cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
(362) ED Acupuncture: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Impact on Pain

When patients present to the emergency department (ED) for pain, conventional treatment is often limited to prescription medications. Hospitals are now seeking non-pharmacological management options for acute pain due to the opioid crisis. Our quality improvement study aimed to determine the feasibility of implanting an employed acupuncturist within an urban ED to provide acupuncture as a nonpharmacological acute pain management option and to determine the impact of acupuncture on acute pain reduction. To our knowledge, few ED acupuncture models exist worldwide. Limited information has been reported about acceptance of acupuncture in the ED setting by physicians and patients, and it is unknown if there is enough time for acupuncture during the ED visit. The ED selected for this study had an average 1.5-2 hour wait time for treatment and annually treated an average of 34,000 patients of which 66% presented with an emergency severity index between 3-5(ESI; highest severity [1] - lowest severity [5]). In 2017, acupuncture services were offered to adult patients with ED physician approval based on their ESI level and reason for visit. Patient self-reported pre- and post-acupuncture pain scores (i.e., no pain [0] - worst pain [10]) were compared using paired t-tests. Multivariable regression models were also constructed. A total of 706 patients were approached, of which 379 (53.7%) consented to receive acupuncture services. Overall, patients presented with a median ESI score of 3, and 53.6% did not receive opioids at any time during their ED visit. Mean pain score improvement (6.5 vs. 3.4; p
Validation and reproducibility of the Heidelberg Edge Perimeter in the detection of glaucomatous visual field defects.

AIM To validate the ability of the Heidelberg Edge Perimeter (HEP) in detecting glaucomatous visual field (VF) defects compared to the Octopus Visual Field (OVF) Analyzer and to determine the test-retest repeatability of both modalities. METHODS This prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted at Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Glaucoma subjects and unaffected controls underwent VF testing using HEP standard automated perimetry (SAP) III 30-2 Adaptive Staircase Thresholding Algorithm (ASTA) FAST protocol and OVF G-TOP white-on-white strategy. Testing order was randomized. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for both mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation/square root of loss of variance (PSD/sLV). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the diagnostic abilities of both modalities. Glaucoma subjects returned for repeat testing and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess test-retest repeatability. RESULTS Seventy-nine subjects with glaucoma and 36 unaffected controls were enrolled. HEP and OVF were significantly correlated for both MD (r=-0.84; P<0.01) and PSD/sLV (r=0.79; P<0.01). Areas under the ROC curves (AUCs) were also comparable between HEP and OVF for both MD (0.74 and 0.79, respectively; P=0.26) and PSD/sLV (0.74 and 0.82; P=0.08). ICC was high for both HEP (0.96 for MD, 0.95 for PSD/sLV) and OVF (0.82 and 0.88, respectively). Mean test duration (min) was significantly shorter for OVF (2.63) compared to HEP (5.15; P<0.01). CONCLUSION HEP and OVF show strong correlation for both MD and PSD/sLV, and have similar validity for detecting glaucoma. The test-retest repeatability is high for both HEP and OVF, however the average testing duration of HEP is significantly longer than that of OVF.
The Long-term Impact of Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass on Colorectal Polyp Formation and Relation to Weight Loss Outcomes

Evolving epidemiological data, backed by mechanistic evidence, supports a paradoxical increase in the risk of colorectal cancer after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery (RYGB). We examined the risk of colonic polyps after RYGB. A single-center retrospective study included colonoscopies performed between the years 1994 and 2018. To focus on the long-term impact of RYGB on precancerous colonic polyps, we compared patients at average risk for CRC who underwent colonoscopy ≥ 5 years after RYGB (n = 86) versus pre-RYGB (n = 106). We analyzed our data using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) using propensity scores in order to account for multiple potential confounders. After IPTW, we found no statistical differences between pre- and post-RYGB patients for risk of any polyp (33.2% pre- vs. 32.7% post-RYGB). However, the percentage of serrated polyps was higher ≥ 5 years post-RYGB compared with pre-RYGB (8.7% vs. 2.1%, p = 0.04, relative risk = 4.22; 95% CI 0.97, 18.4). Body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 at time of colonoscopy was associated with a greater risk for any polyp after RYGB (OR 6.23; 95% CI 1.16, 33.41). There was also a trend towards increased risk of polyps in post-RYGB patients who were current smokers (OR = 4.97; 95% CI 0.82, 30) or with age > 55 years (OR = 2.49; 95% CI 0.88, 7.00). Our data suggest that RYGB is associated with an increased risk of serrated polyps after 5 years from surgery. Prospective studies defining this risk and examining mechanisms will be instrumental for application of CRC preventative strategies in this population.
A note on perceptuo-motor adaptation of speech

Abstract Existing data on perceptuo-motor adaptation in speech are briefly reviewed, and an unsuccessful attempt to replicate the effect using a modified procedure is described.
Navigating Complex, Ethical Problems in Professional Life: a Guide to Teaching SMART Strategies for Decision-Making

