cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maternal Expenditure in Plains Bison (Bison bison bison): Subtle but Nontrivial Differences Between Sons and Daughters in the Demand of Energy

Patterns of maternal expenditure in Plains bison (Bison bison bison) are equivocal, with different studies yielding conflicting results. Therefore, our objective was to investigate the unsettled question of differential maternal expenditure in Plains bison. By observing the nursing behavior of known age calves, we measured post birth maternal expenditure on sons and daughters between birth and 3 mo of age. Calf weights at 6 mo of age also were measured. Because male calves grow faster and are larger than females as adults, we predicted sons would attempt to acquire more energy via differential nursing behavior and would be heavier at 6 mo of age. The results of our t-tests revealed no significant differences between sons and daughters in any nursing behavior. Male calves, however, performed all behaviors approximately 12% (range 8–20%) more frequently than female calves. For example, despite the nursing attempts of sons being rejected nearly 13% more often than that of daughters, sons nursed about 10% more frequently and 9% longer than daughters did. This occurred despite mothers terminating nursing bouts equally for both sexes. Therefore sons appear to demand (and obtain) more energy from mothers than daughters.
You Kids Get off My Ethics Lawn!: An Admitted Curmudgeonly Critique of Credentialing Individual Clinical Ethics Consultants.

The need to identify competence in clinical ethics consultation is undeniable. Without an ability to identify competence, anyone with any qualification can claim expertise in the area, and do subst...
Diabetes mellitus and colorectal carcinoma outcomes: a meta-analysis

The impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes remains unknown. We studied this by conducting a meta-analysis to evaluate (1) CRC outcomes with and without DM and (2) treatment patterns. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and CINAHL for full-text English studies from 1970 to 12/31/2017. We searched keywords, subject headings, and MESH terms to locate studies of CRC outcomes/treatment and DM. Studies were evaluated by two oncologists. Of 14,332, 48 met inclusion criteria. In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses method, we extracted study location, design, DM definition, covariates, comparison groups, outcomes, and relative risks and/or hazard ratios. We utilized a random-effects model to pool adjusted risk estimates. Primary outcomes were all-cause mortality (ACM), disease-free survival (DFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS). The secondary outcome was treatment patterns. Forty-eight studies were included, 42 in the meta-analysis, and 6 in the descriptive analysis, totaling > 240,000 patients. ACM was 21% worse (OR 1.21, 95% CI 1.15–1.28) and DFS was 75% worse (OR 1.75, 95% CI: 1.33–2.31) in patients with DM. No differences were detected in CSS (OR 1.10, 95% CI 0.98–1.23) or RFS (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.91–1.38). Descriptive analysis of treatment patterns in CRC and DM suggested potentially less adjuvant therapy use in cases with DM and CRC. Our meta-analysis suggests that patients with CRC and DM have worse ACM and DFS than patients without DM, suggesting that non-cancer causes of death in may account for worse outcomes.
Mobile Teleworking – Its Effects on Work/Life Balance, a Case Study from Austria

The nature of work, including how, where and when it is done, is changing rapidly these days. Employees are constantly engaging in modern ICT that permits them to work anywhere, at any time and in any way. Remote working, mobile working, flexible schedules and compressed workweeks are some of the many work adjustments or combinations of adjustments in use in different companies worldwide. ICT naturally reduces the need for physical mobility in a globalised world by means of telepresence and videoconferencing in the face of globalisation, which increases the physical mobility needs (consumerism, offshoring, global sourcing and others). Generally, it was found that work/life balance policies are a remarkable tool for the improvement of performance, high productivity, morale and commitment. The aim of this paper is to analyse the initial issue of mobile teleworking as a problem for work/life balance in an international sports company. The method used is Skype interviews with 12 mobile teleworkers. There is gender equality (six males and six females). The main objectives are to understand if issues in the work/life balance are obstacles to mobile working, in addition whether this kind of work is becoming more common and is expanding, and lastly if mobile telework intensifies the delimitation of work and life. Our results show that mobile teleworking involves readiness to travel and is equated with a high level of autonomy in work and self-discipline. Further, work/life balance is endangered by high mobility, which can be decreased when customers are educated. Moreover, mobile life is not a long-term option, and mobile life is a suitable tool to fit in with family arrangements. Generally, focus on work content is more important than the workplace.
A National Analysis of Minimally Invasive Vs Open Segmentectomy for Stage IA Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

The objective of this study was to compare long-term outcomes of open vs minimally invasive (MIS) segmentectomy for early stage non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has not been previouslyevaluated using national studies. Outcomes of open vs MIS segmentectomy for clinical T1, N0, M0 NSCLC in the National Cancer Data Base (2010–2015) were evaluated using propensity score matching. Of the 39,351 patients who underwent surgery for stage IA NSCLC from 2010 to 2015, 770 underwent segmentectomy by thoracotomy and 1056 by MIS approach (876 thoracoscopic [VATS], 180 robotic). The MIS to open conversion rate was 6.7% (n = 71). After propensity score matching, all baseline characteristics were well-balanced between the open (n = 683) and MIS (n = 683) groups. When compared to the open group, the MIS group had shorter median length of stay (4 vs 5 days, P
Why the Bildungsroman no longer works

Why are “flat” protagonists, in increasing numbers, displacing the well-rounded and internally fraught individuals that pulled their personal experiences together as a progressive narrative for rea...
Updates to the Appropriate-Use Criteria for Somatostatin Receptor PET.

