cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disaster Relief for Deaf Persons: Lessons from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

Victims of disasters who are deaf face unique and insurmountable obstacles in accessing disaster relief. The response to deaf disaster victims of Hurricane Katrina is an example of how the Federal government failed this population, particularly the community of Deaf African Americans who lived in New Orleans’ Lower Ninth Ward. In the aftermath of this disaster, the natural helping networks of the deaf community and its organizations proved to be more effective than the organized relief agencies. The author, a deaf social worker, spent two weeks in the Gulf region assisting deaf evacuees who fled both Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita during the now infamous hurricanes of 2005.
Three Years Of State Fiscal Struggles: How Did Medicaid And SCHIP Fare?

ABSTRACT: During 2003–05, states faced some of the largest budget shortfalls since World War II. With a focus on Medicaid and SCHIP, we examine budget decisions in eight states during this period. ...
Statistical analysis of beam-space estimation for direction-of-arrivals

The authors analyze the beam-space performance of the DOA estimation for several subspace processing algorithms in a unified fashion based on a finite amount of measurements. The mean-squared errors (MSE) of the beam-space DOA estimation for these algorithms are expressed; in a single formula using physical parameters like array manifold, beamformer matrix. The important properties of beam-space performance are revealed; for instance, increasing beam-space dimension does not always reduce MSE for all algorithms. Also, the criteria for designing minimum mean-squared error beamformers are discussed. >
Development and Initial Validation of the Child Routines Inventory

The importance of establishing predictable routines during childhood consistently has been emphasized in the popular parenting literature, despite a paucity of empirical evidence. The lack of research may be partially due to a lack of suitable instruments designed to measure children's routines. This study describes development and preliminary psychometric data in support of the Child Routines Inventory (CRI), an empirically derived, content-valid, parent-report measure of commonly occurring routines in school-aged children. Principal components analysis yielded a four-factor structure (composed of 36 items), accounting for 44.2% of the total variance. The CRI was found to have excellent internal consistency (α = .90), good test-retest reliability (r = .86), and preliminary evidence of construct validity, demonstrating a moderate relationship with measures of child behavior problems and family routines. These results suggest the CRI to be a promising new measure of child routines that would benefit from further validation studies.
Improved symmetries in the finite-element gun code MICHELLE

We have improved the finite-element gun code MICHELLE's handling of symmetry planes and periodicities. A general-purpose vertex vector field symmetrization algorithm ensures that gun simulations that track particles with smoothed electric fields are consistent between full and symmetry-reduced models. The smoothed fields in a symmetry-reduced model are now more accurate on symmetry planes and periodic boundaries, and likewise on the axis of axisymmetric models. We describe the algorithm and present simulations that demonstrate these improvements.
Methods for predicting mechanical deformations in the breast during clinical breast biopsy

A new method for clinical breast biopsy is presented, based on a deformable finite element model of the breast. The geometry of the model is constructed from MR data, and its mechanical properties are based on a nonlinear material model. This method allows imaging the breast without compression before the procedure, then compressing the breast and using the finite element model to predict the tumor's position.
The Coming Fiscal Crisis: Nephrology in the Line of Fire

Summary Nephrologists in the United States face a very uncertain economic future. The astronomical federal debt and unfunded liability burden of Medicare combined with the aging population will place unprecedented strain on the health care sector. To address these fundamental problems, it is conceivable that the federal government will ultimately institute rationing and other budget-cutting measures to rein in costs of ESRD care, which is generously funded relative to other chronic illnesses. Therefore, nephrologists should expect implementation of cost-cutting measures, such age-based rationing, mandated delayed dialysis and home therapies, compensated organ donation, and a shift in research priorities from the dialysis to the predialysis patient population. Nephrologists also need to recognize that these changes, which are geared toward the population level, may make it more difficult to advocate effectively for the needs of individual patients.
Variability In Measurement Of Allergen Skin Testing Results Among Allergy-Immunology Specialists

Epicutaneous skin testing for sensitization to aero-allergens in patients with allergic diseases requires measurement of skin wheal and erythema in response to antigens. This may be variable between different providers especially among patients with dark skin pigmentation. Purpose of this study is to determine whether Allergy-Immunology specialists vary in their measurement of epicutaneous skin tests in patients with differential skin pigmentation. 3 patients with differing skin tones were skin tested using various concentrations of histamine to produce increasing sizes of skin wheal and erythema reaction. High quality photographs of these were taken and sent to 20 board certified/eligible Allergy-Immunologists to measure the wheal and erythema size. There was poor agreement among specialists in measurement of both wheal and flare sizes from patient with darkest skin tone. In contrast in patients with lighter skin tones there was fair to good agreement and excellent agreement from specialists in measurement of wheal and flare sizes respectively. Measurement of skin test results in patients with dark skin pigmentation may have significant variability even among specialists and in vitro tests may be more appropriate in these patients.
Escher in the Sky

