cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy for the high abdominal testis

AbstractPurpose: Laparoscopic orchiopexy is extremely effective for treating patients with nonpalpable testis. However, despite the high dissection and wide mobilization it allows in some cases, vessel length prevents the testis from reaching the scrotum. There have been only incidental cases reported in which laparoscopy has been used for vessel transection and testicular mobilization orchiopexy. We reviewed our cases treated with the Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy performed laparoscopically in 1 or 2 stages.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of all boys who underwent laparoscopy for a nonpalpable testis at our institutions since 1992. Patients who underwent testicular vessel transection and orchiopexy performed laparoscopically in 1 or 2 stages were selected for evaluation. Office charts and operative reports were reviewed in detail.Results: Of the 126 nonpalpable testes in 108 patients 51 (40%) were intra-abdominal, including 18 (35%) in 14 patients in whom the Fowler-Stephens procedure was per...
Voltammetric measurement of reduced nicotinamide-adenine nucleotides and application to amperometric measurement of enzyme reactions.

Abstract The electrochemical oxidations of reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide and reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate on platinum and carbon electrodes are described. Well defined voltammetric anodic waves are observed on carbon electrodes, with a linear relationship between peak height and concentration for 0–0.5m M NADH and NADPH. Amperometric methods for NAD oxidoreductase analyses by direct electrochemical oxidation of the reduced nucleotide have been developed for lactic dehydrogenase and ethanol in serum.
Electrostatic cross-talk between quantum dot and quantum point contact charge read-out in few-electron quantum dot circuits

We investigate by numerical simulation the effect of electrostatic coupling between a quantum point contact (QPC) detector of various geometries and a planar double quantum dot in a few-electron quantum dot circuit. Our simulation is based on solving coupled Kohn-Sham and Poisson equations self-consistently by the finite element method. We use the Slater formula to determine the first electron charging bias point of the plunger gate, and give the corresponding variation of the QPC conductance as a function of the QPC gate bias at that particular point, which we interpret as the detector sensitivity. For all QPC designs, we show that the charging bias point of the plunger gate decreases with increasing QPC gate bias. This effect is enhanced for designs wherein large QPC detection sensitivity is found.
Levels of gliadin in commercial beers

Abstract The gliadin contents of twenty-eight commercially available beers spanning the range of grist material and alcohol level were determined using a competitive enzyme immunoassay (RIDASCREEN competitive ELISA kit). The gliadin levels ranged from
An anomaly of the genetic regulation of the de novo pyrimidine pathway in the plant Arabidopsis.

Humans afflicted by hereditary orotic aciduria are characterized by insufficiencies in the de novo pyrimidine pathway. Mutants at a nuclear gene locus in Arabidopsis, in contrast, exhibit increased activities of orotidylic acid (O5P) pyrophosphorylase (2.4.2.10) and O5P-decarboxylase (4.1.1.23). In the plants, as well as in human cells, the symptoms of the genetic disorder can be partly cured by feeding the pyrimidine analogue 6-azauracil. In normal human cells, the supply of the antimetabolite 6-azauridine leads to augmented levels of these enzymes, and in the cell cultures of patients suffering from orotic aciduria type I nearly normal levels of the enzymes are observed. In the tissues of Arabidopsis, on 6-azauracil administration, the level of O5P-pyrophosphorylase decreases while that of O5P-decarboxylase is elevated. The genetic alteration may involve a regulatory function in both humans and plants.
School rezoning to achieve racial balance: A linear programming approach☆

Abstract The recent Supreme Court decision barring “freedom of choice” pupil assignment plans has forced a large number of school districts to devise alternative approaches to school desegregation. One possibility is establishing attendance boundaries to mix races and linear programming is one method of planning such boundary lines. This paper discusses some technical aspects of the linear programming approach, including the formulation of the problem, some alternative constraint possibilities, branch and bound techniques to avoid splitting neighborhoods, and improvement in execution speed.
Modeling Transient Circulating Mud Temperature in the Event of Lost Circulation and its Application in Locating Loss Zones

Lost circulation is one of the most persistent and costly drilling problems that drilling engineers have been struggling with for decades. The main reason why some of the remedial procedures are not working as planned is the lack of information, such as the location of the loss zone. The pinpointing of the zone of loss will allow the treatment to be applied directly to the point of loss rather than to the entire open hole.This paper presents an approach to predict the location of loss zone from the transient mud circulation temperature profile altered by the mud loss. A numerical model in estimating the transient mud circulating temperature profile during a lost circulation event is developed. The temperature profile in both the flow conduits (drillpipe and annulus) are modeled using mass and energy balance. The flow rate of drilling mud decreases in the annulus above the loss zone as part of the fluids lost into the fractures, which in turn alters the heat transfer between the drillpipe, annulus, and formation. The wellbore is divided into two multiple sections, which account for single multiple loss circulation zones. Rigorous heat transfer in the formation is included. Case studies are performed and numerical solution results are presented and analyzed. According to the results, temperature alterations induced by mud loss include: 1) Declines in both bottom-hole temperature (BHT) and mud return temperature over time, and 2) Discontinuity in the first order derivative of annulus temperature with respect to depth at the location of loss zone; meanwhile, the temperature alterations are mainly controlled by the mud loss rate and location of loss. By matching the simulated results with the distributed temperature measurements at different times, the depth of the loss zone can be identified. This piece of information is important for the spotting of LCM (lost circulation material) pills, the optimization of overbalance squeezing pressure, as well as the consideration of setting the cement plug or additional casing.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Third-person perception of cosmeceutical product advertising: The moderating role of body esteem

