cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Search organization in the Whisper continuous speech recognition system

Since the earliest days of computing, automatic speech recognition technology has ridden the technology wave that has come to be known as Moore's law. This is vividly illustrated by the market introduction of several general-purpose continuous speech recognition products. Besides Moore's law, the two things that have made this possible have been advances in acoustic modeling, especially adaptation technologies, and advances in decoding techniques that permit real-time performance on today's PCs. This paper discusses our approach to the decoding problem, including the role of heuristic pruning, the A* criteria and its relation to Viterbi searching and stack searching, as well our approach to problems relating to prefix-tree searching and the application of language models and complex acoustic structures, such as cross-word triphones.
Electrophoresis-Based Proteomic Meat Animal Research

Summary In this review, some of the limitations and issues related to current popular proteomic approaches will be discussed and a case wul be made for the benefits of using one-dimensional electrophoresis-based proteomics for agricultural study setups. One-dimensional electrophoresis-based proteomics has an important advantage over convenfional two-dimensional proteomic technologies because they are stafistically robust and cost effecfive. The incorporafion of greater numbers of samples can help alleviate the inherent variabilify of agricultural models that can adversely bias and influence the results.
Evaluative laboratory testing practices of United States rheumatologists

Objective Several laboratory tests can be used to monitor disease activity in patients with rheumatic diseases. We sought to learn how rheumatologists use evaluative laboratory tests in the care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. Methods We surveyed United States rheumatologists by mailed questionnaire. Of the 976 rheumatologists who received the questionnaire, 575 responded, for a response rate of 59%. Results Eighty-six percent of the respondents reported using either the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) or C-reactive protein level to monitor patients with RA, 92% used either the anti-DNA antibody level or complement C3 level to monitor patients with SLE, and 95% used either the ESR or ANCA levels to monitor patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis. The frequency of testing was distributed over a broad range, but testing was common. Testing on 50% of the visits or more was reported by 52% of respondents for RA, 59% of respondents for SLE, and 64% of respondents for ANCA-associated vasculitis. Between 7% and 11% of respondents reported testing patients on every visit, regardless of clinical disease activity. The majority of respondents reported not altering the treatment of clinically stable patients based on these test results. Conclusion Evaluative laboratory testing is common and is rarely used as an independent guide for treatment.
Centimeter-scale super-collimation in a large-area 2D photonic crystal

We studied super-collimation in a planar 2D photonic crystal at 1.5 mum wavelengths and observed an inherent robustness to short-scale disorder. A 2 mum-wide beam was propagated over more than 0.5 cm without diffraction.
Use of Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor in the Treatment of Fungal Infections

Management of fungal infections is a major medical problem. The risk of developing a fungal infection is higher for patients who are undergoing dose-intensive therapy, are immunocompromised, have neutropenia, are receiving prophylactic antibiotics, have other infections, have invasive catheters, or have a history of severe trauma or burns. Survival is decreased among patients who develop fungal infection in these situations. In view of the high morbidity and mortality associated with fungal infections in transplant recipients, cytokines that enhance cell function, such as macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), have been investigated. M-CSF enhances cytotoxicity, superoxide production, phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and secondary cytokine production in monocytes and macrophages. Animal models and clinical data suggest efficacy of M-CSF in controlling fungal infection.
Mechanical properties of dissimilar metal joints composed of DP 980 steel and AA 7075-T6

A solid state joining process, called friction bit joining, was used to spot weld aluminium alloy 7075-T6 to dual phase 980 steel. Lap shear failure loads for specimens without adhesive averaged ∼10 kN, while cross-tension specimens averaged 2·8 kN. Addition of adhesive with a thickness up to 500 μm provided a gain of ∼50% to lap shear failure loads, while a much thinner layer of adhesive increased cross-tension failure loads by 20%. Microstructures of the welds were martensitic, but the hardness of the joining bit portion was greater than that of the DP 980, owing to its higher alloy content. Softening in the heat affected zone of a welded joint appeared to be relatively small, though it was enough to cause nugget pullout failures in some lap shear tension specimens. Other failures in lap shear tension were interfacial, while all of the failures in cross-tension were interfacial.
Single fiber confocal microscope using a two-axis microscanner for cellular imaging

We present a single fiber reflectance confocal microscope with a 2D MEMS gimbaled scanner. Achieved lateral and axial resolutions are 1.0times1.4 mum and 19 mum, respectively. The field of view is 140times100 mum at 8 frames/second.
Crack-interface interactions in a tungsten-yttria-stabilized-zirconia directionally solidified eutectic

