cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RCircos: an R package for Circos 2D track plots

Background Circos is a Perl language based software package for visualizing similarities and differences of genome structure and positional relationships between genomic intervals. Running Circos requires extra data processing procedures to prepare plot data files and configure files from datasets, which limits its capability of integrating directly with other software tools such as R. Recently published R Bioconductor package ggbio provides a function to display genomic data in circular layout based on multiple other packages, which increases its complexity of usage and decreased the flexibility in integrating with other R pipelines.
The Approximate Shortest Distance Route Intelligent System For Traveling in Taiwan

In a well known problem, there are N! possible routes for tourists to visit N cities, with each city passed through once before the return to the departure city. It is difficult to find the shortest route among N! possible routes quickly and effectively. This research proposes a method that integrates the Hungarian Method and the Branch-and-Bound Method in Operation Research, Nearest Neighbor in Data Mining, and Rule Based Inference in Artificial Intelligence to find the approximately shortest distance route and the distance. It also uses object-oriented programming to construct the Approximate Shortest Distance Route Intelligent System for Traveling (ASDRST). The ASDRST needs only a personal computer and it can find the approximate shortest distance route and corresponding distance quickly and effectively compared with other systems. Its accuracy is more than 99.8% in a pass-through of 42 cities.
Patient Beliefs Predict Response to Paroxetine Among Primary Care Patients with Dysthymia and Minor Depression

Background: Dysthymia and minor depression are common problems in primary care, but it is not known how patient health beliefs shape response to antidepressant treatment of these less severe forms of depression. Methods: Three hundred thirty-three primary care patients with dysthymia or minor depression received at least 4 weeks of paroxetine or placebo in a multicenter, randomized controlled 11-week trial. Patient health beliefs and other characteristics were examined as predictors of treatment adherence and depression remission. Results: Patient beliefs were not predictive of adherence to paroxetine or placebo. Patients with less endorsement of biological beliefs about their condition (odds ratio [OR] = 3.40), higher perceived general health (OR = 3.38), meeting criteria for dysthymia (OR = 2.37), and age younger than 60 years (OR = 2.68) were more likely to achieve remission on paroxetine. Patient beliefs did not predict remission on placebo. Those with lower severity of depression symptoms at baseline (OR = 2.70) and women (OR = 2.18) were most likely to achieve remission on placebo. Conclusions: Our results suggest that patients with dysthymia or minor depression are more likely to respond to antidepressant medication if they do not see their depression as a biological illness and see themselves as generally healthy. It is clearly not necessary for patients to believe that their dysthymia or minor depression is biological to respond to antidepressant medication.
montalcino, A zebrafish model for variegate porphyria

Objective. Inherited or acquired mutations in the heme biosynthetic pathway leads to a debilitating class of diseases collectively known as porphyrias, with symptoms that can include anemia, cutaneous photosensitivity, and neurovisceral dysfunction. In a genetic screen for hematopoietic mutants, we isolated a zebrafish mutant, montalcino (mno), which displays hypochromic anemia and porphyria. The objective of this study was to identify the defective gene and characterize the phenotype of the zebrafish mutant. Materials and Methods. Genetic linkage analysis was utilized to identify the region harboring the mno mutation. Candidate gene analysis together with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was utilized to identify the genetic mutation, which was confirmed via allelespecific oligo hybridizations. Whole mount in situ hybridizations and o-dianisidine staining were used to characterize the phenotype of the mno mutant. mRNA and morpholino microinjections were performed to phenocopy and/or rescue the mutant phenotype. Results. Homozygous mno mutant embryos have a defect in the protoporphyrinogen oxidase (ppox)gene,whichencodestheenzymethatcatalyzestheoxidationofprotoporphyrinogen.Homozygousmutantembryos are deficientin hemoglobin, and by 36 hours post-fertilization arevisibly anemicandporphyric.Thehypochromicanemiaofmnoembryoswaspartiallyrescuedbyhuman ppox, providing evidence for the conservation of function between human and zebrafish ppox. Conclusion. In humans, mutations in ppox result in variegate porphyria. At present, effective treatment for acute attacks requires the administration intravenous hemin and/or glucose. Thus, mno represents a powerful model for investigation, and a tool for future screens aimed at identifying chemical modifiers of variegate porphyria. 2008 ISEH - Society for Hematology and Stem Cells. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Corrigendum to 'Review of attrition and adherence in exercise studies following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation' Eur. J. Oncol. Nurs. 18 (2014) 175-182

