cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decoupling litter barrier and soil moisture influences on the establishment of an invasive grass

Background and aims Through recruitment, plants establish in novel environments. Recruitment also is the stage where plants undergo the highest mortality. We investigate the recruitment niche for Microstegium vimineum, an annual grass from East Asia spreading throughout eastern North American forests. Methods Current observational and greenhouse research indicates that M. vimineum recruitment may be inhibited by leaf litter and promoted by soil moisture; we use field studies to experimentally test how these factors influence M. vimineum germination, seedling survival and reproduction. Specifically, we introduce M. vimineum seeds into forest microhabitats with experimentally varied levels of soil moisture and leaf litter. Results Soil moisture increases M. vimineum germination regardless of leaf litter thickness and ameliorates seedling mortality in deep leaf litter. Seed production per m 2 increases with watering, reflecting higher germination and survival, whereas per capita seed production increases with leaf litter thickness, reflecting density-dependent limits on seed production. Conclusions The interactive effects of varied levels of soil moisture and leaf litter thickness on key M. vimineum life history stages highlight the need to consider multiple drivers, such as rainfall and local forest disturbance, when assessing how soil properties influence the establishment of invasive plants.
Intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential monitoring during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion in nonmyelopathic patients--a review of 1,039 cases.

Abstract Background context Intraoperative somatosensory evoked potential (SSEP) monitoring has been shown to reduce the incidence of new postoperative neurological deficits in scoliosis surgery. However, its usefulness during cervical spine surgery remains a subject of debate. Purpose To determine the utility of intraoperative SSEP monitoring in a specific patient population (those with cervical radiculopathy in the absence of myelopathy) who underwent anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery. Study design Retrospective review. Patient sample A total of 1,039 nonmyelopathic patients who underwent single or multilevel ACDF surgery. The control group (462 patients) did not have intraoperative SSEP monitoring, whereas the monitored group (577 patients) had continuous intraoperative SSEP monitoring performed. Outcome measure A new postoperative neurological deficit. Methods SSEP tracings were reviewed for all 577 patients in the monitored group and all significant signal changes were noted. Medical records were reviewed for all 1,039 patients to determine if any new neurological deficits developed in the immediate postoperative period. Results None of the patients in the control group had any new postoperative neurological deficits. In the monitored group there were six instances of transient SSEP changes (1 due to suspected carotid artery compression; 5 thought to be due to transient hypotension) which resolved with the appropriate intraoperative intervention (repositioning of retractors; raising the arterial blood pressure). Upon waking up from anesthesia, one patient in the monitored group had a new neurological deficit (partial central cord syndrome) despite normal intraoperative SSEP signals. Conclusions ACDF appears to be a safe surgical procedure with a low incidence of iatrogenic neurological injury. Transient SSEP signal changes, which improved with intraoperative interventions, were not associated with new postoperative neurological deficits. An intraoperative neurological deficit is possible despite normal SSEP signals.
Influence of herbivore-damaged corn and cotton in the field recruitment of braconid parasitoids from feral populations

The potential to increase parasitism by Cotesia marginiventris through response to chemical signals emitted by herbivore-damaged plants was investigated in corn and cotton field plots. Recruitment of feral C. marginiventris adult females was measured by increased parasitism. Spodoptera frugiperda larvae placed in the field plots and then recollected experienced a mean rate of parasitism of approximately 4-6%. Mean total mortality of the collected larvae ranged from 13 to 20%. We found no significant difference in the level of parasitism, or larval mortality between field plots containing herbivore-damaged plants and plants that were undamaged. Under the conditions of this study, we found no evidence that systemic host plant volatiles induced by herbivore feeding were used by feral C. marginiventris to improve foraging and parasitism at specific sites within a field of corn or cotton.
Towards preserving privacy in participatory sensing

With the abundance and ubiquity of mobile devices, a new class of applications is emerging, called participatory sensing (PS), where people can contribute data (e.g., images, video) collected by their mobile devices to central data servers. However, privacy concerns are becoming a major impediment in the success of many participatory sensing systems. While several privacy preserving techniques exist in the context of conventional location-based services, they are not directly applicable to the PS systems because of the extra information that the PS systems can collect from their participants. In this paper, we formally define the problem of privacy in PS systems and identify its unique challenges assuming an un-trusted central data server model. We propose PiRi, a privacy-aware framework for PS systems, which enables participation of the users without compromising their privacy.
Governing the Resource: Scarcity-Induced Institutional Change *

