cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Diagnosis and Management of Headache

HIS IS AN ophthalmologist’s view of the T common problem of headache as seen in general practice. A systematic approach to diagnosis and proper classification is shown in Table 1. Definitive management, treatment, and referral are considered in some detail, with an emphasis on vascular headache because it is the most common cause of clinically significant headache. Visual obscurations and their relationship with headache, vascular disease, and neurologic disease deserve equal emphasis. Neurologic problems as related to headache will be discussed in lesser detail. VASCULAR HEADACHES Migraine is commonly misdiagnosed by the ophthalmologist mainly because the examiner does not listen carefully to the patient’s symptoms and does not ask pertinent questions. Ophthalmologists tend not to be familiar with the subject and consider it to be beyond their capabilities in management. It is of primary importance to identify the type of vascular headache the examiner is dealing with by taking a careful history, including the chief complaint and past history of headache, which are of equal importance. The most important characteristic identifying migraine or one of its equivalents is periodicity. Migraine occurs as a major or minor attack of cephalgia depending on its severity, in contrast to tension headache, which does not follow such a pattern. The next identifying feature is a preceding aura (usually visual), which is present in classic migraine but absent in common migraine. The aftermath of a migraine attack of any severity is lassitude or a feeling of being “washed out.” A family history is of great help in diagnosing migraine headache. The age of the patient is very important. Pediatric, ophthalmoplegic, and basilar migraine occur in children and adolescents. Classic and common migraine are most common in adults between 20 and 40 years of age, and isolated ophthalmic migraine occurs mostly in older patients. Once one has identified the type of vascular headache, treatment or management can be pursued appropriately.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, the G1691A factor V Leiden mutation, and plasminogen activator inhibitor activity: associations with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Our specific aim was to assess associations of thrombophilia, hypofibrinolysis, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) (>/=3 consecutive pregnancy losses /= 1 previous pregnancy and had been referred for diagnosis and therapy of PCOS over a 4.3-year period. The Factor V Leiden G1691 mutation was present in 6 of 33 women (18%) with PCOS-RPL and in 3 of 16 women with RPL without PCOS (19%) versus 2 of 116 (1.7%) female controls, Fisher's P (p(f)) =.0016, p(f) =.013. The 33 PCOS-RPL cases also differed from the 44 female controls for high PAI-Fx (>21.1 U/mL), 38% versus 8%, p(f) =. 004. The thrombophilic G1691A Factor V Leiden mutation is associated with RPL in women with and without PCOS; hypofibrinolysis (high PAI-Fx) is also associated with RPL in women with PCOS.
Vegetation-environment relationships in forest ecosystems of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic1

Abstract Sherman, R. E., P. H. Martin, and T. J. Fahey (Department of Natural Resources, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853) Vegetation-environment relationships in forest ecosystems of the Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic. J. Torrey. Bot. Soc. 132: 293–310. 2005.—We examined forest vegetation-environment relationships in the central mountain range of Hispaniola to improve general understanding of tropical montane forests. Forest inventory data were collected in 1999 and 2000 from 245 plots established in the Armando Bermudez and Carmen Ramirez National Parks, Dominican Republic, over an elevation range of 1,100–3,075 m. Average tree density (≥ 10 cm dbh), basal area, and dbh were highly variable across the elevation gradient; species richness declined significantly with elevation; and the canopy height of broadleaved stands declined whereas the height of stands dominated by the endemic pine, Pinus occidentalis Sw., was relatively constant across the elevation gradient. Four major forest associati...
Entergastrone Parenterally in the Treatment of Peptic Ulcer: A Controlled Clinical Study

Summary Thirty-six patients with severe ulcer symptoms were studied. 20 of these received enterogastrone and 16 a placebo which was similar in appearance. Those conducting the study did not know which was enterogastrone and which the placebo until the final results had been evaluated. Similar results were obtained in both groups. Slightly over half of each group improved during the treatment period, and the majority lapsed into the pre-treatment state when the preparations were discontinued. No significant difference in roentgen findings, gastric acidity, or volume of secretion was found between the enterogastrone and the control group.
Sperm storage patterns in singly mated females of the Caribbean fruit fly, Anastrepha suspensa (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Insemination and fertilization are temporally dissociated in most insects thus creating conditions for female-mediated processes to influence paternity. One possible response to copulatory and postcopulatory sexual selection may be to increase the number of sperm-storage organs allowing for differential storage and use of sperm from multiple males. Differential sperm storage was tested in singly mated females of the tephritid fruit fly species, Anastrepha suspensa, which has four sperm-storage organs with separate entries to the bursa. Females mate multiply, and males display copulatory courtship. Copulation duration was examined in relation to female size, male size, and the quantity and distribution of spermatozoa in the four storage organs. Sperm quantity stored in females ranged from 141 to 2,617 spermatozoa, and the time spent in copulation ranged from 6 to 45 min. Spermatozoa were present in the ventral receptacle after all copulations, although this was not the case for the spermathecae. There was no significant correlation between body size and the duration of copulation or the quantity of sperm stored, but copulation duration was positively correlated to the quantity of sperm stored (r = 0.38, P = 0.02).
Skeletal and radiological manifestations of child abuse: Implications for study in past populations

