cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a Hybrid Dynamic Stabilization and Fusion System in the Lumbar Spine: A 10 Year Experience.

Introduction: The development of adjacent-segment disease is a recognized consequence of lumbar fusion surgery. Posterior dynamic stabilization, or motion preservation, techniques have been developed which theoretically decrease stress on adjacent segments following fusion. This study presents the experience of using a hybrid dynamic stabilization and fusion construct for degenerative lumbar spine pathology in place of rigid arthrodesis. Methods: A clinical cohort investigation was conducted of 66 consecutive patients (31 female, 35 male; mean age: 53 years, range: 25 – 76 years) who underwent posterior lumbar instrumentation with the Dynesys Transition Optima (DTO) implant (Zimmer-Biomet Spine, Warsaw, IN) hybrid dynamic stabilization and fusion system over a 10-year period. The median length of follow-up was five years. DTO consists of pedicle screw fixation coupled to a rigid rod as well as a flexible longitudinal connecting system. All patients had symptoms of back pain and neurogenic claudication refractory to non-surgical treatment. Patients underwent lumbar arthrodesis surgery in which the hybrid system was used for stabilization instead of arthrodesis of the stenotic adjacent level. Results: Indications for DTO instrumentation were primary degenerative disc disease (n = 52) and failed back surgery syndrome (n = 14). The most common dynamically stabilized and fused segments were L3-L4 (n = 37) and L5-S1 (n = 33), respectively. Thirty-eight patients (56%) underwent decompression at the dynamically stabilized level, and 57 patients (86%) had an interbody device placed at the level of arthrodesis. Complications during the follow-up period included a single case of screw breakage and a single case of pseudoarthrosis. Ten patients (15%) subsequently underwent conversion of the dynamic stabilization portion of their DTO instrumentation to rigid spinal arthrodesis. Conclusion: The DTO system represents a novel hybrid dynamic stabilization and fusion construct. This 10-year experience found the device to be highly effective as well as safe. The technique may serve as an alternative to multilevel arthrodesis. Implantation of a motion-preserving dynamic stabilization device immediately adjacent to a fused level instead of extending a rigid construct may reduce the subsequent development of adjacent-segment disease in this patient population.
Full and Partial Agonism of a Designed Enzyme Switch.

Chemical biology has long sought to build protein switches for use in molecular diagnostics, imaging, and synthetic biology. The overarching challenge for any type of engineered protein switch is the ability to respond in a selective and predictable manner that caters to the specific environments and time scales needed for the application at hand. We previously described a general method to design switchable proteins, called “chemical rescue of structure”, that builds de novo allosteric control sites directly into a protein’s functional domain. This approach entails first carving out a buried cavity in a protein via mutation, such that the protein’s structure is disrupted and activity is lost. An exogenous ligand is subsequently added to substitute for the atoms that were removed by mutation, restoring the protein’s structure and thus its activity. Here, we begin to ask what principles dictate such switches’ response to different activating ligands. Using a redesigned β-glycosidase enzyme as our model sys...
Cathodic Organic Reactions

Cathodic or electroreductive organic reactions proceed by means of the electrolytically generated primary intermediate products, anion radicals, \([{R^{\underset{\raise0.3em\hbox{$\smash{\scriptscriptstyle\cdot}$}}{ - } }}\), radicals, R., and anions, R-. Anion radicals result from either direct electron transfer of an electron from the electrode to an organic neutral molecule or indirectly by the action of a mediator. Organic anion radicals may act as bases and as reducing agents, depending on the environment in which they are generated. Because of the presence (or potential presence) of the extremely electrophilic proton in most of the commonly used electrolysis media the study of anion radicals per se is much more difficult than the study of the anodically produced cation radicals.
Some results on the electrical breakdown of liquids using pulse technique

The preliminary object of the research described here was the investigation of a suspected variation of breakdown strength with duration of the applied voltage pulse. The liquids chosen as test dielectrics, both polar and non-polar, were of simple molecular structure, the majority of them being organic liquids.
Aerodynamics and thermoregulatory function of the dorsal sail of Edaphosaurus

Dorsal sails supported by hyperelongate neural spines of dorsal vertebrae were evolved by various tetrapods, but most work on their function has centered on the pelycosaur Dimetrodon, in which the sail has generally been interpreted as a thermoregulatory structure that would permit rapid warming in the morning and cooling during the hot midday. The pelycosaur Edaphosaurus differed from other sailed tetrapods in that the neural spines supporting the sail had laterally directed tubercles or cross-bars. Past interpretations of Edaphosaurus suggested that the cross-bars were embedded in a thick fat-storage structure or extended from a thin sail to enhance its utility for intraspecific display. However, wind tunnel modeling of air flow over a thin sail with laterally projecting cross-bars supports a thermoregulatory interpretation of the sail of Edaphosaurus. The cross-bars would produce a turbulent flow, which would increase the effectiveness of convective cooling. Measurements of heat flow in an instrumented model show that cross-bars increase heat loss from the sail. The cross-bars may have enabled Edaphosaurus to thermoregulate effectively with a smaller and lower dorsal sail than would have been required without them.
The Dilemma of the Optimal Condition an Exploration of the Strategic and Social Consequences of the Organizational Change Imperative