A directionally solidified eutectic (DSE) of W-ZrO{sub 2}(Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}) consists of faceted fibers of tungsten embedded in yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia. The W-ZrO{sub 2} interfaces in this system are devoid of any impurity phases of a reaction product. Microindentation-induced cracks and their interactions with interphase interfaces are investigated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Crack-interface interactions are found to fall into one of four categories: propagation along the meta-ceramic interface, deflection away from the interface, crack-interface bridging, and shearing of tungsten fibers. Further crack propagation is investigated in situ in a TEM with a propagation induced by local electron beam heating. These crack path selections are analyzed within the framework of phenomenological understanding of crack-interface interactions in composites.
Simultaneous Detection and Segmentation of Pedestrians using Top-down and Bottom-up Processing

We present a method for the simultaneous detection and segmentation of people from static images. The proposed technique requires no manual segmentation during training, and exploits top-down and bottom-up processing within a single framework for both object localization and 2D shape estimation. First, the coarse shape of the object is learned from a simple training phase utilizing low-level edge features. Motivated by the observation that most object categories have regular shapes and closed boundaries, relations between these features are then exploited to derive mid-level cues, such as continuity and closure. A novel Markov random field defined on the edge features is presented that integrates the coarse shape information with our expectation that objects are likely to have boundaries that are regular and closed. The algorithm is evaluated on pedestrian datasets of varying difficulty, including a wide range of camera viewpoints, and person orientations. Quantitative results are presented for person detection and segmentation, demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed technique to simultaneously address both these tasks.
Aging and Spatial Contrast Sensitivity: Underlying Mechanisms and Implications for Everyday Life

With the percentage of older adults in our society on the increase, there is a pressing need to better understand the functional problems of the elderly, and to identify ways in which the quality of life can be maintained at a high level despite advancing age. One area of special concern is vision loss in later life, and how it impacts the performance of routine tasks that depend critically on vision. The goal of our laboratory over the past decade has been to use psychophysical techniques to not only describe the types of vision problems that older adults experience, but also to uncover the optical and neural mechanisms which underlie these deficits. In addition, our interest goes beyond simply measuring visual deficits in laboratory tasks; we are ultimately interested in discovering why many older adults have difficulty in performing everyday visual activities, such as driving, postural stability, navigating through the environment, and recognizing people.
Laboratory Abnormalities Among HIV-Exposed, Uninfected Infants: IMPAACT Protocol P1025

least 1 prenatal visit, CD4 count, and viral load during pregnancy and who used at least 1 antiretroviral during pregnancy were eligible for inclusion in this analysis. Results. The study population comprised 1524 infants. During the first 6 months of life, 7.4% of laboratory serious adverse events (SAEs) were related to glucose, 7.2% were related to hemoglobin, 8.7% were related to absolute neutrophil count, and 4.0% were related to total lymphocyte count. The likelihood of laboratory SAEs decreased with increasing age for hemoglobin, absolute neutrophil count, and glucose. Infant preterm birth and current receipt of antiretroviral(s) were the factors with the strongest associations with laboratory SAEs. Conclusions. The overall frequency of laboratory SAEs was low and decreased with age. Preterm infants are at higher risk of hemoglobin- and total lymphocyte count–related SAEs.
Contribution of wheat flour fractions to peak hot paste viscosity

ABSTRACT The quality of many baked products, noodles, gravies, and thickeners is related to the pasting properties of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour, yet different flours vary markedly in their pasting performance. The objective of the present research was to assess the role of the wheat flour fractions, gluten, water solubles, prime and tailing starches, in the contribution to peak hot paste viscosity among three selected wheat cultivars. Straight-grade flours were fractionated and reconstituted. Fractions were examined independently and were deleted in otherwise fully reconstituted flours. Fractions were exchanged between cultivars for reconstituting flours, and fractions were substituted individually into a common starch base. The flours from the cultivars Klasic, McKay, and Madsen differed markedly in their peak hot paste viscosities, and were fractionated and reconstituted with only a small effect on paste viscosity. Results clearly showed that prime starch was the primary determinate of flour pa...
A comparison of surface integral equation and FDTD methods for modeling backscattering from dielectric rough surfaces at near-grazing angles

A comparative study is carried out between two numerical simulation techniques—the surface integral equation (SIE) and the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) methods—in order to characterize rough surface ground clutter relevant to forward-looking radar applications. Computational deficiencies in the SIE approach for analyzing scattering effects at grazing angles are outlined; motivations for the development of the FDTD algorithm are presented; subsequently, the FDTD implementation is benchmarked with the SIE method for one-dimensional surfaces for various surface parameters and incidence angles through a comparison of Monte Carlo scattering results. Simulations of two-dimensional random surfaces with a parallelized FDTD method are also featured. This study is intended to facilitate ongoing investigations into the detectability of ground targets at low-grazing angles.
Upregulation of Cardiac Cell Plasma Membrane Calcium Pump in a Canine Model of Chagas Disease

