cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
544: The impact of maternal BMI on the measurement of estimated fetal weight (EFW) by Leopold's maneuver at full term gestation

estimated fetal weight (EFW) by Leopold’s maneuver at full term gestation Audrey Merriam, Matthew Hoffman, Anthony Sciscione, Siobhan McCarty Christiana Care Health System, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Newark, DE OBJECTIVE: Estimated fetal weight (EFW) by clinical examination has been a staple of obstetrical care; however, the impact of increasing maternal obesity on its precision has not been assessed. We sought to determine the impact of maternal BMI on the precision of estimated fetal weight by Leopold’s maneuver. STUDY DESIGN: Using the Consortium on Safe Labor database (an electronic database which coalesced the electronic records of 12 centers from the 9 ACOG districts), we identified women with singleton term ( 37 0/7 weeks) gestations with a BMI at time of delivery, EFW done at time of admission and infant birthweight recorded. The primary outcome was the accuracy of EFW versus birthweight. The exposure of interest was maternal BMI which for the purpose of this analysis was separated into 6 categories ( 20 kg/m2, 20 to 25kg/m2, 25 to 30kg/m2, 30 to 35kg/m2, 35 to 40kg/m2, 40 kg/m2). Univariable analysis was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 25,262 women with a mean BMI of 31.6 and fetal birthweight of 3390 grams were identified for inclusion in the study. The rates of birthweight being 10% greater than the EFW was statistically different between groups 0.001 ( % 20 kg/m2, % 20 to 25kg/m2, % 25 to 30kg/m2, % 30 to 35kg/m2, % 35 to 40kg/ m2, % 40 kg/m2). Despite their being a statistically significant difference of accuracy estimating fetal weight with different BMI categories the accuracy did not decrease linearly with increasing BMI for either overestimation or underestimation of EFW (Table). CONCLUSION: Although the EFW is affected by maternal BMI, increasing maternal BMI does not result in clinically over or underestimation of fetal weight. This study suggests that EFW can be used reliably in patients with varying BMIs.
Couple and Family Interventions in Health Problems

Intervention research for couples and families managing chronic health problems is in an early developmental stage. We reviewed randomized clinical trials of family interventions for common neurological diseases, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes, which is similar to the content of previous reviews discussed later. One overriding theme of these studies is that patients with chronic illnesses and their families face a variety of challenges to which researchers have responded with an array of treatment modalities. Very few of the interventions reviewed, with the exception of treatment for adolescents with diabetes, tested family psychotherapy models. Most interventions were time-limited therapeutic interventions that trained families to improve their communication and problem-solving skills, individual and family coping skills, and medical management. Researchers more clearly described mechanisms of change in intervention studies with cancer and diabetes than with other diseases, and not surprisingly, they found greater empirical support for their interventions. Family interventions show promise to help patients and family members manage chronic illnesses. To develop an empirical base for family approaches to managing chronic illnesses, interventions must be based on theories that delineate mechanisms of change in family processes and skills in medical management necessary to maintain patients' and family members' health.
Letters: Design and implementation of a neural network controller for real-time adaptive voltage regulation

An adaptive controller based on multi-layer feed-forward neural network is developed for real-time voltage regulation of a class of PSFB (phase-shifted full-bridge) DC-DC converters. The controller has the unique advantages of nonlinear mapping and adaptive learning, and performs well over a wide range of input voltages and output load currents. The controller is implemented and tested in hardware using a DSP (digital signal processor) board. Experimental results show that it outperforms conventional controllers in both line regulation and load regulation.
Hematuria and Proteinuria in a Patient With Ankylosing Spondylitis

A 29-year-old white man was referred for evaluation of nephritis. He was well until age 19, when low back pain developed. At age 23, ankylosing spondylitis was diagnosed, which progressed to severe impairment of spinal mobility, sacroileitis, and right hip involvement. HLA-B27 was positive. Four months before presentation, urinalysis revealed proteinuria, hemoglobinuria, and RBC casts. All nonsteroidal antiinflammatory agents (NSAIAs) were discontinued, however, the urine sediment remained abnormal. Indomethacin was resumed due to a severe exacerbation of pain and decreasing range of motion. He was referred for renal biopsy. Past medical history and family history were unremarkable. There was no recent history of respiratory or skin infection. Physical examination revealed a healthy appearing man with a blood pressure of 134/102. There were no skin rashes. An S4 was heard on cardiac auscultation. Range of motion of the spine and right hip were decreased. There was no joint swelling or peripheral edema. Laboratory evaluation showed the following: BUN 18 mg/dL (6.43 mmollL urea), creatinine 1.2 mg/dL (106.8 I-'mollL) , and albumin 4.0 g/dL (40 giL). Complete Blood Cell Count (CBC) , electrolytes, and liver function tests were within normal limits. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 137 mm/h. Streptozyme was < 1:100; ANA and HbsAg were negative. Serum complements were normal. Daily urinary protein excretion was 1.8 g, with a creatinine clearance of 108 mLimin. Renal ultrasound was normal. A renal biopsy was performed.
Genes uniquely expressed in vegetative and potassium chlorate induced floral buds of Dimocarpus longan

