cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A system for oxygen-15 labeled blood for medical applications.

Abstract Oxygen-15 labeled compounds in blood have been used successfully for cerebral circulation and cerebral oxygen metabolism measurements. The present paper describes a system for the rapid sequential production of 15OHgB, C15OHgb and H215O in blood under sterile and pyrogen-free conditions. A tonometer has been adopted for labeling blood without hemolysis and foam production.
Dose-response relationship with increasing doses of dextromethorphan for children with cough.

Abstract Background: The efficacy of dextromethorphan (DM) for treating acute cough is uncertain, and its use is not supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nevertheless, DM is often administered to children as an antitussive. DM dosages are based on age rather than body weight, resulting in substantial variability in the relative amount of drug administered. Objective: The aim of this work was to determine whether a dose-response relationship existed among a group of children administered a single nocturnal dose of DM for cough due to an upper respiratory tract infection. Methods: As part of a larger double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of over-the-counter cough medications, children received DM. The administered doses (per manufacturer recommendations) were as follows: ages 2 to 5 years, 7.5 mg; ages 6 to 11 years, 15 mg; and ages 12 to 18 years, 30 mg. This resulted in a range of 0.35 to 0.94 mg/kg per dose. Subjective parental assessments of cough and sleep were obtained using a 7-point Likerttype scale that compared symptoms after medication with symptoms during the prior night (without medication). Three dose ranges were compared as a subset analysis of the group that received DM. Results :Thirty-three patients (19 girls, 14 boys; median [interquartile range] age, 4.90 [2.90–6.80] years; age range, 2.10–16.50 years) received DM and completed the study. No significant differences were found for any of the outcome measures when comparing the effects of different doses of DM, but our observations suggested somewhat more symptomatic relief for patients receiving medium-dose DM (0.45 to Conclusions: Although no statistically significant differences were detectable for the outcomes studied, our observations suggest the potential for improved clinical symptom control with increasing doses of DM. Our findings may further suggest that a dose of 0.5 mg/kg should be considered in future assessments of the antitussive effect of DM in pediatric studies, to balance symptomatic relief with the avoidance of adverse events.
Studies on the RNA Isolated from Fresh Water Sponge, Ephydatia meyeni

Protein and DNA-free RNA, isolated from fresh water sponge, Ephydatia meyeni, shows 31 and 52% increase in A260 value upon digestion with pancreatic RNAse and alkali, respectively. While total RNA exhibits a catalytic influence upon the aggregation of sponge cells, tRNA alone has a negligible effect. Although rRNA brings about a similar effect to that of total RNA, EDTA-treated rRNA has no effect upon the aggregation of sponge cells. Results are interpreted in the light of a possible role for polyamines.
Non-enzymatic aqueous peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence immune detection using a CCD camera and a CMOS device.

A new method for non-enzymatic aqueous peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence (POCL) biomolecular detection using imaging chip-based devices has been developed. A water-soluble amide of oxalic acid was synthesized and used in the investigation and characterization of POCL immunodetection in an aqueous environment. Six fluorescent dyes commonly used in biological detection were tested, and the intensity of light generated from the aqueous POCL reactions was characterized in the liquid phase. Direct detection sensitivity comparisons between a standard fluorescent method and this POCL method were performed in both liquid and solid phases. Results showed that detection sensitivity using the POCL method is comparable to that of the fluorescent method. POCL biomolecular detection on a nitrocellulose membrane was also investigated using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. Again, POCL detection sensitivity proved to be comparable to that using the fluorescent detection method. In an application of aqueous POCL biomolecular detection, Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B (SEB) and its antibody were used to demonstrate immuno- and affinity detection. For further applications, such as DNA and protein arrays, simultaneous detection of biomolecules labelled with different fluorescent labels was investigated, using a complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) colour imaging chip. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acute Traumatic Aortic Injuries: Posttherapy Multidetector CT Findings

Acute traumatic aortic injury is a life-threatening entity that requires emergent treatment. Treatment was once performed with left thoracotomy, resection of the damaged aortic segment, and placement of an interposition graft. Within the past decade, endovascular therapy has gained increased acceptance, primarily because of a significant decrease in mortality and morbidity compared with those of surgery. The authors reviewed the experience with management of acute traumatic aortic injuries at their institution, as well as that reported in the literature. Complications after endovascular repair include endoleak, endograft collapse, stroke, upper extremity ischemia, paraplegia, graft infection, endograft structural failure, missed injury or stent migration, and access site complications. After surgical repair, paraplegia and ischemia to other organs, graft dehiscence, graft infection, and graft stenosis may occur. With the growing use of endovascular management of acute traumatic aortic injuries and the increased likelihood of patient survival, the radiologist will be expected to be familiar with the findings in these patients and is positioned to play a critical role in early recognition of potential complications. Early diagnosis of the complications of therapy for aortic injury is imperative for reduction of mortality and morbidity.
Site‐directed mutagenesis of the katG gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: effects on catalase–peroxidase activities and isoniazid resistance

