cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of oxygen on growth, sporulation, and mosquito larval toxin formation byBacillus sphaericus 1593

The effect of oxygen on growth, sporulation, and mosquito larval toxin synthesis byBacillus sphaericus 1593 grown in a small fermentor was investigated. With air as the source of oxygen, about one-half of the cells sporulated and 1022 units of toxicity/mg of cell dry weight were formed. A shift to 100% oxygen in the gas stream maintained a higher level of dissolved oxygen in the medium, but this produced a late block in sporulation; however, toxin synthesis was normal. The mechanism of oxygen inhibition of sporulation byB. sphaericus is unknown, but the same effect was observed inB. subtilis 168. Stopping of the air flow at 8 h, after forespores were completed in about one-half the cells, inhibited the completion of sporulation, but did not decrease toxin production.
Lateral sinus thrombosis: a sometimes unexpected diagnosis.

La thrombose du sinus lateral, une complication frequente des infections de l'oreille a l'ere pre-antibiotique, est rarement observee de nos jours. Lorsqu'elle survient c'est habituellement chez un patient avec un antecedent connu d'infection chronique de l'oreille. On decrit 2 patients presentant des embolies pulmonaires septiques provenant d'une thrombose inapparente du sinus lateral
Receptive field properties of the superior colliculus of the rabbit.

ALTHOUGH richly endowed with both sensory and motor information1, the superior colliculus has in recent years been considered to play a very small part—literally that of a vestigial body—in the vision among higher mammals. In view of its intimate relationships with many central nervous centres1 and its homologous significance (as in the frog), a fuller reappraisal of its role in vision seems timely. Analysis of the receptive fields of these collicular cells was found a particularly effective approach here since levels both more peripheral (the retinal ganglion cells2) and parallel (the lateral geniculate body3) in the main visual pathway of the rabbit have been similarly investigated. There have also been related studies at several synaptic levels in the cat4–6, frog7 and monkey8.
Cyclic square wave voltammetry of single and consecutive reversible electron transfer reactions.

In this report, theory for cyclic square wave voltammetry for single and consecutive reversible electron transfer reactions is presented and experimentally verified. The impact of empirical parameters on the shape of the current−voltage curve is examined. Diagnostic criteria enabling the use of this waveform as a tool for mechanistic analysis of electrode reaction processes are also presented. Since this waveform effectively discriminates against capacitance currents, cyclic square wave voltammetry will enable acquisition of mechanistic information at analyte concentration levels lower than that possible with cyclic voltammetry.
On the transient response of a circular transducer

The transient acoustic pressure resulting from the motion of a circular transducer mounted in an infinite baffle is considered. A fast Fourier transform algorithm is used to obtain the exact pressure for cases involving spatially uniform velocity pulses. Attention is focused on the phenomenon of ‘replica’, whereby the pressure is a scaled version of the input velocity, in order to deduce a general criterion for this phenomenon to occur. The frequency dependence of the acoustic pressure at a given field point is also computed and shown to be a slowly varying function.
Nano-Targeted Delivery of Toremifene, an Estrogen Receptor-α Blocker in Prostate Cancer

Purpose Estrogen Receptor-α (ERα) expression is increased in prostate cancer and acts as an oncogene. We propose that blocking of estrogen hormone binding to ERα using the ERα blocker toremifene will reduce the tumorigenicity of prostate cancer, and nano-targeted delivery of toremifene will improve anticancer efficacy. We report the synthesis and use in an orthotopic mouse model of PLGA-PEG nanoparticles encapsulating toremifene and nanoparticles encapsulating toremifene that are also conjugated to anti-PSMA for targeted prostate tumor delivery.
The Single Antenna Method for the Measurement of Antenna Gain and Phase

The single antenna method is a technique for measuring the absolute gain of an antenna, involving only input impedance or reflection coefficient measurements for that antenna. Here we present a modification to the method which also yields the phase of the far zone electric field. The method is a variation of the two antenna method, in which the second identical antenna is obtained via the image of the antenna under test into a large reflecting plate. A time gating procedure is used to isolate the energy reflected from the plate
Expansionist/context-sensitive methodology: engineering of complex adaptive systems

During the last ten years scientists in diverse fields such as economics, biology, and systems science have been asking the question, "What is it that makes some systems complex?" The traditional reductionist/mechanistic paradigm has failed to answer this system complexity question satisfactorily. An expansionist/context-sensitive system (CSS) paradigm, that includes the traditional reductionist/mechanistic view as a subset, is shown to facilitate understanding and designing complex adaptive systems (GAS). An expansionist system design and evaluation methodology, based on CSS theory, has been applied in a number of CAS applications, including distributed vehicle traffic control that is discussed in this paper as an example.
Early tracheostomy in trauma patients saves time and money.

