cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LightGuide: projected visualizations for hand movement guidance

LightGuide is a system that explores a new approach to gesture guidance where we project guidance hints directly on a user's body. These projected hints guide the user in completing the desired motion with their body part which is particularly useful for performing movements that require accuracy and proper technique, such as during exercise or physical therapy. Our proof-of-concept implementation consists of a single low-cost depth camera and projector and we present four novel interaction techniques that are focused on guiding a user's hand in mid-air. Our visualizations are designed to incorporate both feedback and feedforward cues to help guide users through a range of movements. We quantify the performance of LightGuide in a user study comparing each of our on-body visualizations to hand animation videos on a computer display in both time and accuracy. Exceeding our expectations, participants performed movements with an average error of 21.6mm, nearly 85% more accurately than when guided by video.
Psychosocial treatments for bipolar depression: a 1-year randomized trial from the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program

Context Psychosocial interventions have been shown to enhance pharmacotherapy outcomes in bipolar disorder. Objective To examine the benefits of 4 disorder-specific psychotherapies in conjunction with pharmacotherapy on time to recovery and the likelihood of remaining well after an episode of bipolar depression. Design Randomized controlled trial. Setting Fifteen clinics affiliated with the Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder. Patients A total of 293 referred outpatients with bipolar I or II disorder and depression treated with protocol pharmacotherapy were randomly assigned to intensive psychotherapy (n = 163) or collaborative care (n = 130), a brief psychoeducational intervention. Interventions Intensive psychotherapy was given weekly and biweekly for up to 30 sessions in 9 months according to protocols for family-focused therapy, interpersonal and social rhythm therapy, and cognitive behavior therapy. Collaborative care consisted of 3 sessions in 6 weeks. Main Outcome Measures Outcome assessments were performed by psychiatrists at each pharmacotherapy visit. Primary outcomes included time to recovery and the proportion of patients classified as well during each of 12 study months. Results All analyses were by intention to treat. Rates of attrition did not differ across the intensive psychotherapy (35.6%) and collaborative care (30.8%) conditions. Patients receiving intensive psychotherapy had significantly higher year-end recovery rates (64.4% vs 51.5%) and shorter times to recovery than patients in collaborative care (hazard ratio, 1.47; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-2.00; P = .01). Patients in intensive psychotherapy were 1.58 times (95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.13) more likely to be clinically well during any study month than those in collaborative care ( P = .003). No statistically significant differences were observed in the outcomes of the 3 intensive psychotherapies. Conclusions Intensive psychosocial treatment as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy was more beneficial than brief treatment in enhancing stabilization from bipolar depression. Future studies should compare the cost-effectiveness of models of psychotherapy for bipolar disorder. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:"http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00012558">NCT00012558
A didactic example of multilevel structural equation modeling applicable to the study of organizations

This article provides a didactic example and application of new developments in structural equation modeling (SEM) that allow for the modeling of multilevel data. Such data often arise naturally from organizational structures in which within‐group units (employees, students, etc.) are observed in larger between‐group units (firms, schools, etc.) The article begins with an overview of the basic ideas of SEM and multilevel linear regression. The synthesis of both methods developed by Muthein (1994) is then presented in the simple case of a multilevel path analysis model, in which the variations in within‐group level intercepts are modeled as a function of between‐group variables following their own path model. An application motivated by a real problem in the field of education that focuses on validating indicators of the quality of science education in the United States follows. The results show that it is possible to statistically capture the salient complexities of organizations through the application o...
Sildenafil Induces Delayed Preconditioning Through Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase–Dependent Pathway in Mouse Heart

Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) is the most widely used drug for treating erectile dysfunction in men. We recently demonstrated that it induces potent protective effects against ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury in rabbit hearts through the opening of mitochondrial ATP-dependent K+ channels. In the present study, we investigated the role of the NO-dependent signaling pathway in delayed cardioprotection by sildenafil. Adult male ICR mice were treated with saline or sildenafil (0.7 mg/kg IP) 24 hours before global I-R in the Langendorff mode. Infarct size was reduced from 27.6+/-3.3% in saline-treated control mice to 6.9+/-1.2% in sildenafil-treated mice (mean+/-SEM, P<0.05) without compromising cardiac function. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed a transient increase in endothelial and inducible NO synthase (eNOS and iNOS, respectively) mRNA in sildenafil-treated mice, peaking at 45 minutes (eNOS) and 2 hours (iNOS) after sildenafil injection. The magnitude of mRNA increase was more pronounced for iNOS than for eNOS. In addition, a significant increase in both iNOS and eNOS protein was detected 24 hours after sildenafil treatment. A selective inhibitor of iNOS, 1400W (10 mg/kg IP given 30 minutes before I-R), abolished sildenafil-induced protection (23.7+/-2.8%, P<0.05 versus sildenafil). These data suggest that the induction of NO synthase isoforms is an essential component of the signaling mechanism for sildenafil-induced delayed preconditioning. However, iNOS appears to be the primary isoform that mediates the robust cardioprotection.
Opportunities for the use of broad-band packet-switched data networks for direct patient care

