cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ovarian Stem Cells Find Their Niche

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths in women, diagnosed in more than 22,000 women each year in the United States alone. Epithelial ovarian cancer comprises >80% of cases. Studies have suggested that epithelial ovarian cancer arises from the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or uterus, yet the cell of origin has remained notoriously controversial and elusive. Flesken-Nikitin and colleagues have reignited the debate by arguing that a select population of stem cells contributes to the disease. The authors identified a population of cells in mice that are prone to developing high-grade serous ovarian cancer—one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. These cells were located in an anatomical region on the ovarian surface called the hilum, which is an entry and an exit point for nerves and blood vessels. Flesken-Nikitin et al. found that stem cell markers such as ALDH1 and LGR5 were enriched in the hilum and that hilum cells exhibited stem cell behaviors, such as colony formation, long-term label retention, regenerative potential, and susceptibility to transformation. Using lineage-tracing techniques, they showed that LGR5+ hilum progenitors could regenerate the entire ovarian surface epithelium after ovulation. As compared with a mixture of other cell types in the ovary, hilum cells were exceptionally sensitive to transformation by loss of Rb1 and Trp53 , two critical tumor suppressor genes that are often disrupted in aggressive ovarian cancer. Given that these studies were performed by using mouse ovaries, the challenge now will be to determine whether a similar cell population resides in humans. Indeed, although the hilum-derived stem cell population gave rise to metastatic ovarian cancer upon loss of Rb1 and Trp53 , other ovarian cell types may be vulnerable to transformation in response to disruption of other oncogenic/tumor suppressor pathways or alterations in the microenvironment. Ultimately, these findings support the notion that certain stem cell populations may be poised in anatomical niches that are primed to respond to injury. The identification of this population of stem cells—and the molecular markers to isolate them—has opened the door for future studies to examine their specific roles in human regeneration and tumorigenesis. A. Flesken-Nikitin et al. , Ovarian surface epithelium at the junction area contains a cancer-prone stem cell niche. Nature 495 , 241–245 (2013). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v495/n7440/full/nature11979.html
Facial Action Unit Recognition by Exploiting Their Dynamic and Semantic Relationships

A system that could automatically analyze the facial actions in real time has applications in a wide range of different fields. However, developing such a system is always challenging due to the richness, ambiguity, and dynamic nature of facial actions. Although a number of research groups attempt to recognize facial action units (AUs) by improving either the facial feature extraction techniques or the AU classification techniques, these methods often recognize AUs or certain AU combinations individually and statically, ignoring the semantic relationships among AUs and the dynamics of AUs. Hence, these approaches cannot always recognize AUs reliably, robustly, and consistently. In this paper, we propose a novel approach that systematically accounts for the relationships among AUs and their temporal evolutions for AU recognition. Specifically, we use a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN) to model the relationships among different AUs. The DBN provides a coherent and unified hierarchical probabilistic framework to represent probabilistic relationships among various AUs and to account for the temporal changes in facial action development. Within our system, robust computer vision techniques are used to obtain AU measurements. Such AU measurements are then applied as evidence to the DBN for inferring various AUs. The experiments show that the integration of AU relationships and AU dynamics with AU measurements yields significant improvement of AU recognition, especially for spontaneous facial expressions and under more realistic environment including illumination variation, face pose variation, and occlusion.
Arctic passages: liminality, Inupiat Eskimo mothers and NW Alaska communities in transition

Background. While the primary goal of the NW Alaska Native maternal transport is safe deliveries for mothers from remote villages, little has been done to question the impact of transport on the mothers and communities involved. This study explores how presence of In˜upiat values influences the desire of indigenous women of differing eras and NWAlaska villages to participate in biomedical birth, largely made available by a tribal health-sponsored transport system. Objective. This paper portrays how important it is (and why) for Alaska Native families and women of different generations from various areas of In˜upiat villages of NW Alaska to get to the hospital to give birth. This research asks: How does a community’s presence of In˜upiat values influence women of different eras and locations to participate in a more biomedical mode of birth? Design. Theoretical frameworks of medical anthropology and maternal identity work are used to track the differences in regard to the maternal transport operation for In˜upiat mothers of the area. Presence of In˜upiat values in each of the communities is compared by birth era and location for each village. Content analysis is conducted to determine common themes in an inductive, recursive fashion. Results. A connection is shown between a community’s manifestation of In˜upiat cultural expression and mothers’ acceptance of maternal transport in this study. For this group of In˜upiat Eskimo mothers, there is interplay between community expression of In˜upiat values and desire and lengths gone to bywomen of different eras and locations. Conclusions. The more openly manifested the In˜upiat values of the community, the more likely alternative birthing practices sought, lessening the reliance on the existing transport policy. Conversely, the more openly western values are manifested in the village of origin, the less likely alternative measures are sought. For this study group, mothers from study villages with openly manifested western values are more likely to easily acquiesce to policy, and ‘‘make the best’’ of their prenatal travel. Keywords: Alaska Native birth; embodiment; indigenous birth; In˜upiat values; maternal identity work; maternal transport policy; women-centred ethnography (Published: 5 August 2013) This paper is part of Supplement 1, 2013, ICCH15 Proceedings . More papers from this Supplement can be found here . Citation: Int J Circumpolar Health 2013, 72 : 21199 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v72i0.21199
Polysaccharide Immunomodulators as Therapeutic Agents: Structural Aspects and Biologic Function

