cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Case 22: A Difficult Nasogastric Tube Insertion

A 68 year old man is scheduled for an emergent exploratory laparotomy. Two weeks previously he had undergone a right hemicolectomy. He now presents with a 2 day ­history of severe abdominal pain, increasing abdomen distention, and the absence of passing wind and/or defecation. He is otherwise healthy. He is nil per os for 14 h. He weighs 68 kg and 5 ft 9 in. His other medical history is noncontributory. His airway is classified as Mallampati 1 and he is edentulous. Rapid sequence induction is uneventful and the endotracheal tube is inserted into the trachea and secured. The surgeons request a nasogastric (NG) tube. However, you find you are unable to pass the NG tube into the esophagus. You attempt to digitally manipulate the tip into the esophagus but to no avail. Visualizing the posterior oropharynx with either a different laryngoscopy blades and using a Magill forceps proves to be unsuccessful. You put the NG tube in ice making it stiffer for easier entry into the esophagus. However, it does not work and only creates an epistaxis.
Selected trace-elements in alluvium and rocks, western Mojave Desert, southern California

Abstract Concentrations of twenty-seven elements, including naturally-occurring water-quality contaminants arsenic, chromium, and uranium, were measured in 217 samples of alluvium and rock from the western Mojave Desert, southern California, using portable (pXRF) and laboratory (LXRF) X-ray fluorescence. Comparison of measurements with NIST-traceable standards was good, although pXRF overestimated iron compared to LXRF. Results suggest pXRF survey data are sufficiently accurate to assess regional geochemical differences in geologic-source terrains. Principal component analysis showed rubidium and potassium were associated with alluvium eroded from felsic terrain, while iron, copper, chromium, and to a lesser extent titanium, manganese, and nickel were associated with alluvium eroded from mafic terrain. Zinc, vanadium, and arsenic were associated with alluvium eroded from hydrothermal terrain. Elemental assemblages associated with different source terrains were traced spatially to identify the source and composition of alluvium composing aquifers pumped for water supply. Changes in geologic source terrain to the Mojave River, associated with movement along the San Andreas Fault over the past one to five million years, reduced the mafic fraction and increased the felsic fraction of alluvium deposited to the regionally important floodplain aquifer along the Mojave River—lowering chromium concentrations in alluvium through geologic time. Comparison of pXRF and sequential extraction data from 40 samples showed arsenic and uranium were more abundant on the surfaces of mineral grains, while chromium and vanadium remained mostly within unweathered mineral grains—suggesting arsenic and uranium may be more readily mobilized into groundwater with changes in pH, redox, or ionic strength than chromium or vanadium.
Detection of glycosaminoglycan loss in articular cartilage by fluorescence lifetime imaging

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) loss is an early marker of osteoarthritis, which is a clinical late stage disease that affects millions of people worldwide. The goal of our study was to evaluate the ability of a fiber-based fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIm) technique to detect GAG loss in articular cartilage. Native bovine cartilage explants (n = 20) were exposed to 0 (control), 0.5 (low), or 1 U / mL (high) concentrations of chondroitinase ABC (cABC) to create samples with different levels of GAG loss. FLIm assessment (excitation: 355 nm; detection: channel 1: 375 to 410 nm, channel 2: 450 to 485 nm, channel 3: 530 to 565 nm) was conducted on depth-resolved cross-sections of the cartilage sample. FLIm images, validated with histology, revealed that loss of GAG resulted in a decrease of fluorescence lifetime values in channel 2 (Δ = 0.44 ns, p < 0.05) and channel 3 (Δ = 0.75 ns, p < 0.01) compared to control samples (channel 2: 6.34 ns; channel 3: 5.22 ns). Fluorescence intensity ratio values were lower in channel 1 (37%, p < 0.0001) and channel 2 (31% decrease, p < 0.0001) and higher in channel 3 (23%, p < 0.0001) relative to control samples. These results show that FLIm can detect the loss of GAG in articular cartilage and support further investigation into the feasibility of in vivo FLIm arthroscopy.
Development and application of time staggered/mass staggered-globally optimized targeted mass spectrometry

