cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image to physical space registration of supine breast MRI for image guided breast surgery

Breast conservation therapy (BCT) is a desirable option for many women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and involves a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy. However, approximately 50% of eligible women will elect for mastectomy over BCT despite equal survival benefit (provided margins of excised tissue are cancer free) due to uncertainty in outcome with regards to complete excision of cancerous cells, risk of local recurrence, and cosmesis. Determining surgical margins intraoperatively is difficult and achieving negative margins is not as robust as it needs to be, resulting in high re-operation rates and often mastectomy. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) can provide detailed information about tumor margin extents, however diagnostic images are acquired in a fundamentally different patient presentation than that used in surgery. Therefore, the high quality diagnostic MRIs taken in the prone position with pendant breast are not optimal for use in surgical planning/guidance due to the drastic shape change between preoperative images and the common supine surgical position. This work proposes to investigate the value of supine MRI in an effort to localize tumors intraoperatively using image-guidance. Mock intraoperative setups (realistic patient positioning in non-sterile environment) and preoperative imaging data were collected from a patient scheduled for a lumpectomy. The mock intraoperative data included a tracked laser range scan of the patient's breast surface, tracked center points of MR visible fiducials on the patient's breast, and tracked B-mode ultrasound and strain images. The preoperative data included a supine MRI with visible fiducial markers. Fiducial markers localized in the MRI were rigidly registered to their mock intraoperative counterparts using an optically tracked stylus. The root mean square (RMS) fiducial registration error using the tracked markers was 3.4mm. Following registration, the average closest point distance between the MR generated surface nodes and the LRS point cloud was 1.76±0.502 mm.
Eye-specific gene expression following embryonic ethanol exposure in zebrafish: Roles for heat shock factor 1

The mechanisms through which ethanol exposure results in developmental defects remain unclear. We used the zebrafish model to elucidate eye-specific mechanisms that underlie ethanol-mediated microphthalmia (reduced eye size), through time-series microarray analysis of gene expression within eyes of embryos exposed to 1.5% ethanol. 62 genes were differentially expressed (DE) in ethanol-treated as compared to control eyes sampled during retinal neurogenesis (24-48 h post-fertilization). The EDGE (extraction of differential gene expression) algorithm identified >3000 genes DE over developmental time in ethanol-exposed eyes as compared to controls. The DE lists included several genes indicating a mis-regulated cellular stress response due to ethanol exposure. Combined treatment with sub-threshold levels of ethanol and a morpholino targeting heat shock factor 1 mRNA resulted in microphthalmia, suggesting convergent molecular pathways. Thermal preconditioning partially prevented ethanol-mediated microphthalmia while maintaining Hsf-1 expression. These data suggest roles for reduced Hsf-1 in mediating microphthalmic effects of embryonic ethanol exposure.
Capture and tracking: Where does attention go?

Expected Findings • More changes in trajectory will lead to lower tracking accuracy. • If changes in trajectory capture attention. o Probe detection will be better for probes on items that have just changed trajectory. § Indicating attentional attraction/capture. o Probe detection will be better when more changes in trajectory occur. § Suggesting frequent reallocations of attention. o Reaction times will be faster to probes on items that have recently changed trajectory. § Suggesting frequent reallocations of attention. 3.
Outcome-Based Medical Education: Implications, Opportunities, and Challenges

Outcome-based education (OBE) is a major reframing of how medical educators think about teaching, learning, and assessment. There are many alternative versions of OBE and the implications of this framework are not always well-understood. A review of the literature on OBE and an analysis of the educational implications suggest seven areas of contrast with traditional educational frameworks. Key contrasts center around how educational outcomes are defined, the emphasis of learning over teaching, the centrality of rigorous assessment, the need for flexibility and individualization in the curriculum, and shifting roles and responsibilities of teachers and learners. OBE has the potential for dramatic and even revolutionary changes in medical education. However, it carries with it significant challenges that include the expenses of additional assessment, uncertainty among students and faculty about their responsibilities, and complexities in planning and organizing the educational process. Instead, of whole-hearted adoption of the OBE model, most medical schools and residency programsare exploring OBE in small-scale "experiments" that will inform the field about the best ways to incorporate the critical features of OBE into medical education. Such experiments are invaluable for helping us better understand the promise and possibilities of OBE.
Geophysical measurements at candidate drill sites along an east-west flow line in the Central Atlantic Ocean☆

