cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Horizontal gene transfer: sustaining pathogenicity and optimizing host-pathogen interactions.

SUMMARY Successful host–pathogen interactions require the presence, maintenance and expression of gene cassettes called ‘pathogenicity islands’ (PAIs) and ‘metabolic islands’ (MAIs) in the respective pathogen. The products of these genes confer on the pathogen the means to recognize their host(s) and to efficiently evade host defences in order to colonize, propagate within the host and eventually disseminate from the host. Virulence effectors secreted by type III and type IV secretion systems, among others, play vital roles in sustaining pathogenicity and optimizing host–pathogen interactions. Complete genome sequences of plant pathogenic bacteria have revealed the presence of PAIs and MAIs. The genes of these islands possess mosaic structures with regions displaying differences in nucleotide composition and codon usage in relation to adjacent genome structures, features that are highly suggestive of their acquisition from a foreign donor. These donors can be other bacteria, as well as lower members of the Archaea and Eukarya. Genes that have moved from the domains Archaea and Eukarya to the domain Bacteria are true cases of horizontal gene transfer. They represent interdomain genetic transfer. Genetic exchange between distinct members of the domain Bacteria, however, represents lateral gene transfer, an intradomain event. Both horizontal and lateral gene transfer events have been used to facilitate survival fitness of the pathogen.
Management of End-Stage Renal Disease in Children

OBJECTIVE:To review the medical literature on management of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and its complications in the pediatric patient.DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION:MEDLINE searches (1970–1997) of the English-language literature. Clinical trials and reviews of drug therapy management were included, and bibliographies were reviewed for relevant articles.DATA SYNTHESIS:Principles of renal replacement therapy in children have been expanded to include maintenance of fluid and electrolyte balance and to manage the complications of ESRD in children. Types of renal replacement and their complications are reviewed. Complications of ESRD are reviewed with emphasis on drug therapy management of anemia of chronic renal failure, growth retardation, and hypertension. A discussion of the use of vitamins and supplements to maintain bone and mineral homeostasis is provided, and specific recommendations for vaccination of children with ESRD are given.CONCLUSIONS:Children with end-stage renal failure present a unique...
Prospective Culinary Assistants

Social interaction patterns of student accommodation and teacher-student negotiations developed in Mr. Jenkins’s classroom climate with not much cultural power at play. Mr. Jenkins’s students accommodated and negotiated his classroom culture, norms, and values to prevent suspension, accomplish communication goals, and reap the rewards of food.
Lactobacillus acidophilus Alleviates Platelet-Activating Factor-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Probiotics have been used as alternative prevention and therapy modalities in intestinal inflammatory disorders including inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Pathophysiology of IBD and NEC includes the production of diverse lipid mediators, including platelet-activating factor (PAF) that mediate inflammatory responses in the disease. PAF is known to activate NF-κB, however, the mechanisms of PAF-induced inflammation are not fully defined. We have recently described a novel PAF-triggered pathway of NF-κB activation and IL-8 production in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), requiring the pivotal role of the adaptor protein Bcl10 and its interactions with CARMA3 and MALT1. The current studies examined the potential role of the probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus in reversing the PAF-induced, Bcl10-dependent NF-κB activation and IL-8 production in IECs. PAF treatment (5 µM×24 h) of NCM460 and Caco-2 cells significantly increased nuclear p65 NF-κB levels and IL-8 secretion (2-3-fold, P<0.05), compared to control, which were blocked by pretreatment of the cells for 6 h with L. acidophilus (LA) or its culture supernatant (CS), followed by continued treatments with PAF for 24 h. LA-CS also attenuated PAF-induced increase in Bcl10 mRNA and protein levels and Bcl10 promoter activity. LA-CS did not alter PAF-induced interaction of Bcl10 with CARMA3, but attenuated Bcl10 interaction with MALT1 and also PAF-induced ubiquitination of IKKγ. Efficacy of bacteria-free CS of LA in counteracting PAF-induced inflammatory cascade suggests that soluble factor(s) in the CS of LA mediate these effects. These results define a novel mechanism by which probiotics counteract PAF-induced inflammation in IECs.
The relevance of migraine in patients with Meńière's disease.

