cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment from a distance: A case study implementing focus groups at an online library

Assessing library resources and services at a distance holds unique challenges in gathering data needed to make informed decisions. This article describes the complete process of piloting virtual focus groups—from planning and implementation through the analysis of results for a completely online student population. The virtual focus group method proved effective in getting qualitative feedback to spur library improvements, and it is transferable to many different library settings.
Influence of prerelease experience on reintroduced black-footed ferrets (Mustela nigripes)

Captive breeding is increasingly being used to create supplies of endangered animals for release into natural habitats, but rearing strategies vary and debates arise over which methods are most eAcient. We assessed postrelease behaviors and survival of three groups of black-footed ferrets, each with diAerent prerelease experience. Eighteen ferret kits60 days of age were moved with their dams from cages to 80-m 2 outdoor pens with prairie dog burrows. These animals were compared to animals reared in standard cages (na 72), some of which were given experience killing prairie dogs (na 32). Ferrets were released onto white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) colonies in Wyoming, USA, in fall, 1992. Radio-tagged cage-reared ferrets made longer nightly moves and dispersed further from release sites than their pen-reared counterparts. The band return rate was 4-fold higher for pen-reared animals than for cage-reared animals during surveys conducted about 1 month after release. We recommend routine use of quasinatural outdoor pens for prerelease conditioning of black-footed ferrets. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Improving Oral Communication in an Interactive Introduction to Literature Course

Many first- and second-year language courses stress the acquisition of oral competence. To continue this emphasis on speaking in the third year, a generally difficult transitional level, an interactive introduction to literature course was developed. In this course, students learn the skills of literary analysis while continuing to refine oral communication skills. This article discusses the methodology used in the interactive introduction to literature course. Topics treated are: criteria for choosing a text; pre- and post-reading strategies which make a text accessible, help students take an active role in literary interpretation and improve speaking abilities; and the tools acquired by the students to analyze and discuss literature.
Integrated optic electrooptic modulator electrode analysis

Integrated optical (IO) switches and modulators are based on the electrooptic effect obtained by applying a voltage between electrodes fabricated on the surface of a crystal (for example, LiNbO 3 ). In this paper, we calculate the change in the optical propagation constant in single mode Z -cut LiNbO 3 :Ti-diffused waveguides for a variety of electrode configurations. These calculations are compared to experimental data from IO devices. The calculations predict the observed variations in switching voltage with wavelength and electrode separation.
In search of left septal fascicular block.

Abstract Background In most humans, the left bundle branch divides into 3 fascicles. Electrocardiographic changes resulting from conduction abnormalities of the left anterior and left posterior fascicles are well described and commonly diagnosed. Existence of conduction defects of the left septal fascicle is controversial, without generally accepted criteria for diagnosis. Methods Approximately 26,000 electrocardiograms were reviewed to find examples consistent with left septal fascicle block according to criteria derived from review of the literature. Results Electrocardiograms meeting proposed criteria were found in about 0.5% of tracings. Illustrative examples are shown with discussion of reasons for their selection. Conclusions Left septal fascicle block seems to exist, is polymorphic, and may explain some previously inadequately understood electrocardiographic abnormalities. (Am Heart J 2002;144:948-56.)
Cryptosporidium parvum and Cyclospora cayetanensis: a review of laboratory methods for detection of these waterborne parasites.

Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora are obligate, intracellular, coccidian protozoan parasites that infest the gastrointestinal tract of humans and animals causing severe diarrhea illness. In this paper, we present an overview of the conventional and more novel techniques that are currently available to detect Cryptosporidium and Cyclospora in water. Conventional techniques and new immunological and genetic/molecular methods make it possible to assess the occurrence, prevalence, virulence (to a lesser extent), viability, levels, and sources of waterborne protozoa. Concentration, purification, and detection are the three key steps in all methods that have been approved for routine monitoring of waterborne oocysts. These steps have been optimized to such an extent that low levels of naturally occurring Cryptosporidium oocysts can be efficiently recovered from water. The filtration systems developed in the US and Europe trap oocysts more effectively and are part of the standard methodologies for environmental monitoring of Cryptosporidium oocysts in source and treated water. Purification techniques such as immunomagnetic separation and flow cytometry with fluorescent activated cell sorting impart high capture efficiency and selective separation of oocysts from sample debris. Monoclonal antibodies with higher avidity and specificity to oocysts in water concentrates have significantly improved the detection and enumeration steps. To date, PCR-based detection methods allow us to differentiate the human pathogenic Cryptosporidium parasites from those that do not infect humans, and to track the source of oocyst contamination in the environment. Cell culture techniques are now used to examine oocyst viability. While fewer studies have focused on Cyclospora cayetanensis, the parasite has been successfully detected in drinking water and wastewater using current methods to recover Cryptosporidium oocysts. More research is needed for monitoring of Cyclospora in the environment. Meanwhile, molecular methods (e.g. molecular markers such as intervening transcribed spacer regions), which can identify different genotypes of C. cayetanensis, show good promise for detection of this emerging coccidian parasite in water.
Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha and Interleukin-6 Facilitate Corneal Lymphangiogenesis in Response to Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Infection

