cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surfaces specified by integrable systems of partial differential equations determined by structure equations and Lax pair

Abstract A system of evolution equations can be developed from the structure equations for a submanifold embedded in a three-dimensional space. It is seen how these same equations can be obtained from a generalized matrix Lax pair provided a single constraint equation is imposed. This can be done in Euclidean space as well as in Minkowski space. The integrable systems which result from this process can be thought of as generalizing the S O ( 3 ) and S O ( 2 , 1 ) Lax pairs which have been studied previously.
Thermodynamic Assessment of V-Rare Earth Systems

Vanadium is a refractory metal with high melting point (1910 °C) that has good structural strength, good room-temperature corrosion resistance, and low thermal neutron-absorption cross section. Vanadium is primarily used as a steel additive to improve the strength of steels by forming stable nitrides and carbides. Addition of yttrium to vanadium alloys can improve the oxidation resistance and mechanical properties. In this work, three binary systems, V-Ce, V-La, and V-Y, were thermodynamically assessed based on the ASM Binary Alloy Phase Diagrams using CALPHAD approach. Self-consistent thermodynamic descriptions for all three systems were obtained.
An Observational Study of Warm Season Southern Appalachian Lee Troughs. Part II: Thunderstorm Genesis Zones

Abstract The thunderstorm genesis regions during warm seasons lee-trough episodes in the southern Appalachians are examined in this study. A composite of cloud-to-ground lightning data during 1985 lee trough cases indicates that the time of maximum activity is the late afternoon. A stratification of cases by the strength of the large-scale forcing indicated that both the strength and location of afternoon convection depended on synoptic, and subsynoptic-scale process. Days with strong or moderate cyclonic forcing produced the most lightning, but the strong forcing days produced convection primarily in the coastal plain, while moderate forcing days spread convection from the mountains to the coast. Conversely, days with relatively little cyclonic forcing were dominated by mountain convection. Nocturnal convection tended to weaken in general, except when storms passed over Chespeake Bay or approached the coast of the Carolinas. Examples from individual cases used in the composite are used to demonstrate the...
Who should treat youth with emerging psychosis

Despite evidence that adolescence represents a critical period of risk, many pediatric mental health providers have little training in the identification and treatment of psychotic disorders. This pilot study sought to assess pediatric and adult mental health providers' level of comfort with treating schizophrenia, engaging families, and working with schools. Pediatric mental health providers rated themselves as less experienced with schizophrenia, but more experienced with families and schools, relative to adult providers. The bifurcation of community mental health services into pediatric and adult clinics may play a role in maintaining this discrepancy in provider competencies.
Occult Nipple Involvement in Breast Cancer: Clinicopathologic Findings in 316 Consecutive Mastectomy Specimens

Purpose Although breast-conserving surgery is a standard approach for patients with breast cancer, mastectomy often becomes necessary. Surgical options now include nipple-sparing mastectomy but its oncological safety is still controversial. This study evaluates frequency and patterns of occult nipple involvement in a large contemporary cohort of patients with the retroareolar margin as possible indicator of nipple involvement. Patients and Methods Three hundred sixteen consecutive mastectomy specimens (232 therapeutic, 84 prophylactic) with grossly unremarkable nipples were evaluated by coronal sections through the entire nipple and subareolar tissue. Extent and location of nipple involvement by carcinoma was assessed with the tissue deep to the skin as potential retroareolar en-face resection margin. Results Seventy-one percent of nipples from therapeutic mastectomies showed no pathologic abnormality, 21% had ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), invasive carcinoma (IC), or lymphovascular invasion (LVI), and ...
Emerging Issues in United States Telecommunications Policy: An Analysis of Federal Communications Commission Activity

The Telecommunications Act of 1996 was expected to transform US telecommunications policy more than any regulation since the creation of the Federal Communications Commission in 1934. Rapid technological advances and business process transformations have created numerous issues since the passage of this Act that were unforeseen by legislators and regulators. Utilizing content analysis of Federal Communications Commission news releases, this paper identifies and categorizes the important emerging regulatory issues in the US telecommunications policy and discusses the implications of the focus of the Federal Communications Commission for the design, management, and deployment of network based information technology solutions in organizations. These implications may help local and national telecommunications regulators and managers throughout the world better focus their efforts.
The C. elegans vulval induction gene lin-2 encodes a member of the MAGUK family of cell junction proteins.

