cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum percent free prostate-specific antigen in metastatic prostate cancer.

Abstract Objectives. To define the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) isoform profile in patients who have prostate cancer but do not have a prostate gland, that is, men who have had a previous radical prostatectomy (RP) and subsequently persistent disease as evidenced by elevated PSA. PSA can be reliably measured in the serum in two major isoforms: PSA complexed to alpha 1 -antichymotrypsin and uncomplexed free PSA (fPSA). Multiple investigations have illustrated the usefulness of the free/total PSA proportion (percent fPSA) in differentiating prostate cancer from benign prostate disease in patients who still have their prostate gland in situ. Methods. Sera were evaluated from 52 men who underwent RP and postoperatively had increased PSA. fPSA and total PSA (tPSA) concentrations were determined using the Abbott AxSYM PSA assays. Percent fPSA was calculated for all patients. Results. Median tPSA was 5.45 ng/mL (range 0.93 to 214.99). Median fPSA was 0.69 ng/mL (range 0.11 to 54.93); the median percent fPSA was 13.3% (range 3.9% to 62.9%). There were 27 (52%) patients with percent fPSA less than 15%, 25 (48%) patients with greater than 15%, and 7 (13%) with greater than 30%. No significant relationship was found between percent fPSA and grade, stage, and severity of disease. Percent fPSA was significantly increased in patients who received hormonal, radiation, or combination treatment versus those who received no treatment ( P = 0.02 to 0.0007). Conclusions. Serum percent fPSA in men after RP with persistent prostate cancer encompasses a wide range of values with no clear stratifying factor or factors. These observations and further serial studies in patients with progressive metastatic disease may be important in determining the mechanism(s) for lower percent fPSA in men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer.
What Toddlers Talk About

The size of the noun vocabulary children learn is influenced by what the children talk about with their caregivers when they are toddlers. For quartiles based on root noun vocabulary size, longitudinal data for 40 children (13n36 months old) were analysed using the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) to standardize the vocabulary of topics examined and a 100-utterance sample each month to equate the children for rate of talking. Analysis showed similar trends across the quartiles in the topic categories the children talked about, major increases in use of nouns different from those on the CDI, and diversity (different nouns per noun used) increasing as vocabulary increased. Richness differed across the quartiles, and the richness in nouns of the children’s utterances was associated not with diversity but with the richness in nouns of their parents’ utterances. An important aspect of the size of the noun vocabulary children learn may be the extent to which the children are matching not only...
The Development, Evaluation, and Validation of a Financial Stress Scale for Undergraduate Students

Financial stress is commonly experienced among college students and is associated with adverse academic, mental health, and physical health outcomes. Surprisingly, no validated measures of financial stress have been developed for undergraduate populations. The present study was conducted to generate and evaluate a measure of financial stress for undergraduate students. The newly developed scale and measures of demographics, general stress, and health were completed by 177 undergraduates. The reliability, validity, and factor structure of the new scale were evaluated. Results indicate good reliability and validity, suggesting that the measure can be used in research and in applied settings to assess financial stress. Possible implications are discussed.
Fingering instabilities in vertical miscible displacement flows in porous media

The fingering instabilities in vertical miscible displacement flows in porous media driven by both viscosity and density contrasts are studied using linear stability analysis and direct numerical simulations. The conditions under which vertical flows are different from horizontal flows are derived. A linear stability analysis of a sharp interface gives an expression for the critical velocity that determines the stability of the flow. It is shown that the critical velocity does not remain constant but changes as the two fluids disperse into each other. In a diffused profile, the flow can develop a potentially stable region followed downstream by a potentially unstable region or vice versa depending on the flow velocity, viscosity and density profiles, leading to the potential for ‘reverse’ fingering. As the flow evolves into the nonlinear regime, the strength and location of the stable region changes, which adds to the complexity and richness of finger propagation. The flow is numerically simulated using a Hartley-transform-based spectral method to study the nonlinear evolution of the instabilities. The simulations are validated by comparing to experiments. Miscible displacements with linear density and exponential viscosity dependencies on concentration are simulated to study the effects of stable zones on finger propagation. The growth rates of the mixing zone are parametrically obtained for various injection velocities and viscosity ratios.
Ablation of GaAs by Intense, Ultrafast Electronic Excitation from Highly Charged Ions

We have measured total ablation rates and secondary ion yields from undoped GaAs(100) interacting with slow $(v\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}6.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{5}\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{s})$, very highly charged ions. Ablation rates increase strongly as a function of projectile charge. Some 1400 target atoms are removed when a single ${\mathrm{Th}}^{70+}$ ion deposits a potential energy of 152.6 keV within a few femtoseconds into a nanometer-sized target volume. We discuss models for ablation of semiconductors by intense, ultrafast electronic excitation.
Technique for Identifying Flavobacterium columnare Using Whole-Cell Fatty Acid Profiles

