cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computerized tomography angiography by direct intra-aortic low volume contrast injection in patients being evaluated for EVAR.

Background Computerized tomography angiography is an important tool for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm planning. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of computerized tomography angiography using direct intra-aortic injection of low volume of iodinated contrast in patients being considered for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. Design A 5F high-flow angiographic catheter was positioned in the mid-thoracic aorta through femoral percutaneous access. Computerized tomography angiography was performed with image acquisition starting simultaneously with power injection of 10 mL of iopamidol 76% diluted with normal saline to 50 mL, at 6 mL/s through the angiographic catheter. Aortic enhancement was assessed with a circular region-of-interest within the aorta. Values ≥150 HU were considered adequate. Results Nine patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and chronic renal dysfunction underwent computerized tomography angiography with intra-arterial contrast injection for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm planning. Mean age 78.8 ± 5.0 years, mean baseline creatinine 1.8 ± 0.4 mg/dL and mean glomerular filtration rate 36.8 ± 4.2 mL/min. Adequate computerized tomography angiography aortic enhancement was obtained in all cases (mean intra-aortic density: 300.4 ± 72.8 HU). The total contrast volume used for the computerized tomography angiography and the endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm combined was 30.0 ± 21.4 mL. Seventy-five percent of the patients received ≤30 mL of contrast. No significant renal function deterioration occurred (creatinine clearance pre- and post-procedure 36.8 ± 4.2 mL/min versus 38.6 ± 6.1 mL/min, p = 0.32). Successful endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm was achieved in eight patients. One patient underwent open treatment based on computerized tomography angiography information. No endoleak or aneurysm growth occurred (median follow-up: 121 days (range 36-1242)). Conclusion Direct intra-aortic injection of low volume of iodinated contrast provides adequate and reproducible pattern of aortic enhancement on computerized tomography angiography. The computerized tomography angiography so acquired can be used for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm limiting the total volume of iodinated contrast required.
Associations between community sociodemographics and performance in HEDIS quality measures: A study of 22 medical centers in a primary care network

Evaluation and payment for health plans and providers have been increasingly tied to their performance on quality metrics, which can be influenced by patient- and community-level sociodemographic factors. The aim of this study was to examine whether performance on Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) measures varied as a function of community sociodemographic characteristics at the primary care clinic level. Twenty-two primary care sites of a large multispecialty group practice were studied during the period of April 2013 to June 2016. Significant associations were found between sites' performance on selected HEDIS measures and their neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics. Outcome measures had stronger associations with sociodemographic factors than did process measures, with a range of significant correlation coefficients (absolute value, regardless of sign) from 0.44 to 0.72. Sociodemographic factors accounted for as much as 25% to 50% of the observed variance in measures such as HbA1c or blood pressure control.
Abstract 269: Duo-impairment of the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System and Autophagy by Ablation of COP9 Signalosome Subunit 8 Activates a Programmed Necrosis Pathway Mediated by RIP1-RIP3 Kinases but not Cyclophilin D-regulated Mitochondrial Membrane Permeability

Programmed cell death includes apoptosis and programmed necrosis (AKA, necroptosis). A well-recognized feature of necrosis is the loss of membrane integrity of the dying cell. Cells undergoing apoptosis, however, maintain their membrane integrity. We previously reported massive cardiomyocyte (CM) necrosis, before increased apoptosis is discernible, in mouse hearts with cardiomyocyte-restricted knockout of the COP9 signalosome subunit 8 (CR-Csn8KO). This is associated with defective autophagosome maturation and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) dysfunction. Consequently, mice with perinatal CR-Csn8KO develop rapidly dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and die prematurely. The present study sought to search for the mechanisms underlying the CM necrosis. Here our immunoprecipitation revealed significant increases of RIP1-interacted RIP3 in CR-Csn8KO myocardium, indicative of activation of the RIP1-RIP3 pathway. The RIP1-RIP3 pathway is known to mediate necroptosis. To further test whether RIP1 activation plays an essential role in CM necrosis in CR-Csn8KO mice, we treated the mice with a RIP1 kinase specific inhibitor necrostatin-1 (Nec-1) or vehicle control via osmotic mini-pump implanted in the peritoneal cavity at 2 weeks of age. Nec-1 significantly suppressed CM necrosis as measured by the positivity of Evan’s blue dye (EBD) uptake (p<0.00001), prevented left ventricle dilatation (p<0.05) at 3 weeks, and delayed premature death of the CR-Csn8KO mice (p=0.0072). These results demonstrate that CM necrosis in CR-Csn8KO mice is necroptosis in which the RIP1-RIP3 kinases-mediated pathway plays a major pathogenic role, and that CM necroptosis is the primary cause of DCM and mouse premature death. Increased mitochondrial membrane permeability, which can be suppressed by inhibition of cyclophilin D, has been shown to play a critical mediating role in myocytes necrosis. Hence, we cross-bred CR-Csn8KO mice with cyclophilin D knockout mice and obtained the Kaplan-Meier survival curve. Unexpectedly, cyclophilin D deficiency exacerbated the premature death of CR-Csn8KO mice (p=0.007), indicating that cyclophilin D regulated mitochondrial membrane permeability does not play an important role in CM necrosis in CR-Csn8KO mouse hearts.
The metabolic heterogeneity of rabbit ear cartilage chondroitin sulphate