We provide a dynamic model of natural resource management where the optimal institutional structure that governs resource use changes with resource depletion. Copeland and Taylor (2009) analyze how characteristics of a natural resource determine whether its steady-state management regime is open access, communal property, or private property. We extend this and other studies of endogenous institutions to analyze how and when resource governance may change in transition to the steady state, taking into account the fixed costs of institutional change and the variable costs of enforcement and governance. Assuming that governance cost is increasing in the difference between open-access and the actual harvest, we show that open access can be optimal if the resource is abundant relative to its demand and/or if governance costs are high. Once open access is rendered inefficient due to increased resource scarcity, further depletion warrants institutional change. In the face of set-up costs, optimal governance implies non-monotonic resource dynamics. These findings help to explain the co-evolution of resource scarcity and property rights—from open access to common property and beyond. We also extend the Demsetz/Copeland-Taylor theory of price-induced institutional change to include changing scarcity during the transition to the steady state.
Current trends in endovascular management of traumatic cerebrovascular injury

Background The role of catheter angiography in the diagnosis and management of traumatic cerebrovascular injury has evolved rapidly with advances in CT and MR angiography and continued development of endovascular techniques. Objective To identify the modern spectrum of traumatic arterial injury encountered during catheter neuroangiography and to examine current patterns of endovascular treatment. Methods Records of trauma patients undergoing catheter neuroangiography over a 4 year period at two high volume centers were retrospectively reviewed. The sample comprised 100 separate arterial lesions that were classified according to mechanism, location, acuity, and endovascular treatment. Follow-up imaging and clinical notes were reviewed to identify procedural complications. Results Of 100 arterial lesions, 81% were related to blunt trauma. Distribution of lesions by location was 42% intracranial, 39% cervical, and 19% extracranial. The most common injuries were pseudoaneurysm (38%), fistula (29%), and dissection (19%). In total, 41% of lesions underwent endovascular treatment, with trends favoring treatment of non-acute, penetrating, non-cervical, and high grade lesions. Therapy involved coil embolization for 89% of treated lesions. There were a total of two immediate neurovascular complications and one delayed neurovascular complication; one of these resulted in a permanent neurological deficit. Conclusions Our experience in a large cohort of patients suggests that a relatively high proportion of traumatic arterial lesions identified by catheter angiography are treated by endovascular means, with a low rate of immediate and delayed neurovascular complications.
Discovering functional neuronal connectivity from serial patterns in spike train data

Repeating patterns of precisely timed activity across a group of neurons called frequent episodes are indicative of networks in the underlying neural tissue. This letter develops statistical methods to determine functional connectivity among neurons based on nonoverlapping occurrences of episodes. We study the distribution of episode counts and develop a two-phase strategy for identifying functional connections. For the first phase, we develop statistical procedures that are used to screen all two-node episodes and identify possible functional connections edges. For the second phase, we develop additional statistical procedures to prune the two-node episodes and remove false edges that can be attributed to chains or fan-out structures. The restriction to nonoverlapping occurrences makes the counting of all two-node episodes in phase 1 computationally efficient. The second pruning phase is critical since phase 1 can yield a large number of false connections. The scalability of the two-phase approach is examined through simulation. The method is then used to reconstruct the graph structure of observed neuronal networks, first from simulated data and then from recordings of cultured cortical neurons.
Vitamin D, calcium, and bone status in children with developmental delay in relation to anticonvulsant use and ambulatory status.

Reports of abnormalities in vitamin D, calcium, and bone status associated with anticonvulsant use are inconsistent and difficult to interpret because of widely varying study designs, particularly for ambulatory status. We examined the relative effects of anticonvulsant use and ambulatory status on vitamin D, calcium, and bone status in a large group (n = 338) of children who had either normal motor function (ambulatory) or were nonambulatory and either receiving anticonvulsants or not; all had developmental delays. Data included diet records, serum analyses (calcium and calcidiol), and hand-wrist radiographs evaluated for bone maturation and quality. Data were analyzed by using a general linear models (GLM) procedure. Dietary and biochemical data were compared with those of a group of 34 normal children. There were no differences in calcium or vitamin D intakes among the four study groups; however, a high percentage of intakes was below the recommended dietary allowances for calcium (56%) and vitamin D (70%). Vitamin D intakes were positively associated with serum calcium (P < 0.005) and calcidiol (P < 0.01) concentrations. Analysis of covariance indicated that ambulatory status but neither anticonvulsant use nor their interaction contributed significantly to the prediction of serum calcium (P < 0.009) and calcidiol (P < 0.0001), the Z scores for number of ossified centers (P < 0.008), bone age (P < 0.0001), and bone area (P < 0.003). A strong interaction between anticonvulsant use and ambulatory status was seen for percentage cortical area (P < 0.0008), which was entirely due to anticonvulsant use in nonambulatory children (effect size = 0.98). Results suggest that ambulatory status is more important than was recognized previously in relation to abnormalities in vitamin D, calcium, and bone statuses: that all nonambulatory children may be at risk for low serum calcidiol and osteopenia; and that routine monitoring of risk and consideration of prophylactic vitamin D supplementation are warranted.
The influence of new information from social sciences on concepts, practice and research in child psychiatry.