The guidelines of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services require that appropriate-use criteria (AUC) be reviewed yearly. The somatostatin receptor (SSTR) PET AUC was originally approved in 2017 ([1][1]). There were no significant updates in the first 2 annual reviews, but this year there are
Not Interested? A Trustee Lacks “Party in Interest” Standing To Move for an Extension of the Nondischargeability Bar Date on Behalf of Creditors

Chapter 7 bankruptcy is designed to provide a financially distressed debtor with a “fresh start.” Towards that end, an individual debtor’s debts are typically discharged during the case. A creditor has only a short window of time in which to object to the dischargeability of its claims. This bar date can only be extended for cause and upon the application of a “party in interest.” Occasionally, a trustee will move for such an extension on behalf of the creditors. There is a split, however, between the Fourth and Sixth Circuits regarding whether a trustee is a “party in interest” and, therefore, whether the trustee has standing to move for an extension. This Note analyzes the trustee’s role and interests in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy case, as well as the policy interests underlying the U.S. bankruptcy system. This Note concludes that a trustee is not a “party in interest” because a trustee does not have a financial, practical, or statutorily imposed interest in the dischargeability of an individual debt. Therefore, this Note finds that the Fourth Circuit is correct in holding that a trustee does not have standing to move for an extension of the nondischargeability bar date.
First-year undergraduate students: depressed, distressed, and drained? Influence of depressive symptoms on markers of psychological well-being, sleep, and physical activity.

Objective: This study examined depressive symptomatology (DS) across the academic year in first-year undergraduate students and the influence of DS on anxiety, stress, body esteem, physical activity, and sleep. Participants: Participants were first-year undergraduate students (N= 164). Methods: Participants completed validated self-report measures each quarter. A repeated measures ANCOVA was conducted to examine changes in DS over time. Students were categorized as reporting subclinical (SCD) or clinical (CD) depressive symptoms. A repeated measures MANCOVA was conducted to examine the effect of time and DS groups on primary outcomes. Results: No significant main effects of time were observed for outcomes. Significant between-subjects effects were observed with CD participants reporting significantly higher anxiety and stress and lower sleep than SCD participants. Conclusions: First-year undergraduates with CD may have increased risk for negative markers of psychological and physical health outcomes. Universities should prioritize the psychological and physical health of their first-year students.
Inter-observer agreement between veterinarians and dairy farm caretakers:

Antimicrobial use in food-producing animals may contribute to the development of drug-resistant bacterial infections in humans. Veterinarians prescribe and dispense antimicrobials, but farm caretakers are responsible for judging disease severity and initiating on-farm treatments. The objective of this study was to estimate the level of agreement on initiating on-farm antimicrobial treatment between farm caretakers and the respective farm veterinarians at different levels of disease severity
Cell Communication and the Coordination of Differentiation

The processes of cellular and tissue differentiation are of fundamental significance to our understanding of plant growth and development, yet experimental studies in this area have been rare. During development, each cell must somehow determine its position relative to others, and must differentiate accordingly. The cells in higher organisms do not develop independently as preprogrammed units but rather are targets for various extrinsic stimuli. Groups of cells apparently communicate, and thereby set or reset specific programs of gene expression. However, almost nothing is known about the mechanisms by which cells establish their positions and subsequently give rise to appropriate cell types. Although cell and tissue differentiation must certainly be the result of selective gene expression, a critical problem has been our inability to make the connection between phenotype and genotype. At a time when our knowledge of gene structure and function seems to be increasing exponentially, we still have little knowledge about how these genes actually cause cells to differentiate and form tissues, organs, and organisms.
A Case of Pseudorheumatoid Nodule Arising in a Previous Site of Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