Child abuse in its various types such as physical, emotional, sexual, and neglect has been document throughout history. However, before the mid-20th century, inflicted injuries to children was overlooked in part because children were often viewed as property. According to the World Health Organization, 57,000 children were the victims of homicide in the year 2000. In this paper we present the skeletal and radiological manifestation of physical abuse and fatal neglect and provide recommendations to assess child maltreatment from past populations. Pediatric biomechanical factors and healing are discussed as it is important to keep in mind that children are not just small adults. Skeletal and radiological indicators of nonaccidental or inflicted injuries are reviewed from the literature. Inflicted injuries are presented based on specificity to identify child abuse. In addition, skeletal indicators that could help assess fatal starvation are also reviewed and metabolic diseases are proposed as potential evidence of neglect. A recent child homicide is presented and used to illustrate the difficulty in assessing child maltreatment. Present-day clinical child abuse protocols are used to provide recommendations to assess child abuse in a bioarchaeological context. Clin. Anat. 29:844-853, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Public Finance Without Taxation: Alternative Institutional Frameworks for Municipal Corporations

Expositions of the theory of public finance mostly presume that taxation will be the primary instrument for generating revenues. While this presumption is historically accurate, it does not so much reflect historical necessity as it reflects a combination of power and ideology. Cities are corporate bodies which can be organized under diverse institutional arrangements, only a subset of which will give scope to taxation rather than pricing through contract. For instance, there is a deep similarity between cities and such entities as hotels and malls with respect to the types of services they supply, along with a difference in structures of ownership and forms of revenue. Taxation is thus a feature of a particular arrangement of ownership that is potentially subject to variation; taxation is not something that is inherent in the provision of public goods because hotels and malls both illustrate the supply of public goods through contractual processes.
The impact of disease activity and tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitor therapy on cytokine levels in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

The aim of this study was to evaluate prospectively cytokine levels and disease activity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients treated with and without tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α inhibitors. TNF-α inhibitor-naive JIA subjects were followed prospectively for 6 months. Cytokine levels of TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and IL-17 were measured at baseline for JIA subjects and healthy controls (HCs). Cytokine levels were then measured at four time-points after initiation of TNF-α inhibition for anti-TNF-α-treated (anti-TNF) JIA subjects, and at two subsequent time-points for other JIA (non-TNF) subjects. JIA disease activity by Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) disability index/pain score and physician joint count/global assessment was recorded. Sixteen anti-TNF, 31 non-TNF and 16 HCs were analysed. Among JIA subjects, those with higher baseline disease activity (subsequent anti-TNFs) had higher baseline TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-8 than those with lower disease activity (non-TNFs) (P < 0·05). TNF-α and IL-10 increased, and IL-6 and IL-8 no longer remained significantly higher after TNF-α inhibitor initiation in anti-TNF subjects. Subgroup analysis of etanercept versus adalimumab-treated subjects showed that TNF-α and IL-17 increased significantly in etanercept but not adalimumab-treated subjects, despite clinical improvement in both groups of subjects. JIA subjects with increased disease activity at baseline had higher serum proinflammatory cytokines. TNF-α inhibition resulted in suppression of IL-6 and IL-8 in parallel with clinical improvement in all anti-TNF-treated subjects, but was also associated with elevated TNF-α and IL-17 in etanercept-treated subjects.
Studies on the action of penicillin; development of penicillin resistance by meningococcus in vivo.

Numerous reports have described the development of penicillin resistance in vitro during the course of repeated subcultivation onto mediums containing increasing concentrations of the drug. Accounts of the development of penicillin resistance in vivo are less numerous, however. Schmidt and Sesler1 showed that pneumococcus developed a 4-fold increase in penicillin resistance during 7 passages through mice. Gezon and Collins2 found a definite increase in the quantity of penicillin required to sterilize embryonated eggs inoculated with Group B and Group C beta hemolytic streptococci during the course of 25 egg passages, although when tested in vitro these microorganisms were found to be no more resistant than they were originally. Gezon and Collins were unable, however, to demonstrate any significant increase in resistance in 2 strains of Group A streptococci during 25 passages in penicillin-treated eggs or during 15 passages in penicillin-treated mice.
Anti-apoptotic signaling of the IGF-I receptor in fibroblasts following loss of matrix adhesion