Abstract We give a brief review of the history of inflationary theory and then concentrate on the recently discovered set of inflationary models called cosmological α-attractors. These models provide an excellent fit to the latest observational data. Their predictions n s ≈ 1 − 2 / N and r ≈ 12 α / N 2 are very robust with respect to the modifications of the inflaton potential. An intriguing interpretation of α-attractors is based on a geometric moduli space with a boundary: a Poincare disk model of a hyperbolic geometry with the radius 3 α , beautifully represented by the Escher's picture Circle Limit IV. In such models, the amplitude of the gravitational waves is proportional to the square of the radius of the Poincare disk.
Direct measurement of the radius and density of the transiting exoplanet HD 189733B with the Chara array

We have measured the angular diameter of the transiting extrasolar planet host star HD 189733 using the CHARA optical/IR interferometric array. Combining our new angular diameter of 0.377 +/- 0.024 mas with the Hipparcos parallax leads to a linear radius for the host star of 0.779 +/- 0.052 R☉and a radius for the planet of 1.19 +/- 0.08 RJup. Adopting the mass of the planet as derived by its discoverers, we derive a mean density of the planet of 0.91 +/- 0.18 g cm^-3. This is the first determination of the diameter of an extrasolar planet through purely direct means.
Decentralized source localization and tracking [wireless sensor networks]

This paper describes a new approach to the source localization and tracking problem in wireless sensor networks. A fast, easy-to-implement algorithm for localizing a source using received signal strength measurements is presented. The algorithm is based on incremental subgradient optimization methods. Using theory on the convergence rates of these methods, we characterize the amount of in-network communication required to achieve an accurate estimate of the source's location. In comparison to other localization and tracking algorithms described in the literature, the amount of communication (and thus energy and bandwidth) used by our algorithm is much lower than that used by other schemes, especially as network size grows.
A mononuclear Mn(III)/'bis-tris' complex and its conversion to a mixed-valence Mn(II/III)(5) cluster.

The use of the anion of 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2,2′,2″-nitrilotriethanol (‘bis-tris’ or LH5) as a chelate in Mn cluster chemistry is reported, and two products [Mn(N3)(LH3)] (1) and [Mn5(LH2)3(LH5)(MeOH)2.5]Cl4 (2) are described. The reaction of Mn(ClO4)2·6H2O and NaN3 with LH5 and NEt3 in a 1 : 1 : 1 : 2 molar ratio in DMF gave complex 1. The reaction of 1, NEt3 and MnCl2·4H2O in a 2 : 2 : 1 ratio in MeOH gave the pentanulear complex 2. Complex 1 contains a distorted-octahedral MnIII atom exhibiting a Jahn–Teller axial elongation. Complex 2 has a mixed-valence MnII2MnIII3 trigonal bipyramidal Mn5 topology, with the apical positions of the [Mn5(μ-OR)7]6+ core occupied by the MnII atoms. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc and ac magnetization studies are reported for 1 and 2 in the 1.8–300 K range. The data for 1 are as expected for a high-spin d4 MnIII complex with S = 2; at low temperature, the effects of zero-field splitting (ZFS) and intermolecular antiferromagnetic interactions viaOH⋯O hydrogen bonds become evident. Fitting of magnetization vs. field (H) and temperature (T) data by matrix diagonalization gave S = 2, D = −3.25 cm−1 and |E| = 0.32 cm−1, with g fixed at 2.00, where D and E are the axial and rhombic ZFS parameters, respectively. The analogous fit for 2 gave S = 3 and D = −0.68 cm−1. The combined results demonstrate the usefulness of ‘bis-tris’ as a new poly-alkoxide chelate for the synthesis of new Mn complexes.
Enhanced catalytic performances by desilication and subsequent steam treatment of ZSM-5 zeolite

Controlled desilication of ZSM-5 zeolite increases the acid site density of its acid form. A subsequent treatment with steam at 300 °C results in a material with single-sized and slightly larger micropores when compared to the parent zeolite. This is likely the cause of a second increase of the yields of MTBE (methyl terbutyl ether) and ethylene when the steamed desilicated zeolite is used as catalyst in the MTBE synthesis and ethanol dehydration, respectively. Steam appears to be capable of “healing” the zeolite framework at a temperature much lower than that normally required when the desilicated ZSM-5 zeolite is solely heated in air.
MULTISCALE SAMPLING OF PLANT DIVERSITY: EFFECTS OF MINIMUM MAPPING UNIT SIZE

