cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Claims-based Identification Methods and the Cost of Fall-related Injuries Among US Older Adults.

OBJECTIVES: Compare expenditures of fall-related injuries (FRIs) using several methods to identify FRIs in administrative claims data. RESEARCH DESIGN: Using 2007-2009 Medicare claims and 2008 Health and Retirement Survey data, FRIs were identified using external-cause-of-injury (e-codes 880/881/882/884/885/888) only, e-codes plus a broad set of primary diagnosis codes, and a newer approach using e-codes and diagnostic and procedural codes. Linear regression models adjusted for sociodemographic, health, and geographic characteristics were used to estimate per-FRI, service component, patient cost share, expenditures by type of initial FRI treatment (inpatient, emergency department only, outpatient), and total annual FRI-related Medicare expenditures. SUBJECTS: The analysis included 5497 community-dwelling adults ≥65 (228 FRI, 5269 non-FRI individuals) with continuous Medicare coverage and alive during the 24-month study. RESULTS: The 3 FRI identification methods produced differing distributions of index FRI type and varying estimated expenditures: $12,171 [95% confidence interval (CI), $4662-$19,680], $5648 (95% CI, $3819-$7476), and $9388 (95% CI, $5969-$12,808). In all models, most spending occurred in hospital, outpatient, and skilled nursing facility (SNF) settings, but greater proportions of SNF and outpatient spending were observed with commonly used FRI identification methods. Patient cost-sharing was estimated at $691-$1900 across the 3 methods. Inpatient-treated index FRIs were more expensive than emergency department and outpatient-treated FRIs across all methods, but were substantially higher when identifying FRI using only e-codes. Estimated total FRI-related Medicare expenditures were highly variable across methods. CONCLUSIONS: FRIs are costly, with implications for Medicare and its beneficiaries. However, expenditure estimates vary considerably based on the method used to identify FRIs. Language: en
Progress in the Study on Mechanical Properties of Periodic Metallic Truss Core Sandwich Panels

Metallic sandwich panels with periodic truss core are an important new structure.The geometric models and fabrication of periodic metallic truss core sandwich panels are introduced briefly in this paper.Emphasis is placed on the recent development of the experimental and theoretical research of mechanical properties of metallic truss core sandwich panels.The influence of key factors,including properties of parent metal,relative densities of truss core,an alternative core topology,heat treatment of sandwich panels and the influence of joining technique of truss core and panels on mechanical properties,are analyzed.Some future research trends are also presented.
Dynamic Stereoscopic 3D Parameter Adjustment for Enhanced Depth Discrimination

Most modern stereoscopic 3D applications use fixed stereoscopic 3D parameters (separation and convergence) to render the scene on a 3D display. But, keeping these parameters fixed during usage does not always provide the best experience since it can reduce the amount of depth perception possible in some applications which have large variability in object distances. We developed two stereoscopic rendering techniques which actively vary the stereo parameters based on the scene content. Our first algorithm calculates a low resolution depth map of the scene and chooses ideal stereo parameters based on that depth map. Our second algorithm uses eye tracking data to get the gaze direction of the user and chooses ideal stereo parameters based on the distance of the gazed object. We evaluated our techniques in an experiment that uses three depth judgment tasks: depth ranking, relative depth judgment and path tracing. Our results indicate that variable stereo parameters provide enhanced depth discrimination compared to static parameters and were preferred by our participants over the traditional fixed parameter approach. We discuss our findings and possible implications on the design of future stereoscopic 3D applications.
Biotin-Labeled DNA Probes for Detection of Epstein-Barr Virus by In-Situ Cytohybridization

The detection of viral nucleic acid in tissue or cytologic preparations by in-situ cytohybridization is a biochemical technique that has been moved by recent developments into the realm of diagnostic pathology. This article describes changes in the methodology of cytohybridization within the framework of the Epstein-Barr virus system and illustrates how broader application of molecular hybridization may increase the appreciation of mechanisms of disease at epidemiologic, cellular, and molecular levels.
Options for Federal Privatization and Reform Lessons from Abroad

The American economy is sluggish, the government is running large deficits, and the public is frustrated with the poor performance of federal bureaucracies. One reform that can tackle all of these problems is privatizing federal businesses and assets. This study discusses a dozen advantages of privatization and describes government activities that should be moved to the private sector.A privatization revolution has swept the world since the 1980s. Following the United Kingdom’s lead, governments in more than 100 countries have transferred thousands of state-owned businesses to the private sector. Railroads, airports, energy companies, postal services, and other businesses valued at more than $3 trillion have been privatized. Governments of both the political right and left have unloaded state-owned businesses.Despite the global success of privatization, reforms have largely bypassed our own federal government. Indeed, many activities that have been transferred to the private sector abroad remain in government hands in this country. That creates an opportunity for U.S. policymakers to learn from foreign privatization and enact proven reforms here.This study describes why the federal government should privatize the U.S. Postal Service, Amtrak, the Tennessee Valley Authority, the air traffic control system, lands, buildings, and other businesses and assets. Such reforms would increase efficiency, spur innovation, create greater transparency, and improve the environment.Privatization would allow entrepreneurs to take on challenges at which federal bureaucracies are failing. The United States is a land of huge talent and diversity. But to take full advantage of those assets, we should divest the government of activities that individuals and businesses can perform better by themselves.
Design of transmit-diversity schemes in detection networks under secrecy constraints

