cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of imputation methods on the amount of genetic variation captured by a single-nucleotide polymorphism panel in soybeans

Background Success in genome-wide association studies and marker-assisted selection depends on good phenotypic and genotypic data. The more complete this data is, the more powerful will be the results of analysis. Nevertheless, there are next-generation technologies that seek to provide genotypic information in spite of great proportions of missing data. The procedures these technologies use to impute genetic data, therefore, greatly affect downstream analyses. This study aims to (1) compare the genetic variance in a single-nucleotide polymorphism panel of soybean with missing data imputed using various methods, (2) evaluate the imputation accuracy and post-imputation quality associated with these methods, and (3) evaluate the impact of imputation method on heritability and the accuracy of genome-wide prediction of soybean traits. The imputation methods we evaluated were as follows: multivariate mixed model, hidden Markov model, logical algorithm, k-nearest neighbor, single value decomposition, and random forest. We used raw genotypes from the SoyNAM project and the following phenotypes: plant height, days to maturity, grain yield, and seed protein composition.
Unmasking local activity within local field potentials (LFPs) by removing distal electrical signals using independent component analysis

Local field potentials (LFPs) are commonly thought to reflect the aggregate dynamics in local neural circuits around recording electrodes. However, we show that when LFPs are recorded in awake behaving animals against a distal reference on the skull as commonly practiced, LFPs are significantly contaminated by non-local and non-neural sources arising from the reference electrode and from movement-related noise. In a data set with simultaneously recorded LFPs and electroencephalograms (EEGs) across multiple brain regions while rats perform an auditory oddball task, we used independent component analysis (ICA) to identify signals arising from electrical reference and from volume-conducted noise based on their distributed spatial pattern across multiple electrodes and distinct power spectral features. These sources of distal electrical signals collectively accounted for 23-77% of total variance in unprocessed LFPs, as well as most of the gamma oscillation responses to the target stimulus in EEGs. Gamma oscillation power was concentrated in volume-conducted noise and was tightly coupled with the onset of licking behavior, suggesting a likely origin of muscle activity associated with body movement or orofacial movement. The removal of distal signal contamination also selectively reduced correlations of LFP/EEG signals between distant brain regions but not within the same region. Finally, the removal of contamination from distal electrical signals preserved an event-related potential (ERP) response to auditory stimuli in the frontal cortex and also increased the coupling between the frontal ERP amplitude and neuronal activity in the basal forebrain, supporting the conclusion that removing distal electrical signals unmasked local activity within LFPs. Together, these results highlight the significant contamination of LFPs by distal electrical signals and caution against the straightforward interpretation of unprocessed LFPs. Our results provide a principled approach to identify and remove such contamination to unmask local LFPs.
A Perennial Dilemma in OB Education: Engaging the Traditional Student

Organizational behavior (OB) instructors often face a dilemma: OB acumen is widely and increasingly regarded as crucial to the ultimate organizational success of their students, yet many instructor...
A Study Of Bacillus Bulgaricus (Synonyms Bacillus of Massol, B. acidophilus, Boas-Oppler bacillus, Bacillus panis fermentati, Streptobacillus lebenis, Leptothrix buccalis.)

In a preliminary note, presented at the meeting of The Society of American Bacteriologists at Baltimore, 1908, we reported the finding of a bacillus resembling B. bulgaricus, an organism which has been studied extensively because of the fact that Metchnikoff recommends its use in the artificial preparation of buttermilk. According to our investigations, this bacillus is the principal agent which produces lactic acid in salt-rising bread, the acid thus formed decomposing sodium bicarbonate, with the liberation of carbon dioxide. Salt-rising bread, as is well known, is started by a mixture of meal, usually cornmeal, with milk, saleratus, and a small amount of salt. The liberation of carbon dioxide causes the rising of the dough. We ascertained that the active bacillus was present in the cornmeal, since a mixture of cornmeal and sterilized milk revealed the organism in large numbers and practically in pure culture. This bacillus is somewhat difficult to cultivate, and we found that the ordinary laboratory media are quite inadequate. Sterilized milk or media prepared from milk seem the most favorable, although the addition of glucose to broth increases multiplication if the incubation temperature is high enough, i. e., 370 C. or higher. Several descriptions of bacilli producing a large amount of acid, much more than the ordinary lactic-acid bacteria, have appeared in the literature, and the suggestion of Metchnikoff has induced several workers to take up the study again. Fermented milk beverages, especially, have been investigated, and organisms found which resemble each other closely. They are described as large bacilli, which occur singly or in filaments, produce large amounts of acid in milk (up to three per cent), and are gram positive. The descriptions are not complete, owing probably to the fact that the organisms do not
Abstract LB-362: Both canonical and non-canonical autocrine Wnt signaling regulates clonogenic growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in colon cancer cells lacking mutational activation of Wnt pathway