Only a small portion of any landscape can be sampled for vascular plant diversity because of constraints of cost (salaries, travel time between sites, etc.). Often, the investigator decides to reduce the cost of creating a vegetation map by increasing the minimum mapping unit (MMU), and/or by reducing the number of vegetation classes to be considered. Questions arise about what information is sacrificed when map resolution is decreased. We compared plant diversity patterns from vegetation maps made with 100-ha, 50-ha, 2-ha, and 0.02-ha MMUs in a 754-ha study area in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, United States, using four 0.025-ha and 21 0.1-ha multiscale vegetation plots. We developed and tested species–log(area) curves, correcting the curves for within-vegetation type heterogeneity with Jaccard’s coefficients. Total species richness in the study area was estimated from vegetation maps at each resolution (MMU), based on the corrected species–area curves, total area of the vegetation type, and sp...
Dynamic Comparison of Physicians Interaction Style with Electronic Health Records in Primary Care Settings

Researchers have been increasingly interested in the influence of computers on physician-patient communication in consultation rooms because of the substantial growth in the use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in the U.S. Previous research showed that physicians have different ways of interacting with patients and EHRs; and these styles may relate to different patterns of nonverbal interaction between the physicians and patients and influence the outcomes of the clinical visit. The purpose of this study was to identify the differences of eye gaze patterns in three EHR interaction styles: the technology-centered style, the human-centered style, and the mixed interaction style. 100 primary care visits with different interaction styles were videotaped. Eye gaze behaviors were coded and described as frequencies and durations of gaze. The dynamic eye gaze patterns of the physicians and patients, in terms of how their gaze behaviors were sequentially associated, were analyzed using lag-sequential analysis. The results indicated that technology-centered group had significantly shorter amount of mutual gaze than other two groups (p=0.032; p=0.015, respectively). In addition, in technology centered style, the physicians were more likely to shift their gaze to the computer when the patients gazed at them; and when the physicians gazed at the computers, the patients were more likely to gaze somewhere else which might be an indicator of disengagement. The study implied that EHRs should be designed in a way that facilitates a positive interaction between the physicians and patients, such as maintaining mutual gaze. Training should also be provided to the physicians for establishing effective and positive interaction styles.
Echocardiographic predictors of success of catheter closure of atrial septal defect with the buttoned device

Abstract Transcatheter occlusion of ostium secundum atrial septal defects (ASD) with the buttoned device has been shown to be feasible, effective, and safe. The final decision to implant the device is largely based on the balloon sizing of the ASD during cardiac catheterization. Only subjective criteria of ASD size and the septal rims on echocardiography have been used before catheterization, balloon sizing, and transcatheter occlusion. The purpose of this study was to determine whether objective echo criteria could be developed to predict successful occlusion of the ASD. During a 46-month period ending August 1992, 29 children with secundum ASD were evaluated for transcatheter occlusion. The device was successfully implanted in 15 (group A); in the remaining 14 children, this procedure could not be performed (group B). Preocclusion ethos were analyzed by independent investigators who had no knowledge of outcome of the procedure. Echo parameters studied included size of ASD, length of atrial septum (LAS), and size of the superior and inferior rims in precordial and subcostal views and maximum jet width by color flow mapping. From these measurements several ratios were derived, and the data were compared. A smaller (p 0.1) in both groups. A lower (p ASD LAS ratio ≤0.35, and ratio of superior rim to ASD >0.75 as factors predictive of successful ASD occlusion. The larger the number of predictive factors, the greater the chance for successful ASD closure. Predictive echocardiographic factors are likely to be helpful in the selection of patients for transcatheter occlusion. The utility of these data needs confirmation by prospective studies in larger groups of children.
Extraneural Glioblastoma Multiforme Vertebral Metastasis

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant central nervous system tumor; however, extraneural metastasis is uncommon. Of those that metastasize extraneurally, metastases to the vertebral bodies represent a significant proportion. We present a review of 28 cases from the published literature of GBM metastasis to the vertebra. The mean age at presentation was 38.4 years with an average overall survival of 26 months. Patients were either asymptomatic with metastasis discovered at autopsy or presented with varying degrees of pain, weakness of the extremities, or other neurologic deficits. Of the cases that included the time to spinal metastasis, the average time was 26.4 months with a reported survival of 10 months after diagnosis of vertebral metastasis. A significant number of patients had no treatments for their spinal metastasis, although the intracranial lesions were treated extensively with surgery and/or adjuvant therapy. With increasing incremental gains in the survival of patients with GBM, clinicians will encounter patients with extracranial metastasis. As such, this review presents timely information concerning the presentation and outcomes of patients with vertebral metastasis.
Enhanced Immunogenicity of Line 10 Guinea Pig Hepatocarcinoma Cells After Culture