Recent studies examining the molecular mechanisms of isoniazid (INH) resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis have demonstrated that a significant percentage of drug-resistant strains are mutated in the katG gene which encodes a catalase-peroxidase, and the majority of these alterations are missense mutations which result in the substitution of a single amino acid. In previous reports, residues which may be critical for enzymatic activity and the drug-resistant phenotype have been identified by evaluating INH-resistant clinical isolates and in vitro mutants. In this study, site-directed mutagenesis techniques were utilized to alter the wild-type katG gene from M. tuberculosis at 13 of these codons. The effects of these mutations were determined using complementation assays in katG-defective, INH-resistant strains of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG. This mutational analysis revealed that point mutations in the katG gene at nine of the 13 codons can cause drug resistance, and that enzymatic activity and resistance to INH are inversely related. In addition, mutations in the mycobacterial catalase-peroxidase which reduce catalase activity also decrease peroxidase activity.
Pore Sizes in Carpet

Two techniques, liquid extrusion with water and optical microscopy on embedded carpet samples, are used to assess pore size distribution and location within the pile of a cut pile carpet manufactured from a polypropylene backing, crosslinked styrene butadiene rubber adhesive, and nylon pile. The results from the two techniques agree where the resulting data overlap and are complimentary in other pore size ranges. The carpet is able to absorb 6.1 times its weight in water. When the water content is reduced to roughly 50-60% by mechanical extraction, free water is probably situated in pores with an effective capillary diameter of up to 200 micrometers. The occupied pores are distributed throughout the carpet pile thickness and largely within the yams. This in formation may be used to develop an economical technique for drying carpets.
Wh -movement and the syntax of sluicing

Sluicing – the elliptical construction in which all of a constituent question goes missing except for the interrogative phrase – is commonly analyzed as involving movement of the interrogative phrase to Spec-CP followed by deletion of TP (Ross 1969, Merchant 2001). In this paper, I examine how well the movement-plus-deletion analysis extends to Farsi, a wh-in situ language that, surprisingly, has a sluicing construction nearly identical to its English counterpart. I argue that the interrogative phrase in Farsi sluicing escapes deletion not by wh-movement as in English but by a type of focus movement. This operation, which normally applies very generally and is optional, is restricted in sluicing contexts in two ways: (i) it is obligatory, and (ii) it only applies to interrogative phrases. I propose a formal implementation that integrates these two properties into the licensing requirement on deletion, advancing the current understanding of the syntax of sluicing.
Genotype, protein, phenotype relationships in self-incompatibility of Brassica

The inheritance of self-incompatibility proteins was studied in three homozygous self-incompatible genotypes of Brassica oleracea var. capitata and their F1 and F2 progenies. The presence or absence in the stigma of incompatibility proteins was determined by immunodiffusion and independently by disk electrophoresis. Certain proteins (antigens) were present in F1 and F2 plants in exact correlation with segregation of the S alleles as determined by phenotypic expression of incompatibility. An S allele–protein–phenotype relationship was thus verified.
PROP (6-n-Propylthiouracil) Tasting and Sensory Responses to Caffeine, Sucrose, Neohesperidin Dihydrochalcone and Chocolate

The genetically determined ability to taste 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) has been linked with lowered acceptance of some bitter foods. Fifty-four women, aged 18-30 years, tasted and rated PROP-impregnated filter paper and seven solutions of PROP. Summed bitterness intensity ratings for PROP solutions determined PROP taster status. Respondents also tasted five sucrose and seven caffeine solutions, as well as seven solutions each of caffeine and PROP that had been sweetened with 0.3 mmol/l neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC). Respondents also rated three kinds of chocolate using 9-point category scales. PROP tasters rated caffeine solutions as more bitter than did non-tasters and liked them less. PROP tasters did not rate either sucrose or NHDC as more sweet. The addition of NHDC to PROP and caffeine solutions suppressed bitterness intensity more effectively for tasters than for non-tasters and improved hedonic ratings among both groups. PROP tasters and non-tasters showed the same hedonic response to sweetened caffeine solutions and did not differ in their sensory responses to chocolate. Genetic taste markers may have only a minor impact on the consumption of such foods as sweetened coffee or chocolate.
Epoxide‐substituted vinyl and acrylate copolymers