The only glycosaminoglycans that can be isolated from the ear cartilage of 2-month-old rabbits are chondroitin 4-sulphate and chondroitin 6-sulphate. These chondroitin sulphates exhibit molecular-weight polydispersity when isolated from tissue by papain digestion. The chondroitin sulphate is metabolically heterogeneous in that radioactive precursors [(14)C]glucose or [(35)S]sulphate are preferentially incorporated into the higher-molecular-weight polymers both in vivo and in vitro. No transfer of radioactivity from the high-molecular-weight chondroitin sulphate to the low-molecular-weight chondroitin sulphate was seen during 15 days in vivo. It is suggested that there are at least two pools of proteoglycan in the tissue. One of these pools is metabolically active whereas the other is not.
Biomechanical and Hemodynamic Measures of Right Ventricular Diastolic Function: Translating Tissue Biomechanics to Clinical Relevance

American Heart Association [10BGIA3790022]; Pittsburgh Foundation [M2010-0052]; National Institutes of Health [P01 HL103455]
An in vitro oxygen–glucose deprivation model for studying ischemia–reperfusion injury of neuronal cells

Ischemia-reperfusion syndromes of the heart and brain are the leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. Development of effective treatments for myocardial infarction, stroke, cardiac arrest and their sequelae requires preclinical models that replicate specific features of ischemia-reperfusion. The complexities of intact animals, including the integrated function of organ systems, autonomic innervation and endocrine factors, often preclude detailed study of specific components of ischemia-reperfusion injury cascades. Ischemia represents the interruption of metabolic fuel and oxygen delivery to support cellular oxidative metabolism; reintroduction of oxygen upon reperfusion of ischemic tissue triggers oxidative stress which initiates the reperfusion injury cascade culminating in injury and death of cells and tissues. Thus, cultured cells subjected to hypoxia, fuel deprivation and reoxygenation replicate the cardinal features of ischemia-reperfusion, while accommodating interventions such as siRNA suppression of specific genes and pharmacological activation or inhibition of signaling cascades that are not feasible in more complex preparations, especially intact animals. This chapter describes an in vitro OGD-reoxygenation cell culture model, an excellent preparation to examine the cellular mechanisms mediating ischemia-reperfusion injury and/or cytoprotection.
Posaconazole-induced hypertension and hypokalemia due to inhibition of the 11β-hydroxylase enzyme

Posaconazole is an antifungal therapy reported to cause incident hypertension. Hypokalemia is also a known side effect. The combination of hypertension and hypokalemia suggests mineralocorticoid excess. We present the case of a 15-year-old adolescent male with hypertensive urgency while on prophylactic posaconazole therapy for a combined immunodeficiency. We identify the mechanism of posaconazole-induced hypertension to be inhibition of the 11β-hydroxylase enzyme, resulting in elevated levels of the mineralocorticoid receptor activator deoxycorticosterone. Loss of function of the 11β-hydroxylase enzyme is responsible for a rare form of congenital adrenal hyperplasia and can be associated with life-threatening adrenal crisis.
Interactive Narratives, Counterfactual Thinking and Personality in Video Games

Interactive narratives in video games allow players to experience a variety of storyline pathways, inviting players to think about alternative choices that might lead to different outcomes. These branching story structures can induce counterfactual thinking, the process of forming mental representations of past events to imagine alternative outcomes. Video games can be used to track and analyze behaviors during gameplay that are indicative of cognitive processes. As a gameplay analytics approach to assessing such behaviors, video games afford the measurement of factors that may influence those behaviors. Little is known about how personality influences the use of counterfactuals. As such, the focus of the present study was to investigate the effect of the Big Five personality traits (i.e., agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, extraversion, and intellect) on in-game behaviors indicative of counterfactual thinking (CFT). Participants (N = 132) played an interactive, narrative-based video game twice. In-game behaviors indicative of CFT (i.e., changes in answer choices across gameplays) were coded and analyzed to determine whether they were dependent on participants’ in-game experiences (i.e., outcomes and valence of answer choices) and individual differences (i.e., personality dimensions). The outcome of failure and the valence of answer choices in the first gameplay had significant effects on CFT. The results also indicated a significant interaction between the outcome of the first gameplay and conscientiousness in their effect on CFT. Implications for these findings are discussed.
Predation in Seagrass Beds

