cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two-axis magnetically-driven MEMS scanning catheter for endoscopic high-speed optical coherence tomography

A two-axis scanning catheter was developed for 3D endoscopic imaging with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). The catheter incorporates a micro-mirror scanner implemented with microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology: the micro-mirror is mounted on a two-axis gimbal comprised of folded flexure hinges and is actuated by magnetic field. The scanner can run either statically in both axes or at the resonant frequency (>=350Hz) for the fast axis. The assembled catheter has an outer diameter of 2.8 mm and a rigid part of 12 mm in length. Its scanning range is ±20° in optical angle in both axes with low voltages (1~3V), resulting in a scannable length of approximately 1 mm at the surface in both axes, even with the small catheter size. The catheter was incorporated with a multi-functional SD-OCT system for 3D endoscopic imaging. Both intensity and polarization-sensitive images could be acquired simultaneously at 18.5K axial scans/s. In vivo 3D images of human fingertips and oral cavity tissue are presented as a demonstration.
Effect of Water Vapor on the Release of Fission Gases from Uranium Oxycarbide in High‐Temperature, Gas‐Cooled Reactor Coated Fuel Particles

This paper reports on the hydrolysis of uranium oxycarbides (UCO) that was studied by injecting water vapor into a fuel element containing a known number of high-temperature, gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) coated particles with exposed fuel kernels. The experiments were conducted in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) at temperatures between 700{degrees} and 1000{degrees}, a system pressure of 200 kPa, and partial pressures of water vapor between 21 and 199 Pa. The general sequential response of the exposed fuel kernels to water vapor addition consisted of a rapid release of stored fission gas with a concomitant increase in the steady-state release and a period of constant steady-state release.
Similar Others in Same-Sex Couples’ Social Networks

Same-sex couples experience unique minority stressors. It is known that strong social networks facilitate access to psychosocial resources that help people reduce and manage stress. However, little is known about the social networks of same-sex couples, in particular their connections to other same-sex couples, which is important to understand given that the presence of similar others in social networks can ameliorate social stress for stigmatized populations. In this brief report, we present data from a diverse sample of 120 same-sex couples in Atlanta and San Francisco. The median number of other same-sex couples known was 12; couples where one partner was non-Hispanic White and the other a person of color knew relatively few other same-sex couples; and there was a high degree of homophily within the social networks of same-sex couples. These data establish a useful starting point for future investigations of couples’ social networks, especially couples whose relationships are stigmatized or marginalize...
Seasonal variation in crassulacean acid metabolism in Dudleya blochmanae (Crassulaceae).

Plants of Dudleya blochmanae were studied over a growing season (December–June) in their native habitat on the central California coast. During the season soil water potential fluctuatdd widely, becoming unmeasurably negative (<-5.0 MPa) by early May. In contrast, leaf water potential did not fluctuate greatly with the most negative value of-0.56 MPa occurring in June. The leaves exhibited nocturnal accumulation of titratable acidity at all sampling periods, with the greatest magnitudes of accumulation occurring late in the growing season. The fruits also exhibited nocturnal accumulation of titratable acidity. The biomass δ13C values of all organs were most negative in December and least negative in June. The findings confirmed earlier suggestions that there may be biologically important differences in carbon isotope content among the various organs of a single plant of D. blochmanae. The water potential of thephotosynthetic organs was highly correlated (r2=0.84) with the biomas δ13C value. A greenhouse study demonstrated that the fruits exhibit an, apical dominance with regard to maintenance of plant water potential during drought.
External fixators for elective rearfoot and ankle arthrodesis: Techniques and indications

Since its introduction to the western hemisphere in the mid 1980's, Gavriel Ilizarov's ring fixator system has been studied extensively and shown to be a superior mechanical construct for stabilizing limb segments. This newfound form of external fixation has radically changed many elements of foot and ankle reconstruction, providing a modular device that can accommodate the complex limb deformities while performing multiple tasks. This article summarizes the authors' experience with compression arthrodesis of the rearfoot and ankle using external fixation.
Original intent and the copyright clause: Eldred v. Ashcroft gets It right

In Eldred v. Ashcroft, 537 U.S. 186 (2003), the Supreme Court construed the Copyright Clause of the Constitution and affirmed the constitutionality of the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998 (the "CTEA"). The Court held that Congress acted within its power under the Copyright Clause when it extended by twenty years the terms of existing copyrights. This article analyzes the historical evidence of the Framer's intent as it concerned the Copyright Clause and concludes that the result in Eldred comports with the original intent of the Copyright Clause. The Copyright Clause is a grant of power, intended to assure Congress's power to enact copyright legislation protecting copyright owners. It was not an effort to limit existing monopolies or to restrict existing copyrights. The clause does not mandate careful judicial scrutiny of each copyright statutory amendment to determine whether each amendment promotes the progress of science. The article looks at prior Supreme Court copyright cases and concludes that the result in Eldred is consistent with the principles of those prior cases construing the Copyright Clause broadly and allowing Congress substantial discretion. The article does note three shortcomings of the Eldred decision. First, it questions Eldred's language apparently diminishing the public interest rationale of copyrights in favor of a private interest based theory of copyrights. Second, it rejects the Court's acceptance of and response to the "quid pro quo" argument advanced by petitioners. Finally, it cautions against over reliance upon historical congressional practices as support for constitutional interpretation. The article concludes, however, that the Eldred decision correctly held that Congress had the power under the Copyright Clause to enact the CTEA.
Determination of Navion stability and control derivatives using frequency-domain techniques