The authors regret that certain information in the above mentioned article was incorrect, the correct information can be found below. The authors would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. Page 177 Table 1. Exercise intervention studies in bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation recipients. The Jarden et al., study was incorrectly described as an unsupervised exercise program. This was a supervised exercise intervention. Page 178 Methods to measure adherence to the exercise intervention as well as rates of adherence were examined broadly in the 20 studies (Table 3). In studies employing a supervised approach, adherence to the exercise interventions can be readily evaluated by determining the number of exercise sessions completed or the percentage of the exercise prescription completed. In the 12 studies that employed a supervised exercise program, more than two-thirds (n 1⁄4 8; 67%) did not report adherence rates. Three supervised studies reported adherence rate as mean attendance at exercise sessions (75%, 90%, and 90%). One study reported an adherence measure (attendance) but did not report the adherence rate. All of the unsupervised exercise intervention studies (n 1⁄4 3) relied on patient self-report in the form of logs or diaries to document adherence to the exercise program. Even though the methods to measure adherence were reported, the actual adherence rates were only reported in one unsupervised study. This study reported a mean adherence rate of 75% over the six month duration of the study. Page 180 Table 3. Adherence to exercise intervention.
Mass transfer with chemical reaction in liquid foam reactors

Mass transfer studies were conducted in a stable liquid foam reactor under various operating conditions to evaluate gas holdup, effective interfacial area, liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient and a modified interfacial mass transfer coefficient to include the surface-active agents employed. Gas holdup and effective interfacial area were evaluated experimentally. The interfacial mass transfer coefficient was evaluated semitheoretically, by considering the interfacial region as a separate phase and using the experimental data developed for mass transfer accompanied by a fast first-order chemical reaction. The liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient was also evaluated semitheoretically, using Danckwert's theory for the liquid phase and the experimental data on mass transfer accompanied by a slow pseudofirst-order chemical reaction. An experimental unit was set up to provide a stable flowing foam column, simulating the foam reactor. Mass transfer rates were studied for superfacial gas velocities in the range from 1.5 × 10−2 m/s to 5 × 10−2 m/s, giving gas residence times in the range from 20 to 55 seconds. A cationic and nonionic surface-active agent and three different wire mesh sizes, giving bubble size distributions in the range from 2.2 to 5.4 mm Sauter mean diameters, were employed. It is observed that gas holdup is insensitive to the type of surface-active agent; it is however, dependent on wire mesh size and gas velocity. The bubble diameter and, hence, the interfacial area are found to be insensitive to gas velocity in the range studied; they are, however, strong functions of wire mesh size. The liquid-phase mass transfer coefficient increases with increase in gas velocity. The surface-active agent introduces additional resistance to mass transfer in both reaction cases, this being the controlling one in the case of the fast reaction. A comparison with conventional packed bed contactors indicates the mass transfer rates to be about 8 times lower for the foam reactor, for the fast reaction case; for slow reactions, the foam reactor has mass transfer rates approximately 2-4 times higher than those for conventional packed bed contactors.
An artificial neural network hourly temperature forecaster with applications in load forecasting

Many power system short-term load forecasting techniques use forecast hourly temperatures in generating a load forecast. Some utility companies, however, do not have access to a weather service that provides these forecasts. To fill this need, a temperature forecaster, based on artificial neural networks, has been developed that predicts hourly temperatures up to seven days ahead. The prediction is based on forecast daily high and low temperatures and other information that would be readily available to any electric utility. The forecaster has been evaluated using data from eight utilities in the USA. The mean absolute error of one day ahead forecasts for these utilities is 1.48/spl deg/F. The forecaster is implemented at several electric utilities and is being used in production environments.
Effects of moderate and high doses of alcohol on attention, impulsivity, discriminability, and response bias in immediate and delayed memory task performance.

Background: Prior studies that examined the effects of alcohol on Continuous Performance Test (CPT) performance have resulted in inconsistent outcomes. Most studies that examined the effects of alcohol on concentrated attention tasks (like the CPT) found little effect of alcohol on performance measures, even when doses that exceeded 0.8 g/kg were used. One likely reason for these inconsistencies is the varying difficulty (and sensitivity) of the task used, and as a result, comparisons between studies are difficult. This study is one in a series that examines the effects of alcohol on attention by using a difficult version of the CPT (Immediate and Delayed Memory Task—IMT/DMT). Our purpose for these studies has been two-fold, examining the effects of alcohol (1) on concentrated attention (i.e., correct detections) and (2) on errors (i.e., commission errors) previously correlated with impulsive behaviors. The first is important because previous studies have shown little effect of alcohol on attention, and the second is important because commission errors have been related to impulsive behaviors. Methods: In the IMT/DMT, participants respond to a briefly displayed number when it is identical to the one displayed before it. The procedure includes immediate and delayed conditions where successive stimuli to be matched are delayed by 0.5 sec or by 3.5 sec. The three stimulus types included target (identical match), catch (four of five digits match), and filler (no match) stimuli. Twenty subjects completed this task after consuming either a placebo drink or a drink that contained 0.5 g/kg or 1.0 g/kg of alcohol on different days. Results: The main findings were that (1) alcohol decreased the percentage of correct identifications of target stimuli; (2) alcohol increased the percentage of commission errors in relation to the number of correct target responses; and (3) alcohol decreased discriminability whereas response bias became more conservative. Conclusions: These results clearly demonstrated a time-course effect of the 1.0 g/kg alcohol dose on attention, impulsivity, discrimination, and response criteria when a variety of dependent measures are used.
Abnormalities of Thalamic Activation and Cognition in Schizophrenia