A few of the changes occurring in the relationship between primary care physicians and their consultants, as well as changes which are occurring as major medical centers respond to competitive pressures, are outlined. The primary care environment and the medical center environment are described. Previous attempts to use electronic means to transmit and store information in the health care delivery environment, which have largely been focused on single specialities, are discussed. It is argued that none of these systems has been comprehensive enough to have a major impact on primary care and that the geographic dispersion of health care will require new communication systems and new information storage systems. Development of integrated computer and communication systems based on high-speed digital and broadband fiber optics technology should improve the quality of medical care and should enhance the efficiency of the health care delivery process. Metropolitan area network, SONET, and BISDN systems are discussed as possible new approaches. >
Risk-Based Security and Economy Tradeoff Analysis for Real-Time Operation

This letter describes a new perspective on balancing system security level with cost for real-time operation. Security level is quantified using risk, which provides that security may be optimized. A risk-based multiple-objective (RBMO) model, considering security and economy together, is compared with the traditional security-constrained OPF (SCOPF) model. A six-bus test system is used to show the merits of RBMO.
Cardiopulmonary Responses of Asthmatic Children to Strenuous Exercise Effect of Theophylline

The purposes of the study were to investigate the cardiopulmonary adaptations of asthmatic children to physical exercise and to evaluate the effects of theophylline. Two groups of children were evaluated.Eight asthmatic children participated in two exercise sessions. Half of the patients received theophylline in predetermined doses during the first session and half prior to the second session. Seventeen normal children matched for age, height, and weight served as controls. Various car diorespiratory parameters were measured every 2 minutes during exercise and prior to termination of maximal physical effort.The results indicate that children with chronic asthma reach the range of predicted maximal aerobic capacity for their age. Theophylline increases the endurance of asthmatic children to maximal physical efforts without improving the cardiorespiratory parameters that were measured. The use of theophylline in therapeutic doses appears safe under conditions of vigorous exercise.
Strength-Based Reliability of Wood Shearwalls Subject to Wind Load

Wood shearwalls provide the majority of the lateral force resistance in light-frame wood construction, which makes up the vast percentage of residential and some percentage of commercial construction in the United States. One of the objectives of a recent Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) special project entitled “Re-evaluation of LRFD for engineered wood products: Keeping pace with changes in ASCE 7” was to evaluate the reliability of wood shearwalls designed using AF&PA/ASCE 16. This technical note describes the evaluation procedure and presents results from an analysis of wood shearwalls subject to wind load considering the ultimate strength (capacity) limit state. In addition to ultimate capacity, statistical distributions of the deformations at ultimate capacity were determined. The resistance of each wall was determined from a monotonic pushover analysis, which uses existing load–slip fastener data to determine the monotonic behavior of a wood shearwall. The wind load statistics were determined...
Aortic stenosis: the spectrum of practice.

There is significant variation in practice patterns in managing congenital aortic valve stenosis. Review of medical literature reveals no significant information regarding the current practice methods in the treatment of a simple lesion such as aortic stenosis (AS). Therefore, this survey-based study was conducted in an attempt to better understand the uniformity or heterogeneity of practice in treating AS. A questionnaire was prepared to evaluate the style of management of AS. This survey was designed to assess the practice of follow-up visitations, type and frequency of investigative studies, pharmacological therapy, and exercise recommendations. Questions about therapeutic intervention included those of timing and type of intervention. Questionnaires were sent to all academic pediatric cardiology programs in the United States (48 program) and selected international programs from Europe, Asia, and Australasia (19 program). The total number of surveys sent out was 67, and the total number of respondents was 25 (37%), 15 (31%) from the United States and 9 (53%) from outside the United States. The definition of moderate AS varied among respondents. The range provided for mild AS was identified as that with a peak-to-peak pressure gradient of 50–60 mmHg, peak instantaneous Doppler gradient of > 64–80 mmHg, or mean Doppler gradient of > 45–64 mmHg. In assessing follow-up patterns, 84% of respondents recommended seeing patients with mild AS annually, the longest time of follow-up listed in the questionnaire, whereas 20% suggested follow-up every 6 months. There was no consensus among survey centers regarding follow-up of patients with moderate AS. For severe AS, 16% recommend immediate intervention, 16% arrange follow-up every 6 months, and 56 and 28% recommend follow-up in 3 and 1 month(s), respectively. In making the decision to proceed with biventricular versus univentricular repair in patients with AS in the neonatal period, many factors were considered. Ninety-two percent of respondents rely on mitral valve z score, 84% on aortic valve z score, 52% on left ventricle length, 48% on the presence of antegrade ascending aorta flow, and only 32% considered significant endocardial fibroelastosis as a factor. Rhodes score was used by 20% of respondents in decision making regarding the approach to management of this subset of AS. This study shows that there is consensus in the management of mild and severe forms of AS. As expected, disagreement is present in the definition, evaluation, and therapy of moderate aortic valve stenosis. There is a tendency for catheter intervention except in the presence of dysplastic aortic valve or moderate to severe aortic regurgitation. There is also disagreement regarding methods used to determine biventricular versus univentricular repair of a borderline hypoplastic left heart.
Effect of Valley Switching and Switching-Frequency Limitation on Line-Current Distortions of DCM/CCM Boundary Boost PFC Converters