Abstract Introduction Patients suffering traumatic brain and chest wall injuries are often difficult to liberate from the ventilator yet best timing of tracheostomy remains ill-defined. While prior studies have addressed early versus late tracheostomy, they generally suffer from the use of historical controls, which cannot account for variations in management over time. Propensity scoring can be utilized to identify controls from the same patient population, minimizing impact of confounding variables. The purpose of this study was to determine outcomes associated with early versus late tracheostomy by application of propensity scoring. Methods Patients requiring intubation within 48 h and receiving tracheostomy from January 2010 to June 2012 were identified. Early tracheostomy (ET) was a tracheostomy performed by the fifth hospital day. ET patients were matched to late tracheostomy patients (LT, tracheostomy after day 5) using propensity scoring and compared for multiple outcomes. Cost for services was calculated using average daily billing rates at our institution. Results One hundred and six patients were included, 53 each in the ET (mean day tracheostomy = 4) and the LT (mean day tracheostomy = 10) cohorts. The average age was 47 years and 94% suffered blunt injury, with an average NISS of 23.7. Patients in the ET group had significantly shorter TICU LOS (21.4 days vs. 28.6 days, p Conclusion In the current era of increased health-care costs, early tracheostomy significantly decreased both pulmonary morbidity and critical care resource utilization. This translates to an appreciable cost savings, at minimum $52,173 per patient and a potential total savings of $2.8 million/year for the entire LT cohort. For trauma patients requiring prolonged ventilator support, early tracheostomy should be performed.
Quality of Life in Advanced Cancer An Acceptance and Commitment Therapy View

Prognosis is poor and quantity of life is compromised for individuals with advanced cancer. Quality of life is impacted, for some, by psychological distress. According to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), psychological distress is associated with emotional avoidance and lack of valued living. ACT aims to increase psychological health via acceptance of one’s “minding,” a focus on present-moment living, and a commitment to value-driven life. In this article, we introduce the advanced cancer patient, the theory behind ACT, and how ACT may be delivered. We present the hypothetical case of J.B., a 56-year-old woman with recurrent Stage III ovarian cancer who reports thoughts of hopelessness and worthlessness, and how ACT might be applied to help J.B. experience a rich and meaningful life irrespective of her time remaining.
Mechanism for Modulation Response Improvement in Mutually Injection-Locked Semiconductor Lasers

The modulation response (MR) improvement in mutually injection-locked semiconductor lasers is analyzed. We show that the system becomes increasingly sensitive to the modulation when its operation point approaches the lock band boundary, suggesting that the MR enhancement results from a modulation-induced transition between locked and unlocked operations of the laser system.
A phase II evaluation of nintedanib (BIBF-1120) in the treatment of recurrent or persistent endometrial cancer: an NRG Oncology/Gynecologic Oncology Group Study.

Abstract Introduction Patients presenting with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic endometrial cancer have limited treatment options. On behalf of the Gynecologic Oncology Group, we conducted this phase II trial of nintedanib (BIBF 1120), a potent small molecule triple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor of PDGFR α and β, FGFR 1/3, and VEGFR 1–3, in this population. Objectives The primary objectives were to estimate event-free survival (EFS) at 6months and the proportion of patients who have an objective tumor response. In addition, we sought to determine the nature and degree of toxicity. Secondary objectives were to estimate progression-free and overall survival. Methods This was a two-stage, single-arm phase II study. Eligible patients were treated with single-agent nintedanib at a dose of 200mg twice daily. Results Of 37 patients enrolled, 32 were eligible. There were zero complete and three partial responses for an overall response rate of 9.4% (90% 2-sided CI=2.6–22.5%). Seven patients (21.9%; 90% 2-sided CI=10.7–37.2%) were EFS at 6months, with one patient continuing on study at the time of this writing. Serious toxicity included the following grade 3 events: gastrointestinal toxicity (5), neutropenia (1), edema (1), hypertension (1), and liver function abnormalities (5). Conclusions Nintedanib lacked sufficient activity as a single agent to warrant enrollment to second stage. However, preclinical data indicate it may be synergistic with paclitaxel in a population of patients enriched for specific p53 mutations that result in loss of function. Subsequent studies may evaluate this agent in combination with paclitaxel.
Interviewing the Investigator: Strategies for Addressing Instrumentation and Researcher Bias Concerns in Qualitative Research.

Instrumentation rigor and bias management are major challenges for qualitative researchers employing interviewing as a data generation method in their studies. A usual procedure for testing the quality of an interview protocol and for identifying potential researcher biases is the pilot study in which investigators try out their proposed methods to see if the planned procedures perform as envisioned by the researcher. Sometimes piloting is not practical or possible so an “interviewing the investigator” technique can serve as a useful first step to create interview protocols that help to generate the information proposed and to assess potential researcher biases especially if the investigator has a strong affinity for the participants being studied or is a member of the population itself. Key Words: Interviewing, Instrumentation, Researcher Bias, and Qualitative Research
Unwrapping Academic Standards to Increase the Achievement of Students With Disabilities

Over the past 15 years, students with disabilities have been included in the general education environment at markedly higher rates; however, their achievement is not increasing at the same pace. One reason for this lack of increased achievement may be that academic standards lay the foundation for instruction in this environment, but standards fail to address the component academic skills needed for academic mastery. This article presents a method for analyzing the academic standards and then unwrapping them to their component skills using a lattice task analysis. After employing this analysis, educators will be able to systematically plan instruction in the component skills to ensure achievement and growth for all students in the classroom environment.
Aortic stent-grafts in patients with renal transplants.

