cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavior of Lymantria lucescens (Butler) (Erebidae: Lymantriinae); Especially during an Outbreak Near Toyota City, Honshu, Japan

ABSTRACT. Lymantria (Lymantria) lucescens (Butler) collections and observations were made at Toyota and Azumino, Honshu, Japan. Larvae are now recorded to feed on Fagaceae (Quercus, four species); Ulmaceae (Ulmus and Zelkova) and Moraceae (Morus). During the moth flight (July in Toyota), both sexes (but only 15% females) were attracted to commercial lighting and settled on lit surfaces such as storefronts. Females (wingspan av. 72 mm) carried on average 758 eggs each. Periodicity of male moths responding to either synthetic sex pheromone or to visible lights showed that flight activity peaked between 2000 and 2100 h. Three different larval parasitoids from L. lucescens were recovered. L. lucescens is discussed in light of attributes favoring its potential invasiveness.
Wakefield Effects of the Bypass Line in LCLS-II

In LCLS-II, after acceleration and compression and just before entering the undulator, the beam passes through 2.5 km of 24.5 mm (radius) stainless steel pipe. The bunch that passes through the pipe is extremely short---with an rms of 8 um for the nominal 100 pC case. Thus, even though the pipe has a large aperture, the wake that applies is the {\it short-range} resistive wall wakefield. The bunch distribution is approximately uniform, and therefore the wake induced voltage is characterized by a rather linear voltage chirp. It turns out that the wake supplies needed dechirping to the LCLS-II beam before it enters the undulator. In this note we calculate the wake, discuss the confidence in the calculation, and investigate how to improve the induced chirp linearity and/or strength. Finally, we also study the strength and effects of the transverse (dipole) resistive wall wakefield.
Interactions between urban vegetation and surface urban heat islands: a case study in the Boston metropolitan region

Many studies have used thermal data from remote sensing to characterize how land use and surface properties modify the climate of cities. However, relatively few studies have examined the impact of elevated temperature on ecophysiological processes in urban areas. In this paper, we use time series of Landsat data to characterize and quantify how geographic variation in Boston's surface urban heat island (SUHI) affects the growing season of vegetation in and around the city, and explore how the quality and character of vegetation patches in Boston affect local heat island intensity. Results from this analysis show strong coupling between Boston's SUHI and vegetation phenology at the scale of both individual landscape units and for the region as a whole, with significant detectable signatures in both surface temperature and growing season length extending 15 km from Boston's urban core. On average, land surface temperatures were about 7 °C warmer and the growing season was 18–22 days longer in Boston relative to adjacent rural areas. Within Boston's urban core, patterns of temperature and timing of phenology in areas with higher vegetation amounts (e.g., parks) were similar to those in adjacent rural areas, suggesting that vegetation patches provide an important ecosystem service that offsets the urban heat island at local scales. Local relationships between phenology and temperature were affected by the intensity of urban land use surrounding vegetation patches and possibly by the presence of exotic tree species that are common in urban areas. Results from this analysis show how species composition, land cover configuration, and vegetation patch sizes jointly influence the nature and magnitude of coupling between vegetation phenology and SUHIs, and demonstrate that urban vegetation provides a significant ecosystem service in cities by decreasing the local intensity of SUHIs.
Mild PTC (plasma thromboplastin component) deficiency occurring in two brothers.

1. Thirteen cases of plasma thromboplastin component (PTC) deficiency or Christmas disease are reviewed and summarized. Of these cases, only in one were the whole blood coagulation time and prothrombin consumption normal. 2. Two cases of a mild bleeding disorder, occurring in brothers with slightly prolonged whole blood coagulation times and normal prothrombin consumption are described. 3. In these two cases, the thromboplastin generation test revealed the deficiency of a serum factor essential for normal thromboplastin generation. A mild deficiency of PTC was demonstrated by the correction of the serum deficiency by the addition to the patients’ serum of a partially purified preparation of PTC. 4. The differentiation of PTC deficiency from hemophilia is discussed. 5. Mild bleeding disorders due to a moderate reduction of antihemophilic globulin (AHG) or PTC can be differentiated by the use of the thromboplastin generation test.
Plastic surgical procedures related to breast disease.

SUMMARY With rapid improvements in plastic surgery techniques over the past 15 years, breast reconstruction after mastectomy has become a reasonable option for most breast cancer patients. In most patients who have had a modified radical mastectomy, the breast can be easily reconstructed with a subpectoral Silastic implant. In those who have had more extensive resections of tissue or radiation damage of the skin, reconstruction can still be reliably carried out by using either a latissimus dorsi flap in addition to the implant or by using the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous flap reconstruction. In many patients who reject these more complicated options, breast reconstruction can still be carried out with tissue expanders and subsequent placement of a subpectoral Silastic implant. For patients who desire prophylactic removal of breast cancer with extensive fibrocystic disease or precancerous histologic changes, subcutaneous mastectomy with immediate reconstruction offers maximum removal of breast tissue with minimal distortion of body image.
Urodynamic Evaluation of Prostatic Enlargements with Micturitional Vesicourethral Static Pressure Profiles