Frequency-domain systems identification techniques were used to extract the longitndinal and lateralklirectional stability and control derivatives of a Ryan Navion, a general aviation type aircraft, from flight data. The extracted/identified stability and control derivatives were compared to wind-tunnel results, as well as time history plots of the model versus fiight data. The results of the study showed that the identified derivatives closely matched (in magnitude and phase) the aircraft’s dynamic response to control doublets. Moreover, the identification was carried out successfully for the Navion using an “inexpensive” instrumentation system comprised of an analog-todigital converter, a laptop computer and conventional flight test sensors.
The Use of Life and Death as Tools in Plea Bargaining

Given its severity, the death penalty may play a unique role in plea bargaining, unlike that of a lesser maximum sentence of life without parole, which involves the defendant’s loss of his freedom ...
KLF13 regulates the differentiation-dependent human papillomavirus life cycle in keratinocytes through STAT5 and IL-8

High-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are the causative agents of cervical and anogenital cancers and are associated with 5% of all human cancers. Although prophylactic vaccines targeting a subset of HPV types are available, they are ineffective in HPV-infected individuals. Elucidation of the mechanisms controlling HPV replication may allow development of novel anti-HPV therapeutics. Infectious HPV virions are produced during terminal differentiation of host cells. The process of viral maturation requires synergistic interactions between viral and cellular proteins that leads to amplification of the viral genome and expression of late viral genes. Here we show that the transcription factor Kruppel-like factor 13 (KLF13) has a critical role in the HPV life cycle. KLF13 is overexpressed in HPV-positive keratinocytes and cervical cancer cell lines. Expression of KLF13 in normal cervical epithelium is low but increases significantly in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cervical cancer. After HPV infection, the E7 protein suppresses ubiquitin ligase FBW7 expression leading to an increase in KLF13 expression. Reduction of KLF13 with short hairpin RNA in differentiating HPV-positive cells resulted in diminished levels of viral gene expression and genome amplification. Knockdown of KLF13 also reduced the level of the transcription factor signal transducer and activator of transcription 5, which led to the downregulation of the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated DNA damage pathway and the chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). In addition, neutralization of IL-8 diminished viral genome amplification in differentiating HPV-positive cells. Thus, KLF13 is critical for the activation of the HPV productive life cycle and is likely involved in initiation and progression of cervical cancer.
Surgical results of total cavopulmonary connection

Objective To evaluate the surgical results of total cavopulmonary connection(TCPC).Methods Between Febru- ary 1998 and June 2006,fifty-one patients with complex congenital heart disease underwent TCPC.The procedures included lateral tunnel TCPLC in 15 patients,extraeardiac conduit TCPC in 29 and direct anastomosis between main pulmonary artery and inferior vena- eava TCPC in 7.Results There were four operative deaths with hospital mortality of 7.8 %.There were 6 patients having low cardiac output syndrome(12.8%),14 patients having atrial arrhythmia(29.8%).80.1%of patients were extubated within 24 hours posto- peratively.Prolonged pleural effusions,defined as more than 7 days of drainage,occurred in 48.9%patients.Follow-up ranged from 1 month to 8 years,with 9 patients(19.1%)needed for medication,seven patients(14.7 %)had atrial arrhythmia.Conclusion TCPC may have a satisfactory surgical result.Direct anastomosis between main pulmonary artery and inferior vena-eava TCPC may be an ideal procedure for some selected patients.
Tobramycin-induced hypersensitivity reaction.

Objective:To report a case of a hypersensitivity reaction associated with the use of intravenous tobramycin in a patient with cystic fibrosis.Case Summary:An 18-year-old man was hospitalized for exacerbation of his cystic fibrosis. Tobramycin 125 mg iv q6h and ceftazidime 2 g iv q8h were administered through the patient's implantable access system in the left chest. Within seconds of receiving the third dose of tobramycin, the patient experienced shaking, his left arm turned white, and urticaria and pruritus were noted on the left side of the patient's chest. The patient had experienced a similar incident, accompanied by breathing difficulty, with intravenous tobramycin 4 years prior to this incident. The patient had been skin-tested for tobramycin allergy and had been desensitized and was receiving tobramycin since that time without incident. The patient's desensitization was maintained with tobramycin 160 mg/d hs by nebulization, but the drug had been discontinued by the patient 6 months prior to the la...
Motility Signaled From the EGF Receptor and Related Systems