This study examines the third-person perception in the context of cosmeceutical product advertising. Experimental results found that female participants showed a relatively negative attitude toward...
Effect of maintenance bolus on the recovery profile of a short-acting nondepolarizing muscle relaxant

Abstract Study objective To evaluate the effect of different maintenance boluses of a short-acting nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking drug on its spontaneous recovery profile during anesthesia. Design Prospective, randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging study. Setting University-based medical center. Patients 69 ASA physical status I and II consenting adult outpatients undergoing general anesthesia with an anticipated duration of at least 2 hours. Interventions Patients were randomized to one of three study groups. Following induction of anesthesia with propofol and fentanyl, rapacuronium 1.5 mg · kg –1 intravenously (IV), was administered to facilitate tracheal intubation. Anesthesia was maintained with desflurane 4% end-tidal in combination with nitrous oxide 67% in oxygen. When the first twitch (T 1 ) in the train-of-four (TOF) returned to 25% of its baseline value, a maintenance dose of rapacuronium 0.25 mg · kg –1 IV (Group 1), 0.5 mg · kg –1 IV (Group 2), or 0.75 mg · kg –1 IV (Group 3) was administered. The time course of neuromuscular block was monitored at the wrist using standard electromyography. Measurements and main results The times for recovery of the T 1 to 25% of the baseline value following different maintenance doses of rapacuronium were only 6.3 ± 2.2, 7.5 ± 2.3, and 9.6 ± 2.5 minutes, in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. However, the times for the TOF ratio to return to 0.7 were 44 ± 15, 53 ± 20, and 66 ± 30 minutes in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Although recovery times were significantly longer after rapacuronium 0.75 mg · kg –1 IV (Group 3), there were no significant differences in any of the recovery variables between Groups 1 and 2. Conclusions Spontaneous recovery of the T 1 to 25% of the baseline value occurred 6 to 10 minutes after a maintenance bolus dose of rapacuronium 0.25 to 0.75 mg · kg –1 IV. However, recovery to a TOF >0.7 required 44 to 66 minutes during desflurane anesthesia.
Issues of integrating the IEEE Std 1149.1 into a gate array

Use of boundary-scan to test systems at the production and field levels has taken on a greater importance due to the development of surface mount technology. The IEEE Standard 1149.1 offers a documented approach to the implementation of boundary-scan. United Technologies Microelectronics Center (UTMC) integrated the standard into an ASIC gate array; this paper presents that implementation and addresses issues arising from the integration not covered specifically in the standard. >
High and Low Levels of Dogmatism in Relation to Personality Characteristics of Medical Students: A Follow-up Study

The nature and direction of changes in attitudes and value patterns as measured by the Survey of Interpersonal Values (Gordon, 1960), the Study of Values (Allport, et al., 1951), and Cancer Attitude Survey (Haley, et al., 1968) were explored by comparing test (1966) and retest (1970) results from medical students who scored high or low on Dogmatism Scale, Form E (Rokeach, 1960) in 1966. Significant decreases in dogmatism scores obtained in 1970 necessitated a second comparison between those whose scores remained stable within the initially defined high and low ranges. While the over-all value patterns of the high- and low-dogmatic groups differed, the differences found in 1970 were less extensive than those found in 1966. Comparisons of stable-high and stable-low dogmatic groups yielded significant differences in the mean scores of several of the value variables, and marked differences in value patterns.
A spatial random field model to characterize complexity in earthquake slip

[1] Finite-fault source inversions reveal the spatial complexity of earthquake slip over the fault plane. We develop a stochastic characterization of earthquake slip complexity, based on published finite-source rupture models, in which we model the distribution of slip as a spatial random field. The model most consistent with the data follows a von Karman autocorrelation function (ACF) for which the correlation lengths a increase with source dimension. For earthquakes with large fault aspect ratios, we observe substantial differences of the correlation length in the along-strike (a x ) and downdip (a z ) directions. Increasing correlation length with increasing magnitude can be understood using concepts of dynamic rupture propagation. The power spectrum of the slip distribution can also be well described with a power law decay (i.e., a fractal distribution) in which the fractal dimension D remains scale invariant, with a median value D = 2.29 ±0.23, while the comer wave number k c , which is inversely proportional to source size, decreases with earthquake magnitude, accounting for larger slip patches for large-magnitude events. Our stochastic slip model can be used to generate realizations of scenario earthquakes for near-source ground motion simulations.
Web image retrieval re-ranking with relevance model