The lin-2 gene is required for the induction of the Caenorhabditis elegans vulva. Vulval development is initiated by a signal from the anchor cell that is transduced by a receptor tyrosine kinase/Ras pathway. We show that lin-2 acts in the vulval precursor cell P6.p, downstream of lin-3 EGF and upstream of let-60 ras, to allow expression of the 1 degrees cell fate. lin-2 encodes a protein of relative molecular mass 109,000 (LIN-2A) with regions of similarity to CaM kinase II and membrane-associated guanylate kinases. Mutant lin-2 transgenes designed to lack either protein kinase or guanylate kinase activity are functional, indicating that LIN-2A has a structural rather than an enzymatic role in vulval induction. Most or all identified membrane-associated guanylate kinases are components of cell junctions, including vertebrate tight junctions and arthropod septate junctions in epithelia. Thus, LIN-2A may be a component of the cell junctions of the epithelial vulval precursor cells that is required for signaling by the receptor tyrosine kinase LET-23. We propose that LIN-2A is required for the localization of one or more signal transduction proteins (such as LET-23) to either the basal membrane domain or the cell junctions, and that mislocalization of signal transduction proteins in lin-2 mutants interferes with vulval induction.
Cognitive Characteristics as Predictors of Children's Understanding of Safety and Prevention

An understanding of children’s characteristics that might contribute to their injury proneness should provide direction for recognizing children at risk and for taking preventive action. Compared to school-age children, preschoolers have a higher rate of accidents (Baker, O’Neill, & Karpf, 1984; International Children’s Centre, 1979). In attempting to discover the reasons for this age-related difference in proneness to accidents, consideration of other differences between these two age groups may be helpful.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of human carbonic anhydrase III.

Carbonic anhydrases catalyze the interconversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate. Human carbonic anhydrase isozyme III with a C-­terminal hexahistidine tag was overexpressed in Eschericha coli, purified and crystallized. Diffraction data (93.4% completeness) were collected to 2.2 A resolution on an in-house R-AXIS IV++ image-plate system with Osmic mirrors and a Rigaku HU-H3R CU rotating-anode generator operating at 50 kV and 100 mA. A 60° sweep of data were collected from a single crystal with a crystal-to-detector distance of 150 mm and a 0.5° oscillation angle per frame using an exposure of 60 s per frame at 293 K. The crystals were shown to conform to the Laue hexagonal crystal system P6, with unit-cell parameters a = 44.7, c = 222.5 A and a scaling Rsym of 0.087 for 11 962 unique reflections. Using the known crystal structure of the rat form of carbonic anhydrase isozyme III, a molecular-replacement model was built. This model was used for rotation and translation searches and uniquely defined the space group as P65. Rigid-body refinement of the model was used to generate an initial phased electron-density map with an Rwork of 31.17%.
Expectations and Self-Efficacy of African American Parents Who Discuss Sexuality with their Adolescent Sons: An Intervention Study

Objective Despite research that suggests parental communication may help deter high-risk sexual behavior among adolescents, parents report a lack of confidence in their ability to answer sexually related questions. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of a multimedia intervention on outcome expectations and perceived self-efficacy for the sex educator role for parents of African American adolescent males. Design and Sample A pilot study using mixed methods was conducted. A nonprobability sample (N = 61) was obtained from a large urban community using a combination of convenience and snowball recruitment methods. Measures Self-efficacy and outcome expectations were measured using self-reported questionnaires. Intervention A multimedia intervention for use at home and incorporating an audio CD and associated activities was implemented over a 3-week time period. Results Outcome expectations and self-efficacy both significantly improved after the intervention (p < .001). Conclusions Findings indicate that using a multimedia approach may be effective in improving parents' outcome expectancy and self-efficacy for talking about sex with adolescent sons.
The Reovirus Particle

The term reovirus (the prefix reo- being an acronym of respiratory enteric orphan, that is, not associated with any human disease) was proposed by Sabin (1959) as the group name for a number of related viruses that had been isolated in the 1950s. This was an extremely active period for virus isolation: tissue-culture methods permissive for virus growth in vitro were being developed rapidly, and under the influence of efforts to develop mass vaccination against poliomyelitis, interest in enteric viruses was intense. Many cytopathogenic agents that were neither poliovirus nor coxsackie virus were isolated from the alimentary tracts, not only of patients with mild febrile illness and diarrhea but also of healthy individuals (Robbins et al., 1951; Ramos-Alvarez and Sabin, 1954). Most of these agents possessed rather similar properties and were therefore lumped together under the acronym echovirus (enteric cytopathogenic human orphan); these viruses are now classified as members of the Enterovirus genus of the Picornaviridae family. Some isolates, however, while meeting the original and appropriately loose definition of echoviruses, were different: they were much larger and produced different cytopathic effects. These were the viruses for which Sabin proposed to term reovirus. While morphologically identical, they could be subdivided into three serological subgroups or serotypes: the original echovirus 10 became the Lang strain of reovirus serotype 1, the D5 Jones strain became the prototype of reovirus serotype 2, and the Dearing strain became the prototype of reovirus serotype 3.
ViCo: an adaptive distributed video correlation system

Many emerging applications such as video sensor monitoring can benefit from an on-line video correlation system, which can be used to discover linkages between different video streams in realtime. However, on-line video correlations are often resource-intensive where a single host can be easily overloaded. We present a novel adaptive distributed on-line video correlation system called ViCo. Unlike single stream processing, correlations between different video streams require a distributed execution system to observe a new correlation constraint that any two correlated data must be distributed to the same host. ViCo achieves three unique features: (1) correlation-awareness that ViCo can guarantee the correlation accuracy while spreading excessive workload on multiple hosts; (2) adaptability that the system can adjust algorithm behaviors and switch between different algorithms to adapt to dynamic stream environments; and (3) fine-granularity that the workload of one resource-intensive correlation request can be divided and distributed among multiple hosts. We have implemented and deployed a prototype of ViCo on a commercial cluster system. Our experiment results using both real videos and synthetic workloads show that ViCo outperforms existing techniques for scaling-up the performance of video correlations.
Allele-specific histone acetylation accompanies genomic imprinting of the insulin-like growth factor II receptor gene.

