cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baryon Transport Dynamics: From P — P to PB — PB Collisions

Significant baryon stopping and strange hyperon production in heavy nuclear interactions has been recently observed at the CERN SPS [1,2,3,4,5]. The data is significantly under-predicted by models which use diquark-quark (qq − q) hadronic strings for their primary baryon number transport mechanism [6,7] and has thus generated much interest. We therefore study new baryon number transport mechanisms in order to differentiate non-equilibrium multi-particle production dynamics from any new sought after physics. We begin this study by reviewing two new mechanisms as implemented in the VENUS [8] and in a modified version of the dual parton model (DPM) [9] event generators. We then study a third new [10] mechanism, where the baryon number is specifically transferred via gluonic junctions. This mechanism has been implemented in the Monte Carlo event generator, HIJING/B[11], a new version of the HIJING model[12]. W e show that this gluonic mechanism can account for the observed large mid-rapidity valence baryon distribution at the SPS and predicts high baryon densities at RHIC. The highly enhanced hyperon yield and transverse momentum flow observed in PbPb collisions at the SPS can, however, only be partially reproduced by this model.
A preliminary study of sepsis progression in an animal model using agent-based modeling

AbstractPatients who have sepsis are most likely to suffer from organ dysfunction. Organ dysfunction caused by sepsis results in high mortality rate and health care financial loss. The complexity of sepsis results in various dynamic patterns of sepsis for individual patients. Agent-based models provide a means to capture complex information in sepsis development by synthesizing concepts of sepsis progression to a model. Compared to a traditional mathematical modeling approach, agent-based models map interactions among agents to interactions among cells by embedding spatial effect, stochastic nature, and dynamics transitions, thereby demonstrating suitability for the development of complex biological processes. This article presents an integrated-mathematical-multi-agent-based model (IMMAB) to model and simulate acute inflammatory response (AIR), an initial stage of sepsis progression. To our knowledge, this IMMAB is the first version of an agent-based model that measures quantitative levels of indicators ...
A software development course based on server-side Javascript

Full stack (both server-side and client-side) web application development has become one of the primary forms of software development. Consequently, our students should develop skill in software engineering within this context. This presents a challenge because multiple frameworks and languages need to be used, they are rapidly changing, and the programming styles that are important (such as functional programming and event-driven programming) are non-trivial and often new to students. Here we provide a preliminary report on a course that addresses this challenge by being both a first course in a software engineering sequence and an introduction to full stack web application development using current technologies. The course is the third course in the curriculum of a computer science major.
Micro- and Ultrastructural Characterization of Age-Related Changes at the Anterior Cruciate Ligament-to-Bone Insertion.

There remains a lack of understanding of the structural changes that occur across the complex, multitissue anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-to-bone insertion as a function of aging. The objective of this study is to provide a multiscale comparison of matrix properties across the skeletally immature and mature ACL-to-bone insertion. Using complementary imaging methods, micro- and ultrastructural analysis of the insertion revealed that collagen fiber orientation at the interface changes with age, though the degree of collagen organization is maintained over time. These changes are accompanied by a decrease in collagen fibril density and are likely driven by physiological loading. Mineral crystal structure and crystallinity are conserved over time, despite regional differences in crystallinity between the interface and bone. This suggests that mineral chemistry is established early in development and underscores its important functional role. Collectively, these findings provide new insights into interface d...
CBCT uses in clinical endodontics: the effect of CBCT on the ability to locate MB2 canals in maxillary molars.

Aim To determine whether a CBCT volume can aid in the location of MB2 canals in maxillary molars. Methodology This prospective clinical study involved 50 patients that needed RCT on a maxillary molar. The teeth where the MB2 was located upon access with the dental operating microscope received routine root canal treatment, and teeth where MB2 was not located had a CBCT volume made after instrumenting the located canals. At the second appointment, the clinician used the aid of the CBCT volume and troughing to attempt to locate MB2. Results The clinicians located MB2 upon initial access in 70% (n = 35) of teeth. In the remaining 15 teeth, CBCT and troughing located MB2 53% of the time in that group (8/15 teeth). Overall, MB2 was located in 86% of the 50 first and second maxillary molars (maxillary first molars 90% and maxillary second molars 73%). A total of 15 CBCT volumes were made, and of these teeth, 33% of MB2 canals (5/15 teeth) were visualized on the CBCT volume. Conclusions This prospective clinical study showed that the effectiveness of using CBCT to locate additional MB2 canals in maxillary molars appears limited. The use of the dental operating microscope in conjunction with selective troughing and CBCT imaging allowed clinicians to locate 90% (maxillary first molars) and 73% (maxillary second molars) of MB2 canals.
In Search of Middle Ground: An Evangelical Approach to Issues in Public Education

(1987). In Search of Middle Ground: An Evangelical Approach to Issues in Public Education. Religion & Public Education: Vol. 14, No. 2, pp. 157-165.
A Large-Scale Elastic Environment for Scientific Computing