This paper explores the implications of change dilemma. The importance of the this topic lies in everyday's need for organizations to change to survive or thrive yet there is no monolithic or simple thory that explains or prescribes organizational change. There are objective and subjective problems of the optimal condition . This paper discusses the political and sociological problems pertaining to the assumption of an objective optimal condition. We frame the real potential for this condition and its positive and negative strategic and social impacts from an Organization Theory (OT) perspective. Further, an aricle discusses positive and negative consequences of the bias towards change.
Diffusion-mediated 129 Xe gas depolarization in magnetic field gradients during continuous-flow optical pumping.

The production of large volumes of highly polarized noble gases like helium and xenon is vital to applications of magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy with hyperpolarized (HP) gas in humans. In the past ten years, 129Xe has become the gas of choice due to its lower cost, higher availability, relatively high tissue solubility, and wide range of chemical shift values. Though near unity levels of xenon polarization have been achieved in-cell using stopped-flow Spin Exchange Optical Pumping (SEOP), these levels are currently unmatched by continuous-flow SEOP methods. Among the various mechanisms that cause xenon relaxation, such as persistent and transient xenon dimers, wall collisions, and interactions with oxygen, relaxation due to diffusion in magnetic field gradients, caused by rapidly changing magnetic field strength and direction, is often ignored. However, during continuous-flow SEOP production, magnetic field gradients may not have a negligible contribution, especially considering that this methodology requires the combined use of magnets with very different characteristics (low field for spin exchange optical pumping and high field for the reduction of xenon depolarization in the solid state during the freeze out phase) that, when placed together, inevitably create magnetic field gradients along the gas-flow-path. Here, a combination of finite element analysis and Monte Carlo simulations is used to determine the effect of such magnetic field gradients on xenon gas polarization with applications to a specific, continuous-flow hyperpolarization system.
Handheld confocal laser endomicroscopic imaging utilizing tumor-specific fluorescent labeling to identify experimental glioma cells in vivo.

Background We have reported that handheld confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) can be used with various nonspecific fluorescent dyes to improve the microscopic identification of brain tumor and its boundaries. Here, we show that CLE can be used experimentally with tumor-specific fluorescent labeling to define glioma margins in vivo. Methods Thirteen rats underwent craniectomy and in vivo imaging 21 days after implantation with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labeled U251 (n = 7) cells or epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpressing F98 cells (n = 6). Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated EGFR fluorescent antibody (FITC-EGFR) was applied for contrast in F98 tumors. Confocal images of normal brain, obvious tumor, and peritumoral zones were collected using the CLE system. Bench-top confocal microscopy and hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were correlated with CLE images. Results GFP and FITC-EGFR fluorescence of glioma cells were detected by in vivo visible-wavelength fluorescence CLE. CLE of GFP-labeled tumors revealed bright individual satellite tumor cells within peritumoral tissue, a definitive tumor border, and subcellular structures. Imaging with FITC-EGFR labeling provided weaker contrast in F98-EGFR tumors but was able to delineate tumor cells. Imaging with both methods in various tumor regions correlated with standard confocal imaging and clinical histology. Conclusions These data suggest that in vivo CLE of selectively tagged neoplasms could allow specific interactive identification of tumoral areas. Imaging of GFP and FITC-EGFR provides real-time histologic information precisely related to the site of microscopic imaging of tumor.
Satellite-like cells contribute to pax7-dependent skeletal muscle repair in adult zebrafish.

Satellite cells, also known as muscle stem cells, are responsible for skeletal muscle growth and repair in mammals. Pax7 and Pax3 transcription factors are established satellite cell markers required for muscle development and regeneration, and there is great interest in identifying additional factors that regulate satellite cell proliferation, differentiation, and/or skeletal muscle regeneration. Due to the powerful regenerative capacity of many zebrafish tissues, even in adults, we are exploring the regenerative potential of adult zebrafish skeletal muscle. Here, we show that adult zebrafish skeletal muscle contains cells similar to mammalian satellite cells. Adult zebrafish satellite-like cells have dense heterochromatin, express Pax7 and Pax3, proliferate in response to injury, and show peak myogenic responses 4–5 days post-injury (dpi). Furthermore, using a pax7a-driven GFP reporter, we present evidence implicating satellite-like cells as a possible source of new muscle. In lieu of central nucleation, which distinguishes regenerating myofibers in mammals, we describe several characteristics that robustly identify newly-forming myofibers from surrounding fibers in injured adult zebrafish muscle. These characteristics include partially overlapping expression in satellite-like cells and regenerating myofibers of two RNA-binding proteins Rbfox2 and Rbfoxl1, known to regulate embryonic muscle development and function. Finally, by analyzing pax7a; pax7b double mutant zebrafish, we show that Pax7 is required for adult skeletal muscle repair, as it is in the mouse.
Chapter 20 Income and price effects in foreign trade

