cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Determination of prostaglandins by gas-liquid chromatography.

Abstract Two procedures are described for the determination of prostaglandins B, E and F by gas-liquid chromatography. In the first, keto prostaglandins are quantitatively dehydrated, esterified, and acetylated to give products stable to gas chromatography, while F prostaglandins are rapidly analyzed as trimethylsilyl ether-trimethylsilyl esters. In the second procedure, a mixture of prostaglandins is separated into B, E and F class fractions by column chromatography. The B class of prostaglandins, both that present originally and that formed from E prostaglandins by base treatment, is resolved according to degrees of unsaturation by gas chromatography of their acetylated methyl esters. The F prostaglandins are similarly resolved by gas chromatography of their trimethylsilyl ether-methyl esters.
Establishment of anaerobic, reducing conditions in lake sediment after deposition of acidic, aerobic sediment by a major storm

Hurricane Danny resulted in the rapid deposition of 10cm of oxidized, acidic sediment in the Contrary Creek arm of Lake Anna, Virginia. Several biological and geochemical parameters were monitored with time to ascertain how long it took the newly-deposited lake sediments to attain the anaerobic, circumneutral, actively sulfate-reducing state normally observed in this portion of the lake. The sediment platinum-electrode potential dropped from 350 mV to 100 mV within the first week after the storm. The pH of the pore water increased from 4.5 to 5.8 within three weeks, and titratable alkalinity was detected within two weeks and three weeks at 3 cm and 1 cm depths, respectively. Accumulation of reduced products of sulfate reduction (acid volatile sulfide) began by three to four weeks after the storm event. Both methanogens and sulfate reducers were present in high and approximately equal numbers in the freshly deposited material. The rapid neutralization of the acidity in the fresh sediment prior to the onset of sulfate reduction suggests that reactions other than sulfate reduction caused the initial increase in pH and alkalinity in this system.
Subjects’ Expectations in Neuroimaging Research

Purpose To explore subjects’ attitudes and expectations concerning the detection and management of incidental findings in neuroimaging research.
BRAISED TURKEY ROAST QUALITY AS RELATED TO ROASTING PAN COMPOSITION.

Abstract INTRODUCTION REDUCING cooking losses increases turkey yield and reduces cost per serving. Braised turkey rolls were noted by Raymond (1963) to have lower cooking losses than those roasted. Cooking losses also may depend on oven and end point temperatures (Goertz and Stacy, 1960; Goertz et al., 1960) and may be related to composition of roasting or braising pans. Since much heat in ovens is transferred by radiation (Peet and Thye, 1961), oven utensils should be good heat absorbers. Shiny surfaces tend to reflect; dull or dark surfaces, to absorb heat. Little attention has been given to composition of roasting pans in poultry and meat cookery investigations. It was observed in the research laboratory that brownness of braised poultry varied with composition of roasting pan. Therefore, this study was planned to investigate the quality of white meat turkey roasts braised in magnesium alloy, dark blue enameled-ware and aluminum roasting pans. EXPERIMENTAL…
Bearing Assessment with Periodic Temperature-Based Measurements

Bearing performance is closely tied to overall structural performance and serviceability issues and, as a result, demands considerable attention to condition assessment. That the life cycle of bearing systems is far less than that of bridges has been well documented. Eventually, the bearings break down, with resultant undesirable forces and deformations. Currently, visual inspection is the most common method used to assess bearings and other movement systems. The correlation is limited, however, between visual appearance and the functionality of movement systems. Thus visual inspection falls significantly short in such assessments; this situation necessitates the application of sensing technology for in-depth evaluations. This paper discusses a method, termed periodic temperature-based assessment (PTBA), which aimed to supplement visual inspection through measured input–output temperature responses without the use of a finite element model. A framework was developed for a general approach to PTBA. Strateg...
The School Counselor Alumni Peer Consultation Group.

School counseling literature indicates that school counselors experience isolation and frustration and that partnership projects between counselors and counselor educators are potentially valuable. The author describes the school counselor alumni peer consultation group, which provides (a) support and networking opportunities for new counselors and (b) a forum for studying counseling issues and for developing strategies to solve problems. This innovative strategy for professional development and collaboration has implications both for counselor educators and for school counselors.
Non-conventional application of robust matched-field localization: small aperture array and mid-frequency signals

Conventional applications of matched-field processing (MFP) use large aperture vertical arrays and low frequency signals. It is well known that MFP's sensitivity to environmental mismatch is proportional to the frequency. Thus, real-world application of MFP to mid-frequency signals, e.g., 800/spl sim/3000 Hz, is generally regarded a very difficult problem. Using small aperture vertical arrays can also compromise the performance of MFP. However, small aperture vertical arrays are more practical for real-world scenarios. In this paper, we propose the broadband L/sub /spl infin//-norm estimator for robust broadband matched-field localization of mid-frequency signals received on extremely small aperture vertical arrays. Results using a simulated Gulf of Mexico environment for broadband signals (1000-3000 Hz) received on a 3-meter vertical array demonstrate the significant performance gains in using the L/sub /spl infin//-norm estimator over the asymptotically-optimal maximum a posteriori estimator in the presence of finite environmental sampling.
Measurement of external pressures generated by nerve cuff electrodes

