cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolation of Trueperella pyogenes in a case of thoracic and abdominal abscess in a galago (Otolemur garnettii).

Background An adult male galago (Otolemur garnettii) presented for fight wounds following pairing for breeding. Treatment was symptomatic with recovery. Following resolution, the animal re-presented and died, despite additional treatment. Methods Necropsy, histopathology, bacterial cultures, and 16S RNA sequencing. Results A large intrathoracic/intra-abdominal abscess due to Trueperella pyogenes was found at necropsy. Conclusions T. pyogenes should be considered in abscesses/wounds of galagos.
FOUR SPECIAL FUNCTIONS OF A MICROCHANNEL SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR

Two-dimensional spatial light modulators are expected to be an Integral part of sophisticated optical information, processing or computing systems. The microchannel spatial light modulator (MSLM) in particular is a very promising and versatile, optically addressed device which can intrinsically perform a multitude of operations. Functions which have previously [1,2] been demonstrated on data stored in an MSLM include image thresholding, image addition and subtraction, contrast reversal, contrast enhancement, edge enhancement, and the binary logic operations of NOT, AND, NAND, OR, NOR, XOR, and NXOR.
The impact of near-peer mentoring on self-efficacy in an introductory engineering course

This work-in-progress considers the integration of junior and senior engineering students as near-peer mentors in a first-year Introduction to Engineering course at Florida Gulf Coast University. A primary purpose of incorporating mentors into the class is to allow first year students to more easily find their fit within the college and promote increased retention in engineering. The social validity (participants' perceived value) of the program is evaluated through a mixed method approach including the use of pre- and post-course surveys of the students enrolled in the course and focus group discussions with the students serving as near-peer mentors. The impact of these relationships on student self-efficacy and the future direction of the program will also be included.
Emotions and somatic gestures in medieval narratives. The case of "Raoul de Cambrai"

Old French literature is particularly rich in words and expressions indicating emotions. In many cases, emotions like anger or sorrow are merely attributed to characters. In other cases, however, readers are invited to »read« emotions conveyed by means of somatic gestures, such as weeping, flushing, pallor, or sweating. Understood to be involuntary, these actions constitute an unusual class of gesture generally overlooked in studies of gesture. Through a study of the somatic complex found in the Old French epic Raoul de Cambrai, this article seeks to illustrate how involuntary emotions occupy a central position in the poem’s theme and story-line, and suggests how appreciating the poem in its own historical context can illuminate the process of aristocratic emotional self-fashioning in late twelfth- and early thirteenth-century France.
Inhibition of Factor VIIa-Tissue Factor by Protein C Inhibitor.

Protein C inhibitor (PCI) is a plasma serine protease inhibitor (serpin) that inhibits several proteases in blood coagulation including thrombin, thrombin-thromobomodulin and activated protein C. Although PCI has been shown to inhibit these key blood coagulation proteases, a clearly defined hemostatic role for PCI remains to be elucidated. Preliminary results from our laboratory show that exogenously added PCI prolongs venous thrombus formation upon blood vessel injury in a murine model of vascular injury. These results suggest that PCI may be responsible for inhibiting other proteases in blood coagulation, possibly including factor VIIa. Blood coagulation is initiated when factor VIIa binds to TF on cell surfaces. We investigated the ability of PCI to inhibit factor VIIa, both in the presence and absence of TF in vitro , and in a cellular environment. It has been shown previously and we have confirmed that the serpin antithrombin (AT) inhibits both factor VIIa and factor VIIa/TF; however, the ability of PCI to inhibit this protease has not been fully investigated. PCI and AT inhibit factor VIIa in the presence of TF and heparin (AT: k 2 =1.1 × 10 4 M −1 s −1 ; PCI: k 2 =7.2 × 10 3 M −1 s −1 ). In the absence of heparin the inhibition of factor VIIa/TF by PCI is reduced 10-fold. Interestingly, PCI is unable to inhibit VIIa in the absence of TF with or without heparin. Furthermore, both PCI and AT form SDS-stable complexes with factor VIIa (in the presence of TF). We also investigated whether PCI is able to inhibit VIIa-mediated cell migration of the breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 that constitutively expresses TF. AT and PCI are able to inhibit cell surface derived factor VIIa/TF. Interestingly, the rate of factor VIIa inhibition on MDA-MB-231 cells is 1.2 and 0.4 × 10 3 M −1 s −1 for PCI and AT, respectively. The factor VIIa-mediated cell migration of MD-MB-231 cells is attenuated in the presence of PCI, but not in the presence of the PCI inactive mutant (T341R). Given that both AT and PCI are able to inhibit factor VIIa/TF both in vitro and in a cellular environment, suggests that more potent derivatives (prepared by site-directed mutagenesis) of these serpins may be useful alternatives as novel therapeutics anticoagulants that target the initial step in the coagulation pathway.
Ancestry dynamics in a South American population: The impact of gene flow and preferential mating