We have previously demonstrated that cardiac myocytes isolated from the hearts of adult dogs develop rapid repetitive cytosolic Ca2+ transients, membrane depolarization, and cell contraction by mobilization of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ stores when exposed to a soluble factor from the trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. These findings led us to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of cytosolic Ca2+ in cardiac tissues from dogs chronically infected with T. cruzi. Expression of the plasma membrane calcium pump (PMCA) RNA and protein was determined by Northern and Western blotting, respectively, followed by densitometric analyses. A 642-bp PMCA 1b complementary DNA probe derived from canine epicardial tissue hybridized to 2 major transcripts (7.3 and 5.3 kb) in canine epicardium. Expression of the dominant transcript (7.3 kb) was 77% greater in cardiac tissues obtained from dogs with chronic T. cruzi infection (140 days after inoculation) in comparison with constitutive expression levels in normal dogs. ...
Search for Carcinogenic Principles

Worldwide, large-scale screening of plants for antitumor activity has been in progress for many years. The testing of plants for carcinogenic or cocarcinogenic factors proceeds at a lesser rate because it is the preoccupation of a relatively few investigators. Since plants or plant products, crude or processed, form a major portion of human and animal intake for dietary, recreational or medical purposes, the evaluation of plants so consumed for carcinogenic principles should receive high priority. Of the total cancer deaths occurring annually in England and Wales, 32% (approximately 40,000) are the result of tumors in the esophagus, stomach, pancreas or large bowel.12 Esophageal cancer shows the most striking geographical variation in the incidence of all cancers. This fact, together with the high mortality rate, or usual short-term survival rate, has aroused widespread interest in causation. From my field surveys, observations and research over a 15-year period in a search for possible causes of esophageal cancer, there have evolved inescapable correlations between this disease and high intakes of condensed catechin tannins and related anthocyanins through plant materials deliberately ingested or entering the system via occupational or other exposures.
Liver Abscess in Normal Children With Fever of Unknown Origin

The article by Kaplan and Feigin (Pediatrics 58:614, October 1976) is a useful reminder that pyogenic liver abscesses do occur in children with normal immune function, and should be included in the differential diagnosis of fever of unknown origin. In both of their patients there was no history of abdominal trauma, blood cultures were sterile, the clinical diagnosis was confirmed by liver scan, and Staphylococcus aureus organisms were isolated from the abscess drainage at surgery.
Looking for a New Equilibrium in Theology

In my role as both reviews editor and now as editor for this journal over the course of the past seven years, I have been struck repeatedly by a trend in theological books and articles. Theology as a large-scale, systematic, and comprehensive endeavor would appear to be on the wane if not in outright decline. Instead, more and more theologians work on reflective interrogation of particular social realities and forms of human experience. In a postmodern environment in which grand metanarratives and large-scale synthetic projects have been discredited, much contemporary thinking moves in the direction of the local, the unique, the ironic, the embedded, the embodied, and the concretely limited. Universal claims are widely and even enthusiastically disparaged as reflecting hidden power agendas or failed epistemologies—except, ironically, perhaps, for the universal claim that all universals are pernicious and dead. The current cultural environment tends to looks askance upon the very project of ‘‘systematic’’ theology, particularly if it aims to make claims of a universal, transcontextual nature. Could theologians like Karl Barth, Paul Tillich, Karl Rahner, and Hans Urs von Balthasar—white European males all—have been among the last specimens of a soon to be extinct breed of theologian? Depending upon one’s theological point of view and, perhaps, one’s social location, one will either celebrate or lament the end of such large-scale, comprehensive ways of doing theology. While laments of such a demise do sound forth from quarters, the multitude of enthusiastic voices for identity theology done in the mode of the particular have very nearly drowned them out. We seem to live in an era theologically in which the pendulum is swinging dramatically from the universal to the particular and from what Cornell West might call ‘‘deodorized’’ theology to theology done in relation to actual human bodies. In reflecting on these matters, Wilhelm Windelband’s century-old distinction between ‘‘nomothetic’’ and ‘‘ideographic’’ approaches to intellectual work comes to mind. In Windelband’s terms, a nomothetic approach to the study of some
Abstract 3084: Chfr in breast cancer development