Like the biomedical sciences, the social sciences have made major contributions to child psychiatry practice over the past 25 years. This paper examines some of the epistemological, methodological and theoretical assumptions made by child psychiatry practitioners and how these assumptions have been influenced by the social sciences. It is concluded that child psychiatry has necessarily led us at times to reject data-based, logicoempirical approaches to our craft, but that overall we are moving in a more logicoempirical direction.
A Radiobiological Analysis of Multicenter Data for Postoperative Keloid Radiotherapy

Purpose To identify factors significantly affecting recurrence rates after postoperative external beam radiotherapy (XRT) of keloids, and to delineate any radiation dose response and effects of radiation dose per fraction. Methods and Materials A comprehensive literature review was performed to compile a database of 2,515 resected keloids (36.9% earlobe). Postoperative XRT was 45- to 100-kV X-rays in 27.0% or 120- to 250-kV X-rays in 11.1%, Co-60 in 1.9%, Sr-90 in 4.7%, 1.5- to 9-MeV electrons in 26.5%, and no XRT in 28.8%. In the 1,791 irradiated patients, the median radiation parameters were as follows: total dose, 15 Gy (range, 6–30 Gy); dose per fraction, 5.0 Gy (range, 2–15 Gy); fractions, 3 (range, 1–10); and time, 7 days (range, 0–33 days). Results Multivariate stepwise logistic regression correlated decreased keloid recurrence with earlobe location ( p = 1.98E-10; odds ratio, 0.34), biologically effective dose ( p = 1.01E-27), and treatment with electron beam or Co-60 vs. other techniques ( p = 0.0014; odds ratio, 0.72). Different radiobiological models calculated values of α/β = 1.12 to 2.86 (mean, 2.08) and time (repopulation) correction factors for biologically effective dose from 0.98 to 2.13 Gy per day (mean, 1.34) starting 10 days after surgery. Different models (with α/β = 2.08) predicted that doses needed for 90% and 95% control with 3 fractions of postoperative electron beam were 16.0 to 16.2 Gy and 18.3 to 19.2 Gy, respectively, in less than 10 days for earlobe keloids and 21.5 to 22.2 Gy and 23.4 to 24.8 Gy, respectively, in less than 10 days for other sites. Conclusions Postoperative keloid radiotherapy requires moderately high doses and optimal technique to be effective. The relatively low α/β ratio indicates that radiotherapy with a limited number of fractions and high doses per fraction is the best strategy.
Hormone-sensitive lipase control of intracellular tri-(di-)acylglycerol and cholesteryl ester hydrolysis

Hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) is an intracellular neutral lipase that is capable of hydrolyzing triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, monoacylglycerols, and cholesteryl esters, as well as other lipid and water soluble substrates. HSL activity is regulated post-translationally by phosphorylation and also by pretranslational mechanisms. The enzyme is highly expressed in adipose tissue and steroidogenic tissues, with lower amounts expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle, macrophages, and islets. Studies of the structure of HSL have identified several amino acids and regions of the molecule that are critical for enzymatic activity and regulation of HSL. This has led to important insights into its function, including the interaction of HSL with other intracellular proteins, such as adipocyte lipid binding protein. Accumulating evidence has defined important functions for HSL in normal physiology, affecting adipocyte lipolysis, steroidogenesis, spermatogenesis, and perhaps insulin secretion and insulin action; however, direct links between abnormal expression or genetic variations of HSL and human disorders, such as obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, await further clarification. The published reports examining the regulation, and function of HSL in normal physiology and disease are reviewed in this paper.
Student Performance in Introductory Psychology Following Termination of the Programmed Achievement Contingency at Mid-Semester.

A depression of the final examination score was found to follow withdrawal of the mastery requirement at mid-semester.
Modest weight loss does not decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in adults with type 2 diabetes

Commentary on: Wing RR, Bolin P, Brancati FL, et al. Look AHEAD Research Group. Cardiovascular effects of intensive lifestyle intervention in type 2 diabetes. N Engl J Med 2013;369:145–54.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Diet, physical activity and weight loss are recommended in the management of type 2 diabetes. This recommendation is largely based on short-term intervention studies which show improvements in cardiovascular risk factors including glycaemic control, lipids, blood pressure and inflammation. The Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) randomised controlled trial (RCT) studied the impact of long-term weight loss through an intensive lifestyle intervention on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in type 2 diabetes. Look AHEAD is a multicentre, RCT. A total of 5145 adults aged 45–75 years with type 2 diabetes were randomised to receive either an intensive lifestyle intervention (n=2570) or control (n=2575). The intervention … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DN%2BEngl%2BJ%2BMed%26rft.issn%253D0028-4793%26rft.volume%253D369%26rft.spage%253D145%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1056%252FNEJMoa1212914%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F23796131%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1056/NEJMoa1212914&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=23796131&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F2%2F64.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000321567300010&link_type=ISI
Signs, symbols, and subjectivity: An alternative view of the visual