This article demonstrates how instructors of professionalism and ethics training programs can integrate a professional decision-making tool in training curricula. This tool can help trainees understand how to apply professional decision-making strategies to address the threats posed by a variety of psychological and environmental factors when they are faced with complex professional and ethical situations. We begin by highlighting key decision-making frameworks and discussing factors that may undermine the use of professional decision-making strategies. Then, drawing upon findings from past research, we present the “SMART” professional decision-making framework: seeking help, managing emotions, anticipating consequences, recognizing rules and context, and testing assumptions and motives. Next, we present a vignette that poses a complex ethical and professional challenge and illustrate how each professional decision-making strategy could or should be used by characters in the case. To conclude, we review a series of educational practices and pedagogical tools intended to help trainers facilitate trainee learning, retention, and application of “SMART” decision-making strategies.
Survive the Drive: A Guide to Keeping Everyone on the Road Alive

Driving is risky business. Only cancer, heart attacks, and strokes cause more unintentional deaths among the general population. In this book, Tom Dingus, one of the foremost authorities on driving safety, tells you how to reduce your risk of accident while on the road. Dingus directs the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI), which is home to the largest group of driving safety researchers in the world. In Survive the Drive he brings together decades of transportation safety research with personal anecdotes from his own time behind the wheel to create an entertaining guide that gives you all of the information you need to keep yourself and those around you safe on the road.
Abstract 249: The Epigenetically Modified Pro-inflammatory Cardiac Fibroblast Drives Cardiomyocyte Dysfunction in Pulmonary Hypertension-induced Right Ventricular Pressure Overload

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a strong predictor of survival in a variety of clinical contexts including pulmonary hypertension (PH). Thus elucidating mechanisms that contribute to RV dysfu...
Pediatric pathology all grown up - An interesting case of adult tethered spinal cord.

Background Cervical myelopathy in an adult is typically the result of degenerative disease or trauma. Dysraphism is rarely the cause. Case description The authors report the case of a 35-year-old male drywall installer who presented with 2 years of progressive left upper extremity weakness, numbness, and hand clumsiness. Only upon detailed questioning did he mention that he had neck surgery just after birth, but he did not know what was done. He then also reported that he routinely shaved a patch of lower back hair, but denied bowel, bladder, or lower extremity dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging of the cervical spine demonstrated T2 hyperintensity at C4-C5 with dorsal projection of the neural elements into the subcutaneous tissues concerning for a retethered cervical myelomeningocele. Lumbar imaging revealed a diastematomyelia at L4. He underwent surgical intervention for detethering and repaired of the cervical myelomeningocele. Four months postoperatively, he had almost complete resolution of symptoms, and imaging showed a satisfactory detethering. The diastematomyelia remained asymptomatic and is being observed. Conclusion Tethered cervical cord is a rare cause for myelopathy in the adult patient. In the symptomatic patient, surgical repair with detethering is indicated to prevent disease progression and often results in clinical improvement.
Exoplanet detection in starshade images

A starshade suppresses starlight by a factor of 1011 in the image plane of a telescope, which is crucial for directly imaging Earth-like exoplanets. The state-of-the-art in high-contrast post-processing and signal detection methods was developed specifically for images taken with an internal coronagraph system and focused on the removal of quasi-static speckles. These methods are less useful for starshade images where such speckles are not present. We are dedicated to investigating signal processing methods tailored to work efficiently on starshade images. We describe a signal detection method, the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT), for starshade missions and look into three important problems. First, even with the light suppression provided by the starshade, rocky exoplanets are still difficult to detect in reflected light due to their absolute faintness. GLRT can successfully flag these dim planets. Moreover, GLRT provides estimates of the planets’ positions and intensities and the theoretical false alarm rate of the detection. Second, small starshade shape errors, such as a truncated petal tip, can cause artifacts that are hard to distinguish from real planet signals; the detection method can help distinguish planet signals from such artifacts. The third direct imaging problem is that exozodiacal dust degrades detection performance. We develop an iterative GLRT to mitigate the effect of dust on the image. In addition, we provide guidance on how to choose the number of photon counting images to combine into one co-added image before doing detection, which will help utilize the observation time efficiently. All the methods are demonstrated on realistic simulated images.
Estimating a spatial autoregressive model with autoregressive disturbances based on the indirect inference principle

This paper proposes a new estimation procedure for the first-order spatial autoregressive (SAR) model, where the disturbance term also follows a first-order autoregression and its innovations may b...
Multimodal Machine Learning for Credit Modeling

Credit ratings are traditionally generated using models that use financial statement data and market data, which is tabular (numeric and categorical). Practitioner and academic models do not include text data. Using an automated approach to combine long-form text from SEC filings with the tabular data, we show how multimodal machine learning using stack ensembling and bagging can generate more accurate rating predictions. This paper demonstrates a methodology to use big data to extend tabular data models, which have been used by the ratings industry for decades, to the class of multimodal machine learning models.
Interpreting the Natural: Contemporary Visions of Scholars' Rocks

