cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced Femoral Geometry But Normal Biomechanics in the Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus-Lesioned Rat

Bone geometry, structure, and biomechanical properties were investigated in a model of growth retardation, the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus-lesioned (DMNL) weanling rat. Male weanling Sprague–Dawley rats received bilateral electrolytic lesions in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMN) at age 27 days. Sham-operated rats served as controls. All rats were maintained postoperatively for 40 days. Upon sacrifice, DMNL rats weighed less (p < 0.01), were shorter (p < 0.01), and ate less (p < 0.01) when compared to controls, but their body composition was normal. The femora in DMNL were shorter (p < 0.01), had a smaller outer anteroposterior (AP) diameter (p < 0.04), polar moment of the area (p < 0.02), and msximal (p < 0.02) and minimal (p < 0.03) principal moment of the area when compared with sham-operated rats. Notably, mean torque at failure, torsional energy, stiffness, and maximal stress did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between the two groups. These data clearly show that despite the reduced size and bone growth, DMNL rats responded normally to the mechanical challenges applied to test bone biomechanical properties. The data, therefore, add to previous evidence and strengthen the hypothesis that DMNL rats are governed by an “organismic” set point.
Analysis of Smoking Patterns and Contexts Among College Student Smokers

Many who smoke in college do so infrequently and smoking conditions are not well understood. We examined smoking patterns among college fraternity and sorority members (N = 207) from a Midwestern university in three successive fall semesters in 2006-2008. Participants completed calendar-assisted retrospective assessments of 30-day smoking at up to five assessment points over 96 days. Overall smoking rates declined over the course of each semester and higher smoking on weekends was observed, with more variability among daily smokers. The most frequent categories of events to cue recall of smoking were socializing, work, and school. Findings can be used to target prevention efforts.
Transthoracic induction of a hiatal hernia in domestic swine.

Background: With the common performance of laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease, there is renewed interest in the pathophysiology and potential histologic consequences of hiatal hernias. However, in vivo model exists that both reliably reproduces the hiatal hernia and is amenable to subsequent laparoscopic repair.
Effect of the Finite Size of the Proton on the Coulomb Energy of He3

Electron scatterirg experiments established the finite sue of the pioton, The effect of an assumed finlte charge distribution is estimated for the Coulomb energy arising from the small inter-proton distance In the He/sup 3/ ,nucleus, These calculated values for He/sup 3/ are compare;, with values obtalned for the H/sup 3/ nucleus. The precise values of the Coulomb energy are expected to be several per cent smaller than those calculated because of the simplification of this trial function. This seems to indicate that one extended proton is consistent with the experimental data without hard core. It is speculated that a slight violation of charge symmetry which guarantees the equality of nuclear forces for proton-proton and neutron-neutron systems may occur. The actual nuclear force is apparently not chargedependent. This is possibly the cause for the differences In the observed values for H/sup 3/ and He/ sup 3/, (B.O.G.)
Women's lives and sex: Implications for AIDS prevention

Preliminary findings from the Women and AIDS program, a research grants program of the International Center for Research on Women in Washington, D.C. that supports 17 studies in developing countries worldwide, provide a glimpse into the complex interaction between women's social and economic status and risk of HIV infection. In many settings, the cultural norms that demand sexual fidelity and docile and acquiescent sexual behavior among women permit — and sometimes even encourage —early sexual experimentation, multiple partnerships, and aggressive and dominating sexual behavior among men. Drawing upon the findings from the program, the paper analyzes how such cultural norms, together with women's social and economic dependency, can limit a woman's ability to negotiate safer sex with her partner; restrict her access to information and knowledge about her body; force her to sometimes barter sex for survival; increase her vulnerability to physical violence in sexual interaction; and compromise her self-esteem. The findings highlight the limitations of the current HIV/AIDS prevention strategy for reducing women's risk of HIV, and underline the urgency for an approach to prevention that is grounded in the realities of women's lives and sexual experiences — an approach that recognizes the relationship between the dynamics of gender relations, sexual behavior, and HIV risk.
Combined behavioral and pharmacological treatments for smoking cessation

Combined behavioral and pharmacological therapies appear to be the best approach for treating tobacco dependence. Because these therapies operate by different mechanisms, complementary and potentially additive effects may be expected. This paper focuses on nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) combined with supportive counseling because they are the most widely used and intensively researched treatment methods. Nicotine replacement medications and counseling appear to produce additive or less than additive effects when combined. Additive effects of combined therapies are generally apparent in the number of smokers who survive the first few weeks without smoking, but may disappear at longer-term follow-up. Because any smoking in the first two post-quit weeks is strongly associated with poor treatment outcome, reduced incidence of early smoking re-exposure appears to be important for improving long-term smoking cessation. Mechanisms underlying additive effects need further clarification. What are the independent and interactive roles of compliance with medication and with behavior change prescriptions, of pharmacological withdrawal suppression, of relapse prevention skills training, and of social support provided by counseling? Given the prevalence and importance of post-quit smoking relapses, can anything be done to further reduce incidence or to counteract their deleterious effects? Do any existing treatments slow relapse? If not, how can this be accomplished? Effective treatments now exist, but these cannot have an impact unless they are used; we need to know what methods can effectively enhance use.
Impact of adjustments for intermediate phenotypes on the power to detect linkage.