The emerging requests for handling complex samples in system biology studies highlighted the need to expand the metabolite coverage in metabolomics analysis and to take advantage of the quantitative and targeted assays. Here, we developed a novel workflow to integrate time staggered or mass staggered scan methods with globally optimized targeted-mass spectrometry (GOT-MS), to enable broad metabolites coverage with better stability, repeatability, and quantitative capability. To establish these methods, two scheduled selected reaction monitoring (SRM) methods, time staggered and mass staggered approaches, were configured to achieve optimal sensitivity and scan speed and were combined with the GOT-MS strategy. Both methods took advantage of the systematic selection and rearrangement of all detectable metabolic peaks from a GOT-MS peak list, based on either retention time or m/z of the precursor ions. The established methods were then applied to the metabolic profile-based differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus N315 and N315 ex, an isogenic pair of Methicillin-resistant and susceptible S. aureus (MRSA and MSSA). A total of 464 metabolite peaks was detected successfully from pooled MSSA and MRSA bacterial metabolite extract using the GOT-MS method, and ts/ms-GOT-MS demonstrated better sensitivity and repeatability than the GOT-MS and previously established targeted metabolomics method. The semi-quantitative analysis in a broader metabolome coverage was also achieved with ts/ms-GOT-MS methods. Multivariate statistical analyses were also performed to determine whether metabolic profiling approach could differentiate MSSA from MRSA. The comparison of these methods to GOT-MS and targeted metabolic profiling demonstrated that ts/ms-GOT-MS are significantly improved hybrid metabolomics methods and can be used as promising tools for future studies.
Oxidation of Lactams to Cyclic Imides

Abstract The selective oxidation of lactams to cyclic imides is an important transformation considering the wide range of applications in the synthesis of pharmaceutical drugs and intermediates. This chapter highlights the metal- and nonmetal-mediated oxidative transformations of lactams, specifically pyrrolidones, piperidones, 2-(2-oxopiperidin-3-yl)isoindoline-1,3-diones, and hexahydro-2H-azepin-2-ones (caprolactams) to the corresponding cyclic imides by using various conditions. The effects of ring size of lactams, selectivity of oxidizing reagents, mechanistic investigations, and the limitations of some oxidative transformations are also discussed.
Impact of water chemistry, shelf-life, and regeneration in the removal of different chemical and biological contaminants in water by a model Polymeric Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite Membrane Coating

Abstract The present study aims to investigate the impact of water chemistry, shelf-life and regeneration of a previously developed chitosan (CS)-polyethyleneimine (PEI)-graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposite membrane coating. Several studies have shown the development of coatings with multifuctionality in DI water but have negleted the effects of water chemistry, shelf-life and chemical regeneration of these nanocomposite coatings for the simultaneous removal of different biological and chemical water contaminants. This nanocomposite was selected for this investigation since it showed a broad removal capability. This nanocomposite showed removals of Cr(VI), Cu(II), and Pb(II) over 90% at 1 ppm initial concentration and nitrate >75% at 20 ppm initial concentration under DI water. Furthermore, the coated filters were effective in removing >3 logs of E. coli K12, B. subtilis, and P. aeruginosa. The integrity and performance of the modified filters were investigated against a wide range of water chemistries with different pH values, salinity, and total hardness. For water chemistries with pH 4–9, salinity 50–1000 ppm, and total hardness of 50–500 ppm as CaCO3, at least one tested contaminant showed similar percentage removals indicating the potential use of the modified filters in these large ranges of water chemistry conditions. Based on that, the filters were used to treat representative samples of wastewater and seawater. The coated filters were able to remove suspended particles, bacteria, and heavy metals effectively. Later the potential for regeneration and the shelf-life of the coated filters were also investigated. For the regeneration, only 0.1 M HCl was able to desorb up to 40% of the adsorbed heavy metal, indicating that the filter can be partially regenerated. Accelerated experiments of shelf-life demonstrated that the modified filters lose their optimum performance around 9–12 months, indicating their potential for short-term storage without any specific preservation conditions.
SensorSnaps: Integrating Wireless Sensor Nodes into Fabric Snap Fasteners for Textile Interfaces

Adding electronics to textiles can be time-consuming and requires technical expertise. We introduce SensorSnaps, low-power wireless sensor nodes that seamlessly integrate into caps of fabric snap fasteners. SensorSnaps provide a new technique to quickly and intuitively augment any location on the clothing with sensing capabilities. SensorSnaps securely attach and detach from ubiquitous commercial snap fasteners. Using inertial measurement units, the SensorSnaps detect tap and rotation gestures, as well as track body motion. We optimized the power consumption for SensorSnaps to work continuously for 45 minutes and up to 4 hours in capacitive touch standby mode. We present applications in which the SensorSnaps are used as gestural interfaces for a music player controller, cursor control, and motion tracking suit. The user study showed that SensorSnap could be attached in around 71 seconds, similar to attaching off-the-shelf snaps, and participants found the gestures easy to learn and perform. SensorSnaps could allow anyone to effortlessly add sophisticated sensing capacities to ubiquitous snap fasteners.
Converting the Rosebud: Catholic Mission and the Lakotas, 1886-1916

Review of: Converting the Rosebud: Catholic Mission and the Lakotas, 1886–1916, by Harvey Markowitz.
Uniparental sexual reproduction following cell-cell fusion of opposite mating-type partners

