cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Appendix: A report on recent lunar studies and their bearing on the nature of terrestrial continents and ocean basins

The common distinction between the low dark maria and high brighter continents, readily made on lunar photographs, must be refined. The bright areas are of two types: (1) accreted crust, modified by a sequence of impacts that led to the formation of the familiar large lunar craters; and (2) maria or accreted crust, buried by material clearly ejected from Mare Imbrium and a few smaller splash centers. The major mountain ranges (Alps, Caucasus, Apennines, Carpathians) belong in this second category; they seem to be composed of light-colored blocks of crust, mixed with large quantities of darker lava, now solidified, which look somewhat like mud flows. The recent suggestion by T. Gold and others that the maria are featureless because they are Med with a very deep layer of dust is contradicted by several groups of observations: (1) The maria, seen under very low Sun, show an intricate fine structure, including discrete flows, minor faults, graben, etc. (2) Impact craters situated on the ‘shore’ lines of maria are often tipped toward the mare, like partly-sunk boats lying against the shore line of a lake. Apparently, the foundations of these crater mins were melted locally and the ruins have subsided or even submerged. (3) A compelling argument is derived in the next paragraph from the nature of the ridges on the maria. (4) There is no trace of a filling effect of very small craters such as a thick, mobile dust layer would cause. Actually, the maria are beset with hundred of small craters iabout 1 km in diameter and smaller), whose numbers and shapes indicate that they are meteoritic in origin. Large craters, (10 to 100 km), as found on the continents, are nearly absent on the maria. These large craters appear to represent an early phase of lunar development, preceding the development of the maria and partly concurrent with it. The maria were probably formed about 4.5 billion years ago.
Snake pedals: compact and versatile geometric models with physics-based control

We introduce a geometric shape modeling scheme which allows for representation of global and local shape characteristics of an object. Geometric models are well-suited for representing global shapes without local detail, but we propose a scheme which represents global shapes with local detail and permits model shaping as well as topological changes via physics-based control. The scheme represents shapes by pedal curves and surfaces, i.e. the loci of the foot of perpendiculars to the tangents of a fixed curve/surface from a fixed point called the pedal point. By varying the location of the pedal point, one can synthesize a large class of shapes which exhibit both local and global deformations. We introduce physics-based control for shaping these geometric models by letting the pedal point vary and use a snake to represent the position of this varying point. The model, a "snake pedal", allows for interactive manipulation via forces applied to the snake. We develop a fast numerical iterative algorithm for shape recovery from image data using this scheme. The algorithm involves the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) method in the outer loop for solving the global parameters and the alternating direction implicit (ADI) method in the inner loop for solving the local parameters of the model. The combination of the global and local scheme leads to an efficient numerical solution to the model fitting problem. We demonstrate the applicability of this modeling scheme via examples of shape synthesis and shape estimation from real image data.
Estimation of inbuilt age in radiocarbon ages of soil charcoal for fire history studies.

Radiocarbon age determinations of wood charcoal are commonly used to date past forest fire events, even though such ages should be greater than the fire event due to the age of the wood at the time of burning. The difference in the (super 14) C-derived age of charcoal and the time-since-fire (the "inbuilt age") may be considerable in some vegetation types and thus must be estimated before interpreting fire dates. Two methods were used to estimate the potential range of inbuilt age of soil charcoal dated to determine ages of forest fires on the west coast of Vancouver Island (Canada). First, 26 (super 14) C ages on charcoal in surficial soil were compared directly with ages of forest fire determined by tree-ring counts, suggesting inbuilt ages of 0-670 years. Second, a simulation model that uses estimated fuel loads, fuel consumption, charcoal production, and the ages of charred wood (time since wood formation), suggests that the combination of slow growth rates and slow decay rates of certain species can account for inbuilt ages of more than 400 years in this forest type. This level of inbuilt age is large enough such that the actual age of a fire may not occur within the 2sigma confidence interval of a calibrated charcoal (super 14) C age determination, and thus significantly affect the interpretation of fire dates. A method is presented to combine the error of a calibrated (super 14) C age determination with the error due to inbuilt age such that the larger adjusted error encompasses the actual age of the fire.
A Life Course Model of Cognitive Activities, Socioeconomic Status, Education, Reading Ability, and Cognition

OBJECTIVES: To cross-sectionally quantify the contribution of proxy measures of cognitive reserve reflective of the lifespan, such as education, socioeconomic status (SES), reading ability, and cognitive activities, in explaining late-life cognition. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study of aging. SETTING: Retirement communities across the Chicago metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS: Nine hundred fifty-one older adults free of clinical dementia in the Rush Memory and Aging Project (aged 79±8, 74% female). MEASUREMENTS: Baseline data on multiple life course factors included early-, mid-, and late-life participation in cognitive activities; early-life and adult SES; education; and reading ability (National Adult Reading Test; NART). Path analysis quantified direct and indirect standardized effects of life course factors on global cognition and five cognitive domains (episodic memory, semantic memory, working memory, visuospatial ability, perceptual speed). RESULTS: Adjusting for age, sex, and race, education had the strongest association with global cognition, episodic memory, semantic memory, and visuospatial ability, whereas NART (followed by education) had the strongest association with working memory. Late-life cognitive activities had the strongest association with perceptual speed, followed by education. CONCLUSIONS: These cross-sectional findings suggest that education and reading ability are the most-robust proxy measures of cognitive reserve in relation to late-life cognition. Additional research leveraging path analysis is warranted to better understand how these life course factors, reflecting the latent construct of cognitive reserve, affect abnormal cognitive aging.
Abstract #5121: Sensitizaton of ovarian cancer cell lines to death receptor ligands by the flexible heteroarotinoid (Flex-Het), SHetA2