Since the manifestation of a complex disease is likely to be influenced through multiple genetic and/or environmental pathways, it may be advantageous to adjust for these multiple factors in a genetic analysis of a complex quantitative trait. Sib- pair linkage analysis was performed on the simulated complex quantitative trait Q1 after adjustment for age, sex, and the environmental factor (i.e., minimally adjusted) and all combinations of the four intermediate phenotypes Q2, Q3, Q4, and Q5 (n = 15) for all 200 replications of the nuclear families data set. From the minimally adjusted Q1, the power to detect suggestive linkage to any of the three loci affecting Q1 was 0.585 with a false positive rate of 0.0025. Adjusting Q1 for Q3 increased the power to detect suggestive linkage to 0.860 with a similar false positive rate. Additional adjustments for Q2, Q4, and Q5 yielded no substantial improvements in power nor changes in the false positive rate. The power to detect significant linkage was also substantially improved after adjustment of Q1 for Q3 with no change in the false positive rate. The adjustment of a complex trait for other factors in the causal pathway reduces the phenotype variability and enhances the ability to detect linkage. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Metal Structures in Odessa, Texas, and Canyon Diablo, Arizona, Meteorites*

The features of structure commonly found in metallic meteorites are described. These include the Widmanstatten structure of the phases kamacite, taenite, and plessite; the mechanical twins, or Neumann bands; strain lines; slip bands; veins; and some non-metallic features, viz., schreibersite and oxide pearlite. Photomicrographs are offered to show these various features as they occurred in a piece of an Odessa, Texas, meteorite and in a piece of a Canyon Diablo, Arizona, meteorite. A discussion of the crystallographic relationships in the various features is offered, with the purpose of throwing possible light on their history and origin. A little speculation is indulged in, regarding an explanation of these structures.
SU-FF-J-29: Assessment of Patient Setup Variations with a Commercial On-Board Imaging System: Is There a Benefit to the Patient?

Purpose: Kilovoltage imaging with a commercial on‐board imager (OBI) has been implemented in our treatment room for image‐guidedradiation therapy(IGRT). It holds great potential to improve treatment accuracy by reducing the setup errors. However, performing patient setup with OBI costs extra time and effort. Thus, it is important to demonstrate which patient will benefit from this new technique. We have assessed patient setup variations and its dosimetric effect. Method and Materials: We perform daily OBI setup on the prostate, head‐and‐neck (H&N), and central‐nerve‐system (CNS) IMRT patients. Our setup procedure: (1) Patients were aligned to their skin marks. (2) Orthogonal kV images were acquired with OBI. (3) Setup corrections were made by registering the kV images with DRR's based on bony landmark (H&N and CNS patients) or fiducial markers (prostate patients). Shifts larger than PTV margins were verified with MV portal imaging. Setup data from 2 CNS, 9 H&N, and 10 prostate patients were analyzed. For H&N and CNS patients, dose redistributions that incorporate each day's actual shifts were calculated by rigid‐body translation. Results: (1) H&N and CNS patients: the random setup variations (standard deviation of the daily data) are 0.15cm, 0.32cm and 0.42cm in LR, AP, and SI direction. The systematic setup variations (the average) are 0.5cm. The largest shift is 1.2cm. (2) Prostate patients: average interfractional variations are 0.26 cm (LR), 0.24 (SI) and 0.39 cm (AP). (3) Dose redistribution in the postplans demonstrated that OBI setup corrections typically don't modify the CTV coverage but frequently affect sparing of the critical organs.Conclusion: Our random setup variations were found to be smaller than the PTV margin (5mm). With OBI setup corrections, we can further reduce the PTV margin safely. Our postplans have shown that OBI setup corrections can dramatically improve sparing of the normal structures.
Policy‐makers and intelligence analysts: Love, hate or indifference?

