cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Diabetes Mellitus.

The global prevalence of diabetes mellitus among adults has risen from 4.7% in 1980 to 8.5% in 2014, increasing the number of adults with diabetes mellitus to a staggering 422 million worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. For comparison, this number is larger than the total population of the United States. Diabetes mellitus not only reduces quality of life and life expectancy, but is also a major cause of several microvascular complications and macrovascular complications that lead to blindness, renal failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and the necessity to amputate limbs. The burden of diabetes mellitus–associated complications worldwide is therefore a major healthcare problem that we urgently need to find solutions to. In this context, a large body of research has been devoted to identifying risk factors of vascular complications of diabetes mellitus with the goal of improving prevention of these complications. Such research has revealed that vascular complications of diabetes mellitus are associated with multiple risk factors—including dyslipidemia, hypertension, smoking, age, metabolic control, and systemic inflammation—and that the relative contribution of these risk factors is likely to vary depending on the type of diabetes mellitus and what risk factors are present in a given subject. Other research is aimed at finding novel and reliable biomarkers for vascular complications of diabetes mellitus and novel targets for treatment. In this review, we highlight manuscripts published in ATVB within the past 2 years, focusing on novel pathways that might contribute to vascular complications of diabetes mellitus. This work ranges from experiments on isolated cells to animal models of diabetes mellitus to studies in humans. Elevated blood glucose is a hallmark of all types of diabetes mellitus, which include type 1 diabetes mellitus, type 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetes mellitus characterized by aspects of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus, gestational diabetes …
Occurrence of esophageal and gastric cancer in Alaska Natives, 1969-2003.

Background Early reports of esophageal and gastric cancer in American Indians/Alaska Natives documented high rates. Methods Esophageal and gastric cancers in Alaska Natives were reviewed for 1969-2003 using the Alaska Native Tumor Registry database. Alaska Native incidence rates were age-adjusted and compared to rates of several US populations. Results The incidence of esophageal and gastric cancer has remained relatively stable during the 35-year period. Gastric cancer is higher than that seen in US Whites, Blacks and American Indians of New Mexico and similar US Asian/Pacific Islanders. Esophageal cancer incidence is higher than US Whites, Asian/Pacific Islanders and American Indians of New Mexico but similar to US Blacks. Conclusion The rates of esophageal and gastric cancer in the Alaska Native population have remained high over 35 years. While the rate of gastric cancer has declined among US Whites, a similar decline has not been seen in Alaska Natives.
The Effect of Tamoxifen on the Endometrium

Tamoxifen (Nolvadex), a nonsteroidal antiestrogen, was first approved by the FDA for the treatment of patients with breast cancer in 1978. Large clinical trials have demonstrated a recurrence-free and overall survival benefit in both pre- and postmenopausal women. Long-term adjuvant tamoxifen is the endocrine treatment of choice for selected patients with breast cancer, and large-scale trials are currently underway to evaluate its role as a chemopreventive agent in healthy women at risk for breast cancer. Consequently, a large number of women will be subjected to both the benefits and potential risks of long-term tamoxifen therapy. One of the most significant potential complications is the development of endometrial cancer. The estimated annual risk of endometrial cancer in tamoxifen-treated patients is approximately 2 per 1,000 women. Most of these cancers will be detected at an early stage when they are highly curable. The potential benefit of tamoxifen treatment in breast cancer patients outweighs this risk; however, all patients receiving tamoxifen should undergo regular gynecologic evaluations.
Image Structure Aspects of Printed Image Quality

The image structure component of image quality as applied to printed reproductions includes resolution, sharpness, graininess, mottle, and moire patterns. The image structure elements may be manipu...
Identity, Invention, and the Culture of Personalized Medicine Patenting

What are the normative implications of patenting in the area of personalized medicine? As patents on genes and medical diagnoses have increased over the past decade, this question lies at the intersection of intellectual property theory, identity politics, biomedical ethics and constitutional law. These patents are part of the personalized medicine industry, which develops medical treatments tailored to individuals based on race and other characteristics. This book provides an overview of developments in personalized medicine patenting and suggests policies to best regulate such patents.
Lower power, lower delay design scheme for CMOS tapered buffers

This paper proposes lower power, lower delay design for CMOS tapered buffers. A slight increase in the threshold voltage is shown to have an exponential effect in reducing the total power dissipation. The corresponding increase in the propagation delay is compensated for by increasing the number of buffer stages such that there is still an overall significant reduction in the total power dissipation. As compared to the constant threshold voltage design based on a cost function of PT2, the proposed scheme can lead to either a power dissipation reduction of about 70% while maintaining the same delay, or up to 30% in power dissipation with 10% propagation delay reduction, respectively, in 65 nm technology with V DD =1V, minimum size gate capacitance, C g =1.5fF, and minimum size output capacitance, C 0 =1fF. Closed form expressions that give the optimum threshold voltage and number of stages are presented.
Single or Multiple Antibiotic-Amended Media to Enumerate Yeasts and Molds1