The mouse insulin-like growth factor II receptor (Igf2r) gene encodes two reciprocally imprinted RNA transcripts: paternally imprinted Igf2r sense and maternally imprinted Igf2r antisense. Although DNA methylation has been implicated in the initiation and maintenance of genomic imprinting, acetylation of core histones has recently been appreciated as another important factor that regulates gene expression. To determine whether histone acetylation participates in the regulation of Igf2r imprinting, we examined the relative abundance of acetylated histones in interspecific mice (M. spretus × C57BL/6). Oligonucleosomes derived from liver were immunoprecipitated with acetyl-histone antiserum and were analyzed for the allelic distribution of DNA from the region of the sense and antisense Igf2r promoters. In nucleosomes associated with the Igf2r sense promoter, histone acetylation was demonstrated on the maternal allele, which is transcriptionally active. There was much less histone acetylation on the suppresse...
The verb (continued). Hebben and zijn. Imperative

When the stem of a verb ends in −t, the ending −t for the second and third persons singular is not added.
Functional Genomic Analysis of Human Mitochondrial RNA Processing

Both strands of human mtDNA are transcribed in continuous, multigenic units that are cleaved into the mature rRNAs, tRNAs, and mRNAs required for respiratory chain biogenesis. We sought to systematically identify nuclear-encoded proteins that contribute to processing of mtRNAs within the organelle. First, we devised and validated a multiplex MitoString assay that quantitates 27 mature and precursor mtDNA transcripts. Second, we applied MitoString profiling to evaluate the impact of silencing each of 107 mitochondrial-localized, predicted RNA-binding proteins. With the resulting data set, we rediscovered the roles of recently identified RNA-processing enzymes, detected unanticipated roles of known disease genes in RNA processing, and identified new regulatory factors. We demonstrate that one such factor, FASTKD4, modulates the half-lives of a subset of mt-mRNAs and associates with mtRNAs in vivo. MitoString profiling may be useful for diagnosing and deciphering the pathogenesis of mtDNA disorders.
COMPARISON OF PULSIFIERTM AND STOMACHERTM TO DETACH MICROORGANISMS FROM LEAN MEAT TISSUES1

A new sample processor, the PulsifierTM was evaluated for detaching bacteria from lean meat tissue (LMT) and compared with stomacher. In a comparative study on 50 samples of LMT, Total Aerobic Counts (TAC) and coliforms from pulsified samples were not statistically different from stomached samples (R2= 0.971; y = 1.0274x −0.1694 and R2= 0.959; y = 1.0073 ×+ 0.188, respectively). Even though the detaching capacity of microorganisms from LMT was similar between Pulsifier and Stomacher, pulsified suspensions always contained much less meat particles than stomached samples. In the case of stomached samples, many meat particles were present to interfere with even regular pour plating. The superior quality of microbial suspensions from the Pulsifier has implications for general analysis as well as techniques such as ATP bioluminescence, DNA, or enzymatic assay, which may be interfered by tissue extracts.
Where the Paths Meet: Remarks on Truth and Paradox*

The study of truth is often seen as running on two separate paths: the nature path and the logic path.The former concerns metaphysical questions about the “nature,” if any, of truth. The latter concerns itself largely with logic, particularly logical issues arising from the truth-theoretic paradoxes. Where, if at all, do these two paths meet? It may seem, and it is all too often assumed, that they do not meet, or at best touch in only incidental ways. It is often assumed that work on the metaphysics of truth need not pay much attention to issues of paradox and logic; and it is likewise assumed that work on paradox is independent of the larger issues of metaphysics. Philosophical work on truth often includes a footnote anticipating some resolution of the paradox, but otherwise tends to take no note of it. Likewise, logical work on truth tends to have little to say about metaphysical presuppositions, and simply articulates formal theories, whose strength may be measured, and whose properties may be discussed. In practice, the paths go their own ways.
Emergence and dynamics of influenza super-strains