Introduction: Wnt signaling in cells with mutationally-induced constitutive pathway activation promotes clonogenic growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The role of autocrine Wnt signals in colon cancer cells lacking a Wnt pathway activating mutation is less clear. Hypothesis: Extracellular Wnt inhibitors will reduce clonogenic growth and EMT in colon cancer cell lines lacking mutational Wnt pathway activation by inhibiting basal levels of autocrine Wnt signaling. Methods: Two cells lines were utilized: HCT116B is a colon cancer cell line in which an abnormal beta-catenin allele has been removed by homologous recombination; RKO is a colon cancer cell line with no known Wnt pathway activation. The Wnt inhibitors DKK1, which blocks canonical Wnt signals by interaction with LRP5 and sFRP1 which blocks both canonical and non-canonical Wnt signals were utilized and transfected into each cell line. Canonical Wnt throughput was measured with a luciferase based reporter construct, clonogenic growth by colony formation in soft agar and EMT by morphology. Results: Untransfected HCT116B, but not RKO expressed DKK1. Neither cell line expressed sFRP1. Both cell lines expressed significant quantities of DKK1 or sFRP1 after transfection. Canonical Wnt signaling was suppressed in RKO by both DKK1 and sFRP1 but only by DKK1 in HCT116B. DKK1 inhibited clonogenic growth in RKO but not in HCT116B, while sFRP1 inhibited it in both cell lines. EMT was clearly suppressed by these inhibitors in RKO; such an effect was less visible in HCT116B. Discussion: Colon cancer cells lacking mutational activation of the Wnt pathway are susceptible to the actions of extracellular Wnt inhibitors, presumably via inhibition of autocrine Wnt signals and canonical Wnt signaling. However, cells with basal expression of a canonical Wnt inhibitor such as DKK1 (HCT116B) rely preferentially on non-canonical pathways for clonogenic growth and EMT which can be blocked by global Wnt ligand antagonists such as sFRP1. The importance of autocrine Wnt signaling and contributions by non-canonical pathways to clonogenic growth and EMT has important implications for the development of Wnt-targeted therapeutic agents for colon cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-362. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-LB-362
Increased fibrinolytic split products in normal dog serum.

SummaryFibrinolytic split products were measured in the serum of 21 normal mongrel dogs. The mean concentration of the split products was 113 μg/ml by the staphylococcal clumping test and 71 μg/ml by the red cell hemagglutination-inhibition test. The staphylococcal clumping test seems to be as reliable in dog serum, with its high levels of split products, as it is in human serum.
On the Use of the Concept of Area Co-Tradition

In 1947, at a conference on Peruvian archaeology held in Viking Fund headquarters in New York City, Wendell C. Bennett proposed a concept of area co-tradition and used it as a means of expressing certain characteristics of Peruvian culture history. He first defined the concept in abstract terms, then described the Peruvian co-tradition, and finally suggested the possibility that other area co-traditions might exist in the Southwestern United States, Middle America, and Northwest Argentina (Bennett, 1948). Acting on Bennett's suggestion, Martin and Rinaldo (1951) subsequently worked out a Southwestern area Co-tradition in some detail. In addition, Willey (1953, p. 374) has suggested the existence of an Arctic or Eskimo cotradition and of three co-traditions in the Eastern United States: Archaic, Woodland, and Mississippi. In the present paper, I shall confine myself to the use of the concept in Peru and the Southwest, since these are the only places where it has yet been applied in any detail.
Oxygen activation and intramolecular C-H bond activation by an amidate-bridged diiron(II) complex.

A diiron(II) complex containing two μ-1,3-(κN:κO)-amidate linkages has been synthesized using the 2,2′,2′′-tris(isobutyrylamido)triphenylamine (H3LiPr) ligand. The resulting diiron complex, 1, reacts with dioxygen (or iodosylbenzene) to effect intramolecular C–H bond activation at the methine position of the ligand isopropyl group. The ligand-activated product, 2, has been isolated and characterized by a variety of methods including X-ray crystallography. Electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy of 2 prepared from18O2 was used to confirm that the oxygen atom incorporated into the ligand framework is derived from molecular oxygen.
Decorin Mimic Regulates Platelet-Derived Growth Factor and Interferon-γ Stimulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Following balloon injury, smooth muscle cells (SMCs) serve as targets for many of the pro-inflammatory and pro-fibrotic factors, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) released from activated inflammatory cells and platelets. Previously, our lab designed a mimic of the proteoglycan decorin, termed DS-SILY20, that suppressed vascular SMC proliferation, migration, and protein synthesis in vitro, and injured vessels treated with DS-SILY20 demonstrated reduced hyperplasia in vivo. Here we characterize the effects of DS-SILY20 on modulating PDGF and IFN-γ stimulation in both proliferative and quiescent human SMCs to further evaluate the potential impact of DS-SILY20-SMC interaction on restenosis. Nanomolar dissociation constants were observed between DS-SILY20 and both PDGF and IFN-γ. PDGF significantly increased migration, proliferation, and protein and cytokine expression, as well as increased ERK-1/2 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation in both quiescent and proliferative cultures. However, DS-SILY20 inhibited these increases, presumably through sequestration of the PDGF. Consistent with the complex responses seen with IFN-γ in SMC physiology in the literature, the response of SMC cultures to IFN-γ was variable and complex. However, where increased activity was seen with IFN-γ, DS-SILY20 attenuated this activity. Overall, the results suggest that DS-SILY20 would be an ideal alternative to traditional therapeutics used and may be an effective therapy for the prevention of intimal hyperplasia after balloon angioplasty.
Development of Composites Dies with High-Transition-Temperature