Polysaccharide immunomodulators were first discovered over 40 years ago. Although very few have been rigorously studied, recent reports have revealed the mechanism of action and structure-function attributes of some of these molecules. Certain polysaccharide immunomodulators have been identified that have profound effects in the regulation of immune responses during the progression of infectious diseases, and studies have begun to define structural aspects of these molecules that govern their function and interaction with cells of the host immune system. These polymers can influence innate and cell-mediated immunity through interactions with T cells, monocytes, macrophages, and polymorphonuclear lymphocytes. The ability to modulate the immune response in an appropriate way can enhance the host9s immune response to certain infections. In addition, this strategy can be utilized to augment current treatment regimens such as antimicrobial therapy that are becoming less efficacious with the advent of antibiotic resistance. This review focuses on recent studies that illustrate the structural and biologic activities of specific polysaccharide immunomodulators and outlines their potential for clinical use.
Molecular basis set generation: Accurate slater basis sets for LiH− ground and excited state and Li2− ground state

A procedure for generating basis sets for diatomic molecule electronic structure calculations is described. In essence, this procedure maps the results of nearly exact numerical Hartree–Fock calculations into basis set form. Two applications of the procedure are proposed: (a) generation of very high accuracy basis sets, and (b) investigation of basis sets for unusual systems. The latter application is illustrated by some results for diatomic anions.
A New Frequency-Stabilized Oscillator System

A new vacuum-tube self-oscillating system having extraordinary frequency stability is described which depends on the reentrant circulation of oscillations through tuned filter or coupling units. The reentrant circulation through the filter sections attenuates all but a single frequency in a manner analogous to the attenuation produced by a filter system having an infinite number of sections. The unattenuated component having a single frequency is amplified at each passage through the system and constitutes the single-frequency oscillation. The methods and necessary precautions for attaining frequency stability are given. Frequency shifts due to ordinary variations of plate potentials, filament current, or keying are found to be of the order of one thousandth of one per cent. The extreme flexibility of the circuits permit the construction of satisfactory radio transmitters operating from the lowest frequencies up to 20,000 kc without the use of frequency-doubling stages. The oscillator system has found wide application in commercial and naval aircraft radio communication problems.
Effects of tooth whitening and orange juice on surface properties of dental enamel

Abstract Objective To study the effects of 6% H 2 O 2 activated with LED light on surface enamel as compared to orange juice challenges in vitro. Methods A total of 40 human enamel discs were incubated in saliva overnight to allow pellicle formation and then divided into three groups: 15 for whitening treatments, 15 for orange juice immersions and 10 for normal saline controls. Baseline microhardness was measured with a microhardness Knoop indenter (50 g, 10 s) and surface topography was evaluated with a focus-variation 3D scanning microscopy. Enamel discs were treated with H 2 O 2 or orange juice for 20 min each cycle for five cycles to simulate daily treatment with the products for 5 days. The discs were stored in saliva between treatment cycles. Microhardness and surface topography were evaluated again after treatments. Changes in microhardness and in surface area roughness (Sa), mean maximum peak-to-valley distance (Sz) and the developed surface area ratio (Sdr) were compared before and after treatments ( t -test) and among groups (ANOVA). Results Enamel surface hardness decreased by 84% after orange juice immersion but no statistically significant changes were observed in the whitening and control groups. Surface topography changed significantly only in the orange juice group as shown by increased Sa (1.2 μm vs. 2.0 μm), Sz (7.7 μm vs. 10.2 μm) and Sdr (2.8% vs. 6.0%). No such changes were observed in the whitening and control groups. Conclusion In comparison to orange juice challenges, the effects of 6% H 2 O 2 on surface enamel are insignificant. Orange juice erosion markedly decreased hardness and increased roughness of enamel.
Dynamical formation of an extra-tropical tropopause inversion layer in a relatively simple general circulation model

