cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of least squares regression and geographically weighted regression modeling of West Nile virus risk based on environmental parameters.

BACKGROUND The primary aim of the study reported here was to determine the effectiveness of utilizing local spatial variations in environmental data to uncover the statistical relationships between West Nile Virus (WNV) risk and environmental factors. Because least squares regression methods do not account for spatial autocorrelation and non-stationarity of the type of spatial data analyzed for studies that explore the relationship between WNV and environmental determinants, we hypothesized that a geographically weighted regression model would help us better understand how environmental factors are related to WNV risk patterns without the confounding effects of spatial non-stationarity. METHODS We examined commonly mapped environmental factors using both ordinary least squares regression (LSR) and geographically weighted regression (GWR). Both types of models were applied to examine the relationship between WNV-infected dead bird counts and various environmental factors for those locations. The goal was to determine which approach yielded a better predictive model. RESULTS LSR efforts lead to identifying three environmental variables that were statistically significantly related to WNV infected dead birds (adjusted R2 = 0.61): stream density, road density, and land surface temperature. GWR efforts increased the explanatory value of these three environmental variables with better spatial precision (adjusted R2 = 0.71). CONCLUSIONS The spatial granularity resulting from the geographically weighted approach provides a better understanding of how environmental spatial heterogeneity is related to WNV risk as implied by WNV infected dead birds, which should allow improved planning of public health management strategies.
An analysis of anaphylaxis cases at a single pediatric emergency department during a 1-year period

Abstract Background Case series of anaphylaxis can vary regarding causes, treatments, and follow-up of patients. Unfortunately, case series that are specific to the pediatric population are few. Objective To describe confirmed cases of pediatric anaphylaxis in patients presenting to a pediatric hospital emergency department (ED). Methods We identified all ED visits with the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision ( ICD-9 ) codes 995.XX (allergic reactions) and 989.5 (sting or venom reaction) for 1 calendar year (January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2014). Cases were reviewed by an allergist and an emergency medicine physician to identify true anaphylaxis cases using National Institute of Health/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases criteria. Any questionable or debatable cases were evaluated and adjudicated by a second allergist. Results We identified 927 unique ED visits. Of these visits, 40 were determined to definitively meet anaphylaxis criteria. Median age of the patients was 6.5 years. A total of 70% of patients were male, and 80% were African American. Causes included foods (65%), venom or insect sting (12.5%), and medications (5%), and 17.5% were idiopathic. All patients had multiorgan involvement, with 98% having skin involvement, 78% having lower respiratory tract symptoms, and 40% having gastrointestinal symptoms. There were no deaths. Only 33% of patients received epinephrine at some point in their care. Only 12 patients were referred to an allergist, and only 4 of these were actually seen by an allergist. Conclusion At our center, foods are the most common trigger for pediatric anaphylaxis. Patients continue to be undertreated, and referral to an allergist from the ED is rare.
Time and Technique Studies for Assessing Labor Productivity on Diversified Organic Vegetable Farms

As regional food purchasing continues to gain consumer interest, an increasing number of diver­sified vegetable farms have emerged to meet market demand. Many of the small- and midscale vegetable farms selling into local markets, however, face continued challenges concerning the financial decision-making and the viability of their opera­tions. Greater understanding of the consequences of financial, labor, and production-management decisions has the potential to improve the long-term success of these farms. In this exploratory work utilizing a comparative case study approach involving 10 diversified vegetable farms, we con­ducted time and technique studies to assess labor productivity as related to different farm labor and production management decisions. We focused our analysis on three specific activities (transplanting, harvest, and postharvest handling) for five com­mon crops (broccoli, carrots, lettuce, peppers, and squash). Our results showed tremendous farm-to-farm variation in labor productivity, reflecting the diversity of approaches to production and management. Both mechanization and farm size influenced the time required to complete produc­tion and postharvest activities; however, these relationships were not consistent across all crops and activities. While time and technique studies can help farmers to more effectively strategize innova­tions in production practices and equipment pur­chases, farm-specific considerations such as crew size, farm land base, and worker welfare will remain important factors for farmers in assessing the consequences of mechanizing any process and of changing their particular management strategy, as well as the appropriateness of adopting technol­ogies in the context of farm scale and resources. Challenges and weaknesses associated with on-farm participatory time and technique studies were identified, leading to recommendations to create a more feasible system for similar data-collection efforts. The data generated by further expansion on our approach can provide diversified vegetable farmers, food system development professionals, and policy-makers with an additional information to contribute to the successful growth and financial status of diversified vegetable farms serving as vital components of strong local and regional food systems.
The fourth annual BRDS on genome editing and silencing for precision medicines.