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) is a common human pathogen of clinical significance due to its association with vision impairment and encephalitis. In a mouse model of ocular neovascularization, we have previously shown that HSV-1 elicits the genesis of lymphatic vessels into the cornea proper through epithelial cell expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) dependent upon expression of VEGFR2 during acute infection. We hypothesized that other factors may be involved in lymphangiogenesis, with proinflammatory cytokines as the leading candidates. In the absence of infection or inflammation, intrastromal administration of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) coupled with VEGFA elicited lymphatic vessel genesis significantly above either factor alone as well as a vehicle control. Consistent with this observation, anti-TNF-α antibody (Ab) blocked HSV-1-mediated corneal lymphangiogenesis within the first 5 days postinfection. However, TNF-α-deficient (TNF-α−/−) mice displayed a level of corneal vessel growth similar to that shown by wild-type (WT) controls. To investigate the likely redundant nature of cytokines, PCR array analysis of HSV-1-infected TNF-α−/− mice was conducted, and it revealed several factors elevated above those found in HSV-1-infected WT mice, including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), platelet-derived growth factor, angiopoietin 2, insulin-like growth factor 2, and IL-6. Subconjunctival administration of neutralizing Ab to IL-6 blocked lymphangiogenesis in TNF-α−/− mice. Whereas the cornea levels of IL-6 were significantly reduced, there was no appreciable change in the level of IL-1β or other proangiogenic factors analyzed. Collectively, the results suggest in addition to VEGFA, TNF-α and IL-6 promote and likely synergize with VEGFA in corneal lymphangiogenesis during acute HSV-1 infection. IMPORTANCE We have identified at least two proinflammatory cytokines expressed locally that are involved in the genesis of lymphatic vessels in the normally avascular cornea in response to HSV-1 infection. This finding provides the basis to target IL-6 and TNF-α as additional proangiogenic factors in the cornea during the development of herpetic stromal keratitis as a means to alleviate further neovascularization and tissue pathology associated with the host immune response to the pathogen.
Bench-Scale Aerosol Filtration Test System and Evaluation of an Acoustic Bioaerosol Removal Device for Indoor Air Streams

It is important to have well-defined, reproducible methods to evaluate and compare newly developed air filtration equipment. To facilitate accurate assessment of air purification devices at the bench scale, an experimental system was designed, built, and documented to evaluate particulate removal efficiency (PRE) of air filtration devices based on principles used in ASHRAE standards. The system was then carefully characterized and used to evaluate PRE and total energy consumption of a novel acoustically enhanced impaction (AEI) air purification device. The AEI device demonstrated 99.998% PRE of 0.5–1.5 μm diameter KCl particles while causing a 120 Pa pressure drop and requiring a total of 3.0 W/l of air treated at indoor ambient conditions. A single element of the AEI device operated in a biological safety level 2 facility was then used to evaluate PRE of bioaerosol consisting of Bacillus cereus (BC) spores. PRE of BC was 99.86 ± 0.05% at indoor ambient temperature and pressure. This research describes th...
MEMCover: integrated analysis of mutual exclusivity and functional network reveals dysregulated pathways across multiple cancer types

Motivation: The data gathered by the Pan-Cancer initiative has created an unprecedented opportunity for illuminating common features across different cancer types. However, separating tissue-specific features from across cancer signatures has proven to be challenging. One of the often-observed properties of the mutational landscape of cancer is the mutual exclusivity of cancer driving mutations. Even though studies based on individual cancer types suggested that mutually exclusive pairs often share the same functional pathway, the relationship between across cancer mutual exclusivity and functional connectivity has not been previously investigated. Results: We introduce a classification of mutual exclusivity into three basic classes: within tissue type exclusivity, across tissue type exclusivity and between tissue type exclusivity. We then combined across-cancer mutual exclusivity with interactions data to uncover pan-cancer dysregulated pathways. Our new method, Mutual Exclusivity Module Cover (MEMCover) not only identified previously known Pan-Cancer dysregulated subnetworks but also novel subnetworks whose across cancer role has not been appreciated well before. In addition, we demonstrate the existence of mutual exclusivity hubs, putatively corresponding to cancer drivers with strong growth advantages. Finally, we show that while mutually exclusive pairs within or across cancer types are predominantly functionally interacting, the pairs in between cancer mutual exclusivity class are more often disconnected in functional networks. Contact: vog.hin.mln.ibcn@kcytyzrp Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A reflective conversation with Terry Friedrichs on teaching academics to gifted students with Asperger Syndrome

In this reflective interview with Terry Friedrichs—a hands-on academic-learning specialist and researcher with gifted students with Asperger Syndrome—he defines these pupils, describes their “straightforward” and confusing traits, and recounts his initial and later instructional experiences with them over several decades. The piece proceeds to explain, for educators and parents, specific scholastic assets and challenges that high-potential young people with Asperger Syndrome may present within their hallmark definitional categories of social development, restrictive interests, and communication skills. The article also describes other frequently seen challenges for, and strengths of, these students in sensory and cognitive functioning. The interview closes with overall considerations for the contemporary schooling of these twice-exceptional pupils, and with the author's views on future educational possibilities for them.
Infertile seeds of Yucca schottii: a beneficial role for the plant in the yucca-yucca moth mutualism?

