cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AffyMiner: mining differentially expressed genes and biological knowledge in GeneChip microarray data.

Background: DNA microarrays are a powerful tool for monitoring the expression of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously. With the advance of microarray technology, the challenge issue becomes how to analyze a large amount of microarray data and make biological sense of them. Affymetrix GeneChips are widely used microarrays, where a variety of statistical algorithms have been explored and used for detecting significant genes in the experiment. These methods rely solely on the quantitative data, i.e., signal intensity; however, qualitative data are also important parameters in detecting differentially expressed genes. Results: AffyMiner is a tool developed for detecting differentially expressed genes in Affymetrix GeneChip microarray data and for associating gene annotation and gene ontology information with the genes detected. AffyMiner consists of the functional modules, GeneFinder for detecting significant genes in a treatment versus control experiment and GOTree for mapping genes of interest onto the Gene Ontology (GO) space; and interfaces to run Cluster, a program for clustering analysis, and GenMAPP, a program for pathway analysis. AffyMiner has been used for analyzing the GeneChip data and the results were presented in several publications. Conclusion: AffyMiner fills an important gap in finding differentially expressed genes in Affymetrix GeneChip microarray data. AffyMiner effectively deals with multiple replicates in the experiment and takes into account both quantitative and qualitative data in identifying significant genes. AffyMiner reduces the time and effort needed to compare data from multiple arrays and to interpret the possible biological implications associated with significant changes in a gene's expression.
Conditioning Effect of Blood Flow on Resistance Artery Smooth Muscle Myosin Phosphatase

Myosin phosphatase is the primary effector of smooth muscle relaxation and a target of signaling pathways that regulate vascular tone. The mesenteric small resistance artery and large vessel smooth muscle express distinct isoforms of the myosin phosphatase targeting subunit (MYPT1), and the isoforms in the small resistance artery switch in a disease model of altered blood flow. We thus hypothesized that small resistance artery smooth muscle phenotype is responsive to altered blood flow. To test this hypothesis alternating pairs of rat second order mesenteric arteries were ligated so that the upstream first order mesenteric artery (MA1) is under chronic low flow and the adjacent first order mesenteric artery under chronic high flow. The initial response was similar in high flow and low flow MA1, and included rapid reduction in MYPT1 and switch to the 3′ alternative exon skipped/leucine zipper positive MYPT1 isoform. Between 14 to 28 days, MYPT1 abundance was restored along with reversion to the MYPT1 leucine zipper − isoform under chronic high flow. In contrast, under continued low flow, there was further switching to the MYPT1 leucine zipper + isoform. As would be predicted based on the switch to the MYPT1 leucine zipper + isoform, the sensitivity for relaxation to the NO donor SIN-1 and to cGMP was increased in the Day28 low flow first order mesenteric artery. We conclude that pulsatile blood flow conditions the phasic program of gene expression in the small resistance artery smooth muscle. The loss of this conditioning effect significantly increases the sensitivity to vasodilator signals in the setting of chronically reduced blood flow.
What is a home range

“Home range” is a standard concept in animal ecology and behavior but few people try to understand what home ranges mean to the animals that have them and often assume that a home-range estimate, quantified using some method, is the home range. This leads to 2 problems. First, researchers put much energy into discerning and using the “best” methods for estimating home ranges while no one understands, really, what a home range is. Second, maps delineating home-range estimates may have little connection with what home ranges are and what they mean to the animals that have them. To gain insight into these problems, Roger Powell (hereafter, Roger) documented his own use of space for 65 days, obtaining complete data on where he went, what he did, and how much energy and money he expended and gained in each place. Roger's use of space is consistent with how other mammals use space and, therefore, examination of his data provides insight into what a home range is and how ecologists should approach quantifying other animals' home ranges. We present estimates of Roger's home range in 5 different metrics, or currencies, that provide important and different insights. Home-range estimators that combine different types of information to estimate the spatial distribution and qualities of resources that structure animal behavior (i.e., fitness surfaces) will probably provide the most insight into animals' home ranges. To make reasonable estimates of home ranges, researchers must collect data on habitat, resources, and other attributes of the landscape, so that they can understand basic behaviors of animals and understand how animals may view their environment. We propose that the best concept of a home range is that part of an animal's cognitive map of its environment that it chooses to keep updated.
Practical criteria for screening patients at high risk for diabetic foot ulceration.