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO The lead Flexible Heteroarotinoid (Flex-Het) compound, SHetA2, induces apoptosis in cancer cells by altering the balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in cancer cells with very little effect on normal cells. In addition, SHetA2 regulates differentiation through upregulation of E-cadherin, cell cycle progression through inhibition of Cyclin D1, angiogenesis through inhibition of thymidine phosphorylase and vascular endothelial growth factor expression and carcinogenesis through counteraction of carcinogen-induced alterations in gene expression patterns. Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-\#954;B) regulates expressions of these genes in an opposite manner as SHetA2. Therefore, it was hypothesized that SHetA2 regulates apoptosis through inhibition of NF-\#954;B signaling. The effects of SHetA2 on NF-\#954;B signaling and cell death induced by death receptor ligands, Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF\#945;) and TNF\#945; Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand (TRAIL) were evaluated in ovarian cancer cell lines. SHetA2 inhibited basal, TNF\#945;- and hydrogen peroxide induced NF-\#954;B activity, but did not alter DNA binding or the makeup of the individual components in the NF-\#954;B DNA binding complex. This inhibition was associated with: decreased phosphorylation of I\#954;B\#945;; decreased activity of IKK enzyme; and induction of apoptosis. Ovarian cancer cell lines were resistant to the death receptor ligands, but combined treatment of SHetA2 with TNF\#945; and TRAIL resulted in synergistic apoptosis through simultaneous induction of the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis pathways. SHetA2 induced expression of Death Receptor 5 (DR5), the cognate receptor for TRAIL thereby priming ovarian cancer cells for sensitization to TRAIL induced apoptosis. DR5 is inhibited by NF-\#954;B. In summary, inhibition of the NF-\#954;B survival pathway by SHetA2 relieves the cellular constraints that prevent TNF\#945; - and TRAIL-induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. Potentiation of apoptosis by combination treatment of SHetA2 and death receptor ligands in death receptor ligands resistant cancer cells provides a rationale for use of these combination treatments in future preclinical and clinical studies. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 5121.
Job Loss and Dislocated Workers

ABSTRACT Loss of a job is a major life event that affects nearly 10 million persons annually. Job loss places the dislocated worker at risk of poor mental health in terms of depression, anxiety, decreased self esteem and life satisfaction. Employers are attempting to meet the needs of massive job upheavals through a variety of services. Social workers are actively providing a range of services to dislocated workers in assisting individuals cope with their job loss. An effective model of treatment for job loss must provide opportunity for mourning. The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical framework and treatment model to deal with job loss based on John Bowlby's object relations theory.
Complications of Anterior Cervical Fusion using a Low-dose Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2.

Objective There are several reports, which documented a high incidence of complications following the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in anterior cervical fusions (ACFs). The objective of this study is to share our experience with low-dose rhBMP-2 in anterior cervical spine. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 197 patients who underwent anterior cervical fusion (ACF) with the use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) during 2007-2012. A low-dose rhBMP-2 (0.7mg/level) sponge was placed exclusively within the cage. In 102 patients demineralized bone matrix (DBM) was filled around the BMP sponge. Incidence and severity of dysphagia was determined by 5 points SWAL-QOL scale. Results Two patients had prolonged hospitalization due to BMP unrelated causes. Following the discharge, 13.2%(n=26) patients developed dysphagia and 8.6%(n=17) patients complained of neck swelling. More than half of the patients (52.9%, n=9) with neck swelling also had associated dysphagia; however, only 2 of these patients necessitated readmission. Both of these patients responded well to the intravenous dexamethasone. The use of DBM did not affect the incidence and severity of complications (p>0.05). Clinico-radiological evidence of fusion was not observed in 2 patients. Conclusion A low-dose rhBMP-2 in ACFs is not without risk. However, the incidence and severity of complications seem to be lower with low-dose BMP placed exclusively inside the cage. Packing DBM putty around the BMP sponge does not affect the safety profile of rhBMP-2 in ACFs.
Comparison of atropine and tripelennamine in treatment of peptone shock in dogs.

