cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Secondary Structure of α-Synuclein Oligomers: Characterization by Raman and Atomic Force Microscopy

Formation of α-synuclein aggregates is proposed to be a crucial event in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Large soluble oligomeric species are observed as probable intermediates during fibril formation and these, or related aggregates, may constitute the toxic element that triggers neurodegeneration. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of information regarding the structure and composition of these oligomers. Here, the morphology and the conformational characteristics of the oligomers and filaments are investigated by a combined atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman microscopic approach on a common mica surface. AFM showed that in vitro early stage oligomers were globular with variable heights, while prolonged incubation caused the oligomers to become elongated as protofilaments. The height of the subsequently formed α-synuclein filaments was similar to that of the protofilaments. Analysis of the Raman amide I band profiles of the different α-synuclein oligomers establishes that the spheroidal oligomers contain a significant amount of α-helical secondary structure (47%), which decreases to about 37% in protofilaments. At the same time, when protofilaments form, β-sheet structure increases to about 54% from the ∼29% observed in spheroidal oligomers. Upon filament formation, the major conformation is β-sheet (66%), confirmed by narrowing of the amide I band and the profile maximum shifting to 1667 cm−1. The accumulation of spheroidal oligomers of increasing size but unchanged vibrational spectra during the fibrillization process suggests that a cooperative conformational change may contribute to the kinetic control of fibrillization.
Type 1 Collagen as an Endovascular Stent-Graft Material for Small-diameter Vessels: A Biocompatibility Study

PURPOSE To compare patency rates and degrees of neointimal hyperplasia between bovine type 1 collagen stent-grafts and uncovered control stents in small-diameter vessels ( MATERIALS AND METHODS Uncovered stainless-steel, balloon-expandable stents ( n = 5) and type 1 collagen stent-grafts ( n = 6) were implanted via the femoral arteries with use of 4-mm balloon catheters into the abdominal aorta of New Zealand White rabbits. Ten animals were available for follow-up. Subjects were followed for 1 month (three uncovered stents; three collagen stent-grafts) or 4 months (two uncovered stents; two collagen stent-grafts). Angiography was performed before animal sacrifice and luminal compromise was compared between groups. Histologic and immunohistochemical analysis was performed to determine presence of neointima and neointimal thickness and area; these parameters were also compared between groups. RESULTS All stents and stent-grafts remained patent at both time points. Luminal compromise was not detectable angiographically in any subject. Maximum neointimal thickness was less than 5 μm for all subjects. Neointimal thickness and area were not statistically significantly different between groups. CONCLUSIONS Type 1 collagen stent-grafts demonstrate excellent hemocompatibility and biocompatibility in small-diameter vessels in rabbits.
Interrelationship between electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy, QT prolongation, and ischaemic stroke: the REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study.

Aims To determine if the association between electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy (ECG-LVH) and ischaemic stroke is partially explained by the concomitant presence of QT prolongation. Methods and results A total of 24 948 (mean age = 65 ± 9.4 years; 40% black; 55% women) participants from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study were included in this analysis. Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy was defined by the Sokolow–Lyon criteria. Heart rate-adjusted QT (QTa) was computed using a linear regression model. Adjudicated ischaemic stroke events were the outcome of interest. Cox regression was used to compute hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between ECG-LVH and prolonged QTa, in isolation and combined, with ischaemic stroke. There were 2422 (9.7%) participants with ECG-LVH, 820 (3.3%) with prolonged QTa, and 161 (0.6%) with both. Over a median follow-up of 7.6 years, 714 (2.9%) ischaemic stroke events occurred. After adjustment for stroke risk factors and potential confounders, an increased risk of ischaemic stroke was observed among participants with ECG-LVH and prolonged QTa (HR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.04–3.30), isolated ECG-LVH (HR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.13–1.75), and isolated prolonged QTa (HR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.04–2.03) compared with participants without either condition. When ECG-LVH and prolonged QTa were examined as separate variables, the risk of ischaemic stroke for each condition remained statistically significant. Conclusion The combination of ECG-LVH and prolonged QT is associated with a higher risk of ischaemic stroke compared with either condition in isolation, and the stroke risk for each condition does not depend on the presence of the other.
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of Certain β-Aminoketones

A series of β -aminoketones has been synthesized under the conditions of the Mannich reaction. Most of the compounds have exhibited antibacterial activity.
The geological consequences of evolution

Geobiologists seek to understand the role of organisms in the Earth system. By extension, one can ask how evolutionary innovations and, more generally, the population genetic processes that mediate evolution have influenced the Earth's surface through time. The example of oxygenic photosynthesis and the redox history of atmospheres and oceans illustrates the complex relationship between evolution and environmental change. Biological innovations determine the dimensions of biological participation in the Earth system, but by themselves they seldom generate lasting environmental change. More commonly, environments change when physical drivers exceed the limited environmental buffering capacity conferred by population genetics and nutritional codependence. Environmental change, in turn, feeds back on biology, creating new opportunities for evolutionary innovation.
Intrauterine device placement at 3 versus 6 weeks postpartum: a randomized trial.