years), foot deformities (hallux rigidus or hammer toes), male sex, poor diabetes control (glycosylated hemoglobin .9%), 1 or more subjective symptoms of neuropathy, and an elevated vibration perception threshold (.25 V) were significantly associated with foot ulceration. In addition, 59 patients (78%) with ulceration had a rigid deformity directly associated with the site of ulceration. No significant associations were noted between vascular disease, level of formal education, nephropathy, retinopathy, impaired vision, or obesity and foot ulceration on multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Neuropathy, foot deformity, high plantar pressures, and a history of amputation are significantly associated with the presence of foot ulceration. Although vascular and renal disease may result in delayed wound healing and subsequent amputation, they are not significant risk factors for the development of diabetic foot ulceration. Arch Intern Med. 1998;158:157-162
Signal Deflation and Paraunitary Constraints in Spatio-Temporal Fastica-Based Convolutive Blind Source Separation of Speech Mixtures

The FastICA algorithm of Hyvarinen and Oja is a popular procedure for blind source separation of non-convolutive signal mixtures. Recently, two different extensions of this procedure have been proposed for convolutive blind source separation of speech and other signal mixtures. In this paper, we describe the major differences and compare the performances of these approaches, illustrating how signal deflation or coefficient orthogonalization is employed to maintain uniqueness of the separated system outputs for both synthetic convolutive mixtures and speech mixtures as recorded in real-room environments. Our numerical evaluations indicate that (a) coefficient orthogonality through paraunitary constraints provide more robust estimation behavior than least-squares signal deflation with unit-norm constraints, and (b) all-pass constraints can be used to improve the perceptual quality of the extracted speech when only signal deflation is employed.
The Impact of Input Energy On the Performance Of Hydroentangled Nonwoven Fabrics

The main goal of this study is to investigate the performance behavior of hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics in terms of input water jet energy and fabric structural parameters (basis weight and fiber orientation). The input jet energy was varied by altering jet pressure, number of passes, process speed and fabric basis weight. To achieve the goal, two sets of trials, which had different jet pressures, process speeds, basis weights and number of passes, were executed to reveal the significance of these parameters in achieving high fabric tensile strength. Image analysis was used to determine the fiber orientation of the hydroentangled nonwoven fabrics to aid in understanding fabric performance behavior.
Compression response of normal and high strength pervious concrete

Abstract The last century in the construction industry has shown an increasing interest in pervious concrete, an environmentally friendly material. Although emphasis has been placed on the relationship between compressive behavior of conventional pervious concrete and total porosity, not much research has been carried out to characterize the relationship between compressive behavior of pervious concrete with varied matrix strengths, aggregate to binder ratios, and aggregate sizes. In this research 27 series of pervious concrete were mixed and experimentally tested in compressive strength using matrix strengths ranging from 29 MPa to 174 MPa, aggregate to binder ratios from 2.5 to 3.5 and aggregate sizes from 1.2 mm to 4.8 mm. A systematic analysis has been carried out to quantify the influence of matrix strength, amount of binder, and size of aggregates on the compressive strength of pervious concrete. Four existing compressive strength prediction equations are examined and their validity for the different series investigated. Based on the existing equations, an extended equation is proposed and its validity is verified by the enhanced agreement between predicted and experimentally measured compressive strength. In this context, the necessity to distinguish total porosity from effective porosity is highlighted and taken into account.
Priceless: On Knowing the Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing

Junk Economics is a review of Frank Ackerman & Lisa Heinzerling's book, Priceless. Priceless argues that cost-benefit analysis has been distorted for political reasons, especially during the current Bush Administration. The review describes the authors' argument and elaborates on the political implications of the continued use of cost-benefit analysis.
Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors

Selective serotonergic reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a class of medications used frequently to address issues related to stroke and post-stroke recovery. Health care providers who care for stroke patients will need to familiarize themselves with their applications in stroke treatment. These medications are primarily used to treat depression but have been used in other conditions including pain management. Recent evidence from the FLAME trial suggests that SSRIs may facilitate motor recovery after a stroke through neuroplastic mechanisms. This chapter reviews the uses and indications in stroke survivors and examines the evidence to support those indications. The chapter begins with a general review of the SSRI class of medication focusing on the pharmacology and indications in non-stroke-related conditions. We then highlight the data for post-stroke functional recovery along with indications for post-stroke depression, motor recovery, pain syndromes, and neuroplasticity. A key finding is that SSRIs seem to have additional effects even when depression is accounted for in the studies.
A promising future for integrative biodiversity research: an increased role of scale-dependency and functional biology

Studies into the complex interaction between an organism and changes to its biotic and abiotic environment are fundamental to understanding what regulates biodiversity. These investigations occur at many phylogenetic, temporal and spatial scales and within a variety of biological and geological disciplines but often in relative isolation. This issue focuses on what can be achieved when ecological mechanisms are integrated into analyses of deep-time biodiversity patterns through the union of fossil and extant data and methods. We expand upon this perspective to argue that, given its direct relevance to the current biodiversity crisis, greater integration is needed across biodiversity research. We focus on the need to understand scaling effects, how lower-level ecological and evolutionary processes scale up and vice versa, and the importance of incorporating functional biology. Placing function at the core of biodiversity research is fundamental, as it establishes how an organism interacts with its abiotic and biotic environment and it is functional diversity that ultimately determines important ecosystem processes. To achieve full integration, concerted and ongoing efforts are needed to build a united and interactive community of biodiversity researchers, with education and interdisciplinary training at its heart.
The power of counterrevolution: Elitist origins of political order in postcolonial Asia and Africa