The pseudorheumatoid nodule (PRN) is a subcutaneous palisading granuloma characterized by a pattern of interstitial histiocytes surrounding an area of collagen necrobiosis and typically unassociated with rheumatoid arthritis. It is part of the spectrum of palisading granulomatous dermatitidis which includes the rheumatoid nodule, the rheumatic fever nodule, the spirochaete-associated juxtarticular nodes of Lyme disease, granuloma annulare, necrobiosis lipoidica and the palisading granuloma of Churg and Strauss. PRN has previously been associated with surgical trauma and with retained suture material at old surgical sites. We present a case of PRN arising in a previous biopsy site of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 48-year-old woman with no history of rheumatoid arthritis or a granulomatous diathesis underwent biopsy of a keratotic left forearm skin lesion on 10/14/03 that showed invasive SCC. She had a re-excision of the the same site on 11/22/03 that grossly showed a central scar. Histology revealed a scar at the site of a recent biopsy with no residual SCC, in the base of which was an area of necrosis palisaded by histiocytes. No residual suture or other polarizable foreign material was identified. Pancytokeratin and Epithelial Membrane Antigen immunostains were negative. The morphology is considered prototypic for PRN.
Traumatic events and post-traumatic stress disorder in cocaine users entering private treatment

We investigated traumatic events, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and psychiatric comorbidity in 450 men and women entering private, hospital-based treatments for cocaine dependence. Overall prevalence of event exposure was the same for women and men; however, women were approximately five times more likely than men to be diagnosed with lifetime and current PTSD. Women experienced more PTSD than men even when exposed to the same type of event. In most subjects with PTSD, onset of the disorder preceded onset of cocaine dependence. Subjects with PTSD were more likely than those without PTSD to have additional co-occurring mental disorders. Findings from this relatively affluent, privately treated sample suggest that PTSD and cocaine dependence are related, independent of patients' resources. They further indicate that the relationship between gender and PTSD is robust across patient populations. More complex examinations of PTSD, cocaine dependence, and gender are needed to better understand these relationships and to design effective interventions.
Case Distinctions are Necessary for Representing polynomials as Sums of Squares

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the history of logical aspects of Hilbert's 17th problem. In his book on the foundations of geometry, Hilbert described those problems in plane geometrical construction that can be solved by means of only his five groups of axioms, can always be carried out by the use of straightedge and gauge. He gave two algebraic characterizations of the set of points so constructible, in terms of their Cartesian coordinates (f 1 (x), f 2 (x)), where the given points are expressed as rational functions of the parameters x = (x 0 , …, x n ) ɛ ℝ n+1 . The second of his two characterizations was a necessary and sufficient condition—namely that f i (x) be a totally real-algebraic number for all x ɛ ℚ n+1 . The chapter discusses two logical points concerning the finiteness theorem: (1) intuitionistic considerations and (2) the terminology finiteness.
The Synthesis of β‐Lactams

The four-membered ring appears to be the smallest cyclic system that is capable of accommodating the amide function as a constituent. Such four-membered cyclic amides are commonly referred to as beta-lactams. The reluctance with which beta-lactams are formed using conventional methods of lactam synthesis has necessitated unique approaches to the problem. After 1943, interest in beta-lactams was stimulated by the importance of natural penicillins. Although there are at present several useful approaches to the beta-lactam ring systems, the synthesis of beta-lactams by a single general method is not possible. In principle, the synthesis of the beta-lactam ring might be accomplished by the formation of one, two, three, or all four bonds of the ring during the cyclization step. Of these four possibilities, only the last has been realized. Keywords: β-lactams; synthesis; cyclization; β-amino acid derivative; α-bromoesters; zinc; ketenes; imines; nitroso compounds; imine; acid chlorides; amines; dehydrohalogenation; haloacylaminomalonic esters; direct combination
Lysosomal Enzyme-Induced Cell Death in MCF7 and Mammary Gland Cells.

Breast cancer is a major health problem, being the second deadliest form of cancer in women, behind lung cancer, and it is the leading overall cause of deaths in women between 40 and 55 years of age. Great strides have been made in the diagnosis, research, and treatment of breast cancer. However, breast cancer cells that are resistant to radiation, anti-hormonal therapy, and chemotherapy are also resistant to apoptosis. Given these facts, it is likely that innovative new strategies will be required to treat breast cancer. Lack of such strategies is a major problem, because, until they become available, it is likely that there will be little, if any reduction in the number of new breast cancer cases. The idea of activating lysosomes as a way of treating breast cancer is novel and potentially important. Lysosomal enzymes, which can degrade all biological macromolecules, induce apoptosis in a variety of model systems and in breast tumors in mammary carcinomas in animal models. In this report, we demonstrate that lysosomal enzymes can trigger apoptosis in human breast carcinoma cells as well as in rat mammary gland cells.
How Low Can You Go? An Investigation of the Influence of Sample Size and Model Complexity on Point and Interval Estimates in Two-Level Linear Models