Abstract Potassium chlorate (KClO 3 ) induced flowering of Dimocarpus longan is a highly effective method for off-season fruit production in Southeast Asia. To begin to understand the molecular basis for longan flower induction, the suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) technique was used to isolate genes that are differentially expressed in vegetative buds, or in KClO 3 induced floral buds. Repetitive rounds of cDNA differential subtraction screening, followed by reverse northern, northern blot analysis and nucleotide sequence determination identified 65 unique genes differentially expressed in vegetative and floral buds. Many of the identified genes have been previously demonstrated to be associated with shoot and floral meristem in Arabidopsis , including Protodermal Factor 1 (LVFS-205), SHEPHERD (LVFS-100) and PISTILLATA (LVFS-199) homologs. These gene sequences validate the results of SSH procedure and represent new nucleotide sequences in longan. Hybridization of clones to different size transcripts that encode fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (LVFS-230), histone H3 (LVFS-44, LVFS-172), malonyl-CoA (LVFS-48) and SAM (sterile alpha motif) containing proteins (LVFS-290) suggest specific members of gene families or alternative splicing of RNA may be involved in longan flowering. Novel gene products not previously associated with flowering have been also identified including carbon catabolite repressor (CCR4)-associated factors (LVFS-323), SAM proteins (LVFS-290), and Notchless-like proteins (LVFS-65). These cDNA sequences represent proteins with potential regulatory roles in longan flowering.
A disease- and phosphorylation-related nonmechanical function for keratin 8

Keratin 8 (K8) variants predispose to human liver injury via poorly understood mechanisms. We generated transgenic mice that overexpress the human disease-associated K8 Gly61-to-Cys (G61C) variant and showed that G61C predisposes to liver injury and apoptosis and dramatically inhibits K8 phosphorylation at serine 73 (S73) via stress-activated kinases. This led us to generate mice that overexpress K8 S73-to-Ala (S73A), which mimicked the susceptibility of K8 G61C mice to injury, thereby providing a molecular link between K8 phosphorylation and disease-associated mutation. Upon apoptotic stimulation, G61C and S73A hepatocytes have persistent and increased nonkeratin proapoptotic substrate phosphorylation by stress-activated kinases, compared with wild-type hepatocytes, in association with an inability to phosphorylate K8 S73. Our findings provide the first direct link between patient-related human keratin variants and liver disease predisposition. The highly abundant cytoskeletal protein K8, and possibly other keratins with the conserved S73-containing phosphoepitope, can protect tissue from injury by serving as a phosphate “sponge” for stress-activated kinases and thereby provide a novel nonmechanical function for intermediate filament proteins.
Evaluation of Apical Subtype of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Using Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging With Gadolinium Enhancement

Apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) is an uncommon variant of HC. We sought to characterize cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings among apical HC patients. This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients with a diagnosis of apical HC who underwent cardiac MRI examinations at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN) from August 1999 to October 2011. Clinical and demographic data at the time of cardiac MRI study were abstracted. Cardiac MRI study and 2-dimensional echocardiograms performed within 6 months of the cardiac MRI were reviewed; 96 patients with apical HC underwent cardiac MRI examinations. LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes were 130.7 ± 39.1 ml and 44.2 ± 20.9 ml, respectively. Maximum LV thickness was 19 ± 5 mm. Hypertrophy extended beyond the apex into other segments in 57 (59.4%) patients. Obstructive physiology was seen in 12 (12.5%) and was more common in the mixed apical phenotype than the pure apical (19.3 vs 2.6%, p = 0.02). Apical pouches were noted in 39 (40.6%) patients. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was present in 70 (74.5%) patients. LGE was associated with severe symptoms and increased maximal LV wall thickness. In conclusion, cardiac MRI is well suited for studying the apical form of HC because of difficulty imaging the cardiac apex with standard echocardiography. Cardiac MRI is uniquely suited to delineate the presence or absence of an apical pouch and abnormal myocardial LGE that may have implications in the natural history of apical HM. In particular, the presence of abnormal LGE is associated with clinical symptoms and increased wall thickness.
l-Type doubling: Herzberg versus Nielsen

In 1942 Gerhard Herzberg demonstrated the existence of l-type doubling in a number of bending fundamental levels of linear molecules. He attributed the doubling partly to asymmetric-top effects and partly to Coriolis interactions with the stretching modes, but Harald Nielsen and Wave Shaffer claimed that it is a purely Coriolis effect. The dispute, which was due mainly to errors in theoretical calculations, lasted for several years. This paper presents a summary of the controversy, based on published papers and letters exchanged between the main participants. PACS No.: 33.10
Proposed Technique for Surface Dynamics Measurements at High Pressure