The relatively recent introduction of infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) clouds, such as Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2), provide users with the ability to deploy custom software stacks in virtual machines (VMs) across different cloud providers. Users can leverage IaaS clouds to create elastic environments that outsource compute and storage as needed. Additionally, these environments can adapt dynamically to demand, scaling up as demand increases and scaling down as demand decreases. In this paper, we present a large-scale elastic environment that extends cluster resources managers (e.g. Torque) with IaaS resources. Our solution integrates with an open-source elastic manager, the Elastic Processing Unit (EPU), and includes the ability to periodically recontextualize the environment with a light-weight REST-based recontextualization broker. We deploy the Gluster file system to provide a shared file system for all nodes in the environment. Though our implementation currently only supports Torque, we also thoroughly discuss how our architecture can interface with different workflows, including Hadoop’s MapReduce workflows and Condor’s match-making and high-throughput capabilities. For evaluation, we demonstrate the ability to recontextualize 256-node environments within one second of the recontextualization period, scale to over 475 nodes in less than 15 minutes, and support parallel IO from distributed nodes.
Digital holographic image reconstruction and GPU acceleration

This REU project estimates the reference wave intensity needed by two-step-only quadrature phase shifting holography for 3D object recording and reconstruction, and implements digital holographic image reconstruction algorithms on a GPU to meet the real-time processing requirement. The performance on various image sizes is measured and compared between GPU-based and CPU-based implementations. The results show that using GPU to accelerate two-step-only quadrature phase-shifting digital holography can provide significant speedup.
Special Session: Designing an Integrated 3-Year Marketing Bachelor’s Degree Program

The proposed special session is a workshop to present and discuss the development of a 3-year Bachelor’s program in Marketing at a small New England university. The foundation of this curriculum model is the delivery, reinforcement, and application of knowledge to address and solve global business challenges. This is a model for innovating business higher education, and this session is designed to share the model and the development of a 3-year program for a marketing bachelor’s degree.
Crosstalk between histone modifications indicates that inhibition of arginine methyltransferase CARM1 activity reverses HIV latency

In eukaryotic cells, the gene expression status is strictly controlled by epigenetic modifications on chromatin. The repressive status of chromatin largely contributes to HIV latency. Studies have shown that modification of histone H3K27 acts as a key molecular switch for activation or suppression of many cellular genes. In this study, we found that K27-acetylated histone H3 specifically recruited Super Elongation Complex (SEC), the transcriptional elongation complex essential for HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR)-mediated and general cellular transcription. Interestingly, H3K27 acetylation further stimulates H3R26 methylation, which subsequently abrogates the recruitment of SEC, forming a negative feedback regulatory loop. Importantly, by inhibiting methyltransferase activity of CARM1, the enzyme responsible for H3R26 methylation, HIV-1 transcription is reactivated in several HIV latency cell models, including a primary resting CD4+ T cell model. When combined with other latency disrupting compounds such as JQ1 or vorinostat/SAHA, the CARM1 inhibitor achieved synergistic effects on HIV-1 activation. This study suggests that coordinated and dynamic modifications at histone H3K27 and H3R26 orchestrate HIV-1 LTR-mediated transcription, and potentially opens a new avenue to disrupt latent HIV-1 infection by targeting specific epigenetic enzymes.
A Spontaneous Mutation in Taar1 Impacts Methamphetamine-Related Traits Exclusively in DBA/2 Mice from a Single Vendor.

Major gene effects on traits associated with substance use disorders are rare. Previous findings in methamphetamine drinking (MADR) lines of mice, bred for high or low voluntary MA intake, and in null mutants demonstrate a major impact of the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (Taar1) gene on a triad of MA-related traits: MA consumption, MA-induced conditioned taste aversion and MA-induced hypothermia. While inbred strains are fundamentally genetically stable, rare spontaneous mutations can become fixed and result in new or aberrant phenotypes. A single nucleotide polymorphism in Taar1 that encodes a missense proline to threonine mutation in the second transmembrane domain (Taar1m1J ) has been identified in the DBA/2J strain. MA is an agonist at this receptor, but the receptor produced by Taar1m1J does not respond to MA or endogenous ligands. In the present study, we used progeny of the C57BL/6J × DBA/2J F2 cross, the MADR lines, C57BL/6J × DBA/2J recombinant inbred strains, and DBA/2 mice sourced from four vendors to further examine Taar1-MA phenotype relations and to define the chronology of the fixation of the Taar1m1J mutation. Mice homozygous for Taar1m1J were found at high frequency early in selection for high MA intake in multiple replicates of the high MADR line, whereas Taar1m1J homozygotes were absent in the low MADR line. The homozygous Taar1m1J genotype is causally linked to increased MA intake, reduced MA-induced conditioned taste aversion, and reduced MA-induced hypothermia across models. Genotype-phenotype correlations range from 0.68 to 0.96. This Taar1 polymorphism exists in DBA/2J mice sourced directly from The Jackson Laboratory, but not DBA/2 mice sourced from Charles River (DBA/2NCrl), Envigo (formerly Harlan Sprague Dawley; DBA/2NHsd) or Taconic (DBA/2NTac). By genotyping archived samples from The Jackson Laboratory, we have determined that this mutation arose in 2001-2003. Our data strengthen the conclusion that the mutant Taar1m1J allele, which codes for a non-functional receptor protein, increases risk for multiple MA-related traits, including MA intake, in homozygous Taar1m1J individuals.
Controller Synthesis for Two-Time-Scale Nonlinear Processes