Web image retrieval is a challenging task that requires efforts from image processing, link structure analysis, and Web text retrieval. Since content-based image retrieval is still considered very difficult, most current large-scale Web image search engines exploit text and link structure to "understand" the content of the Web images. However, local text information, such as caption, filenames and adjacent text, is not always reliable and informative. Therefore, global information should be taken into account when a Web image retrieval system makes relevance judgment. We propose a re-ranking method to improve Web image retrieval by reordering the images retrieved from an image search engine. The re-ranking process is based on a relevance model, which is a probabilistic model that evaluates the relevance of the HTML document linking to the image, and assigns a probability of relevance. The experiment results showed that the re-ranked image retrieval achieved better performance than original Web image retrieval, suggesting the effectiveness of the re-ranking method. The relevance model is learned from the Internet without preparing any training data and independent of the underlying algorithm of the image search engines. The re-ranking process should be applicable to any image search engines with little effort.
Wyner-Ziv video coding with hash-based motion compensation at the receiver

In the current interframe video compression systems, the encoder performs predictive coding to exploit the similarities of successive frames. The Wyner-Ziv theorem on source coding with side information available only at the decoder suggests that an asymmetric video codec, where individual frames are encoded separately, but decoded conditionally (given temporally adjacent frames) could achieve similar efficiency. In the previous work we propose a Wyner-Ziv coding scheme for motion video that uses intraframe encoding instead of interframe decoding. In this paper we improve on our Wyner-Ziv video codec by sending hash codewords of the current frame to aid the decoder in accurately estimating the motion. This allows us to implement a low-delay system where only the previous reconstructed frame is used to generate the side information of a current frame. Simulation results show significant gains above conventional DCT-based intraframe coding. The Wyner-Ziv video codec with hash-based motion compensation at the receiver enables low-complexity encoding while achieving high compression efficiency.
Schedule validation for embedded reactive real-time systems

Task scheduling for reactive real time systems is adifficult problem due to tight constraints that theschedule must satisfy.A static priority schemeis proposed here that can be formally validated.The method is applicable both for preemptiveand non-preemptive schedules and is conservativein the sense that a valid schedule may bedeclared invalid, but no invalid schedule may bedeclared valid.Experimental results show thatthe run time of our validation method is negligiblewith respect to other steps in system designprocess, and compares favorably with othermethods of schedule validation.
Magnetic relaxation detector for microbead labels in biomedical assays

A Hall-effect biosensor based on magnetic label detection is implemented in 0.18 µm CMOS. No external magnet, reference sensor or calibration is required. The sensor offset is suppressed to sub-µV by a mixed-signal feedback loop and correlated double sampling (CDS). Flicker noise and thermal noise are rejected by CDS and averaging. A single 4.5 µm bead is detected in 16 ms with a probability of error &#60; 0.1%.
Copy Number Variations in CTNNA3 and RBFOX1 Associate with Pediatric Food Allergy

Food allergy is a significant public health concern, especially among children. Previous candidate gene studies suggested a few susceptibility loci for food allergy, but no study investigated the contribution of copy number variations (CNVs) to food allergy on a genome-wide scale. To investigate the genetics of food allergy, we performed CNV assessment using high-resolution genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism arrays. CNV calls from a total of 357 cases with confirmed food allergy and 3980 controls were analyzed within a discovery cohort, followed by a replication analysis composed of 167 cases and 1573 controls. We identified that CNVs in CTNNA3 were significantly associated with food allergy in both the discovery cohort and the replication cohort. Of particular interest, CTNNA3 CNVs hit exons or intron regions rich in histone marker H3K4Me1. CNVs in a second gene ( RBFOX1 ) showed a significant association ( p = 7.35 × 10 −5 ) with food allergy at the genome-wide level in our meta-analysis of the European ancestry cohorts. The presence of these CNVs was confirmed by quantitative PCR. Furthermore, knockdown of CTNNA3 resulted in upregulation of CD63 and CD203c in mononuclear cells upon PMA stimulation, suggesting a role in sensitization to allergen. We uncovered at least two plausible genes harboring CNV loci that are enriched in pediatric patients with food allergies. The novel gene candidates discovered in this study by genome-wide CNV analysis are compelling drug and diagnostic targets for food allergy.
Sociocultural knowledge and visual re(‐)presentations of Black masculinity and community: reading The Wire for critical multicultural teacher education

In this article we consider the implications of using popular visual media as a pedagogic tool for helping teachers acquire critical sociocultural knowledge to work more effectively with students of color, particularly Black males. Drawing from a textual analysis (McKee 2001, 2003; Rose 2001) conducted in the critical visual studies tradition (Barthes 1977; Hall 1993, 1997) and longstanding discourses on Blackness, Black masculinity and critical visual studies, we explore how the critically acclaimed HBO series, The Wire, positions Black males in the local and larger social milieu. While offering a more complex rendering of the Black male, The Wire simultaneously presents a myopic representation of the Black man and his place in the larger Black community. This inquiry highlights the pedagogic limitations of using The Wire, or any other visual media that reinscribes deficit‐oriented knowledge that critical multicultural teacher education seeks to challenge about Blackness and Black people.
Wavelength-dependent backscattering measurements for quantitative real-time monitoring of apoptosis in living cells