(1988). Policy‐makers and intelligence analysts: Love, hate or indifference? Intelligence and National Security: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 184-189.
Response strength of single words as an influence in sentence behavior

Active or passive sentences were learned in response to nouns. In one set of either construction the first noun was elicited as primary word associate to a stimulus noun, and in re-paired sets the second noun was so elicited. Comparison groups learned the same sentences in response to unrelated stimulus nouns. Results indicated that sentences beginning with high response strength (RS) nouns are easier to learn than sentences ending with high RS nouns. By inference, word order in natural speech is a function of RS, where verbal operants at high RS tend to be emitted early. Error analysis provided weak evidence for change in word order attributable to RS. The active construction appeared easier to learn than the passive construction, and syntactic errors tended to be in the direction of the simpler construction.
Biostratigraphic usefulness of stromatolitic precambrian microbiotas: A preliminary analysis

Abstract Diverse, cellularly preserved microbial communities are now known from stromatolitic sediments of at least twenty-eight Precambrian formations. These fossiliferous deposits, principally cherts and cherty portions of carbonate units, range in age from Early Proterozoic (Transvaal Dolomite, ca. 2250 Ma old) to Vendian (Chichkan Formation, ca. 650 Ma old) and include units from Australia, India, Canada, South Africa, Greenland, the United States and the Soviet Union. More than three-quarters of these microbiotas have been discovered since 1970. Although few, therefore, have as yet been studied in detail, virtually all of the assemblages are known to be dominated by prokaryotic (bacterial and blue-green algal) microorganisms and to contain three major categories of microfossils: spheroidal unicells, cylindrical tube-like sheaths, and cellular trichomic filaments. Analyses of data now available (including measurements of more than 7800 fossil unicells) indicate that each of these three types of microfossils exhibited a gradual, but marked, increase in mean diameter and size range during the Proterozoic and that taxonomic diversity apparently also increased, especially beginning about 1400 Ma ago. Thus, it now seems evident that (i) the microbial components of Proterozoic stomatolitic assemblages have varied systematically as a function of geologic age and that (ii) such communities are both more abundant and more widespread than had previously been recognized. These observations augur well for the future use of such assemblages in Precambrian biostratigraphy. At present, however, data are sufficient to warrant the provisional establishment of only a few microfossil-based subdivisions of the Proterozoic. Such zones, necessarily relatively long-ranging, are here tentatively defined; it is of interest to note that boundaries between certain of these microfossil-based subdivisions appear to coincide, at least approximately, with previously suggested stromatolite-based boundaries. To some extent, therefore, results of this study seem consistent with, and may be supportive of, the concept of stromatolite-based biostratigraphy. At the same time, however, the study seems to indicate that stromatolites of markedly differing age, whether of similar or of dissimilar morphology, were probably formed by distinctly differing microbiotas. Data are as yet insufficient to indicate whether differing types of coetaneous, stratigraphically useful, stromatolites were formed by differing microbial communities and two what extent the “evolution” of stromatolite morphology was a result of the biologic evolution of stromatolite-building microorganisms. There is thus continued need for investigation of the potential biostratigraphic usefulness of stromatolitic microbiotas and, especially, for more effective integration of results of such studies with those available from studies of stromatolites without preserved microbiotas and from studies of the acritarchs preserved in Proterozoic shales.
Influences of alcohol and S-R uncertainty upon spatial localization time.

Using a complete factorial design, choice reaction times of nine subjects were determined in three sessions on each of three days, after having consumed three beverages (placebo, beer, ethanol) with only a single beverage being consumed each day. Reaction time (the time to identify the location of a dot projected on a small screen) was measured from onset of stimulus presentation to the verbalization of a single-digit number associated with the area of the screen upon which the dot was projected. Reaction times were lengthened significantly by alcohol; increases in stimulus-response uncertainty, i.e., the number of possible locations and associated responses; and were lengthened more by alcohol as stimulus-response uncertainty was increased.
WHITE VESICLES IN THE SKIN OF APLYSIA CALIFORNICA COOPER: A PROPOSED EXCRETORY FUNCTION

White patches of skin that appear early in the development of the shell-less mollusc, Aplysia californica, are composed of aggregations of vase-shaped vesicles, each a single, large cell with an enlarged nucleus. Two layers of collagen, at 908 to each other, surround the vesicle membrane, together with a noncontiguous external layer of muscle. Energy dispersive spectroscopy and electron diffraction of the contents with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) failed to find a signal for halogens (involved with unpalatable skin and, therefore, defence against predation), but did record prominent signals for calcium. Immature vesicles are filled with an homogenous material that appeared to mature progressively, likely by nucleation, into numerous, small spherules, visible by both SEM and TEM. Ultra-thin uranyl acetate stained sections of mature vesicles showed that the spherules had an intracrystalline matrix of radially arranged electron-dense material. The vesicle cell had none of the modifications characteristic of calcium or rhogocyte cell-types, which serve as calcium reservoirs for the movement of this element to sites of shell formation and regeneration. These vesicles are likely involved with the excretion of excess calcium and not, as originally hypothesized, with either defence against predators or calcium flux. In addition, the spherules that fill the vesicles are possibly composed of the less common polymorphs of calcium carbonate, vaterite and amorphous calcium carbonate. Excretion of the vesicle contents appeared to be passive, since vesicles lacked an abundant contiguous layer of muscle or a muscular release valve in the vesicle neck, but did have organized layers of collagen just outside the vesicle membrane. We propose that release of vesicle contents probably occurs when the neck of the vesicle is broken.
From the Editor in Chief: Define--Valedictory