This paper deals with the materials and technique of composite dies with high glass- transition-temperature.The results show that graphite fiber reinforced polyimide compos- ites serve as die material.Size accuacy,finish,rigidity,strength and sealing of dies come up to the technical standard,
Puberty Occurring Either Spontaneously or Induced Precociously in Rhesus Monkey (Macaca Mulatta) is Associated with a Marked Proliferation of Sertoli Cells

The pubertal ontogeny of Sertoli cell proliferation in primates is controversial. In the study of the rhesus monkey presented here, we investigated this issue during normal sexual maturation and during precocious puberty induced experimentally with pulsatile GnRH treatment. Cell number was calculated by standard stereological methods employing volume fraction of either seminiferous tubule or, whenever possible, cell nuclei. In the first experiment, testes were collected from normal monkeys at three developmental phases: neonates (7-18 days old, n = 5); juveniles (approximately 17 mo old, n = 4); and adults (5 yr and older, n = 4). In the second experiment, tissue was obtained from an additional three untreated juvenile monkeys and from six other juveniles of comparable age that had been subjected to premature activation of the pituitary-testicular axis for 5 or 10 wk with pulsatile GnRH (1 microgram/min for 3 min every 3 h). The number of Sertoli cells in adults was 6-fold greater than that in neonatal and juvenile animals. A similar increase in number of this somatic cell type was also observed during experimentally induced puberty. A less dramatic proliferation of Sertoli cells occurred during the neonatal-juvenile transition. Although the increase in Sertoli cell number between the juvenile and adult stages of development was paralleled by a comparable change in Ad and Ap spermatogonia, proliferation of these stem spermatogonia during premature activation of the pituitary-testicular axis was less striking. These results lead to the suggestion that, in primates, the onset of puberty is associated with a rapid and substantial proliferation of Sertoli cells, which is subsequently followed by amplification of stem spermatogonia. They also indicate that while Sertoli cells and stem spermatogonia proliferate during infancy and juvenile development, these earlier changes appear to be more insidious than those at puberty.
Visceral leishmaniasis in Libya--review of 21 cases.

SummaryVisceral leishmaniasis is an important public health problem in Libya, but its exact prevalence is not known. Prompted by the paucity of information in the literature relevant to Libyan children, we reviewed the records of 21 children treated at El-Fatah Children's Hospital, Benghazi between March 1982 and May 1990. Visceral leishmaniasis was diagnosed on the basis of the history, physical findings and confirmatory laboratory tests including examination of bone marrow. The duration of illness before seeking medical advice ranged from 3 months to 1.5 years. The commonest presenting features were fever, abdominal distension, anorexia with weight loss, hepatosplenomegaly and pallor. The consistent laboratory findings were anaemia with reticulocytosis and normal serum iron, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, high ESR and hyperglobulinaemia. The bone marrow was positive for L. donovani in 86% of cases and the indirect haemagglutination test was positive in all patients. Bronchopneumonia was the most common ...
Vector boson + heavy flavor production at the Tevatron

Abstract Studies of the associated production of heavy-flavor bottom and charm quarks with vector bosons ( W , Z , and γ ) provide important tests of perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculations. These studies also improve constraints on parton distribution functions, and improve our understanding of major backgrounds in Higgs studies and searches for new phenomena. In these proceedings, we present several measurements of vector boson plus heavy-flavor quark production at Tevatron experiments CDF and D0, including measurements of cross-sections for Z + c / b jets, γ + b jet, ϒ + W / Z , and W / Z + D ⁎ production processes. These results include the first measurements of Z + c production at the Tevatron, as well as the lowest-momentum measurements of charmed meson production in association with W and Z bosons at the Tevatron.
Syndemics and gender affirmation: HIV sexual risk in female-to-male trans masculine adults reporting sexual contact with cisgender males.