Gentamicin, chloramphenicol and chlortetracycline were evaluated singly and in combination for their ability to control bacteria in media to enumerate yeast and molds. No single antibiotic tested at 50 or 100 ppm was totally effective in controlling bacteria. Chlortetracycline in combination with either chloramphenicol or gentamicin inhibited the contaminating bacteria as long as the antibiotics were added after autoclaving. It is recommended that for routine use, reliance not be placed upon a single antibiotic to control bacteria when enumerating fungi.
A Dynamic Modelling Framework of Real-Time Guidance Systems in General Urban Traffic Networks

There is considerable interest around the world in developing and implementing realtime driver information and/or guidance systems to reduce congestion in the urban traffic networks. However most of these attempts have proceed without much insight into the significant influence of many of the key elements and phenomena involved in a traffic system under information that could determine the effectiveness of alternative designs of such systems. These include: the context, extent and form of the information provided to the drivers, the response and compliance of the drivers to the information, the system-wide implications of particle equipping of the vehicle population, frequency of information update, etc. In this paper a simulation-based framework that incorporates these elements is presented along with illustrative results on its application to realistically sized networks. The traffic simulation is performed using macroscopic local speed-flow relations in discretized segments, while individual drivers' route choice decisions are modelled at the network nodes. The network path processing is based on k-shortest path tree-building that allows the drivers to select among several competing route. Efficient data structures are utilized for storing the network and the k-shortest paths are found using efficient binary heap-sorting procedures. The program can simulate networks with only a fraction of the drivers receiving information. The driver route switching behavior is based on candidate mechanisms of choosing to stay on a route unless an alternative route becomes sufficiently attractive. In addition, the model can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of guidance instructions provided by a central controller. Simulations are carried out for different behavioral model parameters as well as for different fractions of drivers with information, the results of which are provided with a discussion of substantive conclusions and key insights. The simulations are carried out on a supercomputer, and the advantages of vector processing are also discussed.
Low tidal volume ventilation use remains low in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome at a single center

Abstract Purpose Low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) reduces mortality in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) patients. Understanding local barriers to LTVV use at a former ARDS Network hospital may provide new insight to improve LTVV implementation. Methods A cohort of 214 randomly selected adults met the Berlin definition of ARDS at Harborview Medical Center between 2008 and 2012. The primary outcome was the receipt of LTVV (tidal volume of ≤ 6.5 mL/kg predicted body weight) within 48 h of ARDS onset. We constructed a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors associated with the outcome. Results Only 27% of patients received tidal volumes of ≤ 6.5 mL/kg PBW within 48 h of ARDS onset. Increasing plateau pressure (OR 1.11; 95% CI 1.03 to 1.19; p-value Conclusions Most ARDS patients did not receive LTVV despite implementation of a protocol. ARDS was also recognized in a minority of patients, suggesting an opportunity for improvement of care.
Effects of Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for Alzheimer's disease on clinical progression.

Abstract Background Observational studies suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors and/or memantine may delay clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in 40% of individuals taking the medications. Given this response and existence of side effects, we sought to quantify medication use and benefits in a population-based study of incident AD cases. Methods The Cache County Dementia Progression Study enrolled and followed a cohort of 327 incident AD cases for a maximum of 9 years. Drug exposure was expressed using a persistency index (PI), calculated as total years of drug use divided by total years of observation. Linear mixed-effects models examined PI, and interactions with sex and apolipoprotein E ( APOE ) as predictors of clinical progression on the Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes. Results A total of 69 participants (21.1%) reported having ever used cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine. There was a strong three-way interaction between PI, sex, and time. Among women, a higher PI (i.e., greater duration of use) of cholinesterase inhibitors was associated with slower progression on the Mini-Mental State Examination and Clinical Dementia Rating-Sum of Boxes, particularly among those with an APOE ɛ4 allele. In contrast, higher PI was associated with faster progression in males. Conclusion A low percentage of individuals with AD in the community are taking cholinesterase inhibitors or memantine. This study suggests that women, particularly those with an APOE ɛ4 allele, may benefit the most from these medications. With the newly approved increased dose of donepezil, it will be imperative to determine whether a higher dose is needed in men or whether other factors warrant consideration.
Promoting Peer Interaction for Preschool Children With Complex Communication Needs and Autism Spectrum Disorder

Purpose This study investigates the impact of a multicomponent intervention on the social communication and engagement of preschool children with complex communication needs (CCN) and autism spectr...
Behavioral Changes on the UCSD Huntington’s Disease Behavioral Questionnaire (HD-BQ) Distinguish Patients Transitioning to Manifest Huntington’s disease (HD) (P2.002)