Abstract This paper concerns two-time-scale single-input single-output nonlinear processes. For such processes, we address and solve the problem of synthesizing well-conditioned state feedback control laws that induce a well-characterized input/output behavior and guarantee stability of the closed-loop system.
Limitations to implementing alcohol screening with an electronic clinical reminder in the Veterans Affairs health-care system: a qualitative study

Implementation of alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI) is a prevention priority. The Veterans Affairs (VA) Healthcare System uses a clinical reminder (CR) in the electronic medical record to prompt and document results of screening and trigger a subsequent CR for BI when screening is positive. Although screening rates are over 90%, marked variability in screening quality has been documented. Four researchers observed clinician interactions with CRs during alcohol screening at nine primary care clinics in the northwest US to identify barriers and facilitators to using CRs to implement quality screening. Observers took handwritten notes, which were transcribed and analyzed qualitatively using an a priori coding template adapted during analyses. We observed 58 support staff (25 registered nurses, 26 licensed practical nurses, and seven health technicians) caring for 166 patients. Alcohol screening prompted by the CR was often uncomfortable and of low quality. Clinicians often offered disclaimers prior to screening or made adjustments to how questions were presented, with some citing the sensitive nature of the questions. Verbal screening typically did not include asking questions verbatim. There was substantial variability in methods of conducting screening across clinics, with some using the CR to facilitate in-person screening by interview and others entering patient responses into the CR after completion of a paper-based screen. Although the CR was designed to trigger a subsequent CR for BI when positive, some clinics used paper encounter forms for this. Findings suggest that VA CRs have important limitations as a method of facilitating effective, high-quality alcohol screening. Barriers observed reflect a combination of limitations of CR technology (and the alcohol screening CR specifically), ways the CR was implemented, clinical workflow, complexity of patient needs, and alcohol-related stigma. Future research should address these barriers to effectively implement recommended care.
Vicariance, Dispersal, and Plate Tectonics

Probably the greatest debate in the history of biogeography concerns the relative extent to which dispersal, as opposed to vicariance, can best explain the evolution and distribution of organisms. This is, in fact, a debate that even occupied many natural historians who did not believe in evolution. The different views of such scientists as Buffon, Linnaeus, de Candolle pere, Hooker, Wallace, and Darwin were discussed in Chapter 4. What is relevant here, however, is how, in the modern scientific framework of paleobiogeography, we should view both vicariance and dispersal.
Analysis of the Multiple Effects of Vasoactive and Positive Inotropic Agents on Cardiovascular System Variables

Hypertension in patients following coronary artery surgery is commonly treated with manually administered sodium nitroprusside (SNP) infusion based on a single variable, either mean arterial pressure (MAP) or peak systolic pressure.2, 3, 5, 12, 13 This practice fails to take account of the effects of systemic resistance changes, blood volume redistribution, and possible reflex responses upon aortic blood flow (FLO) and therefore cardiac output. The interactions between these and other variables may be undesirable in the management of critically ill patients. This study was made to further delineate the responses of the cardiovascular system variables to sodium nitroprusside (SNP), epinephrine (EPI) and dopamine (DOP).
Urethral Stent Complications and Methods for Explantation

The UroLume endourethral prosthesis (American Medical Systems) is a braided wire mesh cylinder that self expands upon endoscopic placement. Indications for the urethral stent are very limited and narrowed to recurrent and short bulbar strictures that are distal to the external sphincter, in patients who are older or have co-morbidities that severely increase anesthetic risk. Contraindications to urethral stent placement include pendulous ure-thral strictures, traumatic membranous strictures, meatal strictures, strictures that cannot be cut or dilated sufficiently, active urinary tract infection, urethral fistula or cancer, and perineal urethros-tomy. Relative contraindications that predispose to failure and severe complications are prior ure-throplasty, prior pelvic irradiation, and long stricture length. Re-stenoses usually occur within the first year of implantation. Typical complications include recurrent stricture, chronic pain, chordee, post void dribbling, and stent encrustation. It is the off-label use of the UroLume that leads to the most severe complications. Detailed here-in are surgical methods for managing the complex problem of failed UroLume stent, in particular explantation and subsequent urethral reconstruction.
Privacy Preserving Tâtonnement