When external pressures are applied to a peripheral nerve, tissue damage can occur via compression and blood flow occlusion, resulting in degeneration and demyelination of axons. Although many types of nerve electrodes have been designed to avoid or minimize this pressure during stimulation of the nerve or recording of its activity, the measurement of the pressure exerted by these cuffs has not been reported. Currently, only theoretical models are used to predict nerve cuff electrode pressures. The authors have developed a nerve cuff electrode pressure sensor to measure external pressures exerted by peripheral nerve cuff electrodes. The sensor has a high sensitivity, linear response with little hysteresis and reproducible output. Pressure measurements have been obtained for split-ring and spiral cuff electrodes. The measurements obtained are in agreement with theoretical predictions. Moreover, they indicate that the pressures exerted by cuffs currently used for stimulation generate only a small amount of pressure, which is below the pressure required to occlude blood flow in nerves. The results also suggest that this new sensor can provide reliable measurement of external pressures exerted by nerve electrodes and would be an important tool for comparing various nerve cuff electrode designs.
A rural community intervention targeting biomass combustion sources: effects on air quality and reporting of children's respiratory outcomes

Objective Improvements in urban air quality are largely driven by controls on industrial and mobile source emissions, but such factors may have limited influence on many rural environments where biomass combustion (eg, wood stoves) serves as the primary source of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). The authors tracked changes in children9s respiratory health during a wood stove intervention in a rural mountain valley community heavily impacted by wood smoke-derived PM 2.5 . Methods Community-wide impacts on children9s health were assessed by prospectively collecting surveys from parents of school children during four winter periods in Libby, Montana. Generalised estimating equations with a logit link were used to estimate the effect of reduction in ambient PM 2.5 on wheeze prevalence and other reported symptoms and infections. Results Over 1100 wood stoves were replaced with new lower emission wood stoves or other heating sources. Ambient PM 2.5 was 27.6% lower in the winters following the changeout programme compared with baseline winters. There was a 26.7% (95% CI 3.0% to 44.6%) reduced odds of reported wheeze for a 5 μg/m 3 decrease in average winter PM 2.5 . Lower ambient PM 2.5 was also associated with reduced odds for reported respiratory infections, including cold (25.4% (95% CI 7.6% to 39.7%)), bronchitis (54.6% (95% CI 24.2% to 72.8%)), influenza (52.3% (95% CI 42.5% to 60.5%)) and throat infection (45.1% (95% CI 29.0% to 57.6%)). Conclusion This wood stove intervention provided a unique opportunity to prospectively observe health benefits resulting from a targeted air pollution reduction strategy in a rural community.
InP concentrator solar cells

The design, fabrication, and characterization of high-performance, n/sup +//p InP shallow-homojunction (SHJ) concentrator solar cells are described. The InP device structures were grown by atmospheric-pressure metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (APMOVPE). A preliminary assessment of the effects of grid collection distance and emitter sheet resistance on cell performance is presented. At concentration ratios of around 100, cells with efficiencies of 21.4% AM0 (24.3% direct) at 25 degrees C have been fabricated. These are the highest efficiencies yet reported for single-junction InP solar cells. The performance of these cells as a function of temperature is discussed, and areas for future improvement are outlined. Application of these results to other InP-based photovoltaic devices is discussed. >
High-density recording in photopolymer-based holographic three-dimensional disks.

The performance specifications of a holographic three-dimensional disk system are experimentally characterized. A surface density of 10 bits/μm^2 is experimentally demonstrated with a 100-μm-thick photopolymer as the recording medium.
Prehospital Stroke Identification: Factors Associated with Diagnostic Accuracy.

Background Stroke patients misdiagnosed by emergency medical services (EMS) providers have been shown to receive delayed in-hospital care. We aim at determining the diagnostic accuracy of Fire Department of New York (FDNY) EMS providers for stroke and identifying potential reasons for misdiagnosis. Methods Prehospital care reports of all patients transported by FDNY EMS to 3 hospitals from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2011, were compared against the American Heart Association Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) database (reference standard) for the diagnosis of stroke. Age-adjusted logistic regression models were generated to explore prehospital patient characteristics which are associated with stroke misdiagnosis. Results Of 72,984 patient transports during the study period, 750 had a GWTG diagnosis of stroke, 468 (62%) of which were identified correctly in the field and 282 (38%) were missed. An additional 268 patients were misdiagnosed as stroke when in fact they had an alternative diagnosis. Overall sensitivity was 62.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 58.9-65.8) and specificity was 99.6% (95% CI, 99.6-99.7). No patients who presented with unilateral weakness, facial weakness, or speech problems were missed, whereas patients with atypical complaints like general malaise, dizziness, and headache were more likely to be missed. Seizures led the EMS providers to both overcall a stroke and miss the diagnosis. Conclusions FDNY EMS care providers missed more than a third of stroke cases. Seizures and other atypical presentations contribute significantly to stroke misdiagnosis in the field. Our findings highlight the need for better prehospital stroke identification methods.
The evolution of surface flow stripes and stratigraphic folds within Kamb Ice Stream : why don't they match?

