cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristics and Outcomes of Adult Inpatients With Malnutrition.

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of malnutrition remains controversial. Furthermore, it is unknown if physician diagnosis of malnutrition impacts outcomes. We sought to compare outcomes of patients with physician diagnosed malnutrition to patients recognized as malnourished by registered dietitians (RDs), but not physicians, and to describe the impact of each of 6 criteria on the diagnosis of malnutrition. METHODS We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult patients identified as meeting criteria for malnutrition. Pediatric, psychiatric, maternity, and rehabilitation patients were excluded. Patient demographics, clinical data, malnutrition type and criteria, nutrition interventions, and outcomes were abstracted from the electronic medical record. RESULTS RDs identified malnutrition for 291 admissions during our study period. This represents 4.1% of hospital discharges. Physicians only diagnosed malnutrition on 93 (32%) of these cases. Physicians diagnosed malnutrition in 43% of patients with a body mass index <18.5 but only 26% of patients with body mass index higher than 18.5. Patients with a physician diagnosis had a longer length of stay (mean 14.9 days vs 7.1 days) and were more likely to receive parenteral nutrition (PN) (20.4% vs 4.6%). Of the patients, 62% had malnutrition due to chronic illness. Of the 6 criteria used to identify malnourished patients, weight loss and reduced energy intake were the most common. CONCLUSIONS Malnutrition is underrecognized by physicians. However, further research is needed to determine if physician recognition and treatment of malnutrition can improve outcomes. The most important criteria for identifying malnourished patients in our cohort were weight loss and reduced energy intake.
Behaviors and Risks for Cardiovascular Disease Among Muslim Women in the United States

Abstract Purpose: This study examines statistical associates of cardiovascular disease risk factors, as defined by the American Heart Association's Life's Simple Seven, among Muslim women who resid...
Management Challenges in Technological Job Loss

There is a concern that computer technology will replace jobs at a large rate within the near future. In the study of Big Data, a recurring theme comes through. There is a great deal of data available and there is a need to understand this data. Machine analytics can help organizations understand these numbers, and computers are learning from these large datasets. Because of this machine learning, computer technology will have the ability to “think”, i.e. artificial intelligence. An assumption frequently made is that this technology will take over many current jobs. Recently, there has been an immense amount of discussion on this topic in the media. But is it true? This paper will list some management challenges in this possible job transition.
Corylus americana ‘Little Filly’

A new compact cultivar of Corylus americana named ‘Little Filly’ was selected among a group of container grown seedlings. ‘Little Filly’ has smaller plant size, leaf size, and internode length than the species. In 6 years, ‘Little Filly’ reached 60 cm (23 in) tall and 70 cm (28 in) wide. Mature leaves are 5 to 7 cm (2 to 3 in) long and 2 to 5 cm (¾ to 2 in) wide. Internode length is 1 to 2 cm (⅓ to ¾ in).
Immigration, coping, and well-being: Implications for communities' roles in promoting the well-being of immigrants and refugees.

Promoting the well-being of immigrants and refugees is a critical social justice issue for many communities in the United States. The current study investigated how coping strategies and social sup...
The Valois Monarchy in Political Thought and Political Theology

The civil wars in France, known as the Wars of Religion (1560s–1590s), unleashed analysis and research about tyrannical conduct as no other major historical event has since the Roman revolution from a republic to a principate. The royal initiatives in the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (August 25, 1572) posed the question of whether a monarch could order or condone the mass murder of his subjects. The act was certainly tyrannical. There are comments on whether a king who murders can be deposed, forced to abdicate, or be killed. The question engaged the learned, the devout, and the members of the radical Parisian League. Until shortly before the end of World War II, the writings presented in Chaps. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, and 23 constituted the most original and extensive commentary on what tyrants do.
Detection of Concrete Structural Defects Using Impact Echo Based on Deep Networks

Deep learning is widely used in image processing, which significantly improves the performance of image classification detection. Based on the current status of concrete structure defect detection technology, this experimental study on the detection of concrete structure defects using impact echo was conducted. Focusing on the unsteady features of the impact echo signal, we adopted wavelet transforms at different scales to extract the wavelet spectrum. At the same time, the convolution and subsample operation were combined to establish the recognition system of concrete structure defect detection based on the deep learning network. The research results show that this system can accurately recognize defects in the concrete structure and has high detection accuracy in the concrete structure assessment process.
A corneal ring ulcer.

