cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transmission of Vesicular Stomatitis New Jersey Virus to Cattle by the Biting Midge Culicoides sonorensis (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

Laboratory-reared Culicoides sonorensis Wirth & Jones were infected with vesicular stomatitis virus serotype New Jersey (family Rhabdoviridae, genus Vesiculovirus, VSNJV) through intrathoracic inoculation. After 10-d incubation at 25 degrees C, these insects were allowed to blood feed on four steers. Two other steers were exposed to VSNJV through intralingual inoculation with 10(8) tissue culture infective dose50 VSNJV. All six steers became seropositive for VSNJV. The results demonstrate the ability of C. sonorensis to transmit VSNJV to livestock. Only the animals intralingually inoculated with VSNJV showed clinical signs in the form of vesicles at the site of inoculation. Uninfected C. sonorensis allowed to feed on the exposed animals did not become infected with VSNJV. Animals infected by C. sonorensis showed a slower antibody response compared with intralingually inoculated animals. This is probably because of different amounts of virus received via insect transmission and syringe inoculation. A significant difference was found in the serum acute-phase protein alpha-1-acid glycoprotein in animals that received VSNJV through C. sonorensis transmission. These animals had previously been exposed to insect attack in the field compared with intralingually inoculated animals and C. sonorensis-infected animals that had been protected from insect attack. The failure to observe clinical signs of vesicular stomatitis through transmission of VSNJV by C. sonorensis may explain widespread subclinical infections during vesicular stomatitis epidemics.
Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma presenting as diffuse and punctate cervical lymph node calcifications: sonographic features and utility of sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy

Objective The purpose of this series was to show the sonographic appearance of calcified cervical lymph nodes and the utility of sonographically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) in the setting of metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Methods Two cases of confirmed metastatic SCC to cervical lymph nodes were identified. Sonography and sonographically guided FNAB were performed in both cases with positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) correlation. Results In case 1, sonography identified a diffusely calcified, avascular cervical lymph node. Positron emission tomography/CT suggested granulomatous disease as a cause for hypermetabolism; however, sonographically guided FNAB identified metastatic SCC. In the second case, FNAB initially performed without sonographic guidance did not show malignancy. Subsequent FNAB with sonographic guidance identified an abnormal cervical lymph node with focal calcifications and internal color Doppler flow. Metastatic SCC was diagnosed on histopathologic examination. Subsequent PET/CT confirmed multiple punctate calcifications in a hypermetabolic lymph node. Conclusions Calcifications in cervical lymph nodes from metastatic SCC are very rare. These 2 cases show the variable sonographic appearances and the utility of sonographically guided FNAB in establishing the correct diagnosis.
Photoelectron Spectroscopy Measurements of the Valence Band Structures of C 60 Thin Films on Single Crystal Silicon and Polycrystalline Copper

We have used photoelectron spectroscopy to study possible modifications in the electronic valence band structures of thin films of C60 due to their deposition on single crystal silicon and polycrystalline copper. The C60 thin films were deposited by thermal evaporation under high vacuum and further characterized by using Raman spectroscopy. We observe significant differences in the valence band structures of C60 thin films deposited on these substrates and attribute them to interactions at the interface.
The beneficial effects of a gas-permeable flask for expansion of Tumor-Infiltrating lymphocytes as reflected in their mitochondrial function and respiration capacity

Adoptive transfer of autologous ex vivo expanded tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) is a highly successful cell therapy approach in the treatment of late-stage melanoma. Notwithstanding the success of this therapy, only very few centers worldwide can provide it. To make this therapy broadly available, one of the major obstacles to overcome is the complexity of culturing the TIL. Recently, major efforts have been deployed to resolve this issue. The use of the Gas-permeable flask (G-Rex) during the REP has been one application that has facilitated this process. Here we show that the use of this new device is able to rescue poor TIL growth and maintain clonal diversity while supporting an improved mitochondrial function.
Managing Customer Relationships under Competition: Punish or Reward Current Customers?

Companies spend enormous resources on customer relationship management (CRM), but there is no clear understanding on two seemingly simple, but critical questions: (1) Should firms reward or punish their current customers? (2) Can CRM be profitable in a competitive setting? While CRM practitioners are enthusiastic about its win-win potential for firms and customers, the extant theoretical literature on CRM-based pricing is not so sanguine. Much of the theoretical literature finds that CRM-based pricing "punishes" existing customers by giving better deals to the competitors' customers; worse CRM-based pricing leads to lower firm profits. In this paper, we present a unified model of CRM-based pricing that helps identify conditions under which to reward/punish current customers and when CRM can increase/decrease profits. We thus bridge the gap between the practitioner's optimism and the theorist's skepticism about CRM.
TPACKing: A constructivist framing of TPACK to analyze teachers' construction of knowledge

