cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mycophenolate Mofetil in Children with Frequently Relapsing Nephrotic Syndrome: A Report from the Southwest Pediatric Nephrology Study Group

Children with frequently relapsing nephrotic syndrome (FRNS) often develop adverse effects from prednisone. Attempts to induce long-term remission in such patients have had varying levels of success. In this multicenter, prospective, open-label study, 14 centers enrolled 33 patients with FRNS, all of whom were in remission at the time of entry. Six of the patients were steroid dependent. The patients received mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) 600 mg/m(2) twice daily (maximum 1 g twice daily) for 6 mo. A tapering dosage of alternate-day prednisone was given to each patient during the first 16 wk of MMF therapy. Patients were monitored for relapses of NS during and after MMF therapy. Treatment failure was defined as a relapse of NS. The patients had the following features at study entry: Age 6.8 +/- 2.7 yr (range 2 to 15 yr); 56% male, 44% female; and 50% white; 25% black, and 25% other. Estimated GFR at entry was 138 +/- 42 ml/min per 1.73 m(2). Twenty-four (75%) of 32 patients stayed in remission throughout the 6 mo of MMF therapy. The relapse rate in these patients improved from one episode every 2 mo before MMF to one every 14.7 mo after MMF. Eight patients stayed in remission during the post-MMF period, for periods of 18 to 30 mo, whereas 16 relapsed after stopping MMF. Eight (25%) of 32 patients relapsed while taking MMF. It is concluded that MMF is effective for maintaining remission in patients who have FRNS and receive treatment for at least 6 mo and is associated with a low incidence of adverse events.
Phylogenetic structure of vertebrate communities across the Australian arid zone

Aim To understand the relative importance of ecological and historical factors in structuring terrestrial vertebrate assemblages across the Australian arid zone, and to contrast patterns of community phylogenetic structure at a continental scale. Location Australia. Methods We present evidence from six lineages of terrestrial vertebrates (five lizard clades and one clade of marsupial mice) that have diversified in arid and semi-arid Australia across 37 biogeographical regions. Measures of within-lineage community phylogenetic structure and species turnover were computed to examine how patterns differ across the continent and between taxonomic groups. These results were examined in relation to climatic and historical factors, which are thought to play a role in community phylogenetic structure. Analyses using a novel sliding-window approach confirm the generality of processes structuring the assemblages of the Australian arid zone at different spatial scales. Results Phylogenetic structure differed greatly across taxonomic groups. Although these lineages have radiated within the same biome – the Australian arid zone – they exhibit markedly different community structure at the regional and local levels. Neither current climatic factors nor historical habitat stability resulted in a uniform response across communities. Rather, historical and biogeographical aspects of community composition (i.e. local lineage persistence and diversification histories) appeared to be more important in explaining the variation in phylogenetic structure. While arid-zone assemblages show an overall tendency towards phylogenetic clustering, this pattern was less pronounced at finer spatial scales. Main conclusions By focusing within different taxonomic groups and between those groups within regions, we show that although the vertebrate lineages we examined exhibited high diversity and low turnover across the arid zone, the underlying phylogenetic structure differs between regions and taxonomic groups, suggesting that taxon-specific histories are more important than habitat stability in determining patterns of phylogenetic community relatedness.
Institutions, Political Conflict and the Cohesion of Policy Networks in the Chilean Congress, 1961–2006

This paper focuses on congressional politics in Chile before and after the 1973 coup. It challenges a common perspective that sees the congressional decay of the early 1970s as being caused by stringent limits on particularistic bills and by presidents with wide-ranging formal prerogatives. It presents an alternative argument that focuses on electoral competition and ideological radicalisation, derives testable implications, and provides the first empirical comparison of legislative behaviour before and after the 1973 coup. The evidence, which centres on the analysis of policy networks derived from the joint sponsorship of legislation, appears incompatible with the implications of the conventional argument.
Fertilization Mitigates Chemical Induction and Herbivore Responses Within Damaged Oak Trees

Previous work has shown that fertilization can mitigate across-year induced resistance among individual Alaska paper birch, supporting the hypothesis that induction results from nutrient deficiency rather than active defense. The present study suggests that fertilization can prevent induction responses in oak within one season, and among leaves within individual trees. Saplings of two oak species, divided among fertilizer treatments within a plantation, were defoliated to varying degrees by a gypsy moth outbreak during spring. We monitored foliage chemistry and insect herbivore distributions during summer and fall of the same year. Damaged leaves within unfertilized Quercus prints saplings showed increases in foliar astringency and proanthocyanidins. Within fertilized trees, dam- age did not induce increases in either astringency or proanthocyanidins. Defoliation also induced increases in proanthocyanidins and astringency within Q. rubra saplings, but in- duction was unaffected by fertilization. On both tree species, the distributions of certain insect guilds were skewed away from damaged leaves on unfertilized trees, but independent of damage on fertilized trees. We suggest that the effects of fertilization on induction can vary among tree species, and can occur at more than one spatial and temporal scale. Our data support the view that nutrient availability may affect phytochemical induction and herbivore responses.
THE TRANSITION FROM FILAMENTOUS TO TWO-DIMENSIONAL GROWTH IN FERN GAMETOPHYTES. II. KINETIC STUDIES ON PTERIDIUM AQUILINUM'