We studied 58 men with prostatism, who were between 58 and 75 years old, with micturitional vesicourethral static pressure profiles. The study consisted of recording static (lateral) pressures of successive segments of the posterior urethra during voiding, with synchronous monitoring of the vesical pressure activity. An abnormal pressure decrease across the supramontane urethra was considered to be a functional compromise to the prostatic urethra. The studies indicated that the degree of prostatic urethral obstruction was not related to the clinical and endoscopic assessment of prostatic enlargement. Three major patterns emerged from our studies: 1) moderate to severe prostatic enlargement with severe obstruction, 2) moderate to severe prostatic enlargement with minimal or no obstruction and 3) minimal prostatic enlargement with severe obstruction. Also, a good correlation became apparent between micturitional vesicourethral static pressure profilometry and uroflowmetry.
Making Space for Development: A Study on Resettlement from the Longyangxia Water Reservoir Area of Qinghai Province

Large transformations in the landscape and subsequent shifts of population have become an integral part of state development projects in western China. In the context of expanding infrastructures such as river damming, large-scale resettlement might appear to represent an effective solution in response to immediate or short-term needs. However, viewed from a long-term perspective it has the potential to unleash a range of major social, economic and environmental effects which may have an impact on not only the affected people and surrounding landscapes. This paper discusses major challenges of relocation evoked through the damming of the Yellow River in Qinghai Province.
Increased ICP and Systemic Hypotension During the First 72 Hours Following Severe Head Injury

Continuous monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP) has become a crucial component in the management of the comatose head injured victim. Early increased ICP is produced by a variety of pathological conditions, such as hematoma formation, hypoventilation, and cerebral swelling. The relationship of systemic hypotension and increased ICP has yet to be clearly understood. In this prospective study we have attempted to clarify some of these relationships.
Logging damage using an individual tree selection practice in Appalachian hardwood stands

Four West Virginia hardwood stands, managed using individual-tree selection for the past 30 years, were examined after the third and, in one instance, the fourth periodic harvest to determine the severity of logging damage. On existing skid roads, trees were removed with a rubber-tired skidder or a crawler tractor with a rubber-tired arch. Logging damage reduced residual stand basal area by 6%, a total of 6.1 ft2 per acre. Damage was concentrated in the saplings--85% of the stems lost to logging damage were less than 5.0 in dbh. An adequate number of undamaged stems in all diameter classes remained after logging to achieve individual-tree selection stand structure goals.
A chemical engineer's guide to environmental law and regulation

This practicum is designed to provide chemical engineers with a general overview of the field of environmental law. It is structured in four parts. Part I discusses specific reasons why chemical engineers should understand environmental laws and regulations. Part I1 explains the roles of the three categories of governmental actors who define the field of environmental law: legislatures, administrative agencies, and courts. Part I11 discusses how the environmental law that emerges from these actors operating at the federal, state, and local levels interacts, and Part IV outlines the relevant statutory provisions of nine federal environmental statutes. The statutes that will be discussed in Part IV include the Toxic Substances Control Act; the Federal Insecticide, Rodenticide, and Fungicide Act; the Occupational Safety and Health Act; the Clean Air Act; the Clean Water Act; the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act; the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act; the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act; and the Pollution Prevention Act.
Gene and Cell Therapy for Critical Limb Ischemia

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is caused by atherosclerosis that results in narrowing and frequently complete occlusions of one or more arteries that supply the lower extremities. PAD affects ~8.5 million Americans at or over the age of 40 (Go et al., Circulation 129:e28–e292, 2014). The two major clinical manifestations of PAD are intermittent claudication (IC) and critical limb ischemia (CLI). Intermittent claudication is defined by the presence of leg pain/cramping with walking that relieves with rest. CLI is defined as pain present at rest, with or without ischemic ulcers or gangrene, classified as Rutherford-Becker Class 4–6 or Fontaine Class III and IV. Patients with CLI are quite different than those with IC. The 1-year mortality rate in patients with CLI is approximately 25 %, and the overall amputation rate over 1 year is approximately 30 % (Norgren et al., J Vasc Surg 45:S5–67, 2007). While medical therapies to limit complications from atherosclerosis reduce general cardiovascular mortality in patients with CLI, at present there is no definitive medical therapy for CLI. Newer medications such as Praxilene (a metabolic enhancer and a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist) and Alprostadil (a prostaglandin E1 analogue) have been recently approved for use in Europe in patients with PAD to improve blood flow to the ischemic limb. However, mixed results from the clinic studies indicate that these drugs need further long-term evaluation to establish their role in PAD.
Organophosphorus Xenobiotic Toxicology.