Abstract The result of detailed geophysical surveys at IPOD candidate drill sites along a flowline transect in the Central Atlantic Ocean, is discussed with particular emphasis given to sites AT-3 and AT-7. The oceanic crustal sections at these sites, which were formed on opposite sides of a spreading center at the time of formation of magnetic anomalies 33 and 34 (∼ 76 to 80 my BP), have similar geophysical characteristics. The seismicvelocity structure, as determined through use of ocean-bottom seismometers and sonobuoys, shows typical oceanic-crust seismic structure for 80 my BP crust — 0.6 km thick layer 2B with velocity 4.70 km/sec overlying a 1.5 km thick layer 2C with velocity 6.78 km/sec overlying layer 3 with velocity 6.76 km/sec — for both the Eastern Atlantic (site AT-7) and Western Atlantic (site AT-3) sites. The average heat flow at both sites (1.40 HFU) is close to the mean value determined in other parts of the world oceans for this age crust. Areas of “smooth” to “rough” basement topography are observed at both sites in the vicinity of magnetic anomalies 33 and 34. The change from smooth to rough basement may be a manifestation of a decrease in spreading rate at about anomaly-34 time. Ridge crest migrations and/or asymmetric seafloor spreading are inferred from the variations in width of the observed anomaly-33 block. Asymmetric seafloor spreading has been similarly inferred at other sites (AT-5 and AT-6). In addition, closely spread fracture zones are observed as offsets in magnetic lineations at all sites surveyed along the transect.
Deoxycholate induces DNA damage and apoptosis in human colon epithelial cells expressing either mutant or wild-type p53.

Diets rich in fat result in higher concentrations of secondary bile acids or their salts in the colon, which may adversely affect cells of the colonic epithelium. Because secondary bile acids are thought to be genotoxic, exposing colon epithelial cells to secondary bile acids may induce DNA damage that might lead to apoptosis. The requirement for the p53 tumor suppressor gene in such events is unknown. In particular, the effects of secondary bile acids on colon epithelial cells having different p53 tumor suppressor gene status have not been examined. Therefore, HCT-116 and HCT-15 human colon adenocarcinoma cells, which express the wild-type and mutant p53 genes, respectively, were exposed to physiological concentrations of deoxycholate. The cells were then analyzed for evidence of DNA damage and apoptosis. After 2 h of incubation with 300 microM deoxycholate, both cell lines had greater levels of single-strand breaks in DNA as assessed by the comet assay. After 6 h of exposure to deoxycholate, HCT-116 and HCT-15 cells showed morphological signs of apoptosis, i.e., membrane blebbing and the presence of apoptotic bodies. Chromatin condensation and fragmentation were also seen after staining DNA with 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole. Other apoptotic assays revealed greater binding of annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate, as well as greater post-enzymatic labeling with dUTP-fluorescein isothiocyanate, by both cell lines exposed to deoxycholate. These data suggest that deoxycholate caused DNA damage in colon epithelial cells that was sufficient to trigger apoptosis in a p53-independent manner.
Evidence for Conjoint Retention of Information Encoded from Spatial Adjunct Displays

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether the conjoint retention hypothesis (Kulhavy, Lee, & Caterino, 1985) is a viable explanation for the facilitative advantages of adjunct displays by examining whether encoding and retrieval processes involve using the visuospatial sketchpad component of working memory (Baddeley, 1992). Experiment 1 investigated encoding effects on working memory performance by having college students view (a) a verbal or spatial representation, (b) an adjunct display, and then be tested on (c) recognition of the representation, and (d) comprehension of the adjunct display. In Experiment 2, (a) and (b), and (c) and (d) were reversed to examine retrieval effects. Results indicated that spatial memory was worse than verbal memory when processing graphic organizers, concept maps, and outlines, but not text; and when retrieving information after processing graphic organizers and concept maps, but not outlines and text. Thus, the conjoint retention hypothesis explains the facilitative advantages of spatial, but not linear adjunct displays.
Insulin translocates PKC-ϵ and phorbol esters induce and persistently translocate PKC-β2 in BC3H-1 myocytes

Abstract Initial studies suggested that insulin increases diacylglycerol and activates protein kinase C (PKC) in BC3H-1 myocytes. In these earlier studies, insulin was found to translocate PKC-β, but the presence of PKC-ϵ was not appreciated. More recently, the presence of PKC-ϵ was documented, but PKC-β was not detected, and it was questioned whether insulin activates PKC in BC3H-1 myocytes [Stumpo, D.J., Haupt, D.M. and Blackshear, P.J. (1994)J. Biol. Chem. 269:21184–21190]. We questioned whether insulin translocates PKC-ϵ in BC3H-1 myocytes, and re-evaluated the question of whether myocytes truly contain a PKC-β isoform whose existence can be verified by its response to phorbol ester treatment. We found that PKC-ϵ was acutely translocated by insulin and phorbol esters from the cytosol to the membrane fraction in BC3H-1 myocytes; in addition, PKC-ϵ, like PKC-α, was depleted by chronic phorbol ester treatment. We also found that BC3H-I myocytes containing a 76,000 Mr PKC-β isoform that is acutely translocated and subsequently depleted by phorbol esters. Moreover, chronic phorbol ester treatment induced an 84,000 Mr PKC-β2 isoform that appeared to be persistently translocated and activated, as suggested by studies of myristoylated arginine-rich C kinase substrate (MARCKS) phosphorylation. We conclude that: (1) insulin acutely translocates PKC-ϵ, as well as PKC-β, in BC3H-1 myocytes; and (2) PKC-β is not truly downregulated by phorbol esters in BC3H-1 myocytes.
P02-017 - Periodic fever syndrome masquerading as eczema…