Gametophytes of the fern Pteridium aquilinum were incubated 3 days in red light and then transferred to white light. The sequence of events occurring after the transfer was as follows: a swelling of the apical region within 1 hr; a reduction in cell elongation after 5 hr; a series of one-dimensional cell divisions between 10-25 hr; and the initiation of two-dimensional gametophytes after 25-50 hr. The percentage of two-dimensional gametophytes was proportional to the logarithm of the intensity of white light. The rate of elongation after 5 hr was inversely proportional to the logarithm of the intensity. The rates of cell divisions for one- and two-dimensional gametophytes were proportional to intensity up to 240 and 120 ft-c, respectively. FERN GAMETOPHYTES have proven to be useful
Advanced Quenching Techniques for Super-Regenerative Radio Receivers

This paper proposes an optimal super-regenerative-receiver quench signal that achieves 48% narrower 3 dB bandwidth than state of the art and in addition allows independent selection of receiver gain, 3 dB bandwidth, and maximum quench frequency, facilitating design. While many previous works have focused on building block-level optimization, we present a circuit-independent, system-level optimization of the quench signal and demonstrate that key receiver performance is intricately tied to this wave shape. This work both theoretically derives how to optimize the quench signal and experimentally verifies the predicted performance improvement with a discrete-element prototype. Measured results show over 42% reduction in 3 dB bandwidth by optimally changing the quench-signal shape for a given gain and quench frequency.
Disadvantage, self-control, and health

Substantial inequities in disease risk and mortality by socioeconomic status (SES) and race challenge us to understand how health disparities emerge and can be eliminated. Building on a strong foundation of studies documenting disparities in a range of diseases and health problems, researchers are increasingly focusing on potentially modifiable mechanisms through which SES and race influence disease risk. One set of mechanisms involves risk factors for disease that occur more frequently in disadvantaged groups that, if reduced, could close the gap in morbidity and mortality. These include lack of access to health care, exposure to toxins and physical hazards, health-damaging behaviors, and adverse social environments (1). A second set of mechanisms involves protective factors that, if bolstered in disadvantaged groups, could do the same. These include social resources such as social support and social participation and psychological resources such as optimism, self-esteem, and perceived control (2). Whereas it is generally assumed that reducing risk factors and/or increasing protective factors will be beneficial in reducing disparities, Miller et al. (3) provide a more qualified assessment of one protective factor—self-regulation—and suggest that although greater self-regulation improves psychosocial outcomes, it may increase biological risk in more disadvantaged groups.
Altering the catalytic activity of thin metal catalyst films for controlled growth of chemical vapor deposited vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays

The growth rate and terminal length of vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays (VANTAs) grown by chemical vapor deposition have been dramatically improved through pulsed KrF excimer laser pretreatments of multilayer metal catalyst films. Silicon wafers coated with Al, Mo, and Fe layers were laser processed in air with single laser shots of varying fluence through circular apertures, then heated to ∼750°C and exposed to acetylene and ferrocene containing gas mixtures typically used to grow vertically aligned nanotube arrays. In situ videography was used to record the growth kinetics of the nanotube arrays in both patterned and unpatterned regions to understand the changes in catalytic activity, growth rates, and termination of growth. The height of the patterned regions varied with fluence, with the most successful treatment resulting in 1.4 cm tall posts of nanotubes embedded in a 0.4 cm tall nanotube carpet. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy images from the nanotubes in the posts revealed fewer walls, smaller diameters, and a much narrower distribution of diameters compared to the nanotubes grown in the carpet. This information, along with data obtained from weighing the material from each region, suggests that pulsed laser processing can also significantly increase the areal density of VANTAs.
Procedural Democracy, the Bulwark of Equal Liberty:

This essay reclaims a political proceduralist vision of democracy as the best normative defense of democracy in contemporary politics. We distinguish this vision from three main approaches that are representative in the current academic debate: the epistemic conception of democracy as a process of truth seeking; the populist defense of democracy as a mobilizing politics that defies procedures; and the classical minimalist or Schumpeterian definition of democracy as a competitive method for selecting leaders.
Non-axisymmetric subcritical bifurcations in viscoelastic Taylor–Couette flow

