cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How To Help Patients (and Analysts) Bear the Unbearable

Psychoanalytic techniques are explored through which analysts can help patients tolerate, face, and attempt to resolve affects and conflicts that have seemed unbearable to the patient. The patient'...
Solid state structure effects in flourine X-ray spectra produced by heavy ion bombardment

Abstract Flourine X-ray spectra produced by proton, alpha particle and oxygen ion bombardment of targets of LiF, NaF, CaF2 have been measured. The Kα satellite yields of fluorine are different in each fluorine crystal due to the electronic structure of the compounds, however, the Kα hypersatellite yields are nearly identical.
The PViz comprehension tool for social network privacy settings

Users' mental models of privacy and visibility in social networks often involve subgroups within their local networks of friends. Many social networking sites have begun building interfaces to support grouping, like Facebook's lists and "Smart Lists," and Google+'s "Circles." However, existing policy comprehension tools, such as Facebook's Audience View, are not aligned with this mental model. In this paper, we introduce PViz, an interface and system that corresponds more directly with how users model groups and privacy policies applied to their networks. PViz allows the user to understand the visibility of her profile according to automatically-constructed, natural sub-groupings of friends, and at different levels of granularity. Because the user must be able to identify and distinguish automatically-constructed groups, we also address the important sub-problem of producing effective group labels. We conducted an extensive user study comparing PViz to current policy comprehension tools (Facebook's Audience View and Custom Settings page). Our study revealed that PViz was comparable to Audience View for simple tasks, and provided a significant improvement for complex, group-based tasks, despite requiring users to adapt to a new tool. Utilizing feedback from the user study, we further iterated on our design, constructing PViz 2.0, and conducted a follow-up study to evaluate our refinements.
Numerical models of laser fusion of intestinal tissues

Numerical models of continuous wave Tm:YAG thermal fusion in rat intestinal tissues were compared to experiment. Optical and thermal FDM models that included tissue damage based on Arrhenius kinetics were used to predict birefringence loss in collagen as the standard of comparison. The models also predicted collagen shrinkage, jellification and water loss. The inclusion of variable optical and thermal properties is essential to achieve favorable agreement between predicted and measured damage boundaries.
Estimation of power dissipation in switched-capacitor circuits

This paper presents an algorithm for probabilistic analysis of the power dissipation in switched-capacitor circuits, which are frequently found in a number of low-power designs, such as those for mobile communications equipment. The inputs to the circuit are modeled as a stationary Markov process of order zero or one. The expected power dissipation is obtained from first- and second-order moments of (he probability distributions of voltages and charges in the circuit. The algorithm does not require Monte Carlo analysis; instead, (he moments of the probability distributions are computed from the solutions of systems of linear algebraic equations, taking into account any correlation among the inputs. To demonstrate the algorithm's performance, numerical results obtained on a number of sample switched-capacitor circuits are reported.
Feasibility of Using Motivational Interviewing to Decrease Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy

This article describes the development and testing of a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention to decrease alcohol use during pregnancy. The MI intervention addresses theory-driven components of behavior change, such as basic psychological needs satisfaction and autonomous motivation, to increase understanding of mechanisms which may evoke changes in pregnant women's drinking behaviors. A pilot study evaluated the feasibility of providing the intervention to a convenience sample of pregnant women self-reporting previous year alcohol use (n = 15). The women completed questionnaires measuring alcohol use, levels of basic psychological needs, and levels of autonomous motivation to decrease alcohol use during pregnancy before and 2 weeks after participation in an MI intervention. The fidelity and integrity of the intervention were evaluated through the coding of audio-taped interviews with good to excellent adherence to MI achieved. Reliability of instruments measuring levels of basic psychological needs...
A Distributed Spatial-Temporal Similarity Data Storage Scheme in Wireless Sensor Networks

Since centralized data storage and search schemes often lead to high overhead and latency, distributed data-centric storage becomes a preferable approach in large-scale wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, most of existing distributed methods lack optimization for spatial-temporal search to query events occurred in a certain geographical area and a certain time period. Furthermore, for data search routing, most methods rely on locating systems (e.g., GPS), which consume high energy. This paper proposes a distributed spatial-temporal Similarity Data Storage (SDS) scheme. SDS provides efficient spatial-temporal and similarity data searching service, and is applicable for both static and dynamic WSNs. It disseminates event data in such a way that the distance between WSN neighborhoods represents the similarity of data stored in them. In addition, SDS carpooling routing algorithm efficiently routes messages without the aid of GPS. Theoretical and experimental results show that SDS yields significant improvements on the efficiency of data querying compared with existing approaches, and obtains stable performance in dynamic environments.
Velocity Imprecision in Finite-Beamwidth Shipboard Doppler Sonar: A First-Generation Correction Algorithm