Whereas general sample size guidelines have been suggested when estimating multilevel models, they are only generalizable to a relatively limited number of data conditions and model structures, both of which are not very feasible for the applied researcher. In an effort to expand our understanding of two-level multilevel models under less than ideal conditions, Monte Carlo methods, through SAS/IML, were used to examine model convergence rates, parameter point estimates (statistical bias), parameter interval estimates (confidence interval accuracy and precision), and both Type I error control and statistical power of tests associated with the fixed effects from linear two-level models estimated with PROC MIXED. These outcomes were analyzed as a function of: (a) level-1 sample size, (b) level-2 sample size, (c) intercept variance, (d) slope variance, (e) collinearity, and (f) model complexity. Bias was minimal across nearly all conditions simulated. The 95% confidence interval coverage and Type I error rate tended to be slightly conservative. The degree of statistical power was related to sample sizes and level of fixed effects; higher power was observed with larger sample sizes and level-1 fixed effects. Hierarchically organized data are commonplace in educa- tional, clinical, and other settings in which research often occurs. Students are nested within classrooms or teachers, and teachers are nested within schools. Alternatively, service recipients are nested within social workers providing ser- vices, who may in turn be nested within local civil service entities. Conducting research at any of these levels while ignoring the more detailed levels (students) or contextual levels (schools) can lead to erroneous conclusions. As such, multilevel models have been developed to properly account
Cellular proliferation induced in the lung by cadmium aerosol.

Rats were exposed to a polydispersed aerosol of 0.1 per cent cadmium chloride in physiologic saline for a single period of 2 hours, and the evolution of damage was followed for a 10-day period. Con...
Cassini CAPS: Distributed operations from an instrument perspective

Due to budget restrictions, the responsibility for operation of the science payload on the Cassini-Huygens mission is distributed across the science instrument teams12. Under this distributed operations model, each instrument site is responsible for uplink operations instead of the large, centrally located operations facilities that are typical of spacecraft missions. Additionally, instrument teams are responsible for the standard downlink operations, science, and archiving. As long as requirements and deadlines are met, the Cassini project does not dictate how the requirements are met. Each instrument team was left on its own to come up with how they would respond to this challenge. This paper will chronicle the specifics of how distributed operations are coordinated and run within the Cassini Plasma Spectrometer (CAPS) operations team. By critically examining how operations have evolved over the 10 year period from late 1998 through the end of 2008, this paper will discuss lessons learned in operating this complex instrument. Additionally, current management techniques will be examined to determine if the efficiency of distributed operations can be improved.
Consistency of posterior mixtures in the Gaussian family on a Hilbert space and its applications

Abstract Majumdar (1994, J. Multivariate Anal. 48 87-105) compounds (in the sense of Robbins, 1951, "Proceedings, Second Berkeley Sympos. Math. Statist. Probab.," pp. 131-148, Univ. of California Press, Berkeley) the estimation problem in the mean-parameter family of Gaussian distributions on a real separable infinite dimensional Hilbert space. The question of asymptotic optimality of compound estimators that are Bayes versus a hyperprior mixture of i.i.d. priors on the compound parameter is reduced there, under a compactness restriction on the parameter space, to the question of consistency, in an extended sense, of a certain posterior mixture for the empirical mixture. For mixing hyperpriors with full topological support, that consistency result is obtained in this paper. A corollary of the consistency result is applied to obtain asymptotically optimal decision rules in the empirical Bayes problem involving the mean-parameter Gaussian family and a sufficiently smooth risk function.
Vibrational spectra of molecular and atomic oxygen on Ag(11O)

Abstract Atomic and molecular states of bonding of oxygen have been resolved on Ag(11O) by electron energy loss vibrational spectroscopy. The O-O bond order is reduced below unity, indicating appreciable charge transfer into the antibonding orbitals of O 2 by analogy with O 2 on Pt(111). Dissociation of the molecular oxygen into the atomic form was observed above 200 K.
Sintering atmosphere effects on tensile properties of heavy alloys

The sintering atmosphere has a direct bearing on the residual porosity which in turn has a strong negative influence on the tensile properties of W-Ni-Fe heavy alloys. The present investigation uses various sintering atmospheres to understand pore formation, densification, microstructure, and tensile properties of heavy alloys with tungsten contents ranging from 88 to 97 wt Pct. Pore formation when sintering in a dry hydrogen atmosphere is linked to water vapor generation and its entrapment in pores. A hydrogen dew point effect is associated with solution-reprecipitation of tungsten during liquid phase sintering. The beneficial effect of vacuum sintering has been analyzed in terms of removal of the gases before pore closure. Property degradation during long time vacuum sintering is attributed to preferential matrix vaporization. The negative effect of long sintering times in dry hydrogen is attributed to pore coarsening, which is removed by a three-stage sintering atmosphere treatment.
The Global Gold Mining Industry: Materiality, Rent-Seeking, Junior Firms and Canadian Corporate Citizenship:

The growing incidence of conflicts between multinational gold mining companies and host community residents in the developing world is contextualized by discussing the recent proliferation of small, ‘junior’ companies in the gold mining industry. The geological attributes of the geographical distribution of gold deposits and gold's relative scarcity allow for an industry characterized by many small and intensely competitive firms. This competition plays out as a contest for access to resource and finance rents. Firms seek resource rents by investing in lax policy environments with mineralization that favours low-cost production, and firms seek finance rents by legally incorporating in Canada where equity financing for juniors is highly subsidized and corporate governance is lenient. Integrating studies on materiality, rent-seeking and the role of government incentives provides important insights into the rise of junior gold companies and the role of these firms in mineral conflicts around the world.
The Differentiated State of Normal and Malignant Cells or How to Define a “Normal” Cell in Culture

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the differentiated state of normal and malignant cells. The first step of cell separation (trypsinization and collagenase treatment), by removing membranous receptors and matrix elements and structures, produces a discontinuity between the cell and its environment. Thus, if the outside directs what (and how much) the cell should or should not produce, the flow of information may never be exactly the same. There are two exceptions to this. The extent and the composition of the extracellular matrix is an important differentiated trait of tendon cells. The tendon in vivo produces an extensive and organized matrix consisting primarily of collagen bundles. In the presence of ascorbic acid, these cells produce an extensive matrix also in culture. The organization of the matrix, however, is not analogous to the tendon in vivo. Both in scanning and transmission electron micrographs, the matrix appears as a mesh-like network where collagen bundles have a smaller diameter than the bundles observed in intact tendon. This may be because tendon cells in vivo are lined up in orderly arrays, while in culture they have little or no orientation especially at subconfluent stages. If cells in culture are made to line up by providing them with a preformed collagenous matrix, it may be possible to achieve an organized deposition of a de novo synthesized matrix.
A formula for certain inverse Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials in S n

Let w0 denote the permutation [n, n - 1, ..., 2, 1]. We give a new explicit formula for the Kazhdan-Lusztig polynomials Pw0w,w0x in Sn when x indexes an irreducible component of the singular locus of the Schubert variety Xw. To do this, we utilize a standard identity that relates Px,w and Pw0w,w0x.
A case report of Wyburn-Mason syndrome and review of the literature.

Wyburn-Mason syndrome is a distinct congenital neurocutaneous entity comprised of ipsilateral arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of the midbrain, vascular abnormalities affecting the visual pathway, and facial nevi. We report a case and review of the literature of all other reported cases of Wyburn-Mason syndrome (n = 26) in the English literature since 1973. In this review, we report on a 4½-year-old boy with Wyburn-Mason syndrome who presented with left retinal and orbital AVMs and a ruptured thalamic AVM. The patient did not respond to light in the left eye and demonstrated a left afferent pupillary defect. He did not have any cutaneous lesions. We also characterize other reported cases of Wyburn-Mason syndrome. The presentation of patients with Wyburn-Mason syndrome can vary greatly according to the site and the extent of vascular lesions. Intracranial AVMs occasionally hemorrhage with significant morbidity. Treatment is controversial, and patients are typically managed conservatively by observation.
Inhibition of brain choline uptake by isoarecolone and lobeline derivatives: Implications for potential vector-mediated brain drug delivery

Abstract Delivery of certain compounds to brain is restricted by the nature of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Many valuable pharmaceuticals are excluded from the CNS due to hydrophilicity or charge. These limitations have been overcome by numerous methods. One method we use is to take advantage of saturable nutrient transporters located at the barrier. These systems transport hydrophilic and charged nutrients into brain such as choline, a quaternized neurotransmitter precursor. Using knowledge of their substrate specificity, it is possible to deliver agents into brain using these nutrient carriers. In this report, derivatives of lobeline and isoarecolone were evaluated to determine if they may gain access to brain by the blood–brain barrier basic amine transporter using the in situ brain perfusion technique. These compounds do bind the blood–brain barrier basic amine transporter and may enter brain by this transport system.
Corrigendum: An evolving perspective on the Pseudomonas aeruginosa orphan quorum sensing regulator QscR

Figure ​Figure11 of the article by Chugani and Greenberg contains errors in the QscR sequence used in the alignment, which we hereby rectify. In the original figure the N-terminal portion of QscR shows as dashes. We resubmit Figure ​Figure11 with corrections in the sequence. Figure 1 An alignment of the QscR sequence with previously characterized LuxR homologs TraR, LuxR, RhlR, LasR, and BviR. We have also included sequences of three ORFs annotated as LuxR-family transcriptional regulators showing significant identity to QscR; Methylosarcina ...
Tamper Evident Microprocessors