A systematic analysis of line-current distortions of the discontinuous-conduction-mode and the continuous-conduction-mode boundary boost power factor correction converter due to valley switching (VS) and switching-frequency limitation, where VS is either maintained or lost after the onset of switching-frequency limitation, is provided. Closed-form expressions for the line current are derived. It is shown that if the switching frequency is limited and VS is not maintained, the line current is more distorted with voltage-mode control than with current-mode control. The effects of line-current distortions are demonstrated with both simulation and experimental results.
Co-channel interference comparison for conventional land mobile frequency modulation and 2400 BPS LPC/FSK system

The bit error rate (BER) performance of a Narrowband Frequency Shift Keyed (FSK) data transmission system is examined under co-channel interference conditions. Bit error rate data is presented as a function of carrier-to-interference (C/I) ratio for both static and simulated Rayleigh fading signals. Gaussian baseband premodulation data filtering is used in the FSK transmitter. The receiver has a 2.4 kHz bandwidth and discriminator detection. Methods of testing are described. Voice intelligibility of the Linear Predictive Coded (LPC) Speech is compared to that of a conventional 5 kHz deviation FM receiver for various C/I ratios. An equivalent audio tone-to-interference ratio (T/I) was determined for the Narrowband LPC/FSK system by comparing BER data and C/I measurements to FM audio T/I and C/I data. Rayleigh fading C/I performance is also compared.
Heart rate variability and the risk of Parkinson disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study

Objectives Autonomic dysfunction frequently occurs in the context of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and may precede onset of motor symptoms. Limited data exist on the prospective association of heart rate variability (HRV), a marker of autonomic function, with PD risk.
The Relationship between Heterotopic Ossification (HO) and Nerves of the Anterior Elbow: A Study Based on Computed Tomography Findings

stiffness, yield load or displacement at yield load between the insertion angles (P > 0.02) (Table 1). The ultimate load decreased significantly for the 15 degree insertion angle compared to 0, 5 and 10 degree insertion angle (P < 0.001), disproving our hypothesis. Displacement at ultimate load was significantly decreased with 15 degree insertion angle compared to 5 degree insertion angle (P 1⁄4 0.03). Conclusion: The fixation strength of polyaxial locking screws does not decrease until the angulation is greater than 10 degrees. This decrease is due to the effective locking contact area decreasing at higher screw angulations.
Transforming Economies and Societies in the Countries of East-Central Europe

The economic system of central planning, the political system based on a monopoly of power for one party and the close integration into the Soviet bloc all effectively ended in 1989. In the following years four former state socialist countries of east-central Europe – The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, henceforth CEECs - underwent far-reaching transformations. In general outline these transformations were very similar, bringing market economies, private ownership, political democracy and much greater openness to the outside world. The countries acquired, as acknowledged by acceptance as EU members from 2004, essentially similar features to those of the established democracies of western Europe. The transformations appeared to have been essentially successful. The aim of this chapter is to assess key features of this process, setting out some of the problems and unanswered questions hidden in such a straight forward account.
Rules of engagement: Predictors of Black Caribbean immigrants’ engagement with African American culture.

The cultural context in the United States is racialized and influences Black Caribbean immigrants' acculturation processes, but what role it plays in Black Caribbean immigrants' acculturation into specific facets of American society (e.g., African American culture) has been understudied in the field of psychology. The present study extends research on Black Caribbean immigrants' acculturative process by assessing how this group's experience of the racial context (racial public regard, ethnic public regard, and cultural race-related stress) influences its engagement in African American culture (i.e., adoption of values and behavioral involvement). Data were collected from 93 Black participants of Caribbean descent, ranging in age from 13 to 45 and analyzed using a stepwise hierarchical regression. The findings highlighted that when Black Caribbean-descended participants perceived that the public held a favorable view of their racial group they were more likely to engage in African American culture. In contrast, when participants perceived that the public held a favorable view of their ethnic group (e.g., Haitian) they were less likely to engage in African American culture. Furthermore, among participants experiencing low levels of cultural race-related stress, the associations between racial public regard and engagement with African American culture were amplified. However, for participants experiencing high cultural race-related stress, their engagement in African American culture did not change as a function of racial public regard. These findings may suggest that, for Black Caribbean immigrants, the experience of the racial context influences strategies that serve to preserve or bolster their overall social status and psychological well-being in the United States.
Servo-Flap Rotor Performance Design Evaluation +