Conclusion. Coexistent migraine affects relevant clinical features of patients with Meniere's disease (MD). Objective. Epidemiological studies have shown an association between migraine and MD. We sought to determine whether the coexistence of migraine affects any clinical features in patients with MD. Patients and methods. In this retrospective case-control study of University Neurotology Clinic patients, 50 patients meeting 1995 AAO-HNS criteria for definite MD were compared to 18 patients meeting the same criteria in addition to the 2004 IHS criteria for migraine (MMD). All had typical low frequency sensorineural hearing loss and episodes of rotational vertigo. Outcome measures included: sex, age of onset of episodic vertigo or fluctuating hearing loss, laterality of hearing loss, aural symptoms, caloric responses, severity of hearing loss, and family history of migraine, episodic vertigo or hearing loss. Results. Age of onset of episodic vertigo or fluctuating hearing loss was significantly lower in p...
Telehealth and the Deaf: A Comparison Study

Within the deaf population, an extreme mental health professional shortage exists that may be alleviated with videoconferencing technology-also known as telehealth. Moreover, much needed mental health education within the deaf population remains largely inaccessible. Researchers have warned that the deaf population may remain underserved if significant changes do not take place with traditional service delivery methods. This article evaluated the efficacy of telehealth in teaching psychoeducational objectives, with special emphasis given to its application to the deaf population. Results indicate that telehealth can be regarded as an efficacious and cost-effective option in delivering health care to the deaf population. Participants also indicated satisfaction with the telehealth technology. The use of printed transcripts for educational purposes is encouraged given the significant findings in this article. The findings also have implications for the literature on single-session interventions.
An evaluation of the effects of access duration on preference assessment outcomes

We evaluated the extent to which access duration during stimulus preference assessments affects preschool-age children's preferences for leisure items. Results demonstrated that rankings for highly preferred items remained similar across both short- and long-access durations; however, overall preference hierarchies remained more similar across administrations of long-access-duration assessments than short-access-duration assessments.
Dynamic Self‐Organization and Early Lexical Development in Children

In this study we present a self-organizing connectionist model of early lexical development. We call this model DevLex-II, based on the earlier DevLex model. DevLex-II can simulate a variety of empirical patterns in children's acquisition of words. These include a clear vocabulary spurt, effects of word frequency and length on age of acquisition, and individual differences as a function of phonological short-term memory and associative capacity. Further results from lesioned models indicate developmental plasticity in the network's recovery from damage, in a non-monotonic fashion. We attribute the network's abilities in accounting for lexical development to interactive dynamics in the learning process. In particular, variations displayed by the model in the rate and size of early vocabulary development are modulated by (a) input characteristics, such as word frequency and word length, (b) consolidation of lexical-semantic representation, meaning-form association, and phonological short-term memory, and (c) delayed processes due to interactions among timing, severity, and recoverability of lesion. Together, DevLex and DevLex-II provide an accurate computational account of early lexical development.
Measuring Organic and Mechanistic Cultures

AbstractKnowledge workers in today's high-technology organizations require environments with organic characteristics. To retain highly skilled knowledge workers, managers need to determine whether their organizations exhibit organic or mechanistic cultures. Culture is an important factor in successful technology implementation, innovation, mergers, acquisitions, job satisfaction, organizational success, and team effectiveness. This article discusses organic and mechanistic organizational cultures and the organizational culture assessment (OCA) tool. The tool gives an organization's culture type and a numerical score for each of five culture elements. Survey results indicate that the OCA adequately measures organizational culture.
A dynamic model of how feature cues guide spatial attention

We will describe a computational model of attention which explains the guidance of spatial attention by feedback within a distributed network. We hypothesize that feedback within the ventral pathway transfers the target template from prefrontal areas into intermediate areas like V4. The oculomotor circuit consisting of FEF, LIP and superior colliculus picks up this distributed activity and provides a continuous spatial reentry signal from premotor cells. In order to test this hypothesis, we simulate two experiments that require a response given a color cue. The first experiment indicates a parallel feature-based enhancement prior to any spatial selection. If two targets are behaviorally relevant, as in the second experiment, experimental findings indicate that subjects split their attention between two locations containing the searched feature. Our simulation results suggest that the split in attention between two foci is a transient effect occurring during competition. We predict that the time after cue presentation determines the state of this competition and ultimately the distribution of attention at different locations. In addition we provide simulation results to explain how reentrant processing through the oculomotor circuit might lead to variations of the time for target detection in visual search.
Microstructures of BN/SiC coatings on nicalon fibers

The microstructures of Nicalon silicon carbide (SiC) fibers and layered coatings of boron nitride (BN) followed by chemical vapor infiltrated silicon carbide (CVI-SiC) were characterized using optical and electron microscopy. Two different precursors and reactions were used to produce the BN layers while the deposition of CVI silicon carbide was nearly identical. Coated tows were examined in cross-section to characterize the chemistry and structures of the constituents and the interfaces. One BN precursor yielded three sublayers while the other gave a relatively homogeneous nanocrystalline layer.
Autopilot design for highly maneuverable multipurpose underwater vehicles