Counterrevolutions have received far less scholarly attention than revolutions, despite their comparable importance in shaping the modern political world. This article defines counterrevolutions as collective and reactive efforts to defend the status quo and its varied range of dominant elites against a credible threat to overturn them from below. Unlike analysts who see the origins of political order lying in mass-mobilizing revolutionary parties, the authors illuminate the distinctive order-producing attributes of elite-protecting counterrevolutionary parties. A comparative-historical analysis of five former British colonies in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa elaborates the causal mechanisms through which counterrevolutions can produce exceedingly durable, although not invincible, political orders.
Stress Hysteresis and Mechanical Characterization of Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposited Dielectrics

Two plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited (PECVD) dielectric films pertinent to microelectronic-based applications were examined for thermo-mechanical stability. Both films-silicon nitride and silicon oxy-nitride-showed significant permanent non-equilibrium changes in film stress on thermal cycling and annealing. The linear relationship between stress and temperature changed after the films were annealed at 300°C, representing a structural change in the film resulting in a change in coefficient of thermal expansion and/or biaxial modulus. A double-substrate method was used to deduce both properties before and after the anneal of selected films and the results compared with the modulus deconvoluted from the load-displacement data from small-scale depth-sensing indentation experiments.
Understanding and managing hypernatremic dehydration.

Hypematremic dehydration in infancy and early childhood is a serious problem, the effective management of which requires thorough understanding of the pathophysiology of the disorder. Improper fluid therapy may bear an associated significant mortality, and may also be complicated by seizures, resulting in long-term neurologic sequelae.
Modified Meatal Advancement and Glanuloplasty (ARAP Hypospadias Repair): Experience in 31 Patients

AbstractWe used the Arap hypospadias repair in 31 patients with distal hypospadias with considerable success, achieving an excellent result in 93 per cent of our patients. Improved cosmesis, extension of the scope of the problems that can be addressed with this repair (including treatment of a distal urethrocutaneous fistula) and the ease with which the Arap procedure can be performed are the advantages that this operation has over other 1-stage distal hypospadias repairs.
Severe Hypertension in a Newborn Associated With Increased Renin Production by a Hypoplastic Kidney

AbstractUnilateral renal hypoplasia rarely has been associated with hypertension in children and adults. To our knowledge, this association has not been described previously in neonates. We report on a newborn with severe hypertension caused by excessive production of renin by a hypoplastic kidney. Hypertension was cured by removal of this kidney. No features of segmental hypoplasia (Ask-Upmark kidney) were present in the removed organ.
In Silico Measurement of the Mechanical Properties of Realistic Bacterial Inner and Outer Membranes

The cell envelope in Gram-negative bacteria is made of two distinct membranes and a cell wall between them. From a mechanics point of view, the cell maintains a higher concentration of solutes in the cytoplasm than in the external environment and the difference in osmotic pressure, known as the turgor pressure, places a great stress on the envelope, although which element bears the most is unclear. Now, we have used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of membranes to resolve how lipid membranes respond to changes in lateral tension resulting from the turgor pressure. In this study, we used two models of the inner, cytoplasmic membrane; the first membrane is modeled as a mixed 75%POPE/25% POPG bilayer while the second membrane model consists of saturated, unsaturated, and cycle-containing lipids that more accurately reflect the diverse population of lipids within the E. coli cytoplasmic membrane. Additionally, we looked at the bacterial outer membrane, which has an outer leaflet of lipopolysaccharides that stiffen it. We applied surface tensions of values from 10 to 200 dynes/cm, in increments of 10 dynes/cm, and measured a variety of properties of membranes (area per lipid, thickness, etc.), thus providing a quantitative description of the requirements of membrane rupture. More general mechanical properties of membranes were also characterized, namely the elastic area compressibility modulus, the energy change, and Young's modulus, in order to describe the elasticity of membrane. Our work demonstrates that differences in lipid composition result in a differential response to lateral tension.
Thermal evaluation of a largely inorganic insulation system for use in dry-type transformers

This paper presents thermal aging data on a largely inorganic insulation system for dry-type transformers.
Teaching coding to learning-disabled children with Kokopelli's World

As computer programming becomes more widely embraced as a suitable activity for children, the question arises as to how best to include learing-disabled students in learning coding. The problem is that programming requires a variety of cognitive skills and abilities, many of which may be out of reach for these children. We present “Kokopelli's World,” a new block-based programming environment and set of lessons designed to introduce and teach some of the basics of computer programming to students with learning disablities. We desvribe the motivation and design for the system and an initial study involving students using the system. finally, we conclude with an analysis of our results and some proposals frfuture work.
EVALUATION OF METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE BACTERIAL POPULATION OF FRESH FILLETS