[1] The key factors contributing to the formation and maintenance of the recently discovered extra-tropical tropopause inversion layer are presently unclear. In this study, it is shown that such a layer can form as a consequence of the turbulent dynamics of synoptic-scale baroclinic eddies alone, in the absence of explicitly parameterized, small-scale, radiative-convective processes. A simple general circulation model, initialized from a state of rest, and driven with idealized forcings, is found to spontaneously develop an inversion layer above the tropopause under a wide variety of parameter choices and model resolutions. Furthermore, such a model is able to capture, qualitatively, both the latitudinal and (in part) the seasonal dependence of the observed tropopause inversion layer. However, the inability of our simple model to capture some detailed quantitative features strongly suggests that other physical processes, beyond balanced synopticscale dynamics, are likely to play an important role. Citation: Son, S.-W., and L. M. Polvani (2007), Dynamical formation of an extra-tropical tropopause inversion layer in a relatively simple general circulation model, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L17806, doi:10.1029/2007GL030564.
A Karhunen-Loève least-squares technique for optimization of geometry of a blunt body in supersonic flow

A novel Karhunen-Loeve (KL) least-squares model for the supersonic flow of an inviscid, calorically perfect ideal gas about an axisymmetric blunt body employing shock-fitting is developed; the KL least-squares model is used to accurately select an optimal configuration which minimizes drag. Accuracy and efficiency of the KL method is compared to a pseudospectral method employing global Lagrange interpolating polynomials. KL modes are derived from pseudospectral solutions at Mach 3.5 from a uniform sampling of the design space and subsequently employed as the trial functions for a least-squares method of weighted residuals. Results are presented showing the high accuracy of the method with less than 10 KL modes. Close agreement is found between the optimal geometry found using the KL model to that found from the pseudospectral solver. Not including the cost of sampling the design space and building the KL model, the KL least-squares method requires less than half the central processing unit time as the pseudospectral method to achieve the same level of accuracy. A decrease in computational cost of several orders of magnitude as reported in the literature when comparing the KL method against discrete solvers is shown not to hold for the current problem. The efficiency is lost because the nature of the nonlinearity renders a priori evaluation of certain necessary integrals impossible, requiring as a consequence many costly reevaluations of the integrals.
INTROSPECTION AND VERBAL REPORTS ON COGNITIVE PROCESSES-TWO APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF THINKING: A RESPONSE TO HOWE*

K. ANDERS ERICSSON and ROBERT J. CRUTCHER Department of Psychology, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309-0345, U.S.A. Much confusion has resulted from referring to all verbal descriptions and reports of thinking as introspection. In this paper, we argue that introspection on cognitive processes and verbal reports on cognitive processes are two distinct approaches to the study of thinking. This distinction is important as the introspective approach has continually generated controversy, whereas the verbal report approach has enjoyed general acceptance throughout the history of studying thought. The introspective approach relies on detailed descriptions and analyses of thinking performed by skilled observers. The major problems with introspection have been: (1) whether subjects can give detailed descriptions of thoughts-the nature of thinking is too dynamic to make such descriptions possible; (2) whether the reported characteristics are valid-in introspection, subjects’ reports have a privileged status inconsistent with traditional science based on reliable inter-subjective observations; and (3) whether the act of introspection can be performed without changing the process of thinking-efforts to uncover specific information about a thought transform the mental state corresponding to that thought. More recently, however, the technique of verbal reporting in studying mental processes has enjoyed increased popularity. Whereas introspection implicitly trusted subjects’ reports, the verbal report approach treats reports as another type of data to be accounted for by theory. Furthermore, while the introspectionists often disagreed over what information subjects could report and extensively trained their subjects to report specific types of information, investigators collecting verbal reports have tried to discover what types of information naive subjects can reliably report when given simple instructions to report their thoughts. While the earlier introspective techniques were plagued by methodological problems, the current verbal report techniques have been put on a secure scientific foundation by careful analysis of the different types of reports and the conditions under which valid reports may be elicited. With the renewed interest in consciousness and mind, many investigators are inclined to return to the controversial approach of introspection. For example, in his paper, Howe proposed the readoption of introspection as a valid method of studying mental processes. In our judgment Howe bases his arguments on a broad definition of introspection that includes our more narrow definition of
An analysis of the imagine PA public sector ERP project

We have seen organizations on a global scale continue to streamline their business processes enabled by enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Despite the recent economic downturn, the public sector represents one of the largest potential areas for new ERP sales. In addition the scale of public sector ERP projects is potentially huge as evidenced by the projected /spl divide/ for the US Navy ERP implementation and the US Army ERP implementation that is expected to include over 135,000 end users. The huge scale of these projects reinforces the need for successful ERP implementation methodologies for the public sector. Several governmental agencies in the US, Germany, Australia, and Malaysia have reported that the integration of agencies and systems in the public sector can be quite different from the private sector, requiring the use of a different approach and model. However, these agencies only attempted to implement different parts of an ERP system, whereas the US commonwealth or state of Pennsylvania is one of the first to attempt the integration of almost all of its governmental agencies with a single ERP package on a large scale. The question remains if there is a need to use a different enterprise systems implementation approach and model for a large-scale integrated ERP system in the public sector as compared to the private sector. This paper first identifies various differences in ERP implementation methodologies deployed in the public and private sectors, and then focuses on the issues and success factors of one large-scale public sector ERP project. Finally, these issues and success factors are compared to private sector ERP implementations.
Head-disk interface dynamic instability due to intermolecular forces