We report innovative results in nonlinear autopilot design for highly maneuverable underwater vehicles. Mathematical model developments and closed-loop system design problems are addressed and solved. Robust linear and nonlinear tracking control algorithms are designed using the tracking errors and state feedback. To control underwater vehicles, control surfaces are used. These control surfaces are actuated by high-performance servos. Mechanical limits, imposed on the deflection of control surfaces, as well as backlash lead to serious degradation of vehicle performance. These nonlinear phenomena are addressed augmenting the 9-DOF rigid-body vehicle dynamics with servo-actuator dynamics. The permanent-magnet synchronous motor drives the propeller, and the propulsion dynamics is studied. A nonlinear mathematical model of the vehicle is found, and nonlinear differential equations are used in nonlinear analysis and design. To solve the motion control problem, control algorithms are designed using states and tracking errors. The flexible simulation platform is developed to study the vehicle performance. For multipurpose underwater vehicles, different control algorithms are tested and verified for a wide spectrum of operating conditions, scenarios, and objectives.
Returning fire to Ozark Highland forest ecosystems : Effects on advance regeneration

In mature forests of the Ozark Highlands, MO, USA, we evaluated fire effects on the survival and growth of tree seedlings and saplings (i.e., advance regeneration), and used this information to develop species-specific models that predict the probability of survival based on initial tree size and number of times burned. A 1000 ha forest area was divided into five units that were randomly chosen to receive one, three or four dormant season surface fires during the period 1998-2001. A total of 2741 stems of advance regeneration, ranging in size up to 15 cm in basal diameter and 15 m in height, were permanently marked and measured in all the units. One and four years after initiating the burn treatments, height of survivors was measured. Although most stems experienced shoot dieback following the first fire, survival was high (>90%) for all species as most trees produced new shoots from the living rootstock. The probability of surviving one fire was significantly related to initial stem size (basal diameter and height). With additional burning, the probability of survival increased with increasing initial tree size, and decreased as the number of burns increased. For a given initial diameter, black oak and post oak had the highest probability of survival after three or more burns (e.g., 88% for 5 cm stems), followed closely by white oak (80%), and scarlet oak (60%). For similar sized stems, flowering dogwood had low probabilities of survival (e.g., 25%), and blackgum was devastated by frequent burning (2%). Sassafras showed the greatest tolerance to burning, and more than 90% of stems survived three or more fires over a 4-year period. The probability of survival significantly decreased with increasing number of burns for most species. However, frequency of burning had less influence on the probability of survival for larger (e.g., 27.6 cm) diameter advance regeneration than it did for smaller stems. One fire significantly altered the height distribution of advance regeneration, concentrating most of the stems in the smallest height class (< 1 m tall). Recovery of height was slow even 4 years after a burn due to the suppression of regeneration by the overstory canopy that averaged 18 m?/ha in basal area (69% stocking). Overall, repeated burning in the dormant season reduces understory structure and favors oak advance regeneration. Survival models can be used to plan for woodland and savanna restoration.
Reciprocal Selection at the Phenotypic Interface of Coevolution

Coevolutionary interactions depend upon a phenotypic interface of traits in each species that mediate the outcome of interactions among individuals. These phenotypic interfaces usually involve performance traits, such as locomotion or resistance to toxins, that comprise an integrated suite of physiological, morphological and behavioral traits. The reciprocal selection from species interactions may act directly on performance, but it is ultimately the evolution of these underlying components that shape the patterns of coevolutionary adaptation in performance. Bridging the macroevolutionary patterns of coevolution to the ecological processes that build them therefore requires a way to dissect the phenotypic interface of coevolution and determine how specific components of performance in one species exert selection on complimentary components of performance in a second species. We present an approach for analyzing the strength of selection in a coevolutionary interaction where individuals interact at random, and for identifying which component traits of the phenotypic interface are critical to mediating coevolution. The approach is illustrated with data from a predator-prey arms race between garter snakes and newts that operates through the interface of tetrodotoxin (TTX) and resistance to it.
Frontoparietal cortical activity of methamphetamine-dependent and comparison subjects performing a delay discounting task.

Relative to individuals who do not have addictive disorders, drug abusers exhibit greater devaluation of rewards as a function of their delay ("delay discounting"). The present study sought to extend this finding to methamphetamine (MA) abusers and to help understand its neural basis. MA abusers (n = 12) and control subjects who did not use illicit drugs (n = 17) participated in tests of delay discounting with hypothetical money rewards. We then used a derived estimate of each individual's delay discounting to generate a functional magnetic resonance imaging probe task consisting of three conditions: "hard choices," requiring selections between "smaller, sooner" and "larger, later" alternatives that were similarly valued given the individual's delay discounting; "easy choices," in which alternatives differed dramatically in value; and a "no choice" control condition. MA abusers exhibited more delay discounting than control subjects (P no choice" contrast revealed significant effects in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and areas surrounding the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). With group comparisons limited to these clusters, the "hard choice > easy choice" contrast indicated significant group differences in task-related activity within the left DLPFC and right IPS; qualitatively similar nonsignificant effects were present in the other clusters tested. Whereas control subjects showed less recruitment associated with easy than with hard choices, MA abusers generally did not. Correlational analysis did not indicate a relationship between this anomaly in frontoparietal recruitment and greater degree of delay discounting exhibited by MA abusers. Therefore, while apparent inefficiency of cortical processing related to decision-making in MA abusers may contribute to the neural basis of enhanced delay discounting by this population, other factors remain to be identified.
The New Legal Realism