Cell motility is now recognized as central to many biological processes. Growth factors, such as those that activate the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), drive biochemically and biologically distinct subsets of migration critical for (neo)organogenesis and tumor invasion. Thus, modulation of these events requires an understanding of the controls of EGFR-mediated motility. Deconstruction of motility into its component events enables this deeper insight. Herein we describe methods that measure the overall motility and its parameters as well as the biophysical processes extension, de-adhesion/retraction, and contraction.
Analysis by NASA's VESGEN Software of Vascular Branching in the Human Retina with a Ground-Based Microgravity Analog

Significant risks for visual impairment were discovered recently in astronauts following spaceflight, especially after long-duration missions.1 We hypothesize that microgravity-induced fluid shifts result in pathological changes within the retinal vasculature that precede visual and other ocular impairments. We therefore are analyzing retinal vessels in healthy subjects with NASA's VESsel GENeration Analysis (VESGEN) software2 before and after head-down tilt (HDT), a ground-based microgravity analog For our preliminary study of masked images, two groups of venous trees with and without small veins (G≥7) were clearly identified by VESGEN analysis. Upon completing all images and unmasking the subject status of pre- and post- HDT, we will determine whether differences in the presence or absence of small veins are important correlates, and perhaps reliable predictors, of other ocular and physiological adaptations to prolonged HDT and microgravity. Greater peripapillary retinal thickening was measured following 70-day HDT bed rest than 14-day HDT bed rest, suggesting that time of HDT may increase the amount of optic disc swelling.3 Spectralis OCT detected retinal nerve fiber layer thickening post HDT, without clinical signs of optic disc edema. Such changes may have resulted from HDT-induced cephalad fluid shifts. Clinical methods for examining adaptive microvascular remodeling in the retina to microgravity space flight are currently not established.
Introduction. Regulatory Mechanisms in Transcriptional Signaling by Nuclear Hormone Receptors, and their Regulators: Implications in Physiology and Disease

Publisher Summary The book, Progress in Molecular Biology and Translational Science , Volume 87, provides the current state of knowledge in select areas of nuclear receptor (NR) biology. The series can also be viewed as an early celebration of the 25th anniversary of the cloning of the first nuclear hormone receptor reported by Ronald Evans and colleagues. The biochemical characterization of the estrogen receptor by Elwood Jensen, followed by the cloning of the receptors, definition of the superfamily, characterization of hormone receptor target genes, identification of endogenous and exogenous ligands, discovery of NR coregulatory proteins, and the integration of hormone signaling to chromatin function keep studies on nuclear hormone receptors at the forefront of biomedical research. Fundamental concepts deciphered using NR signaling have been used to explain and investigate mechanisms of transcriptional signaling by other transcription factors. Chapters included in Molecular Biology and Translational Science , Volume 87 will reinforce this role and are expected to stimulate and help formulate novel concepts in future research investigating regulatory mechanisms in transcriptional signaling.
Measuring Social Support and School Belonging in Black/African American and White Children.

Objective:To determine the suitability of the Elementary School Success Profile for Children (ESSP-C) for assessment and comparison of social support and school belonging between Black/African Amer...
Electrophysiological Properties of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes Cultured on a Flexible Matrigel Substrate

Human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) provide a unique tool to evaluate cellular properties in disease models, investigate underlying mechanisms and optimize cell-based therapies. We recently reported that after plating 30 day old single hiPSC-CMs on undiluted Matrigel “Mattress” (thickness ∼0.5 mm) for 5 days, mattress hiPSC-CMs developed a rod-like cell shape, aligned myofilament structure, increased sarcomere length and exhibited robust cell shortening. Here, we compared the electrophysiological properties of mattress hiPSC-CMs to hiPSC-CMs cultured on standard substrates (control) and acutely-isolated adult rabbit CMs. The action potentials of mattress hiPSC-CMs were comparable to rabbit CMs. Compared to control, mattress hiPSC-CMs had significantly increased the action potential upstroke velocity due to two-fold increase in sodium current (INa) (−68.61±11.63 pA·pF-1 in mattress vs. −29.66±7.50 pA·pF-1 in control at −30mV). The inward rectifier current (IK1) is responsible for the maintenance of resting membrane potential and contributes to phase 3 of the action potential. Although resting potential and action potential duration was not different from rabbit CMs, IK1 density in mattress hiPSC-CMs was nine-time smaller than in rabbit CMs, but there was no difference between mattress and control hiPSC-CMs (−4.86±0.66 pA·pF-1 in mattress vs. −43.75±4.13 pA·pF-1 in rabbit vs. −3.98±0.83 pA·pF-1 in control at −120 mV). The funny current (If) is an inward current activating at hyperpolarized membrane potential, which is detectable in the developing heart but absent in the adult ventricle and contributes to the spontaneous beating of hiPSC-CMs. Mattress hiPSC-CMs exhibit robust If that was not significantly different from control (−6.22±1.31 pA·pF-1 in mattress vs.-5.60±1.43 pA·pF-1 in control at −120 mV). In summary, the matrigel mattress method enables the rapid generation of robustly contracting single hiPSC-CMs and increases INa, with negligible effect on IK1 or If.
Herpesvirus-Associated Lymphadenitis Distorts Fibroblastic Reticular Cell Microarchitecture and Attenuates CD8 T Cell Responses to Neurotropic Infection in Mice Lacking the STING-IFNα/β Defense Pathways