Publisher Summary This chapter identifies, summarizes, and evaluates the main methodological and policy issues that have surrounded the estimation of trade equations. By “trade equations,” it mean equations for the time-series behavior of the quantities and prices of merchandise imports and exports, and as the title of the chapter suggests, it focuses explicitly on the role played by income and prices in the determination of these trade variables. The chapter addresses the main methodological issues in the specification of trade models. It discusses variables in demand and supply functions for imports and exports, what choices and compromises have to be made in the measurement of these variables, and what light existing evidence throws on the choice among competing specifications. The treatment of dynamics and time lags, aggregation, simultaneity, and stability of the relationships concerned has also been discussed in the chapter. The empirical estimates of income and price elasticities themselves and to the policy implications of those estimates have also been reviewed. Finally, suggestions are made for further research in the chapter.
The Kirtsaeng and SCI-HUB Cases: The Major U.S. Copyright Cases in the Twenty-First Century

There has been a plethora of substantive copyright cases in the history of the United States. Two of the most important cases in the last few years were: the Kirtsaeng case before the Supreme Court of the United States; and the SCI-HUB case before the United States District Court in the Southern District of New York. This paper addressed the key copyright issues raised in each case, including a discussion of relevant sections of the Copyright Law of the United States (17 U.S.C.) as well as suggestions the book and scholarly journal industries could consider addressing the insidious impact of copyright violations.
Discourse Annotation of Non-native Spontaneous Spoken Responses Using the Rhetorical Structure Theory Framework

The availability of the Rhetorical Structure Theory (RST) Discourse Treebank has spurred substantial research into discourse analysis of written texts; however, limited research has been conducted to date on RST annotation and parsing of spoken language, in particular, non-native spontaneous speech. Considering that the measurement of discourse coherence is typically a key metric in human scoring rubrics for assessments of spoken language, we initiated a research effort to obtain RST annotations of a large number of non-native spoken responses from a standardized assessment of academic English proficiency. The resulting inter-annotator kappa agreements on the three different levels of Span, Nuclearity, and Relation are 0.848, 0.766, and 0.653, respectively. Furthermore, a set of features was explored to evaluate the discourse structure of non-native spontaneous speech based on these annotations; the highest performing feature resulted in a correlation of 0.612 with scores of discourse coherence provided by expert human raters.
High-efficiency and high-sensitivity thermal neutron detectors based on hexagonal BN epilayers

Solid-state thermal neutron detectors with improved detection efficiencies and sensitivities are highly sought after for the detection of special nuclear materials (SNM). Due to the inherent nature of low flux of fission neutron emission from a potential SNM as well as the fact that the neutron flux is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the SNM source, it is challenging in many cases to detect neutron signals at relatively large distances. Consequently, large size high efficiency detectors are desired to improve the detector performance and to provide a reasonable count rate (or sensitivity). We report here the successful synthesis by MOCVD of freestanding 10B enriched hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) epilayers with a thickness of about 50 microns. The progress towards the realization of vertical photoconductor-like thermal neutron detectors with the detector area increasing from 1 mm × 1 mm to 3 mm × 3 mm while upholding a record high detection efficiency of about 53% among solid-state neutron detectors is described. The effects of resistivity, dark current density, and the carrier mobility-lifetime products on the device performance were monitored and optimized via MOCVD growth parameters. With improved material quality, the noise related dark counts have been significantly reduced. The work laid the groundwork for realizing large area detectors. Our results indicate that h-BN epilayers are highly promising for realizing sensitive solid-state thermal neutron detectors with expected advantages resulting from semiconductor technologies, including compact size, light weight, low operating voltage, and low cost.
Primary thromboprophylaxis (PTP) in ambulatory patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