Objective: To utilize the UCSD Huntington’s Disease Behavioral Questionnaire (HD-BQ) to assess behavioral changes that distinguish HD gene carriers transitioning to manifest HD. Background: Behavioral changes, including apathy, depression, irritability, anxiety, and difficulty prioritizing and initiating activities, are characteristic features of HD and may serve as an early marker of disease onset. The UCSD HD-BQ consists of 30 items with a 3-point rating scale (0–3), and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The maximum score is 90 with higher scores indicating greater severity. Design/Methods: Gene positive subjects (n=116) were stratified using the UHDRS Total Functional Capacity and Penny Burden of Pathology score as early pre-manifest (EPM); transitional (i.e. individuals close to disease onset or with very mild HD); or mild-moderate manifest HD. The UCSD HD-BQ was administered to 23 normal control (NC); 28 EPM; 25 transitional; and 63 HD subjects. We used one-way ANOVA/Tukey Posthoc to compare groups on dependent variables. Results: Mean MMSE, TFC, and TMS scores were 29.0, 12.8, and 1.9 respectively for NC; 28.1, 12.9, and 1.5 respectively for EPM; 27.5, 12.1, and 7.5 respectively for transitional; and 24.1, 8.3, and 35.2 respectively for manifest HD subjects. Although statistically significant differences were not seen between transitional or EPM subjects and NC with regard to these cognitive, functional and motoric measures, statistically significant differences were seen with regard to the HD-BQ between transitional (mean HD-BQ=33.3; p=0.000) and, more surprisingly, EPM (mean HD-BQ=23.4, p=0.011) subjects and NC (mean HD-BQ=6.6). Highest scoring symptoms among transitional and EPM subjects comprised anxiety, difficulty concentrating, and memory. Conclusions: The HD-BQ is a brief, reliable instrument for screening behavioral changes in individuals at risk for, and transitioning to, HD. Behavioral disturbances are important in HD and may serve as an early marker of disease onset. Study Supported by: This study was supported by the UCSD Huntington’s Disease Society of America Center of Excellence and the UCSD Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center NIH P50 AG005131. Disclosure: Dr. Corey-Bloom has received research support from Teva, Vaccinex, HSG, and CHDI. Dr. Nam has nothing to disclose. Dr. Haque has nothing to disclose. Dr. Haque has nothing to disclose. Dr. Park has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nathan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kim has nothing to disclose. Dr. Corona has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gilbert has nothing to disclose.
Secondary Raynaud's Phenomenon and Skin Necrosis of Toes in the Paraplegic Patient with Hypertension.

We present two cases of paraplegic patients who developed secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon. A 43-year-old man with paraplegia presented with dark purple discoloration and skin defects on his left second and third toes and complained of a cold sensation in both feet for a period of 1 year. He had been taking diuretics for 4 years. The capillary refilling time for both affected toes was delayed. His antihypertensive drug was changed to a calcium channel blocker under suspicion of Raynaud’s phenomenon aggravated by hydrochlorothiazide, and the capillary refilling time normalized within 3 days. The toe skin defect was covered with a skin graft. A 51-year-old man with paraplegia presented with cyanotic color change and recurrent unstable wounds on his toes. He was also taking diuretics for hypertension. Suspecting secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon aggravated by diuretics, we changed the diuretics to olmesartan medoxmil 20 mg and amlodipine besylate 2.5 mg per day. Subsequently, he has had no unstable wounds for 30 months. If hypertensive patients with paraplegia complain of skin discoloration in their extremities, Raynaud’s phenomenon should be considered and the antihypertensive drug may need to be stopped in order to improve the wound-healing process.
Motor overflow in spastic hemiplegia after stroke

Introduction/Background The phenomenon of exaggerated motor overflow (involuntary movements accompanying a motor task) is well documented, particularly in stroke survivors with spasticity. In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible underlying mechanisms its possible relations with post-stroke spasticity. Methods Eleven stroke patients (63.6 yrs ± 6.4 yrs; 4 women) and 11 healthy subjects (age: 31.18 yrs ± 6.18 yrs; 2 women) were recruited and performed unilateral isometric elbow flexion at submaximal levels (10%, 30%, and 60% of maximum voluntary contraction, MVC). Electromyograms (EMG) was measured from the contracting biceps muscle and resting contralateral biceps, ipsilateral flexor digitorum superficialis, and contralateral FDS muscles. Motor overflow was quantified as the normalized EMG of the resting muscles. EMG-EMG coherence was calculated between the contracting muscle and each of the resting muscle. Elbow flexor spasticity was quantified through reflex torque. Results Overall, our results demonstrated that unilateral elbow flexion caused diffuse motor overflow from proximal to distal muscles on the impaired side (ipsilateral motor overflow) and from the non-impaired side to the impaired side (contralateral motor overflow). Moreover, there were significantly high EMG-EMG coherence between 6–12 Hz between the contracting muscle and all other resting muscles during elbow flexion on the non-impaired side. Our results of diffuse ipsilateral and contralateral motor overflow with EMG-EMG coherence in the alpha band suggest subcortical origins of motor overflow. Post-stroke spasticity is attributed to reticulospinal hyperexcitability secondary to the unmasking of ponto-medullary reticular formation. A high correlation between spasticity and motor overflow supports a potential role of reticulospinal activation in motor overflow. Conclusion Collectively, these results suggest that diffuse motor overflow to the impaired side is likely related to activation of hyperexcitable reticulospinal pathways after stroke.
Understanding the 3D genome: Emerging impacts on human disease