The yucca-yucca moth interaction is a classic case of obligate mutualism. Female moths pollinate and oviposit in the gynoecium of the flower; however, maturing larvae eat a fraction of the developing seeds. We studied within-fruit distributions of four seed types (fertile, infertile, eaten and uneaten seeds) in order to evaluate costs and benefits in aYucca schottii population in southeastern Arizona. We focused on how the spatial arrangement of seeds affected larval behaviour and, hence, the costs of the mutualism to the yucca. Infertile seeds were distributed throughout both infested and uninfested locules. Additionally, moth larvae feeding in a single locule preferred fertile seeds and even avoided infertile seeds and left the fruit significantly more often when they encountered infertile seeds. We suggest that, regardless of the cause of infertile seeds, they function as blocking units within seed locules and therefore reduce seed predation by moth larvae. We also suggest that, together with certain other fruit traits, the presence of infertile seeds promotes the evolutionary stability of this pollination mutualism.
Algorithm for automatic threshold determination for image segmentation

This paper presents a new algorithm for automatic determination of threshold for image segmentation. The algorithm is based on the histogram of extremum (maximum or minimum) gray levels in a collection of subimage areas. The image needs to be corrected for uneven illumination prior to the application of the algorithm. The algorithm was tested on a large class of images and performed well for all cases tested. The algorithm is robust, flexible, and computationally efficient. >
Improving buyer-seller system cooperation through inventory control

Abstract Much of the literature pertaining to inventory control systems assumes a perfectly competitive market in which increases or decreases in the buyer's purchase costs affect neither the final retail price nor consumer demand. This paper attempts to contribute results to the more recent literature characterized by the buyer-seller in a monopolistic market. The focus is on issues and advantages of improving buyer-seller cooperation in an inventory control system. Two inventory models are structured in a game framework. In the first model a noncooperative relationship (transaction) is assumed in which the seller, as the leader, makes the first decision and then the buyer, as the follower, makes its decision. The unique equilibrium of the game is obtained and found to coincide with the classical EOQ result. In the second model, the leader-follower relationship is relaxed and a scenario is examined in which the seller and the buyer cooperatively maximize their joint system profit. Comparison of the two models reveals that 1. (a) the total system profit is higher at cooperation than at noncooperation, 2. (b) the optimal order quantity of the buyer is higher at cooperation than at noncooperation, 3. (c) the wholesale price of the seller to the buyer is lower at cooperation than at noncooperation. It is also demonstrated that a quantity discount approach is an effective mechanism for achieving system cooperation.
Electroretinography in congenital idiopathic nystagmus

Ganzfeld electroretinograms were recorded from 105 consecutive patients clinically believed to have congenital idiopathic nystagmus. Retinal disease causing congenital nystagmus was diagnosed in 59 patients (56%). Electroretinographic evaluation of children with nystagmus and apparently normal eyes has both diagnostic and prognostic value. In patients with congenital nystagmus with a normal ocular examination, a diagnosis of congenital idiopathic nystagmus cannot be inferred without electroretinographic evidence of normal retinal function.
A catastrophic flood caused by drainage of a caldera lake at Aniakchak Volcano, Alaska, and implications for volcanic hazards assessment

Aniakchak caldera, located on the Alaska Peninsula of southwest Alaska, formerly contained a large lake (estimated volume 3.7 × 10 9 m 3 ) that rapidly drained as a result of failure of the caldera rim sometime after ca. 3400 yr B.P. The peak discharge of the resulting flood was estimated using three methods: (1) flow-competence equations, (2) step-backwater modeling, and (3) a dam-break model. The results of the dam-break model indicate that the peak discharge at the breach in the caldera rim was at least 7.7 × 10 4 m 3 s −1 , and the maximum possible discharge was ≈1.1 × 10 6 m 3 s −1 . Flow-competence estimates of discharge, based on the largest boulders transported by the flood, indicate that the peak discharge values, which were a few kilometers downstream of the breach, ranged from 6.4 × 10 5 to 4.8 × 10 6 m 3 s −1 . Similar but less variable results were obtained by step-backwater modeling. Finally, discharge estimates based on regression equations relating peak discharge to the volume and depth of the impounded water, although limited by constraining assumptions, provide results within the range of values determined by the other methods. The discovery and documentation of a flood, caused by the failure of the caldera rim at Aniakchak caldera, underscore the significance and associated hydrologic hazards of potential large floods at other lake-filled calderas.
Does the unemployment rate affect the divorce rate? An analysis of state data 1960–2005

