cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Human uraemic plasma stimulates release of leptin and uptake of tumour necrosis factor-α in visceral adipocytes

Background End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is commonly associated with anorexia, malnutrition and inflammation. In addition to serving as the primary reservoir for energy storage, adipocytes produce numerous pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators and regulate food intake by releasing the appetite-suppressing (leptin) and appetite-stimulating (adiponectin) hormones. Under normal conditions, release of leptin is stimulated by feeding to prevent excess intake, and release of adiponectin is stimulated by fasting to induce feeding. However, under certain pathological conditions such as inflammation, maladaptive release of these hormones leads to anorexia, wasting and malnutrition and simultaneously intensifies inflammation. Anorexia, malnutrition and inflammation in ESRD are frequently accompanied by hyper-leptinaemia. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that uraemic plasma may stimulate leptin release and suppress adiponectin release in normal adipocytes. Methods Visceral adipose tissue was harvested from normal rats, and adipocytes were isolated and incubated for 2-4 h in media containing 90% plasma from 12 ESRD patients (before and after haemodialysis) and 12 normal control subjects. Results The ESRD group had a marked elevation of plasma TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8 and leptin concentrations before and after haemodialysis. Incubation in media containing plasma from the ESRD group elicited a much greater leptin release by adipocytes than that containing normal plasma. Post-dialysis plasma evoked an equally intense leptin release. The rise in leptin release was coupled with a parallel fall in TNF-alpha concentration in the incubation media. In contrast to leptin, adiponectin release in the presence of uraemic plasma was similar to that found with the control plasma. Conclusions Exposure to uraemic plasma induces exuberant release of leptin that is coupled with avid uptake of TNF-alpha by visceral adipocytes. These observations confirm the role of TNF-alpha, formerly known as cachexin, in the over-production and release of leptin in patients with ESRD.
Microtubule Reorganization during Mitosis and Cytokinesis: Lessons Learned from Developing Microgametophytes in Arabidopsis Thaliana

In angiosperms, mitosis and cytokinesis take place in the absence of structurally defined microtubule-organizing centers and the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In the spindle and phragmoplast, microtubule reorganization depends on microtubule-interacting factors like the -tubulin complex. Because of their critical functions in cell division, loss-of-function mutations in the corresponding genes are often homozygous or sporophytic lethal. However, a number of mutations like gem1, gcp2, and nedd1 can be maintained in heterozygous mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. When mutant microspores produced by a heterozygous parent undergo pollen mitosis I, they are amenable for phenotypic characterization by fluorescence microscopy. The results would allow us to pinpoint at specific functions of particular proteins in microtubule reorganization that are characteristic to specific stages of mitosis and cytokinesis. Conclusions made in the developing microgametophytes can be extrapolated to somatic cells regarding mechanisms that regulate nuclear migration, spindle pole formation, phragmoplast assembly, and cell division plane determination.
Efficient Revised Simplex Method for SVM Training

Existing active set methods reported in the literature for support vector machine (SVM) training must contend with singularities when solving for the search direction. When a singularity is encountered, an infinite descent direction can be carefully chosen that avoids cycling and allows the algorithm to converge. However, the algorithm implementation is likely to be more complex and less computationally efficient than would otherwise be required for an algorithm that does not have to contend with the singularities. We show that the revised simplex method introduced by Rusin provides a guarantee of nonsingularity when solving for the search direction. This method provides for a simpler and more computationally efficient implementation, as it avoids the need to test for rank degeneracies and also the need to modify factorizations or solution methods based upon those rank degeneracies. In our approach, we take advantage of the guarantee of nonsingularity by implementing an efficient method for solving the search direction and show that our algorithm is competitive with SVM-QP and also that it is a particularly effective when the fraction of nonbound support vectors is large. In addition, we show competitive performance of the proposed algorithm against two popular SVM training algorithms, SVMLight and LIBSVM.
Temporal stability in the distribution of behavioral states for individual human fetuses

Although behavioral state analyses have been useful in differentiating between groups of normal and at-risk fetuses, the large between-subject differences in the percent time spent in the various behavioral states poses a major obstacle in identifying abnormal neurological functioning in individual fetuses. Does this variability represent a true difference in state organization between fetuses, or does it simply reflect individual fluctuations in state control at the time of observation? To answer this question, we examined each of 33 human fetuses for 4 h on three separate days between 38 and 40 weeks gestation. The percent time spent in each behavioral state and in transition and insertion periods was determined for each of the three 4-h study sessions, and within-subject analysis of variance was performed to obtain an objective measure of state profile consistency for each fetus. We found that, on the average, fetuses exhibited remarkable within-subject consistency in their state profiles. However, even among this group of low-risk fetuses, there were significant differences in the degree of state organization achieved by individual fetuses. These findings, which indicate the existence of a well-developed central nervous system before birth, suggest that individual differences in the consistency of behavioral state profiles may be indexing important between-subject differences in neurological development.
Growth of Diminutive Central Pulmonary Arteries After Right Ventricle to Pulmonary Artery Homograft Implantation