This paper presents a nonlinear dynamic analysis of the head-disk interface for sub- 5 nm flying air bearing sliders. It is found that by including intermolecular forces between the slider and disk, the dynamic stability of the slider is dramatically compromised. It is shown by a bifurcation diagram that a slider can easily be forced into unstable motions. It is also shown that the experimentally observed flying-height hysteresis, intermittent instability, and "snapping" from stable to unstable proximity can be explained by intermolecular forces.
The design and synthesis of a synchronous and distributed MAC protocol for wireless network-on-chip

To bridge the widening gap between computation requirements and communication efficiency faced by gigascale heterogeneous SoCs in the upcoming ubiquitous era, a new on-chip communication system, dubbed wireless network-on-chip (WNoC), is introduced by using the recently developed CMOS proximity wireless interconnection technology. In this paper, a synchronous and distributed medium access control (SD-MAC) protocol is designed and implemented. Tailored for WNoC, SD-MAC employs a binary countdown approach to resolve channel contention between RF nodes. The receiver_select_sender mechanism and hidden terminal elimination scheme are proposed to increase the throughput and channel utilization of the system. Our simulation study shows the promising performance of SD-MAC in terms of throughput, latency, and network utilization. As a major component of simple and compact RF node design, a MAC unit implements the proposed SD-MAC that guarantees correct operation of synchronized frames while keeping overhead low. The synthesis results demonstrate several attractive features such as high speed, low power consumption, nice scalability and low area cost.
Simulated watershed mercury and nitrate flux responses to multiple land cover conversion scenarios

Water quality and toxic exposure science is transitioning towards analysis of multiple stressors rather than one particular environmental concern (e.g., mercury) or a group of similarly reacting chemicals (e.g., nutrients). However, two of the most important water quality constituents affecting both human and ecosystem health today, reactive nitrogen (N(r) ) and methylmercury (MeHg), are often assessed separately for their independent effects on water quality. With the continued pressure of landscape modifications on water quality, a challenge remains in understanding the concurrent watershed flux response of both N(r) and MeHg to such physical stressors, particularly at the spatial scale (regional watersheds) and within the mixed land cover type systems that most decision-making processes are conducted. We simulate the annual average and monthly flux responses of Hg (MeHg and total mercury [HgT]), NO(3) -N, and runoff to four land cover change scenarios in the Haw River Watershed (NC, USA), a headwater system in the Cape Fear River Basin. Fluxes are simulated using a process-based, spatially explicit watershed Grid-Based Mercury Model (GBMM) and a NO(3) -N watershed flux model we developed to link to GBMM. Results suggest that annual NO(3) -N and Hg fluxes increase and decrease concomitantly to land cover change; however, the magnitude of the changes in NO(3) -N, MeHg, HgT, and water fluxes vary considerably between different land cover conversion scenarios. Converting pasture land to a suburbanized landscape elicited the greatest increase in runoff and MeHg, HgT, and NO(3) -N fluxes among all four conversion scenarios. Our findings provide insight for multi-stressor ecological exposure research and management of coastal eutrophication resulting from elevated N(r) loadings and exposure risk due to elevated concentrations of MeHg in fish tissue.
Radial diffusion modeling with empirical lifetimes: comparison with CRRES observations

Abstract. A time dependent radial diffusion model is used to quantify the competing effects of inward radial diffusion and losses on the distribution of the outer zone relativistic electrons. The rate of radial diffusion is parameterized by Kp with the loss time as an adjustable parameter. Comparison with HEEF data taken over 500 Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) orbits indicates that 1-MeV electron lifetimes near the peak of the outer zone are less than a day during the storm main phase and few days under less disturbed conditions. These values are comparable to independent estimates of the storm time loss rate due to scattering by EMIC waves and chorus emission, and also provide an acceptable representation of electron decay rates following the storm time injection. Although our radial diffusion model, with data derived lifetimes, is able to simulate many features of the variability of outer zone fluxes and predicts fluxes within one order of magnitude accuracy for most of the storms and L values, it fails to reproduce the magnitude of flux changes and the gradual build up of fluxes observed during the recovery phase of many storms. To address these differences future modeling should include an additional local acceleration source and also attempt to simulate the pronounced loss of electrons during the main phase of certain storms.
Evaluating the protein coding potential of exonized transposable element sequences.