Breast cancer is a common malignancy and is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in USA. It can be developed when genes that control the cell cycle and genomic stability are aberrantly expressed or non-functional. Where CHFR encodes an ubiquitin ligase that reportedly delays mitosis in response to microtubule-targeting drugs (i.e. nocodazoles and taxanes). CHFR (Checkpoint with FHA and Ring Finger) is hypothesized to mediate a delay in cell cycle progression, early in mitosis, in response to microtubule stress, independent of the spindle assembly checkpoint. As a potential regulator of cell cycle progression, CHFR naturally becomes an interesting target for understanding cancer cells. Low or moderate CHFR mRNA expression has been already reported in many cancers including breast cancer with some relevance to tumor suppressor activities. In this study we analyzed the expression profiles of CHFR in different breast cancer cell lines at mRNA and protein levels using real-time PCR and immuno-Western blot analysis. We also analyzed its expression in various breast tissue samples using immunohistochemistry. We found CHFR mRNA was significantly higher in BT474 and MCF-7 cells as compared to MDA-MB-231 cells. Two isoforms (i.e.,) of CHFR protein were detected in these cells. High molecular weight (∼89kD) isoform was markedly elevated in MDA-MB-231 cells as compared to MCF-7 cells while low molecular weight (∼52kD) isoform markedly reduced in MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, in normal breast sample CHFR expression is nuclear while in adenocarcinoma samples CHFR was prominent expression in cytoplasmic. Finally, we found that high molecular weight CHFR isoform expression can be regulated negatively by CCN5/WISP-2, an anti-invasive gene. Collectively, these studies suggest that CHFR may play dual roles in the genesis of breast cancer and possibly, the high molecular weight isoform may play critical role in progression of breast cancer. Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010 because the presenter was unable to attend. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3084.
Analysis on the death of chronic non-communicable diseases among residents of Jiangmen city from 2010 to 2012

Objective To understand the death of chronic non-communicable diseases and its trend in Jiangmen so as to provide evidence for the prevention and control of chronic non-communicable diseases. Methods The death data in Jiangmen from 2010 to 2012 were analyzed by using DeathReg2005 software and Excel. Results 71 466 people died of chronic noncommunicable diseases in Jiangmen from 2010 to 2012, accounting for 86.53% of the total death. The chronic noncommunicable diseases death rate was 604.78 / 100 000. The chronic non-communicable diseases death rate of male(664.00 /100 000) was significantly higher than that of female(544.44 / 100 000). The chronic non-communicable diseases death rate was increased year by year. The top five death causes of chronic non-communicable diseases were cardiovascular disease,cerebrovascular disease, malignant tumor, chronic respiratory disease and digestive system disease, accounting for 93.40% of the chronic non-communicable diseases death causes. The cerebrovascular disease, malignant tumor, chronic respiratory disease, digestive system disease and urinary system disease death rates of male were significantly higher than those of female.The ranking of chronic non-communicable diseases death causes were not the same in different age groups. Conclusion The chronic non-communicable diseases has become the leading death causes in Jiangmen. In order to reduce the death rate, we should strengthen the three grade prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases.
Hypomethylating agent combination strategies in myelodysplastic syndromes: hopes and shortcomings

The hypomethylating agents (HMA) azacitidine and decitabine are both approved by the FDA for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). Although heralded as a significant advancement, HMA lead to responses in less than half of patients and for those that respond most will relapse. As such, there is a crucial need to improve frontline therapy approaches. One promising strategy involves combining azacitidine or decitabine with investigational or existing therapies with the goal of achieving synergistic activity and better patient outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to critically review the efficacy and safety of reported HMA-based combination regimens in patients with higher-risk MDS.
Repeated Urine Cell Culture in Soft Agar: Potential Role in Follow-up of Patients with Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Abstract To evaluate the persistence of cells with clonogenic properties in patients being treated for transitional cell carcinoma, 272 urine samples were collected from 75 patients and cultured in a double layer soft agar “cloning” system. The development of colonies was evaluated with growth curves based on repeated colony counting with an Omnicon automated colony counter at regular time intervals. Forty-eight patients had at least one evaluable culture. Comparing the results of colony development in culture with the clinical evaluation of the patients, 9 patients had a histologically proven recurrence preceded or accompanied by tumor colony growth in urine culture. One patient had tumor recurrence with growth negative urine culture (false negative). Fifteen patients have had growth negative urine culture with a negative follow-up (mean 19.5 months). Twenty-one patients have had growth positive urine cell cultures with no recurrence in their follow-up (mean 18. 7 months). Although the follow-up times are at present relatively short, the present study suggests that repeated soft agar urine culture of patients with low-grade, low-stage bladder carcinoma may provide a means for identifying those patients at a higher risk for recurrence/progression of their disease.
Purine analogs as CDK enzyme inhibitory agents: a survey and QSAR analysis.