“Periodic Fever Syndrome Masquerading as Eczematous Dermatitis: Report of a D12E Mutation in TNFRSF1A”
The Tradeoffs of Large Scale Learning

This contribution develops a theoretical framework that takes into account the effect of approximate optimization on learning algorithms. The analysis shows distinct tradeoffs for the case of small-scale and large-scale learning problems. Small-scale learning problems are subject to the usual approximation-estimation tradeoff. Large-scale learning problems are subject to a qualitatively different tradeoff involving the computational complexity of the underlying optimization algorithms in non-trivial ways.
Europe's Blues: Theoretical Soul-Searching after the Rejection of the European Constitution

The Spanish, French, Dutch, and Luxembourg referenda on the Constitutional Treaty are the latest, but certainly not the last, flashpoints in a contentious European Union. The era in which EU politics was determined by national and European elites ended about 15 years ago. With the Maastricht Accord of 1991, decision making on European integration entered the contentious world of party competition, elections, and referenda.
Terrestrial Cosmogenic Nuclides as Paleoaltimetric Proxies

The production rates of terrestrial in situ cosmogenic nuclides depend on the altitude and can therefore be used to constrain paleoaltitudes if the history of cosmogenic-nuclide production in a region can be constrained. This chapter discusses the theory behind cosmogenic-nuclide paleoaltimetry, sampling strategies, and practical limitations of the technique. Three exposure scenarios may allow for the calculation of past altitudes: 1) exposure for a finite time period at a single elevation and without erosion or burial, followed by immediate shielding from further production of cosmogenic nuclides; 2) steady uplift of a surface throughout nuclide production, without erosion or burial; and 3) exposure of a sample without erosion or burial for a sufficient duration that the concentration of a cosmogenic radionuclide has reached equilibrium. To constrain paleoelevation, all exposure scenarios require independent evidence of the depth-history of a sample during exposure to cosmic rays because production rates attenuate rapidly in rock. Depth profiles and measuring multiple nuclides allow for better constraints of parameters in paleoaltitude calculations.
Extraction of Kinetic Information from Single-Molecule Experiments

We discuss two possible approaches for extracting kinetic information from single-molecule experiments. The first approach is based on computing correlation functions from measured fluorescence signals, and the second on studying the statistics of on and off times of the same fluorescence signal. We show that in both cases it is possible to extract kinetic information about the nature of intramolecular fluctuations of the single molecule. We show that for single-molecule kinetics the intramolecular fluctuations produce stochastic memory effects which lead to new dynamic features that do not exist in traditional chemical kinetics. In particular, we investigate a new type of chemical oscillations in correlation functions observed experimentally by Edman and Rigler (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 2000, 97, 8266).
Fistula excision and peripheral grafts in the treatment of persistent limbal wound leaks.

Abstract Most small scleral wound leaks at the limbus are treated successfully with suturing, patching, bandage lenses, or cyanoacrylate adhesive, but occasionally a wound leak may continue and a fistula may develop. Although rare, most such fistulas are usually associated with cataract surgery or trauma. Failure of a scleral fistula to close may be due to epithelialization or chronic necrosis of the lumen. In three cases, persistent fistulas -of the limbal sclera were excised with a trephine, and a peripheral graft using corneal donor tissue was used to seal the circular defect. This resulted in permanent wound closure and provided a tissue diagnosis of epithelial downgrowth (2 cases) and chronic scleral necrosis (1 case).
Power-line frequency electromagnetic fields do not induce changes in phosphorylation, localization, or expression of the 27-kilodalton heat shock protein in human keratinocytes

The linkage of the exposure to the power-line frequency (50-60 Hz) electromagnetic fields (EMF) with human cancers remains controversial after more than 10 years of study. The in vitro studies on the adverse effects of EMF on human cells have not yielded a clear conclusion. In this study, we investigated whether power-line frequency EMF could act as an environmental insult to invoke stress responses in human keratinocytes using the 27-kDa heat shock protein (HSP27) as a stress marker. After exposure to 1 gauss (100 muT) EMF from 20 min to 24 hr, the isoform pattern,of HSP27 in keratinocytes remained unchanged, suggesting that EMF did not induce the phosphorylation of this stress protein. EMF exposure also failed to induce the translocation of HSP27 from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. Moreover, EMF exposure did not increase the abundance of HSP27 in keratinocytes. In addition, we found no evidence that EMF exposure enhanced the level of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) in breast or leukemia cells as reported previously. Therefore, in this study we did not detect any of a number of stress responses in human keratinocytes exposed to power-line frequency EMF.
Multiple roles of COUP-TFII in cancer initiation and progression