Though generally in agreement with Gunther Kress and his views favoring the multimodal workings of contemporary communication, the authors take issue with his construction of a binary opposition between words and images. This paper argues against the notion that images are inherently specific and full of meaning. Symbolic imagery and mood board examples are used to counter this view of visual communication workings. © 2004 Published by Elsevier Inc.
Trace amounts of 8-oxo-dGTP in mitochondrial dNTP pools reduce DNA polymerase γ replication fidelity

Replication of the mitochondrial genome by DNA polymerase gamma requires dNTP precursors that are subject to oxidation by reactive oxygen species generated by the mitochondrial respiratory chain. One such oxidation product is 8-oxo-dGTP, which can compete with dTTP for incorporation opposite template adenine to yield A-T to C-G transversions. Recent reports indicate that the ratio of undamaged dGTP to dTTP in mitochondrial dNTP pools from rodent tissues varies from approximately 1:1 to >100:1. Within this wide range, we report here the proportion of 8-oxo-dGTP in the dNTP pool that would be needed to reduce the replication fidelity of human DNA polymerase gamma. When various in vivo mitochondrial dNTP pools reported previously were used here in reactions performed in vitro, 8-oxo-dGTP was readily incorporated opposite template A and the resulting 8-oxo-G-A mismatch was not proofread efficiently by the intrinsic 3' exonuclease activity of pol gamma. At the dNTP ratios reported in rodent tissues, whether highly imbalanced or relatively balanced, the amount of 8-oxo-dGTP needed to reduce fidelity was <1% of dGTP. Moreover, direct measurements reveal that 8-oxo-dGTP is present at such concentrations in the mitochondrial dNTP pools of several rat tissues. The results suggest that oxidized dNTP precursors may contribute to mitochondrial mutagenesis in vivo, which could contribute to mitochondrial dysfunction and disease.
Serologic and Hematologic Values of Bison in Colorado

Recent economic and aesthetic interest in North American bison (Bison bison) has lead to increased interstate transport of these animals. Serologic and hematologic standards for bison are needed to detect disease in transported animals as well as within herds. This paper describes variation in blood physiological parameters in bison caused by variations in diet and season. Blood was taken from six bison and analyzed for serologic and hematologic parameters. Significant variation was found in blood urea nitrogen, chloride, cholesterol, creatinine, eosinophil, glucose, hemoglobin, lactic dehydrogenase, leukocyte, packed cell volume, potassium, serum globulin, serum glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, SGPT, and sodium levels between animals receiving a high energy-high nitrogen diet and animals receiving a low energy-low nitrogen diet.
Anticryptococcal activity of macrophages: role of mouse strain, C5, contact, phagocytosis, and L-arginine.

Abstract The antifungal activity of nonactivated resident murine peritoneal macrophages for Cryptococcus neoformans was studied. Macrophages from five of six mouse strains tested had significant (40 to 80%) fungistatic activity, depending on the inoculum size, in a 24-hr coculture system. Macrophages from two outbred (SW and ICR) and three inbred (BALB/c, C57B1/6, and DBA/2J) strains were fungistatic. Only macrophages from outbred CD-1 mice lacked fungistatic activity. Heat-inactivated and C5-deficient sera did not support phagocytosis or fungistasis by resident BALB/c or DBA/2 macrophages. Fungistasis correlated with contact, complement, and phagocytosis. Macrophages were studied in a Lab-Tek chamber slide system where noningested cells were washed away. Fungistasis in this system was similar to that found with a microtest plate coculture method where a smaller inoculum was cultured continuously with macrophages. After ingestion of yeast cells, CD-1 macrophages could be activated for fungistasis (70%) with interferon-γ plus lipopolysaccharide. Activated BALB/c macrophages had increased fungistasis but were not fungicidal. NG-Monomethyl-L-alginine (200 μM), which inhibited the fungistatic activity of activated CD-1 macrophages, did not inhibit inherent fungistatic activity of BALB/c macrophages. The fungistatic mechanism of BALB/c macrophages resembled that reported for resident human macrophages.
Carbon and oxygen isotope evidence for high-frequency (104-105yr) and My-scale glacio-eustasy in Middle Pennsylvanian cyclic carbonates (Gray Mesa Formation), central New Mexico

