cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vaginal Mesh and Pain Complications

In pelvic reconstructive surgery, the school of thought that fascial defects are a primary etiology for development of pelvic organ prolapse has led to increased graft utilization to augment fascial strength in an attempt to promote repair longevity and permanence. Grafts serve to strengthen attenuated tissue and enhance healing in areas with compromised tissue integrity. However, the use of synthetic mesh or biologic grafts in pelvic organ prolapse surgery is associated with unique complications not seen in repair with native tissue including pain that can be debilitating for patient. Pain can be a result of direct nerve injury during mesh placement or delayed neuropathy due to fibrosis, or mesh shrinkage. There is also a human factor involved in reactivity to mesh in vivo. Some individuals are “high responders,” and others are “low responders” in the formation of fibrous tissue as stimulated by the presence of the mesh. Treating pain complication after mesh placement requires complete work up and can be challenging in presence of neuropathy.
Safety and Quality of Irradiated Fruits and Vegetables

Foodborne illness outbreaks associated with contaminated fruits, vegetables, and salads have led to a reexamination of means to improve agricultural, postharvest, and supply chain controls. Irradiation is an effective means of inactivating human pathogens on a variety of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables. This chapter will describe and compare the technologies used to generate and apply irradiation. The literature on the efficacy of the process will be discussed and the commercial aspects of implementation will be examined, including issues related to packaging suitable for irradiation. Details will be presented on the regulations governing irradiation, both in the US and in major trading partners internationally. Finally, this chapter will summarize recent research related to this nonthermal processing technology as it can be applied to fresh produce for food safety purposes.
Urban Vibrancy and Firm Value Creation

City level differences in industry-adjusted Tobin’s q, an estimate of the value created for shareholders, are large, and have widened sharply over the last twenty years. Proxies for a city’s appeal to high-skill workers, such as existing education rates and favorable weather, are strongly associated with Tobin’s q, both in levels and changes. These results indicate that shareholders have recently captured a bigger part of the benefits associated with superior locations. The higher stock prices of firms in these locations appear to be driven by future growth opportunities, rather than improvements in current operating efficiency.
Significant Increase in Risk of Fibrosis or Cirrhosis at Time of HCV Diagnosis for Hispanics With Diabetes and Obesity Compared With Other Ethnic Groups

Background & Aims Advanced liver disease, which includes fibrosis and cirrhosis, has been reported to be more prevalent in Hispanics patients at the time of diagnosis of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection than non-Hispanic black or non-Hispanic white patients. We performed a propensity score-matched analysis to determine whether metabolic risk factors contribute to this disparity. Methods We collected data from persons with 748 HCV infection (22% Hispanic, 53% non-Hispanic black, and 26% non-Hispanic white; 23% with advanced liver disease), born from 1945 through 1965, diagnosed at 6 health care systems in Texas. Advanced liver disease was defined as a FIB-4 index score above 3.25. We examined the association between advanced liver disease and race or ethnicity, metabolic risk (based on diabetes mellitus and body mass index [BMI]) and heavy alcohol use in propensity score-matched analyses. Results In propensity-score matched models, among those who were obese (BMI ≥30) with a diagnosis of diabetes, the adjusted odds ratio of advanced liver disease for Hispanics vs non-Hispanic black was 7.89 (95% CI, 3.66–17.01) and adjusted odds ratio = 12.49 (95% CI, 3.24–48.18) for Hispanic vs non-Hispanic white patients (both P Conclusions HCV-infected Hispanics with obesity and diabetes have a far higher risk for advanced liver disease than other racial or ethnic groups. These findings highlight the need for HCV treatment and management of probable concurrent fatty liver disease. Even after we accounted for metabolic risk factors, Hispanics were still at higher risk for advanced liver disease, indicating the potential involvement of other factors such as genetic variants.
Development and implementation of a regional anesthetic service by general anesthesiologists for total joint arthroplasty patients in a small community hospital in the United States

Background & Objective: Regional anesthesia (RA) blocks are most commonly performed in large academic hospitals and has been shown to reduce postoperative pain. The lack of RA blocks in rural hospitals leaves a large subset of the population without availability of this service. In North Carolina, there is an increased need for these services in small community hospitals. This study examined RA nerve block success rates for total knee, hip, and shoulder arthroplasty procedures. We hypothesized that through proper mentorship, general anesthesiologists could provide safe and efficacious RA blocks at a small, community hospital.Methodology: An Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved retrospective study was performed at Lexington Medical Center (LMC), in Lexington, North Carolina part of Wake Forest Baptist Health. We analyzed 307 patients who underwent total joint arthroplasty (195 knee, 69 hip and 43 shoulder replacements) at LMC. Demographics, type of blocks, block success, and intraoperative analgesics used were also recorded. VAS was used to assess postoperative pain.Results: We found an overall success rate of 96.3% for all joints; 95.2%-femoral or 98.9%-adductor canal, 90.4%-lumbar plexus, 100%-interscalene block for knee, hip and shoulder arthroplasties respectively. 283/307 (92.2%) patients reported a verbal pain score between 0-2 in the PACU. There was a significantly higher mean fentanyl dose/h in patients that did not receive a lumbar plexus block for hip procedures.Conclusion: The results of our study support that general anesthesiologists can provide rural communities with quality, specialized regional anesthesia care safely, and at an equivalent level to that of anesthesiologists specialized in RA blocks at large academic institutions.Citation: VanEenenaam DP, Johnson KN, Harris HM, Choi JA, Bullock MW, Forest DJ, Bryan YF. Development and implementation of a regional anesthetic service by general anesthesiologists for total joint arthroplasty patients in a small community hospital in the United States. Anaesth pain & intensive care 2019;23(3):250-255
Chinese Police Cadets’ Attitudes Toward Domestic Violence: A Pretest/Posttest Design:

Since the Domestic Violence (DV) Law was passed in China in 2015, knowledge of this mandate has been relatively unexplored. Data from 401 police cadets attending Zhejiang Police College in Hangzhou...
Best Practices in Assessment and Intervention for Childhood Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder most likely to occur during pivotal periods of early development. Effective assessment and early intervention for selective mutism are crucial to a child’s functioning and well-being, in both the short and long term. This article reviews best-practice recommendations regarding assessment and intervention for supporting children with selective mutism.
Creating inclusive classrooms by engaging STEM faculty in culturally responsive teaching workshops

As higher education institutions strive to effectively support an increasingly diverse student body, they will be called upon to provide their faculty with tools to teach more inclusively, especially in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classrooms where recruitment and retention of students from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups present long-standing challenges. Pedagogical training approaches to creating inclusive classrooms involve interventions that raise awareness of student and instructor social identities and explore barriers to learning, such as implicit bias, microaggressions, stereotype threat, and fixed mindset. Such efforts should focus on embracing diversity as an asset leveraged to benefit all students in their learning. In this paper, we describe the impact of multiday, off-campus immersion workshops designed to impart faculty with these tools. Based on analysis of workshop participant data, we report the resulting changes in faculty knowledge of factors affecting classroom climate and student success in STEM, attitudes about students, and motivation to adopt new teaching practices aimed at fostering equitable and culturally responsive learning environments. Key findings indicate that attendees (1) increased their knowledge of social identities and the barriers to learning in STEM classrooms, particularly those faced by students from underrepresented groups in STEM or socioeconomically challenged backgrounds; (2) changed their attitudes about students’ abilities as science majors, shifting away from a fixed-mindset perspective in which characteristics, such as intelligence, are perceived as innate and unalterable; and (3) modified their teaching approaches to promote inclusivity and cultural responsiveness. Faculty members, who are linchpins in the evolution of college classrooms into settings that provide students with equitable opportunities to succeed academically in STEM, can benefit from participating in immersion workshops structured to support their awareness of issues affecting classroom culture related to race/ethnicity, LGBTQ status, religious affiliation, ability, socioeconomic status, and other social identities that contribute to disparities in STEM achievement and persistence.
Clinical Factors Associated With Response to Fecal Diversion in Crohn's Disease.

Up to 80% of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients require surgery. Fecal diversion is used selectively in CD proctocolitis refractory to medical treatment or advanced perianal disease. This study examines...
Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) at United States News and World Report top-ranked hospitals in orthopedics – do rankings correlate with complications and cost?

Abstract Introduction The U.S. News & World Report (USNWR) hospital rankings remain the most publicly referenced system for identifying top hospitals for each specialty. The current study aims to evaluate whether there are any differences in outcomes and costs for patients undergoing anatomic TSA (ATSA) or reverse TSA (RTSA) for degenerative pathologies at ranked vs. non–ranked hospitals. Methods The 2011-2014 USNWR hospital rankings were used to identify ranked hospitals in “Orthopedics.” The 2011-2014 100% Medicare Standard Analytical Files (SAF100) were used to identify patients undergoing ATSA or RTSA for degenerative arthritis. The study cohort was divided into two groups, based on whether patients received surgery at a ranked hospital vs. a non–ranked hospital. Multi-variate logistic and linear regression analyses were used to assess for differences in 90-day outcomes and costs between ranked and non–ranked hospitals, while controlling for potential co-variates/confounders. Results A total of 82,417 TSA were included in the study – out of which 8,868 (10.8%) were performed in one of the 68 hospitals that were ranked by the USNWR between 2011 and 2014. Following adjustment for baseline demographics, and clinical characteristics, there were no statistically significant differences between ranked vs. non–ranked hospitals, with regards to rates of infectious complications (0.8% vs. 1.0%, OR 0.91 [95% CI 0.82-1.01]; P = .079), dislocations (0.8% vs. 0.9%, OR 1.07 [95% CI 0.79-1.43]; P = .658), peri-prosthetic fractures (0.3% vs. 0.3%, OR 0.77 [95% CI 0.47-1.21]; P = .269), pulmonary embolism (0.7% vs. 0.8%, OR 0.88 [95% CI 0.64-1.20]; P = .435), deep venous thrombosis (1.1% vs. 0.9%, OR 1.21 [95% CI 0.93-1.56]; P = .153), myocardial infarction (0.4% vs. 0.5%, OR 1.00 [95% CI 0.67-1.46]; P = .995), sepsis (6.0% vs. 7.3%, OR 0.95 [95% CI 0.85-1.05]; P = .314), urinary tract infections (4.8% vs. 5.6%, OR 0.99 [95% CI 0.87-1.11]; P = .831) and readmissions (7.1% vs. 8.3%, OR 0.91 [95% CI 0.82-1.01]; P = .079). Ranked hospitals, however, did have higher risk-adjusted charges (+ $6,167; P Conclusion Based on our findings, patients undergoing TSA at ranked hospitals vs. non–ranked hospitals have similar outcomes, despite the former facilities having higher costs and charges across the episode of care. Level of Evidence Level III
Numerical Study of Grain Growth in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing of Metals

Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is an additive manufacturing method that manufactures high density and quality metal products. We present a coupled grain growth and heat transfer modeling technique ...
Whole- and Refined-Grain Consumption and Longitudinal Changes in Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in the Framingham Offspring Cohort.

BACKGROUND Greater whole grain (WG) consumption is associated with reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD); however, few prospective studies have examined WG or refined grain (RG) intake and intermediate cardiometabolic risk factors. OBJECTIVES We examined the longitudinal association between WG and RG intake on changes in waist circumference (WC); fasting HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose concentrations; and blood pressure. METHODS Subjects were participants in the Framingham Offspring cohort study [n = 3121; mean ± SD baseline age: 54.9 ± 0.2 y; BMI (kg/m2) 27.2 ± 0.1]. FFQ, health, and lifestyle data were collected approximately every 4 y over a median 18-y follow-up. Repeated measure mixed models were used to estimate adjusted mean changes per 4-y interval in risk factors across increasing categories of WG or RG intake. RESULTS Greater WG intake was associated with smaller increases in WC (1.4 ± 0.2 compared with 3.0 ± 0.1 cm in the highest compared with the lowest category, respectively; P-trend < 0.001), fasting glucose concentration (0.7 ± 0.4 compared with 2.6 ± 0.2 mg/dL; P-trend < 0.001), and systolic blood pressure (SBP; 0.2 ± 0.5 compared with 1.4 ± 0.3 mm Hg; P-trend < 0.001) per 4-y interval. When stratified by sex, a stronger association with WC was observed among females than males. Higher intake of WG was associated with greater increases in HDL cholesterol and declines in triglyceride concentrations; however, these differences did not remain significant after adjustment for change in WC. Conversely, greater RG intake was associated with greater increases in WC (2.7 ± 0.2 compared with 1.8 ± 0.1 cm, P-trend < 0.001) and less decline in triglyceride concentration (-0.3 ± 1.3 compared with -7.0 ± 0.7 mg/dL, P-trend < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Among middle- to older-age adults, replacing RG with WG may be an effective dietary modification to attenuate abdominal adiposity, dyslipidemia, and hyperglycemia over time, thereby reducing the risk of cardiometabolic diseases.
Vacca: Imagining Vaccination

This article places the development and technology behind the COVID-19 vaccine at the intersections of globalization, capitalism, biopolitics, and our relationship with the natural word. Consideration of these intersections suggest how they shape our ideological understanding of vaccines.
Hard lessons learned using hardware-oriented capstone projects

The details of two software engineering capstone experiences with event-driven, real-time programming for robots are presented. These experiences emphasize the problems that can occur when students are thrust into unfamiliar and non-traditional environments. Despite mixed results, most student teams appreciated working with such an open-ended project.
Abstract 4251: Identification of expression quantitative trait loci at lung cancer and COPD risk genes in normal bronchial epithelial cells

Background: Lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and are leading causes of morbidity and mortality both in the United States and worldwide. Inhalation of cigarette smoke is the primary known and preventable cause but only 10-15% of heavy smokers develop these diseases. This suggests that cigarette smoke exposure interacts with inherited susceptibility factors to determine risk. While some susceptibility genes are known, they account for less than 5% of risk for either disease. There is urgent need to identify heritable susceptibility factors that explain the majority of lung cancer and COPD risk. In this study we focused on discovery of cis-regulatory expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) responsible for inter-individual variation in the expression of genes that we and/or others have reported to display altered regulation in subjects with lung cancer or COPD. Through funding in part from RC2 CA148572 and HL108016 we collected normal bronchial epithelial cell (NBEC) samples from over 500 subjects with lung cancer or COPD or demographically at risk for lung cancer or COPD. In this pilot study, we assessed allele-specific expression (ASE) and total expression of multiple putative risk genes in NBEC samples from 85 subjects. Methods: A targeted competitive multiplex next generation sequencing (NGS) method (STAndardized RNA SEQuencing [STARSEQ]; Blomquist et al, PLOS one 2013) was used to quantify a) allele specific expression (ASE) and total expression at 140 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites among 41 target genes (including eleven of 14 genes comprised by the previously reported lung cancer risk test (Blomquist et al, Can. Res. 2009) in NBEC total RNA from 85 subjects (26 cancer cases and 59 non-cancer controls), and b) allelic representation and putative cis-regulatory single nucleotide polymorphisms (rSNPs) in matched peripheral blood leukocyte genomic (g)DNA from the same subjects. Heterozygosity was determined by gDNA analysis. Results: Significant (p Conclusions: This small study of 85 subjects provides evidence for cis-regulatory eQTL in selected genes with high prior likelihood for contributing to lung cancer and COPD risk. The genes with ASE reported here will be among those included in additional studies in archived NBEC samples from 500 subjects aiming to further optimize current tests for lung cancer and COPD risk and better understand mechanisms of risk. Citation Format: Erin L. Crawford, Jiyoun Yeo, Xiaolu Zhang, Karan Padda, Taylor Arend, Thomas M. Blomquist, Albert M. Levin, Mei Lu, James C. Willey. Identification of expression quantitative trait loci at lung cancer and COPD risk genes in normal bronchial epithelial cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4251. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4251
Higher-Order CMAC Neural Networks - Theory and Practice