Abstract Objective To investigate whether early placement of an intrauterine device (IUD) at 3weeks after delivery, compared to placement at 6weeks, is associated with greater use at 3months postpartum. Study Design This prospective randomized, controlled trial enrolled inpatient postpartum women intending to use intrauterine contraception. Participants were assigned to an early (3week) or standard (6week) postpartum visit with IUD placement and were followed for 6months. We used transvaginal ultrasonography to confirm placement and measure uterine dimensions. We measured pain with IUD insertion and satisfaction with IUD timing using 100-mm visual analog scales. Data were analyzed based on randomization and actual timing of insertion (18–24 vs. 39–45days). Results Between February 2012 and December 2013, 201 subjects were enrolled (early=101; standard=100). Most participants returned for IUD placement as scheduled; 70.1% (53/75) in the early group, 74.3% (58/78) in the standard group (p=.06). IUD use did not differ between groups at 3months (73/100, 73.0% and 73/97, 75.3%, respectively, p=.72) or 6months (80.3% and 82.8%, p=.71) amongst those women for whom follow-up was available. Women randomized to 6-week insertion were more likely to have resumed intercourse prior to the IUD appointment (15/64, 23.4% vs. 5/68, 7.3%, p=.01). Pain with insertion (19.9 vs. 25.1, respectively, p=.21) and satisfaction (89.6 vs. 93.4, respectively, p=.23) did not vary based on actual timing of insertion. Conclusion Offering IUD placement at 3weeks postpartum compared to standard scheduling at 6weeks does not result in increased use at 3months. However, early IUD placement is acceptable to women and without increased pain. Implications This study demonstrates that IUD placement as early as 3weeks postpartum is feasible. Larger studies are needed to evaluate risks and benefits of IUD placement at this early interval. While earlier timing does not result in increased IUD uptake, early placement should be explored as an option since many women resume intercourse before 6weeks.
Reconstruction of a channel offset in 1857(?) by the San Andreas fault near Cholame, California

Abstract The U.S. Geological Survey has formally forecast the next moderate ( M 6) Parkfield earthquake for 1988 ±5 yr. Sieh and Jahns (1984) forecast that a M 7 earthquake is likely to accompany the next Parkfield earthquake. The latter forecast rests on interpretation of 3 to 4 m of 1857 slip on eight gullies near Cholame and slip-loading rate of 3.5 cm/yr since 1857. But Lienkaemper (1987) interprets 1857 slip here as 4 to 8 m. These eight gullies yield larger slip when one includes slip on secondary faults (at three gullies), and one picks gully centerlines judging the post-1857 alteration differently (at five sites). Our goal in this paper is to show our interpretation of slip on one gully deemed the least ambiguous of these eight (as they appear in large-scale, 1966 aerial photographs). We interpret slip as 2-m larger at this key site, suggesting a much lower likelihood of the next Parkfield earthquake triggering a larger Cholame earthquake. Our detailed studies of many sites showing 1857(?) slip are continuing and will be published later. Using 1966 aerial photos, we infer the shape of this key gully before fault offset by eliminating effects of later natural and artificial processes of alteration. On 1986 photos right-lateral offset seems 3.5 ± 0.5 m, but on 1966 photos we measure 5.7 ± 0.7 m. Differencing precise 1966 and 1986 topographic maps shows that little incision occurred, but soil deposited up to a 1-m thickness on the left bank (probably drifted downslope from agricultural disking in the adjacent field). This soil deposit forced the channel bottom 2-m away from the left bank (upstream from fault only), causing offset in 1986 to appear 2-m smaller than in 1966. This 2-m alteration presumably occurred before Sieh (1978) interpreted 3.3-m slip here.
Immediate compensation for variations in self-generated Coriolis torques related to body dynamics and carried objects

We have previously shown that the Coriolis torques that result when an arm movement is performed during torso rotation do not affect movement trajectory. Our purpose in the present study was to exa...
Increasing hydrodynamic efficiency by reducing cross-beam energy transfer in direct-drive-implosion experiments.