The type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGF-IR) is known to protect cells from a variety of apoptotic injuries. In several instances, the anti-apoptotic effect of the wild type IGF-IR is more evident under conditions of anchorage-independence than in cells in monolayer cultures. We have investigated IGF-IR signaling in cells in anoikis, a form of apoptosis that occurs when cells are denied attachment to the extra-cellular matrix. IGF-I protects mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEF) from anoikis caused by withdrawal of growth factors. Survival is dependent on the concentration of IGF-I and a sufficient number of functional IGF-I receptors. In this model, IGF-I protection correlates best with ras activation and cell-to-cell aggregation, while PI3-kinase, Akt and MAP kinases seem to play a lesser, alternative role.
Using Riboswitches to Regulate Gene Expression and Define Gene Function in Mycobacteria

Mycobacteria include both environmental species and many pathogenic species such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis, an intracellular pathogen that is the causative agent of tuberculosis in humans. Inducible gene expression is a powerful tool for examining gene function and essentiality, both in in vitro culture and in host cell infections. The theophylline-inducible artificial riboswitch has recently emerged as an alternative to protein repressor-based systems. The riboswitch is translationally regulated and is combined with a mycobacterial promoter that provides transcriptional control. We here provide methods used by our laboratory to characterize the riboswitch response to theophylline in reporter strains, recombinant organisms containing riboswitch-regulated endogenous genes, and in host cell infections. These protocols should facilitate the application of both existing and novel artificial riboswitches to the exploration of gene function in mycobacteria.
A LC–MS/MS method with column coupling technique for simultaneous estimation of lamivudine, zidovudine, and nevirapine in human plasma

A new LC–MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of lamivudine, zidovudine, and nevirapine in human plasma is developed using column-coupling technique. Labeled compound of respective analyte was used as an internal standard. After extraction from 100 μL plasma by solid phase extraction method, analytes were separated on a C18 column coupled with a cation exchange column. Total run time was 4.5 min. A tandem mass spectrometric detection was conducted using multiple reaction monitoring under positive ionization mode with an electrospray ionization interface. The method was validated as per the FDA guidelines over the concentration range of 9.47–1466.67 ng/mL for lamivudine, 10.32–1600.00 ng/mL for zidovudine, and 15.05–2426.67 ng/mL for nevirapine. Precision was in the range 0.86–5.77 (intraday) and 1.92–8.19 (interday) while accuracy was 93.25–104.36 % (intraday) and 96.83–103.28 % (interday). Stabilities of stock in aqueous solutions and in plasma were also determined. The method can be applied to the pharmacokinetic study of a combination treatment.
Basic Techniques for 2D and 3D MRI

This chapter describes principles of spatial encoding and the conventional acquisition scheme used in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Because image reconstruction in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) typically involves the use of Fourier transform (FT), the basic principles of Fourier analysis are described in the chapter. Kumar's technique to magnetic resonance (MR) imaging employs a sequence of pulsed magnetic field gradients, which are applied during free induction decay or a spin echo to ensure that the signal is given by Fourier transform of the transverse magnetization in the sample. At this stage, Two basic imaging techniques for Fourier encoding: frequency encoding and phase encoding, are discussed. Frequency encoding is implemented by acquiring signal in the presence of an external magnetic field gradient. The purpose of the gradient, known as the frequency-encoding or readout gradient, is to make the Larmor frequency of nuclei spatially dependent during signal acquisition. Two-dimensional spatial encoding in MRI is normally achieved through the use of an additional gradient, known as the phase-encoding gradient, which is perpendicular to the frequency-encoding gradient. A gradient-echo pulse sequence begins with the excitation of the transverse magnetization in a slice of material. The main difference between gradient-echo and spin-echo pulse sequences is that the latter also includes a 180-degree pulse that causes formation of a spin echo during signal acquisition.
The Evolution of the Golden Temple of Amritsar into a Major Sikh Pilgrimage Center

Today the Sikh diaspora encompasses much of the world, having spread from India and Southeast Asia to the Pacific Rim, the Middle East, East Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Sikhism is a monotheistic world religion founded in the 15 th century by Guru Nanak. His successors continued his teachings and provided a distinct shape to the Sikh community with a written language, a religious scripture and many institutions. The paper examines the significance of sacred place and the role of pilgrimage according to Sikh scripture. It also explores Sikh attitudes and practices towards pilgrimage through a questionnaire based survey. Finally, the paper investigates how the Golden Temple of Amritsar emerged as a sacred place for Sikhs and how it evolved into a major place of pilgrimage.
“PrEP Makes My Relationship Even More Normal:” The Discursive Production of Hope in the Context of HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Among Young Adults with Partners Living with HIV Infection