Abstract A new experimental technique is described in which dynamic processes on surfaces—adsorption, desorption, and diffusion—can be monitored directly. The shift in frequency of resonant surface vibrations in a crystal is monitored as a function of time while the surface is exposed to a time dependent driving force. This surface acoustic wave (SAW) device is capable of resolving changes in surface concentrations of less than 1% of a monolayer over time spans of milliseconds or longer, under pressure conditions ranging from ultra-high vacuum to moderate-to-high pressure. The development of the SAW as a monitor for dynamic processes will help meet the instrumental needs for studying the fluid-solid interfaces which control many separation processes.
A portrait of Late Maastrichtian and Paleocene Palynoflora and Paleoenvironment in the Northern Mississippi Embayment, Southeastern Missouri

Upper Cretaceous and lower Paleogene sedimentary rocks in southeastern Missouri record the northwest extension of the Mississippi Embayment, yet very little information exists about them due to rarity of outcrops and borehole material. This has hindered a clearer understanding of the depositional conditions before and after the terminal Cretaceous impact event. Access to freshly excavated sediments of the Owl Creek, Clayton and Porters Creek formations and to material from several US Geological Survey boreholes has provided a wealth of data to study this time interval in the area. In this study, detailed palynomorph and palynofacies data have been used to infer palynostratigraphy and paleovegetation. Characteristics of lithology, ichnofossils, invertebrate fossils, foraminifera and well logs have provided the framework for reconstructing the depositional history. Palynomorphs indicate Late Maastrichtian, Danian and Thanetian–Selandian ages for the Owl Creek, Clayton and Porters Creek formations, respectively. Although the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary itself is marked by an unconformity, the basal part of the overlying Clayton Formation was apparently deposited as a single megatsunamite following the Chicxulub impact event. Palynofloras suggest mixed coastal and inland subtropical forest vegetation dominated by angiosperm taxa, although abundant records of gymnosperm pollen production occurred at various times during the deposition of the Porters Creek. While terrestrially derived organic components dominate the four palynofacies assemblages (A–D) identified by cluster analysis, lithologic, ichnofacies, macrofossil and dinoflagellate cysts suggest that assemblages C and D, which are characterized by higher percentages of amorphous organic matter, represent more distal marine depositional environments.
Autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss: clinical course and treatment outcome.

BACKGROUND Autoimmune sensorineural hearing loss (ASHL) originally was defined both by the presence of progressive hearing loss (with or without vertigo) and a positive response to glucocorticoid therapy. Subsequently, antibodies to a 68-kd inner-ear antigen were identified in a high percentage of patients with ASHL. OBJECTIVE To analyze the disease progression and treatment outcome of ASHL. METHODS Retrospective chart review of 30 patients with a diagnosis of ASHL referred to Texas Tech Rheumatology Clinic. All subjects were tested for anti-68-kd antibody, had audiometric evidence of hearing loss, and were treated with glucocorticoids. RESULTS The median duration from onset of symptoms to audiometric testing was 25.5 weeks (mean, 144 weeks; range, 3-1,040 weeks), and to testing for anti-68-kd antibody was 40 weeks (mean, 157.3; range, 4-1,092 weeks). Ninety percent of subjects tested positive for anti-68-kd antibodies. By audiometric testing, 50% of subjects were steroid-responsive; minimal improvement or no change was recorded in 12%, and worsening occurred in 39% after steroid therapy. The 3 subjects who were anti-68-kd antibody-negative were steroid-unresponsive, and 1 progressed to complete deafness. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This series of patients with ASHL suggests a more variable and benign course with a better prognosis than previously reported. Immunosuppressive therapy other than steroids rarely was required, and rapid progression to complete hearing loss was very uncommon in this cohort.
Diffusion of online information technologies in newspaper newsrooms

This study examined the spread of online information technologies within US daily newspaper newsrooms over a six-year period beginning in 1994. Since the general public and news media began to embr...
FoxO4 Promotes Early Inflammatory Response Upon Myocardial Infarction via Endothelial Arg1

Rationale: Inflammation in post–myocardial infarction (MI) is necessary for myocyte repair and wound healing. Unfortunately, it is also a key component of subsequent heart failure pathology. Transcription factor forkhead box O4 (FoxO4) regulates a variety of biological processes, including inflammation. However, its role in MI remains unknown. Objective: To test the hypothesis that FoxO4 promotes early post-MI inflammation via endothelial arginase 1 (Arg1). Methods and Results: We induced MI in wild-type and FoxO4 −/− mice. FoxO4 −/− mice had a significantly higher post-MI survival, better cardiac function, and reduced infarct size. FoxO4 −/− hearts had significantly fewer neutrophils, reduced expression of cytokines, and competitive nitric oxide synthase inhibitor Arg1. We generated conditional FoxO4 knockout mice with FoxO4 deleted in cardiac mycoytes or endothelial cells. FoxO4 endothelial cell–specific knockout mice showed significant post-MI improvement of cardiac function and reduction of neutrophil accumulation and cytokine expression, whereas FoxO4 cardiac mycoyte–specific knockout mice had no significant difference in cardiac function and post-MI inflammation from those of control littermates. FoxO4 binds the Foxo-binding site in the Arg1 promoter and activates Arg1 transcription. FoxO4 knockdown in human aortic endothelial cells upregulated nitric oxide on ischemia and suppressed monocyte adhesion that can be reversed by ectopic-expression of Arg1. Furthermore, chemical inhibition of Arg1 in wild-type mice had similar cardioprotection and reduced inflammation after MI as FoxO4 inactivation and administration of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor to FoxO4 KO mice reversed the beneficial effects of FoxO4 deletion on post-MI cardiac function. Conclusions: FoxO4 activates Arg1 transcription in endothelial cells in response to MI, leading to downregulation of nitric oxide and upregulation of neutrophil infiltration to the infarct area.
The Nature of Garnierites —I Structures, Chemical Compositions and Color Characteristics