Objectives European ancestry in many populations in Latin America at autosomal loci is often higher than that from X-linked loci indicating more European male ancestry and more Amerindian female ancestry. Generally, this has been attributed to more European male gene flow but could also result from an advantage to European mating or reproductive success. Methods Population genetic models were developed to investigate the dynamics of gene flow and mating or reproductive success. Using estimates of autosomal and X-chromosome European ancestry, the amount of male gene flow or mating or reproductive advantage for Europeans, or those with European ancestry, was estimated. Results In a population from Antioquia, Colombia with an estimated 79% European autosomal ancestry and an estimated 69% European X-chromosome ancestry, about 15% male gene flow from Europe or about 20% mating or reproductive advantage of Europeans over Amerindians resulted in these levels of European ancestry in the contemporary population. Combinations of gene flow and mating advantage were nearly additive in their impact. Conclusions Gene flow, mating advantage, or a combination of both factors, are consistent with observed levels of European ancestry in a Latin American population. This approach provides a general methodology to determine the levels of gene flow and mating differences that can explain the observed contemporary differences in ancestry from autosomes and X-chromosomes.
Molybdenum polyoxometalates as active species for energy storage in non-aqueous media

Abstract The Keggin-type polyoxometalate Li 3 PMo 12 O 40 was evaluated for energy storage applications in non-aqueous media. In acetonitrile, using a static H-cell, high coulombic efficiency (∼90%) and stable (>500 h) charge and discharge results were obtained. Different separators taking advantage of charge and size-based differentiation were compared for this system. Celgard ® 2325, Nafion ® 117 and aramid nanofiber-based membranes (ANF) were examined. Both Li-exchanged Nafion ® 117 and ANF membranes enabled stable charge/discharge cycles with high coulombic efficiency for this non-aqueous polyoxometalate system. The ANF membrane, which separates based on size, permitted operation at higher current densities than the Nafion ® 117 ion-exchange membrane.
The Past as Persistent Presence: Teaching Victorian Nonfiction

Teaching Victorian nonfiction in the context of modern debates—social, educational, environmental, cultural—enables students to encounter the ideas as vital and living. Pairing Victorian texts (and images) with modern writing encourages students to consider how both the ideas and their expression have changed: Ruskin’s Unto This Last with Michael J. Sandel’s What Money Can’t Buy , William Morris’s “Useful Work vs. Useless Toil” with Matthew B. Crawford’s Shop Class as Soul Craft . Yet such an approach also allows for historical specificity; the instructor grounds discussion in the historical details while underscoring both the continuities and the disjunctions between past and present. As this chapter demonstrates, this is not a question of making Victorian writing “relevant” in a trendy way, but of leading students to understand context and connection and to discover life in texts they had thought long dead.
Efficient Prioritization of Multiple Causal eQTL Variants via Sparse Polygenic Modeling

Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) studies have typically used single-variant association analysis to identify genetic variants correlated with gene expression. However, this approach has several drawbacks: causal variants cannot be distinguished from nonfunctional variants in strong linkage disequilibrium, combined effects from multiple causal variants cannot be captured, and low-frequency (<5% MAF) eQTL variants are difficult to identify. While these issues possibly could be overcome by using sparse polygenic models, which associate multiple genetic variants with gene expression simultaneously, the predictive performance of these models for eQTL studies has not been evaluated. Here, we assessed the ability of three sparse polygenic models (Lasso, Elastic Net, and BSLMM) to identify causal variants, and compared their efficacy to single-variant association analysis and a fine-mapping model. Using simulated data, we determined that, while these methods performed similarly when there was one causal SNP present at a gene, BSLMM substantially outperformed single-variant association analysis for prioritizing causal eQTL variants when multiple causal eQTL variants were present (1.6- to 5.2-fold higher recall at 20% precision), and identified up to 2.3-fold more low frequency variants as the top eQTL SNP. Analysis of real RNA-seq and whole-genome sequencing data of 131 iPSC samples showed that the eQTL SNPs identified by BSLMM had a higher functional enrichment in DHS sites and were more often low-frequency than those identified with single-variant association analysis. Our study showed that BSLMM is a more effective approach than single-variant association analysis for prioritizing multiple causal eQTL variants at a single gene.
CCR2+ Inflammatory Monocytes Are Recruited to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Pyogranulomas and Dictate Adaptive Responses at the Expense of Innate Immunity during Oral Infection