AbstractThe finite angular width of Doppler sonar beams introduces errors into the measurement of ocean velocity from moving ships. These errors are exacerbated as ship speed increases and as the acoustic scatter field becomes more inhomogeneous in space. Zooplanktonic scatters often reside in distinct quasi-isopycnal scattering layers. When measured from a moving ship, such layers appear to have a distinct velocity signature, even if the ocean is quiescent. Here, this effect is explored in a simple analytic model and a least squares algorithm is presented for remediating its signature. The algorithm corrects the measured velocity at any given depth, with the correction being a weighted sum of the depth gradient of log acoustic intensity at surrounding depths. The correction weights are a property of the specific sonar beam pattern. Once determined, they can be considered constant. The algorithm, when applied to a 50-kHz sonar on the Research Vessel (R/V) Roger Revelle, is found to remove roughly 90% of t...
Amphibian distributions in riparian and upslope areas and their habitat associations on managed forest landscapes in the Oregon Coast Range

Abstract Over the past 50 years, forested landscapes of the Pacific Northwest have become increasingly patchy, dominated by early successional forests. Several amphibian species associated with forested headwater systems have emerged as management concerns, especially after clearcutting. Given that headwater streams comprise a large portion of the length of flowing waterways in western Oregon forests, there is a need to better understand how forest management affects headwater forest taxa and their habitats. Mitigation strategies include alternatives to clearcutting, such as harvests that remove only part of the canopy and maintenance of riparian buffer strips. Our study investigates effects of upland forest thinning coupled with riparian buffer treatments on riparian and upland headwater forest amphibians, habitat attributes, and species-habitat associations. Amphibian captures and habitat variables were examined 5–6 years post-thinning within forest stands subject to streamside-retention buffers and variable-width buffers, as well as unthinned reference stands. We found no treatments effects, however, our results suggest that ground surface conditions (e.g., amount of rocky or fine substrate) play a role in determining the response of riparian and upland amphibians to forest thinning along headwater streams. Distance from stream was associated with amphibian abundance, hence retention of riparian buffers is likely important in maintaining microclimates and microhabitats needed for amphibians and other taxa. Moderate thinning and preservation of conditions in riparian and nearby upland areas by way of variable-width and streamside-retention buffers may be sufficient to maintain suitable habitat and microclimatic conditions vital to amphibian assemblages in managed headwater forests.
Linguistic Considerations in Automatic Question Generation

This paper describes an automatic question generator that uses semantic pattern recognition to create questions of varying depth and type for self-study or tutoring.
Numerical generation of flow nets - The FLOWNS model.

. A simple-to-use computer program (FLOWNS) has been developed for generating flow nets for any saturated rectangular domain with any combination of constant head or constant flux (including zero) boundary conditions. The program approximates with discrete values the continuous distributions of potential and stream function using finite-difference approximations of Laplace's equation. The hydraulic conductivity distribution may be anisotropic and/or heterogeneous. A contouring program is required to generate the final stream and equipotential lines.
Postnatal development of GABAA receptor function in somatosensory thalamus and cortex: whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings in acutely isolated rat neurons

GABAergic inhibition synchronizes oscillatory activity in the thalamocortical system. To understand better the role of this neurotransmitter in generation of thalamocortical rhythmicity, the postnatal development of GABAergic function mediated through activation of GABAA receptors was studied in thalamus and cortex. GABA-evoked chloride currents were recorded in dissociated rat cortical and thalamic neurons during postnatal development. Kinetic fits of GABA concentration/response relationships revealed developmental and regional alterations in the potency of GABA. Early in postnatal development (p5-p8), both thalamic and cortical neurons exhibited reduced potency of GABA (27–31 microM KD). Potency increased by p18-p25 in thalamic and cortical neurons (19–22 microM KD), to a level maintained in adult thalamic neurons. Adult cortical neurons exhibited reduced potency of GABA (40 microM KD). Benzodiazepine modulation of GABAA currents was also studied. Kinetic analyses of benzodiazepine augmentation of GABAA currents were best fitted assuming two effective sites with different affinities for clonazepam. The high-affinity site (KD of 0.05–0.27 nM) showed little variation with development in cortical neurons, contributing about 16–23% potentiation at all postnatal ages. Developing thalamic neurons (p5-p25) showed similar potency and efficacy of the high-affinity benzodiazepine site to cortical neurons. High-affinity benzodiazepine effects disappeared in adult thalamic neurons. A lower-affinity benzodiazepine site (25–50 nM KD) was greater in efficacy in cortical neurons compared to thalamic neurons at all ages, with efficacy ranging from 50% to 110% in cortex and from 20% to 60% in thalamus. Knowledge of developmental and regional alterations in GABAA receptor function may aid in understanding mechanisms involved in generation and control of normal and pathological thalamocortical rhythms.
Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease in Persian and Persian-cross Cats