Originally, organophosphorus (OP) toxicology consisted of acetylcholinesterase inhibition by insecticides and chemical threat agents acting as phosphorylating agents for serine in the catalytic triad, but this is no longer the case. Other serine hydrolases can be secondary OP targets, depending on the OP structure, and include neuropathy target esterase, lipases, and endocannabinoid hydrolases. The major OP herbicides are glyphosate and glufosinate, which act in plants but not animals to block aromatic amino acid and glutamine biosynthesis, respectively, with safety for crops conferred by their expression of herbicide-tolerant targets and detoxifying enzymes from bacteria. OP fungicides, pharmaceuticals including calcium retention agents, industrial chemicals, and cytochrome P450 inhibitors act by multiple noncholinergic mechanisms, often with high potency and specificity. One type of OP-containing fire retardant forms a highly toxic bicyclophosphate γ-aminobutyric acid receptor antagonist upon combustion...
Presurgical evaluation of the AKT inhibitor MK-2206 in patients with operable invasive breast cancer.

2613 Background: The PI3K/Akt signaling pathway is an important signaling pathway in breast cancer (BC). MK-2206 is the first allosteric Akt inhibitor in clinical development. The purpose of this p...
Electrocaloric properties of OH- molecules in KCl

Abstract The electrocaloric effect in the KCl: OH − system is used to cool the system down to 0·36°K starting from 1·3°K by a method of adiabatic depolarization. The limit to the temperature attainable by this means is set by the zero field splitting of the OH − energy levels in the lattice which is 0·3°K. The specific heat of KCl: OH − , measured as a function of applied E field at constant temperature, has a maximum at a value of E which depends on the direction of the applied field with respect to the crystal axes. The data is fitted by a non-interacting dipole theory that assumes the dipoles are oriented along [100] directions in the lattice. The position of the maximum gives a value of the uncorrected dipole moment of the OH − , p u , and the value of the maximum gives a measure of the concentration of OH − , N. The value of the dipole moment varies with concentration and for the low concentration of 10 17 /cm 3 is 4·4 ± 0·l deb. The reorientation time of the dipoles between [100] directions, t 1 , is estimated to be less than 5·10 −8 sec. The specific heat of KCl: OH − , measured as a function of temperature, shows a deviation from the Debye theory at low temperature. Below 1°K this is consistent with a contribution from the zero field splitting. In the region 1°K T − measured optically yields a higher value than the concentration measured from the specific heat maximum except at the lowest concentration where the two are equal. A qualitative explanation assumes regions of local order where the dipoles are frozen in and do not contribute to the caloric properties.
Sex Disparities After Induction Chemoradiotherapy and Esophagogastrectomy for Esophageal Cancer

Background The impact of sex on the outcomes of treatment for locally advanced esophageal carcinoma is unclear. This study analyzed the impact of sex on response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), tumor recurrence, and survival. Methods From January 1990 through December 2013, female patients who received nCRT followed by esophagogastrectomy at 3 affiliated centers were compared with control male patients based on age, pretreatment clinical stage, histologic type, and surgical era. Only patients staged preoperatively with computed tomographic scans and endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) were included. Results There were 366 patients (145 women and 221 men). The median female age was 64 years (range, 22–81 years), whereas male patients were 61 years (range, 33–82 years). The histologic type was adenocarcinoma in 105 (72%) women and 192 (87%) men, and it was squamous cell carcinoma in 40 (28%) women and 29 (13%) men ( p = 0.005). Women were more likely to attain either a complete pathologic (CP) response or a nearly complete pathologic (NCP) response to induction therapy (84 [58%]) compared with men (103 [47%]; p = 0.034). Men had an 80% increased risk of recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.80; 95% CI, 1.15–2.68; p = 0.008). There was no sex association with risk of death ( p = 0.538). Irrespective of sex, a partial responder (relative to a complete or nearly complete responder) was 3 times more likely to have recurrence (HR, 2.96; 95% CI, 1.98–4.43; p p Conclusions Female sex correlated with improved rates of achieving either a CP response or an NCP response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and a smaller likelihood of experiencing tumor recurrence. Future efforts should be directed at understanding determinants of this sex disparity.
Interactions of effects of host plant resistance and seed treatments on soybean aphid (Aphis glycines Matsumura) and soybean cyst nematode (Heterodera glycines Ichinohe).

Background The soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines, and soybean aphid, Aphis glycines, are invasive, widespread and economically important pests of soybean, Glycine max, in North America. Management of these pests relies primarily on use of pesticides and soybean germplasm with genetic resistance. A 3-year field study and complementary greenhouse experiment were conducted to determine the benefits of host plant resistance (HPR) and pesticidal seed treatments for managing pest populations and preserving soybean yield. Results Host plant resistance significantly decreased the abundance of A. glycines and, in most study sites, suppressed H. glycines. Neonicotinoid seed treatment reduced A. glycines abundance on the cultivar that was susceptible to both aphids and nematodes, but abamectin nematicide seed treatment had no effect on H. glycines populations in the field or greenhouse. Conclusion These results suggest that the seed treatments included in our experiments may suppress pests, but not consistently for all soybean cultivars or study sites. Ultimately, HPR more consistently reduced pest numbers compared with the use of pesticidal seed treatments. The planting of HPR cultivars should be a primary tool for integrated pest management of both soybean pests. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.
Modeling Pharmacogenomics of the NCI-60 Anticancer Data Set: Utilizing Kernel Pls to Correlate the Microarray Data to Therapeutic Responses