Leon Walras’ theory of general equilibrium put forth the notion of tâtonnement as a process by which equilibrium prices are determined. Recently, Cole and Fleischer provided tâtonnement algorithms for both the classic One-Time and Ongoing Markets with guaranteed bounds for convergence to equilibrium prices. However, in order to reach equilibrium, trade must occur outside of equilibrium prices, which violates the underlying Walrasian Auction model. We propose a cryptographic solution to this game theoretic problem, and demonstrate that a secure multiparty computation protocol for the One-Time Market allows buyers and sellers to jointly compute equilibrium prices by simulating trade outside of equilibrium. This approach keeps the utility functions of all parties private, revealing only the final equilibrium price. Our approach has a real world application, as a similar market exists in the Tokyo Commodity Exchange where a trusted third party is employed. We prove that the protocol is inherently incentive compatible, such that no party has an incentive to use a dishonest utility function. We demonstrate security under the standard semi-honest model, as well as an extension to the stronger Accountable Computing framework.
Effects of Ketamine on Brain Activity During Emotional Processing: Differential Findings in Depressed Versus Healthy Control Participants

Abstract Background In the search for novel treatments for depression, ketamine has emerged as a unique agent with rapid antidepressant effects. Experimental tasks involving emotional processing can be used during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning to investigate ketamine’s effects on brain function in major depressive disorder (MDD). This study examined ketamine’s effects on functional magnetic resonance imaging activity during an emotional processing task. Methods A total of 33 individuals with treatment-resistant MDD and 24 healthy control participants (HCs) took part in this double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study. Participants received ketamine and placebo infusions 2 weeks apart, and functional magnetic resonance imaging scans were conducted at baseline and 2 days after each infusion. Blood oxygen level–dependent signal was measured during an emotional processing task, and a linear mixed-effects model was used to analyze differences in activation among group, drug, and task-specific factors. Results A group-by-drug interaction was observed in several brain regions, including a right frontal cluster extending into the anterior cingulate cortex and insula. Participants with MDD had greater activity than HCs after placebo infusion but showed lower activity after ketamine infusion, which was similar to the activity in HCs after placebo. A group-by-drug-by-task condition interaction was also found, which showed further differences that varied between implicit and explicit emotional conditions. Conclusions The main results indicate that ketamine had differential effects on brain activity in participants with MDD versus HCs. The pattern of activation in participants with MDD after ketamine infusion resembled the activation in HCs after placebo infusion, suggesting a normalization of function during emotional processing. The findings contribute to a better understanding of ketamine’s actions in the brain.
EPI distortion correction for simultaneous human brain stimulation and imaging at 3T

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) can be paired with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in simultaneous TMS-fMRI experiments. These multimodal experiments enable causal probing of network architecture in the human brain which can complement alternative network mapping approaches. Critically, merely introducing the TMS coil into the scanner environment can sometimes produce substantial magnetic field inhomogeneities and spatial distortions which limit the utility of simultaneous TMS-fMRI. We assessed the efficacy of point spread function corrected echo planar imaging (PSF-EPI) in correcting for the field inhomogeneities associated with a TMS coil at 3T. In phantom and brain scans, we quantitatively compared the coil-induced distortion artifacts measured in PSF-EPI scans to artifacts measured in conventional echo-planar imaging (EPI) and a simultaneous multi-slice sequence (SMS)-EPI. While we observed substantial coil-related artifacts in the data produced by the conventional EPI and SMS sequences, PSF-EPI produced data that had significantly greater signal-to-noise and less distortions. In phantom scans with the PSF-EPI sequence, we also characterized the temporal profile of dynamic artifacts associated with TMS delivery and found that image quality remained high as long as the TMS pulse preceded the RF excitation pulses by at least 50ms. Lastly, we validated the PSF-EPI sequence in human brain scans involving TMS and motor behavior as well as resting state fMRI scans. Our collective results demonstrate the superiority of PSF-EPI over conventional EPI and SMS sequences for simultaneous TMS-fMRI when coil-related artifacts are a concern. The ability to collect high quality resting state fMRI data in the same session as the simultaneous TMS-fMRI experiment offers a unique opportunity to interrogate network architecture in the human brain.
Capon-based single-snapshot DOA estimation in monostatic MIMO radar