Abstract Some animal species require an opposite-sex partner for their sexual development but discard the partner’s genome before gamete formation, generating hemi-clonal progeny in a process called hybridogenesis. In this study, we discovered hybridogenesis-like reproduction in a basidiomycete fungus, Cryptococcus neoformans. C. neoformans has two mating types, MATa and MATα, which fuse to produce a dikaryotic zygote that completes a sexual cycle producing recombinant meiotic progeny. Here, we discovered exclusive uniparental inheritance of nuclear genetic material in a fraction of the F1 progeny produced during bisexual reproduction of two opposite mating-type partners. By analyzing strains expressing fluorescent reporter proteins, we observed that dikaryotic hyphae were produced, but only one parental nuclei was found in the terminal basidium where sporulation occurs. Whole-genome sequencing revealed the nuclear genome of the progeny was identical with one or the other parental genome, whereas the mitochondrial genome was always inherited from the MATa parent. Uniparental sporulation was also observed in natural isolate crosses occurring in concert with biparental sporulation. The meiotic recombinase Dmc1 was found to be critical for uniparental reproduction. These findings reveal an unusual mode of eukaryotic microbial unisexual reproduction that shares features with hybridogenesis in animals.
A review of machine learning applications in IoT-integrated modern power systems

Abstract This paper aims to provide a systematic and comprehensive survey of state-of-the-art machine learning techniques and their potential applications in IoT-integrated power systems.
Faradaic Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy for Enhanced Analyte Detection in Diagnostics

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a widely implementable technique that can be applied to many fields, ranging from disease detection to environmental monitoring. EIS as a biosensing tool allows detection of a broad range of target analytes in point-of-care (POC) and continuous applications. The technique is highly suitable for multimarker detection due to its ability to produce specific frequency responses depending on the target analyte and molecular recognition element (MRE) combination. EIS biosensor development has shown promising results for the medical industry in terms of diagnosis and prognosis for various biomarkers. EIS sensors offer a cost-efficient system and rapid detection times using minimal amounts of sample volumes, while simultaneously not disturbing the sample being studied due to low amplitude perturbations. These properties make the technique highly sensitive and specific. This paper presents a review of EIS biosensing advancements and introduces different detection techniques and MREs. Additionally, EIS's underlying theory and potential surface modification techniques are presented to further demonstrate the technique's ability to produce stable, specific, and sensitive biosensors.
Optimization of wellbore cement sheath resilience using nano and microscale reinforcement: A statistical approach using design of experiments

Abstract In this study, silica (SiO2) nanoparticles were deposited on the surfaces of micro-synthetic polypropylene (PP) fibers through the sol-gel process and combined with Alumina Nanofibers (ANF's) to enhance the cement composite mechanical properties. Cement samples were cured at 82.2 °C with 20.68 MPa for 24 h to emulate wellbore conditions. Mechanical properties were experimentally tested and modeled through the design of experiments (DOE). Treated PP fibers did not contribute to the ultimate strength mainly due to their inability to resist stresses before cracks appear. Ultimate modulus of elasticity (MOE) and Poisson's Ratio were synergistically improved on the nano and microscale levels. This is due to cement samples remaining in the elastic region and the flexibilities of the fibers. 0.15% ANF and 0.09% PP fibers by weight of cement (BWOC) were considered the optimum values after performing the multi-objective optimization analysis. Derived models were statistically significant and useful for predictions.
Evaluating a Steady-State Model of Soil Accretion in Everglades Mangroves (Florida, USA)

To determine whether mangrove soil accretion can keep up with increasing rates of sea level rise, we modeled the theoretical, steady-state (i.e., excluding hurricane impacts) limits to vertical soil accretion in riverine mangrove forests on the southwest coast of Florida, USA. We measured dry bulk density (BD) and loss on ignition (LOI) from mangrove soils collected over a period of 12 years along an estuarine transect of the Shark River. The plotted relationship between BD and LOI was fit to an idealized mixing model equation that provided estimates of organic and inorganic packing densities in the soils. We used these estimates in combination with measures of root production and mineral deposition to calculate their combined contribution to steady-state, vertical soil accretion. On average, the modeled rates of accretion (0.9 to 2.4 mm year−1) were lower than other measured rates of soil accretion at these sites and far less than a recent estimate of sea level rise in south Florida (7.7 mm year−1). To date, however, no evidence of mangrove “drowning” has been observed in this region of the Everglades, indicating that assumptions of the linear accretion model are invalid and/or other contributions to soil accretion (e.g., additional sources of organic matter; feedbacks between physical sedimentation processes and biological responses to short-term environmental change) make up the accretion deficit. This exercise highlights the potential positive impacts of hurricanes on non-steady-state soil accretion that contribute to the persistence of neotropical mangroves in regions of high disturbance frequency such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean region.
Evaluating the Impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's BTOP Program on Broadband Adoption

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) spent $4.7B during 2009-2013 to, int. al, increase broadband adoption in underserved communities. We characterize the BTOP grants and examine the impact of the awards on broadband adoption. Econometric specifications controlling for award endogeneity related to observed and unobserved county-level factors find that spending is apparently associated with increased broadband adoption. Further investigation, however, reveals that the impacts of spending are nonlinear and even nonmonotonic over the range of county-level BTOP spending in the data. Controlling for trends to reduce the potential for spurious correlation between spending and outcomes removes most of the significance of the results. We conclude with three lessons for policymakers derived from the uncertain outcomes of BTOP spending found in our exploration.
Day Camp in the Time of COVID-19: What Went Right?