COUP-TFII is an orphan nuclear receptor that acts as a transcriptional activator or repressor in a cell type-dependent manner. Best characterized for its role in the regulation of angiogenesis during mouse development, COUP-TFII also plays important roles in glucose metabolism and cancer. Expression of COUP-TFII is altered in various endocrine conditions. Cell type-specific functions and the regulation of COUP-TFII expression result in its varying physiological and pathological actions in diverse systems. Evidence will be reviewed for oncogenic and tumor suppressive functions of COUP-TFII, with roles in angiogenesis, metastasis, steroidogenesis, and endocrine sensitivity of breast cancer described. The applicability of current data to our understanding of the role of COUP-TFII in cancer will be discussed.
Recognition of sleep patterns using a bed pressure mat

The monitoring of sleep patterns is of major importance for various reason such as, the detection and treatment of sleep disorders, the assessment of the effect of different medical conditions or medications on the sleep quality and the assessment of mortality risks associated with sleeping patterns in adults and children. Sleep monitoring by itself is a difficult problem due to both privacy and technical considerations. The proposed system uses a bed pressure mat to assess and report sleep patterns. To evaluate our system we used real data collected in Heracleia Lab's assistive living apartment. Our method is non-invasive, as it does not disrupt the user's usual sleeping behavior and it can be used both at the clinic and at home with minimal cost.
The orbitofrontal cortex and the computation of subjective value: consolidated concepts and new perspectives

Remarkable progress has been made in recent years toward understanding the functions of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). The finding that neurons in this area encode the subjective value monkeys assign to different goods while making choices has been confirmed and extended by numerous studies using both primate neurophysiology and human imaging. Moreover, new lesion studies demonstrated that subjective values computed in the OFC are causally and specifically related to choice behavior. Importantly, values in the OFC are attached to goods, not to actions or to spatial locations. Furthermore, subjective values appear to be computed in this area even if the situation does not require a choice. In the light of this growing body of work, we propose that the primary function of the OFC is the computation of good identities and subjective values in an abstract representation. In this view, OFC neurons compute the subjective value of a good whenever that good is behaviorally relevant.
The smallest list for the arbitrarily varying channel

The capacity of the discrete memoryless arbitrarily varying channel (AVC) is investigated for deterministic list codes with fixed list size L. For every AVC with positive random code capacity C/sub r/, a nonnegative integer M called the symmetrizability is defined. For the average probability of error criterion, it is shown that the list capacity is given by C(L)=C/sub r/ for L>M and C(L)=0 otherwise. Bounds are given which relate C/sub r/ and M. Also, explicit formulas for C(L) are given for a family of noiseless, additive AVCs.
A Review of the Experiences of the Pre-Trial and Appeals Chambers of the International Criminal Court Regarding the Disclosure of Evidence

Negotiators of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) did not intend the Pre-Trial Chamber (PTC) to act as a de facto investigating judge; rather, their intent was that the PTC ensure that the Prosecutor act responsibly and within well-defined limits. Several opportunities have arisen in the Lubanga case before the ICC's PTC and the Appeals Chamber to examine the Prosecutor's duty and performance in disclosing documentary evidence and the identities of witnesses at the pre-trial stage. International criminal tribunals necessarily must bridge the evidentiary magnitude of atrocity crimes with a pragmatic focus on one person's role. The PTC judge should aggressively narrow the charges and focus the Prosecutor on the requirement of minimal evidence to meet the sufficiency standard for the remaining charges, direct the Prosecutor to share existing and emerging evidence with the accused in a timely manner and not wait until 30 days prior to confirmation hearing, and use statutory power to ensure timely non-disclosure requests and determinations.
Electrostatic actuators with expanded tuning range due to biaxial intrinsic stress gradients

A stress gradient was induced in two directions (through the plane of the beam and along its length) to produce a beam deflection of varying curvature. The stress gradient in the through-plane direction was produced by altering the conditions during electroplating and in the in-plane direction through lithographic patterning. The pull-down characteristics of four electrostatic actuator designs were analyzed. The in-plane stress gradient, along the length of the beam, significantly improved the tuning range compared with devices containing spatially uniform stress. This advance has greatly eased the instability problem of electrostatically actuated beams. The tuning range of a device with two hinges and a square front improved from less that 33% to 70%. Devices with two hinges and elliptical front improved to 45% tuning range and those with rectangular shape improved to 65% stability. This advance has been applied to actuators for RF tuners. Voltage cycling impacted only the initial cycling of the actuator.
Corruption, Democracy, Economic Freedom, and State Strength A Cross-national Analysis

While it is widely acknowledged that corruption has negative effects on economic growth, investment, and social welfare, the structural causes of corruption have received very little quantitative country-level cross-national analysis. Our structural equation-based analysis of data for 91 nations includes several important determinants of cross-national variation in perceived levels of corruption. Our analyses yield four major findings: 1) democracy, as measured by indicators of political rights, civil liberties, and press freedom, has a positive effect on perceived level of corruption control; 2) state strength has a positive direct effect; 3) openness of the economy, as measured by economic freedom, has a positive effect; and 4) ethnolinguistic fractionalization has both direct and indirect negative effects.
Lake Erie Induced Mesosystems An Operational Forecast Model