Internet search is a full-contact sport, as similar to pure IR as football is to ballet. IR mechanisms work well in benevolent environments, when you can trust the documents in the corpus to actually be about the words they mention. This is fine for an internal database of documentation, but when the World Wide Web evolved into the world-wide market, having people look at your page acquired economic value
A Simulation Benchmark for Selection of the PWM Algorithms for Three-Phase Interleaved Converters

A solution for high current applications consists of paralleling power stages of lower power. Given the complexity of these systems, a comprehensive computer-based analysis is required before physical implementation. This paper presents a simulation benchmark for selection of the pulsewidth modulation (PWM) algorithms used to control interleaved three-and four-wire three-phase power inverters. The analysis considers the resulting phase current harmonics, dc link current harmonics, neutral point voltage, and inter converter circulation currents. Analytical aspects of different current control structures used within interleaved power electronics systems and effects of selecting various PWM algorithms are revealed for both the three-wire and the four-wire structure. Finally, analysis of the DSP implementation for different practical solutions is shown.
Infected Abdominal Wall Prosthesis

During the past 30 years, prosthetic materials have been used with increasing frequency in the management of ventral and groin hernias. Various permanent prosthetic meshes have been used in the repair of these hernias with polypropylene (Bard® mesh, Prolene®) and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (Gore-Tex®) being the most frequent mesh materials employed. The use of mesh is thought to be very desirable in the repair of these various abdominal wall hernias because (1) it minimizes tension in the hernia repair, (2) it permits repair of extraordinarily large defects that cannot be repaired by primary fascial approximation, and (3) it also can be used to replace attenuated abdominal wall fascia that would otherwise result in a recurrence.
Profile likelihood‐based confidence interval of the intraclass correlation for binary outcome data sampled from clusters

The intraclass correlation in binary outcome data sampled from clusters is an important and versatile measure in many biological and biomedical investigations. Properties of the different estimators of the intraclass correlation based on the parametric, semi-parametric, and nonparametric approaches have been studied extensively, mainly in terms of bias and efficiency [see, for example, Ridout et al., Biometrics 1999, 55:137–148; Paul et al., Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation 2003, 73:507–523; and Lee, Statistical Modelling 2004, 4: 113–126], but little attention has been paid to extending these results to the problem of the confidence intervals. In this article, we generalize the results of the four point estimators by constructing asymptotic confidence intervals obtaining closed-form asymptotic and sandwich variance expressions of those four point estimators. It appears from simulation results that the asymptotic confidence intervals based on these four estimators have serious under-coverage. To remedy this, we introduce the Fisher's z-transformation approach on the intraclass correlation coefficient, the profile likelihood approach based on the beta-binomial model, and the hybrid profile variance approach based on the quadratic estimating equation for constructing the confidence intervals of the intraclass correlation for binary outcome data. As assessed by Monte Carlo simulations, these confidence interval approaches show significant improvement in the coverage probabilities. Moreover, the profile likelihood approach performs quite well by providing coverage levels close to nominal over a wide range of parameter combinations. We provide applications to biological data to illustrate the methods. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Kuhn's Geometric Index of Unifacial Stone Tool Reduction (GIUR) : does it measure missing flake mass?

Kuhn's GIUR is a set of measurements taken on a resharpened stone flake's edge. Its purpose is to estimate the amount of stone removed before the exhausted tool was abandoned. An experimental test of Kuhn's Index led Hiscock and Clarkson to suggest that it is an excellent estimator of flake mass loss. Our own tests, using different experimental procedures, reached much less optimistic conclusions. Here, we apply their own measurement procedures, and successfully duplicate their results. It does not follow, however, that our now-consistently high correlations have a causal connection. As GIUR values increase, they are less able to estimate the actual loss of flake mass. It appears, therefore, that incremental loss of flake mass need not be the sole driver of the GIUR value. If the correlation is an inevitable byproduct of the experiment's design, as it now appears, then analyses based on this high correlation will be misleading. The GIUR remains, however, and excellent gauge of flake edge exhaustion.
The Management of Central Neurocytoma: Radiosurgery

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has evolved into a mainstay in the primary and adjuvant management of most intracranial tumors. Central neurocytomas are rare, usually benign, intraventricular tumors that can be challenging to completely resect and often recur. Adjuvant therapy has been suggested for residual or recurrent tumors, especially in the setting of atypical neurocytomas. The limited data available suggest that SRS is a highly effective treatment approach for primary and adjuvant therapy, with tumor control rates of 80% to 90%. Due to its highly conformal and selective nature, SRS avoids the inconvenience and delayed toxicity of conventional radiation therapy.
Aortic stenosis, von Willebrand factor, and bleeding.