In this paper, we design a secure centralized detection network where each sensor employs an amplify-forward strategy to transmit its observation to the fusion center (FC), along with artificial noise using multiple transmitting-antennas in order to confuse the eavesdropper (Eve). We maximize KL Divergence at the FC in the presence of a constraint on the Eve's KL Divergence, and a total energy constraint on each sensor. Since this problem is non-convex and intractable, we propose a two-stage algorithm that provides an approximate solution to the desired problem. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the efficiency of our design algorithm.
Comparison of Rates of Nephrotoxicity Associated with Vancomycin in Combination with Piperacillin-Tazobactam Administered as an Extended versus Standard Infusion.

tudy Objective Despite recent reports of relatively high rates (16–37%) of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients receiving the combination of intravenous piperacillin-tazobactam (PTZ) and vancomycin, data are limited evaluating the impact of PTZ infusion strategy on the occurrence of nephrotoxicity. The objective of this study was to compare the rates of nephrotoxicity in patients receiving vancomycin in combination with PTZ administered as an extended infusion (EI) versus a standard infusion (SI). Design Single-center, retrospective, matched cohort study. Setting Large, academic, tertiary care hospital. Patients Two hundred eighty adults with a creatinine clearance (CrCl) of 40 mL/minute or higher who received at least 96 hours of vancomycin plus PTZ EI (140 patients) or vancomycin plus PTZ SI (140 patients) between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2011, and between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2014 (year 2012 was skipped due the closure of inpatient units following Superstorm Sandy); 48 patients in each group were admitted to the intensive care unit. Measurements and Main Results Median age of all patients was 67 (interquartile range [IQR] 54–77) years, and CrCl was 75 (IQR 55–107) mL/minute. Nephrotoxicity was assessed by the risk, injury, failure, loss, and end-stage kidney disease (RIFLE) and Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. Rates of AKI, according to these criteria, were similar between groups: 17.9% vs. 17.1% (p=1) and 32.9% vs. 29.3% (p=0.596) for the PTZ EI and PTZ SI groups, respectively. When controlling for residual differences between groups in a conditional logistic regression analysis, no association was observed between receipt of PTZ EI and RIFLE-defined AKI (odds ratio 0.522, 95% confidence interval 0.043–6.295, p=0.609). Time to onset of nephrotoxicity was 4 (IQR 3-6) days, with no significant difference noted between groups (p=0.887). Conclusion Our findings suggest a similar rate of nephrotoxicity between patients who received vancomycin in combination with PTZ EI versus PTZ SI. These results need to be further validated in a prospective, randomized, controlled study. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Minimally invasive muscle-based recording of photoplethysmogram toward chronic implantation

This paper reports on the feasibility of recording the photoplethysmogram (PPG) signal subcutaneously from muscle groups in minimally invasive fashion as a step toward chronic implantation. A system has been developed that records the PPG signals in the reflective mode using a portable sensor board interfaced with a battery-powered main board for control and data processing. Three different sensor boards with a miniaturized footprint of 15mm ×15mm are developed, with each containing a pair of IR (850nm wavelength), red (660nm wavelength), and green (570nm wavelength) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) along with their corresponding photodiodes and transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs). Initial experiments with a human subject volunteer show the basic functionality of the system in wearable PPG recording from the fingertip and wrist area of the subject, as well as from the thenar eminence muscle group at the base of the thumb. Furthermore, Parylene-C-coated sensor boards are implanted subcutaneously on the quadriceps muscle group of an anesthetized laboratory rat, yielding PPG recordings that are of high quality for extracting the heart rate and respiration rate of the subject.
Expansion of Philadelphia Chromosome–Negative CD3+CD56+ Cytotoxic Cells From Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients: In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy in Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Disease Mice