Abstract All Lake Erie lake-effect days for a 10-year period prior to the 1976–77 snowfall season were utilized in the development of an operational lake-effect snowfall forecast model. Upper air and surface observations were combined with overtake data and analyzed, using stepwise multiple-discriminant analysis. A nine-predictor mesoscale forecast model resulted from this statistical test and its performance was evaluated during the 1976–77 and 1977–78 snowfall seasons. The results of this evaluation indicate that it is possible to predict six intensifies of the Lake Erie lake-effect snowstorm using this mesoscale model.
Transient Response of a Superconductor in an Applied Electric Field

A fundamental property of a superconductor in the Meissner state is its ability to carry a current without dissipation. As a result, upon the first application of an electric field one expects to observe an inductive like transient rise in the current until the latter reaches its critical value and dissipation sets in. The present work provides a quantitative real-time experimental demonstration of this transient phase, which yields information on the inertia of the superfluid and shows a signature of superfluid density suppression at high current densities.
Prosocial Behavior during Infancy and Early Childhood: Developmental Patterns and Cultural Variations

In their first years of life, infants exhibit a wide range of prosocial behaviors, including helping, sharing, comforting, and cooperating. Over the course of infancy, these behaviors become more sophisticated and socially appropriate. Although consistent age trends are demonstrated, prosocial behavior in infancy is best considered a multidimensional category consisting of distinct behaviors rather than a single unified construct. Moreover, the expression of prosocial behavior in infancy and its development are moderated by context, type of prosocial behavior, relationships with the others involved, and culture. Future research is needed to examine the effects of each of these factors on development and individual differences in early emerging prosocial behavior.
Protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase purified from the particulate fraction of human placenta dephosphorylates insulin and growth-factor receptors

Protein phosphatase activity specific for Tyr(P) (phosphotyrosine) residues (PTP-phosphatase) was found in the cytosol and particulate fractions of human placenta. In the particulate fraction, half of the PTP-phosphatase activity could be extracted with 1% Triton X-100. The PTP-phosphatase remaining in the Triton-insoluble residue was solubilized with 0.6 M-KCl plus 1% CHAPS (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)-dimethylammonio]propane-1-sulphonate) and was purified 1850-fold by adsorption to DEAE-Sepharose, affinity chromatography on Zn2+-iminodiacetate-agarose, phosphocellulose adsorption, Fractogel filtration and Mono Q chromatography. The cytoskeleton-associated PTP-phosphatase was distinguished from acid, alkaline and other protein Ser(P) (phosphoserine)/Thr(P) (phosphothreonine) phosphatases by its neutral pH optimum, activity in the presence of EDTA, inhibition by Zn2+, vanadate, or molybdate, and low activity with either [Ser(P)]phosphorylase a or p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The PTP-phosphate displayed a Km of 0.15 microM with [Tyr(P)]serum albumin as substrate, 10-100-fold lower than the Km for previously described protein phosphatases. The cytoskeleton-associated PTP-phosphatase catalysed the dephosphorylation of receptors for insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 and epidermal growth factor labelled by autophosphorylation. The properties of this PTP-phosphatase suggest that it plays a role in the regulation of hormone receptors and cytoskeleton proteins by reversible phosphorylation on tyrosine residues.
Framing Progress In Global Tobacco Control To Inform Action On Noncommunicable Diseases.

Much has been learned about the tobacco epidemic, including its consequences, effective measures to control it, and the actors involved. This article identifies lessons learned that are applicable to the other principal external causes of noncommunicable diseases: alcohol abuse, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity. Among these lessons are the development of evidence-based strategies such as proven cessation methods, tax increases, and smoke-free policies; the role of multinational corporations in maintaining markets and undermining control measures; and the need for strategies that reach across the life course and that begin with individuals and extend to higher levels of societal organization. Differences are also clear. Tobacco products are relatively homogeneous and have no direct benefit to consumers, whereas food and alcohol consumed in moderation are not inherently dangerous. Some tobacco-related diseases have the singular predominant cause of smoking, while many noncommunicable diseases have mu...
USDA Land Retirement Programs: Status, History, and Trends. Chapter 5.2

USDA’s primary land retirement programs are the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP). Started in 1986, the CRP has retired over 34 million acres of environmentally sensitive cropland under 10-to 15-year contracts. The WRP, started in 1992, protects over 1.6 million acres of wetlands, primarily using permanent asements.
Staging, Interpreting, Speaking Through Euripides: Ingmar Bergman Directs the Bacchae