Abstract Purpose The aim of this report is to present the case of a corneal ring ulcer that presented with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Observations A 52-year-old woman was referred by her retina doctors for ulceration of the left cornea and pain 8 days after intravitreal ranibizumab injection for diabetic macular edema. She had been treated with erythromycin ointment, topical moxifloxacin, and therapeutic soft contact lens, which she tolerated for less than 24 hours prior to referral. Visual acuity of the left eye was counting fingers. Slit lamp examination revealed a ring-shaped corneal ulcer. Conclusions Neurotrophic corneal ulceration can mimic acanthamoeba keratitis. Neurotrophic disease should be considered in patients with underlying risk factors in whom infectious etiology cannot be confirmed and/or who don't respond to anti-microbial therapy.
Re-testing theories of vowel inherent spectral change

Three basic models of vowel inherent spectral change have been proposed: onset + offset, onset + direction, and onset + slope (or spectral rate of change). Morrison (2013) presents three theoretical stimuli whose identification rates relative to each other should lend weight to one of these hypotheses: (i) canonical duration and canonical onset-to-offset trajectory, (ii) canonical duration with double trajectory length, and (iii) canonical trajectory with half duration. The bulk of previous work supports onset + offset. In the present study, eight English monophthongs were synthesized with the Klatt synthesizer of the Berkeley Phonetics Machine. Three versions of each vowel were synthesized, corresponding to the theoretical stimuli of Morrison (2013). These 24 stimuli were used in two studies (n= 18 for each). First was a vowel identification task, where the choices were [hVd] words with the chosen vowels ( heed, hid, etc.). Second was a goodness rating task with a 7-point Likert scale, where participants were played a vowel stimulus while being shown the orthographic [hVd] word containing that vowel. The results do not fully support any one theory, but they align most closely with the onset + direction hypothesis, with onset + offset also being supported.
Effectiveness of barrier precautions for prevention of patient-to-patient transfer of a viral DNA surrogate marker.

Background: Gloves and gowns are used during patient care to reduce contamination of personnel and prevent pathogen transmission. Objective: To determine whether the use of gowns adds a substantial benefit over gloves alone in preventing patient-to-patient transfer of a viral DNA surrogate marker. Methods: In total, 30 source patients had 1 cauliflower mosaic virus surrogate marker applied to their skin and clothing and a second to their bed rail and bedside table. Personnel caring for the source patients were randomized to wear gloves, gloves plus cover gowns, or no barrier. Interactions with up to 7 subsequent patients were observed, and the percentages of transfer of the DNA markers were compared among the 3 groups. Results: In comparison to the no-barrier group (57.8% transfer of 1 or both markers), there were significant reductions in transfer of the DNA markers in the gloves group (31.1% transfer; odds ratio [OR], 0.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.02-0.73) and the gloves-plus-gown group (25.9% transfer; OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.01–0.51). The addition of a cover gown to gloves during the interaction with the source patient did not significantly reduce the transfer of the DNA marker (P = .53). During subsequent patient interactions, transfer of the DNA markers was significantly reduced if gloves plus gowns were worn and if hand hygiene was performed (P < .05). Conclusions: Wearing gloves or gloves plus gowns reduced the frequency of patient-to-patient transfer of a viral DNA surrogate marker. The use of gloves plus gowns during interactions with the source patient did not reduce transfer in comparison to gloves alone.
UAS Path Planning using a Space-Time Graph

UAS provides the platform of many applications such as efficient package delivery, monitoring and surveillance, search and rescue and more. As the number of UAS are expected to increase in the near future, it becomes critical to design an efficient collision-free UAS trajectory scheduling system. In this paper we propose an on-demand, scalable, collision-free trajectory scheduling mechanism using a space-time graph. To model the safety distance requirement, we first transform the input graph to an unit-graph. To avoid conflicts between in transit UAS’s, edges are pruned in different time intervals. The performance of our algorithm is analyzed with simulations. We measure metrics such as algorithm running time, request admission ratio, and the delay overhead ratio compared to the optimal path. We simulated 9000 UAS requests arriving at a rate of 4.5/s with average run time of 0.152 seconds per request for a realistic scenario.
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Stay-Play-Talk Interventions for Improving Social Behaviors of Young Children:

Stay-play-talk (SPT) is a peer-mediated intervention that involves training peer implementers to stay in proximity to, play with, and talk to a focal child who has disabilities or lower social comp...
Melt-reprocessing of mixed polyurethane thermosets

The melt-reprocessing of thermosets such as polyurethanes (PUs) and epoxy network materials has been a constant technical challenge. Here we report, for the first time, melt-reprocessing of mixed PUs made of aliphatic and aromatic feedstocks. Our methodology consists of using Zn(II) catalysts combined with a slight excess of diols. The use of diols was sufficient to partially reverse the gel-point and reclaim the melt-processability as demonstrated for aliphatic, aromatic, and mixed PUs. Zinc acetate was not effective in imparting melt-processability to PU samples. Furthermore, the mixed PU samples were successfully melt-processed in an extruder on a large scale. This work holds the promise to facilitate the recycling of post-consumer mixed PUs with immense benefits for science, the economy, and the environment. This work has the capability to divert multi-million tons/year of waste PUs into valuable feedstock for manufacturing, thus saving energy and chemicals that are used to generate virgin PUs. Consequently, this work fits the very first principle of green chemistry, which is the prevention of waste creation.
Spatial regulation of microtubule-dependent transport by septin GTPases.