Objective: Functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to investigate relationships among structure, functional activation, and cognitive deficits related to the thalamus in individuals with schizophrenia and healthy comparison subjects. Method: Thirty-six schizophrenia subjects and 28 healthy comparison subjects matched by age, gender, race, and parental socioeconomic status underwent structural and functional MRI while performing a series of memory tasks, including an N-back task (working memory), intentional memorization of a series of pictures or words (episodic encoding), and a yes/no recognition task. Functional activation magnitudes in seven regions of interest within the thalamic complex, as defined by anatomical and functional criteria, were computed for each group. Results: Participants with schizophrenia exhibited decreased activation within the whole thalamus, the anterior nuclei, and the medial dorsal nucleus. These nuclei overlap with subregions of the thalamic surface that the authors previously reported to exhibit morphological abnormalities in schizophrenia. However, there were no significant correlations between specific dimensions of thalamic shape variation (i.e., eigenvectors) and the activation patterns within thalamic regions of interest. Better performance on the working memory task among individuals with schizophrenia was significantly associated with increased activation in the anterior nuclei, the centromedian nucleus, the pulvinar, and the ventrolateral nuclei. Conclusions: These results suggest that there are limited relationships between morphological and functional abnormalities of the thalamus in schizophrenia subjects and highlight the importance of investigating relationships between brain structure and function.
Engineering the cell–material interface for controlling stem cell adhesion, migration, and differentiation

The effective utilization of stem cells in regenerative medicine critically relies upon our understanding of the intricate interactions between cells and their extracellular environment. While bulk mechanical and chemical properties of the matrix have been shown to influence various cellular functions, the role of matrix interfacial properties on stem cell behavior is unclear. Here, we report the striking effect of matrix interfacial hydrophobicity on stem cell adhesion, motility, cytoskeletal organization, and differentiation. This is achieved through the development of tunable, synthetic matrices with control over their hydrophobicity without altering the chemical and mechanical properties of the matrix. The observed cellular responses are explained in terms of hydrophobicity-driven conformational changes of the pendant side chains at the interface leading to differential binding of proteins. These results demonstrate that the hydrophobicity of the extracellular matrix could play a considerably larger role in dictating cellular behaviors than previously anticipated. Additionally, these tunable matrices, which introduce a new control feature for regulating various cellular functions offer a platform for studying proliferation and differentiation of stem cells in a controlled manner and would have applications in regenerative medicine.
Body composition and pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis.

Background: Lower body mass index (BMI) is associated with worse pulmonary function in cystic fibrosis (CF). Hypothesis: Lean body mass (LBM) is more strongly associated with pulmonary function than BMI is.Methods: Anthropometrics, body composition by dual x-ray absorptiometry, and pulmonary function were determined in pancreatic insufficient CF (PI-CF) youth. Sex and age-adjusted Z-scores (BMI-Z, LBMI-Z, FMI-Z) were generated for CF and controls. 1) Associations of BMI-Z with LBMI-Z and FMI-Z and 2) age-adjusted associations of BMI-Z, LBMI-Z, and FMI-Z with FEV1%-predicted were tested. Results: 208 PI-CF subjects had lower BMI-Z, LBMI-Z, FMI-Z compared to 390 controls. BMI-Z was associated with lower LBMI-Z (pConclusions: In PI-CF youth, deficits in LBM were apparent. At lower BMI percentiles, BMI may not accurately depict LBM in PI-CF. In under-nourished PI-CF youth this preservation of FM in preference to LBM is relevant since LBMI-Z, but not FMI-Z, is positively associated with FEV1%-predicted. LBMI is more strongly associated with lung function compared to BMI, especially in the undernourished child and adolescent with PI-CF.
The thrombosed arteriovenous graft: An endovascular model for vascular surgeons

Arteriovenous dialysis grafts are the most commonly implanted prosthetic grafts. Thrombectomy with selective graft revision is traditional therapy for occlusions, but patency is minimally prolonged. Stenoses are determined by tactile feedback from an embolectomy catheter and lack of prograde and retrograde bleeding. An objective method for studying the graft and inflow and outflow tracts that permits appropriate endoluminal or surgical correction is described. This approach is appealing because: (i) the current approach is inadequate; (ii) it offers an objective, quantitative method to determine frequency and severity of critical stenoses within the failed access graft; (iii) remote and perigraft stenoses can be treated at the same setting; and (iv) it promotes the development of endovascular skills by surgeons in a high-volume, low-risk setting.
Enhanced Contractile Mechanisms in Vasospasm Is Endothelial Dysfunction the Whole Story