Precision medicine is promising for treating human diseases, as it focuses on tailoring drugs to a patient’s genes, environment, and lifestyle. The need for personalized medicines has opened the doors for turning nucleic acids into therapeutics. Although gene therapy has the potential to treat and cure genetic and acquired diseases, it needs to overcome certain obstacles before creating the overall prescription drugs. Recent advancement in the life science has helped to understand the effective manipulation and delivery of genome-engineering tools better. The use of sequence-specific nucleases allows genetic changes in human cells to be easily made with higher efficiency and precision than before. Nanotechnology has made rapid advancement in the field of drug delivery, but the delivery of nucleic acids presents unique challenges. Also, designing efficient and short time-consuming genome-editing tools with negligible off-target effects are in high demand for precision medicine. In the fourth annual Biopharmaceutical Research and Development Symposium (BRDS) held at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) on September 7–8, 2017, we covered different facets of developing tools for precision medicine for therapeutic and diagnosis of genetic disorders.
Financial impact of oral chemotherapy wastage on society and the patient.

BackgroundTargeted oral agents are now increasingly being utilized in cancer treatment, but are expensive. Changing the dose of these medications due to toxicity or discontinuation secondary to dis...
Effect of pseudomonas lipase enzyme on the degradation of polycaprolactone/polycaprolactone-polyglycolide fiber blended nanocomposites

This study describes the interaction resulting from adding pseudomonas lipase (PS) enzyme to polycaprolactone-based composites designed for orthopedic applications. The biopolymer composite evaluat...
BIOSYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF CATECHOLAMINES

Publisher Summary This chapter describes biosynthesis and release of catecholamines. Some interesting considerations concerning the significance of the catecholamine stores come from the studies with inhibitors of tyrosine hydroxylase. One of these inhibitors, α-methyl-tyrosine, and produces marked inhibition of adrenaline synthesis is normal starting from dopa, and the storage of catecholamines is unaffected. When α-methyl-tyrosine is administered to animals, catecholamine levels fall most rapidly in those tissues that synthesize them most rapidly. Brain noradrenaline and dopamine that turn over most rapidly are lowered first and to the greatest extent. Consistent with these observations, the most prominent effects in animals are on the central nervous system. Although most tissue stores can be totally depleted with high doses of the inhibitor, marked effects are seen with lower doses when much of the peripheral noradrenaline is still present. The effects seen with the lowest doses are abolition of the shock-avoidance response and other disturbances in behavior.
Families and Child Care: A Global Ecosystem Perspective

We are all citizens of the world. In this day of modern technology, one’s neighbors are not only next door but, also, on the opposite side of the globe. We now keep in touch with our world neighbors through instantaneous communications via satellites stationed around the planet. Jet travel takes us to the opposite side of the planet in a matter of hours. The world’s families, their successes and problems, are more closely linked to each of us each day.
Two-level preconditioning of a discontinuous Galerkin method for radiation diffusion

Weproposea two-level preconditioning strategy for the iterative solution of large sparse linear systems arising from a discontinuous Galerkin discretization of the radiation diffusion equations. The idea is to usea continuous finite element discretization of theoriginal, elliptic diffusion equation for preconditioning the discontinuous equations. We show how our preconditioner is developed and applied to radiation diffusion problems on unstructured, tetrahedral meshes. We present numerical results to illustrate its effectiveness.
Dysregulation of TOR Signaling in Tuberous Sclerosis and Lymphangioleiomyomotosis

I. Abstract Activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) has been observed in many human tumors and mTORC1 inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and other malignancies. The tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) proteins directly regulate Rheb, a direct activator of TORC1. Therefore, TSC and the related disease, pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) have the most direct biochemical link to mTORC1 dysregulation of any known human disease or syndrome, providing a unique window through which the direct impact of mTORC1 activation in humans can be viewed. Yet, despite the direct links between TSC and mTORC1, the relationship between mTORC1 activation and the unusual clinical manifestations of TSC remains largely mysterious. Furthermore, TORC1 inhibition has only a partial impact on tumors in TSC patients, with regrowth following discontinuation. In this chapter, we will review the evidence of mTORC1 activation in LAM and TSC, discuss the impact of mTORC1 inhibition in mouse models of TSC and consider how these preclinical models can guide the interpretation of the clinical studies of mTORC1 inhibitors in humans with TSC and LAM. We will also consider the growing evidence that at least some of the clinical manifestations of TSC may reflect TORC1-indepenent functions of the TSC proteins. Finally, we will discuss future clinical perspectives for TSC and LAM patients, focusing on therapeutic approaches combining mTORC1 inhibitors and agents targeting survival pathways and/or TSC-dependent/mTORC1-independent pathways.
Topical Mupirocin in the Treatment of Bacterial Skin Infections

