cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Indices of Resting Metabolic Rate Accurately Reflect Energy Deficiency in Exercising Women

Energy deficiency in exercising women can lead to physiological consequences. No gold standard exists to accurately estimate energy deficiency, but measured-to-predicted resting metabolic rate (RMR) ratio has been used to categorize women as energy deficient. The purpose of the study was to (a) evaluate the accuracy of RMR prediction methods, (b) determine the relationships with physiological consequences of energy deficiency, and (c) evaluate ratio thresholds in a cross-sectional comparison of ovulatory, amenorrheic, or subclinical menstrual disturbances in exercising women (n = 217). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and indirect calorimetry provided data on anthropometrics and energy expenditure. Harris-Benedict, DXA, and Cunningham (1980 and 1991) equations were used to estimate RMR and RMR ratio. Group differences were assessed (analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis tests); logistic regression and Spearman correlations related ratios with consequences of energy deficiency (i.e., low total triiodothyronine; TT3). Sensitivity and specificity calculations evaluated ratio thresholds. Amenorrheic women had lower RMR (p < .05), DXA ratio (p < .01), Cunningham1980 (p < .05) and Cunningham1991 (p < .05) ratio, and TT3 (p < .01) compared with the ovulatory group. Each prediction equation overestimated measured RMR (p < .001), but predicted (p < .001) and positively correlated with TT3 (r = .329-.453). A 0.90 ratio threshold yielded highest sensitivity for Cunningham1980 (0.90) and Harris-Benedict (0.87) methods, but a higher ratio threshold was best for DXA (0.94) and Cunningham1991 (0.92) methods to yield a sensitivity of 0.80. In conclusion, each ratio predicted and correlated with TT3, supporting the use of RMR ratio as an alternative assessment of energetic status in exercising women. However, a 0.90 ratio cutoff is not universal across RMR estimation methods.
Open reduction and internal fixation of capitellar fractures with headless screws. Surgical technique.

BACKGROUND: The outcome of operatively treated capitellar fractures has not been reported frequently. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical, radiographic, and functional outcomes following open reduction and internal fixation of capitellar fractures that were treated with a u
Evaluation of the effect of a new clinical reasoning curriculum in a pre-clerkship clinical skills course.

Clinical reasoning is often not explicitly taught to novice medical students. Pre-clerkship clinical skills courses are an ideal venue to teach the clinical reasoning process. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a preclinical clinical reasoning curriculum through an end-of-semester objective structured clinical examination. This study was conducted through our longitudinal clinical skills course. Second year medical (M2) students who received the clinical reasoning curriculum in 2018 formed the study cohort. M2 students from the previous year, who did not have the clinical reasoning curriculum, formed the comparison cohort. Several modalities were used to teach clinical reasoning including whole case approach, serial cue approach, self-explanation of pathophysiological mechanisms and comparison of closely related diagnoses. The students interviewed a standardized patient and documented the history along with three likely diagnoses. Students in the study cohort achieved higher scores on differential diagnosis (1.98 vs. 1.64 in the comparison cohort, p 0.05). Our study confirms that the introduction of clinical reasoning in a pre-clerkship clinical skills curriculum increases students’ ability to select relevant symptoms and provides them with a roadmap for expanding their differential diagnoses.
Pollution Regulation of Competitive Markets

We develop a model of oligopolistic firms that produce partially differentiated products and generate pollution as a byproduct. We analyze and compare two types of pollution regulation: Cap-and-Tra...
Let’s Break Free: Education in Our Own Image, Voice, and Interests

The colonial miseducation oppressed people have historically gotten in the United States keeps dispossessed people alienated from resources, belief systems, and ways of being that are inherently th...
What to Do With Leftovers: Collecting Earmarked Donations Through Mobile Payment Apps

With the rise in mobile payment applications, charitable donations using these platforms are increasing; equally, the use of a conduit between a donor and a charity to solicit and collect donations for the charity's benefit is growing. If a charity is overfunded or the charitable purpose is no longer available, the conduit is caught holding a pool of designated donations without the ability to contact the donors for permission for a similar or alternate use. Using the Internal Revenue Code requirements, the authority and regulations are not apparent for a charitable contribution through a conduit, particularly not for a conduit’s use of a mobile payment application. Part I of this Comment provides an overview of the conduit situation and the complications that arise. Part II introduces the requirements of a charitable contribution and the services that mobile payment applications offer. Part III analyzes three donation methods: a contribution directly to a 501(c)(3) organization, a contribution to an individual, and a contribution to a 501(c)(3) organization through an individual. Part IV examines the potential solutions to the issue of overfunded charities and the motivations behind each. Finally, Part V offers a brief overview of the prevalence of the issue and the future of mobile payment applications. The interaction of the detailed requirements of the Internal Revenue Code for a charitable contribution and mobile payment applications’ privacy policies, without clear authority or direction on the specific conduit situation, has the potential to be problematic and challenging for the contributor, conduit, charitable organizations, and mobile payment applications.
Epidemiology of neuroendocrine tumors of the appendix in the USA: a population-based national study (2014-2019)