The intracellular long-range transport of membrane vesicles and organelles is mediated by microtubule motors (kinesins, dynein) which move cargo with spatiotemporal accuracy and efficiency. How motors navigate the microtubule network and coordinate their activity on membrane cargo are fundamental but poorly understood questions. New studies show that microtubule-dependent membrane traffic is spatially controlled by septins – a unique family of multimerizing GTPases that associate with microtubules and membrane organelles. We review how septins selectively regulate motor interactions with microtubules and membrane cargo. We posit that septins provide a novel traffic code that specifies the movement and directionality of select motor–cargo complexes on distinct microtubule tracks.
Using the ANOVA F-Statistic to Isolate Information-Revealing Near-Field Measurement Configurations for Embedded Systems

The analysis of variance (ANOVA) F-statistic is proposed as a tool to isolate near-field measurement configurations that are sensitive to targeted chip processes in embedded systems. It is hypothesized that the desired measurement configurations have high F-values, i.e., the variation in a target process is a major contributor whereas obfuscating background processes and measurement uncertainty are minor contributors to the variance of measured signals. The concept is demonstrated by isolating data-dependent measurement configurations for a commercially available variant of the 8051 micro-controller: First, a multi-stage measurement protocol using F-values is developed to rapidly isolate optimal measurement configurations within the 4-D search space of 2-D probe location over chip area, probe orientation, and time. Then, signals captured using configurations with high F-values are analyzed to identify the Hamming weights of the output data computed by a randomized test code running on the 8051. It is shown that configurations with higher F-values generally result in more accurate classification of the output data; the configuration with the highest F-value results in 100% accuracy.
Parallel Processing of Ordinary Programs

Publisher Summary This chapter considers several aspects of the problem of integrating the analysis of users' programs with the design of computer systems. To tackle the problem in a concrete way, it is reasonable to restrict the initial study. This chapter first deals with FORTRAN programs because there are many of them in existence and because the language is quite simple. The primary design goal here is the fast execution of programs. This goal is indeed probably the primary objective of “users” ranging from computer center managers who want high throughput system to individual programmers who want a fast turnaround. Of course, reliability, ease of use, and quality of results are also important. The ideas discussed here are applicable to programs in languages other than FORTRAN. This chapter discusses the structure of programs, the structure of machines, and the relation between the two. To discover ultimate-speed machines, or just to find low-cost, high-performance machine designs, such studies are important. By obtaining a better understanding of the structure of real programs it is possible to determine good compiler algorithms for exotic machine organizations. Furthermore, there are benefits for standard machines; for example, the paging performance can be improved for virtual-memory machines by understanding the control and data flow.
Synthesis of Biaryls via Palladium‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling: 2‐Methyl‐4′‐Nitrobiphenyl

Synthesis of biaryls via palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling: 2-methyl-4′-nitrobiphenyl product: 2-methyl-4′-nitrobiphenyl unknown: mesitylzinc chloride product: mesitylmagnesium bromide Keywords: arylation; coupling; metalation reactions, lithium; metalation reactions, zinc; metal-catalyzed reactions, palladium; assay methods, for butyllithium, with 2-butanol, menthol, 2-pentanol, or 2-propanol, 1,10-phenanthroline indicator; assay methods, for butyllithium, with 1,3-diphenyl-2-propanone tosylhydrazone; tetrahydrofuran; zinc chloride, drying and powdering; tert-butyllithium, extremely pyrophoric
Addendum A – Specifying Compositions of Two-, Three- and Four-Component Mixtures

This chapter presents a systematic, quantitative description of the composition of two-to-four-component mixtures. It examines a number of reactions of alkenes with symmetric/dissymmetric, achiral/chiral reagents, and of a number of [2+2] and [2+4] cycloadditions, to list the possible outcome of a given reaction in terms of the number of components in a product mixture, the letter designation of each mixture (in terms of its components), the components in the mixture, and the designation of the composition of the mixture.
A Quantitative MR Imaging Assessment of Leukoencephalopathy in Children Treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia without Irradiation

PURPOSE: Intravenous methotrexate (IV-MTX), an effective treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), has a significant toxic effect on the central nervous system, with leukoencephalopathy (LE) being the most common form. The purpose of this study was to use objective quantitative MR imaging to prospectively assess the temporal evolution of LE extent and intensity. METHODS: Forty-five children (low-risk, 10 mol/L/12F; mean age, 5.0 years at diagnosis; standard/high-risk, 11 mol/L/12F; mean age, 9.2 years at diagnosis) treated for ALL on a single institutional protocol were evaluated longitudinally to assess the extent of LE (proportion of white matter impacted) through tissue segmentation and the relative intensity of LE through relative elevations in T1 and T2 relaxation rates. One-sided Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests were used to assess differences in quantitative measures at 4 different points in therapy both within and between risk arms. RESULTS: The proportion of white matter affected in both patient groups increased significantly with additional courses of IV-MTX, whereas the intensity of LE also increased steadily; however, both the intensity and extent of LE declined significantly ∼1.5 years after completion of IV-MTX. Increases in the T1 and T2 relaxation rates above normal-appearing white matter were significantly correlated with each other and were dependent on the proportion of white matter affected. CONCLUSION: Higher doses and more courses of IV-MTX were associated with increased intensity and extent of LE. There was a significant reduction in both the intensity and extent of LE after completion of therapy. The impact of these changes on neurocognitive functioning and quality of life in survivors remains to be determined.
Kinetic Equations in Hamiltonian Treatments

