cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pharmacological concentrations of recombinant factor VIIa restore hemostasis independent of tissue factor in antibody-induced hemophilia mice.

UNLABELLED ESSENTIALS: The role of tissue factor (TF) in recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) therapy in hemophilia is unclear. An acquired mouse hemophilia model with very low or normal levels of human TF was used in the study. rFVIIa is equally effective in correcting the bleeding in mice expressing low or normal levels of TF. Pharmacological doses of rFVIIa restore hemostasis in hemophilia independent of TF. SUMMARY BACKGROUND Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) has been used widely for treating hemophilia patients with inhibitory autoantibodies against factor VIII or IX. Its mechanism of action is not entirely known. A majority of in vitro studies suggested that pharmacological concentrations of rFVIIa restore hemostasis in hemophilia in a phospholipid-dependent manner, independent of tissue factor (TF). However, a few studies suggested that a TF-dependent mechanism has a primary role in correction of bleeding by rFVIIa in hemophilia patients. Here, we investigated the potential contribution of TF in rFVIIa-induced hemostasis in hemophilia employing a model system of FVIII antibody-induced hemophilia in TF transgenic mice. METHODS Mice expressing low levels of human TF (LTF mice), mice expressing relatively high levels of human TF (HTF mice) and wild-type mice (WT mice) had neutralizing anti-FVIII antibodies administered in order to induce hemophilia in these mice. The mice were then treated with varying concentrations of rFVIIa. rFVIIa-induced hemostasis was evaluated with the saphenous vein bleeding model. RESULTS Administration of FVIII inhibitory antibodies induced the hemophilic bleeding phenotype in all three genotypes. rFVIIa administration rescued the bleeding phenotype in all three genotypes. No significant differences were observed in rFVIIa-induced correction of bleeding between LTF and HTF mice that had FVIII antibodies administered. CONCLUSIONS Our results provide strong evidence supporting the suggestion that the hemostatic effect of pharmacological doses of rFVIIa stems from a TF-independent mechanism.
Fluvial geomorphology and aquatic‐to‐terrestrial Hg export are weakly coupled in small urban streams of Columbus, Ohio

Although mercury (Hg) contamination is common in stream ecosystems, mechanisms governing bioavailability and bioaccumulation in fluvial systems remain poorly resolved as compared to lentic systems. In particular, streams in urbanized catchments are subject to fluvial geomorphic alterations that may contribute to Hg distribution, bioaccumulation, and export across the aquatic-to-terrestrial boundary. In 12 streams of urban Columbus, Ohio, we investigated the influence of fluvial geomorphic characteristics related to channel geometry, streamflow, and sediment size and distribution on (1) Hg concentrations in sediment and body burdens in benthic larval and adult emergent aquatic insects and (2) aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant transfer to common riparian spiders of the families Pisauridae and Tetragnathidae via changes in aquatic insect Hg body burdens as well as in aquatic insect density and community composition. Hydrogeomorphic characteristics were weakly related to Hg body burdens in emergent insects (channel geometry) and tetragnathid spiders (streamflow), but not to Hg concentrations in sediment or benthic insects. Streamflow characteristics were also related to emergent insect density, while wider channels were associated with benthic insect community shifts toward smaller-bodied and more tolerant taxa (e.g., Chironomidae). Thus, our results provide initial evidence that fluvial geomorphology may influence aquatic-to-terrestrial contaminant Hg transfer through the collective effects on emergent insect body burdens as well as on aquatic insect community composition and abundance.
Representación de la «ansiedad masculina» como discurso de santidad en Teresa de Cartagena

The medieval writer Teresa de Cartagena was the first Castilian writer who bequeathed us two complete works: Arboleda los enfermos and Admiracion operum Dey. Because of the complexity of her first work, critics who have researched Teresa still debate her intellectual and spiritual paths. In this article, I will dedicate a space to argue against the scholars who consider Teresa a mystic. Although Teresa used a language that appears mystic, the ambiguity of her discourse on sanctity lay in the lack of discursive tools, and that helped her cope in a misogynist society. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to develop and justify what it meant for a woman of that time to access the public space through writing. From this point of view, we can disregard the consideration of Teresa as a mystic or a saint, and focus on her circumstance as an intellectual writer. My observation will take in to account the importance of the articulation of the anxious masculinity, defined by Mark Breitenberg as a state that allows the construction of identities due to an adverse personal experience. In this sense, we understand this term as the internal transformation caused by the tension of the endemic patriarchal society displayed in Teresa’s works as symptoms of ambiguity.
Pathology of Labial Salivary Gland Cellular Aggregates in Sjögren's Syndrome

Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disease in which lymphocytic infiltration of the lacrimal and salivary glands is the hallmark of disease diagnosis. The present study was conducted to identify developmental features of labial salivary gland histopathology to permit earlier diagnosis of SS patients with borderline biopsies. Control subjects were chosen on the basis of clinical presentation consistent with SS, but whose biopsies did not meet current focus score criteria. Intraglandular connective tissue and diffuse cellular infiltration were significantly greater in SS patients than in controls. Glands in both groups had small cellular aggregates (10 to 50 cells/100 microns2), but those in SS patients were more numerous, larger, and contained more lymphocytes, plasma cells, and active fibroblasts. The large inflammatory foci characteristic of SS appeared to be formed by the enlargement and merging of these aggregates. This suggested aggregate formation was the earliest stage of pathology. Therefore, a comprehensive analysis of these cellular aggregates in borderline or negative biopsies could identify at-risk patients and lead to earlier diagnosis and intervention in the disease.
Robust Organometallic Gold Nanoparticles

Robust gold–carbon nanoparticles were synthesized by the sodium borohydride reduction of the diazonium tetrachloroaurate(III) complex [C8F17-4-C6H4N≡N]AuCl4. FT-IR, 1H NMR, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of the ruby red gold nanoparticles indicated the absence of the diazonium nitrogen and the presence of the organic shell C8F17-4-C6H4. Temperature-dependent X-ray powder diffraction (TD-XRD) measurements showed intense cubic gold nanoparticle diffraction patterns in the temperature range 300–500 °C. The effective hydrodynamic size measured by a nanoparticle track analyzer (NTA) in ethanol is 45 nm, and the average core size estimated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is 3.2 ± 0.2 nm. The core–shell bonding is strong and is able to withstand prolonged sonication in ethanol and acetonitrile and indefinite exposure to ambient conditions in the solid state.
Exploring electrochemical windows of room-temperature ionic liquids: a computational study.

Room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) are regarded as green solvents due to their low volatility, low flammability, and thermal stability. RTILs exhibit wide electrochemical windows, making them prime candidates as media for electrochemically driven reactions such as electro-catalysis and electro-plating for separations applications. Therefore, understanding the factors determining edges of the electrochemical window, the electrochemical stability of the RTILs, and the degradation products is crucial to improve the efficiency and applicability of these systems. We present here computational investigations of the electrochemical properties of a variety of RTILs covering a wide range of electrochemical windows. We proposed four different approaches with different degrees of approximation and computational cost from gas-phase calculations to full explicit solvation models. It was found that, whereas the simplest model has significant flaws in accuracy, implicit and explicit solvent models can be used to rel...
A Statistical Study about the Development of the Medial Longitudinal Arch of Infant Foot

The medial longitudinal arch of the 331 feet of 166 infants between the ages of one year and five years were radiologically examined. They were radiographed in the standing position.Talo-calcaneal angle and talo-1st metatarsal angle were measured in the anteroposterior projection, whereas talo-calcaneal angle, talo-1st metatarsal angle and calcaneal angle were measured in the lateral projection.The result indicates that the medial longituinal arch of the foot rises progressively between one and five years.
Increased expression of lung resistance-related protein and multidrug resistance-associated protein messenger RNA in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Immunophenotype might be an important indicator for multidrug resistance (MDR) profiles in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The authors analyzed the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of MDR1, multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP), and lung resistance-related protein (LRP) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in childhood pre-B ALL, T-cell ALL, and acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL). Results showed that MRP and LRP, but not MDR1, mRNAs are overexpressed, particularly in children with pre-B ALL compared with T-cell ALL and ANLL tested. In addition, the MRP and LRP mRNA expression levels in initial diagnosis and first relapse samples of one patient with pre-B ALL were similar. Consequently, these preliminary results suggest that the expression of these MDR-related genes in childhood ALL might be regulated differently in a lineage dependent manner.
Synthesis and Performance of Dendrimer Polyamidoamine

A series of 1.0～3.0 G dendrimers (PAMAM) have been synthesized by divergent method with ethylenediamine as core. The structure of PAMAM has been characterized by IR, NMR, terminal analysis. The surface activity of their aqueous solution and their solubilization to water insoluble salicylic acid have been investigated. The results are as follows: PAMAM of half-generation possesses certain surface activity, while PAMAM of integer-generation possesses hardly any surface activity. The surface activity of PAMAM aqueous solution is related to their terminal groups. PAMAM have certain solubilization on water insoluble salicylic acid. The solubilization magnitude increases with the build-up of PAMAM mass concentration or generation, and their solubilizing pattern is different from that of traditional surfactant.
Outcome of CPAP treatment on intimate and sexual relationships in men with obstructive sleep apnea.