Recently, an account of the linear and nonlinear analysis of the viscoelastic Taylor–Couette flow between independently rotating cylinders against axisymmetric disturbances was presented (Avgousti & Beris 1993 a ). However, more recent linear stability analysis has shown that for the range of geometric and kinematic parameters studied and for high enough values of flow elasticity, the critical instabilities are caused by non-axisymmetric, time-dependent disturbances (Avgousti & Beris 1993 b ). In this work, we calculate the bifurcating families corresponding to each one of the two possible non-axisymmetric patterns emerging at the point of criticality, namely the spirals and ribbons and determine their stability. It is shown that for a narrow gap size, for upper convected Maxwell and Oldroyd-B fluids, at least one of the non-axisymmetric families bifurcates subcritically. This result, in conjunction with the theoretical analysis of Hopf bifurcation in presence of symmetries (Golubitsky et al . 1988), implies that neither of the bifurcating families is stable. Consequently, there is a finite transition corresponding to infinitesimal changes of the flow parameters in the vicinity of the Hopf bifurcation point. Although a change in the ratio of the Deborah and Reynolds numbers has not been found to qualitatively affect this behaviour, calculations with a wider gap size have shown that both bifurcating families become supercritical. There, a Ginzburg–Landau analysis shows that the ribbons are the stable pattern. This behaviour is qualitatively similar to that seen for the newtonian fluid, but for counterrotating cylinders, albeit there, spirals have been found to be stable (Golubitsky & Langford 1988).
The Emerging Criminal War on Sex Offenders

This article addresses four central questions. First, what is the difference between normal law enforcement policy and a “war” on crime? Second, assuming such a line can be discerned, has the enactment of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act (“AWA”) in combination with other sex offender laws triggered a transition to a criminal war on sex criminals? Third, if such a criminal war is emerging, what will be the likely effects of such a transition? Fourth, if such a criminal war is emerging with substantial negative consequences, how can it be stopped?By reviewing America’s history of criminal wars, primarily the War on Drugs, the article identifies three essential characteristics of a criminal war: marshalling of resources, myth creation, and exception making. It concludes that the federalization of sex offender policy brought about by the AWA has turned what was conventional law enforcement into a nascent criminal war on sex crimes. This change can have repercussions as substantial as the drug war has had on American criminal justice and society.
Management of multiple myeloma: a systematic review and critical appraisal of published studies

We have done a systematic review of all randomised studies in myeloma, identified through a comprehensive search. Our aim was to investigate and critically examine the effects of various treatment modalities on outcome in patients with multiple myeloma and address 22 specific clinical questions in the management of this disease. As a result of our analysis we identified two therapeutic advances in the management of myeloma that, according to the evidence, are most important for improving outcome. These advances were: introduction of high dose chemotherapy, which appears to be superior to conventional chemotherapy, and the use of bisphosphonates, which decrease the probability of pathological vertebral fractures. However, the overall quality of the body of evidence for myeloma management was poor. Many trials were done with small sample sizes, and did not include reporting power analysis. The majority of studies had inadequate allocation concealment, and few were analysed according to intention to treat principle. We conclude that the quality of total evidence supporting treatment recommendations in myeloma is modest at best and has an ample scope for improvement.
Is the Measure the Message: The BSID and Nutritional Interventions

* Abbreviations: BSID — : Bayley Scales of Infant Development LCPUFA — : long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid This issue of Pediatrics contains a meta-analysis by Qawasmi et al1 that is an evaluation of the effects of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) supplementation of infant formula on what is claimed to be measures of “infant cognition.” The analysis is based on performance of different dietary groups on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) at ages up to 18 months. The authors conclude that LCPUFA supplementation provides no benefit for either term or preterm infants. There are now at least 4 meta-analyses or systematic reviews on this topic published in the past 7 years.2–4 All include only (or mainly) studies that have measured the BSID, and all reach a similar conclusion. We do not disagree with the conclusion that the BSID is generally unaffected by LCPUFA supplementation; however, we are concerned with the nature of the outcome measure used to anchor this and other meta-analyses. The BSID … Address correspondence to Susan E. Carlson, PhD, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, MS 4013, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd, Kansas City, KS 66160. E-mail: scarlson{at}kumc.edu
Preparation and dynamic response of cationic copolymer hydrogels containing glucose oxidase

Glucose-sensitive hydrogels were prepared by the copolymerization of diethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DEAEM), poly(ethylene glycol) monomethacrylate (PEGMA) and functionalized glucose oxidase (GOD) and catalase in solution. Tetra(ethylene glycol) dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) was used as the crosslinking agent. The equilibrium and dynamic swelling properties were studied to investigate the pH-sensitive swelling behavior of the gels. The effects of crosslinking ratio and enzyme content on the swelling properties were studied. The hydrogels demonstrated critical swelling behavior as the pH approached 7.0. The mesh sizes and the diffusion coefficients were determined. Dynamic swelling studies were performed and the results were analyzed using a first-order model to calculate the time constants of swelling and syneresis. Pulsatile swelling studies revealed the reversible nature of the swelling/deswelling process.
Relation of cholesterol to astrocytic differentiation in C-6 glial cells.