Apoptosis—programmed cell death—is a cellular process exhibiting distinct biochemical and morphological changes. An un- derstanding of the early morphological changes that a cell undergoes during apoptosis can provide the opportunity to monitor apoptosis in tissue, yielding diagnostic and prognostic information. There is avid interest regarding the involvement of apoptosis in cancer. The initial response of a tumor to successful cancer treatment is often massive apoptosis. Current apoptosis detection methods require cell culture disruption. Our aim is to develop a nondisruptive optical method to monitor apoptosis in living cells and tissues. This would allow for real-time evaluation of apoptotic progression of the same cell culture over time without alteration. Elastic scattering spectroscopy ESS is used to monitor changes in light-scattering properties of cells in vitro due to apoptotic morphology changes. We develop a simple instru- ment capable of wavelength-resolved ESS measurements from cell cultures in the backward direction. Using Mie theory, we also develop an algorithm that extracts the size distribution of scatterers in the sample. The instrument and algorithm are validated with microsphere suspensions. For cell studies, Chinese hamster ovary CHO cells are cultured to confluence on plates and are rendered apoptotic with staurosporine. Backscattering measurements are performed on pairs of treated and control samples at a sequence of times up to 6-h post- treatment. Initial results indicate that ESS is capable of discriminating between treated and control samples as early as 10- to 15-min post- treatment, much earlier than is sensed by standard assays for apopto- sis. Extracted size distributions from treated and control samples show a decrease in Rayleigh and 150-nm scatterers, relative to control samples, with a corresponding increase in 200-nm particles. Work continues to correlate these size distributions with underlying mor- phology. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the use of back- scattering spectral measurements to quantitatively monitor apoptosis in viable cell cultures in vitro. © 2009 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation
Segmentation Strategies in Intro Marketing

Marketing's declining share of all business degrees is a significant problem requiring the immediate attention of marketing educators. More effective recruiting of top quality marketing majors demands a greater understanding of the interests of students in the principles course. This study examines student importance ratings for various subject areas in the principles course and identifies diverse student segments.
Proximal and distal features of day care quality and children's development

Day care quality assessments can be categorized according to their proximity to children's actual experiences. Distal quality assessments describe experiences potentially available to children, but do not describe actual experiences. Distal quality assessments include structural variables, such as ratio, group size, caregiver characteristics, and global quality assessments such as the Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale (ECERS; Harms & Clifford, 1980). Proximal quality assessments describe the actual events experienced by children in day care settings. Proximal quality was defined by the National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC; Bredekamp, 1987) guidelines for developmentally appropriate practices and included caregiver goals, strategies, and guidance. The study examined (1) the efficacy of proximal and distal quality in predicting children's development after controlling for family factors, and (2) the validity of using the NAEYC guidelines as a measure of proximal quality. Correlations between the ECERS and proximal quality lent tentative support to the validity of the guidelines. Proximal and distal quality were equally effective in predicting children's development, each predicting two of six forms of development.
Calcium-induced calcium release and calcium buffering in retinal horizontal cells

Calcium plays an integral role in intracellular signaling and process control in neurons. In the outer retina, it is a key component to the phototransduction cycle and neurotransmitter release in photoreceptor and bipolar cell terminals. It also contributes to the responses of horizontal and bipolar cells. In the dark, horizontal cells are depolarized and calcium enters via calcium permeant AMPA receptors and voltage-activated calcium channels. As a result, horizontal cells must be capable of handling high calcium loads without sustaining damage. The aim of this study was to examine the components determining the intracellular calcium levels in H2 horizontal cells in the retina of white bass. Calcium responses were evoked in isolated cells by depolarizing voltage steps and monitored by conventional imaging techniques. The responses consisted of two components: calcium entry through voltage-gated calcium channels and subsequent release from intracellular stores by calcium-induced calcium release (CICR). Under control conditions, changes in calcium levels reached 541 nM on average from a basal level of 60 nM. When release from CICR stores was blocked with ryanodine or dantrolene, calcium levels barely reached 180 nM. The threshold level needed to trigger CICR was dependent on the duration of the applied depolarization and increased in response to shorter pulses. In studies of temporal integration, cells were depolarized to 0 mVs for increasing periods of time. In the absence of CICR, the responses grew exponentially with time and saturated at approximately 200 nM in response to pulses of 8 s or longer. CICR extended the range of temporal integration to 20 s and the saturating maximum rose to 600 nM. Our results indicate that the slow time-course of the responses, the relatively small changes in intracellular calcium, and the contribution of CICR are shaped by the activity of strong calcium-removal mechanisms and an unusually large calcium-buffering ratio estimated to be over 2,500.
Perceiving the present: systematization of illusions or illusion of systematization?