Flow stripes seen in satellite imagery of ice streams and ice shelves are caused by surface undulations with kilometer-scale spacing and meter-scale relief and generally indicate current or recent fast ice flow. On a similar scale, folding of internal ice stratigraphy depicted in cross-flow ice- penetrating radar profiles is also a common occurrence in ice streams, suggesting a possible relationship between the two sets of features. We have traced surface flow stripes in RADARSAT and MODIS imagery on Kamb Ice Stream, West Antarctica, from the onset of streaming flow into the near-stagnant trunk. We compare the morphology and evolution of the surface flow stripes to the folds seen in the internal stratigraphy in cross-ice-stream radar profiles. We find essentially no correspondence in the observed locations or spacings between the radar internal layer folds at depths greater than 100 m and the flow stripes on the surface. The gap in the radar data and the surface mappings in the top 100 m of firn prevents a precise depiction of how the flow stripes and fold patterns at depth diverge. We explore hypotheses about how flow stripes and internal stratigraphic folds can originate and evolve differently as ice flows downstream. We suggest that flow stripes are subject to surface processes that can modify their morphology independently of the internal stratigraphy, leading to changes in the pattern of flow stripes relative to the internal layers below.
Multiscale model intercomparisons of CO2 and H2O exchange rates in a maturing southeastern US pine forest

We compared four existing process-based stand-level models of varying complexity (physiological principles in predicting growth, photosynthesis and evapotranspiration, biogeochemical cycles, and stand to ecosystem carbon and evapotranspiration simulator) and a new nested model with 4 years of eddy-covariance-measured water vapor (LE) and CO2 (Fc) fluxes at a maturing loblolly pine forest. The nested model resolves the ‘fast’ CO2 and H2O exchange processes using canopy turbulence theories and radiative transfer principles whereas slowly evolving processes were resolved using standard carbon allocation methods modified to improve leaf phenology. This model captured most of the intraannual variations in leaf area index (LAI), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and LE for this stand in which maximum LAI was not at a steady state. The model comparisons suggest strong linkages between carbon production and LAI variability, especially at seasonal time scales. This linkage necessitates the use of multilayer models to reproduce the seasonal dynamics of LAI, NEE, and LE. However, our findings suggest that increasing model complexity, often justified for resolving faster processes, does not necessarily translate into improved predictive skills at all time scales. Additionally, none of the models tested here adequately captured drought effects on water and CO2 fluxes. Furthermore, the good performance of some models in capturing flux variability on interannual time scales appears to stem from erroneous LAI dynamics and from sensitivity to droughts that injects unrealistic flux variability at longer time scales.
Assessing and Treating Aggression in Children and Adolescents with Developmental Disabilities: A 20-Year Overview.

Current methods of assessing and treating aggression in children and adolescents with developmental disabilities were reviewed. While a number of measures have been developed to assess aggression in the general population, there are relatively few assessment methods for use with children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. In all, 54 studies on assessment and 62 on treatment were found. All of the assessment studies and 34 of the treatment studies met methodological criteria for this review. There were 22 assessment studies using checklists and 32 using behavioural observations. Of the treatment studies identified, 32 used behavioural interventions and two used pharmacological interventions. The most commonly used treatments were functional communication training and differential reinforcement of other behaviour. While there are still relatively few methodologically sound assessment and treatment studies, the number of viable publications is increasing.
Diaphragmatic Paralysis Following Cervical Chiropractic Manipulation: Case Report and Review

This case report documents an uncommon cause of bilateral diaphragmatic paralysis resulting from phrenic nerve injury during cervical chiropractic manipulation. Several months after the initial injury, our patient remains short of breath and has difficulty breathing in the supine position. Other causes of diaphragmatic paralysis and phrenic nerve injury are reviewed.
Online Maximizing Weighted Throughput in a Fading Channel

Time-varying signal strength is a fundamental characteristic of wireless channels. Scheduling packets over fading wireless channels has received much attention. In the previously studies, the objective is usually to maximize the total number of packets delivered by their deadlines. However, for many practical problems, it is more reasonable to differentiate various packets and take into account the amount and/or the significance level of the information embedded in the packets. Thus, in this paper, we associate packets with values and address the problem of optimizing weighted throughput, defined by the total value of the packets sent by their deadlines.
Experiments on flow at a 90° open-channel junction