The ability of leaves, roots, and rhizomes to reduce the rate of predation on associated animals is as well studied as any topic having to do with seagrass beds, and is one of the major tenets of the seagrass ‘nursery role hypothesis’ (Beck et al., 2001). The past two decades have each produced detailed reviews of the effects of seagrasses on the outcome of predator–prey interactions (e.g. Heck and Orth, 1980; Orth et al., 1984; Heck and Crowder, 1991; Orth, 1992; Bartholomew et al., 2000; Hemminga and Duarte, 2000; Williams and Heck, 2001). In addition, Duffy and Hay (2001) have written a comprehensive overview of consumer–prey relationships in marine environments. Although the major conclusions of these reviews, that seagrass leaves, roots, and rhizomes reduce the rate of predation on both mobile and sessile animals, whether they are infaunal or epifaunal, have remained unchallenged, new issues have been raised. In this chapter, we first summarize the previous generalizations that continue to be supported by recent work, and then focus attention on results that challenge the conventional wisdom on predator–prey interactions in seagrass meadows. Throughout, we provide suggestions for studies that seem to be capable of resolving controversies or breaking new ground.
Transition Metal Ions as Probes of the Molecular Electrostatic Potential: The Case for the Nucleic Acid Bases Cytosine and Guanine

It has long been recognized that the point of attack of diverse electrophiles (e.g., protons, alkyl cations, alkali metal and alkaline earth cations, and transition metal ions in various coordination geometries and formal oxidation states) on a base is largely dependent on the global potential created in the space surrounding the base by the nuclear charges and the molecular electronic distribution. The electrostatic (Coulombic) part of the total interaction energy of an electrophile and a base is derivable from a knowledge of the distribution of the charge on the electrophile and the molecular electrostatic potential of the base. At moderate-to-large separation distances between the electrophile and the base, the electrostatic component of the total energy of interaction is expected to dominate and possibly to be determinative of the site of attack.
Endocanalicular laser dacryocystorhinostomy analysis of 118 consecutive surgeries.

Purpose To describe the outcomes of endocanalicular laser dacryocystorhinostomy (ECL DCR) for patients with nasolacrimal duct obstruction (NLDO). Design Retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. Participants One hundred eight consecutive patients who underwent ECL DCR. Methods The records of the patients who underwent ECL DCR at 1 of 2 academic centers were reviewed and the data analyzed. Main Outcome Measures Success was defined as the resolution of symptoms or unobstructed lacrimal irrigation. Results One hundred eighteen consecutive ECL DCR surgeries performed on 108 patients between June 1997 and June 2003 were reviewed, excluding 6 lost to follow-up. Endocanalicular laser DCR was the initial surgical intervention for all cases except 6 that had previously undergone surgery (external or endonasal DCR) at outside hospitals. Twenty-seven of the surgeries were considered failures on the basis of recurrent epiphora or discharge, or reflux on nasolacrimal irrigation. One of the failures was permanently corrected with balloon dacryoplasty. Nine of the other failures had a repeat procedure, with 7 remaining patent after one repeat procedure and an additional one remaining patent after a third procedure. All 6 ECL DCR procedures that were performed after external or endonasal DCR at an outside institution remained patent. Among the 102 initial lacrimal surgeries in this series, there was a 73.6% success rate. The overall success, including repeat procedures, was 81.5%. The success of this technique as a repeat procedure after previous external, endonasal, or ECL DCRs was 87.5%. Conclusions Endocanalicular laser DCR offers a minimally invasive alternative procedure for the treatment of NLDO. In our series, the success rates are comparable to those previously reported. The technique had a high success rate when used to treat recurrent NLDO after previous lacrimal surgery.
Representation of frequency modulation in the primary auditory cortex of New World monkeys

Vocalizations are the primary means of communication among non-human primates. Indeed, among New World monkeys, such as the squirrel monkey and owl monkey, vocalizations may take many forms, such as cackles, growls, trills, twitters, etc. (Winter et al. 1966; Jurgens 1986; Wang et al. 1995; Jurgens 1998). Thus each species has many stereotyped communication calls in its vocal repertoire, each communicating some unique information to other members of its social environment. In this study we quantitatively described the responses of the primary auditory cortex (AI) of the anesthetized squirrel monkey and awake owl monkey to tone bursts, random tone pips, and frequency modulated sinusoids (FM sweeps) - sounds whose frequency content is stationary or whose frequency content changes smoothly over time from one frequency to another, respectively. FM sweeps serve as simplifications of the frequency transitions that are present in many natural monkey calls. Discerning how these sweeps are represented across the auditory cortex allows us to see if there is a systematic and orderly representation of this parameter in AI. This study is unique in that it employs highly dense mapping of neurons throughout the extent of AI in the squirrel monkey and single unit recording in the awake owl monkey. While we previously showed that there is a precise and systematic map of CF and bandwidth across AI of the squirrel monkey (Cheung et al. 2001) the picture for FM sweep processing is less clear. We discuss the spatial organization of FM sweep responses as well as the population responses for both species.
Venous Thromboembolism in the Neurologic Intensive Care Unit