The importance of the endothelium in regulating vascular tone and reactivity is well recognized. The endothelium produces a variety of substances including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandins, endothelin-1, and an unidentified hyperpolarization factor that control vascular tone, thrombus formation, platelet and leukocyte adhesion and aggregation, and cellular proliferation. Alterations in the synthesis or activity of these substances appear to play a major role in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases. Emphasis has been placed on alterations in the generation and function of NO as an underlying mechanism for abnormal vascular reactivity in atherosclerosis and other vascular diseases. Studies in both animal models and humans demonstrate that NO-mediated responses are decreased in atherosclerosis, diabetes, and a wide variety of vascular diseases. But measurements of NO in atherosclerosis have produced variable results with decreases1 and increases2 in the levels of NO reported. Inactivation of NO by reactive oxygen species may account for the decrease in NO-mediated responses.3 See p 1545 Although the absence of vasodilator mechanisms may impair the ability of the coronary circulation to respond to increases in myocardial oxygen consumption or vasoactive substances, for vasospasm to occur, an increase in contractile mechanisms must also occur. Previous studies from the laboratory of Akira Takeshita and coworkers in animal models of coronary vasospasm have suggested that increased vascular contractions are primarily related to smooth muscle hyperreactivity.4 Takeshita and coworkers compared the relative contributions of abnormal endothelium-dependent responses versus smooth muscle function to enhanced vascular muscle contractions in a model of vasospasm to determine whether vasospasm is due to altered NO-mediated responses, enhanced vasoconstrictor responses, or both.4 Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in two ways: measurements of serotonin-induced constriction and substance P–induced …
An Endocytosed TGN38 Chimeric Protein Is Delivered to the TGN after Trafficking through the Endocytic Recycling Compartment in CHO Cells

To examine TGN38 trafficking from the cell surface to the TGN, CHO cells were stably transfected with a chimeric transmembrane protein, TacTGN38. We used fluorescent and 125I-labeled anti-Tac IgG and Fab fragments to follow TacTGN38's postendocytic trafficking. At steady-state, anti-Tac was mainly in the TGN, but shortly after endocytosis it was predominantly in early endosomes. 11% of cellular TacTGN38 is on the plasma membrane. Kinetic analysis of trafficking of antibodies bound to TacTGN38 showed that after short endocytic pulses, 80% of internalized anti-Tac returned to the cell surface (t1/2 = 9 min), and the remainder trafficked to the TGN. When longer filling pulses and chases were used to load anti-Tac into the TGN, it returned to the cell surface with a t1/2 of 46 min. Quantitative confocal microscopy analysis also showed that fluorescent anti-Tac fills the TGN with a 46-min t1/2. Using the measured rate constants in a simple kinetic model, we predict that 82% of TacTGN38 is in the TGN, and 7% is in endosomes. TacTGN38 leaves the TGN slowly, which accounts for its steady-state distribution despite the inefficient targeting from the cell surface to the TGN.
Simple relational correctness proofs for static analyses and program transformations

We show how some classical static analyses for imperative programs, and the optimizing transformations which they enable, may be expressed and proved correct using elementary logical and denotationaltechniques. The key ingredients are an interpretation of program properties as relations, rather than predicates, and a realization that although many program analyses are traditionally formulated in very intensional terms, the associated transformations are actually enabled by more liberal extensional properties.We illustrate our approach with formal systems for analysing and transforming while-programs. The first is a simple type system which tracks constancy and dependency information and can be used to perform dead-code elimination, constant propagation and program slicing as well as capturing a form of secure information flow. The second is a relational version of Hoare logic, which significantly generalizes our first type system and can also justify optimizations including hoisting loop invariants. Finally we show how a simple available expression analysis and redundancy elimination transformation may be justified by translation into relational Hoare logic.
Fast receive antenna selection for MIMO systems

For MIMO systems with large number of transmit and receive antennas, a major concern is the requirement for the hardware complexity and computational cost. A promising solution is to employ antenna subset selection. In this paper, we focus on antenna subset selection at the receiver where the antennas are selected to maximize channel capacity. It is shown that our approach has lower computational complexity than the existing receive antenna selection techniques while achieving the similar outage capacity as the optimal selection algorithms. In particular, the dominant complexity in recursions has been lowered in two orders of magnitude.
A focus on students

It is suggested that baccalaureate engineering graduates must be educated to think across a variety of disciplines functionally (lateral thinking) as well as in terms of disciplinary depth (vertical thinking); couple experience with abstract descriptions; develop ideas and implement them; understand the functional core of the engineering process; experiment with both research and design and understand their synergy; analyze and synthesize; formulate problems and solve them; act both independently and as a team member; and recognize, contribute to, and enjoy the relationship of the engineering enterprise to the social/economical/political context in which they live and work. It is further suggested that to achieve this end, emphasis in engineering education must shift from a dedication to course content to a more comprehensive view, focusing on the development of human resources and the broader educational experience in which the individual parts are connected and integrated. >
Contractual Commitments, Bargaining Power, and Governance Inseparability: Incorporating History Into Transaction Cost Theory

We extend transaction cost economics by arguing that prior contractual commitments made by a firm can limit its ability to differentiate or change its governance arrangements in the future—a condition we term governance inseparability. Changes in bargaining power between a firm and its exchange partners also can result in governance inseparability. Consequently, governance choice may be more particularistic than the current version of transaction cost economics allows. We provide several testable propositions.
How do senior managers influence experience innovation? Insights from a hospitality marketplace.