Abstract The Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) framework is a commonly used conceptual tool in studies that consider technology integration into classrooms. Although the framework identifies categories of knowledge, it is limited due to its static classification of knowledge. The proposed TPACKing framework instead uses TPACK as a starting point for analyzing a teacher's knowledge construction practice. This qualitative multiple-case study uses the active understanding of TPACKing to illuminate differences in the processes of teachers previously identified as having TPACK. Teachers' TPACKing processes were mediated by individual pursuit of technological knowledge, the inclusion (or exclusion) of information from contextual interactions, and the pedagogical assumptions in the technological tool. These findings point to the relevance of the TPACKing lens and its use in analyzing teacher practice. The focus on knowledge construction may be useful when working with in-service teachers to provide learning opportunities related to technology integration.
Stability and Competition in Multi-spike Models of Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity

Spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP) is a widespread plasticity mechanism in the nervous system. The simplest description of STDP only takes into account pairs of pre- and postsynaptic spikes, with potentiation of the synapse when a presynaptic spike precedes a postsynaptic spike and depression otherwise. In light of experiments that explored a variety of spike patterns, the pair-based STDP model has been augmented to account for multiple pre- and postsynaptic spike interactions. As a result, a number of different “multi-spike” STDP models have been proposed based on different experimental observations. The behavior of these models at the population level is crucial for understanding mechanisms of learning and memory. The challenging balance between the stability of a population of synapses and their competitive modification is well studied for pair-based models, but it has not yet been fully analyzed for multi-spike models. Here, we address this issue through numerical simulations of an integrate-and-fire model neuron with excitatory synapses subject to STDP described by three different proposed multi-spike models. We also analytically calculate average synaptic changes and fluctuations about these averages. Our results indicate that the different multi-spike models behave quite differently at the population level. Although each model can produce synaptic competition in certain parameter regions, none of them induces synaptic competition with its originally fitted parameters. The dichotomy between synaptic stability and Hebbian competition, which is well characterized for pair-based STDP models, persists in multi-spike models. However, anti-Hebbian competition can coexist with synaptic stability in some models. We propose that the collective behavior of synaptic plasticity models at the population level should be used as an additional guideline in applying phenomenological models based on observations of single synapses.
Methodological functionalism and the description of natural systems

AbstractThe primary way that explanations are constructed in cognitive psychology is by methodological functionalism: in short, functionally defined components are proposed in order to explain how inputs (i.e., stimuli from the environment) are turned into behavior. But despite its close association with cognitive psychology, methodological functionalism is a technique that can be used to describe any natural system. I look at how methodological functionalism has fared when used by other special sciences and what lessons can be learned from these cases. Three explanations of chemical and biological systems that were developed using methodological functionalism are examined: Willis’s (1684) explanation of fermentation, Farr’s (mid-1800s) explanation of cholera, and Mendel’s (mid-1800s) explanation of inheritance. The discovery of HIV in the early 1980s, an investigation that rejected methodological functionalism early on, is also discussed. The assessment of methodological functionalism is not positive. Th...
Abstract 3092: Deregulation of miR-10b in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone malignancy found in children and adolescents, but the underlying molecular pathogenesis is not yet well understood. Utilizing a genetically engineered mouse model of OS that faithfully recapitulates salient features of the human disease, we are able to examine potential molecular contributions, such as that of a class of small, regulatory RNAs called microRNAs (miRNAs), in the processes of tumor proliferation and tumor progression and/or metastasis. MiRNA expression profile of tumors isolated from primary and secondary (metastatic) tumor sites of the mouse model revealed significant differential expression of miRNAs between the two groups. MiR-10b was significantly down-regulated in metastatic tumors in comparison with their primary counterparts, and thus was hypothesized to play important roles in the process of metastatic progression and/or tumorigenesis. To determine its impact on invasiveness and/or proliferation of the tumor cells, miR-10b was re-expressed in metastatic cell lines and introduced through tail-vein or intramuscular injections into scid/nude mice. Quantitative analysis using a bioluminescence imaging system showed delayed metastatic progression, lessened pulmonary tumor burden, as well as decreased primary tumor size in animals injected with tumor cells over-expressing miR-10b as compared to the controls. These data suggest that miR-10b down-regulation contributes to the processes of metastasis and tumorigenesis in OS through altered interaction with its target genes. Currently, putative miR-10b gene targets generated by microarray and RNA-seq analysis are being validated to provide a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying miR-10b regulation in OS, and to facilitate the discovery of pathways amenable to manipulation with novel therapeutics. Citation Format: K. Amy Chen, Jordan P. Sand, Katherine A. Janeway, Stuart H. Orkin. Deregulation of miR-10b in osteosarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3092. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3092
Single Crystal ESR Studies of Transition metal (o-Benzene-Diselenolate) 2- [BDS] and (o-Benzenedithiolate) 2- [BDT] Complexes: Potential Synthetic Metal Precursors