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a particular risk to the critically ill neurology or neurosurgical patient, regardless of inciting event. The clinical consequences of VTE have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality, yet there remains a significant variability of clinical practice, for both detection and prophylaxis. This is in part due to the paucity of data from randomized clinical trials that has resulted in a lack of clear clinical guidelines. Additionally, the risk of both prophylactic and therapeutic anticoagulation is more substantial in this particular patient population. This chapter discusses current data regarding risk assessment, prevention, and treatment of VTE. Ultimately, until further higher level evidence is available, the safest approach may be to individualize each patient’s care and subsequently choose VTE prophylaxis or treatment based on that patient’s particular risk/benefit assessment.
The Latest in IOLs: Light Adjustable and Trifocal IOLs—Experience from Aboard

To investigate the latest findings in the field of intraocular lenses and their future development. The idea of intraocular lenses (IOLs) has changed the clinical practice of cataract surgery over the last 50 years. Technology and scientific studies have created IOLs of different designs, with ultraviolet filters for UV protection, different types of haptics to ensure stability, multifocal designs for distant, and near vision. IOLs’ development is fast and it is time to explore the new designs and their usefulness. The newest data from the IOL field are on light adjustable and trifocal IOLs, which are presented herein and are expected to change our perspective and lead the way in even more complicated and useful IOLs.
When virginity matters: age and mating status affect female responsiveness in crickets

Behavioural assays in which animals recognize, localize or discriminate among signals are broadly useful for answering an array of biological questions, but results can be sensitive to the characteristics of individuals, including age and mating status. Researchers may prefer to use young, unmated individuals in experiments both to control for the effects of mating and because younger and unmated individuals may respond more often or more quickly. In natural contexts, virgin females are likely to behave differently than mated females, especially in animals that store sperm for future use, because the costs and benefits of mating are different for these two groups. In species in which multiple mating is common, individuals are much more likely to have mated at least once at the time of any given mating event than they are to be virgins, suggesting the use of virgin subjects in experiments is not reflective of most natural mating decisions. We conducted a literature review to sample the methods employed in empirical studies that use crickets in phonotaxis assays. Many studies draw conclusions based only on virgins, and methods vary widely with respect to the age of individual subjects. We then conducted an empirical study of the effect of mating status and age on female phonotaxis behaviour in Teleogryllus oceanicus, the Pacific field cricket. Our results show that both age and mating status affect some commonly used measures of female responsiveness in phonotaxis assays: older females begin moving more quickly in phonotaxis tests, while virgins have shorter response latencies. These findings are consistent with the idea that the cost of remaining unmated increases with age, and that virgin females benefit from an initial mating more than mated females benefit from additional matings.
Infinite and discrete halogen bonded assemblies based upon 1,2-bis(iodoethynyl)benzene

The ability to form both infinite and discrete co-crystals based upon 1,2-bis(iodoethynyl)benzene as a halogen bond donor has been realized. The various co-crystals are held together by I⋯N halogen bonds from the donor to either a symmetrical bipyridine or an unsymmetrical monopyridine-based acceptor producing a one-dimensional wave-like polymer or discrete assembly, respectively.
The Missionary Theology of D. T. Niles

D. T. Niles is best known for his often-quoted definition of evangelism, “one beggar telling another beggar where to get food.” Yet few seem to be aware of the scope of his missionary theology. His...
Children Abducted and Missing During Child Custody

In this chapter, the Missing Person Project (MPP) results are used to investigate which factors may affect the ways in which family members, friends, community residents and leaders, law enforcement personnel, judges, and others view and respond to children who go missing and are abducted by family members during CC and visitation. This chapter discusses incident characteristics and the role of the law and courts in dealing with the problem of missing and kidnapped children during CC is emphasized. In addition, the traumatic impact of this child victimization is discussed.
Linguistic Maze Production by Children and Adolescents With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Purpose Previous investigations reveal that children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) produce elevated rates of linguistic mazes (i.e., filled pauses, repetitions, revisions, and/or abandoned utterances) in expressive language samples (Redmond, 2004). The current study aimed to better understand maze use of children and adolescents with ADHD with a focus on the specific maze types produced in different language sampling contexts based on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2; Lord et al., 2012). Method Participants included twenty-five 4- to 13-year-olds with a confirmed diagnosis of ADHD. Each participant completed the ADOS to provide narrative and conversational language samples. Research assistants transcribed at least 100 utterances from the ADOS using Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (Miller & Chapman, 2000) conventions. Dependent variables included the rates of repetitions, revisions, filled pauses, content mazes (Thordardottir & Ellis Weismer, 2002), and stalls (Rispoli, 2003; Rispoli, Hadley, & Holt, 2008) produced in narrative and conversational portions of the ADOS. Results In the full sample, participants produced a significantly greater rate of revisions than filled pauses (p = .01) and repetitions (p < .01). Participants also produced a significantly lower rate of filled pauses than content mazes (p < .01). Across contexts, participants produced a higher rate of filled pauses in conversational versus narrative contexts. Age was positively correlated with revisions and content mazes. Mean length of utterance was positively correlated with revisions, repetitions, and context mazes. Expressive language ability was positively correlated with filled pauses and stalls. Conclusion The children and adolescents in our sample demonstrated a unique profile of maze use. Sampling context had a limited influence on maze use, whereas maze use was impacted by age, mean length of utterance, and expressive language ability. Study findings highlight the importance of analyzing maze types separately rather than as a single category.
Unlocking applications of cell-free biotechnology through enhanced shelf-life and productivity of E. coli extracts

Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a platform biotechnology that enables a breadth of applications. However, field applications remain limited due to the poor shelf-stability of aqueous cell ext...
Machine Learning-Guided Three-Dimensional Printing of Tissue Engineering Scaffolds

Various material compositions have been successfully used in 3D printing with promising applications as scaffolds in tissue engineering. However, identifying suitable printing conditions for new materials requires extensive experimentation in a time and resource-demanding process. This study investigates the use of Machine Learning (ML) for distinguishing between printing configurations that are likely to result in low-quality prints and printing configurations that are more promising as a first step toward the development of a recommendation system for identifying suitable printing conditions. The ML-based framework takes as input the printing conditions regarding the material composition and the printing parameters and predicts the quality of the resulting print as either "low" or "high." We investigate two ML-based approaches: a direct classification-based approach that trains a classifier to distinguish between low- and high-quality prints and an indirect approach that uses a regression ML model that approximates the values of a printing quality metric. Both modes are built upon Random Forests. We trained and evaluated the models on a dataset that was generated in a previous study, which investigated fabrication of porous polymer scaffolds by means of extrusion-based 3D printing with a full-factorial design. Our results show that both models were able to correctly label the majority of the tested configurations while a simpler linear ML model was not effective. Additionally, our analysis showed that a full factorial design for data collection can lead to redundancies in the data, in the context of ML, and we propose a more efficient data collection strategy.
Leveling Up: Women Academic Librarians’ Career Progression in Management Positions

This study explored how women academic librarians in management described their career progression compared to those who are not in management positions. Women librarians working full-time in academic libraries were surveyed about their career experiences to explore what barriers they faced in pursuing or persisting in management positions, as well as their perceptions of the factors necessary for success in such positions. After collecting 224 online surveys, 37 semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of these librarians to provide context for their survey answers. Understanding women academic librarians’ perceptions of their careers, especially with regard to barriers that may discourage them from advancing to management positions as well as factors that may help them succeed, can provide insight into how to better support women in management in academic libraries.
Moving the California distributed CMS xcache from bare metal into containers using Kubernetes

The University of California system maintains excellent networking between its campuses and a number of other Universities in California, including Caltech, most of them being connected at 100 Gbps. UCSD and Caltech Tier2 centers have joined their disk systems into a single logical caching system, with worker nodes from both sites accessing data from disks at either site. This successful setup has been in place for the last two years. However, coherently managing nodes at multiple physical locations is not trivial and requires an update on the operations model used. The Pacific Research Platform (PRP) provides Kubernetes resource pool spanning resources in the science demilitarized zones (DMZs) in several campuses in California and worldwide. We show how we migrated the XCache services from bare-metal deployments into containers using the PRP cluster. This paper presents the reasoning behind our hardware decisions and the experience in migrating to and operating in a mixed environment.
“Numbers Have Such Pretty Names”: Gertrude Stein’s Mathematical Poetics

This chapter examines Stein’s evolving representations of mathematics as a way to understand her aesthetic motivations and resolve ongoing debates over whether she is a “true” modernist or a prescient postmodernist. Placing her work alongside contemporaneous mathematicians reframes the existent tension between determinacy and indeterminacy in her work as a defining characteristic of both modern literary and mathematical inquiry rather than as a divisive wedge separating rival literary or mathematical paradigms. Stein’s connection to her mathematical contemporaries—namely, Bertrand Russell, Alfred North Whitehead, Georg Cantor, Gottleb Frege, and theoretical physicist Niels Bohr—is not only their search for order, precision, and determinacy, but also their struggle over the representational limits of language and an awareness of the interdependency of ordinary language and mathematics.
Interhospital Transport of Children with Peripheral Venous Catheters by Personal Vehicle

Purpose: Most children seeking emergency care are initially evaluated in community EDs, yet many require secondary transport to a tertiary care center for further management. Interhospital transport via ambulance vs. patient’s own vehicle (POV) is considered depending on a patient’s clinical needs and physiologic stability; however, it is routine practice to transport stable patients by ambulance based solely on the presence of a peripheral vascular catheter (PIV). Though not yet formally studied, commonly cited barriers to pediatric transport by POV include caregiver satisfaction, patient safety/comfort, and potential PIV complications. The purpose of this study is to …
Impact of the Knowledge and Attitudes of a Support Person on Maternal Feeding Choice