ObjectiveTo evaluate whether a successful camp experience can be achieved with implementation of COVID-19 education, screening and hygiene protocols, and designated cohorts during the summer of 2020. Study DesignA survey study of summer day camp directors in the metro-New York area was conducted in September, 2020. The survey inquired about camper demographics, COVID-10 related policies, and the number of COVID-19 cases and exposures at each camp. ResultsResponses were received from 77% (23/30) of camp directors at the completion of the 2020 summer. There were 8,480 camper children and 3,698 staff across the 23 camps surveyed. A variety of precautions were taken to limit COVID-19 incidence among campers and staff, most often including COVID-19 screening at entry, cohorting campers, maximizing outdoor activities, mandating mask use when indoors, and frequent hand sanitizing. Six staff and one camper tested positive for COVID-19. There was no secondary spread within the staff or campers in any of the camps. ConclusionCamps successfully stayed open in the summer of 2020. The low level of COVID-19 in the community was critical to the initial success of camp opening. Policies that were consistent and maintained among the camps helped prevent further spread.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow: African American and Latino Political Coalition in Chicago

Thirty-six years after Harold Washington’s historic mayoral victory, segments of Chicago’s African American and Latino communities are still chasing the rainbow in the hopes of recapturing political influence in the city. After decades of political fracture and demobilization, the past two Chicago mayoral election represented a viable opportunity to recreate the African American and Latino dominated coalition that elected Harold Washington in 1983. This paper details the prospects of African American and Latino mobilization in Chicago, examining the 2015 and 2019 mayoral races.
Comparative assessment of the eighth and seventh AJCC staging edition prognostic performance of patients with p16 positive oropharynx cancer.

6067Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) TNM staging system defines the anatomical extent of disease and serves as a guide for treatment and prognosis. The favorable prognosis ...
Rebirth of recycling liquid chromatography with modern chromatographic columns : Extension to gradient elution.

Abstract Twin column recycling semi-preparative liquid chromatography (TCRLC) is revived to prepare small amount ( ∼ 1 mg) of a pure targeted compound, which cannot be isolated by conventional preparative liquid chromatography. In this work, TCRLC is extended to gradient elution. The first step of this modified process consists of a gradient step, which eliminates both early and late impurities. If not discarded, some late impurities could echo during the second isocratic recycling step of the process and compromise the purity level required for the targeted compound. Additionally, the entire gradient TCRLC (GTCRLC) process is automated regarding the eluent composition programmed and the actuation times of two valves: one two-position four-port divert valve enables to shave the targeted compound from early and late impurities during the initial gradient step. The second two-position six-port recycling valve ensures the complete baseline resolution between the band of the targeted compound and those of the closest impurities, which are not fully eliminated after the initial gradient step. The automation of the whole GTCRLC process is achieved by running four preliminary scouting gradient runs (at four different relative gradient times, t g t 0 = 2, 6, 18, and 54, where t 0 is the hold-up column time) for the accurate determination of the thermodynamics ( ln k versus φ plots of the retention factor as a function of the mobile phase composition) of the first impurity, the targeted compound(s), and of the last impurity. The automated GTCRLC process was successfully applied for the isolation of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), chrysene, from a complex mixture of PAHs containing two nearly co-eluting impurities (benzo[a]anthracene and triphenylene) and nine other early/late impurities (sample volume injected: 1 mL, 7.8 mm × 150 mm Sunfire-C 18 column, acetonitrile/water eluent mixtures, T = 55 ∘ C, 20 cycles, baseline separation in less than two hours). Additionally, the GTCRLC process is advantageously used to isolate and baseline separate the vitamins D 2 and D 3 initially present in a milk extract mixture (0.3 mL sample injection volume, 7.8 mm × 150 mm Sunfire-C 18 column, methanol/water eluent mixtures, T = 65 ∘ C, 14 cycles needed in 1.5 hours). These results open promising avenues toward an effective preparation of unknown targeted compounds before further physico-chemical characterization and unambiguous identification.
Abrogation of tumor necrosis alpha (TNF-alpha) pathway by anti-TNF therapy in hematological malignancies

7093 Background: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) enhances tumor growth and mediates cancer-related inflammatory symptoms by inducing secretion of cytokines. Anti-TNF approaches have been ev...
Early Morphologic Markers of Carcinogenicity in Rat Pancreas