CMAC (Cerebellar Model Articulation Controller) neural networks are capable of learning nonlinear functions extremely quickly due to the local nature of the weight updating. The rectangular shape of CMAC receptive field functions, however, produces discontinuous (staircase) function approximations without inherent analytical derivatives. The ability to learn both functions and function derivatives is important for the development of many on-line adaptive filter, estimation, and control algorithms. It is shown that use of B-Spline receptive field functions in conjunction with more general CMAC weight addressing schemes allows higher-order CMAC neural networks to be developed that can learn both functions and function derivatives. This also allows novel hierarchical and multi-layer CMAC network architectures to be constructed that can be trained using standard error back-propagation learning techniques.
Stem cell transplant for Waldenström macroglobulinemia: an underutilized technique.

Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is a highly chemosensitive lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with response rates of 90% to first-line chemotherapy. The fraction of patients undergoing stem cell transplant for this disorder appears to be lower than that of patients with multiple myeloma. The indolent nature and favorable genetic profile should make Waldenstrom an ideal disorder for autologous stem cell transplant, with high response rates that are durable. We review the literature on autologous and allogeneic transplants for Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia and conclude that autologous transplant is effective and underutilized in the management of this disorder. Allogeneic transplant should be considered investigational and used only in the context of a clinical trial or when other chemotherapeutic options have been exhausted.
Absence of developmental and unconventional myosin heavy chain in human suprahyoid muscles

Introduction: Contradictory reports of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) composition of adult human suprahyoid muscles leave unresolved the extent to which these muscles express developmental and unconventional MHC. Methods: By immunohistochemistry, separation sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE)-Coomassie, separation SDS-PAGE-Western blot, and mRNA PCR, we tested for conventional MHCI, MHCIIA, MHCIIX, developmental MHC embryonic and MHC neonatal, and unconventional MHC alpha-cardiac, MHC extraocular, and MHC slow tonic in adult human anterior digastric (AD), geniohyoid (GH), and mylohyoid (MH) muscles. Results: By separation SDS-PAGE-Coomassie and Western blot, only conventional MHC are present. By immunohistochemistry all muscle fibers are positive for MHCI, MHCIIA, or MHCIIX, and fewer than 4 fibers/mm2 are positive for developmental or unconventional MHC. By PCR, mRNA of MHCI and MHCIIA dominate, with sporadically detectable MHC alpha-cardiac and without detectable mRNA of other developmental and unconventional MHC. Conclusions: We conclude that human suprahyoid muscles AD, GH, and MH are composed almost exclusively of conventional MHC isoforms. Muscle Nerve 49:534–544, 2014
Interaction of the gamma-subunit of retinal rod outer segment phosphodiesterase with transducin. Use of synthetic peptides as functional probes.

Abstract There is considerable evidence which suggests that the gamma-subunit of cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE gamma) is a multifunctional protein which may interact directly with both the catalytic subunits of PDE (PDE alpha beta) and the alpha-subunit of transducin (T alpha) (Whalen, M., and Bitensky, M. (1989) Biochem. J. 259, 13-19; Griswold-Prenner, I., Young, J. H., Yamane, H. K., and Fung, B. K.-K. (1988) Invest. Ophthalmol. & Visual Sci. 29, (Suppl.) 218). To determine the region of interaction between the multifunctional PDE gamma and T alpha, and to determine the significance of this interaction, peptides corresponding to various regions of PDE gamma were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit the GTPase activity of T alpha. One of these peptides, PDE gamma-3 (bovine amino acid residues 31-45), inhibited the GTPase activity of T alpha with an I50 of 450 microM. The peptide (PDE gamma-3) was found to inhibit the GTPase activity of T alpha by inducing the binding of transducin to the rod outer segment membrane and by altering the GTP/GDP exchange. Analogs of PDE gamma-3 were synthesized to determine the required structure of the PDE gamma-3 region needed for the interaction of PDE gamma with T alpha. The results of these studies indicated that the removal of the positively charged amino acids or any of the potential hydrogen-bonding amino acids increased the I50 for the inhibition of the GTPase activity of T alpha Substitution of the hydrophobic amino acids had no effect. These results indicate the hydrophilic interactions may be essential for the binding of PDE gamma to T alpha and for the inhibition of the GTPase activity of T alpha by PDE gamma. The observed effects of PDE gamma-3 on T alpha and on PDE suggest that PDE gamma is a multifunctional protein which may play more than one role in the deactivation of the retinal transduction cascade.
Microwave performance of monolithic silicon passive transformers