Although open-channel junctions are common in many hydraulic structures, no comprehensive data set has been compiled that describes the 3D flow field within the junction itself. This physical model study examined a 90°, sharp-edged, open-channel junction for channels of equal width. Depth measurements were made using a point gauge while velocity measurements were taken using an acoustic doppler velocimeter over a grid defined throughout the junction region. The average velocity and turbulence intensity were calculated from a time series of velocities that was recorded at each location. In addition, a 2D mapping of the water surface was performed on a 76.2 mm square grid throughout the channel junction. This paper presents the details of the experimental procedure and the general flow characteristics observed. The full data set generated during this experimental work is available for downloading on the Internet. Using a small portion of the data recorded, an evaluation of several previously proposed theori...
Validation of Model Assumptions in Quality of Life Measurements

The measurement of Quality of Life (QoL) has become an increasingly used outcome measure in clinical trials over the past few years. QoL can be assessed by self-rated questionnaires, i.e. a collection of items intended to measure several characteristics of the QoL. When new tests are developed, the goal is to produce a valid measure. The measuring process needs to construct a statistical model and then try to approach it in the best way. Different statistical “methods,” in fact models, are used during the validation process of QoL questionnaires. In this paper, we will present the hypothesis underlying each model and which tests are used in practice.
Developmental Continuities and Discontinuities in a Form of Familial Dyslexia

This paper is concerned with theoretical and methodological issues which have arisen in our ongoing studies of a particular form of familial dyslexia. This form of dyslexia appears to be related to a locus on Chromosome 15 that we have identified through linkage analysis (Smith, Kimberling, Pennington, & Lubs, 1983). This form of dyslexia allows us to look for developmental continuities and discontinuities at four levels of analysis, as well as to consider the interaction among these levels across development. These levels are I—genetic, II—neurological, III— cognitive, and IV—the surface phenotype of the reading and spelling problems themselves (Pennington, McCabe, Smith, Kimberling, & Lubs, in preparation; Smith, Pennington, McCabe, Kimberling, & Lubs, in preparation).
Enforcement of Government Antitrust Decrees: Third Party Beneficiary Rights and Intervenor Status

The federal government often resolves civil antitrust suits by entering into a consent decree with the defendant. That decree, of course, may be enforced by the Department of Justice, but it is far less clear whether private parties, typically customers or competitors, can also seek enforcement. This article considers two potential theories that might be invoked in such situations: first, framing a contract claim in terms of the third party being a third party beneficiary of the decree, and, second, having the third party seek postjudgment intervention. Although both theories pose conceptual and practical difficulties, it seems likely that recognition of such rights of third parties would result fairly frequently in enforcement where there is little or none now.
Friedrich August von Ammon (1799-1861).

As this year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Friedrich August von Ammon (1799–1861), it presents an opportunity to recall and celebrate Ammon's life and his many contributions that helped shape both ophthalmology and plastic surgery into independent specialties. Some 250 years after Georg Bartisch, Ammon reestablished Dresden as a major center of ophthalmology, through the creation of a teaching institute, the publication of influential periodicals, and his personal publication of important monographs and journal articles. Ammon's Zeitschrift fur die Ophthalmologie (founded 1830) was only the third journal in history that had been entirely devoted to ophthalmology. His prize-winning treatise, De Iritide (1835), correcty categorized iritis and gave a detailed description of sympathetic ophthalmia. His beautiful color-plate atlas, Klinische Darstellungen (1838–1841), contains landmark descriptions of congenital eye anomalies and has been described by Norman as ‘the best summary of the knowledge of diseases of the eye prior to the introduction of the ophthalmoscope.’ Ammon made most of his literary contributions in ophthalmology but he also contributed to another emerging field, plastic surgery. His monograph, Die plastische Chirurgie (1842), critically and comprehensively surveyed the entire history and current practice of plastic surgery, one of the very first textbooks to achieve this goal. In his last monograph (1858) Ammon returned to the subject of embryology of the human eye and drew upon his 30 years of study. Before his death, two of his last papers reported ophthalmoscopic observations, demonstrating his exploration of the frontiers of ophthalmology that characterized his entire career.
Basic Frameworks for Decisions

Presents a panoramic view of frameworks and related concepts underlying the wide range of decision models. Literature and researches made on decision-making; Elements of decision-making; Nature of ...
Modeling of combustion phasing of a reactivity-controlled compression ignition engine for control applications:

Reactivity-controlled compression ignition (RCCI) is a promising combustion strategy to achieve near-zero NOx and soot emissions and diesel-like efficiencies. Model-based control of RCCI combustion phasing requires a computationally efficient combustion model that encompasses factors such as injection timings, fuel blend composition, and reactivity. In this work, physics-based models are developed to predict the onset of auto-ignition in RCCI and to estimate the burn duration based on an approximation of the spontaneous ignition front speed. A mean value control-oriented model of RCCI is then developed by combining the auto-ignition model, the burn duration model, and a Wiebe function to predict combustion phasing. The control-oriented model is parameterized and validated using simulation data from an experimentally validated, detailed computational fluid dynamics combustion model developed using the KIVA-3V code. The validation results show that the control-oriented model can predict the start of combust...
Shock Cell Modification due to Chevrons

*† ‡ Tests were conducted to determine the effect of chevrons on the turbulence and shock cell strength of nozzles operated at under expanded conditions. Baseline (or conical) and chevron nozzles were tested on the core (primary) stream in a coaxial nozzle configuration that simulated a high bypass ratio engine exhaust. The secondary (fan) stream was varied from quiescent condition to Mach = 0.85 to simulate external flow. For all cycle points, turbulence in the region of the shock cells was higher for the chevron configuration than for the baseline configuration. For the three lower coflow Mach numbers (0, 0.28, and 0.50) the strength of the shock cells with the chevron nozzle were comparable in strength to those with the baseline nozzle. For the highest coflow (Mach 0.85), the strength of the shock cells with the chevron nozzle was significantly less than the strength of the shock cells with the baseline nozzle. These results explain acoustic trends from previous work 1 . For the three lower values of coflow, higher turbulence and comparable strength shock cells from the chevron configuration lead to higher shock noise compared to baseline configuration. Alternatively, at the highest coflow (Mach 0.85) slightly higher turbulence and significantly reduced strength shock cells for the chevron configuration lead to lower shock noise compared to the baseline configuration.
A Trial Online Educational Melanoma Program Aimed at the Hispanic Population Improves Knowledge and Behaviors.

BACKGROUND Hispanic individuals who suffer from melanoma are diagnosed later and have a worse prognosis. Because the Hispanic population is one of the fastest growing in the United States, it is important to spread awareness of melanoma. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to evaluate whether an online educational video about skin cancer could improve knowledge about melanoma and encourage self-skin examinations (SSE). METHODS The authors directed Hispanic patients to an online survey, which assessed for knowledge about melanoma risk factors and prevention. This was followed by a 5-minute online video about melanoma. A second survey was sent immediately after the video, and a third survey was sent 1 month later. All project materials were in Spanish and available online. RESULTS Eighty-six participants completed the full experiment. After watching the online video, a significantly higher proportion of participants provided correct answers for melanoma risk factors and prevention techniques. A similar increase was seen in the number of individuals who reported performing SSEs. CONCLUSION This study provides evidence that an online educational video targeted at the Hispanic population has potential to improve melanoma awareness. This type of intervention may lead to earlier diagnosis and better prognosis for Hispanic individuals.
Data Processing and Analysis

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an introduction to various biomedical data processing and analysis methods. Computerized medical image processing and analysis involves specific methods such as image enhancement, segmentation, feature extraction, and image interpretation. Biomedical data processing and analysis has become a major component of biomedical research and clinical applications. Image enhancement is the procedure used to alter the appearance of an image or the subset of the image for better contrast or visualization of certain features and to facilitate the subsequent image-based medical diagnosis. Image enhancement algorithms are categorized into two types: spatial domain– and transform-domain–based methods. Image segmentation is the process of partitioning an image into sets of pixels corresponding to regions of physiologic interest. The segmented image can be used to make measurements such as brain volume, to detect abnormalities, or to visualize areas such as the brain surface. Classification, comparison, or analysis of images is performed almost always in terms of a set of features extracted from the images. This is necessary for one or more of the following reasons: reduction of dimensionality, incorporation of cues from human perception, transcendence of the limits of human perception, or the need for invariance. Medical image interpretation involves how radiologists work and how they interpret a medical image. There are four processes in image interpretation: search, detection/rejection, description, and diagnosis. Diagnoses based on images vary in their certainty, and the degree of uncertainty may be included in the radiologist’s report on an image.
Living Off the Exception: Biopolitical Modernity and Sacratio in Francoist Spain

Through an analysis of Francoist ideology and the novel Tiempo de silencio by Luis Martin-Santos, William Viestenz investigates how modern subjectivity evolves through the synchronic existence of a biopower that orders bodies within space and a concept of the sacred that deems certain forms of life unusable and unredeemable to the affairs of the State. With particular reference to the development of Madrid, the chapter argues that the juridical use of the sacred as a tool for exclusion was integral to both the spatial and symbolic ordering of the urban metropolis during Francoism. Efforts to modulate the shape of urban space relied on biopolitical modernity’s registration of bodies coupled with the sovereign ability to maintain zones of exception.
Fundamental considerations of carbonyl metallurgy