X-ray diffraction patterns of garnierites indicate that most samples resemble serpentine-group minerals or a talc-like mineral, or a mixture of these forms, and give respectively 7 A and 10 A basal reflections. From a survey of some 40 garnierites, four of predominantly serpentine type and seven of predominantly talc-like type were selected for detailed study. The talc-like garnierites exhibit little variation of the 10 A basal spacing with low-temperature heating or with immersion in liquids, though some may contain a small proportion of expandable layers. Chemical analyses show considerable deviations of octahedral/tetrahedral cation ratios from the values 3/2 and 3/4 for normal serpentine and talc minerals, and may be interpreted in terms of mixed 1:1 and 2:1 layer types, either as separate phases and/or as interstratifications, or as defect structures of various kinds. The H2O + contents of the talc-like forms of garnierite are considerably greater than that of normal talc and point to a mineral of composition 3(Mg, Ni)O·4SiO2. 2H2O or [(Mg, Ni)3Si4O10(OH)2]H2O—a talc mono-hydrate formula. The green color of garnierites is related to the NiO weight per cent and a color index is derived based on the Munsell color charts.
Addressing the trained novice/expert performance gap in complex dynamic systems: a case-based intelligent tutoring system

Training operators for complex dynamic systems is an essential, but costly, endeavor. New operators need to learn declarative and procedural knowledge, and operational skill in order to safely and effectively perform functions required in complex work domains, e.g., nuclear power generation or aviation. Economic pressures, however, necessitate the adoption of training approaches and programs that produce competent performance in limited time. These approaches often lead to gaps between the level of performance of the newly trained operator (the trained novice) and the expert operator. This paper discusses the genesis of this gap and some of its effects on operation. A design for a case-based intelligent tutoring system is proposed for addressing this performance gap.
Spectral Learning of Mixture of Hidden Markov Models

In this paper, we propose a learning approach for the Mixture of Hidden Markov Models (MHMM) based on the Method of Moments (MoM). Computational advantages of MoM make MHMM learning amenable for large data sets. It is not possible to directly learn an MHMM with existing learning approaches, mainly due to a permutation ambiguity in the estimation process. We show that it is possible to resolve this ambiguity using the spectral properties of a global transition matrix even in the presence of estimation noise. We demonstrate the validity of our approach on synthetic and real data.
Simulating Upwelling in a Large Lake Using Slippery Sacks

A Lagrangian numerical model is used to simulate upwelling in an idealized large lake. This simulation is carried out to test the model’s potential for simulating lake and ocean circulations. The model is based on the slippery sack (SS) method that was recently developed by the authors. It represents the lake as a pile of conforming sacks. The motions of the sacks are determined using Newtonian dynamics. The model uses gravity wave retardation to allow for long time steps and has pseudo-Eulerian vertical mixing. The lake is exposed to northerly winds for 29 h. Upwelling develops in the eastern edge of the basin, and after the winds shut off, upwelling fronts propagate around the lake. This case was previously simulated using a height- and sigma-coordinate ocean model. The SS model produces circulations that are similar to those produced by the other models, but the SS simulation exhibits less mixing.
Motor unit physiology : Some unresolved issues

The purpose of this review was to examine three issues that limit our understanding of motor unit physiology: (1) the range and distribution of the innervation ratios in a muscle; (2) the association between discharge rate and force; and (3) the variation in motor unit activity across contractions that differ in speed and type. We suggest that if more data were available on these issues, the understanding of neuromuscular function would be enhanced substantially, especially with regard to plasticity in the motor neuron pool, adequacy of the neural drive to muscle, and flexibility of activation patterns across various types of contractions. Current data are limited and these limitations influence our ability to interpret adaptations in muscle function in health and disease.
RESPONSE TIMES TO LEFT AND RIGHT DIRECTIONAL SIGNS