A form of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) similar in clinical features to human ADPKD occurs in the Persian cat. We characterized the morphologic and immunohistochemical features of this disease in a colony of affected cats. Complete postmortem examinations were performed on 11 normal and 22 affected cats ranging in age from 3 months to 10 years. Kidneys were evaluated by gross and histologic examinations, ultrastructure, lectin staining, bromodeoxyuridine immunochemistry for labeling index and immunochemistry for distribution of Na/K ATPase. Feline ADPKD was characterized by variable numbers of cysts in the renal cortex and medullar. Ultrastructural examination and lectin staining suggested that cysts arose from proximal and distal nephron segments. Bromodeoxyuridine labeling demonstrated increased proliferation of epithelium lining some cysts in young cats. Immunohistochemical staining showed variable translocation of Na/K ATPase from the basolateral membranes of cyst-lining cells to the cytoplasm or luminal membranes. Cystic renal disease commonly was associated with chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis and hepatobiliary hyperplasia and fibrosis. Focal hyperplasia of renal tubular epithelium, hepatic cysts, and cardiac lesions were present in some cats. Feline ADPKD shares many morphologic and pathogenetic features with human ADPKD.
Modulation of single-chain antibody affinity with temperature-responsive elastin-like polypeptide linkers.

Single-chain antibodies are genetically engineered constructs composed of a VH and VL domain of an antibody linked by a flexible peptide linker, commonly (GGGGS)3. We asked whether replacement of this flexible linker with peptides known to undergo environmentally induced structural transitions could lead to antibodies with controlled binding and release characteristics. To this end, we genetically modified and produced a series of anti-fluorescein single-chain antibodies with the general linker sequence (VPGXG) n, where n is 1.2 to 3 and X is Val or His, to evaluate the effects of linker length and composition. Our results indicate that single-chain antibodies containing elastin-like polypeptide linkers have equilibrium affinity ( KD) comparable to wild-type (GGGGS)3 at room temperature but altered binding kinetics and faster ligand release as the temperature is raised. These results are consistent with the increased molecular order and contraction that elastin-like polypeptides are known to undergo with increased temperature. Modulation of antibody affinity using stimulus-responsive linkers may have applications in biosensors, drug delivery, and bioseparations.
Effects of Weather on Survival in Populations of Boreal Toads in Colorado

Abstract Understanding the relationships between animal population demography and the abiotic and biotic elements of the environments in which they live is a central objective in population ecology. For example, correlations between weather variables and the probability of survival in populations of temperate zone amphibians may be broadly applicable to several species if such correlations can be validated for multiple situations. This study focuses on the probability of survival and evaluates hypotheses based on six weather variables in three populations of Boreal Toads (Bufo boreas) from central Colorado over eight years. In addition to suggesting a relationship between some weather variables and survival probability in Boreal Toad populations, this study uses robust methods and highlights the need for demographic estimates that are precise and have minimal bias. Capture-recapture methods were used to collect the data, and the Cormack-Jolly-Seber model in program MARK was used for analysis. The top mode...
CCl4-Induced Cytochrome P-450 Loss and Lipid Peroxidation in Rat Liver Slices

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown a concentration-time dependent, site specific cytotoxicity of CCl4 in slices. The present study examined radical formation and lipid peroxidation as a potential mechanism of toxicity. Liver slices from male Sprague-Dawley rats (220– 250 g) were exposed to 0.57 mM CCl4 by vaporization using a roller incubation system. Cytochrome P-450 is responsible for the bioactivation of CCl4 generating the CCl3 radical, which also acts as a suicide inhibitor. In slices exposed to CCl4, cytochrome P-450 loss occurred in a timedependent manner relative to controls (↓ 58% at 9 hr). A 48 hr fast prior to sacrifice both enhanced and accelerated both cytochrome P-450 loss as well as CCl4 toxicity in slices. Unlike cytochrome P-450, glutathione levels were not altered over the course of the experiment. These studies suggest that centrilobular hepatocytes are more susceptible to CCl4 induced injury. Covalent binding studies using 14CC14 confirmed CCl3 radical formation by cytochrome P-450. Binding to slice proteins plateaued as early as 30 min following CCl4 administration whereas lipid binding was saturated by 60 min. Covalent binding of the CCl3 radical was increased two-fold 60 min following phenobarbital pretreatment whereas allylisopropylacetamide caused the converse (50% at 60 min). Conjugated diene formation, an index of lipid peroxidation as detected by 15 min following
Vibrational Properties of Si Microclusters and Comparison to the Amorphous Material

The lattice vibrational properties of two clusters of Si atoms are studied using the Stillinger-Weber phenomenological interatomic potential to calculate the dynamical matrix. The clusters contain 33 and 45 atoms, and their structure was postulated from considerations of surface reconstructions in analogy to crystalline Si surfaces. A remarkable similarity to the vibrational density of states of amorphous Si is demonstrated especially for the 45 atom cluster.
Mycosis fungoides and the Sézary syndrome.