Background The management of tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary atresia, and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries is controversial because of the wide variability of pulmonary artery (PA) and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries morphology. Several different staged strategies have been used to promote growth of diminutive PA branches. We have preferred a right ventricular (RV)-PA homograft for symmetrical growth of the central PA branches. In this study we evaluated the success of this strategy. Methods Between 2006 and 2012, 23 patients with pulmonary atresia and diminutive PAs underwent RV-PA homograft implantation. Median age was 2 months (range, 4 days to 18 months), and median body weight was 5.1 kg (range, 1.7 to 8.5 kg). The type of homograft was aortic in 8, pulmonary in 6, and femoral vein in 9. The mean diameter of the homograft was 10.5 mm (range, 6 to 16 mm). All procedures were performed on cardiopulmonary bypass. The PA diameter was measured at the time of the operation and subsequent catheterization. Results The median size of the branch PA was 2.1 mm. In the 18 patients who had serial assessment of PA size, the right PA increased by 307% ± 184%, the left PA increased by 283% ± 139%, and the Nakata index increased from 28.8 ± 20.1 mm 2 /m 2 to 253 ± 96 mm 2 /m 2 during a median period of 347 days (range, 44 to 1,520 days). The PA growth ratio (PA growth in mm/mo) was similar between the right PA (0.42 ± 0.46 mm/mo) and the left PA (0.43 ± 0.47 mm/mo). There was no acute conduit failure. Seventeen patients required 28 percutaneous interventions for embolization of an aortopulmonary collateral or stenosis of the conduit or PA. There were no hospital deaths. Three patients died late after other procedures during a mean follow-up of 44.7 months. Twenty patients (87%) have undergone complete repair to date. Conclusions RV-PA homograft implantation can be performed in neonates and infants with minimal risk of acute occlusion. The RV-PA homograft promotes rapid and balanced growth of central pulmonary arteries leading to complete repair in most patients.
Learning Through Equity Trading Simulation

Over the past several decades, colleges and universities have moved away from the traditional chalk-and-talk lecture. Professors have experimented with a myriad of methods to engage students more fully. Some of the innovations that have been used have succeeded in improving student performance and satisfaction. In this paper we report the learning results of using an equity trading simulation across three different classes at a small Midwestern liberal arts college. Sixty-one students participate in a nine-week equity trading simulation exercise. All class levels are represented, and students with a range of prior courses in business and economics are included. Assessment tools include a pre-simulation survey, a pre-simulation investments test, a post-simulation survey, a post-simulation investments test, and simulation performance. The simulation allows trades in all U.S. equities including ADRs. Trades use actual delayed market prices with a 20-minute delay in order execution . No actual investments are made. The students are given a test before the simulation began to assess their incoming knowledge of investment fundamentals. None of the three classes covers this material in lecture. The students have access to online investments resources and information during the simulation via the simulation service provider. A test is given on the same investment fundamentals after the simulation is completed. The students are also surveyed as to their motivation, interest and satisfaction. Initial results show an average 14-point difference (out of 100) between the pre and post-simulation test scores. This is significantly different from zero at better than the 99 percent level. The gains in performance are higher for the students with the lower pre-simulation test scores. Pre-simulation test scores are significantly higher for students who have taken more business and economics classes. Interestingly, post-test scores show no significant relationship to the number of prior courses in business and economics suggesting that the simulation effectively delivers content to students with limited backgrounds. Survey results show that 64 percent of students regularly use the online education resources provided as part of the simulation, while 97 percent report using outside resources to inform their decisions. Sixty-six percent report the simulation is effective or very effective at increasing their knowledge of investments. Most students, 86 percent, indicate that the simulation increased their interest (a little or greatly) in investments and equity markets.
Performance of a blind multistage decision feedback equalizer for MIMO systems

In this work, we consider the problem of blind source separation of QAM sources transmitted over a broadband MIMO system, by investigating the effect of adding a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) to our previously proposed blind multistage equalization scheme [1]. A modified Constant Modulus Algorithm (CMA), which includes the Alphabet Matched Algorithm (AMA) has been shown to successfully equalize and separate multiple data blocks transmitted over an IID Rayleigh fading channel. A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) is added to the multistage equalization scheme, and a new channel estimator is proposed which incorporates the feedback equalizer. At each stage of equalization, the channel estimator provides an estimate of a single column of the MIMO channel (including all taps). The channel estimator based on DFE is shown to provide a more accurate estimate of the channel vector, and generally improves the overall performance of the multistage scheme. The performance of the multistage decision feedback equalizer and its corresponding channel estimation scheme is evaluated compared to the previously proposed multistage CMA+AMA equalization and signal separation method, by considering the symbol error rates (SER) of the captured sources at different stages, as well as the channel estimation errors.
Studies on human serum lipoprotein phospholipids and phospholipid fatty acid composition by silicic acid chromatography