Female-to-male trans masculine adults who have sex with cisgender (non-transgender) males (TMSM) represent an understudied population in relation to HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk. This study examined the role of syndemic conditions and social gender affirmation processes (living full-time in one's identified gender) in potentiating sexual risk among TMSM adults in Massachusetts, US. Cross-sectional data were restricted to TMSM who reported lifetime sexual behaviour with a cisgender male (n = 173; mean age = 29.4, SD = 9.6; 18.5% people of colour; 93.1% non-heterosexual identity; 56.1% hormones/surgery). Sexual risk outcomes were: lifetime STI diagnoses, three or more sexual partners in the previous six months, and condomless anal/vaginal sex at last encounter with a cisgender male. Age- and survey mode-adjusted logistic regression models regressed sexual risk outcomes on the main effect of syndemics (six indicators summed: binge drinking, substance use, depression, anxiety, childhood abuse, intimate partner violence), followed by the interaction of syndemics and social gender affirmation. Syndemics were associated with increased odds of all sexual risk indicators (adjusted odds ratios [aORs] = 1.32-1.55; p < 0.0001). Social gender affirmation moderated the association between syndemics and condomless anal/vaginal sex at last encounter with a cisgender male (p < 0.0001). Syndemics were associated with sexual risk in TMSM who had socially affirmed their gender (aOR = 1.79; 95% CI = 1.42-2.25; p < 0.001), but not among those TMSM who had not (aOR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.63-1.19; p = 0.37). Findings suggest that syndemic pathways to sexual risk are similar for TMSM who have socially gender affirmed as for cisgender MSM. Integration of syndemics and gender affirmation frameworks is recommended in interventions to address TMSM sexual risk.
Contribution of schedule delays to cost growth: How to make peace with a marching army

Numerous research papers have shown that cost and schedule growth are interrelated for NASA space science missions. Although there has shown to be a strong correlation of cost growth with schedule growth, it is unclear what percentage of cost growth is caused by schedule growth and how schedule growth can be controlled. This paper attempts to quantify this percentage by looking at historical data and show detailed examples of how schedule growth influences cost growth. The paper also addresses a methodology to show an alternate approach for assessing and setting a robust baseline schedule and use schedule performance metrics to help assess if the project is performing to plan. Finally, recommendations are presented to help control schedule growth in order to minimize cost growth for NASA space science missions.
Intramuscular Testosterone Training

Testosterone deficiency in males has the potential to lead to serious chronic health issues and may significantly impair quality of life. Although oral and transdermal forms of testosterone replacement are available, they may not be the best option for all males. Intramuscular testosterone delivery by injection is another form of testosterone replacement therapy that can be offered to patients who are unable to use or have not responded to oral and transdermal therapies. This chapter will provide step-by-step instruction on how to safely train patients to perform self-injections with intramuscular testosterone and will discuss management of patients receiving this form of treatment.
Care of the Spinal Cord-Injured Patient

Despite advances in biomechanical engineering and safety devices, spinal cord injury (SCI) remains common in injured patients. Such injuries remain devastating events, often leaving patients with severe and life-changing disability. In acute and intensive care unit settings, the potential for neurologic compromise makes the rapid and accurate assessment, evaluation, and management of these patients of key importance in improving outcome.
Synthesis and preliminary evaluation of 5-[18F]fluoroleucine: a novel LAT1 substrate

1390 Objectives Aggressive forms of cancer are commonly associated with altered metabolic pathways which can be targeted for diagnostic imaging and therapies. In addition to upregulation of glycolysis, amino acid transporters are overexpressed in carcinomas such as prostate and breast, directly influencing pathways of growth and proliferation. Specifically, L-leucine is an L-type essential amino acid that directly stimulates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling (mTORC1) and pathways of protein synthesis. The purpose of this study is to develop and test a novel 18F labeled leucine analog as a potential imaging agent for aggressive tumors which may not be amenable to imaging by FDG PET. Methods Uptake of L-[14C]leucine in three breast cancer cell lines was compared with that of other essential amino acids to determine its relative suitability as an imaging agent for breast cancer. A novel derivative of leucine, 5-fluoroleucine was synthesized, characterized, and its 18F-labeled analog was synthesized from a mesylate precursor. The labeled derivative was tested for specific uptake via L-type amino transporter (LAT1) using an L-type amino acid inhibitor (BCH), and a competitive L-type amino acid assay. A biodistribution study was performed to determine suitability for translational use in humans. Feasibility of imaging was also determined with small animal PET / CT imaging in the 4T1 breast cancer xenograft model. Results Breast cancer cell line assays of several essential amino acids demonstrated uptake of L-leucine was high and relatively comparable to that of several other essential amino acids. Uptake of L-leucine showed continual uptake and retention over time, with no net amino acid transporter efflux. Uptake of 5-[18F]fluoroleucine in MCF7 cells in vitro was demonstrated to be specifically mediated by LAT1; however, its peak uptake was lower compared to that of L-[14C]leucine. The biodistribution study showed rapid renal excretion, no significant in vivo metabolism, and acceptable dosimetry for translational use in humans. Preliminary small animal PET / CT imaging in the breast cancer xenograft model showed uptake of 5-[18F]fluoroleucine in the orthotopic 4T1 tumor, which progressively increased over time with sufficient target to background ratio to identify the tumor. Conclusions The L-leucine analog, 5-[18F]fluoroleucine is a novel radiotracer that is taken up by tumor cells via LAT1 transporter. This tracer may be useful in identifying tumors with high or upregulated expression of LAT1 that are not amendable to detection by FDG PET. Further studies are necessary in specific LAT1 overexpressing tumor models, including prostate cancer, to determine its potential as a clinical radiotracer for tumor detection.
Carbon dynamics and structural development in recovering secondary forests of the northeastern U.S.