Study Objectives:To examine intimate and sexual relationships in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the association with daytime sleepiness, and the change in these outcomes with continuo...
TUBERCULOSIS : Recent progress in basic immunity and vaccine development

Tuberculosis continues to be the most prevalent cause of death from an infectious agent globally, and its interaction with HIV is having devastating effects, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over the past decade, my laboratory has developed small animal models of pulmonary infection, which have revealed new information regarding the nature of acquired immunity, and subsequent immunopathology, in the lungs. We propose that cell mediated immunity comprises two separate elements; protective immunity, driven by IL-12 and IFN; and DTH, mediated by TNF and driven by chemokines. The generation of a CD4 response is critical to both processes, but other cells are also involved in the overall control of the infection. These include gamma delta T cells, which we believe control the inflammatory influx of cells; CD4+ NK cells, which may play a role in focussing lymphocytes into lung granulomas; and CD8 T cells, which play a currently undefined role after initial expression of immunity and establishment of chronic disease in the lungs has ensued. Complex interactions between these populations of cells appear to control the influx of mediator cells into the lungs and then focus them at sites of infection. Prior to adequate expression of protective immunity the correct expression of chemokine and adhesion molecules is critical. A better understanding of these processes will hopefully in turn lead to better vaccine design, a topic which is also addressed in this paper.
Scattering by Surfaces and Phase Screens

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the scattering of waves from one-dimensional random surfaces. The one-dimensional random surfaces that are described by their surface profile function are assumed to be a single-valued function of x1. The assumption that the surface profile function is a Gaussian random process means that it is completely characterized by its two-point correlation function. The result that the statistical properties of a Gaussian random process are completely determined by its two-point correlation function follows from the factorization properties of its higher moments. The chapter finally presents several approaches that are employed for the theoretical study of the scattering of waves from randomly rough surfaces. The approaches include largely analytic approaches—small-amplitude perturbation theory, the Kirchhoff approximation, the full-wave approach, and the method of reduced Rayleigh equations. The computer simulation approaches are based on Green's second integral identity and the method of ordered multiple interactions.
Immunologic heterogeneity of tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte composition in primary melanoma

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in primary melanomas are thought to represent the host antitumor immune response, but controversy exists over whether TILs offer independent prognostication of survival. We studied a cohort of 1241 patients with primary melanoma to assess the association of absent, nonbrisk, and brisk TIL grade with survival outcomes. We tested whether quantitative TIL counts using immunohistochemical lymphocyte markers CD3, CD45, and FOXP3 add prognostic value to TIL grading compared with histology alone in 15% of the cohort. To assess for intergroup immunologic heterogeneity among TIL grades, we investigated differential expression of 594 immunoregulatory genes in 67 primary melanomas. On histologic evaluation of 1241 primary melanomas, TILs were graded as absent (n=388, 31%), nonbrisk (n=330, 27%), and brisk (n=523, 42%). Patients with brisk TILs had improved recurrence-free survival (P=.025) and overall survival (P=.006) compared with patients with nonbrisk and absent TILs, for which there were no differences in recurrence-free survival (P=.40) or overall survival (P=.41). TIL quantitation by immunohistochemistry did not improve prognostication compared with TIL grading on hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. Melanomas with nonbrisk and absent TILs share similar immunoregulatory gene expression profiles. In contrast, melanomas with brisk TILs demonstrate upregulation of T-cell activation pathways and inhibition of upstream immune checkpoint regulators. The presence of TILs in primary melanomas represents a heterogeneous group, and caution in prognostic interpretation is warranted. Melanomas with brisk TILs are defined by an immunostimulatory gene expression profile and improved prognosis compared with melanomas with nonbrisk or absent TILs.
Trends of Radiatively Important Trace Gases and their Relationship to Tropospheric Photochemistry

Infrared-absorbing trace gases other than CO2 are accumulating in the atmosphere. The climatic effect of these gases will be comparable and will add to that expected from CO2. Tropospheric chemistry plays an important role in the budgets and trends of two radiatively important trace gases, i. e., CH4 and tropospheric O3.
Effect of Variable Lower Extremity Immobilization Devices on Emergency Brake Response Driving Outcomes

The effect of lower extremity pathologic features and surgical intervention on automobile driving function has been a topic of contemporary interest in the orthopedic medical literature. The objective of the present case-control investigation was to assess 3 driving outcomes (i.e., mean emergency brake response time, frequency of abnormally delayed brake responses, and frequency of inaccurate brake responses) in a group of participants with 3 variable footwear conditions (i.e., regular shoe gear, surgical shoe, and walking boot). The driving performances of 25 participants without active right-sided lower extremity pathology were evaluated using a computerized driving simulator. Both the surgical shoe (0.611 versus 0.575 second; p < .001) and the walking boot (0.736 versus 0.575 second; p < .001) demonstrated slower mean brake response times compared with the control shoe gear. Both the surgical shoe (18.5% versus 2.5%; p < .001) and the walking boot (55.5% versus 2.5%; p < .001) demonstrated more frequent abnormally delayed brake responses compared with the control shoe gear. The walking boot (18.0% versus 2.0%; p < .001) demonstrated more frequent inaccurate brake responses compared with the control shoe gear. However, the surgical shoe (4.0% versus 2.0%; p = .3808) did not demonstrate a difference compared with the control shoe gear. The results of the present investigation provide physicians working with the lower extremity with a better understanding on how to assess the risk and appropriately advise their patients who have been prescribed lower extremity immobilization devices with respect to the safe operation of an automobile.
Sixteen Heuristics for Joint Optimization of Performance, Energy, and Temperature in Allocating Tasks to Multi-Cores