Modeling the relationship between genomic features and therapeutic response is of central interest in pharmacogenomics [Musumarra et al., 2001]. The NCI-60 cancer data set with both gene expression and drug activity measurements provides an excellent opportunity for this modeling exercise. To correlate the gene expression profile with the drug activity pattern, we utilized a soft modeling technique called Partial Least Squares (PLS) [Tobias, 2000]. Soft modeling requires less stringent assumptions about the data than other modeling techniques [Falk et al., 1992], A high level of collinearity in multidimensional gene expression profiles motivates us to undertake the PLS approach, which not only trims data redundancy but also exposes the underlying hidden functional units as latent features. It is believed that these functional gene groups play a key role in determining the efficacy of the cancer drugs to different cell lines (types of cancer). We have shown the efficacy of PLS in identifying drug resistant and drug sensitive genes. We have also investigated techniques to exploit the non-linear dependence between individual gene expressions in order to explain variations in the drug activity pattern. This is facilitated by a kernel function that implicitly carries out the regression in a higher-dimensional space where the data is linear [Christiannini et al., 2000]. The kernel-based non-linear approach is shown to be more effective in defining the correlation between the drug response and the gene expressions. The PLS approach, as implemented here, could be used to differentiate cancer cell lines between renal cancer and melanoma, for example, or different drug groups like Alkylating agents and Tubulin-active anti-mitotic agents.
A Problematic Mississippian Pipe from the William Vaux Collection

William Samson Vaux, Esq., was an enthusiastic nineteenth-century collector of minerals, artifacts, and coins. Passionately interested in the sciences, particularly archaeology and geology,...
Treating Age-Related Diseases with Somatic Stem Cells.

Life expectancy in the developed world has advanced beyond the number of years in which healthy tissue homeostasis can be maintained, and as a result, the number of persons with severe and debilitating chronic illnesses, including cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular disease has continued to rise. One of the key underlying causes for the loss in the ability to replenish damaged tissues is the qualitative and quantitative decline in somatic stem cell populations. A concerted effort to understand why aging adult stem cells fail to maintain “stem” potential while simultaneously developing new strategies and therapeutic interventions to prevent or reverse age-dependent stem cell decline is required to improve the overall healthspan of our rapidly aging population. This review focuses on what drives stem cell dysfunction with age, the contribution of stem cell dysfunction in driving aging and therapeutic approaches using stem cells to treat aging.
Drawing patients closer: five ladies

As an intern at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, I began sketching patients and noting snippets of our conversations. I did this as a way to spend a few extra moments with patients and to focus more closely on their expressions. These drawings bring back the essence of an encounter, a
C++ amp makes it easy to explore parallel processing on GPUs in a college course or research project

C++ AMP (Accelerated Massive Parallelism) is a high-level library that provides an easy way to introduce massively parallel processing, using from thousands to millions of threads, into a college course or research project. The threads are executed in parallel on a graphics card's processor (GPU). Many popular graphics cards have 500 to 4000 cores that can execute tasks in parallel. In contrast, most PCs have a central processing unit (CPU) with 2-8 cores that can run in parallel. They have different strengths and weaknesses than GPU cores or there would not be a need for both. For tasks appropriate for execution on a GPU, CPUs cannot compete. When executing a task in parallel on a CPU, the speedup factor (how many times faster it runs relative to a single-threaded program on the same CPU) cannot exceed the number of CPU cores (typically 2-8). In contrast, a C++ AMP execution of some tasks on a powerful GPU can be hundreds or thousands of times faster than a single-threaded CPU implementation.
The Discriminative Stimulus and Response Enhancing Properties of Reward Produced Memories

In this chapter I present a theory which is capable of explaining a wide variety of learning phenomena. Two such phenomena will be emphasized here: serial learning and reward magnitude effects. I shall focus exclusively on a particular type of serial learning, reward outcome serial learning. In that type of serial learning, the stimuli which constitute the series are different qualities or quantities of food items presented successively in a regular order which must be learned. In other types of serial learning, not of immediate concern here, the stimuli might be geometric forms, color, etc. which are presented simultaneously rather than successively (e.g., D’Amato, 1991; Terrace, 1991).
Lactobacillus plantarum bacteriocin is associated with intestinal and systemic improvements in diet-induced obese mice and maintains epithelial barrier integrity in vitro