Murine Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes (IMs) require CCR2 to leave the bone marrow and enter mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and other organs in response to Yersinia pseudotuberculosis infection. We are investigating how IMs, which can differentiate into CD11c+ dendritic cells (DCs), contribute to innate and adaptive immunity to Y. pseudotuberculosis Previously, we obtained evidence that IMs are important for a dominant CD8+ T cell response to the epitope YopE69-77 and host survival using intravenous infections with attenuated Y. pseudotuberculosis Here we challenged CCR2+/+ or CCR2-/- mice orally with wild-type Y. pseudotuberculosis to investigate how IMs contribute to immune responses during intestinal infection. Unexpectedly, CCR2-/- mice did not have reduced survival but retained body weight better and their MLNs cleared Y. pseudotuberculosis faster and with reduced lymphadenopathy compared to controls. Enhanced bacterial clearance in CCR2-/- mice correlated with reduced numbers of IMs in spleens and increased numbers of neutrophils in livers. In situ imaging of MLNs and spleens from CCR2-GFP mice showed that green fluorescent protein-positive (GFP+) IMs accumulated at the periphery of neutrophil-rich Yersinia-containing pyogranulomas. GFP+ IMs colocalized with CD11c+ cells and YopE69-77-specific CD8+ T cells in MLNs, suggesting that IM-derived DCs prime adaptive responses in Yersinia pyogranulomas. Consistently, CCR2-/- mice had reduced numbers of splenic DCs, YopE69-77-specific CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, and B cells in organs and lower levels of serum antibodies to Y. pseudotuberculosis antigens. Our data suggest that IMs differentiate into DCs in MLN pyogranulomas and direct adaptive responses in T cells at the expense of innate immunity during oral Y. pseudotuberculosis infection.
ESTROGEN LEVELS DO NOT RISE WITH TESTOSTERONE TREATMENT FOR TRANSGENDER MEN

Objective: Existing transgender treatment guidelines suggest that for transmasculine treatment, there is a possible need for estrogen-lowering strategies adjunct to testosterone therapy. Further, g...
Earnings Mobility during the Transition: The Case of Hungary

This paper tests the hypothesis that the economic transition if associated with earnings mobility that is higher than in mature market economies, and which offsets the increase in earnings inequality. It uses the Hungarian Household Panel Survey for the period 1992-1997. The paper finds that indeed five-year earnings mobility in Hungary in the early years of the transition was significantly higher than in OECD countries. However, there are sings that the mobility rate has begun to decline. The pattern of earnings mobility had a significant equalizing effect: low earners were raised up while high earners were leveled down. However, mobility was taking place against a backdrop of the fall in real wages and therefore in most cases it implied the worsening of the absolute earnings status. Unfortunately, mobility does not help much low-paid workers. In contrast to most OECD countries, in Hungary low-paid workers have little chances to move up the earnings ladder. Low-paid jobs tend to be a permanent trap rather than a stepping stone to better paid employment.
Dynamic Programming and Time Related Strategies in Sports

Since their introduction by Bellman (beginning with Bellman 1952) in the 1950’s the ideas of dynamic programming have become among the most fun-damental methods of operations research. A good source for the methodology and extensive literature is Sniedovich 1992. In Sackrowitz and Sackrowitz 1996 and Sackrowitz 2000 dynamic programming methodology was applied, respectively, to the notion of ball control in sports and two-point conversion strategy decisions in football. The goal of this paper is twofold. We will investi-gate strategy considerations related to the onside kick option in football. More importantly we hope, during this process, to demonstrate dynamic program-ming’s ideal suitability for dealing with certain types of strategy issues that are almost unavoidable in most sports. By studying the various aspects of this problem we will be able to see what can and cannot be accomplished. In these settings a complete determination of an optimal strategy is usually not possi-ble due to vagaries in the model. However, this approach can greatly improve a coach’s understanding of game situations and improve decision making. In particular, we will demonstrate a strong indication that onside kicks should be used much more frequently than in current practice.
Immune-Mediated Rheumatic Diseases

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the prototypical human, autoimmune disease and is characterized by immune dysregulation, production of autoantibodies, generation of circulating immune complexes, and activation of the complement system. SLE is notable for unpredictable exacerbations and remissions with a predilection for clinical involvement of joint, skin, kidney, brain, serosa, lung, heart, hematological system, and gastrointestinal tract (Wallace, The clinical presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus. In: Wallace D and Hahn B, Eds. Dubois’ Lupus Erythematosus, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Hagerstown, MD, 2006, pp. 621–628) (Table 19.1). The pathological hallmark of SLE is recurrent, widespread, and diverse vascular lesions including both inflammatory and thrombotic vasculopathy, the latter most often occurring in the setting of antiphospholipid antibodies. Cases related to the presentation and management of SLE are discussed (Belmont and Abramson, Arthritis and Rheumatism 39:9–23, 1996). Table 19.1 Major clinical manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus by organ system Constitutional Fever, weight loss, malaise, and fatigue Musculoskeletal Myalgia, arthralgia, deforming non-erosive arthritis (Jaccoud’s arthropathy), erosive arthritis [RA-like (rare)] myositis Mucocutaneous Acute cutaneous lupus (malar rash), subacute cutaneous lupus (annular rash), chronic cutaneous lupus (discoid lupus), painless oral and nasal ulcers, urticaria, tumid lupus, bullous lupus Cardiopulmonary Pericarditis, myocarditis, valvulitis, pleuritis, pneumonitis, pulmonary hypertension Hematologic Anemia of chronic disease, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenia purpura, Evan’s syndrome, leukopenia, lymphopenia, TTP, hypercoagulable state in setting of antiphospholipid antibodies Neuropsychiatric Acute confusional state, organic mental syndrome, organic affective disorder, seizures, cerebrovascular accident, cranial neuropathy, mononeuritis multiplex, transverse myelitis Vasculitic (rare) Cutaneous vasculitis, coronary vasculitis, dysenteric vasculitis, intracerebral vasculitis (very rare) Renal Nephrotic syndrome, glomerulonephritis, azotemia, hypertension, end stage renal disease Gastrointestinal Medical peritonitis, pancreatitis (rare), non-specific hepatitis, esophageal dysfunction (rare)
Clinical Experience with the U.I. Octoson: The Role of the Sonographer with Automated Ultrasonic Systems