SUMMARY Normal human serum phospholipids were fractionated by silicic acid column chromatography. A large number of fractions was obtained with which it was possible to study the effect of fatty acid composition on elution rate. Phospholipids containing unsaturated fatty acids eluted from the silicic acid column more rapidly than their saturated analogues. It was found that lecithin could not be cleanly separated from sphingomyelin by any concentration of methanol or multiple-solvent elution scheme. The fatty acid compoeitions of the individual phospholipids were studied. Phosphatidyl ethanolamine was the most unsaturated phospholipid of serum; lecithin, sphingomyelin, and lysolecithin showed less unsaturation, in that order. In all phospholipids, 20 and 22 carbon unsaturated fatty acids were present. Long-chain saturated, aa well aa odd-chain saturated, fatty acids were present and were particularly prominent in the sphingomyelin fraction. In previous studies reported by this laboratory (1, 2), data on the phospholipid and phospholipid fatty acid composition of human serum and serum lipoprotein fractions were presented. Other authors (3, 4, 5) have published data from similar studies. Most of these latter studies have presented evidence for the presence of lysolecithin as well as the phosphatidyl ethanolamine, lecithin, and sphingomyelin fractions reported in the work from this laboratory. The procedure previously used here did not show the presence of lysolecithin; if any were present in the samples it would have been included in the lecithin fraction. A more extensive chromatographic fractionation of the total serum phospholipid was undertaken to improve the resolution of the individual phospholipids and attempt to establish the presence or absence of lysolecithin as well as other minor components. As a large number of fractions was taken during the chromatographic run, a large initial amount of phospholipid was necessary to permit subsequent analysis of the fatty acid moiety of the individual phospholipids. The subfractionation of the major elution peaks provided
Exposure to opiates in female adolescents alters mu opiate receptor expression and increases the rewarding effects of morphine in future offspring

Prescription opiate use and abuse has increased dramatically over the past two decades, including increased use in adolescent populations. Recently, it has been proposed that use during this critical period may affect future offspring even when use is discontinued prior to conception. Here, we utilize a rodent model to examine the effects of adolescent morphine exposure on the reward functioning of the offspring. Female Sprague Dawley rats were administered morphine for 10 days during early adolescence (post-natal day 30-39) using an escalating dosing regimen. Animals then remained drug free until adulthood at which point they were mated with naive males. Adult offspring (F1 animals) were tested for their response to morphine-induced (0, 1, 2.5, 5, and 10 mg/kg, s.c.) conditioned place preference (CPP) and context-independent morphine-induced sensitization. Naive littermates were used to examine mu opiate receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area. Results indicate that F1 females whose mothers were exposed to morphine during adolescence (Mor-F1) demonstrate significantly enhanced CPP to the lowest doses of morphine compared with Sal-F1 females. There were no differences in context-independent sensitization between maternal treatment groups. Protein expression analysis showed significantly increased levels of accumbal mu opiate receptor in Mor-F1 offspring and decreased levels in the VTA. Taken together, these findings demonstrate a shift in the dose response curve with regard to the rewarding effects of morphine in Mor-F1 females which may in part be due to altered mu opiate receptor expression in the nucleus accumbens and VTA.
A Prospective Evaluation of Shared Decision-making Regarding Analgesics Selection for Older Emergency Department Patients With Acute Musculoskeletal Pain