The article discusses Swedish director Ingmar Bergman's direction to three versions of the play "Bacchae", in Swedish: an opera in 1991, a Television version of the opera in 1993, and a theatrical production in 1996. It mentions that Bergman wanted to stage the Bacchae at the Malmo¨ Theater around 1954-1955, but the project was rejected for financial problems. It also mentions the use of camera, technique, and performance of chorus members in the play.
Determining Reference Ranges by Linear Analysis: Serum Electrolyte Concentrations

We determined reference ranges for serum sodium, potassium, and chloride concentrations by collecting results from 200 consecutive hospitalized patients. For each electrolyte, the value at each whole percentile was determined, and the value-vs-percentile plot was constructed. The central linear portion of each value-vs-percentile plot was determined as follows: First, the least-squares straight line with 95% confidence limits was calculated through all values. Second, the highest values above the high confidence limit and lowest values below the low confidence limit were excluded. Third, the least-squares straight line with 95% confidence limits was recalculated through all unexcluded values. Fourth, extreme values again were excluded as described above, and the process was repeated until highest and lowest values were within the 95% confidence limits. The line connecting these extreme values was extended to the Oth and 100th percentiles, and the values at these percentiles were defined as the reference limits.
A Technique for Rearing Choristoneura pinus on Artificial Diet

Larvae of the jack-pine budworm, Choristoneura pinus Freeman, reared on artificial diet approached field collected specimens in size. Mortality during hibernation accounted for the largest reduction of individuals in each generation. Survival on the diet was high enough (70%) to make the technique efficient for mass-rearing purposes. Important points to consider are the careful handling of the insect in all stages, establishment of second-instar larvae in the diet, size of mating containers, and length of time spent in hibernation.
Case-fatality from acute pancreatitis is decreasing but its population mortality shows little change

Abstract Background/objectives The reasons for changing epidemiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) are poorly defined. We hypothesized that trends for severity, case-fatality and population mortality from AP will provide an insight into the rising burden of AP in the population. We evaluated trends in the hospitalizations, case-fatality, severity and population mortality related to AP in the US population. Study We used the National Hospital Discharge Survey to calculate age, sex and race standardized hospitalizations of and case-fatality rates for AP, and Vital Statistics to calculate AP-related population mortality from 1983 to 2010, using 2010 US census as the reference. Results Number of discharges per 100,000 population with primary diagnosis of AP increased 2 times from 42.4 (95% CI 38.2–46.5) during 1983–1986 to 85.4 (95% CI 62.8–108.1) during 2007–2010. During corresponding intervals, case-fatality from AP decreased 62% from 2.02% (95% CI 2.01–2.04) to 0.79% (95% CI 0.78–0.80), but population mortality per million population due to AP as primary cause remained stable from 9.28 (95% CI 8.94–9.62) to 9.91 (95% CI 9.56–10.26), and from AP as any cause decreased significantly (but only 12%) from 20.87 (95% CI 20.36–21.38) to 18.48 (95% CI 18.00–18.96). Prevalence of severe AP increased from 5% (95% CI 4.95–5.05%) during 1991–1994 to 9.78% (95% CI 9.73–9.83%) during 2007–2010. Conclusion An increasing prevalence of severe disease suggests true population increase to be an important contributor to the rising incidence of AP. A lack of proportional increase in population mortality suggests the impact of medical advances in the evaluation and management of AP.
Analysis on epidemic situation of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Changzhou during 2004～2010

Objective:To understand the epidemic s of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Changzhou and to provide the scientific basis for the future control and prevention of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis.Methods: An epidemiological analysis was done by using the data from China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention.Results: There was a peak occurrence of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in every three or four years and the incidence was increasing in the last three years with obvious seasonal characteristics.The peak prevalence was occurred in September and in October of every year.The principal cases were teenagers and youths;the males were higher than the females;the occupational distribution mainly covered by students,workers,and farmers;cases distributed in all districts of city;the model forecasted that onset cases would be within 10 cases in 2011and the peak occurrence of acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis may be occurred before or after September.Conclusion: High attention should be paid to susceptible population during summer and autumn.Meanwhile,the early warning system should be enhanced and on-job training for medical personnel should be strengthened;additionally,it is also important for residents to raise the protective awareness that once people fall ill with acute hemorrhagic conjunctivitis and they should have a rest at home and would not to go to public places.
A Framework for Process-to-Module Modeling of a-Si/c-Si (HIT) Heterojunction Solar Cells to Investigate the Cell-to-Module Efficiency Gap

The cell-to-module efficiency gap observed in a-Si/c-Si heterojunction solar cells is a key challenge to the broad adoption of this technology. To systematically address this issue, we describe an end-to-end modeling framework to explore the implications of process and device variations at the module level. First, a process model is developed to connect the a-Si deposition parameters to the material properties. Next, a physics-based device model is presented; the model uses the thermionic emission/diffusion theory to capture the essential features of photocurrent and diode injection current. Using the process and device models, the effects of process conditions on cell performance are explored. Finally, the performance of the module, as a function of device and process parameters, is explored to establish the cell-to-module efficiency gap. The insights developed through this process-to-module modeling framework will help close the cell-to-module efficiency gap of this commercially promising technology.
Neurological Effects and Cognitive Development