Summary The use of a nutrient broth consisting of 0.5% tryptone, 0.25% yeast extract, and 0.1% dextrose for blending and diluting fish tissue resulted in a 10 fold higher count compared to that obtained when distilled water was used. No specific preference was shown for yeast extract, beef extract or tryptone for yielding maximum total counts between 0.1 – 0.5% concentrations. A fish infusion agar representing a 1:10 dilution of fish tissue in distilled water yielded lower counts than conventional nutrient media. The addition of 0.1 – 0.5% glucose, glycerol, and sodium lactate to a basal medium of 0.1% yeast extract and 0.2% tryptone failed to increase total counts above those obtained with the basal medium alone. The addition of 0.05% – 0.5% sodium citrate to enumerating media markedly suppressed the total count; 0.3% reduced the count by 64% from fresh haddock and by 95% from stale haddock. The addition of 0.1 – 0.5% NaCl to enumerating media did not influence total counts but was essential for pigment ...
Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia in stable heart failure: Protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background Chronic insomnia is associated with disabling symptoms and decrements in functional performance. It may contribute to the development of heart failure (HF) and incident mortality. In our previous work, cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I), compared to HF self-management education, provided as an attention control condition, was feasible, acceptable, and had large effects on insomnia and fatigue among HF patients.
Simple Limbal Conjunctival Autograft

Limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) can be due to various causes and leads to corneal scarring and neovascularization as a common phenotypic endpoint. Patients require surgical intervention to manage pain/photophobia and restore vision. Patients should have a healthy donor limbus for an autograft, and the cause of LSCD should be resolved to avoid recurrence. Severe causes leading to LSCD might cause concomitant disease requiring further intervention (like keratoplasty, cataract extraction, pupilloplasty, etc.). Patients should be educated about the risks and benefits of the procedure, including alternatives.
On Continuous Queries in Stream Processing

Abstract: Stream processing is about processing continuous streams of data by programs in a workflow. Continuous execution is discretized by grouping input stream tuples into batches and using one batch at a time for the execution of programs. The programs may generate stream data which may be input to subsequent programs in the workflow. They may also read as well as write some data in persistent store. Continuous queries are processed in the workflow. A continuous query (CQ) consists of a sequence of one time queries. There is a general agreement that each CQ normally spans over several batches of stream inputs. Apart from this, different notions of CQs exist in the literature, their one time queries ranging from just transactions (that is, single executions of programs) to composite transactions. In this paper, we look at how CQs can be defined generically and propose a correctness criterion for concurrent executions of CQs.
Mining online communities to inform strategic messaging: practical methods to identify community-level insights

The ability of OSNs to propagate civil unrest has been powerfully observed through the rise of the ISIS and the ongoing conflict in Crimea. As a result, the ability to understand and in some cases mitigate the effects of user communities promoting civil unrest online has become an important area of research. Although methods to detect large online extremist communities have emerged in literature, the ability to summarize community content in meaningful ways remains an open research question. We introduce novel applications of the following methods: ideological user clustering with bipartite spectral graph partitioning, narrative mining with hash tag co-occurrence graph clustering, and identifying radicalization with directed URL sharing networks. In each case we describe how the method can be applied to social media. We subsequently apply them to online Twitter communities interested in the Syrian revolution and ongoing Crimean conflict.
Designing smartglasses applications for people with low vision

While our community has many active projects involving blind people, low vision is rarely addressed. People with low vision have functional vision, but their visual impairment adversely affects their daily life and it cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Over the last few years, we have been conducting research with this understudied demographic: understanding low vision people's needs and designing applications to address the challenges they face. In this article, we discuss our ongoing research in this area, focusing on designing augmented reality applications for low vision users. We begin this article by describing low vision and motivating our focus on augmented reality applications on smartglasses for low vision people. We then provide overviews of three research projects that exemplify our research agenda: a study where we observed low vision people conducting a navigation and shopping task, a study where we examined low vision people's perception of virtual text and shapes on smartglasses, and the design of a smartglasses application that facilitates a visual search task.
A variational framework for joint detection and segmentation of ovarian cancer metastases.