Background The appendix is the third most common place for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) along the digestive tract and NETs are the most common neoplasms of the appendix. However, there are limited population-based data on the epidemiology of this disease. Using a large database, we sought to describe the epidemiology and risk association of NETs of the appendix. Method We queried a multi-institutional database (Explorys Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA), comprising 360 hospitals in the United States (US), for patients with a diagnosis of NETs of the appendix from 2014-2019. Results Of the 30,324,050 individuals in the database, 2020 patients had an appendiceal NET diagnosis (0.007%). The most common presenting symptoms included abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Patients with appendiceal NETs were more likely to be female (odds ratio [OR] 1.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.24-1.49), Caucasian (OR 2.71, 95%CI 2.40-3.07), with a history of smoking (OR 1.82, 95%CI 1.65-2.01), family history of primary gastrointestinal malignancy (OR 7.26, 95%CI 6.31-8.33), diagnosis of multiple endocrine tumor type 1 (OR 52.31, 95%CI 23.15-118.23), or neurofibromatosis type 1 (OR 16.37, 95%CI 7.24-37.01). Conclusions In a population-based study in the US, using the Explorys database, we found the overall prevalence of NETs of the appendix to be 7 per 100,000 persons. The incidence in the year January 2019-January 2020 was 0.4 per 100,000 individuals. These rates are higher than previously reported and may be more accurate, given the more comprehensive nature of the Explorys database.
Malignant Peripheral Nerve-Sheath Tumor.

Malignant Peripheral Nerve-Sheath Tumor A 61-year-old man with neurofibromatosis type 1 presented with an enlarging neck mass. Surgical excision was performed, and a diagnosis of a malignant periph...
Relevance of the Kappa Dynorphin System to Schizophrenia and Its Therapeutics

Multiple lines of evidence suggest a potential role for the kappa dynorphin system in schizophrenia and its therapeutics. Kappa stimulation acutely and chronically modulates dopamine in opposite ways, where acutely it decreases dopamine transmission and chronically it increases it and it can induce D2 sensitization. In addition, pharmacological evidence from studies using agonist and antagonists at KOR have indicated a therapeutic potential of KOR antagonists for psychosis. We present here a brief overview of the evidence supporting this viewpoint.
Perceptions of Trucking Automation: Insights from the r/Truckers Community

Recent technological advancements in automation have sparked interest in how automation will affect truck drivers and the trucking industry. However, there is a gap in the literature addressing how truck drivers perceive automation and how they believe it will impact trucking. This study aims to understand truck drivers’ perspectives on automation in the trucking industry. Extending a preliminary study, we conducted a broader analysis of comments discussing automation in the r/Truckers subreddit from February 2017 to March 2021. In general, the community had negative sentiments towards automation in the trucking industry. Participants speculated when automation would become mainstream in trucking and discussed the feasibility of automation in the context of executing non-driving tasks and having accommodating infrastructure. Our findings indicate that truck drivers seek to participate in conversations about the future and to prepare themselves for when automation is more prominent in the trucking industry.
Infant attachment configurations with mothers and fathers: Implications for triadic interaction quality and children's parental preferences

Abstract Positive and cohesive mother-father-child triadic interactions have substantial benefits for socio-emotional growth in early childhood. Nonetheless, the joint contributions of infant-mother and infant-father attachment relationships to triadic interaction quality are not well understood. The present study examined associations between attachment configurations with mother and father in infancy (i.e., double secure, double insecure, or discordant) and observed triadic interaction quality in early childhood, as well as the possible mediating role of children's preferences for one parent over the other during the triadic interaction. Infant-mother and infant-father attachment quality were assessed in laboratory procedures at one year of age in a predominantly White and middle-class sample (N = 67) of American families. Triadic family interaction quality and children's parental preferences were assessed from semi-structured observations at age 3. Results indicated that double secure families exhibited significantly better triadic interaction quality than both double insecure and discordant families, with no differences between the latter two groups. Children in discordant families were disproportionately likely to show a preference for one parent over the other. In turn, stronger parental preferences were related to less cohesive, less affectively positive, and more disengaged triadic interactions, and mediated links from attachment discordance to both lower cohesiveness and greater disengagement. Findings speak to the importance of incorporating observational assessments of dyadic and triadic family interactions involving both mothers and fathers to elucidate family system influences on early development.
Instability of unsaturated soils: A review of theoretical methods