Conclusions1) One gram/kg body weight of Witte's peptone administered intravenously in a 20% solution, proved fatal in dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital.2) Atropine sulfate, 2.0 mg/kg prevented death from peptone.3) Pyribenzamine, 10.0 mg/kg, afforded better protection than atropine as determined by rapidity of recovery of blood pressure.4) The rapidity of recovery of blood pressure was not greater in those animals receiving both pyribenzamine and atropine than in those receiving pyribenzamine alone.5) These findings support the theory that acetylcholine is concerned in the production of peptone shock, although histamine plays a more important role.
Low-loss mass-fusion splicing technique for twelve-fiber ribbon

An economical splicing technique is very important when considering the installation of an optical fiber subscriber loop. The mass-fusion splicing technique is one of the most suitable solutions to this problem. However, a mechanical splicing technique has been adopted for mass splicing.1 Some results of mass-fusion splicing have been reported earlier.2
Russian Roads to Mecca: Religious Tolerance and Muslim Pilgrimage in the Russian Empire

The Russian empire provided Islam a sheltered but precarious place within its borders. Sporadic efforts at forced conversion to Orthodoxy ended in 1773 with Catherine II's edict of religious tolerance, which officially acknowledged the existence of the Muslim community and allowed the free practice of its essential religious rites. Among these, pilgrimage to Mecca (hajj) was one of the most sacred. But distrust of Islam and fear of Muslim revolt, fed by an almost paranoid apprehension of pan-Islamic solidarity, were deeply embedded in tsarist policies and attitudes toward pious Muslims.
Fighting Terror with Nanotechnology

An unfortunate consequence of modern combat and the rise of global terrorism is the increased incidence of blast injuries worldwide. Whether from accidental explosions or from improvised explosive devices, these trauma-inducing injuries are extremely difficult to treat. Concussive overpressurization from the blast wave can cause massive damage to internal organs and profuse internal bleeding. To date, no therapies exist to rapidly treat such devastating injuries. Now, Lashof-Sullivan et al . report on a nanoparticle that might be effective in treating blast injuries by reducing bleeding. The nano-hemostat, developed in the laboratory of E. Lavik, measures only 500 nm in diameter. These nanoparticles decrease bleeding by displaying multiple platelet-binding sequences, thus simulating the natural activation and cross-linking activity of platelets during blood clot formation. The investigators used an experimental compressed-air model to expose rats to rapid overpressurization estimated to be equivalent to experiencing a 10-kg trinitrotoluene (TNT) blast from 5 m away. Injection of the nano-hemostat into mouse veins immediately after injury improved survival to 95%, compared with 60% survival in untreated rats. The particles were also found to concentrate in the lung, where there was a trend toward decreased bleeding within tissues. No long-term adverse effects from the nano-hemostat were observed for up to 3 weeks after injection. Survival was not significantly different between the nano-hemostat–treated and other control groups, such as activated clotting factor VII. Thus, further testing is required to fully understand the mechanism behind the nanoparticle’s effectiveness relative to untreated rats. However, this new work might be the beginning of our ability to treat life-threatening injuries from big blasts by using the tiniest of weapons. M. M. Lashof-Sullivan et al. , Intravenously administered nanoparticles increase survival following blast trauma. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 111 , 10293–10298 (2014). [[Abstract]][1] [1]: http://www.pnas.org/content/111/28/10293.abstract
Analysis of Finite Element and Parameter Research of Eccentric in Vibration Pile Driver

Aiming at some kinds of hemicycle type eccentrics, the structure parameters are calculated in theory by citing the vibration exciter of pile driver whose vibration force is equal to 10 tons' gravity. Eccentric models above-mentioned are created with the SolidWorks mechanic design software. Then their structure analysis and finite element calculation are done respectively by finite element software COSMOS/Work. It concludes that the stress of the type of bend eccentric is less than that of the type of right-angle eccentric, also its rigidity and safety coefficient are greater upon invariable centrifugal force; the type of fitting and bend eccentric has the most perfect intensity and load capacity in all, and is apt to install, remove and carry. All the results can provide academic reference for the new structure designs and usages in practice.
Research and Scientific Work in Prague 1954–1967