Mupirocin is an investigational topical antibiotic used for treatment and prophylaxis of bacterial skin infections. Mupirocin differs from other antibiotics in its synthesis, structure, and mechanism of action. In vitro, mupirocin possesses antimicrobial activity against staphylococci, streptococci, Hemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Few studies comparing mupirocin to other topical antibiotics are available. Initial studies comparing mupirocin to inactive vehicle in the treatment of impetigo indicate an overall 92 percent pathogen eradication rate with active drug and 58 percent eradication rate with vehicle. Overall response to treatment of secondary skin infections was favorable in 91 percent of patients treated with mupirocin and 77 percent of those treated with vehicle. Although incidence is not greater than placebo, adverse effects have included pruritus, burning, dry skin, and erythema. Additional trials and clinical use should further help determine the role of mupirocin in the treatment of minor, primary, and secondary skin infections.
The Enzymatic Reactions in Alcohol Fermentation

(1942). The Enzymatic Reactions in Alcohol Fermentation. Proceedings. Annual meeting - American Society of Brewing Chemists: Vol. 3, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Meeting 1942, pp. 93-101.
Child Welfare as a Woman's Issue:

The recognition that ensuring the welfare of children is not possible without addressing the welfare of their female caregivers is notably missing from the child welfare literature. This article se...
Learning occupants’ workplace interactions from wearable and stationary ambient sensing systems

Abstract Having access to real-time information on building occupants’ state of interactions enables optimization of building systems for improved energy efficiency, well-being and productivity of the occupants. In this paper, we propose a framework to learn occupant interactions from ambient sensing technologies (e.g., sensing of variables such as sound (dB), CO2 (ppm), light intensity (lux), dry-bulb temperature (°C), relative humidity (RH%), pressure (mbar)) from both stationary and wearable devices and select the technologies and averaging windows which contain the required information for learning. In this framework, several supervised machine learning algorithms are tested on the labeled datasets and the algorithm which outperforms others is selected. Two types of sensing devices were utilized for analyses: wearable devices worn around the neck by the test subjects, and a network of stationary devices located in the test subjects' working indoor spaces. 221 employees of federal agencies housed in facilities managed by the US. General Services Administration in the mid-Atlantic and Southern states participated in this study, answering questions about their current task every hour. Overall accuracies were observed of 86.72% for wearable and stationary devices, 81.25% for only wearable-only, and 85.16% for stationary-only for prediction of the mixed multi-label classification via Random Forests algorithm. The high prediction allows for identifying subjects’ tasks when training labels are not available. Predicting occupants’ interactions as a main indicator of occupants’ behavior have significant implications for the energy efficiency of building systems (up to 20% savings).
Interaction of PCL based self-assembled nano-polymeric micelles with model lipid bilayers using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations

Abstract Poly-e-caprolactone (PCL) has been widely used in nanoparticle based drug delivery devices, owing to its hydrophobicity and biodegradability. In this study, we investigated the interaction of single block copolymer chains of PCL and Methoxy-polyethylene glycol (MePEG), as well as the self-assembled nano-polymeric micelles of these copolymers, with a model dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) lipid bilayer using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations in conjunction with umbrella sampling. Our studies showed that the hydrophilic-to-hydrophobic ratio of the micelle plays a crucial role in the interaction with the bilayer. Significant changes in the micelle morphology akin to the ‘snorkeling effect’ was also observed.
One Size Fits None: Local Context and Planning for the Preservation of Affordable Housing

Affordable housing stock has diminished as communities face often-conflicting contexts of rising costs and rapid gentrification, and deteriorating housing quality and challenging neighborhood condi...
Catalysis with Palladium Complexes Photoexcited by Visible Light

Palladium catalysis induced by visible light is an emerging field of catalysis. In contrast to classical reactions catalyzed by Pd complexes in the ground state, which mostly proceed through two-electron redox processes, the mechanisms of these new methods based on photoexcited Pd complexes usually operate through transfer of a single electron. Such processes lead to putative hybrid Pd/radical species, which exhibit both radical and classical Pd-type reactivity. This Minireview highlights the recent progress in this rapidly growing area.
Stability-oriented Optimization and Consensus Control for Inverter-based Microgrid

In this paper, the small-signal model and stability-oriented consensus control scheme for inverter-based microgrid systems is proposed. By perturbating four identified dominant control parameters of inverter-based microgrid intentionally, the corresponding incremental matrix of microgrid system can be formed. Then, Matrix Perturbation Theory is employed in this paper to reduce the computational burden caused by repetitive calculations of system eigenvalues during stability analysis. Furthermore, the objective function is formulated based on the small-signal stability index and consensus index of microgrid system. Finally, the optimal control algorithm based on the joint application of Matrix Perturbation Theory and Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm is introduced in this paper so that the stability and consensus rate of microgrid can be ensured. Besides, the effectiveness of proposed method can be verified in Matlab/Simulation results.
Chapter 45 – Vitamin D and the Renin-Angiotensin System