Abstract Isolates of Flavobacterium columnare (29 from diseased fish and three American Type Culture Collection cultures [ATCC 23463, 49512, 43622]) were identified by use of biochemical characteristics prior to generating whole-cell fatty acid profiles. The microbial identification system (MIS; Microbial ID, Newark, Delaware), a gas chromatography system, was used to generate the fatty acid profiles of F. columnare. The MIS contains databases of clinically and environmentally important bacteria that are represented by over 100 genera, including Flavobacterium spp. (F. aquatile [ATCC 11947] and F. mizutaii). Flavobacterium columnare is not included in the databases because it does not grow on standard media. Fatty acid profiles of F. columnare were generated with the CLIN40 protocol established by MIS after growth of the bacteria in modified Shieh broth. The fatty acid composition of F. columnare isolates determined by the CLIN40 method consisted of 10 major fatty acids (those present at levels > 1%): 11-...
Evaluation of methods for assessing physiological biomarkers of stress in freshwater mussels

Freshwater mussel populations are highly susceptible to environmental alterations because of their diminished numbers and primarily sessile behaviors; nonlethal biomonitoring programs are needed to...
Behavior change in diabetes education.

PURPOSEThe purpose of this paper is to explore how diabetes education produces change in self-care behavior.METHODSPublished research on diabetes education relevant to behavior change was examined ...
Three-dimensional structure of the KChIP1–Kv4.3 T1 complex reveals a cross-shaped octamer

Brain IA and cardiac Ito currents arise from complexes containing Kv4 voltage-gated potassium channels and cytoplasmic calcium-sensor proteins (KChIPs). Here, we present X-ray crystallographic and small-angle X-ray scattering data that show that the KChIP1–Kv4.3 N-terminal cytoplasmic domain complex is a cross-shaped octamer bearing two principal interaction sites. Site 1 comprises interactions between a unique Kv4 channel N-terminal hydrophobic segment and a hydrophobic pocket formed by displacement of the KChIP H10 helix. Site 2 comprises interactions between a T1 assembly domain loop and the KChIP H2 helix. Functional and biochemical studies indicate that site 1 influences channel trafficking, whereas site 2 affects channel gating, and that calcium binding is intimately linked to KChIP folding and complex formation. Together, the data resolve how Kv4 channels and KChIPs interact and provide a framework for understanding how KChIPs modulate Kv4 function.
Development of an Inhalational Bacillus anthracis Exposure Therapeutic Model in Cynomolgus Macaques

Appropriate animal models are required to test medical countermeasures to bioterrorist threats. To that end, we characterized a nonhuman primate (NHP) inhalational anthrax therapeutic model for use in testing anthrax therapeutic medical countermeasures according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Animal Rule. A clinical profile was recorded for each NHP exposed to a lethal dose of Bacillus anthracis Ames spores. Specific diagnostic parameters were detected relatively early in disease progression, i.e., by blood culture (∼37 h postchallenge) and the presence of circulating protective antigen (PA) detected by electrochemiluminescence (ECL) ∼38 h postchallenge, whereas nonspecific clinical signs of disease, i.e., changes in body temperature, hematologic parameters (ca. 52 to 66 h), and clinical observations, were delayed. To determine whether the presentation of antigenemia (PA in the blood) was an appropriate trigger for therapeutic intervention, a monoclonal antibody specific for PA was administered to 12 additional animals after the circulating levels of PA were detected by ECL. Seventy-five percent of the monoclonal antibody-treated animals survived compared to 17% of the untreated controls, suggesting that intervention at the onset of antigenemia is an appropriate treatment trigger for this model. Moreover, the onset of antigenemia correlated with bacteremia, and NHPs were treated in a therapeutic manner. Interestingly, brain lesions were observed by histopathology in the treated nonsurviving animals, whereas this observation was absent from 90% of the nonsurviving untreated animals. Our results support the use of the cynomolgus macaque as an appropriate therapeutic animal model for assessing the efficacy of medical countermeasures developed against anthrax when administered after a confirmation of infection.
Scattering from a circular disk: a comparative study of PTD and GTD techniques

Two groups of techniques, PTD (physical theory of diffraction) and GTD (geometric theory of diffraction), are studied by analyzing the scattering from a conducting circular disk. The authors include comparisons of calculations based on several different asymptotic high-frequency theories with the method of moments (MoM) as a baseline. The latter is treated as numerically exact. Features of particular interest include the performance at the reflection boundaries, boresight caustics, and far-angle sidelobes. The bistatic radar cross sections (RCSs) calculated by these techniques are examined. Although only far-field radiation is considered, these methods can also be used for near-field calculations. >
Deposition of polyimide precursor by resonant infrared laser ablation