A series of experiments to determine the optimum laser-beam radius by balancing the reduction of cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) with increased illumination nonuniformities shows that the hydrodynamic efficiency is increased by $\ensuremath{\sim}35%$, which leads to a factor of 2.6 increase in the neutron yield when the laser-spot size is reduced by $20%$. Over this range, the absorption is measured to increase by $15%$, resulting in a $17%$ increase in the implosion velocity and a $10%$ earlier bang time. When reducing the ratio of laser-spot size to a target radius below 0.8, the rms amplitudes of the nonuniformities imposed by the smaller laser spots are measured at a convergence ratio of 2.5 to exceed $8\text{ }\text{ }\ensuremath{\mu}\mathrm{m}$ and the neutron yield saturates despite increasing absorbed energy, implosion velocity, and decreasing bang time. The results agree well with hydrodynamic simulations that include both nonlocal and CBET models.
Model validation study of carbon monoxide transport due to portable electric generator operation in an attached garage

A series of tests was conducted to characterize the indoor carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations resulting from portable electric generators operating in the attached garage of a test house under various use and environmental conditions. An extensive model validation effort using the multizone airflow and indoor air quality (IAQ) model CONTAM was carried out using the data from seven tests with a generator operating in the attached garage to compare predicted CO concentrations with measured values. The agreement between the measurements and predictions of the O2 concentrations in the garage and the average CO concentration for the house zones was excellent for the data set as a whole. The agreement was somewhat worse for the garage CO concentrations. Overall, the house zone average and garage CO concentration predictions and measurements were within about 20% and 30%, respectively, when averaged over all cases.
Rotational atherectomy for treatment of in-stent restenosis: role of intracoronary ultrasound guidance

In-stent restenosis is becoming increasingly frequent as greater numbers of intracoronary stents are implanted, and may pose a particularly challenging management problem. Recurrent restenosis following balloon angioplasty for in-stent restenosis is common, and thus the possible role of debulking has been considered. This report describes the successful treatment of severe restenosis within a Palmaz-Schatz stent with high-speed rotational atherectomy, using intracoronary ultrasound guidance.
Über die strukturellen Grundlagen der Chemie und des Stoffwechsels der Stützsubstanzen

Die hauptsachlichsten Stutzsubstanzen des Korpers, Bindegewebe, Knorpel und Knochen, gehen direkt oder indirekt aus dem embryonalen Mesenchym hervor. Sie machen nach neueren praparatorischen und chemischen Untersuchungen mindestens 10% des Gesamtgewichts der Ratte aus, gegenuber dem genauer bestimmbaren Anteil der Muskulatur von etwa 50%6.
Introduction: Power, Perceptions, and Policy

America’s relationship with Japan recently passed its 140th-year anniversary. Over those years, hundreds of books and thousands of articles have explored different issues or periods of the relationship. Yet within that vast library no book has analyzed the entire relationship from beginning to present.
Training and Credentialing in New Technologies

There is a constant enthusiasm for innovation driving surgeons, patients, and industry partners to develop and disseminate novel treatments and devices. This drive must be tempered by consideration of uncertain risks, unproven benefits, and increased costs. The government, through the FDA, assures that new devices do not pose undue risk at rollout, but the true measure of safety, efficacy, and cost effectiveness requires time and comparative study. Establishing clinical indications, guidelines, and best practices is best done by professional organizations, like SAGES, which have the resources to perform critical review and refinement during early implementation, with attention to the possibility of conflict of interest. Organizations like SAGES are well positioned to guide dissemination of new techniques and procedures through their educational missions and infrastructure. For example, courses and formal fellowships developed when the need for better education of practicing surgeons and trainee surgeons was identified during the emergence of advanced minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery. Robotics in general surgery is a present-day example of an evolving technology that has inspired critical assessment and the formation of structured training pathways under SAGES auspices.
A novel approach for multi-SNP GWAS and its application in Alzheimer’s disease

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have effectively identified genetic factors for many diseases. Many diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD), have epistatic causes, requiring more sophisticated analyses to identify groups of variants which together affect phenotype. Based on the GWAS statistical model, we developed a multi-SNP GWAS analysis to identify pairs of variants whose common occurrence signaled the Alzheimer’s disease phenotype. Despite not having sufficient data to demonstrate significance, our preliminary experimentation identified a high correlation between GRIA3 and HLA-DRB5 (an AD gene). GRIA3 has not been previously reported in association with AD, but is known to play a role in learning and memory.
Classification-Based Causality Detection in Time Series

Brain effective connectivity aims to detect causal interactions between distinct brain units and it can be studied through the analysis of magneto/electroencephalography (M/EEG) signals. Methods to evaluate effective connectivity belong to the large body of literature related to detecting causal interactions between multivariate autoregressive (MAR) data, a field of signal processing. Here, we reformulate the problem of causality detection as a supervised learning task and we propose a classification-based approach for it. Our solution takes advantage of the MAR model by generating a labeled data set that contains trials of multivariate signals for each possible configuration of causal interactions. Through the definition of a proper feature space, a classifier is trained to identify the causality structure within each trial. As evidence of the efficacy of the proposed method, we report both the cross-validated results and the details of our submission to the causality detection competition of Biomag2014, where the method reached the 2nd place.
Super resolution emission source microscopy using water immersion