BACKGROUND Thromboembolism (TE) is a leading cause of death in cancer patients. Primary thromboprophylaxis (PTP) in ambulatory cancer patients receiving chemotherapy has been debated and considered to potentially improve survival by reducing TE occurrence. OBJECTIVE We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in ambulatory lung cancer (LC) patients on chemotherapy to determine the benefit and risk of PTP with low-molecular-weight heparins (LMWHs). METHOD A literature search using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases was performed through June 2016. RCTs with venous thromboembolism (VTE) reduction as primary or secondary endpoints were included. Mantel-Haenszel method was used to estimate the pooled event risk ratio as well as pooled absolute risk difference with 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULT A total of 4315 LC patients from six studies were available for analysis. PTP lasted for 4 to 6 months. The venous thromboembolism (VTE) incidence was 4.0% and 7.9% in LMWH and control groups, respectively (risk ratio, 0.510 (95% CI, 0.397-0.654, P < 0.001). The absolute risk difference in VTE was -0.039 (95% CI, -0.053 to -0.025, P < 0.001), with an estimated number needed to treat (NNT) of 25 to prevent one VTE event. The pooled risk ratio for major bleeding was 1.468 (95% CI, 0.785-2.746, P = 0.229). The pooled risk ratio for overall survival was statistically nonsignificant at 1.020 (95% CI, 0.938-1.109, P = 0.648). CONCLUSION Routine PTP for ambulatory LC patients receiving chemotherapy is not recommended and further studies are necessary to define a subset of ambulatory LC patients receiving chemotherapy who may benefit from PTP.
Validation of cochlear implant electrode localization techniques

Cochlear implants (CIs) are standard treatment for patients who experience sensorineural hearing loss. Although these devices have been remarkably successful at restoring hearing, it is rare to achieve natural fidelity, and many patients experience poor outcomes. Our group has developed image-guided CI programming techniques (IGCIP), in which image analysis techniques are used to locate the intra-cochlear position of CI electrodes to determine patient-customized settings for the CI processor. Clinical studies have shown that IGCIP leads to significantly improved outcomes. A crucial step is the localization of the electrodes, and rigorously quantifying the accuracy of our algorithms requires dedicated datasets. In this work, we discuss the creation of a ground truth dataset for electrode position and its use to evaluate the accuracy of our electrode localization techniques. Our final ground truth dataset includes 26 temporal bone specimens that were each implanted with one of four different types of electrode array by an experienced Otologist. The arrays were localized in conventional CT images using our automatic methods and manually in high resolution μCT images to create the ground truth. The conventional and μCT images were registered to facilitate comparison between automatic and ground truth electrode localization results. Our technique resulted in mean errors of 0.13mm in localizing the electrodes across 26 cases. Our approach successfully permitted characterizing the accuracy of our methods, which is critical to understand their limitations for use in IGCIP.
Impact of Mental Health Research in Sociology: Nearly Four Decades of Scholarship (1975–2011)

In the early 1980s sociology witnessed the leading crest of a wave of new and noteworthy research in the sociology of mental health that helped raise the American Sociological Association’s (ASA) Journal of Health and Social Behavior (JHSB) to the highest levels of scholarly impact up to that time and later help launch a new Section of the Sociology of Mental Health. Prior to that point, research on topics of mental health were present among the founding and most influential works in both European and American Sociology as well. Today, 20 years after its formation in 1992, the Section of the Sociology of Mental Health (SSMH) is large and vibrant with its own ASA journal, Society and Mental Health (SMH).
Advances in Flow Cytogenetics: Progress in the Development of a High Speed Optical Chromosome Sorter Based on Photoinduced Adduct Formation Between Psoralens and Chromosomal DNA

The National Flow Cytometry Resource (NFCR) at Los Alamos National Laboratory has become nationally and internationally recognized for its expertise in chromosome sorting. As a result, we receive more requests than we can accommodate from research investigators worldwide in need of assistance for procedures and/or actual sorted chromosomes. We have two flow cytometers committed full time to chromosome sorting. Under ideal conditions (often sample dependent) we can sort about two million chromosomes (0.5 µg) per eight hour day with both instruments operating in parallel.
Association of Germline p53 Mutation With MLL Segmental Jumping Translocation in Treatment-Related Leukemia

Segmental jumping translocations are chromosomal abnormalities in treatment-related leukemias characterized by multiple copies of the ABL and/or MLL oncogenes dispersed throughout the genome and extrachromosomally. Because gene amplification potential accompanies loss of wild-type p53, we examined the p53 gene in a case of treatment-related acute myeloid leukemia (t-AML) with MLL segmental jumping translocation. The child was diagnosed with ganglioneuroma and embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) at 2 years of age. Therapy for ERMS included alkylating agents, DNA topoisomerase I and DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors, and local radiation. t-AML was diagnosed at 4 years of age. The complex karyotype of the t-AML showed structural and numerical abnormalities. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed multiple copies of the MLL gene, consistent with segmental jumping translocation. A genomic region including CD3, MLL, and a segment of band 11q24 was unrearranged and amplified by Southern blot analysis. There was no family history of a cancer predisposing syndrome, but single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis detected identical band shifts in the leukemia, ganglioneuroma, ERMS, and normal tissues, consistent with a germline p53 mutation, and there was loss of heterozygosity in the ERMS and the t-AML. Sequencing showed a CGA-->TGA nonsense mutation at codon 306 in exon 8. The results of this analysis indicate that loss of wild-type p53 may be associated with genomic instability after DNA-damaging chemotherapy and radiation, manifest as a complex karyotype and gene amplification in some cases of t-AML.
Intelligent systems demonstration: disaster evacuation support