This analysis is based on a series of in-depth interviews conducted in Northern California, United States, during a pilot study focusing on young peoples’ perspectives on sexual health, particularly as it relates to HIV. Among our sample, we interviewed HIV seronegative young men and women who were romantically involved with partners who were living with HIV (n = 9). In this analysis, we attend to the local and practical concerns of these participants and examine the ways in which they envisioned a new biomedical HIV prevention technology – PrEP – shaping their experience of serodiscordance. We explore the similarities and differences in the ways that young seronegative partners, both heterosexuals and gay, talk about their identity as a member of a serodiscordant couple. In particular, we foreground PrEP’s role in the production of hope as it emerged in the discourse of these youth. With PrEP – a highly effective HIV prevention strategy – some of the threatening meanings ascribed to the virus receded; in their place, language reflecting hope and optimism appeared. This phenomenon signals that PrEP, as part of a new wave of biomedical interventions, is shifting people’s relationship to HIV and, as a consequence, relationship dynamics and perceptions of serodiscordance are evolving.
Unfolding Thermodynamics of the Bound and Unbound States of the preQ1 Riboswitch

Riboswitches are noncoding RNA elements that control gene expression and monitor the environment of the cell. Riboswitches are composed of a highly conserved aptamer domain, which controls the genetic on/off switch, therefore altering the expression platform. In this work, we studied the small preQ1 riboswitch and its ligand (preq1), which are involved in controlling the biosynthetic pathway of the hypermodified nucleotide queuosine.We use a combination of UV melting and differential scanning calorimetry techniques to investigate the unfolding thermodynamics of the different species of the bound and unbound preQ1 as a function of salt concentration. In low salt concentration, the unbound preQ1 shows two transitions (TMs of 15 and 22 °C) and overall enthalpy of 39 kcal/mol, while at higher salt concentration three transitions are observed (TMs of 22, 29 and 39 °C) and higher enthalpy of 69 kcal/mol. Furthermore, in low salt, the bound state of preQ1 shows two broader transitions (TMs of 24 and 26 °C) and enthalpy of 51 kcal/mol, which yielded three transitions (TMs of 27, 33 and 39 °C and overall enthalpy of 76 kcal/mol) at higher salt concentration.A preQ1control hairpin with a shorter 3’-tail (5’-A6CTAA removed) yielded similar results; suggesting that the middle transition observed at high salt is a duplex with mismatches and wobble base-pairs. A similar hairpin with a loop of 5 thymines yielded an enthalpy of 41 kcal/mol in this range of salt concentration, suggesting the last transition is due to the formation of a hairpin. More control molecules are under investigation to determine the temperature-induced structural manifold of this riboswitch. Supported by NSF Grant MCB-1122029.
Coöperation with Farm Bureaus in Farm Management Demonstrations

Broadly speaking, the ultimate goal of farm management demonstrations in Iowa is to teach the farmer such farm management principles as will aid him in organizing his business in such a way as to secure the greatest continuous profit. It is believed that the farmer may be taught farm management principles most effectively through the use of farm accounts. For this reason the immediate objectives of the extension forces in farm management work are first, to impress upon farmers the importance of accounts and second, to show them just how to keep them. In putting such a program into operation the farm management specialists find themselves confronted with an enormous task. Iowa has 200,000 farmers and it is obvious that a few specialists can do personally but little in carrying the message of farm management to such a large number even though they work only with groups. The only way by which any great amount of farm management subjectmatter can be disseminated effectively is through the use of local leadership and it is with this thought in mind that the work is being developed. The agency to which Iowa turned for local leadership on the farm management program was logically the farm bureau which acts in part through committees and voluntary demonstrators but at present principally through the county agents. Though the county agents have been anxious to conduct educational work in farm management many have found themselves seriously handicapped in assuming this leadership because their training has been along lines other than farm management. Not more than twenty of the one hundred county agents in Iowa had any farm management training in college and it is unlikely that more than five had adequate training as undergraduates. It is doubtful if many other states are more fortunate. With such a situation existing it is apparent that farm management extension work
Decolonialidad y política de reconocimiento entre los "Indigènes de la République"

espanolEste articulo analiza las maneras como el Partido de los indigenas de la Republica en Francia moviliza y resignifica el termino indigene (o indigena), a partir de su uso original en el contexto colonial frances como una palabra para describir los sujetos coloniales sin diferenciar su lugar de origen. En el proceso, les indigenes destacan y hacen explicito lo que llaman un «colonialismo postcolonial» que se mantiene en el presente en lo que respecta a la relacion de Francia con sus antiguos subditos coloniales y sus hijos, que se pone en evidencia especificamente con la poblacion musulmana en Francia. Como tales, ellos destrozan la politica normativa del reconocimiento al que otras poblaciones «minoritarias» muchas veces se acogen y en su lugar proponen una praxis descolonial de la afirmacion de la vida, el ser y el yo. EnglishThis article analyses the ways in which Le Parti des Indigenes de la Republique in France mobilizes and re-signifies the term indigene (or indigenous), from its original use in the French colonial context as a word to describe colonial subjects irrespective of place of origin. In the process, Les Indigenes highlight and make explicit what they call a “postcolonial colonialism” that continues into the present with regards to France’s relationship to its former colonial subjects and their children, particularly made evident with France’s Muslim population. As such, they shatter the normative politics of recognition that other ‘minority’ populations often embrace and instead advance a decolonial praxis of the affirmation of life, self and being. portuguesO presente artigo analisa as maneiras como o Partido dos Indigenas da Republica na Franca mobiliza e resignifica o termo indigene (ou indigena) a partir do uso original no contexto colonial frances como uma palavra para descrever os sujeitos coloniais sem diferenciar sua origem. No processo, Les Indigenes colocam em destaque e explicitam o que eles chamam um «colonialismo pos-colonial» que se mantem no presente no tocante a relacao da Franca com seus antigos suditos coloniais e com os filhos deles. Trata-se do caso da populacao mulcumana na Franca, especificamente. Eles destroem a politica normativa do reconhecimento que outras populacoes «minoritarias» acolhem e, em troca, propoem uma praxis descolonial da afirmacao da vida, do ser e do eu.
A temporal stable isotopic (δ18O, δD, d-excess) comparison in glacier meltwater streams, Taylor Valley, Antarctica

