cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tracking multiple interacting targets in a camera network

We propose a tracker for multiple interacting targets in a camera network.A model is developed to decide the group state of each trajectory.The tracking problem is converted to a network flow problem. In this paper we propose a framework for tracking multiple interacting targets in a wide-area camera network consisting of both overlapping and non-overlapping cameras. Our method is motivated from observations that both individuals and groups of targets interact with each other in natural scenes. We associate each raw target trajectory (i.e., a tracklet) with a group state, which indicates if the trajectory belongs to an individual or a group. Structural Support Vector Machine (SSVM) is applied to the group states to decide if merge or split events occur in the scene. Information fusion between multiple overlapping cameras is handled using a homography-based voting scheme. The problem of tracking multiple interacting targets is then converted to a network flow problem, for which the solution can be obtained by the K-shortest paths algorithm. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm on the challenging VideoWeb dataset in which a large amount of multi-person interaction activities are present. Comparative analysis with state-of-the-art methods is also shown.
On the sources of fast and slow solar wind

[1] The slow speed solar wind as measured at the Earth orbit and beyond is characterized by its velocity of ≃400 km s -1 , by its coronal composition and by its frozen-in temperature (from carbon charge-states) of 1.4-1.6 x 10 6 K. In contrast the fast speed solar wind is characterized by its velocity of ≃750 km s -1 , its nearly photospheric composition and its frozen-in temperature of ≃8 x 10 5 K. The solar wind is believed to originate very close to the solar surface, but since it is accelerated significantly above the solar surface, its velocity cannot be correlated with remote observations to trace its origin. In contrast, elemental abundances and freeze-in temperatures can be used as tracers for locating the sources from which the slow and fast solar winds emerge. By comparing remote observations with properties of the solar wind observed in situ, the most likely structures from which solar wind plasmas emerge can be identified. In the present paper we review the current understanding of the morphological features present in the solar upper atmosphere and their physical properties such as electron temperature, electron density and elemental abundances. In addition, we discuss these observations in the context of recent theories describing the emergence of new magnetic flux to power the solar wind, and more traditional models that treat the background field and solar wind as a steady phenomenon.
Maximum-likelihood sequence estimation of digital sequences in the presence of intersymbol interference

A maximum-likelihood sequence estimator for a digital pulse-amplitude-modulated sequence in the presence of finite intersymbol interference and white Gaussian noise is developed, The structure comprises a sampled linear filter, called a whitened matched filter, and a recursive nonlinear processor, called the Viterbi algorithm. The outputs of the whitened matched filter, sampled once for each input symbol, are shown to form a set of sufficient statistics for estimation of the input sequence, a fact that makes obvious some earlier results on optimum linear processors. The Viterbi algorithm is easier to implement than earlier optimum nonlinear processors and its performance can be straightforwardly and accurately estimated. It is shown that performance (by whatever criterion) is effectively as good as could be attained by any receiver structure and in many cases is as good as if intersymbol interference were absent. Finally, a simplified but effectively optimum algorithm suitable for the most popular partial-response schemes is described.
Aspirin A Treatment for the Headache of Shunt-Dependent Pulmonary Blood Flow and Parallel Circulation?

Dependence on an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft for provision of pulmonary blood flow is a common yet precarious interval through which a population of patients with congenital heart disease must pass. The goals of the systemic-to–pulmonary artery shunt are to relieve cyanosis and to provide time before establishing in-series circulation by either complete repair of 2-ventricle lesions or, in the case of the single-ventricle patient, a bidirectional Glenn shunt. In the case of patients with single-ventricle anatomy, this period of parallel circulation is necessary to permit the lung maturation and the reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance that are necessary for subsequent palliation. For patients who will ultimately achieve a 2-ventricle repair, the goals of a preliminary shunt may include increasing the size of the pulmonary artery size or having a larger, older patient at the time of repair. This period of parallel circulation is tenuous, and the patient remains at increased risk during this period of altered circulation. Article p 293
Dextroamphetamine pilot crossover trials and n of 1 trials in patients with chronic tension-type and migraine headache.