We have developed culture conditions for the efficient expansion of cytotoxic effector cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) by the timed addition of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and the monoclonal antibody (MoAb) OKT3. These cells, termed cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, are composed primarily of T cells, and the population of cells with the greatest cytotoxic activity is an otherwise rare population of CD3(+)CD56(+) cells that expand dramatically under these culture conditions. CIK cells were expanded from PBMNCs from 13 patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). These cultures contained a variable number of T cells at the start of the culture (median 44%, range 1% to 64%), yet after 21 to 28 days of culture, virtually all of the cells were CD3(+) T cells (median 97%, range 90% to 99%). The CD3(+)CD56(+) subset of cells expanded significantly (median 25-fold, range 2.2- to 525-fold). CIK cells from all patients showed cytotoxicity against the tumor cell lines OCI-LY8 and K562. In four patients the expanded CIK cells suppressed colony growth of autologous CML blast cells and myeloid progenitor cells. Allogeneic CIK cells from normal donors also suppressed CML colony growth but did not inhibit growth of normal hematopoietic colonies. Twelve of the 13 cultures were exclusively composed of Philadelphia (Ph)-negative cells and one culture had 1 out of 20 Ph-positive metaphases after 4 weeks in culture. Intracellular cytokine production was assayed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS), and the expanded T-cell cultures produced IL-2, IFN-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), but not IL-4. Both the CD4(+) and CD8(+) subsets secreted this cytokine profile. To test the in vivo activity of the expanded CIK cells, CML was engrafted into severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID) mice using matrigel. After 4 weeks, 4 x 10(7) autologous CIK cells were injected intravenously by tail vein injection into groups of mice, and the animals were sacrificed after a total of 18 weeks. Bcr-abl was detected in the bone marrow or spleen of 5 out of 6 control mice and only 2 out of 13 mice who received the autologous CIK cells (P = .02). In an additional series of animals, the mice did not engraft with CML but instead developed large human Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphomas by 12 weeks. The mice who received autologous CIK cells at 4 weeks had either no tumor (5) or small tumors (5), whereas all 10 mice that received CIK cells at week 8 developed lymphomas; however, these were not as large as in the 10 control mice who did not receive CIK cells (P = . 03). This study shows that CIK cells, which are Ph chromosome-negative, can be expanded from patients with CML and have potent in vitro and in vivo efficacy against autologous tumor cells.
Mixed integer linear programming and nonlinear programming for optimal PMU placement

Phaser measurement units (PMUs) provide synchronized measurements of voltage and current phasors and can make state estimation more accurate. The objective of optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem is to minimize the number of PMUs required for the system to be completely observable. This paper presents two different formulations of optimal PMU placement (OPP) problem: mixed integer linear programming (MILP) and nonlinear programming (NLP). For each formulation, modeling of power flow measurements, zero injection, limited communication facility, and single PMU failure is studied. The contribution of our paper is to conduct a comparison between the MILP and NLP formulations and show the advantages and disadvantages of each formulation.
Searching for Bacterial Biofilm in Recurrent Cholangitis in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis: A Case Presentation and Introduction of an Unexplored Disease Mechanism.

Inflammation and fibrosis of the bile ducts are the defining pathological characteristics of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). A previously unexplored mechanism for recurrent cholangitis, one of PSC’s most common presentations, is bacterial colonization of the biliary epithelium in the form of biofilm, which may confer resistance to antibiotics and host phagocytic machinery. The aim of the current study was to assess whether bacteria could be seen on the liver explant and whether they organized in the form of biofilm. An explanted PSC liver from a 60-year-old male who suffered from recurrent cholangitis was formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded and Gram stained. The specimens were observed under light microscopy. Neither bacteria nor biofilm were detected. We did not detect bacteria or biofilm in the liver explant of a single PSC patient with recurrent cholangitis using standard light microscopy. We suspect this may be in part due to techniques related to tissue preservation and microscopy.
Author Correction: Synuclein and dopamine: the Bonnie and Clyde of Parkinson's disease

In the version of this article initially published, the molecular mass of synuclein was given as 140 kDa instead of ~14 kDa. The error has been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.
Analysis of Stress-Deformation Behavior of Soil-Geosynthetic Composites in Plane Strain Condition

A study was undertaken to investigate stress-deformation behavior of soil-geosynthetic composites (SGC) by finite element method of analysis. Five field-scale experiments conducted on representative SGC of different reinforcement stiffness/strength and reinforcement spacing were used to validate the analytical model. An elasto-plastic soil model, referred to as the hardening soil model, was selected to simulate behavior of compacted fill in the SGC experiments. Model parameters were determined from results of large-size triaxial compression tests by following a set of procedure without back-calculation or calibration. Measured external and internal displacements, including vertical strains, horizontal displacement profiles, and internal movement at selected points of all five SGC tests, were found to be in very good agreement with simulation results from the analytical model up to an applied pressure of 1000 to 2000 kPa. The validated model therefore serves as a reliable tool for investigation of stress-deformation behavior of soil-geosynthetic composites. This paper presents validation of the analytical model, analysis of stresses and deformation of SGC, and influence of factors such as reinforcement stiffness, reinforcement spacing, soil stiffness and strength parameters on stress-deformation behavior of SGC. The study helps to gain improved understanding of stress-deformation behavior of soil-geosynthetic composites.
Integration of biological and statistical models toward personalized radiation therapy of cancer

Radiation Therapy (RT) is one of the most common treatments for cancer. To understand the impact of radiation toxicity on normal tissue, a Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) model is nee...
Holographic Cosmology and the Arrow of Time

I review the holographic theory of quantum space-time and cosmology, and argue that it may yield insight into the Boltzmann-Penrose question of why the universe began with low entropy. In this model, the observed low entropy initial conditions, maybe the most general initial conditions for cosmology, which avoid collapse into a dense black hole fluid phase.
Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Freely Voiding Elderly Subjects