We investigated the Lactobacillus plantarum bacteriocin plantaricin EF (PlnEF) system for its contributions to L. plantarum mediated benefits in a mouse model of diet-induced obesity. C57BL/6J mice on a high-fat diet (HFD) were administered a rifampicin resistant mutant of L. plantarum NCMIB8826 (NICMB8826-R) or an isogenic ΔplnEFI mutant strain, LM0419, every 48 h for nine weeks. Mice fed wild-type L. plantarum, but not LM0419, reduced their consumption of the HFD starting three weeks into the study and exhibited an overall 10% reduction in weight gain. The responses were independent of glucose homeostasis, as both NCMIB8826-R and LM0419 fed mice had improved oral glucose tolerance compared to sham controls. Although bacteriocins have antibacterial properties, the ileal, cecal, and fecal microbiota and cecocolic metabolomes were unchanged between mice fed either wild-type L. plantarum or the ΔplnEFI mutant. Instead, only mice fed NCMIB8826-R showed an increased production of ZO-1 in ileal tissues. To verify a potential role for the plantaricin EF system in supporting intestinal epithelial function, synthesized PlnEF peptides were applied to Caco-2 cell monolayers challenged with TNF-α and IFN-γ. The combination of PlnE and PlnF were required to prevent sustained cytokine-induced losses to Caco-2 cell para- and transcellular permeability and elevated IL-8 levels. In conclusion, this study shows that probiotic L. plantarum ameliorates the effects of obesogenic diets through a mechanism that involves the plantaricin EF system and likely includes L. plantarum - induced fortification of the intestinal epithelium.
Biopsychosocial predictors of pain among women recovering from surgery for gynecologic cancer.

9565 Background: Pain is a common and sometimes debilitating symptom for women recovering from surgery for gynecologic cancer, but little is known about psychological and biological risk factors th...
N-methoxy-N-acylnitrenium ions: application to the formal synthesis of (+/-)-desmethylamino FR901483.

The formal synthesis of (±)-desmethylamino FR901483 (2) is described. Construction of the unique azatricyclic skeleton of 2 was accomplished by a sequence which involved (i) preparation of dienone 7 by an N-methoxy-N-acylnitrenium ion-induced spirocyclization, (ii) formation of 2-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane 5 by the 6-(π-exo)-exo-trig radical cyclization of 1,7-enyne 6, and (iii) installation of the C-5 p-methoxybenzyl side chain by Lewis acid-mediated alkylation of silyl enol ether 18.
Social media data archives in an API-driven world

In this article, we explore the long-term preservation implications of application programming interfaces (APIs) which govern access to data extracted from social media platforms. We begin by introducing the preservation problems that arise when APIs are the primary way to extract data from platforms, and how tensions fit with existing models of archives and digital repository development. We then define a range of possible types of API users motivated to access social media data from platforms and consider how these users relate to principles of digital preservation. We discuss how platforms’ policies and terms of service govern the set of possibilities for access using these APIs and how the current access regime permits persistent problems for archivists who seek to provide access to collections of social media data. We conclude by surveying emerging models for access to social media data archives found in the USA, including community driven not-for-profit community archives, university research repositories, and early industry–academic partnerships with platforms. Given the important role these platforms occupy in capturing and reflecting our digital culture, we argue that archivists and memory workers should apply a platform perspective when confronting the rich problem space that social platforms and their APIs present for the possibilities of social media data archives, asserting their role as “developer stewards” in preserving culturally significant data from social media platforms.
The Impact of Tobacco Smoking on Spinal Cord Stimulation Effectiveness in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Patients

OBJECTIVES We aim to investigate the correlation of smoking and spinal cord stimulation (SCS) effectiveness for pain relief in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) patients while controlling for possible confounding factors including opioid intake. MATERIALS AND METHODS Following Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective cohort study was performed by collecting data for all CRPS patients treated with SCS at Cleveland Clinic between 1998 and 2013. We divided patients into three groups based on their smoking status at the time of SCS device implant: Current smokers, former smokers, or nonsmokers. We used a linear mixed modeling to assess the association between smoking status and pain score at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months. We then used pairwise t-tests for post hoc comparisons of pain scores. RESULTS Of the 420 CRPS patients treated with SCS implants, the reduction in pain score was highest among nonsmokers. Nonsmokers demonstrated a consistent and steady decrease in pain scores over time, whereas the current and former smoker cohorts showed an initial reduction in pain at three months compared to baseline which was not sustained to the 12-months benchmark. Nonetheless, former smokers continued to report slightly lower pain scores than current smokers, although not statistically significant. The baseline opioid consumption was least among nonsmokers (30 [0, 62] oral mg morphine sulfate equivalent). We also found a statistically significant association between time postimplant and reported pain score (χ2 = 508.88, p < 0.001). The overall mean pain score for all three cohorts was highest at baseline (7.6 ± 1.7) and showed a decrease at the 3, 6, and 12 months postimplant time points with mean score of 5.7 ± 2.0, 5.6 ± 2.3, and 5.4 ± 2.5, respectively. CONCLUSION Tobacco cigarette smoking was associated with reduced SCS effectiveness for pain relief.
Altered plasma membrane phospholipid organization in Plasmodium falciparum-infected human erythrocytes