Abstract Pine and Gilmore garnered attention from both academics and practitioners when they introduced the experience economy paradigm (1998). Central to the authors’ work is the notion that experiences are distinct economic offerings – differentiated, co-created, and memorable – requiring continuous innovation to meet the needs of increasingly demanding and savvy consumers. The purpose of this study was to build upon the work of innovation researchers in business by examining innovation in an understudied context; the goal was to provide a back of the house view of innovation in organizations whose main economic offering is an experience. An exploratory sequential mixed methods study was conducted to examine the ways senior managers influence innovation at the business unit level and to test the relationships between specific leadership practices and innovation performance. Findings from executives in four segments of a hospitality marketplace suggest three organizational capacities – Connect, Energize, Refresh – are associated with continuous innovation of memorable experiences.
Transfer of Social Learning Across Contexts: Exploring Infants' Attribution of Trait‐Like Emotions to Adults

We explored whether 15-month-olds expect another person's emotional disposition to be stable across social situations. In three observation trials, infants watched two adults interact. Half the infants saw one of the adults (“Emoter”) respond negatively to the other adult's actions (Anger group); half saw the Emoter respond neutrally to the same actions (Neutral group). After a change in social context, infants participated in novel tasks with the (now-neutral) Emoter. Infants in the Anger group were significantly more likely to relinquish desirable toys to the Emoter. We hypothesize that, in the initial observation trials, infants learned that the Emoter was “anger-prone” and expected her to get angry again in a new social situation. Consequently, infants readily gave the Emoter what she wanted. These findings reveal three key features of infants' affective cognition: (1) infants track adults' emotional history across encounters; (2) infants learn from observing how people interact with others and use this to form expectations about how these people will treat them; and (3) more speculatively, infants use appeasement to cope with social threat. We hypothesize that infants form “trait-like” attributions about people's emotional dispositions and use this to formulate adaptive responses to adults in novel social contexts.
Structural shape design sensitivity analysis - A unified viewpoint

Two major approaches for structural shape design sensitivity analysis the material derivative and control volume approaches are presented, analyzed and compared. Starting with a continuum formulation and a general response functional needing sensitivity analysis, the two approaches are derived. It is shown that the final design sensitivity expression for one approach can be obtained from the final expression for the other. Thus the two approaches are theoretically the same. Discretizations of the continuum expressions are discussed and it is shown that the two approaches can lead to different implementations for numerical calculations. The control volume approach appears to be more natural for computer implementation because it is viewed as an extension of the isoparametric formulation for finite element analysis to the design sensitivity analysis problem. This view point leads to a simple explanation of the method involving explicit design variations of the internal and external forces. Using this interpretation a general implementation of the method is suggested either outside an established finite element code or inside it.
Structural and Electrical properties of polycrystalline silicon films deposited by low pressure chemical vapor deposition with and without plasma enhancement

Silicon thin films prepared by chemical vapor deposition of silane at very low pressures (4 mTorr) in an experimental reactor that allows deposition with and without plasma enhancement have been characterized. The temperature range of the substrates on which the films were deposited was varied from 500 to 800° C for plasma-enhanced depositions and 600 to 800° C for nonplasma depositions. Conductivity measurements as a function of temperature as well as average grain size and crystallographic texture measurements were performed. The results indicate that the films deposited with the assistance of a plasma were amorphous at deposition temperatures of 650° C and below and polycrystalline at deposition temperatures of 700° C and above. In the temperature regime investigated, this amorphous-to-crystalline transition was not observed in films deposited without the assistance of a plasma. Furthermore, all the films deposited at temperatures of 650° C and below have been found to have significantly different properties from the similarly prepared films deposited at higher temperatures.
Delta Sleep-Inducing Peptide (DSIP)-like Material Exists in Peripheral Organs of Rats in Large Dissociable Forms