Most security mechanisms proposed to date unquestioningly place trust in microprocessor hardware. This trust, however, is misplaced and dangerous because microprocessors are vulnerable to insider attacks that can catastrophically compromise security, integrity and privacy of computer systems. In this paper, we describe several methods to strengthen the fundamental assumption about trust in microprocessors. By employing practical, lightweight attack detectors within a microprocessor, we show that it is possible to protect against malicious logic embedded in microprocessor hardware. We propose and evaluate two area-efficient hardware methods - TrustNet and DataWatch - that detect attacks on microprocessor hardware by knowledgeable, malicious insiders. Our mechanisms leverage the fact that multiple components within a microprocessor (e.g., fetch, decode pipeline stage etc.) must necessarily coordinate and communicate to execute even simple instructions, and that any attack on a microprocessor must cause erroneous communications between micro architectural subcomponents used to build a processor. A key aspect of our solution is that TrustNet and DataWatch are themselves highly resilient to corruption. We demonstrate that under realistic assumptions, our solutions can protect pipelines and on-chip cache hierarchies at negligible area cost and with no performance impact. Combining TrustNet and DataWatch with prior work on fault detection has the potential to provide complete coverage against a large class of microprocessor attacks.
The Hawaii family study of cognition: A reply

Differences in age and number of children tested per family between two ethnic groups (Americans of Japanese ancestry and Americans of European ancestry) have a trivial effect on differences in regressions of midchild on midparent for tests of specific cognitive abilities. Although the regression of offspring on midparent value is not a mathematical function of the spouse correlation, an empirical association between these two measures of familial resemblance is expected for characters with nonzero heritability. Such an association is reported for anthropometric characters. Since age effects contribute to the covariance of family members, age correction of family cognitive data is essential.
A reduced order, test verified component mode synthesis approach for system modeling applications

Abstract Component mode synthesis (CMS) is a very common approach used for the generation of large system models. In general, these modeling techniques can be separated into two categories: those utilizing a combination of constraint modes and fixed interface normal modes and those based on a combination of free interface normal modes and residual flexibility terms. The major limitation of the methods utilizing constraint modes and fixed interface normal modes is the inability to easily obtain the required information from testing; the result of this limitation is that constraint mode-based techniques are primarily used with numerical models. An alternate approach is proposed which utilizes frequency and shape information acquired from modal testing to update reduced order finite element models using exact analytical model improvement techniques. The connection degrees of freedom are then rigidly constrained in the test verified, reduced order model to provide the boundary conditions necessary for constraint modes and fixed interface normal modes. The CMS approach is then used with this test verified, reduced order model to generate the system model for further analysis. A laboratory structure is used to show the application of the technique with both numerical and simulated experimental components to describe the system and validate the proposed approach. Actual test data is then used in the approach proposed. Due to typical measurement data contaminants that are always included in any test, the measured data is further processed to remove contaminants and is then used in the proposed approach. The final case using improved data with the reduced order, test verified components is shown to produce very acceptable results from the Craig–Bampton component mode synthesis approach. Use of the technique with its strengths and weaknesses are discussed.
Decision making and race

Abstract The argument is presented that managers in organizations characterized by a high degree of diversity are not well prepared to deal with problems that are race based. Part of the problem stems from a lack of understanding as to what constitutes a “racist” event or incident. Current management textbooks offer little guidance to the decision processes minority individuals may use to conclude that discrimination has occurred or that racism is operating. To assist managers, a decision tree model is offered. The model delineates those factors hypothesized to influence the minority individual's cognitive processes and the potential problems that can result.
Estrogenicity of soybeans (Glycine max) varies by plant organ and developmental stage

Phytoestrogens are a broad group of environmentally labile plant molecules that can influence development and reproduction of animals by binding estrogen and ecdysone receptors. In plants, phytoestrogens regulate physiological mechanisms such as auxin transport and mediate ecological interactions including attraction of symbionts. Most analytical phytoestrogen studies focus on quantifying particular phytoestrogen compounds (e.g., genistein) rather than measuring the accompanying biological estrogenic activity, and studies that evaluate temporal or spatial estrogenic variation in plants are rare. Therefore, in the present study, variation in estrogenic activity of field-grown soybeans (Glycine max cv Shirofumi) was examined across plant parts and life stages. Ethanolic organ extracts were analyzed for estrogenicity in a yeast reporter assay expressing human estrogen receptors α (ERα) or β (ERβ). All tissues were significantly more active with ERβ than ERα. The estrogenicity of roots, leaves, and shoots var...
HIV-Positive Patients: Dental Management Considerations

HIV infection in humans occurs primarily by mucosal infection during unprotected sexual activity or inoculation during intravenous drug use. HIV infection causes a progressive deterioration of protective cell-medicated immunity, specifically due the destruction of thymus-derived lymphocytes, called T-cell, during viral replication. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) reduces HIV viral replication and improves immune function against opportunistic infections, but it does not offer a cure for disease. Dental professionals should be able to recognize those with HIV infection by identifying the oral manifestations of fungal, viral, and bacterial infections or neoplasms that occur with immunodeficiency. Dental care providers should understand the adverse effects of HAART and communicate the importance of good oral health in managing disease.
Urine neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin levels do not improve risk prediction of progressive chronic kidney disease