The intraerythrocytic development of the malaria parasite is accompanied by distinct morphological and biochemical changes in the host cell membrane, yet little is known about development-related alterations in the transbilayer organization of membrane phospholipids in parasitized cells. This question was examined in human red cells infected with Plasmodium falciparum. Normal red cells were infected with strain FCR3 or with clonal derivatives that either produce (K+) or do not produce (K-) knobby protuberances on the infected red cells. Parasitized cells were harvested at various stages of parasite development, and the bilayer orientation of red cell membrane phospholipids was determined chemically using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS) or enzymatically using bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and sphingomyelinase C (SMC). We found that parasite development was accompanied by distinct alterations in the red cell membrane transbilayer distribution of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylserine (PS). Increases in the exoplasmic membrane leaflet exposure of PE and PS were larger in the late-stage parasitized cells than in the early-stage parasitized cells. Similar results were obtained for PE membrane distribution using either chemical (TNBS) or enzymatic (PLA2 plus SMC) methods, although changes in PS distribution were observed only with TNBS. Uninfected cohort cells derived from mixed populations of infected and uninfected cells exhibited normal patterns of membrane phospholipid organization. The observed alterations in P falciparum-infected red cell membrane phospholipid distribution, which is independent of the presence or absence of knobby protuberances, might be associated with the drastic changes in cell membrane permeability and susceptibility to early hemolysis observed in the late stages of parasite development.
Envisioning a Dharmic Society: Retelling a Traditional Buddhist Tale

This chapter examines how Buddhism can help social justice efforts by retelling the story of Aṅgulimāla, a vicious serial killer whom the Buddha subdues and converts to monastic life. In the spirit of “Social Engaged Buddhism,” peace activist Satish Kumar updates this tale in his powerful book, The Buddha and the Terrorist. While conservative critics may decry Kumar’s efforts as distorting the Dharma, they miss the point: Kumar’s retelling depicts a society informed by Dharmic principles that offers a possibility of dealing humanely with violence and loss. In a sense, Kumar narrates a Buddhist “liberation theology” to prompt us to rethink our responses to fear and hurt, and thus deal constructively with violence on an individual and socio-structural level. While obviously idealized, Kumar offers a compelling vision of “the good life” that should inspire all of us.
Cardiac Output-Guided Resuscitation of the Uterus: An Obese Patient Has Dysfunctional Labor Which Resolves with Position Change. Coincidence or Possible Therapy?

A morbidly obese 36-year-old woman, G2P1, is in labor with her second baby and her pain has been well controlled by an epidural placed with preprocedural ultrasound. She delivered her first baby—who weighed ten pounds—7 years ago and says she almost had to have a cesarean delivery (CD) because her uterus “got lazy,” despite oxytocin augmentation (L-1).
A Simulation of the potential impact of restricting tobacco retail outlets around middle and high schools on tobacco advertisements.

Objective To examine (1) if tobacco retail outlets (TROs) closer to middle and high schools have more tobacco advertisements than TROs farther away and (2) the potential impact of two place-based tobacco control strategies on tobacco advertisements: a simulated ban of TROs (1) within 1000ft of schools and (2) within 500 ft of other TROs. Methods TROs within half-mile of 53 middle and high schools in the four largest Metropolitan areas in Texas were audited for all tobacco marketing. ArcGIS was used for mapping and grouping TROs by distance from the schools and simulating the ban. Mean differences in the number of tobacco advertisements were examined with t-tests. Percentage reductions in tobacco advertisements were calculated after simulation of both bans, reported by school type and by location, product and flavour. Results TROs within 1000 ft of schools had significantly more tobacco advertisements as compared with TROs located within 1000-2000 ft (p=0.03) for all schools combined and middle schools. Simulation of the 1000 ft ban of TROs led to a slightly greater reduction in advertisements (19.4%) as compared with the 500 ft ban of TROs from other TROs (17.9%). The reduction in all advertisement types was greater around middle schools and greatest for e-cigarettes (23.6%). Conclusion Students can be exposed to a great deal of tobacco advertising in TROs around their schools. The implementation of a 1000 ft ban of TROs, or at minimum a ban on tobacco advertising outside and within these outlets, is one way to prevent or reduce the use of tobacco among adolescents.
Postoperative lumbar spine MRI: How well does a radiology report that raises suspicion for infection correlate with true clinical infection?