Some patients with aortic stenosis have recurrent bleeding into their skin or gastrointestinal tract. Several studies suggest that this bleeding is caused by an acquired defect in von Willebrand fa...
Collaborative Reliability Analysis under the Framework of Multidisciplinary Systems Design

Traditional Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) generates deterministic optimal designs, which are frequently pushed to the limits of design constraint boundaries, leaving little or no room to accommodate uncertainties in system input, modeling, and simulation. As a result, the design solution obtained may be highly sensitive to the variations of system input which will lead to performance loss and the solution is often risky (high likelihood of undesired events). Reliability-based design is one of the alternative techniques for design under uncertainty. The natural method to perform reliability analysis in multidisciplinary systems is the all-in-one approach where the existing reliability analysis techniques are applied directly to the system-level multidisciplinary analysis. However, the all-in-one reliability analysis method requires a double loop procedure and therefore is generally very time consuming. To improve the efficiency of reliability analysis under the MDO framework, a collaborative reliability analysis method is proposed in this paper. The procedure of the traditional Most Probable Point (MPP) based reliability analysis method is combined with the collaborative disciplinary analyses to automatically satisfy the interdisciplinary consistency when conducting reliability analysis. As a result, only a single loop procedure is required and all the computations are conducted concurrently at the individual discipline-level. Compared with the existing reliability analysis methods in MDO, the proposed method is efficient and therefore provides a cheaper tool to evaluate design feasibility in MDO under uncertainty. Two examples are used for the purpose of verification.
Lower health related quality of life in U.S. military personnel is associated with service-related disorders and inflammation

Military personnel who have combat exposures are at increased risk for the service-related disorders of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, sleep disturbances and decreased health related quality of life (HRQOL). Those with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at even greater risk. Inflammation is associated with these disorders and may underlie the risk for health declines. We evaluated 110 recently deployed, military personnel presenting with sleep disturbances for service-related disorders (TBI, PTSD, and depression) as well as HRQOL. ANOVA models were used to examine differences among military personnel with two or more service-related disorders (high comorbid group), or one or no disorders (low comorbid group). Logistic regression models were used to determine associations among interleukin-6 (IL-6) to HRQOL and service-related disorders. Approximately one-third of the sample had two or more service-related disorders. HRQOL was lower and IL-6 concentrations were higher in military personnel with PTSD or depression, with the most profound differences in those with more service-related disorders, regardless of sleep disorder. Having symptoms of depression and PTSD resulted in a 3.5-fold risk to be in the lower quartile of HRQOL and the highest quartile of IL-6. In a linear regression model, 41% of the relationship between HRQOL and IL-6 concentrations was mediated by PTSD and depression. Military personnel with PTSD and depression are at high risk for lower HRQOL, and higher IL-6 concentrations. Comprehensive treatment is required to address co-occurring service-related disorders in military personnel to promote health and well-being.
The costs and benefits of writing, talking, and thinking about life's triumphs and defeats.

Three studies considered the consequences of writing, talking, and thinking about significant events. In Studies 1 and 2, students wrote, talked into a tape recorder, or thought privately about their worst (N 96) or happiest experience (N 111) for 15 min each during 3 consecutive days. In Study 3 (N 112), students wrote or thought about their happiest day; half systematically analyzed, and half repetitively replayed this day. Well-being and health measures were administered before each study’s manipulation and 4 weeks after. As predicted, in Study 1, participants who processed a negative experience through writing or talking reported improved life satisfaction and enhanced mental and physical health relative to those who thought about it. The reverse effect for life satisfaction was observed in Study 2, which focused on positive experiences. Study 3 examined possible mechanisms underlying these effects. Students who wrote about their happiest moments—especially when analyzing them—experienced reduced well-being and physical health relative to those who replayed these moments. Results are discussed in light of current understanding of the effects of processing life events.
Th17 Cells in Cancer: The Ultimate Identity Crisis

Th17 cells play a complex and controversial role in tumor immunity and have been found to exhibit a fluctuating identity within the context of cancer. The recent, expanding literature on these cells attests to their puzzling nature, either promoting or suppressing tumor growth depending on the malignancy and course of therapeutic intervention investigated. This review addresses several newly appreciated factors that may help delineate Th17 cells’ immunological properties in the context of cancer. Several reports suggest that inflammatory signals induced in the tumor milieu regulate the functional fate and antitumor activity of Th17 cells. Recent findings also point to significant alterations in Th17 cells due to their interplay with regulatory T lymphocytes and cytotoxic CD8+ T cells within the tumor microenvironment. Finally, an appreciation for the stem cell-like properties of Th17 cells that augment their persistence and activity emerges from recent reports. The impact of these factors on Th17 cells’ antitumor efficacy and how these factors may be exploited to improve cancer therapies will be discussed.
Diffuse central neurocytoma with craniospinal dissemination