Abstract There is a high degree of uncertainty regarding biomass accumulation and carbon storage potential in secondary temperate forests. Improving this understanding is vital for managing these forests as carbon sinks, a part of climate change mitigation efforts. A critical question is how secondary stand development in eastern U.S. forests has influenced long-term recovery from 19th century agricultural abandonment, and how this has affected aboveground carbon storage and co-varying stand-scale habitat characteristics. To answer this question we employed a longitudinal study based on twelve years of empirical data (2001–2013) collected from 60 permanent monitoring plots within 16 reference stands at Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller (MBR) National Historical Park in Woodstock, VT. We also used 150 years of documentary data from park management records. MBR Park was the first parcel of land actively reforested in the U.S. The Park’s current forest mosaic reflects a history of alternate reforestation pathways and varied successional trajectories indicative of secondary forest recovery occurring across the broader northeastern forest landscape. This research evaluates the effects of reforestation pathways (planting vs. natural regeneration), management regimes (long-term low harvest intensities at varied harvest frequencies), and stand development trajectories on biomass outcomes and late-successional habitat. We generated biometrics indicative of stand structural complexity, including the H ′ structural diversity index, and aboveground biomass (live trees, snags, and downed coarse woody debris pools) estimates. Multivariate analyses evaluated the predictive strength of reforestation pathway, management history, and site characteristics relative to aboveground carbon pools and stand structural complexity. Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis ranked reforestation method as the strongest predictor of long-term mean total aboveground carbon storage, while harvest frequency, and stand age were selected as secondary variables. CART ranked percent conifer as the strongest predictor of H ′, while harvest intensity and frequency were selected as secondary variables. Our results suggest that a variety of long-term recovery pathways converge on high levels of aboveground carbon storage, including both conifer plantations and naturally regenerated hardwood stands, but silvicultural management can dramatically alter those trajectories. Total aboveground biomass (i.e., carbon) co-varied with H ′ (R 2 = 0.25). Thus, our dataset showed a positive relationship between forest carbon storage and structural complexity, supporting the concept of multifunctional forestry emphasizing late-successional habitats.
Abstract 486: Artificial miRNA Based Adenoviral Adam17 Silencing Reveals Essential Role of This Metalloprotease For EGF Receptor Transactivation In Primary Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

siRNA mediated gene silencing has been recently utilized as a powerful molecular tool to study the functional significance of a specific protein. However, due to the transient nature of silencing and insufficient transfection efficiency, this approach can be problematic in primary cell culture. To overcome such weakness of the siRNA based silencing and in order to establish reliable gene silencing in vascular cells, we devised an adenoviral-encoded miRNA based gene silencing system. Here we report the results of silencing ADAM17 in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and its functional consequences in angiotensin II (AngII) signal transduction. Four distinct miRNA sequences targeting rat ADAM17 were chosen based on recommendations from Invitrogen’s Block-iT RNAi Designer algorithm. The miRNA sequences were inserted into a mammalian expression vector, pcDNA 6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR, and the effective silencing by these vectors was confirmed in HEK cells expressing HA-tagged rat ADAM17. The 4 cassettes carrying the miRNAs were inserted into pAd/CMV/V5-DEST and adenoviral solutions were obtained. Greater than 95% silencing of ADAM17 was achieved when VSMC were infected with 100-200 moi of the ADAM17 miRNA encoding adeonvirus for 72 h with enhancement of infection by fugene6. Relatively linear time and concentration dependencies were observed between 1 to 3 days and 10 to 100 moi of the infection. A miR-ADAM17 (100 moi) but not miR-control (100 moi) completely inhibited 100 nM AngII-induced HB-EGF shedding in VSMCs as assessed by a reporter assay. A miR-ADAM17 but not miR-control also inhibited AngII-induced EGF receptor transactivation and subsequent ERK1/2 activation in VSMCs as assessed by immunoblotting with phospho-selective antibodies. In conclusion, ADAM17 was found to be a major sheddase for HB-EGF contributing to the growth promoting signals induced by AngII in VSMCs. An artificial miRNA-base adenoviral approach appears to be a reliable gene-silencing strategy for signal transduction research in primary cultured vascular cells.
Blunt and Penetrating Cardiac Trauma