Chemical kinetic equations are easily cast in a Hamiltonian form, making them amenable to a wealth of established techniques. The formalism allows for canonical transformations to simplify the rate...
Behavior of The Southern Pine Beetle on the Bark of Host Trees During Mass Attack

Twenty-two percent of the southern pine beetles, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), that landed on the bark during the 1st 4 days of mass attack in east Texas, eventually entered the tree. Other beetles either flew away (43%), dropped off the host (32%), or were eaten (2%). No significant difference in searching time or distance traveled was found for day of attack or beetle sex. Males spent significantly less total time on the bark than females.
Role of Oxygen Precipitation Processes in Defect Formation and Evolution in Oxygen Implanted Silicon-on-Insulator Material

The role of precipitation processes in defect development in high temperature implanted single and multiple implant/anneal SIMOX was studied by transmission electron microscopy. The differences in defect type, density and location were compared. The dominant defects in single implanted and annealed material are pairs of narrow stacking faults (NSFs) at a density of ∼106 cm–2 while stacking fault pyramids (SFPs) at a similar density dominate multiple implant/anneal material. However, SFPs are confined to the buried oxide interface and thus the density of through-thickness defects is about two orders of magnitude lower in multiple implant (<104 cm–2) than in single implant material (∼106 cm–2). SFPs are formed from a collection of four NSFs pinned to residual oxide precipitates. This transformation is energetically possible only below a critical NSF length which is dictated by the relative location of the residual precipitates. In turn, the residual precipitate location is determined by the location of as-implanted defects on which SiO2 preferentially nucleates and grows. Thus, the synergistic interaction between precipitation and defect formation and evolution processes plays a key role in determining the final defect microstructure of SIMOX.
A review of studies on corrosion of metals and alloys in deep-sea environment

Abstract The interest in deep-sea environment is increasing both in the scientific and business community. In order to meet deep-sea challenges great performances for structure materials are requested, but in situ studies are difficult to be executed due to high experimental cost and technical problems. Indeed, they are quite uncommon in the available literature compared with the amount of research in shallow sea water. This paper reviews the scarce available literature about deep-sea environment studies on corrosion of metals and alloys, some outlines of investigations on sunk objects are given.
Synthesis of Insulin-Like Growth Factor II (IGF-II) in Fetal Rat Tissues: Translation of IGF-II Ribonucleic Acid and Processing of Pre-Pro-IGF-II*

The single insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II) gene is transcribed into multiple RNA species in most fetal and neonatal rat tissues. For IGF-II to serve as a local growth factor in fetal tissues, IGF-II RNA must be translated into pre-pro-rat (r) IGF-II, and the biosynthetic precursor processed to smaller biologically active forms. IGF-II RNA extracted from fetal rat liver, muscle, intestine, lung, and stomach, from rat placenta, and from fetal or neonatal mouse liver and lung directed the synthesis of 22,000 mol wt pre-pro-IGF-II in a reticulocyte lysate cell-free translation system. A biosynthetic precursor of this size had been observed previously in translation of RNA from BRL- 3A rat liver cells and is predicted by the nucleotide sequence of cDNA clones encoding rIGF-II. Consistent with the developmental pattern of expression of IGF-II RNA observed in hybridization studies, RNA from adult rat liver, muscle, and intestine did not direct the synthesis of pre-pro-rlGF-II. To determine whether the IGF...
A Thermal Model for Mushy Zone Formation in Binary Solutions

In this paper, the solidification of a binary solution on a cold isothermal surface will be studied by using an inetgral approximate method. The advantage of solving the solidification of a binary solution using an integral approximate method is that the mushy zone thickness will be able to be expressed as a simple algebraic equation which can be easily solved
Solid-State Nanopore Mapping of DNA with Site-Specific Bound Ligands

We report the use of solid-state (SS-) nanopores to detect discrete ligands bound to specific sites along the length of double-stranded DNA. Binding to DNA templates is studied initially with electromobility shift assays and atomic force microscopy before SS-nanopore translocation. We find that DNA containing as few as 1-2 bound ligands can be resolved, demonstrating the feasibility of mapping tagged regions of genomic DNA at the single-molecule level.
Failure of Borrelia burgdorferi to survive in the skin of patients with antibiotic-treated Lyme disease