A servo-flap is a small aerodynamically controlled airfoil located at 75% of the blade’s radius measured from the center of rotation on the trailing edge of the blade. In an external servo-flap rotor design, the flap is separated from the main rotor blade. Traditionally, the external servo-flap has been considered as a control surface, not a lifting surface. This paper treats the external servo-flap aerodynamic surface not only as a control surface, but also as part of the main rotor blade lifting surface. Looking at the external servo-flap aerodynamic surface in this way significantly affects the blade solidity and performance calculation. Four different servo-flap sizes and locations are investigated to evaluate the impact on blade thrust weighted chord and rotor performance. This approach yields greater values for the equivalent thrust weighted chord, ranging from 7.3% to 10.7% with the existing servo-flap size. For a 6 inch longer servo-flap length design, the overall equivalent blade chord increase will range from 9.5% to 12.2%. In addition, the higher the positive servo-flap angle is, the less the blade angle of attack required to produce the same amount lift on the blade. A 6 inch flap size reduction, combined with a 4.5 inch aft move of the flap attached location, will produce approximately the same amount of blade control effectiveness without increasing any blade weight. The best hover performance is achieved at around 2° servo-flap angle and 4.7° blade angle of attack under lift coefficient C L= 0.6 flight condition or at around 4° servo-flap angle and 5.6° blade angle of attack under lift coefficient C L= 0.8.
Survival and Growth of Prostate Cancer Cells in the Bone: Role of the Alpha-Receptor for Platelet-Derived Growth Factor in Supporting Early Metastatic Foci

Skeletal dissemination is by far the most feared complication of prostate cancer and the main cause of patients’ demise. Today, 85% of patients are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the absence of clinically evident secondary tumors. However, a significant number of these patients will eventually develop the advanced form of the disease and present with skeletal metastases. A definitive, curative treatment for bone metastatic disease is still an unmet clinical need and the current standard of care relies on merely palliative measures.
Procedural aspects that control discounting rates when using the fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice methods

The present study investigated if and why rates of delay or probability discounting would vary as a function of whether the data were collected using the fill-in-the-blank (FITB) or multiple-choice (MC) method. Participants in Experiment 1 completed a discounting task using either the FITB or MC met
Clinical significance of BRAF V600E mutational status in capsular nevi of sentinel lymph nodes in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma

Capsular nevi (CN) are clusters of benign melanocytes situated in the capsule of lymph nodes and occur in up to 20% of lympadenectomy specimens. The molecular profile of CN in relation to prognostic parameters in patients with primary cutaneous melanoma (PCM) has not been previously investigated. We assessed BRAF V600E mutation by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in the CN of sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in PCM patients and correlated the findings with demographic characteristics, PCM histopathologic and molecular features, and clinical outcome parameters. Seventy-eight cases of CN involving SLN of PCM patients were evaluated for BRAF V600E mutation by IHC. The results were correlated with patient demographics, PCM histopathologic and molecular features, and outcome measures. Thirty-six (46%) of 78 CN cases expressed BRAF V600E mutation by IHC. Nineteen (53%) of those BRAF-positive CN cases were from patients with at least American Joint Committee on Cancer stage II melanoma, whereas 62% of BRAF-negative CN cases (26/42) were from patients with stage I melanoma (P = .013). Twelve (33%) of the 36 BRAF-positive CN cases had metastatic melanoma involving lymph nodes, compared with 14% (6/42) of BRAF-negative CN cases (P = .061). CN mutation status was not associated with patient demographics, histopathologic or molecular features of the PCM, or survival outcomes. A high percentage of CN identified in the SLN of patients with PCM harbor BRAF V600E mutation. Positive mutation was associated with adverse clinicopathological parameters, specifically increased tumor stage and lymph node metastasis. These findings suggest that BRAF V600E mutation in CN of SLN may be useful as an adverse predictive biomarker in patients with melanoma.
Disability and recovery from war in northern Uganda

AbstractThis article explores the prevalence of disabilities resulting from war crimes committed by parties to the conflict between the Government of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army. We compare these individuals and their households with persons in the same geographic area in households with no disabled members. We focus our comparison on livelihoods, education, health care access, food insecurity and wealth, and frame our discussion within the political economy of northern Uganda and its marginalisation vis-a-vis the rest of Uganda. We also examine Uganda’s promising legal framework of rights for persons with disabilities and the realities of their ongoing challenges.
Student Self Assessment in a Neurology Clerkship (P04.260)