The paper reviews a series geomechanical approaches for interpreting instabilities in unsaturated geomaterials, a class of solids involved in numerous geo-engineering problems, such as hazard forecasting, infrastructure management, underground disposal of by-products and energy technologies. The review details the connection between second-order work input, loss of controllability and material failure. Hydro-mechanical problems are addressed, focusing on a specific class of environmental perturbations that can cause sharp changes in both mechanical and hydrologic variables. A procedure to define the second-order work input to an unsaturated soil volume is discussed first. It is pointed out that this energy measure motivates the incremental form of the constitutive laws for stability analyses. It is then discussed how to link the theory of hydro-mechanical controllability with constitutive approaches for unsaturated soils, which are typically based on the framework of strain-hardening plasticity with extended hardening. In doing so, the crucial role of the properties that govern the interactions between soil skeleton and fluid-retention processes is emphasized. The implications of these findings are commented with reference to a specific application: the forecasting of landslide triggering in natural slopes. It is shown that the use of suitable stability indices allows one to differentiate between frictional slips and volumetric collapses turning into flows. These results suggest that geomechanical theories calibrated for site-specific properties can support the quantitative assessment of landslide susceptibility, as well as a number of other engineering applications involving the instability of unsaturated porous media.
Exon skipping in purine nucleoside phosphorylase mRNA processing leading to severe immunodeficiency.

Abstract We report a defect in splicing of precursor messenger RNA (pre-mRNA) resulting from a naturally occurring mutation of the gene encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) in a patient with PNP-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency. This defects results from a G to T transversion at the terminal nucleotide of exon 2 within the 5' splice site of intron 2 and causes skipping of exon 2 during processing of PNP pre-mRNA. Translation of the misspliced mRNA results in a reading frameshift at the exon 1-exon 3 junction. The predicted polypeptide encoded by the aberrant mRNA is severely truncated, terminating at 31 amino acids. Only 4 residues at the NH2 terminus of the polypeptide correspond to PNP amino acids. Otherwise the translation product of the misspliced mRNA differs completely from PNP in amino acid sequence and has no PNP activity. The finding of exon skipping in PNP is the first report of a splicing defect resulting in PNP-deficient severe combined immunodeficiency. Analysis of the genomic context of the G-1 to T mutation of the 5' splice site lends support for the exon definition model of pre-mRNA splicing and contributes to the understanding of splice site selection.
FSPNs: Fluid Stochastic Petri Nets

In this paper we introduce a new class of stochastic Petri nets in which one or more places can hold fluid rather than discrete tokens. After defining the class of fluid stochastic Petri nets, we provide equations for their transient and steady-state behavior. We give two application examples. We hope that this paper will spur further research on this topic.
The Course Valuation Model and 10 Steps to Increase Course Value: The Business Communication Course

Communication competence is a leading agent in professional success and the ability most sought after by employers. Educational institutions benefit by producing students with such sought-after skills. However, there is a disconnect between skills practitioner stakeholders desire and what graduates deliver. Strengthening the value of a business communication course simultaneously to students, employers, and educational providers is key. The Course Valuation Model (CVM) is a system-based approach encouraging transitive course value to major stakeholders. Ten action principles are suggested to increase course value defined by the model drawing on connections between stakeholder values and course attributes in measurable and visible ways.
TIME AND SOCIETY: A QUADRATIC THEORY OF TIME·CONSCIOUSNESS

A general theory of the relationship between socia! organization and time-consciousness is presented. A model of time-consciousness is presented. A seven-part model of patterned-cyclical time-consciousness is constructed, inductively, from analysis of ethnographic and other studies of Australian Aborigines. When these aspects of patterned-cyclical time are turned into their opposites, the result is a full description of ordinary-linear time, based on clocks, calendars, and schedules. The gestalt-synthetic and logico-analytic modes of information processing of the left and right hemispheres of the brain are the infrastructure for these two kinds of time. A second temporal polarity is that between immediate-participatory time, which mindfully compresses future and past into the present, and episodic-futural time, which stretches temporal experience into future and past. The infrastructure for this polarity is the participatory processing of posterior cortex and the episodic processing of the frontal lobes and associated limbic structures.
Content-based image retrieval of digitized histopathology in boosted spectrally embedded spaces.