Novel biomarkers may improve our ability to predict which patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at higher risk for progressive loss of renal function. Here, we assessed the performance of urine neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin (NGAL) for outcome prediction in a diverse cohort of 3386 patients with CKD in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study. In this cohort, the baseline mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 42.4ml/min per 1.73m 2 , the median 24-h urine protein was 0.2g/day, and the median urine NGAL concentration was 17.2ng/ml. Over an average follow-up of 3.2 years, there were 689 cases in which the eGFR was decreased by half or incident end-stage renal disease developed. Even after accounting for eGFR, proteinuria, and other known CKD progression risk factors, urine NGAL remained a significant independent risk factor (Cox model hazard ratio 1.70 highest to lowest quartile). The association between baseline urine NGAL levels and risk of CKD progression was strongest in the first 2 years of biomarker measurement. Within this time frame, adding urine NGAL to a model that included eGFR, proteinuria, and other CKD progression risk factors led to net reclassification improvement of 24.7%, but the C-statistic remained nearly identical. Thus, while urine NGAL was an independent risk factor of progression among patients with established CKD of diverse etiology, it did not substantially improve prediction of outcome events.
Detection of explosive-related compounds by laser photoionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

We report studies using laser photoionization and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to detect several explosive-related compounds (ERCs). The ultimate goal of this work is the detection of buried land mines through their chemical signatures. Resonantly enhanced multiphoton ionization using jet expansion cooling, with a nanosecond pulse laser, results in complete photofragmentation of the parent ERC and appearance only of the NO+ ion, which forms all of the detected signal. This will also occur for compounds naturally occurring in the environment, such as NO2 or peroxyacetylnitrate, rendering too many false alarms for this approach to be viable. Therefore, two other techniques were evaluated. Single-photon ionization with nanosecond pulses in the vacuum ultraviolet is shown to produce only the parent ion, and is probably the most suitable choice. For 2,4-dinitrobenzene we find a limit of detection of about 40 ppb, for a signal to noise ratio of 3. This may be sufficient for land-mine detection, but improvement is likely with future work. Nonresonant multiphoton ionization in the ultraviolet with a femtosecond laser produces fragmentation but retains some parent ERC ion signal. The limit of detection is similar to that of single-photon ionization but it is harder to implement with lasers now commercially available. Future directions are outlined.
The effects of sleep dysfunction on cognition, affect, and quality of life in individuals with cerebellar ataxia.

Study Objective:Cerebellar ataxia comprises a group of debilitating diseases that are the result of progressive cerebellar degeneration. Recent studies suggest that, like other neurodegenerative di...
Cost-Effectiveness of Primary Prevention Strategies for Nephrolithiasis

Purpose: Stone disease is a highly prevalent condition associated with substantial cost and morbidity. We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of a primary prevention strategy.Materials and Methods: A decision analysis model was constructed to compare the cost of ad hoc management of symptomatic stones vs the cost of primary prevention. A literature search was performed to determine the incidence of stone disease, the effectiveness of nonmedical prevention strategies and cost associated with stone management. One and 2-way sensitivity analyses were performed to determine conditions under which a strategy of primary prevention might be cost-effective.Results: Assuming a 1% incidence of stones, a 50% risk reduction and a $100 cost per individual per year for primary prevention, the model was used to calculate the overall costs per individual per year without and with a primary prevention strategy of $46 and $123, respectively. One-way sensitivity analyses indicated that primary prevention was cost-effective if ...
Delayed gastric emptying in patients undergoing antireflux surgery: analysis of a treatment algorithm.

Purpose: Controversy remains about the treatment of patients with mild delayed gastric emptying (90 min < emptying half-time [T1/2] < 180 min) who undergo antireflux surgery. This retrospective, nonrandomized study reviewed the records of patients treated from January 1996 through October 2003, during which time we applied two treatment algorithms for patients with mild delayed gastric emptying. The goal of this study was to determine whether the most recent treatment algorithm was effective in reducing the need for a concomitant gastric drainage procedure, pyloroplasty. Materials and Methods: Eighteen patients with mild delayed gastric emptying underwent antireflux surgery plus pyloroplasty (group A) before 2001, and 13 patients with mild delayed gastric emptying underwent antireflux surgery plus gastric decompression with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement (group B) starting in 2001. We reviewed indications for the procedure, complications, and outcomes. Primary outcome measures for this stud...
Treatment of Acardiac Twinning