Type I IFN (IFN-α/β)-driven immune responses to acute viral infection are critical to counter replication and prevent dissemination. However, the mechanisms underlying host resistance to HSV type 1 (HSV-1) are incompletely understood. In this study, we show that mice with deficiencies in IFN-α/β signaling or stimulator of IFN genes (STING) exhibit exacerbated neurovirulence and atypical lymphotropic dissemination of HSV-1 following ocular infection. Synergy between IFN-α/β signaling and efficacy of early adaptive immune responses to HSV-1 were dissected using bone marrow chimeras and adoptive cell transfer approaches to profile clonal expansion, effector function, and recruitment of HSV-specific CD8(+) T cells. Lymphotropic viral dissemination was commensurate with abrogated CD8(+) T cell responses and pathological alterations of fibroblastic reticular cell networks in the draining lymph nodes. Our results show that resistance to HSV-1 in the trigeminal ganglia during acute infection is conferred in part by STING and IFN-α/β signaling in both bone marrow-derived and -resident cells, which coalesce to support a robust HSV-1-specific CD8(+) T cell response.
Aspects of threshold region mean squared error prediction: Method of interval errors, bounds, Taylor's theorem and extensions

The method of interval errors (MIE) predicts mean-squared error (MSE) performance at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) where global errors dominate. It is algorithm specific and enabled by an estimate of asymptotic MSE performance and sidelobe error probabilities. Parameter bounds are adequate representations of the asymptotic MSE in absence of signal model mismatch, but Taylor theorem can account for this mismatch. Herein limitations of bounds versus Taylor's theorem to represent the asymptotic MSE of nonlinear schemes like maximum-likelihood are discussed. Use of first-order Taylor expansions for the purpose of improved approximation of sidelobe error probability is likewise explored.
NemoProfile as an efficient approach to network motif analysis with instance collection

A network motif is defined as a statistically significant and recurring subgraph pattern within a network. Most existing instance collection methods are not feasible due to high memory usage issues and provision of limited network motif information. They require a two-step process that requires network motif identification prior to instance collection. Due to the impracticality in obtaining motif instances, the significance of their contribution to problem solving is debated within the field of biology. This paper presents NemoProfile, an efficient new network motif data model. NemoProfile simplifies instance collection by resolving memory overhead issues and is seamlessly generated, thus eliminating the need for costly two-step processing. Additionally, a case study was conducted to demonstrate the application of network motifs to existing problems in the field of biology. NemoProfile comprises network motifs and their instances, thereby facilitating network motifs usage in real biological problems.
Bariatric Surgery Improves Outcomes After Lower Extremity Arthroplasty in the Morbidly Obese: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis of a New York Statewide Database.

Abstract Background The purpose of this study was to compare risks for revision and short-term complications after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in matched cohorts of morbidly obese patients, receiving and not receiving prior bariatric surgery. Methods Patients undergoing elective TJA between 1997 and 2011 were identified in a New York Statewide database, analyzing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) separately. Propensity scores were used to match morbidly obese patients receiving and not receiving bariatric surgery prior to TJA. Cox proportional hazard modeling assessed revision risk. Logistic regression evaluated odds for complications. Results For TKA, 2636 bariatric surgery patients were matched to 2636 morbidly obese patients. For THA, 792 bariatric surgery patients were matched to 792 morbidly obese patients. Matching balanced all covariates. Bariatric surgery reduced co-morbidities prior to TJA (TKA P Conclusion After accounting for relevant selection biases, bariatric surgery prior to TJA was associated with reduced co-morbidity burden at the time of TJA and with reduced post-TJA complications. However, bariatric surgery did not reduce the risk for revision surgery for either TKA or THA.
Mitigating Communication Delays in Remotely Connected Hardware-in-the-Loop Experiments

This paper introduces a potential approach for mitigating the effects of communication delays between multiple, closed-loop hardware-in-the-loop experiments which are virtually connected, yet physically separated. The approach consists of an analytical procedure for the compensation of communication delays, along with the supporting computational and communication infrastructure. The control design leverages tools for the design of observers for the compensation of measurement errors in systems with time-varying delays. The proposed methodology is validated through computer simulation and hardware experimentation connecting hardware-in-the-loop experiments conducted between laboratories separated by a distance of over 100 km.
Comparison of methotrexate polyglutamylation in L1210 leukemia cells when influx is mediated by the reduced folate carrier or the folate receptor. Lack of evidence for influx route-specific effects.