The last decade has witnessed the birth of the New Legal Realism - an effort to go beyond the old realism by testing competing hypotheses about the role of law and politics in judicial decisions, with reference to large sets and statistical analysis. The New Legal Realists have uncovered a Standard Model of Judicial Behavior, demonstrating significant differences between Republican appointees and Democratic appointees, and showing that such differences can be diminished or heightened by panel composition. The New Legal Realists have also started to find that race, sex, and other demographic characteristics sometimes have effects on judicial judgments. At the same time, many gaps remain. Numerous areas of law remain unstudied; certain characteristics of judges have yet to be investigated; and in some ways, the existing work is theoretically thin. The New Legal Realism has clear jurisprudential implications, bearing as it does on competing accounts of legal reasoning, including Ronald Dworkin's suggestion that such reasoning is a search for integrity. Discussion is devoted to the relationship between the New Legal Realism and some of the perennial normative questions in administrative law.
Commentary: The Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Correctional Mental Health

In contrast to the position taken in the American Psychiatric Association's “Resource Document on The Use of Restraint and Seclusion in Correctional Mental Health Care,” this commentary proposes limiting the use of mental health restraints to the stabilization of unsafe situations during the time it takes to transfer an inmate to a psychiatric hospital. Jails and prisons are inherently nontherapeutic environments and are not adequate settings for managing mental health emergencies, such as those that require the use of restraints. Correctional conditions often contribute to the onset, and impede the resolution, of the underlying mental health crisis. Attempts to contain mental health emergencies in a correctional setting with an expanded use of restraints can compromise clinical care, overlook the root cause of many crises, impair the role of mental health professionals by blurring the distinction between mental health and security staff, and can lead to a deterioration in the standards of care.
Intraspecific Variation in Cranial Ossification in the Tailed Frog, Ascaphus truei

We describe the sequence of cranial ossification in the Tailed Frog, Ascaphus truei, and examine intraspecific variation in the timing and sequence of cranial development. Because tadpoles of A. truei lack the subarticular tubercles that normally delineate Gosner stages 39 and 40, we provide a modified Gosner staging system more appropriate for this species. Ossification sequence was highly variable among the populations and greater than that reported for other anuran species. In general, early ossification events in A. truei are similar to that reported for other anuran species. However, compared with other taxa, both onset of initial ossification events and appearance of specific elements appear relatively later in the development of Ascaphus.
Cultural Diversity: Is It Present In American Law Schools And The Legal Profession?

The issue of diversity is certainly not a new concept. This topic has been the focus of many corporate retreats and board room discussions. However, one of the most reputable and esteemed professions is falling short of the bar in maintaining a diverse profile. Research indicates that minority groups experience significant underrepresentation in law schools and the legal profession in general. To address this issue, this research will focus on examining the value of diversity to the legal profession, the roles of the law school, law firm, judiciary and government in balancing cultural diversity, and the recommendations for each to achieve diversity.
Gender differences in leucine, but not lysine, kinetics.

There is a controversy in the literature as to the effects of gender on leucine kinetics. Two research groups found that men oxidize more leucine during exercise, whereas another group showed no ge...
Role of pulmonary surfactant in airway closure: a computational study

A numerical model that simulates airway closure by liquid bridging during expiration has been developed. The effects of both surfactant and time-varying geometry have been included; the model determines the liquid layer flow resulting from a surface tension (Rayleigh) instability, and the computation traces the film's development to closure, yielding pressure, velocity, surface shape, and surfactant concentration distributions. It is found that surfactant is effective in retarding or eliminating liquid bridging through the reduction of the mean surface tension and the action of surface tension gradients. The former effect is also critical in minimizing the magnitude of the negative pressure in the liquid layer and thus presumably in reducing the tendency for airway compliant collapse.
Extend the Tax Life for Acquired Intangibles to 75 Years

Under current law, a taxpayer may amortize the cost of intangibles acquired in the taxable acquisition of a business over a composite life of 15 years. The 15-year period is too short. .A 75-year period would reflect the economic income of the acquirer and make the tax accounting consistent with debt financing. A 15-year life reduces the effective tax rate on a taxable acquisition of intangibles to 16 percent, and with debt financing, the acquirer’s tax becomes negative, adding 19 percent of revenue to the value of the acquisition. There is no justification for a negative tax on acquisitions. The proposal is offered as a part of the Shelf Project, a collaboration of tax professionals to develop proposals for raising revenue without a VAT or a rate increase. Shelf Project proposals raise revenue while also making the tax system more efficient and reducing deadweight loss.
A real-time method for depth enhanced visual odometry