The presence of delta sleep-inducing peptide (DSIP) in brain has been shown by radioimmunoassay (RIA) and by immunocytochemistry. We now describe the occurrence of DSIP-like material in the peripheral organs of the rat as measured by RIA. Tissue from 12 areas was extracted with water, and the amounts of immunoreactive material found to be between 86 pg/mg tissue (muscle) and 849 pg/mg (stomach). Recoveries of about 80% of added DSIP were achieved at tissue concentrations of 1 mg/ml or less. This percentage was reduced in liver at higher concentrations. The percentage of small peptide adsorbed by charcoal was greatly increased at lower tissue concentrations in all organs. This effect was significant and linear. Chromatography on columns of Sephadex G-15 and G-25 showed immunoreactive material mostly larger than DSIP. Digestion with trypsin, however, produced small immunoreactive peptides with only a minimal reduction in total immunoreactivity. Thus, DSIP-like material is widespread in peripheral tissues and appears to exist mainly in a large form, probably bound to protein, that can be reduced in size by tryptic digestion and can be dissociated at lower concentrations of tissue to yield small immunoreactive peptides.
The benthic invertebrates of the Salton Sea: distribution and seasonal dynamics

The Salton Sea, California’s largest inland water body, is an athalassic saline lake with an invertebrate fauna dominated by marine species. The distribution and seasonal dynamics of the benthic macroinvertebrate populations of the Salton Sea were investigated during 1999 in the first survey of the benthos since 1956. Invertebrates were sampled from sediments at depths of 2–12 m, shallow water rocky substrates, and littoral barnacle shell substrates. The macroinvertebrates of the Salton Sea consist of a few invasive, euryhaline species, several of which thrive on different substrates. The principal infaunal organisms are the polychaetes Neanthes succinea Frey and Leuckart and Streblospio benedicti Webster, and the oligochaetes Thalassodrilides gurwitschi Cook, T belli Hr.tbe, and an enchytraeid. All but Neanthes are new records for the Sea. Benthic crustacean species are the am phipods Gammarus mucronatus Say, Corophium louisianum Shoemaker, and the barnacle Balanus amphitrite Darwin. Neanthes succinea is the dominant infaunal species on the Sea bottom at depths of 2–12 m. Area-weighted est mates of N. succinea standing stock in September and November 1999 were two orders of magnitude lower than biomass estimated in the same months in 1956. During 1999, population density varied spatially and temporally. Abundance declined greatly in offshore sediments at depths >2 m during spring and summer due to decreasing oxygen levels at the sediment surface, eventually resulting in the absence of Neanthes from all offshore sites >2 m between July and November. In contrast, on shoreline rocky substrate, Neanthes persisted year round, and biomass density increased nearly one order of magnitude between January and November. The rocky shoreline had the highest numbers of invertebrates per unit area, exceeding those reported by other published sources for Neanthes, Gammarus mucronatus,Corophium louisianum, and Balanus amphitrite in marine coastal habitats. The rocky shoreline habitat is highly productive, and is an important refuge during periods of seasonal anoxia for Neanthes and for the other invertebrates that also serve as prey for fish and birds.
STRUCTURE AND REPLICATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA FROM THE GENUS DROSOPHILA

ABSTRACT Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules from different species of the melanogaster group of the genus Drosophila differ in size from 15.7 to 19.5 kilobase pairs (kb). These differences appear to be accounted for by differences in size (1.0 to 5.4 kb) of a single adenine and thymine (A+T)-rich region in each molecule. The sizes of the mtDNA molecule of other Drosophila species are within the narrow range 15.7 to 16.8 kb, and contain an A+T-rich region of approximately 1.0 kb. Restriction enzyme mapping results indicate the A+T-rich region of D. melanogaster, D. simulans, D. mauritiana, D. takahashi, and D. virilis to be at homologous positions on the mtDNA molecules. We have studied the various structural forms of partially replicated mtDNA molecules from the above mentioned species, and concluded that in each species most molecules are replicated by a highly asymmetrical mode in which synthesis on one strand can be between 60% and 100% complete before synthesis on the other strand is initiated. Using the A+T-rich regions and EcoRI cleavage sites as markers, we have determined that in all species studied replication of mtDNA molecules is initiated in the A+T-rich region and proceeds unidirectionally around the molecule towards the nearest EcoRI site common to the mtDNAs of all six species. We have found that the A+T-rich regions of the different species have little or no sequence homologies.
Advantages, Disadvantages, and Risks of TIVA/TCI

This chapter will review selected clinical advantages and disadvantages of TIVA and TCI in comparison to other anesthetic techniques. Advantages discussed include use of TIVA and TCI to minimize post operative nausea and vomiting, optimize neuro monitoring, and improve the quaility of recovery from general anesthesia. Disadvantages and risks discussed include the potential risk of awareness during general anesthesia, hemodynamic consequences of propofol, opioid induced hyperalgesia, and neurotoxicity. The chapter also includes a set of simulations of predicted drug concentrations and effects that illustrate two key points discussed in this chapter: the probability of delayed dmergence and the probability of presistent ventilatory depression for various TIVA/TCI techniques.
Current Device Designs to Incorporate Visceral Arteries