In Prague, I did only clinical research, mainly exploring new angiographic techniques in diagnosis of diseases of the abdominal organs. It began in 1954 when I was selected with a few young radiologists to lecture on atomic energy at military schools. During a teaching course on this topic at the Military Medical School at Hradec Kralove, I visited the University Radiology Department led by Professor Jan Bastecky. Radiologist Dr. Leo Steinhart and surgeon Dr. Vladimir Brzek were, at that time, introducing the technique of transparietal splenoportography for diagnosis of splenomegaly. This technique visualizes the portal venous system using contrast material injected directly into the spleen. Coming back to Prague, together with my colleague Dr. Jiri Bret, we first simplified the technique of splenoportography. Not having a dedicated angiographic room with an automatic film changer, we performed procedures on a fluoroscopic table with conventional x-ray cassettes that were manually pushed through the screen (Fig. 5.1). The splenic puncture performed under fluoroscopic control enabled us to access even normal sized spleens (Fig. 5.2). An apneic pause made the procedure safer. We did a lot of procedures and, as the only hospital performing splenoportography in Prague; we received referrals from the other hospitals. When we obtained a dedicated angiographic room in 1957, the procedure was much simpler. We did splenoportography for diagnosis of the spleen, liver and pancreas (Fig. 5.3). Our first paper on “The Improvement of Diagnosis of Epigastric Tumors by Splenoportography” was published by the Czech Medical Journal in 1957. In 1958, we also started publishing in the German journal – Fortschritte Rontgenstrahlen with a paper on “Splenoportography in the Diagnosis of Splenomegaly.” I was very active in publicizing splenoportography; writing papers and lecturing at scientific meetings. We also published a book in 1958, “Transparietal Splenoportography” that was based on our experience performing the examination on 500 patients. This book had 113 images and 356 literature references. In 1958, I was asked to make a teaching movie on splenoportography by the Czechoslovakian Army Film Studio (CAFS). It was a new area for me, but I learned fast and used the knowledge for making future teaching films. The 18-min film was finished in 1959 and I presented it at the 9th ICR, International Congress of Radiology in Munich. I was invited by Professor F. Strnad to a lecture on “Splenoportography” there. It was my first trip outside Czechoslovakia and provided me a glimpse of real life in Germany. During my stay, I made friends with a number of angiographers and have remained in contact with them since then. The movie received accolades from the Congress and I received 500 German Marks for my article in a Springer-Verlag book entitled “Rontgendiagnostic der Leber”. I used this money to support my trip to West Germany the following year to discuss our experience with my friends, Professor H. Anacker and Professor L. Wannagat.
Lysosomal Storage Diseases

Publisher Summary Lysosomes and their housekeeping enzymes function in degrading many substrates that are found in all nucleated mammalian cells. Deficiencies of these enzymes lead to lysosomal accumulation of these substrates, thereby causing disease. In normal cells, most lysosomal hydrolases are synthesized as preproenzymes on rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER) ribosomes. Through a signal-recognition particle complex, the enzymes are translocated into the lumen of the ER, where high-mannose oligosaccharides are added. These oligosaccharides are trimmed and the glycoprotein moves to the Golgi apparatus, where further shortening occurs. Further posttranslational modification results from the action of two enzymes that add a mannose-6-phosphate (Man-6-P) marker. The lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) are defined as a group of individually rare genetic disorders of cellular catabolism. Most LSDs are inherited as autosomal recessive traits and result from mutations in the coding sequence of one of the acid hydrolases located in the lysosome. Point mutations, deletions, and other alterations in sequence may occur anywhere along the length of DNA coding the enzyme protein. Each individual alteration produces a unique change in the protein. The combination of secretion of lysosomal enzymes by cells and uptake of enzymes by diseased cells via the Man-6-P receptor system forms the basis for the present approaches to therapy for the LSDs.
Visual Diagnosis: Spoon Nails and Short, Brittle Hair in a 3-year-old Boy.

1. Eric P. Sorensen, MD* 2. Wynnis L. Tom, MD† 1. *School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA. 2. †Departments of Dermatology and Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego and Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA. A 3-year-old boy presents for evaluation of toenails that have been abnormally shaped since infancy and areas of hair on the scalp that are of a coarser texture and that “never grow long at all.” There is no history of chemical or other insult to the hair or nails. He has no known health problems and has been meeting growth and developmental milestones appropriately. His pediatrician recommended a trial of sulfur sulfacetamide shampoo to the scalp, but there was no improvement. His older sister had similar hair findings that resolved by age 1 year. The boy’s mother is concerned if there might be nutritional or other health concerns because his condition has not improved. There is no other family history of hair or nail abnormalities. On physical examination, the well-developed and well-nourished boy has appropriate behavior for age. All of his toenails are thin and depressed in a concave manner (Fig 1), but all fingernails are unaffected. His hair is short, coarse, and wiry predominately on the occipital scalp (Fig 2). Hair in all other areas appears normal. The thyroid gland is not enlarged and the distal extremities are well perfused, with no clubbing or cyanosis. Several strands of hair from the affected area appear under microscopic examination in Figure 3. Figure 1. Thin toenails with concave curvature. Figure 2. A transition from normal hair to coarse, wiry hair at the occiput. Figure 3. A) Examination of affected and unaffected hairs with light microscopy at 4× magnification. B) An affected hair at 40× magnification. Findings on physical …
Motor Vehicle Collision Secondary to Ventricular Dysrhythmia: A Case Report of Brugada Syndrome

Abstract Background Brugada syndrome is a genetic disorder that increases an individual's risk for sudden cardiac death and ventricular dysrhythmias that was first described by the Brugada brothers in 1992. Brugada syndrome is characterized by an atypical electrocardiogram pattern that includes a bundle branch block and ST-segment elevation in the precordial leads. Case Report A 74-year-old man had a cardiac arrest at the time of a low-speed motor vehicle collision. When emergency medical services arrived, the patient was in torsades de pointes. After resuscitation and return of spontaneous circulation, the patient was transferred to a Level I trauma center. He was ultimately diagnosed with Brugada syndrome after exclusion of traumatic injuries. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Brugada syndrome is still considered a “cannot miss” diagnosis in the emergency department, whether a patient presents with or without symptoms. In the mixed setting of trauma as a result of cardiac arrest, accurate diagnosis can be difficult due to the “chicken or the egg” dilemma.
The distinct function of Tep2 and Tep6 in the immune defense of Drosophila melanogaster against the pathogen Photorhabdus.