We consider the problem of single snapshot direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation of multiple targets in monostatic multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radar. When only a single snapshot is used, the sample covariance matrix of the data becomes non-invertible and, therefore, does not permit application of Capon-based DOA estimation techniques. On the other hand, low-resolution techniques, such as the conventional beamformer, suffer from biased estimation and fail to resolve closely spaced sources. In this paper, we propose a new Capon-based method for DOA estimation in MIMO radar using a single radar pulse. Assuming that the angular locations of the sources are known a priori to be located within a certain spatial sector, we employ multiple transmit beams to focus the transmit energy of multiple orthogonal waveforms within the desired sector. The transmit weight vectors are carefully designed such that they have the same transmit power distribution pattern. As compared to the standard MIMO radar, the proposed approach enables transmitting an arbitrary number of orthogonal waveforms. By using matched-filtering at the receiver, the data associated with each beam is extracted yielding a virtual data snapshot. The total number of virtual snapshots is equal to the number of transmit beams. By choosing the number of transmit beams to be larger than the number of receive elements, it becomes possible to form a full-rank sample covariance matrix. The Capon beamformer is then applied to estimate the DOAs of the targets of interest. The proposed method is shown to have improved DOA estimation performance as compared to conventional single-snapshot DOA estimation methods.
Photon scattering from a cold, Gaussian atom cloud

We study the effect of a weakly driven atomic cloud's polarization distribution on its photon scattering line shape in the limit where the atoms can be treated as stationary and randomly distributed. We find three distinct polarization regimes. First, for dilute clouds, the polarization magnitude is relatively constant. Second, for denser clouds, polarization builds at the front of the cloud for near-resonant light. Third, when the cloud condenses to the point where its dimensions become comparable to the wavelength, light focuses towards the back of the cloud for red detuning. For these regimes, we show which ``mean-field'' frameworks accurately describe the differing photon-scattering line shapes. Finally, for even denser clouds, mean-field models become inaccurate and necessitate the full point dipole model that includes atom-atom correlations.
Risk factors for atypical hyperplasia of the breast

3232 Atypical breast lesions, including atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) and atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH), carry higher risks of progression to breast cancer than other types of lesions. ADH and ALH are characterized by cells that have acquired some of the neoplastic characteristics of ductal carcinoma in situ or lobular carcinoma in situ, respectively. Risk factors for atypical hyperplasia remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors associated with atypical hyperplasia in an epidemiologically well-characterized benign breast disease (BBD) cohort of 4970 primary BBD subjects drawn from a large, multi-ethnic, primary care patient population, diagnosed by surgical biopsies in the Henry Ford Health System from 1981-1994, and followed for 8-21 years after BBD diagnosis. From this primary BBD cohort, 410 subjects (84 African American and 326 white, aged 18-84 years), for whom eligible interview data were available, were sampled to assess the association of risk factors and atypical hyperplasia (AH). The BBD lesions were classified as nonproliferative, proliferative without atypia, or proliferative with AH. Atypical hyperplasia was either ductal (ADH) or lobular (ALH). Of the 410 selected BBD subjects, 24 had AH, inclusive of ADH or ALH, and 386 had non-AH lesions. Risk factors evaluated for this study included race, age, age at menarche, marital status, parity, body mass index, smoking, and the number of BBD lesions. Univariate analysis was performed to calculate odds ratios for each risk factor and its association with AH. Those risk factors with statistical significance were entered into a multivariate logistic regression analysis. We found that multiple lesions were present in 70% of our 4970 person BBD cohort. A subset analysis of 24 BBD patients with AH and 386 BBD without AH indicates that increasing lesion number is an independent factor favoring the presence of atypical hyperplasia. In addition, the multivariate logistic regression analysis indicates that lesion number is associated with an increased incidence of AH independent of age. The finding that AH is increased in women older than 50 years, who may be considered as postmenopausal, supports the concept of progression to breast cancer from BBD with time. Supported by NIH R01 CA 709233
Ambiguity in a Charismatic Revival: Inverting Gender, Age and Power Relations in Vanuatu

During a Christian revival movement on Ahamb Island in Vanuatu in 2014, gender- and age-based hierarchies were inverted as women and children were given divine authority and men were positioned as ...
Stability of spherically confined free boundary drops with line tension

We study the geometry of a stable drop of incompressible liquid constrained to lie in a spherical container. The energy functional is comprised of the surface tension, the wetting energy and the line tension. It is shown that the only stable equilibrium drops having the topology of a disc are flat discs and spherical caps. Sharp conditions for the stability of equilibrium spherical caps and flat discs are given.
LATE BIOPROSTHETIC VALVE THROMBOSIS: IS THERE MORE TO IT?

Bioprosthetic valve thrombosis (BPVT) is a relatively rare clinical entity. BPVT surveillance, treatment modality and duration of anticoagulation is controversial. A 53 year old male presented with acute dyspnea and heart failure exacerbation. History includes mitral valve replacement in 2015 with
The Impact of Electoral Rules and Reforms on Election Outcomes

During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, American elections underwent a series of reforms that weakened partisan control over elections. The variation in the electoral rules during this perio...
Using the NAM diagnostic process framework to teach clinical reasoning in computerized case presentations to 251 medical students.