Abstract We analyzed data from 50 states and the District of Columbia from 1960 to 2005 to study how the unemployment rate and the divorce rate are related. Unemployment is positively related to divorce in a bivariate analysis, but the association is not significant when state and year fixed effects are included in the statistical model. When the sample is divided into time periods, unemployment is negatively and significantly associated with divorce after 1980. These findings provide the strongest support for a “cost of divorce” perspective and suggest that a high rate of unemployment decreases the rate of divorce, net of unobserved time-invariant state characteristics and period (year) trends.
Circulating free xeno-microRNAs – The new kids on the block

The role of circulating free microRNAs (cfmiRNAs) as promising tools for cancer screening, prognosis and monitoring of anticancer therapies has been widely studied in the past decades. cfmiRNAs have all the characteristics of the perfect biomarkers owing high stability under storage and handling conditions and being detectable not only in plasma, but in almost all body fluids. Moreover, their levels in plasma are likely to resemble ones in the primary tumor. Recently, viral and plant miRNAs have been found in plasma of healthy individuals through deep sequencing technique, and subsequently the same ones were deregulated in patients. Growing body of literature is recently focusing on understanding the potential cross-kingdom regulation of human mRNAs by miRNAs most likely absorbed with food ingestion. In this article we will review the literature concerning the xenomiRs detected in plasma and their role in influencing cancer onset and progression. XenomiRs could potentially be used not only as early screening tool, but also for patients' prognosis.
Cultural Studies and Sport History

Academics working in cultural studies argue that disciplinary boundaries inhibit knowledge production and argue that sports historians should bring the concepts of other disciplines to historical storytelling. They also emphasize the plurality of cultural meaning attached to sport and insist that politics and power relations suffuse everything.
Diesel Exhaust Worsens Cardiac Conduction Instability in Dobutamine-Challenged Wistar–Kyoto and Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Short-term exposure to air pollution, particularly from vehicular sources, increases the risk of acute clinical cardiovascular events. However, cardiotoxicity is not always clearly discernible under ambient conditions; therefore, more subtle measures of cardiac dysfunction are necessary to elucidate the latent effects of exposure. Determine the effect of whole diesel exhaust (DE) exposure on reserve of refractoriness (RoR), an intrinsic electrophysiological measure of the heart's minimum level of refractoriness relative to development of electrical conduction instability, in rats undergoing exercise-like stress. Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats implanted with radiotelemeters to continuously collect electrocardiogram (ECG) and heart rate were exposed to 150 µg/m3 of DE and challenged with dobutamine 24 h later to mimic exercise-induced increases of the heart rate. The Chernyak-Starobin-Cohen (CSC) model was then applied to the ECG-derived QT and RR intervals collected during progressive increases in heart rate to calculate RoR for each rat. Filtered air-exposed WKY and SH rats did not have any decrease in RoR, which indicates increased risk of cardiac conduction instability; however, DE caused a significant decrease in both strains. Yet, the decrease in RoR in SH rats was eight times steeper when compared to WKY rats indicating greater cardiac conduction instability in the hypertensive strain. These data indicate that after exposure to DE, risk of cardiac instability increases during increasing stress, particularly in the presence of underlying cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the CSC model, which was previously shown to reveal cardiac risk in humans, can be applied to rodent toxicology studies.
Salty Glycerol versus Salty Water Surface Organization: Bromide and Iodide Surface Propensities

Salty NaBr and NaI glycerol solution interfaces are examined in the OH stretching region using broadband vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopy are used to further understand the VSFG spectroscopic signature. The VSFG spectra of salty glycerol solutions reveal that bromide and iodide anions perturb the interfacial glycerol organization in a manner similar as that found in aqueous halide salt solutions, thus confirming the presence of bromide and iodide anions at the glycerol surface. Surface tension measurements are consistent with the surface propensity suggested by the VSFG data and also show that the surface excess increases with increasing salt concentration, similar to that of water. In addition, iodide is shown to have more surface prevalence than bromide, as has also been determined from aqueous solutions. These results suggest that glycerol behaves similarly to water with respect to surface activity and solvation of halide anions at its air/l...
Synthesis of Uranium Phosphate Phases and Potential Retardation Effects on Spent Fuel Radionuclide Migration