This paper presents a comparative study between three transformer layout styles, namely the Frlan style, the planar shunt style and the three-dimensional series style, in terms of their minimum insertion loss, gain bandwidth, and transformation ratio over a broad frequency range. A new performance metric, the frequency dependant 1 dB insertion loss bandwidth is presented. Measured insertion loss as low as 2 dB at 20 GHz has been observed. Furthermore, it is shown that with proper layout, a transformation ratio as high as 40:1 is possible over a bandwidth of 40 %.
New approaches to constrained optimization of digital filters

Two algorithms are presented for the design of constrained least-squares digital filters. They can bound the error according to user specifications while also minimizing the total weighted squared error (TWSE). Although the two algorithms are very different internally, they produce very similar results. One algorithm produces nearly optimal solutions, and the other algorithm produces solutions that are guaranteed to be optimal by the Kuhn-Tucker theorem. >
Taste preferences and body weight changes in an obesity-prone population

Background: Taste preferences for highly palatable foods rich in sugar and fat may underlie the current epidemic of obesity. Objective: This study aimed to determine whether the hedonic response to sweet and creamy solutions differs between whites and Pima Indians and whether a preference for these tastes predicts weight gain. Design: One hundred twenty-three Pima Indian and 64 white volunteers taste tested solutions of nonfat milk (0.1% fat), whole milk (3.5% fat), half and half(11.3% fat), and cream (37.5% fat) containing 0%, 5%, 10%, or 20% sugar by weight. Solutions were rated for perceived sweetness, creaminess, and pleasantness (hedonic response) on a 100-mm visual analogue scale. Follow-up body weight was measured in 75 Pima Indians 5.5 ± 3.0 y (x ± SD) after baseline taste testing. Results: The Pima Indians had a significantly (P = 0.006) lower hedonic response than did the whites (repeated-measures analysis of variance). Neither body size (P = 0.56) nor adiposity (P = 0.86) was a significant predictor of the hedonic response. There was a positive correlation (r = 0.28, P = 0.01) between the maximal hedonic response at baseline and subsequent weight gain in the Pima Indians. Conclusion: Although the Pima Indians liked sweet and creamy solutions less than the whites did, a heightened hedonic response for these solutions among the Pima Indians was associated with weight gain.
Finite-dimensional filters with nonlinear drift, VI: Linear structure of Ω

Ever since the concept of estimation algebra was first introduced by Brockett and Mitter independently, it has been playing a crucial role in the investigation of finite-dimensional nonlinear filters. Researchers have classified all finite-dimensional estimation algebras of maximal rank with state space less than or equal to three. In this paper we study the structure of quadratic forms in a finite-dimensional estimation algebra. In particular, we prove that if the estimation algebra is finite dimensional and of maximal rank, then the Ω=(∂f j /∂x i −∂f i /∂x j )matrix, wheref denotes the drift term, is a linear matrix in the sense that all the entries in Ω are degree one polynomials. This theorem plays a fundamental role in the classification of finite-dimensional estimation algebra of maximal rank.
Trajectory-Based Tissue Engineering for Cartilage Repair: Correlation Between Maturation Rate and Integration Capacity

Given the limitations of current surgical approaches to treat articular cartilage injuries, tissue engineering (TE) approaches have been aggressively pursued over the past two decades. Although biochemical and biomechanical properties on the order of the native tissue have been achieved (1–5), several in-vitro and in-vivo studies indicate that increased tissue maturity may limit the ability of engineered constructs to remodel and integrate with surrounding cartilage, although results are highly variable (2, 6–8). Thus, “static” measures of construct maturity (e.g. compressive modulus) upon implantation may not be the best indicators of in-vivo success, which likely requires implanted TE constructs to mature, remodel, and integrate with the host over time to achieve optimal results. We recently introduced the concept of “trajectory-based” tissue engineering (TB-TE), which is based on the general hypothesis that time-dependent increases in construct maturation in-vitro prior to implantation (i.e. positive rates) may provide a better predictor of in-vivo success (9). As a first step in evaluating this concept, in the current study we hypothesized that time-dependent increases in equilibrium modulus (a metric of growth) would be correlated to ability of constructs to integrate to cartilage using an in-vitro assay. To test this hypothesis, the current objective was to determine and model the time course of maturation of TE constructs during in-vitro culture and to assess the ability of these constructs to integrate to cartilage at various points during their maturation.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Sexual counselling of diabetic impotence.