The aim of this open, randomised study was the comparison of 3-month continuous (group A, n = 34) vs pulse oral ofloxacin therapy (group B, n = 33) in eliminating asymptomatic bacteriuria over 3 further months in 64 freely voiding, ambulant, very old subjects (mean age 83 years). A positive (group C, n = 29) and a negative control (group D, n = 40) were run simultaneously; two subjects in group A were withdrawn because of adverse effects. During therapy 86.7% of 30 cultures, 84.4% of 32 cultures and 24.1 % of 29 cultures in groups A, B and C, respectively, had sterile urine (A + B vs C: p 50% of positive cultures in groups A+ B were due to new microorganisms, resistant to ofloxacin. Mild decreases in serum creatinine occurred in the treated subjects; haematocrit, serum bilirubin, blood urea, and SGPT were not affected. No deterioration in mobility occurred in any group, and the overall mortality (5 deaths) not connected with underlying urinary tract infection was low. It was concluded that: (a) ofloxacin pulse therapy was about equal to a continuous regimen in eliminating bacteriuria (>80% sterile urine) for 3 months, with negative cultures at a 3-month follow-up in ≥50%; (b) recurrences were caused chiefly by ofloxacin-resistant organisms; (c) serum creatinine indicated a trend towards lower values in the treated groups; (d) compliance was better and costs were much less in the pulse therapy group. Thus, if required, 3-month pulse therapy can be safely used to keep the urinary tract free of infecting microorganisms.
Continuing Research on Students’ Fraction Schemes

Directly or indirectly, The Fractions Project has launched several research programs in the area of students’ operational development. Research has not been restricted to fractions, but has branched out to proportional reasoning (e.g., Nabors 2003), multiplicative reasoning in general (e.g., Thompson and Saldanha 2003), and the development of early algebra concepts (e.g., Hackenberg accepted). This chapter summarizes current findings and future directions from the growing nexus of related articles and projects, which can be roughly divided into four categories. First, there is an abundance of research on students’ part-whole fraction schemes, much of which preceded The Fractions Project. The reorganization hypothesis contributes to such research by demonstrating how part-whole fraction schemes are based in part on students’ whole number concepts and operations.
TOSS: Tailoring Online Server Systems through Binary Feature Customization

Network-based models are increasingly adopted to deliver key software service and utilities (e.g., data storage, search, and processing) to end users. The need to satisfy diverse user requirements and to fit different application environment often leads to continual expansion and addition of new (and in many cases excessive) features, known as the feature creep problem. Existing work mitigating feature bloat often either debloats programs at source code level (which may not always be available, in particular for legacy systems) or customize binary only with respect to very limited scope of inputs. In this paper, we propose a new approach, TOSS, for automated customization of online servers and software systems, which are implemented using a client-server architecture based on the underlying network protocols. Specifically, TOSS harnesses program tracing and tainting-guided symbolic execution to identify desired (feature-related) code from the original program binary, and apply static binary rewriting to remove redundant features and directly create customized program binary with only desired features. We implement a prototype of TOSS and evaluate its feasibility using real-world executables including Mosquitto, which relies on the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol for lightweight Internet of Things (IoT) communications. The results show that TOSS is able to create a functional program binary with only desired features and significantly reduce potential attack surface by eliminating undesired protocol/program features.
Opportunistic Screening for Hereditary Hemochromatosis With Unenhanced CT: Determination of an Optimal Liver Attenuation Threshold.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to assess whether a specific liver attenuation threshold for unenhanced CT allows both sensitive opportunistic detection of unsuspected hereditary hemochrom...
Fidelity of Implementation in the Field of Learning Disabilities

Decades of research and billions of dollars have been spent to develop and evaluate evidence-based interventions and develop multitiered systems of support (MTSS) toward the goal of more effectivel...
Operationally convenient asymmetric synthesis of (S)- and (R)-3-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid: Part II. Enantioselective biomimetic transamination of 4,4,4-trifluoro-3-oxo-N-[(R)-1-phenylethyl]butanamide

Abstract An asymmetric synthesis of ( S )- and ( R )-3-amino-4,4,4-trifluorobutanoic acid via DBU-catalyzed asymmetric 1,3-proton shift transfer reaction of ( Z )-3-[( R )-1-phenylethylamino]-4,4,4-trifluoro- N -[( R )-1-phenylethyl]but-2-enamide has been developed. The intermediate Schiff base ( S , R ′)- 9 was found to be relatively configurationally stable under the highly basic reaction conditions allowing preparation of the target amino acid in high chemical yield and enantioselectivity. This method was demonstrated to be practical for large (>25 g) scale synthesis of the target β-amino acid.
Dependency of Coxiella burnetii Type 4B Secretion on the Chaperone IcmS