A two-dimensional emission source microscopy (ESM) algorithm based on the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) technique is used for EMI source localization. The resolution of the ESM method is proportional to the wavelength of electromagnetic radiation, and at the frequency of 1 GHz, the theoretical resolution limit in air is 15 cm which is too coarse for many practical applications. The resolution can be improved if water is used as the medium between the device under test (DUT) and the receiving probe, leading to a much shorter wavelength. It is demonstrated that by using water immersion it is possible to achieve resolution of 2.5 cm at 1 GHz, which is a 6-fold improvement over a measurement in air.
A field-deployable mobile molecular diagnostic system for malaria at the point of need

In response to the urgent need of a field-deployable and highly sensitive malaria diagnosis, we developed a standalone, "sample-in-answer-out" molecular diagnostic system (AnyMDx) to enable quantitative molecular analysis of blood-borne malaria in low resource areas. The system consists of a durable battery-powered analyzer and a disposable microfluidic compact disc loaded with reagents ready for use. A low power thermal module and a novel fluorescence-sensing module are integrated into the analyzer for real-time monitoring of loop-mediated isothermal nucleic acid amplification (LAMP) of target parasite DNA. With 10 μL of raw blood sample, the AnyMDx system automates the nucleic acid sample preparation and subsequent LAMP and real-time detection. Under laboratory conditions with whole-blood samples spiked with cultured Plasmodium falciparum, we achieved a detection limit of ∼0.6 parasite per μL, much lower than those for the conventional microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (∼50-100 parasites per μL). The turnaround time from sample to answer is less than 40 minutes. The AnyMDx is user-friendly requiring minimal technological training. The analyzer and the disposable reagent compact discs are cost-effective, making AnyMDx a potential tool for malaria molecular diagnosis under field settings for malaria elimination.
Outcomes of percutaneous nephrolithotomy in spinal cord injury patients as compared to a matched cohort

Spinal cord injury patients are at increased risk of developing nephrolithiasis and may require percutaneous nephrolithotomy for treatment of large stone burdens. Our objective was to compare outcomes of PCNL in SCI patients as compared to a matched cohort of non-SCI patients. Data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database for Florida and California were used to identify patients by ICD-9 codes who underwent PCNL between 2007 and 2011. SCI was identified by having a paralysis diagnosis on the chronic comorbidity indicator. One-to-one matching was performed based on age, race, gender, presence of preoperative UTI, and major comorbidities. Of the 39,868 unique patients identified, who underwent PCNL, 1918 (4.81%) were SCI patients. After matching, worse perioperative outcomes in SCI patients were demonstrated. SCI patients had significantly longer length of stay, higher rates of sepsis, and increased minor and moderate complications (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated an independently increased risk of mortality, minor and major complications, pneumonia, sepsis, and length of stay in SCI patients. PCNL in SCI patients is associated with a high complication rate and longer hospital stay even when controlling for presence of preoperative UTI and medical comorbidities. To our knowledge, this is the first study of outcomes of PCNL in a large population of SCI patients. These patients represent a high risk population and strategies to decrease complications need to be developed and implemented.
Implantation of a MICRA Leadless Pacemaker Via Right Internal Jugular Vein.

The MICRA leadless pacing system (Medtronic, Inc, Minneapolis, Minnesota) delivers VVI pacing implanted through a 23-F sheath via a femoral approach. We present feasibility of MICRA implantation via a right internal jugular (RIJ) vein approach in a patient with an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter,
Phosphorylation, oligomerization and self-assembly in water under potential prebiotic conditions.

Phosphorylation of (pre)biological molecules in water has been a long-sought goal in prebiotic chemistry. Now, it has been demonstrated that diamidophosphate phosphorylates nucleosides, amino acids and glycerol/fatty acids in aqueous medium, while simultaneously leading t…
Task-driven optimization of an experimental photon counting detector CT system for intracranial hemorrhage detection

In this work, the potential application of photon counting detector CT (PCD-CT) in intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) imaging was investigated. An experimental PCD-CT imaging system was constructed and optimized for the detection of low contrast intraparenchymal bleeding. The system uses a CdTe-based PCD that provides 51 cm axial coverage and excellent DQE performance. A customized anthropomorphic head phantom with a built-in ICH model was used to evaluate the performance of the PCD-CT system for the ICH detection task. The nominal contrast between the ICH model and brain parenchyma is 10 HU. The phantom was also scanned by a commercial multi-detector CT (MDCT) system to obtain gold standard images. For the sake of fair comparison, radiation dose level, tube potential, slice thickness, reconstruction pixel size were matched between the two CT systems. The nonprewhitening observer detectability index d' was used as the figure-of-merit for optimizing the detector binning mode and reconstruction kernel for the PCD-CT system. Compared with the gold-standard MDCT images, the optimized PCD-CT images demonstrated higher d0 value for the detection of the ICH model in the head phantom.
Studies of Thermal Transitions of Phospholipids in Water: Effect of Chain Length and Polar Groups of Single Lipids and Mixtures