Objectives Explicit education on diagnostic reasoning is underrepresented relative to the burden of diagnostic errors. Medical educators report curricular time is a major barrier to implementing new curricula. The authors propose using concise student-identified educational opportunities -- differential diagnosis and summary statement writing -- to justify curriculum development in diagnostic reasoning. Methods Eighteen clerkship and 235 preclinical medical students participated in a 1 h computerized case presentation and facilitated discussion. Students were surveyed on their attitudes toward the case. Results All 18 (100% response) clerkship students and 121 of the 235 preclinical students completed the survey. Students felt the module was effective and relevant. They proposed medical schools consider longitudinal computerized case presentations as an educational strategy. Conclusions A computerized case presentation is a concise instructional strategy to teach critical points in diagnosis to clerkship and preclinical medical students.
Quick cuts: A comparative study of two tools for ring tourniquet removal.

Abstract Background Ring tourniquet occurs when a ring becomes entrapped due to swelling or trauma. As the finger expands the blood flow restriction causes additional swelling, which can lead to nerve damage and other complications. Ring tourniquet can be an emergency that requires rapid ring removal. Standard devices for ring removal have been described but rarely tested. We conducted a randomized study to compare removal time, user and participant satisfaction and complications between a motorized diamond disc ring cutter (MDDRC) and a ring cutter attached to trauma shears (TS). Methods In pairs, emergency medicine providers removed rings using both devices and wore randomized rings to be removed (silver or steel). Each effort was timed from initiation to removal. After each effort both user and subject rated their satisfaction with the device, using a visual analog scale and reported any complications. Median and interquartile ranges were generated for the primary and secondary outcomes with 95% confidence intervals where applicable. Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests were calculated with a = 0.05 to compare removal time and secondary outcomes between the two tools. Results Thirty subjects completed the study. Median time to ring removal was significantly lower with the TS compared to the MDDRC (7.7 vs 67.0 s, p Conclusion This study is the first to compare efficacy, satisfaction and complications of two standard tools for removal of ring tourniquets. The TS took significantly less time than the GEM MDDRC and demonstrated significantly better satisfaction for both the ring wearer and ring remover.
THINKING ABOUT GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

Climate change is a world-class problem in both meanings of that term. The “Global Climate Change: Linking Energy, Environment, Economy and Equity” linkages that are the subject of this book demonstrate the global reach of the effects, and their complexity challenges the most nimble of minds and the deepest of intellects. No short chapter could summarize these linkages, even if they were all clear. And no chapter of any length could interpret and define these linkages because so far they defy clear articulation.
Surface Transportation and Regional Output: A Spatial Panel Approach

This paper studies regional impact of three mature surface transportation infrastructures in the northeast corridor of the US: highways, public railways and public transit. Infrastructure stock is valued in real terms from 1991 to 2009. A spatial panel approach with fixed effects is adopted to test the hypothesis of spillovers by allowing for spatial heterogeneity. The result shows that surface transportation infrastructure in general does have a significant impact on regional output, most of which is from spillover effect; highways have an overwhelming influence through both local effects and spillover effects. The impacts from public railways and transit are not significant, but transit does show a positive though small spillover effect.
Age effects on clinical and neurocognitive risk factors for suicide attempt in depression - Findings from the AFSP lifespan study.

Abstract Background Studies of risk factors for suicidal behavior are typically restricted to narrow age ranges, making it difficult to determine if they have the same relevance or potency across the full adult lifespan. Methods This study examined selected clinical and neurocognitive risk factors for suicidal behavior – borderline personality traits, aggression, depressive rumination, memory performance, and language fluency– in a multi-site sample (N = 309, ages 16–80) of depressed patients with a recent (last 5 years) suicide attempt or no history of attempt, and demographically similar non-psychiatric controls. We examined cross-sectional age and attempter/non-attempter differences on these risk factors, and whether certain risk factors were more prominent discriminators of past suicide attempt earlier or later in the lifespan. Correlations with age were computed, and logistic regression was used to classify attempter status based on each risk factor and its interaction with age. Results Nearly all risk factors were negatively correlated with age. Borderline traits, aggression, memory, and category fluency each predicted attempter status (p Limitations The cross-sectional design limits our developmental findings. Conclusions Despite age-related changes in symptom severity or neurocognitive performance, key risk factors for suicidal behavior previously identified in studies with more restricted age-ranges are salient throughout the adult lifespan. In contrast, depressive rumination may be particularly salient in later life.
Analysis of Initial Stage Sintering by Computer Simulation

The sintering of a row of spherical particles is computer simulated by a method which eliminates geometric approximations. Results for neck growth, and the rate law exponent for evaporation-condensation, surface diffusion, volume diffusion and grain boundary diffusion have been simulated and compared with those obtained from integrated sintering equations by others. The sintering involving five major mechanisms simultaneously is also simulated. The result shows that significant errors could occur if geometrical approximations are involved. It also shows that the rate law exponent is dependent on variables like heating rate, sintering temperature and atmosphere.
Accounting for unknown systematic errors in Rietveld refinements: a Bayesian statistics approach