Breastfeeding rates among urban, low-income populations are lower than the national average, creating a health disparity that greatly impacts mothers and children. Social support can affect breastfeeding initiation and duration both positively and negatively. This study aimed to determine the impact of the presence of a support person, as well as the breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes of that support person, on both a mother’s feeding …
Improving thermally-limited burst performance of microprocessors using high conductivity graphite spreaders

Mobile personal computing comes in various form factors such as clamshells, convertibles, tablets, dual screen laptops etc. These systems are no longer used for simple tasks such as video playback or reading but are expected to perform under several multi-tasking and content creation applications. Snappiness of response such as opening a spreadsheet or browser window quickly are dictated by how much burst power the thermal envelope of microprocessor can handle in addition to the steady state power it is designed for. In thin and light form factors, with weight and thinness of thermal solution being critical, graphite spreaders are considered due to their flexibility to route, assemble and inherent high conductivity. In this paper, we study the transient behavior of directly attaching graphite on existing passive spreaders such as copper plates. A detailed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of a detachable tablet device was constructed, and simulations were performed for various cases. Results indicate that, using high conductivity low density graphite can provide up to 40% improvement in burst performance of processors. In addition, the concept of having a direct flexible graphite spreader as the main thermal spreader was also studied to enable thinner and lighter thermal envelopes. It was observed that graphite spreaders have a potential for improving burst performance in low power mobile computing form factors of current and future generations.
An Overview of the Development of Specific Inhibitors of Complement: Opportunities for Therapy of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria

The erythrocytes of PNH are abnormally sensitive to complementmediated lysis because they lack the two proteins (CD55 and CD59) that normally control the activity of complement on the cell surface. The hemolytic anemia of PNH is complement-mediated, but the mechanism by which complement induces spontaneous lysis of PNH RBC in vivo is speculative. Further, the basis of the greater hemolysis that occurs during sleep remains enigmatic, and it is unclear if aberrant regulation of complement underlies other symptoms of PNH. Currently available therapy for the hemolysis of PNH is suboptimal. Over the last decade, inhibitors have been developed that target the most critical functional sites of the complement cascade. These reagents have therapeutic potential in PNH. Ideally, the efficacy and safety of these inhibitors would be tested in an animal model of PNH to determine the optimal conditions and disease specific sites for complement inactivation. Due to differences in the mechanisms by which complement is regulated on murine cells, however, currently available transgenic mouse models of PNH are unlikely to be uninformative for these purposes. In the absence of an appropriate animal model, participation in phase I and phase II human trials appears to be the best available mechanism for developing a therapeutic strategy for complement inhibition in PNH. Careful analysis of the effects of these inhibitors will provide important insights into role of complement in the protean clinical manifestations of PNH.
A simple multiply robust estimator for missing response problem

A multiply robust estimator for a missing response problem is recently proposed that is more robust than doubly robust estimators proposed in the literature. Its formulation is based on empirical likelihood, which solves an implicit Lagrangian equation and often encounters computational problems such as multiple roots or nonconvergence. An alternative multiply robust estimator is proposed, which is computed by least squares and can be implemented easily in practice. We show that this multiply robust estimator is locally semiparametric efficient.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Deregulated expression of c-Myc depletes epidermal stem cells.

The β-catenin/TCF signaling pathway is essential for the maintenance of epithelial stem cells in the small intestine1. c-Myc a downstream target of β-catenin/TCF (ref. 2), can induce differentiation of epidermal stem cells in vitro3. To determine the role of c-Myc in epidermal stem cells in vivo, we have targeted expression of human MYC2 to the hair follicles and the basal layer of mouse epidermis using a keratin 14 vector (K14.MYC2). Adult K14.MYC2 mice gradually lose their hair and develop spontaneous ulcerated lesions due to a severe impairment in wound healing; their keratinocytes show impaired migration in response to wounding. The expression of β1 integrin, which is preferentially expressed in epidermal stem cells4 is unusually low in the epidermis of K14.MYC2 mice. Label-retaining analysis to identify epidermal stem cells reveals a 75% reduction in the number of stem cells in 3-month-old K14.MYC2 mice, compared with wildtype mice. We conclude that deregulated expression of c-Myc in stem cells reduces β1 integrin expression, which is essential to both keratinocyte migration and stem cell maintenance.
Hamiltonian increasing paths in random edge orderings

If the edges of the complete graph $K_n$ are totally ordered, a simple path whose edges are in ascending order is called increasing. The worst-case length of the longest increasing path has remained an open problem for several decades, with asymptotic bounds between $\sqrt{n}$ (Graham and Kleitman, 1973) and $n/2$ (Calderbank, Chung, and Sturtevant, 1984). We consider the average case, when the ordering is chosen uniformly at random. We discover the surprising result that in the random setting, an increasing path of the maximum possible length of $n-1$ exists with probability at least about $1/e$. We also prove that with probability $1-o(1)$, there is an increasing path of length at least $0.85n$, suggesting that this Hamiltonian (or near-Hamiltonian) phenomenon may hold asymptotically almost surely.
Optimal multiproxy reconstruction of sea surface temperature from corals