Background: Borrelia burgdorferi has been cultivated from clinically normal skin (previous erythema migrans sites) after antibiotic therapy for Lyme disease. Objective: We investigated the possibility of similar findings in 13 of our patients with antibiotic-treated Lyme disease from whom B. burgdorferi was cultivated from their erythema migrans lesions before antibiotic therapy. Methods: After treatment with doxycycline or a combination of amoxicillin and probenecid, skin biopsy specimens were obtained from clinically normal skin adjacent to the previous biopsy sites and cultured. Results: B. burgdorferi was not cultivated from these post treatment biopsy sites. Conclusion: The failure of B. burgdorferi to survive in the former erythema migrans sites of our antibiotic-treated patients, as well as their favorable clinical response, supports the use of doxycycline or combined amoxicillin and probenecid in the treatment of early Lyme disease but does not preclude the survival of the organism in other tissues.
The intersection of corporate social responsibility guidelines and indigenous rights: Examining neoliberal governance of a proposed mining project in Suriname

With neoliberal reforms and the growth of multinational mining investment in developing countries, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become notable (and debatable) for its potential to fill a social and environmental governance gap. As yet, there has been limited analytical attention paid to the political struggles and power dynamics that get reflected through specific CSR guidelines and their implementation in local contexts; this is particularly apparent with respect to the human rights dimension of CSR, and more specifically, indigenous rights. This study documents the debates, issues of accountability, and different interpretations of CSR between NGOs representing indigenous rights and a mining corporation. These debates focus on environmental impact assessments; indigenous rights to land; and the indigenous right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent. These exchanges illustrate the socio-political, as well as economic, positioning of these actors, and the different agendas associated with their positions that determine issues of accountability and shape alternate interpretations of CSR guidelines. The outcomes of these debates also reflect the different degrees of power that these actors hold in such contexts, irrespective of the strength or validity of their arguments about CSR. This dialogue is thereby a lens into the more complex and contentious entanglements that emerge with CSR as a mode of governance, as it plays out ‘on the ground.’ These findings also reinforce questions regarding what we can expect of CSR as a mode of governance for addressing human rights issues with resource extraction projects, particularly within the constraints of overriding political and social structures.
Do focus groups and individual interviews reveal the same information for natural resource valuation

Abstract Focus groups and individual interviews have become accepted methods used in the initial stages of valuation research. Whether focus groups and individual interviews reveal similar valuation information has not been thoroughly studied. The research tests the hypothesis that focus groups yield the same ecosystem service information as do individual interviews. The research also explores how the focus group and individual interview data might differ. The analysis shows that focus groups and individual interviews are not substitutes. They yield different information about ecosystem services and resource uses.
Parental Locus of Control: Associations to Adherence and Outcomes in the Treatment of Pediatric Overweight

This study examined the association of parents' locus of control (LOC) to child adherence and outcomes in a behaviorally based family treatment for pediatric overweight. A condition-specific multidimensional health LOC measure was administered to parents of 63 overweight children enrolled in a 10-week obesity treatment program. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated that parents who reported a strong belief in the influence of powerful others had children who were more successful throughout treatment (p < .01). In contrast, those parents who reported that their child's outcome was due to chance had children with worse treatment outcomes (p < .05). Regarding adherence, parents with strong beliefs in chance and those who felt they were more responsible for the child's weight problem (i.e., higher parent-internal LOC) attended fewer sessions. The findings of this study lend preliminary support to the role of parental LOC in relation to the treatment of pediatric overweight. Research and clinical...
A new theory of the superfluid vortex phenomenon

Abstract A new theory of the turbulence of superfluid helium is given. Its relation to the older theory is clarified, and its close connection with experimental measurements of the high momentum excited states is presented.
The Overlooked Back End of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

On 11 March 2011, a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and associated tsunami knocked out all power systems at the Fukushima Dai'ichi nuclear power plant in Japan. Light-water reactors, the predominant type in Japan, the United States, France, and a number of other countries, use water to cool both the reactor core and the spent fuel pools; if active cooling is lost, the irradiated fuel heats the water beyond the boiling point. The Three Mile Island and Chernobyl accidents provided firsthand experience of what the loss of coolant can do to the core of a reactor. In addition to core damage, the Fukushima accident has brought into focus the dangers posed by spent fuel pools and has underscored the need to have a well-managed, working back end to the nuclear fuel cycle.
Effect of third ventricular injections of prostaglandins (PG's) on gonadotropin release in conscious free moving male rats

Abstract Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) (5 μg in 5 μl) injected into the third ventricle (3rd V) of intact or castrated conscious male rats markedly increased plasma LH titers 15 and 30 min after its injection. PGE1 injected at a similar dose slightly increased plasma LH in intact but not in orchidectomized rats. A small but significant increase in plasma FSH followed 3rd V injection of both PGE2 and PGE1 in intact but not in castrated rats. PGF1α and PGF2α were completely ineffective in modifying plasma LH or FSH titers in either intact or castrated rats. These results indicate that PGE2 and to a lesser extent PGE1 specifically stimulate gonadotropin release in the male rat, possibly by a direct action on the central nervous system. They also support the hypothesis that PGE2 and perhaps PGE1 play a physiological role in neural control of pituitary gonadotropin release.
A systems biology view of blood vessel growth and remodelling