The UO2 in spent nuclear fuel is unstable in the oxidizing conditions within the volcanic tuffs at the proposed nuclear repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Over time, the UO2 will oxidize and corrode, releasing actinides and fission products to the surrounding environment. However, uranyl (U6+) phosphates (autunite, phurcalite, sodium autunite, etc.) are stable in such an oxidizing environment. The mobility of released radionuclides may be greatly retarded if they can be incorporated into these naturally stable phosphate phases, while the complex structures, variable chemical compositions, and natural analogue occurrences of the uranyl phosphates suggests such a process is favorable. Current tests have focused on synthesizing such phases by reacting uranium oxynitrate or UO3 with a calcium, sodium, or potassium phosphate and a base (if necessary) in a Teflon reaction vessel. Excess water is added, and the solution is heated at 90°C for 7, 35, or 182 days. SEM analyses have confirmed that various uranium phosphate crystalline solids have formed. XRD results indicate that tests using two different calcium phosphorus source materials, Ca2P2O7 and Ca10(OH)2(PO4)6, have both created synthetic phosphuranylite, Ca(UO2)[(UO2)3(OH)2(PO4)2] 2*12H2O. The formation of this phase is appears to be kinetically favored over other similar phases. Results utilizing sodium phosphates, NaH2(PO4)*H2O and Na2HPO4, have produced sodium autunite (NaUO2PO4*2H2O), but other phases are probably also present. Test results utilizing potassium phosphate, K3PO4, were inconclusive. Experiments using surrogate radionuclides are currently being performed in order to determine whether radionuclides, such as 239Pu, 137Cs, and 99Tc, released from corroded spent nuclear fuel can become incorporated into the crystalline structure of specific uranium phosphate phases, effectively limiting any further migration.
Vibrational sum-frequency scattering for detailed studies of collagen fibers in aqueous environments.

Protein fibers play a crucial role in many disease related phenomena and biological systems. A structural analysis of fibrous proteins often requires labeling approaches or disruptive sample preparation while it lacks chemical specificity. Here we demonstrate that the technique of vibrational sum-frequency scattering (SFS) provides a label-free pathway for the chemical and structural analysis of protein fibers in solution. By examining collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, we demonstrate that the SFS signal of fibers can be detected in the NH, CH stretching and bending, and amide I regions. SFS spectra were found to depend on the scattering angle, which implies the possibility to selectively probe various features of the fibers. The fitting of the data and maximum entropy method analysis revealed a different phase for side-chains and carbonyl contributions, which helps to identify these otherwise overlapping spectral peaks and provides the possibility to perform orientational analysis. Our findi...
Against Captivity: Black Girls and School Discipline Policies in the Afterlife of Slavery

Multilayered disciplinary policies including sophisticated surveillance mechanisms and harsh punitive practices increasingly characterize schools in the United States. Researchers contend that thes...
Gender and old age among the Samia of Kenya

Gender differences in old age among, rural Samia in western Kenya are explored from a life-course perspective, i.e. as the outcome of gender differences in opportunities and experiences from childhood into old age. The impact of socio-economic change is considered, along, with ways that lifelong gender-differentiated experiences affect old age, particularly regarding the special problems or vulnerabilities of women compared with men.
Traumatic brain injury rehabilitation: Analysis of common data elements

Physical medicine rehabilitation interventions for post-acute traumatic brain injury (TBI) are heterogeneous and subject to differences based on multi-disciplinary treatment plans [1]. There is no universal knowledge representation (KR) model for TBI rehabilitation which impedes data collection, aggregation, computation, and sharing. This paper describes results of an analysis of the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) TBI "Common Data Elements" (CDE) clinical data standardization set. We conducted this to understand current TBI rehabilitation KR and as a foundational step toward the creation of a domain ontology. A content coverage study was performed on the "Treatment/Intervention" sub-set of CDEs. Results show that coverage of the CDEs is broad but lacks depth to represent the context of data collection in the TBI rehabilitation process. Next steps will be development of a KR model and identification and validation of domain concepts for a foundational ontology.
A unique pattern of expression of the four muscle regulatory factor proteins distinguishes somitic from embryonic, fetal and newborn mouse myogenic cells

A unique pattern of expression of the four muscle regulatory factor (MRF) proteins was found to distinguish early somitic from embryonic, fetal and newborn limb myogenic cells in vitro. Expression of the myosin heavy chain (MHC), MyoD, myogenin, Myf-5, and MRF4 proteins was examined by immunocytochemistry in cultures of four distinct types of mouse myogenic cells: somitic (E8.5), embryonic (E11.5), fetal (E16.5) and newborn limb. In embryonic, fetal and newborn cultures, the MRF proteins were expressed in generally similar patterns: MyoD was the first MRF expressed; MyoD and myogenin were expressed by more cells than Myf-5 or MRF4; and each of the four MRFs was found both in cells that expressed MHC and in cells that did not express MHC. In cultures of somitic cells, in contrast, Myf-5 was expressed first and by more cells than MyoD or myogenin; MRF4 was not detected; and the MRFs were never found to be coexpressed with MHC in the same cell. Thus, some somitic cells had the unexpected ability to maintain MHC expression in the absence of detectable MRF protein expression. The different myogenic programs of embryonic, fetal and newborn myogenic cells are not, therefore, a simple result of qualitatively different MRF expression patterns, whereas myogenesis by somitic cells does include a unique pattern of MRF expression.
Neutron skin of {sup 208}Pb and density dependence of the symmetry energy