Central neurocytomas (CN) are benign central nervous system (CNS) tumors of neuroglial origin that represent 0.25 to 0.5% of all intracranial tumors in adults and an even smaller proportion of pediatric CNS tumors. These tumors characteristically occur in the subependymal layer of the lateral ventricle near the foramen of Monro and appear as sharply demarcated, solitary lesions. Surgical resection is considered curative, as the reported recurrence rate is less than 5% for patients with localized disease. In this report, we describe the case of a three-year-old boy with a diffuse CN with craniospinal dissemination identified at the time of diagnosis. Given the extensive nature of the disease, surgical resection was not indicated and he underwent a chemotherapeutic regimen of vincristine and carboplatin. At 18 months followup, the patient has completed 6 of 8 total cycles of vincristine and carboplatin and serial imaging shows stable disease within the craniospinal axis.
An evaluation of printed HPV educational materials.

HPV educationalmaterials should be a viable source of accurate and mean-ingful information for women and should complementclinician counseling to reinforce important HPV informa-tion and to assist women with medical decision making.The purpose of this study was to formally evaluate printedHPV educational materials by determining the readability,suitability, and HPV content of existing, printed HPV edu-cational materials selected by the authors.
DNA Pyrosequencing–Based Identification of Pathogenic Candida Species by Using the Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 Region

Abstract Context.—The incidence of infections due to diverse Candida species is increasing, with correspondingly different antifungal susceptibility patterns. Routine yeast identification methods cause significant delays in appropriate patient management. Objective.—A DNA pyrosequencing strategy was evaluated for identification of pathogenic Candida species associated with human infections. Design.—Clinical (n = 51) and commercial (n = 9) Candida isolates were identified in a blinded, parallel study consisting of routine fungal cultures and biochemical analyses in comparison with DNA pyrosequencing. Results.—DNA pyrosequencing yielded species-level identification of all 60 Candida isolates, and sequencing interpretations agreed in all cases with results of biochemical and morphologic testing. Different Candida species were identified, such as C albicans, C dubliniensis, C glabrata, C guilliermondii, C krusei, C lusitaniae, C parapsilosis, and C tropicalis. Automated and manual approaches to DNA sequence i...
Intermediate-term outcomes of hepatitis C-positive compared with hepatitis C-negative deceased-donor renal allograft recipients

Abstract Background Prior studies have yielded conflicting results concerning the impact of HCV on renal transplant outcomes. Methods We examined outcomes in comparable groups of predominantly African American hepatitis C virus (HCV)-positive (n = 34) and HCV-negative (n = 111) kidney transplant patients receiving contemporary immunosupppression. Results There was no difference in patient survival or acute rejection, but new-onset diabetes (NODM) was increased and graft survival decreased in the HCV-positive group, with increased graft loss secondary to noncompliance and Type I MPGN. The incidence of NODM among patients undergoing early corticosteroid withdrawal was 11% in both groups, while among those on prednisone, it was 47% in HCV-positive versus 25% in HCV-negative recipients. Conclusions Deceased-donor HCV-positive renal allograft recipients have equivalent patient but decreased graft survival. Noncompliance and Type I MPGN play a role in producing this negative effect on graft outcome. Steroids may be required for HCV to exert its diabetogenicity in kidney transplant patients.
A Novel Multimaterial Additive Manufacturing Technique for Fabricating Laminated Polymer Nanocomposite Structures

The objective of this research is to develop a novel, multi-material additive manufacturing technique for fabricating laminated polymer nancomposite structures that have characteristic length-scales in the tens of millimeters range. The 3D printing technology presented in this paper combines the conventional inkjet-based printing of ultraviolet (UV) curable polymers with the deposition of either aligned or random nano-scale fiber mats, in between each printed layer. The fibers are first generated using an electrospinning process that produces the roll of fibers. These fibers are then transferred to the part being manufactured using a stamping operation. The process has been proven to manufacture multi-material laminated nanocomposites having different 3D geometries. The dimensional accuracy of the parts is seen to be a function of the interaction between the different UV-curable polymer inks. In general, the addition of the nanofibers in the form of laminates is seen to improve the mechanical properties of the material, with the Young’s modulus and the ultimate breaking stress showing the most improvement. The pinning and deflection of micro-cracks by the nano-scale fiber mats has been identified to be the underlying mechanism responsible for these improved mechanical properties. The thermogravimetric analysis reveals that these improvements in the mechanical properties are obtained without drastically altering the thermal degradation pattern of the base polymer.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Competitive algorithms for fine-grain real-time scheduling