Purpose:To report the endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in 2 patients with pelvic renal transplants.Methods and Results:Two men with multiple comorbidities and pelvic transplant kidneys underwent endovascular AAA repair using an aortomonoiliac system with femorofemoral bypass grafting. The arterial end-to-side anastomosis in both patients was to the external iliac artery. Tapered aortomonoiliac grafts were fashioned from Gianturco Z-stents covered with Dacron graft material and implanted with the distal attachment site in the iliac system ipsilateral to the transplant kidney arterial anastomosis. The body of the stent-graft was reinforcement with a Wallstent in each case before the contralateral common iliac artery was occluded and the cross-femoral bypass constructed. Both patients recovered uneventfully from the procedure and are free of endoleak or other complications related to their aneurysm repair at 7 and 34 months.Conclusions:The presence of a pelvic renal transplant in a ...
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus thuringiensis Bacteriophage Smudge

Smudge, a bacteriophage enriched from soil using Bacillus thuringiensis DSM-350 as the host, had its complete genome sequenced. Smudge is a myovirus with a genome consisting of 292 genes and was identified as belonging to the C1 cluster of Bacillus phages.
HYBRID REORDERING STRATEGIES FOR ILU PRECONDITIONING OF INDEFINITE SPARSE MATRICES

Incomplete LU factorization preconditioning techniques often have difficulty on indefinite sparse matrices. We present hybrid reordering strategies to deal with such matrices, which include new diagonal reorderings that are in conjunction with a symmetric nondecreasing degree algorithm. We first use the diagonal reorderings to efficiently search for entries of single element rows and columns and/or the maximum absolute value to be placed on the diagonal for computing a nonsymmetric permutation. To augment the effectiveness of the diagonal reorderings, a nondecreasing degree algorithm is applied to reduce the amount of fill-in during the ILU factorization. With the reordered matrices, we achieve a noticeable improvement in enhancing the stability of incomplete LU factorizations. Consequently, we reduce the convergence cost of the preconditioned Krylov subspace methods on solving the reordered indefinite matrices.
Watermarking Relational Databases Using Optimization-Based Techniques

Proving ownership rights on outsourced relational databases is a crucial issue in today's internet-based application environments and in many content distribution applications. In this paper, we present a mechanism for proof of ownership based on the secure embedding of a robust imperceptible watermark in relational data. We formulate the watermarking of relational databases as a constrained optimization problem and discuss efficient techniques to solve the optimization problem and to handle the constraints. Our watermarking technique is resilient to watermark synchronization errors because it uses a partitioning approach that does not require marker tuples. Our approach overcomes a major weakness in previously proposed watermarking techniques. Watermark decoding is based on a threshold-based technique characterized by an optimal threshold that minimizes the probability of decoding errors. We implemented a proof of concept implementation of our watermarking technique and showed by experimental results that our technique is resilient to tuple deletion, alteration, and insertion attacks.
Selective Inhibition of BTK Prevents Murine Lupus and Antibody-Mediated Glomerulonephritis

Autoantibody production and immune complex deposition within the kidney promote renal disease in patients with lupus nephritis. Thus, therapeutics that inhibit these pathways may be efficacious in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a critical signaling component of both BCR and FcR signaling. We sought to assess the efficacy of inhibiting BTK in the development of lupus-like disease, and in this article describe ( R )-5-amino-1-(1-cyanopiperidin-3-yl)-3-(4-[2,4-difluorophenoxy]phenyl)-1 H -pyrazole-4-carboxamide (PF-06250112), a novel highly selective and potent BTK inhibitor. We demonstrate in vitro that PF-06250112 inhibits both BCR-mediated signaling and proliferation, as well as FcR-mediated activation. To assess the therapeutic impact of BTK inhibition, we treated aged NZBxW_F1 mice with PF-06250112 and demonstrate that PF-06250112 significantly limits the spontaneous accumulation of splenic germinal center B cells and plasma cells. Correspondingly, anti-dsDNA and autoantibody levels were reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, administration of PF-06250112 prevented the development of proteinuria and improved glomerular pathology scores in all treatment groups. Strikingly, this therapeutic effect could occur with only a modest reduction observed in anti-dsDNA titers, implying a critical role for BTK signaling in disease pathogenesis beyond inhibition of autoantibody production. We subsequently demonstrate that PF-06250112 prevents proteinuria in an FcR-dependent, Ab-mediated model of glomerulonephritis. Importantly, these results highlight that BTK inhibition potently limits the development of glomerulonephritis by impacting both cell- and effector molecule-mediated pathways. These data provide support for evaluating the efficacy of BTK inhibition in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.
Modelling the output process of an ATM multiplexer with Markov modulated arrivals