This demonstration presents an application of distributed constraint optimization and wireless networking to the task of assigning evacuees to available shelters during an emergency evacuation.
An arithmetic alphametics problem solving program: nifty tools and assignments

As co-editor of Journal of Recreational Mathematics, a great deal of what is considered recreational mathematics passes by my eyes. One of the staple problems in recreational mathematics is the alphametic, an arithmetic problem where digits are replaced by letters. For example, the following is an addition alphametic
Dry Stacking for Automated Construction with Irregular Objects

We describe a method for automatically building structures from stacked, irregularly shaped objects. This is a simplified model for the problem of building dry stacked structures (i.e. no mortar) from found stones. Although automating such construction methods would be ideally suited for disaster areas or remote environments, currently such structures need to be built by skilled masons. No practical methods for automating the assembly planning process are known. The problem is challenging since each assembly action can be drawn from a continuous space poses for an object and several local geometric and physical considerations strongly affect the overall stability. We show that structures that are built following a stacking order for perfect bricks can accommodate a limited amount of irregularity, however, their performance degrades quickly when objects deviate from their ideal shape. We present a strategy for stacking irregular shapes that first considers geometric and physical constraints to find a small set of feasible actions and then further refines this set by using heuristics gathered from instructional literature for masons. The proposed method of choosing assembly actions allows construction with objects that contain a significant amount of variation.
Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Mitragynine after Oral Administration of Mitragyna speciosa (Kratom) Leaf Extracts in Rats.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa) has been examined for its opioid activity, especially for the treatment of opioid withdrawal and pain. Mitragynine, the most abundant alkaloid in kratom, is thought to be the major psychoactive alkaloid. An HPLC method was developed for the quantification of mitragynine in kratom leaf extracts. In addition, a multiple reaction mode based UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the quantification of mitragynine in rat plasma. Pharmacokinetic studies were performed by comparing a single intravenous dose of mitragynine (5 mg/kg, mitragynine hydrochloride) to a single oral dose of mitragynine (20 mg/kg, mitragynine hydrochloride), lyophilized kratom tea, and the organic fraction of the lyophilized kratom tea at an equivalent mitragynine dose of 20 mg/kg in rats. After intravenous administration, mitragynine exhibited a biexponential decrease in the concentration-time profile, indicating the fast distribution of mitragynine from the systemic circulation or central compartment to the peripheral compartments. Mitragynine hydrochloride, lyophilized kratom tea, and the lyophilized kratom tea organic fraction were dosed orally and the absolute oral bioavailability of mitragynine in rats was found to be 1.5- and 1.8-fold higher than that of mitragynine dosed alone. The results provide evidence that an equivalent oral dose of the traditional preparation (lyophilized kratom tea) and formulated/manufactured products (organic fraction) of kratom leaves provide better systemic exposure of mitragynine than that of mitragynine dosed alone.
GRRMHD simulations of tidal disruption event accretion discs around supermassive black holes: jet formation, spectra, and detectability

We report results from general relativistic radiation MHD (GRRMHD) simulations of a super-Eddington black hole (BH) accretion disk formed as a result of a tidal disruption event (TDE). We consider the fiducial case of a solar mass star on a mildly penetrating orbit disrupted by a supermassive BH of mass $10^6 \, M_\odot$, and consider the epoch of peak fall back rate. We post-process the simulation data to compute viewing angle dependent spectra. We perform a parameter study of the dynamics of the accretion disk as a function of BH spin and magnetic flux, and compute model spectra as a function of the viewing angle of the observer. We also consider detection limits based on the model spectra. We find that an accretion disk with a relatively weak magnetic field around the BH (so-called SANE regime of accretion) does not launch a relativistic jet, whether or not the BH is rotating. Such models reasonably reproduce several observational properties of non-jetted TDEs. The same is also true for a non-rotating BH with a strong magnetic field (MAD regime). One of our simulations has a rapidly rotating BH (spin parameter 0.9) as well as a MAD accretion disk. This model launches a powerful relativistic jet, which is powered by the BH spin energy. It reproduces the high energy emission and jet structure of the jetted TDE Swift J1644+57 surprisingly well. Jetted TDEs may thus correspond to the subset of TDE systems that have both a rapidly spinning BH and MAD accretion.
Are There Limitations to Exercise Benefits in Peripheral Arterial Disease

Substantial evidence exists indicating that inactivity contributes to the progression of chronic disease, and conversely, that regular physical activity can both prevent the onset of disease as well as delay the progression of existing disease. To that end "exercise as medicine" has been advocated in the broad context as general medical care, but also in the specific context as a therapeutic, to be considered in much the same way as other drugs. As there are non-responders to many medications, there also are non-responders to exercise; individual who participate but do not demonstrate appreciable improvement/benefit. In some settings, the stress induced by exercise may aggravate an underlying condition, rather than attenuate chronic disease. As personalized medicine evolves with ready access to genetic information, so too will the incorporation of exercise in the context of those individual genetics. The focus of this brief review is to distinguish between the inherent capacity to perform, as compared to adaptive response to active exercise training in relation to cardiovascular health and peripheral arterial disease.
Correlation and causation between the microbiome, Wolbachia and host functional traits in natural populations of drosophilid flies.