Line 10 hepatocarcinoma cells derived from ascites in a strain 2 guinea pig were tumorigenic when transferred intradermally. After they had been cultured in vitro for 20 days or more in medium enriched with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), they became immunogenic. Injections of immunogenic cells did not cause lethal tumors, and recipients were resistant to subsequent challenges with tumorigenic line 10 cells. Resistance was specific since growth of line 1 cells, a syngeneic but antigenically distinct tumor, was not affected. Cells cultured in medium enriched with 10% calf bovine serum or 10% normal guinea pig serum or in reduced concentrations of FBS were less effective in inducing resistance. When cultured line 10 cells were injected ip into normal guinea pigs, ascites tumors developed that were tumorigenic. The growth rate of line 10 cells in culture was considerably decreased as determined by reduced [3H]thymidine incorporation and mitotic indices. The mechanism(s) responsible for enhancement of immunogenicity in cultured line 10 cells is discussed but was not determined.
Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia: Diagnosis

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia occurs at some point in the course of illness in approximately 85% of patients with AIDS. Because of the frequency of P. carinii pneumonia and because it is readily treatable, prompt, accurate, and efficient diagnostic schemes are extremely important. The clinical presentation is generally characterized by fever, nonproductive cough, and shortness of breath. Such symptoms in a patient from a recognized HIV transmission category should prompt a diagnostic evaluation to identify P. carinii or other opportunistic infections. A chest radiograph usually provides an objective indication of lung disease. Pulmonary function tests, particularly the DLCO and lung imaging using 67Ga-labeled citrate, are useful screening tests in patients with normal chest radiographs. Examination of sputum induced by inhalation of aerosolized hypertonic saline is a very useful means of identifying P. carinii. Bronchoalveolar lavage is nearly 100% sensitive to the presence of P. carinii and should be performed in patients who have a nondiagnostic sputum examination. Transbronchial biopsy increases the overall yield for diagnoses other than P. carinii and should be performed in patients in whom bronchoalveolar lavage does not provide a diagnosis. Because of the effectiveness of sputum examinations and bronchoscopic procedures, open lung biopsy is rarely necessary.
Longitudinal Monitoring of Hepatic Blood Flow before and after TIPS by Using 4D-Flow MR Imaging

Purpose To demonstrate the feasibility of four-dimensional (4D)-flow magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for noninvasive longitudinal hemodynamic monitoring of hepatic blood flow before and after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement. Materials and Methods The institutional review board approved this prospective Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant study with written informed consent. Four-dimensional-flow MR imaging was performed in seven patients with portal hypertension and refractory ascites before and 2 and 12 weeks after TIPS placement by using a time-resolved three-dimensional radial phase-contrast acquisition. Flow and peak velocity measurements were obtained in the superior mesenteric vein (SMV), splenic vein (SV), portal vein (PV), and the TIPS. Flow volumes and peak velocities in each vessel, as well as the ratio of in-stent to PV flow, were compared before and after TIPS placement by using analysis of variance. Results Flow volumes significantly increased in the SMV (0.24 L/min; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.07, 0.41), SV (0.31 L/min; 95% CI: 0.07, 0.54), and PV (0.88 L/min; 95% CI: 0.06, 1.70) after TIPS placement (all P .11). Ascites resolved in six of seven patients. In those with resolved ascites, the TIPS-to-PV flow ratio was 0.8 ± 0.2 and 0.9 ± 0.2 at the two post-TIPS time points, respectively, while the observed ratios were 4.6 and 4.3 in the patient with refractory ascites at the two post-TIPS time points, respectively. In this patient, 4D-flow MR imaging demonstrated arterio-portal-venous shunting, with draining into the TIPS. Conclusion Four-dimensional-flow MR imaging is feasible for noninvasive longitudinal hemodynamic monitoring of hepatic blood flow before and after TIPS placement. © RSNA, 2016 Online supplemental material is available for this article.
The Analysis on Death Causes among Residents in Xin'an County in 2012

OBJECTIVE To learn the main death causes among residents in Xin'an County and provide the scientific basis for the disease prevention and control. METHODS Study on the monitoring data of death covering from all Xin'an county residents in 2012. The cleaning and analysis tools of death monitoring data which recommended by the state and Excel 2003 were used for statistics and analysis. RESULTS The mortality of residents in Xin'an county was 671.44/lakh, standard rate 566.26/lakh. The mortality of chronic diseases among residents in Xin'an county was 586.98/lakh, standard rate 489.73/lakh. It is 87.42% of the total death number of residents. The top 5 causes of death are cerebrovascular disease, cancer, cardiopathy, injury and respiratory disease, which account for 91.29% of the total death number. The top 5 causes of cancer death are gastric cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, esophagus cancer and colorectal cancer. Gastric cancer and lung cancer account for 29.84% and 22.48% of the cancer respectively. The death cause of road traffic accident ranked the top, account for 52.52% of the injury. CONCLUSION Chronic diseases as cerebrovascular disease, cancer, cardiopathy, respiratory disease and injury were the major diseases which harm the health of residents in Xinan county. The chronic diseases prevention and control should be key work of health sector. The government should brought injury under the diseases prevention and control plan and coordinate related departments for effective intervention
Disrupting the Dream: Teaching Civil Rights History at a Twenty-First Century Community College