Abstract A study of 54 diabetic men was conducted to determine the incidence of impotence, the nature of the sexual counselling they received, and their referral routes. health providers associated with diabetes care also were interviewed to determine how they perceived professional responsibility for counselling about sexual dysfunctions in their clients. In the diabetic men studied, 48.1% had experienced primary impotence and 16.7% secondary impotence. Only 11.5% of the diabetic men received any sexual counselling, which each had initiated because of their personal concerns. Generally neither information about sexual dysfunctions nor even anticipatory warnings were given by members of the care-giving team. A discussion of impotence including etiology for the diabetic patient and sexual therapy as it relates to patient counselling is explored. Inclusion of this type of counselling for the male diabetic can contribute to continuity of care.
Control of disruptive behavior by manipulation of reinforcement density and item difficulty subsequent to errors

Abstract Programs carefully arranging reinforcement contingencies to maximize the learning of developmentally delayed children have neglected variables inherent in task sequencing. Three experiments examined the effects of manipulating item difficulty and reinforcement density. Contingent upon errors, delayed children were shifted to items of differing difficulty resulting in low or high (Experiment 1), medium or high (Experiment 2), and low, medium or high (Experiment 3) densities of reinforcement. Results consistently demonstrated that as reinforcement density subsequent to errors increased, disruption decreased. These studies indicated that trainers can control disruptive behavior by programming reinforcement densities through sequencing of item difficulty subsequent to errors.
Risk Taking and Optimal Taxation in the Presence of Nontradable Human Capital

This paper demonstrates that the stream of uncertain income from human capital has systematic effects on the demand for risky physical capital assets. If labor supply is inelastic and real wages are known with certainty, then a labor income tax will reduce holdings of the risky physical asset. However, if labor income fluctuates randomly, a labor income tax may actually raise demand for the asset if human capital risk and physical capital risk are positively correlated. The idiosyncratic risk and nontradability of human capital also have implications for optimal taxation.
Building up a Slide Collection

In the teaching of scientific and technical subjects a great deal of time can be saved and the scope of the lecturers extended if a collection of slides is available. Complicated diagrams and methods of calculation can be explained, and apparatus and other equipment which could not be brought into a classroom, can be illustrated. Some graphical constructions, such as force diagrams or the Williot‐Mohr diagram, can only be described in a satisfactory manner if drawn carefully to scale; on a blackboard this takes time, but such cases can be dealt with conveniently using a series of slides showing how the diagram is built up. Jf these diagrams are available in textbooks, the references can be given so that the students can look them up later.
Biliary tract disease. Is there a difference in men

A retrospective chart review of 507 patients who underwent cholecystectomies over an 18 month period was performed. There were 345 female patients and 162 male patients. Of the female patients, 90 (26 percent) presented with complicated disease, which was severe in 38 (11 percent). The mortality rate was 0.87 percent in the total group of female patients (3 deaths), or 7.9 percent in the 38 patients with severe disease. In the male patients, on the other hand, 96 (59 percent) presented with complicated disease, which was severe in 57 (35 percent). There were 6 deaths, for a mortality rate of 3.7 percent in the total group of male patients, or 10.5 percent in the 57 patients with severe disease. This study supports our observation that biliary tract disease is more life-threatening in men. It appears that elective cholecystectomy should be considered in the male patient who presents with asymptomatic cholelithiasis.
Effects of carbon dioxide variations in the unsaturated zone on water chemistry in a glacial-outwash aquifer

Abstract The research site at Otis Air Base, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, has been developed for hydrogeological and geochemical studies of sewage-effluent contaminated ground water since 1982. Research of hydrologic properties, transport, and chemical and biological processes is ongoing, but the origin of background water chemistry has not been determined. The principal geochemical process giving rise to the observed background water chemistry is CO 2 -controlled hydrolysis of Na feldspar. Geochemical modeling demonstrated that CO 2 sources could vary over the project area. Analyses of unsaturated zone gases showed variations in CO 2 which were dependent on land use and vegetative cover in the area of groundwater recharge. Measurements of CO 2 in unsaturated-zone gases showed that concentrations of total inorganic C in recharge water should range from about 0.035 to 1.0 mmoles/L in the vicinity of Otis Air Base. Flux of CO 2 from the unsaturated zone varied for 4 principal land uses, ranging from 86 gC/m 2 /yr for low vegetated areas to 1630 gC/m 2 /yr for a golf course. Carbon dioxide flux from woodlands was 220 gC/m 2 /yr, lower than reported fluxes of 500 to 600 gC/m 2 /yr for woodlands in a similar climate. Carbon dioxide flux from grassy areas was 540 gC/m 2 /yr, higher than reported fluxes of 230 to 490 gC/m 2 /yr for grasslands in a similar climate.
The Built Environment, Climate Change, and Health : Opportunities for Co-Benefits