Abstract We combine cyclo- and sequence stratigraphy along with whole rock δ 13 C and conodont apatite δ 18 O analysis to document high-frequency (10 4 –10 5 yr) and My-scale sea-level changes for the Middle Pennsylvanian (Desmoinesian or Moscovian) Gray Mesa Formation of central New Mexico. Approximately 75 subtidal cycles (1–8 m) are grouped into 4 1/2 My-scale depositional sequences (40–80 m). About 50% of the cycles show evidence of prolonged subaerial exposure at cycle tops with the development of calcretes, diagenetic mottling, and regolith intraclasts. High-resolution δ 13 C analysis of whole rock limestones across nine of the cycles indicates that the cycle tops were diagenetically altered by isotopically light, meteoric fluids during sea-level fall and lowstand. These δ 13 C trends support the interpretation that high-frequency sea-level changes were responsible for cycle development. Conodont apatite δ 18 O values from sampled cycles indicate that the high-frequency sea-level changes were driven by glacio-eustasy combined with changes in surface seawater temperature (SST). δ 18 O values from conodont apatite, spanning parts of three depositional sequences indicate that My-scale glacio-eustasy and/or SST changes controlled sequence development. δ 18 O shifts indicate that the magnitudes of 10 4 –10 5 yr glacio-eustasy were between ∼ 55 and 170 + m combined with tropical SST changes of ∼ 1.5°–6 °C. Calculated My-scale glacio-eustatic oscillations were between ∼ 60 and 140 m with SST changes of
Analyzing architectural styles with alloy

The backbone of many architectures is an architectural style that provides a domain-specific design vocabulary and set of constraints on how that vocabulary can be used. Hence, designing a sound and appropriate architectural style becomes an important and intellectually challenging activity. Unfortunately, although there are numerous tools to help in the analysis of individual architectures, relatively less work has been done on tools to help the style designer. In this paper we show how to map an architectural style, expressed formally in an architectural description language, into a relational model that can be automatically checked for properties such as whether a style is consistent, whether a style satisfies some predicate over the architectural structure, whether two styles are compatible for composition, and whether one style refines another.
Content-Based Movie Scene and Event Extraction

Movie, known as a recording art, is practical, environmental, pictorial, dramatic, narrative and musical [Monaco, 1982]. Although it is a type of generic video, movie has many special characteristics. For example, complex film editing techniques such as the selection, order and timing of the shots, the rate of cutting, and the editing of the soundtrack, are usually required to produce a successful movie. It is highly possible that different editing styles may result in different stories. Therefore, it is not only interesting but also challenging to work with movies, since all these special features need to be taken into account for a better content understanding. Movie application is the major focus of this book. For the rest of this book, the two terms, video and movie, may be used interchangeably.
Salmon recovery: learning from successes and failures

Lackey, R. T. (2002). "Salmon recovery: Learning from successes and failures." Northwest Science 76(4): 356-360.
Multi-Disciplinary Impact of Engine Parameters Upon Transport Aircraft Climb Fuel Consumption

An Energy Maneuverability (E-M) point-performance approach is used to study the effects of changing engine parameters upon a transport category airframe. This work considers, as independent variables, the effects of overall engine scale factor (sea level static thrust), power extraction, bleed air extraction, bypass ratio, turbine inlet temperature, fan pressure ratio, and overall pressure ratio against a B737/A320-like aerodynamic database. This design study integrates propulsion analyses developed using NASA’s NPSS propulsion modelling language. The E-M “skymap” grids demonstrate relations between the independent variables and their resulting impact on overall aircraft climb performance. The results show the strong impact of bypass ratio upon both the overall fuel burn and the optimum climb speed. The results show the negative impact of bleed air extraction and shaft power extraction and the positive effect of high bypass ratio engines on cruise performance and sustained turning fuel burn but the negative effects on the maximum thrust of the engine.
Sub-cycle Electron Dynamics Probed by Isolated Attosecond Pulses

Isolated attosecond pulses with low photon energies (~12-40 eV) are used to probe sub-optical-cycle dynamics in laser-perturbed atomic and molecular targets using attosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, revealing dynamic wavepacket interferences and coupled electron-nuclear dynamics.
The case for duplication of meta-analyses and systematic reviews

The wise use of research resources is important, but I would not want to discourage work that replicates what others have done.1 In our Yale Open Data Access (YODA) project with Medtronic data, we …
Amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia and bilateral absence of the radii.

It has been implied that congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia associated with bony deformities, particularly bilateral absence of the radii, is related to Fanconi's syndrome. However, this combination of congenital defects warrants consideration as a separate clinical entity, since at least 10 such cases have been reported. Treatment is difficult and is generally supportive. Adrenocorticosteroids and testosterone have given beneficial results in some cases, but not in the case reported here. Results of splenectomy have been favorable in a few cases; however, the authors do not enthusiastically recommend this procedure.
Belgian Society of Pneumology. Guidelines on the management of spontaneous pneumothorax

(2005). Belgian Society of Pneumology. Guidelines on the management of spontaneous pneumothorax. Acta Chirurgica Belgica: Vol. 105, No. 3, pp. 265-267.
Compassionate and Emergency Use of Unapproved Drugs, Devices, and Biologics

Historically, an investigational drug, device, or biologic was available only through a clinical trial and then only for eligible patients. In the late 1980s, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began to publish regulatory changes to gradually expand access to investigational products for
Repair of Anomalous Left Coronary Artery From the Right Pulmonary Artery: A Series of Nine Cases.