Children and adult survivors of childhood-onset end stage kidney disease (ESKD) have a greater frequency of neurodevelopmental and cognitive challenges compared with the general population [1, 2]. The impact of this neurodevelopmental vulnerability persists into adulthood and contributes to manifestations such as a lower intelligence quotient (IQ) and lower frequency of post-secondary education compared with the general population [2]. The mechanisms responsible for the brain dysfunction observed with ESKD have not been established. The goals of this chapter are to review the acute neurologic complications of dialysis and to explore potential mechanisms leading to brain dysfunction, summarize known neurocognitive and neurologic findings, and consider possible management strategies for cognitive dysfunction in children affected by ESKD.
Abnormal Monocyte Function in Bladder Cancer Patients

AbstractWe evaluated 39 patients with various stages of bladder carcinoma to determine alterations in monocyte function. Since the monocyte plays an important role in the effector arm of the immune system defective function may explain the host’s inability to destroy neoplastic cells. As a group these 39 patients demonstrated defective monocyte function. There was no correlation between tumor stage and degree of chemotactic defect. Patients with invasive carcinoma had a significant return of monocyte chemotactic response toward normal postoperatively (p less than 0.005). Monocyte function was improved also in 3 patients who received Bacillus Calmette-Guerin immunotherapy (p less than 0.05).
The influence of 2-hop network density on spoken word recognition.

The influence of 2-hop density on spoken word recognition was investigated. 2-hop density measures the density of connections among the phonological neighbors (i.e., 1-hop neighbors) and phonological neighbors of those neighbors (i.e., 2-hop neighbors) of a target word. In both naming and lexical decision tasks, words with low 2-hop density were recognized more quickly than words with high 2-hop density. Because stimuli were selected such that the number of 1-hop and 2-hop neighbors were matched across both sets of words, the results suggest that spoken word recognition is influenced by the amount of connectivity among distant neighbors of the target word—a result that is not easily accommodated by current models of spoken word recognition. A diffusion of activation framework is proposed to account for the present findings.
A statistical estimation framework for energy expenditure of physical activities from a wrist-worn accelerometer

Energy expenditure (EE) estimation from accelerometer-based wearable sensors is important to generate accurate assessment of physical activity (PA) in individuals. Approaches hitherto have mainly focused on using accelerometer data and features extracted from these data to learn a regression model to predict EE directly. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for EE estimation based on statistical estimation theory. Given a test sequence of accelerometer data, the probability distribution on the PA classes is estimated by a classifier and these predictions are used to estimate EE. Experimental evaluation, performed on a large dataset of 152 subjects and 12 activity classes, demonstrates that EE can be estimated accurately using our framework.
Improved efficiency of maximum likelihood analysis of time series with temporally correlated errors

Most time series of geophysical phenomena have temporally correlated errors. From these measurements, various parameters are estimated. For instance, from geodetic measurements of positions, the rates and changes in rates are often estimated and are used to model tectonic processes. Along with the estimates of the size of the parameters, the error in these parameters needs to be assessed. If temporal correlations are not taken into account, or each observation is assumed to be independent, it is likely that any estimate of the error of these parameters will be too low and the estimated value of the parameter will be biased. Inclusion of better estimates of uncertainties is limited by several factors, including selection of the correct model for the background noise and the computational requirements to estimate the parameters of the selected noise model for cases where there are numerous observations. Here, I address the second problem of computational efficiency using maximum likelihood estimates (MLE). Most geophysical time series have background noise processes that can be represented as a combination of white and power-law noise, $$1/f^{\alpha }$$ with frequency, f. With missing data, standard spectral techniques involving FFTs are not appropriate. Instead, time domain techniques involving construction and inversion of large data covariance matrices are employed. Bos et al. (J Geod, 2013. doi: 10.1007/s00190-012-0605-0 ) demonstrate one technique that substantially increases the efficiency of the MLE methods, yet is only an approximate solution for power-law indices >1.0 since they require the data covariance matrix to be Toeplitz. That restriction can be removed by simply forming a data filter that adds noise processes rather than combining them in quadrature. Consequently, the inversion of the data covariance matrix is simplified yet provides robust results for a wider range of power-law indices.
Aggregation of organic matter in coastal waters: A dilemma of using a Couette flocculator