Blood travels throughout the body in an extensive network of vessels – arteries, veins and capillaries. This vascular network is not static, but instead dynamically remodels in response to stimuli from cells in the nearby tissue. In particular, the smallest vessels – arterioles, venules and capillaries – can be extended, expanded or pruned, in response to exercise, ischaemic events, pharmacological interventions, or other physiological and pathophysiological events. In this review, we describe the multi-step morphogenic process of angiogenesis – the sprouting of new blood vessels – and the stability of vascular networks in vivo. In particular, we review the known interactions between endothelial cells and the various blood cells and plasma components they convey. We describe progress that has been made in applying computational modelling, quantitative biology and high-throughput experimentation to the angiogenesis process.
Specific and nonspecific immune stimulation of MHC-II-deficient mice results in chronic HSV-1 infection of the trigeminal ganglia following ocular challenge.

Abstract Ocular herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection of MHC-II-deficient mice (A O/O β mice) or their parental C57BL/6J wild-type mice resulted in the establishment of typical HSV-1 latent infections in the trigeminal ganglia (TG) of the surviving mice by day 28 postinfection. Latency was characterized by the complete absence of infectious virus in TG extracts, the ability to recover latent virus only following prolonged tissue culture cultivation of explanted TG, and the presence of HSV-1 DNA in TG extracts. When mice were vaccinated prior to ocular HSV-1 challenge, latency appeared unaltered in the C57BL/6J wild-type mice. However, in A O/O β mice, clearance of virus from the TG appeared to be seriously impaired, resulting in a chronic productive infection, rather than a latent infection. Infectious virus was readily detected in TG extracts of vaccinated A O/O β mice until at least 63 days postinfection. Glycoprotein B mRNA was also readily detected, confirming continued viral transcription. These chronic infections occurred regardless of whether the A O/O β mice were vaccinated with HSV-1-specific antigens (i.e., live HSV-1 strain KOS, recombinantly expressed HSV-1 glycoprotein D plus Freund's adjuvant, or a mixture of seven recombinantly expressed HSV-1 glycoproteins plus adjuvant) or non-HSV-1-specific antigens (i.e., tissue culture medium plus 5% fetal bovine serum, the expression vector plus adjuvant, or adjuvant alone). Passive transfer of HSV-1 neutralizing antibody to vaccinated A O/O β mice between days 0 and 28 post-ocular challenge did not clear infectious virus from the TG. Passive transfer of anti-HSV-1 antibody or purified naive mouse serum to unvaccinated A O/O β mice on days 3 or 6 post-HSV-1 ocular challenge also resulted in chronic, rather than latent, infection of the TG. Passive transfer of naive sera from B-cell-deficient mice or injection of keyhole limpet hemocyanin or purified IgG, but not PBS or dextran, 3 days after HSV-1 challenge also resulted in chronic infection of the TG.
Conductive two-dimensional titanium carbide ‘clay’ with high volumetric capacitance

Safe and powerful energy storage devices are becoming increasingly important. Charging times of seconds to minutes, with power densities exceeding those of batteries, can in principle be provided by electrochemical capacitors--in particular, pseudocapacitors. Recent research has focused mainly on improving the gravimetric performance of the electrodes of such systems, but for portable electronics and vehicles volume is at a premium. The best volumetric capacitances of carbon-based electrodes are around 300 farads per cubic centimetre; hydrated ruthenium oxide can reach capacitances of 1,000 to 1,500 farads per cubic centimetre with great cyclability, but only in thin films. Recently, electrodes made of two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti3C2, a member of the 'MXene' family), produced by etching aluminium from titanium aluminium carbide (Ti3AlC2, a 'MAX' phase) in concentrated hydrofluoric acid, have been shown to have volumetric capacitances of over 300 farads per cubic centimetre. Here we report a method of producing this material using a solution of lithium fluoride and hydrochloric acid. The resulting hydrophilic material swells in volume when hydrated, and can be shaped like clay and dried into a highly conductive solid or rolled into films tens of micrometres thick. Additive-free films of this titanium carbide 'clay' have volumetric capacitances of up to 900 farads per cubic centimetre, with excellent cyclability and rate performances. This capacitance is almost twice that of our previous report, and our synthetic method also offers a much faster route to film production as well as the avoidance of handling hazardous concentrated hydrofluoric acid.
I Want You To Hold My Hand--Right Now!