The U. I. Octoson was developed by Kossoff and his colleagues in Australia as the first automated system with eight transducers mounted completely in a water bath. Transducer movement is controlled from a streamlined panel. This panel allows the operator to control the angle of sweep., the scan center angulation, the increment movement of the transducers. It can perform transverse, longitudinal or oblique scans with or without angulation. The transducer arm may be moved closer or farther from the patient’s skin surface to control the quality of penetration. It has the capability of utilizing all eight transducers or a single transducer, or a combination of transducers. It also has manual capabilities if the area of interest needs to be specifically outlined. The manual control may also be used with the M-mode sweep to further outline motion (i.e., fetal heart, pulsatile aortic movement, or delineation of cardiac structures).
Significance of Friction and Shear in the Prevention of Contemporary Hospital-acquired Pressure Ulcers.

Background Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) are largely preventable yet still common occurrences in hospitals. The purpose of the current study is to determine how data from the electronic medical record can be used to better understand and predict HAPU formation over the course of a hospital admission. Methods A case-control study on HAPUs was performed over an 8-month period at Yale New Haven Hospital. A Cox regression analysis model analyzed the impact of multiple factors on HAPU development including friction and shear, among other Braden score components. A receiver operating characteristic curve was calculated to determine the sensitivity and specificity of changes in these factors in predicting HAPU development. Results On a sample of 8,790 admissions, HAPU incidence was 4.2% over the study period (6.3% per annum). The average hospital day for HAPU development was day 15.6 (± 19.3). The Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the volatility of the friction and shear component of Braden scores had a risk ratio of 28.6 (P < 0.01; CI, 14.5-56.4). Volatility in the friction and shear component was the most predictive factor with a high receiver operating characteristic curve area of 0.865 (CI, 0.847-0.882). Conclusions Volatility of the friction and shear component of Braden scores appears to be the most significant factor preceding HAPU development at Yale New Haven Hospital. Efforts to place more focus on identifying and reducing volatility of this factor may help decrease HAPU risk for future patients.
Application of the embedded atom method to Ni 3 Al

The embedded atom method [M. S. Daw and M. I. Baskes, Phys. Rev. B 29, 6443 (1984) used to calculate phase stability, lattice vibrational frequencies, point defect properties, antiphase boundary energies, and surface energies and relaxations for Ni3Al. The empirical embedding functions and core-core repulsions used by this method are obtained. The equilibrium phases for the Ni-rich half of the composition range of Ni–Al are determined for 1000 K and compared with experiment. The elastic constants and vibrational modes of Ni3Al are calculated and the elastic constants are compared with experiment. The formation energy, formation volume, and migration energies of vacancies are computed, and it is found that the formation energy of vacancies on the Ni sublattice is less than that on the Al sublattice. The (100) antiphase boundary is shown to be significantly lower in energy than the (111) antiphase boundary. The surface energies and atomic relaxations of the low index faces are computed, and it is shown that for the (100) and (110) faces that the preferred surface geometry corresponds to the bulk lattice with the mixed composition plane exposed.
Diacylglycerol Lipase-β Is Required for TNF-α Response but Not CD8+ T Cell Priming Capacity of Dendritic Cells.

Summary Diacylglycerol lipase-β (DAGLβ) hydrolyzes arachidonic acid (AA)-esterified diacylglycerols to produce 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and downstream prostanoids that mediate inflammatory responses of macrophages. Here, we utilized DAGL-tailored activity-based protein profiling and genetic disruption models to discover that DAGLβ regulates inflammatory lipid and protein signaling pathways in primary dendritic cells (DCs). DCs serve as an important link between innate and adaptive immune pathways by relaying innate signals and antigen to drive T cell clonal expansion and prime antigen-specific immunity. We discovered that disruption of DAGLβ in DCs lowers cellular 2-AG and AA that is accompanied by reductions in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated tumor necrosis factor α secretion. Cell-based vaccination studies revealed that DC maturation ex vivo and immunogenicity in vivo was surprisingly unaffected by DAGLβ inactivation. Collectively, we identify DAGLβ pathways as a means for attenuating DC inflammatory signaling while sparing critical adaptive immune functions and further expand the utility of targeting lipid pathways for immunomodulation.
The Effect of District Attorneys on Local Criminal Justice Outcomes

n the United States, elected district attorneys' offices prosecute over 85% of all felony cases, but we know little about their effect on local criminal justice outcomes. Using a newly-collected dataset of district attorney elections, I show that the a Republican district attorney leads to a 6-8% increase in new prison admissions and new sentenced months per capita in the four years following their election. Effects are disproportionately driven by changes in incarceration for drug offenses. These results show that the identity of local district attorneys is an important determinant of incarceration rates.
The Role of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 (TRPM7) in Cell Viability: A Potential Target to Suppress Breast Cancer Cell Cycle