Polymers which are multifunctional in epoxide groups were synthesized by copolymerizing glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) with acrylate and vinyl monomers. The reactivity ratios at 65°C. for the monomer pair styrene (M1)–GMA (M2) are r1 = 0.34 ± 0.05 and r2 = 0.63 ± 0.01. Glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) is similar to methyl methacrylate in its copolymerization characteristics. The copolymers can be crosslinked by the same classes of materials that are useful with conventional epoxide resins based on epichlorohydrin and bisphenol A. Similar curing conditions and reactant stoichiometry can also be used. Three GMA copolymers are described: (1) a phosphated styrene/GMA (85/15) copolymer which is thermosetting and can be used as an appliance finish vehicle to yield enamels with excellent resistance properties; (2) an ethyl acrylate/GMA (97/3) elastomer which can be vulcanized with amines or diacids; and (3) a methyl methacrylate/GMA (70/30) copolymer which can be crosslinked at room temperature with amines. These polymers have good resistance to yellowing because of their aliphatic hydrocarbon backbone. The molecular weight and epoxide functionality of the polymers can be varied over wide ranges.
Integrated matching and segmentation of multiple features in two views

We present an integrated method to match multiple features including points, regions, and lines in two perspective images, and simultaneously segment them such that all features in each segment have the same 3D motion. The method uses local affine (first-order) approximation of the displacement field under the assumption of locally rigid motion. Each distinct motion is represented in the image plane by a distinct set of values for six displacement parameters. To compute the values of these parameters, the 6D space is split into two 3D spaces, and each is exhaustively searched coarse-to-fine. This yields two results simultaneously, correspondences between features and segmentation of features into subsets corresponding to locally rigid patches of moving objects. Since matching is based on the 2D approximation of 3D motion, problems due to motion or object boundaries and occlusion can be avoided. Large motion is also handled in a manner unlike the methods based on flow field. Integrated use of the multiple features not only gives a larger number of features (overconstrained system) but also reduces the number of candidate matches for the features, thus making matching less ambiguous. Experimental results are presented for four pairs of real images.
Acute exposure of rats to air ions: Effects on the regional concentration and utilization of serotonin in brain

Exposure to electrically charged gas molecules (air ions) has been reported to influence physiological and behavioral functions in animals and humans although there is controversy as to whether these findings are valid. A popular hypothesis concerning the reported effects of air ions is that alterations in serotonin (5HT) metabolism, particularly in the brain, are involved. We measured the concentration and turnover of 5HT in rats exposed to 5.0 X 10(5) ions/cm3 for up to 66 hours. Contrary to previous reports of other investigators, we were unable to demonstrate any effect of exposure to air ions or associated DC electric fields on the concentration or turnover of 5HT in rats under carefully controlled and characterized exposure conditions.
Radiance and Cloud Analyses from GOES-VAS Dwell Soundings

Abstract An analysis technique for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-VISSR (Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer) Atmospheric Sounder (GOES-VAS) sounder data was developed to extract cloud and clear radiance information. This technique employed many of the concepts used in the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project (ISCCP) such as spatial and time comparisons of neighboring satellite pixels. It improved upon the previous studies that used VAS data by using all available VAS data at full time and space resolution. The previous studies utilized <10% of the original data. The GOES-VAS cloud and clear radiance statistics compared well with rawinsondes and the ISCCP cloud analysis. The best agreement between the ISCCP and this GOES-VAS cloud analysis was for upper-tropospheric clouds (<440 hPa) in both cloud frequency and infrared emissivity. The two cloud datasets agreed to within 2% for both parameters. A comparison of the GOES-VAS clear radiance data to National Weather Servi...
Fos expression in the olfactory pathway of high- and low-sexually performing rams exposed to urine from estrous or ovariectomized ewes

Abstract Exposure to estrous ewe urine stimulates investigation and mounting activity in sexually active but not sexually inactive rams. It was hypothesized sexual indifference may result from an inability to detect olfactory cues or an interruption of the pathway from detection of the olfactory stimulus to the motor response. Sexually active (n = 4) and inactive (n = 3) rams were exposed to urine from estrous ewes. An additional group of sexually active rams (n = 3) were exposed to urine from ovariectomized ewes. Rams were exsanguinated following 1 h of exposure to stimulus. Neural activity was determined in tissues of interest by the presence of fos and fos-related proteins detected by immunohistochemistry procedures. Sexually active rams exposed to urine from ovariectomized ewes had more (P ≤ 0.05) fos-positive cells in the olfactory bulb, but fewer (P = 0.03) fos-positive cells in the cortical amygdala compared to sexually active rams exposed to urine from estrous ewes. Sexually inactive rams had similar (P ≥ 0.13) numbers of fos positive neurons in the olfactory bulb and medial amygdala but fewer (P ≤ 0.04) in the central amygdala, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis and the medial preoptic area compared to sexually active rams exposed to urine from estrous ewes. Sexual inactivity was not associated with decreased hypothalamic function since fos activity was similar (P ≥ 0.14) among groups in the suprachiasmatic and ventral medial nucleus. Sexual inactivity is not likely due to an impaired ability to detect or process olfactory stimuli by the main olfactory bulb and medial-cortical amygdala. Sexually inactive rams may have reduced attentiveness to sexual stimuli and/or decreased responsiveness of regions in the brain which regulate reproductive behaviors.
Multi-tiered Internet computing using Java technologies