Creative Arts Educ Ther (2021) 7(1):10–25 DOI: 10.15212/CAET/2021/7/1 Interpreting the Natural: Contemporary Visions of Scholars’ Rocks Reflections on curating the exhibition: Interpreting the Natural: Contemporary Visions of Scholars’ Rocks, October 21st–Nov 30th, Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Center, New York, NY, USA 诠释自然: 文房供石的当代视野 诠释自然: 文房供石的当代视野 10月21日至11月30日, 纽约韩国文化中心韩国馆 Abstract This article uses the concept of the scholar’s rock tradition from East Asia as a framework for the author’s curatorial project at Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Center, New York. The contemporary art exhibition is discussed in relation to the traditional aesthetic. Universal connections between art and nature are included. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the author developed a series of online events to address the main themes of the show with the artists in conversation with museum curators, art historians, and private collectors. Keywords: scholars’ rocks, suseok, suiseki, gongshi, Taihu rock, Lingbi stone, Richard Rosenblum, Kemin Hu 摘要 本文以东亚赏石传统概念作为作者在纽约韩国文化中心韩国馆的策展项目框架。当代艺术展讨论的是传统美学以及艺术与大自然之间的联结。由于COVID-19所限, 作者开展了一系列的线上主题活动, 对话交流的艺术家有博物馆馆长、艺术史学家和个人收藏家。 关键词: 赏石, 供石, 太湖岩, 灵璧石, Richard Rosenblum, 胡可敏
Vaginal cuff pyoderma gangrenosum with associated ureteral stricture: A case report

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a sterile inflammatory disease of unknown etiology characterized by recurrent cutaneous ulcers. It can occur in extracutaneous locations, especially at operative sites, and has been reported following gynecologic surgery. This report is the first case of pyoderma gangrenosum as a remote complication of pelvic surgery with associated ureteral stricture. It demonstrates the diagnostic challenge of this rare disease and the importance of broadening the differential diagnosis when apparent infections do not respond to treatment to minimize the morbidity of ineffective antibiotic and surgical interventions.
An Inquiry into the Division of Labor

This inquiry seeks to establish that Adam Smith relies upon his books The Theory of Moral Sentiments [1759] and An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations [1776] as complementary texts to introduce and develop his ideas. We will begin with a background of economic thinkers prior to Smith. After summarizing an example of this division of labor by Adam Smith, we will delve into the benefits of the division of labor: more skilled workers, time efficiency, and the invention of proper machinery. Similarly, we will examine the implications brought by this division of labor with an analysis of the connection between both of his books. Current scholars will be briefly discussed as they interpret the meaning of Smith’s work. Finally, we will look at post-Smithian thinkers in Classical Political Economy. (Words: 135)
Gonadal steroids differentially modulate neurotoxicity of HIV and cocaine: testosterone and ICI 182,780 sensitive mechanism

HIV Associated Dementia (HAD) is a common complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection that erodes the quality of life for patients and burdens health care providers. Intravenous drug use is a major route of HIV transmission, and drug use is associated with increased HAD. Specific proteins released as a consequence of HIV infection (e.g., gp120, the HIV envelope protein and Tat, the nuclear transactivating protein) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of HAD. In primary cultures of human fetal brain tissue, subtoxic doses of gp120 and Tat are capable of interacting with a physiologically relevant dose of cocaine, to produce a significant synergistic neurotoxicity. Using this model system, the neuroprotective potential of gonadal steroids was investigated. 17β-Estradiol (17β-E2), but not 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), was protective against this combined neurotoxicity. Progesterone (PROG) afforded limited neuroprotection, as did dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The efficacy of 5α-testosterone (T)-mediated neuroprotection was robust, similar to that provided by 17β-E2. In the presence of the specific estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist, ICI-182,780, T's neuroprotection was completely blocked. Thus, T acts through the ER to provide neuroprotection against HIV proteins and cocaine. Interestingly, cholesterol also demonstrated concentration-dependent neuroprotection, possibly attributable to cholesterol's serving as a steroid hormone precursor in neurons. Collectively, the present data indicate that cocaine has a robust interaction with the HIV proteins gp120 and Tat that produces severe neurotoxicity, and this toxicity can be blocked through pretreatment with ER agonists.
A Security Evaluation Model for Multi-Agent Distributed Systems