In two experiments, choice response times to word and arrow signs were measured. Subjects were asked to respond to visual stimuli which presented right or left directional instructions. Both left- and right-handed subjects were tested. In each experiment, a different response mode (vocal and ballistic lateral movement) was used; they produced similar results. Choice response times were faster for arrow directions than for words. Permissive stimuli (DO) produced faster responses than did prohibitive (DO NOT). Response times to left stimuli did not differ from latencies to right stimuli. Subject's hand preference did not influence choice response times or accuracy of responses. Some conclusions about designing traffic signs to facilitate left-right directional decisions are drawn.
Choosing Criteria to Judge Program Success: A Values Inquiry

What we expect from public programs determines how the programs will be judged. This article presents a systematic values inquiry used to examine how much importance citizens and stakeholders attac...
Challenges to User Testing E-Learning Games with Children in Elementary Schools

The availability of computers in elementary schools increases the potential to use E-Learning games to teach children. It is essential to user test such games to make sure they are an effective learning tool that offers a benefit over existing learning methods in order to be adopted by schools striving to provide the best and most effective education. This case study underlines the differences between testing adults in the field compared to testing children in an elementary school environment. Students in two Chicago (USA) elementary schools in diverse neighborhoods were observed playing an existing online E-Learning math game. The results were analyzed to improve future user tests in elementary schools.
Cementless Prosthetic Fixation: When Less is More—In Opposition

Cemented fixation for the humeral and glenoid components in shoulder arthroplasty remains the standard to which all other methods of fixation must be compared. The incidence of loosening of humeral components regardless of fixation is very low, but when directly compared, cemented humeral components have been shown to have a lower incidence of radiographic loosening than uncemented humeral components. On the glenoid side, although there is an increased incidence of radiolucent lines in cemented all-polyethylene components, the rate of clinical loosening and failure is lower when compared with cementless metal-backed components. Multiple peer-reviewed publications have concluded that cemented all-polyethylene glenoid components exhibit lower rates of clinical loosening compared with cementless designs.
Content of treatment goals and outcome of brief therapy.

This research examined the role of type of treatment goal in eventual goal attainment and in outcome of brief psychotherapy for 19 outpatients who participated in a goal-setting program. Each of four goal categories produced positive attainment rates with no significant differences among them. Correlational analyses indicated that improvement was not limited to any specific type of goal.
Listening beyond the self: How organizations create direct involvement

A two-year ethnographic study examines how two U.S. investment banks managed bankers’ uncertainty differently and achieved distinct forms of participant transformation, including listening outcomes. People Bank reduced uncertainty by conveying abstract concepts. Socialized bankers exhibited a preferential orientation toward abstractions, including their own identities, and often failed to listen to and use concrete cues for action. To highlight situational uniqueness, Organization Bank amplified uncertainty. Since situational demands thus exceeded what the bankers knew and appeared too complex to be forced into pre-existing categories and scripts, bankers could not resort to abstractions. Over time, bankers’ initial preoccupation with abstractions was cleared away, enabling them to more effectively listen and use situational cues. We develop the notion of direct involvement to explain this transformation away from self-involvement and toward heightened situational sensitivity.
Developing microwave-assisted ionic liquid microextraction for the detection and tracking of hydrophobic pesticides in complex environmental matrices

In the present study, we have developed a novel dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) based on microwave-assisted DLLME (MADLLME) using ionic liquids for the separation of environmentally-relevant pyrethroid pesticides from various aqueous milieux. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed for the detection and quantitative tracking of the pesticides. Six different ILs were preliminarily tested as extraction solvents against four representative model pyrethroids. The optimization of the current method was derived by consideration of the dispersal solvent, ionic liquid choice, extraction container material, aqueous-phase pH, and microwave conditions (particularly, the applied power and irradiation time). Optimal results were achieved using methanol as a dispersal solvent with trioctylmethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([N8881][Tf2N]) as the extraction solvent at a microwave power of 200 W for 60 s. A number of spiked food samples (e.g., honey, milk, assorted fruits) were also tested using MADLLME, with excellent recoveries achieved from these complex matrices as compared to DLLME alone.
Planar Transmission Lines

This paper derives formulas for the transmission properties--characteristic impedance and attenuation--in the principal mode of a transmission line consisting of one or two long strips of metal foil embedded in a dielectric material between two long metal strips considerably wider than the central ones. The width and spacing of the central strips is arbitrary, and it is also necessary to take account of their thickness in computing the attenuation. A graphical method is given for evaluating the characteristic impedance in general, and analytic approximations are given for a number of special cases. Finally the question of the leakage of power from between the outer strips is considered briefly.
Transient increase of free cytosolic calcium during neutrophil motility responses