: The relation of cellular cholesterol content to a biochemical expression of astrocytic differentiation was investigated in cultured C-6 glial cells. The astrocytic marker, glutamine synthetase, was studied. Cellular sterol content was perturbed with compactin, a specific inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and, thereby, cholesterol biosynthesis. Depletion of cellular sterol resulted in 72 h in a more than twofold increase in glutamine synthetase activity. Production of various degrees of sterol depletion with different concentrations of compactin demonstrated a striking inverse relationship between glutamine synthetase activity and the cellular sterol/phospholipid molar ratio. That the effect of compactin, in fact, is mediated by depletion of sterol was shown further by prevention of the compactin-induced increase in synthetase activity by simultaneous addition of exogenous cholesterol. Moreover, addition of cholesterol alone to the culture medium led to both a decrease in glutamine synthetase activity and an increase in the sterol/phospholipid molar ratio. The possibility that the compactin-induced increase in glutamine synthetase activity is caused by an increase in synthesis of the enzyme was suggested by prevention of the increase by cycloheximide. The data suggest that astrocytic differentiation is stimulated by a decrease in cellular sterol content. When considered with our previous observation that oli-godendroglial differentiation is inhibited by such a decrease, the findings suggest that cellular sterol content is a critical determinant of the direction of glial differentiation, i.e., whether along astrocytic or oligodendroglial lines.
Field Coupling and Stress Mitigation in Electrically Conductive Composites

The present paper studies the effects of stress mitigation in a mechanically loaded electrically conductive composite by application of an electromagnetic field. Governing equations are derived for a long transversely isotropic current-carrying thin plate subjected to an impact-like mechanical load and immersed in a magnetic field. The numerical solution procedure consists of a sequential application of time and spatial integration, quasi-linearization and stable orthonormalization. The numerical results show that the stresses and transverse vibrations of the impacted plate are reduced in the presence of the pulsed current and external magnetic field. Furthermore, the magnitude and direction of the electric current and magnetic induction have significant effects on the response of the plate. This study suggests that there is an optimum for the electromagnetic load combination in improvement of the impact response.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
RNA, the first macromolecular catalyst: the ribosome is a ribozyme

Recently, the atomic structures of the large ribosomal subunit from Haloarcula marismortui and its complexes with substrates have been determined. These have provided exciting new insights into the principles of RNA structure, the mechanism of the peptidyl-transferase reaction and early events in the evolution of this RNA-protein complex assembly that is essential in all cells. The structures of the large subunit bound to a variety of antibiotics explain the effects of antibiotic resistance mutations and provide promise for the development of new antibiotics.
Are individuals' reputations related to their history of behavior?

Functional theories of reputation imply that individuals’ reputations are tied to their history of behavior. However, indirect evidence suggests that the relation between reputation and behavior might be tenuous at best. In 3 studies, the authors tracked the development of reputations among individuals who engaged in multiple negotiation tasks across several weeks. The authors found that on average, individuals’ reputations were only mildly related to their history of behavior. However, the link between reputation and behavior was stronger for some individuals than others––specifically, for individuals who were more well-known and received more social attention in the community. In contrast, for less well-known individuals, their behavior had little impact on their reputation. The findings have implications for psychologists’ understanding of reputations, person perceptions in larger groups, and the costs and benefits of social visibility.
Mechanics of High Speed Texturing Part III: Experimental Studies of Belt and Ring Twisting

This paper presents experimental studies of belt and ring twisting mechanisms. The effects of twister parameters such as the yarn crossing angle, the speed ratio, and the externally applied pressure are investigated, and the results support the theoretical analyses presented in the previous parts of this series. The preferred operating ranges of these twisters are also suggested.
Geomedizinische Forschung bei m. S.

Wer Interesse an den umweltlichen Entstehungsbedingungen der m. S. hat, sollte nicht versaumen, die einzige existierende ausfuhrliche Autobiographie eines Opfers der m. S. zu lesen. Der Name dieses jungen Englanders ist Bruce Frederic Cummings, 1889–1919. Er schrieb unter dem Pseudonym W. N. P. Barbellion „The Journal of a disappointed man“, 1919 und „A last Diary“, veroffentlicht nach seinem Tode 1920 (s. Encyclopedia Britannica i, 98, 1929). Es ist die Lebens- und Leidensgeschichte dieses jungen Mannes, der sich mit der freien Natur sehr verbunden fuhlte, ihre Tierwelt in Feld und Wald beobachten gelernt hatte, sich auf weiten Streifzugen tummelte und in jungen Jahren seinen Hang zur angewandten Biologie durch eine Anstellung am britischen Museum gekront hatte. An der Diagnose m. S. kann nicht gezweifelt werden, was fur die kurzere aber ofter zitierte Leidensschilderung des Edelmanns Augustus D’Este (Firth) nicht gilt. Zu Lebzeiten dieses Falles war die Diagnose m. S. nicht zu stellen, da die Krankheit als solche nicht bekannt war. Es konnte sich um eine Neurosyphilis gehandelt haben.
Nonequilibrium Motion of Electrons and Ions Near Absorbing Boundaries

This paper deals with nonequilibrium transport of electrons and ions near absorbing boundaries where particle densities tend to decrease as the boundary is approached. This decrease affects the behavior of average velocity and average energy of the particles near the boundary. Consequently, transport and rate coefficients cannot be characterized by the local value of electric field. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate these nonequilibrium effects.
Occupational exposure to manganese, copper, lead, iron, mercury and zinc and the risk of Parkinson's disease.