Resident microorganisms are known to influence the fitness and traits of animals under controlled laboratory conditions, but the relevance of these findings to wild animals is uncertain. This study investigated the host functional correlates of microbiota composition in a wild community of three sympatric species of mycophagous drosophilid flies, Drosophila falleni, Drosophila neotestacea and Drosophila putrida. Specifically, we quantified bacterial communities and host transcriptomes by parallel 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and RNA-Seq of individual flies. Among-fly variation in microbiota composition did not partition strongly by sex or species, and included multiple modules, that is, sets of bacterial taxa whose abundance varied in concert across different flies. The abundance of bacteria in several modules varied significantly with multiple host transcripts, especially in females, but the identity of the correlated host transcriptional functions differed with host species, including epithelial barrier function in D. falleni, muscle function in D. putrida, and insect growth and development in D. neotestacea. In D. neotestacea, which harbours the endosymbionts Wolbachia and Spiroplasma, Wolbachia promotes the abundance of Spiroplasma, and is positively correlated with abundance of Lactobacillales and Bacteroidales. Furthermore, most correlations between host gene expression and relative abundance of bacterial modules were co-correlated with abundance of Wolbachia (but not Spiroplasma), indicative of an interdependence between host functional traits, microbiota composition and Wolbachia abundance in this species. These data suggest that, in these natural populations of drosophilid flies, different host species interact with microbial communities in functionally different ways that can vary with the abundance of endosymbionts.
Geometric Facial Erosions on a Newborn

When a newborn exhibits dermal aplasia on the face and neck, especially if there are ocular anomalies, further investigation is needed to determine if they have MiDAS (microphthalmia, dermal aplasia, and sclerocornea) or other syndromes with associated skin findings. It is essential to diagnose MiDAS syndrome early in life to allow for thorough workup to determine if there are any associated abnormalities in the child that require treatment. While the skin lesions of MiDAS syndrome heal spontaneously, other associated abnormalities require early intervention and can be life threatening.
Discovery of mental illness and mental defect among offenders.

In spite of one psychiatrist's play upon words, infatuation with myth, and diatribes about mental illness, people still get sick in their minds and disturbed in their behavior. They are known to have lost control of their impulses and to have committed dangerous acts causing injury to themselves and to others. Patients have described hallucinatory and delusional experiences, have become disorganized and confused, have lost contact with reality, and have required treatment in specialized hospitals, there to be protected for their own sake as well as for others and to receive help toward halting the disease process, controlling it, curing it.
Fluorescence Spectrometry in Analytical Chemistry and Color Science

ABSTRACT Fluorescence spectrometry is used extensively in analytical chemistry as well as in color science. Although the objectives of the measurement and the instrumentation and methodologies used are different, it will be shown that the underlying concepts are essentially the same in chemistry and colorimetry, and that theoretical descriptions applicable in one discipline are also appropriate for the other. Based on a comparison of measurement objectives and experimental techniques, a unified description of fluorescence measurements will be developed. The starting point for this discussion are radiometric definitions which are useful for the phenomenological characterization of colorimetric samples. These definitions are then reduced to the analogous molecular quantities which are of interest in photochemistry.
Organ Procurement and Transplantation

The Times of London reported on June 11, 1987 that on one of her reelection campaign stops, when approached to volunteer for LIFELINK, a transplant donor register, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher agreed and signed a statement acknowledging that her organs could be removed, upon her death, and that, specifically, her heart, lungs, kidneys, eyes, and skin could be given to patients awaiting transplants.1 As a registered donor, Mrs. Thatcher became one of 11,000 who have already become participants in a pilot project based in Birmingham that hopes to become a national computer record of all such potential donors. Ideally, all large British hospitals will subscribe to LIFELINK and thus be given direct computer access to the registered donors, so that when a patient dies, hospital authorities will be able to determine immediately if he were registered with LIFELINK.2
Effects of Fish Predators on the Mass-Related Energetics of a Keystone Freshwater Crustacean