Recent burst of new technologies that allow for quantitatively delineating chromatin structure has greatly expanded our understanding of how the genome is organized in the three-dimensional (3D) space of the nucleus. It is now clear that the hierarchical organization of the eukaryotic genome critically impacts nuclear activities such as transcription, replication, as well as cellular and developmental events such as cell cycle, cell fate decision and embryonic development. In this review, we discuss new insights into how the structural features of the 3D genome hierarchy are established and maintained, how this hierarchy undergoes dynamic rearrangement during normal development and how its perturbation will lead to human disease, highlighting the accumulating evidence that links the diverse 3D genome architecture components to a multitude of human diseases and the emerging mechanisms by which 3D genome derangement causes disease phenotypes.
A Subset of TREM2 + Dermal Macrophages Secretes Oncostatin M to Maintain Hair Follicle Stem Cell Quiescence and Inhibit Hair Growth

Summary Hair growth can be induced from resting mouse hair follicles by topical application of JAK inhibitors, suggesting that JAK-STAT signaling is required for maintaining hair follicle stem cells (HFSCs) in a quiescent state. Here, we show that Oncostatin M (OSM), an IL-6 family cytokine, negatively regulates hair growth by signaling through JAK-STAT5 to maintain HFSC quiescence. Genetic deletion of the OSM receptor or STAT5 can induce premature HFSC activation, suggesting that the resting telogen stage is actively maintained by the hair follicle niche. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that the OSM source is not intrinsic to the hair follicle itself and is instead a subset of TREM2+ macrophages that is enriched within the resting follicle and deceases immediately prior to HFSC activation. In vivo inhibition of macrophage function was sufficient to induce HFSC proliferation and hair cycle induction. Together these results clarify how JAK-STAT signaling actively inhibits hair growth.
Referral to community care from school-based eye care programs in the United States.

Abstract Approximately 25% of school-aged children in the United States have vision abnormalities, most commonly refractive error that can be corrected with spectacles. Limited follow-up adherence after failed school-based vision screening led to an increase in school-based eye care programs that provide screening, eye examinations, and spectacle prescription at the school. These programs address the access barrier and often provide the first point of contact between children and eye care. Nevertheless, several lower prevalence conditions, such as amblyopia, strabismus, and glaucoma, cannot be adequately treated in the school setting, and some require frequent and long-term follow-up, necessitating referral to eye care providers in the community. We conducted a literature review and identified 10 programs that provided school-based screening, examinations, and spectacle prescription and reviewed their referral rates, criteria, mechanisms, adherence, ocular findings at referral, and long-term care plans. Most programs referred 1% to 5% of screened children. Most communicated with parents or guardians through referral letters and used various strategies to incentivize adherence. Referral adherence was 20-50% in the four programs that reported these data. School-based eye care programs rarely referred children for long-term follow-up care needs, such as updating spectacle prescriptions annually.
NUMERICAL STUDY OF DESULPHURIZATION PROCESS BY THE AMMONIUM SEMI-DRY METHOD

The paper presents the results of numerical investigation of heat and mass transfer processes in the drip-type chemical reactor. The reactor is operated by the semi-dry method of desulphurization with ammonia technology. Water for irrigation gas and aqueous ammonia solution fed to the reactor either together or separately. Studies have shown that the efficiency of desulfurization process and the gas temperature at the outlet of the reactor depends on the method of supplying the liquid into the working zone, flow of water and additional air. It is found that a significant amount of ammonia from the solution passes into the gaseous medium due to desorption. Thus, the chemical binding of sulfur dioxide in the reactor is due to homogeneous reactions in a liquid medium and gas. Firstly, this reduces the formation of ammonium sulfite and ammonium sulfate in the liquid droplets. Secondly, it leads to increased formation of adducts in the gas volume of the working zone of a chemical reactor. Is been determined that the ammonium semi-dry method allows chemically bind more than 97 % of sulfur dioxide, which is output with flue gases of the boiler unit.Bibl. 14, Fig. 6, Table 1.
Activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) promotes skeletal muscle atrophy by forming a heterodimer with the transcriptional regulator C/EBPβ.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is a highly-prevalent and debilitating condition that remains poorly understood at the molecular level. Previous work found that aging, fasting, and immobilization promote skeletal muscle atrophy via expression of activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) in skeletal muscle fibers. However, the direct biochemical mechanism by which ATF4 promotes muscle atrophy is unknown. ATF4 is a member of the basic leucine zipper transcription factor (bZIP) superfamily. Because bZIP transcription factors are obligate dimers, and because ATF4 is unable to form highly-stable homodimers, we hypothesized that ATF4 may promote muscle atrophy by forming a heterodimer with another bZIP family member. To test this hypothesis, we biochemically isolated skeletal muscle proteins that associate with the dimerization- and DNA-binding domain of ATF4 (the bZIP domain) in mouse skeletal muscle fibers in vivo. Interestingly, we found that ATF4 forms at least five distinct heterodimeric bZIP transcription factors in skeletal muscle fibers. Furthermore, one of these heterodimers, composed of ATF4 and CCAAT enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ), mediates muscle atrophy. Within skeletal muscle fibers, the ATF4–C/EBPβ heterodimer interacts with a previously unrecognized and evolutionarily conserved ATF–C/EBP composite site in exon 4 of the Gadd45a gene. This three-way interaction between ATF4, C/EBPβ, and the ATF–C/EBP composite site activates the Gadd45a gene, which encodes a critical mediator of muscle atrophy. Together, these results identify a biochemical mechanism by which ATF4 induces skeletal muscle atrophy, providing molecular-level insights into the etiology of skeletal muscle atrophy.
Binding of phencyclidine to the detergent solubilized acetylcholine receptor from Torpedomarmorata