In this paper we describe the importance of hyporheic dynamics within Andersen Creek and Von Guerard Stream, Taylor Valley, Antarctica, from the 2010-11 melt season using natural tracers. Water collection started at flow onset and continued, with weekly hyporheic zone sampling. The water δ18O and δD values were isotopically lighter in the beginning and heavier later in the season. D-excess measurements were used as an indicator of mixing because an evaporative signature was evident and distinguishable between two primary end-members (glacier meltwater and hyporheic zone). Hyporheic zone influence on the channel water was variable with a strong control on streamwater chemistry, except at highest discharges. This work supports previous research indicating that Von Guerard Stream has a large, widespread hyporheic zone that varies in size with time and discharge. Andersen Creek, with a smaller hyporheic zone, displayed hyporheic zone solute interaction through the influence from subsurface hypersaline flow. Overall, the evolution of Taylor Valley hyporheic zone hydrology is described seasonally. In mid-December, the hyporheic zone is a dynamic system exchanging with the glacier meltwater in the channel, and with diminishing flow in January, the hyporheic zone drains back into the channel flow also impacting stream chemistry. This work adds new information on the role of hyporheic zone-stream interaction in these glacier meltwater streams.
Abstract 100: Cellular Therapy for Acute Stroke: Assessing a Potential Treatment Effect

Introduction Cell therapy is an investigational modality to enhance recovery after stroke. We completed a Phase I clinical trial of 25 patients assessing the safety and feasibility of autologous bo...
Experience Matters: A Partnership Between Patient and Physician

A patient-centered approach to medical decision making empowers patients but it also imposes new responsibilities upon them. Shared decision making neither relieves physicians of their obligation to guide patients when necessary nor obligates them to agree to patient requests that run counter to their deeply held moral convictions and professional integrity. The patient–physician relationship is now a reciprocal one, with rights and responsibilities on both sides. In this chapter, we will present clinical scenarios that illustrate ethical challenges that often arise during shared decision making, outline ethical principles that pertain to the scenarios, and describe key strategies and skills that physicians need to partner with the patient and family to develop the best plan of care.
Stabilized helical peptides: overview of the technologies and its impact on drug discovery.

Introduction: Protein-protein interactions are predominant in the workings of all cells. Until now, there have been a few successes in targeting protein-protein interactions with small molecules. P...
Single-stage flow diversion with adjunctive coiling for cerebral aneurysm: outcomes and technical considerations in 72 cases.

Background Adjunctive coiling may improve occlusion outcomes when combined in a single stage with cerebral aneurysm flow diversion. This technique has not been well described. Objective To present a series of aneurysm patients treated by single-stage flow diversion with adjunctive coiling, describing technical considerations and outcomes. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using an IRB-approved database of procedures performed at a single institution. Treatment selection was based on large aneurysm size, morphological irregularity, branch vessel location, and wide neck. Results A total of 72 Pipeline with adjunctive coiling (PAC) procedures were performed on 69 patients. Average aneurysm size was 11.0 mm and 86% were wide-necked. Three progressively complex techniques were performed approximately equally: 27 sequential (38%), 23 jailed single-intermediate (32%), and 22 bifemoral jailed microcatheter (31%) cases. Aneurysm dome (P=0.0223) and neck size (P=0.001) increased with procedural complexity and there was a trend toward increased procedure length, radiation exposure, and stent thrombosis. A ‘light’ coil pack was used with an average packing density of 14% that did not vary by technique. Of the three major complications (4.2%), none were observed with the sequential approach (0%), one with the jailed single-intermediate (4.3%), and two with bifemoral cases (9.1%) (P=0.116). Complete occlusion was achieved in 85% of PAC cases at 6 months and 96% at 12-month follow-up angiography. Conclusions There are multiple approaches to flow diversion with adjunctive coiling, each with technical challenges, suitable to different types of aneurysms. Flow diversion with coiling can expedite and improve occlusion outcomes without a significant increase in morbidity.
Meconium Hydrocele: An Unusual Etiology of a Scrotal Mass in the Newborn