ABSTRACT Macrophage parasitism by Coxiella burnetii, the cause of human Q fever, requires the translocation of proteins with effector functions directly into the host cell cytosol via a Dot/Icm type 4B secretion system (T4BSS). Secretion by the analogous Legionella pneumophila T4BSS involves signal sequences within the C-terminal and internal domains of effector proteins. The cytoplasmic chaperone pair IcmSW promotes secretion and binds internal sites distinct from signal sequences. In the present study, we investigated requirements of C. burnetii IcmS for host cell parasitism and effector translocation. A C. burnetiiicmS deletion mutant (ΔicmS) exhibited impaired replication in Vero epithelial cells, deficient formation of the Coxiella-containing vacuole, and aberrant T4BSS secretion. Three secretion phenotypes were identified from a screen of 50 Dot/Icm substrates: IcmS dependent (secreted by only wild-type bacteria), IcmS independent (secreted by both wild-type and ΔicmS bacteria), or IcmS inhibited (secreted by only ΔicmS bacteria). Secretion was assessed for N-terminal or C-terminal truncated forms of CBU0794 and CBU1525. IcmS-inhibited secretion of CBU1525 required a C-terminal secretion signal whereas IcmS-dependent secretion of CBU0794 was directed by C-terminal and internal signals. Interchange of the C-terminal 50 amino acids of CBU0794 and CBU1525 revealed that sites within the C terminus regulate IcmS dependency. Glutathione S-transferase-tagged IcmSW bound internal sequences of IcmS-dependent and -inhibited substrates. Thus, the growth defect of the C. burnetii ΔicmS strain is associated with a loss of T4BSS chaperone activity that both positively and negatively regulates effector translocation. IMPORTANCE The intracellular pathogen Coxiella burnetii employs a type 4B secretion system (T4BSS) that promotes growth by translocating effectors of eukaryotic pathways into host cells. T4BSS regulation modeled in Legionella pneumophila indicates IcmS facilitates effector translocation. Here, we characterized type 4B secretion by a Coxiella ΔicmS mutant that exhibits intracellular growth defects. T4BSS substrates demonstrated increased, equivalent, or decreased secretion by the ΔicmS mutant relative to wild-type Coxiella. Similar to the Legionella T4BSS, IcmS dependency in Coxiella was determined by C-terminal and/or internal secretion signals. However, IcmS inhibited secretion of some effectors by Coxiella that were previously shown to be translocated by Legionella. Thus, Coxiella has a unique IcmS regulatory mechanism that both positively and negatively regulates T4BSS export.
Obesity-related hypertension: a review of pathophysiology, management, and the role of metabolic surgery

Obesity is a significant public health challenge worldwide and is inextricably linked to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. The relationship between excess adiposity and increased blood pressure is well established, and it is estimated that obesity accounts for 65–78% of cases of primary hypertension. The mechanisms through which obesity causes hypertension are complex and include sympathetic nervous system overactivation, stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, alterations in adipose- derived cytokines, insulin resistance, and structural and functional renal changes. Weight loss is the primary goal of treatment for obesity-related hypertension, although few individuals achieve success with nonpharmacological management alone. Specific considerations apply when selecting the most appropriate pharmacological therapy for obese hypertensive patients. Metabolic surgery has proved to be the most effective means of ensuring substantial and sustained weight loss and has also been shown to confer beneficial effects in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Increasing evidence suggests that metabolic surgery may also be an effective treatment for obesity-related hypertension, although prospective data on long-term blood pressure outcomes are awaited. This review will discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms that link obesity with hypertension and will provide an overview of treatment strategies, with a focus on metabolic surgery.
Dynamic Changes in Function and Proteomic Composition of Extracellular Vesicles from Hepatic Stellate Cells during Cellular Activation

: During chronic liver injury, hepatic stellate cells (HSC) undergo activation and are the principal cellular source of collagenous scar. In this study, we found that activation of mouse HSC (mHSC) was associated with a 4.5-fold increase in extracellular vesicle (EV) production and that fibrogenic gene expression (CCN2, Col1a1) was suppressed in Passage 1 (P1; activated) mHSC exposed to EVs from Day 4 (D4; relatively quiescent) mHSC but not to EVs from P1 mHSC. Conversely, gene expression (CCN2, Col1a1, αSMA) in D4 mHSC was stimulated by EVs from P1 mHSC but not by EVs from D4 mHSC. EVs from Day 4 mHSC contained only 46 proteins in which histones and keratins predominated, while EVs from P1 mHSC contained 337 proteins and these were principally associated with extracellular spaces or matrix, proteasome, collagens, vesicular transport, metabolic enzymes, ribosomes and chaperones. EVs from the activated LX-2 human HSC (hHSC) line also promoted fibrogenic gene expression in D4 mHSC in vitro and contained 524 proteins, many of which shared identity or had functional overlap with those in P1 mHSC EVs. The activation-associated changes in production, function and protein content of EVs from HSC likely contribute to the regulation of HSC function in vivo and to the fine-tuning of fibrogenic pathways in the liver.
Machine Learning for DDoS Attack Classification Using Hive Plots

Cyberattacks have been on the increase as computing power and data storage have become more accessible. The use of recent advances in machine learning across different fields has increased the potential adoption of new algorithms in solving important technological problems. In this paper we describe a novel application of machine learning for the detection and classification of distributed denial of service (DDoS) cybersecurity attacks. Attack pattern training data is obtained from honeypots which we created to impersonate various APIs on a cloud computing network. Attack characteristics including source IP address, country of origin, and time of attack are collected from our honeypots and visualized using a three-axis hive plot. We then implemented and trained a non-probabilistic binary linear attack pattern classifier. A support vector machine and a convolutional neural network were trained using a supervised learning model with labeled data sets. Experimental results suggest that our models can detect DDoS attacks with high accuracy rates.
First Experience Using a Nonfenestrated Cardioform Septal Occluder for Closure of Giant Mitral Paravalvular Leak.