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is a central regulator of renal and cardiovascular functions. Excess activation of the RAS leads to renal and cardiovascular disorders, such as hypertension and chronic kidney disease, and is the major risk factor for stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis, and renal failure. In addition, the RAS is also involved in the pathology of other tissues. Mounting epidemiological and clinical evidence has demonstrated an association of vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency with increased risks of renal and cardiovascular diseases, but the molecular basis remains poorly defined. The discovery of the vitamin D hormone as an endocrine repressor of the RAS provides a potential explanation for this association. 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 downregulates the expression of renin, the rate-limiting enzyme of the renin-angiotensin cascade. Vitamin D deficiency leads to overexpression of renin and thus activation of the RAS, causing renal and cardiovascular injuries. Defects in the vitamin D receptor signaling also promote local RAS activation in other tissues leading to detrimental effects. Physiologically the vitamin D hormone may play a role in maintaining the homeostasis of the renal and cardiovascular systems via suppressing the RAS. Pharmacologically, vitamin D analogs may be used to target the RAS for disease management.
‘In my heart forever:’ Foster caregivers’ dedication, grief, and couple relationship quality

Many dedicated foster caregivers form a strong attachment to the children in their care, leaving them emotionally at-risk for when a child is removed from the home (e.g. displacement, reunification...
Probing Ultrafast Dynamics in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Using High-Speed X-Ray Imaging: A Review of Research at the Advanced Photon Source

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a transformative technology that opens up many exciting opportunities. In metal AM processes, high-power heat sources are often used to locally fuse the metal feedstock to the previous layer. Extreme thermal conditions are involved and unique microstructures are developed in AM-processed materials. At the Advanced Photon Source, we applied high-speed x-ray imaging to probe the ultrafast dynamics of the vapor depression, melt flow and particle spattering, among other transient phenomena. Demonstrated by the scientific cases reviewed and cited here, high-speed x-ray imaging is a unique tool for metal AM research. It provides invaluable information that can help address the critical issues in AM associated with structural defects, high-fidelity models, build reliability and repeatability.
2.02 – Structure and Function of Hepatic Parenchymal Cells☆

The liver is considered as the second largest organ of the human body, the first being the skin. However, in terms of “in the human body,” the liver is the largest organ. It consists of four lobes and receives dual blood supply via the hepatic portal vein (portal circulation) and the hepatic artery (systemic circulation). The structural organization of the liver is described in terms of the classical lobule and liver acinus. The classical lobule is roughly hexagonal in shape, in which a small efferent vein is central (the central vein) and terminal afferent portal veins are peripheral. The liver acinus describes concentric layers of hepatic parenchymal cells along terminal portal vein branches. The liver acinus is divided into three different zones. Liver serves as a filter of blood, removing nutrients, anabolic and catabolic products, and toxicants. Liver cells known as hepatic parenchymal cells perform numerous important functions such as protein synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid metabolism, detoxification, and others. Organelles in hepatic parenchymal cells that carry out these several hepatic functions are similar to those found in the cells of other body tissues/organs. In hepatic parenchymal cells, however, all the cytosomal organelles (ribosomes, endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, lysosomes, peroxisomes, and mitochondria) assume many more roles and are prominently present. This article describes the present understanding of structure and functions of various organelles in hepatic parenchymal cells.
The Largest Feasible Steerable Telescope

From the very earliest stages, planning for NRAO included the construction of a very large fully steerable radio telescope with a diameter up to 1000 foot. However, following the 140 Foot debacle, there was no support for funding such an ambitious and risky construction program. After the construction of the 300 Foot Transit Telescope with its limited capabilities, NRAO initiated the Largest Fully Steerable Telescope (LFST) program to design and potentially construct a very large fully steerable radio telescope. The LFST team produced a series of designs for a 300 foot antenna capable of working at 1 cm wavelength, a 64 meter antenna working to 3 mm wavelength, and finally a 25 meter telescope working to 1 mm wavelength, but none of them were ever built. Although every review of the needs of radio astronomy supported the construction of a large fully steerable radio telescope, there was always a higher priority—the VLA, the VLBA, and most recently ALMA. In 1988, an NSF review committee recommended that the 27-year-old NRAO 300 Foot Transit Telescope be closed in order to provide funds for operating other new astronomical facilities. However, when the 300 Foot Telescope unexpectedly collapsed in November 1988, it was reported in the media as a national disaster for U.S. astronomy. West Virginia’s Senator Robert Byrd demanded that the telescope be replaced. Although the NSF had other plans, Byrd included $75M in the 1989 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill. The new 100 meter Green Bank Telescope would not be completed until the year 2000, and only after contentious litigation as to who was responsible for the delays and nearly factor of two increase in cost.
Automated leaf movement tracking in time-lapse imaging for plant phenotyping