Characterization of the cell cycle has introduced CDKs and other proteins as possible targets for inhibition of cell proliferation, such as, CDK1 and CDK2, whose inhibition may be useful in the treatment of proliferative disorders. Structure-activity analyses have been instrumental in the design and discovery of potent CDK inhibitors, such as purine analogs, which have increased in potency from the micromolar to the nanomolar level. X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling have provided evidence that these compounds act on the CDK target enzyme. Selected CDK inhibitors have successfully entered clinical trials. Further characterization of the cell cycle to identify molecular targets to inhibit cell proliferation, QSAR and SAR studies, and clinical trials may expedite the development of CDK inhibitors for therapeutic use.
Development of Synaptic Input Patterns on Dendrites of Retinal Neurons

Studies of the developing vertebrate retina have recently offered new insights into the molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate the development and patterning of synapses onto dendrites. The dendrites and axons of retinal neurons are stratified, forming layers of functionally distinct connections. This architecture readily facilitates investigation of the developmental mechanisms that wire neural circuits. Like other central nervous system (CNS) neurons, each retinal neuron type exhibits a stereotypic wiring pattern that is critical for proper circuit function. To form its stereotyped connectivity, a neuron must select specific synaptic partners, make the appropriate number of contacts, and form synapses at proper sites on its dendrites. Both molecular cues and neurotransmission have been found to be responsible for shaping patterns of wiring. This chapter will review the most current knowledge of these developmental mechanisms, with a specific focus on the formation and patterning of synaptic connections onto dendrites in the inner and outer retina.
Transmitter cooperation in ad-hoc wireless networks: does dirty-paper coding beat relaying?

We investigate capacity and achievable rates for transmitter cooperation schemes in ad-hoc wireless networks. In addition to cooperative dirty paper coding, we propose two new cooperative transmission techniques: time-division successive broadcasting and time-division relaying. We show that transmitter cooperation can significantly increase capacity, even if one of the cooperating nodes is halfway between the transmit and receive node clusters. However, the best form of cooperation depends on the relative geometry of the transmit and receive clusters. When the transmitters are close together, cooperative dirty paper coding achieves the highest rates. However, if one of the transmitters is relatively close to the receive cluster, cooperative broadcasting or relaying achieves higher rates than dirty paper coding. That is because, at large separations, the exchange of messages between the transmitters required for dirty paper coding consumes a substantial amount of power. We show that in most cases transmitter cooperation provides a substantial capacity improvement over noncooperative techniques, especially under an equal rate constraint.
Qualitative research is consonant with the espoused values of occupational therapy: A Review of Qualitative Research in Occupational Therapy

In her 2001 edited text, Qualitative Research in Occupational Therapy: Strategies and Experiences, Joanne Valiant Cook presents an approachable and informative introduction to qualitative research for occupational therapists. As the discipline of occupational therapy continues to develop its own base of knowledge, the need for research methods which capture the complexity of occupation has become evident. Through considering the similarity between the founding principles of occupational therapy and the world-view of qualitative research, Cook presents a theoretically-oriented research guide specific to the domain of concern of occupational therapy. Examples of qualitative studies and reflections of occupational therapy researchers will be helpful to occupational therapy practitioners and researchers embarking upon the journey of qualitative inquiry to contribute to the discipline’s body of knowledge.
Soviet Foreign Trade in Foodstuffs

Analysis of import dependence or of shares of imported food in consumption when measured in value terms is severely handicapped by the fact that Soviet foreign trade statistics are reported in world market values which differ from domestic prices and by the nonequilibrium nature of the latter. This study offers an alternative method of relating imports to consumption based on calorie measures. Having recomputed exports and imports in calories, the study shows that between 1970 and 1981 the USSR changed from a position of net exporter of food to a high dependence with about 22% of total domestic consumption provided by imports. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: 124, 421, 713.
Mixed-Effects Multivariate Adaptive Splines Models

A mixed-effects multivariate adaptive splines model is presented for analyzing longitudinal or growth curves data that may or may not have been collected through a regular measurement schedule. The MASAL (an acronym for multivariate adaptive splines for the analysis of longitudinal data) algorithm by Zhang [19, 20, 21] is used to determine the nonparametric fixed-effects in the mixed-effects multivariate adaptive splines model. The original MASAL algorithm requires the characterization and specification of the within subject autocorrelation structure, which is usually a tedious while not always rewarding process. In contrast, the idea of mixed-effects is introduced to the MASAL algorithm in this work, leading to an automated procedure for analysis of longitudinal and growth curves data. To demonstrate the great potential of this new procedure, I re-analyzed a data set on the effect of cocaine use by pregnant women on the growth of their infants after birth. The numerical results are remarkable as opposed to a previously published analysis by [21] in terms of the dissection of random effects.
Lagrangian DAEs of Motion

In this chapter, a formulation of Lagrange’s equation is presented for constrained multidisciplinary systems. Models are formulated as implicit, nonlinear, differential—algebraic equations (DAEs) in descriptor form. The DAE structure allows a model to be obtained from energy functions, constraint equations, and a virtual work expression in a systematic manner.
Broken Windows or Breaking Communities