Influenza super-strains can emerge through recombination of strains from birds, pigs, and humans. However, once a new recombinant strain emerges, it is not clear whether the strain is capable of sustaining an outbreak. In certain cases, such strains have caused major influenza pandemics. Here we develop a multi-host (i.e., birds, pigs, and humans) and multi-strain model of influenza to analyze the outcome of emergent strains. In the model, pigs act as “mixing vessels” for avian and human strains and can produce super-strains from genetic recombination. We find that epidemiological outcomes are predicted by three factors: (i) contact between pigs and humans, (ii) transmissibility of the super-strain in humans, and (iii) transmissibility from pigs to humans. Specifically, outbreaks will reoccur when the super-strain infections are less frequent between humans (e.g., R 0 =1.4) but frequent from pigs to humans, and a large-scale outbreak followed by successive dampening outbreaks will occur when super-strain infections are frequent between humans (e.g., R 0 =2.3). The average time between the initial outbreak and the first resurgence varies from 41 to 82 years. We determine the largest outbreak will occur when 2.3 <R 0 < 3.8 and the highest cumulative infections occur when 0 <R 0 < 3.0 and is dependent on the frequency of pig-to-human infections for lower R0 values (0 <R 0 < 1.9). Our results provide insights on the effect of species interactions on the dynamics of influenza super-strains. Counter intuitively, epidemics may occur in humans even if the transmissibility of a super-strain is low. Surprisingly, our modeling shows strains that have generated past epidemics (e.g., H1N1) could resurge decades after they have apparently disappeared.
Characterization of Two Steroidogenic Cell Types in the Ovine Corpus Luteum

A procedure which utilized elutriation was developed which permitted the separation of two populations of luteal cells from enzymatically dispersed corpora lutea taken from superovulated ewes on the 10-12th day of the estrous cycle. One population consisted of cells which measured 23-35 pm in diameter, while the other consisted of cells with a diameter of 12-22 pm. Preparations of both cell types were analyzed for rate of secretion of progesterone, responsiveness to secretagogues, and number of specific binding sites for luteinizing hormone/human chorionic gonadotropin (LH/hCG), and prostaglandins E2 and F2a (PGE2 and PGF2a). Without stimulation, the secretion of progesterone by large cells was approximately 20-fold greater than for an equal number of small luteal cells. However, the ability of large luteal cells to respond to LH (100 ng/mI) or N6,02-dibutyryladenosine 3’: 5’-cyclic monophosphoric acid (dbcAMP, 10 mM) was minimal and approximately 10% of that obtained with small luteal cells. Marked differences were also observed between the two cell types with respect to the number of specific binding sites for LH/hCG, PGE2 and PGF2 a. The large cells had very few receptors for LH/hCG compared to small cells (3074 receptors/large cell vs. 33,260/small cell during the breeding season). The majority of receptors for prostaglandins was found in large cells (68,143 sites of PGF2a and 10,955 sites for PGE2/large cells; 2115 sites for PGF2a and 904 sites for PGE2/small cell). These data suggest that functional differences exist between the large and small steroidogenic cells in the corpus luteum of the ewe. The large luteal cells appear to secrete most of the progesterone produced by the corpus luteum, however, this secretion appears to be independent of LH and dbcAMP. In contrast, the small luteal cells secrete minimal quantities of progesterone in the unstimnulated state butresponddramatically to LH or dbcAMP.
Supercritical fluid extraction and on-line hydrodechlorination of chlorinated biphenyls catalyzed by polymer-stabilized palladium nanoparticles

Polychlorinated biphenyls spiked in soil can be extracted by a continuous flow supercritical fluid carbon dioxide system and converted on-line to bicyclohexyl using a polymer-stabilized palladium nanoparticle catalyst. The catalytic hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorobiphenyl to biphenyl follows a pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The subsequent hydrogenation of biphenyl to bicyclohexyl involves two steps with cyclohexylbenzene as an intermediate. The hydrogenation reactions also follow pseudo-first-order kinetics and the rate constants are given in this paper.
Thermal Expansion of CeO2, Ho2O3, and Lu2O3 from 100° to 300°K by an X‐Ray Method

Thermal expansion of CeO2, Ho2O8, and Lu2O3 was determined from 100° to 300°K by a back-reflection X-ray technique. The variation of thermal expansion with temperature is the same as that of specific heat for CeO2 and Ho2O3; these oxides obey the Grueneisen model of thermal expansion in the temperature range studied.
Micro coaxial-fed millimeter-wave slot antenna

An integrated 55-65 GHz slot antenna fed by a rectangular micro coaxial feed line fabricated on a metallic reflector backed high resistivity silicon wafer is presented. The antenna exhibits a measured return loss better than 15 dB in the desired frequency band corresponding to a bandwidth of 17%. A simulated unidirectional gain of -0.29 dBi and a front- to-back ratio of 15 dB are observed at the 60 GHz center frequency with a good agreement between the measured and simulated radiation patterns. A 50% reduction in slot length has been achieved by using an H-shaped slot.
The Circumscription of Croton Section Crotonopsis (Euphorbiaceae), A North American Endemic