A new phase of the development of distributed system is now under way in which mobile software agent can be sent among supporting platforms. A mobile agent [6] is a program that represents a user in a computer network, and is capable of migrating autonomously from node to node, to perform computation on behalf of the user. Its tasks can range from online shopping to real-time device control to distributed scientific computing. By using agent technology, we can move the code to the remote data. We can also send out the agent to access the remote resources without keeping the network connection alive all the time. Despite its many practical benefits, mobile agent technology results in significant new security threats due to the increased mobility. A malicious agent can corrupt information on its host and in other agents. It is even more difficult to prevent a host from changing an agent’s states or even killing it. Therefore, solving the security problems of multi-agent distributed systems is crucial. It would be especially ideal if we can have a method to evaluate how secure an agent or a host is. Currently there is not much work done in this area. [1] and [2] are the few attempts to quantitatively measure the security of the mobile agent distributed systems. In this paper, we develop the security risk graph to model the system’s vulnerabilities. Based on the analysis of the different security threat situations in a mobile agent system, we derive a mathematical security model for quantitatively evaluating the security of an agent-based distributed system. This chapter is organized as follows: Section 2 gives the taxonomy of security threats for an agent-based system and describes other related works. In section 3, we will present a mathematical model for security assessment of an agent-based distributed system, followed by an example to explain how this model works. The section 4 provides the conclusions and future directions.
Intense proton beam plasma interactions

Abstract : A study has been initiated to investigate interactions between an intense proton beam and a background hydrogen plasma. The magnetic and electric neutralization of the ion beam by the plasma as well as collective interactions between the beam and the plasma are objects of this study. The plasma is produced by a conical theta-pinch gun and injected into a 2 kG solenoidal guide field. Plasma densities in the neighborhood of 10(10)/cc and electron temperatures of a 1-3 eV can be produced by careful operation of the plasma gun. The plasma column is 60 cm long and 2 cm in diameter. A 20 A/sq. cm proton beam is emitted from a magnetically insulated diode at 400 keV and injected axially into the plasma column. This paper presents a description of the experiment and some initial experimental results. (jhd)
Structuring Successful Global Virtual Teams

The purpose of this chapter is to summarize the theoretical and empirical research on global teams and synthesize useful recommendations for organizations seeking to compose global teams. First, we will discuss the characteristics that are likely to exist in what we refer to as global teams (e.g., distribution, multiple cultures, and time zone differences). Second, we will review the Wildman and colleagues (Human Resource Development Review 11:97–129, 2012) framework of team-level characteristics. Theoretical and empirical research on global teams will be described. Additionally, practical recommendations for global team leaders will be made by using the team-level characteristics framework as a basis for the suggestions.
Copper Deposition on Gold Nanoprism Substrates

Copper-containing nanomaterials are attractive due to the natural abundance, low cost, and unique catalytic properties of copper metal. Copper may also be used as a representative system to study the formation of mixed metal nanoparticles containing 3d transition metals. These elements pose challenges to traditional metal nanoparticle synthesis strategies due to competing formation of both oxides and hydroxides, depending on metal identity. Here, we analyze copper deposition pathways on gold nanoprism substrates using a combination of electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques, demonstrating conditions for both core@shell and island growth modes. Elemental analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy indicate that the final nanoparticle products contain metallic copper. Together, these results elucidate important trends for incorporating 3d transition metals into traditional colloidal syntheses of multimetallic nanostructures.
The use of topical aqueous suppressants in the prevention of postoperative intraocular pressure elevation after pars plana vitrectomy with long-acting gas tamponade.

Abstract Objective To determine whether topical aqueous suppressant therapy applied after pars plana vitrectomy with gas tamponade prevents postoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation. Design Prospective, nonrandomized comparative study. Participants Forty-one patients who met inclusion criteria and underwent pars plana vitrectomy with gas tamponade (SF 6 18%–20% or C 3 F 8 12%–16%) over a 1-year period. Intervention Treatment eyes received topical aqueous suppressants at the end of surgery. Main outcome measures Postoperative IOP at 4 to 6 hours, 1 day, and 1 week. Results Twenty-one control and 20 treatment eyes met the inclusion criteria. The IOP (in mmHg) measured at 4 to 6 hours (23.05 [control], 14.73 [treatment]) and 1 day (23.24 [control], 17.28 [treatment]) postoperatively showed a statistically significant difference between the groups ( P = 0.0038) at 4 to 6 hours and a trend toward significance ( P = 0.057) at 1 day. Eleven control and three treatment eyes had an IOP spike above 25 mmHg at 4 to 6 hours or 1 day postoperatively ( P = 0.02), and six control eyes and one treatment eye had postoperative IOP greater than 30 mmHg. A pressure rise greater than 40 mmHg was seen in two control eyes and no treatment eyes. Conclusions Use of topical aqueous suppressants after pars plana vitrectomy with long-acting gas tamponade is effective in preventing significant postoperative IOP elevation in most cases.
REDUCING ERROR IN QUESTION AND SCALE DESIGN: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK*

The authors describe a systematic scheme for viewing the relationship between design variables and measurement error in construction of closed-end questions. Applications to teaching and research are discussed.
Visual Art Making for Therapist Growth and Self-Care

