cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Medical treatment is effective in the majority of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Lifestyle modifications are often recommended for patients with GERD, although the data supporting lifestyle recommendations are limited. Antacids are often used to treat the symptoms of GERD, but their effect is short-lived. H2-receptor antagonists and proton-pump inhibitors provide more effective options for remission of GERD symptoms and healing of esophagitis. Prokinetic medications (e.g., metoclopramide) have not been proven to help in the control of symptoms. Baclofen, which inhibits transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations, provide an additional option for patients with persistent symptoms related to GERD; however its use is limited by side effects. Long-term medical therapy for GERD should be tailored to each patient to provide symptomatic control and maintain esophageal mucosal healing.
Anatomic Drawing for Medical Education

Leonardo da Vinci said “when describing anatomy, don’t trouble yourself with words unless you are talking to blind men”. In communicating structural detail, a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. Humans have a long history of depicting anatomic ideas in graphic form. Rudimentary examples exist in prehistoric cave paintings. From the beginning of recorded history classical centers of civilization in Egypt, Greece, Rome, India and China recorded their concepts of anatomy on media such as stone, silk and papyrus. During the long night of the dark ages barber surgeons of Europe left scattered primitive examples of illustrations, limited by the constraints on learning imposed by the Christian church and Islam.
Effect of time to simulation and treatment for patients with oropharyngeal cancer receiving definitive radiotherapy in the era of risk stratification using smoking and human papillomavirus status.

BACKGROUND The effect of increasing time to definitive radiotherapy (RT) for patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is unknown. METHODS Nodal tumor volumes at staging and simulation were compared for patients with oropharyngeal SCC. Time from staging to initiation of RT was tabulated. The primary endpoint of interest was nodal progression at simulation. RESULTS Increasing time to simulation was associated with nodal progression in 144 patients (r = 0.474; P < .001). Patients with human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oropharyngeal SCC were more likely to have nodal progression (50% vs 26%; P = .008). A threshold of 32 days was associated (sensitivity 77.9% and specificity 60.2%) with nodal progression (P < .001). Increasing time from staging to treatment initiation was associated with a greater risk of distant failure (hazard ratio [HR] 4.157; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.170-14.764) but not progression-free survival (PFS; P = .179) or overall survival (OS; P = .474). CONCLUSION Increasing time before RT for patients with oropharyngeal SCC is associated with nodal progression and increased hazard of distant failure, although not PFS or OS in our population.
Methods for Transmission and Scanning Electron Microscopy of Bone and Cartilage

Ultrastructural studies of bone and cartilage using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) present unique challenges for technical preparation and scientific interpretation. Preparative methods have been described elsewhere; space limitations do not allow us to cite all authors who have contributed to this field. Chemical fixation and specimen preparation for TEM for bone studies have been reviewed by several authors.3,14,15,23 Reviews of preparation methods for SEM have been published by Boyde et al.7,9,10 Specialized techniques directed toward preserving the bone-cell-implant interface are discussed elsewhere in this volume.
After-Hours/On-Call Simulation in Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Education

Abstract Background Providing after-hours/on-call patient triage and management services is an expected responsibility for nurse practitioners (NPs). Opportunity to facilitate clinical practicum experience which includes this independent patient-management skill is uncommon in NP programs. Literature describing simulation in primary care NP education is limited. Method One-year postgraduation surveys were sent to participants to assess the effect of the simulation on participant employment selection. Primary care NP students across three patient populations, adult/geriatric, family, and pediatrics, comprise the single-school cohort of participants (N = 29). Results After-hours/on-call duties were identified as a requirement of their current NP role in 47% of participants; 14% specifically avoided a position with an after-hours/on-call component. Conclusions The after-hours/on-call simulation allows NP students to gain valuable experience with independent decision-making in a safe environment laden with unpredictability and the need for critical thinking.
An Asynchronous Reconfigurable Switched Capacitor Voltage Regulator

As computing units are moving from multi-core to many-core platforms, it is imperative that on-chip power and thermal management schemes must integrate highly-efficient and high-speed on-chip voltage regulator (dc-dc converter) to adjust supply voltages in response to load and activity variations. Switched-Capacitor (SC) based voltage regulators are expected to be the most promising on-chip voltage regulation topology. However, it has some inherent limitations, such as lack of flexibility to reconfigure for different load situations. This paper proposes an asynchronous SC regulator design with an output voltage range of 0.35V-1.1V. The proposed design utilizes fewer transistors and simpler control circuitry compared to the existing designs. Additionally, it offers a much wider range of output voltage, which solves the reconfiguration problem of the existing SC voltage regulators. The proposed SC converter provides an output voltage in the range 0.35-1.1V for a 1.8V input in a reconfigurable load condition. The load current varies from 3uA-70mA at different loads to stabilize the output voltage between 0.35V to 1.1V with a deviation of 0-25mV. The design is implemented and simulated in Cadence Virtuoso Simulator using 45nm CMOS process to validate the design.
Characteristics of keratinocyte carcinomas in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites: A retrospective 5-year study.