Detection and segmentation of ovarian cancer metastases have great clinical impacts on women’s health. However, the random distribution and weak boundaries of metastases significantly complicate this task. This paper presents a variational framework that combines region competition based level set propagation and image matching flow computation to jointly detect and segment metastases. Image matching flow not only detects metastases, but also creates shape priors to reduce over-segmentation. Accordingly, accurate segmentation helps to improve the detection accuracy by separating flow computation in metastasis and non-metastasis regions. Since all components in the image processing pipeline benefit from each other, our joint framework can achieve accurate metastasis detection and segmentation. Validation on 50 patient datasets demonstrated that our joint approach was superior to a sequential method with sensitivity 89.2% vs. 81.4% (Fisher exact test p = 0.046) and false positive per patient 1.04 vs. 2.04. The Dice coefficient of metastasis segmentation was 92±5.2% vs. 72±8% (paired t-test p = 0.022), and the average surface distance was 1.9±1.5mm vs. 4.5±2.2mm (paired t-test p = 0.004).
Interactive effects of dietary protein and ethanol on rat pancreas: Protein synthesis and enzyme secretion

Nutritional factors, especially the protein and fat content of the diet, may alter the likelihood of pancreatic injury after a number of insults, including chronic ethanol intake. This issue was studied experimentally by match-feeding rats liquid diets of varying protein content with and without ethanol. Protein synthesis and enzyme secretion were investigated, because these parameters are believed to increase the capacity for pancreatic autodigestion. Protein synthesis was assessed by determining the incorporation of tritiated phenylalanine into trichloroacetic acid precipitated protein 10 minutes after IP injection and then corrected for the size of the precursor pool. Enzyme secretion was studied using pancreatic acini, which were prepared using clostripain-poor collagenase. Chronic ethanol feeding stimulated protein synthesis and lipase secretion and content in rats receiving adequate amounts of protein. These stimulatory effects of ethanol were markedly attenuated in rats administered protein poor diets. Protein deficiency per se significantly decreased the weight, protein, and enzyme content of the rat pancreas as well as increased the percentage release of lipase from acini. Although extrapolation from animal studies may be tenuous, the present findings may explain the link between nutrition and the occurrence of alcoholic pancreatitis.
Hazard Plotting Methods for Analysis of Life Data with Different Failure Modes

Presented here are new graphical methods for analysis of life data with different failure modes. These methods, which are based on hazard plotting, are applicable to incomplete life data coming from life tests and the field. The methods are illustrated ..
A Natural Language Processing Approach to Acquire Accurate Health Provider Directory Information

Introduction Accurate information in provider directories are vital in health care including health information exchange, health benefits exchange, quality reporting, and in the reimbursement and delivery of care. Maintaining provider directory data and keeping it up to date is challenging. The objective of this study is to determine the feasibility of using NLP techniques to combine disparate resources and acquire accurate information on health providers. Methods Publically available state licensure lists in Connecticut were obtained along with National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) public use files. Connecticut licensure lists textual information of each health professional who is licensed to practice within the state. A NLP-based system was developed based on Healthcare Provider Taxonomy code, location, and name and address information to identify textual data within the state and federal records. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation were performed, and the recall and precision were calculated. Results We identified nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and dentists in the State of Connecticut. The recall and precision were 0.95 and 0.93 respectively. Using the system, we were able to accurately acquire 6,849 of the 7,177 records of health provider directory information. Conclusion The authors demonstrated that the NLP based approach was effective at acquiring health provider information. Furthermore, the NLP-based system can be re-applied on the updated information further reducing processing burdens as data changes.
Real-time control systems

Abstract In reviewing the evolution of transport vehicles, innovations are always centred on the safety, power, economy and comfort of vehicles to make them more functional, environment-friendly and ‘smart’. The achievement of all these performance relies on a well-designed real-time control system, which is considered as the ‘brain’ of modern vehicles.
Afterword: Time is of the essence:

This Afterword to the Current Sociology Monograph on ‘Migrant Temporalities: Rethinking Migrant Trajectories and Transnational Lifestyles in the Asian Context’ reflects on how this issue adds funda...
A Comparison of Partial Volume Correction Techniques for Measuring Change in Serial Amyloid PET SUVR.

Longitudinal PET studies in aging and Alzheimer's disease populations rely on accurate and precise measurements of change over time from serial PET scans. Various methods for partial volume correction (PVC) are commonly applied to such studies, but existing comparisons and validations of these PVC methods have focused on cross-sectional measurements. Rate of change measurements inherently have smaller magnitudes than cross-sectional measurements, so levels of noise amplification due to PVC must be smaller, and it is necessary to re-evaluate methods in this context. Here we compare the relative precision in longitudinal measurements from serial amyloid PET scans when using geometric transfer matrix (GTM) PVC versus the traditional two-compartment (Meltzer-style), three-compartment (Muller-Gartner-style), and no-PVC approaches. We used two independent implementations of standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) measurement and PVC (one in-house pipeline based on SPM12 and ANTs, and one using FreeSurfer 6.0). For each approach, we also tested longitudinal-specific variants. Overall, we found that measurements using GTM PVC had significantly worse relative precision (unexplained within-subject variability ≈4-8%) than those using two-compartment, three-compartment, or no PVC (≈2-4%). Longitudinally-stabilized approaches did not improve these properties. This data suggests that GTM PVC methods may be less suitable than traditional approaches when measuring within-person change over time in longitudinal amyloid PET.
Redox chemistry of an anionic dithiolene radical