ABSTRACTPrevious and recent investigations on the innate immune response of Drosophila have identified certain mechanisms that promote pathogen elimination. However, the function of Thioester-containing proteins (TEPs) in the fly still remains elusive. Recently we have shown the contribution of TEP4 in the antibacterial immune defense of Drosophila against non-pathogenic E. coli, and the pathogens Photorhabdus luminescens and P. asymbiotica. Here we studied the function of Tep genes in both humoral and cellular immunity upon E. coli and Photorhabdus infection. We found that while Tep2 is induced after Photorhabdus and E. coli infection; Tep6 is induced by P. asymbiotica only. Moreover, functional ablation of hemocytes results in significantly low transcript levels of Tep2 and Tep6 in response to Photorhabdus. We show that Tep2 and Tep6 loss-of-function mutants have prolonged survival against P. asymbiotica, Tep6 mutants survive better the infection of P. luminescens, and both tep mutants are resistant to ...
Comparison of aging effects in hafnia and titania thin films on the laser damage resistance of high reflection coatings for 1054 nm

Optical coatings deposited using electron beam evaporation are subject to aging effects that change the spectral characteristics of the optical coating. The aim of this study was to determine whether aging effects can also negatively impact the laser damage resistance of an optical coating. Maintaining high resistance to laser damage is particularly important for the performance of high fluence laser systems. In 2013, we deposited different high reflection coatings for 1054 nm containing HfO2/TiO2/SiO2 layers. For this study, we re-measured the laser damage thresholds of these coatings at 3.5 ns to determine if aging effects cause the laser damage threshold to decline, and to compare whether HfO2 or TiO2 is superior in terms of long-term laser damage resistance.
Complementary coded waveforms sets in marine radar application

Sets of waveform and mismatched filter pairs are used. On the contrary with Golays matched waveform filter pair the mismatched waveform filter pair does exist for all N (number pulses in waveform). Using corresponding shapes of filter good Doppler tolerance may be provided. This property together with a good range side-lobs level suppression makes it's attractable for use in marine radar.
Uncommon Infections in Children Suggest Underlying Immunodeficiency: A Case of Infective Endocarditis in a 3-Year-Old Male

Infective endocarditis (IE) results from bacterial or fungal infection and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Several known risk factors exist for endocarditis, and 90% of pediatric cases have an underlying structural or congenital heart disease or prosthetic heart valve. Literature on IE in previously healthy children is relatively sparse, and the pathogenesis and underlying risk factors remain mostly unknown. Our patient was a 3-year-old male with a unique presentation of IE. His lack of structural and congenital risk factors for endocarditis prompted further workup, and labs were consistent with insufficient immunoglobulin, suggesting a primary immunodeficiency (PAD). PAD presents as heightened susceptibility to infections, commonly seen as recurrent pneumonia, meningitis, septic arthritis, and otitis media. Pediatric patients commonly have infections, yet as many as in 1 in 2000 patients have PAD. Our case emphasizes the potential need for further investigation into PAD in a young patient with no known risk factors who develops an uncommon infection such as IE.
Deep learning models reveal internal structure and diverse computations in the retina under natural scenes

The normal function of the retina is to convey information about natural visual images. It is this visual environment that has driven evolution, and that is clinically relevant. Yet nearly all of our understanding of the neural computations, biological function, and circuit mechanisms of the retina comes in the context of artificially structured stimuli such as flashing spots, moving bars and white noise. It is fundamentally unclear how these artificial stimuli are related to circuit processes engaged under natural stimuli. A key barrier is the lack of methods for analyzing retinal responses to natural images. We addressed both these issues by applying convolutional neural network models (CNNs) to capture retinal responses to natural scenes. We find that CNN models predict natural scene responses with high accuracy, achieving performance close to the fundamental limits of predictability set by intrinsic cellular variability. Furthermore, individual internal units of the model are highly correlated with actual retinal interneuron responses that were recorded separately and never presented to the model during training. Finally, we find that models fit only to natural scenes, but not white noise, reproduce a range of phenomena previously described using distinct artificial stimuli, including frequency doubling, latency encoding, motion anticipation, fast contrast adaptation, synchronized responses to motion reversal and object motion sensitivity. Further examination of the model revealed extremely rapid context dependence of retinal feature sensitivity under natural scenes using an analysis not feasible from direct examination of retinal responses. Overall, these results show that nonlinear retinal processes engaged by artificial stimuli are also engaged in and relevant to natural visual processing, and that CNN models form a powerful and unifying tool to study how sensory circuitry produces computations in a natural context.
Inferring Reaction Networks using Perturbation Data