Abstract The analysis of the rhythm of leaf movement is a simple yet effective method to quantify the impacts of external (e.g. abiotic stress) and/or internal (e.g. gene mutations) perturbations on plant growth. We developed an automated monitoring system to quantify leaf movement using time-lapse imaging and a subsequent leaf-tracking algorithm. The leaf-tracking algorithm was based on dense optical flow algorithm to directly record temporal motion events. The algorithm measures motion directly, rather than detecting leaf or cotyledon tip in every image, so multiple leaves, including occluded leaves, can be measured simultaneously. To test the monitoring system, wild-type and drought-tolerant mutant genotypes of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) were subjected to a combinatorial two water and two nitrogen levels. High-frequency time-lapse images were acquired from top view for little over 6 consecutive days at a frequency of 4 min. Results showed that nitrogen and water treatments elicited differences in mean plant displacement in both genotypes. It also showed significant differences among the two different genotypes in the mean displacement when plants were under water or nitrogen stress. These results confirmed the new monitoring system’s ability to discern environmental and genotypic differences in plant response.
Personality Traits in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11).

Purpose of review The International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) officially adopted a dimensional system of personality disorder that was a paradigm shift for the classification of personality disorders. The purpose of this article is to review the growing amount of research on one component of that system - the personality trait domain model. Importantly, several self-report measures have been developed to measure the ICD-11 domains and have been subjected to initial validation through examination of their factor structure, multimethod use, convergent and discriminant validity with other prominent dimensional personality models (such as the Five-Factor Model), and criterion validity for important life outcomes. Recent findings Studies indicate the ICD-11 domains align with the Five-Factor Model and prior influential models of dimensional personality traits, as expected, and thus rest on an impressive body of empirical research. They also capture large amounts of variance included in the ICD-10/Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition Section II personality disorders. Summary Together these findings support the construct validity of the ICD-11 trait domains. However, continued validation research is necessary, as well as research on how to implement these domains into clinical practice, and research on the more specific facet-level of the trait domains - although the ICD-11 model is only officially at the domain-level.
Characteristics and Attitudes of Aspiring Cardiothoracic Surgeons: A Survey Study.

Abstract Background Although recruiting highly qualified, diverse applicants into cardiothoracic surgery remains a national priority, their characteristics remain unknown. This study aims to describe current and future applicants in cardiothoracic surgery. Methods Aspiring cardiothoracic surgeons (students interested in matriculating in a North American training program) were voluntarily enrolled in the study through Twitter and email outreach. A 33-question survey evaluated their backgrounds, research experiences, attitudes, and interests within cardiothoracic surgery. Standard descriptive statistics were used. Results There were 111 participants, 40 of whom were female (36.0%) and 27 of whom identified as an underrepresented minority (24.3%). Of the total, 63 belonged to an institution with a cardiothoracic surgery training program (56.8%). A total of 91 students envisioned having a mostly operative career (82.0%) and 75 envisioned pursuing educational roles (67.6%). The most popular surgical specialties were heart transplantation (50.5%) and aortic surgery (47.8%). Participants selected having a high-intensity operative environment (81.2%) and an innovative academic environment (58.8%) as the most attractive qualities. Perceived lack of work–life balance (46%) and toxic training or work environment (28%) were the greatest deterrents. Finances during the application process were perceived as a potential barrier by 41 students (36.9%). Approximately 75% of students (83 of 111) had faculty as mentors; 46.8% (56 of 111) thought that cardiothoracic surgery faculty were approachable but had limited time for mentorship. Conclusions This survey study characterized a nationally selected pool of aspiring cardiothoracic surgeons using social media. Future studies involving larger and more diverse cohorts are warranted to find areas for improvement in recruitment, retention, and diversity.
On the evolution of host specificity: a case study of helminths

ABSTRACT The significant variation in host specificity exhibited by parasites has been separately linked to evolutionary history and ecological factors in specific host-parasite associations. Yet, whether there are any general patterns in the factors that shape host specificity across parasites more broadly is unknown. Here we constructed a molecular phylogeny for 249 helminth species infecting free-range mammals and find that the influence of ecological factors and evolutionary history varies across different measures of host specificity. Whereas the phylogenetic range of hosts a parasite can infect shows a strong signal of evolutionary constraint, the number of hosts a parasite infects does not. Our results shed new light on the evolution of host specificity in parasites, suggesting that phylogenetic breadth may capture the evolutionary potential of a parasite to jump between hosts, whereas the number of hosts may reflect ecological opportunity. Finally, we show parasite phylogenies can also provide an alternative perspective on zoonosis by identifying which hosts are infected by a broad phylogenetic range of parasites.
Presidential Address Rural Sociology at the Crossroads