Carcinomas have been experimentally induced in the pancreas of rats by several chemicals since Hayashi and Hasegawa first reported induction of hyperplastic nodules and acinar cell adenomas in pancreas of rats treated with 4-hydroxyaminoquinoline-1-oxide (4-HAQO) (1). Induction of exocrine pancreatic carcinomas by azaserine, 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene, and 4-HAQO has been been studied to an extent that each can be regarded as providing a model in rats. Of these three, the azaserine-rat model has been best characterized and can be regarded as a prototype for carcinogenesis by chemicals that appear primarily to affect acinar cells and lead to their transformation. This model will be described in detail and compared with other models that will be less completely described.
Essential principles of contract and sales law in the Norhern Pacific: Federated States of Micronesia, the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands, and United States Territories and political entities

This text includes the general contract and sales law that applies in the geographic region identified as the Northern Pacific, including the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands, Hawaii, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and in the Federated States of Micronesia. It then compares and contrast this regional substantive law to international standards governing contract and sales law.It is unique in that it is the only text compiling in one source the current statutes and case law for contract and sales for Northern Pacific region through 2009. Although the focus of the text will be on those independent nations in the Northern Pacific that are developing their own unique substantive law identity, the text will also include a comparison to contract and sales law that is prevalent in the United States and applicable in its Northern Pacific State of Hawaii, and in its Pacific territories of Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.The book will emphasize any divergence and highlight regional anomalies in the substantive law of contract and sales. It will also examine the inter-relationship between customary and traditional law and the law of contract and sales. This anthropological approach will highlight how regional customary and traditional law have interacted with Anglo-American concepts of contract and sales law to produce a unique amalgam of contract and sales law in this Northern Pacific region.
In Vitro Hemodynamic Evaluation of a Novel Pulsatile Extracorporeal Life Support System: Impact of Perfusion Modes and Circuit Components on Energy Loss

The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of every component of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) circuit on hemodynamic energy transmission in terms of energy equivalent pressure (EEP), total hemodynamic energy (THE), and surplus hemodynamic energy (SHE) under nonpulsatile and pulsatile modes in a novel ECLS system. The ECLS circuit consisted of i-cor diagonal pump and console (Xenios AG, Heilbronn, Germany), an iLA membrane ventilator (Xenios AG), an 18 Fr femoral arterial cannula, a 23/25 Fr femoral venous cannula, and 3/8-in ID arterial and venous tubing. The circuit was primed with lactated Ringer's solution and human whole blood (hematocrit 33%). All trials were conducted under room temperature at the flow rates of 1–4 L/min (1 L/min increments). The pulsatile flow settings were set at pulsatile frequency of 75 beats per minute and differential speed values of 1000–4000 rpm (1000 rpm increments). Flow and pressure data were collected using a custom-based data acquisition system. EEP was significantly higher than mean arterial pressure in all experimental conditions under pulsatile flow (P < 0.01). THE was also increased under pulsatile flow compared with the nonpulsatile flow (P < 0.01). Under pulsatile flow conditions, SHE was significantly higher and increased differential rpm resulted in significantly higher SHE (P < 0.01). There was no SHE generated under nonpulsatile flow. Energy loss depending on the circuit components was almost similar in both perfusion modes at all different flow rates. The pressure drops across the oxygenator were 3.8–24.9 mm Hg, and the pressure drops across the arterial cannula were 19.3–172.6 mm Hg at the flow rates of 1–4 L/min. Depending on the pulsatility setting, i-cor ECLS system generates physiological quality pulsatile flow without increasing the mean circuit pressure. The iLA membrane ventilator is a low-resistance oxygenator, and allows more hemodynamic energy to be delivered to the patient under pulsatile mode. The 18 Fr femoral arterial cannula has acceptable pressure drops under nonpulsatile and pulsatile modes. Further in vivo studies are warranted to confirm these results.
Septic Arthritis in Intravenous Drug Abusers: A Historical Comparison of Habits and Pathogens

Abstract Background Intravenous drug abuse (IVDA) is a common problem; there were more than 16 million users worldwide in 2008. Numerous reports highlight the infectious skeletal complication associated with IVDA. Objective To determine septic arthritis pathogens in IVDA in a U.S. hospital and compare the current causative organisms to a cohort from the 1980s at the same institution. Methods An institutional review board-approved retrospective cohort study compared a consecutive series of IVDA septic arthritis patients over a 10-year period, 1999–2008 (Group B), with an IVDA septic arthritis database that was collected in the 1980s (Group A). Endpoints were: bacterial species and staph species antibiotic susceptibility. Results Group B included 58 patients (35 men, 23 women) with a median age of 46.5 years. Group A included 38 patients (30 men, 8 women), with a median age of 32.5 years. The sets were significantly different in pathogens ( p = 0.0443). The most common organisms were Staphylococcus (staph) species (B 74.51%, A 52.63%), followed by Streptococcus (strep) species (B 7.84%, A 31.58%), Pseudomonas (B 13.73%, A 13.16%), and Serratia (B 3.92%, A 2.63%). Of the total number of septic joints, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) made up 39% of Group B and 34% of Group A. However, within the staph species, MRSA made up 53% of Group B and 65% of Group A. Strep species made up 7.84% (Group B) vs. 31.58% (Group A), and Pseudomonas (13%) and Serratia (3–4%) were similar. In the Group B cohort, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) had a predilection to infect the knee (94.4%), whereas MRSA was found more often in the hip (57.1%). Conclusions In IVDAs, MRSA is the most common pathogen causing septic arthritis. The ratio of staph species in septic joints is increasing, and the ratio of MRSA to MSSA remains high (>50%). Strep species are much less common.
An Analysis of the Items for the Home Economics Teacher Selection Test from the Perspective of the Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Home Economics Education