Mark Changizi et al. (2008) claim that it is possible systematically to organize more than 50 kinds of illusions in a 7 · 4 matrix of 28 classes. This systematization, they further maintain, can be explained by the operation of a single visual processing latency correction mechanism that they call ‘‘perceiving the present’’ (PTP). This brief report raises some concerns about the way a number of illusions are classified by the proposed systematization. It also poses two general problems—one empirical and one conceptual—for the PTP approach.
An automatic, solid-state direct readout for the Buchler-Cotlove chloridometer.

An automatic, solid-state direct-readout system was built for the Buchler—Cotlove chloridometer. The device, described in detail, makes it possible to decrease sample size and titration time. The speed of chloride determinations with use of this device is tripled, while precision is significantly improved.
Carotid body denervation in dogs: eupnea and the ventilatory response to hyperoxic hypercapnia.

We assessed the time course of changes in eupneic arterial Pco 2(PaCO2 ) and the ventilatory response to hyperoxic rebreathing after removal of the carotid bodies (CBX) in awake female dogs. Elimin...
SPAM: Signal Processing to Analyze Malware [Applications Corner]

Cyberattacks have risen in recent times. The attack on Sony Pictures by hackers, allegedly from North Korea, received worldwide attention. U.S. President Barack Obama issued a statement and ?vowed a U.S. response after North Korea?s alleged cyberattack? [1]. This dangerous malware, termed wiper, could overwrite data and stop important execution processes. An analysis by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation showed distinct similarities between this attack and the code used to attack South Korea in 2013, thus confirming that hackers reuse code from already existing malware to create new variants. This attack, along with other recently discovered attacks such as Regin and Opcleaver, give one clear message: current cybersecurity defense mechanisms are not sufficient enough to thwart these sophisticated attacks.
Skills-Based International Volunteering Among Older Adults From the United States

International volunteering among older adults is an under-researched, yet growing, market. Policy experts and volunteer resource managers have proposed recruiting older volunteers to meet a demand ...
Jerusalem Policy Makes No Sense

Born recently in Jerusalem, this tiny apolitical person has just arrived in Baltimore from Israel with his proud parents, a journey that required him to have an American passport. All went smoothly at the U.S. consulate in East Jerusalem until I asked the woman processing the forms why there was no country listed after "Jerusalem" on the passport application.In 1948, President Harry Truman, ignoring strong objections from the State Department, enabled the United States of America to become one of the first countries to recognize Israel. Jerusalem has always been Israel's capital. All U.S. embassies are situated in the host country's self-designated capital city, with the lone exception of Israel.Even though Israel won all of Jerusalem in the 1967 war, even though no Israeli government nor popular referendum would ever allow another city to be designated its capital, even though the Arab- Palestinian peace process countenances no other place for that purpose - in the view of the State Department, Jerusalem remains no man's land.
Expressions of Hepatocyte Growth Factor and Its Receptor in Children with Primary Nephrotic Syndrome

ObjectiveTo observe the expressions of hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) and its receptor c-Met in renal tissues of children with primary nephrotic syndrome(PNS) and the changes of serum HGF,and to explore its role in PNS chronic progress.MethodsForty-five children with PNS in active stage were studied.Among them,5 cases had severe tubulointerstitial lesions,12 cases had moderately tubulointerstitial lesions,21 cases were mild,7 cases without lesions.Serum from 20 normal cases and 10 normal renal tissues were evaluated as well.Inter-group comparison using One-Way ANOVA.Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to examine the serum HGF,and immunohistochemistry staining and image analysis methods were used to study the expressions of HGF,c-Met,transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1) and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) in renal tissues.ResultsThe levels of HGF and c-Met protein expressions in renal tissues of children with severe tubulointerstitial lesions were significantly lower than those in the mild group and moderate group(Pa0.05).Compared with those without tubulointerstitial lesions,but the difference had no significance(P0.05).The level of HGF expression had positive correlation with the levels of TGF-β1,α-SMA among children with mild and moderately renal tubulointerstitial lesions(r=0.521,0.603Pa0.01),but negative correlation among the children with severe renal tubulointerstitial lesions(r=-0.945,-0.992Pa0.01).The level of serum HGF had positive correlation with the expressions of HGF protein and c-Met protein in renal tissues(r=0.721,0.601Pa0.01).ConclusionsThe expressions of HGF and c-Met protein in tubular epithelial cell injury in PNS increased consitently,which indicates that HGF playing an important role in tubular epithelial cells in PNS children.HGF and TGF-β1 may be involved in the process of tubulerinterstitial lesions in PNS children,their correlation changes might affect the outcome of renal tubulerinterstitial lesions.
Comparison of Different Agents on Lung Protection of Rabbit During the Extracorporeal Circulation