In this paper we examine the use of perturbation data to infer the underlying mechanistic dynamic model. The approach uses an evolutionary strategy to evolve networks based on a fitness criterion that measures the difference between the experimentally determined set of perturbation data and proposed mechanistic models. At present we only deal with reaction networks that use mass-action kinetics employing uni-uni, bi-uni, uni-bi and bi-bi reactions. The key to our approach is to split the algorithm into two phases. The first phase focuses on evolving network topologies that are consistent with the perturbation data followed by a second phase that evolves the parameter values. This results in almost an exact match between the evolved network and the original network from which the perturbation data was generated from. We test the approach on four models that include linear chain, feed-forward loop, cyclic pathway and a branched pathway. Currently the algorithm is implemented using Python and libRoadRunner but could at a later date be rewritten in a compiled language to improve performance. Future studies will focus on the impact of noise in the perturbation data on convergence and variability in the evolved parameter values and topologies. In addition we will investigate the effect of nonlinear rate laws on generating unique solutions.
Construction of the Equations of Motion for Multibody Dynamics Using Point and Joint Coordinates

A systematic process for constructing the equations of motion for multibody systems containing open or closed kinematic loops is presented. We first illustrate a nonconventional method for describing the configuration of a body in space using a set of dependent point coordinates, instead of the more classical set of translational and rotational body coordinates. Based on this point-coordinate description, body mass and applied loads are distributed to the points. For multibody systems, the equations of motion are constructed as a large set of mixed differential-algebraic equations. For open-loop systems, based on a velocity transformation process, the equations of motion are converted to a minimal set of equations in terms of the joint accelerations. For multibody systems with closed kinematic loops, the equations of motion are first written as a small set of differential-algebraic equations. Then, following a second velocity transformation, these equations are converted to a minimal set of differential equations. The combination of point-and joint-coordinate formulations provides some interesting features.
New Wrinkles on DNA

The B allomorph of poly d(GC):poly d(GC) at first sight appears to be quite similar to that of calf thymus DNA whose identical chains are described adequately as 101 helices of (average) mononucleotides. Nevertheless the chains of poly d(GC):poly d(GC) are significantly better described as 51 helices of dinucleotides in which GpC has more or less the same conformation as common B DNA but CpG has its C3’-03’ conformation gauche minus rather than trans. Consequently the phosphate orientations of alternate nucleotides differ dramatically justifying describing the conformation of this molecule as a wrinkled form of B DNA.
Advances in managing the noninfected open chest after cardiac surgery: Negative-pressure wound therapy.

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to compare safety and clinical effectiveness of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with traditional wound therapy for managing noninfected open chests with delayed sternal closure after cardiac surgery. Methods From January 2000 to July 2015, 452 of 47,325 patients who underwent full sternotomy left the operating room with a noninfected open chest (0.96%), managed using NPWT in 214—with frequency of use rapidly increasing to near 100%—and traditionally in 238. Predominant indications for open-chest management were uncontrolled coagulopathy or hemodynamic compromise on attempted chest closure. Weighted propensity-score matching was used to assess in-hospital complications and time-related survival. Results NPWT and traditionally managed patients had similar high-risk preoperative profiles. Most underwent reoperations (63% of the NPWT group and 57% of the traditional group), and 21% versus 25% were emergency procedures. Reexplorations for bleeding were less common with NPWT versus traditional wound therapy (n = 63 [29%] vs 104 [44%], P = .002). Median duration of open-chest to definitive sternal closure was 3.5 days for NPWT versus 3.1 for traditionally managed patients (P[log rank] = .07). Seven patients (3.3%) were converted from NPWT to traditional therapy because of hemodynamic intolerance and 6 (2.5%) from traditional to NPWT. No NPWT-related cardiovascular injuries occurred. Among matched patients, NPWT was associated with better early survival (61% vs 44% at 6 months; P = .02). Conclusions NPWT is safe and effective for managing noninfected open chests after cardiac surgery. By facilitating open-chest management and potentially improving outcomes, it has become our therapy of choice and perhaps has lowered our threshold for leaving the chest open after cardiac surgery.
Impact of acute sleep restriction on cerebral glucose metabolism during recovery non-rapid eye movement sleep among individuals with primary insomnia and good sleeper controls.