Teaching the civil rights movement as civic engagement requires demystifying how social change happens and enabling students to see themselves in the evolving narrative of an inclusive U.S. democracy. Contextualized with personal and theoretical frameworks, this chapter reflects on my experience as a new professor facing challenges and developing teaching strategies to create a civically engaged course centered on race and the civil rights movement. This required confronting students’ “post-racial longing” and truncated understanding of the civil rights movement. Teaching strategies included decentering charismatic male leaders, highlighting student activism, linking past and present, using art and alternative learning experiences, and asking direct questions about students’ lives. Excerpts from student writings demonstrate evolving awareness of the links among the history studied, their own lives, and recent high-profile events involving race such as the deaths of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown.
Effect of dietary calcium on bone density in growing rabbits

Reductions in peak bone mass at skeletal maturity may increase the risk for the subsequent development of osteoporosis. Although changes in calcium intake can modify the rate of decline in bone density in the mature skeleton, longitudinal assessments of the effect of dietary calcium supplementation during skeletal growth on peak bone mass have not been done in humans or experimental animals. Thus quantitative computed tomography (QCT) was used to monitor changes in vertebral bone density at 6-wk intervals during growth from 8 wk of age until skeletal maturity at 35 wk in male New Zealand White rabbits maintained on diets containing 0.15% (low Ca), 0.45% (normal Ca), or 1.35% (high Ca) calcium. Serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitriol levels increased, and renal calcium excretion decreased in low Ca compared with normal Ca; in contrast, serum calcitriol levels decreased and renal calcium excretion increased from control values in high Ca. Vertebral bone density by QCT did not differ during growth between high Ca and normal Ca, and peak values at epiphyseal closure also did not differ in these two groups. Vertebral bone density was lower, however, throughout the study in low Ca, and peak values at epiphyseal closure remained below those in either normal Ca or high Ca. Quantitative bone histology revealed decreases in cortical thickness in the third lumbar vertebra in low Ca, whereas trabecular bone area did not differ among groups; there was no histological evidence of osteomalacia in low Ca. Thus dietary calcium restriction during growth reduces peak bone mass at skeletal maturity, but raising dietary calcium intake above normal levels does not increase peak bone mass in this experimental model.
Barriers to Successful Outcomes in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Attaining successful outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be challenging. The nature of these diseases can result in impaired quality of life and strict adherence to treatment regimens is paramount. Endpoints in IBD treatment are complex; therefore, managing these patients can be difficult at times. Patient-specific obstacles to achieving success include patient education, perception of disease and acceptance of risk, socioeconomic factors, psychiatric disease, and adherence to treatment. Physician dynamics, including providing high-quality care and physician perceptions, also may hinder overall outcomes of patients. This chapter explores elements contributing to poor patient outcomes and aims to provide solutions to overcome these obstacles.
Identification of 120 kD and 30 kD Receptors for Human Coronavirus OC43 in Cell Membrane Preparations from Newborn Mouse Brain

A biotinylated virus overlay was used to identify a 120kD virus-binding molecule in dissociated newborn mouse brain (nmb) cell suspensions after separation of the proteins by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, electroblotting, and blockage of non-specific binding sites. The virus-binding molecule was not detected in adult mouse brain cell suspensions. Mannose-and glucose-rich glycoproteins from nmb cell membranes were selected by ConA-Sepharose (Pharmacia) chromatography. A 30kD virus-binding molecule was eluted by 0.2 M alpha-methyl-D-mannoside. O-linked sialic acid, a receptor component, was identified in the eluate.
cis -Regulatory Modules, and the Structure/Function Basis of Regulatory Logic

This chapter focuses on modularity, a general property of genomic cis-regulatory control units. The theory of cis-regulatory modularity goes far beyond observation of cases—its corollaries are used in two different ways to generate successful priori predictions of DNA sequence elements that function as cis-regulatory modules. By definition, functional cis-regulatory modules are nonrandom clusters of certain target sites. The endo16 gene is expressed in the endoderm of the embryo. It encodes a secreted protein that is found on the inner wall of the mid-gut in the late embryo. The basal promoter (Bp) of the endo16 gene consists of the sites where the transcription apparatus assembles, plus a few proximal target sites. The stability of specific DNA-protein complexes is directly measured by the rate at which they decay, and this varies over orders of magnitude for different DNA target sites and proteins. The transcriptional activity of the basal transcription apparatus of an active gene depends on occupancy of the relevant cis-regulatory target sites.
Examining the specific dimensions of distress tolerance that prospectively predict perceived stress