Abstract. Croton section Crotonopsis is very distinctive within the genus. It is one of the few groups of the genus that are endemic to the United States. Although the precise phylogenetic relationships of section Crotonopsis have not been established in molecular studies, it is clearly nested within Croton. We hypothesize that it may form a clade with some of the other sections found in North America that have lepidote trichomes and multifid styles. The two species that have been recognized in the section are very similar morphologically; we therefore propose that these two taxa should be included as varieties of a single species and formalize the varietal names, which are Croton michauxii var. michauxii and the new combination C. michauxii var. elliptica. A key to distinguish the two varieties is presented.
Region, Social Identities, and Disclosure Practices as Predictors of Heterosexist Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities in the United States

Exposure to heterosexist discrimination may vary by a person’s place of residency. Utilizing a minority stress perspective, an online survey of self-identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals (n = 285) examined whether rural and small town inhabitants experienced greater exposure to six types of enacted stigma. After comparing the frequency of enacted stigma by community type, findings demonstrated that rural LGBs reported experiencing more homophobic statements, property damage, and employment discrimination than urban LGBs. Small town LGBs also encountered additional amounts of housing discrimination and were more often chased by strangers compared with urban sexual minorities. Finally, disclosure practices and hierarchies based on race and social class also influenced exposure to discrimination. The importance of spatial factors often intensified when respondents disclosed their sexual identity more publicly. When exploring racial and class differences, affluent sexual minorities experienced less employment discrimination and white sexual minorities were less likely to experience several forms of heterosexist events (especially being punched and kicked). Discrimination against lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals is common and multidimensional. In its most explicit forms, heterosexist behavior manifests itself through physical violence and language that chastises and demeans homosexuality and non-normative gender behavior. In slightly subtler forms, heterosexism and heteronormativity inform many insidious practices that privilege heterosexuality while denigrating sexual minorities. Through these practices, LGBs often endure hostile environments that monitor and penalize homosexual behavior in the United States. LGB individuals’ experiences of stigma, prejudice, and discrimination, which result from heteronormativity and heterosexism, 1 have been usefully conceptualized as constituting minority stress (Meyer 2003). Minority stress theory is based in social stress theory, which posits that stressors constitute any factors or conditions that require individuals to adapt to changes intrapersonally, interpersonally, or in their environments. Meyer (2003) posited that minority stressors can be usefully conceptualized along a continuum of proximity to the
Recyclable synthesis, characterization, and antimicrobial activity of chitosan‐based polysaccharide composite materials

We have successfully developed a simple and totally recyclable method to synthesize novel, biocompatible, and biodegradable composite materials from cellulose (CEL) and chitosan (CS). In this method, (BMIm þ Cl � ), an ionic liq- uid (IL), was used as a green solvent to dissolve and synthe- size the (CELþCS) composites. Since, the IL can be removed from the composites by washing them with water, and recov- ered by distilling the washed solution, the method is totally recyclable. Spectroscopic and imaging techniques including XRD, FTIR, NIR, and SEM were used to monitor the dissolu- tion, to characterize and to confirm that CEL and CS were successfully regenerated. More importantly, we have suc- cessfully demonstrated that (CELþCS) composite is particu- larly suited for many applications including antimicrobial property. This is because the composites have combined advantages of their components, namely superior chemical and mechanical stability (from CEL) and bactericide (from CS). Results of tensile strength measurements clearly indicate that adding CEL into CS substantially increase its tensile strength. Up to 5� increase in tensile strength can be achieved by adding 80% of CEL into CS. Results of in vitro antibacterial assays confirm that CS retains its antibacterial property in the composite. More importantly, the composites reported here can inhibit growth of wider range of bacteria than other CS-based materials prepared by conventional methods; that is over 24 h period, the composites substan- tially inhibited growth of bacteria such as MRSA, VRE, S. aur- eus, E. coli. These are bacteria that are often found to have the highest morbidity and mortality associated with wound infections. V
Synoptic typing: interdisciplinary application methods with three practical hydroclimatological examples

Synoptic classification is a methodology that represents diverse atmospheric variables and allows researchers to relate large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns to regional- and small-scale terrestrial processes. Synoptic classification has often been applied to questions concerning the surface environment. However, full applicability has been under-utilized to date, especially in disciplines such as hydroclimatology, which are intimately linked to atmospheric inputs. This paper aims to (1) outline the development of a daily synoptic calendar for the Mid-Atlantic (USA), (2) define seasonal synoptic patterns occurring in the region, and (3) provide hydroclimatological examples whereby the cascading response of precipitation characteristics, soil moisture, and streamflow are explained by synoptic classification. Together, achievement of these objectives serves as a guide for development and use of a synoptic calendar for hydroclimatological studies. In total 22 unique synoptic types were identified, derived from a combination of 12 types occurring in the winter (DJF), 13 in spring (MAM), 9 in summer (JJA), and 11 in autumn (SON). This includes six low pressure systems, four high pressure systems, one cold front, three north/northwest flow regimes, three south/southwest flow regimes, and five weakly defined regimes. Pairwise comparisons indicated that 84.3 % had significantly different rainfall magnitudes, 86.4 % had different rainfall durations, and 84.7 % had different rainfall intensities. The largest precipitation-producing classifications were not restricted to low pressure systems, but rather to patterns with access to moisture sources from the Atlantic Ocean and easterly (on-shore) winds, which transport moisture inland. These same classifications resulted in comparable rates of soil moisture recharge and streamflow discharge, illustrating the applicability of synoptic classification for a range of hydroclimatological research objectives.
Commentary on Masel et al. Predicting discharge of palliative care inpatients by measuring their heart rate variability