A population-based case-control study was conducted in the Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) in metropolitan Detroit to assess occupational exposures to manganese, copper, lead, iron, mercury and zinc as risk factors for Parkinson's disease (PD). Non-demented men and women 50 years of age who were receiving primary medical care at HFHS were recruited, and concurrently enrolled cases (n = 144) and controls (n = 464) were frequency-matched for sex, race and age (+/- 5 years). A risk factor questionnaire, administered by trained interviewers, inquired about every job held by each subject for 6 months from age 18 onward, including a detailed assessment of actual job tasks, tools and environment. An experienced industrial hygienist, blinded to subjects' case-control status, used these data to rate every job as exposed or not exposed to one or more of the metals of interest. Adjusting for sex, race, age and smoking status, 20 years of occupational exposure to any metal was not associated with PD. However, more than 20 years exposure to manganese (Odds Ratio [OR] = 10.61, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] = 1.06, 105.83) or copper (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.06,5.89) was associated with PD. Occupational exposure for > 20 years to combinations of lead-copper (OR = 5.24, 95% CI = 1.59, 17.21), lead-iron (OR = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.07,7.50), and iron-copper (OR = 3.69, 95% CI = 1.40,9.71) was also associated with the disease. No association of occupational exposure to iron, mercury or zinc with PD was found. A lack of statistical power precluded analyses of metal combinations for those with a low prevalence of exposure (i.e., manganese, mercury and zinc). Our findings suggest that chronic occupational exposure to manganese or copper, individually, or to dual combinations of lead, iron and copper, is associated with PD.
Self-Organized Criticality in Nanotribology

We present experimental results on dry friction, which are consistent with the hypothesis that the stick-slip mechanism for energy release is described by self-organized criticality. The data, obtained with an Atomic Force Microscope set to measure lateral forces– examines the variation of the friction force as a function of time – or sliding distance. The materials studied were nominally flat surfaces of mica, quartz, silica and steel. An analysis of the data shows that the probability distribution of slip sizes follows a power law. Our data strongly supports the existence of self-organized criticality for nano-stick-slip in dry sliding friction.
Ligands for Glaucoma-Associated Myocilin Discovered by a Generic Binding Assay

Mutations in the olfactomedin domain of myocilin (myoc-OLF) are the strongest link to inherited primary open angle glaucoma. In this recently identified protein misfolding disorder, aggregation-prone disease variants of myocilin hasten glaucoma-associated elevation of intraocular pressure, leading to vision loss. Despite its well-documented pathogenic role, myocilin remains a domain of unknown structure or function. Here we report the first small-molecule ligands that bind to the native state of myoc-OLF. To discover these molecules, we designed a general label-free, mix-and-measure, high throughput chemical assay for restabilization (CARS), which is likely readily adaptable to discover ligands for other proteins. Of the 14 hit molecules identified from screening myoc-OLF against the Sigma-Aldrich Library of Pharmacologically Active Compounds using CARS, surface plasmon resonance binding studies reveal three are stoichiometric ligand scaffolds with low micromolar affinity. Two compounds, GW5074 and apigen...
10 SEPTICEMIA DUE TO SALMONELLA BERTI (SEROGROUP D): A RARE CAUSE OF SEPTICEMIA, MULTIORGAN FAILURE, AND DEATH IN AN IMMUNOCOMPETENT PATIENT.

Clinically important Salmonellae, of which 2000 serotypes exist, are now formally classified as a single species, Salmonella choleraesuis ; thus, S. typhi is now S. choleraesusis serotype typhi. We present here a rare case of septicemia/death caused by S. berti , group D serotype of Salmonella . A 58-year-old white male with a history of type II diabetes mellitus and hypertension presented with a witnessed seizure and temperature of 1058F. He was in hemorrhagic/septic shock due to a gastrointestinal (GI) bleed and sepsis with multiorgan dysfunction. The patient9s troponin rose to approximately 70 ng/mL. Full anticoagulation could not be initiated due to the ongoing GI bleed. The patient was a chicken farmer by occupation and handled raw chicken 4-5 days before presentation. He was HIV negative. Treatment was initiated empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and the patient stabilized. A nontyphoidal strain, Salmonella berti (group D), sensitive to the antibiotics in use, was isolated on blood cultures by the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH). Unfortunately, the patient9s condition worsened and he again developed multiorgan failure. Despite our best efforts, the patient expired. Frank sepsis secondary to nontyphoidal strains is rare, and occurrences found in the literature appear to be related to typhoidal strains. Since the year 2000, when MSDH began collecting cases of Salmonella bacteremia, there have been only four recorded cases due to S. berti and none of these have involved multiorgan failure or death. In addition, these remote cases deal with Salmonella sepsis in immunocompromised individuals. We could find no recorded cases in the literature of immunocompetent individuals with sepsis and multiorgan failure due to nontyphoidal strains of Salmonella , and it appears that in the state of Mississippi, our case is the first recorded of its kind causing death from a nontyphoidal strain of Salmonella .
Preparation of emulsion acrylate based pressure sensitive adhesive with high solid content and low viscosity

