide and zeolite imidazole framework (ZIF-90) were prepared in systematically varied compositions using priming and solution-casting method for gas separation. Microstructure analyses confirm that hierarchical triptycene units effectively assist in the nanoparticle dispersion and prevent aggregation, which, in conjunction with the favorable interactions between the organic ligands in ZIF-90 and imide moieties, construct desired interfacial morphology. MMMs showed significantly improved permeabilities (e.g., about three times of the pure polymer at 50 wt% loading) with negligible selectivity loss, which drives the separation performance laterally approaching and eventually surpassing the permeability-selectivity upper bound. Solubility and diffusivity analyses indicate that ZIF-90 nanoparticles facilitate fast gas diffusion through their microporous structure and increasing fractional free volume. The good agreement between experimental data and the Maxwell model prediction supports the ideal interfacial contact, demonstrating the great potential of iptycene structure in the development of high performance nanocomposite materials.
An Ultrasonic Sensor for Process Modeling and Proces Control of Ceramic Superconductors

This research demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing nondestructive ultrasonic sensors to monitor the effects of oxygen content, processing time and temperature on the resultant mechanical, structural, and electrical properties of high temperature ceramic superconductors. Ultrasonic velocity changes, as a function of processing time and temperature, have clearly been shown to indicate the transformation between orthorhombic and tetragonal phases in Y-Ba-Cu-O.
Identifying Barriers to Citizen Scientist Retention When Measuring Pollination Services

Pollination Investigators is a citizen science program designed to quantify the pollination service provided within home gardens. The goal of our initial study year was to develop and evaluate an experimental protocol using a survey to gather participant feedback. At three workshops held in the spring of 2014 we distributed sampling protocols along with eight (two of each species) sweet pepper, cucumber, tomato, and sunflower seedlings to 64 volunteers. Volunteers established the seedlings in their home garden and compared fruit weight and seed set among open pollinated flowers with flowers bagged to exclude insect visitors. At the end of the season only 14.1% of volunteers submitted any pollination services data. Using a follow-up survey, we identified the steps within our protocol that prevented volunteers from continuing with the project, and prescribe protocol revisions to improve volunteer retention when measuring garden pollination services.
Neutron sensitivity of 10B4C-coated aluminum honeycomb using a single-anode wire, P-10 continuous-gas-flow proportional counter

Abstract The intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency of a 10B4 C-coated aluminum honeycomb sample was measured using a single-anode wire, P-10 continuous-gas-flow proportional counter . The aluminum honeycomb sample was 1.27 cm thick with a diameter of 4.1275 cm (1 5/8 in.) and was composed of hexagonal-shaped cells with a cell size of 1.5875 mm (1/16 in.). The 10B4 C coating was applied by Exothermics, Inc. via magnetron sputtering to a coating thickness of 4 . 68 ± 1 . 25 μ m as measured using a scanning electron microscope . Using a lower level discriminator setting of 50 keV, intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency was measured to be 21.45 ± 0.26% in reference to a 4.0 atm, 5.08-cm (2-in.) diameter, 15.24-cm (6-in.) long Reuter Stokes 3He tube with a known efficiency of 80.7 ± 0.5%. MCNP6 simulations yielded a theoretical intrinsic thermal-neutron detection efficiency of approximately 24% for a 10B4C-coating thickness of 4 . 68 μ m with a lower level discriminator setting of 50 keV.
A History of Origin of Life Ideas from Darwin to NASA

Charles Darwin expressed contradictory statements about the implications of his evolution theory for the origin of life. This probably represents calculated attempts to avoid unnecessary controversy, above and beyond that already generated by his theory. This strategy was threatened by the attempt of H. C. Bastian, a talented young Darwinian scientist, to link evolution with spontaneous generation of life from nonliving matter. John Tyndall and T. H. Huxley opposed Bastian’s version of Darwinism; in the resulting controversy, the outlines of the modern Darwinian position about origin of life emerged. Huxley stated that life must have come into existence from nonlife (abiogenesis), but only once in the distant past under the very different conditions of primitive Earth. The development of twentieth century origin of life ideas is surveyed, including the Oparin-Haldane hypothesis and the role of NASA funding in generating much data challenging the Oparin-Haldane assumptions.
CUTANEOUS VASCULAR AND CARDIAC RESPONSES TO HEAT

During exposures of the nude resting subject to various levels and increases in ambient temperature (climatic chamber) cutaneous arterial vasodilatation (as recorded by photoelectric Plethysmographs) may differ in onset and amount in the digits forearm, calf, cheek and ear. Similar regional differences in sweating have been reported previously. There was no systematic relation of the cutaneous vasodilatation in a given region to sweating in the same area. Local skin temperature seems to be closely related to the local vascular events. Increases in the stroke volume and rate of the heart accompanied the cutaneous vasodilatation but the possibility that the latter entirely accounted for the increased cardiac load was considered unproven.
Helping Clients to Abandon Pathological Self-Critical Practices

In this chapter, a general strategy for helping persons to abandon pathological self-critical practices will be described. At times, the accomplishment of this objective is sufficient by itself for therapy to be terminated. The first domino has been tipped over, setting in motion a series of other positive changes, and therapy may end here with a highly satisfactory outcome. At other times, much attention must be paid to the accomplishment of a second objective, that of helping persons to acquire and to commit themselves to the use of more benign and constructive means of criticizing themselves. The latter will comprise the primary focus of the remainder of the book.
Sensorimotor Integration: Attention and the Premotor Theory

Beginning with the earliest psychophysical and physiological studies of visual attention, it has been recognized that the ability to selectively process behaviorally relevant stimuli is related to the control of orienting movements, particularly eye movements. This article traces those initial insights and observations to the current progress and understanding of the neural mechanisms of visual attention. Evidence appears to support a premotor theory of attention, in which the selective processing of visual targets and the preparation of eye movements to those targets are driven by largely overlapping mechanisms.
STOW: a spatially and temporally optimized write caching algorithm