We report the successful deposition of a polyimide precursor using resonant infrared laser ablation (RIR-LA). A solution of poly(amic acid) (PAA) dissolved in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP), the melt processable precursor to polyimide, was frozen in liquid nitrogen for use as an ablation target in a high-vacuum chamber. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to determine that the local chemical structure remained unaltered. Gel permeation chromatography demonstrated that the transferred PAA retained its molecular weight, showing that RIR-LA is able to transfer the polymer intact, with no detectable chain fragmentation. These results are in stark contrast to UV-processing which degrades the polymer. After deposition the PAA may be removed with a suitable solvent; however, once the material has undergone cyclodehydration it forms an impenetrable three-dimensional network associated with thermosetting polymers. The transfer of uncured PAA precursor supports the hypothesis that RIR-LA is intrinsically a low temperature process, because the PAA is transferred without reaching the curing temperature. The RIR-LA also effectively removes the solvent NMP from the PAA, during both the ablation and deposition phases; this is a necessary step in generating PI films.
Simplified analysis of aperture coupled microstrip antenna fed by dielectric image line

The paper presents a simplified analysis of aperture coupled microstrip antenna fed by a dielectric image line. The cavity model is used to represent the fields in the microstrip antenna. The dielectric image line is assumed to be propagating only the fundamental mode. The magnetic current source due to the electric field in the aperture is assumed to be a half-sine wave. The image line is terminated by a matched load. The total impedance of the antenna and the matched load seen at the reference plane in the image line is calculated and validated with experimental results.
Adrenal function after hypophysectomy in man.

ATROPHY of the adrenal gland following removal of the pituitary gland has been studied both functionally and anatomically in a variety of species but remains relatively unexplored in man. We have previously described some of the effects of total hypophysectomy on gonadal (1) and thyroid function (2) and propose now to examine several aspects of adrenal function after hypophysectomy. It has been demonstrated that the secretion of aldosterone in man is independent of the anterior pituitary gland (3). This, however, carries no implications with respect to the secretion of hydrocortisone by the adrenal gland. In several species, hypophysectomy has been found to reduce markedly the secretion of corticosterone and hydrocortisone (4, 5, 6). The correspondence between animal and man of the responses to the other tropichormones suggests that the secretion of hydrocortisone in man may be equally dependent upon corticotropin. METHODS These studies were conducted with patients who had had surgical hypophysectomy or a...
Mild head injury, anticoagulants, and risk of intracranial injury

We studied intracranial damage in patients with mild head injuries who were taking warfarin. Of the 215,785 individuals who visited the Mount Auburn and Beth Israel accident and emergency departments during our study, we identified records for 144 patients by anticoagulation status and computed tomography (CT) imaging. We retrospectively reviewed these patients and ten (7%, 95% CI 3-11) with clinically important injuries on cranial CT. Our findings suggest that patients with head injuries who receive anticoagulants have a similar or greater risk of intracranlal injury to those falling into a previously defined moderate-risk category, invalidating a previous conclusion that CT scanning is unnecessary in such patients.
Generalized left corner parsing

Brosgol [Br] formalizes the notion that parsing methods can be classified by the positions at which production rules are recognized. In an LL parser, each rule is recognized at the left end, before the rule's yield has been read; in an LR parser, a rule is recognized at its right end, after its yield has been read; and in an LC parser a rule is recognized after the yield of its "left corner" has been read. We generalize on these techniques by allowing the user to specify arbitrarily for each production rule the position at which that rule is to be recognized. The resulting GLC or generalized left corner technique includes the LR, LL, LC, and ELC methods as special cases. It also allows for less conventional parsing strategies, such as grammar splitting [K] with certain component grammars parsed top-down and the others parsed bottom-up, as suggested in [AU].This paper is organized as follows. In Section 2 we give some necessary background and notation. Section 3 defines GLC parsing. A canonical GLC(k) parsing technique can be defined analogous to the LR(k) technique. However, the resulting parsers tend to be unacceptably large. We therefore restrict our attention to the SGLC(k), or simple generalized left corner parsing technique, which is analogous to the SLR(k) technique of DeRemer [D]. We give an algorithm for the construction of SGLC(k) parsing tables and prove that the resulting parser is correct.In Section 4 we develop some potentially useful properties of SGLC(1) parsers. We show that there is a well-defined leftmost position at which each production rule can be recognized, and that a minimal left corner parser can be constructed which recognizes each rule as early as possible. We derive a simple expression relating the size (number of states) of an SGLC(1) parser to the size of the corresponding SLR(1) parser. If G is not left-recursive, then the minimal left-corner parser is the smallest parser for G in this class, while the SLR(1) parser is the largest.In Section 5 we extend the techniques 5 of [HSU] to give an O(n2) algorithm to test whether a grammar with no left recursion is SGLC(1), and if so to compute its minimal left corners.
Somatic pairing of homologs in budding yeast: existence and modulation