This paper investigates the task scheduling problem for real-time systems that provide rate of progress guarantees on task execution. A parameterized task system model, called (r, g) task system, is introduced that allows rate of progress requirements to be specified in terms of two simple parameters: an execution rate r and a granularity g. The granularity parameter is a metric that allows the specification of "fine-grain" timing constraints on the task's execution and is a generalization of the stretch metric used in research on task scheduling. It is shown that the product r lg (l/g) is an important determiner of the existence of good online scheduling algorithms. Specifically, there is an upper bound on this product above which there are no good online algorithms but below which an online algorithm with logarithmic competitive ratio exists. This paper also demonstrates a fundamental difference between two contrasting strategies for admission control: greedy vs. nongreedy. It is shown that "greed does not pay": there is a scheduling algorithm with a nongreedy admission policy that provably outperforms the well-known greedy EDF scheduling algorithm.
Virilizing luteoma of pregnancy: Specific sterol and steroid hormone content

Abstract The specific sterol and steroid hormone content of a virilizing luteoma of pregnancy has been studied. The androgens, 4-androstene-3,17-dione, DHA, and testosterone, were the major free steroid hormones present in the tumor. Lanosterol, 4,4-dimethyl-8-cholesten-3β-ol, 4α-methyl-7-cholesten-3β-ol, and 7-cholesten-3β-ol were tentatively identified in the luteoma and represent the first identification of these sterols in human gonadal tissue. Three plant sterols, campesterol, stigmasterol, and β-sitosterol were also tentatively identified in trace amounts.
Merging multiple views using a spherical representation

This paper proposes a new method for building a 3-D model from a set of range images. The method can merge data of free-form surfaces obtained from arbitrary viewing directions, with no prior knowledge of the poses. Our approach is based on matching the spherical representations of an object between the views. To obtain the spherical representation, we deform a discrete mesh to fit the object surface. A variation of the Gaussian curvature metric, which we call simplex angle, is computed at each node on the deformed mesh and mapped to a coordinate on the unit sphere. The transformation of the objects is computed by comparing the simplex angle measure at each node on the unit sphere. The transformation which produces the minimum errors is selected as the best match. We have implemented this method, applied the method to range images of objects from arbitrary viewpoints, and demonstrated the applicability for modeling from observation. >
The anatomy and biomechanics of thelateral aspect of the knee

Abstract The lateral and posterolateral aspects of the knee are complex and often confusing anatomic regions. The structures that comprise the lateral aspect of the knee are the lateral knee retinaculum, which is comprised of the iliopatellar band, and iliotibial tract. The complicated posterolateral corner is an integrated complex that includes the lateral collateral ligament, the popliteus tendon, the fabellofibular ligament, the arcuate ligament, the popliteofibular ligament, and the short lateral ligament. It is only recently that a much clearer understanding of the anatomic structures of the lateral and posterolateral aspects of the knee have been delineated. As a result a more accurate determination of the biomechanical contributions of each these structures has occurred. The lateral collateral ligament is the primary restraint to varus rotation at all degrees of knee flexion. The posterolateral structures, of which the popliteofibular ligament has been shown to play a major role, are also a primary restraint to external rotation. These same structures play a secondary role in the control of anterior and posterior translation of the knee. It is the hope that this improved understanding of the anatomy and biomechanics of the lateral and posterolateral aspects of the knee will translate into improved clinical management of the instabilities that are often so debilitating and clinical challenging.
A randomized hybrid system approach to coordinated robotic sensor planning

This paper proposed a randomized hybrid system approach for planning the paths and measurements of a network of robotic sensors deployed for searching and classifying objects in a partially-observed environment containing multiple obstacles and multiple targets. The sensor planning problem considered in this paper consists of coordinating and planning the motions of each robot, equipped with two on-board sensing capabilities. One sensing capability is assumed to have low classification accuracy and a large field of view (FOV), and the other is assumed to have high classification accuracy and a smaller FOV. A sampling function for rapidly-exploring trees is presented that takes into account both sensor measurements of obstacle locations and robot configuration and velocity to generate new milestones for the tree online. The tree expansion also takes into account the expected information value of the targets, represented by conditional mutual information, in order to favor expansions toward targets with higher measurement benefit. The proposed method is implemented and demonstrated on a network of robotic sensors simulated using the 3D physics-based robotics software packages Player/Stage/Gazebo.
Principles for Developing Patient Avatars in Precision and Systems Medicine.