Non-volatile write-back caches enable storage controllers to provide quick write response times by hiding the latency of the disks. Managing a write cache well is critical to the performance of storage controllers. Over two decades, various algorithms have been proposed, including the most popular, LRW, CSCAN, and WOW. While LRW leverages temporal locality in the workload, and CSCAN creates spatial locality in the destages, WOW combines the benefits of both temporal and spatial localities in a unified ordering for destages. However, there remains an equally important aspect of write caching to be considered, namely, the rate of destages. For the best performance, it is important to destage at a steady rate while making sure that the write cache is not under-utilized or over-committed. Most algorithms have not seriously considered this problem, and as a consequence, forgo a significant portion of the performance gains that can be achieved. We propose a simple and adaptive algorithm, STOW, which not only exploits both spatial and temporal localities in a new order of destages, but also facilitates and controls the rate of destages effectively. Further, STOW partitions the write cache into a sequential queue and a random queue, and dynamically and continuously adapts their relative sizes. Treating the two kinds of writes separately provides for better destage rate control, resistance to one-time sequential requests polluting the cache, and a workload-responsive write caching policy. STOW represents a leap ahead of all previously proposed write cachemanagement algorithms. As anecdotal evidence, with a write cache of 32K pages, serving a 4+P RAID-5 array, using an SPC-1 Like Benchmark, STOW outperformsWOW by 70%, CSCAN by 96%, and LRW by 39%, in terms of measured throughput. STOW consistently providesmuch higher throughputs coupled with lower response times across a wide range of cache sizes, workloads, and experimental configurations.
Prevalence of and Characteristics Associated with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Introduction Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, particularly coronary artery disease (CAD). The relationship between NAFLD and heart failure is less clear, though evidence is emerging to support an independent risk of heart dysfunction in these patients. Hypothesis We hypothesize that NAFLD will be highly prevalent among a cohort of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) due to the potential impact of insulin resistance and altered energy metabolism, common in NAFLD, on myocardial function. Methods Adult patients who met clinical criteria for HFpEF were prospectively enrolled in a clinical database. Demographic and clinical data were collected at enrollment. Presence of NAFLD was defined based on liver biopsy, abdominal imaging, or clinical diagnosis. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses were performed. Results A total of 183 patients were analyzed. The cohort consisted primarily of older (median 71 years), white (90%) females (58%) with obesity (median BMI 35 kg/m 2 ) and prevalent associated cardio-metabolic risk factors (82% hypertension, 60% dyslipidemia, 44% diabetes). Overall 39% of patients had CAD. Within the full cohort, 28% of patients had evidence of NAFLD based on retrospective chart review. Among the 96 patients who had prior abdominal imaging, 53% had evidence of underlying NAFLD. At baseline, patients with NAFLD had higher BMI and weight (37 vs 30 kg/m 2 , p Conclusions NAFLD is highly prevalent among HFpEF patients, particularly in those with obesity and diabetes, with rates up to twice as high compared to the general population. Cirrhosis was also common, with a prevalence of more than 20 times that of the general population. Despite this, only half of patients had been imaged to evaluate for NAFLD. These data support evaluation for underlying NAFLD in HFpEF patients with concomitant obesity and diabetes.
Abstract 2487: Application of RegTools to TCGA samples for the identification of tumor-specific splice variants

The interpretation of variants in cancer is frequently focused on direct protein coding alterations. However, this analysis strategy excludes somatic mutations in non-coding regions of the genome and even exonic mutations may have unidentified non-coding consequences. To address this issue, we created RegTools (Feng et al. 2018), a free, open-source software package that integrates analysis of somatic variant calls from genomic data with splice junctions extracted from transcriptomic data in order to efficiently identify variants that may cause aberrant splicing in tumors. Initially, this software was developed using 188 cancer samples from 4 cancer types and enabled us to identify important non-coding variants which would otherwise be undervalued or perhaps even completely ignored by traditional methods and annotators. Here, we present the application of RegTools to over 10,000 TCGA samples in an effort to identify somatic variants that are associated with alternative splicing patterns within these tumors. In order to perform this analysis, we obtained all tumor samples that had somatic variant VCF files and RNA-seq bam files from the Genomic Data Commons (GDC). Included within these samples are more than 700 solid tissue normal samples, which will be used as a panel of normals in order to filter out variants and splicing events that are not tumor specific. We plan to present on the significance of our findings when analyzing these samples within their respective tumor type and across all tumor types. We also plan to present on whether these aberrant splicing events that result from somatic mutations might interfere with predicted neoantigens pVAC-Seq (Hundal et al. 2016). RegTools is freely available and open source (www.regtools.org). Citation Format: Kelsy C. Cotto, Yang-Yang Feng, Zachary L. Skidmore, Obi L. Griffith, Malachi Griffith. Application of RegTools to TCGA samples for the identification of tumor-specific splice variants [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2487.
Mesh-based Methods for Quantifying and Improving Robustness of a Planar Biped Model to Random Push Disturbances

In this paper, we apply meshing tools to improve and analyze the performance of a 5-link planar biped model to random push perturbations. Creating a mesh for a 14-dimensional state space would typically be infeasible. However, as we show in this paper, low level controllers can restrict the reachable space of the system to a much lower dimensional manifold, which makes it possible to apply our tools to improve the performance. To validate the effectiveness of our tools in analyzing, quantifying and improving the performance of a system, we conduct simulations on two different sets of trajectories: one consisting of trajectories having only a single support phase, and a second set consisting of trajectories having both a double support as well as a single support phase.