Purpose of review Mycosis fungoides and the Sezary syndrome represent a heterogeneous group of good-to-intermediate-risk non-Hodgkin lymphomas that have recently been identified as distinct histopathologic and clinical entities by the World Health Organization and European Organization for Research on the Treatment of Cancer lymphoma classification systems. Significant progress has been made in identifying and categorizing patients based on clinical prognostic factors, but there is little information regarding the etiology, molecular biology, and molecular genetics of these diseases. This review outlines recent advances in clinical diagnosis and prognosis as well as novel therapeutic approaches. Recent findings A number of reports have further defined clinical prognostic subgroups among early-stage patients and those with circulating Sezary cells. The recent availability and demonstrated efficacy of the oral RXR retinoid, bexarotene, has altered the treatment paradigm of early-stage patients who would not otherwise be exposed to systemic therapies. Novel targeted agents and receptor-directed therapies, including the fusion toxin, denileukin diftitox, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and novel nucleoside analog therapies, have demonstrated promising activity and are undergoing further clinical evaluation. The evolution of immunotherapy has been augmented by studies demonstrating the efficacy of peptide-loaded dendritic cells as well as the use of photopheresis to generate an anti-idiotype cytotoxic T-cell response. Summary This review will enumerate the most recent findings with respect to clinical staging, prognosis, and treatment of patients with mycosis fungoides and the Sezary syndrome. Novel treatment options will be reviewed and treatment paradigms will be outlined.
A Research Note on the Size of Winning Coalitions

This paper is concerned with the problem of relating aggregate coalition payoffs to the winnings of an individual player, so that some theoretical foundation might be developed for dealing with problems of coalition formation. Professor William H. Riker was concerned with this problem in his Theory of Political Coalitions ; in that book he developed a formulation holding that in several common political situations players would strive to form only minimum winning coalitions. Riker based that formulation on his derivation in game theory of “the size principle,” which held that in zero-sum games among rational players with perfect information, only minimum winning coalitions would occur. The first part of this research note shows that there is a difficulty in Riker's derivation of the “size principle,” presents counter-examples to that principle, and shows that it is unsound in general. The second part of this note develops the maximum number of positive gainers principle, which shows that in the kind of games being examined there is a maximum upper limit to the number of players who will positively gain; but this does not insure that the winning coalition will be minimal.
Tissue and serum manganese levels in evaluation of heart muscle damage. A comparison with SGOT.

SummaryWhereas, in our series, serum manganese values in patients with congenital, infectious, degenerative, or neoplastic disease were below 1.9 μg/100 ml of serum, serum manganese was elevated above 2.0 μg following acute myocardial infarction in every instance. Massive pulmonary infarction, which also may be accompanied by high serum manganese levels, can be differentiated from myocardial infarction by additional information supplied by serum aluminum values, which are elevated following pulmonary injury but not following myocardial damage. In patients with myocardial infarction, height of the serum manganese level provides an index to extent and severity of cardiac damage as estimated on the basis of SGOT level and the ECG. Although a close correlation exists between SGOT and serum manganese values, our data indicate that serum manganese concentrations are less likely to yield false positive indications of myocardial damage.
Pulmonary and Airway Emergencies

Shortness of breath (dyspnea) is a very debilitating and cancer therapy-limiting symptom. It can occur during cancer treatment, in the supportive phases, or at the end of life. It is a cause of worry, anxiety, and physical distress to the patient when he or she is unable to take breaths or when taking ineffective breaths. Breathing may be painful and is described by patients as shortness of breath. Some causes of dyspnea are easy to manage with clever arrival at an easily treatable diagnosis, whereas prolonged hospitalization is required to manage other causes.
Left ventricular torsional dynamics immediately after mitral valve replacement

BACKGROUND Cardiac operations and cardiopulmonary bypass are associated with a host of unphysiological consequences that have widespread systemic effects. Since previous investigations in human cardiac transplant recipients had demonstrated that left ventricular (LV) torsional deformation was a sensitive method to detect subclinical LV dysfunction during acute rejection, we studied LV systolic torsion and diastolic recoil preoperatively and postoperatively in a canine model using myocardial marker techniques. METHODS AND RESULTS Seven dogs underwent placement of LV subepicardial myocardial markers and creation of mitral regurgitation. Three months later, the animals underwent high-speed, biplane videofluoroscopic analysis for determination of LV systolic function and regional LV systolic torsional deformation and diastolic recoil. The animals then underwent chordal-sparing mitral valve replacement and were restudied 1 to 2 hours postoperatively. One to 2 hours after the cardiac operation, regional maximal systolic torsional deformation decreased significantly in all three LV regions on the lateral LV wall, as well as in the apical and apical-equatorial regions on the anterior wall. During early systole, minimal regional systolic torsion increased significantly in all regions on the lateral wall, as well as in the apical level of the posterior wall. Heterogeneous decreases in torsional deformation were also seen during the early diastolic filling period. CONCLUSIONS Regional systolic torsional deformation and diastolic recoil are markedly perturbed early after a cardiac operation and its associated manipulations. Such changes, however, may potentially serve as sensitive tools to assess the impact of different techniques of intraoperative management, including newer methods of myocardial protection.
Clarification, Critique, Framework Construction, and Research Concerns