Background:Repair of anomalous left coronary artery from the right pulmonary artery presents a particular technical challenge to the congenital cardiac surgeon. There is disagreement in the literature over the optimal technique for this defect, with some authors advocating for unroofing of the periaortic segment of coronary artery, while others prefer direct aortic reimplantation of the artery.Methods:We performed a retrospective study examining outcomes of patients who were repaired for this anomaly at our institution. In-hospital and outpatient follow-up data were analyzed.Results:Nine patients were identified. Most patients had poor left ventricular function at the time of surgery. All patients in our series were repaired using the direct coronary transfer technique. To date there were no mortalities among the study participants. At last follow-up, all patients with available echocardiograms had normal ventricular function. One patient required reoperation for anastomotic stenosis.Conclusions:We demons...
Study of Th1/Th2 cytokines produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Alopecia Areata patients

Objective:To detect the levels of Th1 cytokines such as IFN-γ and Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10 produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with alopecia areata(AA),and to investigate their roles in the pathogenesis of AA and the relationship between these cytokines and the disease activity.Methods:The levels of IFN-γ,IL-4 and IL-10 secreted by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 36 AA patients(19 active cases and 17 non-active cases) and 20 normal controls were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.Results:The IFN-γ level of active AA patients was significantly higher than the normal controls and the non-active patients(P0.05).IFN-γ level of non-active cases was obviously higher than the controls(P0.05).The IL-4 level of active cases was clearly lower than the normal controls(P0.05),it is also lower than that of non-active cases,but no statistical significance was found(P0.05).The level of IL-4 in non-active cases was obviously lower than normal controls(P0.05).The IL-10 level of active cases was significantly lower than normal controls and non-active patients(P0.05).Compared with the normal control,the IL-10 level in non-active patients decreased greatly(P0.05).Conclusion:Th1 cytokines might predominant in alopecia areata.Th1 cytokine such as IFN-γ plays an important role in the pathogenesis of AA and might related with the activity of the disease.
Computational Insights into Five- versus Six-Coordinate Iron Center in Ferrous Soybean Lipoxygenase.

Soybean lipoxygenase (SLO) serves as a prototype for fundamental understanding of hydrogen tunneling in enzymes. Its reactivity depends on the active site structure around a mononuclear, nonheme iron center. The available crystal structures indicate five-coordinate iron, while magnetic circular dichroism experiments suggest significant populations of both five-coordinate (5C) and six-coordinate (6C) iron in ferrous SLO. Quantum mechanical calculations of gas phase models produce only 6C geometries. Herein mixed quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations are employed to identify and characterize the 5C and 6C geometries. These calculations highlight the importance of the protein environment, particularly two Gln residues in a hydrogen-bonding network with Asn694, the ligand that can dissociate. This hydrogen-bonding network is similar in both geometries, but twisting of a dihedral angle in Asn694 moves its oxygen away from the iron in the 5C geometry. These insights are important for futu...
Half-Year Reviewers 1999

FICS would like to extend our gratitude to all those who served as referees for the articles published in the May 1999 issue and/or articles submitted to FICS since January 1999.
Aluminum-nitride-waveguide supercontinuum and harmonic generation across 500 to 4000 nm

Using aluminum-nitride photonic-chip waveguides, we generate optical frequency comb supercontinuum spanning 500 to 4000 nm. We detect and stabilize the offset frequency of the compact laser comb oscillator directly using the waveguide output.
Creating Measures of Rehabilitation Outcomes for People who are Visually Impaired: The FIMBA Project:

This article reports on the development and initial implementation of a self-report outcomes measurement instrument. The instrument, tested with veterans in programs at four Veterans Administration...
Electrochemistry of Metallaboron Cage Compounds

The first mention of voltammetric measurements on transition metalcarboranes or metal-boranes seems to be that found in the 1965 note(1) describing the preparation of the first metal dicarbollide compound, (C2B9H11)2 Fe−. Although no data were given, it was stated that the polarographic reduction of the monoanion gave the corresponding dianion. Since that time, Hawthorne et al. have reported electrochemical data, usually via cyclic voltammetry measurements, in surveying the physical properties of most of the metallacarboranes they have synthesized. Taken together with our data and data from other groups, we now have a moderately large body of electrochemical data on this class of compounds, and it seems timely to review this area to see what we have learned about the redox properties of metal-containing boron clusters.
Theory of Electronic and Thermal Transport in Boron Carbides

The boron carbides are refractory icosahedral boron-rich solids composed of twelve-atom boron rich icosahedral clusters directly linked by covalent bonds and indirectly linked through multiatom chains. The intericosahedral bonding is stronger and stiffer than that within icosahedra. The boron carbides exist as a single phase between about 9 atomic % and somewhat less that 20 atomic % carbon as boron and carbon substitute for one another within an essentially regular lattice structure. The electronic and thermal transport properties of the boron carbides are distinctive. The electronic carriers are small singlet bipolarons. Despite their exceptional hardness, these materials manifest very low thermal conductivities. These transport properties are explained in terms of distinctive features of these materials.
Friendship changes following a friend’s school absence after serious illness or injury:

Social support is vital in helping adolescents cope following a serious illness or injury, though it is not known how their healthy peers react to potential changes in the nature of their friendshi...
Cognitive Mapping by the Blind

In an effort to study the cognitive mapping abilities of blind persons, tactile maps of a school campus were made by ten congenitally blind and ten blindfolded partially sighted high school student...
The Role of Japan-India Security Cooperation under the New Security Framework

In recent times Japan and India are moving closer in the area of security. The rise of China, US strategic withdrawal from the Indian Ocean and Japan‟s increasing profile in the Asia-pacific region have contributed towards Japan‟s strong security partnership with India. In this regard this article analyses the three following questions: (1) What are the security activities that Japan has undertaken? (2) Why has Japan tried to share more security burden? (3) What can Japan-India cooperation do? Currently, Japan has enhanced its security cooperation with other US allies and friendly countries including Southeast Asian countries taking the US-China power balance into consideration. The changing security situation has pushed Japan to reconsider its security priorities. There is much scope for Japan and India to cooperate by using the linkage of East China Sea and Indo-China Border, share the burden of maritime security in the Indian Ocean region and collaborate to support countries around China in the South China Sea.
Pilot Study: Using the Bioness Integrated Therapy System (BITS) To Examine the Correlation Between Skills and Success With On-the-Road Driving Evaluations

Date Presented 04/05/19 Primary Author and Speaker: Sara Stephenson Additional Authors and Speakers: Alice Anderson-Tome, Sarah Fischer, William Meredith, Chandler Somers Contributing Authors: Abby Guzman
Search for Double Beta Decay in Ca 48

If double beta decay occurs without the emission of neutrinos, the total kinetic energy of the two emitted electrons is constant. An experiment has been performed using this constancy of energy and the coincidence nature of the activity in an attempt to observe and identify this process in ${\mathrm{Ca}}^{48}$.The results show a peak in the total energy spectrum at 4.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 Mev. Mass spectrographic data gives 4.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1 Mev as the available energy for double beta decay. The author believes this to be evidence for double beta decay without neutrino emission unless the observed counts are due to an unusual phenomenon of unknown origin.
U.S. county "food swamp" severity and hospitalization rates among adults with diabetes: A nonlinear relationship.

Abstract The relationship between food environments and diabetes morbidity is vastly understudied, despite the well-recognized linkage between dietary quality and diabetes complications. Further, literature demonstrates that attributes of places can have nonlinear relationships with health outcomes. This study examines the extent to which “food swamps” are associated with greater rates of hospitalizations for complications among adults with diabetes over time as well as the linearity of this relationship. We conduct a longitudinal county-level analysis of 832 counties across 16 U.S. states in 2010, 2012, and 2014 using data from the USDA Food Environment Atlas and the AHRQ Health Care Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases. Food swamp severity is measured as the percentage of food outlets in a county that sell primarily unhealthy foods. Hierarchical linear mixed models with county random intercepts are estimated, controlling for area-level covariates and state and year fixed effects. Curvilinear relationships are explored by additively incorporating quadratic terms. We find that, over the study period, mean food swamp severity remained relatively stable. Mean hospitalization rates decreased from 296.72 to 262.82 hospitalizations per 1000 diabetic adults (p
Cardiovascular Effects of Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Their Major Metabolites

Background: Xenobiotic metabolism is complex, and accounting for bioactivation and detoxification processes of chemicals remains among the most challenging aspects for decision making with in vitro...
Reversal of Alpha-Synuclein Fibrillization by Protein Disulfide Isomerase

Aggregates of α-synuclein contribute to the etiology of Parkinson's Disease. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), a chaperone and oxidoreductase, blocks the aggregation of α-synuclein. An S-nitrosylated form of PDI that cannot function as a chaperone is associated with elevated levels of aggregated α-synuclein and is found in brains afflicted with Parkinson's Disease. The protective role of PDI in Parkinson's Disease and other neurodegenerative disorders is linked to its chaperone function, yet the mechanism of neuroprotection remains unclear. Using Thioflavin-T fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy, we show here for the first time that PDI can break down nascent fibrils of α-synuclein. Mature fibrils were not affected by PDI. Another PDI family member, ERp57, could prevent but not reverse α-synuclein aggregation. The disaggregase activity of PDI was effective at a 1:50 molar ratio of PDI:α-synuclein and was blocked by S-nitrosylation. PDI could not reverse the aggregation of malate dehydrogenase, which indicated its disaggregase activity does not operate on all substrates. These findings establish a previously unrecognized disaggregase property of PDI that could underlie its neuroprotective function.
Exclusionary School Discipline Policies and Mental Health in a National Sample of Adolescents without Histories of Suspension or Expulsion