[1] Past sea surface temperatures have been reconstructed using coral measurements of single geochemical proxies. There is some interest in improving reconstruction by combining results from different proxies. The construction of the optimal multiproxy reconstruction is described. The approach is illustrated using some data from New Caledonia.
Distributions of Fission Neutron Numbers

It is shown, on reasonable assumptions as to the distribution of excitation energy among fission fragments, that the probabilities ${P}_{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ of observing $\ensuremath{\nu}$ neutrons from fission are given approximately, in cumulative form, by the "Gaussian" distribution, $\ensuremath{\Sigma}\stackrel{\ensuremath{\nu}}{n=0}{P}_{n}={(2\ensuremath{\pi})}^{\ensuremath{-}\frac{1}{2}}\ensuremath{\int}{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\infty}}^{\frac{(\ensuremath{\nu}\ensuremath{-}\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}+\frac{1}{2}+b)}{\ensuremath{\sigma}}}\mathrm{exp}(\ensuremath{-}\frac{{t}^{2}}{2})dt.$ In this equation $\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ is the average number of neutrons, related to the average total excitation, $b$ is a small adjustment ($bl{10}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$), and $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ is the root-mean-square width of the distribution of total excitation in units of the average excitation energy change ${E}_{0}$ per emitted neutron. It is shown that all experimental data on neutron emission probabilities are reasonably well represented by this distribution with $\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\cong}1.08$, with the exception of ${\mathrm{Cf}}^{252}$, which requires $\ensuremath{\sigma}=1.21\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01$. An estimate that ${E}_{0}=6.7\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.7$ Mev gives an excitation energy distribution and a rate of change of $\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}$ with incident neutron energy ($\frac{d\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}}{d{E}_{n}}\ensuremath{\cong}\frac{1}{{E}_{0}}$) in reasonable accord with experiment. These conclusions should also hold approximately for fission induced by higher energy neutrons, in which case a few neutrons may be emitted before fission.
The esophageal obturator airway: A study of respiratory effectiveness

The respiratory effectiveness of esophageal obturator airway (EOA) ventilation versus endotracheal tube (ET) ventilation was compared in 22 patients experiencing cardiopulmonary arrest in a prehospital setting. Arterial blood gas analyses were performed on each patient after initial ventilation with the EOA and again after ET insertion and ventilation. For the entire study population, there was no significant difference ( P > .05) in PO 2 or pH measurements. There was a significant difference ( P 2 s. Patients admitted to the coronary care unit demonstrated no difference in any parameter of blood gas measurements. In patients declared dead in the emergency department, there was a statistically significant difference in PCO 2 levels, which were lower with ET ventilation. All other parameters showed no significant difference. In general, when blood gas analyses were good or bad with the EOA, they were similarly good or bad with ET ventilation, whether the patient lived or died. Fifty-five percent of patients showed a decrease in PO 2 after ET intubation and 73% demonstrated a decrease in PCO 2 after ET intubation. Patients who left the emergency department alive had shorter apnea to EOA insertion times than did those declared dead in the emergency area. Although the EOA does not replace ET ventilation, this study demonstrates that esophageal airway ventilation is as effective as endotracheal intubation in the emergency department setting.
Rate constants for ion pair formation and dissociation in water

Abstract The reactive flux time correlation function for an associating ion pair in water is obtained by computer simulation. The transmission coefficient is found directly from the reactive flux and also through the method of absorbing barriers. Rate constants for the transitions between the contact and solvent-separated states of the ion pair are calculated.
Endoparasites of the northern pocket gopher from Wyoming.

Forty-six northern pocket gophers, Thomomys talpoides, were collected in Park County, Wyoming. The following prevalence of endoparasites was found: Eimeria thomomysis — 52%, Eimeria fitzgeraldi — 4%, cysticerci — 2% Parano-plocephala infrequens — 15%, Paranoplocephala variabilis — 38%, Paranoplocephala spp. — 46%, Ransomus rodentorum — 81%, Longistriata vexillata — 4%, Protospirura ascaroidea — 4%, Trichuris fossor — 65%, and Capillaria hepatica — 39%.
High-affinity peptide-based anticancer vaccination to overcome resistance to immunostimulatory antibodies

We tested how to eradicate long-established immunogenic tumors that were resistant to the monoclonal antibody-mediated blockade of PD-L1 (PD-1 ligand 1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4). Bacterial vaccination with a tumor-specific peptide exhibiting a high affinity for its respective MHC molecule consistently eradicated tumors when combined with a PD-L1 blocking antibody. This approach can be translated to the clinic by combining cancer cell whole-exome sequencing with algorithms to identify mutant peptides with high peptide-MHC binding affinity.
On the composition of processes