Objective.—To examine the preventive effects of dextroamphetamine in select small groups of patients with chronic tension-type and migraine headache. Background.—Neither amphetamine nor methylphenidate is used as a headache preventive. This study was undertaken after a chance observation led one of us to prescribe dextroamphetamine with apparent successes in specific patients with chronic tension-type or migraine headaches. Methods.—Two pilot trials were done. Trial 1 tested patients who were taking dextroamphetamine, while Trial 2 tested patients who had never taken this drug. Each trial obtained full data on eight subjects with chronic tension-type headache and eight subjects with migraine headache. A randomized, double-blinded, controlled, multiple-crossover design was used. Subjects took capsules containing dextroamphetamine or equi-stimulatory caffeine (the control) during four alternating 20-day periods. Trial 1 subjects took their pretrial dextroamphetamine dose at breakfast and lunch. Trial 2 subjects took 10 mg at these times. Subjects recorded the integer from 0 to 3 that represented their headache intensity during the previous 24 hours. The subject's data were the average daily headache grade for the two dextroamphetamine periods and for the two caffeine periods. The differential effect of amphetamine and caffeine on each group of eight subjects and on each individual was analyzed by t-tests. Results.—In both trials, the tension-type and migraine groups had lower mean daily headache grades in the amphetamine than in the caffeine periods. P values for these differences indicated that there were real drug effects, on the average, in the migraine groups (P < .05) and suggestive but inconclusive effects in the tension-type groups (P < .10). The individual n of 1 analyses showed that five tension-type and three migraine subjects in Trial 1 and three tension-type and three migraine subjects in Trial 2 had considerably lower mean daily headache grades on amphetamine with P values indicating, at various levels of significance (from P < .05 to P < .001), real amphetamine effects. Twelve of the remaining 18 patients had lower, albeit not significant, mean daily grades with amphetamine. No subject in either trial had a significantly lower mean daily headache grade on caffeine. Conclusions.—Dextroamphetamine had real preventive effects on chronic tension-type and migraine headaches in some subjects. These results should encourage other investigators to study its effects on these headaches.
Self-esteem Modulates Medial Prefrontal Cortical Responses to Evaluative Social Feedback

Self-esteem is a facet of personality that influences perception of social standing and modulates the salience of social acceptance and rejection. As such, self-esteem may bias neural responses to positive and negative social feedback across individuals. During functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning, participants (n = 42) engaged in a social evaluation task whereby they ostensibly received feedback from peers indicating they were liked or disliked. Results demonstrated that individuals with low self-esteem believed that they received less positive feedback from others and showed enhanced activity to positive versus negative social feedback in the ventral anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex (vACC/mPFC). By contrast, vACC/mPFC activity was insensitive to positive versus negative feedback in individuals with high self-esteem, and these individuals consistently overestimated the amount of positive feedback received from peers. Voxelwise analyses supported these findings; lower self-esteem predicted a linear increase in vACC/mPFC response to positive versus negative social feedback. Taken together, the present findings propose a functional role for the vACC/mPFC in representing the salience of social feedback and shaping perceptions of relative social standing.
Comparison of BD Bactec Plus Blood Culture Media to VersaTREK Redox Blood Culture Media for Detection of Bacterial Pathogens in Simulated Adult Blood Cultures Containing Therapeutic Concentrations of Antibiotics

Antibiotic neutralization in blood culture media from two automated systems was evaluated by measuring the recovery of organisms and times to detection in simulated cultures. Overall, BD Bactec Plus media (Bactec FX system) outperformed TREK 80 ml Redox media (VersaTREK system), although results suggest a relative rather than an absolute increased rate of recovery for the Bactec media.
Cartography And The Analysis Of Remote Sensing Data

Cartography and remote sensing are two disciplines that share several common characteristics. The techniques employed by both are usually supportive to other disciplines such as geology or forestry and are not usually applied in the absence of user prerequisites. Both are subdivided into professional subdisciplines such as photogrammetry, geodesy, and computer image processing. And both share a parallel series of endeavors--categorization, rectification, design, and publication. With the advent of digital cartography, the symbiotic relationship with remote sensing is further enhanced and the capability to perform sophisticated analysis using digital data bases will he extended to the point that instant customized maps, both conventional and video, will be common and widely available. The extensive knowledge of rectification by cartographers can he especially valuable when applied to remote sensing and will be essential to achieve optimum map projections and data overlay.
THE GENETICS OF HEXOKINASE IN A MOSQUITO, CULEX PIPIENS

The genetics of hexokinase (HK) variants in a mosquito, Culex pipiens L., was studied using starch gel electrophoresis. Three isozymic forms of HK, all migrating anodally, were present in all three body regions, but in differing proportions. No obvious difference in specificity for three hexose sugars was detected among the three isozymic bands. However, qualitative differences in staining intensity indicate the following order of substrate affinity: glucose > fructose > mannose. The inheritance of the HK variants is controlled by a pair of co-dominant alleles at a single genetic locus.
Multiphoton adaptation of a commercial low-cost confocal microscope for live tissue imaging

The Nikon C1 confocal laser scanning microscope is a relatively inexpensive and user-friendly instrument. We describe a straightforward method to convert the C1 for multiphoton microscopy utilizing direct coupling of a femtosecond near-infrared laser into the scan head and fiber optic transmission of emission light to the three-channel detector box. Our adapted system can be rapidly switched between confocal and multiphoton mode, requires no modification to the original system, and uses only a few custom-made parts. The entire system, including scan mirrors and detector box, remain under the control of the user-friendly Nikon EZ-C1 software without modification.
Clash of civilizations

There have been numerous fault-lines in society in the past due to religion, race, social class and nation. Current fault-lines relate to demography: the West has a falling population whereas many countries elsewhere in the world are undergoing large population growth; net emigration has been replaced by immigration. The previous Western dominance in economic activity has also changed and the balance has moved east. These and other factors are considered as pointers to the future.
Determining gaps in a county-wide community nutrition education program for older adults.