Objectives Musculoskeletal pain is a common reason for emergency department (ED) visit by older adults. Outpatient pain management following ED visits in this population is challenging as a result of contraindications to, and side effects from, available therapies. Shared decision-making (SDM) between patients and emergency physicians may improve patient experiences and health outcomes. Among older ED patients with acute musculoskeletal pain, we sought to characterize their desire for involvement in the selection of outpatient analgesics. We also sought to assess the impact of SDM on change in pain at 1 week, patient satisfaction, and side effects. Methods This was a prospective study of adults aged 60 years and older presenting to the ED with acute musculoskeletal pain. Participants' desire to contribute to outpatient analgesic selection was assessed by phone within 24 hours of ED discharge using the Control Preferences Scale and categorized as active, collaborative, or passive. The extent to which SDM occurred in the ED was also assessed within 24 hours of discharge using the 9-item Shared Decision Making Questionnaire, and scores were subsequently grouped into tertiles of low, middle, and high SDM. The primary outcome was change in pain severity between the ED visit and 1 week. Secondary outcomes included satisfaction regarding the decision about how to treat pain at home, satisfaction with the pain medication itself, and side effects. Results Desire of participants (N = 94) to contribute to the decision regarding selection of outpatient analgesics varied: 16% active (i.e., make the final decision themselves), 37% collaborative (i.e., share decision with provider), and 47% passive (i.e., let the doctor make the final decision). The percentage of patients who desired an active role in the decision was higher for patients who were college educated versus those who were not college educated (28% vs. 11%; difference 17%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0% to 35%), received care from a nurse practitioner versus a resident or an attending physician (32% vs. 9%; difference 23%, 95% CI = 4% to 42%), or received care from a female versus a male provider (24% vs. 5%; difference 19%, 95% = CI 5% to 32%). After potential confounders were adjusted for, the mean decrease in pain severity from the ED visit to 1-week follow-up was not significantly different across tertiles of SDM (p = 0.06). Higher SDM scores were associated with greater satisfaction with the discharge pain medications (p = 0.006). SDM was not associated with the class of analgesic received. Conclusions In this sample of older adults with acute musculoskeletal pain, the reported desire of patients to contribute to decisions regarding analgesics varied based on both patient and provider characteristics. SDM was not significantly related to pain reduction in the first week or type of pain medication received, but was associated with greater patient satisfaction.
Parallel Tracks? Internationalizing the American Law School Curriculum in Light of the Principles in the Carnegie Foundation's 'Educating Lawyers'

The Carnegie Foundation's Report, Educating Lawyers: Preparation for the Profession of Law reminds us that the challenge for legal education requires a linking of the interests of legal educators with the needs of legal practitioners and with the public the profession is pledged to serve - in other words, fostering what can be called civic professionalism. Educating Lawyers would reverse the drift of American legal education towards a purely academic orientation, recasting legal education as fundamentally professional rather than academic, outward and not inward looking. Educating Lawyers' focus is almost completely devoted to domestic law. Yet, civic professionalism does not end at the borders of the United States, and American lawyers long ago stopped thinking of national borders as the borders of their professional lives. The law schools have been responding. Many law schools are now wrestling with issues relating to the incorporation of a transnational legal component - including elements of international, comparative, foreign and transnational law - within their teaching and scholarship missions. These changes mirror discussions within the legal academy over a move from a national law practice to a multi-jurisdictional practice model of legal education. Yet these two great reform efforts have developed along parallel tracks. This paper looks at the development of these parallel discussions of reform of legal education. The framework is described in Part I. The paper then turns to a critical review of Educating Lawyers, focusing on its basic assumptions that serve as the foundation for the suggestions for the changes proposed. Part III examines the parallel development of the several strands of proposals for the incorporation of non-domestic legal education in American law schools, suggesting first an analytical framework for evaluating these proposals and then evaluating the several forms of incorporation that dominate incorporation of the transborder element in law school curricular, research and service activities. These are divided into five categories?three are elaborations of traditional models and two others, an immersion model and separation model, represent emerging framework structures. Part IV considers these models of integration in light of the foundational model of apprenticeship proposed in Educating Lawyers. It suggests that transborder legal education can be integrated in legal education within the framework of Educating Lawyers but that not all emerging models of such integration are compatible with that framework.
Consolidated bioprocessing of Populus using Clostridium (Ruminiclostridium) thermocellum: a case study on the impact of lignin composition and structure

Higher ratios of syringyl-to-guaiacyl (S/G) lignin components of Populus were shown to improve sugar release by enzymatic hydrolysis using commercial blends. Cellulolytic microbes are often robust biomass hydrolyzers and may offer cost advantages; however, it is unknown whether their activity can also be significantly influenced by the ratio of different monolignol types in Populus biomass. Hydrolysis and fermentation of autoclaved, but otherwise not pretreated Populus trichocarpa by Clostridium thermocellum ATCC 27405 was compared using feedstocks that had similar carbohydrate and total lignin contents but differed in S/G ratios. Populus with an S/G ratio of 2.1 was converted more rapidly and to a greater extent compared to similar biomass that had a ratio of 1.2. For either microbes or commercial enzymes, an approximate 50 % relative difference in total solids solubilization was measured for both biomasses, which suggests that the differences and limitations in the microbial breakdown of lignocellulose may be largely from the enzymatic hydrolytic process. Surprisingly, the reduction in glucan content per gram solid in the residual microbially processed biomass was similar (17–18 %) irrespective of S/G ratio, pointing to a similar mechanism of solubilization that proceeded at different rates. Fermentation metabolome testing did not reveal the release of known biomass-derived alcohol and aldehyde inhibitors that could explain observed differences in microbial hydrolytic activity. Biomass-derived p-hydroxybenzoic acid was up to nine-fold higher in low S/G ratio biomass fermentations, but was not found to be inhibitory in subsequent test fermentations. Cellulose crystallinity and degree of polymerization did not vary between Populus lines and had minor changes after fermentation. However, lignin molecular weights and cellulose accessibility determined by Simons’ staining were positively correlated to the S/G content. Higher S/G ratios in Populus biomass lead to longer and more linear lignin chains and greater access to surface cellulosic content by microbe-bound enzymatic complexes. Substrate access limitation is suggested as a primary bottleneck in solubilization of minimally processed Populus, which has important implications for microbial deconstruction of lignocellulose biomass. Our findings will allow others to examine different Populus lines and to test if similar observations are possible for other plant species.
Overcoming the Classical Limits Imposed by Diffraction and Multiple-scattering via Computational Optical Imaging