Transposable element (TE) sequences, once thought to be merely selfish or parasitic members of the genomic community, have been shown to contribute a wide variety of functional sequences to their host genomes. Analysis of complete genome sequences have turned up numerous cases where TE sequences have been incorporated as exons into mRNAs, and it is widely assumed that such 'exonized' TEs encode protein sequences. However, the extent to which TE-derived sequences actually encode proteins is unknown and a matter of some controversy. We have tried to address this outstanding issue from two perspectives: i-by evaluating ascertainment biases related to the search methods used to uncover TE-derived protein coding sequences (CDS) and ii-through a probabilistic codon-frequency based analysis of the protein coding potential of TE-derived exons. We compared the ability of three classes of sequence similarity search methods to detect TE-derived sequences among data sets of experimentally characterized proteins: 1-a profile-based hidden Markov model (HMM) approach, 2-BLAST methods and 3-RepeatMasker. Profile based methods are more sensitive and more selective than the other methods evaluated. However, the application of profile-based search methods to the detection of TE-derived sequences among well-curated experimentally characterized protein data sets did not turn up many more cases than had been previously detected and nowhere near as many cases as recent genome-wide searches have. We observed that the different search methods used were complementary in the sense that they yielded largely non-overlapping sets of hits and differed in their ability to recover known cases of TE-derived CDS. The probabilistic analysis of TE-derived exon sequences indicates that these sequences have low protein coding potential on average. In particular, non-autonomous TEs that do not encode protein sequences, such as Alu elements, are frequently exonized but unlikely to encode protein sequences. The exaptation of the numerous TE sequences found in exons as bona fide protein coding sequences may prove to be far less common than has been suggested by the analysis of complete genomes. We hypothesize that many exonized TE sequences actually function as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, rather than coding sequences, which may act through a variety of double stranded RNA related regulatory pathways. Indeed, their relatively high copy numbers and similarity to sequences dispersed throughout the genome suggests that exonized TE sequences could serve as master regulators with a wide scope of regulatory influence. This article was reviewed by Itai Yanai, Kateryna D. Makova, Melissa Wilson (nominated by Kateryna D. Makova) and Cedric Feschotte (nominated by John M. Logsdon Jr.).
Computerized analysis of mammographic microcalcifications in morphological and texture feature spaces

We are developing computerized feature extraction and classification methods to analyze malignant and benign microcalcifications on digitized mammograms. Morphological features that described the size, contrast, and shape of microcalcifications and their variations within a cluster were designed to characterize microcalcifications segmented from the mammographic background. Texture features were derived from the spatial gray-level dependence (SGLD) matrices constructed at multiple distances and directions from tissue regions containing microcalcifications. A genetic algorithm (GA) based feature selection technique was used to select the best feature subset from the multi-dimensional feature spaces. The GA-based method was compared to the commonly used feature selection method based on the stepwise linear discriminant analysis (LDA) procedure. Linear discriminant classifiers using the selected features as input predictor variables were formulated for the classification task. The discriminant scores output from the classifiers were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) methodology and the classification accuracy was quantified by the area, A z , under the ROC curve. We analyzed a data set of 145 mammographic microcalcification clusters in this study. It was found that the feature subsets selected by the GA-based method are comparable to or slightly better than those selected by the stepwise LDA method. The texture features (A z =0.84) were more effective than morphological features (A z =0.79) in distinguishing malignant and benign microcalcifications. The highest classification accuracy (A z =0.89) was obtained in the combined texture and morphological feature space. The improvement was statistically significant in comparison to classification in either the morphological (p=0.002) or the texture (p=0.04) feature space alone. The classifier using the best feature subset from the combined feature space and an appropriate decision threshold could correctly identify 35% of the benign clusters without missing a malignant cluster. When the average discriminant score from all views of the same cluster was used for classification, the A z value increased to 0.93 and the classifier could identify 50% of the benign clusters at 100% sensitivity for malignancy. Alternatively, if the minimum discriminant score from all views of the same cluster was used, the A z value would be 0.90 and a specificity of 32% would be obtained at 100% sensitivity. The results of this study indicate the potential of using combined morphological and texture features for computer-aided classification of microcalcifications.
Energized membrane may regulate nucleoid conformation in Bacillus subtilis

It was shown in a previous study, using a temperature-sensitive initiation mutant of Bacillus subtilis that DNA synthesis at the origin and terminus of replication occurred at cell poles. In the current study, it is demonstrated that cells specifically labelled at the origin or near the terminus, show a re-distribution of radioactivity when treated with the uncoupling agent, sodium azide. Since it is most likely that the DNA-cell wall attachment is mediated through membrane interactions, we now propose that the maintenance of this attachment is dependent on the energized state of the membrane.
Using Activity Theory to Understand How People Learn to Negotiate the Conditions of Work.