A complex array of socio-historical, demographic, and organizational factors have combined in recent years to threaten both the current status of and future prospects for the discipline of rural sociology, and for the Rural Sociological Society (RSS). This paper examines the somewhat problematic recent trajectories of the RSS as a professional organization and of rural sociology more generally and notes a degree of disciplinary and organizational inertia that have limited the pursuit of new directions. It also presents a discussion of selected factors that have contributed to these concerns, including both "external" factors that are largely beyond the organizational reach of RSS and "internal" factors that are more directly linked to organizational characteristics and actions. Drawing upon the distinctions between "red ocean" and "blue ocean" strategies outlined by market strategists Kim and Mauborgne, the discussion then shifts to a focus on action alternatives that, if pursued, could help to create an expanded set of opportunities and a brighter future for rural sociology, and for the Rural Sociological Society.
Health Care, Commercialism in

Commercialism in health care is an application of operating and managing principles typically found in business and commerce (financial incentivizing, profit-making, competition, marketing/advertising, and focus on the bottom line) to health care delivery. The US health care system ranks the highest on commercialism among Western industrialized democracies. Commercialism poses a threat to medical professionalism, patient care, and even the integrity of science, which is a foundation of our trust in medicine and medical professionalism. The downsides of commercialism are not confined to the for-profit health sector, as private not-for-profit and public institutions are forced to compete with for-profit health care providers and to emulate their strategies. Commercialism in health care may also increase health care costs. While it encourages profit-making among health care providers and insurers, the nature of health care service is such that patients are limited in their ability to exercise their power as consumers, which leads to overuse of services, high costs, and variable quality. Keywords: bioethics; health care; health professions; medicine; patients
Recent advances in mathematical programming for cell formation

Publisher Summary Cell formation, one major problem with cellular manufacturing, involves the process of grouping the parts with similar design features or processing requirements into part families and the corresponding machines into machine cells. Numerous analytical approaches to solve the problem have been introduced, among which mathematical programming models and heuristic procedures constitute the greatest part of the literature. This chapter presents a state-of- the-art review based on a systematic survey of the literature. Survey results should help answer or clarify many related questions for the cellular manufacturing community. Examples have been provided to help the interested reader use earlier studies to develop mathematical programming models. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to examine the state-of-the-art of mathematical programming's use in cell formation and (2) to illustrate the way by which a variety of cell formation problems can be formulated by means of mathematical programming. Examples with different objectives, constraints, and structures are provided, which not only represent typical cell formation problems, but also can be used to demonstrate the way by which the same scenario can be modeled through either objectives or constraints.
NF-KB activity functions in primary pericytes in a cell- and non-cell-autonomous manner to affect myotube formation.

Introduction: Skeletal muscle regeneration following damage relies on proliferation and differentiation of muscle precursor cells (MPCs). We recently observed increased NF-kB activity in vascular-associated muscle resident pericytes following muscle damage in humans. We determined how altered NF-kB activity in human primary pericytes (HPPs) affects their myogenic differentiation (cell-autonomous effects), as well as proliferation and differentiation of co-cultured MPCs (non–cell-autonomous effects). Methods: HPPs were transfected with vectors that increased or decreased NF-kB activity. Transfected HPPs were co-cultured with C2C12 myoblasts under differentiation conditions, and HPP fusion to myotubes was measured. We also co-cultured HPPs with C2C12 myoblasts and measured proliferation and myotube formation. Results: Inhibition of NF-kB activity increased HPP fusion to C2C12 myotubes. Moreover, enhanced NF-kB activity in HPPs suppressed differentiation and enhanced proliferation of co-cultured myoblasts. Conclusions: NF-kB activity acts cell-autonomously to inhibit HPP myogenic differentiation and non–cell-autonomously to promote MPC proliferation and suppress MPC differentiation in vitro. Muscle Nerve, 2013
Modeling Information in Textual Data Combining Labeled and Unlabeled Data

The paper describes two approaches to modeling word normalization (such as replacing "wrote" or "writing" by "write") based on the re-occurring patterns in: word suffix and the context of word obtained from texts. In order to collect patterns, we first represent the data using two independent feature sets and then find the patterns responsible for a particular word mapping. The modeling is based on a set of hand-labeled words of the form (word, normalized word) and texts from 28 novels obtained from the Web and used to get words context. Since the hand-labeling is a demanding task we investigate the possibility of improving our modeling by gradually adding unlabeled examples. Namely, we use the initial model based on word suffix to predict the labels. Then we enlarge the training set by the examples with predicted labels for which the model is the most certain. The experiment show that this helps the context-based approach while largely hurting the suffix-based approach. To get an idea of the influence of the number of labeled instead of unlabeled examples, we give a comparison with the situation when simply more labeled data is provided.
Tamper proofing 3d motion data streams