The divalent cation-selective channel transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channel was shown to affect the proliferation of some types of cancer cell. However, the function of TRPM7 in the viability of breast cancer cells remains unclear. Here we show that TRPM inhibitors suppressed the viability of TRPM7-expressing breast cancer cells. We first demonstrated that the TRPM7 inhibitors 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate (2-APB), ginsenoside Rd (Gin Rd), and waixenicin A preferentially suppressed the viability of human embryonic kidney HEK293 overexpressing TRPM7 (HEK-M7) cells over wildtype HEK293 (WT-HEK). Next, we confirmed the effects of 2-APB on the TRPM7 channel functions by whole-cell currents and divalent cation influx. The inhibition of the viability of HEK-M7 cells by 2-APB was not mediated by the increase in cell death but by the interruption of the cell cycle. Similar to HEK-M7 cells, the viability of TRPM7-expressing human breast cancer MDA-MB-231, AU565, and T47D cells were also suppressed by 2-APB by arresting the cell cycle in the S phase. Furthermore, in a novel TRPM7 knock-out MDA-MB-231 (KO-231) cell line, decreased divalent influx and reduced proliferation were observed compared to the wildtype MDA-MB-231 cells. 2-APB and Gin Rd preferentially suppressed the viability of wildtype MDA-MB-231 cells over KO-231 by affecting the cell cycle in wildtype but not KO-231 cells. Our results suggest that TRPM7 regulates the cell cycle of breast cancers and is a potential therapeutic target.
Experimental investigation of fracture toughness scaling models

An experimental investigation of fracture toughness in the ductile-brittle transition range was conducted. A large number of ASTM A533, Grade B steel, bend and tension specimens with varying crack lengths were tested throughout the transition region. Cleavage fracture toughness scaling models were utilized to correct the data for the loss of constraint in short crack specimens and tension geometries. The toughness scaling models were effective in reducing the scatter in the data, but tended to overcorrect the results for the short crack bend specimens. A proposed ASTM Test Practice for Fracture Toughness in the Transition Range, which employs a master curve concept, was applied to the results. The proposed master curve over predicted the fracture toughness in the mid-transition and a modified master curve was developed that more accurately modeled the transition behavior of the material. Finally, the modified master curve and the fracture toughness scaling models were combined to predict the as-measured fracture toughness of the short crack bend and the tension specimens. It was shown that when the scaling models over correct the data for loss of constraint, they can also lead to non-conservative estimates of the increase in toughness for low constraint geometries.
Pericardial Effusion in Children Admitted With Kawasaki Disease: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study From the Pediatric Health Information System:

Pericardial effusion (PCE) can be associated with Kawasaki disease (KD). We performed a multicenter, retrospective cohort study of the Pediatric Health Information System of children admitted with KD to determine the association between PCE and adverse outcomes. A total of 17 422 patients were in the cohort, of which 440 (3%) had PCE. PCE was associated with longer hospital length of stay (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.23; P < .01) and risk of readmission at 30 days (aOR = 1.42; P = .03). Black children were more likely to have a PCE (aOR = 1.54, P < .01) and longer length of stay (aOR = 1.05; P < .001). These data may support delayed discharge in children with PCE and KD in the hopes of preventing readmission. Special consideration needs to be given to how black children with KD are managed.
Quantifying habitat and landscape effects on composition and structure of plant-pollinator networks in the US Northern Great Plains

Community structure contributes to ecosystem persistence and stability. To understand the mechanisms underlying pollination and community stability of natural areas in a human influenced landscape, a better understanding of the interaction patterns between plants and pollinators in disturbed landscapes is needed. The Northern Great Plains still retain extensive tracts of remnant temperate grassland habitat within a matrix of varying land-uses. We used a network-based approach to quantify how temperate grassland attributes and landscape heterogeneity influence plant-pollinator community structure in natural habitats. We also quantified pollinator diversity and floral diversity to assess the functional role of temperate grassland attributes and the surrounding landscape on the composition of the plant-pollinator communities in natural habitats. We found that the amount of local nectar sugar and increased proportions of certain land-uses contribute to pollinator diversity that in turn influences the structure of interactions between plants and pollinators. Understanding the factors contributing to plant-pollinator network structure can guide management decisions to support resilient plant-pollinator communities and conserve the stability of pollination services.
Opioid Prescribing at Discharge in Opioid-Naïve Trauma Patients.