Single crystal ESR studies of n-Bu4N[Ni(bds)2], n-Bu4N[Ni(bdt)2], and n-Bu4N[Cu(bds)2] and n-Bu4N[CQ(bdt)2] doped with 1 mole percent of nickel are reported as a function of crystal orientation relative to the magnetic field direction over the temperature range of 100-300 K. In addition, ESR studies of polycrystalline n-Bu4N[Cu(bds)2] and n- Bu4N[Cu(bdt)2] doped with 1 mole percent of nicxel, and of n- Bu4N[Co(bds)2] and n-Bu4N[Co(bdt)2] over the temperature range of 100-3 00 K are reported. The results are interpreted in terms of the crystal structures of the transition metal complexes known to date. The nature of the crystalline phase transition observed in n-Bu4N[Ni(bds)2] is described in greater detail, also.
Mass of Li 9

New precise determinations of the $^{9}\mathrm{Li}$ mass excess by observation of the $^{10}\mathrm{Be}(d, ^{3}\mathrm{He})^{9}\mathrm{Li}$ reaction and by analysis of $^{7}\mathrm{Li}(t, p)^{9}\mathrm{Li}$ data have yielded a value of 24.9554\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0020 MeV. This value, which is 10 keV lower than previous results, makes a significant reduction in the cubic coefficient of the isobaric multiplet mass equation for the $A=9$ ground state quartet. The new value of $d$, 5.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.5 keV, is considerably closer to theoretical estimates.
Association of anti-peptidyl arginine deiminase antibodies with radiographic severity of rheumatoid arthritis in African Americans

Evidence suggests that the presence of peptidyl arginine deiminase type 4 (PAD4) antibodies is associated with radiographic-severity rheumatoid arthritis (RA) among Caucasian patients. The presence of anti-PAD4 antibodies that were cross-reactivity against PAD3 was associated with more aggressive erosive disease (compared with the presence of anti-PAD4 antibodies without anti-PAD3 crossreactivity) in Caucasian RA patients. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of serum anti-PAD4 and anti-PAD4/PAD3 cross-reactive autoantibodies in African Americans with RA and whether these antibodies associate with radiographic severity and radiographic progression. Serum anti-PAD4 and anti-PAD4/PAD3 antibodies were measured by immunoprecipitation, and the temporal trends in titers were analyzed. We compared total radiographic scores among anti-PAD4-positive, anti-PAD4/PAD3-positive, and anti-PAD4-negative patients and used a zero-inflated negative binomial model to determine associations between radiographic severity and antibody status. Logistic regression was used to analyze radiographic progression. Of 192 African-American patients with RA, 73 % were anti-citrullinated peptide/protein antibody (ACPA)-positive, 46 out of 192 (24 %) of whom had serum anti-PAD4 antibodies. Median (interquartile range) total Sharp van der Heijde radiographic scores were 2 (1–97.5) in ACPA-positive patients and 0 (0–3) in ACPA-negative patients (P < 0.001). Of the 46 anti-PAD4-positive patients, 20 had anti-PAD4 antibodies that cross-reacted with PAD3. In patients with early RA, anti-PAD4 and anti-PAD4/PAD3 antibody titers increased over time (P = 0.006, P = 0.001, respectively). Median (interquartile range) total radiographic scores were higher for anti-PAD4-positive than for anti-PAD4-negative patients (3 (1–115) versus 2 (0–11), respectively; P = 0.005). Median (interquartile range) total radiographic score for anti-PAD4/PAD3-positive patients was 76 (3–117) (P < 0.001) versus anti-PAD4-negative patients. Only anti-PAD4/PAD3 antibodies associated with radiographic severity (incidence rate ratio = 2.81; 95 % confidence interval 1.23, 6.43). This analysis suggests that autoantibodies against PAD4 and PAD3 proteins may serve as biomarkers for identifying African-American patients with RA and higher radiographic severity.
Factors associated with perceived donation-related financial burden among living kidney donors.

The perception of living kidney donation-related financial burden affects willingness to donate and the experience of donation, yet no existing tools identify donors who are at higher risk of perceived financial burden. We sought to identify characteristics that predicted higher risk of perceived financial burden. We surveyed 51 living kidney donors (LKDs) who donated from 01/2015 to 3/2016 about socioeconomic characteristics, predonation cost concerns, and perceived financial burden. We tested associations between both self-reported and ZIP code-level characteristics and perceived burden using Fisher's exact test and bivariate modified Poisson regression. Donors who perceived donation-related financial burden were less likely to have an income above their ZIP code median (14% vs. 72%, P = .006); however, they were more likely than donors who did not perceive burden to rent their home (57% vs. 16%, P = .03), have an income <$60 000 (86% vs. 20%, P = .002), or have had predonation cost concerns (43% vs. 7%, P = .03). Perceived financial burden was 3.6-fold as likely among those with predonation cost concerns and 10.6-fold as likely for those with incomes <$60 000. Collecting socioeconomic characteristics and asking about donation-related cost concerns prior to donation might allow transplant centers to target financial support interventions toward potential donors at higher risk of perceiving donation-related financial burden.
When i’m right you’re wrong: attitude correctness facilitates anger and approach motivation toward opposing individuals