This study analyzed the items for the Home Economics teacher selection test, which were carried out through the school year 2002 to 2010, based on Pedagogical Content Knowledge in Home Economics Education (H-PCK). Two frameworks were used: (1) H-PCK matrix transformed from the Content Knowledge in Home Economics Education (H-CK) and the Pedagogical Knowledge; (2) Five components of H-PCK. The results of this study were as follows: (1) The test items were classified into H-CK items and H-PCK items from the H-PCK matrix analysis. (2) While the number of items on knowledge of teaching strategies was the highest, no item on knowledge of understanding students was identified. Since the test can be considered as Measurement-Driven Instruction, it will have backward influences on the teacher education program in universities. Thus, if promising and capable new Home Economics teachers are to be recruited, the test items should include all the components of H-PCK.
Fracture toughness of two phase WC-Co cermets

Abstract The present analysis is an attempt to show that fracture toughness of cermets based on WC-Co and the like can be predicted with reasonable accuracy from a simple fracture mechanics relationship. The resistance to fracture has been considered to manifest primarily from the plastic deformation of Co phase. The constrained deformation behavior of the ductile Co phase between the rigid WC grains, approximated to the behavior of ideal plastic flow of a ductile layer sandwiched between rigid platens, has been incorporated into the fracture toughness predictions. Reasonable assumptions on in situ flow and fracture behavior of Co phase have been made in such estimations. Comparison of the calculated fracture toughness values with the experimental data of a large number of WC-Co systems of varying microstructural conditions, indicates reasonable agreement.
Small molecule–triggered Cas9 protein with improved genome-editing specificity

Post-translational regulation of Cas9 activity may improve the specificity of genomic targeting. A modified version of Cas9 with an insertion of a small molecule–regulated intein allows temporal control of Cas9 activity and reduces off-target activity.
Activity changes during a conditioned aversive stimulus in rats with septal lesions

Abstract The effect of a stimulus previously associated with shock on the spontaneous activity of rats with septal lesions and operated control rats was determined. All rats first received 50 signaled inescapable shock trials and then the signal was presented during a spontaneous activity task. Presentation of the signal during the activity task resulted in an exaggerated increase in activity in rats with septal lesions whereas control rats displayed only a slight increase in activity alternated with periods of no activity. The results are consistent with a reduced freezing hypothesis of septal lesions in aversive learning situations.
Influences of copper and design of intrauterine devices on endometrial bleeding in monkeys

Abstract Although rhesus monkeys were previously shown to bleed quantitatively and qualitatively in a similar fashion to humans in response to most plastic intrauterine devices tested, custom-fitting of plastic devices to each monkey uterine cavity resulted in essentially no increase in menstrual or intermenstrual bleeding. When the non-offensive, custom-fitted plastic devices were wound with copper wire, endometrial bleeding was not significantly affected. These findings suggest that individually fitted copper devices may provide effective contraception in humans associated with less bleeding and pain than with standard copper T and 7 design
Standardization and application of metrics to quantify human-interaction behaviors by the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops spp.)

The conditioning of dolphins to human-interaction behaviors has been documented in several areas worldwide. However, the metrics used to report human-interaction behaviors vary among studies, making comparison across study areas difficult. The purpose of this study was to develop standard metrics for reporting human-interaction behaviors and utilize these metrics to quantify the prevalence of human-interaction behaviors by common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) near Savannah, Georgia. The four metrics used were percentage of days with human-interaction behaviors, percentage of sightings with human-interaction behaviors, percentage of the catalog that interacted with humans, and spatial extent of human-interaction behaviors. Human-interaction behaviors were observed on 69.6% of days and 23.5% of sightings near Savannah. In addition, 20.1% of the animals in the catalog were observed interacting with humans. These rates are much higher than those found in other areas with known issues with human-interaction behaviors. These behaviors were observed across an area of 272.6 km2, which is larger than other reported areas. The four metrics used in this study proved to be a valuable way to report human-interaction behaviors, and their use is recommended for future studies to allow for comparison among areas.
Critical commentary: Government accounting and the politics of fear. A NOTE ON FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTING AND THE POLITICS OF FEAR