We explore neutron skin predictions for $^{208}\mathrm{Pb}$ in relation to the symmetry pressure in various microscopic models based on realistic nucleon-nucleon potentials and either the Dirac-Brueckner-Hartree-Fock approach or the conventional Brueckner-Hartree-Fock framework implemented with three-body forces. We also discuss the correlation between the neutron skin and the radius of a fixed-mass neutron star.
The Current State of Critical Limb Ischemia: A Systematic Review

Importance Chronic critical limb ischemia, marked by intractable lower extremity ischemic rest pain and tissue loss, is a highly morbid condition that leads to the loss of ambulation and decreased quality of life. It is associated with a high risk of limb loss and mortality and presents a significant economic burden to society. Objective To review the current state of epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of critical limb ischemia. Evidence Review An extensive literature search of the subject matter was conducted on material published in English between 1980 and 2016; both landmark and recently published articles were evaluated. Articles were reviewed if they included the terms critical limb ischemia , ischemic rest pain , gangrene , or extremity ulcers . Findings Critical limb ischemia represents the end stage of peripheral arterial disease. Because peripheral arterial disease is most commonly caused by atherosclerosis, critical limb ischemia is heavily associated with smoking and diabetes. Revascularization is the cornerstone of therapy to prevent limb amputation, and both open vascular surgery and endovascular therapy play a key role in the treatment of patients with critical limb ischemia. However, few scientific data are available to identify the optimal revascularization strategy, which has led to a significant amount of variability and equipoise in the treatment of this condition. Medical therapy plays a significant role in optimizing coexistent cardiovascular risk factors and a limited role in improving limb outcomes in nonrevascularizable disease. Conclusions and Relevance Understanding critical limb ischemia and its treatment strategies is important for providing the best care for affected patients. Currently, ongoing randomized clinical trials in North America and the United Kingdom aim to provide data to support the best management of these patients.
Millimeter-wave antenna measurements using a novel approach

A novel system architecture has been developed which makes measurements at N times the analyzer's frequency, yet requires no communication with the analyzer. Millitech's Spartan Test Modules, STMs, splits the input signal from an analyzer, multiplies this by N for the source, and by N-1 for the LO of the receiver mixer. The mixer downconverts to the original signal, while maintaining its phase integrity, and sends this back to the analyzer. The filtering and temperature compensation requirements are high, but have been solved for these bands resulting in a dynamic range of 70 to 80 dB across 54–69 GHz for V-Band and across 69–90 GHz for E-Band, which directly relates to the side lobe resolution in an antenna pattern measurement. The small size of the STMs allows them to be mounted directly onto the back of the antennas. Therefore, readily available, < 10 GHz cables can be used for the long run back to the analyzer. The Spartan enables state-of-the-art antenna measurements either directly, in compact ranges, or in near-field ranges.
Vacant Heme Catalyzes NO Yield from Nitrosopersulfide

When nitrosothiols react with excess hydrogen sulfide, H 2 S, they form several intermediates including nitrosopersulfide. The stability and importance of this species has been debated. While some data suggest nitrosopersulfidecan be a relatively stable source of NO activity, others suggest that the species degrades too quickly. In our hands, the species is relatively stable in isolation. The prevalence of iron-containing proteins throughout the human body adds importance to determining the interaction of ferrous- and ferric-iron containing proteins with nitrosopersulfide. Studying these interactions can also provide information about the potential in vivo stability and spontaneous reactivity of this species. We have used time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy to study the reactions of nitrosopersulfide with heme proteins. We find that in the absence of heme proteins, nitrosopersulfide is relatively stable. Iron-nitrosyl hemoglobin is formed when nitrosopersulfide is reacted with unliganded hemoglobin of varying oxidation states, suggesting NO formation from nitrosopersulfide. However, iron-nitrosyl hemoglobin yields from the reaction of ferriheme and nitrosopersulfide is greater than that of ferrous heme and nitrosopersulfide. Little to no nitrosyl hemoglobin or methemoglobin is formed when nitrosopersulfide - is reacted with liganded ferrous heme. Although these data confirm the release of NO, they suggest a vacant heme is necessary to facilitate a direct heme-nitrosopersulfide reaction to form substantial NO. These data also suggest that the ferric iron in methemoglobin potentiates nitrosopersulfidereactivity. These results could potentially impact NO and sulfide bioavailability and reactivity. Supported by NIH grant HL058091
Handwriting Recognition, Automatic