This article elaborates Kelly's (1955/1991) description of the creativity cycle and considers the implications of balancing Kelly's metaphor of person-as-scientist with a metaphor of person-as-artist. The personal artist metaphor offers new possibilities for creative practice in therapists’ personal and professional lives. Visual art making offers access to levels of construing that are difficult to verbalize. Visual images may be more intensely personal and more immediate than verbal descriptions. They may better capture tacit emotional nuances and an emerging edge of experience. Visual images are not necessarily preverbal, but may also be meta-verbal, offering ways of knowing that are nonlinear, nonsymbolic, and linguistically inaccessible.
Perivitelline space of marsupial oocytes: Extracellular matrix of the unfertilized oocyte and formation of a cortical granule envelope following the cortical reaction

The purpose of this study was to characterize the structure of the vestments surrounding unfertilized and cortical granule-reacted oocytes from a marsupial, the grey short-tailed opossum Monodelphis domestica and to determine if a cortical granule envelope (CGE) forms in the perivitelline space (PVS) following the cortical reaction. Unfertilized oocytes collected from mature ovarian follicles and oviducal oocytes that had undergone a cortical reaction were fixed for electron microscopy in the presence of ruthenium red which stabilizes extracellular matrices (ECM) and facilitates demonstration of a CGE. Unfertilized oocytes were surrounded by a zona pellucida and had a PVS which contained a thick ECM comprised of granules and filaments. This matrix appeared to attach to the oolemma and was structurally similar to matrices reported previously in the PVS of unfertilized oocytes from eutherian mammals and two other marsupials, the Virginia opossum and the fat-tailed dunnart. The cortex of unfertilized oocytes contained cortical granules which were absent in oocytes recovered from the oviducts of mated females. Oviducal oocytes which lacked cortical granules exhibited a new coat within the PVS between the zona pellucida and the tips of the oocyte microvilli. This coat, the CGE, appeared structurally similar to CGEs described previously around fertilized eutherian oocytes. The CGE of the grey short-tailed opossum is approximately 1 microns thick and is made up of numerous small dense granules. The coats of the opossum oocyte are compared to those present around other marsupial and eutherian oocytes.
Oxysterols regulate differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells: pro-bone and anti-fat

Pluripotent mesenchymal stem cells can undergo lineage-specific differentiation in adult organ- isms. However, understanding of the factors and mechanisms that drive this differentiation is limited. We show the novel ability of specific oxysterols to regulate lineage-specific differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells into osteogenic cells while inhibiting their adipogenic differentiation. Such effects may have important implications for intervention with osteoporosis. Introduction: Oxysterols are products of cholesterol oxidation and are formed in vivo by a variety of cells including osteoblasts. Novel pro-osteogenic and anti-adipogenic effects of specific oxysterols on pluripotent mesenchymal cells are demonstrated in this report. Aging and osteoporosis are associated with a decrease in the number and activity of osteoblastic cells and a parallel increase in the number of adipocytic cells. Materials and Methods: The M2-10B4 pluripotent marrow stromal cell line, as well as several other mesenchymal cell lines and primary marrow stromal cells, was used to assess the effects of oxysterols. All results were analyzed for statistical significance using ANOVA. Results and Conclusion: Pro-osteogenic and anti-adipogenic effects of specific oxysterols were assessed by the increase in early and late markers of osteogenic differentiation, including alkaline phosphatase activity, osteocalcin mRNA expression and mineralization, and the decrease in markers of adipogenic differentiation including lipoprotein lipase and adipocyte P2 mRNA expression and adipocyte formation. Complete osteogenic differentiation of M2 cells into cells expressing early and late markers of differentiation was achieved only when using combinations of specific oxysterols, whereas inhibition of adipogenesis could be achieved with individual oxysterols. Oxysterol effects were in part mediated by extracellular signal-regulated kinase and enzymes in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway, i.e., cyclo-oxygenase and phospholipase A2. Furthermore, we show that these specific oxysterols act in synergy with bone morphogenetic protein 2 in inducing osteogenic differentiation. These findings suggest that oxysterols may play an important role in the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells and may have significant, previously unrecognized, importance in stem cell biology and potential therapeutic interventions. J Bone Miner Res 2004;19:830 - 840. Published online on January 12, 2004; doi: 10.1359/JBMR.040115
Role of androgen in sexual reflexes of the male rat

Abstract Studies were conducted on genital reflexes (erections, cups and flips), which occur spontaneously in supine unanesthetized male rats. The androgen dependence of this behavior was first demonstrated by a significant decline in all reflexes after castration. Second, the establishment of stable blood androgen levels by testosterone administration via Silastic capsules resulted in partial or complete maintenance of the reflexes after castration, depending on the dose. The circulating titer of androgen required for reflex performance which resembled that of intact rats was considerably less than the normal mean blood level, as previously found for copulatory behavior. Apart from very low androgen situations, there seems to be no necessary relationship of copulatory behavior performance to reflex responses and the variance in the latter is apparently unrelated to plasma testosterone level in normal intact adults. Nevertheless, the androgen dependence of genital reflexes is an essential component of the normal androgenic regulation of copulatory behavior.
Effects of high-dose 40 MeV proton irradiation on the electroluminescent and electrical performance of InGaN light-emitting diodes