Abstract This paper describes the misleading information regarding Social Security and Medicare that is conveyed by political activists to the general public and promoted in the financial community. One way to limit these misleading efforts is to arm the public with some basic knowledge of governmental fund accounting; accountants should also promote improved reporting by the federal government.
Abstract 604: Styrene compounds induce apoptosis in triple negative breast cancer cell lines.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a rare basal-like subtype of breast cancer that is highly aggressive due to its invasiveness and metastatic properties. TNBC is characterized by the loss or low expression of estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2 proteins which have been targeted and established as somewhat effective therapy regiments in other breast cancer subtypes including luminal breast cancer. Since triple negative tumors are missing these established drug targets, there has been little advancement in the establishment of drug therapies to specifically target this breast cancer subtype and therefore the need for novel therapeutics in treating TNBC still remains. Previous reports have suggested that PARP inhibitors show promise in potentiating the effectiveness of other known chemotherapeutics. Styrene compounds are volatile organic compounds that have a similar structural composition to some known PARP inhibitors. Our group has developed styrene compounds composed of a 3-nitro group on the A ring and varying aryl groups in the B ring of the styrene, and then tested their biological effects on luminal and TNBC cell lines. In this study, four different styrene compounds were used to treat the luminal breast cancer cell line HCC70 and the triple negative breast cancer cell line HCC1806. The breast cancer cells were exposed to a 10, 100, and 1000 μM titration over a 24hr time period. The apoptotic effect on these cell lines were analyzed and measured via qualitative and quantitative methods. We show here that light microscopy revealed a classic apoptotic dose-response to all of the styrene compounds in the cell lines. We also used the cell viability and MTT assays to reveal a dose-response decrease in cell viability and increase in cell death to the titration of the styrene compounds. This preliminary data show that these compounds have the ability to induce apoptosis in luminal and triple negative breast cancer cell lines. Our preliminary results lead us to believe that these styrenes could represent a new chemotherapeutic treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer and potentially other breast cancer subtypes. Citation Format: Checo J. Rorie, Shaina L. Richardson, Agape C. Lucas, Phillip A. Thomas, Kashenya M. Gurley, Marion A. Franks. Styrene compounds induce apoptosis in triple negative breast cancer cell lines. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 604. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-604
The effects of response contingent parental reinforcement upon schizophrenics' learning.

Abstract Forty schizophrenic and 40 non-schizophrenic male psychiatric inpatients, matched for age, intelligence, and social competence, were administered equivalent form nonsense syllable discrimination tasks under each of four conditions: an initial baseline information feedback condition, two response contingent reinforcement conditions, and a final baseline information feedback condition. Subjects of both diagnostic groups were further divided into eight groups of ten patients each. Half the groups received praise and half received censure during the response contingent conditions. In counterbalanced order, the reinforcing agent was the experimenter in one condition and a recorded voice of one of the parents in the other. Half received the mother's and half received the father's voice. Schizophrenics responded faster under experimenter than under parent reinforcement. Poor premorbid schizophrenics, making more errors than goods, responded faster under experimenter as opposed to parent reinforcement. Among non-schizophrenics, education, social competence, and I.Q. were all negatively correlated with response latency and number of errors. Among schizophrenics, the higher the I.Q., the fewer the errors and the shorter the response latency, except when such subjects were reinforced by their parents. Then no significant relationship existed. Marital status, however, was significantly related to performance, with unmarried status positively correlated with slower response to parents. All subjects responded more quickly and accurately in the final than in the first baseline condition regardless of diagnosis or interpolated reinforcement experiences. Data were interpreted as providing limited support for the social censure hypothesis of Garmezy and his colleagues, but as consistent with recent formulations concerning the schizophrenic patient in relation to his family.
Model validation under epistemic uncertainty

Abstract This paper develops a methodology to assess the validity of computational models when some quantities may be affected by epistemic uncertainty. Three types of epistemic uncertainty regarding input random variables – interval data, sparse point data, and probability distributions with parameter uncertainty – are considered. When the model inputs are described using sparse point data and/or interval data, a likelihood-based methodology is used to represent these variables as probability distributions. Two approaches – a parametric approach and a non-parametric approach – are pursued for this purpose. While the parametric approach leads to a family of distributions due to distribution parameter uncertainty, the principles of conditional probability and total probability can be used to integrate the family of distributions into a single distribution. The non-parametric approach directly yields a single probability distribution. The probabilistic model predictions are compared against experimental observations, which may again be point data or interval data. A generalized likelihood function is constructed for Bayesian updating, and the posterior distribution of the model output is estimated. The Bayes factor metric is extended to assess the validity of the model under both aleatory and epistemic uncertainty and to estimate the confidence in the model prediction. The proposed method is illustrated using a numerical example.
How enteral feeding options influence corticosterone patterns in rats.