The study of how human beings make decisions has evolved in the last century, as the classical expected-utility (EU) model (developed by D. Bernoulli, 1967 [1738]) was refined by von Neumann and Morgenstern (1947) and then modified by Savage (1954). Savage’s model of subjective expected-utility (SEU) has since served as the primary theory guiding research on decision making in the social sciences. While the normative strength of EU and SEU is often accepted, the descriptive accuracy of the Bernoullian family of theories has been seriously questioned. The failure of SEU to explain the behavior of significant numbers of experimental subjects and real world decision makers has led to further revisions and the development of generalized EU theories that have the ability to explain some (if not all) of these anomalies. All of these theories attempt to explain, at least in part, decisions under risk—where outcomes are not certain, but the chances of the outcomes occurring follow a known probability distribution. Recently, skepticism regarding the descriptive accuracy of EU and SEU has crossed disciplinary boundaries from psychology and economics to political science, sociology, and business. In particular, researchers in political science studying foreign policy decision making have begun to examine alternatives to the Bernoullian models.
Medical therapies for heavy menstrual bleeding in women with uterine fibroids: a retrospective analysis of a large commercially insured population in the USA.

Objectives To report patterns and patient characteristics associated with initiation of and persistence with medical therapies for uterine fibroid-related heavy menstrual bleeding. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting US commercial insurance claims database. Population 41 561 women aged 18–54 years with uterine fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding who initiated medical therapies from January 2000 through December 2013. Metho Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess patient characteristics associated with initiation and persistence. Cox proportional hazards regression was used on propensity score-matched cohorts to examine change from index medication. Main outcomes measures Initiation of and persistence with four first-line medical therapies: short- and long-acting reversible contraceptive steroids, leuprolide acetate, and tranexamic acid. Results Most women (79.4%) took short-acting reversible contraceptive steroids as first-line therapy (index medication), whereas 9.5%, 8.5%, and 2.7% used long-acting reversible contraceptive steroids, leuprolide acetate, and tranexamic acid, respectively. During follow-up, 16 594 women (39.9%) switched to nonindex medication (18.4%) or procedural treatment (81.6%). In comparison with women taking short-acting steroids, those receiving long-acting steroids were less likely to switch [hazard ratio (HR) 0.84, 95% CI 0.79–0.91], whereas women taking leuprolide acetate (HR 2.44, 95% CI 2.27–2.62) or tranexamic acid (HR 1.44, 95% CI 1.26–1.65) were more likely to switch. Older age, emergency department visits, anaemia, and inflammatory disease diagnoses at baseline were associated with increased probability of discontinuing the index medication or switching to another therapy. Conclusions Women with uterine fibroid-related heavy menstrual bleeding were more likely to persist with their initial therapy of long-acting reversible contraceptive steroid compared with other medical options. Tweetable Abstract 80% women with fibroid-related heavy menstrual bleeding use SARC, but LARC users are more persistent.
Short Duration Shock Pulses as a Tool to Study the Time Dependence of Plastic Deformation

The residual defect substructures developed in Cu-8.7Ge as a result of carefully controlled plate-impact experiments have been characterized and interpreted in terms of the mechanisms and kinetics of plastic deformation. In particular, the effects of a wide range of pulse durations at a constant pulse amplitude of 20GPa have been studied. Twinning has been found to contribute significantly to the plastic strain, as well as to the shock hardening. A maximum in hardening caused by bundles of extremely thin twins occurs for pulse durations near 70nsec. The observed plastic behavior can be accounted for by conventional dislocation dynamics without resorting to the concepts of supersonic dislocations or homogeneous nucleation of dislocations. It is also concluded that dislocation generation rates play a primary role in the plastic response of a material subjected to shock conditions and further, that short duration shock pulses constitute an important tool to study not only these generation rates, but the processes of plastic flow in general.
Cache contention aware Virtual Machine placement and migration in cloud datacenters

In cloud datacenters, multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) are co-located in a Physical Machine (PM) to serve different applications. Prior VM consolidation methods for cloud datacenters schedule VMs mainly based on resource (CPU and memory) constraints in PMs but neglect serious shared Last Level cache contention between VMs. This may cause severe VM performance degradation due to cache thrashing and starvation for VMs. Current cache contention aware VM consolidation strategies either estimate cache contention by coarse VM classification for each individual VM without considering co-location and (or) require the aid of hardware to monitor the online miss rate of each VM. Therefore, these strategies are insufficiently accurate and (or) difficult to adopt for VM consolidation in clouds. In this paper, we formalize the problem of cache contention aware VM placement and migration in cloud datacenters using integer linear programming. We then propose a cache contention aware VM placement and migration algorithm (CacheVM). It estimates the total cache contention degree of co-locating a given VM with a group of VMs in a PM based on the cache stack distance profiles of the VMs. Then, it places the VM to the PM with the minimum cache contention degree and chooses the VM from a PM that generates the maximum cache contention degree to migrate out. We implemented CacheVM and its comparison methods on a supercomputing cluster. Trace-driven simulation and real-testbed experiments show that CacheVM outperforms other methods in terms of the number of cache misses, execution time and throughput.
Abstract 483: Clot Degradation Assay for the Analysis of Vascular Bed Fibrinolytic Reactivity