Patients with traumatic cardiac injuries can present with wide variability in their severity of illness. The most severe will present in cardiac arrest, whereas the most benign may be altogether asymptomatic; most will fall somewhere in between. Management of cardiac injuries largely depends on mechanism of injury and patient physiology. Understanding the spectrum of injuries and their associated manifestations can help providers react more quickly and initiate potentially life-saving therapies more efficiently when time is critical. This article discusses the workup and management of both blunt and penetrating cardiac injuries.
Type and number of environmental impact categories used in livestock life cycle assessment: A systematic review

Abstract Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an important tool to evaluate environmental ‘hot spots’ in livestock systems and recommend production improvements. However, it is common for livestock LCA to investigate only a narrow subset of environmental impacts to simplify results for decision-makers, which makes it difficult to fully understand the tradeoffs among environmental impacts and identify the most relevant mitigation options. We completed a systematic review of the livestock LCA literature to better understand the impact categories included and the progress made towards more comprehensive LCA. Our search of publications between 2000 and 2016 identified 173 relevant peer-reviewed papers. Nearly all the publications (98%) included climate change as an impact category and almost one-third of the publications (28%) focused solely on that one category. Biodiversity, ionizing radiation, and particulate matter were the least common categories addressed. Cattle LCA, including dairy or beef, were the livestock species most frequently evaluated. Our analysis shows that while the number of multi-category livestock LCA (LCA with 4 or more impact categories) increased over time, LCA including 1–3 impact categories (which we define as “simplified LCA”) increased at a higher rate than multi-category LCA. Simplified LCA therefore remain the most prevalent in the literature. Publications that included multiple impact categories were better able to identify environmental impact tradeoffs among livestock production systems and management scenarios. To compare results across livestock LCA studies, it is necessary to increase the standardization of system boundaries, functional units, impact frameworks and mandatory inputs. The optional steps of normalization and weighting in the life cycle impact assessment can also help decision-makers prioritize which environmental impacts to address. More work that includes a greater number of impact categories in livestock LCA is sorely needed to more fully understand and to harmonize the communication of the environmental performance of livestock production systems.
Neuromorphic synapses with reconfigurable voltage-gated dynamics for biohybrid neural circuits

Chemical synapses are the main link between neurons in biological neural networks, giving neural cells their special ability to communicate action potentials with great temporal precision. As such, neuromorphic synapses could serve as critical units for implementing biohydrid circuits interfacing biological and silicon neurons. Here we describe a biophysical model of a chemical synapse with reconfigurable pre-synaptic and post-synaptic voltage-gated dynamics implemented on a neuromorphic VLSI chip, and evaluate its versatility with measurements from the chip reproducing response characteristics from ionotropic inhibitory GABA a and excitatory NMDA synapses. We also discuss applications of the reconfigurable dynamic clamp capabilities of the neuromorphic synapse for interacting neuronal populations and biological neurons to establish biohybrid circuits ranging from the single-cell to the population level with intra- and extra-cellular interfaces, respectively.
Seeking academic information on the Internet: Doctoral students' Internet self-efficacy and emotions

The main purpose of this proposed study is to understand the relationship between doctoral students' Internet self-efficacy and their affections when seeking academic information on the Internet. A structured questionnaire will be designed and conducted for 300 doctoral students. Participants' demographic information, information seeking behavior, Internet self-efficacy, and emotions will be measured in this questionnaire by using Information-Seeking Behavior Scale (ISBS), Internet Self-efficacy Scale (ISS), and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). For the predicted outcomes, doctoral students' academic information seeking behaviors will be analyzed. Moreover, the interventions among doctoral students' Internet self-efficacy, emotions, and their information seeking behaviors will be analyzed and addressed. In the future, this proposed study will be conducted practically. The expected findings will be proposed for doctoral students so that they can based on the provided information to build up their suitable information seeking styles. Furthermore, the expected findings can also be presented for professionals, scholars, or even doctoral students' academic advisors who mainly do research and seek academic information online to have a better understanding of doctoral students' mental and psychical statuses on conducting academic information seeking activity on the Internet. To sum up, the results will not only reflect doctoral students' information seeking behaviors but also provide helpful suggestions for further researches.
Smoking Cessation After Acute Myocardial Infarction

Cigarette smoking produces endothelial dysfunction, constricts blood vessels, activates platelets, creates a chronic inflammatory state, and causes dyslipidemia ([1][1]). These effects accelerate atherosclerosis, destabilize coronary artery plaques, and precipitate acute coronary events and sudden
Palliative Care in Adolescents and Young Adults with Special Healthcare Needs

Many adolescents and young adults with special healthcare needs (AYASHCN) could benefit from palliative care. The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the basic tenants of palliative care, discuss its utility in AYASHCN in transition, and provide case examples and resources for palliative care in AYASHCN.
Double Estrangement in Nihād Sharīf’s The Conqueror of Time