The acrylate emulsion pressure sensitive adhesive which solid content is 65%,and which viscosity is less than 400 mPa ·s was synthesized with conventional semi-continuous and seeded emulsion polymerization technology.The effect of various factors such as copolymerization monomer,emulsifier,initiator,buffering agent,and the amount of seed emulsion on the solid content and viscosity of emulsion acrylate based pressure sensitive adhesive was studied.The results showed that functional monomers with carboxyl or hydroxyl have significant impact on emulsion polymerization stability and viscosity.The viscosity was increased with the increase of emulsifier ratio in the pre-emulsion and the amount of seed emulsion,and with the decrease of the APS amount.The viscosity of emulsion PSA were increased with the increasing of NaHCO3 ratio in the pre-emulsion,and the value of viscosity went up to the biggest when the NaHCO3 ratio in the pre-emulsion and the reaction flask was 1 /5.The gel fraction was decreased with the increase of emulsifier ratio in the pre-emulsion,and with the decrease of seed emulsion content.The gel fraction can reach to the smallest when APS dosage was 0.3% of monomer mass,or NaHCO3 ratio in the pre-emulsion and the reaction flask was 2 /4.
Hyperparathyroidism: A Study of 100 Cases

A ten-year study of all patients undergoing surgical treatment for hyperparathyroidism at Loma Linda University is presented. Clinical characteristics, laboratory analysis, differential diagnosis, associated diseases, operative techniques, and postoperative management of potential complications are evaluated. Some patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism underwent autotransplantation with good results; this technique is discussed. An approach is detailed that is successful in maintaining euparathyroidism.
Atrioventricular Dissociation Exacerbating Posturally-Induced Syncope

We report a case of an 85-year-old patient with posturally-induced syncope in whom symptoms were reproduced during tilt table testing in conjunction with development of an accelerated junctional rhythm with isorhythmic atrio-ventricular (AV) dissociation. That loss of AV synchrony was crucial to development of hypotension and syncope was demonstrated during electrophysiologic testing in which both an accelerated junctional rhythm and an inducible atypical AV nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) were induced. The accelerated junctional rhythm was accompanied by moderate hypotension with the patient in the supine posture, whereas blood pressure was well maintained during atypical AVNRT despite a much faster ventricular rate. Thus, symptomatic hypotension due to AV dissociation, presumably the result of transient autonomic disturbance, may be another manifestation of neurally-mediated syncope.
Emission of photons and relativistic axions from axion stars

The number of nonrelativistic axions can be changed by inelastic reactions that produce photons or relativistic axions. Any odd number of axions can annihilate into two photons. Any even number of nonrelativistic axions can scatter into two relativistic axions. We calculate the rate at which axions are lost from axion stars from these inelastic reactions. In dilute systems of axions, the dominant inelastic reaction is axion decay into two photons. In sufficiently dense systems of axions, the dominant inelastic reaction is the scattering of four nonrelativistic axions into two relativistic axions. The scattering of odd numbers of axions into two photons produces monochromatic radio-frequency signals at odd-integer harmonics of the fundamental frequency set by the axion mass. This provides a unique signature for dense systems of axions, such as a dense axion star or a collapsing dilute axion star.
Automatic histopathology image analysis with CNNs

We define Pathomics as the process of high throughput generation, interrogation, and mining of quantitative features from high-resolution histopathology tissue images. Analysis and mining of large volumes of imaging features has great potential to enhance our understanding of tumors. The basic Pathomics workflow consists of several steps: segmentation of tissue images to delineate the boundaries of nuclei, cells, and other structures; computation of size, shape, intensity, and texture features for each segmented object; classification of images and patients based on imaging features; and correlation of classification results with genomic signatures and clinical outcome. Executing a Pathomics workflow on a dataset of thousands of very high resolution (gigapixels) and heterogeneous histopathology images is a computationally challenging problem. In this paper, we use Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) for automatic recognition of nuclear morphological attributes in histopathology images of glioma, the most common malignant brain tumor. We constructed a comprehensive multi-label dataset of glioma nuclei and applied two CNN based methods on this dataset. Both methods perform well recognizing some but not all morphological attributes and are complementary with each other.
Computer‐aided detection of retained surgical needles from postoperative radiographs