Abstract We previously described a methotrexate-resistant L1210 cell line (MTX r A) that lacks a functional reduced folate carrier and does not appreciably express the folate receptor. In the present study, we utilized MTX r A cell lines stably transfected with cDNAs encoding either the folate receptor or the reduced folate carrier to investigate the influence of the route of folate influx on the rate and extent of methotrexate polyglutamylation. At an extracellular methotrexate concentration of 0.1 μM, influx in the folate receptor transfectant (MTX r A-TF1) and in the reduced folate carrier transfectant (MTX r A-R1) was equal and methotrexate polyglutamates accumulated at an identical rate, but the onset was delayed until dihydrofolate reductase was saturated with the monoglutamate (~3 hr). The onset of polyglutamate formation was immediate and identical among the lines in cells pretreated with the lipophilic dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor trimetrexate to block methotrexate binding to dihydrofolate reductase. The spectra of individual methotrexate polyglutamates that accumulated were similar, with the tetraglutamate present as the predominant form. A 100-fold higher methotrexate concentration was required to detect methotrexate uptake and polyglutamylation in the transport defective parent MTX r A line, demonstrating that diffusion or an unidentified low affinity route also supports polyglutamylation. Since the folate receptor and the reduced folate carrier achieve nearly identical rates of polyglutamylation despite very different mechanisms of methotrexate delivery, the data suggest that transport-mediated substrate channeling to folylpolyglutamate synthetase is unlikely to play a role in tetrahydrofolate metabolism. This study supports the notion that it is the intracellular concentration of methotrexate achieved within the cell that drives polyglutamylation irrespective of its route of entry.
Time and Formal Authenticity: Husserl and Heidegger

Husserl’s transcendental conception of the relation between time-constitution and immanent time was still very far off conceptually when he delivered the 1905 Time Lectures. The conceptual framework of his General Introduction to Pure Phenomenology 1 of 1913 maintains that the status of all mental processes (or lived experiences, Erlebnise) as occurring in the flux of immanent time is achieved through constitutive functions which cannot be authentically understood as occurring in time at all, even though they also are bound to be identified as occurring at the present moment in the constituted flux and the flux as occurring to and through the lived body and the lived body as belonging to the life-world. The flux is, therefore, necessarily intended as belonging to world-time. The flux of mental processes and immanent time itself, therefore, are constituted, and the syntheses through which they get constituted do not occur in the flux or in immanent time. Through such synthetic transcendental occurrences, the self makes itself be in time and in the world. Accordingly, the transcendental subject coincides only partially with the subject in the world, but it does so necessarily and can exist only by doing so, by “making” itself be in the world. If vast differences in nomenclature are overlooked, this later position is close in many ways to the one Martin Heidegger2 was developing when he was engaged in editing the 1905 lectures for their first publication.
Potentially addictive properties of sugar-sweetened beverages among adolescents.

Abstract Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) increase risk of cardiometabolic disease. Young people consume the largest amounts of SSBs and have experienced the greatest relative gains in obesity in the past several decades. There is evidence of addictive properties of both caffeine and sugar, the primary ingredients in SSBs, but little research into such properties of SSBs in naturally occurring consumption patterns. Thus, in this exploratory study, we sought to examine potentially addictive properties of SSBs during a 3-day SSB cessation intervention in overweight and obese adolescents who typically consume ≥3 SSBs daily. Participants (n = 25) were aged 13–18 years, mostly female (72%), and African American (56%) or Hispanic (16%) with a BMI≥95th percenttile (76%). Withdrawal symptoms and SSB craving were assessed approximately 1-week apart, during both regular SSB consumption and a 3-day period of SSB cessation in which participants were instructed to drink only plain milk and water. During SSB cessation, adolescents reported increased SSB cravings and headache and decreased motivation, contentment, ability to concentrate, and overall well-being (uncorrected Ps
Cryptic connections illuminate pathogen transmission within community networks

Understanding host interactions that lead to pathogen transmission is fundamental to the prediction and control of epidemics1-5. Although the majority of transmissions often occurs within social groups6-9, the contribution of connections that bridge groups and species to pathogen dynamics is poorly understood10-12. These cryptic connections-which are often indirect or infrequent-provide transmission routes between otherwise disconnected individuals and may have a key role in large-scale outbreaks that span multiple populations or species. Here we quantify the importance of cryptic connections in disease dynamics by simultaneously characterizing social networks and tracing transmission dynamics of surrogate-pathogen epidemics through eight communities of bats. We then compared these data to the invasion of the fungal pathogen that causes white-nose syndrome, a recently emerged disease that is devastating North American bat populations13-15. We found that cryptic connections increased links between individuals and between species by an order of magnitude. Individuals were connected, on average, to less than two per cent of the population through direct contact and to only six per cent through shared groups. However, tracing surrogate-pathogen dynamics showed that each individual was connected to nearly fifteen per cent of the population, and revealed widespread transmission between solitarily roosting individuals as well as extensive contacts among species. Connections estimated from surrogate-pathogen epidemics, which include cryptic connections, explained three times as much variation in the transmission of the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome as did connections based on shared groups. These findings show how cryptic connections facilitate the community-wide spread of pathogens and can lead to explosive epidemics.
Dynamic ultrasound in the evaluation of patients with suspected slipping rib syndrome