Visual odometry can be augmented by depth information such as provided by RGB-D cameras, or from lidars associated with cameras. However, such depth information can be limited by the sensors, leaving large areas in the visual images where depth is unavailable. Here, we propose a method to utilize the depth, even if sparsely available, in recovery of camera motion. In addition, the method utilizes depth by structure from motion using the previously estimated motion, and salient visual features for which depth is unavailable. Therefore, the method is able to extend RGB-D visual odometry to large scale, open environments where depth often cannot be sufficiently acquired. The core of our method is a bundle adjustment step that refines the motion estimates in parallel by processing a sequence of images, in a batch optimization. We have evaluated our method in three sensor setups, one using an RGB-D camera, and two using combinations of a camera and a 3D lidar. Our method is rated #4 on the KITTI odometry benchmark irrespective of sensing modality--compared to stereo visual odometry methods which retrieve depth by triangulation. The resulting average position error is 1.14 % of the distance traveled.
Do School Resource Officers Really Refer Juveniles to the Juvenile Justice System for Less Serious Offenses

In this article, we use 3 years of youth court data from a southeastern state to examine whether referrals that originated from school resource officers (SROs) involve greater proportions of less s...
Fundamental concepts in the Cyclus nuclear fuel cycle simulation framework

Nuclear fuel cycle modeling generality and robustness are improved by a modular, agent based modeling framework.Discrete material and facility tracking rather than fleet-based modeling improve nuclear fuel cycle simulation fidelity.A free, open source paradigm encourages technical experts to contribute software to the Cyclus modeling ecosystem.The flexibility of the Cyclus tool from the simulator user perspective is demonstrated with both open and closed fuel cycle examples. As nuclear power expands, technical, economic, political, and environmental analyses of nuclear fuel cycles by simulators increase in importance. To date, however, current tools are often fleet-based rather than discrete and restrictively licensed rather than open source. Each of these choices presents a challenge to modeling fidelity, generality, efficiency, robustness, and scientific transparency. The Cyclus nuclear fuel cycle simulator framework and its modeling ecosystem incorporate modern insights from simulation science and software architecture to solve these problems so that challenges in nuclear fuel cycle analysis can be better addressed. A summary of the Cyclus fuel cycle simulator framework and its modeling ecosystem are presented. Additionally, the implementation of each is discussed in the context of motivating challenges in nuclear fuel cycle simulation. Finally, the current capabilities of Cyclus are demonstrated for both open and closed fuel cycles.
The Importance of and Increasing Need for Rapid Detection of Mycotic Agents

One of the major objectives of the Sixth Congress on Rapid Methods & Automation is to provide a scientific forum for papers dealing with rapid diagnosis, detection, and identification of microorganisms to improve our health, our environment, and our quality of life. The preceding papers have dealt with currently available technology that emphasizes rapid detection of several groups of fungi that are overt or covert pathogens of humans; one paper describes management of AIDS patients with systemic mycotic infections and emphasizes the problems of complicating fungal infections that resist treatment or are difficult to control. The information in the preceding papers is enlightening and indicates the progress is being made. However, it is my strong belief that we are moving too slowly and that unnecessary morbidity and mortality due to mycotic diseases are increasing and undesirably so.
Time Dependence of the Metastable, Optically-Induced Esr in a-Si:H

The occurrence of optically-induced, metastable changes in the paramagnetism in films of a-Si:H is well known. The effect was first observed with white light in powdered samples, but recent experiments with both white and monochromatic light incident on films on substrates have observed a similar effect. This optically-induced ESR appears to be stable at temperatures ≤ 400 K. Typical inducing curves for samples with initial dark spin densities ns > 1016 spins/cm3 approach a power law behavior (ns ∼ t1/3) at long times. However, when the dark spin density is less than 1016 spins/cm3, the samples exhibit an inducing curve (on a log-log scale) with a continuously decreasing slope. The curve does not exhibit a unique power law behavior over an extended range of time and is at all times ≤ t1/3.
The Political Bases of Citizen Contacting: A Cross-National Analysis

This article examines a mode of political participation that frequently has been overlooked—individual efforts to obtain assistance from government officials. Using the seven-nation data set of Verba, Nie, and Kim, we develop and empirically evaluate alternatiave models of citizen contacting. Our first model draws on variations in the distribution of social and economic resources to explain the likelihood of contacting. The second focuses on differences in political ties to locate those most likely to contact government officials. We find greater support for the political ties model. Persons active in political parties and election campaigns are the most likely to engage in citizen contacting. Without political ties, few poor or uneducated persons would ask officials for assistance. We conclude by noting the more general theoretical and normative implications of our study.
Addressing Double Disadvantage: The Politics of Intersectionality in Germany