Attitude correctness and attitude clarity define the broader concept, attitude certainty. Repeating one’s attitude to oneself causes attitude clarity, while learning that the majority of others agr...
Knowledge of ACR Thoracic Imaging Appropriateness Criteria® among Trainees: One Institution's Experience

Rationale and Objectives Providing evidence-based appropriate imaging potentially increases diagnostic yield and prevents unnecessary imaging. The American College of Radiology's (ACR) evidence-based Appropriateness Criteria ® (ACR-AC) were developed to provide imaging guidelines given various clinical scenarios. The goal of this study was to evaluate the knowledge level of the appropriate thoracic imaging study to be performed, given a clinical scenario. Methods An online survey comprising 20 multiple-choice questions was developed on the basis of excerpts from the ACR-AC for thoracic imaging. The survey was piloted and invitations were sent out to resident trainees in radiology ( n = 32), medicine ( n = 119), and surgery ( n = 40) and to pulmonary and critical medicine fellows ( n = 16). Results Sixty-nine trainees (33%) completed the survey. The trainees among those who completed the survey included 14 (20%) in radiology, 32 (46%) in medicine, eight (12%) in surgery, and 15 (22%) in pulmonary and critical medicine. Of the 69 trainees, most were male ( n = 47 [68%]), aged 25 to 35 years ( n = 65 [94%]), and in postgraduate years 1 to 3 ( n = 44 [64%]). The overall median and percentage number of correct responses were 13 (interquartile range [IQR], 11–15) and 65% ( n = 44), respectively. As would be expected, radiology residents performed better, with a median number of correct responses of 15 (IQR, 11–16) compared to 10 (IQR, 9–12) for medicine trainees, nine (IQR, 9–12) for surgery trainees, and 13 (IQR, 12–15) for pulmonary and critical medicine trainees. There was an increase in the median number of correct responses with years of training, ranging from 10 for postgraduate year 1 to 12 for postgraduate year 6. Conclusions This study shows an opportunity to increase the awareness of the ACR-AC. Increasing the awareness of the ACR-AC among trainees will likely increase their use in practice and ultimately improve patient care.
Gaussian Integrals and the Rogers-Ramanujan Identities

It is well known that the Fourier transform of a Gaussian is a Gaussian. In this paper it is shown that a q-analogue of this integral gives the Rogers-Ramanujan identities.
Allergens of hymenopteran venoms.

Venoms of the Hymenoptera are mixtures of several antigens with nonimmunogenic small peptides and vasoactive amines. Limited local toxicity occurs with stings; systemic reactions to venoms are mediated by IgE antibodies and can be prevented by immunization with the appropriate venom. Skin testing with venoms detects the sensitized state, and a positive test predicts a 50 to 60% risk of an allergic response to a future sting. Because considerable cross-reactivity exists between vespid venom allergens, choice of correct venom(s) for immunotherapy will not always be indicated by skin-testing with whole, unfractionated venom. Further efforts at skin testing with individual venom antigens may help to resolve problems regarding choice of venoms for immunotherapy.
Tumor-derived mesenchymal stem cells in human gliomas: Isolation and biological effects

3787 We have shown recentlly that exogenously delivered bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (BM-hMSCs) specifically localize to human gliomas after intravascular delivery ( Nakamizo et al. Cancer Res 65:330, 2005 ). This finding raises the possibility that endogenous BM-hMSCs may be recruited into gliomas during tumorigenesis and may contribute to the physiological growth of brain tumors in situ, i.e. in patients. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that endogenous hMSC-like cells can be isolated from human gliomas from patients and that hMSCs alter the biological properties of gliomas. Surgical specimens from 40 patients with gliomas (26 grade IV, 17 grade III, 7 grade II ) were cultured according to the same protocol used for culturing BM-hMSCs. In 29 cases (73%) we isolated cells (called Tumor-Derived hMSCs, TD-hMSCs) that met all the criteria of BM-hMSCs, including 1) adherent growth as spindle cells in culture, 2) appropriate surface markers (i.e. CD34-, CD38-, CD45-, CD105+, CD73+, CD90+), and 3) capacity to differentiate along adipogenic, osteogenic, and chondrogenic pathways. All cells were CD133- indicating that they were distinct from classic glioma cancer stem cells (CD133+). To determine the extent to which TD-hMSCs were recruited from the circulation, blood from 12 patients with gliomas was analyzed for CD105 cells. Whereas the median %CD105 cells in normal volunteers was 10%, the %CD105 cells in patients with gliomas was significantly higher (median 25%, P in vitro and in vivo mixing experiments. 3) Western analyses show that TD-hMSCs express mesenchymal proteins, particularly YKL-40, which is known to mediate radio-resistance. 4) ELISA assays of immuno-modulatory proteins show that TD-hMSCs (N=7) express high levels of immunosuppressive proteins, e.g. TGF-beta, whereas cancer stem cells (CD133+) (N=4) do not. We conclude that cells similar to BM-hMSCs can be isolated from human gliomas and that these TD-hMSCs may be recruited from the circulation. Although not tumorigenic, TD-hMSCs appear to contribute to the glioma phenotype by increasing the proliferation of glioma cells, expressing mesenchymal proteins, and enhancing immunosuppression. These recruited TD-hMSCs may represent an important, new target for therapy.
The stromatoporoid Habrostroma in the upper Silurian (uppermost Pridoli)–Lower Devonian (Lochkovian) of North America, and the paleobiogeographic significance of H. centrotum (Girty, 1895)Stock and Burry-Stock—Uppermost Silurian–Lower Devonian stromatoporoidsJournal of Paleontology