Abstract A variety of fenestrated vascular plugs have been used to seal paravalvular leaks with meaningful success; however, incomplete closure and refractory hemolysis remains a common problem. We...
Chapter 39 – Histopathology of skeletal metastases

Bone metastases of solid tumors not only cause significant morbility in cancer patients, but also usually indicate that the cancer has progressed into a non-curable stage. Recent developments of effective treatments and preventive agents for bone metastasis are creating a great need for better prediction and diagnosis of bone metastasis. This chapter describes the current understanding of bone metastases in general and gives examples from the five solid tumors most commonly producing bone metastases.
Analysis of Chinese paper publication from medical institutions during the year 2003 to 2015 in Urumqi Xinjiang

Objective To analyze the publication of Chinese scientific research papers from medical institutions in Urumqi, Xinjiang from year 2003 to 2015, to understand the status quo of paper publication by medical personnel in this area, to find objective evidence for the scientific research development of medical institutions in Urumqi, also figure out the differences of different institutions, to summarize the developing trend which will help for identify the distribution features, as well as optimizing scientific research paper management at local area. Methods Literature metrology was applied to analyze Chinese paper publication from medical institutions during 2003-2015 in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Results A total number of 56 684 Chinese scientific papers were published in 13 years with the average growth of 12.93% each year. Among which, the number of core journal articles is 4 167 accounted for 60.28%. Consider to the distribution of years, 7 073 papers, accounted for 13.4% of the total number, were published in 2014; Xinjiang Medicine published most of the articles with a number of 6 166 (10.88%); the Saybagh District of Urumqi published 18 980 papers (33.48%) which were more than other places. Comparative analysis was also conducted among different level hospitals. The publication conditions of different hospitals have a p value less than 0.01 which shows the significant statistical difference. Considering to the distribution of geographical areas, the result was χ2=1 439.566, P<0.01, it also has statistical significance. Conclusions The total number of Chinese scientific paper publication in Urumqi, Xinjiang medical institutions was kept increasing during the year 2003 to 2015, however, there were a lot of variations among different medical institutions, geographical areas and medical personnel. Thus medical institutions should pay more attention to the talent training and scientific research, improve the scientific research management to enhance the capacity of scientific research. Key words: Urumqi; Xinjiang; Medical institution; Chinese medicine scientific paper; Literature metrology
Lanthanide transport, storage, and beyond: gene products and processes contributing to lanthanide and methanol metabolism in Methylorubrum extorquens AM1

ABSTRACT Lanthanide elements have been recently recognized as “new life metals” for diverse environmental microorganisms including Gram-negative methylotrophic bacteria and strains of Pseudomonas and Bradyrhizobium. Yet much remains unknown regarding lanthanide acquisition and homeostasis. In Methylorubrum extorquens AM1, the periplasmic lanthanide-dependent methanol dehydrogenase XoxF1 produces formaldehyde, which is lethal if allowed to accumulate. This property enabled a transposon mutagenesis study to expand knowledge of the metabolic network required for methanol oxidation when lanthanides are available. Growth studies were conducted to detail the involvement of novel gene products that impact the ability of XoxF-type enzymes to oxidize methanol to formaldehyde. The identified genes encode an MxaD homolog, an ABC-type transporter, an aminopeptidase, a putative homospermidine synthase, and two genes of unknown function annotated as orf6 and orf7. Lanthanide transport and trafficking genes were also identified. Growth and lanthanide uptake were measured using strains lacking individual lanthanide transport cluster genes and transmission electron microscopy was used to visualize lanthanide localization. We corroborated previous reports that a TonB-ABC transport system is required for lanthanide incorporation to the cytoplasm. However, cells are able to acclimate overtime and bypass the requirement for the TonB outer membrane transporter to allow expression of xoxF1 and growth. Transcriptional reporter fusions show that excess lanthanides repress the gene encoding the TonB-receptor. Using growth studies along with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate that lanthanides are stored as cytoplasmic inclusions that resemble polyphosphate granules. IMPORTANCE The increasing genetic and biochemical evidence that lanthanide-dependent enzymes are widespread among numerous environmental microbes leads to the parallel questions of how these insoluble metals are scavenged, transported, and used by bacteria. Results herein describe the contribution of the different gene products that constitute the lanthanide utilization and transport machinery in the methylotroph M. extorquens AM1 and highlight possible redundancies by periplasmic components. The discovery and characterization of intracellular lanthanide storage in mineral form by these microbes opens the possibility of using methylotrophic platforms for concentration and recovery of these critical energy metals from diverse sources. In addition, methylotrophs are effective biotechnological platforms for the production of biofuels and bioplastics from pollutants such as methane, and inexpensive carbon feedstocks like methanol. Defining the lanthanide acquisition, transport, and storage machinery is a step forward in designing a sustainable platform to recover lanthanides efficiently.
Obtaining far-field spherical directivities from arbitrarily shaped arrays using the Helmholtz equation least-squares method