This chapter highlights the broken windows philosophy along with its criticisms. Here we explore the Kelling and Wilson article and the warnings that never made it into most of the writings championing the tenets of the theory. This chapter also focuses on the notion of quality of life offenses—with the example of noise being added to the list which expanded the blanket of arrestable offenses in New York City. This is followed by a look at cop culture to explain some of the things we see as being questionable in their behavior and the theoretical thinking about why they targeted minority communities.
Abstract P151: Diagnostic Yield of Elective Cardiac Catheterization After an Abnormal Stress Test: A Quality Initiative Study

Background: Guidelines for triaging patients for cardiac catheterization recommend a risk assessment and noninvasive testing. We determined patterns of noninvasive testing and the diagnostic yield ...
Testosterone replacement in transgenic sickle cell mice controls priapic activity and upregulates PDE5 expression and eNOS activity in the penis

Sickle cell disease (SCD)-associated priapism is characterized by decreased nitric oxide (NO) signaling and downregulated phosphodiesterase (PDE)5 protein expression and activity in the penis. Priapism is also associated with testosterone deficiency, but molecular mechanisms underlying testosterone effects in the penis in SCD are not known. Given the critical role of androgens in erection physiology and NO synthase (NOS)/PDE5 expression, we hypothesized that testosterone replacement to eugonadal testosterone levels reduces priapism by reversing impaired endothelial (e)NOS activity and molecular abnormalities involving PDE5. Adult male transgenic Berkeley sickle cell (Sickle) and wild-type (WT) mice were implanted with testosterone pellets, which release 1.2 μg testosterone/day for 21 days, or vehicle. After 21 days, animals underwent erectile function assessment followed by collection of blood for serum testosterone measurements, penes for molecular analysis, and seminal vesicles as testosterone-responsive tissue. Serum testosterone levels were measured by radioimmunoassay; protein expressions of PDE5, α-smooth muscle actin, eNOS and nNOS, and phosphorylation of PDE5 at Ser-92, eNOS at Ser-1177, neuronal (n) NOS at Ser-1412, and Akt at Ser-473 were measured by Western blot in penile tissue. Testosterone treatment reversed downregulated serum testosterone levels and increased (p < 0.05) the weight of seminal vesicles in Sickle mice to levels comparable to that of WT mice, indicating restored testosterone levels in Sickle mice. Testosterone treatment reduced (p < 0.05) prolonged detumescence in Sickle mice and normalized downregulated P-PDE5 (Ser-92), PDE5, P-eNOS (Ser-1177), and P-Akt (Ser-473) protein expressions in the Sickle mouse penis. Testosterone treatment did not affect P-nNOS (Ser-1412), eNOS, nNOS, or α-smooth muscle actin protein expressions in the Sickle mouse penis. In conclusion, in the mouse model of human SCD, increasing testosterone to eugonadal levels reduced priapic activity and reversed impaired Akt/eNOS activity and PDE5 protein expression in the penis.
Improving the assertive conversational skills of adolescents with autism spectrum disorder in a natural context

Abstract Background With the increased demand for social conversation in high school settings, difficulties with pragmatics, or the use of language in social situations, can leave adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) socially isolated from their peers. Extending previous research, this study examined the effects of a multicomponent peer-mediated intervention (PMI) implemented during lunch on improving the assertive conversational skills (initiating, asking follow-up questions, and commenting) of four passive communicators with ASD. Method A nonconcurrent multiple baseline design across participants was used to evaluate the combined effects of peer training and focus student instruction on the use of text cues for improving conversation with trained network peers. Text cues for initiations were faded, and probes for generalization with novel peers were made. Results Results revealed increases in the adolescents’ ability to initiate, ask-follow-up questions, participate more in conversation acts, and engage in longer on-topic conversations with trained peers. Total assertive acts, including the use of comments to maintain conversation, substantially increased for three of the four adolescents at rates comparable to their peers. Conversational gains generalized in probes with novel peers and social validity measures attested to the intervention acceptability and conversation quality. Conclusions This study provides additional evidence that PMI can be structured to produce robust changes in the conversational skills of adolescents with ASD in a natural social context.
Management of autonomic dysreflexia associated with Charcot spinal arthropathy in a patient with complete spinal cord injury: Case report and review of the literature.