Several phospholipids and mixtures of phospholipids in water-rich systems were studied by differential thermal analysis and polarized light microscopy. Sharp transition temperatures were observed for all lipids which were single molecular types. This transition is associated with the melting of the hydrocarbon chains and formation of the liquid crystalline form. For mixtures of lecithin of different hydrocarbon chain lengths, the transition temperature range was broadened and increased with the concentration of the long chain component. The transition temperatures of a series of lipids, which had the same hydrocarbon chains but different polar groups, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, N, N-dimethyl phosphatidyl ethanolamine, and lecithin, were lowered as the methylation of the amine increased. Mixtures of lecithin and phosphatidyl ethanolamine with the same hydrocarbon chains showed that the transition temperature of the phosphatidyl ethanolamine is lowered by the presence of lecithin and in some compositions two transition temperatures were observed. The mixing of an acidic lipid, dicetyl phosphoric acid, with lecithin showed that small concentrations of the acid lower the transition temperature of lecithin. At concentrations of the acid above 21 mole percent, the transition temperature of dicetyl phosphoric acid is observed.
Are Pegged and Intermediate Exchange Rate Regimes More Crisis Prone

This paper provides evidence on the susceptibility of different types of exchange rate regimes to currency crises during 1990-2001. It explores the incidence of crises, identified as episodes of severe exchange market pressure, to seek evidence on whether pegged regimes are more crisis prone than floating regimes and on whether certain types of pegged regimes are more crisis prone than others. The paper finds that pegged regimes, as a whole, have been characterized by a higher incidence of crises than floating regimes, for countries that are more integrated with international capital markets; and that intermediate regimes (mainly soft pegs and tightly-managed floating regimes) have been more crisis prone than both hard pegs and other floating regimesa view consistent with the bipolar view of exchange rate regimes. The degree of crisis proneness seems to be broadly similar across different types of intermediate regimes.
Vortex re-entry in healthy myocardium

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses vortex reentry in healthy myocardium. The commonest mechanism of ventricular tachyarrhythmia is reentry, the circulation of an action potential around a long enough chain of myocardial fibers to allow repolarization and restoration of excitability before the pulse returns. The separator is the seat of the excitability of any excitable medium; it has no clear mathematical definition, being only a segment of a trajectory from which others split off violently upward and downward to almost discontinuously change the timing of action potentials. It ends vaguely inside the excitation-recovery loop where the splitting away is no longer violent, where all trajectories, having reached the extreme of the membranes recovery intensity, turn downward, repolarizing.
Tribute: An Extraordinary Lawyer

Charles Ogletree, Jr., is one of those persons who, by virtue of his many and varied achievements, has become almost larger than life. Ogletree is a leader in the struggle for civil rights. The Author pays tribute to this tenured Harvard Law School professor.
What influences travelers to use Uber? Exploring the factors affecting the adoption of on-demand ride services in California

Abstract On-demand ride services, such as those offered by Uber and Lyft, are transforming transportation supply and demand in many ways. As the popularity and visibility of Uber/Lyft grow, an understanding of the factors affecting the use of these services becomes more important. In this paper, we investigate the factors affecting the adoption of on-demand ride services among millennials (i.e. young adults born between 1981 and 1997), and members of the preceding Generation X (i.e. middle-aged adults born between 1965 and 1980) in California. We estimate binary logit models of the adoption of Uber/Lyft with and without the inclusion of attitudinal variables, using the California Millennials Dataset (N = 1975). The results are consistent across models: we find that highly educated, older millennials are more likely to use on-demand ride services than other groups. We also find that greater land-use mix and regional accessibility by car are associated with greater likelihood of adopting on-demand ride services. Respondents who report higher numbers of long-distance business trips and have a higher share of long-distance trips made by plane are also more likely to have used these services, as are frequent users of smartphone transportation-related apps, and those who have previously used taxi and carsharing services. Among various attitudinal factors that were investigated, individuals with stronger pro-environmental, technology-embracing, and variety-seeking attitudes are more inclined to use ridehailing. These findings provide a starting point for efforts to forecast the adoption of on-demand services and their impacts on overall travel patterns across various regions and sociodemographics.
Yield Criteria for Anisotropic Polycrystals