Three species of Habrostroma dominate stromatoporoid faunas in the Lower Devonian (Lochkovian) of five areas in North America: New York, Virginia, Maine, Bathurst Island, and Ellesmere Island. In addition, they occur in what could be the upper Silurian (uppermost Pridoli) of Virginia, and possibly New York. Measurements of nine morphologies from 127 specimens of Habrostroma were subjected to an average linkage cluster analysis. Using average linkage between groups, three distinct clusters were revealed. Group assignments made from the cluster analysis were saved, and entered into a canonical discriminant analysis with the nine morphological variables. An overall Wilks’ lambda was calculated, and is statistically significant at alpha <0.001. The hit rate for classifying group 1 is 98%, that for group 2 is 100%, and that for group 3 is 97.9%; the total hit rate is 100%. The morphological variables contributing most to group membership are: (1) percent cystlike microlaminae, (2) microlaminae per mm, (3) gallery height, (4) laminae per mm, and (5) laminar thickness. The statistics confirm that there are three species: H. centrotum, H. microporum, and H. consimile.Habrostroma centrotum occurs in all five areas. This is unusual because Virginia, New York, and Maine are part of the Eastern Americas Realm, and the arctic islands are part of the Old World Realm. Separation of the realms is based on a high percentage of unique genera in each. A breach in the inter-realm barrier is proposed to have existed across the Canadian Shield during the Lochkovian. The nature of the breach is determined to be a shallow-water filter, allowing the passage of a limited number of taxa.
A virome sequencing approach to feline oral squamous cell carcinoma to evaluate viral causative factors

Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC) may be the best naturally-occurring model of human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). HNSCC can be broadly divided into human papillomavirus (HPV)-negative cancers and HPV-positive cancers where HPV is the causative agent. Previous studies in FOSCC have used both species-specific and species-nonspecific PCR primers that may be insensitive to the detection of PVs and other viruses that may be divergent from known sequences. ViroCap is a targeted capture and next generation sequencing tool that was designed to identify all known vertebrate DNA and RNA viruses. In this study we used a metagenomic approach using ViroCap for DNA viruses in 20 FOSCC, 9 normal feline oral mucosal, and 8 suspected PV positive control samples. We tested the hypothesis that viruses would be enriched in FOSCC compared to normal oral mucosa. The virome of the FOSCC and normal feline oral mucosa consisted of feline foamy virus in 7/20 and 2/9 (35% and 22%), feline torque teno virus in 2/20 and 0/9 (10% and 0%), alphaherpesvirus in 2/10 and 0/9 (10% and 0%), FIV (0% and 22%), Epstein-Barr virus in 1/20 and 0/9 (5% and 0%) and feline papillomavirus in 1/20 and 0/9 samples (5% and 0% respectively). Felis catus papillomavirus-3 was found in 1 of 20 FOSCC samples. A virus was not associated consistently with FOSCC. If PVs have a role in FOSCC it is at most a supplementary or uncommon role. FOSCC appears most closely related to HPV-negative HNSCC. Future research on FOSCC should focus on identifying genetic and environmental causes.
DeVos: A learning-based delay model of voltage-scaled circuits: work-in-progress

Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) is a typical method to reduce energy consumption of circuits. However, it may cause timing errors if the frequency is not set properly under scaled voltages. To alleviate this issue, this paper proposes DeVos, a supervised learning model that can predict dynamic delay of voltage-scaled circuits based on their input workload. We measure the dynamic delay using switching activity generated through gate-level simulation of a post place-and-route design in TSMC 45nm process. We then look for features in the input data that influence dynamic path sensitization. Using these features we apply random forest to construct a predictive model trained and tested using random data. Across a wide range of voltage levels, DeVos achieves on average a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of less than 5%. To our best knowledge, DeVos is the first dynamic delay model of voltage-scaled circuits and can be used to enable accurate dynamic voltage and frequency scaling.
Use of Continuous Infusions of Eptifibatide and Cangrelor in Large Vessel Occlusion Acute Ischemic Stroke After Emergent Carotid Artery Stenting