OBJECTIVE: To determine how students assess their floor performance compared to evaluators and how well these match with other available measures including shelf performance and clinical skills examination score (CEX). BACKGROUND: Accurate self-assessment is integral to continued clinical development. It would be useful to know how well student estimates of their performance match with other measures like faculty assessment, shelf examination, and CEX. DESIGN/METHODS: At the end of their core neurology rotation students are asked to pick descriptors that best describe their overall floor performance using standard rubricks such as history taking, knowledge base, professionalism, etc. Faculty and resident evaluators also pick the statement for each rubrick that they feel best describes the student. Evaluator and student responses will be compared and these responses also cross referenced with other available data including shelf score and CEX score. RESULTS: Spearman correlation between faculty and student assessment was relatively weak (current n=12, r=0.40, p CONCLUSIONS: Preliminary results indicate that student self-assessments correlate poorly with faculty assessments and other measures including the shelf percentile score and CEX score. Faculty assessments also correlate poorly with these measures. Disclosure: Dr. Klein has nothing to disclose. Dr. Stankiewicz has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec, Teva Neuroscience, Bayer, Questcor, and Novartis.
Characteristics of adults with psychiatric disabilities participating in the federal disability programs.

Objective We use nationally representative data on working-age recipients of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to profile beneficiaries with psychiatric disabilities and compare them with beneficiaries eligible for SSDI and SSI on the basis of other health conditions. Method Using data from 4 National Beneficiary Survey rounds, we conducted descriptive analyses of the personal and health characteristics and employment experiences of beneficiaries with and without psychiatric disabilities. Our sample includes 16,190 SSDI and SSI beneficiaries, of whom 6,447 have psychiatric disabilities. We conducted statistical tests of significance (χ2 and t statistics) to assess the difference between beneficiaries with and without psychiatric disabilities. Results Beneficiaries with psychiatric disabilities differ in many ways from other beneficiaries. They are significantly more likely to be younger than 55 years of age, female, have children, be unmarried, live alone, and be in poverty. Although a greater share report a desire to work, they are also more likely than their counterparts with other disabilities to report various employment barriers, including being discouraged by previous work attempts, the perception that others do not think they can work, a lack of transportation, and not wanting to lose cash or health insurance benefits. Conclusions and implications for practice The findings suggest that beneficiaries with psychiatric disabilities face numerous significant employment obstacles that would need to be addressed for supported employment or similar approaches to be successful. (PsycINFO Database Record
Rényi Differential Privacy

We propose a natural relaxation of differential privacy based on the Renyi divergence. Closely related notions have appeared in several recent papers that analyzed composition of differentially private mechanisms. We argue that the useful analytical tool can be used as a privacy definition, compactly and accurately representing guarantees on the tails of the privacy loss.We demonstrate that the new definition shares many important properties with the standard definition of differential privacy, while additionally allowing tighter analysis of composite heterogeneous mechanisms.
Antibody and Biomarker Testing in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic disease characterized by autoimmune-mediated joint destruction. RA affects 1% of the global population with a predilection for females. The pathogenesis of RA has not been fully elucidated; however, it is thought to be due to an environmental trigger stimulating an immune response in a genetically susceptible host. The resultant inflammatory cascade mediates synovial proliferation and ultimately joint destruction. Disease expression is not limited to the joints. Extra-articular manifestations occur in the lungs, eyes, skin, and the cardiovascular system culminating in significant morbidity and premature mortality (1). Moreover, numerous studies show substantial irreversible joint damage occurs within the first 2 years of disease onset. Thus, early diagnosis and aggressive treatment is paramount in preventing morbidity and mortality (2).
Factores asociados al estrés laboral en policías penitenciarios costarricenses

El objetivo de esta investigacion fue determinar si una muestra de policias penitenciarios, en Costa Rica, experimenta estres laboral y si esta relacionado con la presencia de estres, depresion, ansiedad, burnout y otras caracteristicas personales y ocupacionales. Ademas, se determina si hay diferencias entre hombres y mujeres con respecto a la presencia de tales factores. La Escala de Depresion, Ansiedad y Estres (DASS), la Escala de Estres Laboral para Oficiales Correccionales (EELOC), y el Cuestionario Breve de Burnout (CBB) fueron administrados a 66 oficiales correccionales de diferentes prisiones en Costa Rica. Conclusiones: El estres laboral esta significativamente relacionado con la presencia de estres, ansiedad y depresion, pero no relacionado con la presencia de burnout. No se encontraron diferencias entre hombres y mujeres en ninguna variable. Es importante saber como el ambiente de trabajo afecta las vidas de los oficiales con el fin de mejorar las condiciones de trabajo que podrian tener efectos negativos sobre el desempeno en el trabajo y la salud, asi como proporcionar informacion para los psicologos policiales, que estan a cargo de proveer servicios clinicos y de consejeria a los oficiales correccionales.
High-resolution vessel wall MRI for the evaluation of intracranial atherosclerotic disease