Abstract Background Restricting time in bed improves insomnia symptoms, but the neural mechanisms for this effect are unknown. Total and partial acute sleep restriction may be useful paradigms for elucidating these effects. We examined the impact of acute sleep restriction on cerebral glucose metabolism during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in individuals with primary insomnia (n = 17) and good sleep (n = 19). Methods Participants underwent [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans during baseline and recovery NREM sleep following one night of partial or total sleep restriction. We compared group differences in baseline-recovery changes, as well as main effects of group and condition (baseline vs. recovery NREM sleep), for relative regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRglc), whole-brain glucose metabolism, and sleep quality. Results Relative rCMRglc was significantly lower during recovery NREM sleep compared to baseline in the left frontoparietal cortex, medial frontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and thalamus, with no significant group differences. Good sleepers, but not insomnia patients, had lower whole-brain glucose metabolism during recovery NREM sleep compared to baseline. Acute sleep restriction improved sleep quality in individual with insomnia. Subgroup analyses including only participants who underwent partial sleep restriction yielded the same pattern of findings. Conclusion Individuals with insomnia and good sleepers showed similar relative rCMRglc responses to acute sleep restriction. Brain regions showing the greatest baseline-recovery changes in both groups included regions previously shown to have smaller sleep-wake differences in patients with primary insomnia. Acute sleep restriction, and by extension sleep restriction therapy, may impact regional metabolic alterations that characterize insomnia.
PROGNOSTIC INDICATORS IN PATIENTS WITH ISOLATED NONCOMPACTION OF THE VENTRICULAR MYOCARDIUM

Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium (INVM) is a rare cardiomyopathy characterized by an excessive number of abnormally prominent trabeculations in the left ventricular (LV) apex. Complications include LV dysfunction, ventricular arrhythmias and systemic emboli, but these
The Langevin Equation as a Global Minimization Algorithm

During the past two years a great deal of attention has been given to simulated annealing as a global minimization algorithm in combinatorial optimization problems [11], image processing problems [2], and other problems [9]. The first rigorous result concerning the convergence of the annealing algorithm was obtained in [2]. In [4], the annealing algorithm was treated as a special case of non-stationary Markov chains, and some optimal convergence estimates and an ergodic theorem were established. Optimal estimates for the annealing algorithm have recently been obtained by nice intuitive arguments in [7].
Smartphone‐based exposure treatment for dental phobia: a pilot randomized clinical trial

Objectives High levels of dental care-related fear/anxiety, as well as phobia, result in delay or avoidance of dental care, which are associated with poorer oral and overall health. Both pharmacotherapeutic and psychosocial methods are available to treat those with high levels of dental fear/anxiety or phobia, but they are infrequently used and not easily accessed. Smartphones are a potential vehicle for delivering exposure therapy (e.g., a treatment involving systematic encounter with fear-evoking stimuli), but there is a need to test the acceptability of this approach in regard to treatment of high levels of dental anxiety/fear and phobia. Methods There were 36 patients with high dental anxiety/fear/phobia randomly assigned to either a treatment or a waitlist condition. Participants completed a pre- and two-week post-multimodal assessment, including a dental behavioral avoidance task. The treatment condition included 2 weeks of self-directed exposure delivered via a personal smartphone in the patients' natural environment. Results Participants in the treatment condition utilized the smartphone exposure an average of 1.6 times daily (SD = 0.85), and found the self-directed exposure highly acceptable. Moreover, they had lower self-reported anxiety and decreased cardiac reactivity at the postassessment compared with the preassessment; no change in anxiety was found for the control condition from pre- to postassessment. Conclusions Highly anxious, fearful, and dental phobic participants utilized smartphone-delivered exposure therapy, and found it to be an acceptable treatment method. Results support the utility and promise for further testing of the personal smartphone in delivering self-directed exposure therapy for high dental fear/anxiety and phobia.
Normative Framework for the Assessment of the Radiated Electromagnetic Emissions from Traction Power Supply and Rolling Stock

Radiated electromagnetic emissions from modern electric transportation systems are subject to requirements for their assessment aiming at a general compatibility with radio services. Standards known, recalled and enforced at contractual level narrow to CENELEC EN 50121 (equivalent to IEC 62236) and UMTA 85 and successive integrations. This work synthesizes similarities and differences for the methods and the required system operation, highlighting the areas where improvements are possible and opportune. Correct interpretation of narrowband and broadband phenomena, assignment of sweep time, statistical post processing and evaluation of site/setup uncertainty and repeatability are examples of considered issues that deserve more attention by the railway standardization bodies.
Chapter 208 – Polyembryony

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the polyembryony, a form of clonal development in which a single egg produces two or more genetically identical offsprings. Few groups of parasites (some cestodes, trematodes, and insects), colonial aquatic invertebrates (oligochaetes, bryozoans), and mammals (armadillos) are obligately polyembryonic. Among these obligately polyembryonic animals, some species of insects produce thousands of offspring per egg. All known species of obligately polyembryonic insects reside in two orders: Hymenoptera i.e., bees, wasps, and ants and Strepsiptera. Polyembryonic wasps occur in selected genera from four families of Hymenoptera: Braconidae (Macrocentrus), Platygasteridae (Platygaster), Encyrtidae (Copidosoma), and Dryinidae. Polyembryony in these groups evolved from monoembryonic ancestors that produce only a single offspring per egg, because the basal members of these large families are all monoembryonic. The phylogenetic distance between these families also indicates that polyembryony has evolved independently multiple times in the Hymenoptera. Despite their multiple origins, all polyembryonic wasps share the common biology of being endoparasitoids that lay their eggs into the egg or larval (nymphal) stage of their insect hosts. After oviposition, each egg laid by a polyembryonic wasp develops into a single embryo. This embryo then clonally gives rise to additional embryos that together form an assemblage called a polygerm or polymorula. Polyembryonic wasps in the family Encyrtidae have evolved a second novelty: a caste system in which morphologically and functionally distinct larvae develop from the same egg.
From Order to Disorder: Computational Design of Triblock Amphiphiles with 1 nm Domains