Placement of carotid stents in the setting of large vessel occlusion (LVO) is sometimes necessary in patients with steno-occlusive disease of the extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) or ICA dissection. Use of antiplatelet agents is required to prevent in-stent thrombosis; however, after an LVO, a decompressive hemicraniectomy may be necessary. After placement of a carotid stent, a fine balance must be obtained between preventing stent-related thromboembolic complications while also maintaining the possibility of quickly and safely performing a decompressive hemicraniectomy, if indicated. In this case, we discuss the novel use of continuous eptifibatide and cangrelor infusions after carotid stent placement to maintain stent patency, while preserving the option of emergent hemicraniectomy. A 55-year-old man presented with left hemispheric ischemic symptoms due to flow failure from a left ICA dissection. He underwent emergent angiography with angioplasty and stenting of the petrous and ascending cervical segments of the left ICA. The procedure was complicated by an embolization of thrombus to a left middle cerebral artery (MCA) M2 division branch, resulting in an occlusion, which could not be opened. The patient was placed on short acting intravenous antiplatelet agents (eptifibatide infusion for 60 h and cangrelor infusion for 24 h) for prevention of in-stent thrombosis while under close observation for potential neurologic decline and need for decompressive hemicraniectomy. After 84 h of observation, the patient did not experience a decline and the antiplatelet infusions were discontinued after he received aspirin and a loading dose of clopidogrel. Intravenous eptifibatide or cangrelor infusions are short-acting antiplatelet options that can be used in patients with acute ischemic stroke from LVO in the setting of ICA stent placement when there exists a potential for decompressive hemicraniectomy. J Neurol Res. 2020;10(3):99-103 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jnr591
Delivering bad news in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Proposal of a specific technique ALS ALLOW

Abstract Purpose of Review: Physician communication skills are a critical part of care for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients and caregivers. They shape the development of autonomy and quality of life, and they mitigate emotional trauma. Communication skills are especially critical at two different time points in the course of disease: early when delivering and establishing the diagnosis, and later when clarifying goals of care. Recent Findings: Several techniques for physician communication of difficult information are available, including SPIKES, ABCDE, and BREAKS. These emphasize the physician’s accountability and responsibility for communicating effectively. Formal training in these techniques is limited and their applicability specifically to ALS is inexact. Summary: We propose an ALS-specific technique which we call ALS ALLOW to guide physicians in conducting difficult communications with ALS patients and caregivers to develop their understanding, establish autonomy, set goals, and mitigate emotional trauma. The techniques are useful in discussions both early and late stages in disease.
Successful Research-Practitioner Partnerships: Empirical Research in Honor of Joan Petersilia

Special Issue EditorThe goal of this special issue is to honor the legacy of Dr. Joan Petersilia, a policy and practitioner-oriented corrections and sentencing researcher of world renown, whom the ...
Protein-Functionalized Poly(ethylene glycol) Hydrogels as Scaffolds for Monolayer Organoid Culture.

Stem cell-derived, organotypic in vitro models, known as organoids, have emerged as superior alternatives to traditional cell culture models due to their unparalleled ability to recreate complex ph...
Wireless Temperature Monitoring With Shape Memory Alloy-Based Antenna

Economical sensing and recording of temperature are important in the transportation and management of fragile goods such as medicine, fish/poultry, and other temperature-sensitive items. Existing approaches measure the entire temperature profile using electronic devices running on a continuous power source. This letter presents a simple, intelligent, and battery-free solution for capturing interesting temperature events using the natural thermo-mechanical state of a shape memory alloy (SMA). Our approach utilizes the temperature variation induced irreversible configuration of SMA, which provides a natural ability to capture the temperature history without the need for electronic data logging. In this letter, SMA is used to record the threshold temperature violation event. A prototype antenna is shown to monitor the temperature at 30 $^\circ$ C with a $\pm$ 1 $^\circ$ C error. A difference of 17 dB in frequency response was observed with and without temperature violation. Detailed design and experimental studies have been performed to validate the proposed approach.
Pulmonary Wild Type TTR Amyloidosis in a Post Orthotopic Heart Transplant Patient