BACKGROUND Hispanics are one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. Few studies have characterized the patterns of keratinocyte carcinoma presentation in Hispanics. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to compare the clinical and histologic characteristics of keratinocyte carcinomas in Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. MATERIALS AND METHODS A five-year retrospective chart review was conducted at a single academic center to identify all histologically-confirmed cases of keratinocyte carcinomas. Tumor characteristics were then compared between Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites. RESULTS A total of 197 tumors were identified of which 76% occurred in non-Hispanic whites and 24% in Hispanics. Tumor diameter was not larger and histologic subtype was not more aggressive in Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites. Age of diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma was younger among Hispanics compared to non-Hispanic whites (P < .05). CONCLUSION Hispanics were not more likely to present with more high-risk keratinocyte carcinomas compared to non-Hispanic whites in terms of tumor diameter, differentiation and subtype.
The Impact of Police Shootings in the United States on Police-Community Relations

Generally no greater factor than police use of force, particularly the firearms, has the potential to evoke the level of acknowledgement or criticism of the police. This is even more true today in the United States, as officer-involved shootings based on interactions with African-American and Black individuals has resulted in diminished trust and confidence in the police, and this is most apparent within minority groups. As such, the need for a comprehensive database that will permit government leaders, policing administrators and the public-at-large to better understand these tragic scenarios is warranted. A model for such a database is posed, followed by an outline of a comprehensive analysis of the results for American police shooting data from 2000 through 2017.
Radial Head and Neck Fractures: Open Reduction and Internal Fixation

Radial head and neck fractures present a wide spectrum of injury, ranging from relatively innocuous to those which are unreconstructable. Fractures that create a block to elbow motion, as well as those with significant angulation or displacement, may be indicated for surgical treatment in the form of ORIF or radial head arthroplasty. Here, we present a case treated with open reduction and internal fixation.
Studying Avian Cognition in the Wild: Avian Psychometrics

In this chapter I consider the assessment of avian cognitive behaviour in the wild. Research conducted into the avian cognitive abilities of birds has typically been undertaken within the setting of a laboratory, aviary or in another setting in which external variables may be controlled. In this book, much of what I have thus far been writing about has focussed upon research into bird behaviour that occurs and has been investigated in the wild, whereby wild I mean the location in which this behaviour usually occurs. The investigation of avian cognition in the places in which it can usually be seen is a relatively new area of research. It is perhaps extraordinary that the systematic and rigorous study of avian cognition with the aim of forming a battery of tests that can assess the cognitive skills of birds is only now being addressed by researchers. A scientist who has conducted seminal work in this area is Rachael Shaw (see, (Shaw et al., Anim Behav 109:101–111, 2015)). In their innovative research, Shaw and her colleagues Neeltje Boogert, Nicky Clayton and Kevin Burns (Anim Behav 81:1209–1216, 2011) developed a test battery in order to investigate avian intelligence. The research employed a sample of New Zealand robins (Petroica longipes), to whom the scientists presented their tests in an attempt to measure their cognition-related behaviours. The arising data that was collected from the bird’s performance of the tests was analysed using principal component analysis (PCA). The present chapter is the presentation and expatiation of a reanalysis of Shaw et al.’s (Anim Behav 109:101–111, 2015) data and I expand upon an article in which Shaw et al.’s (Anim Behav 109:101–111, 2015) data was analysed by myself and colleagues using the facet theory approach and published in the International Journal of Comparative Psychology (Hackett et al., Int J Comp Psychol, 32, 2019) (It should be noted that there is overlap between the contents of this chapter and this article). As this chapter unfolds, I present a facet theory analysis of avian cognitive performance in natural situations. I report the results from the statistical technique of smallest space analysis (SSA) which largely supported the PCA of Shaw et al. (Anim Behav 109:101–111, 2015) but proposed a structural reformation of the results. I also comment upon how partial order scalogram analysis with base coordinates (POSAC or POSA) which we used to analyse the performances of individual birds. In the POSA procedure profiles were assembled of each bird’s performance on all items in the tests in the battery, and profiles were analysed to enable comments to be made regarding the pertinence of the mapping sentence’s facets and elements produced using SSA.
Bedside Technologies to Enhance the Early Detection of Pressure Injuries: A Systematic Review.