Slipping rib syndrome (SRS) affects adolescents and young adults. Dynamic ultrasound plays a potential and likely significant role; however, limited data exist describing the protocol and techniques available. It is our intent to describe the development of a reproducible protocol for imaging in patients with SRS. Retrospective review of suspected SRS patients from March 2017 to April 2018. A total of 46 patients were evaluated. Focused history and imaging was performed at the site of pain. Images of the ribs were obtained in the parasagittal plane at rest and with dynamic maneuvers. Dynamic maneuvers included Valsalva, crunch, rib push maneuver, and any provocative movement that elicited pain. Imaging was compared with records from the pediatric surgeon specializing in slipping ribs. Statistical analysis was performed. Thirty-six of the 46 patients had a diagnosis of SRS, and had an average age of 17 years. Thirty-one patients were female, 15 were male. Thirty-one out of 46 (67%) were athletes. Average BMI was 22.6. Dynamic ultrasound correctly detected SRS in 89% of patients (32 out of 36) and correctly detected the absence in 100% (10 out of 10). Push maneuver had the highest sensitivity (87%; 0.70, 0.96) followed by morphology (68%; 0.51, 0.81) and crunch maneuver (54%; 0.37, 0.71). Valsalva was the least sensitive (13%; 0.04, 0.29). Dynamic ultrasound of the ribs, particularly with crunch and push maneuvers, is an effective and reproducible tool for diagnosing SRS. Valsalva plays a limited role. In addition to diagnosing SRS, ultrasound can give the surgeon morphological data and information on additional ribs at risk, thereby assisting in surgical planning.
Exploring the Design of Scaffolding Pedagogical Instruction for Elementary Preservice Teacher Education

ABSTRACTInquiry, central in science education reforms for decades, is a critical element required in many teacher education programs. However, the instruction of inquiry-oriented pedagogies in thos...
Two Halves Make a Whole: Reducing Data Transfer in Garbled Circuits using Half Gates.

The well-known classical constructions of garbled circuits use four ciphertexts per gate, although various methods have been proposed to reduce this cost. The best previously known methods for optimizing AND gates (two ciphertexts; Pinkas et al., ASIACRYPT 2009) and XOR gates (zero ciphertexts; Kolesnikov and Schneider, ICALP 2008) were incompatible, so most implementations used the best known method compatible with free-XOR gates (three ciphertexts; Kolesnikov and Schneider, ICALP 2008). In this work we show how to simultaneously garble AND gates using two ciphertexts and XOR gates using zero ciphertexts, resulting in smaller garbled circuits than any prior scheme. The main idea behind our construction is to break an AND gate into two half-gates — AND gates for which one party knows one input. Each half-gate can be garbled with a single ciphertext, so our construction uses two ciphertexts for each AND gate while being compatible with free-XOR gates. The price for the reduction in size is that the evaluator must perform two cryptographic operations per AND gate, rather than one as in previous schemes. We experimentally demonstrate that our garbling scheme leads to an overall decrease in time (up to 25%), bandwidth (up to 33%), and energy use (up to 20%) over several benchmark applications. We show that our construction is optimal for a large class of garbling schemes encompassing all known practical garbling techniques.
The nature of shadow bank leverage shocks on the macroeconomy

Abstract Recently a group of non-bank financial institutions, known as the shadow banks, has developed beside the traditional commercial banking sector in the US. Based on the argument of Serletis and Xu (2019) that the traditional banking was overtaken by shadow banks at around the year of 2000, I run two structural VAR models to examine the impact of shadow bank leverage shocks on some key economic indicators in pre-2000 and post-2000 periods. This is a new approach in the literature to examine how the macroeconomy is influenced by the shadow banking sector over time. I find that the traditional contractionary interest rate policy is not helpful to control the leverage of shadow banks. The impulse responses from the VAR models show that shadow bank leverage has become an important economic indicator during the post-2000 period because of its capacity to influence key macroeconomic variables. I suggest the policymakers controlling the leverage of the shadow banks besides the traditional contractionary monetary policy to prevent asset bubbles and maintain financial stability.
Stena V-MAX: A Total Concept for Safe Oil Transportation in Confined Waters

When the first Stena V-MAX vessel, the Stena Vision, entered the Delaware River on her maiden voyage in the summer of 2001 (as this symposium [MEETS01] was being held in Washington) she marked the realization of a project that started almost five years earlier. In October 1996 the 1975-built Stena Constellation made the same voyage up to Philadelphia as the first VLCC ever to dock at the Fort Mifflin terminal. The operation involved a new scenario compared with the normal open-water VLCC trading, and all the parties involved contributed to assess risks and establish safe procedures for the different phases. As the operation developed, so did ideas on an improved ship design which would be better suited to do the job on a year-round basis. This led to a new type of VLCC with wide beam and shallow draft, the V-MAX. Apart from carrying a significantly larger amount of cargo, the V-MAX is also uniquely equipped to cope with the challenges and hazards of the river passage, making oil transportation to Philadelphia both safer and more efficient compared with her predecessors. In the world of today we avoid flying passengers in single-engine aircraft. Similarly we should strive to avoid a situation where a single technical failure on an oil tanker could lead to an ecological disaster. The twin propellers and rudders are the most visible features, which, apart from redundancy against single failures, give the wide hull superior maneuvering characteristics. These and numerous other technical aspects and operational considerations make the V-MAX represent not only a new ship but also a complete concept for safe oil transportation in narrow waters. This paper outlines the background and evolution of the V-MAX concept and describes the specific features which contribute to effectively reduce risk when operating in narrow and heavily trafficked areas.
A Segmented SAR/SS ADC with Digital Error Correction and Programmable Resolution for Column-Parallel Sensor Arrays