In a typical workplace in the United States, two knowledge-producing activity systems are in motion. Each produces knowledge about how to do the work of that workplace, but they are differently motivated: one toward productivity, and the other toward earning a living. The conflict between these two systems is addressed through the process of negotiation. A.N. Leont'ev's insight on the power of motive to shape an activity system through which consciousness is constructed provides direction for exploring how people learn to negotiate their conditions of work. Observations and interviews conducted in the course of my work as a union-based and then a university-based labor educator suggest that negotiating knowledge (NK) is similar to work process knowledge in that it is useful for the work that is being done, has a theoretical dimension, and is generated by problem solving. However, because it is generated through the second activity system, it differs from work process knowledge in its perspective. Characte...
Outcomes of Physical Abuse and Observation of Marital Violence Among Adolescents in Placement

Self-reported indicators of well-being, attitudes toward violence, use of violence, substance abuse, and running away were studied among 101 male and female 13-to 18-year-olds from residential or youth shelter settings. The respondents come from predominantly White, low-income, multiproblem backgrounds. It was hypothesized that experiencing physical abuse and observation of marital violence would be positively associated with and have an additive effect on the measures studied. Analysis of variance was employed to compare four groups composed on the basis of exposure to physical abuse and/or marital violence. Males were found to have a significantly higher sense of well-being and were more likely to approve of violence, whereas females were more likely to have run away. Only one outcome variable was associated with abuse status: Well-being was significantly lower among those who had been abused and had witnessed spouse abuse, compared to the other three groups.
Case 6: A 10 cm Traumatic Femoral Defect Treated with a Transport Technique Followed by a Lengthening Procedure. Sequential Use of a Monotube External Fixator and an Intramedullary Rod

This case report details the management of a 10 cm femoral defect. A 56-year-old female sustained bilateral open femur fractures after her parachute malfunctioned. Initial treatment included an emergent debridement and irrigation and temporary external fixation. A subtrochanteric femoral osteotomy was performed on postinjury day 6. Femoral transport proceeded for 2 months, during which time the traumatic femoral defect healed spontaneously. The retrograde femoral nail was locked, and the monotube was subsequently removed. The patient started independent ambulation and began noting her leg to be short 2–3 cm. Despite accommodative shoe inserts, she developed low back and hip and knee pain. She elected for a femoral lengthening procedure, which entailed lengthening over a new nail and a new external fixator. This required 4 months and ended with removal of the second external fixator and locking the second femoral rod. This patient is now 3 years since injury and reports minimal back and leg pain and nearly equal leg lengths. 1 Brief Clinical History This healthy 56-year-old female sustained bilateral open femur fractures after her parachute malfunctioned (Fig. 1a, b). No neurovascular injuries were noted. The right femur was grossly contaminated with grass and gravel and mud up into her femoral canal. This femur required use of an oscillating saw to adequately debride it (Fig. 2). Treatment stages for the right femur included emergent debridement and irrigation, temporary external fixation, transport procedure initiated 6 days after injury, transport for 2 months, removal of monotube and locking of the femoral nail, and then a lengthening procedure 5 months after transport completion (18 months after injury). During the transport phase, the traumatic femoral defect healed spontaneously after only 4 cm of transport of the proximal femur distally into the defect (Fig. 5a–c). This resulted in a much shorter than anticipated transport time. The patient started independent ambulation and began noting her leg to be short 2–3 cm. Despite accommodative shoe inserts, she developed low back and hip and knee pain. She elected for a femoral lengthening procedure, which required 4 months and ended with removal of the second external fixator and locking the femoral rod. This patient is now 3 years since injury and reports minimal back and leg pain and nearly equal leg lengths (Fig. 8a, b). 2 Preoperative Clinical Photos and Radiographs
Coalition of injustice? Bodies, business, and the biosphere in struggles against unwanted land uses

ABSTRACTScholars of environmental injustice have pushed to see beyond the spatial distribution of environmental harms in studies of unwanted land uses. Building upon this work, this article examines how the complex geographies of environmental injustice play out in a coalition to prevent the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Surry County, Virginia. While spatially dispersed coalitions of negatively affected actors can strengthen efforts to prevent the construction of an unwanted land use, they can also perpetuate the environmental injustices surrounding it. To make this argument, particular attention is paid to the diverse reasons and ways differentially situated actors oppose an unwanted land use. It is demonstrated how the disparate concerns and differential tactics deployed by actors in coalitions against unwanted land uses are often embedded in and potentially contribute to longer histories of social injustice.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Markov State Model Reveal Irregular Metastable Conformation and Allostery In DNAJB-PKAc