Background Hospital-acquired pressure injuries strain organizational resources and negatively impact the quality of life of affected patients. However, early detection of pressure injuries is limited due to challenges with visual assessment, particularly in individuals with dark skin. Purpose The purpose of this systematic review was to determine whether sufficient research evidence exists to support the use of bedside technologies for early detection of pressure injures, which is inclusive of pressure-related blanchable erythema (PrBE), pressure-related nonblanchable erythema (PrNBE), and deep tissue pressure injury (DTPI). Search question What available bedside technologies enhance the early detection of pressure injuries? Methods A systematic search of Medline, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases was executed. Quantitative studies were included that examined whether accessible technologies could indicate the presence of PrBE, PrNBE, and DTPI. The quality of the research was evaluated using the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Rating Scale. Findings We identified 18 eligible studies that represented a variety of technologies, including ultrasound (n = 5), thermography (n = 7), subepidermal moisture (SEM) measurement (n = 5), reflectance spectrometry (n = 2), and laser Doppler (n = 1). The methodological rigor in study quality was variable. Subepidermal moisture measurement provided the most consistent findings in the early detection of pressure injury. Conclusions Objective methods that provide accurate and timely assessment of DTPIs augment early implementation of optimal prevention and treatment measures. Evidence identified in this systematic review supports the use of SEM measurement devices as effective tools for early pressure injury detection. However, more research in the field of technology-enhanced, pressure injury detection is needed to support the use of existing and emerging devices.
The Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Wait Time in the Emergency Department

We study the effect of Medicaid expansion on wait time in the emergency department (ED), using a difference-in-differences approach, where the treatment group includes the states that expanded Medicaid at the beginning of 2014 and the control group includes the states that did not expand Medicaid before 2016. We first focus on the average treatment effect and find Medicaid expansion increases ED wait time by 10.4% (or 3.5 minutes). We then develop a first difference causal tree (FDCF) approach for heterogeneous treatment effect analysis by incorporating the first difference approach into the causal forest approach. Our comprehensive simulation studies show the FDCF approach has smaller mean-squared errors than direct applications of the causal forest approach. Finally, we apply the FDCF approach to our empirical example and find the effect of Medicaid expansion varies widely across different hospitals. Our results are useful to policymakers deciding whether to expand Medicaid and to hospital managers seeking to understand the effect of Medicaid expansion on their hospitals. Our results are also useful to researchers applying causal machine learning methods for heterogeneous treatment effect analysis.
A spoonful of DHAP keeps mTORC1 running on sugars.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) network integrates nutrient and energy signals that regulate metabolism and cell growth. Orozco et al. now show that the glycolytic intermediate dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) relays glycolytic activity to mTORC1 signalling.
Safety of Minimally Invasive Tissue Extraction in Myoma Management: A Systematic Review.

ABSTRACT Objective This review seeks to establish the incidence of adverse outcomes associated with minimally invasive tissue extraction at the time of surgical procedures for myomas. Data Sources Articles published in the following databases without date restrictions: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Trials. Search was conducted on March 25, 2020. Methods of Study Selection Included studies evaluated minimally invasive surgical procedures for uterine myomas involving morcellation. This review did not consider studies of nonuterine tissue morcellation, studies involving uterine procedures other than hysterectomy or myomectomy, studies involving morcellation of known malignancies, nor studies concerning hysteroscopic myomectomy. A total of 695 studies were reviewed, with 185 studies included for analysis. Tabulation, Integration, and Results The following variables were extracted: patient demographics, study type, morcellation technique, and adverse outcome category. Adverse outcomes included prolonged operative time, morcellation time, blood loss, direct injury from a morcellator, dissemination of tissue (benign or malignant), and disruption of the pathologic specimen. Conclusion Complications related to morcellation are rare; however, there is a great need for higher quality studies to evaluate associated adverse outcomes.
Moment or Momentum? Examining the Effectiveness of the Ecosystem in Online Healthcare Communities

Patient-centric online platforms for seeking peer support and engaging in health activities have become increasingly popular among social media users. Although there is an increasing number of online healthcare communities (OHCs), most struggle to remain operative. In this study, we draw from attract-select-attrition theory to examine various functional components offered by OHCs for user participation. By analyzing users’ activities in a weight-loss community over a 3-year period, we find that users are likely to self-monitor their weight management progress and to participate in structured programs for promoting healthier behavior changes. Our findings provide evidence for OHCs as an effective means of patient health management and indicate that the massive amount of social interaction involved in knowledge sharing and opinion exchange does not necessarily attract users’ active participation, although there is an indirect impact. Together, the functional components in OHCs create a reinforced ecosystem. Once we differentiate users in terms of newcomers and continuous participants, our analysis reveals that, although structured programs and self-monitoring are effective in attracting new OHC participants, returning users are more likely to be attracted by self-monitoring features and opt for attending behavior changes. Again, social support is found to be insignificant in exhibiting a direct impact, albeit indirect pathways exist. Because online platforms depend primarily on users’ voluntary participation, and OHCs need to have enough social resources to remain sustainable and continue to provide services for participants, our findings provide important practical guidance for service providers to design better ecosystems for online healthcare platforms.
Church as Feagaiga: A Fāiā Reading of Romans 13:1–7