The earth's climate is changing, due largely to greenhouse gas emissions resulting from human activity. These human-generated gases derive in part from aspects of the built environment such as transportation systems and infrastructure, building construction and operation, and land-use planning. Transportation, the largest end-use consumer of energy, affects human health directly through air pollution and subsequent respiratory effects, as well as indirectly through physical activity behavior. Buildings contribute to climate change, influence transportation, and affect health through the materials utilized, decisions about sites, electricity and water usage, and landscape surroundings. Land use, forestry, and agriculture also contribute to climate change and affect health by increasing atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, shaping the infrastructures for both transportation and buildings, and affecting access to green spaces. Vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected with regard to transportation, buildings, and land use, and are most at risk for experiencing the effects of climate change. Working across sectors to incorporate a health promotion approach in the design and development of built environment components may mitigate climate change, promote adaptation, and improve public health.
Block Monotone Iterative Method for Semilinear Parabolic Equations with Nonlinear Boundary Conditions

Two block monotone iterative schemes, called Jacobi and Gauss-Seidel monotone iterations, are presented for numerical solutions of a class of semilinear parabolic equations under nonlinear boundary conditions by the finite difference method. These iteration schemes extend the method for semilinear elliptic boundary value problems to parabolic equations, including a comparison result between them. It is shown that by using an upper solution and a lower solution as initial iterations each of the iterative schemes yields two sequences which converge monotonically from above and below, respectively, to a unique solution of the finite difference system. Some error estimates and a convergence theorem are given, and various sufficient conditions for the construction of upper and lower solutions are obtained. Numerical results are presented for some physical model problems, including some problems with known continuous solutions and two problems with L-shaped and trapezoidal domains.
Condoms and US college-aged men and women: briefly assessing attitudes toward condoms and general condom use behaviours.

Background: The purpose of this study was to develop an abbreviated reliable tool for assessing the attitudes US college-aged men and women have about condoms and condom use. Method: An online questionnaire was constructed and completed by 674 participants incorporating modified items from the Attitudes Towards Condom Scale (1984) and the Multidimensional Condom Attitude Scale (1994), with the addition of gender-neutral worded and condom positive or erotic items. Results: The original 40 items were reduced to 18 Likert-type items comprising the Brief Condom Attitude Scale (BCAS). Gender comparisons on a subset of 584 self-identified heterosexual participants indicated that women were significantly more likely to consider condoms as less protective, while men were significantly more likely to consider condoms as more interruptive. Additional analyses examining partnership indicated that monogamous participants were significantly more likely to view condoms as less interruptive, more erotic and less negative than non-monogamous participants. Conclusions: The BCAS appears to be a reliable measure for assessing US college-aged individuals' attitudes about condoms.
N5-(l-1-Carboxyethyl)-l-ornithine: NADP+ oxidoreductase inStreptococcus lactis: Distribution, constitutivity, and regulation

N5-(l-1-Carboxyethyl)-l-ornithine: NADP+ oxidoreductase [N5-(CE)ornithine synthase] catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reductive condensation between pyruvic acid and the terminal amino group ofl-ornithine andl-lysine to yield N5-(l-1-carboxyethyl)-l-ornithine and N6-(l-1-carboxyethyl)-l-lysine respectively. Polyclonal antibodies against N5-(CE)ornithine synthase purified fromStreptococcus lactis K1 have been used for the immunochemical (Western blot) detection and sizing of this enzyme in various lactic acid bacteria. The enzyme was confined to about one-half of the strains ofS. lactis examined. N5-(CE)ornithine synthase is constitutive, and in strains K1, 6F3, and (plasmid-free)H1-4125 the native enzyme is a tetramer composed of identical subunits of Mr=38,000. However, in other strains, including 133 (ATCC 11454), C10, and ML8, the molecular weight of the native enzyme is approximately 130,000 and the corresponding subunit Mr=35,000. Analyses of the amino acid pool components maintained byS. lactis K1 during growth in medium containing [14C] labeled and unlabeled arginine have revealed that (i) exogenous arginine is the precursor of intracellular ornithine, citrulline, and N5-(CE)ornithine, and (ii) the rates of turnover of ornithine and citrulline were considerably faster than that of N5-(CE)ornithine. These data account for the biosynthesis and accumulation of N5-(CE)ornithine byS. lactis.
Low Energy Challenges in Super-Kamiokande-III

Strategies to lower the solar 8B neutrino analysis energy threshold of Super-Kamiokande from 5 to 4 MeV are discussed and Super-Kamiokande-II data is presented.
Enantiodivergent, biocatalytic routes to both taxol side chain antipodes.

Two enantiocomplementary bakers' yeast enzymes reduced an α-chloro-β-keto ester to yield precursors for both enantiomers of the N-benzoyl phenylisoserine Taxol side chain. After base-mediated ring closure of the chlorohydrin enantiomers, the epoxides were converted directly to the oxazoline form of the target molecules using a Ritter reaction with benzonitrile. These were hydrolyzed to the ethyl ester form of the Taxol side chain enantiomers under acidic conditions. This brief and atom-efficient route to both target enantiomers demonstrates both the synthetic utility of individual yeast reductases and the power of genomic strategies in making these catalysts available.
Increased brain interstitial fluid adenosine concentration during hypoxia in newborn piglet.