Fenestrated and branched stent grafts were developed to expand the indications or EVAR in patients with short landing zones or involvement of aortic side branches. The first prototypes were done using on table modification of standard aortic stent grafts. Custom or patient-specific stent grafts provide the best example of how technology can fit the anatomical needs. However, manufacturing process is time and resource consuming and there is time delay, which limits its utility to elective cases only. Extensive clinical experience and analysis of anatomic measurements led to the development of off-the-shelf designs for treatment of complex aortic disease. While there has been an experience of over 15 years with patient-specific designs worldwide, there is much more that can be optimized and total endovascular repair is probably still in its inception. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the current state of the art in fenestrated and branched stent graft designs to treat pararenal and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.
MALDI-MS Imaging of Urushiols in Poison Ivy Stem

Urushiols are the allergenic components of Toxicodendron radicans (poison ivy) as well as other Toxicodendron species. They are alk-(en)-yl catechol derivatives with a 15- or 17-carbon side chain having different degrees of unsaturation. Although several methods have been developed for analysis of urushiols in plant tissues, the in situ localization of the different urushiol congeners has not been reported. Here, we report on the first analysis of urushiols in poison ivy stems by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI). Our results show that the urushiol congeners with 15-carbon side chains are mainly localized to the resin ducts, while those with 17-carbon side chains are widely distributed in cortex and vascular tissues. The presence of these urushiols in stem extracts of poison ivy seedlings was confirmed by GC-MS. These novel findings provide new insights into the spatial tissue distribution of urushiols that might be biosynthetically or functionally relevant.
VARIABILITY OF THE UPPER OCEAN MASS FIELD IN THE EASTERN TROPICAL ATLANTIC DURING GATE

Time series of depths of 30 isosteres were used to study time variability in the upper ocean mass field on the order of a few days. Spectral analysis of isostere depths indicates that the spectrum falls off slowly between.02 and.16 cycles per hour; inertial and semi-diurnal tide signals indicate broad bandwidths. Variability in isostere depth with time was investigated using empirical orthogonal function analysis. Displacements of the isosteres are small within the shallow pycnocline and increase in magnitude below the pycnocline, reaching maximum amplitudes at 150–300 m. No large-scale horizontally coherent variability was found in Phase I or Phase II, although the behavior of the empirical orthogonal functions with depth is consistent from ship to ship. A conjecture is made of possible physical processes capable of forcing these oscillations.
The Case of Ketamine Allergy

Ketamine is often used for pediatric procedural sedation due to low rates of complications, with allergic reactions being rare. Immediately following intramuscular (IM) ketamine administration, a three-year-old female rapidly developed facial edema and diffuse urticarial rash, with associated wheezing and oxygen desaturation. Symptoms resolved following treatment with epinephrine, dexamethasone and diphenhydramine. This case presents a clinical reaction to ketamine consistent with anaphylaxis due to histamine release, but it is uncertain whether this was immunoglobulin E mediated. This is the only case reported to date of allergic reaction to IM ketamine, without co-administration of other agents.
To Grasp Cognition in Action, Combine Behavioral Experiments with Protocol Analysis

With behavioral experiments and protocol analysis, researchers can capture cognition in action. Using behavioral experiments, they can study realized behavior, not perception or self-reports. And they can do that in a controlled laboratory environment to establish causality, curbing spurious relationships. With protocol analysis, a method to elicit decision-makers’ thoughts, researchers can tap into cognitive processes. In combination, the two methods offer a novel approach to grasp mental processes alongside behavior, to reach causality and replicate findings. We describe the methods, demonstrate how researchers can apply them, and share practices from the design of experimental instruments to the replication of findings.
Transrectal ultrasound-waveform tomography using plane-wave ultrasound reflection data for prostate cancer imaging

Ultrasound tomography is to reconstruct tissue mechanical properties using ultrasound signals for cancer characterization. We study the capability of plane-wave ultrasound-waveform inversion to reconstruct sound-speed values of prostate tumors. Our ultrasound-waveform inversion algorithm iteratively fits synthetic ultrasound waveforms with recorded ultrasound waveforms starting from an initial model. We verify the algorithm using synthetic ultrasound data for numerical prostate phantoms consisting of multiple tumors in homogeneous and heterogeneous background prostate tissues. Our reconstruction results demonstrate that our new plane-wave transrectal ultrasound-waveform tomography has the potential to accurately reconstruct the sound-speed values of prostate tumors for cancer characterization. In addition, we build a new transrectal ultrasound tomography prototype using a 256-channel Verasonics Vantage system and a GE intracavitary curved linear array to acquire plane-wave ultrasound reflection data for transrectal ultrasound tomography.
Polymer-Coated Nanoparticles for Reversible Emulsification and Recovery of Heavy Oil.