Increasingly, enterprise computing applications have been shifted from the proprietary computing platforms, such as distributed computing environments and applications coded in C or Fortran, to the web-based Internet computing platforms, such as web client/server computing applications coded in Java. It is vitally important to investigate and understand these changes and choose the proper computing architectures and technologies for the specific application needs in industries in order to become successful. In this research, we have developed several client/server computing projects with a variety of multi-tiered architectures and Java technologies to explore the development and performance issues. The Java technologies such as applets, servlets, JDBC, JSP, and EJB were implemented in different environments to study the issues of system and programming requirements, scalability, reliability, interface design, and efficiency. The guidelines resulting from our research will be valuable in designing enterprise computing using Java technologies for industry applications.
Comparison of Corrosion-Fatigue Cracking of Al-Li Alloy AA 2090-T8E41 and Alloy AA 7075-T651 in Salt Water

Abstract The corrosion-fatigue cracking behavior of aluminum-lithium alloy AA 2090-T8E41 (UNS A92090) and alloy AA 7075-T651 (UNS A97505) in air and 3.5% NaCl solution were investigated, using a fracture mechanics approach. The 2090-T8E41 alloy, as fatigued in air, was found to exhibit a very tortuous fracture-surface morphology and high crack-closure levels that led to fatigue-crack growth rates about 10 times lower than counterpart growth rates for alloy 7075-T651. Such roughness-induced crack closure was greatly reduced for specimens tested in 3.5% NaCl solution, as the conjoint action of salt water corrosion and mechanical fretting greatly diminshed the fracture surface tortuosity; consequently, fatigue-crack growth rates were elevated approximately 6-fold relative to those in air. Fatigue-crack growth rates of alloy 7075-T651 in salt water in the intermediate stress intensity range (ΔK) region were 2 to 3 times higher than those in air. However, in the low ΔK region, the crack-growth rates in salt wa...
Genesis: a scalable distributed system for large-scale parallel network simulation

The complexity and dynamics of the Internet is driving the demand for scalable and efficient network simulation. In this paper, we describe a novel approach to scalability and efficiency of parallel network simulations. This approach is based on partitioning of a network into domains and of the simulation time into intervals. Each domain is simulated independently of and concurrently with the others over the same simulation time interval. At the end of each interval, traffic statistics data, including per flow average packet delays and packet drop rates, are exchanged between domain simulators. The simulators iterate over the same time interval until the exchanged information converges, that is until the certain metric of a difference between the information exchanged in two subsequent iterations is smaller than a prescribed precision. After convergence, all simulators progress to the next time interval. This approach allows the parallelization with infrequent synchronization, and achieves significant simulation speedups.Large memory size required by simulation software hinders the simulation of large-scale networks. To overcome this problem, our system supports distribution of network information by assigning to each participating simulator only data related to the part of the network that it simulates. Such a solution supports simulations of large-scale networks on machines with modest memory size.
Nitric Oxide Inhibits Apoptosis Downstream of Cytochrome c Release by Nitrosylating Caspase 9

Inhibition of the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis has been implicated as a mechanism contributing to carcinogenesis. Chronic inflammation, which is accompanied by activation of inducible nitric oxide synthase and generation of nitric oxide (NO), is associated with cancer development in a variety of gastrointestinal diseases, including cholangiocarcinoma. Therefore, we examined the effects of NO on the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines. Transfection with inducible NO synthase inhibited etoposide-induced apoptosis. S-Nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (SNAP), a pharmacological NO donor, did not prevent mitochondrial cytochrome c release as assessed by immunoblot analysis or cellular localization of cytochrome c-green fluorescent protein. In contrast, SNAP did prevent activation of caspase 9 in etoposide-treated cells. Furthermore, SNAP also blocked caspase 9 activation in a cell-free system and reversibly inhibited catalytic activity of human recombinant caspase 9. As assessed by the Saveille reaction, immunoprecipitated procaspase 9 from SNAP-treated cells released 6-fold more NO than untreated cells, confirming that cellular procaspase 9 is susceptible to nitrosylation. In conclusion, NO inhibits apoptosis downstream of cytochrome c release by directly blocking caspase 9 activation.
The Electron Density in the Plane of the Galaxy

Pulsars provide probably the best probes of electron density in the plane of the Galaxy. The dispersion measure, the path integral of electron density along the line of sight from the pulsar to Earth, ∫ neds, is directly measurable from multi-frequency pulse-timing observations. The distance to a pulsar, d, can be estimated from its HI absorption and emission spectra. The mean electron density along the line of sight is then just = ∫ neds/d.
Structural Correlates of Rotavirus Cell Entry