A recurrent fusion of the catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKAc) and DNAJB1 genes was found in the rare liver cancer fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FL-HCC). This chimera is hypothesized to hamper the allosteric cooperativity of the kinase, causing dysfunctional phosphorylation and signaling. To elucidate the structural and conformational differences between DnaJ-PKAc and the wild type PKAc, we carried out a set of long-timescale all-atom molecular dynamics simulation on these systems, both in apo, intermediate and bound forms. Detailed analysis using Markov state model indicates extra metastable states in the catalytic lobe of DnaJ-PKAc and reveals the possible transition paths to them. We further explored the correlation of motions and proposed allosteric network between the catalytic lobe and the DnaJ appendix. Our findings gave atomic views of the altered allosteric cooperativity and regulation in PKAc oncogenic mutants, providing a cohesive framework to understand aberrant phosphorylation and regulation.
Simulation of supersonic turbulent non-reactive flow in ramp-cavity combustor using a discontinuous spectral element method

The flow inside the combustion chamber of a scramjet engine is a prime example of multiscale and multi-physics flow and is often accompanied by the concurrent presence of shock waves and turbulence. In this work, a high-order discontinuous spectral element method (DSEM) is employed to simulate the supersonic non-reactive flow inside a ramp-cavity combustor. The Mach number is Ma = 2. An entropy viscosity method is implemented to capture the shocks, and the standard Smagorinsky-Lilly model is used as the turbulence model. Results are presented for two simulations with and without an injector and the results are compared. The effect of the Reynolds number is also studied. Stronger mixing effects are observed within the cavity for the case with the injector. Higher Reynolds number also results in a steeper and stronger shock and reflection waves.
Anticipating Workload: Which Facets of Task Difficulty are Easiest to Predict?

Prospective workload measures are used to assess individuals' expectations about tasks they are facing, how difficult they think the tasks will be and how well they expect to perform. In this study, 43 participants used the NASA-TLX subjective workload scale to predict the difficulty of surgical training tasks. The goal of the study was to determine the accuracy of their predictions and whether the act of assessing tasks before performing them affected their judgments post-performance. Regarding initial performance, results showed that participants formed prospective judgments that were consistent with their retrospective judgments, but they underestimated physical demands. After only minimal practice, however, their retrospective judgments deviated from both the experimental group's initial predictions and the control group's initial retrospective assessments. Anticipating mental demand was particularly challenging. No significant differences were found between the control and experimental conditions for...
Student Perceptions of a Flipped Pharmacotherapy Course

Objective. To evaluate student perception of the flipped classroom redesign of a required pharmacotherapy course.Design. Key foundational content was packaged into interactive, text-based online modules for self-paced learning prior to class. Class time was used for active and applied—but primarily case-based—learning.Assessment. For students with a strong preference for traditional lecture learning, the perception of the learning experience was negatively affected by the flipped course design. Module length and time required to complete preclass preparation were the most frequently cited impediments to learning. Students desired instructor-directed reinforcement of independently acquired knowledge to connect foundational knowledge and its application.Conclusion. This study illustrates the challenges and highlights the importance of designing courses to effectively balance time requirements and connect preclass and in-class learning activities. It underscores the crucial role of the instructor in bridging...
The Application of Wavelet Analysis in Restraining Higher Harmonic

Growing in non-linear loads,so harmonic content is increased.Multi resolution analysis(MRA) is the important base of the wavelet analysis,and is the major function in harmonic treatment.The paper uses wavelet analysis to note the character of multi resolution analysis,and finds the breakthrough point between the MRA and harmonic treatment.Then the paper uses multi-resolution analysis to decompose the primitive signal to high frequency signal and the low frequency signal and filter the higher harmonic directly,and has come trueand to restrain and draw the specially harmonic block.The example results show this way of harmonic treatment is practicable and available.
Risk factors for unplanned readmission within 30 days after pediatric neurosurgery: a nationwide analysis of 9799 procedures from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