Abstract The binding of phencyclidine to the acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo marmorata electroplague was measured following solubilization of the receptor in sodium cholate followed by the exchange of cholate for Tween 80. In both the membrane-bound and solubilized AChR, the addition of cholinergic agonists simultaneously with the addition of PCP results in a 100 to 1000 fold increase in the PCP association rate and a 5 to 10 fold increase in the dissociation rate as compared to the unliganded AChR or AChR equilibrated with agonist prior to PCP addition. In addition, the number of binding sites and the pharmacological properties of the binding are not markedly changed in the soluble receptor. These results suggest that the acetylcholine receptor can undergo similar conformational transitions in the membrane-bound and the Tween 80 solubilized form and that phencyclidine can monitor these transitions in both cases.
Massively parallel finite difference elasticity using block-structured adaptive mesh refinement with a geometric multigrid solver

Abstract Computationally solving the equations of elasticity is a key component in many materials science and mechanics simulations. Phenomena such as deformation-induced microstructure evolution, microfracture, and microvoid nucleation are examples of applications for which accurate stress and strain fields are required. A characteristic feature of these simulations is that the problem domain is simple (typically a rectilinear representative volume element (RVE)), but the evolution of internal topological features is extremely complex. Traditionally, the finite element method (FEM) is used for elasticity calculations; FEM is nearly ubiquitous due to (1) its ability to handle meshes of complex geometry using isoparametric elements, and (2) the weak formulation which eschews the need for computation of second derivatives. However, variable topology problems (e.g. microstructure evolution) require either remeshing, or adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) - both of which can cause extensive overhead and limited scaling. Block-structured AMR (BSAMR) is a method for adaptive mesh refinement that exhibits good scaling and is well-suited for many problems in materials science. Here, it is shown that the equations of elasticity can be efficiently solved using BSAMR using the finite difference method. The boundary operator method is used to treat different types of boundary conditions, and the “reflux-free” method is introduced to efficiently and easily treat the coarse-fine boundaries that arise in BSAMR. Examples are presented that demonstrate the use of this method in a variety of cases relevant to materials science: Eshelby inclusions, fracture, and microstructure evolution. Reasonable scaling is demonstrated up to ∼4000 processors with tens of millions of grid points, and good AMR efficiency is observed.
Age Impacts the Burden That Reference Memory Imparts on an Increasing Working Memory Load and Modifies Relationships With Cholinergic Activity

Rodent aging research often utilizes spatial mazes, such as the water radial-arm-maze (WRAM), to evaluate cognition. The WRAM can simultaneously measure spatial working and reference memory, wherein these two memory types are often represented as orthogonal. There is evidence, however, that these two memory forms yield interference at a high working memory load. The current study systematically evaluated whether the presence of a reference memory component impacts handling of an increasing working memory load. Young and aged female rats were tested to assess whether aging impacts this relationship. Cholinergic projections from the basal forebrain to the hippocampus and cortex can affect cognitive outcomes, and are negatively impacted by aging. To evaluate whether age-related changes in working and reference memory profiles are associated with cholinergic functioning, we assessed choline acetyltransferase activity in these behaviorally-tested rats. Results showed that young rats outperformed aged rats on a task testing solely working memory. The addition of a reference memory component deteriorated the ability to handle an increasing working memory load, such that young rats performed similar to their aged counterparts. Aged rats also had challenges when reference memory was present, but in a different context. Specifically, aged rats had difficulty remembering which reference memory arms they had entered within a session, compared to young rats. Further, aged rats that excelled in reference memory also excelled in working memory when working memory demand was high, a relationship not seen in young rats. Relationships between cholinergic activity and maze performance differed by age in direction and brain region, reflecting the complex role that the cholinergic system plays in memory and attentional processes across the female lifespan. Overall, the addition of a reference memory requirement detrimentally impacted the ability to handle working memory information across young and aged timepoints, especially when the working memory challenge was high; these age-related deficits manifested differently with the addition of a reference memory component. This interplay between working and reference memory provides insight into the multiple domains necessary to solve complex cognitive tasks, potentially improving the understanding of complexities of age- and disease- related memory failures and optimizing their respective treatments.
The Asia Crisis : Causes, Policy Responses, and Outcomes