Chapter 5 is devoted to modeling the elastic–plastic behavior of anisotropic polycrystalline metals. After introducing the only two rigorous methodologies for extending isotropic formulations such as to account for anisotropy, the most versatile three-dimensional orthotropic yield criteria for materials with the same response in tension and in compression are presented. While the need for analytic yield criteria that account for both anisotropy and tension–compression asymmetry in the plastic deformation of hexagonal materials such as magnesium, zirconium, and titanium alloys has been long recognized, only recently models that describe these key features have been developed. These contributions along with applications for a variety of loadings are discussed.
Motion analysis in the axial plane after realignment surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Abstract Background This study aimed to define changes occurring in axial plane motion after scoliosis surgery in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) using gait analysis. Pre- and postoperative axial plane motion was compared to healthy/control subjects. This may potentially improve our understanding of how motion is impacted by deformity and subsequent surgical realignment. Methods 15 subjects with AIS underwent pre- and postoperative radiographic and gait analysis, with focus on axial plane motion (clockwise [CW] and counterclockwise [CCW]). Age, weight, and gender-matched controls (n = 13) were identified for gait analysis. Control, preoperative and postoperative groups were compared with paired student’s t-tests. Results Surgical realignment resulted in significantly decreased in upper thoracic, thoracic, thoracolumbar and lumbar Cobb angles pre-to-postoperatively (36.7° vs. 15.2°, 60.1° vs. 25.6°, 47.7° vs. 17.7° and 27.2° vs. 4.8°, respectively) (all p Significance AIS patients demonstrated abnormal gait patterns in the axial plane compared to normal controls. After surgical realignment and de-rotation, marked improvement in axial plane motion was observed, highlighting how motion analysis can afford surgeons three-dimensional perspective into the patient’s functional status.
Are Millennials Really Particularly Selfish? Preliminary Evidence From a Cross-Sectional Sample in the Philanthropy Panel Study:

We use panel data on charitable donations to analyze how the philanthropic behavior of Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) compares with that of earlier generations. On the basis of a multivar...
Pelagibacter metabolism of diatom-derived volatile organic compounds imposes an energetic tax on photosynthetic carbon fixation.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by phytoplankton are molecules with high vapor pressures that can diffuse across cell membranes into the environment, where they become public goods. VOCs likely comprise a significant component of the marine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pool utilized by microorganisms, but they are often overlooked as growth substrates because their diffusivity imposes analytical challenges. The roles of VOCs in the growth of the photoautotrophic diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana and heterotrophic bacterium Pelagibacter sp. HTCC1062 (SAR11) were examined using co-cultures and proton-transfer reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometry. VOCs at 82 m/z values were produced in the cultures, and the concentrations of 9 of these m/z values changed in co-culture relative to the diatom monoculture. Several of the m/z values were putatively identified, and their metabolism by HTCC1062 was confirmed by measuring ATP production. Diatom carbon fixation rates in co-culture with HTCC1062 were 20.3% higher than the diatom monoculture. Removal of VOCs from the T. pseudonana monoculture using a hydrocarbon trap caused a similar increase in carbon fixation (18.1%). These results show that a wide range of VOCs are cycled in the environment, and the flux of VOCs from phytoplankton to bacterioplankton imposes a large and unexpected tax on phytoplankton photosynthesis.
Towards a Graph Signal Processing Framework for Modeling Power System Dynamics

The conventional approaches for modeling dynamic systems are based on state-space methods using differential algebraic equations (DAEs). Such models not only require that the system dynamics can be precisely captured and expressed in mathematical equations, but also need detailed knowledge about the system parameters. Even when such DAEs are available, no closed-form solutions are available, and numerical solutions can be computationally expensive. As an example, modern power systems are typically large complex networks comprising of hundreds or even thousands of buses. The dimension of the mathematical models can easily reach the order of several thousands of state variables for dynamic simulation, trajectory sensitivity analysis, control, and so forth. Therefore, analyzing these extremely high-order DAEs poses a huge computational burden [1] .
A Multidisciplinary Approach to Pediatric Obesity Shows Lasting Improvement in BMI Z-score Post-Intervention

Background Obesity affects nearly 1 in 5 American children and requires lifelong intervention. Outpatient management can be difficult, requiring a significant time commitment from both provider and patient. Multidisciplinary clinic-based programs, which focus primarily on obesity treatment, are one option to provide this specialized care. These clinics have shown promising effects in reducing BMI during the intervention, but whether these changes are sustained once they return to primary care is not well studied. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the post-treatment …
Chapter 15 – Epithelial Skin Stem Cells

Skin is a complex tissue made of a structured combination of cell types. It has an enormous regenerative capacity and contains several different kinds of stem cells (SCs). Fundamental differences likely exist between embryonic skin stem cells and adult skin stem cells. In this chapter we focus on epithelial skin stem cells (ESSCs) in postnatal mouse skin. Nonhuman studies allow for high flexibility and increased depth of study and are less restricted by ethical issues. ESSCs are thought to reside in a specialized area of the hair follicle called ‘the bulge.’ Cells in this compartment possess the ability to differentiate, at least under stress conditions, into different cell lineages to regenerate not only the hair follicle but also the sebaceous gland (SG) and the epidermis. In adult skin, stem cells are thought to be the slow-cycling cells that retain the bromo-deoxy-uridine (BrdU) DNA label over long periods of time. How these cells maintain their properties of self-renewal and differentiation remains largely unknown. Whether these cells are fundamentally different from their progeny, or whether it is simply their location, the so-called niche, that instructs them to behave as stem cells remains an open question. Work has begun to elucidate the signaling mechanisms that control the fate of these cells in mouse skin. The challenge to isolate slowly cycling cells and to identify markers of ESSCs, which may specify unique characteristics of these cells, is now overcome, opening new and exciting avenues for future insight into understanding what maintains these cells in a dormant but potent state.
Developing a predictive model for prostate cancer screening intent among African American males