This paper introduces an edited volume addressing the question "when and why do political elites address the (perceived) needs of women belonging to disempowered social categories?" We systematically examine a range of social intersections while holding the national institutional setting constant. We focus our attention on one particular polity – the Federal Republic of Germany – and explore the experiences of a range of doubly-disadvantaged groups in obtaining policy responses. This allows us to go beyond the well-established focus on gender and ethno-religious minorities in Western Europe (although we do include case studies on this subject) and broaden our empirical scope to study working-class women, disabled women, lesbians, women in the military, a regional minority (Eastern German women), and the intersexed. Limiting our study to a single country allows us to compare the ability of women from a range of social groups to access the political system. We seek to inspire other scholars to undertake studies in this vein elsewhere to allow the field of political science to draw additional, generalizable conclusions about the politics of intersectionality.
Clinical Manifestations and MRI Characteristics of Hypothalamic Hamartomas in Children

Objective To study the clinical manifestations and MRI characteristics of hypothalamic hamartoma. Methods The clinical manifestations and MRI findings of 18 chlidren(included 10 boys and 8 girls,ranging in age of onset from 6 months to 12 years) with hypothalamic hamartomas proved by surgery and pathology were retrospectively reviewed. 14 patients were examined with precontrast and postcontrast MR imaging,only 4 were scanned without contrast study. Results The main clinical features of the hypothalamic hamartomas were due to gelastic epilepsy and precocious puberty. Gelastic epilepsy was found as initial clinical symptom in 9 cases, precocious puberty in 5 cases, limbs spasm in 2 cases,motor developmental retardation in 2 cases. MRI showed abnormal single nodules located in the suprasella and hypothalamic regions with round or elliptical shape. All mass had sessile attached to the part of tuber cinereum and mammillary body.The dimeters of the mass 15mm and 15mm in 14 and 4 cases. On MRI, the mass was isointense or slightly hypointense on T1 WI and isointense or slightly hyperintense or hyperintense on T2 WI relative to gray matter,16 of 18 cases the singnal was very homogeneous, two of them combined with necrosis. And no enhancement was observed. Conclusion There were characteristic findings in the clinical manifestations and MRI to evaluate hypothalamic hamartomas. Hypothalamic hamartomas should be considered firstly when patient have the symptom of gelastic epilepsy and precocious puberty,as well as non-enhanced round shape nodules located in the suprasella and hypothalamic regions.
Amyloid P Immunohistochemistry in Myocardial Amyloidosis: Comparison With Congo Red

Amyloid refers to a family of abnormal proteins that share a common fibrillar β-pleated sheet structure that gives it unique optical and staining properties. In addition to the fibrillar component, amyloid deposits contain a universal amyloid P component. Detection of amyloid in myocardial tissue with Congo red alone is difficult and tedious. We evaluated …
Evaluation of a Community Health Worker Intervention to Reduce HIV/AIDS Stigma and Increase HIV Testing Among Underserved Latinos in the Southwestern U.S

Objectives.Latinos are at an elevated risk for HIV infection. Continued HIV/AIDS stigma presents barriers to HIV testing and affects the quality of life of HIV-positive individuals, yet few interve...
Nuclear Reactor Materials and Fuels

Alpha emitter Element with a nucleus that loses excess energy by spontaneously releasing an alpha particle, which is a positively charged helium ion. Beta decay Mode of radioactive decay in which a beta particle (electron or positron) is emitted from a nucleus. Blanket Fertile or largely fertile material surrounding the cores of certain types of reactors, usually breeder reactors. Breeder reactor Nuclear reactor that produces more fissionable atoms than it consumes; this is done by transmuting fertile material into fissionable material. ∗From Kaufman, A. R., ed. (1962). “Nuclear Fuel Elements,” Wiley, New York. Burnable poison High-cross-section neutron absorber material blended with reactor fuel or cladding that is gradually changed to a low-cross-section material under neutron radiation. Burnup Measure of the number of fissionable atoms that have undergone fission. It is usually expressed as the atomic percent of the total uranium atoms that have fissioned in the fuel, as megawatt-days of energy generated per ton of uranium, or as gigajoules of energy per kg of uranium. Other definitions include fissions/cc or atomic percent of fissions per total atoms present in the fuel. Cladding Protective material surrounding the fuel that acts as a barrier between the fuel and the coolant medium and also prevents escape of the fission products.
The effect of healthy dietary consumption on executive cognitive functioning in children and adolescents: a systematic review