The release of free cytosolic calcium is a secondary messenger for many cell functions. Here we study the coupling between the release of intracellular calcium and motility responses of the human neutrophil. Two groups of motility responses are studied: motility responses in the presence of adhesion, such as cell crawling and phagocytosis, and motility responses ‘in suspension’, such as pseudopod formation. The motility responses are stimulated by the chemoattractant N-formyl-methionyl-leucylphenylalanine (fMLP) and the release of calcium is monitored by measuring the fluorescence from fluo-3. fMLP induces a single release of free cytosolic calcium both in suspended cells and in crawling cells. Calcium release is a threshold process where the number of cells releasing calcium is dependent on the chemoattractant concentration while the amount of released calcium is not. For suspended cells the threshold fMLP concentration for calcium release is in the order of 10 -7 M, while for crawling cells it is in the order of 5〈10 -9 M. The smaller value of the threshold fMLP concentration for crawling cells compared to that for suspended cells suggests that bound adhesion receptors are involved in the calcium release. The threshold fMLP concentration for suspended cells is also larger than the minimum fMLP concentration (in the order of 10 -10 M) for initiating pseudopod formation. So, there is a range of fMLP concentrations where pseudopod formation occurs without calcium release. To explore this relationship further, pseudopod extension and calcium release are stimulated many times in a single cell by using fMLP concentrations above the threshold. The result is that calcium release is desensitized by fMLP while pseudopod extension is not. All the results taken together suggest that the release of free cytosolic calcium and the rearrangement of the Factin network during motility follow different signaling pathways. SUMMARY
Contour trees of uncertain terrains

We study contour trees of terrains, which encode the topological changes of the level set of the height value e as we raise e from -∞ to +∞ on the terrains, in the presence of uncertainty in data. We assume that the terrain is represented by a piecewise-linear height function over a planar triangulation M, by specifying the height of each vertex. We study the case when M is fixed and the uncertainty lies in the height of each vertex in the triangulation, which is described by a probability distribution. We present efficient sampling-based Monte Carlo methods for estimating, with high probability, (i) the probability that two points lie on the same edge of the contour tree, within additive error; (ii) the expected distance of two points p, q and the probability that the distance of p, q is at least e on the contour tree, within additive error, where the distance of p, q on a contour tree is defined to be the difference between the maximum height and the minimum height on the unique path from p to q on the contour tree. The main technical contribution of the paper is to prove that a small number of samples are sufficient to estimate these quantities. We present two applications of these algorithms, and also some experimental results to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Perspectives: Fairness Outside the Cocoon

Investment bankers, security analysts, traders, and other finance professionals often behave as if they lived in a cocoon. They need to recognize that they live under the community's rules of fairness as well as the market's rules. Through anecdotes, quotations, and survey reports, this article discusses how internal and external obstacles keep finance professionals from perceiving the community's rules of fairness - rules that often make their way into the law. Ultimately, those who fail to understand and follow the community rules of fairness are taking risks they would be wise to avoid.
Silicone breast implants: lessons from a saga.

In the following eleven lessons learned from the silicone breast implant saga in the United States are listed. Some Lessons From The Saga Of Silicone Breast Implants In The U.S. 1. The intrinsic differences between science and the law mean that there will continue to be tension at the interface between the two. 2. Weak scientific evidence makes for weak scientific, clinical and legal judgments. 3. Health policy can influence the weighing of evidence as did the FDA ban on gel filled silicone breast implants in 1992. 4. As the probative value of scientific evidence decreases (that is, the quality and relevance of the evidence) the courts have increasing difficulty in evaluation. 5. Weak scientific evidence along with poor legal judgments can distort clinical understanding and result in harm to patients. 6. Widely publicized speculation and litigation can obscure less dramatic but frequent and serious complications. 7. Clinicans, toxicologists, industry and regulators should maintain surveillance of medical devices, in representative groups if not in all recipients of the devices. 8. The precise identity and composition of each medical device implanted into a person should be recorded both by the manufacturer and in the health care record. 9. The factual basis for informed consent should be vetted by a disinterested party. 10. Patients, clinicians and industry all have a strong interest in assuring the safety of medical devices through regulation. 11. The criteria and process for evaluating the admissibility of scientific evidence in legal proceedings have been improved but universal adoption of the improvements has not been accomplished and further changes may be necessary.
Communal child rearing: The Synanon experience

This article summarizes quantitative and observational data on early child rearing in the Synanon Foundation, the largest communal child rearing facility in the United States. Synanon considers child rearing to be a communal rather than familial task, emphasizes group rather than individual values, and does not separate home and school. Children are raised in peer groups somewhat apart from the adult/parent community, and values are inculcated through the educational system. Comparisons are drawn with the Israeli kibbutz and Chinese child rearing where appropriate.
The effect of freshwater inflow on meiofaunal and macrofaunal populations in the Guadalupe and Nueces Estuaries, Texas