This chapter will examine Sharīf’s 1972 novel through the framework developed in the previous chapter. The novel functions on one level as a political allegory: it reimagines the period of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s rule as one in which science and the rule of law, rather than charismatic despotism, dominate Egyptian life. Conqueror also uses its novum, cryogenics, to estrange Egyptian society as stagnant, figuratively frozen in its obsession with the past, and in the despotism that characterized it both in the past and during Nasser’s rule. In performing this double estrangement, Sharīf’s novel depicts the integration of science and technology into Egyptian culture by linking twentieth-century technology to historical Egyptian advances in the sciences. This functions as tanabbu’—news-gathering or prediction, with a hint of divination or prophecy—thereby reducing the disharmony between an Egypt ruled by science and the Egypt in which the text was published. Yet, Conqueror’s only female character generates a tension that provides insight into the text’s estrangement function. Ultimately, the social and intellectual consequences of cryogenics prove disruptive: the scientist and his laboratory are contained within multiple layers of tarqī‘, “patching,” as a means of insulating the Egypt that Sharīf published in from the potential dangers.
3D Optical Diffraction Tomography Using Deep Learning

We developed a 3D deep convolutional neural network (3D-DCNN) to perform 3D diffraction optical tomography. We experimentally demonstrate the ability of a 3D-DCNN to reconstruct the 3D index of refraction distribution of a phantom dataset.
Sleep and Hormones

The relationship between sleep regulation and the endocrine system has long been recognized. The secretion of large number of hormones shows a 24-h rhythm paralleling diurnal changes in sleep–wake activity. Acute or chronic sleep loss leads to an altered pattern of the secretion of several hormones. A variety of hormones affect brain function, including sleep. Some of these hormones are particularly well characterized for their sleep-promoting effects. The list includes members of the somatotropic axis and hunger, satiety, and adiposity signals released according to the metabolic state. These hormones, by modulating sleep–wake activity, can fine-tune vigilance to the metabolic state of the body or to environmental influences.
Integration of Radiation Therapy and Systemic Therapy for Breast Cancer

The last 20 years have yielded significant advances in the treatment of breast cancer. Adjuvant radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and hormonal therapy have all been shown to improve event-free and overall survival and are now part of the standard treatment in the management of breast cancer. Although there has been significant progress in determining the optimal combination and sequencing of these treatments, additional studies are still required to better integrate these therapies with each other. Furthermore, newer treatments, such as aromatase inhibitors and trastuzumab, also need to be integrated with conventional therapies to maximize their effectiveness and minimize their toxicity; therefore, the importance of the multidisciplinary management of breast cancer, with participation of the surgeons, radiation oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists, and diagnostic radiologists, must once again be emphasized.
A Novel Method for the Visualization of Outer Surfaces from Stacked Regions of Thylakoid Membranes

Freeze-etch studies of thylakoid membranes reveal outer and inner surfaces that are rich in structural detail. The inner surface is covered with tetrameric particles that have been associated with the extrinsic oxygen-evolving proteins of PS II1,2 and are concentrated in the stacked (grana) regions of the membrane3. The outer surface of non-stacked regions contains large particles identified as the CF1 subunit of the ATP synthase4 and smaller particles which may represent PS I. The only thylakoid surface that has not been studied in detail is the outer surface from the stacked region. In the past this surface has been inaccessible by the stacking process itself. In this paper we describe a method to expose the previously hidden outer surface. The structure of this surface is remarkably smooth, with no apparent surface particles. This striking lateral heterogeneity of the outer surface and the extreme smoothness of the stacked region suggest new restrictions on the lateral and transverse distribution of thylakoid membrane components.
A metamorphosis distance for embryonic cardiac action potential interpolation and classification.

The use of human embryonic stem cell cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) in tissue transplantation and repair has led to major recent advances in cardiac regenerative medicine. However, to avoid potential arrhythmias, it is critical that hESC-CMs used in replacement therapy be electrophysiologically compatible with the adult atrial, ventricular, and nodal phenotypes. The current method for classifying the electrophysiology of hESC-CMs relies mainly on the shape of the cell’s action potential (AP), which each expert subjectively decides if it is nodal-like, atrial-like or ventricular-like. However, the classification is difficult because the shape of the AP of an hESC-CMs may not coincide with that of a mature cell. In this paper, we propose to use a metamorphosis distance for comparing the AP of an hESC-CMs to that of an adult cell model. This involves constructing a family of APs corresponding to different stages of the maturation process, and measuring the amount of deformation between APs. Experiments show that the proposed distance leads to better interpolation and classification results.
El cuento como recurso didáctico en la enseñanza del francés lengua extranjera

This article offers a pragmatic reflection on the use of short stories in the teaching of French as a foreign language. After analyzing the use of short stories in the foreign language classroom as didactic material, we briefly assess the different advantages of short stories and inquire about the validity of this genre as a suitable material for the teaching of written expression in the light of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). On this basis, we propose a practical approach in which short stories are integrated to the teaching of written expression within a communicative context.
A meta-analysis of Animal Assisted Interventions targeting pain, anxiety and distress in medical settings.