BackgroundOpioid analgesics remain mainstay of treatment for trauma-related pain despite growing concerns for opioid dependency or misuse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate opioid prescribi...
A coproduction research model between academia and law enforcement responsible for investigating threats

Academics and law enforcement practitioners engage in collaborative studies, driven both by individual efforts and government support, and have developed several models of cooperation that hold pro...
Striatal compartments participate in multi-modal and concurrent reward-based learning

Abstract Pathology in neural circuits that control the expression of goal-directed and habitual behaviors is hypothesized to be a major contributing factor to addiction. In this study, we investigate cortico-striatal circuitry involved in learning and how cortical interactions with specific striatal subregions are involved in the emergence of inflexible behaviors such as compulsive drinking. Specifically, we develop a computational model of cortico-striatal interactions that performs concurrent goal-directed and stimulus-response learning. The model accomplishes learning by distinguishing between the dorsomedial striatum (DMS)—where dopamine release encodes reward prediction error—and the dorsolateral striatum (DLS)—where dopamine release encodes motivation or salience. These striatal subregions each operate on unique cortical input: the DMS receives input from the prefrontal cortex (PFC), which represented outcomes and the DLS receives input from the premotor cortex which determines action selection. Following an initial learning of a two-alternative forced choice task, we subjected the model to reversal learning, reward devaluation, and punishment learning. Behavior driven by stimulus-response associations in the DLS resisted goal-directed learning of new reward feedback rules despite devaluation or punishment, indicating the expression of habit. We repeated these simulations after the loss of executive control, which was implemented as poor outcome representation in the PFC. Following this manipulation, no detectable of reward devaluation was observed, however, the efficacy of goal-directed learning was reduced, and stimulus response associations in the DLS were even more resistant to the learning of new reward feedback rules. In summary, this model provides a mechanism that describes how the loss of executive control could contribute to the emergence of inflexible behavior.
Dural venous sinus anatomy in children with external hydrocephalus: analysis of a series of 97 patients.

To evaluate the anatomical variations of dural venous sinuses in children with external hydrocephalus, proposing a radiological grading of progressive anatomic restriction to venous outflow based on brain phase-contrast magnetic resonance venography (PC-MRV); to evaluate the correlation between positional plagiocephaly and dural sinuses patency; and to compare these findings with a control group to ascertain the role of anatomical restriction to venous outflow in the pathophysiology of external hydrocephalus. Brain MRI and PC MRV were performed in 97 children (76 males, 21 females) diagnosed with external hydrocephalus at an average age of 8.22 months. Reduction of patency of the dural sinuses was graded as 1 (stenosis), 2 (complete stop) and 3 (complete agenesis) for each transverse/sigmoid sinus and sagittal sinus. Anatomical restriction was graded for each patient from 0 (symmetric anatomy of patent dural sinuses) through 6 (bilateral agenesis of both transverse sinuses). Ventricular and subarachnoid spaces were measured above the intercommissural plane using segmentation software. Positional plagiocephaly (PP) and/or asymmetric tentorial insertion (ATI) was correlated with the presence and grading of venous sinus obstruction. These results were compared with a retrospective control group of 75 patients (35 males, 40 females). Both the rate (84.53% vs 25.33%) and the grading (mean 2.59 vs mean 0.45) of anomalies of dural sinuses were significantly higher in case group than in control group. In the case group, sinus anomalies were asymmetric in 59 cases (right-left ratio 1/1) and symmetric in 22. A significant association was detected between the grading of venous drainage alterations and diagnosis of disease and between the severity of vascular anomalies and the widening of subarachnoid space (SAS). Postural plagiocephaly (39.1% vs 21.3%) and asymmetric tentorial insertion (35.4% vs 17.3%) were significantly more frequent in the case group than in the control group. When sinus anomalies occurred in plagiocephalic children, the obstruction grading was significantly higher on the flattened side (p ≤ 0.001). Decreased patency of the dural sinuses and consequent increased venous outflow resistance may play a role in the pathophysiology of external hydrocephalus in the first 3 years of life. In plagiocephalic children, calvarial flattening may impact on the homolateral dural sinus patency, with a possible effect on the anatomy of dural sinuses and venous drainage in the first months of life.
An implantable synthetic SPECT lesion: A bridge from phantom to small animal imaging

665 Objectives: Prototypical imaging system performance is often characterized using phantoms that have little or no resemblance to real physiology. Hence, images of phantoms may not accurately predict the performance of the imaging system in clinical and/or preclinical applications such as monitoring response to therapy. We have created an implantable synthetic SPECT lesion model that facilitates characterization of lesion detection performance in a living animal and enables system calibration for quantitative SPECT. Methods: Implantable anion exchange microcolumns with bed volumes of 1 to 8 microliters were constructed from medical grade PVC tubing and a small number of AG 1-X2 Resin (BIO-RAD) beads. Surgical implantation of the lesion model was first demonstrated in an excised mouse femur and subsequently into living mice. SPECT and X-ray CT imaging was performed on the Center for Gamma-ray Imaging Dual-modality imaging system. Results: Activity localized within the synthetic lesion correlated to the mass/number of resin beads incorporated into the microcolumn. Imaged activity localized to the resin beads with no detectable background activity attributable to the entering or exiting catheters. The synthetic lesions were reused multiple times as fresh 99mTcO4- reliably displaced decayed 99TcO4-, regenerating the synthetic lesion. 123I binding was also demonstrated. Living mice with implanted catheters were used to develop an application specific animal holder. Mice tolerated the implanted columns with no signs of infection for up to 8 weeks. Conclusions: A reusable, synthetic SPECT lesion was constructed and implanted in the femur of a living mouse. The synthetic lesion is useful for development and validation of multimodality imaging protocols, design of animal restraints and imaging beds, and accurately evaluating imaging system performance in the context of a living animal. Research Support (if any): This work is partially supported by National Institutes of Health NIBIB grants P41EB002035 and P41EB002035-05S1.
Longitudinal evaluation of communication skills of children with single- or multichannel cochlear implants.