We introduce a programmable segmented ADC for column-parallel sensor arrays, which performs a successive approximation algorithm followed by a single-slope conversion. The circuit implements digital error correction using sub-binary capacitor weighting and crossover redundancy. The arrangement re-uses one dynamic comparator between the two phases, and uses a new capacitor switching protocol which reduces the required capacitor area. A prototype was designed and fabricated in 0.18μm CMOS, which occupies an area of 0.012mm2, and achieves 56.55 dB SNR and 52.5 fJ/conv.
G247(P) Ventilator associated pneumonia- are we (under) estimating?

Background and Aims Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common healthcare associated infection and is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality, increased hospital stay and cost of healthcare. Despite this, VAP is often under recognized and under reported and there is a lack of data on VAP in UK children. We aimed to determine VAP rates in a tertiary Pediatric Intensive Care unit by tracing positive microbiological specimens for invasively ventilated patients. Methods This was a retrospective observational study. All patients who were admitted to the pediatric critical care unit between 01/01/2017 to 31/12/2017 and invasively ventilated for more than 48 hrs were included. All positive respiratory tract specimens for the study period were identified and followed by a review of relevant case notes, nursing charts and investigations. Denominator data was collected from the hospital database. VAP was diagnosed using a combination of clinical, radiological and microbiological criteria adapted and simplified from Centers for Disease Control pneumonia flowcharts for pediatric VAP diagnosis. Results There were 8 microbiologically confirmed cases of VAP, and 2066 ventilator-days, giving a VAP rate of 3.8/1000 ventilator days. The positive microbiological specimen was endotracheal aspirate in all the cases. Few BALs had been performed and none were diagnostic of VAP. The causative agents in all these cases were bacterial; no fungal or viral pathogen was identified. Gram negative bacteria were identified in 7 out of 8 cases (87.5%), Escherichia coli being most common (3 cases), followed by Haemophilus influenzae (2), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2) and Staphylococcus aureus (1 case). Meropenem or piperacillin-tazobactam were used for treatment in nearly all cases (7/8). VAP was diagnosed and recorded contemporaneously in only 1 of 8 patients. Conclusion This study defined the VAP incidence in our institution. VAP cases without microbiological confirmation were not detected and the incidence is therefore likely to be an underestimate. Prospective surveillance using clinical criteria is planned. VAP cases were associated with very broad spectrum antibiotic use in our population. Surveillance for, and interventions to prevent, VAP will be beneficial from an antimicrobial stewardship perspective.
Associations between patient-centered communication and quality of life in patients with ovarian cancer.

12120Background: Patient-centered communication (PCC) occurs when clinicians respond to patients’ needs, preferences, concerns, and emotions. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Framework for PCC i...
Perls' Prussian Blue Stains of Lung Tissue, Bronchoalveolar Lavage, and Sputum

Perls' Prussian blue (PPB) stain recognizes Fe3+ associated with hemosiderin. The employment of this stain in clinical medicine and research has been extensive and novel applications continue to evolve. Ferruginous bodies are intracellular structures in lung tissue, bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), and sputum that stain with PPB. Inhaled, insoluble, biopersistent particles and fibers are phagocytosed by lung macrophages and thought to be coated, either partially or completely, with an iron-containing protein at the interface forming a ferruginous body. These structures can be categorized as ferruginous bodies having either an inorganic or a carbonaceous core (e.g., asbestos and byssinotic bodies, respectively). In lung tissue, BAL, and sputum, the only cells that stain with PPB are macrophages. These are described as iron- and hemosiderin-laden macrophages and called either siderophages or sideromacrophages. Siderophages can be observed in the lung tissue, BAL, and sputum after various exposures and can also be associated with many different pulmonary and extrapulmonary diseases.
Phylogeny of immunoglobulin structure and function—VIII: Intermolecular heterogeneity of shark 19S IgM antibodies to pneumococcal polysaccharide☆