The purpose of this cross-sectional, predictive correlational study was to examine the relationship between African American male inmates’ behavioral intentions with regard to the intention to screen for prostate cancer. To this end, the study devised and tested a model of relevant predictors, including Direct Attitude, Indirect Subjective Norms, Indirect Outcome Evaluation, and Health Literacy. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings suggest that African American male inmates in the federal prison system may have slightly different priorities relative to non-incarcerated populations. The implications for nurses and other healthcare providers working in the prison system include: empowering inmates by building a trusting relationship; investigating ways to improve health literacy in this population, and developing an understanding of the factors that inspire African American inmates to engage in the decision-making process. The limitations of this study include a reliance on participant self-reports and a relatively small sample size, which limit the generalizability of the results. Nonetheless, future interventions may arise from providers’ greater ability to understand and predict health-related behaviors and foster proactive health attitudes in the inmate population.
An Angiotensin-Responsive Connection from the Lamina Terminalis to the Paraventricular Nucleus of the Hypothalamus Evokes Vasopressin Secretion to Increase Blood Pressure in Mice.

Blood pressure is controlled by endocrine, autonomic, and behavioral responses that maintain blood volume and perfusion pressure at levels optimal for survival. Although it is clear that central angiotensin type 1a receptors (AT1aR; encoded by the Agtr1a gene) influence these processes, the neuronal circuits mediating these effects are incompletely understood. The present studies characterize the structure and function of AT1aR neurons in the lamina terminalis (containing the median preoptic nucleus and organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis), thereby evaluating their roles in blood pressure control. Using male Agtr1a-Cre mice, neuroanatomical studies reveal that AT1aR neurons in the area are largely glutamatergic and send projections to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) that appear to synapse onto vasopressin-synthesizing neurons. To evaluate the functionality of these lamina terminalis AT1aR neurons, we virally delivered light-sensitive opsins and then optogenetically excited or inhibited the neurons while evaluating cardiovascular parameters or fluid intake. Optogenetic excitation robustly elevated blood pressure, water intake, and sodium intake, while optogenetic inhibition produced the opposite effects. Intriguingly, optogenetic excitation of these AT1aR neurons of the lamina terminalis also resulted in Fos induction in vasopressin neurons within the PVN and supraoptic nucleus. Further, within the PVN, selective optogenetic stimulation of afferents that arise from these lamina terminalis AT1aR neurons induced glutamate release onto magnocellular neurons and was sufficient to increase blood pressure. These cardiovascular effects were attenuated by systemic pretreatment with a vasopressin-1a-receptor antagonist. Collectively, these data indicate that excitation of lamina terminalis AT1aR neurons induces neuroendocrine and behavioral responses that increase blood pressure.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Hypertension is a widespread health problem and risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Although treatments exist, a substantial percentage of patients suffer from "drug-resistant" hypertension, a condition associated with increased activation of brain angiotensin receptors, enhanced sympathetic nervous system activity, and elevated vasopressin levels. The present study highlights a role for angiotensin Type 1a receptor expressing neurons located within the lamina terminalis in regulating endocrine and behavioral responses that are involved in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. More specifically, data presented here reveal functional excitatory connections between angiotensin-sensitive neurons in the lamina terminals and vasopressin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, and further indicate that activation of this circuit raises blood pressure. These neurons may be a promising target for antihypertensive therapeutics.
Effects of Resin Chemistries on the Selective Removal of Industrially Relevant Metal Ions Using Wafer-Enhanced Electrodeionization

Wafer-enhanced electrodeionization (WE-EDI) is an electrically driven separations technology that occurs under the influence of an applied electric field and heavily depends on ion exchange resin chemistry. Unlike filtration processes, WE-EDI can be used to selectively remove ions even from high concentration systems. Because every excess ion transported increases the operating costs, the selective separation offered by WE-EDI can provide a more energy-efficient and cost-effective process, especially for highly concentrated salt solutions. This work reports the performance comparison of four commonly used cation exchange resins (Amberlite IR120 Na+, Amberlite IRP 69, Dowex MAC 3 H+, and Amberlite CG 50) and their influence on the current efficiency and selectivity for the removal of cations from a highly concentrated salt stream. The current efficiencies were high for all the resin types studied. Results also revealed that weak cation exchange resins favor the transport of the monovalent ion (Na+) while strong cation exchange resins either had no strong preference or preferred to transport the divalent ions (Ca2+ and Mg2+). Moreover, the strong cation exchange resins in powder form generally performed better in wafers than those in the bead form for the selective removal of divalent ions (selectivity > 1). To further understand the impact of particle size, resins in the bead form were ground into a powder. After grinding the strong cation resins displayed similar behavior (more consistent current efficiency and preference for transporting divalent ions) to the strong cation resins in powder form. This indicates the importance of resin size in the performance of wafers.
Blastic Mantle Cell Lymphoma of the Gastroesophageal Junction: A Unique Presentation and Literature Review.