OBJECTIVE To study the lung protection in rabbits on extracorporeal circulation(ECC) with different agents.METHODS Fiteen adult New Zealand rabbits were divided randomly into three groups,each group 5 rabbits.Group Ⅰ was primed with Ambroxol(30 mg/kg),group Ⅱ with Aprotinin(10~5 KIU/kg),group Ⅲ with UTI(10~4 u/kg) in ECC circuit.The lung tissues were obtained for study of histological changes by optical and electronic microscope on pre-and postECC.Meanwhile,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-8(IL-8) and malondialdehyde(MDA) in lung tissues and plasma were measured on pre-,weaning-and 30 minutes post-ECC.RESULTS Under the optical microscope,the intraolveolar edema,leukocytes aggregation were seen in all groups,but all of the histological change in group Ⅲ is not serious as in group Ⅱ and I,especially for the leukocytes aggregation;Under electronic microscope,the diminished lamellar bodies in type Ⅱ alveolar epithelial cells could been seen significantly;TNF-α and IL-8 in group Ⅲ is lower significantly than group Ⅰ and Ⅱ in the lung tissues;TNF-α and IL-8 in group Ⅲ in plasma is much lower than group Ⅰand Ⅱ on 30 minutes post-ECC.There is no difference for MDA in lung tissues and plasma.CONCLUSION UTI has more effective inhibition on SIR and protection of lung function than Ambroxol and Aprotinin in experimented study.
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia: Diagnosis and Management

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a prothrombotic adverse reaction to heparin mediated by platelet-activating antibodies that target multimolecular complexes of platelet factor 4 (PF4) and heparin.
An Economic Model Comparison of EMSI and IMPLAN: Case of Mistletoe Marketplace

Economic Modeling Specialist International (EMSI) model is a common economic development research tool that has begun to be utilized for tourism research. Therefore, it is important to examine the ...
Safety and efficacy of saxagliptin for glycemic control in non-critically ill hospitalized patients

Objective To evaluate whether saxagliptin is non-inferior to basal-bolus insulin therapy for glycemic control in patients with controlled type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) admitted to hospital with non-critical illnesses. Research design and methods This was an open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial. Patients received either saxagliptin or basal-bolus insulin, both with correctional insulin doses. The main study outcome was the mean daily blood glucose (BG) after the first day of randomization. Results Of 66 patients completing the study, 33 (age 69±10 years, 40% men) were randomized to saxagliptin and 33 (age 67±10 years, 52% men) to basal-bolus insulin therapy. The mean daily BG was 149.8±22.0 mg/dL in the saxagliptin group and 146.9±30.5 mg/dL in the insulin group (p=0.59). With an observed group difference of 2.9 mg/dL and an a priori margin of 20 mg/dL, inferiority of saxagliptin was rejected in favor of non-inferiority (p=0.007). There was no significant difference in the percentage of high or low BG values. The insulin group received a higher number of insulin injections (2.3±1.7/day vs 1.2±1.9/day; p Conclusions We conclude that saxagliptin use is non-inferior to basal-bolus insulin in non-critically ill hospitalized patients with T2DM controlled on 0–2 oral agents without insulin. Saxagliptin use may decrease glycemic variability in these patients. Trial registration number NCT02182895.
Biologically inspired algorithms for wireless sensor networks

In recent years, several models introduced in mathematical biology and natural science have been used as the foundation of networking primitives. These bioinspired algorithms often solve complex problems by means of simple and iterative local rules. In this work, we consider the design and development of novel decentralized algorithms for distributed systems, with applications to wireless sensor networks, wireless body area networks and formation control. We consider two models of interaction. In one model, nodes communicate via pulses whose arrival time is sensed and compared to a local state variable and triggers an appropriate local update. In the second model, the nodes can exchange integer valued messages, which we call colors. The first class of algorithms falls in the class of Pulse-Coupled Oscillator (PCO) models that were first introduced in mathematical biology and that have been recently introduced in the sensor networking area. This thesis is concerned with the design and analysis of PCO based protocols for synchronization and multiple access. The second class of protocols relates to the so called voting models introduced in Physics. The protocol was proposed for network control in particularly harsh media, where communications are severely limited by the significant distortion and delay of the link.
Soil organic matter fractions in experimental forested watersheds