Practical application is further advanced than fundamental understanding of the processes. Kinetics of the formation and decomposition reactions are being studied, with good results. Future progress in application will be related to fundamental considerations.
Towards optics design for the next generation very large array

The science goals set by the Science Working Group for the ngVLA include study of star and planet formation, imaging the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, study of galaxy formation, cosmology etc. In order to achieve these targeted studies, the ngVLA proposal calls for about 300 antennas spread over a large geographical area, mainly in the western New Mexico region. The proposed array will consist of a compact core comprising of about 30% of the total with the rest on long baselines and some on the outer core. The sensitivity goal calls for 10 times that of the VLA, with antenna aperture in the 12 to 25-meter range. The goal is to provide continuous frequency coverage from 10–50 GHz and 75–116 GHz with maximum sensitivity and option to cover down to 1.2 GHz with some marginal performance reduction.
Increased BACE1 activity inhibits peripheral nerve regeneration after injury.

Abstract Axons of the peripheral nervous system possess the capacity to regenerate following injury. Previously, we showed that genetically knocking out Beta-Site APP-Cleaving Enzyme 1 (BACE1) leads to increased nerve regeneration. Two cellular components, macrophages and neurons, contribute to enhanced nerve regeneration in BACE1 knockout mice. Here, we utilized a transgenic mouse model that overexpresses BACE1 in its neurons to investigate whether neuronal BACE1 has an inverse effect on regeneration following nerve injury. We performed a sciatic nerve crush in BACE1 transgenic mice and control wild-type littermates, and evaluated the extent of both morphological and physiological improvements over time. At the earliest time point of 3 days, we observed a significant decrease in the length of axonal sprouts growing out from the crush site in BACE1 transgenic mice. At later times (10 and 15 days post-crush), there were significant reductions in the number of myelinated axons in the sciatic nerve and the percentage of re-innervated neuromuscular junctions in the gastrocnemius muscle. Transgenic mice had a functional electrophysiological delay in the recovery up to 8 weeks post-crush compared to controls. These results indicate that BACE1 activity levels have an inverse effect on peripheral nerve repair after injury. The results obtained in this study provide evidence that neuronal BACE1 activity levels impact peripheral nerve regeneration. This data has clinical relevance by highlighting a novel drug target to enhance peripheral nerve repair, an area which currently does not have any approved therapeutics.
Entrepreneurial drivers and performance: an exploratory study of urban minority and women entrepreneurs

This study examines the relationship between entrepreneur demographics (education, experience), characteristics (personality traits, motivation) and entrepreneurial success in the context of urban minority and women entrepreneurship. Based on a survey of 68 minority and women entrepreneurs from Baltimore, a large city in the USA, the research investigates whether there are significant differences between successful and less successful entrepreneurs in terms of personality traits, motivation, and education and experience levels. Success was measured in terms of average net profit and average sales growth over three years. The findings suggest that entrepreneurs who had more education and experience had higher growth in sales and net profits. Further, successful entrepreneurs were more persistent and enthusiastic, had better sense of achievement, and were more cautious in taking risks.
Beyond graphs and tables: Enhancing explanatory power of complex environmental simulations through 3D printed model output

Abstract The present research demonstrates a novel example of merging agent-based, spatially-explicit simulation modelling results, while specifically addressing different model scenarios, with 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology for the production of tangible 3D data output. Based on our knowledge, this study provides the first demonstration of using spatially-explicit, agent-based metapopulation simulation modelling results in the form of digital output with subsequent translation to physical 3D model output via 3D printing technology. Several scenarios using a state-of-the-art agent-based spatially-explicit oyster population dynamics model, i.e., the Chesapeake Bay Oyster Population Model (CBOPM), were compared while incorporating 3D printing technology for an analysis of overall oyster metapopulation management strategies. The results demonstrated the utility of such a merging of technology, by the ease of moving from numerical dimensions formulated as 2D graphs to hand-held 3D products as a means for further elucidating the differences between model scenario results. Presenting model results with an added visuospatial context, i.e., tangible 3D model output, can also serve to enhance educational based exercises. The implications of this research may enhance overall presentation, communication, and understanding with regard to the transfer of model results from scientists to resource managers and policy-makers.
Electrosurgical Energy in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

While the principles of RF electrosurgery are the same throughout the body, use of this energy in the closed environment of the GI tract results in unique scenarios that must be understood to achieve the best therapeutic results while avoiding complications. It is also important for surgeons to be familiar with common endoscopic tools so that if complications should arise, their etiology is better understood and this understanding can lead to more effective management.
Descriptor Data Bank (DDB): A Cloud Platform for Multiperspective Modeling of Protein–Ligand Interactions