The author argues that the excessive desire for a teacher’s or mentor’s feedback is not exclusive to the current “iGeneration.” She suggests that one of the responsibilities of educators is teaching students to be less hesitant to make their own judgments. She then calls upon current teachers and administrators to model reasonable self-reliance to their students, especially given the current pedagogical weight of models, examples, and precedents and the scholastic impulse to describe even creative impulses as “right” or “wrong.”
A SURVEY OF Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, As, AND Se IN EARTHWORMS AND SOIL FROM DIVERSE SITES

Earthworms and soils were collected from 20 diverse sites in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, and were analyzed for Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Cr, As, and Se. Correlation coefficients relating concentrations of the elements in earthworms to concentrations in soil were low (−0.20<r<+0.57). Species differences and ecological variables contributed to the variability in concentrations of these elements in earthworms. The maximum concentrations of Pb (2100 ppm), Zn (1600 ppm), Cd (23 ppm) and Se (7.6 ppm) detected in earthworms were in the range reported to be toxic to animals fed diets containing these elements; however, even in the absence of any environmental contamination, some species of earthworms may contain high concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Se. Earthworms of the genus Eisenoides, for example, were exceptional in their ability to concentrate Pb. When earthworms are used as indicators of environmental contamination, it is important to identify the species, to report the soil characteristics, and to collect similar earthworms from very similar but uncontaminated soil.
Dynamic visualization of the developing nervous system of the bullfrog Rana catesbeiana

Anuran amphibians undergo a rapid and dramatic process of metamorphosis featuring widespread structural reorganization of the central nervous system. Although morphological changes during embryonic stages of anuran development have been well documented, much less information is available describing structural changes in the brain during larval (tadpole) stages. Using still images from cresyl-violet-stained material, we present an adaptation of the digital image and video manipulation technique of morphing that allows these images to be compiled in such a manner as to highlight key periods in tadpole brain development in a dynamic fashion. We present three morphed video data sets from ranid tadpoles that facilitate the identification of developmental changes in nuclear boundaries at different levels of the neuraxis. The use of animation allows dynamic examination of anatomical changes across long developmental spans without requiring additional anatomical preparations or specialized expensive equipment.
Electron-impact ionization of oriented molecules using the time-dependent close-coupling approach

An overview is given on recent progress on computing triple differential cross sections for electron-impact ionization of the hydrogen molecule using a time-dependent close-coupling approach. Our calculations, when averaged over all molecular orientations, are generally in very good agreement with (e,2e) measurements made on H2, where the molecular orientation is unknown, for a range of incident energies and outgoing electron angles and energies. In this paper, we present TDCS for ionization of H2 at specific molecular orientations. It is hoped that this study will help stimulate future measurements of TDCS from oriented H2 at medium impact energies.
Relational Aggression in Children With Preschool-Onset Psychiatric Disorders

Objective The role of preschool-onset (PO) psychiatric disorders as correlates and/or risk factors for relational aggression during kindergarten or first grade was tested in a sample of 146 preschool-age children (age 3 to 5.11 years). Method Axis-I diagnoses and symptom scores were derived using the Preschool Age Psychiatric Assessment. Children's roles in relational aggression as aggressor, victim, aggressive-victim, or nonaggressor/nonvictim were determined at preschool and again 24 months later at elementary school entry. Results Preschoolers diagnosed with PO psychiatric disorders were three times as likely as the healthy preschoolers to be classified aggressors, victims, or aggressive-victims. Children diagnosed with PO disruptive, depressive, and/or anxiety disorders were at least six times as likely as children without PO psychiatric disorders to become aggressive-victims during elementary school after covarying for other key risk factors. Conclusions Findings suggested that PO psychiatric disorders differentiated preschool and school-age children's roles in relational aggression based on teacher report. Recommendations for future research and preventative intervention aimed at minimizing the development of relational aggression in early childhood by identifying and targeting PO psychiatric disorders are made.
Validity of a new evaluative scale to aid admissions decisions

Abstract This study purported to validate a rating scale constructed to measure the effectiveness of non-traditional variables for predicting academic success in colleges. Nontraditional predictor variables included in the rating scale were: academic accomplishments other than high school GPA or rank, leadership qualities in high school, athletic success, persistence characteristics in pursuing extracurricular activities, high school honors, qualities of written personal statements in admissions application forms and the strength of references. Rating scale scores were added to the traditional High School Rank (HSR) and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores in multiple regression and discriminant analyses in order to examine their effectiveness in increasing predictive accuracy and in classifying successful and unsuccessful students. Predicted criteria variables for academic success used in this study were exploratory nontraditional variables such as Perceived Success and demonstrated Leadership Abilities in college in addition to traditional College GPA. The results suggested that rating scores raised predictive effectiveness significantly over and above the predictivity achieved by the use of combined SA T and HSR alone. Perceived Success and college Leadership measure, however, were ineffective as predicted discriminant criteria in this study.
On-chip differential interference contrast microscopy using lensless digital holography