A systematic review was conducted to evaluate whether healthier dietary consumption among children and adolescents impacts executive functioning. PubMed, Education Resources Information Center, PsychINFO and Thomson Reuters' Web of Science databases were searched, and studies of executive functioning among children or adolescents aged 6-18 years, which examined food quality, macronutrients and/or foods, were included. Study quality was also assessed. In all, twenty-one studies met inclusion criteria. Among the twelve studies examining food quality (n 9) or macronutrient intakes (n 4), studies examining longer-term diet (n 6) showed positive associations between healthier overall diet quality and executive functioning, whereas the studies examining the acute impact of diet (n 6) were inconsistent but suggestive of improvements in executive functioning with better food quality. Among the ten studies examining foods, overall, there was a positive association between healthier foods (e.g. whole grains, fish, fruits and/or vegetables) and executive function, whereas less-healthy snack foods, sugar-sweetened beverages and red/processed meats were inversely associated with executive functioning. Taken together, evidence suggests a positive association between healthy dietary consumption and executive functioning. Additional studies examining the effects of healthier food consumption, as well as macronutrients, on executive functioning are warranted. These studies should ideally be conducted in controlled environments and use validated cognitive tests.
Herbal medicines for the management of opioid addiction: safe and effective alternatives to conventional pharmacotherapy?

Striking increases in the abuse of opioids have expanded the need for pharmacotherapeutic interventions. The obstacles that confront effective treatment of opioid addiction — shortage of treatment professionals, stigma associated with treatment and the ability to maintain abstinence — have led to increased interest in alternative treatment strategies among both treatment providers and patients alike. Herbal products for opioid addiction and withdrawal, such as kratom and specific Chinese herbal medications such as WeiniCom, can complement existing treatments. Unfortunately, herbal treatments, while offering some advantages over existing evidence-based pharmacotherapies, have poorly described pharmacokinetics, a lack of supportive data derived from well controlled clinical trials, and severe toxicity, the cause for which remains poorly defined. Herbal products, therefore, require greater additional testing in rigorous clinical trials before they can expect widespread acceptance in the management of opioid addiction.
Domain-Aware Grade Prediction and Top-n Course Recommendation

Automated course recommendation can help deliver personalized and effective college advising and degree planning. Nearest neighbor and matrix factorization based collaborative filtering approaches have been applied to student-course grade data to help students select suitable courses. However, the student-course enrollment patterns exhibit grouping structures that are tied to the student and course academic features, which lead to grade data that are not missing at random (NMAR). Existing approaches for dealing with NMAR data, such as Response-aware and context-aware matrix factorization, do not model NMAR data in terms of the user and item features and are not designed with the characteristics of grade data in mind. In this work we investigate how the student and course academic features influence the enrollment patterns and we use these features to define student and course groups at various levels of granularity. We show how these groups can be used to design grade prediction and top-n course ranking models for neighborhood-based user collaborative filtering, matrix factorization and popularity-based ranking approaches. These methods give lower grade prediction error and more accurate top-n course rankings than the other methods that do not take domain knowledge into account.
The Glycogensynthase Kinase 3b (GSK-3β) Is Involved in Leukemic Transformation

Purpose: Signal transduction pathways, such as the PI3K/AKT cascade, are frequently activated in acute myeloid leukemia and stimulate the proliferation and survival of leukemic cells. Mutations in upstream genes such as Class III receptor tyrosine kinases are frequent but not exclusive causes of that activation. An important downstream target of PI3K/AKT is the key regulator GSK-3β. It controls anti-apoptotic genes such as NF-kappaB and Cyclin D1, is involved in wnt-pathway activation and drug resistance of leukemic cells. Deregulated signaling by GSK-3β occurs through inhibition by AKT-mediated phosphorylation. We have observed that constitutive phosphorylation of GSK-3β occurred in hematopoietic cells with pro-leukemogenic PI3K-mutations. We wanted to evaluate the relevance of GSK-3β inactivation in the transformation process of hematopoietic cells. Methods and Results: We used an in vitro factor-independent growth assay, GSK-3b inhibitors (Lithium, BIO) and established a second hit model using retroviral gene transfer of the weak oncogene Bcl X L . Signaling cascades were analysed by western blot. We demonstrate that inactivation of GSK-3b alone was not sufficient to induce factor-independent growth in IL-3 dependent early hematopoietic cells (Ba/F3). Induction of apoptosis upon growth factor withdrawal was reduced, but not prevented, in the presence of GSK-3b inhibitors, leading to a delayed Caspase 3 activation, PARP cleavage and DNA fragmentation. Overexpression of Bcl-X L also did not result in a prevention of apoptosis. GSK-3b inhibition in synergy with Bcl-X L overexpression resulted in the establishement of several growth factor-independent cell lines, which were characterized by the activation of multiple signaling cascades including AKT, MAPK, STAT5, but not STAT3. Also Cyclin D1 was overexpressed in contrast to other cyclines (D2, D3) which are no substrates of GSK-3b. Conclusions: Our data show that GSK-3β is part of the apoptotic response to growth factor withdrawal and suggest that GSK-3β is causaly involved in the transformation process of hematopoietic cells and seems to have an synergistic role in addition to other pro-leukemic mutations.
Ocular Motor Nerve Development in the Presence and Absence of Extraocular Muscle.