AbstractWe examined five dimensions of distress tolerance (i.e. uncertainty, ambiguity, frustration, negative emotion, physical discomfort) as prospective predictors of perceived stress. Undergraduate students (N = 135) completed self-report questionnaires over the course of two assessment sessions (T1 and T2). Results of a linear regression in which the five dimensions of distress tolerance and covariates (i.e. T1 perceived stress, duration between T1 and T2) served as predictor variables and T2 perceived stress served as the outcome variable showed that intolerance of uncertainty was the only dimension of distress tolerance to predict T2 perceived stress. To better understand this prospective association, we conducted a post hoc analysis simultaneously regressing two subdimensions of intolerance of uncertainty on T2 perceived stress. The subdimension representing beliefs that “uncertainty has negative behavioral and self-referent implications” significantly predicted T2 perceived stress, while the subdi...
Analysis of coexisting neuronal populations in optogenetic and conventional BOLD data

Modeling the hidden neuronal and hemodynamic sources of the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) signal allows for location-dependent parameter estimation that potentially contains more information about brain activation than the general linear model. Here we propose a generalization of the Buxton-Mandeville-Friston BOLD model for more than one neuronal population sharing common hemodynamics within a voxel and demonstrate that new hemodynamic response functions can result. Further, it is demonstrated that two neuronal contributions can be disentangled by parameter estimation from simulated data under certain conditions including differing neuronal efficacies and relaxation parameters. Finally, previously unexplained observations in optogenetic fMRI data are successfully modeled using this approach. This mapping of neuronal and hemodynamic sources could provide novel functional markers for not necessarily optogenetic clinical applications in a more specific way than standard clinical MRI protocols.
Three-dimensional modeling of Pennsylvanian sandstone units in the mature Dudley oil field, Illinois, USA

The purpose of this research is to better understand the Dudley Pool, a small, mature oil field in the Illinois Basin, USA by incorporating old geologic and geophysical data into modern petrophysical modeling software. The research focused on three-dimensional subsurface modeling of stratigraphy, structure, and porosity, to establish a more thorough understanding of oil occurrence at the Dudley Pool. This research also discusses the efficacy of three-dimensional modeling as an effective tool for evaluating, and potentially modifying, production efforts in mature petroleum fields with limited and/or poor-quality data. The modeling and calculations were completed using Petrel. Well information from all wells drilled within a one mile collar of the field was collected. The model generated contour maps, thickness maps, a facies model, cross sections, core logging and a porosity model. The project established that the Dudley Pool is part of a major channel system heading southeast toward the interior of the Illinois Basin and, thus, may present additional resources for exploitation beyond the current production limit of the field. Isopach and structure contour trends indicate that areas to the northeast are targets for future exploration and development of the Dudley Pool.
Opportunistic Fungal Infections in Critical Care Units

Fungal infections are rare compared with bacterial infections, but they are on the increase in critical care units. Diagnosis can be difficult, resulting in increased mortality. Immunocompromised patients are at higher risk for fungal infections, including organ transplant, oncology, and HIV/AIDS patients. Fatigue and fever are common symptoms that require critical care nurses to remain vigilant in assessment to identify at-risk patients and promote use of timely cultures and appropriate treatments for fungal infections. Critical care nurses can contribute to decreasing risk for fungal infections by controlling glucose levels, decreasing the use of invasive lines, and preventing unnecessary antibiotic use.
Oncocytoma in Melanocytoma

This is a benign neoplasm composed predominantly of monotonous sheets of plump oncocytes. By electron microscopy, the cytoplasm of the oncocyte is packed full with mitochondria. Focal areas of the tumor contain spindle cells with abundant intracytoplasmic granular deposits of brown melanin pigment that contains melanosomes.
PURIFICATION AND PROPERTIES OF RABBIT SKELETAL MUSCLE PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the purification and properties of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphofructokinase (PFK). The purification procedure involves a mild acid precipitation at pH 6.1, two differential centrifugation steps, a heat step, and finally an ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by crystallization in the presence of ammonium sulfate and ATP. On electrophoresis, crystalline PFK migrates as a single symmetrical boundary in the presence of ATP. In an experiment described in the chapter, PFK activity was assayed by determining the amount of fructose-l,6-di-P formed in a reaction mixture at pH 8.2 and 26°C. PFK is a protein that exhibits unusual physicochemical properties and appears to be involved in a complicated associating–dissociating system.
Abstract 352: Adeno-Associated Virus-mediated Restoration of Angiotensinogen Function in Mice With Hepatocyte-specific Deficiency