Cell entry by non-enveloped viruses requires translocation into the cytosol of a macromolecular complex—for double-strand RNA viruses, a complete subviral particle. We have used live-cell fluorescence imaging to follow rotavirus entry and penetration into the cytosol of its ∼700 A inner capsid particle (“double-layered particle”, DLP). We label with distinct fluorescent tags the DLP and each of the two outer-layer proteins and track the fates of each species as the particles bind and enter BSC-1 cells. Virions attach to their glycolipid receptors in the host cell membrane and rapidly become inaccessible to externally added agents; most particles that release their DLP into the cytosol have done so by ∼10 minutes, as detected by rapid diffusional motion of the DLP away from residual outer-layer proteins. Electron microscopy shows images of particles at various stages of engulfment into tightly fitting membrane invaginations, consistent with the interpretation that rotavirus particles drive their own uptake. Electron cryotomography of membrane-bound virions also shows closely wrapped membrane. Combined with high resolution structural information about the viral components, these observations suggest a molecular model for membrane disruption and DLP penetration.
Model management and the automation of computer system operations

A report is presented on efforts to develop and manage a model of a real-time computer system. The computer systems of interest are large-scale, IBM mainframe computers that run the MVS operating system. The model interacts with both the computer system itself, and with heterogeneous software modules designed to control and manage the computer system. The work indicates that even in rule-based environments, an object-oriented status-model manager provides valuable functionality. >
Aerobic Exercise as a Warm-Up for Singing: Aerodynamic Changes

Summary Objectives This study was designed to determine the impact of aerobic exercise on vocal warm-up. Study design This is a cohort experimental study. Methods Sixteen graduate and six undergraduate students in an academic vocal performance program participated. They completed a 30-minute treadmill workout in their target aerobic heart range. Aerodynamic data during singing were acquired before and after the treadmill workout. In full voice, participants sang the first seven notes of the Star Spangled Banner on "pah," repeating the seventh note seven times, at 1.5 syllables/s after an inhalation. The key was determined by voice type, with the target note within the range of passaggio for men, and in head voice for women. Results Paired t tests were performed on the data from 17 singers who maintained or increased sound pressure level (SPL) after exercise. Significant pre- to post-exercise increases were found for mean SPL and mean airflow during voicing, although increased estimated subglottal pressure approached significance. These measures were essentially unchanged in individuals who decreased SPL after exercise. There was no significant difference in vocal efficiency after the aerobic exercise, primarily due to large standard deviations within the pre- and post-exercise conditions. Conclusions Most participants demonstrated favorable aerodynamic changes during singing after aerobic exercise. It is possible that in certain situations, a general aerobic warm-up could set the stage for a less-demanding vocal-specific warm-up, especially for a high voice performing early in the morning.
The Adductor Canal Block

The adductor canal block (ACB), or more precisely the saphenous nerve block in the adductor canal, is a single-shot or continuous technique for anesthesia and analgesia of the knee and medial leg. Moreover, claims that this block can provide comparable regional anesthesia to the femoral block for surgical procedures of the knee, yet with less motor blockade, are responsible for much of its recent popularity. Ultrasound facilitates placement of local anesthetic within the adductor canal to block the saphenous nerve distal to where most motor branches of the femoral nerve arise. However, enthusiasm for the ACB—specifically for knee procedures—must be tempered by the lack in consensus regarding the ideal anatomic location and volume of local anesthetic as well as ways to reliably and predictably minimize postoperative motor weakness with this block.
Developing and Nurturing Strategic Capabilities

Brief discussion of resources and capabilities, their importance, and their role in the creation of competitive advantage. Excerpt UVA-S-0167 January 11, 2010 DEVELOPING AND NURTURING STRATEGIC CAPABILITIES Strategic management involves creating uncommon value for all stakeholders, including customers, employees, shareholders, and suppliers. Managers focus on the means and resources needed to develop products and services that provide desirable and distinctive benefits for as many stakeholders as possible; organizations work to deliver consistently uncommon value through integrated systems of durable relationships, resources, and routines. As systems are developed, managers work to strengthen and guard the processes and knowledge underpinning these combinations to retain, protect, and enhance this value to their stakeholders and to ensure that competitors will find them difficult to replicate. Capabilities may involve deceptively simplistic, routine procedures or policies, or codified, detailed analytical frameworks or tools. Managers can best add value when they address: Which combinations of elements are necessary to create the most value for stakeholders? How can our organization develop these combinations? What investments need to be made to achieve product and service superiority in the eyes of multiple stakeholders? How can these bundles of knowledge and resources be paired with complementary systems within and outside of the organization? With these questions as guides, managers can focus on the resource and knowledge investments necessary to produce superior products or services, and thus, competitive advantage. Accounting for Capabilities A simplified model of value creation involves (1) an organization’s use of inputs, (2) the processes used to refashion those inputs into outputs, and (3) the placement of these outputs in the marketplace. Accounting measures can approximate the raw material inventory an organization holds in its warehouses, the labor output (measured in hours) to produce a finished product, and the piece and market values of final products. An organization’s capabilities, however, are valued assets that may not appear on its balance sheet. An approach to measuring capabilities involves critically evaluating whether they are valuable, rare, inimitable, and nonsubstitutable (VRIN attributes). Integration with Other Strategy Frameworks . . .
Dorothy Kenyon: Senator Joseph McCarthy's First Case