The effects of arterial hypoxia on interstitial fluid adenosine concentrations were studied in the frontal cortex and thalamus by the brain dialysis technique and in CSF from the cisterna magna of the newborn piglet. Acute hypoxia (PaO2 = 20 ± 1 mm Hg) increased the interstitial fluid adenosine concentrations significantly from 0.68 ± 0.29 (SEM) to 1.60 ± 0.35 μM in the frontal cortex and from 1.03 ± 0.32 to 2.60 ± 0.86 μM in the thalamus (n = 8). Interstitial fluid inosine and hypoxanthine also increased significantly during hypoxia. In separate groups of piglets, the adenosine concentration in the cisterna magna CSF under normoxic conditions was 0.04 ± 0.01 μM (n = 5), which increased significantly to 0.17 ± 0.04 μM (n = 6) with hypoxia (PaO2 = 4.7 ± 1.2 mm Hg). Cisterna magna CSF inosine levels did not change significantly during the severe hypoxia. Adenosine concentrations found in the interstitial space and CSF of newborn piglets under normoxic and hypoxic conditions are within the vasodilator range....
Human lens fiber cell plasma membranes. I. Isolation, polypeptide composition and changes associated with ageing.

Abstract A detailed methodology is offered for the bulk isolation of human lens fiber cell plasma membranes. The human lens fiber plasma membrane fraction is isolable as the water-insoluble and urea-insoluble but detergent-soluble material, under reducing conditions. Ultrastructural characterization confirmed the homogeneity of this fraction. Biochemical, immunological and electrophoretic analyses were conducted upon the isolated fiber plasma membranes. Analyses were conducted of whole-lens, cortical and nuclear fiber plasma membranes from fetal, newborn, 30–50, 50–60, and 60–80-year-old normal human lenses. The fiber plasma membrane fraction remained a relatively constant 0·9% of the fresh (wet) weight of the human lens throughout lifespan; the protein-lipid ratio was determined as 1:1·2 with a slight increase in the lipid factorial of older lenses (50 years and older). Thirteen (13) polypeptides, ranging in molecular weight from 12–235 kilodaltons were resolved electrophoretically for the membranes. The phospholipid-containing 25 and 27 kilodalton polypeptides were found to constitute the main intrinsic protein of the human lens fiber membranes. α-Crystallin polypeptides (20 and 22·5 kilodaltons) were consistently recovered from the membranes, and their presence confirmed immunologically only following total detergent solubilization of the membranes. Reactions of an antiserum to the main intrinsic protein of chick lens fiber membranes and the human lens membranes were negative. The major age-dependent change in the protein composition of whole-lens human fiber membranes consisted of a gradual reversal in the preponderance of the 27 kilodalton polypeptide prenatally (and at birth) by the 25 kilodalton polypeptide as the main intrinsic polypeptide of the membranes postnatally. Additional changes comprised a gradual increase in the weight fraction of the 12 kilodalton polypeptide in the whole-lens fiber membranes throughout lifespan, and a gradual decrease of the α-crystallin content of cortical fiber membranes of lenses 50 years and older.
Synthesis of α- and γ-tocopherols selectively labelled with deuterium†

Four deuterium-substituted α-tocopherols (dideutero-RRR, nonadeutero-ambo, nonadeutero-all-rac and undecadeutero-all-rac) and a dideutero-RRR-γ-tocopherol have been synthesized for use in studies of the biokinetics, bioavailability and metabolism of vitamin E.
Good Mothers Never Wane: Mothering at Menopause

Due to recent feminist scholarship, we know a considerable amount about women's mothering identities and activities, as well as the impact of mothering ideology on individual women. Nonetheless there are gaps in our knowledge about motherhood. For instance, we know mostly about experiences of mothers with young children, and an implicit assumption is that mothers are also fairly young themselves. Yet, what about mothers at midlife and beyond? What about menopausal mothers? This paper represents an initial attempt to explore motherhood experiences of middle-aged menopausal women. Findings presented in this article are based on 45 in-depth interviews with middle-class, heterosexual menopausal women in a midwestern state in 2001. Findings suggest that motherwork and the maintenance of "good" mothering ideology are still primary activities of women at menopause despite assumptions that menopausal women have completed mothering experiences and are now grandmothers (if caregivers at all). In analyzing menopausal mothers, I encourage broader explorations of women's experiences of both motherhood and menopause.
Bose-Einstein condensates in spin-orbit-coupled optical lattices: Flat bands and superfluidity

Recently spin-orbit (SO)-coupled superfluids in free space or harmonic traps have been extensively studied, motivated by the recent experimental realization of SO coupling for Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC). However, the rich physics of SO-coupled BEC in optical lattices has been largely unexplored. In this paper, we show that in a suitable parameter region the lowest Bloch state forms an isolated flat band in a one-dimensional SO-coupled optical lattice, which thus provides an experimentally feasible platform for exploring the recently celebrated topological flatband physics in lattice systems. We show that the flat band is preserved even with the mean-field interaction in BEC. We investigate the superfluidity of the BEC in SO-coupled lattices through dynamical and Landau stability analysis, and show that the BEC is stable on the whole flat band.