Abstract This study assessed gaps in nutrition education between what was offered by organizations and what was wanted by older adults. In Phase I, 258 gatekeepers were interviewed. In Phase II, 37 non-institutionalized older adults were assigned to five focus groups. Study results indicated a consistency between gatekeepers and participants for services, topics, methods/information sources, and communication routes. However, a gap was found because participants wanted education on more topics and were interested in more specific information, whereas gatekeepers provided more general information. This study concluded that gatekeepers need to provide more topics and in greater specificity when planning for nutrition education programs for older adults.
Vascular and nonvascular complications of renal transplants: Sonographic evaluation and correlation with other imaging modalities, surgery, and pathology

Abstract Cadaveric or living donor renal transplantation is commonly performed in individuals with end-stage renal disease. In recent years, gray-scale sonography, coupled with color Doppler sonography (CDUS), power Doppler sonography (PDUS), or spectral Doppler sonography, has become the primary imaging modality for these patients. Postoperative serial sonography is performed to detect complications and aid in posttransplant management. In addition, sonography is used to guide percutaneous aspiration of fluid or biopsy to diagnose rejection or renal and perirenal masses. In this article we discuss the spectrum of sonographic findings, both vascular and nonvascular, of renal transplant complications, including but not limited to renal arterial and venous stenosis and thrombosis, peritransplant collections (lymphoceles, hematomas, urinomas, and seromas), posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder, and postbiopsy complications (hematomas, pseudoaneurysms, and arteriovenous fistulas). We correlate sonographic findings with those from other imaging modalities (such as angiography, CT, and MRI) and findings at surgery and pathology when possible.
Predicting Motivation To Learn and Motivation To Transfer Learning Back to the Job in a Service Organization--A New Systemic Model for Training Effectiveness.

This exploratory study attempted to identify key predictors of motivation to learn and motivation to transfer as well as examine the relationship between the two variables. Organizational commitment, task cues, and co-worker commitment to quality work were found to be the strongest predictors of motivation to learn. Motivation to learn, a motivating job, and being expected to use the newly learned skills and knowledge on the job were found to be the most important predictors of motivation to transfer.
Synthesis of an M + 7 stable isotope of γ-cyhalothrin

γ-Cyhalothrin is a single isomer, synthetic pyrethroid insecticide. This material was originally developed and marketed by Pytech Chemicals, a joint venture between Dow AgroSciences and Cheminova A/S. Cheminova A/S now wholly owns Pytech Chemical. As a part of registration studies, there was a need for a stable isotope of γ-cyhalothrin to serve as an internal standard. This paper will discuss the 11-step synthesis that was used to prepare an M + 7 stable isotope of γ-cyhalothrin by utilizing triethyl phosphonoacetate-d2 and acetone-d6 to incorporate deuterium into the molecule. In the end, the diastereomers were separated by preparative reverse-phase HPLC to give γ-cyhalothrin-d7 in an overall yield of 6%. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global Metabolomic Analysis of a Mammalian Host Infected with Bacillus anthracis

Whereas DNA provides the information to design life and proteins provide the materials to construct it, the metabolome can be viewed as the physiology that powers it. As such, metabolomics, the field charged with the study of the dynamic small-molecule fluctuations that occur in response to changing biology, is now being used to study the basis of disease. Here, we describe a comprehensive metabolomic analysis of a systemic bacterial infection using Bacillus anthracis, the etiological agent of anthrax disease, as the model pathogen. An organ and blood analysis identified approximately 400 metabolites, including several key classes of lipids involved in inflammation, as being suppressed by B. anthracis. Metabolite changes were detected as early as 1 day postinfection, well before the onset of disease or the spread of bacteria to organs, which testifies to the sensitivity of this methodology. Functional studies using pharmacologic inhibition of host phospholipases support the idea of a role of these key enzymes and lipid mediators in host survival during anthrax disease. Finally, the results are integrated to provide a comprehensive picture of how B. anthracis alters host physiology. Collectively, the results of this study provide a blueprint for using metabolomics as a platform to identify and study novel host-pathogen interactions that shape the outcome of an infection.
Acetylcholine increases intracellular Ca2+ in taste cells via activation of muscarinic receptors.

Previous studies suggest that acetylcholine (ACh) is a transmitter released from taste cells as well as a transmitter in cholinergic efferent neurons innervating taste buds. However, the physiologi...
Draft Genome Sequence of an Escherichia coli O8:H19 Sequence Type 708 Strain Isolated from a Holstein Dairy Cow with Metritis.