This paper tells the story of the Asian financial crisis by addressing four questions: What were the causes of the crisis, how did the crisis unfold, what were the policy responses, and what have been the outcomes? The paper takes the view that none of these questions can be understood without appreciating the fundamental vulnerabilities that left authorities without effective tools to counter sudden capital outflows. The pattern of output decline suggests that these vulnerabilities, particularly weaknesses in domestic financial systems, played a larger role than tight monetary policy in determining outcomes.
Oil property sensing array based on a general regression neural network

Abstract Online monitoring of multiple lubricant properties is critical in maintaining and extending the health of high-speed rotating and reciprocating machinery used in many of the nation’s key industries including aerospace, manufacturing, and energy. There have been many efforts on the development of sensors focused on measuring specific chemical/physical properties of lubricant oil. One long-standing challenge for these property sensors is the overlapping output problem (cross-sensitivity), meaning they cannot provide accurate measurements. Here we demonstrated a capacitive oil property sensor array based on a new general regression neural network (GRNN) for measuring acid, base, and water content in lubricant oil. Results showed that the GRNN can pinpoint individual oil properties from the overlapped sensor array’s responses with high accuracy and speed.
Delexicalized Cross-lingual Dependency Parsing for Xibe

Manually annotating a treebank is time-consuming and labor-intensive. We conduct delexicalized cross-lingual dependency parsing experiments, where we train the parser on one language and test on our target language. As our test case, we use Xibe, a severely under-resourced Tungusic language. We assume that choosing a closely related language as the source language will provide better results than more distant relatives. However, it is not clear how to determine those closely related languages. We investigate three different methods: choosing the typologically closest language, using LangRank, and choosing the most similar language based on perplexity. We train parsing models on the selected languages using UDify and test on different genres of Xibe data. The results show that languages selected based on typology and perplexity scores outperform those predicted by LangRank; Japanese is the optimal source language. In determining the source language, proximity to the target language is more important than large training sizes. Parsing is also influenced by genre differences, but they have little influence as long as the training data is at least as complex as the target.
Lord's Paradox Revisited - (On Lord! Kumbaya!)

Abstract : Among the many peculiarities that were dubbed paradoxes by well meaning statisticians, the one reported by Frederic M. Lord in 1967 has earned a special status. Although it can be viewed, formally, as a version of Simpson's paradox (Arah, 2008; Tu et al., 2008; Pearl, 2014) its reputation has gone much worse. Unlike Simpson's reversal, Lord's is easier to state, harder to disentangle (Wainer and Brown, 2007) and, for some reason, it has been lingering for almost four decades, under several interpretations and re-interpretations (Holland and Rubin, 1983), and it keeps coming up in new situations and under new lights (van Breukelen, 2013; Senn, 2006; Eriksson and Haggstrom, 2014). Most peculiar yet, while some of its variants has received a satisfactory resolution (Glymour, 2006; Hernandez-Diaz et al., 2006), the original version presented by Lord, to the best of my knowledge, has not been given a proper treatment, not to mention a resolution. The purpose of this paper is to trace back Lord's paradox from its original formulation, resolve it using modern tools of causal analysis, explain why it resisted prior attempts at resolution and, Finally, address the general methodological issue of whether adjustments for pre-existing conditions is justified in group comparison applications.
The frequency and magnitude of non‐additive responses to multiple nutrient enrichment

Summary 1. Anthropogenic eutrophication is among the greatest threats to ecosystem functioning globally, often occurring via enrichment of both nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). As such, recent attention has focused on the implications of non-additive responses to dual nutrient enrichment and the inherent difficulty associated with predicting their combined effects. 2. We used a simple metric to quantify the frequency and magnitude of non-additive responses to enrichment by N, P and N + P in 653 experiments conducted across multiple ecosystem types and locations. 3. Non-additive responses were found to be common in all systems. Freshwater ecosystems and temperate latitudes tended to have frequent synergistic responses to dual nutrient enrichment, i.e. the response was greater than predicted by an additive model. Terrestrial and arctic systems were dominated by antagonistic responses (responses to N + P that were less than additive). 4. The mean of all experiments was synergistic because despite being less common, synergistic responses were generally of greater magnitude than antagonistic ones. 5. Synthesis and applications. Our study highlights the ubiquity of non-additive effects in response to dual nutrient enrichment and further elucidates the complex ways in which ecosystems respond to human impacts. Our results suggest how alternative nutrient limitation scenarios can be used to guide approaches to conservation and management of nutrient loading to ecosystems. This review provides the first published summary of non-additive responses by primary producers.
1/25 degree Atlantic Ocean Simulation Using HYCOM