Three-way joint optimization of performance (P), energy (E), and temperature (T) in scheduling parallel tasks to multiple cores poses a challenge that is staggering in its computational complexity. The goal of the PET optimized scheduling (PETOS) problem is to minimize three quantities: the completion time of a task graph, the total energy consumption, and the peak temperature of the system. Algorithms based on conventional multi-objective optimization techniques can be designed for solving the PETOS problem. But their execution times are exceedingly high and hence their applicability is restricted merely to problems of modest size. Exacerbating the problem is the solution space that is typically a Pareto front since no single solution can be strictly best along all three objectives. Thus, not only is the absolute quality of the solutions important but “the spread of the solutions” along each objective and the distribution of solutions within the generated tradeoff front are also desired. A natural alternative is to design efficient heuristic algorithms that can generate good solutions as well as good spreads -- note that most of the prior work in energy-efficient task allocation is predominantly single- or dual-objective oriented. Given a directed acyclic graph (DAG) representing a parallel program, a heuristic encompasses policies as to what tasks should go to what cores and at what frequency should that core operate. Various policies, such as greedy, iterative, and probabilistic, can be employed. However, the choice and usage of these policies can influence a heuristic towards a particular objective and can also profoundly impact its performance. This article proposes 16 heuristics that utilize various methods for task-to-core allocation and frequency selection. This article also presents a methodical classification scheme which not only categorizes the proposed heuristics but can also accommodate additional heuristics. Extensive simulation experiments compare these algorithms while shedding light on their strengths and tradeoffs.
Abstract 1793: Novel radiation mitigators and anticancer drugs

The possibility of a radiation disaster from a nuclear detonation or accident has existed for over 50 years and spawned much of the basic research in radiobiology in the 1950-60s. The recent Fukushima accident was yet another reminder that there remains a dire need to develop novel therapies against radiation-induced toxicities. Here we report on the development of two novel radiation countermeasure therapies: Yel001 and Yel002. These small, biologically active, drug-like molecules were uncovered in the DEL high throughput assay reducing radiation-induced cyto- and geno-toxicity in yeast. Radiation-modulating activity was further confirmed in yeast plate-based DEL Assay: addition of either Yel001 or Yel002 to irradiated cultures reduced cell death and genomic instability. Further, Yel compounds increases survival to 75% in vivo following an LD100/30 dose of ionizing radiation (IR) with the first therapeutic injection administered 24 hours post exposure followed by injections at 48,72,96, and 120 hours. Additionally, treatment with Yel001 and Yel002 compounds reduces radiation-induced leukemia from 90% to to 50% and 40% respectively. Of note, treatment with either Yel001 or Yel002 reduced spontaneous leukemia rate from 10% to 0%. Furthermore, Yel002 significantly prolonged the life of Atm deficient mice. Treatment with Yel002 following IR accelerates the recovery of the hematopoietic cells and protects stem cells after sub-lethal exposures. In addition, treatment with Yel002 reduces I131, EMS, MMS, UV, cigarette smoke extract as well as nitrogen mustard induced toxicity as well as genotoxicity showing a broad application spectrum. Proteomics shows that Yel002 induces DNA repair mediated by Atm signaling, homologous recombination, nonhomologous end joining, base excision repair, DNA damage binding proteins and chromosome segregation functions. Toxicity has not been observed in neither in vitro or in vivo administrations, even in a two generation teratogenicity assay. Overall, Yel compounds have much potential as stockpile therapies for radiation-induced lethality and cancer as well as spontaneous cancer: they are highly effective when administered up to 24hours post exposure, they reduce radiation-induced sequelae such as leukemia, and appear to have an acceptable toxicity profile. Citation Format: Robert H. Schiestl, Michael Davoren, Yelena Rivina. Novel radiation mitigators and anticancer drugs. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1793. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1793
All of Us Are Vulnerable, But Some Are More Vulnerable than Others: The Political Ambiguity of Vulnerability Studies, an Ambivalent Critique

This paper raises several concerns about vulnerability as an alternative language to conceptualize injustice and politicize its attendant injuries. First, the project of resignifying “vulnerability” by emphasizing its universality and amplifying its generative capacity, I suggest, might dilute perceptions of inequality and muddle important distinctions among specific vulnerabilities, as well as differences between those who are injurable and those who are already injured. Vulnerability scholars, moreover, have yet to elaborate the path from acknowledging constitutive vulnerability to addressing concrete injustices. Second, vulnerability studies respond to, and have been shaped by, debates in the 1980s and 1990s over oppression, identity and agency. This genealogy needs to be acknowledged and evaluated. As I demonstrate, prominent theorists define vulnerability in contradistinction to victimization, adopting neo-liberal formulations of victims and victimhood. Finally, I turn to address the politics of vuln...
Alone and at risk: A statistical profile of alcohol-related college student deaths