Background Charcot spinal arthropathy (CSA) clearly represents a challenge in long-term spinal cord injury patients, one that can have extremely uncomfortable and potentially lethal outcomes if not managed properly. Case Description A 66-year-old man with a history of complete C7 quadriplegia presented with new-onset autonomic dysreflexia that resulted from Charcot spinal arthropathy (CSA). Pathologic instability, in the atypical site of the mid-thoracic spine, spanning from the T8-T9 vertebral levels was appreciated on physical exam as an audible, palpable, and visible dynamic kyphosis; kyphosis was later confirmed on neuroimaging. Based on the CSA severity and sequelae, the patient underwent bilateral decompression laminectomy with lateral extracavitary arthrodesis and posterior instrumentation. Symptoms dramatically improved and at 1-year follow-up, dynamic thoracic kyphosis and most symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia had resolved. Conclusions Based on our case and published reports, vigilant imaging and thorough physical examination in long-standing spinal cord injury could help early diagnosis and treatment of CSA, theoretically preventing development of cord atrophy and subsequent long-term sequelae. Surgical correction rather than bracing may be recommended in patients who have complete injury at or above T6 in patients with symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia associated with CSA confirmed on neuroimaging.
Food Allergen Epitope Mapping

With the increased global awareness and rise in food allergies, a multifold interest in food allergens is evident. The presence of undeclared food allergens results in expensive food recalls and increased risks of anaphylaxis for the sensitive individuals. Regardless of the allergenic food, the immunogen needs to be identified and detected before making any efforts to inactivate/eliminate it. In type I food allergies, protein immunogen cross-links immunoglobulin E, leading to basophil/mast cell degranulation, resulting in the symptoms that range from mild irritation to anaphylaxis. A portion/part of the protein, known as the epitope, can interact with either antibodies to elicit allergic reactions or T-cell receptors to initiate allergic sensitization. Antibody-recognized epitopes can be either a linear sequence of amino acids (linear epitope) or a three-dimensional motif (conformational epitope), while T-cell-receptor-recognized epitopes are exclusively linear peptides. Identifying and characterizing hum...
Dietary Diversity in the Upper Belize River Valley: A Zooarchaeological and Isotopic Perspective

Paleobotanical and faunal evidence suggests that Maya polities across the lowlands followed broadly similar dietary regimes. Maize is generally accepted as the main dietary staple, supplemented by beans and squash, along with a variety of wild and partially cultivated plants (Lentz 1999). Terrestrial wild game, especially whitetail deer, supplied an important protein and lipid source that complemented the mainly carbohydrate calories in the diet. Bone chemistry studies, however, provide greater insight into the variability present in Maya diet. While maize supplied less than half of a day’s calories for individuals at some centers, it accounted for as much as 75% of the daily diet at others (Gerry and Krueger 1997). The contribution of animal protein and legumes also varies: individuals in some regions consumed a nearly vegetarian diet while others had regular access to wild game (Gerry 1993; Reed 1999). Variability also exists within populations, and dietary differences exist by sex, age, status, and location. However, no universal pattern is present, and researchers attribute dietary variability to population size, level of agricultural intensification, the social organization of food consumption, and local environmental heterogeneity (Chase et al. 2001; Gerry 1993; Gerry and Krueger 1997; Reed 1999; White et al. 1993; Wright 1997).
Stray light analysis and testing of the SoloHI (solar orbiter heliospheric imager) and WISPR (wide field imager for solar probe) heliospheric imagers

The techniques for stray light analysis, optimization and testing are described for two space telescopes that observe the solar corona: the Solar Orbiter Heliospheric Imager (SoloHI) that will fly on the ESA Solar Orbiter (SolO), and the Wide Field Imager for Solar Probe (WISPR) that will fly on the NASA Parker Solar Probe (PSP) mission. Imaging the solar corona is challenging, because the corona is six orders of magnitude dimmer than the Sun surface at the limb, and the coronal brightness continues to decrease to ten orders of magnitude below the Sun limb above 5° elongation from Sun center. The SoloHI and WISPR instruments are located behind their respective spacecraft heat shield. Each spacecraft heat shield does not block the instrument field of view above the solar limb, but will prevent direct sunlight entering the instrument aperture. To satisfy the instrument stray light attenuation required to observe the solar corona, an additional set of instrument baffles were designed and tested for successive diffraction of the heat shield diffracted light before entering the telescope entrance pupil. A semi empirical model of diffraction was used to design the baffles, and tests of the flight models were performed in flight like conditions with the aim of verifying the rejection of the design. Test data showed that the baffle systems behaved as expected. A second source of stray light is due to reflections of the sunlight off of the spacecraft structures and towards the instruments. This is especially the case for SoloHI where one of the spacecraft 8m tall solar arrays is located behind the telescope and reflects sunlight back onto the instrument baffles. The SoloHI baffle design had to be adjusted to mitigate that component, which was achieved by modifying their geometry and their optical coating. Laboratory tests of the flight model were performed. The test data were correlated with the predictions of a ray tracing model, which enabled the fine tuning of the model. Finally, end-to-end ray tracing was used to predict the stray light for the flight conditions.
Post Herpes Zoster Neuritis