InGaN multi-quantum-well light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in the form of unpackaged die with emission wavelengths from 410 to 525nm were irradiated with 40MeV protons to doses of 5×109–5×1010cm−2. The highest dose is equivalent to more than 100 years in low-earth orbit. The projected range of these protons is >50μm in GaN and thus they traverse the entire active region. The electroluminescent intensity from the LEDs decreased by only 15%–25% even for the highest doses and the reverse breakdown voltage increased by 1–2V from their control values of ∼21–29V. The percentage change in breakdown voltage and electroluminescence intensity was independent of the initial emission wavelength over the range investigated, within experimental error. The GaN LEDs exhibit extremely good stability to these high-energy proton irradiations with no measurable change in contact resistance or contact morphology.
Bioethics for technology

Abstract Ethical concerns about biotechnology continue to be debated in the scientific and popular press. Ethical considerations have led to the development of frameworks within which biotechnology can be developed in socially acceptable and desirable ways: through legislation, the development of public–private collaborations, and regimes that safeguard consumer choice.
Pharmacologic observations on a more potent benzothiadiazine diuretic (Be. 724-A)

Abstract 3-Benzyl-3, 4-dihydro-6-(trifluoromethyl) 2H-1,2,4-benzathiadiazine-7-sulfonamide, 1,1-dioxide is an effective oral diuretic, with 2.8 mg. of the drug being equivalent to 2 c.c. of meralluride intramuscularly. When compared to other members of this heterocyclic group of compounds, the drug shows a significantly increased natriuresis and decreased loss of potassium and bicarbonate. In this respect it more closely approaches a natural or “ideal diuretic”. It is effective upon continuous administration, and causes no significant serum biochemical changes. It is effective in a wide variety of edematous and hypertensive states and represents a (significant) advance in diuretic therapy.
Orbit efficiency for persistent wide area ground surveillance

A typical airborne ground surveillance radar is a multimode system with a ground moving target indicator (GMTI) mode for surveillance and tracking of moving ground targets and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) modes for imaging of terrain features and stationary ground targets. One of the key features of the GMTI mode is the ability to perform wide area surveillance (WAS) of a substantial ground area, and in addition to provide persistent surveillance of a pre-specified ground area over a long period of time. The accomplishment of this task requires careful optimization of radar parameters and careful planning of the platform orbits so as to minimize the time spent turning the aircraft and repositioning the radar. This paper defines the notion of surveillance orbit efficiency which, for constant speed flight, is simply the percentage of time spent on the straight legs of a race track orbit. It then examines the orbit efficiency for each of three cases depending on the assumed radar azimuth field of view (FOV). This paper is a modified version of work described in a MITRE Technical Report for the US Army.
Development of Polymeric Nanocarrier System for Early Detection and Targeted Therapeutic Treatment of Peri-Implant Osteolysis:

Background Extensive research has implicated inflammation as a necessary and causative factor in the development of peri-implant osteolysis, suggesting that such an inflammatory response is the sentinel event for the process. The potential to impact the clinical course of this condition is hampered by the lack of an effective medical therapy, as well as a limited ability for early detection prior to radiographically evident osteolysis. Advances in nanotechnology have allowed for the production of engineered water-soluble nanocarriers, which exploit changes in the microvascular architecture for selective distribution to inflamed tissues. Evaluation of the uptake of the nanocarriers in sites of inflammation has elucidated a novel mechanism of cellular uptake and retention of these particles.
Influence of phosphorus and potassium fertilization on damage to alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., by the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhall) and potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris)

Abstract In a field study, the effects of phosphorus and potassium fertilization on damage caused by the potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), and alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica (Gyllenhall), to alfalfa, Medicago sativa L., were studied. Potato leafhopper and alfalfa weevil populations were either controlled with insecticides or allowed to develop as untreated controls. Insect management treatments were applied to alfalfa managed under high and low soil fertility regimes. Alfalfa grown under high soil fertility appeared more favourable for alfalfa weevil populations but was able to tolerate more defoliation. Populations of alfalfa weevil larvae were 34% higher on fertilized stands. On the other hand, potato leafhopper populations were as much as 43% higher on low-fertility stands. Alfalfa weevil damage caused a carry-over effect which reduced both plant height and yield of the second cutting. Fertilization negated this effect on height but not on yield. Stands damaged by potato leafhopper recovered more slowly after harvest, but fertilization reduced this effect. Yields from first-cutting alfalfa (which is not infested by the potato leafhopper) the following year were 10% greater on fertilized stands where leafhopper control had been applied the previous season. Plots infested by potato leafhopper suffered greater yield losses under low-fertility management. Leafhopper control and fertilization, alone and in combination with one another, negated these effects.
Thermal Microstructural Stability of AZ31 Magnesium after Severe Plastic Deformation