We apply the theory of collateral consequences and a social stress process framework to school discipline to examine whether exclusionary school discipline policies are associated with the mental h...
Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History

The ideal textbook for non-science majors, this lively and engaging introduction encourages students to ask questions, assess data critically and think like a scientist. Building on the success of previous editions, Dinosaurs has been thoroughly updated to include new discoveries in the field, such as the toothed bird specimens found in China and recent discoveries of dinosaur soft anatomy. Illustrations by leading paleontological illustrator John Sibbick and new, carefully-chosen photographs, clearly show how dinosaurs looked, lived and their role in Earth history. Making science accessible and relevant through clear explanations and extensive illustrations, the text guides students through the dinosaur groups, emphasizing scientific concepts rather than presenting endless facts. Grounded in the common language of modern evolutionary biology – phylogenetic systematics – students learn to think about dinosaurs the way that professional paleontologists do.
Numerical Simulations of Driven Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence

A wide variety of astrophysical phenomena involve the flow of turbulent magnetized gas with relativistic velocity or energy density. Examples include gamma-ray bursts, active galactic nuclei, pulsars, magnetars, micro-quasars, merging neutron stars, X-ray binaries, some supernovae, and the early universe. In order to elucidate the basic properties of the relativistic magnetohydrodynamical (RMHD) turbulence present in these systems, we present results from numerical simulations of fully developed driven turbulence in a relativistically warm, weakly magnetized and mildly compressible ideal fluid. We have evolved the RMHD equations for many dynamical times on a uniform grid with 10243 zones using a high-order Godunov code. We observe the growth of magnetic energy from a seed field through saturation at ~1% of the total fluid energy. We compute the power spectrum of velocity and density-weighted velocity U = ρ1/3 v and conclude that the inertial scaling is consistent with a slope of –5/3. We compute the longitudinal and transverse velocity structure functions of order p up to 11 and discuss their possible deviation from the expected scaling for non-relativistic media. We also compute the scale-dependent distortion of coherent velocity structures with respect to the local magnetic field, finding a weaker scale dependence than is expected for incompressible non-relativistic flows with a strong mean field.
Angle–of–Arrival (AoA) Factorization in Multipath Channels

This paper considers the problem of estimating K angle of arrivals (AoA) using an array of M > K microphones. We assume the source signal is human voice, hence unknown to the receiver. Moreover, the signal components that arrive over K spatial paths are strongly correlated since they are delayed copies of the same source signal. Past works have successfully extracted the AoA of the direct path, or have assumed specific types of signals/channels to derive the subsequent (multipath) AoAs. Our method builds on the core observation that signals from multiple AoAs embed predictable delay-structures in them, which can be factorized through iterative alignment and cancellation. Simulation results show median AoA errors of < 4° for the first 3 AoAs. Real-world measurements, from a circular microphone array similar to Amazon Echo, show modest degradations. We believe the ability to infer even K = 3 AoAs can be helpful to various sensing and localization applications.
Debiasing Desire: Addressing Bias and Discrimination on Intimate Platforms

Designing technical systems to be resistant to bias and discrimination represents vital new terrain for researchers, policymakers, and the anti-discrimination project more broadly. We consider bias and discrimination in the context of popular online dating and hookup platforms in the United States, which we call "intimate platforms." Drawing on work in social-justice-oriented and Queer HCI, we review design features of popular intimate platforms and their potential role in exacerbating or mitigating interpersonal bias. We argue that focusing on platform design can reveal opportunities to reshape troubling patterns of intimate contact without overriding users' decisional autonomy. We identify and address the difficult ethical questions that nevertheless come along with such intervention, while urging the social computing community to engage more deeply with issues of bias, discrimination, and exclusion in the study and design of intimate platforms.
Novel materials for organic electrochemical transistors

Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) have been demonstrated in a wide range of applications such as analyte detection, neural interfacing, impedance sensing and neuromorphic computing. Majority of OECTs use PEDOT:PSS and liquid electrolytes. In this talk, I will discuss the development of biomaterials as solid state electrolytes and conjugated polyelectrolytes (CPEs) as semiconductors for OECTs. The biogels that consist of gelatin and glycerol with high ionic conductivity are used as solid electrolytes. We establish a relation between morphology and protonic-conductivity of the gels, allowing for the fabrication of gel-based OECTs with desirable functionalities, good ON/OFF ratio and transconductance, fast-switching speed, and good stability in ambient air. Anionic CPEs are used as mixed conductor materials for OECTs to replace PEDOT:PSS. CPE-based OECTs operate in the accumulation mode, which allows for much lower energy consumption in comparison to commonly used depletion mode PEDOT:PSS devices. The physical and electrical properties of CPE-K have been fully characterized to allow a direct comparison to other top performing OECT materials. CPE-K demonstrates an electrical performance that is among the best that have been reported in the literature for OECT materials.