Introduction Pulmonary emboli cause significant morbidities and risk of mortality to affected patients, yet the mechanism behind their formation is still elusive. A greater understanding of clot formation and fibrinolysis in the pulmonary artery (PA) and iliac vein (IV) vascular beds has become an important area of research in order to find better therapeutics for the treatment of deep vein thrombi and pulmonary emboli. The aim of this study was to develop a novel in vitro clot degradation assay for the comparison of fibrinolytic reactivity of different vascular beds. Methods Thrombin was added to fibrinogen at 37 ° C for 24 hours and the resulting fibrin clot was centrifuged, dried and weighed. Human PA and IV endothelial cells were incubated for 24 hours and cellular extract and media samples were collected and evaluated for their ability to degrade fibrin clots in the presence of plasminogen. Fibrinolysis, stimulated by plasmin formed by endothelial cell derived plasminogen activator, was measured as percent clot degradation by weight. Results Fibrinogen and thrombin dose responses were completed to find the appropriate concentrations of each to use for clot formation: fibrinogen (6.04x10 -6 M) and thrombin (0.0005 NIH units). To validate the clot degradation assay, a uPA dose response was conducted from 150fM to 15nM uPA and demonstrated that each ten-fold increase in uPA concentration corresponded to an average of 14% degradation (p Conclusions This study demonstrates the development of a novel and reproducible methodology to examine fibrinolytic reactivity in cell culture samples. Endothelial cells from the pulmonary artery circulation exhibit greater ability to extrinsically degrade fibrin clots when compared to endothelial cells from the iliac venous bed which may explain, in part, why more clots are found in the deep veins and not the pulmonary vasculature.
High-resolution in vivo nanoparticle imaging using magnetomotive optical coherence tomography

In vivo imaging of the nanoparticle-tissue interaction reveals processes which aid in the improvement of disease-specific markers. Magnetomotive optical coherence tomography (MM-OCT) may fill this role by imaging magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4, 20-30nm diameter) similar to those currently used for MRI contrast. This is performed by modulating a small ( .975), with the possibility of detecting even lower concentrations (63μg/g) with minor improvements. The MM-OCT signal exhibits a gentler falloff in depth (~4dB over 0.5mm) than conventional OCT imaging, limited ultimately by shot noise. The performance of MM-OCT was evaluated in vivo in a Xenopus laevis tadpole exposed to magnetic nanoparticles for 24 hours prior to imaging. Corresponding histology demonstrates the ability to correctly identify regions of high nanoparticle concentration with in vivo MM-OCT.
Modeling tics in rodents: Conceptual challenges and paths forward

Abstract Background Recent advances in our understanding of the neurobiology of tics have led to the development of novel rodent models capturing different pathophysiological and phenotypic aspects of Tourette syndrome. The proliferation of these models, however, raises vexing questions on what standards should be adopted to assess their theoretical validity and empirical utility. Assessing the homology of a rodent motoric burst with a tic remains problematic, due to our incomplete knowledge of the underpinnings of tics, their high phenotypic complexity and variability, limitations in our ability test key aspects of tic phenomenology (such as premonitory sensory phenomena) in animals, and between-species differences in neuroanatomy and behavioral repertoire. These limitations underscore that any interpretation of behavioral output in an animal model cannot exclusively rely on the recognition of features that bear superficial resemblance with tics, but must be supported by other etiological and convergent phenomenological criteria. New method Here, we discuss two complementary approaches for the study and validation of tic-like manifestations in rodents, based respectively on the use of contextual modulators and accompanying features of repetitive motor manifestations and on the reproduction of pathogenic factors. Results Neither strategy can by itself provide convincing evidence that a model informatively recapitulates tic pathophysiology. Their combination holds promise to enhance the rigorous evaluation and translational relevance of rodent models of tic disorders. Conclusions This systematic consideration of different approaches to the validation and study of animal models of tic pathophysiology provides a framework for future work in this area.
Climate, wildfire, and erosion ensemble foretells more sediment in western USA watersheds

The area burned annually by wildfires is expected to increase worldwide due to climate change. Burned areas increase soil erosion rates within watersheds, which can increase sedimentation in downstream rivers and reservoirs. However, which watersheds will be impacted by future wildfires is largely unknown. Using an ensemble of climate, fire, and erosion models, we show that postfire sedimentation is projected to increase for nearly nine tenths of watersheds by >10% and for more than one third of watersheds by >100% by the 2041 to 2050 decade in the western USA. The projected increases are statistically significant for more than eight tenths of the watersheds. In the western USA, many human communities rely on water from rivers and reservoirs that originates in watersheds where sedimentation is projected to increase. Increased sedimentation could negatively impact water supply and quality for some communities, in addition to affecting stream channel stability and aquatic ecosystems.
Prognosis and treatment of positive peritoneal cytology in early endometrial cancer: matched cohort analyses from the National Cancer Database.