ABSTRACTThis study profiles college students who died an alcohol-related death. Estimates of the scope of these mortality rates have received publicity but we know little about the nature of who, when, where, and how they perished. Using data derived from a website and accompanying news stories and obituaries, we constructed details about roughly 500 of these deaths. Being male, Greek, and enrolled in a four year, public institution increased the mortality odds for students. A large majority of these deaths occurred while students were alone following a drinking bout. Most students‘ perished while falling, drowning, being hit by a vehicle, or experiencing alcohol poisoning. Criminal charges were levied in one-third of these cases and families filed lawsuits in fourteen percent of these cases. Details surrounding these deaths suggest that intervention strategies center on ways in which schools and communities can partner to develop a system so that college drinkers are buddied up and can receive help when ...
Bubalus bubalis (Murrah buffalo)

These karyotypes were kindly donated by the late Dr. F. Ulbrich, Giessen, Germany. They were made from lymphocyte cultures of animals in Malaysia. The karyotype of the Murrah buffalo, an Indian dairy breed, differs from that of the Asiatic swamp buffalo of Thailand (2n=48) in that the former has two more acrocentrics which are presumably translocated onto the short arms of No. 1 autosome of the latter. Hybrids are fertile and have been studied cytogenetically (see Folio 139, Vol. 3).
"The Stories that Come With the Shoe": A Qualitative Study of Male Sneaker Collector Motivations, Experiences, and Identities

There is a thriving community of individuals with a passion for wearing, collecting, and sometimes reselling sneakers.Â The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations and perspectives of male sneaker collectors. Twelve men participated in semi-structured interviews.Â Research questions included: (1) How do sneaker collectors perceive the experience of sneaker collecting? (2) What makes a shoe collectable? (3) Is sneaker collecting used to represent or explore identity? Most participants were active in sports, especially basketball, and they thought that collecting arose naturally from their sports interests. Respondents cited three primary reasons for collecting a shoe: They collected shoes associated with particular moments in basketball history, shoes with aesthetic qualities they particularly liked, and shoes that would resell for high prices. Sneaker collecting does appear to be a way for these men to voice their interests in fashion, dress, and personal expression.
Up Close: Materials Science at Argonne National Laboratory

Basic and applied materials research at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) is conducted by the Materials Science Division (MSD) and the Materials and Components Technology Division (MCT). Of the $30 million annual budget, $23 million comes from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that funds Basic Energy Sciences (BES)-Materials Sciences, Reactor Development, Fusion Energy, Fossil Energy, and Conservation Technology. Another $5 million of the $30 million budget comes from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the remaining $2 million is from the Department of Defense. Representative projects in fission energy include fuel element behavior in the Advanced Breeder Reactor, fuel development for the Integral Fast Reactor, and supporting research in aqueous corrosion and in phase stability. Materials research for fusion environments includes containment materials, liquid metal compatibility, vanadium alloy development, defect production processes, radiation-induced segregation, sputtering of self-replenishing low atomic number coatings, and ultrahigh field superconductors.
Psychotherapy for the Spectrum of Sexual Minority Stress: Application and Technique of the ESTEEM Treatment Model

Converging evidence points to minority stress as a risk factor that predisposes sexual minority individuals to a variety of negative psychosocial health outcomes, particularly depression and anxiety, substance use, and sexual risk-taking. This paper outlines the techniques and theoretical underpinnings for implementing an emerging empirically supported psychotherapy targeting the transdiagnostic mechanisms linking minority stress with these outcomes for sexual minority clients. We outline the essential therapeutic principles, psychoeducation content, as well as session- and homework-based activities that can be adapted for a variety of presenting problems that originate from and are exacerbated by minority stress via these transdiagnostic minority stress processes. As the development and dissemination of this therapeutic model is still within its early stages, we review the intervention's empirical support thus far and outline potential directions for future development and dissemination via individual, clinic-based, and societal channels.
Photoacoustic Source Detection and Reflection Artifact Removal Enabled by Deep Learning