Heavy crude oil has poor solubility and a high density, making recovery and transport much more difficult and expensive than for light crude oil. Emulsifiers can be used to produce low viscosity oi...
Injection Molding of Rubbers

Injection molding is a major processing operation for manufacturing plastic1 and rubber products.2 It is gradually replacing traditional compression molding.3 Injection molding is characterized by a high production rate and a high degree of automation along with a reduction in the amount of scrap. Currently, most attention is focused toward a further understanding and improvement of the process, the development of new rubber compound formulations and mold design technology, and improvement of the quality of molded products. A basic problem that needs to be resolved is what kind of information is needed about a particular rubber compound in order to successfully injection-mold the given product. This problem is not a trivial one, and it can only be resolved on the basis of available science-based injection molding technology.4,5 The latter incorporates various scientific and engineering disciplines, including machine and mold design, fluid mechanics and rheology, reaction engineering, heat transfer, polymer science and process control. Accordingly, the main aim of this chapter is to give an up-to-date account of the scientific literature dealing with various aspects of the injection molding of rubber compounds.
Diagnosing Deficits in “Basic Trust” in Multiracial and Multicultural Groups: Individual or Social Psychopathology?

Deficiencies in “basic trust” frequently undermine the efficacy of group therapy in multiracial and multicultural groups. It is necessary to distinguish trust deficits caused by individual psychopathology, societal attitudes (“cultural pathology”), or a combination of both. A typology for classifying self-disclosure problems in multicultural and multiracial groups is presented, and illustrated with case material: Mode A, “Good enough trust,” allows patient self-disclosure in multicultural groups; Mode B, Low level of cultural paranoia and high level of functional paranoia; Mode C, Culturally paranoid individual can self-disclose in culturally homogeneous group but mistrusts outsiders; Mode D, Confluent paranoid has high levels of both functional and cultural paranoia. For Modes C and D, it is crucial that experiences of bias be acknowledged and empathized with first before patients will be able to achieve good enough trust to risk self-disclosure. The ethnic composition of the group must be attended to in the placement of these patients. Hospital (inpatient) groups are especially likely to have problems with “basic trust.” The role of the leader in demonstrating empathy, tolerance, racial sensitivity, and appropriate self-disclosure is emphasized. Cultural awareness training, a personal group therapy experience for the therapist, and the use of co-therapists are recommended as ways of minimizing negative countertransference or cultural bias on the part of the leader.
Time Asymmetry in Measurements based on Photoelectric Detection

The most notable feature of the conditional homodyne detection (CHD) technique of Foster et al. [1, 2] is that it makes a conditional measurement, detecting the amplitude fluctuations of an optical field by collecting data from a balanced homodyne detector only on the cue of a conditioning photon count. The average fluctuation of the field is recovered as a conditional evolution over time, both before and after the conditioning photoelectric event.
Neurogenic Bladder: Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections—Beyond Antibiotics

Our goal was to identify evidenced-based strategies to prevent and treat patients with neurogenic bladder who suffer from recurrent urinary tract infections. We focused on therapy beyond standard antibiotics to address a multitude of factors implicated in these complex infections. Anatomic and functional components specific to neurogenic bladder contribute to the risk of infection and require close clinical monitoring. The host-pathogen interaction is one that allows for colonization of bacteria in the bladder. We recognize that bacteriuria in the neurogenic bladder population does not equate with infection. Local antibiotic treatment and oral supplements are often not adequate to eliminate infection nor prevent recurrent infection due to biofilms. However, novel medical therapies, such as photodynamic therapy, bacterial interference, and infrared laser therapy to augment local immune cells, are promising options to prevent and treat symptomatic infection. A combination approach including management of anatomic and functional factors with medical intervention can significantly improve frequency of urinary infection. Further study of non-antibiotic therapeutic strategies is much needed as we recognize the complexity of the urinary biomes and the limitations of antibiotic therapies.
Religious Participation and Mortality Risk in Mexico

Objectives Although research suggests that religious involvement tends to favor longevity, most of this work has been conducted in the United States. This article explores the association between religious participation and all-cause mortality risk in Mexico. Methods We used data from the 2003-2015 Mexican Health and Aging Study (n = 14,743) and Cox proportional hazard regression models to assess the association between religious participation and all-cause mortality risk. Results Our key finding is that older Mexicans who participate once or more per week in religious activities tend to exhibit a 19% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality than those who never participate. This estimate persisted with adjustments for health selection (chronic disease burden, activities of daily living, instrumental activities of daily living, cognitive functioning, and depressive symptoms), several potential mediators (social support, smoking, and drinking), and a range of sociodemographic characteristics. Although we observed considerable health selection due to physical health and cognitive functioning, we found no evidence of mediation. Discussion Our results confirm that religious participation is associated with lower all-cause mortality risk among older adults in Mexico. Our analyses contribute to previous research by replicating and extending the external validity of studies conducted in the United States, Israel, Denmark, Finland, and Taiwan.