Background While positive peritoneal cytology is no longer included among the endometrial cancer staging criteria, Federation International de Gynecologie et Obstetrique recommends continued collection of pelvic washings for cytology to produce additional data that may be used to determine the significance of positive cytology for prognosis and treatment of endometrial cancer. Objectives The objectives of the study was to validate that positive cytology is a predictor of decreased survival in early endometrial cancer and to test whether adjuvant chemotherapy for positive cytology is associated with increased survival. Study Design We performed an observational retrospective cohort analysis of the 2010–2013 National Cancer Database including women with cytology status and Federation International de Gynecologie et Obstetrique stage IA–II endometrial cancer. Overall cohort and matched cohort survival analyses were performed with and without imputation of missing data. We also performed survival analyses of women with positive cytology grouped by chemotherapy exposure. Multivariable Cox proportional-hazards regressions were performed to adjust for possible confounders. A variety of sensitivity analyses, including robustness of results to possible unmeasured confounding, were reported. Results A total of 16,851 women including 953 with positive cytology were included. Four-year overall survival was 79.5% (range, 76.2–83.0%) for women with stage I/II with positive cytology vs 92.2% (range, 91.5–92.9%), 83.3% (range, 81.6–84.9%), and 86.8% (range, 85.1–88.5%) for stage IA, IB, and II with negative cytology, respectively (P ≤ .001). Positive cytology was associated with decreased survival (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.85 [range, 1.54–2.21], P Conclusion Positive peritoneal cytology was associated with decreased overall survival of women with Federation International de Gynecologie et Obstetrique stage I/II endometrial cancer, including low-grade endometrioid endometrial cancer. Treatment of women with stage I/II endometrial cancer and positive cytology with adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with increased survival.
Metabolic correlates of ethanol, acetaldehyde, acetate and methanol in humans and animals.

Following the administration of alcoholic beverages, ethanol exerts a number of direct and indirect effects on the body and in turn, ethanol is itself metabolized. Liver and brain are twomajor organs which are immediately concerned with the effects of ethanol. Ethanol acts as CNS depressant and as a source of energy. Since the metabolism of ethain the liver proceeds at a constant rate until completion,acetate is produced regardless of energy requirements of the body. Thus, ethanol plays the role of an aberrant nutrient. Although ethanol has no effect on oxygen consumption in the liver, it severely suppresses the productionof carbon dioxide in the Krebs cycle resulting in the corresponding suppressionof respiratory quotient. This indicates that ethanol diverts the utilizationof oxygen for the oxidationof reducing, equivalents which accumulate as a consequence of increased formation of NADH. This is reflected in the shift from the oxidative to reductive components of a number of oxido-reductive couples, e.g.: pyruvate-lactate, oxaloacetate-malate and acetoacetate-beta-hydroxybutyrate. These actions of ethanol are exarcerbated by the fact that the metabolism of ethanol is also associated with the diversion of the availability of a number of enzymes and coenzymes from the metabolism of endogenous substrates towards the metabolism of metabolites of ethanol, thus resulting in the competitive inhibitionof a number of enzyme catalyzed reactions, e.g., inhibition of methanol metabolism during long-term consumption resulting in the acumulation of methanol in body fluids; shift in the peripheral metabolism of biogenic amines from oxidative to reductive pathways; and formation of aberrant neurotransmitters (in vitro); inhibition of the oxidation of fatty acids in the liver...
Magnetized Flows and Pulsed-Power Devices

This chapter concerns the phenomena that occur within the magnetized flows one can produce using high-energy-density facilities, and the generation of high-energy-density conditions that involve strong magnetic fields. It begins with a brief summary of the motions of charged particles in magnetic fields. The bulk of the chapter concerns the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations and their consequences, including magnetic-field generation by various mechanisms, field transport by the Nernst effect, waves and shock waves in MHD plasmas, the magnetized Rayleigh-Taylor instability, and magnetic reconnection. Pulsed magnetic coils, Z-pinches , and flyer plates are discussed as experimental systems involving strong magnetic effects.
Chapter 94 - Encephalitis

Encephalitis is an infectious or inflammatory disorder of the brain that presents with fever, headache, and an altered level of consciousness. There may also be focal or multifocal neurologic deficits, and focal or generalized seizure activity. Of the infectious etiologies, herpesviruses are the most common and some of the few treatable viral causative agents of encephalitis. The etiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of viral encephalitis is discussed in this chapter.
Emergence of Conditional Stimulus Relations and Transfer of Respondent Eliciting Functions Among Compound Stimuli