The redox chemistry of the first stable anionic dithiolene radical 1˙ was investigated by both reactivity and cyclic voltammetry studies. While one-electron reduction of 1˙ by Cp2Co or KC8 affords the corresponding dithiolate dimers 2 and 3, respectively, one-electron oxidation of 1˙ by Ph3C+BF4− (or O2) conveniently gives 4, the neutral dithiolene dimer.
Cricopharyngeal Diverticulum: Open Repair

Diverticula of the hypopharynx have been recognized for over 200 years. Zenker’s diverticulum (ZD) is by far the most common with an annual incidence of 2/100,000 individuals. Specifically, ZD is an outpouching of hypopharyngeal mucosa that protrudes through a weak area at the junction of the inferior constrictor muscle and the cricopharyngeus (CP) muscle, known as Killian’s dehiscence. Historically, ZD was first recognized by Abraham Ludlow in 1796 and was named after a German pathologist, Friedrich Albert Zenker, who reported a series of ZD patients in 1877. Wheeler reported the first successful open repair of a ZD in 1882. In 1917, Mosher first introduced the concept of endoscopic treatment of ZD that has now seen tremendous advances with respect to both instrumentation and technique. The most common method used for treatment of ZD, the endoscopic staple-assisted approach, was first reported by Collard in 1993. Since then, several retrospective studies have found both open and endoscopic techniques to be highly effective with comparable complication rates and lengths of hospital stay.
Animals’ Praise of God:

In of the face of mass extinctions, this essay proposes that animals’ praise of God is more than a metaphor but an actual event happening in real time without human mediation. To make the case, it ...
Angiotensin-(1–7). Its Contribution to Arterial Pressure Control Mechanisms

A formidable body of evidence accumulated to date reveals the pleio-tropic actions of the renin-angiotensin system and its role in cardiovascular medicine. The characterization of the biological actions of angiotensin-(1-7) expanded knowledge of the endogenous control mechanisms regulating the actions of angiotensin II and revealed alternate enzymatic pathways for the processing of angiotensin I and angiotensin II. The following chapter reviews the tissue-specific pathways for formation and metabolism of this member of the renin-angiotensin system as well as its localization within brain, renal, and cardiac tissue. The unique actions of angiotensin-(1-7) in general oppose those of angiotensin II, and the preponderance of data identifies the regulation of the balance between the two peptides as important to overall cardiovascular health. We emphasize the physiological actions of the peptide in vascular, neural, and renal systems and provide a comprehensive review of its trophic and signaling mechanisms. The current status of the receptors mediating the actions of the peptide and the potential for non-receptor mechanisms are also presented. Finally, we discuss the significance of angiotensin-(1-7) in human disease, based on evidence emerging from recent studies suggesting that deficits in angiotensin-(1-7) are associated with hypertension in specific subpopulations of patients.
Effect of timing on endovascular therapy and exploratory laparotomy outcome in acute mesenteric ischemia.

Background Abdominal exploration followed by vascular bypass has been the standard of care for acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI), but there is increasing use of endovascular treatment with selective exploratory laparotomy. Methods We performed a retrospective review of patients diagnosed with AMI who underwent mesenteric artery angioplasty or stenting at a single institution from 2010-2017. Patients were divided into 3 groups: those who did not undergo exploratory laparotomy; those who received endovascular treatment before laparotomy (post-reperfusion laparotomy group); and those who had endovascular treatment after laparotomy (pre-reperfusion laparotomy group). Results Patients who did not undergo exploratory laparotomy showed 85.7% (12/14) survival, compared with 63.6% (7/11) in the post-reperfusion group and 25.0% (2/8) in the pre-reperfusion group, P=0.077). Time to reperfusion was significant (P=0.009) in predicting survival for patients who underwent exploratory laparotomy. Conclusion Emergent endovascular treatment prior to laparotomy seems to be associated with a higher survival.
Identification of deprescribing opportunities for patients with diabetes and dementia discharged to a nursing home using a mortality prognostic index