Imaging beyond the resolution limit with subwavelength resolution as well as imaging through strongly scattering media have been recently accomplished overcoming classical limitations. These techniques share the need for wavefront engineering/modulation and matched algorithms.
Dual-Beam Optical Injection in Multimode Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers

We have experimentally explored dynamics of a multimode vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser subject to two-frequency orthogonal optical injection. Microwave signals are obtained in the double polarization switching and frequency locking regime.
Light induced exophthalmos in the domestic fowl.

SummaryBirds reared in low intensity colored light developed greatly enlarged eyes. Associated with the eye enlargement was: (1) a change in dioptrics, (2) increased eye protrusion, (3) increased incidence of eye lesions, especially in the red spectrum, which was directly related to length of exposure to the low intensity light, and (4) a thickening of the eye wall which occurred mainly in the choroid layer. The appearance was characterized by exophthalmos rather than the buphthalmos which occurs in continuous light. Corneal curvature was not changed while other eye parameters increased
Engaging Early Head Start parents in a collaborative inquiry: the co-construction of Little Talks

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to develop a book sharing intervention to support the language development of infants and toddlers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Low-income parents were engaged in a collaborative inquiry to develop ‘Little Talks’. Parents were assigned to three small groups that independently participated in intervention iterations. Iterations were sequenced so that qualitative data collected during the preceding iteration were analysed to inform modifications to refine the subsequent intervention. Book sharing interventions were administered through eight home visits by members of the research team. Starting with Dialogic Reading, qualitative data highlighted needs to produce an intervention that met a range of parental preferences and that was flexible in meeting parents’ readiness to acquire new strategies. Little Talks emerged as an intervention that fostered multiple approaches to book sharing by forming and delivering book sharing strategies according to pa...
Investigqtion of modification of historical snail areas in Changzhou city

Objective To investigate current status of historical snail areas in Changzhou city, and provide the basis forthe surveillance of snails. Methods The data of historical snail areas were collected and on- site surveys and snail areaclassification were performed, the database was established and characteristics of various snail areas were analyzed by mappingthe distribution of snail environment with Google Earth software. Results Total 3 911.97 hm2 of 6 174 historical snail areaswere distributed in 414 villages of,51 towns in7 counties(districts).According to the environment classification, thepercentages of class I, II, III and IV areas were accounted for 24.8%, 54.4%, 11.3% and 9.5%, respectively. Most historicalsnail areas located in Jintan city, Wujin district and Liyang city, and the proportions were 31%, 24.4% and 24%, respectively.Class II areas were predominated in Jintan city, Liyang city, Wujin district and Xinbei district,while class I areas predominatedin Tianning district, Zhonglou district and Qishuyan district. Environment of class IV was mainly distributed in Wujin districtand Xinbei district, accounted for 68.3% and 25.9%.The proportions of lake beach, inland and hill snail areas accountedfor9.9%, 49.8% and 40.3%, respectively predominated with class II aeas that accounted for 52.3%, 50.1% and 60.2%,while theproportions of class IV areas accounted for 22.5%, 14.1% and 0.7%, respectively. Conclusion In Changzhou city, historicalsnail areas are widely distributed and covered a large area, thus snail monitoring should be focused on the class III and classIV areas.
Epidemiological survey of stroke among residents in Hancunhe Town,Fangshan District,Beijing