Purpose To spatially and temporally define ocular motor nerve development in the presence and absence of extraocular muscles (EOMs). Methods Myf5cre mice, which in the homozygous state lack EOMs, were crossed to an IslMN:GFP reporter line to fluorescently label motor neuron cell bodies and axons. Embryonic day (E) 11.5 to E15.5 wild-type and Myf5cre/cre:IslMN:GFP whole mount embryos and dissected orbits were imaged by confocal microscopy to visualize the developing oculomotor, trochlear, and abducens nerves in the presence and absence of EOMs. E11.5 and E18.5 brainstems were serially sectioned and stained for Islet1 to determine the fate of ocular motor neurons. Results At E11.5, all three ocular motor nerves in mutant embryos approached the orbit with a trajectory similar to that of wild-type. Subsequently, while wild-type nerves send terminal branches that contact target EOMs in a stereotypical pattern, the Myf5cre/cre ocular motor nerves failed to form terminal branches, regressed, and by E18.5 two-thirds of their corresponding motor neurons died. Comparisons between mutant and wild-type embryos revealed novel aspects of trochlear and oculomotor nerve development. Conclusions We delineated mouse ocular motor nerve spatial and temporal development in unprecedented detail. Moreover, we found that EOMs are not necessary for initial outgrowth and guidance of ocular motor axons from the brainstem to the orbit but are required for their terminal branching and survival. These data suggest that intermediate targets in the mesenchyme provide cues necessary for appropriate targeting of ocular motor axons to the orbit, while EOM cues are responsible for terminal branching and motor neuron survival.
Correlations between cystic fibrosis genotype and sinus disease severity in chronic rhinosinusitis.

OBJECTIVE Cystic fibrosis (CF) patients commonly develop chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The impact of the most common cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) mutation, F508del, on the severity of sinonasal disease remains inconclusive. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of CFTR genotype functional classification on sinonasal disease severity in patients with CRS. METHODS Retrospective chart review of patients with CF who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic rhinosinusitis from 1998 to 2015. Patients were divided into high- or low-risk genotypes based on standardized CFTR gene functional classification. The primary outcome was the 22-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-22) score. Secondary outcomes included endoscopic scores, extent of surgery performed, presence of polyposis, number of revision surgeries, and Lund-MacKay computed tomography scores. RESULTS Thirty-eight patients harbored a high-risk CFTR genotype, and 11 had a low-risk genotype. On bivariate analysis, there was no association between CFTR genotype risk stratification and measures of preoperative disease severity or postoperative outcomes. There were no associations between genotype risk stratification and outcome variables on multivariate linear regression, adjusted for age and gender. There were significant improvements in several SNOT-22 subdomains before and after endoscopic sinus surgery (P < 0.05), but the magnitude of improvement was not significantly different on the basis of CFTR genotype risk stratification. CONCLUSION High-risk CFTR genotypes are not associated with worse sinonasal disease severity or postoperative symptom control than low-risk CFTR genotypes after adjusting for confounding factors. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 4. Laryngoscope, 1752-1758, 2018.
Disentangling interfacial energetics

Understanding interfacial charge transfer in water-splitting photoelectrodes is complicated by the delicate interplay between catalyst and light absorber. Now, an approach based on atomic force microscopy is exploited to measure the surface electrochemical potential of nanostructured catalyst-coated electrodes in operando.
Solutions in the Shadows: The Effects of Photo and Text Congruency in Solutions Journalism News Stories:

This experiment examined the impact of photo–text congruency regarding solutions journalism. We tested the effects of solution and conflict-oriented news stories when the photo paired with the stor...
Public Interest in Veterans’ Lottery Tickets: Evidence From Consumer and Voter Behavior

While many states earmark lottery proceeds for education programs, a few states have started allocating portions of lottery revenues toward state-provided services for military veterans. The decisi...
Mixed Multiscale Finite Element Analysis for Wave Equations Using Global Information

A mixed multiscale finite element method (MsFEM) for wave equations is presented. Global information is used in the mixed MsFEM to construct multiscale basis functions. The solution of the wave equation smoothly depends on the global information. We investigate the relation between the smoothness of the global information and convergence rate of the mixed MsFEM.
Multicomponent Conservation Equations

There are two fundamentally different ways to describe the motion of a fluid: Lagrangian or Eulerian. From the Lagrangian point of view, the flow field is regarded as the motion of numerous small, contiguous fluid elements which interact through pressure and viscous forces. The motion of each fluid element behaves according to Newton’s second law of motion. Though appealing to the student of Newtonian mechanics, this approach is generally impractical to describe the flow of a continuum because of the large number of mass elements needed to achieve a reasonably accurate description of the flow field. On the other hand, the Lagrangian approach is worthy of consideration for dispersed two-phase flows (gas-particle, gas-droplet) in that the particles or droplets themselves naturally constitute individual mass elements.