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in elderly nursing home residents ranges from 25% to 34%. Glycemic goals for this patient population differ from those for the general population. Polypharmacy is a common issue in nursing home residents and is associated with significant complications. Deprescribing is one method to minimize polypharmacy. Deprescribing opportunities are frequently identified using a list of inappropriate medications. Use of a mortality prognostic index to identify deprescribing opportunities has not been studied in any patient population. This was a noninterventional, retrospective, single-center cohort study at a 320-bed academic medical center. A total of 147 patients aged ≥ 65 years with dementia and type 2 diabetes mellitus receiving antihyperglycemic therapy during hospital admission were included. Life expectancy was calculated using the Mitchell Index. Opportunities for deprescribing were identified using glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and Mitchell Index scores. Patients were subcategorized into three groups based on their HbA1c ( 8%), and differences in life expectancy and functional status were determined. In total, 106 patients (72%) were eligible for antihyperglycemic therapy deprescribing. The median HbA1c was 6.9% in the entire patient population. All three groups of patients had a high Mitchell Index score of 13.6 for HbA1c 8%. The Mitchell Index scores estimated a 6-month mortality rate of at least 28% in this cohort. No differences in functional status or comorbidities were observed between HbA1c groups. The 30-day mortality rates were higher than the predicted mortality rate in this patient population, indicating significant opportunities for deprescribing. Use of a mortality prognostic index, such as the Mitchell Index, for elderly nursing home residents with dementia can be considered to guide deprescribing.
Quantum phase transition in solid hydrogen at high pressure

Extensive experimental and theoretical studies have been devoted to determining the high-pressure phase diagram of hydrogen. We present evidence of a phase at a higher pressure than phase III and below the pressure of the recently observed phase of metallic hydrogen (495 GPa). This phase was determined from infrared (IR) spectroscopy of hydrogen samples at static pressures above 360 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 15 GPa in a diamond anvil cell, and has been observed in three separate experiments. Whereas earlier studies found new high-pressure phases that only occurred at elevated temperatures, this phase transition occurs at the lowest temperatures investigated, \ensuremath{\sim}5 K, and the steep phase line indicates that it is a quantum phase transition. This phase is characterized by two distinct IR absorption bands (2950 and $3335\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ at 365 GPa). Above the transition pressure we observe strong darkening of the sample in the visible spectrum as pressure is increased. Observations are compatible with the cmca-12 crystal structure.
Attention shifting in the context of emotional faces: Disentangling neural mechanisms of irritability from anxiety.

BACKGROUND Irritability predicts concurrent and prospective psychiatric disorders across the lifespan. Anxiety commonly co-occurs with irritability, and such comorbidity complicates care. Understanding the mechanisms of comorbid traits is necessary to inform treatment decisions. This study aimed to disentangle neural mechanisms of irritability from anxiety in the context of attentional shifting toward and away from emotional faces in youths from treatment-seeking families. METHODS Youths (N = 45), mean age = 14.01 years (standard deviation = 1.89) completed a dot-probe task during functional magnetic resonance imaging acquisition. Whole-brain activation analyses evaluated the effect of irritability on neural reactivity in the context of varying attentional shifting toward and away from emotional faces, both depending on and above and beyond anxiety (i.e., with anxiety as [a] a moderator and [b] a covariate, respectively). RESULTS Higher irritability levels related to distinct task-related patterns of cuneus activation, depending on comorbid anxiety levels. Increased irritability also related to distinct task-related patterns of parietal, temporal, occipital, and cerebellar activation, controlling for anxiety. Overall, youths with higher levels of irritability evinced more pronounced fluctuations in neural reactivity across task conditions. CONCLUSION The present study contributes to a literature delineating the unique and shared neural mechanisms of overlapping symptom dimensions, which will be necessary to ultimately build a brain- and behavior-based nosology that forms the basis for more targeted and effective treatments.
Optimal lead follicle size for human chorionic gonadotropin trigger in clomiphene citrate and intrauterine insemination cycles: an analysis of 1,676 treatment cycles.

Objective To identify the optimal lead follicle size for hCG trigger in clomiphene citrate (CC)–intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting University-affiliated center. Patient(s) Patients Intervention(s) Ovulation induction, hCG trigger, and IUI. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) was the primary outcome and was plotted against lead follicle size in increments of 1 mm. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals for associations between lead follicle size and CPR were calculated from a multivariable logistic regression model. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated for CPR as a function of lead follicle size. Result(s) 1,676 cycles were included. The overall CPR was 13.8% (232/1,676). There was no difference in baseline demographics or ovulation induction parameters of patients who did or did not conceive. The odds of clinical pregnancy were 2.3 and 2.2 times higher with lead follicle sizes of 21.1–22.0 mm and >22.0 mm, respectively, compared with the referent category of 19.1–20.0 mm. Lead follicle size was an independent predictor of CPR, even after accounting for confounders. A lead follicle size of 22.1 mm corresponded to a sensitivity and specificity of 80.1% and 90.4% for clinical pregnancy, respectively, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.89. Conclusion(s) hCG administration at a lead follicle size of 21.1–22.0 mm is associated with higher odds of clinical pregnancy in patients undergoing their first CC-IUI cycles for ovulatory dysfunction or unexplained infertility.
Interactive PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat water-quality modeling tools to evaluate performance and design of treatment systems for acid mine drainage