In ATM networks supporting B-ISDN, the traffic is highly correlated and neglecting its correlation leads to dramatic underestimation of the end-to-end delay and end-to-end loss probability. Being able to accurately estimate end-to-end performance is of paramount importance for traffic control. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a procedure for modelling the output process of a finite buffer discrete-time queue loaded with a Markovian arrival process (D-BMAP/D/1/K). The procedure matches the output process long-term index of dispersion for counts and correlation of the number of arrivals in consecutive slots with the same statistics of a two-state Markov modulated Bernoulli process. We also introduce a framework for the analysis of queueing networks with Markov modulated type of flow. >
Alcohol and marijuana use and treatment nonadherence among medically vulnerable youth

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Adolescents face peak risks for onset and intensification of alcohol and marijuana use. However, we know little about these behaviors and their associations with knowledge or treatment adherence among chronically ill youth, a medically vulnerable group. METHODS: Cross-sectional assessment of consented youth ages 9 to 18 years receiving care for asthma/cystic fibrosis, type 1 diabetes, arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by using a self-administered online tool. Prevalence and correlates of risk behaviors and associations with knowledge and treatment adherence were estimated using descriptive statistics and logistic regression, controlling for demographics, mental health, and the multiclinic sampling frame. RESULTS: Of 403 consented youth (75.8% response), 51.6% were girls, 75.1% were white, and average age was 15.6 years. Of high school youth, 36.5% and 12.7% reported past-year alcohol use and binge drinking, respectively; 20% reported past-year marijuana use. Among high school youth, 53.1% and 37.2% answered correctly that alcohol can interfere with their medications and laboratory tests; youth answering incorrectly were 8.53 and 4.46 times more likely to drink and binge drink, respectively ( P values P values CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol and marijuana use are common among youth with chronic medical conditions. Alcohol use is associated with treatment nonadherence. Education and preventive interventions are warranted to ameliorate risk.
Community design of community simulations

We report on a participatory design workshop in which residents of a community collaborated in learning about and designing projects for a visual simulation environment. Nine participants (five middle school teachers, four senior citizens) first conducted a participatory evaluation of a tutorial developed for the Stagecast Creator simulation tool. They then worked in pairs to brainstorm ideas for Creator simulation projects that would help raise and promote discussion of issues relevant to their community. After sharing these ideas, each pair chose 2--3 simulation ideas to refine as a specification for subsequent implementation. We discuss the participants' learning and design activities, as well as their contributions to our long term goal of supporting cross-generational collaboration and learning through community simulation projects.
Liquid membrane transport using boronic acid carriers

Abstract This review summarizes the recent research on a new application with boronic acids, namely their ability to act as transport carriers in bulk, liquid organic membranes. To date, boronic acids have been shown to facilitate the transport of reducing monosaccharides, ribonucleosides, aryl glycosides, catecholamines, a-amino acids, and riboflavin. The transport can either be passive (down a solute concentration gradient) or active (against a solute concentration gradient). The various chemical mechanisms for boronic acid mediated transport are described, as well as the chemical and physical factors that control transport rates.
The role of E-cadherin and integrins in mesoderm differentiation and migration at the mammalian primitive streak

We have examined the role of cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions during mesoderm differentiation and migration at the primitive streak of the mouse embryo with the use of function-perturbing antibodies. Explants of epiblast or mesoderm tissue dissected from the primitive streak of 7.5- to 7.8-day mouse embryos were cultured on a fibronectin substratum in serum-free, chemically defined medium. After 16–24 hours in culture, cells in explants of epiblast exhibited the typical close-packed morphology of epithelia, and the tissue remained as a coherent patch of cells that were shown to express transcripts of the cytokeratin Endo B by in situ analysis. In contrast, cells in explants of primitive streak mesoderm exhibited a greatly flattened, fibroblastic morphology, did not express Endo B transcripts, and migrated away from the center of the explant. As epiblast cells in vivo undergo the epithelial-mesenchymal transition at the primitive streak, they cease expressing the prominent calcium-sensitive cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin (uvomorulin, Cell-CAM 120/80). We asked whether the loss of E-cadherin expression was a passive result of differentiation or if it might play a more causative role in mesoderm differentiation and migration. Culture with function-perturbing antibodies against E-cadherin caused cells within epiblast explants to lose cell-cell contacts, to flatten, and to assume a mesenchymal morphology; they were also induced to migrate. Anti-E-cadherin antibodies had no effect on explants of primitive streak mesoderm. In immunofluorescence studies, anti-E-cadherin-treated epiblast cells ceased to express SSEA-1, a carbohydrate moiety that is lost as mesoderm differentiates from the epiblast in vivo, and they also ceased to express E-cadherin itself. In contrast, these cells began to express the intermediate filament protein vimentin, a cytoskeletal protein characteristic of the primitive streak mesoderm at this stage of development. As epiblast cells differentiate into mesoderm, their predominant adhesive interactions change from cell-cell to cell-substratum. Therefore, we also investigated the adhesive interactions between primitive streak tissues and extracellular matrix (ECM) components. Epiblast explants adhered well to fibronectin, more poorly to laminin and type IV collagen, and not at all to vitronectin. In contrast, mesoderm explants attached well to all these proteins. Furthermore, epiblast, but not mesoderm, displayed an anchorage-dependent viability in culture. After anti-E-cadherin treatment, epiblast cells that had assumed the mesenchymal morphology did attach to vitronectin, another characteristic shared with primitive streak mesoderm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Patient Perceptions of Patient-Centered Medical Home Characteristics and Satisfaction with Free Clinic Services.