Little is known about how predators or their cues affect the acquisition and allocation of energy throughout the ontogeny of prey organisms. To address this question, we have been comparing the ontogenetic body-mass scaling of various traits related to energy intake and use between populations of a keystone amphipod crustacean inhabiting freshwater springs, with versus without fish predators. In this progress report, we analyze new and previously reported data to develop a synthetic picture of how the presence/absence of fish predators affects the scaling of food assimilation, fat content, metabolism, growth and reproduction in populations of Gammarus minus located in central Pennsylvania (USA). Our analysis reveals two major clusters of 'symmorphic allometry' (parallel scaling relationships) for traits related to somatic versus reproductive investment. In the presence of fish predators, the scaling exponents for somatic traits tend to decrease, whereas those for reproductive traits tend to increase. This divergence of scaling exponents reflects an intensified trade-off between somatic and reproductive investments resulting from low adult survival in the face of size-selective predation. Our results indicate the value of an integrated view of the ontogenetic size-specific energetics of organisms and its response to both top-down (predation) and bottom-up (resource supply) effects.
Pelvic Floor Muscle Training vs. Control for Urinary Incontinence in Women.

Use of pelvic floor muscle training to treat women with all subtypes of urinary incontinence results in improvement or cure vs. no treatment (number needed to treat [NNT] = 2.5; 95% CI, 1.4 to 5.4). Treatment with pelvic floor muscle training also results in one fewer episode of leakage per day and a reduction in leakage volume of 9.7 g per hour. Treatment is cost-effective, and risks are minimal.
Recurrent head and neck tumors in the setting of previous reconstructive surgery and radiation

The approach to a difficult airway in patients presenting with recurrent head and neck tumors in the setting of previous surgery or radiation poses challenges to both anesthesiologists and otolaryngologists. Multidisciplinary planning with close communication is required for effective and safe care. It is critical to understand how each patient's prior surgery and radiation distorts the baseline airway anatomy and what complications may arise when deciding on the primary airway management and back-up plans. Preoperative imaging, flexible laryngoscopy, and airway ultrasound may be incorporated into the decision-making process in addition to the traditional airway exam. While awake airway management techniques will be very common in this patient population, anticipating potential problems, back-up planning, flexibility, and teamwork are essential for optimal patient outcomes. This article will review the common challenges encountered during airway management in this population.
Associations Between Built Environment, Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status, and SARS-CoV-2 Infection Among Pregnant Women in New York City.

This cross-sectional study investigates associations of residential building characteristics and markers of neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) with screen-detected SARS-CoV-2 prevalence among pregnant women delivering in 2 New York City hospitals.
Immune and Metabolic Biomarkers in a Rodent Model of Spinal Cord Contusion

Study Design:Basic science animal research study.Objectives:Using T10 spinal contused rats, we sought to identify molecular and circulating, metabolic and immune biomarkers during the subchronic an...
“Queer as hell media”: Affirming LGBTQ+ youth identity and building community in Metro Atlanta, Georgia

Within the United States, the American South holds the largest number of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) people, which totals to 3.8 million (LGBTQ in 2016). Metro Atlanta is uniq...
Epigenetic switching as a strategy for quick adaptation while constraining biochemical noise

Epigenetic switches are bistable, molecular systems built from self-reinforcing feedback loops that can spontaneously switch between heritable phenotypes in the absence of DNA mutation. It has been hypothesized that epigenetic switches first evolved as a mechanism of bet-hedging and adaptation, but the evolutionary trajectories and conditions by which an epigenetic switch can outcompete adaptation through genetic mutation remain unknown. Here, we used computer simulations to evolve a mechanistic, biophysical model of a self-activating genetic circuit, which can both adapt genetically through mutation and exhibit epigenetic switching. We evolved these genetic circuits under a fluctuating environment that alternatively selected for low and high protein expression levels. In all tested conditions, the population first evolved by genetic mutation to regimes of high nonlinearity to decrease the genetic adaptation time after each environmental transition. Once at high nonlinearity, epigenetic switching became accessible and could start competing with genetic adaptation as a possible strategy. We show the existence of a trade-off between either minimizing the adaptation time or increasing the robustness of the phenotype to biochemical noise. Epigenetic switching was superior in a fast fluctuating environment because it adapted faster than genetic mutation after an environmental transition. Conversely, genetic adaptation was favored in a slowly fluctuating environment because it minimized the noise load during the constant environment between transitions. These simple trade-offs reliably predict the conditions and trajectories under which an epigenetic switch evolved to outcompete genetic adaptation, shedding light on possible mechanisms by which bet-hedging strategies might emerge and persist in natural populations.
Tuning and tailoring of the optical properties of transparent conducting oxides for dynamic nanophotonic applications