Performance on speech perception, speech production, and language tests was measured over time in children who used the 3M/House or the Nucleus cochlear implant. The speech perception and production results demonstrated higher performance levels and faster rates of learning for the multichannel than for the single-channel users. The performance of the children with the single-channel implant on the speech perception and production measures reached a plateau by 1.5 years post implant, whereas the children using the multichannel device continued to show improvement after 2 or more years of implant use
Modellgestützte Marktanteilsprognose auf Basis von Paneldaten

Marketing und Vertrieb sind laufend mit der Frage konfrontiert, wie eine Veranderung im Marketing-Mix den Marktanteil beeinflusst. Wie haben sich Preis und Marktanteil entwickelt? Das mag interessant sein. Fur das Management wesentlicher ist jedoch die Frage, welche Auswirkung eine Preiserhohung um 5 Prozent auf den Marktanteil haben wird, oder besser noch, welcher Preis den Deckungsbeitrag der Marke maximiert.
Book Budget Formula Allocations: A Review Essay

This essay attempts to organize the periodical literature of book budget formula allocations in the academic library setting. Topics covered include; studies in which the impact of faculty book selection, in terms of circulation, and faculty selection behavior are examined; theoretical literature in terms of issues and formula development; and studies in which actual practices are reported.
Greenspan and the Greenbook

A vast literature has emerged using Taylor rules to analyze monetary policy Although very attractive both theoretically and empirically such rules imply a mechanical response by the policy variable to fundamental ones This study looks for empirical evidence of a more sophisticated monetary policy one which takes into account expected future developments An important piece of information I use is the Greenbook forecast series which are calculated by the Federal Reserve Board's Research Department prior to the Board meetings Using Greenbook forecasts allows calculation of future inflation shocks as expected by the Fed These shocks are significant in the estimated Taylor rule confirming that policymaking is forward-looking In addition using Greenbook forecasts allows one to obtain better real time estimates of the potential output and thus to obtain a more precise characterization of monetary policy
Effective chiral theory of mesons, coefficients of ChPT, axial-vector symmetry breaking

A review of effective chiral theory of pseudoscalar, vector, and axial vector mesons is presented. 10 coefficients of the ChPT are predicted. A new symmetry breaking-axial-vector symmetry breaking is found and applied to EW theory. The masses of W and Z are dynamically generated and in agreement with data.
Ribonucleic Acid Synthesis of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus I. Species of Ribonucleic Acid Found in Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells Infected with Plaque-forming and Defective Particles

Plaque-forming B particles of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) induce the synthesis of virus-specific ribonucleic acid (RNA) in Chinese hamster ovary cells, whereas defective T particles do not. Infection with low input multiplicities of B results in the formation of four species of RNA. During infection with high multiplicities, RNA synthesis begins with mainly these four species of RNA but gradually shifts to a new pattern of RNA synthesis involving five other species of RNA. The change can also be induced by superinfection with T at 2.5 hr after infection with a low multiplicity of B. T added at the same time as B prevents virtually all RNA synthesis. Synthesis of the first group of RNA species correlates with the formation of B particles, whereas synthesis of the second group correlates with the formation of T particles. The various species of RNA formed after infection with VSV particles include single-stranded RNA, a completely double-stranded RNA, and RNA with partially double-stranded regions. These observations begin to establish a molecular basis for understanding the ability of T particles to interfere with the growth of B particles.
Antibiotic-resistant E. coli in surface water and groundwater in dairy operations in Northern California

Generic Escherichia coli was isolated from surface water and groundwater samples from two dairies in Northern California and tested for susceptibility to antibiotics. Surface samples were collected from flush water, lagoon water, and manure solids, and groundwater samples were collected from monitoring wells. Although E. coli was ubiquitous in surface samples with concentrations ranging from several hundred thousand to over a million colony-forming units per 100 mL of surface water or per gram of surface solids, groundwater under the influence of these high surface microbial loadings had substantially fewer bacteria (3- to 7-log10 reduction). Among 80 isolates of E. coli tested, 34 (42.5 %) were resistant to one or more antibiotics and 22 (27.5 %) were multi-antibiotic resistant (resistant to ≥3 antibiotics), with resistance to tetracycline, cefoxitin, amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, and ampicillin being the most common. E. coli isolates from the calf hutch area exhibited the highest levels of multi-antibiotic resistance, much higher than isolates in surface soil solids from heifer and cow pens, flush alleys, manure storage lagoons, and irrigated fields. Among E. coli isolates from four groundwater samples, only one sample exhibited resistance to ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline, indicating the potential of groundwater contamination with antibiotic-resistant bacteria from dairy operations.
Volumetric analysis predicts hepatic dysfunction in patients undergoing major liver resection.