Context : Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) systems allow for retrieval of images from within a database that are similar in visual content to a query image. This is useful for digital pathology, where text-based descriptors alone might be inadequate to accurately describe image content. By representing images via a set of quantitative image descriptors, the similarity between a query image with respect to archived, annotated images in a database can be computed and the most similar images retrieved. Recently, non-linear dimensionality reduction methods have become popular for embedding high-dimensional data into a reduced-dimensional space while preserving local object adjacencies, thereby allowing for object similarity to be determined more accurately in the reduced-dimensional space. However, most dimensionality reduction methods implicitly assume, in computing the reduced-dimensional representation, that all features are equally important. Aims : In this paper we present boosted spectral embedding (BoSE), which utilizes a boosted distance metric to selectively weight individual features (based on training data) to subsequently map the data into a reduced-dimensional space. Settings and Design : BoSE is evaluated against spectral embedding (SE) (which employs equal feature weighting) in the context of CBIR of digitized prostate and breast cancer histopathology images. Materials and Methods : The following datasets, which were comprised of a total of 154 hematoxylin and eosin stained histopathology images, were used: (1) Prostate cancer histopathology (benign vs. malignant), (2) estrogen receptor (ER) + breast cancer histopathology (low vs. high grade), and (3) HER2+ breast cancer histopathology (low vs. high levels of lymphocytic infiltration). Statistical Analysis Used : We plotted and calculated the area under precision-recall curves (AUPRC) and calculated classification accuracy using the Random Forest classifier. Results : BoSE outperformed SE both in terms of CBIR-based (area under the precision-recall curve) and classifier-based (classification accuracy) on average across all of the dimensions tested for all three datasets: (1) Prostate cancer histopathology (AUPRC: BoSE = 0.79, SE = 0.63; Accuracy: BoSE = 0.93, SE = 0.80), (2) ER + breast cancer histopathology (AUPRC: BoSE = 0.79, SE = 0.68; Accuracy: BoSE = 0.96, SE = 0.96), and (3) HER2+ breast cancer histopathology (AUPRC: BoSE = 0.54, SE = 0.44; Accuracy: BoSE = 0.93, SE = 0.91). Conclusion : Our results suggest that BoSE could serve as an important tool for CBIR and classification of high-dimensional biomedical data.
A Commentary on: A Synopsis of Climatic and Vegetational Change in Southeast Asia

In this interesting review, Lawrence Heaney contrasts the features of the tropical forest of Southeast Asia with those in Latin America and Africa. Such forests originated across the entire southern fringes of Asia, Arabia, Africa, and ultimately India during Upper Cretaceous time, but, as I have pointed out in numerous reviews, they existed under a more equable climate and contained a mixture of elements that I now think of as being typical of warm temperature, subtropical, and full tropical biota. As the fringing islands of southern Asia were formed, they were occupied by a forest derived from the extensive forests of the mainland, and as Neogene time (25 million years ago) proceeded, these forests became progressively more like those of the present day. In other words, the equator-to-pole temperature gradient is sharper today than it has been in the past, and contemporary tropical forests exist under much more extreme temperatures than those into which they originally evolved, just as do polar tundra and taiga formations. Certainly the sorts of warm-temperate to subtropical forests that ultimately gave rise to today’s tropical forests occupied a much broader belt geographically prior to the middle Miocene epoch (15 million years ago), when the commencement of world climatic deterioration accompanied the expansion of the polar ice caps, first in the south.
Quasi-static transient thermal stresses in an infinite wedge

Abstract The plane transient thermoelastic problem for an infinite wedge subjected to an instantaneous heat source at an arbitrary location is considered. The problem is formulated in terms of displacements and Mellin-Laplace transforms are used for the solution. A real integral representation of the stress field is given. The main emphasis is placed on the analysis of the singular behavior of stresses around the apex for large values of the wedge angle, 2β. It is found that in the symmetric case for β > π /2 and in the antisymmetric case for β > 0.715 π the apex is a point of singularity for the stresses. The power of this singularity as well as the variation of the stresses in θ and that of the stress intensity factor in time is studied and some numerical results are given.
Acid-evoked currents in cardiac sensory neurons: A possible mediator of myocardial ischemic sensation.

Abstract —Sensory neurons that innervate the heart sense ischemia and mediate angina. To use patch-clamp methods to study ion channels on these cells, we fluorescently labeled cardiac sensory neurons (CSNs) in rats so that they could later be identified in dissociated primary culture of either nodose or dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Currents evoked by a variety of different agonists imply the importance of lowered pH (≤7.0) in signaling ischemia. Acidic pH evoked extremely large depolarizing current in almost all cardiac afferent neurons from the DRG (CDRGNs). In contrast, only about half of the unlabeled DRG neurons responded to acid, and their current amplitudes were much less than that in CDRGNs. In all respects tested—kinetics, selectivity, and pharmacology—the acid-evoked current was similar to that of previously described native and cloned acid-sensing ion channels. Cardiac afferents from the nodose ganglia differed from CDRGNs in having smaller acid-evoked currents but clearly larger currents evoked by ATP. Serotonin, acetylcholine, bradykinin, and adenosine elicited currents in fewer CSNs than did ATP or lowered pH, and the currents were relatively small. Capsaicin, an activator of small nociceptive sensory neurons that innervate skin, evoked only small and rare currents in CDRGNs. The extremely large amplitude and prevalent expression of acid-evoked current in CSNs imply a critical role for acidity in sensation associated with myocardial ischemia.
Randomized trial comparing the 22-gauge aspiration and 22-gauge biopsy needles for EUS-guided sampling of solid pancreatic mass lesions