Abstract The PHREEQ-N-AMDTreat aqueous geochemical modeling tools described herein simulate changes in pH and solute concentrations resulting from passive and active treatment of acidic or alkaline mine drainage (AMD). The “user-friendly” interactive tools, which are publicly available software, utilize PHREEQC equilibrium aqueous and surface speciation models and kinetics models for O2 ingassing and CO2 outgassing, iron and manganese oxidation and precipitation, limestone dissolution, and organic carbon oxidation combined with reduction of nitrate, sulfate, and ferric iron. Reactions with synthetic caustic chemicals (CaO, Ca(OH)2, NaOH, Na2CO3) or oxidizing agents (H2O2) also may be simulated separately or combined with sequential kinetic steps. A user interface facilitates input of water chemistry data for one or two (mixed) influent AMD solutions and adjustment of kinetic variables. Graphical and tabular output indicates the changes in pH, metals and other solute concentrations, total dissolved solids, and specific conductance of treated effluent plus the cumulative quantity of precipitated solids as a function of retention time or the amount of caustic agent added. By adjusting kinetic variables or chemical dosing, the effects of independent or sequential treatment steps that have different retention time (volume/flow rate), aeration rate, quantities of reactive solids, and temperature can be simulated for the specified influent quality. The size (land area) of a treatment system can then be estimated using reaction time estimates (volume for a corresponding treatment step is the product of reaction time and flow rate; area is volume divided by depth). Given the estimated system size, the AMDTreat cost-analysis model may be used to compute approximate costs for installation (capital) and annual operations and maintenance. Thus, various passive and/or active treatment strategies can be identified that could potentially achieve the desired effluent quality, but require different land area, equipment, and costs for construction and operation.
Evolutionary shifts in taste coding in the fruit pest Drosophila suzukii.

A new agricultural pest has recently emerged in the United States and Northern Europe. The invasive species is a type of fruit fly that normally lives in Southeast Asia called Drosophila suzukii (also known as the spotted wing Drosophila). This fly poses a threat to fruit crops – including strawberries, blueberries, cherries, peaches and grapes – because, while other fruit flies lay eggs in overripe fruit, D. suzukii lays eggs in ripe fruit, leading to agricultural losses. This shift in where fruit flies prefer to lay their eggs is related to changes in the senses of smell and touch, and taste could also play a role. Insects have evolved mechanisms that dissuade them from eating or laying eggs in plants with high levels of toxins, which taste bitter. If D. suzukii is less sensitive to bitter tastes than other flies, this could help explain why it lays eggs in just-ripe fruit, since the levels of certain bitter compounds are higher in the early stages of ripening than later on. To figure out if this is the case, Dweck et al. studied different species of fruit fly. Compared to Drosophila melanogaster (a fruit fly common in America and Europe that is regularly used in scientific studies), D. suzukii had fewer bitter taste receptor neurons on the major taste organ of the fly head. These receptor neurons were also less responsive to a variety of bitter compounds. Next, Dweck et al. tested whether D. melanogaster and D. suzukii showed different preferences for where to lay their eggs by offering them strawberry purees made from fruit at different ripening stages. In this experiment, D. suzukii preferred to lay its eggs on purees made from unripe or just-ripe strawberries, while D. melanogaster showed a preference for fermented (overripe) puree. Furthermore, when D. melanogaster flies were genetically modified so that they became less sensitive to bitter taste, they preferred to lay their eggs in ripe (rather than overripe) fruit, similar to D. suzukii. These results suggest that taste has a major role in the egg laying preferences of D. suzukii. Further research is needed to determine which bitter compounds influence egg-laying decisions in each species of fruit fly, and what receptors respond to these compounds. However, Dweck et al.’s results lay the groundwork for new approaches to reducing D. suzukii’s impact on agriculture.
Protecting Platoons from Stealthy Jamming Attack

Connected vehicles of a platoon broadcast basic safety messages (BSMs) over the control channel of dedicated short-range communication (DSRC). Nevertheless, the fixed frequency of the control channel makes the communication protocol vulnerable to jamming attacks and consequently hindering the stability of the platoon. In this paper, we investigate the impact of stealthy jamming attack on platoon stability. A stealthy jamming attack is one that only jams platoon vehicles with a specific probability, decided based on the risk of being detected. We show via simulation that the maximum distance error induced by the attack is up to eight times more than without attacks. Due to the stealthy nature of the attack, traditional threshold-based detection methods that monitor PLR and MAC-based methods that require high attack probability cannot effectively detect such attacks. To detect the stealthy jamming attack, we propose a mechanism that utilizes the received power and the transmission delay of the signal causing interference as features in Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA), to distinguish the jamming attack from normal interference. We use software-defined radios (SDRs) and the Plexe simulator to demonstrate the feasibility of our stealthy attack and detection mechanism.