Abstract Background: The twin reversed-arterial-perfusion sequence is a complication of monochorionic twin pregnancies characterized by the hemodynamic dependence of a “recipient” twin from a “pump” twin. The recipient twin exhibits lethal abnormalities including acardia and acephaly. The pump twin has a mortality rate of 50% as a result of high-output heart failure. Case: The blood supply to an acardiac-acephalus twin was interrupted at 24 weeks’ gestation using endoscopic laser coagulation. The co-twin was delivered at 35 weeks and had an uneventful neonatal course following correction of a persistent patent ductus arteriosus. Review of the literature reveals 22 cases of acardiac twinning treated with invasive procedures, seven of them using endoscopic laser coagulation. Pump twin mortality with fetal surgery was 13.6% in comparison with 50% mortality with expectant management ( P Conclusion: Fetal surgery is the best available treatment for acardiac twinning. Endoscopic laser coagulation at or before 24 weeks and endoscopic or sonographic guided umbilical cord ligation after this gestational age seem to be the best treatments for this condition.
Rotating Shearing Plate Interferometer

The rotatable shearing plate interferometer provides a fast and simple manual method of measuring defocus, astigmatism and coma in a collimated laser beam. The shearing plate is mounted at a 45 degree angle relative to the incident beam. The plate in its housing is rotated about the axis of the incident beam. This allows the beam to be sheared in the horizontal, the vertical, or any other direction. Astigmatism and defocus can be calculated from fringe tilt measurements taken at any three angles, for example, 0, 45 and 90 degrees. Coma can be calculated from fringe curvatures measured at 0 and 90 degrees.
Diagnosis and treatment of a patient with bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome secondary to anterior subluxation of bilateral sternoclavicular joints: A case report

Thoracic outlet syndrome may result from a posterior sternoclavicular (SC) joint subluxation, or an anterior SC joint subluxation after surgical fixation. This case report presents the physical therapy management of a patient with bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) secondary to bilateral idiopathic anterior SC joint subluxation. A 16-year-old female presented with a 2-year history of numbness, tingling, and coldness in bilateral upper extremities, and intermittent headaches with occasional vision loss. Ipsilateral upper extremity symptoms were reproduced with cervical rotation and shoulder flexion and abduction from 90° to end of the range. All TOS tests were positive. Passive horizontal abduction, through the plane of scaption, produced anterior subluxation of the ipsilateral SC joint. Sustained posterior glides to the medial clavicle relieved all symptoms during shoulder flexion and the Adson's test. Interventions consisted of manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and the trial of two orthoses. After 12 treatment sessions, the patient's symptoms resolved and she improved by 10 points on the Upper Extremity Functional Index. She had no reproduction of symptoms with the thoracic outlet special tests. She maintained a static hold for 90 sec at 90° shoulder flexion, 90° shoulder abduction, and full shoulder flexion without symptoms. The outcomes describe a successful intervention for a patient with bilateral TOS secondary to idiopathic bilateral anterior SC joint subluxation. This case suggests that SC joint dysfunction should be considered as a cause of TOS and should be screened during the initial examination.
Specific tyrosine phosphorylation sites on cortactin regulate Nck1-dependent actin polymerization in invadopodia.

Invadopodia are matrix-degrading membrane protrusions in invasive carcinoma cells enriched in proteins that regulate actin polymerization. The on–off regulatory switch that initiates actin polymerization in invadopodia requires phosphorylation of tyrosine residues 421, 466, and 482 on cortactin. However, it is unknown which of these cortactin tyrosine phosphorylation sites control actin polymerization. We investigated the contribution of individual tyrosine phosphorylation sites (421, 466, and 482) on cortactin to the regulation of actin polymerization in invadopodia. We provide evidence that the phosphorylation of tyrosines 421 and 466, but not 482, is required for the generation of free actin barbed ends in invadopodia. In addition, these same phosphotyrosines are important for Nck1 recruitment to invadopodia via its SH2 domain, for the direct binding of Nck1 to cortactin in vitro, and for the FRET interaction between Nck1 and cortactin in invadopodia. Furthermore, matrix proteolysis-dependent tumor cell invasion is dramatically inhibited in cells expressing a mutation in phosphotyrosine 421 or 466. Together, these results identify phosphorylation of tyrosines 421 and 466 on cortactin as the crucial residues that regulate Nck1-dependent actin polymerization in invadopodia and tumor cell invasion, and suggest that specifically blocking either tyrosine 421 or 466 phosphorylation might be effective at inhibiting tumor cell invasion in vivo.
Postsecondary Learning Disabled Students: Do Their Study Habits Differ from Those of Their Non-Learning Disabled Peers?.

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist between postsecondary students with learning disabilities and their non‐learning disabled counterparts. Data were collected through two survey forms: one gathered specific data about the learning disabled group; the second provided data about study habits of the learning disabled group and two other groups of non‐learning disabled students at San Diego Mesa College. Results showed that although most study habits did not significantly differ, students with learning disabilities required substantially more assistance in math, spelling, writing, and reading comprehension. As a result, implications for instruction are suggested. A short review of literature about postsecondary learning disability programs precedes the study discussion.