Recent concerns about climate change and atmospheric greenhousegas concentrations have demonstrated the importance ofunderstanding ecosystem C source/sink relationships. Soilorganic matter fractionation was carried out in three paired,forested watershed sites where one of each watershed pairrepresented a different ecosystem perturbation. Theperturbations were 8 years of experimental N amendments at theBear Brook Watershed in Maine (BBWM), a 50 year old intensewildfire and subsequent regeneration at Acadia National Park(ANP), and a 17 year old whole-tree harvest at the Weymouth PointWatershed (WPW). At each site, mineral soils were sampled byuniform depth increments. Mineral soil (< 2 mm) was separatedinto light, occluded light, and heavy density fractions byfloatation in NaI solution (1.7 g cm-3). Mineral soil (< 2mm) was also separated into particle-size fractions of sand (2.0to 0.05 mm), silt (0.05 to 0.002 mm), and clay (< 0.002 mm) bywet sieving and centrifugation. Whole soils, and density andparticle-size fractions were analyzed for total C and N. Bothfractionation schemes showed that all soil organic matterfractions had lower C/N ratios as a result of N enrichment atBBWM. At ANP, soil organic matter fractions generally had lowerC/N associated with the wildfire and subsequent shift fromsoftwood to hardwood regeneration. Few significant whole soiland soil organic matter fraction differences were associated withthe whole-tree harvest. Within watershed pairs, both density andparticle-size fractionation techniques usually indicated similarresponses. Soil organic matter fractionation results indicatedthat there were no consistent shifts in fraction distributions inresponse to perturbation that were consistent across all pairedwatershed study sites.
Identifying Open-Source License Violation and 1-day Security Risk at Large Scale

With millions of apps available to users, the mobile app market is rapidly becoming very crowded. Given the intense competition, the time to market is a critical factor for the success and profitability of an app. In order to shorten the development cycle, developers often focus their efforts on the unique features and workflows of their apps and rely on third-party Open Source Software (OSS) for the common features. Unfortunately, despite their benefits, careless use of OSS can introduce significant legal and security risks, which if ignored can not only jeopardize security and privacy of end users, but can also cause app developers high financial loss. However, tracking OSS components, their versions, and interdependencies can be very tedious and error-prone, particularly if an OSS is imported with little to no knowledge of its provenance. We therefore propose OSSPolice, a scalable and fully-automated tool for mobile app developers to quickly analyze their apps and identify free software license violations as well as usage of known vulnerable versions of OSS. OSSPolice introduces a novel hierarchical indexing scheme to achieve both high scalability and accuracy, and is capable of efficiently comparing similarities of app binaries against a database of hundreds of thousands of OSS sources (billions of lines of code). We populated OSSPolice with 60K C/C++ and 77K Java OSS sources and analyzed 1.6M free Google Play Store apps. Our results show that 1) over 40K apps potentially violate GPL/AGPL licensing terms, and 2) over 100K of apps use known vulnerable versions of OSS. Further analysis shows that developers violate GPL/AGPL licensing terms due to lack of alternatives, and use vulnerable versions of OSS despite efforts from companies like Google to improve app security. OSSPolice is available on GitHub.
Flat-Detector Computed Tomography for Evaluation of Intracerebral Vasculature for Planning of Stereoelectroencephalography Electrode Implantation.

Objective Stereoelectroencephalography (sEEG) requires extensive preoperative planning to optimize placement of electrodes and limit the potential for complications. Flat-detector computed tomography (FD-CT) has previously been used for perioperative vascular imaging to guide the treatment of vascular lesions. This imaging modality provides a detailed depiction of cerebrovascular and bony cranial anatomy, which can be used to guide intracranial electrode implantation. We have developed a novel method to improve preoperative planning for sEEG electrode implantation and limit the potential for postoperative complications by using FD-CT imaging merged with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods All patients underwent preoperative FD-CT with selective intra-arterial iodinated contrast dye injection through the late arterial and capillary phases for evaluation of cerebrovascular anatomy. These results were merged with thin-cut MRI for trajectory planning of intracranial sEEG electrodes. All patients underwent routine CT and MRI after electrode placement. Results 39 patients have undergone sEEG implantation according to this protocol, with a total of 541 electrodes placed. Additionally, 25 (64.1%) patients underwent implantation of 70 oblique insular electrodes. There were no clinically significant complications after the implantations. Thirty-six (92.3%) patients underwent operative intervention, including surgical resection in 27 (69.2%) patients. Conclusion FD-CT imaging allows for a detailed depiction of cortical cerebrovascular anatomy through the capillary phase, in addition to bony cranial anatomy. This enables the safe planning of complex trajectories, including high-obliquity insular electrodes and transsulcal trajectories through “empty sulci” while also providing concurrent imaging of bony anatomy to allow for preoperative planning of drill depth and anchor placement.
Abstract P481: Key Findings From Multilevel Stakeholder Input On Awareness, Gaps And Needs Related To The Burden Of Hypertension