Even with all the nutritional research conducted to date, it is not clear which enteral nutrition delivery and composition options are most physiologically sound. Glucocorticoid temporal patterns are reported to be shifted or disrupted with restricted feeding schedules, but because of intermittent sampling, temporal patterns have not been completely depicted. The purpose of this study was to characterize corticosterone temporal patterns while systematically varying selected enteral feeding options in a well-established nutritional animal model. A 2 x 2 x 2 x 2 randomized block experimental design was used in which enteral feeding schedules, delivery methods, kilocalorie levels (kcal), and fiber contents were systematically varied in rats (n = 80), and plasma corticosterone was measured by 125I radioimmunoassay. Blood samples were drawn hourly over 24 h. With cosinor analysis, 24-h and 12-h corticosterone rhythmic components were tested in each feeding group. Five of 16 feeding groups had a significant (p 0.05 < 0.10); 7 of these groups were on 24-h feeding schedules. When rhythmic components were detectable, groups receiving high-fiber formula displayed more uniform rhythm characteristics than did no-fiber groups. Only 1 group had a significant 12-h rhythmic component, and 1 showed a trend. Both were on 12-h, high-fiber restricted kcal feedings. In this small animal sample, no one enteral feeding option guaranteed a 24-h corticosterone pattern. The option coming closest was formula delivered on a 24-h schedule. This temporal pattern is one aspect to consider in enteral nutrition. The underlying mechanisms have yet to be elucidated.
Analytical Performance and Transport Studies Using Spark Sampling Followed by ICP Excitation with a Sequential Spectrometer

It was established that a high-voltage spark is a viable method of sampling iron and aluminum-based alloys using a sequential spectrometer ICP. Calibration curves were linear over at least four orders of magnitude, detection limits were in the parts per million range in the solid, and precisions of 1–3% were readily demonstrated when the base metal was used as an internal standard. Fifteen elements could be determined in a three-minute burn. The best analytical performance was obtained when the gas flow sweeping particles to the plasma passed through the counter electrode. Experiments with a cascade impactor showed that most of the material reaching the plasma was in small particles (<0.4 μm), with a total sample transport rate of about 0.5 μg/s. Particles reaching the plasma were examined by the scanning electron microscope and appeared to be mostly aggregates of very small spheres of 500-1500 A diameter. Under nonoptimum conditions, large spheres (∼1–5 μm diameter) and ablated material of irregular shape made up a significant amount of the transported material. The analytical performance is affected by particle size distribution, particle type, and sample transport rates.
ET-37EFFICACY OF INTRACRANIAL DELIVERY OF DICHLOROACETATE AND CARBOPLATIN VIA AN LCP POLYMER MICROCAPSULE DEVICE IN AN EXPERIMENTAL GLIOMA MODEL

BACKGROUND: Multi-targeted therapy is a promising strategy for patients with glioblastoma and controlled delivery of these chemotherapeutics is crucial for effective intracranial chemotherapy. Studies combining platinum pharmacophores with apoptosis inducers, such as Dichloroacetae (DCA), suggest that DCA enhances the sensitivity of cancer cells to platinum compounds. We assessed the efficacy of DCA in combination with Carboplatin (CB) delivered from a biocompatible liquid crystal polymer (LCP) microcapsule in an experimental glioma model in rats. METHODS: In vitro studies were performed to assess the cytotoxicity of DCA and CB on F98 rodent glioma cells. Efficacy was assessed in vivo in rats with intracranially implanted F98 with intracranial implantation of 50% DCA and 5% CB wafers, in monotherapy and in combination. A second study assessed the efficacy of DCA and CB released from an LCP microcapsule as a multi-drug delivery device. RESULTS: The IC50 values for DCA and CB at 24 hours were 70mM and 39mM(R2 =0.989 and 0.948, respectively). The initial efficacy study showed no difference in median survival between the control group and either DCA or CB monotherapy treatments. However, the animals that received CB wafer in combination with DCA wafer had significantly increased survival as compared to the control group (p = 0.016). The microcapsule efficacy study showed that animals given intracranial LCP microcapsule loaded with 5% CB/pCPP:SA and 50% DCA/pCPP:SA had significant improvement in survival (p= 0.0042 vs. control). CONCLUSION: We show that the intracranial delivery of Dichloroacetate and Carboplatin significantly increases survival in an experimental glioma model, when delivered via polymeric wafer as well as when delivered from LCP microcapsule. The LCP microcapsule is a safe and effective method for intracranial dual-drug delivery and may be a novel strategy for obtaining controlled release of multiple drugs with drug-specific kinetics and independent release times.
HLA Histocompatibility Antigens in a Polynesian Population — Cook Islanders of Mauke

Polynesians living on the island of Mauke in the Cook Island group were typed for HLA-A and -B locus antigens. The Mauke population has restricted HLA polymorphism, with five A-locus antigens and four B-locus antigens accounting for a majority of the HLA phenotypes. Although some differences in antigen frequency were found when Mauke Islanders were compared with Polynesians from Easter Island and Samoa, the Mauke Islanders were closer in their HLA antigenic profile to polynesians than to Melanesians.