The accurate determination of prognosis is a challenging and important aspect of end of life care. A more accurate prognosis provides patients and their families’ time to plan and prepare for the end of life, and prioritize care based on individual goals and values. While a number of prognostic tools and indices provide insight into a patient’s general prognosis, the use of heart rate variability (HRV) as a predictor of live discharge from a palliative care unit (PCU) is a unique approach to exploring non-invasive ways for more accurate prognostication.
Age-related changes in composition and Ca2+-binding capacity of canine cortical bone extracts

The variable of age was used to study macromolecules in bone that may mediate in part the in vivo readily exchangeable calcium-binding capacity (VCa2+D). Organic components were extracted from nonmineralized bone with 4 M guanidine-HCl and from both nonmineralized and mineralized bone with 0.1 M EDTA. The composition of pup bone extracts demonstrated an enrichment in protein, hexuronate, sialic acid, organic phosphorus, and bound sulfate when compared with other age groups. In vitro calcium-binding studies identified low-affinity (Kd congruent to 10(-3) M) sites in both types of extracts; high-affinity sites (Kd congruent to 10(-5) M) were only evident in EDTA extracts of bone. Readily exchangeable calcium-binding capacity in vivo was found to decrease from pup (40.7 mM) to adolescent (11.1 mM) to the mature/old groups (2.6/1.2 mM); however, a large difference in low-affinity site number was only observed between pup and adolescent bone extracts. The overall organic composition of EDTA and guanidine-HCl extracts generally reflected the composition of total bone, which dropped dramatically on a dry weight basis from pup to adolescent groups. A similar pattern was observed with the number of low-affinity binding sites measured in vitro. In vitro binding data indicate that nonmineralized matrix of pup bone, extractable by 4 M guanidine-HCl, possesses enough capacity to accommodate approximately 40% of the readily exchangeable pool. As age progresses, other components of the blood-bone exchange process, such as vascularity, may reduce the readily exchangeable calcium pool size below the amount of low-affinity sites measured in vitro.
Core curriculum illustration: necrotizing pneumonia and empyema

This is the 18th installment of a series that will highlight one case per publication issue from the bank of cases available online as part of the American Society of Emergency Radiology (ASER) educational resources. Our goal is to generate more interest in and use of our online materials. To view more cases online please visit the ASER Core Curriculum and Recommendations for Study online at: http://www.erad.org/?page=CCIP_TOC .
Immune Responses at the Ocular Surface

Summary Immune-mediated diseases of the ocular surface are relatively broad in their respective etiologies, which can involve infection, autoimmunity, or allergy. Despite this range, immune responses often converge upstream at the level of the dendritic cell (DC)—a highly specialized group of antigen presenting cells required in the activation of naive T cells. Our lab has established a novel mouse model of allergic eye disease (AED), which leads to severe clinical manifestations, sustained ocular inflammation, and eosinophilic infiltration at levels seen in patients with atopic keratoconjunctivitis. Use of the AED model has led to identification of classical CD11b+ DCs as the key subset responsible for activating allergen reactive T cells. In addition, the AED model has uncovered the importance of CCR7 as the master chemokine receptor in homing of ocular surface DCs to the regional lymph nodes. Additionally, CCR7 has recently been shown to contribute to activation of Th17 cells in the mouse model of dry eye disease. Likewise, similar to the dry eye disease model, AED involves corneal lymphangiogenesis—potentially suggesting a role for corneal DCs in allergic immune responses. Thus, efforts to progress the current understanding of DC biology holds tremendous promise for advancement of novel and effective medicines in immune mediated diseases of the ocular surface.
Chronic effects of high salt intake and conflict stress on blood pressure in primates. A progress report.

The effects of combined behavioral stress and high dietary salt on blood pressure were examined in baboons (N=4) over the course of 1 year. Either high salt diet (240 mEq Na+/day) or conflict stress were administered for 8 to 16 weeks, followed by high salt intake and stress combined. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased by 8 mmHg during high dietary salt alone, by 4 mmHg during stress alone, and increased further to 14 mmHg above baseline during combined salt and stress. Control baboons (N=2) had no change in MAP across 47 weeks. The data indicate additive effects of chronic high dietary salt intake and behavioral stress on blood pressure in non-human primates.
Prototype of Intelligent Video Surveillance System Based on Behavior Analysis

Through the study of technology and algorithms about the video processing in intelligent video surveillance system,a prototype of intelligent video surveillance system is design,which has the function of behavior analysis and pre-warning for abnormal behavior.And it focused on the discussion of video processing technology in prototype.
Bio-pulping using wheat straw with a pretreatment of Phanerochaete chrysosporium