FISH analysis of well-spread chromosomes reveals that homologs are paired in vegetatively growing budding yeast diploid cells, via multiple interstitial interactions, and independent of recA homologs and mating type heterozygosity. Pairing is present during G1 and G2, and in cells arrested at G1 by mating pheromone, but is disrupted during S phase. Thus, somatic pairing is qualitatively analogous to premeiotic and early meiotic pairing. S-phase pairing disruption occurs by a complex intranuclear program involving regional, nucleus-wide, and temporal determinants. Pairing is also disrupted in two G2-arrest conditions (cdc13ts and nocodazole). Together these findings suggest that cell cycle signals may provoke pairing disruption by modulating underlying chromosome and/or chromatin structure. Whether the cell chooses to disrupt pairing contacts or not (e.g., S phase and G2 arrest, but not G1 arrest or normal G1 or G2), could be dictated by functional considerations involving homolog/sister discrimination.
An Imbalance Of Power: The Readability Of Internet Privacy Policies

The gap is growing. While collection techniques by today’s business marketing professionals are becoming increasingly sophisticated, there is also an alarming lack of knowledge by Internet sur-fers about how companies track their online movements and use the information. The privacy policy is the document that provides the information regarding how the organization handles the dataflow in their organizations. The policy should answer the consumer’s question, “What is being done with the information that I provide when I am on the Internet?” But how understandable are these policies? This research project is a multiple case study in which the privacy policies of three organizations are evaluated in terms of their readability and their user-friendliness. The three online organizations selected include PrivacyAlliance.org, Dell.com, and Amazon.com.
Relating DSM-5 section III personality traits to section II personality disorder diagnoses

Background The DSM-5 Personality and Personality Disorders Work Group formulated a hybrid dimensional/categorical model that represented personality disorders as combinations of core impairments in personality functioning with specific configurations of problematic personality traits. Specific clusters of traits were selected to serve as indicators for six DSM categorical diagnoses to be retained in this system – antisocial, avoidant, borderline, narcissistic, obsessive–compulsive and schizotypal personality disorders. The goal of the current study was to describe the empirical relationships between the DSM-5 section III pathological traits and DSM-IV/DSM-5 section II personality disorder diagnoses. Method Data were obtained from a sample of 337 clinicians, each of whom rated one of his or her patients on all aspects of the DSM-IV and DSM-5 proposed alternative model. Regression models were constructed to examine trait–disorder relationships, and the incremental validity of core personality dysfunctions (i.e. criterion A features for each disorder) was examined in combination with the specified trait clusters. Results Findings suggested that the trait assignments specified by the Work Group tended to be substantially associated with corresponding DSM-IV concepts, and the criterion A features provided additional diagnostic information in all but one instance. Conclusions Although the DSM-5 section III alternative model provided a substantially different taxonomic structure for personality disorders, the associations between this new approach and the traditional personality disorder concepts in DSM-5 section II make it possible to render traditional personality disorder concepts using alternative model traits in combination with core impairments in personality functioning.
Effects of α‐Pyrrolidinopentiophenone and 4-Methyl-N-Ethylcathinone, Two Synthetic Cathinones Commonly Found in Second-Generation “Bath Salts,” on Intracranial Self-Stimulation Thresholds in Rats

Background: Use of synthetic cathinones, which are designer stimulants found in “bath salts,” has increased dramatically in recent years. Following governmental bans of methylenedioxypyrovalerone, mephedrone, and methylone, a second generation of synthetic cathinones with unknown abuse liability has emerged as replacements. Methods: Using a discrete trials current intensity threshold intracranial self-stimulation procedure, the present study assessed the effects of 2 common second-generation synthetic cathinones, α‐pyrrolidinopentiophenone (0.1–5mg/kg) and 4-methyl- N -ethcathinone (1–100mg/kg) on brain reward function. Methamphetamine (0.1–3mg/kg) was also tested for comparison purposes. Results: Results revealed both α‐pyrrolidinopentiophenone and 4-methyl- N -ethcathinone produced significant intracranial self-stimulation threshold reductions similar to that of methamphetamine. α‐Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (1mg/kg) produced a significant maximal reduction in intracranial self-stimulation thresholds (~19%) most similar to maximal reductions produced by methamphetamine (1mg/kg, ~20%). Maximal reductions in intracranial self-stimulation thresholds produced by 4-methyl- N -ethcathinone were observed at 30mg/kg (~15%) and were comparable with those observed with methamphetamine and α‐pyrrolidinopentiophenone tested at the 0.3-mg/kg dose (~14%). Additional analysis of the ED50 values from log-transformed data revealed the rank order potency of these drugs as methamphetamine ≈ α‐pyrrolidinopentiophenone>4-methyl- N -ethcathinone. Conclusions: These data suggest that the newer second-generation synthetic cathinones activate the brain reward circuitry and thus may possess a similar degree of abuse potential as prototypical illicit psychostimulants such as methamphetamine as well as the first generation synthetic cathinone methylenedioxypyrovalerone, as previously reported.
Please Don't Bury Me Down in that Cold Cold Ground: The Need for Uniform Laws on the Disposition of Human Remains