Handwriting is a common means of recording personal information and communication, even with the introduction of new technologies. Machine recognition of handwriting has practical significance, as in reading handwritten notes in a PDA, postal addresses on envelopes, amounts in bank checks, handwritten fields in forms, etc. This overview describes the nature of handwritten language, how it is transduced into electronic data and the basic concepts behind written language recognition algorithms. Both the dynamic or on-line case (which pertains to the availability of trajectory data during writing) and the static or off-line case (which pertains to scanned images) are considered. Algorithms for preprocessing, character and word recognition, and performance with practical systems are indicated. Variations of handwriting recognition such as signature verification and writer identification are also described.
Dynamics of charged excitons in electronically and morphologically homogeneous single-walled carbon nanotubes

The trion, a three-body charge-exciton bound state, offers unique opportunities to simultaneously manipulate charge, spin, and excitation in one-dimensional single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) at room temperature. Effective exploitation of trion quasi-particles requires fundamental insight into their creation and decay dynamics. Such knowledge, however, remains elusive for SWNT trion states, due to the electronic and morphological heterogeneity of commonly interrogated SWNT samples, and the fact that transient spectroscopic signals uniquely associated with the trion state have not been identified. Here, we prepare length-sorted SWNTs and precisely control charge-carrier-doping densities to determine trion dynamics using femtosecond pump–probe spectroscopy. Identification of the trion transient absorptive hallmark enables us to demonstrate that trions (i) derive from a precursor excitonic state, (ii) are produced via migration of excitons to stationary hole-polaron sites, and (iii) decay in a first-order manner. Importantly, under appropriate carrier-doping densities, exciton-to-trion conversion in SWNTs can approach 100% at ambient temperature. Our findings open up possibilities for exploiting trions in SWNT optoelectronics, ranging from photovoltaics and photodetectors to spintronics.
Proximal Row Carpectomy Using Decellularized Dermal Allograft.

Wrist arthritis is a common problem. When managed early, motion-sparing procedures can be performed with successful outcomes. Proximal row carpectomy (PRC) has demonstrated good functional results and high patient satisfaction with up to 20-year follow-up. The majority of patients with longer follow-up have, however, exhibited radiographic signs of progressive degeneration of the radiocapitate space. Although radiographic changes have not been shown to correlate with wrist pain and function, it remains a concern and questions the durability of the radiocapitate articulation with continued patient follow-up, especially those who underwent the original procedure at a younger age. Several modifications have been proposed and used to address this concern, including radiocapitate arthroplasty, with either distal radius hemiarthroplasty or tissue interposition grafts. Theoretical benefits to these adjuncts include minimizing wear and preserving the radiocapitate articulation as well as expanding the utility of a PRC even in the setting of a wrist with arthritis of the capitate head. We describe our surgical technique for managing radiocarpal arthritis with PRC and decellularized dermal allograft. Dermal matrix allografts have proved to be a safe adjunct in various orthopedic procedures, including those in the wrist and hand. This technique adds another surgical option for the treatment of radiocarpal arthritis and expands the indications for PRC to include select patients with degeneration of the capitate head.
Epidemiology of Status Epilepticus

Although prolonged seizure states have been recognized since ancient times, the frequency with which status epilepticus (SE) occurs was not fully appreciated until the last decade. Even in the 21st century, SE continues to challenge clinicians and investigators. Despite recent advances in its diagnosis and treatment, and the advent of sophisticated intensive care units, SE is associated with a persistently high mortality rate. Inpatient medical costs relating to SE have been estimated at $4 billion annually in the US alone (1).
Alzheimer's Disease: Transgenic Mouse Models

Transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) have been created to study the structural and functional consequences of the accumulation of the amyloid-β and tau proteins in the brain. They have also been used to test experimental therapeutic interventions for AD. No transgenic mouse model perfectly represents all stages and facets of AD; transgenic mouse models cannot supplant the need for studying the disease in humans and human clinical trials. However, studies in transgenic mouse models allow researchers to understand aspects of the pathophysiology of AD and coordinate efforts to diagnose and treat the illness in humans.
Abstract 843: Restrictive Cardiomyopathy Linked cTnI Mutation (K178E) Causes Severe Heart Failure and Early Mortality

Multiple mutations in cardiac troponin I (cTnI) have been linked to the development of restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) in human patients. Among them, K178E mutation has the worst clinical phenotype. K178E mutation may influence the inhibitory function through actin binding since previous studies have shown that amino acids number 173–181 bind to actin and increase the inhibitory effect of TnI. We modeled the mutation of lysine 178→glutamate (K178E) in human cTnI by cardiac specific expression of the mutated protein (cTnI 179Glu in mouse sequence) in transgenic mice. Multiple lines were generated with varying degrees of expression to establish a dose relationship. Increased resting tension in isolated cardiac myocytes and decreased myofibrillar compliance were the main manifestations in cellular function measurements. In vivo cardiac function measured by high-resolution ultrasonic imaging and Doppler echocardiography revealed a significant diastolic dysfunction characterized with decrease of left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD), decreased cardiac ejection fraction (EF) and left ventricular faction of shortening (FS) as well as a decreased cardiac output (CO). Doppler measurements showed a restrictive left ventricular filling pattern, i.e. reversed E/A ratio; decreased deceleration time (DT); decreased isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT). Enlarged left and right atria was a dramatic sign, which was observed in most of the transgenic mice, and was developed early and fast (at age of 2–3 weeks). Severely affected lines developed a pathology similar to that observed in human restrictive cardiomyopathy patients who carry the same mutation and with a high early mortality. Our data indicate the causality of this mutation for diastolic dysfunction and heart failure and provide a useful animal model for further understanding the thin filament structure-function relationships and the physiological function of triponin in cardiac contraction and relaxation. (Supported by NIH GM073621 and AHA0715116B) This research has received full or partial funding support from the American Heart Association, AHA Greater Southeast Affiliate (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Puerto Rico & Tennessee).
User Bind Peeking