Introduction In patients with systemic amyloidosis with pulmonary involvement, the most common amyloid subtype is thought to be light chain (AL) amyloidosis. However, retrospective studies have shown wild-type ATTR (wtATTR) deposits to be an incidental finding at autopsy in 14% of patients despite being rarely symptomatic. Case Report A 70-year-old male presents with progressive NYHA II symptoms and worsening bilateral lower extremity neuropathy nearly three years following orthotopic heart transplantation for wtATTR cardiac amyloidosis. As the donor was low risk, his immediate post-operative course was uncomplicated save for mild coronary allograft vasculopathy and hypertriglyceridemia. Initial workup of his dyspnea revealed normal biventricular function. Given his history of amyloidosis, repeat cardiac biopsy was performed and failed to show evidence of amyloid deposition. A PYP scan was similarly performed without suggestion of cardiac involvement. After failing to improve clinically despite two rounds of antibiotics, he underwent a chest CT demonstrating a new left lower lobe ground-glass opacification with tree-in-bud nodules and PFTs showing mild obstructive disease. Follow-up bronchoscopy with endobronchial biopsy was without evidence of infection, sirolimus-related pneumonitis, or malignancy but curiously did reveal evidence of wtATTR, confirmed by mass spectroscopy. Summary At the present time, wtATTR stabilizers such as tafamidis are not approved in the United States for pulmonary wtATTR amyloidosis nor for amyloid-related polyneuropathy. It remains unknown whether his presenting symptoms are attributable to the wtATTR amyloid infiltrate. One must wonder whether treatment of his pulmonary wtATTR using off-label tafamidis would translate into symptomatic improvement and potentially improve his quality (and perhaps even quantity) of life.
Machine learning and descriptor selection for the computational discovery of metal-organic frameworks

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), crystalline materials with high internal surface area and pore volume, have demonstrated great potential for many applications. In the past decade, as large number ...
Evaluation of potential COVID-19 recurrence in patients with late repeat positive SARS-CoV-2 testing.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 reinfection and reactivation has mostly been described in case reports. We therefore investigated the epidemiology of recurrent COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2. METHODS: Among patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2 between March 11 and July 31, 2020 within an integrated healthcare system, we identified patients with a recurrent positive SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay ≥60 days after an initial positive test. To assign an overall likelihood of COVID-19 recurrence, we combined quantitative data from initial and recurrent positive RT-PCR cycle thresholds-a value inversely correlated with viral RNA burden- with a clinical recurrence likelihood assigned based on independent, standardized case review by two physicians. "Probable" or "possible" recurrence by clinical assessment was confirmed as the final recurrence likelihood only if a cycle threshold value obtained ≥60 days after initial testing was lower than its preceding cycle threshold or if the patient had an interval negative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Among 23,176 patients testing positive for SARS-CoV-2, 1,301 (5.6%) had at least one additional SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCRs assay ≥60 days later. Of 122 testing positive, 114 had sufficient data for evaluation. The median interval to the recurrent positive RT-PCR was 85.5 (IQR 74-107) days. After combining clinical and RT-PCR cycle threshold data, four patients (3.5%) met criteria for probable COVID-19 recurrence. All four exhibited symptoms at recurrence and three required a higher level of medical care compared to their initial diagnosis. After including six additional patients (5.3%) with possible recurrence, recurrence incidence was 4.3 (95% CI 2.1-7.9) cases per 10,000 COVID-19 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Only 0.04% of all COVID-19 patients in our health system experienced probable or possible recurrence; 90% of repeat positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCRs were not consistent with true recurrence. Our pragmatic approach combining clinical and quantitative RT-PCR data could aid assessment of COVID-19 reinfection or reactivation by clinicians and public health personnel.
Book Review- Braid of Feathers: American Indian Law and Contemporary Tribal Life by Frank Pommersheim

Frank Pommersheim’s Braid of Feathers: American Indian Law and Contemporary Indian Life offers a thoughtful invitation and a skillful guide into the largely uncharted terrain where federal Indian law meets tribal Indian law. Although of broad scope, including some insightful generalizations about the politics and economics of the American West, the book hones in on the courts of Indian tribes as the meeting place, as “the frontline tribal institutions that most often confront issues of self- determination and sovereignty.” Simply, the book should be read by anyone practicing or even remotely interested in the field of federal Indian law.
Gender as a Primary Equalizer in Plural Societies: The Constitutional Right to Equality as a Model of Harm Reduction Across Ethnicities

Democratic power sharing in ethnically diverse societies needs to accommodate not only ethnic identity, but also gender equality. This article critiques Arend Lijphart’s Consociational power sharing scheme on the ground that it views ethnicity as a monolith by ignoring the internal gender hierarchies within such groups. The potential capacity of the right to equality to recognize the legal enforceability of gender equality and act as a unifying Constitutional principle across ethnicities is therefore explored in this paper. The author lays emphasis in this paper on the need to address what is termed as ‘the problem in multicultural societies’ through a harm reduction model, which is –intra-cultural governance through Constitutional devices in order to achieve solidarity across ethnicities, which is a theory of democratic Constitutional roles. Emphasis is laid on the need to address what I term as the Multicultural Trilogy that is common to multiethnic societies –that is the issue of monolithic ethnicity which is self governance of cultures where there is no Constitutional representation of inter-ethnic overlapping identities like gender, the necessity for inter-ethnic solidarity through gender quotas and the necessity for intra- cultural governance through the right to equality which is a harm reduction model. One of the current problems is that Modern Constitutions demand that cultural rights be maintained through Constitutional roles of People, but to what extent inequality in cultural practices such as forms of neo-colonial oppression exist as an inequal thing in governance needs to be investigated along with how to achieve equality in consumption across ethnicities to realize solidarity. It needs to be commented that this Essay on Development can be read with prior reading in Feminist Legal theory, Multiculturalism, Microeconomics and Comparative Constitutional Law.
Heterogeneous SoCs