ABSTRACT We present here the genome sequence of Escherichia coli O8:H19 strain KCJ852, belonging to multilocus sequence type (MLST) 708, isolated from the uterus of a cow with a bovine postpartum uterine infection known as metritis. Genomic investigation of KCJ852 will help us understand its virulence potential.
Abstract 45: Accurate total and allele-specific copy number measurements in mosaic tumors

For the characterization of genomic copy number changes that occur in the development and progression of cancer, oligonucleotide array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) offers high-resolution and precise determination of chromosomal copy number and genome-wide aberrations. We recently reported a new method for making simultaneous measurements of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy number alterations in the same microarray assay. The combined assay can detect copy-number neutral events, such as acquired loss of heterozygosity (LOH), as well as allelic imbalance in and around amplified regions. Previously reported algorithms for analyzing Agilent CGH+SNP data were able to genotype primarily diploid samples and to detect regions of constitutional LOH. However, tumor heterogeneity, aneuploidy and variable sample quality create significant challenges for both solid and liquid tumors. Our earlier methods were often unable to cope with the high levels of aneuploidy sometimes found in solid tumors, or with admixtures of normal cells and aberrant cells. We now describe new computational methods which can determine total copy number, aneuploid fraction, and allele-specific copy number in many aneuploid tumor samples, even when mixed with up to 80% normal tissue. We report results from genomic DNA isolated from a cancer cell line, a blood sample, and a solid tumor. Each of these sample types presents novel challenges. The cell line we studied, though largely monoclonal, is highly aneuploid. The blood DNA is of high quality, but the fraction of tumor cells in the sample is low. The solid tumor DNA is of relatively low quality, and composed of multiple aberrant clones. We were able to determine the aneuploid fraction of the tumors, and to measure copy number variation in samples with as little as 20% tumor cell content. In addition to detecting copy-neutral LOH regions, we also measured allele-specific copy number, both of the aberrant clone and of admixed normal cells. The new analysis methods allow the extension of the extra allelic information available from the CGH+SNP assay to cancer samples. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 45. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-45
Abstract 1612: Targeting intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) prolongs glioblastoma survival in combination with bevacizumab .

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor and is characterized by cellular heterogeneity, vascular proliferation and extensive tissue infiltration. Analysis of gene expression data from orthotopic glioma stem cells with acquired resistance to bevacizumab therapy identified over expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1, CD54) in resistant tumors. ICAM1 is a cell adhesion glycoprotein of the immunoglobulin supergene family which interacts with β2 integrins, mediates leukocyte transendothelial migration and T cell activation during inflammatory processes. ICAM1 over expression in tumors resistant to antiangiogenic therapy was validated by real time PCR and Western blot. In a panel of glioma stem cell lines, ICAM1 expression was higher in mesenchymal compared to proneural cell lines. GFP-tagged ICAM1 shRNA lentivirus was used to knockdown ICAM1 in multiple cell lines. We injected shICAM1 NSC11 and scramble glioma stem cells into the brain of nude mice. Mice bearing tumors formed from shICAM1 NSC11 cells survived significantly longer than mice injected with scramble control cells. Tumor size was significantly decreased in mice bearing tumors formed from shICAM1 cells than that in mice bearing tumors from GFP-tagged NSC11 control cells. Knocking-down ICAM1 suppresses tumor invasion both in vitro and in vivo. We next examined the mechanism of ICAM1 over expression after treated with anti-VEGF therapy. We observed that ICAM1 over expression correlated with hypoxia-inducible factor by immnofluorescence analysis in tumor tissue. Furthermore, we found that ICAM1 protein expression was markedly increased after NSC11 and NSC17 cells under hypoxic condition in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, hypoxia-induced p-STAT3 increased transcription of ICAM1, which was inhibited by an inhibitor of the JAK/STAT3 pathway. Our studies identify ICAM1 as a potentially important mediator of tumor migration/invasion in glioblastoma. Targeting ICAM1 may provide a new strategy to prolong the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy and prevent the invasive phenotype. Citation Format: Yuji Piao, Ji Liang, Verlene Henry, Lindsay Holmes, John F. de Groot. Targeting intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) prolongs glioblastoma survival in combination with bevacizumab . [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1612. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1612
Demyelination but no cognitive, motor or behavioral deficits after adenovirus-mediated gene transfer into the brain.

Adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of interferon gamma (AdIFN) elicits rejection of intracerebral Lewis lung carcinoma. In this system, gene transfer into brain parenchymal cells is both necessary and sufficient to generate the antitumor response. Despite persistent parenchymal inflammation and demyelination, wild-type mice injected intracerebrally with either AdIFN or β-galactosidase adenovirus (AdBGAL) perform as well as non-injected animals in behavioral, memory, and motor tests. Both AdIFN and AdBGAL elicit demyelination whose incidence rises sharply when the lowest effective dose of AdIFN is exceeded. Therefore, transfer of interferon gamma into brain parenchyma does not seem to elicit detectable cognitive, behavioral or motor deficits. Furthermore, gene transfer into the brain, by adenoviral vectors currently in clinical trials, is associated with a narrow therapeutic window where the incidence of demyelination rises sharply soon after the effective dose is achieved.
Chain Trajectory and Crystallization Mechanism of a Semicrystalline Polymer in Melt- and Solution-Grown Crystals As Studied Using 13C–13C Double-Quantum NMR

The re-entrance sites, successive chain-folding number ⟨n⟩, and chain-folding fraction ⟨F⟩ of the chain-folding (CF) structure of 13C CH3-labeled isotactic poly(1-butene) (iPB1) with an weight-averaged molecular weight (⟨Mw⟩ = 37 K g/mol) in solution- and melt-grown crystals as a function of crystallization temperature (Tc) were determined using solid-state (SS) NMR. The solution- and melt-grown crystals possessed adjacent re-entry structures between the right- and left-handed stems along the (100) and (010) planes, which were invariant as a function of Tc. The adjacent re-entry structures in the former exhibited long-range order (⟨n⟩ ≥ 8) compared with that in the latter (⟨n⟩ ≥ 1.7–2). These results indicated that the concentration and entanglement of polymers play significant roles in the CF process and structural formation during the initial stage of crystallization, whereas kinetics does not. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed well-defined hexagonal and circular crystals grown from the so...
Clinical research of lobectomy of benign pulmonary lesion and Lung cancer with video-assisted minithoracotomy

Objective:To evaluate the value of video-assisted mini-thoracoscopy(VAMT) lobectomy for benign pulmonary lesion and lung cancer.Methods:Lobectomy or radical resection was performed on 62 patients of benign pulmonary lesion or lung cancer by VAMT.Results:Lobectomy or radical resection were completed in 54 patients by a 6cm to 8cm incision during the operation.For the other 8 cases the incision was extended to about 12cm because of pleural adhesions,larger pulmonary tumor or intraoperative vascular injury.Conclusion:The indication of VAMT is wider than video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery(VATS).Compared to conventional thoracotomy VAMT brought patients less intraoperative blood loss,quicker recovery,shorter length of postoperative hospital stay,less cost of hospitalization.VAMT can be regarded as transitional bridge from traditional thoracotomy to VATS.
Comparative techniques of medial rectus muscle retraction for endoscopic exposure of the medial intraconal space.

OBJECTIVE The medial rectus muscle (MRM) is the medial boundary to the intraconal space of the orbit, and retraction of the MRM is oftentimes necessary for endoscopic removal of intraconal tumors, e.g., orbital hemangioma. We evaluated each of the reported methods of MRM retraction for endoscopic orbital surgery and quantified the degree of intraconal exposure conferred by each method. METHODS Eight orbits from four cadaver heads were dissected. In each orbit, medial orbital decompression was performed and the MRM was retracted by using four previously described techniques: (1) external MRM retraction at the globe insertion point by using vessel loop (external group), (2) transseptal MRM retraction by using vessel loop (transseptal group), (3) transchoanal retraction of the MRM by using vessel loop (choanal group), and (4) transseptal four-handed technique by using double ball retraction by a second surgeon (transseptal double ball group). The length, height, and area of exposure of the medial intraconal space were quantified and compared. RESULTS The average ± standard deviation (SD) anterior-posterior exposures for the external group, transseptal group, and transseptal double ball group were 17.51 ± 3.39 mm, 16.59 ± 4.16 mm, and 18.0 ± 15.25 mm, respectively. The choanal group provided significantly less exposure (12.39 ± 3.44 mm, p = 0.049) than the other groups. The average ± SD vertical exposures for the transseptal group, choanal group, and transseptal double ball group were 12.53 ± 4.38 mm, 13.05 ± 5.86 mm, and 13.57 ± 3.74 mm, respectively. The external group provided significantly less exposure (4.51 ± 1.56 mm, p = 0.0072) than the other groups. The transseptal and transseptal double ball groups provided the greatest total access by surface area (58.88 ± 26.96 mm(2) and 62.94 ± 34.74 mm(2), respectively) compared with the external and choanal groups (34.82 ± 23.37 mm(2) and 43.10 ± 23.68 mm(2), respectively). Although the transseptal trajectory of MRM retraction was optimal, the difference in total area of exposure between the static vessel loop retraction and the dynamic, four-handed technique with double ball instrument retraction was not significant. Of note, the exposure provided by the choanal technique required the surgeon to work both above and below the muscle. CONCLUSION Retraction of the MRM toward the choanae provided the least length of exposure, and external retraction exposed the least height and total area. Transseptal MRM retraction was most favorable and provided the largest endoscopic corridor to the medial intraconal space. A four-handed approach for endoscopic intraconal surgery of the orbit may offer advantages in dynamic adjustments in retraction.
Activating Metal Sites for Biological Electron Transfer