Traditional ocean models use a single coordinate type to represent the vertical, but no single approach is optimal for the global ocean (Chassignet et al., 2000; Willebrand et al., 2001). Isopycnal (density tracking) layers are best in the deep stratified ocean, z-levels (constant fixed depths) provide high vertical resolution in the mixed layer, and terrain-following levels are often the best choice in coastal regions. The HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) (Bleck, 2002) combines all three approaches by dynamically choosing the optimal distribution at every time step via the layered continuity equation. This has lead to HYCOM being chosen for the next generation of ocean prediction systems both by NAVOCEANO and by NOAA.
Studies of collagen turnover in lathyritic rats.

Abstract Normal and lathyritic rats were injected with proline-U-C 14 and sacrificed at different time intervals after the injection. The neutral salt soluble and insoluble fractions of collagen were prepared from skin and bone, as well as total collagen from bone. Proline and hydroxyproline were isolated from all collagen fractions, and the respective specific activity was determined. On the basis of the data on incorporation and replacement of radioactivity in collagen and its fractions, it appears that the conversion of soluble to insoluble collagen is impaired in lathyrism.
Carbon monoxide neurotoxicity: transient inhibition of avoidance response and delayed microglia reaction in the absence of neuronal death

Carbon monoxide exposure produces neurobehavioral effects associated with the level of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in the blood. A threshold has been proposed of approximately 35% COHb for the manifestation of disruption in neurobehavioral tasks. The effects of CO exposure producing 30-40% carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels in young adult male Fischer 344 rats were examined with regard to clinical signs of toxicity, performance on a previously learned avoidance procedure, and neuronal and glia histopathology. High levels of exposure (4000 ppm) for 15 min were imposed on either a background blood COHb level of 5% produced by a 2 h exposure to 50 ppm CO or a control background from conditioned-air exposure. Upon removal from the nose-only inhalation holder, signs of mild lethargy and decreased activity were evident for 2 min for conditioned-air controls and 50 ppm CO exposure groups and 3-4 min following 4000 ppm CO. Performance on a two-way shuttle box active avoidance task showed no differences between 50 ppm CO rats and conditioned-air controls while the 4000 ppm CO exposed groups showed a significant decrease in avoidance and escape responses. Histological examination showed no evidence of delayed neuronal death or astrocyte reactivity in the hippocampus or cerebellum; however, a distinct focal staining of reactive microglia in both regions was evident in animals exposed to 4000 ppm CO. While 50 ppm CO (5% COHb) alone produced no disruption in avoidance performance, microglia staining in the cerebellum was significantly increased over conditioned-air controls. This regional and focal response of microglia suggests the need for further study regarding such subtle cellular changes and their relationship with COHb levels.
Fossil Vertebrates from the Middle Graneros Shale (Upper Cretaceous: Middle Cenomanian) in Southeastern Nebraska

The Graneros Shale was deposited in the Late Cretaceous Western Interior Seaway of North America during the mid-Cenomanian (ca. 95 Ma). In this study, we report an assemblage of fossil vertebrates from the middle portion of the Graneros Shale in southeastern Nebraska. The fauna consists of at least 11 taxa, including eight chondnchthyan and one osteichthyan fishes as well as two reptilians (turtle and plesiosaur). Although the exact taxonomie identity of the turtle material is uncertain, all other taxa are fully marine forms and represent vertebrates that lived in the Seaway during the initial stage of its major transgression.
Synthesis and Characterization of Thermoplastic Polyurethaneureas based on Polyisobutylene and Poly(tetramethylene oxide) Segments

New thermoplastic polyurethaneureas (TPUU) based on polyisobutylene (PIB) and poly(tetramethylene oxide) (PTMO) segments have been synthesized possessing tensile properties comparable to conventional PTMO based TPUs. PIB based TPUU containing 35 weight (wt)% hard segment was synthesized by chain extension of H2N-Allyl-PIB-Allyl-NH2 with 4,4′ -methylene bis(phenylisocyanate) (MDI) and 1,4-butanediol (BDO) in toluene. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) = 12 MPa and ultimate elongation = 70% were inferior to PTMO based polyurethane (UTS = 35 MPa, elongation at break = 600%). H2N-Allyl-PIB-Allyl-NH2 and HO-PTMO-OH in different proportions were chain extended in presence of MDI and BDO to obtain TPUUs containing 35 wt% hard segment. The polymers exhibited M ns = 84000–138000 with polydispersity indices (PDIs) = 1.7–3.7. The UTS = 23–32 MPa and elongation at break = 250–675% was comparable to that of PTMO based polyurethane and significantly higher than the PIB based TPUU with the same Shore hardness. The Youn...
A Human Genome Structural Variation Sequencing Resource Reveals Insights into Mutational Mechanisms