SoCs have benefitted immensely from the >1000× linear scaling of Silicon. However, interconnecting die on PCBs has not scaled appreciably in the last several decades and we have had to rely on complex power hungry serializers and deserializers. That is changing now and we show that it can have significant impact on the way we design and integrate complex systems as well as their performance. At UCLA, we have been developing a Simple Universal Parallel IntERface (Super) for the heterogeneous integration of diverse hard IP. Such methods promise to reduce the NRE by 10–20× and reduce the time to market from a few years to a few months, potentially democratizing the chip design and system integration business.
Travels in the Interior Districts of Africa

Park’s work in Sumatra had impressed Banks who was interested in promoting African exploration. In 1794, Banks presented Park with the opportunity to discover the course of the Niger River. The prospect of a “great river” that lay beyond the vast desert in northern Africa excited Europeans for many years. Park was instructed to get to the Niger by the most expeditious route and explore its course, from its point of origin to its terminus, by visiting the major towns and cities located in the vicinity, especially Timbuctoo. When Park was captured by Ali, a cruel tyrant, he was humiliated while imprisoned in Ali’s camp in Benown. While Ali was distracted by an attack from a former ally, Park escaped but without the rest of his possessions, except his compass and horse. Park was able to set a course, east-southeast, south of the route he had taken going across Ludamar, prior to his capture. Barely able to slake his thirst or give his weary horse enough water to keep going in the arid conditions of Ludamar, Park finally reached the greener territory of Segu. He received better treatment in villages along his route, receiving enough food and drink so he was able to go at a fairly brisk pace, averaging close to 30 miles a day. At a small village, Park learned from the locals that the Niger was nearby. On or about July 21st, 1796, Park arrived at the Niger, the great object of his journey. Park proceeded down the Niger along the northern bank, likely by horseback and foot. After learning that another tribe of people (the Maniana) were cannibals, and because he already was in a feverish state, he decided to return to the region of Gambia and then home. He reached Falmouth in Devon on December 22nd, 1797, after being away from England for over two and a half years. People had given him up for dead or at least lost with little hope of survival. Upon his return to England, Park was greeted as a hero for his miraculous survival.
Three Fundamentals of the Biological Genetic Algorithm

Evolutionary computing began by lifting ideas from biological evolutionary theory into computer science, and continues to look toward new biological research findings for inspiration. However, an over enthusiastic ‘biology envy’ can only be to the detriment of both disciplines by masking the broader potential for two-way intellectual traffic of shared insights and analogizing from one another. Three fundamental features of biological evolution illustrate the potential range of intellectual flow between the two communities: particulate genes carry some subtle consequences for biological evolution that have not yet translated mainstream EC; the adaptive properties of the genetic code illustrate how both communities can contribute to a common understanding of appropriate evolutionary abstractions; finally, EC exploration of representational language seems pre-adapted to help biologists understand why life evolved a dichotomy of genotype and phenotype.
The Witness Security Program: Becoming Imperceptible in the Relocation Matrix

How are relocated witnesses in the US federal witness security program equipped to “hide in plain sight” and remain untraceable? Two models of social identity combine to account for this—social role play (Goffman) and performativity (Butler, Barad, Braidotti)—as an immanent process of “becoming-imperceptible.”
Taxing consumption to finance reduced emissions : An alternative pollution control

Abstract The alternative of direct governmental control of pollution caused by production, financed by taxes on the good that is produced is compared to the system of effluent charges. The former is found to be superior in some cases. The case of random demand for output is also discussed.
Isolated chylopericardium. Lymphographic findings and surgical treatment.

An occurrence of isolated chylopericardium in a 27 year old man is described. The asymptomatic nature of this disease in some patients is emphasized to reveal the chronic course of the process. No cause was found for the development of the chylopericardium. However, lymphangiography of the lower limbs demonstrated the communication between the branches of the thoracic duct and the pericardial sac and the point of obstruction of the thoracic duct at the level of the fistulous communication. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a communication between the lymphatic vessels of the thoracic cavity and the pericardium associated with the development of chylopericardium. External drainage of the pericardial sac by means of a pericardial window using the subxyphoid route resulted in complete relief of the pericardial effusion. No recurrence of the chylopericardium was observed in this patient up to 8 months after the external drainage.
Experimental Evaluation of the Feedforward Compensation and Computed-Torque Control Schemes

This paper presents the experimental results of the real-time performance of model-based control algorithms. We compare the computed-torque control scheme with the feedforward dynamics compensation scheme. The feedforward scheme compensates for the manipulator dynamics in the feedforward path while the computed-torque scheme uses the dynamics in the feedback loop for linearization and decoupling. The manipulator control schemes have been implemented on the CMU DD Arm II with a sampling period of 2 ms.