The disposition of a decedent’s remains is a largely unregulated area. While there are federal regulations concerning the funeral industry, there are none dealing with the disposition of remains in particular. The lack of federal regulation, limited state authority on the ownership of remains, and wishes of the decedent often result in conflict. Such conflicts are often left to be resolved by courts and funeral homes. The lack of uniformity in this type of law increases in importance as the baby boom generation ages and demands creative options concerning their final resting place. In this Article, Professor Murphy explores the increasing need for certainty in this area and proposes the adoption of a uniform law patterned on one of the existing state statutory schemes.
Sooting Jet Diffusion Flame Thermometry at 5 kHz using Femtosecond Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering

Chirped probe pulse (CPP) femtosecond (fs) Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectra were acquired at 5 kHz in a low turbulence jet diffusion flame. Experimental CARS spectra were compared to a theoretical model in order to extract singlelaser-shot temperature measurements. Measurements were performed at various heights and radial locations within a sooting methane-air free jet diffusion flame. These measurements are the first demonstration of CPP fs-CARS in a highly sooting flame.
Startup procedure for three-phase three-wire isolated ac-dc converter implemented with three single-phase converter modules

Three-phase isolated ac-dc converters can be implemented either with a direct three-phase PFC rectifier front end followed by an isolated dc-dc converter, or with three single-phase isolated ac-dc converters. Generally, the major advantage of the modular implementation with three single-phase converters is its ease of power expandability. In implementations with Y-connected single-phase modules in three-wire power systems, the major challenge is the design of a reliable control that limits the potential difference between the Y point of the single-phase modules and the neutral point of the three-phase source, VY0, so that the input voltage of the modules always stays within a specified range. Although a vast amount of literature on the balancing control is available, none of them addresses the startup of the modules, which is an indispensable part of control design of any practical circuit. To fill this gap, in this paper, a detailed startup procedure is described. This two-step startup procedure ensures that even with unbalanced source voltages, VY0 is properly controlled so that the input voltage of the modules stays within a specified limit, while PFC front-end output voltages increase monotonically and their inrush currents are below a specified level. The proposed startup procedure is illustrated with MATLAB/Simulink simulations and also experimentally verified.
Involvement of PKC-alpha in PDGF-mediated mitogenic signaling in human mesangial cells

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogen for a variety of cells. The calcium/phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C (PKC) represents a major signal transduction pathway for many growth stimuli including PDGF. Various isoforms of PKC are differentially expressed in the same or in different cells and tissues, and diverse stimuli may selectively activate one or more PKC isoforms. We studied the effect of PDGF on DNA synthesis and on the activity of PKC in human mesangial cells and vascular pericytes in the glomerular microvascular bed. PKC activity was measured as the amount of phosphorylated myelin basic protein-derived peptide substrate in the absence and presence of an inhibitor, a peptide spanning the pseudosubstrate region of PKC. PDGF (15 ng/ml) stimulated PKC activity within 5 min, and the effect was sustained for 60 min. Pretreatment of mesangial cells with 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), an inhibitor of PKC, abolished the stimulation of PKC and DNA synthesis in response to PDGF. This effect of H-7 was specific, because H-7 did not inhibit the tyrosine phosphorylation of the PDGF receptor in vivo when added to the cells or the in vitro kinase activity in the PDGF beta-receptor immunoprecipitates. Utilizing isotype-specific antibodies against PKC-alpha, -beta, or -gamma for immunoprecipitation of PDGF-treated mesangial cell extracts, followed by assay of PKC activity, we demonstrated the activation of PKC-alpha only. Northern blot analysis of mRNA prepared from mesangial cells also revealed two transcripts, 3.7 kb and 1.8 kb, that hybridized with cDNA specific for PKC-alpha.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cultural Issues and Linguistic Complications in Health Communication

This article examines some of the major cultural issues and linguistic complications relevant to health communication in a wide range of contexts. To identify, describe, and analyze the complex issues involved it examines (1) what is meant by the term ‘culture’ within the context of health communication, (2) the role that language and culture play not only in health communication but also in peoples' conceptions and misconceptions of what constitutes health and health care, and (3) the kind and range of challenges that emerge organically at the nexus of language, culture, and health care.
Precise measurement of dielectric constant by the two-fluid technique

Recently developed transformer bridges have made it possible to easily make measurements of capacitance to a few ppm (parts per million), particularly at audio frequencies. The question naturally arises: can dielectric constant and phase angle measurements be made with comparable accuracy?
Quadrature of the Circle