Interventional applications of photoacoustic imaging typically require visualization of point-like targets, such as the small, circular, cross-sectional tips of needles, catheters, or brachytherapy seeds. When these point-like targets are imaged in the presence of highly echogenic structures, the resulting photoacoustic wave creates a reflection artifact that may appear as a true signal. We propose to use deep learning techniques to identify these types of noise artifacts for removal in experimental photoacoustic data. To achieve this goal, a convolutional neural network (CNN) was first trained to locate and classify sources and artifacts in pre-beamformed data simulated with $k$ -Wave. Simulations initially contained one source and one artifact with various medium sound speeds and 2-D target locations. Based on 3,468 test images, we achieved a 100% success rate in classifying both sources and artifacts. After adding noise to assess potential performance in more realistic imaging environments, we achieved at least 98% success rates for channel signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of −9dB or greater, with a severe decrease in performance below −21dB channel SNR. We then explored training with multiple sources and two types of acoustic receivers and achieved similar success with detecting point sources. Networks trained with simulated data were then transferred to experimental waterbath and phantom data with 100% and 96.67% source classification accuracy, respectively (particularly when networks were tested at depths that were included during training). The corresponding mean ± one standard deviation of the point source location error was 0.40 ± 0.22 mm and 0.38 ± 0.25 mm for waterbath and phantom experimental data, respectively, which provides some indication of the resolution limits of our new CNN-based imaging system. We finally show that the CNN-based information can be displayed in a novel artifact-free image format, enabling us to effectively remove reflection artifacts from photoacoustic images, which is not possible with traditional geometry-based beamforming.
Instructional Selection of Active Learning and Traditional Courses Increases Student Achievement in College Mathematics

In this paper, we present the results of a study indicating that groups predominantly underrepresented in mathematics prefer to have a choice of instructional method. We use the concept of differentiated instruction to explain how different groups of students might perform better using various instructional techniques. Our study, which is based on student self-selection of traditional or active learning sections of a course, also presents evidence that using different instructional strategies in different sections of the same course is preferable to adopting only a single instructional method. In addition, we present evidence that student instructional selection improves student achievement in college level mathematics courses.
Abdomen CT Image Segmentation Based on MRF and Ribs Fitting Approach

Aiming at the segmentation of liver image with fuzzy edge, a new algorithm based on Markov Random Field and ribs fitting approach is proposed. The new algorithm consists of three main steps. Firstly, an abdominal image is pre-processed to fit ribs and remove the obstructive region. Then, lifting wavelet transform is adopted to decompose an image in different resolutions, and an image segmentation algorithm based on MRF is manipulated to the low frequency sub-images; lastly, morphology operation is adopted to obtain the liver region. The algorithms of the initial and multi-level segmentation in wavelet domain are K-means and MAP/ICM. Several experiments have been carried out and the experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has a good robustness and higher segmentation accuracy than the traditional MRF approach.
Booming or Singing Dunes

Dunes are not silent. When the sand is blowing, you can hear a hiss. However, there is a much more dramatic and evocative acoustic emission from dunes—so-called booming or singing.
Keyhole Markup Language

In this chapter, we explore two innovative tools for interactive visualization: Google Earth and Google Maps. Google Earth renders Keyhole Markup Language (KML) documents for viewing on a virtual earth browser, and similarly, Google Maps displays KML-formatted data on two-dimensional maps in a Web browser. KML is a grammar of XML for marking up spatial data. With it we can place plotting symbols on a map, augment these points with additional information, overlay R plots on the earth, animate points that have times associated with them, and draw arbitrary objects on the earth. We describe plotting functions in R that we have developed for creating KML displays with these features. We also discuss how to embed Google Earth in a Web page to create interactive mash-ups using KML, SVG, HTML, JavaScript, and R.
On Generating Discrete Orthogonal Bivariate Polynomials

In this paper we present an algorithm for recursively generating orthogonal bivariate polynomials on a discrete set S ⊂ ∝2. For this purpose we employ commuting pairs of real symmetric matrices H, K ∈ ∝n×n to obtain, in a certain sense, a two dimensional Hermitian Lanczos method. The resulting algorithm relies on a recurrence having a slowly growing length. Practical implementation issues an applications are considered. The method can be generalized to compute orthogonal polynomials depending on an arbitrary number of variables.
The porous shells of radiophony, or towards a theory of radio stations

This paper inquires after the relationship of radio’s sensorial affordances and the architecture of early broadcasting buildings in the 1920s and 1930s. Radio stations, this paper argues, were not traditional buildings. They did not simply enhance or awaken our innate perceptual abilities. They were instruments of intervening in our perceptual powers and producing synthetic perception. They transformed architecture into a synthetic architecture through an ‘as-if’ chemical synthesis. It was a medium of electronic modernity that had a synthetic logic of space, place and time that differentiated it from the media of industrial modernity and the logic of assembly-line production and distribution. Far from being obsolete and marginal to the history of modern architecture as housing a non-visual medium, radio stations ushered architecture into a system of nodes and conduits that was then taken up by television stations and later electronic media.
Role of preoperative cardiac CT in the evaluation of infective endocarditis: comparison with transesophageal echocardiography and surgical findings