Previous research has demonstrated that conditioned elicitation functions can transfer via stimulus equivalence classes. However, thus far investigations in this area have been limited to stimulus equivalence classes involving single element stimuli. This study attempted to demonstrate the transfer of eliciting functions via emergent relations involving compound stimuli. Eight college students participated in this study. Six of these participated in all experimental procedures, while the remaining two served as controls and did not receive some phases of the experiment. The experimental participants were first taught nine conditional relations of compound stimuli and unitary stimuli (AC-B & BC-A) using match-to-sample training. They were then tested for the emergence of untrained relations involving different combinations of the previously learne9 compound-single element relations and compound-compound relations (AC-AC or AB-AB or BC-BC). A classical conditioning procedure was then performed in which one compound stimulus from one class was paired with mild electric shock (1.0-2.0 mA) while two other compounds from two different classes were presented in the absence of shock. Participants were then presented with other compounds from the appropriate classes to assess whether the eliciting function had transferred to stimuli which were members of the same class as the originally conditioned stimulus. The control participants received the same procedures except for the initial conditional discrimination training of the compound-single relations and the testing for the emergence of compound-single relations. Four of thoe six experimental participants demonstrated transfer of the eliciting function. An analysis of the performance of both of the individuals who failed to demonstrate the transfer revealed that they may have failed to ° maintain the classes throughout the experiment. One participant discontinued the experiment before further procedures
Toward scalable learning with non-uniform class and cost distributions: a case study in credit card fraud detection

Very large databases with skewed class distributions and non-uniform cost per error are not uncommon in real-world data mining tasks. We devised a multi-classifier meta-learning approach to address these three issues. Our empirical results from a credit card fraud detection task indicate that the approach can significantly reduce loss due to illegitimate transactions.
Kat2a and Kat2b Acetyltransferase Activity Regulates Craniofacial Cartilage and Bone Differentiation in Zebrafish and Mice.

Cranial neural crest cells undergo cellular growth, patterning, and differentiation within the branchial arches to form cartilage and bone, resulting in a precise pattern of skeletal elements forming the craniofacial skeleton. However, it is unclear how cranial neural crest cells are regulated to give rise to the different shapes and sizes of the bone and cartilage. Epigenetic regulators are good candidates to be involved in this regulation, since they can exert both broad as well as precise control on pattern formation. Here, we investigated the role of the histone acetyltransferases Kat2a and Kat2b in craniofacial development using TALEN/CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis in zebrafish and the Kat2ahat/hat (also called Gcn5) allele in mice. kat2a and kat2b are broadly expressed during embryogenesis within the central nervous system and craniofacial region. Single and double kat2a and kat2b zebrafish mutants have an overall shortening and hypoplastic nature of the cartilage elements and disruption of the posterior ceratobranchial cartilages, likely due to smaller domains of expression of both cartilage- and bone-specific markers, including sox9a and col2a1, and runx2a and runx2b, respectively. Similarly, in mice we observe defects in the craniofacial skeleton, including hypoplastic bone and cartilage and altered expression of Runx2 and cartilage markers (Sox9, Col2a1). In addition, we determined that following the loss of Kat2a activity, overall histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) acetylation, the main epigenetic target of Kat2a/Kat2b, was decreased. These results suggest that Kat2a and Kat2b are required for growth and differentiation of craniofacial cartilage and bone in both zebrafish and mice by regulating H3K9 acetylation.
Comparative Study of Antibiotic Elution Profiles From Alternative Formulations of Polymethylmethacrylate Bone Cement.

Abstract Background Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement is commonly used in orthopedic surgery for implant fixation and local antibiotic delivery following surgical debridement. The incidence of nephrotoxicity necessitates the balance of antiinfective properties with the potential for toxicity. Thus, understanding antibiotic elution characteristics of different PMMA formulations is essential. We sought to address this by assessing elution of vancomycin, daptomycin, and tobramycin from Palacos LV (Palacos), Stryker Surgical Simplex P (Simplex), BIOMET Cobalt HV (Cobalt), and Zimmer Biomet Bone Cement R (Zimmer) radiopaque bone cements. Methods Antibiotics were mixed with each cement formulation, and molds were used to produce beads of cement. Beads were incubated in phosphate-buffered saline at 37°C, and antibiotic elution was measured daily for 10 days with vancomycin and 5 days with daptomycin and tobramycin. Active antibiotic was quantified by serial dilution and comparison to the minimum inhibitory concentration. Results The elution profiles of Simplex were significantly lower than all other cements with all antibiotics (P .43), but both were significantly higher than Zimmer (P Conclusion Overall, Stryker Surgical Simplex P exhibits a significantly lower elution profile than all other cements tested. In general, Palacos LV exhibits an increased elution profile compared with other cements. This elution information may assist the surgeon in choosing different cement formulations for the local delivery of antibiotics.