Liver-enhancing modalities, such as portal vein embolization, are increasingly employed prior to major liver resection to prevent postoperative liver dysfunction. Selection criteria for such techniques are not well described. This study uses CT-based volumetric analysis as a tool to identify patients at highest risk for postoperative hepatic dysfunction. Between July 1999 and December 2000, a total of 126 consecutive patients who were undergoing liver resection for colorectal metastasis and had CT scans at our institution were included in the analysis. Volume of resection was determined by semiautomated contouring of the liver on preoperative volumetrically (helical) acquired CT scans. Hepatic dysfunction was defined as prothrombin time greater than 18 seconds or serum bilirubin level greater than 3 mg/dl. Marginal regression was used to compare the predictive ability of volumetric analysis and the extent of resection. The percentage of liver remaining was closely correlated with increasing prothrombin time and bilirubin level (P < 0.001). After trisegmentectomy, 90% of patients with ≤s25% of liver remaining developed hepatic dysfunction, compared with none of the patients with more than 25% of liver remaining after trisegmentectomy (P < 0.0001). The percentage of liver remaining was more specific in predicting hepatic dysfunction than was the anatomic extent of resection (P = 0.003). Male sex nearly doubled the risk of hepatic dysfunction (odds ratio = 1.89, P = 0.027), and having ≤25% of liver remaining more than tripled the risk (odds ratio = 3.09, P < 0.0001). Hepatic dysfunction and ≤25% of liver remaining were associated with increased complications and length of hospital stay (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.0003, respectively). Preoperative assessment of future liver volume remaining distinguishes which patients undergoing liver resection will most likely benefit from preoperative liver enhancement techniques such as portal vein embolization.
Brain potentials in perception: Picture complexity and emotional arousal

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were measured while participants viewed affectively arousing and neutral pictures depicting either simple figure-ground compositions or more complex scenes to assess the timing and topography of perceptual and emotional modulation. Emotional pictures elicited a larger late positive potential than neutral pictures in a 400-700-ms window over centro-parietal sensors both for pictures with simple figure-ground composition and for more complex scenes. Picture composition affected ERPs beginning earlier (around 150 ms), with simple figure-ground compositions eliciting less positivity over posterior sensors and less negativity over frontal sensors. Emotionality had little effect on modulation of these early ERPs. These data suggest that the late centro-parietal positive potential primarily reflects motivational relevance, and that earlier posterior (and anterior) components reflect, at least in part, differences in a picture's perceptual organization.
Metabolism of prostaglandins in the kidney

Since the early report of Lee et a! [1] describing a vasoactive acidic lipid in the rabbit renal medulla, the kidney has been recognized as a major site of prostaglandin metabolism in the body. In fact, the kidney medulla is one of the richest sources of cyclooxygenase activity and, therefore, has been widely used for prostaglandin biosynthetic studies. Many direct and indirect findings have established that PG!2 and PGE2 play important roles in the regulation of renal blood flow and maintenance of electrolyte balance. Other oxygenated metabolites of arachidonic acid (that is, PGF2a, PGD2, TXB2, hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids, and leucotrienes [2]) are reportedly synthesized by the kidney, although their function remains as yet undefined. Tissues do not store prostaglandins but generate them from endogenous substrate fatty acids on demand. Several peptide hormones including bradykinin and angiotensin II are able to activate renal phospholipase and release arachidonic acid for prostaglandin synthesis. The action of prostaglandins is usually limited to their site of biosynthesis because powerful prostaglandin dehydrogenases are present, particularly in the lung, that inactivate the PG's before their removal from circulation. The kidney is also an important organ for prostaglandin excretion. It accumulates exogenous prostaglandins above the plasma level [3] and is responsible for removing 50 to 80% of the body's prostaglandins by the urinary route, although very little is yet known about specific mechanisms. This article will present a brief review of the recent information on the biosynthesis and metabolism of renal prostaglandins. For a more extensive discussion, we
Increasing the signal-to-noise ratio in DENSE MRI by combining displacement-encoded echoes.

A new technique was developed to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) MRI. This signal-averaged DENSE (sav-DENSE) technique is based on the SNR advantage of extracting a pair of DENSE images with uncorrelated noise from the complex complementary spatial modulation of the magnetization image, and combining them during image reconstruction. Eleven healthy volunteers were imaged at three short-axis locations with the use of sav-DENSE, cine DENSE, and myocardial tagging pulse sequences. In this study, sav-DENSE increased the SNR by 15–34% as compared to cine DENSE. Circumferential strain values measured by sav-DENSE and myocardial tagging were strongly correlated (slope = 0.95, intercept = –0.02, R = 0.92) and within the 95% limits of agreement. The breath-hold sav-DENSE technique yielded relatively accurate and precise quantification of 2D intramyocardial function, with a 40.2-ms temporal resolution and a 3.5 × 3.5 mm2 spatial resolution. Magn Reson Med 52:188–192, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Spatial regression modeling of tree height- diameter relationships

Tree height–diameter relationships are usually studied using linear or nonlinear models, but exogenous variables, especially spatially autocorrelated and dependent variables of tree diameter or hei...