Background To overcome limitations of cytology, biopsy needles have been developed to procure histologic samples during EUS. Objective To compare 22-gauge (G) FNA and 22G biopsy needles (FNB) for EUS-guided sampling of solid pancreatic masses. Design Randomized trial. Setting Tertiary-care medical center. Patients This study involved 56 patients with solid pancreatic masses. Intervention Sampling of pancreatic masses by using 22G FNA or 22G FNB devices. Main Outcome Measurements Compare the median number of passes required to establish the diagnosis, diagnostic sufficiency, technical performance, complication rates, procurement of the histologic core, and quality of the histologic specimen. Results A total of 28 patients were randomized to the FNA group and 28 to the FNB group. There was no significant difference in median number of passes required to establish the diagnosis (1 [interquartile range 1-2.5] vs 1 [interquartile range 1-1]; P = .21), rates of diagnostic sufficiency (100% vs 89.3%; P = .24), technical failure (0 vs 3.6%; P = 1.0), or complications (3.6% for both) between FNA and FNB needles, respectively. Patients in whom diagnosis was established in passes 1, 2, and 3 were 64.3% versus 67.9%, 10.7% versus 17.9%, and 25% versus 3.6%, respectively, for FNA and FNB cohorts. There was no significant difference in procurement of the histologic core (100% vs 83.3%; P = .26) or the presence of diagnostic histologic specimens (66.7% vs 80%; P = .66) between FNA and FNB cohorts, respectively. Limitations Only pancreatic masses were evaluated. Conclusion Diagnostic sufficiency, technical performance, and safety profiles of FNA and FNB needles are comparable. There was no significant difference in yield or quality of the histologic core between the 2 needle types. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT01394159.)
Fatigue behavior of a high density powder metallurgy steel

Abstract Rotating bending fatigue tests were carried out on a high density Fe–2%Ni based powder metallurgy steel at 50 Hz frequency and at room temperature. The material was subjected to high cycle fatigue to evaluate endurance/fatigue limit and its influence on heat treatment/microstructure. The fractured fatigue surfaces were examined using scanning electron microscope to study the mechanism/s associated with crack propagation. Optical microscopy was carried out to characterize the microstructures resulting from different heat treatments. The microstructure was observed to have an influence on endurance/fatigue limit. As-sintered material exhibited the lowest endurance/fatigue limit when compared with the material in the hardened and tempered condition. Electron microscopy studies demonstrated the mechanism/s of crack linking and/or interconnection of pores characterizing the crack propagation. It has been observed that, by carefully designing the heat treatment the high density powder metallurgy steel can be beneficially used in fatigue loaded components.
NORTH AND SOUTH, EAST AND WEST

Elizabeth Gaskell9s North and South was composed from the Nightingale family residence even as the war being fought in the Crimea (from 1854 to 1856) was making Florence Nightingale into a national heroine. Reading the novel in the context of the Crimean War and of Gaskell9s involvement with Nightingale helps both to historicize the book more precisely and to illuminate the moment of its production. North and South occludes the foreign con�ict even as it takes advantage of aspects of that con�ict in order to tell its story of the "civil wars" at home: those between North and South, masters and men, past and present, and men and women. The reading culminates in an analysis of the relationship between Margaret Hale and Florence Nightingale. To consider the "thread of dark-red blood" that trickles down Margaret9s face in the climactic riot scene of North and South as a replacement for the "thin red line" made famous as a symbol of heroism at Balaclava is to recognize the Crimean War as a part of the Condition of England.
Three-dimensional geomechanical simulation of reservoir compaction and implications for well failures in the Belridge diatomite

This paper describes an integrated geomechanics analysis of well casing damage induced by compaction of the diatomite reservoir at the Belridge Field, California. Historical data from the five field operators were compiled and analyzed to determine correlations between production, injection, subsidence, and well failures. The results of this analysis were used to develop a three-dimensional geomechanical model of South Belridge, Section 33 to examine the diatomite reservoir and overburden response to production and injection at the interwell scale and to evaluate potential well failure mechanisms. The time-dependent reservoir pressure field was derived from a three-dimensional finite difference reservoir simulation and used as input to three-dimensional non-linear finite element geomechanical simulations. The reservoir simulation included -200 wells and covered 18 years of production and injection. The geomechanical simulation contained 437,100 nodes and 374,130 elements with the overburden and reservoir discretized into 13 layers with independent material properties. The results reveal the evolution of the subsurface stress and displacement fields with production and injection and suggest strategies for reducing the occurrence of well casing damage.
The Historical Reliability of Chronicles

ALL students of the Bible are aware of the fact that in the Old Testament may be found two parallel accounts of the history of Israel-Samuel and Kings, on the one hand, and Chronicles, on the other. At many points Chronicles is clearly dependent upon and repetitive of the Samuel-Kings account. On the other hand, Chronicles at times presents material which we do not find elsewhere. For example, our biblical sources for the closing twenty-two year period of Judah's history are as follows: II Kings 23:28-25:30 (end of book) and II Chronicles 35:20-36:21. A quick glance at the material soon reveals that there is more detail in Kings than in Chronicles and yet the Chronicler's account of Josiah's last days gives us some information lacking in the text of Kings (compare II Kings 23:28-30 with II Chronicles 35:20-27). Some scholars have raised the question of the reliability and usefulness of the Books of Chronicles in matters historical both in this
Van der Spiegel, J., Renaissance Man