Re-orienting Romans 13:1–7 within Church-State relationship in Samoa is the focus of this undertaking, trying to make sense of an otherwise problematic text. Much can be learned by situating the biblical text in different cultural and social settings. A Pacific indigenous perspective is weaved into the text for an alternative reading, adding to the increasing number of contextually based readings of Romans 13. Combining aspects of Samoan rhetoric and social-rhetorical criticism, in particular, social and cultural textures and ideological textures of the text, this paper explores the Samoan cultural designation of the Church as feagaiga, which for centuries has governed Christian political thought and response in Samoan society. From this indigenously derived approach, I argue that the text of Romans 13:1–7 offers space for the Church to be adaptive and reflective in its relationship with the State. This is developed upon a fāiā (connections) reading.
Intra-pulse difference frequency generation spanning 7 to 14 µm with a 1-GHz mode-locked laser comb

We present generation of MIR light from 1 GHz mode-locked lasers centered at 1.56 µm via intra-pulse difference frequency generation of 21.5 fs pulses. The generated MIR spectrum approaches an octave around 10 µm.
Feedback Turing Computability, and Turing Computability as Feedback

The notion of a feedback query is a natural generalization of choosing for an oracle the set of indices of halting computations. Notice that, in that setting, the computations being run are different from the computations in the oracle: the former can query an oracle, whereas the latter cannot. A feedback computation is one that can query an oracle, which itself contains the halting information about all feedback computations. Although this is self-referential, sense can be made of at least some such computations. This threatens, though, to obliterate the distinction between con- and divergence: before running a computation, a machine can ask the oracle whether that computation converges, and then run it if and only if the oracle says "yes." This would quickly lead to a diagonalization paradox, except that a new distinction is introduced, this time between freezing and non-freezing computations. The freezing computations are even more extreme than the divergent ones, in that they prevent the dovetailing on all computations into a single run. In this paper, we study feedback around Turing computability. In one direction, we examine feedback Turing machines, and show that they provide exactly hyper arithmetic computability. In the other direction, Turing computability is itself feedback primitive recursion (at least, one version thereof). We also examine parallel feedback. Several different notions of parallelism in this context are identified. We show that parallel feedback Turing machines are strictly stronger than sequential feedback TMs, while in contrast parallel feedback p.r. Is the same as sequential feedback p.r.
Microprocessor test and test tool methodology for the 500 MHz IBM S/390 G5 chip

This paper describes the test tool methodology used for the IBM S/390 microprocessor. An efficient, effective, and automated process providing correct-by-construction test pattern generation, an effective test pattern set, and diagnostics were required. This paper explains the techniques used to accomplish this along with explaining why the method was chosen and how it helped expedite the process.
Simulated network effects on tactical operations on decision making

As the U.S. military transitions to networkenabled operations, there is a need for systematic investigation into how human decision-making affects and is affected by the resulting rapid increase in communications and information flow [1]. The challenges associated with Big Data (volume, variety, velocity and veracity) become relevant for Soldier performance at the Mission Command and squad leader levels. Here we explore the relationship between two Big Data variables and human cognitive performance, particularly in the military domain. We conduct two experiments in which we manipulate the amount and rate (volume and velocity) of information presented to participants, and assess the participants’ decisionmaking accuracy on different military-relevant tasks. The first experiment focuses on the squad leader and is conducted in ARL’s Immersive Cognitive Readiness Simulator (ICoRS), which allows replication of the environment of a squad leader. The second experiment focuses on the role of a company commander and simulates the Mission Command environment. We present preliminary results from both phases of study and discuss future work in which participants in each phase of study interact with each other and cooperate to complete a task.
Abstract 5606: Detection of circulating tumor DNA in early and late stage human malignancies