The day is drawing near when each patient can be made into a SuperModel—not a fashion model, but a digital or virtual model (see companion paper Brown, in review). Such representation of a patient can also be termed a patient avatar (The Discipulus Project, 2013). Principles to help guide successful implementation of these SuperModels are addressed in this article, including efficiency and cost-effectiveness (Figure ​(Figure11). Figure 1 Emerging principles for precision and systems medicine. A patient-clinician-technician alliance will be needed to work effectively with patient avatars in precision and systems medicine. The technician will feed data from the clinician and the patient ... Patient-clinician-technician alliance A patient-clinician-technician alliance will be needed for optimal care. The patient will interact with the clinician and technician, while the technician guides input of information into the SuperModel. Upon availability of model results, the technician will help interpret output for the clinician and the patient (The Discipulus Project, 2013). Multiple levels of support among the patient's health care team will be needed for shared clinical decision-making, buttressed by patient engagement and involvement of kinship and social networks. Thus, the health care team, patient, and kinship and social networks should be educated about the probabilistic (as opposed to deterministic) nature of SuperModel output. This would be facilitated by systems medicine counseling (Brown, in review). Various clinical decision support (CDS) tools are being developed for research and clinical use (e.g., http://www.myhealthavatar.eu, http://www.myresults.org), which help physicians decipher results and communicate with patients and their networks.
Airborne Influenza A Is Detected in the Personal Breathing Zone of Swine Veterinarians

The 2009 H1N1 pandemic emphasized a need to evaluate zoonotic transmission of influenza A in swine production. Airborne influenza A virus has been detected in swine facilities during an outbreak. However, the personal exposure of veterinarians treating infected swine has not been characterized. Two personal bioaerosol samplers, the NIOSH bioaerosol sampler and the personal high-flow inhalable sampler head (PHISH), were placed in the breathing zone of veterinarians treating swine infected with either H1N1 or H3N2 influenza A. A greater number of viral particles were recovered from the NIOSH bioaerosol sampler (2094 RNA copies/m3) compared to the PHISH sampler (545 RNA copies/m3). In addition, the majority of viral particles were detected by the NIOSH bioaerosol sampler in the >4 μm size fraction. These results suggest that airborne influenza A virus is present in the breathing zone of veterinarians treating swine, and the aerosol route of zoonotic transmission of influenza virus should be further evaluated among agricultural workers.
Botulism control by nitrite and sorbate in cured meats: A review

Nitrite plays a major role in the botulinal safety of cured meat products. When used at appropriate levels, it retards Clostridium botulinum growth and delays production of its deadly neurotoxin. Even though the incidence of botulinal spores in meat is very low, factors such as the tonnage of cured meats consumed, the potential for mishandling such products, and the nature of the disease necessitate the use of nitrite or other equally effective compound(s) for extra safety. Residual nitrite and nitrosamine levels in cured meat products have been decreasing in recent years through control and research conducted by the meat industry and related institutions. Such levels are minimal compared to total nitrate and nitrite amounts ingested or formed in the human body. Sorbate, especially in combination with nitrite at concentrations adequate only for cured meat color and flavor development, is at least as effective as currently used nitrite levels in delaying C. botulinum growth and toxin production. The mechanism(s) through which nitrite and/or sorbate perform their actions upon C. botulinum remains to be found. A review of the pertinent research completed to date should be helpful in the search for the mechanism(s).
Identification of breast cancer margins using intraoperative near-infrared imaging

Background and Objectives Current methods of intraoperative breast cancer margin assessment are labor intensive, not fully reliable, and time consuming; therefore novel strategies are necessary. We hypothesized that near infrared (NIR) intraoperative molecular imaging using systemic indocyanine green (ICG) would be helpful in discerning tumor margins. Methods A mammary cancer cell line, 4T1, was used to establish tumors in mouse flanks (n = 60). Tumors were excised 24 hr after intravenous ICG. Assessment of residual tumor in the wound bed was performed using a combination of NIR imaging and traditional method (by visual inspection and palpation) versus traditional method alone. Next we performed a clinical trial to evaluate the role of NIR imaging after systemic ICG for the margin assessment of 12 patients undergoing breast-conserving surgery. Results Traditional margin assessment identified 30% of positive margins while NIR imaging identified 90% of positive margins. In our clinical trial, all tumors were detected by NIR imaging and there was fluorescent evidence of residual tumor in the tumor bed in 6 of the 12 patients. None of these patients had positive margins on pathology. Conclusions Systemic ICG reliably accumulates in breast cancers in murine models as well as human breast cancer. While NIR imaging is helpful for detection of retained tumor margins in our animal model, intraoperative imaging for precise margin detection will need further refinement before clinical value can be obtained. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;113:508–514. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
More-than-toad: Conflicts and Ruminations in Cane Toad Management

ABSTRACTThis paper takes an event involving the introduced Cane Toad (Rhinella marina) in Australia, a community group, and a contested fence line as point of departure for discussions about different forms of engagement and the importance of being attentive to continuity and enduring forms. Cane Toads are considered a pest in Western Australia where several groups and agencies have mobilized to try to control the impact they have on native wildlife. I describe how Cane Toads and a fence constructed to deflect them are drawn into two different but related modes of engagement. One is a conflict modality where conviction engenders coherence and continuity, the other is what I call ruminations on Cane Toads as more-than-toad, which takes the form of an ongoing oscillation between expectations and surprise. ‘Toadbusters’ in Western Australia hold these two modes simultaneously in mind as practical everyday ontologies that do not map easily onto grand dualisms.