It is an honor and pleasure to write these reflections about my colleague, mentor, and friend, Prof. Willy Sansen.
Effects of Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factors on Proliferation of Rat Ovarian Theca-Interstitial Cells

Hyperplasia of the theca-interstitial (T-I) compartment, such as observed in polycystic ovary syndrome, is associated with ovarian dysfunction. Yet the mechanisms regulating proliferation of T-I cells are virtually unknown. This study was an investigation of the effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factors (IGF-I and IGF-II) on proliferation of rat T-I cells. Purified T-I cells were incubated in chemically defined media. Insulin (1-100 nM) and both IGFs (0.3-30 nM) dose-dependently stimulated DNA synthesis as determined by radiolabeled thymidine incorporation assay. IGF-I was most potent with EC50 = 1.4 +/- 0.4 nM, while IGF-II had EC50 = 4.3 +/- 0.18 nM and insulin had EC50 = 8.4 +/- 3.9 nM. The maximal effects of all three treatments were comparable. A combination of IGF-I at 10 nM (a concentration producing a near-maximal effect) with insulin or IGF-II resulted in DNA synthesis comparable to that achieved by IGF-I alone. IGF-I mutants with decreased affinity to IGF-binding proteins (IGFBPs)-long R3-IGF-I and des(1-3)IGF-I-produced greater effects on DNA synthesis than did IGF-I. The effects of insulin and IGFs on cell proliferation were confirmed by counting the steroidogenically active cells (stained positive for 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase [3 beta-HSD]) and steroidogenically inactive cells (3 beta-HSD negative). The number of steroidogenically active T-I cells was increased by insulin (by 3.7-fold, p < 0.001), IGF-I (by 3.2-fold, p < 0.001), and IGF-II (by 2.1-fold, p < 0.001). The number of steroidogenically inactive cells was not significantly altered. These findings indicate that 1) insulin- and IGF-dependent synthesis of DNA by T-I cells is stimulated via a common pathway, probably via type I IGF receptors; 2) endogenous IGFBPs may modify the effects of IGF-I; and 3) the increased DNA synthesis is reflected by an increase in the number of steroidogenically active cells. Insulin and the IGFs may play a role in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of T-I cells under physiological and pathological conditions. In particular, the present observations may explain thecal and stromal hyperplasia accompanying hyperinsulinemic conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome or hyperthecosis.
Bead-based microfluidic toxin sensor integrating evaporative signal amplification.

We have devised a microfluidic platform that incorporates substrate-laden silica beads for sensing the proteolytic activity of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A)—one of the most poisonous substances known and a significant biological threat. The sensor relies on toxin-mediated cleavage of a fluorophore-tagged peptide substrate specific for only BoNT/A. Peptide immobilized on beads is recognized and cleaved by the toxin, releasing fluorescent fragments into solution that can be concentrated at an isolated port viaevaporation and detected using microscopy. Evaporative concentration in combination with a specific channel geometry provides up to a 3-fold signal amplification in 35 min, allowing for detection of low levels of fluorophore-labeled peptide—a task not easily accomplished using traditional channel designs. Our bead-based microfluidic platform can sense BoNT/A down to 10 pg of toxin per mL buffer solution in 3.5 h and can be adapted to sensing other toxins that operate via enzymatic cleavage of a known substrate.
Inhibitory effect of gossypol on steroidogenic pathways in cultured bovine luteal cells

Abstract Gossypol inhibits the reproductive system and steroidogenesis in both sexes. The present study investigated some possible sites subsequent to cAMP formation at which gossypol may inhibit progesterone biosynthesis. Bovine luteal cells were cultured with dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP), 25-OH cholesterol, or pregnenolone in the presence or absence of gossypol. Gossypol, at 17–34 μM, inhibited dbcAMP-induced progesterone secretion. Gossypol significantly inhibited the conversions of exogenous 25-OH cholesterol and pregnenolone to progesterone. However, the conversion of 25-OH cholesterol to pregnenolone was not significantly inhibited by gossypol at low doses (≦ 34 μM). These results suggest that gossypol inhibits progesterone synthesis in bovine luteal cells by suppressing steroidogenic enzyme activity.
Secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective To determine the risks and benefits of secondary cytoreductive surgery for recurrent platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer. Methods Data were obtained retrospectively for all women with recurrent platinum-sensitive epithelial ovarian cancer who underwent a second debulking operation between 1998 and 2008 at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. Survival analysis and comparisons were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, and Cox multivariate proportional hazards model. Results Optimal secondary cytoreductive surgery ( P = 0.003); and less than 5 vs 5 or more sites of disease relapse (median 63 months vs 22 months; P = 0.009), were independently associated with survival and retained prognostic significance on multivariate analysis. Conclusions Optimal secondary cytoreductive surgery was associated with a survival advantage and acceptable risks.
A meridional surface wind speed profile in MacRobertson Land, Antarctica