Controlling the permittivity of materials enables control over the amplitude, phase and polarization of light interacting with them. Tailorable and tunable transparent conducting oxides have applications in optical switching, beam steering, imaging, sensing, and spectroscopy. In this work, we experimentally demonstrate wide tailoring and tuning of the optical properties of oxides to achieve fast switching with large modulation depths. In cadmium oxide, the permittivity and the epsilon-near-zero points can be tailored via yttrium doping to achieve large, ENZ-enhanced mid-IR reflectance modulation. In zinc oxide, the permittivity is tuned by interband pumping, achieving large reflectance modulation in the telecom regime. With aluminum-doped zinc oxide, we demonstrate tailorable Berreman-type absorbers that can achieve ultrafast switching in the telecom frequencies. Our work will pave the way to practical optical switching spanning the telecom to the mid-infrared wavelength regimes.
Scarring Alopecia: Diagnosis and New Treatment Options

This article focuses on the assessment and treatment of patients with primary cicatricial alopecia and provides new information regarding the genetics and pathophysiology of this group of diseases.
Understanding exposures to new PFAS in the presence of legacy PFAS The GenX Exposure Study

Background: In the years since the C8 study reported its findings on the human health impacts of PFOA, many more community-exposed populations have been identified. Frequently these communities hav...
American Board of Anesthesiology Mock Standardized Oral Examination Faculty Development Workshop.

Introduction Preparation for oral board examination is an important part of residency training. Anesthesiology programs provide mock oral exams for their trainees, but often, faculty have little gu...
Normative database of postural sway measures using inertial sensors in typically developing children and young adults.

Abstract Objective Reference values utilizing the APDM MobilityLab® inertial sensor system have not been established in children and young adults ages 5−30. These values are necessary for clinicians and researchers to compare to children with balance impairments. Methods A group of 144 typically developing children and young adults from age 5–30 years completed the instrumented SWAY test during 6 test conditions: normal stance, firm surface, eyes open (EO) and closed (EC); normal stance, foam surface, EO and EC; and tandem stance, firm surface, EO and EC. Selected variables for normative outcomes included total sway area, and the mean, sagittal and coronal values for RMS sway, jerk, sway velocity and path length. Sex differences were examined within age groups via t tests. The effect of age on postural sway variables was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA for the mean values of total sway area, RMS sway, velocity and jerk, followed by post-hoc pairwise comparisons. Results All sway parameters decreased significantly with age (p Significance These reference values can now be used by clinicians and researchers to evaluate abnormal postural sway and response to interventions in children and young adults.
Leadership and women: Two perspectives

Abstract Two female vascular surgeons reflect on their personal experiences and journeys in academic medicine leadership—one from the perspective of CEO and Dean and the other from a developing leader standpoint. Through their firsthand narratives, they share strategies for building resilience, inclusion, teamwork, and mentorship as they navigate the opportunities and challenges of leadership development.
A biosensor based on magnetic resonance relaxation

This work describes a biosensor based on magnetic resonance relaxation switching. The method leverages a large body of work involving nanoscale contrast agents employed in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging. The aim was to develop a detection approach that mimics the human immune response to an invading pathogen, the release of 10 9 to 10 12 specific antigens to guarantee quick contact with the pathogen. The technique employs magnetic nanoparticle contrast agents conjugated with specific capture agents to achieve a similar contact goal. Detection of the species involves monitoring the average relaxation time (T2) of water protons in the solution, which is highly sensitive to the concentration and distribution of the magnetic nanoparticles present. With multiple nanoparticles attaching to each individual target species their distribution will be altered, and correspondingly, the average proton relaxation time will change
Packaging paradise: organizing representations of Hawaii

Working paper; an earlier version was presented at the Critical Management Studies conference in Cambridge, July 2005
Quantitative studies of Gm allotypes--III. Some effects of IgG aggregation in radioimmunoassays using human IgM and rabbit IgG anti-Gm antibodies.

Abstract Two radioimmunoassays for Gm allotypes using human IgM (SNagg) and rabbit IgG anti-Gm antibodies are described. All the antisera tested reacted much better with the corresponding Gm antigen present on aggregated IgG than with the same allotype on 7S IgG. Consequently, aggregated Gm(+) IgGs are used as iodinated tracers in these RIAs, while 7S IgGs are used as standards for quantitative studies. Serum concentrations ofGlm(1).Glm(3) and G3m(11) were measured in populations of homozygous and heterozygous normal Caucasian donors. These values agreed with previous results obtained with other methods.
A 2D Fourier Approach to Deformable Model Segmentation of 3D Medical Images

Anatomical shapes present a unique problem in terms of accurate representation and medical image segmentation. Three-dimensional statistical shape models have been extensively researched as a means of autonomously segmenting and representing models. We present a segmentation method driven by a statistical shape model based on a priori shape information from manually segmented training image sets. Our model is comprised of a stack of two-dimensional Fourier descriptors computed from the perimeters of the segmented training image sets after a transformation into a canonical coordinate frame. We apply our shape model to the segmentation of CT and MRI images of the distal femur via an original iterative method based on active contours. The results from the application of our novel method demonstrate its ability to accurately capture anatomical shape variations and guide segmentation. Our quantitative results are unique in that most similar previous work presents only qualitative results.