Background and Objective We have reported previously that genetic or pharmacological inhibition of angiotensinogen (AGT) leads to resistance to dietary fat-induced body weight gain. This phenotype has not been observed in mice subject to pharmacological inhibitors of other components of the renin angiotensin system including renin, ACE, and AT1 receptors. To investigate whether restoration of AGT reverses this lean phenotype, we injected an adeno-associated virus (AAV) 2/8 vector carrying wild type AGT to mice with hepatocyte-specific deficiency of AGT (hepAGT -/-). Methods and Results HepAGT -/- mice were generated by disrupting AGT gene in hepatocytes via albumin promoter driven Cre recombinase expressed in mice with floxed AGT alleles. An AAV AGT vector was constructed with the insertion of wild type AGT. AAV null vector was used as control. AAV expression was driven by hepatocyte-specific thyroxine-binding globulin promoter. Five groups of male LDL receptor -/- mice at age of 8 - 10 weeks were studied: wild type (hepAGT +/+) mice received either no AAV (PBS) or null AAV, and hepAGT -/- mice received low dose (1 x 1010 genome copy), high dose (3 x 1010 genome copy), or null AAV. Four weeks after AAV injection (i.p.), all mice were fed a saturated fat-enriched diet (42% calories from milk fat) for 12 weeks. Plasma samples were collected through retro-orbital bleeding at weeks 2, 4, 8, and 16 after AAV injection. Plasma AGT concentrations peaked between weeks 2 and 4, then declined modestly, irrespective of dosage. However, at the high dose, plasma AGT concentrations in hepAGT -/- mice were comparable to those in hepAGT +/+ mice. Plasma total cholesterol concentrations, body weight gains, and systolic blood pressures were not different between hepAGT +/+ and hepAGT -/- mice receiving either dose of AGT AAV. Atherosclerosis, quantified as percent lesion area covering the intima of the aortic arch, was equivalent between hepAGT -/- mice receiving either dose of AGT AAV and hepAGT +/+ mice, whereas it was nearly absent in hepAGT -/- mice receiving null AAV. Conclusions AGT in an AAV 2/8 vector efficiently recovers plasma AGT concentration in hepAGT -/- mice in a dose-dependent manner. This approach permits the elucidation of structural mutations on AGT function.
Identifying Nonclinical Factors Associated With 30-Day Readmission in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: Protocol for an Observational Study

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of hospitalization in older adults and high readmission rates have attracted considerable attention as actionable targets to promote efficiency in care and to reduce costs. Despite a plethora of research over the past decade, current strategies to predict readmissions have been largely ineffective and efforts to identify novel clinical predictors have been largely unsuccessful. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine a wide array of socioeconomic, psychosocial, behavioral, and clinical factors to predict risks of 30-day hospital readmission in cardiovascular patients. Methods: The study includes patients (aged 18 years and older) admitted for the treatment of cardiovascular-related illnesses at the Duke Heart Center, which is among the nation’s largest and top-ranked cardiovascular care hospitals. The study uses a novel standardized survey to ascertain data on a comprehensive array of patient characteristics that will be linked to their electronic medical records. A series of univariate and multivariate models will be used to estimate the associations between the patient-level factors and 30-day readmissions. The performance of the risk models will be examined based on 2 components of accuracy—model calibration and discrimination—to determine how closely the predicted outcome agrees with the observed (actual) outcome and how well the model distinguishes patients who were readmitted and those who were not. The purpose of this paper is to present the protocol for the implementation of this study. Results: The study was launched in February 2014 and is actively recruiting patients from the Heart Center. Approximately 550 patients have been enrolled to date and the study is expected to continue recruitment until February 2018. Preliminary results show that participants in the study were aged 63.6 years on average (SD 14.0), predominately male (61.2%), and primarily non-Hispanic white (64.6%) or non-Hispanic black (31.7%). The demographic characteristics of study participants were not significantly different from all patients admitted to the Heart Center during this period with an average age of 65.0 years (SD 15.3) and predominately male (58.6%), non-Hispanic white (62.9%) or non-Hispanic black (31.8%) The integration of the interview data with clinical data from the patient electronic medical records is currently underway. The study has received funding and ethical approval. Conclusions: Many US hospitals continue to struggle with high readmission rates in patients with cardiovascular disease. The primary objective of this study is to collect and integrate a comprehensive array of patient attributes to develop a powerful yet parsimonious model to stratify risks of rehospitalization in cardiovascular patients. The results of this research also have the potential to identify actionable targets for tailored interventions to improve patient outcomes. [JMIR Res Protoc 2017;6(6):e118]
Analyzing text cohesion in online learning environments : implications for students with reading difficulties

INTRODUCTION . As online learning increases, making text comprehensible to all learners presents challenges online course designers and teachers. The purpose of this study was to determine the cohesion properties of text from English language arts courses from three large online learning vendors. METHODS . Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to determine congruence between the environments with respect to the five indices in the Coh Metrix 3.0 text measurement tool (Narrativity, Syntactic Simplicity, Word Concreteness, Referential Cohesion, and Deep Cohesion). RESULTS . Vendors may have calibrated their text using traditional tools like the Flesh-Kincaid scale. However, each of the courses had aspects of cohesion that needed improvement to provide an optimal advantage to students with disabilities or who have reading comprehension difficulties. Further, the two biggest factors that explained the variance in this study were Word Concreteness (the degree to which the words can be pictured) and Deep Cohesion (whether the connectives support inference). Importantly, these are also two aspects of texts that present the most challenges for students with disabilities. DISCUSSION . If all students are going to be successful with online courses, then vendors should move beyond simple reading level as a measure of text difficulty and plan course texts for students with more and different kinds of support for students who have reading difficulties that affect comprehension. Future research should perform similar analyses on content areas such as social studies and science. Additional studies should also look carefully and qualitatively at the complexity of the content itself and not just the text. Finally, additional research might look at how students with various reading challenges engage with online course texts using multiple data collection and analysis techniques.
Biomimetic Reversible Heat-Stiffening Polymer Nanocomposites.