About 100 a.d. Menelaus of Alexandria extended a then well-known lemma to spherical triangles in his Sphaerica, which is extant in an Arabic translation. In plane geometry this lemma is known as Menelaus’ Theorem. The well-known lemma that is now called Pappus’ Theorem may be found in Pappus’ Collection. It is quite likely that both Menelaus’ Theorem and Pappus’ Theorem were known to Euclid, since both appear in the Collection as lemmas that are useful for an understanding of the now lost book Porisms by Euclid.
Solitary Action: Acting on Our Own in Everyday Life, Ira J. Cohen. Oxford University Press, New York, NY (2016), 223 pp., Hardcover, ISBN: 978-0-19-025857-3

Those interested in the sociological study of action may wonder why the actions that consume much of our ordinary lives – solitary actions – have been largely ignored in sociological inquiry. Solit...
High-throughput microfluidics and ultrafast optics for in vivo compound/genetic discoveries

Therapeutic treatment of spinal cord injuries, brain trauma, stroke, and neurodegenerative diseases will greatly benefit from the discovery of compounds that enhance neuronal regeneration following injury. We previously demonstrated the use of femtosecond laser microsurgery to induce precise and reproducible neural injury in C. elegans, and have developed microfluidic on-chip technologies that allow automated and rapid manipulation, orientation, and non-invasive immobilization of animals for sub-cellular resolution two-photon imaging and femtosecond-laser nanosurgery. These technologies include microfluidic whole-animal sorters, as well as integrated chips containing multiple addressable incubation chambers for exposure of individual animals to compounds and sub-cellular time-lapse imaging of hundreds of animals on a single chip. Our technologies can be used for a variety of highly sophisticated in vivo high-throughput compound and genetic screens, and we performed the first in vivo screen in C. elegans for compounds enhancing neuronal regrowth following femtosecond microsurgery. The compounds identified interact with a wide variety of cellular targets, such as cytoskeletal components, vesicle trafficking, and protein kinases that enhance neuronal regeneration.
Assessment of end-of-life design in solid-state lighting

Consumers in the US market and across the globe are beginning to widely adopt light emitting diode (LED) lighting products while the technology continues to undergo significant changes. While LED products are evolving to consume less energy, they are also more complex than traditional lighting products with a higher number of parts and a larger number of electronic components. Enthusiasm around the efficiency and long expected life span of LED lighting products is valid, but research to optimize product characteristics and design is needed. This study seeks to address that gap by characterizing LED lighting products' suitability for end of life (EOL) recycling and disposal. The authors disassembled and assessed 17 different lighting products to understand how designs differ between brands and manufacture year. Products were evaluated based on six parameters to quantify the design. The analysis indicates that while the efficiency of LED products has improved dramatically in the recent past, product designers and manufacturers could incorporate design strategies to improve environmental performance of lighting products at end-of-life.
Effects of CW-FIT on Teachers' Ratings of Elementary School Students at Risk for Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

Students with deficits in social skills have been found to experience both short- and long-term problems, including interpersonal conflicts and academic difficulties. These problems are compounded for students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). Classwide function-related intervention teams (CW-FIT), a multitiered classroom management program, has been shown to be effective in increasing on-task behavior and decreasing disruptive behavior of students at risk for EBD. The present study examined the effects of CW-FIT on teachers’ ratings of students’ social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence. A randomized control trial was completed with 160 elementary school teachers located in 19 schools across three states. Teachers completed rating scales on 350 students identified as at risk for EBD, for whom consent had been obtained. After being randomly assigned to treatment or control conditions, CW-FIT was implemented for approximately 4 months in treatment classrooms, after which teache...
Nervous system excitability and joint stiffness following short-term dynamic ankle immobilization

Joint immobilization has been demonstrated to modify neural excitability in subsets of healthy populations, leading to disinhibition of cortical and reflexive pathways. However, these findings may have limited clinical application as most models have investigated casting and rigid immobilization, while many musculoskeletal injuries often utilize dynamic immobilization devices such as boot immobilizers and pneumatic splints that allow for modified ambulation. We therefore aimed to determine the short-term effects of ambulation in ankle immobilization devices on nervous system excitability and stiffness in able-bodied individuals. A repeated-measures design was implemented where 12 healthy individuals were tested for cortical excitability to the ankle musculature using transcranial magnetic stimulation, reflexive excitability using the Hoffmann reflex, and ankle joint stiffness using arthrometry before and after 30min of ambulation with a boot immobilizer, pneumatic leg splint, or barefoot. Motor evoked potential (MEP), cortical silent period (CSP), Hmax to Mmax ratio, and ankle joint displacement were extracted as dependent variables. Results indicated that despite the novel motor demands of walking in immobilization devices, no significant changes in cortical excitability (F≥0.335, P≥0.169), reflexive excitability (F≥0.027, P≥0.083), or joint stiffness (F≥0.558, P≥0.169) occurred. These findings indicate that short-term ambulation in dynamic immobilization devices does not modify neural excitability despite forced constraints on the sensorimotor system. We may therefore conclude that modifications to neural excitability in previous immobilization models are mediated by long-term nervous system plasticity rather than acute mechanisms, and there appear to be no robust changes in corticomotor or spinal excitability acutely posed by ambulation with immobilization devices.
Suppression of magnetorotational instability in viscous resistive magnetized Taylor–Couette flow