High-resolution vessel wall MRI (vwMRI) of the intracranial arteries is an emerging diagnostic imaging technique with the goal of evaluating vascular pathology. vwMRI sequences have high spatial resolution and directly image the vessel wall by suppressing blood signal. With vwMRI, it is possible to identify distinct morphologic and enhancement patterns of atherosclerosis that can provide important information about stroke etiology and recurrence risk. We present a review of vwMRI research in relation to intracranial atherosclerosis, with a focus on the relationship between ischemic stroke and atherosclerotic plaque T1 post-contrast enhancement or plaque/vessel wall morphology. The goal of this review is to provide readers with the most current understanding of the reliability, incidence, and importance of specific vwMRI findings in intracranial atherosclerosis, to guide their interpretation of vwMRI research, and help inform clinical interpretation of vwMRI. We will also provide a translational perspective on the existing vwMRI literature and insight into future vwMRI research questions and objectives. With increased use of high field strength MRI, powerful gradients, and improved pulse sequences, vwMRI will become standard-of-care in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with cerebrovascular disease, making a firm grasp of its strengths and weakness important for neuroimagers.
Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate From a Panel of Filtration Markers—Hope for Increased Accuracy Beyond Measured Glomerular Filtration Rate?

The recent Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes 2012 CKD guidelines recommend estimating GFR from serum creatinine (eGFRcr) as a first-line test to assess kidney function and using cystatin C or measured glomerular filtration rate (GFR) as confirmatory tests. eGFRcr may be inaccurate in people with variation in muscle mass or diet, and eGFRcys is not more accurate than eGFRcr. eGFRcrcys is more accurate than either, but it is not independent of eGFRcr. Measured GFR is not practical and is susceptible to error due to variation in clearance methods and in the behavior of exogenous filtration markers. Over the past few years, we have hypothesized, and begun to test the hypothesis, that a panel of filtration markers (panel eGFR) from a single blood draw would require fewer demographic or clinical variables and could estimate GFR as accurately as measured GFR. In this article, we describe the conceptual background and rationale for this hypothesis and summarize our work thus far including evaluation of novel low-molecular-weight proteins and metabolites and then outline how we envision that such a panel could be used in clinical practice, research, and public health.
Pediatric Intestinal Transplantation

Pediatric intestinal transplantation has moved from the theoretic to an actual therapy for children with irreversible intestinal failure who are suffering from complications of total parenteral nutrition. Owing to significant advancement in the management of intestinal failure and prevention of parenteral nutrition-related complications that have led to reduction in incidence of parenteral nutrition-associated liver disease and have improved intestinal adaptation, the indications for intestinal transplantation are evolving. Long-term outcomes have improved, but challenges in long-term graft function owing to chronic rejection and immunosuppressant-related complications remain the major opportunities for improvement.
Ultrasonic pelleting of torrefied lignocellulosic biomass for bioenergy production

Abstract Torrefaction has been explored to increase the heating value and hydrophobicity of biomass. Pellets made from torrefied biomass can be used as a high-quality feedstock in gasification and as a substitute for coal in power plants. One existing challenge is that pelleting torrefied biomass is more difficult under the same operating conditions as used for pelleting untreated biomass. To address this challenge, this study employed ultrasonic vibration as an assistance to densify torrefied wheat straw biomass into pellets. Biomass with different severities of torrefaction was produced. Pellet properties and pelleting energy consumption were investigated. It was found torrefied wheat straw biomass could be densified into pellets of good quality with the assistance of ultrasonic vibration; whereas, with the same pelleting pressure but without ultrasonic vibration, good pellets could barely be made. It was also observed that the densities of torrefied biomass pellets were lower than the untreated biomass pellets. However, pellets made from biomass torrefied at a higher temperature had a higher durability. It was also found the energy density and heating value were enhanced as the severity of torrefaction increased. In addition, the energy consumption for pelleting torrefied biomass was higher than untreated biomass under the same pelleting condition.
The Law, Politics, and Economics of Amazonian Deforestation

The ineffectiveness of laws alone to protect the environment is nowhere as evident as in the contemporary destruction of the Amazonian rain and moist forests. Since 1975 the rate of deforestation has steadily accelerated with a four-fold increase to 125,000 square kilometers by 1980 and twenty fold to 600,000 square kilometers by 1988.1 The peak was reached in 1987 when up to 8 million hectares of forest were burned.2 There is reason to be concerned with this scale of destruction. Not only does forest cutting and burning release earth-warming gases, but the diversity of the earth's species may be destroyed. The Amazon contains 26.5 percent of the planet's moist forests, estimated to contain 50 percent of all the world's species.3 The blame for deforestation has been assigned to very different actors. A number of analysts and government officials have been quick to blame the poor, small-scale farmers for most of the deforestation.4 In the Brazilian Amazon, and most of Latin America, the bulk of the deforestation is a result of fiscal incentives and tax holidays given to cattle ranches.5 Recent studies have increasingly blamed traditional elites for the bulk of
Role of Oxygen Free Radicals in Focal Brain Ischemia