Abstract Significant IgM antibody responses to the pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide were demonstrated in nurse sharks immunized with pneumococcal vaccines. The antibodies isolated from immune sera by affinity chromatography were exclusively of the 19S variety; no 7S antibodies were isolated from any of six animals studied for periods up to twelve months. Equilibrium dialysis studies of the isolated antibodies demonstrated several important points: (1) the IgM antibodies contained ten combining sites per 19S molecule, (2) in all cases, the isolated antibodies showed marked heterogeneity of combining sites, (3) the antibodies were all of low average affinity, and (4) there was no increase in the average affinity of the antibodies isolated from any single animal for periods of up to twelve months after the start of immunization. In order to determine if a single IgM molecule contains ten equivalent combining sites, the antibodies isolated from several animals were fractionated by liquid isoelectric focusing. Equilibrium dialysis experiments using focused fractions showed the presence of ten functionally identical combining sites per IgM molecule. As a proof of the structural homogeneity of focused fractions, antibodies were separated into H and L chains, § recombined and tested for the regeneration of the original combining site by equilibrium dialysis. The results indicated that recombinants of focused antibody fractions contained binding sites identical to those of the intact antibody, whereas heterogeneous (unfocused) recombinants and isolated H and L chains failed to show any binding activity. The conclusion from this study is that the heterogeneity of ligand binding exhibited by nurse shark 19S antibodies to the capsular polysaccharide of the Type III pneumococcus can be attributed to intermolecular heterogeneity.
Watershed Regressions for Pesticides (warp) Models for Predicting Atrazine Concentrations in Corn Belt Streams1

Stone, Wesley W. and Robert J. Gilliom, 2012. Watershed Regressions for Pesticides (WARP) Models for Predicting Atrazine Concentrations in Corn Belt Streams. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(5): 970-986. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2012.00661.x Abstract: Watershed Regressions for Pesticides (WARP) models, previously developed for atrazine at the national scale, are improved for application to the United States (U.S.) Corn Belt region by developing region-specific models that include watershed characteristics that are influential in predicting atrazine concentration statistics within the Corn Belt. WARP models for the Corn Belt (WARP-CB) were developed for annual maximum moving-average (14-, 21-, 30-, 60-, and 90-day durations) and annual 95th-percentile atrazine concentrations in streams of the Corn Belt region. The WARP-CB models accounted for 53 to 62% of the variability in the various concentration statistics among the model-development sites. Model predictions were within a factor of 5 of the observed concentration statistic for over 90% of the model-development sites. The WARP-CB residuals and uncertainty are lower than those of the National WARP model for the same sites. Although atrazine-use intensity is the most important explanatory variable in the National WARP models, it is not a significant variable in the WARP-CB models. The WARP-CB models provide improved predictions for Corn Belt streams draining watersheds with atrazine-use intensities of 17 kg/km2 of watershed area or greater.
The In Vitro Sensitivities of 70 Strains of Shigella

In vitro sensitivities of 70 shigella strains isolated over a recent 18-month period are reported. The high degree of sulfadiazine resistance casts some doubt on the selection of this agent as the drug of choice in the treatment of shigellosis, at least in this community. Some of the other agents, although inhibiting the growth of the organisms in vitro, have disadvantages such as toxicity or failure of absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. Tetracycline resistance was found in only 7% of the organisms tested, but from this and other reports we may anticipate the occurrence of more organisms resistant to this agent. The results of the sensitivities to ampicillin are encouraging and further studies including clinical trials of this agent are in order.
Effects of dietary iron deficiency on muscle fiber characteristics and whole-body distribution of hemoglobin in mice.

Effects of dietary iron deficiency on growth, the distribution of hemoglobin (Hb) at rest and during exercise, the characteristics of muscle fiber types, and glycogen depletion patterns were studied in newly weaned male mice. Forty-eight mice were randomly divided into iron-deficient and control diet groups. Severe iron deficiency impaired general growth, but growth was restored following iron repletion. The mean +/- SEM blood Hb concentrations at rest after 7 weeks were 5.8 +/- 0.7 and 12.5 +/- 0.3 g/dl in iron-deficient and control groups, respectively. The mice fed iron-deficient diet for 7 weeks had an increased Hb level of 10.9 +/- 0.5 g/dl 1 week after an i.p. injection of Imferon (1.25 mg Fe). The Hb contents in brain and gastrocnemius as well as whole body were lowered by iron deficiency. Iron-deficient anemic mice tended to increase the percent distribution of Hb to brain during exercise. This value was significantly greater than in control and iron-treated groups. The iron-deficient group had relatively less glycogen than controls, but no significant tendency in glycogen depletion pattern was observed in any fiber types. It is suggested that decreased Hb content in working muscles due, in part, to greater distribution to brain could be one of the limiting factors for work performance in anemic individuals. It is further suggested that decrease in oxidative muscle fibers as well as the decreased concentration and/or activities of oxidative substances may also be one of the limiting factors.
Human recognition on combining kinematic and stationary features

Both the human motion characteristics and body part measurement are important cues for human recognition at a distance. The former can be viewed as kinematic measurement while the latter is stationary measurement. In this paper, we propose a kinematic-based approach to extract both kinematic and stationary features for human recognition. The proposed approach first estimates 3D human walking parameters by fitting the 3D kinematic model to the 2D silhouette extracted from a monocular image sequence. Kinematic and stationary features are then extracted from the kinematic and stationary parameters, respectively, and used for human recognition separately. Next, we discuss different strategies for combining kinematic and stationary features to make a decision. Experimental results show a comparison of these combination strategies and demonstrate the improvement in performance for human recognition.