This review focuses on the unique spectroscopic features of the blue copper active sites. These reflect a novel electronic structure that activates the site for rapid long-range electron transfer in its biological function. The role of the protein in determining the geometric and electronic structure of this site is defined, as is its contribution to function. This has been referred to as the entatic/rack-induced state. These concepts are then extended to cytochrome c, which is also determined to be in an entatic state.
Recurrent cubital tunnel syndrome treated with revision neurolysis and amniotic membrane nerve wrapping

Background Perineural scarring of the ulnar nerve is a predominant cause of symptom recurrence after surgical treatment for primary cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS). We report our preliminary experience in revision ulnar nerve decompression and nerve wrapping with an amniotic membrane allograft adhesion barrier for treatment of recurrent CuTS. Methods We performed a retrospective review with prospective follow-up of patients with recurrent CuTS who were treated with revision neurolysis with amniotic membrane nerve wrapping. Preoperative elbow motion, grip and pinch strengths, pain level on the visual analog scale level, and the 11-item version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand functional outcome score were compared with postoperative values using paired t testing. Symptom characteristics, physical examination findings, complications, and level of satisfaction were also obtained. Results Eight patients (mean age, 47.5 years) who had undergone at least 2 prior ulnar nerve operations satisfied study inclusion. At mean postoperative follow-up of 30 months, significant improvements were noted across all patients in visual analog scale pain levels (−3.5 vs. preoperatively; P P P Conclusions Ulnar nerve wrapping with amniotic membrane allograft, when combined with revision neurolysis, was a safe and subjectively effective treatment for patients with debilitating recurrent CuTS.
Early OralAnticoagulation After Acute Ischemic Stroke in Patients with AtrialFibrillation (P1.175)

Objective: The benefit of starting oral anticoagluation (OAC) within 2 days to prevent recurrent acute ischemic stroke (AIS) outweighs the risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) in select patients. Background: Uncertainty exists as to the optimum interval for initiation of (OAC) after an AIS in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Trials of novel oral anticoagulants excluded patients with AIS within 7-14days. We sought to identify patients at low risk for early initiation of OAC. Methods: A retrospective review of patients from 2012-2014 with AIS, AF, and at least 1 follow-up visit was completed. Demographics, medical history, acute infarct volume, presence of HT prior to OAC, timing/type of anticoagulation, and ischemic/hemorrhagic complications were noted. Early OAC was defined as starting within 2 days after stroke. Groups were compared using Fisher’s exact and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests. Results: 100 patients (median age 76, interquartile range 66-84) met our study criteria. 31 patients were started on OAC within 2 days vs 53 patients after 2 days (median 1 day vs 11 days). Compared to patients started on OAC after 2 days, those who initiated OAC within 2 days had significantly lower infarct volume (median 3.35 ml vs 9.8 ml; p<0.0001), initial NIHSS (median 3 vs 7; p <0.0001), and fewer with blood on imaging (3[percnt] vs 26[percnt]; p= 0.0074). Age, prior stroke, and choice of OAC were not significantly associated with timing of OAC. No patients had recurrent AIS or symptomatic HT at median follow-up of 37 days. 1 patient had a non-CNS hemorrhage after starting OAC. 16 patients were not started on OAC for different reasons. Conclusions: Our results suggest the safety of early initiation of OAC within 2 days in an appropriately selected population of AIS patients with small infarct volumes, mild stroke severity, and lack of HT. Disclosure: Dr. Buletko has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cherian has nothing to disclose. Dr. Uchino has nothing to disclose. Dr. Russman has nothing to disclose.
Steroid Management in Patients Undergoing Surgery for IBD

Often faced with the challenge of operating on steroid-treated patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal surgeons must be well versed in the perioperative steroid management of this patient cohort. Historically, standard practice has entailed stress-dose or high-dose perioperative steroids in these patients undergoing surgery to prevent perioperative adrenal insufficiency (AI), cardiovascular collapse and death. Stress-dose steroids typically consist of hydrocortisone 100 mg intravenous (IV) given preoperatively and continued every 8 h postoperatively with a taper down to the preoperative dose over 2–3 days [1]. However, this practice is anecdotal and largely based on case reports from the 1950 s [2, 3] demonstrating cardiovascular collapse and death in 2 patients whose steroids were abruptly discontinued before surgery.
Do Demographic Factors Moderate How Well Criminal Thinking Predicts Recidivism