Abstract Both equal channel angular pressing and friction stir processing have the ability to refine the grain size of twin roll cast AZ31 magnesium and potentially improve its superplastic properties. This work used isochronal and isothermal heat treatments to investigate the microstructural stability of twin roll cast, equal channel angular pressed and friction stir processed AZ31 magnesium. For both heat treatment conditions, it was found that the twin roll casted and equal channel angular pressed materials were more stable than the friction stir processed material. Calculations of the grain growth kinetics showed that severe plastic deformation processing decreased the activation energy for grain boundary motion with the equal channel angular pressed material having the greatest Q value of the severely plastically deformed materials and that increasing the tool travel speed of the friction stir processed material improved microstructural stability. The Hollomon–Jaffe parameter was found to be an accurate means of identifying the annealing conditions that will result in substantial grain growth and loss of potential superplastic properties in the severely plastically deformed materials. In addition, Humphreys' model of cellular microstructural stability accurately predicted the relative microstructural stability of the severely plastically deformed materials and with some modification, closely predicted the maximum grain size ratio achieved by the severely plastically deformed materials.
Endocannabinoid Biosynthesis Proceeding through Glycerophospho-N-acyl Ethanolamine and a Role for α/β-Hydrolase 4 in This Pathway

N-Acyl ethanolamines (NAEs) are a large class of signaling lipids implicated in diverse physiological processes, including nociception, cognition, anxiety, appetite, and inflammation. It has been proposed that NAEs are biosynthesized from their corresponding N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) in a single enzymatic step catalyzed by a phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD). The recent generation of NAPE-PLD(-/-) mice has revealed that these animals possess lower brain levels of saturated NAEs but essentially unchanged concentrations of polyunsaturated NAEs, including the endogenous cannabinoid anandamide. These findings suggest the existence of additional enzymatic routes for the production of NAEs in vivo. Here, we report evidence for an alternative pathway for NAE biosynthesis that proceeds through the serine hydrolase-catalyzed double-deacylation of NAPE to generate glycerophospho-NAE, followed by the phosphodiesterase-mediated cleavage of this intermediate to liberate NAE. Furthermore, we describe the functional proteomic isolation and identification of a heretofore uncharacterized enzyme α/β-hydrolase 4 (Abh4) as a lysophospholipase/phospholipase B that selectively hydrolyzes NAPEs and lysoNAPEs. Abh4 accepts lysoNAPEs bearing both saturated and polyunsaturated N-acyl chains as substrates and displays a distribution that closely mirrors lysoNAPE-lipase activity in mouse tissues. These results support the existence of an NAPE-PLD-independent route for NAE biosynthesis and suggest that Abh4 plays a role in this metabolic pathway by acting as a (lyso)NAPE-selective lipase.
The skin of primates. XL. The skin of the cottontop pinché Saguinus (=Oedipomidas) oedipus†

The skin of Saguinus (= Oedipomidas) oedipus Linnaeus, is basically similar to that of the red-mantled tamarin, Saguinus (= Tamarinus) fuscicollis Spix; it has several peculiarities: (1) a circumscribed tuft of vibrissae on the ulnar aspect of the wrist; (2) an accumulation of apocrine glands over the sternum; and (3) an extensive posterior abdominal field of gigantic sebaceous glands admixed with large apocrine glands, better developed in the female. The epidermis, dermis, hair follicles, sebaceous ducts, and apocrine excretory ducts are all heavily pigmented. Hairs are arranged in linear perfect sets; the epithelial sac of quiescent follicles is devoid of glycogen and phosphorylase. Eccrine sweat glands are restricted to the volar friction surfaces and contain no glycogen. Only the coiled excretory ducts of the eccrine glands contain phosphorylase. All cutaneous nerve fibers are more reactive for acetylthan butyrylcholinesterase.
Liquid-vapor equilibria and interfacial properties of n-alkanes and perfluoroalkanes by molecular simulation

A molecular dynamics study is presented to assess the performance of a united-atom model in the prediction of liquid-vapor interfacial properties for short-chain perfluoroalkanes and their alkane counterparts. In particular, the ability of this model to discriminate between the surface-energy values of these two types of compounds was investigated over a wide temperature range corresponding to the liquid-vapor region. Comparisons with available experimental data and surface-tension predictions given by other force-field parameterizations, including those based on the more computationally demanding all-atom method, were performed to gauge the viability of this model. It was found that the model used in this study captures qualitatively the expected behavior of surface energy between alkanes and perfluoroalkanes and yields values that are in excellent agreement with experimental data, especially in the high-temperature limit as the critical temperature is approached.
Interleukin-1β and interleukin-4 increase parathyroid hormone—related protein secretion by human umbilical vein endothelial cells in culture