Background: Significant improvement of computed tomography (CT) technology in the last decade has led to more use of this modality for evaluating infective endocarditis (IE) especially since the introduction of high resolution electrocardiogram (ECG) synchronized multiphasic (4D) acquisition. While there are a number of reports on the accuracy and value of 4D CT for evaluation of IE, there is no published data regarding the performance of single-phase ECG gated CT for assessment of IE. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of preoperative single-phase ECG-gated CT imaging versus transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in the assessment of complications related to IE, with comparison to surgical findings. Methods: Among 899 patients with surgically proven IE in our database, 122 underwent contrast-enhanced ECG cardiac CT and were included in the study; 84 of these patients also underwent TEE. Results: Overall, there was no significant difference between CT and TEE in the identification of pseudoaneurysm/abscess and dehiscence. For the detection of pseudoaneurysm/abscess in prosthetic valves, CT demonstrated higher sensitivity (81% vs . 64%) and specificity (75% vs . 33%) in patients with mechanical aortic valves; TEE demonstrated marginally higher sensitivity (72% vs . 63%) and specificity (80% vs . 73%) in patients with bioprosthetic aortic valves, although the differences are not statistically significant. TEE demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity (85% vs . 16%) in identifying vegetation in all patients (P vs . 19%). The combined imaging findings of CT and TEE demonstrated improved sensitivity in identifying pseudoaneurysm/abscess and slightly improved detection of prosthesis dehiscence. Conclusions: Preoperative single-phase gated CT can be seen as complementary to TEE in assessing complications of suspected IE or may be substituted for TEE when vegetation or dehiscence is depicted on transthoracic echocardiography and the patient has a contraindication to TEE.
The Entangled Twins: Power and Trust in Collaborative Governance:

Power and trust are two important issues of interorganizational relations in collaborative governance. This article develops a critical conceptual analysis of the dyadic relationship between power ...
Factors Associated with Ipsilateral Limb Ischemia in Patients Undergoing Femoral Cannulation Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an important life-saving modality for patients with cardiopulmonary failure. Vascular complications, including clinically significant limb ischemia, may occur as a result of femoral artery cannulation for venoarterial (VA) ECMO. This study examines our institutional experience with femoral VA ECMO and the development of ipsilateral limb ischemia. Methods We performed a retrospective review of all consecutive patients undergoing femoral VA ECMO between 2011 and 2016. The primary endpoint was clinical evidence of limb-threatening ischemia. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors for limb ischemia after cannulation. Results Between March 2011 and September 2016, 154 patients underwent femoral cannulation for VA ECMO. Overall in-hospital mortality was 59.7%. Clinically significant ipsilateral limb ischemia occurred in 34 (22%) patients; 7 required four-compartment fasciotomy, and 3 of these patients required amputation. On univariate analysis, a history of pulmonary disease, peripheral arterial disease, and stroke or transient ischemic attack was significantly associated with clinical limb ischemia. On multivariate analysis, younger age (odds ratio [OR], 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93–0.99), diabetes (OR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.08–7.12), pulmonary disease (OR, 3.86; 95% CI, 1.38–10.78), and peripheral arterial disease (OR, 13.68; CI, 2.75–68.01) were associated with limb ischemia. Lack of prophylactic distal perfusion catheter and arterial cannula size were not independently associated with limb ischemia. Conclusions Femoral ECMO cannulation can be associated with significant limb ischemia necessitating surgical intervention. Younger patients, as well as those with a history of diabetes, pulmonary disease, and peripheral arterial disease, may be at increased risk for this complication.
Clinical applications of cfDNA methylation in breast cancer

Abstract A number of clinico-pathological criteria and molecular profiles have been used to stratify breast cancer (BC) patients into high and low risk groups. Currently, there are still no effective methods to determine which patients harbor micrometastatic disease after standard BC therapy and who will eventually develop local or distant recurrence. Cell-free (cf) DNA has attracted attention for clinical use in the context of risk prediction, prognostication and prediction of response to chemotherapy in human cancer. Several groups including ours have reported the detection of tumor-associated methylation changes in cfDNA extracted from plasma or serum. We are specifically interested in the use of cfDNA methylation biomarkers for the prediction of cancer metastasis in the early stage setting. Accordingly, we are validating a DNA methylation signature, referred to as CpG4C, which discriminates metastatic BC from healthy individuals or disease free survivors using a targeted bisulfite amplicon sequencing approach. In addition, we have been investigating whether a surge of cfDNA levels after cytotoxic chemotherapy affects the sensitivity and specificity of the CpG4C assay. Lastly, we are also working on determining the technical and biological limits of detection of CpG4C in plasma. CpG4C is a potential bloodbased biomarker that could be advantageous at the time of surgery and/or after the completion of chemotherapy to indicate patients with micrometastatic disease who are at high-risk of recurrence, and who could benefit from additional therapy.
Early behavioral indices of inherited liability to autism