Is the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism the same for criminal justice-involved individuals from varying demographic backgrounds? Relying on two independent samples of offenders and two measures of criminal thinking, the current studies examined whether four demographic factors-gender, race, age, and education-moderated the relationship between criminal thinking and recidivism. Study 1 consisted of 226 drug-involved probationers enrolled in a randomized clinical trial. Study 2 consisted of 346 jail inmates from a longitudinal study. Logistic regression models suggested that the strength of the relationship between criminal thinking and subsequent recidivism did not vary based on participant demographics, regardless of justice system setting or measure of criminal thinking. Criminal thinking predicts recidivism similarly for people who are male, female, Black, White, older, younger, and more or less educated.
Charge Transfer Processes in OPV Materials as Revealed by EPR Spectroscopy

Understanding charge separation and charge transport at a molecular level is crucial for improving the efficiency of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. Under illumination of Bulk Heterojunction (BHJ) blends of polymers and fullerenes, various paramagnetic species are formed including polymer and fullerene radicals, radical pairs, and photoexcited triplet states. Light-induced Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is ideally suited to study these states in BHJ due to its selectivity in probing the paramagnetic intermediates. Advanced techniques like pulsed EPR and ENDOR spectroscopy allow the determination of hyperfine coupling tensors, while high-frequency EPR allows the EPR signals of the individual species to be resolved and their g-tensors to be determined. The magnetic resonance parameters of the various polymer donors reveal details about the delocalization of the positive polaron which is important for the efficient charge separation in BHJ systems. Time-resolved EPR can contribute to the study of the dynamics of charge separation, charge transfer and recombination in BHJ by probing the unique spectral signatures of charge transfer and triplet states. EPR also has the potential to allow characterization of intermediates and products of BHJ degradation.
Distributed Processing vs. Dedicated Neurons in the Production of Simple Behavioral Acts

When faced with complex devices like most nervous systems, we invent schemes to make them easier to understand. Hierarchies, modules, feature detectors, command cells — these are all pious simplifications that we create to try to make sense of how a nervous system might function. We admit that they are simplifications, and assure ourselves that we will keep track of the complications as they arise. However, when we face data that doesn’t fit into these simple schemata, we are remarkably resistant to abandoning these comfortable mental constructs. In my own case, I started to look for the interneurons in the medicinal leech that produced a very simple reflexive response, a localized bending response to a mechanical stimulus. I expected to find interneurons that were activated during dorsal bending, others during lateral bending, and still others during ventral bending. None of the interneurons that I found were so finely tuned, so I abandoned the search. When Shawn Lockery picked up the search several years later, he found the same kind of interneurons as I had, but came to a different conclusion: that the behavior was caused by a neuronal organization that is quite different from what we expected; i.e., it was produced by a distributed network. The implications of this kind of network are not easy to grasp, because the outcome is the sum, often a nonlinear sum, of many competing interneuronal influences.
Meta-analysis of rare binary events in treatment groups with unequal variability.

Meta-analysis has been widely used to synthesize information from related studies to achieve reliable findings. However, in studies of rare events, the event counts are often low or even zero, and ...
Radiographic Assessment of Fibular Length Variance: The Case for “Fibula Minus”

Abstract Given the high prevalence of ankle fractures and morbidity of malalignment after fixation, an appropriate anatomic relationship between the distal fibula and adjacent tibia and talus is important. The tip of the lateral malleolus of the fibula has often been described to be at the level of the lateral talar process. However, no studies to date have examined the relationship of the distal fibular tip to the lateral process of the talus. We assessed 66 weightbearing mortise radiographs for variability of the distal fibular tip in relation to the lateral process of the talus. The subjects were all skeletally mature, with a mean age of 45.3 ± 14.6 years. We used a paired t test with a null hypothesis that the true mean difference in the distance from the distal fibula to the lateral process was equal to 0. The mean distance of the distal tip of the fibula was 0.257 ± 0.127 cm proximal to the tip of the lateral process of the talus. The 95% confidence interval was 0.226 to 0.288. Of the 66 subjects, 65 had the distal tip of the fibula proximal to the lateral process of the talus, corresponding to a negative fibular variance. In the remaining subject, the distal tip of the fibula was at the same level of the tip as the lateral process of the talus. The distal tip of the fibula is most commonly not at the level of the talus lateral process, as often described in published reports. Instead, it has a variance analogous to the relationship between the lengths of the ulna compared with the radius. The distal tip of the fibula in our study was more often proximal to the tip of the lateral process of the talus and can be described as a negative fibular variance, or "fibula minus."
The many voices of business: Framing the Keystone pipeline in US and Canadian news:

Corporations rarely enter political battles alone. They have long partnered with trade associations to articulate industry views, and more recently have begun routinely creating their own activist ...
A System of Education, Not Just a University: Thomas Jefferson's Philosophy of Education.