AbstractThe in utero leakage of meconium from the gastrointestinal tract into the peritoneal cavity results in the clinical entity known as meconium peritonitis. A patent processus vaginalis in the male fetus may lead to the migration of meconium into the scrotum, and these infants can present with soft meconium-filled hydroceles at birth. Local tissue reaction during the first several weeks of life results in calcification of these hydroceles into hard tumor-like lesions that may mimic testicular neoplasia. We report an atypical case of meconium hydrocele in a newborn.
Modification of Chromatin Structure Following Exposure of MOLT4 Cells to the Carcinogenic Chromium(VI)

DNA-protein complexes-induced by potassium chromate in human leukemic T-lymphocyte MOLT4 cells were isolated by ultracentrifugal sedimentation in the presene of 2% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and 5 M urea. The complexes were analyzed by two-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Three acidic proteins of 74, 44 and 42 kD, and a basic protein of 51 kD were primarily complexed to DNA following 25 μM chromate treatment indicating selectivity in chromate-induced DNA-protein complexes. Higher concentrations of chromate cross-linked many other proteins to DNA. A 43 kD protein predominantly localized in the cytoplasmic fraction was found to be cross-linked to DNA upon chromate treatment. Partial N-terminal amino acid sequencing of p43 showed that it could be a human lectin. Treatment of the complexes with DNase I, RNase and EDTA revealed that sedimentation of the proteins was not due to formation of protein aggregates, but due to their association with DNA. The complexes were disrupted, to some extent, by EDTA indicating the involvement of a chelatable form of chromium in the complex. Because chromate-induced DNA-protein complexes are resistant to treatments such as 2% SDS and 5 M urea, but disrupted under gel electrophoretic conditions, it is possible that chromium could be used as a cross-linking agent for identification of other proteins such as transcription factors, that interact with DNA.
Financial Reporting Influences

Any organization generates and maintains financial records. Accounting records are an important but far from exclusive form of financial data. For example, a customer may place an order but tender no deposit or prepayment. Conventional accounting will not record such an order at the time it is received. No consideration has been received, no asset is to be recognized, and no liability is to be recognized.
Let Us Count

We all know that when we repeat an action we may not get the same result. An athlete may not run a mile in the exact same time twice, you may not get the same number of french fries in two orders at McDonald’s, or two scoops of ice cream will not be exactly the same. Therefore, “variability” is present in the outcomes of all repeated actions. Process variability, where measurement plays a role, is a major concern in the real world. The main objective in process control is to identify the sources of variation and look for ways to control the variation.
Cutaneous adverse reactions in B-RAF positive metastatic melanoma following sequential treatment with B-RAF/MEK inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade or vice versa. A single-institutional case-series

With the advent of immune-checkpoint inhibitors and targeted treatments (TT), there have been unprecedented response rates and survival in advanced melanoma, but the optimal sequencing of these two treatments modalities is unknown. Combining or sequencing these agents could potentially result in unique toxicities. Cutaneous adverse events (CAE) after sequential exposure to these agents represents one toxicity that needs further description. After retrospectively reviewing charts of patients from 2015 to 2018, we identified six patients who experienced CAEs after recent exposure to sequential immunotherapy and TT or vice versa for the treatment for metastatic melanoma at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Skin biopsies were available in five patients. Five patients received TT after immunotherapy, and one patient received immunotherapy after TT. TT consisted of vemurafenib/cobimetinib (V/C) in five patients with four patients starting V/C immediately before manifesting with a CAE. In patients receiving V/C after immunotherapy, the median time from beginning V/C to development of CAE was 14.5 days. The clinical presentation of diffuse morbilliform rash, fevers, hypotension, and end-organ damage raised concern for Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) syndrome. Histopathological features of lympho-eosinophilic infiltrate were supportive of a drug eruption. Immunotherapy or TT were re-initiated in five patients within 1–8 weeks after resolution of the index CAE. This resulted in two patients re-experiencing the CAE. Both of these patients were off prednisone at the time of therapy re-initiation, whereas none of the patients who were restarted on targeted therapy with a steroid overlap had a rash recurrence. Sequential treatment using immunotherapy and TT, especially the sequence of V/C after immunotherapy appears to be the most common trigger for CAE with a median time to onset of approximately 2 weeks. Although the clinical presentation of these CAEs can be dramatic, they respond well to prednisone therapy. This unique presentation suggests that it may be reasonably safe to re-challenge certain patients with a steroid overlap after rash resolution.
Accelerated hydrolytic degradation of ester-containing biobased epoxy resins