Abstract The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a model of health care delivery designed to improve patient health outcomes by increasing the effectiveness of primary care. The effectiveness of PCMH on vulnerable populations is still largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between patient perceptions of PCMH characteristics and patient satisfaction among Spanish-speaking and non–Spanish-speaking patients receiving health care at free clinics. A self-administered survey was used to collect data in 2 free clinics in the United States in 2013. Patients were primarily young and female; 44% were Spanish speaking. Patient perceptions of PCMH characteristics were assessed using multi-item Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems scales developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Patient satisfaction was assessed as satisfaction with care received at the clinic and willingness to recommend the provider. Multivariate logistic regression modele...
Consumer Behavior Patterns of the Old Order Amish in South-Central Pennsylvania

The Old Order Amish are a distinct minority subcultural group in the United States that has cultivated and maintained a unique lifestyle here for over 250 years. There is a paucity of data about their consumer behavior patterns and this research sheds some light in this area.
Jigsaw image mosaics

This paper introduces a new kind of mosaic, called Jigsaw Image Mosaic (JIM), where image tiles of arbitrary shape are used to compose the final picture. The generation of a Jigsaw Image Mosaic is a solution to the following problem: given an arbitrarily-shaped container image and a set of arbitrarily-shaped image tiles, fill the container as compactly as possible with tiles of similar color to the container taken from the input set while optionally deforming them slightly to achieve a more visually-pleasing effect. We approach the problem by defining a mosaic as the tile configuration that minimizes a mosaicing energy function. We introduce a general energy-based framework for mosaicing problems that extends some of the existing algorithms such as Photomosaics and Simulated Decorative Mosaics. We also present a fast algorithm to solve the mosaicing problem at an acceptable computational cost. We demonstrate the use of our method by applying it to a wide range of container images and tiles.
Comparing Criminologists’ Views on Crime and Justice Issues With Those of the General Public:

We report the results of a survey of criminology and criminal justice (CCJ) scholars asking their responses to the same questions posed annually to the general public in Gallup public opinion polls. We found CCJ scholars to be more likely to hold more liberal positions on these issues than the general public. The findings indicate a disconnect between popular crime and justice perspectives (and resultant crime policy formation) and the “experts” presumably best trained and informed on how to go about crime policy. We argue for a renewed discussion among CCJ scholars regarding the relevance and role of academic expertise in crime policy formation and offer suggestions for how CCJ scholars might “go public” in influencing policy decisions.
A Newborn Who Has a Neck Mass and Scalp Abrasion

A term newborn presents with a large left-sided neck mass and scalp abrasion ### Maternal History ### Birth History and Presentation The infant was delivered in vertex presentation via spontaneous vaginal delivery with vacuum assistance (6 pulls with 2 pop-offs). The delivery was attended by the Level II ICN RN, who called the pediatrician after noting a large neck mass on the infant. The infant was warmed, dried, and suctioned. Blow-by oxygen was administered for 5 minutes. The infant was breathing comfortably with no apparent respiratory compromise. Apgar scores were 6 at 1 minute and 8 at 5 minutes. Her birthweight was 2,920 g. ### Vital Signs ### Physical Examination
Deep Brain Stimulation in Depression: Background, Progress, and Key Issues

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an approved adjunct therapy for severe, medication-refractory movement disorders, though it is currently investigational in neuropsychiatry and other neurological conditions. In movement disorders, DBS targets are based mainly on rationales derived from earlier lesion procedures and on knowledge of anatomical networks thought to be involved in pathophysiology of illness. In contrast to lesions DBS is nonablative and has the advantages of reversibility and adjustability. Thus, therapeutic effectiveness can be enhanced and stimulation-related side effects can be minimized during long-term patient management. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown effects of DBS on brain regions that are functionally connected to the stimulation target. Understanding the mechanism of action of DBS constitutes the current focus of a number of clinical and preclinical laboratories. Experience to date, which remains very limited, has suggested that DBS may offer hope to patients with severe and treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric illness. Thus far, work in obsessive—compulsive disorder (OCD), the first neuropsychiatric condition studied using modern DBS devices, has shown consistently positive results across multiple small-scale studies. Work in treatment-resistant depression, where there also may be therapeutic potential, is at an earlier stage. Early positive results have generated cautious optimism in this group of patients. Further development of DBS for these and other illnesses with primarily behavioral symptoms will require thoughtful collaboration among multiple disciplines. Psychiatrists and neurosurgeons, in particular, have only recently begun working together in a limited way. These and other disciplines will need to enhance their interactions as part of dedicated teams for best outcomes in research and ultimately in clinical practice.
Lunar polar rover science operations: Lessons learned and mission architecture implications derived from the Mojave Volatiles Prospector (MVP) terrestrial field campaign