A method has been developed to address the effects of systematic errors in Rietveld refinements using powder diffraction data. Relevant errors were categorized into multiplicative, additive and peak-shape types. Corrections for these errors were incorporated into structural refinements using a Bayesian statistics approach, with the corrections themselves treated as nuisance parameters and marginalized out of the analysis. Structural parameters refined using the proposed method represent probability-weighted averages over all possible error corrections. The developed formalism has been adapted to least-squares minimization algorithms and implemented as an extension to the Rietveld software package GSAS-II. The technique was first tested using neutron and X-ray diffraction data simulated for PbSO4 and then applied to the equivalent experimental data sets for the same compound. The results obtained using the simulated data confirmed that the proposed method yields significantly more accurate estimates of structural parameters and their uncertainties than standard refinements. The benefits were particularly significant for joint refinements using neutron and X-ray diffraction data because accounting for systematic errors enabled more adequate weighting of the individual data sets.
On the Integration of a Large Number of Life Science Web Databases

The integration of life science web databases is an important research subject that has an impact on the rate at which new biological discoveries are made. However, addressing the interoperability of life science databases presents serious challenges, particularly when the databases are accessed through their web interfaces. Some of these challenges include the fact that life science databases are numerous and their access interface may change often. This paper proposes techniques that take into account these challenges and shows how these techniques were implemented in the context of BACIIS, a federation of life science web databases.
A NOTEWORTHY NEW NATURAL HYBRID IN THE GENUS OERSTEDELLA RCHB.F. (ORCHIDACEAE: LAELIINAE)

T h e n a t u r a l h y b r i d O e r s t e d e l l a x m o n t e v e r d e n s i s (O . e n d r e s i i x O . e x a s p e r a t a ) , f r o m t h e Monteverde area, Cordillera de Tilaran, and from the northern slopes of the Cordillera de Talamanca, Costa Rica, is described and illustrated. The flowers show intermediate characters between the putative parents. Sepals and petals are pale golden brown, and the lip white flushed with violet. The new natural hybrid is similar to O. endresii in the verrucose stems, the glabrous abaxial surface of the sepals and the entire mar- gins of the lateral lobes of lip; it is similar to O. exasperata in vegetative architecture, as well in the narrow isthmus of the lip and the prominent central keel of the midlobe.
Abstract 5573: p62/IMP2 promotes breast cancer cell progression

Breast cancer is one of the major causes of cancer-related death for women throughout the world. Although the early detection of breast cancer is improving, the strategies available to treat the advanced stages of this disease remain limited. Therefore, the identification of key molecules that regulate the metastatic process is necessary to provide the rationale for further therapeutic interventions. The IGF2 mRNA-binding Protein 2 (IMP2/IGF2BP2/p62) is a member of the IMP family. Expression of IMPs in cancer cells is associated with cancer progression. Our previous studies showed that p62/IMP2 is overexpressed in breast cancer tissue compared to the adjacent normal breast tissue. However, the role of p62/IMP2 in breast cancer progression remains unknown. Here, we present evidence that transfection of p62/IMP2 into two p62/IMP2 negative cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7) increases 5 to 10 folds (P Our analysis shows that the overexpression of p62/IMP2 leads to increased c-myc expression in MDA-MB-231 cells but not MCF-7 cells at both the transcriptional and translational levels. In contrast, beta-catenin expression is increased by p62/IMP2 only in MCF7 cells. Since c-myc and beta-catenin gene products are important regulators of metastasis in breast cancer, and their increased expression is observed in our p62/IMP2 transfectants, our data suggests that p62/IMP2 may be an important mediator of breast cancer progression, although its mechanism of action may vary depending on the cellular context in which it is expressed. Citation Format: Yang Li, Bo Peng, Jing Ning, Wei Qian, Gulio Francia, Jianying Zhang. p62/IMP2 promotes breast cancer cell progression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5573. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5573
NMR Studies of Biomolecular Dynamics and Structural Plasticity Using Residual Dipolar Couplings

Abstract Due to their exquisite sensitivity to bond vector orientations and distances, residual dipolar couplings are emerging as a powerful NMR methodology for probing the conformational dynamics of biomolecules. The global organization of multi-domain proteins and complexes can now be accurately established in solution, providing insights into distinguishing structural features under different solution environments or with respect to the solid state. Collective motions of domains or secondary structural elements occurring over sub-millisecond timescales, which have resisted characterization using traditional techniques, can now be directly probed using suitable residual dipolar coupling-based techniques. Advances in methods for achieving molecular alignment and data interpretation are enabling characterization of motions with increasingly high resolution. There are now approaches for determining residual dipolar coupling-based generalized order parameters, which can complement their spin relaxation counterparts due to their broader timescale sensitivity. The existence of multiple conformations can now more easily be detected and the residual dipolar coupling data used to confirm or refute models for the conformational fluctuations. It can be expected that future biomolecular NMR studies will increasingly benefit from residual dipolar coupling applications which can recognize and account for molecular flexibility.
Multiple time scale analysis of manufacturing systems