Background: Hypertension (HTN) continues to pose a considerable challenge to the health system. Suboptimal rates of screening, awareness, treatment and control, reported at national and local levels, reflect an urgent need for a coordinated and collective approach to action. Methods: On May 20, 2017 (World HTN day), we convened a one-day HTN summit in response to an expressed need from stakeholders across the health system (healthcare, public health, community organizations) in the Bi-State Greater Kansas City Area. To help formulate an action plan, we administered a pre-and post-survey to document stakeholder engagement in HTN programs, their awareness of existing key initiates and resources, and perceived needs to address HTN. Results: Overall, 24 individuals from 16 organizations registered for the event and completed a pre-event survey - healthcare system (46%), Public health or Government organizations (17%), Community organizations (29%), Academic entity (8.3). Thirteen (54%) attendees completed the post-event survey - 29% delivered healthcare services, 57% conducted community activities, 21% were patients or caregivers. Only 32% of the attendees reported a current program on blood pressure. Less than 10% of participants reported satisfaction with the availability of regularly scheduled learning opportunities or tools for healthcare professionals or patients to improve HTN. Only 21% of participants reported monitoring of performance on metrics related to high blood pressure programs. All attendees expressed interest in continued meetings, patient engagement resources, and an in-depth exploration of the underlying factors contributing to the burden of uncontrolled HTN. Findings also reflected a significant need to improve the awareness of resources like the Missouri Million Hearts initiative and Target BP™. Conclusion: In spite of temporal advancements in cardiovascular medicine, there exist significant gaps in the awareness and use of resources and tools to support HTN management among stakeholders in the health system. Planned strategies include a dedicated working group to proactively identify and support coordinated, multi-stakeholder efforts to reduce the HTN burden and improve cardiovascular health in our communities.
Effects of the magnetic field on direct contact melting transport processes during rotation

Abstract Contact melting heat transfer occurs via relative motion between the heating source and a phase change material (PCM) during melting in various applications. In this study, we investigated the physics of the close contact melting process generated by rotation and when subjected to an applied magnetic field. We transformed the physical model comprising the three-dimensional mass, momentum, and energy equations of the liquid melt layer in the cylindrical coordinate system, including the effects of the Lorentz forces and coupled with an interfacial energy jump condition, into a set of nonlinear similarity equations. Various characteristic dimensionless variables were identified, including an external force parameter σ, which defines the relationship between the external load on the PCM and the centrifugal force due to rotation, and a magnetic field parameter M. Numerical results were obtained and we systematically studied and interpreted the effects of various dimensionless variables on the contact melting and heat transfer processes during rotation, including the structures of the flow and thermal fields, melt layer thickness, and the melting and heat transfer rates. In particular, our results demonstrate that the melting and heat transfer rates increase while the liquid melt film becomes thinner as the external force parameter σ increases. By contrast, an increase in the magnetic field parameter M decreases the melting and heat transfer rates, while yielding relatively thicker melt layers.
IL10 restrains autoreactive B cells in transgenic mice expressing inactive RAG1

IL10 plays a dual role in supporting humoral immunity and inhibiting inflammatory conditions. B cells producing IL10 are thought to play a key regulatory role in maintaining self-tolerance and suppressing excessive inflammation during autoimmune and infectious diseases, primarily by inhibiting associated T cell responses. The extent to which B cells, through the provision of IL10, might function to sustain or inhibit autoantibody production is less clear. We previously described transgenic mice expressing catalytically inactive RAG1 (dnRAG1 mice), which show expansion of an IL10-compentent CD5+ B cell subset that phenotypically resembles B10 B cells, hypogammaglobulinemia, and a restricted B cell receptor repertoire with features indicative of impaired B cell receptor editing. We show here that B10-like B cells in dnRAG1 mice bind the membrane-associated autoantigen phosphatidylcholine (PtC), and that in vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation of dnRAG1 splenocytes induces a robust IgM response enriched in reactivity toward lupus-associated autoantigens. This outcome was correlated with detection of sIgMhi B cell populations that were distinct from, but in addition to, sIgMint populations observed after similar treatment of wild-type splenocytes. Loss of IL10 expression in dnRAG1 mice had no significant effect on B10-like B cell expansion or the frequency of PtC+ B cells. Compared to IL10+/+ dnRAG1 mice, levels of serum IgM, but not serum IgG, were highly elevated in some naive IL10-/- dnRAG1 mice, and was correlated with a significant increase in serum BAFF levels. Differentiation of sIgMint B cells from LPS-stimulated dnRAG1 splenocytes was enhanced by loss of IL10 expression and IL10 blockade, but was suppressed by treatment with recombinant IL10. In vitro LPS-induced differentiation and antibody production was inhibited by treatment with JAK/STAT inhibitors or a synthetic corticosteroid, independent of IL10 expression and genotype. Taken together, these data suggest that IL10 expression in dnRAG1 mice maintains suppression of IgM levels in part by inhibiting BAFF production, and that regulatory B10-like B cells, through the provision of IL10, constrains B cell differentiation in response to mitogenic stimuli. Furthermore, autoantibody profiling raises a possible link between CD5+ B cell expansion, mitogenic stimulation, and autoantibodies associated with autoimmune complications observed in lupus and lupus-related disorders.
Stability of the Elastica

The equilibrium configurations of a nonlinearly elastic rod in three-space are here regarded as extremals of a constrained variational principle. A new technique, applying to the second variation in constrained problems of the calculus of variations, is then exploited to ascertain stability properties of various planar buckled equilibria of a rod subjected to end-thrust. Perturbations both in, and out of, the plane are considered. Marked contrasts between in and out of plane stability are discovered. Secondary bifurcation from the first branch of buckled solutions, with associated loss of stability, is also found.