A 47-year-old white female had herpes zoster infection of her right V1 and V2 trigeminal nerve branches about 10 years previously. She had severe pain with her infection plus significant corneal ulceration. Her pain never resolved and caused a great deal of stress. Three years later, she had a nerve stimulator implanted over the right supraorbital nerve, and it helped about 75% of her pain. While the nerve stimulator helped a lot of her pain, it required frequent setting adjustments. The residual pain was located in the distribution of her right infratrochlear nerve, which was over the medial canthus of her right eye and bridge of her nose on the right side. This residual pain was severe and was aggravated by temperature changes, barometric weather changes, bright lights, and by wind blowing on her face. It affected her daily life significantly.
Preliminary Design of Low-Energy, Low-Thrust Transfers to Halo Orbits Using Feedback Control

Calculating low-thrust trajectories that connect geocentric orbits to Earth-moon halo orbits involves designing the many-revolution thrust arc required to depart Earth vicinity. Existing methods ar...
Endometrial Histology of Mares from a Semi-Feral Pony Herd of Known Lifelong High Fertility and Fecundity

Abstract This study was conducted to better understand factors contributing to lifelong high fertility and fecundity in a herd of ponies kept under natural social organization and environmental conditions, where most fillies begin foaling as 2-year-olds and continue to foal annually as long as they remain in the herd. Endometrial biopsy samples were procured from 23 mares on Day 6 postpartum for histologic evaluation. Kenney classification as well as degrees of lymphocytic endometritis and periglandular fibrosis of mares aged 2–9 years (after one to eight pregnancies, n = 14) were compared with those of mares aged 10 years and older (after 9–14 pregnancies, n = 9). Periglandular fibrosis ranged from none to moderate. As expected postpartum, lymphocytic endometritis was reported as moderate for 22 mares. The one exception was reported as moderate to severe. Differences in the proportion of younger versus older mares with classifications of I, IIA, and IIB, the proportion of mares with greater than mild lymphocytic endometritis, and the proportion of mares with greater than mild periglandular fibrosis were not significant (Fisher’s exact tests, P > .10).
Factors predicting the time‐length variability of identically protocoled MRI exams

BACKGROUND Clinical variability in MRI exam durations can impede efficient MRI utilization. There is a paucity of data regarding the degree of variability of identically protocoled MRI studies and when nontechnological factors contribute to time-length variations in MRI exams. PURPOSE To measure the magnitude of variation in MRI exam duration for identically protocoled MRI exams and to identify potential contributors to variations in MRI exam times. STUDY TYPE Retrospective. SUBJECTS 2705 identically protocoled MRI examinations of the cervical spine without contrast, comprehensive stroke exams, and comprehensive brain examinations performed on adult patients from June 30, 2016 through June 30, 2017. ASSESSMENT MRI exam duration was obtained directly from the image data. Potential predictors for exam length variability were evaluated including patient age, patient gender, performing technologist, patient status (inpatient/outpatient/emergency department), MRI field strength, use of sedation, day of week, and the time of day. STATISTICAL TESTS Linear regression analysis was performed for each individual variable after correcting for the MRI exam type. A multivariate mixed model was generated to assess for independent associations between the predictors and exam duration. RESULTS There was substantial variability in the duration of the selected clinical MRI exams, with standard deviations (SDs) ranging between 19% and 29% of the mean exam length for each individual type of exam. The performing technologist was the most significant identified factor contributing to this variation in exam length; SD = 2.645 (P < 0.001). Compared with outpatient exams, inpatient exams required 4.18 minutes longer to complete (P < 0.001), and emergency department studies 1.86 minutes longer (P = 0.005). Male gender was associated with an additional 1.36 minutes of exam time (P < 0.001). DATA CONCLUSION Nontechnical factors are associated with substantial variation in MRI exam times. These variations can be predicted based on relatively simple clinical and demographic factors, with implications for MRI exam scheduling, protocol design, staff training, and workflow design. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4 Technical Efficacy: Stage 6 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019.
Symmetry in European Regional Folk Dress: A Multidisciplinary Analysis

Designs on folk dress form an expression of artistic import within a culture. A 2017 ethnomathematics paper to which the authors contributed concludes that the designs on European regional folk dre...
Speed and Studying: Gendered Pathways to Success

In an introductory Python programming course intended for non-majors with little prior CS experience, with 85 male and 108 female students, we were able to capture electronic traces of students' studying and problem-solving. There was no significant difference in final exam scores by gender but we found that female students spent 12.1 more hours studying over the semester while male students on average earned 2.7 more points per hour of solving problem set questions over the first half of the semester. We were able to capture their learning behavior because students studied using the Runestone interactive textbook and completed weekly problem sets in the same platform for the first half of the semester. We analyzed these logs to determine three quantities for each student. One is study time, as measured by total use of Runestone outside of weekly assignments. The second is speed, as measured by the number of points students earned per hour working on problem sets. The third is earliness, as measured by how far before the deadlines they worked on weekly assignments. We conclude that male students were faster at completing problem sets early in the semester but that female students found an alternative pathway to success.