This paper presents a fragile watermarking technique to tamper proof (Mocap) motion capture data. The technique visualizes 3D Mocap data as a series of clusters of points. Watermarks are embedded using clusters of points, where a bit is encoded in each cluster. The four point encoding mechanism uses a combination of one point encoding and three point encoding schemes. Using these schemes it is possible to distinguish between affine transformations, noise addition and reverse ordering attacks. The bits are encoded and decoded in this scheme using an extension of quantization index modulation. It has been shown that distortions are reduced to achieve imperceptibility of the watermark. The bit encoding schemes give the flexibility to achieve better accuracy in tamper detection. In addition, the paper suggests a probabilistic model, which is a function of the watermark size. Using this model, it has been proved that larger watermark sizes achieve higher accuracy in tamper detection.
Music and the origins of language: Music and language

“ Music is a non-signifying art ” With a few exceptions, including the recent formation of a musical semiotics, official discourse on music in the twentieth century has largely resisted discussion of music as it might be related to language or meaning. Composers and theorists from Webern to Babbitt have sought to place the art of musical composition in an autonomous space adjacent to mathematics where, as in the Middle Ages, it would be exclusively concerned with carefully controlled pattern-making, according to rules that are particular to music. Thus the meaning of music has generally been restricted to intramusical formal relations, considered independent of any verbal content and free of ideological influence. Discussing the widespread reluctance to link music to meaning or ideology, Rose Rosengard Subotnik gives the example of Stravinksy, for whom composition was “ a specimen of purely autonomous craft”. The academic discipline of musicology appears largely complicitous with this view. First, musicology as an academic discipline arose during a particular moment in the history of Western aesthetics when theorists reacted against eighteenth-century mimetic principles and placed great emphasis on music as an “absolute” art which was by nature free from the constraints of determinate meaning, and detached from the contingencies of life and history. The study of music today carries with it the heritage of its early history.
The Great Recession and U.S. partial discrimination orderings by race

We gauge the impact of the Great Recession on racial and ethnic subgroups by applying a stochastic dominance method proposed by Le Breton, et al. (2012). The method generates a partial discrimination ordering – or alternatively, a measure of the economic advantage for one subgroup relative to another. We apply the method to Current Population Survey data for 2006 through 2012, covering the recession years and the beginning of the recovery, and construct a comprehensive income measure that includes in-kind transfers and taxes. We find statistically significant differences in the impact of the Great Recession at the lower tails of the income distributions for blacks and Hispanics.
A103 Immunostaining in the Diagnosis of Adrenal Cortical Tumors

Abstract Context.—The monoclonal antibody A103 recognizes an antigen on melanoma cells known as Melan-A or MART-1. Recent studies have shown that A103 also reacts with adrenal cortical cells and may be useful in the diagnosis of adrenal cortical tumors. However, only small numbers of some of the tumors in the differential diagnosis of adrenal cortical neoplasms have been studied. Objective.—To study the specificity of A103 immunohistochemistry in a large number of tumors in the differential diagnosis of adrenal cortical neoplasms. Design.—Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 21 adrenal cortical tumors, 16 cases of metastatic carcinoma to the adrenal, 10 pheochromocytomas, and 269 extra-adrenal carcinomas was evaluated for A103 immunoreactivity using a commercially available antibody (Novocastra, Newcastle, UK). Results.—Positive staining was seen in all of the adrenal cortical tumors but in none of the adrenal metastases or pheochromocytomas. In the 269 extra-adrenal carcinomas, A103 immunoreacti...
Protein Phosphatase PPM1G Regulates Protein Translation and Cell Growth by Dephosphorylating 4E Binding Protein 1 (4E-BP1)