The first person to testify about accusations of subversion leveled by Senator Joseph McCarthy in 1950 was Dorothy Kenyon, a women's rights and civil liberties activist lawyer. McCarthy's choice of a woman as what he would call his first case reflected and added to the confusion about women's roles that was a feature of the United States in the post-World War II era.
Fibroblast biology in thyroid diseases

Several thyroid diseases are manifested by structural and functional alterations in connective tissue. Hypothyroidism in its more severe and sustained form results in generalized deposition of the glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan in many tissues. This condition is termed myxedema and is easily remedied
The Measurement of Thermal Conductivity of Plastics at Cryogenic Temperatures — A Discussion of Contact Resistance and One’s Naiveté

A computer-controlled method that minimizes thermometric and radiation errors for the measurement of thermal conductivity of materials is presented. Initial runs with G-11 to “qualify” the apparatus brought us face to face with our naivete when large contact resistance errors were observed. Various methods that failed to maintain good thermal contact from room to liquid-helium temperature are examined, and the solution to the problem is discussed. Thermal conductivity curves for G-10/11CR (NIST), Amodel 33% glass, Noryl SEIGFN3, and 3 types of Ultem are presented. The thermal properties of Vectra, a liquid-crystal polymer, are also mentioned because its properties are unique.
Applications of Generating Functions

This chapter provides an overview of applications of generating functions. Power series generating functions are exceptionally well-adapted to finding means, standard deviations, and other moments of distributions, with minimum work. The chapter presents a generating functionological view of the sieve method. The sieve method is one of the most powerful general tools in combinatorics. It is explained in most texts in discrete mathematics; however, it most often appears as a sequence of manipulations of alternating sums of binomial coefficients. The chapter also discusses a single method called the snake oil method, which uses generating functions to deal with the evaluation of combinatorial sums. This method is capable of handling a great variety of sums involving binomial coefficients. It also works, within its limitations, on sums involving other combinatorial numbers. The chapter presents examples of the power of the generating function method in proving congruences among combinatorial numbers. A congruence between two generating functions means that the congruence holds between every pair of their corresponding coefficients.
The effect of a single prerelease exposure to conspecific alarm cue on poststocking survival in three strains of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Significant resources go toward rearing and stocking fish globally, yet poststocking survival is often low, largely due to high predation rates on hatchery-reared fish. Antipredator behavior has be...
Interdomain Interactions and the Mechanism of Structural Transformation in RfaH

The transcription anti-terminator protein RfaH is a remarkable example of a multifunctional transformer protein as its C-terminal domain (CTD) can interconvert between an α-helix bundle and a β-barrel conformations for performing different functions. When interfaced with its N-terminal domain (NTD), it assumes the α-helix conformation but undergoes a major transformation to a β-barrel conformation when it is not interfaced with its NTD. We investigate the mechanisms of the major structural reorganization in full RfaH using a variety of all-atom Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation techniques, including targeted molecular dynamics and steered molecular dynamics and calculate potentials of mean force. We find that the CTD-NTD interdomain interactions constitute the main barrier in the CTD α-helix to β-barrel structural conversion. Key amino acids residues were identified that play especially important roles in controlling the interdomain motions and also describe subtle structural changes that may be important in the functioning of RfaH.
Towards Access Control for Isolated Applications

With the advancements in contemporary multi-core CPU architectures, it is now possible for a server operating system (OS), such as Linux, to handle a large number of concurrent application services on a single server instance. Individual application components of such services may run in different isolated runtime environments, such as chrooted jails or application containers, and may need access to system resources and the ability to collaborate and coordinate with each other in a regulated and secure manner. We propose an access control framework for policy formulation, management, and enforcement that allows access to OS resources and also permits controlled collaboration and coordination for service components running in disjoint containerized environments under a single Linux OS server instance. The framework consists of two models and the policy formulation is based on the concept of policy classes for ease of administration and enforcement. The policy classes are managed and enforced through a Linux Policy Machine (LPM) that acts as the centralized reference monitor and provides a uniform interface for accessing system resources and requesting application data and control objects. We present the details of our framework and also discuss the preliminary implementation to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach.
Venous Thromboembolism in the Cosmetic Patient: Analysis of 129,007 Patients.