Objectives To assess the current epidemic characterization of stroke among residents aged over 50 in Hancunhe Town,Fangshan District,Beijing,and to provide scientific basis for prevention and intervention of stroke in the area.Methods Through random cluster sampling,818 permanent residents aged over 50 years from six villages of Hancunhe Town were investigated on prevalence of stroke.The trained physicians were responsible for collection of survey information.Results Prevalence rate of stroke in Hancunhe Town was 19.30%.Male prevalence rate was 24.30%,significantly higher than that of females(14.56%).The difference was statistically significant(χ2 value of gender was 12.20,P0.01).Prevalence rates of stroke in terms of age and occupation were significantly different(χ2 values of age and occupation were 58.13 and 29.70 respectively,P0.01).Those aged 70 to 75 and those unemployed had the highest incidence rates(38.24% and 34.39% respectively).Prevalence rate of stroke in the region tended to increase with the increasing age.There were no significant differences in prevalence rates of stroke in terms of regions,education levels and marital status(χ2 values of regions,education levels and marital status were 8.15,1.94 and 2.73 respectively,P0.05).Conclusions Prevalence of stroke among Hancunhe residents aged over 50 is significantly higher than other regions.Male,70 to 75 years old and unemployed residents have higher prevalence rates.Targeted to do the prevention and control work of stroke better in this region is a top priority.
The acquisition of different types of definite noun phrases in L2-English:

Aims and research questions:This study aims to investigate second language (L2) learnability in article acquisition from a feature-based contrastive approach by examining L1-Korean speakers’ compre...
Are osteoblastic cells required for the control of osteoclast activity by parathyroid hormone

Osteoclasts cultured from the endosteal surface of marrow appear to require osteoblasts for PTH to stimulate their resorptive activity, but the contribution of preosteoclasts to these observations has not been ruled out. Other data indicate that an osteoblast-derived factor can influence osteoclast activity, or confer sensitivity of osteoclasts to PTH. Acid phosphatase content of osteoclasts formed in osteoblast-free cultures of marrow cells is stimulated by PTH, but resorption is not. Also, there are conflicting data on the presence of a PTH receptor on osteoclasts. Thus, while PTH may act directly on preosteoclasts, or even on osteoclasts, to enhance resorptive capability, it seems evident that an osteoblastic factor mediates the PTH stimulation of osteoclastic resorptive activity.
Superior sulcus lung tumors: Results of combined treatment (irradiation and radical resection)

Twenty-one patients underwent combined therapy (irradiation and radical resection) for a Pancoast tumor at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 1976 and 1985. All patients underwent en bloc removal of the apical chest wall and underlying lung. In addition four patients required subclavian artery resection, and in five patients a portion of the vertebral body was resected. There were three operative deaths. Median survival was 24 months and actuarial survival rate was 55% at 3 years and 27% at 5 years. Long-term palliation of pain was achieved in 72% of the patients. Involvement of the subclavian artery, vertebral body, or rib did not preclude long-term survival. Computed tomographic scanning in these patients is often indeterminate regarding invasion of chest wall structures but is more helpful than plain films alone. When compared to recent series in which irradiation alone was used, the combined approach appears to produce better results.
The impact of World War I, 1914–1921

The war changed attitudes and policies toward combinations and restrictive practices. During the period of hostilities, each nation's governmental authorities approved cooperative and restraining agreements within the business order, a policy which for different reasons the two labor movements also supported. Even so, during the post-war reconstruction era of 1919–1921 neither British law nor the short-lived Profiteering Acts represented more than a limited public or official concern for the welfare of small business, despite the unprecedented growth of monopoly. After the Armistice, by contrast, various American interests debated whether the continuation of cooperation and the antitrust laws were reconcilable. Meanwhile, neoclassical economic thought and a popular if qualified faith in rationalization eroded the British Free Trade consensus, sustaining a modest expansion of the state's supervisory role. And yet the ambiguous experience of the Standing Committee on Trusts suggested a need for a stronger policy. In America the agreement of Louis D. Brandeis and Herbert Hoover on the usefulness of trade associations indicated that the ascendancy of neoclassical economic thought had not altogether supplanted republican values. As a result, the federal government's and the Supreme Court's application of the rule of reason permitted considerable ambivalence in the enforcement of antitrust. WAR-TIME COOPERATION, PRESSURE GROUPS, AND GOVERNMENTAL POLICY Although America entered the war nearly three years after Britain, each nation's war effort was similar. Mobilization required an unprecedented level of government-business collaboration, stimulating, often for the first time, trade organizations for the allocation of raw materials, cooperative research projects, and control of prices and output.
Managing Capital via Internal Capital Market Transactions: The Case of Life Insurers

The movement of capital within insurance groups is important for understanding insolvency risk management, as well as regulatory policies regarding capital standards and group supervision. Panel data estimates indicate that, on average, a dollar decrease in performance (net income plus unrealized capital gains) when performance is negative is associated with a $0.26 increase in capital contributions to life insurers from other entities in the group, and that a dollar increase in performance when performance is positive is associated with a $0.56 increase in the amount of internal shareholder dividends paid by life insurers to other entities in the group. Moreover, the sensitivity of internal dividends to performance is higher during the financial crisis than the noncrisis period. Also, insurers with low (high) risk-based capital ratios receive more (less) internal capital contributions than other insurers, holding other factors constant.
The Dance with Tradition: Two Generations of the Independent Minyan in America