PURPOSE Foreign objects, such as surgical sponges, needles, sutures, and other surgical instruments, retained in the patient's body can have dire consequences in terms of patient mortality as well as legal and financial penalties. We propose computer-aided detection (CAD) on postoperative radiographs as a potential solution to reduce the chance of retained foreign objects (RFOs) after surgery, thus alleviating one of the major concerns for patient safety in the operation room. A CAD system can function as a second pair of eyes or a prescreener for the surgeon and radiologist, depending on the CAD system design and the workflow. In this work, we focus on the detection of surgical needles on postoperative radiographs. As needles are frequently observed RFOs, a CAD system that can offer high sensitivity and specificity toward detecting surgical needles will be useful. METHODS Our CAD system incorporates techniques such as image segmentation, image enhancement, feature analysis, and curve fitting to detect surgical needles on radiographs. A dataset consisting of 108 cadaver images with a total of 116 needles and 100 cadaver "normal" images without needles was acquired with a portable digital x-ray system. A reference standard was obtained by marking the needle locations using an in-house developed graphical user interface. The 108 cadaver images with the needles were partitioned into a training set containing 53 cadaver images with 59 needles and a test set containing 55 cadaver images with 57 needles. All of the 100 cadaver normal images were reserved as a part of the test set and used to estimate the false-positive detection rate. Two operating points were chosen from the CAD system such that it can be operated in two modes, one with higher specificity (mode I) and the other with higher sensitivity (mode II). RESULTS For the training set, the CAD system with the rule-based classifier achieved a sensitivity of 74.6% with 0.15 false positives per image (FPs/image) in mode I and a sensitivity of 89.8% with 0.36 FPs/image in mode II. For the test set, the CAD system achieved a sensitivity of 77.2% with 0.26 FPs/image in mode I and a sensitivity of 84.2% with 0.6 FPs/image in mode II. For comparison, the CAD system with the neural network classifier achieved a sensitivity of 74.6% with 0.08 FPs/image in mode I and a sensitivity of 88.1% with 0.28 FPs/image in mode II for the training set, and a sensitivity of 75.4% with 0.23 FPs/image in mode I and a sensitivity of 86.0% with 0.57 FPs/image in mode II for the test set. CONCLUSION A novel CAD system has been developed for automated detection of needles inadvertently left behind in a patient's body from postsurgery radiographs. The pilot system offers reasonable performance in both the high sensitivity and high specificity modes. This preliminary study shows the promise of CAD as a low-cost and efficient aid for reducing retained surgical needles in patients.
Minds in motion in memory: Enhanced spatial memory driven by the perceived animacy of simple shapes

Abstract Even simple geometric shapes are seen as animate and goal-directed when they move in certain ways. Previous research has revealed a great deal about the cues that elicit such percepts, but much less about the consequences for other aspects of perception and cognition. Here we explored whether simple shapes that are perceived as animate and goal-directed are prioritized in memory. We investigated this by asking whether subjects better remember the locations of displays that are seen as animate vs. inanimate, controlling for lower-level factors. We exploited the ‘Wolfpack effect’: moving darts (or discs with ‘eyes’) that stay oriented toward a particular target are seen to be actively pursuing that target, even when they actually move randomly. (In contrast, shapes that stay oriented perpendicular to a target are correctly perceived to be drifting randomly.) Subjects played a ‘matching game’ – clicking on pairs of panels to reveal animations with moving shapes. Across four experiments, the locations of Wolfpack animations (compared to control animations equated on lower-level visual factors) were better remembered, in terms of more efficient matching. Thus perceiving animacy influences subsequent visual memory, perhaps due to the adaptive significance of such stimuli.
Using a Vibrotactile Seat for Facilitating the Handover of Control during Automated Driving

Studies have found that drivers tend to neglect their surrounding traffic during automated driving. This may lead to a late and inefficient resumption of control in case of handover of the driving ...
Optimal design of synchronous reluctance machines

Electric machines are optimized to the extent of their magnetic configuration and manufacturability. Thanks to recent advances in development of composite material (SMC), 3-D printing, and programmable magnets, manufacturing capabilities have changed dramatically. Introducing of cloud computing and impressive computational resources has opened new opportunities in virtual prototyping in a multi-physics environment. These enabling technologies present a potential for a transformative approach in optimal design, evaluation, and manufacturing of the next generation of electric machines and adjustable speed drives. This paper proposes a new design approach applied to optimal design of synchronous reluctance machines. The proposed technique removes all the conventional constraints posed by traditional designs of classic magnetic configurations and only keeps a minimum airgap length and shaft diameter as the boundary conditions. The fabric of the rotor is based on a mesh whose elements can be air or SMC. A genetic algorithm is used for optimal placement of rotor configuration.
VAMP-3 mediates platelet endocytosis.