Understanding the prevailing mutational mechanisms responsible for human genome structural variation requires uniformity in the discovery of allelic variants and precision in terms of breakpoint delineation. We develop a resource based on capillary end sequencing of 13.8 million fosmid clones from 17 human genomes and characterize the complete sequence of 1054 large structural variants corresponding to 589 deletions, 384 insertions, and 81 inversions. We analyze the 2081 breakpoint junctions and infer potential mechanism of origin. Three mechanisms account for the bulk of germline structural variation: microhomology-mediated processes involving short (2-20 bp) stretches of sequence (28%), nonallelic homologous recombination (22%), and L1 retrotransposition (19%). The high quality and long-range continuity of the sequence reveals more complex mutational mechanisms, including repeat-mediated inversions and gene conversion, that are most often missed by other methods, such as comparative genomic hybridization, single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays, and next-generation sequencing.
Subjective Probability-Based Scenarios for Uncertain Input Parameters: Stratospheric Ozone Depletion

Risk analysis often depends on complex, computer-based models to describe links between policies (e.g., required emission-control equipment) and consequences (e.g., probabilities of adverse health effects). Appropriate specification of many model aspects is uncertain, including details of the model structure; transport, reaction-rate, and other parameters; and application-specific inputs such as pollutant-release rates. Because these uncertainties preclude calculation of the precise consequences of a policy, it is important to characterize the plausible range of effects. In principle, a probability distribution function for the effects can be constructed using Monte Carlo analysis, but the combinatorics of multiple uncertainties and the often high cost of model runs quickly exhaust available resources. This paper presents and applies a method to choose sets of input conditions (scenarios) that efficiently represent knowledge about the joint probability distribution of inputs. A simple score function approximately relating inputs to a policy-relevant output—in this case, globally averaged stratospheric ozone depletion—is developed. The probability density function for the score-function value is analytically derived from a subjective joint probability density for the inputs. Scenarios are defined by selected quantiles of the score function. Using this method, scenarios can be systematically selected in terms of the approximate probability distribution function for the output of concern, and probability intervals for the joint effect of the inputs can be readily constructed.
Microwave breast imaging system prototype with integrated numerical characterization

The increasing number of experimental microwave breast imaging systems and the need to properly model them have motivated our development of an integrated numerical characterization technique. We use Ansoft HFSS and a formalism we developed previously to numerically characterize an S-parameter- based breast imaging system and link it to an inverse scattering algorithm. We show successful reconstructions of simple test objects using synthetic and experimental data. We demonstrate the sensitivity of image reconstructions to knowledge of the background dielectric properties and show the limits of the current model.
A Change in Academic Environmental Thought: From Paradigms to Ideology*

In the past several centuries, our culture has been permeated by the idea that growth and progress are the hallmarks by which to judge the world. Today this ideology appears to be declining in proximate proportion to the rise of an environmental ideology (environmental paradigms in academic literature). It is shown that in the process of becoming ideological, these paradigms (the antithesis of the progress ideology) have become more convincing to those both inside and outside academia by adding an understanding to our past, present, and future. It is proposed that major ideologies are, unlike the progress ideology, structurally similar, and that academic environmental paradigms duplicate this dominant ideological pattern. This dominant pattern theme is demonstrated by first contrasting the concepts paradigm and ideology, illustrating how they merge conceptually, and verifying the similarity of two historically major ideologies, Marxism and Christianity, with environmental paradigms.
Multipurpose Simulator for Technical Skill Development in Thoracic Surgery

Background Our appreciation for the increased role of simulation in surgical education has led us to develop a simulator for effective training of fundamental invasive thoracic skills. Materials and Methods Study subjects were fourth year medical students (MS-4, n = 6) rotating on a surgery clerkship, and surgical interns (PGY-1, n = 6). All subjects completed demographic surveys and rated their comfort level performing the thoracic skills. A computerized instructional module was given to all participants. Additionally, interns attended a boot camp with didactics, live demonstrations, and supervised practice sessions. Subjects were asked to perform a thoracentesis and insert a chest tube on the models, repetitively, during three sessions, and their skills were rated. Participants were asked to rate their comfort levels performing the procedure before and after the sessions. Results Interns reported a greater exposure to surgery (9.7 ± 3.2 wk versus 6 ± 1.8 wk; P = 0.03). Although interns were initially faster, operative times were comparable by the third session. Initially, technical skill ratings for thoracentesis were significantly lower in the MS-4 group (P Conclusions Our simulation trainers were effective educational tools for fundamental thoracic procedures. Our study demonstrates improved technical skill and higher comfort levels with the simulated procedures.