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA The development of minimally-invasive methods to detect and monitor tumors continues to be a major challenge in oncology. We used digital PCR-based technologies to evaluate the ability of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) to detect tumors in 640 patients with various cancer types. We initially use targeted, exomic, or whole genome sequencing to identify sequence or structural alterations in tumor tissues of 410 patients using targeted, exomic, or whole genome sequencing. We found that at least one tumor-specific mutant molecule could be identified in 75% of patients with advanced ovarian, colorectal, bladder, gastroesophoageal, pancreatic, breast, melanoma, hepatocellular and head and neck cancers, but in less than 50% of primary brain, renal, prostate, or thyroid cancers. In patients with localized tumors, ctDNA was detected in 73%, 57%, 48% and 50% of patients with colorectal cancer, gastroesophageal cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast adenocarcinoma, respectively. Circulating tumor DNA was often present in patients without detectable circulating tumor cells, suggesting that these two biomarkers are distinct entities. In a separate panel of 206 patients with metastatic colorectal cancers, we showed that the sensitivity of ctDNA for detection of clinically relevant KRAS gene mutations was 87.2% while and its specificity was 99.2%. Finally, we assessed whether ctDNA could provide clues into the mechanisms underlying resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) blockade in 24 patients who objectively responded to therapy but who subsequently relapsed. Twenty-three (96%) of these patients developed one or more mutations in genes involved in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Remarkably, nearly half (45%) of the observed mutations observed were in codon 61 of either the KRAS or NRAS gene. Taken together, these data suggest that ctDNA is a broadly applicable, sensitive, specific and robust biomarker that can be used for a variety of clinical and research purposes in patients with several multiple different types of cancer. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Chetan Bettegowda, Mark Sausen, Rebecca Leary, Isaac Kinde, Nishant Agrawal, Bjarne Bartlett, Hao Wang, Brandon Luber, Kenneth Kinzler, Bert Vogelstein, Nickolas Papadopoulos, Luis Diaz. Detection of circulating tumor DNA in early and late stage human malignancies. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5606. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5606
Abstract: Towards Automatic Coding of Facial Expression.

The analysis of video data has traditionally been difficult to accomplish quantitatively because of the high difficulty of manual coding. Significant progress has been made in automated analysis, y...
Remote Upload of Evidence over Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

In this work, we report on one aspect of an autonomous robot-based digital evidence acquisition system that we are developing. When forensic investigators operate within a hostile environment they may use remotely operated unmanned devices to gather digital evidence. These systems periodically upload the evidence to a remote central server using a mobile ad hoc network. In such cases, large pieces of information need to be fragmented and transmitted in an appropriate manner. To support proper forensic analysis, certain properties must ensured for each fragment of evidence — confidentiality during communication, authenticity and integrity of the data, and, most importantly, strong evidence of membership for fragments. This paper describes a framework to provide these properties for the robot-based evidence acquisition system under development.
Trends in African Historical Studies

Ivory and Slaves: Changing Pattern of International Trade in East Central Africa to the Later Nineteenth Century. Edward A. Alpers. The Traditional History of the Jie of Uganda. John Lamphear. Oxford Studies in African Affairs, John D. Hargreaves and George Shepperson, eds. Kings and Kinsmen: Early Mbundu States in Angola. Joseph C. Miller. Oxford Studies in African Affairs, John D. Hargreaves and George Shepperson, eds. Asante in the Nineteenth Century: The Structure and Evolution of a Political Order. Ivor Wilks.
Clinical Outcomes after Bedside and Interventional Radiology Paracentesis Procedures

Abstract Background Increasingly, paracentesis procedures are performed in interventional radiology (IR) rather than at the bedside. No guidelines exist to aid decision-making about the best location, and patient outcomes are unknown. Our aims were to develop a prediction model for which location (bedside vs IR) clinicians select for inpatient paracentesis procedures, and to compare clinical outcomes. Methods We performed an observational medical records review of all paracentesis procedures performed on the hepatology service of an 894-bed urban tertiary care hospital from July 2008 through December 2011. We developed a prediction model to determine factors for IR referral. Clinical outcomes including blood product transfusions, intensive care unit (ICU) transfer, hospital length of stay, inpatient mortality, 30-day readmission, and emergency department visit within 30 days of discharge were compared between patients who had bedside versus IR procedures. Results Five hundred two patients who underwent a paracentesis were included in the analysis. Being female, higher body mass index, lower volume of ascites removed, and attending physician of record predicted the probability of IR referral. IR referrals were associated with 1.86 additional hospital days ( P =.003). Platelet and fresh frozen plasma transfusions were more common in patients who underwent IR procedures (odds ratio [OR] 4.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.13-9.78 and OR 4.07; 95% CI, 2.03-8.18, respectively). Subsequent ICU transfers also were more common among patients who had IR procedures (OR 2.21; 95% CI, 1.13-4.31). All other clinical outcomes were similar between groups. Conclusions The decision to perform a paracentesis procedure at the bedside or in IR is largely discretionary. Paracentesis procedures performed at the bedside result in equal or better patient outcomes. Clinicians should receive the training needed to perform paracentesis procedures safely at the bedside. Large prospective studies are needed to confirm the findings of this study and inform national practice patterns.
The utilization of 1- and 2-monoglycerides for intestinal triglceride biosynthesis

Abstract 1. 1. Evidence for the intact utilization of 2-monopalmitin for triglyceride biosynthesis by the intestine has been obtained. 2. 2. The enzymes catalyzing the conversion of both the 1- and 2-monoglycerides to triglycerides reside primarily in the microsomes. 3. 3. One enzyme, monoglyceride trasacylase (acyl-CoA:monoglycerides acyltransferase), accepts both the 1- and 2-isomers. 4. 4. The enzyme demonstrates a preferential utilization of the 2-monoglyceride. 5. 5. The interrelationships of the reported finding to the absorption of fats is presented.
Model potential for the interacion of molecues with amorphous surfaces