The accelerated hydrolytic degradation of biobased epoxy resins containing ester linkages was investigated. Epoxidized biobased molecules were utilized as sustainable replacements for the diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA) as an epoxy monomer, including epoxidized vanillic acid (EVA, derived from lignin), epoxidized plant-based phenolic acids (epoxidized salicylic acid, ESA, and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, E4HBA), and epoxidized soybean oil (ESO). All biobased epoxy monomers contain esters (3 per molecule for ESO and 1 per molecule for EVA, ESA and E4HBA), in contrast to DGEBA (containing no esters). The epoxidized molecules were cured through reaction with an anhydride curing agent. Epoxy resins derived from EVA, ESA, and E4HBA exhibited comparable glass transition temperatures to that of the DGEBA-based epoxy resin. All biobased epoxy resins underwent rapid degradation in a basic solution as compared to the conventional DGEBA-based epoxy resin. ESO- and ESA-based epoxy resins exhibited the fastest degradation rates, whereas E4HBA- and EVA-based epoxy resins exhibited more moderate degradation rates. Variations in degradation rate are attributed to differences in epoxide content, monomer structure, degree of hydrophilicity, crosslink density, and proximity to glass transition temperature. The degradation profiles, mass loss as a function of exposure time in the basic solution, showed good agreement with predictions from a solid-state kinetic model. Mass spectrometry and scanning electron microscopy analyses confirmed the epoxy resins underwent hydrolytic degradation, through a surface erosion mechanism.
Sales, Value Added and Employment Impacts of the United States Sod Production Industry

Abstract A study using government secondary data in conjunction with primary data collected through a national survey was conducted to assess the importance of the sod production industry to the Un...
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance as a Probe of Strongly Correlated Electron Systems

Beginning with the pioneering NMR experiments of Hebel and Slichter in superconducting Aluminum, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has played a central role in the study of strongly correlated electron matter. The relatively small energies associated with the nuclear spin degrees of freedom guarantee that the experimental probes of the nuclear spin behavior have little or no effect on the electronic degrees of freedom. On the other hand, the hyperfine coupling between the electronic and nuclear spins enables one to probe the static and dynamic properties of the electron spins through their effect on the nuclei. NMR offers detailed microscopic information about homogeneity, dynamics, and novel phases of electron matter and can probe under extreme conditions of high magnetic field, ultra low temperature, and high pressures. This chapter discusses the basics of NMR in condensed matter solids, including basic measurements such as the Knight shift, the hyperfine field, and the relaxation rates. To illustrate these concepts we discuss the case of field-induced antiferromagnetism and the exotic superconducting phase in CeCoIn\(_5\).
Information seeking in the context of cigarette smoking: predictors from the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking (CMIS).

Background: The CMIS indicates that key variables in actively obtaining information on cigarette smoking are demographics, direct experience, salience, and beliefs, which affects subsequent evaluat...
Materials for solar-powered water evaporation

Solar-powered water evaporation — the extraction of vapour from liquid water using solar energy — provides the basis for the development of eco-friendly and cost-effective freshwater production. Liquid water consumes and carries energy, and, thus, plays an essential role in this process. As such, extensive experimental and theoretical studies have been focused on water management to achieve efficient solar vapour generation. Many innovative materials have been proposed to enable highly controllable and efficient solar-to-thermal energy conversion to address the challenges in the energy–water nexus from the microscale to the molecular level. In this Review, we summarize the fundamental principles of materials design for efficient solar-to-thermal energy conversion and vapour generation. We discuss how to integrate photothermal materials, nanostructures/microstructures and water–material interactions to improve the performance of the evaporation system via in situ utilization of solar energy. Focusing on materials science and engineering, we overview the key challenges and opportunities for nanostructured and microstructured materials in both fundamental research and practical water-purification applications. Materials engineering enables the control of water–material interactions in solar vapour generators, which aim to efficiently utilize solar energy for the cost-effective production of clean water. This Review discusses material-design principles for solar evaporators, spanning from macrostructures to molecular configurations.
Performance simulation of the soft gamma-ray concentrator

The soft gamma-ray concentrator is a telescope mission concept utilizing a suitable arrangement of bent multilayer structures of alternating low- and high-density materials. This lens is able to channel gamma-ray photons via total external reflection and concentrate the incident radiation to a point. The channeling technique offers the potential for concentrating gamma rays with focal lengths 100 keV, beyond the reach of current grazing-incidence hard x-ray mirrors. For the performance estimation of such an instrument, we have developed a flexible set of computer modeling tools to compute the optical properties of multilayer structures, predict the channeling efficiency for a given multilayer configuration, and aid in the optimization of potential gamma-ray concentrator-based telescope designs. This modeling includes the multilayer optical properties calculated by the IMD software, the ray tracing using an IDL code, and the focal plane detector simulation by MEGAlib. We illustrate the potential of this approach by presenting simulated astronomical observations from a balloon-borne platform. The final result, including simulated effective area, instrument sensitivity, and polarization performance, shows that the gamma-ray concentrator will provide greatly increased sensitivity for next-generation soft gamma-ray missions with modest cost and complexity.
Disqualifications in Horse Racing