The observed heterogeneity of autism spectrum disorder (ASD)—and the diversity of rare germline mutations with which it has been associated—has been difficult to reconcile with knowledge of its pronounced heritability in the population. This article reviews and synthesizes recent family and developmental studies incorporating behavioral indices of inherited risk for ASD. Autism may arise from critical combinations of early inherited neurobehavioral susceptibilities—some specific to autism, some not—each of which may be traceable to partially-independent sets of genetic variation. These susceptibilities and their respective genetic origins may not relate to the characterizing symptoms of autism (after it develops) in a straightforward way, and may account for “missing heritability” in molecular genetic studies. Within-individual aggregations of a finite set of early inherited neurobehavioral susceptibilities—each individually common in the population—may account for a significant share of the heritability of ASD. Comprehensive identification of these underlying traits my help elucidate specific early intervention targets in individual patients, especially if autism represents a developmental consequence of earlier-interacting susceptibilities. Scientific understanding of the early ontogeny of autism will benefit from epidemiologically-rigorous, genetically-informative studies of robust endophenotypic candidates whose inter-relationships in infancy are mapped and normed.
Regulation of GDNF expression in Sertoli cells

Sertoli cells regulate male germ cell proliferation and differentiation and are a critical component of the spermatogonial stem cell (SSC) niche, where homeostasis is maintained by the interplay of several signaling pathways and growth factors. These factors are secreted by Sertoli cells located within the seminiferous epithelium, and by interstitial cells residing between the seminiferous tubules. Sertoli cells and peritubular myoid cells produce glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), which binds to the RET/GFRA1 receptor complex at the surface of undifferentiated spermatogonia. GDNF is known for its ability to drive SSC self-renewal and proliferation of their direct cell progeny. Even though the effects of GDNF are well studied, our understanding of the regulation its expression is still limited. The purpose of this review is to discuss how GDNF expression in Sertoli cells is modulated within the niche, and how these mechanisms impact germ cell homeostasis.
Pubertal hormones increase hippocampal expression of α4βδ GABAA receptors.

Abstract CA1 hippocampal expression of α4βδ GABAA receptors (GABARs) increases at the onset of puberty in female mice, an effect dependent upon the decline in hippocampal levels of the neurosteroid THP (3α-OH-5α-pregnan-20-one) which occurs at this time. The present study further characterized the mechanisms underlying α4βδ expression, assessed in vivo. Blockade of pubertal levels of 17β-estradiol (E2) (formestane, 0.5 mg/kg, i.p. 3 d) reduced α4 and δ expression by 75–80% (P
Isolation and Analysis of Plasma-Derived Exosomes in Patients With Glioma.

Gliomas including glioblastoma (GBM) are the most common primary malignant brain tumors. Glioma extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes have biological effects (e.g., immunosuppression) and contain tumor-specific cargo that could facilitate liquid biopsies. We aimed to develop a simple, reproducible technique to isolate plasma exosomes in glioma patients. Glioma patients' and normal donors' plasma exosomes underwent brief centrifugation to remove cells/debris followed by serial density gradient ultracentrifugation (DGU). EV size/concentration was determined by nanoparticle tracking. Protein cargo was screened by array, western blot, and ELISA. Nanoscale flow cytometry analysis quantified exosome and microvesicle populations pre- and post-DGU. One-step DGU efficiently isolates exosomes for nanoparticle tracking. Wild type isocitrate dehydrogenase glioma patients' (i.e., more aggressive tumors) plasma exosomes are smaller but higher concentration than normal donors. A second DGU efficiently concentrates exosomes for subsequent cargo analysis but results in vesicle aggregation that skews nanoparticle tracking. Cytokines and co-stimulatory molecules are readily detected but appeared globally reduced in GBM patients' exosomes. Surprisingly, immunosuppressive programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is present in both patients' and normal donors' exosomes. Nanoscale flow cytometry confirms efficient exosome ( 100 nm) in GBM patients' plasma pre-DGU. Serial DGU efficiently isolates plasma exosomes with distinct differences between GBM patients and normal donors, suggesting utility for non-invasive biomarker assessment. Initial results suggest global immunosuppression rather than increased circulating tumor-derived immunosuppressive exosomes, though further assessment is needed. Increased glioma patients' plasma microvesicles suggest these may also be a key source for biomarkers.
A look at lattice boltzmann equations [Book Review]

"The Lattice Boltzmann Equation: For Fluid Dynamics and Beyond", by Sauro SucciOxford University Press, New York, 2001, ISBN: 0198503989, US$100During the past 10 years, a new class of algorithms based on the lattice Loltzmann equation (LBE) has been developed for computational fluid dynamics (CFD). These novel and fascinating algorithms were inspired by kinetic theory a branch of statistical physics. They defy the conventional wisdom of CFD in that they provide stable, fully explicit differencing schemes, with no need for elliptic solvers or upwind differencing. Yet, they are also remarkably simple. In fact, the typical reaction of long-time CFDpractitioners when encountering lattice Boltzmann algorithms for the .rst time is often something like, "that can't possibly work. It's too easy."