Inspired by the ability of the sea cucumber to (reversibly) increase the stiffness of its dermis upon exposure to a stimulus, we herein report a stimuli-responsive nanocomposite that can reversibly increase its stiffness upon exposure to warm water. Nanocomposites composed of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) that are grafted with a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) polymer embedded within a poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) matrix show a dramatic increase in modulus, for example, from 1 to 350 MPa upon exposure to warm water, the hypothesis being that grafting the polymers from the CNCs disrupts the interactions between the nanofibers and minimizes the mechanical reinforcement of the film. However, exposure to water above the LCST leads to the collapse of the polymer chains and subsequent stiffening of the nanocomposite as a result of the enhanced CNC interactions. Backing up this hypothesis are energy conserving dissipative particle dynamics (EDPD) simulations which show that the attractive interactions b...
Manufacturing Choices for Ankle-Foot Orthoses: A Multi-objective Optimization☆

Abstract Increased interest in additive manufacturing (AM) of medical devices leads to a greater number of manufacturing choices, from processes to product designs, with little research comparing these new techniques. This paper proposes a multi-objective optimization approach for choosing the appropriate process, material and thickness that minimizes production cost and time, and maximizes device performance. We tested our framework with a simulated case study to choose between traditional plaster casting and two AM techniques for an ankle-foot orthosis. This evaluation tool provides early quantitative support for AM, and it can be expanded to fit various patient, clinic and insurance provider needs.
Rewriting a shallow DSL using a GHC compiler extension

Embedded Domain Specific Languages are a powerful tool for developing customized languages to fit specific problem domains. Shallow EDSLs allow a programmer to program using many of the features of a host language and its syntax, but sacrifice performance. Deep EDSLs provide better performance and flexibility, through the ability to manipulate the abstract syntax tree of the DSL program, but sacrifice syntactical similarity to the host language. Using Haskino, an EDSL designed for small embedded systems based on the Arduino line of microcontrollers, and a compiler plugin for the Haskell GHC compiler, we show a method for combining the best aspects of shallow and deep EDSLs. The programmer is able to write in the shallow EDSL, and have it automatically transformed into the deep EDSL. This allows the EDSL user to benefit from powerful aspects of the host language, Haskell, while meeting the demanding resource constraints of the small embedded processing environment.
A training tool for speech driven human-robot interaction applications

Following the integration of voice control software with a robotic system at Mississippi State University for use with a tactical team, it became clear a training tool was needed to facilitate a more natural interaction between police officers and a voice-controlled robotic platform. In order to facilitate this more natural interaction, a training tool was designed and developed, which used the same voice recognition software, to prompt the user for input and then score that input, in order to provide them the ability to practice, without being co-located with the robotic system. The design of this system allows this training tool to be used in a variety of settings beyond the police domain for which it was designed. Since the system scores the user's ability to successfully interact with the voice recognition software based on the vocabulary given to the tool, this training tool allows anyone using the Julius voice recognition system the ability to test how successfully they can interact with it and to learn the commands available in the system.
Tau oligomers mediate α-synuclein toxicity and can be targeted by immunotherapy.

We have evaluated the efficacy of targeting the toxic, oligomeric form of tau protein by passive immunotherapy in a mouse model of synucleinopathy. Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia are two of the most common neurodegenerative disorders and are primarily characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein in Lewy bodies. However, evidence shows that smaller, oligomeric aggregates are likely the most toxic form of the protein. Moreover, a large body of research suggests that α-synuclein interacts with tau in disease and may act in a synergistic mechanism, implicating tau oligomers as a potential therapeutic target. We treated seven-month-old mice overexpressing mutated α-synuclein (A53T mice) with tau oligomer-specific monoclonal antibody (TOMA) and a control antibody and assessed both behavioral and pathological phenotypes. We found that A53T mice treated with TOMA were protected from cognitive and motor deficits two weeks after a single injection. Levels of toxic tau oligomers were specifically decreased in the brains of TOMA-treated mice. Tau oligomer depletion also protected against dopamine and synaptic protein loss. These results indicate that targeting tau oligomers is beneficial for a mouse model of synucleinopathy and may be a viable therapeutic strategy for treating diseases in which tau and α-synuclein have a synergistic toxicity.
Physician Self-Disclosure and Patient Counseling

A physician’s self-disclosure greatly impacts patient counseling. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.