Abstract Previous models for gas—surface interactions have utilized either pairwise forces or semi-empirical potentials formulated in terms of perfect two-dimenstional surfaces. Here, we combine the pairwise model with existing semi-empirical models, retaining the realistic chemical forces of the semi-empirical model, but having direct applicability to surfaces with non-periodic structures.
Interpolation theorem for the number of pendant vertices of connected spanning subgraphs of equal size

At the 4th International Graph Theory Conference 1980, G. Chartrand posed the following problem: If a (connected) graph G contains spanning trees with m and n pendant vertices, respectively, with m < n, does G contain a spanning tree with k pendant vertices for every integer k, where m < k < n? Recently, S. Schuster showed that the answer is yes. Several variations of this interpolation theorem will be given including the following generalization: If a connected graph G contains connected spanning subgraphs of size r with m and n pendant vertices, respectively, with m < n, then G contains a connected spanning subgraph of size r with k pendant vertices for every integer k, where m < k < n.
Neurophysiological effects of tetrodotoxin in lateral geniculate body and dorsal hippocampus.

Tetrodotoxin /TTX/ effects on mammalian brain studied by introducing TTX into cat lateral geniculate body /LGB/, causing flash evoked potentials and visual cortex decrease
The DSFI: A multidimensional measure of sexual functioning

The present report summarizes work to date on the Derogatis Sexual Functioning Inventory (DSFI), a multidimensional measure of human sexual functioning. We discuss the rationale for the test as well as the selection of the primary domains of measurement. Reliability coefficients for the various subtests are given, and a review section on validation studies is provided, including a factor analysis, predictive validation, and discriminant function analyses. Prototypic clinical profiles are also provided for several of the major types of sexual dysfunction.
Oxygen isotope fractionation in dissolved oxygen in the deep sea

18O variations in dissolved oxygen have been measured at five stations from the eastern equatorial Pacific, at the GEOSECS-I and -II intercalibration stations in the North Pacific and North Atlantic, and along an Antarctic-South Pacific section from MONSOON expedition. Relative to atmospheric oxygen, dissolved oxygen in the ocean is enriched in18O up to a maximum of 14‰, the extreme enrichments occurring in the oxygen-minimum region of the eastern Pacific. The vertical diffusion-advection model has been used to determine the isotopic fractionation of deep-water in-situ oxygen consumption ascribed to bacterial metabolism. The single-stage enrichment, e, in Pacific Deep Water below 1 km is 10‰ (α = 0.99,16O consumed preferentially). The model calculations show that the isotopic data cannot be fit without the introduction of a fractionation factor, just as the dissolved oxygen data cannot be fit without an in-situ consumption parameter. The consistency of the positive sign for e and the negative source term for O2, observed in all deep Pacific profiles analyzed to date, provide strong evidence that vertical transport and in-situ consumption terms dominate the horizontal tracer flux terms, and indicate the presence of a significant “deep metabolism” in abyssal ocean waters.
Cardiocirculatory effects of prolonged administration of isoflurane in normocarbic human volunteers.

Effects of the prolonged administration of isoflurane on haemodynamics were studied in 17 healthy volunteen under normocarbic conditions. The anaesthetic was administered for 90 min at a constant alveolar concentration. Cardiac index was unchanged in the presence of decreased stroke volume index and increased heart rate. The mean arterial pressure decreased with parallel reductions in total peripheral resistance. 1, eft ventricular work decreased. The left ventricular ejection time index increased marginally but significantly. Isoflurane caused no change in the pump performance of the heart but depressed the muscle performance.
Prostate Cancer Localization Using Multiparametric MRI based on Semisupervised Techniques With Automated Seed Initialization

In this paper, we propose a novel and efficient semisupervised technique for automated prostate cancer localization using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This method can be used in guiding biopsy, surgery, and therapy. We systematically present a new segmentation technique by developing a multiparametric graph-based random walker (RW) algorithm with automated seed initialization to perform prostate cancer segmentation using multiparametric MRI. RW algorithm has proved to be accurate and fast in segmentation applications; however, it requires a set of (user provided) seed points in order to perform segmentation. In this study, we first developed a novel RW method, which can be used with multiparametric MR images and then devised alternative methods that can determine seed points in an automated manner using discriminative classifiers such as support vector machines (SVM). Proposed RW method with automated seed initialization is able to produce improved segmentation results by assigning more weights to the images with more discriminative power. We applied the proposed method to a multiparametric dataset obtained from biopsy confirmed prostate cancer patients. Proposed method produces a sensitivity/specificity rate of 0.76 and 0.86, respectively. Both visual, quantitative as well as statistical results are presented to show the significant performance improvements. Fisher sign test is used to demonstrate the statistical significance of our results by achieving p-values less than 0.05. This method outperforms available RW- and SVM-based methods by achieving a high-specificity rate, while not reducing sensitivity.
Maternal Diabetes Induces Increased Expression of Extracellular Matrix Components in Rat Embryos