Abstract The Mojave Volatiles Prospector (MVP) project is a science-driven field program with the goal of producing critical knowledge for conducting robotic exploration of the Moon. Specifically, MVP focuses on studying a lunar mission analog to characterize the form and distribution of lunar volatiles. Although lunar volatiles are known to be present near the poles of the Moon, the three dimensional distribution and physical characteristics of lunar polar volatiles are largely unknown. A landed mission with the ability to traverse the lunar surface is thus required to characterize the spatial distribution of lunar polar volatiles. NASA’s Resource Prospector (RP) mission is a lunar polar rover mission that will operate primarily in sunlit regions near a lunar pole with near-real time operations to characterize the vertical and horizontal distribution of volatiles. The MVP project was conducted as a field campaign relevant to the RP lunar mission to provide science, payload, and operational lessons learned to the development of a real-time, short-duration lunar polar volatiles prospecting mission. To achieve these goals, the MVP project conducted a simulated lunar rover mission to investigate the composition and distribution of surface and subsurface volatiles in a natural environment with an unknown volatile distribution within the Mojave Desert, improving our understanding of how to find, characterize, and access volatiles on the Moon.
Enhancement of Sensitivity of the Solution-Phase Localized Surface Plasmon by a Nanostructured Substrate

We describe a simple and inexpensive method to enhance the sensitivity or improve the detection limit of solution-phase localized surface plasmon (LSPR) sensors of metallic nanoparticles. The substrate surface contains metallic nanostructures which are replicated from DVD disks via the standard soft lithography. By mixing BSA molecules with nanoparticle solution, we demonstrate that the wavelength shift due to the absorption of BSA molecules on nanoparticle surfaces is amplified by more than an order of magnitude in comparison to that over a smooth flat surface.
Studies on the mechanism of drug-induced microsomal enzyme activities. V. Phenobarbital stimulation of endogenous messenger RNA and polyuridylic acid-directed L-[14C]-phenylalanine incorporation.

The in vivo administration of phenobarbital increases amino acid incorporation in rat liver microsomes in vitro. 1. The increased incorporation is observed with different amino acids and is not due to changes in cofactor level, amino acid concentration, or factors present in the cell sap. 2. Microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats are more active in L-[14C]-phenylalanine incorporation in the absence of polyuridylic acid. However, L-[14C]-phenylalanine incorporation is stimulated to the same extent by polyuridylic acid in microsomes from control and phenobarbital-treated rats. In contrast, after the removal of endogenous messenger RNA the microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats are more than twice as sensitive as control microsomes to polyuridylic acid-directed L-[14C]-phenylalanine incorporation. This appears due to a phenobarbital-induced increase in both the endogenous microsomal messenger RNA content and the number of microsomal binding sites for messenger RNA. No difference in amino acid incorporation is observed in ribosomes from control and phenobarbital-treated rats, indicating that deoxycholate-soluble factors, presumably components of the endoplasmic reticulum, are important in protein synthesis and are altered by phenobarbital. 3. Microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats contain a relatively greater proportion of membrane-bound ribosomes compared to free ribosomes.
Ionized and total magnesium levels in cyclosporin-treated renal transplant recipients: relationship with cholesterol and cyclosporin levels.

1. Ionized magnesium, measured using a newly developed ion-selective electrode, total magnesium, and ionized and total calcium were evaluated in 39 stable, long-term, cyclosporin-treated renal transplant recipients and compared with those of age-matched, non-transplanted control subjects. Total cholesterol, cyclosporin trough level, serum creatinine, time after-transplant and the ratio of ionized calcium to ionized magnesium were also measured in renal transplant recipients and the relationships between these variables and ionized and total magnesium were evaluated. 2. Renal transplant recipients exhibited marked deficits in ionized magnesium, with a mean value of 0.54 ±0.01 mmol/l as compared with 0.61 ± 0.006 mmol/l for normal control subjects ( P ≦ 0.05), with a more moderate deficit in total magnesium. Values for ionized and total calcium did not differ. By stepwise linear multiple regression analysis, ionized magnesium was significantly related to cyclosporin trough level and total cholesterol but not to serum creatinine, time after transplant or the dose of cyclosporin. Ionized magnesium correlated inversely with cyclosporin trough level and directly with total cholesterol. The ratio of ionized calcium to ionized magnesium was elevated in renal transplant recipients when compared with control subjects and correlated positively with the cyclosporin trough level. 3. Deficits in ionized magnesium are common during the late post-transplant period in cyclosporin-treated renal transplant recipients. Ionized magnesium may be a more sensitive clinical parameter than total magnesium in this population, in whom total magnesium may be only mildly decreased in the setting of a severe deficit in ionized magnesium. 4. Ionized magnesium correlates with the cyclosporin level. Renal transplant recipients with high cyclosporin levels demonstrate the most severe deficits in ionized magnesium, and this finding could contribute to cyclosporin-induced hypertension and nephrotoxicity. The direct correlation between ionized magnesium and total cholesterol may result from a ‘masked magnesium deficiency’, as has been suggested in animal models, and requires further study. 5. Accelerated atherosclerosis observed after renal transplantation may relate to alterations in ionized magnesium and elevated ratios of ionized calcium to ionized magnesium, which are associated with atherogenesis in other models.
Laser Performance of a New Laser Crystal - Nd:GdLiF4