Protein translation initiation is a tightly controlled process responding to nutrient availability and mitogen stimulation. Serving as one of the most important negative regulators of protein translation, 4E binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) binds to translation initiation factor 4E and inhibits cap-dependent translation in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. Although it has been demonstrated previously that the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 is controlled by mammalian target of rapamycin in the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, the mechanism underlying the dephosphorylation of 4E-BP1 remains elusive. Here, we report the identification of PPM1G as the phosphatase of 4E-BP1. A coimmunoprecipitation experiment reveals that PPM1G binds to 4E-BP1 in cells and that purified PPM1G dephosphorylates 4E-BP1 in vitro. Knockdown of PPM1G in 293E and colon cancer HCT116 cells results in an increase in the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 at both the Thr-37/46 and Ser-65 sites. Furthermore, the time course of 4E-BP1 dephosphorylation induced by amino acid starvation or mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition is slowed down significantly in PPM1G knockdown cells. Functionally, the amount of 4E-BP1 bound to the cap-dependent translation initiation complex is decreased when the expression of PPM1G is depleted. As a result, the rate of cap-dependent translation, cell size, and protein content are increased in PPM1G knockdown cells. Taken together, our study has identified protein phosphatase PPM1G as a novel regulator of cap-dependent protein translation by negatively controlling the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. Background: Phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 plays a critical role in controlling its ability to inhibit protein translation. Results: PPM1G is identified as a protein phosphatase that dephosphorylates 4E-BP1 in vitro and in cells. Conclusion: PPM1G negatively regulates protein translation by controlling the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1. Significance: PPM1G-mediated dephosphorylation of 4E-BP1 provides a novel mechanism in the regulation of protein translation.
Modeling the effect of acute inflammation on gas exchange

12 prediction tasks were considered, consisting of development and recovery from hyperinflammatory states and kidney dysfunction, with predictions ranging from 1 to 4 days in advance. Four different machine learning algorithms were used: decision trees, first-order random forests, Naive Bayes, and tree-augmented Naive Bayes. Results: Criteria for discrimination and calibration were area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of at least 80% and a Hosmer-Lemeshow H-statistic P value greater than .05. Except for the prediction of development of inflammation, all prediction tasks regarding development satisfied the required criteria. Although recovery from kidney dysfunction was predicted up to 4 days in advance, none of the predictions of recovery from hyperinflammatory states satisfied the criteria completely. Table 1 shows results of a subset of prediction tasks. Conclusions: For the ICU database studied and the predictive tasks considered, standard machine learning techniques result in predictive models with good performances according to the selected criteria.
Stem cells: The right neighbour

Different cell types produce signals that regulate the activity of blood-forming stem cells. A study shows that certain rare mesenchymal cells surrounding blood vessels are the main source of one such signal in mice. See Article p.457 The haematopoietic niche is a microenvironment that maintains and regulates haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Using a systematic conditional genetic approach, Sean Morrison and colleagues identify the cellular sources of stem cell factor (SCF), a major niche cytokine required for maintenance of haematopoietic stem cells. They found SCF to be expressed by endothelial cells and leptin receptor-expressing perivascular stromal cells, but not by previously described niche cells, such as osteoblasts. These findings demonstrate that haematopoietic stem cells reside in a perivascular niche in which multiple cell types express factors that promote their maintenance.
Induction and Relaxation Dynamics of the Regulatory Network Controlling the Type III Secretion System encoded within Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1

Bacterial pathogenesis requires the precise spatial and temporal control of gene expression, the dynamics of which are controlled by regulatory networks. A network encoded within Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 controls the expression of a type III protein secretion system involved in the invasion of host cells. The dynamics of this network are measured in single cells using promoter-green fluorescent protein (gfp) reporters and flow cytometry. During induction, there is a temporal order of gene expression, with transcriptional inputs turning on first, followed by structural and effector genes. The promoters show varying stochastic properties, where graded inputs are converted into all-or-none and hybrid responses. The relaxation dynamics are measured by shifting cells from inducing to noninducing conditions and by measuring fluorescence decay. The gfp expressed from promoters controlling the transcriptional inputs (hilC and hilD) and structural genes (prgH) decay exponentially, with a characteristic time of 50-55 min. In contrast, the gfp expressed from a promoter controlling the expression of effectors (sicA) persists for 110+/-9 min. This promoter is controlled by a genetic circuit, formed by a transcription factor (InvF), a chaperone (SicA), and a secreted protein (SipC), that regulates effector expression in response to the secretion capacity of the cell. A mathematical model of this circuit demonstrates that the delay is due to a split positive feedback loop. This model is tested in a DeltasicA knockout strain, where sicA is complemented with and without the feedback loop. The delay is eliminated when the feedback loop is deleted. Furthermore, a robustness analysis of the model predicts that the delay time can be tuned by changing the affinity of SicA:InvF multimers for an operator in the sicA promoter. This prediction is used to construct a targeted library, which contains mutants with both longer and shorter delays. This combination of theory and experiments provides a platform for predicting how genetic perturbations lead to changes in the global dynamics of a regulatory network.
Anatomy of the perineal body.

Detailed anatomy of the perineal body is described, with particular emphasis on the male because of the proximity of the urethra, which is important in perineal surgery. The perineal body, a fibromuscular mass, lies between the upper end of the anterior anal canal and the posterior portion of the urethral membrane and bulbocavernosus in the male, and between the upper half of the anterior anal wall and entire posterior portion of the vagina in the female. The female perineal body is much thicker and wider than that in the male, and compensates for the relatively weak and small single external sphincter anteriorty.