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the most feared postoperative complications in cosmetic surgery. The true rate of VTE in this patient population remains largely unknown with current American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) prophylaxis recommendations partially extrapolated from other surgical specialties. Objectives This study analyzed the risk factors for VTE in cosmetic surgical procedures. Methods A prospective cohort of patients who underwent aesthetic surgery between 2008 and 2013 was identified from the CosmetAssure database. Primary outcome was occurrence of a clinically significant VTE within 30 days of surgery. Risk factors analyzed included age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking, diabetes, type of surgical facility, procedure by body region, and combined procedures. Results A total of 129,007 patients were identified, of which 116 (0.09%) had a confirmed VTE. Combined procedures had a significantly higher overall rate of VTE compared to solitary procedures (0.20% vs 0.04%, P < .01). On multivariate logistic regression, significant risk factors for VTE ( P < .05) included body procedures (RR 13.47), combined procedures (RR 2.4), increasing BMI (RR 1.06), and age (RR 1.02). Gender, smoking, diabetes, and type of surgical facility were not found to be significant risk factors. Face procedures (0.01%) and breast procedures (0.01%) had the lowest VTE rates, followed by combined face/body (0.16%), body procedures (0.21%), and combined body/breast procedures (0.28%). Conclusions The incidence of VTE after cosmetic procedures is relatively low. However, the risk increases with combined procedures as well as with particular body areas, most notably trunk and extremities. Equally, significant patient risk factors exist, including BMI and age. Level of Evidence 2![Graphic][1] Risk [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif
Could the Photon be Superfluous

Max Planck’s discovery of the quantum of electromagnetic radiation - the photon - and its use to explain phenomena according to the ‘old quantum theory’ led to a revolutionary stance in physics - the ‘new quantum theory’ - led primarily by Niels Bohr and Werner Heisenberg.
Racial/Ethnic Minority Older Adults' Perspectives on Proposed Medicaid Reforms' Effects on Dental Care Access.

To examine how proposed Medicaid reform plans are experienced by racial/ethnic minority older adults and what the implications are for their ability to access dental care through Medicaid, from 2013 to 2015 we conducted focus groups in northern Manhattan, New York, New York, among African American, Dominican, and Puerto Rican adults aged 50 years and older.Participants reported problems with affording copayments for care, complicated health and social issues, the need for vision and dental care close to home, and confusion about and stigmatization with Medicaid coverage.Federal, state, and local public health agencies can help by clarifying and simplifying Medicaid plans and sustaining benefits that older adults need to live healthy and dignified lives.
Comparative study of TERT promoter mutation status within spatially, temporally and morphologically distinct components of urothelial carcinoma

Telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) is a ribonucleoprotein involved in maintaining the length of telomeres. In the absence of TERT expression, differentiated cells can only divide a finite number of times before undergoing cellular senescence – often referred to as the Hayflick limit. Mutations within the promoter region of TERT that create consensus binding sequences for ETS family transcription factors are a common mechanism by which neoplastic cells increase TERT expression and overcome this limit [1]. TERT promoter mutations are common in many cancer types including 60-80% of urothelial carcinomas (UC) [2,3]. Given the high frequency of these mutations in UC and absence of these mutations in non-neoplastic/benign mimics of UC [4], TERT promoter mutations may serve as potential biomarker for monitoring patients with a history of malignancy. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Cardiotoxicity associated with carfilzomib: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

e21674Background: Carfilzomib (Carf)is a novel proteasome inhibitor (PI) that is approved for patients with relapsed multiple myeloma (RMM) who have failed ≥ 1 prior lines of therapy. The incidence...
THE OUTLOOK FOR DEBT RELIEF OR REPUDIATION IN LATIN AMERICA

A debt moratorium occurs when a country declares that it will not pay debt service for a specific period of time. Naturally arrears that is, debt service obligations that were due but were not paid accumulate during a moratorium, as they do when countries fail to service debt without declar ing their intention of not doing so. Arrears are added to the value of the debt outstanding. A declaration that debt service payments will for some period be limited to a certain level, for ex ample, to 10 percent of export receipts (as in the recent case of Peru), is a partial moratorium.
Successful treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) with spinal cord stimulation (SCS): case reports