The mechanisms responsible for the increased incidence of congenital malformations in offspring of diabetic mothers are poorly understood. Because the abnormal metabolic milieu of diabetes induces in the adult organism increased synthesis of basement membrane components, and these molecules play a prominent role in morphogenesis, we investigated whether maternal diabetes or high glucose levels disturb extracellular matrix synthesis in rat embryos. In gestational day 11 embryos, maternal diabetes induced a small but significant increase in laminin B1 (127 +/- 40% of control, mean +/- SD, P < 0.02) but not in fibronectin mRNA (101 +/- 26% of control). Day 12 embryos from diabetic mothers showed a larger increment in laminin B1 (179 +/- 91% of control, P < 0.02) and also an increase in fibronectin mRNA (172 +/- 73% of control, P < 0.02). A similar increase in the expression of fibronectin was observed in the kidneys and hearts of day 20 fetuses dissected from diabetic rats. High glucose levels mimicked in vitro the effects of maternal diabetes. Day 9 embryos cultured for 48 h in 50 mM D-glucose showed, akin to the day 11 embryos in vivo, an increase in laminin B1 mRNA (129 +/- 47% of control) and no changes in fibronectin mRNA (106 +/- 35% of control). The finding that maternal diabetes induces increased expression of extracellular matrix components in developing embryos establishes a link with the abnormalities occurring in the chronic complications of diabetes and proposes a new path of investigation for the mechanism of teratogenicity of the diabetic milieu.
Effects of 3-Chloromethylthiochromone-1, 1-dioxide on Nucleic Acid, Protein, and Aerobic and Anaerobic Metabolism of Ehrlich Ascites Tumor Cells

Abstract 3-Chloromethylthiochromone-1, 1-dioxide was observed to be a potent inhibitor of Ehrlich ascites carcinoma growth and a moderate inhibitor of P-388 lymphocytic leukemia growth at 10 mg/kg/day. Preliminary in vitro studies showed that the agents significantly inhibited RNA and DNA synthesis in Ehrlich ascites cells. In vivo studies after dosing on Days 6, 7, and 8 demonstrated the same reductions in nucleic acid synthesis and a moderate reduction in protein synthesis. The primary site of nucleic acid synthesis, which was blocked by 3-chloro- methylthiochromone, was at orotidine monophosphate decarboxylase in the primidine pathway. Other enzymes, in anaerobic and aerobic glycolysis, which were blocked include hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, succinic and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenases, as well as States 3 and 4 of oxidative phosphorylation.
The phylogenetic relationships and natural classificition of the Vespoidea (Hymenptera)

Phylogenetic relationships of the subfamilies and tribes of the Vespoidea Diploptera) are investigated using cladistic methods. A natural classification is proposed, sequencing seven tribes in six subfamilies within the single family Vespidae. Euparagia is the sister-group of the rest of the Vespidae. The Gayellinae and Masarinae are sister-groups, and are reduced in rank to tribes within the subfamily Masarinae. This is the sister-group of the Eumeninae + Stenogastrinae + Polistinae + Vespinae. The Zethinae is a paraphyletic group; both it and the Raphiglossinae are deleted and included in the Eumeninae. The Stenogastrinae is regarded as the sister-group of the Vespinae + Polistinae.
Flow of dilute, stable liquid and solid dispersions in underground porous media

Mise en evidence de la difference entre le comportement a l'ecoulement dans des milieux poreux de dispersions diluees de particules solides et liquides de caracteristiques physicochimiques quasi identiques. Conclusions relatives aux procedes de recuperation assistee du petrole
Spectroscopy and photochemistry of tetraneopentylchromium(IV)

Abstract Tetraneopentylchromium(IV) displays ultraviolet absorptions attributable to ligand-to-metal (LMCT) charge transfer transitions, and visible absorptions assignable to ligand field (LF) transitions. The observed photochemistry is consistent with metal-neopentyl homolytic cleavage arising from an LMCT excited state. Lower values for quantum yields in the visible region imply that the LF excited states are substantially inactive.
Statistical Optimization of Ketoprofen-Eudragit® S100 Coprecipitates to Obtain Controlled-Release Tablets