The paper examines two waves of independent, non-denominational minyan -development activity in the Jewish community in the United States, separated by 30 years (1980’s and 2010’s). With striking parallels, the two movements make up one congregational model. Examining their common patterns, the analysis identifies three frames in which to understand their founding and the source of their stability and longevity when it is attained. Three frames explain these patterns: the demographic frame which relies on notable internal homogeneity; the religious frame, which refers to ongoing tensions and patterns of change in religious organizations in general; and the skills/quality frame, which refers to a dynamic and pattern specific to the minyanim . This last frame connects to the difference between ascribed and achieved status/identity in Jewish life as an important dynamic in Jewish continuity and change, and as the “engine” of Jewish congregationalism. The conclusions refer not only to the founding of independent minyanim in this model, but also suggest key dynamics in Jewish congregational and community life in general.
Criteria for the Design and Evaluation of Stream Excavation Projects in North Carolina

Abstract The aggradation of coastal plains streams has been implicated in a number of public health problems and, as a result, numerous North Carolina streams have been excavated. In order to minimize the adverse effects typical of stream channelization, criteria were developed that base the excavated channel dimensions upon those found in natural, free-flowing coastal plains streams. The capacity of unaggraded coastal plains streams approximates the two-year flood. The capacity of the existing channel is determined using Manning's Equation and compared to that of the idealized, natural channel that is based upon watershed area. The technique allows biologists to evaluate the degree of aggradation in streams proposed for excavation, as well as establish guidelines for channel design. Burgaw Creek, a coastal plains stream in Pender County, is used as an example. The technique is applicable to areas with hydrologic characteristics similar to those of coastal North Carolina, but could be modified for other g...
High and Low Energy States of Cytochromes III. IN REACTIONS WITH CATIONS

Upon addition of low concentrations of calcium or manganese to pigeon heart mitochondria in a phosphate-free medium, a characteristic pattern of steady state changes ensues which leads to a high absorbance at 560 mµ (at 300° K) characteristic of cytochrome b. Other components of the respiratory chain are highly oxidized; electron transport from succinate and glutamate is inhibited, as is energy transfer into the pathway for diphosphopyridine nucleotide reduction. The spectroscopic changes and the inhibition of electron transfer represent State 6. Low concentrations of cations are required for half-maximal change in cytochrome b; about 15 µ m calcium gives half-maximal effect. The calcium concentration required is a function of pH; the response of cytochrome b of the largest magnitude is observed at pH 8. High concentrations of calcium (50 to 150 µ m ) decrease this effect. The inhibited state is readily reversed by phosphate, leading to reduction of all the components of the respiratory chain except cytochrome b, which proceeds to a less absorbing state. Under these conditions, the functions of electron transport, energy-linked pyridine nucleotide reduction, and response to adenosine diphosphate are largely restored. The inhibited state of electron transfer is readily reactivated by uncoupling agents, but energy-linked pyridine nucleotide reduction is not reactivated. Examination of cytochrome b spectra at low temperature (77° K) indicates the accumulation of a compound absorbing at 555 mµ in the presence of low concentrations of cations and its transformation to a compound absorbing at 565 mµ upon addition of phosphate. Cytochrome c responds most rapidly to cations; cytochrome b and reduced pyridine nucleotide respond less rapidly, but at low concentrations of cations. The alkalinization of the cristal membrane (29) is a slower reaction that requires higher cation concentrations. Both the reaction of cytochromes with cations and the alkalinization of the cristal membrane are considered as factors in causing the inhibited state of electron transfer, State 6.
ClotChip: A Microfluidic Dielectric Sensor for Point-of-Care Assessment of Hemostasis

This paper describes the design, fabrication, and testing of a microfluidic sensor for dielectric spectroscopy of human whole blood during coagulation. The sensor, termed ClotChip, employs a three-dimensional, parallel-plate, capacitive sensing structure with a floating electrode integrated into a microfluidic channel. Interfaced with an impedance analyzer, the ClotChip measures the complex relative dielectric permittivity, ϵr , of human whole blood in the frequency range of 40 Hz to 100 MHz. The temporal variation in the real part of the blood dielectric permittivity at 1 MHz features a time to reach a permittivity peak, $T_{{\rm{peak}}}$ , as well as a maximum change in permittivity after the peak, $\Delta \varepsilon _{r,{\rm{max}}}$ , as two distinct parameters of ClotChip readout. The ClotChip performance was benchmarked against rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) to evaluate the clinical utility of its readout parameters in capturing the clotting dynamics arising from coagulation factors and platelet activity. $T_{{\rm{peak}}}$ exhibited a very strong positive correlation ( r = 0.99, p $\Delta \varepsilon _{r,{\rm{max}}}$ exhibited a strong positive correlation ( r = 0.85, p μ L of human whole blood.
A Novel Data Analytical Approach for False Data Injection Cyber-Physical Attack Mitigation in Smart Grids