Abstract Introduction Interpretation of a lumbar spine MRI in the immediate postoperative period is challenging, as postoperative tissue enhancement and fluid collections may be mistaken for infection. Radiology reports may use ambiguous language, creating a clinical problem for a surgeon in determining whether a patient needs treatment with antibiotics or revision surgery. Moreover, retrospective criticism of management in instances of a true infection may lead to medicolegal ramifications. Methods A retrospective review of patients undergoing posterior-approach lumbar decompressive surgery with or without fusion over a 30-month period identified those undergoing postoperative MRI within 10 weeks of surgery. Patients initially operated upon for infection were excluded. The MRI reports were analyzed for language describing findings suspicious for infection and those of these with true infections were identified. Results Of 487 patients undergoing posterior lumbar spine decompression surgery, 68 (14%) had postoperative MRI within 10 weeks. Of these, the radiology reports raised suspicion for infection in 20 (29%), of which 2 (10%) patients had a true infection. Two patients underwent reoperation for new motor deficit from seroma/hematoma. Of 63 patients who had MRI to evaluate complaints of back and/or leg pain without new motor deficits, the MRI significantly altered management in 3 patients (4.8%). Conclusion Radiology reports of postoperative lumbar spine MRIs frequently use language that raises suspicion for infection; but it is uncommon, however, that these patients harbor true infections. A radiology report describing possible infectious findings may not be considered significant without corroboration with other laboratory and clinical data.
A low-cost, submersible, digital holographic microscope for in situ microbial imaging

We present a submersible digital holographic microscope that enables vol- umetric imaging of bacterial samples at video rates. This low-cost and robust instrument features one-micron spatial resolution and artificial intelligence for species detection and tracking.
Secondary Malignancy After Urologic Reconstruction Procedures: A Multi-Institutional Case Series.

Abstract Urinary diversion and reconstructive urologic procedures are most often performed by. incorporating various intestinal segments into the urinary tract. Although the risk of malignancy, among other complications, is well-recognized and occurs most frequently after ureterosigmoidostomies and cystoplasties, data on the histopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of these tumors are scant. This study aims to evaluate the clinicopathological features of secondary tumors arising after urologic reconstruction procedures. Eleven cases were identified among five collaborating academic institutions. The average age was 51.7 years, and the M:F ratio was 8:3. Surgical procedures included 7 ileal conduits, 2 gastrocystoplasties, 1 augmentation cystoplasty NOS, and 1 Indiana pouch. Median time from reconstruction to malignancy was 36 years. Malignancy included adenocarcinoma in 10 patients (intestinal-type in 6, gastric in 2, signet-ring cell in 1, undetermined type status-post neoadjuvant treatment in 1) and squamous cell carcinoma in 1. By immunohistochemistry, the adenocarcinomas were CK7 (45%), CK20 (89%), CK903 (78%), CDX2 (89%), SATB2 (67%), and beta-catenin (100%) positive. GATA-3 was negative in all cases. Pathologic stage was T1 (30%), T2 (40%), T3 (20%), and T4 (10%). Regional lymph node and distant metastasis were present in 60% and 20%, respectively. Treatment included multimodality therapy in most patients. On follow-up (mean 27.4 months), 2 patients were dead (1 of disease), 3 were alive with disease, 4 were alive without disease, and 2 were lost to follow-up. Secondary malignancy arising within urologic reconstruction is rare, most frequently has adenocarcinoma morphology, presents late, and behaves aggressively.
Are Password Management Applications Viable? An Analysis of User Training and Reactions

Passwords have the distinction of being the most widely-used form of authentication—and the most vulnerable. With the dramatic increase today in the number of accounts that require passwords, overwhelmed users usually resort to creating weak passwords or reusing the same password for multiple accounts, thus making passwords the weakest link in the chain of security. It has been recognized that instead of solely relying on their memory for passwords, users can take advantage of technology. One such technology is a password management application, which enables a user to create and store multiple passwords in a strongly protected file and then retrieve them as necessary, thus alleviating the need to memorize numerous passwords. However, few users have chosen to take advantage these applications. Is it because users have rejected them as poor solutions, or because they were unaware of these applications and their potential benefits? Would users be more favorable towards password management applications after they received training about these applications and then used them? And what limitations of these applications could be addressed to foster more widespread use? To date no studies have provided training to users regarding these applications prior to surveying their reactions to determine if indeed these applications are suitable for the average user. This paper describes a study regarding user’s training, use, and perceptions of a password management application.
Acquisition of Host Cell DNA Sequences by Baculoviruses: Relationship Between Host DNA Insertions and FP Mutants of Autographa californica and Galleria mellonella Nuclear Polyhedrosis Viruses.

Abstract Mutants of Autographa californica and Galleria mellonella nuclear polyhedrosis viruses, which produce an altered plaque phenotype as a result of reduced numbers of viral occlusions in infected cells, were isolated after passage in Trichoplusia ni (TN-368) cells. These mutants, termed FP (few-polyhedra) mutants, had acquired cell DNA sequences ranging from 0.8 to 2.8 kilobase pairs in size. The insertions of cell DNA occurred in a specific region between 35.0 and 37.7 map units of the A. californica viral genome. A cloned viral fragment containing one of the host DNA inserts was homologous to host DNA inserts in two other mutant viruses and to dispersed, repetitious sequences in T. ni cell DNA. Most of the homology between the cloned insert and cell DNA was contained within a 1,280-base-pair AluI fragment. Marker rescue studies and analysis of infected-cell-specific proteins suggested that the insertion of cell DNA into the viral genomes resulted in the FP plaque phenotype, possibly through the inactivation of a 25,000-molecular-weight protein.
Macrocephaly as a clinical indicator of genetic subtypes in autism.