35 The use of neurotoxic chemotherapeutic agents occasionally leads to neuropathic pain in extremities characterized by burning, sharp radiating discomfort. This pain is typically refractory or non-responsive to medical management including opioid use and nerve blocks. The following case reports describe five patients with CIPN whose pain was successfully controlled with the Precision™ SCS system (Advanced Bionics Corporation, Valencia, CA). Case summaries of patients diagnosed with CIPN pain of lower extremities were developed based on retrospective chart review. 1. A 58-year old female with history of chronic myelogenous leukemia treated with hemoharringtine and alpha interferon presented with burning pain of 8 years duration that radiated from the buttocks into both legs and feet. Medical treatment including opioids, lumbar epidural injections, and nerve blocks were ineffective or not tolerated. Treatment with SCS resulted in an immediate and durable significant decrease in pain (from 8 to 2 on 10-point VAS scale), and allowed discontinuation of most pain medications. 2. A 57-year old female with history of breast cancer treated with trastuzumab, zoledronic acid, and docetaxel presented with bipedal neuropathic pain exacerbated by ambulation. After 2 years of unsuccessful pain management with opioids and adverse reactions to other drugs, significant pain relief (VAS 9 to 2) was achieved with SCS, and drug use was discontinued. 3. In remission from IgA multiple myeloma, a 54-year old male treated with velcade, thalidomide, and dexamethasone presented with bilateral burning foot pain. Opioid use resulted in somnolence and nausea. Six months post SCS, his pain rating and morphine equivalent daily dose (MEDD) decreased from 10 to 2 and 110 to 5, respectively. 4. A 54-year old woman with history of gastric carcinoma treated with cisplatin, taxol, and 5-FU presented with bilateral burning in anterior thigh of 6 years duration. Opioid use caused sedation without pain relief. Following treatment with SCS, VAS decreased from 9 to 2 and MEDD from 145 to 5. 5. A 55-year old male with history of carcinoma of bladder treated with cisplatin, gemcitabine, adriamycin, and ifosfamide presented with sharp stabbing pain in the legs of 3 years duration. Pain therapy included opioids, MEDD of 200, and unsuccessful lumbar sympathetic blocks. After SCS, pain rating changed from VAS 8 to 2 and MEDD dropped to 10. These cases represent patients who had unsatisfactory outcomes with management of debilitating neuropathic pain and were ‘salvaged’ with SCS. Adverse impact of CIPN on quality of life is significant and is often inadequately addressed with conventional pain management modalities. SCS has demonstrated effectiveness in managing neuropathic pain over a wide range of etiologies and should be considered in management of refractory pain secondary to chemotherapy-induced neuropathy.
Enhancing Treatment Reengagement for Veterans With Serious Mental Illness: Evaluating the Effectiveness of SMI Re-Engage.

Objective:This evaluation assessed the effectiveness of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) program Reengaging Veterans With Serious Mental Illness in Treatment (SMI Re-Engage). The program se...
The first lady of social media: The visual rhetoric of Michelle Obama’s Twitter images

While American first ladies have long used media to craft their image, Michelle Obama is the first contemporary first lady to use social media to promote her public persona. We use the lens of symb...
Software Piracy: A Primer

Due to increasing use of computer and the Internet, there has been a rise in illegal copying of software. Software piracy is the unlawful reproduction and distribution of software. The ease with which software is pirated is creating a vexing problem for software publishing industry. Today software piracy is costing software industry billions of dollars annually in lost revenues. It may even force some companies to go out of business. This paper provides a short introduction to software piracy.
Parameterized Program Equivalence Checking

In the previous chapter we discussed an approach to verify if two programs are equivalent, thereby proving that the translation (performed by an HLS tool) from high-level design to low-level design is correct. In this chapter, we discuss another approach that guarantees correctness of the translation from high-level design to low-level design, by proving the HLS tool itself correct. Unlike translation validation, this approach proves the correctness of an HLS tool once and for all, before it is ever run. In the following sections we describe in details an approach called Parametrized Equivalence Checking [120] (PEC ) that generalizes the translation validation approach discussed in the previous chapter to automatically establish the correctness of semantics preserving transformations once and for all.
The Arc Sine Law of Paul Lévy

ABSTRACT In 1939 Paul Levy deduced the arc sine law for the coin tossing game by giving a heuristic proof. In this paper we shall demonstrate that Levy's heuristic approach can be applied for a large class of stochastic processes; however, it leads to incorrect results in the general case.
Towards Public Health Dashboard Design Guidelines

Ongoing surveillance of disease outbreaks is important for public health officials, who to need consult with laboratory technicians in identifying specimen and coordinate care for affected populations. One way for public health officials to monitor possible outbreaks is through digital dashboards of summarized public health data. This study examines best practices for designing public health dashboards and proposes an optimized interface for an emergency response system for state public health laboratories. The practical nature of this research shows how general dashboard guidelines can be used to design a specialized dashboard for a public health emergency response information system. Through our analysis and design process, we identified two new guidelines for consideration.
Interacting stressors matter: diet quality and virus infection in honeybee health

Honeybee population declines have been linked to multiple stressors, including reduced diet diversity and increased exposure to understudied viral pathogens. Despite interest in these factors, few ...