Magnetorotational instability (MRI) is an instability that is responsible for accretion, the phenomenon observed in astrophysical disks, for example around black holes. MRI can be modeled using the equations of MHD. A typical linear analysis in the past made use of the small Prandtl number approximation, which results in dropping one term from these equations. Previously, one of the authors (Herron) showed that the small magnetic Prandtl number approximation suppresses MRI in axisymmetric viscous resistive magnetized Taylor–Couette flow when one has no-slip velocity boundary conditions, and insulating magnetic boundary conditions. We follow up here with a proof that MRI is still suppressed with perfectly conducting magnetic boundary conditions on the cylinders.
Lagerung des Patienten zur Operation

Der Erfolg einer Operation hangt nicht nur von einer perfekten Operationstechnik, dem fur den Patienten geeigneten Anasthesieverfahren, zweckdienlichen Instrumenten und funktionsfahigen medizinischen Geraten ab, sondern auch von einer korrekten Patientenlagerung. Die Lagerung zur Operation muss dabei nicht nur den Anforderungen des Operateurs, sondern auch den individuellen Bedurfnissen des Patienten genugen. Obwohl dies bei „einfachen“ Lagerungen trivial erscheinen mag, muss bei der Lagerung zur Operation auf zahlreiche Kleinigkeiten geachtet werden, die bei fehlerhafter Ausfuhrung gravierende Schaden beim Patienten zur Folge haben konnen. Verantwortlich fur die Lagerung ist der Operateur, die Durchfuhrung erfolgt im Sinne einer horizontalen Arbeitsteilung zwischen Operateur und Anasthesist. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden Standardlagerungen, deren Durchfuhrung und mogliche Lagerungsschaden beschrieben, juristische Aspekte beleuchtet sowie auf technische Einzelheiten wie Operationstischsysteme und Lagerungshilfen eingegangen.
Physical aging in epoxy matrices and composites

Matrix-dominated physical and mechanical properties of a carbon-fiber-reinforced epoxy composite and a neat epoxy resin have been found to be affected by sub-Tg annealing in an inert dark atmosphere. Postcured specimens of Thornel 300 carbon-fiber/Fiberite 934 epoxy as well as Fiberite 934 epoxy resin were quenched from above Tq and annealed at 140 °C, 110 °C or 80 °C, for times up to 105 minutes. No weight gain or loss was observed during annealing at these temperatures. Significant variations were found in density, modulus, hardness, damping, moisture absorption ability, and thermal expansivity. Moisture/epoxy interactions were also studied. The kinetics of aging as well as the molecular aggregation during this densification process were monitored by differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile testing, and solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.
Erfolg in Schule und Ausbildung fördern

Inhalte dieses Kapitels Haufige schulische Probleme von Jugendlichen in der MST Diagnostik schulischer Probleme Interventionen bei schulischen Problemen Dem Schulabbruch durch den Jugendlichen vorbeugen Forderung der schulischen und beruflichen Entwicklung nach dem Abbruch der Schule
Weaknesses in defenses against web-borne malware

Web-based mechanisms, often mediated by malicious JavaScript code, play an important role in malware delivery today, making defenses against web-borne malware crucial for system security. This paper explores weaknesses in existing approaches to the detection of malicious JavaScript code. These approaches generally fall into two categories: lightweight techniques focusing on syntactic features such as string obfuscation and dynamic code generation; and heavier-weight approaches that look for deeper semantic characteristics such as the presence of shellcode-like strings or execution of exploit code. We show that each of these approaches has its weaknesses, and that state-of-the-art detectors using these techniques can be defeated using cloaking techniques that combine emulation with dynamic anti-analysis checks. Our goal is to promote a discussion in the research community focusing on robust defensive techniques rather than ad-hoc solutions.
Abstract IA16: Natural history of peripheral nerve sheath tumors in NF1: Identification and characterization of malignant precursor lesions