Protein–ligand (PL) interactions play a key role in many life processes such as molecular recognition, molecular binding, signal transmission, and cell metabolism. Examples of interaction forces include hydrogen bonding, hydrophobic effects, steric clashes, electrostatic contacts, and van der Waals attractions. Currently, a large number of hypotheses and perspectives to model these interaction forces are scattered throughout the literature and largely forgotten. Instead, had they been assembled and utilized collectively, they would have substantially improved the accuracy of predicting binding affinity of protein–ligand complexes. In this work, we present Descriptor Data Bank (DDB), a data-driven platform on the cloud for facilitating multiperspective modeling of PL interactions. DDB is an open-access hub for depositing, hosting, executing, and sharing descriptor extraction tools and data for a large number of interaction modeling hypotheses. The platform also implements a machine-learning (ML) toolbox fo...
The Airport Example

In this chapter, an example of eight Persian international airports is proposed to illustrate how to adjust the introduced concepts in the previous chapters when the number of input factors and the number of output factors are more than two. The mathematical methods, the linear programming models, and the computer programming are developed with detailed illustrations. Several different approaches are discussed and the strengths and shortcomings of each approach is gradually represented. At the end of this chapter, readers are prepared to generalize the concepts of doing the job right/well for a set of homogenous firms with multiple input factors and multiple output factors.
Partially Fixing Type Dynamics

This chapter is dedicated to the correct, or one might say “corrected”, use of the traditional Type Dynamics (TD) approach to personality typing. It will show, not only how to tell when TD will work, but also what to do when its uncorrected performance is inadequate.
Biophysical and pharmacological characterization of chloride currents in human astrocytoma cells

Expression of voltage-activated ion channels was studied in primary cultures from seven freshly resected human primary brain tumors and in an established human astrocytoma cell line, STTG1. Astrocy...
The Neurochemical Basis of Symptoms in the Lesch-Nyhan Syndrome

There have been a number of investigations in adult patients that have associated neurological symptoms with neurochemical alterations in brain. For example, lesions to specific neural systems have been described for such conditions as Parkinsonism (Bernheimer, Birkmayer, Hornykiewicz, Jellinger, & Seitelberger, 1973; Grafe, Forno, & Eng, 1985; Hornykiewicz, 1973; Javoy-Agid et al., 1984; Scatton, Javoy-Agid, Montfort, & Agid, 1984; Taquet et al., 1983;Tenovuo, Rinne, & Viljanen, 1984; Uhl, Whitehouse, Price, Tourtelotte, & Kuhar, 1984), Huntington chorea (Bird & Iversen, 1974; Enna et al., 1976; Enna, Stern, Wastek, & Yamamura, 1977; Rossor & Emson, 1982), and Alzheimer disease (Candy et al., 1983; Coyle, Price, & DeLong, 1983; Gottfries et al., 1983; Nemeroff, Youngblood, Manberg, Prange, & Kizer, 1983). However, few studies have attempted to relate symptoms observed in developmental disorders of the central nervous system—such as autism, mental retardation, or motor disabilities—to deficiencies in specific neurotransmitter systems. An exception to this general thesis is a report by Lloyd et al. (1981), who examined the neurotransmitter deficiencies found in Lesch-Nyhan disease—a developmental syndrome associated with a genetic deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) (Gutensohn, 1984; Kelley & Wyngaarden, 1983; Patel & Caskey, 1985; Wilson, Young, & Kelley, 1983).
The Emerging Role of Mobile-Health Applications in the Management of Hypertension.

Mobile-health technology, frequently referred to as m-health, encompasses smartphone, tablet, or personal computer use in the management of chronic disease. There has been a rise in the number of commercially available smartphone applications and website-based platforms which claim to help patients manage hypertension. Very little research has been performed confirming whether or not use of these applications results in improved blood pressure (BP) outcomes. In this paper, we review existing literature on m-health systems and how m-health can affect hypertension management. M-health systems help patients manage hypertension in the following ways: (1) setting alarms and reminders for patients to take their medications, (2) linking patients’ BP reports to their electronic medical record for their physicians to review, (3) providing feedback to patients about their BP trends, and (4) functioning as point-of-care BP sensors. M-health applications with alarms and reminders can increase medication compliance while applications that share ambulatory BP data with patients’ physicians can foster improved patient-physician dialog. However, the most influential tool for achieving positive BP outcomes appears to be patient-directed feedback about BP trends. A large number of commercially available m-health applications may facilitate self-management of hypertension by enhancing medication adherence, maintaining a log of blood pressure measurements, and facilitating physician-patient communication. A small number of applications function as BP sensors, thereby transforming the smartphone into a medical device. Such BP sensors often generate unreliable recordings. Patients must be cautioned regarding the use of smartphones for BP measurement at least until these applications have been more extensively validated.
Why the Best Interest Standard Is Not Self-Defeating, Too Individualistic, Unknowable, Vague or Subjective.