We introduce the use of a birefringent crystal with lensless digital holography to create an on-chip differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope. Using an incoherent source with a large aperture, in-line holograms of micro-objects are created, which interact with a uniaxial crystal and an absorbing polarizer, encoding differential interference contrast information of the objects on the chip. Despite the fact that a unit fringe magnification and an incoherent source with a large aperture have been used, holographic digital processing of such holograms rapidly recovers the differential phase contrast image of the specimen over a large field-of-view of ~24 mm2.
Inguinal lymph nodes: size, number, and other characteristics in asymptomatic patients by CT

The purpose of this study was to establish normative data for the CT appearance of inguinal lymph nodes. After Institutional Review Board approval, search of the radiology information system identified 500 consecutive CT examinations of the pelvis. Patients were included if no lower extremity or perineum pathology, or history of malignancy at the time of CT examination, and a clinical note documenting no tumor at least 2 years after the CT. The final study group was 77 patients. CT examinations were retrospectively reviewed and bilateral inguinal lymph nodes were characterized by size (short axis and largest size in general), number, and presence of fat attenuation. The mean short-axis inguinal lymph node size was 5.4 mm (range 2.1–13.6 mm), measured at 8.8 mm two standard deviations above the mean. The mean number of superficial and deep inguinal lymph nodes was 10.7 (range 3–18) and 1.2 per patient (range 1–2), respectively. Superficial and deep inguinal nodes showed internal fat attenuation in 85 and 78 % of nodes, and were oval in shape in 95 and 78 %, respectively. Inguinal lymph nodes in asymptomatic patients have a mean short axis of 5.4 mm, a short axis of 8.8 mm at two standard deviations above the mean, and are multiple and symmetric in size and number (4–20 per patient). Normal inguinal lymph nodes were commonly oval in shape and contained fat, although such findings may be absent in smaller lymph nodes.
Findings from 2010 Global Adult Tobacco Survey: Implementation of MPOWER Policy in China

Objective To assess the implementation of five key tobacco control policies in China: protection from second-hand smoke (SHS); offering help to quit; health warnings regarding tobacco use; the enforcement of bans on tobacco advertising, promotion, and sponsorship; and increasing tobacco taxes and prices. Methods Using 2010 Global Adults Tobacco Survey in China (GATS-China), 10 indicators are used to assess the implementation of five key tobacco control policies of MPOWER in China. Results Overall, 63.3% and 72.7% of adultsnoticed people smoking indoor workplaces and public places, respectively. Approximately 60% of smokers were not asked about their smoking habits and approximately 67% were not advised to quit on their visit to a health worker. Sixty percent of adults noticed health warning messages on cigarette packaging and in the media in the last 30 days, 63.6% stated that they would not consider quitting. Twenty percent of respondents noticed tobacco advertising, promotion, and/or sponsorship activities in the 30 days prior to the survey. Among them, 76.3% noticed the direct advertising and 50% noticed from TV programs. Although purchasing price of one pack of cigarettes ranged from 1 to 200 RMB, 50% of current smokers (about 150 million) spent 5 RMB or less on one pack of cigarette. The expenditure on 100 packets of cigarettes represents 2% of 2009 GDP per capita. Conclusion The average score for the implementation of the 5 policies of MPOWER in China is 37.3 points, indicating tobacco control policies in China is poor and there is a large gaps from the FCTC requirements.
Coexistence curves for fourth-neighbor Ising models on the face-centered-cubic lattice

In this paper we investigate the influence of the range of the potential on the phase diagram for higher-neighbor Ising systems on the face-centered-cubic lattice. The density weight factors and lattice constants needed to evaluate the diagrams that contribute to the first six terms in the high-temperature expansion at arbitrary density are obtained. The resulting expression for the free energy is in the form of a series in the density and the four coupling constants ${J}_{1}$, ${J}_{2}$, ${J}_{3}$, and ${J}_{4}$ describing the potential energy as a function of interatomic distance. Differentiation of this expression with respect to density yields a series for the chemical potential. The phase diagram is obtained by straightforward analysis of this series. The results show that the coexistence curve depends on the effective number of nearest neighbors but is insensitive to the shape of the potential.
The Effects of Storage Temperature, Storage Time and Dietary Vitamin E on the Fertilizing Capacity and Physiological Characteristics of Undiluted Turkey Semen

Abstract DURING the past few years, considerable research effort has been directed toward improving the techniques used in artificial insemination of poultry. Of particular interest are those experiments involving temperature and storage time limitations of undiluted semen. Garren and Shaffner (1952) observed that fowl semen could be stored at 15°C. for up to 3 hours without apparent detrimental effects on fertility. However, semen stored at 20°, 30° or 40° C. for periods of time in excess of 90 minutes resulted in negligible fertility. In addition, semen stored at 0° or 5°C. dropped sharply in fertilizing capacity, yet motility was best maintained when stored at these low temperatures. Hunsaker et al. (1956) obtained similar results. Harper (1955), Carter et al. (1957) and McCartney et al. (1959) reported experiments in which undiluted turkey semen was stored between 10° and 15°C. for periods of time up to 6 hours. They concluded that semen should . . .