Using molecular dynamics simulations and transferable force fields, we designed a series of symmetric triblock amphiphiles (or high-χ block oligomers) comprising incompatible sugar-based (A) and hydrocarbon (B) blocks that can self-assemble into ordered nanostructures with sub-1 nm domains and full domain pitches as small as 1.2 nm. Depending on the chain length and block sequence, the ordered morphologies include lamellae, perforated lamellae, and hexagonally perforated lamellae. The self-assembly of these amphiphiles bears some similarities, but also some differences, to those formed by symmetric triblock polymers. In lamellae formed by ABA amphiphiles, the fraction of B blocks "bridging" adjacent polar domains is nearly unity, much higher than that found for symmetric triblock polymers, and the bridging molecules adopt elongated conformations. In contrast, "looping" conformations are prevalent for A blocks of BAB amphiphiles. Above the order-disorder transition temperature, the disordered states are locally well-segregated yet the B blocks of ABA amphiphiles are significantly less stretched than in the lamellar phases. Analysis of both hydrogen-bonded and nonpolar clusters reveals the bicontinuous nature of these network phases. This simulation study furnishes detailed insights into structure-property relationships for mesophase formation on the 1 nm length scale that will aid further miniaturization for numerous applications.
The impacts of global and local change on a tropical lake over forty years

Abstract Lakes across the world are experiencing novel trophic states, declining water quality, and altered biogeochemical cycling due to the synergistic impacts of global change and local anthropogenic stressors. In the tropics these changes can be difficult to assess due to a lack of continuous monitoring or documented legacy conditions to serve as a reference for the contemporary lake. Over the last forty years, Lake Yojoa, located in west central Honduras, has shifted from an oligotrophic to mesotrophic ecosystem as evidenced by a loss of water clarity. To assess the changes that have occurred in Lake Yojoa as well as putative drivers for those changes, we compared secchi depth, dissolved inorganic nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentrations between 1979-1983 and today (2018-2020). While we found little change in total phosphorus between legacy and contemporary data, we found concurrent changes to seasonal trends in secchi depth and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN). Seasonal peaks in DIN coincident with mixus suggest that accumulation of ammonium in the hypolimnion during stratification, and release to the epilimnion with mixus maintains algal productivity in what was previously a nutrient-limited, clear water phase, driving a change in the overall trophic state of Lake Yojoa. This impact of seasonal dynamics on the trophic state of the lake illustrates a key distinction in how physical structure and nutrients interact differently in tropical and temperate lake ecosystems and highlights the importance of warm anoxic hypolimnions to the biogeochemistry that governs the trophic state of tropical lake ecosystems.
OP0006 Distinct mechanisms of il-1 inhibition revealed by in vitro modelling of il-1 receptor accessory protein interactions with il-1/il-1 receptor complex

Background IL-1 stimulates cellular responses by interacting with a heterodimeric receptor complex comprised of IL-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI) and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP). IL-1 first binds IL-1RI then IL-1RAcP is recruited to this complex. Inhibitors of IL-1 bioactivity may function through inhibiting any aspect of this complex formation. Understanding the mechanism of inhibition of specific inhibitors can shed light on the nature of the interfaces that define a high affinity site for IL-1RAcP binding. Objectives To model the interaction of IL-1 Receptor Accessory Protein with IL-1 bound IL-1 Receptor using purified recombinant proteins, and assess the mechanism of antagonism for IL-1 inhibitors. Methods The extracellular domain of IL-1RAcP was expressed and purified. The interaction of IL-1RAcP with IL-1RI, IL-1 and IL-1RI/IL-1 complex was explored in binding assays. Antibodies to IL-1 and IL-1RI have been used to investigate the roles of individual components of the complex. IL-1 bioassays have been developed to validate the in vitro findings. Results As expected, IL-1RAcP did not interact with either IL-1 or IL-1RI alone, even at high concentrations (100 nM), however, binding to complex was measured to be high affinity (~ 1 nM). Furthermore, purified IL-1RAcP enhanced binding of IL-1 to receptor. Antibodies to IL-1b have been identified which block binding of IL-1/IL-1RI to IL-1RAcP but fail to influence IL-1 binding to receptor. Conclusion The observation that anti-IL-1beta antibodies can selectively block binding of IL-1RAcP demonstrates a novel mechanism of IL-1 inhibition and supports the hypothesis that IL-1 makes direct contacts with IL-1RAcP. Since IL-1 does not demonstrate any measurable affinity for IL-1RAcP when not bound to IL-1RI, it is likely that additional elements of the binding site are comprised of IL-1RI residues. Future studies mapping the elements of IL-1RAcP involved in the contact points will further define the binding interface.