Two estuaries with very different inflow characteristics were compared to test the hypothesis that benthic standing crops are enhanced by freshwater inflow. Assuming predation pressure is similar in both estuaries, this would imply that freshwater inflow enhances secondary production. The Guadalupe Estuary had 79 times more freshwater inflow than the Nueces Estuary, and a third of the salinity. The Guadalupe had higher macrofaunal densities and biomass than the Nueces, and both parameters increased with decreasing salinity within the Guadalupe Estuary. Macrofauna density increased with increasing salinity in the Nueces Estuary, due to invasion by marine species. However, meiofauna population size responds differently than macrofauna. Meiofaunal densities were higher in the low-inflow Nueces Estuary, and increased with increasing salinity in both estuaries. Macrofauna diversity increased with salinity, both within and between estuaries. The macrofauna response supports the hypothesis that increased freshwater inflow stimulates secondary production. A review of past benthic studies in these estuaries and the historical climatic patterns indicate that wet years with high inflow result in increased macrofaunal productivity. Since, macrofaunal diversity decreased with lower salinity both within and between the estuaries, the enhanced productivity is due to increases by freshwater and estuarine species that can tolerate low salinities. Increased macrofaunal densities are associated with decreasing meiofaunal densities. The latter result could be due to either increased macrofaunal competition with or predation on meiofauna, or a lack of low-salinity tolerance by meiofauna.
GPER-targeted, 99mTc-labeled, nonsteroidal ligands demonstrate selective tumor imaging and in vivo estrogen binding.

Our understanding of estrogen (17β-estradiol, E2) receptor biology has evolved in recent years with the discovery and characterization of a 7-transmembrane-spanning G protein–coupled estrogen receptor (GPER/GPR30) and the development of GPER-selective functional chemical probes. GPER is highly expressed in certain breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, establishing the importance of noninvasive methods to evaluate GPER expression in vivo. Here, we developed 99mTc-labeled GPER ligands to demonstrate the in vivo status of GPER as an estrogen receptor (ER) and for GPER visualization in whole animals. A series of 99mTc(I)-labeled nonsteroidal tetrahydro-3H-cyclopenta[c]quinolone derivatives was synthesized utilizing pyridin-2-yl hydrazine and picolylamine chelates. Radioligand receptor binding studies revealed binding affinities in the 10 to 30 nmol/L range. Cell signaling assays previously demonstrated that derivatives retaining a ketone functionality displayed agonist properties, whereas those lacking such a hydrogen bond acceptor were antagonists. In vivo biodistribution and imaging studies performed on mice bearing human endometrial and breast cancer cell xenografts yielded significant tumor uptake (0.4–1.1%ID/g). Blocking studies revealed specific uptake in multiple organs (adrenals, uterus, and mammary tissue), as well as tumor uptake with similar levels of competition by E2 and G-1, a GPER-selective agonist. In conclusion, we synthesized and evaluated a series of first-generation 99mTc-labeled GPER-specific radioligands, demonstrating GPER as an estrogen-binding receptor for the first time in vivo using competitive binding principles, and establishing the utility of such ligands as tumor imaging agents. These results warrant further investigation into the role of GPER in estrogen-mediated carcinogenesis and as a target for diagnostic/therapeutic/image-guided drug delivery. Implications: These studies provide a molecular basis to evaluate GPER expression and function as an ER through in vivo imaging. Mol Cancer Res; 12(11); 1635–43. ©2014 AACR.
Validation of the prognostic value of MMP-7 in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background and objective Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease with poor prognosis and variable clinical course. Although matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) is emerging as an important IPF biomarker, reproducibility across studies is unclear. We aimed to determine whether a previously reported prognostic threshold for MMP-7 was predictive of mortality in an independent cohort of IPF patients. Methods MMP-7 concentrations obtained from heparinized plasma samples were determined by ELISA in 97 patients with IPF and 41 healthy controls. The association of the previously published heparin plasma MMP-7 threshold of 12.1 ng/mL with all-cause mortality or transplant-free survival (TFS) was determined, either as an independent biomarker or as part of the modified personal clinical and molecular mortality index (m-PCMI). Results MMP-7 plasma concentrations were significantly higher in IPF patients compared to healthy controls (14.40 ± 6.55 ng/mL vs 6.03 ± 2.51 ng/mL, P Conclusion This study confirms that MMP-7 concentrations could be used to accurately predict outcomes across cohorts and centres, when similar collection protocols are applied.
Divine Simplicity, Aseity, and Sovereignty

The doctrine of divine simplicity has recently been ably defended, but very little work has been done considering reasons to believe God is simple. This paper begins to address this lack. I consider whether divine aseity (the traditionally prominent motivation) or the related notion of divine sovereignty provide us with good reason to affirm divine simplicity. Divine complexity has sometimes been thought to imply that God would possess an efficient cause; or, alternatively, that God would be grounded by God’s constituents. I argue that divine complexity implies neither of these, and so that a complex God could also exist a se. Similarly, a complex God might be thought less sovereign than a simple God, due to lacking control over the divine constituents. I argue in reply that a complex God either has just as much control as a simple God, or that a complex God’s relative lack of control should cause no theological problems. The upshot is that neither the doctrines of divine aseity or of divine sovereignty give theists good reason to endorse divine simplicity.
Gait Training in Chronic Stroke Using Walk-Even Feedback Device: A Pilot Study.