In this issue of Blood, Banerjee et al show that circulating platelets engulf thrombotic proteins and then recycle them during platelet activation and thrombosis.
Direct detection of male quality can facilitate the evolution of female choosiness and indicators of good genes: Evolution across a continuum of indicator mechanisms

The evolution of mating displays as indicators of male quality has been the subject of extensive theoretical and empirical research for over four decades. Research has also addressed the evolution of female mate choice favoring such indicators. Yet, much debate still exists about whether displays can evolve through the indirect benefits of female mate choice. Here, we use a population genetic model to investigate how the extent to which females can directly detect male quality influences the evolution of female choosiness and male displays. We use a continuum framework that incorporates indicator mechanisms that are traditionally modeled separately. Counter to intuition, we find that intermediate levels of direct detection of male quality can facilitate, rather than impede, the evolution of female choosiness and male displays in broad regions of this continuum. We examine how this evolution is driven by selective forces on genetic quality and on the display, and find that direct detection of male quality results in stronger indirect selection favoring female choosiness. Our results imply that displays maybe more likely to evolve when female choosiness has already evolved to discriminate perceptible forms of male quality. They also highlight the importance of considering general female choosiness, as well as preference, in studies of "good genes."
Evidence for a physiologic home–school gap in children of Latina immigrants

Abstract The “Latino Health Paradox” denotes a well-established trend wherein foreign-born Latino immigrants arrive with protective health benefits which dissipate and sometimes reverse into health disparities in the second and subsequent generations. The origins and mechanism behind this paradox remain poorly understood. This study investigates whether physiological stress profiles in children of Latina immigrants (CoLIs) as compared with the children of Latina Americans (CoLAs) and of non-Latina Americans (ConLAs) might help explain how health advantages can be lost during acculturation to even result in health disparities. Because studies of ethnicity/nativity often confound poverty and ethnicity/nativity groups, we also examine differences in physiologic stress profiles by income. We focus on physiologic profile differences between ethnicity/nativity groups and by poverty category at home and in Early Childhood Education (ECE) environments. Using multi-level modeling, we compare morning and afternoon salivary cortisol levels between ECE and home environments in 256 children (32% CoLIs), while controlling for child, child care, and teacher characteristics. Results demonstrated that overall, cortisol on child care mornings was lower than on home mornings, and that among children living in poverty home and child care morning cortisol differed less than for children not living in poverty. We find that CoLIs exhibit a flatter slope on child care days than do ConLAs. We also find that among children in classrooms with lower average poverty exposure, cortisol decline across the day is steeper on child care days. Importantly, teacher language may act as a buffer to CoLIs on child care days, resulting in a steeper decline at child care. Implications for policy and practice, including supporting the availability of bilingual teachers are discussed.
Understanding and promoting the development of resilience in families

Children spend the majority of their early lives within the context of the family. As the composition of the family system continues to change, the caregivers’ role has become increasingly important in fostering healthy developmental trajectories for their children. Family relationships and interaction styles are central to developing competence and promoting adaptive educational, social, emotional, and behavioral functioning. Clearly, families serve a primary role in their children’s development. Families give a child an informal education (Turnbull, Turnbull, Erwin, & Soodak, 2006), which is considered a prerequisite for successful experiences in the classroom (Adams & Christenson, 2000). Whereas the school environment sets up developmental tasks for students, the family serves as an important resource for the acquisition of these developmental tasks (Stevenson & Baker, 1987). Parents are considered to be providers of linguistic and social capital by presenting their child with learning experiences from early childhood through adult years. Such experiences consist of (a) exposing a child to ideas and activities that promote the acquisition of knowledge; (b) assisting in the socialization of gender, cultural, and peer roles; (c) establishing standards, expectations, and rules; and (d) delivering rewards and praise (Clark, 1988). Parents also play an important role in the development of children’s behavioral, social, and emotional skills. Parents can teach their children appropriate behaviors through everyday interactions and strategies, such as providing positive attention, encouragement, and praise; setting clear and consistent limits; using natural and logical consequences for inappropriate behavior; and teaching problem-solving skills, social skills, and emotion regulation skills (Webster-Stratton, 2005).
The Trouble with Invisible Men

Traditionally, research on the causes of prosocial behavior – acts that benefit others, often at a cost to the self – has focused on the role of either material incentives or altruistic motivations in fostering generosity. Here, we review research on a third class of explanation based on reputation. In recent years, research on the interplay between prosocial behavior and reputation has drawn the attention of researchers from disciplines as diverse as economics, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and biology, along the way establishing complex, reciprocal links between reputational standing and generosity. Here, we review some promising strains of research in this area, focusing on the dynamics of reputational gain as a reward encouraging prosociality, how reputation systems are maintained in groups, and evolutionary models relating reputation and prosocial behavior. This review establishes that (1) individuals receive diverse social and material benefits for developing a reputation as a generous person, (2) these rewards for prosocial behavior influence decisions to behave prosocially in at least two theoretically distinct ways, (3) reputational differentiation, in terms of status, structures contributions to group efforts in ways that can make groups more productive, (4) reputations are critical to the maintenance of informal, social sanctioning systems, (5) reputation systems are maintained in part because individuals spontaneously share information on others’ past levels of prosocial behavior, and (6) reputational dynamics may have encouraged the evolution of prosociality via biological and/or cultural evolution.