Oxygen-derived free radicals have been implicated in a wide variety of disease states [1,2] and have been postulated to mediate an element of cerebral ischemic injury. We tested the hypothesis that neutralization of oxygen free radicals using superoxide dismutase (SOD) ameliorates the cerebral ischemic injury produced by temporary occlusion of the middle cerebral artery.
Maimonides on Creation, Kant’s First Antinomy, and Hermann Cohen

Abstract This paper describes a “double move” made by Maimonides, Kant, and Hermann Cohen when they simultaneously dismiss and resolve the cosmological problem of the origin of the universe in time in order to represent creation as a moral issue. Maimonides claims to lack a compelling metaphysical argument regarding creation. However, a reading of Maimonides inspired by the views of Hermann Cohen finds him to be a Platonist who accepts creation from absolute privation so as to establish a moral world in which revelation establishes a correlation between humans and God. For Kant, metaphysics also cannot address the origin of the universe, but he positively describes the regress towards the origin as indeterminately large to derive the unconditioned ideal of reason that supports the regulative use of reason. Cohen, therefore, follows the precedents set by Maimonides and Kant when he claims that the Jewish concept of creation is an ethical and logical problem rather than a cosmological one, even though his account of creation presupposes his era’s dominant scientific model of the eternity of the universe.
- Effect of Pressure, Temperature, and Aqueous Carbon Dioxide Concentration on Mineral Weathering as Applied to Geologic Storage of Carbon Dioxide

Publisher Summary CO2 mediated dissolution of silicate minerals and subsequent precipitation of carbonates in deep saline aquifers may allow permanent trapping of carbon dioxide. However, the time-scales and extents of the reactions are poorly understood for CO2 receptor formation conditions. To address these shortcomings, experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of pressure, temperature, and aqueous solution composition on rates and mechanisms of silicate mineral dissolution and carbonate precipitation. A high pressure/high temperature flow-through reactor system was used to derive steady-state dissolution rates of crushed forsteritic olivine. The system allowed continuous monitoring of temperature, pressure, and pH, and periodic sampling of effluent fluids for dissolved ion concentration analysis. Preliminary measurements of dissolution rates indicate good agreement with previously published measurements at ambient conditions. Increasing the pressure from 1 to 100 bar under constant CO2 conditions increased the dissolution rate by 80%. The same reactions were studied in batch systems using an array of analytical techniques to investigate dissolution mechanisms and secondary precipitate formation. The extent of olivine dissolution in the batch reactors increased with temperature, PCO2 and surface area. Precipitation of magnesium-rich carbonates on reacted olivine was observed at initial magnesite saturation indices greater than 1.6.
Mid-Term Sealift Ship Technology Development Program: Design-for-Production R&D for Future Sealift Ship Applications

The NAVSEA Mid-Term Sealift Ship Technology Development Program (MTSSTDP) has been tasked by the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in charge of Strategic Sealift (N-42) to investigate technologies and design concepts that would improve performance and reduce the cost of future ships useful to the Navy for military sealift. A major area of concentration has been design-for-production or ship producibility. This area of the program required the Navy to obtain extensive industrial involvement from both domestic and international sources. A thorough description Is presented of the plans, objectives and accomplishments of the five producibility-related tasks. Topics covered are: generic build strategy, product work breakdown structure, production-oriented cost estimating, engine room arrangement modeling, and global standards development. In addition, other aspects of the program to be covered are the use of industry-led teams, the implementation of integrated product approaches, and the application of risk-based technologies.
The US Supreme Court: Source of or Barrier to Polarization?

After defining ‘polarization’ in relation to the Supreme Court as institution, the study conducts a comparative analysis presenting evidence against as well as for polarization in the Court. The chapter argues that the Court is more of a barrier to than a source of polarization in the current American political arena.
A step toward engineering thick tissues: Distributing Microfibers within 3D Printed Frames

Microfiber mats for tissue engineering scaffolds support cell growth, but are limited by poor cell infiltration and nutrient transport. Three-dimensional printing, specifically fused deposition modeling (FDM), can rapidly produce customized constructs, but macroscopic porosity resulting from low resolution reduces cell seeding efficiency and prevents the formation of continuous cell networks. Here we describe the fabrication of hierarchical scaffolds that integrate a fibrous microenvironment with the open macropore structure of FDM. Biodegradable tyrosine-derived polycarbonate microfibers were airbrushed iteratively between layers of 3D printed support structure following optimization. Confocal imaging showed layers of airbrushed fiber mats supported human dermal fibroblast growth and extracellular matrix development throughout the scaffold. When implanted subcutaneously, hierarchical scaffolds facilitated greater cell infiltration and tissue formation than airbrushed fiber mats. Fibronectin matrix assembled in vitro throughout the hierarchical scaffold survived decellularization and provided a hybrid substrate for recellularization with mesenchymal stromal cells. These results demonstrate that by combining FDM and airbrushing techniques we can engineer customizable hierarchical scaffolds for thick tissues that support increased cell growth and infiltration.
A high-throughput microfluidic method for fabricating aligned collagen fibrils to study Keratocyte behavior