An association between autism and large head size has been previously described. Historically a subset of these cases have been correlated with mutations in the gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). However, for the majority of cases the etiology is not known. We have studied 33 patients with autism and large head size. Within this group, we confirm the association of PTEN mutations and extreme head size and identify mutations in 22% of cases, including three novel PTEN mutations. In addition we define three novel phenotypic subgroups: (1) cases associated with somatic overgrowth (2) those with disproportionate macrocephaly and (3) those with relative macrocephaly. Members of these subgroups lack changes in the PTEN gene and furthermore we report two novel copy number changes in these patients. An association between autism and macrocephaly has been previously described. A subset of cases with extreme macrocephaly (>3SD, 99.7th %ile) have been correlated to mutations in the gene phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). However, the phenotypic and genetic characterization of the remaining cases remains unclear. We report the phenotypic classification and genetic testing evaluation of a cohort of 33 patients with autism and macrocephaly. Within our cohort, we confirm the association of PTEN mutations and extreme macrocephaly (> 3SD, 99.7th %ile) and identify mutations in 22% of cases, including three novel PTEN mutations. In addition we define three phenotypic subgroups: (1) those cases associated with somatic overgrowth, (2) those with disproportionate macrocephaly, and (3) those will relative macrocephaly. We have devised a novel way to segregate patients into these subgroups that will aide in the stratification of autism macrocephaly cases. Within these subgroups, we further expand the genetic etiologies for autism cases with macrocephaly by describing two novel suspected pathogenic Copy Number Variants (CNVs) located at 6q23.2 and 10q24.32. These findings demonstrate the phenotypic heterogeneity of autism cases associated with macrocephaly and their genetic etiologies. The clinical yield from PTEN mutation analysis is 22% and 9% from Chromosomal Microarray (CMA) testing within this cohort. The identification of three distinct phenotypic subgroups within macrocephaly autism patients may allow for the identification of their respective distinct genetic etiologies which to date have remained elusive.
The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe

In the past, they were recognized as the most destructive force in nature. Now, following a cascade of astonishing discoveries, supermassive black holes have undergone a dramatic shift in paradigm. Astronomers are finding out that these objects may have been critical to the formation of structure in the early universe, spawning bursts of star formation, planets, and even life itself. They may have contributed as much as half of all the radiation produced after the Big Bang, and as many as 200 million of them may now be lurking through the vast expanses of the observable cosmos. In this elegant, non-technical account, Melia conveys for the general reader the excitement generated by the quest to expose what these giant distortions in the fabric of space and time have to say about our origin and ultimate destiny.
Building and managing adaptive e-business solution infrastructure

With the advancement of information technology and business transformation, and to increase profits from its value chain, an enterprise has to be able to rapidly modify and adapt its business process and collaboration infrastructure. Business Process Integration and Management is the key to building and managing an adaptive e-business solution infrastructure. As an enabling technology of business process integration, Web services provide a standardized means to allow heterogeneous applications to communicate with one another. The standard interface description language and communication mechanism of Web services is employed to build a modularized and adaptive e-business infrastructure that supports evolving business environments. In this talk, I will introduce a reference integration architecture and then illustrate how Web services is used for enabling business service discovery, business service invocation, solution templates, and business process composition. In order to make an e-business solution infrastructure more stable, robust and adaptive, I will discuss new and emerging autonomic computing techniques that efficiently manage the infrastructure at both IT level and business process level. I will conclude by presenting some challenging research topics that will enable our vision of e-business on demand.
Near-Surface Disposal Performance Assessment: Modeling Monthly Precipitation and Temperature in Various Climate Environments

A more stable and extensive analysis of climate is necessary to simulate long-term impacts associated with climate change. The exponential dispersion model (EDM) family of distributions, a popular choice when characterizing precipitation levels and temperature in different climate environments, is being considered for its applicability to near-surface disposal performance assessments. In this study, the EDM family is examined to determine if there is a preferred distributional form within the family for these parameters using data from two sites whose climate environments are quite different. One site is in a semiarid environment and the other is in a humid environment. In addition, the merits of selecting a different distributional form to represent each calendar month of precipitation and temperature data are explored. Results show that the gamma distribution was most often determined to be the best fit to recorded precipitation data. When considering temperature, however, the Weibull distribution proved to be a better fit. These results suggest that greater precision may be possible when temperature and precipitation serve as inputs to modeling activities, if these parameters are allowed to be represented by different distributions and derived by calendar month. Ultimately, the approach provides a more far-reaching examination of historical records and provides an increase in confidence, when used in the evaluation of long-term climate impacts associated with near-surface disposal facilities. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.