We describe a model of net-connected processes that amounts to a reformulation of a model derived by Brock and Ackerman from the Kahn-McQueen model of processes as relations on streams of data. The reformulation leads directly to a straightforward definition of process composition. Our notion of processes and their composition constitutes a natural generalization of the notion of functions and their composition. We apply this definition of process composition to the development of an algebra of processes, which we propose as supplying a formal semantics for a language whose domain of discourse includes nets of interconnected processes. This in turn leads us to logics of such nets, about which we raise three open and fundamental problems: existence of a finite basis for the operations of the language, finite axiomatizability of the equational theory, and decidability of this theory. A natural generalization of the model deals with the time complexity of computations.
Retract rational fields and cyclic Galois extensions

In [23], this author began a study of so-called lifting and approximation problems for Galois extensions. One primary point was the connection between these problems and Noether’s problem. In [24], a similar sort of study was begun for central simple algebras, with a connection to the center of generic matrices. In [25], the notion of retract rational field extension was defined, and a connection with lifting questions was claimed, which was used to complete the results in [23] and [24] about Noether's problem and generic matrices. In this paper we, first of all, set up a language which can be used to discuss lifting problems for very general “linear structures”. Retract rational extensions are defined, and proofs of their basic properties are supplied, including their connection with lifting. We also determine when the function fields of algebraic tori are retract rational, and use this to further study Noether’s problem and cyclic 2-power Galois extensions. Finally, we use the connection with lifting to show that ifp is a prime, then the center of thep degree generic division algebra is retract rational over the ground field.
Adhesion and matrix in vertebrate development

The extracellular matrix supports the adhesion and migration of cells during morphogenesis and influences cell differentiation. Cell interactions with the extracellular matrix are mediated in large part by members of the integrin family of cell-surface receptors. Recent progress in this area has resulted in the identification of multiple integrins, many of which are expressed in position-specific patterns during vertebrate development. The contributions of these receptors to specific developmental events are now being investigated in a variety of systems using a combination of genetic, molecular and immunological approaches.
Dextranomer/Hyaluronic Acid for Vesicoureteral Reflux: Success Rates After Initial Treatment Failure

Purpose: Following Food and Drug Administration approval of Dx/HA there has been increasing interest in the endoscopic management of VUR. Currently, there are few data regarding the success rates of repeat injection. We recently published our success rates for a group of children following initial Dx/HA treatment, and herein report the success rate of a subgroup of children undergoing repeat injection.Materials and Methods: We queried our database to identify all children undergoing a second Dx/HA injection for the treatment of VUR at our institution. VUR grades as determined by VCUG before and after the second treatment were specifically noted. Success was defined as the complete absence of VUR by VCUG.Results: A total of 42 children (37 girls and 5 boys) with a mean age of 5 years underwent a second Dx/HA treatment for VUR after initial treatment failure. Complete followup was available for 39 patients (53 ureters). Before the second injection 14 patients had bilateral and 25 had unilateral VUR, with a ...
Effect of ultraviolet (UV-B) irradiation on infection of roses by Diplocarpon rosae wolf

Abstract Rose plants and conidia of Diplocarpon rosae were not affected by a 4-fold increase over ambient UV-B (280–320 nm). This high level of UV-B radiation between 6 and 18 hr after a drop of inoculum was placed on leaves decreased infection. The sensitive entity was the conidium germ tube before it penetrated the leaf.
Evaluating Strawberry Breeding Selections for Field and Postharvest Fruit Decay

Fruit from the annual replicated yield assessments for the USDA-ARS strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier) breeding program at Beltsville, MD in 2010 were evaluated for postharvest dec...
Consultation psychiatry in an Italian child guidance center: a report on 200 referrals.

A consective unselected series of 200 children referred for psychiatric consultation to an Italian Child Guidance Center is included in this study. All diagnoses were made in accord with the third edition of the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” (DSM III). Functional enuresis was the most common psychiatric disturbance (15 percent), followed by developmental reading disorder (14.5 percent) and mild mental retardation (12.5 percent). There was no case of attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (hyperkinetic syndrome). All depressions were consequences of another disorder and remitted when the child received attention and care. In 20.5 percent of cases no psychiatric diagnosis was made and the child apparently had been referred because of emotional problems in the parent.
Soil Drainage Influence on Biomass and Nitrogen Accumulation by Ryegrass

Grasslands are the basis for a stable agriculture in the Northeast USA. However, knowledge of interactive effects of soil drainage and N fertilization on grassland production in this region remains scant. Our objective was to quantify the effect of soil drainage on grassland biomass production and N accumulation. The study was conducted for 2 yr on a floodplain site in central Pennsylvania on two soils selected for extreme drainage conditions. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L. cv. Bastion) was treated with a split application (50% in mid-April, 50% in mid-July) of 0, 84, 168 and 252 kg N ha −1 of 15 N depleted NH 4 O 3 . Biweekly biomass samples were taken starting mid-May of each year and continuing until the grass headed and all herbage was removed from the plots [...]