In this paper we use results on the aggregation of singularly perturbed Markov chains to analyze manufacturing systems. The basis for this analysis is the presence in the system of events and processes that occur at markedly different rates - operations on machines, set-ups, failures, and repairs, etc. The result of the analysis is a set of models, each far simpler than the full model, describing system behavior over different time horizons. In addition, we present a new theoretical result on the computation of asymptotic rates of particular events in perturbed Markov processes, where an "event" may correspond to the occurrence of one of several transitions in the process. We may apply this result to compute effective production rates at different time scales, taking into account the occurrence of setups and failures.
Prevention of Lyme borreliosis.

Lyme borreliosis, the most common tick-borne disease in both North America and Europe, is acquired through the bite of certain tick species in the genus Ixodes. The number of Ixodes ticks in the environment can be reduced by relatively simple interventions such as removing leaf litter and brush, which increases exposure of the tick to sun and air and takes advantage of the tick’s vulnerability to desiccation, or by application of acaricides to property. Deer elimination or exclusion, application of topical acaricides to mice or deer, and application of systemic acaricides to deer are more complex approaches. However, none of these methods for reducing tick numbers, nor any of the recommended personal prevention measures, such as reducing the amount of exposed skin, use of tick repellents on exposed skin or clothing, and frequent tick checks to remove attached ticks expeditiously, has been demonstrated to decrease significantly the incidence of Lyme borreliosis in humans. Only two strategies have been shown to do so. A recombinant outer surface protein A (OspA) vaccine was approximately 80% effective in clinical trials in the United States, and a single 200 mg dose of doxycycline given within 72 hours of an I. scapularis tick bite, was shown to be 87% effective. The OspA vaccine is no longer manufactured due to poor sales. Consequently, single-dose doxycycline prophylaxis is rapidly gaining acceptance in the United States. Limiting single-dose doxycycline to just the highest risk tick bites can be accomplished if the health care provider has learned to differentiate engorged from unengorged I. scapularis ticks. Limitations of single-dose doxycycline prophylaxis are that the majority of patients with Lyme borreliosis do not recall a tick bite, and that there is no evidence that other Ixodes transmitted infections, such as human granulocytic ehrlichiosis, would be prevented. A safe, effective, inexpensive and well-accepted vaccine would be welcome.
Getting it right the first time: Alfred Chandler, anthracite coal, and the origins of American management

Purpose – This paper reconsiders the criticisms of the most influential theory of the rise of the large corporations, and to see how these criticisms can be met without entirely abandoning the basic elements of the theory.Design/methodology/approach – This problem is approached by first analyzing the weaknesses inherent in Chandler's theory as presented in The Visible Hand, and then by reworking elements of the theory by relying on data generated by other historical accounts.Findings – The author found that the theory could be salvaged by reordering the evolution of managerial practices based on a variety of historical studies, many not considered by Chandler, but even some of his own earlier work. Given these changes in historical order, vital managerial reforms can be placed sufficiently early that organizational techniques existed to solve the problems and exploit the opportunities that Chandler identifies as creating the pressures necessary to generate the large industrial corporation, thus responding...
The Application of Directional Solidification to a NASA Nickel-Base Alloy (TAZ-8B)

Directional solidification of nickel base alloy TAZ-8B to enhance potential for advanced gas turbine engine applications
Optical Analogs of Model Atoms in Fields

Everyone knows there are many analogies between optics and quantum mechanics. I would like to suggest here that some recent effects of interest for atoms in strong fields might possibly be realized in the propagation of light.
Reply: A more reliable design for biodiversity study?

Naeem and Li reply — Wardle's concerns arise from conflating biodiversity loss within an ecosystem ( our study 1) with biodiversity loss among ecosystems. To examine biodiversity loss within an ecosystem experimentally, a community is compared with more depauperate versions of itself2,3. This design mimics the pattern observed in nature and sheds light on theory and mechanisms. Our experiment followed this approach to test predictions of reliability theory based on the mechanism of compensatory growth among redundant species.
Semi-Representability of Default Theories in Rational Default Logic

Marek and Truszczynski studied the representability issue for default logic. They proved that an arbitrary default theory can be represented by a weak seminormal default theory provided the language \(\mathcal{L}\) has been extended by new atoms. We will prove in this paper that their construction preserves also rational and skeptical rational extensions.
A consideration of the validity and reliability of suicide mortality data.

Some issues concerning the validity of data on suicide in the United States are considered. The author "first briefly [outlines] the problems associated with the definition and official certification of suicide and then [reviews] the literature pertaining to the validity and reliability of suicide statistics. Finally [he considers] the process of suicide certification as a test and [estimates] its sensitivity specificity and predictive value using data from [the] studies reviewed...." (EXCERPT)