Commonly, directivities of sound sources are measured using surrounding spherical arrays. However, in some cases, such as when measurement hardware is limited, or when an array shape would ideally conform to the radiating object's geometry, obtaining spherical far-field directivities using an arbitrarily shaped array could be useful. This work illustrates how the Helmholtz equation least-squares method applies to accomplish this task. Both numerical models and the measured directivities of various guitar amplifiers validate the technique.
A Real-time Agent Based Optimization and Control Approach for Residential Building Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning Systems

The prevalence of the loT (Internet of Things) is fostering the development of new control options and decision making that was not previously available. This is creating a wealth of opportunities for real-time control approaches and systems that can optimize for a common goal. This paper presents a smart residential neighborhood with optimization at the residential level utilizing a system of agents. The optimization utilizes information and modeling to optimize variable speed HVAC real-time operation in actual residential buildings. Data is presented showing the performance of the optimization and conclusions are drawn on next steps for development.
Nevertheless, partisanship persisted: fake news warnings help briefly, but bias returns with time

Politically oriented “fake news”—false stories or headlines created to support or attack a political position or person—is increasingly being shared and believed on social media. Many online platforms have taken steps to address this by adding a warning label to articles identified as false, but past research has shown mixed evidence for the effectiveness of such labels, and many prior studies have looked only at either short-term impacts or non-political information. This study tested three versions of fake news labels with 541 online participants in a two-wave study. A warning that came before a false headline was initially very effective in both discouraging belief in false headlines generally and eliminating a partisan congruency effect (the tendency to believe politically congenial information more readily than politically uncongenial information). In the follow-up survey two weeks later, however, we found both high levels of belief in the articles and the re-emergence of a partisan congruency effect in all warning conditions, even though participants had known just two weeks ago the items were false. The new pre-warning before the headline showed some small improvements over other types, but did not stop people from believing the article once seen again without a warning. This finding suggests that warnings do have an important immediate impact and may work well in the short term, though the durability of that protection is limited.
Maximaler Fluß in Netzwerken

Man betrachte ein Netzwerk, das zwei Knotenpunkte, einen Ursprungsort und einen Bestimmungsort, mit Hilfe mehrerer Zwischenpunkte verbindet. Jeder Kante des Netzwerks seien zwei Zahlen zugeteilt, die die Fluskapazitaten dieser Kante in jeder der beiden Richtungen darstellen. Unter der Annahme eines Gleichgewichtszustands bestimme man einen maximalen Flus von der Quelle zum Bestimmungsort. In diesem Abschnitt folgen wir der von Fulkerson [1954-1, 1960-1] entwickelten Theorie.
Enhanced proliferation of murine T cell lines following interaction of Poly(Glu60, Phe40) (GPhe) and antigen-presenting accessory cells. III. Possible mechanisms responsible for activity of GPhe.

Abstract The random copolymers (Glu 80 , Phe 20 ) n (GPhe 20 ), (Glu 60 ,Phe 40 ) n (GPhe), and (Glu 50 , Phe 50 ) n (GPhe 50 ) were compared for the capacity to augment proliferation of antigen-reactive murine T cell lines. GPhe 20 , GPhe, and GPhe 50 showed “augmenting” activity in order of increasing potency. Phenylalanyl residues constituted a significant portion of the “active” determinant(s) in the GPhe polymers tested. High titer murine anti-GPhe (ascites fluid) inhibited augmentation by GPhe of exogenous (IL-1 + rat-conditioned media (RCM)) driven T cell proliferation, indicating that (a) the antibodies by binding to specific active determinant(s) in GPhe may have prevented critical GPhe-APC membrane interaction, and/or (b) “GPhe-anti-GPhe” complexes interfered with necessary “processing” of GPhe by APCs. Time course studies demonstrated that the appearance of increased T cell proliferation after GPhe addition occurred after proliferation to (a) nominal antigen or (b) exogenous (IL-1 + RCM) had reached peak [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation ([ 3 HT]). This suggested that more than GPhe-APC membrane interaction was necessary for GPhe activity. Leupeptin, a lysosomal protease inhibitor, inhibited the augmentation of T cell proliferation by GPhe, which led to the conclusion that GPhe must be “processed” by APCs to exhibit activity.
Political and Economic Regulation of North American Public Spheres: Institutional Reception of Al Jazeera in Canada and the United States