Abstract Objectives Research suggests Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) reduce negative outcomes in medical settings, but quantitative examinations of their effects on medical outcomes such as pain, anxiety, and distress are lacking. Design A comprehensive literature search and meta-analysis were conducted in which 22 studies (13 child, 9 adult) met inclusion criteria. Both intervention versus control and intervention pre-post effect sizes were computed using a random effects model. Results The overall intervention versus control effect size was large and significant (d = 1.65, 95% CI = 0.46–2.832). Similarly, the pre-post effect size was large and significant (d = 2.19, 95% CI = 0.74–3.64). Conclusions The results of this meta-analysis indicate that AAI can yield large effects across a number of medically relevant outcomes. There is, however, substantial methodological variation across studies and more randomized clinical trials with stronger methodological controls are needed to establish the effectiveness of AAI compared to other interventions.
Comprehensive Lateral Neck Dissection in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma may Reduce Lateral Neck Recurrence Rates

To Identify predictors of recurrent disease following lateral neck dissection (LND) for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). A retrospective review of patients who underwent first-time LND for PTC at our institution (2000–2015) was performed. Medical records were examined for biopsy or pathologically proven lateral neck recurrence. Differences between the groups with and without recurrence were compared. All LNDs were then classified in to two groups: “comprehensive” (CND), involving levels IIa-Vb at minimum, or “selective”, labelling less extensive dissection (SND). Four hundred nine patients underwent 467 LNDs. Surveillance data were available for 317 patients who underwent 362 LNDs (mean age 45 ± 16; range 18–88). The median follow-up was 64 ± 48 months (range 3–197). Recurrence was detected in 71 lateral necks (20%). The total number of lymph nodes was greater in the group without recurrence compared to those with recurrence (23 vs. 19, p = 0.02). Among patient demographics, radioactive iodine treatment, primary tumor characteristics and characteristics of nodal metastases, only an older patient age (mean 50 vs. 43 years) was associated with lateral neck recurrence (p < .01). CND was performed in 102 lateral necks and SND in 143 necks. There were 12 recurrences recorded in the CND group (12%) vs. 31 in the SND group (22%, p = .04). The majority of recurrences (70%) involved levels included in the original dissection. Younger patients, more extensive dissection and a higher total number of lymph nodes removed are associated with a lower incidence of lateral neck recurrence after LND for papillary thyroid carcinoma.
A FEM-based Method for Complete Parameter Identification of Thin Piezoceramic Bars

This work studies the characterization of piezoelectric 1D array ultrasonic elements based on electrical measurements of the sample. Efforts were invested to develop a method that is able to overcome the inconveniences of the classical characterization methods. COMSOL Multiphysics, integrated with MATLAB, was used to implement the whole procedure in which the parameters are iteratively updated until the difference between the numerical and experimental data is minimized. A 2D FEM model of the section of the bar was utilized to accelerate the computation. The impact of material parameters on the significant vibration modes are investigated thorough a sensitivity analysis. As the impedance curve was insensitive to $c_{12}^{E}$ , this parameter was not identifiable using the piezoelectric bar under study. The method was applied to a PZT bar with L=13mm, W=T=0.5mm and the relevant material parameters were determined. It was shown that the uncertainty of determining a material parameter is attributed to the sensitivity of the impedance curve to that parameter. The method was proved to be a useful tool for characterizing a specific sample shape. However, the method uses a local optimization algorithm which is fast but sensitive to the initial values.
Effects of Four Compaction Remediation Methods for Landscape Trees on Soil Aeration, Mechanical Impedance and Tree Establishment

Abstract Landscape trees are often planted in heavily compacted soils around newly constructed buildings or in urban areas. Under such conditions, trees frequently die, or decline prematurely. Four techniques for improving tree establishment on such sites were studied: peat-amended backfill; vertical drainage mat panels; radiating trenches filled with sandy loam soil; and vertical, gravel-filled sump drains. Sugar maple (Acer saccharum ‘Seneca Chief’), a species sensitive to soil compaction, and the less sensitive Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Redspire’) were planted bare root into treatments in a compacted silty clay loam soil. Controls were backfilled with native soil. Shoot and root growth were measured over three growing seasons. Soil air oxygen content was monitored for one year. Effects of treatments on soil compaction were characterized using measurements of both soil strength and bulk density. Shoot growth of pears was greatest for treatments that alleviated mechanical impedance (soil trenches a...
Insuffisance cardiaque, améliorer le retour à domicile

Heart failure, a serious and progressive disease, mainly affects the elderly. The Vendee coastline attracts high numbers of retired people to the region. Faced with this observation, Vendee departmental hospital deemed it necessary to put in place a monitoring unit providing adapted care in order to reduce the rate of mortality and rehospitalisation. The implementation of the Return Home programme has had a positive impact on the optimised care management of patients.