Because of the political reforms demanded by his political philosophy, Jefferson was always focused on instantiating a system of education to edify all persons according to their needs and to preve...
The Role of Glia in Sleep Regulation and Function

The cellular mechanisms governing the expression, regulation, and function of sleep are not entirely understood. The traditional view is that these mechanisms are neuronal. An alternative view is that glial brain cells may play important roles in these processes. Their ubiquity in the central nervous system makes them well positioned to modulate neuronal circuits that gate sleep and wake. Their ability to respond to chemical neuronal signals suggests that they form feedback loops with neurons that may globally regulate neuronal activity. Their potential role in detoxifying the brain, regulating neuronal metabolism, and promoting synaptic plasticity raises the intriguing possibility that glia mediate important functions ascribed to sleep.
A real-world study of clofarabine and cytarabine combination therapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia

Clofarabine and cytarabine (Clo + Ara-C) combinations have efficacy in treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We retrospectively analyzed clinical outcomes of 71 AML patients receiving Clo + Ara-C regimens at the University of Minnesota from 2011 to 2016: 44 patients (62%) had newly diagnosed AML and 27 patients (38%) had relapsed/refractory AML. The median age of patients was 69 years (interquartile range [IQR], 63-75 years). Nearly 60% of the patients had secondary AML, and about half of patients had adverse risk cytogenetics. Objective response rate (ORR) was 42% in all patients with complete remission (CR) rate of 20%. Progression-free survival (PFS) at 2 years was 16% (95% CI 8-27%) and overall survival (OS) at 2 years was 21% (95% CI 11-33%) for all patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 18%. Clo + Ara-C- containing regimens are an acceptable upfront therapy option for patients who are not candidates for "7 + 3" induction, but do not induce durable remissions.
Estimating an economic-efficient frontier for dishwasher consumer choice

Dishwashers are a ubiquitous appliance in households in the USA. They combine capital, energy, and water to provide a relevant household service, namely dishwashing. The economic efficiency of dishwashers has been previously assessed using data envelopment analysis (DEA). The approach addresses the technical efficiency of dishwashers based on possible trade-offs between capital and energy. It further draws from the technical efficiency scores an efficient frontier for dishwashing based on these two input factors. We argue that water could also be a relevant input factor to that frontier, especially from the perspective of consumer choice. We develop a DEA model that includes water as an additional input and test if adding water to the analysis contributes to the efficiency frontier. We find that water does have some effect on the frontier, as the DEA model that includes water as an input factor leads to a richer set of efficient possibilities for dishwashing, where energy and water are traded off. We rely on our method and findings to propose two approaches to inform dishwasher consumer choice. One is extending an energy label to include dishwasher water consumption, as a means to inform consumers on their possible trade-offs between energy and water consumption at different levels of appliance price and quality. The other one is disclosing the DEA efficiency scores we estimate as an indicator of the overall economic efficiency of each dishwasher model.
Black Hole Mergers From Globular Clusters Observable by LISA I: Eccentric Sources Originating From Relativistic N-body Dynamics

We show that nearly half of all binary black hole (BBH) mergers dynamically assembled in globular clusters have measurable eccentricities (e > 0.01) in the LISA band (10^−2 Hz), when General Relativistic corrections are properly included in the N-body evolution. If only Newtonian gravity is included, the derived fraction of eccentric LISA sources is significantly lower, which explains why recent studies all have greatly underestimated this fraction. Our findings have major implications for how to observationally distinguish between BBH formation channels using eccentricity with LISA, which is one of the key science goals of the mission. We illustrate that the relatively large population of eccentric LISA sources reported here originates from BBHs that merge between hardening binary–single interactions inside their globular cluster. These results indicate a bright future for using LISA to probe the origin of BBH mergers.
Hang doctor: runtime detection and diagnosis of soft hangs for smartphone apps

A critical quality factor for smartphone apps is responsiveness, which indicates how fast an app reacts to user actions. A soft hang occurs when the app's response time of handling a certain user action is longer than a user-perceivable delay. Soft hangs can be caused by normal User Interface (UI) rendering or some blocking operations that should not be conducted on the app's main thread (i.e., soft hang bugs). Existing solutions on soft hang bug detection focus mainly on offline app code examination to find previously known blocking operations and then move them off the main thread. Unfortunately, such offline solutions can fail to identify blocking operations that are previously unknown or hidden in libraries. In this paper, we present Hang Doctor, a runtime methodology that supplements the existing offline algorithms by detecting and diagnosing soft hangs caused by previously unknown blocking operations. Hang Doctor features a two-phase algorithm that first checks response time and performance event counters for detecting possible soft hang bugs with small overheads, and then performs stack trace analysis when diagnosis is necessary. A novel soft hang filter based on correlation analysis is designed to minimize false positives and negatives for high detection performance and low overhead. We have implemented a prototype of Hang Doctor and tested it with the latest releases of 114 real-world apps. Hang Doctor has identified 34 new soft hang bugs that are previously unknown to their developers, among which 62%, so far, have been confirmed by the developers, and 68% are missed by offline algorithms.