Laser performance and spectroscopic properties of Nd:GdLiF4, a new laser crystal, are reported. A slope efficiency of 68 % and 67 % has been observed for 1.0 at. % Nd:GLF in CW operation and for 4.0 at. % Nd:GLF in long pulse operation respectively.
Metabolic Acidosis in Hyperparathyroidism Role of Phosphate Depletion and Other Factors

Patients with primary or secondary hyperparathyroidism may display abnormalities in acid-base homeostasis and in renal handling of bicarbonate. Many investigators have observed mild acidosis, low levels of serum bicarbonate and impaired urinary acidification in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (1–6) and in those with osteomalacia or malabsorption and secondary hyperparathyroidism (7–10). Successful treatment of the state of hyperparathyroidism is usually associated with reversal of these abnormalities. On the other hand, elevated levels of serum bicarbonate were noted in patients with hypercalcemia which was not due to excess parathyroid hormone and in patients with hypoparathyroidism (2,11–14). Also, Barzel reported that mild metabolic alkalosis may be present in patients with parathyroid hormone deficiency (13, 14).
What's Wrong With Sentencing Equality?

Equality in criminal sentencing often translates into equalizing outcomes and stamping out variations, whether race-based, geographic, or random. This approach conflates the concept of equality with one contestable conception focused on outputs and numbers, not inputs and processes. Racial equality is crucial, but a concern with eliminating racism has hypertrophied well beyond race. Equalizing outcomes seems appealing as a neutral way to dodge contentious substantive policy debates about the purposes of punishment. But it actually privileges deterrence and incapacitation over rehabilitation, subjective elements of retribution, and procedural justice, and it provides little normative guidance for punishment. It also has unintended consequences for the structure of sentencing. Focusing on outcomes centralizes power and draws it up to higher levels of government, sacrificing the checks and balances, disaggregation, experimentation, and localism that are practically baked into sentencing’s constitutional framework. More flexible, process-oriented notions of equality might better give effect to a range of competing punishment considerations while still policing punishments for bias or arbitrariness. They also could bring useful nuance to equality debates that swirl around restorative justice, California’s Realignment experiment, federal use of fast-track plea agreements, and other contemporary sentencing practices.
It's time to redefine inflammation

Inflammation has been defined for many years as the response to tissue injury and infection. We are now forced to reconsider this definition by the avalanche of reports that molecules and cells ass...
Vascular Cognitive and Behavioral Disorders

Clinicopathological correlation of autopsy findings in patients with ischemic stroke who have cognitive and behavioral disorders was the original basis for localization of cognitive function to various parts of the brain. Newer imaging technology, such as brain magnetic resonance imaging studies, has helped confirm and refine many of these early findings, particularly in the case of small deep infarcts. In this chapter, we review a number of interesting syndromes seen by cerebrovascular neurologists and correlate them with infarct location. These include hemineglect, anosognosia, visual anomia, prosopagnosia, and the disconnection syndrome of alexia without agraphia. Finally, we review the effects of small infarcts in the anterior and medial thalamus, and infarcts in the territory of the anterior cerebral artery regions of the frontal lobes.
Otolith shape variability and associated body growth differences in giant grenadier, Albatrossia pectoralis

Fish stocks can be defined by differences in their distribution, life history, and genetics. Managing fish based on stock structure is integral to successful management of a species because fishing may affect stocks disproportionately. Genetic and environmental differences can affect the shape and growth of otoliths and these differences may be indicative of stock structure. To investigate the potential for speciation or stock structure in giant grenadier, Albatrossia pectoralis, we quantified the shape of female giant grenadier otoliths and compared body growth rates for fish with three otolith shapes; shape types were classified visually by an experienced giant grenadier age reader, and were not defined by known distribution or life history differences. We found extreme variation in otolith shape among individuals; however, the shapes were a gradation and not clearly defined into three groups. The two more extreme shapes, visually defined as "hatchet" and "comb", were discernable based on principal component analyses of elliptical Fourier descriptors, and the "mixed" shape overlapped both of the extreme shapes. Fish with hatchet-shaped otoliths grew faster than fish with comb-shaped otoliths. A genetic test (cytochrome c oxidase 1 used by the Fish Barcode of Life Initiative) showed almost no variability among samples, indicating that the samples were all from one species. The lack of young specimens makes it difficult to link otolith shape and growth difference to life history. In addition, shape could not be correlated with adult movement patterns because giant grenadiers experience 100% mortality after capture and, therefore, cannot be tagged and released. Despite these limitations, the link between body growth and otolith shape indicates measurable differences that deserve more study.
Commitment in regulatory spectrum games: Examining the first-player advantage