A surface wind vector profile along the 62° East meridian in Antarctica is constructed from field observations extending from 600 kilometers inland to 16 kilometers offshore. The theory of gravity winds proposed byF. K. Ball is used successfully to explain this profile.
Developing cancer pamphlets for economically disadvantaged African Americans

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in African Americans. The relatively poor cancer survival prognosis in this population is a consequence of a group which is more likely to be less well educated and which composes one-fourth of the unemployed and one-third of the socioeconomically disadvantaged. While this paper describes the procedures used to create culturally appropriate cancer pamphlets specifically designed for low socioeconomic status African Americans, the same process could be used by health educators interested in developing pamphlets for less well educated populations on a myriad of other topics. Guidelines for collecting relevant educational information, deciding which information to include, formatting issues (e.g., readability and basic design principles), and distribution are discussed.
Self diagnostic accelerometer ground testing on a C-17 aircraft engine

The self diagnostic accelerometer (SDA) developed by the NASA Glenn Research Center was tested for the first time in an aircraft engine environment as part of the Vehicle Integrated Propulsion Research (VIPR) program. The VIPR program includes testing multiple critical flight sensor technologies. One such sensor, the accelerometer, measures vibrations to detect faults in the engine. In order to rely upon the accelerometer, the health of the accelerometer must be ensured. Sensor system malfunction is a significant contributor to propulsion in flight shutdowns (IFSD) which can lead to aircraft accidents when the issue is compounded with an inappropriate crew response. The development of the SDA is important for both reducing the IFSD rate, and hence reducing the rate at which this component failure type can put an aircraft in jeopardy, and also as a critical enabling technology for future automated malfunction diagnostic systems. The SDA is a sensor system designed to actively determine the accelerometer structural health and attachment condition, in addition to making vibration measurements. The SDA uses a signal conditioning unit that sends an electrical chirp to the accelerometer and recognizes changes in the response due to changes in the accelerometer health and attachment condition. In an effort toward demonstrating the SDA's flight worthiness and robustness, multiple SDAs were mounted and tested on a C-17 aircraft engine. The engine test conditions varied from engine off, to idle, to maximum power. The two SDA attachment conditions used were fully tight and loose. The newly developed SDA health algorithm described herein uses cross correlation pattern recognition to discriminate a healthy from a faulty SDA. The VIPR test results demonstrate for the first time the robustness of the SDA in an engine environment characterized by high vibration levels.
Prostaglandin F2αReceptor (FP Receptor) Agonists Are Potent Adipose Differentiation Inhibitors for Primary Culture of Adipocyte Precursors in Defined Medium

Prostaglandin F2alpha inhibits adipose differentiation of primary culture of adipocyte precursors and of the adipogenic cell line 1246 in defined medium. In the present paper, we investigated the effect of FP receptor agonists cloprostenol and fluprostenol on the differentiation of newborn rat adipocyte precursors in primary culture. The results show that cloprostenol and fluprostenol are very potent inhibitors of adipose differentiation. Dose response studies indicate that both agonists are more potent than PGF2alpha in inhibiting adipocyte precursors differentiation. 50% inhibition of adipose differentiation was observed at a concentration of 3 x 10(-12) M for cloprostenol and 3 to 10 x 10(-11) M for fluprostenol respectively whereas the PGF2alpha concentration required to elicit the same effect was 10(-8) M. In contrast compounds structurally related to PGE2 such as 17-phenyl trinor PGE2 had no effect on adipose differentiation except when added at a 10,000-fold higher concentration.
Racial and Ethnic Differences in Cardio-Metabolic Risk in Individuals with Undiagnosed Diabetes: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2008

Background Although early recognition and treatment of diabetes may be essential to prevent complications, roughly one-fifth of diabetes remains undiagnosed.
Spatial correlates of amphibian use of constructed wetlands in an urban landscape

Many amphibian species rely on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats to complete their life cycles. Therefore, processes operating both within the aquatic breeding habitat, and in the surrounding uplands may influence species distributions and community composition. Moreover, changes in land use adjacent to breeding site may degrade aquatic habitats. To assess land use effects on pond-breeding amphibian assemblages, we investigated relationships between land use, breeding habitat conditions, and breeding amphibian use of constructed wetlands in urban environments of the Baltimore metropolitan area, USA. Forest and impervious surface associations with species richness and occurrence occurred at spatial scales ranging from 50 to 1,000 m, with strongest relationships at 500 m. Forest and impervious surface cover within 1,000 m of ponds were also related to water and sediment quality, which in turn were capable of explaining a proportion of the observed variation in species richness and occurrence. Taken together, our results suggest that forest and other land covers within relatively proximal distances to ponds (i.e., within 50–1,000 m) may be influencing species richness directly via the provisioning of upland habitat, and indirectly via influences on within pond habitat quality.
The Process of Infection with Bacteriophage φX174: XIX. Isolation and Characterization of a Chloramphenicol-resistant Protein from φX-infected Cells