In vivo, keratocytes are surrounded by aligned type I collagen fibrils that are organized into lamellae. A growing body of literature suggests that the unique topography of the corneal stroma is an important regulator of keratocyte behavior. In this study we describe a microfluidic method to deposit aligned fibrils of type I collagen onto glass coverslips. This high-throughput method allowed for the simultaneous coating of up to eight substrates with aligned collagen fibrils. When these substrates were integrated into a PDMS microwell culture system they provided a platform for high-resolution imaging of keratocyte behavior. Through the use of wide-field fluorescence and differential interference contrast microscopy, we observed that the density of collagen fibrils deposited was dependent upon both the perfusion shear rate of collagen and the time of perfusion. In contrast, a similar degree of fibril alignment was observed over a range of shear rates. When primary normal rabbit keratocytes (NRK) were seeded on substrates with a high density of aligned collagen fibrils and cultured in the presence of platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) the keratocytes displayed an elongated cell body that was co-aligned with the underlying collagen fibrils. In contrast, when NRK were cultured on substrates with a low density of aligned collagen fibrils, the cells showed no preferential orientation. These results suggest that this simple and inexpensive method can provide a general platform to study how simultaneous exposure to topographical and soluble cues influence cell behavior.
The diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.

The diagnosis of interstitial cystitis can be firmly established by evaluating symptoms and history carefully, ruling out other diseases which can mimic its clinical picture, and performing the necessary cystoscopic examination (almost always under anesthesia). We also advocate that biopsy be performed in all individuals; although, since no pathognomonic abnormalities are demonstrable, it is unclear if the diagnosis of interstitial cystitis can be established or excluded by biopsy alone (unless, of course, another disease is encountered). While urodynamic studies are primarily useful to rule out interstitial cystitis, they may, in addition, have a role in subsequent management and/or in assessment of therapeutic response and thus, at least simple cystometry should probably also be performed. However, more complex urodynamic (e.g., electromyography, urethral pressure profilometry, etc.), radiographic (e.g., intravenous urography, voiding cystourethrography, or computerized axial tomography), laboratory or surgical (e.g., laparoscopy, prostate biopsy) studies are of minimal value in diagnosing interstitial cystitis and should only be done in the face of clinical evidence indicating their appropriateness.
Altered plasma serine and 1-deoxydihydroceramide profiles are associated with diabetic neuropathy in type 2 diabetes and obesity.

Abstract Recent studies suggest that the accumulation of atypical, 1-deoxysphingolipids that lack the C1 hydroxyl group may be associated with diabetic neuropathy (DN). We hypothesized that specific plasma 1-deoxysphingolipids associate with DN severity, and that alterations in plasma serine and alanine associate with 1-deoxysphingolipid elevation in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). We examined individual 1-deoxysphingolipid species using LC/MS/MS in plasma samples from 75 individuals including lean controls (LC, n = 19), those with obesity (n = 19), obesity with T2D without DN (ob/T2D, n = 18), and obesity with T2D with DN (Ob/T2D/DN, n = 19). We observed a step wise increase in 1-deoxydihydroceramides across these four groups (spearman correlation coefficient r = 0.41, p = 0.0002). Mean total concentrations of 1-deoxydihydroceramides, and most individual 1-deoxydihydroceramide species, were higher in ob/T2D/DN versus LC group (8.939 vs. 5.195 pmol/100 μL for total 1-deoxydihydroceramides p = 0.005). No significant differences in 1-deoxydihydroceramides were observed between the ob/T2D and ob/T2D/DN groups. l -alanine was higher and l -serine lower in ob/T2D/DN versus LC groups (326.2 vs. 248.0 μM, p = 0.0086 and 70.2 vs. 89.8 μM, p = 0.0110), consistent with a potential contribution of these changes to the observed 1-deoxysphingolipids profiles. 1-deoxydihydroceramides correlated inversely with leg intraepidermal nerve fiber density (CC -0.40, p = 0.003). These findings indicate that 1-deoxydihydroceramides may be important biomarkers and/or mediators of DN.
Indirect effects and causal inference: reconsidering regression discontinuity

Causal inference models, like regression discontinuity (RD) design, rely upon some variation of the no-interference assumption, where peer effects or spatial spillovers are null. Given the increased application of network, spatial, and peer effects models, this paper reconsiders RD design when this assumption is not satisfied, yielding indirect effects of the treatment in addition to the traditionally measured direct effects. Using a combination of residualization and numeric integration we develop a method—using the Spatial Durbin Framework—which retains the full adjacency matrix and allows for a full accounting of these cross-sectional interactions. As an application, we revisit a well-known RD design using U.S. House of Representatives election results from 1945–1995, finding close election wins have substantial indirect effects which previously were unaccounted.