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to learn whether cytokines such as interleukin-1β and related (or antagonistic) cytokines, hormones, and growth factors could regulate secretion of the vasorelaxant parathyroid hormone—related protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in culture. STUDY DESIGN: Secondary cultures of human umbilical vein endothelial cells were grown to confluence and treated with interleukin-1β, an array of factors with possible regulatory actions (cytokines, growth factors, vasoactive peptides, and steroids), and a phorbol ester as a stimulatory control. After 24 hours immunoreactive parathyroid hormone—related peptide in the media was measured by a two-site sandwich radioimmunoassay. The mechanism of interleukin-1β action was probed with interleukin-1β receptor antagonist and selected inhibitors. RESULTS: Interleukin-1β (10 ng/ml) produced up to an eightfold increase in parathyroid hormone—related peptide secretion from human umbilical vein endothelial cells in culture ( p p −7 mol/L significantly increased the secretion of parathyroid hormone—related peptide by human umbilical vein endothelial cells ( p CONCLUSION: Interleukin-1β and interleukin-4 increase parathyroid hormone—related protein secretion in human umbilical vein endothelial cells in culture. Because interleukin-1β messenger ribonucleic acid has been found in umbilical cord endothelial cells, we propose that the umbilical cord has a novel vasorelaxant regulatory system that uses interleukin-1β endothelial action and secretion of the vasorelaxant parathyroid hormone—related peptide.
Base Rates and Prediction: The Role of Sample Size

The present research focused on sample size as one factor which may mediate the efficacy of sample-based consensus information. In one experiment, subjects confronted with two conflicting base rates relied on the one derived from the larger sample when making individual and population predictions. In a second experiment, subjects for whom consensus percentages were discrepant with expectations assumed that these base rates were derived from a smaller sample than did subjects for whom the percentages were congruent with expectations. These results were discussed in the context of the literature on consensus, prediction, and attribution.
Development of Gene Therapy for Immunodeficiency: Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency

Deficiency of adenosine deaminase (ADA) results in severe combined immunodeficiency. Clinical cure has been observed in several ADA-severe combined immunodeficiency patients after bone marrow transplantation in which only donor T cells were engrafted, suggesting that T-cell correction alone is sufficient for full immune reconstitution. Children without an HLA-matched donor have been treated with polyethylene glycol-ADA as enzyme replacement therapy, resulting in varying degrees of immunologic and clinical improvement. In September 1990, we began treating a 4-y-old girl with periodic infusions of autologous culture-expanded T cells genetically corrected by insertion of a normal ADA gene using retroviral-mediated gene transfer with the LASN vector. After 2 y of polyethylene glycol-ADA treatment and before gene therapy, she continued to experience recurrent infections, was anergic and lymphopenic, and was deficient in isohemagglutinins. After seven infusions totaling 7 x 10(10) T cells, she has demonstrated a substantial increase in the number of circulating T cells (571/microL pre-gene therapy versus a mean of 1995/microL with gene therapy infusions every 6-8 wk) and the ADA activity in her peripheral blood T cells has increased > 10-fold. The increase in T-cell numbers and ADA activity has been associated with the development of positive delayed-type hypersensitivity skin tests, a significant increase in the level of isohemagglutinins, the regrowth of tonsils, and a decreased number of infectious illnesses. This improvement has persisted during suspension of treatment for more than 6 mo. A second patient treated since February 1991 has shown similar improvement in immune status.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Case studies and tools for contract specifications

Contracts are a popular tool for specifying the functional behavior of software. This paper characterizes the contracts that developers write, the contracts that developers could write, and how a developer reacts when shown the difference. This paper makes three research contributions based on an investigation of open-source projects' use of Code Contracts. First, we characterize Code Contract usage in practice. For example, approximately three-fourths of the Code Contracts are basic checks for the presence of data. We discuss similarities and differences in usage across the projects, and we identify annotation burden, tool support, and training as possible explanations based on developer interviews. Second, based on contracts automatically inferred for four of the projects, we find that developers underutilize contracts for expressing state updates, object state indicators, and conditional properties. Third, we performed user studies to learn how developers decide which contracts to enforce. The developers used contract suggestions to support their existing use cases with more expressive contracts. However, the suggestions did not lead them to experiment with other use cases for which contracts are better-suited. In support of the research contributions, the paper presents two engineering contributions: (1) Celeriac, a tool for generating traces of .NET programs compatible with the Daikon invariant detection tool, and (2) Contract Inserter, a Visual Studio add-in for discovering and inserting likely invariants as Code Contracts.
The Year in Review: Cardiology:

Overall, the evolution of the management of a broad spectrum of cardiovascular disease states has occurred primarily as a result of randomized, controlled clinical trials that have been conducted and published over time. During the past two years, the results of numerous clinical trials have certainly had a significant impact on the ways in which practitioners have treated conditions such as chronic heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, ischemic heart disease, dyslipidemias, and hypertension. This review article summarizes the results of several key clinical trials that evaluated various treatment strategies for these five cardiovascular disease states and attempts to provide insight as to how these findings can be incorporated into clinical practice.