Phanerochaete chrysosporium was used to dispose wheat straw under different conditions of biological pretreatments, including water ratio of wheat straw, inoculation quantity, nutrition source and pretreatment time. Through measuring the decomposition rate of cellulose, pentose and lignin, it shows that the optimal conditions of biological pretreatment have been achieved by the combination of 80% water ratio of wheat straw, about 10 days of the duration of biological pretreatment along with the addition of 0.25% of nitrogen source, with the strain growth unaffected by the inoculation quantity.
Uncommon Causes of Ulcers

Skin ulcers are a commonly encountered problem in clinical practice. Failure of an ulcer to respond to therapy might suggest less common causes of skin ulcers. This article reviews clinical aspects of uncommon skin ulcers.
Materials science. Diffusion of a polymer 'pancake'

Thread-like chains of flexible polymers that adsorb to a solid surface assume a flat ‘pancake’ conformation1 when the surface coverage is low and are only able to diffuse in two dimensions because so many segments are adsorbed. Here we show that the centre-of-mass diffusion coefficient of the polymer chain, measured at dilute coverage to ensure minimal chain–chain interaction, has a strong power-law dependence on the degree of polymerization. This nonlinear dependence of polymer diffusion on a solid surface contrasts with the linear dependence observed on a fluid membrane2.
Quantitative Analysis of the Displacement of the Anterior Visual Pathway by Pituitary Lesions and the Associated Visual Field Loss.

PURPOSE To evaluate quantitatively the relationship between the displacement of anterior visual pathway structures by pituitary tumors and visual field damage with the goal of improving diagnosis and management. METHODS Subjects had pituitary macroadenomas and both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and static perimetry. Neuroradiologists measured the displacement of anterior visual pathway structures and right-left tumor asymmetry. To quantify the degree and laterality of visual field loss, we used algorithms from the neurologic hemifield test to analyze each right-left pair of visual fields with respect to temporal asymmetry, the proportion of loss that was temporal, total asymmetry, and total damage. We compared these metrics with the displacement of anterior visual pathway structures and tumor asymmetry. RESULTS Of 114 subjects, 64 (56%) were male and the median age was 57 years (range, 14-88). The summation of vision loss in both eyes and the proportion of temporal loss were statistically significantly related to the maximum displacement of the anterior visual pathway (both P < 0.001 for fit of linear regression). The relationship between the asymmetry of visual field loss in the two eyes and the subjective assignment of tumor asymmetry on MRI did not achieve statistical significance (P = 0.06 by analysis of variance). CONCLUSIONS Displacement of the anterior visual pathway by pituitary tumors is associated with both the total amount of visual field loss and the proportion of temporal visual field loss. Although there was right-left asymmetry of vision loss in some subjects, it was not related to the subjective assessment of tumor asymmetry.
Real-World Treatment Patterns and Costs for Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma Initiating Treatment with Sunitinib and Pazopanib

BACKGROUND: Sunitinib and pazopanib are among the most prescribed targeted therapies for the systemic management of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but published cost comparisons between the 2 agents are few and limited by methodological and population differences. Also, sunitinib is administered on a 4-week on/2-week off cycle, and pazopanib is taken continuously. Thus, appropriate use and cost comparisons between the 2 drugs require methodological approaches to account for these differences. One way to accomplish this is to substitute expected for observed days supply. Recognizing the effects of nonrepresentative days supply values is important for assessing real-world treatment patterns and costs. OBJECTIVES: To (a) characterize demographic and clinical characteristics among patients with RCC newly initiating sunitinib or pazopanib, using a large administrative claims dataset; (b) characterize treatment patterns, persistence, and costs for each treatment group; and (c) assess the effect on treatme...
Functional Properties of C-Low Threshold Mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs) in Nonhuman Mammals

In humans, unmyelinated C-tactile fibers, referred to as C-low threshold mechanoreceptors (C-LTMRs) in nonhuman mammals, are found exclusively in hairy skin and preferentially respond to slow moving gentle touch, such as that produced by lightly stroking the skin. While substantial species differences exist in the proportion of C-LTMRs to the total C-fiber population, C-LTMRs appear to be expressed more densely in proximal regions of the limbs and the trunk. Functionally, C-LTMRs are specifically tuned to relatively low velocity (~0.1 cm/s) cutaneous stimulation, respond with biphasic adaptation to a single sustained stimulus and exhibit prolonged fatigue in response to repeated stimulation. While a molecular marker of the global C-LTMR population is lacking, subtypes expressing MrgprB4, VGLUT3, and TH have been identified. Considering that C-LTMRs terminate in lamina II of the spinal dorsal horn, there is increasing evidence supporting their involvement in the modulation of spinal responses to nociceptive input.
Anxious Architecture: Sleep, Identity, and Death in the US-Mexico Borderlands