The disqualification of Maximum Security in the 2019 Kentucky Derby has garnered much controversy and has led to litigation with West v. Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky. This controversy illustrates a situation that has surprisingly occurred often in horse racing throughout the years: disqualification decisions of horses in horse races ending up in court. This Article seeks to make a unique contribution to the law review literature on horse racing by being the first major article to comprehensively examine the various grounds for disqualification of horses in horse races that have been litigated.
Models for Resilience Design Patterns

Resilience plays an important role in supercomputers by providing correct and efficient operation in case of faults, errors, and failures. Resilience design patterns offer blueprints for effectively applying resilience technologies. Prior work focused on developing initial efficiency and performance models for resilience design patterns. This paper extends it by (1) describing performance, reliability, and availability models for all structural resilience design patterns, (2) providing more detailed models that include flowcharts and state diagrams, and (3) introducing the Resilience Design Pattern Modeling (RDPM) tool that calculates and plots the performance, reliability, and availability metrics of individual patterns and pattern combinations.
Who Monitors the Monitor? The Effect of Board Independence on Executive Compensation and Firm Value

Recent corporate governance reforms focus on the board’s independence and encourage equity ownership by directors. We analyze the efficacy of these reforms in a model in which both adverse selection and moral hazard exist at the level of the firm’s management. Delegating governance to the board improves monitoring but creates another agency problem because directors themselves avoid effort and are dependent on the CEO. We show that as directors become less dependent on the CEO, their monitoring efficiency may decrease even as they improve the incentive efficiency of executive compensation contracts. Therefore, a board composed of directors that are more independent may actually perform worse. Moreover, higher equity incentives for the board may increase equity-based compensation awards to management. (JEL G31, G34, D82)
E-cigarette exposures, respiratory tract infections, and impaired innate immunity: a narrative review

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are commonly used devices by adolescents and young adults. Since their introduction, the popularity of e-cigarettes has increased significantly with close to twenty percent of United States high school students reporting current use in 2020. As the number of e-cigarette users has increased, so have reports of vaping related health complications. Overall, respiratory tract infections remain one of the top ten leading causes of death in the US for every age group. Specific to the pediatric population, lower respiratory tract infections are the leading cause for hospitalization. This review highlights the current evidence behind e-cigarette exposure and its association with impaired innate immune function and the risk of lower respiratory tract infections. To date, various preclinical models have evaluated the direct effects of e-cigarette exposure on the innate immune system. More specifically, e-cigarette exposure impairs certain cell types of the innate immune system including the airway epithelium, lung macrophage and neutrophils. Identified effects of e-cigarette exposure common to the lung's innate immunity include abnormal mucus composition, reduced epithelial barrier function, impaired phagocytosis and elevated systemic markers of inflammation. These identified impairments in the lung's innate immunity have been shown to increase adhesion of certain bacteria and fungi as well as to increase virulence of common respiratory pathogens such as influenza virus, Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pneumoniae. Information summarized in this review will provide guidance to healthcare providers, policy advocates and researchers for making informed decisions regarding the associated respiratory health risks of e-cigarette use in pediatric and young adults.
Phospholipid Levels at Seroconversion are Associated with Resolution of Persistent Islet Autoimmunity: The Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young

Reversion of islet autoimmunity (IA) may point to mechanisms that prevent IA progression. We followed 199 individuals who developed IA during the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young. Untargeted metabolomics was performed in serum samples following IA. Cox proportional hazards models were used to test whether the metabolites (2,487) predicted IA reversion: two or more consecutive visits negative for all autoantibodies. We conducted a principal components analysis (PCA) of the top metabolites; |hazard ratio (HR) >1.25| and nominal P
Voting Rights and Reform Act of 2021

This paper is a working draft summarizing a proposed Voting Rights and Reform Act. The proposal draws upon Congress’s longstanding but vastly underused power under the U.S. Constitution, Article I, section 4, clause 1, to override state laws governing the “Times, Places and Manner” of elections to the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. This federal election “TPM override power” provides a powerful tool to correct state legislation and election practices which threaten to undermine American democracy. This proposal is part of a broader suite of legislative and constitutional proposals being developed and set forth by the author as a suggested agenda for Congress and the President in 2021. The hope is that even with a closely divided Senate, bipartisan support may be found for these proposals. Anyone, regardless of political affiliation or predilection, should find many aspects of these proposals interesting and potentially attractive, as they offer a way forward to safeguard voting rights for all, to reform the Electoral College to more closely reflect the popular vote (while still preserving the traditional constitutional structure of the Electoral College in deference to the many Americans who adamantly refuse to consider its abolition), and to safeguard the independence and nonpartisan integrity of the U.S. Supreme Court and the Attorney of the United States. To see the author’s proposed “Bipartisan Constitutional Reform Amendments" addressing many of the latter issues, see the paper posted here on SSRN as cited in the downloadable PDF file.