AbstractCoprecipitates of ketoprofen and Eudragit® S1OO have been prepared by a recently reported technique and compressed as tablets to release 75 mg of the drug in phosphate buffer (pH 7.2) medium in a 12-hour period. A second-order Box-Behnken design has been employed to optimize the independent variables that include the level of polymer Eudragit® S100 used, the level of diluent lactose used, and the applied compressional pressure. The design included a total of 15 experiments for the three variables at three levels each. Tablets containing 75 mg of ketoprofen were compressed according to the design. Dissolution experiments were run by the USP basket method at 100 rpm. Dissolution halftime (t50) was recorded from the plot of cumulative percent of ketoprofen dissolved as a function of time. Hardness and thickness of the tablets were also recorded. A mathematical relationship and response surface plots were generated to determine the relationship between t50 and the independent variables with constraint...
Growth rate in Neurospora crassa: Linkage of polygenes

Part of the polygenic system controlling the response to selection for fast linear growth rate in Neurospora crassa is linked to the aurescent locus on chromosome I. This genotypic material accounts for approximately 18 percent of the total response to selection. There was no evidence of linkage to the yellow locus on chromosome VI.
Simulation of the Structure and Properties of the Polyethylene Crystal Surface

The structures and thermodynamic properties of the (100), (010), and (110) lateral surfaces of extended-chain polyethylene crystals between 0 and 300 K were determined by minimization of vibrational free energy using consistent quasi-harmonic lattice dynamics. Slight rotations of the outermost chains from their corresponding orientations in the bulk were observed. These deviations from bulk structure were confined to the first three molecular layers (approximately 10 A) at the surface. Surface free energy calculations for the crystal−vacuum interface found the (110) surface to be the most stable over the entire temperature range modeled, with free energies ranging from 95.4 erg/cm2 to 103.5 erg/cm2 at temperatures of 0 and 300 K, respectively. Surface free energies of the (100) and (010) surfaces were found to be at least 15% higher than the (110) surface, with the (100) surface slightly more stable than the (010) surface, over all temperatures considered. Surface free energy increases as the density of c...
Spectral properties of the Alfvén cyclotron instability: Applications to relativistic electron scattering

[1] One-dimensional hybrid simulations of the Alfven-cyclotron instability in magnetized, homogeneous, collisionless, electron-proton plasmas are carried out to investigate the spectral properties of the resulting electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) fluctuations. The protons are initialized with a bi-Maxwellian velocity distribution (Tp⊥ > Tp∥, where the subscripts refer to directions relative to the background magnetic field) to drive the instability. The spectra of the resulting EMIC fluctuations are characterized in terms of the wave number corresponding to the peak energy spectral density and the spectral width, both of which agree with the prediction of linear dispersion theory using instantaneous simulation values of plasma parameters. By requiring the electrons on the edge of the loss cone to be in cyclotron resonance with the wave at peak energy spectral density, the approximate condition for fast loss of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belt due to pitch angle scattering by EMIC waves is derived. In addition, the enhanced EMIC fluctuations in the hybrid simulations are used as input waves in test particle computations to study the pitch angle scattering of relativistic electrons. The results show that fast loss of geophysically interesting relativistic electrons (≤2 MeV) is favored in regions of relatively high plasma densities, relatively cool proton temperatures, and relatively low magnetic fields. However, the results also suggest that the loss enhancement of geophysically interesting relativistic electrons by reduced proton temperatures can be weakened and complicated by the reduction in energy densities of the enhanced EMIC fluctuations corresponding to cooler proton temperatures.
Molecular basis of calcium channel blockade.

Abstract Calcium plays a central role in cellular regulation, where its major function is activation. In the sinoatrial node, the entry of positively charged calcium ions through calcium channels in the plasma membrane generates an inward (depolarizing) current that contributes to pacemaker activity, whereas calcium entry in the atrioventricular (AV) node provides the major depolarizing current during AV conduction. In the working myocardial cells of the atria and ventricles, calcium entry through plasma membrane channels triggers calcium release from intracellular stores in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and so plays a central role in excitation—contraction coupling. Calcium also serves as an intracellular messenger that binds to members of a family of intracellular calcium-binding proteins that include troponin and calmodulin. In the heart, calcium binding to troponin initiates systole, and formation of the calcium—calmodulin complex in vascular smooth muscle initiates a cascade of reactions that leads to vasoconstriction. Calcium channel blockers, by inhibiting the opening of calcium channels, attenuate all of these reactions; in the heart, they slow the sinus pacemaker and AV conduction and depress myocardial contractility. In smooth muscle, these drugs are vasodilators. Different members of the diverse group of chemical structures that block calcium channels have different specificities for different channels, and so differ in their effects on the cardiovascular system.
Neutrino Majorana masses in a composite technicolor standard model

Abstract We show that the neutrino Majorana masses can be incorporated within a composite technicolor standard model. We discuss the bounds on the parameters of such a model arising from the failure to observe lepton-number violating processes.