The best interest standard (BIS) is a guidance principle used in medicine, law and elsewhere instructing surrogates making decisions for individuals lacking decision-making capacity to maximally pr...
Pharmacotherapy, pharmacogenomics, and the future of alcohol dependence treatment, part 1

PURPOSE: The neurobiological basis of alcohol dependence, established pharmacotherapies for alcohol dependence, pharmacotherapies under investigation, and obstacles to treatment are discussed. SUMMARY: Alcohol binds to hydrophobic pockets of proteins, changing their three-dimensional structure and their function. Proteins that are particularly sensitive to alcohol include ion channels, neurotransmitter receptors, and enzymes involved in signal transduction. Established pharmacologic treatments, notably disulfiram and naltrexone, combined with behavioral therapies, may reduce the amount of drinking, the risk of relapse, the number of days of drinking, and craving in some alcohol-dependent individuals. For many patients, however, these treatments are not effective. Recent advances in molecular and behavior genetics are guiding the development of new drugs; these efforts seek to identify pharmacologic pathways relevant to alcohol dependence and to more effectively match treatments to individuals according to their genetic characteristics. Efficacy and safety concerns for acamprosate have been satisfied; the drug was recently released for marketing in the United States. Medications such as sertraline, ondansetron, topiramate, and aripiprazole represent novel lines of research and are currently being tested for use in the treatment of alcoholism. Even with more efficacious medications, however, a transformation must occur in how alcoholism treatment is viewed, not only by the public but also by clinicians. CONCLUSION: In addition to existing drug treatments for alcohol dependence, many other medications are under investigation, particularly for specific types of alcoholism. Pharmacogenomics is expected to play an important role in this research effort.
Steroid-Refractory Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-Associated Myocarditis

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a paradigm shift in cancer care, leveraging the immune system to target cancer cells. Myocarditis is an uncommon, highly morbid, and poorly understood complication of ICI therapy. We present a case of steroid-refractory ICI myocarditis and discuss management. Case An 88-year-old man with metastatic melanoma who had recently started pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1 antibody) reported fatigue. Testing revealed a creatine kinase of 3,005 U/L (normal Discussion Reports have indicated that myocarditis develops in 0.4-1% of ICI recipients. Mortality is estimated at 17-40%, far exceeding the approximately 4% mortality associated with non-ICI lymphocytic myocarditis. There are currently no prospective data to guide management. Expert opinion recommends therapy with high-dose glucocorticoids, followed by other immunosuppressive agents in cases of steroid-refractory disease, including anti-TNFα agents (infliximab), mycophenolate mofetil, intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, tacrolimus, or anti-thymocyte globulin. Conclusion ICI myocarditis carries a high morbidity and mortality. Expert opinion recommends high-dose steroids as the initial therapy and the addition of other classes of immunosuppression in refractory cases. Prospective studies are critically needed to define the optimal treatment regimen.
The invisible battle: A descriptive study of religious/spiritual struggles in Veterans

ABSTRACTThe current study systematically explored and described religious/spiritual (r/s) struggles – distress, tension, and conflict about certain aspects of r/s belief, practice, or experience – ...
CHARACTERIZING TRANSITING EXOPLANET ATMOSPHERES WITH JWST

We explore how well spectra from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will likely constrain bulk atmospheric properties of transiting exoplanets. We start by modeling the atmospheres of archetypal hot Jupiter, warm Neptune, warm sub-Neptune, and cool super-Earth planets with atmospheres that are clear, cloudy, or of high mean molecular weight (HMMW). Next we simulate the λ = 1–11 μm transmission and emission spectra of these systems for several JWST instrument modes for single-transit or single-eclipse events. We then perform retrievals to determine how well temperatures and molecular mixing ratios (CH4, CO, CO2, H2O, NH3) can be constrained. We find that λ = 1–2.5 μm transmission spectra will often constrain the major molecular constituents of clear solar-composition atmospheres well. Cloudy or HMMW atmospheres will often require full 1–11 μm spectra for good constraints, and emission data may be more useful in cases of sufficiently high Fp and high Fp/F*. Strong temperature inversions in the solar-composition hot-Jupiter atmosphere should be detectable with 1–2.5+ μm emission spectra, and 1–5+ μm emission spectra will constrain the temperature–pressure profiles of warm planets. Transmission spectra over 1–5+ μm will constrain [Fe/H] values to better than 0.5 dex for the clear atmospheres of the hot and warm planets studied. Carbon-to-oxygen ratios can be constrained to better than a factor of 2 in some systems. We expect that these results will provide useful predictions of the scientific value of single-event JWST spectra until its on-orbit performance is known.
Steering Nonholonomic Control Systems Using Sinusoids

This paper revises and extends our earlier work in using sinusoids to steer systems with nonholonomic constraints. We show that simple sinusoidal input trajectories are not easily applied to some classes of nonholonomic systems. This leads to the definition of a form of systems which can be steered using our earlier methods. We describe this form in detail and present preliminary efforts towards understanding when systems can be converted into this form.