A chloramphenicol-resistant, viral-directed protein, associated with the synthesis of progeny RF‡ in cells infected with bacteriophage φX174 has been isolated. Uninfected and φX174-infected Escherichia coli C were labeled, in the presence of 30 μg/ml, of CM, with [^(14)C]leucine and [^3H]leucine respectively. The labeled cells were combined, lysed and the lysates fractionated by CaHPO_4 chromatography. A radioactive component (or components) preferentially present in the infected cell extracts was found. This protein was not synthesized in the presence of 100 μg/ml. of CM nor was it formed in nonpermissive cells infected with φX amber mutants of cistron VI; progeny RF is not synthesized under either of these conditions. The CM-resistant φX protein was further separated from contaminant E. coli CM-resistant proteins (14C-labeled) by gel fiitration on Sephadex G100. The elution pattern observed with Sephadex G100 was dependent on the pH and ionic strength. Lysis of the cells with lysozyme, EDTA and Brij, a non-ionic detergent, followed by chromatography on CaHPO_4, yielded more homogeneous preparations than lysis with lysozyme, EDTA and freeze-thawing.
Neutronic analysis of the burning of transuranics in fully ceramic micro-encapsulated tri-isotropic particle-fuel in a PWR

Abstract Calculations are performed to assess the neutronic behavior of fully ceramic micro-encapsulated (FCM) fuel in otherwise-conventional pressurized water reactor (PWR) fuel pins. The FCM fuel contains transuranic (TRU) oxide fuel, solely, encapsulated in tri-isotropic (TRISO) particles. The TRU loading originates from the used fuel of a conventional LWR following 5 years of cooling. Use of the TRISO particle fuel provides an additional barrier to fission product release in the event of cladding failure. Depletion calculations are performed to evaluate reactivity-limited burnup of the TRU-only FCM fuel. These calculations show that because of the relatively small space available for the fuel meat, the achievable cycle lengths (i.e., elapsed time between required refueling shutdowns) of the fuel with these pins alone is prohibitively short. Various reactivity parameters are also evaluated at each burnup step. These include the moderator temperature coefficient (MTC), Doppler coefficient, and the soluble boron worth. These are compared to reference UO2 and MOX unit cells. The TRU-only FCM fuel exhibits degraded MTC and Doppler coefficients relative to those of UO2 and MOX. Also, the reactivity effects of coolant voiding suggest that the behavior of this fuel would be similar to that of MOX fuels of very high plutonium fraction, which are known to possess positive void reactivity coefficients. In general, loading of TRU-only FCM fuel into an assembly without the concomitant presence of significant quantities of uranium induces significant challenges into the reactor design. However, if such FCM fuel pins are included in a heterogeneous assembly alongside LEU fuel pins the overall reactivity behavior is dominated by the uranium pins while net TRU destruction performance levels are achieved in the TRU-only FCM fuel pins. Though preliminary, this work demonstrates that the use of heterogeneous assemblies such as these appears feasible from a reactor physics standpoint.
Low-temperature dynamics of kinks on Ising interfaces.

The anisotropic motion of an interface driven by its intrinsic curvature or by an external field is investigated in the context of the kinetic Ising model in both two and three dimensions. We derive in two dimensions (2D) a continuum evolution equation for the density of kinks by a time-dependent and nonlocal mapping to the asymmetric exclusion process. Whereas kinks execute random walks biased by the external field and pile up vertically on the physical 2D lattice, they execute hard-core biased random walks on a transformed 1D lattice. Their density obeys a nonlinear diffusion equation which can be transformed into the standard expression for the interface velocity, $v=M[(\ensuremath{\gamma}+{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ensuremath{''}})\ensuremath{\kappa}+H]$, where $M$, $\ensuremath{\gamma}+{\ensuremath{\gamma}}^{\ensuremath{''}}$, and $\ensuremath{\kappa}$ are the interface mobility, stiffness, and curvature, respectively. In 3D, we obtain the velocity of a curved interface near the ⟨100⟩ orientation from an analysis of the self-similar evolution of 2D shrinking terraces. We show that this velocity is consistent with the one predicted from the 3D tensorial generalization of the law for anisotropic curvature-driven motion. In this generalization, both the interface stiffness tensor and the curvature tensor are singular at the ⟨100⟩ orientation. However, their product, which determines the interface velocity, is smooth. In addition, we illustrate how this kink-based kinetic description provides a useful framework for studying more complex situations by modeling the effect of immobile dilute impurities.