The Mexico-US borderlands have been militarised by the technology, weaponry, and policies of both the American Border Patrol agency and Mexican cartels. Upon this contested ground, border-crossers interrupt their taxing journey to build small informal works of architecture. These structures – most commonly fashioned from whatever materials are at hand like thorny mesquite branches, rocks, and grasses – become a locus of crises. Like the migrants, drug mules, or guides who build it, border-crosser architecture has overlapping and competing agendas and motivations. Drawing on the analysis of architectural form, artifacts of material culture, and interviews gathered from fieldwork in the United States and Mexico, I identify three ways architecture acts ‘anxiously’ as a spatial relationship to conflict: 1) sleep (insomnia), 2) identity (anonymity), and 3) death (haunting). In these modes, an architecture born in the borderlands both embodies and emotes anxiety as an adaptive spatial tactic to respond to conflict and trauma.
Fast automated analysis of strong gravitational lenses with convolutional neural networks

Quantifying image distortions caused by strong gravitational lensing-the formation of multiple images of distant sources due to the deflection of their light by the gravity of intervening structures-and estimating the corresponding matter distribution of these structures (the 'gravitational lens') has primarily been performed using maximum likelihood modelling of observations. This procedure is typically time- and resource-consuming, requiring sophisticated lensing codes, several data preparation steps, and finding the maximum likelihood model parameters in a computationally expensive process with downhill optimizers. Accurate analysis of a single gravitational lens can take up to a few weeks and requires expert knowledge of the physical processes and methods involved. Tens of thousands of new lenses are expected to be discovered with the upcoming generation of ground and space surveys. Here we report the use of deep convolutional neural networks to estimate lensing parameters in an extremely fast and automated way, circumventing the difficulties that are faced by maximum likelihood methods. We also show that the removal of lens light can be made fast and automated using independent component analysis of multi-filter imaging data. Our networks can recover the parameters of the 'singular isothermal ellipsoid' density profile, which is commonly used to model strong lensing systems, with an accuracy comparable to the uncertainties of sophisticated models but about ten million times faster: 100 systems in approximately one second on a single graphics processing unit. These networks can provide a way for non-experts to obtain estimates of lensing parameters for large samples of data.
Gender disparities in colloquium speakers at top universities

Colloquium talks at prestigious universities both create and reflect academic researchers' reputations. Gender disparities in colloquium talks can arise through a variety of mechanisms. The current study examines gender differences in colloquium speakers at 50 prestigious US colleges and universities in 2013-2014. Using archival data, we analyzed 3,652 talks in six academic disciplines. Men were more likely than women to be colloquium speakers even after controlling for the gender and rank of the available speakers. Eliminating alternative explanations (e.g., women declining invitations more often than men), our follow-up data revealed that female and male faculty at top universities reported no differences in the extent to which they (i) valued and (ii) turned down speaking engagements. Additional data revealed that the presence of women as colloquium chairs (and potentially on colloquium committees) increased the likelihood of women appearing as colloquium speakers. Our data suggest that those who invite and schedule speakers serve as gender gatekeepers with the power to create or reduce gender differences in academic reputations.
Preventing Sudden Death in a Competitive Athlete: A Case Report

A 19-year-old male collegiate wrestler was diagnosed with bicuspid aortic valve disease and aortic insufficiency due to the presence of an aortic-ventricular tunnel. The athlete underwent an electrocardiogram, transthoracic echocardiogram, transesophageal echocardiogram, as well as a diagnostic ultrasound of his carotid arteries and abdominal aorta in order to diagnose this underlying structural abnormality. This diagnosis resulted in the athlete being disqualified for the remainder of the wrestling season and undergoing open-heart surgery to repair his bicuspid aortic valve. This case study will explain the events surrounding the recognition of this disease as well as advocate for the use of cardiac screening in preparticipation exams (PPEs). It is imperative that we implement more advanced diagnostic testing in the PPEs of young athletes in order to diagnose underlying structural heart abnormalities that may lead to sudden cardiac death.
Impact of RNA polymerase I inhibitor CX-5461 on viral kinase-dependent and -independent cytomegalovirus replication

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infections cause congenital birth defects and disease in immunosuppressed individuals. Antiviral compounds can control infection yet their use is restricted due to concerns of toxicity and the emergence of drug resistant strains. We have evaluated the impact of an RNA Polymerase I (Pol I) inhibitor, CX-5461 on HCMV replication. CX-5461 inhibits Pol I-mediated ribosomal DNA transcription by binding G-quadruplex DNA structures and also activates cellular stress response pathways. The addition of CX-5461 at both early and late stages of the HCMV infection inhibited viral DNA synthesis and virus production. Interestingly, adding CX-5461 after the onset of viral DNA synthesis resulted in a greater reduction compared to continuous treatment starting early during infection. We observed an accompanying increase in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 in infected cells treated late but not early which likely explains the differences. Our previous studies demonstrated the importance of p21 in the antiviral activity of the HCMV kinase inhibitor, maribavir. Addition of CX-5461 increased the anti-HCMV activity of maribavir. Our data demonstrate that CX-5461 inhibits HCMV replication and synergizes with maribavir to disrupt infection.