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is a common (incidence 1:2,700) inherited disorder characterized by the development of peripheral nerve sheath tumors, including plexiform neurofibromas (PN) and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST). While PN are histologically benign they can result in substantial morbidity including pain, disfigurement, and neurologic or functional deficits. Importantly, PN are at risk for transformation to MPNST with a lifetime incidence in NF1 of 15.8%. We are evaluating the natural history of NF1 PN in children enrolled on an NCI natural history study. Patients undergo detailed clinical evaluations and longitudinal evaluation with whole body MRI to assess total body tumor burden. Our studies confirm that PN grow most rapidly in young children and that substantial PN growth in patients ≥15 years old is infrequent and should raise concern for malignant transformation. We also identified the development of distinct nodular lesions (DNL) on MRI. These lesions appear after early childhood, frequently grow more rapidly than the surrounding PN, show a growth rate independent of age, and are avid for fluorodexyglucose on positron emission tomography. On biopsy, some of these lesions were identified as atypical neurofibromas (ANF), which were recently identified as precursor lesions to MPNST, and are characterized by CDKN2A/B loss. We have confirmed that patients with ANF are at greater risk for MPNST and are developing strategies for the evaluation and management of patients with ANF. Surgical resection of ANF, when safely feasible, may reduce the risk for MPNST development. We recently identified that MEK inhibition results in shrinkage of most PN and are expanding our efforts to evaluate the effect of MEK inhibition on DNL and ANF. Citation Format: Brigitte C. Widemann. Natural history of peripheral nerve sheath tumors in NF1: Identification and characterization of malignant precursor lesions [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Conference on Advances in Sarcomas: From Basic Science to Clinical Translation; May 16-19, 2017; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2018;24(2_Suppl):Abstract nr IA16.
Patient-Reported Outcomes and Factors Associated With Patient Satisfaction After Surgical Treatment of Facial Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer.

This study measures patient-reported outcomes and identifies factors associated with patient satisfaction after excision of facial nonmelanoma skin cancer in the veteran population.
Stochastic approximation Monte Carlo with a dynamic update factor.

We present a Monte Carlo algorithm based on the stochastic approximation Monte Carlo (SAMC) algorithm for directly calculating the density of states. The proposed method is stochastic approximation with a dynamic update factor (SAD), which dynamically adjusts the update factor ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{t}$ during the course of the simulation. We test this method on a square-well fluid and a 31-atom Lennard-Jones cluster and compare the convergence behavior of several related Monte Carlo methods. We find that both the SAD and $1/t$-Wang-Landau ($1/t$-WL) methods rapidly converge to the correct density of states without the need for the user to specify an arbitrary tunable parameter ${t}_{0}$ as in the case of SAMC. SAD requires as input the temperature range of interest, in contrast with $1/t$-WL, which requires that the user identify the interesting range of energies. The convergence of the $1/t$-WL method is very sensitive to the energy range chosen for the low-temperature heat capacity of the Lennard-Jones cluster. Thus, SAD is more powerful in the common case in which the range of energies is not known in advance.
Automatically Identifying Groups Based on Content and Collective Behavioral Patterns of Group Members

Online communities, or groups, have largely been defined based on links, page rank, and eigenvalues. In this paper we explore identifying abstract groups, groups where member’s interests and online footprints are similar but they are not necessarily connected to one another explicitly. We use a combination of structural information and content information from posts and their comments to build a footprint for groups. We find that these variables do a good job at identifying groups, placing members within a group, and help determine the appropriate granularity for group boundaries.
Effect of Concussions on the Performance of Running Backs and Wide Receivers in the National Football League.

Background:Concussion injuries are common in professional football players; however, their effect on player performance remains unclear.Purpose:To quantify the effect of concussions on the performa...
Matrix regeneration proteins in the hypoxia-triggered exosomes of shoulder tenocytes and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Regenerative functions of exosomes rely on their contents which are influenced by pathological stimuli, including hypoxia, in rotator cuff tendon injuries (RCTI). The hypoxic environment triggers tenocytes and adjacent adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) to release regenerative mediators to the ECM via the exosomes which elicit autocrine/paracrine responses to protect the tendon matrix from injury. We investigated the exosomal protein contents from tenocytes and subcutaneous ADMSCs from the shoulder of Yucatan microswine cultured under hypoxic conditions (2% O2). The exosomal proteins were detected using high-resolution mass spectrometry nano-LC-MS/MS Tribrid system and were compiled using 'Scaffold' software. Hypoxic exosomes from tenocytes and ADMSCs carried 199 and 65 proteins, respectively. The key proteins identified by mass spectrometry and associated with ECM homeostasis from hypoxic ADMSCs included MMP2, COL6A, CTSD and TN-C and those from hypoxic tenocytes were THSB1, NSEP1, ITIH4 and TN-C. These findings were confirmed at the mRNA and protein level in the hypoxic ADMSCs and tenocytes. These proteins are involved in multiple signaling pathways of ECM repair/regeneration. This warrants further investigations for their translational significance in the management of RCTI.
L-Band Wide-Angle Circular Polarized Sequential Rotated Antenna for GPS Applications

A novel wide-angle circular polarized sequential rotated antenna element is proposed at L-band for GPS applications. The proposed antenna exhibits symmetric radiation patterns for the principal as well as diagonal planes at 1.575 GHz. In addition, it provides a high front-to-back ratio, low cross polarization, and wide axial ratio beamwidth. Right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) with an axial ratio (AR) less than 3 dB is maintained over the wide angle. This antenna is advantageous for communication systems that require wider circularly polarized coverage and gain performance.