In 2006, the Al Jazeera network expanded operations into global, English-language broadcasting, but Al Jazeera English (AJE) has faltered in its move into North American markets. Why? This article tracks the institutional reception of AJE in North America from 2006 to 2011 using regulatory documents and industry publications to examine its organizational globalization as well as the institutional responses to this growth in the United States and Canada. Al Jazeera’s expansion provides a case study of the ability of developed media markets in liberal democracies to incorporate new voices. The research suggests public policy measures to supplement public access to international news resources.
CANNABINOIDS: THE INFLUENCE ON CELL PROLIFERATION AND MACROMOLECULAR BIOSYNTHESIS

Summary We have examined the influence of psychoactive (Δ9-THC, Δ8-THC, 11-OH-Δ9-THC) and nonpsychoactive (cannabinol) cannabinoids on proliferation of human cells (HeLa S3 cells grown in suspension culture) and on biochemical events associated with the proliferative process. The four cannabinoids studied brought about a dose-dependent inhibition in the rate of cell growth. Pulse-labeling studies indicated a cannabinoid-induced decrease in incorporation of 3H-thymidine, 3H-uridine and 3H-leucine into DNA, RNA and protein, respectively, in intact cells and a comparable decrease in the acid-soluble intracellular precursor pools was observed. Results from in vitro nuclear and chromatin transcription experiments did not suggest a drug-induced change in RNA synthesis. It therefore appears that quantitative alterations in the synthesis and/or turnover of nucleic acids and proteins do not result from cannabinoid treatment of HeLa cells. However, other data suggest that cannabinoids affect the synthesis of specific macromolecules. Since modifications in gene expression during the cell cycle are prerequisite for DNA replication and mitosis, the influence of cannabinoids on the structural and functional properties of the genome were examined. The four cannabinoids studied did not alter the staining pattern as observed on polyacrylamide gels of chromosomal proteins—histones and nonhistone chromosomal proteins—in HeLa cell chromatin. However, treatment of HeLa cells with psychoactive and nonpsychoactive cannabinoids resulted in changes in the incorporation of 3H-leucine into histone fractions and into specific molecular weight classes of nonhistone chromosomal proteins; acetylation and phosphorylation of chromosomal proteins were also altered.
Timing of Femoral Shaft Fracture Fixation Affects Length of Hospital Stay in Patients with Multiple Injuries

Purpose: Appropriate timing of definitive fracture care in the setting of polytrauma remains controversial. The aim of this study is to determine whether timing of definitive fixation of femur fractures impacts subsequent length of hospital stay, a surrogate for postoperative morbidity, in patients with multi-system trauma. Methods: Secondary analysis of data from the National Trauma Data Bank (January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004) was performed. Adult patients who: (1) had an open or closed femoral shaft fracture, (2) had an injury severity score (ISS) greater than or equal to 15, (3) and underwent definitive internal fixation were included. Time to fixation was divided into 5 time periods based on commonly used cut-off points from the literature: (1) 12 hours or less, (2) between 12 and 24 hours, (3) between 24 and 48 hours, (4) between 48 and 120 hours, and (5) more than 120 hours. Because we consider length of stay a surrogate for adverse outcome causally affected by treatment time, the outcome variable was calculated as the duration of hospitalization following definitive treatment. Time to definitive fixation and its effect on post-treatment length of hospital stay was analyzed using median regression with inverse probability of treatment-weighting (IPTW) to control for confounding factors. Results: Compared to fixation during the first 12 hours after admission, median length of hospital stay was significantly higher (2.77 days; 95% confidence interval, 0.54 to 4.72) when fixation occurred between 48 and 120 hours from admission. Among the other time intervals, only treatment between twelve to twenty-four hours after admission was shown to reduce length of stay (-0.61 days; 95% confidence interval, -1.53 to 0.42) versus the referent interval of the first 12 hours, though this result did not achieve statistical significance. In order to assess the impact of shorter recorded length of stay for deceased patients, sensitivity analysis was conducted excluding all patient that underwent definitive treatment and died. Results were nearly identical for the second analysis, showing a higher post-treatment length of stay estimated for the population treated between 48 and 120 hours versus had they been treated within the first 12 hours from admission (2.53 days, 95% confidence interval, 0.27 to 4.13). Conclusion: Delayed fixation of femoral shaft fractures in patients with multiple injuries between 2-5 days may lead to an increase in adverse outcomes as evidenced by increased median length of hospital stay. This finding supports prior clinical reports of a perilous period where a "second hit" resulting from definitive internal fixation can occur. Whether there is an optimal window for fixation during which physiologic stress of fracture fixation does not adversely lengthen hospital stay should be the subject of future prospective study.
Fictionalism, Functionalism and Factor Analysis

Two doubtful philosophical doctrines have contributed strongly to the development of IQ tests, and now play a major role in defending IQ tests as measures of intelligence: they are operationism and fictionalism.
Weak containment in the space of actions of a free group

It is shown that the translation action of the free group with n generators on its profinite completion is the maximum, in the sense of weak containment, measure preserving action of this group. Using also a result of Abert–Nikolov this is used to give a new proof of Gaboriau’s theorem that the cost of this group is equal to n. A similar maximality result is proved for generalized shift actions. Finally a study is initiated of the class of residually finite, countable groups for which the finite actions are dense in the space of measure preserving actions.