Abstract Aggregation of organic matter (OM) plays an important role in regulating the efficiency of biological pump. We investigated the effect of OM aggregation on bulk and compound-specific composition of particulate and dissolved samples from the coast of Avery Point, Connecticut, USA. Samples were incubated in a Couette device for 6 h in the dark at 8 rpm, which generated a mean shear of 3.4 s −1 . The shear induced a net aggregation (1.69 µM-C, equivalent to 7.2% of initial particulate organic carbon; POC) and an even larger gross aggregation (7.43 µM-C, equivalent to 31.5% of initial POC) in 6 h. However, in a blank test, we found that Couette devices released a significant amount of uncharacterized dissolved organic matter (DOM) within 6 h of the experiment. Blank tests have not been part of previous studies, but released DOM has to be taken into account when evaluating experimental data employing Couette devices. The relative abundance (as % of organic C and N) of labile POC components (i.e. amino acids and neutral aldoses in this study) decreased significantly in the treatment. There was no compound-specific selective degradation of amino acids or neutral aldoses in the particulate phase. The decrease of labile organic components and the increase of uncharacterized OM in the particulate phase, indicating that aggregation processes accumulate uncharacterized OM and lead to a more refractory POC. Further, our data indicate that aggregation processes may accumulate the element not essential for microbial growth under the specific environmental conditions. In this study, we found particulate C accumulates when microbial growth is N-limited.
Has the European Financial Integration Promoted the Economic Growth Among the New European Union Countries

This study examines whether the European Monetary Union (EMU) has accelerated the economic growth among the Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) during 1997-2012. The larger stock market size has slightly boosted growth before the EMU membership. This is due to the anticipated positive effect of the stock market expansion. Second, the higher bank credit flows have slowed growth after the EMU membership. The reason is that the European Union (EU) bank dominance has reduced the bank competition. The results suggest that the CEEC have to implement much deeper stock market and bank reforms to boost their long-term growth.
Drug-induced liver injury in children: A structured approach to diagnosis and management

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) can be separated into idiosyncratic (unpredictable and without dose dependence) or intrinsic (predictable and dose dependent). This chapter is focused on the evaluation and management of idiosyncratic DILI. To help practitioners develop a standard approach for identifying DILI, we include a proposed algorithm for evaluation based on available information in adults and children with DILI (Fig. 1). Additional information is included to amplify on the algorithm and add information relevant to the evaluation and management of patients with DILI.
Emerging Drugs of Abuse: Synthetic Cannabinoids, Phenylethylamines (2C Drugs), and Synthetic Cathinones

Abstract Emerging drugs of abuse include psychostimulants marketed as household products but containing novel psychoactive substances. These products are easily purchased and frequently change composition in response to regulatory pressure. The synthetic cannabinoids, 2C phenylethylamines, and synthetic cathinones are 3 novel psychoactive substance classes that have recently experienced significant growth and market penetration. Synthetic cannabinoids are potent activators of cannabinoid receptors, often sold as “incense”; have evolved from early compounds to the ultrapotent indazole class; and have been associated with many negative health outcomes and deaths. The 2C drugs are highly serotonergic, hallucinogenic phenylethylamines frequently marketed as “LSD”. The “NBOMe” class of 2C drugs has been associated with several case clusters and deaths. The synthetic cathinones possess stimulant and hallucinogenic properties and include the “bath salts” as well as the recent emergence of “flakka,” containing α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone. The cathinones can cause severe agitation and aggression. Although specific assays for these agents exist, they are usually not immediately available to clinicians. Fortunately, toxicity from all of the drugs discussed in this article can be treated by controlling agitation and monitoring for and aggressively treating hyperthermia and end-organ damage.
The Next Best Thing in Cardiovascular Research: Highlights From the Basic Cardiovascular Sciences Scientific Sessions.

“What will be the next best thing in cardiovascular research?” This was the loaded question recently posed in a panel discussion at the American Heart Association Council on Basic Cardiovascular Sciences (BCVS) 2017 Scientific Sessions, held in Portland, OR, from July 10 to 13. The panelists
Medical Provider Specialty Predictions for the Detection of Anomalous Medicare Insurance Claims

Fraud, waste, and abuse in medical insurance contributes to significant increases in costs for providers and patients. One way to reduce costs is through the detection of abnormal medical practices that could indicate possible fraud. In this paper, we expand upon our previous research into medical specialty anomaly detection by validating the efficacy of our model using real-world fraud cases, and then testing three strategies to improve model performance. The three strategies are feature selection (to include adjusting for class imbalance), medical specialty grouping, and the removal of specific, overlapping specialties. We use the publicly available Medicare claims data, released by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, for building and testing our models. In addition to using the 2013 data, we use the 2014 data for model validation and comparisons. We employ the List of Excluded Individuals and Entities (LEIE) database, released by the Office of Inspector General, as well as two other documented fraud cases, for model testing. Multinomial Naive Bayes is used to build all models. In this work, we confirm our prior model was able to correctly classify 67% of the real-world fraudulent physicians contained in the LEIE database as fraudulent. Furthermore, the three proposed strategies show good results in improving model performance.
The Incredible Shrinking Spindle

As cell size decreases during the reductive divisions of early development, intracellular structures must shrink to fit. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Lacroix et al. (2018) identify a conserved mechanism of spindle scaling in nematode and sea urchin embryos whereby spindle microtubule polymerization rates decrease as development proceeds.