OBJECTIVE Hospital readmission rate is increasingly used as a quality outcome measure after surgery. The purpose of this study was to establish, using a national database, the baseline readmission rates and risk factors for patient readmission after pediatric neurosurgical procedures. METHODS The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database was queried for pediatric patients treated by a neurosurgeon between 2012 and 2013. Procedures were categorized by current procedural terminology (CPT) code. Patient demographics, comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, operative variables, and postoperative complications were analyzed via univariate and multivariate techniques to find associations with unplanned readmissions within 30 days of the primary procedure. RESULTS A total of 9799 cases met the inclusion criteria, 1098 (11.2%) of which had an unplanned readmission within 30 days. Readmission occurred 14.0 ± 7.7 days postoperatively (mean ± standard deviation). The 4 procedures with the highest unplanned readmission rates were CSF shunt revision (17.3%; CPT codes 62225 and 62230), repair of myelomeningocele > 5 cm in diameter (15.4%), CSF shunt creation (14.1%), and craniectomy for infratentorial tumor excision (13.9%). The lowest unplanned readmission rates were for spine (6.5%), craniotomy for craniosynostosis (2.1%), and skin lesion (1.0%) procedures. On multivariate regression analysis, the odds of readmission were greatest in patients experiencing postoperative surgical site infection (SSI; deep, organ/space, superficial SSI, and wound disruption: OR > 12 and p 10 days (OR 1.411, p = 0.010), oxygen supplementation (OR 1.645, p = 0.010), nutritional support (OR 1.403, p = 0.009), seizure disorder (OR 1.250, p = 0.021), and longer operative time (per hour increase, OR 1.059, p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS This study may aid in identifying patients at risk for unplanned readmission following pediatric neurosurgery, potentially helping to focus efforts at lowering readmission rates, minimizing patient risk, and lowering costs for health care systems.
Optimization of arc angles in rotational therapy.

Abstract Data is presented that will aid in optimizing the arc angles used for rotational therapy for a 6 Mv x-ray beam. Computer calculations of isodose distributions were carried out and the Ap and Lateral dimensions of the 95 and 100% isodose line were tabularized as a function of the field width (6–14 cm), distance between isocenter and patient midline (0–3 cm), and bilateral 120 or 100° arc angle. The 300° rotation cases we studied were generally found to be inferior to 120° or 100° bilateral arc rotations. 120° arcs are best when the target center is within 2 cm of the patient’s Ap center. As that separation increases, the bilateral arc angle should be decreased or wedges should be rotated through 300° to avoid maximum doses greater than 105%. The data tables can be used as a starting point for computer calculations to select the field width and the arc angle for a particular target location and size. Of note is the degree to which the dimensions of the 100% isodose line decreases for small field widths and large isocenter to patient midline distances.
Graded responses of human neutrophils induced by serum-treated zymosan

A modified zymosan preparation was used to probe the interaction of particulate stimuli with human neutrophils (PMNs). After extraction with alkali and detergent, the zymosan particles retained their ability to be opsonized in serum and to stimulate PMNs. Serum-treated zymosan (STZ) induced dose-dependent superoxide (O2-) production and membrane potential depolarization in the range of 1 to 10 mg/mL of STZ. The rate and extent of secretion of lysozyme and beta-glucuronidase were also dose-dependent in the range of 1 to 10 mg/mL of STZ. Cytochemical studies using nitroblue tetrazolium, however, showed that 92% of PMNs were stimulated to produce O2- at 0.1 mg/mL of STZ. The dose response of O2- production induced by STZ is therefore due to increasing O2- production by individual PMNs and not to the stimulation of more PMNs to produce O2-. Evidence for O2- production was found only in the area of PMN-zymosan contact, suggesting a mechanism for the graded responses of PMNs treated with particulate stimuli. In order to determine the nature of the dose dependence of depolarization (a measure of PMN activation), PMNs equilibrated with the fluorescent probe 3,3'-dipentyloxacarbocyanine were analyzed by flow cytometry. The results demonstrate that STZ induces a dose-dependent depolarization of the membrane potential of individual PMNs. These results also demonstrate that increasing concentrations of STZ can induce increasing PMN responses even when all of the PMNs have been activated. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that receptor-mediated particulate stimulation of PMNs is a phenomenon that results in graded PMN responses.
Eliminating the Negative

On February 26, 1972, an earthen dam across Buffalo Creek in Logan County, West Virginia, gave way under heavy rains. The dam had been built over the years from unstable coal mine spoil. A water impoundment 50 feet deep and nearly one-half mile long cascaded through Buffalo Creek hollow. More than 75 people died. Ten minutes after the flood passed, 5 thousand survivors were homeless.
The Attendant and His Environment

This text is intended to provide sufficient practical information regarding the physiological and technical aspects of air transport of patients so that a physician who is familiar with its contents will be able to give sound, practical advice to air ambulance operators, regardless of whether or not the physician has ever flown as a medical flight attendant. More importantly, this book was written for and directed at those physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals who are directly responsible for the medical transfer of patients by aircraft. These responsibilities are varied: from clinical care that requires thoughtful modification of methods that might be applied in a hospital, to coordination of multiple transfer stages, to diplomacy abroad, to the enhancement of an exciting aspect of emergency medical services.
Synthesizing Agile and Knowledge Discovery: Case Study Results

This research adopts a framework that synthesizes Knowledge Discovery in Database (KDD), Cross Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM), and agile practices. The application of this fra...