In diesem kleinen Abschnitt besprechen wir kurz das Feature User Bind Peeking von Oracle 9i und 10g. Ich glaube, es ist sinnvoll aus den folgenden 2 Grunden:
Electron donor availability controls scale up of anodic biofilms.

Abstract The scale up of bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) is a challenging problem that limits the advancement and practical implementation of the technology. The goal of this work is to acquire an understanding of the limitations on scaling up anodic biofilms in BESs. We hypothesized that scaling up is dependent on the availability of electron donors. We tested this hypothesis by enriching anodic biofilms on electrodes of multiple sizes (15 cm2 to 466 cm2) and quantified the anodic current densities while varying the electron donor concentrations. The anodic biofilms were enriched on electrodes under two conditions: (1) in raw wastewater and (2) in wastewater supplemented with 20 mM acetate. Following anodic biofilm enrichment, the current density for each electrode was quantified in artificial wastewater medium with variable COD loadings using acetate as an electron donor. Current generated using anodic biofilms scaled up at a high COD loading (1500 mg/L), while current density decreased with increasing electrode size at lower COD loadings. Further, microbial community analysis revealed that the microbial community was independent of the electrode size but dependent on the medium composition during the enrichment phase. These results provide a practical framework for the design of large-scale BESs based on laboratory-scale measurements.
Design and implementation of a real-time underwater acoustic telemetry system for fish behavior study and environmental sensing

Underwater acoustic telemetry is an important tool for studying the behavior of aquatic animals and assessing the environmental impact of man-made structures such as hydropower turbines. However, the current design of acoustic telemetry systems lack the ability to transmit collected data continuously in real-time and requires manual retrieval of the recorded measurements, leading to a long delay of data retrieval, high operational cost associated with manpower as well as safety risk for the operators. In addition, there is no efficient way to monitor the status of the acoustic telemetry system, including acoustic transmitters and receivers. For example, if multiple receivers in an array fail, the detection efficiency could be significantly reduced. Herein, we developed a cloud-based, real-time underwater acoustic telemetry system that can be used to estimate behavior or survival of tagged aquatic animals and monitor environmental parameters in near-real-time (< 2 hours). The system incorporates microcontrollers and integrated circuits to create real-time data communication and processing units with a cloud-based service that processes the transmitted data stream to derive behavior and survival information of the tagged animals.
Functional Analysis and Treatment of Multiply Maintained Operant Vomiting

Interventions based on functional assessments, particularly functional analyses (FAs), are more likely to be effective relative to interventions that are not function-based. However, few clinical investigations have used FAs to assess operant vomiting. This is notable given that operant vomiting represents a medically serious form of problem behavior. To the degree that clinicians can conduct FAs, and use those results to inform function-based treatments for operant vomiting, they can reduce behavior that is associated with considerable medical risk and is also socially conspicuous and stigmatizing. In the current study, we conducted an FA of operant vomiting in a young male with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder. Results suggested operant vomiting was maintained by access to adult attention and escape from academic demands, which is noteworthy given that vomiting is often hypothesized to be maintained by automatic reinforcement. We then implemented a function-based intervention to achieve clinically significant reductions in operant vomiting.
Understanding Gender Stereotypes and Electoral Success from Visual Self-presentations of Politicians in Social Media

Social media have been widely used as a platform for political communication, promoting firsthand dialogue between politicians and the public. This paper studies the role of visual self-presentation in social media in political campaigns with a primary focus on gender stereotypical cues exhibited in Facebook timeline posts of 562 candidates in the 2018 U.S. general elections. We train a convolutional neural network (CNN) that infers gender stereotypes from the photographs based on crowdsourced annotations. Using regression analysis, we find that masculine traits are predictive factors for winning elections for both gender and parties. In contrast, feminine traits are not correlated with electoral success. Prediction experiments show that the visual traits on gender stereotypes can predict the election outcomes with an accuracy of 0.739, which was better than the performance (0.724) of making a direct prediction from the raw photographs. Our study demonstrates that the automated visual content analysis can reliably measure subtle, emotional, and subjective personal trait dimensions from political images, thereby enabling systematic investigations on multi-modal political communication via social media.