Although vast, the medical literature is deficient in reports of gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) involvement of mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). We present the unique case of a 76-year-old male who presented with worsening dysphagia, weight loss, and heartburn and who was found to have blastic variant of MCL in the GEJ. He had undergone extensive workup in the past for an ulcerative, gastric/GEJ lesion, found on four separate esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs) and two esophageal ultrasounds, whose biopsies were repeatedly negative for malignancy. On admission, physical examination and labs were unremarkable, but computed tomography showed an irregular mass involving the GEJ. EGD on admission showed a large friable, ulcerated lesion with heaped-up margins involving the GEJ whose biopsies showed histological and immunohistochemical (IHC) findings consistent with blastic MCL. A bone marrow biopsy showed minimal involvement ( 90%, all consistent with blastic MCL, a rare and aggressive subtype of MCL. He was started on guideline-based chemoimmunotherapy as he was not a candidate for stem cell transplantation. Repeat imaging 1 year later showed improvement of the mass, with negative endoscopic biopsies for lymphoma. This case provides additional distinct features to the various clinical presentations associated with this rare proliferative disorder, thereby enhancing the medical literature on MCL.
A feasible adaptive refinement algorithm for linear semi-infinite optimization

A numerical method is developed to solve linear semi-infinite programming problem (LSIP) in which the iterates produced by the algorithm are feasible for the original problem. This is achieved by constructing a sequence of standard linear programming problems with respect to the successive discretization of the index set such that the approximate regions are included in the original feasible region. The convergence of the approximate solutions to the solution of the original problem is proved and the associated optimal objective function values of the approximate problems are monotonically decreasing and converge to the optimal value of LSIP. An adaptive refinement procedure is designed to discretize the index set and update the constraints for the approximate problem. Numerical experiments demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm.
Mental status of guardians of children with cerebral palsy analysis and countermeasure during the recovery of rehabilitating training

Objective To investigate the mental status of guardians of children with cerebral palsy undertaken rehabilitating training and make corresponding countermeasures. Methods Parents or other synchronously living guardians (grandparents, adoptive grandparents) of 107 cerebral palsy undertaken rehabilitating training for more than 3 months were selected from Children Rehabilitating Medicine in our hospital from Sep 2004 to Sep 2009. Having known the fact, totally 1O7 guardians consented to receive the survey including male 51 and female 56, aged from 22 to 65 years. We analyzed their mental characteristics and gave appropriate mental nurse. Results Mental statuses of Guardians were affected by the educational level, those who had attended high school or more were more confident of healing treatments than those who hadn't been to high school. The burdening ratios of medical treatment expense also affected guardians' mental, those who have socialized medicine or medicare, were more different than those who haven't. According to guardians' mental, we knew and analyzed their characteristics adequately so we gave appropriate mental nurse to help their children finish rehabilitate. Conclusion There is remarkable difference in the mental health status between guardians of children with cerebral palsy undergoing rehabilitating training, their educational level and the burdening ratio of medical treatment expense impose on the mental health of guardians of children with cerebral palsy undertaking rehabilitating training. But the educational level has influence on the mental health status in the guardians of children with cerebral palsy. Key words: Cerebral palsy; Rehabilitate; Mental; Countermeasure
Quantification of Gene Transcripts with Deep Sequencing Analysis of Gene Expression (DSAGE) Using 1 to 2 µg Total RNA

Deep sequencing analysis of gene expression (DSAGE) measures global gene transcript levels by massively parallel sequencing of cDNA tags, using 1-2μg total RNA. 21-bp cDNA tags are generated by NlaIII digestion of the cDNA, followed by MmeI cleavage offset from the NlaIII site. cDNA tags are then queried by massively parallel sequencing and aligned to a reference genome and transcriptome, or any available gene sequences, using Bowtie, an ultra high-throughput short-read aligner, and Tophat, a fast splice-junction mapper. Analysis of 10-20-million tags, acquired using one lane of an Illumina Genome Analyzer II, provides sufficient depth to quantify gene expression and detect rare transcripts. Typically, we observe the expression of 15,000 genes in the cardiac left ventricle, including gene transcripts expressed as low as one copy per cell. These expression profiles are highly reproducible (r>0.99 between technical replicates), enabling sensitive detection of differences between experimental conditions as well as assessment of relative transcript abundance between different genes. The significance of these differences is assessed, while accounting for multiple comparisons, using a false discovery rate approach (Audic and Claverie, 1997). Thus, DSAGE can be used to quantify gene expression profiles and assess differential expression with high sensitivity requiring small amounts of biological material.