Asymmetrical gait and a reduction in weight bearing on the affected side are a common finding in chronic stroke survivors. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the effectiveness of a shoe insole device that we developed, called Walk-Even, in correcting asymmetric gait in chronic stroke survivors. Six individuals with chronic (>6 months) stroke underwent 8 weeks of intervention with 2 sessions/week, each consisting of 20 minutes of gait training and 20 minutes of lower-extremity strength training. The 2 control participants underwent conventional gait training, while 4 participants underwent gait training using the Walk-Even. Following intervention, all the participants improved on most of the gait measures: peak pressure of the foot, time of transfer of weight from heel-to-forefoot, center of pressure (COP) trajectory, COP velocity, asymmetry ratio of stance, mean-force-heel, mean-force-metatarsals, Timed “Up and Go,” and Activities-specific Balance Scale. The improvement was more pronounced in the 4 participants that underwent training with Walk-Even compared to the control participants. This pilot study suggests that a combination of strength and gait training with real-time feedback may reduce temporal asymmetry and enhance weight-bearing on the affected side in chronic stroke survivors. A large randomized controlled study is needed to confirm its efficacy.
Xenoendocrine disrupters-tiered screening and testing: filling key data gaps.

Abstract The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a screening and testing program for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) to detect alterations of hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) function, estrogen (ER), androgen (AR) and thyroid hormone synthesis and AR and ER receptor-mediated effects in mammals and other animals. High priority chemicals would be evaluated in the Tier 1 Screening (T1S) battery and chemicals positive in T1S would then be tested (Tier 2). T1S includes in vitro ER and AR receptor binding and/or gene expression, an assessment of steroidogenesis and mammalian (rat) and nonmammalian in vivo assays ( Table 1 ). In vivo, the uterotropic assay detects estrogens and antiestrogens, while steroidogenesis, antithyroid activity, (anti)estrogenicity and HPG function are assessed in a ‘Pubertal Female Assay’. (Anti-) androgens are detected in the Hershberger Assay (weight of AR-dependent tissues in castrate-immature-male rats). Fish and amphibian assays also are being developed. The fathead minnow assay can identify EDCs displaying several mechanisms of concern, including AR and ER receptor agonists and antagonists and inhibitors of steroid hormone synthesis. An amphibian metamorphosis assay is being developed to detect thyroid-active substances. Several alternative mammalian in vivo assays have been proposed. Of these, a short-term pubertal male rat assay appears most promising. An in utero-lactational screening protocol also is being evaluated. For Tier 2, the numbers of endocrine sensitive endpoints and offspring (F1) examined in multigenerational tests need to be expanded for EDCs. Consideration should be given to tailoring T2, based on the results of T1S. Tier 1 and 2 also should examine relevant mixtures of EDCs. Toxicants that induce malformations in AR-dependent tissues produce cumulative effects even when two chemicals act via different mechanisms of action.
Estimating the Live Body Weight of American Black Bears in Florida

Abstract Measuring the live body weight of large-bodied animals can be impractical when equipment needed to weigh individuals is inadequate or unavailable. My objective here was to develop a model to accurately estimate the live body weight of black bears Ursus americanus floridanus in Florida based on the relationship between scale weight and sex, morphometric measurements, and age predictor variables obtainable in the field. I used an information-theoretic approach to evaluate simple and multiple linear regression models with 70% of the data, and evaluated the best model in the set using the remaining 30%. A sex-specific model was sustained because the intercept and coefficient of age variable in female and male modeled relationships differed significantly. Chest girth2 was the best single predictor of body weight in each sex. A model including age, age2, and body length variables was better supported than chest girth2 alone. I also created a reduced model to estimate body weight when personnel may not ...
Local and Low-Cost White Space Detection

White spaces are portions of the TV spectrum that are allocated but not used locally. Ifaccurately detected, white spaces offer a valuable new opportunity for highspeed wireless communications. We propose a new method for white space detection that allows a node to actlocally, based on a centrally constructed model, and at low cost, whiledetecting more spectrum opportunities than best known approaches. Weleverage two ideas. First, we demonstrate that low-cost spectrum monitoringhardware can offer "good enough" detection capabilities. Second, we develop amodel that combines locally-measured signal features and location to more efficiently detect white space availability. We incorporate these ideas into the design,implementation, and evaluation of a complete system we call Waldo. We deployWaldo on a laptop in the Atlanta metropolitan area in the US covering 700 km2. Our results show that usingsignal features, in addition to location, can improve detection accuracy by up to10x for some channels. We also deploy Waldo on an Android smartphone,demonstrating the feasibility of real-time white space detection with efficientuse of smartphone resources.
10mJ Energy Extraction from Yb-doped 85µm core CCC Fiber using Coherent Pulse Stacking Amplification of fs Pulses

81ns effectively-long burst of chirped pulses is amplified to 10mJ with low nonlinearity in a Yb-doped 85µm core CCC-fiber based system, and coherently stacked with a multi-GTI arrangement, and compressed into a single <540fs pulse.
Venture Capital Internationalization in China: A Test of the Uppsala Model

We study the investment behavior of new domestic Chinese venture capital (VC) firms compared to foreign VC firms newly entering the Chinese market. Given the institutional and cultural differences ...