False data injection cyber-physical threat is a typical integrity attack in modern smart grids. These days, data analytical methods have been employed to mitigate false data injection attacks (FDIAs), especially when large scale smart grids generate huge amounts of data. In this paper, a novel data analytical method is proposed to detect FDIAs based on data-centric paradigm employing the margin setting algorithm (MSA). The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated through simulation using the six-bus power network in a wide area measurement system environment, as well as experimental data sets. Two FDIA scenarios, playback attack and time attack, are investigated. Experimental results are compared with the support vector machine (SVM) and artificial neural network (ANN). The results indicate that MSA yields better results in terms of detection accuracy than both the SVM and ANN when applied to FDIA detection.
The Great Refusal: Herbert Marcuse and Contemporary Social Movements

Herbert Marcuse was a great inspiration to many social theorists. He and C. Wright Mills were generally considered to be the intellectual forefathers of the New Left in the US. Capitalism was still...
Clinicopathologic analysis of a large series of microinvasive breast cancers

Clinical management of microinvasive breast cancer (Tmic) remains controversial. Although metastases are infrequent in Tmic carcinoma patients, surgical treatment typically includes lymph node sampling. The objective of this study was to determine the rate and predictors of lymph node metastases, recurrence, and survival in a large series of Tmic breast carcinomas. Consecutive cases of Tmic were identified within our health care system from 2001 to 2015. We reviewed results of lymph node sampling and other pathologic factors including hormone receptor/HER2 status, associated in situ tumor size/grade, margin status, number of invasive foci, surgical/adjuvant therapies, and recurrence/survival outcomes. In this cohort, 294 Tmic cases were identified with mean follow-up of 4.6 years. Of 260 patients who underwent axillary staging, lymph node metastases were identified in 1.5% (all of which were ductal type). All Tmic cases with positive lymph node metastases had associated DCIS with size > 5 cm (5.3-8.5 cm) compared to a median DCIS tumor size of 2.5 cm (0.2-19.0 cm) for the entire cohort. No lymph node metastases were seen with microinvasive lobular carcinoma. During the follow-up period, there were no regional/distant recurrences or breast cancer-associated deaths in a mean follow-up period of 4.6 years. Two patients developed subsequent ipsilateral breast cancer (DCIS) in a different quadrant than the original Tmic. Clinical behavior of microinvasive breast cancer in this series is similar to DCIS. Lymph node metastases are uncommon and were only seen with ductal type microinvasive carcinoma. Our data suggest limited benefit for routine node sampling and support management of Tmic similar to DCIS, particularly for patients with DCIS < 5 cm in size.
Polymyxin B Etest® compared with gold-standard broth microdilution in carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae exhibiting a wide range of polymyxin B MICs.

Abstract Objectives Polymyxins have been revitalized to combat carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE). However, evaluating the activity of these agents by traditional broth dilution methods is not practical for busy clinical laboratories. We compared polymyxin B activity using two quantitative susceptibility testing methods, Etest ® and broth microdilution (BMD), against CRE isolates from patients at an academic medical centre. Methods Polymyxin B activity against 70 CRE clinical isolates was determined by Etest ® according to the manufacturer and by BMD according to CLSI guidelines. Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC ® 27853 and Escherichia coli NCTC 13846 served as quality control strains. The EUCAST colistin susceptibility breakpoint of Enterobacteriaceae (≤2 mg/L) was used. Essential agreement was isolates with an MIC within 1 log 2 dilution over total isolates. Categorical agreement was number of isolates in the same susceptibility category (susceptible or resistant) over total isolates. Major and very major error rates were calculated using number of susceptible and number of resistant isolates, respectively, as the denominator. McNemar's test was used for determining a difference in susceptibility between methods. Results The CRE isolates were primarily Klebsiella spp. (49%) and Enterobacter spp. (36%). Polymyxin B susceptibility was significantly higher by Etest ® compared with BMD (97% versus 77%; p 0.0001). Categorical agreement was 80%, but essential agreement was low (10%). False non-susceptibility was never observed by Etest ® (BMD reference), but the very major errors were high (88%). Conclusions Etest ® reporting of false susceptibility may result in inappropriate antibiotic use and treatment failure clinically. We do not recommend using Etest ® for polymyxin B susceptibility testing for routine patient care.