Recent advances in dynamic spectrum sharing have led to renewed focus on the structure of regulatory games between a primary user and a secondary user of a spectrum band. The primary user has to decide to what extent it invokes the services of the regulator, and the secondary user has to decide how to operate in the spectrum band. This paper builds on a mathematical model for light-handed regulation using “spectrum jails” to show that the order of play and amount of commitment matters. A primary that can commit to its strategy before the game is able to increase its equilibrium payoff, even when the secondary best responds to the committed strategy. We compare the ensuing Stackelberg game with the simultaneous primary-secondary game. We also introduce a new concept of partial commitment by which the primary can only commit to a range of strategies using a finite number of bits. We show explicitly that the more the primary commits to, the more it benefits, and that Stackelberg commitment can be understood as a limit of infinite “commitment bits”.
Condition 9 and 10 Tests of Model Confirmation: A Review of James, Mulaik, and Brett (1982) and Contemporary Alternatives

Structural equation modeling (SEM) serves as one of the most important advances in the social sciences in the past 40 years. Through a combination of factor analysis and path analysis, SEM allows o...
Learning styles and supervision: A critical review

Attending to supervisees’ learning styles is a noted component of supervision best practices. However, the extant literature on learning styles is complex and controversial, leaving supervisors wit...
Actin and Actin-Binding Proteins

Organisms from all domains of life depend on filaments of the protein actin to provide structure and to support internal movements. Many eukaryotic cells use forces produced by actin polymerization for their motility, and myosin motor proteins use ATP hydrolysis to produce force on actin filaments. Actin polymerizes spontaneously, followed by hydrolysis of a bound adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Dissociation of the γ-phosphate prepares the polymer for disassembly. This review provides an overview of the properties of actin and shows how dozens of proteins control both the assembly and disassembly of actin filaments. These players catalyze nucleotide exchange on actin monomers, initiate polymerization, promote phosphate dissociation, cap the ends of polymers, cross-link filaments to each other and other cellular components, and sever filaments.
Characterizing the Impact of Aerosols on Pre-Hurricane Sandy

This study focuses on the role that African dust over the Atlantic had on the persistence of the tropical system that eventually became Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. On October 8, a Saharan dust event in the Mauritania region of West Africa transported significant amounts of mineral dust into the troposphere and along the path of an easterly wave created by a break in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The Terra/Aqua-MODIS satellite observations clearly define the spatial distribution of the coarse/fine aerosols, while the CALIPSO observations of the total attenuated backscatter at 532 nm provide a detailed view of the vertical structure and aerosol types in the dust-laden layer. European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, Version 2 reanalysis data show the distribution of aerosols along the path of the pre-Sandy wave as well as a second wave that formed north of the ITCZ under different condition. The second wave, which started in an area of relatively larger aerosol optical depth (AOD), moved into an area with abnormally low convective available potential energy and AOD, subsequently dying out, while the wave that became Sandy had light aerosol loading (AOD between 0.15–0.5) along a majority of its path. The evidence suggests that aerosols played a nontrivial role in the maintenance of this system until it moved into an environment favorable for cyclogenesis.
Prediction and prevention of urban arbovirus epidemics: A challenge for the global virology community

The recent emergence and rapid spread of Zika virus in tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere took arbovirologists and public health officials by surprise, and the earlier transfers of West Nile and chikungunya viruses from the Old to the New World were also unexpected. These pandemics underscore the increasing threat of zoonotic arboviruses, especially those that are capable of entering into human-amplified, urban transmission cycles transmitted by Aedes (Stegomyia) aegypti and sometimes other Aedes (Stegomyia) spp. mosquitoes. This review serves as an introduction to a World Health Organization-sponsored conference to be held on June 18-19, 2018 in Geneva, titled "From obscurity to urban epidemics: what are the next urban arboviruses?" It is intended to set the stage and fuel discussions of future urban arbovirus threats, how we can predict these risks from known and unknown viruses, and what factors may change these risks over time.
Hypertensive Crisis in Cardiac Tamponade

Cardiac tamponade is a potentially life-threatening disorder believed to be commonly associated with hypotension and even shock. However, many patients with subacute tamponade are indeed hypertensive at initial presentation. We present a case of a 76-year-old female with hypertensive crisis in the settings of cardiac tamponade whose blood pressure normalized after pericardiocentesis.